Recent U.S. airstrikes have reportedly damaged several Iranian nuclear facilities, delaying Tehran's nuclear program by nearly two years, according to Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell. The strikes involved heavy use of bombs and missiles on three key sites. However, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi warned that Iran could still produce weapons-grade uranium in the coming months, casting doubt on the long-term impact of the strikes. Analysts believe Iran may have hidden enriched uranium before the attacks.

The Trump administration has threatened legal action against CNN for reporting on "IceBlock," an app designed to help users identify the locations of ICE officers. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the Justice Department is considering a lawsuit. CNN defended its reporting, stating that publishing information about the app was not illegal. The app’s developer, Joshua Aaron, said it was his form of protest against the Trump administration’s mass deportation policies, which he compared to Nazi Germany.

Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi strongly condemned EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas’s remarks suggesting the JCPOA talks aim to end Iran’s nuclear program. Araghchi argued such statements violate both the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and UN Security Council Resolution 2231, undermining future negotiations with the EU and UK. He emphasized Iran’s right to a peaceful nuclear program and criticized calls for one-sided cooperation with the IAEA, while ignoring threats from Israel and the U.S.

Sarzis Alam, a leader of the Nationalist Citizen’s Party (NCP), has alleged that extortion is being carried out in the name of the BNP in Lalmonirhat’s Patgram area. Trucks transporting sand and stone from government-approved sites are reportedly being stopped and forced to pay bribes ranging from BDT 500 to 1,000. When two extortionists were jailed for a month, over a hundred activists from BNP and its volunteer wing reportedly stormed the police station and freed them. Sarzis questioned whether BNP leadership, tagged in his Facebook post, would take any action against these incidents.

At least five people were killed and 18 injured in a bomb blast targeting a government vehicle in Pakistan’s Bajaur district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Victims include an Assistant Commissioner, a Tehsildar (revenue officer), a sub-inspector, and a constable. The vehicle belonged to Assistant Commissioner Faisal Ismail. Police suspect it was a suicide attack. No group has claimed responsibility. According to think tank PICSS, Pakistan experienced its highest level of militant violence in June 2025, with 502 attacks killing at least 737 people in the first half of the year.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has called for the immediate resignation of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. In a post on Truth Social, Trump shared a report accusing Powell of providing false information during hearings related to renovation expenses at the Fed’s headquarters. Despite having appointed Powell during his first term, Trump has frequently criticized him for not lowering interest rates. Powell, however, has rejected the resignation calls, stating he will not step down under political pressure.

Two members of the Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA), including a commander, were killed in a military operation in the remote hills of Ruma Upazila in Bandarban, Bangladesh. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) confirmed the news on Thursday, stating that troops recovered three submachine guns, one rifle, and a cache of ammunition. The operation is still ongoing, according to the ISPR.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf claimed that Tehran dealt a devastating blow to both the aerial and ground forces of Israel during a 12-day conflict. Speaking at a memorial in Tehran on Wednesday, Ghalibaf said Iranian forces began surrounding and dismantling Israel’s military capabilities by the second and third days of the war. He asserted that Iranian ballistic missiles even struck fortified Israeli defense systems—evidence, he said, of Iran’s growing military power. Ghalibaf further claimed that Israel's aggression, backed by the United States, was met with a powerful Iranian response. "Without U.S. support, Israel wouldn’t last a single day," he added.

Microsoft is reportedly preparing to lay off approximately 9,100 employees — about 4% of its global workforce — in what would be its largest job cut since 2023. The layoffs are expected to mainly affect the sales division. This follows a prior round of 6,000 job cuts earlier this year. Once a booming employment sector, the global tech industry has seen repeated layoffs since the COVID-19 pandemic. Microsoft currently employs about 224,000 people. An official announcement is yet to be made.

Dr. Marwan Sultan, Director of the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza, was killed along with several family members in an Israeli airstrike on his home. The Palestinian Health Ministry condemned the strike as a "barbaric crime against the medical sector." The Israeli military claimed it targeted a senior Hamas figure and is investigating civilian casualties. Dr. Sultan’s daughter insisted he had no political affiliation and was solely dedicated to treating patients during the ongoing war. Separately, at least five were killed in another airstrike on a "safe zone" tent camp in Khan Younis.

Fourteen Israeli ministers have urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to move swiftly in annexing the occupied West Bank, citing current U.S. support as an opportune moment. The ministers warned that recognizing any portion of the West Bank as a Palestinian state would be a grave threat to Israel’s existence. Meanwhile, the Palestinian Authority reiterated that the West Bank is an essential part of any future Palestinian state, warning that annexation would collapse the two-state solution.

The government has initiated the process of withdrawing 27 legal cases filed against Hefazat-e-Islam leaders and activists during the Awami League's tenure. Eleven of these were filed at Chattogram’s Hathazari police station, with others spread across Khulshi, EPZ, Rangunia, Cox’s Bazar, Comilla, and Dhaka. Thousands were accused in these cases, which Hefazat leaders claim were politically motivated. The Chattogram Deputy Commissioner has received the withdrawal list from the Home Ministry, and further steps will be taken pending court approval.

BNP Chairperson’s Advisor, Zainul Abedin Farroque, has alleged a fresh conspiracy against the party, citing a recent Islami Andolan rally at Suhrawardy Udyan and comments by various political leaders regarding proportional representation and electoral issues. Speaking at a National Press Club discussion, he suggested these activities were linked to a meeting between Tarique Rahman and Dr. Yunus in London. He urged the interim government to hold elections by February to restore calm and ensure the revival of damaged constitutional institutions.

A ferry carrying 65 people, including 53 passengers and 12 crew members, sank off the coast of Bali, Indonesia. The ferry, named KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya, also had 22 vehicles on board. As of the latest update, two bodies have been recovered and 20 passengers rescued, with at least 43 still missing. The vessel sank roughly 30 minutes after departing East Java’s Ketapang Port. Rescue operations with nine boats continued overnight amid rough seas, a recurring factor in Indonesia’s frequent maritime accidents.

In Faridpur’s Bhanga upazila, disgruntled BNP leaders and activists blocked the Dhaka-Barisal highway for an hour, burning tires in protest of a newly announced 15-member convening committee for the municipal BNP. They rejected the committee as illegal and accused local party leaders of forming it through financial transactions. Highway police eventually cleared the road and restored traffic. Protesters are demanding the committee’s dissolution.