Iran has been gripped by continuous protests that began in late December, sparked by the sharp devaluation of the Iranian rial and worsening economic conditions. Demonstrations first erupted near Tehran’s Grand Bazaar on December 28 and later spread to multiple cities. Security forces have taken a hardline stance to suppress the unrest.

Amid the turmoil, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on his social media platform Truth Social that the United States is ready to help Iranian protesters, describing Iran as being on the verge of unprecedented freedom. Earlier, Trump warned that Iran was in serious trouble due to growing instability and urged Iranian authorities not to use lethal force against demonstrators. Washington, he said, is closely monitoring the situation.

In response, the Iranian government accused the United States and Israel of fueling the unrest. Officials warned that the security forces and judiciary would show no tolerance toward those involved in sabotage or violence.

Israeli forces carried out artillery and air strikes across the Gaza Strip, killing at least three Palestinians, in what has been described as the latest violation of a ceasefire agreement that took effect three months ago. The attacks occurred in several areas, including Khan Younis, Gaza City, and the Maghazi refugee camp, where multiple injuries were also reported.

According to reports, one person was killed and another injured in a drone strike near the Bani Suhaila roundabout in central Khan Younis, while two others were shot dead in eastern Gaza City. The New Arab reported that Israeli forces also targeted the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza, injuring several people. The incident followed an earlier Israeli assault on Thursday that killed at least 14 Palestinians, including displaced civilians in tents and shelters.

Hamas accused the United States of providing cover for Israeli military actions. Meanwhile, Gazans continue to suffer from harsh weather conditions, with heavy rain and strong winds damaging numerous tents, worsening the humanitarian situation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced the nomination of former UN Middle East envoy Nikolay Mladenov to supervise the Gaza ceasefire as part of a peace board proposed by US President Donald Trump. The appointment was reported by Turkey-based Hurriyet Daily, following a meeting between Netanyahu and Mladenov in Jerusalem. The board has been formed to oversee the implementation of the second and more complex phase of the ceasefire in Gaza.

A senior US official confirmed that the Trump administration assigned Mladenov to manage the board’s daily administrative operations, while Trump himself will serve as its head. Additional appointments are expected in the coming week. According to Trump’s plan, the board will oversee the formation of a new technocratic Palestinian government, the disarmament of Hamas, deployment of an international security force, withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza, and reconstruction efforts.

Mladenov previously served as Bulgaria’s defense and foreign minister and worked as the UN’s Middle East peace envoy from 2015 to 2020, during which he played an active role in easing tensions between Israel and Hamas.

The Pakistan Navy has successfully conducted a live test of a surface-to-air missile during a military exercise in the North Arabian Sea, according to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) released on Saturday. The test involved the long-range LY-80(H) missile launched from a modern vertical launch system, observed by the Commander of the Pakistan Fleet. The missile hit and destroyed a designated aerial target, demonstrating the navy’s air defense capabilities.

The ISPR statement said the exercise showcased both conventional and unmanned operational capabilities aligned with modern naval warfare requirements. It also included the use of loitering munitions to strike surface targets, highlighting the navy’s precision strike capacity. The exercise further demonstrated advanced tactical maneuvers, accurate navigation, and operational effectiveness under adverse weather conditions.

The successful test validated the Pakistan Navy’s readiness and technological competence in air defense and precision engagement, as emphasized in the ISPR’s briefing.

North Korea has claimed that it shot down a South Korean drone that entered about eight kilometers into its airspace, describing the incident as a violation of its sovereignty. The state news agency KCNA reported on Saturday, January 4, that the drone took off from an island near Incheon, South Korea, and was destroyed by North Korean forces. KCNA said the drone carried surveillance cameras intended to photograph ‘important’ facilities inside North Korea, and released images showing wreckage and aerial photos allegedly taken by the drone.

The report comes as North Korea prepares for a key party congress to set its five-year policy direction. According to an analyst cited in the report, the timing reinforces leader Kim Jong Un’s narrative portraying South Korea as a foreign and hostile state. KCNA also recalled a similar incident in September when another South Korean drone was shot down.

KCNA, as cited by Reuters, accused South Korea of continuing ‘provocative acts’ near the border despite a change in government, labeling it the country’s ‘most hostile enemy.’ Since taking office last June, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung’s attempts to reopen dialogue with Pyongyang have been rejected.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed support for anti-government protesters in Iran on Saturday through a post on the microblogging platform X, stating that the United States stands with the Iranian people. His statement followed a warning from President Donald Trump on Friday directed at Iran’s leaders, cautioning them against initiating violence.

The ongoing anti-government demonstrations in Iran have intensified tensions across the country. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) indicated that it may take strict measures if necessary to restore order, asserting that the current instability would not be allowed to persist. Earlier, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had said that the government would not hesitate to act against those involved in destructive activities, a remark that sparked renewed debate over the role of security forces.

The combination of US statements and Iran’s internal warnings underscores a deepening standoff, with both domestic and international attention focused on how Tehran will respond to the protests.

Israeli forces detained 150 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem during the first week of the new year, according to a statement by the Palestine Center for Prisoner Studies. The detainees include five women, eight children, journalists, and several women previously released under prisoner exchange agreements.

The statement said the arrests were part of an ongoing policy of repression, with Israeli forces conducting raids across towns, villages, and refugee camps. Hundreds of homes were searched, and extensive damage to Palestinian property was reported. The center described these actions as collective punishment and systematic abuse against civilians.

According to the same statement, Israel issued 136 administrative detention orders without charges at the start of the year. Israeli forces also raided Birzeit University, dispersing a solidarity gathering for prisoners, seizing media equipment, and detaining the university’s vice president.

Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman has expressed the country’s policy-level interest in joining an international stabilization force in Gaza. The announcement came through a statement from the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing on Saturday, January 10, following Rahman’s meetings in Washington, D.C. with U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker and Assistant Secretary of State Paul Kapoor. Hooker responded that the United States is willing to work with Bangladesh on this important issue.

The discussions took place against the backdrop of a United Nations Security Council resolution passed in November supporting a U.S.-backed 20-point plan proposed by President Donald Trump to end the Israel-Gaza war. One clause of that plan called for the creation of an International Stabilization Force (ISF) to oversee and secure a ceasefire agreement in Gaza. During the meetings, Rahman also briefed U.S. officials on Bangladesh’s upcoming general election preparations and thanked them for their support of the interim government.

Both sides discussed trade, the Rohingya crisis, and regional issues. Rahman emphasized expanding bilateral trade, easing U.S. visa bond requirements for Bangladeshi business travelers, and sought U.S. development finance access for semiconductor initiatives in Bangladesh.

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar undertook a 670-kilometer road journey to New York during his visit to the United States in September last year. According to a newly released report by the U.S. Department of State, American security officials arranged the road trip because commercial air travel was suspended due to a federal government shutdown. The report, prepared by the Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), was made public on January 8, 2026.

The DSS organized the journey from the Lewiston–Queenston Bridge on the Canada–U.S. border to Manhattan, a trip lasting about seven hours. A total of 27 agents from the DSS’s Dignitary Protection Division and its New York and Buffalo field offices participated. Some agents drove separately to strengthen local security. The convoy passed through rural and remote areas of New York State under harsh winter conditions, with drivers rotated to ensure safety.

U.S. officials said the operation ensured that Jaishankar’s scheduled United Nations meeting proceeded as planned despite the shutdown. The DSS, under the State Department, is responsible for protecting U.S. diplomats and visiting foreign dignitaries.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that the United States needs ownership of Greenland to prevent Russia and China from taking control of the territory. Speaking to reporters in Washington, he argued that countries must have ownership rather than lease agreements, adding that the U.S. would act to protect Greenland “the easy way or the hard way.” The White House recently confirmed that it is considering purchasing the semi-autonomous Danish territory, though it has not ruled out other means of integration.

Denmark and Greenland have both reiterated that the island is not for sale, warning that any military action could end the NATO alliance. European Union members and Canada have expressed support for Denmark and Greenland, emphasizing that only those two parties can decide their relationship. They also called for upholding the UN Charter’s principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Greenland’s leaders, including opposition parties, urged the U.S. to stop disregarding their autonomy, asserting that Greenland’s future should be determined by its own people. The U.S. Secretary of State is expected to discuss the issue with Denmark next week.

Turkey is in advanced discussions to join the strategic defense agreement signed between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, according to a Geo News report. The talks have reportedly progressed significantly, and a formal agreement could follow. The existing pact between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia stipulates that an attack on one will be considered an attack on both nations.

The report suggests that Turkey’s potential inclusion could pave the way for a new security alliance, potentially altering the balance of power in the Middle East and beyond. The discussions come at a time when questions have been raised about the reliability of the United States as a security partner.

Pakistan and Turkey already share a long-standing military relationship, collaborating on several defense projects. Ankara has supplied corvette warships to Pakistan’s navy and is working with both Pakistan and Saudi Arabia on drone technology and a fifth-generation fighter jet program. The original Pakistan-Saudi agreement, known as the SMDA, was signed on September 17 of the previous year during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to Saudi Arabia.

U.S. President Donald Trump, in a New York Times interview published Thursday, discussed his administration’s actions following the January 3 attack on Venezuela that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and Washington’s control over the country’s oil industry. Trump said the United States could remain in Venezuela for more than a year and claimed he was personally directing the country’s administration. When asked about international law violations, he dismissed the need for such laws, saying he relied on his own morality and judgment.

The interview also touched on Trump’s campaign to take control of Greenland, a Danish territory, which he acknowledged could strain NATO alliances. On Taiwan, he argued that the situation differed from Venezuela, describing Venezuela as a genuine threat to the United States. Regarding nuclear arms control, Trump said he would allow the current U.S.-Russia treaty to expire in February, suggesting a better deal could follow.

The New York Times described the two-hour interview as candid and spontaneous, noting Trump’s calm demeanor throughout.

U.S. President Donald Trump, after beginning his second term, has again declared plans to take control of Greenland, a self-governing territory under Denmark. The announcement came on January 4, a day after a U.S. military operation in Venezuela that captured President Nicolás Maduro on drug terrorism charges. Trump justified the Greenland move as a matter of national security, saying the island is needed for U.S. interests. His stance has raised deep concern across Europe.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said the administration’s position has been clear from the start—that Greenland should be part of the United States. Analysts told Al Jazeera that Trump’s actions could effectively end NATO’s operations and embolden Russia in Ukraine. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that if the U.S. attacks another NATO country, the alliance would collapse. Experts from the Atlantic Council and the University of Chicago echoed that such a move would destroy NATO’s collective defense principle under Article 5.

Despite these tensions, European leaders meeting U.S. officials in Paris to discuss Ukraine’s security guarantees did not address Venezuela or Greenland.

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that Iran is in 'great danger' and suggested he may order military action. His remarks came after Iran shut down internet access across the country to contain growing anti-government protests and unrest. Trump said on Friday that Iranians were taking control of cities that no one thought possible weeks earlier, and cautioned Tehran against using lethal force, warning that the U.S. would respond if the Iranian government opened fire on protesters.

Trump also expressed hope that Iranian demonstrators would remain safe, describing the situation as extremely dangerous. His comments followed earlier warnings that the United States could support the protesters if violence escalated. The statement reflects Washington’s growing concern over Tehran’s handling of the internal crisis.

In response, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called for unity in the face of what he described as 'terrorist acts' and accused foreign enemies, particularly the United States, of fueling the unrest. He warned that chaos would not be tolerated, framing the protests as part of a foreign conspiracy.

The article reports that the United States launched a military invasion of Venezuela on January 2, removing President Nicolás Maduro and taking control of the country’s vast oil reserves. The U.S. Department of Energy announced that it will now fully oversee all Venezuelan oil sales. President Donald Trump justified the action by claiming Venezuela had stolen American-built oil infrastructure and declared that U.S. companies would re-enter Venezuela to modernize its oil industry.

Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven crude oil reserves, estimated at 303 billion barrels, accounting for 17–20 percent of global supply. The country’s nationalization of oil in 1976 and the socialist policies of former President Hugo Chávez led to decades of tension with Washington. U.S. sanctions and Venezuela’s declining production weakened its economy and military, leaving it vulnerable to external aggression.

The author argues that the invasion marks the breakdown of the international rules-based order and a return to power-based dominance. The piece warns that weaker nations, including Bangladesh, must strengthen military and diplomatic capacity to protect sovereignty in an increasingly aggressive global environment.