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IMF approves USD 206 million emergency funding for cyclone-hit Sri Lanka

The IMF has approved an emergency funding of USD 206 million under its rapid finance instrument to help Sri Lanka address the urgent needs arising from the catastrophic Cyclone Ditwah and preserve macroeconomic stability”. The cyclone caused widespread destruction in the island nation and left over 643 people dead. In a statement issued on Friday, the Washington-based International Monetary Fund (IMF) said the disaster has created urgent humanitarian and reconstruction needs, generating significant fiscal pressures and balance-of-payments needs. The emergency financial support provided by the IMF under the rapid finance instrument will help address these pressures, it said. The IMF added that the cyclone devastation hit when the Fifth Review of Sri Lanka’s $2.9 billion bailout was nearing completion. “Given the time needed to assess the economic impact of the cyclone and examine how an IMF-supported programme can best support Sri Lanka’s recovery and reconstruction efforts while preserving objectives and policy priorities, the Fifth Review has been deferred,” it said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

21 December,2025 01:39 PM IST | Colombo | Agencies
After two years of sombre celebrations, Bethlehem finally sees the light and joy of Christmas. Pic/X@MzBelindaW

Christmas Eve hymns to echo at Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity

At midnight on Christmas Eve, the words of the traditional hymn “The Night of Christmas” will ring out in Bethlehem’s Church of the Nativity, built on the site where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born. As the local choir rehearsed ahead of this year’s service, many choir members said the words echoed with deeper meaning following the ceasefire in Gaza. “It reminds us that no matter the difficulties, the darkness, there is always a light and that hope is always alive,” said Joseph Hazboun, the conductor of the lay choir made up of local Catholics. For the past two years, as the war in Gaza dragged on, Christmas in Bethlehem has been a sombre affair, without the traditional festivities and decorations and music. But this year, families are flocking again to Manger Square, signalling hope about the fragile ceasefire and providing a much-needed economic boost to Bethlehem. 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 December,2025 01:27 PM IST | Bethlehem | Agencies
Thousands of Bangladeshis attended Hadi’s funeral on Saturday. PIC/PTI

Hadi’s funeral held in Dhaka amid rising political unrest

Bangladesh held the funeral of prominent youth leader Sharif Osman Hadi on Saturday, drawing a large number of people in the capital amid extra-tight security after his death triggered unrest across the country. Hadi, was shot by unidentified gunmen in Bangladesh capital, Dhaka on December 12. Interim government Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus attended the funeral for the 32-year-old spokesperson of “Inqilab Mancha”. Protesters stormed offices of leading Bangladesh dailies on Thursday as well. PIC/PTI In a social media post, Inqilab Mancha said, “Upon the family’s wishes, a decision has been taken to bury Hadi beside the grave of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and to hold his funeral prayer after Zuhr tomorrow at Manik Mia Avenue.” The party announced that there will be no public viewing of the body, and people were requested to pray for Hadi while maintaining order. Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus. PIC/X@ChiefAdvisorGoB Police allowed hundreds of thousands of people to join the funeral prayers and ahead of the ritual, who chanted slogans like “We will be Hadi, we will be fighting decades after decades,” and “We will not let Hadi’s blood go in vain.” The United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk voiced alarm on Friday regarding this incident, “I urge the authorities to conduct a prompt, impartial, thorough and transparent investigation into the attack that led to Hadi’s death, and to ensure due process and accountability for those responsible.” The news of his death on Thursday evening triggered violence, with groups of protesters attacking and torching the offices of two leading national dailies. The country’s interim leader, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, has urged the people to stay calm. 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 December,2025 01:23 PM IST | Dhaka | Agencies
Noah claims his arks are the only way to survive the calamity. PIC/ODDITYCENTRAL

Noah’s ark is ready

EBO Noah, also known as Igno Noah or Ebo Jesus, is a Ghanian self-proclaimed prophet. He has prophesied that there will be a three-year flood that will cover the Earth in an endless ocean on December 25. The only way to survive? Board one of the wooden arks that he was chosen to build by God himself. No one has any information on his real name and location. His social media is attracting a large number of followers. He usually posts videos of himself wearing ragged clothing and reading from a book. Moreover, he also posts videos of him reading from a book, or inspecting his wooden arks, posing himself as quite the saviour figure. He posts social media videos of himself working on the arks. PIC/INSTAGRAM@ebo_noah Noah has been ridiculed on social media, with people asking him if his arks have Wi-Fi access, or if the passengers can carry out digital transactions on the ark. However, that does not seem to deter him at all. He has been talking about the looming danger since August, insisting that he has been instructed by God to build up to 10 arks. Sources say that his arks can hold up to a few thousand people. He also claimed that at one point, animals began arriving at the site of the ark construction due to divine instruction being given to them. The only way one can find out about him is by staying tuned till Christmas. Thrifted a treasure An American bought a rare game from a charity shop and ended up selling it for thousands of dollars Charity and thrift stores can be mini treasure troves. If you search hard enough, you will find the best kind of items to take home. A woman in the US, Jennifer Thompson, bought a game for $8 dollars (Rs 700) from a charity shop. The game, Stadium Events, can be played on Nintendo Entertainment System. PIC/INSTAGRAM@gameflix The game — called Stadium Events — was in mint condition and can be can be played on the Nintendo Entertainment System. It was released in 1986 and was featured in a Yahoo article that discussed the rarest games in the world. This clever shopper read the article and decided that it was worth the gamble. She sold it in an online auction to Tod Curtis, an orthodontist and a passionate game collector. The resale value? She raked in $25,000 (Rs 2.25 lakh). Looks like she really scored! Lost and found PIC/ISTOCK A two-year-old cat named Kereviz from Turkiye had disappeared after jumping down his balcony. The cat’s owner, Ahmet, was stunned to find out that by the time he went to check up on Kereviz, the feline had already vanished. After putting in a lot of effort to find the cat, like putting out ‘Missing’ flyers, someone spotted a similar-looking cat wandering around his workplace 55 miles away! He saw Ahmet’s missing cat posts and reached out, and Kereviz was reunited with his family. The little traveller was also unharmed throughout his expedition. Ready to ROC PIC/ODDITYCENTRAL The Stratolaunch Model 35, designed to carry air-launch-to-orbit rockets, and now repurposed to offer air launch hypersonic flight testing, is an engineering marvel. It has been nicknamed Roc after the giant mythical bird that can carry even an elephant in its talons. It looks as if two jets have been fused together. The combined wingspan of its two fuselages adds up to 385 feet, making the Roc wider than a 300-foot American football field. Curse canceller PIC/ODDITYCENTRAL An European woman, Mariana Mijailovic, posed as a shaman along with her daughter, Anna, to defraud rich women on the streets of Munich, Germany, Vienna, and Austria. They convinced these women to give away their expensive jewellery, claiming it was cursed and could only be exorcised by them. Police have arrested Anna, Mijailovic’s husband, and her son. However, Mijailovic is still on the run. F1 racing heroes PIC/INSTAGRAM@wtfleagues An Instagram page named Wtfleagues has been posting about Formula One — except the competitors here are hamsters. They are also real racers in spirit, named Michael Chewmacher, Hamdo Norris, Hammy Hamilton, Liam Pawson, and Max Furstappen. They each have their own uniquely coloured cars and are some of the most competitive racers out there. Formula One fans should definitely watch out for these stars! Kitty goes meow meow PIC/INSTAGRAM@amigato22 “Ay Mi Gatito”, a song from 2010 by Princesita Kelly, is making rounds on social media now. The song literally translates to “Oh my little kitten, meow meow.” However, this time, the song is accompanied with AI-generated video edits of video-game-like cats. Sometimes it’s even paired with the visuals of the cats performing the song at a concert in the video game Minecraft. These have now become the most shareable videos for brainrot enthusiasts.

21 December,2025 12:55 PM IST | Ghana | A Correspondent
Representational Image

Russian missile attack on Odesa port kills 8, wounds dozens

Eight people were killed and 27 wounded in a Russian missile strike on port infrastructure in Odesa, southern Ukraine, late on Friday, Ukraine's Emergency Service said on Saturday morning. Some of the wounded were on a bus at the epicentre of the overnight strike, the service said in a Telegram post. Trucks caught fire in the parking lot, and cars were also damaged. The port was struck with ballistic missiles, said Oleh Kiper, the head of the Odesa region. Elsewhere, Ukrainian forces hit a Russian warship and other facilities with drones, Ukraine's General Staff said in a statement on Saturday. The nighttime attack on Friday hit the Russian warship Okhotnik, according to the statement posted to the Telegram messaging app. The ship was patrolling in the Caspian Sea near an oil and gas production platform. The extent of the damage is still being clarified, the statement added. A drilling platform at the Filanovsky oil and gas field in the Caspian Sea was also hit. The facility is operated by Russian oil giant Lukoil. Ukrainian drones also struck a radar system in the Krasnosilske area of Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014. 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 December,2025 05:18 PM IST | Kyiv | AP
Former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi. File Pic

Imran Khan, Bushra Bibi get 17 years jail in Toshakhana case

A Pakistan accountability court on Saturday sentenced jailed former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to 17 years imprisonment each in the Toshakhana 2 corruption case. The case is about alleged fraud in state gifts, which the former first couple received from the Saudi government in 2021. Special court judge Shahrukh Arjumand announced the judgment in the case in the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. Khan and Bushra were awarded 10 years' rigorous imprisonment under Section 409 (criminal breach of trust) of the Pakistan Penal Code and seven years under different Sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10 million on each of them. 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 December,2025 12:30 PM IST | Islamabad [Pakistan] | PTI
Former US president Bill Clinton (C) with US singers Michael Jackson (L) and Diana Ross at an undisclosed location as the Justice Department began releasing the long-awaited records from the investigation into the politically explosive case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Pics/AFP

DOJ releases tranche of Epstein files, including Bill Clinton, Michael Jackson;

The US Justice Department released a batch of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking investigation, including photos and records showing Bill Clinton, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Michael Jackson in social settings with Epstein, CNN reported. The files, made public under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, are heavily redacted to protect victims and ongoing investigations. Some of the material was already made public, but other documents are "very likely to have never seen the light of day before," CNN reported. The released materials included multiple pages and large datasets. Some notable revelations include former US President Bill Clinton, swimming with Ghislaine Maxwell and relaxing in a hot tub with an unidentified person; Michael Jackson posing with Epstein and Clinton. Former US president Bill Clinton, Rolling Stones singer Mick Jagger, Virgin Group chairman Richard Branson and Ghislaine Maxwell, after the US Justice Department began releasing the long-awaited records from the investigation into the politically explosive case of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein Other prominent figures, Mick Jagger, Woody Allen, and Noam Chomsky, are also featured in the released documents. Earlier, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer released a statement slamming Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche for saying the department will release some of the files at a later date, despite today's deadline. Blanche said in an interview on Fox News that "several hundred thousand" documents in their possession will be released today, with more to come in the weeks ahead. US President Donald Trump signed into law legislation passed by Congress in November that mandates the release of all non-exempt information from the files by December 19, CNN reported. The Epstein Files Transparency Act required the Department of Justice to release files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein by today. At around 4 pm (local time), the Justice Department released some of the documents. The massive trove includes thousands of apparently never-before-released documents along with thousands of files that were already public from various court cases and public records requests. DOJ disclosures, court records, public records requests, and congressional releases were among the documents released, according to CNN. Several previously unreleased photographs of former President Bill Clinton with Epstein and his accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, were released. The DOJ's redactions of the files are extensive, and the reasons for them extend beyond what the law requires. In some cases, entire pages are redacted. To comply with the law, several redactions had to be made, according to the DOJ. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said, "any material that contained personally identifiable information of victims, child sexual abuse materials, classified national defence or foreign policy information, or would jeopardise an active investigation." Among the thousands of documents released as part of the Epstein files is a photo of pop icon Michael Jackson standing next to Epstein. The two are seen standing in front of a painting of what appears to be a naked woman. It is unclear when or where the photo was taken. Another photo released shows President Bill Clinton with his arm around Jackson. A woman whose identity is redacted and Supreme's singer Diana Ross are to their right. Epstein is not pictured, as per CNN. Jeffrey Epstein, a wealthy financier and convicted sex offender, was found dead in his jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide by hanging, but many questions and conspiracy theories surround the circumstances of his death. 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 December,2025 10:14 AM IST | Washington | ANI | Bipin Dani
Donald Trump. Pic/AFP

Donald Trump’s drug price cuts set to impact global pharma, including India

US President Donald Trump’s announcement of sweeping prescription drug price cuts is expected to ripple across global pharmaceutical markets, including India’s generics-driven drug export sector, as Washington moves toward international price benchmarking.  Trump said Americans would soon pay no more than the lowest price charged anywhere in the world. “You’re going to get most favored nations pricing,” Trump said. The announcement was made alongside HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, CMS Administrator Mehmet Oz and FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, as well as executives from multinational pharmaceutical companies. “For decades, Americans have been forced to pay the highest prices in the world,” Trump said. He said drugmakers had agreed to deep price reductions on major products. “We signed historic agreements… to reduce prices by 300, 400, 500, 600 and even 700 percent,” Trump said. Executives present included Sanofi CEO Paul Hudson, Novartis CEO Vas Narasimhan, Genentech CEO Ashley Magargee, Gilead CEO Dan O’Day, GSK CEO Emma Walmsley, Merck CEO Robert Davies and Amgen Executive Vice President Peter Griffith. Trump said the administration would use tariffs to compel foreign governments to align prices. “We would never be able to do this without the use of tariffs,” he said. He added that US drug prices would soon be “among the lowest in the developed world.” “So we will get the lowest price anywhere in the world,” Trump said. Trump also tied the policy to expanded US-based pharmaceutical manufacturing. “They’re coming in and they’re building already,” he said. India is one of the world’s largest producers of generic medicines and a key supplier to the US market, particularly for affordable treatments for chronic diseases. Indian drug prices are often among the lowest globally. Any US move toward global price benchmarking is closely watched by Indian pharmaceutical exporters, given the importance of the American market to India’s drug industry. 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 December,2025 09:54 AM IST | Washington | IANS
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks during an end-of-year press conference in the State Department Press Briefing Room in Washington, DC. Pic/AFP

‘Seen us engaged’ in resolving India-Pakistan conflict, says Marco Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio referred to the conflict between India and Pakistan that US President Donald Trump claims he resolved along with several others this year, saying the American leader "has made it a priority to be a peacemaker." Trump has repeated the claim of stopping the conflict between India and Pakistan nearly 70 times so far. Rubio said that the US remains engaged around the world, including in conflicts that "perhaps are not central to everyday life in America." "The President has made it a priority to be a peacemaker and so you've seen us engaged whether it's Russia, Ukraine, or India and Pakistan or Thailand and Cambodia, which is an ongoing challenge," Rubio said Friday at a year-end news conference. He said that some of the conflicts resolved by the US have "deep roots that go back many, many years, but we are prepared to be engaged and helpful." "In ways that perhaps other nations can't, we've been viewed as indispensable in that regard, and it's a role the President takes great pride in, in the promotion of peace around the world and something he deserves a lot of credit for. He has personally engaged in all of this," he added. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians. India and Pakistan reached an understanding on May 10 to end the conflict after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes. India has consistently denied any third-party intervention in resolving the conflict. Responding to a question on China and Japan, Rubio said "we understand that's one of the dynamics that has to be balanced in that region, and I believe that we feel very strongly that we can continue with our strong, firm partnership and alliance with Japan and do so in a way that continues to allow us to find productive ways to work together with the Chinese Communist Party and the Chinese government." He said that at the end of the day, China will continue to be a rich and powerful country and a factor in geopolitics. "We have to have relations with them, we have to deal with them. We have to find the things we are able to work together on, and I think both sides are mature enough to recognise that there will be points of tension now and for the foreseeable future," he added. He said that China and the US need to find opportunities to work together. "I think we can do that without imperilling or in any way undermining our very firm commitment to our partners in the Indo-Pacific, that includes not just Japan but South Korea, and obviously, if you extend further out, I don't want to leave anybody out but India and Australia and New Zealand and all the other countries," he added. Responding to a question on whether the US has got consent from Pakistan that they will be sending troops in Gaza for peace building and peacemaking, Rubio said all the countries Washington has talked to about being and having a presence on the ground, "I think they want to know specifically, what the mandate, what the specific mandate, funding mechanism looks like. "We're very grateful to Pakistan for their offer to be a part of it, or at least their offer to consider being a part of it. I think we owe them a few more answers before we can ask anybody to firmly commit," he added. Rubio added that Pakistan is "key if they agree to do so. But I think we owe them a few more answers before we get there." 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 December,2025 09:49 AM IST | New York/Washington | AP | PTI
A protester holds a placard and shout slogans during a protest following overnight attacks and vandalism after the death of a prominent activist, who was shot by an assailant a week ago, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Pic/AP, PTI

Bangladesh unrest part of conspiracy to derail 2026 polls, says BNP

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) claims that the recent unrest, including attacks on newspaper offices and other establishments, is a conspiracy to destabilise the upcoming national election scheduled for February 2026, BD News reported. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir stated that these "heinous attacks" are aimed at disrupting the democratic transition process and foiling the election. The violence erupted after the death of Sharif Osman Hadi, a youth leader and election candidate, who was shot by masked assailants. Protests and attacks followed, targeting media outlets, including Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, with allegations of being pro-government or pro-India. Chhayanaut, Udichi, and the Indian High Commission in Khulna were also targeted amid anger and protests following the news of the death of Inqilab Manch convener Sharif Osman Bin Hadi. Alamgir expressed the party's reaction at a press conference after the BNP's national standing committee meeting on Friday night. The BNP is pointing fingers at the government, alleging that it's trying to create an atmosphere of fear and instability to delay or disrupt the polls. They've urged all patriotic forces to unite against this conspiracy and ensure a peaceful election. "We strongly condemn and express our disgust at these heinous incidents. These incidents prove that an old and identified group wants to lead the country towards anarchy systematically," he said, as quoted by BD News. Fakhrul commented that those circles are trying to create a new version of fascism in the country by "subverting the democratic rights and voting rights that were "earned with much blood". He said, as quoted by BD News, "When all parties in the country are protesting against the killing of Osman Hadi and demanding justice for the killers, they are putting pressure on the government to arrest the killers and bring them to justice. In such a situation, we consider such heinous attacks as a conspiracy to destabilise the upcoming national elections and the democratic transition process." Fakhrul said, "On behalf of the peace-loving countrymen, we want to warn these despicable conspirators that we cannot allow our country, which was acquired at the cost of so much blood, to be destroyed. We must unite and stop this evil force." "There is no alternative to uniting all anti-anarchist political and social forces today to thwart this conspiracy." He called for unity in the face of the protests, "In continuation of the unity through which we brought down fascism and achieved an interim government and national elections, we are calling on all patriotic forces to unite again." Fakhrul expressed his dissatisfaction with the government's role in the situation. He said, as quoted by BD News, "They are carrying out this activity right under the nose of the government. People also feel the government's role is unsatisfactory. As a result, the image of the government and the country is being tarnished both at home and abroad." As Sharif Osman bin Hadi rested in the cold storage at the National Heart Institute, the protest continued to boil the nation. The procession surrounding the ambulance was part of the day-long anger and protest of people who took to the streets to protest Hadi's killing. The outpouring of anger that erupted on Thursday night after news of the death of Inqilab Manch convener Osman Hadi from Singapore continued throughout Friday. Incidents of attacks, vandalism and arson were not spared on that day either. After Friday prayers, many streets and areas of the capital were filled with protesters. Shahbagh was also in turmoil on Friday. The interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, has urged people to resist violence and maintain peace, blaming "fringe elements" for the unrest. 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 December,2025 09:47 AM IST | Dhaka | ANI
Donald Trump. Pic/AFP

US launches Operation Hawkeye in Syria after killing of two soldiers

US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) said that in response to ISIS's killing of two Americans in Syria, the US retaliated by striking the nation. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced on Friday that the US commenced Operation Hawkeye Strike in Syria to eliminate ISIS fighters. Hegseth stated in a post on X, "Earlier today, U.S. forces commenced OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE in Syria to eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites in direct response to the attack on U.S. forces that occurred on December 13th in Palmyra, Syria. This is not the beginning of a war -- it is a declaration of vengeance. The United States of America, under President Trump's leadership, will never hesitate and never relent to defend our people." Earlier today, U.S. forces commenced OPERATION HAWKEYE STRIKE in Syria to eliminate ISIS fighters, infrastructure, and weapons sites in direct response to the attack on U.S. forces that occurred on December 13th in Palmyra, Syria. This is not the beginning of a war — it is a… — Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) December 19, 2025 "As we said directly following the savage attack, if you target Americans -- anywhere in the world -- you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you. Today, we hunted, and we killed our enemies. Lots of them. And we will continue," he added. Trump warned in a post on Truth Social that the terrorists will be hit harder than they have ever been. "Because of ISIS's vicious killing of brave American Patriots in Syria, whose beautiful souls I welcomed home to American soil earlier this week in a very dignified ceremony, I am hereby announcing that the United States is inflicting very serious retaliation, just as I promised, on the murderous terrorists responsible. We are striking very strongly against ISIS strongholds in Syria, a place soaked in blood which has many problems, but one that has a bright future if ISIS can be eradicated." "The Government of Syria, led by a man who is working very hard to bring Greatness back to Syria, and is fully in support. All terrorists who are evil enough to attack Americans are hereby warned -- YOU WILL BE HIT HARDER THAN YOU HAVE EVER BEEN HIT BEFORE IF YOU, IN ANY WAY, ATTACK OR THREATEN THE U.S.A," he added. "Operation Hawkeye," a reference to the fact that the two US soldiers killed were from the "Hawkeye State" of Iowa, the strikes hit dozens of targets the military connected to ISIS -- including infrastructure and weapons storage sites across Syria, one of the officials told CNN. The two US service members killed in Syria were identified this week as Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres Tovar, 25, of Des Moines, Iowa, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown, Iowa. They were killed while engaging hostile forces in Palmyra, Syria, the US Army said. Both soldiers were assigned to the Iowa National Guard's 1st Squadron, 113th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 34th Infantry Division. Three additional Iowa National Guard members were wounded in the attack and evacuated for further medical treatment. 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 December,2025 09:43 AM IST | Washington DC | ANI
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