Today News Headlines for School Assembly, February 19, 2026: Rajya Sabha elections on March 16, increase in encounters in Punjab

Today’s News Headlines for School Assembly, February 19, 2026: Here are the news headlines for school assembly on February 19. Key updates include the elevation of India–France ties to a Special Global Strategic Partnership and the announcement of Rajya Sabha elections on March 16. Internationally, Japan’s Prime Minister has been reappointed, while Iran has outlined its diplomatic stance amid US tensions. ## National News India and France have elevated their bilateral relationship to a higher level of cooperation, marking a significant diplomatic milestone. The development formalises the India–France Special Global Strategic Partnership, expanding collaboration across defence, technology, and global governance. Punjab police had recorded as many as 324 encounters with gangsters, resulting in the death of 24 and the arrest of 515. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami of the BJP and his predecessor Harish Rawat of the Congress ignored rules and the advice of their own officials to approve 227 ad hoc appointments in the Vidhan Sabha Secretariat between 2016 and 2022, file notings reviewed by The Indian Express show. The Election Commission has announced that Rajya Sabha elections for vacant seats across 10 states will be held on March 16. The schedule has been officially notified under the Rajya Sabha elections on March 16 across 10 states. ## World News Sanae Takaichi has been reappointed as Japan’s Prime Minister and is expected to outline key policy priorities in the coming days. Her continuation in office comes amid domestic and regional challenges following the reappointment of Sanae Takaichi as Japan’s Prime Minister. The French authorities have launched an investigation into allegations of human trafficking and financial fraud among contacts with deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after the US Justice Department released millions of files of the disgraced financier’s activities. Iran has set out guiding principles in response to recent remarks by US leaders, signalling firm positions on strategic and diplomatic red lines. The statement follows heightened discussions surrounding Iran’s guiding principles amid US tensions. ## Sports News The UAE cricket team, led by Dhruv Parashar’s pace attack, faced a tough outing against South Africa in the T20 World Cup. The match reflected growing competitiveness at the global stage during the UAE vs South Africa T20 World Cup clash. Jammu and Kashmir have scripted history by reaching their maiden Ranji Trophy final, marking a landmark achievement in domestic cricket. The milestone came after a strong performance in the Jammu and Kashmir’s first-ever Ranji Trophy final. ## Business News The Director of IIT Madras has emphasised the institution’s commitment to developing responsible and people-centric artificial intelligence solutions. The remarks were made during discussions on safe and trusted AI initiatives at IIT Madras. The government is working on a UPI-like artificial intelligence service for MSMEs on a common digital platform, aiming to streamline access to AI tools for small businesses. The proposal was outlined under the UPI-like AI service for MSMEs on a common platform ## Education News IIM Ranchi, in collaboration with Masai, has launched an executive programme focused on business analytics and artificial intelligence. The new course aims to strengthen industry-ready skills under the IIM Ranchi–Masai Executive Programme in Business Analytics and AI. OpenAI has partnered with seven Indian institutes, including IIT Delhi and leading IIMs, to advance research and collaboration in artificial intelligence. The initiative is detailed under the OpenAI partnership with seven Indian institutes including IIT Delhi and IIM Ahmedabad.