Fans are eagerly waiting for the sequel to Aditya Dhar’s action thriller Dhurandhar 2. Earlier, Yash’s upcoming film Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups was also scheduled to release in theatres on the same date. However, the makers recently shifted the release date, citing tensions in the Middle East as the reason. Now, actor Rakesh Bedi, who played the role of Jameel Jamali in Dhurandhar, has reacted to the postponement of Toxic.
Rakesh Bedi talks about Yash’s Toxic not releasing with Dhurandhar 2 anymore.
Rakesh Bedi on Toxic’s postponement
The makers of Yash’s Toxic announced that the film has been postponed to June 4, stating that the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, due to the US–Iran tensions, could affect the film’s business in the region. Reacting to this development, Rakesh told India Today, “Tension toh humare liye bhi hai Middle East main, par hum toh aa rahe hai (the tension exists for us, too, in the Middle East, but we will release our film).”
The first instalment of the two-part film, Dhurandhar, was banned in Pakistan and across six Gulf countries- Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as it was reportedly deemed anti-Pakistani. However, when the film later premiered on Netflix, it surprisingly trended at number one in Pakistan, with many viewers praising the film.
Recently, actor R. Madhavan also spoke about the craze surrounding the sequel and revealed that fans from Dubai are planning to travel to India to watch the film in theatres. Speaking on a podcast with Sonia Shenoy, he said, “That’s the power of good content. Now they are planning their business meetings around March 19 so that they can attend the meeting and watch Dhurandhar 2 because it’s not releasing in Dubai. For them, it would be so easy to just watch it on IPTV, okay? And I’m sure they could. But they want to experience watching a film like Dhurandhar in a theatre full of people.”
About Toxic
Helmed by Geetu Mohandas, the period action gangster film stars Yash in a dual role alongside Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Tara Sutaria, Huma Qureshi and Rukmini Vasanth. The film’s teaser earlier sparked controversy over a graphic sex scene. Initially scheduled to release on March 19, the film will now hit theatres on June 4, 2026.
About Dhurandhar: The Revenge
Dhurandhar 2 is the sequel to Aditya Dhar’s blockbuster Dhurandhar, which released in December 2025. The first part followed Ranveer Singh as Hamza, an Indian spy who infiltrates the gangs of Lyari to dismantle a terror network threatening India.
The sequel will explore the backstory of Ranveer’s character, including his training to become a spy and how he navigates political power dynamics in Pakistan while confronting bigger enemies and threats. The film will also see R. Madhavan, Sara Arjun, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Rakesh Bedi and Danish Pandor reprising their roles.
The film is scheduled to release in theatres on March 19, with paid preview shows planned for March 18.
As a senior US military leader in the Middle East in recent years, Admiral Brad Cooper has had Shabbat dinners with Israeli military leader Eyal Zamir. He has been hosted by UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and played basketball with Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Admiral Brad Cooper during a joint press conference.
Described by his colleagues as a diplomat in uniform, the four-star commander, one of the most decorated officers in the US military, is now relying on relationships he has spent years developing across the region as he leads President Trump’s war against Iran – the most complex and high-risk US military operation in a generation.
At a news conference last Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth praised Cooper, 58, for his leadership and focus. “This is the kind of no-nonsense, results-based war fighting that America demands, and you are meeting it in a big way,” Hegseth said. “You are the man for this moment.”
In a video release giving an operational update, Cooper listed the latest accomplishments of Operation Epic Fury: striking more than 5,500 targets, sinking more than 60 Iranian ships and destroying Tehran’s ballistic missiles and drone programs.
“American war power is increasing. Iranian war power is decreasing,” Cooper said in a video message Wednesday. “We are focused on very clear military objectives to eliminate Iran’s ability to project force against the Americans and its neighbors.”
Since the war continues, public voting This shows that the majority of Americans oppose this operation. Seven American soldiers have been killed and eight seriously injured In Iran’s counter-attacks. US military investigators believe it is likely The reason was American forces The initial wave of attacks included a deadly attack on a girls’ school in southern Iran, which Iranian officials say killed dozens of children. Trump’s advisers have privately urged the President find a quick exit Amid rising oil prices and concerns that the war could hurt Republicans in the November midterms.
For his part, Cooper, who declined to be interviewed for this article, is staying away from the politics of the war and focusing on waging it, his aides say. According to a US official, he is in frequent talks with General Dan Cain, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the President’s most senior military adviser. He does short workouts and meetings and appears cheerful and healthy despite getting very little sleep, the official said.
People who have worked with him in the Middle East and other parts of the world say Cooper is thoughtful, decisive and calm under pressure.
“When Brad Cooper calls you in the middle of the night with a problem, he’ll have thought about it, he’ll be able to explain it and he’ll have a solution,” said retired General Frank McKenzie, who served as head of U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East.
Others say that his upbeat personality may give the impression that Cooper is overly optimistic.
“He shows no signs of pressure. He’s not tired. He’s not out of shape. I think he almost thrives under pressure,” said retired Navy Capt. Michael Brasseur, who led the robotics and AI task force under Cooper in the Middle East and is now chief strategy officer at Saab, Inc. Him.”
The son of an Army officer who fought in the Vietnam War, Cooper was well-versed in military tactics from a young age, friends and former classmates say.
During his first year at the U.S. Naval Academy, he impressed his peers when he was being asked questions on the battle group concept in the dining hall. Cooper climbed onto a table and began moving ketchup bottles, pots, and cups around as if they were a variety of ships and military equipment planted in a real-world scenario.
“He was a very intelligent man, a very intelligent young man,” said retired Navy officer Gregory Glaros, a company commander who often debriefed Cooper at the academy. “The dining table scenario showed his sharpness and his knowledge of the use of force from a very early age.”
After graduating in 1989, Cooper participated in the 1991 Gulf War, three counter-narcotics deployments off the coast of South America, a deployment to the North Arabian Sea shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, and operations against the Taliban in Afghanistan. He has served in every military operation from Africa to the Pacific and as the Navy’s chief of legislative affairs at the Pentagon.
In 2021, he was confirmed as commander of US naval forces in the Middle East, a position that put him in Bahrain, just 150 miles off the coast of Iran. There, he got a front-row seat to the Iranian regime’s strategy, capabilities and threats — an understanding that is helping inform his decisions today, his colleagues say.
While in the Middle East, Cooper led efforts to stop military equipment that Iran was smuggling to its proxy groups throughout the region. He worked to deepen military cooperation between the Gulf countries and Israel following the Abraham Accords. And he led a maritime alliance of more than 30 countries, which allowed him to foster relationships with leaders across the region.
In the early days of the Biden administration, Dana Stroll, who oversees Middle East policy at the Pentagon, recalled attending dinner at Cooper’s home in Bahrain with local defense and military officials. They served Indian-style food, including mixed grill and a variety of curries and no alcohol. Alcohol is illegal for Muslims.
Stroll said, “It was clear that he had a knack for building relationships and creating an environment where people could break bread together and feel like they had access to him.” “They just took into account the cultural context.”
When the Iran-backed Houthis first fired drones and missiles into the Red Sea off Yemen in 2023, opening a new front in the conflict between Hamas and Israel, it was Cooper who called in a US warship to repel the attack. A Navy officer who worked with him that night said Cooper remained with his team during the 10-hour standoff, and he was willing to take a personal risk if the situation deteriorated or the conflict escalated.
Cooper has also adopted cutting-edge technologies to counter Iran. In Bahrain, he supported an effort called task force 59That combined unmanned boats and other drones with artificial intelligence to expand the navy’s eyes and ears in the Gulf.
When Cooper took command last summer, he brought his instincts to CENTCOM headquarters in Florida. One of his first initiatives was to deploy a new squadron one-way attack drones Copied from the widely used Iranian version, Shaheed-136. Cooper said the U.S. used drones in the early hours of the epic fury, disrupting Iran’s own plans against the regime.
Cooper has also advocated the use of artificial intelligence and space tools to fight Iran. In Wednesday’s video, he said AI was being used to sift through vast amounts of data in seconds so US leaders can make decisions faster than the enemy can react.
“Brad has figured out how to work with the most innovative parts of the Defense Department,” said Doug Beck, a former Apple executive who led the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit. “Get that talent, find an operational problem, use technology to solve that problem, and build it into operations so you can actually do it instead of just talking about it.”
Not all of the operations Cooper has been involved in have been successful. When the Biden administration asked CENTCOM to find a way to get more humanitarian aid to Gaza in 2024, Cooper, then the deputy commander, was part of the initiative to build a floating pier off the enclave. the pier was Widely viewed as a failure: It broke down frequently due to bad weather, remained operational for only 20 days and cost $230 million.
Cooper took over as head of CENTCOM in August, after helping organize Operation Midnight Hammer to bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities the previous June. US officials said they were tasked with stabilizing Gaza, supporting a delicate political transition in Syria and planning for another potential conflict with Iran. In January, they moved warships, aircraft, and air defenses to the area in preparation for Epic Fury.
Despite preparations, Iran has managed to block shipping in the oil-rich Gulf, damage civilian infrastructure throughout the region, and attack US air defenses and bases, with deadly results. On Sunday, after the attacks began, a single-strike drone struck a tactical-operations center at a commercial port in Kuwait, killing six US troops and seriously injuring others.
Critics have said the Pentagon should have been more prepared for the damage Iran would cause from its drone strikes.
“Iran has had success with martyrs – much more than I expected,” said retired Vice Admiral John Miller, who previously commanded the Navy in the Middle East. CENTCOM and Gulf partners “have had to adjust to the fact that Iran is sending drones anywhere they think they can hit and have impact.”
Cooper was at his Tampa headquarters when he was informed of the deadly attack in Kuwait by his deputy, Lieutenant General Patrick Frank. His aide said the news hardened Cooper’s resolve to end the conflict.
“We are on the path to eliminating Iran’s ability to threaten Americans and our friends, and we are achieving this through a combination of lethality, precision and rapid innovation,” Cooper said in his March 11 video message.
Reigning Formula One world champion Lando Norris has named Tom Holland as the Hollywood star he would prefer playing his role in his biopic.
The 26-year-old McLaren driver’s recent success has sparked discussions about potential future projects, including a film. Weighing in on the topic while speaking to GQ magazine, Norris picked fellow Englishman Tom Holland, who is most popular for his role as Spider Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Explaining his reason, Norris said: “A lot of fans have always said Tom Holland. Tom’s a cool guy and a good golfer as well. And obviously, a pretty good actor. So, I’ll probably go with Tom.”
‘Love Is Blind’ has always thrived on this experimental idea: can people really fall for someone they’ve never seen? The hit reality show throws singles into these strange little “pods,” lets them fall in love through walls, and, if it all clicks, they get engaged before ever laying eyes on each other. Then comes the actual whirlwind: moving in, meeting families, and a wedding, all in a few weeks.However, as one would expect, not every couple walks off into the sunset.At the ‘Love Is Blind Season 10 Reunion’, which hit the OTT platform on March 11, fans got a surprise, or maybe a shock.Amber Morrison and Jordan Faeth, who tied the knot in the finale, had already split up, just four months after getting married. Interestingly, they never even moved in together during those four months.
‘Love Is Blind’ couple calls it quits four months after wedding
Amber Morrison and Jordan Faeth, who stirred up plenty of drama on ‘Love Is Blind Season 10’, revealed that they have split up, just months after their wedding aired. On the reunion special that aired Wednesday, March 11, the cast caught everyone up on their lives since filming ended. Per People, for Amber and Jordan, things didn’t go as planned. Although they were one of only two couples to actually get married, they broke up four months later.Jordan tried to explain what went wrong. “So much changed during that time,” he said. They’d talked about their issues in the pods, but Amber’s old trust issues, left over from past relationships, kept coming back. “I felt like I was always trying to fix something I didn’t break, and after a while, that just wore me down,” he admitted. Sure, there were good moments, but for him, the bad outweighed the good.They never moved in together, either. Amber was living with her daughter in a town about 45 minutes from Columbus, while Jordan stayed in the city. Amber didn’t hold back. “Honestly, I don’t think he was ready,” she said. “It’s hard to trust someone when they only come around on weekends, or when I’m the one making the drive, and he’s still spending most nights at home in Columbus. Like, why wouldn’t you want to be home with your wife? Why do you want to be out with your friends on a Tuesday or Thursday?”Per People, when Amber pictured marriage, she imagined coming home to someone after work, cooking together, just enjoying each other’s company. “If I love someone, I don’t care where I live or where my friends are. I just want to be with that person. So, why wouldn’t he want to be with me at the end of the night?”Jordan insisted he put in the effort and drove over, even on weeknights, but Amber shot back that her commute to work was actually longer than his drive to see her. She also felt like he only wanted her around for his friends’ weddings, to show her off.Amber summed it up this way: “It felt like you wanted to just do your own thing in Columbus, live in your condo, and then have a wife who shows up on Saturday, all dressed up, after working all week and taking care of her kid. Like I’m supposed to bring my A-game every time, be funny, be caring, do it all.”Things got heated. Jordan accused Amber of getting way too drunk at one of those weddings, and she shot back that he was disrespectful for sticking around to party with friends instead of leaving to help her. He said her anger wore on his mental health. “All the arguments, the yelling, the disrespect when you wouldn’t show up to things, it made me totally uncomfortable sharing anything with you. So, I had to put myself first. It just wasn’t healthy, and dragging it out would’ve been wrong for both of us.”As People reported, Jordan revealed that things got messy fast. He said Amber got “blacked out in the first 30 minutes” at one of their weddings, while Amber shot back, calling him “disrespectful” for partying with his friends instead of helping her. Jordan insisted her anger issues were dragging him down. “You kept screaming at me, crossing boundaries, not showing up to things,” he said. “It got to a point where I just couldn’t open up to you. I needed to protect my mental health. It wasn’t working, and dragging it out would’ve been wrong for both of us.”He admitted he didn’t really know how to handle it, and said he felt awful for hurting Emma. “To Emma, I’m so sorry,” Jordan said. “I loved watching movies, playing games, building Legos with you. Those moments meant a lot. I’m sorry things ended like this.”Amber wasn’t having it at all. She stormed off stage, yelling at Jordan. “When you left, I was bawling. Then I had to explain it all to Emma, who was also bawling. I had to be strong for her, not even able to cry myself. Later, she asked me if we could make a memory box for you, hoping you’d come back. I had to hold in my tears and be strong for my daughter. Don’t come into someone’s life if you’re just going to leave like that.”
Amber Morrison and Jordan Faeth: Looking back at their love story
On the show ‘Love Is Blind’, Amber and Jordan seemed like a solid match. They connected right away in the pods, talking for hours through the walls. Jordan eventually proposed, Amber said yes, and they moved on to all the milestones: traveling, meeting each other’s families, and, of course, planning a wedding. Although they had some fights, when they said “yes” at the altar, it looked like a real happy ending. Turns out, life after the cameras stopped rolling was a whole different story.
‘Love Is Blind’: What the show is about
‘Love Is Blind’ is one of Netflix’s biggest reality hits. The show, hosted by Nick and Vanessa Lachey, first dropped in 2020 and took off immediately. Singles date in pods, talking but never seeing each other, and if they hit it off, they get engaged sight-unseen. Then it’s honeymoons, moving in together, family introductions, and finally, the wedding, where they decide, right there at the altar, whether to go through with it.Season 10 of the show launched on February 11, 2026, following singles from all over Ohio. There were plenty of engagements, but only a handful of couples actually made it down the aisle.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan could not stop gushing over Jasprit Bumrah after his record-breaking show in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final against New Zealand last Sunday in Ahmedabad. Bumrah became the first fast bowler to pick up a four-wicket haul in a T20 World Cup knockout game with his 4 for 15, which took his overall tally to 40 wickets across all his World Cup appearances, the most by a pacer, all of which came at a meagre economy rate of 5.66.
India’s Jasprit Bumrah holds the tournament trophy during celebrations after India won the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in Ahmedabad (PTI)
Speaking on Stick to Cricket, Vaughan showed no hesitation in admitting that Bumrah is the best bowler he has ever seen. Not only did he compare the Indian star to football legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but he also reckoned that if placed in any team, he could single-handedly win the World Cup for that side.
“Put Jasprit Bumrah in England’s team and they win it,” he said.
Fellow English cricketer Mark Butcher agreed: “I reckon if you put him in anybody’s team, they’ll win it.”
“Exactly,” Vaughan added. “He’s probably like Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo — those kinds of players.”
David Lloyd, however, interrupted him, asking: “Didn’t you say he is the best bowler you have ever seen?”
And the former England captain replied: “Yes, he is. You’ve got to remember that I started watching or studying cricket in 1985, and he’s the best I’ve seen.”
However, former England captain Alastair Cook wasn’t entirely convinced with the “best-ever” tag for Bumrah. He admitted that while Bumrah is the best all-format bowler of the current generation, he questioned whether the Indian pacer had produced a truly defining, match-winning spell in Tests.
“Is he the best in terms of match-winning spells in Test cricket? Without a shadow of a doubt, he is the best all-format bowler around, I think. I mean, you can safely say that. But has he, like, in a Test match bowled a spell like an 8/15, or is he not that kind of bowler?” he asked.
Vaughan countered again: “I’ve seen him a bit in Australia. Some of the spells have been different — that too on flat decks.”
As for Cook’s point, there have been eight instances when Bumrah has picked up eight or more wickets in a match; six of those came on overseas tracks across England, South Africa and Australia, and on three occasions he even picked up the Player of the Match award.
Shares of India’s food delivery platforms and restaurant operators tumbled as an escalating Iran war triggered an LPG shortage, paralysing the $335-billion food & beverage industry.
Workers load LPG cylinders in a cart in Mumbai on Wednesday, 11 March 2026. The government has raised LPG cylinder prices for the first time in nearly a year to ₹913. (PTI)
Zomato parent Eternal Ltd. fell as much as 4.8% in Mumbai trading, while Swiggy Ltd. hit a record low as investors priced in a sharp contraction in order volumes. The sell-off extended to fast-food majors like Jubilant Foodworks Ltd., which operates Domino’s Pizza in India, as the sector grapples with an acute LPG shortage to keep commercial kitchens firing.
LPG shortage in India
The crisis stems from disruptions in West Asia, a region that provides more than half of India’s LPG imports. Logistics have been severely hampered by the closure of key maritime chokepoints, including the Strait of Hormuz, following escalations between Israel-US and Iran.
With tankers unable to pass through the corridor, Indian hospitality bodies in major hubs like Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai have warned that up to 50% of restaurants could be forced to shut within days. Already, some establishments have begun reducing operating hours and stripping “slow-cooking” items from menus to conserve dwindling reserves.
“Reduced menus, limited cooking hours, or temporarily shut kitchens at some restaurants may limit order availability on platforms, leading to temporary moderation in fourth-quarter food delivery order volumes,” Motilal Oswal analysts including Abhishek Pathak wrote in a research note.
While the delivery and restaurant sectors bled, the LPG shortage in India has created an unexpected windfall for manufacturers of electric appliances. Panic buying has gripped Indian households and small eateries, driving a massive surge in demand for induction cooktops and pressure cookers.
TTK Prestige Ltd. saw its shares jump as much as 15% on Thursday, bringing its three-day gains to nearly 30%. Stove Kraft Ltd. also advanced as much as 12%. Quick-commerce platforms like Blinkit and Zepto have reported that induction stoves are selling out within minutes as consumers look for ways to bypass the gas-dependent supply chain.
LPG Cylinder Price Hike, New Policy
In an effort to manage the LPG shortage, the central government has invoked the Essential Commodities Act, 1955, ordering domestic refineries to prioritise LPG production for households over industry. However, this has further squeezed the “commercial” LPG supply used by the hospitality industry.
On Saturday, India raised LPG cylinder prices for the first time in nearly a year, increasing rates by 7% to ₹913. Commercial rates—which are typically more volatile—were hiked for the second time this month, adding an inflationary burden to a sector already reeling from supply constraints.
Analysts at CLSA noted that while the government is scrambling to find alternative suppliers, significant relief may not arrive until late April. For Swiggy and Eternal, which rely on a friction-less ecosystem of thousands of operational kitchens, the coming weeks represent a significant test of resilience in the face of geopolitical volatility.
Bahrain tells residents to stay inside after an attack on fuel tanks while Saudi Arabia reports shooting down drones headed towards an oilfield.
Published On 12 Mar 202612 Mar 2026
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Iran has launched a new wave of drone and missile attacks on Gulf countries on the 13th day of the United States-Israel war on Tehran, with Bahrain reporting strikes on fuel tanks amid surging oil prices.
Bahrain told residents on Thursday morning to stay inside and close windows after the attack in Muharraq Governorate. The country hosts the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet and has been consistently targeted amid the ongoing war.
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Elsewhere, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defence said it intercepted drones headed towards the Shaybah oilfield and the embassies district. It said it had intercepted seven drones heading to the oilfield on Wednesday.
Saudi Arabia’s eastern neighbour Kuwait also reported attacks on its territory, saying two people were wounded by a “hostile drone” that hit a residential building. The attack also caused material damage, the Defence Ministry added.
The United Arab Emirates said its air defence was responding to a missile threat.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom’s Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) says there had been an attack on a container ship some 35 nautical miles (about 65km) north of Jebel Ali in the UAE.
In Jordan, our colleagues at Al Jazeera Arabic say sirens have been ringing in all cities of the country.
The US-Israel war on Iran has so far killed about 2,000 people and thrown global energy markets and transport into chaos.
Brent crude prices were hovering at about $100 a barrel as of 2:00 GMT on Thursday, up more than 38 percent compared with before the start of the war.
The conflict has spread across the Middle East and prompted plans for a record release of strategic oil reserves to dampen one of the worst fuel shocks since the 1970s.
Iraq suspends oil port operations
The head of Iraq’s General Company for Ports, Farhan al-Fartousi, told the Iraqi News Agency that all oil terminal operations have been completely suspended, while commercial ports continue to function normally.
The announcement follows attacks by explosive-laden boats on two crude oil tankers that had loaded at the Umm Qasr port in Iraq’s Basra province.
Rescuers recovered one body and helped 38 others after the attack, al-Fartousi added.
The development comes as traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway carrying a fifth of the world’s oil and gas, has in effect stopped, with Iran pledging that “not even a single litre of oil” would be exported from the Gulf to the US, Israel and its partners as long as the war on Tehran continues.
As tensions between the United States, Israel and Iran continue to escalate, the ripple effects are being felt in California. Following an alert about a potential Iranian drone attack in California, concerns over safety have surfaced around the upcoming 98th Academy Awards ceremony, prompting organisers to step up security arrangements for the star-studded event.
Academy Awards host Conan O’Brien, third from right, poses with crew members after they rolled out the red carpet for Oscars telecast, on Wednesday in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) (Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)
Oscar 2026 ceremony under threat?
The red carpet was rolled out in Hollywood on Wednesday as preparations got underway for the upcoming Oscars, with host Conan O’Brien and media crews already on the ground for the annual celebration of cinema. However, the glitzy build-up to Hollywood’s biggest night comes amid heightened security concerns after the FBI warned California law enforcement about the possibility of a retaliatory drone attack by Iran targeting the US West Coast.
According to an alert reported by ABC News, the FBI notified law enforcement across California in recent days that Iran could potentially retaliate for American military actions by launching drones toward the West Coast.
In a statement to the LA Times, the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department officials said the department was continuing to operate at an “elevated level of readiness and is maintaining increased vigilance.” However, they didn’t comment on the memo.
On Wednesday, during a press conference about the upcoming 98th Oscars, executive producer Raj Kapoor addressed a question about attendee and guest safety.
“I feel like on this show, we have one of the best teams in the business in all aspects, and that comes down to our security team. So, of course, every year we monitor what’s going on in the world. We have the support of the FBI and the LAPD, and it’s a close collaboration,” Kapoor said
He added, “This show has to run like clockwork. But we want everybody who is coming to this show, who is witnessing the show, who is even a fan of the show, when they’re standing outside the barricades. We want everybody to feel safe, protected, and welcome. It’s our job as a producing team to make sure that that translates, and that really comes down to us with this very tight relationship, and we have a whole other team of support. It’s something that we don’t take lightly, and we take a lot of responsibility for.”
According to Variety at the red carpet rollout, security has been increased but is not overtly visible. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences had no comment.
The news comes amid escalating conflict between Iran, Israel and the US. In February, the US and Israel launched a joint missile strike on Iran, killing their Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In retaliatory strikes, Iran targeted American bases across the Middle East, as well as military targets in Israel. This led to the closure of airspace across the Gulf and the evacuation of all foreign tourists.
Since the US and Israel unleashed strikes on Iran on February 28, war has spread across the region, and casualties have been reported in countries across the Middle East. The conflict has affected Gulf countries such as the UAE, Qatar, and Jordan. Thirteen people, seven of them civilians, have been killed in countries around the Gulf since the war began, including an 11-year-old girl in Kuwait.
More about Oscars 2026
The 98th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, will take place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles. Comedian Conan O’Brien will return to host the award ceremony.
When it comes to the nominations, Sinners is leading with a stunning 16 Oscar nominations, shattering the previous record of 14 held by All About Eve (1950), Titanic (1997) and La La Land (2016). Sinners is up for Best Picture, Actor Michael B. Jordan, Supporting Actress Wunmi Mosaku, Supporting Actor Delroy Lindo, Director and Original Screenplay for Ryan Coogler, Music Score, Song I Lied To You. Cinematography, Production Design, Costume Design, Sound, Editing, Makeup & Hair, Casting and Visual Effects.
It is followed by Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another with 13 nominations. The other big films that are vying for multiple wins include Hamnet, Sentimental Value, and Frankenstein.
Actor Priyanka Chopra will be joining the award ceremony as a presenter. Some of the other presenters at this year’s Academy Awards ceremony include Will Arnett, Robert Downey Jr., Anne Hathaway, Paul Mescal, and Gwyneth Paltrow. The previously announced Oscars presenters include Adrien Brody, Javier Bardem, Kieran Culkin, Chris Evans, Chase Infiniti, Mikey Madison, Demi Moore, Kumail Nanjiani, Maya Rudolph and Zoe Saldaña.
NEW DELHI: India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah says delivering in the toughest moments is what gives him the greatest joy on a cricket field, after playing a decisive role in India’s historic triumph at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Speaking in a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Bumrah reflected on the mindset that has driven his journey through the ranks — embracing the toughest challenges and stepping up when the team needs him most.“I always wanted to do a tough job. I’ve played cricket for that. I started cricket for that. When I’m able to make a difference, that gives me so much joy. No better feeling than that,” Bumrah said.
Gautam Gambhir reflects on India’s World Cup win and backing Sanju Samson in the tournament
The right-arm quick produced a match-winning spell in the final against New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, claiming four wickets to dismantle the opposition and earn the Player of the Match award as India cruised to a dominant 96-run victory.With the win, India scripted history by becoming the first side to win three T20 World Cup titles, the first to defend the trophy successfully, and the first to lift the crown on home soil.For Bumrah, the moment carried deeper emotional significance. The venue also reminded him of the heartbreak of the 2023 Cricket World Cup final in Ahmedabad, where India fell just short of the title.“The last time we just fell short, this time we went over it. Really happy,” he said.The 32-year-old also revealed how the presence of his family made the moment even more special.“My son came. He was there last time as well; this time, he was there. My mum came — really special. I don’t know about full circles, but really, really happy.”Bumrah finished the tournament as joint-highest wicket-taker with 14 scalps alongside mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy.“Back-to-back World Cups never really happen. Really grateful, God is really kind, and I couldn’t be more thankful,” Bumrah added.
Sony SAB’s much-anticipated upcoming medical drama Yaadein continues to build excitement as its lead actor, Iqbal Khan, made a special appearance on Akshay Kumar`s game show Wheel of Fortune to promote the show. Hosted by Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, the episode turned into a lively affair as Iqbal was joined by his friends and fellow actors Maniesh Paul and Karan Wahi. Together, the trio brought warmth, wit and camaraderie to the stage while giving audiences a glimpse into the emotional world of Yaadein.
Maniesh Paul`s fan moment with Akshay Kumar
Amidst the fun moments and playful banter, Maniesh went on to share that Iqbal is a huge fan of Akshay Kumar and is exceptionally skilled in judo and karate, with flying kicks that are impressively accurate. Maniesh shared, “There’s one thing Iqbal is feeling shy and not saying it, but I want to tell you that he’s very good at judo and karate and he can do flying kicks just like professionals.”
Iqbal Khan shares a heartfelt memory
Taking the nostalgia a notch higher, Iqbal revealed that when the film Khiladi released, he and his friends were so inspired by the climax scene that they would attempt to recreate it themselves, reliving their admiration for the action star Akshay Kumar in their own style. In a candid confession, Iqbal Khan shared, “When the film Khiladi released, in the climax scene, when you jump over the ambassador car and then deliver those kicks, we had seen that. There were a few boys in our colony and since there were no cameras back then, we would place a stool behind the car, climb onto it with one hand and try to recreate that move. We only managed to do those kicks and while we would try to lift ourselves up the same way as you did, we just couldn’t pull it off.”
Furthermore, in a fun revelation, Karan Wahi shared a heartfelt revelation about their friendship and shared how in every group of three friends, there’s always one person who naturally takes care of the other two and in their gang, that person is Iqbal. Karan Wahi shared, “With characters like us (Maniesh and me), you definitely need someone sensible around to handle things, so he’s the one who manages us whenever we’re up to our usual antics.”
