#FactCheck - Misleading Viral Video Targets Rubika Liyaquat, Original Footage Tells Different Story
Executive Summary
A video circulating on social media claims that a Pakistani man misbehaved with TV anchor Rubika Liyaquat during a live television debate. Users sharing the clip alleged that the Pakistani participant silenced the anchor on live TV.
However, research by CyberPeace found the viral claim to be false and revealed that the video being shared on social media is edited. In the original video, published on YouTube on November 26, 2025, the alleged Pakistani man was not present in the TV debate.
Claim
On February 13, 2026, a user shared the viral clip on X (formerly Twitter), claiming that the anchor was insulted during the debate and was left speechless. Another user on February 11, 2026, asked News18 India to verify the video and questioned who allowed such behaviour towards the journalist on air.
Fact Check:
To verify the claim, we extracted key frames from the viral video and conducted a reverse image search using Google Lens. During the research, we found the full version of the debate uploaded on the official YouTube channel of News18 India on November 26, 2025. The nearly 40-minute original broadcast featured anchor Rubika Liyaquat along with panelists Zafar Islam, Varun Purohit, Prateek Kumar, Arvind Kumar Vajpayee, Tausif Ahmed Khan, and Aziz Khan. However, the person seen misbehaving with the anchor in the viral clip was not present in the original video.
Upon carefully reviewing the footage, we located the actual segment around the 25-minute 40-second mark. In this portion, the anchor can be heard asking panelist Tausif Ahmed Khan to leave the show, using the same words heard in the viral clip. However, the original broadcast does not feature any Pakistani participant or any individual named “Nadeem Shahzad.”
Conclusion
Our research found that the viral claim is false. The circulating video has been edited, and the alleged Pakistani participant does not appear in the original debate uploaded on November 26, 2025.
Related Blogs
Executive Summary:
Amid the ongoing tensions and conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, an image of a heavily damaged industrial facility is circulating widely on social media. Several users are sharing the picture claiming that it shows an Iranian water treatment or desalination plant destroyed in a US–Israel attack. Some media reports have also used the same image while reporting on the alleged attack on a freshwater desalination plant in Iran.
However, a research by the CyberPeace found that the claim is misleading. The viral image is not from Iran. It actually shows the aftermath of a drone attack on a warehouse belonging to a US company in Basra, Iraq.
Claim
X user “Shashank Shekhar Jha” shared the image on March 8, 2026, claiming that a freshwater desalination plant in Qeshm, Iran, had been destroyed.
Fact check
To verify the claim, we conducted a reverse image search using Google Lens. During the search, we found a report published on March 7, 2026, on the website of Asian News International (ANI). The report stated that Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi condemned a US attack on a freshwater desalination plant on Qeshm Island, calling it a “blatant and desperate crime.”
The report used the same viral image; however, the caption clearly mentioned that it was a representational image credited to Reuters.
https://www.aninews.in/news/world/middle-east/blatant-and-desperate-crime-irans-fm-condemns-us-attack-on-qeshms-freshwater-desalination-plant-warns-of-grave-consequences20260307212645/
To further confirm the claim, we checked the official X account of Seyed Abbas Araghchi. In a post on March 7, he condemned the alleged attack on the desalination plant in Qeshm and stated that the strike had disrupted water supply to around 30 villages. However, the post did not include any image of the incident.
Conclusion
The viral image being shared as evidence of a US–Israel attack on Iran’s water treatment plant is misleading. The photo actually shows the aftermath of a drone strike on a warehouse belonging to a US company in Basra, Iraq, and has been wrongly linked to the situation in Iran.
A video is being widely shared on social media showing devotees seated in a boat appearing stunned as a massive, multi-hooded snake—resembling the mythical Sheshnag—suddenly emerges from the middle of a water body.
The video captures visible panic and astonishment among the devotees. Social media users are sharing the clip claiming that it is from Vrindavan, with some portraying the sight as a divine or supernatural event. However, research conducted by the Cyber Peace Foundation found the viral claim to be false. Our research revealed that the video is not authentic and has been generated using artificial intelligence (AI).
Claim
On January 17, 2026, a user shared the viral video on Instagram with the caption suggesting that God had appeared again in the age of Kalyug. The post claims that a terrifying video from Vrindavan has surfaced in which devotees sitting in a boat were shocked to see a massive multi-hooded snake emerge from the water. The caption further states that devotees are hailing the creature as an incarnation of Sheshnag or Vasuki Nag, raising religious slogans and questioning whether the sight represents a divine sign. (The link to the post, its archive link, and screenshots are available.)
- https://www.instagram.com/reel/DTngN9FkoX0/?igsh=MTZvdTN1enI2NnFydA%3D%3D
- https://archive.ph/UuAqB
Fact Check:
Upon closely examining the viral video, we suspected that it might be AI-generated. To verify this, the video was scanned using the AI detection tool SIGHTENGINE, which indicated that the visual is 99 per cent AI-generated.
In the next step of the research , the video was analysed using another AI detection tool, HIVE Moderation. According to the results obtained, the video was found to be 62 per cent AI-generated.
Conclusion
Our research clearly establishes that the viral video claiming to show a multi-hooded snake in Vrindavan is not real. The clip has been created using artificial intelligence and is being falsely shared on social media with religious and sensational claims.
Introduction
Recent advances in space exploration and technology have increased the need for space laws to control the actions of governments and corporate organisations. India has been attempting to create a robust legal framework to oversee its space activities because it is a prominent player in the international space business. In this article, we’ll examine India’s current space regulations and compare them to the situation elsewhere in the world.
Space Laws in India
India started space exploration with Aryabhtta, the first satellite, and Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian astronaut, and now has a prominent presence in space as many international satellites are now launched by India. NASA and ISRO work closely on various projects
India currently lacks any space-related legislation. Only a few laws and regulations, such as the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) Act of 1969 and the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) Guidelines of 2011, regulate space-related operations. However, more than these rules and regulations are essential to control India’s expanding space sector. India is starting to gain traction as a prospective player in the global commercial space sector. Authorisation, contracts, dispute resolution, licencing, data processing and distribution related to earth observation services, certification of space technology, insurance, legal difficulties related to launch services, and stamp duty are just a few of the topics that need to be discussed. The necessary statute and laws need to be updated to incorporate space law-related matters into domestic laws.
India’s Space Presence
Space research activities were initiated in India during the early 1960s when satellite applications were in experimental stages, even in the United States. With the live transmission of the Tokyo Olympic Games across the Pacific by the American Satellite ‘Syncom-3’ demonstrating the power of communication satellites, Dr Vikram Sarabhai, the founding father of the Indian space programme, quickly recognised the benefits of space technologies for India.
As a first step, the Department of Atomic Energy formed the INCOSPAR (Indian National Committee for Space Research) under the leadership of Dr Sarabhai and Dr Ramanathan in 1962. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) was formed on August 15, 1969. The prime objective of ISRO is to develop space technology and its application to various national needs. It is one of the six largest space agencies in the world. The Department of Space (DOS) and the Space Commission were set up in 1972, and ISRO was brought under DOS on June 1, 1972.
Since its inception, the Indian space programme has been orchestrated well. It has three distinct elements: satellites for communication and remote sensing, the space transportation system and application programmes. Two major operational systems have been established – the Indian National Satellite (INSAT) for telecommunication, television broadcasting, and meteorological services and the Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS) for monitoring and managing natural resources and Disaster Management Support.
Global Scenario
The global space race has been on and ever since the moon landing in 1969, and it has now transformed into the new cold war among developed and developing nations. The interests and assets of a nation in space need to be safeguarded by the help of effective and efficient policies and internationally ratified laws. All nations with a presence in space do not believe in good for all policy, thus, preventive measures need to be incorporated into the legal system. A thorough legal framework for space activities is being developed by the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA). The “Outer Space Treaty,” a collection of five international agreements on space law, establishes the foundation of international space law. The agreements address topics such as the peaceful use of space, preventing space from becoming militarised, and who is responsible for damage caused by space objects. Well-established space laws govern both the United States and the United Kingdom. The National Aeronautics and Space Act, which was passed in the US in 1958 and established the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to oversee national space programmes, is in place there. The Outer Space Act of 1986 governs how UK citizens and businesses can engage in space activity.
Conclusion
India must create a thorough legal system to govern its space endeavours. In the space sector, there needs to be a legal framework to avoid ambiguity and confusion, which may have detrimental effects. The Pacific use of space for the benefit of humanity should be covered by domestic space legislation in India. The overall scenario demonstrates the requirement for a clearly defined legal framework for the international acknowledgement of a nation’s space activities. India is fifth in the world for space technology, which is an impressive accomplishment, and a strong legal system will help India maintain its place in the space business.
