Author: News Desk

News Desk BEIJING: China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi said Beijing would play a “greater role” in efforts to end hostilities in the Middle East during talks with his Iranian counterpart on Wednesday, a week before US President Donald Trump is due to meet Xi Jinping. China is a key customer for Iranian oil, defying US sanctions, and is also directly affected by disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz, a vital energy shipping route bordered by Iran. Beijing has quietly engaged in efforts to resolve the weeks-long crisis, with its diplomacy credited with contributing to a fragile ceasefire agreed between Washington…

News Desk TEHRAN: Head of Iran’s National Security Council Ebrahim Azizi has said that any US intervention in the Strait of Hormuz would be considered a violation of the ceasefire. Responding to remarks by US President Donald Trump, he said that the management of the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf could not be influenced by what he described as misleading statements. He added that there was no room for rhetoric in matters concerning the Strait of Hormuz and the Persian Gulf. #Iran #USA #StraitOfHormuz #MiddleEast #Geopolitics #BreakingNews

News Desk ISLAMABAD: A joint report by Pakistan’s Ministry of Health and UNICEF has found lead in the blood of children across multiple cities, raising serious public health concerns. The findings show widespread exposure, particularly among toddlers aged one to three years. The report stated that blood samples were collected from children in Islamabad, Haripur, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and Rawalpindi to assess exposure levels. Health experts warned that the results highlight an urgent environmental and health risk for young children. According to the findings, four out of every ten children aged one to three were found to have lead…

News Desk TEHRAN: Iran had conveyed a proposal to Pakistan aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, according to remarks carried by Iranian media and reported by Al Jazeera on Saturday, in a development that underscored renewed diplomatic maneuvering amid heightened regional tensions. Iran’s deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, said Tehran had presented its plan to Islamabad with the intention of using Pakistan’s position as a mediator to help secure what he described as a permanent end to what Iran termed an imposed war. His comments suggested that Iran had sought to position Pakistan…

News Desk LONDON: The Sindhi Association of North America (SANA) successfully hosted its Sindhi Diaspora Conference in London, bringing together Sindhis from across the world in a display of unity, cultural pride and shared vision. Participants from Japan, Italy, Germany, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and other countries took part in the gathering. They praised the inclusive nature of the conference, which welcomed voices from different backgrounds and generations and created space for discussion on key issues facing Sindh and its people. The event highlighted the active participation of women,…

News Desk LONDON: Global crude oil prices fell after reaching multi-year highs, according to international market reports. Brent crude oil dropped from 124 dollars per barrel to around 114 dollars per barrel, while WTI crude oil declined from 110 dollars to about 104 dollars per barrel. According to Reuters, the market showed signs of stabilisation after hitting its highest level in four years. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s stock market also saw a sharp decline, with the benchmark index falling by 2,829 points to close at 162,994 points. Across Asia, major indices in Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and India also dropped by…

News Desk TEHRAN: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States and Israel of being responsible for instability in the Strait of Hormuz. In a message issued on Gulf Day and carried by state media, Pezeshkian said the waterway symbolised the Iranian nation’s resistance and warned that any insecurity in the passage would be the responsibility of Washington and what he called the Zionist government. He defended Tehran’s stance of keeping rival powers out of the region, describing the protection of the strategic route as a core element of national security. The Iranian president reiterated that Tehran opposed external interference,…

News Desk MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin warned US President Donald Trump of “catastrophic consequences” if military action is launched against Iran, according to Russian officials. The warning came during a 90-minute phone call between the two leaders, in which they discussed tensions in the Middle East and the ongoing war in Ukraine. According to a Kremlin statement cited by Indian outlet NDTV, Putin expressed concern over the escalating situation in Iran and the Gulf region, cautioning that any renewed US or Israeli strikes could have devastating global repercussions. Putin described the extension of the ceasefire with Iran as a…

News Desk TEHRAN: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed it has seized another vessel in the Strait of Hormuz, alleging the ship was in contact with the US military and had violated navigation rules in the strategic waterway. According to Iranian authorities, the vessel ignored repeated warnings after entering restricted waters and failed to alter its course, prompting what they described as a “lawful interception” by Iranian forces. Officials said the ship was accused of breaching regulations imposed in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most sensitive maritime chokepoints through which a significant share of global…

News Desk LONDON: Global crude oil prices climbed by more than 2% amid renewed uncertainty in the Middle East, according to market data. Benchmark Brent crude oil rose to around 107 dollars per barrel, while WTI crude oil increased to about 96 dollars per barrel. Traders said the surge was driven by fears of supply disruption linked to heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for global oil shipments. Earlier reports had also pointed to rising volatility in energy markets due to escalating US-Iran tensions, which have kept investors cautious. Analysts warn that any further disruption in…