Month: October 2026

A ​container ship and a dry bulk carrier have both sunk near the Strait of Hormuz in the past ‌24 hours after being hit by projectiles in separate incidents, maritime officials said on Wednesday. Attacks around the waterway have surged over the past 10 days, with Iran saying it is stepping up strikes in response to the US blockade of its ports and tougher sanctions introduced last month. The Singapore-flagged GFS Pride, ​a small container vessel with a capacity of 2,824 20-foot equivalent units (TEU), sank while sailing through the…

Senator Faisal Vawda on Wednesday said the possibility of a ban on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) remains, while urging the party’s sincere workers and leaders to form a separate political platform. Speaking to host Shaukat Paracha on Aaj News’ programme Rubaru, Vawda said he had predicted the possibility of a ban on the PTI 10 months ago and continued to consider it a possibility. He clarified that this was his analysis and opinion, not a news report. Discussing the situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa following the imposition of governor’s rule, Vawda…

The government on Wednesday increased the price of petrol by Rs1.20 to Rs393.86 per litre while reducing the price of high-speed diesel (HSD) by 17 paise to Rs396.65 per litre, effective Thursday, October 15, 2026. The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) revised the ex-depot prices of petroleum products under the federal government’s petroleum pricing mechanism, according to a press release issued by the Petroleum Division. Petrol was previously priced at Rs392.66 per litre, while diesel cost Rs396.82 per litre. The Petroleum Division said the revision was necessitated by developments…

US consumer inflation was hotter than anticipated in September, government data showed on Wednesday, as Washington’s war with Tehran pushed energy costs higher, deepening strains on American households ahead of next month’s midterm elections. The uptick underscores voter worries over high costs of living, and comes as President Donald Trump is campaigning in US states to shore up support for his Republican party as it tries to retain control of Congress. The consumer price index (CPI) rose 3.7 per cent year-on-year in September, the Department of Labour said, more than…

The Yemeni government has spoken with Beijing about the Houthis’ alleged attempts to utilise Chinese-made technology for weapons, a Yemeni minister said on Wednesday, as the two sides’ long-running civil war escalates. “The Chinese are partners and we have discussed with them about, you know, the use of dual products,” Foreign Minister Afrah al-Zouba said in response to an AFP question about reports the Iran-backed group was trying to secure Chinese components to help manufacture weapons. “They were very keen for any sort of information so they can investigate it.…

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Wednesday that a ship caught fire and sank in the Strait of Hormuz because of a mine, while British security firm Vanguard also reported a sinking. “A container ship attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz using an unauthorised and dangerous shipping lane struck a mine that exploded,” said the navy of the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of Iran’s military. Images released by the Guards show a plume of black smoke rising from a ship, while dozens of containers that have fallen into the…