Five days after Bangladesh's parliamentary elections, Tarique Rahman, chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) was officially sworn in as the country's new Prime Minister on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, in Dhaka. Bangladesh President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath to Rahman alongside a formidable 49-member cabinet, comprising twenty-five cabinet ministers and twenty-four ministers of state, all sworn in during the same ceremony. Rahman's ascension to power marks a defining political turning point for Bangladesh, ending a prolonged period of political uncertainty that followed the fall of the previous government. As BNP chairman, his leadership will be closely watched both domestically and regionally, particularly regarding Bangladesh's foreign policy direction with India, China, and Western partners.

As US-Iran indirect nuclear talks opened in Geneva on Tuesday, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued a direct challenge to President Donald Trump warning that even "the strongest military force in the world" could be struck so hard it "cannot get up again." Khamenei openly dared Washington to eliminate the Islamic Republic, calling 47 years of failed attempts "a good confession." Meanwhile, Trump signalled indirect involvement in negotiations mediated by Oman, deploying a second aircraft carrier to the region as military pressure. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi arrived in Geneva seeking a "fair deal" firmly ruling out zero enrichment, missile programme discussions, or any submission under threat. Parts of the Strait of Hormuz were simultaneously closed for IRGC military drills.

BBC Verify has confirmed a significant overnight US military deployment as two E-3 Sentry AWACS surveillance aircraft flew from Alaska to RAF Mildenhall in the UK overnight ahead of a potential US strike on Iran. Analysts describe the moves as the final "puzzle piece" ahead of a potential US strike on Iran. Satellite images have also tracked the USS Abraham Lincoln off the coast of Oman, while the USS Gerald R Ford is reported to be sailing from the Caribbean towards the Gulf. Meanwhile, an Iranian IRGC Shahid Soleimani-class warship has been spotted near Kish Island amid ongoing Gulf military exercises. Domestically, protests have broken out in Abdanan, western Iran, 40 days after a government-led operation in which activists claim more than 6,000 people have been killed, with crowds chanting "Death to Khamenei". (PC: BBC)

Iran conducted live-fire missile drills in the Strait of Hormuz temporarily closing parts of the strategic waterway as indirect nuclear talks between Washington and Tehran concluded in Geneva after nearly three hours. Mediated by Oman, the talks yielded limited progress, with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi confirming both sides agreed on broad "guiding principles" but cautioning no deal was imminent. Supreme Leader Khamenei simultaneously reaffirmed Iran's nuclear enrichment as an undeniable national right, warning against coercive US pressure. Washington insists on curbing Iran's nuclear programme and missile stockpile, while Tehran firmly rejects expanding negotiations beyond nuclear limits and sanctions relief. US President Trump confirmed indirect involvement, expressing cautious optimism.

A six-month-old macaque named Punch has gone viral after videos showed him holding a plush orangutan for comfort at a zoo in Japan. Punch was born in July 2025 and was abandoned by his mother soon after birth. Keepers at Ichikawa City Zoo hand-raised him and gave him blankets and soft toys. He chose the stuffed orangutan and carries it while resting and meeting other monkeys. A post on X said he takes it everywhere and uses it like protection when other young monkeys “scold” him. Punch joined a macaque group in January but still stays close to the toy as he adjusts.

Tarique Rahman was sworn in as Bangladesh’s Prime Minister on Tuesday after his party won a landslide election victory. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party alliance secured 212 of 299 seats in the February 12 polls. President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath to Rahman and his council of ministers. The new government now faces major challenges after months of unrest and political uncertainty. Key tasks include economic recovery and planned constitutional reforms under the July Charter. The Jamaat-e-Islami–led opposition boycotted the swearing-in ceremony and warned of protests. Rahman also faces pressure to reset foreign relations and manage rising political tensions at home. (PC: India Today)

Four candidates from minority communities, including two Hindus, have won seats in Bangladesh’s latest general election. All four were nominated by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which is set to form the government. Goyeshwar Chandra Roy won a Dhaka seat, while Nitai Roy Chowdhury won from Magura. Both defeated Jamaat-e-Islami candidates. Two Buddhist leaders also won from hill districts in the southeast. They are Saching Pru from Bandarban and Dipen Dewan from Rangamati. Officials said 79 minority candidates contested the election across parties and as independents. Hindus make up about eight percent of Bangladesh’s 170 million people. (PC: NDTV)

US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson has died at the age of 84, his family said in a statement on Tuesday. They said he died peacefully in the morning with family members by his side. “Our father was a servant leader — not only to our family, but to the oppressed, the voiceless, and the overlooked around the world,” the statement said. Jackson worked closely with Martin Luther King Jr during the civil rights movement in the 1960s. He later ran twice for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988. Jackson was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2017 and was hospitalised last November with a degenerative neurological condition. (PC: BBC)

Fresh political tension surfaced in Bangladesh during the swearing-in of the Tarique Rahman-led BNP government as Jamaat-e-Islami and the National Citizens Party warned of street protests over the July Charter issue. The dispute centers on a second oath linked to constitutional reforms under the July Charter referendum. BNP MPs took oath as lawmakers but refused to take oath as members of the Constitution Reform Council. Jamaat and NCP had earlier threatened to boycott the ceremony if BNP avoided the reform oath. Later, both parties went ahead and took both oaths. Jamaat leaders alleged election manipulation and post-poll violence, calling the new ruling force “fascist.”

US President Donald Trump said he will be “indirectly” involved in nuclear talks with Iran set to begin in Geneva. Speaking on Air Force One, he called the discussions “very important.” Iran said the meeting will focus on its nuclear programme and possible lifting of US sanctions. Washington also wants to discuss Iran’s missile programme. Trump warned of consequences if no deal is reached. The US has increased its military presence in the Middle East. Iran has also carried out military drills. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said reaching an agreement would be difficult but possible. (PC: Getty Images, Reuters)