• Thousands gather in Dhaka to bid farewell to Khaleda Zia.
• Flags at half-mast as Bangladesh honours ex-PM Khaleda Zia.
• Muhammad Yunus says Bangladesh had “lost a great guardian”.
  

Bangladesh bid farewell on Wednesday to former prime minister Khaleda Zia in a state funeral that drew vast crowds mourning a towering leader whose career defined the country´s politics for decades.

Zia, the first woman to serve as prime minister in the South Asian nation of 170 million people, died on Tuesday, aged 80.

Flags were flown at half-mast, and thousands of security officers lined roads as her body was carried through the streets of the capital Dhaka by a vehicle in the colours of the national flag.

A sea of mourners gathered outside parliament and packed streets leading to it, many waving national flags as well as those of her Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), before prayers held over her coffin.

National Assembly (NA) Speaker Ayaz Sadiq also reached Dhaka to attend the funeral prayer of the former Bangladeshi prime minister.

Retired government official Minhaz Uddin, 70, said he had never voted for her, but came to honour the three-time prime minister.

“I came here with my grandson, just to say goodbye to a veteran politician whose contributions will always be remembered,” he said, watching from behind a barbed wire barricade as her body passed by.

“Khaleda Zia has been an inspiration,” mourner Sharmina Siraj told AFP, adding that “it is difficult to imagine women in leadership positions anytime soon”.

The 40-year-old mother of two said stipends introduced by Zia to support girls’ education “had a huge impact on the lives of our girls”.

‘Legacy lives on’

Despite years of ill health and imprisonment, Zia had vowed to campaign in elections set for February 12 — the first vote since a mass uprising toppled her arch-rival Sheikh Hasina last year.

Zia’s Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is widely seen as a frontrunner, and her son Tarique Rahman, 60, who returned only last week after 17 years in exile, is seen as a potential prime minister if they win a majority.

“She is no more, but her legacy lives on — and so does the BNP,” said Jenny Parvez, 37, who travelled for several hours with her family to watch the funeral cortege pass her on the street.

The interim government, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, declared three days of national mourning and an elaborate state funeral.

Large crowds gathered outside parliament — many waving national or BNP flags — where her coffin is expected around 2:00pm (0800 GMT), and when prayers will begin.

Yunus said Bangladesh had “lost a great guardian”.

Zia’s body will be interred alongside her late husband, Ziaur Rahman, who was assassinated in 1981 during his time as president.

‘Unbreakable’ 

Tarique Rahman said in a statement that “the country mourns the loss of a guiding presence that shaped its democratic aspirations”.

His mother, he added, “endured repeated arrests, denial of medical care, and relentless persecution”, but that “her resilience… was unbreakable.”

Suffering from a raft of health issues, Zia was rushed to hospital in late November, where her condition had gradually deteriorated despite treatment.

Nevertheless, hours before her death, party workers had on Monday submitted nomination papers on her behalf for three constituencies for next year´s polls.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he hoped Zia’s “vision and legacy will continue to guide our partnership”, a warm message despite the strained relations between New Delhi and Dhaka since Hasina’s fall.

Hasina, 78, sentenced to death in absentia in November for crimes against humanity, remains in hiding in her old ally India.

Zia was jailed for corruption in 2018 under Hasina´s government, which also blocked her from travelling abroad for medical treatment.

Zia was released last year, shortly after Hasina was forced from power.

“I pray for the eternal peace and forgiveness of Begum Khaleda Zia´s soul,” Hasina said, in a statement shared on social media by her now-banned Awami

PARIS: Central Asia, the Sahel region, and northern Europe experienced their hottest year on record in 2025, according to AFP analysis based on data from the European Copernicus programme.

Globally, the last 12 months are expected to be the third hottest ever recorded after 2024 and 2023, according to the provisional data, which will be confirmed by Copernicus in its annual report in early January.

But the average, which includes land and oceans, masks the overall records for certain parts of the world.

Many poorer nations do not publish detailed climate data, so AFP has completed the global picture by independently analysing Copernicus data from climate models, measurements from about 20 satellites, and weather stations.

The data spans the whole world, hour by hour, since 1970.

Here is what the detailed analysis revealed for 2025, during which 120 monthly temperature records were broken in more than 70 countries.

Records shattered in Central Asia

Every country in Central Asia broke its annual temperature records.

Landlocked, mountainous Tajikistan, where only 41% of the population has access to safe drinking water, saw the highest abnormal temperatures in the world, at more than 3C above its seasonal averages from 1981 to 2010.

Monthly temperature records have been broken every month since May, with the exception of November.

Neighbouring countries such as Kazakhstan, Iran and Uzbekistan experienced temperatures 2C to 3C above the seasonal average.

Up to 1.5C hotter in Sahel

Temperature records were beaten in several countries in the Sahel and west Africa.

Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, and Chad saw a rare divergence in temperatures, notching 0.7C to 1.5C above their seasonal average.

The last 12 months were the hottest ever recorded in Nigeria, and one of the fourth hottest in other countries.

Scientists from the World Weather Attribution (WWA) network, who assess the role of human-induced climate change in extreme weather events, wrote in their annual report published on Monday that extreme heat events “have become almost 10 times more likely since 2015”.

Countries in the Sahel — the semi-arid region of west and north-central Africa stretching from Senegal to Sudan — are among the most vulnerable to rising temperatures, with many already facing armed conflict, food insecurity and widespread poverty.

Scorching summer in Europe

Around 10 European countries are on the verge of, or coming close to, breaking their annual temperature record, notably due to an exceptional summer.

In Switzerland and several Balkan countries, summer temperatures were 2C and even 3C above their seasonal average.

Spain, Portugal, and Britain also recorded their worst summer on record, with extreme heat fuelling massive wildfires.

The driest spring in more than a century led to a UK water shortage.

Northern Europe was largely spared the heatwave that hit Europe at the end of June, but it instead experienced an abnormally warm autumn.

The last 12 months are expected to be one of the two warmest years on record in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland.

DUBAI: Millions of visitors are expected to flock to Dubai for the New Year celebrations in 2026.

Authorities are preparing for a large-scale security operation, ensuring the safety of residents and tourists alike during the festivities.

In anticipation of the crowds, Dubai will deploy 10,000 police officers across the emirate, according to a statement from the Dubai Police. In addition, more than 1,700 firefighters will be stationed to handle any emergencies that may arise during the New Year celebrations.

Dubai has planned an impressive spectacle with 48 fireworks displays at 40 key locations. As part of the security arrangements, 9,884 officers from Dubai Police will be present, along with 1,625 modern patrol vehicles, to monitor the celebrations.

Dubai’s famous landmarks, such as the Burj Al Arab, Palm Jumeirah, and Marina, will be visible from tourist boats and cruise ships, where many will enjoy fireworks displays on the water. To ensure marine safety, 53 marine boats will be deployed in case of emergencies.

The city has been divided into four operational sectors, and Dubai Police will coordinate closely with 55 government and private organisations to ensure a smooth operation. The Dubai Civil Defence has already completed inspections of 306 critical facilities, while 156 specialised firefighting vehicles and 12 marine fire boats will be on standby.

In preparation for the large crowds, several main roads in Dubai will be closed to traffic from 4pm  on December 31 until 11pm. Sheikh Zayed Road and other key routes near the Burj Khalifa, such as Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, will be among those affected. The closures are expected to ease congestion and ensure safe movement for pedestrians.

In 2024, over 2.5 million people used public transport in Dubai to attend the New Year’s celebrations, and authorities are expecting similar numbers this year. 

Dubai’s public transport network will be closely monitored to ensure the smooth movement of passengers.

For the first time, the iconic Dubai Frame will host a spectacular drone show, along with a fireworks display to mark the start of 2026. With such large-scale celebrations, the authorities are leaving no stone unturned to ensure the safety and security of all involved.

With meticulous planning and coordination, Dubai is set to ring in the New Year with vibrant celebrations while prioritising the safety and security of its residents and visitors.