World News

The assessment, which included input from the Central Intelligence Agency, undercuts claims made by Moscow and initially accepted by US President Donald Trump.

In a first, Zohran Mamdani takes oath as mayor of New York City on Quran

Mamdani took oath at a decommissioned subway station in Manhattan in a historic ceremony. “This is truly the honour and the privilege of a lifetime,” Mamdani said.

In New Year's address, Xi's decisive message for Taiwan as tensions build with China: 'Reunification unstoppable'

Regarding Taiwan, a self-ruled democracy that China considers sovereign territory, Xi reiterated Beijing's annexation intentions.

Russia releases footage to prove Ukrainian attack on Putin’s residence | Watch

Speaking to Reuters, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Heorhii Tykhyi said the footage was "laughable" and that Kyiv was "absolutely confident that no such attack took place".

Peace in sight? Zelenskyy says Ukraine only 10% away from deal with Russia

The peace agreement is 90 per cent ready. Ten per cent remains. And that is far more than just numbers, says Zelenskyy in a video message posted on his Telegram handle.

Obama-era judge says Trump's $100,000 H-1B visa fee legal, fight moves to appeals court

US District Judge Beryl Howell rejected the arguments of the US Chamber of Commerce and ruled on December 23 that President Donald Trump had the legal authority to impose the fee

India posts slowest mcap rise in three years amid global surge in 2025

Foreign outflows, rich valuations and softer earnings keep India at the bottom of global rankings

South Korea posts highest-ever exports in 2025 on chips boom

Total exports last year were valued at over $700 billion, according to data from Seoul's industry ministry, up 3.8 percent from the previous year.

Earthquake of magnitude 6 jolts Japan's Noda, no tsunami warning issued

The tremor occurred at a depth of about 19.3 km, or nearly 12 miles. Authorities said there were no immediate reports of major damage.

Sovereign funds push into tech as assets swell to $15 trillion

Overall, sovereign owned investors ploughed $66 billion into investments in artificial intelligence and digitalization in 2025

World bids goodbye to 2025 with fireworks and icy plunges. Check pics

In snowy Kyiv and Moscow, both Ukrainians and Russians saw in the new year, expressing hopes of peace after nearly four years of conflict.

US freezes childcare payments to Minnesota over fraud claims

President Donald Trump and his administration have focused on allegations of fraud in the state, in particular cases involving people of Somali origin, and accused Walz of mishandling government funding.

Drug-resistant 'Candida Auris' spreads across 27 US states: Symptoms, risks and why it’s dangerous

Candida Auris primarily targets people with weakened immune systems, those with serious underlying conditions, and patients who rely on invasive medical devices such as catheters or ventilators.

US labor board abandons one of its cases against Musk’s SpaceX

Since SpaceX filed its first lawsuit last year, other companies including Amazon.com Inc. have filed similar cases, several of which are now pending in US courts.

Trump firm to start new cryptocurrency for shareholders

Trump himself is the company’s largest shareholder with a 41% stake in the business

Tarique Rahman’s moment of truth: Can he break from Jamaat and still win?

The attention surrounding Khaleda Zia’s death has reinforced a growing perception that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party is well placed to return to power in the February 12 elections next year.

Osman Hadi murder case turns murkier as accused claims he left before shooting, shows his UAE visa on camera | WATCH

Sharif Osman Hadi was shot dead on December 12 in Dhaka’s Paltan area while he was leaving a mosque. The killing sparked political outrage and intensified scrutiny of Bangladesh’s law enforcement response.

Xi touts China’s AI, chip wins In triumphant New Year’s speech

The speech was Xi’s most upbeat New Year’s Eve address in recent years, coming after his government overcame a multitude of challenges to underscore China’s status as a rising global superpower.

Jaishankar meets Tarique Rahman after Khaleda Zia's death: Has India read writing on the wall in Dhaka and adjusted course?

The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has proved unreliable, unstable and strategically troubling. And with BNP increasingly positioned to return to power, India is choosing engagement over inertia.

Handshake in Dhaka: Rare India-Pak courtesy exchange as Jaishankar meets Ayaz Sadiq at Khaleda Zia funeral

The interaction took place ahead of the ceremony, where Jaishankar and Sadiq were seen shaking hands and exchanging greetings.

Bangladesh may have quietly moved Osman Hadi murder accused abroad: What Indian agencies find missing in Dhaka’s version

Indian agencies point out that Bangladesh initially claimed Masud had crossed into India through the Meghalaya border with alleged help from Indian handlers. That version was abandoned within 48 hours.

Riyadh blocks Asim Munir visit? After UAE outreach, Islamabad faces Saudi cold shoulder, claims ex-Pak Army officer

Raja suggested the reported snub followed the UAE President’s recent visit to Pakistan and reflects growing strains between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.

How a US corn consignment became a social media flashpoint in Bangladesh | Explained

Bangladesh’s plan to import US corn has drawn online backlash amid concerns over farming practices, trade pressure and cultural norms.

Jaishankar meets Khaleda Zia’s son Tarique Rahman in Dhaka, hands over PM Modi’s condolence letter

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Khaleda Zia’s son Tarique Rahman in Dhaka to hand over Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s condolence letter as Bangladesh held a state farewell for its former prime minister.

China to slap additional 55% tariff on specific beef imports from US, Australia starting Jan 1

The tariff will be imposed on imports that exceed a certain quantity.

Philippines challenges Chinese research vessel near Taiwan-facing coast

The Philippine Coast Guard deployed an aircraft to challenge a Chinese deep-sea research vessel detected near Cagayan province, amid heightened regional tensions and Chinese military drills around Taiwan.

Russia’s war machine looks steady, but society is starting to crack

The Kremlin projects unity and momentum, but in towns near the front, the human cost is becoming harder to hide.

How falling solar prices are changing businesses, households and utilities across Africa

Cheap Chinese solar panels and batteries are pushing a rooftop revolution across Africa, cutting power bills and blackouts for those who can afford them, while forcing struggling utilities and governments to rethink who controls the grid.

A partnership in retreat: The inside account of a year of shifting US Ukraine policy

Trump promised quick peace in Ukraine, but a year of factional infighting, stop-start weapons flows and hard bargaining over territory left Kyiv weaker, Moscow emboldened and the war still grinding on.

Year in a word: ‘Peace’

Despite ceaseless Trumpian talk of ending the world’s wars, it’s not quite that easy

Who is Ramzi Kassem? Mamdani names lawyer who defended Al-Qaeda-linked prisoner as NYC chief counsel

New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has appointed civil rights lawyer Ramzi Kassem as chief counsel, alongside Steven Banks as corporation counsel, triggering political debate over the backgrounds of the city’s new top legal officials.

Pakistan swaps UAE debt for equity in Asim Munir's Fauji Foundation, now scrambles to legalise deal

Pakistan will allow UAE to convert part of its deposit - which is part of the financial support it provided to Islamabad - into long-term investment to reduce external debt

Who is Asim Munir's son-in-law and nephew Abdul Rahman: All about ex-Pak army officer

The marriage of Asim Munir’s daughter, Mahnoor, to his nephew, Captain Abdul Rahman -- the son of his brother Qasim Munir -- has drawn quiet attention in security circles

Inside Putin’s hidden houses: Lakeside complexes, Black Sea retreats and underground bunkers

Russia’s claim of a foiled Ukrainian drone attack on President Vladimir Putin’s Valdai residence has put the spotlight on his network of high-security official homes, private estates and fortified bunkers across Russia.

Who was Bajendra Biswas? Hindu worker shot dead in Bangladesh after co-worker asked “Shall I shoot?”

A Hindu security guard was shot dead by a co-worker at a garment factory in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district, the third killing of a Hindu man in the country in less than a week.

India’s markets clock tenth straight gain in 2025 even as smallcaps underperformed: HDFC AMC's Navneet Munot

Relative valuations, competitive rupee, steady macro and earnings revival set a better pitch now, says Munot

From provocation to punishment: 2025 was the year Pakistan paid for its India obsession and Asim Munir's misadventures

If 2025 proved anything, it is that India has moved on from managing Pakistan to deterring it. Pakistan, trapped in its own delusions, appears incapable of understanding the shift.

From PIA to power and banks: What is Pakistan’s 'Agenda-5' privatisation drive?

Pakistan is accelerating the privatisation of key state-owned enterprises, including banks, power utilities, hotels, and insurance firms, to meet IMF conditions and reduce its $131 billion foreign debt.

Mali and Burkina Faso impose retaliatory travel ban on US nationals

On December 16, Trump expanded earlier travel restrictions to 20 more countries, including Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, which are run by juntas and have formed a breakaway association from the regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States.

Osman Hadi murder: Prime accused Faisal Karim Masud denies role, says Jamaat-Shibir behind killing, claims he is in Dubai

Prime accused Faisal Karim Masud has denied involvement in the murder of Bangladesh student leader Osman Hadi, claiming in a video from Dubai that Jamaat-Shibir carried out the killing, even as Bangladeshi police allege he fled to India after the attack.

Taiwan detects 77 Chinese aircraft, 17 naval vessels around its territory as China conducts extensive drills

In a post on X, the MND said that 35 of the 77 aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern, central and southwestern Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ).

China factory activity grows, ending longest slump on record

China’s factory activity unexpectedly returned to expansion in December, with official and private surveys snapping an eight-month contraction streak even as broader indicators signalled a fragile economic recovery.

China mandates chipmakers to use at least 50% domestic equipment to boost self-reliance

China has begun requiring chipmakers to source at least half of their new manufacturing equipment domestically, accelerating Beijing’s push for a self-sufficient semiconductor supply chain amid tightening US export curbs.

Trump administration freezes all federal child care payments to Minnesota over alleged fraud

The Trump administration has frozen all federal child care payments to Minnesota, ordering a statewide audit amid allegations of widespread fraud in family support programmes.

Jaishankar to attend former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia’s funeral

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will visit Dhaka on December 31 to represent India at the funeral of former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia, amid strained ties between the two countries.

Denmark delivers last letter as digital shift ends 400-year postal tradition

Denmark is among the most digitally advanced countries in the world. Most government services now function through online platforms, sharply reducing the need for paper-based communication.

Global stocks set for biggest annual advance in six years

Asian equities are also set for a third annual gain, and the best since 2017. A number of markets are already shut for the year, including Japan and South Korea.

Wall Street declines for third day as 2025 nears end

The S&P 500 fell 0.1% — down for a third consecutive session — after barely budging for most of the day. Treasury yields climbed, with US 10-year rate around 4.12%. The Bloomberg dollar spot index rose.

Why Trump is sanctioning Iran’s drone suppliers and pulling Venezuela into the net

The Treasury Department said the latest measures are intended to support the reimposed United Nations sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, further squeezing the Islamic Republic. Iran has long insisted its nuclear program is peaceful.