A powerful earthquake struck southern Philippines on Wednesday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The quake measured 6.7 on the Richter scale and occurred near the coastal region of Mindanao Island, about 27 kilometers east of Santiago city. The quake’s depth was recorded at approximately 58.5 kilometers below the surface. No tsunami warning was issued following the tremor. Authorities reported that there were no immediate casualties or major damage from the earthquake. Local administration and emergency services are closely monitoring the situation to assess any potential aftereffects or structural impacts in the affected areas. The absence of a tsunami alert and early reports of minimal damage suggest that the region may have avoided severe consequences, though monitoring continues to ensure public safety.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s Nayeb-e-Ameer Dr. Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher has warned that Bangladesh will head toward destruction if future elections are manipulated as in the past. He made the remarks on Wednesday morning in Dhaka after a meeting with representatives of the European Union at the political office of the Jamaat Ameer. During the briefing, Taher said that discussions among 11 political parties regarding seat-sharing are nearing an agreement. He dismissed as imaginary the claim that the Nationalist Citizens Party (NCP) would receive 10 seats. The Jamaat leader also stated that if his party comes to power, it will form a government in coordination with all political parties. The meeting with EU representatives and Taher’s comments reflect ongoing political negotiations and concerns over electoral integrity ahead of the next national polls.

U.S. President Donald Trump announced that Venezuela will supply between 30 and 50 million barrels of high-quality oil to the United States. He made the statement on Tuesday through his social media platform Truth Social, saying the oil would be sold at market price once brought to the U.S. Trump added that he would personally oversee the use of the proceeds to benefit both the Venezuelan and American people. The announcement came a day after former Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez was sworn in as interim president. Trump said he had instructed his Energy Secretary, Chris Wright, to implement the plan immediately and that the oil would be transported directly to the United States by ship. According to CBS, representatives of major U.S. petroleum companies plan to meet with the Trump administration later this week. The move signals a new phase in U.S.-Venezuela energy relations following recent political changes in Caracas, though details of the agreement’s structure and timeline remain unclear.

Partial results from the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JAKSU) election show differing leads across key posts. Out of 39 centers, results from 11 have been announced. Chhatra Dal-supported VP candidate A.K.M. Rakib received 1,142 votes, leading Chhatra Shibir-backed Riazul Islam, who secured 1,031 votes, by 111 votes. The results were officially declared by the JAKSU Election Commission at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday. In the General Secretary (GS) race, Chhatra Shibir’s Abdul Alim received 1,101 votes, while Chhatra Dal’s Khadijatul Kubra got 570 votes, giving Alim a lead of 531 votes. For the Assistant General Secretary (AGS) position, Chhatra Shibir’s Masud Rana earned 1,020 votes, ahead of Chhatra Dal’s Tanzil with 898 votes, a margin of 122 votes. The results reflect a mixed trend, with Chhatra Dal leading in the VP race and Chhatra Shibir ahead in the GS and AGS contests. Further results from the remaining centers are yet to be announced.

The Bangladesh Army recovered a pistol, bullets, and homemade explosives from an abandoned toilet in Sadarpur upazila of Faridpur on Tuesday night. The recovery took place around 9 p.m. in the Hospital Mor area, behind an abandoned sub-registrar office. According to army and police sources, the items were found wrapped in cloth and tape inside a bundle, which contained a 7.5 mm pistol, one round of ammunition, and four cocktails inside a black bag. No arrests have been made in connection with the discovery. An officer from the Faridpur Army Camp stated that the seized weapons were handed over to Sadarpur Police Station. Officer-in-Charge Abdul Al Mamun Shah confirmed that the army recovered the abandoned weapons and later transferred them to police custody. He added that legal procedures regarding the incident are currently underway. Authorities have not yet identified who may have left the weapons at the site, and the investigation is ongoing.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) is confronting internal unrest in Comilla, a district long considered one of its strongholds, as the upcoming parliamentary election approaches. The party has announced candidates for all eleven constituencies in the district, but protests have erupted in five—Comilla-2, Comilla-6, Comilla-7, Comilla-9, and Comilla-10—after several leaders were denied nominations. These demonstrations by excluded aspirants and their supporters have exposed divisions within the party’s local ranks. Historically, BNP dominated Comilla, winning eight of twelve seats in 1991 and eleven in 2001 as part of an alliance with Jamaat-e-Islami, before dropping to two seats in 2008. Analysts cited in the report suggest that the political landscape shifted after August 5, 2024, with the emergence of rebel and independent candidates weakening BNP’s position and potentially benefiting Jamaat. In several constituencies, including Comilla-1 through Comilla-5, multiple parties such as Jamaat-e-Islami, Islami Andolan Bangladesh, and the National Citizen Party (NCP) are fielding active campaigns. Local observers believe that unless BNP resolves its internal divisions, it risks losing up to six seats in Comilla to rival or allied groups.

A hearing on the formation of formal charges against Sajeeb Wazed Joy, son of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her ICT adviser, and former State Minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak is scheduled to take place today. The charges relate to alleged crimes against humanity committed during the July Revolution. The hearing is set to be held before the three-member International Crimes Tribunal-1, headed by Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumdar, with Justices Shafiul Alam Mahmud and Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury as members. Earlier, on December 4, the tribunal issued arrest warrants for both accused and ordered them to appear before the court by December 10. Joy did not appear, prompting a public notice for his appearance. Palak, who was already under arrest in another case, was produced before the court and shown arrested in this case. After Joy failed to appear following the notice, the court appointed a state defense lawyer for him on December 17 and set today for the charge formation hearing. The tribunal’s proceedings mark a continuation of legal actions linked to alleged offenses during the July Revolution period.

The United States has announced a new update to its visa bond list, adding Bangladesh among 38 countries whose citizens may now be required to deposit a financial bond when applying for a U.S. visa. The updated list was released by the U.S. Department of State on Tuesday, and the new rule will take effect from January 21. Under the policy, applicants from these countries may need to pay between 5,000 and 15,000 U.S. dollars as a visa bond. According to the announcement, most of the countries included in the list are from Africa, Latin America, and Asia. The visa bond system is designed to discourage visa overstays by requiring a refundable financial guarantee from applicants. The measure is expected to make obtaining U.S. visas more difficult for many citizens of the listed countries. The newly added countries include Bangladesh, Algeria, Angola, Antigua, Barbuda, Benin, Burundi, Cape Verde, Cuba, Djibouti, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Kyrgyzstan, Nepal, Nigeria, Senegal, Tajikistan, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.

On January 7, 2026, fifteen years passed since the killing of 14-year-old Felani Khatun, whose body was found hanging on the barbed wire fence along the Bangladesh-India border in Kurigram. Despite the global outrage that followed the 2011 shooting by Indian Border Security Force (BSF) member Amiya Ghosh, her family has yet to see justice. Felani’s father, Nurul Islam, continues to seek accountability through Indian courts, expressing frustration that the case remains unresolved. The BSF court in Cooch Behar acquitted Amiya Ghosh twice, in 2013 and 2015. Following these verdicts, Nurul Islam and Indian human rights activist Kirity Roy filed a petition with the Indian Supreme Court, but repeated delays have stalled the case. Nurul Islam said the trial has not progressed since a change in government and appealed for his daughter’s killer to be punished. Felani’s parents, Nurul Islam and Jahanara Begum, continue to struggle financially while raising their remaining five children. They have appealed to the government for educational support and renewed calls for justice, saying that only a fair verdict can prevent future border killings.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday accused Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro of imitating his dance moves and labeled him a violent leader responsible for millions of deaths. Speaking before Republican lawmakers at the Kennedy Arts Center in Washington, Trump claimed Maduro tried to mimic his dance on stage. He also alleged that a torture center once operated in central Caracas but offered no further details. Trump’s remarks followed a New York Times report suggesting that Maduro’s public dancing despite U.S. threats signaled to White House officials that it was time for tougher action on Venezuela. The Venezuelan leader had been seen dancing to a techno version of the slogan “No war, yes peace” during U.S. troop deployments in the Caribbean in late 2025, while Trump is known for dancing to the disco song “YMCA” at his rallies. Although Trump praised a recent U.S. special forces operation to detain Maduro and his wife, he did not outline any clear plan for managing Venezuela after Maduro’s fall. Much of his speech focused on preparations for the 2026 midterm elections and his political priorities.

In Matlab North of Chandpur, a contractor demolished a fragile culvert during canal excavation and then disappeared, leaving 19 landless families stranded for one and a half years. The culvert, located over a Water Development Board canal in Dubgi village of Gazra Union, was the only access route for residents of a government-funded housing project built in 2019 between Kolakanda and Palalokdi villages. Since its destruction, the families have faced severe hardship, crossing the canal daily using a precariously placed palm tree. Residents report multiple injuries from falls while attempting to cross, including a woman who broke her leg. A representative from the contractor’s firm, speaking anonymously, claimed their company was not responsible for rebuilding the culvert. Matlab North Upazila Nirbahi Officer and Chengarchar municipal administrator Mahmuda Kulsum Moni said she learned of the issue through the media and promised that the matter would be addressed urgently through the relevant department. Local authorities have indicated that a new culvert will likely be constructed soon to restore safe access for the affected families.

In the Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JCSU) election, results from eight of the 39 polling centers have been announced. According to the official declaration made by the JCSU Election Commission at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Shibir-backed vice president (VP) candidate Riazul Islam received 810 votes, while Chhatra Dal-backed candidate A.K.M. Rakib secured 804 votes, leaving Riazul ahead by six votes. Departmental results show varying leads between the two panels. In the Microbiology Department, Riazul received 87 votes against Rakib’s 46, while in the Finance Department, Rakib led with 231 votes to Riazul’s 138. Other departments, including Computer Science, Genetic Engineering, Geography, Anthropology, Public Administration, and Pharmacy, reported mixed outcomes across VP, GS, and AGS positions. Vote counting was temporarily halted on Tuesday night at 9:20 p.m. due to a technical fault in the counting machine. The process resumed after the issue was resolved, and results were later released following a long interruption.

Venezuelan Interim President Delcy Rodríguez stated on Tuesday that no foreign power governs her country. Speaking on national television, she emphasized that Venezuela is under its own government’s authority and not directed by any external force. Her remarks came amid heightened tensions following a U.S. military operation in the country. Venezuela’s Prosecutor General Tarek William Saab called for the immediate release of Nicolás Maduro and his wife, describing the U.S. military action as an illegal armed aggression lacking a declaration of war or United Nations Security Council authorization. The Venezuelan government released a list of 24 soldiers killed in the operation, while Cuba reported the deaths of 32 of its military members. Rodríguez declared seven days of national mourning in their memory. Since Maduro’s detention from his residence, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has not clarified its plans for Venezuela. Trump said the United States would run the country, and Secretary of State Marco Rubio added that U.S. officials would provide guidance on how it should be governed.

The long-awaited Jagannath University Central Students’ Union (JAKSU) and hall elections concluded peacefully on Tuesday after several postponements. Despite scattered allegations of bias among candidates, voting took place smoothly under tight security and administrative oversight. Voter turnout was lower than expected, with 65 percent casting ballots for the central union and 77 percent for hall councils. However, counting faced delays due to mechanical faults in the Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) machines, preventing the election commission from starting tallying for over six hours. Vote counting began around 6:15 p.m. but was suspended due to crowding and later halted again when machines produced inconsistent results. The commission and university administration held meetings with candidates and faculty representatives to resolve the issue. Election Commissioner Professor Kaniz Fatema Kakli said a manual count of 300 votes would be cross-checked with two OMR machines to determine which device matched manual results, and counting would proceed accordingly. The election featured four panels representing different student political affiliations, with 157 candidates competing for 36 positions across the central and hall unions.

The Commission of Inquiry on enforced disappearances submitted its final report to Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus on January 4, 2026, concluding that abductions and secret detentions in Bangladesh were not isolated incidents but part of a planned, coordinated, and sustained state system within the military and security structure. The report states that responsibility extends beyond field-level soldiers to operational units, mid-level commanders, intelligence leadership, and top decision-makers. According to the commission, field officers executed blindfolded abductions and illegal detentions without formal arrest records, while mid-level commanders and intelligence units maintained and coordinated these operations. The report cites evidence of systematic cooperation among units, including the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB). It also rejects claims by senior officers that they were unaware of such activities, noting that detention cells were located near commanding offices and that senior officials regularly inspected them. The commission concludes that enforced disappearances were used as a political control mechanism rather than for national security. It criticizes the use of military law to avoid accountability, noting that enforced disappearance is not recognized as a crime under that framework.