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.

Venezuela began releasing a large number of political prisoners, including several foreign nationals, last Thursday. The move is being viewed as part of efforts to ease tensions with the United States and establish a new political understanding following the ouster of former leader Nicolás Maduro. The initiative, led by Delcy Rodríguez, marks the first such large-scale release and has received support from U.S. President Donald Trump, who expressed satisfaction with the decision.

According to the report, Trump stated that Rodríguez would be allowed to govern as long as Washington retains access to Venezuelan oil. White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly described the release as an example of the president using his full authority to uphold the rights of both American and Venezuelan people. Jorge Rodríguez, the Venezuelan parliament speaker and brother of Delcy Rodríguez, said the release aims to ensure peaceful coexistence, though he did not specify the number or locations of those freed.

Opposition leader María Corina Machado welcomed the announcement on social media, calling it a sign that injustice cannot last forever and that truth ultimately prevails.

Venezuelan interim president Delcy Rodríguez declared that no one in her country had surrendered following the U.S. military attack on January 3. Speaking at a memorial event on Thursday for those killed in the assault, she emphasized that Venezuela remains independent and that its people fought for their homeland during the attack.

Her remarks came after former U.S. president Donald Trump repeatedly claimed that the United States would run Venezuela following the removal of Nicolás Maduro. In a recent interview with NBC, Trump said he was currently in charge of the country and suggested that direct U.S. control over Venezuela could last for years. When asked by The New York Times how long the U.S. would remain there, Trump avoided a direct answer, implying that American dominance would depend on time.

Rejecting Trump’s assertions, Rodríguez reaffirmed that Venezuela is not under foreign rule and that its government alone governs the nation.

Families of those killed and injured in the 2021 anti-Modi protests in Brahmanbaria continue to seek justice, four years after security forces opened fire on demonstrators. Seventeen worshippers were killed and more than 500 others were injured when police and ruling party activists allegedly attacked protesters opposing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh. Despite numerous cases filed, no one directly linked to the killings has been brought to trial.

Following the incident, police filed 54 cases accusing over 10,000 religious individuals and clerics, leading to widespread dismissals and arrests of imams and madrasa teachers. Victims’ families claim they faced harassment instead of justice. After the July Revolution and the formation of an interim government, investigations began but progress remains slow.

Recently, a genocide case was filed in the International Crimes Tribunal naming several former officials and political leaders, including a former MP. Prosecutors confirmed that investigations into the Brahmanbaria massacre are underway and one accused has been formally arrested in connection with the case.

US President Donald Trump is holding a meeting on Friday with top executives from major American oil companies to secure their backing for his plan to control Venezuela’s oil resources. The meeting follows the January 3 military operation in which US forces detained Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Trump has stated that the move’s main goal is to establish control over Venezuela’s oil sector.

White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt said Washington currently holds maximum influence over Venezuela’s interim authorities, and Energy Secretary Chris Wright declared that the US intends to maintain control of the country’s oil industry indefinitely. However, Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, asserted that her government remains in power and that the state oil company is only negotiating oil sales with the United States.

According to NBC News, executives from ExxonMobil, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips are attending the meeting. Chevron is currently the only US company licensed to operate in Venezuela, while ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips withdrew in 2007 after refusing to transfer majority ownership of their local operations to the Venezuelan government.

The Election Commission (EC) of Bangladesh has decided to suspend voting activities in Pabna-1 and Pabna-2 constituencies due to boundary complications. The decision was confirmed on Friday morning by EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed, who stated that the court instructed the commission not to proceed with any voting activities in these two constituencies. As a result, all electoral processes there have been temporarily halted.

According to the announced schedule, Bangladesh’s 13th National Parliamentary Election is set for February 12, 2026. On the same day, a referendum on the implementation of the July Charter will also take place. This marks the first time in the country’s history that a national election and a referendum will be held simultaneously. The national election ballots will be white, while the referendum ballots will be pink.

The nomination appeal process is ongoing until January 11, with appeal resolutions scheduled between January 12 and 18. Candidates may withdraw by January 20, and the final candidate list and symbol allocation will be published on January 21. Campaigning will run from January 22 until the morning of February 10.

US President Donald Trump has proposed a $1.5 trillion military budget for the 2027 fiscal year, marking a 66 percent increase from the $901 billion approved for 2026, according to Sama TV. In a post on his social media platform Truth Social on January 7, Trump said the decision followed extensive discussions with top officials. He described the plan as part of his vision to build a “dream military” capable of ensuring US security during crises.

The proposed budget requires congressional approval. Although Republicans hold a narrow majority in both the Senate and House of Representatives, budget analysts believe securing approval for such a large expenditure will be difficult. Trump stated that revenue from tariffs imposed on other countries would cover the additional spending, but neutral think tanks estimate that current tariff income could fund only half, potentially increasing national debt by several trillion dollars.

In the same announcement, Trump criticized major defense companies for slow weapons production and said they would be barred from paying dividends or conducting share buybacks until output improves. Following the news, shares of Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics rose significantly after market close.

A report submitted on 4 January 2026 by the Commission on Enforced Disappearances to the Chief Adviser revealed that an internal Bangladesh Army board investigating the alleged disappearance of BNP leader Ilias Ali was mysteriously dissolved without reaching any conclusion. The board, led by Lieutenant General S M Kamrul Hasan and formed in early September 2024, had interviewed around 60 officers and soldiers and recorded testimonies through audio, video, and written statements. However, the commission found no trace of the board’s final report or collected evidence.

According to the commission, the board ceased operations under “superior orders,” and all related materials later became unavailable. The commission noted that only the Army Chief could have issued such an order. Witnesses told investigators they had described incidents of enforced disappearance and torture, including one soldier who claimed direct involvement in the operation during which Ilias Ali was abducted.

The commission concluded that the unexplained termination of the inquiry and disappearance of evidence demonstrated institutional resistance to accountability and undermined confidence in internal military investigations.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated that he does not need to follow international law, emphasizing that his foreign policy decisions are guided solely by his own moral judgment. He made the remarks in an interview with The New York Times following a U.S. military operation in Venezuela that resulted in the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Trump said his actions would be controlled only by his personal ethics and that adherence to international law depends on his own definition.

According to the report, the United States launched a military attack on Venezuela early Saturday, with explosions reported in Caracas and several military bases. During the operation, U.S. forces captured and removed President Maduro from the country. Critics described the move as a clear violation of the United Nations Charter, which prohibits the use of force against the territorial integrity and political independence of any state.

After the assault, Trump announced that the United States would manage Venezuela and exploit its vast oil resources. The White House, however, stated it would cooperate with interim President Delcy Rodríguez while maintaining influence over the country’s policymaking. Trump warned that a second round of military strikes could occur if U.S. directives were not followed.

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced that he will meet Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado next week. He made the statement during an interview with Sean Hannity broadcast on Fox News on Thursday night. Trump said he expects Machado to arrive sometime next week and expressed his anticipation to meet and greet her.

Maria Corina Machado is described as one of the leading figures in Venezuela’s opposition movement. According to the report, she had gone into hiding during the period when Nicolás Maduro’s government was ousted from power. The interview marks a public confirmation of the planned meeting between the U.S. president and the Venezuelan opposition leader.

The upcoming meeting could signal renewed engagement between the United States and Venezuela’s opposition leadership, though no further details about the agenda or location were disclosed in the report.