United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday (local time) held a telephonic conversation with his Uzbek counterpart, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, over the launch of the US-Uzbekistan Business and Investment Council. According to the US Ambassador to India and Special Envoy to South and Central Asia, Sergio Gor, Shavkat Mirziyoyev called President Trump the "President of peace to the world." "Earlier today, President Donald Trump spoke with President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan, stating that "President Trump is the President of Peace to the World." I couldn't agree more! Under President Trump's leadership, countless conflicts have come to an end, and the world is a better place," Sergio Gor wrote on X. The US Ambassador's remark echoes Trump's claim of ending eight wars. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's press service stated on X, "Presidents Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Donald Trump held a telephone conversation, exchanging warm greetings for the upcoming New Year holidays. Sides discussed progress on joint agreements and projects, highlighting the launch of the US-Uzbekistan Business and Investment Council, as well as reaffirming readiness to continue active contacts at all levels." According to a press note by the US Embassy in Uzbekistan, Sergio Gor will serve as the US co-chair of the newly established US-Uzbekistan Business and Investment Council, a major step forward in advancing an America First economic agenda in Central Asia and creating new opportunities for US workers, innovators, and businesses. "Ambassador Gor will lead US engagement on this council alongside Saida Mirziyoyeva, Head of the Presidential Administration of Uzbekistan. His role reflects President Trump's commitment to strengthening America's economic leadership, expanding access for US companies, and ensuring that partnerships abroad deliver real benefits for the American people," the press note said. The Council will focus on expanding US and Uzbekistani investment and export opportunities, opening high-growth sectors, especially IT and digital innovation. President Mirziyoyev also recently visited Washington on November 4-6 for the C5+1 Summit. 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
24 December,2025 11:09 AM IST | Washington | ANIIran and the United States reaffirmed their commitments to diplomacy at a contentious meeting of the UN Security Council on Tuesday, but the gap between the Trump administration and the Islamic Republic on a nuclear deal remains wide and deep. The sixth round of negotiations between Washington and Tehran had been scheduled for soon after Israel's 12-day war with Iran in June, during which the US joined Israel in bombing Iranian nuclear sites. The talks were cancelled, and in September, Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, rejected any direct nuclear negotiations with the United States. But Iran's UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told the Security Council that 'Iran remains fully committed to principled diplomacy and genuine negotiations.' And said it's now up to France, Britain and the US to reverse course and take concrete, credible steps to restore trust and confidence.' He said Iran remains committed to the core principles of the 2015 nuclear deal aimed at preventing Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, in which Iran had agreed to limit its nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. President Donald Trump in 2018 pulled the US out of the agreement between Iran and the five permanent members of the Security Council, plus Germany. In a rare public exchange between diplomats from the two countries, US Mission counsellor Morgan Ortagus, a Trump ally and former State Department spokesperson, said, 'The United States remains available for formal talks with Iran but only if Tehran is prepared for direct and meaningful dialogue.' Ortagus said Trump extended 'the hand of diplomacy' to Iran during both of his administrations. 'But instead of taking that hand of diplomacy, you continue to put your hand in the fire,' she said, looking directly at Iravani. 'Step away from the fire, sir, and take President Trump's hand of diplomacy. It's extended to you.' She stressed, however, that the Trump administration has been clear that there can be no enrichment of nuclear material inside Iran, a major point of contention. Irvani said the US insistence on zero enrichment was contrary to Iran's rights under the 2015 deal and showed the US was not pursuing fair negotiations. He said if France and Britain continued to side with the US, 'diplomacy will be effectively destroyed.' 'Iran will not bow down to any pressure and intimidation,' Irvani said. In September, the agreement's three Western members, Britain, France and Germany, triggered a 'snapback' mechanism to reinstate the sanctions that had been lifted, citing Iran's failure to comply with the deal's conditions. As tensions between Tehran and Washington have increased, Iran has accelerated its production of uranium to near weapons-grade. The UN nuclear watchdog, the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency, has reported that Iran has over 440 kilograms of uranium enriched up to 60 per cent, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90 per cent. France's deputy UN ambassador Jay Dharmadhikari defended the 'snapback' of UN sanctions, saying that since 2019 Iran has been in 'increasingly flagrant violation' of all limitations designed to guarantee that its nuclear program remains peaceful. But he said the reimposition of sanctions does not mean the end of efforts to find a diplomatic solution. Russia's UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia shot back, telling the French envoy: 'You failed miserably in your so-called diplomatic efforts to strike a deal on the nuclear issue with Iran, and you know 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
24 December,2025 11:05 AM IST | United Nations | APA boat belonging to an Egyptian pharaoh is being assembled in full view at the Grand Egyptian Museum's exhibition hall. Staff began piecing together the cedarwood boat, one of two that were found that belong to King Khufu, on Tuesday morning as dozens of visitors watched. The assembly of the 42-metre (137-foot) -long vessel, which sits next to its already-assembled twin that has been on display, is expected to take around four years, according to Issa Zeidan, head of restoration at the Grand Egyptian Museum. It contains 1,650 wooden pieces. King Khufu ruled ancient Egypt more than 4,500 years ago and built the Great Pyramid of Giza. 'You're witnessing today one of the most important restoration projects in the 21st century,' said Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy, who attended the event. The USD 1 billion museum, also known as GEM, was touted as the world's largest when it was lavishly inaugurated last month. It's home to nearly 50,000 artefacts, including the collection of treasures from the tomb of the famed King Tutankhamun, which was discovered in 1922. The museum, located near the pyramids at the edge of Cairo, is expected to boost Egypt's tourism revenues and help bolster its ailing economy. The boat was one of two discovered in 1954, opposite the southern side of the Great Pyramid. The excavation of its wooden parts began in 2014, according to the museum's website. The exact purpose of the boats remains unclear, but experts believe they were either used to transport King Khufu's body during his funeral or were meant to be used for his afterlife journey with the sun god Ra, according to the museum. 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
24 December,2025 10:58 AM IST | Cairo | APSajid Akram, accused of shooting dead 15 people at Sydney’s Bondi Beach in an antisemitic attack, faced a lengthy delay in getting a gun licence because of a bureaucratic mishap, not because he raised suspicions. Sajid, who was killed by police during the attack, and his son Naveed Akram, 24, are accused of assailing hundreds of Jews celebrating Hanukkah on December 14. Chris Minns, New South Wales premier, on Tuesday confirmed that the father applied for a state license to own firearms in 2000, three years before it was granted. The process typically takes six to 10 weeks. “The latest information that we have is that there was a real mess in relation to the bureaucracy when it comes to gun licenses and the delays related to that — not a specific threat,” Minns said. Naveed, was investigated by Australian intelligence in 2019 over his extremist links. 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
24 December,2025 08:29 AM IST | Melbourne | AgenciesResearchers have transformed female mosquito feeding tubes into ultra-high-resolution 3D-printing nozzles. The approach allows printers to lay down material with line widths as small as 20 microns — slightly smaller than a white blood cell. The result pushes current 3D-printing limits. The team named the technique “3D necroprinting.” The process uses a non-living biological structure directly as a functional manufacturing tool. Unlike conventional nozzles, the mosquito proboscis evolved for efficient penetration and fluid transport. Its natural geometry reduces clogging and pressure buildup, making it well-suited for controlled material deposition. 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
24 December,2025 08:24 AM IST | Quebec | AgenciesOver 120 years ago, in 1902, the Wright Brothers performed the first controlled, sustained, powered flight at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. On December 17, a team of US students unveiled the first plane built there since the original Wright Brothers’ creation, unveiling a raft on the exact day the Wright Brothers first took flight over a century ago. The aircraft was built over 2 years. More than 100 people, including Paul Wright-Jameson — a great-great-nephew of Wilbur and Orville Wright — gathered at Kill Devil Hills to celebrate the moment. 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
24 December,2025 08:22 AM IST | New York | AgenciesJapan’s beloved former Emperor Akihito marked his 92nd birthday Tuesday as his heart condition stabilised, palace officials said, following health concerns earlier this year. Akihito, the father of Emperor Naruhito, was diagnosed in May with insufficient blood flow to the heart muscles but has been in stable condition since he started a new medication in July, the Imperial Household Agency said in a statement. He still enjoys scientific research into goby fish, career work in which he found 10 new species, and he visits a biology lab on the palace compound twice a week, the agency said. Akihito has held the title of emperor emeritus since his father’s abdication in 2019. 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
24 December,2025 08:19 AM IST | Tokyo | AgenciesA British man, Philip Young, 49, has been charged with 56 sexual offences against his ex-wife over 13 years, while five other men have also been charged in connection with the case. Young has been remanded in custody. The allegations include multiple counts of rape and administering a substance with the intent to overpower to carry out sexual activity. He has also been charged with voyeurism, possession of indecent images of children and possession of extreme images. Five other men have been charged with offences linked to the same victim, 48-year-old Joanne Young, who has chosen to waive her automatic legal right to anonymity. The offences are said to have occurred between 2010 and 2023. 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
24 December,2025 08:15 AM IST | London | AgenciesRussia launched one of its largest aerial attacks on Ukraine overnight on Monday, firing more than 650 drones and over 30 missiles across at least 13 regions, killing three people, including a four-year-old child, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, in an X post. In a strong statement on social media, Zelenskyy said the attacks primarily targeted Ukraine’s energy system and civilian infrastructure. “As of now, air raid alerts remain in effect across most of Ukraine. At the same time, all necessary services are engaged in dealing with the aftermath of the strike. Tragically, lives were lost.” Zelenskyy said that while Ukrainian air defence systems managed to shoot down a large number of drones and missiles, several targets were still hit. “Repair crews and energy workers are already on the ground, working to ensure normal life for people, our cities, and our communities,” he said. Condemning the timing of the assault, Zelenskyy said the strike was carried out just days before Christmas, when families hoped to be safe at home. Zelenskyy also pointed out that the attack came during ongoing discussions aimed at ending the war, accusing Russian President Vladimir Putin of refusing to stop the violence. “Now is the time to respond. Russia must be pushed toward peace and guaranteed security,” 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
24 December,2025 08:02 AM IST | Kyiv | AgenciesRussia unleashed a massive combined attack on Kyiv early Friday, sparking fires and scattering debris across many districts of the capital, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. At least 11 people were injured as emergency crews responded to multiple strikes, he said in a statement. Five people were hospitalized, including one man in critical condition and a pregnant woman, after a series of powerful explosions sounded in the city and airs defenses were activated. The attack on the capital was ongoing, officials said, urging residents to remain in shelters until the air raid alert is lifted. City authorities warned that power and water outages are possible. In the Darnytskyi district, debris landed in the yard of a residential building and on the grounds of an educational facility. A car caught fire after being hit by falling fragments. In the Dniprovskyi district, debris damaged three apartment buildings, a private household and caused a fire in an open area. In the Podilskyi district, five residential buildings and a nonresidential structure were damaged. In the Shevchenkivskyi district, falling debris sparked a fire in an open area near a medical facility and inside a nonresidential building. In the Holosiivskyi district, debris ignited a fire at a medical facility and damaged another nonresidential building. In the Desnianskyi district, fires were recorded in two residential buildings. In the Solomianskyi district, a fire broke out on the roof of a residential building. In the Sviatoshynskyi district, debris caused a fire in a private home. In the Kyiv region, Russian strikes damaged critical infrastructure and private homes, injuring at least one civilian, regional head Mykola Kalashnyk said. A 55-year-old man in Bila Tserkva suffered thermal burns and was hospitalized, he said. Fires broke out in private houses in the capital's suburbs. The strike came as European Union officials warned this week that Ukraine must continue to crack down on corruption following a major graft scandal that has put top nuclear energy officials under scrutiny. But they also offered assurances that aid will continue to flow as Kyiv strains to hold back Russia's invasion. 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 December,2025 04:43 PM IST | Kyiv | APA Brown University sophomore who was killed in an attack at the Rhode Island university was remembered Monday as "smart, confident, curious, kind, principled, brave", at a funeral in her home state of Alabama. Hundreds gathered at the Cathedral Church of the Advent in downtown Birmingham to remember Ella Cook, 19. She and freshman MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, 18, were killed Dec 13 when a gunman entered a study session in a Brown academic building and opened fire on students. Nine other students were wounded. Authorities believe the attack was carried out by Claudio Neves Valente, 48, who had been a graduate student at Brown studying physics during the 2000-01 school year. Neves Valente then fatally shot Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Nuno FG Loureiro at Loureiro's Boston-area home two days later, officials said. Neves Valente, who had attended school with Loureiro in Portugal in the 1990s, was found dead days later in a New Hampshire storage facility, killed by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. An autopsy determined that Neves Valente died Dec 16, the same day Loureiro died in a hospital. On Monday, Cook's family invited attendees to wear "Easter colors," underscoring Cook's Christian faith, at an Episcopal funeral service that also nodded to the Christmas season. The Rev Paul FM Zahl, who formerly led the church, read from several letters written by members of the Brown community to Cook's parents, Anna Bishop Cook and Richard Cook, who raised Ella and her two younger siblings in the affluent Birmingham suburb of Mountain Brook. "Ella was smart, confident, curious, kind, principled, brave. She had a big impact on campus in only three semesters," wrote Brown professor of political economy David Skarbek. "I used to tell Ella, We need an Alabama to Brown pipeline.' In fact, her nickname on campus was Ellabama." Zahl told the congregation that the funeral was "a kind of bigger stage, a kind of more amplified mic" for Cook to spread her Christian faith. Zahl said he dreamed last week that he was skiing behind Cook and her family. "Ella turned around and shouted confidently, self-assuredly, Come on, will you?'" he said, saying he believed God had shown himself through the dream. "I pray now that everyone who has loved Ella so much in this life would be given a vivid, individual feeling of Ella's love, still present with us," Zahl said. "Because Ella's love is eternal and entirely altruistic." Cook was an accomplished pianist who was studying French, math and economics at Brown, where she also served as vice president of the college Republicans. Her political activity brought a wave of reaction from national and Alabama Republicans. Alabama Gov Kay Ivey ordered flags to be flown at half-staff statewide in Cook's memory. 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 December,2025 03:45 PM IST | Birmingham | APADVERTISEMENT
