A branch of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will help with security for the Winter Olympics in Italy, it confirmed Tuesday, sparking anger and warnings they were not welcome. Reports had been circulating for days that the agency embroiled in an often brutal immigration crackdown in the United States could be involved in US security measures for the February 6-22 Games in northern Italy. In a statement overnight to AFP, ICE said: "At the Olympics, ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is supporting the US Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service and host nation to vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organisations. "All security operations remain under Italian authority." It's not known whether the HSI has in the past been involved in the Olympics, or whether this is a first. According to the ICE website, the HSI investigates global threats, investigating the illegal movement of people, goods, money, contraband, weapons and sensitive technology into, out of, and through the United States. ICE made clear its operations in Italy were separate from the immigration crackdown, which is being carried out by the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) department. "Obviously, ICE does not conduct immigration enforcement operations in foreign countries," it said. The protection of US citizens during Olympic Games overseas is led by the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). Yet the outrage over ICE immigration operations in the United States is shared among many in Italy, following the deaths of two civilians during an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. The leftist mayor of Milan, which is hosting several Olympic events, said ICE was "not welcome". "This is a militia that kills... It's clear that they are not welcome in Milan, there's no doubt about it, Giuseppe Sala told RTL 102.5 radio. "Can't we just say no to (US President Donald) Trump for once?" Alessandro Zan, a member of the European Parliament for the centre-left Democratic Party, condemned it as "unacceptable". "In Italy, we don't want those who trample on human rights and act outside of any democratic control," he wrote on X. Monitoring Vance Italian authorities initially denied the presence of ICE and then sought to downplay any role, suggesting they would help only in security for the US delegation. US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are attending the opening ceremony in Milan on February 6. On Monday, the president of the northern Lombardy region, said their involvement would be limited to monitoring Vance and Rubio. "It will be only in a defensive role, but I am convinced that nothing will happen," Attilio Fontana told reporters. However, his office then issued a statement saying he did not have any specific information on their presence, but was responding to a hypothetical question. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi was quoted as saying late Monday that "ICE, as such, will never operate in Italy". The International Olympic Committee when contacted by AFP about the matter replied: "We kindly refer you to the USOPC (the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee)". Thousands of ICE agents have been deployed by President Donald Trump in various US cities to carry out a crackdown on illegal immigration. Their actions have prompted widespread protests, and the recent killings of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both 37, on the streets of Minneapolis sparked outrage. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
27 January,2026 07:13 PM IST | Italy | AFPNorth Korea fired at least two ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan on Tuesday, Tokyo and Seoul said, a day after a visiting US official hailed Washington's "model ally" in the South. Pyongyang has significantly increased missile testing in recent years, aimed according to analysts at improving precision strike capabilities, challenging Washington as well as Seoul, and testing weapons before exporting them to key ally Russia. The Japanese coast guard, citing the defence ministry, said it had detected two ballistic missiles fired towards the Sea of Japan. Japanese news agency Jiji Press reported the two missiles had landed outside of the country's Exclusive Economic Zone, citing defence ministry sources. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff also said it had detected several ballistic missiles fired by the North towards what Seoul calls the East Sea. The test is Pyongyang's second of the month, following a salvo of missiles fired hours before South Korea's leader headed to China for a summit. It comes a day after a high-level visit to Seoul by the Pentagon's number three official Elbridge Colby, who hailed South Korea as a "model ally". Longstanding treaty allies, ties between the United States and South Korea were forged in the bloodshed of the Korean War. Washington still stations 28,500 troops in South Korea as a deterrent against the nuclear-armed North. Pyongyang routinely denounces Washington and Seoul's joint military drills as rehearsals for invasion. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last month bashed Seoul's push to develop its own nuclear-powered submarines with the United States, calling it a "threat" that "must be countered". 'Heighten tensions' Trump met North Korea's Kim three times during his first term, in efforts to reach a denuclearisation deal. But since a summit in Hanoi fell through over differences about what Pyongyang would get in return for giving up its nuclear weapons, no progress has been made between the two countries. Trump had expressed hopes for a meeting with Kim ahead of a regional summit in South Korea in October, but these went unanswered by the North Korean leader. Pyongyang meanwhile has dispatched thousands of troops to fight for Russia, according to South Korean and Western intelligence agencies, as Moscow presses ahead with its nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine. North Korea is also set to hold a landmark congress of its ruling party in the coming weeks, its first in five years. Ahead of that conclave, Kim ordered the "expansion" and modernisation of the country's missile production. Yang Moo-jin, chair professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, told AFP that "with the party congress approaching, the latest launch appears intended to heighten tensions to reinforce internal discipline and consolidate regime unity." He added that the timing of the launch "may also be a response to Colby's visit" to the peninsula. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
27 January,2026 07:11 PM IST | Seoul, South Korea | AFPGermany is offering a one million euro (USD 1.2 million) reward for information leading to the arrest of suspected far-left militants whose arson attack caused a massive blackout in Berlin, the interior minister said Tuesday. The electricity outage left roughly 45,000 homes and 2,200 businesses without power for nearly a week in the middle of winter in the southwest of the German capital. Police are hunting members of the far-left "Vulkangruppe" (Volcano Group), which claimed responsibility for the early January blackout in several online statements. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt on Tuesday vowed to "strike back". "I think it's appropriate to underscore the seriousness of the situation with a reward of this magnitude," he said. According to Germany's BfV domestic intelligence agency, the group has been active since 2011 and is also believed to be behind a number of arson attacks in and around Berlin. It claimed responsibility for two sabotage attacks targeting a Telsa electric car factory just outside Berlin. Dobrindt said police would launch a publicity campaign to solicit tips and tout the reward, including leaflets and posters in Berlin's subway system. Dobrindt, a conservative ally of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, also vowed to put more resources into fighting "left-wing extremism" more broadly and urged greater police powers to use facial recognition technology and collect digital data. - Critical infrastructure - The outage caused by a fire targeting a set of high-voltage cables starkly revealed gaps in the security of critical infrastructure in the capital at a time when Germany worries about sabotage attacks blamed on Russia. Berlin officials also came under fire over the speed and scope of their response to the blackout, which came during a spell of cold winter weather. For several years, Germany has faced what officials describe as a Russian campaign of sabotage, espionage and disinformation aimed at destabilising the country, a major supplier of military aid to Ukraine and a key NATO logistics hub. Moscow has denied the allegations. Dobrindt on Tuesday promised that this week the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, would adopt a new law aimed at better protecting critical infrastructure. But the initial draft of the legislation, which has been awaited for months and incorporates EU mandates, has already faced criticism from some in the energy sector and business community as too bureaucratic to be effective. Some have also warned that the legislation risks mandating excessive transparency about vital infrastructure facilities, which could be exploited by malicious actors. Dobrindt acknowledged that "we already disclose too much public information about our critical infrastructure". This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
27 January,2026 07:00 PM IST | Berlin, Germany | AFPHundreds gathered to say farewell to two popular pandas departing Tokyo for China on Tuesday, leaving Japan without any of the beloved bears for the first time in 50 years as ties between the Asian neighbours fray. Panda twins Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao were transported by truck out of Ueno Zoological Gardens, their birthplace, disappointing many Japanese fans who have grown attached to the furry four-year-olds. "I've been coming to watch them since they were born," Nene Hashino, a woman in her 40s wearing a panda-themed jacket and clutching a bear stuffed toy, told AFP. "It feels like my own children are going somewhere far away. It's sad." The pandas' abrupt return was announced last month during a diplomatic spat that began when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hinted that Tokyo could intervene militarily in the event of an attack on Taiwan. Her comment provoked the ire of Beijing, which regards the island as its own territory. The distinctive black-and-white animals, loaned out as part of China's "panda diplomacy" programme, have symbolised friendship between Beijing and Tokyo since they normalised ties in 1972. Their repatriation comes a month before their loan period expires in February, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which operates Ueno Zoo. Japan has reportedly been seeking the loan of a new pair of pandas. However, a weekend poll by the liberal Asahi Shimbun newspaper showed that 70 percent of those surveyed do not think the government should negotiate with China on the lease of new pandas, while 26 percent would like them to. On Sunday, Ueno Zoo invited some 4,400 lucky winners of an online lottery to see the pandas for the last time. 'It's so sad' Well-wishers wearing panda-themed clothes, hats and badges waited for hours on the streets lining the zoo two days later to say their final goodbyes. They called out to the animals as the windowless truck left the gates. "It's so sad," said Daisaku Hirota, a 37-year-old shop worker who said he tried to visit the pandas as often as he could on his days off. "I lost one part of my heart," he said. Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao were delivered in 2021 by their mother Shin Shin, who arrived in 2011 and was returned to China in 2024 because of declining health. China has discouraged its nationals from travelling to Japan, citing deteriorating public security and criminal acts against Chinese nationals in the country. Beijing is reportedly also choking off exports to Japan of rare-earth products crucial for making everything from electric cars to missiles. However, China routinely removes pandas from foreign countries and the latest move may not be politically motivated, said Masaki Ienaga, a professor at Tokyo Woman's Christian University and an expert in East Asian international relations. "If you talk about (Chinese) politics, the timing of sending pandas is what counts," and pandas could return to Japan if bilateral ties warm, Ienaga said. Other countries use animals as tools of diplomacy, including Thailand with its elephants and Australia with its koalas, he added. "But pandas are special," Ienaga said. "They have strong customer-drawing power, and they can earn money." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
27 January,2026 03:38 PM IST | Tokyo, Japan | AFPCanadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Monday some of US President Donald Trump's threats should be viewed as prepositioning ahead of negotiations to renew the free trade pact between the two large trading partners. Carney noted they are entering a review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement this year and said he expects a "robust review". "The president is a strong negotiator, and some of these comments and positioning should be viewed in the broader context of that," Carney said. Trump threatened this past weekend to impose a 100 per cent tariff on goods imported from Canada if America's northern neighbour went ahead with a trade deal with Beijing, something Carney said Canada has no interest in. Carney has said his recent agreement with China merely cuts tariffs on a few sectors that were recently hit with tariffs. In 2024, Canada mirrored the United States by putting a 100% tariff on electric vehicles from Beijing and a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum. China had responded by imposing 100% import taxes on Canadian canola oil and meal and 25% on pork and seafood. Breaking with the United States this month during a visit to Beijing, Carney cut its 100% tariff on Chinese electric cars in return for lower tariffs on those Canadian products. "Last week's new strategic partnership with China will make available tens of thousands affordable electric vehicles in Canada," Carney said Monday. Carney has said there would be an initial annual cap of 49,000 vehicles on Chinese EV exports coming into Canada at a tariff rate of 6.1%, growing to about 70,000 over five years. He also has said the initial cap on Chinese EV imports was about 3% of the 1.8 million vehicles sold in Canada annually and that, in exchange, China is expected to begin investing in the Canadian auto industry within three years. Trump's tariff threat came amid an escalating war of words with Carney as the Republican president's push to acquire Greenland strained the NATO alliance. Carney has emerged as a spokesman for a movement for countries to find ways to link up and counter the US under Trump. Speaking in Davos before Trump, Carney said, "Middle powers must act together because if you are not at the table, you are on the menu." The prime minister received widespread praise and attention for his remarks, upstaging Trump at the World Economic Forum. Trump's push to acquire Greenland has come after he has repeatedly needled Canada over its sovereignty and suggested it also be absorbed into the United States as a 51st state. He posted an altered image on social media last week showing a map of the United States that included Canada, Venezuela, Greenland and Cuba as part of its territory. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 January,2026 11:41 AM IST | Toronto | APActivists said Tuesday that at least 6,126 people were killed in Iran's crackdown on nationwide protests and many more are still feared dead. The new figures came from the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in multiple rounds of unrest in Iran. The group verifies each death with a network of activists on the ground in Iran. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the death toll given authorities cutting off the internet and disrupting calls into the Islamic Republic. Iran's government has put the death toll at a far lower 3,117, saying 2,427 were civilians and security forces, and labelled the rest "terrorists." In the past, Iran's theocracy has undercounted or not reported fatalities from unrest. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 January,2026 11:29 AM IST | Dubai | APThe 27 member states of the European Union formally adopted the regulation on phasing out Russian imports of both pipeline gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) into the EU on Monday. In a statement shared by the EU Council, it was mentioned that the new rules also include measures on effective monitoring and diversification of energy supply. As per the regulation, importing Russian pipeline gas and LNG into the EU will be prohibited. "The ban will start to apply six weeks after the regulation enters into force. Existing contracts will have a transition period. This stepwise approach will limit the impact on prices and markets. A full ban will take effect for LNG imports from the beginning of 2027 and for pipeline gas imports from autumn 2027", the statement said. It further noted that before authorising entry of gas imports into the Union, EU countries will verify the country where gas was produced. Non-compliance with the new rules may result in maximum penalties of at least EUR 2.5 million for individuals and at least EUR 40 million for companies, at least 3.5 per cent the company's total worldwide annual turnover, or 300 per cent of the estimated transaction turnover, the statement added. It also noted that by 1 March 2026, "EU countries must prepare national plans to diversify gas supplies and identify potential challenges in replacing Russian gas. To that end, companies will be required to notify authorities and the Commission of any remaining Russian gas contracts. EU countries still importing Russian oil will also have to submit diversification plans." However in the event of a declared emergency, and if security of supply is seriously threatened in one or more EU countries, the Commission may suspend the import ban for up to four weeks, as per the statement. Michael Damianos, Minister for Energy, Commerce and Industry of Cyprus said that the decision would make EU energy market "stronger, more resilient and more diversified and "towards an autonomous Energy Union." The statement further noted that the Commission also plans to propose legislation to phase out Russian oil imports by the end of 2027. In a post on X, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola said, "We have just signed the ban on Russian gas into law. Europe is securing control of our energy supply and strengthening our autonomy." We have just signed the ban on Russian gas into law.Europe is securing control of our energy supply and strengthening our autonomy. pic.twitter.com/QVxX640ybd — Roberta Metsola (@EP_President) January 26, 2026 The decision comes as EU stands stands as the world's biggest importer of LNG. In 2024, the EU imported over 100 billion cubic meters (bcm) of LNG. The largest LNG importers in the EU are France, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy and Belgium. While the gas and oil imports from Russia to the EU have both decreased significantly in recent years. The official statement noted that while the imports of oil have dropped to below 3% in 2025 as a result of the current sanctions regime, Russian gas still accounts for an estimated 13% of EU imports in 2025, worth over EUR15 billion annually. "This leaves the EU exposed to significant risks in terms of its trade and energy security", it said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 January,2026 11:23 AM IST | Brussels | ANIFrench lawmakers have passed a bill that would ban social media use by under-15s, a move championed by President Emmanuel Macron as a way to protect children from excessive screen time. The lower National Assembly adopted the text by a vote of 130 to 21 in a lengthy overnight session from Monday to Tuesday. It will now go to the Senate, France's upper house, ahead of becoming law. Macron hailed the vote as a "major step" to protect French children and teenagers in a post on X. The legislation, which also provides for a ban on mobile phones in high schools, would make France the second country to take such a step following Australia's ban for under-16s in December. As social media has grown, so has concern that too much screen time is harming child development and contributing to mental health problems. "The emotions of our children and teenagers are not for sale or to be manipulated, either by American platforms or Chinese algorithms," Macron said in a video broadcast on Saturday. Authorities want the measures to be enforced from the start of the 2026 school year for new accounts. Former prime minister Gabriel Attal, who leads Macron's Renaissance party in the lower house, said he hoped the Senate would pass the bill by mid-February so that the ban could come into force on September 1. He added that "social media platforms will then have until December 31 to deactivate existing accounts" that do not comply with the age limit. 'Destiny of our country' In addition to combatting the impact of screens and social media on the mental health of young adolescents, Attal stressed that the measure would counter "a number of powers that, through social media platforms, want to colonise minds". "France can be a pioneer in Europe in a month: we can change the lives of our young people and our families, and perhaps also change the destiny of our country in terms of independence," he said. France's public health watchdog ANSES said this month that social media such as TikTok, Snapchat and Instagram had several detrimental effects on adolescents, particularly girls, though it was not the sole reason for their declining mental health. The risks listed include cyberbullying and exposure to violent content. The legislation stipulates that "access to an online social networking service provided by an online platform is prohibited for minors under the age of 15". The draft bill excludes online encyclopedias and educational platforms. An effective age verification system would have to come into force for the ban to become reality. Work on such a system is underway at the European level. The hard-left France Unbowed's (LFI) Arnaud Saint-Martin criticised the ban as "a form of digital paternalism" and an "overly simplistic" response to the negative impacts of technology. On Monday, nine child protection associations urged lawmakers to "hold platforms accountable", not "ban" children from social media. Macron has also backed a ban on pupils having mobile phones in high schools. In 2018, France banned children from using mobile phones in colleges, the schools attended between the ages of 11 and 15. Former prime minister Elisabeth Borne expressed reservations about the measure on Monday. "It's more complicated than that," she told broadcaster France 2. "We first need to make sure that the ban is properly enforced in middle schools." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
27 January,2026 11:16 AM IST | Paris, France | AFPAt least 28 weather-related deaths were reported as a massive winter storm dumped snow across dozens of US states over the weekend, causing widespread power outages, flight cancellations and school closures. The death toll included two people run over by snowplows in Massachusetts and Ohio, and fatal sledding accidents in Arkansas and Texas. In New York City, officials said eight people were found dead outdoors as temperatures plunged at night, Xinhua news agency reported. From Massachusetts in the northeast to Texas in the south, roads were frozen slick with ice and buried under often more than 30 cm of snow. In some southern states, residents faced winter conditions unseen for decades. Nearly 700,000 customers from the mid-Atlantic to the South were without power as of 4 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, according to poweroutage.com. Most of them were in the South, with Mississippi, Tennessee and Louisiana hit hardest, where freezing rain caused tree limbs and power lines to snap, inflicting crippling outages. The storm snarled air traffic, with more than 12,500 US flights canceled on Sunday, the most of any day since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. As of Monday afternoon, more than 5,200 flights traveling into, from and within the United States were cancelled and over 6,600 were delayed, according to flight-tracking service FlightAware. Ground delays were reported at major US airports due to snow or ice, including Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said he hopes airports will be "back to normal" by Wednesday. In New York City, all public schools were closed on Monday, and students learned from home. While the storm system was expected to drift away from the East Coast into the Atlantic on Monday, a blast of Arctic air was rushing in behind it, prolonging sub-freezing temperatures for several more days, the National Weather Service said. Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont announced that he is extending the state's severe cold weather protocol to February 5 as the forecast predicted overnight single-digit temperatures over the next 10 days. Lamont said this was the longest such protocol in the state in over a decade. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 January,2026 11:13 AM IST | New York | IANSThe Pakistani military directly "pleaded" with India for a cessation of fighting during Operation Sindoor, India told the UN Security Council, firmly rejecting claims of any external intervention, reported news agency IANS. Addressing the Council on Monday, India’s Permanent Representative P Harish said New Delhi would take all necessary steps to ensure the safety and security of its citizens. "Let me reiterate again that terrorism can never be normalised, as Pakistan wishes to do," he said, reported IANS. Operation Sindoor consistent with UNSC stand against terrorism Emphasising that Operation Sindoor was consistent with the Security Council’s stand against terrorism, Harish outlined the sequence of events that led to the conclusion of the operation, which inflicted significant damage on Pakistan’s air force, reported IANS. "Until May 9, Pakistan was threatening further attacks on India. However, on May 10, the Pakistani military contacted our military directly and pleaded for a cessation of hostilities," he said, reported IANS. He added that the impact of India’s operation was evident, noting that images showing damage to multiple Pakistani air bases, including destroyed runways and burnt hangars, were publicly available. India’s response to Pahalgam attack termed measured and responsible Harish said India’s response to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, in which tourists were targeted, was measured and responsible. The Resistance Front, an affiliate of Lashkar-e-Taiba—designated a terrorist organisation by India and the United States—had claimed responsibility for the religion-based attack that killed 26 people. India rejects claims of external mediation and escalation Explaining the rationale behind Operation Sindoor, Harish said India acted in line with the Security Council’s call to hold "the perpetrators, organisers, financiers and sponsors of this reprehensible act of terrorism accountable and brought to justice", reported IANS. "India’s actions were measured, non-escalatory, responsible, and focused on dismantling terrorist infrastructure and disabling terrorism," he said, reported IANS. Harish did not directly name US President Donald Trump, who has claimed credit for ending the conflict through diplomacy and threats of tariffs, and has also sought recognition in the form of a Nobel Peace Prize. India rebuts Pakistan’s assertions on Kashmir and Indus Waters Treaty During the Security Council’s open debate on "Reaffirming international rule of law", Pakistan’s Permanent Representative Asim Iftikhar Ahmad raised Operation Sindoor, describing it as an "unprovoked military aggression", reported IANS. Ahmad also referred to the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and presented Pakistan’s version of developments in Kashmir. Rejecting Pakistan’s assertions, Harish said, "The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir has been, is, and will always remain an integral and inalienable part of India", reported IANS. On the Indus Waters Treaty, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi suspended following the Pahalgam attack, Harish said India was compelled to place the agreement in abeyance until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably ends its support for cross-border and all other forms of terrorism”. Criticising Islamabad’s practice of raising Kashmir and other bilateral issues at UN forums irrespective of the agenda, Harish said, "This hallowed chamber cannot become a forum for Pakistan to legitimise terrorism", reported IANS. Responding to Ahmad’s remarks on the rule of law, Harish urged Pakistan to engage in introspection, saying it could begin by examining how its armed forces engineered a constitutional coup through the 27th Amendment, granting lifetime immunity to the chief of defence forces. The 27th Amendment to Pakistan’s Constitution, adopted in November, has been widely seen as entrenching the supremacy of the military. (With inputs from IANS)
27 January,2026 09:41 AM IST | United Nations | mid-day online correspondentKarachi police have formed a special team to make "all-out efforts" to apprehend those responsible for the Gul Plaza fire and to carry out an impartial investigation into the incident. According to Dawn on Monday, an order issued by South Deputy Inspector General Syed Asad Raza said the five-member team was constituted for the "arrest of involved accused person(s) and impartial investigation" into the case. "The investigation team shall make all-out and diligent efforts to arrest the accused person(s) by utilising all available resources," the notification stated. Police said in the first information report dated January 23 that the blaze was an "outcome of negligence and carelessness," adding that the case had been registered against unknown persons as no suspect had yet been nominated. The team includes the Garden Sub-divisional police officer, Kharadar investigation deputy superintendent of police, head of the Garden Central Investigation Cell, the station house officer of Nabi Bux police station, where the FIR was lodged, and the investigation officer of the case. The group has also been authorised to co-opt any South Zone police official if it requires "help to solve the case." DIG Raza further directed that a "Daily progress report shall be submitted to this office without fail." The fire, which broke out on the night of January 17 and took nearly two days to be fully extinguished, has claimed at least 73 lives and destroyed more than 1,100 shops, with only 23 victims identified so far. DIG Raza told Dawn that after nine days of searching through debris to locate remains of the dead and missing, the operation concluded on Sunday, following which Gul Plaza was sealed. Temporary restrictions on MA Jinnah Road were lifted, while Karachi Metropolitan Corporation workers were seen installing green construction mesh on the plaza. A team of forensic experts from Lahore later joined the probe, with Punjab Forensic Science Agency officials visiting the damaged shopping centre and collecting samples, Dawn reported. Rescue-1122 spokesperson Hassaanul Haseeb Khan said the search and rescue operation had been completed and the building handed back to the district administration. He added that experts would assess the structure and the site was expected to be demolished on Tuesday. He said the building had been marked with three colours -- green where nothing was recovered, red where bodies were found, and yellow indicating the recovery of goods and valuables. Khan added that a "final" search would be conducted at night at the request of shopkeepers and plaza management. He said valuables would be removed and returned to traders in the presence of district officials and plaza representatives. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said whoever is found responsible would be punished, noting that "more than 80 lives have been lost." "I will not take the name of anyone right now. Once the inquiry is over, it will come forward after that," he said. He acknowledged, "We have mistakes; I admit it," while pointing out that audits carried out in Islamabad were also unsatisfactory. On whether the incident could be arson, Murad said the inquiry committee would "consider all aspects." He urged anyone with "facts" to approach it and stated, "If we are responsible, we will accept punishment," while warning that those "saying such things will also be held accountable." Responding to reports of insufficient water during rescue efforts, he said, "We have fire brigades but they are not enough." He attributed gaps to "legacy issues" and "old laws," and noted that multiple departments were involved. He announced these bodies would be merged, with legislation underway. Murad recalled compensation of PKR 10 million for each deceased person's family and PKR 5 million for each shop occupant. He added that with support from the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, business losses, including destroyed stock, would also be covered. "Within a month, we'll reimburse the shopkeepers for their inventory losses." Asked about MQM-P's demand to declare Karachi a "federal territory," Murad said it was not the right time. "We are ready for every debate, [but] I would not like to," he said. "I am not asking you not to talk about this tragedy or about bringing improvement. But do not go towards such discussions that have no logic." Addressing criticism from the Sindh governor, Murad encouraged constructive coverage while asking journalists "not to add fuel to the fire." He warned there would be "no compromise" on fire safety enforcement. As part of a province-wide audit, 2,368 buildings have been identified for inspection, with Sukkur topping the list at 898, followed by Karachi with 562, Hyderabad with 540, Shaheed Benazirabad with 171, Larkana with 143, and Mirpurkhas with 54, Dawn reported. Murad said, "An audit will be conducted of every [major] building, and we will start from the building which has more footfall." He added that owners had been given 20 "targets," including installing alarms and extinguishers, clearing exits, marking escape routes, and arranging backup lighting. Buildings completing "10 to 13" requirements within a week could be granted more time, but those showing no progress would be sealed. "There will be no compromise on that," he said. He added that full compliance would be required within six months. Urging commercial building owners and industrialists to cooperate, Murad said, "We all must resolve collectively that such an incident does not occur again." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 January,2026 07:27 AM IST | Karachi | ANIADVERTISEMENT
-1769492277515_d.png "French lawmakers approve social media ban for minors. Representational Image")
