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.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal citing US intelligence sources, American officials have stated that there is no evidence Ukraine attempted to attack Russian President Vladimir Putin or his residence. The CIA’s assessment indicates that Ukraine did not target Putin or any of his residences in the recent drone incident. Officials clarified that Ukraine’s intended target was a military site located in the same region as Putin’s residence but not near it.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Russia has failed to provide credible evidence supporting its claim of a Ukrainian drone strike on the president’s residence in the Novgorod region. Former US President Donald Trump also dismissed the Russian claim in a social media post linking to a New York Post editorial that criticized Putin’s reaction to the alleged attack. Trump later said he believed the attack might not have occurred after speaking with both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Zelensky denied the allegation, arguing that such claims undermine Ukraine’s diplomatic progress with Trump’s team and could be used to justify further Russian aggression.

Turkey has announced that Chinese citizens will be allowed to enter the country without a visa for tourism and transit purposes starting January 2, 2026. The decision, published in the Official Gazette through a presidential decree, was reported by Turkey-based Hurriyet Daily News. Under the new rule, holders of passports from the People's Republic of China can stay in Turkey for up to 90 days within a 180-day period without a visa.

The move is expected to boost bilateral tourism and strengthen economic ties between Turkey and China. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were established in 1971 and elevated to a strategic cooperation level in 2010. In recent years, trade and investment relations have expanded significantly, with bilateral trade rising from 1 billion dollars in 2001 to 48 billion dollars in 2024.

According to the Turkish Statistical Institute, Turkey exported goods worth 3.4 billion dollars to China in 2024, while imports reached 44.9 billion dollars. The two nations have also been exploring cooperation in electric vehicle production and raw material processing, with Chinese automaker BYD already signing a deal to establish a production facility in Turkey.

Two people were killed on Thursday in clashes between protesters and security forces in southwestern Iran amid ongoing demonstrations against high inflation and economic hardship. According to state media, these were the first fatalities reported after several days of unrest. The incident occurred in Lordegan city of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province, where protesters reportedly threw stones at government and public buildings, prompting police to use tear gas. An unspecified number of people were injured.

State sources said one of the dead was a 21-year-old member of the Basij militia, though Reuters could not independently verify the claim. The Basij, linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, reported that 13 of its members were injured and accused some groups of exploiting the protests. The unrest began after shopkeepers’ demonstrations in Kuhdasht, Lorestan province, and later spread to several other regions including Fars, Kermanshah, Khuzestan, and Hamedan.

Iran’s economy has been under prolonged strain from Western sanctions, with inflation exceeding 40 percent. Tehran has proposed dialogue with trade unions and business representatives to address the crisis, while reports indicate heavy security presence, arrests, and continued clashes in multiple cities.

Throughout 2025, armed conflicts and military operations erupted across several regions, marking the year as one of widespread warfare. In April, a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir triggered Indian air and missile strikes on Pakistan under 'Operation Sindur,' followed by Pakistan’s counteroffensive 'Operation Buniyanum Marsus.' The four-day conflict ended on May 10 after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire agreement between the two countries. On June 13, Israel launched 'Operation Rising Sun,' a surprise assault on Iran that killed top Iranian military leaders and nuclear scientists. Iran retaliated with 'Wadae Sadeq-3,' before a U.S.-brokered ceasefire took effect on October 24.

The year also saw continued fighting in Eastern Europe, where the Russia-Ukraine war entered its third year without resolution despite U.S. mediation. Southeast Asia experienced renewed border clashes between Thailand and Cambodia in July and December. Civil war persisted in Sudan, while Israel carried out strikes in Lebanon and Syria. Border tensions flared between Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the United States appeared to be preparing actions around Venezuela.

The report warned that new conflicts could emerge in various regions as 2026 begins.

At least 40 people were killed and 100 others injured after a powerful explosion and fire ripped through a bar in the Swiss ski resort town of Crans-Montana early Wednesday. The incident occurred around 1:30 a.m. during a New Year’s Eve celebration, according to Swiss police cited by Italy’s foreign ministry. The bar, popular among tourists, was crowded with people welcoming the new year when the blast occurred.

Authorities said the explosion is not being treated as an act of terrorism, though the exact cause remains unclear. Emergency services, including police, firefighters, and medical teams, rushed to the scene, supported by several helicopters in the rescue operation. Booths were set up to assist relatives of the victims.

Police have completely sealed off the area and declared a no-fly zone over Crans-Montana to facilitate rescue efforts.

On January 1, 2026, around 520,000 people gathered on Istanbul’s Galata Bridge to express solidarity with Palestine. The rally and march were organized by Turkey’s Humanitarian Alliance and National Will Platform under the slogan “We will not be silent, we will not forget Palestine.” More than 400 civic and social organizations joined the event, which began with morning prayers at major mosques including Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque, Sultanahmet, Fatih, Suleymaniye, and Eminonu Yeni Cami. Participants carried Turkish and Palestinian flags, wore keffiyehs, and chanted slogans supporting Palestinian resistance and freedom.

Bilal Erdoğan, chairman of the Ilim Yayma Foundation, addressed the crowd, emphasizing growing solidarity among Turkish citizens with Palestinians and calling for prayers for the freedom of Palestine and Jerusalem. Other political and religious leaders, including AK Party Istanbul branch head Abdullah Ozdemir and Onder Imam Hatipliler Association president Abdullah Cilan, also joined the march. Participants carried banners calling for justice for Palestine and condemned Israeli actions. Police maintained tight security, and organizers described the event as a peaceful demonstration of public support.

Many participants expressed hope that 2026 would bring justice, peace, and relief to Gaza, calling the rally a powerful message of solidarity from Istanbul to the world.

Israel has recognized Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, reportedly in exchange for establishing a military base there. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud made the allegation, warning that the move could heighten the risk of conflict in the region. He stated that Somalia would not accept any Israeli presence in its territory, according to TRT World.

In interviews with TRT World and Al Jazeera, Mohamud described Israel’s recognition of Somaliland as unexpected and strange. Citing intelligence reports, he claimed Somaliland agreed to host Israeli military facilities and to resettle Palestinians. Somaliland, which declared independence from Somalia in 1991, operates autonomously but lacks international recognition. Mogadishu continues to regard Somaliland as part of Somalia and views any direct foreign engagement with it as a violation of national sovereignty.

Mohamud also said Somaliland had accepted participation in the 2020 Abraham Accords involving Israel and several Arab states. Reports suggest Israel seeks to strengthen its strategic position along key waterways such as the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.