Bollywood star Alia Bhatt made a memorable impression at BAFTA 2026, presenting the award for Best Film Not in the English Language at London's Royal Festival Hall. Following in the footsteps of Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone, Alia brought unmistakable desi charm to the global stage, greeting the audience with a warm "Namaskar" before introducing the award entirely in Hindi, then translating for the international audience. Her witty speech "Don't reach for the subtitles just yet" drew widespread applause. On the red carpet, the Love & War actress channelled Marilyn Monroe in a custom silver Gucci gown paired with a white stole. The award itself went to Norwegian film Sentimental Value.

Football across Mexico has been postponed following the eruption of widespread cartel violence triggered by the killing of Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera during a Mexican military operation. The decision to suspend matches reflects the severity of the unrest gripping multiple Mexican states, with roads blocked by burning vehicles, public transport suspended, and businesses shuttered across Jalisco, Michoacán, Guerrero, and beyond. Jalisco state, notably scheduled to host four FIFA World Cup games this summer, had already cancelled all large public gatherings on Sunday. The football postponements underline the catastrophic scale of cartel retaliation, which has paralysed daily life, diverted flights, and prompted emergency shelter advisories from both US and Indian embassies.

India scripted history at the 79th BAFTA Film Awards as Manipuri-language film Boong claimed the Best Children's and Family Film award becoming the first Indian film ever to win this prestigious category. Directed by Lakshmipriya Devi and produced by Farhan Akhtar, Ritesh Sidhwani, and others, Boong defeated international contenders including Zootopia 2 and Lilo & Stitch at London's Royal Festival Hall. Director Lakshmipriya Devi delivered a deeply emotional acceptance speech, praying for peace in conflict-ridden Manipur and for displaced child actors to reclaim their joy and innocence. The film, which tells the story of a young Manipuri boy searching for his missing father, premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.

Student-led protests against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei entered a second consecutive day at universities in Tehran and Mashhad, even as US-Iran nuclear negotiations advanced toward a crucial Geneva meeting confirmed for Thursday, February 26, by Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Al Busaidi. The diplomatic push follows President Trump's stark 10-15 day ultimatum demanding Iran finalise a nuclear deal or face consequences he described as "unfortunate." Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi confirmed both sides were working toward a deal while warning Iran would retaliate if attacked. Separately, Axios reported Trump was presented with options including a plan targeting Khamenei. A significant US military presence of 13 warships including aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln remains stationed across the Middle East. (PC: X & HT)

Robert Aramayo made BAFTA history on Sunday night by becoming the first performer ever to win both the Rising Star and Leading Actor awards in a single evening. The English actor claimed Best Actor for his portrayal of Tourette syndrome campaigner John Davidson in the British film I Swear, stunning audiences by defeating heavyweight contenders including Leonardo DiCaprio and Timothée Chalamet. Kerry Washington announced his name, visibly shocking Aramayo himself. In his acceptance speech, the Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power star expressed disbelief and paid heartfelt tribute to fellow nominee Ethan Hawke, crediting a Juilliard talk by Hawke on an actor's longevity as profoundly shaping his own career journey.

India's unbeaten run in the T20 World Cup 2026 ended dramatically with a crushing 76-run defeat to South Africa in Ahmedabad, giving them a damaging net run rate of -3.8. The loss has validated former Pakistan pacer Mohammad Amir's bold pre-tournament prediction, where he notably excluded India from his semifinalists, favouring South Africa and West Indies instead. Pakistan batting legend Mohammad Yousaf took to social media praising Amir for "rattling India from the studio," while also lauding South Africa's all-round performance crediting their lower-order batting and exceptional bowling discipline. India, who won all four Group A matches, now face an uphill battle to qualify for the semifinals even with two remaining matches.

Mukul Roy, widely regarded as the "Chanakya of Bengal politics" and former Trinamool Congress national general secretary, passed away at 71 following a massive cardiac arrest at Apollo Hospital, Salt Lake, Kolkata, at 1:30 am on Sunday. Roy, who had been battling dementia and multiple ailments, had been in a coma days prior. A co-founder of Trinamool Congress alongside Mamata Banerjee in 1998, Roy later defected to BJP in 2017, proving instrumental in the party winning 18 Lok Sabha seats in 2019. He rejoined TMC in 2021 but was disqualified as MLA by the Calcutta High Court in 2025 under the anti-defection law. His last rites will be performed Monday. (PC: India Today)

Jalisco state in Mexico declared a statewide "Code Red" after the Mexican military killed Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) leader Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera in Tapalpa, triggering widespread cartel retaliation. Roadblocks paralysed Guadalajara, vehicles were set ablaze in Puerto Vallarta, flights were diverted, and public transport suspended. Unrest rapidly spread beyond Jalisco as Michoacán's governor confirmed disturbances across 13 municipalities, while additional violence erupted in Veracruz, Guanajuato, Colima, Tamaulipas, and Guerrero. The US Embassy issued an urgent shelter-in-place advisory for American citizens across multiple affected states. Hotels advised guests to remain indoors as security forces maintained visible presence while authorities prioritised citizen protection amid Mexico's worst cartel-triggered crisis in recent memory.

Three Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Sunday, nearly 35 days after Operation Trashi-I was launched on January 18. The terrorists' bodies were charred beyond recognition after their mud hut hideout caught fire during the exchange of fire in the Passerkut area of Chhatru. Preliminary assessments suggest JeM commander Saifullah, active in the region for five years and allegedly linked to a July 2024 attack killing four soldiers may be among the dead. Three AK-47 rifles were also recovered. With Sunday's neutralisation, four terrorists linked to the group have now been eliminated across six gunfights over 35 days.

The Indian Embassy in Mexico issued an urgent advisory Monday urging Indian nationals across multiple Mexican states to shelter in place following violent cartel retaliation after the killing of drug lord Nemesio "El Mencho" Oseguera. Nationals in Jalisco including Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, and Chapala as well as Tamaulipas, Michoacán, Guerrero, and Nuevo León were specifically warned. The embassy advised citizens to avoid law enforcement areas, stay away from crowds, monitor local media, and minimise all outdoor movement. A dedicated helpline +52 55 4847 7539 was activated for emergencies. Meanwhile, over 20 roads remained blocked with burning vehicles, businesses shut down, and violence spread across multiple states following El Mencho's death.