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Days ahead of elections, another Hindu man is killed in Bangladesh

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Days ahead of elections, another Hindu man is killed in Bangladesh

DHAKA: Amid growing fear among minority communities ahead of the Feb-12 twin elections, a 62-year-old rice trader, Susen Chandra Sarkar, was brutally hacked to death inside his shop in Trishal upazila of Mymensingh.Police said unidentified assailants attacked Sarkar with a sharp weapon, killing him before locking the shop from outside and fleeing the scene. Family members later found him lying in a pool of blood.“After brutally killing my father, the miscreants looted several lakhs of taka from the shop,” Sarkar’s son, Sujan Sarkar, told the reporters. He also said their family had been running the rice business for many years and had no known disputes or enmity with anyone.According to Trishal police station officer-in-charge Muhammad Firoz Hossain, the murder occurred around 11pm on Monday at the Bogar Bazar intersection. Sarkar was rushed to Mymensingh Medical College Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.The International Crisis Group sees a “real danger” of further attacks on candidates, as well as reprisals against Awami League supporters or Bangladesh’s Hindu minority.Meanwhile, the interim govt is providing financial and housing assistance to the family of Dipu Chandra Das (Dipu Das), who was beaten and burnt to death in Square Masterbari area of Bhaluka Upazila in Mymensingh district on Dec 18, 2025. As Dipu Das was the sole breadwinner, the govt has assured comprehensive financial assistance for the family, including the construction of a permanent home.

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Who is Tiffany Stratton’s new boyfriend after breakup with Ludwig Kaiser? Meet the WWE NXT star who tattooed her eye on his forearm | WWE News

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Who is Tiffany Stratton’s new boyfriend after breakup with Ludwig Kaiser? Meet the WWE NXT star who tattooed her eye on his forearm
Who is Tiffany Stratton’s new boyfriend after breakup with Ludwig Kaiser? Meet the WWE NXT star who tattooed her eye on his forearm (Image Source: X)

WWE Superstar Tiffany Stratton has always made headlines when it comes to in-ring action, but her personal life has also been making headlines in the recent past as well. The former NXT Women’s title holder, known to fans as the Buff Barbie, has moved on from her relationship with WWE star Ludwig Kaiser. Pregnant speculation over their demise had been reaching for months, since the pair stopped publicly appearing together.Stratton’s now seemingly moved on with a brand-new partner, and social media is already in a frenzy. This week, her rumored boyfriend made his homage to the WWE star more dramatic and arguably permanent, with a tattoo of Stratton’s eye on his forearm. Needless to say, the bold move quickly went viral and proved to a lot of fans that this new romance is more than just a love affair.

Who is Tiffany Stratton’s new boyfriend?

The man behind Stratton’s new romance is Shady Elnahas, an up-and-coming star currently signed to WWE. Elnahas was a national-level judoka before transitioning into professional wrestling, and represented Canada on the international stage as well. That background as an athlete eventually led him to WWE, where he has spent the past several years in the NXT system, honing his craft.For months, Elnahas and Stratton had been seen appearing together at WWE events and in personal posts on social media. They never put a label on their relationship to the public, but their interactions said it all. The most conspicuous verification arrived when Elnahas displayed the huge tattoo of a definite picture of Stratton’s eye on him, instantly catching the attention of wrestling fanatics around the world.Stratton casually showed off the tattoo in a short video he posted online, where he got it inked on his arm. Fans wasted little time commenting that the seriousness of the relationship must be great for this person to make such a permanent statement. The two have since continued making appearances together and further exciting fans in doing so.

What happened between Tiffany Stratton and Ludwig Kaiser?

Stratton was previously in a long-term relationship with WWE star Ludwig Kaiser before she began dating Shady Elnahas. With both of them really rising up the WWE power ladder at the same time, the couple was one of the most buzzed-about couples in the company. They used to make many social media and public appearances together for some time.Fans started speculating about trouble when they realized the duo had stopped posting about each other. Afterward, Kaiser was spotted with another woman, and a presumed split appeared to be in order. Kaiser and Stratton never directly commented on the breakup, but their radio silence said more than enough.

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T20 World Cup: No Abhishek Sharma in India’s first training session in New Delhi – here’s why | Cricket News

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T20 World Cup: No Abhishek Sharma in India's first training session in New Delhi - here's why
Abhishek Sharma misses Team India’s Delhi training session (Photo by PTI and TimesofIndia.com)

NEW DELHI: Team India opener Abhishek Sharma missed the team’s first training session in New Delhi due to illness on Tuesday. According to a report from Cricbuzz, he is also suffering from stomach problems, and his availability for the next match against Namibia remains uncertain.Abhishek had a tough start to the tournament, getting out for a golden duck against the USA.

Why is Ahmedabad likely to be the sporting capital of India? | Bombay Sport Exchange

He also did not take the field while the USA were batting, with Sanju Samson replacing him, which raised questions about his fitness. Ahead of the Namibia match, India coach Gautam Gambhir hosted a team dinner, but Abhishek was seen leaving early, adding to concerns over his health.After the USA match, Mohammed Siraj confirmed Abhishek’s condition, saying, “Abhishek Sharma has an upset tummy, that’s why he didn’t field. He will be back fine.” Jasprit Bumrah also missed the USA game due to illness.India might choose to rest Abhishek to ensure he is fully fit for the high-profile clash against Pakistan on February 15. If that happens, Sanju Samson could be recalled to open the batting and get some match practice.Abhishek is considered a key player for India. The 25-year-old has been in explosive form in T20Is, with a strike rate close to 200, and is known for giving India fast starts at the top of the order. Despite his failure against the USA, the team management values his impact and hopes he returns soon.India still won their opening match against the USA by 29 runs after recovering from a batting collapse. Captain Suryakumar Yadav played a brilliant unbeaten 84, while Mohammed Siraj and Arshdeep Singh led the bowling effort to secure the win.

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Reducing China dependence: India eyes critical minerals deals with France, Brazil, Canada, says report

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Reducing China dependence: India eyes critical minerals deals with France, Brazil, Canada, says report

India is in discussions with Brazil, Canada, France and the Netherlands to strike agreements for jointly exploring, extracting, processing and recycling critical minerals, as the country steps up efforts to secure key raw materials for its energy transition.The talks are focused mainly on lithium and rare earth elements, with India also seeking access to advanced mineral-processing technologies, sources quoted by news agency Reuters said, adding that the discussions are confidential. The move reflects New Delhi’s push to diversify supply chains amid heavy global dependence on China, which dominates the mining and processing of several critical minerals.

Reducing reliance on China, boosting energy transition

India’s outreach comes as it accelerates plans to cut emissions and meet rising demand from industry and infrastructure. Mining experts cited by Reuters said India’s reliance on China for many critical minerals underlines the need to partner with a wider group of countries. However, they cautioned that mining projects take time to mature, with exploration alone typically lasting five to seven years and often not leading to commercial production.According to sources, India is looking to replicate elements of a critical minerals agreement it signed with Germany in January. That pact covers exploration, processing and recycling, as well as the acquisition and development of mineral assets in both countries and in third nations.

Ministry of mines leads outreach, Canada deal under review

“There are requests and we are talking to France, Netherlands and Brazil while the agreement with Canada is under active consideration,” one source said, as per Reuters. The ministry of mines is leading the effort.Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to visit India in early March, during which deals related to uranium, energy, minerals and artificial intelligence may be signed. When contacted, Canada’s natural resources department referred to a January statement saying both countries had agreed to formalise cooperation on critical minerals in the coming weeks.

Wider global push for critical minerals

India has already signed critical minerals agreements with Argentina, Australia and Japan, and is in talks with Peru and Chile on broader bilateral pacts that also cover such resources, according to Reuters.The expanded engagement comes amid efforts by major economies to reduce dependence on China for rare earths. Finance ministers from the G7 and other countries met in Washington last month to discuss supply diversification. In 2023, India identified more than 20 minerals, including lithium, as “critical” for its energy transition and long-term economic needs.

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Is India less alarmed by Donald Trump than the West? Here’s what survey says | India News

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Is India less alarmed by Donald Trump than the West? Here's what survey says

As much of the Western world recoils from Donald Trump’s return to the White House, India’s reaction looks strikingly different. The Munich Security Report 2026 presents Indian public opinion on US President Donald Trump as distinct from that of most Western democracies, marked by relatively higher approval of his policies, rising concern about US economic coercion, and declining belief in the necessity of US global leadership.Around 38% of Indian respondents agreed that Trump’s policies were good for India, and approximately 36% agreed they were good for the world. These levels of agreement are significantly higher than in Canada, France, Germany, and Japan, where agreement typically remains in the low teens

What the report says

According to the MSI, India ranks among the more favorable countries when respondents were asked whether “Donald Trump’s policies are good for my country” and “good for the world.”The report noted that Indian respondents were less critical of Trump than Western public and more likely to express conditional or partial approval of his approach, even when uncertainty remains about its global impact.While Indian views of Trump’s geopolitical impact were comparatively less negative, the report recorded greater concern regarding his economic policies. Trump administration imposed 50% tariffs on India. With the recent India-US trade deal, the additional 25% tariffs was brought down to 18%.The report stated that the US risk score for India increased by 18 points between 2024 and 2025, the largest increase recorded among all risks in the Indian profile. Despite this rise, the US did not rank among India’s top perceived threats; China remained a higher concern, while Russia was viewed as comparatively low risk.The findings are based on the Munich Security Index (MSI), which surveys public attitudes across G7 and major Global South countries.

Era of ‘wrecking-ball politics’

The report framed Trump as a central figure in what it called an era of “wrecking-ball politics,” characterized by challenges to multilateral institutions and the post-1945 liberal order. In the Indian case, the report highlighted long-standing skepticism toward the Western “rules-based order,” which policymakers have criticized for selective application and double standards.The report cited external affairs minister S Jaishankar’s assessment that the existing order has often appeared “anarchic and permeated by double standards” from a Global South perspective. Within this context, the report suggested that Trump’s challenge to established institutions was not uniformly perceived as negative in India.

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Gold price today: How much 18K, 22K and 24K gold costs in Delhi, Mumbai & more – Check rates for your city

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Gold price today: How much 18K, 22K and 24K gold costs in Delhi, Mumbai & more - Check rates for your city

Gold continued to fall on Tuesday, reaching Rs 1.57 lakh per 10 grams in futures trade, as investors booked profits amid muted global gains. On the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX), gold for April delivery eased, falling Rs 677, or 0.43%, to Rs 1,57,389 per 10 grams after gaining 1.7% the day before. Market analysts said a stronger US dollar weighed on sentiment, limiting upside in domestic bullion prices. The dollar index rose 0.09 per cent to 96.90, pressuring global markets. Here’s how much gold costs in your city today:

Gold price in Ahmedabad today

The price of 24K gold in Ahmedabad is Rs 15,796 per gram. 22K gold costs Rs 14,480 per gram, while 18K gold is priced at Rs 11,849 per gram.

Gold price in Bangalore today

The price of 24K gold in Bangalore is Rs 15,791 per gram. 22K gold costs Rs 14,475 per gram, and 18K gold is Rs 11,844 per gram.

Gold price in Bhubaneswar today

The price of 24K gold in Bhubaneswar is Rs 15,791 per gram. 22K gold is Rs 14,475 per gram, and 18K gold is Rs 11,844 per gram.

Gold price in Chennai today

The price of 24K gold in Chennai is Rs 15,906 per gram. 22K gold costs Rs 14,580 per gram, and 18K gold is Rs 12,530 per gram.

Gold price in Delhi today

The price of 24K gold in Delhi is Rs 15,806 per gram. 22K gold costs Rs 14,490 per gram, and 18K gold is Rs 11,859 per gram.

Gold price in Hyderabad today

The price of 24K gold in Hyderabad is Rs 15,791 per gram. 22K gold is Rs 14,475 per gram, and 18K gold costs Rs 11,844 per gram.

Gold price in Jaipur today

The price of 24K gold in Jaipur is Rs 15,806 per gram. 22K gold costs Rs 14,490 per gram, and 18K gold is Rs 11,859 per gram.

Gold price in Kanpur today

The price of 24K gold in Kanpur is Rs 15,806 per gram. 22K gold is Rs 14,490 per gram, and 18K gold costs Rs 11,859 per gram.

Gold price in Kolkata today

The price of 24K gold in Kolkata is Rs 15,791 per gram. 22K gold costs Rs 14,475 per gram, and 18K gold is Rs 11,844 per gram.

Gold price in Mumbai today

The price of 24K gold in Mumbai is Rs 15,791 per gram. 22K gold is Rs 14,475 per gram, and 18K gold costs Rs 11,844 per gram.

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Say hello to rail passes: Why Indians are swaping flights for train trips in Europe?

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Say hello to rail passes: Why Indians are swaping flights for train trips in Europe?

Looking to explore abroad without breaking the bank? Rail passes could be your most pocket-friendly ticket!More and more Indian travellers are swaping their flight tickets for rail passes, as they move to explore Europe and East Asia. A recent 2025 data reviewed by ET shows a clear shift in how Indians are moving abroad, with train travel emerging as a key part of their itineraries. India now ranks as the second-largest market for the Swiss Travel Pass and fourth for Eurail tickets by share. About half of Rail Europe’s Indian demand comes from Eurail passes, while the remainder is for point-to-point travel. A spokesperson cited by the financial daily said that India has been among the top long-haul and strategic source markets for rail passes, alongside other countries such as US and Australia. Rising travel costs have accelerated this trend. With the euro surpassing Rs 100 and the Swiss franc crossing Rs 110, Indian travellers are seeking options that offer financial predictability. “The Indian market is demonstrating a clear preference for products that offer predictable costs and the freedom to adapt plans mid-journey,” an Eurail spokesperson told ET. Eurail passes cover more than 30 European countries. Families are increasingly jumping on the trend. Eurail reported an 8% year-on-year rise in child pass sales from 2023 to 2025. “This may be indicative of more families with young children considering travelling by train within Europe,” the company said. Switzerland remains a standout destination. The Swiss Travel Pass served over half a million passengers globally in 2025, with Indian travellers second only to those from the US. The Switzerland Travel System reported “double-digit growth” from India over the past three years and expects the trend to continue. The pass offers bundled mobility, combining rail travel with free or discounted access to hundreds of museums, cable cars, mountain railways, and tourist sites, including Glacier 3000 and St Moritz. Travel patterns are also changing. Traditionally, Indian tourists preferred summer holidays, but the Switzerland Travel System has noticed “significant demand” in the autumn-winter months. Multi-country trips combining Switzerland with France and Italy are on the rise. India’s outbound travel continues to grow, with 8.39 million Indians travelling abroad in July–September 2025, up 6.9% from the previous year. Europe and the US remain popular, while better air connectivity is also boosting travel to Asia-Pacific destinations. Japan exemplifies this rail-driven travel expansion. Indian arrivals hit 315,100 in 2025, up 35.2% year-on-year and nearly 80% higher than in 2019. Although Tokyo remained the most visited city, interest in regional destinations is also growing. Usage of the Kyushu Rail Pass has nearly tripled since 2018. “Although Tokyo and Osaka remain the most popular destinations, the number of Indian travellers visiting regional areas such as Kyushu is gradually increasing,” a spokesperson at Japan Railways Company said. “As the number of visits to Japan rises, we expect a greater flow of tourists into regional areas.” However, industry observers have flagged that dietary issues continue to be a challenge in parts of Asia, even as travellers explore beyond traditional routes.

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Alphabet, Google parent, plans rare 100-year bond sale, first by a tech company in three decades: What this ‘Far and Wide’ borrowing means

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Alphabet, Google parent, plans rare 100-year bond sale, first by a tech company in three decades: What this 'Far and Wide' borrowing means

Google parent Alphabet is selling a rare 100-year bond in British pounds as part of a massive multi-currency debt raise, making it the first tech company to attempt a century bond since IBM did it back in 1996.The so-called century bond will be part of Alphabet’s debut sterling issuance, according to the Financial Times. Alongside it, the company is raising $20 billion through a US dollar bond sale—upsized from the originally planned $15 billion after orders crossed $100 billion, Bloomberg reported. A Swiss franc bond sale is also in the works.The dollar portion of the deal spans up to seven tranches. Its longest slice—a 40-year bond maturing in 2066—is expected to price at around 0.95 percentage points above US Treasuries, tighter than the initial talk of 1.2 percentage points. Demand was strongest at the short end, with a three-year tranche pricing at just 0.27 percentage points over Treasuries.

Why Alphabet is borrowing across currencies and continents

A banker close to the deal told FT that issuing across multiple currencies helps Alphabet diversify its investor base, especially as Big Tech’s capital needs keep ballooning. Sticking to dollar markets alone could create a supply-demand imbalance, the banker noted. Sterling markets also offer a lower interest rate compared to dollar bonds, making the century bond more cost-effective.The borrowing spree comes just days after Alphabet said it could spend up to $185 billion on capex this year—roughly double last year’s total—to fuel its AI ambitions around Gemini and cloud infrastructure. The company’s long-term debt has already quadrupled to $46.5 billion in 2025, though it still sits on $126.8 billion in cash.

A record year for Big Tech debt is just getting started

Alphabet isn’t alone. Oracle raised $25 billion from a bond sale last week that pulled in a record $129 billion in orders. Morgan Stanley expects hyperscalers to borrow $400 billion this year, up from $165 billion in 2025, according to Bloomberg—a surge that could push overall high-grade US corporate bond issuance to a record $2.25 trillion.Bank of America, Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan are managing Alphabet’s bond sales across all three currencies.

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‘Trying to ban India, others … ‘: Russia’s Lavrov hits out at US over oil curbs; slams ‘war’ against tankers

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'Trying to ban India, others ... ': Russia’s Lavrov hits out at US over oil curbs; slams 'war' against tankers

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov

Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has accused the United States of trying to prevent India and other countries from buying Russian oil, describing Washington’s policies as coercive and aimed at achieving global economic domination.In an interview with TV BRICS, reported by Sputnik, Lavrov alleged that the US was using sanctions, tariffs and other restrictive measures to pressure nations into abandoning Russian energy resources in favour of more expensive American supplies.“They (US) tell us that the Ukraine problem should be resolved. In Anchorage, we accepted the US Proposal… The US position was important to us. By accepting their proposal, we seem to have completed the task of resolving the Ukrainian issue and moving on to a dull-scale, broad-based and mutually beneficial cooperation. So far, the reality is quite the opposite,” Lavrov said.“New sanctions are imposed, a ‘war’ against tankers in the open sea is being waged in violation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. They are trying to ban India and our other partners from buying cheap, affordable Russian energy resources (Europe has long been banned), and are forcing them to buy US LNG at exorbitant prices,” he said.Lavrov claimed that the United States had set itself the goal of controlling global energy markets and supply routes.He described American measures as “coercive” and incompatible with fair competition, adding that tariffs, sanctions and outright prohibitions were being used as tools to meet these objectives.“We have to take all of this into account while remaining open just like India, China, Indonesia and Brazil to cooperation with all countries, including major powers such as the United States. We are in a situation where the Americans themselves are creating artificial obstacles along the way,” he said.Lavrov’s remarks come amid growing speculation about India’s future oil purchases from Russia following recent developments in US-India trade relations.On Monday, foreign secretary Vikram Misri reiterated that India’s energy policy would continue to be guided by national interest, stressing that the country’s priorities were “adequate availability, fair pricing and reliability of supply.”India has neither confirmed nor denied reports that it plans to reduce or halt imports of Russian crude after the United States rolled back a 25 per cent tariff imposed on Indian goods over New Delhi’s purchases of Russian crude.US President Donald Trump recently signed an executive order removing the additional tariff. The decision followed the announcement of a trade deal between the two countries, under which Washington agreed to reduce tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent.When asked about Trump’s assertion, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal reiterated India’s long-standing position on energy security.“So far as India’s energy sourcing is concerned, the government has stated publicly on several occasions that ensuring the energy security of 1.4 billion Indians is the supreme priority of the government,” Jaiswal had said last week.“Diversifying our energy sourcing in keeping with objective market conditions and evolving international dynamics is at the core of our strategy to ensure this. All of India’s actions are taken and will be taken with this in mind,” he added.India’s continued purchase of discounted Russian crude has been a sensitive issue in its relations with the United States, with several American officials alleging that such imports help finance Moscow’s war effort in Ukraine.

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‘No negotiations, America attacking is the only hope’: Iranian man’s plea to Trump before suicide

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‘No negotiations, America attacking is the only hope’: Iranian man’s plea to Trump before suicide

An Iranian man recorded a final video message in English urging US President Donald Trump to abandon any potential deal with Iran’s leadership before he allegedly died by suicide.The man has been identified as Pouria Hamidi from Bushehr, a port city in southern Iran, news outlet Iran International reported. Hamidi’s video, which runs for around 10 minutes, was described as an attempt to draw global attention to what he called a brutal government crackdown on protesters.“If you’re watching this, then I’m not around anymore,” Hamidi said at the start of the recording.

He claimed he was speaking out on behalf of those killed during recent unrest in Iran and alleged that the scale of violence had been largely ignored by the international community.“More than 40,000 people died, killed, massacred. More than Russia and Ukraine war and more than Israel and Palestine,” he said in the video.Hamidi directly appealed to the US administration, urging Washington to halt any negotiations with Tehran’s ruling establishment.Addressing American leaders, he warned that any diplomatic agreement would “betray all those people who died.”“Trump told us to keep protesting, and we did. We trusted him,” Hamidi said.Hamidi expressed support for exiled opposition figure Prince Reza Pahlavi and argued that Iranians were unable to confront the regime on their own.“America attacking Iran is the only hope we have right now,” he said. “We can’t fight this regime alone. Our people need foreign intervention.”The appeal comes at a time when the United States has been exploring renewed engagement with Tehran. Although Trump had earlier threatened to take action over Iran’s handling of protests, Washington has since shown little indication that human rights concerns will play a major role in any fresh talks.Iranian authorities have provided their own figures on the unrest, acknowledging that 3,117 people were killed. The government has published a list of 2,986 names, claiming most of the dead were security personnel or civilians caught in the violence.The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency says it has verified 6,964 deaths, primarily protesters, and is investigating another 11,730 suspected cases.The organisation has also documented more than 51,000 arrests in connection with the demonstrations.



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