The 27 member states of the European Union formally adopted the regulation on phasing out Russian imports of both pipeline gas and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) into the EU on Monday. In a statement shared by the EU Council, it was mentioned that the new rules also include measures on effective monitoring and diversification of energy supply. As per the regulation, importing Russian pipeline gas and LNG into the EU will be prohibited. “The ban will start to apply six weeks after the regulation enters into force. Existing contracts will have a transition period. This stepwise approach will limit the impact on prices and markets. A full ban will take effect for LNG imports from the beginning of 2027 and for pipeline gas imports from autumn 2027”, the statement said. 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
28 January,2026 06:53 AM IST | Brussels | AgenciesThe world’s fastest civilian aircraft has received European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification. Developed by Bombardier, the Global 8000 business jet is the fastest civilian aircraft since the Concorde, with an industry-leading top speed of Mach 0.95 (1173.06 kmph). The aircraft offers a class-leading range of 8000 nautical miles and enables passengers to fly faster and farther than ever 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
28 January,2026 06:50 AM IST | Paris | AgenciesAt least 15 people have died across multiple US states as a powerful winter storm unleashed deadly cold, ice and snow, with authorities linking several deaths to hypothermia and snow shovelling incidents, as reported by CNN. Vehicles in Washington stuck on the road after the storm brought down least six inches of snow to the region The storm across the southern US has caused widespread power outages, particularly in Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee, leaving hundreds of thousands without electricity as frigid temperatures linger. A view of the frozen Hudson River looking in New York on Monday Officials say several additional deaths remain under investigation. More than 200 million people are under cold-weather alerts as the brutal cold sets new daily temperature records. Nature’s fury 800,000+Power outages reported nationwide 1 inchThickness of ice recorded in many areas -17°CTemperature in Nashville, Tennessee 6.7 inchesThickness of sleet (ice pellets) that fell at in Little Rock, Arkansas 10No. of days it could take to restore power in Kentucky 22.2 InchesAmount of snow that fell in Massachusetts 200+No. of dogs rescued 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
28 January,2026 06:47 AM IST | Washington | AgenciesResearchers in the US have uncovered evidence suggesting that Thomas Edison may have accidentally produced graphene over a century before it was formally identified, while developing his first light bulb in 1879. The study aimed to reconstruct Edison’s original light bulb experiments using modern analytical tools. The team replicated the US inventor’s carbon-filament bulb design and applied electrical conditions similar to those used in the 19th century. Researchers then realised that parts of the filament transformed into turbostratic graphene. Turbostratic graphene is a form of multi-layer graphene recognised for randomly rotated, misaligned stacking between layers. It is highly valued for scalable, high-volume production, particularly in energy storage and composite strengthening. 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
28 January,2026 06:44 AM IST | New York | AgenciesChina has just unveiled the world’s largest car carrier, capable of transporting up to 10,800 vehicles in a single trip. The vessel is a liquefied natural gas (LNG) dual-fuel car carrier. It was developed by Guangzhou Shipyard International Co Ltd (GSI), a state-owned shipbuilder and a subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). The company specialises in designing and building large vessels. 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
28 January,2026 06:37 AM IST | Beijing | AgenciesA branch of the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will help with security for the Winter Olympics in Italy, it confirmed Tuesday, sparking anger and warnings they were not welcome. Reports had been circulating for days that the agency embroiled in an often brutal immigration crackdown in the United States could be involved in US security measures for the February 6-22 Games in northern Italy. In a statement overnight to AFP, ICE said: "At the Olympics, ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is supporting the US Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service and host nation to vet and mitigate risks from transnational criminal organisations. "All security operations remain under Italian authority." It's not known whether the HSI has in the past been involved in the Olympics, or whether this is a first. According to the ICE website, the HSI investigates global threats, investigating the illegal movement of people, goods, money, contraband, weapons and sensitive technology into, out of, and through the United States. ICE made clear its operations in Italy were separate from the immigration crackdown, which is being carried out by the Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) department. "Obviously, ICE does not conduct immigration enforcement operations in foreign countries," it said. The protection of US citizens during Olympic Games overseas is led by the State Department's Diplomatic Security Service (DSS). Yet the outrage over ICE immigration operations in the United States is shared among many in Italy, following the deaths of two civilians during an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. The leftist mayor of Milan, which is hosting several Olympic events, said ICE was "not welcome". "This is a militia that kills... It's clear that they are not welcome in Milan, there's no doubt about it, Giuseppe Sala told RTL 102.5 radio. "Can't we just say no to (US President Donald) Trump for once?" Alessandro Zan, a member of the European Parliament for the centre-left Democratic Party, condemned it as "unacceptable". "In Italy, we don't want those who trample on human rights and act outside of any democratic control," he wrote on X. Monitoring Vance Italian authorities initially denied the presence of ICE and then sought to downplay any role, suggesting they would help only in security for the US delegation. US Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio are attending the opening ceremony in Milan on February 6. On Monday, the president of the northern Lombardy region, said their involvement would be limited to monitoring Vance and Rubio. "It will be only in a defensive role, but I am convinced that nothing will happen," Attilio Fontana told reporters. However, his office then issued a statement saying he did not have any specific information on their presence, but was responding to a hypothetical question. Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi was quoted as saying late Monday that "ICE, as such, will never operate in Italy". The International Olympic Committee when contacted by AFP about the matter replied: "We kindly refer you to the USOPC (the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee)". Thousands of ICE agents have been deployed by President Donald Trump in various US cities to carry out a crackdown on illegal immigration. Their actions have prompted widespread protests, and the recent killings of US citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both 37, on the streets of Minneapolis sparked outrage. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
27 January,2026 07:13 PM IST | Italy | AFPNorth Korea fired at least two ballistic missiles towards the Sea of Japan on Tuesday, Tokyo and Seoul said, a day after a visiting US official hailed Washington's "model ally" in the South. Pyongyang has significantly increased missile testing in recent years, aimed according to analysts at improving precision strike capabilities, challenging Washington as well as Seoul, and testing weapons before exporting them to key ally Russia. The Japanese coast guard, citing the defence ministry, said it had detected two ballistic missiles fired towards the Sea of Japan. Japanese news agency Jiji Press reported the two missiles had landed outside of the country's Exclusive Economic Zone, citing defence ministry sources. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff also said it had detected several ballistic missiles fired by the North towards what Seoul calls the East Sea. The test is Pyongyang's second of the month, following a salvo of missiles fired hours before South Korea's leader headed to China for a summit. It comes a day after a high-level visit to Seoul by the Pentagon's number three official Elbridge Colby, who hailed South Korea as a "model ally". Longstanding treaty allies, ties between the United States and South Korea were forged in the bloodshed of the Korean War. Washington still stations 28,500 troops in South Korea as a deterrent against the nuclear-armed North. Pyongyang routinely denounces Washington and Seoul's joint military drills as rehearsals for invasion. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last month bashed Seoul's push to develop its own nuclear-powered submarines with the United States, calling it a "threat" that "must be countered". 'Heighten tensions' Trump met North Korea's Kim three times during his first term, in efforts to reach a denuclearisation deal. But since a summit in Hanoi fell through over differences about what Pyongyang would get in return for giving up its nuclear weapons, no progress has been made between the two countries. Trump had expressed hopes for a meeting with Kim ahead of a regional summit in South Korea in October, but these went unanswered by the North Korean leader. Pyongyang meanwhile has dispatched thousands of troops to fight for Russia, according to South Korean and Western intelligence agencies, as Moscow presses ahead with its nearly four-year invasion of Ukraine. North Korea is also set to hold a landmark congress of its ruling party in the coming weeks, its first in five years. Ahead of that conclave, Kim ordered the "expansion" and modernisation of the country's missile production. Yang Moo-jin, chair professor at the University of North Korean Studies in Seoul, told AFP that "with the party congress approaching, the latest launch appears intended to heighten tensions to reinforce internal discipline and consolidate regime unity." He added that the timing of the launch "may also be a response to Colby's visit" to the peninsula. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
27 January,2026 07:11 PM IST | Seoul, South Korea | AFPGermany is offering a one million euro (USD 1.2 million) reward for information leading to the arrest of suspected far-left militants whose arson attack caused a massive blackout in Berlin, the interior minister said Tuesday. The electricity outage left roughly 45,000 homes and 2,200 businesses without power for nearly a week in the middle of winter in the southwest of the German capital. Police are hunting members of the far-left "Vulkangruppe" (Volcano Group), which claimed responsibility for the early January blackout in several online statements. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt on Tuesday vowed to "strike back". "I think it's appropriate to underscore the seriousness of the situation with a reward of this magnitude," he said. According to Germany's BfV domestic intelligence agency, the group has been active since 2011 and is also believed to be behind a number of arson attacks in and around Berlin. It claimed responsibility for two sabotage attacks targeting a Telsa electric car factory just outside Berlin. Dobrindt said police would launch a publicity campaign to solicit tips and tout the reward, including leaflets and posters in Berlin's subway system. Dobrindt, a conservative ally of Chancellor Friedrich Merz, also vowed to put more resources into fighting "left-wing extremism" more broadly and urged greater police powers to use facial recognition technology and collect digital data. - Critical infrastructure - The outage caused by a fire targeting a set of high-voltage cables starkly revealed gaps in the security of critical infrastructure in the capital at a time when Germany worries about sabotage attacks blamed on Russia. Berlin officials also came under fire over the speed and scope of their response to the blackout, which came during a spell of cold winter weather. For several years, Germany has faced what officials describe as a Russian campaign of sabotage, espionage and disinformation aimed at destabilising the country, a major supplier of military aid to Ukraine and a key NATO logistics hub. Moscow has denied the allegations. Dobrindt on Tuesday promised that this week the lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, would adopt a new law aimed at better protecting critical infrastructure. But the initial draft of the legislation, which has been awaited for months and incorporates EU mandates, has already faced criticism from some in the energy sector and business community as too bureaucratic to be effective. Some have also warned that the legislation risks mandating excessive transparency about vital infrastructure facilities, which could be exploited by malicious actors. Dobrindt acknowledged that "we already disclose too much public information about our critical infrastructure". This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
27 January,2026 07:00 PM IST | Berlin, Germany | AFPHundreds gathered to say farewell to two popular pandas departing Tokyo for China on Tuesday, leaving Japan without any of the beloved bears for the first time in 50 years as ties between the Asian neighbours fray. Panda twins Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao were transported by truck out of Ueno Zoological Gardens, their birthplace, disappointing many Japanese fans who have grown attached to the furry four-year-olds. "I've been coming to watch them since they were born," Nene Hashino, a woman in her 40s wearing a panda-themed jacket and clutching a bear stuffed toy, told AFP. "It feels like my own children are going somewhere far away. It's sad." The pandas' abrupt return was announced last month during a diplomatic spat that began when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hinted that Tokyo could intervene militarily in the event of an attack on Taiwan. Her comment provoked the ire of Beijing, which regards the island as its own territory. The distinctive black-and-white animals, loaned out as part of China's "panda diplomacy" programme, have symbolised friendship between Beijing and Tokyo since they normalised ties in 1972. Their repatriation comes a month before their loan period expires in February, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, which operates Ueno Zoo. Japan has reportedly been seeking the loan of a new pair of pandas. However, a weekend poll by the liberal Asahi Shimbun newspaper showed that 70 percent of those surveyed do not think the government should negotiate with China on the lease of new pandas, while 26 percent would like them to. On Sunday, Ueno Zoo invited some 4,400 lucky winners of an online lottery to see the pandas for the last time. 'It's so sad' Well-wishers wearing panda-themed clothes, hats and badges waited for hours on the streets lining the zoo two days later to say their final goodbyes. They called out to the animals as the windowless truck left the gates. "It's so sad," said Daisaku Hirota, a 37-year-old shop worker who said he tried to visit the pandas as often as he could on his days off. "I lost one part of my heart," he said. Lei Lei and Xiao Xiao were delivered in 2021 by their mother Shin Shin, who arrived in 2011 and was returned to China in 2024 because of declining health. China has discouraged its nationals from travelling to Japan, citing deteriorating public security and criminal acts against Chinese nationals in the country. Beijing is reportedly also choking off exports to Japan of rare-earth products crucial for making everything from electric cars to missiles. However, China routinely removes pandas from foreign countries and the latest move may not be politically motivated, said Masaki Ienaga, a professor at Tokyo Woman's Christian University and an expert in East Asian international relations. "If you talk about (Chinese) politics, the timing of sending pandas is what counts," and pandas could return to Japan if bilateral ties warm, Ienaga said. Other countries use animals as tools of diplomacy, including Thailand with its elephants and Australia with its koalas, he added. "But pandas are special," Ienaga said. "They have strong customer-drawing power, and they can earn money." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
27 January,2026 03:38 PM IST | Tokyo, Japan | AFPCanadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Monday some of US President Donald Trump's threats should be viewed as prepositioning ahead of negotiations to renew the free trade pact between the two large trading partners. Carney noted they are entering a review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement this year and said he expects a "robust review". "The president is a strong negotiator, and some of these comments and positioning should be viewed in the broader context of that," Carney said. Trump threatened this past weekend to impose a 100 per cent tariff on goods imported from Canada if America's northern neighbour went ahead with a trade deal with Beijing, something Carney said Canada has no interest in. Carney has said his recent agreement with China merely cuts tariffs on a few sectors that were recently hit with tariffs. In 2024, Canada mirrored the United States by putting a 100% tariff on electric vehicles from Beijing and a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum. China had responded by imposing 100% import taxes on Canadian canola oil and meal and 25% on pork and seafood. Breaking with the United States this month during a visit to Beijing, Carney cut its 100% tariff on Chinese electric cars in return for lower tariffs on those Canadian products. "Last week's new strategic partnership with China will make available tens of thousands affordable electric vehicles in Canada," Carney said Monday. Carney has said there would be an initial annual cap of 49,000 vehicles on Chinese EV exports coming into Canada at a tariff rate of 6.1%, growing to about 70,000 over five years. He also has said the initial cap on Chinese EV imports was about 3% of the 1.8 million vehicles sold in Canada annually and that, in exchange, China is expected to begin investing in the Canadian auto industry within three years. Trump's tariff threat came amid an escalating war of words with Carney as the Republican president's push to acquire Greenland strained the NATO alliance. Carney has emerged as a spokesman for a movement for countries to find ways to link up and counter the US under Trump. Speaking in Davos before Trump, Carney said, "Middle powers must act together because if you are not at the table, you are on the menu." The prime minister received widespread praise and attention for his remarks, upstaging Trump at the World Economic Forum. Trump's push to acquire Greenland has come after he has repeatedly needled Canada over its sovereignty and suggested it also be absorbed into the United States as a 51st state. He posted an altered image on social media last week showing a map of the United States that included Canada, Venezuela, Greenland and Cuba as part of its territory. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 January,2026 11:41 AM IST | Toronto | APActivists said Tuesday that at least 6,126 people were killed in Iran's crackdown on nationwide protests and many more are still feared dead. The new figures came from the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in multiple rounds of unrest in Iran. The group verifies each death with a network of activists on the ground in Iran. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the death toll given authorities cutting off the internet and disrupting calls into the Islamic Republic. Iran's government has put the death toll at a far lower 3,117, saying 2,427 were civilians and security forces, and labelled the rest "terrorists." In the past, Iran's theocracy has undercounted or not reported fatalities from unrest. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
27 January,2026 11:29 AM IST | Dubai | APADVERTISEMENT
