India has detained three oil tankers sanctioned by the United States and linked to Iran near the Mumbai coast, according to a Reuters report citing a source. The vessels were stopped about 100 nautical miles offshore and taken to Mumbai for checks. Officials suspect attempts to hide the origin of oil through ship-to-ship transfers. The source said the ships often changed identity details to avoid tracking. Iran’s state media said the tankers have no link to its national oil company. After the action, authorities increased sea monitoring. Around 55 ships and 10–12 aircraft are now on round-the-clock patrol, the source said. (PC: India Today)

BNP chief Tarique Rahman will take oath as Bangladesh’s Prime Minister on Tuesday after his party’s election win. The ceremony will be held at the South Plaza of the Parliament Complex, not at Bangabhaban. State news agency BSS said the oath for cabinet members is set for 4:00 pm. Members of Parliament will be sworn in earlier at 10:00 am. President Mohammed Shahabuddin will administer the oath. A BNP leader said, “As the leader of the majority party, our party chairman will be the Prime Minister.” Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is expected to attend, along with leaders from Maldives, Turkey and Sri Lanka. (PC: HT)

Veteran Hollywood actor Robert Duvall has died at the age of 95, his wife Luciana Duvall confirmed. He passed away peacefully at home. She said, “Bob passed away peacefully at home” and called him “one of the greatest actors of our time.” Duvall won an Oscar for Best Actor for Tender Mercies and received six other nominations. He was widely known for playing Tom Hagen in The Godfather and Lt. Col. Kilgore in Apocalypse Now. His career lasted over six decades. He worked in lead and supporting roles and also directed films and television projects. 

“Centre and states should publicly reassure that minorities are safe,” said Poola Anthony after becoming president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India. India’s first Dalit Cardinal to lead CBCI spoke about safety and equal rights for minorities. He said violence and intimidation are unacceptable in a democracy. He added that the Church will use legal and constitutional routes to seek justice. “We ask only that the Constitution be upheld equally for all citizens,” he said. He called for quick and fair police action in crime cases. He said Christians are not in panic, but some feel worried after recent incidents. (PC: The Indian Express)

Satellite images show a larger US military presence near Iran, including warships and fighter jets. The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier was located in the Arabian Sea, about 700 km from Iran, near Oman. It leads a strike group with three guided missile destroyers and about 90 aircraft. Reports say the USS Gerald R Ford carrier is also heading to the region. Analysts tracked at least 12 US ships across the Middle East. More F-15 and EA-18 fighter jets were also seen at bases in Jordan. A military expert said the deployment shows “more depth and sustainability” and acts as a deterrent force. (PC: BBC)

Bangladesh interim chief adviser Muhammad Yunus resigned on Monday, a day before the new elected government is set to take charge. He announced his decision in a farewell national broadcast. Yunus said, “Today, the interim government is stepping down,” and urged that democracy and free speech should continue. He confirmed power would pass to the incoming government after the recent election. Tarique Rahman’s BNP won a clear majority with 209 of 297 seats. His oath ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday at the Parliament complex. Yunus returned to lead the interim setup in August 2024 after Sheikh Hasina’s exit from office. (PC: HT)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi opened the India AI Impact Summit 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Monday. He launched the expo and visited many startup stalls on the first day. Officials said he spoke with founders and asked about real use cases of AI tools. The exhibition covers over 70,000 square metres with more than 600 startups and 300 demos. Thirteen countries have set up national AI pavilions. Sessions saw full halls and long queues. One participant said, “Sessions are packed. You have to be there well in advance.” The summit will continue till February 20 with policy and research meetings. (PC: India Today)

Australia moved close to elimination from the T20 World Cup 2026 after Sri Lanka beat them by eight wickets. Pathum Nissanka scored an unbeaten century and led the chase with control. He hit 10 fours and five sixes. Sri Lanka chased 182 in 18 overs. Kusal Mendis added 51 from 38 balls. Pavan Rathnayake stayed not out on 28 off 15. Earlier, Mitchell Marsh and Travis Head scored quick fifties to push Australia to 181. Sri Lanka later bowled them out. Australia now need a big win over Oman and other results to go their way to reach the Super 8 stage. (PC: NDTV)

The Enforcement Directorate has imposed FEMA penalties worth ₹184 crore on NewsClick and its founder Prabir Purkayastha for alleged foreign funding violations. The agency said ₹120 crore was levied on the company and ₹64 crore on Purkayastha. In a statement, the ED said the order followed an adjudication process into foreign direct investment and inward remittances. It alleged that funds were received by “misrepresenting the nature of business activity” and through reporting failures. The ED said the contraventions were “substantial, deliberate, and systemic.” Purkayastha was arrested by Delhi Police in 2023 and is now on bail. NewsClick has earlier denied wrongdoing. (PC: HT)

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Skips Class 10 Exams to Focus on IPL 2026 with Rajasthan Royals Story: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will not appear for his Class 10 board exams this year. The 14-year-old cricketer is focusing on IPL 2026 preparations instead. His coach Manish Ojha confirmed the decision. "He won't be giving the Class X exams. He is currently in Nagpur preparing for the upcoming IPL," Ojha told India Today. Sooryavanshi has joined Rajasthan Royals' pre-season camp. He was Player of the Tournament at the U19 World Cup 2026. He scored 439 runs in seven matches. In the final against England, he smashed 175 runs off 80 balls. His innings included 15 sixes. He hit 30 sixes in the tournament, breaking the previous record of 18. (PC: X)