India and South Africa, both group champions with perfect records, will meet today in the Super Eight stage of the T20 World Cup. The match will be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad at 7:30 p.m. local time. Earlier in the day, Sri Lanka will face England in Group 2 at Pallekele. India lead the head-to-head record against South Africa in T20 World Cups with five wins from seven matches. India enter the match with concerns over the form of opener Abhishek Sharma and number-three batter Tilak Varma. Team management is expected to make changes, possibly bringing in Sanju Samson. Axar Patel or Washington Sundar may be included to strengthen the batting order, while pacer Mohammed Siraj could return to the lineup. Captain Suryakumar Yadav continues to back Abhishek despite his struggles. South Africa, meanwhile, have no major selection worries. Openers Aiden Markram and Quinton de Kock have provided strong starts throughout the tournament, and pacers Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada, and Marco Jansen remain in good form. The Proteas are expected to field an unchanged side.

Bangladesh A will take on India A today in the final of the Rising Stars Women's Asia Cup in Bangkok, with the match scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. Both teams reached the final as unbeaten group champions. Bangladesh A, led by Fahima Khatun, defeated Pakistan A in the semifinal, while India A overcame Sri Lanka A to secure their spot in the title clash. Bangladesh’s key strength throughout the tournament has been its spin bowling, with captain Fahima Khatun and Sanjida Akter Meghla consistently providing breakthroughs. However, the team’s batting remains a concern, as strong starts have not been sustained in the later overs. Meghla said the team’s progress was due to collective performance and expressed hope for another strong team effort in the final. India A, which batted first only once in the tournament, has shown strength while chasing. Bangladesh A will aim to overcome its batting weaknesses and contain India’s batters to claim the title, especially after losing last year’s final to India A by 31 runs in Hong Kong.

Nearly a week after their abduction, 20 fishermen kidnapped by pirates in the Bay of Bengal remain captive. The abductors have demanded Tk 350,000 per fisherman, totaling Tk 7 million, through mobile communication with the boat owners. According to the Forest Department, negotiations are ongoing between the pirates and the owners over the ransom amount. The pirates have not set a payment deadline but have threatened severe consequences if the ransom is not paid soon. The fishermen were abducted on the night of February 16 while fishing near the Dublar Char area, including Alorkol and Narikelbariya fishing villages, by the notorious Jahangir and Suman pirate groups. Following the incident, regular fishermen in the Sharankhola range of the eastern Sundarbans stopped fishing for safety reasons, leading to a severe fish shortage at the country’s largest dry fish production center and heavy financial losses for traders. Fishing activities partially resumed on February 21, with the Forest Department instructing trawlers to stay close to shore and return daily due to ongoing security concerns.

Brazilian football star Neymar Jr. has suggested that he may retire from professional football by December this year. The forward, currently playing for his boyhood club Santos, said he is uncertain about his future and may decide to end his career when his contract expires at the end of the year. Neymar, who recently returned to the field after knee surgery in December, admitted that recurring injuries have made him reconsider his career path. After an unremarkable stint with Saudi club Al Hilal, Neymar returned to Santos in early 2025 and renewed his contract through the end of the current year. However, his repeated injuries have kept him sidelined for much of the past two years, and he last played for Brazil in October 2023. The player acknowledged that his participation in the upcoming World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada remains uncertain. Neymar said his final decision will depend on how he feels later this year, emphasizing that he is taking his career one year at a time.

More than 7,000 languages are spoken globally, but at least 3,000—around 40 percent—are endangered, according to Ethnologue. Of the 7,159 known living languages, 3,193 are endangered, 3,479 are stable, and 487 are institutional, meaning they are used by governments, schools, and media. About 88.1 million people speak an endangered language as their mother tongue, and just 25 countries account for 80 percent of these languages. Oceania has the highest concentration of endangered languages, followed by Asia, Africa, and the Americas. Examples include Yugambeh in Australia, which is being revitalized through community programs and learning apps; Ainu in Japan, a critically endangered language with very few speakers; Ongota in Ethiopia, spoken by only a handful of elders; Louisiana Creole in the United States; Leco in Bolivia; and Cornish in England, which was revived after being declared extinct. Languages become endangered when communities shift to more dominant tongues, often passing them to younger generations as second languages. The data highlight the global urgency of language preservation, with revitalization efforts emerging in some regions to sustain cultural identity and linguistic diversity.

Defending champions India will face South Africa in the T20 World Cup Super Eights on Sunday, February 22, at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The match is a repeat of the 2024 final, which India won by seven runs. Both teams advanced unbeaten through the group stage of the 2026 edition and are considered strong contenders for the semifinals. India’s bowling coach Morne Morkel said the team will focus on taking early wickets against South Africa’s in-form top order, while South Africa’s Quinton de Kock emphasized handling pressure as the key to victory. India topped their group with four wins, including a 61-run victory over Pakistan and a 93-run win against Namibia. South Africa also dominated, defeating Canada, New Zealand, and the UAE, and surviving a Super Over against Afghanistan. Despite India’s strong record, inconsistency in their batting lineup, particularly opener Abhishek Sharma’s three consecutive ducks, has drawn attention. Morkel expressed confidence that Sharma will soon return to form. South Africa, still seeking their first T20 World Cup title, have also announced a new squad with five uncapped players for a post-tournament tour of New Zealand in March.

The Super Eights opener between Pakistan and New Zealand at the 2026 T20 World Cup was abandoned due to persistent rain in Colombo. The match, scheduled at R Premadasa Stadium, was called off without a ball being bowled after Pakistan captain Salman Ali Agha won the toss and chose to bat first on Saturday. Despite efforts by more than 60 ground staff to protect the playing surface, the umpires officially abandoned the Group 2 match at 9:05pm local time (15:35 GMT). The rain began immediately after the toss, and with forecasts predicting continued showers, both teams were forced to leave the field. Even a shortened five-over contest was not possible before the 10:16pm (16:46 GMT) cut-off time. As a result, both Pakistan and New Zealand were awarded one point each in the standings. The tournament continues on Sunday, with co-host India facing South Africa in Ahmedabad for the first Group 1 match, while co-host Sri Lanka meets England in Group 2 action at Pallekele.

United States Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has drawn widespread condemnation from Arab and Muslim countries after suggesting that Israel has the right to expand its territory across much of the Middle East. In a televised interview with commentator Tucker Carlson, Huckabee, a self-described Christian Zionist, said it would be acceptable if Israel claimed land stretching from the Euphrates River in Iraq to the Nile River in Egypt. The ambassador later described his statement as hyperbolic, clarifying that Israel seeks only security within its current borders. The remarks prompted sharp rebukes from Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the League of Arab States. Saudi Arabia called the comments “extremist rhetoric” and demanded clarification from the US State Department. Egypt denounced them as a violation of international law, while Jordan labelled them “absurd and provocative.” The League of Arab States warned that such statements inflame regional and religious tensions. Huckabee, appointed by President Donald Trump in 2024, has previously rejected the two-state solution and denied the existence of an Israeli occupation. His comments come amid ongoing disputes over Israel’s undefined borders and its occupation of Palestinian and Syrian territories.

Manchester City secured a crucial 2-1 victory over Newcastle United on Saturday, driven by a first-half double from Nico O’Reilly. The 20-year-old midfielder struck in the 14th minute and restored City’s lead in the 27th with a header from Erling Haaland’s cross after Lewis Hall had equalised. The result reduced Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League to two points, with Pep Guardiola’s side now on 56 points from 27 games. Arsenal, who drew with bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier in the week, face Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday under increased pressure from City. Despite dominating early, City had to defend resolutely in the second half as Newcastle pressed for an equaliser. Haaland, though not on the scoresheet, contributed defensively and creatively, exemplifying the team’s determination. O’Reilly expressed delight at his performance and the team’s progress, saying the win was vital to closing the gap and maintaining belief in their title ambitions. Elsewhere, Aston Villa drew 1-1 with Leeds United, Chelsea were held 1-1 by Burnley, Brighton’s James Milner broke the Premier League appearance record, and West Ham drew with Bournemouth.

Hundreds of far-right protesters marched through Manchester on Saturday in a demonstration organised by Britain First, a political party calling for the deportation of migrants and Muslims from the United Kingdom. Chanting anti-immigration slogans and insults directed at Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the group was met by a much larger counterprotest of antifascist demonstrators carrying antiracist banners and Palestinian flags. Police flanked both groups as tensions escalated when the two marches converged in the city centre. Several counterprotesters described the event as a reflection of growing racism in the UK. Ruby, a student from South London, said her grandparents from the Windrush generation now feel increasingly unwelcome, while others reported a rise in racial abuse. Members of Jewish Action for Palestine and other groups criticised police for allowing the far-right march to proceed, accusing authorities of protecting extremist groups. Police said the day required extensive planning due to multiple simultaneous events, including a Ukraine rally and football matches, which stretched local resources and complicated crowd control efforts.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has stated that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro should be tried in Venezuela rather than in the United States, where he is currently being held following his abduction by the US military. In an interview, Lula said that restoring democracy in Venezuela should be the priority and insisted that the country’s issues must be resolved by its own people without foreign interference. He criticised the idea of one nation invading another to capture its president. Lula’s remarks come as Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, works to release hundreds of political prisoners detained during Maduro’s presidency, which began in 2013. The Brazilian leader has openly condemned the abduction of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, in a US military operation ordered by then-President Donald Trump on January 3. Maduro was flown to New York after a violent raid in Caracas and now faces US charges related to drug trafficking. The Trump administration has justified its actions as part of anti-drug efforts, though US data does not list Venezuela among major drug producers. Trump has also expressed interest in Venezuelan oil reserves and invited US companies to exploit them.

The White House announced that U.S. President Donald Trump will visit China from March 31 to April 2, marking the first official trip to Beijing by a U.S. president since Trump’s own visit in 2017. The dates were confirmed by a White House official, and both Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping have recently described communication between their countries as positive. Trump commented that the visit would be a major event, calling for a grand display during his stay. The announcement came shortly before the U.S. Supreme Court struck down tariffs previously imposed by Trump on multiple countries, a policy tool he had used to influence international support for his agenda. Trade issues, including tariffs and China’s reduced purchases of U.S. soybeans, are expected to feature prominently in discussions. Beijing has recently hosted other Western leaders, such as Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who announced new trade deals and lifted restrictions on Chinese-made electric cars. China’s growing exports of electric vehicles and investments in renewable energy contrast with Trump’s continued emphasis on fossil fuels. The visit will also be Trump’s first to China since the COVID-19 pandemic, during which he had criticized Beijing’s handling of the outbreak.

The Iranian government has rejected international claims about the scale of killings during last month’s nationwide protests, insisting that “terrorists” were responsible for the deaths. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday that Tehran had released a list of 3,117 people described as victims of “recent terrorist operations,” including about 200 security personnel. He challenged critics to provide evidence disputing the figures, after US President Donald Trump claimed that 32,000 people were killed and said Iranians had “lived in hell” under the current establishment. UN special rapporteur Mai Sato and 30 other human rights experts said more than 20,000 civilians may have been killed, though they noted that information remains limited due to heavy internet restrictions. The US-based HRANA reported documenting over 7,000 deaths and investigating thousands more. The experts urged Iran to reveal the fate of those arrested or missing and to stop executions linked to the protests, warning that the true scale of the crackdown remains unclear. Meanwhile, tensions persist across Iran, with student clashes at Tehran’s Sharif University and teachers striking over the killing of children. Families continue to hold independent memorials for victims, defying official mourning events promoted as symbols of “unity and empathy.”

President Donald Trump announced on Saturday that he will raise global tariffs on imported goods to 15 percent after the United States Supreme Court struck down his previous trade measures. The ruling has triggered widespread concern and responses from governments and markets, as countries assess the legal and economic implications of the decision and Trump’s new tariff plan. In South Korea, the presidential office said it would review its trade deal with the US, while India faces uncertainty over a recently signed framework agreement that includes major purchases in defence, energy, and artificial intelligence. China’s response was muted, though analysts said the ruling could ease tariff pressure on its exports. Canada and Mexico both welcomed the court’s decision but noted that some tariffs remain in place. European leaders, including those from France and Germany, emphasized the importance of legal checks and signaled coordinated responses within the European Union. Legal experts described the Supreme Court’s ruling as a landmark moment, asserting that the court acted to reaffirm constitutional limits on presidential authority rather than to decide on economic policy.

A shop in Charfassion, Bhola, that had been seized by miscreants using the name of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was recovered following the intervention of Mohammad Nurul Islam Nayan, the BNP Member of Parliament for Bhola-4 (Charfassion and Monpura). The operation took place late on Friday, February 20, at Tulatuli Bazar in Jahangpur Union, near the Meghna River. The shop, long under illegal occupation, was returned to its rightful owner, local businessman Mahe Alam. According to the report, Mahe Alam had been running his business at the site for several years. Before the 13th National Election, a group of local miscreants allegedly branded him as an Awami League supporter and took over his shop while demanding extortion money in the name of BNP. After Alam informed MP Nayan by phone, the lawmaker instructed local party leaders to act. Youth front members verified the complaint, broke the lock, and handed the shop back to Alam. The recovery has brought relief among local traders, who have demanded strict action against those involved in the illegal occupation.