Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that the first phase of the India–US bilateral trade agreement is ready. A joint statement from both countries is expected within the next four to five days, while the formal legal agreement is likely to be signed by mid-March. Once the joint statement is released, the United States (US) is expected to issue an executive order reducing tariffs to 18 per cent, Goyal said. President Donald Trump announced that New Delhi and Washington have reached a trade deal under which the US will reduce its reciprocal tariff on Indian goods from 25 percent to 18 percent. The move comes after the US had imposed a steep 50 percent tariff on Indian goods entering its markets from August 27, 2025. India-US trade deal: Tariff cuts to follow legal agreement Explaining the technical process, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal said the two countries follow different tariff systems. While US tariffs can be changed through executive orders, India’s tariffs follow the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) system and can only be reduced after the legal agreement is formally signed. He clarified that India’s tariff reductions will come into effect only after the final legal framework of the trade deal is completed. Speaking at the signing ceremony of the Terms of Reference for a Free Trade Agreement between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Goyal highlighted the scale of India’s growing economic engagement with the US. He said India’s orders for US aircraft, engines and related equipment alone are expected to cross USD 100 billion. Goyal also reiterated that India and the US are complementary economies and that the trade agreement will benefit both sides. The bilateral trade agreement aims to more than double trade between India and the US—from the current USD 191 billion to USD 500 billion by 2030. According to Goyal, several areas of the agreement have already been finalised after extensive negotiations. Negotiations for the bilateral trade agreement gained momentum after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US in February 2025. The deal was formally announced following a phone call between PM Modi and President Trump on February 2. Addressing concerns raised in the Lok Sabha, Goyal said negotiators from both countries have been working at multiple levels for nearly a year. He stressed that sensitive sectors on both sides were protected during talks. In India’s case, agriculture and dairy were among the key sectors safeguarded. The signing ceremony also saw participation from senior officials, including Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, India’s chief negotiator Ajay Bhadoo, GCC chief negotiator Raja Al Marzouki, and senior representatives from the GCC and India’s Ministry of External Affairs. Reflecting on the long-standing trade ties between India and the Gulf region, Goyal said the two sides have been trading partners for thousands of years. He added that the proposed agreement would allow smoother movement of goods and services and strengthen bilateral relations. Goyal said India is actively pursuing trade agreements with developed nations to expand its global economic presence. He added that the deal would create opportunities for MSMEs, farmers, fishermen, youth, and the manufacturing sector, with food processing, infrastructure, and petrochemicals expected to benefit the most. (With ANI Inputs)
14 February,2026 08:05 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentUS Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor on Thursday welcomed recent engagement between the leadership of two nations and expressed Washington's readiness to further elevate ties with New Delhi. Gor shared pictures of External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar's interactions in Washington with the US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent. "Engagement at the highest levels is currently happening. The United States is ready to elevate this relationship even further. Limitless Potential!", he stated in a post on social media. EAM Jaishankar attends Critical Minerals Ministerial in US EAM Jaishankar, currently on a visit to the US, attended the Critical Minerals Ministerial convened by Marco Rubio on Wednesday and expressed India's support for structured international cooperation to reduce risks in critical mineral supply chains. During his visit, Jaishankar held separate meetings with Rubio and Bessent, holding wide-ranging discussions on the India-US strategic and economic partnership. “Delighted to meet US Secretary Macro Rubio this afternoon,” Jaishankar stated in a post on X after the meeting. “A wide-ranging conversation that covered our bilateral cooperation agenda, regional and global issues,” his post added. He also said the discussions with Rubio covered multiple pillars of the India-US relationship. “Facets of India - US Strategic Partnership discussed included trade, energy, nuclear, defence, critical minerals and technology,” the minister said. Both sides agreed to move quickly on follow-up engagements, he added. “Agreed on the early meetings of various mechanisms to advance our shared interests,” said EAM. According to a State Department readout, the two leaders discussed formalising bilateral cooperation on critical minerals exploration, mining, and processing — an area that has emerged as a central pillar of the India–US economic and strategic relationship. The meeting came at a time when two nations announced a trade deal aimed at lowering barriers and expanding market access between the world’s two largest democracies. Secretary Rubio and EAM Jaishankar welcomed the agreement, underscoring the importance of the two democracies working together to unlock new economic opportunities and advance shared energy security goals, the readout said. The discussions also focused on the regional and multilateral dimensions of the partnership. Rubio and EAM Jaishankar concluded their meeting by reaffirming their commitment to expanding bilateral and multilateral cooperation through the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue. They acknowledged that a prosperous Indo-Pacific region remains vital to advancing shared interests. EAM Jaishankar also met US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington. “Pleased to meet US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent in Washington DC today,” he said in a separate post. EAM Jaishankar described the talks as productive. “Had a useful discussion on advancement of India-US economic partnership and strategic cooperation,” he said. (Inputs from IANS)
14 February,2026 08:01 PM IST | New Delhi [India] | mid-day online correspondentUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday began his address at the Munich Security Conference by highlighting the longstanding partnership between the United States and Europe, describing it as a bond that has helped confront some of the most significant global challenges. Highlighting Washington's preference for cooperation, Rubio remarked, "While we are prepared, if necessary, to do this alone, it is our preference and it is our hope to do this with you, our friends here in Europe." Emphasising unity, he stated, "We belong together," pointing to the enduring transatlantic relationship that has faced heightened pressures during President Donald Trump's second term. Rubio noted that American engagement can at times appear "direct and urgent in our council," while stressing that the Trump administration remains committed to the alliance. Observers contrasted the tenor of Rubio's speech with comments delivered at the same forum last year by US Vice President JD Vance, which had drawn attention for their criticism of Europe's reliance on US support. Vance's earlier remarks continued to resonate among attendees as Rubio's address received intermittent applause. During the speech, Rubio also underscored the administration's belief that global institutions shaped by the previous world order must be "reformed" and "rebuilt," reflecting shifts in US foreign policy priorities. While reaffirming the historic significance of the alliance, Rubio outlined expectations for what he described as recalibrated cooperation. "We want allies who can defend themselves so no adversaries will feel inclined to challenge our collective strength," Rubio said today. The Trump administration has repeatedly called on European partners to assume greater responsibility for regional security. Reinforcing this position, Rubio added, "We want allies who are proud of their culture, their heritage ... and together with us are willing and able to defend it. For we in America have no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers of the West's managed decline. We do not seek to separate, but to revitalize an old friendship." 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.
14 February,2026 04:52 PM IST | Munich, Germany | ANIPresident Donald Trump said Friday that he decided to move a second aircraft carrier into the Middle East as he presses Iran to make a deal over its nuclear program. The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, is being sent from the Caribbean Sea to the Mideast to join other warships and military assets the US has built up in the region. The planned deployment comes just days after Trump suggested another round of talks with the Iranians was at hand. Those negotiations didn't materialise as one of Tehran's top security officials visited Oman and Qatar this week and exchanged messages with US intermediaries. "In case we don't make a deal, we'll need it," Trump told reporters about the second carrier as he left the White House for a military base in North Carolina. He added, "It'll be leaving very soon." Already, Gulf Arab nations have warned any attack could spiral into another regional conflict in a Mideast still reeling from the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Iranians are beginning to hold 40-day mourning ceremonies for the thousands killed in Tehran's bloody crackdown on nationwide protests last month, adding to the internal pressure faced by the sanctions-battered Islamic Republic. The Ford, whose new deployment was first reported by The New York Times, will join the USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying guided-missile destroyers, which have been in the region for over two weeks. US forces already have shot down an Iranian drone that approached the Lincoln on the same day last week that Iran tried to stop a US-flagged ship in the Strait of Hormuz. Ford had been part of Venezuela strike force It is a quick turnaround for the Ford, which Trump sent from the Mediterranean Sea to the Caribbean last October as the administration built up a huge military presence in the lead-up to the surprise raid last month that captured then-Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. It also appears to be at odds with the Trump administration's national security and defense strategies, which put an emphasis on the Western Hemisphere over other parts of the world. In response to questions about the movement of the Ford, US Southern Command said American forces in Latin America will continue to "counter illicit activities and malign actors in the Western Hemisphere." "While force posture evolves, our operational capability does not," Col. Emanuel Ortiz, spokesperson for Southern Command, said in a statement. US "forces remain fully ready to project power, defend themselves, and protect US interests in the region." Trump, who is in Fort Bragg to celebrate members of the special forces who captured Maduro, warned Iran this week that failure to reach a deal with his administration would be "very traumatic." Iran and the United States held indirect talks in Oman last week. "I guess over the next month, something like that," Trump said Thursday when asked about his timeline for striking a deal with Iran on its nuclear program. "It should happen quickly. They should agree very quickly." Trump held lengthy talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday and said he insisted to Israel's leader that negotiations with Iran needed to continue. Netanyahu is urging the administration to press Tehran to scale back its ballistic missile program and end its support for militant groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah as part of any deal. The USS Ford deployed in late June 2025, which means the crew will have been deployed for eight months in two weeks time. While it is unclear how long the ship will remain in the Middle East, the move sets the crew up for an unusually long deployment. Ford's deployment comes as Iran mourns Iran at home faces still-simmering anger over its wide-ranging suppression of all dissent. That rage may intensify in the coming days as families of the dead begin the traditional 40-day mourning for loved ones. Already, online videos have shown mourners gathering in different parts of the country, holding portraits of their dead. One video purported to show mourners at a graveyard in Iran's Razavi Khorasan province on Thursday. There, with a large portable speaker, people sang the patriotic song "Ey Iran," which dates to 1940s Iran under the rule of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. While initially banned after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iran's theocratic government has played it to drum up support. "Oh Iran, a land of full of jewels, your soil is full of art," they sang. "May evil wishes be far from you. May you live eternal. Oh enemy, if you are a piece of granite, I am iron." 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.
14 February,2026 12:55 PM IST | Washington | APThe US military said that it has carried out another deadly strike on a vessel accused of trafficking drugs in the Caribbean Sea. US Southern Command said on social media that the boat "was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Caribbean and was engaged in narco-trafficking operations". It said the strike killed three people. A video linked to the post shows a boat moving through the water before exploding in flames. Friday's attack raises the death toll from the Trump administration's strikes on alleged drug boats to 133 people in at least 38 attacks carried out since early September in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth declared last week that "some top cartel drug-traffickers" in the region "have decided to cease all narcotics operations INDEFINITELY due to recent (highly effective) kinetic strikes in the Caribbean". However, Hegseth did not provide any details or information to back up this claim, made in a post on his personal account on social media. President Donald Trump has said the US is in "armed conflict" with cartels in Latin America and has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs. But his administration has offered little evidence to support its claims of killing "narcoterrorists". 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
14 February,2026 12:25 PM IST | Washington | APThe Trump administration is urging other nations to press a tiny Pacific island country to withdraw a United Nations draft resolution supporting strong action to prevent climate change, including reparations for damage caused by any nation that fails to take action. In guidance issued this week to all US embassies and consulates abroad, the State Department said it "strongly objects" to the proposal being discussed by the UN General Assembly and that its adoption "could pose a major threat to US industry". "President Trump has delivered a very clear message: that the UN and many nations of the world have gone wildly off track, exaggerating climate change into the world's greatest threat," according to the cable sent Tuesday and obtained by The Associated Press. It is the latest move by the Trump administration to distance the US from climate change efforts at home and around the world. A day ago, the government revoked a scientific finding that long has been the central basis for US action to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. The US last month also announced plans to withdraw from the UN treaty that establishes international climate negotiations. The draft resolution sponsored by Vanuatu, which like many island nations fears for its survival because of climate change, is being circulated among the 193-member General Assembly and stems from a landmark advisory opinion by the UN's top court last July. The International Court of Justice said countries could be in violation of international law if they fail to take measures to protect the planet from climate change, and nations harmed by its effects could be entitled to reparations. All UN member states, including major greenhouse gas emitters like the US and China, are parties to the court. The opinion is not legally binding but was hailed as a turning point in international climate law. The draft resolution expresses determination to translate the ICJ's findings in to "concrete multinational action" and calls on all nations and regional organisations to comply with their obligations under international law related to climate change. The proposal says that includes adopting a national climate action plan to limit global temperature rise to below 1.5 degrees Celsius; phasing out subsidies for fossil fuel exploration, production and exploitation; and urging those in violation to "provide full and prompt reparation for damage". It would establish an International Register of Damage to record evidence and claims. Vanuatu's UN Ambassador Odo Tevi, who said his island country wants a vote on the resolution by the end of March, has stressed that it would ensure that the clarity in the ICJ ruling "strengthens global climate action and multilateral cooperation". Louis Charbonneau, UN director of Human Rights Watch, urged support for the draft resolution Friday and said "governments should live up to their obligation" to protect human rights around the world by protecting the environment. "Responsible governments shouldn't allow themselves to be bullied by those that reject the global scientific consensus and continue to support reliance on harmful fossil fuels," he said. While General Assembly resolutions also are not legally binding, the ICJ said taking action to deal with the climate crisis is an international obligation. "The resolution attempts to turn the ICJ's interpretation of key legal standards into a practical roadmap for state accountability, which is likely to trigger political pushback from higher income high emitting countries wary of their historical responsibility and financial liability," Candy Ofime, climate justice researcher and legal adviser at Amnesty International, said in a statement Friday. The State Department cable outlined plans to tell other countries to urge Vanuatu to withdraw its draft - which the US says is "even more problematic" than the court opinion - from consideration by Friday, when informal consultations began. It asserted that other Group of 7 economic powers as well as China, Saudi Arabia and Russia have all indicated to the US Mission to the UN that they share Americans' concerns with "aspects" of the draft. "This UNGA resolution is another example of UN overreach, part of a broader pattern of trying to use speculative climate models to fabricate purported legal obligations that seek to assign blame and encourage baseless claims, and to infer human rights obligations to which states have not agreed," according to the cable, which tells US diplomats to use it as a talking point with representatives of other countries. Many mainstream scientists have continuously warned that climate change is behind increasing instances of deadly and costly extreme weather, including flooding, droughts, wildfires, intense rainfall events and dangerous heat.
14 February,2026 12:23 PM IST | United Nations | APScientists have created an advanced light-based sensor capable of identifying extremely small amounts of cancer biomarkers in blood. Biomarkers such as proteins, fragments of DNA, or other molecules can signal whether cancer is present, how it is progressing, or a person’s level of risk. The sensor combines nanostructures made of DNA with quantum dots and CRISPR gene editing technology to detect biomarkers. 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
14 February,2026 09:30 AM IST | Beijing | AgenciesKathryn Ruemmler, the top lawyer at storied investment bank Goldman Sachs since 2020 and former White House counsel to President Barack Obama, has resigned, after emails between her and Jeffrey Epstein showed a close relationship where she downplayed his sex crimes. While Ruemmler has called Epstein a “monster” in recent statements, she had a much different relationship with Epstein before he was arrested a second time for sex crimes in 2019. During her time in private practice after she left the White House in 2014, Ruemmler received several expensive gifts from Epstein, including luxury handbags and a fur coat. The gifts were given after Epstein had been convicted of sex crimes in 2008 and registered as a sex offender. 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
14 February,2026 09:25 AM IST | New York | AgenciesThe US is deploying a second aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R Ford, and its escort ships from the Caribbean to West Asia. The development comes as US President Donald Trump weighs military action against Iran as talks continue between Washington and Tehran over the latter’s nuclear programme. The US is increasing pressure on Iran to make a deal over its nuclear programme. US officials said the vessels are not expected to return to their home ports until late April or early May. The USS Ford strike group’s new orders will have it join the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group in the Persian Gulf. The USS Lincoln aircraft carrier and three guided-missile destroyers arrived in West Asia more than two weeks ago. 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
14 February,2026 09:22 AM IST | Washington | AgenciesHypersonix Launch Systems has announced the successful completion of vibration testing on its DART AE hypersonic technology demonstrator. These tests validated the test vehicle’s structural reliability and integrity ahead of upcoming flight tests. The aircraft is the first hypersonic launch platform with an entirely 3D-printed airframe produced from high-temperature alloys. DART AE is around 3 meters long and it has a mass of roughly 300 kg. 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
14 February,2026 09:20 AM IST | Queensland | AgenciesWith the vote count underway for Bangladesh's 13th parliamentary elections, support for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is mounting, with hopes of social justice and good governance in the country. Bangladeshi freedom fighter T M Rezaul Karin told ANI that the BNP was popular in the country and that the nation was in a festive mood as people cast their votes. He noted that, while there were a few untoward incidents, the elections largely remained peaceful, with people from all religions voting. Karin said, "The people will support BNP. It's a very popular party in Bangladesh. With Tarique Rahman's dynamic leadership, the BNP got a landslide victory. Our expectation is that the country will move peacefully and democratically. After a long time, the Bangladeshi people exercised their voting rights in Bangladesh. People actually were in a festive mood, and they cast their vote according to their choice. People enjoyed this election and exercised their voting right, especially according to their choice". "All the people were voting, they have exercised their voting right, and there is no question of Hindus or Muslims or Buddhists or Christians. All the Bangladeshis, in 1971, were liberated from Pakistan to Bangladesh. Everybody, all the communities fought against the bloody Pakistani armies," he said. He hoped the BNP would work on good governance and justice to ensure the country's political harmony continues. On BNP, retired Government Official Mazharul Islam told ANI, "They (BNP) should give the greatest opportunity in the country. This is the expectation of the people of Bangladesh. I hope the party gives the best facilities, especially to the marginalised people of the country, then in the long run, BNP will go ahead in future." He expressed optimism on stability returning to Bangladesh and added that in the initial phase, BNP needs to be strong in its approach so as to bring back discipline in the organs of the government. Islam said, "BNP will have to be very strong in the first period- to maintain, stabilise the country with discipline, honesty. They will have to restore discipline in the administration and many other organs of the country. If they do so, the stability will come very soon. Nobody wants any instability in our country." Meanwhile, local media reports indicate that the BNP is set to secure a historic win in the elections. According to the Daily Star, vote counting has been completed in 237 constituencies, with just 62 remaining. Of the 299 seats, the Daily Star reported that the BNP and allies secured 177, while the Jamaat and allies secured 53. Earlier today, BNP said that it is set to form the government as vote counting is underway for the 13th parliamentary elections in the country. In a post on X, the BNP Media cell said in the early hours of Friday, "The Bangladesh Nationalist Party-BNP is set to form the government after winning the majority of seats." Despite these early outcomes, the vote counting process is still underway, and official results have yet to be declared. These preliminary figures suggest a significant shift in Bangladesh's political landscape. The BNP's chairman, Tarique Rahman, has requested that the celebration of this victory be postponed out of respect for the passing of his mother, Khaleda Zia, before the election. Therefore, they have called for prayers for Khaleda Zia after the Friday congregational prayer. Rahman has been unofficially declared elected from the Bogura-6 (Sadar) constituency after securing a decisive victory over his nearest rival, as per the Daily Star. According to results announced by the office of the District Returning Officer and Deputy Commissioner Md Taufiqur Rahman, tallies from 150 polling centres have been completed. The constituency has a total of 151 voting centres, including postal ballots. Bangladesh ushered in its most pivotal polls as it seeks to enter into a new chapter from the classic 'Battle of Begums' era on Thursday. This election feels heavy after the demise of Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and the ban on her nemesis, Sheikh Hasina's party, the Awami League. 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
13 February,2026 01:44 PM IST | Dhaka | ANIADVERTISEMENT
-1770283629419_d.png "External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar speaks at the Critical Minerals Ministerial, in Washington DC. Pic/PTI")
-1771067987889_d.png "US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. File Pic")
-1771050772881_d.png "Donald Trump. File Pic")
