Drivers face 20-litre caps as fuel stations shut across Tehran
Fuel stations across Tehran and major Iranian cities shut down or capped sales this week as a daily supply shortfall of up to 15 million litres crippled local distribution networks. Motorists in Tehran, Karaj, Mashhad, and Kerman waited in lines extending past two hours or drove between multiple empty stations as operating outlets limited individual purchases to 20 litres per vehicle.
Damaged refineries and naval blockade push daily fuel deficit to 15 million litres
Stations in Tehran districts including Pasdaran, Mirdamad, Shariati Park, Damavand, Mirza-ye Shirazi, and Dolat ran dry or imposed 20-litre fill caps per vehicle as drivers queued around city blocks. Iran’s Energy Optimisation Organisation confirmed the country faces a daily deficit of 14 to 15 million litres against national demand of roughly 135 million litres. Officials linked the gap to record domestic consumption, infrastructure damage to refineries and storage sites from strikes during the conflict that began in February, and an ongoing US naval blockade in place since mid-July that restricts petrol imports.
Mohsen Haji-Mirzaei, chief of staff to President Masoud Pezeshkian, stated that government fuel quotas will be cut while the subsidised base price remains unchanged, leaving excess purchases subject to higher tariffs. Officials at the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company attributed the supply bottlenecks to delivery delays, heavy traffic, war-damaged urban infrastructure, and panic buying. Pressure on the market intensified following an announcement by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent regarding expanded secondary sanctions targeting Iran‘s economy.
The current distribution crisis follows earlier strikes on Iranian refining and processing infrastructure during the conflict that began in February 2026, which severely damaged the nation’s capacity to refine crude oil for domestic use.
Toxic early reviews tear into Yash's new movie for a brutal 194-minute runtime
194 Minutes of Chaos: Toxic Early Reviews Hit Yash’s Big-Budget Fairytale
Yash’s much-hyped *Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups* has finally hit screens, pulling in heavy advance bookings that crossed Rs 45 crore and neared Rs 50 crore ahead of release. But if early reactions are any indication, the massive box office momentum hides a deeply divided audience, with critics slamming the film as a style-over-substance disaster where the narrative fails to hold together.
For all the heavy marketing push led by director and co-writer Geetu Mohandas alongside Yash, the production faces sharp backlash for a punishing 194-minute runtime. Reviewers haven't held back, with at least one critic dubbing it the *Saaho* of Yash's career, a direct nod to a high-profile project that opened big but left audiences cold on content.
On the positive side, critics consistently single out the film's rich production values, crisp cinematography, and Yash's commanding screen presence. Specific bright spots include an inventive circus action sequence, a handful of grounded moments shared between Yash and Kiara Advani (who plays Nadia), and a stronger, better-executed final act that helps the film finally find its footing right when it matters most.
On the negative side, reviewers point to an overcrowded character roster, an editing style so relentlessly fast-paced that emotional beats never get room to breathe, and a chaotic screenplay that leaves viewers confused for long stretches. Critics also take aim at over-stylized dialogue leaning too heavily on repetitive analogies, Ravi Basrur's background score, and a heavy reliance on violence and glamour that many argue leads to a regressive treatment of its female characters.
With pre-sales blasting past Rs 45 crore before audiences even sat in theaters, the financial stakes are enormous, but ticket-holders are paying for a sprawling endurance test that feels heavily reminiscent of Yash's previous work in the *KGF* franchise, leaving some fans thrilled by the familiar "mass" persona while others bemoan the lack of creative reinvention.
For hardcore fans chasing Yash's signature action style and high-end visual polish, it's worth weathering the narrative gaps. For viewers looking for tight storytelling and a fresh character arc, skip it.
Nepal flash flood leaves 384 missing after border quake
Nepal Flash Flood Leaves 384 Missing Near Tibet Border
At least 384 travellers remain missing following a catastrophic flash flood along the Nepal-Tibet border, which struck after an earthquake triggered an avalanche in the Bhote Koshi river area on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. Foreign tourists, pilgrims, and security personnel are among those unaccounted for as rescue teams struggle to reach isolated mountain zones cut off by damaged infrastructure.
Nepal's Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal told parliament that preliminary information indicated an earthquake struck the area at around 8:37 am local time, sparking an avalanche that caused the flash floods. The Nepal Tourism Board confirmed that the missing group comprises 291 foreign nationals and 93 Nepali citizens.
Among the foreign nationals reported missing are 105 Indian citizens, 12 British nationals, and three US citizens. The affected region sits on a heavily traveled route to Kailash Manasarovar in Tibet, drawing hundreds of Hindu pilgrims at this time of year. Police confirmed that at least 17 people died in the disaster, with broader police reports indicating the wider death toll has risen to 157 as recovery operations continue.
The missing individuals also include 26 police officers, nine armed police personnel, 44 military personnel, and local customs and immigration officials. Infrastructure across the Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts has suffered extensive damage, severing roads, bridges, communications networks, and hydropower facilities. Khanal stated that Kathmandu is coordinating relief efforts with authorities in China following significant damage reported across the border in Tibet.
European Leagues Demand Gianni Infantino FIFA Exit
European Football Chief Calls for Infantino Exit Over Governance Scandals
European Leagues President Claudius Schaefer declared on Wednesday that FIFA President Gianni Infantino cannot have a future leading world soccer's governing body, citing unilateral decision-making and alleged breaches of Swiss association law. The statement directly impacts 53 professional men's and women's football leagues whose governing organizations are demanding structural governance reforms ahead of next year's FIFA presidential election.
Legal Breach Allegations and Political Scandals Threaten Infantino's Fourth-Term Bid
FIFA currently faces mounting resistance from three major confederations, Europe's UEFA, Asia's AFC, and CONCACAF, which have discussed a potential vote of no confidence after Infantino unilaterally awarded an inaugural peace prize to US President Donald Trump without Council approval and overturned a World Cup ban for American forward Folarin Balogun.
The governing body's internal rift worsened following the departure of FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour, alongside UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin officially ruling out a bid for the presidency.
Dolly Parton Dies at 80 After Private Cancer Battle
Country Music Icon Dolly Parton Passes Away at 80 in Nashville
Country music icon Dolly Parton died at the age of 80 at Nashville's Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center following a short illness and a private cancer battle. Her team confirmed the death on Tuesday, noting she was surrounded by loved ones when she passed.
The singer's quiet illness followed a year of mourning her husband, Carl Dean, who died in March last year at 82 following an unpublicized illness. In the days before her death, Parton had pulled out of several scheduled appearances, attributing the cancellations to health concerns she acknowledged neglecting while caring for Dean during his final months.
The couple’s relationship spanned more than six decades. They met outside a Nashville laundromat in 1964 when Parton was 18, marrying two years later in 1966. While Dean managed an asphalt-paving business in Nashville and largely avoided the public eye, he heavily influenced Parton's artistic life, inspiring tracks like "Jolene" and contributing to her 2023 rock album, *Rockstar*.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Parton’s nephew Bryan Seaver addressed her passing, describing it as a reunion with Dean, her parents, and other family members who preceded her in death.
CIA head Moscow visit sees intelligence talks without Putin
Unannounced Moscow Talks Pair CIA Chief With Russian Special Services
CIA Director John Radcliffe made an unannounced visit to Moscow on Tuesday to hold direct contacts with Russian special services. International security analysts and diplomatic channels monitored the high-level engagement as intelligence officials from both nations established direct dialogue amidst stalled diplomatic negotiations.
Kremlin confirms intelligence discussions while ruling out presidential meeting
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Wednesday that intelligence agency contacts took place during the visit, though Radcliffe held no meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Peskov stated that Putin received a full briefing on the intelligence discussions, but the spokesman refused to clarify whether the ongoing war in Ukraine was raised during the talks.
Characterizing intelligence-level dialogue as a positive development in itself, Peskov noted that assessing how these interactions might affect broader bilateral relations remains premature. The visit makes Radcliffe one of the highest-ranking American officials to travel to Russia since 2022. Neither the White House nor the CIA issued immediate public commentary regarding the trip.
This unannounced trip marks the first visit by a CIA director to the Russian capital since November 2021, when William Burns traveled to Moscow to warn against military deployment months before Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
