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On February 7, 2026, India and the United States reached a landmark interim trade agreement framework, signalling a major de-escalation of trade tensions. This interim deal serves as a bridge towards a more comprehensive Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA), which is expected to be signed in mid-March 2026. After the interim agreement was signed, President Donald Trump issued an executive order rescinding a punitive 25 per cent duty on all imports from India over its purchases of Russian oil, the White House said.STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADThe key highlights of the interim agreement are significant. The US has reduced import duties…

South Africa’s player South Africa consultant Albie Morkel (left), batters David Miller (centre) and Tristan Stubbs (right) during a practice session on the eve of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, cricket match between South Africa and United Arab Emirates, at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on February 17, 2026. | Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar Three matches. Three wins. So far, so good for South Africa.At the start of the T20 World Cup, there was consensus that Aiden Markram and Co. were in the toughest of the four groups. Placed alongside New Zealand, Afghanistan, the United Arab Emirates…

People wearing Santa Claus’s outfit take a selfie in a snow-covered valley on the eve of the Christmas festival, in Gulmarg, Baramulla district, Jammu and Kashmir, Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025. | Photo Credit: PTI Christmas celebrations lifted the spirit of moribund tourism industry in Kashmir on Thursday (December 25, 2025). Hundreds of locals and domestic tourists flocked to Gulmarg and Pahalgam, where a terror attack earlier this year threw a spanner in the growing tourist footfall.  The centre of attraction for tourists was the Saint Mary church at Gulmarg in north Kashmir. Built in 1902, the well-lit church on a snow-laden…

The second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine took place in Abu Dhabi, alongside the participation of the US. As per reports, both sides have made some progress, but major sticking points continue. Russia wants Ukraine to hand over territory it demands, which Ukraine is unwilling to do, wanting the current frontlines as the ceasefire line. Russia also wants global recognition of the land it seeks. An added issue is security guarantees that Ukraine desires for accepting peace.STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADThe Russian chief negotiator is its military intelligence director, Igor Kostyukov, a career naval officer known to be…

With their backs against the wall, former champions Pakistan will rely on their fragile batting to come good after the jolt against India and seal a Super 8s spot when they face struggling Namibia, in their final league fixture, in Colombo on Wednesday (February 18, 2026).In Group A, title favourites India have already sealed their Super 8s berth after their handsome 61-run win over Pakistan the other day.The second spot is now up for grabs, with the United States having their nose ahead of Pakistan.Both teams have four points each but Pakistan are behind on Net Run Rate — Pakistan…

What is it?Travel is an amazing activity one can take up to explore beyond the horizons of their knowledge. However, there are two sides to everything, both good and…not so good. Jet lag is one of the major drawbacks when one travels past multiple time zones (five or more) by plane. It is a physiological condition that affects the human body when the circadian rhythm, or the body’s internal clock, desynchronises from the time zone it finds itself in. When this happens, one would find themselves experiencing fatigue, sleep disturbance, headaches, indigestion, etc. In simpler terms, the body is normally…

In modern history, four great empires have risen and fallen: Ottoman, Mughal, Qing China and British. A fifth stands at its apogee but also at a precipice: the United States. Can America’s fall be foretold? Crucially, why do empires rise and fall?The Ottomans were at the forefront of global science and medicine for six hundred years. Their decline was gradual. The Ottomans ruled over a vast swathe of Eurasia — from Spain and Portugal in the west and the Balkans in eastern Europe to Africa in the south and Central Asia in the east.STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADBy 1924, it…

New Zealand’s Glenn Phillips plays a shot during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 cricket match between New Zealand and Canada at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, in Chennai, on February 17, 2026. | Photo Credit: PTI New Zealand batter Glenn Phillips levelled with Colin Munro to become the team’s joint second-highest six-hitter in the history of T20I cricket.Phillips achieved this milestone during his side’s ICC T20 World Cup match against Canada in Chennai. During his knock, Phillips slammed four boundaries and six maximums, scoring 76* in just 36 balls.Now, this powerful, burly and clean striker of the cricket ball…

No matter how many times you have ambled through the ancient alleys of Jew Town, it never fails to leave you spell bound. It could be an artifact, cafe, or nugget of history hitherto unknown, that makes you want to linger a little longer.Just a few kilometres away from Fort Kochi, Synagogue Lane in Jew Town, Mattancherry, straddles the old world and the new in curious ways. The best way to find out is to explore it on foot and without a fixed agenda.Despite this though, there are sights that one cannot miss. Here is our list:  The sculpture of…

For decades, the calculus of Bangladesh’s electoral politics was a simple binary equation. The country faces quite a different picture with the 13th general election on February 12, 2026. The Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami (BJI) is no longer playing fiddle in a convenience coalition but has stepped out of the shadow of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) in its bid to present itself as a primary alternative to the old two-party system and as a vanguard of a new national identity. Amidst the ongoing election conundrum, it is necessary to understand where the BJI exactly stands in the country’s electoral landscape as…