US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he held a “very productive” phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The call took place about an hour before Trump was due to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Florida. Trump shared the update on his Truth Social account and said the meeting with Zelensky would be held at his Mar-a-Lago residence. The talks are aimed at pushing forward efforts to end the war in Ukraine. The call came a day after Russia launched heavy missile and drone attacks on Kyiv and other areas, disrupting power and heating supplies in parts of the capital. (PC: India Today)

Bangladesh police have again claimed that two suspects in the killing of radical leader Sharif Osman Hadi crossed into India after the attack. A senior officer in Dhaka said the men entered Meghalaya through the Haluaghat border with local help. Hadi was shot during an election event in Dhaka on December 12 and died in Singapore six days later. India has rejected the charge. The Ministry of External Affairs said last week that it had no link to the crime and would not allow its land to be used against Bangladesh. It also urged the interim government to ensure law and order ahead of elections due on February 12. (PC: NDTV)

US President Donald Trump on Sunday said Thailand and Cambodia have agreed to stop fighting after weeks of border clashes. In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the ceasefire would take effect immediately under a previous treaty. He praised the leaders of both countries and claimed the United States had helped settle eight global conflicts in the past months. Trump added that the US had become “the real United Nations”. More than 47 people were killed and over one million were displaced in the fighting, officials said. Under the deal, both sides will freeze troop moves and allow civilians to return. Senior diplomats later met in China for talks. (PC: HT)

Three people have died in Sweden after Storm Johannes hit parts of the Nordic region with strong winds and heavy snow. A man in his 50s was killed by a falling tree at Kungsberget ski resort. A utility worker also died in the north while on duty. Police said a man in his 60s later died in hospital after being hit by a tree in Hofors. The storm caused wide power cuts and travel delays. Over 40,000 homes in Sweden lost power. Norway’s Nordland region reported more than 200 weather calls and about 23,000 homes without power. In Finland, over 60,000 homes were affected.

Bangladesh has rejected India’s concern over what New Delhi called “unremitting hostilities” against minorities. Dhaka said the remarks did not reflect reality and described recent incidents as isolated criminal acts. The response came after India condemned the lynching of Hindu youth Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh on December 18. Bangladesh’s foreign ministry said portraying the killing as a minority issue was misleading and claimed such cases were being used in India to fuel anti-Bangladesh views. India’s Ministry of External Affairs said more than 2,900 attacks on minorities, including killings, arson and land grabs, were reported since the interim government took charge after Sheikh Hasina’s resignation.

Ten Indian youths who went abroad for work and later joined the Russian army amid the Russia-Ukraine war have been confirmed dead, with four more missing, according to documents presented to Indian officials. Three of the deceased were from Punjab, and the rest were from Uttar Pradesh and Jammu. A man named Jagdeep Singh travelled to Moscow trying to locate them and submitted proof to Rajya Sabha MP Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal, who is helping families seek the repatriation of bodies and urging action against deceptive recruitment agents. Families had long awaited news of their loved ones. 

Bangladesh has rejected India’s allegations of widespread persecution of Hindus, calling recent attacks “isolated criminal acts” and not indicative of systemic discrimination. The Foreign Ministry in Dhaka said India’s statements were inaccurate and exaggerated, arguing that some incidents were being selectively amplified to fuel anti-Bangladesh sentiment and harm bilateral ties. New Delhi had raised concerns over violence against minority communities, including the lynching of Hindu worker Dipu Chandra Das, urging justice and better protection. Bangladesh insisted it remained committed to communal harmony and urged restraint in spreading misleading narratives. (PC: India Today)

Executions in Iran more than doubled in 2025 compared with last year, according to a Norwegian-based rights group. Iran Human Rights told the BBC it verified at least 1,500 executions by early December. In 2024, it recorded 975 cases. The true number may be higher because Iranian authorities do not publish full data. The group said most of those executed were convicted of murder or drug offences. The share has stayed near 99%. Activists say the state raises executions when it feels pressure. They point to the surge after protests in 2022 and another rise after Iran’s June conflict with Israel and setbacks to its allies. (PC: BBC)

Hundreds of Indian students at a university in Berlin are facing visa problems just months before graduation. The issue began after local authorities questioned whether the school’s hybrid courses meet study visa rules. Many students say the university had earlier assured them that the course format was valid. They are now stuck between the institution and immigration offices, with some told they could be asked to leave Germany. Students fear losing years of study and large fees already paid. Education groups say the case shows gaps in how Germany handles foreign students and course approvals. Officials have not given a clear timeline for resolving the matter, leaving students uncertain about their future.

Elon Musk criticised Canada’s public health system after a 44-year-old Indian-origin man died while waiting for treatment at a hospital in Edmonton. Prashant Sreekumar was taken to Grey Nuns Community Hospital on December 22 with chest pain, his family said. He remained in the waiting area for over eight hours and was given pain medicine despite rising blood pressure. When he was finally moved for treatment, he collapsed and could not be revived. His wife later shared a video describing the delay. Responding on X, Musk compared government run healthcare to the US motor vehicle department. India’s Ministry of External Affairs has urged Canada to take responsibility in the case. (PC: NDTV)