Dubai hotels are offering discounted staycation deals for UAE residents as international travel slows due to regional conflict and flight cancellations.

Iran warned it could wage a prolonged war with the United States and Israel that would "destroy" the world economy, even as US President Donald Trump said late Wednesday the Islamic republic was facing imminent defeat.

Iran's military vowed on Wednesday to launch strikes against US and Israeli economic interests in the region, including banks, while an Iranian news agency listed tech giants as possible "future targets".

Dozens of U.S. service members were seriously injured after an Iranian drone strike targeted a U.S. tactical operations center in Kuwait early in the war. Several troops remain hospitalized across military medical centers in the U.S. and Europe.

Oil soared above $100 and stocks sank Thursday as Iran's fresh attempts to hit supplies in the Middle East and threats to bring down the global economy overshadowed a record release of strategic crude by the International Energy Agency.

Spain has permanently withdrawn its ambassador from Israel, formally downgrading the level of diplomatic relations with the country.

The FBI has warned the authorities in California that Iran has planned drone raids launched from an unidentified vessel off the West Coast, according to an alert reviewed by US media outlets. Local officials, however, have cast doubt on the warning, saying it is unverified.

The Trump administration may soon request up to $50 billion more from Congress as the conflict expands across the Middle East.

In a historic and unprecedented moment, Prince Andrew became the first senior British royal in nearly 400 years to be arrested. The move signals a profound shift in accountability within the monarchy.

Each year, Ramadan in Pakistan arrives with promises of relief and billion-rupee subsidy packages. Yet for many citizens, the holy month brings soaring prices instead of ease. From weak market monitoring to ineffective implementation, the gap between announcements and ground realities exposes systemic flaws.

Pakistan has largely lost its traditional leverage over Afghanistan—refugees, militants, and border control—leaving it with limited and risky options like drone strikes or potential military action.

A critique of media influence and authoritarian tendencies that discourage critical thinking, suppress dissent, and keep citizens distracted rather than informed.

In Iran, subsidy reform is economically necessary but politically perilous because cheap essentials underpin daily survival amid inflation and low trust.

India is highly vulnerable to Gulf instability due to its heavy energy reliance on the Strait of Hormuz, exposing it to inflation, trade disruptions, and risks to its diaspora.

Abu Mohammad al-Julani’s shift from global jihadist to pragmatic power broker in Syria highlights how image management and governance shape political survival. The Taliban’s refusal to reform, by contrast, has deepened Afghanistan’s isolation and weakened its legitimacy.

The author argues that Pakistan’s military privilege is not merely institutional but civilizational—reshaping infrastructure, politics, faith, and daily life to normalize inequality, suppress dissent, and extract wealth at the expense of civilian society.