Blaze News - Pakistan

Spain's Civil Guard is investigating the possibility of another mass migrant crossing into the North African enclave of Ceuta on Aug 15, following the circulation of calls on social media encouraging a collective attempt. According to Radiotelevisión Española (RTVE), an internal Civil Guard assessment based on publicly available information concluded that the online campaign is "real and documented" across Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, where groups linked to the calls collectively count between 400,000 and 422,560 members, although authorities cautioned that "those figures should be interpreted carefully". The assessment said the risk of an attempted crossing is "real, but its magnitude is uncertain," adding that preventive measures by Moroccan authorities and reinforced Spanish border controls will be key factors. 🇪🇸 🇲🇦 🇪🇺 What was behind the migrant rush to Spain's Ceuta? An unprecedented 72,000 people crossed in...

Rescuers on Sunday found the body of celebrated Nepali climber Nirmal Purja, who, along with nine mountaineers, was killed during an expedition in northern Pakistan earlier this week, an official confirmed to Anadolu. Purja's body was found at approximately 5,700 meters (18,700 feet) on Broad Peak -- three days after he and other members of his team were reported missing following an avalanche, said Ayaz Shigri, secretary general of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, the country's official mountaineering body. Read More: Nirmal Purja among 10 dead in avalanche Shigri said that seven bodies and parts of an eighth body had so far been found, while a search operation would continue for the recovery of the remaining two bodies. Purja was leading a 10-member expedition that included Nadhira Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy of Oman; Sohail Sakhi of Pakistan; Wang Zhong of China; Mallory Geis of the US; and Pur Bahadur Gurung Yukta, Kili Pemba Sherpa, Nima Sherpa, Nawang Thindu Sherpa and ...

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday agreed on the importance of finalising the "almost complete" interim trade deal between the two countries during a meeting in Manila, the US State Department said. According to State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott, Rubio and Jaishankar also discussed recent developments in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific. The meeting took place in Manila, where the two sides reviewed progress on bilateral cooperation and discussed defence and trade-related issues. Read: Trump likely to visit India early next year, Rubio says "The secretary and minister Jaishankar discussed finalising key defence agreements in fulfilment of commitments made between President Trump and Prime Minister Modi last year," Pigott said in a statement. He said the two leaders also "agreed on the importance of finalising the interim trade deal, which is almost complete". ...

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Saturday said that his administration is reviewing whether it has the legal authority to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu if he visits the city for the UN General Assembly in September, according to The New York Times. "I believe that Prime Minister Netanyahu belongs in The Hague," Mamdani said on The New York Times' 'The Interview' podcast with Lulu Garcia-Navarro. "He's a war criminal who has been charged by the International Criminal Court." Mamdani said he was in "an active conversation" with the New York City Law Department over whether he has the authority to direct the New York Police Department to detain a foreign leader. "Whatever the law allows me to do in New York City, that's what we will do, but we won't be writing our own laws to that end," he said. Mamdani had previously said during his mayoral campaign that he would seek to enforce the Inte...

Germany and France will expand cooperation on nuclear deterrence while remaining firmly committed to NATO’s nuclear umbrella, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Friday. Speaking at a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron after a joint Cabinet meeting in Brühl, Merz said the two countries are entering a new phase of strategic partnership, with fresh steps in security and defence. “We are embarking on a new, joint path regarding deterrence,” Merz said, adding that the two countries are working toward a new doctrine. “We are considering a mix of capabilities that will allow us to further enhance our joint deterrence in the future,” he said. Read More: French lawmakers back bill to remove statute of limitations for serious crimes against minors The chancellor announced that, as part of this new cooperation, German and French soldiers carried out joint maintenance this morning on French Rafale fighter jets — aircraft...

Ukraine and nine Coalition of the Willing countries have announced plans to establish a joint anti-ballistic missile coalition aimed at strengthening Europe’s defence capabilities against future missile threats. Leaders from Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine and the UK said the initiative would focus on creating an integrated missile defence architecture through cooperation in technology, research and defence industries. In a joint declaration, the countries said the coalition would be “purely defensive” and was designed to protect Europe from growing missile risks. Read More: Germany funds 50,000 strike drones for Ukraine, source says “We believe that the protection of Europe requires a global solution of integrated missile defence architecture to deter and defeat future missile threats,” the leaders said. Europe needs more anti-ballistic defense. Together, we can build such a system. Ukraine is re...

Iran urged the US on Sunday to set a timetable for Israel’s “unconditional” withdrawal from occupied Lebanese territories under a war-ending memorandum of understanding signed between Tehran and Washington. “Ending the war and military operations of the Zionist regime against Lebanon, as well as the withdrawal of occupiers from all occupied Lebanese territories, is a necessary condition for reaching a final and sustainable agreement to establish stability in the region,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Bagaei said in a news briefing carried by ISNA News Agency. Bagaei said Tehran considered safeguarding Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as “the dignity and security of all Lebanese people,” as “essential” for the durability of any agreement related to ending the war with the US. Read More: Iran's Khamenei says US-Israeli war crimes must be pursued vigorously in national, international c...

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that Washington would negotiate and deal with Beirut directly, and that Lebanon-Israel negotiations were separate from the deal. “Well, that process is separate. It's separate because Lebanon is a sovereign country. It has a government, and when it comes to Lebanon … we're going to negotiate and deal directly with the Lebanese government,” Rubio told reporters after landing in Abu Dhabi. Rubio is on a visit to the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain from June 23 to 25 to discuss regional security, following a memorandum of understanding reached between the US and Iran. “I spoke to President [Joseph)] Aoun, along with the vice president, a few moments ago, spoke to him on Friday. Their people are there now on the ground directly,” Rubio said. He said the “Iranian issue with regards to Lebanon” was “the support and sponsorship of Hezbollah”, w...

A United States F-15 pilot rescued after being shot down above Iran in April reported seeing an unusual “jellyfish” formation of Iranian drones before ejecting, CNN reported on Tuesday, citing sources. During a post-mission debrief, the pilot reportedly told intelligence officials he observed several drones moving together in a pattern resembling a “jellyfish”, sparking debate within the US intelligence community. If accurate, the sighting could indicate a significant advancement in Iran’s drone technology, said the report. One source familiar with the account described it as “multiple drones interconnected and moving as one with smaller drones below the bigger drones like legs.” The source added, “Real alien (expletive).” Read More: Iran says technical talks with US concluded in Switzerland Another source said the pilot saw a “minefield of drones” in the sky, according to the report. Investigators are still de...

At least six people died in Brazil on Sunday after two helicopters collided in western Rio de Janeiro, firefighters said. The helicopters crashed into the parking lot of an electric car dealership, igniting a fire that engulfed at least 20 vehicles. A statement from firefighters said that initial reports pointed to a mid-air collision, adding "six fatalities have been confirmed, all were crew members of the aircraft involved in the accident." Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Cavaliere said that there were "foreign nationals on board one of the aircraft," without giving further details. Fire services spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Fabio Contreiras told CNN Brasil at the scene that it was unclear exactly how the accident unfolded. "Parts of the aircraft are scattered hundreds of meters away, so the information we have is still very preliminary. We really need to get the recordings and videos to understand exactly what happened," he said. Contreiras said...

India has frozen approvals for Starlink to begin commercial operations due to security concerns, according to a Bloomberg report published on Tuesday. Security agencies under India's Ministry of Home Affairs have withheld the final clearances required for the satellite internet service operated by SpaceX to launch services, those familiar with the matter told Bloomberg. The concerns stem from reports that Starlink terminals were used during the Middle East war despite the service not being licensed in Iran, it said. The incident has reportedly raised concerns in New Delhi about its ability to control a US-based operator during periods of geopolitical tension. Read More: Pakistan puts Starlink approval on hold Two Indian telecom companies, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, signed pacts in 2025 with SpaceX to bring Starlink internet services to the country. The situation has also delayed approval of satellite-spectrum pricing needed for commercial launches, including by Indi...

A new study conducted by the UN think tank, the United Nations University (UNU), has warned that the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence could place unprecedented pressure on global energy, water, and land resources, with impacts expected to be particularly significant for developing regions in Asia. 🎙️ Featured on UN News Today: UNU-INWEH’s latest report warns that by 2030, AI could consume as much water as 1.3 billion people in sub-Saharan Africa and require more electricity than Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nigeria combined. #AI #WaterSecurity #UNUINWEH pic.twitter.com/UuEQaXjITI — UN University-INWEH (@UNUINWEH) June 8, 2026 The report titled The Environmental Cost of Artificial Intelligence: Carbon, Water and Land Footprints, published by the UNU Institute for Water, Environment and Health, found that AI's environmental footprint extends far beyond carbon emissions and is growing at a pace that could strain natural resources worldwide. According to t...

Israeli occupiers on Sunday stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque in the occupied East Jerusalem under police protection, amid Palestinian warnings of "Judaization" plans. Omar Rajoub, director of the Media Department at the Jerusalem Governorate, told Anadolu that "raising the Israeli flag inside the courtyards of Al-Aqsa Mosque, along with performing provocative rituals, is part of a systematic and deliberate official Israeli policy led by the extremist occupation government." "These practices aim to impose new realities by force in occupied East Jerusalem and undermine the historical and legal status quo at the Al-Aqsa Mosque," he added. Read: Dozens of Israeli occupiers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque compound under police protection He warned that "occupiers' actions inside the Al-Aqsa Mosque are part of an ongoing colonial plan targeting the spatial and temporal division of the mosque, the Judaization of the city to obliterate its religious and historical id...

The Palestinian Authority on Saturday welcomed the inclusion of Israel on the United Nations blacklist for sexual violence in conflict, calling the move “realistic and objective”. “UN inclusion of Israel on the ‘List of Shame’ for Perpetrators of Sexual Violence in Conflict Zones is a scientific and logical outcome,” a Palestinian Foreign Ministry statement said. The ministry expressed support for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres amid what it described as Israeli attempts to influence the UN report that placed Israel on the list. It said that Israel and its “official and unofficial institutions have practiced torture, sexual violence and rape against our people in the occupied Palestinian territory, especially in detention centres". Israel “has used sexual violence as a weapon of war, which constitutes a war crime and a crime against humanity", It added. The statement said that Israel has employed a “systemat...

EU’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that the US, China, and Russia all prefer a fragmented Europe because a united EU represented a geopolitical force capable of challenging major powers. Speaking at the Lennart Meri Conference in Tallinn, the Estonian capital, on Sunday, Kallas said the EU's collective strength was precisely why external powers had sought to undermine it. “They don’t like the European Union; that’s very clear,” she said. “If we stick together, if we operate together, then we are equal powers; we are strong.” Read More: EU agrees sanctions on Israeli settlers Her remarks came as European leaders grappled with uncertainty over Washington’s long-term commitment to European security. She argued that dealing with individual European countries was easier for global powers than negotiating with the bloc as a whole, describing efforts to cultivate bilateral ties as part of a wider “divide-and-con...

A cargo vessel was reportedly attacked by small boats west of Iran’s coastal city of Sirik, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said on Sunday. The centre said the incident was reported approximately 11 nautical miles west of Sirik city, which overlooks the Strait of Hormuz. It said all crew were reported safe and no environmental impact was recorded. No details were given about the vessel’s cargo or the identity of those behind the attack. "Vessels are advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity," UKMTO said. Update 040 JMIC Advisory Note 03 May Click here to view the full advisory note⤵️ https://t.co/FMiz4OONEv#MaritimeSecurity #MarSec pic.twitter.com/t7A4l1pBHi — UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) May 3, 2026 The UKTMO also released an advisory in which the conditions of Hormuz and surrounding waters remain "critical." The Monitoring body said that the Master of a Northbound bulk carrier sent ...

Russia and Ukraine on Saturday exchanged prisoners of war with 115 military personnel from each side, mediated by the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A statement by the Russian Defense Ministry said that the 115 Russian servicemen captured by Ukrainian forces in the border region of Kursk were returned from territory under Kyiv's control. All released Russian military personnel are currently in neighboring Belarus, the statement said, adding that they will be transferred to Russia and will receive treatment and rehabilitation in medical institutions run by the Defense Ministry. They are released in exchange for 115 Ukrainian military personnel, the statement added. It said the United Arab Emirates (UAE) helped with mediation efforts during the swap. “Another 115 of our defenders have returned home today. These are warriors of the National Guard, the Armed Forces, the Navy, and the State Border Guard Service,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said of the prisoners’ swap on X. ...

The Wien Museum on Thursday begins a three-part Summer Academy dedicated to Islamic heritage in Austria’s capital Vienna.  In the first part on Thursday, experts and interested participants will examine objects “collected due to a long-standing fascination with what has long been referred to as the ‘Orient’,” according to an announcement. In the following week, the Summer Academy will focus on traces of Islamic heritage in Vienna's public space. The third and final event on Sept. 5 will focus on the aesthetics of Islamic heritage with calligraphy, arabesques and more. “Discussions about migration are intermingled with claims about its alleged alienation. Muslims are supposed to be completely different from 'us',” writes the museum in its announcement. According to the exhibition organizers, however, there are countless traces of Muslim presence in the city in the Wien Museum's collection. “They shed new light on the relationship between Islam and Vienna,” the museum sai...

Indonesia on Saturday held celebration ceremonies for the country's 79th independence anniversary at the newly inaugurated capital Nusantara. The major national flag-hoisting ceremony that took place at the State Palace in the new capital was attended by President Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, and President-elect Prabowo Subianto, according to Antara News. The ceremony was also broadcast at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, where Vice President Ma'ruf Amin and Jokowi's eldest son and Vice President-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka were in attendance. Indonesia declared its independence from the Netherlands on Aug. 17, 1945. This year, the theme of the Independence Day is "New Nusantara, Advanced Indonesia." Last month, Widodo officially began working from Nusantara. However, the official inauguration of the new capital was set on the country's Independence Day. Over 80% of the infrastructure work for the first phase of the $32 billion capital city project has b...

The US on Wednesday said reports that the Israeli army is using Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip as human shields are “disturbing” and urged Israel to investigate the allegations. “We would urge Israel to immediately and transparently investigate these allegations and hold any potential perpetrators accountable,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel told reporters. “Israel has a responsibility to comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law,” said Patel, while noting the allegations are “just reports at this point” and it is why the US would encourage Israel to “look into what's going on.” An investigation by the Haaretz newspaper in Israel revealed that the army is systematically using Palestinian civilians as human shields during operations in Gaza. The report published Tuesday said the practice is conducted with the knowledge of senior military officials, including Army Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi. The investigation, which is based on testimonies fr...