"the words 'The North Remembers' are hurtful to a lot of the people I've spoken to, as is the implication that the Lannisters are in any way implicated in the Red Wedding. I don't take sides."
The accusation that I am antisemitic is appalling and fundamentally dishonest. Criticizing the actions of the Israeli prime minister, a military technology contract, or the executives who supply it is not the same as criticizing Jewish people. This critical and necessary dialogue is then dishonestly framed as being anti-Israel. To be clear, my views come from my own political convictions and should never be interpreted as hostility toward Jewish people, for whom I have deep love and respect. Everything I know about acting, activism, and humanism has been profoundly shaped by the Jewish friends, colleagues, and loved ones who have been integral and family throughout every point of my life.
This merger has real consequences for real people, and for the entire country. Scrutinizing the Ellisons, including Oracle’s business built on data, surveillance technology and government contracts, and the serious threat to editorial freedom and the loss of a livelihood for thousands of families, is fair and necessary. The $111 billion deal would hand one family control over CNN, HBO and Warner Bros., backed in part by foreign money whose influence on editorial decisions has never been fully explained to the public.
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have called for serious national security review, and regulators still haven’t given the public a real answer. Until they do, the merger shouldn’t move forward. Now is the time to dive boldly into all these issues, not step back or concede.
The amount of disrespect, misinformation, and outright hate directed at Bibiano Fernandes over the past few days has been nothing short of embarrassing for the Indian football ecosystem.
This isn’t about whether Bibiano Fernandes should or shouldn’t be the India U-15 coach.
It’s about how narratives are being manufactured, how public opinion is being manipulated, and how years of genuine contribution are being undermined to serve personal agendas. When the pursuit of a position becomes more important than fairness, integrity is the first casualty.
What’s even more disappointing is how easily these narratives are being accepted.
A large section of the audience doesn’t even understand what FIFA’s U-15 programme actually is. It is not a FIFA World Cup. It is a developmental festival designed to expose young players to international football, help them adapt to different styles of play, and accelerate their long-term development. Yet people are being led to believe that this is a major competitive tournament where results alone define success.
That completely misses the point of youth development.
Success in Indian football should never be measured by U-13, U-14 or U-15 results. Those age groups exist to develop better footballers, not to satisfy social media narratives. The first level where competitive results genuinely begin to matter is the U-17 category and above, where India competes in the AFC U-17 Asian Cup and has the opportunity to qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup.
And when judged at that level, Bibiano Fernandes has already given Indian football moments that very few coaches have.
In a football ecosystem where genuine success stories have been limited, Bibiano has consistently raised standards. Alongside coaches like Nushad Moosa, he belongs to a small group of coaches who have given Indian football fans reasons to believe that progress is possible.
That is precisely why the level of disrespect directed towards him is so difficult to understand.
Those who have actually worked with Bibiano, his players, colleagues, and people within the game, consistently speak about his humility, professionalism, attention to detail, and ability to develop young footballers. Unfortunately, those voices rarely travel as far on social media as outrage and misinformation.
Criticism is a part of football. It always will be. But criticism should be based on facts, context, and footballing understanding, not on manipulated narratives or personal agendas.
If you have genuinely followed Indian football over the years, these are the times to speak up.
Silence allows misinformation to become accepted as truth.
You don’t have to agree with every appointment or every decision. But you should never allow years of honest work, proven contribution, and the respect earned from generations of players to be erased by selective narratives.
Indian football deserves better.
And so does Bibiano Fernandes.
When I founded RCB it was my dream that the IPL trophy should come to Bengaluru. I had the privilege of picking the legendary King Kohli as a youngster and it is remarkable that he has stayed with RCB for 18 years. I also had the honour of picking Chris Gayle the Universe Boss and Mr 360 AB DeVillers who remain an indelible part of RCB history. Finally, the IPL trophy arrives in Bengaluru. Congratulations and thanks again to all who made my dream come true. RCB fans are the very best and they deserve the IPL trophy. Ee Sala Cup Bengaluru baruthe !
RCB are IPL Champions finally after 18 years. Superb campaign right through the 2025 tournament. A well balanced team Playing Bold with outstanding coaching and support staff. Many congratulations ! Ee sala cup namde !!
Gave instructions across the State Waqfboard Mutawalli and Masjids to offer special Friday prayers for the Indian soldiers engaged in Operation Sindhoora, a mission undertaken to protect the nation.
#OperationSindoor