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Music composer Ismail Darbar is not one to shy away from speaking his mind or even letting fans in on his personal life. The composer, who made waves about marrying the second time, hit the headlines again, this time over his candid discussion about his interfaith marriage and how he raised his son to respect all religions.

Ismail Darbar on giving son Hindu and Muslim name

In a conversation on a YouTube channel hosted by Subhojit Ghosh, Darbar spoke about his youngest son, Imaan Ismail Darbar. Revealing that director Sanjay Leela Bhansali had named him, he went on to state that his son has grown up, learning to participate in both Hindu and Muslim rituals. He shared that his son’s Muslim name is, Imaan while his Hindu name is Maan. He revealed, “When he goes to his maternal grandparents’ home, he’s called Maan there. He also stands in the pooja, puts tilak on his forehead.”

Ismail Darbar on raising son to respect religions

The composer went on to add that he has raised his son to respect all religions, saying, “I have taught him to respect the religion in which he is born, but also respect all the other religions.”

Ismail Darbar on his marriage to Ayesha

During the chat, he also reflected on his second marriage to Ayesha, who reportedly converted to Islam after their wedding. Insisting that he never forced her to change her faith, he gave her due credit for supporting him through an especially difficult period in his career. He shared, “20 years of my life have been very tough. But I salute Ayesha for bearing it with me.”Darbar added that filmmaker Bhansali, with whom he collaborated on films such as ‘Devdas’ and ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’, once even told him, “I am saved just because of my wife, and if it was not for her, I would have been finished.”

As India fight to keep their T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal hopes alive, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya is winning hearts both on and off the field. While his blazing fifties and crucial wickets have propelled India through critical matches, his blossoming romance with girlfriend Mahieka Sharma has emerged as the tournament’s most charming subplot – capturing millions of hearts across social media platforms.

Hardik Pandya’s ‘flying kiss’ heats up Chepauk after his match-winning fifty

The most viral moment of India’s campaign came during the must-win Super 8 clash against Zimbabwe at the MA Chidambaram Stadium on February 26. After smashing a breathtaking 23-ball fifty – his second half-century of the edition – Pandya celebrated his milestone in style by blowing flying kisses to the stands, directed squarely at Mahieka Sharma, who was present cheering for him.

The moment, captured live by broadcast cameras, quickly spread across social media platforms.

Here’s the video:

The way Hardik Pandya gave a flying kiss to his girlfriend Mahika Sharma after smashing 50 (23) vs Zim in the T20 World Cup 2026. 🔥

Giving Neymar vibes — Hardik is truly the Neymar of cricket. 💀 pic.twitter.com/Kmmke4TENU

— Sonu (@Cricket_live247) February 27, 2026

Pandya finished the innings in spectacular fashion, hitting two consecutive sixes off the last two balls to reach his fifty and propel India to a mammoth 256/4. Tilak Varma, standing at the non-striker’s end, reminded Pandya of his milestone, prompting the all-rounder to raise his bat before delivering the romantic gesture .

During India’s final group-stage match against the Netherlands on February 18, he was also spotted blowing a kiss to Mahieka after playing a crucial 30-run knock at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

Mahieka Sharma’s charming presence: From hotel lobby to T20 World Cup stands

Pandya and Mahieka’s relationship was officially confirmed in late 2025, more than a year after his divorce from Natasa Stankovic . Since then, the model has been a constant presence at India’s World Cup matches, travelling to every venue where the team plays.

Mahieka Sharma on Hardik Pandya six#INDvsZIM #T20WorldCup #T20WC2026 #T20WorldCup26 pic.twitter.com/YMgj6P3IiL

— Achyut Kumar Dwivedi (@dwivediachyut41) February 26, 2026

Even before the tournament began, the couple made headlines when they were spotted walking hand-in-hand through the team hotel lobby – with Pandya famously wearing a bathrobe at the time. The moment, captured on video, amused fans and demonstrated the couple’s comfort with public displays of affection.

Mahieka, a 25-year-old model and fitness enthusiast from Gujarat, has built a substantial social media following. Beyond her glamorous profession, she holds a degree in economics and finance and has worked with prestigious brands including Tanishq, Vivo and Uniqlo.

Also READ: T20 World Cup 2026 – India vs West Indies Super 8 Ticket Prices, Booking Details

How Mahieka transformed Hardik’s cricket?

Beyond the viral moments and romantic gestures, Mahieka’s influence on Pandya’s professional life has been equally significant. In candid interviews during the World Cup, Pandya credited his girlfriend with helping him rediscover his passion for cricket.

“A lot of credit goes to the loved ones which I had. Special mention to my partner as well. She’s been nothing but the best to me since she has entered my life and a lot of great things have happened since she has arrived,” Pandya told the media.

He revealed that conversations with Mahieka about the sport brought back what he called his “childhood enthusiasm.” This renewed mindset has translated into performances – Pandya has scored 155 runs in six innings at a strike rate exceeding 150, while also claiming five crucial wickets. His recent Player of the Match performance against Zimbabwe exemplified this resurgence.

Also READ: Virat Kohli’s dream list – Qualities he wishes to inherit from SRK, Dhoni, Ronaldo, Messi, Tendulkar, Taylor Swift and The Rock

The US military used a high-energy laser system to shoot down a government drone near Texas’s Fort Hancock, triggering temporary flight restrictions in the surrounding airspace, reported news agency Reuters, citing congressional aides.The aircraft that was brought down belonged to Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Lawmakers were told the Pentagon deployed a laser-based counter-drone system in the border region, an area that frequently sees drone activity linked to Mexican drug cartels.In a joint statement, the Pentagon, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and CBP confirmed that the military used a “counter-unmanned aircraft system … to mitigate a seemingly threatening unmanned aerial system operating within military airspace.”The agencies added that the episode “took place far away from populated areas and there were no commercial aircraft in the vicinity. These agencies will continue to work on increased cooperation and communication to prevent such incidents in the future.”Even so, the incident exposed coordination gaps between federal agencies.Senior House Democrats, Representatives Rick Larsen, Bennie Thompson and Andre Carson, sharply criticised what they described as poor interagency communication. The trio, who serve on committees overseeing aviation and homeland security matters, said they had previously raised concerns about the administration’s handling of counter-drone policy.The lawmakers said they warned months ago that the White House’s decision to sidestep a bipartisan proposal to train counter-drone operators and address coordination issues “was a short-sighted idea.”“Now, we’re seeing the result of incompetence,” the statement said, according to news agency Reuters.Following the shootdown, the FAA issued a notice citing “special security reasons” and broadened existing flight restrictions near the Mexican border, expanding the restricted radius “to ensure safety.” The agency maintained that the move did not affect commercial air traffic due to the area’s remote location.The Fort Hancock incident comes weeks after another airspace disruption in nearby El Paso. Earlier this month, the FAA temporarily halted traffic at the city’s airport for 10 days before abruptly lifting the restriction roughly eight hours later.Media reports at the time indicated that concerns over testing of the same laser-based anti-drone system prompted the initial shutdown. According to Reuters and others, the FAA ultimately agreed to withdraw the El Paso restrictions after the Pentagon committed to pausing further laser testing pending a safety review.Congressional aides said the Pentagon and CBP had earlier indicated they believed the laser system could be deployed without prior FAA approval.Senator Tammy Duckworth, who chairs the Senate aviation subcommittee for Democrats, called for a formal inquiry into both the drone shootdown and the El Paso airspace episode.“The Trump administration’s incompetence continues to cause chaos in our skies,” Duckworth told Reuters.Lawmakers were reportedly briefed late Thursday about both developments, as questions mounted over how federal agencies coordinate when deploying emerging counter-drone technology in civilian airspace.

MUMBAI: From restricting private vehicles around the Taj Mahal in Agra to corridor-focused clean air interventions in Bogotá, targeted pollution-control zones are showing results globally. Urban experts say Mumbai can replicate — and even expand on — such Healthy Air Zone (HAZ) models to tackle its own rising pollution concerns. For lakhs of Mumbaikars stepping out each morning — from Churchgate to Chembur, Bandra to Bhandup — the daily commute now comes with an invisible companion: polluted air. With construction cranes dotting the skyline, traffic snarls stretching across arterial roads and waste-burning episodes reported in pockets of the city, the fight for clean air has become one of the defining urban challenges for Maharashtra and the country.Across India, air quality governance remains heavily reliant on data from Continuous Ambient Air Quality Monitoring Stations (CAAQMS). But many of these monitors are located away from dense residential pockets, markets and traffic corridors where actual human exposure is often far higher. Studies suggest that people living in tightly packed urban neighbourhoods face greater average pollution exposure than those in less dense areas — with children, pregnant women, senior citizens, those with respiratory ailments and low-income communities bearing the brunt.Urban planners and clean air advocates argue that this city-wide averaging masks hyperlocal realities. “We need to move from broad monitoring to targeted management,” say experts, pointing out that commuters stuck in traffic at Dadar or vendors operating along Crawford Market are exposed to a very different air quality profile than what a distant monitoring station might record. The call is for a paradigm shift — one that focuses on exposure reduction, not just data collection.That shift, they suggest, could come through the adoption of Healthy Air Zones (HAZs) — designated high-density urban areas where emissions are actively controlled through area-based interventions. Globally, similar ideas have taken shape as clean air or low emission zones, primarily targeting polluting vehicles. But Indian cities, including Mumbai, could broaden the scope to tackle multiple pollution sources — from construction dust and road resuspension to waste burning and small industrial clusters.Under a HAZ framework, city authorities could identify central business districts, transit hubs, busy markets and tourist hotspots — areas with both resident and floating populations — for intensive air quality management. In Mumbai’s context, this could include railway station precincts, commercial zones and major junctions where lakhs pass through daily.Transport reforms would be a key pillar. Within these zones, authorities could prioritise cleaner mobility by accelerating electric vehicle adoption, improving the frequency and reliability of public transport, and redesigning streets to make walking and cycling safer and more attractive for short trips. Entry of highly polluting freight vehicles and ageing commercial vehicles could be restricted in select corridors, especially during peak hours.Infrastructure tweaks can deliver quick gains. Edge-to-edge paving and dedicated non-motorised transport lanes help streamline traffic while reducing the resuspension of road dust — a significant contributor to particulate matter. For residents living along high-traffic corridors, such measures could translate into immediate relief.Construction dust, a persistent concern in fast-growing cities, would come under sharper scrutiny within HAZs. Mandatory on-site monitoring, water sprinkling during demolition, wheel-washing systems for trucks and proper covering of debris could prevent particulate matter from spilling into neighbouring housing colonies. In industrial pockets, cleaner fuel transitions for small-scale units could further curb emissions.Waste burning, too, can be tackled through localised management plans. By leveraging CCTV networks to identify hotspots, strengthening decentralised waste infrastructure and building community awareness, authorities could reduce open burning incidents that worsen neighbourhood air quality.Greening initiatives — from urban forests to buffer plantations between roads and residential blocks — can serve as natural filters. Strategically planned green belts could shield vulnerable populations from direct exposure to pollution sources.Crucially, the HAZ approach moves air quality management away from a purely top-down model. It encourages ward-level participation, enabling residents, local leaders and civic officials to collaborate on neighbourhood-specific solutions. Experts describe HAZs as “living laboratories” — smaller geographies where solutions can be tested, refined and eventually scaled city-wide.The conversation is now finding resonance at forums such as Mumbai Climate Week, where policymakers, experts and citizens are discussing how health-first, people-centric climate action can reshape cities in the Global South. Advocates argue that positioning clean air as a public health right — rather than merely an environmental metric — could galvanise stronger political and civic will.For Mumbai, where sea breezes can no longer be relied upon to clear the haze, the question is whether Healthy Air Zones could offer a practical, scalable pathway to reclaim breathable neighbourhoods. As the city debates its next steps on climate and urban mobility, one thing is clear: clean air is no longer a distant aspiration — it is an urgent urban necessity.

NEW DELHI: Congress and BJP on Friday reacted sharply to the acquittal of former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in the Delhi excise policy case.AAP’s on-and-off INDIA bloc ally Congress, however, expressed resentment over the leaders’ discharge alleging that the ruling BJP is a “Icchadhari Naag” who uses central investigative agencies for political purposes.Congress leader Pawan Khera alleged that Kejriwal‘s release ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in Punjab and Gujarat was part of a “strategy to weaken” the grand old party.

Cong calls BJP ‘Icchadhari Naag’

In a post on X, Khera said the BJP is focused on achieving a “Congress-mukt Bharat” and claimed that cases against Congress leaders tend to intensify before elections, while proceedings against its “convenient allies” slow down. “The BJP is not a political party. It is a shape-shifter, a wishful serpent – Icchadhari Naag. It will stoop to any level for one obsessive goal: defeat Congress – Congress Mukt Bharat,” Khera said.“For 12 years the ruling BJP “spewed venom at the TMC. And now? Narendra Modi himself is showering it with praise – not out of respect, but to land a cheap blow at Congress,” he posted on X.“Elections are coming. So the script is predictable. Cases against Congress leaders will suddenly accelerate and meanwhile, proceedings against their convenient ‘allies’ in the AAP and others will quietly vanish in light of the Gujarat and Punjab elections,” Khera said, adding that P Chidambaram has already been dragged back into the spotlight because Tamil Nadu is heading for polls.“This is the BJP playbook: vendetta as governance and agencies as campaign tools,” he further alleged.His remarks came after Kejriwal and Sisodia were acquitted of all charges by the Rouse Avenue court in the corruption charges linked to the Delhi excise policy case.Hailing the verdict as “truth always wins,” Kejriwal became visibly emotional while speaking to reporters outside the court premises.“We have always said that the BJP treats investigative agencies as if they are part of its own cadre. With elections coming up in Punjab and Gujarat, Arvind Kejriwal is being presented after cleaning from the ‘Washing Machine’, because the BJP’s real objective is a Congress-free India. Everything is linked to elections and how to weaken the Congress. That is the BJP’s sole objective,” Khera told reporters.

BJP says ‘legal process is far from over’

The BJP, however, maintained that the legal battle is not over. BJP IT cell head Amit Malviya said the allegations of kickbacks were serious and argued that the acquittal came from a lower court.He noted that higher courts, including the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court of India, had made strong observations in related proceedings. “Whether this judgment withstands scrutiny in higher courts remains to be seen. The legal process is far from over,” he said.Malviya also questioned why the Delhi government rolled back the excise policy after irregularities were flagged and raised concerns over the alleged destruction of phones and SIM cards.BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi said, “The lower court has acquitted him in the absence of proof. This is a technical subject, and it is also right that mobile phones and SIM cards in hundreds were destroyed…” “The CBI will take appropriate steps to address this issue of destruction of evidence. As far as the party is concerned, it will give a structured reply after it has all the details… If the entire charges were baseless, how did the Court give permission to frame them?…” he added.

Team India (Pic credit: BCCI)

NEW DELHI: The Super 8 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup has reached its decisive phase, and the latest points table leaves defending champions India with a clear equation — beat West Indies on Sunday and book a place in the semi-finals.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Group 1 witnessed a dramatic shake-up on Thursday. South Africa stormed into the last four with a commanding nine-wicket win over West Indies in Ahmedabad, chasing down 177 in just 16.1 overs. A blistering 95-run opening stand between Aiden Markram (82 not out) and Quinton de Kock (47) set the tone, while Ryan Rickelton’s unbeaten 45 sealed the deal as the Proteas finished at 177/1. The victory extended South Africa’s unbeaten run in the tournament and confirmed their semi-final berth.

India, meanwhile, kept their title defence alive with a thumping 72-run victory over Zimbabwe in Chennai. That result, coupled with South Africa’s dominance, has set up a virtual quarterfinal between India and West Indies at Eden Gardens on Sunday. Both teams sit on two points from two matches, making it a straight shootout for the second semi-final spot from Group 1.

T20 World Cup Super 8 Group 1 Points Table

While South Africa face Zimbabwe in their final Super 8 fixture, all eyes will be on Kolkata, where the winner of India vs West Indies will advance.In Group 2, co-hosts Sri Lanka became the first side to be eliminated after a 61-run loss to New Zealand. The Kiwis posted 168/7 before restricting Sri Lanka to 107/8, ending their campaign. England have already qualified with two wins from two matches, while New Zealand and Pakistan remain in contention.

T20 World Cup Super 8 Group 2 Points Table

With knockout spots on the line and net run rates in play, the race to the semi-finals is now at boiling point. Sunday’s India-West Indies clash promises to decide more than just two points — it will determine who keeps their World Cup dream alive.

Harvard University has found itself at the centre of a growing online storm after an artwork featured on its Department of South Asian Studies website drew sharp criticism and allegations of bias. The Coalition of Hindus of North America ignited the debate after calling out the university for what it described as “blatant Hinduphobia” in the visual used to represent its Elementary Sanskrit course.Taking to X, the coalition accused the university of bigotry for adding an image that feels “straight out of a horror movie,” starring a dark Hindu figure with a tilak, dangling “some sort of ghostly figurine in his hands.”The art was allocated for its course on Elementary Sanskrit, and the organisation blamed the university for introducing Sanskrit, “Hinduism’s sacred language,” in a “dark, manipulative and oppressive manner” to students, much like it introduces the religion itself.”“This is how students are introduced to Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages that has given birth to classic literature, arts, music, and so much more. The mother of many languages around the world,” the post added.In a follow-up post, the coalition also referenced a 2020 incident when Harvard University Press had featured “another Hinduphobic cartoon” to promote a book by university professor Ajantha Subramanian on caste. It claimed Hinduphobia had a “long shelf life” at the university.The post sparked an intense debate online, with numerous users accusing the university of being biased against Hindus.“@Harvard how much do you get paid for anti-Hindu attitude? What’s the price you need paid to treat Hindus and Hinduism at par with other faiths?” asked one user.“Obviously intended to cast Sanskrit in a darksome, suspicious & sinister way. The art itself is not the issue. It’s the blatantly Hindu-hating framing of it here by an institution of learning,” added another, while many called for the university to apologise.However, as the conversation evolved, new context began to emerge. Interestingly, one of the comments under the post claimed that the art was made by Indian artist Anirudh Sainath, who created his artwork under the brand name Molee Art. Titled Master of Puppets, it depicted the Indian epic Mahabharata as Krishna’s Ras Leela, a story orchestrated by the Hindu god. Moreover, the artist, who according to a user was their friend and is no more, was known for creating devotional pieces of art on Hindu gods.“I know Harvard’s biased against Hindus—I’m not sure this image is an example,” added one user.The second artwork referenced in the post is titled ‘Millstone of the Caste System’ and was created by late Indian artist and caricaturist Gaganendranath Tagore around 1917. A satirical lithograph, it was aimed at social hypocrisy and perceived oppression within the Brahminical hierarchy. It depicted a grotesque scene where priests were grinding and crushing ordinary people under a massive millstone.

Elon Musk and Bill Gates are two of the most well-known names in the global technology and business world, but they are also known for not getting along with each other. Their disagreements which have played out over the years, resurfaced again when Tesla CEO Elon Musk reacted to a social media post linking Tesla short sellers to those lacking ethics and morality. “I’ve often found that Tesla short sellers don’t have the best moral compass,” an X user wrote quoting a New York Times report about Bill Gates apologizing to Gates Foundation staff over Jeffrey Epstein ties and admitting having affairs with two Russian women. Elon Musk replied with a brief comment — “Karma is real” — to the post.

Bill Gates’ bet against Tesla

The rivalry between the two originates from Bill Gates reportedly shorting, or betting against, Tesla’s stock to the tune of $500 million. In an interview with Musk biographer Walter Isaacson, Gates revealed that this earned him a personal text from Elon Musk and “super mean” behavior. The Tesla CEO at that time asked Gates bluntly if he had taken the short position, which the Microsoft cofounder confirmed, though he added in the message he wanted to talk about philanthropy possibilities.

Musk did no agree with the idea and replied: “Sorry, I cannot take your philanthropy on climate change seriously when you have a massive short position against Tesla, the company doing the most to solve climate change”.

What is short selling

For those unaware, Short selling is a trading strategy in which investors bet on a company’s stock price falling. In this approach, an investor borrows shares and sells them at the current market price, hoping to buy them back later at a lower price. If the stock falls, the investor makes a profit from the price difference. However, if the stock rises instead, the investor faces losses, which can increase as the price goes up. Gates’ bet against Tesla had him underwater by $1.5 billion when the stock was trading at $400 per share, according to Walter Isaacson’s biography of Musk. the stock as of today are trading at $417 per share.

When Elon Musk said Bill Gates will go bankrupt

Reigniting his feud, Musk shared a post in late 2024 writing ““f Tesla does become the world’s most valuable company by far, that short position will bankrupt even Bill Gates”. Last year, on a victory lap after shareholders approved his massive $1 trillion pay package, the Tesla CEO said “If Gates hasn’t fully closed out the crazy short position he has held against Tesla for ~8 years, he had better do so soon”.