Bangladesh ramps up security for February 12 national elections, the first since the 2024 uprising that ousted Sheikh Hasina.



Election Preparation in Full Swing, Security Beefed Up Ahead of Polls in Bangladesh 

An 18-year-old gunman stormed Patongprathankiriwat School in Hat Yai, Songkhla Province, southern Thailand, firing shots and taking students and teachers hostage, injuring at least three. Police swiftly apprehended him after a tense standoff, with Deputy Superintendent Wichian Soboon confirming all captives freed.


Gunman Storms Thai School, Several Injured in Hostage Crisis

Foreign brands like iPhone, Starbucks, and Uniqlo maintain strong appeal in China, with sales resilient amid "guochao" (national pride) campaigns. Data shows younger urban consumers prioritize quality, innovation, and status over origin, shrugging off rhetoric urging local buys.



China Shoppers Snub Nationalism for Foreign Brands

Tunisia trials Wayout's Zigofiltre, affordable steel meshes fitted in urban drains to capture plastics, bottles, and microplastics before sea entry.



Tunisia Tests Cheap Drain Filters vs Plastic Pollution

A gunman attacked Patongprathankiriwat School in Songkhla's Hat Yai district, injuring at least three amid fears of higher casualties, per Thai media and Xinhua reports. Deputy Superintendent Wichian Soboon confirmed the suspect's custody after he stormed the premises Wednesday afternoon, holding students and teachers hostage.



Breaking: Thailand Shooting: Gunman Storms Thai School, Multiple Feared Dead |

New York City authorities removed a large Pride flag from the Stonewall National Monument, sparking immediate outrage among LGBTQ+ activists who gathered for protests at the site. The takedown, ordered amid routine maintenance ahead of winter, was seen as erasing queer history from the iconic 1969 riot birthplace.


New York: Pride Flag Ripped from Stonewall Monument Sparks Fury

DMK has constituted a high-level committee to negotiate seat allocations with allies ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, expected in April-May. Led by party veterans, the panel aims to formalise the INDIA bloc pact covering 234 seats, building on their 2021 sweep.


DMK Forms Seat-Sharing Committee for TN 2026 Polls

India's Supreme Court sharply criticized major banks for failing to detect suspicious transactions in scams totaling ₹58,000 crore ($7 billion), questioning why systems like UPI frauds went unflagged despite RBI alerts. Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna highlighted systemic lapses allowing cyber frauds to surge, with over 10 lakh victims last year alone.


Supreme Court Slams Banks on  $7 BN  Scam Losses 

The Pentagon announced deployment of 2,500 US forces to Iraq and Syria amid heightened ISIS threats targeting Christian minorities, following President Trump's explicit call to prevent "Christian genocide" in the region. Troops will prioritize technical guidance, intelligence sharing, and training local forces rather than direct combat roles to minimize risks.


U.S. Deploys Troops to Counter ISIS Genocide Threats 

The recent US-Bangladesh trade agreement grants zero reciprocal tariffs on Bangladeshi textiles made with US cotton, halving India's prior 2% tariff edge (now 18% vs. Bangladesh's 19% reduced rate). 

India's Textile Edge Slips on US-Bangladesh Tariff Pact

A 32-year-old labourer, from Bihar's Samastipur, died after falling into a 14-foot-deep open sewer manhole in Begumpur, Rohini Sector 32, near Mahashakti Kali Temple. This marks the second such death in Delhi within two weeks, following a 25-year-old motorcyclist's fall into a 15-foot pit in Janakpuri on February 6, fueling outrage over open drains citywide.


Rohini: 32-Year-Old Labourer Dies in Open Drain

A report reveals Google provided US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) with data on student journalists amid a visa investigation, triggered by an agency legal request under valid subpoenas. The handover involved location, search, and communication records of international students at universities, raising privacy alarms despite compliance with law.

Google Hands Student Data to ICE in Immigration Probe

A Lancet Regional Health study warns that HbA1c tests, the "gold standard" for diabetes, often fail in India due to anemia, thalassemia, sickle cell disease, and G6PD deficiency, which alter red blood cell lifespan and skew readings.


Lancet Flags HbA1c Flaws in Indian Diabetes Diagnosis

India opener Abhishek Sharma has been admitted to a Delhi hospital with a stomach infection ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 match against Namibia on February 12 at Arun Jaitley Stadium. 

T20 WC: Abhishek Sharma Hospitalised Ahead of India-Namibia Clash

A 32-year-old labourer, from Bihar's Samastipur, died after falling into a 14-foot-deep open sewer manhole in Begumpur, Rohini Sector 32, near Mahashakti Kali Temple. Friends stated he was inebriated around 7:30 PM on February 9, lost balance while walking back to their jhuggi.


Man Falls Drunk Into Begumpur Open Drain, Dies; 2nd Death In 2 weeks 

Trump's Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick faces bipartisan calls to resign after admitting to a family lunch on Jeffrey Epstein's island in 2012, contradicting his prior claim of cutting ties post-2005. Newly unredacted Justice Department Epstein files reveal deeper business links, prompting Democrats like Adam Schiff and Republicans like Thomas Massie to demand his ouster.



Trump's Commerce Sec Lutnick Grilled Over Epstein Island Lunch

Iran's ballistic missile program tops the agenda for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's meeting with President Donald Trump today at the White House, amid concerns over Tehran's rapid expansion post-2025 strikes on its nuclear sites. Netanyahu plans to brief Trump on military options, including potential US involvement in strikes if the program poses an immediate threat to Israel.


U.S.-Iran: Netanyahu to discuss potential Iran strikes with Trump

The United States and India have taken a significant step in their economic partnership by introducing an interim reciprocal trade framework. This agreement is designed to boost bilateral trade, resolve tariff issues, and enhance market access between the two leading global economies.


US-India Trade Deal Moves Forward with Interim Reciprocal Framework

US Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday visited Azerbaijan, arriving from Armenia as part of a regional trip aimed at consolidating a US-brokered peace process between the Caucasus neighbours.


US-Azerbaijan Ties: US VP Vance on Peace Bid in Azerbaijan After Armenia Visit

Amid backchannel diplomacy with Tehran, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened that he may send a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East, even as Washington moves towards another round of negotiations to prevent conflict.

US-Iran Tensions: Trump Weighs Sending 2nd Aircraft Carrier to Middle East if Iran Talks Fail 

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa expressed his country’s support for efforts to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict during a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday.

“President Ramaphosa and President Putin pledged their support to the process of returning South Africans fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine,” the office said.

Putin-Ramaphosa Talks: South Africa Backs Peace Efforts, Ukraine Fighters Discussed

The United States is planning to send about 200 troops to Nigeria to train the African nation's military to fight Islamist militants, a U.S. official said on Tuesday, weeks after President Donald Trump ordered airstrikes against what he called Islamic State targets.


US to Send 200 Troops to Nigeria to Train African Nation's Military 

Ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu elections, the DMK has formed a key committee to negotiate seat-sharing arrangements with its alliance partners. The party aims to strengthen its coalition strategy and ensure coordinated campaigning across constituencies. Political analysts say these negotiations could shape the dynamics of the upcoming state elections as parties finalize their electoral strategies.


Tamil Nadu Elections 2026: DMK Forms Key Committee to Negotiate Seats with Allies

BJP legislators staged a walkout from the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in Jammu as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah entered the House. BJP MLAs were seen raising slogans, accusing the government of being “unparliamentary”.

The protest comes as BJP members demand an apology from the Chief Minister over remarks made during the previous day’s proceedings. The developments follow repeated disruptions in the Assembly during Omar Abdullah’s speech, which led to sharp exchanges between treasury and opposition benches. The House witnessed noisy scenes as the standoff escalated.

J&K Assembly: BJP MLAs Walk Out as Omar Abdullah Enters House Amid Uproar

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