Craving that solitaire ring? Now might be the perfect time. A steep drop in diamond prices is reshaping jewellery buying trends in the country, with solitaires seeing heightened demand among consumers aged 28–40, according to industry executives. Sales in this segment have surged nearly 25% year-on-year as improved affordability drives more buyers to the market.Neil Sonawala, managing director of Zen Diamond India, told ET that the price shift has significantly reduced the cost of popular pieces. A 1-carat engagement ring that was priced at Rs 7–8 lakh in the previous financial year is now available at around Rs 5–5.5 lakh.He added that demand is also rising in the lower price band. Stones priced near Rs 2 lakh are seeing higher offtake as record gold prices encourage buyers to choose diamond-heavy jewellery that uses less of the precious metal.“We have witnessed a 25-35% year-on-year increase in solitaire demand in the current fiscal. This growth has been primarily driven by improved affordability following global price corrections, along with a stronger consumer shift toward investment-led purchases,” Sonawala added.Industry executives peg the size of India’s diamond market at Rs 80,000–90,000 crore.Natural diamond prices have declined sharply amid weaker export demand. The slowdown follows high tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump, while China, the second-largest buyer of Indian cut and polished diamonds, has also reduced its offtake.Rajiv Popley, managing director of Mumbai-based Popley & Sons, said the shift in buying behaviour is being led by younger consumers.“Since the gold content is much less in diamond-studded jewellery, the young aspirational generation is opting for solitaires for engagements and anniversaries. Millennials form the majority of buyers. They are buying solitaires worth Rs 2 lakh, which are cheaper than 20 gm gold rings or chain. The surging gold prices have given a boost to the offtake of solitaires,” he told the agency.Zen Diamond India is reporting a surge in new customers as well. The company has recorded nearly 35–40% growth in first-time buyers, particularly in the 28–40 age group. While engagements continue to dominate purchases, buying motivations are widening.“While engagements remain the primary purchase driver, nearly 30% of solitaire purchases are now self-purchases or milestone-driven,” Sonawala said.Jewellers said the correction in diamond prices has lowered entry barriers and expanded the consumer base.Atul Sinha, chief operating officer at CaratLane, said younger buyers are increasingly prioritising meaning and individuality over heavy traditional designs.“Younger audience wants jewellery that reflects individuality, simplicity and meaning over traditional opulence. Customers today are actively seeking accessible yet premium alternatives, and that has accelerated the traction for categories like 9-carat and 14-carat gold, as well as lightweight natural diamond jewellery,” Sinha said.He noted that the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) hallmark certification for 9-carat gold has strengthened consumer confidence.“The recent BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) hallmark certification for 9-carat has further strengthened confidence in these offerings, and since hallmarking began, we’ve seen close to a 200% surge in monthly 9-carat sales, reflecting how quickly consumers are embracing these newer caratages,” he said.According to a report released on Tuesday by India Ratings & Research, high gold prices have weighed on traditional gold jewellery demand even as studded jewellery records an uptick.“Reshaping consumer behaviour to accept record-high gold prices as the new normal, along with realigning the product mix by increasing the proportion of studded jewellery, lower-purity (9-carat, 14-carat and 18-carat) gold jewellery, light and ultra-light pieces for the mass segment to accelerate inventory turns, will aid jewellers in navigating industry challenges over the near to medium term,” said Preeti Kumaran, senior analyst, India Ratings & Research.

The showdown between the Pentagon and Anthropic over the use of its AI solutions in US military for “all lawful purposes” which reportedly include mass surveillance of American citizens and fully autonomous weapons shows no signs of cooling down. According to a report by news agency Reuters, in a tense meeting on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth delivered a strict ultimatum to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei: drop the company’s strict AI safety rules by Friday (February 27), or face severe government retaliation.Citing sources, Reuters said that Anthropic has no intention of backing down on its usage restrictions as the AI startup has refused to remove safeguards that would prevent its technology from being used to target weapons autonomously and conduct domestic surveillance.

What Pentagon head Pete Hegseth told Anthropic CEO

Reportedly, the Pentagon argues that AI companies working with the military should only be required to follow standard US law, rather than imposing their own corporate ethical guidelines. Hegseth has given Amodei until 5:00 p.m. on Friday to comply. If Anthropic refuses, the government is threatening two massive actions.The first is invoking the Defense Production Act – a Cold War-era law to legally force Anthropic to change its rules and provide unrestricted technology. The second is the “Supply-Chain Risk” Label on Anthropic. This label is normally reserved for foreign adversaries and would effectively destroy Anthropic’s ability to do business with any other company tied to the US government.

What caused tensions between Anthropic and the Pentagon

Tensions between the two sides ‘exploded’ earlier this month over an international military operation, reports said. The Pentagon believed Anthropic was asking questions about whether its AI was used during a US military raid in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolas Maduro.During the meeting, Amodei reportedly pushed back, telling Hegseth that Anthropic never questioned the Pentagon or its contractor, Palantir, about the raid, the report said.Meanwhile, the Pentagon is said to be negotiating with other major tech players like Elon Musk’s xAI Google and OpenAI. Axios reported that xAI and the Pentagon have agreed to the technology for “all lawful purposes”. “This specific scenario is unprecedented. It will almost certainly trigger a raft of downstream litigation if the Administration takes adverse action against Anthropic here,” warned Franklin Turner, a government contracts lawyer, as per Reuters.

(AP photo)

The United States overpowered Russian and Chinese military tech presence in Venezuela and successfully ousted and captured the sitting president from a fortified complex in Caracas, President Donald Trump claimed, as he flaunted American military strength and taunted rival power centers in Moscow and Beijing.Trump mocked the Russian and Chinese military technology used by Venezuela, saying it failed to prevent leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife from being taken into custody by US forces under Operation Absolute Resolve.

Delivering the longest-ever State of the Union address, Trump took a sharp jibe, saying, “This was a major military installation, protected by thousands of soldiers and guarded by Russian and Chinese military technologies. How did that go for them?”“American armed forces overwhelmed all defences of the enemy to end the reign of dictator Nicolas Maduro and bring him to justice,” he said. “This was an absolutely colossal victory for the security of the US and a bright new beginning for the people of Venezuela.”Trump also underlined what he described as collaboration from the government of Venezuela following the operation.He also invited Venezuelan opposition politician Enrique Márquez, who had been held as a political prisoner and was recently freed under an amnesty effort by the interim Venezuelan government following Maduro’s ouster, to the address as a surprise guest.The strike under Operation Absolute Resolve, demonstrated that US weapons and equipment remain highly effective, according to some regional officials and defence analysts. The United States deployed more than 150 aircraft and integrated electronic attack systems alongside other non‑kinetic capabilities to suppress Venezuelan defences and secure the capture of President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, from their fortified compound in Caracas.Both Maduro and Flores were flown to the United States to face federal charges, including narco‑terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine, in a rare and unprecedented legal action against a sitting head of state.According to Indo-Pacific Defense Forum, Beijing sold its JY‑27A radar to Venezuela and other countries, promoting it as capable of detecting stealth aircraft. The Chinese government claimed the long-range radar was reliable, mobile, and resistant to jamming, with the state-owned China Electronics Technology Group Corporation stating it could detect stealth aircraft at nearly 400 kilometers.During the US operation to capture Venezuelan President Maduro, however, the radar failed to detect American fighter jets and helicopters, allowing special operations forces to reach Caracas without resistance, according to Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.Venezuela had also invested about $2 billion in Russian S‑300 air defense missiles, support radar, and communications systems linked to the Chinese radar, along with Pantsir‑S1 gun-missile hybrids designed to counter drones and helicopters. Analysts reported that neither the S‑300s nor the Pantsir‑S1 fired during the operation.The episode can be seen as a failure for Chinese- and Russian-made defense systems in the scenario, particularly for Beijing, which markets its high-tech military equipment to foreign buyers.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday night paid tribute to conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot last September, calling him a martyr for his beliefs during the State of the Union address. The president invited Kirk’s widow, Erika, as his special guest, prompting chants of “Charlie” from the crowd as he honored her late husband.“So last year, Charlie was violently murdered by an assassin and martyred for his beliefs. His wonderful wife Erika is with us tonight. Erika. Please stand. Thank you,” Trump said during his speech, as Erika Kirk wiped tears from her face. “You’ve been through a lot,” as reported by USA Today. Trump also highlighted a surge in religious participation among young people, crediting Charlie Kirk’s influence. “I’m very proud to say that during my time in office, both the first four years, and in particular this last year, there has been a tremendous renewal in religion, faith, Christianity and belief in God. Tremendous renewal. This is especially true among young people. And a big part of that had to do with my great friend Charlie Kirk,” he said.He further called for national unity in Kirk’s memory: “In Charlie’s memory, we must all come together to reaffirm that we are one nation under God, and we must totally reject political violence of any kind.”Charlie Kirk, the co-founder of Turning Point USA, was killed during an outdoor event at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, in September 2025. His alleged killer, Tyler Robinson, is facing a death penalty case in connection with his death. Following the tragedy, Kirk was posthumously awarded the Medal of Freedom on what would have been his 32nd birthday.Erika Kirk, who was elected CEO and chair of the board of Turning Point USA after her husband’s death, attended the address as one of President Trump’s special guests. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed her attendance in a post on X, sharing that the invitation was part of the administration’s support for the Kirk family, according to Fox news. Erika Kirk, who married Charlie in 2021, is a former NCAA Women’s Basketball athlete, a Juris Master’s graduate in American Legal Studies and was crowned Miss Arizona USA in 2012. The couple had two children together: a daughter born in August 2022 and a son born in May 2024.

Image: X@/RepThompson, AP

As US president Donald Trump delivered his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday night, one senior official remained away from the Capitol.The individual served as the designated survivor, a long-standing security measure to ensure continuity of government.California’s 4th District Congressman Mike Thompson appeared to be the designated survivor for the address, as he was not seen in the House chamber. “I’ve been selected as a designated survivor for tomorrow’s State of the Union, so I won’t be there in person, but I’ll be watching,” Collins said through a post on X.Serving as the designated survivor carries the possibility of assuming the presidency in the event of a catastrophic incident, though former participants say the experience is less dramatic than fictional portrayals.“It focuses your mind. It also enhances your prayer that it doesn’t happen to you,” said James Nicholson, who served as veterans affairs secretary under President George W Bush and was the designated survivor during the 2006 State of the Union address, as cited by AP.The US Constitution does not require a designated survivor or outline the process for selecting and isolating one. The practice is believed to have emerged during the Cold War, when US officials were concerned about the possibility of a nuclear attack by the Soviet Union.

Informal selection, constitutional eligibility required

There is no formal protocol for selecting the designated survivor, though the choice is typically made by the president and/or the president’s chief of staff, as cited by The Time. Under the Constitution, the designated survivor must be eligible to serve as president, meaning they must be a natural-born US citizen and at least 35 years old.

Origins of the practice

Beginning in April 1980, the White House Military Office directed the Federal Emergency Management Agency to plan for presidential succession, including recommending which official should be absent when top leaders gathered outside the White House.Officials continue to prepare for large-scale attacks or disasters. A military helicopter involved in a collision with a regional jet near Reagan National Airport in January 2025 was on a continuity-of-government training mission.The first publicly disclosed instance of a Cabinet member being kept away from a presidential address to Congress was Education Secretary Terrel Bell in 1981, though his role was revealed afterward. Today, televised coverage of the House chamber allows observers to quickly identify the absent Cabinet member.

Last week, the US Supreme Court dismantled Trump’s tariff playbook and now, his administration is responsible to refund $134 billion collected in tariff revenue over the past months. The key question, however, is whether US consumers, who bore the cost of the tariffs, will receive any refunds.Since assuming office for his second term, US President Donald Trump introduced a series of tariffs targeting multiple countries. These levies are generally paid by importers, including companies such as Costco, Walmart and Target, rather than directly by consumers. Even though US consumers had to pay for the tariffs, the payment was indirect as they were not the ones making actual payments to the government.

So will US consumers get any tariff refunds?

The short answer is no — and here’s why. Because consumers paid the tariffs only indirectly, any refunds issued by the US administration will be directed to the entities that originally paid them — the so-called importer of record — rather than to end consumers, CNN reported. How these refunds will be processed remains uncertain, and Trump told reporters that the process could take up to five years.Businesses bore most of the cost of tariffs, but some of the expense was passed on to shoppers. Research from the Harvard Business School’s Pricing Lab estimates that consumers indirectly covered about a quarter of tariff costs through higher prices. Overall, the Tax Foundation calculated that tariffs increased the average household’s tax burden by roughly $1,000 last year.To ease the financial impact, the Trump administration had proposed $2,000 rebate checks for consumers. These payments, however, would require Congressional approval and are intended as stimulus measures rather than true tariff refunds. It is unclear whether the Supreme Court ruling has affected these potential rebates.Some companies have sued the government to recover tariff payments. Costco, for example, sought a refund ahead of the Supreme Court ruling. US treasury secretary Scott Bessent had also flagged that customers are unlikely to see any share of the money refunded to companies. Following the ruling, FedEx became the first major corporation to file a lawsuit against the administration. Even if companies receive refunds, legal costs and the fact that businesses absorbed most of the tariff burden make passing money back to consumers improbable.

Sanju Samson during an India net session at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. (Getty Images)

TimesofIndia.com in Chennai: It was business as usual for the Indian cricket team which held an intense practice session at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Tuesday. The batters had long hits, bowlers remained in rhythm with extended spells and later returned to flex their muscles with a round of range hitting. The only unusual event of the session was Rinku Singh’s absence.As TimesofIndia.com earlier reported the left-hander has rushed back home to be by his ailing father’s side and there is no clarity on his return yet. Not because of Rinku’s absence but discussions must have already been held, and will continue to be held, regarding the ideal batting combination for the crucial clash against Zimbabwe on February 26.

Having been thrashed in their first Super Eight game to South Africa in Ahmedabad, India are under immense pressure to fix its batting for the remainder of the tournament. The discussion, as expected, revolves around breaking the left-handers’ pattern in the batting order.India have an overflow of southpaws in the mix and the oppositions have cracked the code by using off-spin effectively against the Men in Blue. One of the first batters to hit the nets, like in Ahmedabad, was wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson and it remains to be seen whether the thinktank injects him into the top-order.The trio of Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Tilak Varma has yet to collectively fire and consistent poor starts have the management in a fix. Do they send an out-of-form Samson back to the top order, or do they reshuffle the batting order by promoting Surya? No possibility can be ruled out at this stage and even the net session pointed in that direction. Both Tilak and Surya batted together and when the left-hander was batting, coach Gautam Gambhir and senior player Jasprit Bumrah kept a close watch from behind the nets.

Tilak Varma during an India net session at MA Chidambaram Stadium. (Getty Images)

The two batters exchanged their usual fist-pumps every time they swapped ends. The Indian captain kept his younger partner in good spirits while they remained out for over an hour – facing a lot of spin before moving to the other net which had a mix of net bowlers and Indian seamers Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj.Bumrah was present but, like in Ahmedabad, he preferred a skill-based session with Morne Morkel in the practice nets. The bowler consistently attacked the stumps and got constant feedback from the coach during his short, intense spell, which lasted no more than 20 minutes. India’s session lasted over four hours before the groundstaff returned to treating the practice pitches and generously watered the square.

Jasprit Bumrah during India’s practice session ahead of the T20 World Cup match against Zimbabwe in Chennai. (Getty Images)

The playing surface will be a centre wicket and it’s expected to be different from the sluggish surfaces we have seen in the tournament so far. Batters would definitely enjoy their time in the middle and dew could be a big talking point. Two days before the game, there was excessive dew around 9pm when the Indian team applied finishing touches to their session. It hasn’t been a big factor during India’s games and the Men in Blue could experience it if they field second.The eve of the match is expected to be a low-key affair for the defending champions as they are scheduled to have an afternoon session while Zimbabwe trains under lights. Only four players trained under the unforgiving sun in Ahmedabad, and similar attendance is expected on Wednesday. The press-conference is expected to give some hints regarding the playing XI, which currently doesn’t look like an open-and-shut case.

NEW DELHI: Global communications company Viasat on Tuesday said societies cannot function without reliable access to space, describing satellite communications as the “dual use oxygen” that supports missions ranging from weather forecasting to early warning systems.“Without assured, resilient global SatCom, we would all be in the dark,” Ben Palmer, President of Viasat Commercial, said while addressing the opening plenary session at the DefSat 2026 conference held at New Delhi’s Manekshaw Centre on Tuesday. Highlighting the strategic importance of assured spectrum access and resilient satellite communications, Palmer underscored the role of these technologies in safeguarding national security and sustaining economic stability.Palmer stressed on the necessity of assured connectivity across alternate orbits and radio frequency bands. He also said, “We’re looking at ways to ensure govts have access to assured connectivity via alternate orbits and alternate radio frequency spectrum. We are innovating to deliver cyber and EW resilience, access to different spectrum and new ways to deliver these key enabling capabilities.”The three-day dialogue, which convenes military leadership, policymakers, and industry partners, focused on the future of space-enabled security. The discussion also addressed the increasing use of uncrewed systems in modern conflict.Palmer pointed to recent developments in Ukraine as evidence of how such platforms achieve military effects without risking personnel. He explained that Viasat is focused on developing compact terminals, some no larger than a coffee cup, to provide beyond line-of-sight communications for tactical uncrewed platforms.Regarding India’s strategic position, Palmer acknowledged the govt’s approach to space sovereignty as “long term, strategic and wise”. He said that India’s resistance to market dominance by others in international fora helps maintain freedom of choice. “The grand strategic approach which the Govt of India is adopting to assure its space sovereignty is impressive. This isn’t just about ‘Make in India’ and assuring freedom of operation, it’s also about the responsible, pragmatic approach that India has adopted,” he said. Viasat, which recently integrated Inmarsat, continues to partner with local institutions like BSNL to build domestic capabilities.Besides exhibition by defence and space startups at Manekshaw Centre, DefSat 2026 witnessed eminent military, defence, space and cyberspace experts as part of panel discussions. Building on the success of its first three editions, collectively drawing 500+ participants from 20+ countries, 80+ speakers and representation from 60+ organisations, DefSat 2026 (Feb 24–26) on Day 1 featured a broad agenda spanning operational doctrine, industrial collaboration, technology resilience and geopolitical partnerships. Subba Rao Pavuluri, president, SIA-India, said, “The DefSat 2026 conference underscores a critical strategic reality: an estimated 70–80% of modern military operations today rely on space-based capabilities, underscoring the rising centrality of space in India’s national security architecture. Day One marked a strong turnout as the conference witnessed 600 registered military leadership, govt officials, diplomats, global industry representatives, startups, academia, and strategic experts.”

NAGPUR: An Artificial Intelligence-driven cheating racket during the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC Class 12) examinations was busted last week in the once Maoist-hit Gadchiroli district, known for its backwardness and low internet penetration. Education department sources said the political science, chemistry and physics papers were likely compromised. The racket using ChatGPT unfolded at an exam centre in Chamorshi on February 18.A surprise raid by a flying squad led by zilla parishad chief executive officer (CEO) Suhas Gade exposed the racket. Arriving just minutes before the exam ended around 4.55pm, the team caught the exam centre staff with chits, which turned out to be answers generated from ChatGPT.

While the squad was collecting chits strewn in the premises, they noticed the peon, Suraj Kelzarkar, making a suspicious entry. His mobile phone was seized and a scrutiny revealed he had forwarded question papers to a teacher at the same school, Mahendra Kirme.An inquiry unearthed that questions were photographed or relayed out of the hall, fed into ChatGPT for instant, accurate responses, printed nearby, and smuggled back to students for mass copying. This ‘hi-tech’ method replaced traditional copying techniques, marking a new low in exam fraud.ZP CEO Gade stated he was conducting checks when he stumbled upon chits with answers written on them. “We formed a probe committee under the education officer. Actions were initiated to suspend four persons,” he said.Vasudev Bhuse, education officer (secondary), stated the matter was already reported to the HSC board. “School teacher Sushil Lanjewar, exam centre conductor Mahendra Burlewar, another teacher Mahendra Kirme and a peon Suraj Kelzarkar have been named in an FIR. While Lanjewar has been suspended, action will be taken against other accused too,” said Bhuse.Gadchiroli, once a hotspot for Maoist activities, was striving to improve schooling and youth opportunities, making this malpractice particularly alarming as it erodes trust in the system meant to uplift backward areas.