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Intruder to Chinese embassy in Japan arrested, more information disclosed

Tokyo, March 25, 2026

The Japanese intruder who broke into the Embassy of China in Japan on Tuesday was arrested by the police later the same day, with more information about the case disclosed, according to local media.

The intruder has been identified as Kodai Murata, 23, a second lieutenant in Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF), stationed at Camp Ebino in Miyazaki Prefecture, according to Kyodo News, citing Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. A second lieutenant is the lowest officer rank within the GSDF, Xinhua news agency reported.

The suspect allegedly entered the premises of the Chinese embassy at around 9 a.m. local time, carrying a knife and shouting threatening words. He was initially detained by embassy staff and later arrested by police on suspicion of unlawful entry, the report said.

Japanese police described the incident as “very regrettable” and said round-the-clock security would be provided for the embassy compound.

The GSDF said it would cooperate fully with the police and deal with the case “strictly,” proceeding “based on facts.”

According to the Chinese embassy in Japan, a man claiming to be “an active-duty officer of the Japan Self-Defense Forces” forcibly broke into the embassy by climbing over a wall on Tuesday morning, threatening to kill Chinese diplomatic personnel.

The embassy has lodged solemn representations and a strong protest with the Japanese side, demanding that Japan provide a responsible explanation.(Agency)

Trinamool approaches ECI seeking removal of Bhabanipur RO, alleges bias

Kolkata, March 25, 2026

Trinamool Congress, on Wednesday, approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) seeking the immediate removal of the new returning officer (RO), appointed for Bhabanipur Assembly constituency in South Kolkata, where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a Trinamool Congress candidate, is pitted against Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate.

On March 23, the ECI ordered the replacement of as many as 74 ROs in West Bengal, which is going to a two-phase poll next month. Of those 73 ROs, one was for Bhabanipur, and Surajit Roy was appointed as the new Returning Officer. The Trinamool Congress has now approached the ECI opposing Roy’s appointment.

“Roy, as all know, is an extremely close confidant of the LoP and virtually operates as per his instructions. So we doubt possibilities of irregularities following his appointment as the RO of Bhabanipur and hence have approached the Commission raising objections about his appointment,” said a senior leader of the Trinamool Congress.

Already, the state government and the ECI are at loggerheads following ECI’s decision to transfer, replace, and depute bureaucrats and police officers from West Bengal to other states. The transfer of the 72 ROs in one go has only added to the bitterness.

The ruling party has alleged that these transfers, replacements, and deputations of bureaucrats and police officers were deliberately carried out by the Commission at the behest of the Union government and the BJP.

A crucial hearing on a public interest litigation challenging such a transfer will be at a division bench of the Calcutta High Court later in the day.

This time, besides Bhabanipur, Suvendu Adhikari is also contesting from Nandigram in East Midnapore, where he was a two-term legislator, first from Trinamool Congress and then from the BJP.

The two-phase polling in West Bengal will be on April 23 and April 29. In the first phase, polling will be held for 152 Assembly constituencies, and on April 29, voting will be held for the remaining 142 seats.(Agency)

Delhi Assembly once again receives bomb threat, email sender claims disillusionment with DMK

New Delhi, March 25, 2026

The Delhi Legislative Assembly on Wednesday once again received a bomb threat via email, triggering heightened security and an immediate response from law enforcement agencies. The threatening message claimed that as many as 16 RDX-based Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) had been planted inside the Assembly premises, with a plan to detonate them at 1:40 P.M.

According to the Delhi Police, the sender identified himself as being from Coimbatore and alleged that he and his associates were supporters of a political party, DMK, but now felt betrayed. The email claimed that the individuals they once supported had subsequently been arrested, and that their attempts to bring attention to the matter were ignored by both the media and the courts.

The message further stated that, despite limited resources, the group had chosen to target the Delhi Legislative Assembly out of desperation. It also warned authorities to evacuate people from the premises, asserting that the intention was to cause damage to the property. The email reportedly included several controversial and inflammatory slogans, raising further concerns among officials.

This incident comes a day after a similar threat was received on Tuesday, when the Assembly and Speaker Vijender Gupta were targeted through separate emails. One of the emails warned that the Assembly would be blown up, while another extended the threat to a nearby Delhi Metro station.

Officials said that the email sent to the Speaker’s official account was received at 7:49 A.M., while another message was sent to the Assembly’s official email ID at 7:28 A.M.

The contents of Tuesday’s email reportedly mentioned several high-profile figures, including Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, and Cabinet Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa.

Following the threats, the Delhi Police launched a thorough investigation to trace the origin of the emails and assess their credibility. Security has been significantly tightened in and around the Assembly premises, as well as in nearby areas, as a precautionary measure.

Authorities have not ruled out any possibility and are treating the threats with utmost seriousness. Bomb disposal squads and other emergency services were placed on alert, and search operations were conducted to ensure the safety of the premises.

This is not the first such incident. Earlier, on February 23, Speaker Vijender Gupta had received a similar email threat from purported ‘Khalistan’ supporters, warning of a possible bomb blast targeting him and the Vidhan Sabha Secretariat. In that instance, the Speaker’s office promptly alerted the Delhi Police Commissioner, and necessary security arrangements were put in place.

The earlier email was allegedly sent by a group calling itself the ‘Khalistan National Army’ and had surfaced amid a controversy involving remarks attributed to Leader of Opposition Atishi in the Assembly, which were claimed to be disrespectful towards Sikh Gurus.(Agency)

No change in LPG refill timelines, stocks adequate: Govt

New Delhi, March 25, 2026

The government on Wednesday dismissed reports claiming changes in LPG refill booking timelines, terming them misleading and unfounded.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) clarified that no revisions have been made to the existing refill booking norms for LPG connections.

The ministry stated that some media reports and social media posts had claimed that refill booking timelines had been altered to 45 days for Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) beneficiaries, 25 days for non-PMUY single-cylinder users, and 35 days for non-PMUY double-cylinder consumers.

“No such changes have been made,” the official statement said, adding that the current timelines remain unchanged.

As per the existing norms, LPG refills can be booked after 25 days in urban areas and 45 days in rural areas, irrespective of the type of connection.

The government also urged citizens not to believe or circulate such misinformation and to avoid unnecessary or panic booking of LPG refills.

It further assured that adequate LPG stocks are available across the country and there is no cause for concern.

Meanwhile, all domestic refineries are operating at high capacity with adequate crude inventories. Domestic LPG production has increased, and petrol and diesel stocks remain sufficient, according to the government.

The government has also ensured that ships carrying crude oil and LPG have arrived from multiple countries, and it continues to work on contingency plans to keep supplies uninterrupted.

In addition, a state-owned PSU firm – BPCL — said that Bharat Petroleum rumours about petrol and diesel shortages in certain areas are completely unfounded.

“There is no shortage of fuel across the nation. India is a net exporter of petrol and diesel,” the company said.

The Centre has also constituted seven empowered groups of officials and experts to handle the fallout of the Iran war on specific sectors of the Indian economy, including oil, gas, fertilisers, supply chains, and inflation.(Agency)

PM Modi to visit Gujarat on March 31 to inaugurate multiple urban development projects

Gandhinagar, March 25, 2026

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Gujarat on March 31 to inaugurate and lay foundation stones for a range of urban development projects, as the state highlights two decades of rapid urbanisation and infrastructure expansion.

The visit comes as Gujarat marks 20 years since 2005, when Narendra Modi, then Chief Minister, had declared the year as “Urban Year” with a focus on strengthening urban infrastructure.

The state government said the urban development journey was completed in two decades by 2025, during which Gujarat witnessed significant growth in planned city development and civic infrastructure.

Officials said cities across the state have seen the expansion of roads, street lighting, drinking water pipelines, sewerage systems and urban green spaces.

Housing has also been provided to economically and socially weaker sections in urban areas, alongside the implementation of multiple town planning schemes aimed at accelerating urbanisation and improving ease of living.

To sustain this trajectory, the government under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel had announced 2025 as “Urban Development Year” in the previous state budget.

Gujarat’s transport infrastructure has expanded through road, rail and air connectivity projects.

Overbridges and underbridges are being constructed in major cities, including Ahmedabad, Rajkot, Vadodara and Surat to manage rising traffic.

The Sudarshan Setu bridge connecting Dwarka and Bet Dwarka has been opened, along with approach roads and parking facilities, easing access between the two locations.

Several highway and expressway projects are under development, including the Jamnagar-Bhatinda Highway, Vadodara-Mumbai Expressway and Porbandar-Dwarka National Highway.

The state has also announced two greenfield corridors — the 430-km Namo Shakti Expressway from Deesa to Pipavav and the 680-km Somnath-Dwarka Expressway — to strengthen regional connectivity.

Urban transport has seen expansion with metro rail projects. Phase 2 of the Ahmedabad Metro has recently been completed, improving connectivity between Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, while 24 trainsets have been ordered for the Surat Metro.

The Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project is also progressing through Gujarat. Since September 2022, when the first Vande Bharat train was flagged off in the state, five such trains are now operational.

Under the ‘Amrit Bharat Station’ scheme, 89 railway stations in Gujarat are being redeveloped, of which 18 have been inaugurated.

Airport infrastructure has also been upgraded. The Hirasar Greenfield Airport in Rajkot has been developed for Rs 1,405 crore, while Surat International Airport has been established with an investment of Rs 3,400 crore.

Regional connectivity under the UDAN scheme has expanded services at Bhavnagar, Jamnagar, Kandla, Keshod, Mundra and Porbandar airports.

In urban utilities, projects under the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) 2.0 have been implemented to improve water supply and sewerage systems.

During 2025, water supply projects worth Rs 630.39 crore were executed, covering 82,328 households, while sewerage projects worth Rs 575.58 crore covered 24,206 households.

The works included the creation of 67 MLD of additional sewage treatment capacity and the laying of 113.31 km of sewer lines.

Under the Smart City Mission, six cities — Ahmedabad, Surat, Vadodara, Rajkot, Gandhinagar and Dahod — have undertaken 359 projects worth over Rs 11,507 crore, of which 357 projects valued at Rs 11,277 crore have been completed, with the remaining nearing completion.

Housing initiatives under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) have led to the construction of 9,19,204 houses in Gujarat for economically weaker and lower middle-income groups.

In Rajkot, 1,144 houses have been built under the Lighthouse Project using monolithic concrete construction technology.

Following this, more than one lakh additional houses have been approved under PMAY (Urban) 2.0, announced in 2025.

The state has also upgraded nine municipalities — Nadiad, Surendranagar, Gandhidham, Morbi, Navsari, Mehsana, Anand, Vapi and Porbandar — to municipal corporations, increasing the total number to 17 and extending urban governance and services to newly integrated areas.

In the 2026-27 state budget, Rs 33,504 crore has been allocated to the Urban Development and Urban Housing Department.

The ‘Swarnim Jayanti Mukhyamantri Urban Development’ scheme allocation has been increased by around 17 per cent to Rs 16,116 crore.

This year’s budget also provides Rs 1,278 crore to develop Olympic-ready urban infrastructure, including sports complexes and public transport systems, in preparation for the Commonwealth Games 2030.

Additional provisions have been made for water supply, drainage, lake development, metro expansion in Ahmedabad and Surat, the Gujarat Metro Rail Project and the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban).

Officials noted that in 2023, Ahmedabad hosted Urban-20 meetings under India’s G20 presidency, bringing together representatives from cities of member countries to discuss urbanisation and city planning.

The government said Gujarat’s urban growth has been driven by economic expansion, industrial development and infrastructure investment, transforming several areas into urban centres and attracting investment and migration.(Agency)

Zubeen Garg died due to drowning, rules Singapore court

Guwahati, March 25, 2026

Ending months of speculation, a Singapore court ruled on Wednesday that celebrated Assamese singer Zubeen Garg died due to drowning in the sea near Lazarus Island in September last year, according to Singapore-based media reports.

State Coroner Adam Nakhoda concluded that the death was “an unfortunate and tragic drowning” after a detailed investigation by the Singapore Police Coast Guard, reports said.

Zubeen Garg, a cultural icon of Assam, had travelled to Singapore to attend the North East India Festival and died on September 19, 2025, a day before his scheduled performance.

According to Singapore-based media reports, Garg had gone on a yacht trip and entered the waters near Lazarus Island.

Witnesses told the court that he had consumed alcohol prior to the incident and had initially worn a life jacket during his first swim. However, he later removed the life jacket and declined to wear one during a second attempt to swim towards the island.

Despite repeated requests from friends to return to the yacht, Garg became motionless in the water and was pulled back onboard, where attempts to revive him failed.

A toxicology report presented during the proceedings revealed a blood alcohol concentration of 333 mg per 100 ml, indicating significant alcohol consumption before entering the water.

The findings of the Singapore court broadly align with earlier observations by the Singapore Police Force, which had ruled out foul play and attributed the death to drowning after alcohol consumption and refusal to wear a life vest.

Meanwhile, the case continues to have legal ramifications in Assam, where a Special Investigation Team had filed charges against several individuals, including event organisers and associates of the singer, under various provisions of law.

Garg’s death had triggered widespread grief across Assam, with lakhs of fans paying their last respects after his mortal remains were brought back to Guwahati.(Agency)

Mrunal Thakur teaches Adivi Sesh Marathi, makes him recreate ‘Ashi Hi Banva Banvi’ dialogues

Mumbai, March 25, 2026

Bollywood actress Mrunal Thakur tapped into her Marathi roots recently and was seen teaching her ‘Dacoit’ co-star Adivi Sesh a few Marathi words, along with getting him to mimic iconic dialogues and songs from Marathi cinema.

In a video shared by Mrunal on her social media account, the actress is seen turning the camera towards Adivi Sesh as she gives him a quick Marathi lesson.

She is seem teaching him words like “kay re tu?”, “chomdi”, and “ikde ye,” while he attempts to repeat them.

Taking it a step further, she asks him to recreate the title track of the Marathi cult classic ‘Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi’.

She also gets him to say the famous dialogue, “Aacharya chi baayko vedi kaay,” originally delivered by veteran actor Ashok Saraf in the film.

The fun interaction appears to be from the sets of their upcoming project Dacoit, where the two actors are currently shooting together.

Mrunal, who hails from Maharashtra and has often spoken about her love for Marathi culture, is originally from Dhule and belongs to a Maharashtrian family.

Talking about the movie, Ashi Hi Banwa Banwi, released in 1988, remains one of the most loved Marathi comedies.

It starred legendary actors like Ashok Saraf, Laxmikant Berde, Sachin Pilgaonkar, and Siddharth Ray, along with Supriya Pilgaonkar and Nivedita Saraf.

Even decades after its release, the film continues to be regarded as a cult classic in Marathi cinema for its humour and impeccable performances.

Talking about Mrunal and Adivi Seshadri, from on-screen romance to off-screen masti, the Dacoit stars seem to be having a blast.

Talking about the movie Dacoit, it marks Shaneil Deo’s directorial debut. This ambitious project is produced by Supriya Yarlagadda, co-produced by Suniel Narang, and presented by Annapurna Studios, has been shot simultaneously in Hindi and Telugu.

The film’s story and screenplay have been jointly crafted by Adivi Sesh and Shaneil Deo. Dacoit is gearing up for a grand pan-India theatrical release for 10th of April 2026.(Agency)

1971 tapes: US refused to condemn Pakistan despite ‘genocide’ warnings

Washington, March 25, 2026

Secret transcripts of a 1971 conversation between President Richard Nixon and his National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger show the United States refusing to condemn Pakistan’s military crackdown in East Pakistan, despite warnings from its own diplomat of possible “genocide.”

The exchange, recorded on March 28, 1971, captures Kissinger informing Nixon about a dissent cable from US Consul Archer Blood in Dacca, who had reported large-scale killings of civilians.

“We’ve had a bleeding [bleating] cable from our Consul in Dacca who wants us to put out a statement condemning what the West Pakistanis are doing. But of course we won’t consider it,” Kissinger said, according to the transcript.

Nixon responded bluntly: “Oh for Christ’s sake.”

Kissinger then dismissed the diplomat, saying, “Well, he’s just one of these pansies.”

When Nixon asked, “And he says ‘condemning them?’” Kissinger replied: “Yeah, for genocide.”

Nixon then ordered action against the consul. “Well, now remove him. I want him out of the job,” he said.

The conversation further shows a clear decision not to publicly criticise Pakistan’s actions. “I wouldn’t put out a statement praising it, but we’re not going to condemn it either,” Nixon said later in the call.

Kissinger warned that taking a public stand could trigger backlash. “If we do that we’re going to have anti-American riots in West Pakistan,” he said.

The transcripts are part of The Kissinger Tapes, a newly published book by historian Tom Wells, released in March, based on hundreds of secretly recorded telephone conversations from Kissinger’s tenure during the Nixon administration between 1969 and 1974.

The book draws on thousands of pages of “telcons” that were recovered and declassified after a prolonged legal effort led by the National Security Archive. More than 15,000 pages of transcripts were eventually released in 2004.

Wells writes that the material offers “a panoramic view of his tenure in power” and sheds light on key decisions and controversies of the era, including US responses to human rights abuses committed by allied regimes.

The 1971 dissent by Archer Blood, later known as the “Blood telegram,” remains one of the most significant protests by US diplomats against official policy. Blood had urged Washington to take a moral stand against the killings in East Pakistan.

The events in East Pakistan in 1971 led to a humanitarian crisis and eventually to the creation of Bangladesh after India intervened militarily later that year. Estimates suggest that hundreds of thousands, and possibly millions, of civilians were killed during the conflict.(Agency)

Saurabh Shukla says there’s no such thing as a perfect marriage

Mumbai, March 25, 2026

National Award-winning actor-filmmaker Saurabh Shukla believes that the idea of a “perfect” relationship or marriage is a myth, stressing that imperfection is what truly defines human connections.

Sharing his perspective to IANS, the veteran actor said that perfection, in any form, is unrealistic and even uninteresting. According to him, people are inherently imperfect, and that very imperfection should be embraced rather than corrected.

According to him, what would make a perfect relationship or a marriage, Saurabh said: “Thank God, there is nothing called perfect in anything in this world. We are imperfect people. We should celebrate imperfection.”

He pointed out that perfection leaves no room for growth, whereas imperfection keeps the possibility of change and improvement alive.

“Perfection is highly boring. Perfection means there is no other chance for any improvement. Imperfection means there’s still something that can be done about it, and that is life.”

Reflecting on the larger meaning of existence, he added that from a human perspective, the only absolute certainty in life is death.

“So, I think the only perfect thing right now from a human perspective, I’m saying; I don’t know about post-death or anything but I think the only perfect thing in this life, which is absolutely perfect, is death. It is the only truth. What happens after that, we don’t know.”

“Maybe when people go there, they will understand what it is. But till now, we don’t know anything.”

Saurabh’s latest release is “Jab Khuli Kitaab”.

The film follows the story of an old couple, Gopal and Anusuya’s decades-long marriage, which faces upheaval when a revelation surfaces. As secrets emerge, the family navigates emotions both touching and comedic, exploring love, companionship, forgiveness, and rediscovering one another.

Saurabh is best known for his roles in Satya, Nayak: The Real Hero, Yuva, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Barfi!, Jolly LLB, Kick, PK, Jolly LLB 2 and Raid. He will next be seen in Shah Rukh Khan-starrer “King”.(Agency)

Cardi B hates performing choreography on stage

Los Angeles, March 25, 2026

Rapper Cardi B is sharing insights into the highs and lows of touring. The Grammy-winning rapper, 33, spoke about preparing for her ongoing Little Miss Drama Tour and what it’s like hitting the road for a run of 35 shows.

The tour comes seven years after her last official string of concerts, reports ‘People’ magazine.

She told ‘Allure’, “I want to give my fans a good moment and have been pulling strings to make this s— happen, and it’s turning out beautiful”.

The ‘Hello’ artist spoke about researching for the Little Miss Drama Tour by attending other major tours over the past few years, like Madonna’s Celebration Tour and Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter Tour.

“That was way crazy”, she said of Beyonce’s performance. “That’s way removed from what I could do”.

One aspect of touring that stresses Cardi out? Dancing. She said, “I hate choreography; it’s like math to me. I don’t have much of a rhythm like that. I could rap all day. But dancing is like, ugh”.

As per ‘People’, the rapper has gone viral for taking a couple of onstage tumbles throughout the tour so far, she’s handled them in true Cardi fashion, by blaming the mishaps on the government.

Embarking on a lengthy tour isn’t easy, especially when Cardi has four kids at home, daughter Kulture, son Wave, daughter Blossom, and another son, born in November 2025. Her oldest child won’t be able to join her for as many shows as usual this time around.

“Kulture’s in school, and her school don’t play that s***”, said Cardi, who will bring her kids along for the ride when she can. But it’s difficult when they each have their own lives. “So I just be like, How the f*** am I gonna make this s*** f****** work?”.

The work and planning is worth it for Cardi, who’s always wanted to provide for her family and make them proud. “I want to be the grandma that everybody come to the crib, and it’s like, ‘Yeah, my grandma was that bitch’”, she added.(Agency)

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