Morning Digest: Tarique Rahman to be sworn in as Bangladesh PM today; AI Summit draws massive turnout on day one, and more

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On February 4, President’s Rule was revoked in Manipur and a new Chief Minister, Yumnam Khemchand Singh, was sworn in, along with two deputies — Losii Dikho, a Naga, and Nemcha Kipgen, a Kuki-Zo.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).

With Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, Jammu and Kashmir plans to harness river waters

The Jammu & Kashmir government is mulling to take advantage of the suspended Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) by diverting, for the first time, water from the Ravi river in Punjab to the Jammu region, and pushing for the revival of the Tulbul Navigation Barrage project in the Kashmir region.

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.

Published – February 17, 2026 06:43 am IST