A severe cold wave has intensified in Sreemangal, Moulvibazar, where the minimum temperature dropped to 10 degrees Celsius on Saturday morning. The biting cold and dense fog have disrupted normal life in both urban and rural areas, affecting daily activities and mobility. The Sreemangal Weather Observation Center recorded the temperature between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m.

According to the center’s acting officer, Anisur Rahman, the cold conditions are expected to persist for the next few days. The ongoing chill has led to a rise in cold-related illnesses, with tea garden workers, children, and the elderly suffering the most. The situation has particularly affected laborers who depend on outdoor work for their livelihood.

Local residents are struggling to cope with the cold, and health concerns are mounting as the temperature remains low. Authorities have not yet indicated any immediate relief measures, while forecasts suggest the cold spell may continue.

Road widening and four-lane development work on the Shariatpur–Dhaka highway is continuing despite eight electric poles remaining in the middle of the road. The situation has raised serious safety concerns among drivers, passengers, and local residents, who fear major accidents could occur at any time. The project, approved in 2020 to improve connectivity between Shariatpur and Dhaka via the Padma Bridge, covers 27 kilometers and costs Tk 1,682 crore. Work has progressed slowly over seven years due to various complications.

According to the district Roads and Highways Department, the Rural Electrification Board was formally requested a month ago to remove the poles, followed by several verbal reminders. However, no visible action has been taken, forcing road authorities to proceed with construction. Local residents and drivers have criticized the lack of safety measures, calling the situation dangerous. Officials said the poles were supposed to be removed by contractors who have since absconded, and a new contractor has been appointed to complete the task.

Authorities stated that pole removal work is now in process, but until completed, the highway remains at risk of accidents.

Electricity supply will remain suspended for eleven consecutive hours in multiple areas of Sylhet city on Saturday, January 24, due to transformer repair and transmission line improvement work. The Sylhet Power Development Board’s Sales and Distribution Division 3 announced the outage in a notice signed by its executive engineer. Power will be cut from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. under the 11 kV Police Line and Industry feeders.

The affected areas include the railway station, Kadamtali, Gotatikar, Alampur, the Divisional Commissioner’s office, DIG office, BSCIC industrial area, Bypass Road, South Surma Police Station, Pirijpur, Chandipul, Gaharpur, North East Medical College, Bangabir Road, Baldi, Tetultala, Latipur, Baneshwarpur, Daroga Bari, Lalarchak, Khidirpur, Ahmedpur, Telibazar, Tetli, Atirbari, and Laxmipur, along with nearby localities.

According to the notice, electricity supply will be restored immediately if the maintenance work is completed before the scheduled time.

A landslide triggered by heavy rainfall struck a popular campsite on New Zealand’s North Island, leaving six people, including two teenagers, missing. The incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. local time on Thursday near Mount Maunganui on the island’s eastern coast. Rescue operations are underway, with emergency teams using three mechanical excavators to search through mud and debris that buried the site.

Officials warned on Friday that the search could take several days due to the difficult conditions caused by the heavy rain. Witnesses and emergency personnel reported hearing cries for help immediately after the collapse, but no further sounds were heard afterward. Fire and Emergency Assistant National Commander David Guard said debris removal was being carried out slowly and cautiously, describing the area as complex and high-risk.

Authorities confirmed that the search will continue until all missing persons are located. Mount Maunganui is a popular summer destination for hikers and beachgoers, making the disaster particularly concerning for local tourism.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has decided to move all chemical warehouses from the cargo house of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to a safer distance outside the terminal area. The decision follows a devastating fire last year that caused losses worth Tk 900 crore. To implement the relocation, a coordination meeting involving all relevant agencies has been called for January 24.

According to the source, multiple investigation reports submitted after the fire recommended relocating the chemical storage facilities to ensure safety. A CAAB-formed committee reviewed these reports and presented its findings, which were discussed in a meeting chaired by the CAAB chairman on December 4. The committee was instructed to identify two alternative sites for the warehouses and finalize proposals for their development.

Officials said storing hazardous cargo near passenger terminals violates international safety standards and poses risks to flight operations and human lives. The upcoming meeting will evaluate proposed sites based on safety, transport access, and compliance with global standards, aiming to strengthen overall airport safety and prevent future incidents.

The United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health has warned that the world has entered an era of 'global water bankruptcy,' as freshwater reserves are being depleted faster than they can be replenished. The report highlights severe water crises already unfolding in cities such as Tehran and Kabul, as well as in many African and Asian countries where natural disasters have damaged sources of safe drinking water.

According to the report, 75 percent of the global population lives in countries where water is unsafe or severely insecure, and around two billion people reside in regions where groundwater levels have dropped so low that land subsidence is occurring. Researcher Professor Kaveh Madani noted that many human-made water supply systems have already reached post-crisis collapse, with several key systems effectively bankrupt. Climate change, melting glaciers, and extreme weather events are accelerating the problem by reducing water storage and intensifying droughts and floods.

The report warns that billions of people will be affected as the crisis deepens, though it remains unclear when the global water system might fully collapse.

The Bangladesh Meteorological Office reported that the intensity of cold has decreased across the country in the latter half of January 2026. Although the first 14 days of the month saw continuous cold waves, no such conditions have been present in recent days. Meteorologist Afroza Sultana stated on Thursday, January 22, that reduced fog, weaker northwesterly winds, and increased humidity have caused temperatures to rise, making the cold less perceptible.

She explained that with less fog, sunlight is reaching the ground more directly, raising daytime temperatures. The flow of cold and dry air from the northwest has been very weak, preventing the formation of new cold waves. While Dhaka and other regions have experienced milder weather, northern areas still feel colder in the early mornings. Currently, mild cold waves persist in Panchagarh and Kurigram districts.

According to the forecast, widespread cold waves are unlikely for the rest of the month, though isolated mild cold spells may occur in a few places. A brief mild cold wave could return in early February.

A massive winter storm named 'Winter Storm Fern' is forecast to strike large parts of the United States this week, potentially affecting around 170 million people with heavy snowfall, power outages, and travel disruptions. The storm is expected to stretch from Texas through the Mid-Atlantic to the northeastern states, bringing freezing air that could push temperatures far below zero in several regions.

Cities including Memphis, Nashville, Washington D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York may be blanketed in snow, with some areas possibly experiencing temperatures as low as 40 degrees Celsius below freezing. The Rocky Mountain states are expected to see significant snowfall by Friday, with meteorologists predicting accumulations exceeding 12 inches in some locations. Virginia and Maryland are projected to be among the hardest-hit states.

Emergency declarations have already been issued in several states, including Texas, North Carolina, and South Carolina, as authorities prepare for the storm’s severe impact.

Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) suspended the restart of the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant in Japan’s Niigata Prefecture just hours after operations began late Wednesday. The company confirmed Thursday that the reactor remains stable and poses no radioactive risk. The restart followed final approval from Japan’s nuclear regulator, marking the first TEPCO-operated plant to resume since the 2011 Fukushima disaster.

TEPCO spokesperson Takashi Kobayashi said an alarm in the monitoring system triggered the precautionary shutdown, and the cause is under investigation. Earlier in the week, the restart had already been delayed due to a technical fault that TEPCO claims has since been resolved. Only one of the plant’s seven reactors was being restarted.

Local opposition remains strong, with about 60 percent of Niigata residents reportedly against the restart. Seven civic groups recently submitted a petition with around 40,000 signatures to TEPCO and regulators, citing earthquake risks and past damage to the facility. Japan is seeking to reduce energy imports and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 through renewed use of nuclear power.

A large-scale forest destruction is reportedly taking place in the Inani Range of Ukhia under the Cox’s Bazar South Forest Division. Local sources allege that forest officials, in collaboration with a land-grabbing syndicate, are involved in illegal hill cutting, tree felling, and forest land sales. The syndicate, allegedly led by Range Officer Firoz Al-Amin, has been active for three years, while higher authorities remain silent despite being aware of the situation.

Reports indicate that in areas such as Monkhali, Rajapalong, Jaliapalong, and Choyankhali, trees are being cut and sold, hills leveled, and new houses built on forest land. At least four workers have died during hill cutting, and two elephants have been killed due to deforestation. Locals claim that officials are profiting from illegal land sales and construction, while some officers remain inactive despite witnessing irregularities.

Range Officer Firoz Al-Amin denied direct involvement, stating that minor irregularities occurred alongside development work. The divisional forest officer Abdullah Al-Mamun said an investigation would be launched, and action taken if evidence of involvement is found.

Two people were killed across Greece on Wednesday as heavy rain and strong winds swept through the country, causing widespread flooding and transport disruptions. According to Maritime Affairs Minister Vassilis Kikilias, a coastguard officer died after being struck by waves while on duty in the coastal town of Astros in eastern Peloponnese. In another incident, a woman was killed in the Athens suburb of Glyfada when her car was swept away by floodwaters. Authorities suspended ferry services and closed several roads due to the severe weather.

Wind speeds exceeded 100 kilometers per hour, prompting school closures in Athens and parts of western and southern Greece. Meteorologists reported that some areas of the capital received six weeks’ worth of rainfall in a single day. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis postponed his planned trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, due to the situation.

Experts have repeatedly warned that deadly floods in recent years have been worsened by rapid urbanization and blocked waterways, urging infrastructure improvements, particularly in the greater Athens region.

A mobile court of the Department of Environment conducted an operation in Jhenaidah’s Shailkupa upazila on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, demolishing the chimneys of four illegal brick kilns and imposing fines totaling Tk 2 million. The operation was led by Executive Magistrate Momtaz Begum from the Khulna Divisional Office of the Department of Environment. Two of the brick kilns were located in Kumiradah area and two in Dudhsar area.

According to the Department of Environment, the drive was carried out under the overall direction of the Khulna Divisional Director and organized by the Jhenaidah District Office. Each kiln was fined Tk 500,000 for operating without authorization, and written undertakings were taken from the owners pledging not to resume operations. The chimneys were demolished using excavators.

Officials from the Jhenaidah office, including Assistant Director Md. Muntasir Rahman, along with police and Ansar Battalion members, were present during the operation.

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.

At least 20 people have died in four days of devastating wildfires across southern Chile, leaving entire communities in ruins and thick smoke blanketing the air. The fires have burned an area comparable to the size of Detroit in the United States, mainly in the Biobío and Ñuble regions, affecting about 7,200 people. Residents are appealing for urgent assistance as firefighters remain on alert amid forecasts of rising temperatures.

Local accounts describe widespread frustration over limited government support, with many survivors relying on volunteers and neighbors for help. Chile’s Deputy Interior Minister Víctor Ramos said the government has intensified relief efforts and will provide financial aid ranging from 350 to 1,500 US dollars per affected family. Around 4,000 firefighters are battling 21 active fires across Biobío, Ñuble, and Araucanía regions, where hundreds of homes have been destroyed.

Authorities suspect some fires were deliberately set, with one person arrested in Penco for attempted arson. Researchers link the increasing frequency of such wildfires to prolonged heat and dryness associated with climate change, making this year’s fires the worst since February 2024.

Bangladesh Meteorological Department has reported that temperatures across the country are currently 4 to 5 degrees Celsius higher than normal, even during the coldest month of the year. On Tuesday, Teknaf recorded the highest temperature at 31.4°C, while Dhaka reached 28°C. Officials described the situation as abnormal and warned that temperatures may rise further in the coming days.

Meteorologist Kazi Zebun Nesa attributed the unusual warmth to air pollution and global climate change. Dr. Omar Faruk explained that a recent deep depression over the Bay of Bengal contributed to the sudden temperature increase across Bangladesh and neighboring countries. He noted that there is no sign of a cold wave or imminent temperature drop.

Senior meteorologist S.M. Kamrul Hasan said the global average temperature has been rising for the past three years, affecting Bangladesh as well. He added that the minimal difference between day and night temperatures recorded on December 29 was the lowest in 73 years, underscoring the abnormal weather pattern.