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PM extends fuel subsidy for transport sector by one month | The Express Tribune

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PM extends fuel subsidy for transport sector by one month | The Express Tribune


Instructs authorities to ensure strict monitoring as relief measures continue to curb inflation impact

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Photo: PMO/ File

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday extended the fuel subsidy for motorcyclists, public transport and goods transport by another month as he announced the continuation of measures aimed at providing relief to the public amid the prevailing economic situation.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the premier directed the relevant authorities to ensure that any increase in passenger fares and freight charges was prevented at all costs.

He stressed the need for effective monitoring of relief measures so that their benefits reached deserving individuals directly.

“The government would continue to extend maximum possible relief to the public, with facilitating the common citizen remaining its top priority,” the prime minister said, adding that people would not be left alone under any circumstances.

PM Shehbaz said the federal government, in collaboration with the provinces, had provided a national relief package worth billions of rupees for the common man during difficult times.

He also expressed hope that the regional situation would improve soon, enabling stability in petroleum product prices.

The US and Israel launched an attack on Iran in February, after which Tehran retaliated with strikes and closed the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global oil supplies and prompting a surge in international oil prices.

Amid rising oil prices, the government, in the first week of March, increased petroleum product prices twice, noting that the hikes exceeded the surge in the international market. However, the most significant increase was witnessed in April this year.

Earlier this month, the government raised the petrol price by Rs137 per litre, taking it to a record Rs458.4. However, a few days later, the prime minister, in a televised address, announced a Rs80 per litre reduction in the petroleum levy on petrol, bringing its price down to Rs378 per litre.

As part of the relief measures, a subsidy of Rs100 per litre was announced for motorcycle users, while goods transport operators were offered financial assistance for one month: Rs70,000 for small trucks, Rs80,000 for large trucks, and Rs100,000 for public transport buses. The measures aim to prevent increases in the prices of essential commodities and transport fares.

The government also extended support to small farmers by offering financial assistance of Rs1,500 per acre, while ensuring that economy-class fares for Pakistan Railways passengers remain unchanged. The measures were also implemented in Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir, with the government pledging to provide all necessary resources.

Following the federal initiative, the Sindh government announced a monthly subsidy of Rs2,000 for registered motorcyclists across the province. Similarly, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government launched the Ehsaas Fuel Support Programme, under which motorcycle, scooter and rickshaw owners will receive Rs2,000.





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Stock market holiday on May 1: Are NSE, BSE, MCX open on Maharashtra Day? – The Times of India

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April 30, 2026

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Stock market holiday on May 1: Are NSE, BSE, MCX open on Maharashtra Day? – The Times of India


Indian markets are set for a shortened trading week, with the NSE and BSE remaining closed on Friday, May 1, for Maharashtra Day. The holiday will pause trading across equity, equity derivatives and related segments.For investors planning trades or settlements, Friday’s closure will be the latest scheduled market break after the April 14 holiday observed for Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Jayanti.

Are NSE and BSE open on May 1?

No. Both the National Stock Exchange and BSE will remain shut on Friday, May 1.Normal trading will resume on the next working day after the holiday which is May 4, 2026.

Is MCX open on May 1?

The Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) will remain closed in the morning session but will reopen for the evening session.The National Commodity & Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX), however, will remain shut for both sessions on Friday.

What is the next stock market holiday after May 1?

After Maharashtra Day, the next scheduled holiday for stock markets is May 28 on account of Bakri Id.

How many market holidays are left in 2026?

A total of 16 stock market holidays are scheduled for 2026. Seven have already passed. After the May 1 break, eight more full market holidays remain this year.The remaining holidays are:

  • May 28- Bakri Id
  • June 26 – Muharram
  • September 14 – Ganesh Chaturthi
  • October 2 – Gandhi Jayanti
  • October 20 – Dussehra
  • November 10 – Diwali Balipratipada
  • November 24 – Guru Nanak Jayanti
  • December 25 – Christmas

Which holidays fall on weekends?

Some major holidays in 2026 fall on weekends and therefore do not lead to exchange closures:

  • Mahashivratri – February 15
  • Eid-Ul-Fitr – March 21
  • Independence Day – August 15
  • Diwali Laxmi Pujan – November 8

Will there be Muhurat Trading?

Yes, Diwali Laxmi Pujan falls on a Sunday this year, and exchanges are expected to hold the customary Muhurat Trading session on November 8.The timing for the one-hour special session will be announced closer to the date.



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FDA proposes excluding Novo, Lilly weight loss drugs from bulk compounding list in win for the companies

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April 30, 2026

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FDA proposes excluding Novo, Lilly weight loss drugs from bulk compounding list in win for the companies


The headquarters of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in Silver Spring, Maryland, Nov. 4, 2009.

Jason Reed | Reuters

The ⁠Food and Drug ⁠Administration on Thursday proposed ​excluding the active ingredients in Novo Nordisk ‌and Eli Lilly‘s blockbuster obesity and diabetes medications from the ⁠list ⁠of drugs that outsourcing facilities can use for ​compounding in bulk.

If that proposal is finalized, the exclusion would likely limit the mass compounding — or the making of custom, often cheaper alternatives — of those medicines ​unless they appear on the FDA’s ⁠drug shortage ⁠list. The agency said it will consider public comments, which can be submitted until late June, before making a final decision.

The FDA finds “no clinical need” for outsourcing facilities to compound them from bulk drug substances, the agency said in a release.

The proposal includes semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo’s obesity drug Wegovy and diabetes counterpart Ozempic, and tirzepatide, which is in Lilly’s weight loss injection Zepbound and diabetes shot Mounjaro. It also covers ⁠Novo’s older molecule liraglutide.

“When FDA-approved drugs are available, ​outsourcing facilities cannot lawfully ​compound ⁠using bulk drug substances unless there is a clear clinical ⁠need,” ​FDA Commissioner Marty ​Makary said in the release.

The agency’s proposal specifically targets 503B outsourcing facilities, which manufacture compounded drugs in bulk with or without prescription and are largely regulated by FDA guidelines. 

The proposal does not impact 503A pharmacies, which make compounded drugs according to individual prescriptions for a specific patient and are largely regulated by states rather than the FDA. 

Lilly and Novo have invested billions to ramp up manufacturing capacity over the last several years, which has helped alleviate supply constraints. The companies have also pursued efforts to make their branded medications more affordable to win over users who had flocked to cheaper compounded medications.

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Fact check: The US is the UK’s third largest source of natural gas

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April 30, 2026

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Fact check: The US is the UK’s third largest source of natural gas



Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said in an interview on BBC Breakfast on Wednesday that “most of our gas now comes from Montana in the (US) Midwest”.

It is not the first time that Mr Farage has made a similar claim. Earlier in April he said: “Most of the gas we currently import comes from Montana.”

Evaluation

The US is only the third largest source of the UK’s gas supply, and the second largest foreign supplier. It is the largest supplier of liquid natural gas, the type that is transported by ship, rather than pipeline.

It is unclear why Mr Farage mentioned Montana specifically. Montana is not a major gas producing state.

The facts

Provisional data for 2025 shows that the UK’s own production of gas was 332,444 gigawatt hours (GWh). The country imported 463,692 GWh of gas. Of that, 320,249 GWh came from Norway and 104,360 GWh came from the US.

All the gas imported from the US was liquid natural gas (LNG) – the type that is super-chilled and transported by ship rather than in pipelines. The US was the UK’s largest supplier of LNG.

But it unclear how much – if any – of the UK’s gas comes from Montana specifically.

Data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) show that in 2024, the US produced a total of 37.7 trillion cubic feet of dry gas. Of this Montana accounted for around 40.0 billion cubic feet, or 0.1% of the total US production.

EIA data also show that Montana’s gas production was lower than its consumption of gas.

However, this does not mean that the state does not export any of its gas to other states or countries.

A 2023 report from the Montana Department of Environmental Quality said that while “Montana currently consumes more natural gas than it produces” a “significant portion” of the state’s production is exported.

Data from the US Census Bureau show that the US exported 2.8 billion US dollars worth of natural gas to the UK in 2025. This came from four states: Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland and Texas.

The data shows the state that the gas was exported from, not where the gas was actually initially produced. Although they are major LNG exporters, Maryland and Georgia produce little to no natural gas themselves.

The US Census Bureau data also show that Montana exported 525,083 US dollars worth of natural gas in 2025, all of which went to Canada.

A 2021 report from the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Trade said that the UK was the fifth largest export market for Montana in 2019, selling 39 million US dollars worth of goods to the UK.

It listed the main goods exports from Montana to the UK in 2019 as electrical equipment, basic chemicals, navigational and measurement instruments, aerospace products and parts, and miscellaneous general purpose machinery.

There is no mention of gas in that report.

The US Census Bureau does not define Montana as being part of the Midwest.

Links

Interview on YouTube

Facebook video (archived video download)

Gov.uk – Natural gas supply and consumption (archived page and spreadsheet)

Gov.uk – Natural gas imports (archived page and spreadsheet)

EIA – Natural Gas Gross Withdrawals and Production (archived)

EIA – Natural Gas Summary, Montana (archived)

Montana Department of Environmental Quality – Understanding energy in Montana (archived)

US Census Bureau – Foreign Trade (archived page and spreadsheet download)

EIA – Natural Gas Summary, Georgia (archived)

Gov.uk – UK-Montana trade and investment highlights (archived)

US Census Bureau – 12 States Make up the Midwest Region of the Country (archived)



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