US President Donald Trump said on Friday that he is “not happy” with the ongoing negotiations with Iran, asserting that Tehran must say it will not develop nuclear weapons.While addressing a gathering in Texas, Trump claimed that his administration has to “make a big decision,” adding that any deal with Tehran must be “meaningful.”

“Now we have a big decision to make. You know that. Not easy. We have a very big decision to make. We have a country that has, for 47 years, been blowing people’s legs off, arms off, the face. They’ve been knocking out ships, killing people — lots of people. Well, not only Americans, lots of people. It’s been terrible. 32,000 people killed over the last two, three months — protesters,” Trump said.“32,000. That’s a number of people. They want to make a deal, but you’ve got to make a deal that’s meaningful. I spoke with Ted Cruz, John, all of them on the way here. I said you’ve got to make a deal that’s meaningful. We hit them real hard, as you know, with those beautiful B-2 bombers recently, knocked out their nuclear capability. But I’d rather do it the peaceful way. But they’re very difficult people. I want to tell you that. They’re very dangerous people, very difficult people,” he added.This comes after the third round of negotiations between Iran and the United States was held in Geneva on Thursday.The latest round of talks comes amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between Tehran and Washington and against the backdrop of a significant US military build-up in the Middle East, as several countries advised their citizens to leave Iran amid concerns over potential US strikes.Earlier in the day, Trump said he is “not exactly happy” with Iran’s handling of negotiations over its nuclear programme, stressing that the country cannot possess nuclear weapons.“We haven’t made a final decision (on Iran). We’re not exactly happy with the way they’re negotiating. They cannot have nuclear weapons. And we’re not thrilled with the way they’re negotiating. So we’ll see how it all works,” Trump said.“I am not happy with the fact that they are not willing to give us what we have to have. I’m not thrilled with that. We’ll see what happens. We’ll have some additional talks today. But, no, I’m not happy with the way they’re going,” he added.

If there’s one thing Kangana Ranaut is known for, it’s her unfiltered honesty. From calling out nepotism when few in the industry dared to speak, to taking public digs at powerful names, Kangana has never believed in playing safe. On February 27, the actress was in her element. During an interactive session with News 18, Kangana was asked to react to names like Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra — and her responses were as sharp as ever.

Kangana was asked to pick the best friend among Salman, Shah Rukh and Aamir. The question: “Aapka acha dost kaun hai?”Her instant reply drew laughter. “Ye mere dost kab se bann gaye (laughs).”When nudged to at least name the one she liked most, Kangana said, “I think Salman is quite cool.”

“Let’s go with Ananya Panday”

The conversation then shifted to the younger crop of actors — Ananya Panday, Janhvi Kapoor and Sara Ali Khan — with Kangana being asked who she thought was the better actress.Laughing, she replied, “Let’s go with Ananya Panday.”The remark is noteworthy given their past. In 2022, during her appearance on The Kapil Sharma Show, Kangana had mocked Ananya, referring to her as a ‘Bolly-bimbo’ and mimicking her ability to touch her nose with her tongue.

“Kam se kam list toh achi banani thi”

Perhaps the sharpest moment came when she was asked to choose the better director among Anurag Kashyap, Karan Johar and Aditya Chopra. Instead of picking one, Kangana took a swipe at the very premise.“Meri jo filmmaking aur acting ke liye jo liking hai, mere standards itne low nahi jitne aapke hai. Kam se kam list toh achi banani thi,” she said.Her equation with Karan Johar has been widely discussed since 2017, when she appeared on Koffee with Karan and called him the “flag-bearer of nepotism” and “movie mafia.” Over the years, she continued to criticise him for allegedly promoting star kids. Currently, however, she doesn’t actively revisit the controversy. On the work front, Kangana is set to reunite with R Madhavan in an untitled psychological thriller, marking their collaboration after the successful Tanu Weds Manu franchise.

As India prepare for their do-or-die T20 World Cup 2026 Super 8 clash against West Indies at the iconic Eden Gardens on Sunday, March 1, the spectre of rain looms large over what is effectively a virtual quarterfinal. With both teams locked on two points each in Group 1, the winner will secure the second semifinal spot alongside already-qualified South Africa. But what happens if the Kolkata weather intervenes?

ICC’s rules for the abandoned Super 8 matches

According to standard ICC tournament playing conditions, if a Super 8 match is abandoned due to rain or any other reason resulting in a ‘No Result’, the points are split equally between the two competing teams. Crucially, there is no reserve day allocated for Super 8 fixtures – only the semifinals and final have that provision.

In such a scenario, both India and West Indies would receive one point each. With both teams currently on two points, an abandoned match would leave them tied at three points apiece in the final standings.

India or West India – Which team will reach the semifinals?

When teams are level on points, Net Run Rate (NRR) becomes the primary tiebreaker for determining qualification. This is where the mathematics turns decisively against the defending champions.

Following India’s 72-run victory over Zimbabwe in Chennai on February 26, their NRR stands at -0.100. West Indies, despite their nine-wicket loss to South Africa, maintain a healthy NRR of +1.791.

If the match is washed out and both teams finish with three points, West Indies will advance to the semifinals based on their significantly superior NRR, leading to India’s elimination from their home World Cup.

Meanwhile, South Africa have already secured their semifinal berth after defeating West Indies by nine wickets, and will top the group if they avoid defeat against Zimbabwe in Delhi on Sunday.

Also READ: T20 World Cup 2026 – India vs West Indies Super 8 Ticket Prices, Booking Details

Weather Forecast for Kolkata on March 1

Fortunately for the millions of Indian fans hoping for a decisive contest, meteorological reports for Kolkata on match day indicate favourable conditions for cricket.

Forecasters predict sunny and clear skies with no significant probability of precipitation during the match hours. Temperatures are expected to reach 34°C during the day, dropping to a comfortable 25-26°C by match time. The toss is scheduled for 6:30 PM IST, with play commencing at 7:00 pm IST under the Eden Gardens floodlights.

Dew is expected to play a role later in the evening, potentially making it harder for bowlers to grip the ball and encouraging captains to chase after winning the toss . However, with absolutely no chances of rain as per the forecast, the semi-finalist should be determined through on-field competition rather than technical rules.

The upcoming India vs West Indies encounter marks their first T20 World Cup meeting in nearly a decade, with the Caribbean side having won their previous tournament encounter. West Indies will be looking to win the T20 World Cup for the first time since their 2016 triumph.

For India, the equation is brutal but clear: win and advance to the semifinals, or face elimination on home soil. With clear skies predicted, the defending champions have every opportunity to control their own destiny.

Also READ: Yuvraj Singh pens heartfelt praises for Abhishek Sharma, Hardik Pandya after India beat Zimbabwe in T20 World Cup 2026

Could the cricket world be set for another blockbuster India vs Pakistan showdown at the T20 World Cup 2026? The possibility is still alive — but several pieces must fall into place.So far, South Africa national cricket team and England cricket team have confirmed their semi-final berths. That leaves two spots up for grabs, with India national cricket team, West Indies cricket team, Pakistan national cricket team and New Zealand national cricket team still in contention.

England booked their place in the last four after a tense four-wicket win over New Zealand at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, completing the Super Eights stage unbeaten with three wins from three matches to top Group 2.New Zealand sit second with three points. Pakistan, meanwhile, remain mathematically alive — but only just.For Pakistan to qualify, they must beat Sri Lanka in their final Super Eight fixture — and by a massive margin. Their Net Run Rate of -0.461 pales in comparison to New Zealand’s +1.390. That gulf means Pakistan not only need a thumping win but must also hope New Zealand suffer a heavy defeat in their last game. A loss would immediately end Pakistan’s campaign.

India’s T20 World Cup semifinal qualification scenario

India, the defending champions, responded in style with a dominant 72-run victory over Zimbabwe at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.After West Indies’ heavy defeat to South Africa, the equation is simple for the Suryakumar Yadav-led side: defeat West Indies in their final Super Eight clash at Eden Gardens on March 1 and they are through to the semi-finals — irrespective of the margin.However, if rain forces a washout, West Indies would move to three points and seal qualification instead.

Can India and Pakistan meet again in T20 World Cup?

An India-Pakistan clash is possible — but only if both teams make the knockouts.If Pakistan somehow finish in the top two of Group 2 and India qualify from their group, the two sides could face off in:The semi-final — depending on final group positions.The final — if both teams win their respective semi-finals.At present, India’s route appears clear-cut. Pakistan, on the other hand, require a dominant display and favourable results elsewhere to keep alive hopes of another high-voltage encounter between cricket’s fiercest rivals.

Artificial intelligence firm Anthropic said on Friday (local time) that it will challenge Pentagon’s decision to classify the company as a supply-chain risk in court, according to a Reuters report. This comes hours after US President Donald Trump directed federal agencies to stop using the firm’s technology. Trump had ordered every federal department to “immediately” cease using Anthropic’s products, while the agencies currently dependent on its tools have been given a six-month window to phase them out. In a sharply critical Truth Social post, Trump described the company’s leadership as “Leftwing nut jobs”, signalling a deepening rift between the White House and key AI suppliers to the Pentagon. “THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL NEVER ALLOW A RADICAL LEFT, WOKE COMPANY TO DICTATE HOW OUR GREAT MILITARY FIGHTS AND WINS WARS!” Trump wrote. He argued that decisions on how the United States conducts military operations “belong to YOUR COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF”, and accused Anthropic of attempting to “STRONG-ARM the Department of War” into adhering to its terms of service “instead of our Constitution”. Trump further alleged that the company’s “selfishness is putting AMERICAN LIVES at risk” and leaving national security “in JEOPARDY”. He instructed “EVERY Federal Agency” to stop using Anthropic technology and warned of “major civil and criminal consequences” if the firm failed to comply. “We don’t need it, we don’t want it, and will not do business with them again!” he wrote. The confrontation comes after days of mounting friction between the administration and Anthropic. The company’s chatbot Claude has been adopted within parts of the US government, including in classified settings. At the heart of the disagreement are safeguards that Anthropic says are essential to ensure that its AI is not used for mass surveillance of Americans or deployed in fully autonomous weapons systems. Chief executive Dario Amodei has maintained that the company “cannot in good conscience accede” to Pentagon demands for expanded usage rightsDefence secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly cautioned that continued refusal could lead to the contract being scrapped and designated the company as a “supply chain risk”. Taking to social media platform X, he said, “effective immediately, no contractor, supplier, or partner that does business with the United States military may conduct any commercial activity with Anthropic.” The standoff has also split opinion across Silicon Valley. Elon Musk has publicly backed the administration’s stance, while Sam Altman voiced support for Anthropic’s safety concerns, saying he largely trusted the company’s intentions.

MUMBAI: Posing as an “ISRO scientist” sometimes and a “senior PWD officer” on other occasions, a 34-year-old man allegedly spun an elaborate web of deception on matrimonial websites and dating apps, targeting educated, financially independent women with the promise of marriage. Using at least 12 fake identities, forged Aadhaar cards and fabricated official ID cards, he gained the trust of his victims, went on to establish intimate relationships and then persuaded them to take loans to “secure their future” through property investments. The money, police said, was siphoned off into bank accounts arranged by him with the help of a cousin, and later squandered on gambling sprees in Goa.For all his tall claims, the accused, Adarsh Mhatre, a resident of Alibaug, is just an SSC pass and a history-sheeter with 10 FIRs registered against him across Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Thane, Raigad and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Police suspect he may have targeted nearly 50 women, though many are unwilling to lodge complaints due to social stigma and their family backgrounds. The amount defrauded is at least Rs 1 crore.Adarsh was arrested on Feb 20 and remanded in police custody until March 4. His cousin, 21-year-old Prem Mhatre from Panvel, was also arrested for allegedly providing his bank account details to facilitate the transfer of the cheated funds, said senior inspector Sunil Shinde of the Navi Mumbai crime branch. DCP (crime) Sachin Gunjal said Adarsh deliberately targeted professionals such as engineers, doctors, bankers and govt officers, as well as widows and spinsters who were financially sound. “He would carefully cultivate relationships, project a successful and respectable image and then exploit their trust,” he said.With the arrest of the duo, police have so far detected two cases registered at Rabale and Panvel City police stations in October last year and January this year.In one case, Adarsh allegedly introduced himself as “Swapnil Warule” on a matrimonial platform and befriended an IT engineer from Airoli. The woman later registered an FIR at Rabale police station, alleging that she was defrauded of Rs 20 lakh and sexually assaulted by “Swapnil”, who at the time posed as an “ISRO scientist”. He had convinced her to avail of a pre-approved personal loan of Rs 20 lakh, claiming he needed funds to buy land in Surat as an investment before their marriage. The amount was transferred via RTGS to a bank account provided by him. Police have frozen Rs 14.5 lakh from that account.Police found that four other women had been similarly cheated. They declined to file complaints and have instead been made witnesses in the Rabale FIR.According to DCP Gunjal, the accused splurged a large portion of the defrauded money at high-end five-star hotels and casinos in Goa. The total amount cheated from the Airoli complainant and the four witnesses stands at Rs 97 lakh. Police have recovered Rs 89.4 lakh the accused spent at a Goa casino.Police have recovered multiple forged identity documents during their investigation, including fake Aadhaar cards and fabricated ID cards. They have urged women using matrimonial websites and dating apps to thoroughly verify the background of individuals before accepting proposals or developing relationships.

Panaji: Dempo SC are keen to return to the top tier of Indian football, a stage they dominated between 2005 and 2012, winning a record five national titles. Whether it was the National Football League (NFL) or later I-League, the Golden Eagles won it all.Now, they’ve set their eyes on the Indian Football League (IFL), the rebranded second tier of Indian football.“Whenever Dempo take part in any competition, we take it seriously,” coach Samir Naik told TOI after a training session at Dempo Football Academy in Ella, recently. “We want to become champions.”The journey, although a delayed one this season, begins on Sunday as Dempo face Real Kashmir FC in their opener at Nehru Stadium, Fatorda.The five-time national champions put up a good display on their return to I-League last season. They were second after five rounds but injuries and movements in the transfer market held them back. Dempo, however, bounced back to finish a respectable sixth.This season has been rather unpredictable with uncertainty surrounding Indian football. The season has been delayed, though there’s no denying that the start of IFL has come as a relief to the 10 participating teams.Dempo kickstarted their pre-season in August and were forced to take a lot of breaks as dates for the start of the country’s second-tier league were not finalised.“As a coach, and as professional player, it is not easy this season because so many adjustments are needed. We need to prepare for games and adjust the load. The fitness will also be in focus since some players are fit, while others who arrive late will need time,” said Samir.Dempo took part in the Super Cup and made heads turn by holding Kolkata giants East Bengal (2-2) and Mohun Bagan goalless in the group stages. Their performance with an all-Indian squad in the tournament has boosted their confidence.They will now have foreign ammunition to help the team fire in the IFL. Trinidad and Tobago striker Marcus Joseph, who scored 10 goals in nine appearances last season, returns to the club, while Aubin Kouakou, who played an instrumental role for Churchill Brothers FC last season, will strengthen the defence.Dempo have made two more signings from Churchill Bros, roping in Colombian midfielder Sebastian Gutierrez and centre-back Jose Moreno.Argentinian Damian Perez has not yet arrived in India due to visa issues, while Ghanian striker Richmond Owusu, who showed promise in Kolkata, completes the foreign lineup.“We finished sixth last season, and the first target now is to finish in the top five so that we have a chance to fight for promotion,” said Samir.“This season is challenging for coaches, but it’s not just me. There are others too with similar problems. We have to face it. We are ready,” the Dempo stalwart added.In the IFL, all teams will compete in a single-leg round-robin league stage and the top five in the standings will advance to the championship round, while the rest will compete in a centralised relegation round. The points accumulated during the league stage will be carried forward into the second phase of the competition.The IFL winners will win promotion to next season’s Indian Super League.

The ministry of statistics and programme implementation released a new series of national accounts with 2022–23 as the base year, replacing the 2011–12 series. The revision incorporates fresh data sources such as GST, PFMS and e-Vahan, introduces double deflation in key sectors, and relies on annual surveys for improved household estimates.■ What is a base year? Why does it need to be revised periodically?A base year serves as a fixed point in time against which changes in prices, quantities or other economic indicators are measured. It allows analysts to adjust nominal values to real values, removing the effect of inflation and enables comparison of growth over the years. It is revised periodically to ensure it accurately reflects the current structure of the economy and accounts for changes in the relative prices and output composition, as the parameters that constitute the calculation of these indicators become obsolete with time, rendering the interyear comparisons pointless.

■ Which macro-economic indicators are getting a new base year?The statistics ministry has already updated the base year for consumer price index (CPI), which is used to derive retail inflation, to 2024 from 2012. The gross domestic product (GDP), which is a measure of a country’s broad economic size, is seeing its base year revised to FY2022-23 from FY2011-12. The index of industrial production (IIP), which measures industrial activity in the country, will see its base year revised to FY2022-23 on May 28.

■ What are some key changes in the new GDP series?There is a shift from ‘proxybased’ estimation to ‘directdata’ integration, with the use of numerous alternative data sources. The previous series calculated Private Final Consumption Expenditure (PFCE), which is a measure of demand in the economy, as a ratio of how much of a product went to households versus businesses. The new series will compute demand directly using the consumption expenditure survey. To track the vast informal sector, the old series used the labour input method. The new series will use data from the Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises (ASUSE) and Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) to gauge their output and productivity.Recognising structural shifts in the economy, the new series will better capture sectors, such as digital economy (e-commerce, fintech, gig work) and renewable energy, which were negligible in the old series.■ What are some new and alternate data sources being used in the new GDP series?High frequency administrative data like: ä GSTN data is used for state-level GVA allocation, cross-verifying corporate activity, and as a high-frequency indicator for trade, services. ➤ MCA-21 (Version 3), which is the most advanced version for all corporate and Limited Liability Partnership filings will be used to measure the private corporate sector. ➤ e-Vahan data used for real-time vehicle registration to estimate road transport services and consumption. FASTag Data used as a proxy for commercial road traffic and logistics activity. ➤ Public Financial Management System for direct tracking of govt expenditure at central and state levels. ➤ ESIC/EPFO payroll data to track formal employment and wages. Data from household & enterprise surveys: ä Household Consumption Expenditure Survey 20222023. ➤ All-India Debt and Investment Survey 2019 for calculating interest rates and capital formation for the unincorporated sector. ➤ Periodic Labour Force Survey for annual, quarterly labour market data to refine income-approach estimates. ➤ Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises to directly measure the Gross Value Added (GVA) of small businesses and MSMEs. ■ What is a deflator and how has it changed?Unlike CPI, which only tracks the price of goods and services households consume, the GDP deflator tracks the price of everything made in the country such as machines, construction and govt services. It is used to shrink the nominal GDP to find the real GDP. The new series will use a double deflator. So, the output and input values will be separately adjusted to calculate real value-added, helping prevent distortions caused by volatile raw material prices, such as oil or metals. The GDP deflator basket will now have 600 items, up from 180 in the old series.

Trump Media & Technology Group is looking to reorganise its business, with plans to spin off its social media platform Truth Social into a separate publicly traded company. The company, founded by US President Donald Trump, on Friday, confirmed that it is in discussions with TAE Technologies and Texas Ventures Acquisition III about the proposed deal. The move would split TMTG’s social and digital media business from its recently announced fusion energy venture, creating two publicly traded companies with different strategies. Under the plan, as shared by Reuters, shares of the new company would be given to eligible TMTG shareholders, after which the entity would merge with a special purpose acquisition company. The parent of Truth Social reported that its net loss widened to $712.3 million in 2025, compared with $400.9 million a year earlier. The company said the increase mainly reflected unrealised losses from its purchase of bitcoin and Cronos.TMTG finished 2025 with about $2.5 billion in financial assets, more than triple the $776.8 million it held a year earlier. Net sales rose slightly to $3.68 million from $3.62 million in 2024, Reuters reported.Founded by Trump and known for its Truth Social platform aimed at conservative audiences, TMTG has faced challenges in expanding its media business due to competition from larger social networks and uneven user growth. The company is now trying to move beyond its core platform and attract investor interest in emerging energy technologies.TMTG said no definitive agreement has been reached on the spin-off and that talks are still ongoing.In December, the company agreed to merge with TAE in an all-stock deal valued at more than $6 billion, marking a shift toward fusion energy and the creation of a publicly traded company focused on developing utility-scale power plants to help meet rising electricity demand, including from AI data centres.TAE Technologies is a California-based private company developing advanced nuclear fusion technology and has raised more than $1 billion from investors, including Alphabet’s Google and Chevron.