Pakistan

France’s health minister said Thursday that 26 people in France identified as close contacts of hantavirus cases linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship had tested negative for the illness. Dutch authorities also confirmed that all people who arrived in the Netherlands on evacuation flights from the ship this week have tested negative. Twenty-six people are in hospital isolation in France, including 22 identified as close contacts of a Dutch woman on the MV Hondius that was at the centre of an international alert for the rare disease typically transmitted by rodents. French doctors are monitoring four others who were on the ship, while a fifth French passenger tested positive for hantavirus and is in serious condition in a French hospital. “As of today, all close contacts of a person who tested positive for hantavirus, present in France, have tested negative, without exception,” said Health Minister Stephanie Rist on X. Twenty-two of the individuals in France were on a flight from the Atlantic island of Saint He...

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday approved the establishment of a task force to promote waste-to-energy production in Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD: The government on Thursday said that IMF-mandated asset declarations of civil servants would be made publicly accessible in a redacted form to ensure both transparency and personal privacy. The declaration of government officials’ assets is required under IMF governance and corruption-related benchmarks. Establishment Division Secretary Nabeel Awan testified before the Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue, which ordered full investigations into two major scams involving the disappearance of over 400 kilogrammes of silver and a major portion of 2,000 bags of skimmed milk from the custody of Pakistan Customs. The meeting of the senate panel, chaired by Senator Saleem Mandviwalla, took up the status of asset declarations by government servants, and Awan reported that the government had revised the Civil Servants Conduct Rules and was in the process of digitising the asset declaration system through the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) platform. He said, “Declarations would be publicly access...

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Trump seeks economic wins, help on Iran war Xi hails 'positive outcome' of trade talks China to buy 200 Boeing

Bilawal warns major legislation impossible without party support

Says assets strictly for deterrence and defense

Ship reported seized off UAE, steered towards Iran

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to dialogue and diplomacy as the preferred approach for addressing regional challenges during a telephone conversation with UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.

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? China’s President Xi Jinping (R) and US President Donald Trump shake hands as they attend a state banquet at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14, 2026. — AFP 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 ins...

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Calls for comprehensive housing reforms

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Chaudhry cautions against developing false narratives

Stakeholders seek swift, inclusive implementation of NCMR Act

Dar meets US envoy, speaks with UK FM on regional ties

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