A second round of indirect nuclear talks between the United States and Iran began in Geneva on Tuesday, with Oman acting as mediator. The discussions focus on Iran’s nuclear programme and possible relief from US economic sanctions. President Donald Trump said he believes Iran wants a deal and warned of consequences if talks fail. “I hope they’re going to be more reasonable,” he told reporters. Iran’s foreign ministry said the US position has become “more realistic”. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said he wants a fair agreement but added that “submission before threats” is not acceptable. The talks come as both sides increase military presence in the region. (PC: BBC)

Delhi University has banned public meetings and protests on campus for one month after clashes linked to new UGC anti-caste discrimination rules. The order followed recent demonstrations that turned violent and led to cross-police cases. The rules require equity panels and helplines in colleges, but some groups say the definition of caste bias is unclear. The Supreme Court has stayed the 2026 rules for now and said there is “complete vagueness” and risk of misuse. Student groups and teachers have questioned the protest ban. The vice-chancellor urged calm and said “social harmony is the greatest thing” and asked students to await the court’s decision. (PC: HT)

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)

Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, met Narendra Modi in Mumbai during his three-day visit to India. The talks focused on artificial intelligence cooperation and a possible major Dassault Rafale fighter jet deal. Officials said both sides reviewed progress in the India–France strategic partnership. They discussed expanding ties in new and future technology sectors. Macron is visiting at Modi’s invitation to attend the AI Impact Summit. The Prime Minister’s Office said the leaders will also exchange views on regional and global issues. A proposal to buy 114 more Rafale jets is expected to be discussed. (PC: NDTV)

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.”

Fourteen former international cricket captains, including Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, have written to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif asking for urgent medical care for jailed former PM and World Cup-winning captain Imran Khan. The letter cites reports about his falling health and vision problems in custody. The group asked for “immediate, adequate and ongoing medical attention” and humane jail conditions. They also sought regular family visits and fair legal access. Other signatories include Greg Chappell, Steve Waugh and Clive Lloyd. No former Pakistan captain has signed the joint appeal. (PC: X)

Adani Group will invest $100 billion by 2035 to build green, AI-ready data centres in India. The company said the move will create a sovereign AI backbone. It expects the investment to attract another $150 billion in related sectors. These include servers, cloud platforms and semiconductor systems. Together, this could build a $250 billion AI ecosystem. The group plans to expand its data centre capacity from 2 GW to 5 GW. It has partnered with Google in Visakhapatnam and Microsoft in Noida, Hyderabad and Pune. Shares of Adani Enterprises rose after the announcement.

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)