Oath taking ceremony of new MPs, ‘Constitution Reform Commission’ and new Bangladesh government on February 17

The new members of the Parliament of Bangladesh will be sworn in at 10 a.m. Tuesday (February 17, 2026), the Election Commission of Bangladesh announced that a “Constitution Reform Commission” will also administer the oath. This event will be followed by the formation of the government in the afternoon, when the Cabinet led by BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman will be sworn in.

Full Cabinet and Ministers’ portfolio will be decided soon: Manipur Deputy CM

On February 4, President’s Rule was revoked in Manipur and a new Chief Minister, Yumnam Khemchand Singh, was sworn in, along with two deputies — Losii Dikho, a Naga, and Nemcha Kipgen, a Kuki-Zo. Mr. Dikho, from the Naga People’s Front, an alliance partner of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Mr. Dikho said the full Cabinet and Ministers’ portfolio will be decided soon.

Defence personnel in uniform attend private event, spark row

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday (February 15, 2026) felicitated awardees at the Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Awards during Mahashivratri celebrations in Coimbatore. The awards were instituted by Jaggi Vasudev’s Isha Foundation. But the presence of defence personnel in uniform at a private event sparked controversy, with several retired officers objecting to it. Major General B.S. Dhanoa (retd.) said military officers can attend private functions “except that they should not be doing so in uniform.”

FEMA adjudicating authority imposes ₹184 crore penalty on NewsClick, founder Prabir Purkayastha

The adjudicating authority under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) has passed an order imposing a penalty of ₹184 crore in the case of PPK Newsclick Studio Private Limited, the Enforcement Directorate said on Monday (February 16, 2026). The company owns NewsClick, a digital news platform, which was founded by its editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha.

X outage: Thousands worldwide report issues with login, feed; back up in U.S. and U.K.

Elon Musk-owned X experienced a sudden outage on Monday (February 16, 2026), with users across India and other countries reporting difficulties accessing the social media platform, according to Downdetector.com. Users attempting to use the platform encountered issues logging in, refreshing their feeds, and posting updates, as complaints surged on the tracking website.

Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Geneva for talks as IRGC begins live-fire drills near Strait of Hormuz

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Geneva for a second round of nuclear talks with the U.S. and technical discussions with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) amid heightened tensions in the Persian Gulf, as Washington has sent a second aircraft carrier to the region, threatening to use force against the Islamic Republic if diplomacy fails.

3 killed, including suspect, in shooting at hockey rink in U.S.’s Rhode Island

Authorities said three people were killed, including the suspect, at a shooting at a Rhode Island hockey rink on Monday (February 16, 2026) afternoon. Pawtucket Chief Tina Goncalves told reporters that three other victims are hospitalised in critical condition. Authorities said they believe the shooting was a targeted attack stemming from a family dispute.

‘Godfather’ and ‘Apocalypse Now’ actor Robert Duvall dead at 95

Robert Duvall, who played the smooth mafia lawyer in “The Godfather” and stole the show with his depiction of a surfing-crazed colonel in “Apocalypse Now,” has died at the age of 95, his wife said Monday (February 16, 2026). His death Sunday (February 15, 2026) was confirmed by his wife Luciana Duvall.

AI Summit draws massive turnout on day one

After months of promotion as India’s flagship artificial intelligence event, the five-day AI Impact Summit was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday (February 16, 2026), drawing overwhelming crowds and packing Bharat Mandapam to capacity as thousands thronged the venue.

India’s January trade deficit widens before U.S. tariff relief kicks in

India’s merchandise trade deficit widened to a three-month high of $34.68 billion in January, marking the final month impacted by around 50% U.S. tariff on Indian exports, ‌which government officials said will be pared to 18% this week. The wider-than-expected goods trade deficit was driven by a sharp rise ‌in gold and silver imports, which pushed up total imports by ‌12% ⁠month-on-month to $71.24 billion, while exports fell 5% to $36.56 billion, data ⁠from the commerce ministry showed on Monday (February 16, 2026).

Supreme Court allows Abu Salem to withdraw appeal on remission

The Supreme Court on Monday (February 16, 2026) allowed convicted gangster Abu Salem to withdraw his appeal for remission on the ground that he has completed a quarter of a century behind bars in India. Salem, a convict in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, was extradited from Portugal on November 11, 2005, after a prolonged legal battle. He has argued that his sentence could not exceed 25 years as per the assurance given by India to Portugal for his extradition.

NGT clears Great Nicobar Island mega-infrastructure project, cites ‘strategic importance’

A Bench of the National Green Tribunal on Monday (February 16, 2026) cleared the way for the ₹92,000 crore Great Nicobar Island mega-infrastructure project, noting that “considering the strategic importance” of it and “other relevant considerations”, “we do not find any good ground to interfere”. It disposed of applications related to the Environment Clearance (EC) for the project, with a direction to authorities “to ensure full and strict compliance of EC conditions”. The Bench was hearing a batch of applications related to the EC granted for the project in 2022. While hearing this challenge to the EC, the NGT in 2023 called for the formation of a High-Powered Committee to address certain issues related to the protection of coral colonies, nesting sites of leatherback turtles, and parts of the project allegedly falling within ecologically protected zones.

PM Modi to visit Israel on Feb. 25-26, to address Israeli Knesset

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will travel to Israel on a two-day visit from February 25 to 26, sources said on Monday (February 16, 2026). Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu first broke news of Mr Modi’s visit while addressing the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organisations on Sunday (February 15).  “Parliament address on the anvil. Who’s coming here next week? Narendra Modi,” Mr. Netanyahu told the gathering. “Tremendous alliance between Israel and India, and we are going to discuss all sorts of cooperation. Now, you know, India is not a small country. It has 1.4 billion people. India is enormously powerful, enormously popular,” he stressed.

Odisha caste row ends; children return to anganwadi centre, consume food cooked by Dalit employee

A three-month-long caste row at an anganwadi centre in a village in Odisha’s Kendrapara district ended on Monday (February 16, 2026) as children from upper caste families returned to the facility and consumed food cooked by a Dalit woman helper. Of the 20 children on the roll, 16 came to the anganwadi centre in Nuagaon village under Ghalimala gram panchayat with their parents and ate the food cooked by the helper, with the absentees reporting ill. The anganwadi centre remained shut since November 21 last year, following the appointment of Sharmistha Sethy, a Dalit woman, as a helper, with several upper caste families refusing to send their wards to the facility or even accept nutritious food items supplied by the government for pregnant women and lactating mothers.

Iran meets U.N. nuclear watchdog in Geneva ahead of a second round of U.S. talks

Iran’s top diplomat met with the head of the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency on Monday (February 16, 2026), ahead of a second round of negotiations with the United States over Tehran’s nuclear program. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and said he would also meet with Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi of Oman, which is hosting the U.S.-Iran talks in Geneva on Tuesday (February 16). “I am in Geneva with real ideas to achieve a fair and equitable deal,” Mr. Araghchi wrote on X. “What is not on the table: submission before threats,” he added.

Israeli approval of West Bank land registration draws outrage

Israel’s government has approved a process to register land in the West Bank as “state property”, drawing condemnation from Arab nations and critics who said it would accelerate annexation of the Palestinian territory. Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the measure, approved late on Sunday (February 15, 2026), would enable “transparent and thorough clarification of rights to resolve legal disputes” and was needed after unlawful land registration in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority. But Egypt, Qatar and Jordan criticised the move as illegal under international law. In a statement, the Egyptian government called it a “dangerous escalation aimed at consolidating Israeli control over the occupied Palestinian territories”.

Mandatory to appear in first board exam for Class 10 students: CBSE on two board exams policy

The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has clarified that it is mandatory for Class 10 students to appear in the first board exam, and those who do not attempt at least three subjects in the first edition will be placed in the “essential repeat” category, officials said. CBSE is starting with two board exams for Class 10 from 2026. The clarification by board comes after it received a few requests stating that, because of some reasons, Class 10 students will not be able to appear in the first board exam, hence should be allowed to appear in second board exam.

A fireworks store explosion in China kills 8 ahead of Lunar New Year

An explosion and fire at a fireworks shop in eastern China have killed eight people and left two others with minor burns ahead of the Lunar New Year, authorities said. The Sunday (February 15, 2026) afternoon blast in a village in Jiangsu province was caused by a resident setting off fireworks improperly near the store, the Donghai county government said in a statement. It did not provide further details on what happened. Setting off firecrackers at midnight on the Lunar New Year is a tradition in China, but many places have banned fireworks in recent years, at least in part because of air pollution.

China grants Canada, U.K. visa-free entry, raising total to 79 countries

British and Canadian citizens can enter China without a visa starting from Tuesday (February 17, 2026), bringing to 79 the number of countries granted visa-free access in a bid to boost tourism and business. China has expanded eligibility for the programme significantly in the last two years. Visitors can stay for up to 30 days for business, tourism, exchange programmes and to visit family and friends. Most Europeans qualify for visa-free entry, along with some from select countries in other regions including Latin America, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.