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Clashes between protesters and security forces in several Iranian cities left six people dead as demonstrations over rising prices and economic hardship spread beyond Tehran.

Fresh clashes kill six in Iran cost-of-living protests

Clashes between protesters and security forces in several Iranian cities left six people dead as demonstrations over rising prices and economic hardship spread beyond Tehran.

Protesters and security forces clashed in several Iranian cities on Thursday, with six reported killed, the first deaths since the cost-of-living demonstrations broke out.
The protests began on Sunday in Tehran, where shopkeepers went on strike over high prices and economic stagnation, and have since spread to other parts of the country.
On Thursday, Iran's Fars news agency reported two people killed in clashes between security forces and protesters in the city of Lordegan, in the province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, and three in Azna, in neighbouring Lorestan province.
"Some protesters began throwing stones at the city's administrative buildings, including the provincial governor's office, the mosque, the Martyrs' Foundation, the town hall and banks," Fars said of Lordegan, adding that police responded with tear gas.
Fars reported that the buildings were "severely damaged" and that police arrested several people described as "ringleaders".
In Azna, Fars said "rioters took advantage of a protest gathering... to attack a police commissariat".
During previous protest movements, state media has labelled demonstrators "rioters".
Earlier Thursday, state television reported that a member of Iran's security forces was killed overnight during protests in the western city of Kouhdasht.
"A 21-year-old member of the Basij from the city of Kouhdasht was killed last night by rioters while defending public order," the channel said, citing Said Pourali, the deputy governor of Lorestan Province.
The Basij are a volunteer paramilitary force linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, the ideological branch of the Islamic republic's army.
Pourali said that "during the demonstrations in Kouhdasht, 13 police officers and Basij members were injured by stone throwing".
In the western city of Hamedan, protesters torched a motorbike in what the Tasnim news agency described as an unsuccessful attempt to burn down a mosque.
The same agency reported on Thursday that 30 people in a district of Tehran had been arrested the night before for alleged public order offences in a "coordinated operation by the security and intelligence services".
 - 'End up in hell' -
The demonstrations are smaller than the last major outbreak of unrest in 2022, triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for allegedly violating Iran's strict dress code for women.
Her death sparked a nationwide wave of anger that left several hundred people dead, including dozens of members of the security forces.
The latest protests began in the capital and spread after students from at least 10 universities joined in on Tuesday.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has sought to calm tensions, acknowledging protesters' "legitimate demands", and he urged the government Thursday to take action to improve the economic situation.
"From an Islamic perspective... if we do not resolve the issue of people's livelihoods, we will end up in Hell," Pezeshkian said at an event broadcast on state television.
Authorities, however, have also promised to take a "firm" stance, and have warned against exploiting the situation to sow chaos.
Local media coverage of the demonstrations has varied, with some outlets focusing on economic difficulties, and others on incidents caused by "troublemakers".
Iran is in the middle of an extended weekend, with the authorities declaring Wednesday a bank holiday at the last minute, citing the need to save energy during the cold weather.
They made no official link to the protests.
The weekend in Iran begins on Thursday, and Saturday is a long-standing national holiday.
Iran's prosecutor general said on Wednesday that peaceful economic protests were legitimate, but any attempt to create insecurity would be met with a "decisive response".
"Any attempt to turn economic protests into a tool of insecurity, destruction of public property, or implementation of externally designed scenarios will inevitably be met with a legal, proportionate and decisive response."
 - Viral video -
Earlier this week, a video showing a person sitting in the middle of a Tehran street facing down motorcycle police went viral on social media, with some seeing it as a "Tiananmen moment" -- a reference to the famous image of a Chinese protester defying a column of tanks during 1989 anti-government protests in Beijing.
On Thursday, state television alleged the footage had been staged to "create a symbol" and aired another video purportedly shot from another angle by a police officer's camera.
Sitting cross-legged, the protester remains impassive, head bowed, before covering his head with his jacket as behind him a crowd flees clouds of tear gas.
On Wednesday evening, Tasnim reported the arrest of seven people it described as being affiliated with "groups hostile to the Islamic Republic based in the United States and Europe".
It said they had been "tasked with turning the demonstrations into violence". Tasnim did not say when they were arrested.
The national currency, the rial, has lost more than a third of its value against the US dollar over the past year, while double-digit hyperinflation has been undermining Iranians' purchasing power for years.
The inflation rate in December was 52 percent year-on-year, according to the Statistical Centre of Iran, an official body.

Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York’s first Muslim mayor, promising an ambitious left-wing agenda while preparing for political clashes with US President Donald Trump.

New York mayor Zohran Mamdani pledges left-wing success after taking office

Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York&rsquo;s first Muslim mayor, promising an ambitious left-wing agenda while preparing for political clashes with US President Donald Trump.

Zohran Mamdani promised Thursday to show left-wing politics can succeed as he took over as New York mayor for a term sure to see him cross swords with US President Donald Trump.
Thousands of people gathered in freezing conditions in the United States' largest city to celebrate the 34-year-old Democrat's inauguration after his impressive political rise from relative anonymity just a year ago.
"They want to know if the left can govern. They want to know if the struggles that afflict them can be solved," Mamdani said outside City Hall.
"We will do something that New Yorkers do better than anyone else: we will set an example for the world."
In the 24-minute speech, he added: "Beginning today, we will govern expansively and audaciously."
Mamdani, New York's first Muslim mayor, emphasized the cost of living issues that were central to his mayoral campaign, pledging to help those "betrayed by the established order."
Left-wing allies Senator Bernie Sanders and congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also spoke in front of some 4,000 ticketed guests.
"Thank you for giving us, from coast to coast, the hope and the vision that we can create government that works for all, not just the wealthy and the few," said Sanders, a former presidential hopeful.
At one point during his speech, the crowd broke into chants of "tax the rich." Mamdani wants to raise taxes on New York's wealthiest residents.
Thousands of people also thronged downtown Manhattan, many wearing yellow and blue beanies emblazoned with "Zohran," to watch the ceremony on large screens.
"This is the first time that either of us in our entire lives has felt some kind of political hope at all," 31-year-old Jacob Byerly, a scientist, told AFP alongside his wife Auburn.
 - Ambitious agenda -
Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, comes to power at a time when Trump has pushed a hard-right agenda.
But it remains to be seen if Mamdani can deliver on his ambitious program, which envisions rent freezes, universal childcare and free public buses.
How Trump behaves could be decisive.
The Republican, himself a New Yorker, has repeatedly criticized Mamdani, but the pair held surprisingly cordial talks at the White House in November.
One flashpoint might be immigration raids as Trump wages an expanding crackdown on migrants across the United States.
Mamdani has vowed to protect immigrant communities.
Before the November vote, the president also threatened to slash federal funding for New York if it picked Mamdani, whom he called a "communist lunatic."
The mayor has said he believes Trump is a fascist.
Mamdani mentioned Trump only once in his speech Thursday while reflecting on the city's diversity, citing supporters of the president who also backed him in the mayoral vote.
 - Symbolic inauguration -
The inauguration was jam-packed with symbolism.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, who successfully prosecuted Trump for fraud, performed a private midnight swearing-in at an abandoned subway station.
Mamdani's office said the understated venue beneath City Hall reflected his commitment to working people.
And in a first for the city, he used Korans to be sworn in as mayor.
Born in Uganda to a family of Indian origin, Mamdani moved to New York at age seven and enjoyed an elite upbringing with only a relatively brief stint in politics.
Compensating for his inexperience, he is surrounding himself with seasoned aides recruited from past mayoral administrations and former US president Joe Biden's government.
Mamdani has also opened dialogue with business leaders, some of whom predicted a massive exodus of wealthy New Yorkers if he won. Real estate leaders have debunked those claims.
As a defender of Palestinian rights, he will have to reassure the city's Jewish community -- the largest in the US -- of his inclusive leadership.
A small group of people holding Israeli flags appeared to protest Mamdani Thursday by blowing air horns during his speech.

A Hindu businessman was hacked and set on fire by unidentified assailants in Bangladesh’s Damudya area. The victim, Khokon Chandra Das, remains critical as police name two suspects in the case.

Wife recounts horror as Hindu businessman hacked, set ablaze in Bangladesh

A Hindu businessman was hacked and set on fire by unidentified assailants in Bangladesh&rsquo;s Damudya area. The victim, Khokon Chandra Das, remains critical as police name two suspects in the case.

Disturbing details have surfaced following a violent attack on a Hindu businessman in Bangladesh&rsquo;s Damudya area, where he was reportedly hacked and set ablaze by unidentified assailants on Wednesday.&nbsp;
The victim has been identified as 50-year-old Khokon Chandra Das. According to his wife, the attackers poured gasoline on his head and face before setting him on fire.
Das, who operates a medicine shop and is also involved in mobile banking services at Keurbhanga Bazar, sustained critical injuries in the attack and is currently undergoing treatment in Dhaka. The incident occurred late Wednesday evening near Keurbhanga Bazar in Kaneshwar Union of Damudya, Bangladeshi daily Prothom Alo reported.
Recounting the incident, Khokon&rsquo;s wife Seema Das said her husband was assaulted while returning home from work. &ldquo;My husband closes the shop every night and returns home with the money from the day's sales. Terrorists attacked him on Wednesday night. He recognized two of the attackers, which is why they hacked him to death, poured gasoline on his head and face and set him on fire,&rdquo; she was quoted as saying by Prothom Alo.
Seema further said the family had no known disputes or enmity in the area. &ldquo;We have no enemies in the area. We have no dispute with anyone on any issue. We don't understand why the terrorists suddenly targeted my husband and attacked him,&rdquo; she said.
Police said two individuals&mdash;Rabbi and Sohag&mdash;have been named in the case. Damudya Police Station Officer-in-Charge Mohammad Rabiul Haque confirmed their identification.
According to reports, Das was travelling home in an autorickshaw after closing his shop and collecting the day&rsquo;s earnings when he was intercepted by miscreants near Keurbhanga Bazar on the Damudya&ndash;Shariatpur road. The attackers allegedly stopped the vehicle, assaulted him with sharp weapons, and then poured petrol on him before setting him on fire.
In an attempt to escape, Das reportedly jumped into a pond beside the road. The attackers fled after locals raised an alarm. Police said residents rescued him and initially took him to Shariatpur Sadar Hospital, from where he was later referred to Dhaka due to the seriousness of his injuries.
The attack comes amid a series of violent incidents involving members of the Hindu community in Bangladesh. Weeks earlier, another Hindu man, Dipu Chandra Das, was lynched by a mob and his body set on fire over allegations of blasphemy in Mymensingh. On December 24, a Hindu man identified as Amrit Mondal was lynched in Pangsha upazila of Rajbari town over alleged extortion.
According to Bangladesh&rsquo;s 2022 census, the country&rsquo;s Hindu population stands at approximately 13.13 million, accounting for around 7.95 percent of the total population.

A fire and explosion at Le Constellation bar in Switzerland’s Crans-Montana ski resort on New Year’s Eve killed around 40 people and injured over 100, authorities said.

Explosion at Crans-Montana bar in Switzerland kills and injures several on New Year

A fire and explosion at Le Constellation bar in Switzerland&rsquo;s Crans-Montana ski resort on New Year&rsquo;s Eve killed around 40 people and injured over 100, authorities said.

A fire ripped through a crowded bar in the luxury Swiss ski resort town of Crans Montana on New Year's Eve, killing and injuring several people, police said early Thursday.
As revellers rang in the new year, a "fire of undetermined origin" broke out in a bar popular with tourists, police in the Wallis canton in southwestern Switzerland, police said in a statement.
"Several people lost their lives and others were injured," the statement said, describing the incident as "serious" and said "a major emergency response is underway".
"A large contingent of police, firefighters, and rescue workers immediately went to the scene to assist the numerous victims," it said.
"The operation is still ongoing."
Swiss daily Blick cited a doctor at the scene suggesting that the death toll could be in the "dozens".
Regional daily Le Nouvelliste also said its sources were describing "a heavy toll", with "around 40 dead and 100 injured".
Images published by Swiss media showed a building in flames, and people screaming and running in the dark.
Swiss media suggested that the fire may have started when pyrotechnics were used during a concert, but police siad the cause was unkown.
Police spokesman Gaetan Lathion told AFP earlier &nbsp;there had first been an "explosion of unknown origin".
He said the explosion took place at around 1:30 am (0030 GMT) in a bar called Le Constellation, where more than 100 people had gathered for New Year celebrations.
Several hours after the blast, an AFP photographer saw a number of ambulances on the road from Crans Montana.
Police said the areas was "completely closed to the public", and that "a no-fly zone over Crans Montana has been imposed".

Left-wing Democrat Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York mayor at the start of 2026, vowing cost-of-living reforms as his tenure is set to test ties with President Donald Trump.

Zohran Mamdani Inaugurated as First Muslim NYC Mayor

Left-wing Democrat Zohran Mamdani was sworn in as New York mayor at the start of 2026, vowing cost-of-living reforms as his tenure is set to test ties with President Donald Trump.

Zohran Mamdani, the young upstart of the US left, was sworn in Thursday to take over as New York mayor for a term sure to see him cross swords with President Donald Trump.
After the clocks struck midnight, bringing in 2026, Mamdani took his oath of office at an abandoned subway stop to begin managing the United States' largest city. He is New York's first Muslim mayor.
His office said the understated venue beneath City Hall reflected his commitment to working people, after the 34-year-old Democrat campaigned on promises to address the soaring cost of living.
"This is truly the honor and the privilege of a lifetime," Mamdani told reporters after taking his oath.
But it remains to be seen if Mamdani -- virtually unknown a year ago -- can deliver on his ambitious agenda, which envisions rent freezes, universal childcare and free public buses.
Once an election is over, "symbolism only goes so far with voters. Results begin to matter a whole lot more," New York University lecturer John Kane said.
How Trump behaves could be a decisive factor.
The Republican, himself a New Yorker, has repeatedly criticized Mamdani, but the pair held surprisingly cordial talks at the White House in November.
Lincoln Mitchell, a political analyst and professor at Columbia University, said the meeting "couldn't have gone better from Mamdani's perspective."
But he warned their relationship could quickly sour.
One flashpoint might be immigration raids as Trump wages an expanding crackdown on migrants across the United States.
Mamdani has vowed to protect immigrant communities.
Before the November vote, the president also threatened to slash federal funding for New York if it picked Mamdani, whom he called a "communist lunatic."
The mayor-elect has said he believes Trump is a fascist.
 - Block party -
Mamdani's private swearing-in to start his four-year term was performed by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who successfully prosecuted Trump for fraud.
A larger, ceremonial inauguration is scheduled later Thursday with speeches from left-wing allies Senator Bernie Sanders and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Around 4,000 ticketed guests are expected to attend the event outside City Hall.
Mamdani's team has also organized a block party that it says will enable tens of thousands of people to watch the ceremony at streetside viewing areas along Broadway.
In a first for the city, Mamdani is using several Korans to be sworn in as mayor -- two from his family and one that belonged to Puerto Rico-born Black writer Arturo Schomburg, The New York Times reported.
The new job comes with a change of address as he swaps his rent-controlled apartment in the borough of Queens for the luxurious mayor's residence in Manhattan.
Some had wondered if he would move to the official mansion given his campaigning on affordability issues. Mamdani said he is doing so mainly for security reasons.
Born in Uganda to a family of Indian origin, Mamdani moved to New York at age seven and enjoyed an elite upbringing with only a relatively brief stint in politics, becoming a member of the New York State Assembly before being elected mayor.
Compensating for his inexperience, he is surrounding himself with seasoned aides recruited from past mayoral administrations and former US president Joe Biden's government.
Mamdani has also opened dialogue with business leaders, some of whom predicted a massive exodus of wealthy New Yorkers if he won. Real estate leaders have debunked those claims.
As a defender of Palestinian rights, he will have to reassure the Jewish community of his inclusive leadership.
Recently, one of his hires resigned after it was revealed she had posted antisemitic tweets years ago.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a peace deal with Russia is 90 percent ready, but warned unresolved issues and security guarantees are crucial to prevent future aggression.

We are '10 percent' away from peace, Zelensky tells Ukrainians

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said a peace deal with Russia is 90 percent ready, but warned unresolved issues and security guarantees are crucial to prevent future aggression.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday his country was "10 percent" away from a peace deal with Russia, but cautioned that the most important issues were still unsolved and that any agreement should not reward Moscow.
In his New Year's Eve address, the wartime president said his country wanted an end to the war but not at "any cost", and that any agreement needed strong security guarantees to deter Russia from invading again.
"The peace agreement is 90 percent ready. Ten percent remains. And that is far more than just numbers," Zelensky said in the address, posted on his Telegram account.
"Those are the 10 percent that will determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe," he added.
The United States has sought to craft a peace deal with input from both Moscow and Kyiv, but has failed to reach a breakthrough on the key issue of territory in a post-war settlement.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has been pushing for full control of Ukraine's eastern Donbas region as part of a deal, but Zelensky said in his address that he did not believe Russia would stop at the Donbas if Ukraine withdrew.
"'Pull out from the Donbas, and it will all be over.' That is how deception sounds when translated from Russian -- into Ukrainian, into English, into German, into French, and, in fact, into any language in the world," he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his New Year’s Eve address, said Moscow believes it will win the Ukraine war, urging citizens to support soldiers as the conflict nears four years.

Russia will win in Ukraine, Putin says in New Year address

Russian President Vladimir Putin, in his New Year&rsquo;s Eve address, said Moscow believes it will win the Ukraine war, urging citizens to support soldiers as the conflict nears four years.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said his country believed it would win in Ukraine, where Moscow has led an almost four-year offensive, in his New Year's Eve address on Wednesday.
Putin's traditional speech was first aired in the far-eastern Kamchatka peninsula -- the first Russian region to enter 2026.
He called on Russians to "support our heroes" fighting in Ukraine, saying: "We believe in you and our victory."
He wished a happy New Year to "fighters and commanders" in Ukraine and said: "Millions of people across Russia, trust me, are thinking of you."
The conflict in Ukraine has had a huge human cost -- with military deaths on both sides believed to be in the tens, or even hundreds, of thousands.
December 31 marks the 26th anniversary of Putin coming to power.
He became president of Russia on New Year's Eve 1999, when Boris Yeltsin stepped down.
The televised New Year's Eve speech, which continues a tradition started by Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev, is a holiday staple in Russia and watched in millions of households.
It is aired on state TV just before midnight in each of Russia's 11 time zones.

Russia released a video claiming Ukraine launched a drone at President Vladimir Putin’s residence, a charge Kyiv and the EU dismissed as fabricated and aimed at derailing peace talks.

Russia shows video of drone it says Ukraine fired at Putin residence

Russia released a video claiming Ukraine launched a drone at President Vladimir Putin&rsquo;s residence, a charge Kyiv and the EU dismissed as fabricated and aimed at derailing peace talks.

Russia's defence ministry published a video Wednesday of a downed drone that it said Ukraine launched at President Vladimir Putin's residence in northwest Russia this week -- a claim Kyiv has branded a "lie".
Moscow made the allegation shortly after Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelensky held talks with US President Donald Trump in Florida and Kyiv has called it a "fabrication" intended to "manipulate" the peace process.
The European Union also said the video was an attempt to "derail" peace efforts.
But Russia has called it a "terrorist attack" and a "personal attack" against Putin, saying it will toughen its negotiation stance in Ukraine war talks.
The video, shot at night in the dark, showed a damaged drone lying in snow in a forested area. The ministry said the alleged attack was "targeted, carefully planned and carried out in stages".
Russia has not said where Putin was at the time, claiming the attack was launched on the night of December 28-29 at Putin's home in the Novgorod region. His residences are normally kept a close secret.
The defence ministry said the attack started around 7:00 pm on December 28 and was a "mass" drone launch at Putin's residence, but said the longtime leader's home was not damaged.
It also published a video with a man it called a witness, saying he was a local villager from the settlement of Roshchino.
The US-based Institute for the Study of War (ISW), which documents the Ukraine-Russia conflict, said Tuesday it had not seen any "footage or reporting that typically follows Ukrainian deep strikes to corroborate the Kremlin's claims of Ukrainian strikes threatening Putin's residence in Novgorod Oblast".
Russian officials have rallied around Putin since the claim. The Russian leader, in power since December 1999, has told Russians in recent weeks that Moscow intends to seize the rest of Ukrainian land he has proclaimed as Russian by force if diplomacy fails.
"Kremlin officials are using the alleged Ukrainian strike against Novgorod Oblast to justify Russia's continued insistence that both Ukraine and the West capitulate to Russia's original demands from 2021 and 2022," the ISW said this week.

Revellers across the globe rang in 2026 with fireworks and reflection after a turbulent year marked by wars, climate extremes, political upheaval, and fragile hopes for peace.

World welcomes 2026 with fireworks after year of Trump and turmoil

Revellers across the globe rang in 2026 with fireworks and reflection after a turbulent year marked by wars, climate extremes, political upheaval, and fragile hopes for peace.

Revellers around the world toasted the start of 2026 on Thursday, bidding farewell to a volatile year when temperatures soared, US President Donald Trump upended global trade, and the brutal conflict in Ukraine raged on.
While a fragile truce took hold in devastated Gaza, violence in Sudan continued unabated. A new American pope was installed at the Vatican, the world lost pioneering zoologist Jane Goodall, and Labubu dolls sparked a worldwide frenzy.
In Sydney, partygoers paused for a minute of silence to remember the victims of the mass shooting on Bondi Beach before fireworks lit up the skies at the stroke of midnight.
Heavily armed police patrolled the shoreline, packed with hundreds of thousands of people, barely two weeks after 15 people were gunned down at a Jewish festival in Australia's deadliest mass shooting for almost 30 years.
The famed Sydney Harbour Bridge was bathed in white light to symbolise peace.
Pacific nations including Kiribati and New Zealand were the first to see in 2026, with Seoul and Tokyo following Sydney in celebrations that make their way around the globe with each passing hour.
In Hong Kong, a major New Year fireworks display was cancelled in homage to 161 people killed in a fire in November that engulfed several apartment blocks.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said his country was "10 percent" away from a deal to end the fighting, soon to reach the four-year mark.
Russia's Vladimir Putin meanwhile used his traditional New Year address to urge his compatriots to believe that Moscow would deliver a victory in Europe's deadliest conflict since World War II.
In the Ukrainian city of Vyshgorod, beauty salon manager Daria Lushchyk said the war had made her work "hell" but that her clients were still showing up.
"Nothing can stop our Ukrainian girls from coming in and getting themselves glam," Lushchyk said.
 - Tariffs and fragile truce -
This year has brought a mix of stress and excitement for many, war for others still -- and a daring jewel heist at the Louvre.
Pop megastar Taylor Swift got engaged to her American football player boyfriend Travis Kelce, and K-pop heartthrobs BTS made their long-awaited return.
Trump returned as US president in January, launching a tariff blitz that sent global trade and world stock markets into meltdown.
As he prepared to host a New Year's party at his lavish Florida home, the Republican president launched a broadside at Oscar-winning actor George Clooney.
After two years of war that left much of the Gaza Strip in ruins, pressure from Trump helped land a fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in October -- though both sides have accused each other of flagrant violations.
"We bid farewell to 2025 with deep sorrow and grief," said Gaza City resident Shireen Al-Kayali.
"We lost a lot of people and our possessions. We lived a difficult and harsh life, displaced from one city to another, under bombardment and in terror."
In contrast, there was optimism despite abiding internal challenges in Syria, where residents of the capital Damascus celebrated a full year since the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
"There is no fear, the people are happy, all of Syria is one and united, and God willing&hellip;it will be a good year for the people and the wise leadership," marketing manager Sahar al-Said, 33, told AFP as bells rang in Damascus.
In Dubai, thousands of revellers queued for up to nine hours for a spectacular fireworks and laser display at the Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest building.
Revellers popped champagne near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, Bulgaria adopted the euro, and huge crowds danced at Edinburgh's Hogmanay street party.
More than 2.5 million people were expected to pack Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Beach for what authorities have called the world's biggest New Year's Eve party.
Crowds packed the city's expansive coastline for concerts and fireworks, mostly dressed in white, a tradition related to Iemanja, the goddess of the sea in Afro-Brazilian faiths.
In the US capital, the Washington Monument will be lit up to kick off America's 250th birthday celebration year.
And in New York, thousands gathered in freezing temperatures amid tight security for the traditional ball drop in Times Square.
 - Sports, space and AI -
The coming 12 months promise to be full of sports, space and questions over artificial intelligence.
Athletes will gather in Italy in February for the Winter Olympics.
And for a few weeks in June and July, 48 nations will compete in the biggest football World Cup in history in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
NASA is planning a crewed mission to circle the moon during a 10-day flight, more than 50 years since the last Apollo lunar mission.
And after years of unbridled enthusiasm, AI is facing scrutiny, and nervous investors are questioning whether the boom might now resemble a market bubble.

Millions joined funeral prayers for Bangladesh’s three-time PM Khaleda Zia on Manik Mia Avenue in Dhaka. She will be laid to rest beside her husband with full state honours.

Khaleda Zia's funeral prayer held in Bangladesh amid tight security

Millions joined funeral prayers for Bangladesh&rsquo;s three-time PM Khaleda Zia on Manik Mia Avenue in Dhaka. She will be laid to rest beside her husband with full state honours.

Bangladesh's former prime minister Khaleda Zia's funeral prayers were held on Wednesday amid tight security.
The funeral prayer (namaz-e-janaza) was held at the Manik Mia Avenue on Wednesday afternoon.
Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Khatib Mufti Mohammad Abdul Malek conducted the funeral prayers while Bangladesh Nationalist Party's Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan read out a brief biography of Zia.
Zia, who dominated Bangladesh's politics for decades, died on Tuesday in Dhaka.
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury, and Khaleda Zia's son and BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman joined the funeral prayers along with foreign dignitaries, advisers of the interim government, leaders of different political parties and senior government and military officials.
"Please pray to Allah seeking her place in heaven," Zia&rsquo;s elder son, Rahman, told the crowd ahead of the prayers.
Millions of people joined namaz-e-janaza of Zia, three-time Prime Minister and political icon of Bangladesh.
Mourners from all walks of life offered prayers seeking forgiveness for the departed soul of Zia as they burst into tears, being emotional with the passing of their beloved leader.
The national flag-draped coffin of Zia was placed at the west end of Manik Mia Avenue.
After the funeral prayers, Zia will be laid to eternal rest beside her husband, Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman's grave in the city with state honour while the general public will not be allowed during the burial as there will be an elaborate state funeral ceremony.
Zia&rsquo;s appearance as a public figure in the political arena at the age of 35 was not a planned debut; rather, she was thrust into politics after the 1981 assassination of her husband, a military ruler turned politician who founded BNP in 1978.
But she broke through a male-dominated political landscape and transformed into one of the region&rsquo;s most formidable leaders, though as a housewife she was a reserved presence alongside her famous husband.
She took up Rahman&rsquo;s mantle, steadily learnt the art of politics and leadership and gained a nationwide following with her uncompromising stance against the military dictatorship, maintaining her widely acknowledged kindheartedness.

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India's Tests Pinaka Rocket System: Specs, Range, Capabilities And More

India's Tests Pinaka Rocket System: Specs, Range, Capabilities And More

Former President Donald Trump said the United States is “locked and loaded” to act if Iran violently targets peaceful protesters, as demonstrations over high living costs turn deadly.

Trump says US will 'come to their rescue' if Iran kills protesters

Former President Donald Trump said the United States is &ldquo;locked and loaded&rdquo; to act if Iran violently targets peaceful protesters, as demonstrations over high living costs turn deadly.

President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States is "locked and loaded" to respond if Iran kills protesters, after cost-of-living demonstrations in the country turned deadly.
Protesters and security forces clashed in several Iranian cities Thursday with six reported killed in the first deaths since the unrest escalated.
Shopkeepers in the capital Tehran went on strike Sunday over high prices and economic stagnation, actions that have since spread to other parts of the country.
Trump said on his Truth Social platform that "if Iran shots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue."
<iframe class="truthsocial-embed" style="max-width: 100%; border: 0;" src="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/115824439366264186/embed" width="600" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
 "We are locked and loaded and ready to go," the Republican leader added.
Iran's Fars news agency reported Thursday that two people were killed in clashes between security forces and protesters in the city of Lordegan, in the province of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari, and three in Azna, in neighbouring Lorestan province.
State television reported earlier that a member of Iran's security forces was killed overnight during protests in the western city of Kouhdasht.
The demonstrations are smaller than the last major incident in 2022, triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, who was arrested for allegedly violating Iran's strict dress code for women.
Her death sparked a nationwide wave of anger that left several hundred people dead including dozens of members of the security forces.

Indian-origin Zohran Mamdani, New York’s first South Asian and Muslim mayor, takes oath, pledges an agenda of affordability, safety, and unity, thanking family from “Kampala to Delhi.”

Zohran Mamdani Becomes New York City’s 112th Mayor

Indian-origin Zohran Mamdani, New York&rsquo;s first South Asian and Muslim mayor, takes oath, pledges an agenda of affordability, safety, and unity, thanking family from &ldquo;Kampala to Delhi.&rdquo;

Indian-origin politician Zohran Mamdani vowed to govern &ldquo;expansively and audaciously&rdquo; and deliver an agenda of affordability for New Yorkers as he thanked his family from &ldquo;Kampala to Delhi&rdquo; after being sworn-in as the 112th Mayor of New York City.
Mamdani was administered the oath of office by Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont at a ceremonial inauguration outside City Hall on Thursday, the seat of New York City government, on New Year&rsquo;s day.
He was formally sworn-in as New York City&rsquo;s 112th Mayor by New York Attorney General Letitia James at a private ceremony held at the turn of the new year on December 31 in an old subway station here.
He became the first South Asian and Muslim elected to helm the largest city in the US.
In his nearly 25 minute speech to New Yorkers after taking the oath of office Thursday, Mamdani said that &ldquo;beginning today, we will govern expansively and audaciously. We may not always succeed. But never will we be accused of lacking the courage to try.&rdquo;
He vowed that under his administration, City Hall will &ldquo;deliver an agenda of safety, affordability, and abundance, where government looks and lives like the people it represents, never flinches in the fight against corporate greed, and refuses to cower before challenges that others have deemed too complicated.&rdquo;
Indian-descent Mamdani is the son of renowned filmmaker Mira Nair and Columbia University professor Mahmood Mamdani. He was born and raised in Kampala, Uganda and moved to New York City with his family when he was 7. Mamdani became a naturalized US citizen only recently in 2018.
Mamdani thanked his parents, who were present for the swearing-in ceremony, as well as his wife Rama Duwaji for their support. He also expressed gratitude to his family from Uganda to India.
&ldquo;Thank you to my parents, Mama and Baba, for raising me, for teaching me how to be in this world, and for having brought me to this city. Thank you to my family, from Kampala to Delhi. And thank you to my wife, Rama, for being my best friend, and for always showing me the beauty in everyday things,&rdquo; he said.
Thousands of Mamdani&rsquo;s supporters, from youth to the elderly, braved freezing temperatures on January 1 and stood for hours outside and near City Hall, cheering him and celebrating his victory and inauguration at a block party organized on the occasion. They said the New Year was ushering in an era of hope and promise as the new Mamdani administration begins its term in the city.
The supporters wore merchandise such as pins, hats and T-shirts emblazoned with Mamdani&rsquo;s name and images.
Mamdani also sounded a note of unity as he addressed the eight and a half million New Yorkers, saying together, they will tell a new story of the city.
"This will not be a tale of one city, governed only by the one percent. Nor will it be a tale of two cities, the rich versus the poor. It will be a tale of eight and a half million cities, each of them a New Yorker with hopes and fears, each a universe, each of them woven together."
"The authors of this story will speak Pashto and Mandarin, Yiddish and Creole. They will pray in mosques, at shul, at church, at Gurdwaras and Mandirs and temples. And many will not pray at all.&rdquo;
"Few of these eight and a half million will fit into neat and easy boxes. Some will be voters from Hillside Avenue or Fordham Road who supported President Trump a year before they voted for me, tired of being failed by their party&rsquo;s establishment," Mamdani said.
"The majority will not use the language that we often expect from those who wield influence. I welcome the change. For too long, those fluent in the good grammar of civility have deployed decorum to mask agendas of cruelty,&rdquo; he said.
This was the only reference to Trump that he made in his entire speech.
Mamdani had registered a decisive and historic win at the polls in November as he defeated Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa and political heavyweight former New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent candidate and received US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s endorsement only on the eve of the election.
In a fiery victory speech, Mamdani had challenged Trump on immigration, heralded the toppling of "political dynasty&rdquo; and said his election symbolises &ldquo;hope&rdquo; over tyranny and "big money&rdquo; as he cited former Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru to assert that the city has stepped out from the &ldquo;old into the new.&rdquo;
Mamdani had invoked Nehru as he spoke about ushering in a new era in New York City politics.
&ldquo;Standing before you, I think of the words of Jawaharlal Nehru: &ldquo;A moment comes, but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance&rdquo;.&rdquo;
"Tonight we have stepped out from the old into the new. So let us speak now, with clarity and conviction that cannot be misunderstood, about what this new age will deliver, and for whom,&rdquo; he had said.

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani sent a note to activist Umar Khalid, emphasizing resilience against bitterness, while US lawmakers urge India to grant Khalid bail and ensure a fair, timely trial.

NYC Mayor's Heartfelt Note to Activist Umar Khalid

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani sent a note to activist Umar Khalid, emphasizing resilience against bitterness, while US lawmakers urge India to grant Khalid bail and ensure a fair, timely trial.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has written a note for activist Umar Khalid, recalling his words on &ldquo;bitterness&rdquo; and the importance of not letting it consume one's self.
The note was posted on X by Khalid&rsquo;s partner Banojyotsna Lahiri. &ldquo;When prisons try to isolate, words travel. Zohran Mamdani writes to Umar Khalid,&rdquo; the caption accompanying the note said.
&ldquo;Dear Umar, I think of your words on bitterness often, and the importance of not letting it consume one's self. It was a pleasure to meet your parents. We are all thinking of you,&rdquo; the handwritten note signed by Mamdani said.
&lt;blockquote class="twitter-tweet"&gt;&lt;p lang="und" dir="ltr"&gt;Zohran Mamdani writes to Umar Khalid. &lt;br&gt;December 2025. &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FreeUmarKhalid?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#FreeUmarKhalid&lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FreeAllPoliticalPrisoners?src=hash&amp;amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;#FreeAllPoliticalPrisoners&lt;/a&gt; &lt;a href="https://t.co/QTYe06cRp5"&gt;pic.twitter.com/QTYe06cRp5&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&amp;mdash; banojyotsna ... (@banojyotsna) &lt;a href="https://twitter.com/banojyotsna/status/2006687046627451068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw"&gt;January 1, 2026&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/blockquote&gt; &lt;script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"&gt;&lt;/script&gt;
Khalid and few others have been booked under the stringent anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) and provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for allegedly being the "masterminds" of the February 2020 Delhi riots, which left 53 people dead and more than 700 injured.
Meanwhile, a group of US lawmakers has written to Indian Ambassador to the US Vinay Kwatra urging that Khalid be granted bail and a &ldquo;fair, timely trial in accordance with international law.&rdquo; US Representatives Jim McGovern and Jamie Raskin are among eight lawmakers who wrote to Kwatra expressing &ldquo;our continued concern regarding the prolonged pre-trial detention of individuals charged in connection with the February 2020 violence in Delhi,&rdquo; including Khalid.
&ldquo;The US and India share a long standing strategic partnership that has historically been rooted in democratic values, constitutional governance and strong people-to-people ties,&rdquo; the letter said adding that as the world's largest democracies, both nations have an interest in protecting and upholding freedom, the rule of law, human rights and pluralism.
&ldquo;It is in this spirit&rdquo; that the lawmakers said they are raising their concerns regarding Khalid&rsquo;s detention.
The lawmakers claimed that human rights organisations, legal experts and global media have raised questions about the fairness of the investigation and legal process related to Khalid&rsquo;s detention.
He "has been detained without bail for five years for charges levied under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, which independent human rights experts have warned may contravene international standards of equality before the law, due process and proportionality.&rdquo;
The US Representatives further added that they understand that these matters are presently under consideration before the Supreme Court of India and welcomed the news that Khalid received temporary bail to attend his sister's wedding.
They urged that Khalid be granted bail and released for the duration of the court's proceedings. &ldquo;With respect for India's democratic institutions and its role as a key partner of the US, we request that your Government share the steps being taken to ensure that the judicial proceedings against Khalid and those of his co-accused who remain in detention comport with international standards,&rdquo; the lawmakers said.

A New Year’s fire at a crowded bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, killed at least 47 people and injured over 100 as panicked revellers tried to escape. Authorities are investigating the cause.

Around 40 killed as fire ravages Swiss ski resort New Year party

A New Year&rsquo;s fire at a crowded bar in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, killed at least 47 people and injured over 100 as panicked revellers tried to escape. Authorities are investigating the cause.

Dozens were killed and over 100 injured when a fire ripped through a crowded bar in the luxury Swiss ski resort town of Crans-Montana early Thursday as young revellers rang in the New Year.
Horrified bystanders described "panic" as people tried to break the windows of the bar to escape, and others, covered in burns, poured into the street.
Police, firefighters and rescuers rushed to the popular resort, which is set to host the Ski World Cup from January 30, after the fire broke out in the early hours of New Year's Day.
Frederic Gisler, police commander in the Wallis canton in southwestern Switzerland, told reporters that authorities had counted "around 40 people who have died and around 115 injured, most of them seriously".
Gian Lorenzo Cornado, Italy's ambassador to Switzerland, later told AFP in Wallis that the death toll had risen to 47, but Swiss police said they could not confirm a specific number.
This was "one of the worst tragedies that our country has experienced", Guy Parmelin, who took over the Swiss presidency on Thursday, told reporters.
"It constitutes a calamity of unprecedented, terrifying proportions," he said, announcing that flags would be flown at half mast for five days.
 - 'No news' -
Thursday evening, around 400 people gathered for a church service in Crans-Montana to honour the victims, and later hundreds more gathered silently in the icy night to lay flowers and light candles near the site of the tragedy.
"There are dead and injured, and we have someone close to us who is still missing. We have no news of them," one of the women, who did not want to be identified, told AFP before laying down a bouquet.
A tourist from New York, who filmed bright orange flames pouring from the bar, told AFP he saw people running and screaming.
Alexis Lagger, an 18-year-old, had been walking with a group of friends past Le Constellation bar, a spot popular with young people and tourists, when they noticed smoke and flames emerging from the venue and called the police.
"People were running through the flames. People were using chairs to try to break the windows," he told Swiss public broadcaster RTS.
Authorities said they were still investigating the causes of the fire, which erupted shortly before 1:30 am (0030 GMT), but said they did not believe it had been triggered by an "attack".
Early reports had suggested a large explosion might have caused the fire at Le Constellation, which has a capacity of 300 people, plus another 40 people on its terrace, according to the Crans-Montana website.
But Wallis's chief prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud said the initial investigation indicated that it was "the fire that caused the explosion", and not the other way around.
Several witness accounts, broadcast by various media, meanwhile seemed to point to sparklers mounted on top of champagne bottles and held aloft by restaurant staff as part of a regular "show" put on for patrons.
There were "waitresses with champagne bottles and little sparklers. They got too close to the ceiling, and suddenly it all caught fire," Axel, a witness present at the time of the incident, told the Italian media outlet Local Team.
 - Rush to identify victims -
The emergency units at Wallis hospitals quickly filled up, and many of the injured were transported across Switzerland and neighbouring countries.
More than 30 victims were taken to hospitals with specialised burns units in Zurich and Lausanne, and six were taken to Geneva, Switzerland's Keystone-ATS news agency reported.
The European Union said it has been in contact with Swiss authorities about providing medical assistance, while French President Emmanuel Macron said some of the injured were already being cared for in French hospitals.
Swiss authorities said they were racing to identify the victims, but warned the process "could take several days, even weeks".
"Given the international nature of the Crans resort, we can expect foreign nationals to be among the victims," Gisler said.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani told Italian broadcaster Rete 4 that around 15 Italians had been injured in the fire, and a similar number remained missing.
The French foreign ministry said nine French citizens figured among the injured, and eight others remained unaccounted for.
People searching for their loved ones were being directed to a convention centre for assistance.
"My son is nowhere to be found," one tearful mother told the 24 Heures daily.
"Nobody knows where he is."

Seasonal heavy rains and snowfall triggered flash floods in Afghanistan, killing at least 17 people, injuring 11, and affecting 1,800 families, as authorities assess widespread damage.

Flash floods triggered by heavy rains in Afghanistan kill at least 17 people

Seasonal heavy rains and snowfall triggered flash floods in Afghanistan, killing at least 17 people, injuring 11, and affecting 1,800 families, as authorities assess widespread damage.

The season's first heavy rains and snowfall ended a prolonged dry spell but triggered flash floods in several areas of Afghanistan, killing at least 17 people and injuring 11 others, a spokesman for Afghanistan's national disaster management authority said Thursday.
The dead included five members of a family in a property where the roof collapsed on Thursday in Kabkan, a district in the Herat province, according to Mohammad Yousaf Saeedi, spokesman for the Herat governor. Two of the victims were children.
Most of the casualties have occurred since Monday in districts hit by flooding, and the severe weather also disrupted daily life across central, northern, southern, and western regions, according to Mohammad Yousaf Hammad, a spokesman for Afghanistan's National Disaster Management Authority.
Hammad said the floods also damaged infrastructure in the affected districts, killed livestock, and affected 1,800 families, worsening conditions in already vulnerable urban and rural communities.
Hammad said the agency has sent assessment teams to the worst-affected areas, with surveys ongoing to determine further needs.
Afghanistan, like neighboring Pakistan and India, is highly vulnerable to extreme weather events, particularly flash floods following seasonal rains.
Decades of conflict, poor infrastructure, deforestation, and the intensifying effects of climate change have amplified the impact of such disasters, especially in remote areas where many homes are made of mud and offer limited protection against sudden deluges.
The United Nations and other aid agencies this week warned that Afghanistan is expected to remain one of the world's largest humanitarian crises in 2026. The UN and its humanitarian partners launched a $1.7 billion appeal on Tuesday to assist nearly 18 million people in urgent need in the country.

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