The Los Angeles Rams received a major boost ahead of their NFC Divisional Round clash after head coach Sean McVay shared a reassuring update on quarterback Matthew Stafford.Stafford, who picked up a sprained index finger on his throwing hand during the Rams’ wild-card win over the Carolina Panthers, is expected to play without restrictions this weekend. McVay made it clear that the veteran quarterback’s injury will not keep him off the field.

How Matthew Stafford suffered the injury

The injury occurred late in the first half of the Rams’ dramatic 34-31 win over the Panthers. Stafford’s throwing hand struck the helmet of a defender during his follow-through on a pass, causing his index finger to bend awkwardly. Despite the discomfort, Stafford stayed in the game and finished strong.X-rays taken after the game were negative, ruling out any fracture. The diagnosis confirmed a sprain, which initially raised some concern given the importance of grip and control for a quarterback, especially in playoff conditions.

Matthew Stafford injury update

Speaking to reporters, McVay downplayed any long-term worry. “He’s as tough as it gets and will be good to go,” the Rams coach said, adding that Stafford has already shown he can push through pain when it matters most.McVay also noted that Stafford’s ability to finish the wild-card game and lead a late game-winning drive showed everything the team needed to see. The quarterback threw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns, including the decisive score in the final minute.Stafford himself has sounded unconcerned about the injury. He admitted the finger felt stiff during the game but said adrenaline helped him push through. With treatment during the week, he expects the finger to feel even better by kickoff.The Rams now head to Chicago to face the Chicago Bears, where cold and windy conditions are expected at Soldier Field. Temperatures could dip into the teens, adding another layer of difficulty for passing offenses.However, Stafford is no stranger to harsh weather. After spending 12 seasons with the Detroit Lions, he has plenty of experience playing in cold NFC North conditions and has insisted the weather will not be an excuse.Stafford’s availability is huge for Los Angeles. The 36-year-old is in the middle of one of the best seasons of his career and is a key reason the Rams are still alive in the playoffs. With McVay confirming there will be no limitations, the Rams can stick to their full offensive game plan.As the Rams chase a spot in the NFC Championship game, all eyes will now be on Stafford’s performance. If his wild-card showing is any indication, the injury is unlikely to slow him down when it matters most.Also Read: What comes next for Mike Tomlin following Steelers’ latest postseason disappointment

For decades, Stanford University has occupied a near-mythical place in the technology economy. From LinkedIn’s Reid Hoffman and Google’s Sergey Brin, its alumni list helped reinforce a simple idea: elite education functioned as a reliable gateway to elite opportunity. A four-year degree, particularly from institutions embedded in Silicon Valley’s orbit, was treated as both signal and filter.That assumption is now being tested. As AI changes entry-level work and companies rethink how they identify talent, the degree is slowly losing its role as a default gatekeeper. The shift is not being driven by universities, but by employers who no longer see formal credentials as the most efficient proxy for skill.

Brin on education choices in an AI age

Speaking to Stanford engineering students last month, Brin reflected on his own academic choices without dismissing them. He said he studied computer science because of interest rather than strategy. “I chose computer science because I had a passion for it,” Brin said, Fortune reports. “It was kind of a no-brainer for me. I guess you could say I was also lucky because I was also in such a transformative field.”At the same time, Brin cautioned students against making educational decisions based purely on fears about automation. AI he suggested, does not neatly spare some disciplines while dismantling others. “I wouldn’t go off and switch to comparative literature because you think AI is good at coding,” he said. “AI is probably even better at comparative literature, just to be perfectly honest anyway,” he added, Fortune reports.

How Google’s hiring practices have shifted

Where Brin’s words become more significant is in how Google now hires. The company, once known for privileging academic pedigree, has steadily reduced its reliance on college degrees as a requirement for many roles.“In as much as we’ve hired a lot of academic stars, we’ve hired tons of people who don’t have bachelor’s degrees,” Brin said, according to Fortune. “They just figure things out on their own in some weird corner.”That observation is backed by hiring data. Data from the Burning Glass Institute shows that between 2017 and 2022, the share of Google job postings requiring a college degree fell from 93% to 77%. Companies such as Microsoft, Apple and Cisco have also reduced degree requirements, signalling a move towards skills-based hiring rather than credential-based screening.This recalibration is forcing a larger question into view. If degrees no longer function as reliable signals of ability, what exactly are they meant to represent in the labour market.

Business leaders question the value of elite credentials

Leaders outside the tech sector have voiced similar doubts. JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon said in 2024 that elite education does not necessarily translate into workplace effectiveness. “I don’t think necessarily because you go to an Ivy League school or have great grades it means you’re going to be a great worker or great person,” Dimon said, according to Fortune. He added that skills often remain invisible on resumes. “If you look at skills of people, it is amazing how skilled people are in something, but it didn’t show up in their resume.”Palantir CEO Alex Karp, despite holding three degrees including a law degree from Stanford, has been even more direct. Speaking during an earnings call last year, Karp dismissed the long-term relevance of educational pedigree once someone enters the workplace. “If you did not go to school, or you went to a school that’s not that great, or you went to Harvard or Princeton or Yale, once you come to Palantir, you’re a Palantirian,” he said, according to Fortune. “No one cares about the other stuff.”According to Great Place to Work CEO Michael Bush, this thinking is spreading beyond a narrow set of firms. “Almost everyone is realizing that they’re missing out on great talent by having a degree requirement,” Bush told Fortune. “That snowball is just growing.”

What this means for universities

For Brin, the implications extend beyond hiring practices. As credentials lose their power as screening tools, universities themselves may need to reassess their role. “I just would rethink what it means to have a university,” he said, according to Fortune.Degree requirements have become optional, alternative hiring routes have expanded, and skills learned outside formal institutions now gain legitimacy. Universities will continue to matter, but maybe less as gatekeepers and more as one pathway among many.Students may not feel the impact immediately. Over time, however, the distance between education as credential and education as capability is likely to widen. And as companies like Google continue to hire beyond the degree, the long-standing contract between universities and the labour market is being rewritten.

Eternal-owned quick commerce platform Blinkit has removed its long-promoted “10-minute delivery” claim from all platforms, amid growing concerns over the safety and welfare of delivery workers.According to news agency PTI, the company has revised its tagline from “10,000+ products delivered in 10 minutes” to “30,000+ products delivered at your doorstep”, signalling a shift away from time-bound delivery branding.The move comes after discussions between quick commerce firms and the Union ministry of labour, which raised concerns about the pressure such tight delivery timelines could place on gig workers.The labour ministry engaged with platforms to push for safer working conditions, better security and improved welfare measures for delivery partners. Aas per PTI, other players such as Swiggy and Zepto may also follow Blinkit’s lead in dropping similar delivery-time commitments.The issue had gained prominence after gig workers staged a nationwide strike on New Year’s Eve in 2025, protesting the 10-minute delivery model. The strike highlighted concerns related to riders’ health, road safety and income, and was backed by worker unions seeking the removal of ultra-fast delivery promises.While Blinkit has removed the claim across its branding, the “10-minute delivery” promise was still visible on app stores for platforms such as Zepto, Instamart and BigBasket.Eternal Group CEO Deepinder Goyal, however, has maintained that the 10-minute promise does not push riders into unsafe behaviour. Earlier, in a post on X, he said delivery partners are not shown customer-facing time commitments on their apps. “There is no ‘10-minute timer’ or countdown in the delivery app,” Goyal said, adding that faster deliveries are achieved mainly because stores are located closer to customers, not because riders are expected to speed.The government intervention followed meetings led by Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya, after which companies agreed to remove delivery-time assurances from advertisements and social media, with the stated aim of improving gig worker safety and working conditions.

Kranti Gaud (Image credit: Instagram)

NEW DELHI: As you enter Ghuwara village in Madhya Pradesh and ask for Kranti Gaud, people will happily point the way, saying, “World Cup jita hai jisne.” They will guide you straight to the doorstep of the all-rounder who has become the pride of the village. Even before the World Cup triumph, Kranti had begun carving a name for herself, but that historic victory transformed her into a household name.Today, her story is spoken of in every corner of Ghuwara.

India’s title-winning victory over South Africa etched Kranti’s name into history, making her a permanent part of the country’s World Cup folklore.The celebrations, however, came with responsibilities. Among the many boxes Kranti hoped to tick after the World Cup, the most personal was helping her father reclaim his lost job. Her father, Munna Singh, a police constable, had been suspended from service years ago due to certain reasons. It took 13 long years for him to regain his honour until Kranti’s success opened a door they had been waiting on.Kranti raised the issue during a felicitation ceremony when she met Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. She requested his intervention, and the Chief Minister assured the World Cup-winning star that her father’s case would be addressed.“The letter is yet to arrive. His job letter will come soon. It may take a little time, but it will come very soon. I am really thankful to God for all this. I’m happy that he will get his police uniform back,” Kranti told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview.“My parents have supported me immensely throughout my cricketing journey. I always played with boys, often older than me, and that’s how I learned the game. People used to question it, but my parents always backed me. I come from a small village, but the support and mindset my parents had were huge for me. Whatever I am today is only because of them,” she said.

“After winning the World Cup, a lot has changed in my life. People who earlier believed that girls cannot do certain things have now started believing that girls can do anything. There is a lot of change happening around,” Kranti added.“I always wanted to be a cricketer. There was a ground in front of my house where boys used to play. Whenever the ball came to our side, I would pick it up and return it, and slowly I started getting interested. I would go and try batting with them, but initially I didn’t know much. So the boys made me do only fielding and didn’t allow me to bat or bowl. Over time, by staying with them and learning, I picked up bowling. I kept watching them and started copying what they did to learn how to bowl,” she said.‘MEETING PANDYA A DREAM’Kranti has long admired India’s all-rounder Hardik Pandya. After the World Cup triumph, one of her photos went viral as she recreated Pandya’s iconic victory pose with the trophy in hand.Now, her dream is to meet Pandya in person.

“Hardik Pandya has always been my favourite. I used to watch his videos and matches. When he commented on my photo, I couldn’t believe it for two hours. I was very happy. I haven’t spoken to him yet or met him, but I really wish to meet him soon,” Kranti said.At the WPL 2026 auction, Kranti was bought by the UP Warriorz. She will play for the franchise for a second consecutive season, having been secured for Rs 50 lakh after the team exercised its Right-to-Match (RTM) card.“I was watching the auction and really wanted to play for UP Warriorz. I hoped the Warriorz would pick me again, and they did. I was very happy. I want to give my best for the team and become part of a title-winning side this time around,” Kranti signed off.

US President Donald Trump’s favorite economic weapon is back on the table, but this time it’s pointed in an unexpected direction: Iran.Tl;DR: Driving the news

The context: Iran is on edgeIran is entering its third week of unrest with the kind of grim arithmetic that changes diplomatic equations: activists say over 600 people have been killed and more than 10,000 detained, while the state has tightened an information blackout that makes verification harder and escalation easier.Now the crisis is spilling outward – into the familiar geometry of US-Iran brinkmanship – with President claiming Tehran is looking for a way out, even as he threatens new punishment and keeps military options on the table.

Trump told reporters his administration is preparing for talks but may not wait: “A meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what is happening before the meeting,” he said on Air Force One.. He also framed Iran’s posture as weakness under pressure: “I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”Iran’s public tone suggests defiance, not retreat. Yet Iranian officials are also carefully signaling that diplomacy is not off the table – so long as it doesn’t look like capitulation.Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said a channel to the US remained open, but talks must be “based on the acceptance of mutual interests and concerns, not a negotiation that is one-sided, unilateral and based on dictation.”Why it matters

Zoom in: China-Iran trade exposureWhile Iran looms large strategically, its economic footprint in China’s overall trade picture is relatively small – but highly concentrated.Reuters data show that China is Iran’s largest trading partner. Iranian exports to China totaled about $22 billion in 2022, with fuels accounting for more than half. Imports from China stood at roughly $15 billion.In 2025, China bought more than 80% of Iran’s shipped oil, according to Kpler data cited by Reuters, reflecting Tehran’s dependence on Beijing as sanctions have narrowed its customer base.For China, that discounted oil is essential. It fuels private refiners that operate on thin margins and supports an economy already grappling with slowing growth, property-sector stress and weak consumer confidence.Beyond oil, China exports machinery, vehicles, electronics, refrigeration equipment and industrial components to Iran. Those sectors could face indirect exposure if US tariffs were applied broadly to countries trading with Tehran.Still, two-way trade with Iran accounts for less than 0.2% of China’s total trade, Bloomberg notes – limiting the macroeconomic hit, but not the strategic implications.Iran tariff threat: What it means for India and othersWhile China sits at the center of the Iran trade nexus, Trump’s 25% tariff threat casts a much wider net- putting pressure on a diverse group of US partners and rivals with very different exposure to Tehran.1. India is among the most sensitive cases. Reuters reports that India’s bilateral trade with Iran totaled about $1.34 billion in the first 10 months of 2025, dominated by Indian exports such as basmati rice, pharmaceuticals, fruits and vegetables. New Delhi sharply reduced Iranian oil imports in recent years due to international sanctions, but it still relies on Iran for regional connectivity projects and limited trade flows. A blanket tariff threat could complicate India’s effort to balance strategic ties with Washington against regional interests in the Middle East.

2. For Japan and South Korea, the risk is less about volume and more about precedent. Both countries maintain only modest trade with Iran- mostly machinery, vehicle parts and small volumes of food products – and both finalized trade arrangements with the US last year. Reuters reports that officials in Tokyo and Seoul said they are closely monitoring the situation, signaling concern that secondary tariffs could undercut hard-won trade stability with Washington.3. Turkey faces a different dilemma. As a major regional trading partner of Iran, Turkey imported and exported billions of dollars’ worth of goods in 2022, according to World Bank data cited by Reuters. Ankara has historically resisted US pressure to fully sever economic ties with Tehran, and Trump’s threat raises the prospect of renewed friction between Nato allies over sanctions enforcement and trade retaliation.4. Beyond those countries, Reuters notes that Iran trades with more than 140 partners globally, including the United Arab Emirates and Iraq. Many of those economies act as transit hubs or intermediaries rather than direct end-users – raising complex questions about how Washington would define “doing business” with Iran, and whether indirect trade could also trigger penalties. Trump’s threat doesn’t just target Iran’s biggest buyers – it tests how far US allies and partners are willing to align with Washington’s Iran strategy when the cost could be tariffs on all their US-bound exports.The US-China trade truce under strainThe October agreement between Trump and Xi was narrowly constructed and always vulnerable to external shocks.It did not resolve deeper disputes over industrial policy, technology transfer or national security. Instead, it focused on freezing tariffs at current levels and restoring access to strategic materials – particularly rare earths, which China dominates globally.During the earlier trade dispute, Beijing imposed export curbs on rare earths, highlighting a choke point Washington is keenly aware of. The truce ensured US companies could again source those minerals, which are vital for everything from smartphones to fighter jets.Bloomberg Economics data underscore how meaningful the détente was: a nearly 10 percentage-point drop in average US tariffs on Chinese imports translated into billions of dollars in avoided costs for US firms.Trump’s Iran tariff threat jeopardizes that stability by introducing uncertainty over whether China could once again become a target – this time indirectly, via its ties to Tehran.What they are saying

Between the linesTrump’s Iran tariff threat highlights a recurring pattern in his trade and foreign policy: maximalist rhetoric paired with ambiguous follow-through.Bloomberg points out that just months earlier, in June, Trump surprised oil traders and officials within his own administration by signaling that China could continue buying Iranian oil – a move that appeared to undercut Washington’s longstanding Iran policy.That mixed messaging reflects competing priorities. On one hand, Trump wants to squeeze Tehran amid domestic unrest and geopolitical confrontation. On the other, he is wary of actions that could spike oil prices, hurt US consumers, or destabilize relations with Beijing.History offers a clue. In August last year, White House adviser Peter Navarro downplayed the idea of further tariffs on China over its purchases of Russian oil. “We have over 50% tariffs on China,” Navarro said at the time, according to Bloomberg. “We don’t want to get to a point where we hurt ourselves.”The Iran tariff threat revives that same tension – between leverage and self-inflicted damage.What’s next

(With inputs from agencies)

Google recently unveiled Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), a new open standard for agentic commerce that the search giant claims works across the entire shopping journey — from discovery and buying to post-purchase support. UCP establishes a common language for agents and systems to operate together across consumer surfaces, businesses, and payment providers to enable commerce. So instead of requiring unique connections for every individual agent, UCP enables all agents to interact easily. The protocol has backing from some of the biggest American retailers and payment players including Walmart, Target, Shopify and Etsy.Announced at the National Retail Federation conference in New York, Google pitched UCP as a foundation for “agentic commerce,” a fast-emerging concept in which AI agents help shoppers carry out multi-step tasks on their behalf. “AI agents will be a big part of how we shop in the not-so-distant future,” wrote Google CEO Sundar Pichai on X, formerly Twitter.

Amazon vs Perplexity over AI shopping agents

Notably, there was one e-commerce giant not included in Google’s announcement: Amazon. And incidentally, this AI-led shopping is similar to what Amazon last year sent a legal notice to Perplexity over. And the two companies have been fighting over. In November 2025, Amazon sued Perplexity over AI shopping agents.In a lawsuit filed in Northern California, Amazon sued Perplexity to stop its Comet AI agents from accessing Amazon’s e-commerce website in what it alleges to be a covert manner. The lawsuit followed a cease and desist letter in which Amazon alleged Perplexity is “disguising Comet as a Google Chrome browser” and refusing to identify Comet AI agents when operating in the Amazon Store, making purchases on behalf of users without authorization.In a blog post on sending Cease and Desist notice to Perplexity, Amazon wrote, “We think it’s fairly straightforward that third-party applications that offer to make purchases on behalf of customers from other businesses should operate openly and respect service provider decisions whether or not to participate. This helps ensure a positive customer experience and it is how others operate, including food delivery apps and the restaurants they take orders for, delivery service apps and the stores they shop from, and online travel agencies and the airlines they book tickets with for customers. Agentic third-party applications such as Perplexity’s Comet have the same obligations, and we’ve repeatedly requested that Perplexity remove Amazon from the Comet experience, particularly in light of the significantly degraded shopping and customer service experience it provides.”

Amazon sends Cease and Desist letter to PerplexityAI

“As a general matter, Amazon shares the industry’s excitement about AI innovations and sees significant potential for agentic AI to improve customer experiences in a range of areas. But to successfully deliver for customers, AI agents that offer to make purchases on behalf of customers must operate transparently when taking actions purportedly on a customer’s behalf. Such transparency is critical because it protects a service provider’s right to monitor AI agents and restrict conduct that degrades the customer shopping experience, erodes customer trust, and creates security risks for our customers’ private data. It also facilitates dialogue between service providers and AI agent providers, who should share a common interest in improving customer shopping experience. Without transparency, no such dialogue is possible, which is why Amazon invites discussions with AI providers about how they can improve the experiences of Amazon customers. Yet, Perplexity has refused to operate transparently and has instead taken affirmative steps to conceal its agentic activities in the Amazon Store. This refusal is particularly troubling given that Amazon has, on multiple occasions, asked Perplexity to stop undisclosed agentic activities, which are not authorized by Amazon and violate Amazon’s Conditions of Use,” said Amazon in its Cease and Desist letter.

Amazon on third-party AI shopping agents

Also what needs to be noted here is that Amazon’s legal notice to Perplexity is not being seen as a full indictment against third-party agentic commerce, but moreso an example of how Amazon wants to work with external agents on its own terms. Amazon has been experimenting with its own AI-powered shopping features, including its Rufus assistant and the “Buy for Me” initiative since sometime now. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy acknowledged on during the last earnings call that agentic commerce “has a chance to be really good for e-commerce” and said that he expects the company to partner with third-party agents over time. At the same time, Jessy said that agents “aren’t very good” at personalization and often display incorrect pricing and delivery estimates. Jassy also said that the company is not against external partnerships for Agentic Commerce. During the call, Jassy said, “We’re also having conversations with and expect over time to partner with third-party agents.” “And today, search engines are a very small part of our referral traffic, and third-party agents are a very small subset of that. But I do think that we will find ways to partner. We have to find a way, though, that makes the customer exp

NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday formally launched the logo and official website for its Brics Presidency 2026, setting the tone for its upcoming chairmanship of the multilateral grouping. The launch took place in New Delhi, where external affairs minister S Jaishankar attended the event and outlined India’s priorities for the year ahead.The logo reflects Indian identity and the collective nature of BRICS. Its overall shape is inspired by the lotus, India’s national flower. At the centre of the design, the inner petals form two hands joined in a Namaste, a gesture commonly associated with greeting and respect. The five petals are coloured to represent the founding BRICS members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, highlighting unity among diverse nations.

Referring to the logo and the website, external affairs minister S Jaishankar said at the event that the theme underscored the need to strengthen capacities, promote innovation and ensure sustainable development for the benefit of all. He said the logo reflects unity and diversity among Brics members, while the Brics India website would serve as a common platform during India’s chairship, providing information on meetings, initiatives and outcomes, and enabling timely dissemination of information and greater engagement.The external affairs misniter said India’s Brics chairship would seek to “bring together the potential of Brics countries for greater global welfare”. He said India would assume the chair in 2026 at “an important moment in the grouping’s journey”, as Brics completes 20 years since its inception. Over the years, he said, Brics has “steadily evolved into a significant platform for cooperation among emerging markets and developing economies”, expanding its agenda and membership while remaining focused on people-centric development, dialogue and practical cooperation.Outlining the roadmap for India’s chairship, Jaishankar said the four broad priorities would be “resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability”. He said these priorities would “provide a coherent and balanced framework across the three foundational pillars of Brics, political and security, economic and financial, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges”.