Blaze News - Pakistan

A day after a clip showing perceived brusqueness by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari towards party MNA Shazia Marri went viral on social media, PPP spokesperson herself on Friday termed it a one-off interaction that could not be viewed in isolation. The PPP chairman had addressed a press conference after the party’s parliamentary meeting at the Parliament House in Islamabad on Thursday. Although the session lasted nearly half an hour, the brief exchange — lasting only a few seconds — drew significant attention online. The exchange took place during the press conference when a journalist asked Bilawal about comments attributed to federal ministers suggesting that education, health and other subjects, particularly the Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP), be returned to the Centre under a proposed 28th Constitutional Amendment. Several subjects, including education and health, were devolved to the provinces un...

Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the United States in the autumn this year at the invitation of President Donald Trump, Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi said on Friday. Wang made the announcement when briefing the press on the just-concluded Xi-Trump meeting in Beijing. He called on the two sides to work together to make thorough preparations for the interactions and exchanges between the two heads of state, foster a favourable atmosphere and build up more outcomes. Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay a state visit to the United States in autumn this year at the invitation of U.S. President Donald Trump, Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi said on Friday. Wang made the announcement when briefing the press on the just-concluded Xi-Trump meeting… pic.twitter.com/voH0IK72N8 — China Xinhua News (@XHNews) May 15, 2026 On his two-day visit, Trump on ​Thursday ​invited Xi to ​the White House ​for ​a visit on ‌September ⁠24 during a state ​banque...

A ‌violent storm bringing rain, lightning, and hail scythed across India's most populous state of Uttar Pradesh, killing more than 100 people, rescue officials said on Thursday, as the chief minister ordered ​relief funds to be distributed within 24 hours. Storms are common in ​the northern state during the hot season from March to ⁠June before monsoon rains bring respite, but Wednesday's storm injured 59 people, damaged ​87 homes, and killed 114 livestock, authorities said. At least 104 people died in ​about a dozen districts, the worst hit being the area around the Hindu pilgrimage city of Prayagraj, the office of the state's relief commissioner, Hrishikesh Bhaskar Yashod, told Reuters. Read More: Upcountry braces for heavy rainfall "The ​entire area where we live turned black for around half an hour," said ​Ashok Rai, who lives in the coal-rich industrial town of Obra in the state's Sonbhadra ‌district. "Strong ⁠winds lifted hoarding...

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump met in Beijing on Thursday for high-stakes talks, discussing the Iran war, Ukraine and economic cooperation. Away from the long list of complex agenda topics, here are five other highlights from day one of the summit: One-sided friendship? Trump heaped praise on Xi as talks began at the cavernous Great Hall of the People, saying: "It's an honour to be your friend". "You and I have known each other for a long time ... We've had a fantastic relationship, we've gotten along when there were difficulties, we worked it out," Trump told Xi. "I would call you and you would call me." Xi has in the past partially reciprocated Trump's characterisation of their relationship, referring to a "personal friendship". But on Thursday, the Chinese leader stopped short of using that label, saying instead that their two countries "should be partners, not rivals". X...

Former UN weapons inspector and ex-US Marine Corps intelligence officer Scott Ritter has praised Pakistan’s diplomatic role in ongoing regional tensions, saying Islamabad remains central to efforts aimed at securing a breakthrough between Iran and the United States. Speaking during senior anchorperson Fahd Hussain’s programme ‘Full Frame’ on Express 24/7, Ritter described Pakistan as “the only game in town” capable of helping bring the crisis toward a final resolution. “I, first of all, want to commend Pakistan for the leadership that it has played in this,” Ritter said, adding that Pakistan’s leadership deserved international recognition for its mediation efforts. “If there ever was somebody who deserved the Nobel Peace Prize, the Pakistani leadership that has played this very essential role deserves this,” he remarked. Read: Pakistan's global role sees diplomatic shift Ritter — who served as a UN...

The Ministry of National Health Services, in coordination with the World Health Organisation (WHO), on Wednesday launched the Prime Minister’s Hepatitis C Elimination Programme aimed at eliminating the disease by 2030. Under the initiative, Pakistan has set a target of reaching 1.6 million people in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) over the next six months as part of a broader nationwide elimination drive. The programme, launched at a soft-launch ceremony in Islamabad, is part of a phased national rollout that will eventually extend to more than 164m people across the country, focusing on large-scale screening, early diagnosis and free treatment to curb the spread of Hepatitis C. وزیرِاعظم کے پروگرام برائے انسداد ہیپاٹائٹس سی کے سافٹ لانچ کی تقریب میں وفاقی وزیرِ صحت سید مصطفی کمال نے خطاب کرتے ہوئے کہا کہ پاکستان میں ہیپاٹائٹس سی کے خاتمے کا عملی آغاز ہو چکا ہے۔ یہ پروگرام گزشتہ 10 سال کی کوششوں کا نتیجہ ہے اور اس پر 67 ارب روپے کی خطیر لاگت مختص کی گئی...