Hawaii's Klauea, the world's most active volcano, has ignited Episode 42 of its ongoing summit eruption, captivating viewers worldwide through live webcams. The event began at 5:20 am IST on February 16, 2026, within Halemaumau crater in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, marking the latest chapter in eruptions that started on December 23, 2024. Since late 2024, Klauea has unleashed 42 episodic fountaining events, each typically lasting a day or less, separated by recharging pauses like the recent 19-day lull after Episode 41. All activity remains confined to the summit caldera, minimizing threats to communities. 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
18 February,2026 09:24 AM IST | Honolulu | AgenciesThree people, including the suspect, died during a Rhode Island youth hockey game Monday, authorities said. One of the victims in the incident was a young girl, the police said. Pawtucket Police Chief Tina Goncalves told reporters that three other victims are hospitalised in critical condition. The suspect, Robert Dorgan, a 56-year-old transgender father, reportedly shot four family members and a family friend before turning the gun on himself. Pic/X/@CaptainMorganTN “It appears to be a family dispute,” she said. Goncalves. The suspect has been named Robert Dorgan, a 56-year-old transgender father, who reportedly shot four family members and a family friend before turning the gun on himself. Dorgan’s wife Rhonda, who was killed in the shooting claimed on divorce documents that her husband displayed ‘narcissistic + personality disorder traits’. A motive for the shooting remained unclear. 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
18 February,2026 09:22 AM IST | Rhode Island | AgenciesBNP leader Tarique Rahman was on Tuesday sworn in as Bangladesh’s new prime minister. He is the first male PM in 35 years. This also marks a new beginning for the country after a nearly 18-month period of political uncertainty and lawlessness under the rule of the interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus. President Mohammed Shahabuddin administered the oath of office to 60-year-old Rahman at the South Plaza. 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
18 February,2026 09:18 AM IST | Dhaka | AgenciesMicrosoft co-founder Bill Gates' participation in the world's biggest AI summit became a topic of speculation on Tuesday, following conflicting reports. Sources initially stated he would not attend, but a spokesperson for the Gates Foundation quickly contradicted to say he is indeed participating. Gates featured among the tech moguls, industry leaders, policymakers, founders, and technologists participating as speakers on the official website of the AI Impact Summit, underway in the national capital from February 16. On Tuesday morning, his name went missing from the key participants' list. Government sources said Gates will not be attending the Summit, but did not indicate the reason. However, a spokesperson for his foundation in an emailed response to PTI said, "Bill Gates is attending the AI Impact Summit. He will be delivering his keynote as scheduled". He was listed as a keynote speaker on February 19 - the day all the bigwigs will descend at Bharat Mandapam. He was given a 12-minute speaking slot at 1150 hours. Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting, and Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw, who is leading the AI show, did not give a direct reply to reporters at a scheduled press conference when asked about Gates' participation. He, however, gave reasons for Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang pulling out of the summit at the last moment. "I forgot (like) many other things, regarding who's attending, who's not attending," he said in response to questions on the participation of Gates. "That's personal choices which people make... I need not comment on that." Government sources in the morning suggested that Gates will not attend the Summit as his name figures in the files relating to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and may create some discomfort. The key participant list was decided months in advance, while the Epstein file revelations have been made in recent weeks. While Gates has not been accused of wrongdoing by any of Epstein's victims, records released by the US justice department include an allegation by Epstein that Bill Gates caught a sexually transmitted disease. Gates's spokesperson had previously called the claim "absolutely absurd". Late last week, Nvidia said its CEO, Jensen Huang, would not travel to India to attend the Summit. Huang was one of the biggest attractions at the Summit. While the company had not given any reason for the move, some had linked it to the presence of Gates at the event. Asked about his absence, Vaishnaw said, "Jansen reached out to us, and he said that because of something really unavoidable... he was very keen to work through. But he has deputed a very senior executive to join us". He reiterated that some people not attending was their personal choice. "I would not like to comment on it." Nvidia, he said, is also working with some Indian companies. "I cannot share the names at this point in time, for some very large investments in AI. They are also working with some software companies for developing many use cases," he added. Gates arrived in India on Monday. His first stop during the visit was Vijayawada, where he met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan, and senior state government officials. Ministers Nara Lokesh, Vangalapudi Anitha, K Archannaidu, and Y Satya Kumar had welcomed Gates at the Vijayawada international airport on Monday. 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.
17 February,2026 09:42 PM IST | New Delhi | PTIThe US and Iran are holding their second round of talks about Iran's nuclear programme Tuesday in Geneva as Iran said it will close the Strait of Hormuz for several hours as it holds live fire military exercises and the United States ramps up its military forces in the region. As the talks began, Iranian media announced that Iran had fired live missiles toward the Strait of Hormuz, and said it will close the Strait for several hours for "safety and maritime concerns." This is the first time that Iran has closed parts of the Strait, an essential international waterway, since the US began threatening Iran with military action. Iran on Monday announced a maritime military exercise in waterways that are crucial international trade routes through which 20 per cent of the world's oil passes. Iran previously held a live fire drill in the Strait of Hormuz several weeks ago but did not announce closures. The semi-official Tasnim news agency, which is close to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, said missiles launched inside Iran and along its coast had struck their targets in the Strait of Hormuz. Iranian state TV reported Tuesday that the negotiations with the US will be indirect and will focus only on Iran's nuclear programme, not domestic policies including its bloody crackdown on protesters last month. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to use force to compel Iran to agree to constrain its nuclear programme. Iran has said it would respond with an attack of its own. Trump has also threatened Iran over its deadly crackdown on recent nationwide protests. The first round of talks February 6 were held in Oman, a sultanate on the eastern edge of the Arabian Peninsula, and were indirect. Similarly to the last round of talks, the Iranians appeared to be meeting with Omani mediators separately from the Americans on Tuesday. Trump's envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner were travelling for the new round of talks. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, visiting Budapest, Hungary, said Monday that the US hopes to achieve a deal with Iran, despite the difficulties. "I'm not going to prejudge these talks," Rubio said. "The president always prefers peaceful outcomes and negotiated outcomes to things." Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who is leading the talks for Iran, met with the head of the UN nuclear watchdog agency Monday in Geneva."I am in Geneva with real ideas to achieve a fair and equitable deal," Araghchi wrote on X. "What is not on the table: submission before threats." Talking to reporters Monday night aboard Air Force One on his way to Washington, US President Donald Trump said he planned to be involved in the talks, at least indirectly. "I think they want to make a deal. I don't think they want the consequences of not making a deal," he said. The US is also hosting talks between envoys from Russia and Ukraine in Geneva on Tuesday and Wednesday, days ahead of the fourth anniversary of the all-out Russian invasion of its neighbour. Iran fires missiles into Strait of Hormuz in drill The semi-official Tasnim news agency, which is close to the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, said missiles launched inside Iran and along its coast had struck their targets in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran had announced that the Revolutionary Guard started a drill early Monday morning in the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, which are crucial international shipping routes. It is the second time in recent weeks that Iran has held a live fire drill in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei stepped up his warnings to the US over its buildup of military forces in the Middle East. "Of course a warship is a dangerous apparatus, but more dangerous than the warship is the weapon that can sink the warship into the depths of the sea," Khamanei said, Iranian state TV reported. He also warned the US that "forcing the result of talks in advance is a wrong and foolish job." Drill comes as US increases military presence Last week, Trump said the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, was 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 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. 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.The Trump administration is seeking a deal to limit Iran's nuclear programme and ensure it does not develop nuclear weapons. Iran says it is not pursuing weapons and has so far resisted demands that it halt uranium enrichment or hand over its supply of uranium. Iran marks 40 days since deadliest part of protest crackdowns Iran is marking 40 days, the traditional Muslim mourning period, since one of the deadliest days in the crackdown on protests that swept the country last month. Activists say at least 7,015 people have been killed, many in a bloody crackdown overnight between January 8 and 9. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which offered the latest figures, has been accurate in counting deaths during previous rounds of unrest in Iran and relies on a network of activists in the country to verify deaths. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the death toll, given authorities have disrupted internet access and international calls in Iran.Iran's state news agency said the government would hold a memorial marking 40 days at the Grand Mosalla mosque in Tehran, and blamed the demonstrations on "violent actions by armed groups allegedly directed by foreign intelligence agencies." 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.
17 February,2026 09:41 PM IST | Geneva | APRussian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has noted that the BRICS grouping is steadily transforming into a broad global structure attracting growing international interest, reflecting shifts in economic and political power beyond traditional Western alliances. In an exclusive interview with TV BRICS, Lavrov noted that the bloc now extends beyond Eurasia to include countries across Latin America and Africa, and is likely to expand further as new centres of influence emerge worldwide. "Many centres of rapid economic growth, financial power, and political influence have appeared, and the world is being reformatted amid competitive struggle," he said, describing the organisation as part of a wider transition towards a multipolar global order, as reported by TV BRICS. Lavrov emphasised the economic weight of the grouping, stating that the combined gross domestic product of BRICS nations, measured by purchasing power parity, already surpasses that of the Group of Seven (G7). According to him, this trend underscores the increasing role of emerging economies in shaping global development agendas. He added that BRICS could evolve into a coordinating platform aligning development strategies in infrastructure, social policy, and economic cooperation across Eurasia, Africa, and Latin America. The grouping, he said, effectively acts as an "umbrella" supporting regional integration processes across continents. The minister also highlighted practical cooperation projects, including initiatives connecting South Asia with Russia's Far East. Among them are plans involving the Northern Sea Route and the International North-South Transport Corridor, which aim to enhance trade connectivity and logistics efficiency. Lavrov's remarks come as BRICS continues to broaden engagement with partner countries and deepen economic coordination among members, signalling a potential shift in the global institutional balance. He added that the organisation's expansion reflects demand for alternative platforms of cooperation and dialogue in an increasingly competitive and interconnected global economy. 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.
17 February,2026 02:27 PM IST | Moscow, Russia | ANIAn international group of researchers has developed a way to identify and forecast hotspots for some of the world’s most dangerous scorpion species. By analysing environmental conditions, the scientists determined which factors allow highly venomous scorpions to survive and spread. Their findings could help better understand where scorpions are most likely to occur across. 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
17 February,2026 09:33 AM IST | Nairobi | AgenciesChina’s Robotera has showcased its L7 robot performing a traditional Chinese sword dance to celebrate the Chinese New Year of the Fire Horse. The L7 is a full-sized humanoid robot developed in collaboration with Tsinghua University. It stands at 5.6 feet tall and weighs in at around 65 kg. The robot is made of a combination of titanium and carbon fiber, making it both strong and lightweight. 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
17 February,2026 09:30 AM IST | Beijing | AgenciesWeave Robotics has launched its first-ever stationary robotics platform that can fold laundry in 30 to 90 minutes. Named Issac 0, the company launched the autonomous robot as a prequel to their upcoming robot Issac, which will be released later this year. Issac 0 is currently shipping in the Bay Area, following the launch announcement on February 11. However, the robot still relies on human teleoperators who help it improve task accuracy every week. Issac 0 is a compact, stationary home robot designed for practical integration into the home. It runs on a 600W power system, using a standard 120V outlet, and supports both Ethernet and dual-band Wi-Fi for reliable operation and remote updates. 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
17 February,2026 09:30 AM IST | San Francisco | AgenciesResearchers in Sweden created artificial animals that over time develop functioning vision from scratch — from simple light sensitivity to the ability to discern objects. Artificial animals developed functioning vision without any instruction. The results show how AI can be used to understand the inner secrets of evolution. The researchers created the virtual animals and released them into a synthetic world, giving them tasks on how to navigate, avoid obstacles and find food. Each generation showed small variations, and just like in nature, those that coped the best passed on their characteristics. The difference was that all this happened inside a computer – and happened much faster. 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
17 February,2026 09:28 AM IST | Stockholm | AgenciesA passenger train derailed in the Swiss Alps after an avalanche swept away a railway track in southern Switzerland. The incident took place at around 7 am local time. Several people have been injured in the incident, authorities have not yet shared actual numbers. The incident took place in the canton of Valais. The area is known for heavy winter snowfall and has popular Alpine rail routes. The derailment led to disruption of the key rail corridor that linked Lotschberg route through the Alps. The Swiss Federal Railways announced that train services have been suspended between Goppenstein and Brig. 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
17 February,2026 09:28 AM IST | Valais | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
-1771329614415_d.png "Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. File Pic")
-1771335555189_d.png "Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps began a series of military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz amid talks. Pic/AFP")
-1771316082202_d.png "Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. Pic/X (@mfa_russia)")
