Trump signs 10% global tariff after stinging U.S Supreme Court rebuke

President Donald Trump on Friday (February 20, 2026) to signed a 10% tariff ‘on all Countries’ after the Supreme Court handed him a stinging rebuke by striking down his signature economic policy. The conservative-majority top court ruled six-three that a 1977 law known as the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) Mr. Trump has relied on “does not authorize the president to impose tariffs.”

Amid SIR exercise, Home Ministry notifies another panel to clear pending CAA applications in West Bengal

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday (February 20, 2026) notified another empowered committee comprising Census, postal and Intelligence Bureau (IB) officials in West Bengal to fast-track hundreds of pending citizenship applications under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) amid the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the State.

Supreme Court asks judicial officers to be deployed for West Bengal SIR

The Supreme Court on Friday (February 20, 2026) took an “extraordinary” decision to involve the judiciary in the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, saying the persistent “trust deficit” between the Mamata Banerjee government and the Election Commission (EC) has led to a “stalemate”, with time running out.

India participated as an ‘observer’ in Board of Peace meeting: MEA

A day after an Indian diplomat participated in the first meeting of the Board of Peace for Gaza in Washington D.C., the External Affairs Ministry said India was there as an “observer”. In addition, the official spokesperson of the Ministry, Randhir Jaiswal, reiterated India’s position on the Palestinian issue and said India stood for a “sovereign, independent, and viable State of Palestine based on 1967 borders”.

Gujarat to amend marriage registration rules, cites ‘misuse’ of existing norms

The Gujarat government on Friday (February 20, 2026) announced that it will amend the rules under the Gujarat Registration of Marriages Act, stating that the move is intended to plug procedural loopholes and prevent alleged misuse of the existing system.

U.P. court sentences ex-junior engineer, wife to death for sexual exploitation of 33 children

A special court in Uttar Pradesh’s Banda on Friday (February 20, 2026) sentenced a former junior engineer of the state’s Irrigation Department and his wife to death for the sexual exploitation of 33 minor boys — some as young as three — over a decade, officials said.

U.K. government considers removing former prince Andrew from line of succession amid Epstein row

The British government on Friday (February 20, 2026) mulled passing a law to remove former prince Andrew from the line of succession, as police stepped up investigations into his conduct, quizzing the disgraced royal’s former protection officers. Amid a torrent of often tawdry revelations from the files of late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, King Charles III has already stripped his younger brother of all his titles and ousted him from his home in Windsor.

Modi holds talks with top leaders of Mauritius, Sri Lanka, and Slovakia

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday (February 20, 2026) held talks with top leaders of Mauritius, Sri Lanka and Slovakia with a focus on shoring up bilateral cooperation in trade and technology sectors. He also held a meeting with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and discussed how the global body can play a “constructive role” in making use of artificial intelligence inclusive.

SC directs assignment of judicial officers to complete SIR in West Bengal, calls it an ‘extraordinary situation’

A Supreme Court Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N.V. Anjaria on Friday (February 20, 2026) ordered Calcutta High Court to depute current and former judicial officers to help with the SIR process in the State. The Supreme Court also sought a status report on alleged incidents of violence in the State. The top court also ordered the Election Commission to publish the processed list of electoral rolls on February 28.

India signs agreement to join U.S.-led coalition Pax Silica

India on Friday (February 20, 2026) signed agreement to join U.S.-led coalition Pax Silica — that is aimed at building a resilient supply chain for critical minerals and artificial intelligence. The signing ceremony was attended by Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and U.S. Envoy to India Sergio Gor among others. “Pax Silica is a declaration that future belongs to those who build and when free people join forces,” U.S .Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Jacob Helberg said.

India-U.S. interim trade pact likely to be operationalised in April, says Piyush Goyal

An interim trade agreement between India and the U.S. is likely to be signed in March and operationalised in April, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday (February 20, 2026). Further, India’s free trade agreements (FTAs) with the U.K. and Oman are likely to be implemented in April, while the pact with New Zealand may come into force in September, Mr. Goyal said, adding that the 27-nation European Union also wants to implement the trade deal as early as possible.

Classmate who does no work, but shows up to take all credit: Congress’ dig at PM over UPI

A day after French President Emmanuel Macron lauded India’s UPI architecture, the Congress on Friday (February 20, 2026) said its initial conception happened under the UPA government in 2012-2013 and likened Prime Minister Narendra Modi to a student in a group project who doesn’t work, but shows up to take all the credit. The Opposition party said that bereft of the capacity to come up with groundbreaking ideas, Mr. Modi is happy cutting ribbons, “blabbering ludicrous acronyms”, cursing the Congress and “stealing credit”.

Petitions filed to use top court as platform to ‘embarrass’ States ahead of polls, says SC

Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Friday (February 20, 2026) deprecated the tendency of filing petitions to use the Supreme Court as a platform to “embarrass” State governments ahead of Assembly elections. The Chief Justice, heading a three-judge Bench, said petitions filed by private parties and NGOs are designed to put State governments in a tight spot. In the process, the petitioners drag the Supreme Court into the political pell-mell.

U.S. negotiating with India on Venezuelan oil sale to help diversity its sources, Envoy Sergio Gor says

The United States is in “active ​negotiation” over the sale of Venezuelan oil to India, to ⁠help India diversify its sources of crude oil, U.S. Envoy Sergio Gor said on Friday (February 20, 2026). The U.S. has made diversification away from Russian crude a condition for cutting tariffs ‌on goods imported from Indian, the world’s third-biggest oil importer and consumer.

Police continue to search Mountbatten-Windsor’s former stately home, day after his arrest

Police continued on Friday (February 20, 2026) to search the former home of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, a day after the former prince was held in custody for the best part of 11 hours on suspicion of misconduct in public office linked to his friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Following one of the most tumultuous days in the modern history of Britain’s royal family, the former Prince Andrew is back at his new home on the Sandringham estate, King Charles III’s private retreat, which is around 115 miles (185 kilometres) north of London.

Supreme Court rejects plea for ban on naming mosques after Babur

The Supreme Court on Friday (February 20, 2026) dismissed a petition seeking a ban on naming mosques after the first Mughal emperor Babur. A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta rejected a plea by Devki Nandan Pandey, a petitioner-in-person from Uttar Pradesh, who sought a blanket judicial restraint on naming mosques after Babur or using the nomenclature ‘Babri Masjid’.

Florida airport to be renamed after U.S. President Donald Trump

An airport in Florida will soon be renamed after U.S. President Donald Trump, after a bill proposing the change was approved by the state’s legislature on Thursday (February 19, 2026). Mr. Trump, a real estate mogul who has plastered his name on buildings around the world, has sought to leave his mark on the country in an unprecedented image and building campaign.