A ceasefire has taken effect along the Thailand–Cambodia border after several weeks of deadly clashes, but many displaced residents remain too fearful to return home. In Thailand’s Surin city, 21-year-old Kanlaya Somjettana said she would not go back until authorities confirm the area is safe, citing past ceasefire breakdowns. In Cambodia’s Banteay Meanchey province, 35-year-old So Cheun, who is expecting a child, also plans to wait several days to ensure peace holds before returning.

Officials from both countries confirmed the ceasefire was in force on Sunday, though normal conditions have not yet been declared in most areas. The recent three-week conflict killed at least 47 people and displaced over one million across both nations. A previous truce in July collapsed after five days. Under the current agreement, both sides pledged to halt shelling, suspend troop movements, and facilitate civilian return, while Thailand promised to repatriate 18 detained Cambodian soldiers.

Some residents, such as Thai farmer Saichon Wongpitak, have decided to return home for agricultural reasons despite doubts about the ceasefire’s durability.

The Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) has returned 14 Indian nationals who were pushed into Bangladesh through the Darshana border in Chuadanga by India’s Border Security Force (BSF). The repatriation took place early Sunday through the Madonenghat border point in Ramkrishnapur Union of Daulatpur upazila, Kushtia. According to BGB and local sources, the individuals were handed back to India and later detained by the BSF.

A BGB-47 battalion statement said the BSF attempted to push the 14 Indian citizens into Bangladesh twice, first around 2 a.m. on Wednesday and again at 10 a.m. on Thursday. BGB increased vigilance along the zero line after detecting the attempts. Following a flag meeting between company commanders of BGB and BSF at India’s Chaidoba, the BSF agreed to take back the individuals after BGB’s protest.

BGB officials said the group claimed to be residents of Odisha, India, and spoke Hindi. Local police stated they had been evicted from government land in India, jailed for a short period, and later pushed toward Bangladesh by BSF.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a written message to the annual Muslim American Society conference held in Chicago on December 26–27. In his message, he emphasized the importance of global Muslim unity and praised the role of the Muslim American community. Erdogan expressed hope that the conference would yield positive outcomes for the Islamic world and thanked the organizers for their invitation.

The conference’s theme, “Faith Under Trial: Standing Firm in Turbulent Times,” reflected the challenges facing the Muslim world, particularly Palestinians. Organizers said the event aimed to raise voices against international silence and support for Israel amid ongoing violence in Gaza since 2023. Erdogan highlighted that unity and mutual trust were essential to overcoming crises and conflicts affecting Muslim regions.

From Turkey, Tugba Isik Ercan, head of the ruling Justice and Development Party’s women’s branch, attended the conference. She outlined Turkey’s humanitarian diplomacy, including calls for ceasefire, enforcement of international law, and the opening of aid corridors. She also noted Turkey’s suspension of trade with Israel as part of Erdogan’s “justice-based foreign policy.”

Representatives from 21 Arab, Islamic, and African countries have condemned Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland, a breakaway region of Somalia, as an independent state. In a joint statement released through Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the foreign ministers of these countries rejected the move, warning that it violates international law and poses a serious threat to regional stability.

The statement described Israel’s action as setting a dangerous precedent that could endanger international peace and security. It further asserted that the decision contradicts the principles of the United Nations Charter, which emphasizes respect for state sovereignty and territorial integrity. The countries reaffirmed their full support for Somalia’s sovereignty and unity, rejecting any actions that undermine its territorial integrity.

Somaliland has operated with its own administrative, political, and security structures since declaring independence from Somalia in 1991, but it has not received international recognition. Somalia’s central government continues to regard Somaliland as an integral part of its territory and opposes any direct engagement with the region as a violation of national sovereignty.

A United Nations peacekeeper was lightly injured during a patrol in southern Lebanon when gunfire and an explosion occurred near the team, according to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The incident took place near the village of Bastara, where heavy machine-gun fire from an Israeli military position south of the Blue Line struck close to a UNIFIL patrol inspecting a roadblock. Shortly afterward, a grenade explosion was reported nearby. UNIFIL said the peacekeeper sustained a mild ear concussion but no infrastructure damage was reported.

UNIFIL stated that, in accordance with standard procedures, the Israeli army had been informed in advance about the patrol activities in the sensitive area along the Blue Line. The mission’s statement was released on Friday, as reported by Anadolu Agency.

The report noted that a ceasefire has been in effect in Lebanon since November 2024, following over a year of conflict linked to the war in Gaza, which left more than 4,000 people dead and about 17,000 injured.

A Palestinian woman was killed and several of her family members were injured when a building collapsed during a severe storm in Gaza City on Sunday, according to medical sources cited by Anadolu Agency. The wall of a damaged house in the Al-Rimal area fell onto the woman’s tent. The house had previously been damaged in an Israeli airstrike.

Heavy rain and strong winds overnight flooded or destroyed thousands of tents sheltering displaced people across Gaza, eyewitnesses and reporters said. In southern Gaza’s Khan Younis coastal area, hundreds of tents were inundated by high waves caused by a low-pressure system. The harsh weather has created serious danger for displaced Palestinians living in fragile tents or damaged buildings, many of which were hit repeatedly since October 2023.

International organizations have accused Israel of blocking aid and essential supplies from entering Gaza since the start of its military operations. The report said more than 71,200 people have been killed and over 171,200 injured in Gaza since October 2023, most of them women and children.

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Ukraine shows no urgency toward establishing peace and warned that if Kyiv does not pursue a peaceful resolution, Russia will achieve its objectives through force. His remarks were reported by the state news agency TASS.

The statement came after Russia launched extensive missile and drone attacks on Ukraine. In response, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that while Kyiv seeks peace, Moscow continues to show a determination to wage war. Zelensky is scheduled to meet U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida on Sunday to discuss a possible peace agreement, and Putin’s comments emerged ahead of that meeting. Reuters reported that the White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Meanwhile, the Kremlin announced on Telegram that Russian forces had captured several towns in eastern Ukraine and the Zaporizhzhia region. However, Ukraine’s military denied Russia’s claims, calling them baseless and asserting that Ukrainian troops continue defensive operations in those areas.

Tension erupted outside the Bangladesh High Commission in London on Sunday during a protest organized to express solidarity with minorities. The demonstration saw a confrontation between pro-Khalistan Sikh activists from ‘Sikhs for Justice’ and supporters of British Indian Hindu groups aligned with India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The protest, centered on allegations of killings of Hindus in Bangladesh, turned heated as both sides exchanged slogans and shoves before Metropolitan Police intervened to separate them and restore order.

During the protest, pro-Khalistan participants displayed flags and chanted anti-India slogans, accusing the Indian government of involvement in the deaths of Sikh leaders. Prominent Sikh activist Paramjit Singh Pamma, coordinator of the Khalistan Referendum campaign, confronted Hindu demonstrators and later claimed that India persecutes Sikhs, Muslims, and Christians while attempting to deflect human rights criticism toward Bangladesh. Indian security agencies list Pamma as a “most wanted terrorist,” though he maintains that no British court has convicted him or acted on any Indian extradition request.

The incident occurred amid strained India-Bangladesh relations following former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster and recent violent incidents in Dhaka involving Hindu and student victims.

Posters declaring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as 'wanted' have appeared across London’s buses, streets, and busy public areas. According to a report by Anadolu Agency on Sunday, pro-Palestinian groups in the United Kingdom organized the campaign. The posters highlight Netanyahu’s alleged role in war crimes and genocide in Gaza and reference an arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in November 2024.

The ICC warrant was issued over accusations of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the Gaza Strip. The report states that Israeli military operations over the past two years have killed more than 71,000 Palestinians, most of them women and children. Despite a ceasefire that took effect on October 10, Israeli attacks reportedly continued.

The campaign reflects ongoing international criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza and renewed calls for accountability following the ICC’s legal move against Netanyahu.

A large-scale power outage hit Ukraine’s capital Kyiv and surrounding areas after Russian missile strikes on December 27. According to a statement from Ukrainian energy company DTEK, more than one million homes were left without electricity following the attacks. The information was reported from Kyiv by AFP on Saturday.

DTEK stated that electricity supply across Kyiv was severely disrupted as a result of the widespread missile assault. Despite ongoing air raid alerts, power workers were continuing efforts to restore electricity and stabilize the situation as quickly as possible.

The company’s statement highlighted the risks faced by repair crews working under threat of further attacks, underscoring the scale of the damage to Kyiv’s energy infrastructure.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to the United States on Sunday to meet President Donald Trump in Florida the following day, according to an Israeli official in Jerusalem. This will be their fifth meeting of the year, taking place as the United States and regional mediators intensify efforts to advance the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the meeting may cover a range of regional issues, including Iran, the Israel-Syria security agreement, a ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the next stage of the Gaza agreement. Progress on the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire, brokered in October by Washington and regional allies, has been slow, with both sides accusing each other of violations and mediators fearing deliberate delays.

According to Axios, the Trump-Netanyahu meeting is considered crucial for advancing the next phase of the Gaza deal. The report also noted growing dissatisfaction among senior Trump administration officials over Netanyahu’s role in the stalled peace process.

Pakistan has condemned Israel’s decision to recognize Somaliland as an independent state, calling the move “provocative and illegal.” The statement was issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Saturday, following Israel’s announcement on Thursday that it had become the first country to formally recognize Somaliland’s independence. The ministry said such actions undermine Somalia’s sovereignty, unity, and territorial integrity.

Islamabad’s statement rejected Israel’s efforts to recognize Somaliland and described the move as a clear violation of international law. It warned that such actions threaten not only the peace and stability of Somalia but also that of the wider region. Pakistan reaffirmed its full support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Federal Republic of Somalia.

The ministry also called on the international community to reject any such steps and to prevent Israel from undermining ongoing efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region.

Hamas has called on Israel to allow an impartial international investigation into the October 7, 2023 attacks in southern Israel. The Palestinian group released a 42-page document rejecting accusations of killing or committing atrocities against Israeli civilians. The document provides detailed accounts of the events of that day, Hamas’s perspective on Israel’s actions in Gaza, and its view of the ongoing conflict.

According to the document, Hamas claims Western media and pro-Israel lobby groups spread misleading narratives about the attack, including false reports of child killings and sexual violence. It states that such claims were used to justify what Hamas describes as a genocidal campaign in Gaza. The group says it had offered to release civilian hostages shortly after the attack, but Israel initially refused. During a brief truce in November 2023, about 100 hostages were exchanged for Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas attributes the October 7 assault to decades of Israeli occupation, Gaza’s blockade, repeated violations of the Oslo Accords, and international inaction. The document concludes that Hamas is an inseparable part of the Palestinian national structure.

Thousands of Palestinians displaced by two years of Israeli military operations in Gaza are facing severe hardship as winter rains flood their makeshift tents. A strong low-pressure system brought heavy rain and gusty winds across the Gaza Strip on Saturday, further worsening conditions for families already living in temporary shelters. Meteorologist Laith al-Allami told Anadolu Agency that this was the third low-pressure system of the season, with a fourth expected to begin on Monday.

Since Israeli attacks began in 2023, many families have been living in tents after their homes were destroyed or damaged. Local authorities warned that continued rainfall could escalate into a full storm. Displaced residents described collapsing tents, lack of income, and difficulty obtaining clothing and bedding for children. Earlier this month, heavy rains inundated camps and temporary shelters across Gaza.

At least 15 people, including three children, have died this December due to hypothermia and collapsing structures amid the cold, wet weather. Humanitarian organizations have urged that more shelters and relief supplies be allowed into the territory.

The Palestinian Health Ministry reported on Saturday that the death toll from Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip has surpassed 71,000 after more than two years of conflict. Despite a ceasefire announced on October 10, Israeli forces have continued operations targeting local Palestinians, killing over 400 people in the past two and a half months. In the last 48 hours alone, four people were killed and eight injured, while 25 bodies were recovered from rubble.

According to the ministry, since October 11, a total of 414 Palestinians have been killed and 1,142 injured, with 679 bodies recovered. Cumulatively, from October 7, 2023, to the latest reporting date, 71,266 people have been killed and 171,219 injured in Gaza. The report also noted fresh Israeli airstrikes on Gaza City, Jabalia, and Khan Younis, as well as shelling in Maghazi and Nuseirat refugee camps.

In the occupied West Bank, Israeli forces and settlers have continued raids and arrests, including operations in Kabatiya village near Jenin and attacks in Nablus, Hebron, and surrounding areas.