Former Pentagon official Michael Rubin said that Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India is seen as US President Trump's "gross incompetence" by the majority of the US people, who dislike Trump, which he claimed is around 65 per cent according to recent polls. "It is being perceived in two different ways. If you're Donald Trump, it's being perceived through the lens of "I told you so" that this embrace of India towards Russia is affirming what Donald Trump wants his spin to be. Because Donald Trump isn't going to admit that he is the one at fault. If you're the 65 % of Americans who dislike Donald Trump, according to the recent polls, then what we are seeing now is the result of Donald Trump's gross incompetence," he said. Michael Rubin further said that the US is being "hypocritical" by "lecturing" India on its purchase of discounted oil from Russia, as Washington itself is involved in trade with Moscow, and justified New Delhi's position to prioritise its needs. Michael Rubin's harsh criticism of the US came when asked about Russian President Vladimir Putin's comment during his New Delhi visit that Moscow is "ready to continue uninterrupted shipments of fuel for the growing Indian economy". The Former Pentagon official noted that India is soon to become the world's third-largest economy and has its own energy needs, criticising the US's imposition of an additional 50 per cent tariff on Indian imports in August due to its purchase of Russian oil, which Washington claims fuels Moscow's war efforts in Ukraine. Speaking with ANI, Michael Rubin said, "What Americans don't understand is that Indians elected Prime Minister Modi to represent Indian interests. India is the most populous country. It's soon going to become the World's third-largest economy, and for that, it needs energy. The US is being hypocritical because we purchase from Russia. We purchase goods and materials for which we don't have alternative markets. We are being hypocritical when we lecture India," "At the same time, if we do not want India to purchase Russian fuel, what are we going to do to provide fuel to India at a cheaper price and in the quantities India needs? If we don't have an answer for that, our best approach is simply to shut up because India needs to take care of Indian security first," he added. Russian President, during his two-day visit, declared that Moscow will remain a steady, uninterrupted supplier for the country's fast-growing economy. "Russia is a reliable supply of oil, gas, coal and everything that is required for the development of India's energy. We are ready to continue uninterrupted shipments of fuel for the fast-growing Indian economy," Putin said, while addressing joint press address with Prime Minister Narendra Modi He further stated that US citizens are "flabbergasted" over Trump's actions that have reversed US-India ties, questioning whether it was "Pakistan's flattery or bribery." "A lot of us are still flabbergasted at how Donald Trump has reversed US-India ties. Many people question what motivates Donald Trump. Perhaps it was the flattery of the Pakistanis. More likely, it was bribery on the part of the Pakistanis or their backers in Turkey and Qatar towards Donald Trump...This is one disastrous bribe that is going to saddle America with a strategic deficit for decades to come," he said. President Putin concluded his visit to Delhi on Friday night. External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar accompanied him to the airport to see him off. During his two-day visit, Putin co-hosted the India-Russia Annual Summit with PM Modi. Both leaders agreed to deepen cooperation in building stable and efficient transport corridors. They also agreed to take the India-Russia economic partnership to "new heights" by 2030. 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
06 December,2025 06:11 PM IST | Washington DC | ANIThe number of people killed in a deadly shooting incident in Pretoria on Saturday has risen to 11, the South African Police Service (SAPS) has confirmed. The incident took place at Saulsville Hostel in Atteridgeville, west of Pretoria, early Saturday. "25 shot, 11 confirmed dead, 14 survivors and all are in hospital. The South African Police Service has launched a manhunt for three unknown suspects. Three minors are among those deceased which include 3 and 12 year-old boys, 16-year-old female. The rest of those deceased are adults. The incident happened at an illegal shebeen," read a statement issued by the SAPS. According the local media, the incident occurred just after 4:15 am, but police were only alerted around 6 am. "We immediately mobilised our resources, including forensic and ballistics experts, who were already at the scene. Our detectives and the Serious and Violent Crime Unit are piecing together information on what may have led to this shooting," the country's leading media outlet Independent Online (IOL) quoted SAPS national spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe as saying. Citing Mathe's statement, the IOL reported that at least three unknown gunmen entered the hostel, where a group of people were drinking, and began shooting randomly. The SAPS spokesperson also highlighted the massive challenges being posed by illegal and unlicensed liquor premises. "Between April and September this year, we shut down 11,975 unlicensed liquor outlets nationwide and arrested more than 18,676 people found selling liquor illegally," the official was quoted as saying by the IOL. Last month, seven men were killed in a mass shooting in Cape Town, Western Cape Province of South Africa. The incident occurred on Road R53 in Philippi East, a suburb in Cape Town's Cape Flats area, where seven men aged between 20 and 30 were fatally shot in what authorities described as a "senseless act of violence." After Jo'burg, Cape Town has also seen a surge in gun violence and gang-related killings in recent months, prompting warnings from civil society that the Western Cape Province, of which Cape Town is the capital city, is facing a full-blown crisis. In September, mounting gun violence in Cape Town, which had claimed at least a dozen lives across the metropolis in over one week, prompted the local government to shut down selected minibus taxi routes for 30 days, Xinhua news agency had reported. 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
06 December,2025 04:53 PM IST | Johannesburg | IANSUS Supreme Court agreed to examine the constitutionality of President Donald Trump's executive order seeking to end birthright citizenship, reopening a debate widely considered settled since the late 19th century, CNN reported. By taking up the appeal, the top court has moved beyond the procedural questions it addressed earlier this year--when it sided with Trump on technical grounds related to how lower courts handled the challenges and will now directly consider the policy's legality. Cecillia Wang, National Legal Director of the American Civil Liberties Union, welcomed the development, saying the organisation looks forward to the Supreme Court "putting this issue to rest once and for all." "The federal courts have unanimously held that President Trump's executive order is contrary to the Constitution, a Supreme Court decision from 1898, and a law enacted by Congress," she said. The Trump administration's arguments--long viewed as fringe interpretations even among some conservative legal scholars--are expected to draw intense public scrutiny as the court's term progresses. The case marks another test of the court's readiness to evaluate an aggressive legal position advanced by the White House. A ruling in Trump's favour could overturn a fundamental principle of US constitutional and immigration law, potentially affecting how American parents document the citizenship of newborns. The court is set to hear the matter next year and will likely deliver its verdict by the end of June. CNN Supreme Court analyst and Georgetown University Law Center professor Steve Vladeck criticised the administration's stance, calling its attempt to restrict birthright citizenship by executive order "wrong.""Whether because it violates the relevant statutes; the Fourteenth Amendment itself; or the Supreme Court's authoritative 1898 interpretation of that constitutional provision, the bottom line is the same," he said. The 1898 ruling in US v. Wong Kim Ark established that individuals born on US soil are citizens, barring a few narrow exceptions. The Trump administration, however, argued before the Supreme Court that this precedent has been misread for over a century. In its filings, the administration asserted that the understanding of the citizenship clause "was mistaken" and had "destructive consequences." Ending birthright citizenship has been a central element of Trump's immigration platform. Solicitor General D. John Sauer told the court that the Fourteenth Amendment's citizenship clause was intended to cover formerly enslaved individuals and their descendants, "not the children of temporary visitors or illegal aliens." Earlier this year, the Supreme Court issued a key ruling related to Trump's policy, though that case focused on a procedural question concerning the scope of lower courts' authority to block presidential actions. In a 6-3 decision, the court curtailed but did not entirely remove the ability of lower courts to halt such policies. 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
06 December,2025 10:52 AM IST | Washington DC | ANIClaiming "no strategic logic" for the United States embracing Islamabad, former Pentagon official Michael Rubin said Pakistan should be designated as a "state sponsor of terrorism." He also objected to Pakistan Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir's visit to White House in June and said Munir "should be arrested rather than honoured" if he comes to the US "There is no strategic logic for the United States embracing Pakistan. It should not be a major non-NATO ally. It should be designated a state sponsor of terrorism, period. If Asim Munir comes to the United States, he should be arrested rather than honoured," he said. Michael Rubin further said that the US need to offer a "vocal apology" to India for their actions, such as the imposition of additional 50 per cent tariffs on Indian imports in August due to its purchase of Russian oil. He added that even though US President Trump "doesn't like to apologise," the interest of the US surmounts "one man's ego." "What we need is quiet diplomacy behind the scenes, and perhaps, at some point, a more vocal apology from the United States for the way we have treated India over the past year...President Donald Trump doesn't like to apologise, but the interests of the United States, world democracies are much more important than one man's ego, no matter how inflated it is," he said. Trade tensions have surfaced, with the US imposing 50 per cent tariffs on Indian exports compared to 19 per cent for Pakistan, as well as signing agreements with Islamabad on mineral mining and oil exploration. Pakistan had welcomed Trump's claims, even nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize. In May, following India's Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), which came in retaliation to Pakistan's sponsored terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22 that killed 26 people in the name of religion, both countries had agreed to halt the full-scale military action, after the Pakistan Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called their Indian counterpart for cessation of hostilities. 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
06 December,2025 10:48 AM IST | Washington DC | ANIResearchers at the University of East London (UEL) have found an extraordinary new purpose for discarded seashells. Once processed into a fine powder, shells can replace up to a third of the cement in concrete, offering a highly scalable method to reduce carbon output. Cement, the binding agent in concrete, accounts for roughly 7 per cent of global carbon emissions. It is everywhere, its carbon footprint enormous. UEL’s study found that ground scallop shells — which typically end up in landfills or waste streams — can be substituted for cement, delivering a 36 per cent reduction in carbon emissions for the material. 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
06 December,2025 10:45 AM IST | London | AgenciesThe US Southern Command announced that it conducted another strike against a small boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean. This was the 22nd strike the US military carried out against boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean that the Trump administration claimed were trafficking drugs. There were four casualties in the strike, bringing the death toll of the campaign to at least 87 people. The strike was conducted the same day Admiral Frank Bradley appeared for a series of closed-door classified briefings at the US Capitol as lawmakers began an investigation into the very first strike carried out by the military on September 2. The sessions came after a report that Bradley ordered a follow-on attack that killed the survivors to comply with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s demands. Bradley told lawmakers there was no “kill them all” order from Hegseth. Legal experts have said killing survivors of a strike at sea could be a violation of the laws of military warfare. 87No. of people killed since US strikes began 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
06 December,2025 10:43 AM IST | Washington | AgenciesThe scheduled departure of critically ill former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia for London for advance treatment has been deferred to Sunday as an air ambulance offered by Qatar could not reach Dhaka, a senior leader of her party said on Friday. The 80-year-old head of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), who was hospitalised on November 23, was originally scheduled to leave for London late on Thursday night or early Friday. “If everything goes well, it may arrive today, and if Zia’s health permits travel, and her medical board gives its approval, she will fly out on Sunday,” BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said. According to a statement issued by Zia’s media cell, the special aircraft provided by Qatar could not reach Dhaka as scheduled on Thursday due to technical flaws.A medical board looking after Zia on Thursday decided to send her to London for advanced treatment, her party 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
06 December,2025 10:36 AM IST | Dhaka | AgenciesUkrainian representatives led by Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security Rustem Umerov, and Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Andrii Hnatov, were set to continue their talks with the US negotiation team, led by Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, on Friday, after nearly five hours of talks with Moscow led to “no compromise” from the Russian side on the Ukraine peace plans. In a post on X, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stressed that Kyiv’s priority is to obtain full clarity on what was discussed during Moscow’s recent engagements and to ensure that Ukraine’s interests remain central in all diplomatic efforts. He underscored that Ukraine is prepared for “any possible developments” and will continue to work “as constructively as possible” with all its international partners to secure peace. “Today, Ukrainian representatives will continue their discussions in the United States with President Trump’s team. Our task now is to obtain full information about what was said in Moscow and what other pretexts Putin has come up with to drag out the war and to pressure Ukraine,” Zelenskyy’s post read. The meeting comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin held five hours of talks with US negotiators led by President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Witkoff, in an effort to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine. However, “no compromise” was reached on territorial issues, as per senior Kremlin adviser Yuri Ushakov. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin reiterated that Moscow won’t compromise on its security interests to ensure Kyiv’s security. 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
06 December,2025 10:33 AM IST | Kyiv | AgenciesPakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has approved the appointment of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as the country's first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) for a period of five years. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's summary recommending Munir for both Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) was approved, the Pakistan President's office said in a X post. "President Asif Ali Zardari approved the appointment of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as COAS concurrently as CDF for 5 years," the official X handle of the President of Pakistan said in a post. President Asif Ali Zardari approved the appointment of Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir as COAS concurrently as CDF for 5 years, and a 2-year extension for Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu from 19 March 2026. The President conveyed his best wishes to both. pic.twitter.com/RrIJNCC7I5 — The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) December 4, 2025 This comes after a lot of speculation over Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's willingness to hand over more power to Munir, as the Sharif government was supposed to notify the appointment of the country's first Chief of Defence Forces on November 29, the day Munir's original three-year term as army chief ended. The Chief of Defence Forces' role was established last month under the 27th Amendment to the Constitution, aiming to centralise military command. Additionally, the Pakistan President also approved a two-year extension in the service of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu, which will take effect from March 19, 2026. Asif Ali Zardari conveyed his best wishes to both Pakistan Armed Forces officers. Asim Munir, who was promoted to the Field Marshal rank this year, will also simultaneously hold the office of the Chief of Army Staff, along with his duties as CDF. He is only the second military officer in the country's history to hold the Field Marshal title after Gen. Ayub Khan, who led Pakistan during the 1965 war with India. Earlier, when the Pakistan government delayed the official notification concerning Munir's appointment as CDF, former member of the India's National Security Advisory Board Tilak Devasher said that Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif was intentionally avoiding the issue of notification. Speaking to ANI, Devasher highlighted that Sharif left for Bahrain and then London, leading to speculation that he's deliberately staying away to avoid issuing the notification. "Very smartly, Pakistan PM had gone to Bahrain and from there, he pushed off to London," Devasher told ANI. "He is deliberately staying out of this because he clearly doesn't want to issue the notification giving Asim Munir 5 years as Army chief and as Chief of Defence Forces. He thinks that by keeping away from Pakistan and not having to sign the notification, he can escape the consequences." According to Devasher, the failure to notify had created a constitutional and operational gap. "All in all, this is a very messy state of affairs," he said. "If the fact remains that he (Asim Munir) is no longer the Army chief, then you have a situation where Pakistan doesn't have an Army chief and even the nuclear command authority, which was supposed to be under the new post of Strategic Forces Command, is also not there. So, it's an extremely strange situation that Pakistan is under at 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
05 December,2025 08:27 AM IST | Islamabad | ANIIndiGo on Thursday issued a "heartfelt apology" to customers and industry stakeholders after widespread disruptions across its network and operations over the past two days, and said the airline "remains focussed on streamlining its operations at the earliest." IndiGo has been experiencing a sharp rise in cancellations, reaching approximately 170-200 flights per day, which is substantially higher than normal. Passengers across multiple airports on Thursday voiced strong frustration as IndiGo's nationwide operations remained severely disrupted, leaving many stranded without clear communication or alternate travel options. "We extend a heartfelt apology to all our customers and industry stakeholders who have been impacted by these events. IndiGo teams are working diligently and making all efforts with the support of MOCA, DGCA, BCAS, AAI and airport operators to reduce the cascading impact of these delays and restore normalcy," IndiGo said in a statement posted on X. The last two days have seen widespread disruption across IndiGo’s network and operations. We extend a heartfelt apology to all our customers and industry stakeholders who have been impacted by these events. IndiGo teams are working diligently and making all efforts with the… — IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 4, 2025 IndiGo said it is keeping passengers informed about any changes to their flight schedules and advised travellers to check the latest status before heading to the airport. "We continue to keep our customers apprised of any changes to their scheduled flights and advise them to check the latest status at https://goindigo.in/check-flight-status.html," the airline said. "IndiGo deeply regrets the inconvenience caused and remains focused on streamlining its operations at the earliest," the airline said in the statement. Flight operations at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport were also severely disrupted on Thursday as IndiGo cancelled a total of 150 flights, including 75 departures and 75 arrivals, spanning both domestic and international routes since morning, confirmed Delhi Airport. IndiGo, one of India's largest and fastest-growing airlines, operates a fleet of over 400 aircraft and runs more than 2,300 flights daily. The carrier connects 90+ domestic and 45+ international destinations. In 2024, it inducted 58 aircraft and served over 118 million passengers in FY25. IndiGo was recently named the 'Best Airline in India and South Asia' at the 2025 Skytrax World Airline Awards. 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
05 December,2025 08:22 AM IST | New Delhi | ANIIsrael struck several weapons storage facilities belonging to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, the Israel Defence Forces said on Thursday. "These weapons storage facilities were located in the heart of the civilian population. This is yet another example of Hezbollah's cynical use of Lebanese civilians as human shields and continued operations from within civilian areas," the IDF said. To mitigate harm to civilians, residents of nearby buildings were warned to evacuate, while precision weapons, aerial surveillance and other measures were employed. Under the terms of a year-old ceasefire, the Lebanese government is committed to disarming Hezbollah, but Israeli officials have criticised Beirut's measures as unsatisfactory. Israel has launched frequent airstrikes on Hezbollah as the Iran-backed terror group tries to rebuild. 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
05 December,2025 08:19 AM IST | Tel Aviv | ANIADVERTISEMENT
