The United States on Thursday announced the approval of $16.46 billion in military sales to the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, two Gulf states that have been hit hard by fallout from the Iran war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Iran is being "decimated" and it is unclear who is in charge, as Tehran sent jitters through global markets by turning its sights on Gulf oil and gas facilities.

Firefighters battled a blaze at a giant oil refinery in Kuwait on Friday after a fresh drone attack as Iran kept up a wave of strikes on its neighbours and vowed there was "no concern" about its missile production.

Iran could face retaliation from its Gulf neighbors for attacks on their energy infrastructure, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Al Saud has warned, adding that the “patience” of the countries of the region is not “unlimited.”

China condemned on Thursday the killing of Iranian national security chief Ali Larijani by an Israeli air strike, calling it "unacceptable".

Following missile attacks targeting Riyadh, the kingdom signaled it may resort to military action if Iran does not halt its aggression, marking a dangerous new phase in the escalating regional conflict.

Iranian lawmakers have proposed a plan to impose tolls and taxes on ships passing through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, local media reported on Thursday.

Oil prices soared 10 percent Thursday after Qatar reported "extensive" damage to the world's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) facility following Iranian strikes, sparking fears for global energy supplies.

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.