Overview
- Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz approved a CM Special Initiative Card that covers the full cost of cancer and heart treatment, offering up to 1,000,000 rupees per patient with 45,000 cards planned in the first phase.
- The rollout is tied to tight activation targets and hiring: the Lahore cancer institute OPD by January 17, Sargodha cardiology services by January 31, and Lahore’s Jinnah Institute of Cardiology by February 15, with Boards clearing 219, 258 and 1,104 recruitments respectively.
- India’s largest budget carrier IndiGo faced major delays and cancellations affecting thousands of passengers, prompting sharp questions about airline systems and government oversight.
- Congress leaders escalated criticism, with Rahul Gandhi calling the disruption a failure of a monopoly-driven model and Poon Khera alleging a 50 crore rupee electoral-bond payment by IndiGo to the BJP; the allegation was presented as a claim.
- U.S. President Donald Trump said he has ended eight wars and is trying to end a ninth by advancing talks on the Russia–Ukraine conflict, while noting disappointment that President Volodymyr Zelensky had not yet engaged with a proposed plan after discussions showed no breakthrough.