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Though Malik has taken down his YouTube and Instagram accounts amid the row, some of the clippings are still circulating on social media.

An Indian content creator has reportedly been detained in Turkey after massive outrage over his alleged derogatory remarks targeting Turkish women. YouTuber Malik SD Khan, who is known among his followers as ‘Malik Swashbuckler’, came under fire after a series of videos appeared on his channel, where he was seen making sexually explicit remarks on Turkish women.

Though Malik has taken down his YouTube and Instagram accounts amid the row, some of the clippings are still circulating on social media, where the YouTuber can be seen using offensive language in Hindi-believing locals wouldn’t be able to understand him- as he made rape threats and sexually explicit comments against women.

In one of the clips, he referred to a woman as “maal”, while in another, he asked viewers if he should sexually assault his Turkish guide at night. In another video, Malik was seen entering a Turkish store and demanding to know why they don’t have an Indian flag on display, as he used foul language against the shopkeeper.

Some Turkish social media users, who understood what was being said in the videos, flagged them, leading to public backlash. 

Following the complaints, Turkish police have detained Malik Swashbuckler, according to a report by Turkiye Today. 

However, Turkish authorities have not released any official statement about the YouTuber’s arrest or details about the investigation. 

The case comes at a time when India-Turkey ties have hit rock bottom over the country’s show of support to Pakistan following the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam. The videos were shared online after many Indian tourists boycotted Turkey in the aftermath of India-Pakistan tensions. 

Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thi Lien Huong, speaking at a conference earlier this year, warned it was increasingly difficult to encourage families to have more children, despite policy adjustments and public campaigns.

Vietnam’s communist government has scrapped its long-standing policy of limiting families to two children, state media said Wednesday, as the country battles to reverse a declining birth rate.

The country banned couples from having more than two children in 1988, but a family’s size is now a decision for each individual couple, Vietnam News Agency said.

The country has experienced historically low birth rates during the last three years, with the total fertility rate dropping to just 1.91 children per woman last year, below replacement level, the ministry of health said this year.

Birth rates have fallen from 2.11 children per woman in 2021, to 2.01 in 2022 and 1.96 in 2023.

This trend is most pronounced in urbanized, economically developed regions, especially in big cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as the cost of living rises.

Tran Minh Huong, a 22-year-old office worker, told AFP that the government regulation mattered little to her as she had no plans to have children.

“Even though I am an Asian, with social norms that say women need to get married and have kids, it’s too costly to raise a child.”

Sex imbalance

Deputy Health Minister Nguyen Thi Lien Huong, speaking at a conference earlier this year, warned it was increasingly difficult to encourage families to have more children, despite policy adjustments and public campaigns. 

She emphasized that the declining birth rate poses challenges to long-term socio-economic development, including an ageing population and workforce shortages.

She urged society to shift its mindset from focusing solely on family planning to a broader perspective of population and development.

Vietnam is also grappling with sex imbalances due to a historic preference for boys. On Tuesday the ministry of health proposed tripling the current fine to $3,800 “to curb foetal gender selection”, according to state media.

The gender ratio at birth, though improved, remains skewed at 112 boys for every 100 girls.

Hoang Thi Oanh, 45, has three children but received fewer benefits after the birth of her youngest, due to the two-child policy.

“It’s good that at last the authorities removed this ban,” she said, but added that “raising more than two kids nowadays is too hard and costly”. 

“Only brave couples and those better-off would do so. I think the authorities will even have to give bonuses to encourage people to have more than two children.”

Vietnam’s giant neighbour China ended its own strict “one-child policy”, imposed in the 1980s due to fears of overpopulation, in 2016 and in 2021 permitted couples to have three children.

But as in many countries, the soaring cost of living has proved a drag on birth rates and the moves have failed to reverse China’s demographic decline — its population fell for the third year in a row in 2024.

According to local media, the shooting took place in Lawrence Heights neighbourhood of North York.

One person has died and several others have been injured after a mass shooting incident in Canada’s Toronto. According to local media, the shooting took place in Lawrence Heights neighbourhood of North York.

The Toronto Police has confirmed that at least five people were hospitalised with “non-life-threatening gunshot wounds”.  

“Disturbed by news of the shootings in the Lawrence Heights area this evening. My office is in contact with Toronto Police, who are on scene now and investigating, and the local councillor Deputy Mayor Mike Colle,” Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said in a social media post.

“I want to thank the first responders – Toronto Police, Fire and Paramedic services for your work on a very busy and challenging scene. Toronto Police are working to provide an update soon,” she added.

According to local media reports, the entire area of the incident has been cordoned off and an investigation is underway to track down the shooter.

Disturbed by news of the shootings in the Lawrence Heights area this evening. My office is in contact with Toronto Police, who are on scene now and investigating, and the local councillor Deputy Mayor Mike Colle,” Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said in a social media post.

“I want to thank the first responders – Toronto Police, Fire and Paramedic services for your work on a very busy and challenging scene. Toronto Police are working to provide an update soon,” she added.

Bilawal Bhutto is a Pakistan National Assembly member and the Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party. He has earlier served as the country’s Foreign Minister.

Former Pakistan minister Bilawal Bhutto was stumped by a journalist’s question at a UN media interaction after the Pakistani leader alleged that the Pahalgam terror attack “was being used as a political tool to demonise Muslims in India”. Veteran journalist Ahmed Fathi promptly referred to “Muslim Indian military officers” who were part of the government’s briefings during the conflict. Bhutto had no answer to this and went on to rant and make baseless allegations against India.

Ahmed Fathi referred to Bhutto’s statement alleging demonisation of Muslims in India, and added, “Sir, I have watched the briefings on both sides and as far as I recall, there were Muslim Indian military officers who were conducting briefings on the Indian side.” The reference was unmissable: Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who articulated the Indian position during Operation Sindoor and emerged as an inspiration for the country.  

Bhutto replied, “Well, as far as the operation is concerned, you are absolutely right.” To this, Ahmed Fathi replied, “Okay.” Before he could ask the next question, Bhutto interrupted and ranted for a while, making wild allegations against India. But the journalist had made his point.

Bilawal Bhutto is a Pakistan National Assembly member and the Chairman of the Pakistan People’s Party. He has earlier served as the country’s Foreign Minister. During the UN press meet, Bilawal Bhutto also acknowledged that Islamabad’s efforts to raise the Kashmir issue at international forums have faced obstacles. “As far as the hurdles we face within the UN and in general, as far as the Kashmir cause is concerned, that still exists,” he said.

In a copycat move after India launched a global outreach exercise after the recent conflict, Pakistan too has sent delegations abroad. Bilawal Bhutto is leading one of these delegations.

Earlier, Bilawal Bhutto made headlines for his provocative remarks, widely seen as a sign of political immaturity. Following India’s decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty in the wake of the Pahalgam attack that left 26 innocents dead, he said, “The Indus is ours and will remain ours – either our water will flow through it, or their blood.”

Among those who panned Bhutto’s reckless remark was AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi. The Hyderabad MP said Bhutto should remember who killed his mother and former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and his grandfather and the country’s former President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.

“Forget about such childish talk. He doesn’t know what happened to his grandfather? His mother? His mother was killed by terrorists. So at least, he should not be speaking like this. Do you even know what you are talking about? Unless the US gives you something, you cannot run the country and you are trying to stare us down.”

“He must think who killed his mother. Terrorism killed her. If he doesn’t get that, what will you explain to him? When they shot your mother, it is terrorism. And when they kill our mothers and daughters, it is not?” Mr Owaisi said.

Sharmishta Panoli was arrested on May 31, over two weeks after she made the controversial remarks in response to a post questioning India’s military action after the Pahalgam attack

Sharmishta Panoli, the 22-year-old social media influencer from Kolkata arrested over a communally charged video linked to Operation Sindoor, has been granted interim bail by the Calcutta High Court.

Ms Panoli was arrested on May 31, over two weeks after she made the controversial remarks in response to a post questioning India’s military action after the Pahalgam attack.

The interim bail comes a day after the Kolkata Police filed a first information report (FIR) against Wajahat Khan Qadri, the man whose complaint led to the arrest of Ms Panoli.

Mr Qadri faces allegations of hurting religious sentiments. He is on the run, the police said.

An Assam Police team has also reached Kolkata with an arrest warrant for Mr Qadri. The Assam Police filed a case against him earlier this week for posting content on social media that contained hate speech and derogatory remarks, which hurt religious sentiments.

He was not found at his Kolkata house when the police team went there on Wednesday. Mr Khan also faces many cases in other states.

Ms Panoli was arrested from Gurugram last week after her Instagram post drew protests.

Her arrest sparked a political row, with the BJP and its allies targeting the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal. She was produced in court and sent to judicial custody for 14 days.

Ms Panoli even received support from nearly 7,000 km away. Geert Wilders, a member of the Dutch Parliament and the leader of the right-wing Party for Freedom, has said the influencer’s arrest is a “disgrace for freedom of speech” and urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to ensure she is freed.

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