VILA-REAL, Spain, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Kylian Mbappe netted twice to claim Real Madrid a 2-0 win at Villarreal on Saturday and take his side top of La Liga. La Liga's top scorer Mbappe reached 21 goals for the season in the competition to help Madrid see off a spirited Villarreal side, now fourth in the table. Arbeloa's side have won three consecutive matches across all competitions and victory at Villarreal could be a vital step in the revival of their season. The coach has made clear how important his star players are and none has been more crucial this season than Mbappe. The 25-year-old Brazil forward went a 13th straight La Liga match without scoring, but was involved as Mbappe opened the scoring two minutes into the second half.

NEW YORK, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - American Josh Hoey clocked 1min 42.50sec to break the 800m indoor world record at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix meeting in Boston on Saturday. Hoey, the 2025 indoor world champion at 800m, broke the previous mark of 1:42.67 set by Denmark's Wilson Kipketer in Paris almost 30 years ago, on March 9, 1997. On Saturday he settled in behind his brother Jaxson Hoey, who acted as pace-setter, and sailed home without a hitch. "I just slotted in behind Jax and just tried to stay calm behind my brother and let him lead me," Hoey said. Eloy Benitez of Puerto Rico was second in 6:56, just edging out American Jordan Anthony, who was third in 6:57.

YANGON, Myanmar, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Myanmar holds the final round of its month-long election on Sunday, with the dominant pro-military party on course for a landslide in a junta-run vote critics say will prolong the army's grip on power. Tropical Myanmar has a long history of military rule, but the generals took a back seat for a decade of civilian-led reforms. That ended in a 2021 military coup when democratic figurehead Aung San Suu Kyi was detained, civil war broke out, and the country descended into a humanitarian crisis. With Suu Kyi sidelined and her hugely popular party dissolved, democracy advocates say the ballot is stacked with military allies. Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi, 80, remains detained incommunicado at an unknown location on charges rights monitors dismiss as politically motivated.

DAMASCUS, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Syria's government freed at least 126 minors being held in a northern prison on Saturday, state media reported, after taking over the facility from Kurdish forces as part of an agreement. Footage on state television showed crowds gathered to welcome the released minors, while Syria's official SANA news agency published the names of the remaining detainees, allowing people to look for them online. State television reported "the release... of 126 detainees under the age of 18 from Al-Aqtan prison" in Raqa province, which has been used to hold Islamic State group detainees. The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Kurdish fighters were transferred from the prison on Friday to the Kurdish-held city of Ain al-Arab, also known as Kobane, in Aleppo province on the northern border with Turkey.

PARIS, France, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The head of Iran's telecoms company told local media on Saturday that internet service would be restored "today or tomorrow", the Fars news agency reported. It also reported that the Supreme National Security Council had on Friday night approved the reconnection of the internet and notified the communications ministry. "God willing, this issue will be resolved today or tomorrow," Behzad Akbari, chief executive of the Telecommunications Infrastructure Company, was quoted as saying by Fars. Under the cover of the blackout, Iranian authorities launched a deadly crackdown on protesters, with rights groups documenting several thousand dead and the Norway-based NGO Iran Human Rights saying the final figure could top 25,000. He said "keeping the internet shut will create dissatisfaction and widen the gap between the people and the government".

ROME, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Saturday joined criticism of US President Donald Trump's comments on the role of non-US NATO troops in Afghanistan, defending the memory of Italian soldiers killed and wounded there. "The Italian government was astonished to hear President Trump's statement claiming that NATO allies 'fell behind' during operations in Afghanistan," Meloni posted on X. During the nearly 20 years of NATO operations in Afghanistan, she said, "our nation paid a cost that is beyond dispute: 53 Italian soldiers killed and more than 700 wounded". Meloni noted that NATO had invoked Article Five after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the country that killed 3,000 people, effectively launching the Afghanistan campaign. Earlier Saturday, Italy's Foreign Minister also paid tribute to Italy's dead and wounded in Afghanistan in a post online.

Bournemouth snap Liverpool's unbeaten run to up pressure on SlotBOURNEMOUTH, United Kingdom, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Bournemouth ended Liverpool's 13-game unbeaten run as Amine Adli's 95th minute strike secured a thrilling 3-2 win for the Cherries on Saturday. Slot, who guided Liverpool to Premier League glory last season, had steadied the ship after a run of nine defeats in 12 games earlier in the campaign. But the Dutchman has attracted criticism for Liverpool's uninspiring performances, even during their unbeaten run, and they are now winless in five league games. But they again struggled when faced with the rigours of breaking down a Premier League defence after gifting the Cherries a 2-0 lead. Almost straight from kick-off, Liverpool needed Alisson Becker to produce a brilliant save from Ryan Christie to prevent Bournemouth retaking the lead.

Venezuela hopes to boost its oil production by 18 percent in 2026: state-owned PDVSACARACAS, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Venezuela wants to boost its oil production by 18 percent this year through planned reforms that will fully open the sector to private investors, the head of the state oil giant PDVSA said Saturday. "We had a law... that was not up to date with what we needed as an industry," PDVSA CEO Hector Obregon said, adding that the target for 2026 "is to grow by at least 18 percent." Current production is around one million barrels per day. US President Donald Trump has made no secret of his interest in Venezuela's oil. If adopted, the bill would roll back decades of state controls over Venezuela's oil sector, which were tightened by Maduro's late mentor, socialist firebrand Hugo Chavez, in the mid-2000s.

BERLIN, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Augsburg stunned Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich 2-1 on Saturday to end a 27-match unbeaten league run for their Bavarian rivals dating back to March. Hiroki Ito's opener gave the defending champions an early lead but Augsburg fought back with two goals in six second-half minutes from Arthur Chaves and Han-Noah Massengo. It wasn't like Augsburg dominated us, but a win for us would not have been deserved either," Bayern's Joshua Kimmich told Sky Germany:"Augsburg were more aggressive towards the end. Massengo then finished off a superb team move to put Augsburg in front and on track for their first win in Munich since 2015. Rock-bottom at Christmas, Mainz have claimed nine points from their past six matches to climb into the relegation playoff spot.

Next round of Russia, Ukraine talks to begin in Abu Dhabi on February 1: US officialABU DHABI, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A next round of trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and the US to halt the war will continue in Abu Dhabi on February 1 a US official said on Saturday. "We've agreed that the next round begins next Sunday in Abu Dhabi again," the official told reporters, calling the decision to hold further talks a "good sign" and adding that "a lot of work" was done over two days of negotiations in the Emirati capital. Ukrainian and Russian delegations held their first direct talks in months in Abu Dhabi even as Russia launched a barrage of drones and missiles during the discussions. Trump met Ukrainian President Zelensky at the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday and US envoy Steve Witkoff later held talks with President Vladimir Putin in the Kremlin. The war has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions and devastated large swathes of Ukraine.

PARIS, France, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - The son of Iran's president, who is also a government adviser, called on Saturday for internet connectivity to be restored, warning the more than two-week blackout there would exacerbate anti-government sentiment. Yousef Pezeshkian, whose father Masoud was elected president in 2024, said "keeping the internet shut will create dissatisfaction and widen the gap between the people and the government". Iran's more than 90 million people have been largely cut off from the internet since authorities imposed a blackout on January 8 amid major protests sweeping the country. The younger Pezeshkian, who is a media adviser to the presidency, said he did not know when access to the internet would be restored. He went on to say that "the release of films is something we will have to face sooner or later.

BAGHDAD, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Iraq's main Shiite alliance, which holds a parliamentary majority, endorsed on Saturday former prime minister and powerbroker Nouri al-Maliki as the country's next premier. The statement spoke of Maliki's "political and administrative experience and his record in running the state". Since the invasion and by convention in Iraq, a Shiite Muslim holds the powerful post of prime minister, a Sunni is parliament speaker, and the largely ceremonial presidency goes to a Kurd. After Iraq's November general election, the Coordination Framework, which includes Maliki, formed the majority bloc. Soon after, it held heated talks to choose the next prime minister, along with other discussions with Sunni and Kurdish parties regarding other posts.

The trilateral talks in the UAE will resume on February 1, a US official said, adding: "I think getting everyone together was a big step. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said "a lot was discussed, and it is important that the conversations were constructive". The European Union, which has sent hundreds of power generators to Ukraine, has accused Moscow of "deliberately depriving civilians of heat". Putin has repeatedly said Moscow intends to get full control of eastern Ukraine by force if talks fail. Trump has in the past pressured Ukraine to agree to terms that Kyiv sees as capitulation.

Truce between Syria govt, Kurds lapses with no word on extensionDAMASCUS, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - A four-day ceasefire between the Syrian government and Kurdish forces lapsed on Saturday evening, with no official announcement on its extension from either side. But minutes before the truce was due to officially expire at 8pm (1700 GMT), Syrian state television cited a foreign ministry source as saying an extension had not yet occurred. A Kurdish source close to the negotiations also said "the ceasefire has been extended until a mutually acceptable political solution is reached". The truce between Damascus and the Kurds is part of a new understanding over Kurdish-majority areas in Hasakeh province and a broader deal to integrate the Kurds' administration into the state. Earlier this month, the Syrian army recaptured oil fields, including the country's largest, while advancing against Kurdish forces.

Frank under increased pressure after Spurs stumble at Burnley as City winLONDON, Jan 25, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Thomas Frank's job is under renewed threat after Tottenham dropped more points in a 2-2 draw at struggling Burnley on Saturday as Manchester City closed the gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal. The last-gasp draw left Spurs 13th in the table -- without a league win in five matches in 2026. "You can't say we didn't do everything to win," Frank told the BBC. Egypt forward Omar Marmoush put the home side ahead early, finishing crisply from a Matheus Nunes cross for his first Premier League goal of the season. The win lifts City to 46 points -- four behind Arsenal, who host Michael Carrick's Manchester United on Sunday.