Month: October 2026

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has intercepted and destroyed an MQ-1 drone east of the Strait of Hormuz, marking the 14th such drone it says its air defence system has brought down, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported on Thursday. Citing the IRGC, ISNA said the incident occurred in airspace east of the strait, opposite the coastal area of Sirik. The force did not identify the drone’s operator. The incident comes amid growing indications of a possible renewed US-Israeli offensive against Iran. The Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday…

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Hello Kitty maker Sanrio has cancelled a collaboration with a Japanese TV spy show after ‌a backlash in China, the second incident in days to highlight the tightrope foreign firms and celebrities must walk in the lucrative market. The Wednesday announcement by Sanrio’s Chinese subsidiary came just after French soccer star Kylian Mbappe apologised for remarks about late ​Chinese leader Mao Zedong that saw several Chinese sponsors cut ties with him. The hit show VIVANT, ​produced by Japanese broadcaster TBS and also available on Netflix, centres on Japanese spies ⁠and…

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Truth Social, the social media platform founded by President Donald Trump, has signed up news and data provider Bloomberg and two Wall Street ​firms for faster access to the president’s posts, which it sells for up to $100,000 a month, according to people with direct knowledge of the matter. The firms are Susquehanna International Group and ‌Jump Trading, both high-frequency trading firms focused on algorithmic and automated strategies. The service gives subscribers a timing advantage to Trump’s posts on Truth Social, which has the potential to create swings in financial…

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At least eight people, including a pregnant woman, were killed and four others seriously injured after an oxygen cylinder exploded while being replaced in an ambulance at a hospital in Nagarparkar’s Dano Dhandhal area, rescue sources said on Thursday. The deceased included a patient, attendants and hospital employees. Several bodies were badly burnt in the fire, making identification difficult. The rescue sources said the incident occurred at a People’s Primary Healthcare Initiative (PPHI) ambulance parked at a Basic Health Unit Plus in Dano Dhandal. An explosion occurred while an oxygen…

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At least five people were killed and 40 injured when a speeding passenger bus travelling from Lahore to Chiniot plunged into a drain near Kot Nakka in Hafizabad, rescue officials said on Thursday. According to initial reports, the driver allegedly fell asleep while negotiating a turn. Rescue teams shifted the bodies and injured passengers, including men and children, to nearby hospitals for treatment. A crane was used to pull the bus out of the drain. Deputy Commissioner Syed Hussain Bahadur, Assistant Commissioner Rab Dino, police and rescue officials reached the…

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Hundreds of people permanently living aboard a ​touring cruise ship were forced to disembark in Cambodia this week after the vessel’s operator said ‌fuel price increases from the Iran war had made operations prohibitively expensive. The Villa Vie Odyssey had been cruising the world for at least 755 days as one of only a handful of ships that offered passengers the opportunity to rent or buy long-term or even permanent ​residences on board. On Tuesday, the ship’s owner, Villa Vie Residences, announced it was suspending operations and disembarking ​those passengers…

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The United States has urged several Middle Eastern countries and regional allies to prepare for possible renewed military action against Iran after the November 3 midterm elections, as well as potential Iranian retaliation, according to two diplomats briefed on the warnings. US President Donald Trump has not made a final decision on fresh strikes, but has repeatedly said he is considering military action after the elections. The warnings have heightened concerns across the region that the conflict, which began in late February, could escalate again. The diplomats, who spoke on…

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Oil prices ​fell on Thursday, paring gains made a day earlier, as hopes for peace talks took the edge ‌off renewed concerns over Middle East supply disruptions from escalating regional conflict. Brent crude futures declined $1.22, or 1.1%, to $114.10 a barrel. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were down $1.33, or 1.3%, at $101.45. Brent rose 1.3%, and WTI gained 3% on Wednesday. Oil prices ​fell on Thursday, paring gains made a day earlier, as hopes for peace talks took the edge ‌off renewed concerns over Middle East…

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