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Iran’s top leadership has sharply criticized the United States over rising tensions in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, saying Washington is responsible for regional instability. Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said a “new chapter” has opened in the Strait of Hormuz, while President Masoud Pezeshkian warned that America’s naval blockade against Iran will fail. Khamenei said a new situation is emerging in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz. He said a new chapter has opened in the strategic waterway, which remains one of the world’s most important maritime routes. Khamenei accused the United States of being…

The dream of owning a home has moved closer for thousands of Pakistanis as Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif officially launched the Prime Minister’s Apna Ghar Scheme in Islamabad. Under the program, citizens will be able to apply online for housing loans of up to Rs10 million, repayable over 20 years, with relaxed housing finance rules and faster loan approvals. Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, federal ministers and senior officials attended the event. Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan and Federal Minister for Housing Riaz Hussain Pirzada were also present. Cheques were distributed among successful applicants of the first phase…

Pakistan may face a heightened risk of flooding during this year’s monsoon due to the possible impact of El Nino and Super El Nino, according to NDMA official Zahra Hassan. Speaking to Samaa TV, Hassan warned that upper parts of the country, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Pothohar could be affected by intense rainfall and flooding. What is El Nino? El Nino is a weather pattern linked to rising ocean temperatures, which can influence rainfall, heat and storm systems in different parts of the world. NDMA official Zahra Hassan said that when the ocean temperature reaches 8 degrees,…

Australia are set to visit Pakistan for an ODI series, with all matches of the proposed Pak-Australia series likely to be held in Lahore. According to the report, the three ODIs are expected to take place on May 31, June 2 and June 4, while the Pakistan Cricket Board is likely to officially announce the full schedule soon. All matches of the Pakistan-Australia ODI series are likely to be played in Lahore. The proposed schedule suggests that the first ODI will be held on May 31, followed by the second match on June 2 and the third ODI on June…

Sindh has completed nine months of the current financial year, but the province has spent only 35% of its development budget, raising questions over the pace of public-sector spending. According to the available budget details, billions of rupees remain unspent with only three months left before the fiscal year ends. Sindh allocated Rs520 billion for 3,642 development projects during the current financial year. However, after nine months, only 35% of the development budget has been spent. The slow utilization means a large portion of the development funds remains pending at a time when the province is expected to accelerate work…

The USS Gerald R. Ford is set to return to the United States after more than 300 days at sea, ending a record-setting deployment that stretched across the Mediterranean, Caribbean and Middle East. The aircraft carrier’s departure will reduce US naval firepower in the region at a sensitive moment, as Washington maintains a fragile ceasefire with Iran and continues a naval blockade of Iranian ports. The USS Gerald R. Ford will leave the Middle East in the coming days and return to its home port in Virginia by mid-May, two US officials said Wednesday. The officials spoke on condition of…

Donald Trump discussed how to mitigate the impact of a possible months-long US blockade of Iran’s ports with oil companies, a White House official said on Wednesday, as the US renewed its calls for other ​nations to help open the Strait of Hormuz. Tuesday’s talks with oil executives followed a deadlock in efforts to resolve the conflict, which has led the United States to try to squeeze Iran’s oil ‌exports with a naval blockade aimed at forcing it to reopen the Strait to shipping. As Washington and Tehran traded public threats, mediator Pakistan was trying to avoid escalation while the…

Commissioning ceremony of 1st HANGOR Class Submarine, PNS/M HANGOR was held at Sanya, China. President Asif Ali Zardari graced the occasion as Chief Guest; Admiral Naveed Ashraf, NI, NI (M), T Bt, Chief of the Naval Staff, was also present at the ceremony. President Zardari described the commissioning of HANGOR as a historic milestone in Pakistan Navy’s modernization, affirming Pakistan’s resolve to maintain a robust, balanced and credible defence posture. He stated that Pakistan is fully capable of defending its sovereignty, protecting its maritime interests and ensuring the security of its economic lifelines. Naval Chief highlighted that disruptions at critical…

China’s first drone-powered logistics route across the Bohai Sea officially opened on Wednesday, linking northeast China’s Dalian City and east China’s Qingdao City. The new route is expected to significantly cut delivery time between the two locations. The launch marks a major step in advancing China’s low-altitude industry through real-world applications, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology The route uses a large fixed-wing unmanned aircraft with a maximum takeoff weight of 5.25 tonnes. Covering a one-way distance of 340 kilometers, each flight takes around two hours. Zhang Peipei, an official with the low-altitude economy task force in…

Chinese and US business communities have shown a strong willingness to strengthen cooperation, and the results of their collaboration have been highly tangible, Wang Guannan, spokesperson of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), told a press conference on Wednesday. Despite a complex and challenging external environment, data clearly shows that the two economies remain deeply intertwined, with cooperation continuing to be the prevailing theme, according to the CCPIT. About 52% of surveyed US-funded enterprises in China expected to be profitable in 2025, up 6 percentage points from the previous year, while more than half of the…