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Indian professor's robot dog claim at AI summit sparks uproar

An Indian professor has falsely suggested a Chinese-made robot dog displayed at a major AI summit was developed by her university, prompting backlash in a situation that politicians derided as "embarrassing" on Wednesday. The silver mechanical dog — a model sold by the Chinese startup Unitree — appeared at a booth run by the private Galgotias University at this week's AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. Following online uproar over the professor's claim in a televised interview, Galgotias said that while it did not build the machine, "what we are building are minds that will soon design, engineer, and manufacture such technologies". pic.twitter.com/cgBbhld876 — Galgotias University (@GalgotiasGU) February 17, 2026 In a statement posted on social media platform X, the university said: "Let us be clear -- Galgotias has not built this robodog, neither have we claimed." The "recently acquired" Unitree robodog is a "classroom in motion" a...
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Al Aqsa imam says Israel barring him from entering mosque ahead of Ramazan

A senior imam of the Al Aqsa Mosque in east Jerusalem said on Tuesday that Israeli authorities have barred him from entering the compound, just days before the start of the holy month of Ramazan. "I have been barred from the mosque for a week, and the order can be renewed," Sheikh Muhammad al Abbasi told AFP. He said he was not informed of the reason for the ban, which came into effect from Monday. "I had only returned to Al Aqsa a month ago after spending a year in the hospital following a serious car accident," Abbasi said. "This ban is a grave matter for us, as our soul is tied to Al Aqsa. Al Aqsa is our life." The month of Ramazan, during which Muslims observe a fast from dawn to dusk, is expected to begin this week. During the holy month, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians traditionally attend prayers at Al Aqsa, Islam's third holiest site, located in east Jerusalem, which Israel captured in 1967 and later annexed. On Monday, Israeli police said they had recommended issuing 10,000 permits for Palestinians from the occupied West Bank, who require special permission to enter Jerusalem. Police did not specify whether age restrictions would apply. Read More: Israel police to deploy around Al-Aqsa for Ramazan, Palestinians report curbs The Palestinian Jerusalem Governorate, however, said it had been informed that permits would again be limited to men over 55 and women over 50, mirroring last year's criteria. It added that Israeli authorities had prevented the Islamic Waqf, the Jordanian run body that administers the site, from carrying out routine preparations, including installing shade structures and setting up temporary medical clinics. A Waqf source said 33 of its employees had been barred from entering the compound in the week leading up to Ramadan. Under long standing arrangements, Jews may visit the Al Aqsa compound, which they revere as the site of the first and second Jewish temples, but they are not permitted to pray there. Israel says it is committed to upholding this status quo, though Palestinians fear it is being eroded. In recent years, a growing number of Jewish ultranationalists have challenged the prayer ban, including far right politician Itamar Ben Gvir, who prayed at the site while serving as national security minister in 2024 and 2025.

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At least 32 miners dead after bridge fails at cobalt site in southeast DR Congo

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US, Philippines kick off joint military drills in South China Sea with 16,000 troops

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US, Chinese defence chiefs hold first talks since 2022

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