Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has insisted the US and Iran must uphold a ceasefire agreement, after talks between the two sides to end the war ended without a deal in Islamabad.
Published On 12 Apr 2026
Love Insurance Kompany box office collection day 2: Pradeep Ranganathan film shows no growth, lags behind Dude, Dragon
Love Insurance Kompany box office collection day 2: The science fiction romantic comedy, written and directed by Vignesh Shivan and starring Pradeep Ranganathan has failed to see an increase in its collections after a sub-par opening. The film has managed to out-earn Adivi Sesh’s Dacoit, released on the same day, but is not picking up pace as expected.
Love Insurance Kompany box office performance
According to the trade tracking site, Sacnilk, Love Insurance Kompany collected ₹7.05 crore on day 1 of its release. On the second day and first Saturday, the film didn’t show much improvement and collected ₹7.70 crore. With this, the film’s total domestic collection now stands at ₹14.75 crore net. Love Insurance Kompany is faring better than Pradeep’s first film Love Today, which earned just over ₹7 crore in its first two days. However, it is now lagging behind his other two hits – Dude ( ₹20 crore), and Dragon ( ₹17 crore). Both those films saw a huge jump in collections on Saturday, which LIK has failed to emulate.
About Love Insurance Kompany
Helmed by Vignesh Shivan and jointly produced by Rowdy Pictures and Seven Screen Studio, the science fiction romantic comedy also stars Krithi Shetty Yogi Babu, Seeman, Gouri G Kishan, Shah Ra, Malavika and Sunil Reddy in supporting roles. The film is set in 2040, where people in love insure their relationships through a dating app named LIK, but a man who believes in organic love, falls in love with a woman embracing tech-driven romance. In doing so, he seeks to challenge LIK.
However, the film’s journey to release has faced multiple hurdles. Love Insurance Kompany was first scheduled to hit theatres on September 18, 2025, before being postponed to October 17 for the Diwali slot. It was later shifted again to avoid clashing with Pradeep’s other release, Dude. Further delays pushed the film’s release to December 18, 2025, and then to February, with rumours of a Valentine’s Day release eventually not coming through.
On Saturday, Vignesh Shivan took to Instagram and penned a note thanking the audience for the love. He wrote, “Thanks for so many good hearts for flocking the theatres with soooo much love, it’s a movie made for the theatre experience, enjoy your summer and kids along! ❤ take your families. Pls ignore all the negativity and orchestrated negative reviews! And purely enjoy the movie in theatres near you! We have sincerely worked hard to give you all a good experience, see it to believe it.”
Asian C’ships: Sujeet Kalkal, Abhimanyou Mandwal bag gold
Sujeet Kalkal and Abhimanyou Mandwal registered contrasting victories in their respective men’s freestyle final bouts to help India clinch two gold medals on the penultimate day of the Asian Wrestling Championships here on Saturday.
Sujeet totally dominated the men’s 65kg freestyle final against Umidjon Jalolov of Uzbekistan to register an 8-1 win.
A few minutes later, Abhimanyou made it a double celebration for the Indian camp as he fought back from 0-2 deficit to beat Tulga Tumur Ochir of Mongolia 5-3 in the men’s 70kg freestyle summit clash.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
Robbie G.K. from ‘Heated Rivalry’ says he has hopes for Scott and Kip
Robbie G.K., who captivates audiences as Kip Grady in Netflix’s ‘Heated Rivalry,’ has voiced his hopes for greater exploration of his character’s bond with Scott Hunter in future installments. Expressing his delight at the show’s warm reception from fans, he described it as ‘incredible.’ Additionally, Robbie reminisced about his artistic upbringing, noting similarities to his talented co-star Connor Storrie.
Robbie G.K. is reflecting on the fans’ response to ‘Heated Rivalry,’ where he portrays Christopher “Kip” Grady on the Netflix series. In a new interview, the actor shared his hopes for exploring more of Scott and Kip’s storyline in future seasons of the show. ‘Heated Rivalry,’ which is based on Rachel Reid’s Game Changers book series and adapted for television by Jacob Tierney, also stars Connor Storrie and Hudson Williams.
Robbie G.K. feels a lot could be explored between Scott and Kip
In the storyline, Kip, an art student, starts a secret romance with hockey star Scott Hunter. Played by François Arnaud. Speaking about the role and plot in a new interview with People, Robbie says that Scott and Kip are on the “very top of the rollercoaster” in their storyline. “I think that there’s a whole lot that could be explored after the fact,” explained the actor.
Robbie G.K is overwhelmed by the show’s impact
The Canadian actor also talked about the response to the show, and the love from fans has been “unbelievable.” Reflecting on the impact the show had, Robbie said, “Six months ago this was never a possibility… So I think every day it’s becoming more and more real and settling in, but yeah, it’s great.”
Robbie G.K says he was quite performative in childhood
The actor also shared that he had a similar childhood to the show’s co-star Connor Storrie. In another recent interview, the actor told Forbes that he was also “quite performative.” “I was always looking to try to get people to laugh,” he said. “I think my parents identified that at a young age.” He also recalled being approached by Tierney, 46, for the role of Kip, and what drew him to the part originally.Outside of ‘Heated Rivalry,’ G.K. also plays Deputy Chris Whitley on the series ‘Sheriff Country.’
From SIR to infiltration: Issues defining West Bengal’s 2026 election landscape india news
Last updated:
Elections are going to be held in West Bengal in 2026 amidst the debate of deletion of voter list, Matua unrest, urban anti-incumbency, welfare pressure, jobs and industry disputes, identity politics and infiltration.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. (File/PTI)
As West Bengal prepares for the 2026 assembly elections, a number of political, economic and social issues are expected to dominate the campaign narrative across the state. Political parties are focusing on governance, welfare schemes, law and order, employment and corruption charges while attempting to appeal to voters.
To keep an eye Issues that have occupied campaign center stage for political parties across the board.
Sir
The publication of voter lists after the SIR has led to one of the most significant pre-poll changes in the state in recent years, with the revision removing around 63.66 lakh names from the voter list ahead of the assembly elections. As a result, the number of voters has declined from 7.66 crore to 7.04 crore, significantly changing the electoral landscape of the state and adding a new layer of uncertainty at the start of the campaign season.
The changes have forced parties to re-do their calculations at the booth level, especially in districts where a large number of names have been deleted. The attacks are also concentrated in several border districts and urban areas – areas that are politically sensitive and known for close combat.
matua factor
Matua, a Scheduled Caste Hindu refugee community that has significant influence on nearly 50 assembly seats in West Bengal, has emerged as an important electoral block. In the 2021 assembly elections, the BJP won most of these seats, taking its total to 77, and the party largely retained this support base in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
However, large-scale deletion of names during the SIR process has destabilized voters in Matua-dominated areas, rekindling concerns over identification, documentation and electoral inclusion among members of the community who have migrated from present-day Bangladesh over several decades.
Urban anger/anti-establishment wave
When Kolkata-based sociology researcher Rimjhim Sinha called for a “Reclaim the Night” movement on social media following the rape and murder of a medical intern at RG Kar Hospital in 2024, she could not have anticipated how quickly the message would spread, leading to growing anger against the state’s ruling establishment among urban women, youth and even senior citizens.
This was followed by spontaneous street protests in urban and semi-urban parts of West Bengal that continued for months. The movement demanded justice for victims, stronger workplace safety measures and the right for women to be safe in public places at night. The outpouring of public anger – which was mainly directed at the functioning of state-run institutions under the Trinamool Congress – was unprecedented.
Although the state’s major opposition parties were largely kept out of the protest site by participants, the Trinamool Congress faced increasing difficulty in preventing the social unrest from taking on a more overtly political character.
Against the backdrop of ongoing corruption allegations, a persistent jobs crisis, limited success in attracting large investments and ongoing concerns over brain drain, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee now faces one of the most significant anti-incumbency challenges of her tenure.
social welfare schemes
Several social welfare schemes implemented by the TMC government are expected to play an important role in the upcoming elections. These initiatives targeting unemployed youth, women, farmers, students, workers and marginalized communities have delivered electoral gains in previous elections and may once again influence the outcome.
Many of these programs include direct cash transfers and other benefits delivered at the grassroots level, strengthening their influence among voters.
Industry and Employment
The opposition BJP has alleged an “exodus of industry” from West Bengal and described the state as an “industrial graveyard”. Party leaders claim that more than 6,000 companies have relocated from Bengal in the last 14 years and argue that only 3 per cent of the investment proposals made at business summits in the state have actually materialised, turning the state into a “labour-exporting economy”.
However, the TMC rejects these allegations and highlights what it calls the “Bengal model” of development, which focuses on MSME development, infrastructure expansion and comparatively low unemployment. It cites the unemployment rate, about 3.6 percent lower than the national average, and points to projected GSDP growth of about 12 percent, higher than the national average, as an indicator of continued economic momentum.
Meanwhile, economic stress has emerged as a major concern in the jute belt districts of Hooghly, Howrah and North 24 Parganas. Shortage of raw materials led to mills closure and production cuts, resulting in loss of jobs which has become a significant political issue in the region.
Bengali sub-nationalism
Before the SIR exercise gained political prominence in West Bengal, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) had already launched an aggressive campaign against coordinated attacks on Bengali-speaking migrants in BJP-ruled states, on the streets, in Parliament and through legal channels.
The party’s oft-repeated “Bohiragoto” (outsider) narrative against the BJP has proven electorally effective in recent years. The issue of Bengali sub-nationalism, built around alleged migrant oppression, is seen as an extension of TMC’s broader effort to position itself as the protector of Bengali “identity” while politically isolating the BJP in the state.
In July last year, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had led a large rally in Kolkata, which the TMC described as an “attack on Bengali identity” by the BJP. He has consistently criticized the party over incidents of alleged harassment, detention and deportation of Bengali migrants in various parts of the country, often under suspicion of their being Bangladeshi citizens.
TMC has also filed legal challenges in the Calcutta High Court and the Supreme Court against such alleged deportation of Bengali-speaking Indians, although with limited success. The repatriation of Sunali Bibi and her minor son, among the first six deported persons, has been cited as one of the rare examples of relief achieved through these efforts.
infiltration
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in the Muslim-majority border district of Malda on January 17, he put infiltration at the center of his attack on the TMC government. He alleged that large-scale illegal migration has changed the demography, fueled riots and is continuing due to the “patronage and syndicate raj” of the ruling party, making it clear that the BJP will keep the “infiltrators” issue prominent in its election campaign.
Against the backdrop of the intense pre-poll atmosphere and the controversial SIR “roll-cleansing” exercise, the BJP has strongly defended the process, arguing that it is necessary to identify “Bangladeshis and Rohingyas” living across the border.
During a recent visit, Union Home Minister Amit Shah further toughened the party’s stance on infiltration, saying that currently “only the names of infiltrators are being removed” from the voter lists, but they will be “pushed out” if the party comes to power in the state. He also accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of promoting infiltration for electoral gains.
However, TMC has rejected these allegations, terming the exercise politically motivated and divorced from ground reality and alleging that it is being used to target Muslim citizens in the state.
west bengal elections
Of the 294-member Bengal Assembly, TMC won 215 seats in 2021, four seats more than the 2016 edition of the state elections, while the BJP won 77 seats, improving its tally by 74 seats.
BJP’s strength in the state assembly has now reduced to 64, mainly due to defection in the Trinamool Congress. Indian Secular Front and newly formed Aam Janata Unnayan Party have one seat each. Meanwhile, three seats are vacant in the assembly after the death of sitting MLAs.
first published:
April 12, 2026, 11:00 IST
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One-hour pause, tighter checks: RBI’s plan to tackle rising digital payment fraud
In a bid to curb the growing digital payment frauds, the Reserve Bank of India had put out a discussion paper proposing a range of new safeguards, including delays on certain fund transfers, added checks for vulnerable users, limits on suspect accounts, and an emergency mechanism for customers to instantly block transactions. The central bank has sought feedback on the proposals until May 8, 2026. A key recommendation is the introduction of a one-hour cooling-off period for account-to-account transfers above Rs 10,000 carried out by individuals, sole proprietors and partnership firms. These transactions currently do not offer any chargeback option in case of fraud. The proposed delay may be implemented at the sender’s end, the recipient’s end, or both. The threshold has been set at Rs 10,000 as such transfers make up around 45% of fraud cases by volume and account for nearly 98.5% of the total value involved, according to figures from the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. The paper also focuses on safeguarding senior citizens and persons with disabilities, according to ET. For transactions exceeding Rs 50,000, the RBI has suggested introducing an additional verification step, which may include approval from a pre-designated trusted individual. Data indicates that close to 92% of fraud losses by value occur in transactions above this level, often linked to impersonation and social engineering scams. Among other measures, the RBI has proposed giving users more direct control over their banking activity. Customers could be allowed to switch specific payment channels on or off, set their own transaction limits, and activate a “kill switch” to immediately stop all digital payments. This feature may be made available through mobile banking, internet banking, bank branches and IVR services. To tackle the misuse of bank accounts by fraudsters, commonly referred to as mule accounts, the central bank has suggested capping annual credits at Rs 25 lakh for accounts that have not undergone enhanced due diligence, the financial daily reported. Accounts requiring higher limits would need to provide further verification related to their business activities and funding sources. The proposals come at a time when both digital payment adoption and fraud incidents have risen sharply. Over the past decade, digital transactions have grown at a compound annual rate of 53%. Meanwhile, reported fraud cases have jumped from 2.6 lakh in 2021 to 28 lakh in 2025, with the total value involved increasing from Rs 551 crore to nearly Rs 22,931 crore. The surge has been driven by methods such as deepfakes, fake call centres and networks of mule accounts.
Ruturaj Gaikwad faces BCCI punishment, Nitish Rana not spared either after CSK beat DC for first win of IPL 2026
Chennai Super Kings captain Ruturaj Gaikwad became the third skipper to be found guilty of breaching the IPL Code of Conduct in the ongoing 19th season of the league. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) showed no leniency towards the Chennai captain, despite the team securing its first win in four matches this season against Delhi Capitals on Saturday at Chepauk.
Gaikwad was fined after CSK maintained a slow over-rate during the match. Since it was the team’s first offence under Article 2.22 of the IPL Code of Conduct, which pertains to minimum over-rate violations, he was fined INR 12 lakh.
IPL 2026 has already seen multiple such instances in the opening 17 matches, with Shreyas Iyer found guilty on two occasions. He was the first offender of the season after Punjab Kings maintained a slow over-rate against Gujarat Titans in New Chandigarh on March 31. He breached the code again in the very next game against Chennai on April 2, and since it was a second offence, Iyer was fined INR 24 lakh.
Shubman Gill, captain of Gujarat Titans, was the other offender, found guilty during the match against Delhi Capitals on April 8.
Nitish Rana not spared
The BCCI announced another sanction on Sunday, with Delhi Capitals batter Nitish Rana penalised for clashing with the umpire during the match against CSK. The incident occurred after the match official did not allow his teammate Tristan Stubbs to change his gloves in the 19th over, following which he lost his wicket.
Rana was fined 25 per cent of his match fee and handed one demerit point for breaching Level 1 of the IPL Code of Conduct.
He was found to have violated Article 2.3, which relates to the “use of an audible obscenity during a match.” Rana admitted the offence and accepted the Match Referee’s sanction.
Chennai’s first win in IPL 2026
The five-time champions finally opened their account on Saturday with a 23-run win against Delhi Capitals. After three silent outings, Sanju Samson rediscovered his batting range as he smashed a fabulous 115 not out, while forging a 113-run stand for the second wicket with Ayush Mhatre as CSK posted a competitive 212 for two and the Delhi Capitals stumbled against Jamie Overton’s superb spell (4/18) to get bundled out for 189.
While it was the super Kings’ first win of the season, the Capitals slumped to their second defeat in a row.
`Maine aisa kuch nahi bola hai`: Aayush Sharma clarifies remark on Salman Khan
Aayush Sharma’s professional journey has been full of ups and downs, and the actor has been vocal about it. However, his brother-in-law Salman Khan has always supported him. In a recent conversation, he recalled his first meeting with Bhaijaan and revealed how he even agreed to their relationship despite Aayush not being financially strong. Aayush also recalled his father’s surprising reaction to their relationship. However, as his statements were misconstrued, he later clarified them.
Aayush Sharma on first meeting with Salman Khan
Aayush told Cyrus Broacha on his podcast how Salman was in awe of his honesty and praised him. “He looked at me and said, ‘You can become an actor.’ That was the most beautiful moment of my life till then. No casting director had ever said that to me. No one believed in me — and here was one of the biggest stars in the country saying it after meeting me just once.”
But Salman’s encouragement came with blunt honesty. “He told me, ‘You’re in a bad state. You look like sh*t, you’re not trained enough. Just going to acting school won’t help; you need to work on multiple things.’”
It seems the statement was misinterpreted, and Aayush clarified it on his Instagram Stories, saying, “Bhai log, maine aisa kuch nahi bola hai… aaram se podcast dekh lo, comedy hai. Clickbait ke liye itna bhi creative hone ki koi zaroorat nahi hai. Mera sahi hai, bina kuch bole hi tamasha ho gaya.”
Aayush Sharma on his father’s reaction
Aayush recalled how his family was visibly taken aback when he introduced Arpita Khan. “My mom asked if she was Salman’s sister. I told my dad she was my girlfriend. He said, ‘Uski behen tere saath kya kar rahi hai?’ and then I told him we are getting married. He was shocked,” Aayush recalled.
Clarifying this statement, he wrote, “Yeh lo ek aur portal jo imagination pe chal raha hai. Aap bhi podcast dekho.”
Aayush Sharma eventually made his Bollywood debut with Loveyatri (2018), produced by Salman Khan Films. He was last seen in Ruslaan (2024).
Aayush and Arpita married in November 2014 at the Falaknuma Palace. They have two children, Ahil and Ayat, born in 2016 and 2019, respectively.
IPL 2026: Virat Kohli on the brink of history, poised to become 1st batter to… | Cricket News
Virat Kohli (Image credit: RCB)
Virat Kohli is once again on the verge of rewriting the record books. Ahead of Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s clash against Mumbai Indians on Sunday, Kohli stands just 20 runs shy of becoming the first batter in T20 history to score 1,000 runs against the five-time champions.Already the leading run-scorer against MI in T20 cricket, Kohli has amassed 980 runs in 35 innings across the IPL and the now-defunct Champions League T20. His consistency against one of the league’s most successful teams highlights both his longevity and dominance at the top level.Kohli’s dominance vs Mumbai IndiansKohli’s record against MI reflects his ability to deliver across seasons:
- Innings: 35
- Runs: 980
- Average: 31.61
- Strike Rate: 129.11
- 50+ scores: 6
- Highest score: 92*
- Sixes: 36
His tally already places him ahead of several IPL greats, including KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, Suresh Raina and MS Dhoni in terms of T20 runs against Mumbai.
Race with KL Rahul adds intrigue
While Kohli leads overall T20 numbers, the IPL-only race tells a slightly different story. KL Rahul has scored 976 runs against MI in just 20 innings, making him the most prolific batter against them in IPL history so far.Kohli, meanwhile, has 922 runs in 34 IPL innings against MI and needs 78 more to reach the 1,000-run mark in the league alone. This adds an extra layer of competition between two of India’s finest modern batters.
Wankhede: A happy hunting ground
The venue for tonight’s clash, Wankhede Stadium, has been particularly kind to Kohli over the years. 401 runs in 12 innings vs MI at Wankhede with an average: 45.55 Across his IPL career at the venue, Kohli has scored 641 runs at an average of 45.78, underlining his comfort on the batting-friendly surface. If he crosses the 1,000-run mark today, MI will be the fifth team against which Kohli has achieved this milestone in the IPL . He has already reached 1,000 runs against Chennai Super Kings (1174), Delhi Capitals (1130), Punjab Kings (1159), and Kolkata Knight Riders (1021).
Rashmika Mandanna danced ‘crazily’ to Salman Khan song at post-wedding bash, DJ Ganesh reveals wedding party signed NDA
After dating for a while, actors Vijay Deverakonda and Rashmika Mandanna got married in an intimate yet grand wedding ceremony in Udaipur in February this year. Celebrity DJ Ganesh, who performed at the couple’s post-wedding party, recently recalled how Rashmika danced her heart out to Salman Khan’s songs during the celebrations.
Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda’s post-wedding party details out
In an interview with News18, DJ Ganesh spoke about the post-wedding party and said, “It was the last celebration before they had to get back to their normal lives. Rashmika Mandanna loves Bollywood songs, and that is the reason why they got me on board. When I first got to know that I had to play, I was confused because I assumed it was a South Indian wedding. Later, I realised how big a fan Rashmika is of Bollywood music.”
He revealed that he had known about the wedding since December last year, but the couple had made everyone sign an NDA. He added that there were no restrictions on mobile phones at the couple’s wedding and said, “Rashmika made us play Saami Saami. Apart from this, she was dancing crazily to Salman Khan’s songs like Mujhse Shaadi Karogi and Jeene Ke Chaar Din. At Rashmika and Vijay’s wedding, phones were allowed, at least for me, because they knew I wouldn’t take any pictures. Privacy is very important for them when it comes to celebrity parties.”
About Rashmika Mandanna and Vijay Deverakonda’s wedding
Rashmika and Vijay first met on the sets of their 2018 film Geeta Govindam. Their chemistry impressed everyone, and they went on to work together again in Dear Comrade. The couple had long been rumoured to be dating, but they remained tight-lipped about their relationship until their wedding in February.
The couple got married in an intimate yet grand ceremony attended by close friends and family. The wedding blended two distinct traditions—Vijay’s Telugu rituals and Rashmika’s Kodava (Coorgi) customs. After the wedding, the couple distributed sweets among fans and even met them in person at a meet-and-greet event to celebrate their union.
Rashmika and Vijay also held a grand reception in Hyderabad on March 4 to celebrate their marriage, which was attended by several big celebrities including Ram Charan, Allu Arjun, Kriti Sanon, Karan Johar and others.
The couple have now returned to work and resumed shooting for their upcoming film, Ranabaali. Produced by Mythri Movie Makers, the film is scheduled to release on September 11, 2026. Helmed by Rahul Sankrityan, the film marks Rashmika and Vijay’s third collaboration together and their first film after marriage.
