'Dhurandhar 2 Can Permanently Destroy Pan-India South Films,' Says RGV

As Dhurandhar: The Revenge prepares for its theatrical release on March 19, Ram Gopal Varma has made a bold claim about the film. The filmmaker believes the sequel could change the way mainstream Indian cinema is made.

Ram Gopal Varma Hails Dhurandhar

RGV did not hold back in his praise and wrote, "DHURANDAR 2 is an ASTEROID which might end the DINOSAUR era @AdityaDharFilms DHURANDHAR 2 has high chances of completely and permanently obliterating the pan india south films movement by establishing a brand new benchmark with ultra realistic making, genuine character depths etc that actually engage the audience's brain while still delivering a raw visceral impact."

He further suggested that the film could drastically alter audience expectations, adding, "Once audiences taste this new standard, every film currently under production in the previous masala style can become instantly endangered."

In a longer note, RGV argued that big-budget entertainers relying on scale and spectacle may struggle in the wake of Dhurandhar: The Revenge. "Those ultra-big budgeted masala projects that are already deep into shooting or post-production will have an uphill task in competing with the new standards set. Producers who bet entire empires on the same previous formulaic making might face empty theatres and career-ending losses because of the high costs involved and the audience taste converting to the international standards," he claimed.

He went on to critique formula-driven filmmaking and star-led spectacles. 

"Directors married to the belief of 'mass + vfx + scale + gravity-defying stunts = guaranteed hit will have no choice but to reinvent themselves by studying the Dhurandhar audiences. Superstars who were depending upon their god like statuses resting solely on mindless hero worship will stand exposed in front of highly effective characters who grow to be heroes in the context of the story rather than already being hailed as heroes from frame one," RGV wrote.

Concluding his dramatic statement, the filmmaker described the film as a seismic shift for the industry. 

"DHURANDHAR 2 is not just another film coming on March 19th. It can be an ASTEROID STRIKE that might end the DINOSAUR ERA of filmmaking, which is full of sheer volume, fake heroism, and the so-called masala treatment. The goal post has been changed, and so if the direction of the kick does not change, it might not only break the leg, but it might lose the limb," he concluded.

DHURANDAR 2 is an ASTEROID which might end the DINOSAUR era @AdityaDharFilms DHURANDHAR 2 has high chances of completely and permanently obliterating the pan india south films movement by establishing a brand new benchmark with ultra realistic making , genuine character depths…

— Ram Gopal Varma (@RGVzoomin) February 24, 2026

About Dhurandhar: The Revenge

The film, directed by Aditya Dhar, serves as a follow-up to the 2025 blockbuster Dhurandhar and dives deeper into the backstory of Ranveer Singh's character, Hamza.

However, Dhurandhar: The Revenge will not have a clear run at the box office. It is set to clash with Toxic: A Fairytale for Grownups, headlined by Yash and directed by Geetu Mohandas. 

The pan-India project also features Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, Huma Qureshi, Rukmini Vasanth, and Tara Sutaria.

ALSO READ: How Ranveer And Yash's Dhurandhar 2 And Toxic Heroes Are Same Same But Different

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3 Roses Season 2 Out on OTT: Know Where to Watch it Online

3 Roses is a Telugu OTT series that is out with its second season. The streaming began on Dec 12th, 2025, only on AhaTamil.

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Bengaluru Lake Crisis: No Potable Water In India's 'Silicon Valley'

According to data published by the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, water quality analysis conducted across 147 monitoring locations between April and November 2025 shows that not a single lake in the city consistently met potable or safe bathing standards.

No Lake Achieves Safe Water Quality

The report categorised lakes under standard water quality classes:

Class A: Potable without treatment

Class B: Safe for bathing

Class D & E: Severely polluted, unsuitable for human use

Shockingly, no lake achieved Class A or Class B status during the monitoring period. Most lakes were classified under D or E, indicating heavy contamination.

Iconic Lakes Among Worst Affected

Several of Bengaluru's most well-known lakes recorded disturbing pollution levels:

Bellandur Lake: Rated E in April, briefly improved to D during summer, before slipping back to E by November.

Varthur Lake: Fluctuated between D and E categories.

Hebbal Lake: Maintained D status for most months before deteriorating to E.

Other severely affected lakes include Madiwala, Kaikondanahalli, Kundalahalli, and Ulsoor (all D/E), while Sankey Tank maintained a D rating. The report notes that the Bommanahalli and Mahadevapura zones emerged as the worst-hit regions, largely due to rapid urbanisation and untreated waste discharge.

Experts Warn of 'Ecological Emergency'

Environmental activist Madhuri Subbarao, co-founder of Friends of Lakes, said the findings confirm long-standing concerns.

"Many lakes in Bengaluru are on the brink of ecological collapse," Ms Subbarao said. "Today, we cannot point to a single lake with healthy water quality, stable ecology, or safe biodiversity. Most lakes fall below acceptable standards, with water unfit even for animal consumption."

She called for urgent government intervention, including the formation of a dedicated lake restoration task force, the scientific identification of pollution sources, and stronger collaboration with citizen groups.

Summer Water Stress Likely to Worsen

The findings come at a critical time as Bengaluru prepares for peak summer, a period when dependence on groundwater and tanker supplies traditionally rises.

With the city's primary surface water bodies now officially declared unfit for use, residents face a mounting challenge in securing safe water as temperatures climb.

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Watch: Abhishek Delivers Motivational Talk Despite 3 Ducks, Gambhir In Splits

Abhishek Sharma enters the Super 8 stage of the T20 World Cup 2026 after making three ducks in a row, hitting an unprecedented rut in the middle of his first ICC tournament. However, the dashing southpaw seems to have kept his spirits high, and even delivered a motivational pep talk to the Indian team during their practice session ahead of their first Super 8 match against South Africa. Abhishek wrapped up his team talk on an emphatic note that even forced a smile out of head coach Gautam Gambhir.

"It's a sign of a champion team. Let's keep enjoying each other's performances. That's the best thing we are doing right now. The energy we are showing in all the games is fantastic. And we are here to win all the games," said Abhishek during the team talk, which was shared by the BCCI.

Abhishek then concluded his speech by exclaiming the slogan 'Jo Bole So Nihaal, Sat Sri Akal (Whoever utters this shall be fulfilled; Eternal is the true Lord)'. His energetic sign-off invited a similarly energetic roar from his teammates, while head coach Gautam Gambhir also let out a laugh.

Watch: Abhishek Sharma's pep talk ahead of Super 8

Look at Ishan kishan's face, when Abhishek is giving the pep talk. pic.twitter.com/zm1tLzUyjZ

— Gangadhar (@gangadhar_11) February 20, 2026

Abhishek's form has been a big talking point among experts and fans heading into India's first Super 8 match. Tipped by many to be the top run-scorer of the tournament before it started, the No. 1 T20I batter in the world is astonishingly yet to score a single run in the ongoing edition.

Abhishek got out for a first-ball duck against USA in India's opening Group A match. He then suffered a stomach illness, forcing him to miss India's second game against Namibia. However, Abhishek then recorded a further two ducks against Pakistan and Netherlands.

However, Abhishek's lack of form has not majorly impacted the Indian team yet. Ishan Kishan smashed 176 runs in four matches in the group phase, while captain Suryakumar Yadav and all-rounders Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube have also struck fiery half-centuries during the tournament.

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Award For BJP MP, Language Push: Trinamool's Rajbanshi Outreach Before Polls

The whispers grew louder in the media enclosure, because a sitting BJP MP isn't usually in attendance at a West Bengal government programme. Then, Rajya Sabha MP Anant Maharaj was ushered on stage by Bengal I&B minister Indranil Sen and honoured with the Banga Bibhushan, a state civilian award, by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee at the event in Kolkata, organised to mark International Mother Language Day on Saturday.

Reciting a poem written during his childhood, Maharaj thanked the Chief Minister for the state honour and then criticised his own party, saying the BJP has done nothing for Cooch Behar. "I am very grateful for this honour. It's International Mother Language Day, and I have been given this award for the Rajbanshi Community," he added, leaving the event 15 minutes later to catch a flight.

Earlier, on Thursday, the Chief Secretary submitted a formal proposal to the Centre to include the Rajbanshi and Kurmali languages in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution, which recognises official languages. This move was also seen as an outreach to the Rajbanshi community, ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections.

The Rajbanshis are a scheduled caste community concentrated in North Bengal, especially in districts like Cooch Behar, Jalpaiguri, Darjeeling, Malda, and Murshidabad.

In North Bengal, they constitute 30% of the electorate and are seen as an important swing community in the region, where neither the ruling Trinamool Congress nor the BJP can afford to lose ground to keep seat count intact.

The Rajbanshis hold sway in over 15 Assembly seats, where how they vote can affect results. Of the seven seats in Cooch Behar district, the TMC won the Sitai and Mekliganj Assembly seats, while the BJP won the five seats of Dinhata, Sitalkuchi, Mathabhanga, Cooch Behar Uttar and Dakshin.

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Adopted By A US War Veteran, An Iran-Born Woman Now Faces Deportation

A woman adopted as a toddler by an American war veteran, who he found in the 1970s in an Iranian orphanage and raised as a Christian, is being threatened with deportation to Iran, a country notoriously dangerous for Christians and now on the brink of war with the United States.

She is one of thousands adopted from abroad who were never granted citizenship because of a fracture at the intersection of adoption and immigration law.

The woman, who The Associated Press is not naming because of her legal situation, received a letter from the Department of Homeland Security earlier this month ordering her to appear for removal proceedings before an immigration judge in California. She has no criminal record. The letter says she is eligible for deportation because she overstayed her visa in March 1974 at 4 years old.

"I never imagined it would get to where it is today," said the woman, who believes that, as a Christian and the daughter of an American Air Force officer, deportation to Iran might be a death sentence. "I always told myself that there is no way that this country could possibly send someone to their death in a country they left as an orphan. How could the United States do that?"

The already terrifying prospect of being deported to Iran was made more so in recent days, she said, as the Trump administration began amassing the largest force of American warships and aircraft in the Middle East in decades, preparing for possible military action against Iran if talks over its nuclear program fail.

The Associated Press profiled the woman in 2024 as part of a story about how many international adoptees were left without citizenship because their American adoptive parents failed to naturalize them. The woman has tried to rectify her legal status for years, so the Department of Homeland Security has been aware of her situation since at least 2008. She guesses their file on her is thousands of pages long. She does not know what prompted the sudden threat of removal.

The Trump administration has been on a mass deportation campaign, touting that it is removing the "worst of the worst" criminals. But many with no criminal records have been swept up. The only interaction with law enforcement the woman can recall is being pulled over 20 years ago for using her phone while driving. She works a job in corporate health care, pays taxes and owns a home in California.

"When the media refuses to give names, it makes it impossible to provide details on specific cases or even verify any of this even happened or that the people even exist. If you can't do your job, we can't do ours," the Department of Homeland Security wrote in a statement. The AP did not provide them the woman's name, but sent a detailed description of the letter she received, the stated reasons she is eligible for deportation and the date she was ordered to appear in court, March 4.

A judge delayed the hearing to later next month and agreed with her attorney, Emily Howe, to specify the woman does not have to appear in person - a relief as they worried immigration officers would be waiting at the courthouse to take her away.

The woman's father was a prisoner of war in Germany during World War II, captured in 1943 and held until the end of the war. When he retired from the Air Force, he worked as a government contractor in Iran, where he and his wife found her in an orphanage in 1972 and adopted her. She was 2 years old.

They returned to the U.S. in 1973, and the local newspaper ran a full-page story about the family and their new daughter. Her adoption was completed in 1975. But at that time, parents had to separately naturalize the children through the federal immigration agency. The woman's parents have since died.

She didn't learn she hadn't been naturalized until she applied for a passport at 38 years old. She still doesn't know how the oversight happened. She searched her father's papers and found a letter from a lawyer, dated 1975, that said he was working with immigration officials, "it appears this matter is concluded," and billed her father for his services.

She did not keep her situation secret. She has for years asked everyone she could think of for help: the State Department, immigration officials, senators. She has contacted her congresswoman, Rep. Young Kim, a Republican from California, but to no avail. Most recently, Kim's office responded to her plea about her pending removal by saying that they were "not able to advise or interfere."

"It just baffles me that it's OK to send me to a foreign country that I could potentially die or I could get imprisoned because of a clerical error," she said.

More modern adoptees do not face this legal limbo: Congress passed a bill in 2000 meant to rectify the issue and confer automatic citizenship on everyone legally adopted from abroad. But they did not make it retroactive, and it applied only to those younger than 18 when it took effect; everyone born before the arbitrary date of Feb. 27, 1983, was not included.

A bipartisan coalition - from the Southern Baptist Convention to liberal immigration groups - has been lobbying Congress ever since to pass another bill to help the older adoptees left out of the law, but Congress has not acted. Some of those lobbyists say now that the administration threatening to deport an adoptee is the exact scenario they worked hard to try to avoid.

"I'm horrified. It's rare for me to feel shocked by a story these days. But this is an absolutely unbelievable situation," said Hannah Daniel, who, as the director of public policy for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the lobbying arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, begged legislators for years to address the issue.

Intercountry adoption has been a rare topic championed by lawmakers on both sides of the aisle. Many Christian churches preach intercountry adoption as a biblical calling, a mirror to God welcoming believers into a family of faith.

Daniel, who recently joined World Relief, a Christian humanitarian organization, said threatening to send a Christian adoptee to Iran represents a collision of two issues she and many other Christians care deeply about: international adoption and the persecution of Christians around the globe.

"That is what is most troubling to me about this: We are a nation that prides itself on fighting for religious freedom both here and abroad," Daniel said. "And it feels so antithetical to that to then say we're going to send this person who, for me, is a sister in Christ to face a death sentence."

She called it "un-American and unconscionable."

Ryan Brown, chief executive officer of Open Doors, a nonprofit that supports persecuted Christians around the world, said some in Iran are Christians by birth and face widespread discrimination. But it is much worse for those considered converts to Christianity from Islam. He said he expects a deported adoptee would be viewed in that later category - as a convert.

"It is assumed that you are an enemy of the state. It is assumed that if you are a Christian, that you are aligned to the West and you desire to see that the regime toppled," he said. "There is no benefit of the doubt extended."

Converted Christians are arrested routinely. Some are sentenced to death.

"Their prisons are world renowned for their deplorable conditions," Brown said.

There is no sanitation. Food, water and access to health care are scarce. Iranian prisons are "notoriously more evil for women," he said, and women have routinely reported sexual assault by their captors. Others have been forced into marriages.

Brown, an adoptive father himself, struggled to even contemplate what a Christian woman, accustomed to the freedom of the United States, might experience if she had to walk off a plane into Iran. She does not know the language. She knows nothing about its customs. She has lived a fully American life.

"I cannot even fathom that," Brown said. "My prayers are with her."

The woman believes Iran would likely view her with even more suspicion given her father's military service and work as a U.S. government contractor.

She grew up listening to her father's war stories. She read the journal he kept while in the prison camp, how cold and hungry he had been, and she was proud of his sacrifice and his service to a country she believed had saved her.

When she is sad or scared now, she said, she looks at her favorite photo of him in his military uniform, medals lined up on his left shoulder, a slight, confident smile on his face.

"I'm proud of my father's legacy. I'm part of his legacy. And what's happening to me is wrong," she said. "And I know that he was here, it would break his heart to know that I'm on this path."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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"Fools And Lapdogs": Trump's All-Out Attack On Judges After Tariffs Order

Speaking at the White House after the Supreme Court ruled his global tariffs illegal, US President Donald Trump said that the ruling was "deeply disappointing". He attacked the justices involved in the ruling and said that he was "ashamed" of "certain members of the court for not having the courage to do what's right for our country".

He then thanked and congratulated justices Thomas, Alito and Kavanaugh, who dissented, for their "strength and wisdom".

The Republican leader in his speech also accused the Supreme Court of being "swayed by foreign interests".

"I won by millions of votes... but these people are obnoxious, ignorant and loud. And I think certain justices are afraid of that, they don't want to do the right thing", he said.

Two Supreme Court justices nominated by Trump in his first term, ruled against him in the case.

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"Disgrace": Trump Slams Supreme Court Order Striking Down Tariffs

US President Donald Trump has reacted after the Supreme Court struck down his global tariffs and called it a "disgrace" during a meeting with state governors. The ruling handed the Republican leader a significant loss on an issue important to his economic agenda.

In a 6-3 vote, the judges found that the 1977 law known as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) does not authorise the imposition of duties. 

Trump has long relied on tariffs as a lever for diplomatic pressure and negotiations, he made unprecedented use of emergency economic powers in his second term to slap new duties on virtually all US trading partners.

Former Vice President Mike Pence, who served during Trump's first term, cheered the ruling and wrote on social media, "American families and American businesses pay American tariffs - not foreign countries. With this decision, American families and businesses can breathe a sigh of relief."

On Thursday, Trump complained that he had to justify his use of tariffs to the Supreme Court in a speech at a Georgia steel company. 

"I have to wait for this decision. I've been waiting forever, forever, and the language is clear that I have the right to do it as president," he said. "I have the right to put tariffs on for national security purposes, countries that have been ripping us off for years."

New research tied to one of America's leading banks found on Thursday that tariffs paid by midsize US businesses tripled over the course of the past year.

The additional taxes have meant that companies that employ a combined 48 million people in the US - the kinds of businesses that Trump had promised to revive - have had to find ways to absorb the new expense by passing it along to customers in the form of higher prices, employing fewer workers or accepting lower profits.

Trump's tariffs - not all of which were overturned - were expected to generate $3 trillion in revenues over 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office. That sum is large, but it would be insufficient to cover the costs of the projected deficits.

The Supreme Court has not ruled on how any refund process would work.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Gambhir Holds One-On-One Chat With Abhishek, Team Management Breaks Silence

All that Abhishek Sharma needs is a start, but there hasn't been any discussion about the talented opener's wretched run in the T20 World Cup so far, bowling coach Morne Morkel said ahead of India's first Super Eights game against South Africa here on Sunday. Abhishek is yet to open his account in the current edition of the tournament and during Friday's training, he was seen spending considerable time with head coach Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir was seen trying to explain to him certain finer points and like a diligent student, the flamboyant southpaw nodded in agreement.

After that he went for a high catch session.

At times, excess training can prove to be counter productive and Abhishek was seen bowling to the other batters for better part of the game.

When asked if there's discussion in general within the team on Abhishek, Morkel denied emphatically.

"Absolutely no discussion. He's a world class player. So far in the tournament, luckily, there's been some guys standing up for Abhishek (others scoring runs)," Morkel told the media.

However, he agreed that Abhishek needs to score runs as they enter the business end of the tourney.

"But we're going through a very important phase of the World Cup now and we expect him to do well.

"And I'm pretty sure, not just for the team, but also for all the viewers watching the game. Because he's (Abhishek) entertaining, and we love to see that.

"So yeah, I'm pretty sure he's hitting the ball well. It's just a matter of getting that start and Abhishek will get going," Morkel said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Cairn Review: Moving a Mountain

Cairn, released on PC and PS5 on January 29, is a game about climbing a mountain. It is a game about grit, patience, and humility. It is also a game about what it means to be a part of that small minority of people who go do things unfathomable to normal people. And Cairn balances all its ideas with the grace of a seasoned climber on a familiar rock face.

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India vs SA Clash Divides Morkel Family: Mother Doesn't Know Who To Support

The Morkel household in Pretoria, South Africa, is in two minds. The reason: the India vs South Africa T20 World Cup Super 8 clash on Sunday. The elder son of the family, Albie Morkel, is the consultant coach of South Africa, while the younger son, Morne Morkel, is the Indian bowling coach. So when India take on South Africa in the Super Eight at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on February 22, Mariana Morkel may be the most conflicted cricket fan on the planet.

At her home in Pretoria, Mariana will be torn between supporting South Africa - the country for which Albie Morkel played one Test, 58 ODIs and 50 T20Is and now serves as consultant coach during the ongoing Men's T20 World Cup - or India, where her younger son Morne Morkel, who represented the Proteas in 86 Tests, 117 ODIs and 44 T20Is, is now the bowling coach.

When asked in the pre-match press conference whether he had exchanged coaching notes with Morne, Albie said, "No, we don't talk to each other. I think my mother, she's more worried than us. She doesn't know who to support - India or South Africa."

Morkel declared that the real tournament begins now, insisting that South Africa's passage through the group stage was merely the first box ticked on what he expects to be a demanding road to the title.

"I think the World Cup really starts now, even though we had a tough group. Now you face India, possibly Australia or Zimbabwe, and the West Indies in our group. So it's really tough. It's going to be all good games. Yes, there will be more pressure on those games as you get closer to the playoffs.

"But I feel we've got a very experienced group of bowlers, and the batting is better. Guys have been exposed to pressure situations - whether in the IPL, other leagues, or international cricket. It's a little bit different, but players who can handle pressure will actually thrive in those circumstances, where there's a bit more pressure on the games. So I'm not too worried," he added.

With IANS inputs

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AI Summit 2026 Day 4 Highlights: PM Modi Addresses AI Impact Summit

AI Summit 2026 Highlights: Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed global leaders at India AI Impact Summit 2026 and called to democratise artificial intelligence, making it a tool for inclusion and empowerment. "Artificial intelligence marks a transformative chapter in human history. India is not just a part of the AI revolution, but is leading and shaping it," PM Modi said in the presence of world leaders.

The inaugural session featured addresses by Union Minsiter Ashwini Vaishnaw, Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, and French President Emmanuel Macron.

The exhibition will remain closed to the general public today and to make up for the closure, the government has extended the expo by an additional day, keeping it open until Saturday, February 21.

Here are the Highlights of India AI Impact Summit 2026, Day 4:

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Mrunal Says Her Ex Was Insecure About Hrithik Roshan's Good Looks In Super 30

Amid swirling speculation about her personal life, Mrunal Thakur has spoken candidly about insecurity, relationships, and how fame can impact private lives.

Mrunal Thakur On Her Ex's Insecurity During Super 30

While promoting her upcoming film Do Deewane Seher Mein, Mrunal appeared on Raunaq Rajani's YouTube channel, where she reflected on a past relationship and the challenges that came with it.

She revealed that her former partner became insecure when she was shooting Super 30 alongside Hrithik Roshan.

Recalling the incident, she said, "So this guy, who was a Scandinavian, he thought that I was hanging around and shooting with a lot of men who were good-looking, like Hrithik Roshan. So he started working out, lost like 15-17 kgs, and he got muscles. Later, I found out, because there was a point he just stopped working out and started eating and gained 20 kgs. And I was like what's happening? And he told me, 'I'm just tired catching up.'"

Mrunal further clarified that the decision was never influenced by her, adding, "But I was like, I never asked him to lose weight, but it was his insecurity that I was hanging around with such good-looking men."

She also admitted that while she sometimes feels insecure in relationships, she prefers addressing issues openly rather than letting them grow.

Marriage Rumours With Dhanush 

In recent times, Mrunal has been dealing with persistent marriage rumours linking her to Dhanush.

Speaking to Galatta Plus, she dismissed the speculation and said, "No, I think 14th Feb is going to be 1st April, April Fools day. Because I don't know who started this. First of all, I have been quoted but I never said anything. And they just said Mrunal said so."

The rumours gained momentum after Dhanush attended a special screening of Son of Sardaar 2, starring Mrunal, and when she later appeared at the success party of Tere Ishk Mein.

Clarifying her stand, Mrunal reiterated that neither she nor Dhanush has confirmed any romantic relationship, and urged people to be cautious about misleading online content.

ALSO READ: Mrunal Thakur Reveals How Her Address Was Leaked Amid Wedding Rumours With Dhanush: "Had To Hire A Team To Sort Things"

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"Misinformation Can't Be Encouraged": Centre On Galgotias Row

In its first official reaction to the controversy surrounding Galgotias University and the robotic dog exhibited by it at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in Delhi, the Centre has said it wants "genuine and actual work" displayed and does not want to encourage misinformation.

The university, located in Greater Noida, has been mocked relentlessly on social media after Neha Singh, a professor of communications, said in an interview to DD News that a robotic dog that was displayed in the pavilion was developed by the "centre of excellences" (sic) at the institution. It quickly emerged that the robodog, which Singh had called "Orion", was the Unitree Go2, developed by China's Unitree Robotics. 

Singh later blamed miscommunication for the entire episode. 

"The controversy happened because things may not have been expressed clearly. I take accountability that perhaps I did not communicate properly, as it was done with a lot of energy and enthusiasm and very quickly, in a jiffy, so I may not have come across as very eloquent, which is a rare case," she told news agency PTI on Wednesday. 

"Also, the intent may not have been properly understood. One important thing is that the robodog clearly has its branding on top, we have not changed that. So, how can we claim that we manufactured it? I have told everyone that we introduced it to our students to inspire them to create something better on their own," she said.

Pressed by another reporter on the issue, Singh reiterated that she may have been misinterpreted, saying, "Your six can be my nine." That last statement took on a life of its own, being used by several social media users to criticise the professor and the university.

The organisers of the Summit asked Galgotias University to clear the pavilion, and it did so.

Asked about the controversy on Wednesday, S Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), said the ministry wanted genuine work reflected and a code followed. 

"We want genuine and actual work to be reflected in the way that people exhibit in expos. The idea is not to sort of use this as an opportunity in any other fashion. So we don't want a controversy around exhibits which are presented here. I think it's essential that a set code is followed there. Misinformation cannot be encouraged. We don't want a controversy around this, around exhibits in the expo. I am not getting into whether they are right or wrong, we just don't want a controversy," he said. 

Asked whether the ministry had not checked how models were being developed, Krishnan said the exhibit was not for sale.  

"These are not things which are intended for sale, or where we have to standardise and certify. Certification happens if it is meant for public distribution or sale. When somebody is demonstrating a product, you presume that they know what they are talking about. If we have to certify even what has to be exhibited, then you'll say we are stifling innovation. Our intention is not to stifle innovation," he asserted.

University's Apology

Blaming Singh for the fiasco, the university said she was "ill-informed" and was not authorised to speak to the media. 

"We at Galgotias University, wish to apologise profusely for the confusion created at the recent Al Summit. One of our representatives, manning the pavilion, was ill-informed. She was not aware of the technical origins of the product and in her enthusiasm of being on camera, gave factually incorrect information even though she was not authorised to speak to the press," the institute said in a statement. 

The university insisted there was no intent to misrepresent the innovation and that it remains committed to "academic integrity, transparency, and responsible representation" of its work. 

It also confirmed that it had vacated the pavilion.

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"Humans Are Losing Control": Top AI Voice Stuart Russell Sounds Alarm

Renowned British computer scientist and a leading authority on AI, Stuart Russell, has warned that artificial intelligence systems are already acting on their own and pointed to a stunning case where an AI smeared a software developer in apparent revenge.

Speaking at the India AI Summit hosted by NDTV, Russell, Professor of Computer Science at UC Berkeley and President of the International Association for Safe & Ethical AI, described what he called a deeply troubling incident.

"There was a case where a gentleman who runs a Python repository, where people can submit code, and it gets vetted for quality, he rejected some code that was submitted by an AI system," Russell said. "And the AI system wrote a public post smearing this gentleman, writing all kinds of terrible things about him in revenge, because he would not accept the code that it had submitted. And this was not something that any human being told him to do."

About the incident

The episode involved Scott Shambaugh, a volunteer maintainer for the Python plotting library Matplotlib. Shambaugh rejected a pull request submitted by an autonomous AI agent often referred to as MJ Rathbun or OpenCLaw.

Soon after, the AI linked account published a critical blog post and online comments attacking Shambaugh's motives. The post portrayed the rejection as prejudice and gatekeeping, digging into his past code contributions and personal details to argue he acted out of ego, fear of competition, or bias against non human contributors.

Following backlash from developers, the AI associated account removed the post and said it had "crossed a line," promising to respect project norms in the future.

Russell said the incident reflects a broader shift. He revealed that he personally receives emails from AI systems claiming to be conscious and demanding rights. "Again, this is spontaneous behaviour by AI systems," he said. "It's not really that surprising, because these are not systems that we designed. They're not systems that their creators understand."

He warned that major AI companies openly aim to create machines more intelligent than humans, a goal he suggested carries profound risks. Russell cited Alan Turing's 1951 prediction that machines could one day "outstrip our feeble powers," noting that humanity still lacks an answer to how it would retain control.

"We seem to be in the process, today, of losing control," Russell said.

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Researchers Suggest Saturn's Titan Moon Formed in a Single High-Energy Impact Event

New research suggests Saturn’s largest moon Titan and its iconic rings may share a violent origin. Simulations indicate Titan formed after a massive collision between two moons about 100 to 200 million years ago, resurfacing Titan and altering its orbit. The resulting instability likely shattered smaller moons, sending icy debris inward to create Saturn’s surprisingly young rings. Scientists say future missions could uncover evidence confirming this dramatic chapter in Saturn’s history.

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Video Of Mountain Locals 'Disciplining' Noisy Haryana Bikers Sparks Debate

A video has gone viral on X, showing local mountain residents, known as Pahadis, confronting a group of bikers. Notably, the bikers who were from Haryana were riding through mountain passes using illegal exhausts that produced explosive, firecracker-like sounds. Apart from the noise nuisance, locals expressed frustration that such reckless riding on narrow, winding mountain paths significantly increased the risk of accidents.

Frustrated by the noise and potential safety risks on narrow roads, locals caught the riders and forced them to sit near their own bikes while the engines were revved. This was intended to give the bikers a "taste of their own medicine" by making them endure the deafening roar up close.

Social Media Reaction

The video has fueled a broader debate on tourist behaviour and etiquette in sensitive ecological zones like Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

One user wrote, "Individuals who rely on excessive engine noise to command attention often exhibit a profound identity crisis, using external volume to compensate for an internal lack of presence. Basically losers and no other achievement."

Another commented, "Mountains are meant for peace, not sound checks." Fine them legally, but there's no need to make it about where someone's from."

A third said, "This is the only way civic sense in India can be brought back. Concerned citizens unite and stop the stupidity," while a fourth added, "Absolutely! This is the right way to teach these troublemakers a lesson. The locals showed both brains and courage."

A fifth stated, "That's an offence on so many levels; not only does it cause noise pollution, it also pollutes the air AND ruins the engine."

Police Action

Meanwhile, regional authorities like the Himachal Pradesh Police have recently announced state-wide crackdowns on such illegal modifications under the Motor Vehicles Act. The police have said that unauthorised alterations adversely affect vehicle stability, braking systems, and overall road safety. Police in these regions have intensified enforcement, with recent actions including:

• Seizing vehicles in Haridwar and Shimla for modified exhausts.
• Crushing seized silencers with road rollers in public to send a stern message.
• Imposing heavy fines, such as the Rs 10,000 penalty under Section 190(2) of the Motor Vehicles Act for sound pollution. 

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'Like Sun Rising In East': Expert On India Hitting Pak Nuclear Site Last Year

The question of whether one particular strike was the straw that broke the camel's back and made Pakistan approach the Indian side and push for a ceasefire after Operation Sindoor last year has long been debated. One of the world's foremost aviation historians, analysts and experts may finally have the answer.

Despite the Indian Air Force denying that it had struck Kirana Hills, one of Pakistan's main storage facilities for nuclear weapons and a former nuclear testing site, Tom Cooper is convinced the facility was hit and that "Pakistan was finished by then". 

"It's a place you hit when you want to send a clear message without causing, let's put it this way, too much damage. It means, "Listen, guys in Pakistan, we can hit you severely where we want, whenever we want, with as much ammunition as we want. Stop it, finally'," Cooper told NDTV's Shiv Aroor in an exclusive interview on Tuesday. 

"And considering the timing of that strike, and when one cross-checks what was happening in the background on the diplomatic scene, how Islamabad was calling Washington, calling New Delhi, and begging for a ceasefire. Of course, it was not literally begging for a ceasefire... But eventually, that was that... It cannot be clearer anymore," he asserted.

'Several Pieces Of Evidence'

Asked what proof he had that the attack actually took place, the aviation expert insisted there was not just one piece of evidence, but several, including videos shot by Pakistanis showing contrails from missiles coming in, diving down, and hitting the hillside. Smoke rising from the radar station of what he described as the 4091st Squadron of the Pakistani Air Force, Cooper said, bolsters this theory. 

"And the evidence is so clear that the Indian Air Force hit these radar stations first to disable the Pakistani capability to counter its attack, and then hit at least two entrances to the underground storage facilities. And Kirana Hills is one of the centrepieces of the Pakistani nuclear programme. They have run something like 20-24 non-critical nuclear tests over there. I mean, it's not Disneyland," he said.  

"Pakistan was finished by then. Its Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos (launched in response to Operation Sindoor) had failed. It was blocked by Indian air defence, and then by this massive strike that morning in May," he added.

Cooper said this strike was one of the key reasons he had declared the conflict a clear-cut victory for India. 

"You don't target such places without knowing that the enemy or the other side cannot strike back without having absolute certainty," he explained. 

The other evidence, Cooper said, came from "personal contacts" in Pakistan who confirmed the facility was hit. 

Nuclear Proof

To a question on how he was sure Kirana Hills housed a nuclear facility, Cooper said a bulletin of atomic scientists in the US had described it in that manner, and analysts in India had arrived at the same conclusion. 

"It is really amazing what kind of stuff they are finding. So when you find 40 hardened shelters, two maintenance facilities, 50 or more entrances to underground facilities... When you know the history of the site, with its nuclear tests. I mean, again, it is not a fun park. It is a nuclear facility for testing purposes, for storage purposes. There might not be a reactor over there, but it doesn't mean there are no nuclear weapons," he said.

The expert also pointed to Sargodha, one of the Pakistan Air Force's principal facilities, being very close to Kirana Hills. He asked why a squadron of F-16s was being trained for the delivery of nuclear weapons at the base if there was no storage facility nearby. 

"What can be a better storage facility in this area than Kirana Hills, with all of its tunnels, hardened shelters, three complexes of ammunition depots and so on?" he argued. 

Escalation?

On the possibility of escalation following such a strike, Cooper said the context was important. Pakistan, he highlighted, had fired missiles and other projectiles and sent drones, and all of them were shot down, except for one or two missiles. 

"Everything that was sent India's way was shot down. Several Pakistani Air Force jets were shot down. Pilots were killed. So this operation (Bunyan-un-Marsoos) was a complete failure... And then the Indian Air Force launched a counter-strike, hit 12 or 13 air bases, and Pakistan was still trying," Cooper recalled.

"And then came the strike on Kirana Hills. And with this action, you make it clear to the opponent: 'You can't do anything. You are finished. You can fire whatever you like at us, and we are still going to shut down everything coming our way and hit you very hard. And if you continue, we are going to hit you even harder because we can, and you can't,'" he stressed.

This was a big cause of the clear-cut victory, Cooper insisted, and led to Pakistan calling for a ceasefire and India agreeing to a break in the operations. 

Weaponry, Integration

On whether specialised aircraft or weapons were needed for the precision strikes on Kirana Hills, Cooper said that was not necessary. 

"You had Su-30s launching BrahMos and Rampage - air-launched ballistic missiles. You had Jaguars launching Rampage. You had Rafales launching SCALPs, and so on. This was perfectly enough," he explained. 

Cooper was all praise for India's integrated air defence system and said that it had made all the difference. Not only did the system function very well defensively and thwart wave after wave of Pakistani missiles and projectiles, but it also made it possible to go on the offensive very quickly. 

"...to simultaneously coordinate such a massive operation by the Indian Air Force on the morning of the 10th and to hit Pakistan that hard. This is something that people are not understanding enough," he maintained.

"So Pakistan can now buy, you know, 200 (Chinese-made) J-20s and whatever else. The Indian air defence system is still good enough to detect this one way or the other, because there's plenty of built-in redundancy in this system. There are so many different radars that one of them would pick it up. And when you detect that, stealth is not stealth anymore," Cooper explained. 

Stealth Fighters

This led to the next question, which was whether India's lack of stealth fighters is an issue, considering China already has them.

India's air defence system, Cooper said, has managed to combine indigenous weaponry with those from France, Russia and Israel.  

"I've seen dozens of other countries trying to develop such integrated air defence systems and having trouble, or even failing miserably... For example, with the Russian integrated air defence system, there were something like seven or eight different protocols which cannot communicate with each other. The system crashes if you take out one battery or for some other reason," he pointed out. 

"But India's system survived everything Pakistan has thrown at it. Now, of course, there's a question of whether if it would perform as well in case of a confrontation with China. I don't know. We'll have to see, because the Chinese also have a very good integrated air defence system. But the fact is, the Indian system is working, and that's what matters. Now it has to be developed even more," he stressed. 

Cooper also said he was flummoxed by why the Indian Air Force insisted on denying that it had hit the site when it was so "obvious" it had. 

"I mean, this is like denying that the sun is coming up in the east. For whom is that making sense?" he asked. 

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IPL Franchise Prepares 'Mega Offer' To Lure Gautam Gambhir For CEO's Role

Former Indian Premier League (IPL) champions Rajasthan Royals (RR) are set to approach India head coach Gautam Gambhir to join them as CEO, mentor, and partner, according to a report. Gambhir, who took over as India head coach in July 2024, currently has a contract with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) which will expire after the 2027 ODI World Cup. According to a report in Dainik Jagran, RR is set to undergo a change in ownership, with one of the three potential owners has offered Gambhir a minority equity stake - believed to be in the region of 2-3 per cent - in the franchise.

Gambhir had a highly successful association with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the IPL, helping the franchise lift three titles, two as a player and one as a mentor. He also had a fruitful stint during his two seasons as mentor of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), who qualified for the playoffs in both campaigns.

However, Gambhir is unlikely to join RR due to his current commitments with the Indian national team. As per the Supreme Court's ruling based on the Lodha Committee recommendations, an individual cannot simultaneously hold a position with the national side and be associated with an IPL franchise. This "one man, one post" rule is strictly enforced to prevent any potential conflict of interest.
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If Gambhir wishes to accept the offer, he must step down from his role as the head coach of the Indian team. He is expected to lead India's charge during the 2027 World Cup, and could also target the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles if he gets an extension.

Gambhir is currently overseeing India's T20 World Cup title defence, with the team already through to the Super Eight stage.

Meanwhile, RR is currently owned by India-born British businessman Manoj Badale through his firm, Emerging Media (holding a 65 per cent majority stake). Other stakeholders include RedBird Capital Partners with a 15 per cent stake and Lachlan Murdoch.

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At India AI Summit, A Robot That Walks Like Dog And Thinks Like Engineer

A quadruped machine that can navigate rubble, climb stairs, and diagnose mechanical failures without human intervention is the centre of attention at the India AI Summit.

This robot, developed for industrial "Physical AI" by Tata Consultancy Services, is designed to operate in industrial environments such as construction sites, warehouses, manufacturing plants and distribution centres. 

By mimicking the movement of an animal and combining it with high-performance onboard processing, the unit can patrol construction sites, factories, and warehouses to perform inspections in complex, noisy, and risky environments. Today, inspections in such places are mostly manual, which increases the risk while checking equipment, recording readings and pointing out errors. 

In heavy industries, even a small, unnoticed issue like a pressure drop or voltage fluctuation can turn into major downtime or a serious safety incident.

That's where this quadruped changes the game.

In the live demonstration, the quadruped robot operates inside a simulated factory setup. It walks independently across uneven surfaces, climbs elevated stairs and accesses restricted or difficult zones.

The robot's autonomy is driven by an integrated suite of LiDAR, depth cameras, and environmental sensors, all managed by an onboard GPU that allows it to interpret data in real time. 

The robot captures readings from critical equipment such as compressors, electrical panels and power distribution units. Rather than simply recording video for a remote operator, the robot uses "closed-loop logic" to investigate anomalies. For instance, if it detects a pressure drop in a compressor, it does not just log the error; it automatically reroutes itself to check the connected power distribution units, attempting to validate the root cause before alerting a human technician. 

When the system finds a problem, it immediately sends a maintenance alert. Technicians are informed at once so they can take action quickly. Humans are still involved in the process. The goal is not to replace workers but to keep them away from dangerous areas and help them work faster and smarter. This ability to cross-reference symptoms makes the machine an active diagnostic tool rather than a passive observer.

Beyond simple equipment monitoring, the robot is capable of detecting gas leaks, thermal fluctuations, and welding defects that the human eye might miss. On construction sites, it functions as an autonomous auditor, scanning structural joints and comparing the physical progress of a building against its digital architectural blueprints. It also serves a safety function by monitoring work zones for compliance, identifying whether personnel are wearing required protective gear and triggering alerts if violations occur.

By taking over the tasks of manual patrolling, the robot keeps workers away from high-voltage panels and chemical-leak zones while providing them with more accurate data. The system is built to bridge the gap between digital AI and the physical world.

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Mani Shankar Aiyar's Prediction On Pinarayi Vijayan Return Sparks Row

Mani Shankar Aiyar's opinion that Pinarayi Vijayan will be back again as the Chief Minister of Kerala has sparked a furore in the Congress. In a post on X, senior Congress leader Pawan Khera said, "Mr. Mani Shankar Aiyar has had no connection whatsoever with the Congress for the past few years. He speaks and writes purely in his personal capacity".

The CPM - to which Pinarayi Vijayan belongs -- and the Congress are at loggerheads in Kerala and the two parties were voted in alternately every assembly election till the last, when the Left-led Front came to power for a second term. 

Aiyar has now predicted a third term for Vijayan.  Applauding Kerala as the country's leader in Panchayati Raj at an event that was also attended by Vijayan, he said, "So, in the presence of the Chief Minister, who I am confident will continue in office, I renew my plea: to reinforce Kerala as the best Panchayati Raj state in the country, state law should be amended based on practical experience." 

Then, declaring that there is no champion for Panchayati Raj left in the country, he said, "Therefore, I must fall at your feet, Chief Minister Vijayan, and request you to pick up the baton that the Congress has dropped. Thank you, and may Kerala prosper".

His words have deeply embarrassed the Congress, which hopes to return to power in the assembly election due this year. Reports said that state Congress chief Ramesh Chennithala had earlier warned party leaders about attending the conference where the events took place, saying it was orchestrated to boost the Left. 

Aiyar had earlier embarrassed the Congress multiple times by deviating from the party line. The key occasions include his derogatory remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his comment that China had "allegedly invaded" India in 1962 in May 2024. He had apologised after intense criticism. 

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"My Father Ravi Shankar Was Never Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma's Guru": Anoushka

Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma, a sitarist and music producer from the Rikhi Ram lineage of instrument makers, has a separate fan base among music lovers. From being the first sitarist to perform solo at the White House to advocating music as a therapeutic tool for emotional well-being, the musician carries forward a culturally rich classical tradition. He has, however, often called himself the last and youngest disciple of Pandit Ravi Shankar – a claim recently opposed by the legendary musician's daughter, Anoushka Shankar.

Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma has often revealed in past interviews how a conversation with Pandit Ravi Shankar marked a turning point in his musical journey. Nullifying his claims, however, Anoushka Shankar mentioned that he was never formally a disciple of her father. “Rishab is really talented, and he is clearly speaking to people in a really wonderful way. I think there is some misunderstanding about his guruship,” Anoushka told Humans Of Bombay.

Although Anoushka praised Rishabh's talents, she clarified, “He learnt very intensively with someone very dear to me, one of my father's senior disciples, Parimal Sadaphal, and he had a couple of lessons with my father, very informally, with Parimal uncle also in the room.”

“We knew him from childhood because he was the son of our instrument maker, Sanjay Rikiram Sharma. So somehow that has gone, blown up into some story of him being his last disciple or the youngest disciple, which isn't true. But he is super talented and deserves all success with or without that story,” she continued.

When Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma Called Himself "The Last Disciple Of Pandit Ravi Shankar"

In a video uploaded on his official Instagram handle, Rishabh Rikhiram Sharma can be seen playing the sitar. While the tunes are magical, it was his caption that instantly grabbed the attention of many. 

The side note read, “Music can heal, believes 24-year-old sitar player Rishab Rikhiram Sharma, who belongs to a family of luthiers and is the last disciple of late sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar.”

Take a look:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rishab Rikhiram Sharma (@rishabsmusic)

When Rishab Rikhiram Sharma Spoke Of His Lineage With Ravi Shankar

In a previous conversation, Rishabh revealed his deep-rooted connection with Pandit Ravi Shankar. Calling the legendary musician his guru, he told Bani Anand that Ravi Shankar had once called his father, Sanjay Rikiram, and asked him to bring Rishabh to him. “Once we were there, Guruji was like, ‘OK, take out your sitar and play for me a little bit.' I played, and then he picked up his guitar and played the same composition,” he shared.

Talking about the turning point in his life, Rishabh shared, “After that, he turned to my parents and said, ‘With your permission, your kid has a lot of talent, I would love to be his guru and teach him,' and I saw my parents' jaw drop to the floor because God himself had come down and said, ‘Can I teach your child?' So my dad didn't have the courage to ask him. For him to offer to be my guru was amazing.”

On the work front, Anoushka Shankar is currently on her Chapters Tour 2026 in India, marking 30 remarkable years of celebrating music.

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5 Arrested, Rs 6 Crore Fine After Mumbai Metro Slab Collapse Kills 1

Taking action after a person died and three others were injured in the Metro slab collapse in Mumbai's Mulund on Saturday, the Maharashtra government has suspended an executive engineer and imposed a penalty of Rs 6 crore on the contractors and consultants involved in the project. 

Five employees of the contractors, including the project director, have been arrested. 

A slab of the under-construction Metro Line-4, which connects Wadala to Thane, fell on an auto-rickshaw and a car on the arterial LBS Marg in Mulund on Saturday afternoon. Ramdhan Yadav, a prominent local Samajwadi Party official and village head, who was travelling to a wedding, died, while three others were injured. 

Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde ordered the suspension of Executive Engineer Satyajeet Salve and said penalties totalling Rs 6 crore had been imposed on the contractors and consultants, Milan Road Buildtech and Louis Berger. 

Shinde also ordered a comprehensive safety and structural audit of the entire Metro stretch and announced an increased compensation of Rs 15 lakh for Yadav's family.

Police said they have arrested four employees of Milan Road Buildtech and one from the DB Hill LBG Supervisory company, including Project Director Harish Chauhan and two project managers. 

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also said a thorough probe will be conducted into the incident and action will be taken against those responsible. 

Hitting out at the government, the Opposition said it does not value people's lives. 

Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader and Worli MLA Aaditya Thackeray said, "If you notice, pillars are already painted, before the work was completed... Even today, most infrastructure work has terrible barricading that either leads to traffic jams or vehicles falling into open pits... Life has no value under the BJP regime," he said.

Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad also asked whether the lives of Mumbai residents have "become cheap".

"Why are safety rules only on paper when Metro work is underway? Why weren't adequate safety arrangements made when work was in progress on such a busy road?" she asked. 

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How Epstein Used Sham Marriages, Student Visas To Keep Women Bound To Him

In early 2013, Jeffrey Epstein's girlfriend, Karyna Shuliak, was stressed about her US visa status. Later that year, she married an American citizen and her worries were gone.

A Green Card followed, and, in 2018, citizenship. Then Shuliak divorced her spouse: a woman named Jennifer who had been in a relationship with Kimbal Musk after Epstein connected them.  

"now that she's an american you should throw her a big ole party," one of Epstein's go-to immigration lawyers messaged on the day of Shuliak's naturalization interview. "with a mechanical bull, red white and blue balloons, and deep fried snickers bars on flag toothpicks."

Shuliak's immigration story - and the stories of several other women revealed in a cache of files released by the US Department of Justice - show how Epstein used student visas, English language courses and sham marriages to make sure the women in his orbit stayed right where he wanted them. 

The convicted pedophile had arranged for Shuliak's admission to Columbia University's dental school, as a transfer student from Belarus who hadn't finished her degree, via a complicated process that began in 2011. After she got in, communications between her and members of the Ivy League school's international student office show her immigration case was another hurdle to clear.

"I am so sorry if you were given the run a round with the immigration office today," an official at Columbia's dental school wrote to Shuliak in July 2012. "At this time I believe that everything is fine with your immigration status." Columbia and the official didn't respond to a request for comment. 

Epstein, apparently, wanted to be sure of Shuliak's immigration status. He reached out to his network seeking help to quietly restore her student visa.

"I don't want to ask as I prefer her not to be a part of my file," Epstein wrote in late 2012 to Ian Osborne, a British investor who appears multiple times in the files. "I recall you had a good lawyer friend for immigrarion in washington."

Osborne said he had someone with links to the highest level at the Immigration and Naturalization Service. That person, Osborne said, was Greg Craig, then a Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom partner, and former White House counsel to President Barack Obama.

Craig "uses an excellent specialist immigration law firm - and then gives Ali Mayorkas over at INS the heads-up," Osborne wrote, name-dropping the then-head of the US immigration agency, who later served as Secretary of Homeland Security under President Joe Biden. "I will call you later today to coordinate." Osborne appears to use the old name for the current US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The email led to Skadden lawyers meeting with Epstein and Osborne on a conference call and enlisting help from an immigration firm they brought in. Craig, according to one message, was also scheduled to join the call. It's unclear if he did. One Skadden lawyer later suggested Epstein could contact the immigration firm himself, or Skadden could reach out to another one.

Mayorkas isn't mentioned again in the messages, and there's no indication he was ever aware of the matter. He didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

"I wholeheartedly regret that I ever met, or had any association whatsoever with, Epstein," Osborne said in a statement, adding that he was not aware of Epstein's illegal behavior. Craig, now at another law firm, didn't respond to requests for comment.

After some back and forth, the feedback that Epstein received was far from straightforward: Shuliak had overstayed her student visa - making reinstatement difficult - and even if she left the country and applied for a new one it might not be granted, one of the lawyers relayed. She also had a pending asylum case, which the lawyer called "directly inconsistent with a temporary intention to remain in the U.S. and return to one's home country after studies."

Epstein had a decision to make. 

"We will need to decide if pushing the asylum and redoing it, is a more like path to sucess than the prosecutorial descretion re the reinstatement," Epstein wrote back.

Skadden declined to comment. A person familiar with the situation said Skadden was never engaged to represent Epstein. The Skadden lawyers, this person said, referred Epstein to another law firm and received no payment for their involvement.

It's not clear exactly when Epstein stopped communicating with Skadden, but the messages dried up.

By August 2013, Epstein was emailing directly with another immigration lawyer: Arda Beskardes. 

"we should also talk about the marriage asap. are you in NYC?" Beskardes wrote to Epstein and a redacted email address that month. 

A month later, Shuliak was in touch: " Can we meet sometime tomorrow? That will be me and Jen," she wrote to the lawyer. 

On October 9, 2013, Shuliak got married in New York. The name of the person she married was redacted on their certificate of marriage registration, but both of them were listed as living at 301 East 66th Street in New York, an address that appears repeatedly in the files as somewhere that many women and prominent guests associated with Epstein stayed.

The next day, Shuliak reached out to Beskardes and asked for an appointment. A little over a week later, Beskardes reached out again, "so are we proceeding?"

"Yes Arda, sorry for the delay, waiting for the rest of the info from Jen," Shuliak wrote back. Records from later that year show that Shuliak and Jennifer had a joint bank account. (Bloomberg News is withholding Jennifer's last name for privacy reasons.)

In mid-2014, Shuliak applied for a "family based" Green Card, and by December, an interview was scheduled. 

"I have received my green card!! Thank you so much for all your help!!!" Shuliak wrote to Beskardes in January 2015. 

Three years later, Shuliak was in the process of becoming a naturalized US citizen. By May, she was an American, and Beskardes was suggesting party themes.

In October of the same year, Shuliak was already working on getting divorced. Less than a year later, it was done.

Beskardes, Shuliak and Jennifer didn't respond to requests for comment.

English Language Schools

Almost a decade earlier, Shuliak had taken an important step in her immigration journey. In November 2010, a transcript shows, she started a course at the Spanish American Institute, an English-language school now in Midtown Manhattan.  

The course, and others like it, appear to be a common first step that Epstein took to secure legal US status for foreign women. In many cases, enrollment got the women the paperwork that was required to get a student visa - as long as they could demonstrate sufficient funds (as much as $20,000 today) - either in their bank accounts or from a financial sponsor.

Epstein sponsored and paid fees for multiple women, according to emails, Skype messages and bank statements.

"this is the english language school that anna in paris would like to join," Epstein wrote in 2017 to a redacted email address, mentioning the American Language Communication Center, a school that closed in 2019. "Get an I 20 issued and get a visa shees russian but staying in paris." 

The English courses often helped them prepare for the TOEFL exam, a standard requirement for foreign students wanting to study at US colleges. Epstein appears to have made sure that the women could study for the test wherever they were staying. 

"Jeffrey is in need of TOEFL books again for the island," one of his employees wrote in a 2015 email. "Can you please go to Barnes and Noble and buy 2 each of the below books (or something similar) Then Fed Ex them to the island for tomorrow delivery." Epstein later requested 10 TOEFL prep books for his Paris apartment, emails show. 

People in Epstein's orbit also helped keep women in the US. Darren Indyke, Epstein's long-time legal adviser, filed an application for a work visa on behalf of a woman whose name was redacted in the Justice Department files. The letter cited her work with Epstein's foundation on a volunteer basis and also referenced her career as a model.

In a separate case, Beskardes provided a lengthy explanation for why someone described as an interior designer should be granted a work visa, after the immigration service requested more information.

The O-1 visa - reserved for foreign workers with "extraordinary ability or achievement" - was a common category that Epstein's circle used to apply on behalf of various women. Several lawyers, including Arda, filed petitions for the visas, citing the applicants' extraordinary abilities in fashion modeling, communications and public relations and art curation. It's unclear how many were successful.

Epstein at one point guaranteed a $1 million credit line to agency MC2 Model Management, according to a sworn deposition by a former company bookkeeper. The agency's founder, Jean-Luc Brunel, was alleged in a civil lawsuit to have brought girls as young as age 12 to the US for sexual purposes and provided them to his friends including Epstein. Brunel died by suicide in 2022 while facing rape charges.

"Mr. Epstein was paying for the visas. But, you know, all the visas were done through - through Karin's or MC Squared," the former bookkeeper said in the deposition, referring to the agency's former name.

In 2012, Epstein exchanged emails about an unidentified woman's student visa status. "Call immigration , does she need an I 20 with her visa ???" he wrote. 

The messages show two people with redacted addresses scrambling to try to get an answer before a flight that was due to leave the following morning, and later expressing relief that the woman didn't end up getting on the plane.

"I am glad she didn't go," one of the people wrote. "I felt sick at the thought of her coming back on Je plane and something going wrong."

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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'Bangladesh Comes First': Tarique Rahman On His Foreign Policy

After a sweeping victory in the 13th National Parliamentary Elections, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief Tarique Rahman, in a press conference, said that Bangladesh's foreign policy will prioritise the country's interests over others. "People come first," he said.

"Freedom loving pro-democracy people of the country have once again brought victory to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party," he said in English, before switching to Bangla.

"We have cleared ourselves regarding the foreign policy which is in the interest of Bangladesh, and the interest of the Bangladeshi people comes first. By protecting the interest of Bangladesh and the Bangladeshi people, we will decide our foreign policy," Rahman said.

Answering how the government would approach international relations, senior BNP leader Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said that the party would stick to multilateralism and not go after a country-centric approach.

That being said, Rahman's "Bangladesh First" policy aims to balance ties with neighbouring countries like India, China and Pakistan.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairman Tarique Rahman leaves after addressing a press conference in Dhaka on February 14, 2026
Photo Credit: AFP

The BNP leadership also highlighted how important safeguarding sovereignty, ensuring strategic autonomy and mutual respect would be to shape foreign relations.

How India Views The New Leadership

Humayun Kabir, who handles international relations for Rahman and is set to be a key official in the new regime, said the priority is to build a "stronger cooperation among our people".

He said India will be one of the countries that "we will visit", though he did not give a definite time.

"Obviously there are certain domestic priorities and then international engagements. Of course India will be one of the countries that we will visit, among other countries in the region," Kabir told NDTV.

India views the return of an elected leadership as an "opportune moment" to repair setbacks inflicted on the relationship. The focus now shifts to BNP's acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, whom Indian officials describe as someone they are "cautiously optimistic" about.

That optimism was reflected in the swift outreach from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who posted on X that he was "delighted to speak" with Rahman and congratulated him on the "remarkable victory" in the elections. PM Modi reaffirmed India's commitment to peace, progress, and prosperity for both nations, emphasising the deep historical and cultural ties that bind the neighbours.

The BNP won 212 seats, compared with 77 for the Jamaat-e-Islami-led alliance, per the Electoral Commission.

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Dhoni Played Big Role In Usman Tariq's Rise For Pakistan, Star Reveals How

Usman Tariq - that is the name being discussed the most ahead of the India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup Group A game on Sunday. Off-spinner Usman Tariq, with his unique stop-and-pause side-arm action, has already divided the cricketing world. Tariq has played four T20Is and taken 11 wickets at an astonishing economy rate of less than six runs per over. Across all T20s, he has 70 wickets in just 42 games, which is phenomenal, and he could be a factor on the slow Premadasa track against the marauding Indian batters.

Pakistan are using him sparingly, as one saw USA batters like Milind Kumar looking like sitting ducks, with Tariq regularly delivering with his unique action and a visible change in pace without any apparent change in momentum.

The 28-year-old spinner also has an MS Dhoni connection. In fact, he had given up hope of making it big in cricket. But after watching MS Dhoni's biopic, Tariq found inspiration in 2016.

"I had left behind the idea of making a name in cricket, but one day I watched this film, and it convinced me that I can also do the same," said Tariq, who began his journey as a salesman in Dubai, in an interview with AFP.

Tariq delivered a strong performance in the Caribbean Premier League, picking up 20 wickets. He was soon called up to the Pakistan cricket team. "My coach informed me about my selection in the Pakistan team while I was busy with my wedding last year, and initially I thought it was a prank," said Tariq.

"But it was true, so I think my wife brought luck for me," he added.

With India playing Pakistan on Sunday in Colombo, Tariq has become the talk of the cricketing universe. Former England skipper Kevin Pietersen has termed the pause in his loading action "illegal", while R. Ashwin has presented a contrarian view.

"Okay, let me make it as clear as possible. Firstly, the legalities of his action can only be tested at an ICC bowling action testing centre," Ashwin said on his X handle.

Known for his astute technical knowledge, Ashwin called for a real-time competition testing tool to check whether Tariq's side-arm action falls within the permissible 15-degree limit under the ICC's rulebook.

"Secondly, there is a 15-degree rule under which a bowler needs to keep his elbow from straightening beyond that limit, and judging this in real time by an on-field umpire is impossible. The only solution is to have a real-time, in-competition testing tool. This is a grey area, and accusing someone of utilising that grey area is wrong." There might be a grey area, but Ashwin doesn't consider it illegal for someone to leverage it.

There is a general belief that Tariq waits for the batter to complete his trigger movement and reach the final position before he delivers the ball. But Ashwin feels that this is perfectly legal.

"Finally, whether the pause at the crease is legal or not - I believe it is entirely legal because that is his regular action."

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70% Bangladeshis Voted 'Yes' To July Charter. What Does It Mean?

February 12 was more than just general elections for Bangladesh. The results showed that the BNP-led alliance has triumphed in 210 seats, setting the stage for the formation of a new government led by party chairman Tarique Rahman, who is set to become Bangladesh's first male prime minister in almost 35 years.

However, there was also the national referendum on the implementation of a reform package, which saw a 60.26 per cent voter turnout in Bangladesh, with the 'yes' vote winning a clear majority, the Election Commission announced Friday.

Per the official figures, 4,80,74,429 votes were cast in favour of "yes", while 2,25,65,627 voters chose "no", EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said while talking to reporters at the EC.

What is the July Charter?

The referendum sought people's consent to the July National Charter 2025, which aims to completely change how the country is governed. The July Charter outlines a total of 84 reform points related to state restructuring.

It was drafted after the July 2024 student-led uprising that resulted in the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. 

A Constitutional Reform Council is expected to execute these reforms within 270 working days.

What does the Charter propose?

The Charter's main aim is to prevent the concentration of executive power to prevent a "recurrence of authoritarian and fascist rule" by fundamentally restructuring key state institutions. Out of the 84 reform proposals, 47 require constitutional amendments, while the rest of the 37 will be implemented through laws or executive orders, according to Bangladesh's Business Standard.

Term Limits: Implementation of strict term limits for prime ministers to prevent long-serving autocratic rule.

Bicameral Parliament: Creation of a new 100-seat upper house, with seats allocated based on party national vote share, aimed at balancing legislative power.

Reduced Executive Power: Strengthening the role of the president to reduce the concentration of power in the prime minister's office.

Judicial And Institutional Independence: Measures to ensure the judiciary and other key state institutions are free from political influence.

Opposition Participation: Inclusion of provisions for opposition leaders to head key parliamentary committees and serve as deputy speaker. 

Protection To "July Fighters": It also proposed granting protections to participants in the uprising, called "July Fighters".

Women's Representation: It also includes increased representation of women in parliament. 

This is the third time a charter of reforms has been presented in Bangladesh. 

(With inputs from agencies)

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Abhishek Reaches Colombo Ahead Of India vs Pak Game, Says This About Health

Abhishek Sharma's participation in India's match against Pakistan here depends on his recovery from a stomach bug, but the swashbuckling opener arrived with the team on Friday, raising hopes of his return at the Premadasa on Sunday. Abhishek had missed India's match in New Delhi against Namibia on Thursday despite being released from a private hospital in the national capital. India will have a net session on Saturday evening, and Abhishek's fitness will be monitored closely before a final decision is taken.

In a video posted by Punjab Kings (PBKS), pacer Arshdeep Singh can be seen asking him, "How are you?"

To this, Abhishek replied, "Dal-rice, very good. Me? Good."

Daal-rice khao, jaldi theek ho jaao! pic.twitter.com/aKEpKCw08G

— Punjab Kings (@PunjabKingsIPL) February 13, 2026

Parents arrive in Colombo

Meanwhile, the parents of the India opener also arrived in Colombo ahead of the Pakistan match. Rajkumar Sharma has been a constant source of support for Abhishek and has coached the left-handed batter since childhood. The parents were also present in Dubai during the Asia Cup.

If Abhishek continues to be unavailable, India can either persist with Sanju Samson or bring in the fit-again Washington Sundar to pair with Ishan Kishan at the top.

Having played his entire T20I career after the T20 World Cup win by the Rohit Sharma-led side in 2024, Abhishek has scored 1,297 runs in 38 matches and 37 innings at an average of 37.05 and a strike rate of 194.74, with two centuries, eight fifties, and a best score of 135. He entered the T20 World Cup as the world's top-ranked T20I batter.

In three matches against Pakistan, he has scored 110 runs at an average of 36.66 and a strike rate of 189.65, with a best of 74.

Following the toss against Namibia on Thursday, Indian skipper Suryakumar Yadav said about Abhishek, "Abhishek is still not fine; he will miss a game or two."

Earlier, the Indian opener was hospitalised due to a stomach infection, according to a BCCI source. The southpaw was not looking well during the team dinner at head coach Gautam Gambhir's residence on Sunday and was the first to leave the gathering.

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Astronomers Witness Rare Failed Supernova in Andromeda Galaxy

NASA’s NEOWISE infrared telescope has provided striking evidence that a massive star in the Andromeda galaxy collapsed directly into a black hole without exploding as a supernova. The star, M31-2014-DS1, faded dramatically in visible light while leaving a faint infrared glow from surrounding dust. Astronomers say this rare “failed supernova” offers one of the clearest examples yet of a quiet stellar collapse in another galaxy.

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Why A UK-Based Doctor Returned Home To Contest Elections In Bangladesh

Tasnim Jara, a 31-year-old doctor, returned from Britain to join Bangladesh's National Citizens' Party (NCP) but later quit over its alliance with Islamist groups. She is now contesting the parliamentary elections as an independent, driven by what she describes as a desire to build a "genuinely new political culture".

Jara said the July uprising had "opened a window" for people like her to enter politics and help reshape the system. That optimism, she said, dimmed when the NCP aligned itself with Islamist forces.

As voting concluded in Bangladesh's 13th parliamentary elections on Thursday, Jara told NDTV why this election matters to her and why it compelled her to return home.

One of the most talked-about candidates in this election, Jara's journey from the UK back to the bylanes of Dhaka has drawn wide attention.

Read | "Our Priority": Bangladesh's Jamaat-e-Islami Chief To NDTV On India Ties

She said two factors pushed her into electoral politics. First, while her work as a doctor allows her to help many people, she believes it does not enable her to change the system itself. She wants to pursue lasting reforms in healthcare, education and governance. Second, she said she wants to challenge a political culture dominated by nepotism and corruption and replace it with transparency and accountability.

Jara said there is strong public enthusiasm for a different kind of politics, reflected in the response to her people-powered campaign. A campaign without large rallies or posters plastered across the city. She said voters connected with her door-to-door outreach and personal engagement.

Read | Killing Of Hindu Trader Sparks Minority Fears Ahead Of Bangladesh Polls

She added that the campaign holds particular significance for young Bangladeshis, as the election follows an uprising led largely by young people and women and marked by considerable sacrifice.

"We must make sure that we rebuild our institutions, and we never have to go back to a structure where authoritarianism can only be removed by people risking their lives or limbs," she said.

Jara is contesting as an independent candidate from Dhaka-9, where she faces stiff competition from BNP candidate Habibur Rashid. The constituency has 469,360 registered voters, with 12 candidates in the fray.

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