Gaza’s Health Ministry has warned of a critical collapse in the territory’s healthcare system as Israel’s blockade continues despite a declared ceasefire. In a press briefing at Al-Shifa Hospital, officials reported that 52% of essential medicines and 71% of medical equipment are now unavailable, leaving hospitals unable to meet basic patient needs.

According to ministry data, supplies of 321 essential drugs have completely run out, while shortages in emergency and intensive care services have reached 38%. Around 200,000 patients risk losing emergency care, and 1,000 cancer patients are reportedly without treatment due to a 70% shortage in oncology drugs. Dialysis services for 650 kidney patients have also been disrupted. Cardiac surgeries and orthopedic operations have largely been suspended due to the lack of critical materials.

Health officials have appealed for immediate international intervention to restore medical supply routes. Humanitarian agencies warn that continued restrictions could lead to a full-scale health disaster in Gaza if aid access is not urgently restored.

A recent analytical essay by a former university researcher argues that the relationship between democracy and media has reached a critical turning point in the digital age. The author contends that modern media infrastructures—social networks, search engines, and data algorithms—are now dominated by a handful of global technology corporations, shifting moral and civic authority toward techno-plutocratic control. This concentration of power, the essay warns, endangers the democratic values of free expression, informed debate, and public consent.

Tracing the historical evolution of media from oral traditions to the digital era, the essay cites thinkers from Aristotle and Mill to Chomsky and Habermas to show how information flow has always defined the strength of democracy. It highlights how corporate ownership, algorithmic manipulation, and misinformation now erode the public sphere, replacing truth with emotional narratives. The author concludes that defending media freedom is no longer just a journalistic duty but a civilizational struggle to preserve human autonomy, ethical reasoning, and the very existence of democracy itself.

At least 16 people were killed when a passenger bus overturned on the highway connecting Jakarta and Yogyakarta early Monday morning, Indonesian authorities confirmed. The accident occurred near a highway interchange when the bus, reportedly traveling at high speed, lost control and collided with the roadside barrier before flipping over.

Budyono, head of the local search and rescue agency, said 34 passengers were evacuated from the wreckage. Fifteen victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while one more died later in hospital. Several injured passengers were taken to hospitals in Semarang for treatment. Preliminary reports suggest that excessive speed may have been a key factor in the crash.

Indonesia frequently experiences deadly road accidents due to poor road conditions, speeding, and lax enforcement of traffic laws. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident and are reviewing the bus company’s safety record. The government has pledged to strengthen road safety measures ahead of the upcoming holiday travel season.

For the second consecutive day, a group of around 200 assailants attacked the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on December 21, 2025. The attackers, reportedly members of a radical Hindu nationalist group called ‘Akhanda Hindurashtra’, gathered at the embassy gate, shouting anti-Bangladesh slogans before launching the assault. The incident followed a similar attack the previous day, raising serious concerns about the safety of Bangladeshi diplomats and their families stationed in India.

Video footage from the scene allegedly shows Indian law enforcement officers present but taking little action to prevent the violence, with some reportedly encouraging the attackers. The group behind the assault is known for its extremist agenda advocating the incorporation of Bangladesh into a so-called ‘Greater India’. Bangladeshi officials have expressed deep fear and anxiety following the repeated incidents.

Diplomatic observers warn that the attacks could strain bilateral relations between Bangladesh and India if not addressed promptly. Both governments are expected to discuss enhanced security measures for diplomatic missions in upcoming talks.

Israel’s security cabinet has approved the establishment of 19 new illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, according to a government statement released on Sunday. The decision, which brings the total number of approved settlements in the past three years to 69, was announced by the office of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, himself a settler living in the West Bank. The statement reaffirmed Israel’s intent to continue expanding settlements in what it calls Judea and Samaria.

The move has sparked strong international backlash. Saudi Arabia condemned the decision, while UN Secretary-General António Guterres criticized it as a serious escalation that undermines prospects for a two-state solution. Guterres warned that continued settlement expansion heightens regional tensions and jeopardizes peace efforts in the Middle East.

Analysts say the approval further isolates Israel diplomatically and complicates any future negotiations with the Palestinian Authority. The development is expected to feature prominently in upcoming UN discussions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Pakistan’s military confirmed that nine militants allegedly linked to India-backed Al-Khariji network were killed in two separate counterterrorism operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the raids took place on December 19 in Dera Ismail Khan and Bannu districts, following intelligence reports of militant activity.

According to ISPR, four militants were killed after an intense gun battle in Dera Ismail Khan, while five others were neutralized in Bannu. Authorities recovered weapons and ammunition from the sites. The slain militants were reportedly involved in attacks on security forces, law enforcement, and civilians. A sanitization operation is ongoing to ensure no further militant presence in the area.

Islamabad has repeatedly blamed the surge in cross-border terrorism on developments following the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan in 2021. Security analysts warn that the persistent instability in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan could further strain Pakistan’s counterterrorism capacity and regional relations.

India has pushed back 19 individuals suspected of being Bangladeshi nationals from Assam, according to a statement by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on social media. The operation, conducted jointly by Assam Police and the Border Security Force (BSF) in Nagaon and Karbi Anglong districts, was part of the state’s intensified campaign against illegal immigration. Sarma reiterated that Assam would not tolerate unauthorized residents and that border security had been reinforced.

Officials confirmed that anyone found without valid citizenship documents would be detained and repatriated under legal provisions. Analysts, however, have raised concerns that such actions may breach international human rights norms and bilateral agreements between India and Bangladesh. Reports indicate that similar pushbacks have occurred previously, involving not only suspected Bangladeshis but also Rohingya refugees and unidentified individuals.

Bangladesh’s Border Guard (BGB) stated that some of those forced across the border were registered with the UNHCR in India, adding complexity to the humanitarian and diplomatic dimensions of the issue.

Saudi Arabia has conferred its highest state honor, the King Abdulaziz Medal (Excellent Class), on Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir. The award was presented by Saudi Defense Minister and Crown Prince Khalid bin Salman in Riyadh, following directives from King Salman, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

The medal recognizes General Munir’s distinguished contributions to strengthening Saudi-Pakistani strategic relations and defense cooperation. During the ceremony, Crown Prince Khalid and General Munir held talks on bilateral defense ties, long-standing military collaboration, and joint efforts to promote international peace and security. The meeting underscored the two nations’ shared commitment to regional stability and counterterrorism coordination.

Analysts view the honor as a reaffirmation of the deep military and diplomatic partnership between Riyadh and Islamabad. The recognition may also signal Saudi Arabia’s intent to deepen defense and intelligence cooperation with Pakistan amid evolving regional security dynamics.

At least ten people were killed in a drone strike on a crowded market in South Darfur’s Malha town, Sudan, on December 20, according to local human rights monitors. The attack targeted the Al-Hara market, setting several shops ablaze and causing extensive structural damage. The identity of those behind the strike remains unclear, and no group has claimed responsibility.

The incident occurred as clashes between Sudan’s national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) intensify across multiple regions. The North Darfur Emergency Rooms Council, which reported the strike, noted that the area was under RSF control at the time. Since April 2023, the conflict between the two factions has evolved into a full-scale civil war, leaving thousands dead and displacing over 12 million people.

Humanitarian agencies warn that the ongoing violence is deepening Sudan’s food insecurity and health crises. International observers fear that continued drone attacks and urban warfare could further destabilize the Darfur region and complicate peace efforts.

Cambodia’s Interior Ministry announced that more than 518,000 people have been displaced amid two weeks of intense fighting along the Thai-Cambodian border. The ministry’s statement from Phnom Penh said civilians, including women and children, fled their homes and schools to escape artillery fire, rocket attacks, and airstrikes reportedly involving Thai F-16 fighter jets.

The renewed border conflict, which has caused widespread destruction, has also displaced about 400,000 people in Thailand, according to Thai authorities. Both governments have accused each other of violating territorial integrity, while humanitarian agencies warn of worsening conditions for displaced families lacking food, shelter, and medical care.

Regional observers fear the escalation could derail ongoing peace discussions and destabilize Southeast Asia’s fragile border security. International organizations are urging both sides to agree to a ceasefire and allow humanitarian access to affected areas.

Hundreds of civilians in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) are living with amputations after renewed clashes between government forces and M23 rebels. The violence, concentrated around the mineral-rich North Kivu province, has intensified since M23—allegedly backed by Rwanda—captured Goma and Bukavu earlier this year. Survivors like 25-year-old David Muhire, who lost limbs in a landmine explosion, symbolize the growing humanitarian toll of the conflict.

According to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), more than 800 people injured by weapons, mines, and unexploded ordnance have received treatment in 2025, with over 400 currently rehabilitating at Goma’s Shirika la Umoja center. Despite a U.S.-brokered peace deal signed in Washington on December 4 between Rwanda and the DRC, fighting resumed within days as M23 launched new offensives near the Burundian border.

Aid agencies warn that prolonged warfare is worsening the humanitarian crisis, leaving thousands disabled and dependent on limited medical and prosthetic support. The ICRC continues to call for sustained peace and protection for civilians in the region.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is ready to engage in dialogue with French President Emmanuel Macron over the ongoing war in Ukraine, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said in an interview published Sunday. Peskov told Russia’s RIA Novosti that Putin had clearly expressed his willingness to hold talks, adding that such dialogue would be viewed positively if there is mutual political goodwill.

Earlier this week, Macron urged European leaders to reopen communication channels with Moscow to help end the conflict, emphasizing the need for a structured framework for negotiations in the coming weeks. The statement comes as the war enters its fourth year, with the European Union agreeing on a €90 billion loan package to help Ukraine address budget shortfalls.

However, EU leaders remain divided over whether to use frozen Russian assets to finance the aid. Analysts say renewed dialogue between Moscow and Paris could signal a cautious diplomatic shift, though significant obstacles remain before any substantive peace talks can begin.

Bangladeshi UN peacekeeper Sabuj Mia, who was killed in a drone attack on a UN base in Sudan’s Abyei region, was buried with full state honors in his home village of Palashbari, Gaibandha. His body arrived by helicopter on Sunday afternoon and was later taken to his family home, where hundreds of villagers gathered to pay their respects. The funeral prayer was held at the local Eidgah field, followed by burial beside his father’s grave.

Army officials representing the Chief of Army Staff and local administration officers paid floral tributes during the ceremony. The attack, carried out by a separatist armed group on December 13, killed six Bangladeshi peacekeepers stationed at the Kadugli logistics base. Family members, including Sabuj’s mother and young wife, were seen grieving deeply as the community mourned the loss.

The government and military have condemned the attack, calling for stronger international measures to ensure the safety of peacekeepers deployed in conflict zones under UN missions.

Bangladesh has formally questioned India after a group identified as Hindu extremists breached the security perimeter of the diplomatic zone in New Delhi and staged a protest outside the Bangladesh High Commission on Saturday night. According to Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain, the demonstrators even issued threats to the High Commissioner, raising serious concerns about the adequacy of Indian security measures.

Hossain rejected India’s explanation that the protest was peaceful and limited to slogans over the killing of Bangladeshi citizen Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh. He argued that the protesters’ ability to reach deep into the secured diplomatic area suggested a lapse or deliberate allowance. Bangladesh has already arrested several suspects in connection with the murder, he added, calling the linkage to minority safety issues misleading.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs maintained that the protest did not involve any breach or attempt to disrupt security. Dhaka has noted India’s assurance to review mission security, but the incident has added tension to bilateral relations, highlighting sensitivities over cross-border communal narratives.

Two Bangladeshi peacekeepers from Kurigram, killed in a drone attack on a UN mission base in Sudan’s Abyei region, were buried in their home villages on Sunday. The bodies of Sergeant Mominul Islam, 38, and Private Shanto Mondol, 26, arrived by military helicopter in Kurigram, where the Bangladesh Army provided a guard of honor before funeral prayers and burial.

According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), six Bangladeshi peacekeepers were killed and eight injured when separatist militants launched a drone strike on the Kadugli logistics base on December 13. Both soldiers had been deployed to Sudan only weeks earlier as part of Bangladesh’s long-standing contribution to UN peacekeeping operations.

Local officials, family members, and villagers attended the funerals, expressing pride and grief. Mominul leaves behind his wife and two daughters, while Shanto’s wife is five months pregnant. The government and military have pledged support for the families as Bangladesh mourns the loss of its peacekeepers abroad.