World

By sending External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to Khaleda Zia’s funeral, India signals cautious outreach to Bangladesh’s emerging political order

Dubai has cemented its reputation as a premier New Year’s Eve destination, with 2026 celebrations featuring fireworks at 40 locations, including the flagship Burj Khalifa countdown billed as the “Brightest Show on Earth.” Airfares from Hyderabad to Dubai surged to over 1000 Dirhams, while hotel rooms skyrocketed to 1200-1400 Dirhams amid heavy demand from Indian visitors.

Auckland ushered in 2026 with rain-soaked Sky Tower fireworks as the South Pacific welcomed the new year first. Australia held defiant Sydney celebrations after a mass shooting, while Indonesia and Hong Kong scaled back festivities amid recent disasters regionwide

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar arrived in Dhaka to attend the funeral of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who died at 80. She will be laid to rest with state honours beside her husband Ziaur Rahman

Thailand released 18 Cambodian prisoners of war after five months, fulfilling a ceasefire agreement to end border clashes. The repatriation aims to build goodwill, stabilize relations, and normalize ties following deadly combat and diplomatic negotiations involving Malaysia and the US

Zohran Mamdani will be sworn in as New York City mayor with two ceremonies marking the start of 2026: a private midnight oath in a historic subway station and a public celebration at City Hall featuring political allies, performances and a block party

The CIA reportedly carried out a drone strike on a Venezuelan docking area used by drug cartels, marking the first US strike on Venezuelan soil since September. The move signals escalation against President Nicolás Maduro amid ongoing counter-narcotics operations

Indonesia raised Mount Bur Ni Telong’s alert to second highest after increased earthquakes in Aceh’s Bener Meriah. Authorities warn of possible eruptions and toxic gases, urge evacuation zones, as flood-hit communities face added risks amid seismic unrest and heavy rains

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will attend the funeral of former Bangladesh Prime Minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in Dhaka. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences, recalling her contributions to Bangladesh’s development and India-Bangladesh relations

Mali and Burkina Faso have barred US citizens in retaliation to President Donald Trump’s expanded travel ban on their nationals. The move underscores rising tensions between Washington and West Africa’s military-led governments amid ongoing security challenges and diplomatic rifts

Salman Khan’s ‘Battle of Galwan’ teaser, depicting the 2020 Galwan Valley clash, went viral with 60 million views but drew criticism from China. Indian authorities defended cinematic freedom, noting films have historically portrayed military conflicts as artistic expression

Moscow announced Russia’s nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile has entered active service, with deployments in Belarus, as Ukraine peace talks stall. Vladimir Putin framed the move as strength, warning NATO and claiming battlefield advances amid fragile, uncertain negotiations between Kyiv and Moscow

Bangladesh announced three days of state mourning and a one-day holiday for Khaleda Zia’s funeral. Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus urged citizens to maintain discipline during the Namaz-e-Janaza, honoring the former three-time prime minister and BNP chief who passed away at 80

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres issued his 2026 New Year message in Hindi for the first time, urging global leaders to prioritise development over military spending. He warned of rising conflicts, humanitarian crises and soaring defence budgets, calling for peace and poverty reduction

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party announced seven days of official mourning following the death of its chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia. The programme includes black flags, prayer gatherings, Quran recitations and condolence books across party offices nationwide

Bangladesh’s former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia died early Tuesday at age 80 after prolonged illness. She passed away at a Dhaka hospital while undergoing treatment, despite efforts by local and foreign medical specialists

India aim to complete a 5-0 whitewash against Sri Lanka in the final women’s T20I at Thiruvananthapuram. Shafali Verma, Smriti Mandhana and Renuka Singh have starred, while debutant Vaishnavi Sharma impressed with four wickets in the series

The ICC Match Referee has rated the Melbourne Cricket Ground pitch for the fourth Ashes Test as unsatisfactory, citing imbalance between bat and ball. England defeated Australia in two days, raising concerns over pitch quality ahead of future Boxing Day Tests

Bhutan spinner Sonam Yeshey made history by taking 8 wickets for 7 runs in a T20I against Myanmar, becoming the first bowler ever to claim eight wickets in a men’s T20 International match

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met Cambodian and Thai counterparts in Yunnan to mediate a border dispute. The talks followed a fresh ceasefire, aiming to stabilize the region and strengthen China’s role as a regional diplomatic mediator

A fire at a retirement home in Manado, Indonesia, killed 16 elderly residents and injured 15. Firefighters took over two hours to control the blaze, while authorities are investigating the cause, with an electrical fault suspected initially

At least 13 people were killed and 98 injured after the Interoceanic passenger train derailed from a bridge near Nizanda in southern Mexico. Authorities launched rescue operations and ordered an investigation into the cause of the deadly accident

Pakistani security forces killed four terrorists during a raid in Balochistan’s Kalat district, the ISPR said. A security report noted 2025 as Pakistan’s deadliest year, with rising terror violence claiming over 2,100 lives, including security personnel and civilians

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and US President Donald Trump indicated major progress toward ending the Ukraine war, saying a peace plan is nearly finalised, though continued fighting and unresolved security guarantees underline the fragility of negotiations