Foreign secy Vikram Misri at the Iranian embassy on Thursday

NEW DELHI: Foreign secretary Vikram Misri signed the book of condolence – on behalf of the Indian government and people – opened at the Iranian embassy on Thursday, following the killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei on Feb 28, amid criticism over India’s silence.External affairs minister S Jaishankar spoke to his counterpart Abbas Araghchi, and posted about the “telecon” on X, without elaborating. Araghchi had said earlier in the day that the Iranian warship destroyed by a US submarine was a guest of the Indian Navy.The two sides may have their first high-level contact since the war began, on Friday, with Tehran seeking a meeting for visiting deputy foreign minister Saeed Khatibzadeh. It is learnt that Misri may meet the minister who is in India for the Raisina Dialogue.After signing the condolence book, Misri meets the Iranian ambassadorTehran had been hoping India would express condolences over the killing of Khamenei, if not condemn the US-Israel attacks on Iran. After signing the book, Misri had a short meeting with Iranian ambassador Mohammad Fathali.Russian ambassador Denis Alipov and Pakistani charge d’affaires Saad Ahmad Warraich were among the first to sign the condolence book when it was opened in the morning. In his message, Misri expressed condolences on behalf of the government and people of India. “We pray for peace for the departed soul,” he said. However, in 2024, after the death of then Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, Jaishankar had himself visited the embassy to sign the condolence book. India had then also declared a day-long national mourning.Misri signed the book on the first day of its opening but the fact that India had not offered its condolences for Khamenei, who was killed on Saturday, had drawn criticism from the opposition. India always had mixed feelings about Khamenei who endorsed efforts to address shared regional interests with the Indian government, most notably for connectivity through the Chabahar port, but also riled India on several occasions with his “misinformed and unacceptable” utterances about J&K and Muslims in India.Khamenei met PM Narendra Modi when the latter travelled to Tehran in 2016 for what was the first bilateral visit by an Indian PM to Iran in 15 years. The Indian foreign ministry had described the meeting then as a rare honour for the PM.Iran also denied that it is indiscriminately attacking the Gulf countries where close to 10 million Indians live. “We told all our neighbours we are attacking US bases from which they target us,” said Iran’s ambassador to India Mohammad Fathali. He also said Iran has good relations with India with a historical background and wants to improve ties further. “But in this case, all governments and all people are being put to the test,” he said.According to Iranian authorities, Tehran has always sought to maintain robust ties with India and does not want the relationship to be affected by any third country. It also maintains that no country should cherry-pick on international law.Iran is also non-committal about safe passage for Indian or other tankers through the Strait of Hormuz as it believes its action will depend on specific conditions. Iran has maintained it communicated to neighbours in an official communication that US bases would be legitimate targets if Iran was attacked by the Trump administration. Tehran’s contention is insurance companies as also others looking to avoid the war are also responsible for the strait’s closure.

The stage is set at the iconic Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai as two cricketing behemoths, India and England, prepare for a high-stakes showdown in the second semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. This clash, scheduled for March 5, carries the weight of history and the hunger of the present, with both teams having tasted glory in past editions. For India, playing on home soil brings both an immense advantage and a crushing level of expectation. After a rollercoaster Super 8 stage that saw them stumble against South Africa but recover with dominant wins over Zimbabwe and the West Indies, the ‘Men in Blue’ are just two steps away from defending their crown.

Ravichandran Ashwin picks India as favourites in the knock out game at Wankhede

Veteran Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, known for his analytical approach to the game, has weighed in on what he believes will be the definitive turning point of the match. Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin moved past the usual talk of opening partnerships and death-over pyrotechnics to highlight a specific middle-overs chess match. He believes that the outcome of the semi-final hinges on a single player battle that pits brute force against master craftsmanship.

Ashwin noted that while India enter as the favorite—especially after chasing down a daunting 195 against the West Indies—they cannot afford complacency.

“Their bowling is nothing special as such, but at the Wankhede, no excuse will work. Your batting, bowling, and fielding have to be on point,” Ashwin remarked. He specifically pointed out that England’s ability to choke the scoring in the middle overs has been their greatest strength, led by a captain in Harry Brook who has injected a new sense of ‘calmness under pressure’ into the squad.

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Ashwin reveals the one player battle that could decide the semi-final clash

The heart of the contest, according to Ashwin, lies in the face-off between India’s captain, Suryakumar Yadav, and England’s premier leg-spinner, Adil Rashid. This is not just a clash of players but a clash of philosophies. Suryakumar, a local hero at the Wankhede, has been the backbone of India’s campaign, amassing 231 runs at a strike rate of 135.88. His ‘360-degree’ style is designed to dismantle bowling plans, yet he faces his greatest test in Rashid.

Rashid has been England’s most consistent weapon, picking up 11 wickets with an economy rate of 7.83. Historically, Rashid has managed to keep Suryakumar in check, having dismissed him twice in T20s while the Indian batter has maintained a high strike rate against him. Ashwin highlighted that India’s top order has occasionally struggled against quality spin in the Powerplay and middle overs.

Suryakumar often relies on his signature sweep and slog-sweep to disrupt a spinner’s length, but Rashid’s ability to vary his pace and use the googly makes him a lethal counter. In a stadium where the boundaries are short and the pitch is a batter’s paradise, one mistake from either could shift the momentum entirely. If Suryakumar conquers Rashid, India could skyrocket to a total beyond England’s reach; if Rashid finds a way through, the Wankhede crowd might witness a silent heartbreak.

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Arjun Tendulkar and Saaniya Chandok (X)

Arjun Tendulkar, the son of legendary India batter Sachin Tendulkar, has officially tied the knot with entrepreneur Saaniya Chandhok. The wedding ceremony took place on Thursday, March 5, bringing an end to a week of celebrations attended by several well known personalities from the cricketing world.The couple had earlier announced their engagement in August 2025 in a private ceremony attended by close family members and friends. Since then, preparations for the wedding had been underway, with celebrations beginning earlier this week in Mumbai.

The festivities included traditional functions such as mehendi and sangeet, where a number of former and current cricketers joined the Tendulkar family for the celebrations. The events created a festive atmosphere as friends and family gathered to mark the special occasion.Arjun’s wife Saaniya comes from a prominent business background. She is the granddaughter of industrialist Ravi Ghai, chairman of the Graviss Group. Based in Mumbai, Saaniya has built her own career in the pet care and animal welfare space. She is known for her work as a veterinary technician and entrepreneur and has been actively involved in initiatives related to animal care.While the wedding celebrations have now concluded, Arjun will soon turn his focus back to cricket. The 26 year old left arm pacer has so far made five appearances in the Indian Premier League for Mumbai Indians. In those matches he picked up three wickets while conceding 114 runs and also scored 13 runs with the bat.At the domestic level, Arjun currently represents the Goa cricket team after making his debut for the Mumbai cricket team in 2021.Ahead of the IPL 2026 mini auction, Arjun was traded from Mumbai Indians to Lucknow Super Giants. He is expected to feature for the franchise in the upcoming season as he continues to build his career in professional cricket.

The US State Department on Thursday announced the closure of the US Embassy in Kuwait following retaliatory Iranian strikes, as the widening conflict in the Middle East began directly affecting Gulf capitals.Iran has fired waves of missiles and drones at the American-allied Gulf country since the start of the war, escalating tensions across the region. Six American soldiers were killed in an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait on Sunday, according to officials.Black smoke was seen rising near the US Embassy in Kuwait City after fresh Iranian attacks swept across the Gulf. Sirens sounded as drones were intercepted at dawn while authorities warned of continuing missile and UAV threats.One person has been killed and dozens injured in Kuwait since the escalation began.Earlier this week, the US embassy compound itself was reportedly hit by drones. Three diplomatic sources told AFP that the mission sustained damage during the attack.One Kuwait-based diplomat and a Western diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the embassy had been damaged by several drones. A second Kuwait-based diplomat said the embassy building had been struck directly.An AFP correspondent also reported seeing smoke rising from the diplomatic mission during Iran’s third day of retaliatory strikes across the Gulf.Following the attack, the US embassy warned the public to stay away from the facility, citing ongoing threats.The embassy said people should not come to the compound due to “a continuing threat of missile and UAV (drone) attacks over Kuwait”.The escalating conflict has also disrupted other Gulf capitals. Explosions were reported in Doha and Bahrain as the regional confrontation intensified. Authorities in several Gulf countries activated air defence systems and closed sections of their airspace.The conflict, triggered by sweeping US and Israeli strikes on Iran earlier this week, has rapidly spread across the region and drawn in multiple countries.Iran has targeted American bases and allies across the Middle East in retaliation for the attacks on its military infrastructure, leadership and nuclear facilities.The war has already affected at least 14 countries across the region and beyond. Iran’s retaliatory strikes have targeted neighbouring states, disrupted oil shipments and severely affected global air travel routes.According to officials, the conflict has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, more than 100 in Lebanon and around a dozen in Israel. Six US troops have also been killed in the fighting.Tensions have also risen along Israel’s northern frontier with Lebanon. The Israeli military issued evacuation warnings for residents of Beirut’s southern suburbs and reported clashes with Hezbollah fighters in southern Lebanon.United Nations peacekeepers said they observed ground combat west of the border village of Kfar Kila, while airstrikes and explosions were reported near the town of Khiyam.Meanwhile, Gulf states have reported missile and drone attacks linked to the escalating conflict.In the United Arab Emirates, a drone was shot down near Al Dhafra Air Base, which hosts US forces, injuring six people with falling debris. Qatar evacuated residents near the US Embassy in Doha as a precaution and later reported a missile strike on the city.Bahrain said an Iranian missile struck a state-run oil refinery, sparking a fire that was later extinguished. Authorities said the facility remained operational and no casualties were reported.The intensifying conflict has also affected global energy markets and shipping routes. Since the war began, attacks on vessels in the Gulf of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz have pushed oil prices higher and disrupted maritime traffic through one of the world’s most critical energy corridors.

JDU workers protest against Nitish Kumar filing his nomination for Rajya Sabha, outside the CM’s residence in Patna on Thursday

NEW DELHI: As the nomination process for Rajya Sabha elections spread across 10 states ended on Thursday, moves for new political alignments, including a rare BJD-Congress tie-up in Odisha and unity of BJP’s rivals in Bihar, are up for a stern test, while developments in Maharashtra signalled that attempts for the merger of the two NCP factions have come to naught.While candidates in most states are set to be elected unopposed, both Bihar and Odisha are headed for a keen battle on March 16.RJD’s decision to renominate its outgoing MP and businessman A D Singh has forced a contest in one of the five seats in Bihar. He can even pull it off if all of BJP’s rivals, including 5 AIMIM MLAs and the lone BSP MLA, join hands with the RJD-Congress-Left combine.Yet, the NDA camp, which will have 38 votes to spare for the fifth seat after allocating the necessary 41 votes each to ensure its win on four seats, is sanguine about its prospects in the belief that a contest will only end up exposing divisions in the opposition’s ranks and even force some defections.Unity among all opposition parties will get Singh 41 votes, but AIMIM, which was snubbed by the RJD-led alliance on its suggestion for a tie-up during last year’s polls, is yet to spell out its stand.The political temperature in Odisha, another state where a contest is on the cards, has gone up a notch after Congress decided to back BJD’s choice of an eminent doctor, Datteswar Hota, and BJP then announced its support for former Union minister Dilip Ray, a well-networked hotelier contesting as an independent candidate.Archrivals for decades, BJP’s swift ascendancy in the state has brought BJD and Congress together; both parties can pull together 32 MLAs to ensure Hota’s win against the requisite backing of 30.However, instances of discontent within the two parties have muddied the waters. BJP has a history of outmanoeuvreing its rivals in closely contested RS seats, and its decision to back Ray is driven by its instinct to play on their internal differences to spring a surprise. With all three MVA parties backing Sharad Pawar’s renomination for the lone seat they could win of the seven on offer, claims of his supporters about an “imminent merger” between the two NCP factions should pause.A senior Sena UBT functionary said they have been told there is little possibility of the two factions coming together, as the group headed by Ajit Pawar’s wife, Sunetra Pawar, never warmed up to Sharad Pawar’s desire – marking a reversal of his public “I have had enough” stance – to do another term in RS .Parth Pawar, the son of Ajit Pawar who is set to be elected unopposed, will be arrayed against his grand uncle as a member of NDA.In the elections to 37 Rajya Sabha seats, the BJP-led NDA has continued with its push to expand its social coalition by reaching out to different sections of society, illustrated by their nominees from Maharashtra. BJP has backed a Dalit in Ramdas Athawale, a tribal woman in Maya Chintaman Inwate, a Maratha in its national general secretary Vinod Tawde and Ramrao Wadkute, and an OBC candidate from Dhangar community. Its ally Shiv Sena, too, has picked a Dalit woman, Jyoti Waghmare.

Mumbai: Residents and environmental groups in Mumbai have planned a peaceful citizen march on Friday evening to raise concerns over the reported impact on nearly 45,000 mangroves due to the proposed northern extension of the Mumbai Coastal Road between Versova and Bhayander.The event, titled ‘March for the Mangroves’, will be held on March 6 at 5 pm at Turzon Point in Sector 8, Charkop, Kandivli. Organisers said the march aims to bring together residents, environmentalists and civic groups to express concern over the potential loss of mangrove cover linked to the project.Participants were urged to attend with friends and family and invite NGOs and environmental groups to join the march.Residents said the march is intended to be a peaceful demonstration in support of protecting Mumbai’s mangroves and green spaces, which play a key role in the city’s coastal ecology and flood protection.While approximately 60,000 mangroves fall in the influence zone of the Mumbai Coastal Road (North) project, around 45,000 are being impacted. Of these, around 9,000 mangroves will be permanently cut. The infrastructure project, estimated to cost the corporation over Rs 20,000 crore, will pass through an alignment area of 103 hectares.Mumbai Coastal Road (North), or the Versova Dahisar Link Road (VDLR), is a 22-kilometre alignment that includes roads on land, elevated sections, roads on stilts, a cable-stayed bridge, and a cut-and-cover tunnel beneath a creek.Compensatory afforestation for all the impacted mangroves will be done on a land parcel in Bhayander, located on the outskirts of Mumbai. Apart from this, a non-forest area in Chandrapur along the Tadoba forest will also be taken up for plantation, which officials said would be in addition to the compensatory plantation being done at Bhayander.

As the cricketing world turns its gaze toward Mumbai, the atmosphere is thick with anticipation for a high-stakes showdown. On Thursday (March 5, 2026), the iconic Wankhede Stadium serves as the battleground for the second semi-final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, featuring a heavy-weight clash between the defending champions, India, and a resurgent England. While the fans are busy analyzing pitch reports and strike rates, India’s premier all-rounder Hardik Pandya chose a more spiritual route to prepare for the storm.

Hardik Pandya prays at Siddhivinayak Temple with girlfriend Mahieka Sharma ahead of India’s semifinal battle

Hours before the toss, Pandya was spotted seeking divine intervention at Mumbai’s famed Siddhivinayak Temple. However, it wasn’t just his presence that sent social media into a frenzy; it was his companion for the visit. Hardik played the doting boyfriend as he stood by the side of his lady love, Mahieka Sharma, to seek blessings for the upcoming battle against Harry Brook’s England.

The couple opted for a traditional look that resonated with the sanctity of the venue. Hardik looked sharp in a classic ethnic kurta, while Mahieka complemented him in an elegant salwar suit. Fans and devotees caught a glimpse of the two offering deep prayers before the idol of Lord Ganesha.

One particular moment from the visit has since gone viral: the couple was seen sharing a single shawl during the rituals. In a sequence that many fans described as ‘pure couple goals,’ Hardik was seen taking off the shawl after the prayers, only for Mahieka to gently drape the cloth back over his shoulders to shield him from the morning chill. Despite the heavy security, Hardik remained approachable, greeting several devotees with warm handshakes and posing for quick photos, proving that even amidst the pressure of a World Cup semi-final, he remains the ‘people’s superstar.’

Here’s the video:

🚨Team India Star allrounder Hardik Pandya with Girlfriend Mahieka Sharma visited before Semifinal vs Eng in Siddhivinayak Temple Mumbai#hardikpandya pic.twitter.com/VE9AKe88hQ

— Cricket Hindustan (@goldensports98) March 5, 2026

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Hardik’s all-round dominance in the T20 World Cup 2026 campaign

While his personal life is making headlines, Hardik’s performance on the field has been the backbone of India’s journey to the final four. In a tournament where several veterans have struggled with consistency, Pandya has evolved into the ultimate clutch player for captain Suryakumar Yadav.

His 2026 World Cup campaign has been defined by balance. Whether it was his explosive cameo against Zimbabwe that helped India post the tournament’s highest total or his crucial wickets during the powerplay against the West Indies, Hardik has been everywhere. Statistically, he has maintained a strike rate hovering near 150 while consistently delivering his full quota of overs with a deceptive bouncer that has troubled the best in the business.

Hardik recently credited Mahieka for his redemption arc, stating in a viral post that she helped him rediscover the cricket geek within. This newfound mental peace seems to have translated into a ruthless form on the pitch. As India face an England side that has gone unbeaten in the Super 8s, the Men in Blue will lean heavily on Pandya’s ability to finish games with the bat and break partnerships with the ball. For Hardik, the visit to Bappa wasn’t just about tradition, it was about finding the calm before the Wankhede roar.

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