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Aamir Khan and Rajkumar Hirani are teaming up for a Dadasaheb Phalke biopic, filming in late 2025. The film will blend drama and comedy, reflecting their signature style. Meanwhile, ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’ is nearing Rs 100 crore, solidifying its box office success.

The anticipation for Mirzapur’s next season has grown as Ali Fazal, who plays Guddu Pandit, hinted that the upcoming installment might be the final one. He also expressed excitement about the ‘Mirzapur’ film and indicated that the series could conclude after its fourth season.Original Cast to Return and Film Promises SurprisesIn an interview with Hindi Rush, Ali expressed his enthusiasm about the upcoming ‘Mirzapur’ project, mentioning that the original cast will be returning. He revealed that he recently got a chance to read the script and found it impressive, promising, “It’s going to be a big surprise for everyone.” Ali also emphasized that the project isn’t just a simple adaptation of the series into a film but something entirely unique. He added, “Peaky Blinders has done the same format. They are making a film out of that.”Cast Announcement and Series Writing UpdateThe actor refrained from revealing the finalized cast for the upcoming film, mentioning that the official announcement will be made by the makers shortly. Speaking about the series, he stated, “That (the new season) is still being written because… I don’t know… It will probably be the last season.”Ali Fazal’s Views on OTT ContentDuring the discussion, Ali expressed his views on the prevalence of violence, nudity, and explicit language in OTT content. He remarked, “When it was new, people were just abusing in all the OTT shows. All the OTT shows were just about crass language and sex, it was heightened, I think. It just felt like people were venting but slowly, everything has been normalised.” He also highlighted the importance of accountability, stating, “If you are on OTT or elsewhere, the responsibility is on you. Responsible viewing, responsible making, however you define that.”Ensemble Cast and Release TimelineThe ‘Mirzapur’ franchise continues to bring together a strong ensemble cast, including Pankaj Tripathi, Divyenndu, Abhishek Banerjee, Shweta Tripathi, and Shriya Pilgaonkar alongside Ali Fazal. Fans can expect the new season to arrive between late 2025 and early 2026, with the ‘Mirzapur’ film set for release in 2026.

China has introduced a drone as small as a mosquito, marking a significant step forward in surveillance and covert technology. Developed by scientists at the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) in Hunan province, the micro aerial vehicle is engineered to mimic a mosquito’s form, with leaf-like wings, thin legs, and a vertical black fuselage.Demonstration footage aired on Chinese state broadcaster CCTV shows the device perching lightly on a student’s fingertip, underscoring its diminutive size and potential stealth. In the video, Liang Hexiang, an NUDT student involved in the project, describes it as a “mosquito-like robot type” suitable for battlefield reconnaissance and special tasks.

What the drone actually is

The drone was developed as part of NUDT’s research into micro flapping-wing aerial vehicles, a field with significant military interest due to its potential for discreet surveillance.

Technical realities and limitations

While headlines have framed the drone as a near-future espionage tool, there are crucial constraints:

Speculation about operational use

Some reports and online commentary suggest these drones could be deployed in swarms for battlefield saturation or mass espionage. However, there is no evidence that the showcased prototype has been operationally deployed or integrated into swarm systems. China, like the US, is actively researching drone swarm technologies, but these involve larger drones capable of carrying sensors and maintaining stable communication. At present, mosquito-sized drones remain experimental laboratory prototypes rather than field-ready assets.

Broader implications

Despite its limitations, the mosquito drone highlights a future where surveillance tools will shrink to nearly invisible scales. This raises significant ethical and security concerns:

Experts warn that as such technologies mature, traditional security systems may be inadequate to detect or defend against micro-scale surveillance, requiring new countermeasures and international norms.

The road ahead

China’s mosquito-sized drone joins global micro aerial vehicle research efforts, such as DARPA’s RoboBee in the United States and insect-inspired drones at other Chinese universities. While the current NUDT prototype remains a lab demonstration, it is a glimpse into a future where spycraft, warfare, and intelligence gathering are measured not in missiles and tanks, but in millimetres and milligrams.

Russian President Vladimir Putin announced on Friday that Russia plans to cut its defense spending, even as Western countries, particularly Nato members, move to sharply increase theirs. “We plan to cut defense spending, while the West ramps theirs up. Let them, it won’t make them safer, and it will hurt them socially and economically,” Putin said at a press conference in Minsk, as reported by RT.Putin acknowledged the high cost Russia has already borne from its military campaign in Ukraine. “6.3 per cent of Russia’s GDP goes on defence needs. That is 13.5 trillion rubles ($172 billion). It’s a lot,” he said. “We paid for it with inflation, but now we are fighting this inflation.”He criticized Nato’s pledge to raise defense budgets to five percent of GDP, calling it “aggressive” and warned that such spending increases would backfire on Western countries.Contradictory peace proposals stall talks with UkrainePutin also addressed the stalled peace negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, describing the recent exchange of peace proposals as “absolutely contradictory.” After two rounds of talks in Istanbul this month, the sides remain far apart on key issues, despite agreeing on large-scale prisoner exchanges.“As for the memorandums, as expected, nothing surprising happened… these are two absolutely contradictory memorandums,” Putin said, as reported by AFP. “That’s why negotiations are being organised and conducted, in order to find a path to bringing them closer together.”Russia has demanded that Ukraine surrender more territory and halt Western military support, conditions Kyiv rejects. Putin said Russia is ready to continue prisoner swaps and is prepared to return the bodies of 3,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed in the conflict.Putin credits Trump for stabilizing US-Russia relationsOn relations with the United States, Putin gave credit to President Donald Trump for helping ease tensions. “Thanks to President Trump, relations between Russia and the United States are beginning to level out in some ways,” Putin said, as quoted by Reuters.Though not everything is resolved diplomatically, Putin said “the first steps have been taken and we are moving forward.” He expressed “great respect” for Trump and said a meeting with him is “quite possible,” though it would require “careful preparation.”