Iranian authorities on Wednesday said 3,117 people were killed during protests that first erupted in late December, but activists said the actual toll risked being many times higher due to a crackdown that suppressed the demonstrations. Rights groups however say thousands of protesters demanding change were killed by direct fire from the security forces. In the first official toll from the authorities, a statement by Iran’s foundation for veterans and martyrs, cited by state television, said a total of 3,117 people were killed during protests. He said the high number of “martyrs” showed the “restraint and tolerance of the security forces” during protests. Rights groups, including Amnesty International, have accused security forces of deliberately targeting protesters from rooftops and also seeking to shoot protesters in the eyes.

China on Thursday reacted to China-related remarks by the US Ambassador to Bangladesh, urging the US side "to be more aware of its responsibilities, and focus more on actions" that are "conducive to Bangladesh’s stability" as well as the development and cooperation in the region. "Such remarks by the US Ambassador to Bangladesh are irresponsible and utterly unfounded," said the spokesperson at the Chinese Embassy in Bangladesh, refuting China-related remarks by the US ambassador to Bangladesh. It is conducive to the development and stability in the region," said the spokesperson. China said the cooperation between Bangladesh and China is a matter between the two countries and their peoples, and brooks no interference or finger-pointing by the US side. ‘You know, as I said in my hearing…I am concerned about broader Chinese influence in South Asia.

TOKYO, Jan 22, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The restart of the world's largest nuclear power plant was suspended in Japan Thursday just hours after the process began, its operator said, but the reactor remained "stable". Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the world's biggest nuclear power plant by potential capacity, although just one reactor of seven was restarted. The facility was taken offline when Japan pulled the plug on nuclear power after a colossal earthquake and tsunami sent three reactors at the Fukushima atomic plant into meltdown in 2011. The company also operates the stricken Fukushima Daiichi plant, now being decommissioned. That makes no sense," Yumiko Abe, a 73-year-old resident, told AFP this week during a protest in front of the plant.

MOUNT MAUNGANUI, New Zealand, Jan 22, 2026 (AFP) - A landslide smashed into a campsite in rain-swept northern New Zealand on Thursday leaving multiple people missing, police and rescuers said. Police said the number of people missing was in the "single figures", while images on local media showed mud engulfing a toilet block at the campsite at the foot of Mount Maunganui.

A meeting of the Council of Advisers was held at the Chief Adviser's Office (CAO) in Tejgaon, Dhaka. Photo : PIDDHAKA, Jan 22, 2026 (BSS) – A meeting of the Council of Advisers was held at the Chief Adviser's Office (CAO) in the city's Tejgaon area today. Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus presided over the meeting.

The National Citizen Party (NCP) began its election campaign by visiting the graves of three national leaders — Huseyn Suhrawardy, Khwaja Nazimuddin, and Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Huq. Party leaders also paid respects at the graves of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam and Inqilab Mancha leader Sharif Osman Hadi. On Thursday, NCP leaders and activists first visited the graves of the three leaders at Doel Chattar. They then proceeded to the graves of Kazi Nazrul Islam and Osman Hadi near Dhaka University’s Central Mosque. The program was attended by a large number of party leaders and activists, including Dhaka-8 candidate Nasiruddin Patwary.

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Thursday began its official election campaign for the 13th national parliamentary election with a mass rally at the historic Alia Madrasa Field in Sylhet. The Sylhet rally marks BNP’s first public election meeting of the campaign. Tarique Rahman arrived in Sylhet on Wednesday night to formally launch the party’s election campaign. He is accompanied by his wife, Zubaida Rahman, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other party leaders. Upon arrival at Sylhet airport, Tarique Rahman went directly to the shrines of Hazrat Shahjalal (RA) and Hazrat Shahparan (RA) to offer prayers.

PARIS, France, Jan 22, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - French bank Societe Generale is planning to cut 1,800 jobs in France by the end of 2027 as part of restructuring measures, the bank said Thursday, adding there would be no forced layoffs. France's third-largest bank, which employs some 40,000 people in France, said the jobs would go in the form of "natural" shedding and "internal mobility" as part of its reorganisation plans to reduce costs and bolster its capital position. The CGT union, which had revealed the plan outline Wednesday, slammed what it called a "fait accompli." "For management, the natural attrition rate of five percent (covering voluntary departures or retirements) and the low number of job openings mean there is no need for support measures we have seen up to now until now," such as voluntary departures or voluntary redeployment, the union regretted. Employee representatives are due to approve the plan at an April special plenary meeting.

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)-2 on Thursday framed charges against seven accused, including Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, for alleged crimes against humanity committed during the July Mass Uprising. The three-member tribunal, led by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, passed the order, scrapping discharge petition filed for the accused. The tribunal also set February 17 for placing opening statement and recording deposition of the prosecution witnesses. The second tribunal on January 18 had set today to pass order on indictment. The second tribunal on December 18, 2025, issued arrest warrant against the seven accused.

COPENHAGEN, Jan 22, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Denmark called on Thursday for "constructive" talks over Greenland that respect the territorial integrity of the EU and NATO member. The comments came after US President Donald Trump abruptly announced he was scrapping tariffs against Europe and ruling out military action to take Greenland from Denmark. The agreement, he told reporters at the World Economic Forum in Davos, was negotiated with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte. Rutte said the subject of Greenland's sovereignty "did not come up" in his talks with Trump. "The Kingdom of Denmark wishes to continue a constructive dialogue with its allies on ways to strengthen security in the Arctic, including the US Golden Dome, provided that this is done with respect for our territorial integrity," she said.

Electricity generation has resumed at Unit-1 of the Barapukuria coal-fired Thermal Power Plant after a four-day shutdown caused by a boiler tube failure. Chief Engineer of the Barapukuria Thermal Power Plant under Parbatipur upazila, Md Abu Bakar Siddique, confirmed the development last night, saying Unit-I restarted at 11:03pm on Wednesday and began supplying electricity to the national grid at 11:30pm. He said that the Barapukuria plant has three units — the first and second with a capacity of 125 megawatts each, and the third with 275 megawatts. In this connection, he said repair work is underway on the third unit, which is expected to resume generation in early March. Following its restart on Wednesday, power generation from Unit-1 is ranging between 70 and 75 megawatts, with output expected to rise gradually.

Austrian ex-agent to go on trial in Russia spying caseVIENNA, Jan 22, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A former Austrian intelligence official is due to go on trial Thursday, charged with allegedly handing over sensitive devices and selling secret information to Russia for years. Through his actions, Ott risked inflicting "serious damage" on Austria's reputation among friendly intelligence services, according to the indictment seen by AFP. Austria long saw itself as a bridge between Moscow and the West, but in recent years the EU member country has been rocked by several cases centred on suspected spying for Russia. Ott was suspended from his post at Austria's intelligence services in 2017 amid allegations of spying and briefly arrested in 2021 on these accusations. In 2024, Ott stood trial on violating official secrecy for allegedly passing information to a far-right politician.

Photo : CollectedBy Tanzim AnwarDHAKA, Jan 21, 2026 (BSS) – Biman Bangladesh Airline’s resumption of direct Dhaka–Karachi flights from January 29, after a decade, offered significant time savings and cutting passenger fares by up to Tk 30,000. Biman officials said the revived Dhaka–Karachi route will initially operate as a “strategic observation,” with flights running on a trial basis from January 29 to March 30. Biman last operated direct flights on the route in 2012 but suspended services following sustained losses and weak passenger demand. The re-launch follows months of diplomatic and technical engagement between aviation authorities in Bangladesh and Pakistan, resulting in formal approvals for airspace use and regulatory clearance for the resumption of direct flights. It is observed that the return of the Dhaka–Karachi route as a positive signal for bilateral economic engagement, with business communities in both countries welcoming the move.

The International Cricket Council on Wednesday rejected Bangladesh's demand to shift their matches at next month's Twenty20 World Cup outside India, dismissing any security threat to the team following political tensions between the South Asian neighbours. Uncertainty loomed over the global showpiece after Bangladesh refused to tour India and demanded to play their matches in Sri Lanka, which is co-hosting the tournament. The stalemate prompted an emergency ICC board meeting in which the governing body decided against tinkering with the tournament schedule. "This linkage has no bearing on the tournament's security framework or the conditions governing participation in the T20 World Cup." Pakistan will play their World Cup matches in Sri Lanka in keeping with their policy of not touring India over geopolitical tension between the neighbours.

Youth and Sports Adviser Asif Nazrul is set to hold a meeting with members of Bangladesh’s World Cup squad this afternoon as uncertainty continues over the team’s participation in the upcoming T20 World Cup in India. The meeting will take place at 3:00pm at Hotel InterContinental in the capital, with players named in the World Cup squad expected to attend. However, the ICC reiterated on Wednesday that participation in the World Cup would require Bangladesh to play its matches in India, ruling out any venue change. Following an ICC board meeting earlier on Wednesday, the governing body issued a press release stating that it believes there is no threat in India to Bangladeshi players, supporters, or officials. The ICC also termed the incident involving pacer Mustafizur Rahman — who was dropped from the Indian Premier League after alleged threats from extremists — as “singular and irrelevant.” The ICC further confirmed that the World Cup schedule would not be altered.