ISLAMABAD: Authorities in India&rsquo;s most populous state of Uttar Pradesh demolished a Muslim shrine on Sunday, January 11, following an order by a local court that declared the structure an illegal encroachment on government land.&nbsp;Officials said the district administration in Deoria used bulldozers to raze the Hazrat Shaheed Syed Abdul Gani Shah Baba shrine, which was located on barren government land on the Deoria&ndash;Gorakhpur Road. The operation was carried out under heavy police deployment to prevent any untoward incident.<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" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 849px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" 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=2010356165860032775&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2F&sessionId=6cb67ad56b600ae8755daae5203e3b90bf7b353a&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>According to the administration, the action followed directions from the Sadar Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) court, which ruled that the land belonged to the government.&nbsp;Sub-Divisional Magistrate Shruti Sharma said the demolition was conducted strictly in accordance with legal procedures. &ldquo;The situation in the area is completely normal,&rdquo; she added.&nbsp;The case dates back to 2019, when local leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) filed a complaint alleging illegal construction on government land.&nbsp;The demolition has sparked political and public reactions. Senior politician Swami Prasad Maurya, a former local minister, condemned the action, calling it &ldquo;extremely unfortunate&rdquo; and saying it had hurt the religious sentiments of both Muslims and Hindus in the region. <figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/10182285-f65b-428d-bd36-ecbd31dfe60d-Screenshot 2026-01-12 103931.png" alt="Screenshot 2026-01-12 103931.png" class="fr-fil fr-dib" style="width: 720px;"></figure>Journalist Wasim Akram Tyagi also criticized the demolition, questioning what he described as selective action against minority places of worship, while alleging that numerous religious structures belonging to the majority community exist on government land across the state without facing similar measures.<figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/9e426e6f-1375-468f-9f9c-fcdbf9915de8-Screenshot 2026-01-12 103900.png" alt="Screenshot 2026-01-12 103900.png" class="fr-fil fr-dib"></figure>The Uttar Pradesh administration, however, maintains that the demolition was a legal enforcement action carried out in compliance with a standing court order, and not targeted at any particular community.

India

The case dates back to 2019, when local leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) filed a complaint alleging illegal construction on government land.

India bulldozes Muslim shrine on BJP leaders’ complaint

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Sunday that Iran&#39;s leadership had called him seeking &ldquo;to negotiate&rdquo; after he repeatedly threatened to intervene militarily if Tehran killed protesters. For two weeks, Iran has been rocked by a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/fresh-protests-in-iran-as-internet-blackout-persists" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">protest movement</a> that has swelled despite a crackdown. Initially sparked by anger over the rising cost of living, the demonstrations have evolved into a serious challenge to the Iranian government. Information has continued to trickle out of Iran despite a days-long internet shutdown, with videos filtering out of the capital, Tehran, and other cities over the past three nights showing large demonstrations. &quot;The leaders of Iran called&quot; yesterday, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, adding that &ldquo;a meeting is being set up... They want to negotiate.&quot; He added, however, that &quot;we may have to act before a meeting&quot;. &#39;Channel of communication with US open&#39; Meanwhile, the Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said Monday that a channel of communication is open between Iran and US President Donald Trump&#39;s special envoy for the Middle East despite the lack of diplomatic relations.&nbsp;&quot;This channel of communication between our foreign minister (Abbas Araghchi) and the special envoy of the president of the United States is open,&quot; ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said in comments broadcast by state television, in apparent reference to Steve Witkoff.&nbsp;&quot;Messages are exchanged whenever necessary,&quot; he said, noting that while the US has no diplomatic presence in Iran, its interests are represented by the Swiss embassy. &#39;Strong options&#39;&nbsp;US President Trump said he was considering potential military action against Iran, amid mounting reports of deadly crackdowns against the country&#39;s mass anti-government protests. &quot;They&#39;re starting to, it looks like,&quot; Trump said, when asked by reporters aboard Air Force One if Iran had crossed his previously stated red line of protesters being killed. &quot;We&#39;re looking at it very seriously. The military is looking at it, and we&#39;re looking at some very strong options. We&#39;ll make a determination,&quot; he said. Meanwhile, a video circulating on Sunday showed dozens of bodies accumulating outside a morgue south of Tehran. The footage, geolocated by AFP to Kahrizak, showed bodies wrapped in black bags, with what appeared to be grieving relatives searching for loved ones.<h2 style="line-height: 2;"> </h2><h2 style="line-height: 2;">Near paralysis&nbsp;</h2>In Tehran, an AFP journalist described a city in a state of near paralysis. The price of meat has nearly doubled since the start of the protests, and many shops are closed.&nbsp; Those that do open must close at around 4:00 or 5:00 pm, when security forces deploy en masse. There were fewer videos showing protests on social media Sunday, but it was not clear to what extent that was due to the internet shutdown. One widely shared video showed protesters again gathering in the Pounak district of Tehran, shouting slogans in favor of the ousted monarchy. The protests have become one of the biggest challenges to the rule of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 86, coming in the wake of Israel&#39;s 12-day war against the Islamic republic in June, which was backed by the United States. State TV has aired images of burning buildings, including a mosque, as well as funeral processions for security personnel. But after three days of mass actions, state outlets were at pains to present a picture of calm returning, broadcasting images of smooth-flowing traffic on Sunday.&nbsp; &lsquo;Legitimate targets&rsquo;Tehran Governor Mohammad-Sadegh Motamedian insisted in televised comments that &ldquo;the number of protests is decreasing&rdquo;. The Iranian government on Sunday declared three days of national mourning for &quot;martyrs,&quot; including members of the security forces killed. President Masoud Pezeshkian also urged Iranians to join a &quot;national resistance march&quot; on &nbsp;Monday to denounce the violence. In response to Trump&#39;s repeated threats to intervene, Iran&#39;s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/iran-to-target-us-military-shipping-if-attacked-parliament-speaker" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Iran would hit back</a>, calling US military and shipping &ldquo;legitimate targets&rdquo; in comments broadcast by state TV. <h2 style="line-height: 2;">&#39;Stand with the people&#39;&nbsp;</h2>Reza Pahlavi, the US-based son of Iran&rsquo;s ousted Shah, who has emerged as an anti-government figurehead, said he was prepared to return to the country and lead a democratic transition.&ldquo;I&#39;m already planning on that,&rdquo; he told Fox News on Sunday. He later urged Iran&#39;s security forces and government workers to join the demonstrators. &ldquo;Employees of state institutions, as well as members of the armed and security forces, have a choice: stand with the people and become allies of the nation, or choose complicity with the murderers of the people,&rdquo; he said in a social media post. He also urged protesters to replace the flags outside of Iranian embassies. &ldquo;The time has come for them to be adorned with Iran&#39;s national flag,&rdquo; he said. The ceremonial, pre-revolution flag has become an emblem of the global rallies that have mushroomed in support of Iran&rsquo;s demonstrators. In London, protesters managed over the weekend to swap out the Iranian embassy flag, hoisting in its place the tri-colored banner used under the last Shah.

Middle East

Iran foreign ministry says communications channel is open between Iran and US President Donald Trump's special envoy for the Middle East, despite the lack of diplomatic relations.

‘Meeting being set up’ with Iran, but we may act first, says Trump

CARACAS: US President Donald Trump said Sunday his administration was working well with Venezuela&#39;s interim leader Delcy Rodriguez &mdash; and that he would be open to meeting with her. Trump&#39;s upbeat remarks came just over a week after Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro was seized in a US special forces raid and brought to New York to face drug trafficking charges. Trump has said that the United States now has de facto control of Venezuela, as it enforces a naval blockade of the South American nation&#39;s vital oil exports. Rodriguez, despite being a close Maduro ally, has indicated a willingness to work with the United States, saying she is open to cooperating on Trump&#39;s demands for access to Venezuelan oil. Her government has also vowed to release political prisoners and begin talks on reestablishing diplomatic ties with Washington. US envoys visited Caracas on Friday to discuss reopening Washington&#39;s embassy there. &quot;Venezuela is really working out well. We&#39;re working along really well with the leadership,&quot; Trump told reporters Sunday aboard Air Force One. Asked if he planned to meet with Rodriguez, Trump said: &quot;At some point I&#39;ll be.&quot; He also said he expected to meet with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Tuesday or Wednesday. Many were stunned when Trump dismissed the possibility of Machado serving as Venezuela&#39;s interim leader following the toppling of Maduro, and instead accepted Rodriguez&#39;s ascent. Machado was given the Nobel Peace Prize last year and dedicated it to Trump, though he has made no secret of his frustration at being passed over for the award. Political prisonersThe Venezuelan government began to release prisoners jailed under Maduro on Thursday, saying a &quot;large&quot; number would be released &mdash; but rights groups and the opposition say only about 20 have walked free so far, including several prominent opposition figures. Relatives have gathered outside prisons believed to be holding political detainees, to await their loved ones&#39; release, sometimes even camping outside. Rights groups estimate there are 800 to 1,200 political prisoners currently being held in Venezuela. &quot;Venezuela has started the process, in a BIG WAY, of releasing their political prisoners. Thank you!&quot; Trump said in a post late Saturday on his Truth Social platform. &quot;I hope those prisoners will remember how lucky they got that the USA came along and did what had to be done.&quot; Meanwhile, a detained police officer accused of &quot;treason&quot; against Venezuela died in state custody after a stroke and heart attack, the state prosecution service confirmed Sunday. Opposition groups said the 52-year-old man, Edison Jose Torres Fernandez, had shared messages critical of Maduro&#39;s government. &quot;We directly hold the regime of Delcy Rodriguez responsible for this death,&quot; Justice First, part of the Venezuelan opposition alliance, said on X. Late Saturday, families held candlelight vigils outside El Rodeo prison east of Caracas and El Helicoide, a notorious jail run by the intelligence services, holding signs with the names of their imprisoned relatives. Prisoners include Freddy Superlano, a close ally of Machado who was jailed after challenging Maduro&#39;s widely contested reelection in 2024. &quot;He is alive &mdash; that was what I was most afraid about,&quot; Superlano&#39;s wife, Aurora Silva, told reporters. &quot;He is standing strong, and I am sure he is going to come out soon.&quot; Maduro&#39;s supporters rallied in Caracas on Saturday, but the demonstrations were far smaller than his camp had mustered in the past, and top figures from his government were notably absent. Oil Trump pressed top oil executives at a White House meeting on Friday to invest in Venezuela, but was met with a cautious reception. ExxonMobil&#39;s chief executive, Darren Woods, notably dismissed the country as &quot;uninvestable&quot; without sweeping reforms &mdash; earning a rebuke from Trump. &quot;I didn&#39;t like Exxon&#39;s response. You know, we have so many that want it, I&#39;d probably be inclined to keep Exxon out. I didn&#39;t like their response. They&#39;re playing too cute,&quot; Trump said Sunday. Experts say Venezuela&#39;s oil infrastructure is creaky after years of mismanagement and sanctions.

Americas

US president also expected to meet with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado on Tuesday or Wednesday; Trump has said that the US now has de facto control of Venezuela, as it enforces a naval blockade of the South American nation's vital oil exports.

Trump says working well with Venezuela's new leaders, open to meeting

SYDNEY: Tech giant Meta urged Australia on Monday to rethink its world-first social media ban for under-16s, while reporting that it has blocked more than 544,000 accounts under the new law. Australia has required big platforms, including Meta, TikTok, and YouTube, to stop underage users from holding accounts since the legislation came into force on December 10 last year. Companies face fines of Aus$49.5 million (US$33 million) if they fail to take &quot;reasonable steps&quot; to comply. Billionaire Mark Zuckerberg&#39;s Meta said it had removed 331,000 underage accounts from Instagram, 173,000 from Facebook, and 40,000 from Threads in the week to December 11. The company said it was committed to complying with the law. &quot;That said, we call on the Australian government to engage with industry constructively to find a better way forward, such as incentivizing all of industry to raise the standard in providing safe, privacy-preserving, age-appropriate experiences online, instead of blanket bans,&quot; it said in a statement. Meta renewed an earlier call for app stores to be required to verify people&#39;s ages and get parental approval before under-16s can download an app. This was the only way to avoid a &quot;whack-a-mole&quot; race to stop teens migrating to new apps to avoid the ban, the company said. Meta said parents and experts were worried about the ban isolating young people from online communities, and driving some to less regulated apps and darker corners of the internet. Initial impacts of the legislation &quot;suggest it is not meeting its objectives of increasing the safety and well-being of young Australians,&quot; it argued. While raising concerns over the lack of an industry standard for determining age online, Meta said its compliance with the Australian law would be a &quot;multilayered process.&quot; Since the ban, the California-based firm said it had helped found the OpenAge Initiative, a non-profit group that has launched age-verification tools called AgeKeys to be used with participating platforms.

Australasia

Australia has required big platforms, including Meta, TikTok, and YouTube, to stop underage users from holding accounts since the legislation came into force on December 10 last year; companies face fines of Aus$49.5 million (US$33 million) if they fail to take "reasonable steps" to comply.

Meta urges Australia to change teen social media ban

SYDNEY: Australia&#39;s leading Adelaide Festival is battling a slew of artist withdrawals and board resignations after disinviting a Palestinian-Australian author citing &quot;cultural sensitivities&quot; raised by the Bondi Beach shooting. Scores of artists have reportedly torn up their invitations, several board members &mdash; including the festival chair &mdash; have quit, and the blocked author&#39;s lawyers have demanded an explanation. Australia&#39;s premier annual cultural event, which lures artists from around the world, unleashed the storm last week when it told Randa Abdel-Fattah it did not &quot;wish to proceed&quot; with her appearance at its Writers&#39; Week. &quot;Whilst we do not suggest in any way that Dr Randa Abdel-Fattah or her writings have any connection with the tragedy at Bondi, given her past statements, we have formed the view that it would not be culturally sensitive to continue to program her at this unprecedented time so soon after Bondi,&quot; it said in a statement. The festival board said it was &quot;shocked and saddened&quot; by the December 14 mass shooting at a Jewish festival on Bondi Beach, which killed 15 people, and its decision to exclude Abdel-Fattah was not taken lightly. But the shunned author and academic said it was a &quot;blatant and shameless act of anti-Palestinian racism.&quot; It was a &quot;despicable attempt to associate me with the Bondi massacre,&quot; she said in a statement. Her legal representatives, Marque Lawyers, sent a letter to the festival on Sunday demanding that it identify statements by the author that justified excluding her. Marque Lawyers&#39; managing partner Michael Bradley said the festival had &quot;trampled&quot; on Abdel-Fattah&#39;s human rights, and the board would have to answer for it. Festival chair resigns Abdel-Fattah has faced criticism over some statements, including a post on X in October 2024 saying: &quot;The goal is decolonization and the end of this murderous Zionist colony.&quot; Local media said her exclusion had led more than 70 participants to withdraw from the festival, which runs from February 27 to March 15. They included author and former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis, who posted a video on social media of himself tearing up his invitation. Three Adelaide Festival board members reportedly resigned their positions at an extraordinary meeting on Saturday. On Sunday, the festival chair, Tracey Whiting, announced she, too, had resigned with immediate effect. &quot;Recent decisions were bound by certain undertakings, and my resignation enables the Adelaide Festival, as an organization, to refresh its leadership and its approach to these circumstances,&quot; she said. South Australia&#39;s Premier Peter Malinauskas said he was legally prevented from directing the board&#39;s decisions. &quot;However, when asked for my opinion, I was happy to make it clear that the state government did not support the inclusion of Dr Abdel-Fattah on the Adelaide Writers&#39; Week program,&quot; he told local media. The Adelaide Festival said it had &quot;temporarily unpublished&quot; the list of participants and events in Writers&#39; Week while it works through changes to its website.

Australia's premier annual cultural event unleashes storm after telling Randa Abdel-Fattah it does not "wish to proceed" with her appearance at its Writers' Week; scores of artists have torn up invitations, several board members have quit, and the blocked author's lawyers have demanded an explanation; shunned author and academic says it is a "blatant and shameless act of anti-Palestinian racism."





Arts festival faces exodus after dropping Palestinian Australian author

COPENHAGEN: Denmark&#39;s prime minister on Sunday said her country faces a &quot;decisive moment&quot; in its diplomatic battle with the United States over Greenland, after President Donald Trump again suggested using force to seize the Arctic territory. Ahead of meetings in Washington from Monday on, the global scramble for key raw materials, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said that &quot;there is a conflict over Greenland.&quot; &quot;This is a decisive moment&quot; with stakes that go beyond the immediate issue of Greenland&#39;s future, she added in a debate with other Danish political leaders. Frederiksen posted on Facebook that &quot;we are ready to defend our values &mdash; wherever it is necessary &nbsp;&mdash; also in the Arctic. We believe in international law and in people&#39;s right to self-determination.&quot; Germany and Sweden backed Denmark against Trump&#39;s latest claims to the self-governing Danish territory. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson condemned US &quot;threatening rhetoric&quot; after Trump repeated that Washington was &quot;going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not.&quot; &quot;Sweden, the Nordic countries, the Baltic states, and several major European countries stand together with our Danish friends,&quot; he told a defense conference in Salen, where the US general in charge of NATO took part. Kristersson said a US takeover of mineral-rich Greenland would be &quot;a violation of international law and risks encouraging other countries to act in exactly the same way.&quot; No &#39;immediate threat&#39; Germany reiterated its support for Denmark and Greenland ahead of the Washington discussions. Before meeting US counterpart Marco Rubio on Monday, German Foreign Minister Johann Wadehpul held talks in Iceland to address the &quot;strategic challenges of the Far North&quot;, according to a foreign ministry statement. &quot;Security in the Arctic is becoming more and more important,&quot; and &quot;is part of our common interest in NATO,&quot; he said at a joint news conference with Icelandic Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir. &quot;If the American president is looking at what threats might come from Russian or Chinese ships or submarines in the region, we can of course find answers to that together,&quot; he added. But &quot;the future of Greenland must be decided by the people of Greenland&quot; and Denmark, he said. Asked about a possible strengthening of NATO&#39;s commitment in the Arctic, Wadephul said Germany was &quot;ready to assume greater responsibilities.&quot; Earlier Sunday, German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said: &quot;We are strengthening security in the Arctic together, as NATO allies, and not against one another.&quot; He was speaking ahead of an international meeting on critical raw materials in Washington. European nations have scrambled to coordinate a response after the White House said this week that Trump wanted to buy Greenland and refused to rule out military action. On Tuesday, leaders of seven European countries, including France, Britain, Germany, and Italy, signed a letter saying it is &quot;only&quot; for Denmark and Greenland to decide the territory&#39;s future. Trump says controlling the island is crucial for US national security because of the rising Russian and Chinese military activity in the Arctic. NATO Supreme Allied Commander General Alexus Grynkewich told the Swedish conference that alliance members were discussing Greenland&#39;s status. While there was &quot;no immediate threat&quot; to NATO territory, the Arctic&#39;s strategic importance was fast growing, the US general added. Grynkewich said he would not comment on &quot;the political dimensions of recent rhetoric,&quot; but talks on Greenland were being held at the North Atlantic Council. &quot;Those dialogues continue in Brussels. They have been healthy dialogues from what I&#39;ve heard,&quot; the general said. A Danish colony until 1953, Greenland gained home rule 26 years later and is contemplating eventually loosening its ties with Denmark. Polls indicate that Greenland&#39;s population strongly opposes a US takeover. &quot;I don&#39;t think there&#39;s an immediate threat to NATO territory right now,&quot; Grynkewich told the conference. But he said Russian and Chinese vessels had been seen patrolling together on Russia&#39;s northern coast and near Alaska and Canada, working together to get greater access to the Arctic as ice recedes due to global warming.

Europe

PM Frederiksen says “we are ready to defend our values — wherever it is necessary  — also in the Arctic. We believe in international law and in peoples' right to self-determination"; Swedish PM condemns US "threatening rhetoric" after Trump repeats that Washington was "going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not."

Danish PM says Greenland showdown at 'decisive moment' after new Trump threats

LONDON: Demonstrators rallied in London, Paris and Istanbul on Sunday in support of protests in Iran that have been countered with a deadly crackdown by the country&#39;s security forces. London demonstrations, initially in front of the Iranian embassy and later in front of the British prime minister&#39;s residence, grew to several thousand as the day progressed. &quot;We want revolution, change the regime,&quot; Afsi, a 38-year-old Iranian, who declined to give her last name, told AFP at the rally in front of Downing Street. Afsi has lived in London for seven years, and has not been able to contact her family in Iran because of an internet blackout imposed by authorities since Thursday. &ldquo;It&#39;s so frustrating, but it&#39;s not the first time,&quot; he said. &quot;This time, we have hope ... we feel like we can do it (overthrow the government) this time.&quot; In Paris, more than 2,000 people waving Iran&#39;s flag from before the Islamic Revolution in 1979 demonstrated, to chants of &quot;No to the terrorist Islamic Republic.&quot; Police did not allow them to approach the Iranian embassy. &quot;Close the mullahs&#39; embassy, the terrorist factory,&quot; some demonstrators yelled. A 20-year-old Iranian student living in Paris, who gave his first name as Arya, said: &quot;In Iran, the people are rising up in the streets, and we Iranians outside Iran are here to show we are with them, and they are not alone.&quot; He said he was waiting to hear what the son of Iran&#39;s last shah, US-based Reza Pahlavi, &quot;will tell us to do.&quot; Pahlavi has emerged as a potential figurehead for government opponents. The protests, initially sparked by anger over the rising cost of living, have lasted two weeks and become a movement against the theocratic system in place since the 1979 revolution. Iranian authorities have called the protesters &quot;rioters&quot; who are backed by the United States and Israel. In Istanbul, demonstrators voicing support for the Iranian protesters gathered in steady rain. Police cordoned off the area outside the Iranian consulate and the crowd was kept away from the mission. &quot;It&#39;s been 72 hours since we had any news from the country, from our families. No internet or television, we can&#39;t reach Iran anymore,&quot; said Nina, a young Iranian living in Turkey who had the Iranian flag and red tears painted on her face. &quot;The regime kills at random &mdash; whether families are on foot or in a car, whether there are children. It spares no one,&quot; she added. The crackdown by Iran&#39;s authorities has resulted in at least 192 deaths, according to the Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights. The US-based Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) said it had received &quot;credible&quot; accounts of &quot;hundreds of protesters&quot; killed across Iran since the internet clampdown started. The leaders of Britain, France, and Germany on Friday condemned the &quot;killing of protestors&quot; in Iran, while US President Donald Trump said Saturday his country stood &quot;ready to help&quot; as Iranians protest. One of the demonstrators in London, Fahimeh Moradi, 52, said she was taking part &quot;to support the Iranian people who are killed and murdered by the Iran regime &mdash; we don&#39;t want the Islamic Republic of Iran, we hate them!&quot; She added, &quot;My son is there, and I don&#39;t know if he&#39;s alive or not. We just want this murderous regime to leave Iran, that&#39;s it!&quot;

The protests, initially sparked by anger over the rising cost of living, have lasted two weeks and become a movement against the theocratic system in place since the 1979 revolution; Iranian authorities have called the protesters "rioters" who are backed by the United States and Israel.

Demonstrators in London, Paris, Istanbul back Iran protests 

STOCKHOLM: Sweden will invest 15 billion kronor ($1.6 billion) on bolstering its air defenses, notably potential civilian targets, the government said Sunday, the latest European country to beef up military spending since Russia&#39;s invasion of Ukraine.&nbsp;The money will go to ground-based aerial defense systems, the government said, as Russia&#39;s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the United States&#39; increasingly strained ties with NATO allies under US President Donald Trump prompt a European rush to rearm.&nbsp;&quot;Experience from Ukraine demonstrates the importance of a robust air defence,&quot; the Swedish government said.&nbsp;The announcement follows similar moves by countries, including Germany, where parliament approved $59 billion in new defence spending in December.&nbsp;The initial purchases under Sweden&#39;s new plan will be made in the first quarter of 2026, the government said.&nbsp;&quot;With this broad investment in air defence, we are protecting the whole of society, from our military units to urban areas and critical infrastructure,&quot; Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said in a statement.&nbsp;&quot;It is a matter of people&#39;s lives, our freedom, and our ability to withstand attacks in all parts of the country.&quot;&nbsp;Sweden had announced in November it was spending around $366 million on IRIS-T surface-to-air short-range missiles to protect itself against missiles, drones, and combat aircraft.

Sweden will spend 15 billion kronor to strengthen its air defences, focusing on protecting civilians, cities, and critical infrastructure, with ground-based systems to be bought starting in early 2026.

Sweden to spend $1.6B to bolster air defenses

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia suspended access to Elon Musk&#39;s chatbot Grok over AI-generated pornographic content, the country&#39;s tech regulator said on Sunday.&nbsp;The decision follows global backlash after it emerged that Grok&#39;s image creation feature allowed users to sexualize pictures of women and children using simple text prompts.&nbsp;On Saturday, Indonesia became the first country to deny all access to the tool, which has been restricted to paying subscribers elsewhere.&nbsp;The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission said in a statement it had &quot;directed a temporary restriction on access to the Grok artificial intelligence for users in Malaysia&quot; with immediate effect.&nbsp;When an AFP reporter in the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur fed Grok prompts on Sunday, there was no response.&nbsp;&quot;This action follows repeated misuse of Grok to generate obscene, sexually explicit, indecent, grossly offensive and non-consensual manipulated images,&quot; the regulator said.&nbsp;The statement cited &quot;content involving women and minors, despite prior regulatory engagement and formal notices&quot; issued to Musk&#39;s X Corp. and xAI startup which developed Grok.&nbsp;The AI tool is integrated into social media platform X.&nbsp;The Malaysian regulator said it deemed the platform&#39;s safeguards inadequate, adding that access would resume only after the required changes are verified.&nbsp;X Corp. had &quot;failed to address the inherent risks posed by the design and operation of the AI tool&quot;, relying &quot;primarily on user-initiated reporting mechanisms&quot;, the regulator said.&nbsp;European officials and tech campaigners on Friday slammed Grok after its controversial image creation feature was restricted to paying subscribers, saying the change failed to address concerns about sexualized deep fakes.&nbsp;Grok had appeared to deflect the criticism with a new monetization policy, posting on X on Thursday that image generation and editing were now &quot;limited to paying subscribers&quot;, alongside a link to a premium subscription.

Artificial Intelligence

Malaysia suspended access to Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok after it was misused to generate pornographic and sexualized images, including of women and minors, citing inadequate safeguards. The ban follows similar global backlash and Indonesia’s earlier move.

Malaysia suspends access to Musk's Grok AI: regulator

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump urged Cuba on Sunday to &quot;make a deal&quot; or face unspecified consequences, warning that the flow of Venezuelan oil and money to Havana would now stop.&nbsp;&quot;There will be no more oil or money going to cuba - zero!&quot; Trump said on his Truth Social channel. &quot;I strongly suggest they make a deal, before it is too late.&quot;&nbsp;His remarks come a week after US forces seized Venezuela&#39;s authoritarian leader Nicolas Maduro in a nighttime operation in Caracas that killed dozens of Venezuelan and Cuban security forces.&nbsp;Earlier on Sunday, Trump reposted a message suggesting that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio could become the president of now communist-ruled Cuba.&nbsp;Trump shared that post with the comment: &quot;Sounds good to me!&quot;&nbsp;In his own post soon afterwards, Trump said that &quot;Cuba lived, for many years, on large amounts of oil and money from Venezuela. In return, Cuba provided &#39;Security Services&#39; for the last two Venezuelan dictators, but not anymore!&quot;&nbsp;&quot;Most of those Cubans are DEAD from last week&#39;s U.S.A. attack, and Venezuela doesn&#39;t need protection anymore from the thugs and extortionists who held them hostage for so many years.&quot;&nbsp;Under a US trade embargo, Havana since 2000 has increasingly relied on Venezuelan oil provided as part of a deal struck with Maduro&#39;s predecessor Hugo Chavez.

US President Donald Trump warned Cuba to “make a deal” or face consequences, saying Venezuelan oil and money to Havana would stop following US actions against Venezuela’s leadership.

Trump tells Cuba to 'make a deal, before it is too late'

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Afghan social media outlets on X on Sunday night posted fake news claiming that Pakistani airspace is being used by the US to enter Iranian airspace, according to an official statement by the fact-checking department of Pakistan&rsquo;s Ministry of Information.&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-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=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2010696154892337439&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=966ed82eed211b3e8074c63bd20a898d65000333&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 922px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div> As per the statement, the outlets claimed that &ldquo;the United States has moved aerial refuelling (KC-135R) and surveillance aircraft to Pakistan.&rdquo; They further claimed that, &ldquo;Pakistan is being used as a base or launch corridor to support US stealth fighters (F-35/F-22) for a possible imminent military strike on Iran.&rdquo;&nbsp;One of the accounts, named &ldquo;Afghanistan Defense,&rdquo; that made these claims has changed its username four times recently, according to publicly available information on its X handle, as seen by Pakistan TV Digital. The account has been tweeting information without giving any source. <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=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2010401563039453384&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=966ed82eed211b3e8074c63bd20a898d65000333&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 945px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp;The other account mentioned in the statement by the ministry is named &ldquo;Khurasan Media Urdu.&rdquo; &nbsp;The account was created a few months earlier and has changed its username three times, most recently in December 2025, as per X&rsquo;s publicly available account details. <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=2010404704380154030&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=966ed82eed211b3e8074c63bd20a898d65000333&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 945px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp;This account has made the same claims as &ldquo;Afghanistan Defense,&rdquo; with language being the only difference, as it operates in Urdu rather than English.&nbsp;According to the ministry&rsquo;s X post, Pakistan &ldquo;publicly condemned US strikes on Iran&rdquo; while at the same time &ldquo;called them a violation of international law.&rdquo; The statement confirmed that &ldquo;US tanker activity increased, but not from &lsquo;Pakistan&rsquo;,&rdquo; rather from Europe.&nbsp;&ldquo;Reuters reported the US moved a large number of refueling aircraft to Europe as Middle East tensions rose,&rdquo; the statement clarified.&nbsp;The ministry further linked all claims related to the USA to verified sources such as Reuters and The Washington Post.&nbsp;The ministry urged users not to follow fake news accounts for information.&nbsp;&ldquo;For national security and defence matters, rely only on ISPR, MoIB, MoFA, and reputable defence outlets,&rdquo; the statement concluded.

Foreign Affairs

Security

Information ministry debunks false reports on use of Pakistani airspace by US forces

Fact check: No US military use of Pakistan for Iran operations

ISLAMABAD: Six Pakistani companies are displaying security products at Intersec 2026, the Consulate General of Pakistan in Dubai reported Monday. According to a press release, the exhibition features Pakistan&#39;s safety technology sector, showcasing products to 50,000 global buyers at Dubai&#39;s leading industry event. <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-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 695px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" 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=2010719920624210392&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=edfdea3658615e522933f308a8434091792caec0&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div> The 27th edition of Intersec opened on Jan. 12 and runs will Jan. 14. Intersec is the world&#39;s largest business exhibition for security, safety, and fire protection. <figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/5943c45e-4e92-42b6-ba4d-275afd40dadf-6.jpg" alt="6.jpg" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic" style="line-height: 2;">The 27th edition of Intersec opened on January 12, 2026. (Consulate General of Pakistan/Facebook)</figcaption></figure> The event features 1,400 exhibitors from over 60 countries. Organizers expect over 50,000 trade visitors, the consulate said. The Trade Development Authority of Pakistan organized the country&#39;s participation. <figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/0c8008e7-c25a-4cc0-8720-3e14be6c0f87-4.jpg" alt="4.jpg" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic" style="line-height: 2;">The exhibition positions Pakistan&#39;s safety technology sector in front of 50,000 global buyers. (Consulate General of Pakistan/Facebook)</figcaption></figure> The Consul General of Pakistan in Dubai, Hussain Muhammad, inaugurated the Pakistan Pavilion. He was joined by Trade and Investment Counsellor, Ali Zeb Khan. Pakistani exhibitors noted the event&#39;s importance for expanding exports to markets such as the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf Cooperation Council. <figure class="fr-media"><img src="https://paktv-assets-7d41fab8.s3.eu-west-2.amazonaws.com/uploads/3c2d3a96-1819-4072-8bea-3d2449a6f145-7.jpg" alt="7.jpg" class="fr-fil fr-dib"><figcaption class="caption-cover-image text-sm text-gray-600 italic" style="line-height: 2;">The Consul General of Pakistan in Dubai inaugurated the Pakistan Pavilion. (Consulate General of Pakistan/Facebook)</figcaption></figure> &quot;Pakistan&#39;s participation in global exhibitions like Intersec underscores the country&#39;s commitment to strengthening trade ties and showcasing its industrial and technological capabilities in the safety sector,&quot; the Consul General said. The event allows Pakistani companies to explore international markets and establish business connections, he said. Intersec is the world&#39;s leading international exhibition for security, safety, and fire protection, bringing together manufacturers, suppliers, innovators, and buyers annually in Dubai to showcase cutting-edge technology, share knowledge, and discuss future challenges in these critical sectors.

Economy

The exhibition positions Pakistan's safety technology sector in front of 50,000 global buyers at Dubai's premier industry event.

Pakistan showcases security tech at world's largest safety exhibition

ISLAMABAD: &quot;Good Hang With Amy Poehler&quot; won the first-ever Golden Globe for Best Podcast for its host just 10 months after it first premiered. According to a statement released by the Golden Globes, the category debut marks the Golden Globes&#39; latest expansion beyond traditional film and television, recognizing podcasting&#39;s growing dominance in entertainment media. &quot;I know I&#39;m new to this game. I have great respect for this form,&quot; American actress and comedian Amy Poehler said during her acceptance speech. She then quipped about celebrity saturation in podcasting: &quot;I&#39;m big fans of all of you &ndash; except for NPR! Just a bunch of celebs phoning it in. Try harder!&quot; The &quot;Saturday Night Live&quot; star launched &quot;Good Hang&quot; through Paper Kite Productions and The Ringer in March 2024. Early episodes featured comedy peers Martin Short, Ike Barinholtz, and Quinta Brunson. It also featured interviews with Tina Fey and Rashida Jones. Poehler received the award from presenter Snoop Dogg, who teased his own potential podcast ambitions: &quot;Y&#39;all better hope I never get in the game.&quot; According to the Globes, the win represents a full-circle moment for Poehler at the awards. She earned three acting nominations for &quot;Parks and Recreation&quot; and co-hosted the ceremony four times with Fey. Golden Globes host Nikki Glaser introduced the category with a pre-recorded sketch parodying Nicole Kidman&#39;s AMC Theatres preroll advertisement. &quot;Good Hang With Amy Poehler&quot; competed against five other shows: &quot;Armchair Expert With Dax Shepard,&quot; &quot;Call Her Daddy,&quot; &quot;Smartless,&quot; &quot;The Mel Robbins Podcast,&quot; and &quot;Up First.&quot; The nominees were selected from 25 eligible podcasts determined by Globes data partner Luminate, according to the Golden Globes. The Best Podcast category was introduced in 2024, following the introduction of Best Performance in Stand-Up Comedy on Television in 2024.

Entertainment

The category debut marks the Golden Globes' latest expansion beyond traditional film and television.

Amy Poehler's 'Good Hang' wins first-ever Golden Globe for Best Podcast

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;Pakistan&rsquo;s oil and gas regulator has issued clear safety guidance for everyday consumers using liquefied petroleum gas cylinders at home, stressing that basic precautions can significantly reduce the risk of fires, leaks, and explosions. The guidelines, issued by the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority, focus on safe handling, proper storage, and prompt response to gas leaks, particularly for domestic users. Proper placement and ventilationOGRA advises consumers to always keep gas cylinders in open, well-ventilated areas and away from direct heat. Safety instructions emphasize that cylinders should never be placed in confined or poorly ventilated spaces. &ldquo;Always keep the cylinder in a safe and well-ventilated place,&rdquo; OGRA safety material states, highlighting ventilation as a first line of defense against gas buildup. Safe use during daily cookingHouseholds are advised to close the regulator immediately after use to prevent accidental leaks. OGRA guidance also warns against unsafe actions if a gas odor is detected. &ldquo;If you smell gas, never light a lighter, matchsticks, or turn on electric switches,&rdquo; the safety notice says, noting that even a small spark can trigger a fire. Immediate steps in case of leakageIn the event of a suspected leak, OGRA instructs consumers to act quickly but calmly. The guidance states that windows and doors should be opened immediately to allow gas to disperse. &ldquo;Immediately open windows and doors, and promptly inform the relevant gas or LPG companies,&rdquo; the safety instructions say. Household awareness and child safetyOGRA also emphasizes public awareness as a key safety measure. Consumers are encouraged to educate family members about proper cylinder handling, keep cylinders out of children&rsquo;s reach, and ensure that safety valves and regulators are not tampered with. The authority&rsquo;s safety material highlights &ldquo;proper usage and handling,&rdquo; &ldquo;child safety,&rdquo; and &ldquo;storage precautions&rdquo; as essential steps for households. Routine inspections are strongly encouraged to identify worn-out regulators, damaged pipes, or loose connections. OGRA guidance emphasizes early detection and adherence to leakage protocols, advising consumers to regularly check cylinder contents and fittings. Regulations on LPG useThe use, storage, and distribution of liquefied petroleum gas in Pakistan are governed by detailed safety and licensing regulations aimed at reducing risk and ensuring public safety, according to official regulatory criteria issued in February 2024. Under the rules, any company seeking to set up liquefied petroleum gas storage or filling facilities must obtain prior approval from the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority. &ldquo;Any company entitled by its memorandum of association or any other appropriate instrument to engage in LPG business may apply to set up LPG storage and filling facilities,&rdquo; the document says, adding that applications must be submitted on a prescribed form along with a nonrefundable fee of Rs 500,000. The regulations require a separate, site-specific license for construction, which is issued only after verification by a third-party inspector. &ldquo;A separate and site-specific licence for construction of LPG storage and filling facility or plant shall be granted by the Authority, after verification of the site by OGRA&rsquo;s third-party inspector,&rdquo; the criteria state. Location restrictions are a central part of the framework. The rules specify that &ldquo;the LPG storage and filling plant shall not be located in a residential or commercial area,&rdquo; and that no residential or commercial building may exist within a 100-meter radius of the proposed site at the time of inspection. Applicants are also required to demonstrate financial and technical capacity. The criteria mandate submission of a financial competence certificate from a Pakistani bank, confirming that the applicant has sufficient funds to undertake the project.

Education

The Pakistan regulator's safety guidelines for domestic gas cylinder use include proper ventilation, safe handling, leak response, and regular inspections, and it enforces strict regulations on commercial gas cylinder operations.

Safety guidelines for households using gas cylinders 

ISLAMABAD: Iran&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Monday that no country would tolerate terrorist violence against its civilians and armed forces, stressing that Tehran is prepared both for conflict and negotiations, provided talks are fair and not imposed, state-run Press TV reported.&nbsp;Speaking to foreign diplomats in Tehran, Araghchi condemned what he described as US- and Israeli-backed terrorist violence that erupted after peaceful economic protests in late December. He stated that the initial demonstrations were legitimate and constitutionally protected, and that government engagement and reforms had helped alleviate tensions.&nbsp;However, from Jan. 8 onwards, he said armed groups entered the unrest, distributing weapons and attempting to provoke mass casualties. Iranian security forces, he added, responded with restraint while seeking to prevent violence.&nbsp;Araghchi accused Washington and Israel of interference, citing what he said was evidence of foreign involvement, including claims of Mossad-linked operatives active inside Iran. He also criticized former US president Donald Trump&rsquo;s remarks on possible US intervention, calling them &ldquo;outright interference.&rdquo;&nbsp;The foreign minister said Western governments were wrongly condemning Iranian law enforcement while ignoring what he termed terrorism, accusing them of &ldquo;shedding crocodile tears&rdquo; and applying double standards.&nbsp;More than 70% of Iranians support firm action against violent rioters, he said, adding that while peaceful protest is a right, no state tolerates arson, terrorism, or live fire against civilians and security forces.&nbsp;Referring to recent unrest as a continuation of earlier conflict, Araghchi warned adversaries against miscalculation. &ldquo;Iran does not seek war, but is ready for it,&rdquo; he said, adding that the country&rsquo;s readiness now exceeds levels seen during the June fighting.&nbsp;At the same time, he said Tehran remains open to negotiations &mdash; but only on equal footing and without pressure.&nbsp;Trump threatens Iran, again The statement comes hours after the US President Donald Trump threatened to <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-iran-want-to-negotiate-and-meeting-being-set-up" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">intervene militarily</a> if Tehran killed protesters.&nbsp;For two weeks, Iran has been rocked by a <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/fresh-protests-in-iran-as-internet-blackout-persists" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">protest movement</a> that has swelled despite a crackdown.&nbsp;Initially sparked by anger over the rising cost of living, the demonstrations have evolved into a serious challenge to the Iranian government.&nbsp;Information has continued to trickle out of Iran despite a days-long internet shutdown, with videos filtering out of the capital, Tehran, and other cities over the past three nights showing large demonstrations.&nbsp;&quot;The leaders of Iran called yesterday,&quot; Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, adding that &ldquo;a meeting is being set up... They want to negotiate.&quot;&nbsp;He added, however, that &quot;we may have to act before a meeting.&quot;

Says armed groups entered the unrest, distributing weapons and attempting to provoke mass casualties; Iranian security forces showed restraint.

Iran ready for war and talks, but rejects diktats, says FM Araghchi

ISLAMABAD: Iran, the United States, and Israel are trading conflicting claims over protests that erupted across Iran in late December,&nbsp;amid soaring prices, a collapsing currency, and mounting living costs. According to Iranian officials and state media, the demonstrations began on December 28, 2025, when shopkeepers and merchants at Tehran&rsquo;s Alaeddin Shopping Centre and other major commercial hubs went on strike over economic challenges. Iranian state media reported sharp currency losses and rising prices in the days leading up to the protests. Traders in Tehran&rsquo;s unofficial markets quoted the dollar at about 1.47 million rials, the Wall Street Journal reported last week. Iran&rsquo;s Statistical Center reported annual inflation of 42.2% in December, with food prices rising 72% year-on-year and health and medical items up 50%. Within days, the unrest spread nationwide, and slogans moved beyond economic grievances to include direct criticism of Iran&rsquo;s political leadership and clerical system.&nbsp; According to Press TV, Iran&#39;s state media, the demonstrations were steered toward violence &quot;after US and Israeli figures encouraged vandalism and disorder&quot; through public statements. Authorities deployed security forces across major cities and later imposed widespread restrictions on internet and mobile phone access. The protests are the largest since the 2022&ndash;23 demonstrations triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, according to Al Jazeera. Human rights groups say 550 people were killed in the crackdown, while Iranian authorities have put the death toll at fewer than 300. Death toll and arrestsThe US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said 490 protesters and 48 members of the security forces have been killed, with more than 10,600 people arrested. Separately, media affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps reported that at least 114 security personnel had been killed since the unrest began. Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights said protests have spread to at least 100 cities across all 31 provinces, while internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported a communications blackout lasting more than 80 hours. Iran, however, has not released official casualty figures.&nbsp; Iran blames US and IsraelTehran has squarely blamed the United States and Israel for fomenting the unrest.&nbsp; Speaking in a live broadcast on state television, IRIB on Jan. 9, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei distinguished between economic protesters and what he termed &ldquo;rioters,&rdquo; asserting that the latter must be &ldquo;put in their place.&rdquo; President Masoud Pezeshkian, also speaking on state television, said the United States and Israel were ordering &ldquo;rioters&rdquo; to create instability, claiming that &ldquo;the same people that struck this country&rdquo; during Israel&rsquo;s 12-day war in June were now seeking to escalate unrest through economic pressure. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned on Sunday that any US attack on Iran would make American bases and Israel &ldquo;legitimate targets,&rdquo; according to the official transcript carried by the Islamic Republic News Agency. &ldquo;In the event of an attack on Iran, both the occupied territory and all American military centers, bases, and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets,&rdquo; he said. US rejects accusationsWashington has firmly rejected Tehran&rsquo;s claims. On Friday, Jan. 9, a US State Department spokesperson described Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi&rsquo;s remarks as &ldquo;delusional.&rdquo; &ldquo;This statement reflects a delusional attempt to deflect from the massive challenges the Iranian regime faces at home,&rdquo; the spokesperson said. President Donald Trump has issued increasingly forceful warnings. On Jan. 2, he wrote on Truth Social: &ldquo;If Iran shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go.&rdquo; &ldquo;The military is looking at it, and we&rsquo;re looking at some very strong options,&rdquo; he added aboard Air Force One, while also saying Iranian officials had reached out about possible talks. Trump said on Sunday he would speak to Elon Musk&nbsp;about restoring internet access in Iran through Starlink satellite services. Israel&rsquo;s stanceIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that he hoped Iran would soon be freed from what he described as the &quot;yoke of tyranny&quot;, as major protests shake the Islamic Republic, AFP reported. &quot;When that day comes, Israel and Iran will once again be loyal partners in building a future of prosperity and peace for both peoples,&quot; Netanyahu said at a weekly cabinet meeting, according to a video released by his office. &quot;Israel is closely monitoring events in Iran,&quot; he added. According to AFP, Israel&#39;s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar urged the European Union to designate Iran&#39;s Revolutionary Guards Corps as a &quot;terrorist organization.&quot; Iran and Israel engaged in a war in June that saw unprecedented Israeli attacks on Iranian military and nuclear facilities. Diplomatic signals amid crisisDespite the confrontational rhetoric, Iran has sent mixed diplomatic signals. Foreign Minister Araghchi, speaking during a visit to Beirut, said Tehran remained open to negotiations if Washington abandoned what he called coercive tactics. &ldquo;Iran does not want war with Israel or the United States,&rdquo; he said, adding the country was &ldquo;ready to fight back if attacked again&quot;. Authorities have declared three days of national mourning for what state media described as &ldquo;martyrs killed in resistance against the United States and the Zionist regime&rdquo;. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, called for an independent investigation into reported deaths and mass arrests.&nbsp;Iran&rsquo;s UN ambassador urged the Security Council to condemn what he described as unlawful US threats.

Activists take part in a “Free Iran” rally in Los Angeles, California, on January 11, 2026. (AFP)

Protests over rising prices and currency losses have spread across Iran, drawing a security response, internet blackout, and escalating rhetoric as Iran, the United States, and Israel trade accusations.

Origin of protests in Iran

ISLAMABAD: Iranians from all walks of life have begun nationwide rallies to denounce recent foreign-backed riots, demonstrating their support for the Islamic Republic, state-run Press TV reported on Monday. The rallies in most provinces, including Tehran, will begin on Monday at 2 p.m. local time. However, some other provinces have started the rallies at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. &lsquo;Proof of unity &lsquo;Several officials described the nationwide demonstrations as &ldquo;proof of unity&rdquo;, which secures the nation&rsquo;s resilience. While stating that some shopkeepers last week staged limited street protests in several Iranian cities over economic instability, the state media report said that the demonstrations were steered toward violence after public statements by US and Israeli figures, amplified by Israeli-linked Persian-language outlets, encouraged vandalism and disorder. The report said that the authorities have acknowledged the legitimacy of peaceful economic grievances and vowed to address them. &lsquo;Will not back down against vandals&rsquo;The report blamed &ldquo;foreign-backed elements&rdquo; for exploiting concerns over rising living costs and the depreciation of the national currency, which it said is directly linked to unilateral US sanctions targeting Iran&rsquo;s central bank and oil exports. The Iranian authorities have declared that perpetrators of the latest unrest are &ldquo;backed by the United States and the Israeli regime&rdquo;. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly voiced support for protesters and warned&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-iran-want-to-negotiate-and-meeting-being-set-up" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Washington could attack Iran</a>&nbsp;if what he called &ldquo;peaceful protesters&rdquo; were harmed, while former US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has issued statements alluding to Mossad involvement and separatist plots, Press TV reported. The rallies came as Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed on Friday that the state &ldquo;will not back down against vandals,&rdquo; urging unity and reiterating that a united nation can overcome any enemy.&nbsp; &lsquo;Legitimate targets&rsquo;Tehran Governor Mohammad-Sadegh Motamedian insisted in televised comments that &ldquo;the number of protests is decreasing&rdquo;, AFP reported. The Iranian government on Sunday declared three days of national mourning for &ldquo;martyrs&rdquo; including members of the security forces killed. President Masoud Pezeshkian also urged Iranians to join a &ldquo;national resistance march&rdquo; Monday to denounce the violence. In response to Trump&#39;s repeated threats to intervene, Iran&#39;s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Iran would hit back, calling US military and shipping &ldquo;legitimate targets&rdquo; in comments broadcast by state TV.

While stating that some shopkeepers last week staged limited street protests in several Iranian cities over economic instability, a state media report says the demonstrations were steered toward violence after public statements by US and Israeli figures.

Iranians begin nationwide rallies to condemn ‘foreign-backed riots': State media

ISLAMABAD: The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Monday said that its Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle mission, PSLV-C62, &ldquo;encountered an anomaly&rdquo; during flight and that a detailed analysis is underway, Indian media reported on Monday. In a post on X, ISRO stated that &ldquo;the PSLV-C62 mission encountered an anomaly during end of the PS3 stage&rdquo; and confirmed that data from the launch is being closely examined.<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-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=2010582403732132185&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2Fnew%2F&sessionId=a7a44714804d522b40c0aeb1a075b0ce2790ca30&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 273px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>The PSLV-C62 rocket lifted off from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota at 10:18 a.m. as part of the 64th mission of the PSLV program.&nbsp; The launch was considered significant as it marked a crucial flight for the launch vehicle following a failure in 2025. According to Indian media reports, a deviation from the intended flight path was observed during the rocket&rsquo;s third stage, prompting further scrutiny by mission teams. Success or a failure?ISRO Chairman Dr V. Narayanan said the agency is analyzing the available data and will share further details at the earliest opportunity.&nbsp; He refrained from declaring the mission either a success or a failure while the investigation continues.&nbsp;The mission carried 15 satellites, including the Earth Observation Satellite EOS-N1 and the surveillance satellite Anvesha, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation.&nbsp; EOS-N1 and 14 co-passenger satellites were scheduled for injection into a Sun Synchronous Orbit, while the Kestrel Initial Demonstrator satellite was intended to follow a re-entry trajectory.&nbsp; The Anvesha satellite is designed to enhance India&rsquo;s high-precision imaging and surveillance capabilities.&nbsp;The mission also marked a milestone for India&rsquo;s private space sector, with Hyderabad-based Dhruva Space contributing seven satellites &mdash; the highest number by a single Indian private company on a PSLV mission.

Indian Space Research Organisation states ‘the PSLV-C62 mission 'encountered an anomaly' during the end of the PS3 stage’ and that data from the launch is being closely examined.

India’s rocket launch hits ‘anomaly’ in third stage

ISLAMABAD: The European Union (EU) will deploy a large election observation mission to Bangladesh for the country&rsquo;s upcoming national election and referendum, the head of the mission Ivars Ijabs told the Chief Adviser, Muhammad Yunus,&nbsp;state-run Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) reported on Sunday. The Chief Adviser&rsquo;s press secretary said EU election observation mission emphasized support for a &ldquo;Yes&rdquo; vote in the referendum, calling it crucial for enabling the implementation of essential reform agendas. Ijabs also informed the Chief Adviser that EU observers will be deployed across the country, monitor all regions and hold meetings with major political parties and other stakeholders as part of their mandate, BSS reported. Chief Adviser Yunus assured the EU that the election and referendum would be conducted smoothly and would be free, fair, credible, peaceful and festive. He said the Election Commission and the interim government are fully prepared to ensure the smooth conduct of both processes, adding that a level playing field will be ensured for all political parties and that he does not anticipate major difficulties. &#39;Extremely important&#39; Yunus thanked the EU for sending the observation mission, describing it as &ldquo;extremely important&rdquo; for holding a credible election and supporting Bangladesh&rsquo;s democratic transition, BSS reported. He said security forces will use body-worn cameras at vulnerable polling centers to monitor potential disturbances or deterioration in law and order. The system will be connected centrally through a mobile application, allowing monitoring at upazila, district, division, and Dhaka levels. In addition, all polling centers will be equipped with closed-circuit television cameras to enable rapid identification of troublemakers, he said. The military will remain deployed as a rapid-response striking force to intervene immediately if required. Awareness-building campaigns On the referendum, Yunus said the interim government is conducting and will continue awareness-building campaigns in favor of a &ldquo;Yes&rdquo; vote.&nbsp; He said legal opinions were sought on the issue and that top legal experts have provided written confirmation that the interim government is legally permitted to seek public support for the referendum, with no legal barriers. Although the formal election campaign is set to begin on January 22, Yunus said an election wave is already visible across the country. He identified misinformation and disinformation on social media as a major challenge, warning that elements linked to the fallen autocratic regime may attempt to disrupt the process. However, he said security forces are fully prepared to address any such threats. Yunus also noted strong enthusiasm among women and young voters and expressed optimism that voter turnout in the upcoming election would be very high.

Bangladesh

The European bloc will deploy a large election observation mission to Bangladesh for the country’s upcoming national election and referendum.

EU to deploy large election observation mission to Bangladesh: State media

ISLAMABAD: Social media use in Bangladesh is set to hit a new high in early 2026, with about 64 million active social media user identities recorded in late 2025, according to the DataReportal report. United Nations population data cited in the report put Bangladesh&rsquo;s population at 176 million in October 2025, with a median age of 26. Bangladesh had 186 million cellular mobile connections in late 2025, equal to 105% of the population, according to DataReportal&rsquo;s roundup of GSMA Intelligence figures. The report said 82.8 million people used the internet at the end of 2025, placing online penetration at 47.0%. The report said social media user identities equal 36.3% of the total population and more than 77% of Bangladesh&rsquo;s internet users, highlighting how social platforms have become a primary channel for information. Big platforms, bigger reachFacebook remains the country&rsquo;s largest social platform, with 64 million users and a reach of nearly 55% of adults, the report said. TikTok is the fastest-growing major platform, reaching 56.2 million adults, according to the report.&nbsp; Professional platforms have also expanded. LinkedIn rose to 12 million members in late 2025, while Instagram reached 9.15 million users, the report said. Other platforms, such as Messenger, reached about 35.0 million users, while Reddit, X, and Threads each accounted for less than 1% of the total population. AI, social media abuseDataReportal said social media user identities in Bangladesh increased by 8.5 million, or 15.3%, between late 2024 and late 2025. With national elections expected in February, the Election Commission of Bangladesh is developing an effective strategy to curb the abuse of artificial intelligence and social media ahead of the February 2026 national elections, New Age reported. The commission, headed by AMM Nasir Uddin, views misinformation and disinformation on social media as a major challenge to maintaining a congenial electoral environment during the 13th parliamentary election. Election officials have expressed concern that AI-generated deepfakes and false content could be harder to detect and may disrupt campaigns, prompting the commission to consider regulatory and technical measures to address the threat, New Age reported.

In the south Asian nation, social media use is set to hit a critical peak in early 2026, with about 64 million active user identities recorded in October 2025, a level equivalent to 36.3% of the country’s population, according to a DataReportal report.

Articles by AFP