News Broadcasting
Mel Gibson to produce comedy pilot for ABC
CALIFORNIA: Icon Productions and Universal Network Television will make a comedy pilot at ABC. It will be executive produced by Oscar winning actor and director Mel ‘Braveheart ‘Gibson, his producing partner, Icon president Bruce Davey and series creators Julie Thacker and Mike Scully.
The half-hour comedy series is about a blue-collar single father who is raising five boys aged 13-17 on his own. Thacker and Scully will serve as executive producers and writers/show runners.
Universal Television Productions president David Kissinger says, “It is not everyday that Gibson comes by to pitch a television series. Gibson, Suclly and Thacker have come up with a hilarious show that portrays the rough, tumble and noisy truth about raising boys.
“It is a perfect fit with the smart, contemporary family sitcoms that are ABC’s hallmark. We couldn’t be more excited about being in business with these wonderful writers and the extraordinary team at Icon. As a father of six boys, Gibson himself will be an endless source of material.”
Founded by Gibson and Davey, Icon Productions has been responsible for feature films like Braveheart, Payback, Maverick, What Women Want, We Were Soldiers, The Singing Detective and the upcoming The Passion of The Christ. The last title has generated a storm of controversy.
For television, Icon executive produced the movies The Three Stooges for ABC and Invincible for TBS, and currently also has projects in development at NBC, CBS, UPN, TNT and USA.
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
