Category: English

Oil prices fell on Friday as Middle East supply concerns eased somewhat after US President Donald Trump said the country will not attack Iran ​before US elections next month amid productive talks to end their ‌war that has disrupted the market. Brent crude futures fell 72 cents, or 0.7%, to $103.53 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell 52 cents, or 0.6%, ​to $90.97. Still, Brent prices are set for weekly gains after settling 4% ​higher on Thursday because of an increase in attacks on shipping ⁠carrying…

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The US government said on Thursday it is suspending some of the world’s biggest tech and IT firms, including Microsoft, Cognizant and Capgemini, from a key green card program that allows skilled foreign workers to gain permanent residency through their employment. Senior US officials cited alleged fraud as the reason behind the move, saying ​companies have been using the program to replace American workers with cheaper foreign workers, and it comes as the latest step in the Trump ‌administration’s crackdown on skilled foreign labour. What is under suspension? The suspension…

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The government has increased the price of petrol by Rs2.31 per litre and reduced the high-speed diesel (HSD) price by 78 paise, according to a Petroleum Division notification issued on Tuesday. The price of petrol has risen from Rs396.65 to 398.96 per litre, while diesel has been reduced from Rs394.94 to 395.72 per litre. The revised prices will take effect on October 09, 2026, under the federal government’s petroleum pricing mechanism. The Petroleum Division said the revision was based on changes in the international market, including Platts rates, premiums and…

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President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the US will not launch an attack on Iran ​before November’s US midterm congressional elections, asserting that the two countries are ‌having “productive” talks about ending the six-month-old war. “We are having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. “We will not be attacking Iran ​at any time prior to the midterm elections to be held in ​the United States on November 3rd.” The war, which began in ⁠February when the US and Israel…

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Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain Dr Abdullatif Bin Rashid Al Zayani called on Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, NI (M), HJ, at General Headquarters (GHQ) on Thursday. During the meeting, matters of mutual interest, the regional security situation and bilateral defence and security were discussed, said a news release issued by Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR). The Field Marshal underscored the longstanding fraternal relations between Pakistan and Bahrain, rooted in shared values and mutual respect.…

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Lufthansa Group airlines and Air ‌India will suspend flights to Riyadh, they said on Thursday, as Yemen’s ​Houthis renewed threats against ​airlines after claiming an attack on ⁠the Saudi capital’s airport. A ​Lufthansa spokesperson told Reuters the German ​group’s airlines would suspend flights to Riyadh through October 16 due to “current developments ​in the Middle East”. ​Air India said it had cancelled all ‌flights ⁠to the Saudi capital until October 10. Smoke was seen rising from a stationary aircraft at Riyadh ​airport earlier ​on ⁠Thursday, according to a witness and…

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Iran has indicated it will respond to a US proposal within the next few days, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Thursday, as indirect negotiations between the two countries continue through intermediaries. Speaking to reporters, Araghchi said the negotiation process remained active, and messages were being exchanged between the two sides through intermediaries, according to semi-official Iranian agency Tasnim News. Araghchi said Iran had presented its own proposals, referred to as the “seven-day plan”, and had heard the US position on them. Iran was currently reviewing the US stance…

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Voters who backed Democratic former Vice President Kamala Harris in 2024 are far more enthusiastic about casting ballots this November than ​those who supported President Donald Trump, a Reuters/Ipsos poll found, in a potential warning sign for Republicans heading into the midterm elections. The six-day poll, completed Monday, also found that men were more enthusiastic ‌about voting and more certain to cast ballots than women, and that male voters showed signs of shifting toward Democrats. That could signal erosion in Republican support among a demographic that was a pillar of…

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A court in Bristol, UK, has jailed three Afghans over the gang rape of a 17-year-old girl, with three of the defendants also having fled the country for France following the attack. According to a media report, Bristol Crown Court heard that Mehrab Safi, 21, Salman Habibkheil, 19, Awal Ahmadzai, 19 and a 17-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons attacked the girl at a house in Bristol in November last year. The victim had been brought to the house and given alcohol before being sexually assaulted and…

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Efforts are underway to involve Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman as a mediator to break the deadlock between the government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) amid the ongoing political crisis, sources said on Thursday. According to the sources, both the government and the opposition have asked Fazlur Rehman to play a role in defusing political tensions after the PTI launched a long march on Islamabad to press for its demands. The government, meanwhile, has stepped up security around Islamabad and made it clear that protesters will not be allowed…

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