Malaysia joined India on Sunday in strongly condemning cross-border terrorism, signalling a greater understanding of India’s position on the issue, with PM Modi saying after a bilateral meeting with his counterpart Anwar Ibrahim that message from both sides on terror was clear: no double standards, no compromise. Modi’s visit to Malaysia saw close to a dozen agreements being signed and announcements for cooperation in areas spanning defence and security, semiconductors, social security for Indian workers, UN peacekeeping, disaster management and the fight against corruption. While similar joint statements issued after summit meetings in 2015, 2017 and 2024 had condemned terror in all forms, the latest one specifically mentioned cross-border terror, an expression that helps India flag Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. The statement also reaffirmed commitment to boost bilateral and multilateral cooperation in countering terror, including in UN and FATF, radicalisation and violent extremism.India, Malaysia will chart a path of economic transformation: PM ModiIn the field of security, we will strengthen cooperation in counter-terrorism, intelligence sharing, and maritime security. We will also further expand defence cooperation, said PM Modi, thanking his Malaysian counterpart Anwar Ibrahim for his strong condemnation of Pahalgam terror attack and the Red Fort blast.The PM underlined the significance of growing friendship between both the countries in the current climate of global uncertainty, saying the leaders backed all peace efforts and agreed that reform of global institutions was essential to address today’s challenges.While there was no official word from either side on whether the extradition sought by India of fugitive Zakir Naik was discussed at the meeting, official sources said India remains in touch with Malaysia to address legal issues related to the request.Modi and Ibrahim also participated in a CEO Forum that, he said, opened new avenues for trade and investment. “Alongside AI and digital technologies, we will advance our partnership in semiconductors, health and food security. Guided by strategic trust, we will chart a pathway towards economic transformation,” the PM said. According to the joint statement, the two expressed satisfaction over the robust defence relationship between Malaysia and India, underscored by “regular exchanges, visits, staff talks, exercises, training courses and defence industry collaboration”. While there was no mention of it in the statement, India is considering sale of Dornier aircraft to Malaysia and also supply of naval platforms by Indian shipyards. “The PMs encouraged growing maritime cooperation between India and Malaysia, including through regular goodwill and operational deployments,” said the joint statement.

England‘s opening fixture in the T20 World Cup 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium proved to be more than just a standard group-stage match. Facing a disciplined Nepal side on February 8, 2026, the defending champions relied on a blend of youth and leadership to navigate a high-pressure environment.

While the senior stars provided the foundation, the spotlight was stolen by Jacob Bethell, a newcomer who looked remarkably composed under the Mumbai heat. His clinical approach and ability to dismantle the opposition’s spin attack signaled a significant shift in England’s tactical depth. This standout performance didn’t just help secure the points; it etched Bethell’s name into a very exclusive chapter of English cricket history, alongside the legendary Kevin Pietersen.

Jacob Bethell joins Kevin Pietersen in elite list for England during T20 World Cup 2026 game against Nepal

In a performance that combined raw power with technical finesse, Bethell announced himself on the T20 World Cup stage by becoming only the second England player in history to score a half-century on his Men’s T20 World Cup debut. Batting at number three, the 22-year-old all-rounder smashed 55 off just 35 balls, featuring four massive sixes and four boundaries. Bethell reached his milestone in the 12th over with a pair of consecutive sixes off Kushal Bhurtel, showcasing the fearless ‘ultra-aggressive’ brand of cricket England prizes.

By crossing the fifty-run mark, he joined an exclusive club previously occupied only by the legendary Pietersen. Pietersen’s record of 79 off 37 balls, set during his own debut against Zimbabwe in the inaugural ODI World Cup 2027, has stood as the gold standard for England debutants for nearly two decades. While Bethell fell short of Pietersen’s total after holing out to long-on, his 157.14 strike rate and ability to rebuild the innings alongside Harry Brook proved he is the rightful heir to England’s middle-order throne.

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T20 World Cup 2026: Bethell, Harry Brook and Will Jacks fuel England in high-octane Wankhede game against Nepal

The clash at the Wankhede Stadium was anything but a one-sided affair, as Nepal’s ‘Rhinos’ pushed the former champions to their limits. After Harry Brook won the toss and opted to bat, Nepal’s Sher Malla produced a dream start, dismissing Phil Salt for just 1 with his very first delivery in international cricket. England found themselves in early trouble at 57/3 after Sandeep Lamichhane trapped Tom Banton LBW, but the game shifted during a vital 71-run partnership between Bethell and skipper Brook.

Brook matched Bethell’s intensity with a captain’s knock of 53 off 32 balls, ensuring the run rate never dipped below nine an over. Despite a late-innings collapse where England lost three wickets for just 15 runs, Will Jacks provided the finishing touch with a cameo of 39 off 18 balls*, including three sixes in the final over to propel England to a total of 184/7. Nepal’s bowlers, led by Nandan Yadav (2/32) and Dipendra Singh Airee, remained disciplined throughout, setting the stage for a massive chase in front of a raucous Mumbai crowd.

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Mumbai: In a rare breath of fresh air for Mumbaikars, the city recorded its cleanest air quality since the beginning of the month on Sunday. The city registered an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) of 117, firmly placing it in the ‘moderate’ category where it has remained since the start of the New Year. Though the city has seen some intermittent days of satisfactory air in January, the recent readings mark a significant point of improvement for February so far.While the city-wide average showed improvement, the air quality remained a tale of two suburbs. Residents in Borivli (60), Powai (67), and Mulund (77) enjoyed the best conditions, with levels bordering the ‘satisfactory’ mark. Conversely, pockets of the city continued to struggle with stagnant air. Sion emerged as the most polluted locality with an AQI of 175, followed by Bandra East (159) and Navy Nagar, Colaba (150).The satellite cities followed a similar trend of marginal improvement. Thane recorded an AQI of 108, while Navi Mumbai stood at 113. Within Navi Mumbai, Vashi boasted a ‘satisfactory’ 75, though industrial Taloja remained the outlier at 134.While the lungs found some relief, the skin felt the sting of an unseasonably warm sun as the day was 3.7° warmer than usual. Maximum temperatures across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) stayed significantly above the seasonal average. Indian Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Santacruz observatory recorded a maximum temperature of 34.5°C, which was 3.6° warmer than normal. The nights offered little respite, with the minimum temperature at Santacruz settling at 19.2°C, 2° warmer than normal.The Colaba weather station mirrored this trend, recording a high of 33.4°C, which was 3.7° warmer than the normal expected temperature. The minimum temperature at Colaba was 22°C, marked as 2.3° warmer than normal. This spike in mercury suggests a momentary pause in the city’s usual January chill.

BENGALURU: Scientists from Isro’s Space Applications Centre (SAC) have identified a promising landing zone in the rugged south polar region of the Moon for India’s first lunar sample return mission, Chandrayaan-4. A detailed terrain study using images from the Chandrayaan-2 Orbiter High Resolution Camera (OHRC) has shortlisted a one-square-kilometre patch near Mons Mouton as the safest option for touchdown. The study, carried out by Amitabh, K Suresh, Ajay K Prashar, Kannan V Iyer, Abdul S, Shweta Verma Trivedi and Nitant Dube, has been accessed by TOI.Chandrayaan-4 will be Isro’s most complex lunar mission. The spacecraft will include a propulsion module, a descender module, an ascender module, a transfer module and a re-entry module. The descender and ascender stack must soft-land on the Moon, collect samples and launch them back to lunar orbit for return to Earth .Selecting the right site is crucial. Engineers must ensure gentle local slopes, adequate sunlight for at least 11-12 days, clear radio visibility to Earth, and minimal hazards such as craters and boulders. The lander design limits the acceptable slope to about 10° and requires boulders smaller than 0.32 metres .Earlier assessments based on coarser data had highlighted several candidate areas between 84° and 90° south latitude. The new work focused on five zones around Mons Mouton, analysing them with sharper OHRC stereo images at 32-centimetre resolution. One site was discarded because it lay in permanent shadow .Researchers generated digital elevation models at a fine grid of 0.32 metres and studied terrain undulations, illumination patterns and hazard distribution. Four locations, labelled MM-1, MM-3, MM-4 and MM-5, were compared on parameters such as mean slope, height range and the number of safe landing grids of 24 by 24 metres .Among them, the MM-4 area — at latitude minus 84.289° and longitude 32.808° — emerged as the front-runner. It showed the lowest hazard level at 9.89%, an average slope of 5° and the highest count of 568 safe grids. The region also offered favourable illumination and limited shadowing from nearby terrain .Other sites carried higher risks. MM-1 and MM-3 recorded hazard levels above 12%, while MM-5 provided only 72 safe grids within the target area. Elevations across the sites ranged from 4,800 to over 6,100 metres, reflecting the broken topography of the lunar south pole .Scientists say the analysis demonstrates how high-resolution imaging can guide precise landing decisions. The OHRC data allowed them to map craters, boulders and slopes with a clarity not available during earlier missions .If approved by the landing site selection committee, the MM-4 patch will host India’s first attempt to bring back pieces of the Moon. Success would place Isro among a small group of space agencies capable of returning extraterrestrial samples, opening a new chapter in the country’s planetary exploration programme.

India’s Sumit Nagal (PTI Photo/Shailendra Bhojak)

The Davis Cup Qualifiers tie between India and the Netherlands was dragged into a decisive final rubber on Sunday after Sumit Nagal’s reverse singles loss allowed the visitors to draw level at 2-2, wiping out the advantage India had earned through their dramatic doubles win earlier in the day.Nagal, who had given India the perfect start by taking the opening set, could not sustain the momentum as he went down 7-5, 1-6, 4-6 to world number 88 Jesper de Jong in a punishing contest that stretched close to three hours. The defeat set up a winner-takes-all fifth singles, with Dhakshineswar Suresh once again entrusted with the responsibility of seeing India through. He faces Dutch debutant Guy de Ouden, who had beaten Nagal on Saturday.

India had earlier surged ahead 2-1 after Yuki Bhambri and Dhakshineswar Suresh edged past David Pel and Sander Arends in a gripping doubles rubber, winning 7-6 (0), 3-6, 7-6 (1) in a match that swung repeatedly over three hours.In the reverse singles, Nagal broke De Jong in the opening game and kept his errors in check early on. The Dutchman, however, clawed his way back by winning three games in succession to take a narrow lead. After trading breaks, Nagal found another lift late in the set, breaking in the 11th game and closing it out confidently with a powerful forehand winner.The conditions slowed in the second set, which initially appeared to suit Nagal’s counter-punching game. De Jong, though, wrested control with a double break to open up a 5-1 lead. Despite Nagal saving multiple break points in a long sixth game, De Jong eventually forced a decider.The Dutchman struck early in the final set and gradually wore Nagal down in a physically demanding phase. Although Nagal managed to break back once, De Jong held his nerve to seal the match and level the tie.Earlier, India captain Rohit Rajpal’s decision to pair Bhambri with Dhakshineswar in doubles proved inspired. The opening set saw Bhambri repeatedly tested on serve, but the Indian pair survived several break points before dominating the tie-break without conceding a point.The Netherlands responded in the second set as Bhambri’s serving troubles resurfaced, allowing the visitors to break and level the contest. The deciding set became a battle of patience, with India creating multiple break chances that initially went begging.The turning point came after Arends required a medical timeout for his left hand. From that moment, his serving lost its bite, and the Indians finally seized the opening to clinch the match and hand themselves a slender advantage that now rests on the shoulders of Dhakshineswar in the decisive fifth rubber.