The events in Balochistan have left the Pakistan establishment embarrassed as the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed that it killed at least 280 Pakistani personnel during Phase II of "Operation Herof". Reports from Balochistan state that many Pakistani personnel are quickly retreating as they are not able to scale up to the level that the BLA has. The BLA has said that it lost 35 of its fighters. This includes 18 suicide attackers from the Majeed Brigade. Indian officials say that the Pakistan establishment and the Baloch people have been waging a battle for nearly 60 years. However, this is the most intense battle and the Pakistan security establishment is set to face losses that it would have never ever imagined, an official said. Another official said that the establishment in Pakistan should have found a political solution to the problem. It chose violence instead and is now paying the price. The army top brass are too egoistic to sit down and hold talks with the Baloch leaders. They have put themselves in a situation that they are unable to wriggle out of at the moment. On the other hand, groups like the BLA have strengthened themselves. They are using sophisticated weapons and relying heavily on intelligence to battle the enemy. The leadership has young people, and in recent times, even women are playing an active part in the struggle. The expert said that the very fact that many Pakistani personnel are retreating only shows the might of the BLA and the resolve of the Baloch people. Many are not interested in this battle as they know they are fighting a losing one. The same is the case in the fight against the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), experts add. An assessment by the Indian Intelligence agencies says that the Pakistan establishment is cornered from every side. There are the Taliban in Afghanistan, the TTP and the Baloch in Pakistan itself. The security forces are in a simultaneous battle with all three groups and hence is finding it hard to deploy enough manpower. It is not in a position to reduce manpower on one front and send it to another, an Intelligence Bureau official said. During this latest battle, the BLA said that it had managed to kill members of the Army, Frontier Corps (FC), police, Counter Terrorism Department (CTD), and death squads backed by the army. This in itself is alarming since there are five different units on the battlefield and yet they are unable to take on a single group, officials added. The BLA has, on the other hand, maintained communication and ensured that all information relating to "Herof 2" is passed on. This has been embarrassing for the Pakistan establishment as the losses are coming out in the open. Earlier, the establishment had managed to conceal its losses, but today it is failing to do so, the experts say. Even Pakistan’s Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, admitted that the Pakistani security forces were handicapped against the Baloch rebels. This is due to the sheer size of the Balochistan province, he said. The remarks came after simultaneous attacks were launched across multiple towns in the province by the BLA. Asif told the National Assembly that their forces were facing geographical challenges. Balochistan constitutes over 40 per cent of Pakistan geographically, and it is much more difficult than a populated city. He also said that there is a need to deploy a massive amount of forces, and ruled out any talks with the BLA. Officials say that the Defence Minister’s admission says it all. The government may want to hold talks with the Baloch people, but within the army, there are many who will not allow it, even if it means facing losses and more embarrassment, the official added. 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.
12 February,2026 03:48 PM IST | New Delhi | IANSIsraeli fire in Gaza killed at least 17 Palestinians, most of them women and children, hospital officials said Wednesday, while Israel said militant gunfire had injured an Israeli soldier. They were the latest Palestinian deaths since a ceasefire, which has been punctuated by deadly Israeli strikes, came into effect on Oct. 10, 2025. More than 530 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the deal took effect, according to Gaza's health ministry. The attacks and the escalating death toll have rocked the U.S.-backed truce and caused Palestinians in the strip to say it does not feel like the war has ended. "The genocidal war against our people in the Gaza Strip continues," said Dr. Mohamed Abu Selmiya, director of the Shifa Hospital, in a Facebook post. "Where is the ceasefire? Where are the mediators?" Mediators have condemned the attacks and Hamas has called them violations of the deal, but Israel's military says it is responding to Hamas violations or militant attacks on its soldiers. At least three soldiers have been killed since the ceasefire took hold. 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.
12 February,2026 02:12 PM IST | Deir Al-Balah (Gaza Strip) | APInstagram CEO Adam Mosseri on Wednesday rejected the notion that users could be clinically addicted to social media, as he testified in a landmark California trial over whether his company knowingly hooked children on its platform for profit. Meta -- the parent company of Instagram and Facebook -- and Google-owned YouTube are defendants in the blockbuster trial, which could set a legal precedent regarding whether social media giants deliberately designed their platforms to be addictive to children. "I think it's important to differentiate between clinical addiction and problematic use," Mosseri said as he was grilled by plaintiff attorney Mark Lanier. "I'm sure I said that I've been addicted to a Netflix show when I binged it really late one night, but I don't think it's the same thing as clinical addiction," he added. Lanier immediately challenged this point, emphasizing that the witness did not have a degree in medicine or psychology. "I've never claimed being able to diagnose addiction clinically," Mosseri responded during the exchange. "I'm sure I was using the word too casually." Facing him, mothers of teenagers who had taken their own lives held back their anger in the public gallery. These representatives of families who have filed complaints against major platforms in the United States had camped out in the rain outside the courthouse to secure seats. - Dopamine dispensers? - Addiction is at the heart of the civil trial, which centers on allegations that a 20-year-old woman, identified as Kaley G.M., suffered severe mental harm after becoming addicted to social media as a young child. She started using YouTube at six and joined Instagram at 11, before moving on to Snapchat and TikTok two or three years later. "The Instagram that Kaley signed up for was very different and presented a much smaller set of risks back then," Mosseri said, noting that the service was "a much smaller, more focused app" before it had to adapt to the changing world. Mosseri described safety features added to Instagram since it was bought by Facebook in 2012, some of which had "negative effects" on engagement and revenue. Mosseri was the first major Silicon Valley figure to appear before the jury to defend himself against accusations that Instagram functions as little more than a dopamine "slot machine" for vulnerable young people. Meta's attorney reasoned in opening remarks that the suffering encountered by the plaintiff was due to troubles in her home life and could not be attributed to use of Instagram or other social media. An attorney for YouTube insisted that the video platform was neither intentionally addictive nor technically social media, but more a viewing venue like Netflix. In front of the jury of six men and six women, Mosseri pushed back against the idea that Meta was motivated by a "move fast and break things" ethos that valued profit over safety. "Protecting minors over the long run is even good for the business and for profit," he said. Mosseri's testimony precedes the highly anticipated appearance of his boss, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, currently scheduled for February 18, with YouTube CEO Neil Mohan the following day. - Apps or traps? - In opening remarks this week, plaintiffs' attorney Lanier told the jury that YouTube and Meta both engineer addiction in young people's brains to gain users and profits. Meta and Google "don't only build apps; they build traps," Lanier said. Under questioning, Mosseri said that while teens tended to be trendsetters when it comes to technology, Instagram makes less money from them than from older users because they tend not to click on ads. "They don't have a lot of expendable income to then buy things if they do click on ads," Mosseri added. Social media firms face more than a thousand lawsuits accusing them of leading young users to become addicted to content and suffer from depression, eating disorders, psychiatric hospitalization, and even suicide. Kaley G.M.'s case is being treated as a bellwether proceeding with an outcome that could set the tone for a wave of similar litigation across the United States. 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.
12 February,2026 12:46 PM IST | Los Angeles | AFPThe United States and Mexico seized several tons of cocaine from a ship in a "coordinated operation" in the Pacific Ocean, the Mexican navy said Wednesday. The unusual joint action comes despite tensions between the two countries, with US President Donald Trump vowing to strike Mexican drug cartels that he said posed a grave threat to national security. "About 188 packages containing several tons of cocaine" were seized from the vessel off Clarion Island, about 1,100 kilometers (680 miles) from the Mexican port city of Manzanillo in Colima state, the Mexican navy said in a statement. Multiple people were arrested, the statement added, without specifying how many. Trump has threatened to slap additional tariffs on Mexico to pressure the country into beefing up drug raids and cartel arrests. A free trade agreement between the two neighbors and Canada is up for renegotiation this year. The Trump administration said Wednesday that Mexican cartel drones around the US-Mexico border had forced a Texas airport to shut down temporary. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum responded that her government had received no reports of drones belonging to cartels along the border. 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.
12 February,2026 12:46 PM IST | Mexico | AFPThe shooter who killed eight people in British Columbia has been identified as a transgender female by officials, who said the person's mother and stepbrother were among the victims. Police also revised on Wednesday the number of victims in Tuesday's shootings at a school and a home downwards to eight because they said they had mistakenly thought a woman being taken to hospital with serious injuries had died, but she was in a serious condition. Including the shooter's suicide, the total toll is nine. Shooter identified as a transgender female As the country mourned the rare massacre in the nation of strict gun laws, Canadian federal police Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald identified the shooter as Jesse Van Rootselaar, an 18-year-old male who began transitioning to female six years ago. He said that he would refer to the person as a female. Prime Minister Mark Carney told Parliament that the killings in Tumbler Ridge "left our nation in shock and all of us in mourning". "It is a town of miners, teachers, construction workers -- families who have built their lives there, people who have always shown up for each other there", he said. The shootings reverberated across the small town of only about 2,400 people in a mining area. Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent his condolences, saying in a X post, "India stands in solidarity with the people of Canada in this moment of profound grief". Shooter kills family, six at school before taking own life McDonald said the mother and stepbrother were first killed in their house by Van Rootselaar, who then went on a rampage at the local high school before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. He said that a woman educator and five students -- three girls and two boys ranging in age between 12 and 13 years -- were found dead at the school library and on a staircase when police got there within two minutes of being alerted. Van Rootselaar had dropped out of the school about four years ago, McDonald said. Police had been called to the shooter's house several times for mental health issues, and weapons were involved in some instances, McDonald said. He said that weapons had been seized from the house but were given back when the lawful owner petitioned for their return. Unlike the US to the south, Canada has stricter gun laws and has fewer shootings and mass attacks are rare. Canada recalls past mass killings The last major incident involving a school was in Montreal in 1989 when 14 died. The worst Canadian massacre in recent times was in Nova Scotia in 2020, when over two days, a man shot dead 13 people and killed nine others by setting fire. In the US, there have been two recent cases of transgender people carrying out mass shootings linked to schools. In 2023, a transgender male killed three students and three staff members at a Christian school in Nashville. In Minneapolis last year, a transgender female attacked a Catholic church during a prayer service for children from its school. (Inputs from IANS)
12 February,2026 11:28 AM IST | Ottawa | mid-day online correspondentTaiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected 17 Chinese sorties, seven naval vessels and an official ship operating around its territorial waters as of 6am (local time) on Thursday. Of the 17, 14 crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern and southeastern ADIZ. In a post on X, the MND said, "17 PLA aircraft, 7 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 14 out of 17 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern and southeastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded." 17 PLA aircraft, 7 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 14 out of 17 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s northern, southwestern and southeastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded. pic.twitter.com/LVnGVQUKPy — 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, ROC(Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense) February 12, 2026 Earlier on Wednesday, Taiwan's MND detected the presence of nine Chinese military aircraft, eight naval vessels and an official ship. Of the nine, six sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern and southeastern ADIZ. In a post on X, the MND said, "9 PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 6 out of 9 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's southwestern and southeastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded." 9 PLA aircraft, 8 PLAN vessels and 1 official ship operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 6 out of 9 sorties crossed the median line and entered Taiwan’s southwestern and southeastern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded. pic.twitter.com/OFqsRUc6KX — 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, ROC(Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense) February 11, 2026 Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has rejected Beijing's renewed call for "reunification," describing it as a reiteration of China's long-standing position aimed ultimately at Taiwan's "annihilation," Taipei Times reported. The remarks came after Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference Chairman Wang Huning, the fourth-ranked leader of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), addressed Beijing's annual Taiwan Work Conference on Tuesday. According to Xinhua news agency, Wang called on officials to advance the "great cause of national reunification" and pledged firm support for what he described as "patriotic pro-reunification forces" in Taiwan, while vowing to crack down on "separatists." Wang also stressed adherence to the "one China" principle and the so-called "1992 consensus" to combat "Taiwan independence separatist forces" and oppose what Beijing terms external interference. 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
12 February,2026 09:20 AM IST | Taipei | ANIUS President Donald Trump has hailed the trade deal with India as "historic" and said America will increase its coal exports dramatically to the country and to others with which it has trade agreements. "And under our leadership, we're becoming a massive energy exporter. In just the past few months, we've made historic trade deals with Japan, Korea, India and others to increase our coal exports dramatically," Trump said Wednesday during an event titled 'Champion of Coal'. "We're now exporting coal all over the world, and the quality of our coal is supposed to be...the finest anywhere in the world," he said. Last week, the US and India announced they have reached a framework for an interim agreement on trade, under which New Delhi will eliminate or reduce tariffs on all American industrial goods, a wide range of food and agricultural products, as well as purchase USD 500 billion of US products over the next five years. A joint statement issued by the two countries on Friday said they have reached a framework "regarding reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade." It said that India "intends to purchase USD 500 billion of US energy products, aircraft and aircraft parts, precious metals, technology products, and coking coal over the next five years." It added that the framework reaffirms the countries' commitment to the broader US-India Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) negotiations, launched by President Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 13, 2025, which will include additional market access commitments and support more resilient supply chains. 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
12 February,2026 09:14 AM IST | New York | PTIVoters in Bangladesh turned out early on election day, forming long queues outside polling booths from as early as 6 am (local time), reflecting both anticipation and hope for a transparent electoral process. Many expressed optimism about the conduct of the polls and the future of the country. "I came early this time, wishing to vote early. We're hoping that the voting will be free and fair. Hopefully, we will see some good candidates and people who will work for the nation. We'll have a corruption-free nation," said one voter waiting in line. Another voter shared similar enthusiasm, saying, "We are very excited because we haven't been able to vote for the last 17 or 18 years. We would like to choose the appropriate candidate in this election. The atmosphere is quite pleasant. Security arrangements are good, and we can easily cast our vote." Highlighting the strong participation, a voter remarked, "People have come in large numbers to vote." For first-time voters, the day brought a mix of excitement and disappointment. One young voter said, "On one hand, I am happy as this is the first time that I am voting, but we did not get any new candidates for this constituency. We are voting for the same people, which is a bit disappointing." The steady turnout and orderly arrangements marked a significant day for voters eager to exercise their democratic rights. People are voting in Bangladesh's 13th Parliamentary elections, marking a critical moment in the country's political history as it enters a new phase. The election comes at a time of significant change, following the death of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and the ongoing ban on her long-time rival, Sheikh Hasina's Awami League party. This election is also seen as a turning point, as the country looks to move beyond the decades-long 'Battle of Begums' era. On the eve of the 13th national election, ballot papers and other materials were transported under tight security to polling centres across the country, The Daily Star reported. Polling will take place from 7.30 am to 4.30 pm (local time). The vote count will begin at 4 pm on February 12. The Election Commission will officially announce the results in the morning of February 13, as and when the counting is complete. With nearly 127 million eligible voters, the eighth most populous nation in the world heads to the polls. Nearly half the voters are between the ages of 18-37, as per Al Jazeera, of which 4.57 million are first-time voters. There are 59 registered political parties in Bangladesh, excluding Awami League, whose registration was suspended by the election commission last year, nullifying its ability to field candidates in the fray. Of these, 51 parties are participating in this year's elections. In total, 1,981 candidates are contesting, including 249 independent ones. 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
12 February,2026 09:09 AM IST | Dhaka | ANIChinese robotics firm Agibot showcased its humanoid robots practicing martial arts with monks at China’s historic Shaolin Temple. Earlier this year, the company showcased is Lingxi X2 robot cycling in an open space, and also the robot performing the notoriously difficult Webster flip — a gymnastics move that involves a forward somersault with a back-leg take-off and precise mid-air body control throughout. 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
12 February,2026 08:54 AM IST | Beijing | AgenciesThe White House has updated its factsheet on the India-US trade framework a day after its initial release, softening several key assertions. The revisions come after last week's announcement of a framework for an interim reciprocal trade agreement aimed at boosting bilateral commerce. In the original version of the factsheet, it was stated, “India committed to buy more American products and purchase over $500 billion of US energy, information and communication technology, agricultural, coal, and other products.” The revised factsheet now says India “intends” to buy more American products and omits the term “agricultural” from the list of product categories. 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
12 February,2026 08:52 AM IST | Washington | AgenciesIran marked the 47th anniversary of its 1979 Islamic Revolution on Wednesday as the country’s theocracy remains under pressure, both from US President Donald Trump and public angr over Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests. During a ceremony, Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian apologised to “those affected” by the protests and bloody crackdown that followed it, even as he denounced unspecified “Western propaganda” surrounding the protests. “We are ashamed, and we are obligated to assist all those who were harmed in these incidents,” Pezeshkian said. “We are not seeking confrontation with the people,” he 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
12 February,2026 08:13 AM IST | Dubai | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
-1770199807269_d.png?tr=w-436,h-271 "Residents gather during the funeral of a paramilitray soldier killed in a Baloch separatists attack. Pic/AFP")
-1770198144561_d.png "A relative of 6-month-old Mira al-Khabbaz, killed in the Israeli strike earlier in the day, mourns over her body. Pic/AFP")
-1770873548860_d.png "Representational image")
-1770872045602_d.png "Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that flags will be lowered on all federal buildings for a week in mourning of people killed. Pic/PTI")
