Australia national cricket team are out of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup after the Ireland vs Zimbabwe group match in Pallekele was abandoned due to rain. The washout gave Zimbabwe national cricket team one point, which secured their place in the Super 8 stage with Sri Lanka from Group B. Australia had lost two of their first three matches and were depending on other results. The shared points made it impossible for them to qualify. Officials called off the game after long rain delays and pitch inspections. Australia’s final group match against Oman will not affect qualification. (PC: India Today)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron announced a Special Global Strategic Partnership during Macron’s visit to Mumbai on Tuesday. The visit marks the India-France Year of Innovation 2026, which aims to highlight growing cooperation in strategy and technology. Both leaders also inaugurated the year of innovation and are holding talks to strengthen ties in defence, trade, climate and new technologies. The visit includes meetings with business leaders, researchers and start-ups to expand collaboration. Macron’s three-day visit will also cover the AI Impact Summit and further bilateral talks in New Delhi. (PC: NDTV)

Gautam Gambhir has reportedly received an offer from Rajasthan Royals to join the IPL franchise as CEO, mentor and partner. A report said the new owners are ready to give him a small equity stake of around 2–3%. Gambhir is currently the head coach of the Indian men’s team and his contract runs till the 2027 World Cup. Rules based on Lodha Committee reforms do not allow a national team coach to hold a role with an IPL franchise due to conflict of interest. Because of this rule, he is unlikely to accept the offer at present. (PC: X/BCCI)

A six-month-old macaque named Punch has gone viral after videos showed him holding a plush orangutan for comfort at a zoo in Japan. Punch was born in July 2025 and was abandoned by his mother soon after birth. Keepers at Ichikawa City Zoo hand-raised him and gave him blankets and soft toys. He chose the stuffed orangutan and carries it while resting and meeting other monkeys. A post on X said he takes it everywhere and uses it like protection when other young monkeys “scold” him. Punch joined a macaque group in January but still stays close to the toy as he adjusts.

A second round of indirect nuclear talks between the United States and Iran began in Geneva on Tuesday, with Oman acting as mediator. The discussions focus on Iran’s nuclear programme and possible relief from US economic sanctions. President Donald Trump said he believes Iran wants a deal and warned of consequences if talks fail. “I hope they’re going to be more reasonable,” he told reporters. Iran’s foreign ministry said the US position has become “more realistic”. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said he wants a fair agreement but added that “submission before threats” is not acceptable. The talks come as both sides increase military presence in the region. (PC: BBC)

Delhi University has banned public meetings and protests on campus for one month after clashes linked to new UGC anti-caste discrimination rules. The order followed recent demonstrations that turned violent and led to cross-police cases. The rules require equity panels and helplines in colleges, but some groups say the definition of caste bias is unclear. The Supreme Court has stayed the 2026 rules for now and said there is “complete vagueness” and risk of misuse. Student groups and teachers have questioned the protest ban. The vice-chancellor urged calm and said “social harmony is the greatest thing” and asked students to await the court’s decision. (PC: HT)

Tarique Rahman was sworn in as Bangladesh’s Prime Minister on Tuesday after his party won a landslide election victory. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party alliance secured 212 of 299 seats in the February 12 polls. President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath to Rahman and his council of ministers. The new government now faces major challenges after months of unrest and political uncertainty. Key tasks include economic recovery and planned constitutional reforms under the July Charter. The Jamaat-e-Islami–led opposition boycotted the swearing-in ceremony and warned of protests. Rahman also faces pressure to reset foreign relations and manage rising political tensions at home. (PC: India Today)

Four candidates from minority communities, including two Hindus, have won seats in Bangladesh’s latest general election. All four were nominated by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which is set to form the government. Goyeshwar Chandra Roy won a Dhaka seat, while Nitai Roy Chowdhury won from Magura. Both defeated Jamaat-e-Islami candidates. Two Buddhist leaders also won from hill districts in the southeast. They are Saching Pru from Bandarban and Dipen Dewan from Rangamati. Officials said 79 minority candidates contested the election across parties and as independents. Hindus make up about eight percent of Bangladesh’s 170 million people. (PC: NDTV)

US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson has died at the age of 84, his family said in a statement on Tuesday. They said he died peacefully in the morning with family members by his side. “Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the statement said. Jackson worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr during the civil rights movement in the 1960s. He later ran twice for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988. Jackson was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2017 and was hospitalised last November with a degenerative neurological condition. (PC: BBC)

Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, met Narendra Modi in Mumbai during his three-day visit to India. The talks focused on artificial intelligence cooperation and a possible major Dassault Rafale fighter jet deal. Officials said both sides reviewed progress in the India–France strategic partnership. They discussed expanding ties in new and future technology sectors. Macron is visiting at Modi’s invitation to attend the AI Impact Summit. The Prime Minister’s Office said the leaders will also exchange views on regional and global issues. A proposal to buy 114 more Rafale jets is expected to be discussed. (PC: NDTV)