TODAY NEWS ON February 16, 2026

T20 World Cup India vs Pakistan: Kishan, bowlers seal Team India’s passage to Super Eight

The Indian juggernaut rolled on even as the rains that were forecast stayed away at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on an electric Sunday (February 15, 2026). The defending champion rode on Ishan Kishan’s muscular 77 and its potent attack to defeat Pakistan by 61 runs in the ICC T20 World Cup Group A match. The win also helped India qualify for the Super Eight stage.

India has entered recent trade agreements from a position of strength: PM Modi

India recently entered into a spate of trade agreements, including with the European Union and the United States, “from a position of strength”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday (February 15, 2026), adding that these deals were designed to expand global market access for Indian manufacturing and services.

Tarique Rahman reaches out to Opposition leaders ahead of swearing-in ceremony

Two days ahead of the swearing-in ceremony for the new government of Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairman and Prime Minister-designate, Tarique Rahman, reached out to Opposition leaders on Sunday (February 15, 2026). In a reconciliatory gesture, Mr. Rahman visited Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) leader Shafiqur Rahman at his residence, even as the JeI held consultations with members of the 11-party alliance about seeking a recount in 32 parliamentary constituencies. The BNP Chairman also met the National Citizen Party’s (NCP) convener, Nahid Islam.

Across West Bengal, youth line up to apply for unemployment aid

Thousands of young people across West Bengal queued up on Sunday (February 15, 2026) to fill in registration forms for the Banglar Yuva Sathi Scheme, which provides an unemployment allowance of ₹1,500 per month. The scheme was announced by the State government during the State Budget for the financial year 2026-2027, and is now being touted by the ruling Trinamool Congress as a major poll plank for the upcoming Assembly election.

Om Birla to represent India, as PM Modi declines Yunus invite to swearing-in ceremony for Tarique Rahman

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will represent India at the swearing-in of Tarique Rahman as the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Sunday (February 15, 2026). An invitation to the February 17 ceremony was sent by Bangladesh’s interim advisor Muhammad Yunus to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (February 14, 2026), a day after Mr. Modi and Mr. Rahman, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chief, spoke over the telephone.

AI Impact Summit 2026 begins on February 16; Modi to inaugurate an India AI Expo

Global tech leaders Sundar Pichai and Sam Altman and leaders of about 20 countries, including Brazil and France, are among those from about 100 countries expected to attend the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Impact Summit this week. The event kicks off on Monday (February 16, 2026) with Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating the “India AI Impact Expo 2026”, including pavilions from 13 other countries.

Netanyahu says U.S. deal with Iran must dismantle nuclear infrastructure

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday (February 15, 2026) he told U.S. ​President Donald Trump last week that any U.S. deal with ‌Iran must include the dismantling of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, ​not just stopping the enrichment process.

Israel will begin contentious West Bank land registration in new step to deepen control

Israel will begin a contentious land regulation process in a large part of the occupied West Bank, which could result in Israel gaining control over wide swaths of the area for future development, according to a government decision on Sunday (February 15, 2026).

Rubio to visit Eastern Europe, bolster ties with pro-Trump leaders

U.S. Secretary of ​State Marco Rubio is set to begin a two-day trip on Sunday (February 15, 2026), to bolster ties with Slovakia and ‌Hungary, whose conservative leaders, often at odds with other European Union countries, have ​warm ties with President Donald Trump.

Cotton farmers oppose Goyal’s U.S. import remarks, warn of price crash

Groups of cotton farmers across the country have protested Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s recent statement that if India purchases raw cotton from the United States, processes it domestically, makes cloth, and exports the finished products back to the U.S., then the country can also avail a zero reciprocal tariff—similar to a facility reportedly extended to Bangladesh. Farmers’ organisations argued that by taking such a stand, the Centre ignored the interests of domestic cotton cultivators.

Tamil Nadu SIR: Final electoral rolls to be published on February 23

The final electoral roll in Tamil Nadu will be published on February 23, following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), Chief Electoral Officer Archana Patnaik said on Sunday (February 15, 2026). Following an order of the Supreme Court of India, the Election Commission of India (ECI), on January 30 said that they had instructed that the list of the names of the persons figuring in the category of “logical discrepancies” shall be displayed at the gram panchayat bhawans, public places and Taluka/Sub-Division, including the ward offices in urban areas.

Security agencies bust massive ‘mule account’ network in J&K; fear misuse by terror groups

Security agencies have busted an ever-growing ecosystem of “mule accounts” in Jammu and Kashmir that serves as the financial backbone of global scam networks, with officials fearing that the funds routed through these accounts could be used for separatist and anti-national activities. The officials said more than 8,000 mule accounts operating in the region have been identified and frozen over a period of three years, exposing a sophisticated network of money laundering. They described these accounts as the “weakest yet most crucial link” in the cybercrime chain, as without them, the conversion of stolen money into untraceable cryptocurrency would be impossible.

Caste row over Dalit woman’s engagement at anganwadi centre in Odisha resolved, says official

Two days after a caste row over the engagement of a Dalit woman as an anganwadi helper was raised in Parliament, Odisha’s Kendrapara district administration on Saturday (February 14, 2026) said the matter had been resolved through negotiations. Kendrapara district sub-collector Arun Nayak said the matter has been amicably resolved as villagers have agreed to send their children to the anganwadi centre from Monday (February 16, 2026). “Final talks with upper-caste residents, who had stopped sending their children to the centre since November 21, were held in the presence of stakeholders, including members of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights and Odisha State Commission for Women. The officials sensitised villagers on the abolition of age-old caste practices,” he said.

Meta to cut pay outs to fact-checking partners in India

Facebook and Instagram parent Meta is sharply cutting the fees it pays out to professional fact checkers in India, two people with knowledge of discussions between the social media giant and its partners told The Hindu. The amounts fact-checking organisations that are approved partners of the social media firm get paid has been reduced for the coming six month period by anywhere from a third to 50%, the people said. Meta’s fact-checking partnerships ended in the United States following the election of U.S. President Donald Trump.

India adds more than 50,000 MW of power generation capacity in current financial year

India has added 52,537 megawatts (MW) of electricity generation from all sources combined in the ongoing financial year until January 31, the Union Ministry of Power said on Sunday (February 15, 2026). This translates to an addition of more than 11% to the total installed capacity of the country at end of the erstwhile financial year. “This [also] marks the highest ever capacity addition in a single year, surpassing the previous record of 34,054 MW achieved during FY 2024–25,” it stated.

Rijiju warns Opposition against disruption, says govt. will table ‘critical’ Bill in second half of Budget Session

Warning the Opposition against disrupting Parliament when proceedings of the Budget Session resume after the recess on March 9, 2026, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the second part of the Session, scheduled from March 9 to April 2, will be “interesting” as several “important” legislations and one “critical” Bill will be tabled in Parliament. “If the Opposition doesn’t allow the House to function, we will go for the guillotine. It will be a loss for them,” he said on Sunday (February 15, 2026).

Eight provisions of VB-G RAM G Act challenged before Madras High Court

A public interest litigation petition has been filed in the Madras High Court challenging eight provisions of the Viksit Bharat- Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act (VB-G RAM G Act) of 2025 which had replaced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) of 2005. The PIL plea is expected to be listed for hearing before the first Division Bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G. Arul Murugan this week. Seventy-one-year-old advocate T. Sivagnanasambandan of T. Nagar in Chennnai had filed the case through his counsel on record M.L. Ravi.

Aus Women vs Ind Women first T20I: Clinical India beat Australia by 21 runs under DLS method in rain-hit match

India were clinical with both bat and ball as they crushed Australia by nine wickets under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method in the first Women’s T20 International to start their tour Down Under on a resounding note in Sydney on Sunday (February 15, 2026). Seamer Arundhati Reddy (4/22) led an excellent bowling display as India packed off Australia for 133. Such was the Indian bowlers’ performance that Australia were bundled out with two overs to spare.

India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup: Fans create electrifying atmosphere at Premadasa Stadium

In warm Colombo, the cricketing ice between India and Pakistan will briefly thaw on Sunday (February 15, 2026) night. The prelude to this ICC T20 World Cup Group A match has been about theatrics and subcontinental angst, before Pakistan decided to finally play against its neighbour. While sport and politics inexplicably mix, this amalgamation is at an extreme level in contests involving India and Pakistan. Hopefully, the leap across the Palk Strait and into Sri Lanka, will soften the political edges even if sporting tension is high.