Jamie McGeever

The eye-watering surge in U.S. tech giant Oracle&#39;s share price on Wednesday added fuel to a fiery debate: is the U.S. artificial intelligence stock boom a bubble destined to burst?&nbsp;This is a question that has dogged Wall Street for months, as AI euphoria has helped the S&amp;P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq hit new highs seemingly every day, swatting away the chaos and uncertainty surrounding tariffs, Washington politics and Fed independence.&nbsp;But Wednesday felt different. It&#39;s not every day that one of the country&#39;s biggest tech companies sees its share price skyrocket by as much as 43%. Oracle is not a penny stock, startup or meme stock. A surge of this magnitude should make everyone reassess where markets are, and whether this boom is moving into unsustainable territory.&nbsp;Below are five charts that suggest what former Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan termed &quot;irrational exuberance&quot; may be engulfing AI and tech.&nbsp;1. Oracle&#39;s soaring valuation&nbsp;Oracle, the cloud computing giant, saw its stock trade at nearly 50x estimated 12-month forward earnings on Wednesday, the highest since the dotcom crash when its forward PE topped 120. Its share price rose as much as 43% on the day, causing it to virtually double since June.&nbsp;Oracle did say it expects cloud revenue to exceed half a trillion dollars and announced four new multi-billion contracts, so some optimism is warranted. But should the company truly be worth twice as much as it was only three months ago?&nbsp;&nbsp;2. The Nvidia juggernautNvidia&#39;s share price has doubled since April, rising an eye-popping 300% in the last two years. The AI chip superpower is now the world&#39;s most valuable company with a market cap of $4.3 trillion, larger than every country&#39;s listed stock exchange apart from the US, China, Japan and India, according to Deutsche Bank.&nbsp;Sure, Nvidia continue to churn out cash, but just two customers made up 39% of its revenue in the last quarter. Is that sustainable?&nbsp;&nbsp;3. Record-high concentrationThe combined weighting of the top 5 companies in the S&amp;P 500 is nearing 30%, higher than the &#39;Nifty Fifty&#39; in the late 1960s/early 1970s and much higher than tech companies in 2000 before the dotcom bust.&nbsp;This doesn&#39;t automatically mean we&#39;re in a bubble, but the market is in unchartered territory and heavily dependent on a handful of companies - all of them in one industry. History suggests this level of concentration rarely ends well.&nbsp;&nbsp;4. Lofty valuationsThe S&amp;P 500 tech sector is nearing its most expensive levels since 2002 when the dust from the dotcom bust was still settling. Of course, this can be sustained as long as the cash keeps rolling in.&nbsp;But the amount of AI-related capex needed to develop the industry &ndash; an estimated $6.7 trillion worldwide by 2030, according to McKinsey - means the amount of cash that will need to keep coming in is enormous. When the bar is that high, even sound companies might struggle to meet it.&nbsp;&nbsp;5. Stretched positioningBank of America&#39;s August fund manager survey showed that the most crowded trade in world markets currently is once again &quot;long Magnificent 7&quot;, according to 45% of those polled. A majority, 52%, say they see no AI bubble, suggesting this packed trade could get even more crowded before it unwinds.&nbsp;Investors have little incentive to go against this trade as long as it remains a winning one. But when a crowded trade reverses it can be sudden, and not everyone gets out the exit door in time. A lot of investors could lose a lot of money.&nbsp;&nbsp;- The opinions expressed here are those of the author, a columnist for Reuters

Articles

Oracle’s massive stock surge intensifies debate over whether the U.S. AI tech boom is a risky market bubble.

Oracle surge pours fuel on fiery AI bubble debate

Romesa Umar

Pakistani defender Kayla Siddiqui is chasing her professional dream while proudly representing her roots on the international stage.&nbsp; <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;" id="isPasted">On the sidelines of the FIFA event in Abidjan, she opened up about her journey from growing up inspired by Sydney Leroux to now wearing Pakistan&#39;s colors.&nbsp; <span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; white-space: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-color: initial; display: inline !important; float: none;">&quot;Keep putting Pakistan on the map and making a big name for itself&quot; is the mission she has set for herself.&nbsp;

Shorts

Pakistani Kayla Siddiqui is chasing her professional dream while proudly representing her roots on the international stage; the defender opens up about her journey from growing up inspired by Sydney Leroux to now wearing Pakistan's colors. 





'I have it rooted in my name': Pakistani defender on identity and representing her nation at FIFA

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Federal Minister for Finance and Revenue, Senator Muhammad Aurangzeb, on Sunday underscored that the two critical long-term challenges facing Pakistan were population growth and climate change.&nbsp; The finance minister departed for the United States to participate in the World Bank Group&ndash;IMF Spring Meetings 2026, scheduled to be held in Washington, DC from April 13 to 18, 2026, where he is set to meet senior International Monetary Fund (IMF) leadership and discuss the country&rsquo;s macroeconomic outlook, reform progress, and future cooperation on his Washington trip.&nbsp; While participating in a high-level panel discussion at Harvard University, the finance minister emphasized that sustained economic progress would not be possible without addressing rapid population growth, and highlighted Pakistan&rsquo;s increasing vulnerability to climate-related shocks and the need for greater focus on resilience and adaptation. According to a statement issued on the Ministry of Finance&rsquo;s X account, the finance minister acknowledged that further work was required in areas such as regulatory reform and ease of doing business, noting that these remain key priorities for improving the investment climate. The minister reaffirmed the government&rsquo;s commitment to structural reforms, including taxation, which has shown progress but remained below desired levels. He highlighted the ongoing transformation efforts within the Federal Board of Revenue, further emphasizing the need to move away from a model of perpetual subsidies for industry, advocating instead for competitiveness and export-led growth.&nbsp; The minister also highlighted the trade liberalization measures, including tariff rationalization, aimed at encouraging efficiency and integration into global markets. According to the finance minister, Pakistan&rsquo;s solar generation had reached approximately 8,000 megawatts. He underscored the government&rsquo;s ambition to significantly increase the share of renewables in the energy mix over the coming decade. The session was moderated by former Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, Dr Reza Baqir, and included&nbsp;panelists such as Princeton University&#39;s Professor Atif Mian and Nobel Laureate and Massachusetts Institute of Technology&#39;s Professor Daron Acemoglu.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Climate & Environment

While participating in a high-level panel discussion at Harvard University, finance minister emphasizes sustained economic progress will not be possible without addressing rapid population growth, while also highlighting Pakistan’s increasing vulnerability to climate-related shocks and the need for greater focus on resilience and adaptation.

At Harvard, Pakistan's finance chief highlights population, climate as key future challenges

BUDAPEST: Viktor Orban, who has ruled Hungary for 16 years as a self-described &quot;thorn&quot; in the EU&#39;s side and a defender of &quot;illiberal democracy,&quot; on Sunday conceded defeat to conservative Peter Magyar, who won a thumping majority in parliamentary elections. Orban&#39;s defeat, in a vote that saw a record turnout, dealt a heavy blow to nationalists. It also deprives Russian President Vladimir Putin of his most sympathetic ear inside the European Union. Tens of thousands of jubilant supporters of Magyar&#39;s Tisza party cheered the results outside the party&#39;s election headquarters on the banks of the Danube in Budapest, waving Hungarian flags and dancing, as car horns sounded in the capital. &quot;I feel fantastic!&quot; Zoltan Sziromi, a 20-year-old student, celebrating in the crowd, told AFP. &quot;We&#39;ve finally got rid of that system, and it was about time.&quot; Magyar, who arrived waving the Hungarian flag, told the cheering crowd that voters had &quot;liberated Hungary,&quot; calling his party&#39;s win a &quot;miracle&quot; in the central European country of 9.5 million people. &quot;Today, the Hungarian people have said &#39;yes&#39; to Europe,&quot; the 45-year-old former government insider and political newcomer told supporters. He promised to &quot;restore the system of checks and balances..., guarantee the democratic functioning of our country&quot; and put Hungary &quot;back on track.&quot; Acknowledging it was an &quot;enormous&quot; task, he called for unity, saying the victory belonging to &quot;all Hungarians.&quot; &#39;Unambiguous&#39;&nbsp;With 98.15% of precincts counted, Tisza secured a two-thirds majority with 138 seats in the 199-seat parliament on 53.6% of the vote, according to official election results. Orban&#39;s Fidesz took 55 seats on 37.9% of the vote. Earlier Sunday, Orban, 62, conceded defeat. &quot;The election results, though not yet final, are clear and understandable; for us, they are painful but unambiguous,&quot; Orban, 62, told reporters. &quot;We have not been entrusted with the responsibility and opportunity to govern. I congratulated the winning party,&quot; he said. Turnout in the election reached a record 79.50%, according to the near-complete vote count. Orban, who was seeking a fifth straight term, has transformed his country into a model of &quot;illiberal democracy,&quot; clashing with Brussels over rule-of-law issues, as well as over support for war-torn Ukraine. Magyar burst onto the scene just two years ago, promising to fight corruption and offering better public services. He drew support against a backdrop of economic stagnation, and despite an electoral system skewed in favor of Orban&#39;s Fidesz party. Congratulations for Magyar poured in from around Europe, with France and Germany urging him to work together for a &quot;strong Europe.&quot; Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky pledged to work with Magyar &quot;for the benefit of both nations, as well as peace, security, and stability in Europe.&quot; &quot;Hungary has chosen Europe,&quot; head of the European Union, Ursula von der Leyen, posted on X. Ahead of the vote, both Orban&#39;s and Magyar&#39;s camps had alleged foreign interference during the campaign. &#39;Defeat for authoritarianism&#39;&nbsp;Neera Tanden, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, said Oran&#39;s defeat was a major blow to those who have looked to Viktor Orban&#39;s corrupt model as a blueprint. &quot;This is a resounding defeat for authoritarianism that echoes far beyond Hungary&#39;s borders,&quot; Tanden added. Orban had focused on making Ukraine the central topic of his campaign, portraying the neighboring country, which is fighting off a Russian invasion, as &quot;hostile&quot; to Hungary. He had also vowed to continue his crackdown against &quot;fake civil society organizations, bought journalists, judges (and) politicians.&quot; Fidesz supporters gathered for the results-watching event in Budapest were stunned. &quot;I am a Fidesz supporter with all my heart,&quot; Juliana Varga Szabo, a 58-year-old teacher, told AFP, tears in her eyes, saying that perhaps she had been living in a &quot;bubble.&quot; &quot;Now that bubble is burst. I won&#39;t change my values. We&#39;ll just have to see what the future brings,&quot; she added.

Europe

Tens of thousands of jubilant supporters of Magyar's Tisza party cheer results outside the party's election headquarters on the banks of the Danube in Budapest, waving Hungarian flags and dancing, as car horns sounded in the capital.



Orban loses Hungary vote to pro-Europe newcomer after 16 years in power

Web Desk/AFP

This live blog follows updates for Day 45 of the US-Israeli war on Iran. For a recap of Day 44, go&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pakistantv.com/article/usisrael-war-on-iran-day-44" style="color:#0073e6;">here</a>.<hr style="line-height: 2;"><ul style="list-style-type: square;"><li id="isPasted" style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">US-Iran talks in Islamabad conclude after extensive discussions on multiple critical issues</li><li id="isPasted" style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">President Trump orders naval blockade of Iranian ports, heightening tensions in the Strait of Hormuz</li><li id="isPasted" style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Iranian officials insist diplomacy continues, stressing negotiations require serious good faith and respect for rights</li><li id="isPasted" style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Oil prices surge above $100, reflecting market reaction to Middle East hostilities and strategic uncertainty</li><li id="isPasted" style="line-height: 2; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Iran emphasizes restoring refining and distribution facilities to 70-80% of prior capacity within two months.</li></ul><hr style="line-height: 2;"> Russia ready to assist in peace efforts, Putin tells Iran presidentPublished: April 13, 2026 | 05:47 GMT | By Web Desk In a telephone conversation on Sunday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and his Russian counterpart reviewed the latest status of the ceasefire in the US-Israeli aggression against Iran and the negotiation process in Pakistan, expressing their views on ways to strengthen stability and security in the region, Iranian Tasnim News Agency reported. Quoting Sputnik, the Iranian news agency reported the Iranian president pointed to the Pakistani-mediated negotiations between Iran and the US, held in Islamabad on April 11, and expressed appreciation for Russia&#39;s principled stance. Pezeshkian also thanked Moscow for its humanitarian assistance and congratulated the Russians on Easter. President Putin emphasized that Russia is ready to help the political and diplomatic settlement of dispute surrounding Iran, the report said.<hr> IRGC: Military vessels approaching Strait of Hormuz &#39;a violation of ceasefire&#39;Published: April 13, 2026 | 05:45 GMT | By Web Desk &ldquo;The IRGC Navy announces that contrary to the false claims made by some enemy officials, the Strait of Hormuz is under smart control and management and is open to the safe passage of civilian vessels, in compliance with specific regulations,&rdquo; the IRGC said in a statement published by Iranian Tasnim News Agency. The IRGC at the same time warned that military vessels that intend to approach the Strait of Hormuz under any title or pretext will be considered as a ceasefire violation and will be dealt with severely, the report said.<hr> Economic shock from US-Israel war in Mideast already &#39;large&#39;, says IMF chief&nbsp;Published: April 13, 2026 | 05:37 GMT | By Web Desk The International Monetary Fund (IMF)&#39;s Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said the economic shock from the war in the Middle East is already &ldquo;large&rdquo; and &ldquo;it is global.&rdquo;She said this at CBS News&#39; program &quot;Face The Nation&quot;.<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=2043350955379343391&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Farticles%2F&sessionId=734d9e02d4375f669acedc1b0b4b236f81232029&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 672px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</iframe></div></div>&ldquo;Everybody uses energy. Everybody feels the pinch of prices going up,&rdquo; she said.&nbsp; &ldquo;If you are in the vicinity of the conflict, it&#39;s a big hit on you. If you are an oil importer, it is a big hit on you.<hr> Trump says &#39;not a big fan&#39; of Pope Leo after his anti-war messagePublished: April 13, 2026 | 04:13 GMT | By AFP US President Donald Trump told reporters Sunday that he is &quot;not a big fan&quot; of Pope Leo XIV, after the global leader of Catholics made a plea for peace. &quot;I&#39;m not a big fan of Pope Leo. He&#39;s a very liberal person, and he&#39;s a man that doesn&#39;t believe in stopping crime,&quot; Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. He accused the pontiff of &quot;toying with a country that wants a nuclear weapon.&quot; On Saturday, the 70-year-old American pope publicly implored leaders to end the violence, telling worshippers at St. Peter&#39;s Basilica: &quot;Enough of the idolatry of self and money! Enough of the display of power! Enough of war!&quot; Trump reiterated his comments to reporters with a post on Truth Social saying: &quot;I don&#39;t want a Pope who think it&#39;s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon.&quot;<hr> UK will not join Trump&#39;s blockade of Iran&#39;s ports in the Strait of HormuzPublished: April 13, 2026 | 03:32GMT | By Web Desk The UK will not be involved in enforcing the US military blockade of Iran, the BBC reported. A spokesperson for the UK government said: &quot;We continue to support freedom of navigation and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, which is urgently needed to support the global economy and the cost of living back home.&quot; <hr> Death toll from Israeli strikes in Lebanon rises to 2,055Published: April 12, 2026 | 02:28GMT | By Web Desk Lebanon&rsquo;s Ministry of Health says the death toll since the start of the Israeli offensive on March 2 has now risen to 2,055 people, Al Jazeera reported. It said at least 6,588 others have been wounded. <hr> Trump says doesn&rsquo;t care if Iran comes back to talksPublished: April 12, 2026 | 02:28GMT | By AFP President Donald Trump said he does not care if Iran comes back to negotiations with the United States after talks in Pakistan concluded. &quot;I don&#39;t care if they come back or not. If they don&#39;t come back, I&#39;m fine,&quot; Trump told reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, upon his return from Florida. <hr style="line-height: 2;"> US oil benchmark jumps 8%, surpasses $100 after US-Iran talks in IslamabadPublished: April 12, 2026 | 23:28GMT | By AFP The US oil benchmark rebounded above $100 a barrel after peace talks between the United States and Iran concluded, and with US President Donald Trump ordering a blockade of Iranian ports. Shortly after trading began, a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for May delivery rose around 8% to $104.50, while June delivery of international benchmark Brent rose 7% to $102. <hr style="line-height: 2;"> Iran says was &#39;inches away&#39; from deal with US in IslamabadPublished: April 12, 2026 | 22:35GMT | By AFP Iran&#39;s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran had been just &quot;inches away&quot; from a deal with Washington during weekend talks with the United States in Islamabad. &quot;Iran engaged with US in good faith to end war,&quot; he said in a post on X. But when &quot;just inches away&quot; from an agreement in Islamabad, &quot;we encountered maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade,&quot; he added. <hr style="line-height: 2;"> US military says to begin blockade of all Iran ports at 1400 GMT MondayPublished: April 12, 2026 | 21:35GMT | By AFP The US military announced it will begin blockading all Iranian Gulf ports on Monday at 1400 GMT, and will allow ships not coming or going to Iran to pass through the critical Strait of Hormuz. &quot;The blockade will be enforced impartially against vessels of all nations entering or departing Iranian ports and coastal areas, including all Iranian ports on the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman,&quot; US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on X on Sunday. &quot;CENTCOM forces will not impede freedom of navigation for vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz to and from non-Iranian ports,&quot; it added, appearing to walk back President Donald Trump&#39;s earlier post in which he said &quot;any and all Ships&quot; would be blocked. <hr style="line-height: 2;"> Iran navy chief calls Trump threat to block Hormuz strait &#39;ridiculous&#39;: state TVPublished: April 12, 2026 | 21:23GMT | By AFP Iran&#39;s navy chief Shahram Irani on Sunday called US President Donald Trump&#39;s threat to blockade the Strait of Hormuz &quot;ridiculous,&quot; after marathon talks between Tehran and Washington in Pakistan could not deliver a deal to end the Middle East war. &quot;The brave men of the naval force of the Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran are monitoring and supervising all the movements of the aggressive American army in the region. The threats of the US president to blockade Iran at sea ... are very ridiculous and funny,&quot; he said, according to state TV.

Middle East

Americas

A spokesperson for the UK government said: 'We continue to support freedom of navigation and the opening of the Strait of Hormuz, which is urgently needed to support the global economy and the cost of living back home.'

UK will not join Trump's blockade of Iran's ports in the Strait of Hormuz

&nbsp;Romesa Umar from Pakistan TV Digital sits down with Pakistani footballer Nadia Khan behind the scenes of Pakistan&#39;s historic women&#39;s FIFA debut in the Ivory Coast. Nadia talks about her love for the game, the footballers who inspire her, what sets her apart on the pitch, and what she is working toward in the year ahead.

Nadia talks about her love for the game, the footballers who inspire her, what sets her apart on the pitch, and what she is working toward in the year ahead.

Neymar and a dream: Meet Pakistan’s Nadia Khan post-historic FIFA debut

Faraz Saeed

The Islamabad Talks were a breakthrough, but diplomacy takes time. US and Iran delegations were brought to the table, the ceasefire holds, and the process of building a durable peace through dialogue continues. Here is where the process stands and what comes next.

Islamabad Talks process continues — Here's how

For 65 years, Rafiq Sweets has stood deep inside old Lahore, crafting its signature Khoye-wali Barfi from pure milk and desi ghee slow-cooked, unchanged, and unmistakable.

For 65 years, Rafiq Sweets has stood deep inside old Lahore, crafting its signature Khoye-wali Barfi from pure milk and desi ghee slow-cooked, unchanged, and unmistakable.


Rafiq Sweets and the timeless Barfi of old Lahore

MUMBAI: Legendary Indian playback singer Asha Bhosle, whose voice defined Bollywood music through the 1970s and 80s, died Sunday in Mumbai aged 92, her family said. Two-time Grammy nominee Bhosle breathed her last at the Breach Candy hospital, where she was admitted with complaints of &quot;extreme exhaustion&quot; and chest infection. &quot;My mother passed away today (Sunday). Her last rites will be held tomorrow at Shivaji Park in Mumbai,&quot; her son Anand Bhosle told reporters. Bhosle recorded more than 12,000 songs in multiple Indian languages over a seven‑decade career. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was &quot;deeply saddened&quot; by her death. &quot;Her extraordinary musical journey, spanning decades, enriched our cultural heritage and touched countless hearts across the world,&quot; he said in a post on X. &quot;She will continue to inspire generations, and her songs will forever echo in people&#39;s lives.&quot; Born on September 8, 1933, to a musical family, Bhosle began singing as a child alongside her elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar, after their father&#39;s death. Often compared to Mangeshkar &mdash; revered as &quot;India&#39;s nightingale&quot; who died in 2022 &mdash; Bhosle forged her own path, embracing genres from pop to folk. Her early life was marked by struggle, including a turbulent marriage at 16. She went on to become one of Indian cinema&#39;s most versatile and celebrated voices, receiving the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award in 2001 and earning two Grammy nominations. Bhosle continued collaborating with global artists well into her later years, including a recent feature on British virtual band Gorillaz&#39;s album The Mountain (&quot;Parvat&quot;). Beyond music, she nurtured her passion for food, launching her &quot;Asha&#39;s&quot; restaurant chain in Dubai and Britain.

India

Two-time Grammy nominee Bhosle breathed her last at the Breach Candy hospital, where she was admitted with complaints of "extreme exhaustion" and chest infection.



Legendary Indian singer Asha Bhosle dies aged 92

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar briefed regional counterparts on the outcome of high-stakes Iran&ndash;US negotiations in Islamabad, the Foreign Office said late Sunday, urging all parties to uphold a fragile ceasefire following 21 hours of intensive talks between Washington and Tehran. The negotiations, brokered through Pakistan&rsquo;s diplomatic engagement, come after weeks of conflict that disrupted global energy flows, pushed oil prices higher and unsettled financial markets, before a two-week truce created space for dialogue. While the United States said it had presented a &ldquo;final and best offer,&rdquo; Iran maintained that progress depends on &ldquo;seriousness and good faith&rdquo; and respect for its rights and interests. Speaking with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Dar shared updates on the Islamabad Talks and stressed that &ldquo;it is imperative that the parties continue to uphold their commitment to ceasefire.&rdquo; He reaffirmed Pakistan&rsquo;s role in facilitating dialogue and supporting diplomatic efforts aimed at achieving lasting regional stability. In separate calls with Egypt and T&uuml;rkiye, Dar reiterated the importance of sustained engagement, with the Foreign Office noting that he emphasised continued diplomacy as essential for peace. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan commended Pakistan&rsquo;s efforts, according to statement, with both sides reaffirming support for dialogue and de-escalation. The outreach comes as both Washington and Tehran signal continued engagement following the initial round of talks. US Vice President JD Vance said no agreement had been reached after extended discussions, while Iran&rsquo;s foreign ministry said the two sides had reached &ldquo;an understanding on a number of issues&rdquo; despite &ldquo;differences of opinion on 2-3 important&rdquo; matters. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said &ldquo;no one&rdquo; had expected an agreement in a single round, emphasising that &ldquo;diplomacy never ends&rdquo; and that contacts with Pakistan and regional partners would continue, underscoring a shared willingness to keep the process moving forward.

Foreign Affairs

Security

Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar briefs counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Egypt following high-stakes US-Iran talks in Islamabad, urging ceasefire adherence, continued diplomacy, and sustained engagement to build on a fragile truce and support regional peace efforts

Pakistan briefs allies on Islamabad Talks, urges ceasefire adherence

LONDON: The Irish government was on Sunday due to hold an emergency cabinet meeting to sign off on measures aimed at ending fuel cost protests that have endangered the functioning of the country&#39;s emergency services. Hauliers and agricultural contractors began a series of &nbsp;protests on Tuesday over spiralling petrol and diesel prices amid the Middle East war. Since then the protests have grown from slow-moving convoys on motorways and restricted access to Dublin&#39;s busiest streets, to a part blockade of Ireland&#39;s only oil refinery and restricted access to at least two other fuel depots. Finance Minister Simon Harris said later on Saturday ministers had held meetings with transport and agriculture sector representatives ahead of Sunday&#39;s meeting. The government was in the process of &quot;finalising a significant support package to address the ongoing crisis&quot;, a government statement added. Some protests rolled into a sixth day on Sunday. The government has urged the public not to panic buy as pumps at many fuel stations have run dry. Police on Saturday with the support of the armed forces deployed public order units to clear the blockade at Whitegate Refinery in southern Ireland. Irish police chief Justin Kelly said the action was taken as a last resort. The blockading of &quot;critical national infrastructure&quot; had &quot;resulted in fuel shortages that are directly impacting on emergency services such as hospitals, the ambulance service, and the fire service&quot;, he said. Elsewhere, police dismantled a makeshift barrier erected by protesters blockading western Galway docks. A late-night operation also targeted the blockade of the capital Dublin&#39;s main thoroughfare O&#39;Connell Street after multiple vehicles including tractors and lorries were removed. Justice Minister Jim O&#39;Callaghan said earlier the continuation of the protests despite the increasingly difficult situation had been &quot;unacceptable&quot;. &quot;While we all acknowledge the impact of higher fuel prices, and seek to minimise that impact, no groups are entitled in our republic to hold our people to ransom in such a manner,&quot; he said. In March, Dublin announced a 250 million-euro package to reduce fuel costs, notably including a diesel rebate for road haulier There were now the &quot;bones of an agreement&quot; with the government, the president Ger Hyland of the Irish Road Haulage Association said on Saturday. &quot;It is a substantial package and we hope to have this over the line either late tonight or tomorrow,&quot; he added.&nbsp;

The Irish government was on Sunday due to hold an emergency cabinet meeting to sign off on measures aimed at ending fuel cost protests that have endangered the functioning of the country's emergency services

Articles by Jamie McGeever