9th January 2016: Syria truce under strain; Assad ready to discuss 'everything' at talks. A Syrian truce brokered by Russia and Turkey was under growing strain on Monday as rebels vowed to respond to government violations and President Bashar al-Assad said the army would retake an important rebel-held area near Damascus.

According to the author of a new Danish book, the wealth and power is growing among a few upper-class families. This is happening without notice because the families are closing in on themselves and live by “a rule of silence”, creating what the author calls a “democratic problem”.

Headlines: Australia:Secret Party Vowing to Reduce Islam Soars in Popularity Russia Hacking Claims: Trump says No Effect on Election America: 'Indus Waters Treaty Made Peaceful Cooperation Possible between India, Pakistan'

On 28 December, 2016, district council elections were held in Bangladesh. 61 districts were scheduled to go to polls which were boycotted by major opposition political parties. Candidates were from ruling party Awami League only, even though contestants of 2 districts had been elected unopposed,