Venezuela’s interim government has claimed that more than 800 political prisoners have been released since before December, following pressure from Washington. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who took office after Nicolás Maduro was ousted in a U.S. military operation last month, initiated the release process for those detained on anti-government charges. The effort had been slow until Saturday, when 100 prisoners were freed at once, though many families continue to wait outside prisons hoping for their relatives’ release.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced on state television that 808 political prisoners had been freed since before December, but did not clarify the exact timeframe. Rodríguez earlier stated that 626 prisoners had been released since December, asserting that the process began under Maduro’s administration. In contrast, human rights group Foro Penal said it had verified only 383 releases, including some foreigners, and that 266 occurred after January 8 when the government announced all political prisoners would be freed.

Foro Penal’s vice president Gonzalo Himiob said the government’s figures do not match their observations, while Cabello rejected the criticism, saying NGOs lack full data and the government is not obliged to consult them.

The Australian government has cancelled the visa of Israeli influencer Sammi Yahud after he faced accusations of promoting anti-Islamic propaganda. Authorities acted following his social media post describing Islam as a 'hateful ideology'. Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke stated that individuals spreading hate and division are not welcome in Australia and that visitors should come with the right intentions.

The decision was made under Australia’s hate crime laws, which were strengthened after the December 14 massacre during Hanukkah celebrations at Bondi Beach. The conservative Australian Jewish Association condemned the move, saying it had invited Yahud to speak. The report also noted that far-right Israeli politician Simcha Rothman’s visa had been cancelled last year under similar circumstances.

The case highlights Australia’s stricter enforcement of hate speech laws following recent violent incidents and its stance on preventing divisive figures from entering the country.

The rally ground in Uttara, Dhaka, was filled to capacity on Tuesday evening as supporters awaited BNP Chairperson Tarique Rahman. According to the schedule, Rahman was expected to reach Gazipur at 6 p.m. and Uttara at 7 p.m., but his program in Mymensingh ran longer, causing a slight delay. Before arriving in Uttara, he was to address a brief roadside gathering in Gazipur following a large rally in Mymensingh.

The much-anticipated event, held at the central Eidgah field in Uttara’s Sector 6, drew thousands of BNP leaders, activists, and residents. The area was decorated with banners, festoons, and party flags, and slogans echoed throughout the venue. Organizers expected a record turnout before Rahman’s arrival, viewing the rally as a major show of strength for the Dhaka-18 constituency.

BNP’s Dhaka-18 candidate S.M. Jahangir Hossain said the rally carried special significance as it marked Rahman’s direct election speech after a long time. He claimed the event would strengthen the party’s position ahead of the upcoming election and urged people to reject false propaganda against him.

Hasnat Abdullah, chief organizer of the National Citizens Party (NCP) for the southern region, urged citizens not to entrust their future to what he described as 'looters and mafias'. His remarks came on social media following an alleged attack on NCP candidate Nasir Uddin Patowary in front of Habibullah Bahar College in Dhaka-8 constituency.

In his Facebook post, Abdullah claimed that members of the student organization Chhatra Dal carried out the attack on Patowary, whom he described as a veteran of anti-fascist movements. He questioned the attackers’ intolerance toward opposing views and called on Dhaka-8 voters to decide whether to support those who, he alleged, profit from political power and violence.

Abdullah concluded by urging citizens to protect their rights and safety, warning against empowering individuals he labeled as guardians of thugs and mafias.

In Bogura-2 (Shibganj) constituency, Jamaat-e-Islami leaders have accused BNP supporters of vandalizing their election camp and assaulting activists. The allegation was made at a press conference at Bogura Press Club on Tuesday by Maulana Md. Mofazzal Hossain, Ameer of Kichak Union Jamaat. He said the attack occurred on Monday afternoon in Uttar Belail village, injuring three Jamaat members who were later hospitalized. A written complaint naming nine individuals and several unidentified others was filed at Shibganj Police Station.

Jamaat leaders claimed that despite filing the complaint, no case had been recorded and no arrests made. They expressed concern over the neutrality of the local administration, alleging bias toward a particular party. Law enforcement officials visited the scene following the incident.

Shibganj Police Officer-in-Charge Muhammad Faridul Islam confirmed receiving the complaint and said preliminary investigation found no grounds for a case. He added that the complainants were advised to include only verified details in their report and that legal procedures were ongoing.

A clash erupted in Sirajganj on Monday night when a BNP campaign rally came under alleged attack by Jamaat-e-Islami activists. The incident occurred around 8 p.m. in Dumur Isha village of Bahuli Union under Sirajganj Sadar upazila. Six Chhatra Dal activists were injured and admitted to Sirajganj General Hospital, with one in critical condition who may be transferred to Dhaka. Local tension remains high following the violence.

Sirajganj district BNP general secretary and election coordination chief Sayedur Rahman Bachchu accused 300–400 Jamaat activists of launching a planned assault using iron rods and steel pipes, claiming the attack aimed to disrupt election campaigning. He alleged that Jamaat was trying to destabilize the electoral environment. In response, district Jamaat assistant secretary Shahidul Islam denied the accusation, asserting that BNP activists had attacked their rally first, injuring five to seven Jamaat members.

Sirajganj General Hospital’s resident medical officer confirmed that six injured individuals were treated, three of whom were released after primary care. Police officials have yet to provide further comment on the incident.

Indonesia’s navy confirmed that 23 marines were killed after being trapped in a landslide in West Java province. The incident occurred early Saturday in Pasir Langu village of Bandung Barat district, about 100 kilometers southeast of Jakarta. Navy spokesperson First Admiral Tunggul said the marines were participating in a training exercise linked to patrol preparations along the Indonesia–Papua New Guinea border when heavy rain triggered the landslide.

According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, the death toll from the landslide had risen to 20 by Tuesday afternoon, with 42 people still missing. It was not immediately clear whether the military casualties were included in that figure. Around 800 rescuers, including soldiers and police, along with nine excavators, were deployed to search for the missing. Authorities evacuated 685 residents from the affected village to local government buildings for shelter.

The disaster struck during the peak of the rainy season across Java, which has recently experienced widespread flooding. Two months earlier, floods and landslides on Sumatra island caused about 1,200 deaths and displaced more than one million people.

BNP Standing Committee member Dr. Abdul Moin Khan announced that if his party forms the government, it will introduce special technical training for workers before they go abroad for employment. He made the statement on Tuesday at the National Press Club in Dhaka during a discussion titled “Rights of Expatriates and Thoughts for Today and Tomorrow,” organized by the Global Bangladeshi Expatriates Summit 2026. Moin Khan emphasized that migrant workers should be prepared not only technically but also mentally to succeed abroad.

He noted that remittances sent by expatriates are mostly spent on family expenses rather than investments. He suggested that the state could invest these funds and share the returns with the workers, reducing dependence on foreign aid. Moin Khan also said that many returnee migrants eventually face financial hardship and that their earnings should be utilized in national industries and investments to ensure sustainable benefits.

Speakers at the event called for effective one-stop services for expatriates, protection of their assets from land grabbers, and reserved parliamentary seats to ensure their political representation.

Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez has forecast that the country could attract around $1.4 billion in foreign investment in its oil sector in 2026. She said the projected amount would represent about a 55 percent increase compared to 2025 if planned reforms are implemented. Rodríguez made the remarks during a public consultation meeting with business leaders on opening the oil industry to private investment.

According to AFP reports from Caracas, Rodríguez explained that a proposed bill aimed at easing long-standing state control over the energy sector is awaiting final approval in parliament. She noted that last year’s oil investment stood at about $900 million, while contracts worth $1.4 billion have already been signed for the current year. She emphasized that Venezuela, which holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, must regain a strong production position.

Rodríguez assumed the interim presidency on January 3 after U.S. special forces ousted Nicolás Maduro. She now faces U.S. pressure to grant American oil companies access to Venezuelan fields, a condition reportedly tied to former U.S. president Donald Trump’s support for her leadership.

A Sylhet court has ordered the imprisonment of Naimul Haque Chowdhury, former acting registrar of Sylhet Medical University, in a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The order was issued on Tuesday afternoon by Sylhet Metropolitan Sessions Judge Munshi Abdul Majid after Chowdhury surrendered before the court and sought bail. The judge rejected his bail plea and directed that he be sent to jail.

According to the ACC’s Sylhet office, the case involves allegations of irregularities and corruption in staff recruitment at Sylhet Medical University. The University Grants Commission (UGC) had investigated the matter in 2023 and found evidence of abuse of power and recruitment irregularities by then Vice-Chancellor Dr. Morshed Ahmed Chowdhury and acting registrar Naimul Haque Chowdhury. The ACC filed the case on April 1, 2024, against 58 officials and employees, including both accused.

The court had earlier issued arrest warrants for all 58 accused on April 25, 2024. The main accused, Vice-Chancellor Dr. Morshed Ahmed Chowdhury, remains absconding.

Islamic scholar Dr. Mizanur Rahman Azhari has called on citizens to vote for honest, competent, and patriotic candidates in the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. He made the appeal on Tuesday afternoon through a post on his verified Facebook account, describing voting as a trust and urging people to exercise it responsibly.

According to the Election Commission, voting for all 300 constituencies will take place on February 12, alongside a referendum on the implementation of the July National Charter. A total of 1,981 candidates are contesting in this election, including 1,732 from 51 registered political parties and 249 independents. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has candidates in 288 constituencies, Jamaat-e-Islami in 224, Islami Andolan Bangladesh in 253, and the Jatiya Party (JAPA) in 192.

Other parties such as the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Bangladesh Socialist Party (BASAD), and several smaller groups also have candidates across multiple constituencies, reflecting a wide political participation in the upcoming national polls.

The women’s wing of Jamaat-e-Islami has announced a mass rally in protest against alleged attacks on its female campaigners by BNP activists during election activities. The rally is scheduled for Saturday, January 31, at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka. The announcement was made at a press conference held on Tuesday at Jamaat’s central office in Moghbazar, which began around 12:15 p.m.

Senior party leaders, including Nayeb-e-Ameer Syed Abdullah Mohammad Taher and Assistant Secretary General Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, addressed the briefing. They were joined by Assistant Secretary General and Election Steering Committee head Maulana A.T.M. Masum and Oliullah Noman. The party’s official Facebook page later confirmed the event, describing it as a women’s assembly to protest harassment and violence against female activists during election campaigns across Bangladesh.

This will be the first such program organized by Jamaat’s women’s division at Suhrawardy Udyan, signaling a public demonstration of the group’s stance against the reported incidents.

In the haor areas of Sunamganj, the 13th National Parliamentary Election campaign has lost its usual festive atmosphere due to a ban on posters. Previously, villages, markets, and streets would be covered with campaign posters, creating a celebratory mood despite environmental harm. This year, the Election Commission has prohibited the use of posters, banners, and non-biodegradable materials such as polythene and plastic, with the campaign period running from January 21 to February 10.

Residents in remote villages have expressed concern that without posters, low-income and elderly voters lacking smartphones are unable to access digital campaign information. Voters said they used to identify candidates through posters, but now struggle to do so. However, many citizens and environmentalists welcomed the cleaner surroundings, noting that walls, roads, and markets remain tidy.

Environmental expert Saiful Alam Chowdhury described the poster-free campaign as a timely step for environmental protection, though he acknowledged that the election’s festive spirit has diminished compared to previous years.

President Md. Shahabuddin has registered to cast his vote through postal ballot in the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election. The confirmation came on Tuesday afternoon from K.M. Ali Newaz, Project Director of the Postal Vote Project and Additional Secretary of the Election Commission (EC). EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed stated that the President expressed his wish to vote by postal ballot, and necessary arrangements will be made through an app. After registration, the postal ballot will be sent to the head of state by mail.

According to the EC, the President had also voted by postal ballot in the previous 12th parliamentary election. This time, the Election Commission has introduced an IT-supported postal voting system, allowing eligible voters to register online and cast their votes through postal ballots.

The new digital registration process marks a modernization of the postal voting system, aiming to make participation more accessible for voters unable to attend polling stations in person.

Ha-Meem Group of Industries Managing Director AK Azad said that Bangladesh’s tight monetary policy has already led to the loss of 1.2 million jobs, with another 1.2 million at risk in the next six months. Speaking on Tuesday at a roundtable titled “Implications of LDC Graduation for Banking Industry: Bangladesh Perspective,” organized by the International Chamber of Commerce Bangladesh (ICC), Azad argued that inflation cannot be reduced solely through monetary tightening, as it is linked to revenue and other factors. The event was attended by Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H. Mansur, ICC President Mahbubur Rahman, and several business and banking leaders.

Citing a study by Ahsan Habib, Azad noted that LDC graduation could reduce exports to the European Union by 45 percent and that the banking sector’s non-performing loans have reached 30 percent due to a slowdown in the ready-made garments industry. He warned that this could deepen liquidity pressures, with default rates at 50 percent in state banks and 30 percent in private ones. Azad added that the private sector has taken only 6 percent of total bank loans, compared to the government’s 27 percent, which may rise to 32 percent.

He emphasized that without boosting investment and employment, the economy cannot be stabilized through monetary policy alone and urged the new government to address the impacts of LDC graduation promptly.