US President-elect Donald Trump on Sunday slammed the officials responsible for handling raging wildfires in Los Angeles, calling them "incompetent." Taking to the social media platform Truth Social, Trump criticised the situation, stating that it was one of the worst catastrophes in US history. "The fires are still raging in L.A. The incompetent pols have no idea how to put them out. Thousands of magnificent houses are gone, and many more will soon be lost. There is death all over the place. This is one of the worst catastrophes in the history of our country. They just can't put out the fires. What's wrong with them?" the President-elect said. Meanwhile, according to the New York Post, citing officials, at least 16 people have been killed in the wildfires and nearly 200,000 have been displaced. As many as 10,000 structures, along with entire residential neighbourhoods have been destroyed. As per the New York Post, while the Sunset fire has been contained, the Hurst fire has burnt 771 acres of land, the Kenneth fire has burnt 959 acres, the Eaton fire has burnt 13,690 acres, and the most destructive impact has been of the Palisades fire, which has burnt 19,978 acres of land. At least 35,000 acres of land have burnt down, an area about two-and-a-half times the size of Manhattan. On Sunday (local time), California's Governor, Gavin Newsom warned people against falling for misinformation regarding the Southern Californian wildfires. In a post on X, he said, "A lot of misinformation out there. Just launched a new site to ensure the public has access to fact-based data around the Southern CA wildfires. The TRUTH: - CA did NOT cut our firefighting budget. We have nearly doubled the size of our firefighting army and built the world's largest aerial firefighting fleet. - CA has INCREASED forest management ten-fold since we took office. - California will NOT allow for looting." 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
13 January,2025 08:23 AM IST | Washington DC | ANIEuropean foreign ministers have agreed to meet at the end of January to discuss the possibility of lifting sanctions on Syria following a regional meeting in Riyadh, where ministers and top diplomats from Western nations and gathered for the first such gathering since the fall of ousted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last month, Al Jazeera reported on Sunday. The European Union's (EU) foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, announced that the foreign ministers would meet in Brussels on January 27 to explore how the 27-member bloc might approach the issue of sanctions and emphasised that the EU wants to see an inclusive Syrian government that avoids "radicalisation" and respects the rights of women and minorities while stressing that the bloc could quickly reverse any moves to ease sanctions, as reported by Al Jazeera. Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, also called for the lifting of sanctions on Syria, noting that continued sanctions hinder Syria's development and reconstruction. "We stressed the importance of lifting unilateral and international sanctions imposed on Syria, as their continuation hinders the aspirations of the Syrian people to achieve development and reconstruction," Al Saud said as quoted by Al Jazeera. Syria's new Foreign Minister, Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani, who has long advocated for the removal of sanctions, also attended the talks alongside foreign ministers from the region, including those from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey. The meeting also included the US Under Secretary of State John Bass, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, and British Foreign Secretary David Lammy. A statement from the Saudi foreign ministry following the talks reaffirmed the call for lifting sanctions to aid Syria's reconstruction and expressed concerns over Israel's actions in the Golan Heights. "[Steps were discussed to] support the brotherly Syrian people and provide them with all aid and support at this important stage in their history and helping them rebuild Syria as a unified, independent, safe Arab state for all its citizens, with no place for terrorism, no breach of its sovereignty, and no attack on its territorial integrity," the statement read as quoted by Al Jazeera. The conference comes as Syria's new administration, led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), has called for Western sanctions to be lifted to allow international funding into the country. Earlier, US issued a six-month sanctions exemption for transactions with Syrian governing institutions to facilitate humanitarian assistance, Al Jazeera reported. Germany, Italy, and France have recently advocated for relaxing EU sanctions on Syria, but any final decision will require approval from all EU members. Kallas pointed out that any sanctions relief would focus on those hindering the country's rebuilding, such as those restricting access to banking services, Al Jazeera reported. According to Al Jazeera, Germany's Baerbock stated that sanctions against al-Assad's allies, who committed serious crimes during the war, must remain in place, but Germany seeks a "smart approach" to sanctions that would offer relief to the Syrian population. "Germany proposes to take a smart approach to sanctions, providing relief for the Syrian population. Syrians now need a quick dividend from the transition of power," Baerbock stated, as quoted by Al Jazeera. The meeting in Riyadh marked the first time Syria's new rulers participated in discussions with Western officials. It followed diplomatic meetings in Rome on Thursday and Jordan in December, where regional powers expressed concerns about Syria's new leadership and the steps needed to secure international recognition. 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
13 January,2025 08:19 AM IST | Riyadh | ANIA one-of-its-kind app developed by an Indian-origin entrepreneur to empower people with disabilities, a flavour-enhancing electric salt spoon, an aircraft that can fit in a car’s trunk—technological advancements shaping the world’s future took centre stage at the biggest tech showcase here. CES 2025, hosted at the gigantic Las Vegas Convention Centre and other venues in the city from January 7 to January 10, featured over 4,500 exhibitors, including about 1,400 startups, with over 1,41,000 attendees, of which 40 per cent were international—from over 150 countries, regions, and territories. At Eureka Park that displayed innovations by start-ups from around the world, Indian-origin entrepreneur from Atlanta Angad Sahgal showcased ‘LetMeDoIt’, an app founded by him and his father Amit Sahgal. The first disability-focused decision making app, it enables people with disabilities, their care providers, senior citizens to have “decision autonomy”, whether it relates to everyday life decisions or managing personal finances, Amit Sahgal said. Angad Sahgal, who was born with Down Syndrome, said the app is “all about making your choice and having a voice”. Kirin Holdings’ flavour-enhancing spoon. Pic/Kyodo Another break-through innovation on display was the flavour-enhancing electric salt spoon by Japanese company Kirin Holdings. Using a mild electric current, the spoon “amplifies flavours such as saltiness” making low-sodium meals more palatable. The electric spoon was the CES Innovation Awards 2025 honouree in the digital health and age tech categories. Another exhibit that drew a lot of interest at the trade show was ‘Land Aircraft Carrier’ modular flying car by Chinese company XPENG AEROHT. Showcasing the “world’s only aircraft that can fit in a car’s trunk”, the company displayed ground-breaking innovation in the field of mobility. 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
13 January,2025 08:11 AM IST | Las Vegas | AgenciesPope Francis baptised 21 babies in the Sistine Chapel on Sunday under the ceiling frescoed by Michelangelo, in what has become an annual tradition that marks the end of the Christmas holiday period at the Vatican. Francis administered the sacrament on the infants, who are the children of employees at the Holy See. The celebration marks the feast day that recalls Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan and was established in 1981 by St John Paul II. Each father was given a candle representing the light that “must never go out”. Families were told to light them up in difficult times to “ask for the Lord’s guidance”. 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
13 January,2025 08:10 AM IST | Vatican City | AgenciesThe Sri Lankan Navy on Sunday said it has arrested eight Indian fishermen for allegedly fishing in the island nation’s territorial waters and seized two fishing trawlers. The arrests took place on Saturday night “during a special operation conducted in the sea area north of Mannar”, it said. With this arrest, so far this year 18 Indian fishermen have been arrested and three trawlers confiscated, the statement said. The Navy said it spotted a cluster of Indian fishing boats “engaging in illegal fishing in Sri Lankan waters”. In response, the navy deployed its craft and the operation resulted in the seizure of two Indian fishing boats and apprehension of 8 Indian fishermen, it 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
13 January,2025 08:09 AM IST | Colombo | AgenciesLooting has been a real issue for authorities in Los Angeles, with multiple instances of criminals wading into evacuated areas to steal from deserted houses, including some dressed as firefighters. There have been a number of arrests, including seven in the last two days alone, according to an LAPD spokesperson this morning. “We even made arrests of two individuals that were actually posing as firefighters coming in and out of houses,” they said. In another development, a civilian drone ripped a hole in a firefighting plane, officials said. The number of unauthorised drone incidents over the Los Angeles County fire zones are now “well into the double digits”, Akil Davis, the assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, told our partner network NBC News. The most serious of those incidents was a civilian drone that ripped a hole in a ‘Super Scooper’ plane on Thursday morning as the water-dropping aircraft was flying over the Palisades fire zone. Reports suggest the wing was the part of the plane damaged. The incident temporarily grounded other firefighting aircraft and put the specialised plane, provided by Canada, out of commission until Monday at the earliest. Investigators have recovered pieces of the drone, which are being examined by the FBI. The death toll from the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area rose to 16 as crews battled to cut off the spreading blazes before potentially strong winds return that could push the flames further. 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
13 January,2025 08:08 AM IST | Los Angeles | AgenciesThe rate of infections with the flu-like human metapneumovirus (HMPV) in northern China is declining, a health official said Sunday, amid some international concern over a potential pandemic. HMPV, which belongs to the same family as the respiratory syncytial virus, causes flu or cold-like symptoms including fever, cough and nasal congestion. The symptoms often clear up by themselves, though they can cause lower respiratory tract infections among children, older adults and those immunocompromised. "The human metapneumovirus is not a new virus, and has been with humans for at least several decades," said Wang Liping, a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, during a press briefing by China's National Health Commission. Wang added that the increase in recent years in the number of cases of the virus, first detected in the Netherlands in 2001, is due to better detection methods. "At present, the rate of positive cases in human metapneumovirus detection is fluctuating, and the rate of positive cases in northern provinces is declining, and the rate of positive cases among patients aged 14 and below has started to decline," she said. Concerns surfaced in recent days over a surge in HMPV infections in northern China after images circulated online of hospitals overrun with masked patients. The World Health Organisation said it has not received reports of unusual outbreaks in China or elsewhere. Experts say HMPV is unlike COVID-19 in that it has been around for decades and there is some built-in immunity to it. Most children are infected with the virus by the age of 5. Wang said respiratory diseases currently affecting people in China are caused by known pathogens, and no new infectious diseases have emerged. The number of patients in fever clinics and emergency departments across the country has been rising but is still generally lower compared to the same period last year, said Gao Xinqiang, deputy director of the Department of Medical Emergency Response of the health commission. "There is no obvious shortage of medical resources," Gao said. Flu infections across the country are expected to gradually decline in mid-to-late January, said commission spokesperson Hu Qiangqiang. There are no vaccines or drugs available for HMPV. Experts recommend precautions against catching the virus and other respiratory diseases including washing one's hands regularly, avoiding crowds if possible, and wearing a mask in crowded places. 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
12 January,2025 05:54 PM IST | Beijing | APAn explosion at a gas station triggered a massive fire in central Yemen, killing at least 15 people, health officials said on Sunday. The explosion occurred Saturday at the Zaher district in the province of Bayda, the Houthi rebel-run Health Ministry said in a statement. At least 67 others were injured, including 40 in critical condition. The ministry said rescue teams were searching for those reported missing. It wasn't immediately clear what caused the explosion. Footage circulated online showing a massive fire that sent columns of smoke into the sky and left vehicles charred and burning. Bayda is controlled by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, who have been at war with Yemen's internationally recognised government for more than a decade. Yemen's civil war began in 2014, when the rebels took control of the capital, Sanaa, and much of the country's north, forcing the government to flee to the south, then to Saudi Arabia. A Saudi-led coalition entered the war in March 2015, backed at the time by the US, in an effort to restore the internationally recognized government. The war has killed more than 150,000 people including civilians and combatants, and in recent years deteriorated largely into a stalemate and caused one of the world's worst humanitarian crises. 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
12 January,2025 05:44 PM IST | Cairo | APUS President Joe Biden on Sunday conferred Pope Francis with the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, recognising the Pope's significant influence and contributions, just days before leaving the White House. Taking to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), President Biden expressed his admiration for Pope Francis and called the leader of the Catholic Church the "People's Pope." "Pope Francis, your humility and your grace are beyond words, and your love for all is unparalleled. As the People's Pope, you are a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world," Biden said on X. In a statement from the White House, it was stated that President Biden spoke with the Pope and named him as a recipient of the medal, which is the highest civilian honour in the United States. The award is given to individuals who have made "exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavours." This was also the first time that Biden awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction during his time at the White House, the statement added. According to The Hill, President Biden, the second Catholic president in US history, had initially planned to visit Rome but cancelled the trip due to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles. Biden had originally planned to travel to Italy on Thursday to meet the Pope and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni for what would have been his final foreign trip as president, the Hill reported. According to the Hill, the two leaders last met in June while Biden was in Italy for the G7 summit and also met in October 2021 when conservative Catholic bishops were considering whether Biden should be allowed to receive communion due to his pro-abortion rights position. 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
12 January,2025 10:43 AM IST | Washington DC | ANIThe Ministry of National Defence (MND) of Taiwan detected eight aircraft from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and six naval vessels from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) near its territory as of 6:00 am (UTC+8) on Sunday. It was also noted that seven of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ). The details were shared in a post on X (formerly Twitter). "8 PLA aircraft and 6 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 7 of the aircraft crossed the median line and entered Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ. We have monitored the situation and responded accordingly," the ministry stated. Earlier, on January 11, the Ministry detected eight aircraft from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) and five naval vessels from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) as of 6:00 am (UTC+8), with four of the aircraft crossing the median line and entering Taiwan's northern and southwestern ADIZ. The Taiwan-China issue is a complex and longstanding geopolitical conflict centred on Taiwan's sovereignty. Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China (ROC), operates its own government, military, and economy, functioning as a de facto independent state. However, China considers Taiwan a breakaway province and insists on the "One China" policy, which asserts that there is only one China, with Beijing as its capital. This has fuelled decades of tension, especially since the Chinese Civil War (1945-1949), when the ROC government retreated to Taiwan after the Communist Party, led by Mao Zedong, took control of mainland China. Beijing has consistently expressed its goal of reunification with Taiwan, using diplomatic, economic, and military pressure to isolate Taiwan internationally. Meanwhile, Taiwan, supported by a significant portion of its population, continues to maintain its independence. 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
12 January,2025 10:42 AM IST | Taipei | ANIAn anti-terrorism court in Pakistan granted bail to at least 153 workers of jailed former PM Imran Khan’s party, more than a month after they were arrested during a protest. During a hearing, presided over by Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) judge Abual Hasnat Zulqarnain, petitions of 177 Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) workers were heard and bail was granted to 153 of them. Khan, had on Nov 13 issued a “final call” for nationwide protests on Nov 26, demanding the restoration of the PTI’s electoral mandate, the release of detained party members. Responding to his call, thousands of PTI workers reached Islamabad but faced a crackdown by police, forcibly dispersing them and arresting more than 1,400. It was reported that during a hearing on Friday, the court granted them bail against surety bonds of Rs 5,000 each. According to police, the cases of many other detained PTI workers were being processed and more bails could be granted in coming weeks. 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
12 January,2025 07:51 AM IST | Islamabad | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
