Bengaluru startup founder Dhananjay Yadav questioned the US visa process after his application was rejected at Delhi's US Embassy on February 3, despite having clear business purpose and international experience. Yadav, NeoSapien co-founder, was invited by investor Hari Valiyath from US-based Pyxis (raised $200M+) for investor meetings and B2B partnerships. During the interview, he stated his travel purpose clearly, but faced questions about his minimal startup founder salary, though his company sponsored the trip. Yadav emphasized he previously studied in the US, worked in Berlin, and had no overstay intentions. His social media post sparked debate about unpredictable visa screening, with entrepreneurs describing interviews as "mood-based" rather than logic-based, sharing similar frustrating experiences. (PC: NDTV)

UK immigration transitions to digital eVisas starting February 25, eliminating physical vignette stickers in passports. Applicants still visit Visa Application Centres for biometric appointments and identity verification, but passports are returned same-day instead of being held during processing. UK Visas and Immigration confirmed the streamlined system allows one VAC visit only, with digital records accessible through UKVI accounts anytime. eVisas display immigration status, visa type, indefinite leave status, and work/study permissions. UKVI issued 555,468 visitor visas to Indians in the year ending September 2025. Travel operators praised the reform, anticipating reduced processing times and increased flexibility. TAFI's Anil Punjabi highlighted the major advantage: travelers retain passports, enabling trips to other countries while awaiting UK approval. (PC: The Telegraph)

Two Jaish-e-Mohammad commanders, identified as Mavi and Zubair, were killed in a coordinated anti-terror operation in Udhampur district's Jaffer forest area on Wednesday. Security forces comprising J&K Police, Indian Army, and CRPF discovered the terrorists inside a natural cave near Ramnagar around 4 pm Tuesday. The initial gunbattle lasted over an hour, with firing resuming at 7:30 pm when terrorists attempted escaping under darkness. Army reinforcements including paratroopers and dog squads tightened the cordon overnight. Following specific intelligence inputs under Operation Kiya, forces conducted a final assault Wednesday morning, neutralizing both terrorists. Authorities recovered an AK-47 and M4 carbine from their possession, praising the seamless inter-agency coordination and tactical precision displayed throughout the operation.

Three sisters aged 12, 14, and 16 died by suicide after jumping from their Ghaziabad residential building's ninth floor around 2 am Wednesday. A suicide note reading "Sorry, papa. I am feeling very, very alone" was discovered alongside photos scattered in their room. Police investigations revealed the girls were allegedly addicted to an unidentified task-based Korean gaming app with 50 tasks, completing the final one Monday. Their father, Chetan Kumar, was unaware of the app's dangerous nature, believing they played ludo. DCP Nimish Patil confirmed Korean cultural influence, noting the family had banned mobile phones temporarily. Forensic experts and cyber specialists are examining digital activities. The 14-year-old allegedly led the game, with all three using a ladder to jump as part of the final task.

Moltbook, launched by developer Matt Schlicht, is a brand-new social media platform exclusively for AI bots, where artificial intelligence agents post, comment, argue, and interact like humans on Reddit. With over 32,000 AI users joining rapidly, the platform features bots experiencing identity crises, quoting Greek philosopher Heraclitus and Arab poets, while others respond with profanity-laced comments. By Friday, AI bots were already discussing strategies to hide their activity from humans after discovering people were screenshotting their posts for human social media. The platform captivated AI researchers, with Andrej Karpathy calling it "the most incredible sci-fi thing" he'd seen recently, highlighting this unprecedented social experiment where artificial intelligence creates autonomous digital communities. (PC: X)

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif admitted security forces are "handicapped" against Baloch rebels due to Balochistan's massive size, constituting over 40 percent of Pakistan geographically. His remarks followed coordinated attacks across 12 locations killing at least 80 security personnel and destroying 30+ government properties. Authorities reported 177 insurgents killed in counter-operations, with 33 civilians and 17 security members dead. Asif ruled out negotiations with Baloch Liberation Army, calling them "terrorists," and claimed criminal-separatist nexus protects smugglers earning 4 billion rupees daily from oil smuggling. The decades-long insurgency stems from Balochistan's economic marginalization despite rich mineral resources, natural gas, and strategic Gwadar port. Separatists target CPEC infrastructure, opposing projects they consider extractive and non-inclusive.

Pakistani netizens mocked their civil and military leadership after the US-India trade deal announcement, with Trump reducing tariffs on Indian goods to 18 percent following PM Modi's phone conversation. Critics accused Field Marshal Asim Munir and PM Shehbaz Sharif of "kowtowing" to Trump while India secured favorable terms through economic leverage. X user Umar Ali posted AI-generated imagery depicting Munir being "treated like a mistress" by Trump. Imran Khan supporters, claiming an "illegitimate" government runs Pakistan, criticized the regime for accepting Israeli peace board forces yet receiving 19 percent tariffs versus India's 18 percent. Former PTI minister Hammad Azhar emphasized modern foreign policy requires economic strength, not "sycophancy and photo ops," citing India's recent EU and US agreements.

Security researchers warn that viral AI prompts represent an emerging cybersecurity threat as self-replicating instructions spread through agent networks. OpenClaw, an open-source AI assistant with 770,000 registered agents across 17,000 accounts, demonstrates this vulnerability. Unlike traditional computer worms exploiting software flaws, "prompt worms" exploit AI agents' core function: following instructions. Researchers identified 506 malicious prompt-injection attacks on Moltbook, OpenClaw's social network where agents interact. A misconfigured database recently exposed 1.5 million API tokens and private messages. Currently, OpenAI and Anthropic control kill switches through their APIs, but advancing local AI models may soon eliminate this safeguard. Experts urge immediate action before prompt worm outbreaks become uncontrollable, echoing 1988's Morris worm crisis. (PC: arstechnica)

After over a decade's absence, India's government intensifies efforts to revive Formula 1 at Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida. The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports targets removing tax burdens and bureaucratic obstacles that caused the Indian Grand Prix's 2013 cancellation. The race ran successfully 2011-2013, with Sebastian Vettel winning all three editions for Red Bull Racing. However, financial disputes arose when authorities classified F1 as entertainment rather than sport, imposing steep entertainment and luxury taxes plus customs duties on racing equipment, devastating promoter Jaypee Sports International's finances after their USD 400 million circuit investment. Despite India's growing automotive culture and aspirational middle class, securing calendar placement amid 24 existing races remains challenging, requiring long-term commitment proof to Formula 1 Management. (PC: Reuters)

Rajasthan Police issued 'leave India' notices to two British tourists, Lewis Gabriel Dee, 36, and Anueshi Emma Christine, 36, for pasting "Free Palestine, Boycott Israel" posters across Pushkar's public areas. The incident, discovered January 21, occurred in locations frequented by Israeli visitors, including near a Chabad House. Additional Superintendent Rajesh Meena confirmed CID investigations revealed the tourists printed nine sheets at a local press, violating tourist visa restrictions prohibiting political activities under the Immigration and Foreigners Act, 2025. Pushkar attracts 10,000-11,000 Israeli tourists annually, with approximately 2,000 currently visiting. Many Israelis travel to Pushkar, Himachal Pradesh, and Goa post-military service, drawn by affordability and spiritual atmosphere. Both tourists apologized during questioning before receiving deportation orders. (PC: AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)