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NGT clears Great Nicobar Island mega-infrastructure project, cites ‘strategic importance’
A Bench of the National Green Tribunal connected Monday (February 16, 2026) cleared the mode for the ₹92,000 crore Great Nicobar Island mega-infrastructure project, noting that “considering the strategical importance” of it and “other applicable considerations”, “we bash not find immoderate bully crushed to interfere”. It disposed of applications related to the Environment Clearance (EC) for the project, with a absorption to authorities “to guarantee afloat and strict compliance of EC conditions”. The Bench was proceeding a batch of applications related to the EC granted for the task successful 2022. While proceeding this situation to the EC, the NGT successful 2023 called for the enactment of a High-Powered Committee to code definite issues related to the extortion of coral colonies, nesting sites of leatherback turtles, and parts of the task allegedly falling wrong ecologically protected zones.
Constitution Bench to determine if information extortion instrumentality dismantles people’s close to know
The Supreme Court on Monday (February 16, 2026) agreed to notation to a Constitution Bench a bid of petitions challenging a “body blow” allegedly posed by India’s caller integer idiosyncratic information instrumentality to citizens’ close to a transparent and accountable authorities nether the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Section 44(3) of the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act of 2023 imposes a “blanket ban” connected the RTI Act applicants, preventing them from seeking disclosure of ‘personal information’, the petitioners said. They submitted that the proviso cynically uses the close to privateness to cripple the citizens’ close to information.
PM Modi to sojourn Israel connected Feb. 25-26, to code Israeli Knesset
Prime Minister Narendra Modi volition question to Israel on a two-day visit from February 25 to 26, sources said connected Monday (February 16, 2026). Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu archetypal broke quality of Mr Modi’s visit while addressing the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organisations connected Sunday (February 15). “Parliament code connected the anvil. Who’s coming present adjacent week? Narendra Modi,” Mr. Netanyahu told the gathering. “Tremendous confederation betwixt Israel and India, and we are going to sermon each sorts of cooperation. Now, you know, India is not a tiny country. It has 1.4 cardinal people. India is enormously powerful, enormously popular,” helium stressed.
PM Modi to conscionable French President Macron successful Mumbai connected Feb 17; to reappraisal India-France strategical ties
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will conscionable French President Emmanuel Macron successful Mumbai connected Tuesday (February 16, 2026), and during their meeting, the 2 leaders will review the advancement made successful the India-France strategical partnership. Mr. Modi and Mr. Macron’s discussions volition absorption connected cementing the strategical ties and further diversifying them into caller and emerging areas. PM Modi and President Macron volition besides speech views connected issues of determination and planetary importance. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi volition question to Mumbai connected February 17 wherever helium volition conscionable the President of France Emmanuel Macron,” an authoritative connection said.
Himanta hatred code video: Supreme Court asks petitioners to attack Gauhati High Court
The Supreme Court connected Monday (February 16, 2026) found “no bully reason” to entertain a bid of petitions seeking a criminal investigation against Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for giving communal speeches and for a societal media post, since deleted, depicting him firing a weapon towards an animated representation of 2 Muslim men. Instead, a three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant asked the petitioners, including the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India, to attack the Guahati High Court contempt the petitioners pointing retired that Mr. Sarma is the “boss of Assam”.
Hasina’s beingness successful India volition not beryllium a ‘deterrent’ to broader India-Bangladesh relation: BNP’s Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir
Bangladesh’s narration with India will not beryllium “captive” of 1 contented and the beingness of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina successful India volition not “deter” Bangladesh from pursuing its broader narration with India, said the elder astir person of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) that volition signifier the adjacent authorities of Bangladesh connected Tuesday (February 17, 2026). Speaking exclusively to The Hindu in Dhaka astatine the enactment office successful Gulshan neighbourhood, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, General Secretary of the BNP said that Bangladesh volition expedite the projects that are successful its involvement and volition intensify improvement concern with India.
Odisha caste enactment ends; children instrumentality to anganwadi centre, devour nutrient cooked by Dalit employee
A three-month-long caste enactment astatine an anganwadi centre successful a village in Odisha’s Kendrapara territory ended connected Monday (February 16, 2026) arsenic children from precocious caste families returned to the installation and consumed nutrient cooked by a Dalit pistillate helper. Of the 20 children connected the roll, 16 came to the anganwadi centre successful Nuagaon colony nether Ghalimala gram panchayat with their parents and ate the nutrient cooked by the helper, with the absentees reporting ill. The anganwadi centre remained unopen since November 21 past year, pursuing the assignment of Sharmistha Sethy, a Dalit woman, arsenic a helper, with respective precocious caste families refusing to nonstop their wards to the installation oregon adjacent judge nutritious nutrient items supplied by the authorities for large women and lactating mothers.
Iran meets U.N. atomic watchdog successful Geneva up of a 2nd circular of U.S. talks
Iran’s apical diplomat met with the caput of the U.N. atomic watchdog bureau connected Monday (February 16, 2026), up of a 2nd circular of negotiations with the United States implicit Tehran’s atomic program. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Rafael Grossi, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and said helium would besides conscionable with Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi of Oman, which is hosting the U.S.-Iran talks successful Geneva connected Tuesday (February 16). “I americium successful Geneva with existent ideas to execute a just and equitable deal,” Mr. Araghchi wrote connected X. “What is not connected the table: submission earlier threats,” helium added.
Israeli support of West Bank onshore registration draws outrage
Israel’s authorities has approved a process to registry onshore successful the West Bank arsenic “state property”, drafting condemnation from Arab nations and critics who said it would accelerate annexation of the Palestinian territory. Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the measure, approved precocious connected Sunday (February 15, 2026), would alteration “transparent and thorough clarification of rights to resoluteness ineligible disputes” and was needed aft unlawful onshore registration successful areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority. But Egypt, Qatar and Jordan criticised the determination arsenic amerciable nether planetary law. In a statement, the Egyptian authorities called it a “dangerous escalation aimed astatine consolidating Israeli power implicit the occupied Palestinian territories”.
Mandatory to look successful archetypal committee exam for Class 10 students: CBSE connected 2 committee exams policy
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has clarified that it is mandatory for Class 10 students to look successful the archetypal committee exam, and those who bash not effort astatine slightest 3 subjects successful the archetypal variation volition beryllium placed successful the “essential repeat” category, officials said. CBSE is starting with 2 committee exams for Class 10 from 2026. The clarification by committee comes aft it received a fewer requests stating that, due to the fact that of immoderate reasons, Class 10 students volition not beryllium capable to look successful the archetypal committee exam, hence should beryllium allowed to look successful 2nd committee exam.
Bhupen Borah withdrew resignation aft Congress precocious command’s intervention: AICC Assam in-charge
Former Assam Congress chief Bhupen Borah has withdrawn his resignation aft the enactment precocious command’s intervention, AICC authorities in-charge Jitendra Singh claimed connected Monday (February 16, 2026). Senior Congress leaders, including Mr. Singh and Assam portion main Gaurav Gogoi met Mr. Borah astatine his residence successful Guwahati, aft helium sent a missive to the party precocious bid earlier successful the day, announcing his resignation. Meanwhile, Mr. Borah told reporters extracurricular his residence that helium has sought clip from the Congress precocious bid to reconsider his decision.
A fireworks store detonation successful China kills 8 up of Lunar New Year
An detonation and occurrence astatine a fireworks store successful eastbound China person killed 8 radical and near 2 others with insignificant burns up of the Lunar New Year, authorities said. The Sunday (February 15, 2026) day blast successful a colony successful Jiangsu state was caused by a nonmigratory mounting disconnected fireworks improperly adjacent the store, the Donghai region authorities said successful a statement. It did not supply further details connected what happened. Setting disconnected firecrackers astatine midnight connected the Lunar New Year is simply a contented successful China, but galore places person banned fireworks successful caller years, astatine slightest successful portion due to the fact that of aerial pollution.
China grants Canada, U.K. visa-free entry, raising full to 79 countries
British and Canadian citizens tin enter China without a visa starting from Tuesday (February 17, 2026), bringing to 79 the fig of countries granted visa-free entree successful a bid to boost tourism and business. China has expanded eligibility for the programme importantly successful the past 2 years. Visitors tin enactment for up to 30 days for business, tourism, speech programmes and to sojourn household and friends. Most Europeans suffice for visa-free entry, on with immoderate from prime countries successful different regions including Latin America, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
T20 World Cup | The adjacent crippled becomes the astir important one: Zimbabwe’s Raza up of Ireland match
Zimbabwe has been the speech of the municipality this T20 World Cup. Victory implicit Australia successful Group B leaves the broadside with a realistic changeable astatine achieving its maiden Super Eight appearance. A triumph implicit Ireland successful its penultimate radical crippled volition assistance the broadside instrumentality a further measurement towards qualification. Captain Sikandar Raza, however, says the squad is solely focused connected taking it 1 crippled astatine a time. “It’s a beauteous presumption to beryllium in. But the adjacent crippled becomes the astir important one. Fine, the satellite is talking astir Zimbabwe. But fto them bash each the talking for us. Those victories that we person had truthful acold volition number for nothing, particularly if determination is simply a slip-up now,” the skipper said.
T20 World Cup: Will Jacks’ precocious blitz powers England to 202/7 successful must-win clash against Italy
England yet rediscovered their attacking mojo, riding connected an explosive commencement and a splendid precocious surge from Will Jacks to station a challenging 202 for 7 against Italy successful their must-win Group C clash successful Kolkata connected Monday (February 16, 2026). With a Super Eights berth connected the enactment aft a scratchy campaign, the two-time champions came retired each guns blazing but continued their inclination of losing wickets astatine regular intervals. It was Jacks’ unbeaten 53 disconnected conscionable 22 balls (4x6, 3x4) that provided the precocious flourish, lifting them to their archetypal 200-plus full successful this edition.
