Air India, among several major international airlines, announced plans to resume flights to Israel inlight of ceasefire holding up in the country's north and south regions, PTI reported. "It's official now. We are resuming flights from March 2, 2025," a representative for Air India in Israel told PTI. Several Indians who are currently staying in Israel felt a sigh of relief as the Indian carrier's website opened bookings on the said route. As per PTI, travelling to the worn-torn country had become challenging with most of the major international airlines cancelling their operations to the Jewish state in view of the war in the north against Hezbollah and in the south against Hamas in Gaza, since October 23, 2023 when the Palestinian Islamic outfit had carried out a brutal attack on Israel. Air France announced that it will resume daily flights on the Paris-Tel Aviv route starting this week Saturday. The carrier also plans to increase its daily flight frequency in the upcoming months. Transavia France, a low-cost subsidiary of the Air France-KLM Group, will also return flight operations on the Israel route on January 28. According to PTI, Lufthansa Group of airlines "including Lufthansa, Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings" collectively announced on Thursday that they will gradually resume flights operating to and from Tel Aviv beginning February 1. British Airways will also return to Israel, resuming flights between Tel Aviv and London on April 5 with the initial plan of one daily flight. Irish low-cost giant Ryanair has also announced plans to operate a full summer schedule for Israel following suspension of flights to Ben Gurion Airport from February 2024. Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire on November 27 which has so far been holding up despite a few hiccups on the way, PTI reported. Ceasefire in Gaza between Hamas and Israel went into effect on Sunday leading to the exchange of Israeli hostages with Palestinian prisoners, bringing some calm to over fifteen months of fighting in the region. Large white buses carrying the detainees exited the gates of Israel’s Ofer prison, just outside the West Bank city of Ramallah, as celebratory fireworks erupted overhead. Crowds of Palestinians thronged the buses, chanting and cheering. (With inputs from PTI)
23 January,2025 07:10 PM IST | jerusalem | mid-day online correspondentAssam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday met Japan's State Minister of Justice Komura Masahiro and talked about the Assam government's plans to establish an industrial park dedicated to Japanese companies in the state, ANI reported. The duo also held talks on the shared values and ethos that ties India and Japan. In a post on X, CM Sarma wrote, "It was a privilege to meet H.E. Mr. Komura Masahiro, Japan's State Minister of Justice. We had an insightful conversation on the shared values and ethos that tie India and Japan, and particularly how ideals of Buddha form a spiritual bridge between our two societies." "During my discussion, I underlined Government of Assam's intention to establish an industrial park dedicated to Japanese companies. We also spoke at length at how talented youths from Assam can help bridge the demand for skilled workforce in Japan, through ongoing programs between our countries," the social post reads. It was a privilege to meet H.E. Mr. Komura Masahiro, Japan’s State Minister of Justice.We had an insightful conversation on the shared values and ethos that tie India and Japan, and particularly how ideals of Buddha form a spiritual bridge between our two societies. During my… pic.twitter.com/3vAdtQsPNk — Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) January 23, 2025 Earlier on Wednesday, after wrapping up the first leg of the Advantage Assam 2.0 Roadshow in Seoul, Sarma arrived in Tokyo, to take forward the Advantage Assam Roadshow, ANI reported. According to ANI, the Chief Minister began his day by paying tributes to the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi at Edogawa where he was given a warm reception by the Assamese diaspora with whom he had a heartful interaction and savoured homemade Assamese delicacies, as per a press release from Assam CMO. Following the reception, Himanta Biswa Sarma began his official engagements for the day by addressing the Advantage Assam Roadshow amidst the attendance of 160 business leaders. Sharing a post on X, he wrote, "Had a very engaging Day 1 in Japan where I had meetings with over 160 industry leaders and outlined our vision of Simplicity, Transparency, Efficiency and Effective Policy to attract investments into Assam." The Chief Minister highlighted the close Indo-Japan ties and Japan's continued support in a host of projects ongoing in the state of Assam in the fields of urban development, infrastructure, healthcare, and manpower among others, ANI reported. Earlier this week, CM Sarma concluded the first phase of his International Roadshow in South Korea for Advantage Assam 2.0. He had many productive meetings with stakeholders in various sectors like renewable energy, semiconductors, and small and medium enterprises. (With inputs by ANI)
23 January,2025 01:57 PM IST | Tokyo | mid-day online correspondentAs Indian-origin entrepreneur and Republican leader Vivek Ramaswamy pulled out of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), just 69 days after he was announced the co-head of the team along with tech billionaire Elon Musk, a report has revealed that it was the Tesla CEO who wanted Ramaswamy 'out' of the team. Politico reported citing three people with Elon Musk's preference said the billionaire made it known that he wanted Ramaswamy out of DOGE in recent days. Hours after Trump's inauguration as the 47th US President, Ramaswamy announced that he would not co-head DOGE. Musk's ability to ice out Ramaswamy, who for a variety of reasons had irked some Republicans in Trump's circle, is the latest sign of his influence in the incoming administration. It presages an encore of all of the infighting that marked Trump's first term. Ramaswamy "just burned through the bridges and he finally burned Elon," said a Republican strategist close to Trump advisers. "Everyone wants him out of Mar-a-Lago, out of DC." According to the report, Ramaswamy's comments on X during a discussion of H-1B visas were the 'main reason' for some Republicans' getting frustrated with him. In December last year, the Indian-origin leader criticised American culture, saying that tech companies hire foreign workers because the country that has "venerated mediocrity over excellence." "They wanted him out before the tweet -- but kicked him to the curb when that came out," one of the three people familiar with his departure, told Politico. Ramaswamy is planning to announce a run for Ohio Governor next week, as reported by Politico. A person close to DOGE said Musk did not think it was feasible for him to campaign for office while working on DOGE. Meanwhile, Trump transition spokesperson Anna Kelly lauded Ramaswamy and said that he "played a critical role in helping us create DOGE" and that his plan to run for governor "requires him to remain outside of DOGE based on the structure that we announced today." Politico reported citing sources, that Ramaswamy maintained to confidants as late as Saturday evening that he was actively involved in DOGE, saying he was at work writing executive orders. However, a person familiar with the arrangement informed that he had done almost no DOGE-related work since early December. Last week, he was hoping to achieve some significant milestones before leaving to run for governor. Now, Ramaswamy and his team are trying to present his exit in a positive light, especially since it's happening as Trump begins his term. Ramaswamy has chosen not to comment on the rumoured tensions between him and Musk. A person familiar with Ramaswamy's thinking said they are now on good terms and that "the reality is that it wasn't possible" to run for governor and co-lead DOGE "both at once." Ramaswamy attended US President Donald Trump's inauguration, where he spoke to Susie Wiles, Trump's chief of staff. On Monday morning, Ramaswamy posted a photo of himself with Musk shaking hands. "A new dawn," he wrote. But he was already on his way out. That same day, a person close to Ramaswamy who was granted anonymity to speak freely confirmed Ramaswamy was leaving, the Politico report stated. 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
23 January,2025 08:25 AM IST | Washington | ANIForty-one Indian fishermen detained by the Sri Lanka Navy have been repatriated by authorities here, the Indian mission here said on Wednesday. Fishermen from both countries are arrested frequently for trespassing into each other’s waters. “41 Indian fishermen successfully repatriated from Sri Lanka! They are currently on their way home,” the Indian High Commission here said on X. Of the 41 fishermen, 35 were from Ramanathapuram district and had been detained near Katchatheevu on September 8, 2024. The Sri Lankan Navy alleged that they were engaged in cross-border fishing activities, a recurring issue in the region. The fishermen issue is a contentious one in the ties between India and Sri Lanka, with Lankan navy even firing at Indian fishermen in the Palk Strait—a narrow strip of water separating Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka—and seizing their boats. 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
23 January,2025 08:24 AM IST | Colombo | AgenciesChina’s navy has commissioned a new-generation frigate as competition rises with the US and other regional powers, saying the ship will “play a vital role in enhancing the overall combat effectiveness” of its forces. The first Type 054B frigate, christened the Luohe, was commissioned Wednesday in Qingdao, a port city in northern China where the PLAN’s northern fleet is based. The ship has a displacement of approximately 5,000 tonnes and includes stealth technology, combat command systems and firepower integration, “significantly enhancing overall performance”, the navy said. The Luohe’s armaments include a variety of machine guns for close combat and anti-air and anti-ship missiles, according to defense publications, some of which say the ship could become the backbone of the Chinese navy. China already has the world’s largest navy in terms of number of hulls, although its technology is sometimes seen as lagging. Its largest competitor, the US, has warned its navy could be outnumbered and has called for a building programme as well as reforms to put damaged ships into action sooner. China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy operates mainly in waters off the Chinese east coast and in the huge and strategically crucial South China Sea, which China claims almost in its entirety. 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
23 January,2025 08:23 AM IST | Taipei | AgenciesA Maine coon cat named Mittens became an accidental jetsetter this month when her cage was overlooked in a plane cargo hold and she made three trips in 24 hours between New Zealand and Australia. Mittens, 8, was booked for one-way travel with her family from Christchurch, New Zealand, to their new home in Melbourne, Australia, on January 13. But owner Margo Neas said on Wednesday that three hours after she waited for Mittens to be unloaded, ground staff told her the plane had returned to New Zealand “with Mittens still on board”. The return trip involves about 7.5 hours in the air, and the pilot turned on the heating in the cargo hold to keep Mittens comfortable. 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
23 January,2025 08:22 AM IST | Wellington | AgenciesRupert Murdoch’s UK tabloids made a rare apology to Prince Harry in settling his privacy invasion lawsuit and will pay him a substantial sum, his lawyer announced on Wednesday. News Group Newspapers (NGN) offered a “full and unequivocal apology to the Duke of Sussex for the serious intrusion by The Sun between 1996 and 2011 into his private life, including incidents of unlawful activities carried out by private investigators working for The Sun,” attorney David Sherborne read from settlement statement in court. Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex It was the first time NGN has acknowledged wrongdoing at The Sun, a paper once known for featuring topless women on Page 3. The statement itself was remarkable in breadth, acknowledging “phone hacking, surveillance and misuse of private information by journalists and private investigators” aimed at Harry, allegations NGN had strongly denied before trial. The statement even went beyond the scope of the lawsuit to acknowledge intruding on the life of his mother, the late Princess Diana. “We acknowledge and apologise for the distress caused to the duke, and the damage inflicted on relationships, friendships and family, and have agreed to pay him substantial damages,” it said. Harry, 40, the younger son of King Charles III, and one other man were the only remaining claimants out of more than 1,300 who settled lawsuits against NGN. 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
23 January,2025 08:21 AM IST | London | AgenciesWithin hours of President Donald Trump’s inauguration, the new administration took down the Spanish-language version of the official White House website. The site now gives users an ‘Error 404’ message. It also included a ‘Go Home’ button that directed viewers to a page featuring a video montage of Trump in his first term and on the campaign trail. The button was later updated to read ‘Go To Home Page’. Hispanic leaders and communication strategy experts expressed surprise with the page’s removal, given Trump’s popularity with certain Latino voters. Trump had also removed the Spanish version of the page in 2017. At that time, White House officials said they would reinstate it. President Joe Biden reinstated the page in 2021. ‘Diversity staff’ put on leave The Trump administration has also directed that all federal diversity, equity and inclusion staff be put on paid leave, and that agencies develop plans to lay them off, according to a memo on Tuesday from the Office of Personnel Management. The memo follows an executive order Trump signed on his first day ordering a sweeping dismantling of the federal government’s diversity and inclusion programs that could touch on everything from anti-bias training to funding for minority farmers and homeowners. DEI office staffers are to be placed on paid leave by 5 pm on Wednesday. Tariffs on China The President has said he is considering to impose a 10 per cent tariff on Chinese imports starting February 1 to curb the flow of deadly drug fentanyl that Beijing sends to Mexico and Canada, eventually landing up in the US. Fentanyl is a highly addictive synthetic opioid, which, according to the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), presents the deadliest drug threat in the country. US$ 500 billion AI initiative Trump announced a US$ 500 billion for AI infrastructure through a new company, which is being created in partnership with Oracle, SoftBank and Open AI. The venture, called Stargate, adds to tech companies’ significant investments in US data centres—huge buildings full of servers for computing power. The three companies plan to contribute funds to the venture, which will be open to investors and start with 10 data centres already under construction in Texas. 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
23 January,2025 08:20 AM IST | Washington | AgenciesA fire raged through a 12-storey hotel at a popular ski resort in northwestern Turkiye early Tuesday during a school holiday, killing at least 76 people, at least two of them when they jumped from the building to escape the flames, officials said. At least 51 people also were injured in the fire at the Grand Kartal hotel in Kartalkaya, in Bolu province's Koroglu mountains, some 300 kilometres east of Istanbul, said Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya. The fire occurred near the start of a two-week winter break for schools, when hotels in the region are packed. 'We are in deep pain. We have unfortunately lost 66 lives in the fire that broke out at this hotel,' Yerlikaya told reporters after inspecting the site. Atakan Yelkovan, a hotel guest staying on the third floor, told the IHA news agency there was chaos on the upper floors as other guests tried to escape the fire, including by trying to climb down from their rooms using sheets and blankets. 'People on the upper floors were screaming. They hung down sheets ... Some tried to jump,' Yelkovan said. Yerlikaya said 45 of the 76 people killed have been identified while efforts to identify the other victims were continuing. Health Minister Kemal Memisoglu said at least one of the injured was in serious condition, while 17 other people were treated and released. The hotel had 238 registered guests, Yerlikaya said. The fire was reported at 3:27 a.m. and the fire department began to respond at 4:15 a.m., he told reporters. The government appointed six prosecutors to lead an investigation into the blaze, which is believed to have started in the hotel's restaurant section. Nine people have been detained as part of the investigation into the fire, Yerlikaya said. Earlier, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said the hotel's owner was among the people detained for questioning in the probe. At least two of the victims died when they jumped from the building in panic, Gov. Abdulaziz Aydin told the state-run Anadolu Agency earlier. Those killed included Nedim Turkmen, a columnist for Sozcu newspaper, his wife and two children, the newspaper announced. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a day of national mourning to be observed on Wednesday. All flags at government buildings and Turkish diplomatic mission abroad would be lowered to half-staff, he said. Necmi Kepcetutan, a ski instructor at the hotel, said he was asleep when the fire erupted and he rushed out of the building. He told NTV television that he then helped some 20 guests out of the hotel. The hotel was engulfed in smoke, making it difficult for guests to locate the fire escape, he said. 'I cannot reach some of my students. I hope they are OK,' the ski instructor told the station. Television images showed the roof and top floors of the hotel on fire. Witnesses and reports suggested that the hotel's fire detection system failed to operate. 'My wife smelled the burning. The alarm did not go off,' said Yelkovan, the guest interviewed by IHA. 'We tried to go upstairs but couldn't, there were flames. We went downstairs and came here (outside),' he said. Yelkovan said it took about an hour for the firefighting teams to arrive. NTV television suggested that the wooden cladding on the exterior of the hotel, in a chalet-style design, may have accelerated the spread of the fire. Part of the 161-room hotel is on the side of a cliff, hampering efforts to combat the flames. 'Because the rear side is on a slope, intervention could only be made from the front and sides,' Yerlikaya confirmed. Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy told reporters that the hotel underwent inspections in 2021 and 2024 and that 'no negative situation regarding fire competence' was reported by the fire department. Earlier, in an address in Ankara, Erdogan said: 'Unfortunately, we received very sad news this morning from Bolu, Kartalkaya. Our brothers and sisters were killed and injured in a fire that broke out in a hotel.''All necessary steps will be taken to shed light on all aspects of the incident and to hold those responsible accountable,' he added. NTV showed a smoke-blackened lobby, its glass entrance and windows smashed, its wooden reception desk charred and a chandelier crashed to the ground. Aydin's office said 30 fire trucks and 28 ambulances were sent to the site. Other hotels at the resort were evacuated as a precaution and guests were placed in hotels around Bolu. Meanwhile, a gas explosion at a hotel at another ski resort in central Turkey injured four people. The explosion took place at the Yildiz Mountain Winter Sports Center in Sivas province. Two skiers and their instructor were slightly injured while another instructor received second-degree burns to the hands and face, the Sivas governor's office 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.
22 January,2025 08:27 AM IST | Ankara | APUS President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he is ready to meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin anytime, but at the same time warned that he would likely impose sanctions on Russia if the latter does not come to the negotiations table on the issue of Ukraine. "It sounds likely," Trump told reporters when asked if the US will impose additional sanctions on Russia if Putin doesn't come to the negotiation table. "The war should have never started. If you had a competent President, which you didn't, the war wouldn't have happened. The war in Ukraine would have never happened if I were the president," Trump said. "Russia never would have gone into Ukraine. I had a very strong understanding with Putin. That would have never, ever happened. He disrespected Biden. Very simple. He disrespects people. He's smart. He understands. He disrespected Biden," Trump said. "Also, the Middle East would have never happened because Iran was broke," he added. Responding to a query, Trump said he is ready to meet Putin anytime. "Anytime they want, I'll meet. Millions of people are being killed... It's a vicious situation and they're now largely soldiers. A lot of people have been killed and the cities look like demolition sites," he said. "The thing with Ukraine is that many more people died than what you're reporting. You're not reporting the real numbers, and I'm not blaming you for that. I'm blaming maybe our government for not wanting to release those numbers," Trump told reporters. Asked if the US will continue sending weapons to Ukraine, or will he turn off the tap soon, Trump said he is looking into the matter. "We'll look into that. We're talking to (Volodymyr) Zelenskyy. We're going to be talk with President Putin very soon, and we'll see how it all happens. We're going to look at it very soon," he said. "One thing I do feel is that the European Union should pay a lot more than they're paying, because under Biden, I mean, we're in there for USD 200 billion more. Now it affects them... We have an ocean in between, right? The European Union should equal us. We're in there for USD 200 billion more than the European Union. I mean, what are we, stupid? I guess the answer is yes," the president said. Trump also said that Ukraine President Zelensky told him that he would like to have peace. "He's told me that wants to have peace very strongly, but it takes two to tangle. We'll see what happens. Anytime they want, I'll meet. I'd like to see that end. Millions of people are being killed. It's a vicious situation," he 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
22 January,2025 08:23 AM IST | Washington | PTIUS President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he likes both sides of the argument on H-1B foreign guest workers' visa, noting that he likes "very competent people" coming into the country and that he has used the programme. "I like both sides of the argument, but I also like very competent people coming into our country, even if that involves them training and helping other people that may not have the qualifications they do. But I don't want to stop -- and I'm not just talking about engineers, I'm talking about people at all levels," Trump told reporters at the White House during a joint news conference with Oracle CTO Larry Ellison, Softbank CEO Masayoshi Son, and Open AI CEO Sam Altman. The president was responding to a question on the ongoing debate on H-1B visa within his support base. While his close confidants like Elon Musk, the Tesla owner, supports H-1B visa as it brings in qualified tech professionals, many of his supporters oppose it arguing that it takes away jobs from Americans. "We want competent people coming into our country. And H-1B, I know the programme very well. I use the programme. Maître d', wine experts, even waiters, high-quality waiters -- you've got to get the best people. People like Larry, he needs engineers, Masa also needs... they need engineers like nobody's ever needed them," Trump said. "So, we have to have quality people coming in. Now by doing that, we're expanding businesses and that takes care of everybody. So I'm sort of on both sides of the argument, but what I really do feel is that we have to let really competent people, great people, come into our country. And we do that through the H-1B programme," Trump 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
22 January,2025 08:22 AM IST | Washington | PTIADVERTISEMENT
