At least ten people were killed and thirty-two others injured in a passenger bus accident in Mexico’s eastern Veracruz state, authorities confirmed on Thursday. The bus was traveling from Mexico City to the village of Chicontepec when it crashed near the city of Zontecomatlán on Christmas Eve. According to a statement from the Zontecomatlán mayor’s office, one of the victims was a child. The injured passengers were quickly rescued and taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. The report noted that road accidents have been increasing in Mexico in recent years, often involving buses and trucks. Authorities have identified excessive speed and mechanical failures as the main causes of such incidents. In late November, a similar crash in the western state of Michoacán left ten people dead and twenty others injured. The repeated occurrence of fatal bus accidents highlights ongoing safety challenges on Mexico’s highways, prompting renewed concern over vehicle maintenance and traffic regulation enforcement.

The Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir has begun its Central Members’ Conference 2025 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center, with participation from over six thousand members from across the country. The event, which started on Friday morning, will elect the organization’s new central president for the 2026 term through direct and secret voting by delegates. Current president Zahidul Islam has decided to step down as his student tenure has ended. According to party sources, the race for the top post is led by current Secretary General Nurul Islam Saddam, followed by central office secretary and former Dhaka University unit president Sibgatullah, central publicity secretary Azizur Rahman Azad, and central publication secretary and DUCSU vice president Sadik Kayem. Historically, the secretary general has usually succeeded as president, making Saddam the frontrunner. Leaders view this year’s conference as a major challenge, given the approaching national election. They emphasize the need for capable and strategic leadership to attract young voters and to strengthen the organization’s position in the evolving landscape of student politics following recent anti-discrimination movements.

Chuadanga district is experiencing an intensifying cold wave, with temperatures falling below 10 degrees Celsius. On Friday morning, the Chuadanga First-Class Weather Observatory recorded 9.7°C at 6 a.m. and 9.6°C at 9 a.m., with humidity at 95 percent. The temperature dropped nearly 2 degrees in just one day compared to Thursday’s 11.4°C. The cold, driven by northern winds, has severely affected daily life across the border district. Local residents reported worsening hardship as the cold persists. Pedestrians and rickshaw pullers said people are avoiding going out in the mornings, leaving day laborers without work and transport workers without passengers. Children and the elderly are most at risk from the cold, while many rural residents are resorting to lighting fires due to a lack of warm clothing. Weather observers forecast further temperature decline, and local residents have urged authorities to provide urgent assistance and distribute winter clothing to those in need.

A case has been filed at Bogura Sadar Police Station accusing 273 individuals, including former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, over an alleged attack on an anti-discrimination student rally. The case, numbered 66, was recorded on December 24, 2025, following a court filing on December 23. The plaintiff, Mohammad Alif, son of Nur Hossain Mondal from Brindaban Paschim Para, lodged the complaint on Wednesday night. Among the accused, 173 are named while 100 remain unidentified. The first accused is former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, followed by former Bogura-6 MP and Awami League leader Ragebul Ahsan (Ripu) as the second accused. Former Bogura-5 MP Mojibur Rahman Majnu, Habibur Rahman Habib, and several leaders and activists from Awami League, Jubo League, Swechchhasebak League, and Chhatra League are also listed. According to the case statement, Alif was seriously injured by gunfire allegedly from the accused during the rally at Kathaltala area on August 4, 2024. After recovering from his injuries, he proceeded to file the case.

Hotel owners in Siliguri, India, have announced they will no longer rent rooms to Bangladeshi citizens. The decision was confirmed by the Greater Siliguri Hotel Business Welfare Association, which stated that the move was taken in the interest of the country. The association acknowledged that the decision could cause some financial loss to local hotel owners. The report was carried by The Telegraph India. Ujjal Ghosh, joint secretary of the association, said the group had made a similar decision in December of the previous year, though at that time exceptions were made for Bangladeshi students and patients. The new directive removes all such exemptions. Ghosh cited alleged violence and anti-India statements in Bangladesh as reasons for the stricter stance. The association represents 180 hotels in Siliguri, all of which are expected to comply with the ban. The report also noted that the local visa office had been closed earlier following protests by the Vishva Hindu Parishad. Many Bangladeshis travel to Siliguri each year for education, tourism, and medical treatment.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has ordered the expansion and modernization of the country’s missile production starting in 2026. According to state media reports on Friday, he also directed the construction of new weapons factories to meet growing demand. The Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Kim inspected several ammunition and weapons plants with senior officials and instructed them to fulfill the operational needs of the state’s missile and artillery forces. Kim emphasized that overall production capacity must be increased to keep pace with the armed forces’ requirements, describing missile and ammunition manufacturing as crucial to strengthening war deterrence. In recent years, North Korea has significantly increased missile testing, which analysts say aims to improve strike precision, challenge the United States and South Korea, and test weapons before potential exports to other countries such as Russia. The report followed news that Kim had visited a nuclear submarine plant, pledging to counter South Korea’s nuclear submarine development and being briefed on research into new underwater weapons. The ruling Workers’ Party is set to hold its first congress in five years in early 2026 to finalize the next five-year economic and military development plan.

Rakib, joint convener of the Raipur Government College unit of the student organization Chhatra Dal, died after being electrocuted in Lakshmipur’s Raipur upazila on Thursday evening. The accident occurred around 5 p.m. in Ward No. 2 of Charbanshi Union when he came into contact with electricity while preparing hot water at his home poultry farm. Family members and locals rushed him to the emergency department of Raipur Upazila Health Complex, where duty doctor Sohel Rana declared him dead. His sudden death has cast a pall of grief over the area. Family members are mourning his loss, and members of Raipur Government College Chhatra Dal and local political circles have expressed deep sorrow and condolences. Leaders described Rakib as an active and dedicated organizer whose death is an irreparable loss to the organization. The incident has drawn widespread sympathy in the community, highlighting the risks of household electrical accidents in rural areas.

The border conflict between Thailand and Cambodia entered its 18th day on Thursday, with a total of 96 people reported dead. According to Cambodia’s state news agency Kampuchea Press, citing the Ministry of Defense, Thai forces shelled a village in Banteay Meanchey province on Thursday morning, killing one Cambodian civilian. Cambodia’s National Assembly condemned the attack as “brutal and inhumane.” Thailand’s Daily Nation reported that the Thai army accused Cambodia of firing BM-21 rockets into a village in Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province, causing extensive damage to civilian infrastructure. Thai authorities said 23 Thai soldiers and one civilian were killed, while 41 civilians also lost their lives in the ongoing clashes. In a related development, India condemned the destruction of a statue of the Hindu deity Vishnu in the disputed border area of Cambodia, allegedly by Thai forces. India’s Ministry of External Affairs stated that such acts hurt the sentiments of followers worldwide and should not occur.

China plans to build six new aircraft carriers by 2035, according to a report released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Defense (Pentagon). The report states that this would give China a total of nine carriers, marking the largest carrier expansion in the Indo-Pacific region since World War II. China currently operates three aircraft carriers, ranking second after the United States, which has 11. The Pentagon report highlights the Type 003 Fujian carrier as a major advancement for China’s navy. The 80,000-ton vessel is equipped with an electromagnetic catapult system and can carry fifth-generation J-35 fighter jets and KJ-600 transport aircraft. Compared with earlier ski-jump carriers Liaoning and Shandong, the Fujian can support longer missions with heavier fuel and armament loads. The report also notes that China has begun work on a fourth carrier this year. Additionally, China is developing Type 076 amphibious assault ships with electromagnetic catapults, though the number planned remains unclear. The report mentions that China deployed its carriers during the Joint Sword exercise around Taiwan, signaling its intent to challenge potential third-party intervention during conflicts.

Ferry operations on the Daulatdia–Paturia route, a key waterway connecting Rajbari’s Daulatdia and Manikganj’s Paturia, resumed on Friday morning after being suspended for nine and a half hours due to dense fog. According to the report, services were restored around 9:30 a.m. on December 26, 2025, once visibility improved on the Padma River. The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) temporarily halted all ferry and vessel movement from midnight on Saturday when thick fog severely reduced visibility across the river basin. BIWTC’s Daulatdia office assistant general manager (commerce) Mohammad Salauddin stated that operations were restarted after the fog cleared and navigation conditions became normal. The prolonged suspension caused significant traffic congestion at both ferry terminals, leaving trucks, buses, and private cars stranded. With the resumption of ferry movement, the backlog began to ease, bringing relief to drivers, assistants, and passengers waiting at the terminals.

Pakistan’s security forces conducted separate operations in Balochistan’s Kalat district and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan district, killing ten militants described as India-backed extremists. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said the actions followed intelligence reports about the presence of such groups. During the Dera Ismail Khan operation, two militants, including their leader Dilwar, were killed. Dilwar was on Pakistan’s most-wanted list for involvement in multiple terrorist acts, with a government bounty of four million rupees for his capture. ISPR stated that weapons and ammunition were recovered from the dead militants, who were allegedly involved in attacks against security forces and civilians. In a separate operation in Kalat, eight militants linked to the group Fitna al Hindustan were killed after an intense exchange of fire. The ISPR claimed these militants acted as Indian proxies in Pakistan. Arms, ammunition, and explosives were seized from the site. The operations highlight Pakistan’s ongoing counterterrorism efforts in regions affected by militant activity, according to the ISPR statement.

Leaders from several Bangladeshi political and Islamist parties have welcomed the return of BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman and his family to Bangladesh after 17 years abroad. Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, Islami Andolan Bangladesh Ameer Mufti Syed Muhammad Rezaul Karim, Khelafat Majlish Ameer Maulana Abdul Basit Azad, and National Citizen Party (NCP) convener Nahid Islam publicly expressed their greetings through social media and media statements. They described his return as a positive development for national politics following years of political unrest. Dr. Shafiqur Rahman said Jamaat would closely observe Tarique Rahman’s role and plans for political unity. The Islami Andolan chief, known as the Charmonai Pir, said Rahman’s return could restore leadership within the BNP and help end a culture of political vengeance. Khelafat Majlish leaders called the event a victory for anti-fascist struggles, while Nahid Islam and NCP leader Sarjis Alam linked it to the democratic movement that followed the July uprising. According to these leaders, Tarique Rahman’s return may strengthen multiparty democracy and promote a healthier political culture in Bangladesh.

Imran Ahmed, a British national and head of the U.S.-based Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), has filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trump’s administration in a New York district court. Ahmed described the U.S. visa ban imposed on him as unconstitutional and an attempt to expel him from the country. The State Department recently announced that five European figures involved in technology regulation, including Ahmed, would be denied visas, accusing them of pressuring U.S. social media platforms to censor views they dislike. The European Union and several member states have strongly condemned the decision, pledging to defend Europe’s regulatory autonomy. Ahmed, a U.S. green card holder and permanent resident, named Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem as defendants. A district judge has temporarily barred his arrest or detention, with a follow-up hearing scheduled for next Monday. The State Department has maintained its position, stating that the Supreme Court and Congress have repeatedly affirmed that the U.S. has no obligation to allow foreign nationals to enter or reside in the country.

US President Donald Trump announced that the United States carried out an airstrike in northwestern Nigeria against ISIL fighters. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on Thursday evening, Trump said the strike was conducted under his direction as commander in chief and described it as a powerful and lethal attack against ISIS terrorists. He claimed the militants had targeted innocent Christians and warned earlier of severe consequences if such killings continued. US Africa Command, which oversees American military operations in Africa, confirmed the strike, stating it was conducted at the request of Nigerian authorities and resulted in the deaths of multiple ISIL militants. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth thanked the Nigerian government for its cooperation and hinted at further actions without providing details. The command said the strike took place in “Soboto State,” believed to refer to Sokoto State. The attack followed Trump’s earlier directive to the Pentagon to plan possible military action over alleged persecution of Christians in Nigeria, claims the Nigerian government denied, saying armed groups target both Muslims and Christians. Nigeria’s foreign ministry said the operation reflected structured security cooperation with international partners.

Christians in Bangladesh celebrated Christmas on Thursday with prayers, decorations, and joyful gatherings across Dhaka. Churches including Tejgaon’s Holy Rosary Church and Mohammadpur’s St. Christina Church were illuminated with lights, Christmas trees, and nativity scenes. Thousands attended morning prayers, while families dressed in new clothes joined the celebrations. The festive atmosphere extended beyond churches to hotels hosting special meals and cultural programs. Father Jayanta S. Gomez of Holy Rosary Church said the community prayed for peace and stability in Bangladesh, emphasizing Jesus’ message of justice and equality. Parishioners described how they celebrated at home by cutting cakes, preparing traditional foods, decorating Christmas trees, and exchanging gifts. Father Kajol Purification of St. Christina Church noted that prayers were offered for peace among all faiths. The celebrations reflected both religious devotion and social harmony, with participants expressing joy and hope for peace in the country.