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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.

Court allows Trump-backed cuts to Planned Parenthood's Medicaid funding in 22 states

A three-judge panel of the Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at the administration's request put on hold an injunction issued by a lower-court judge who barred the law from being enforced in 22 states and the District of Columbia.

'Switch it off': Why China calls Starlink a security threat and is now enforcing it at sea

China penalised a foreign vessel for using Starlink in Chinese waters, reinforcing the ban and national security concerns.

'Of its own volition’: UAE to pull out remaining counterterrorism forces from Yemen amid rising tensions

The statement, which was issued by the Ministry of Defence of UAE came on reference to a prior statement by the country's Foreign Affairs Ministry regarding the ongoing developments in Yemen.

US signs $480 million health pact with Ivory Coast under Trump’s ‘America First’ strategy

It is the latest agreement the U.S. has entered with more than a dozen African countries, most of them hit by U.S. aid cuts, including Ivory Coast.

Saudi Arabia bombs Mukalla, UAE cries foul: A rare Gulf alliance rupture in Yemen | All you need to know

Riyadh said the strikes targeted a shipment allegedly linked to the UAE and described the move as necessary to protect Saudi national security.

Trump’s Gen Z men problem: Support among young men shows cracks after 2024 gains

Two polls cited by Newsweek show Trump’s approval slipping with Gen Z men since 2024, raising fresh midterm risks as both parties remain unpopular.

Oil tankers still arriving in Venezuela despite US blockade, data shows

U.S. President Donald Trump this month announced a blockade of all sanctioned vessels going in or out of Venezuelan waters as part of a strategy to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The U.S. move has cut oil exports this month to about half of their November level.

Warner Bros. plans to reject Paramount offer next week

Among the board’s concerns, Paramount has yet to increase its offer, which Warner Bros. earlier rejected as inferior to one from Netflix Inc.

Tatiana Schlossberg, JFK’s granddaughter and environmental journalist, dies at 35

“Our beautiful Tatiana passed away this morning. She will always be in our hearts,” the family said in a statement shared by the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum on social media.

Fed minutes show most officials expect additional rate cuts

Minutes of the Dec. 9-10 Federal Open Market Committee meeting continued to point to divisions among US central bankers and to the difficulty of their most recent decision.

MH370 search resumes after 12 years, reviving the longest and costliest hunt in aviation history

Nearly 12 years after MH370 vanished, Ocean Infinity has restarted a deep-sea search in the Indian Ocean under a no-find, no-fee deal with Malaysia.

Zelenskiy discusses US troop presence in Ukraine with Trump

Zelenskiy told the media in a WhatsApp chat that Kyiv was committed to continuing talks on how to end the war triggered by Russia's 2022 full-scale invasion and he was ready to meet Putin in any format.

Russia claims Ukraine fired 91 drones at Putin’s residence; Kyiv calls it 'fabrication'

In a statement on X, Sybiha said that nearly a day after making the allegations, Russia had failed to provide any credible evidence, noting that Moscow would not be able to do so either.

Ocean’s Eleven-style vault heist in Germany: Robbers drill into Sparkasse, loot €30 million in cash, gold and jewellery

Robbers drilled into a Sparkasse vault in Gelsenkirchen, broke open 3,000+ safe deposit boxes and stole about €30 million, police said.

‘You had to be brave’: Wall Street remembers a wild 2025

The twists and turns of the US economy and the artificial-intelligence boom both played a role. But much of it could be traced to the White House.

US issues sanctions related to Iran and Venezuela weapons trade

The U.S. Treasury has designated Venezuela-based Empresa Aeronautica Nacional SA and its chair, Jose Jesus Urdaneta Gonzalez, who it said have contributed to Iran's trade of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or drones, with Venezuela.

As Pakistan touts foreign policy ‘success’, Ishaq Dar stumbles on question about borders shut with three neighbours

The press conference, billed as an account of Pakistan’s foreign policy achievements in 2025, instead offered a revealing glimpse into the political class’s denial, grandiosity, and subservience to the military establishment.