Stock market opened in red on Thursday, with benchmark indices falling around 2% as investor sentiments were dragged down by fresh geopolitical tensions. The fall came after US President Donald Trump said in an address that the United States would hit Iran “extremely hard” within weeks, ending hopes of a quick end to the conflict affecting the global economy.By 9:35 am, Nifty50 was down to 22,255.00, plunging 424.40 points of 1.87%. BSE Sensex had tumbled to 71,784.44, slipping 1349.88 or 1.85%.The impact was visible across Asian markets as well, which slipped by about 2% after Trump said Washington’s “core strategic objectives” in the Iran war were nearing completion, though he stopped short of indicating when the conflict might conclude. His comments signalling continued US attacks on Iran heightened uncertainty and led to a rise in crude oil prices.Meanwhile in commodity markets, oil prices showed recovery after Trump’s speech. In early trade, both key benchmarks slipped by more than $1 as markets awaited Trump’s address to the nation. Brent crude futures dropped $1.16, or 1.15%, to $100 a barrel by 1204 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude fell $1.41, or 1.41%, to $98.71 a barrel. However, later in the session, Brent crude climbed more than 4% to touch $106, while West Texas Intermediate rose 3% to $103.Thursday’s weak start for the Dalal Street comes after equities bagged gains in the previous session. On Wednesday, the BSE Sensex climbed 1,186.77 points, or 1.65%, to end at 73,134.32, driven by sustained buying throughout the day. At its peak, the index had rallied 2,017.03 points, or 2.80%, reaching 73,964.58.The NSE Nifty 50 also posted gains, rising 348.00 points, or 1.56%, to close at 22,679.40, comfortably moving past the 22,650 mark. The rally added Rs 9.60 lakh crore to investor wealth in a single session, as optimism around a possible end to the West Asia conflict boosted sentiment.After the rise, market capitalisation of BSE-listed firms rose by Rs 9,60,261.03 crore to Rs 4,22,01,433.48 crore (USD 4.46 trillion), reflecting the broad-based strength seen across sectors. The upward momentum was supported by gains in global markets and a decline in crude oil prices after two consecutive sessions of losses.

TOI Correspondent from London: An Indian man, believed to be from Kerala, has been charged with driving a car into pedestrians in Derby on Saturday night, leaving seven people seriously injured.Sandhu Ponnachan (36), who moved to Derby in April 2025 and is an Indian citizen, appeared at Southern Derbyshire magistrates’ court on Wednesday where he was charged with six counts of grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent, one count of attempted GBH with intent, one count of dangerous driving and one count of possession of a bladed article. He spoke only to confirm his name and address and did not enter a plea. He was remanded in custody to appear at Derby crown court on April 29. There was no application for bail.Four men and three women, aged 36 to 52, had to be hospitalised after a black car mounted the pavement and ploughed into pedestrians at 9.30pm local time on March 28. Ponnachan was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder shortly afterwards in a visibly damaged car. Four people have since been discharged from hospital.His LinkedIn profile shows he was looking for work as a logistics manager, having worked in this role for Caterpillar Inc until March 2026. He was qualified to operate a forklift and work as a security guard. He is also listed as a director of Greeshmam Ltd.On Facebook Ponnachan has put up posts praising India’s rise as a great power and a video asking “Why did Kerala go bankrupt?” as well as posts in Malayalam. There are religious posts, including a photo showing Verse 10 of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Upadeśāmṛta (Nectar of Instruction); a video of a painting of Lord Hanuman and of the Bhagavad Gita, and a repost of a post by Congress politician Shashi Tharoor showing the Ram Lalla idol at Ram Mandir. One repost blames the Congress-led UPA regime for the “mysterious deaths of India’s nuclear scientists”.The revelation of his nationality has triggered a barrage of racist abuse at Indians on social media, leading to the Friends of India Society International UK issuing a statement urging people not to let the actions of one person stigmatise an entire community. Users wrote on X: “Mass Immigration has been a disaster for this country. We need deportations.” Another wrote: “Annexing India and restoring the Raj will protect the world against India.” Another wrote: “You shouldn’t be surprised. Look what Indians are doing to Canada. They are a crime syndicate.”

Is Taylor Swift stepping in to replace Sabrina Carpenter at Coachella 2026 amid health issues ahead of her wedding to Travis Kelce?(Image via Getty Images)

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have stayed away from the spotlight after their joint appearance at a recent awards show.While this has convinced many that they are fully focused on planning their lavish wedding, rumors about Taylor Swift filling in for Sabrina Carpenter at Coachella 2026 have sparked chaos.

Has Taylor Swift replaced Sabrina Carpenter at Coachella 2026, ahead of her wedding to Travis Kelce?

With the Coachella 2026 being just a few days away, recently rumors about Sabrina Carpenter backing out of the event, citing health issued sparked panic.This led many to believe that Taylor Swift will be stepping in to perform at Coachella 2026 for the first time in her career of 20 years.No, the rumors are entirely false. The popular pop star, Sabrina Carpenter, has made no statements about backing out of Coachella 2026 because of any health issue she is facing.The billionaire pop star has never performed in Coachella and it seems, she has no intentions of doing so in the near future.The primary reason for this being how Taylor Swift has consistently avoided performing at events, including Super Bowl, considering, how her performances include massive production and are pretty elaborate.Both Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter have stayed away from commenting on the speculations.

Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce did attend Coachella in 2024

The last time Taylor Swift was actually spotted in Coachella was in 2024 as she walked hand in hand with Travis Kelce, who was fresh off a Super Bowl win for the Kansas City Chiefs.Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce were seen dancing together at Coachella 2024 as they were even spotted sharing a heartfelt kiss.However, that was the last time that the billionaire pop star was spotted at Coachella, as both she and Travis Kelce avoided last year’s event.At this point in time, both Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce seem to be fully focused on planning their lavish wedding.As the two made their joint appearance at a recent awards show, it has convinced fans that the two are getting married soon.Taylor Swift even credited her soon to be husband Travis Kelce for changing her life as she said, “I think that this album probably also feels very happy and confident and free because that’s the way that I get to feel every single day of my life, because of my fiancé, who’s here too.”While many reports confirm 13th June as their wedding date, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have stayed away from the speculations.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has issued an open letter to the American people, accusing Washington of acting as a “proxy for Israel,” rejecting claims that Iran poses a threat, and blaming decades of mistrust on US intervention, sanctions and recent strikes. The letter comes amid heightened tensions, alongside former US President Donald Trump’s claim that Iran sought a ceasefire, which Tehran has denied.In the message, Pezeshkian said Iran has “never, in its modern history, chosen the path of aggression, expansion, colonialism, or domination,” adding that the Iranian people “harbor no enmity toward other nations, including the people of America.” He rejected prevailing narratives, saying “portraying Iran as a threat is neither consistent with historical reality nor with present-day observable facts,” and described such claims as efforts to “manufacture an enemy” to “justify pressure, maintain military dominance, sustain the arms industry, and control strategic markets.”He also pointed to the US military presence in the region, saying Washington has “concentrated the largest number of its forces, bases, and military capabilities around Iran,” and called recent actions “aggressions” that have targeted infrastructure and civilians.Tracing the roots of tensions to the 1953 coup, Pezeshkian called it “an illegal American intervention” that derailed Iran’s democratic process and restored dictatorship. He said distrust was compounded by US support for the Shah, backing of Saddam Hussein during the 1980s war, sanctions, and what he described as “unprovoked military aggression” carried out twice during negotiations. Despite this, he said, Iran has strengthened key sectors including literacy, education, technology, healthcare and infrastructure.A central theme of the letter was his allegation that the US is acting in Israel’s interest. “Is it not also the case that America has entered this aggression as a proxy for Israel, influenced and manipulated by that regime?” he asked, adding that Israel is “manufacturing an Iranian threat” to divert attention from Gaza and seeks to make Iran “fight to the last American soldier and the last American taxpayer dollar.” He also questioned whether “America First” remains a real priority for Washington.The letter comes amid escalating tensions marked by attacks on energy and industrial infrastructure, sanctions, and stalled diplomacy. While Trump has claimed Iran approached the US for a ceasefire, Iranian officials have rejected this, calling it false and maintaining that no such proposal has been made, underscoring the deepening standoff between the two sides.

The makers of Bengali television serial Bhole Baba Par Karega have issued a statement following the tragic death of actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, expressing grief and assuring a transparent inquiry into the incident. Banerjee, 43, passed away on March 29 after allegedly drowning during a shoot at Talsari beach in Odisha’s Baleswar district.

The makers of Bengali television serial Bhole Baba Par Karega have issued a statement following the tragic death of actor Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, expressing grief and assuring a transparent inquiry into the incident.Banerjee, 43, passed away on March 29 after allegedly drowning during a shoot at Talsari beach in Odisha’s Baleswar district.As per PTI, in their statement, the production house said, “All members of the cast and crew are in profound mourning.”They added, “We request a few days to gather accounts of the cast and crew present at the time of the tragedy, in a neutral and structured manner, so that we can present a comprehensive and accurate report.”The producers also extended an invitation to the actor’s family and industry bodies to be part of the inquiry process.“We would welcome a representative nominated by the actor’s family, friends or the West Bengal Motion Picture Artists’ Forum to observe the process and ensure fairness,” the statement read.

‘He was rescued alive… reports are in all probability incorrect’

Addressing the sequence of events, the makers shared preliminary findings while also countering certain media claims.“Initial information suggests that Rahul was rescued alive from the water and was attempting to communicate,” they said.“He was first taken to a nearby clinic at Talsari where no doctor was available, and was later shifted to Digha State General Hospital, where he was declared dead.”Refuting some reports, the statement added, “Claims that the actor remained underwater for an extended period are in all probability incorrect.”

‘No possibility of negligence will go unexamined’

The production house stressed that all aspects of the incident will be thoroughly investigated.“All permissions, communications with authorities and relevant documents will be furnished as part of the ongoing investigation,” they said.“No possibility of negligence, however small, will go unexamined.”They further noted that director Saibal Banerjee, who was in Mumbai at the time, rushed to Kolkata upon hearing the news and visited the actor’s residence the same night.Describing Rahul as “not only our colleague but also our friend,” the makers said they remain committed to full cooperation with authorities and will share shooting footage and official records with the family, subject to necessary permissions.

Forum raises concerns over safety measures

Meanwhile, the West Bengal Motion Pictures Artists’ Forum has raised concerns about the circumstances surrounding the incident.“It is important to understand what exactly transpired during the shoot and whether proper safety measures were in place,” the forum said in its statement.The body added that it is closely monitoring developments and expects a thorough and impartial investigation, stressing that the safety and security of artists on shooting locations must remain a top priority.Banerjee’s death has sent shockwaves across the Bengali entertainment industry, with colleagues and fans mourning the loss of the actor, who is survived by his wife, Priyanka Sarkar, and their son.

LUCKNOW: Lucknow’s Chota Imambara witnessed an intense outpouring of grief and reverence on Wednesday night as Abdul Majeed Hakeem Ilahi, special representative of Iran’s Supreme Leader in India, addressed a packed Majlis-e-Tarheem. While the gathering reflected mourning, the central thread of Ilahi’s speech was Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei’s deep and enduring love for India and its people, a sentiment that resonated strongly with the audience.Speaking in Persian and translated into Urdu by local scholar Qamar Husnain, Ilahi said Khamenei’s connection with India was not symbolic but deeply personal and intellectual.He recalled how the Supreme Leader fol​lowed Indian scholarship closely, read books by Indian authors, and remained aware of the country’s intellectual traditions. “He knew Indian scholars by name and would often refer to their work,” Ilahi said, underlining the depth of that engagement.Ilahi admitted that for years he had wondered why Khamenei held such affection for India. That question, he said, found its answer only after the leader’s death. “I now understand why he loved India so much,” he told the gathering, pausing as silence spread across the Imambara.He pointed to the widespread mourning witnessed across the country, cutting across religious lines. “I have seen it with my own eyes,” Ilahi said. “Shia, Sunni, Hindu, Sikh, Christian. The grief was not limited to one community. People from all backgrounds expressed sorrow, shed tears, and showed their love.” This shared emotional response, he said, revealed the real bond between Khamenei and India.Describing India as a land of justice, spirituality and humanity, Ilahi said it was natural for people here to feel connected to a leader who stood for dignity and moral values. His remarks triggered visible emotion in the audience, with many attendees quietly weeping and others nodding in agreement.After dwelling on Khamenei’s connection with India, Ilahi turned to other aspects of his life, portraying him as a leader who combined power with simplicity. He said that despite holding the highest office in Iran for decades, Khamenei never owned a personal house. Even his family, including his four sons, continued to live in rented accommodation. The claim drew murmurs of surprise and admiration from the gathering.“He had authority, influence and position, yet chose a life of detachment from material wealth,” Ilahi said, presenting it as a reflection of his character.Narrating a striking episode, Ilahi said that when Khamenei was warned about threats to his life and advised moving to a secure bunker with his family, the leader refused. Instead, he asked how protection could be ensured for millions of ordinary Iranians, especially the poor who had no shelter. “How can I save myself when my people remain unprotected?” Ilahi quoted him as saying, describing it as a reflection of his deep sense of responsibility.He further described Khamenei’s spiritual discipline, saying he would wake hours before dawn for prayers and remain composed even during crises. Ilahi also drew parallels between Khamenei and Imam Hussain, saying both embodied sacrifice, patience and unwavering resolve.As the speech concluded, the atmosphere inside Chota Imambara remained heavy with emotion.