The Delhi High Court has dismissed a petition that sought to ban Bangladesh from international cricket. The case was heard by a division bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Kariar, who questioned the maintainability of the petition. The judges stated that the reliefs sought involved matters of foreign policy and international relations, which fall under the executive branch’s jurisdiction. The bench observed that entertaining such petitions would amount to wasting judicial time.

During the hearing, India’s Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared on behalf of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). He informed the court that the petition had included foreign cricket boards without any legal basis. Following the court’s objections, the petitioner requested to withdraw the case, which the court allowed.

The ruling came amid heightened diplomatic tensions between India and Bangladesh that have extended into the cricketing sphere, though the court made clear that such issues lie outside its authority.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has warned that Iran will respond with maximum force if attacked by the United States. The warning came in an opinion column published Tuesday in The Wall Street Journal, as reported by Al Jazeera. Araghchi emphasized that Iran’s armed forces would not hesitate to retaliate with all available means if faced with a new assault, referencing last June’s Israeli attack on Iran.

The statement followed remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump, who said he had already ordered Iran’s destruction if the country attempted to kill him. Araghchi clarified that his warning was not a threat but a statement of reality, adding that as a diplomat and veteran soldier, he despises war. He cautioned that a full-scale conflict would be devastating, lasting far longer than what Israel and its allies in the White House might imagine, and would harm the broader region and civilians worldwide.

Last week, Iran reportedly closed its airspace, possibly fearing a U.S. strike, while Gulf Arab diplomats urged Trump to refrain from attacking Iran.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Paltan Model Police Station has recovered 105 lost mobile phones and returned them to their rightful owners. The recovery operation took place between December 1, 2025, and January 15, 2026, across various parts of the country. The effort followed general diary reports filed by phone owners, and the police used technological tools to trace and retrieve the devices. Assistant Police Commissioner Hossain Muhammad Farabi and ASI Iqbal Hossain played key roles in the operation.

On January 20, 2026, the recovered phones were officially handed over to their owners at a ceremony held in the Paltan Model Police Station conference room. The event was attended by Deputy Police Commissioner Mohammad Harun Or Rashid, Assistant Police Commissioner Farabi, and other officials. According to police sources, the station had previously recovered and returned more than six hundred lost phones over the past year.

Owners expressed happiness at the quick recovery of their phones and extended gratitude to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police for their efforts.

A total of 1,967 candidates will contest in Bangladesh’s upcoming parliamentary election after 305 contenders withdrew their nominations on the final day for withdrawal, according to the Election Commission. The Commission will allocate election symbols to candidates today, with registered parties receiving their official symbols and independents choosing from approved options. Campaigning will officially begin tomorrow and continue until the morning of February 10, ahead of the February 12 parliamentary election and national referendum, both to be held on the same day.

Among the remaining candidates are 290 from the BNP, 216 from Jamaat-e-Islami, 259 from Islami Andolan Bangladesh, 196 from Jatiya Party, 30 from the National Citizens Party, and 92 from Gano Adhikar Parishad. Over 300 independents are also contesting, including several BNP dissidents and expelled Awami League leader Abdul Latif Siddique. The election will feature 49 registered political parties, while 11 others, including the suspended Awami League, are not participating.

The government has launched extensive campaigns urging citizens to vote “yes” in the referendum. For the first time, expatriates and certain domestic voters can cast ballots via online postal registration, with more than 1.53 million already registered.

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung stated that North Korea is producing enough nuclear materials each year to build 10 to 20 nuclear warheads. He made the remarks on Wednesday during a New Year press conference, according to AFP. Lee said Pyongyang is not only expanding its nuclear weapons program but also rapidly advancing long-range ballistic missile technology aimed at reaching the U.S. mainland.

Lee warned that North Korea could soon secure its nuclear arsenal completely, which it views as essential for regime survival. He added that the country’s intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capability poses a major threat not only to the United States but to the entire world. He cautioned that if this threat goes unchecked, it could escalate beyond borders and trigger a global crisis.

The South Korean leader called for a pragmatic and effective approach to address the nuclear issue, urging a halt to nuclear material production, ICBM development, and weapons exports. He said he had conveyed this position to U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Since taking office in June, Lee has sought unconditional dialogue with Pyongyang, though North Korea has yet to respond positively.

In the 13th parliamentary election, Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami did not withdraw its nominations in two constituencies of Narsingdi district, despite a decision by the 10-party alliance it leads. The party’s candidates are district secretary general Upadhyaksha Amjad Hossain in Narsingdi-2 (Palash) and Shibpur upazila amir Mostafizur Rahman Kawsar in Narsingdi-3 (Shibpur). The alliance had nominated Golam Sarwar Tushar of the NCP for Narsingdi-2 and Maulana Rakibul Islam of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlis for Narsingdi-3. January 20 was the final date for nomination withdrawal.

Jamaat candidates claimed they were fully prepared to comply with the party’s directive to withdraw but were prevented by local activists who locked their homes and confined them, making withdrawal impossible. Narsingdi district Jamaat’s publicity secretary Advocate Amirul Islam Amir confirmed that the party had instructed both candidates to withdraw but that leaders faced resistance from local activists when they tried to enforce the decision.

NCP activists expressed anger, accusing Jamaat of violating the alliance’s collective decision. The situation has created tension within the 10-party coalition over candidate coordination in Narsingdi.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Assistant Secretary General Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair has rejected allegations that his party engaged women in early election campaigning, calling the claims completely false. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday at the Election Training Institute in Agargaon, Dhaka, after symbol allocation for constituencies Dhaka-15 and Dhaka-13, he said all campaign materials were removed immediately after the election schedule was announced, without waiting for the Election Commission’s directive.

Zubair alleged that false propaganda was being spread to damage the unity of the ten-party alliance that includes Jamaat-e-Islami. He further claimed that a particular group had incited attacks on their female voters and expressed hope that such incidents would not recur. He also reported that party workers had been attacked in various areas and that the matter had been conveyed to the returning officer.

He emphasized that the upcoming national election is highly significant and that a concurrent referendum would give legal basis to long-standing reform processes. Zubair expressed hope for a fair, peaceful, and secure election.

The High Court has dismissed a writ petition filed by BNP candidate Manjurul Ahsan Munshi challenging the Election Commission’s decision regarding his nomination for the Comilla-4 constituency. The order was delivered on Wednesday afternoon by a bench led by Justice Rajik Al Jalil. Following the dismissal, lawyers confirmed that Munshi will not be able to contest in the election.

Earlier, on January 1, Munshi had filed the writ petition seeking to overturn the Election Commission’s decision that invalidated his nomination. The Election Commission had rejected his nomination appeal on January 17. The writ petition also sought a stay on the Commission’s January 17 decision.

During the hearing, Advocate Ahsanul Karim, Barrister Hamidul Misbah, and Advocate Saifullah Al Mamun represented Munshi, while Barrister Ehsan Abdullah Siddiqi, Advocate Zahirul Islam Musa, and Advocate Mujahidul Islam Shaheen appeared for Hasnat Abdullah.

Justice Farah Mahbub of the Supreme Court has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the Bangladesh Judicial Service Commission. The appointment was made through a government notification issued by the Ministry of Law on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, under the directive of the President.

Before this appointment, Justice Farah Mahbub was promoted to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on March 24, 2025, and her appointment took effect after the oath-taking on March 25. She is the fifth woman to serve as a justice in the Appellate Division. Justice Mahbub began her legal career in 1992 at the district court level after completing her LLB and LLM from the University of Dhaka. She became an advocate of the High Court in 1994 and of the Appellate Division in 2002.

She was appointed as an additional judge of the High Court on August 23, 2004, and became a permanent judge in 2006. Justice Farah Mahbub is the daughter of former minister and prominent lawyer Advocate Mahbubur Rahman.

Election symbols have been distributed among 31 candidates contesting in five parliamentary constituencies of Jamalpur district. The allocation took place on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, under the supervision of Jamalpur Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Mohammad Yusuf Ali. Candidates and their representatives were present during the event. Following the withdrawal of three candidates on Tuesday, a total of 31 contenders, including independents and party nominees, will compete in the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election.

In Jamalpur-1 (Dewanganj-Bakshiganj), four candidates received symbols, while Jamalpur-2 (Islampur) also has four contenders. Jamalpur-3 (Melandah-Madaripur) will see nine candidates, Jamalpur-4 (Sarishabari) six, and Jamalpur-5 (Sadar) eight. The candidates represent various political parties including BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, Jatiya Party, Communist Party of Bangladesh, and several others, along with independent candidates.

According to the report, campaigning for the 13th National Parliamentary Election in Jamalpur is set to begin from Thursday, following the symbol distribution.

Japan is set to restart the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Niigata Prefecture, the world’s largest facility of its kind, for the first time since the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Operator Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) announced plans to activate one reactor after 7 p.m. on Wednesday, following final approval from the Niigata governor last month. Despite safety upgrades, including a 15-meter tsunami barrier and elevated emergency power systems, local residents remain concerned about potential risks.

Public opinion is sharply divided, with a September survey showing about 60 percent of residents opposing the restart and 37 percent supporting it. Protesters gathered outside the plant this week, citing safety fears and past issues such as information concealment and inadequate evacuation plans. Seven civic groups submitted a petition with 40,000 signatures opposing the restart, noting the site’s location in an active seismic zone.

Japan’s government supports renewed nuclear use to reduce energy imports, meet carbon neutrality goals by 2050, and address rising electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence. The restarted unit will be TEPCO’s first operational reactor since 2011, as the country aims to expand nuclear and renewable energy to supply up to 40 percent of its power by 2040.

A South Korean court has sentenced former Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to 23 years in prison for assisting in the brief imposition of martial law. The Seoul Central District Court, presided over by Judge Lee Jin-kwan, found Han guilty of helping then-President Yoon Suk-yeol declare military rule in December 2024 and failing to convene a legitimate cabinet meeting. The 76-year-old former leader was ordered to be taken into custody immediately after the verdict.

Judge Lee stated that Han had shown extreme negligence in his duties as prime minister and that Yoon’s attempt to impose martial law aimed to undermine constitutional order, equating it to an act of rebellion. The judge warned that Han’s actions risked returning South Korea to a dark past when citizens’ basic rights and democratic systems were violated.

Han denied all charges, insisting that he never supported or assisted in the declaration of martial law.

Seven civilians were killed in a drone attack carried out by the YPG militant group in Syria’s northeastern Hasakah province, according to TRT World. The strike targeted a horse farm in the Al-Nashwa neighborhood, injuring several others, including women and children. The incident occurred as the Syrian government announced a ceasefire agreement with the YPG.

The YPG is identified as the Syrian branch of the PKK, which Turkey, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union classify as a terrorist organization. Prior to the ceasefire, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) had declared a four-day truce with the Syrian government after consolidating their positions in the region. The ceasefire took effect at 8 p.m. local time on Tuesday, according to the Syrian army.

The Syrian military further stated that, as part of efforts to integrate Kurdish forces into the state structure, the SDF was asked to nominate a candidate to serve as assistant defense minister in Damascus.

The Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs of Bangladesh has launched the second phase of the e-bail bond service in eight districts—Manikganj, Bandarban, Meherpur, Joypurhat, Moulvibazar, Panchagarh, Jhalakathi, and Sherpur. The service was inaugurated on Wednesday at the ministry’s conference room in the Secretariat by Dr. Asif Nazrul, Adviser to the Ministry. The initiative aims to modernize the judicial system and reduce the suffering of litigants. Previously, the service was introduced in Narayanganj, where it has been operating successfully.

According to the ministry, the e-bail bond system allows detainees to be released within an hour through online submission, eliminating multiple procedural steps and reducing time and cost. Dr. Nazrul stated that the digital process ensures full record-keeping of signatures and prevents intentional delays. He expressed hope that the service will be expanded to all 64 districts in phases.

He further mentioned that the ministry aims to introduce the e-bail bond service nationwide within six months and expects future governments to continue this essential digital reform.

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has strongly condemned an attack on its activists in Mirpur’s Pirerbag area of Dhaka. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar alleged that local BNP activists confined female Jamaat members during a meeting at a house near Alimuddin High School from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. When Jamaat and Shibir activists tried to rescue them, they were attacked, leaving at least 16 people injured. The victims were later rescued with the help of police and the army and are now receiving treatment in hospitals.

Porwar denounced the incident as a deliberate attempt to disrupt the election process and spread fear among voters. He demanded the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible and urged the administration and Election Commission to ensure a level playing field before the election. He also called for strict measures to improve law and order and protect public safety.

The statement further claimed that in Jamaat Ameer Dr. Shafiqur Rahman’s constituency, Dhaka-15, organized efforts were being made to destabilize the situation and influence the election outcome.