Ghislaine Maxwell seeks clemency for testimony

Ghislaine Maxwell declined to answer questions from the House Oversight Committee on Monday, but her lawyer said she would be prepared to testify that President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton “are innocent of any wrongdoing” if she were granted clemency.Maxwell, 64, is serving a 20-year sentence at a federal prison camp in Texas after being convicted in 2021 of sex trafficking for recruiting and grooming underage girls for the late financier Jeffrey Epstein. She was subpoenaed to give evidence by video deposition as lawmakers intensify scrutiny over Epstein’s network and the recent release of millions of Justice Department documents.

Instead of responding to questions, Maxwell invoked her Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. In a statement shared on X, her attorney David Oscar Markus wrote: “Ghislaine Maxwell invoked her Constitutional right to silence this morning before @RepJamesComer and the House Oversight Committee.” He told the committee: “On my advice, Ghislaine Maxwell will respectfully invoke her Fifth Amendment right to silence and decline to answer questions today even though she would very much like to answer your questions.”Markus said Maxwell must remain silent because she has a habeas petition pending, arguing that her conviction “rests on a fundamentally unfair trial”. He claimed jurors “lied during voir dire to secure seats on the jury” and that “the government promised immunity and then broke that promise”, adding that newly disclosed documents prove this.He added: “If this Committee and the American public truly want to hear the unfiltered truth about what happened, there is a straightforward path. Ms. Maxwell is prepared to speak fully and honestly if granted clemency by President Trump.” He continued: “For example, both President Trump and President Clinton are innocent of any wrongdoing. Ms. Maxwell alone can explain why, and the public is entitled to that explanation.”Committee chairman James Comer said Maxwell’s refusal was “obviously very disappointing”, adding that lawmakers had questions about “the crimes she and Epstein committed as well as questions about potential co-conspirators”.Democrats criticised the clemency appeal. Representative Melanie Stansbury said, “It’s very clear she’s campaigning for clemency,” while Republican Representative Anna Paulina Luna wrote: “NO CLEMENCY. You comply or face punishment.”Maxwell is the only person convicted in connection with Epstein, who died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial.

Sachin Tendulkar abd Vaibhav Suryavanshi (Image credit: Agencies)

India’s Under-19 World Cup triumph in 2026 had many heroes, but one name towered above the rest — Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. In the final against England in Harare, the 14-year-old prodigy delivered a breathtaking performance that left the cricketing world stunned. Smashing 175 off just 80 balls, Sooryavanshi powered India to their sixth U19 World Cup title and rewrote record books in the process, including registering the highest individual score in a U19 World Cup final.The sheer audacity of his strokeplay, combined with a growing list of centuries at age-group level, has triggered a familiar debate in Indian cricket circles: should generational talents be fast-tracked?

Among those voicing strong support for the idea is Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, who drew a direct parallel between Suryavanshi and one of the game’s greatest icons — Sachin Tendulkar.“Vaibhav Sooryavanshi deserves to be fast-tracked into higher honours. The last time we had a 14-year-old genius at the crease, his name was Sachin Tendulkar. And we didn’t keep him waiting long,” Tharoor wrote on X (formerly Twitter).The comparison is not without historical weight. Tendulkar, after piling up runs in school and domestic cricket, was ushered into the Indian team in 1989 at just 16 years of age, making his international debut against Pakistan. His rapid ascent went on to redefine Indian cricket for over two decades.Yet, unlike Tendulkar’s era, Sooryavanshi faces a non-negotiable roadblock. Despite the clamour around him, the Bihar-born left-hander cannot represent India at senior international level until March 2026. The obstacle lies in the ICC’s Minimum Age Policy, introduced in 2020 to protect young cricketers’ physical and mental well-being. Under the regulation, a player must be at least 15 years old to feature in international cricket.Born on 27 March 2011, Sooryavanshi was still technically 14 at the time of India’s World Cup triumph in February 2026. As a result, regardless of how many blistering 36-ball centuries he piles up for Bihar or how many established IPL bowlers he dismantles for the Rajasthan Royals, the national selectors have no choice but to wait.For now, even with influential voices like Tharoor echoing the Sachin precedent, Sooryavanshi’s India dream remains on pause — at least until the calendar turns to 27 March 2026.

Mohammed Shami and Ishan Kishan (X-Cricbuzz)

Several familiar names have been left out as the BCCI announced its central contracts for the 2025–26 season on Monday, with Mohammed Shami, Rajat Patidar, Sarfaraz Khan, Mukesh Kumar and Ishan Kishan missing out despite being part of the previous cycle. The Board awarded annual retainers to 30 men and 21 women cricketers, categorising them into Groups A, B and C. Notably, the A+ category has been scrapped, a move that has reshaped the contract hierarchy.

Senior stalwarts Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been placed in Group B, a downgrade that was largely expected following their retirement from Tests and T20Is respectively, effectively making them one-format players. Under the current criteria, which factors in performances and the number of matches played in the preceding season, they were no longer eligible for the top bracket. For the first time in his career, Shubman Gill finds himself in the highest pay grade, as the two-format captain was retained in Group A alongside Jasprit Bumrah and Ravindra Jadeja. While the BCCI has not officially disclosed the retainership amounts, Group A was previously valued at Rs 5 crore annually, with Group B and C fetching Rs 3 crore and Rs 1 crore respectively before the A+ category was abolished. The decision to do away with A+ stems from the fact that Bumrah is now the only player who remains an automatic selection across all formats. The category, introduced during the COA era for all-format excellence, previously featured only Kohli, Rohit, Jadeja and Bumrah. The men’s list has been trimmed from 34 to 30 players, with Shami’s exclusion seen as a strong signal that he may be out of the selectors’ immediate plans. Kishan, Mukesh and Sarfaraz were also dropped after failing to play a single international match during the evaluation period. While Kishan has returned to the T20I setup, that comeback falls in the new cycle. One notable inclusion is Sai Sudharsan, the only new entrant in the senior men’s contract list. On the women’s side, Harmanpreet Kaur, Smriti Mandhana and Deepti Sharma retained their Group A status, while Jemimah Rodrigues earned a promotion following her standout World Cup performances.

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court said Monday it would under no circumstance allow stalling of special intensive revision (SIR) of voter rolls in 12 states but said it was open to suggestions to ensure genuine voters are not left out, reports Dhananjay Mahapatra. The CJI-led bench extended by a week the Feb 7 deadline for submission of documents by voters issued notice by EC, including 1.36 crore voters categorised under ‘logical discrepancy’. It also sought a personal affidavit from the Bengal DGP on EC’s charge of TMC functionaries making attempts to derail SIR. “We hope the state remembers the laws of the land,” it said.We are not going to regulate internal mechanism of EC: SCThe bench of CJI Surya Kant, Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N V Anjaria, which had heard West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee passionately argue for discontinuing SIR, frowned upon the state govt for not providing the names of 8,500 group B cadre officials to EC for assisting electoral revision officers (EROs) and assistant EROs in the massive document verification work. The displeasure had a dramatic effect as the West Bengal govt provided the list within minutes to EC in the court and said it would verify the suitability of the officials.The court also dismissed the fear expressed by Banerjee’s counsel Shyam Divan who told the bench that the process adopted by EC would lead to mass exclusion of voters given the fact that 50% of the cases of voters facing “logical discrepancy” scrutiny are misspelling of names, which happened due to translation errors.“This is a speculative apprehension,” the bench said, and allayed it by saying suitable officials, inducted by EC from among the 8,500 officers provided by the state govt, would assist the EROs and AEROs about the cases where notices have been issued merely because of spelling errors in names and facilitate their inclusion in voter lists.Though the Bengal govt, represented by a battery of senior advocates, vehemently argued against engagement of micro-observers drawn from central PSUs and the Union govt, the bench said the micro-observers along with the additional hands provided by the state govt would help the EROS and AEROs even though the the final decision on inclusion or deletion of voters from the final list would be taken by the EROs only.Since the Feb 7 deadline for document submission, its scrutiny and hearing period is extended by one week, the scheduled publication of the final voter list on Feb 14 is likely to be extended by one more week, that is to Feb 21.Advocate Kalyan Banerjee alleged that thousands of anonymous complaints against inclusion of names in voter lists have been filed and have been entertained by EC even as the rules and regulations mandate that person filing complaint must remain present during the hearing.The bench said, “We are not going to regulate the internal mechanism of EC in dealing with such issues.” Senior advocate V Giri, appearing for Sanatani Sangsad, alleged that there is widespread violence and open threats being given to EC officials to derail the SIR work.“Thousands of objections to names in voter lists were burnt,” Giri said and requested the bench to allow filing of fresh objections during the extended period for filing documents.For West Bengal, Menaka Guruswamy told the bench that the organisation is managing temples and wondered how a temple management organisation would have locus standi to file such an application.

India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav waits for third umpire’s decision for his wicket during the fourth T20 cricket match between India and New Zealand in Visakhapatnam, India, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

NEW DELHI: The standoff is over. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has taken a U-turn over their boycott of the February 15 game against India at the T20 World Cup. The Pakistan government on Monday has has cleared the national team to play India in the T20 World Cup, directing it to honour the scheduled match against India. “In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15, 2026, for its scheduled fixture in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Moreover, this decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the spirit of cricket, and to support the continuity of this global sport in all participating nations,” Government of Pakistan wrote on X.The reversal came after the ICC flagged to the PCB the possible financial implications of invoking the Force Majeure clause to justify a last-minute pullout from the India match following government instructions. The clause, cited by the PCB, applies to unforeseeable circumstances that prevent a party from fulfilling its contractual obligations.“The Honorable Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Shehbaz Sharif has been formally briefed by the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), Mr. Mohsin Naqvi, regarding the outcomes of high-level deliberations held between the PCB, representatives of the International Cricket Council (ICC), and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB),” read the statement from Government of Pakistan. “The Government of Pakistan has reviewed the formal requests extended to the PCB by the Bangladesh Cricket Board, as well as the supporting communications from Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and other member nations. These correspondences sought Pakistan’s leadership in securing a viable solution to recent challenges.“The Government further noted the statement by BCB President, Mr. Amin ul Islam. The profound gratitude expressed by our brotherly nation is received with great warmth. Pakistan reaffirms that it stands shoulder to shoulder with Bangladesh.“This evening, the Prime Minister held a telephone call with H.E. Anura Kumara Dissanayake, President of Sri Lanka. During their warm and friendly conversation, they recalled that Pakistan and Sri Lanka had always stood shoulder to shoulder, especially during challenging times. The Sri Lankan President requested the Prime Minister to accord serious consideration to amicably resolve the current impasse.“In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15, 2026, for its scheduled fixture in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. “Moreover, this decision has been taken with the aim of protecting the spirit of cricket, and to support the continuity of this global sport in all participating nations.“The Prime Minister and the people of Pakistan extend their best wishes to the “Men in Green.” We remain confident that our team will carry the spirit of sportsmanship and national pride onto the field as they compete for global glory.”

Rupee edged up in early trade on Monday, rising 21 paise from its previous close to 90.44 against the US dollar. The upward momentum comes as upbeat global cues and optimism surrounding the newly announced India–US trade framework helped the domestic unit recover initial losses.The currency had opened weaker at 90.66 in the interbank market before rebounding as sentiment improved following Saturday’s announcement that New Delhi and Washington had finalised a framework for an interim trade agreement. The plan involves lowering import duties on several products to encourage stronger two-way commerce. Apart from the trade front, a softer dollar index and strength in domestic share markets added to the positive undertone. The rupee had ended Friday’s session down 31 paise at 90.65. During that day’s early trading, it had also slipped to 90.70 against the US currency. “RBI continues to act from both sides of the market selling dollar on good upticks thus keeping a tab on the excessive depreciation while it has also kept a tab on the appreciation after the US-India deal was announced and on Saturday the terms of reference were declared buying dollars near to 90.05 levels,” said Anil Kumar Bhansali Head of Treasury and Executive Director Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP. In a joint statement, both sides said that India has conveyed its intention to procure $500 billion worth of US energy products, aircraft and aircraft components, precious metals, technology goods and coking coal over a five-year period. In wider markets, the dollar index, which tracks the greenback against six major currencies, was marginally lower by 0.05% at 97.58. Brent crude futures were also down, easing 0.94% to $67.41 a barrel. Data from the exchanges showed Foreign Institutional Investors had bought shares worth Rs 1,950.77 crore on Friday. Separately, the Reserve Bank reported a sharp jump in the country’s foreign exchange reserves. The kitty expanded by $14.361 billion to reach a new lifetime high of $723.774 billion in the week ended January 30. In the preceding week, reserves had risen by $8.053 billion to $709.413 billion, crossing the earlier record of $704.89 billion touched in September 2024.

NEW DELHI: A video of Pakistan fast bowler Haris Rauf has been making the rounds on social media, showing him enjoying a relaxed moment flying kites. The clip, which features Rauf alongside teammate Hasan Ali, comes amid his omission from Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad, and quickly drew reactions from fans online.Rauf faced heavy trolling after the video surfaced, as many questioned his absence from the team.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) named a 15-member squad that included stars like Babar Azam but left out both Rauf and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan.Speaking about the selection, Pakistan head coach Mike Hesson explained that Rauf had been considered but was not included due to the versatility of the chosen pace attack. “We considered Haris Rauf, Wasim Jr, and Ahmed Daniyal, but they couldn’t make it because the other three – Shaheen, Salman, and Naseem – can bowl in all three phases of the game,” Hesson said.Pakistan opened their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign with a narrow three-wicket win over the Netherlands in Colombo. Chasing 148, the Salman Agha-led side almost suffered an upset before a fielding lapse gave Faheem Ashraf a lifeline, and he guided Pakistan to victory with three balls to spare.Next up, Pakistan will face the USA on Tuesday at the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo, aiming to build on their hard-fought start in the tournament.Pakistan’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad: Salman Ali Agha (Captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay (Wicketkeeper), Mohammad Nawaz, Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan (Wicketkeeper), Usman Tariq.

Valentine’s Week transforms February into a seven-day love fest, building anticipation for the big Valentine’s Day finale on February 14. Kicking off with Rose Day (Feb 7)—where red roses symbolise one’s love and passion—followed by Propose Day (Feb 8) for bold confessions, the week has various special days: Teddy Day (Feb 10), Promise Day (Feb 11), Hug Day (Feb 12), and Kiss Day (Feb 13). Each day spotlights a unique love language, turning ordinary moments into romantic rituals. The third day of the Valentine Week is celebrated as Chocolate Day. And this year, it is being celebrated on February 9, 2026 (Monday). On this day, lovers exchange bars, truffles, or homemade brownies—dark for intensity, milk for comfort, white for purity. Why chocolate? Because for most people, a bite of chocolate often feels like an instant hug.This Feb 9, let chocolate whisper what words fumble. Here we list some Chocolate Day messages, wishes, greetings and quotes you can send to your loved one to make them feel special:

For your partner

1. Happy Chocolate Day, my sweetest!”2. “You’re my dark chocolate—intense, addictive, perfect. Happy Chocolate Day!”3. “Life with you is sweeter than any truffle. Happy Chocolate Day, love.”4. “This chocolate melts in mouth; you melt my heart. Happy Chocolate Day!”5. “Roses are red, chocolates are sweet, you’re my forever treat. Happy Chocolate Day!”6. “Bitter days vanish with you around. Happy Chocolate Day, my sugar.”7. “You’re 70% cocoa, 30% perfection. Happy Chocolate Day, baby!”8. “Chocolates today, forever tomorrow. Happy Chocolate Day, darling.”9. “Your love’s my favorite flavor. Happy Chocolate Day!”10. “Sweeter than Nutella, hotter than chili chocolate. Happy Chocolate Day!”11. “This chocolate’s just a preview of my love. Happy Chocolate Day!”12.”You’re my guilty pleasure, every single day. Happy Chocolate Day!”13. “Caramels can’t match your sticky-sweet love. Happy Chocolate Day!”14. “Dark like your eyes, sweet like your smile. Happy Chocolate Day!”15. “Chocolates fade; our love lasts. Happy Chocolate Day, forever.”

For Girlfriend/Wife

16. “Happy Chocolate Day to the woman who makes life delicious!”17. “You’re my milk chocolate—smooth, comforting, irreplaceable.”18. “Every bite reminds me of your kisses. Happy Chocolate Day!”19. “White chocolate pure like your heart. Happy Chocolate Day, queen.”20. “This box holds 24 chocolates; my love holds infinity. Happy Chocolate Day!”21. “You’re sweeter than any praline. Happy Chocolate Day, beautiful.”22. “Chocolates for my favorite indulgence—you. Happy Chocolate Day!”23. “Your smile’s my sugar rush. Happy Chocolate Day!”24. “From truffles to you: Pure luxury. Happy Chocolate Day!”25. “Happy Chocolate Day to my forever valentine!”26. “You’re the cherry on my chocolate sundae. Happy Chocolate Day!”27. “Baking memories with you, one chocolate at a time.”28. “This chocolate’s fancy; you’re priceless. Happy Chocolate Day!”29. “Happy Chocolate Day to the sweetest part of me!”30. “Love you more than all chocolates combined!”

For Boyfriend/Husband

31″ Happy Chocolate Day to my strong, dark chocolate man!”32. “You’re my coffee-chocolate: Bold and irresistible.”33. “This chocolate fuels my love for you. Happy Chocolate Day!”34. “Happy Chocolate Day, handsome—you’re my treat!”35. “Happy Chocolate Day, my love!”36. “You’re my 85%—intense and perfect. Happy Chocolate Day!”37. “Chocolates today, cuddles tonight. Happy Chocolate Day!”38. “Chocolates melt hearts; you melt mine daily.”39. “Happy Chocolate Day to my forever crush!”40. “You’re smoother than ganache. Happy Chocolate Day!”41. “This chocolate’s good; you’re better. Happy Chocolate Day!”42. “Love you to the moon and back—like chocolate eclairs!”43. “Happy Chocolate Day, king of my heart!”44.”You’re my secret ingredient. Happy Chocolate Day!”45. May your day be as sweet as this chocolate, my dear. Happy Chocolate Day!

For Friends/Family/Crush

46. “Happy Chocolate Day! You’re life’s sweetest friend.”47. “Chocolates for my favorite human. Happy Chocolate Day!”48. “To my chocolate buddy: Endless sweetness! Happy Chocolate Day!”49. “Happy Chocolate Day—may life be as sweet as you!”50. “You’re the friend who makes bitter days sweet.”51. “Sharing chocolates = sharing joy. Happy Chocolate Day!”52. “Happy Chocolate Day to my partner-in-crime!”53. “Life’s better with friends like you (and chocolates).”54. “To my chocolate soulmate—Happy Chocolate Day!”55. “Happy Chocolate Day! Sweet times ahead.”56. “You’re sweeter than any bonbon. Happy Chocolate Day!”57. “Chocolates for the bestie who gets me!”58. “Happy Chocolate Day—let’s make memories!”59. “To family: You’re my comfort chocolate. Happy Day!”60. “Crush alert: This chocolate’s for you! Happy Chocolate Day!”

Chocolate Day quotes

61. “Your love is like hot chocolate on a cold day—comforting and sweet.” — Unknown62. “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’ll get… but with you, it’s always perfection.”— Forrest Gump inspired63. “Chocolate is cheaper than therapy—and you get sweet hugs too.” — Jason Love64 “All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” — Charles M. Schulz65. “You’re my favourite flavour of forever.” — Unknown66. “Chocolate comes from cocoa, which comes from a tree… so technically, chocolate is salad.”— Unknown (for laughs!)“In the cookie of life, you’re the chocolate chips.” — Unknown67. “Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it cools; risky but sweet.” — Unknown68. “Happiness is a warm chocolate bar shared with you.” — Unknown69. “Chocolate is the answer—who cares what the question is?”— Unknown70. “Your smile tastes like dark chocolate: Rich, bold, unforgettable.”— Unknown71. “Chocolates are like love—they melt under pressure but bond forever.” — Unknown72. “Seven days without chocolate makes one weak.” — Wayne Schuster73. “You’re the cream in my chocolate eclair.” — Unknown74. “Chocolate says ‘I’m thinking of you’… and brings joy!”— Unknown75. “Life without chocolate is like a world without flowers.”— Unknown76. “Our love: 70% cocoa, 30% pure magic.” — Unknown77. “Chocolate is a girl’s best friend—next to diamonds, of course.” — Unknown78. “One chocolate bar won’t kill you, but two? Heaven.” — Unknown79. “To my love: You’re sweeter than any praline, richer than ganache.” — Unknown