Pakistan ended 2025 on a high note by defeating Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final of the T20 tri-nation series at Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium. Batting first, Sri Lanka were bowled out for 114 runs in 19.1 overs, with Pakistan’s Shaheen Afridi and Mohammad Nawaz taking three wickets each. Kamil Mishara top-scored for Sri Lanka with 59 off 47 balls. In reply, Pakistan reached the target in 18.4 overs, led by former captain Babar Azam’s 37 off 34 balls and opener Saim Ayub’s 36 off 33. With this victory, Pakistan set a new record for the most T20I wins in a calendar year, securing 21 wins out of 34 matches in 2025. The previous record was 20 wins in 26 matches in 2021. The triumph highlights Pakistan’s consistent performance and growing dominance in the T20 format ahead of upcoming international fixtures.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has called on all airlines and related entities to consider Venezuelan airspace and its surrounding areas as 'completely closed.' Posting on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump did not clarify the intent behind his statement. The appeal comes as the United States has recently deployed military assets, including the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, to the Caribbean region, officially to combat drug trafficking. However, Venezuela accuses Washington of seeking to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro’s government. The U.S. has conducted over 20 operations against alleged drug-carrying vessels since September, resulting in more than 80 deaths. Following U.S. aviation warnings about deteriorating security, several major airlines, including Iberia, TAP, Avianca, LATAM, GOL, and Turkish Airlines, have suspended flights to Venezuela. In response, Caracas banned these carriers, accusing them of participating in 'state-sponsored terrorism' under U.S. influence. The situation has significantly heightened regional tensions.

In Madaripur, Bangladesh, three toll collection workers were injured after a group of local youths attacked a toll office at the Seventh China Friendship Bridge over the Arial Khan River. The incident occurred on Saturday evening in Pokhira village of Sadar upazila when the attackers refused to pay the toll and subsequently stormed the office. Police from Madaripur Sadar Station visited the scene following the assault. According to Officer-in-Charge Adil Hossain, legal action will be taken once the toll authority files a written complaint. The injured workers were engaged in toll collection duties at the bridge, which connects key areas in the region. The motive behind the attack appears to be a dispute over toll payment, and authorities are investigating the matter to identify those responsible.

Voting for the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) election began on Sunday morning at the Shafiqul Kabir Auditorium in Dhaka. The polling started at 9 a.m. and will continue until 5 p.m. The election involves professional journalists working in Dhaka, who are casting their votes in an orderly manner. The day before the election, the organization held its annual general meeting (AGM). A total of ten candidates are contesting for seven executive member positions, including Al-Amin Azad, Ali Azam, Mahfuz Sadi, Md. Abdul Alim, Md. Akhtar Hossain, Md. Majaharul Islam, Md. Rezaur Rahim, Mohammad Naimuddin, Suman Chowdhury, and Syed Akhtar Siraji. The election is expected to determine the new leadership of one of the most influential journalist organizations in Bangladesh.

Barrister Kaiser Kamal, BNP’s law affairs secretary and candidate for Netrakona-1 constituency, described the party’s 31-point program as a charter of people’s liberation rather than merely a political manifesto. Speaking at a farmers’ rally in Nazipur, Kalmakanda, he emphasized that the 27th point of the plan specifically addresses farmers’ issues, aiming to rebuild the state and secure the nation’s future. Kamal highlighted the historical significance of the nearby ‘Zia Canal,’ dug by late President Ziaur Rahman, and pledged that BNP would initiate new canal excavation projects if it returns to power. He also promised efforts to have Tarique Rahman oversee the re-excavation of the Zia Canal. Stressing his own background as a farmer’s son, Kamal urged the government to set fair prices for agricultural products based on farmers’ input. The rally, attended by hundreds of farmers, featured speeches from local BNP leaders and agricultural experts.

At a public meeting in Boda upazila of Panchagarh, National Citizen Committee (NCP) chief organizer Sarjis Alam declared that the party will stand by minorities and any individuals facing threats, harassment, or oppression from others, regardless of political affiliation. Addressing party workers, he urged them to support good initiatives from any political group and to oppose wrongdoing or injustice, even if committed by powerful figures. During the event, Alam announced the formation of NCP committees for ten unions and one municipality in Boda upazila. The program began with prayers for the recovery and long life of former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. Leaders and activists from all five upazilas of Panchagarh district attended the meeting, emphasizing unity and social responsibility across party lines.

A 27-year-old female member of the Highway Police, identified as Mimi Khatun, was found hanging in her room at the women’s police barrack in Mujgunni Housing Estate under Khalishpur Police Station in Khulna on Saturday afternoon. Colleagues discovered her body around 1:30 p.m., and authorities later sent it to Khulna Medical College Hospital for autopsy. Police said no suicide note was found in her room, and the preliminary report mentioned suicide as the cause of death. Mimi, daughter of Nabin Biswas from Mirpur in Kushtia and wife of Imran Hossain, was serving as a constable in the Highway Region. The cause behind the suspected suicide remains unclear, and police are investigating the incident by speaking with her family and colleagues. The barrack remains in mourning as the body awaits handover to the family after the post-mortem examination.

Around 30,000 tons of Indian onions are reportedly rotting at the Bangladesh border after Dhaka abruptly halted imports to protect local farmers. Exporters from West Bengal and Maharashtra, who had shipped onions to border points like Mahadipur, Petrapole, Ghojadanga, and Hili, are now facing heavy losses. The onions, purchased at around 16 rupees per kilogram and transported at a total cost of 22 rupees, are being sold for as little as 2 rupees per kilogram to avoid total spoilage. In Mahadipur alone, nearly 20,000 tons of onions are stuck, with traders employing workers daily to separate rotten stock. Exporters claim they acted on verbal assurances from Bangladeshi importers, making the sudden ban particularly damaging. Meanwhile, retail onion prices in Indian markets remain between 20 and 30 rupees per kilogram, and traders fear further price drops once stored stock reaches the market. Consumers and traders alike have criticized both state and central governments for mismanagement.

Authorities in Stockton, California, reported that four people were killed and ten others injured after gunfire erupted during a family celebration at a banquet hall on Saturday evening. The shooting occurred shortly before 6 p.m. on the 1900 block of Lucile Avenue. San Joaquin County Sheriff’s spokesperson Heather Brent said the victims included both children and adults, describing the incident as 'unfathomable' given that young children were harmed. Stockton Vice Mayor Jason Lee confirmed the event was a children’s birthday party. Investigators are still working to identify the suspect, and officials believe the attack may have been targeted. It remains unclear whether the shots were fired inside or outside the venue. The FBI and local law enforcement agencies are assisting in the investigation. California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office stated that he has been briefed on the 'horrific shooting' and that the state’s emergency services are coordinating with local authorities as the situation continues to be monitored.

Several international media outlets have reported on the critical health condition of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who is currently hospitalized in Dhaka. Al Jazeera, citing her personal physician Dr. A.Z.M. Zahid Hossain, described her condition as 'very critical.' Gulf News, Dawn News, and NDTV also published similar reports, emphasizing the seriousness of her illness. Indian outlets such as The Times of India, The Hindu, and Hindustan Times have given the story significant coverage. According to BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, quoted by Arab News, Khaleda Zia’s health remains in a critical state. Her medical team is considering sending her abroad for advanced treatment once the board approves. The former prime minister has been receiving care at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka, while her family and supporters have urged the public to pray for her recovery.

Bangladeshi expatriates living in France have shown strong enthusiasm for the newly launched 'Postal Vote BD' app, which allows them to participate in Bangladesh’s upcoming national election through postal ballots for the first time. Registration began on November 26, and expatriates across French cities are signing up in groups. Despite initial technical issues with OTP verification and photo uploads, users report that the process has since become smoother. Refugees without passports can register using only their national ID numbers, expanding participation among the diaspora. Expatriate organizations have welcomed the initiative, calling it a milestone for inclusive democracy. The government will handle the entire postal process, ensuring voters incur no additional costs. Many expatriates describe the move as historic, fulfilling a decades-long demand for voting rights abroad. Observers see it as a significant step linking expatriates not only to the economy but also to Bangladesh’s democratic process, marking a new chapter in the nation’s electoral history.

More than 92,000 Bangladeshi expatriates have registered to vote through the ‘Postal Vote BD’ app for the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. According to the Election Commission (EC) website, as of November 30, a total of 92,385 expatriates have signed up, including 77,544 men and 14,841 women. This marks the first time Bangladesh is introducing an IT-supported postal ballot system, enabling expatriates, individuals in legal custody, and election officials on duty to cast their votes remotely. Registration began on November 19 and will continue until December 23. The EC is conducting registration across numerous countries, including South Korea, Japan, the United States, Saudi Arabia, Australia, and several African nations. Registered voters will receive postal ballots by mail, which they must return to the designated returning officer after voting. The EC aims to engage up to five million expatriate voters as part of its broader electoral participation initiative ahead of the election scheduled for early February 2025.

Ariful Islam Talukdar, the South Region Organizer of the National Citizen Party (NCP), has resigned from his post, submitting his resignation letter on November 28 to the party convener. In his letter, Talukdar expressed deep frustration with the party’s internal weaknesses, indecision, and misuse of power. He claimed that despite his key role in the July 2024 mass uprising, the NCP failed to unite the youth forces or uphold the revolutionary spirit that inspired the movement. Talukdar accused some central leaders of accumulating wealth and monopolizing the movement’s achievements, leading to inequality and disunity. He also criticized the interim government’s advisory council for inefficiency and blamed the party for ignoring the majority’s religious sentiments. Citing corruption, bureaucratic dominance, and lack of justice for victims of state violence, Talukdar said he no longer saw a reason to continue with the NCP. He concluded by expressing hope that he might rejoin future movements for national unity and youth-led politics.

The United States has suspended issuing visas to Afghan citizens following a recent shooting incident in Washington, D.C., involving an Afghan national. The U.S. State Department has instructed all embassies and consulates worldwide to stop processing Afghan visa applications immediately. Secretary of State and National Security Advisor Marco Rubio announced on social media that the decision was made to prioritize national security and public safety. The move comes after Rahmanullah Laknwal, an Afghan citizen and former CIA agent during the U.S.-NATO operations in Afghanistan, allegedly opened fire on National Guard members, killing one and injuring another. Following the attack, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services canceled all pending Afghan citizenship and residency applications. The new directive, issued under President Trump’s administration, reinforces a stricter immigration stance toward Afghan nationals amid growing security concerns.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has sent a letter to Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, expressing deep concern over her recent illness and wishing her a quick recovery. Earlier, on November 27, the Pakistani Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, and Foreign Minister had sent floral greetings to convey their best wishes for her health. In his letter, Sharif praised Khaleda Zia’s significant contributions to Bangladesh’s development and her role in strengthening the fraternal ties between Bangladesh and Pakistan. He also prayed for her full recovery so that she could continue to serve as a source of courage and guidance for her party and nation. Khaleda Zia has been undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in Dhaka since November 23. According to her personal physician and BNP Standing Committee member Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain, her health condition has remained unchanged over the past three days.