❌

Normal view

Revealed: billionaire Reform donor was in business with foundation linked to Iranian regime

Exclusive: Sasan Ghandehari’s partnership with religious foundation raises questions about past dealings with republic criticised by Nigel Farage

Nigel Farage’s newest billionaire donor was in business with a powerful Iranian religious foundation under the authority of the country’s supreme leader, raising questions about his past dealings with the hardline republic.

Hossein Ghandehari, also called Sasan, was little known in the UK until he pledged to give millions to Reform UK this summer and donated £50,000 to Farage to cover the cost of two passes for the Davos World Economic Forum.

Continue reading...

© Photograph: Jeff Gilbert/Alamy

© Photograph: Jeff Gilbert/Alamy

© Photograph: Jeff Gilbert/Alamy

Trump says he called Google’s CEO to rename the Atlantic Ocean

22 October 2026 at 17:33
President Trump said Wednesday he asked Google CEO Sundar Pichai to rename the Atlantic Ocean on the company’s Google Maps application, a request the tech executive denied. “We seriously looked at the Atlantic Ocean,” Trump said during a rally in Clemson, S.C. The president then praised Google Maps for changing the respective names of the…

Trump says he called Google’s CEO to rename the Atlantic Ocean

22 October 2026 at 17:33
President Trump said Wednesday he asked Google CEO Sundar Pichai to rename the Atlantic Ocean on the company’s Google Maps application, a request the tech executive denied. “We seriously looked at the Atlantic Ocean,” Trump said during a rally in Clemson, S.C. The president then praised Google Maps for changing the respective names of the…

Suzuki Alto, Cultus, Kia Stonic Price Update under Auto Policy 2026-31

22 October 2026 at 17:18

Cars prices in Pakistan are touching the roof and of you’ve been holding off on buying a new car in Pakistan, the government’s proposed Auto Policy 2026–31 might finally give your wallet some much-needed breathing room.

By planning to scrap the 2.5% Federal Excise Duty (FED) on locally assembled and imported cars under 1,000cc, the market could soon see some noticeable price drops.

For everyday buyers, the Suzuki Alto is the biggest story. Depending on the variant, the Alto could see a price cut of Rs 70,000 to Rs 81,000, bringing the base VXR model down to around Rs 2.92 million. If you’re eyeing a Suzuki Cultus, you might save over Rs 106,000, while the Suzuki Every could drop by about Rs 72,000. For a slightly more premium ride, the Kia Stonic stands to shed the biggest chunk of its price tag, potentially dropping anywhere from Rs 1.30 lakh to Rs 1.45 lakh.

Import enthusiasts also have a reason to be optimistic. Popular Japanese models like the Daihatsu Mira, Toyota Passo, and Honda N-One could become more affordable if they meet the specific engine and customs criteria. To sweeten the deal for local manufacturers, the policy also plans to slash duties on imported parts for these smaller cars from 46% down to 30%.

Just don’t head to the dealership quite yet. While the Prime Minister has approved the draft in principle, it still has to clear final bureaucratic hurdles and IMF-related reviews. Most importantly, it will ultimately be up to automakers like Pak Suzuki and Lucky Motor Corporation to actually pass these tax savings down to the consumer once the final legal notifications are issued.

 

The post Suzuki Alto, Cultus, Kia Stonic Price Update under Auto Policy 2026-31 appeared first on Daily Pakistan English News.

From war shock to comeback: IMF’s Azour maps Gulf recovery

22 October 2026 at 17:18
DUBAI: Gulf economies are heading for a strong rebound in 2027 after the war tested their resilience, with years of reform and long-term investment helping maintain stability across the region, according to Jihad Azour, director of the Middle East and Central Asia Department at the International Monetary Fund. Speaking to Arab News in a one-on-one interview at the launch of the IMF’s Regional Economic Outlook in Dubai, Azour pointed to Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, saying its reform-driven pillars

❌