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Middle East war hits Britain’s fish and chip shops

Before war erupted in the Middle East, fisherman Peter Bruce spent about £5,000 ($6,600) on diesel to trawl the North Sea for haddock and cod, the main species used in fish and chips. “Now, the last trip we spent about £10,000,” he told AFP , despite his crew reducing the speed of the boat to save fuel. Bruce, whose boat, Budding Rose, is based in the Scottish port of Peterhead, estimates the extra costs over a year could exceed £100,000. It was not yet clear whether the rise in energy prices would have an immediate effect on the price of fish, Bruce said. But he is worried that the hike in fuel prices will hit customer demand for the classic British meal that was already facing challenges on numerous fronts. Bruce’s catch is sold at auction in Peterhead before being transported around Britain and abroad. He fears that customers “will stop buying so much fish and chips and they’ll stop going out for meals so much”. Classic dish The classic recipe for fish and chips — white fish d...

Pakistan Navy inducts second Milgem-class corvette into fleet

The Pakistan Navy on Saturday inducted the second Milgem-class corvette into its fleet, said a statement from the service’s public relations department. The warship is the second of four Milgem class corvettes, the contract for which was signed with ASFAT Inc, a Turkish state-owned defence contractor firm in 2018 . Under this contract, two ships were to be constructed in Turkiye and the remaining two ships in Pakistan. At the induction ceremony of the warship PNS Khaibar, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf highlighted that Pakistan’s strategic location along vital maritime trade and energy corridors demands a potent naval force to safeguard national interests and ensure secure sea lines of communication (SLOCs). The naval chief maintained that during last year’s war with India , the navy was “poised to sink” the Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier, which forced the warship and its escorts to retreat to their “perceived safe havens”. “The mastery and conduct of naval ope...

President, PM pay tribute to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on 47th death anniversary

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday paid tribute to former premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto on his 47th death anniversary, emphasising his lasting impact on Pakistan’s constitution and the need to uphold law, due process, and justice. “Today we observe the 47th anniversary of the martyrdom of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, whose life was brought to an end unfairly on April 4, 1979. Zulfikar Bhutto occupies a central place in Pakistan’s political history,” said a statement from the president. The statement added that “nearly half a century after his unlawful and unconstitutional execution, the Supreme Court, in its opinion delivered on March 6, 2024, held that Zulfikar Bhutto had been denied a free trial and due process. The Court observed that the legal proceedings destroyed any semblance of fair trial and revealed that an innocent man was ‘rushed to the gallows.’” The president, in his statement, said that the day is a “reminder that justice and d...

World anxious to open Hormuz Strait while Trump and Iran trade threats

Dozens of countries sought ways to restart vital energy shipments through the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday after US President Donald Trump vowed more aggressive attacks on Iran, sending oil prices higher again and deepening strain on consumers. After speculation proved untrue that Trump might discuss ending the war in a speech on Wednesday, the president persisted with threats on Thursday, saying in a social media post: “IT IS TIME FOR IRAN TO MAKE A DEAL BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE”. He also posted video of the US bombing a newly constructed bridge on Thursday between Tehran and the major northwest suburb of Karaj. The B1 bridge was scheduled to open to traffic this year. According to Iran’s state media, eight people were killed and 95 others were wounded in the US attack. “Striking civilian structures, including unfinished bridges, will not compel Iranians to surrender,” Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said in a statement. In the speech on Wednesday night, Trump repeated ...

National Forensic Agency ‘now fully functional’, says interior ministry

ISLAMABAD: The country’s first National Forensic Agency formally began operation on Friday, the Ministry of Interior said. The agency was established under the “ The National Forensic Agency Bill, 2024 ”, which was passed into law in 2024. In a statement on X, the ministry said that Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited the headquarters on Friday, expressing hope that “the institution will assist in national security matters and curtailing crime”. The minister, during his visit, said that the agency will provide support to law enforcement agencies across Pakistan, directing the NFA to establish offices in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan. He also directed that the services provided by the agency should be “widely publicised”. Director General NFA Hasnaat Rasool briefed the interior minister on the agency’s progress, informing that the “first phase” had been completed. He informed Naqvi that the agency was providing services “in the field of dig...

SC halts anti-terrorism court from framing charges against journalist Matiullah Jan

The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday restrained the anti-terrorism court (ATC) from framing charges against veteran journalist Matiullah Jan, and directed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to expeditiously decide on the challenge to the terrorism charges invoked against him. Headed by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, a three-judge SC bench took up a plea by the journalist seeking to set aside the IHC’s Feb 23, 2026, order denying ad-interim relief to stay his criminal trial. During the hearing, the prosecution did not object to the issuance of directions to the high court, while the apex court observed that it would not go into the merits of the case at this stage so as not to prejudice it in favour of either party. Barrister Qadeer Janjua represented Jan in the case, in which the journalist raised questions about the trial court’s jurisdiction and the applicability of terrorism charges against him. Filed under Article 185(3) of the Constitution, the petition challenged the Feb 23 IHC orde...