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

MUMBAI: India is aggressively seeking trade deals to open markets for exporters and soften the blow of steep US tariffs, as efforts to secure an agreement with Washington remain elusive.&nbsp;Relations between Washington and New Delhi plummeted in August after President Donald Trump raised tariffs to 50 percent, a blow that threatens job losses and hurts India&#39;s ambition of becoming a manufacturing and export powerhouse.&nbsp;That pressure, experts say, has pushed New Delhi into a rapid diversification drive beyond its biggest market.&nbsp;India signed or operationalized four trade agreements last year, including a major pact with Britain &mdash; the fastest pace of deal-making it has seen in years &mdash; and is now eyeing fresh deals.&nbsp;Negotiations are underway with the European Union, the Eurasian Economic Union, Mexico, Chile and the South American Mercosur trade bloc, either for new deals or to expand existing agreements.&nbsp;If successful, India would have trade arrangements with &quot;almost every major economy,&quot; said Ajay Srivastava, from the New Delhi-based Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI).&nbsp;Srivastava said 2025 was &quot;one of the most active years&quot; for trade agreements, which he said aimed to &quot;spread risk&quot; rather than to pivot from Washington.&nbsp;&#39;Expand its destinations&#39;Washington&#39;s punishing tariffs aimed at stopping India&#39;s purchases of Russian oil &mdash; which it says finances Moscow&#39;s invasion of Ukraine &mdash; have driven New Delhi&#39;s desire to grow other markets.&nbsp;&quot;The strategy was a reaction, as I read it, to what Trump did,&quot; trade economist Biswajit Dhar told AFP. &quot;This has now become an imperative for India to actually expand its destinations.&quot;&nbsp;Major deals will help labor-intensive sectors hurt by tariffs.&nbsp;India&#39;s apparel export promotion council projects that the UK trade deal could help double garment exports to Britain over the next three years.&nbsp;The gains from a potential EU agreement could be even bigger.&nbsp;European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, expected to visit New Delhi later in January, has said it would be the &quot;largest deal of this kind anywhere in the world&quot;.&nbsp;Although the two sides missed a deadline to conclude talks by the end of 2025 &mdash; reportedly over disputes related to steel and auto exports &mdash; Indian negotiators remain optimistic.&nbsp;German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit India and meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, holding talks on &quot;intensifying cooperation in trade and investment&quot;, Modi&#39;s office said in a statement.&nbsp;Smaller agreements also matter.&nbsp;Trade between Oman and India totaled less than $11 billion last financial year, but a December deal with Muscat offers &quot;a gateway to the broader Middle East and Africa markets&quot;, and a template for a wider &quot;Gulf engagement strategy&quot;, analysts at Nomura suggested.&nbsp;And while a free trade agreement (FTA) with New Zealand added little to Indian export growth, it secured $20 billion in foreign investment, increased visa access and showed Washington that New Delhi is willing to compromise.&nbsp;&quot;The New Zealand FTA makes concessions on agricultural produce like apples, even though farmers here may have concerns,&quot; said an Indian commerce ministry official, who declined to be identified.&nbsp;&quot;Who says we can&#39;t be flexible?&quot;&nbsp;&#39;Eggs in one basket&#39;&nbsp;India&#39;s goods exports rose a surprising 19 percent in November 2025, reversing an October decline.&nbsp;While the surge was helped by electronics shipments &mdash; still exempt from US tariffs &mdash; marine product exports also posted gains.&nbsp;&quot;Diversification has certainly happened,&quot; KN Raghavan, of the Seafood Exporter Association of India said.&nbsp;&quot;We have increased exports to the EU and China,&quot; he said, adding they were the top markets after the United States.&nbsp;But exporters caution that alternative markets cannot fully replace the United States, with Raghavan saying a US deal is &quot;paramount&quot;.&nbsp;That remains in limbo.&nbsp;India&#39;s imports of Russian oil fell sharply in December to 1.2 million barrels per day from 1.8 million per day in November, according to Kpler trade data.&nbsp;It is unclear if that will be enough for Trump.&nbsp;Pankaj Chadha, chairman of the Engineering Export Promotion Council, said diversification had become a necessity to lessen dependence on the &quot;biggest and the most lucrative&quot; market.&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s better not to put all your eggs in one basket,&quot; he said.

India

Experts says the pressure from the United States to stop buying Russian oil has pushed New Delhi into a rapid diversification drive beyond its biggest market.


India eyes new markets with US trade deal limbo

JOS: Gunmen have released a group of people they kidnapped in central Nigeria who were traveling for a Muslim religious event, the brother of one of the victims told AFP on Saturday. On December 21, 2025 unidentified attackers abducted 28 people, including women and children, in Plateau state while they were traveling to a Maulud gathering to mark the birth of the Prophet Mohammed. Kidnappings for ransom are common in the West African country. But the abduction in Plateau state came after a spate of mass kidnappings in November that drew international scrutiny over the country&rsquo;s grim security situation. &ldquo;Yesterday night, an official of the State Security Service called and told us that our people have been rescued,&rdquo; said Ibrahim Musa, a brother of one of the victims. Musa told AFP he and others &ldquo;are eagerly waiting to receive our people&rdquo; once they are handed over by security forces to their families. The Plateau abduction occurred on the same day authorities secured the release of 130 schoolchildren &mdash; the last batch of more than 250 snatched from their Catholic boarding school in north-central Niger state. It was unclear how the Plateau travelers were freed. Paying ransoms is technically illegal in Nigeria, though the government is often suspected of doing so. Neither the police nor the State Security Service &mdash; also known as the Department of State Services &mdash; immediately responded to a request for comment. US President Donald Trump has latched onto the insecurity in Nigeria, focusing on the killing of Christians and putting Abuja under diplomatic pressure. In late December, the US launched strikes on what it and the Nigerian government said were militants linked to the ISIS group. Nigeria&rsquo;s myriad armed conflicts kill people across religious lines, and some experts have warned Trump&rsquo;s focus on Christian victims may inflame communal tensions.

Africa

Gunmen have released a group of people they kidnapped in central Nigeria who were traveling for a Muslim religious event, the brother of one of the victims told AFP on Saturday.

Nigerian gunmen free kidnapped Muslim religious travellers

WASHINGTON: The US State Department on Saturday urged Americans in Venezuela to leave the country &ldquo;immediately,&rdquo; citing risks from armed militias searching vehicles for US citizens at roadblocks. &ldquo;The security situation in Venezuela remains fluid,&rdquo; the department said in a security alert, one week after the country&rsquo;s leader, Nicolas Maduro, was captured by US forces in a lightning raid. &ldquo;As international flights have resumed, US citizens in Venezuela should leave the country immediately,&rdquo; it said, warning of armed militias, called colectivos, searching cars for Americans or evidence of US support.<figure class="fr-media"> </figure>

Americas

The US State Department on Saturday urged Americans in Venezuela to leave the country “immediately,” citing risks from armed militias searching vehicles for US citizens at roadblocks.

US urges Americans to leave Venezuela 'immediately' due to risk

Web Desk

<div id="isPasted" style="line-height: 2;">ISLAMABAD: US and allied forces carried out &ldquo;large-scale&rdquo; strikes against the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria on Saturday, the US military said, in the latest response to an attack last month that left three Americans dead.</div> Washington said a lone gunman from the militant group carried out the Dec. 13 attack in Palmyra &mdash; home to UNESCO-listed ancient ruins and once controlled by jihadist fighters &mdash; that killed two US soldiers and a US civilian interpreter. &ldquo;The strikes today targeted ISIS throughout Syria&rdquo; and were part of Operation Hawkeye Strike, which was launched &ldquo;in direct response to the deadly ISIS attack on US and Syrian forces in Palmyra,&rdquo; US Central Command said in a statement on X, using an acronym for the jihadist group.<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=2010089772120002721&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin&sessionId=cee458877eb6fbabc6f4aea1b886e701fa5b9975&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 224px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div> The United States and Jordan carried out a previous round of strikes as part of the same operation last month, hitting dozens of Islamic State group targets. The Palmyra attack was the first such incident since the overthrow of Syria&rsquo;s longtime ruler, Bashar al-Assad, in December 2024. The US personnel who were targeted were supporting Operation Inherent Resolve, the international effort to combat the Islamic State group, which seized swaths of Syrian and Iraqi territory in 2014. The jihadists were ultimately defeated by local ground forces backed by international airstrikes and other support, but the group still has a presence in Syria, especially in the country&rsquo;s vast desert regions. US President Donald Trump has long been skeptical of Washington&rsquo;s presence in Syria, ordering the withdrawal of troops during his first term but ultimately leaving American forces in the country. The Pentagon announced in April that the United States would halve the number of US personnel in Syria in the following months, while US envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said in June that Washington would eventually reduce its bases in the country to one.

Middle East

US and allied forces carried out the strikes against the Islamic State jihadist group in Syria, the US military said. The strikes targeted ISIS throughout Syria and were launched 'in direct response to the deadly ISIS attack on US and Syrian forces in Palmyra,' says US Central Command.

US announces 'large-scale' strikes against IS in Syria

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has placed esports at the center of its international youth engagement strategy, with Chairman of the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Youth Program (PMYP) Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan using a series of high-level meetings in the United Kingdom to promote esports as a global career pathway for Pakistani youth. According to an official statement issued by the Press Information Department, Khan&rsquo;s UK engagements focused on connecting Pakistan&rsquo;s young population with the rapidly expanding global esports and digital economy, while strengthening international partnerships in skills development, innovation, and policy design. A key meeting was held with British Esports President Chester King, where both sides explored collaboration on esports policy development, curriculum design, digital skills training, and institutional strengthening. The discussions also included plans for joint esports tournaments and international events aimed at giving Pakistani youth exposure to global competition and professional networks. &ldquo;Esports is no longer just entertainment; it is a fast-growing global industry offering real career opportunities in digital skills, innovation, and entrepreneurship,&rdquo; Khan said, according to the statement. The PMYP chairman emphasized the need for structured knowledge exchange and policy guidance to support Pakistan&rsquo;s emerging esports ecosystem, noting that international collaboration is essential for aligning local talent with global industry standards. He invited King to visit Pakistan to participate in upcoming national esports initiatives. The statement added that potential cooperation with the British Council was also discussed, particularly in integrating game development, esports management, and broader digital skills into youth-focused programs under the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Youth Program. Beyond esports, Khan highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s wider youth empowerment agenda during his UK visit. He outlined flagship initiatives such as the Prime Minister&rsquo;s Youth Laptop Scheme, under which more than 600,000 laptops have been distributed, and specialized training programs in artificial intelligence, data science, and blockchain. He also cited the Youth Business and Agriculture Loan Scheme, which has disbursed Rs64.4 billion [$230 million] to over 120,000 young entrepreneurs, with a focus on women, technology startups, agriculture, and small and medium-sized enterprises. During a visit to the Muslim Hands Open Kitchen in Hounslow, Khan praised the organization&rsquo;s humanitarian work, calling it &ldquo;a powerful example of Pakistan&rsquo;s commitment to serving humanity beyond borders.&rdquo; He noted that the project has received recognition from national and international bodies, including the British government. &ldquo;The Open Kitchen projects a positive image of Pakistan across the United Kingdom and Europe, rooted in compassion, discipline, and sustained service,&rdquo; he said. Khan concluded that esports, digital innovation, and community service together form a modern framework for youth empowerment, positioning Pakistan&rsquo;s young population to compete, collaborate, and contribute on the global stage.

E-Sports

Islamabad promotes esports, digital innovation, and youth empowerment in the UK, highlighting global collaboration, career opportunities, and community service as key drivers for the next generation.

Pakistan pitches esports as youth career path in high-level UK talks

ISLAMABAD: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kirit Somaiya on Saturday said the Maharashtra government under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had canceled 224,000 allegedly fake birth certificates issued to Bangladeshi nationals and announced plans for a &ldquo;special campaign&rdquo; to identify and deport undocumented migrants following local body elections.&nbsp;Speaking to the Indian news agency IANS, Somaiya said: &ldquo;Maharashtra is the first state where Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has canceled 224,000 fake birth certificates of Bangladeshi citizens.&rdquo;&nbsp;He added that a statewide drive would begin after Jan. 16 to identify Bangladeshi nationals living &ldquo;illegally&rdquo; in Maharashtra.&nbsp;&ldquo;A special drive will be launched after the elections to identify each and every one of them and deport the Bangladeshi nationals,&rdquo; Somaiya said, adding that authorities would scrutinize Aadhaar cards, ration cards, voter identity cards, and birth certificates, according to local media reports.&nbsp;The remarks follow similar statements earlier this week by Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane on action against undocumented migrants.&nbsp;Somaiya also criticized West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of opposing investigations for political reasons.&nbsp;&ldquo;Mamata Banerjee does not show any concern about the killings of Hindus in Bangladesh. She sees the vote bank before the upcoming assembly elections,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Her vote bank includes people of Bangladeshi origin. All this comes out, so she does not want to allow any investigation to proceed.&rdquo;&nbsp;He further alleged that Bangladeshi nationals had settled in large numbers in West Bengal and Assam. &ldquo;Today in these states, Bangladeshi citizens decide the leadership,&rdquo; Somaiya said, without providing evidence.&nbsp;Somaiya also targeted the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen Chief, Asaduddin Owaisi, and regional political rivals in Maharashtra. &ldquo;Owaisi&rsquo;s party is saying that they want to make Mumbai a Muslim city,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;The BJP leader also criticized opposition candidates for their campaign practices, accusing them of promoting what he described as &ldquo;extremism.&rdquo;&nbsp;Citing demographic changes in Mumbai, Somaiya noted that the city&rsquo;s Muslim population had increased from 8.8% in 1947 to 24.8% at present.&nbsp;&ldquo;Bharatiya Janata Party will not tolerate any compromise on repatriation of Bangladeshi citizens,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;Somaiya&rsquo;s remarks come amid rising tensions between India and Bangladesh, particularly following the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.&nbsp;Bangladeshi officials allege that New Delhi has long meddled in their domestic politics, operating behind the scenes and influencing political outcomes.&nbsp;Dhaka has expressed concern that the Indian system is increasingly replacing Bangladesh&rsquo;s electoral process, casting shadows over upcoming elections. For Bangladesh, such statements from Indian political leaders underscore fears over sovereignty, democratic integrity, and activist safety, reflecting a marked deterioration in bilateral relations since Hasina&rsquo;s exit.

BJP leader Kirit Somaiya announces statewide drive to identify and deport 224,000 Bangladeshi nationals, escalating India-Bangladesh tensions amid concerns over electoral interference and activist safety.

India threatens ‘special mission’ to deport 224,000 Bangladeshi nationals

Aleena Zara Malik

Global media often frames conspiracy theories in Pakistan as cultural or even biological, while treating the same beliefs in Western societies as political or social phenomena. In this episode of Debunkistan, we challenge that double standard. Using data from the US, UK, and Europe, this episode breaks down why conspiracy thinking is a human response to uncertainty, mistrust, and broken information systems, not a national DNA marker.

Debunkistan

Conspiracy Is Not a National Trait | Debunkistan

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.