Hollywood is preparing to revive one of fantasy cinema`s most iconic warriors as Arnold Schwarzenegger and filmmaker Christopher McQuarrie collaborate on a new `Conan the Barbarian` movie titled `King Conan.`
According to reports confirmed by The Hollywood Reporter, McQuarrie, known for directing the last four `Mission: Impossible films`, has been attached to write and direct the project for 20th Century Studios.
Schwarzenegger is expected to reprise his legendary role as Conan, the sword-wielding warrior he first portrayed in the 1982 fantasy classic `Conan the Barbarian` and its 1984 sequel.
Schwarzenegger announced McQuarrie`s involvement during an appearance at the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio over the weekend, offering fans an early glimpse into the story direction for the film.
Teasing the premise of King Conan, the actor said the story takes place decades after Conan`s rise to power.
“It`s a great story where Conan was 40 years king and he gets complacent, and now he gets forced out of the kingdom slowly,” Schwarzenegger told the crowd, adding, “Then there`s conflict, of course, and then he somehow comes back, and then there`s all kinds of madness and violence and magic and creatures,” as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter.
The actor also highlighted the scale that modern filmmaking technology could bring to the fantasy epic.
“Now, of course, you have all the special effects, and the studio system has plenty of money to make those movies really big,” he said, adding that he is looking forward to working on the project.
The new film marks the latest attempt by Hollywood to bring Schwarzenegger back to the role that helped define his early career.
Over the past decade, several efforts were made to revive the franchise with an age-appropriate storyline for the character.
In the early 2010s, Universal Pictures held the rights and developed a project written by Fast and Furious scribe Chris Morgan that reportedly envisioned an older Conan in a narrative inspired by Unforgiven.
That version ultimately never moved forward.
More recently, 20th Century Studios has spent much of the past year working to secure the necessary rights to move ahead with a new film centered on the character created by author Robert E Howard.
Beyond `King Conan`, Schwarzenegger revealed he has also been in discussions with filmmaker Dan Trachtenberg about potentially returning to the `Predator` franchise, which Trachtenberg revived with the 2022 film `Prey` and last year`s `Predator: Badlands`.
The actor also noted that he has received a script for `Commando 2`, which would see him return as Colonel John Matrix, the character he originated in the 1985 action film.
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After scoring a crucial 21-ball 52 in India’s T20 World Cup final triumph over New Zealand in Ahmedabad on Sunday, opener Abhishek Sharma revealed that the unwavering faith displayed towards him by the team management helped him overcome a difficult phase during the tournament.
“It wasn’t easy as a young player going through this phase (he had only scored 89 runs in the previous seven innings). One thing was very clear, the coach and the captain, they had the faith in me. Everyone was so much into me (saying) that ‘you’re going to win (us) one game, one big game’,” said Abhishek.
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US President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that the United States will build its first new oil refinery in 50 years, backed by investment from India’s Reliance Industries.The refinery is planned at the Port of Brownsville in Texas, a move the administration says will boost domestic energy production and create thousands of jobs.Trump made the announcement in a post on the social media platform Truth Social, describing the project as a landmark deal for the US energy sector.“America is returning to REAL ENERGY DOMINANCE! Today I am proud to announce that America First Refining is opening the FIRST new US Oil Refinery in 50 YEARS in Brownsville, Texas. THIS IS A HISTORIC $300 BILLION DOLLAR DEAL — THE BIGGEST IN US HISTORY, A MASSIVE WIN for American Workers, Energy, and the GREAT People of South Texas!” Trump said.He also thanked India’s largest private energy company for its investment.“Thank you to our partners in India, and their largest privately held Energy Company, Reliance, for this tremendous Investment,” Trump added.According to the president, the refinery project was made possible due to his administration’s policies aimed at boosting domestic industry.“It is because of our America First Agenda, streamlining Permits, and lowering Taxes, that have attracted Billions of Dollars in Deals coming back to our Nation,” he said.Trump said the new refinery would fuel US markets, strengthen national security and boost energy production, while also creating significant economic impact in the region.“A new Refinery at the Port of Brownsville will fuel US Markets, strengthen our National Security, boost American Energy production, deliver Billions of Dollars in Economic impact, and will be THE CLEANEST REFINERY IN THE WORLD,” he said.He further claimed the facility would support global exports and generate thousands of jobs in South Texas.“It will power Global Exports, and bring THOUSANDS of long overdue Jobs and Growth to a Region that deserves it. This is what AMERICAN ENERGY DOMINANCE looks like. AMERICA FIRST, ALWAYS!” Trump added.The announcement comes as the Trump administration continues to pursue its policy of “energy dominance,” which supports expanding production of oil, natural gas and coal.It also comes at a time when global oil and gas supplies have faced disruptions amid the escalating conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran, pushing energy security and supply concerns to the forefront.
A group of Democrats in the United States Senate is demanding public hearings on the country’s war against Iran after receiving a series of classified briefings from officials in President Donald Trump’s administration.
Lawmakers say the White House has not clearly explained why the US entered the conflict, what its goals are, or how long it may last.
Republicans currently hold a narrow, 53-47 Senate majority, which gives them the power to control what legislation comes to the floor for debate.
Some Democrats have expressed frustration after the latest closed-door briefing. Trump has not ruled out sending US ground troops into Iran.
“I just came from a two-hour classified briefing on the war,” Senator Chris Murphy from the state of Connecticut said on Tuesday. “It confirmed to me that the strategy is totally incoherent.
“I think this is pretty simple: if the president did what the Constitution requires and came to Congress to seek authorisation for this war, he wouldn’t get it – because the American people would demand that their members of Congress vote no,” he added.
Here is what we know:
What has happened so far?
Since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28, senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, have held several closed-door meetings to brief Congress members on the military campaign and its progress.
Because the meetings are classified, lawmakers are restricted in what they can publicly disclose about the information they received.
US President Donald Trump listens to Secretary of State Marco Rubio [File: Nathan Howard/Reuters]
What are Democrats saying?
Several Democratic senators have said they left the briefings frustrated, arguing that the administration had not provided clear answers about the war’s objectives, timeline or the long-term strategy guiding their approach to the conflict.
Earlier this week, six Democratic senators also called for an investigation into a strike on a girls’ school in Minab, in southern Iran. Reports indicate the attack, which investigators say involved US forces, killed at least 170 people, most of them children.
“There seems to be no endgame,” Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal said. “The president, almost in a single breath, says it’s almost done, and at the same time, it’s just begun. So this is kind of contradictory.”
Senator Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts raised concerns about the cost of war.
“The one part that seems clear is that while there is no money for 15 million Americans who lost their health care, there’s a billion dollars a day to spend on bombing Iran,” Warren said on Tuesday.
“The one thing Congress has the power to do is to stop actions like this through the power of the purse,” she added.
Others seem worried that a ground deployment could take place.
“We seem to be on a path toward deploying American troops on the ground in Iran to accomplish any of the potential objectives here,” Blumenthal, of Connecticut, told reporters after Tuesday’s classified briefing.
“The American people deserve to know much more than this administration has told them about the cost of the war, the danger to our sons and daughters in uniform and the potential for further escalation and widening of this war,” he added.
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut [File: Ben Curtis/AP]
What are Republicans saying?
Republicans, who have slim majorities in both houses of Congress, have almost unanimously backed Trump’s campaign against Iran, with only a handful expressing doubt about the war.
Some Republican leaders say the strikes are necessary to curb Iran’s military capabilities, missile programme and regional influence.
They have also argued that the operation is limited in scope and designed to weaken Iran’s ability to threaten US forces and allies in the region.
Republican Representative Brian Mast of Florida, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, last week publicly thanked Trump for taking action against Iran, saying the president is using his constitutional authority to defend the US against the “imminent threat” posed by Tehran.
But some Republican members of Congress have voiced concerns.
Representative Nancy Mace from South Carolina said she did “not want to send South Carolina’s sons and daughters into war with Iran”, in a post on X.
Rand Paul, a Republican senator from Kentucky, accused the Trump administration of changing its narrative and rationale for the war on a daily basis.
“We keep hearing new reasons for war with Iran—none convincing,” he wrote on X. “‘Free the oppressed’ sounds noble, but where does it end? We’ve been told for decades Iran is weeks from a nuke. War should be a last resort, not our first move. A war of choice is not my choice.”
Why does the debate matter?
The dispute has revived a long-running debate in Washington, DC, about the limits of presidential war powers.
Under the US Constitution, Congress has the authority to declare war, but modern presidents have frequently launched military operations without formal congressional approval, often citing national security or emergency threats.
The law allows the president to deploy US forces for up to 60 days without congressional authorisation, followed by a 30-day withdrawal period if Congress does not approve the action.
Some lawmakers and legal experts say the war on Iran highlights the need for stronger congressional oversight of military action.
“In the 1970s, we adopted something called the War Powers Resolution that gives the president limited ability to do this,” said David Schultz, a professor in the political science and legal departments at Hamline University.
“And so, either you could argue that what the president is doing violates the Constitution by… not [being] a formally declared war; or b, it exceeds his authority, either as commander-in-chief or under the War Powers Act,” he added.
“And therefore, you could argue that domestically, his actions are illegal and unconstitutional,” Schutlz said.
The Trump administration has argued that the February 28 strikes were justified as a response to an “imminent threat”, a rationale often used by presidents to justify military action without prior congressional approval.
However, US intelligence agencies had themselves said before the start of the war that they had no evidence of an imminent Iranian threat to the US or its facilities across the Middle East.
Veteran actor Pankaj Kapur has praised his children for carving their own paths in the entertainment industry, especially actor Shahid Kapoor. Speaking about Shahid’s journey, Pankaj said his son built his career independently without relying on his father’s name. “They go and audition on their own, and when they get selected it makes them feel good about it. It’s not because of their father’s name or their brother’s name,” he said. Praising Shahid, he added, “He stood on his own feet and made it completely on his own.”
‘Not a confident dancer’
Zeenat Aman; (right) The actor in the song ‘O Deewano Dil Sambhalo’ from ‘The Great Gambler’
Actor Zeenat Aman says she was never a confident dancer and directors soon realised that it was better to leave her to groove rather than force her to perform complicated choreography. In an Instagram post, Zeenat went down memory lane and shared a video clip of Oh Diwano Dil Samhalo from The Great Gambler (1979) with Amitabh Bachchan. Along with the video, she wrote, “I wasn’t a very confident dancer as I never had formal training unlike most of the actresses of the time. Still, I could ‘groove’ and many a director realised it’s better to leave me to my own swaying device than frustrate themselves trying to coax complicated choreography out of me!”
Suryakumar Yadav, last Sunday, did not just take India to a historic T20 World Cup win in Ahmedabad. Besides the 96-run victory in the lopsided final against New Zealand, which made India the first team to win the title on back-to-back occasions and for an unprecedented third time in history, Suryakumar joined the legion of Indian captains who have taken the national team to World Cup glory. Kapil Dev in 1983, MS Dhoni in 2007 and 2011, Rohit Sharma in 2024, and now Suryakumar in 2026.
India won the 2026 T20 World Cup title last Sunday in Ahmedabad
However, former India cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar refused to place any of the three T20 World Cup victories in the same breath as the ICC 50-over tournaments.
In a social media post that came a day after India beat the Black Caps to cap off a remarkable journey at home, Manjrekar reckoned that the 1983 and 2011 wins will always hold greater value than the T20 World Cup victories.
“In time we need to put these world titles given out every year in proper perspective. India’s T20 WC wins don’t come remotely close to their 50 overs WC wins of 1983 under Kapil Dev & 2011 under Dhoni in terms of its pure challenge & its sanctity,” he posted.
How India won the T20 World Cup 2026
India survived a near-shock against the USA in their opener before scripting an unbeaten run through the group stage, including a win against arch-rivals Pakistan. However, they were jolted by a massive defeat against South Africa in their first game of the Super 8, which not only pushed them to the brink but also forced the team management to go back to the drawing board and reconsider their plans.
Sanju Samson, who was dropped from the playing XI after a poor home series against New Zealand in January, emerged as India’s saviour to counter the off-spin frailty that troubled the batting line-up. Coming off the bench midway through the tournament, he smashed three consecutive half-centuries to become the team’s leading run-getter and win the Player of the Tournament award.
Pankaj Kapur has long carried the reputation of being a “difficult actor” in the film industry, but the veteran performer says the label largely stems from his insistence on reading a proper script before agreeing to a role. Known for his meticulous approach to acting and attention to detail, Pankaj says the perception dates back to the early years of his career when such demands were uncommon in the industry.
Pankaj Kapur, known for being a difficult actor, attributes this perception to his insistence on reading scripts before roles.
Pankaj Kapur talks about his difficult actor image
The actor recently spoke about the issue in an interview with Zoom while promoting his latest project, Jab Khuli Kitaab, in which he stars alongside Dimple Kapadia. The film is directed by actor and filmmaker Saurabh Shukla, who was present during the conversation when Kapur addressed the long-standing perception. Pankaj explained that the label began soon after he moved to Mumbai following his training at the National School of Drama. According to the actor, his habit of asking for a script before starting work was considered unusual at the time.
Clarifying the situation, Pankaj said, “When I came from the National School of Drama to Mumbai, and I started to find work, I was asked to play a certain part. I asked for a script, and they said I’m a difficult actor for asking for one. For years, it stuck on because I would say I would not work without a script and without knowing what I am doing in this given structure of things. A whole lot of people got put off by that, and they branded me as a difficult actor.”
He added that during the earlier decades of the industry, it was common for actors to arrive on set without having read a full script beforehand. Scenes were often shared shortly before filming, leaving performers to prepare at the last minute.
“In those days, nobody would ask for a script. Even the hero wouldn’t ask for a script. The director would say, ‘Come’, and he would go there, and the scenes were given at the last minute. They would just prepare the scenes and perform them. Hats off to those actors who did that. My training said that without a script, without me knowing what I’m doing and without working on the character that I’m supposed to portray,” Pankaj said.
Pankaj Kapur on the directors he has worked with
The actor also noted that filmmakers who worked with structured scripts never faced problems collaborating with him. He mentioned directors such as Basu Chatterjee, Vishal Bhardwaj and Anubhav Sinha as examples of directors whose working methods aligned with his approach. Recalling his time working on the television series Karamchand, Pankaj said he once insisted on receiving the script a day before shooting his scenes, which surprised the director at the time. However, he maintained that he could not convincingly perform without understanding the material and the character he was portraying.
Jab Khuli Kitaab, starring Pankaj Kapur and Dimple Kapadia, premiered on March 6 and is streaming on ZEE5.
Several cricket teams have faced travel problems after the T20 World Cup in India due to the ongoing Israel–Iran conflict, which has led to airspace closures across parts of West Asia. Because of this, charter flights arranged by the International Cricket Council (ICC) were delayed, leaving teams like the West Indies stranded in India.To resolve the situation, Cricket West Indies (CWI) decided not to wait any longer for the uncertain charter flight and instead arranged commercial travel for their players and support staff. The board said the decision was taken to ensure everyone could return home safely and without further delays.
Sanju Samson opens up on T20 World Cup journey, and title win
In a statement, CWI explained the reasoning behind the move, “In the interest of the well-being and safety of its players and support staff, Cricket West Indies advised the ICC that it was no longer prudent to continue waiting on the charter arrangements, which remain uncertain. Multiple approaches have since been made through CWI, players, and other partners, in coordination with the ICC, to secure commercial travel to facilitate the squad’s safe return. It is important to note that some players and staff have already departed, with the remaining members scheduled to depart today, Tuesday, 10th March, and tomorrow, Wednesday, 11th March 2026.”The board also thanked fans and stakeholders for their patience during the situation. “Cricket West Indies appreciates the concern and interest of fans and key stakeholders in the resolution of this matter and wishes to thank all parties for their support and patience.”The travel disruption has affected other teams as well. Zimbabwe, who played their last match in the tournament on March 1 against South Africa in New Delhi, also faced similar travel complications due to airspace restrictions. Initially scheduled to leave in batches, their plans were cancelled before alternative arrangements were made.
Actor Priyanka Chopra prefers to keep her daughter, Malti Marie Chopra Jonas, away from the public spotlight. The actor recently opened up about the reason behind this decision, revealing that she has put security measures in place to safeguard Malti’s privacy. She also recalled an incident in which a stranger once followed her home from school.
Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas welcomed their daughter Malti Marie Chopra Jonas via surrogacy in 2022.
Priyanka on having security around Malti
Recently, Priyanka joined Amanda Hirsch’s Not Skinny But Not Fat podcast where she revealed why she and Nick Jonas are prioritising their daughter Malti’s anonymity as she grows older.
“As she’s growing older, we’ve started to also kind of just deflect a little bit. She moves around a lot, (so we) let her have as much anonymity as she can. It is her normal, and people will be curious about her, and I never want her to be fearful of that or judgy or skeptical of the humans that she meets because there are good people in the world, and I’ve had wonderful experiences with friends like that. It’s okay for her to be aware of it, but to have a sense of choice, I think will be important,” Priyanka said.
The actor went on to explain why she decided to hire security when they go out, sharing that her daughter was once followed home from school by a normal person recording her. Priyanka confessed that she decided to lead a public life, but she wants to ensure her daughter has the ability to make that choice for herself.
She shared, “When we have security out and about, it’s just … to not be recorded without consent because a lot of that happens… I’ve always been of the opinion that I kind of chose a public life… (When) it comes to children, that’s … terrain we are all learning in the last like 10 to 20 years what that is gonna be like in the next 10 years, 15 years for them. So I think a little bit of grace is required for everyone, but also certain awareness of safety and what that means.”
During the chat, Priyanka mentioned that all the curiosity about her daughter is “great”, but she wants to prioritise Malti’s protection above everything else.
Priyanka got married to singer Nick Jonas in 2018, and the couple embraced parenthood in 2022 when they welcomed their daughter Malti Marie Chopra Jonas via surrogacy.
Priyanka’s latest project
Priyanka was most recently seen in the pirate action-adventure film The Bluff. The actor will soon be making her comeback to Indian cinema with SSMB29, directed by SS Rajamouli. The film also stars Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran and is said to be made on a budget of ₹1000 crore, making it one of the most expensive Indian films ever made. The film’s teaser revealed it is a time-travel film. It is currently under production and is scheduled to release in theatres in April 2027. Fans will also see Priyanka in the second season of the web series Citadel.
Ed Sheeran and Benny Blanco opened up about their unique place in the music industry, embracing their roles as everyday guys who made it big. They joked about giving hope to regular men everywhere, contrasting themselves with the effortlessly handsome stars who seem destined for fame.It’s a refreshing take in a world where looks often steal the spotlight, and their candid chat revealed a deep camaraderie built on years of collaboration and shared underdog/-stories. Fans have long loved Sheeran for his relatable lyrics and Blanco for his hit-making magic behind the scenes, and this moment captured why they resonate so widely.
Fun podcast banter
On the Friends Keep Secrets podcast’s new episode released on March 10th, co-host Lil Dicky called Sheeran the most normal person he knew from their early 20s days. Blanco, 38, leaned into it with Sheeran, 35, saying, “I feel like me, and Ed share the same thing where it’s like, there’s a lot of guys that get big that you’re like, ‘Oh yeah, that person should be.’ I feel like both, especially me, you give the normal guy hope.” Co-host Kristin Batalucco, married to Lil Dicky, chimed in that the group was just a bunch of normal dudes hanging out. Blanco nodded along, pointing out how many guys out there are just so hot and can pull off all sorts of impressive feats without breaking a sweat.Sheeran laughed and agreed, “There’s definitely the popular kid in school who’s super, super attractive.” Benny Blanco ran with it, name-dropping drop-dead gorgeous types like “Jacob Elordi or something, or like Chris Brown. Like, there’s so many guys who can do like crazy stuff.” Batalucco brought up Benson Boone’s wild backflip skills, while Lil Dicky noted Boone kind of bridges the gap, looking hot-funny in a way that fits their vibe. Blanco wrapped it up neatly about Boone: “His body screams hot guy and his face is like, ‘Oh, you can be one of the normal guys.’”
Longtime bond
Their easy rapport comes from a solid history. Blanco helped shape Sheeran’s massive 2017 album Divide, turning tracks into global smashes. They teamed up again with Lil Dicky on the 2018 hit Freaky Friday featuring Chris Brown, where Sheeran even popped up in the music video.Blanco has praised Sheeran’s everyman charm before. In a TIME100 cover story, he said, “He sings sentences that we say all the time, but nobody ever puts them together like that in a song. The thing that makes him so good, and I’m in a similar spot, we’re just kind of like the average Joe that shouldn’t have really made it, but somehow we did.” This fun exchange shows two music powerhouses owning their ordinary roots. They prove talent and heart can outshine polished perfection, inspiring fans who see a bit of themselves in their success. In an industry full of glamour their grounded humor feels like a breath of fresh air.
