DHAKA: Bangladesh and Pakistan are to resume direct flights after more than a decade, Dhaka&rsquo;s national airline said on Thursday, as ties warm and regional power balances shift. Biman Bangladesh Airlines is scheduled to operate its first Dhaka&ndash;Karachi flight on January 29, with services running twice weekly. These will be the first regular flights between the two countries since 2012. &ldquo;We are relaunching the Dhaka&ndash;Karachi route with two weekly flights,&rdquo; airline manager Bosra Islam told AFP on Thursday. Bangladesh and Pakistan are geographically divided by more than 1,500 kilometers (930 miles). Resumption of direct flights &ldquo;The resumption of direct flights will significantly improve connectivity between Bangladesh and Pakistan, supporting business travel, tourism and family reunions,&rdquo; Biman Bangladesh Airlines said in a statement. Travellers between Bangladesh and Pakistan currently must use connecting flights through Gulf hubs such as Dubai and Doha. Bangladesh has been in political turmoil since a student-led revolt overthrew Sheikh Hasina in August 2024, ending her autocratic 15-year rule. Relations between Bangladesh and Hasina&rsquo;s former ally India turned frosty after her ouster, while ties with fellow Muslim-majority nation Pakistan have warmed. Cargo ships resumed sailing from Karachi to Bangladesh&rsquo;s key port of Chittagong in November 2024. Trade has risen since then and cultural ties have grown, with popular Pakistani singers performing in Dhaka, while Bangladeshi patients are travelling to Pakistan for medical care.

Foreign Affairs

Bangladesh and Pakistan are to resume direct flights after more than a decade, Dhaka’s national airline said on Thursday, as ties warm and regional power balances shift.

Direct Bangladesh-Pakistan flights to resume after 14 years

BRISBANE: Aryna Sabalenka beat Karolina Muchova in straight sets to reach her third Brisbane International final in a row on Saturday, a week before the Australian Open.&nbsp;Sabalenka looked in great touch against the tricky Czech, who had won their last three meetings and went into the match as one of the few players with a winning record over the world number one.&nbsp;But Sabalenka showed her class and power as she broke Muchova once in each set to take the semi-final 6-3, 6-4 in 89 minutes and will face Ukraine&#39;s Marta Kostyuk in Sunday&#39;s women&#39;s final.&nbsp;Former world number one Daniil Medvedev will take on unseeded American Brandon Nakashima in the men&#39;s final.&nbsp;&quot;I struggled against her a couple of times (in the past),&quot; Sabalenka, the defending champion, said of Muchova.&nbsp;&quot;I&#39;m happy that today I was focused from the beginning and I was able to show such great tennis and put her under so much pressure and get the win in straight sets.&quot;&nbsp;The 27-year-old Belarusian said she could feel her level getting better with every match in Brisbane, where she is yet to drop a set.&nbsp;She said that with seven of the world&#39;s top 10 having entered, it was ideal preparation for the Australian Open, which begins in Melbourne on January 18.&nbsp;Sabalenka is aiming to win a third Australian Open in four years.&nbsp;&quot;I definitely feel that compared to the first match here, I&#39;m playing better and better,&quot; she said.&nbsp;&quot;That&#39;s really important heading to Melbourne, to build that level, and to play some great matches against great opponents.&nbsp;&quot;So I&#39;m super happy with the performance so far and cannot wait to play my final match here.&quot;&nbsp;Kostyuk, who entered the week ranked 26th in the world, swept past world number six Jessica Pegula 6-0, 6-3 in just 55 minutes in a stunning display of power and aggression.&nbsp;Kostyuk&#39;s demolition of the American made it three wins over top 10 players in succession.&nbsp;She beat world number three Amanda Anisimova in the third round and ninth-ranked Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-finals.&nbsp;&quot;I think it was one of those days today when everything you touch turns into gold,&quot; Kostyuk said.&nbsp;&quot;Personally, I didn&#39;t have many matches like this in my career, especially against top-10 players, so it&#39;s a great bonus to have such a match because it&#39;s not easy conditions in Brisbane. It&#39;s very hot, very humid.&quot;&nbsp;Kostyuk has never beaten Sabalenka in four previous meetings but said the pressure was all on her opponent.&nbsp;&quot;The pressure is not on me -- I want to go out there and put on a good show for the crowd,&quot; she said.&nbsp;&quot;I really have nothing to lose.&quot;&nbsp;In the men&#39;s draw, top seed Medvedev beat Alex Michelsen of the United States 6-4, 6-2 while Nakashima defeated another American in Aleksandar Kovacevic, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.

Tennis

Aryna Sabalenka reached her third straight Brisbane final after beating Karolina Muchova and will face Marta Kostyuk. Daniil Medvedev also advanced to the men’s final, as players prepare for the Australian Open.

Sabalenka into third straight Brisbane final ahead of Australian Open

JAKARTA: Indonesia suspended Elon Musk&#39;s AI chatbot Grok on Saturday over concerns about AI-generated pornographic content, the country&#39;s communication and digital affairs minister said.&nbsp;Grok has faced a global backlash after it emerged that its image creation feature allowed users to sexualize pictures of women and children using simple text prompts.&nbsp;Indonesia is the first country to deny all access to the tool, which has been restricted to paying subscribers elsewhere following the backlash.&nbsp;&quot;In order to protect women, children, and the public from the risks of fake pornographic content generated using the artificial intelligence technology, the government has temporarily blocked access to the Grok application,&quot; Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid said in a statement.&nbsp;&quot;The government views non-consensual deep fake practices as a serious violation of human rights, dignity, and the security of citizens in the digital space.&quot;&nbsp;The ministry has also summoned representatives from social media platform X to seek clarification on the issue.&nbsp;According to AFP journalists in Jakarta, the Grok X account was still active and replying to queries, including in Bahasa Indonesia, on Saturday evening.&nbsp;Musk-owned startup xAI, which developed Grok, was not immediately available for comment in person.&nbsp;European officials and tech campaigners slammed the move to limit Grok&#39;s features to paying subscribers, saying it failed to address concerns about sexually explicit deep fake content.&nbsp;Musk said last week in response to a post about the explicit images that anyone using Grok to &quot;make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content&quot;.

Artificial Intelligence

Indonesia has blocked Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok over concerns it enables pornographic deepfake content involving women and children. The government called it a human rights violation and summoned platform X for clarification.

Indonesia suspends Musk's Grok AI over pornographic content: minister

ISTANBUL: One person died and seven others were missing Saturday after a migrant boat sank in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Turkiye, the Turkish coast guard said.&nbsp;Thirty-seven passengers on a rubber dinghy which took on water before dawn off the western city of Dikili, north of Izmir, were rescued alive, the coast guard stated.&nbsp;Dikili, a small seaside resort, faces the Greek island of Lesbos, some 20 kilometres (12 miles) away.&nbsp;&quot;Search operations ... are continuing to find the seven missing irregular migrants,&quot; the coast guard said.&nbsp;Shipwrecks are common for perilous crossings to the Greek islands, which are a gateway to the European Union.&nbsp;Nearly 1,900 migrants either disappeared or were found drowned in the Mediterranean in 2025, according to the International Organization for Migration.

Asia

One migrant died and seven were missing after a rubber dinghy sank off Dikili, Turkiye. Thirty-seven were rescued near Lesbos, and searches continue. The International Organization for Migration says 1,900 migrants died or disappeared in 2025.

One dead, seven missing after migrant boat sinks off Turkiye

HAVANA: The capture by US forces of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and the killing in the operation of 32 Cubans assigned to protect him represent a major blow for the island&#39;s revered intelligence services, experts say.&nbsp;Fearful of betrayal by dissenters within Venezuela&#39;s ranks, the leftist Maduro, like his late mentor Hugo Chavez sourced his security detail in communist-ruled Cuba.&nbsp;But the Cubans proved little match for the US special forces sent by helicopter to snatch Maduro from a military compound after US jets had pummeled Venezuela&#39;s air defenses.&nbsp;Of the 32 Cubans killed, along with 23 Venezuelan troops, 21 were from the Cuban interior ministry, which oversees the intelligence services, officials said.&nbsp;The remaining 11 were from Cuba&#39;s military.&nbsp;Experts consulted by AFP agreed that the key to the seamless execution of the US operation meticulously prepared for months, in complete secrecy was the element of surprise.&nbsp;But former Venezuelan military officer Jose Gustavo Arocha of the Center for a Secure Free Society, a US think tank specializing in defense issues, also suggested that Cuba had misjudged the threat.&nbsp;Cuban intelligence &quot;convinced the Maduro regime and its security agencies that the United States would never attack on Venezuelan territory,&quot; Arocha said.&nbsp;Former US intelligence officer Fulton Armstrong, who is now a Latin America researcher at American University in Washington, also pointed to intelligence failures.&nbsp;Chief among them, he said, was the failure to anticipate the attack and then to detect helicopters entering Venezuela&#39;s airspace.&nbsp;&quot;Even a five- or 10-minute warning would have made a massive difference for the guards and for Maduro,&quot; the former CIA agent said.&nbsp;US forces however, had a major advantage in the form of stealth drones, used to monitor the Venezuelan leader&#39;s movements in real time, as well as more advanced weapons and combat gear.&nbsp;Paul Hare, a former British ambassador to Cuba and Venezuela, argued that Cuban intelligence underestimated US access to &quot;insider cooperation in Venezuela,&quot;&nbsp; an informant within Maduro&#39;s camp.&nbsp;Citing sources close to the operation, The New York Times reported that a CIA source within the Venezuelan government revealed Maduro&#39;s location.&nbsp;The United States had issued a reward of $50 million for information leading to his capture.&nbsp;Aura of invincibility&nbsp;For decades, the Cuban secret service, trained during the Soviet era by the KGB, enjoyed a reputation for invincibility.&nbsp;Besides having foiled some 600 assassination attempts against late leader Fidel Castro, Cuba was reputed for its ability to infiltrate foreign intelligence services and recruit high-ranking informants, particularly Americans.&nbsp;The most recent case to come to light was that of Victor Manuel Rocha, a former US diplomat sentenced in 2024 to 15 years in prison after working for over four decades for the Cuban state.&nbsp;But Cuba &quot;didn&#39;t adequately read the Trump administration,&quot; said Arocha, noting that the administration&#39;s National Security Strategy unveiled in December clearly articulated Trump&#39;s goal of asserting US dominance over Latin America.&nbsp;Washington had regularly denounced Cuba&#39;s role, since the 2000s, in the Venezuelan security apparatus.&nbsp;The routine response from Caracas and Havana was that Cuba, in return for Venezuelan oil supplies, provided its ally with doctors and humanitarian workers.&nbsp;Arocha argued that &quot;so many years... doing the same thing successfully&quot; blinded the Cubans to Trump&#39;s willingness to defy diplomacy and international law, so they did not see him coming.&nbsp;The Republican leader stunned the world by ordering the capture of the Venezuelan president in what his administration said was a law enforcement operation that did not require authorization from Congress.&nbsp;&quot;All the capabilities of Cuban intelligence were blocked for the first time in the region... because their traditional methods became irrelevant against this new decision-making style,&quot; Arocha said.

Americas

US forces captured Nicolas Maduro in a surprise operation that killed Cuban and Venezuelan guards. Experts say Cuban intelligence failed to anticipate the attack, underestimated US intentions, and was outmatched by secrecy, technology, and insider information.

How Cuba was blindsided by the operation to capture Maduro

Web Desk

The Pentagon building in Arlington, Virginia, US (AFP/File)

Viral

Fact Check

Social media users revived the 'Pentagon pizza theory' after late-night restaurant activity near the Pentagon, fueling speculation about secret US military activity.

Pentagon pizza theory: late-night orders spark online war speculation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Navy demonstrated its operational readiness and combat preparedness through a comprehensive exercise in the North Arabian Sea, showcasing both conventional and unmanned capabilities, as per the dictates of evolving naval warfare. A press release issued by Pakistan military&rsquo;s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Saturday, stated: The exercise included the successful live firing of LY-80(N) Surface to Air Missile (SAM) from Vertical Launching System at extended range, validating the long-range capabilities of Pakistan Navy&#39;s modern air defense systems. Loitering munition&nbsp;The statement said that &ldquo;LY-80(N) SAM successfully engaged and neutralized an aerial target, demonstrating Pakistan Navy&#39;s robust air defense capabilities.&rdquo; &ldquo;The exercise also featured the successful engagement of surface targets using Loitering Munition (LM), demonstrating Pakistan Navy&#39;s precision strike capabilities.&rdquo;<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" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 624px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" 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=2009930694253052185&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=0dfc7bbdac468c5b6e22137503d5558da1ddc4b8&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2009930694253052185"></iframe></div></div>Loitering Munition (LM) successfully engaged and destroyed surface targets, showcasing its effectiveness in modern naval warfare, it said. Autonomous naval technologyThe press release said successful open-sea trials of Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV) were also conducted, marking a significant leap in autonomous naval technology. &ldquo;The trials validated the platform&rsquo;s ability to combine high-speed performance with mission-critical durability,&rdquo; the ISPR&rsquo;s statement said.<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" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 1056px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" 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=2009930696912187840&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=0dfc7bbdac468c5b6e22137503d5558da1ddc4b8&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2009930696912187840"></iframe></div></div>Key capabilities demonstrated include extreme maneuverability, precision navigation, and weather resilience, it added. The statement further said, &ldquo;USV offers a low-risk, high-impact solution with the stealth of a tactical interceptor.&rdquo; Safeguarding maritime interests &nbsp;Commander Pakistan Fleet witnessed the exercise, which showcased Pakistan Navy&#39;s ability to employ advanced systems. Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Chief of the Naval Staff, commended officers and men of the Pakistan Navy for their professionalism and operational competence. He reaffirmed Pakistan Navy&#39;s resolve to ensure seaward defense of Pakistan and safeguard national maritime interests under all circumstances.

Security

Demonstrates its combat readiness in the North Arabian Sea through a comprehensive exercise featuring live missile firing, precision strikes, and advanced unmanned systems, underscoring its evolving operational capabilities.

Pakistan Navy showcases modern warfare capabilities in North Arabian Sea

ISLAMABAD: Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force (PAF), called on Lieutenant General Staff Pilot Mohanad Ghalib Mohammed Radi Al-Asadi, Commander of the Iraqi Air Force, during his official visit to Iraq, the military said on Saturday.&nbsp;The Air Chief was received with a Guard of Honor at the Iraqi Air Force Headquarters, reflecting strong mutual respect between the two forces, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations, the media wing of the Pakistani military.&nbsp;Discussions focused on enhancing bilateral military cooperation, including joint training, capacity building, and operational coordination.&nbsp;Air Chief Sidhu highlighted the deep-rooted religious, cultural, and historical ties between Pakistan and Iraq, reaffirming PAF&rsquo;s commitment to supporting the Iraqi Air Force in training and capacity development. Both commanders agreed to pursue joint exercises and training initiatives to strengthen interoperability.&nbsp;The Iraqi Air Chief praised PAF&rsquo;s professionalism and technological advancements, expressing keen interest in Pakistan&rsquo;s world-class training programs, JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, and Super Mushshak trainer aircraft. He also acknowledged Pakistan&rsquo;s role in promoting regional stability.&nbsp;The visit highlighted the shared resolve of both air forces to further deepen defense ties and professional collaboration.

Discussions focus on enhancing bilateral military cooperation, including joint training, capacity building, and operational coordination.


Pakistan air chief pledges support for Iraqi Air Force training

NUUK: &quot;We don&#39;t want to be Americans,&quot; Greenland&#39;s political parties said after US President Donald Trump again suggested using force to seize the mineral-rich Danish autonomous territory. The statement late Friday came after Trump repeated that Washington was &ldquo;going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not&rdquo;. &ldquo;We don&#39;t want to be Americans, we don&#39;t want to be Danish, we want to be Greenlanders,&rdquo; the leaders of five parties in Greenland&#39;s parliament said. &quot;The future of Greenland must be decided by Greenlanders.&quot; Denmark and other European allies have voiced shock at Trump&#39;s threats to take control of Greenland, where the United States already has a military base. Trump says controlling the strategic island is crucial for US national security, given the rising military activity of Russia and China in the Arctic. &lsquo;Nice way or the more difficult way&rsquo;&quot;We&#39;re not going to have Russia or China occupy Greenland. That&#39;s what they&#39;re going to do if we don&#39;t. So we&#39;re going to be doing something with Greenland, either the nice way or the more difficult way,&quot; the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-warns-greenland-deal-will-happen-easy-or-hard-threatens-iran" style="color:#0073e6;">US president said Friday.</a> Both Russia and China have increased military activity in the region in recent years, but neither has laid any claim to the vast icy island. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that an invasion of Greenland would end &ldquo;everything&rdquo;, meaning the transatlantic NATO defense pact and the post-World War II security structure. Trump has made light of the concerns of Denmark, a steadfast US ally that joined the United States in the 2003 invasion of Iraq. &lsquo;Boat land there 500 years ago&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;I&#39;m a fan of Denmark, too, I have to tell you. And you know, they&#39;ve been very nice to me,&rdquo; Trump said. &ldquo;But you know, the fact that they had a boat land there 500 years ago doesn&rsquo;t mean that they own the land.&rdquo; Secretary of State Marco Rubio is due to meet next week with Denmark&#39;s foreign minister and representatives from Greenland.

Europe

US President Trump says controlling the strategic island is crucial for US national security, given the rising military activity of Russia and China in the Arctic.

'We don't want to be Americans': Greenland's political parties

ISLAMABAD: Turkiye is reportedly seeking to join the mutual defense agreement between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, potentially creating a new trilateral security alignment, Bloomberg reported on Saturday.&nbsp;&nbsp;The US-based news agency cited unnamed sources familiar with the matter, saying the talks are at an advanced stage and &ldquo;a deal is very likely.&rdquo;&nbsp;According to Bloomberg, Turkiye views joining the pact as a way to strengthen security and deterrence amid questions over the reliability of the United States and changing regional dynamics. The report noted that Turkiye&rsquo;s interests increasingly overlap with those of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.&nbsp;The story also referenced comments from Nihat Ali Ozcan, a strategist at Ankara-based think tank TEPAV, who highlighted the combined strengths of the three countries.&nbsp;&nbsp;&ldquo;Riyadh brings financial clout, Islamabad its nuclear capability and manpower, while Turkiye contributes military experience and a developed defense industry,&rdquo; Ozcan told Bloomberg.&nbsp;&nbsp;The report added that the expanded alliance could shift regional and global security calculations, particularly as countries seek new mechanisms to identify friends and foes in a changing geopolitical environment.&nbsp;Bloomberg further noted that Turkiye has already been deepening defense ties with both countries, including constructing corvette warships for the Pakistan Navy, upgrading the Pakistan Air Force&rsquo;s F-16s, and sharing drone technology.&nbsp;&nbsp;The outlet added that Turkiye now aims to involve Pakistan and Saudi Arabia in its Kaan fifth-generation fighter jet program.&nbsp;Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defense pactThe&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistansaudi-defense-pact-oozes-with-unknowns" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pakistan-Saudi Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement</a>&nbsp;was signed in Riyadh in September 2025 by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.&nbsp;Under the pact, any attack on either nation would be treated as an act of aggression against both. The agreement is part of a broader effort to strengthen military and strategic cooperation between Islamabad and Riyadh, which also includes economic assistance and energy support.

Bloomberg says Turkiye views joining the pact as a way to strengthen security and deterrence amid questions over the reliability of the United States and changing regional dynamics.

Turkiye joining Pakistan-Saudi Arabia defense pact: Report

Angelina Duaa Hashir

&nbsp;Across history, women&rsquo;s bodies have been treated as fragile, dangerous, or in need of supervision. Keeping Up With the Uterus traces how these ideas evolve, from outdated medical theories to modern moral panics around vaccines, medication, and reproductive health. This episode shows that widespread fears about women&rsquo;s reproduction are rarely supported by evidence. Research consistently finds no scientific basis for claims linking routine medicines, vaccines, clothing, or physical activity to infertility or moral decline.&nbsp;Instead, studies on health misinformation show how false claims spread rapidly through social networks, shaping public opinion and influencing policy. The episode also examines human-rights and medical research documenting the consequences of reproductive restrictions. This includes delayed or denied healthcare, criminalization of pregnancy loss, and increased health risks when access to care is limited.&nbsp; By placing today&rsquo;s debates alongside their historical roots, Unladylike reveals how &ldquo;concern&rdquo; for women&rsquo;s health is repeatedly used to justify control rather than evidence-based care.