Here are the top 5 news of the day:

power shift? Iran’s military takes control of state functions, sidelines President Pezeshkian – report

As cited by Iran International, the IRGC has reportedly taken control of key state functions in Iran, blocking presidential appointments and decisions, while tightening its grip on the country’s main centers of power. The move has effectively sidelined the government and pushed President Massoud Pezeshkian into a “complete political impasse” amid rising tensions between his administration and Iran’s military leadership. Read the full story

‘Double-slavery government’: Priyanka Gandhi calls PM a ‘slave’ of America, calls Assam CM Himanta a ‘slave’ of Modi

Congress leader Priyanka Vadra on Wednesday took a dig at the BJP-led central and state governments in Assam, accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of running a “government of double slavery”. Addressing a rally in Nazira, Priyanka hit out at the BJP’s central campaign, saying it has failed to fulfill its promises. Read the full story

Will America withdraw from NATO? Trump calls coalition ‘paper tiger’ as faction shy away from joining Iran war

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he is strongly considering pulling the United States out of NATO, calling the transatlantic alliance a “paper tiger” amid growing differences with European partners over the ongoing conflict with Iran. In an interview with The Telegraph, Trump said that leaving NATO was now “beyond reconsideration”, adding, “I never got carried away by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too.”” Read the full story

OTP can’t secure payments: RBI to impose strict digital payments rules from April 1 – what’s changing?

With the start of the new financial year, India’s digital payments landscape is set for a major security makeover as the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is imposing strict authentication norms from April 1. The move comes in response to increasing transaction volumes and increasing risks of fraud. RBI aims to strengthen the country’s payments ecosystem with more robust and adaptive security measures. Read the full story

‘Ponting proved right once again’: Ashwin on bold decision of Punjab Kings vs Gujarat Titans

Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin praised Ricky Ponting for his decisive team selection after Punjab Kings defeated Gujarat Titans in a tense IPL 2026 clash, saying the great Australian was “proved right once again.” Punjab won closely by three wickets, but it was the impact of the less expected contributors that caught Ashwin’s attention. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin admitted that he initially questioned the decision to include Xavier Bartlett in place of Azmatullah Umarzai. Read the full story