NEW DELHI/KOLKATA: Continuing its administrative and police shake-up in assembly poll-bound states, Election Commission on Tuesday replaced additional directors general (ADGs) of South Bengal and North Bengal regions, four police commissioners, a deputy commissioner and a dozen SPs in West Bengal. In Kerala, it directed the appointment of an IAS officer and two Kerala Administrative Service (KAS) officers as district election officers (DEOs), and two IPS officers as district police chief and DIG.The changes in Bengal, including that of chief secretary, home secretary, DGP and Kolkata Police commissioner earlier, prompted CM and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee to say, “Remember, every officer ultimately belongs to the system. Even after the election is declared, an elected govt continues to remain in place and they will ultimately work for us.”“You have changed everyone. What will happen if a disaster strikes now? Chief secretary, commissioners of police and others who had experience and an understanding of the ground situation have been removed. If there is any breakdown in law and order, then the responsibility will have to be borne by EC,” she told reporters while announcing TMC’s candidate list. EC was operating from the shadows to help BJP, she alleged, saying, “Is there an intention to incite unrest? Is there any plan to trigger something ahead of Eid?”EC has said that it has carried out the transfers in pursuance of its objective to ensure elections free of intimidation, violence and inducements. It said the shunted officers had been barred from poll-related assignments.The poll panel on Tuesday also deployed 1,111 central observers for the assembly polls in Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Assam and Puducherry as well as bypolls in eight seats. Among them was Bengal’s former home secretary J P Meena, who was replaced by Sanghamitra Ghosh on Sunday.Meena will oversee Tiruchirappalli (West) constituency, which was won by AIADMK in 2011 and in a subsequent bypoll, before DMK secured it in 2016 and 2021, according to an EC note.These central observers include 557 general observers, 188 police observers and 366 expenditure observers.While Bengal will have the highest number of general observers (294) – one for each assembly constituency – and 84 police observers, the highest number of expenditure observers (151) are headed for Tamil Nadu, given its history of circulation of unaccounted cash as poll inducement. The observers must reach their respective constituencies by Wednesday.In Bengal, 17 IPS officers were posted across different police districts and regions. Rajesh Kumar Singh and K Jayaraman – both 1997 batch IPS officers – were posted as ADGs of North Bengal and South Bengal regions, respectively. Similarly, EC ordered that Akhilesh Kumar Chaturvedi be posted as commissioner of police (CP) of Howrah; Amit Kumar Singh as CP of Barrackpore; Pranav Kumar as CP of Asansol-Durgapur, and Sunil Kumar Yadav as CP of Chandannagar.At the district or division level, new SPs were posted in Barasat, Coochbehar, Birbhum, Islampur, Hooghly Rural, Diamond Harbour, Murshidabad, Basirhat, Malda, Purba Medinipur, Jangipur and Pashchim Medinipur.IPS officer Yeilwad Shrikant Jagannathrao was appointed as deputy commissioner, central division, Kolkata, replacing Indira Mukherjee, who had drawn EC’s ire for repeated protests by BLOs and others at the Bengal’s CEO office.TOI had reported on Tuesday that more transfers at the district level in Bengal were in the offing.In Kerala, bureaucratic changes were made in Kozhikode, Thrissur, Alappuzha and Kannur districts. T Narayanan was posted as district police chief, Kozhikode; Thomson Jose as DIG range, Thrissur; Inbasekhar as district collector-cum-DEO, Alappuzha; Vandana S as returning officer, Irikkur; and Sachin Krishna as returning officer, Dharmadam.

Lewis Hamilton reacts to Kim Kardashian’s pics (Image credit: Instagram)

Romance rumours between Ferrari driver Lewis Hamilton and reality TV star Kim Kardashian continue to gather momentum. Fans have been closely following the speculation, and the duo have done little to quieten the chatter. They have been spotted together on multiple occasions, and now even their social media interactions are fuelling the buzz.

Lewis Hamilton reacts to Kim Kardashian’s post, romance rumours intensify

Recently, Kim Kardashian posted an Instagram carousel showcasing her look for the 2026 Vanity Fair Oscars Party. She shared several clips and photos of herself getting ready. She looked stunning in the pictures. “GUCCI GIRL,” Kardashian captioned the post.In the images, Kardashian donned a figure-hugging gold Gucci gown, paired with platform heels. With nude lipstick, smoky eye makeup, and icy blue contact lenses, she looked stunning, drawing attention from fans and admirers alike, including rumoured boyfriend Hamilton.The F1 driver reacted to the post with a heart-eyes emoji, further intensifying the speculation.Hamilton was also spotted with Kardashian two weeks ago in Arizona at Lake Powell, according to TMZ, and his recent comment has only added fuel to the romance rumours.A courious fan also commented on Hamilton’s reply: “So it’s official then ?” Another commented, “Awww, Lewis….swweeeeet. Warm and fuzzies.” A fan also called them “Beautiful couple” in the comments. “Lewis, Kim, we wish you best. Loovvvveeeee,” another fan said.

Lewis Hamilton wins first podium with Ferrari in Shanghai

On the professional front, Lewis Hamilton has been making headlines as well. He ended a year-long wait to return to the podium, finishing third at the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix. Having joined Ferrari at the start of the 2025 season, this marked his first podium finish with the team. The wait had been long, and the emotions on Hamilton’s face were evident.The last time he stood on the podium was in 2024, when he finished second at the Las Vegas Grand Prix. His podium finish in China was the 203rd of his career, the most in Formula One history.Hamilton’s love for China is well known. This was the 10th time he finished on the podium at the Chinese Grand Prix, making him the first driver to achieve the feat. No other driver has dominated the Shanghai circuit quite like Hamilton. While no one else has managed more than six top-three finishes at the track, Hamilton now boasts 10 podium finishes at this iconic venue.Also read: Lewis Hamilton and Kim Kardashian’s combined net worth is in billions: Inside their wealth and income

Ac7ionMan (Image Via Getty)

Streamer Aaron “Ac7ionMan” is once again in trouble online after a short video from his livestream spread quickly on social media. The clip, which started circulating on March 16, 2026, led to strong reactions and confusion among viewers. Soon after, his Kick channel was taken down, and users could no longer access his page.The situation began when an account on X, @clippedhubb, shared a 22-second clip from his IRL stream. The post claimed that Ac7ionMan had “relapsed on fentanyl” after being clean for years. The video quickly went viral, and people started discussing what really happened. However, the streamer later came forward with a different explanation.

Ac7ionMan explains viral video and confirms Kick ban after controversy over alleged relapse claim

After the clip gained attention, Ac7ionMan addressed the situation through posts on X. He denied the claims made in the viral post and said he did not knowingly take anything illegal. Instead, he explained that it was something else.He wrote, “It was an over the counter legal pill. We obviously had no idea it was going to be that strong. My god I don’t remember any of this.” He also added, “I legit had no idea what I was taking or how strong it was, this needs to be banned.”His statement added another layer to the story, as it raised questions about what exactly was taken during the stream. While the viral clip suggested one thing, his response pointed to something very different.On the same day, viewers noticed that his Kick channel was no longer available. When users tried to open it, they saw an error message. This usually happens when a channel is removed or suspended on the platform.Later, another X account, @BestfriendKick, shared screenshots of messages from Ac7ionMan’s Discord. In those messages, he said that Kick had banned him for 14 days. He also mentioned that he was trying to get the suspension reduced.He wrote, “Okay we got banned but I’m working on it getting unbanned right it went super viral so they probably just didn’t want heat. Ban is at 14 days right now I’m trying to get it reduced.”This is not the first time Ac7ionMan has faced action from streaming platforms. In the past, he has been banned multiple times, including a suspension from Kick in 2024. That came shortly after he was banned from Twitch again following an incident during a stream.For now, his Kick account remains suspended. The bigger question is whether he will return after the ban or face further action. The viral clip continues to spread, and people are still debating what really happened in that moment.

Trump says Joe Kent was ‘weak on security’ after counterterrorism chief quits over Iran War

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday welcomed the resignation of National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) director Joe Kent, saying the senior counterterrorism official was “very weak on security” and that it was “a good thing” he stepped down after protesting the ongoing Iran war.

Trump dismisses Kent after Oval Office remarks

Speaking to reporters during a press briefing in the Oval Office, Trump reacted sharply after Kent resigned earlier in the day over the administration’s military campaign in Iran.Trump said, “I always thought he was weak on security, very weak on security,” referring to Kent, who had served as director of the National Counterterrorism Center.He added that after reading Kent’s resignation statement, “I realized that it’s a good thing that he’s out.”Trump also told reporters, “I always thought he was a nice guy, but I also believed he was weak on security—very weak… When I read his statement, I realised it’s a good thing he’s out, because he said that Iran was not a threat. Iran was a threat—every country realized that…”Trump further said that if someone in his administration did not believe Iran posed a threat, “we don’t want those people.”“They’re not smart people, or they’re not savvy people,” Trump said. “Iran was a tremendous threat”..

Joe Kent resigns, says he cannot back Iran war

Kent announced his resignation on Tuesday, saying he could no longer support the Trump administration’s military action in Iran.Kent said he “cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran.”In a statement posted on social media, Kent went further, saying, “Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.”That claim directly challenges the White House’s justification for the strikes and underscores growing unease within sections of Trump’s political base over the conflict.

Resignation puts spotlight on White House’s Iran justification

Kent’s departure is significant because he was heading one of the US government’s key counterterrorism agencies at a time of heightened security concerns at home.According to news agency AP, Kent had been confirmed to the post last July on a 52-44 Senate vote. As NCTC director, he oversaw an agency responsible for analysing and detecting terrorist threats.His resignation reflects broader discomfort within parts of Trump’s support base over the war, and shows that questions about the rationale for striking Iran have now surfaced from within the administration itself.Kent’s resignation letter, as per AP, was rooted in what he viewed as a lack of evidence that Iran posed an imminent threat, a point the Trump administration has repeatedly disputed.

Republicans defend strikes, Democrats back Kent on this point

Trump allies quickly pushed back on Kent’s claim.House Speaker Mike Johnson said there was “clearly an imminent threat” from Iran, arguing that Tehran was close to nuclear enrichment capability and rapidly building missiles.Johnson added that if Trump had waited, “we would have mass casualties of Americans, service members and others, and our installation would have been dramatically damaged”.Democrats, however, found rare common ground with Kent on the central issue of the war’s justification.Senator Mark Warner, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, said, “I strongly disagree with many of the positions he has espoused over the years, particularly those that risk politicizing our intelligence community. But on this point, he is right: There was no credible evidence of an imminent threat from Iran that would justify rushing the United States into another war of choice in the Middle East.”

Exit comes amid heightened domestic terror concerns

Kent’s resignation also comes at a sensitive time for US national security.His exit from the administration follows a string of violent incidents in recent days, including attacks in New York City, Michigan and Virginia that have heightened concerns about threats inside the United States.The personnel change at the top of the NCTC therefore comes as intelligence and law enforcement agencies are facing renewed scrutiny over the homeland threat picture.Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and FBI Director Kash Patel are due to testify before lawmakers later this week on threats facing the US, a hearing now likely to be dominated by questions over the Iran war and the intelligence used to justify it.

A divisive figure inside and outside the administration

Kent has long been a prominent and controversial figure in Trump-aligned national security circles.As per AP, before joining the administration, he ran two unsuccessful congressional campaigns in Washington state and had built a profile among Trump supporters through his military and intelligence background.A former Green Beret, Kent saw combat in 11 deployments before retiring from Special Forces and later joining the CIA, AP reported. His wife, Navy cryptologist Shannon Kent, was killed in Syria in 2019 in an Islamic State suicide bombing.At the same time, Democrats had strongly opposed his confirmation over his past links to far-right figures and conspiracy theories, though Republicans defended his counterterrorism credentials.For now, his resignation has handed Trump another internal flashpoint over the Iran war, with the president using Kent’s exit not as a sign of dissent, but as an opportunity to double down on his claim that the strikes were necessary.

File photo: Argentina’s President Javier Milei (Picture credit: AP)

Argentina has formally withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO), its foreign minister announced on Tuesday, becoming the latest country to leave the UN health agency after the United States took the same step earlier this year.

Buenos Aires completes exit after earlier announcement

As per news agency AFP, the government of President Javier Milei had first announced its intention to quit the WHO a year ago, accusing the global body of mishandling the Covid-19 pandemic.Argentina’s foreign ministry said the withdrawal process has now been completed within the timeframe required under international treaties.Foreign minister Pablo Quirno confirmed the move in a post on X, saying: “Argentina will continue to promote international cooperation in health through bilateral agreements and regional forums, while fully preserving its sovereignty and its capacity to make decisions regarding health policies.”

Milei government repeats criticism of WHO

The Milei administration has been sharply critical of the WHO’s role during the pandemic.Last year, Argentina had declared that “the WHO’s recommendations are ineffective because they are not based on science, but on political interests.”The formal withdrawal underlines President Milei’s hardening stance toward multilateral institutions and aligns Buenos Aires more closely with the policy direction taken by the United States under President Donald Trump.

Move mirrors US exit under Trump

Argentina’s decision follows the United States, which formalised its own withdrawal from the WHO in January.The US exit came a year after President Donald Trump signed an executive order to pull Washington out of the UN health body after returning to the White House.Milei has been seen as a close ally of Trump, and Argentina’s move is likely to draw wider international attention because it mirrors Washington’s break with the Geneva-based organisation.

Why the WHO matters

The WHO has historically played a central role in major global public health campaigns, including the eradication of smallpox and responses to threats such as polio, HIV, Ebola and tuberculosis, according to AFP.WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had earlier expressed concern over the US withdrawal.In January, Tedros said he “deeply regretted” Washington’s exit and warned it would make both the United States and the rest of the world less safe.Argentina’s departure now raises fresh questions over the future of global health coordination, particularly as countries continue to debate sovereignty, science and the role of international institutions in responding to future pandemics.

US President Donald Trump‘s counterterrorism chief Joe Kent on Tuesday resigned over the ongoing US-Iran conflict, stating that Tehran posed “no imminent threat to our nation.” He claimed that the war was initiated due to pressure from Israel and its lobby in the United States. Kent, who served as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced his decision in a post on X, saying, “after much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position effective today.” “I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” he added.In a strongly worded message directed at Trump, Kent said he continued to support the President’s earlier foreign policy approach.“I support the values and the foreign policies that you campaigned on in 2016, 2020, 2024, which you enacted in your first term. Until June of 2025, you understood that the wars in the Middle East were a trap that robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation.” “In your first administration, you understood better than any modern President how to decisively apply military power without getting us drawn into never-ending wars. You demonstrated this by killing Qasam Solamani and by defeating ISIS,” he added.Kent alleged that the current conflict was driven in part by external pressure and a coordinated misinformation campaign.He claimed that early in the administration, senior Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined your America First platform and sowed pro-war sentiments to encourage a war with Iran. “This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, and that should you strike now, there was a clear path to a swift victory. This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war that cost our nation the lives of thousands of our best men and women. We cannot make this mistake again,” he said.Kent further said, “As a veteran who deployed to combat 11 times and as a Gold Star husband who lost my beloved wife Shannon in a war manufactured by Israel, I cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives.” He concluded with an appeal to the President, saying, “I pray that you will reflect upon what we are doing in Iran, and who we are doing it for. The time for bold action is now.”“You can reverse course and chart a new path for our nation, or you can allow us to slip further toward decline and chaos. You hold the cards. It was an honor to serve in your administration and to serve our great nation.”Kent, a former political candidate with links to right-wing extremist circles, was confirmed to his position in July.