At least 50 activists were injured in a series of clashes between BNP and Bangladesh Development Party (BDP) supporters in Lalmohan upazila of Bhola on Friday. According to BDP’s parliamentary candidate Nizamul Haque Nayeem, the violence began around 11 a.m. in Ramaganj Union’s Ward 6 when female activists of Jamaat, supporting BDP, faced verbal abuse and harassment from a local man named Rubel. The situation escalated after Rubel allegedly attacked a local businessman, leading to further confrontations between the two political groups.

Nayeem claimed that despite informing the administration, BNP leaders and activists gathered at the scene, intensifying the tension. He reported that 15 of his supporters were seriously injured and are receiving treatment at Lalmohan Upazila Health Complex. Meanwhile, BNP’s upazila general secretary Shafiqul Islam Babul accused BDP activists of trying to disrupt local peace with Jamaat’s help and alleged that Awami League and Jamaat-linked cadres attacked BNP and Jubo Dal members after evening prayers.

Lalmohan police officer-in-charge Oliul Islam said police and naval forces remained deployed until 11 p.m. to control the situation. BDP has filed a written complaint, while BNP has not yet submitted one.

Venezuelan interim president Delcy Rodríguez has pledged to confront what she described as U.S. aggression through diplomatic means. In a statement cited by TRT World, Rodríguez said Caracas is seeking to restore relations with Washington following the abduction of former president Nicolás Maduro. She held phone discussions with the leaders of Brazil, Colombia, and Spain, reaffirming that Venezuela would respond to the situation diplomatically.

Earlier, Venezuela released a large number of political prisoners, including several foreigners, in what observers viewed as part of efforts to ease tensions with the United States and reach a new political understanding. The move came after Maduro’s removal from power, as the new leadership sought to reduce U.S. pressure.

This mass release, the first under Rodríguez’s leadership, received support from U.S. President Donald Trump, who expressed satisfaction with the decision. Trump stated that Rodríguez would be allowed to govern as long as Washington maintained access to Venezuelan oil.

U.S. President Donald Trump, in a New York Times interview published Thursday, discussed his administration’s actions following the January 3 attack on Venezuela that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and Washington’s control over the country’s oil industry. Trump said the United States could remain in Venezuela for more than a year and claimed he was personally directing the country’s administration. When asked about international law violations, he dismissed the need for such laws, saying he relied on his own morality and judgment.

The interview also touched on Trump’s campaign to take control of Greenland, a Danish territory, which he acknowledged could strain NATO alliances. On Taiwan, he argued that the situation differed from Venezuela, describing Venezuela as a genuine threat to the United States. Regarding nuclear arms control, Trump said he would allow the current U.S.-Russia treaty to expire in February, suggesting a better deal could follow.

The New York Times described the two-hour interview as candid and spontaneous, noting Trump’s calm demeanor throughout.

Bangladesh’s lowest temperature of 8.3 degrees Celsius was recorded on Saturday, January 10, 2026, in Chuadanga and Panchagarh’s Tetulia. According to local weather observations, Chuadanga registered 9.2 degrees Celsius at 6 a.m. with 95 percent humidity, which dropped to 8.3 degrees Celsius by 9 a.m. when humidity stood at 93 percent. The data was confirmed by the acting officer of the first-class weather observatory, Jaminur Rahman Jaman.

A continuous cold wave, sometimes moderate and sometimes mild, has been sweeping over Chuadanga, severely disrupting daily life. Dense fog and cold winds from the north have caused transportation delays and reduced visibility from night until morning. The district’s normal activities have slowed significantly as residents struggle with the biting cold.

In recent days, temperatures in Chuadanga have fluctuated between 6.9 and 8.5 degrees Celsius, indicating persistent cold conditions across the region.

U.S. President Donald Trump, after beginning his second term, has again declared plans to take control of Greenland, a self-governing territory under Denmark. The announcement came on January 4, a day after a U.S. military operation in Venezuela that captured President Nicolás Maduro on drug terrorism charges. Trump justified the Greenland move as a matter of national security, saying the island is needed for U.S. interests. His stance has raised deep concern across Europe.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said the administration’s position has been clear from the start—that Greenland should be part of the United States. Analysts told Al Jazeera that Trump’s actions could effectively end NATO’s operations and embolden Russia in Ukraine. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen warned that if the U.S. attacks another NATO country, the alliance would collapse. Experts from the Atlantic Council and the University of Chicago echoed that such a move would destroy NATO’s collective defense principle under Article 5.

Despite these tensions, European leaders meeting U.S. officials in Paris to discuss Ukraine’s security guarantees did not address Venezuela or Greenland.

Jamaat-e-Islami candidate Dr. Fakhruddin Manik has filed an appeal with the Election Commission seeking to declare the nomination of BNP candidate Abdul Awal Mintu for the Feni-3 (Daganbhuiyan-Sonagazi) constituency invalid. The appeal, submitted on January 9 in Agargaon, Dhaka, alleges that Mintu concealed information about his U.S. citizenship and pending cases in his affidavit. It also names Feni Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer Monira Haque as respondents for approving Mintu’s nomination despite these alleged omissions.

According to the appeal, Mintu claimed to have renounced his U.S. citizenship on December 9, 2025, but provided no proof. The document further states that he traveled to Thailand using a U.S. passport between December 4 and 15, which would not have been possible if his citizenship had been revoked. The appeal argues that such concealment violates the Representation of the People Order, 1972, warranting cancellation of his candidacy.

Earlier, on January 4, the returning officer validated Mintu’s nomination, citing his declaration of renouncing foreign citizenship and submission of related documents. Hearings on appeals are scheduled from January 10 to 18 at the Election Commission building in Agargaon.

Anti-government protests have intensified across Iran, with demonstrators in Tehran engaging in widespread vandalism and arson, including setting fire to a mosque. Protesters were seen carrying the flag used before the 1979 revolution. According to Russian news agency TASS, Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani reported that a hospital and two medical centers were damaged, 26 banks were looted, and security posts, including the headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps militia Basij, were attacked. He said repair work is underway to address the damage in the capital.

Zakani stated that protesters also damaged 10 government buildings, 48 fire trucks, 42 buses and ambulances, and 24 apartment buildings. The unrest began on December 28 when traders in central Tehran protested the sharp fall of the Iranian rial, later spreading nationwide. State television urged citizens not to join the protests and warned parents to keep their children away, citing possible gunfire.

A Tehran-based doctor told Time magazine that at least 217 bodies, mostly gunshot victims, had been brought to six hospitals in the capital.

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that Iran is in 'great danger' and suggested he may order military action. His remarks came after Iran shut down internet access across the country to contain growing anti-government protests and unrest. Trump said on Friday that Iranians were taking control of cities that no one thought possible weeks earlier, and cautioned Tehran against using lethal force, warning that the U.S. would respond if the Iranian government opened fire on protesters.

Trump also expressed hope that Iranian demonstrators would remain safe, describing the situation as extremely dangerous. His comments followed earlier warnings that the United States could support the protesters if violence escalated. The statement reflects Washington’s growing concern over Tehran’s handling of the internal crisis.

In response, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called for unity in the face of what he described as 'terrorist acts' and accused foreign enemies, particularly the United States, of fueling the unrest. He warned that chaos would not be tolerated, framing the protests as part of a foreign conspiracy.

Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Dr. Khalilur Rahman met US Trade Representative Ambassador Jamison Greer in Washington, D.C. on Thursday afternoon, according to the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing on Friday. Dr. Rahman also held a separate meeting with US Deputy Trade Representative Brendan Lynch. During the talks, he highlighted progress in reducing the trade deficit between Bangladesh and the United States and proposed lowering the existing 20 percent reciprocal tariff.

Ambassador Greer assured that the proposal would be considered positively and agreed to review Dr. Rahman’s suggestion to reduce or remove tariffs on garments made with US raw materials. Both sides agreed to resolve outstanding issues quickly to finalize and implement the reciprocal tariff agreement. Dr. Rahman noted that increased trade would strengthen business connections between the two countries.

He also urged the US side to ease business travel for Bangladeshis following the country’s inclusion in the US visa bond program and requested access to Development Finance Corporation (DFC) funds for Bangladesh’s private sector. Ambassador Greer expressed willingness to cooperate on these matters.

Brent Christensen has been sworn in as the new United States ambassador to Bangladesh, pledging to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries. The oath-taking ceremony took place at the US Department of State in Washington on Friday, January 9, local time, according to a statement from the US Embassy in Dhaka. Christensen expressed his excitement to return to Bangladesh, a country he said he knows well, and to lead a strong team of American and local staff at the embassy.

The US Senate confirmed Christensen’s nomination in December, making him the 18th US ambassador to Bangladesh. He succeeds Peter Haas in the position and is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on January 12. In a previous Senate hearing, Christensen stated that he would highlight potential risks of leaning toward China in defense and other sectors during his tenure. A senior Foreign Service officer, he previously served as political and economic counselor at the US Embassy in Dhaka from 2019 to 2021.

Christensen also expressed gratitude to President Donald Trump for nominating him and reaffirmed his commitment to advancing the president’s goals while strengthening US security and prosperity.

Nine people were injured in a clash between activists of the BNP and the NCP in Hatiya upazila of Noakhali on Friday night. The violence erupted around 8:30 p.m. in the Darbesh Bazar area of Chanandi Union after a Facebook post by an NCP leader accused local BNP figures of removing bricks from a paved road. The post triggered tension, leading to an altercation and later a violent confrontation involving local weapons. The injured were taken to the upazila health complex and other hospitals for treatment.

According to an NCP press release, their leaders were attacked by armed BNP members after protesting the alleged road material theft, and eight motorcycles were reportedly looted. The BNP, in a separate statement, claimed that NCP activists spread false propaganda while they were repairing a damaged road, and that NCP members attacked two BNP activists. Police said the situation is now under control, with additional forces deployed and legal action to follow pending investigation.

Authorities confirmed that the area remains under surveillance to prevent further unrest.

Barrister A.M. Mahbub Uddin Khokon, president of the Supreme Court Bar Association and BNP candidate for Noakhali-1 (Chatkhil-Sonaimuri), declared that no one will be allowed to manipulate the upcoming national election. Speaking on Friday evening at a prayer gathering in Debkala Government Primary School field, Sonaimuri, held for the late BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, he warned that any attempt at electoral fraud would face a strong response.

Khokon emphasized that the BNP, founded by Ziaur Rahman and led by Khaleda Zia, seeks a free, fair, and neutral election. He stated that no deceit, fraud, or conspiracy would be tolerated. Referring to teachers who support Jamaat-e-Islami and wish to serve as presiding or polling officers, he said no partisan individuals should hold such positions. He warned that any teacher found working for a political party during election duties would face legal action.

The event was chaired by union BNP president Dr. Tajul Islam and attended by several local BNP and affiliated leaders, including Didar Hossain, Kutub Uddin Sani, and others.

Iran has been gripped by widespread anti-government protests that began on December 28 over rising living costs and inflation but have since escalated into broader unrest. Security forces reportedly opened fire in several areas to suppress the demonstrations. A Tehran-based doctor told the U.S. magazine Time that at least 217 protesters had died in six hospitals in the capital, most from gunshot wounds.

The Iranian government has not commented on the reported death toll. Internet and telecommunications were almost completely shut down across the country on Thursday night. The same doctor claimed that authorities removed bodies from hospitals on Friday, saying most of the victims were young. The Iranian human rights group HRANA reported that at least 62 people had been killed since the protests began, including 14 security personnel and 48 protesters.

According to Turkey’s Anadolu news agency, eight members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed during clashes in the western city of Kermanshah on Thursday.

Bangladesh’s small political parties are facing an existential crisis following amendments to the Representation of the People Order (RPO), which now prohibit elections under coalition symbols. The change has prompted many minor party leaders to dissolve their organizations or join larger parties, particularly the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), to secure nominations for upcoming parliamentary elections. Several leaders, including those from the Bangladesh Liberal Democratic Party, Bangladesh National Party, and National Democratic Movement, have already joined the BNP and will contest under its ‘sheaf of paddy’ symbol.

Political scientists and senior politicians cited in the report attribute this trend to a growing focus on power rather than public service. They argue that the revised RPO has disrupted traditional electoral strategies and exposed the fragility of smaller parties. Some BNP grassroots members have expressed discontent over seat-sharing with allies, leading to internal dissent and expulsions.

Observers warn that dissolving parties for electoral gain could erode public trust and deepen long-term political instability, while others hope the current turbulence may eventually lead to a more principled political culture.

A leader of the Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal in Kurigram has been expelled following allegations of involvement in a question leak during the primary school assistant teacher recruitment examination. The decision was announced on Friday evening through a press release signed by Touhidul Islam Tarek, office secretary of the district unit. District convener Arman Hossain confirmed the expulsion.

According to the statement, Minarul Islam, joint convener of the Nageshwari upazila unit, was expelled from all party positions for damaging the party’s image and violating organizational discipline. Minarul also held positions in the upazila BNP convening committee and the Bamandanga union BNP.

Earlier on Friday afternoon, police detained Minarul and five others from a house behind Kazi Market in Nageshwari town before the recruitment exam began. They were reportedly found with question papers and electronic devices.