U.S. President Donald Trump has again insisted that Greenland should become part of the United States, reaffirming his stance despite Denmark’s call to stop making “threats” over the issue. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Washington, Trump said Greenland was essential for U.S. national security and that Denmark could not fulfill that role. His comments came as U.S. military intervention in Venezuela heightened European concerns about Washington’s global ambitions.

The controversy deepened after Katie Miller, wife of a senior Trump adviser, posted an image of Greenland’s flag recolored with the U.S. flag’s design and captioned “Soon,” sparking anger in Denmark and the European Union. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the idea of taking control of Greenland “completely unreasonable” and urged Washington to stop threatening its historic ally. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen described Miller’s post as “disrespectful,” emphasizing that his country was not for sale and that its future would not be decided on social media.

Denmark’s ambassador to the U.S., Jesper Møller Sørensen, reminded that Denmark is a NATO member working closely with Washington on Arctic security, urging continued cooperation as allies.

Venezuelan interim president Delcy Rodríguez has called for a “balanced and respectful” relationship with the United States. Her statement came on Sunday, a day after U.S. forces carried out an attack in Caracas and detained leftist leader Nicolás Maduro. Rodríguez, who previously served as Maduro’s vice president, made the remarks through a message posted on Telegram.

In her message, Rodríguez emphasized that advancing toward a relationship based on mutual respect and balance between the two nations should be treated as a priority. She also invited the U.S. government to work together on a cooperative agenda focused on joint development.

The appeal marks Rodríguez’s first public statement following Maduro’s detention, signaling an attempt to reset diplomatic engagement between Caracas and Washington after a period of confrontation.

The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances in Bangladesh has submitted its final report to Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, revealing that between 2009 and 2024, an estimated 4,000 to 6,000 people were victims of enforced disappearance. Of 1,913 verified complaints, 1,569 were classified as probable cases, with 287 confirmed deaths. The report identifies the practice as systematic, politically motivated, and institutionally coordinated, rather than isolated incidents. It directly implicates former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and senior security officials in several high-profile cases.

The commission found that 96.7 percent of victims with known political affiliations were linked to opposition parties, mainly BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami. Law enforcement agencies, including the Rapid Action Battalion, police, and intelligence branches, were named as responsible in most cases. The report documents mass killings and body disposals in rivers such as Baleshwar and Buriganga. Dr. Yunus described the report as a historic documentation of brutality and urged institutional reforms and accountability.

The commission recommended legal and structural reforms to prevent recurrence and ensure justice for victims’ families, emphasizing that enforced disappearances had become a tool of governance during the Awami League era.

Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuad, general secretary of the Amar Bangladesh (AB) Party and candidate for the Barishal-3 (Babuganj-Muladi) constituency, has received official validation of his nomination for the national parliamentary election. On Sunday evening, he posted a video on his Facebook account urging local residents and the general public to provide financial assistance and prayers to support his campaign, travel, and outreach activities.

In the video, Fuad explained that conducting campaign activities in the remote and marginal areas of Barishal-3 is costly and challenging, making public contributions necessary. He also called for collective efforts to build a “new Bangladesh” based on the July Charter following the 2024 mass uprising. His post included mobile payment and bank account details for those willing to contribute.

The appeal has drawn mixed reactions. Some social media users and locals viewed Fuad’s request as a sign of honesty and simplicity, while others analyzed it as a reflection of political and financial realities. According to his affidavit, Fuad’s annual income is slightly above seven lakh taka, indicating limited personal resources.

The government has decided to organize large-scale workshops in every administrative division to clarify the content of the upcoming referendum to the public. The decision was made on Sunday afternoon at a meeting chaired by Dr. Ali Riaz, Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser and Chief Coordinator of the public awareness campaign on the referendum. Secretaries, director generals, and divisional commissioners from various ministries and departments attended the meeting. The information was later confirmed through a press release issued by the Senior Assistant Secretary of the Chief Coordinator’s office, Mir Alif Reza.

According to the release, officials and representatives will use the workshops to prepare for grassroots-level campaigns, distributing leaflets and explaining the referendum details to voters. The plan also includes training religious leaders under the supervision of the Islamic Foundation so they can help disseminate information among the general public. The meeting further decided to hold awareness sessions at divisional, district, and upazila levels with participation from local officials, civil society, journalists, NGOs, and community representatives.

These initiatives aim to ensure that voters across all regions receive accurate and comprehensive information about the upcoming referendum.

The National Press Club has announced a citizen memorial meeting to honor the late national leader and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia. BNP’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman has confirmed his participation in the event, according to club leaders on Sunday. Earlier in the evening, members of the club’s management committee met Tarique Rahman at the BNP chairperson’s political office in Gulshan to express condolences and invite him to the memorial. He accepted the invitation, and the date of the event will be decided later.

During the meeting, the National Press Club delegation, including its president Hasan Hafiz and general secretary Ayub Bhuiyan, conveyed their sympathy to Tarique Rahman. The club’s management committee also adopted a condolence motion expressing deep sorrow at Khaleda Zia’s passing, describing her as a legendary political figure and a true friend of journalists. The statement highlighted her contributions to the press, including land leases, financial support, and initiatives for journalists’ housing and media development.

The club emphasized that Khaleda Zia’s legacy of supporting media freedom and journalist welfare will be remembered by the press community for generations.

The nomination of Mujibul Haque Chunnu, former secretary general and a factional chairman of the Jatiya Party, was canceled in the Kishoreganj-3 (Karimganj-Tarail) constituency. The incident occurred on Sunday during the scrutiny of nomination papers at the district returning officer’s office, where commotion broke out. The returning officer, Mohammad Aslam Molla, declared the cancellation citing multiple errors in the affidavit, including concealment of case information, loan default, and absence of the party chairman’s signature. Chunnu was not present during the verification; his representative attended on his behalf.

According to the report, some people at the office accused Chunnu of being an ally of the Awami League and demanded punishment. The article notes that Chunnu, who served twice as a minister under the Awami League government, had previously presented himself as a Jatiya Party and Awami League-supported candidate in the 2024 national election. He had not visited his home or constituency since August 5, 2024, after Sheikh Hasina left the country, and local residents had organized a protest against him.

The cancellation adds uncertainty to the political landscape of Kishoreganj-3, where scrutiny of other candidates’ nominations is ongoing.

NCP member secretary Akhtar Hossain said no decision has yet been made on who would become prime minister if the Jamaat-e-Islami alliance comes to power. Speaking to reporters on Sunday at the NCP’s temporary central office in Banglamotor after a meeting with senior officials from the US Embassy, he said discussions on government formation and seat distribution within the alliance are still ongoing and will be finalized soon.

Hossain explained that the NCP joined the Jamaat alliance to pursue judicial and structural reforms and to build a corruption-free, independent Bangladesh. He said the alliance emerged naturally due to shared reform goals, noting that the NCP aims to strengthen its position by working collectively rather than alone. During the meeting with US officials, the NCP delegation outlined the alliance’s background and expressed concerns about law and order and political violence ahead of the election.

Hossain also emphasized maintaining Bangladesh’s long-standing friendship with the United States and discussed the need for foreign policy that protects national interests while upholding democratic values.

Bangladesh’s joint forces are set to begin a nationwide operation aimed at maintaining law and order ahead of the upcoming national election. Election Commissioner Brigadier General (Retd.) Abul Fazl Md. Sanaullah announced the initiative on Sunday during a special meeting organized by the Cox’s Bazar district administration. He said the operation will focus on three primary objectives and that a circular from the Ministry of Home Affairs is expected to be issued soon.

According to Sanaullah, the first goal of the operation is to recover illegal weapons and prevent their misuse during the election period. The second objective is to arrest identified criminals and bring them under legal action. The third is to ensure compliance with the electoral code of conduct, with joint forces intervening in major violations while routine committees handle minor issues. He also instructed law enforcement agencies to seal Rohingya camps and strengthen surveillance along land and sea borders to prevent criminal activities.

The Election Commission has already held meetings with all force chiefs, and all headquarters have been informed about the operation’s scope and directives.

NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain said the party plans to contest the upcoming national election in alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami to build a corruption-free and reformed Bangladesh. He made the remarks on Sunday after a meeting between NCP representatives and senior officials of the US Embassy at the party’s temporary central office in Banglamotor, Dhaka. Hossain explained that the NCP and Jamaat share similar reform goals, which led to a natural alignment between them.

During the meeting, the NCP delegation briefed the US officials on the political and law-and-order situation, including recent killings and the lack of a level playing field. Hossain said the US representatives viewed the people’s democratic choices positively. He added that the NCP aims to maintain Bangladesh’s long-standing friendly relations with the United States while safeguarding national interests in foreign policy.

Hossain also mentioned that seat-sharing discussions within the alliance are ongoing and final decisions will be announced soon. The NCP expects to cross the electoral threshold with support from its 11-party coalition.

A court in Habiganj has granted bail to Mahdi Hasan, the member secretary of the district branch of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. He was brought to court under strict security on Sunday after being arrested on charges of obstructing police duties and issuing threats. The bail was approved by Judicial Magistrate Abdul Mannan following a hearing, with two guarantors and a bond of 200 taka.

According to local sources, advocates M.A. Majid and Abdul Malek filed the bail petition on Mahdi’s behalf. His arrest followed an incident on January 2, when police detained a student named Nazmul Hasan Noyon, an active member of the same movement. Mahdi went to the police station to seek his release, during which his remarks reportedly angered the police. He was arrested the next day, January 3.

Following Mahdi’s detention, protests were reported in Habiganj, Dhaka, and other parts of the country. He was formally charged with obstructing police work and making threats before being presented to the court.

NCP member secretary Akhtar Hossain described the Election Commission’s decision to allow the Jatiya Party to contest in the upcoming polls as an 'agency game'. Speaking to reporters on Sunday at the party’s temporary central office in Banglamotor after a meeting with senior officials from the US Embassy, he urged the commission not to permit the Jatiya Party, which he said had created autocracy, to take part in the election. He alleged that the commission was exploiting legal loopholes to facilitate the party’s participation.

NCP joint convener Sultan Mohammad Zakaria said the United States viewed positively the alliance between NCP and Jamaat-e-Islami, which he described as 'natural allies' sharing common reform and justice goals. He detailed that a four-member NCP delegation had earlier met US Embassy officials to discuss election preparations, political risks, and possible technical assistance from the US side.

Zakaria added that the hour-long discussion also covered mutual cooperation as development partners and that the US diplomats appreciated NCP’s stance against dominance and for ensuring justice after the election.

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir announced that the party’s acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, will formally assume the position of chairman within the next few days. He made the statement on Sunday evening during an exchange with journalists in Sylhet, following visits to the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal and Shah Paran.

Mirza Fakhrul stated that the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will begin its election campaign from Sylhet, describing the upcoming election as crucial for the nation. He said that citizens have long been deprived of their voting rights. Referring to former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, he remarked that she made a dignified exit through democratic struggle and expressed hope for building the democratic Bangladesh she had envisioned.

Addressing other political parties, Mirza Fakhrul urged them to make use of the current opportunity, emphasizing that democracy and democratic culture cannot be established overnight. He also expressed determination to form a democratic parliament.

A total of 2,568 candidates submitted nomination papers for Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliamentary Election. After four days of scrutiny, the Election Commission (EC) announced on Sunday that 1,842 candidates were declared valid while 726 nominations were rejected for various irregularities. The rejected candidates include Jatiya Party faction chairman Anisul Islam Mahmud and independent candidate Tasnim Zara. Appeals against acceptance or rejection can be filed from January 5 to 9 at the EC headquarters in Agargaon, with hearings scheduled between January 10 and 18. Voting is set for February 12.

The EC cited reasons such as false or missing affidavit information, concealment of cases, loan default, dual citizenship, and inconsistencies in voter signatures for independent candidates. In Dhaka, 63 nominations were rejected, though all BNP candidates were declared valid. Several candidates, including from BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and smaller parties, said they would appeal the decisions. Regional officials confirmed that scrutiny was completed across most constituencies by Saturday.

The appeal process may alter the final list of candidates before the February election, depending on EC rulings.

Masud Saeedi, Jamaat-e-Islami’s nominated candidate for the Pirojpur-1 constituency and former chairman of Jhalokathi’s Jianagar Upazila Parishad, alleged that India is continuously conspiring to prove Bangladesh a failed state. He made the remarks on Sunday afternoon while addressing a gathering of associate members at the Jamaat-e-Islami office in Nazirpur Upazila, Pirojpur. Saeedi said that those who shed blood in July must not be betrayed, and vowed to build a united and new Bangladesh despite any conspiracies.

He urged all political parties to remain united on national issues following the recent mass uprising, emphasizing that ideological differences should not divide the country’s interests. Saeedi stated that Jamaat-e-Islami seeks a peaceful, stable, and prosperous Bangladesh and called for collective efforts to restore social harmony through the creation of a welfare-oriented state.

The event, presided over by Nazirpur Upazila Jamaat Amir Maulana Abdur Razzak, was attended by several local Jamaat leaders, including former upazila amirs and departmental heads.