Syrian security forces began deploying on Saturday in a neighbourhood in the northern city of Aleppo following days of intense clashes with Kurdish fighters that left dozens killed and wounded, news agency AP reported. The country’s state news agency SANA reported that two Kurdish fighters blew themselves up amid security forces without causing casualties, even as gunfire continued to be heard in the Sheikh Maqsoud neighbourhood around noon on Saturday. Since the early hours of the day, Syrian security forces have been sweeping the area after urging residents to remain indoors for their safety. Hundreds of people who fled the neighbourhood earlier were seen waiting at the entrances of Sheikh Maqsoud, hoping to return once military operations conclude, AP reported. The clashes erupted on Tuesday in the predominantly Kurdish neighbourhoods of Sheikh Maqsoud, Achrafieh and Bani Zaid after talks failed between the government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF)—the country’s main Kurdish-led force—on integrating their fighters into the national army. Security forces have since taken control of Achrafieh and Bani Zaid. At least 22 people were killed in five days of fighting, AP reported. Kurdish forces said at least 12 civilians died in the Kurdish-majority areas, while government officials reported 10 deaths in the nearby government-controlled neighbourhoods. The violence also displaced more than 1.4 lakh people. Syria declares Aleppo area closed military zone Syria’s Information Minister Hamza al-Mustafa told state television that Kurdish fighters used civilian buildings, including hospitals and clinics, during the clashes. Both sides have accused each other of initiating the violence and deliberately targeting civilian neighbourhoods and infrastructure, including ambulance crews and hospitals. The Kurdish-led Democratic Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria, which controls large parts of Syria’s northeast, alleged that security forces targeted the Khaled Fajr Hospital in Sheikh Maqsoud, endangering patients and paramedics. It appealed to the international community to intervene and pressure government forces to stop shelling. State TV reported that at least one security personnel was injured after a drone fired by the SDF struck the neighbourhood. Associated Press journalists said sporadic gunfire could be heard as government-deployed drones flew over Sheikh Maqsoud. The Syrian military declared the area a “closed military zone” on Friday night as it launched what it described as a “clearing operation”. Meanwhile, in Jordan, state media said Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi discussed the developments in Syria with US Special Envoy to Syria Tom Barrack in Amman. Jordan expressed support for efforts to consolidate the ceasefire and ensure the peaceful withdrawal of Kurdish fighters from Aleppo, the reports said. (With AP inputs)
10 January,2026 06:59 PM IST | Syria | mid-day online correspondentNASA is entering the final stages of preparations for its first crewed Artemis Moon mission, Artemis II, with plans to roll the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft to the Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Pad 39B in Florida as early as January 17. The move marks the beginning of final integration, testing, and launch rehearsals. The four-mile journey from the Vehicle Assembly Building on the crawler-transporter-2 is expected to take up to 12 hours. NASA teams are working around the clock to complete all technical checks ahead of rollout, though the schedule is subject to change depending on weather or additional preparations. “We are moving closer to Artemis II, with rollout just around the corner,” said Lori Glaze, acting associate administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate. “We have important steps remaining on our path to launch, and crew safety will remain our top priority at every turn, as we near humanity’s return to the Moon.” In recent days, engineers addressed technical issues including a bent cable in the flight termination system, a valve problem in Orion’s hatch pressurisation, and leaky ground support hardware needed for loading breathing oxygen. All issues have been resolved or are being tested ahead of rollout. Once at the pad, NASA will connect ground support equipment, power up integrated systems, and conduct extensive launch pad preparations. The Artemis II crew – NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen – will perform a final walkdown at the pad. Wet dress rehearsal and launch prep for Artemis II At the end of January, NASA plans a wet dress rehearsal, a prelaunch test in which the rocket is fuelled with over 7 lakg gallons of cryogenic propellants, a countdown is conducted, and propellant removal is practiced – all without astronauts onboard. The rehearsal will also test the closeout crew procedures for securing astronauts in Orion. Multiple runs will simulate different holds and countdown scenarios to ensure readiness. Following the wet dress rehearsal, a flight readiness review will determine whether all systems – flight hardware, launch infrastructure, and recovery teams – are ready to commit to a launch. The Artemis II launch window opens as early as February 6, with further opportunities through April. Launch dates are carefully selected based on orbital mechanics, spacecraft alignment with Earth and Moon, solar exposure, and return entry profiles. Artemis II will be the first crewed flight under NASA’s Artemis campaign in more than 50 years, marking a major step toward a sustained human presence on the Moon and preparing for future missions to Mars. The approximately 10-day test flight will allow NASA to evaluate spacecraft life support systems in lunar orbit before astronauts venture further.
10 January,2026 06:02 PM IST | FloridaUS Vice-President JD Vance on Friday urged European leaders to take the United States seriously on Greenland, describing the island as critical to global security, news agency IANS reported. He warned that the US would act if allies failed to address what he described as growing interest from “hostile adversaries”. Asked about the ongoing pushback to the idea that Greenland “could be for sale,” Vance said the administration would continue to address the matter through diplomacy. “We’ll — we’ll continue to deliver some of these messages in private, some of them in public,” he added. Vance highlighted upcoming diplomatic contacts involving the State Department. “Secretary (of State Marco) Rubio, I believe, is meeting with the leaders of Denmark and Greenland next week, I want to say it is, but maybe it’s the week after that,” he said. The Vice-President argued that critics were overreacting to former US President Donald Trump’s statements. US may act if threats from hostile powers are not addressed, warns Vance “Set to the side the crazy overreactions that I’ve seen from the press and from certain people in Europe,” he said, before outlining the administration’s key points. “What has the President said? Number one, Greenland is really important, not just to America’s missile defence, but to the world’s missile defence. Number two, we know that there are hostile adversaries that have shown a lot of interest in that particular territory, that particular slice of the world,” Vance said. He added that the administration was pressing allies to bolster security around the island. “So what we’re asking our European friends to do is to take the security of that landmass more seriously,” Vance said. He further emphasised, “Because if they’re not, the United States is going to have to do something about it.” Vance did not specify what form US action might take, saying decisions would remain with the President. “What that is, I’ll leave that to the president as we continue to engage in diplomacy with our European friends and everybody on this particular topic,” he said. Greenland is an autonomous territory within the Kingdom of Denmark. Its Arctic location has long been considered strategically significant for early warning and defence architecture across the North Atlantic. (With IANS inputs)
10 January,2026 04:54 PM IST | Washington DC | mid-day online correspondentPresident Donald Trump on Friday once again emphasised the need for the United States (US) to take action on Greenland, warning that if Washington did not act, Russia and China could move in, news agency ANI reported. He added that he would prefer to reach a deal “the easy way”, but if not, the US would act “the hard way”. Speaking to mediapersons during a meeting with top oil and gas executives, Trump said, “We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not, because if we don't do it, Russia or China will take over Greenland — and we're not going to have Russia or China as a neighbour. I would like to make a deal the easy way but if we don't do it the easy way, we're going to do it the hard way.” The US President, while stressing his appreciation for Denmark, said, “And by the way, I'm a fan of Denmark as well. They've been very nice to me. I'm a big fan, but the fact that they had a boat land there 500 years ago doesn't mean that they own the land. We had lots of boats go there also. But we need that because if you take a look outside of Greenland right now, there are Russian destroyers, Chinese destroyers, and bigger, Russian submarines all over the place. We're not going to have Russia or China occupy Greenland, and that's what they're going to do if we don't. We will do something with Greenland either the nice way or the difficult way.” When asked why it was important to “own” Greenland, given the US already has a military presence that could be expanded, Trump said “countries need to have ownership to defend ownership”. “When we own it we defend it. You don't defend leases the same way. You have to own it. Countries have to have ownership, and you defend ownership. You don't defend leases. If we don't do it, China or Russia will. That's not going to happen… NATO has to understand that. I'm all for NATO. I saved it. If it weren't for me, NATO would not be there,” said the US President. Trump has renewed his push to take over the semi-autonomous Danish territory, rich in natural resources including rare earth minerals, uranium, and iron. The new push follows the US military operation in Venezuela over the weekend to seize President Nicolas Maduro, which Trump cited as a pre-emptive move to prevent Chinese or Russian influence. Trump places Greenland at the centre of US Arctic policy For decades, the US has viewed Greenland as strategically significant, and the Trump administration has again placed the island at the centre of its Arctic policy, reviving discussions on altering the Danish territory’s status. Trump had previously proposed buying Greenland in 2019, only to be told it was not for sale. Trump also criticised wind energy in Europe, calling windmills “losers” and “the worst form of energy”, ANI reported. He added, “They lose money, they destroy your landscape, they kill your birds, they are all made in China… China uses coal, oil, and gas, and some nuclear, but they don't have windmills. They make them and sell them to suckers like Europe and the United States before. They are the most expensive form of energy.” The remarks come days after Trump signed a memorandum directing the US withdrawal from international organisations, conventions, and treaties deemed “contrary to the interests” of the country. The move covers 35 non-UN organisations and 31 UN bodies, including the India- and France-led International Solar Alliance, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), among others. (With ANI inputs)
10 January,2026 04:25 PM IST | Washington DC | mid-day online correspondentThe Institute for the Study of War (ISW), a policy research organisation, said on Saturday that it recorded 116 protests across 22 provinces in Iran since Thursday 3.30 pm (local time). At least 20 of these were large-scale protests, defined as those drawing more than 1,000 participants, news agency ANI reported, citing the report. In a post on X, the Institute said, “Critical Threats and ISW have recorded 116 protests across 22 provinces since 3:30 PM ET on January 8. Twenty of these protests were large protests, which CTP-ISW defines as protests with more than 1,000 participants. CTP-ISW’s protest data since its last data cutoff likely reflects only part of the protest activity that has taken place in Iran since that time, given that the internet shutdown restricts protesters’ ability to publish and share videos of the protests. Some protesters have reportedly used Starlink to send reports of protests to foreign media.” Earlier, the Institute said the Iranian regime had sustained a nationwide internet shutdown in an attempt to curb the protests, though demonstrations have continued despite the restrictions. In another post on X, the think tank said, “The Iranian regime has sustained its nationwide internet shutdown, likely to disrupt protest coordination and obscure the scale of its repression. Widespread protest activity has continued to take place across Iran amid the internet shutdown.” Further elaborating on the situation, it said, “The protests in Iran may have expanded to such an extent that they are challenging Iranian security forces’ ability to suppress them. Protesters damaged regime institutions in multiple cities across Iran on January 8 and 9. The Iranian regime may increasingly rely on the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps to suppress the protests as local Law Enforcement Command forces reportedly face bandwidth constraints.” Iran protests: World leaders condemn crackdown Prominent Iranian journalist and activist Masih Alinejad, sharing videos on X she said were sent to her from Iran via Starlink, lauded Elon Musk. “It has been over 24 hours now that the dictator of Iran has shut down internet connections for 90 million Iranians. Internet access is the lifeline of Iran uprising and by making Starlink services available for Iranian revolutionaries, Elon Musk has made a crucial and indispensable contribution to the fight for democracy in Iran,” her post stated. Meanwhile, internet monitoring group NetBlocks highlighted the continued connectivity restrictions, saying, “It’s now 8:00 am in Iran where the sun is rising after another night of protests met with repression; metrics show the nationwide internet blackout remains in place at 36 hours, severely limiting Iranians’ ability to check on the safety of friends and loved ones.” World leaders on Saturday condemned the killing and arrest of protesters as unrest continued across Iran, raising concerns over the stability of the administration. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Australia, Canada, and the European Union praised the bravery of Iranian citizens and condemned the reported crackdown by the regime. (With ANI inputs)
10 January,2026 03:41 PM IST | Washington DC | mid-day online correspondentClaiming yet again that he solved the conflict between India and Pakistan, US President Donald Trump has said that "no one in history is more deserving than him" of the Nobel Peace Prize, as he criticised former President Barack Obama for getting the honour even though he "didn't do anything". Trump, during a meeting in the White House on Friday with oil and gas executives to discuss plans for the Venezuelan oil reserves, also reiterated his claim that eight jets were shot down in the conflict in May last year without clarifying to which country they belonged. "Look whether people like Trump or don't like Trump, I settled eight wars, big ones. Some going on for 36 years, 32 years, 31 years, 28 years, 25 years, some just getting ready to start like India and Pakistan, where already eight jets were shot out of the air", Trump said. The US president also said that Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who had visited the White House last year, credited him for saving millions of lives by stopping the conflict between the two nuclear-armed neighbours. This is the second time in as many days that Trump has claimed credit for stopping the conflict between India and Pakistan, an assertion he has now made innumerable times since May 10 last year when he announced on social media that the two countries agreed to a "full and immediate" ceasefire after a "long night" of talks mediated by Washington. Those expressing skepticism #Iran was behind attacks should tell us who they think it was instead. Make list of nations & groups in region with ability to attack large vessels out in gulf. It will become quickly apparent that Iran & its surrogates are only ones that make sense. — Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) June 13, 2019 India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 last year, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes. India has consistently denied any third-party intervention. Trump further said that no one in history is more deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize than him since he has stopped eight wars within eight months of his second term in the White House. He rebuked Obama for getting the Nobel Peace Prize shortly after assuming office in 2009 even though he "didn't do anything". "I can't think of anybody in history that should get the Nobel Prize more than me and I don't want to be bragging, but nobody else settled wars. Obama got the Nobel Prize. He had no idea why. He still has no idea. He walks around, he says, 'I got the Nobel Prize'. Why did he get a Nobel Prize? He got it almost immediately upon attaining office, and he didn't do anything, and he was a bad president", Trump said. Trump asserted that one should get a Nobel Prize for "every war you stopped. These were major wars. These were wars that nobody thought could be stopped". Trump claimed that Russian President Vladimir Putin told him he had been trying to stop two of the wars for ten years and wasn't able to do it. "He couldn't believe it. So in theory, you should get the Nobel Prize for every war you stopped. Every one of them was major. But I don't care about that. What I care about is saving lives. I've saved tens of millions of lives", he said. Trump was asked about Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, who dedicated her Nobel Peace Prize last year to him, and has said she wants to give the honour to him. Trump said Machado will be coming to Washington next week and "pay her regards to our country, really to me, but you know I'm a representative of the country, nothing else, and she's coming in sometime next week". He said "it's very nice" that Machado wants to come in, "and that's what I understand the reason is because Norway is very embarrassed by what took place. I mean, they're getting decimated", referring to Machado's offer to give her Nobel Prize to him when the Oslo-based Nobel committee did not honour him last year."But I'm honoured that she's coming here. I look forward to meeting her", he said. A day earlier, in an interview to Fox News, Trump said again that he stopped the war between India and Pakistan, the two nuclear powers "ready to go at it big". 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.
10 January,2026 01:24 PM IST | New York/Washington | PTIIsraeli strikes across Gaza killed at least 13 people, according to health officials, as US President Donald Trump was expected to announce the Board of Peace to oversee the fragile ceasefire. Health officials and family members said at least one child was among the dead in northern Gaza following several strikes there as well as east of Gaza City. Israel’s army said Friday it struck Hamas infrastructure and fighters in southern and northern Gaza in response to a failed projectile launched by militants from the Gaza City area. The phased ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remains in its initial stage as efforts continue to recover the remains of the final hostage. Officials say next week Trump is expected to announce the Board of Peace. 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
10 January,2026 01:22 PM IST | Deir al-Balah | AgenciesExternal Affairs Minister S Jaishankar paid tributes to Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar at the UNESCO headquarters. He also met UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany and underscored India's commitment to deepening engagement with the UN body. Posting about his tribute on Friday, EAM highlighted how Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar continues to be a guiding light. He said, "Paid my respects to Babasaheb Ambedkar @UNESCO Headquarters today. His ideals of social justice and inclusivity are a guiding light for humanity." Paid my respects to Babasaheb Ambedkar @UNESCO Headquarters today. His ideals of social justice and inclusivity are a guiding light for humanity. pic.twitter.com/SZoP92lWHg — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 9, 2026 On his meeting with UNESCO DG Khaled El-Enany, EAM said, "Pleased to meet @UNESCO_DG Khaled El-Enany in Paris today. A multilateral world is inherently multicultural. Underlined India's commitment to advance engagement with @UNESCO in culture, education and heritage preservation globally." Pleased to meet @UNESCO_DG Khaled El-Enany in Paris today. A multilateral world is inherently multicultural. Underlined India’s commitment to advance engagement with @UNESCO in culture, education and heritage preservation globally. 🇮🇳 🇺🇳 pic.twitter.com/pkAAvyCzyI — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 9, 2026 He also held conversations with the members of India - France Parliamentary Friendship Group and parliamentary friends of India and held discussions on contemporary global developments. The EAM affirmed possibilities for deeper India - France cooperation driven by the shared strategic outlook. A warm conversation with members of India - France Parliamentary Friendship Group and parliamentary friends of India.Discussed the state of the world, impact of technology and enabling a global workplace.Affirmed possibilities for deeper India - France cooperation driven by… pic.twitter.com/Uwu7FrZDkt — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) January 9, 2026 On Thursday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had met French President Emmanuel Macron and conveyed Prime Minister Modi's warm wishes. He also addressed the Ambassadors' Conference of France and underlined contemporary global shifts driven by factors like trade and energy. During the meeting with his met his French counterpart, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on Wednesday, the two leaders discussed advancing bilateral cooperation and elevating India-EU engagement, while also sharing perspectives on contemporary global developments. EAM had called France amongst India's oldest strategic partners and underlined how the two countries are active in the international arena, they are committed to multipolarity and their working together is important not only for the bilateral relationship but also for stabilising global politics. On Wednesday, he also attended the first India-Weimer format meeting along with Polish Deputy PM Radoslaw Sikorski, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot and German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. The meeting focused on three key issues; India-European Union relations, the Indo-Pacific, and the Ukraine conflict. 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
10 January,2026 01:21 PM IST | Paris | ANIPresident Donald Trump on Friday called on oil executives to rush back into Venezuela as the White House looks to quickly secure USD 100 billion in investments to revive the country's ability to fully tap into its expansive reserves of petroleum. Since the US military raid to capture former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on Saturday, Trump has quickly pivoted to portraying the move as a newfound economic opportunity for the US, seizing tankers carrying Venezuelan oil, and saying the US is taking over the sales of 30 million to 50 million barrels of previously sanctioned Venezuelan oil and will be controlling sales worldwide indefinitely. Trump, as he opened the meeting with oil industry executives, sought to assure them that they need not be skeptical of quickly investing in and, in some cases, returning to the South American country with a history of state asset seizures as well as ongoing US sanctions and the current political uncertainty. 'You have total safety,' Trump told the executives. 'You're dealing with us directly and not dealing with Venezuela at all. We don't want you to deal with Venezuela.' Trump added: 'Our giant oil companies will be spending at least USD 100 billion of their money, not the government's money. They don't need government money. But they need government protection." Trump welcomed the oil executives to the White House after US forces earlier Friday seized their fifth tanker over the past month that has been linked to Venezuelan oil. The action reflected the determination of the US to fully control the exporting, refining and production of Venezuelan petroleum, a sign of the Trump administration's plans for ongoing involvement in the sector as it seeks commitments from private companies. It's all part of a broader push by Trump to keep gasoline prices low. At a time when many Americans are concerned about affordability, the incursion in Venezuela melds Trump's assertive use of presidential powers with an optical spectacle meant to convince Americans that he can bring down energy prices. 'At least 100 Billion Dollars will be invested by BIG OIL, all of whom I will be meeting with today at The White House,' Trump said Friday in a pre-dawn social media post. The White House said it invited oil executives from 17 companies, including Chevron, which still operates in Venezuela, as well as ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips, which both had oil projects in the country that were lost as part of a 2007 nationalization of private businesses under Maduro's predecessor, Hugo Chávez. 'If we look at the commercial constructs and frameworks in place today in Venezuela, today it's un-investable,' said Darren Woods, the ExxonMobil CEO. 'And so significant changes have to be made to those commercial frameworks, the legal system, there has to be durable investment protections and there has to be change to the hydrocarbon laws in the country.' Other companies invited included Halliburton, Valero, Marathon, Shell, Singapore-based Trafigura, Italy-based Eni and Spain-based Repsol as well as a vast swath of domestic and international companies with interests ranging from construction to the commodity markets. Large US oil companies have so far largely refrained from affirming investments in Venezuela as contracts and guarantees need to be in place. Trump has suggested that the US would help to backstop any investments. Venezuela's oil production has slumped below one million barrels a day. Part of Trump's challenge to turn that around will be to convince oil companies that his administration has a stable relationship with Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodríguez, as well as protections for companies entering the market. While Rodriguez has publicly denounced Trump and the ouster of Maduro, the US president has said that to date Venezuela's interim leader has been cooperating behind the scenes with his administration. Tyson Slocum, director of the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen's energy program, criticised the gathering and called the US military's removal of Maduro 'violent imperialism." Slocum added that Trump's goal appears to be to 'hand billionaires control over Venezuela's oil.' Meanwhile, the United States and Venezuelan governments said Friday they were exploring the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations between the two countries, and a delegation from the Trump administration arrived in the South American nation Friday. The small team of US diplomats and diplomatic security officials traveled to Venezuela to make a preliminary assessment about the potential reopening of the US Embassy in Caracas, the State Department said in a statement. Trump also announced Friday he'd meet with President Gustavo Petro in early February, but called on the Colombian leader to make quick progress on stemming flow of cocaine into the US. Trump, following the ouster of Maduro, had made vague threats to take similar action against Petro, describing the Colombia leader as a 'sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States'. Trump abruptly changed his tone Wednesday about his Colombian counterpart after a friendly phone call in which he invited Petro to visit the White House. The seeming détente between Petro, a leftist, and Trump, a conservative, appears to reflect that their shared interests override their deep differences. 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
10 January,2026 01:20 PM IST | Washington | APTaiwanese President Lai Ching-te said that he would continue safeguarding Taiwan and would not allow China to reach into, Focus Taiwan reported. Focus Taiwan said that the Taiwanese President said that as commander-in-chief of the armed forces, he was pledging to protect the country and safeguard the lives and property of all citizens. "I will certainly safeguard the nation and absolutely not allow Chinese pressure or China's hand to reach into Taiwan," President Lai said. He also said on Thursday that China's "cross-border pressure" against the people of Taiwan proves that Beijing's authority does not extend to Taiwan and confirms that Taiwan is not part of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Focus Taiwan reported Lai cited the recent visit to Taiwan by China-born Japanese lawmaker Hei Seki, who has been sanctioned by China and barred from entering PRC, saying that the visit demonstrated that how the Republic of China (ROC) -- Taiwan's official name -- and the PRC are not subordinate to each other. His remarks came amid the backdrop of China's Taiwan Affairs Office listing Taiwan's Interior Minister Liu Shyh-fang and Education Minister Cheng Ying-yao as so-called "diehard Taiwan independence elements." Focus Taiwan reported that the same Chinese office also labeled a prosecutor from the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office as a "Taiwan independence thug accomplice." "Whether it is Cheng Ying-yao, Liu Shyh-fang, the prosecutor surnamed Chen, or other officials or elected representatives, all can stand at their posts and strive for the country, without fear of China's threats," the Taiwanese President said ahead of attending an event celebrating the completion of training for new personnel at the Ministry of Justice's Investigation Bureau. The Taiwanese President said that he hoped China's leaders would understand that military drills targeting Taiwan are not peaceful actions and added that China's "united front" infiltration and cross-border suppression would not achieve the goal of making Taiwan a part of China. 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
10 January,2026 01:18 PM IST | Taipei | ANIUS President Donald Trump has announced a one-year cap on credit card interest rates, proposing a maximum rate of 10 per cent, to be effective from January 20. In a post on Truth Social, which was shared on X by The White House, Trump criticized credit card companies for charging interest rates ranging from 20 per cent to 30 per cent or higher, arguing that such rates have placed an undue financial burden on Americans. He attributed the persistence of high interest rates to policies during the Joe Biden administration, framing the proposal as a measure aimed at improving affordability for consumers. According to the post, the proposed cap would take effect on January 20, 2026, and would remain in place for one year. Trump described the move as an effort to prevent what he characterized as consumers being "ripped off" by credit card companies. The announcement emphasizes affordability as a central theme and highlights January 20 as symbolically significant, noting that it would coincide with one anniversary of Trump's administration. "Please be informed that we will no longer let the American Public be "ripped off" by Credit Card Companies that are charging Interest Rates of 20 to 30%, and even more, which festered unimpeded during the Sleepy Joe Biden Administration. AFFORDABILITY! Effective January 20, 2026, I, as President of the United States, am calling for a one year cap on Credit Card Interest Rates of 10%. Coincidentally, the January 20th date will coincide with the one year anniversary of the historic and very successful Trump Administration. Thank you for your attention to this matter. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP," the post read. 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
10 January,2026 09:40 AM IST | Washington | ANIADVERTISEMENT
-1768031288461_d.png "Donald Trump. File Pic")
