In Phoenix, at a meeting of an influential conservative organization, supporters of US President Donald Trump say they are keenly awaiting the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files. As a Friday deadline looms for the Justice Department to publish the trove of documents related to the convicted sex offender, some were impatient, while others were eager to see Trump's name cleared. "I think it took too long," Mike Costarell, 58, told AFP at AmericaFest 2025, Turning Point USA's first major event since the September killing of founder Charlie Kirk. "I think it's important anybody that sexualizes children should be accountable for their acts. And I don't care what side of the political aisle or how rich they are," he said. Epstein, convicted in 2008 for soliciting prostitution, died in custody in 2019 awaiting trial for sex crimes against minors. For years, Trump and his acolytes stoked lurid conspiracy theories that powerful Democrats were hiding the truth about his crimes to prevent embarrassing revelations, and called for the release of all files related to the case. But since taking office in January, the Republican president -- who benefitted from Kirk's efforts to rally young voters to his camp -- has repeatedly demanded the nation move on, dismissing the matter as a "hoax." Last month, a rare bipartisan effort in Congress forced him to sign a law requiring his administration to release the case file by the end of Friday. For Georgia student Gwyn Andrews, Trump's reluctance to release the documents was baffling, but she is hopeful the president's name will be finally cleared. "I'm glad that it's finally happening," she told AFP at AmericaFest. "Kudos to Trump for finally getting it out. It scares some Republicans who voted for him to now know that he kind of changed his gears. "But we're glad that it's back on track, and I hope that will bring a lot of transparency to the deep state and to DC." New names in files? The four-day AmericaFest -- which will hear from many of the luminaries of Trump's Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement -- is an opportunity to test the waters among the faithful at a time that wider public trust in Trump is flagging, according to opinion polls. Despite a well-documented friendship with Epstein that includes multiple photos of the two men together over a number of years, many of those present expressed little doubt in Trump's narrative that the files are a red herring. Photographs released Thursday showed Epstein with figures including former Trump advisor Steve Bannon, linguist Noam Chomsky and filmmaker Woody Allen. None of the photos had any context and none showed any criminal activity. "I don't expect it'll be some earth shattering,... but I believe that people will be on that list that people don't assume" said Jacob Ellison, a 24-year-old Texan. "I wouldn't be surprised if there are Republicans and Democrats alike on that list when it is released." As for Trump's involvement with Epstein, Ellison said: "They do say he's close to people, but I don't know. "I like to believe that he's a family man. He holds certain values, and so that's what I'm shooting for." 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.
19 December,2025 11:18 AM IST | Phoenix, United States | AFPUS President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday (local time) to federally reclassify marijuana as less dangerous, Al Jazeera reported. The move on Thursday requires Attorney General Pam Bondi to expedite the process under the Drug Enforcement Administration for reclassifying marijuana. In the US, drugs and other chemical substances are divided into a five-tier classification system, with Schedule I representing the most restricted tier and Schedule V the least, as per Al Jazeera. Marijuana was previously in the Schedule I category, where it was classed alongside potent narcotics like heroin and LSD. With Thursday's order, it would be fast-tracked down to Schedule III, in a class with ketamine and anabolic steroids. Trump said the change "is not the legalisation" of marijuana, and he added that it "in no way sanctions its use as a recreational drug," as per Al Jazeera. The change, however, will make it easier to conduct research on marijuana, as studies on Schedule III drugs require far less approval than for Schedule I substances. Speaking earlier in the week, Trump told reporters the change was popular "because it leads to tremendous amounts of research that can't be done unless you reclassify, so we are looking at that very strongly". The change is in line with several states that have moved to legalise marijuana for both medical and recreational use. That has created a patchwork of state-level regulations at odds with federal law, wherein marijuana remains illegal. Former US President Joe Biden had taken several steps to lessen federal penalties related to marijuana, including a mass pardon for those handed harsh sentences for simple possession, as per Al Jazeera. Such convictions had disproportionately affected minority communities and fuelled mass incarceration in the US. The Biden administration had also begun the process of reclassifying marijuana to Schedule III, but the effort was not completed before Biden left office in January, as per Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, public support for legalising marijuana for recreational use has nearly doubled in recent years, increasing from 36 percent support in 2005 to 68 percent in 2024, according to Gallup polls, as per Al Jazeera. 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
19 December,2025 10:09 AM IST | Washington DC | ANISeven people were killed after a small jet crashed at a regional airport in Statesville, US state of North Carolina, police said. According to the police, among those killed in the crash were former NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) driver Greg Biffle, his wife and two children, Xinhua news agency reported. The Cessna C550 jet crashed on Thursday, at around 10:20 am Eastern Time while landing at the airport and triggered a large fire, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said. According to flight-tracking website FlightAware, the plane took off from the airport shortly after 10 am but then returned and attempted to land there. Identification of the victims is pending confirmation from the medical examiner’s office. "This is still an active event," Statesville City Manager Ron Smith said during a brief news conference Dec. 18, calling the crash a multi-agency response and adding that the investigation is "evolving." Video footage showed first responders rushing onto the runway as scattered wreckage from the plane was engulfed in fire. John Ferguson, Statesville Regional Airport manager, told reporters that the FAA was taking over the crash scene. "The airport now is closed until further notice. It will take some time to get the debris off the runway, to get it safe again," he said. The FAA said the agency and the National Transportation Safety Board are launching an investigation into the accident. 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
19 December,2025 10:01 AM IST | New York | IANSUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday underscored the importance of resilience in weakening Russia's ability to prolong the ongoing war, directly linking sustained pressure on Moscow to the prospects for peace in Europe. Highlighting endurance as a strategic factor, Zelenskyy said in a post on X, "If we know - and if Putin knows - that we can stay resilient, then his reason to drag-out this war becomes much weaker," framing resilience as a tool that alters the aggressor's calculations and affects the overall trajectory of the conflict. If we know – and if Putin knows – that we can stay resilient, then his reason to drag-out this war becomes much weaker. This is how pressure on the aggressor should work – pressure that brings peace. Thank you to everyone leading Europe in this direction. Europe must be strong. — Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) December 18, 2025 Building on this, the Ukrainian President described resilience as a form of pressure intended to change Russia's approach to the war. "This is how pressure on the aggressor should work - pressure that brings peace," he said, situating Ukraine's resolve within a broader strategy to deter further escalation. In a broader European context, Zelenskyy acknowledged the role of continental leadership in sustaining such pressure. "Thank you to everyone leading Europe in this direction," he said, underlining the importance of coordinated political and strategic backing in maintaining a united stance. Reiterating the theme of unity, Zelenskyy emphasised the need for a firm European posture amid the prolonged conflict. "Europe must be strong," he said, reinforcing his message that collective resolve remains central to countering Russian aggression. Linking this call for European strength to developments on the ground, Zelenskyy warned that Ukraine has received indications suggesting Russia is preparing to continue the war into the coming year, raising concerns about Moscow's long-term intentions. Elaborating on this assessment in another post on X, Zelenskyy said, "Today, we again heard signals from Moscow that they are preparing to make next year a year of war. These signals are not only for us." He stressed that it is crucial for Ukraine's partners to recognise and respond to these signals, "especially partners in the United States, who often say that Russia wants to end the war." Drawing attention to what he described as a contradiction between Russia's public messaging and its actions, Zelenskyy said "the signals coming from Russia are the exact opposite, taking the form of official orders to their army," warning that such an approach could be used to undermine diplomacy. "When Russia is in this mindset, it will also undermine diplomacy - seeking, through diplomatic language and pressure over specific points in documents - to merely mask its desire to destroy Ukraine and Ukrainians, and the desire to legitimise Russia's theft of our land," he said. Extending this warning beyond Ukraine, Zelenskyy cautioned that such thinking could threaten other parts of Europe as well. "And then come other countries in Europe, which someone in Russia might one day label their so-called 'historical lands'," he added. In this context, Zelenskyy called for continued protection and assistance from Ukraine's partners, including security and financial support. "Real protection is needed against this Russian case history of madness, and we will continue working with all partners to ensure that protection is in place," he said. Detailing the support required, he added, "Security measures are needed, financial measures are needed - including actions on Russian assets - political measures are needed. And the courage of all partners is required: to see the truth, acknowledge the truth, and act accordingly." Zelenskyy also expressed appreciation for international backing, saying, "I want to thank everyone who supports Ukraine." Earlier on Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Moscow would achieve its objectives and rejected the idea of war with the West, as the European Union considers seizing Russian funds to support Ukraine, with the conflict now entering its fourth winter, Al Jazeera reported. During a high-level meeting with Ministry of Defence officials, Putin was quoted by state media as describing calls in the West to prepare for war with Russia as "hysteria and a lie," while asserting that the Kremlin's war goals will "undoubtedly" be achieved, according to Al Jazeera. Putin also claimed that 300 territories were "liberated" over the past year, as per the report, even as Russia and Ukraine have escalated strikes on each other's energy infrastructure and oil refineries in recent 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
19 December,2025 09:51 AM IST | Kyiv | ANIA Kremlin envoy will travel to Florida to discuss a US-proposed plan to end the war in Ukraine, a US official said Thursday, part of the back-and-forth diplomacy as the Trump administration pushes for a potential deal. Kirill Dmitriev, who heads Russia's sovereign wealth fund, is set to meet with US President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner in Miami on Saturday, according to an American official who spoke on condition of anonymity to preview a meeting that hasn't yet been publicly announced. The official said Witkoff and Kushner will sit down with Dmitriev, after meetings with Ukrainian and European officials in Berlin earlier this week, in which they discussed US security guarantees for Kyiv, territorial concessions and other aspects of the American-authored plan aimed at ending the war. Asked about the meeting in Miami, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday that Moscow was preparing for contacts with the US to learn about the results of the meetings in Berlin, but he didn't give further details. Trump has unleashed an extensive diplomatic push to end nearly four years of fighting following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine that began on February 24, 2022, but Washington's efforts have run into sharply conflicting demands by Moscow and Kyiv. Russian President Vladimir Putin warned on Wednesday that Moscow would seek to extend its gains in Ukraine if Kyiv and its Western allies reject the Kremlin's demands in peace talks. Putin wants all the areas in four key regions captured by his forces, as well as the Crimean Peninsula, which was illegally annexed in 2014, to be recognized as Russian territory. He also has demanded that Ukraine withdraw from some areas in eastern Ukraine that Moscow's forces haven't captured yet, which Ukraine has rejected. Zelenskyy: Ukrainian officials expected to hold negotiations in the US The Kremlin also insists that Ukraine abandon its bid to join NATO and warns that Moscow won't accept the deployment of any troops from NATO members and will view them as a "legitimate target." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, asked Thursday about his comments last week that were interpreted as him renouncing Ukraine's NATO bid, and if he was willing to change Ukraine's constitution to remove the reference to joining NATO, said he saw no reason to do that. "My words cannot be interpreted in any other way," Zelenskyy said. "Our position remains unchanged." While the United States doesn't see Ukraine in NATO "for now," he said. "Politicians change." Zelenskyy said Ukrainian officials were expected to hold negotiations in the US on Friday or Saturday. "We have progress in our dialogue with the American side regarding some of our points, they also speak with Russian side," Zelenskyy said during a visit to Brussels where EU leaders were set to decide whether to use tens of billions of euros in frozen Russian assets to underwrite a loan to meet Ukraine's military and financial needs over the next two years. "We are in the war and United States are decision-makers, who can really stop Putin and I count on this," Zelenskyy said. "I really count on pressure from United States. Putin does not want to stop this war, but he can if United States will pressure more." As European allies gathered for the high-stakes summit, Russia and Ukraine exchanged more aerial attacks. Ukraine's air force said Russia fired 82 drones of various types at Ukraine overnight, 63 of which were intercepted or jammed. In Cherkasy, Russian drones that targeted critical infrastructure wounded six people and left parts of the city without electricity, regional administration head Ihor Taburets said. Russian drones also wounded four people in Kryvyi Rih and seven near Odesa, according to local officials. In Russia's Rostov region, three people were killed by Ukrainian drones overnight, including two crew members of a cargo ship that was hit in Rostov-on-Don and a man who died in Bataysk. At least 10 others were wounded, according to local officials. The Russian Defence Ministry said its air defences intercepted 47 Ukrainian drones overnight. 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
19 December,2025 09:46 AM IST | Moscow | APThe offices of Prothom Alo and Daily Star are being attacked and vandalised in the capital's Karwanbazar. The Daily Star building was set on fire, reported news agency ANI. The attack on Prothom Alo's office began around 12 midnight on Thursday after the Bangladesh protests. Later, the Daily Star was attacked. After the news of the death of Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, a group of people gathered in front of the offices of the newspapers and attacked them, as per Nagorik, reported ANI. Videos circulating on social media show people attacking and vandalising with sticks. Fire was also seen on the road in front of Prothom Alo. In addition, some employees are trapped in the two offices, according to Nagorik. জাতির উদ্দেশে মাননীয় প্রধান উপদেষ্টার ভাষণপ্রিয় দেশবাসী,আসসালামু আলাইকুম।আমি আপনাদের সামনে হাজির হয়েছি অত্যন্ত হৃদয়বিদারক একটি সংবাদ নিয়ে। সিঙ্গাপুরে চিকিৎসাধীন জুলাই গণঅভ্যুত্থানের সম্মুখভাগের অকুতোভয় যোদ্ধা ও ইনকিলাব মঞ্চের মুখপাত্র শরিফ ওসমান হাদি আর আমাদের মাঝে… — Chief Adviser of the Government of Bangladesh (@ChiefAdviserGoB) December 18, 2025 Inqilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi, who was critically injured in a gun attack in Dhaka last Friday, died while undergoing treatment at Singapore General Hospital, reported ANI. Osman Hadi, who was being considered as a potential Dhaka-8 candidate for the upcoming national election, was shot in the head on Friday, December 12, in the Purana Paltan area of the capital. According to investigators, an assailant opened fire on him from a motorcycle that had been following him from behind while he was travelling in a battery-powered rickshaw to conduct electioneering, as per ANI. He was initially taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), where doctors performed emergency brain surgery due to massive head injuries. Physicians described his condition as highly critical, saying that the bullet entered above his left ear and exited through the right side of his head, severely damaging the brain stem, reported ANI. He was later transferred to Evercare Hospital for advanced treatment and was airlifted to Singapore on December 15. Yunus announces a national day of mourning Bangladesh's Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus, on Friday announced a national day of mourning on Saturday, December 20, 2025, following the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Mancha. The assassination of Sharif Osman Hadi, a prominent figure in the July Uprising and a 2025 election candidate, has sparked widespread Bangladesh protests in Dhaka. Hadi was attacked during his campaign and died in Singapore, further destabilising the upcoming electoral environment. Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, addressing the nation, said the national flag will be flown at half-mast at all government, semi-government, and private buildings, as well as at Bangladesh missions abroad. Special prayers will be held after Jummah prayers on Friday, December 19, 2025, seeking forgiveness for Hadi's soul. "The government will assume responsibility for the welfare of Martyr Osman Hadi's wife and his only child. In light of the untimely death of Martyr Sharif Osman Hadi, I am declaring a one-day national day of mourning on the coming Saturday. On this occasion, the national flag will fly at half-mast at all government, semi-government, autonomous institutions, educational institutions, public and private buildings, and Bangladesh missions abroad on Saturday," he said, reported ANI. (With inputs from ANI)
19 December,2025 09:02 AM IST | Dhaka | mid-day online correspondentThe Trump administration has announced a massive package of arms sales to Taiwan valued at more than USD 10 billion that includes medium-range missiles, howitzers and drones, drawing an angry response from China. The State Department announced the sales late Wednesday during a nationally televised address by President Donald Trump, who made scant mention of foreign policy issues and did not speak about China or Taiwan at all. US-Chinese tensions have ebbed and flowed during Trump’s second term, largely over trade and tariffs but also over China’s increasing aggressiveness toward Taiwan, which Beijing has said must reunify with the mainland. If approved by Congress, it would be the largest-ever US weapons package to Taiwan, exceeding the total amount of $8.4 billion in US arms sales to Taiwan during the Biden administration. The eight arms sales agreements announced Wednesday cover 82 high-mobility artillery rocket systems, or HIMARS, and 420 Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMS, similar to what the US had been providing Ukraine during the Biden administration to defend itself from Russia, worth more than $4 billion. They also include 60 self-propelled howitzer systems and related equipment worth more than $4 billion and drones valued at more than $1 billion. Other sales in the package include military software valued at more than $1 billion, Javelin and TOW missiles worth more than $700 million, helicopter spare parts worth $96 million, and refurbishment kits for Harpoon missiles worth $91 million. The eight sales agreements amount to $11.15 billion, according to Taiwan’s Defence Ministry. China urged the US to “immediately stop” arming Taiwan. “The US has announced plans to sell advanced weapons to Taiwan, which seriously violates the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiques,” China’s foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said. 8No. of arms sales agreements US announced 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
19 December,2025 07:19 AM IST | Washington | AgenciesEuropean Union (EU) leaders are gathering on Thursday for a summit aimed at agreeing on a massive loan to cover Ukraine’s military and other financial needs for the next two years. The leaders will also discuss migration, the bloc’s enlargement policy, trade, and economies, but working out how to fund most of the 137 billion euros ($160 billion) the International Monetary Fund says war-ravaged Ukraine needs is top priority. “It is up to us to choose how we fund Ukraine’s fight. We know the urgency. It is acute. We all feel it. We all see it,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on the eve of the summit. European Council President Antonio Costa, who is chairing Thursday’s meeting in Brussels, has vowed to keep leaders negotiating until an agreement is reached, even if it takes days. 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
19 December,2025 07:13 AM IST | Brussels | AgenciesAstronomers have made a mind-boggling discovery using the James Webb Space Telescope: a runaway black hole 10 million times larger than the sun, rocketing through space at a 1000 kilometres per second. That not only makes this the first confirmed runaway supermassive black hole, but this object is also one of the fastest-moving bodies ever detected, rocketing through its home, a pair of galaxies named the “Cosmic Owl,” at 3000 times the speed of sound at sea level here on Earth. The black hole is pushing forward a literal galaxy-sized “bow-shock” of matter in front of it, while simultaneously dragging a 200,000 light-year-long tail behind it, within which gas is accumulating and triggering star formation. 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
19 December,2025 07:11 AM IST | Texas | AgenciesSpent coffee grounds can remove toxic heavy metals such as lead, copper, and zinc. New research highlights how a common waste product can be turned into a valuable tool. The findings appear at a time when global coffee consumption continues to rise. In 2021–22, the world consumed more than 176 million 60-kg bags of coffee. That demand generates massive volumes of spent coffee grounds, most of which end up in landfills. 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
19 December,2025 07:08 AM IST | Ontario | AgenciesBeijing was shrouded in heavy smog on Thursday with AQI climbing to “very unhealthy” levels of 215, a rare spike in pollution in the Chinese capital after years of expensive cleaning up. China’s national observatory on Wednesday issued a yellow alert for heavy fog in some parts of the country, saying that thick fog is expected to shroud parts of Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Henan, Anhui, Jiangsu, Hubei, the Sichuan Basin and Chongqing on Thursday. The smog with polluted air quality is rare these days in Beijing, which used to witness very heavy pollution before the government initiated a series of steps, including closure and relocation of heavy polluting industries in 2016, spending billions of dollars. Officials say the city’s switch to natural gas or electric public heating in winters from the coal-fired ones, spending over $1 billion, has helped reduce pollution levels. Beijing’s efforts to tackle heavy pollution were in the news in recent days in the backdrop of New Delhi witnessing a deepening pollution crisis. It sparked a debate over whether the Indian capital should follow Beijing’s arduous and expensive journey to improve air quality. 215AQI reading in Beijing on Thursday 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
19 December,2025 07:05 AM IST | Beijing | AgenciesADVERTISEMENT
