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  • Saudi Arabia will not allow use of its airspace or land for attack on Iran

    Saudi Arabia will not allow use of its airspace or land for attack on Iran

    Saudi Arabia has informed Iran that its land and airspace will not be used for any military action against Tehran, sources close to the Kingdom’s government said on Wednesday, as tensions continue to rise between Iran and the United States.

    According to two sources cited by an international news agency, the message was conveyed directly to Tehran amid warnings from US that it could respond to Iran’s handling of protests. Iranian officials have previously said they would target US military and shipping assets if any new attack was launched against the country.

    “Saudi Arabia has informed Tehran directly that it will not be part of any military action taken against it, and that its territory and airspace will not be used for that purpose,” a source close to the Saudi military has said.  

    A second source close to the government confirmed that the message had been communicated to Iranian authorities.

    The United States maintains military assets across the Gulf region, including in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. 

    Meanwhile, the US embassy in the kingdom urged its personnel to exercise “increased caution” due to the evolving regional situation.

    Earlier, Qatar said the removal of some personnel from Al Udeid Air Base was linked to what it described as “current regional tensions.” In a statement, Qatar’s International Media Office said the country “continues to implement all necessary measures to safeguard the security and safety of its citizens and residents as a top priority.”

    The statement added that steps were being taken to ensure the protection of critical infrastructure and military facilities.

  • Here’s how you can buy Pak-Australia T20I tickets, and how much they’ll cost…

    Here’s how you can buy Pak-Australia T20I tickets, and how much they’ll cost…

    The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has announced that tickets for the three-match T20I series between Pakistan and Australia will go on sale from Friday, January 16, at pcb.tcs.com.pk. 

    Fans can also purchase physical tickets starting Monday, January 19, from TCS Express Centres 10 am onwards.

    The announcement comes as Pakistan gears up to host Australia for three T20Is on January 29, 31 and February 1 at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. All three matches will begin at 6 pm.

    The PCB has set different pricing for the opening match as compared to the second and third games.

    First T20I (January 29)

    VIP enclosures (Fazal Mahmood and Imran Khan) will cost PKR 800 while Premium seats (Raja and Saeed Anwar) are priced at PKR 600. First Class enclosures (Abdul Hafeez Kardar, Abdul Qadir, Javed Miandad and Sarfaraz Nawaz) will cost PKR 500 whereas General Stands (Hanif Mohammad, Imtiaz Ahmed, Inzamam-ul-Haq and Saeed Ahmed) will be available for PKR 400.

    For premium viewing areas, VIP enclosures at Iqbal End (Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram) will cost PKR 1,500, while Jinnah End seats (Majid Khan and Zaheer Abbas) are priced at PKR 2,000. Hospitality gallery tickets will cost PKR 5,000.

    Second and third T20Is (January 31 and February 1)

    The PCB has increased prices for the final two matches as VIP enclosures will cost PKR 1,000, Premium seats will cost PKR 700, First Class PKR 600 and General Stands PKR 500.

    Iqbal End VIP tickets are priced at PKR 2,000, while Jinnah End VIP enclosures will cost PKR 2,500. Hospitality gallery tickets for these matches will be available for PKR 6,000 each.

    The PCB has also made 24-seat hospitality boxes available at Iqbal End, priced at PKR 20,000 per seat for the first match and PKR 25,000 per seat for the second and third.

  • France, Germany to send troops to Greenland amid US threats

    France, Germany to send troops to Greenland amid US threats

    France and Germany said on Wednesday that they would deploy troops to Greenland alongside other European countries, as US President Donald Trump escalated threats to take control of the Arctic island.


    Germany’s Defence Ministry said a 13-member Bundeswehr reconnaissance team will be sent to the Greenlandic capital Nuuk on Thursday at Denmark’s invitation.


    According to Berlin, the mission is intended to “explore the framework conditions for possible military contributions to support Denmark in ensuring security in the region”.


    France, the European Union’s only nuclear power, also confirmed it would send troops to Greenland following a high-level meeting in Washington involving US, Danish, and Greenlandic officials.


    Trump has repeatedly said he wants to take control of the autonomous Danish territory, arguing that Greenland is critical to US national security.


    After meetings in Washington with senior US officials, including Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said it was “clear that the president has this wish of conquering Greenland,” adding that such a move was absolutely not necessary.


    Sweden and Norway have also announced it will participate in the European military mission.

  • Google criticised for emailing children about disabling parental controls before turning 13

    Google criticised for emailing children about disabling parental controls before turning 13

    Google has come under criticism after contacting children ahead of their 13th birthdays with information on how to disable parental controls.

    The tech giant emailed children directly, informing them that they could soon “graduate” from supervision and choose to turn off certain safety settings. The messages were sent as part of Google’s process ahead of a child turning 13, the age at which parental controls become optional on accounts.

    The issue was highlighted by Melissa McKay, president of the Digital Childhood Institute, who said Google had emailed her 12-year-old son explaining how he could remove parental supervision.

    Posting on LinkedIn, McKay wrote: “A trillion-dollar corporation is directly contacting every child to tell them they are old enough to ‘graduate’ from parental supervision. The email explains how a child can remove those controls themselves, without parental consent or involvement.”

    “Google is asserting authority over a boundary that does not belong to them. It reframes parents as a temporary inconvenience to be outgrown and positions corporate platforms as the default replacement. Call it what it is. Grooming for engagement. Grooming for data. Grooming minors for profit,” she said.

    McKay also shared a screenshot of the email, which stated: “Your birthday’s coming up. That means when you turn 13, you can choose to update your account to get more access to Google apps and services.”

    Google allows children to have accounts from birth if they are created and managed by a parent or guardian. These accounts enable parents to view search history, block adult content, manage app downloads and control screen time on Android devices.

    In the period leading up to a child’s 13th birthday, Google emails both the child and parent to inform them that the child will soon be able to disable these controls.

    The practice prompted backlash online, with hundreds of comments responding to McKay’s post. Following the criticism, Google said it would update its settings to require parental approval before supervised accounts can be changed.

    “We’re making a planned update to require formal parental approval for teens to leave a supervised account. This builds on our existing practice of emailing both the parent and child before the change to facilitate family conversations about the account transition,” a Google spokesperson said.

    Google said children over 13 will still be able to create new accounts without parental controls as it is the minimum age at which individuals can consent to data processing in the United Kingdom and the United States, while the age is higher in most other countries, including France and Germany.

  • FIFA receives over 500 million ticket requests for 2026 World Cup

    FIFA receives over 500 million ticket requests for 2026 World Cup

    International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) announced Wednesday that it has received more than 500 million ticket requests for this year’s World Cup.

    Soccer’s organising body said that fans from Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina and Colombia submitted the most requests outside the three host nations: the United States, Mexico and Canada.

    FIFA is charging up to $8,680 per ticket. After facing criticism, the organisation announced last month it will offer $60 tickets for every game to the 48 national federations in the tournament.

    The federations will decide how to distribute these tickets to their fans who attended previous games.

    The most-requested match in the third sales phase, which ran from December 11 through Tuesday, was Colombia vs. Portugal on June 27 at Miami Gardens, Florida. 

    The next most popular matches were Mexico vs. South Korea on June 18 in Guadalajara, Mexico; the final on July 19 at East Rutherford, New Jersey; the opener between Mexico and South Africa on June 11 at Mexico City; and a second-round match on July 2 at Toronto.

    “Knowing how much this tournament means to people around the world, our only regret is that we cannot welcome every fan inside the stadiums,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a statement. 

    “That is why we are committed to creating multiple ways for fans to be part of the FIFA World Cup 2026 – through a wide range of fan experiences beyond the stadiums, both in person and online – so that as many people as possible can share in what will be the biggest sporting event ever staged,” he added.

    FIFA will notify applicants about their ticket status no earlier than February 5. The organisation will allocate tickets randomly for matches where demand exceeds availability.

  • Teen gang-raped in Karachi, police initially refused to register FIR

    Teen gang-raped in Karachi, police initially refused to register FIR

    A 17-year-old girl was kidnapped and gang-raped in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Maymar area on Tuesday, police said on Wednesday.


    Police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed said the victim was brought to Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, where a medical examination confirmed that she had been subjected to sexual violence. She added that all required samples had been collected for serology, DNA profiling, and cross-matching.


    Police officials claimed they took prompt action after the incident and arrested one suspect, while efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining accused who have escaped.


    In an interview with a private media outlet, the victim said she works as a domestic help and alleged that some influential men abducted her and took her to an unknown location, where they subjected her to sexual and physical assault.

    She further alleged that when she and her family went to the police station to lodge a complaint, the Station House Officer (SHO) refused to register the First Information Report (FIR).


    Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sindh Javed Alam Odho took notice of the incident and ordered the suspension and demotion of the area SHO for delaying the registration of the case, according to a police spokesperson.


    The IGP also sought a report from the West SSP (Senior Superintendent of Police) and directed him to submit a detailed inquiry into the alleged delay by police officials.


    Later, a case was registered at the Gulshan-e-Maymar police station on the complaint of the victim’s brother.

  • Bangladesh cricketers threaten boycott over director calling Tamim Iqbal ‘Indian agent’

    Bangladesh cricketers threaten boycott over director calling Tamim Iqbal ‘Indian agent’

    Bangladeshi cricketers have threatened to boycott all forms of cricket unless Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) director M Nazmul Islam resigns following his controversial remarks against former national captain Tamim Iqbal.

    Mohammad Mithun, president of the Cricketers’ Welfare Association of Bangladesh (CWAB), made the announcement on Wednesday, hours after Nazmul Islam’s comments sparked widespread outrage. The development comes as two Bangladesh Premier League matches remain scheduled for January 15.

    The controversy erupted when Nazmul Islam accused Tamim Iqbal of being an “Indian agent” in a Facebook post. 

    The remarks followed Tamim’s recent interview in which he urged the BCB to prioritise cricketing interests before making a final decision on Bangladesh’s participation in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.

    Tamim’s comments came after the BCB decided against traveling to India, citing security concerns, following a request from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their IPL squad.

    In his Facebook post, Nazmul wrote, “This time, the people of Bangladesh witnessed, with their own eyes, the emergence of yet another proven Indian agent.”

    The BCB quickly distanced itself from the remarks and expressed regret in an official statement.

    “The Board expresses its sincere regret for remarks that may be deemed inappropriate, offensive, or hurtful,” the statement read. “Such comments do not reflect the values, principles, or official position of the Bangladesh Cricket Board, nor do they align with the standards of conduct expected from individuals entrusted with the responsibility of serving Bangladesh cricket.”

    The BCB clarified that it does not endorse statements made by board officials unless issued through authorized channels.

    “The BCB reiterates that it does not endorse or take responsibility for any statement made by any director or board member unless formally issued through the Board’s designated spokesperson or the Media & Communications Department. Any statements made outside these authorised channels are personal in nature and should not be interpreted as representing the views or policies of the Board,” the statement added.

    The board also warned of disciplinary action against any individual whose conduct disrespects cricketers or harms the integrity of Bangladesh cricket. The statement reaffirmed full support for all players, past and present, emphasizing that cricketers remain at the heart of the sport in the country.

    The CWAB strongly condemned the remarks and demanded a public apology from the BCB director.

    Several Bangladesh cricketers reportedly voiced their displeasure on social media. Spinner Taijul Islam termed the remarks “tasteless and completely unacceptable,” demanding a public apology and accountability.

    Former captain Mominul Haque described the comments as insulting to Bangladesh’s cricketing community, while pacer Taskin Ahmed said such statements would not help the game move forward and urged officials to act responsibly.

    On Friday, Nazmul Islam issued a clarification on Facebook, stating that his remarks reflected his personal opinion.

    “A legendary cricketer who scored 15,000 international runs for Bangladesh is now batting in favour of India. This is purely my personal opinion. Please do not take this comment in any other way,” he wrote.

    On the other hand, a decision on venues for Bangladesh’s matches, amid souring Dhaka–New Delhi ties, is still awaited.

  • Pakistan’s bank rally had many winners. One clear outlier

    Pakistan’s bank rally had many winners. One clear outlier

    Pakistan’s equity rebound in 2025 was broad, but it was not evenly distributed. The KSE-100 rose a respectable 52%. Banking stocks did far better. And one bank—Bank of Punjab—ran far ahead of both.

    With a 333.8% total shareholder return, BOP delivered the strongest performance among Asia-Pacific banks tracked by S&P Global Market Intelligence. That figure dwarfed even the impressive gains posted by peers such as National Bank of Pakistan and Askari Bank, and put Punjab decisively ahead of regional comparators in Japan and Southeast Asia.

    Yes, part of the story is recovery from depressed valuations. Elevated interest rates helped margins, and cleaner balance sheets restored confidence. But BOP’s outperformance cannot be explained by macro tailwinds alone.

    The bank has leaned aggressively into segments most lenders approach cautiously: agriculture, SMEs, women-led enterprises, and first-time borrowers. At the same time, it scaled digital lending faster than any domestic peer, becoming Pakistan’s largest digital lender and card issuer in the process.

    That combination—provincial reach plus digital execution—proved powerful. Investors appeared to reprice BOP not as a turnaround trade, but as a platform bank aligned with financial inclusion and real-economy growth.

    Whether the rally holds as rates decline is an open question. But in 2025, Punjab didn’t merely participate in Pakistan’s banking resurgence—it led South Asia.

  • Karachi mayor plans to shut down hydrants, end tanker water supply

    Karachi mayor plans to shut down hydrants, end tanker water supply

    Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab has announced a major policy shift aimed at dismantling what he described as the city’s “tanker mafia”, declaring that all water hydrants and tanker-based distribution will be phased out and replaced with a direct pipeline supply system.

    During a briefing with the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) on Tuesday, Wahab directed officials to gradually shut down the city’s seven functional water hydrants.

    “All water hydrants in Karachi will be phased out and water supply will be provided through proper water lines instead,” he said.

    “Residents should receive water at their doorsteps through improved infrastructure rather than relying on costly and temporary tanker services,” the mayor added.

    Despite the hydrants generating around Rs300 million in monthly revenue, Wahab said their contracts expired last year and the administration would not renew them.

    “Tanker-based supply is neither sustainable nor fair to citizens,” he said.

    To manage water shortages during the transition, Wahab said the city would introduce an alternating-day water supply schedule for different areas.

    Experts believe up to 30% of Karachi’s water is being stolen through illegal hydrants operating with the covert backing of influential political elements and a complicit bureaucracy.

    “The tanker mafia is looting the city’s water,” Wahab said, adding that the new policy aims to end this practice permanently.

    Earlier, he also met a delegation from the Controller General of Accounts to discuss wide-ranging administrative reforms at the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).

  • ‘Pakistan in talks with multiple countries for JF-17 sales,’ defence production minister confirms

    ‘Pakistan in talks with multiple countries for JF-17 sales,’ defence production minister confirms

    Confirming a flood of reports regarding defence orders that the country has been receiving in recent days, Defence Production Minister Raza Hayat Harraj has said that Pakistan is holding discussions with “multiple countries” for the sale of JF-17 Thunder jets.


    Speaking to BBC Urdu, the minister confirmed that negotiations were underway but declined to share specific details.


    “These negotiations are taking place and they take some time. Many countries have shown interest in these aircraft,” he said, adding that he could not yet name any country or reveal the level at which the negotiations were taking place.


    “When these jets are exported, the world will know which countries have bought them,” he added.


    The defence production minister also said that Pakistan would only sell the aircraft to friendly countries. “Firstly, we must ensure that we only sell [JF-17s] to those who are our friendly countries. So, they are not used against us.”


    He added that China was involved whenever Pakistan signed such agreements.


    According to Harraj, the JF-17 jets were battle-tested during last year’s four-day conflict with India. “The entire world’s air forces saw these jets’ performance during that time and praised it,” he said.


    Harraj termed pricing an important factor, saying that while fighter jets globally were valued between $250 million and $350 million, the JF-17 was much cheaper.


    When asked about the exact price, he told BBC Urdu, “Its value is around $40–50m… this depends on the jet’s features and the price can also be higher than this”.


    When questioned about whether China received a share from the sale, the minister said, “A lot of matters are discussed on the table. China is definitely included in them; it should be and it is their right”.



    Responding to a question about Pakistan’s production capacity amid growing interest, Harraj told BBC Urdu that it was a question related to national defence. “These are our secrets, let them remain secrets.”


    He said the production of such “state-of-the-art” jets was time-consuming, adding that some components were manufactured in Pakistan while others were produced from China.


    Einar Tangen, a senior fellow at China’s Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI), told BBC Urdu that the technology used in the JF-17 was likely controlled by China, which means any export deal would be a joint agreement with Beijing as a “senior partner”.

    “China might even increase Pakistan’s defence production, but all this will be in Beijing’s control,” he said.