While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Dec 22, 2025
· The Straits TimesTrump admin denies cover-up over redacted Epstein files
US Justice Department officials on Dec 21 denied redacting the Epstein files to protect President Donald Trump as criticism mounted over the partial and heavily-censored release of documents.
Victims of Jeffrey Epstein have expressed anger after a cache of records from cases against the late sex offender were released on Dec 19 with many pages blacked out and photos censored.
Deputy Attorney-General Todd Blanche on Dec 21 defended the Justice Department and a decision to remove an image of several group photos including at least one showing Mr Trump.
The redaction of any material due to political sensitivities would be illegal.
US pursuing third oil tanker near Venezuela
The US Coast Guard is pursuing an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela, officials told Reuters on Dec 21, in what would be the second such operation this weekend and the third in less than two weeks if successful.
The United States Coast Guard is in active pursuit of a sanctioned dark fleet vessel that is part of Venezuela’s illegal sanctions evasion,” a US official said. “It is flying a false flag and under a judicial seizure order.”
Another official said the tanker was under sanctions, but added that it had not been boarded so far and that interceptions can take different forms – including by sailing or flying close to vessels of concern.
Third day of Ukraine settlement talks to begin in Miami
The Kremlin toned down expectations ahead of a third day of Ukraine settlement talks in Miami on Dec 21, saying proposed changes to the plan to end the war were a non-starter.
Washington in November stunned Ukraine and its European allies by presenting a 28-point plan to end the war, widely seen as caving in to the Kremlin’s key demands, which has since been redrafted following Kyiv and Europe’s involvement.
But the Kremlin is unlikely to accept the changes, as it already called them “unconstructive”, based on details available publicly.
No jacket required as Villa dream of title glory
Unai Emery insists Aston Villa will not win the Premier League, but the Spaniard’s ecstatic celebration of Morgan Rogers’ decisive strike against Manchester United revealed his true feelings about their surprise title charge.
Usually a composed figure on the touchline, Emery put his emotions on display for all to see after Rogers produced his second fine finish of the afternoon to clinch a pulsating 2-1 win at Villa Park on Dec 21.
The England midfielder’s 57th-minute goal prompted Emery to roar in delight before ripping off his jacket and hurling it into the air.
Third Avatar movie lights up global box offices
Director James Cameron’s third Avatar movie kicked off its box office run with roughly US$345 million (S$446 million) in global ticket sales through Dec 21, meeting pre-weekend forecasts for the epic movie franchise from Walt Disney.
Avatar: Fire And Ash ranked as the second-highest Hollywood movie debut for 2025, behind only the US$556 million for Disney’s Zootopia 2 in November.
The movie topped box office charts in the US and Canada, where it brought in US$88 million of its worldwide total, according to Disney estimates.