As UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrived in Doha as part of a Gulf tour spanning Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar, he discussed efforts to secure the US-Iran ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Starmer warned there’s more ‘work to do’, stressing the need for regional partners to restore global energy flows.
Published On 10 Apr 2026
Young Indian shuttler Ayush Shetty entered the men`s singles quarterfinals of the Badminton Asia Championships with an impressive straight-game win but the seasoned PV Sindhu was eliminated from the women`s event here on Thursday. World number 25 Ayush, who is also the reigning US Open Super 300 champion, registered a 21-16 21-12 victory over his world number 20 rival, Chinese Taipei`s Chi Yu Jen, in a commanding display.
He will next face third seed Jonatan Christie of Indonesia. However, it was a disappointing day for the rest of the Indian contingent. Two-time Olympic medallist Sindhu went down 18-21 8-21 to second seed Wang Zhiyi of China in a 46-minute last-16 stage match. HS Prannoy, returning after a shoulder injury, fought hard but lost 12-21 19-21 to China`s Weng Hong Yang.
In mixed doubles, Dhruv Kapila and Tanisha Crasto bowed out after a 13-21 14-21 defeat to fourth-seeded Malaysians Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei. Unnati Hooda lost to World No. 9 Tomoka Miyazaki of Japan 17-21 9-21 in women`s singles while the women`s doubles pair of Priya Konjengbam and Shruti Mishra went down 10-21 13-21 to the Japanese duo of Yuki Fukushima and Mayu Matsumoto.
Ayush relied on his height to unleash steep smashes and maintained tight control at the net to dominate proceedings. The opening game was closely fought early on, with the scores level at 4-4 before Chi moved ahead 10-6. Ayush clawed his way back after the break, drawing level at 12-12 and then taking control as Chi struggled with his length, committing a series of unforced errors.
The Indian surged to 18-14 and closed out the game comfortably. In the second game, Ayush raced to a 4-0 lead before Chi briefly caught up. Regaining rhythm, the Indian led 11-7 at the interval and never looked back, using aggressive returns and sharp net play to move to 16-9. He soon wrapped up the match, sealing it with a sharp backhand at the net.
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Aamir Khan has been quite outspoken about his successes and failures. Apart from his professional life, the actor has also been honest about his personal lows. After his divorce from Reena Dutta, Aamir Khan opened up about how deeply the separation affected him emotionally. He revealed that he was a teetotaller and resorted to alcohol to handle his emotions.
Speaking on Duologue with Barun Das, Aamir Khan opened up about the separation and said, “I was a teetotaller until I went through my first divorce with Reena. On the first day when she left with the kids and I was alone at home, I couldn’t handle my emotions at that time. I had never drunk alcohol. I had consumed it once or twice for a couple of scenes, but that was only because I had to for the scene. I was not into alcohol at all.”
Aamir added, “That night, I had alcohol at home to serve guests, so I started drinking. For the next one and a half years, I drank almost a bottle a night. Now that’s really extreme. From being a teetotaller to someone who consumes a bottle a night is very extreme.”
Aamir got married to Reena Dutta in 1986, and they parted ways in 2002. From his first marriage, Aamir has two children, Junaid and Ira. Following his divorce from Reena, Aamir married Kiran Rao in 2005, and the couple welcomed their son, Azad. They later announced their separation in 2021 after 16 years of marriage. Today, Aamir remains on amicable terms with both his former spouses. On his 60th birthday, he introduced his girlfriend, Gauri Spratt, and the two are often seen travelling and attending events together.
Last year, Aamir made his comeback to the big screen with Sitaare Zameen Par after the failure of Laal Singh Chaddha in 2022. He was also seen in a cameo role in Happy Patel: Khatarnak Jasoos.
Aamir is currently awaiting the release of his production Ek Din. Helmed by Sunil Pandey, the romantic drama stars Aamir’s son and actor Junaid Khan, along with Sai Pallavi.
Tamil superstar Vijay’s final film, Jana Nayagan, has been leaked online, even though it hasn’t been released in theatres yet. On Thursday night, small clips from the film were shared on social media, and by Friday morning, HD prints of the full film were uploaded to piracy sites. The unreleased film has yet to receive CBFC clearance and has been in limbo for three months. The leak, which comes just before Vijay’s entry into politics with the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, has rattled the Tamil film industry.
On Friday, social media posts surfaced showing high-quality prints of Jana Nayagan being uploaded to piracy sites. Even as Vijay fans urged others not to share the links, the number of prints online kept increasing. Many noted that while earlier only 5-10-minute sequences of the film had been shared online, the complete film had now been uploaded. Many disappointed fans speculated about the source of the leak since the film is weeks away from release.
Fans of Vijay and industry insiders have reacted with anger to the leak. Amutha Bharathi, a cinema influencer, wrote on X, “A 400-500Crs film just got leaked overnight!! Toughest time for the Producer, distributor and the whole team. They should have been more cautious, as the film has gone into already serious troubles. Now the only & better way is to release JanaNayagan ASAP in the Theatres, if they got censor certificate.”
Movies Singapore, a prominent trade account, added, “#JanaNayagan – SHOCKING!! The entire movie has been leaked in premium HD quality. It is already circulating among many people, and many scenes are now out on social media. Despite fast copyright actions, the situation may only worsen from here. An earliest possible theatrical release is the only way forward.”
Many took the leak as a direct attack against Vijay. Film producer G Dhananjheyan tweeted, “@KvnProductions must move the court immediately and get all such links are removed and taken down before it’s too late and the film is watched by millions. Film business is becoming dangerous and highly unpredictable with these kind of dangers all around a film. How much more you guys will target #ThalapathyVijay ‘s last film. ???”
Recalling the entire dramatic timeline of the movie’s delayed release and non-certification, one fan account wrote, “Thalapathy Vijay- They try to block your film… and just before the new release announcement, leaks start surfacing 👀 That’s what happens WHEN YOU’RE HUGE 🙏🏻🔥 Respect the cinema. Watch only the OFFICIAL trailer, don’t share leaks.”
Directed by H Vinoth and produced by KVN Productions, Jana Nayagan also stars Pooja Hegde, Bobby Deol and Mamitha Baiju, alongside Gautham Vasudev Menon, Prakash Raj, Narain and Priyamani. Billed as Vijay’s final film before he takes the political plunge, the political thriller was slated to release in January but had to be postponed after the CBFC failed to certify it in time. The makers and Vijay have alleged conspiracy in the film’s delay, linking it to the actor’s political debut. So far, there is no clarity on the film’s release.
Sri Lanka spinner Wanindu Hasaranga has been ruled out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) confirmed on Thursday. The franchise’s director of cricket, Tom Moody, announced the same during the fixture against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the Eden Gardens on Thursday. The franchise that won against KKR by three wickets is “preparing” to name a replacement, and the official announcement is expected in the next 24 to 48 hours.
LSG had acquired Hasaranga for INR 2 crore in the mini auction, but he was unable to join their squad after sustaining an injury. He was with the Rajasthan Royals (RR) last season and with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) from 2021 to 2023.
The 28-year-old has been out of action ever since tearing his hamstring during Sri Lanka’s T20 World Cup 2026 opening game in February. It has also come to light that he did not take Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) mandatory fitness test earlier this week. Earlier, the SLC made it compulsory for centrally contracted players to pass the mandatory fitness test to obtain an NOC to join the IPL.
“We are preparing for the fact that he isn’t going to be able to join us,” Moody said during LSG’s game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in Kolkata on Thursday.
“We are looking at replacements that should be announced in 24-48 hours,” he added.
The Lucknow Super Giants are fifth in the points table after winning the match against KKR by three wickets. Against all odds, Mukul Choudhary played a quickfire knock of 54 off 27 balls to help LSG snatch victory from the jaws of defeat against Ajinkya Rahane’s team.
The Rishabh Pant-led side has won two of the three games they have played in IPL 2026. The team lost its opening match against the Delhi Capitals but went on to win the next two games against Sunrisers Hyderabad and KKR.
LSG are unlikely to miss Wanindu much as the side has a settled and formidable bowling attack. Their spin attack features Digvesh Rathi, M Siddharth, and Shahbaz Ahmed. Mohammed Shami has been leading the attack, and Prince Yadav has emerged as a standout pacer for the franchise in the three matches so far.
Mohsin Khan, who was impressive in LSG’s opening match against Delhi, has been out of action since due to some “stiffness”, as confirmed by Moody on Thursday.
Stock market today: Indian equity benchmarks, Sensex and Nifty50, opened in green in trade on Friday after a day of losses on Thursday. While Nifty50 went above 23,900, BSE Sensex was up over 400 points, crossing the 77,000 mark. At 9:16 AM, Nifty50 was at around 23,921.05, up 146 points or 0.61%. BSE Sensex was at 77,057.50, up 426 points or 0.56%.Market analysts have said that while easing tensions in the Middle East region and stable crude prices could offer some near-term support, the durability of any recovery in the stock market will hinge on clearer signals around the US–Iran situation, trends in energy prices and an improvement in liquidity conditions.US markets ended higher on Thursday as continued efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the six-week Middle East conflict helped ease concerns over the fragile US-Iran truce. All three major indices recovered from early losses and closed in positive territory, supported by reports that Israel is seeking talks with Lebanon.Asian markets, however, saw only modest gains as investors stayed cautious ahead of the upcoming US-Iran discussions over the weekend, amid lingering uncertainty around the ceasefire.In commodity markets, oil prices moved higher in early Friday trade after attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure and continued disruption around the Strait of Hormuz added to concerns, even as a fragile truce between the US and Iran remains in place.Foreign portfolio investors remained net sellers, offloading shares worth Rs 1,711 crore on Wednesday. In contrast, domestic institutional investors provided some support, with net purchases of Rs 956 crore.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)
It’s a good week to be part of the BTS ARMY. Just as videos from Day 1 of BTS’ ‘ARIRANG’ world tour went viral online, fans of V aka Kim Taehyung, were not only treated to videos of the star’s epic stage performance, but also his acting return. The hunk officially made his long-awaited return to acting with the short film ‘That Night, Our Decaf’. Following the promo release, the makers dropped the short film online on April 10, for fans to see V flex his acting prowess. This time around, he takes the lead as the romantic hero opposite actress Park Ji Min. In the short, Taehyung takes on the role of a quiet, and shy guy, whose late-night encounter at a cafe sparks a subtle yet emotional connection with a young woman. As it turns out, the woman in question was his classmate. The video hints at a brewing friendship that sadly comes to an abrupt end before it can blossom into a romance. “We never figured out why, and just like that, we slowly faded away from each other,” he says in the clip.However, sparks fly once again as the two cross paths at the coffee shop. The video was shared with the caption, “That night we met again, our story begins to flow gently once more.”This marks Taehyung’s first acting project in several years, making his return particularly significant for fans who have long awaited his comeback in the acting space. However, the 4.5-minute video, with its emotional story was not enough for fans who took to the comment to demand a K-Drama with the hunk. One comment read, “WANT MOOOOOREEEE This isn’t enough put him in at least a 20 ep drama!!!’“I had goosebumps omg, really need Taehyung in a k-drama soon,” said another.“Our Taetae I’m so proud! I really hope we can see him on k-drama again soon,” read another tweet.The release also coincides with BTS’s ongoing musical activities with their ARIRANG tour, including their recent ARIRANG album launch and the release of their SWIM music video.
GUWAHATI: All discussions about Rajasthan Royals’ highflying start to the season have centred on a certain 15-year-old phenomenon, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The eve of Royals’ third and last home match this season here at their ‘second home ground’ was not different either, even with the in-form defending champions Royals Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), inspired by King Virat Kohli, coming to the city for the first time.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Royals’ fast bowling coach Shane Bond was full of praise for the teen prodigy on Thursday. “He’s incredible. I have a 17-year-old son and when I compare him to Vaibhav, what he’s doing is remarkable,” Bond said. Highlighting his maturity level and developing game awareness, the former Kiwi pacer added, “It’s not just reckless hitting, he’s picking the right balls and showing growth. There’s a maturity in his batting.”While the boy wonder has expectedly translated his flamboyance into match-defining knocks up front, his ‘senior’ opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal has displayed his class with calm and composed knocks to hold the Orange Cap with 170 runs including two half-centuries to his name from three games.If the batting, led by the openers’ blistering innings, has given the home side solid platforms for victories, their bowlers have done their job to near perfection.
However, on Friday, they will take on a side which is in a similar good form. Comfortably winning their first two games, defending champions RCB look to have started from where they left off last season.With batting and bowling units firing in unison, the Rajat Patidar-led side will aim to halt the Royals juggernaut before they move to their Jaipur home. Although all the top order batters have been firing for RCB, it’s Devdutt Padikkal who has held the spotlight scoring beautifully paced half-centuries in their last two games. NUMBER GAMES
—Stats: Rajesh Kumar
Directors Siddharth Singh and Garima Wahal feel their 2024 film, Dukaan, may be having its moment now. Centred on commercial surrogacy, the Monika Panwar-led drama has been selected for screening at the Yokohama International Film Festival that kicks off on May 1.
Singh revealed that Dukaan went through a multi-stage selection process before making the cut. “We were informed in early March that we had cleared a few rounds, but it was only on March 17 that we received confirmation of our selection. It’s been a long process,” he said.
Siddharth Singh and Garima Wahal. Pic/By Special Arrangement
After its limited release in April 2024, Dukaan has failed to land on any OTT platform. Believing that its absence on any streamer has led to the audience not discovering the film, co-director Wahal said, “The film is currently with Jio. It’s a subject that can resonate with Indian audiences. After this recognition, we believe the film will finally get the OTT release it deserves.”
May 4
When ‘Dukaan’ will be screened
The gambling platforms have grown in popularity, with some users making bets on conflicts.
