Digital agency Schbang has admitted to orchestrating the recent “fake death” stunt of model and actor Poonam Pandey. The controversial move, aimed at raising awareness about cervical cancer, has ignited a debate on the ethics of using such tactics for public health campaigns.

In a statement posted on Instagram, Schbang apologised for their actions, particularly to those who have faced or witnessed the challenges of cancer. 

“Yes, we were involved in the initiative for Poonam Pandey to spread awareness about Cervical Cancer in collaboration with Hauterfly. To start off, we would like to extend a heartfelt apology – especially towards those who have been triggered as a result of having faced/having a loved one face the hardships of any kind of Cancer,” a statement read.

“Our actions were driven by a singular mission – to elevate awareness about Cervical Cancer. In 2022, India registered 123,907 Cervical Cancer cases and 77,348 deaths. After Breast Cancer, Cervical Cancer is the second-most frequent malignancy affecting middle aged women in India,” it added.

Ms Pandey’s manager had announced her death due to cervical cancer, causing widespread shock and disbelief. However, she later clarified on Instagram that the news of her death was false, revealing that the stunt was an unconventional attempt to spark a conversation about cervical cancer.

“I am alive. I didn’t die of cervical cancer. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same about the hundreds and thousands of women who have lost their lives due to cervical cancer,” Ms Pandey said. 

The model and actor’s actions, however, have faced severe backlash on social media. Many users criticised her for resorting to extreme measures, accusing her of “faking her death” for publicity.

The 2026 World Cup final will be held at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey, organisers FIFA announced on Sunday.

The New York bid held off a strong challenge from Dallas to secure the July 19 game, the culmination of the expanded 48-team tournament being co-hosted by the USA, Canada and Mexico.

The competition will kickoff with the opening game at Mexico City’s iconic Azteca Stadium on June 11.

“The most inclusive and impactful FIFA World Cup ever is no longer a dream but a reality that will take shape in the form of 104 matches in 16 state-of-the-art stadiums across Canada, Mexico and the USA,” said FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

“From the opening match at the iconic Estadio Azteca to the spectacular final in New York New Jersey, players and fans have been at the core of our extensive planning for this game-changing tournament… that will not only set new records but also leave an indelible legacy.”

Atlanta and Dallas will host the semi-finals while the third-place game will be played in Miami.

The quarter-final games will take place in Los Angeles, Kansas City, Miami and Boston.

A total of 16 cities across the three countries will host games with the bulk of the matches being held in the USA.

The 1994 World Cup was also held in the United States and the final took place at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, near Los Angeles.

New York hosted games at that tournament at the old Giants Stadium, which was later demolished to make way for MetLife, which opened in 2010.

The decisions were announced on a live television broadcast in North America that featured Infantino alongside comedian and actor Kevin Hart, rapper Drake and celebrity Kim Kardashian.

The 82,500-seat MetLife Stadium, across the Hudson River from New York in East Rutherford, New Jersey, is the home of the NFL’s New York Giants and New York Jets but has held a number of international football games, including the final of the 2016 Copa America tournament.

The New York bid had lobbied hard on the city’s experience at hosting major international events and it’s position as a global city with easy transportation connections for fans.

Dallas had hoped that AT&T Stadium, in Arlington, Texas, home to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, would benefit from having a roof to protect the game from the elements.

There is some compensation for Dallas with the venue being given nine total games — the most of any venue.

Los Angeles had also thrown a hat into the ring but the attempt struggled amid disagreements with FIFA about tournament upgrades needed to NFL venue SoFi Stadium.

History for Azteca

The Azteca will become the first stadium to host World Cup tournament games in three separate editions after 1970 and 1986.

The venue hosted the finals of the 1970 and 1986 tournaments.

The World Cup will take place during celebrations of the 250th anniversary of American independence.

A round-of-16 game will be held on July 4, Independence Day, in Philadelphia, where the US Declaration of Independence was signed.

The United States will kick off group stage competition at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on June 12 and will also play in Seattle.

Toronto was selected to host the first game for the Canadian team. Vancouver is the other Canadian venue which will host the squad.

The expansion of the tournament to 48 teams from 32 means there will be an additional 24 matches, making up a total of 104 games across the 16 venues.

The tournament will take the format of 12 groups of four teams with the top two going through along with the eight best third-placed teams.

From there, the competition is a straight knock-out format with the finalists having to play eight games rather than the previous seven.

FIFA says the match schedule, which will not be complete until the qualification process has ended, has been designed to limit travel for the teams.

The full draw for the tournament is expected to be held in late 2025.

Group fixtures have been designed to avoid cross-coast travel for the teams, who will also be able to choose from team bases in their group’s region.

The 16 host cities for the tournament are: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Guadalajara, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Miami, Monterrey, New York-New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Toronto and Vancouver.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Sticking to his anti-India stand, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu told the parliament today that the island nation will not allow “any country to interfere with or undermine our sovereignty”. He said New Delhi and Male have agreed that Indian troops will leave The Maldives by May 10, according to local media reports.

President Muizzu said Indian troops on one of the three aviation platforms in the island nation will leave by March 10, and those on the other two will pull out by May 10. “Maldives will not renew the agreement with India to chart the country’s inner and underwater charts. We will not allow any country to interfere with or undermine our sovereignty,” the President said.

India has 80-odd troops in the island nation to provide humanitarian aid and medical evacuation. President Muizzu’s campaign had focused on reducing Indian influence in affairs of The Maldives and the presence of Indian soldiers emerged as a major point of contention ever since he took over.

Reuters had earlier reported that the two sides had reached agreement on withdrawal of troops at a meeting in New Delhi.

The External Affairs Ministry has said the two countries “agreed on a set of mutually workable solutions to enable continued operation of Indian aviation platforms” that provide humanitarian services to the Maldives. The soldiers, Reuters reported, will be replaced by civilians.

President Muizzu’s anti-India stance has drawn criticism at home, especially in the light of the new government’s outreach to China. Soon after taking over, President Muizzu visited China and met its President Xi Jinping. This was a major shift from The Maldives’ traditionally close ties with India, and also a significant development in view of the geopolitical equations in the Indian Ocean region. 

Opposition parties MDP and The Democrats recently issued a joint statement, describing the shift in the island nation’s foreign policy as “extremely detrimental”.

The statement said that “alienating any development partner, and especially the country’s most long-standing ally, will be extremely detrimental to the long-term development of the country”. It also stressed that “stability and security in the Indian Ocean is vital to the stability and security of the Maldives”.

Another party has urged President Muizzu to apologise to India. Gasuim Ibrahim, leader of the Jumhoori Party, has said the Maldives President must formally apologise to India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and seek “diplomatic reconciliation” to mend ties.

Mr Ibrahim’s remarks referred to President Muizzu’s statement soon after he returned from China. “We may be small, but this doesn’t give them the licence to bully us,” he had said, without naming any country. The remark was seen as a swipe at India.

Asked about the strained ties, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar has said neighbours need each other. “History and geography are very powerful forces. There is no escape from that,” he has said.