Iran warns of retaliation if the United States strikes, as Protest Death Toll Nears 2,600 Amid Brutal Crackdown

The death toll from widespread protests in Iran has soared to nearly 2,600, according to a U.S.-based rights monitoring organization, highlighting one of the deadliest periods of civil unrest in the country’s recent history. Activists and international observers have described the scale of violence as unprecedented since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with the government’s response drawing intense domestic anger and global scrutiny.

The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), a U.S.-based monitoring group, said it has verified at least 2,403 deaths among protestors and 147 fatalities linked to government affiliates. Additionally, at least 12 people under the age of 18 and nine civilians not engaged in protests have been reported killed. More than 18,100 individuals have been detained during clashes with security forces across the country.

Iran’s clerical leadership disputes those figures. An Iranian official acknowledged that about 2,000 people had died but maintained that many of those were casualties of what the government labels as “terrorist operatives,” rather than direct actions by its security apparatus. The Iranian authorities have not released a comprehensive official tally since the unrest began in late December.

Missile Attack on Kharkiv Kills Two, Including a Child, Ahead of Peace Talks

A Russian missile strike on Kharkiv has killed two people, including a three-year-old child, and injured around 28 others. The attack targeted a multi-storey residential building, which was largely destroyed, prompting widespread condemnation from Ukrainian officials.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky described the strike as "heinous" and emphasized that civilians continue to bear the brunt of aggression despite ongoing diplomatic efforts.

The attack comes just ahead of high-level talks on a US-brokered peace plan in Kyiv, where representatives from approximately 15 countries, the EU, and NATO are expected to participate, with a US delegation joining via video link. Further coalition discussions are planned in France on 6 January.

Regional authorities reported that the victims may have been a mother and her child. Sixteen of the injured, including a six-month-old baby, were hospitalized, while more than 80 volunteers assisted in ongoing search and rescue operations.

The Russian Defence Ministry denied responsibility, claiming its forces had not conducted strikes in Kharkiv and suggesting the blast may have been caused by ammunition detonation. Russia also alleged that the incident was being used to divert attention from a recent attack in the southern Kherson region.

Ukrainian authorities stressed that all military actions are carried out in compliance with international humanitarian law, targeting only military objectives. The incident has intensified concerns about the vulnerability of civilians in contested regions and the challenges facing diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire.

Bangladesh Mourns Death of Khaleda Zia, Nation's First Female Prime Minister

Bangladesh is in deep mourning following the death of Khaleda Zia, the country’s first female prime minister and a towering figure in its modern political history. She passed away on Tuesday at the age of 80, after battling multiple chronic illnesses, her political party, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), confirmed. Zia’s death marks the end of a political career that spanned more than three decades, defined by historic achievements, fierce rivalries, and moments of intense national controversy.

Zia had suffered from a combination of serious health conditions, including advanced liver cirrhosis, arthritis, diabetes, and recurring heart and chest complications. Her deteriorating health had necessitated extended treatment both at home in Dhaka and abroad, including a four-month stay in London earlier this year before she returned to Bangladesh. Her prolonged illness had limited her direct involvement in politics in recent years, but she remained a symbolic leader for millions of supporters.

Khaleda Zia’s rise to the premiership was extraordinary in both national and regional terms. She first became Bangladesh’s prime minister in 1991, following a landmark election that restored parliamentary democracy after years of military and autocratic rule. Her ascent represented not only a political milestone but also a social one: she became one of the earliest women in a Muslim-majority country to hold the office of prime minister.

Her political career was closely linked with her late husband, Ziaur Rahman, a former army officer who became president of Bangladesh before being assassinated in 1981. She assumed leadership of the BNP, the party founded by her husband, and successfully transformed it into a dominant force in national politics. Her leadership style combined political pragmatism with a strong populist appeal, often emphasizing nationalism, economic development, and social welfare policies.

During her first tenure, Zia helped oversee Bangladesh’s transition from a presidential system to a parliamentary democracy. Her government prioritized administrative reforms, educational expansion, and early economic liberalization policies, while simultaneously navigating the complex dynamics of a nation still recovering from the trauma of independence and political unrest.