Oil prices drop after US, Iran pause fighting over weekend
Sunset clouds glow over pump jacks at the Airankol oil field operated by Caspiy Neft…
Oil prices drop after US, Iran pause fighting over weekend
Sunset clouds glow over pump jacks at the Airankol oil field operated by Caspiy Neft in the Atyrau region, Kazakhstan, April 21, 2026. PHOTO: REUTERS Oil prices tumbled more than 5% on Monday after the US and Iran paused strikes over the weekend following two weeks of attacks, raising hopes of a diplomatic solution that would…
Ukraine wants prototype of European missile defence system by mid-2027, official says
Codenamed Freyja, project relies on allies pooling radars, sensors, control electronics Ukrainian service members walk next to a launcher of a Patriot air defence system, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in an undisclosed location, Ukraine, August 4, 2024. PHOTO: REUTERS Ukraine wants a prototype for a European anti-ballistic system codenamed Freyja to be ready within the first half of next year, a senior…
PSX roars back as US-Iran tensions ease
KSE-100 jumps over 5,300 points as Brent plunges 4.2% to $92.74; autos, banks, cement and energy stocks lead buying KARACHI: Equities at Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) managed a muted cheer on Monday as investors took the latest signs of de-escalation between the United States and Iran as a step towards putting the conflict on hold,…
GSP+: a bridge, not a destination
The European Union's latest assessment of Pakistan's performance under the GSP+ preferential trade scheme presents a mixed picture. There is encouraging progress, but also areas of serious concern. The report is neither a recommendation to withdraw Pakistan's GSP+ status nor a clean bill of health. Among the positive developments, the report highlights stronger human rights…
Veteran nuclear scientist Pervez Butt passes away
. ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) chairman Pervez Butt, a recipient of the Nishan-i-Imtiaz, Hilal-i-Imtiaz and Sitara-i-Imtiaz, passed away on Sunday at the age of 84, the commission announced. In a statement, the PAEC described Butt as one of the founding members of Pakistan’s strategic and nuclear programme and a distinguished mechanical engineer,…
K-P CM denies existence of Imran release force
ISLAMABAD: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi has categorically denied the existence of any “Imran Khan Rehai Force,” telling the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) that no such organisation has ever been constituted, notified or operationalised. In a concise statement submitted through K-P Advocate General Shah Faisal Uthmankhel, Afridi clarified that the alleged “Imran Khan…
Cheap labour export is not a wise strategy
Sindh government announces publich holiday of May 1. PHOTO: TRIBUNE KARACHI: The fiscal year closed with a current account deficit of $139 million. Although meagre, it marks a reversal from the previous year’s surplus of $1.838 billion. According to State Bank of Pakistan statistics, the current account was cushioned by a $3.3 billion increase in…
Seattle shooting suspect in custody, local media reports 2 dead, 5 injured
Shooting took place at a downtown Seattle food festival; police urge people to avoid the area Police officers stand at a cordoned-off area after Seattle Police responded to what they described as a shooting with “multiple” victims at Seattle Center, which was hosting a Bite of Seattle food festival, in Seattle, Washington, US, July 26,…
First phase of AJK elections begins as 1.4m voters head to polls
First phase covers Mirpur Division’s 13 constituencies, comprising 4 seats in Mirpur, 3 in Bhimber, 6 in Kotli Over 1.4m voters head to polls as first phase of AJK elections begins. PHOTO: EXPRESS ISLAMABAD: Polling for the first phase of the 2026 Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections began peacefully across Mirpur Division…
Why Pakistan’s inflation is worse than China’s
ISLAMABAD: Every time the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) lets money supply grow drastically by issuing bonds or by injecting rupees on account of remittances, we expect inflation in a while. But when the People’s Bank of China does something similar, no one in Beijing worries about inflation. For perspective, in 2026, Pakistan’s headline inflation…
