JAMMU: J&K’s governing National Conference (NC) on Monday urged BJP to move beyond demands for a National Law University (NLU) in Jammu and instead press the Centre to restore statehood to the Union territory.Surinder Choudhary, deputy chief minister in the Omar Abdullah-led govt, accused BJP of raising the NLU issue as part of its claims about discrimination against Jammu while remaining silent on larger concerns.“They (BJP) wake up every morning and start shouting that the Omar govt is discriminating against Jammu,” NC’s Choudhary said on the opening day of the J&K assembly’s 27-day budget session in Jammu.J&K has no NLU at present but the demand for it to be located in Jammu gained traction after CM Omar said last year that it would come up in Kashmir’s Budgam. Omar has rejected the recent BJP demands, calling the controversy “politically motivated” and pointing out that there were no protests in the Valley when Jammu was given both an IIT and an IIM.Deputy CM Choudhary stressed that J&K faced far more pressing issues than NLU and accused BJP of abandoning its promise of restoring statehood. “Why is he not asking the Centre to fulfil the promise of statehood,” Choudhary said. He was referring to Sunil Sharma, BJP leader of opposition who joined students’ protests at Jammu University over the NLU.A legislator from Jammu’s Nowshera, Choudhary rejected allegations of discrimination, arguing the NC govt would not have revived the “Darbar Move” after four years if that was the case.In June 2021, LG Sinha’s administration ended the Darbar Move, a 149-year-old practice of shifting the seat of govt between Srinagar and Jammu every six months. Sinha described the system as “a big racket”. Before its abolition, over 10,000 state employees shuttled between the two cities twice a year, boosting trade and commerce in Jammu. The Omar-led govt resumed it this year after demands from Jammu’s traders, who said its suspension had hurt business.Referring to the NLU demand, deputy CM Choudhary flagged “lack of statehood” as the biggest issue, leading to local jobs being taken away by “outsiders”. “BJP has a habit of sitting on roads and accusing the govt of discrimination. But they don’t look at Jammu University, where not a single vice-chancellor has been from Jammu. Are our professors from Jammu not capable of leading the university? But BJP will not talk about it,” Choudhary said.

Actors Govinda, Shakti Kapoor, Chunky Panday, and BJP MP Manoj Tiwari have come under the scanner after their names surfaced in a suspected investment scam linked to Ghaziabad-based Maxizone Touch Private Limited. The controversy began when a complaint was filed in a Jamshedpur court in Jharkhand, prompting police to register an FIR that includes the veteran stars among several others.

Govinda’s case linked to investor complaints

According to Bollywood Hungama, the FIR was lodged following complaints from investors who alleged that they were defrauded by the company. They claimed the firm had promised a 15% monthly return on their investments but failed to deliver both the interest and the principal amount, triggering a police probe into the matter.

Govinda and others accused of promoting company

The report further states that among the several individuals named in the FIR, the ones that drew the most attention were veteran Bollywood personalities Govinda, Chunky Panday, Shakti Kapoor, and Manoj Tiwari. The complaint alleged that the actors’ participation in promotional activities helped attract more investors, utilizing their popularity. In September 2025, Jamshedpur police arrested Maxizone Touch Pvt Ltd directors Chander Bhushan Singh and his wife Priyanka Singh, accusing them of running a fraudulent MLM operation and illegally collecting funds. The Enforcement Directorate also conducted raids at premises linked to the company in connection with investment and cryptocurrency fraud. According to officials, the couple had avoided authorities for nearly three years before being apprehended.

Actors continue to stay in spotlight

Govinda has given many memorable performances in movies like ‘Raja Babu’, ‘Coolie No. 1’, ‘Partner’, ‘Bhagam Bhag’, ‘Bade Miyan Chote Miyan’, ‘Dulhe Raja’, and ‘Aankhen’. Chunky is currently acting in ‘Rahu Ketu’, directed by Vipul Vig and produced by Umesh Kumar Bansal, Pragati Deshmukh, Suraj Singh, and Varsha Kukreja under Zee Studios and BLive Productions. Shakti is famous for playing villain roles in ‘Qurbani’, ‘Rocky’, ‘Hero’, and ‘Himmatwala’, and for his comic parts in ‘Andaz Apna Apna’, ‘Tohfa’, ‘Baap Numbri Beta Dus Numbri’, ‘Hungama’, and ‘Chup Chup Ke’. Manoj is an actor, singer, and politician. He is a popular Bhojpuri artist, a Member of Parliament from Delhi, and a senior leader in the Bharatiya Janata Party.

JAMMU: Two terror suspects were detained in Cantonment Area in J&K’s Samba district on Monday, even as multiple cordon-and-search operations continued across several regions of Jammu division, including snowbound Kishtwar’s Chatroo-Dolgam-Dichhar belt, where Operation Trashi-I entered its 16th day. Late Sunday, a search operation was launched in Joffer area in Udhampur’s Rampur sector following reports of suspicious movement.“Terrorist movement was reported in the upper reaches of Udhampur. Search operations are also underway in the high-altitude, forested areas of Poonch, Rajouri, Kathua, Doda, and Reasi districts,” an official said.Around 10.30am Monday, a Quick Reaction Team caught two men near an old quarter of the Army in railway area. “One person was sleeping outside, near the shaft, while the other was found inside. Both were taken into custody and sent to Bari Brahmana PS for further action,” an official source said. “One of the men was identified as Muneer Khan from Chang, in Jammu district. He said he works in Flaxfour Company, Bari Brahmana. The other man was identified as Pawan Singh from Neeli village in Udhampur district,” the source added.On Jan 6, Punjab Police detained a minor in Pathankot on charges of spying and for allegedly sharing confidential information via social media to terror agencies, ISI, and Pakistan military officers. The detention prompted a statewide alert for similar espionage activities involving children.Due to its proximity to the international border, Samba serves as a gateway for terrorists to reach Kashmir Valley via the upper reaches of Samba-Udhampur-Doda-Kishtwar. The district remains a hotspot of terrorist activities.Under Operation Trashi-I, security forces have engaged in four encounters with terrorists in the past fortnight. Initial contact was established in Sonnar forest near Mandral-Singhpora, Chatroo, on Jan 18, in which eight security personnel were injured, one of whom eventually succumbed. On Jan 22, another gunfight broke out with holed-up ultras in Singhpora. Yet another firefight followed on Jan 24, in which a Pakistani Jaish terrorist was shot dead. A brief gun battle occurred in Dolgam on Jan 31.Braving inclement weather, troops have been trudging through hostile, forested terrain to track and kill a group of three holed-up ultras. Security agencies were also trying to trace terrorist sympathisers who may have helped the ultras with food and shelter. Mobile internet services (all bandwidths) have remained temporarily suspended within a 6km-radius covering Singhpora, Chingam, and Chatroo since Jan 30 as a security measure.Officials said the terrorists, on the run for more than two weeks now, had been continuously changing hideouts. Additional forces were roped in to fortify the cordon, and sniffer dogs were deployed to assist the troops on the ground. The region was put under aerial surveillance using drones and choppers to plug possible escape routes.

In an unprecedented and seismic shift in world cricket, the Government of Pakistan officially announced on February 1, 2026, that it will boycott the high-profile T20 World Cup 2026 clash against India. While the team has been cleared to compete in the rest of the tournament in Sri Lanka, they have been strictly ordered ‘not to take the field’ for the February 15 fixture in Colombo. This move, framed as a protest against the ICC’s removal of Bangladesh from the tournament, has pushed the ‘Mother of all Battles’ into a complete diplomatic freeze.

The Pakistan-India T20 World Cup 2026 boycott

The standoff began after the ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland in January 2026. Bangladesh had refused to play their matches in India citing security concerns, and Pakistan, standing in solidarity, decided to boycott the India fixture.

• The Directive: The official statement from the Government of Pakistan on X (formerly Twitter) reads: “The Pakistan Cricket Team shall not take the field in the match scheduled on 15th February 2026 against India.”
• The Penalty: India will receive an automatic walkover (2 points), while Pakistan faces potential expulsion from the tournament and the withholding of their $34.5 million ICC revenue share.

Also READ: T20 World Cup 2026: Ricky Ponting’s top picks for leading run-scorer and Player of the Tournament

Teams that have forfeited ICC event World Cup matches

When a team boycotts a World Cup match, it is a rare but tournament-altering event. Here are the four major instances where teams refused to play:

1. Australia vs Sri Lanka (1996 ODI World Cup)

Following a devastating central bank bombing in Colombo by the LTTE just weeks before the event, Australia cited ‘unacceptable’ security risks. Despite ICC’s assurances and a high-profile ‘solidarity match’ featuring an Indo-Pak joint team in Sri Lanka, the Aussies refused to travel.

• Impact: The match was forfeited; Sri Lanka gained 2 points without playing.

2. West Indies vs Sri Lanka (1996 ODI World Cup)

Mirroring Australia’s stance, the West Indies also declined to travel to Colombo, citing the same safety concerns. The ‘safety first’ approach by the big teams inadvertently fueled Sri Lanka’s momentum.

• Impact: Sri Lanka received a second walkover, helping them cruise to the Quarter-Finals and eventually win the World Cup.

3. England vs Zimbabwe (2003 ODI World Cup)

In a highly politicized boycott, England refused to play in Harare, Zimbabwe. While the official reason was ‘security,’ the move was driven by the UK government’s protest against the human rights record of the Robert Mugabe regime.

• Impact: Zimbabwe was awarded the points, a loss that led to England’s humiliating early exit from the tournament.

4. New Zealand vs Kenya (2003 ODI World Cup)

New Zealand refused to travel to Nairobi, Kenya, after receiving specific intelligence regarding a potential terrorist threat. They requested a venue change to South Africa, which the ICC denied.

• Impact: Kenya was awarded a walkover. These ‘free points’ were the primary catalyst for Kenya becoming the first (and only) non-Test nation to reach a World Cup Semi-Final.

Summary Table: World Cup Forfeitures

Also WATCH: Mitchell Marsh breaks silence on Pakistan’s boycott of India game and Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup 2026 withdrawal

Kayla Nicole’s alleged controversial moment takes a dig at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s relationship.(Image via Getty Images/ Taylor Swift/Instagram)

Taylor Swift has stayed out of the spotlight for the last few weeks as Travis Kelce deals with retirement rumors. While Travis Kelce’s ex girlfriend, Kayla Nicole, has always been in the news for her controversial actions, it seems she has allegedly taken a dig at the star player and his relationship with the billionaire pop star, Taylor Swift.

Kayla Nicole’s subtle dig at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce sparks outrage

Just a few hours ago, on Saturday night, clips of Kayla Nicole dancing with Toni Braxton to the singer’s popular 2000 track “He Wasn’t Man Enough” sparked chaos.Kayla Nicole was performing alongside other dancers at the Kia Forum in Inglewood, California, as she posted several clips on her social media.But it is one moment that has sparked panic. In a clip that has now gone viral, Toni Braxton could be heard yelling, “Kayla, is he man enough?”Many feel this was a subtle dig at Travis Kelce while others feel Toni Braxton yelled out “Taylor” and not “Kayla”.However, neither Kayla Nicole nor Toni Braxton has addressed the controversy yet as they continue to remain silent.

Kayla Nicole has been accused of dissing Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce even before

This has not been the first time that Travis Kelce’s ex girlfriend, Kayla Nicole, has been alleged to diss the Chiefs’ star player’s relationship with Taylor Swift.A few months ago, for Halloween 2025, Kayla Nicole sparked outrage after she dropped a music video dancing to Toni Braxton’s “He Wasn’t Man Enough”, dressed like the artist.But many fans felt it was a parody of Taylor Swift’s newly released track, Opalite.However, neither Taylor Swift nor Travis Kelce opened up about it in public.While Kayla Nicole’s actions have sparked outrage over the last few years, the popular social media influencer has also opened up about the hate she receives.In a heartfelt interview to PEOPLE, Kayla Nicole said, “My mouth almost drops when I see some things about me because you click the link, get to the article, you read the article, and almost nothing about the article supports the headline.”Kayla Nicole added, “It’s pretty disheartening.”Kayla Nicole and Travis Kelce dated for five years before ending things in 2022.

India’s Tilak Varma plays a shot during the fifth T20 cricket match between India and South Africa in Ahmedabad, India, Friday, Dec. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki)

TimesofIndia.com in Mumbai: The police sirens weren’t blaring, hundreds hadn’t assembled to catch a glimpse of the team bus, and an eerie silence hung over the porch of the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai. A handful of security guards and police personnel were enjoying their afternoon sweet spot after a hearty lunch when the India A team bus pulled in. Chairs were reluctantly ditched as they snapped into an alert position, albeit only for a few minutes.The players started getting off the bus, but the attention and camera pans, only two to be precise, were on Tilak Varma. Set for his first competitive appearance after almost a month, the 23-year-old got into the act straight away. While the rest underwent an extended warm-up and catching drills, Tilak, after a light throwdown session of driving near the ropes, joined Ravi Bishnoi on the practice pitches to bowl.

And it wasn’t just gentle deliveries to loosen up the shoulder as he spent considerable time bowling to the likes of Bishnoi, Ashok Sharma, Manav Suthar, Khaleel Ahmed and Mayank Yadav. Even when the captains had lined up for the toss, Tilak wasn’t done yet. Only after USA’s decision to bowl first flashed on the giant screen did the left-hander get the cue and rush to the dugout to pad up.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!India’s designated No. 3 for the upcoming T20 World Cup was short on match practice due to a groin injury, but after extended rehabilitation and match simulations at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, he picked up from where he had left off in his last appearance for the country. There were no visible signs of rust as the youngster went about his business exactly as he did in the home T20I series against South Africa.He took the left-arm spin on, found gaps with precision, brought out the reverse sweep and even flexed his muscles with a maximum. His knock of 38 off 23 ended when he edged a Shubham Ranjane delivery behind to the wicketkeeper, but Tilak ticked the boxes he would have wanted after spending time away from cricket. The left-hander remains a crucial piece in India’s T20 World Cup puzzle and his return now leaves the selectors with a straightforward call between Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan for the second opener and wicketkeeper’s spot.Samson was woefully out of form in the five T20Is against New Zealand, while Kishan made his opportunities count and even donned the gloves for the final T20I. Captain Suryakumar Yadav had said the call would be revealed on February 7, but recent form and confidence tilt heavily in Kishan’s favour.“The final call on Ishan Kishan versus Sanju Samson for the opener role will be revealed on February 7,” Surya had said in an interaction with the broadcaster.Indian management have persisted with out-of-form players in T20Is, including captain SKY, but it will be interesting to see whether they follow the same route for a multi-nation tournament.

The backup options

After Tilak, the second talking point from India A’s warm-up against USA was the potential backup options in case Washington Sundar does not recover in time for the T20 World Cup. While the all-rounder is making progress at the BCCI Centre of Excellence, the management will want a Plan B in place for a campaign that gets underway on February 7 at the Wankhede Stadium.As TimesofIndia.com had reported earlier, the management is likely to take a patient approach with Washington as they need an option for match-ups against left-handers. For those match-ups, Ravi Bishnoi was drafted into the squad for the T20Is against New Zealand and returned figures of 2/18 and 1/49 in his two outings. Even in the Navi Mumbai fixture, the leg-spinner, whose stock ball moves away from left-handers, picked up a wicket in his first over, the third of the innings, when he cleaned up opposition captain Monank Patel for 10. Another wicket followed in his second over as he finished with figures of 3/37 in four overs.Tilak too got into the act when he was introduced ahead of the likes of Ayush Badoni and Riyan Parag. The part-timer picked up a wicket with his first ball before Parag was introduced from the other end. There is no need to panic yet, but the think-tank does not want to leave anything to chance, even when it comes to replacement options for a player like Washington, who is unlikely to feature in the playing XI for most games. One over each for Tilak, Parag and Badoni does not drop any major hints either.

Team India to assemble on February 3

The Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian team will assemble in Mumbai on Tuesday ahead of the warm-up fixture against South Africa on February 4. Most players, head coach Gautam Gambhir and members of the support staff had gone home during the two-day break after the New Zealand series but will now return to business.As far as the relaxed security personnel at DY Patil Stadium are concerned, they were kept on their toes when a decent crowd turned up for the India A-USA game. It will be busier for the India-South Africa fixture, with close to 20,000 tickets already sold, and the post-lunch sweet spot is unlikely on Wednesday.Brief Score: India A posted 238/3 in 20 overs and then bowled out USA for 200 in 19.4 overs, sealing a comfortable 38-run victory.

India-US trade deal sealed: In a big breakthrough, India and the US have announced a trade deal, after US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke on phone. With the trade deal, India has secured an 18% reciprocal tariff rate for its goods exported to the US. Trump has said that the tariff on US exports to India will be reduced to zero.PM Narendra Modi welcomed the trade deal calling it a ‘wonderful announcement’. “Wonderful to speak with my dear friend President Trump today. Delighted that Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18%. Big thanks to President Trump on behalf of the 1.4 billion people of India for this wonderful announcement. When two large economies and the world’s largest democracies work together, it benefits our people and unlocks immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation,” PM Modi posted on X (formerly Twitter).“President Trump’s leadership is vital for global peace, stability, and prosperity. India fully supports his efforts for peace. I look forward to working closely with him to take our partnership to unprecedented heights,” he added.

Trump Tariff Rate For India Lower Than Pakistan, China

With this deal, India bags a place among countries facing one of the lowest tariff rates from the Donald Trump administration. Incidentally, the 18% tariff rate is lower than Pakistan’s 19%, Indonesia’s 19%, Vietnam’s 20%. Bangladesh’s 20%, and China’s effective tariff rate which ranges between 30-35%.Also Read | India-US trade deal: 25% penal tariffs linked to Russian oil gone? Here’s what we knowWhen Trump announced reciprocal tariffs on Liberation Day in April 2025, India was hit with a 26% tariff rate. As negotiations for a trade deal continued, Trump imposed a 25% tariff rate on India effective from August 2025. This was later hiked to 50%, with the 25% additional penal tariff being for India’s crude oil imports from Russia. The Trump administration accused India of indirectly financing Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Reports suggest that the 18% reciprocal tariff rate now effectively also removes the 25% tariff on India for Russia crude oil procurement. An official confirmation on the same is awaited.Details of the India-US trade deal are yet to be revealed, though Trump’s post makes a series of claims: from India’s promise to stop buying Russian crude, reducing tariffs on US goods to zero, agreeing to step up US oil imports to buying $500 billion of US products across sectors.Also Read | India-US trade deal: Top 7 points Trump says he agreed on with PM ModiTrump posted on Truth Social, “It was an Honor to speak with Prime Minister Modi, of India, this morning. He is one of my greatest friends and, a Powerful and Respected Leader of his Country. We spoke about many things, including Trade, and ending the War with Russia and Ukraine. He agreed to stop buying Russian Oil, and to buy much more from the United States and, potentially, Venezuela. This will help END THE WAR in Ukraine, which is taking place right now, with thousands of people dying each and every week! Out of friendship and respect for Prime Minister Modi and, as per his request, effective immediately, we agreed to a Trade Deal between the United States and India, whereby the United States will charge a reduced Reciprocal Tariff, lowering it from 25% to 18%. They will likewise move forward to reduce their Tariffs and Non Tariff Barriers against the United States, to ZERO. The Prime Minister also committed to “BUY AMERICAN,” at a much higher level, in addition to over $500 BILLION DOLLARS of U.S. Energy, Technology, Agricultural, Coal, and many other products. Our amazing relationship with India will be even stronger going forward. Prime Minister Modi and I are two people that GET THINGS DONE, something that cannot be said for most. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”