Amid a prolonged drought in South Sudan, remote villages like Lohobohobo rely on traditional rainmakers to secure crops and livelihoods. Solomon Atur, a local rainmaker, was blamed for failing to bring rain and fled in fear, but was forcibly returned and buried alive by villagers. This tragic event underscores the deadly consequences of extreme superstition compounded by food insecurity and climate stress. Over the past four decades, several rainmakers in the disappearing mountain ranges have faced similar fates, including burial, burning, or exile. Experts say the climate crisis, recurring droughts, and rising frustration among agrarian communities are fueling violence against traditional practitioners, reflecting the dangerous intersection of environmental hardship and local beliefs. Al Jazeera confirmed the incident through multiple sources, including family members and local officials.

Elon Musk has unveiled plans to create Grokipedia, a new open-source digital encyclopedia designed as an alternative to Wikipedia. Built on XAI’s chatbot Grok, the platform aims to provide “more neutral, intelligent, and limitless” knowledge, according to Musk. He invited users on the X platform to contribute, promising a collaborative space where information is free from political bias. Musk has often criticized Wikipedia for left-leaning tendencies and even offered $1 billion to acquire it in 2023. The announcement comes amid renewed controversy around Wikipedia, as co-founder Larry Sanger called it “a propaganda machine” and accused administrators of censoring conservative and libertarian perspectives. With Grokipedia, Musk seeks to position his platform as a major competitor in the global knowledge and technology space, sparking curiosity and debate among tech enthusiasts and information seekers alike.

In Raipur, Laxmipur, a tragic accident occurred on Monday evening when 15-month-old Jannatul fell off her father’s motorcycle and suffered fatal head injuries. The incident took place around 7:00 PM on Haidarganj Road, Amtoli area. The child’s father, Shipon Hossain, who recently returned from abroad, and her mother were injured when the mother’s scarf got entangled in the motorcycle wheel, causing both to fall. Jannatul was seated in front on the motorcycle and hit her head in the accident. She was rushed to Raipur Government Hospital, where doctors declared her dead. Following a written request from the family, the body was handed over without a post-mortem. The child was laid to rest in the family cemetery after the Asha prayer, leaving the family devastated by this unexpected tragedy.

During a large-scale operation conducted by the Malaysian Immigration Department, a total of 97 illegal immigrants were arrested in the busy areas of Klang and Kajang, Selangor, including 24 Bangladeshis. The operation, carried out by a special task force led by JIM Putrajaya on Sunday evening, involved around 90 officers and targeted areas long reported to harbor foreigners living under temporary work visas (PLKS) illegally. Officers checked the documents of 884 individuals, detaining 97 foreigners, including employers or local recruiters. The arrested individuals ranged in age from 18 to 62 and included citizens from Indonesia, Myanmar, India, Pakistan, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka. Investigations are ongoing under Malaysia’s Immigration Act 1959/63. The detainees were taken to Beranang Immigration Depot in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur International Airport Depot for further legal proceedings.

Abul Kasem Rinku, a field assistant at Talatoli Upazila Fisheries Office and student leader, along with his father Jalil Fakir, Labour Affairs Secretary of the Upazila Awami League, has been accused of fishing hilsa illegally in the sea despite a government ban. The incident occurred late Sunday night at Fakirhat Fisheries Landing Center, Sonakata Union, Barguna. Local fishermen intercepted a large catch while it was being moved to Rinku’s fish market. Allegations suggest that Upazila Fisheries Officer Victor Bain may have colluded, allowing the father-son duo to violate regulations. Fishermen reported threats when they protested the illegal activity. Rinku denied involvement, claiming political harassment, while authorities promised a thorough investigation and legal action. The incident has drawn attention to misuse of political influence in fisheries and highlighted challenges in enforcing government fishing bans in coastal areas, sparking local unrest and media coverage.

Mirza Yasir Abbas, son of BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas, has decided to gift approximately 31.3 million shares of Dhaka Bank PLC, valued at around 360 million Taka, to his mother Afroza Abbas. The shares will be transferred outside the stock exchange trading system as a gift. Afroza Abbas, a founder of Dhaka Bank but not a current board member, will now hold around three percent of the bank’s shares, exceeding the regulatory two percent requirement for a director set by the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC). This strategic gift will make her eligible to join the bank’s board in the future. Sources indicate that the primary purpose of the gift is to facilitate her appointment as a director, strengthening her formal involvement in the bank’s management.

A Dhaka court has ordered the arrest of Jahangir Kabir, also known as Lipton, a member of the armed wing of the extremist group Gana Mukti Fouj, in connection with a high-profile kidnapping case. Lipton allegedly abducted businessman Alhaj Md. Belal Hossain in October 2016 from Kallyanpur bus stand, blindfolded and restrained him, and held him in a secret location for 31 days while demanding a ransom of 100 million taka for his release. Military forces had previously arrested him in Kushtia in June, and several cases were filed against him. During the court hearing on October 6, Lipton was remanded to jail following a request from CID Inspector Krishnadas Bairagi. The case also mentions threats against Belal Hossain’s family. Belal Hossain has called for justice, urging authorities to bring the accused under legal action.

Police have arrested three individuals, including Asaduzzaman Mintu Mallik, president of the Amtali Upazila Sramik League and chairman of Holdia Union Parishad, in connection with a case filed over an attack on a BNP rally in Barguna’s Amtali upazila. The other two arrestees are Arpangasia Union Awami League president Humayun Kabir and Amtali Municipality Jubo League joint general secretary Amit Rasul Apu. They were detained during a police operation on Sunday night and produced before the Amtali Senior Judicial Magistrate Court on Monday afternoon, where Judge Md. Ifti Hasan Imran ordered them to be sent to jail. The case, filed under the Explosives and Special Powers Acts, names 65 accused and 150 unidentified persons. The attack reportedly took place on October 22 last year, when BNP activists organized a procession that came under assault by Awami League members.

Three American scientists — John Clarke, Michel Devoret, and John Martinis — have been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Physics for their pioneering research on macroscopic quantum tunneling and energy quantization in electrical circuits. The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced their names on Tuesday, noting that their discoveries have opened a new frontier in quantum physics by linking microscopic quantum behaviors to large-scale physical systems. Their experiments demonstrated that superconducting circuits can transition between energy states via quantum tunneling — a phenomenon resembling an object passing through a wall. They also proved that such systems absorb and emit energy in discrete quantities, perfectly aligning with quantum predictions. Each laureate will share the 11 million Swedish kronor prize equally. The Nobel season will continue with announcements for chemistry, literature, peace, and economics throughout the week.

Bangladeshi actress Jaya Ahsan’s appearance at the West Bengal government–organized Durga Puja Carnival has sparked controversy and political backlash. BJP leaders in Durgapur, Bardhaman district, staged a protest questioning why a Bangladeshi artist was invited to perform at a state-sponsored religious event. Though Jaya had already left the venue after performing a Rabindra Sangeet, BJP members accused the organizers of “insulting Goddess Durga” by including her in the program. The controversy follows earlier criticisms by Trinamool Congress councillor Jui Biswas, who had opposed Bangladeshi actors working in Indian films. The incident adds a new dimension to the growing cultural and political debate over cross-border artistic collaboration between India and Bangladesh, particularly during religious and state events.

At least fifteen people were injured in a violent clash between two rival groups in Rajoir upazila of Madaripur on Sunday evening, reportedly triggered by a long-standing dispute over a teenage love affair. The conflict erupted around 7 p.m. at Pakhulla Bazar in Amgram Union, where both sides engaged in attacks using local weapons. According to police and local sources, an eighth-grade boy and girl had been in a relationship, which ended after the girl’s family arranged her marriage three months ago. The situation worsened when the boy was allegedly beaten by the girl’s relatives, sparking months of animosity between the families. Seven of the injured have been admitted to Faridpur Medical College Hospital in critical condition. Police intervened to bring the situation under control, with authorities confirming that legal action will be taken after investigating the complaints.

A new report from Brown University’s Cost of War Project reveals that the United States has spent nearly $34 billion on military operations and aid in the Middle East over the past two years. Of this, Israel alone has received more than $21 billion in support—fueling its continued offensives in Gaza, Yemen, and tensions with Iran. Analysts argue that without U.S. funding, weapons, and political backing, Israel could not sustain prolonged conflicts across multiple fronts. The report, titled “U.S. Military Aid and Arms Transfers to Israel, October 2023–September 2025,” underscores Washington’s central role in the region’s instability. Critics in the U.S. note growing frustration among taxpayers, who bear the cost of these wars. Meanwhile, public opinion among American Jews is shifting, with many acknowledging Israel’s actions in Gaza as war crimes. Experts warn this support may reshape U.S. politics ahead of the 2028 elections.

The Bangladesh government has decided to officially recognize October 7, the death anniversary of BUET student Abrar Fahad, as a national day of observance. The move comes six years after Abrar was brutally killed by members of the banned Chhatra League for posting an anti-India status on Facebook. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs will also observe February 25 as BDR Massacre Day. On the eve of Abrar’s sixth death anniversary, a documentary titled “You Failed to Kill Abrar Fahad” will be screened simultaneously across all Shilpakala Academies, with Abrar’s father attending the Dhaka screening. The government is also preparing a national calendar highlighting significant political and cultural dates, where both days will be commemorated annually. Abrar’s murder in 2019 sparked nationwide outrage and renewed debate over student politics, freedom of expression, and justice in Bangladesh’s higher education institutions.

In Chattogram’s Lohagara upazila, over a hundred impoverished families of Amirabad Union’s Jaladash Para have been trapped for 30 years after their only access road was blocked by the family of late former upazila chairman Ziaul Haque Chowdhury Babul. Locals allege that using political influence, Babul’s family built a wall across the public land, cutting off all passage to the community. On October 6, hundreds of affected residents staged a human chain and protest rally at Bottoli Motor Station, demanding restoration of the road. Local leaders, including former Jubo Dal joint convener Muslim Hossain, accused Babul’s heir, Yuvraj, of threatening villagers who demanded access. After the demonstration, residents submitted a memorandum to the Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), who called the road closure “a heinous crime” and promised immediate action following a site inspection. The community warned of intensified protests if the blockade remains.

Cuttack city in Odisha remains tense after violent clashes erupted during Durga Puja immersion processions. The violence began Friday night in Dargah Bazaar when loud music triggered disputes between groups, escalating into stone-pelting that injured several people, including Deputy Police Commissioner Rishikesh Dnyandeo Khilari. Police have arrested six individuals and are reviewing CCTV and drone footage to identify others. Following the unrest, authorities imposed a 36-hour curfew and suspended internet services across Cuttack and nearby areas to prevent misinformation. Despite restrictions, members of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) organized a motorcycle rally on Sunday, allegedly vandalizing shops and setting fires before police intervened with baton charges. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi condemned the violence, vowing strict action and free medical care for the injured. Former CM Naveen Patnaik blamed administrative failure, while VHP announced a 12-hour shutdown demanding justice.