Pakistan

Middle East economy to shrink 2.1% in 2026, Gulf economies by 4.3%, World Bank forecasts

Despite grim forecasts, the World Bank projects regional economies could rebound by 7.8% in 2027 if the conflict ends this year, though the Hormuz blockade and inflation remain major threats.

Now, when Israel looks out at the map, it has an alliance with two countries that face Iran directly across the Gulf
Pro-Saudi-backed Yemeni government fighters fire their weapons during what government forces say was an advance against the Iran-backed Houthis, near Dhubab, Taiz Governorate, Yemen, October 5, 2026.

Houthis ramp up missile attacks on Riyadh as Saudi-backed war in Yemen widens

US President Donald Trump speaks with media before boarding Marine One as he travels to Grand Island, Nebraska, on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, US, October 5, 2026.

Trump says he deserves Nobel Peace Prize but has doubts he will get it

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during a meeting at his ruling AK Party (AKP) in Ankara, Turkey, October 7, 2026.

Mecca defense pact puts Turkey’s commitment to Saudi under domestic scrutiny - analysis


Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan returned to prison after court ordered hospital visit

His lawyers say his health has deteriorated in prison and that he lost significant vision in his right eye. The government has said medical reports disclosed nothing requiring immediate treatment.

 Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan speaks with Reuters during an interview, in Lahore, Pakistan March 17, 2023.

Iran’s Baloch uprising: A rising lever or a strategic illusion? - opinion

The core issue therefore centers not on the raw strength of the Baloch movement alone but on whether it holds attributes that make it a strategic asset major powers can viably invest in.

Family members mourn the death of a relative killed in an attack by Baloch separatists, at a hospital in Quetta on January 31, 2026.

Israel faces emerging regional alignment as Syria turns to Pakistan after strikes - analysis

Talk of Saudi Arabia joining the Abraham Accords appears to underestimate how much Riyadh and other countries have become concerned about Israeli strikes in places like Syria.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan Al-Shaibani meets with European Commission Vice-President and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas (not pictured), in Brussels, Belgium, May 11, 2026

Imran Khan transferred from prison to hospital as court raises serious health concerns

The court also directed the formation of a medical board to assess his health and ordered that he be kept under tight security at the hospital.

 Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan pauses as he speaks with Reuters during an interview, in Lahore, Pakistan March 17, 2023.

India arrests over 200 terror operatives linked to Pakistan ahead of Independence Day

Agencies have reportedly recovered pistols, live cartridges, grenades bearing Pakistan Ordnance Factory markings and crude bombs.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the nation from the ramparts of the Red Fort during the celebrations to mark country's Independence Day in New Delhi on August 15, 2026.

US-Iran talks hit new impasse as MoU's 60-day deadline expires with no deal

On Monday afternoon, Saudi news channel Al Arabiya reported that the US and Iran have agreed to extend a 60-day ceasefire.

A person holds a placard representing a US flag, with an image of Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on a billboard in the background, on the day of a ceremony marking 40 days since Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed, in Tehran, Iran, April 9, 2026.

Mecca pact unites Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan - but what does it mean? - opinion

The significance of the Mecca pact will depend less on the language of the agreement than on its implementation.

TURKISH PRESIDENT Recep Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, next to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, after signing a joint defense agreement in Mecca, on August 7, 2026.

Eight Arab, Islamic nations accuse Israel of derailing Trump's Gaza peace plan

In a joint statement, the countries accused Israel of undermining efforts to fully end the war with Hamas in Gaza and derailing Trump’s push to cement conditions necessary for long-lasting peace.

(Front row, L/R) Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, Egypt’s Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, and Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim al-Thani attend the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace, hosted by US President Donald Trump.

The new crescent: Mecca pact gives rise to a Saudi-led Sunni bloc, posing new challenges for Israel

BEHIND THE LINES: Anti-Israel statements of the emergent alliance between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan are not just rhetoric. Rather, they form an integral element in its strategy.

TURKISH PRESIDENT Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif, pose after signing a joint defense agreement in Mecca, August 7, 2026.

My Word: It’s a funny old world - opinion

The “baby-killer” blood libel is by now so entrenched that it’s almost impossible to set the record straight, but a UNICEF-led report published last week showed the extent of the lies and hypocrisy.

Ireland's new government jet, which lacks the Elbit-manufactured FalconEye technology that allows it to land in fog.