Suniel Shetty has shared his views on Pakistan’s reported decision to boycott its ICC T20 World Cup 2026 group-stage match against India, scheduled for February 15 in Colombo. Addressing the media at the launch of Black Scorpion: To Hell And Back in Mumbai, the Border actor expressed hope that the high-voltage clash would still take place, stressing the historic significance of the rivalry.“I want Pakistan to come to Sri Lanka and play against India. The India and Pakistan teams have a beautiful rivalry just like the Ashes between Australia and England,” Suniel Shetty said.
Uncertainty looms over India vs Pakistan fixture
Suniel Shetty’s remarks come at a time when uncertainty surrounds the much-anticipated India–Pakistan match at the upcoming T20 World Cup. Pakistan recently decided to boycott the group-stage encounter, after the Pakistan government posted on X that the Pakistan team “shall not take the field” against India, without citing any specific reason.
ICC responds to Pakistan’s decision
Following the Pakistan government’s announcement, the International Cricket Council (ICC) issued a statement expressing concern over the development. The global cricketing body stated that “selective participation” goes against the “fundamental premise of a global sporting event” and added that it expects the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to explore a mutually acceptable solution that safeguards the interests of all stakeholders.
Suniel Shetty Seeks Legal Protection Against Deepfake Content
BCCI condemns boycott as ‘against sportsmanship’
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) strongly criticised Pakistan’s decision to boycott the February 15 clash, calling it unsporting. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2026 final at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara, BCCI Joint Secretary Prabhtej Singh Bhatia said, “This is against the sportsmanship of any sport. This is a very wrong decision by Pakistan. I am sure the ICC will take very strict action, and we will wait for the ICC’s decision.”
Team India unfazed amid controversy
Earlier in the day, India T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav stated that the Indian team remains fully prepared for a potential showdown against arch-rivals Pakistan. Speaking during the captains’ media briefing in Colombo, Suryakumar emphasised that India’s approach would remain unchanged, irrespective of the uncertainty surrounding Pakistan’s participation.
NEW DELHI: India fast bowler Harshit Rana has been ruled out of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, the BCCI said on Friday. Rana suffered a knee injury during India’s warm-up match against South Africa in Navi Mumbai on February 4, 2026.The BCCI said Rana was assessed by a specialist and underwent scans, following which the medical team declared him unfit for the tournament. Mohammed Siraj has been named as his replacement in the squad.
T20 World Cup | ‘Our flight is booked and we are going’ – Suryakumar Yadav on Pakistan’s boycott
Earlier in the day, India captain Suryakumar Yadav had said Rana was “not looking good”.Rana was injured during India’s T20 World Cup warm-up game against South Africa on Wednesday. He pulled out of his run-up twice in an over before holding his knee and leaving the field. He bowled just one over and gave away 16 runs.India are already managing other fitness concerns in the squad. All-rounder Washington Sundar, who missed the recent T20 series against New Zealand due to a side strain, remains part of the World Cup squad and is expected to return in time for the tournament. Tilak Varma, who was earlier ruled out due to injury, has made his return and featured in two warm-up matches ahead of the World Cup. India will begin their T20 World Cup 2026 campaign on February 7 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai against USA.India’s updated squad: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (WK), Ishan Kishan (WK), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel (VC), Rinku Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, Washington Sundar, Mohd Siraj
Los Angeles: As the impact of the Epstein files blows up, the skeletons from the closet of actor-director Woody Allen have also tumbled out.
Woody Allen was a famous Luddite during his decades-long reign in Hollywood, sneering at modern technology at every opportunity (even refusing digital prints for his movies), reports ‘Variety’.
But that attitude did not extend to those in his household, as a slew of private emails from his daughter turned wife Soon-Yi Previn to Jeffrey Epstein proved this week. Numerous unearthed communications from Previn give insight into the couple’s personal history, and suggest close ties to Epstein, the late convicted sex offender and human trafficker.
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Writing on both her own behalf and her husband’s from a personal email account, Previn talked to Epstein about current events and asked him for favors, documents from the U.S. Department of Justice suggest.
As per ‘Variety’, one 2017 exchange shows Previn profusely thanking Epstein for helping daughter Bechet Allen gain admission to New York’s Bard College, thanks to a personal connection the billionaire had with school president Leon Botstein.
“I think it’s best that Bechet struggles and doesn’t know ahead of time that she got in so that when she gets into Bard she will have sweated it out a bit and will really want to go. Thank you for coming through for us”, Previn wrote to Epstein. “I can’t tell you how much this means to me. Woody said when Bechet sets fire to the school they’ll have you to thank”.
Representatives for Bard College did not immediately return the request for comment, though a spokesperson for Botstein told the New York Times that Epstein was “a serial liar who apparently took credit for the sun rising each day”. The representative added that Bechet Allen, who graduated in 2021, was admitted “on the merits of her own qualifications”, as a reported 40% of hopeful students are to Bard each year.
There’s also a 2016 exchange between Previn and Epstein, discussing disgraced politician Anthony Weiner following his conviction for transferring obscene material to a minor.
Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, Australia received another blow as their star pacer Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out of the tournament.
The pacer is running out of time to recover from the hamstring injury. Earlier, veteran pacer Pat Cummins was ruled out of the entire tournament due to a persistent back injury and was replaced in the 15-man squad by Ben Dwarshuis.
Earlier, Cricket Australia stated that the pacer would make his return in the middle of the tournament and would play across the venues in India and Sri Lanka.
“We were hopeful Josh would be back to match fitness by the Super 8 stage but the latest indications he is still some time away and accelerating his program will carry too much risk,” said selector Tony Dodemaide.
He also stated that Australia is not in a hurry to name a replacement player for Hazlewood. The decision could be taken later, depending on the need of the situation.
“We will not be naming a replacement player immediately. We feel we are well covered for the initial games so will make any later decisions based on priority need at the time,” he said.
Nathan Ellis and Tim David are on track to be available for the group stage, while Adam Zampa will be available for the first match in Colombo next week.
The T20 World Cup 2026 is all set to kick off from February 7, and will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Australia is placed in Group B of the tournament along with teams Ireland, Oman, Sri Lanka, and Zimbabwe.
The Aussies will begin their campaign by playing a clash against Ireland on February 11 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo.
The “Super 8” stage of the marquee event will begin from February 21. Semi-final 1 and semi-final 2 of the tournament are scheduled on March 4 and 5, respectively.
The title clash of the T20 World Cup 2026 is scheduled to be played on March 8, with the venue yet to be confirmed.
Australia`s updated squad for the T20 World Cup 2026
Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Marsh (C), Adam Zampa, Travis Head, Ben Dwarshuis, Matthew Kuhnemann, Matt Renshaw, Josh Inglis (WK), Xavier Bartlett, Cameron Green, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cooper Connolly.
Colorado Springs, Colo. – Derrick Johnson buried his mother’s ashes under a purple-flowered golden dewdrop tree at his home on Maui’s Haleakala Volcano, fulfilling her wish for a final resting place for her grandchildren to see.
A man whose mother was found among 189 rotting corpses tells the story
Then the FBI called.
It was February 4, 2024, and Johnson was teaching eighth grade gym class.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Johnson recalled, “Are you Ellen Lopes’ son?” a woman asked.
The caller said there had been an incident and an FBI agent would come to explain. Then he asked: “‘Did you experiment return to nature To the funeral home?”
He added, “You should probably Google them.”
In the hum of the weight room, Johnson typed “Return to Nature” into his cellphone. dozens of news report Appeared, coming out in a blurry form.
Hundreds of bodies were kept on top of each other. inches of body decomposition fluid. Swarm of insects. The investigators are in shock. Governor announced emergency situation.
Johnson felt nauseated and his chest constricted, forcing him to breathe from his lungs. He pushed himself out of the building as another teacher heard his screams and came running.
Two FBI agents met with Johnson the following week to confirm. His mother’s body was one of 189 Return to Nature’s owners, John and Carrie Halford, hid them in a building in Colorado between 2019 and October 4, 2023, when the bodies were found.
Even though Halford’s bills went unpaid, authorities said he spent lavishly on Tiffany jewelry, luxury cars and laser-body sculpting, pocketing nearly $130,000 that he paid for cremations.
He was arrested in Oklahoma in November 2023 and accused of abusing nearly 200 corpses.
Hundreds of families learned from authorities that the ashes they ceremoniously spread or kept nearby were not actually the remains of their loved ones. There were the bodies of their mothers, fathers, grandparents, children and infants Molded in a room temperature building in Colorado.
Johnson, 45, who has been experiencing panic attacks since being called by the FBI, promised himself that he would speak out at Halford’s sentencing and seek the maximum penalty.
“When the judge tells you how long you’re going to jail for, and you walk away in handcuffs,” he said, “you’re going to listen to me.”
John and Carrie Halford were a husband-and-wife team who advertised “green funerals” without embalming at their Return to Nature funeral home in Colorado Springs.
She will greet the bereaved families and guide them on the last journey of their loved ones. He was less visible.
Johnson called the funeral home in early February 2023, the week his mother died. Johnson said Carrie Holford assured her she would take good care of her mother.
A few days later, she gave Johnson a blue box containing a zip-tied plastic bag with gray powder, saying these were her mother’s ashes.
“He lied to me over the phone. He lied to me via email. He lied to me in person,” Johnson said.
The following day, the box was surrounded by flowers and photographs of Ellen Marie Shriver-Lopes at a memorial service at a Holiday Inn in Colorado Springs.
Johnson sprinkled rose petals on him as a preacher said: “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”
According to the arrest affidavit, on September 9, 2023, surveillance footage showed a man resembling John Holford walking inside a building owned by Return to Nature in the city of Penrose, outside Colorado Springs.
Camera footage from inside shows a body lying in a diaper and hospital socks. The man turned her over on the floor.
The affidavit states that he then “appeared to be wiping the dirt left over from the litter on the other bodies in the room” before he carried two more bodies into the building.
In a message to his wife, Halford said, “When I was transferring, people gave me juice.” court testimony.
Johnson grew up with her mother in an affordable housing complex in Colorado Springs, where she knew everyone.
Johnson’s father was not around much; At age 5, Johnson remembers seeing his mother punch him, slamming him into a table and then onto a guitar, breaking it.
It was Lopez who taught Johnson how to shave and yell from the bleachers at football games.
The neighborhood children called her “Mom”, some children slept on the couch when they needed a place to stay and a hot meal. She talked to Jehovah’s Witnesses because she did not want to be rude. Having spent his life in social work, Lopez used to say: “If you have the ability and the voice to help: help.”
On Thursday, Johnson was holding a pink Mother’s Day card she had written in high school and had discovered among her things. “I think I wrote ‘I love you’ 20 times in there,” he said, “because how many times have I missed saying it?”
“It makes me feel really good that he kept it.”
Johnson said he talks to his mother almost every day. When she became disabled and blind due to diabetes at the age of 65, she asked Johnson on the phone to tell her what her grandchildren would look like.
It was Super Bowl Sunday in 2023 when his heart stopped.
Johnson, who had flown from Hawaii to be at her bedside, took her warm hand and held it until it cooled.
Detective Sgt. Michael Jolliffe and County Deputy Coroner Laura Allen stand outside the Penrose Building on Oct. 3, 2023, according to a 50-page arrest affidavit.
A sign on the door read “Return to Nature Funeral Home” and listed a phone number. When Jolliffe called him he got disconnected. Broken concrete and yellow stalks of grass surround the building. Behind was a dilapidated hearse whose registration had expired. A window air conditioner was humming.
The affidavit says someone had called Jolliffe about a strange smell coming from the building the day before.
A neighbor told the reporter that he thought it came from the septic tank; Another said her daughter’s dog always runs toward the building whenever it’s off leash.
Reminiscent of rancid manure or rotting fish, it hit anyone on the downside of the building.
Jolliffe and Allen noticed a dark stain under the door and on the building’s plaster exterior. The affidavit states that he thought it resembled fluids he had seen with decomposing bodies during the investigation.
But the windows of the building were covered and they could not see inside.
Allen contacted the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, which oversees funeral homes, who contacted John Halford. Halford agreed to show an inspector inside the next afternoon.
Inspector Joseph Berry arrived, but Halford did not.
Berry found a small opening in a window casing, the affidavit says. Peeking out, she saw white plastic bags on the floor that looked like body bags.
A judge issued a search warrant.
Wearing protective suits, gloves, boots and respirators, investigators entered the 2,500-square-foot building on October 5, 2023, according to the affidavit.
Inside, they found a large bone grinder and a bag of Quikrete next to it, which investigators suspected was used to incinerate ashes. In about a dozen rooms, including bathrooms, bodies were piled so high that the doors were closed, the affidavit said.
There were 189.
Some had been rotting for years, others for several months, according to the affidavit. Many were in body bags, some wrapped in sheets and duct tape. It said the other half were uncovered, lying on gurneys or in plastic totes, or uncovered.
The document states that investigators believe Halford was experimenting with water cremation, which can incinerate a body in several hours. There were swarms of insects there.
The body bag was filled with liquid, according to the affidavit. Some were torn. Five-gallon buckets were placed to catch the leak. It said removal teams “scraped up layers of human decomposition on the floor”.
The affidavit said investigators identified the bodies using fingerprints, hospital bracelets and medical implants. It said a body should have been buried at Pikes Peak National Cemetery.
Investigators exhumed a wooden coffin at the burial site of a US Army veteran who served in Vietnam and the Persian Gulf. Inside was the dismembered body of a woman, wrapped in duct tape and plastic sheets.
The veteran’s body was found covered in maggots in the Penrose Building.
After the FBI call, Johnson promised himself that he would speak out at the Halfords’ sentencing. But she found it difficult to talk about what had happened even to her closest friends, let alone in front of the judge and Halford.
For months, Johnson obsessed over the case, reading dozens of news reports, often glued to his phone until one of his children stopped him from playing.
When she closed her eyes, she said she imagined walking into the building “with insects, flies, centipedes. There are rats, they are feasting.” He asked a preacher if his mother’s spirit was trapped there. She assured him that this had not happened. When an episode of the zombie show “The Walking Dead” came out, he was broke.
Johnson began seeing a therapist and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. He joined a Zoom meeting with relatives of other victims as the number grew from dozens to hundreds.
After Lopes’ body was identified, Johnson flew to Colorado in March 2024, where his mother’s remains were in a box at a crematorium.
“I don’t think you blame me, but I still want to tell you that I’m sorry,” he said, placing his hand on the box.
Lopes’ body was then loaded into the incinerator and Johnson pressed the button.
Johnson has gradually improved with therapy, becoming more involved with his students and children. He practiced speaking at Halfords’ sentencing in therapy. Closing his eyes, he imagined himself standing before the judge and Halford.
“Justice is the part that is missing from this whole equation,” he said. “Maybe somehow this justice will set me free.”
“And then there’s a part of me that’s scared it won’t happen, because it probably won’t.”
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without any modifications to the text.
The film industry is known for its unpredictability. From overnight success to projects being shelved without warning, actors often find themselves at the mercy of uncertain circumstances. What truly sustains an artist through these highs and lows is resilience—and Gurfateh Pirzada’s journey stands as a testament to that perseverance.
Gurfateh recalls projects getting shelved after debut
Gurfateh made his debut with Netflix’s Guilty, following which he signed several promising projects. Unfortunately, many of them were shelved before release. Just when uncertainty loomed large, the actor found his breakthrough with Class. The show earned widespread acclaim and popularity, creating strong anticipation for a second season. He wrote, “The year was 2020 and I had my first outing in the movies with GUILTY. I thought this was it…and man I’d arrived (LOL) the pandemic happened and we all know how that story went….Then came a bunch of projects that were announced and signed but eventually never saw the light of day…but there was a dark horse that I was working on all along that came to be known as CLASS exactly three years later in 2023 and a lot of you and I absolutely loved that show…but unfortunately we could not give you another season because life usually has other plans.”
The news deeply affected the actor. He later revealed that upon learning about Class being shelved in late 2024, he fell ill with a high fever, overwhelmed by disappointment. He added, “If I remember correctly it was probably the 7th one (in 3 years) and it completely broke whatever faith and confidence I had within…”
In 2025, the actor turned a new page, landing interesting roles and performances inCall Me Bae, with more projects lined up including Revolutionaries, Dynasty, Call Me Bae 2, and Lust Stories 3. Reflecting on his journey, Gurfateh penned an emotional note recalling the setbacks, lessons, and gratitude for the teams that stood by him during difficult times.
He concluded the note with gratitude. “Fast forward to 2025… I don’t know what changed and how it all transpired and came to fruition… I decided to leave it all behind and start afresh with a renewed sense of self…and thank the lord…I think there was a point when I didn’t have enough hours in the day to do it all…but we somehow managed. All credit to the team at @dcatalent for pulling through and fighting tooth and nail for this one and to raodyness for giving me an honest shot!!!”
With his talent, sincerity, and persistence, Gurfateh Pirzada continues to carve his space in the industry, winning hearts and building anticipation for his upcoming projects.
After almost 17 months of appeal and spreading awareness about this, actor Celina Jaitly has finally received some relief in order to defend his brother Major Vikrant Jaitly (Retd) who is detained in UAE since 2024. After Tuesday, when the court ordered Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to hire legal help in UAE and prepare defense for her brother, Celina sees a ray of hope.
Celina Jaitly with brother Vikrant Jaitly (Retd)
UAE based legal firm Khalid Almarri Partners and Advocates will be representing the Celina’s brother and will now take the date of appointment to meet him and know the reason why he has been detained.
“This order provides the necessary clarity and mandate to ensure coordinated action,” Celina tells us.
The actor has relentlessly posted about her brother and written to the necessary associations to be able to fight the case and determined to help him.
The actor shares that her love for her brother has been a major driving force, not letting her give up on fighting for him.
“My brother was unable to speak for himself, and I knew that silence would only deepen his vulnerability. Vikrant is my only immediate family after my three sons… Even on days when there was no response, no clarity, and no immediate relief, I was guided by the belief that persistence is often the only way to ensure accountability. As a sister, stepping back was never an option. The conviction that sustained effort, however exhausting, was necessary to protect his rights and dignity is what kept me going,” says the actor.
Vikrant after retiring from the Indian Army shifted to Dubai and co-founded a company with wife Charul Jaitly.
When asked what role Charul has to play in the current state of affairs, Celina says, “There are significant unanswered questions surrounding the sequence of events following my brother being taken. The fact of the matter is that my brother will receive legal representation only today, seventeen months since his abduction, through my petition before the Hon’ble Delhi High Court, to which my sister-in-law is not a party.”
She adds, “That said, given that the matter is sub judice, I am refraining from conjecture. What is essential is that transparency, consistency, and credibility guide the assessment of all actions and omissions in a situation involving a soldier’s liberty in a foreign land.”
Celina got to know about her brother’s detention by his wife a month after the incident took place in September 2024. However,
Celina’s lawyer in India, Raghav Kacker shares the way forward, “Only locals are allowed to appear in court there in Dubai and be part of a criminal defence or of any kind of defence. It could actually be a very simple process of just you know filing certain procedural things and getting him out or it could be something which is a full blown defence we don’t know. I will get clarity after they get the appointment letter and after they get the power of attorney from the Vikrant. The judge has directed that we get access to Vikrant before February 10.”
MUMBAI: Amid political tensions between India and Pakistan, USA fast bowler Saurabh Netravalkar said such issues have never been a topic of discussion within the US team, even though many players have roots in the two countries.The India-Pakistan league-stage match of the 2026 T20 World Cup, scheduled in Colombo on February 15, is in doubt after Pakistan refused to take part. However, speaking on Friday, a day before USA’s tournament opener against India at the Wankhede Stadium, Netravalkar said the squad remains focused only on representing the United States.“Yes we have players from all parts of the world. We gel and bond together because of our love for the game. And no I don’t think we have ever discussed the India-Pakistan issues amongst ourselves. I don’t think so at least. We are all proud to play for USA and that’s what we focus on,” Netravalkar said.“We are a group of people from multiple countries across the group and what brings us together is the love of the game. We are proud to represent the USA,” he added.For Netravalkar, the match against India will also be a personal milestone. The left-arm seamer grew up in Mumbai and learned his cricket at the Wankhede. He said playing at the venue would fulfil a long-held ambition.“It feels like a full circle moment for me because I learnt my cricket here. I grew up in Mumbai, and getting an opportunity to play at Wankhede, which has been my dream since childhood as well. So nostalgic, emotional, (and) good to see (it happening). I’m looking forward to my family, friends to be there, and I’ll give my best,” said the 34-year-old.Netravalkar said the presence of former Mumbai players in the US squad, including Harmeet Singh and Shubham Ranjane, provides some understanding of Indian conditions, though he acknowledged that the game has changed significantly.“It definitely helps, but frankly speaking, it’s been a long time. Like, I last played in India in 2014, 2015, things have changed drastically. The game itself has changed drastically. It’s become so much more aggressive from the better’s perspective, so I wouldn’t compare it. Yes, the experience helps, but the game is very different,” he said.Netravalkar was part of the US team that beat Pakistan in Dallas a couple of years ago, when he took 2 for 18 in four overs in a seven-wicket win. On Indian pitches, he said the approach would be different, with the focus on damage control.“The focus will more be on minimising the damage, like you’re saying (there are) high scoring pitches here. Every ball that we bowl, (it should be) to the field, as long as we bowl to the field, we bowl to our matchups and maximise our chances. Defence might be the best attack on this kind of pitches and hopefully we induce a mistake on a false shot, that’s the best we can do as bowlers on these wickets,” he said.
New Delhi: Nearly 30,000 acres of new campus land and about 2.7 billion square feet of academic infrastructure are expected in India by 2035 to meet surging student demand, marking world’s largest institutional real estate opportunities over the next decade, a report said on Thursday.
The report from ANAROCK Capital said that meeting the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 target of a gross enrolment ratio (GER) of 50 per cent by 2035 will require roughly 25 million additional seats and about $100 billion in construction-led investment for academic facilities alone, excluding land acquisition and student accommodation infrastructure.
“This scale of expansion, underpinned by demographic momentum, rising enrolments, globalisation of education, and landmark regulatory reforms, represents arguably the largest higher-education build-out market globally,” the report mentioned.
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The real estate services firm highlighted India’s higher-education enrolments rose from 27 million in 2010-11 to 45 million in 2022-23, driven by powerful demographic engines and rising household aspirations, and universities increased from 760 in 2015 to 1,338 in 2025, while total higher education institutions grew from 51,534 to 70,018.
“We believe the provision in the Union Budget 2026 to support the creation of five university townships reflects a recognition of the gap in academic infrastructure,” said Shobhit Agarwal, CEO-ANAROCK Capital.
After the FHEI Regulations foreign higher-education institutions ranked within the top 500 globally can now establish campuses without affiliating with Indian universities, noted Aashiesh Agarwaal, SVP-Investment Advisory, ANAROCK Capital.
In addition to the three global university campuses that have already opened, thirteen institutions have announced upcoming campuses, such as Lancaster (UK), Liverpool (UK), Illinois Institute of Technology (US), and Instituto Europeo di Design (Italy), signalling strong international confidence in India’s education market, Agarwaal added.
Uttar Pradesh has rolled out stamp duty exemptions and capital subsidies for higher education institutions.
GIFT City in Gujarat has created a dedicated international campus framework with shared academic infrastructure. Maharashtra has anchored its strategy around a 250-acre ‘Educity’ near Navi Mumbai International Airport, securing commitments from five foreign higher education institutions, said the report.
