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Here is the top, trending news of Tuesday, February 17, 2026, including Indian politics, states' politics, geopolitics, federal issues, economics, development issues, sports, entertainment, and so on.
Read updates below.
Live Updates
- 17 Feb 2026 8:23 AM IST
Cong launches ‘Talent Hunt’ to select spokespersons in MP
After the “Sangathan Srijan Abhiyan”, the Congress in Madhya Pradesh has now announced the launch of a “Talent Hunt Programme” to recruit a new batch of party spokespersons.
At a press conference attended by Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari and Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Umang Singhar, along with other senior leaders, it was announced that the campaign would look for spokespersons, research coordinators and publicity coordinators.
The opposition party clarified that the candidates selected through the campaign will be given the opportunity to represent the Congress at the district, division, state and national levels.
Mukesh Nayak, head of the party’s media department in Madhya Pradesh, said 20 state spokespersons, several media panellists and two spokespersons each at the division and district levels will be selected through the campaign.
In addition, two national-level panellists and one dedicated English-media panellist will also be selected, he added.
- 17 Feb 2026 8:21 AM IST
Bangladesh no longer a submissive country: Yunus in farewell address
Outgoing interim government chief Muhammad Yunus on Monday said his 18-month rule restored three core pillars of Bangladesh’s external engagement—“sovereignty, national interests, and dignity”—and it is no longer a “submissive” nation.
In his televised farewell address to the nation a day ahead of quitting power, Yunus said, “Today’s Bangladesh is confident, active, and responsible in protecting its independent interests. Bangladesh is no longer a country with a submissive foreign policy or dependent on the instructions and advice of other countries.”
Yunus’ interim regime began in August 2024 and is set to conclude its unscheduled term with the swearing-in of a new government led by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Tuesday, which won a two-thirds majority in general elections four days ago.
- 17 Feb 2026 8:18 AM IST
Oscar-winning actor Robert Duvall dies at 95
Robert Duvall, the Oscar-winning actor of matchless versatility and dedication whose classic roles included the intrepid consigliere of the first two Godfather movies and the over-the-hill country music singer in Tender Mercies, has died at age 95.
Duvall died “peacefully” at his home Sunday in Middleburg, Virginia, according to an announcement from his publicist and from a statement posted on his Facebook page by his wife, Luciana Duvall.
The bald, wiry Duvall didn’t have leading man looks, but few “character actors” enjoyed such a long, rewarding and unpredictable career, in leading and supporting roles, from an itinerant preacher to Josef Stalin.
Beginning with his 1962 film debut as Boo Radley, the reclusive neighbour in To Kill a Mockingbird, Duvall created a gallery of unforgettable portrayals.
They earned him seven Academy Award nominations and the best actor prize for Tender Mercies, which came out in 1983. He also won four Golden Globes, including one for playing the philosophical cattle-drive boss in the 1989 miniseries Lonesome Dove, a role he often cited as his favourite.
In 2005, Duvall was awarded a National Medal of Arts.
- 17 Feb 2026 7:48 AM IST
AI Summit: What is BODH?
The BODH, developed by the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, in collaboration with the National Health Authority, is a privacy-preserving benchmarking platform that enables rigorous evaluation of AI models using diverse, real-world health data, without sharing underlying datasets, the ministry said.
As a digital public good under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, it is designed to strengthen trust, transparency and quality assurance in health-AI deployment.
Together, the SAHI and the BODH mark a significant step in India's journey towards building a robust, responsible and globally-competitive health-AI ecosystem, the statement said.
- 17 Feb 2026 7:48 AM IST
AI Summit: What is SAHI?
On Tuesday, Union Health Minister JP Nadda will launch two key national initiatives, the Strategy for Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare for India (SAHI) and the Benchmarking Open Data Platform for Health AI (BODH), at the India AI Summit.
The SAHI is a national guidance framework to enable safe, ethical, evidence-based and inclusive adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) across India’s healthcare system.
It aims to provide a strategic direction on governance, data stewardship, validation, deployment and monitoring of AI solutions, while supporting states and institutions in responsible adoption aligned with public health priorities, the health ministry said in a statement on Monday.
- 17 Feb 2026 7:47 AM IST
AI Summit: French defence major to set up R&D centre
French defence major Thales on Monday announced setting up an R&D centre in Bengaluru that will serve as a hub for advanced research, supporting the country’s self-reliance vision.
With this, India has joined the ranks of Thales’ five global corporate laboratories for Research & Technology, alongside those in France, the UK, Canada, and Singapore, it said.
According to company statement, Thales Research & Technology India unveiled during the week of the India AI Impact Summit, will serve as a hub for advanced research, supporting the “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” vision.
The centre will also provide a special emphasis on open innovation in hardware domain, enabling stronger collaborations with start-ups, industry partners and academic research community to develop breakthrough technologies for critical systems, it said.
It will have dedicated team of researchers, including Masters and PhD scholars, the company said, adding that Thales dedicates more than four billion euros globally in R&D every year.
- 17 Feb 2026 7:47 AM IST
What’s on Macron visit agenda?
As he boarded the flight for India, Macron posted on X: “En route to India! Three days from Mumbai to New Delhi to take our strategic partnership even further. On board with me: business leaders and the economic, industrial, cultural and digital players who give real, tangible life to the ties between India and France. Together, we will go even further in our cooperation. See you tomorrow, my dear friend @NarendraModi!”
Modi and Macron’s discussions will focus on cementing the strategic ties and further diversifying them into new and emerging areas.
Both the leaders will also exchange views on issues of regional and global importance. They will review the progress made in the India-France strategic partnership.
This is Macron’s fourth visit to India and his first visit to Mumbai.
On Tuesday afternoon, the two leaders will hold bilateral engagements at Lok Bhavan in South Mumbai. Later, they will inaugurate the India-France Year of Innovation 2026 and address a gathering of business leaders, start-ups, researchers and other innovators from both countries.
Macron is on an official visit to India from February 17 to 19 at the invitation of PM Modi to participate in the AI Impact Summit hosted by India, as well as hold a bilateral summit with the latter in Mumbai.
