Month: February 2025

The Washington Post is undergoing a significant transformation in its opinion pages. In a note shared with the team, Jeff Bezos, owner of The Washington Post announced that the newspaper will focus on supporting and defending two core pillars: personal liberties and free markets.

“I shared this note with the Washington Post team this morning: I’m writing to let you know about a change coming to our opinion pages. We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets. We’ll cover other topics too of course, but viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others,” shared Bezos in a post on X.

This shift marks a departure from the traditional role of newspapers in providing a broad-based opinion section. With the internet now serving as a platform for diverse perspectives, the Post is adapting to the changing media landscape.

“There was a time when a newspaper, especially one that was a local monopoly, might have seen it as a service to bring to the reader’s doorstep every morning a broad-based opinion section that sought to cover all views. Today, the internet does that job,” added Bezos.

Bezos emphasised that he’s “for America, and proud to be so” and that he offered “David Shipley, whom I greatly admire, the opportunity to lead this new chapter”.

“I am of America and for America and proud to be so. Our country did not get here by being typical. And a big part of America’s success has been freedom in the economic realm and everywhere else. Freedom is ethical — it minimises coercion — and practical — it drives creativity, invention, and prosperity,” he said.

The decision has led to the departure of Opinion Editor David Shipley, who was offered the opportunity to lead the new direction but declined after careful consideration. A search is now underway for a new Opinion Editor who can champion this fresh approach.

“I offered David Shipley, whom I greatly admire, the opportunity to lead this new chapter. I suggested to him that if the answer wasn’t “hell yes,” then it had to be “no.” After careful consideration, David decided to step away. This is a significant shift; it won’t be easy, and it will require 100% commitment — I respect his decision. We’ll be searching for a new Opinion Editor to own this new direction,” he added.

He further said that he is confident that free markets and personal liberties are right for America. He also said that he believes these viewpoints are underserved in the current market of ideas and news opinions. “I’m excited for us together to fill that void”.

“I’m confident that free markets and personal liberties are right for America. I also believe these viewpoints are underserved in the current market of ideas and news opinions. I’m excited for us together to fill that void,” said Bezos.

The move is likely to spark debate about the role of newspapers in shaping public discourse and the balance between promoting core values and providing a platform for diverse perspectives.

Notably, Bezos purchased the Washington Post by its former owner Donald Graham in 2013. (ANI)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday announced that Russian and US diplomats are set to meet in Istanbul on February 27 to discuss the work of the two countries’ embassies, reported TASS.

At a press conference, as he wrapped up his trip to Qatar, Lavrov said the meeting would focus on creating better conditions for diplomatic missions in both countries and addressing rows over staffing levels and properties of the missions.

Lavrov arrived Tuesday night in Doha for a visit, as part of his Middle East working trip, reported Xinhua.

The agenda for the upcoming meeting, as explained by Lavrov, indicates that the two sides will first seek to remove technical barriers to diplomatic relations before moving toward other ambitious goals.

The meeting in Istanbul will make it clear “how fast and efficiently the sides can move forward,” reported TASS.

In a significant shift in US foreign policy, President Donald Trump’s administration has made a surprising move towards diplomacy with Russia.

Last week’s Russia-US talks in Saudi Arabia marked a departure from previous efforts to isolate Russia over the ongoing war in Ukraine. Instead, Moscow and Washington agreed to work together towards ending the conflict and strengthening their diplomatic and economic ties.

This development comes after a phone call between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin on February 12, where they discussed a range of topics, including the Ukraine war.

The talks in Saudi Arabia were led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and resulted in a commitment to explore mutual opportunities for ending the war.

The shift in US policy has been met with mixed reactions, with some European leaders expressing concern over the exclusion of Ukraine from the talks. Despite this, the US and Russia have agreed to restore staffing at each other’s embassies, a move seen as a step towards improving relations.

He also said the issue of frozen Russian assets will not disappear from the Ukraine settlement agenda.

The issue of frozen Russian assets is unrelated to the operation of the embassies. It will not disappear from the agenda of settling the conflict in Ukraine.

“As for our assets, which have been stolen primarily by Europeans, no, you know, there has been no talk about it. But I have no doubts that this issue will not disappear as part of the settlement,” said Lavrov. (ANI)

A small fire broke out in the screen of the Auditorium-3 of the cinema hall located in Select Citywalk Mall in Saket on Wednesday.

According to the Delhi Fire Service, there were no casualties in the incident.

“6 fire tenders were rushed to the site, and the fire was brought under control,” said the DFS.

The reason for fire is yet to be ascertained.

Earlier, a major fire broke out at a factory in Delhi’s Mayapuri area in the late hours of Tuesday.

Nine fire tenders were immediately dispatched to the site to control the blaze.According to the Delhi Fire Service, no casualties were reported.

Officials confirmed that a fire that broke out at a house in Dwarka Sector 16, Azad Nagar, in the early hours of Tuesday was doused with the help of eight fire tenders.

According to the Delhi Fire Service, the blaze damaged two vehicles, a grocery shop, and “domestic items” on the ground floor.

No injuries were reported in the incident, officials added. (ANI)

Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor treated fans to a brand-new look, courtesy of celebrity hairstylist Aalim Hakim.

The ‘Ishaqzaade’ actor took to his Instagram to share a glimpse of his grooming session, calling Hakim a “maestro at work.” The picture shows him sitting in the salon chair, fully enjoying the transformation.

Dressed in a black sweatshirt, accessorized with a silver chain and matching watch, Arjun looked cool as he sported sunglasses and playfully admired his reflection while Hakim worked his “magic”.

However, the actor didn’t stop at a single picture. Earlier on Monday, Arjun treated fans to a full reel as he showcased his makeover journey.

The video showed behind-the-scenes glimpses of his hair transformation with a dramatic black-and-white montage of him at the salon. The video later transitioned into color, showcasing his fresh new look. Arjun can also be seen joking and saying, “Char saal ki mehnat, char saal ka emotion, char saal ki mehnat, char buzz mein chala gaya.”

On the work front, Arjun Kapoor is currently starring in Mere Husband Ki Biwi, alongside Rakul Preet Singh and Bhumi Pednekar. The film, directed by Mudassar Aziz, also stars Dino Morea, Harsh Gujral, and Shakti Kapoor. Produced by Vashu Bhagnani, Jackky Bhagnani, and Deepshikha Deshmukh, Mere Husband Ki Biwi hit theaters on February 21. (ANI)

Sanjay Dutt will next appear in the horror comedy ‘The Bhootnii’, which will be released in theatres on April 18. The makers have announced the project by releasing a teaser of the film.

Directed by Sidhaant Sachdev, the film explores the horror-comedy genre but with an amalgamation of heart-pounding action. Apart from Sanjay Dutt, the film’s ensemble cast includes Mouni Roy, Palak Tiwari, Sunny Singh and Aasif Khan in pivotal roles.

In the announcement teaser Sanjay Dutt dons an action avatar as he holds two swords to fight the evil spirits. The movie is expected to blend romance with horror as actor Sunny Singh was seen pleading to ‘The Bhootnii’ to return his love in the teaser.

At the beginning of the video, the ‘Munna Bhai’ actor is heard reciting a few lines of the Bhagavad Gita. He says that a person’s soul is immortal even after the body of an ape. The movie is jointly produced by Deepak Mukut and Sanjay Dutt and co-produced by Hunar Mukut and Maanayata Dutt.

The fans are now eagerly waiting for the arrival of this horror comedy in the theatres. Mouni Roy’s performance in the film is also attracting attention from the audience.

Meanwhile, Sanjay Dutt has also joined the cast of the highly-anticipated film Baaghi 4. In the first look poster of his character, the actor looked menacing as he sat on a gothic-style throne while holding a lifeless woman in a blood-stained gown. His fierce expression, paired with his bloodied white shirt and dishevelled hair, adds to the dark and intense vibe of the poster. The poster also has a tagline, “Every Aashiq is a Villain”.

‘Baaghi 4’ will be directed by Kannada filmmaker A Harsha, which marks his Bollywood debut. The film is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala under the Nadiadwala Grandson banner and is set to hit theatres on September 5, 2025.

The ‘Baaghi’ franchise started in 2016 with the release of the first film, directed by Sabbir Khan. It was an action-packed thriller inspired by the 2004 Telugu movie ‘Varsham’ and the 2011 Indonesian film The Raid: Redemption. The movie featured Tiger Shroff, Shraddha Kapoor, and Sudheer Babu in lead roles.

The second instalment, ‘Baaghi 2’, came out in the year 2018. Directed by Ahmed Khan, it was a remake of the Telugu movie ‘Kshanam’. This film starred Tiger Shroff alongside Disha Patani, Manoj Bajpayee, and Randeep Hooda.

In 2020, ‘Baaghi 3’ was released, again directed by Ahmed Khan. It starred Tiger Shroff, Riteish Deshmukh, and Shraddha Kapoor in the lead roles. (ANI)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to visit Russia for the May 9 parade at Moscow’s Red Square to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, Russian news agency TASS reported on Wednesday, citing a source in military circles.

As per the military source cited by TASS, the visit by the PM has a “high probability”.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is planning a visit to the May 9 parade in Moscow. It is highly likely that it will take place,” the agency’s source said, TASS reported.

As per the military source cited by TASS, it was noted, “The issue of participation in the parade on Red Square of a ceremonial unit of the Indian armed forces, which should arrive at least a month [before the parade] for rehearsals, is also being worked out.”

Notably, the source mentioned issues concerning delivery of Indian military personnel are currently being discussed.

TASS reported that earlier Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov stated that many invited countries confirmed their participation in the upcoming events in Moscow on May 9 to mark the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.

As per TASS, the press secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov noted that foreign leaders from different countries, not only the CIS, will be invited to Moscow to participate in the celebration of May 9.

He indicated that the Russian side will be glad to see all foreign guests who understand the significance of Victory Day in Moscow.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had visited Russia last year in October at the invitation of the Russian President Vladimir Putin to attend the 16th BRICS Summit which took place in Kazan under the chairmanship of Russia.

This visit assumes greater significance as it will come amidst the talks between US and Russian officials towards ending the war in Ukraine. The first round of talks had been held in Riyadh earlier this month. Prime Minister Modi had made a strong pitch for peace in his meetings with the Russian President and the Ukrainian head of state Vlodmir Zelenskyy in his earlier visits. (ANI)

After several leaders across the Political spectrum in Punjab raised the issue of the alleged deletion of Punjabi from the CBSE’s draft scheme for a twice-a-year board exam format, the board issued a clarification on the issue.

The Central Board of Secondary Education on Wednesday said that the Punjabi language will be added next year in the new draft of the scheme, which aims to hold board examinations twice a year with one regional and foreign language at its core.

A CBSE senior official said, “There is no change in the subjects offered today. This list is indicative. Next year, the Punjabi language examination will be there. All subjects offered today will continue in two board examinations next year.”

Earlier Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains strongly criticised the Central Board of Secondary Education for dropping the ‘Punjabi’ language from its draft scheme for a twice-a-year board exam format in accordance with the new education policy.

Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains alleged that CBSE is planning to remove the ‘Punjabi’ language as the second language from the board exams for Classes 10 and 12.

“We strongly object to CBSE’s new exam pattern scheme, which attempts to erase Punjabi! Punjabi must be designated as the main language in Punjab and further be included as a regional language in CBSE for rest of the nation, as it is spoken and read across multiple states,” Bains said.

Akali Dal leader Parambans Romana also hit out at the centre and alleged that there was a conspiracy to wipe out the Punjabi language.

“Why have you left out Punjabi in the new curriculum is this part of a conspiracy, I want to ask the BJP leaders of the BJP are you part of this conspiracy. This is an extremely troubling fact that you can’t fight for your own mother tongue? Look at the way Tamil Nadu CM is fighting against the NEP,” he said.

The notification issued by CBSE include Rai, Urung, Tamang, Sherpa, Sanskrit, Urdu, Marathi, Gujarati, Manipuri, Tibetat, Bhoti, Telugum Bodo, Tangkhul, Bhutia, Kashmiri, Mizo and Thai but drops Punjabi from the list of regional languages.

Earlier on Tuesday, CBSE proposed a major reform in the Class X examination system, introducing two board exams from the 2025-26 academic session. This move aligns with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and aims to reduce academic pressure by offering students a chance to improve their scores. (ANI)

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is set to expand his cabinet on Wednesday ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections, bringing in new ministers from his party, the Janata Dal (United), and ally Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The expansion will take place around 4 pm, with four more MLAs set to assume ministerial posts, sources confirmed to ANI.

Additionally, two MLAs from Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal (United) will also be inducted as ministers, the sources added.

In a notable development, Bihar Revenue Minister and BJP state president Dilip Jaiswal has announced his resignation from his ministerial post, citing the party’s “One Person, One Post” policy.

“I am going to resign from the post of Revenue Minister. ‘One person, one post’ is the principle on which the party works. I am thankful that the central leadership has given me the responsibility of the party’s state unit,” Jaiswal told ANI.

Jaiswal was appointed BJP’s Bihar state president on January 18. His resignation could lead to further reshuffling in Nitish Kumar’s cabinet, with an expansion expected ahead of the elections later this year.

Speaking about the cabinet expansion, Jaiswal said, “It is the prerogative of the Chief Minister.”

Meanwhile, Bihar CM Nitish Kumar’s son, Nishant Kumar, has urged the people of Bihar to support his father in the upcoming elections.

“I urge the people of Bihar to vote for Bihar CM Nitish Kumar as he has done a lot of development in the state. Last time, people gave 43 seats. The public should ensure that we win more seats in the elections so that we can continue the pace of development,” Nishant Kumar said.

He further called on JD(U) workers to take Nitish Kumar’s policies and achievements from the past 19 years to the people of Bihar. (ANI)

Filmmaker and choreographer Prabhu Deva introduced his son, Rishii Ragvendar Deva, through a power-packed dance video as the two shared the spotlight.

The legendary dancer took to his Instagram account on Tuesday to share a video where the father-son duo was seen performing together.

The video showed Prabhu Deva and his son dancing on stage with fans cheering them on.

Soon after Deva dropped the video, fans chimed in the comment section, with many calling Rishii “Like father, like son.”

Along with the video, the “proud” father added a caption that read, “Proud to introduce my son Rishii Ragvendar Deva @rishiideva as we share the spotlight for the first time! This is more than dance–it’s legacy, passion, and a journey that’s just getting started.”

Prabhu Deva is one of India’s most celebrated choreographers, directors, and actors. Often called India’s Michael Jackson, he has choreographed multiple hit songs and has won two National Awards for Best Choreography.

Apart from dance, Prabhu Deva has directed many successful films. In Tamil cinema, he helmed Pokkiri, Villu, Engeyum Kaadhal, and Vedi. He made his Bollywood directorial debut with Wanted, which starred superstar Salman Khan. The movie was a massive hit. He later directed successful films like Rowdy Rathore, R… Rajkumar, and Singh is Bling. (ANI)