Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: History was made in the United States as Ghazala Hashmi was sworn in as the country&rsquo;s first Muslim female lieutenant governor, taking her oath of office on the Holy Quran. The milestone was widely welcomed as a significant step for representation and inclusion in American politics.&nbsp;She is the second Muslim American to have <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/mamdani-leftist-opponent-of-trump-sworn-in-as-new-york-mayor" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">taken the oath on the Holy Quran</a>, after the newly elected New York mayor, Zohran Mamdani.&nbsp; <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=2012657303653085679&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fsections%2F&sessionId=7bdd20ae7c9fba126672b91d7986c03baad82662&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe><div class="fr-embed" style="line-height: 2;"> </div>Alongside Hashmi, Abigail &ldquo;Abby&rdquo; Spanberger became the first woman to serve as Virginia&rsquo;s governor. Jay Jones made history as the state&rsquo;s first Black attorney general.&nbsp;Hashmi&rsquo;s oath underscored the increasing presence of religious and ethnic minorities in American politics. The ceremony included an interfaith prayer breakfast, where Imam Sharif led a special prayer in honor of the occasion.&nbsp;The event drew elected officials, community leaders, and representatives from civic organizations. Senator Saddam Azlan Saleem attended, alongside groups like the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, who participated in a ceremonial parade led by community members Rizwan Jaka, Ahsanullah, and Bethany Rashid.&nbsp;In her speech, Governor Spanberger highlighted her administration&rsquo;s commitment to inclusive governance and pledged to address the everyday challenges Virginians face.

Americas

Ghazala Hashmi takes oath on Holy Quran as first Muslim female Virginia Lt Governor

<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;" id="isPasted">ISLAMABAD: The High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Pakistan, Iqbal Hussain Khan, visited the University of Management and Technology (UMT), where he met the university president, Ibrahim Hasan Murad, to discuss bilateral relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh, with a focus on education and research partnerships.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;">During the meeting, both sides held detailed discussions on bilateral relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh, cooperation in education and research, and the expansion of higher education partnerships.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;">Speaking on the occasion, Murad said strengthening regional cooperation, trade relations, and people-to-people contacts is the need of the hour. He said educational and research collaboration between Pakistan and Bangladesh can create new opportunities for the youth of both countries and play a vital role in achieving shared goals of sustainable development.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;">In a post on X, he wrote, &ldquo;High Commissioner of Bangladesh, H.E. Md. Iqbal Hussain Khan visited Chairman &amp; President UMT, Ibrahim Hasan Murad, at his office today. The discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations, expanding educational cooperation, and promoting people-to-people connectivity between Pakistan and Bangladesh.&rdquo;<div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 549.991px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2013238323171754270&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=ea4ebdacda112f6d173a949b7b088b1f6f6baedb&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="box-sizing: border-box; position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;">The post added that both sides emphasized the importance of dialogue, academic exchange, and collaborative initiatives to foster mutual understanding and long-term partnership.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;">High Commissioner Iqbal Hussain Khan appreciated UMT&rsquo;s academic contributions, quality education system, and research-oriented environment. He said Pakistan and Bangladesh would further strengthen their diplomatic and educational ties to achieve common development objectives.<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;"> <p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; color: rgb(65, 65, 65); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; line-height: 2;">He described cooperation in higher education as crucial for enhancing bilateral relations and said he was committed to expanding collaboration in education, research, and people-to-people engagement in the future.

High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Pakistan, Iqbal Hussain Khan (left), in a meeting with UMT President Ibrahim Hasan Murad at his office on January 19, 2026. (X / @ibrahimhmurad)

Education

The High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Pakistan, Iqbal Hussain Khan, visits the University of Management and Technology, where he meets President UMT Ibrahim Hasan Murad to discuss bilateral relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh with a focus on education and research partnerships.

Pakistan's university hosts Bangladesh high commissioner to discuss education cooperation

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will lead a high-level Pakistani delegation to the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 from January 20 to 22 in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-heads-into-davos-storm-with-an-eye-on-home" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Davos-Klosters</a>, Switzerland, the Foreign Office said Tuesday.&nbsp;The prime minister will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, along with other senior officials. During the visit, PM Sharif is set to participate in a series of substantive engagements aimed at strengthening Pakistan&rsquo;s global economic and diplomatic outreach.&nbsp;As part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-to-attend-world-economic-forum-in-davos-next-week-organizers" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">WEF program</a>, the prime minister will take part in the Informal Gathering of World Economic Leaders session titled &ldquo;Restoring a Spirit of Dialogue in a Divided World.&rdquo; He will also host and chair a Pakistan-specific High-Level Business Roundtable, engaging with leading international corporate executives to highlight investment opportunities in Pakistan. The premier is expected to hold interactions with several world leaders and prominent business executives. He will articulate Pakistan&rsquo;s perspective on global and regional peace and development, while underscoring the government&rsquo;s vision, reforms, and achievements in the areas of economy, trade, and investment. The World Economic Forum&#39;s annual meeting brings together political leaders, business executives, heads of international organizations, and civil society representatives to deliberate on the world&#39;s key geopolitical, economic, social, and environmental challenges.

Foreign Affairs

During the visit, the prime minister will participate in a series of substantive engagements to strengthen Pakistan’s global economic and diplomatic outreach.

PM Sharif to lead Pakistan delegation at World Economic Forum

ISLAMABAD: The Taliban government in Afghanistan has instituted a &ldquo;systematic and institutionalized campaign aimed at erasing Afghan women and girls, including through a plethora of restrictive edicts,&rdquo; United Nations experts said in a <a href="https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2026/01/treaty-crimes-against-humanity-states-must-give-afghan-women-central-voice" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">press release</a>&nbsp;on Monday.&nbsp; &ldquo;The de facto authorities have banned girls from education beyond grade 6, severely restricted women&rsquo;s right to work, and effectively criminalized their presence in public life,&rdquo; the press release said.&nbsp; The Taliban government has moved backwards when it comes to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/taliban-detains-woman-journalist-in-northern-afghanistan" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">rights</a>&nbsp;for women ever since it came to power in 2021. The government has ratified laws that restrict&nbsp;women&#39;s access to education,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/un-calls-on-taliban-to-lift-ban-on-afghan-women-in-its-offices" target="_blank">public-sector</a>&nbsp;jobs, and even amusement parks.&nbsp; According to a press release issued by the UN, states must ensure the meaningful participation of Afghan women leaders and gender justice activists in the imminent negotiations on the new treaty.&nbsp; &ldquo;For the treaty on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity to be a transformative instrument of justice, it cannot be drafted in a vacuum,&rdquo; the experts said.&nbsp; The experts included five members from the Working Group on discrimination against women and girls, and the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Afghanistan, Richard Bennett. The experts, according to the press release, said that the treaty&#39;s legitimacy would depend on whether it &ldquo;enables the meaningful participation of those who are living under the very atrocities the treaty seeks to address and prevent.&rdquo; &ldquo;States must therefore stand in solidarity with Afghan women, girls, and others targeted based on their gender by ensuring their meaningful inclusion, and with serious consideration of the lived realities on the ground in Afghanistan,&rdquo; it said. Separately, in a post on X, former Afghan parliamentarian Fawzia Koofi welcomed the statement from the UN experts, urging the &ldquo;UN sixth committee to ensure women, especially survivors, are heard and included in every step of the negotiation process on the convention on crimes against humanity.&rdquo; According to the press release, experts urged the member states to heed the calls of Afghan women and other activists &ldquo;to include the crime of gender apartheid within the new treaty.&rdquo; They said that Afghanistan stood as one of the &ldquo;clearest and most urgent examples of why inclusive survivor participation is indispensable.&rdquo; &ldquo;The voices of Afghan women in civil society are not merely testimonies; they are authoritative sources and primary experts on the oppression they face,&rdquo; they said, adding that their participation was essential to &ldquo;ensuring that international law evolves to address the realities of the atrocities unfolding today.&rdquo; They called on states to ensure the &ldquo;codification of gender apartheid as a crime against humanity, and uphold gender-responsive provisions throughout the treaty.&rdquo; &ldquo;At the same time, we urge states to strengthen other modes of support for Afghan women, girls, and gender-diverse persons, including through actively preventing normalization of the Taliban de facto regime, establishing safe, legal and long-term immigration pathways and providing sustained funding for women-led civil society,&rdquo; UN experts said. &ldquo;Naming gender apartheid is a necessary step toward dismantling it,&rdquo; they added. &ldquo;We must stand in solidarity with those on the front lines by providing a legal name for their lived reality, ensuring the international community can hold perpetrators accountable for the totality of their crimes,&rdquo; the press release concluded.

Afghanistan

The Taliban government has moved backwards when it comes to rights for women ever since they came into power in 2021; the government has ratified laws that restrict women from accessing education, public sector jobs, and even going to amusement parks. 

Taliban govt ran ‘systematic, institutionalized campaign’ to erase Afghan women: UN experts 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s kinnow exports registered strong growth despite the closure of the Afghan market, following the redirection of consignments to alternative international destinations, the Press Information Department (PID) said in a statement on Monday. According to estimates shared in the statement, Pakistan earned approximately $40 million from kinnow exports within just 45 days, covering the peak export period of December and the first half of January. &ldquo;The data shows that exports maintained a steady pace throughout December, followed by sustained momentum during the first 15 days of January &mdash; an encouraging sign amid regional trade constraints,&rdquo; the statement said. Due to the leadership of Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan, and in close coordination with the Trade Development Authority of Pakistan (TDAP), exporters were facilitated, and consignments were redirected to alternative international markets, it added. &ldquo;These efforts ensured continuity in shipments and protected growers and exporters from potential losses,&rdquo; the statement said. The minister emphasized that overcoming the impact of the Afghan market closure required a &ldquo;whole-of-government and whole-of-sector approach,&rdquo; and appreciated the dedication of officers and stakeholders who worked tirelessly to keep export channels open and competitive. Officials attributed the performance to focused market outreach, enhanced trade facilitation, and close engagement with exporters, the statement added. It said priority was given to expanding access to markets in the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and other non-traditional destinations, while ensuring compliance with international quality and phytosanitary standards. These efforts were complemented by TDAP through targeted export promotion, coordination with overseas trade missions, and continuous support to exporters in logistics and documentation. Improved coordination between federal authorities and the private sector helped maintain shipment schedules and preserve Pakistan&rsquo;s reputation as a reliable citrus supplier, the statement added. The continued momentum in kinnow exports is being viewed as a positive signal for the broader agricultural export sector, reaffirming the government&rsquo;s commitment to export-led growth and market diversification, the statement concluded.

Culture

Efforts complemented by TDAP through targeted export promotion, coordination with overseas trade missions, and continuous support to exporters in logistics and documentation; improved coordination between federal authorities and the private sector helped maintain shipment schedules and preserve Pakistan’s reputation as a reliable citrus supplier.





Pakistan Kinnow records strong growth despite Afghan market closure

ISLAMABAD:&nbsp;The United Arab Emirates and India on Monday signed a major liquified natural gas supply agreement worth more than $2.5 billion, while reaffirming their ambition to double bilateral trade to $200 billion by 2032. The 10-year <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/drone-strike-hits-iraq-gas-complex-cuts-supply-official" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">LNG deal</a> was signed between ADNOC Gas, a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, and India&rsquo;s state-run Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. Under the agreement, ADNOC Gas will supply 0.5 million metric tons of LNG annually to India. ADNOC Gas said the contract raises the total value of agreements supported and operated by the company to more than $20 billion and positions India as its largest natural gas customer. From 2029 onward, Indian companies are expected to account for just over one-fifth of ADNOC Gas&rsquo;s annual production capacity of 15.6 million tons. The agreement was finalized on the sidelines of a visit by <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/uae-president-al-nahyan-to-visit-pakistan-on-dec-26" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">UAE President</a> Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to New Delhi, where he held talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In a joint statement, the two leaders welcomed the strong growth in trade since the signing of a comprehensive economic partnership agreement in 2022 and committed to doubling bilateral trade to $200 billion by 2032. Beyond energy and trade, the two sides also moved to deepen strategic cooperation. India and the UAE signed a letter of intent to begin drafting a framework for a strategic defense partnership, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said. The proposed agreement aims to expand defense collaboration across special operations, interoperability, cyberspace, and counterterrorism. Misri said the initiative was a natural progression of existing defense ties and not a response to any specific regional developments. The latest agreements underscore the rapidly expanding economic, energy, and strategic relationship between India and the UAE, reflecting growing alignment between the two countries across multiple sectors.

Middle East

Asia

The two countries aim to double bilateral trade to $200 billion by 2032.

UAE, India sign $2.5B LNG deal

ISLAMABAD: Indian opposition leader, Rahul Gandhi, will lead a protest rally against the repeal of MGNREGA by BJP, in Rai Bareily, tommorow on Jan. 20, congressional leadership said. The Congress party has called for a 45-day campaign protesting the government&#39;s decision to repeal MGNREGA, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act. The campaign began Jan. 10 and runs through Feb. 25. MGNREGA guarantees 100 days of paid work per year to rural households and is considered India&#39;s largest social security program.&nbsp; The government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) now propose replacing it with new legislation called the Viksit Bharat - Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission Bill 2025.<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=2012855979650527449&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=8734299eaffa5aa6807a7925124cc0046a4c738c&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 624px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe><div class="fr-embed" style="line-height: 2;"> </div> The campaign, named MGNREGA Bachao Sangram (Hindi for &quot;war to save MGNREGA&quot;) is gathering momentum in Indian Punjab, where thousands of people including MGNREGA workers are participating in rallies.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-3" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-3&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2010693550871318796&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=8734299eaffa5aa6807a7925124cc0046a4c738c&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 825px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>The president of congress&rsquo; Punjab chapter, Amrinder Singh Warrin, in a statement to Indian media, said, &ldquo;the BJP government has changed the system of allocating funds, which were earlier decided in the villages and panchayats but will now be decided in Delhi&rdquo;.&nbsp;He lamented that, &ldquo;A rights based law has been turned into charity&rdquo;. Protesters plan to surround state residences of BJP-affiliated officials and state legislative buildings in the second phase, Congress member K.C. Venugopal said in a statement.<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-4" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-4&features=eyJ0ZndfdGltZWxpbmVfbGlzdCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOltdLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X2ZvbGxvd2VyX2NvdW50X3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9iYWNrZW5kIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19yZWZzcmNfc2Vzc2lvbiI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZm9zbnJfc29mdF9pbnRlcnZlbnRpb25zX2VuYWJsZWQiOnsiYnVja2V0Ijoib24iLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X21peGVkX21lZGlhXzE1ODk3Ijp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRyZWF0bWVudCIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfZXhwZXJpbWVudHNfY29va2llX2V4cGlyYXRpb24iOnsiYnVja2V0IjoxMjA5NjAwLCJ2ZXJzaW9uIjpudWxsfSwidGZ3X3Nob3dfYmlyZHdhdGNoX3Bpdm90c19lbmFibGVkIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6Im9uIiwidmVyc2lvbiI6bnVsbH0sInRmd19kdXBsaWNhdGVfc2NyaWJlc190b19zZXR0aW5ncyI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdXNlX3Byb2ZpbGVfaW1hZ2Vfc2hhcGVfZW5hYmxlZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdmlkZW9faGxzX2R5bmFtaWNfbWFuaWZlc3RzXzE1MDgyIjp7ImJ1Y2tldCI6InRydWVfYml0cmF0ZSIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfbGVnYWN5X3RpbWVsaW5lX3N1bnNldCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOnRydWUsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9LCJ0ZndfdHdlZXRfZWRpdF9mcm9udGVuZCI6eyJidWNrZXQiOiJvbiIsInZlcnNpb24iOm51bGx9fQ%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2012927952762421676&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=8734299eaffa5aa6807a7925124cc0046a4c738c&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 873px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>National Students Union of India (NSUI) posted on X that, &ldquo;Under the Modi government, access is shrinking, certainty is vanishing, and livelihoods are being pushed to the margins.&rdquo;&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; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-5" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-5&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2012780572087853067&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=8734299eaffa5aa6807a7925124cc0046a4c738c&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 945px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>The statement further said that &ldquo;Modi has changed the &lsquo;Right to work&rsquo; into permission.&rdquo; Indian media outlets reported the massive turnout of tens of thousands at the protests as historic, marking a significant challenge to the ruling party&#39;s attempt to overhaul rural employment guarantees in the world&#39;s most populous nation.&nbsp;

India

Congress has announced a 45-day mobilisation titled “MGNREGA Bachao Sangram”, running from January 10 to February 25

‘Right to Work’ Row: Congress steps up opposition with Rahul Gandhi rally 

ISLAMABAD: US President Donald Trump linked his claims on Greenland to not being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in a letter the US president sent to Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store, according to a report published by Bloomberg on Monday. &ldquo;Considering your Country decided not to give me the <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/venezuelas-machado-presents-trump-with-nobel-prize" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nobel Peace Prize</a> for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace,&rdquo; Trump says in the letter obtained by the US media organization. &nbsp;&ldquo;Although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America.&rdquo; &lsquo;Total Control of Greenland&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland,&rdquo; the US president added. The Nobel Peace Prize is not decided by the Norwegian government but is awarded by an independent committee. &ldquo;Regarding the Nobel Peace Prize, I have several times clearly explained to Trump what is well known, namely that it is an independent Nobel Committee, and not the Norwegian government, that awards the prize,&rdquo; Store said in a statement sent to the US media organization. According to the publication, a request for comment sent to the White House was not immediately returned. Trump rattles NATOTrump rattled NATO allies over the weekend after threatening to impose tariffs on a group of European members of the alliance if he does not get control of Greenland.&nbsp; The escalation prompted outrage among European Union leaders and a call by French President Emmanuel Macron to activate the bloc&rsquo;s most powerful retaliation tool. EU ambassadors met on Sunday to discuss options if Trump follows through with his threats, including tariffs on some &euro;93 billion ($108 billion) worth of American goods. The bloc&rsquo;s leaders are due to meet for an emergency summit on Thursday. &lsquo;It will be done&rsquo;&nbsp;&ldquo;NATO has been telling Denmark, for 20 years, that &lsquo;you have to get the Russian threat away from <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-warns-greenland-deal-will-happen-easy-or-hard-threatens-iran" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">Greenland</a>.&rsquo; Unfortunately, Denmark has been unable to do anything about it. Now it is time, and it will be done!!!,&rdquo; Trump posted on the social media platform Truth Social on Monday.<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" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 506px; 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=2013101923033891129&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=310898de1ca36894807c20811468e80220640d42&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" data-tweet-id="2013101923033891129">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>His message has been echoed by several senior US officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who told NBC&rsquo;s Meet the Press that Europe was too weak to ensure Greenland&rsquo;s security in an interview on Sunday. Nobel Peace Prize&nbsp;Separately, Norway reacted with disbelief last week after Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mar&iacute;a Corina Machado gave her medal to Trump, who has long coveted the award.&nbsp; Trump, who claims to deserve the peace prize for having resolved numerous wars during his second term, accepted the medal from the Venezuelan opposition leader at a White House meeting. &ldquo;The Nobel Prize and the laureate are inseparable,&rdquo; the Norwegian Nobel Committee said in a statement on Friday. &ldquo;Even if the medal or diploma later comes into someone else&rsquo;s possession, this does not alter who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.&rdquo; In a separate post on social media on Sunday, the Nobel committee said &ldquo;a prize can therefore not, even symbolically, be passed on or further distributed.&rdquo; Full text of the letter&nbsp;Trump&rsquo;s letter to Norway&rsquo;s prime minister, which was first reported by a PBS journalist on X, was shared by Trump&rsquo;s National Security Council with several other European governments, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private correspondence. The full text of the letter: &ldquo;Dear Jonas: Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace, although it will always be predominant, but can now think about what is good and proper for the United States of America. Denmark cannot protect that land from Russia or China, and why do they have a &ldquo;right of ownership&rdquo; anyway? There are no written documents, it&rsquo;s only that a boat landed there hundreds of years ago, but we had boats landing there, also. I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland. Thank you! President DJT&rdquo;.

Writes, ‘I have done more for NATO than any other person since its founding, and now, NATO should do something for the United States. The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland.’

Trump links Greenland threats to Nobel Peace prize snub: Bloomberg 

ISLAMABAD: A Muslim woman candidate in India&rsquo;s Rajasthan state was barred from appearing in a government recruitment examination after refusing to remove her hijab, according to local media.&nbsp;The incident occurred in Kota district on Sunday during the Level II Higher Primary School Teacher (Social Studies) examination conducted by the Rajasthan Staff Selection Board (RSSB). The candidate, Alisha, was denied entry to the examination center for wearing a hijab and was forced to return without taking the test.&nbsp;&nbsp;According to local authorities, examination guidelines prohibit candidates from covering their ears and face. Alisha said she was wearing a salwar suit with a hijab, and that her admit card photograph also shows her wearing a hijab. She said she was checked by a female police officer and security staff. No objectionable items were found in the investigation, but the center superintendent later refused her entry unless she removed the hijab, according to Zee News India. &ldquo;I have been preparing for this exam for more than a year and even took coaching,&rdquo; Alisha told local media. &ldquo;Despite explaining everything, I was not allowed to appear.&rdquo; She later left the center with her father, visibly distressed. The incident has sparked criticism on social media and among rights activists, who say such actions&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/indian-chief-minister-faces-backlash-over-removing-muslim-womans-veil" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">disproportionately affect Muslim women</a>&nbsp;and undermine their access to education and employment.<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" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2013103839000334833&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Fdashboard%2F&sessionId=9a5372b718d8ea01e0b07b2b0a24054f128782b2&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 971px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;" data-tweet-id="2013103839000334833">&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>The Rajasthan administration has so far defended its decision, stating that the rules were applied uniformly. However, rights groups are calling for clearer, more inclusive guidelines to ensure that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/india-witnessed-over-1300-events-of-hate-speech-in-2025-report" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">religious identity</a>&nbsp;does not become a barrier to equal opportunity.

This screengrab from a social media video shows a Muslim student, Alisha, who was denied entry to an exam center in India’s Rajasthan state for wearing a hijab. (Photo: X/@TheMuslim)

The student says she was checked by a female police officer and security staff. No objectionable items were found in the investigation, but the center superintendent later refused her entry unless she removed the hijab.

Muslim woman barred from exam in India’s Rajasthan for wearing hijab

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan deployed F-16 <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistans-jf17-takes-the-spotlight-at-dubai-airshow-mou-signed-with-friendly-country-1" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">fighter jets</a> to Saudi Arabia for a multinational combat exercise involving forces from 11 countries, the country&rsquo;s military media wing said on Monday. According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the Pakistani contingent arrived at King Abdulaziz Air Base with air and ground crews to join Exercise Spears of Victory-2026. Saudi Arabia, France, Italy, Greece, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, the United Kingdom, and the United States are also participating. The exercise will <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/saudi-defense-delegation-visits-pakistan-highlighting-strong-bilateral-military-ties" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">train</a> forces on large-scale operations, night missions, and electronic warfare. It aims to improve coordination and operational capabilities among the participating air forces. Modern avionics&nbsp;Pakistan&#39;s F-16 Block-52 aircraft flew nonstop from their home base, demonstrating the air force&#39;s long-range capabilities, the ISPR stated.&nbsp; The jets carry modern avionics and beyond visual range weapons systems. Pakistani pilots will train against aircrews flying various advanced combat aircraft during the exercise. The statement said the drills will test Pakistan&#39;s readiness in modern combat conditions. The ISPR stated the deployment reflects Pakistan&#39;s commitment to <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/pakistan-open-to-trilateral-defense-deal-with-saudi-arabia-turkiye-in-future-harraj" target="_blank" style="color:#0073e6;" rel="noopener noreferrer">military cooperation</a> with regional and international partners.

Security

The multinational exercise involves 11 countries, focusing on large-scale operations, night missions, electronic warfare, and advanced combat training, while aiming to enhance coordination and readiness among all participating air forces.

Pakistan’s F-16s arrive in Saudi Arabia for combat exercise

BEIJING: Before DeepSeek shook up the tech world and put Chinese artificial intelligence on the map, Wu Chenglin&rsquo;s own startup had nearly folded three times &mdash; but in the past year, it has raised $30 million. The January 2025 release of a low-cost generative AI model from DeepSeek, which performed at a similar level to <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/openai-introducing-ads-to-chatgpt" target="_blank">ChatGPT&nbsp;</a>and other top American chatbots,&nbsp;upended assumptions of US dominance in the sensitive sector. The breakthrough has galvanised China&rsquo;s AI scene, despite relations with the United States and fears of a global market bubble. &ldquo;It gave a lot of people confidence&rdquo; that China&rsquo;s AI community previously lacked, Wu told AFP. His venture, DeepWisdom, whose flagship product is an AI-powered software development platform, had struggled to stay afloat despite its popularity among programmers. But as excitement around DeepSeek fuelled a spending boom, Wu raised 220 million yuan in two funding rounds. Meanwhile, Shi Yaqiong and her team at Beijing-based Jinqiu Capital have closed deals with more than 50 AI firms over the past 12 months. Shi, the fund&rsquo;s vice-president, described a &ldquo;clear surge&rdquo; in enthusiasm around Chinese AI and competition among investors since the DeepSeek shock. &ldquo;The kind of projects with an initial valuation in 2024 of $10-20 million were, in 2025, expected to have initial valuations around $20-40 million,&rdquo; she said. Engineer dividendShares in two leading Chinese AI startups, Zhipu AI and MiniMax, soared on their Hong Kong market debuts this month. Frenzy over the much-hyped <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/asian-markets-bounce-as-nvidia-takes-centre-stage-amid-ai-bubble-fears" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">potential of AI&nbsp;</a>to change the world is driving global stocks to record highs, led by chipmakers and<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/meta-partners-with-us-nuclear-companies-to-power-ai-data-centers" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">&nbsp;tech giants</a>. But the big-spending euphoria has sparked fears of a market crash, with many investors hyper-focused on any sign the AI bubble could burst and questioning when new companies will become profitable. Access to top-end chips made by <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-says-us-will-allow-sale-of-nvidia-ai-chips-to-china" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" rel="noopener noreferrer">US giant Nvidia</a> is also restricted in China under White House policies aimed at curbing China&rsquo;s technological development. But that hasn&rsquo;t dampened the spirits of young developers in the world&rsquo;s second-largest economy. At an AI networking event held last week on a brisk winter afternoon in a stylish Beijing cafe, animated discussion filled the air about the future of the fast-moving industry. Chip export controls mean Chinese AI is more likely to be &ldquo;open-source and cheap&rdquo;, which could make it more useful to society, said one participant, entrepreneur Li Weijia. China is often said to enjoy an &ldquo;engineer dividend&rdquo; that benefits its AI sector, and talent is flocking to the field. Online hiring platform Zhilian Zhaopin reported a 39% increase in applications to AI-related jobs in the first three quarters of 2025, after DeepSeek&rsquo;s breakout. &lsquo;Cost-efficient&rsquo;&ldquo;China has a huge application developer ecosystem, and people are very good at building apps,&rdquo; Shen Qiajin, founder of ideaFlow, told AFP. &ldquo;But for a very long time, we didn&rsquo;t have a good, cost-efficient model,&rdquo; he said. That is a gap DeepSeek has now filled. The firm began in 2023 as a side project of a data-driven hedge fund co-founded in the tech hub Hangzhou by Liang Wenfeng, which had access to a cache of powerful Nvidia processors. Today, the company &mdash; expected to release its next AI model within weeks &mdash; holds 4% of the global chatbot market share, according to web traffic analysis company Similarweb. ChatGPT dominates at 68 percent, while Google&rsquo;s Gemini is catching up at 18%, according to Similarweb estimates. DeepSeek&rsquo;s decision to make its systems&rsquo; inner workings public, in contrast to the closed AI models sold by OpenAI and other Western rivals, has boosted adoption of its tools by developers and businesses, said Neil Shah at&nbsp; Counterpoint ResearchIts tools have had &ldquo;strong adoption in cost-sensitive emerging markets&rdquo;, he said. But in the West, users are more cautious, &ldquo;primarily on account of privacy and national security concerns&rdquo;. Even so, the domestic market is huge. By June 2025, more than half a billion Chinese internet users reported having used generative AI products, according to the China Internet Network Information Center. Entrepreneur Yang Yiwen said her parents had their first meaningful encounter with AI during last year&rsquo;s Chinese New Year, when they watched her use DeepSeek to plan a family trip. &ldquo;They found it quite fun,&rdquo; she said.

Before DeepSeek shook up the tech world and put Chinese artificial intelligence on the map, Wu Chenglin’s own startup had nearly folded three times — but in the past year it has raised $30 million.

Inside China's buzzing AI scene year after DeepSeek shock

WASHINGTON: North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) aircraft will soon arrive at a US military base in Greenland for &quot;long-planned&quot; activities, the organization said Monday. The announcement from NORAD, a joint US-Canada military organization for aerospace monitoring and defense, came amid rising tensions over President Donald Trump&#39;s demand for US control of the autonomous Danish territory. The statement did not describe the nature of the planned activities at Pituffik Space Base, which it said were aimed at &quot;defense cooperation.&quot; It said that the activities had been coordinated with Denmark and that Greenland had been informed. NORAD said that the arriving aircraft will operate alongside those from bases in the continental United States and Canada. &quot;They will support various long-planned NORAD activities, building on the enduring defense cooperation between the United States and Canada, as well as the Kingdom of Denmark,&quot; NORAD said. The statement added that NORAD &quot;routinely conducts sustained, dispersed operations in the defense of North America.&quot; Trump has stoked <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-links-greenland-threats-to-nobel-peace-prize-snub-bloomberg" style="color:#0073e6;">anxiety </a>among US transatlantic allies with threats to <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-warns-greenland-deal-will-happen-easy-or-hard-threatens-iran" style="color:#0073e6;">take over</a> Greenland &quot;one way or the other.&quot; Over the weekend, the US president <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/trump-threatens-europe-with-tariffs-over-greenland-as-protesters-rally" style="color:#0073e6;">threatened</a>&nbsp;to wield new tariffs against countries that oppose his plans for the Arctic island, after several European nations sent small military delegations there for an exercise, to which the United States was also invited. Denmark has proposed that NATO start surveillance operations in Greenland to confront security concerns.

Trump has stoked anxiety among US transatlantic allies with threats to take over Greenland "one way or the other"; Denmark has proposed that NATO start surveillance operations in Greenland to confront security concerns.

Military aircraft to arrive in Greenland for 'long-planned' activities: US-Canadian command

KANO: Armed gangs kidnapped at least 163 Christian worshippers after storming two churches in Nigeria&#39;s northern Kaduna State on Sunday, a member of the clergy told AFP. Gangs &mdash; known in Nigeria as &quot;bandits&quot; &mdash; frequently <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/nigerian-gunmen-free-kidnapped-muslim-religious-travellers" style="color:#0073e6;">carry out</a>&nbsp;mass kidnappings for <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/abductors-free-12-young-girls-kidnapped-in-nigeria" style="color:#0073e6;">ransom</a> and loot villages, mainly in the northern and central parts of Africa&#39;s most populous country. Sunday&#39;s attacks are the latest in a <a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/100-kidnapped-nigerian-schoolchildren-released-report" style="color:#0073e6;">wave of kidnappings</a> targeting both Christians and Muslims in Nigeria. &quot;The attackers came in numbers and blocked the entrance of the churches and forced the worshippers out into the bush,&quot; Reverend Joseph Hayab, head of the Christian Association of Nigeria for the country&#39;s north, said on Monday. &quot;The actual number they took was 172, but nine escaped, so 163 are with them,&quot; added Hayab. Ishaku Dan&#39;azumi, a traditional chief of Kurmin Wali, said 166 people were seized from three churches in the village during Sunday service. A security report prepared for the United Nations said &quot;armed bandits&quot; attacked multiple churches in the area on Sunday, abducting &quot;over 100 worshippers.&quot; Kaduna state police did not confirm the attack. But its chief told reporters after in Kaduna city that officers responded and went to the &quot;alleged scene of crime&quot; on Sunday. &quot;Till now there is no information about any attack or any kidnapping,&quot; police commissioner Muhammad Rabiu said in remarks broadcast on a local tv channel. State commissioner for internal security Sule Shauibu dismissed the &quot;narrative&quot; about the kidnapping as &quot;totally false, we do not have any evidence of such.&quot; Local chief Wali told AFP that &quot;it is only politicians that are denying the kidnapping of our people.&quot; &quot;They took away 177 people from three churches but 11 managed to escape. We now have 166 people in the hands of the kidnappers,&quot; he said. He said his village has lived under threat from gunmen &quot;who kidnap our people. This has affected our farming activities as we grow less food than we used to. &quot;We have never complained to the authorities over kidnappings in our area, as we have been the ones contributing to pay for the freedom of those kidnapped. Sometimes up to 20 are abducted, and we have never complained; we have been dealing with the problem on our own.&quot; &quot;This time we complained to the authorities because the number of those kidnapped is beyond our capacity to deal with,&quot; he said. Roughly evenly split between a mostly Christian south and Muslim-majority north, Nigeria is home to myriad conflicts, which experts say kill both Christians and Muslims, often without distinction. In November, armed gangs seized more than 300 students and teachers from a Catholic school in Niger state, with 50 escaping and the rest being released in two batches weeks later. 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 United States launched strikes on what it and the Nigerian government said were militants linked to the Islamic State group in the northwestern Sokoto state. Nigeria said it approved the strikes. More attacks &#39;likely&#39;&nbsp;Kaduna is one of several states in northwest and central Nigeria that have for years been terrorized by criminal gangs who raid villages, abduct residents and burn homes after looting them. Kajuru district is a hotspot for bandit attacks in Kaduna State, which has witnessed clashes between Christian farmers and Fulani Muslim herders. The violence centers around competition for land and dwindling resources, although on the surface it falls along ethnic and religious lines. Nigeria&#39;s kidnappings are predominantly for ransom and the crisis has &quot;consolidated into a structured, profit-seeking industry&quot; that raised some $1.66 million between July 2024 and June 2025, according to a recent report by SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based consultancy.

Africa

Gangs frequently carry out mass kidnappings for ransom and loot villages, mainly in the northern and central parts of Africa's most populous country; Sunday's attacks are the latest in a wave of kidnappings targeting both Christians and Muslims in Nigeria.

Gunmen kidnap 163 worshippers from two Nigerian churches: clergy

ROME: One of the top designers of his era, Italy&#39;s elegance aficionado Valentino Garavani spent nearly half a century dressing the world&#39;s great beauties, from Jackie Kennedy to Princess Diana before his death Monday at age 93.&nbsp;&quot;Valentino Garavani passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones,&quot; wrote his Rome-based foundation on social media.&nbsp;A funeral is planned for Friday in the Italian capital, with a lying in state on Wednesday and Thursday.&nbsp;Best known as just Valentino, the designer&#39;s creations -- many of them in &quot;Valentino red&quot; -- were worn by the who&#39;s who of the international elite, from Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and Nancy Reagan to Sharon Stone, Julia Roberts and Gwyneth Paltrow in recent years.&nbsp;When the empress of Iran, Farah Pahlavi, escaped the country during the 1979 revolution, she was wearing a coat made by Valentino.&nbsp;Dubbed &quot;the Sheik of Chic&quot; by Women&#39;s Wear Daily in the 1980s, Valentino was celebrated by the New York Times in 1997 for his &quot;single-minded dedication to glamour.&quot;&nbsp;On the catwalk and in his own life, Valentino exuded luxury down to the last detail of his immaculate hairdo and caramel tan.&nbsp;With his five pet pug dogs and a private jet, he shuttled between his Roman palace, New York apartment, chateau near Paris, chalet in Switzerland and his 50-metre (164-foot) yacht.&nbsp;Boyhood passionNamed after the star of silent cinema Rudolph Valentino, who was known for &quot;The Sheik&quot; among many other films, Valentino Garavani was born on May 11, 1932 in Voghera, a small town south of Milan. His father owned an electric cables business.&nbsp;As a boy he asked for made-to-measure shoes and was passionate about fashion. &quot;I have had this illness since childhood,&quot; he told the Italian edition of Elle magazine in 2007. &quot;I only like beautiful things.&quot;&nbsp;&quot;I do not like seeing men without ties, in a jumper, women with vulgar make-up and shapeless trousers. It is a sign of a bad education and a lack of self-respect.&quot;&nbsp;He left home when he was 17 to study at prestigious arts and fashion schools in Paris, where the decadent French style of Christian Dior had revitalised a grim post-World War II fashion industry and would deeply impact Valentino&#39;s later aesthetic.&nbsp;In 1952 he was hired by designer Jean Desses, who dressed wealthy clients including royalty, and five years later he went to work for Guy Laroche.&nbsp;Rome fashion empireIn 1960 Valentino opened his own fashion house in Rome -- at the time a thriving star-studded city thanks to its vast Cinecitta film studios that acted as a branch of Hollywood.&nbsp;He was assisted by his lover Giancarlo Giammetti, who had business know-how and would over the years transform the company into a global brand, shepherding it through successive buy-outs.&nbsp;&quot;Being the friend, lover and employee of Valentino for more than 45 years required a lot of patience,&quot; Giammetti said in the 2008 documentary, &quot;Valentino: The Last Emperor&quot;.&nbsp;Valentino turned heads immediately with his opening collection in 1962 in Florence, which already featured what would become his signature colour -- the deep rich &quot;Valentino red&quot;.&nbsp;JackieIn his first decade Valentino dressed the likes of Anita Ekberg, Sophia Loren and Liz Taylor, but it was a meeting with Jackie Kennedy in 1964 that would prove decisive.&nbsp;He transformed her wardrobe, and in 1968 she picked an ivory-coloured lace dress from his famous white collection for her second marriage to Greek shipping mogul Aristotle Onassis.&nbsp;It caused a sensation in the United States, and in 1970, Valentino was the first Italian designer to open a shop in New York. Over the years he would elevate the &quot;Made in Italy&quot; label to global prominence.&nbsp;&quot;I love a woman who eats food, who has a body, that is a woman and not a stick,&quot; he said, quoted in The New Yorker in 2005, and underscoring his preference for sensual, figure-hugging designs.&nbsp;Emperor bows outFor the 2006 Oscar-nominated Hollywood film &quot;The Devil Wears Prada&quot;, starring Meryl Streep as a powerful fashion editor, Valentino made a cameo appearance at the recreation of one of his shows.&nbsp;A year later and nearly a half-century after his first runway, he presented his last collection in Paris before retiring in January 2008.&nbsp;&quot;Valentino transported his audience to his world, where women in bubble gum pink cocktail dresses swing bags made of feathers and have high heels tied with satin ribbons and bows,&quot; said celebrated fashion critic Suzy Menkes in her write-up of the show in the New York Times.&nbsp;In 2011 the Valentino Garavani Virtual Museum opened, offering an immersive 3D experience into the history and creations of the fashion house, and giving the world its first-ever virtual fashion museum.&nbsp;&quot;At some point, you do get to the end,&quot; Valentino told The New Yorker in 2005 as he approached retirement. &quot;And when I do, I hope I will be remembered as a man who pursued beauty whenever he could.&quot;

Europe

Legendary Italian designer Valentino Garavani, famed for glamour and signature Valentino red, dressed icons from Jackie Kennedy to Princess Diana, built a global fashion empire died in Rome aged 93.

Articles by Web Desk

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