Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday formally invited bids for the sale of franchise team rights of Multan Sultans ahead of the 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL).&nbsp;In an advertisement published in newspapers, the PCB called on &ldquo;interested parties&rdquo; to bid for the Multan-based franchise, describing it as an opportunity to become part of what it termed a &ldquo;new era&rdquo; of the PSL.&nbsp;The board said Multan Sultans, which joined the league in its third edition in 2018, has developed an established fan base and a strong presence in the competition, making it a &ldquo;compelling opportunity&rdquo; for potential investors to build on its legacy.&nbsp;Under the bidding process, interested parties are required to obtain bid documents from the PCB. The deadline for submission of technical proposals has been set for Jan. 30, 2026, at 3:00pm, with proposals to be opened on the same day.&nbsp;The PCB said only technically qualified bidders would be allowed to proceed to the next stage of the process. It added that official information regarding the bidding would only be shared through its designated email address.&nbsp;The development follows recent remarks by PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi, who said the board would continue to operate Multan Sultans during the upcoming PSL 11 season before completing the sale.&nbsp;Speaking at the ceremony held for the auction of the league&rsquo;s seventh and eighth franchises last week, Naqvi said the franchise had been labelled as loss-making, a perception he was determined to challenge by demonstrating its commercial potential before the auction.&nbsp;The invitation for bids comes at a time of rapid expansion for the PSL. <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/psl-auction-hyderabad-franchise-sells-for-a-record-61-million" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hyderabad and Sialkot</a> were recently confirmed as the league&rsquo;s newest franchises following a record-breaking auction, taking the competition to eight teams for the first time.&nbsp;The 11th edition of the Pakistan Super League is scheduled to be held from March 26 to May 3, 2026, with the expanded format expected to deliver a longer and more competitive tournament for fans across the country.

Cricket

Calls on “interested parties” to bid for the Multan-based franchise, describing it as an opportunity to become part of what it termed a “new era” of the PSL.

PCB invites bids for Multan Sultans franchise ahead of PSL 11

LONDON: An under-fire UK police chief on Wednesday blamed the use of AI for erroneous evidence given to MPs over the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv football fans from a match against Aston Villa.&nbsp;The police classified the match in Birmingham in November as &quot;high risk&quot;, citing previous Maccabi games including a Europa League encounter in Amsterdam which sparked clashes between locals and Israeli fans.&nbsp;The decision to ban Maccabi fans from the Villa Park UEFA Europa League game was slammed by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with the government ordering an independent report which is due to be published later on Wednesday.&nbsp;Scrutiny has increased on West Midlands police after multiple pieces of evidence used to justify the decision proved flawed, with the force rejecting allegations that the move was motivated by politics rather than fan safety.&nbsp;In an intelligence report for the game, police cited a match between West Ham and Maccabi Tel Aviv which never took place.&nbsp;When questioned about this by lawmakers earlier this month, chief constable Craig Guildford insisted that the error was the result of a Google search, and that the force had not used artificial intelligence in its research.&nbsp;However, in a letter to MPs on Wednesday, Guildford admitted that the erroneous information was due to the use of Microsoft Co Pilot, an AI chatbot.&nbsp;&quot;I would like to offer my profound apology to the committee for this error,&quot; Guildford said, adding that there was &quot;no intention to mislead the committee&quot;.&nbsp;That came after UK media reported in December that Dutch police also disputed evidence cited by the West Midlands force to justify the ban.&nbsp;UK police claimed they were told that Maccabi fans were behind several violent incidents during the 2024 Amsterdam clashes but that intelligence was partly contradicted by Dutch politicians and police.&nbsp;The decision to ban the fans was also sharply criticized by Israeli politicians, who claimed that it was antisemitic.&nbsp;British interior minister Shabana Mahmood will present the findings of the independent inquiry on Wednesday, which could heap further pressure on Guildford after opposition leader Kemi Badenoch called for his resignation over the debacle.&nbsp;The Guardian newspaper reported that the watchdog report is set to say that the police made a series of errors in how it gathered and handled intelligence while making the decision.&nbsp;The match went ahead amid heavy security, but without Maccabi fans after the Israeli team turned down their away ticket allocation.

Artificial Intelligence

UK police chief admitted AI-generated errors led to flawed evidence behind banning Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, apologizing to MPs as an inquiry finds intelligence failures, amid political backlash, antisemitism claims, and pressure for his resignation.

UK police blames AI for evidence error over Maccabi fan ban

BEIJING: The Chinese mobile app &quot;Are You Dead?&quot;, which sounds an alarm if a user does not check in every 48 hours, has announced it will drop its catchy name after drawing international media attention. It rose to the top of the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-launches-fishing-museum-app-to-boost-sustainable-fisheries" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">paid app</a> rankings on Apple&#39;s App Store in China, prompting widespread media coverage in both Chinese and foreign press. The app, whose name &quot;Sileme&quot; in Mandarin translates to &quot;are you dead?&quot;, allows people living alone to register the name and email address of someone to contact in an emergency. If the user does not check in regularly on the app, the system automatically sends an alert to the emergency contact, warning them of a possible problem. &quot;After extensive consideration, the &#39;Sileme&#39; app will officially adopt the global brand name &#39;Demumu&#39; in its forthcoming <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/china-offers-ai-technology-to-pakistan-in-expanded-security-partnership" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">new release</a>,&quot; the company said in a statement on Tuesday evening. It said the app has &quot;experienced explosive growth overseas&quot; since the publication of an article by the British broadcaster BBC. Other foreign media outlets, including AFP, also covered the app&#39;s success. &quot;Demumu&quot; was already the name of the international version of the app, and &quot;Are You Dead?&quot; the Chinese version&#39;s. &quot;Moving forward, Demumu will remain steadfast in its founding mission of safeguarding safety, bringing China-originated protection solutions to the world and serving more solitary individuals globally,&quot; the company&#39;s statement added. Users expressed surprise online at the change rebranding, although its blunt name had divided public opinion. &quot;Don&#39;t you think your virality is precisely due to your name? Without it, no one would have installed this app, except in cases of absolute emergency,&quot; said one Weibo user. &quot;With this new name, it loses its flavour,&quot; another added. The name &quot;sileme&quot; was a play on the name of a popular food delivery app &quot;Eleme&quot;. In 2024, people who lived alone accounted for around one-fifth of all Chinese households, compared to 15 percent a decade earlier, official data shows.

China

The app allows people living alone to register the name and email address of someone to contact in an emergency.

Viral Chinese app 'Are You Dead?' to change its name

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and World Liberty Financial USA signed a memorandum of understanding in Islamabad on Wednesday&nbsp;to advance cooperation on crypto, digital payments innovation, and cross-border financial transactions. A delegation of World Liberty Financial USA, led by CEO Zachary Witkoff, called on Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Islamabad, said a press release issued by Pakistan&rsquo;s Prime Minister&rsquo;s Office.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2011341672937111583&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=8ed77d2d00081bb47726d566733c5b6575426bfd&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 624px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Chief of the Army Staff and Chief of Defense Forces&nbsp;Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb, SAPM Syed Tariq Fatemi, and Pakistan Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (PVARA) Chairman Bilal Bin Saqib also attended the meeting. Welcoming the delegation, the prime minister shared his vision for digital Pakistan, aimed at increasing connectivity, access, transparency, and openness for citizens. He said the rapid growth of digital payments and financial innovation is essential to Pakistan&rsquo;s expanding digital economy. The prime minister appreciated the growing international interest in Pakistan&rsquo;s digital financial markets and noted with deep satisfaction that Pakistan is fast becoming part of the global digital finance landscape. Zachary Witkoff expressed keen interest in engaging with Pakistan to build a secure, transparent digital payment infrastructure, including innovations in cross-border settlement and foreign exchange processes. He lauded Pakistan&rsquo;s policy framework, which is helping to position the country as a leading contender in the global digital finance landscape.Witkoff expressed a keen desire to further deepen engagement with Pakistan to explore next-generation digital payment and cross-border finance innovations. Signing of MoUPrime Minister Sharif and CDF Munir later witnessed the signing of the MoU between the Government of Pakistan and SC Financial Technologies LLC, an affiliated entity of World Liberty Financial, to enable structured dialogue and technical understanding around emerging digital payment architectures for cross-border transactions. Minister for Finance Muhammad Aurangzeb and CEO World Liberty Financial Zachary Witkoff signed the MoU on behalf of the respective sides.&nbsp;&lsquo;New economy&rsquo;Pakistan TV Digital correspondent Ayesha Mir spoke with Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb, World Liberty Financial executives, and the chairman of PVARA, following the signing of the MoU between Pakistan and World Liberty Financial. Witkoff, the company&rsquo;s CEO, said, &ldquo;We&rsquo;re really excited about this MoU to bring the most regulated digital dollar in the world to Pakistan and its people.&rdquo; He added that the company was &ldquo;really excited to do business here.&rdquo; Finance Minister Aurangzeb framed the development as part of Pakistan&rsquo;s transition to what he called the &ldquo;new economy.&rdquo; He said the journey began last year with the formation of the Crypto Council and accelerated after learning from US legislative efforts. &ldquo;With this MoU, we take it to the next level,&rdquo; he said, adding that the government wanted to fast-track the process to help Pakistan &ldquo;leapfrog in terms of the new economy.&rdquo; &lsquo;Can&rsquo;t hide my excitement&rsquo;Aurangzeb also highlighted the scale of crypto adoption in the country, revising earlier estimates upward. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s not really 20 million; my latest understanding is that it&#39;s about 40 million,&rdquo; he said, describing strong uptake among young people and freelancers. &ldquo;As a finance minister, all I can say is that I can&rsquo;t hide my excitement to be on this journey.&rdquo; Bilal Bin Saqib, chairman of PVARA, stressed that the government was not promoting crypto but regulating an activity that already exists.&nbsp; &ldquo;We are not essentially promoting; we are regulating the adoption which has already existed without any classroom, without any framework,&rdquo; he said, calling the MoU a sign that Pakistan is creating an enabling but risk-mitigated environment. &lsquo;Crypto speed&rsquo;&nbsp;World Liberty Financial co-founder Chase Herro praised the pace of reform understanding. &ldquo;This absolutely is the fastest yet,&rdquo; he said, with Bin Saqib adding, &ldquo;This is being done at crypto speed.&rdquo; Zak Folkman, co-founder and COO of World Liberty Financial, outlined the economic rationale behind the agreement. He said between $20 billion and $25 billion in digital assets held by Pakistanis currently sit outside the formal system. By introducing USD1 and a regulated foreign exchange model, he said, Pakistan could bring these funds into compliance, reduce reliance on &ldquo;grey and black market brokers,&rdquo; lower costs for ordinary users, and attract foreign investment. &ldquo;Pakistan has always been at the forefront; now it&rsquo;s just time to bring it into a regulated ecosystem,&rdquo; Folkman said.

Economy

The signing -- witnessed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and other top officials -- aims to modernize Pakistan’s digital finance ecosystem, enhance transparency, and attract foreign investment.

Pakistan, World Liberty Financial sign MoU advancing crypto cooperation

ISLAMABAD: The International Rescue Committee (IRC) said on Tuesday it is expanding emergency food assistance in Afghanistan after a new assessment revealed the severity of the country&#39;s hunger crisis, warning that 4.7 million people now face acute starvation amid shrinking aid and worsening food insecurity. In a press release, the IRC announced a Cash for Food programme providing support to 3,200 households in Bamiyan, Kunar, and Herat provinces, following needs assessments that found that 95% of participants had &#39;poor&#39; Food Consumption Scores, indicating insufficient daily access to food. The New York-based agency said the findings reflect a broader deterioration in food access as Afghanistan enters the winter lean season, when household food stocks are depleted, and income opportunities decline. Deepening hunger and food insecurityRecent United Nations analyses show that about 17 million Afghans now urgently need food assistance, including 4.7 million in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency), with mothers and young children among the most affected.&nbsp; Under the Afghanistan Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan, more than one-third of the population is expected to face crisis-level or worse food insecurity during the 2025-26 lean season, with many households forced to sell assets or reduce meals to meet basic needs. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that humanitarian needs continue to outpace available assistance. In 2026, an estimated 21.9 million people, about 45% of Afghanistan&rsquo;s population, will require humanitarian aid, it said. Impact on children and womenUN agencies have repeatedly cautioned that Afghanistan is facing one of the world&rsquo;s most severe nutrition emergencies, particularly among children. The World Food Programme (WFP) estimates that nearly 3.7 million children under the age of five will suffer from acute malnutrition in 2025 and into early 2026, while 4.9 million women and children will require treatment for malnutrition. The agency said declining funding and high food prices have limited the scale of life-saving assistance. UNICEF reported that millions of children were screened for wasting in the first half of 2025, with hundreds of thousands admitted for treatment. The spread of preventable diseases such as measles and acute watery diarrhoea has further strained health services already operating under severe constraints. UN appeals and funding shortfallsThe humanitarian response faces severe funding constraints; 422 health facilities closed in 2025, leaving about three million people without access to essential healthcare, UN relief chief Tom Fletcher told the UN Security Council last month. At the end of 2025, the United Nations and its partners launched a $1.7 billion appeal to assist nearly 18 million people in urgent need through 2026, identifying food security, health, water, and sanitation as priority areas. The crisis has been compounded by multiple factors. OCHA says the ongoing drought has caused the failure of nearly 80% of rain-fed wheat crops in some regions, leaving many families without winter food reserves. Meanwhile, UNHCR data shows more than 2.6 million Afghans returned from Iran and Pakistan in 2025, adding strain to already impoverished communities. Aid agencies say funding shortfalls have forced cuts to critical programmes, including emergency food distributions and nutrition services.&nbsp;Lisa Owen, IRC&rsquo;s Afghanistan director, warned of severe consequences if funding declines continue. &ldquo;Acute hunger is a persistent challenge in Afghanistan, yet the latest figures show an appalling deterioration in humanitarian needs,&rdquo; she said. Humanitarian groups say the IRC&rsquo;s expanded food assistance highlights the urgency of closing funding gaps and scaling up life-saving aid.&nbsp; Without increased international support, Afghanistan&rsquo;s hunger and malnutrition crisis is expected to worsen in 2026, leaving millions at risk as winter conditions persist.

UNICEF/Munir Tanweer: Food rations for vulnerable families in Afghanistan are to be cut by the World Food Programme.

Afghanistan

The International Rescue Committee has expanded emergency food assistance in Afghanistan after assessments showed worsening hunger. UN agencies say 4.7 million people face emergency food insecurity as funding gaps threaten life-saving humanitarian programs.

Millions at risk as Afghanistan’s food crisis deepens: Aid agency

ISLAMABAD: Mass protests have erupted across the Indian state of Uttarakhand after an audio leak that has renewed allegations of a political cover-up in the murder case of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari in 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;Demonstrations have taken place in multiple districts, including Dehradun, Haldwani, Ramnagar, Mussoorie, Rudraprayag, Karnaprayag, and Srinagar, with protesters also gathering in New Delhi.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2008893886530269507&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=2091059085e86735ce140d65bd1b247d78039dee&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 849px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div>On the call of the opposition, the State of Uttarakhand businesses remained shut down on Jan 11.</div> <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-1" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-1&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2010686851594723704&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=2091059085e86735ce140d65bd1b247d78039dee&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 849px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&nbsp;In one demonstration in Dehradun, marchers attempted to reach the Chief Minister&#39;s residence, reflecting the intensity of public anger.&nbsp; <div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-2&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2007799459175133630&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=2091059085e86735ce140d65bd1b247d78039dee&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 744px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The widespread unrest was triggered by an audio leak that surfaced on social media in late December, identifying a powerful &quot;VIP&quot; who is consistently being shielded from investigation in the murder case.&nbsp;&nbsp;The leaked recording allegedly features a conversation between BJP leader and former MLA Suresh Rathore and Urmila Sanawar, who claims to be his wife.&nbsp;&nbsp;In the audio, Rathore allegedly identifies the VIP as &quot;Gattu&quot;, commonly known to be the alias of Dushyant Kumar Gautam, the BJP&#39;s National General Secretary, according to The Statesman.&nbsp;Mukesh Semwal, convenor of &ldquo;Justice for Ankita Morcha,&rdquo; has alleged that the investigation team was under &quot;pressure to safeguard the VIP&quot; from the beginning, The Indian Express reported.&nbsp;&nbsp;The BJP has denied any involvement in a cover-up.&nbsp;&nbsp;The murder and its aftermathAnkita Bhandari, a resort receptionist near Rishikesh, was pressured by the resort owner, Pulkit Arya, son of a BJP leader, to provide sexual favors to aforementioned &ldquo;VIP&rdquo; in September 2022.&nbsp;&nbsp;When she refused, she was assaulted, murdered, and dumped into a canal by Pulkit and two accomplices.&nbsp;&nbsp;Her body was found six days later.&nbsp;The case was marked by serious irregularities from the start.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ankita&#39;s family faced a lack of cooperation from authorities, who refused to file a police report for three days before yielding to pressure following media coverage of the case.&nbsp;&nbsp;The resort owner and his two accomplices were only arrested after a special investigation team was formed.&nbsp;&nbsp;The identity of the VIP was not pursued in the final chargesheet.&nbsp;Adding to concerns about evidence tampering, parts of the Vanantara resort where Ankita had been staying were swiftly demolished the day after her murder.&nbsp;&nbsp;The demolition was carried out under official orders and supervised by local BJP MLA Renu Bisht, according to court testimony from the JCB bulldozer driver, The Statesman reported.&nbsp;After three years of legal proceedings, the known culprits were convicted by the Uttarakhand Sessions Court on May 30 of last year.&nbsp;&nbsp;However, questions about the unnamed VIP remained unanswered, fuelling suspicions of a cover-up at the highest levels.

India

Widespread protests have erupted across the Indian state of Uttarakhand after an audio leak of a BJP leader identifying the hidden “VIP” in the Ankita Bhandari case surfaced on social media

India’s Uttarakhand erupts in protests over alleged cover-up in murder case

<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;" id="isPasted">COPENHAGEN: Criticised by the US for having neglected the defence of Greenland, Denmark&rsquo;s defence minister said Wednesday that it would &ldquo;strengthen&rdquo; its military presence in the Arctic territory and was in dialogue with allies in NATO.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;">&ldquo;We will continue to strengthen our military presence in Greenland, but we will also have an even greater focus within NATO on more exercises and an increased NATO presence in the Arctic,&rdquo; Troels Lund Poulsen wrote in a statement to AFP, hours before a meeting between Greenlandic, Danish and US officials at the White House on the future of the autonomous Danish territory.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;">Lund Poulsen added that Denmark &ldquo;has an ongoing dialogue with its allies about new and increased activities in 2026.&rdquo;<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> France to open consulate in Greenland in February&nbsp;France will open a consulate in Greenland on Feb. 6, the foreign minister said Wednesday, calling the move a &ldquo;political signal&rdquo; over the strategic Danish territory, which US President Donald Trump has vowed to seize. The comments came on the day Denmark&rsquo;s top diplomat is to meet senior US officials at the White House for talks over the future of the vast, mineral-rich Arctic island. Since returning to office nearly a year ago, Trump has repeatedly mused about taking over Greenland from longtime ally and European Union member Denmark. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told French RTL broadcaster that the decision to open the consulate was taken last summer, when President Emmanuel Macron visited Greenland in a show of support. &ldquo;For my part, I went there at the end of August to plan the consulate, which will open on Feb. 6,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a political signal that&rsquo;s associated with a desire to be more present in Greenland, including in the scientific field.&rdquo; &ldquo;Greenland does not want to be owned, governed or integrated into the United States. Greenland has made the choice of Denmark, NATO and the (European) Union,&rdquo; he said. Greenland&rsquo;s leader has said the island would choose to remain an autonomous territory of Denmark over the United States. Trump has said the United States needs Greenland due to the threat of a takeover by Russia or China. The two rival powers have both stepped up activity in the Arctic, where ice is melting due to climate change, but neither claims Greenland, where the United States has long had a military base.

Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen (R) and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen hold a doorstep after a meeting with the Parliamentary Foreign Policy Committee at Christiansborg in Copenhagen, Denmark, on January 13, 2026.

Europe

France is opening a consulate in Greenland in February, calling the move a 'political signal' over the strategic Danish territory, which US President Donald Trump has vowed to seize.

Denmark to boost military presence on Greenland

ISLAMABAD: A senior lawmaker from India&rsquo;s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has sparked controversy after issuing a warning that pork pieces would be placed outside mosques in Kanpur if those responsible for killing cattle are not arrested within 48 hours. BJP MLA Rahul Sonkar made the threat while visiting a police station following the discovery of the remains of around 100 cattle in a field near a Durga temple in Kanpur, according to local media reports. &ldquo;If the killers of the cattle are not caught within 48 hours, pork pieces will be found in front of mosques in Kanpur,&rdquo; Sonkar was quoted as saying, addressing police officials during his visit.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2011066487919001641&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=5da96554180dd3bdce6457febfc7b6fa5f5fe940&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 873px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The statement triggered outrage as pork is considered religiously forbidden by Muslims, and critics say such remarks could inflame communal tensions. In a series of posts on social media platform X, the MLA said he was &ldquo;deeply saddened&rdquo; by the discovery of 40 to 50 cattle remains near Kutra Road in the Bilhore Municipality, which falls under his assembly constituency. He claimed he had ordered officials to reach the site immediately and take the &ldquo;strictest possible action&rdquo; against those involved, as well as against administrative officers.&nbsp;&ldquo;Arrests must be made within 48 hours for this heinous crime,&rdquo; Sonkar wrote. &ldquo;If arrests are not made within 48 hours, we are sufficient to deal with the cow killers in Bilhore.&rdquo; <figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/00009693-ef16-4716-8a2b-8235a72a4b6c-Screenshot 2026-01-14 122643.png" alt="BJP lawmaker" class="fr-fil fr-dib"></figure>The BJP legislator described cows as central to Hindu faith and culture, calling the killings &ldquo;an attack on the soul of Hindu society,&rdquo; and said people could no longer remain silent. There was no immediate response from local police on the MLA&rsquo;s threat, nor any confirmation on arrests at the time of filing this report. Rights activists and opposition figures have repeatedly accused Hindu nationalist leaders in India of using inflammatory language that targets religious minorities, warning that such rhetoric risks provoking violence and undermining communal harmony.

Indian lawmaker threatens to throw pork outside mosques in Kanpur

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Wednesday confirmed the schedule for Australia&rsquo;s three-match T20I series in Pakistan, with all matches set to be played at the Gaddafi Stadium later this month, the cricket board said. The series will be held on Jan. 29, 31, and Feb. 1, with the Australian squad scheduled to arrive in Lahore on Wednesday, Jan. 28. According to the PCB, the coin toss for all three matches will take place at 5:30 p.m. PKT, with the first ball bowled at 6 p.m. The T20I series will provide crucial match practice for both teams ahead of the ICC Men&rsquo;s T20 World Cup 2026. Pakistan are placed in Group A, while Australia will compete in Group B of the tournament. This will be Australia&rsquo;s third tour of Pakistan since March-April 2022, when they played a three-match Test series, a three-match ODI series, and a one-off T20I. The Australian side also featured in three matches of the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 held in Pakistan. Australia had edged Pakistan by three wickets in the only T20I played between the two sides at the Gaddafi Stadium on April 5, 2022.&nbsp;PCB Chief Operating Officer Sumair Ahmed Syed said the board was looking forward to hosting the Australian team in Lahore.&nbsp;&ldquo;We are excited to host Australia for the three-match T20I series here in Lahore. The tour marks a blockbuster beginning of the year for Pakistan cricket fans, and I urge them to turn out in numbers to support both teams as they finalize their preparations for the T20 World Cup,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;He added that the Gaddafi Stadium had become a familiar venue for the Australian team, which has played a Test match, five ODIs, and one T20I there since March 2022.&nbsp;Series schedule (all matches at Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore)&bull; 1st T20I &mdash; Thursday, Jan. 29 &mdash; 6 p.m. PKT &nbsp;&bull; 2nd T20I &mdash; Saturday, Jan. 31 &mdash; 6 p.m. PKT &nbsp;&bull; 3rd T20I &mdash; Sunday, Feb. 1 &mdash; 6 p.m. PKT

The series begins on Jan. 29 and ends on Feb. 1, with the Australian squad scheduled to arrive in Lahore on Jan. 28.

PCB confirms dates for Australia’s three-match T20I series in Lahore

ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh on Tuesday summoned Myanmar&#39;s ambassador and voiced strong concern after cross-border gunfire from the neighboring country wounded a 12-year-old Bangladeshi girl in the border area of Cox&rsquo;s Bazar. In a statement issued in Dhaka, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it summoned Myanmar Ambassador U Kyaw Soe Moe over a recent incident of firing from Myanmar toward Bangladesh near the Whykong Union of Teknaf. &ldquo;A 12-year-old Bangladeshi girl was severely injured during the cross-border firing,&rdquo; the ministry said. Bangladesh said the shooting constituted &ldquo;a blatant violation of international law and a hindrance to good neighbourly relationships,&rdquo; and conveyed its protest to the Myanmar envoy, according to the foreign press statement. The ministry said Bangladesh asked Myanmar &ldquo;to take full responsibility and requisite measures to stop such cross-border firings in the future.&rdquo; It also urged that &ldquo;whatever happens between the Myanmar authorities and the armed groups in Myanmar should not in any way affect the lives and livelihoods of the people in Bangladesh,&rdquo; according to the statement. The border areas of Teknaf have previously been affected by spillover violence linked to unrest inside Myanmar, raising concerns over civilian safety on the Bangladeshi side. The statement said the Myanmar ambassador assured Bangladeshi officials that his government would act to prevent similar incidents. &ldquo;The Myanmar ambassador assured that his government would take measures to stop such incidents and expressed their sincere sympathy to the injured and her family,&rdquo; the ministry said.

Bangladesh

Bangladesh summoned the ambassador of Myanmar and expressed strong concern after cross-border gunfire from the neighboring country injured a 12-year-old Bangladeshi girl in the border area of Cox’s Bazar.

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