February 20, 2026 - The Fourth Column

MHA forms 2nd empowered committee for Bengal to fast-track requests under CAA | India News

Ministry of home affairs. (File Photo)

New Delhi: The Union home ministry on Friday constituted a second empowered committee for West Bengal to fast-track the processing of citizenship requests received under Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 (CAA). CAA provides for grant of citizenship to immigra-nts from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh belonging to their six minority faiths – Hindu, Sikh, Christian, Buddhist, Jain and Parsi – who entered India before Dec 31, 2014, fearing religious persecution in their home countries. In a gazette notification issued on Friday, the home ministry said West Bengal’s new empowered committee – which takes the final call on citizenship applications forwarded by the district-level committee after verification of documents – shall be headed by the deputy registrar general, directorate of census operations of the state. The original empowered committee – set up in accordance with a notification issued by MHA in March 2024 and headed by director, census operations of West Bengal – will continue to be in existence. The new empowered committee, central govt sources told TOI, has been set up as the volume of applications under CAA in the state has increased. Sharing of work is expected to compress the processing time. West Bengal has a significant number of Hindu immigrants, such as those belonging to the Matua community. BJP has been making a major outreach to them to strengthen its electoral prospects in the state. The new empowered committee on CAA allows certain members of the empowered committee as notified on March 11, 2024 – like the jurisdictional foreigners regional registration officer and state informatics officer – to nominate an officer each, not below the rank of under secretary. Other members like an officer of the subsidiary intelligence bureau and postmaster general or a postal officer nominated by him remain the same. Like the original empowered committee, the new panel shall include a representative from the office of West Bengal principal secretary (home) or additional chief secretary (home) and a representative of the jurisdictional divisional railway manager as invitees.

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Oldest captains to win Player of the Match Award in ICC tournaments ft. Sikandar Raza and Rohit Sharma

In a tournament already filled with fairytale narratives, Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza has etched his name into the cricketing history books by becoming the oldest captain to win a Player of the Match award in an ICC tournament. The 39-year-old achieved the feat during Zimbabwe’s emphatic six-wicket victory over co-hosts Sri Lanka at the T20 World Cup 2026 on Thursday, breaking a record previously held by former Indian captain Rohit Sharma.

Sikandar Raza’s match-winning performance that made history

Raza’s historic moment came in Zimbabwe’s final group-stage encounter against Sri Lanka, where the all-rounder delivered a captain’s knock under pressure. Chasing a competitive target of 179 runs, Raza walked in at number four and produced a blistering innings of 45 runs off just 26 deliveries, studded with two fours and four towering sixes at a strike rate of 173.08.

His aggressive batting ensured Zimbabwe maintained control of the chase, eventually reaching the target with three balls to spare. Though he conceded 36 runs in four wicketless overs with the ball, his leadership and match-turning innings earned him the Player of the Match award.

At 39 years and 301 days, Raza surpassed Rohit’s previous record set during the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy final, where the Indian opener won the award at 37 years and 331 days.

Rohit features twice on this list, demonstrating his remarkable consistency in leading from the front during ICC tournaments. His 76-run knock in the 2025 Champions Trophy final against New Zealand remains one of the finest captain’s innings in recent memory.

Oldest captains to win Player of the Match Award in ICC tournaments

Player	Age	Tournament	Match	Date
Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe)	39 years 301 days	T20 World Cup 2026	Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka	February 2026
Rohit Sharma (India)	37 years 331 days	Champions Trophy 2025	India vs New Zealand (Final)	March 2025
Rohit Sharma (India)	37 years 55 days	T20 World Cup 2024	India vs Australia	June 2024

Rohit Sharma’s legacy: The record that stood since March 2025

Rohit’s place in this list was cemented during the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy, where he led India to victory against New Zealand in the final. His captain’s knock at the Dubai International Stadium not only secured India’s third Champions Trophy title but also earned him the Player of the Match award at 37 years and 331 days.

That performance placed Rohit in an elite group of captains who have won Player of the Match awards in ICC tournament finals, joining the likes of Clive Lloyd (1975 World Cup), Ricky Ponting (2003 World Cup), and MS Dhoni (2011 World Cup).

Also WATCH: Hardik Pandya makes Mahieka Sharma’s birthday extra special with cake-cutting ceremony at team hotel

Sikandar Raza’s remarkable journey: Age just a number

What makes Raza’s achievement particularly remarkable is the context of Zimbabwe’s cricketing resurgence. The Chevrons, who entered the tournament as underdogs, have now qualified for their first-ever Super 8 stage in seven T20 World Cup attempts, remaining unbeaten in the group stage.

Raza’s leadership has been instrumental in this transformation. Beyond the Sri Lanka victory, he previously guided Zimbabwe to a stunning upset against Australia earlier in the Group B fixture, knocking the 2021 champions out of the competition.

The 39-year-old’s performance against Sri Lanka also marked his 20th Player of the Match award in T20Is, making him the first player from a Full Member nation to reach this milestone and surpassing Indian stars Suryakumar Yadav and Virat Kohli in the all-time list.

Also READ: ICC announces complete list of teams qualified for the T20 World Cup 2028

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Cash transactions at NH fee plazas may end from April 1

New Delhi: Commuters using national highways may not be able to pay user fees in cash and have to rely entirely on digital payment modes – FASTag and UPI – at toll plazas. NHAI said it was “contemplating” completely discontinuing cash transactions at NH fee plazas across the country from April 1. According to current norms, vehicles passing a toll plaza without a valid, functional FASTag are charged twice the applicable toll if the payment is in cash. Those who opt to pay via UPI are charged 1.25 times the user fee for the applicable vehicle category. “The payment through UPI was introduced in Nov as an alternative to discourage cash payment, which was then around 2% of all toll collection. By now, cash payments have dropped to almost 1%, which is half of what was collected in cash just months back. All toll plazas have a UPI system for making payments,” an official said. TOI has learned that while cash payments are likely to be disallowed from April, govt is working to sort out the issue of penalties for overloading that are presently paid largely in cash. “A proposal is under consideration for rationalising and facilitating cashless overloading penalty payments,” the official added. In a statement, NHAI said, “The proposed measure is aimed at consolidating the gains achieved in Electronic Toll Collection and strengthening the efficiency and reliability of fee plaza operations. The transition will help to enhance ‘Ease of Commuting’ for NH users by improving lane throughput, reducing congestion at fee plazas and bringing greater consistency and transparency in toll transactions.” It also said that plaza-level assessments indicated that cash-based payments contributed to congestion, increased waiting times during peak traffic periods and transaction-related disputes.

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Relying on decades-old rulings, SC acquits stepdad of 6-yr-old’s murder | India News

New Delhi: A six-year-old girl went missing in 2018. She was last seen with her stepfather. When he was arrested eight days later, he led police to the place where her charred remains were found. Supreme Court found this evidence weak and acquitted him of the murder charge. Finding no other evidence to link the man to the murder except that he was the last person to be seen with the child according to a neighbour and he was the one to lead the police to the victim’s bones, a bench of Justices Sanjay Kumar and K Vinod Chandran acquitted him, saying the investigation was botched and left many questions unanswered. “In the present case, the murder of a six-year-old girl went unpunished and her stepfather was incarcerated on mere conjecture,” SC said. In the case from Chhattisgarh, what tilted the scales towards the stepfather, Rohit Jangde, was the peculiarity of the interpretation by SC in earlier judgments on the admissibility of a statement by an accused that leads to discovery of fact relating to the crime – in this case, the recovery of the girl’s body. More than 65 years ago, SC had ruled that the statement of an accused leading to discovery of facts relating to the crime would be admissible evidence only when it had been made in custody. Justices Kumar and Chandran also relied on a similar interpretation used in a nearly 100-year-old ruling by Calcutta HC. Interestingly in the 1931 judgment, the then CJ of Calcutta HC had expressed anguish that the law permitted reliance on a statement made to police that led to discovery of fact only when the person was in police custody and had termed it absurd, but left it to the legislature to make suitable amends. Relying on these decades-old judgments, SC termed weak the telltale evidence incriminating Jangde. Justice Chandran said even if the evidence was accepted, it would not by itself nail the guilt on the stepfather. “The knowledge of the accused, which led to the detection of the bone remnants though not acceptable under Section 27 would all the same be acceptable evidence under Section 8, which by itself is a weak piece of evidence. The evidence under Section 8 can only offer corroboration and cannot by itself result in a conviction,” he said. Acquitting the accused, the bench said, “The long gap when there was no complaint made about the missing child and the factum of none having questioned the accused, despite the family and police having been told that she went with the accused, tilts the scales in favour of the accused… Pertinent also is that since the corpus delicti was not recovered, there is no time of death specified. We are hence unable to uphold the conviction of the accused, and he has to be necessarily given the benefit of doubt.“

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Indian trucker held in US for fatal crash | India News

Bathinda: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has arrested an Indian-origin semi-truck driver with roots in Punjab after he allegedly jumped a red light and caused a three-vehicle pile-up that killed a 64-year-old man at Hendricks County in Indiana on Feb 18. Sukhdeep Singh (25) is the fourth Indian-origin person and third Sikh immigrant to be arrested in the US in last six months for alleged rash driving, leading to crashes in which nine people died. On Aug 18 last year, Harjinder Singh (25) was accused of killing three people in Florida after making what authorities said was a reckless U-turn on a highway. Two months later, Jashanpreet Singh (21) was arrested in California for allegedly driving under influence and triggering a crash that killed three people. He had entered the US through the southern border in 2022. On Nov 24, Rajinder Kumar (32), an undocumented immigrant since 2022, was charged in Oregon after his semi-truck blocked two lanes, causing a crash that killed a pair of newlyweds. After the White House shared a post about the accidents, advocacy group United Sikhs issued a statement, saying the statement reflected unequal treatment of a minority community. It urged govt not to single out Sikh drivers. It cited an April 2025 govt report showing 528,177 truck accidents in 2023 that resulted in 5,472 fatalities. “These tragic numbers represent nationwide roadway safety challenges across all communities.” Separately, the Sikh Coalition is challenging a new rule that seeks to limit the issuance of non-domiciled commercial drivers’ licences.

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Saudi crude imports narrow gap with Russia, set to become biggest supplier

Crude imports from Saudi hit highest level

New Delhi: Crude oil imports from Saudi Arabia have hit their highest levels since Nov 2019, clocking nearly 1-1.1 million barrels per day (bpd) in Feb, and overtaking Russia temporarily to emerge as the biggest supplier to India.According to data shared by Kpler, a global data and analytics service provider, crude imports from the West Asian country peaked at 1.3 million barrels on Feb 20 (Friday), eclipsing Russian supplies of about 1.1 mbd. Saudi Arabia has consistently held the third or fourth position in India’s crude import basket over the past couple of years, with Russia remaining on top and Iraq and the UAE occupying the other two spots.

Crude purchase from Saudi

The recent surge has significantly narrowed the gap between Riyadh and Moscow that widened after India ramped up Russian oil purchases following the Ukraine invasion. The numbers come amid mounting pressure from the US to reduce Russian crude purchases.“We expect some moderation in the coming weeks, with a few parcels likely slipping into early March. On a full-month basis, our predictive flows model currently indicates Saudi imports averaging closer to 1-1.1 mbd in Feb, still a multi-year high,” said Sumit Ritolia, lead research analyst at Kpler. He said Russian crude imports are expected to be 1-1.2 mbd in Feb and may fall to 0.8-1 mbd a day in next month. “However, we continue to see this as a short-term stabilisation... we expect Russia’s share in India’s crude slate to gradually stabilise at a lower range in 2026 compared to 2024 and 2025 as commercial and policy frictions build,” he said. The analyst added Russian imports are expected to dip further in April as Nayara’s Vadinar refinery, heavily dependent on Russian crude following EU sanctions, is scheduled for maintenance in April-May.

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Jos Buttler ‘won’t bat for 15 overs’ to return to form amid struggle for runs in T20 World Cup | Cricket News

Jos Buttler of England makes his way off the field after being dismissed during the 5th T20 International between India and England at Wankhede Stadium on February 02, 2025 in Mumbai, India. (Photo/Getty Images)

Jos Buttler says he will not change his batting approach despite a run of low scores in the ongoing T20 World Cup, stating that he cannot focus only on staying at the crease if the team needs quick runs.The former England captain has not scored a half-century in his last 14 international innings across ODIs and T20Is, with a highest score of 39.“T20 is one of those games that asks you to keep making plays. There are times when you’ve maybe been out of form in a Test match with the batting coach, who might say ‘just rein it in for a bit and try to bat for an hour and it will come back to you’. So by hook or by crook, bat for an hour. But in T20s, you’ve got to keep playing the scoreboard; if you’re chasing 10 in an over you’ve got to play accordingly,” Buttler said. “I saw Nasser say, ‘just bat for 15 overs,’ and I would love to just bat for 15 overs, but I don’t want to bat for 15 overs just for myself and ignore the game. You’ve got to still play the game,” Buttler said on the For the Love of Cricket podcast, referring to comments by Nasser Hussain.Buttler scored 26 and 21 against Nepal and West Indies in Mumbai, followed by scores of three and three against Scotland and Italy in Kolkata as England moved into the Super 8 stage.“A bit frustrating so far, the game just keeps challenging you, no matter what stage of your career you’re at, there’s always something challenging you. I’ve been through lots of patches of poor form over 15 years in all different formats; it’s always the same things you come back to at the end, which is stand still, watch the ball and trust yourself,” he added.The former England captain also said he would not change his batting position to deal with the slump.“The only person who can score my runs is myself. I’m not going to score them by hiding away or sending anyone else out; I’ve got to put my own shirt on, mark the middle, and off we go again. It always comes back at some point, so looking forward to the next opportunity.”Buttler also spoke about his time in Mumbai. “Mumbai, I think, is a city I really enjoy. There are some really good restaurants to get out to. There’s lots going on. It’s obviously busy and hectic, but that’s all part of the fun of India,” he said.He also praised the performances of associate teams in the tournament. “The associate sides have played brilliantly. I’m sure they all feel like they’ve got nothing to lose. They’re looking for that giant-killing kind of performance, and sides have come really close.”England have reached the Super 8 stage and will play their matches in Sri Lanka. They begin that phase against the co-hosts at the Pallekele International Stadium on Sunday.

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Indian truck driver Sukhdeep Singh arrested for Indiana three-vehicle collision that killed 1

Sukhdeep Singh, an Indian driver, ran a signal and caused a three-vehicle collision in Indiana, killing 1.

25-year-old Sukhdeep Singh, an Indian man, arrested after his truck caused a three-vehicle collision killing a 64-year-old in Indiana, was taken into ICE custody because not only was he driving wrong and cost a life but he was also in Indiana illegally. A major outrage began as yet another Indian was found behind the wheel of a killer truck that ran the red light. According to reports, Singh has been living in Indiana illegally. He was caught at the border in 2018 by the 1st Trump administration when he was a minor but was released. He was formally living in New York and as of January of this year, he was living in New Palestine, Indiana. “Looking at his Indiana driving history, he has 5 citations since 2022 and many are wondering how he was able to get a CDL in Indiana. We don’t yet know the answer,” Fox anchor Angela Ganote said. Ganote claimed that Singh is a repeat offender. “He was ticketed for not having insurance after a car crash on January 8th on Harding Street. He has 3 previous speeding tickets where he was accused of traveling 89 in a 70, 76 in a 55 and 74-55. He also has a citation for no registration. And of course, the fatal crash yesterday on February 18th,” Ganote said.

How did the crash take place?

It was a three-vehicle collision that was reported on Wednesday on US 36. The crash tookplace at the road’s intersection with County Road 525 East. Singh was driving a Freightliner semi-truck with a trailer. It ran a red light at the intersection and struck a Chevrolet which then struck a Chrysler that was in the left turn lane. The occupant of the Chevrolet, identified as 64-year-old Terry Schultz, was pronounced dead at the scene.

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US envoy Sergio Gor: India committed to not buying Russian oil

US ambassador to India Sergio Gor speaks during the signing ceremony of the Pax Silica Declaration between India and the US on sidelines of Global AI Impact Summit 2026, in New Delhi on Friday. (ANI Video Grab)

NEW DELHI: US ambassador to India Sergio Gor doubled down on US claims that India has committed to not buying Russian oil as he said Friday that President Donald Trump doesn’t want anyone to procure Russian crude as he works to end the Russia-Ukraine war. Gor also said that India was already diversifying its oil sourcing and that the US and India were in “active negotiations” to facilitate the procurement of Venezuelan oil by India. Gor also said the interim trade deal with India would be signed very soon as only a “few tweaking points” were left to do. On oil, Gor said, there was an agreement. “We have seen India diversify on their oil. There is a commitment. This is not about India. The US doesn’t want anyone buying Russian oil,” said Gor, speaking shortly after India joined the Pax Silica initiative on the margins of the AI summit. “The President’s been very clear on this, he wants this war to end. And so anyone who is in a way still involved with that conflict is something that the President wants to see come to an end in hopes of peace coming with that,” added Gor. The Indian foreign ministry later pointed to foreign secretary Vikram Misri’s statement that India’s energy policy is driven by national interest and actual sourcing is done by oil companies after an assessment of cost, market conditions, availability and risks involved. As both sides reached a framework for an interim deal earlier this month, and Trump claimed India had committed to not buying Russian oil, the US slashed tariff on India from 50 to 18%.

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South Africa unveil 15-member squad for the T20I series against New Zealand, Keshav Maharaj to lead

Cricket South Africa (CSA) have announced a fresh-looking 15-member squad for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand, with experienced left-arm spinner Keshav Maharaj appointed captain. The five-match series, starting March 15, will be played just a week after the conclusion of the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, marking a quick turnaround for the Proteas.

Keshav Maharaj to marshal a balanced unit

Maharaj, known for his calm demeanor and tactical sharpness, will spearhead a squad that blends experience with promising young talent. With several frontline players expected to transition directly from World Cup duty into franchise commitments, the selectors have opted to rotate and rest key names.

Only three players currently involved in the World Cup — Maharaj, George Linde, and Jason Smith — will travel onwards to New Zealand. The decision reflects careful workload management, particularly with the IPL scheduled to begin almost immediately after the series concludes on March 25.

For Maharaj, the assignment offers another opportunity to showcase his leadership credentials in the shortest format. Having led domestic and franchise sides before, he now steps into a national role at a crucial juncture as South Africa reshapes its T20 core.

New faces headline the squad

The tour will be particularly special for five uncapped players who have earned their maiden international call-ups: Connor Esterhuizen, Dian Forrester, Jordan Hermann, Eathan Bosch, and Nqobani Mokoena.

There’s a strong family connection within the group. Jordan Hermann joins his brother Rubin Hermann in the squad, while Eathan Bosch follows in the footsteps of his elder sibling Corbin Bosch. The sibling stories add a heartwarming dimension to the squad announcement and underline the depth of cricketing talent within South Africa’s domestic system.

Among the newcomers, 19-year-old Nqobani Mokoena stands out. The young spinner impressed in the 2026 SA20 season, finishing as the joint fourth-highest wicket-taker with 13 scalps for Paarl Royals at an impressive strike rate of 14.76. His inclusion signals South Africa’s intent to groom emerging match-winners in overseas conditions.

Also READ: Sunil Gavaskar predicts one change in India’s playing XI for the Super 8 clash against South Africa in T20 World Cup 2026

Pace firepower returns

Fast bowlers Ottneil Baartman and Gerald Coetzee, both absent from the World Cup squad, have been recalled to add bite to the pace attack. Their inclusion suggests a desire to test different bowling combinations ahead of a packed international calendar.

Tony de Zorzi also makes his return after recovering from injury, providing stability at the top of the order. Alongside experienced campaigners like Lutho Sipamla, Prenelan Subrayen, and Andile Simelane, the squad appears structured to experiment without compromising competitiveness.

South Africa squad for New Zealand T20Is: Keshav Maharaj (captain), Ottneil Baartman, Eathan Bosch, Gerald Coetzee, Tony de Zorzi, Connor Esterhuizen, Dian Forrester, Jordan Hermann, Rubin Hermann, George Linde, Nqobani Mokoena, Andile Simelane, Lutho Sipamla, Prenelan Subrayen, Jason Smith.

Also READ: Oldest captains to win Player of the Match Award in ICC tournaments ft. Sikandar Raza and Rohit Sharma

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