BENGALURU: Space PSU NewSpace India Limited (Nsil), which has a contract to put into orbit US’ commercial satellite “BlueBird Block-2” or “BlueBird-6” through Isro’s LVM-3, will implement the launch on Dec 24.Isro Friday confirmed the dates, and said: “The launch of LVM3-M6 is scheduled on Dec 2025 at 8.54 am from the second launch pad (SLP), Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota.” While Isro chairman V Narayanan has been speaking about a Dec launch, the space agency, which had initially targeted Dec 15 pushed it to Dec 24. As per AST SpaceMobile, its next-generation BlueBird satellites are designed to deliver 24/7 high-speed cellular broadband to everyday smartphones worldwide. “These advanced satellites feature nearly 2,400 square feet arrays, which will make them the largest commercial phased arrays ever deployed in low Earth orbit, surpassing the previous record held by our first-generation BlueBirds at 693 square feet,” the firm said, describing the latest satellite. While the PSLV, which has delivered more than 400 foreign satellites into orbit, had been DoS and Isro’s mainstay for commercial launches until recently, the LVM-3 made its commercial debut on Oct 23, 2022 by putting a 5,796kg satellite into orbit. Following this, the launch vehicle has been used in multiple commercial missions.The BlueBird Block-2 satellite which weighs 6,500kg, will be part of a constellation of satellites AST has in place. “With our proprietary AST5000 application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), each satellite will support 10 GHz of processing bandwidth and peak speeds of 120 Mbps per coverage cell,” the firm has said.Narayanan has said more than once that the mission shows how India, which once relied on other countries, including the US for its space programme, has grown formidable enough to launch a large satellite from a country considered as the leader in space.

With the benefits of hindsight, it’s hardly surprising that Noam Chomsky and Jeffrey Epstein were pals. Both are of course experts at manufacturing consent. Chomsky explained how the powers-that-be pulled the levers to manufacture the narrative. And turns out it was Epstein who was the lever which was pulling the powers-that-be. In earlier letters, Chomsky had thanked Epstein for explaining how the global finance system worked. Newer pictures released by Republicans of the House Oversight Committee shows that the academic and the financier were birds of the same feather.That opening unsettles because it violates an unwritten rule. You are not supposed to place Chomsky and Epstein in the same moral paragraph. One is meant to explain power. The other is meant to exemplify its abuse. One belongs in footnotes and seminars. The other in courtrooms and documentaries. And yet, once you stop resisting the discomfort, the pairing begins to feel less shocking and more revealing.

This is not a story about crimes. There is no evidence linking Noam Chomsky to Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual offences. That boundary must be stated clearly and repeatedly. What is documented, however, is a sustained association — described in emails, letters, calendars, financial records, and now photographs — that raises questions not of legality, but of judgement and proximity.

New photo revelations: what images confirm, not imply

The Epstein saga has reached a stage where little is legally new, but reputational damage accumulates through artefacts. The latest release of photographs from Epstein’s estate, made public via the US House Oversight Committee, falls squarely into that category.Among the images is a photograph showing Epstein seated next to Noam Chomsky aboard a private aircraft. The image is undated and does not depict wrongdoing. But it establishes fact: Chomsky and Epstein were physically together in elite, private settings.That matters because Epstein’s pattern of interaction was not incidental. Private planes, residences, and small controlled environments recur across investigations and reporting on his social world. These were not neutral backdrops. They were spaces of access.The wider image set reinforces the same atmosphere. Passports from multiple countries laid out together. Young women photographed without context. Visual references to Lolita used provocatively rather than literarily. None of this implicates Chomsky directly. But it situates him inside Epstein’s curated world rather than outside it.Photographs do not explain intent. They establish presence. And presence, in Epstein’s case, has always been the first threshold.

The bond between the two: what the record actually shows

Chomsky has never provided a detailed public account of his relationship with Epstein. When contacted by The Wall Street Journal, Chomsky wrote in an email in mid-2023: “First response is that it is none of your business. Or anyone’s. Second is that I knew him and we met occasionally” That statement is one of the few clear, on-the-record responses Chomsky has given. It neither denies contact nor elaborates on its nature.The more detailed characterisation of their relationship comes instead from documents released later, including correspondence attributed to Chomsky that was obtained and reported by The Guardian and others following disclosures to the House Oversight Committee.In one such letter, Chomsky wrote that he had met Epstein several years earlier and that they had since been in “regular contact”, with “many long and often in-depth discussions about a very wide range of topics”. He described these exchanges as “a most valuable experience for me” The same correspondence records Chomsky thanking Epstein for explaining the “intricacies of the global financial system”, suggesting that Epstein provided insights unavailable in mainstream business journalism or academic literature. The documents also describe Epstein acting as a facilitator. In one instance, Epstein reportedly arranged a call with a Norwegian diplomat involved in the Oslo Accords. In another, he helped arrange a meeting with former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak, a figure Chomsky had written about critically.Epstein also offered Chomsky access to his residences in New York and New Mexico. It is not publicly established whether those offers were accepted. There was also a financial link. In 2018, approximately $270,000 was transferred to Chomsky from an account associated with Epstein. Chomsky has publicly stated that this money was his own, routed through Epstein-linked accounts while reorganising shared funds after the death of his first wife, and that it “did not involve one penny from Epstein”. That explanation stands unless contradicted. What is undisputed is that a financial transaction occurred. Taken together, the record shows repeated contact, logistical cooperation, and written expressions of appreciation. It does not show criminal complicity. It does show a relationship that extended well beyond a chance encounter.

Why Epstein’s circle extended so far up

Epstein’s reach was not built on secrecy alone. It was built on usefulness. The documents show him acting as a connector: arranging meetings, facilitating conversations, collapsing distance between people who normally encounter one another only through intermediaries. This was central to his social capital. For academics, Epstein presented himself as a curious and well-informed interlocutor with resources and connections. For politicians and diplomats, he functioned as an informal channel. For business elites, he spoke fluently about leverage and systems.Association with Epstein did not require endorsement of his private conduct. It required engagement. That distinction explains why his circle cut across ideological and moral lines. The cost of association was not framed as moral compromise, but as ordinary social interaction. Over time, engagement became routine. This is how elite normalisation works. Not through overt coercion, but through familiarity.

Who is Noam Chomsky, and why this matters

Noam Chomsky is not merely a prominent academic. He is one of the most influential public intellectuals of the last century. In linguistics, his work on universal grammar reshaped cognitive science and theories of language acquisition. In politics, his critique of US foreign policy and corporate power made him a global symbol of dissent. Most famously, in Manufacturing Consent, Chomsky argued that modern democracies manage public opinion not through censorship, but through structure: media ownership, advertising dependence, elite sourcing, and ideological boundaries.For decades, Chomsky was valued precisely because he did not seek proximity to power. He analysed it from a distance. That is why the Epstein association resonates. Not because it disproves Chomsky’s arguments, but because it tests them. Epstein was not an aberration. He was a product of elite systems Chomsky described. Wealth laundering legitimacy. Access substituting for accountability. Networks insulating themselves through complexity.The documents do not show Chomsky endorsing Epstein’s crimes. They show something more mundane and more troubling: that even the most incisive critics of elite power can underestimate how power presents itself socially. Chomsky analysed systems. Epstein navigated them. This is not a story about hypocrisy. It is a story about blind spots. About how proximity dulls scepticism. About how critique does not guarantee immunity. Epstein did not refute Chomsky’s work. He illustrated it.

Former India batter Aakash Chopra said Shubman Gill is likely to continue as vice-captain for the T20 World Cup 2026, though he noted that Hardik Pandya remains an option. Gill was named vice-captain under Suryakumar Yadav ahead of the Asia Cup 2025, but a drop in form has led to criticism. While selecting his India squad for the T20 World Cup, Chopra included Gill but said the team management may not finalise the vice-captaincy yet and could also consider Hardik.“The fact is that Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Sanju Samson will be the three openers in this team. I have picked Sanju Samson as the second wicketkeeper and an opening option. As for Abhishek Sharma, let’s not even talk about it, because I feel he could be the highest run-scorer of the World Cup,” Chopra said on his YouTube. channel

“If you are wondering why Shubman Gill has been picked-if you have appointed someone vice-captain, you won’t pivot that soon. I am not going to put my neck on the line and say that Shubman definitely will be the vice-captain. The team might leave the vice-captain slot open, or they might appoint Hardik Pandya just to keep their options open,” he added.Chopra named Jitesh Sharma as the first-choice wicketkeeper, with Sanju Samson as the second option. In the pace department, he selected Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Harshit Rana as specialist fast bowlers, with Hardik Pandya and Shivam Dube as seam-bowling all-round options.“After that, Jasprit Bumrah-let’s not discuss him; why waste time? Arshdeep Singh, let’s not discuss; why waste time? Then Varun Chakaravarthy-there is no discussion. Why should we waste your and my time? I feel Varun Chakaravarthy could be the highest wicket-taker of this tournament,” Chopra said.“After that, you have to keep Kuldeep Yadav in the team to give yourselves options. Then only one slot is left. You can pick any fast bowler there, so I am keeping Harshit Rana. He also provides a batting option at No. 8,” he added.

Gold prices began the day on a softer note on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), with the yellow metal opening at Rs 1,34,027 per 10 grams, a decline of Rs 494 or 0.37%. Despite the dip, gold has managed to stay above the key Rs 1.34 lakh level, a zone closely watched by market participants amid shifting global signals.Spot gold slipped 0.3% to $4,319.07 an ounce on Friday, while US gold futures fell 0.4% to $4,346.70. Silver prices also retreated, with spot silver down 1% at $64.79 an ounce, easing after scaling a record high of $66.88 earlier this week.Here’s how much gold costs in your city today:

Gold rate in Delhi today

In the national capital, 22K gold is priced at Rs 12,315 per gram, while 24K gold is selling at Rs 13,433 per gram.

Gold rate in Mumbai today

Mumbai is seeing 22K gold at Rs 12,300 per gram, and 24K gold available at Rs 13,418 per gram.

Gold rate in Bengaluru today

Bengaluru markets list 22K gold at Rs 12,300 per gram, whereas 24K gold is priced at Rs 13,418 per gram.

Gold rate in Chennai today

Chennai recorded 22K gold at Rs 12,380 per gram and 24K gold at Rs 13,506 per gram.

Gold rate in Kolkata today

In Kolkata, 22K gold is being sold at Rs 12,300 per gram, while 24K gold is available at Rs 13,418 per gram.

Gold rate in Hyderabad today

In Hyderabad, 22K gold is priced at Rs 12,300 per gram, and 24K gold at Rs 13,418 per gram.

Gold rate in Ahmedabad today

Ahmedabad buyers are paying Rs 12,305 per gram for 22K gold and Rs 13,423 per gram for 24K gold.

Gold rate in Jaipur today

Jaipur has 22K gold priced at Rs 12,315 per gram, and 24K gold at Rs 13,433 per gram.

Gold rate in Bhubaneswar today

In Bhubaneswar, 22K gold stands at Rs 12,300 per gram, while 24K gold is priced at Rs 13,418 per gram.

Gold rate in Kanpur today

In Kanpur 22K gold was sold at Rs 12,315 per gram, with 24K gold selling for Rs 13,433 per gram.

India and Sri Lanka are set to face each other in the semifinal of the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai on Friday (ACC Photo)

NEW DELHI: India and Sri Lanka are set to face each other in the semifinal of the ACC Under-19 Asia Cup at the ICC Academy Ground in Dubai on Friday, with weather looming as a potential spoiler. Persistent rain in Dubai has already caused delays in recent matches, raising questions over what happens if the knockout clash is washed out without a result.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!India Under-19 have enjoyed a dominant run en route to the semifinals of the ACC Men’s U19 Asia Cup 2025 and will enter the contest with considerable momentum. They began their Group A campaign in emphatic fashion, registering a thumping 234-run victory over the UAE after piling up a massive 433 for 6 at the ICC Academy. India followed that up with another commanding performance against arch-rivals Pakistan, bowling them out for 150 to clinch a comfortable 90-run win after posting 240.

The young Indian side then sealed the top spot in Group A with a crushing 315-run win over Malaysia, scoring 408 for 7 before dismissing their opponents for just 93. Those comprehensive results ensured India finished as group toppers with a perfect record.Sri Lanka Under-19, meanwhile, booked their semifinal berth through a series of competitive performances in Group B. They began with a comfortable eight-wicket win over Nepal at The Sevens Stadium, chasing down a modest target with ease. Sri Lanka then showed nerves of steel in a tense encounter against Afghanistan at the ICC Academy, edging past the target with just two wickets in hand in the final over.Despite suffering a 39-run defeat against Bangladesh in their final group match, Sri Lanka had already done enough to qualify for the semifinals, finishing second in Group B and showcasing resilience under pressure.

What if rain washes out India vs Sri Lanka semifinal?

If the semifinal between India and Sri Lanka is washed out without any play, tournament regulations come into effect. In such a scenario, India Under-19 will progress to the final by virtue of finishing at the top of their group, while Sri Lanka ended second in theirs. Similarly, in the other semifinal, Bangladesh would advance in the event of a no-result against Pakistan.

Jharkhand captain Ishan Kishan

New Delhi: “Karmanye vadhikaraste ma phaleshu kadachana (You have the right to work but never to the fruit of work)”. This is written in verse no. 47 of chapter no. 2 in the Bhagavad Gita, which brought Ishan Kishan to tears.Exactly a year ago in December, while going through personal turmoil, Ishan Kishan started reading the Bhagavad Gita – a conversation between Arjuna and Lord Krishna. Like Arjuna, Ishan was fighting two battles — one with his career, which was sabotaged by the men who mattered, and still matter, in Indian cricket, and the other with uncertainty over where his career was heading.

In the last four Decembers, the wicketkeeper-batter has seen the highs, the lows and redemption.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!In December 2022, he scored a whirlwind double century off just 126 balls in Chattogram. The previous fastest double hundred in men’s ODIs was 138 balls, by Chris Gayle for West Indies against Zimbabwe in Canberra during the 2015 World Cup.

Ishan Kishan with his family

In December 2023, when he asked for a break due to mental fatigue, it irked the then team management. The management failed to appreciate the natural frustration that builds up in players who are repeatedly benched. Conversely, the narrative floated by the team management led by then coach Rahul Dravid, chief selector Ajit Agarkar and the then leadership group suggested that Kishan did not handle his non-selection with the expected mindset.In December 2024, while scrolling through his mobile phone, he came across a quote from the Bhagavad Gita which intrigued the talented wicketkeeper-batter, prompting him to call his father to understand its meaning. After Pranav Pandey, Ishan’s father, narrated a few shlokas from the Bhagavad Gita, Ishan ordered the holy book and since then it has become an integral part of his life, alongside his bats and keeping gloves.Cut to the present — leading Jharkhand in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, the southpaw slammed 517 runs at an exhilarating strike rate of 197.32, including a 51-ball hundred in the final against Haryana. The knock was enough to help Jharkhand win their maiden domestic T20 title.Between these four Decembers, Ishan’s life has turned upside down.

Spirituality and family has helped Ishan Kishan battle through the dark times

After his double hundred against Bangladesh in an ODI, it seemed Kishan had secured the opening slot alongside Rohit Sharma for the 2023 ODI World Cup. However, in the very next ODI at home against Sri Lanka, the team management opted for Shubman Gill, with Kishan relegated to a reserve role throughout the multi-nation tournament where he only played when Gill was unavailable due to dengue. When KL Rahul was unavailable in the lead-up to the World Cup, Kishan stepped into the middle order and produced impressive returns — including a 91 against a strong Pakistan pace attack on a tough Pallekele surface — only to make way once Rahul regained full fitness.In T20Is too, despite Rishabh Pant’s absence and Kishan being a left-handed option, India preferred right-handers Jitesh Sharma and Sanju Samson for their middle-order suitability.Back in the day, R Ashwin, speaking on his YouTube channel, heaped praise on Kishan, calling him an “extraordinary team man,” while recalling an incident from India’s West Indies tour. Ashwin also lauded Kishan’s attitude despite continuously warming the bench after performing well. “One more thing is that Ishan Kishan is an extraordinary team man. He will mix positive vibes with the water he is giving to the players in the XI,” Ashwin had said.

Rajkot: India A’s Ishan Kishan plays a shot during the third unofficial ODI cricket match between India A and South Africa A, at Niranjan Shah Stadium in Rajkot. (PTI Photo)(PTI11_19_2025_000275B)

But it was Kishan’s attitude that was questioned by Dravid and Agarkar after he asked for a break in South Africa, where Dravid said his technique was not suited for overseas conditions and that KL Rahul would keep the gloves. This came despite Kishan having kept wickets in the intra-squad match and being told by then captain Rohit Sharma that he was going to play.Later, Dravid stated that if Ishan Kishan wanted to play for India again, he must play domestic cricket. The same Dravid seemingly overlooked the fact that four days after his double century in Chattogram on December 10, Kishan scored a century against Kerala in Ranchi.It has been four years since Ishan Kishan last played for India. Since then, he has featured in the DY Patil Tournament, the Buchi Babu Trophy, IPL, county cricket, and most importantly, domestic cricket for Jharkhand. In the meantime, he lost his central contract after the BCCI instructed top cricketers to “give precedence to domestic cricket” when not on national duty.

Nagpur: Jharkhand’s captain Ishan Kishan sets the field during the third day of the Ranji Trophy 2025-26 cricket match between Vidarbha and Jharkhand, in Nagpur. (PTI Photo)(PTI10_27_2025_000277B)

Luck also did not favour Kishan, who was set to return to the Test set-up for the Oval Test as a replacement for the injured Rishabh Pant against England. However, an injury ruled him out and Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan was flown in as backup to Dhruv Jurel. Kishan was considered a like-for-like replacement for Pant.Kishan’s name has been put forward during multiple team selections since then but has been stonewalled due to “attitude problem”. It is learnt that he was very close to a return for the ODI series vs South Africa but his selection didn’t get the required support. This despite a long discussion for the second wicketkeeper spot.When the times were tough and the youngster was losing patience and mental peace by regularly warming the bench across formats, the Bhagavad Gita and spirituality helped him find peace and a newfound discipline in his life.

Nagpur: Jharkhand’s captain Ishan Kishan with teammates during the third day of the Ranji Trophy match between Vidarbha and Jharkhand at VCA Stadium, in Nagpur, Maharashtra. (PTI Photo)(PTI10_27_2025_000112A)

“The setback has taught him discipline and has made him hungrier than ever to play for India again,” his father Pranav Pandey told TimesofIndia.com.“The boy who always brought a smile to everyone’s face stopped smiling. As parents, my wife and I used to cry. It was a difficult phase and it has passed. He left Patna at the age of 12 and moved to Ranchi for cricket, and people were saying he had no interest in playing for India. It was painful to see those memes,” recalled an emotional father.The 12-year-old Ishan was shifted to a two-room quarter in Doranda, Ranchi, where he shared the flat with three others twice his age. “They used to cook food, and Ishan, who had no clue about cooking, was given the job of cleaning utensils,” remembers Pranav.“There were numerous occasions when he was alone in the flat. He learned how to cook Maggi, which often became his dinner. In the morning, before practice, he would drink sattu, while chips and soft drinks became his lunch. He shared these stories with us when he became captain of the India U-19 World Cup team in 2016,” he adds.

Nagpur: Rest of India’s Ruturaj Gaikwad, left, Ishan Kishan, right, and others return to pavilion due to low light on day three of the Irani Cup 2025 cricket match between Vidarbha and Rest of India, at Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium, in Nagpur, Maharashtra. (PTI Photo) (PTI10_03_2025_000286B)

Pranav shared an incident before Ishan left for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy. “I wished him luck and, like any father, asked him to be selfish. He replied with a shloka from the Gita — ‘Anusasitaṃ manaḥ sukhaṃ janayati’ (A disciplined mind brings happiness). It brought tears to my eyes, and he burst into laughter. We have got our son back, and soon he will get his place in the team back,” says Pranav, a cricket tragic himself.

A lot of water has flown under the bridge since he was last seen in India colours, and the curious case of the missing Ishan Kishan remains a puzzle that may never be fully answered. But with wisdom drawn from the Bhagavad Gita, the fire in the cricketer continues to burn.