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.

Bangladesh’s financial regulatory bodies have agreed to implement three major initiatives aimed at improving coordination and efficiency across the sector. The decisions were made at a meeting titled “Strengthening the Financial Reporting Council and Ensuring Structural and Coordinated Cooperation,” held at the FRC office in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar under the chairmanship of Dr. Anisuzzaman Chowdhury, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser. Representatives from the Ministry of Finance, Bangladesh Bank, FRC, BSEC, IDRA, RJSC, MRA, and NBR attended the meeting.

The three initiatives include single-point enlistment of auditors and audit firms under the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), creation of a common report submission portal for all regulators, and establishment of a real-time common data-sharing platform. The FRC will lead the implementation of these projects, with deadlines set between January 15 and January 31, 2026. The FRC chairman stated that these measures will enhance transparency, reduce information concealment, and strengthen financial discipline.

According to the meeting’s proceedings, the initiatives are expected to reduce procedural delays, improve inter-agency data exchange, and curb manipulation in loan management and stock valuation.

Nvidia has agreed to purchase assets from Groq, a designer of high-performance artificial intelligence accelerator chips, for $20 billion in cash, according to Alex Davis, CEO of Disruptive, which led Groq’s latest financing round. The deal, Nvidia’s largest to date, excludes Groq’s cloud business, which will continue operating independently. Groq’s founder and CEO Jonathan Ross, president Sunny Madra, and other senior leaders will join Nvidia to help scale the licensed technology, while finance chief Simon Edwards will become Groq’s new CEO.

In a blog post, Groq confirmed a non-exclusive licensing agreement with Nvidia for its inference technology but did not disclose financial details. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told employees that the company plans to integrate Groq’s low-latency processors into its AI factory architecture to expand support for inference and real-time workloads. Nvidia’s CFO Colette Kress declined to comment on the transaction.

The acquisition underscores Nvidia’s aggressive expansion in AI hardware and talent, following similar licensing and hiring deals with startups such as Enfabrica. Nvidia’s growing cash reserves have fueled major investments across the AI ecosystem, including partnerships with OpenAI, Intel, and CoreWeave.

Groq, Inc. was founded in 2016 by former Google engineers to develop specialized AI inference chips called Language Processing Units (LPUs). The company grew rapidly through major funding rounds, key acquisitions, and global infrastructure expansion, including launching its GroqCloud platform.

Russia has asserted that its forces seized more than 5,100 square kilometres of Ukrainian territory in 2025, with President Vladimir Putin citing the capture of Siversk in Donetsk and Vovchansk in Kharkiv. He also claimed partial control of several other front-line towns. However, the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) disputed these claims, saying satellite and open-source data show far smaller Russian advances. ISW estimated Russia controls less than 5,000 square kilometres and only 196 settlements, contradicting Moscow’s higher figures.

The claims came as the United States and Ukraine concluded three days of peace talks in Florida. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said cooperation with Washington was strong but confirmed that no agreement had been reached on territorial issues. Russia continues to demand full control of Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, Kherson, and Crimea, while Ukraine refuses. The US has agreed to NATO-level security guarantees for Ukraine, and the European Union has pledged future membership and a €90 billion loan package.

The ongoing conflict also saw intensified drone and missile exchanges, with Ukraine striking Russian military and energy targets and Russia launching over a thousand drones at Ukraine during the same week.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has organized nationwide prayers today, Friday, after Jumma prayers in mosques across the country for the recovery of party chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and to mark the return of acting chairman Tarique Rahman to Bangladesh. The announcement was made in a press release sent to the media on Thursday night, December 25.

According to the statement, the prayers will be held in all mosques, including those in Dhaka, under the initiative of the BNP. The event is dedicated to the recovery of Khaleda Zia, who is currently receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital, and to celebrate Tarique Rahman’s homecoming with his family after 17 years abroad. The BNP has called on leaders, activists, and the general public to participate in the prayers.

The party’s directive emphasizes unity among its members and supporters during this occasion, reflecting both concern for Khaleda Zia’s health and enthusiasm over Tarique Rahman’s return.