French shipping group says vessel attacked in Strait of Hormuz, crew injured

UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed praised the country’s armed forces on Wednesday as the United Arab Emirates marked 50 years since their unification.

He thanked service members for safeguarding the country’s security and stability and protecting its people.

“Their dedication and sacrifice is a source of endless pride to everyone who calls the UAE home,” he said.

Pakistan is urgently seeking liquefied natural gas cargoes for May delivery as hot weather strains its power grid and the Iran war disrupts Persian Gulf supply, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.

State-owned Pakistan LNG Ltd. issued a tender for shipments to be delivered on May 12-14 and May 24-26, the report said.

It added that Pakistan bought a spot cargo last month for the first time in more than two years as the war in Iran choked supply from the Persian Gulf, which produces about a fifth of the world’s LNG.

Four in five people in Britain are worried the Iran war will make food more expensive, The Guardian reported on Wednesday, citing an Opinium poll.

The survey found 80% of respondents were concerned about rising grocery prices as retailers pass higher costs on to consumers.

It also found 73% expected the conflict to push up prices of other products.

Businesses warned that the “window is closing” for ministers to cut energy costs for UK retailers, according to the report.

A source with long experience at Iran’s Aseman Airlines told Iran International that the carrier’s fleet has shrunk from 24 aircraft to just three, one of which is often grounded.

The source said the remaining planes suffer from serious technical issues, while frequent management changes have added to operational instability. Employees have also gone months without pay, the source added.

A senior US State Department official urged Iraqi leaders to take concrete action against militias embedded within state institutions, saying Washington is looking for “action, not words,” Asharq News reported.

The official said there is a “very blurry line” between the Iraqi state and armed groups, calling for militias to be removed from government institutions, cut off from state funding, and denied salaries.