Australian shipbuilder Incat Tasmania has officially commenced harbor trials for Hull 096, a 426 foot (130-meter) vessel that holds the title of the world’s largest battery-electric ship, on the River Derwent in Hobart, Australia. The ship is powered by over 5000 batteries with a capacity of 40 MWh. To put that in perspective, it carries four times the battery power of any maritime vessel built before it. 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
21 January,2026 06:48 AM IST | Sydney | AgenciesVeronika, a pet Swiss Brown cow, uses a deck brush to scratch herself. Witgar Wiegele noticed this over 10 years ago, initiating long-term observation that led researchers to visit the farm in Notsch im Gailtal, Austria. In trials, Veronika consistently selected the brush end suited for body regions, using the bristled end for firm areas and the smooth handle for sensitive parts. 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
21 January,2026 06:45 AM IST | Vienna | AgenciesIsraeli security forces on Tuesday arrived to evacuate and destroy the UNRWA (UN Relief Works Agency) headquarters on Ammunition Hill in northern Jerusalem. This is the central headquarters from which all of the organisation’s activities in Judea and Samaria and Jerusalem are managed, and within which UNRWA’s main logistical infrastructure is concentrated. Since the beginning of the war, UNRWA’s ties with the terrorist organisation Hamas have been exposed, and it was discovered that some UNRWA operatives even took part in the October 7 massacre. In addition, numerous tunnels and terrorist infrastructures were found under buildings belonging to UNRWA in the Gaza Strip. The measures against UNRWA began in late 2024 with Israel outlawing all of the organisation’s activities within the country’s borders. 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
21 January,2026 06:42 AM IST | Tel Aviv | AgenciesThe UK government on Tuesday approved China's plans for a so-called mega or super embassy in the heart of London, overriding security concerns raised by parliamentarians and campaigners to stress that all "material considerations" had been taken into account. The planning permission for the proposed construction at 20,000-square-metre site of the former Royal Mint Court near the Tower of London had been "called in" for a ministerial review as a matter of national significance. The Labour Party government's own MPs and Opposition Tories were among those strongly opposed to the plans being greenlit, given the site's proximity to the City of London financial district and characterising China as a "hostile state". "This statement follows the decision I made today to grant planning permission and listed building consent for a new embassy in London," said Steve Reed, the UK Housing and Communities Secretary who formally approved the plans this week. "All material considerations were taken into account when making this decision. The decision is now final unless it is successfully challenged in court," he said. The minister said his decision was in line with the recommendation of the independent Planning Inspector, who held a public inquiry into the case in February last year. "This means they must make decisions fairly, based on evidence and planning rules," he added. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) released a 240-page document detailing the rationale behind the planning go-ahead for the new embassy. "To conclude, I am of the clear view that the proposal complies with the development plan when taken as a whole. There are no other material considerations which would warrant a conclusion other than that planning permission and listed building consent should be granted," reads the report by Planning Inspector Claire Searson. "Put simply, the proposed scheme is in accordance with the development plan when considered as a whole. Similarly, for the listed building consent application, the works would preserve the building and its special interest and thus should also be approved. This is uncontested," it states. She highlights in her analysis that planning permissions are granted on a "nation-neutral" basis under the Vienna Convention. "In this regard, any ethical or similar objection to the provision of an embassy for a specific country cannot be a material planning consideration. It would not be lawful to refuse permission simply because it would be for a Chinese Embassy... The same would hold for any other specific country seeking an embassy use through the planning system," her report notes. China bought the historic site in 2018 for 225 million pounds and submitted plans to the local Tower Hamlets Council to turn the site into a much larger London embassy than its current location at Portland Place, near Baker Street. Since then, the plans were rejected and "called in" by the government but it emerged in recent weeks that the UK's MI5 and MI6 security services had not raised any formal objections to the plans. Downing Street, meanwhile, believes that consolidating China's diplomatic premises onto one single site would offer some security advantages. The UK government issued a statement to say that the planning decision was taken "independently" following a process that began in 2018, when the then Tory government provided formal diplomatic consent for the site. "More broadly, countries establishing embassies in other countries' capitals is a normal part of international relations. National security is our first duty. Intelligence agencies have been involved throughout the process and an extensive range of measures have been developed to manage any risks," a government spokesperson said. "Following extensive negotiations in recent months, the Chinese government has agreed to consolidate its seven current sites in London into one site, bringing clear security advantages," the spokesperson added. This approval was widely expected ahead of an expected visit later this month to Beijing by Keir Starmer, the first China tour by a British Prime Minister in eight years. "Labour's decision to grant the Chinese Communist Party their super embassy spyhub in the heart of London is wrong," said UK shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel. "Keir Starmer has undermined our national security and rewarded a regime that's damaging our interests, threatening Hong Kongers living here, and continues to imprison Jimmy Lai. "Labour has kowtowed to China rather than defend our national interests," said the Indian-origin senior Opposition Tory leader. Last week, nine Labour members of Parliament had written to the housing secretary asking him to reject the plans, with the issue also raised in the House of Commons. "Every security briefing I had identifies China as a hostile state to the UK. I am in no doubt that this mega embassy should not be allowed to go ahead. Internationally, China is terrorising people of Hong Kong. It is terrorising democratic people in Taiwan and it is terrorising some people already in the UK. "I want my government to stand up to bullies, not reward them. We need to be seeing rules, limits put in place around China to stop this behaviour, not rewarding them with the embassy that they so dearly want,"Â Labour MP Sarah Champion told Parliament. China has previously dismissed all espionage claims, with an embassy spokesperson saying that "anti-China elements are always keen on slandering and attacking" the country. 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.
20 January,2026 10:07 PM IST | London | PTIThe European Union is on the cusp of signing a historic trade agreement with India that is being called 'the mother of all deals', European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Tuesday, asserting it will create a market for 2 billion people or about one-fourth of the global GDP. In a special address here at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, she said the real would crucially provide a first-mover advantage for Europe with one of the world's fastest-growing and most dynamic continents. "Right after Davos, I will travel to India. There is still work to do. But we are on the cusp of a historic trade agreement. Some call it the mother of all deals," she said. "Europe wants to do business with the growth centres of today and the economic powerhouses of this century. "From Latin America to the Indo-Pacific and far beyond, Europe will always choose the world. And the world is ready to choose Europe," she said. President of the European Council, Antonio Costa and von der Leyen will be in India from January 25 to 27 to grace the Republic Day celebrations as chief guests and hold summit talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The two sides are set to announce the conclusion of negotiations on the much-awaited free trade agreement at the India-EU summit on January 27.European Commission President said the EU is also working on a new free trade agreement with Australia. "We are also advancing with the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, the UAE and more," she added. She also said Europe will always stand with Ukraine until there is a just and lasting peace. The European Union is India's biggest trade partner, with bilateral trade in goods recording USD 135 billion in the financial year 2023-24. The free trade agreement is expected to significantly enhance trade ties. The proposed agreement is expected to bring a qualitative change in deepening the overall bilateral ties in a range of sectors, as well as at a time when the world is witnessing trade disruptions in view of Washington's tariff policy. Besides firming up the free trade agreement, the two sides are likely to unveil a defence framework pact and a strategic agenda at the summit. India and the European Union have been strategic partners since 2004. The ambitious FTA is being firmed up at a time amid increasing concerns over Washington's trade and tariff policies, which have impacted both India and the 27-nation EU. India and the EU are also expected to unveil a joint comprehensive strategic vision that will govern their relationship for the period 2026-2030. The EU and India had first launched negotiations for the free trade agreement in 2007, before the talks were suspended in 2013 due to a gap in ambition. The negotiations. The negotiations were relaunched in June 2022. The proposed Security and Defence Partnership (SDP) will facilitate deeper defence and security cooperation between the two sides. The SDP will bring interoperability in the defence domain, and it will open up avenues for Indian firms to participate in the EU's SAFE (Security Action for Europe) programme. The SAFE is the EU's Euro 150 billion financial instrument designed to provide financial support to member states to speed up defence readiness. At the summit, India and the EU are also set to launch the negotiations for a Security of Information Agreement (SOIA). The SOIA is expected to boost industrial defence cooperation between the two sides. 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.
20 January,2026 09:55 PM IST | Davos | PTIPhilippine authorities on Tuesday rescued a crew member of a motorboat and were searching for 12 others including business people who were out fishing for leisure, officials said. The boat Amejara left a wharf in southern Davao city Saturday night with nine passengers and four crew members but failed to arrive as scheduled on Monday in the town of Governor Generoso in Davao Oriental province, also in the south, the Philippine coast guard said. The coast guard launched a search on Monday in the Davao Gulf and outlying waters and was joined by the Philippine navy, air force and maritime police, coast guard spokesperson Capt Noemie Cayabyab and other officials said. One of Amejara's crew members was rescued before noon on Tuesday while drifting in the waters off Sarangani island, Cayabyab said without providing other details. The coast guard said it asked passing ships, fishing boats and coastal communities around the Davao Gulf to report any sighting of Amejara and the rest of its occupants. The Filipino passengers were mostly business people and professionals, including a lawyer, who fish for sports and leisure in the tuna-rich waters, officials 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.
20 January,2026 09:11 PM IST | Manila | APPresident Donald Trump on Tuesday shared a series of posts on his social media platform Truth Social showing images that depict Canada, Greenland, and Venezuela as part of the United States (US). In one of the posts, Trump shared an old photograph of himself seated inside the Oval Office alongside several European leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron, Italian Prime Minister (PM) Giorgia Meloni, UK PM Keir Starmer, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The image features a US flag map portraying Canada, Greenland and Venezuela as US territories. In another post, Trump is seen alongside Vice-President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio hoisting a US flag in Greenland, next to a milepost that reads, “Greenland US Territory Est 2026”. Trump’s posts come amid heightened focus on Greenland, which he has repeatedly described as critical for US national and global security. Earlier on Tuesday, the US President held a telephone conversation with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Secretary-General Mark Rutte and said he would meet various parties on the issue in Davos, news agency ANI reported. He reiterated that Greenland is integral to American and world security. The developments coincide with plans by the US to deploy a North American Aerospace Defence Command (NORAD) aircraft to the Pituffik space base in Greenland. NORAD said the deployment is part of long-planned activities and is being carried out in coordination with Denmark and Greenland. Trump has previously threatened to impose tariffs on Denmark and other European countries, including the UK, unless they agree to sell Greenland. In his posts, he has argued that the move is necessary for national security, citing China’s and Russia’s interest in the territory. Trump threatens tariffs over Greenland He has also offered to negotiate with European nations but warned of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026, if an agreement is not reached, stating that it was “time for Denmark to give back” after years of US support. Trump had earlier suggested that Canada should become the 51st US state, a proposal firmly rejected by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who said it was important to distinguish “wants from reality” and emphasised that Canada would never be part of the United States. Separately, Trump had commented on Venezuela, stating that the United States would oversee the South American country “until such time as we can do a safe, proper, and judicious transition.” White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later said the Trump administration was in close correspondence with interim authorities in Venezuela and maintained significant leverage over them. (With ANI inputs)
20 January,2026 08:36 PM IST | Washington DC | mid-day online correspondentChina on Tuesday urged the Taliban interim government in Afghanistan to take effective measures to ensure the safety of its nationals, projects and institutions after a deadly explosion at a Chinese restaurant in Kabul. According to the state-run Xinhua news agency, 20 people were killed in the blast that took place on Monday. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attack. One Chinese national was killed, and five others were injured in the explosion, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a media briefing here. "China expresses deep condolences over the lives lost and heartfelt sympathies to the injured," he said. Guo said China has lodged urgent representations with Afghan authorities, urging it to make every possible effort to save and treat the injured, ensure the safety of Chinese nationals, projects and institutions, thoroughly investigate the attack and bring those responsible to justice at the earliest. Beijing strongly condemns and firmly opposes any form of terrorism, and supports Afghanistan and regional countries in jointly fighting all forms of terrorism and violent activities, he said. Given the current security situation in Afghanistan, the ministry once again advises Chinese nationals not to travel to that country in the near future and urged its nationals and companies already there to take extra precautions, step up security measures and leave high-risk regions as soon as possible, Guo 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.
20 January,2026 07:09 PM IST | Beijing | PTIDonald Trump on Monday threatened 200 percent tariffs on French wine and champagne over France's intentions to decline the US leader's invitation to join his "Board of Peace." The board was originally conceived to oversee the rebuilding of war-torn Gaza, but the charter does not appear to limit its role to the occupied Palestinian territory. "I'll put a 200 percent tariff on his wines and champagnes. And he'll join. But he doesn't have to join," Trump said, referring to French President Emmanuel Macron. A source close to Macron told AFP on Monday that France "does not intend to answer favorably" to the invitation. ‘Gaza Board of Peace’: Putin invited to join panel, says Trump The board's charter "goes beyond the sole framework of Gaza", the source close to the French President said. Trump confirmed he had invited his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin to join his Board of Peace, after the Moscow earlier Monday reported the invite. "Yes, he's been invited," Trump told a reporter in Florida who asked if he had asked Putin to join the body. 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.
20 January,2026 03:41 PM IST | Washington | AFPEuropean leaders have affirmed that they "will uphold" the sovereignty of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark to protect Europe's strategic economic and security interests amid US President Donald Trump's interest in taking over the Arctic island. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in a statement on X that she spoke with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, French President Emmanuel Macron, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to discuss recent tensions. "Together we stand firm in our commitment to uphold the sovereignty of Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark. We will always protect our strategic economic and security interests. We will face these challenges to our European solidarity with steadiness and resolve," she added in her X post. Following this, US President Trump issued a statement, saying, "NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that 'you have to get the Russian threat away from Greenland.' Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!!" NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte spoke with Trump on Sunday (local time) regarding the security situation in Greenland and the Arctic, amid the US threat to impose a 10 per cent tariff on Denmark and other European Union countries. Rutte said he would meet Trump later this week in Davos. On X, he posted, "Spoke with POTUS regarding the security situation in Greenland and the Arctic. We will continue working on this, and I look forward to seeing him in Davos later this week." Rutte did not share further details of the discussion. Several European countries have released a joint statement showing solidarity with Denmark and Greenland. Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom said that the 'Arctic Endurance' exercise does not pose a threat to anyone and emphasised that the threat of tariffs undermines transatlantic relations and risks a dangerous downward spiral. On Saturday, Trump threatened to impose tariffs on the United Kingdom and other European countries unless they agree to sell Greenland. In his post, Trump claimed the move is necessary for national security, citing China's and Russia's interest in the territory. He offered to negotiate with the European nations but warned of escalating tariffs of 10 per cent from February 1, 2026, and 25 per cent from June 1, 2026, if a deal wasn't reached, stating it was "time for Denmark to give back" after years of US support. Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Finland are the countries Trump mentioned in his post, which are now under fire from his tariff threats. 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.
20 January,2026 03:05 PM IST | Brussels (Belgium) | ANIA surfer had minor injuries from being bitten by a shark Tuesday in the fourth attack off the coast of Australia's most populous state in three days.The shark attacked the man's surfboard at Point Plomer, 460 kilometers (290 miles) north of the New South Wales state capital, around 9 a.m., officials said. The man was lucky to survive with minor cuts, Kempsey-Crescent Head Surf Life Saving Club captain Matt Worrall said. "The board seemed to take most of the impact," Worrall told Australian Broadcasting Corp. "He made his own way into shore where he was assisted by locals." The bystanders drove the 39-year-old man to a hospital and he was later discharged. In the earlier attacks, a man and a boy suffered critical leg wounds and the surfboard of another boy was bitten by sharks at Sydney locations Sunday and Monday. Beaches along New South Wales' northern coast and northern Sydney were closed Tuesday and local authorities said Sydney's northern beaches would remain closed to swimmers and surfers for 48 hours. Electronic drumlines that alert authorities when a large shark has taken bait were deployed off the Sydney coast. Authorities warned that recent rainfall has left the water off area beaches murky, which increased the risk of bull shark attacks. Bull sharks are responsible for most attacks around Sydney. "If anyone's thinking of heading into the surf this morning anywhere along the northern beaches, think again. We have such poor water quality that's really conducive to some bull shark activity," Surf Life Saving NSW chief executive Steve Pearce said. "If you're thinking about going for a swim, just go to a local pool because at this stage, we're advising that beaches are unsafe," Peace added. On Sunday, a 12-year-old boy was attacked after jumping from a 6-meter (20-foot) ledge known as Jump Rock near Shark Beach inside Sydney Harbor. Police have credited the boy's friends with saving his life by jumping from the cliff during the attack and dragging him back to shore. "Those actions of those young men are brave under the circumstances and very confronting injuries for those boys to see," Supt. Joseph McNulty said. News media have reported that the boy lost both legs in the attack. Around noon Monday, an 11-year-old boy was on a surfboard that was attacked by a shark at Dee Why Beach, an ocean beach north of Manly. The shark bit off a chunk of the board, but the boy escaped uninjured. A surfer in his 20s was bitten on a leg by a shark off North Steyne Beach on the Pacific Ocean coast in the northern suburb of Manly at 6:20 p.m. Monday, police said. Bystanders pulled him from the water before an ambulance took him to a hospital in a critical condition. All three Sydney beaches have some form of shark protection netting. It was not immediately clear where the attacks occurred in relation to that netting.Pearce said the scene of the latest attack was isolated and did not have shark netting. Dee Why Beach is close to the beach where a 57-year-old surfer was killed by a suspected white shark last September. In November, a 25-year-old Swiss tourist was killed and her partner was seriously injured trying to save her as they swam off a national park north of Sydney. 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.
20 January,2026 12:50 PM IST | Melbourne | APADVERTISEMENT
-1768924603941_d.png "European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen while addressing about the free-trade deal also asserted that she will be travelling to India right after Davos. File Pic")
-1768816054296_d.png "Donald Trump. File Pic")
-1768891880581_d.png "A marine life ranger stands near the closed signage of the North Steyne Beach in Sydney. PICS/AFP/")