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Afghanistan frees detained US citizen Dennis Coyle as gesture of ‘goodwill’

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio welcomes Coyle’s release as ‘positive step’ while thanking Qatar and UAE for support.

Published On 24 Mar 2026

Authorities in Afghanistan have released United States citizen Dennis Coyle, who was detained in the country for more than a year, after a plea from his family.

The country’s Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday that the family of linguist and researcher Coyle had written to the country’s leadership, asking that he be released and pardoned for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr.

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“The Supreme Court of the Islamic Emirate deemed his period of detention sufficient and decided on his release,” the ministry said in a statement.

The announcement comes after a meeting of Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, former US Special Envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, the United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Kabul Saif Mohammed al-Ketbi, and a member of Coyle’s family.

The UAE facilitated the release, Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, adding that the decision was made on humanitarian grounds and as a gesture of “goodwill”.

Coyle, centre, poses with former US special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad, right, and the UAE ambassador to Kabul Saif Mohammed al-Ketbi, left, at the airport in Kabul on March 24, 2026 [AFP]

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also thanked the UAE and Qatar on Tuesday “for their support” in securing Coyle’s release.

“The release is a positive step towards ending the practice of hostage diplomacy,” Rubio wrote in a social media post.

Earlier this month, Rubio designated Afghanistan’s Taliban government as a “state sponsor of wrongful detention”, warning that the country was not safe for US citizens to visit.

“The Taliban needs to release Dennis Coyle, Mahmoud Habibi, and all Americans unjustly detained in Afghanistan now and commit to cease the practice of hostage diplomacy forever,” Rubio said in a statement on March 9.

Coley was detained by the Afghan authorities in January 2025 “while legally working to support Afghan language communities as an academic researcher”, according to the Foley Foundation, a group that advocates for the release of US citizens detained abroad.

He had been held “in near-solitary conditions, requiring permission even to use the bathroom, and without access to adequate medical care”, the group said.

Afghanistan’s Foreign Ministry said Coley was held “due to violations of Afghanistan’s applicable laws”, without elaborating.

“Afghanistan does not detain citizens of any country for political purposes but over violations of its laws,” Tuesday’s statement quoted Taliban Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi as saying.

Last year, five other US citizens were released in what the Taliban authorities also said was a “goodwill gesture”.

March 24, 2026
Tubi Unveils Formula 1 Altcasts Under Deal With Apple TV, New Interactive Ad Formats

Tubi is racing to meet new advertisers.

The Fox-backed free streaming service on Tuesday unveiled a new alliance with Apple TV that will have it offering live F1 “altcasts” during the 2026 Formula 1 season — available for free. The new programs will feature top creators who are experts in racing offering insight and commentary. The deal aims to expand F1’s presence beyond the Apple paywall and reach younger, digitally savvy audiences. Tubi will announce the specific altcast dates in the weeks to come.

The pact shows Apple working to capture new attention for F1 as it kicks off a new five-year partnership with the racing league, which had previously shows its races via Disney’s ESPN.

Tubi announced the new programming during its “NewFronts” session Tuesday, one of a series of presentations to advertisers by digital platforms.

Tubi also revealed new interactive ad formats. One uses an interactive overlay over so-called “pause ads” that offer details about what a viewer may be watching, including cast, soundtrack, trivia, and more. Advertisers can use such elements from recent content scenes including visual cues, tone and sentiment, enabling commercials to deliver timely messaging that plays off what’s on screen when viewers pause content. Another ad unit will allow advertisers to expand the functionality of “pause” concepts with carousels, trivia and polls. Marketers will be able to deliver more than one message or tout more than a single product.

“With massive scale, original and exclusive programming on the pulse of culture, and industry-leading investments in ad tech, precision and measurement, we are helping advertisers achieve greater reach, relevance and efficiency at a time when they need it most,” Anjali Sud, CEO of Tubi, said in a statement.

March 24, 2026
’13 Going on 30′ Movie Reboot Set at Netflix With Emily Bader and Logan Lerman; Jennifer Garner to Exec. Produce

If you’re “thirty, flirty and thriving,” know all the moves to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” dance or are just a big fan of Razzles, it’s major news that Netflix is rebooting the rom-com classic “13 Going on 30.”

Original star Jennifer Garner is on board to executive produce the movie, starring Emily Bader and Logan Lerman. The film will be directed by Brett Haley, who recently helmed Netflix’s adaptation of “People We Met On Vacation,” starring Bader.

“13 Going on 30 is one of those rare, perfect films. Funny, emotional, deeply human, with unforgettable performances from Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, and Judy Greer,” said Haley. “I’m a longtime fan, so stepping into this reimagining comes with tremendous responsibility. Jennifer Garner being on board as an executive producer, after playing such a big part of what made the original special, is especially meaningful.”

Haley also expressed his excitement about reuniting with Bader, adding that “she and the amazingly talented Logan Lerman are a magical pairing. I feel incredibly lucky to be trusted with something that means so much to so many people.”

Bader is repped by CAA, Untitled Entertainment, Viewpoint and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher; Lerman is repped by UTA, Brillstein, & Viewpoint; and Haley is repped by WME, Untitled and McKuin Frankel Whitehead.

Bader will direct from a screenplay by Hannah Marks (“Mark, Mary, & Some Other People”; “After Everything”) with revisions by Flora Greeson (“The Princess Diaries 3,” “The High Note”). The film is produced by Joe Roth and Jeff Kirschenbaum for RK Films. In addition to Garner, executive producers include Donna Roth and Susan Arnold; Scott Hemming for Revolution Studios; Alyssa Altman for RK Films; and Marks.

Greeson is repped by UTA, Kaplan Perrone, and Yorn Levine; Marks is represented by UTA, Circle Management and Production, Untitled and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson and Christopher; and Garner is repped by CAA, Linden Entertainment, the Lede Company and attorneys Jason Sloane and Harris Hartman of Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.

Deadline first reported details of the reboot.

More to come….

March 24, 2026
Apple confirms ads are coming to Apple Maps

Apple Maps will soon have ads, Apple confirmed in a blog post announcing the company’s new Apple Business platform. Reports that Apple planned to expand its ad business outside of the App Store and Apple News broke as recently as yesterday, but the company has been rumored to be exploring putting ads in its navigation app as far back as 2022.

Ads in Maps, as the new advertising program is called, will allow businesses to create ads that can appear “when users search in Maps,” at the top of search results and “at the top of a new Suggested Places experience in Maps, which will display recommendations based on what’s trending nearby, the user’s recent searches, and more,” Apple says. The program will be open to Apple Business customers in the US and Canada starting this summer. Any advertisers using the existing Apple Ads experience will also be able to book space in Apple Maps.

Like the other ads Apple offers to businesses in the App Store and Apple News, ads in maps will be clearly marked and are designed to maintain users’ privacy. What ads users interact with and their current location is not associated with their Apple Account, and personal data stays on user’s devices and isn’t shared with third-parties or collected by Apple.

Apple’s slow expansion into advertising most directly benefits its over $100 billion “Services” business, which covers obvious things like Apple TV and Apple Music, but also includes the fees it takes from in-app purchases made through the App Store and the money it makes selling advertising. At least so far, Apple’s ads are easy to ignore, and based on the samples provided as part of its announcement, that’ll stay true in Apple Maps.

Ads in Maps are bundled in Apple’s larger Apple Business program, an enterprise offering that’s designed to appeal to multiple different sizes of business. Apple Business includes things like mobile device management (for distributing apps and managing user accounts), the ability to set up a business email, calendar and web domain through Apple and the aforementioned Ads in Maps.

March 24, 2026
Hut 8 leans into modular ‘LEGO block’ model to switch between AI and bitcoin mining

March 24, 2026
Three new Gemini features come to Google TV

Google has announced a trio of new AI-powered features for its Google TV platform, after showing off smarter Gemini integration at CES back in January.

Google TV can now provide “richer visual help” when you ask it a question. Request the current sports scores, for example, and Gemini will bring up not only a live updating scorecard, but also where you can watch the game. If you’re looking for a recipe, it’ll pair its results with a video tutorial where possible.

If you’d rather learn something new than binge away at your latest Netflix fix, Google TV can also now do visual “deep dives” on topics that interest you. If there’s an economic trend, scientific phenomenon or technological innovation that’s on your mind, Gemini will create a “custom, interactive walkthrough” on the subject in question, allowing you to ask follow-up questions afterwards.

The idea is that the feature lets you turn “passive viewing into meaningful screen time.” It would appear that even your TV is now telling you off for watching too much TV.

When you ask about a topic, you can either click “Dive deeper” to learn more, or navigate to the Gemini tab at the top of your home screen and select the “Learn” option.

The last new addition is Gemini-powered sports briefs, which function in the same way as the news briefs Google introduced last year, but strictly for sports. Designed as an alternative to checking your phone, you can ask your AI-assisted TV for “timely, narrated overviews” of the latest goings-on in any league you might follow. Already, the feature supports the NBA, NCAA basketball, NHL, MLS and NWSL, and it will live in the Gemini tab.

Deep dives and sports briefs are initially limited to those with Gemini-enabled devices in the US, with Google promising wider device support later in the spring. Richer visual help is rolling out today in the US and Canada, and Google has also announced that its various Gemini Google TV features are coming to more countries in 2026, starting with Australia, New Zealand and the UK in the coming months.

March 24, 2026
MNT price prediction as Mantle DeFi TVL surpasses that of Sui
- Mantle’s DeFi TVL surges, surpassing major rival networks.
- Mantle ($MNT) price lags despite strong ecosystem growth.
- The key $MNT price levels to watch are the $0.75 resistance and the $0.65 support.
Mantle ($MNT) network’s DeFi ecosystem has expanded rapidly and overtaken Sui in total value locked (TVL).

The milestone reflects a sharp increase in capital flowing into Mantle, even as broader market conditions remain uncertain.

In just one month, Mantle’s ecosystem has recorded a significant surge in locked assets, signalling rising confidence from both users and developers.

According to data obtained from DeFiLlama, Mantle’s total value locked in DeFi is currently valued at around $632.17 million, while that of Sui stands at $589.5 million.

This kind of growth is rarely accidental and often points to deeper structural strength within a network.

Mantle’s DeFi expansion

The surge in Mantle’s DeFi activity has been driven by a combination of strategic positioning and ecosystem development.

One major factor behind the growth is its focus on real-world assets, which continues to attract institutional interest.

By integrating traditional financial instruments into blockchain systems, Mantle is positioning itself for long-term adoption rather than short-term speculation.

Another key driver is its connection to centralised exchange infrastructure, which helps onboard liquidity more efficiently.

This hybrid model allows users to move seamlessly between centralised and decentralised finance, reducing friction that often limits adoption.

At the same time, integrations with major DeFi protocols have boosted activity across lending and borrowing markets.

These developments have helped create a steady inflow of capital rather than relying on temporary incentives.

Such consistency is often a sign of a maturing ecosystem rather than a hype-driven spike.

Despite this strong growth, the price of $MNT has not followed the same upward trajectory.

This divergence between fundamentals and price action is becoming increasingly noticeable.

$MNT price struggles to reflect strong fundamentals

While the network’s DeFi metrics continue to improve, $MNT remains significantly below its previous highs.

The token is still trading far from its peak, reflecting broader weakness across the altcoin market.

Short-term price action has also been mixed, with recent declines interrupting what appeared to be a recovery phase.

This suggests that traders are still cautious, even in the face of improving fundamentals.

Market sentiment continues to play a dominant role, especially with altcoins reacting closely to movements in Bitcoin.

Without a strong catalyst, $MNT has struggled to build sustained upward momentum.

This creates a situation where the asset shows promise on paper but remains technically fragile.

Such conditions often lead to periods of consolidation before a clearer trend emerges.

Mantle price forecast

The near-term outlook for $MNT is defined by a tight range that is likely to determine the next major move.

The $0.75 level stands out as the most important resistance zone, acting as a barrier that bulls have yet to overcome.

$MNT) price”>

A confirmed move above this level would signal a shift in short-term momentum and could open the door for further upside towards $0.8642 and even $0.9223 as projected by CoinLore.

On the downside, the $0.65 level is providing immediate support and remains critical for maintaining stability.

A break below this support would reinforce the current bearish structure and increase the risk of further declines.

For now, the price remains trapped between these two levels, creating a clear decision zone for traders.

Until a breakout or breakdown occurs, the current bounce should be treated with caution.

If buyers manage to push the price above resistance, it could mark the beginning of a recovery phase supported by strong fundamentals.

However, failure to hold support would likely confirm that bearish pressure is still dominant in the short term.
March 24, 2026
How to Watch the 2026 World Figure Skating Championships Online
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Olympic medalists Ilia Malinin, Kaori Sakamoto and Ice Dance champs Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron are among the athletes taking to the ice in Czechia this week for the 2026 World Figure Skating Championships.

After a memorable figure skating competition at the Winter Olympics last month, many of the podium finishers from Milan will be in Prague for the final marquee event of the season.

At a Glance: World Figure Skating Championships 2026
When: Wednesday, March 25 to Sunday, March 29

Stream online: Peacock, DirecTV
How to Watch 2026 World Figure Skating Championships on TV

This year’s World Figure Skating Championships will primarily be streaming online, through the NBCUniversal streamer, Peacock. However, highlights from the event will air on TV on USA Network throughout the week, and on NBC on Saturday night.

Fans who want to watch the World Figure Skating Championships on TV can catch the competition on NBC and USA with any basic cable package that includes the two channels.

How to Watch 2026 World Figure Skating Championships Online

You can also watch the World Figure Skating Championships online and livestream every single program from every single competition, or watch a replay back on-demand.

Peacock

OFFICIAL STREAM

Peacock

Peacock is the official streaming home of the 2026 World Figure Skating Championships in Prague and the streamer will carry a live feed of the entire competition that you can watch online. While Peacock doesn’t offer a free trial, you can get unlimited access for just $10.99/month. The price includes live and on-demand streaming of all the figure skating events plus thousands of TV shows, movies, documentaries and specials.

TOP PICK

DirecTV

Want to watch the World Figure Skating Championships on TV but don’t have cable? Sign up for DirecTV’s free trial, which will get you five days of free access to NBC, USA Network and more than 90 other live TV channels that you can stream online. DirecTV lets you watch coverage of the event on TV without needing a cable subscription, with live feeds of NBC and USA that you can stream on your computer, phone, tablet or smart TV. Get your five-day free trial here with no commitment.

World Figure Skating Championships 2026: Skaters, Favorites

After an up and down Olympics experience, which saw him win a gold medal with Team USA in the Team Competition but falter in the individual men’s event, “Quad God” Ilia Malinin will be looking for redemption in Prague.

The 21-year-old is the two-time defending World Champion and is considered to be the favorite for gold in the men’s event. The rest of the men’s Olympic podium will also be competing this week, with silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama and bronze medalist Shun Sato, both from Japan.

The women’s Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu is sitting out this week’s World Championships, after a busy post-Milan run of interviews and appearances. That leaves silver medalist (and three-time World Champion) Kaori Sakamoto from Japan as the favorite for women’s gold. Team USA’s Amber Glenn will also be a medal threat with her trademark triple axel jump.

French ice dancers Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillaume Cizeron will be in Prague, looking to add a World Championship title to their Olympic gold. American silver medalists Madison Chock and Evan Bates are skipping this week’s event, leaving Canadians Paul Poirier and Piper Gilles — the Olympic bronze medalists — as the French team’s main competitors.

The pairs event will be missing the Olympic gold medalists from Japan, leaving teams from Germany, Georgia, Hungary, Canada and the United States to battle it out for the top spot on the podium.

Watch the World Figure Skating Championships live online and on-demand through Peacock.com.
March 24, 2026
Natasha Lyonne’s ‘Bambo’ Books Stylist Carlos Nazario to Make His Costume Designer Debut (Exclusive)

Natasha Lyonne has booked a stylish collaborator for her feature film project Bambo.

Fashion guru Carlos Nazario, a notable name from that world who currently serves as contributing style director at Vogue under editor Chloé Malle, will make his debut as a costume designer on the film. Lyonne is directing Bambo from a script she wrote. It is set in the 1980s and follows a Brooklyn-born boxing-promoter father as he tries and fails to become the next Don King, and “takes his kid daughter along for the hurly burly ride of tax evasion, cocaine, race cars, lost dreams and heartbreak.” As previously reported, Joey King is in talks for the lead role to play the daughter.

Lyonne is producing through her Animal Pictures alongside Craig Mazin for Word Games, Jason Weinberg and Sarah Sarandos. Filming is expected to start this summer.

Nazario is well known as an influential image maker in the fashion world having worked across red carpets and major media styling huge stars like Rihanna, Kim Kardashian, Kendrick Lamar, Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, Miley Cyrus, Solange, Zoe Kravitz, Naomi Campbell and more. When he returned to Vogue under the helm of Malle, he made an early mark styling Rosalía for the cover, calling it “truly full circle.” He styled the most recent cover with Doja Cat in a striking menswear look.

Nazario known as the first Black stylist to style a cover for American Vogue. He also styled U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for the cover of Vanity Fair in a look by a Black designer from her district.

He segued to his current gig at Vogue after serving as style director at large of Harper’s Bazaar, and he signed off in January with a final shoot styling Kaia Gerber. The Queens, New York native has worked with some of the world’s top fashion photographers and editors while styling covers of Italian Vogue, The New York Times style magazine T, i-D, M Le Monde, L’uomo Vogue and W. His resume includes stints at Marc Jacobs, W, Katie Grand’s Love and a tenure as fashion director at Hood by Air.

Bambo is the second feature film project being shepherded by Lyonne. Last year, Lyonne announced that she would be making her feature debut with the AI film Uncanny Valley. Produced by Asteria Film Co., the hybrid AI studio Lyonne co-founded with Bryn Mooser, Uncanny Valley will be set in the world of immersive video games and will blend live-action and game elements while centering on a teenage girl who becomes unmoored by a hugely popular AR video game in a parallel present. Lyonne and Brit Marling co-writing the feature with futurist and veteran tech executive Jaron Lanier.

On deck for Lyonne in 2026 are roles in HBO’s Euphoria, Taika Waititi’s adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun and the Netflix comedy Roommates for Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions. She is attached to star in and produce the horror comedy Basketful of Heads. The Golden Globe nominated Poker Face star and producer is also teaming with Matt Berry to co-create and star in Sky’s retro comedy Force & Majeure.

March 24, 2026
‘Scooby-Doo’ Live-Action Series Casts Paul Walter Hauser

The live-action “Scooby-Doo” series at Netflix has cast Paul Walter Hauser in a series regular role, Variety has learned.

Hauser will appear in the untitled series alongside the previously announced Mystery Inc. gang of Maxwell Jenkins as Fred Jones, Tanner Hagen as Norville “Shaggy” Rogers, Abby Ryder Fortson as Velma Dinkley, andMckenna Grace as Daphne Blake. Exact character details for Hauser’s role are being kept under wraps.

The official logline describes the show as modern reimagining of the beloved cartoon. “During their final summer at camp, old friends Shaggy (Hagen) and Daphne (Grace) get embroiled in a haunting mystery surrounding a lonely lost Great Dane puppy that may have been a witness to a supernatural murder,” the logline reads. “Together with the pragmatic and scientific townie, Velma (Fortson), and the strange, but ever so handsome new kid, Freddy (Jenkins), they set out to solve the case that is pulling each of them into a creepy nightmare that threatens to expose all of their secrets.”

Hauser previously played a supporting role in the hit Netflix series “Cobra Kai” as Raymond Porter, a.k.a. Stingray. He has also made appearances in the Netflix shows “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” and “I Think You Should Leave.” Hauser won both an Emmy and Golden Globe for his starring role in the Apple TV limited series “Black Bird” opposite Taron Egerton. His other TV credits include “The Afterparty” and “Kingdom,” while in film he is known for features like “Richard Jewell,” “Da 5 Bloods,” “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” and “The Naked Gun.”

He is repped by WME, Artists First, and Schreck Rose.

Josh Appelbaum and Scott Rosenberg serve as writers and showrunners and will also executive produce along with André Nemec, Jeff Pinkner, and Adrienne Erickson under their Midnight Radio banner. Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, and Leigh London Redman will executive produce via Berlanti productions. Toby Haynes will executive produce and direct the first episode. Warner Bros. Television will produce. Berlanti Productions is currently under an overall deal at WBTV.

March 24, 2026