Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that U.S. President Donald Trump would ultimately be ousted from power. Speaking on state television on Friday, Khamenei accused foreign-backed forces of trying to destabilize Iran and compared Trump to past dictators who fell from power. He said Iran would not retreat in the face of unrest and urged the nation’s youth to remain united and prepared to confront enemies.

The warning came as protests over rising living costs intensified across Iran, with reports of government buildings being set on fire. Internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported that Iranian authorities shut down nationwide internet access late Thursday, keeping the country offline for about 12 hours to suppress demonstrations. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said at least 34 protesters and four security personnel had been killed, and around 2,200 people arrested during the unrest.

The developments highlight escalating tensions between Iran’s leadership and protesters, as well as renewed friction with the United States over accusations of foreign interference.

Bangladesh’s interim government foreign affairs adviser Md. Touhid Hossain and Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held their second telephone conversation within three days, according to Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry announced on Facebook on January 8, 2026, that the two leaders discussed bilateral matters and recent regional developments. They also praised the convening of the upcoming OIC Council of Foreign Ministers session scheduled for January 10, 2026, in Jeddah.

Earlier, on January 4, Ishaq Dar had called Touhid Hossain while attending the seventh Pakistan-China strategic dialogue in Beijing. During that conversation, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation between Bangladesh and Pakistan. They also exchanged views on recent developments in Asia and the Middle East and agreed to maintain close communication between the two countries.

The repeated contact between the two officials highlights ongoing diplomatic engagement and mutual interest in strengthening bilateral ties and regional collaboration.

Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Imran Haider, met with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s (BNP) acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, on Friday afternoon. The meeting took place at the BNP chairperson’s office in Gulshan, Dhaka. The BNP’s verified Facebook page shared a photo of the meeting, describing it as a courtesy call between the two figures.

According to the post, the meeting was held at the BNP’s Gulshan office, where the Pakistani envoy paid a courtesy visit to Tarique Rahman. The report did not specify the topics discussed or the duration of the meeting. The event was reported by the online edition of the newspaper “Amar Desh.”

No further details were provided about the content of the discussion or any official statements from either side following the meeting.

BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman’s upcoming visit to Bogura has stirred significant excitement among local party leaders and activists. According to the schedule, he will leave Dhaka on the morning of January 11, traveling by road through Tangail and Sirajganj, and is expected to reach Bogura around 9 p.m. that night. He will stay overnight at the Naz Garden Hotel, a decision confirmed by district BNP president Rezaul Karim Badsha after earlier speculation about a stay at the newly established five-star Mom-Inn Hotel.

Hotel sources said preparations are underway to receive the BNP leader, while the district BNP is coordinating security and crowd management during his stay. On January 12 at 10:30 a.m., Tarique Rahman will attend a public prayer event at Bogura Central High School field, which was finalized after earlier consideration of Altafunnesa playground as a possible venue.

Following the event, he will travel to Rangpur to visit the grave of July War hero Shaheed Abu Sayeed, and then continue his tour through Dinajpur, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, and Kurigram before returning to Dhaka.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that those acting as mercenaries for foreign powers and causing harm to people and property will not be tolerated. In a speech broadcast on state television, he accused foreign forces of trying to destabilize Iran and alleged that some rioters were seeking to please U.S. President Donald Trump. Khamenei said Trump would eventually fall, comparing him to past arrogant rulers, and asserted that Iran would not retreat in the face of unrest.

He further claimed that the U.S. president’s hands were stained with the blood of thousands of Iranians and urged his supporters to remain united and prepared, emphasizing that a united nation can defeat any enemy. His remarks came as anti-government protests, which began on December 28, spread across Iran.

The demonstrations started when merchants at Tehran’s Grand Bazaar closed their shops to protest rising living costs, later drawing participation from various social groups across the country.

Dhaka University is proceeding with steps to permanently expel four teachers reportedly aligned with the Awami League. The university’s highest policy-making body, the Syndicate, reached this decision during a meeting held on Thursday, January 8. The Syndicate resolved to issue show-cause notices asking the teachers why they should not be permanently dismissed from their positions.

The four teachers named are Professor Zinat Huda, Professor A K M Jamal Uddin, Professor Sadeka Halim, and Professor Moshior Rahman, all from the Department of Sociology. According to the university’s Proctor, Professor Dr. Saifuddin Ahmed, formal charges have been framed against them, and the show-cause notices will be issued accordingly.

The Syndicate’s decision marks a significant disciplinary move within Dhaka University, signaling a formal process toward permanent expulsion pending the teachers’ responses to the show-cause notices.

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman has convened an emergency meeting of the party’s Standing Committee. The meeting is scheduled to take place at 9:30 p.m. on Friday night at the BNP Chairperson’s political office in Gulshan, according to Standing Committee member Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain. Tarique Rahman will preside over the session.

A senior BNP leader stated that the meeting was not part of the committee’s regular schedule and therefore has no fixed agenda. However, the leader emphasized that the meeting is considered important. The announcement underscores the urgency of internal discussions within the BNP leadership.

No further details were provided about the specific issues to be discussed or the expected outcomes of the meeting.

The National Curriculum and Textbook Board (NCTB) of Bangladesh has made major revisions to the 2026 academic textbooks for primary and secondary levels. The new editions, distributed from January 1, include significant changes to the portrayal of the Liberation War, the declaration of independence, subsequent political developments, and the 2024 July uprising. In the revised Bangladesh and Global Studies books for grades six through ten, Ziaur Rahman is identified as the proclaimer of independence on March 26, 1971, replacing earlier references to Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The books also describe Zia’s political, agricultural, and economic contributions.

The updated textbooks omit Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s March 7 speech and remove terms such as “Father of the Nation” and “Bangabandhu.” They newly include accounts of the 2024 July uprising, Sheikh Hasina’s fall, and descriptions of her rule as authoritarian. The revisions were approved by the National Curriculum Coordination Committee following recommendations from experts and the interim government’s directive.

According to NCTB officials, the goal of these changes is to present a balanced and realistic depiction of Bangladesh’s political history and to free textbooks from exaggerated or imposed narratives.

The government has taken all necessary measures to ensure a level playing field for the upcoming 13th National Parliament Election, according to Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam. Speaking on Friday afternoon after visiting the Shibbari Temple in Mymensingh and exchanging greetings with members of the Hindu community, he said there has been no visible incident suggesting the absence of a fair environment. He added that all political parties, large and small, currently enjoy equal opportunities in the electoral process.

Shafiqul Alam emphasized that Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony where people of all religions and communities live together peacefully. He condemned recent attacks on shrines under various pretexts, calling them highly reprehensible. Earlier in the day, he visited the shrine of Hazrat Shah Sufi Syed Kalu Shah (R.) at Bura Pir’s shrine and ghat area on Jubilee Road in Mymensingh.

The press secretary reiterated that the government remains committed to maintaining a fair electoral environment and social harmony across the country.

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has warned that the right to protest in the United Kingdom has been severely restricted in recent years, with state control over peaceful demonstrators intensifying. The warning came through HRW’s report titled “Silencing the Streets: The Right to Protest Under Attack in the UK,” released in London and reported by AFP. The report noted that the UK is adopting strategies similar to countries where democratic safeguards and civil liberties are gradually eroding. Shortly after the report’s release, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg was detained and later released during a protest supporting the banned Palestine Action group.

Based on research from 2024 and 2025, HRW found that increasing numbers of people are being arrested, prosecuted, and even imprisoned for participating in peaceful demonstrations or attending planning meetings. The organization criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government for failing to repeal restrictive protest laws introduced by the previous Conservative administration in 2023. HRW’s UK director Yasmin Ahmed said the government’s tough stance on law and order was alarming and warned that such laws could be used against anyone in the future.

HRW urged the government to lift certain restrictions on protests and revoke the ban on Palestine Action, noting that at least 2,300 people have been arrested since the group was outlawed in July.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has completed sending postal ballots to 767,028 expatriate voters across 121 countries for the upcoming 13th National Parliament election and referendum. According to EC sources, the process began on December 20 and concluded within three weeks. The Bangladesh Postal Department finalized the dispatch on Thursday using several international airlines, including Biman Bangladesh, Emirates, Malaysian, Singapore, and Saudia Airlines.

The large-scale ‘Out of Country Voting’ (OCV) operation was carried out through joint efforts of the EC, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, Postal Department, Civil Aviation, and the participating airlines. The OCV-SDI project team leader stated that over 3,000 expatriate voters provided incorrect addresses, preventing ballot delivery to them. Within Bangladesh, 761,141 voters have registered for the ‘In-Country Postal Vote’ category, and ballot distribution to them will begin on January 21 after symbol allocation.

The EC reported that Saudi Arabia received the highest number of ballots, followed by Malaysia, Qatar, and Oman. In total, 1,533,683 voters registered through the ‘Postal Vote BD’ app, including both expatriate and domestic voters.

Palestinian group Hamas has announced its readiness to hand over administrative responsibilities in Gaza to an independent committee. The group also stated that it does not intend to be part of any future governing structure in the territory. Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said on Thursday that they are waiting for the formation of the independent committee to oversee Gaza’s administration and that Hamas will facilitate the transfer process and assist the committee’s work.

Qassem emphasized that Hamas has decided to remain outside any administrative framework managing the Gaza Strip. His statement follows the decision made at the emergency Arab summit on Gaza in March 2024, which rejected any forced displacement of Palestinians. The summit’s plan proposed forming a temporary administrative committee for six months to manage Gaza during a transitional period.

According to the plan, the interim body will be independent, composed of neutral technocrats, and operate under the Palestinian government’s authority.

Pakistan has stated that it does not want hostile relations with neighboring Afghanistan. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said at a press conference on Thursday that meaningful progress in bilateral relations depends on Afghanistan’s stance against terrorism. Islamabad has asked Kabul to provide a specific, verifiable, and written assurance that Afghan territory will not be used for terrorist attacks against Pakistan.

Andrabi emphasized that Pakistan’s only concern is security and that there are no political or ideological disputes with Kabul. He noted that, unlike its bilateral disputes with India, Pakistan has no such issues with Afghanistan. The spokesperson added that Pakistan welcomes Kabul’s recent positive statements but insists they must be concrete, verifiable, and documented.

He confirmed that diplomatic channels remain open between the two countries, with embassies and consulates operating normally.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro and US President Donald Trump have agreed to launch joint operations against guerrilla groups involved in cocaine trafficking along the Venezuela border. Colombian Interior Minister Armando Benedetti confirmed the agreement on Thursday, following the first phone conversation between the two leaders on Wednesday. The discussion aimed to ease tensions after Trump’s military threats and efforts to oust Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

According to Benedetti, both leaders committed to taking coordinated action against the National Liberation Army (ELN), Colombia’s remaining major armed rebel group, which Bogotá accuses of seeking refuge in Venezuela after attacks and kidnappings. Petro reportedly asked Trump for cooperation in taking tougher measures along the 2,200-kilometer border, where multiple armed groups compete over drug trafficking, illegal mining, and smuggling routes.

The report noted that despite recent tensions—Trump having labeled Petro a drug trafficker—Petro accepted an invitation to meet Trump in Washington. The two countries have long maintained security cooperation, though relations have cooled since the start of Trump’s second term.

Interim government adviser on power, energy and mineral resources Muhammad Faozul Kabir Khan has said that the upcoming national parliamentary election will determine Bangladesh’s fate for the next 50 years. He made the remarks on Friday morning at Sena Maidan in Dinajpur during a campaign event for election vehicles. He emphasized that the February 12 election will not be a conventional one but a decisive moment for the nation’s long-term future.

Khan explained that a referendum will be held alongside the election, allowing citizens to vote on proposed reforms. He urged voters who support reforms, parliamentary democracy, and a balanced distribution of power to vote “yes,” while those opposed could vote “no.” He stressed that no one would be forced to vote. The adviser said that 1,400 people had sacrificed their lives and around 30,000 had been injured for these reforms, which the interim government aims to implement.

Referring to a past July uprising, Khan said people were previously denied fair voting opportunities. He assured that the upcoming election would be different, open to all candidates regardless of party, religion, or background.