The Trump administration has approved a massive new series of arms sales to Israel totalling USD 6.67 billion and to Saudi Arabia worth USD 9 billion. Both sets of sales were announced by the State Department late Friday as tensions rise in the Middle East over the possibility of US military strikes in Iran. They were made public after the department notified Congress of its approval of the sales earlier Friday. The sales also were announced as President Donald Trump pushes ahead with his ceasefire plan for Gaza that is intended to end the Israel-Hamas conflict and reconstruct and redevelop the Palestinian territory after two years of war left it devastated, with tens of thousands dead. The Saudi sale is for 730 Patriot missiles and related equipment that "will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a Major non-NATO Ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region," the department said. "This enhanced capability will protect land forces of Saudi Arabia, the United States, and local allies and will significantly improve Saudi Arabia's contribution" to the integrated air and missile defense system in the region, it said. The sales to Israel are split into four separate packages, including one for 30 Apache attack helicopters and related equipment and weapons and another for 3,250 light tactical vehicles. The Apache helicopters, which will be equipped with rocket launchers and advanced targeting gear, are the biggest part of the total package, coming to USD 3.8 billion, according to the State Department. The next largest portion is the light tactical vehicles, which will be used to move personnel and logistics "to extend lines of communication" for the Israel Defense Forces and will cost USD 1.98 billion, it said. Israel will spend an additional USD 740 million on power packs for armored personnel carriers it has had in service since 2008, the department said. The remaining USD 150 million will be spent on a small but unreported number of light utility helicopters to complement similar equipment it already has, it said. In separate but nearly identical statements on Israel, the department said none of the new sales would affect the military balance in the region and that all of them would "enhance Israel's capability to meet current and future threats by improving its ability to defend Israel's borders, vital infrastructure, and population centers." "The United States is committed to the security of Israel, and it is vital to US national interests to assist Israel to develop and maintain a strong and ready self-defense capability," the statements 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
31 January,2026 09:54 AM IST | Washington | AP | PTIProtesters across the US are calling for "no work, no school, no shopping" as part of a nationwide strike on Friday to oppose the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. The demonstrations are taking place amid widespread outrage over the killing Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse who was shot multiple times after he used his cellphone to record Border Patrol officers conducting an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. The death heightened scrutiny over the administration's tactics after the Jan. 7 death of Renee Good, who was fatally shot behind the wheel of her vehicle by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. "The people of the Twin Cities have shown the way for the whole country - to stop ICE's reign of terror, we need to SHUT IT DOWN," said one of the many websites and social media pages promoting actions in communities around the United States. Some schools in Arizona, Colorado and other states preemptively canceled classes in anticipation of mass absences. Many other demonstrations were planned for students and others to gather at city centers, statehouses and churches across the country. Protests continue in Minneapolis Just outside Minneapolis, hundreds gathered in the frigid cold early Friday at the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, the site of regular protests in recent weeks. After speeches from clergy members, demonstrators marched toward the facility's restricted area, jeering at a line of DHS agents to "quit your jobs" and "get out of Minnesota." Much of the group later dispersed after they were threatened with arrest by local law enforcement for blocking the road.Michelle Pasko, a retired communications worker, said she joined the demonstration after witnessing federal agents stopping immigrants at a bus stop near her home in Minnetonka, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. "They're roaming our streets, they're staying in hotels near our schools," she said. "Everyone in this country has rights, and the federal government seems to have forgotten that. We're here to remind them." High schoolers stage walkouts and some businesses close In Michigan, dozens of students walked out of Friday morning classes at Groves High School in Birmingham, north of Detroit. The students braved the zero-degree (minus 18 degrees Celsius) temperatures and walked about a mile (1.6 kilometers) to the closest business district where a number of morning commuters honked horns in support. "We're here to protest ICE and what they're doing all over the country, especially in Minnesota," said Logan Albritton, a 17-year-old senior at Groves. "It's not right to treat our neighbors and our fellow Americans this way." Abigail Daugherty, 16, organized the walkout at Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Georgia, on Friday. "For years, I have felt powerless, and seeing other schools in the county being able to do this, I wanted to do something," the sophomore said.Numerous businesses announced they would be closed during Friday's "blackout." Others said they would be staying open, but donating a portion of their proceeds to organizations that support immigrants and provide legal aid to those facing deportation. Otway Restaurant and its sister Otway Bakery in New York posted on social media that its bakery would stay open and 50% of proceeds would go to the New York Immigration Coalition. The restaurant remained open as well. "As a small business who already took a huge financial hit this week due to the winter storm closures, we will remain open on Friday," they posted. Maine residents revel in end of immigration enforcement surge in state In Maine, where Republican Sen. Susan Collins announced that ICE is ending its surge, people gathered outside a Portland church on Friday morning, holding signs that said "No ICE for ME," a play on the state's postal code. Grace Valenzuela, an administrator with Portland Public Schools, decried an "enforcement system that treats our presence as suspect." She said ICE's actions brought "daily trauma" to the school system. "Schools are meant to be places of learning, safety and belonging. ICE undermines that mission every time it destabilizes a family," Valenzuela said.Portland Mayor Mark Dion, a Democrat, spoke about the importance of speaking out in the wake of ICE's actions in the city. "Dissent is Democratic. Dissent is American. It's the cornerstone of our democracy," Dion said. Federal agents deploy chemical sprays at Los Angeles protest In Los Angeles, where Trump's immigration surge first began last June, thousands of protesters gathered in front of city hall in the afternoon and later marched to the federal detention center. As the demonstration stretched into the evening, federal agents began using chemical sprays to push the crowd back.Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters joined the protest, chanting "ICE out of LA" in front of a line of officers in riot gear. "What I see here at the detention center are people exercising their constitutional rights," Waters said. "And of course, they're now trying to tear gas everybody. It's in the air, but people are not moving." 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
31 January,2026 09:51 AM IST | Washington | AP | PTIThe US will return three ancient bronze sculptures to India that were illegally removed from the country’s temples. The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art in Washington DC said the sculptures will be returned following “rigorous provenance research”. The Indian government has agreed to place one of the sculptures on long-term loan, which will allow the museum to publicly share the full story of the object’s origins, removal and return, and to underscore the museum’s commitment to provenance research. The Nataraja bronze sculpture; (right) Saint Sundarar with Paravai. Pics/By Special Arrangement The sculptures are ‘Shiva Nataraja’ belonging to the Chola period, circa 990; ‘Somaskanda’ of the Chola period, 12th century; and ‘Saint Sundarar with Paravai’ of the Vijayanagar period, 16th century. 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
31 January,2026 09:29 AM IST | New York | AgenciesResearchers have designed a new 3D printing method called Crystallinity Regulation in Additive Fabrication of Thermoplastics (CRAFT) that turns a single, cheap liquid into a material chameleon. The method allows the creation of 3D objects with varying mechanical and optical properties — such as hardness and transparency — using a single, inexpensive material. CRAFT transforms a common liquid resin called cyclooctene into complex solid objects by projecting varying patterns of light through a commercial 3D printer. With the adjustment of the curing light’s intensity, researchers can make one part of an object hard and see-through while the part right next to it stays soft and cloudy — all within a single piece. The team made a realistic replica of a human hand using this method. The most immediate impact could be felt in medical schools, where currently, students practising complex surgeries rely on cadavers, which are expensive, difficult to source, and ethically complex. 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.
31 January,2026 09:27 AM IST | Austin | AgenciesCannabis-infused drinks could help cut back on alcohol, according to US researchers. The researchers surveyed 438 adults who reported using cannabis. Nearly 56 per cent also consumed alcohol. About a third reported using cannabis-infused beverages. Those who used cannabis beverages were more likely to say they substituted cannabis for alcohol (58.6 per cent). In addition, they reported consuming fewer alcoholic drinks after starting cannabis beverages and also reported binge drinking alcohol less frequently compared to before. 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.
31 January,2026 09:25 AM IST | New York | AgenciesHyundai Motor Group has begun testing humanoid robots at its automobile manufacturing facilities in the US. The trials, taking place at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Georgia, aim to evaluate real-world performance and gather operational data ahead of possible commercialisation. In early January, Hyundai announced its plans to deploy a scalable platform capable of integrating up to 30,000 of its ‘Atlas’ humanoid robots per year by 2028 to automate repetitive factory work. In the initial phase, Atlas robots will be assigned to parts sorting tasks. From around 2030, their role is expected to expand. 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
31 January,2026 09:23 AM IST | Seoul | AgenciesPresident Donald Trump is suing the IRS and Treasury Department for $10 billion for failure to prevent a leak of his tax information to news outlets. The suit, filed in a Florida federal court on Thursday, also saw Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr and the Trump organisation as plaintiffs. In 2024, former IRS contractor Charles Edward Littlejohn of Washington DC — who worked for Booz Allen Hamilton, a defence and national security tech firm — was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to leaking tax information about Trump and others to news outlets. Littlejohn gave data to The New York Times and ProPublica between 2018 and 2020 in leaks that appeared to be “unparalleled in the IRS’s history,” prosecutors said. Trump’s suit states that Littlejohn’s disclosures to the news organisations “caused reputational and financial harm to Plaintiffs and adversely impacted President Trump’s support among voters in the 2020 presidential election.” Littlejohn, who worked for the firm, has been charged and imprisoned for leaking tax information to news outlets about thousands of the country’s wealthiest people, including the president. 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
31 January,2026 08:58 AM IST | Washington | AgenciesAt least 11 people were killed and eight others injured Thursday morning in a road accident on the R102 near Lotus Park, south of Durban, in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal Province, local media reported. The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), citing ALS Paramedics, a local emergency service, said that 11 people, including one child, were declared dead at the scene after a truck collided with a minibus taxi, while eight others sustained critical injuries and were taken to the hospital for urgent medical treatment. ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said the crash occurred at around 7:30 am local time (0530 GMT), adding that the truck veered off the road during the collision, pinning the minibus taxi against a tree, Xinhua News Agency reported. The spokesperson urged motorists to use alternative routes as emergency personnel and police continued rescue and recovery operations. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the accident. On January 19, a total of 19 people were killed following a collision between a school transport vehicle and a truck in Vanderbijlpark, south of Johannesburg, South Africa, local authorities confirmed. Preliminary reports indicated that 11 learners were declared dead at the scene, and the five critically injured are being treated in the hospital. The number of fatalities later increased after the body of a pupil was discovered trapped beneath the overturned vehicle, and another child succumbed to injuries in the hospital. Citing a briefing from the investigating team, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said that the school vehicle was trying to overtake several cars when it was confronted by the truck. The truck driver attempted to swerve to avoid the collision, but it was too late, he added. Describing the accident as "unbearable," Lesufi urged stricter regulation for the growing private scholar transport sector. Provincial police spokesperson Mavela Masondo said that the school transport vehicle had been carrying more passengers than legally permitted. "If we count the numbers for now, it tells us that the Toyota Quantum was overloaded. Because the pupils we are talking about are 17," Masondo said, adding that the minibus is certified for 14 passengers. Police said both drivers survived the crash. The driver of the minibus taxi will be formally questioned as part of a culpable homicide investigation after medical treatment. 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.
30 January,2026 04:48 PM IST | Johannesburg | IANSUS President Donald Trump said Thursday it was "very dangerous" for close ally Britain to deal with China, as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer visits Beijing for talks with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Trump made the remarks to reporters while attending the premiere of a documentary about his wife, First Lady Melania Trump. Asked on the press line for his reaction to Britain "getting into business" with China, the president said: "Well it's very dangerous for them to do that." Starmer's visit to China is the first by a British premier since 2018 and follows a slew of Western leaders seeking a rapprochement with Beijing recently, seen by many as a pivot from an increasingly unpredictable United States. On Thursday, Starmer met with Xi and other Chinese officials, and signed several cooperation agreements. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also visited China in mid-January and reached agreements on trade and tourism. Afterward, Trump threatened to hit Canadian imports with 100-percent tariffs if Carney made further deals with Beijing -- a threat the Canadian PM later dismissed as a negotiating tactic. Trump, after remarking Thursday on Britain, added: "It's even more dangerous, I think, for Canada to get into business with China. Canada is not doing well. They're doing very poorly, and you can't look at China as the answer." 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.
30 January,2026 12:02 PM IST | Washington | AFPBruce Springsteen is dedicating his new song to the people of Minneapolis, criticising President Donald Trump’s ongoing immigration enforcement operations in the city. The lyrics of ‘Streets of Minneapolis’, released on Wednesday, describe how “a city aflame fought fire and ice ‘neath an occupier’s boots,” which Springsteen calls “King Trump’s private army.” Springsteen, in a statement, said he wrote and recorded the song over the weekend and released it in response to a second deadly shooting by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. “It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good,” he wrote, naming the two victims of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids. Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson, responded: “The Trump Administration is focused on encouraging state and local Democrats to work with federal law enforcement officers on removing dangerous criminal illegal aliens from their communities… not random songs with irrelevant opinions and inaccurate information.” Springsteen’s slow-burning song builds from just acoustic guitar and voice to a fuller band tune, including a harmonica solo, and ends with chants of “ICE Out!” 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
30 January,2026 10:45 AM IST | Los Angeles | AgenciesA Chinese robotics firm has demonstrated what it calls a major step toward the scalable deployment of humanoid robots. LimX Dynamics released this week a video showing 18 of its full-size Oli humanoid robots autonomously emerging from shipping crates, standing up, walking in formation, and performing a coordinated routine without human intervention. In the demonstration, 18 Oli units are placed inside standard shipping containers. The containers open, and each robot independently stands up, reaches full height, and begins walking on two legs without human assistance. Operating within a confined space, the robots avoid collisions, exit the containers, and move forward in coordinated formation before completing a synchronised routine. The demonstration builds on earlier showcases of the Oli platform, which previously highlighted individual robots performing tasks such as navigating uneven terrain, climbing rubble, and balancing on one leg. The Shenzhen-based company describes the demonstration as the world’s first practical autonomous deployment of humanoid robots. The showcase highlights advances in multi-robot coordination and suggests how teams of humanoids could be deployed and operated on future manufacturing floors. 18No. of robots that were part of the video 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
30 January,2026 10:43 AM IST | Beijing | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
-1769757461726_d.png "Deadly road accident in Durban, Soth Africa claims 11 Lives. Representational Image")
