Tarique Rahman was sworn in as Bangladesh's new prime minister following the Bangladesh Nationalist Party's landslide victory in the national elections. The swearing-in ceremony, administered by President Mohammed Shahabuddin, took place at the south plaza of the parliament building in Dhaka on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, evening.
Rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah's Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) is poised to form the next government in Nepal after a decisive victory in the general election, significantly impacting established political parties.
'The entire US ecosystem built over decades at the bases in the Gulf region, especially the UAE, costing trillions of dollars have been decimated, dealing a mortal blow to the US Central Command's war capability,' points out Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
The 16th Finance Commission, led by Arvind Panagariya, has recommended maintaining the states' share in central taxes at 41% for the five-year period starting April 1, 2026. The government has accepted this recommendation, with Rs 1.4 lakh crore allocated to states for FY 2026-27 as Finance Commission Grants.
Nagaland Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla announced the state government's plans to form an interim council for the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA) and highlighted key achievements and future priorities across various sectors during the Budget Session.
Shashi Tharoor met Priyanka Chopra over the weekend, and won the Internet over.
When missiles fly in this region, they are never just aimed at military targets.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being 'anti-farmer' and 'selling' the country through the India-US interim trade deal, vowing to stand strongly with farmers.
BJP's women MPs have requested Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to take strict action against opposition MPs for disruptive behavior in Parliament, including protests that prevented Prime Minister Modi from addressing the House.
The Congress recalled that on June 10, 2004, then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was prevented by the BJP from speaking on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address.
Prince Andrew vacates his Royal Lodge residence as scrutiny over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein intensifies. UK police investigate new information, while a former UK ambassador faces investigation over his relationship with the convicted sex offender.
What we are watching is something different: A fog manufactured and maintained by the people who started the war, so that the question of why it was started never has to be answered, observes Prem Panicker in his must read blog on the war in the Middle East.
Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja met Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Parliament House in New Delhi, calling it a moment of pride and inspiration.
Bharatiya Janata Party national President Nitin Nabin-- whom Prime Minister Narendra Modi called his 'boss' -- made his debut at the National Democratic Alliance Parliamentary Party meeting at the GMC Balayogi auditorium in the Parliament library building, New Delhi, on Tuesday, February 3, 2026.
The absence of NCP-SP leaders from a key Maha Vikas Aghadi meeting in Maharashtra has ignited concerns about opposition unity ahead of the crucial budget session and upcoming Rajya Sabha elections.
'To suddenly give the impression of taking a position that is hostile to Iran, or, at least, not friendly to Iran, is not a good thing.'
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Israel to enhance defence and trade cooperation amid Middle East tensions. Discussions will include defence, security, and the situation in Gaza.
We know what Mrs Sitharaman and Mr Chaudhary (who may soon be moving out of the finance ministry to head to Lucknow to take charge as president of the Bharatiya Janata Party's Uttar Pradesh unit) look like, but who are the others in these photographs?
Israel and the United States had a plan. Iran punched back. And now the Gulf is reeling, the world is beginning to feel the pain and, as on date, no one in Washington or Tel Aviv appears willing to admit that the punch has landed, notes Prem Panicker, continuing his must-read blog on the war in the Middle East.
The Supreme Court refused to entertain a PIL seeking to prevent discrimination and violence against citizens from the northeast and other regions, stating that identifying persons on grounds of race, region, sex, and caste would be a regressive step.
'Strikes into the Gulf countries are proof that the security guarantees offered by the US are ineffective and that the Gulf countries cannot rely on American security assurances for their safety.'
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor met with party president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi amid reports of discontent, stating that he is on the 'same page' with the leadership.
'The people of Bangladesh have voted for a party that represents political interest.'
'It is a pro-Liberation party and it believes in the spirit of 1971, as opposed to the Jamaat-e-Islami, which was opposed to the Liberation struggle of Bangladesh in 1971.'
The Budget session of Parliament will be held from January 28 to April 2, featuring the President's address, the Economic Survey, and the presentation of the general Budget.
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri attended the swearing-in ceremony.
The Supreme Court has announced it will begin final hearings on May 5 regarding the constitutional validity of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA), with over 200 petitions challenging the law.
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has removed Indian-origin Workers' Party chief Pritam Singh as Leader of the Opposition (LoP), and asked the opposition party to nominate another Member of Parliament (MP) to fill the position following Singh's conviction for lying to a parliamentary committee.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present the general budget in Parliament on February 1. The Budget session of Parliament begins on January 28 with President Droupadi Murmu addressing both houses.
The Congress party has accused the government of stifling opposition voices in the Lok Sabha, alleging that opposition leaders are not being allowed to express their views while the government side faces no such restrictions.
President Droupadi Murmu addressed Parliament, urging unity on national issues like 'Viksit Bharat', swadeshi, and national security. She highlighted government initiatives and the nation's progress.
The statement suggests that Canadian authorities do not see ongoing foreign interference or violent activity tied to India at present.
The opposition has submitted a notice for a resolution to remove Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, citing disallowed speeches and MP suspensions.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed a six-month foreign asset disclosure scheme for small taxpayers like students, tech professionals and relocated NRIs as she presented the Union Budget 2026-27.
Supreme Court judge Justice Ujjal Bhuyan asserts the independence of the judiciary and its importance in upholding the Constitution, emphasizing that the government has no role in the transfer of judges.
The man, identified as Rama, hails from Uttar Pradesh and appears to be "mentally incoherent".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to visit India, conveying his best wishes to the newly sworn-in leader.
The prime minister is now expected to speak on Thursday in the Rajya Sabha, where the debate on the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address has taken place without any disruption.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi has written to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, protesting being disallowed from speaking on a matter of national security, calling it a 'blot' on democracy.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi buckled under United States pressure to finalise a trade deal and 'sold off' the hard work of Indian farmers through the agreement.
BNP chairman Tarique Rahman called for maintaining law and order and sought cooperation in building a safe and humane Bangladesh after his party's victory in parliamentary elections.
