Afghanistan
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.
On this day: US, Britain strike Afghanistan over September 11 attacks, kickstart War on Terror
ICC provides more details on arrest warrants for two Taliban leaders
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, UAE back railway linking Central Asia to Pakistan’s seaports
Afghan journalist explains her escape from Taliban after restrictions on women in broadcasting
Censorship, threats, and tightening restrictions made it impossible for journalist Tahmina Usmani to continue working freely or safely in Afghanistan.
Five years after Taliban takeover, Afghan women remain trapped in deepening rights crisis
The Afghan women who spoke to The Media Line said that words could hardly capture the hardships they have endured in exile, while their loved ones continue to face difficult conditions back home.
Taliban celebrate ‘victory day’ five years after seizing power in Afghanistan
Five years after seizing power, the Taliban are projecting control in Afghanistan while rights groups warn of deepening humanitarian crises and sweeping restrictions on women.
Half of Afghan women rarely leave home as Taliban restrictions deepen, UN agency says
Afghanistan remains the only country in the world to ban girls from secondary education and women from attending university.
At least 14 killed, 18 wounded in suicide bombing outside Pakistan police station
The explosion took place in the Kabal area of Swat, a district in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.
Islamist terrorists kill 10 police officers in northwest Pakistan, say police
The attack took place late on Wednesday in the Hangu district near the Afghan border, an area that has long served as home to terrorist groups.
Female Afghan Christian convert flees Taliban, only to risk deportation in Qatar
Since retaking power, the Taliban has largely excluded women from public life. Girls are barred from secondary schools and universities, while women have faced sweeping restrictions.
Twenty killed, 100 missing after flash floods hit Afghanistan, authorities say
Afghanistan is among the nations most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, which has made some parts of the country more drought-prone and exposed others to more rainfall.
Women’s OIC conference in Pakistan sees Syrian delegation after 14 years
Syria’s minister of social affairs and labor, Hind Kabawat, led the delegation, as few Afghan women were represented in their fight for rights under Taliban rule.
Trump administration launches campaign to dismantle ICC efforts to infringe on US sovereignty
President Donald Trump and other US officials, such as former President George W. Bush, have long said the ICC should not have the authority to investigate and prosecute Americans.
