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The Chowmahalla experience is a rare cultural experiment — a curated fine-dining experience inside Chowmahalla Palace, the former seat of the Nizams, opened specially after public hours for curated events | Photo Credit: SIDDHANT THAKUR When the 19 Belgian Crystal chandeliers, of the 300-year-old Chowmahalla Palace in Hyderabad’s Old City are lit, the moment feels almost theatrical. I have visited the palace several times — as a tourist, a reporter and a wedding guest — and each experience has felt distinct. But seeing Chowmahalla after sunset reveals a version of the palace that few ever encounter.Usually open only during the…

An old French proverb says, “With money, one can buy almost anything — except time.” That captures the wager India is making as it deepens its defence relationship with France. New Delhi is prepared to spend lavishly to compress decades of technological learning into a single purchasing cycle. Whether Paris can — or will — sell India the future it wants in its entirety, especially source codes for the Rafale, will determine the extent of acceleration for the Indian defence ecosystem.STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS ADA giant boost for Make in IndiaEven so, the technology transfer will be of a very…

West Indies’ Shamar Joseph celebrates the wicket of Italy’s Ali Hasan during the T20 World Cup cricket match between West Indies and Italy in Kolkata, India, Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. | Photo Credit: AP Shai Hope’s second consecutive fifty and a disciplined performance by bowlers powered West Indies to a comfortable 42-run victory over Italy, signing off their Group C campaign in the T20 World Cup in style, here on Thursday (February 19, 2026).Despite a shaky batting performance, the Caribbean pace and spin attack clicked in unison, ensuring a winning momentum heading into the Super Eights.Set a target of 166,…

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The interiors of Tata-led Air India’s first aircraft Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner  | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement On the eve of its new operation between Mumbai-Frankfurt route, I find myself on an exclusive ferry trial flight between Delhi and Hyderabad. As I board, contemporary Indian design is visible throughout the new aircraft. I am fondly reminded of the maximalist, opulent décor that Air India’s cabin were known for in the ’70s and ’80s, from my childhood travels. Tata-led airline’s first customised aircraft and signals the beginning of its privatised, revamped phase. | Photo Credit: Special arrangement Air India had been contending…

West Indies’s Shai Hope in action against Italy in the Men’s T20 World Cup at the Eden Garden in Kolkata on Thursday, February 19, 2026. | Photo Credit: RITURAJ KONWAR Skipper Shai Hope (75, 46b, 6×4, 4×6) found a gear between timing and intent to steer West Indies to 165 for six, setting up a 42-run win over Italy in their last Group-C match of the ongoing T20 World Cup at the Eden Gardens here on Thursday. His innings gathered pace without ever looking like it was trying to. It didn’t announce itself; it revealed itself, over by over. It…

Cinde Warmington launched a repeat bid for governor of New Hampshire on Wednesday, giving Democrats their first major challenger to GOP Gov. Kelly Ayotte in the purple state. Warmington, a former state executive councilor, ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2024, losing the Democratic nomination to former Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig who then went on to lose to Ayotte. She now enters a relatively open Democratic field, with just one other declared candidate. In a launch video posted to her campaign website, Warmington attacked Ayotte for “making your life more expensive.” She also accused the Republican of not standing up to…

When French President Emmanuel Macron stepped out for an early jog along Marine Drive, it was more than a personal fitness ritual. It was a subtle but powerful symbol. Marine Drive is not merely a promenade; it is a metaphor for Mumbai’s resilience, India’s economic dynamism, and the country’s quiet confidence in its own security architecture.To see the French President running freely along the Queen’s Necklace in 2026 evokes an unspoken comparison with the dark days of 26/11. The contrast is stark. What was once a city under siege is now a global hub that hosts leaders without anxiety, conducting…

Aabid Khan Kayamkhani is overcome with emotion at the loss of some of the finest works in the havelis of Nawalgarh. As a tour guide, he gives visitors a quick lesson in the place’s history and art. One such haveli has been painted over in cream and pink, leaving a mere door and the space around it as a reminder of the lost art.“We grew up hearing about and seeing the artwork of these havelis. Our generation has seen this place become this wonderful centre of art. There is no other place in the world that can match Nawalgarh’s havelis,”…

Two days have passed since fourteen former cricket captains from Australia, England, New Zealand, the West Indies and India — including Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev — sent a letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressing concern about the medical condition of imprisoned former Pakistani Prime Minister and cricket star Imran Khan. Surprisingly, the Pakistani authorities have not publicly responded to the captains’ appeal, which is more political than humanitarian. This is clever communication tactics on the part of Pakistan. It is contrary to its traditional practice of giving a quick and strong response to what it considers provocations.STORY…