Over the past ten years, India’s Border Security Force (BSF) has allegedly killed 36 Bangladeshi nationals along the Maheshpur border in Jhenaidah district through shootings and torture following abductions. The report states that more than a hundred others were injured in assaults by BSF personnel. The Maheshpur border, stretching 72 kilometers, includes 60 kilometers of barbed wire fencing and 12 kilometers of open frontier adjoining India’s Nadia and North 24 Parganas districts in West Bengal.

According to the investigation, most casualties occurred near BSF camps in Indian areas opposite Baghdanga, Shyamkur, and other Bangladeshi border unions. The killings have turned the Maheshpur frontier into what locals describe as a “valley of death.” The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) established its 58th battalion camp in Maheshpur in 2015 to improve surveillance and reduce cross-border crimes. BGB sources claim that killings have decreased somewhat since the camp’s establishment.

BGB officials said awareness programs are ongoing to prevent illegal crossings and smuggling, while protests against BSF actions are raised during bilateral flag meetings. Families of victims allege BSF hostility and fear cultivating land near the border.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) reported on Friday that Israeli positions fired shotgun and machine gun rounds that landed dangerously close to UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon. Although no casualties were reported, the UN mission condemned the incidents, describing them as part of a worrying pattern of repeated occurrences near the Blue Line border area.

According to UNIFIL, peacekeepers were on patrol when the first incident occurred, with 15 small-arms rounds landing just 50 meters away. Shortly afterward, another patrol in the same area came under fire from around 100 machine gun rounds. The peacekeepers identified the source of the gunfire as Israeli military positions located south of the Blue Line. UNIFIL stated that it had previously informed Israeli forces of its patrol activities and later communicated through established channels to request a halt to the firing.

In its statement, UNIFIL urged Israeli forces to cease attacks on peacekeepers operating near the Blue Line, emphasizing that such actions threaten peace and stability in the region.

Hollywood actress and former UNHCR special envoy Angelina Jolie visited Egypt’s Rafah border crossing on Friday as part of a humanitarian mission, according to a statement from her representatives. The visit came as Israel announced the suspension of several international aid organizations operating in Gaza for failing to renew registration, requiring them to submit personal data of their staff working in the enclave.

Aid groups have expressed concern that providing such personal data could pose security risks. During her visit, Jolie met with humanitarian workers and inspected a warehouse filled with medical supplies that had been barred from entering Gaza. She emphasized the need to maintain a ceasefire and ensure safe, continuous delivery of aid, fuel, and medical materials without delay.

Ten countries have warned that Gaza’s humanitarian situation is deteriorating further, while Israel claims the new rules aim to prevent Hamas from misusing aid. The UN and aid agencies have rejected that justification, and a U.S. review reportedly found no evidence of large-scale aid theft by Hamas. Gaza remains in crisis amid harsh winter weather, with heavy rain and cold worsening conditions.

At least seven people were killed and more than twenty injured in Saudi-led airstrikes targeting fighters and infrastructure of the Southern Transitional Council (STC) in southeastern Yemen, according to the group. The attacks took place in Wadi Hadramaut and the Hadramaut desert, where STC leader Mohammad Abdul Malik said seven air raids struck a camp in Al-Khasar.

Middle East Eye reported that Saudi-backed forces launched the operation to retake areas seized by the STC in December. Hadramaut Governor Salem Al-Khanbashi, supported by Saudi Arabia, had earlier announced a rapid 'peaceful operation' to reclaim military positions captured a month earlier. However, STC officials accused Riyadh of deception, saying the so-called peaceful mission quickly turned into airstrikes.

STC’s foreign affairs representative Amr Al-Bidh alleged that Saudi Arabia deliberately misled the international community by labeling the offensive as peaceful. The internationally recognized Presidential Leadership Council had granted Khanbashi full military and administrative authority to restore control in Hadramaut. Saudi Arabia has not commented on the airstrikes.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that he will hold a telephone conversation with U.S. President Donald Trump on January 5 to discuss the Gaza crisis and the ongoing war in Ukraine. Erdogan made the statement on January 2 in Istanbul after Friday prayers, according to a report by Turkey-based Hurriyet Daily News.

Erdogan also said that Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will attend a high-level meeting in France next week with the coalition of Kyiv’s allies known as the “coalition of the willing.” Before that, on January 3, a meeting of security advisers from allied countries will take place in Ukraine. Erdogan noted that he maintains regular communication with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, President Trump, and European leaders, with discussions covering both the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the situation in Palestine.

The upcoming call underscores Turkey’s continued diplomatic engagement with major global actors amid overlapping crises in Gaza and Ukraine.

U.S. President Donald Trump warned that the United States would intervene if Iran used force to suppress peaceful demonstrations. In a social media post on Friday, he stated that Washington would act to protect protesters if they were shot or killed. The statement was reported by Reuters.

The warning came as Iran entered its sixth consecutive day of protests over rising living costs. Clashes between demonstrators and security forces have left six people dead, while authorities arrested 30 protesters on charges of creating disorder and damaging public property. Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency reported that in Azna city of Lorestan province, about 300 kilometers southwest of Tehran, three people were killed and 17 injured. In Lordegan city, around 470 kilometers south of Tehran, two others were killed during the protests.

The continuing unrest and Trump’s remarks signal growing international attention to Iran’s domestic turmoil, though no immediate U.S. action was reported.

Israel has removed Palestinian authority over the historic Ibrahimi Mosque, transferring planning and construction powers to Israeli institutions, according to reports on January 2, 2026. Palestinian officials warned that this move would strengthen Israel’s control over the occupied West Bank city and risk permanently altering the site’s status.

The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the decision, calling it a direct violation of the mosque’s legal and historical status. The ministry said the cancellation of municipal and Islamic Waqf jurisdiction was part of a broader effort to impose unilateral Israeli control. Palestinian officials also denounced Israel’s approval to build a roof over the mosque’s courtyard, describing it as illegal and contrary to international law and UN resolutions.

The ministry emphasized that the move was not about development but a deliberate attempt to consolidate occupation and forcibly change the character of one of Palestine’s most significant religious and cultural landmarks.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has announced his readiness to engage in discussions with the United States on issues related to drug trafficking and oil. Speaking in an interview broadcast on Venezuela’s state television on Thursday, Maduro said he was willing to meet at any place and time preferred by the United States. He also expressed interest in including migration matters in the talks.

The statement came amid heightened tensions between the two countries. The U.S. president had earlier claimed that American forces carried out an attack in a Venezuelan jetty area, a question Maduro avoided addressing. Over the past three months, U.S. naval forces have conducted operations in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific regions against vessels suspected of drug trafficking, resulting in more than 110 deaths. The United States has yet to provide evidence of drug smuggling on those ships.

Additionally, U.S. forces have taken strict actions against oil tankers entering or leaving Venezuela. On December 10, an oil tanker off the Venezuelan coast was seized by U.S. forces, who alleged it was transporting authorized oil from Venezuela and Iran. Venezuela described the incident as an act of international piracy.

Pakistan has warned India regarding its proposed hydropower project on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Husei Andrabi stated that under the Indus Water Treaty, India cannot misuse its limited permission to construct hydropower projects unilaterally on western rivers. Andrabi expressed concern that Pakistan had not been informed about the project, reportedly named Dulhasti Stage 2.

The Indus Water Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, grants India full rights over the eastern rivers—Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas—while Pakistan holds rights over the western rivers—Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab. India is allowed limited use of the western rivers for power generation. Andrabi said that if India proceeds with the project, it would constitute a serious violation of the treaty’s written limitations.

He emphasized that Pakistan prefers to resolve disputes peacefully but warned that Islamabad would not tolerate any deliberate breach of the treaty or actions harming Pakistan’s national interests.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) reported that Israel detained 42 Palestinian journalists during 2025, including eight women. According to the PJS report, arrests occurred across the occupied West Bank, Jerusalem, and other areas, often during home raids or while journalists were covering news events.

The report noted that although the number of detentions decreased compared to 2023 and 2024, Israeli authorities continued to repeatedly detain prominent journalists without charges or trial, subjecting them to physical and psychological abuse. The PJS documented several cases where journalists were arrested while reporting on military operations and settler attacks.

The syndicate alleged that Israel’s actions aimed to obstruct the dissemination of factual information and truth by targeting journalists engaged in field reporting.

A migrant boat carrying more than 200 people sank off the coast of Gambia, leaving at least seven dead and 96 rescued alive, according to a statement from the Gambian Ministry of Interior on Thursday. The ministry said that ten of the rescued individuals are in critical condition and receiving emergency medical treatment. The Gambian Navy launched a search and rescue operation shortly after midnight on December 31, and efforts are continuing.

The ministry’s statement noted that the vessel was part of a migration attempt along the Atlantic route, which is commonly used by African migrants trying to reach Spain. This route is considered one of the most dangerous in the world. The European Union reported that more than 46,000 irregular migrants arrived in Spain’s Canary Islands in 2024, marking a record high.

The report also recalled a previous incident in August 2025, when a migrant boat from Gambia sank, killing at least 70 people. Authorities have not yet provided further details about the latest tragedy or the nationalities of those on board.

Flights at Yemen’s Aden International Airport have been suspended, according to the Southern Transitional Council (STC) on Thursday. Passengers gathered at the terminal seeking information as operations came to a halt. The suspension followed escalating tensions between the UAE-backed STC and the Saudi Arabia-backed internationally recognized Yemeni government.

Channel AIC reported that Saudi Arabia halted both domestic and international flights at Aden airport, effectively suspending all operations. The airport primarily handled flights to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Jordan. The Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation, operating under STC authority as part of a power-sharing arrangement with the Yemeni government, condemned the Saudi decision.

The ministry stated it had received a memorandum from the Saudi-led coalition instructing that all international flights must first stop in Jeddah for inspection before proceeding to their destinations. It expressed dismay over the move, though Saudi authorities later clarified that the restriction applied only to flights between Aden and the United Arab Emirates.

At least 24 people were killed and 50 injured in a Ukrainian drone attack on Russia-controlled Kherson region, according to Moscow. The strike occurred on Thursday during New Year celebrations at a hotel and café in the coastal area, as reported by the Anadolu news agency. Vladimir Saldo, the Russian-appointed governor of Kherson, said on Telegram that the attack deliberately targeted civilians celebrating the holiday and described it as a war crime.

Saldo stated that three drones struck the hotel and café, causing heavy casualties. He also accused British intelligence of involvement in the incident and announced that Kherson would observe days of mourning on January 2 and 3. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova claimed that Ukraine’s Western supporters ultimately bore responsibility for the attack.

Kherson is one of four Ukrainian regions that Russia declared as its own territory in 2022, a move rejected by Kyiv and most Western countries as an illegal occupation.

Iran has been rocked by widespread protests over rising living costs, continuing for a fifth consecutive day on Thursday. Thousands of people joined demonstrations across the country, with the death toll rising to six. Authorities have arrested 30 protesters on charges of creating disorder and damaging public property, according to Al Jazeera.

Semi-official news agency Fars reported that in Azna city of Lorestan province, about 300 kilometers southwest of Tehran, at least three people were killed and 17 injured. Two others were killed in Lordegan city of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, around 470 kilometers south of the capital. State television said a security officer was killed earlier in Kuhdasht city in the west. Videos shared online showed fires burning in the streets and sounds of gunfire.

Police used tear gas to disperse protesters after some reportedly threw stones at government offices, mosques, and banks. The demonstrations began on December 29 in response to the rising cost of living and have since spread to multiple regions.

Saudi Arabia carried out a record 356 executions in 2025, the highest number in the country's history, according to data released by the Saudi government and reported by Agence France-Presse. Of these, 243 were related to drug offenses, marking a sharp increase linked to Riyadh’s declared “war on drugs.” Many of the executions involved individuals whose legal proceedings concluded this year after earlier arrests.

In 2024, Saudi Arabia executed 338 people, making 2025 the second consecutive year with record-high executions. The country resumed enforcing death sentences for drug-related crimes in late 2022 after nearly three years of suspension. The United Nations reported that since the anti-drug campaign began, Saudi authorities have expanded police checkpoints on highways and borders, seizing large quantities of narcotics and arresting numerous traffickers.

Saudi officials maintain that the death penalty is necessary to preserve public order and is only implemented after all appeals are exhausted. Amnesty International has documented Saudi execution data since 1990, noting that earlier records remain unclear.