Category: World

New Delhi: The year 2025 unfolded as one of profound turbulence and transformation on the global stage. Marked by intensifying wars, political upheavals, rapid technological breakthroughs, climate extremes, and moments of unexpected progress, the world oscillated between crisis and resilience. From the grinding battlefields of Ukraine and Gaza to the race for artificial intelligence supremacy, and from assassinations that shocked democracies to rare environmental victories, 2025 became a year that tested global stability while redefining power, governance, and survival in an interconnected world. At its heart, 2025 was a year…

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New Delhi: India’s strategic posture towards Pakistan has entered a critical new phase, marked by escalating unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), grassroots economic boycotts, and calculated diplomatic signalling from New Delhi. Recent developments, culminating in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pointed remarks during his 25 December 2025 speech in Lucknow, reveal a multifaceted pressure campaign designed to exploit Islamabad’s vulnerabilities. This convergence of internal dissent in PoK and India’s assertive rhetoric underscores a deliberate shift following the military confrontations of early 2025, particularly Operation Sindoor. Protests in PoK have intensified into…

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New Delhi: The recently released film Dhurandhar has sparked wide discussion for its bold portrayal of Pakistan’s ruling establishment and its alleged role in orchestrating terrorism against India. Written and directed by Aditya Dhar, the film attempts to peel back layers of geopolitics, espionage and organised crime, presenting a hard-hitting narrative that resonates strongly with Indian audiences. Contrary to preconceived notions shaped by pre-release reviews, Dhurandhar has managed to rise above criticism and strike a chord with viewers, especially in smaller cities where cinema halls are struggling to survive. The…

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Dhaka | The National Citizen Party (NCP), born out of Bangladesh’s powerful student-led movement that helped dismantle Sheikh Hasina’s rule in 2024, is now facing an existential political crisis ahead of the country’s proposed general elections scheduled for February 12 next year. Once hailed as a fresh “third force” challenging traditional politics, the party today appears fractured, politically weak on the ground, and increasingly dependent on controversial alliances. Founded by student leaders who emerged from the anti-Hasina protests and played a role in paving the way for Muhammad Yunus to head…

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Canberra: Australia has sparked an intense global debate by introducing one of the world’s strictest social media regulations for children and adolescents. Under the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act, 2024, passed by the Australian Parliament as an amendment to the Online Safety Act, 2021, children below the age of 16 are now prohibited from holding or creating accounts on major social media platforms. The law came into force on December 10, 2025, placing direct responsibility on technology companies rather than on children or their parents. The legislation…

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Canberra | Australia, long regarded as a stable multicultural democracy marked by peaceful coexistence among diverse religious, ethnic, and cultural communities, is confronting a troubling surge in anti-Semitic violence. The Jewish community, historically a respected and integral part of Australian society, has increasingly become the target of arson attacks, hate graffiti, threats, and physical assaults—particularly since 2023. These incidents are not isolated criminal acts but indicators of deeper social polarisation, intolerance, and insecurity challenging the country’s democratic fabric. The rise in anti-Semitic violence cannot be understood in isolation from global…

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New Delhi: After signing a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United Kingdom, India has further accelerated its trade diplomacy by concluding a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with Oman. The agreement was formally signed on December 18, 2025, in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, marking a significant milestone in India’s engagement with the Gulf region. This move gains added importance amid rising global trade tensions, especially after the United States imposed steep tariffs of up to 50 percent on certain…

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Dhaka: Bangladesh once again finds itself at a critical historical juncture where the lines between democracy, power, and fundamentalism are becoming increasingly blurred. The return of Tarique Rahman—son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)—after 17 years of self-imposed exile is not merely a political event. It has emerged as a powerful symbol of the deepening instability that has marked Bangladeshi politics since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government. Tarique Rahman’s homecoming comes at a time when the interim government…

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New Delhi: India’s growing stature on the global trade stage is increasingly evident in the way it is shaping trade agreements on its own terms. In its recently concluded Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with New Zealand, India has firmly safeguarded the interests of its farmers, especially those linked to the dairy sector, by keeping agricultural and dairy products completely out of the pact. After nine months of negotiations, both countries agreed that the FTA would proceed without opening India’s sensitive agriculture and dairy markets. This decision is being seen…

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Washington: US President Donald Trump said that the United States carried out a “strong and lethal” military operation against the Islamic State (ISIS) in northwest Nigeria, targeting terrorists allegedly involved in the killing of Christians. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump claimed the strike was conducted under his direct command as Commander-in-Chief. He alleged that ISIS-linked militants in the region had been carrying out large-scale attacks against Christians. “The United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS terrorists in northwest Nigeria tonight at…

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