FRIDAY UK POLICE ARREST KING CHARLES’S BROTHER IN MISCONDUCT PROBE 20 Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested by UK police on Thursday for misconduct in public office following revelations from Epstein files FEBRUARY, 2026 epaper.morningstandard.in facebook.com/TheMorningStandard ■ X.com/TheMornStandard WARNING 2011 TRUMP GIVES IRAN 10 DAYS TO SIGN UP US President said on Thursday Iran must make a “meaningful deal” in its negotiations with Washington or else bad things will happen to it PAGE 9 WHEN ANDREW WAS JAILED FOR 11 MONTHS OVER EPSTEIN LINKS British PM Keir Starmer issued a statement after Andrew’s arrest stating that there is no individual who is placed above the law ■ Once a high-flyer, Andrew had been stripped of his royal titles of Prince and Duke of York by the king last year. However, he has consistently denied any wrongdoing | P9 ACCUSED OF FORWARDING GOVT REPORTS A CAPITAL VIEW OF NEWS  NEW DELHI  J8.00  According to the Epstein emails, Andrew was accused of forwarding government reports from official visits to the American sex offender and financier, who died in a New York prison in August 2019. As Duke of York, Andrew had served as UK’s trade envoy between 2001 and 2011, having privileged access to government documents PAGES 12 Need democratised and India set to formally join Pax Silica today human-centric AI: Modi J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi PM says India does not fear AI but sees future and fortune in it R A K E S H K U M A R @ New Delhi ARTIFICIAL intelligence (AI) must be democratised and should serve as a medium of inclusion and empowerment, especially in the Global South, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday . Speaking at the formal opening ceremony of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 here, Modi said some countries think AI should be developed in a confidential manner but India believes the codes should be shared for the common good. As for the potential job disruptions, Modi said AI will also create new employment avenues, though it is difficult to predict what kinds of jobs will emerge. He highlighted that when the internet began decades ago, no one could have imagined how many jobs it would generate. According to him, the same is true for AI today . He observed that there are two kinds of people—those who fear AI and those who see future in it. Stressing that India does not fear AI, Modi unveiled the MANAV vision for AI, where M stands for moral and ethical systems, A for accountable governance, N for national sovereignty, A for accessible and inclusive, and V for valid and legitimate. The PM asserted that the MANAV vision will become a crucial link for humanity’s welfare in the AI-driven world of the 21st century . He further said that AI will open higher-value, creative, and meaningful roles for more people, creating opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship, and new industries. “AI will make work smarter, more Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Google CEO Sundar Pichai, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and others during the India AI Impact Summit 2026 | PTI RIL to invest `10L crore in AI over 7 years RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani announced a `10 lakh crore investment in the AI space over the next seven years to connect every Indian citizen, business, and government service to AI Some countries believe that AI should be developed in a confidential and closed manner. We believe AI will truly serve the good of the world when it is shared efficient, and more impactful, enabling better design, faster building, and improved decision-making,” said Modi. One of the biggest gatherings of AI leaders in India, it was attended by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, RIL chairman Mukesh Ambani, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, Microsoft’s Brad Smith, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, Accenture CEO Julie Sweet, and Meta’s Alexandr Wang, among others. OpenAI’s Sam Altman said that current jobs are going to be disrupted as AI can now do more and more of the things that drive the economy today. However, society will continue to find new things to do with it, he added. Google’s Sundar Pichai said AI will undoubtedly reshape the workforce—automating some roles, evolving others, and creating entirely new careers— making training crucial to adapting to new roles. He added that AI is the biggest platform shift of our lifetime and that the world is on the cusp of rapid progress and new discoveries that can help emerging economies leapfrog legacy gaps. Mukesh Ambani, while promising to invest `10 lakh crore in AI development over seven years in India, said that India will emerge as one of the greatest AI powers in the world in the 21st century. He said artificial intelligence is not just another technology but for the , first time humans are creating human-like systems that can learn, speak, analyse, move, and produce without human interventions. P7 & P10 Narendra Modi, PM INDIA is set to join US-led strategic alliance Pax Silica on Friday, marking a major step in New Delhi’s evolving technology and economic partnership with Washington. People familiar with the matter said India’s entry into the initiative, which is aimed at building resilient supply chains for critical minerals and AI, is expected to be formalised at the India AI Impact Summit here on Friday . The move comes amid ongoing efforts by both countries to conclude a proposed trade agreement and deepen cooperation after a period of strain in bilateral ties. US Under Secretary of State IF the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation can call Delhi University station “Vishwavidyalaya” and Central Secretariat “Kendriya Sachivalaya”, why a petitioner , wants to know, can’t Supreme Court station be rechristened “Sarvoch Nyayalaya”? That question—at once linguistic and logistical—is now before the Delhi High Court. On Thursday the corpora, tion told a bench of Chief Justice D K Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia that what sounds like a simple change of script carries a price tag: `40 lakh for just one station. “It comes as a financial burden. One such change is `40-45 lakh per station… It’s a PSU… Besides, changing the name of one station could have a ripple effect, resulting in other similar litigation for other metro stations,” the counsel for the DMRC submitted. The corporation said the expense would not be limited to a few boards. Apart from the signage at the station, “several other changes, including in the REBUILD EFFORTS FOR GAZA GAIN MOMENTUM AT BOARD MEET road maps, and mobile applications, would have to be made”. The move, it added, could “create a ripple effect, and expose DMRC to multiple litigations demanding similar reliefs.” The bench, however, said that “an apprehension of multiple litigation could not be a ground to oppose the plea” and directed DMRC to file its affidavit and posting the matter for further hearing in April. The PIL was filed by Umesh Sharma, who argued that under the Official Languages Act, all manuals, signages and name plates in Central government offices ought to be in English and Hindi, with Hindi in Devanagari script. His counsel pointed out that even on the Supreme Court’s own website, its Hindi name appears as “Bharat ka Sarvoch Nyayalaya”. The court then framed the issue: “When the Delhi University metro station’s Hindi name is Vishwavidyalaya, and Central Secretariat station carries Hindi name Kendriya Sachivalaya, why the same cannot be done for Supreme Court station?” World leaders committed around $17 bn for Gaza’s reconstruction at the first meeting of Board of Peace. Israel, however, said it wanted Hamas to be disarmed first | P9 Strategic alliance The US-led initiative was unveiled at the Pax Silica Summit in Washington on December 12, 2025 where founding member states signed a joint declaration, which commits them to building a durable economic order that promotes AI-powered prosperity while safeguarding mutual security interests where founding partner nations signed a joint declaration outlining their shared vision. Current members include Australia, Greece, Israel, Japan, Qatar, South Korea, Singapore, UAE, and UK. India’s entry into Pax Silica signals a SC raps states over freebies culture, says they should handhold only poor S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi THE Supreme Court on Thursday slammed the freebies and subsidies culture ahead of elections and said it was “high time” to revisit such policies that hamper the country’s economic development. Observing that the ultimate financial burden of such populist measures falls on taxpayers’ shoulders, a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant said, “But this money which the State says it will pay now... Who will pay for it? This is taxpayers’ money .” The observations were made during the hearing of a petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited, which proposed to give free electricity to all consumers irrespective of Courting ‘Nyayalaya’: A Metro railway station caught in translation U D AYA N K I S H O R E @ New Delhi for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg is currently in Delhi and is expected to attend the formalisation event on Friday alongside senior Indian officials and US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor. As a member of the BRICS grouping, India’s decision to align with a US-led economic security framework is strategically significant. Pax Silica seeks to establish a secure, innovation-driven ecosystem spanning the full AI value chain from raw materials and critical minerals to semiconductors and advanced AI infrastructure. The initiative was unveiled at the Pax Silica Summit in Washington on December 12, NOT ONLY TN, BUT A PAN-INDIA PRACTICE The bench said it is talking of a pan-India culture, not just TN. “Without drawing any distinction between those who can afford and those who cannot, if you start giving, will it not amount to a sort of appeasing policy?” their paying capacity . “It is understandable when some people cannot afford, you have to provide. But the persons who ... are affluent ... is it not high time to revisit these policy frameworks?” the Chief Justice asked. The bench, also comprising justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi, said: “State governments should generate employment, make roads and hospitals so that poor are saved... but in the name of welfare schemes we are giving cash, free ration, free kerosene, free cycles to all.” The bench asked as to why the TN firm suddenly decided to loosen purse strings after the electricity tariff was notified. Senior advocate Gopal Subramaniam, appearing for TNPDCL, said there must be equity in allocation of resources and that the widening gap between revenue and expenditure was a matter of governance. “Put it in the budgetary allocation and then justify how you will do so,” the court said. SHILLONG MP DIES DURING FOOTBALL MATCH E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Guwahati AIR MANOEUVRES Indian Air Force’s Sarang display team performs over Jal Mahal in Jaipur during a rehearsal ahead of the Sarang and Surya Kiran Air Show on Thursday | PTI SHILLONG MP Ricky A J Syngkon died on Thursday after suffering a cardiac arrest. He was 54. According to reports, Syngkon was playing football in the Mawiong area of Shillong when he suddenly collapsed. He was rushed to a hospital where he was declared dead, local media reported. As news about his death spread, his supporters as well as political leaders, including CM Conrad K Sangma and Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, rushed to the hospital. “Shocked to hear the sudden demise of Shillong MP Ricky Syngkon,” wrote TIPRA Motha Party founder Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma on social media. Syngkon was general secretary of Voice of the People Party He got elected to the Lok Sabha in 2023 after defeating five . others, including state Congress president Vincent H Pala. Syngkon was known for public engagements and grassroots outreach across the Khasi-Jaintia hills. His party said Syngkon’s death was a great loss to the party and state. Nagaland Rajya Sabha member S Phangnon Konyak also mourned the death. Earlier, he was an assistant professor at the economics department of the North-Eastern Hill University . sharpening focus on technology-led economic security and a recalibration of its strategic alignments amid intensifying global competition over AI and critical resources. “We recognise that a reliable supply chain is indispensable to our mutual economic security the declaration states, un,” derscoring the centrality of critical minerals and semiconductor resilience. It emphasises that AI represents a transformative force for long-term prosperity and trustworthy systems are essential to shared security. The document notes economic growth will flow across all levels of the global AI supply chain, driving demand for energy minerals, manufac, turing capacity, technological hardware, and new markets. EXPRESS READ Govt cautions forces on honey-trap cases The Bureau of Police Research and Development has issued a fresh set of standard operating procedures for controlling cases of honey traps in security forces. Such attempts are allegedly orchestrated by Pakistan-sponsored operatives. The guidelines allow officers to keep online presence restricted and expect them to reject friend requests sent on social media from unknown individuals. P7 Flyers delayed due to check-in tech glitch Flyers queued up longer at check-in counters for baggage on Thursday as the software installed to automate the process suffered outage. Airport management opted for manual check-ins, which delayed the flyers. However, there was no major operational impact, claimed the impacted airlines. “The software suffered an outage for 45 minutes between 6.30 am and 7.25 am,” a source said. DJB plans to geo-tag consumer properties The Delhi Jal Board will overhaul its billing operations by geo-tagging consumer properties and assigning a unique Customer Premise Identification number to each. The utility currently has around 29 lakh consumers. But only 40% of them receive proper water bills. “Scale of operations and legacy processes have resulted in challenges related to billing accuracy and revenue efficiency,” an official said. P3 Today’s Match 7pm: Australia vs Oman (Pallekele) B E E AT TA C K He came to umpire a cricket match, but never returned home N A M I TA B A J PA I @ Lucknow WHAT began as a routine Under 13 cricket league fixture on a quiet winter morning in Unnao, 70 km from Lucknow, ended in shock and mourning on Wednesday after a swarm of honeybees attacked players and officials, killing a 65-yearold umpire Manik Gupta. The incident occurred at Rahul Sapru ground in the Gangaghat Kotwali area, where around 40-45 people—including cricketers from Kanpur and Lucknow, umpires and ground staff—had assembled for a match. Soon, the calm of the morning gave way to panic as a massive swarm of bees descended on the field. Eyewitnesses said a beehive hung from a banyan tree adjoining the boundary wall. Bees had been hovering around since early morning. At about 8.30 am, the situation spiralled. A full swarm broke loose and attacked everyone on the ground. For nearly 15 minutes, chaos prevailed as players, officials and staff ran for cover, swatting at bees and looking to escape 2 HOSPS REFUSED TO ADMIT HIM: KIN The exact reason behind the bee attack remains unclear. It has yet to be determined whether the hive was disturbed by a cricket ball or by some other external factor that triggered the swarm. The district administration has begun a probe. Family members alleged that two hospitals declined to admit Manik Gupta due to the severity of his condition. the attack. Among those caught in the swarm was Gupta, an empanelled umpire with the Kanpur Cricket Association for nearly three decades. According to fellow umpire Sunil Kumar Nishad, Gupta was seated near the field when the swarm intensified. He had just officiated an Under-13 league match on an adjacent ground and walked over to watch another match where his colleagues were on duty . As he tried to escape the bees, Gupta stumbled and fell. Over 50 bees surrounded him, stinging him repeatedly for nearly 10 continuous minutes. A heart patient, he soon began losing consciousness. Kanpur Cricket Association president SN Singh said the attack was so severe that even while Gupta was being taken to the hospital, “bees were sticking to his face and body”. Gupta is survived by his wife and four daughters. He had been a familiar presence in local cricket circles.