WORLD

MUSCAT, 22 August, 2026 (Nosheen): Oman’s long-standing role as a diplomatic bridge between the United States and Iran is facing renewed pressure as Muscat seeks to maintain its strategic partnership with Washington while preserving close relations with Tehran.The situation has become more challenging after US President Donald Trump threatened to take military action against Oman if it obstructed US efforts to end the conflict with Iran and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Washington and Tehran remain divided over how to end their months-long conflict, while Oman has continued separate discussions with Iran over arrangements for navigation through the strategically important waterway.The United States and Iran had previously reached an understanding that included Oman conducting dialogue with ...

 TUNIS, 22 August, 2026 (Ghufran): At least 13 Tunisians are missing after a migrant boat sank off the Tunisian coast while travelling towards Italy, while two people were rescued, according to the head of a migrant rights group. Mostafa Abdelkebir, head of the Tunisian Observatory for Human Rights, said the boat had departed early Thursday.One of the two survivors told rescuers aboard a local boat that they had remained stranded at sea for several hours after their vessel capsized. The second survivor was in critical condition, Abdelkebir said. Tunisia was previously a major departure point for migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean, but departures have declined sharply over the past two years amid a crackdown and tighter maritime controls, supported by European funding a...

 TEHRAN, 22 August, 2026 (Kamran Raja): Iran has warned that any new US threats would trigger a “devastating” response after Washington announced plans to impose what it described as the toughest financial sanctions in history against Tehran. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he would provide details of the planned sanctions on Monday, after President Donald Trump warned that countries providing “any type of lifeline” to Iran would face economic consequences. Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, Major General Ali Abdollahi, said Iran’s response to any new threats would be broad and decisive. According to Iranian media, Abdollahi said Iran’s armed forces were prepared across land, sea, air, air defence and cyberspace to respond to what he described as new enemy threats wit...

 WASHINGTON, 22 August, 2026 (Nosheen): The United States and Canada have failed to reach a trade agreement, with Washington announcing plans to impose 50% tariffs on certain Canadian imports, escalating trade tensions between the two long-time allies. A senior Trump administration official said tariffs under Section 338 covering around $20 billion worth of Canadian goods would take effect shortly after midnight on Saturday. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he had suspended trade negotiations with the United States and directed Canadian negotiators to return to Ottawa. He also said Canada would respond to the new US tariffs on a dollar-for-dollar basis. The decision followed three days of negotiations in Washington between Canada’s Minister for Trade with the United St...

  WASHINGTON, 22 August, 2026 (Ghufran): A US federal judge has struck down a Trump administration policy that suspended the issuance of immigrant visas to applicants from 75 countries, including Pakistan, ruling that the policy exceeded the statutory authority of Secretary of State Marco Rubio. US District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan described the policy announced by the State Department in January as unlawful and said it conflicted with federal immigration law governing the processing of immigrant visas by consular officers. The suspension affected applicants from several regions, including Pakistan and Bangladesh in South Asia, Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay in Latin America, Bosnia and Albania in the Balkans, as well as countries across Africa, the Middle East...

 SOKOTO, Nigeria, 21 August 2026 (News Desk) — At least 50 people, mostly children, were killed after an overloaded boat capsized on Thursday in Nigeria’s northwestern Sokoto state, witnesses and officials said. The accident occurred near Gorau in the Goronyo local government area, where rescue operations were continuing, said Abdulkadir Yusuf, an area manager at the National Inland Waterways Authority.A Reuters witness saw 50 bodies, many wrapped in mats and traditional cloth, lying in the courtyard of a community mosque ahead of their burial in Gorau later Thursday.Local residents said the boat was carrying farm owners and labourers who had been hired to harvest rice. One resident estimated that more than 70 people were aboard when the boat overturned, while another said there w...

 LONDON, 21 August, 2026 (Nosheen) — Prince Harry and six other high-profile claimants, including singer Elton John, are set to learn Friday how much they will initially have to pay the publisher of Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper following their failed privacy case. The claimants lost a High Court case in London last month in which they accused Associated Newspapers Ltd., publisher of the Daily Mail, of unlawful practices including phone hacking and the use of private investigators to obtain information about their private lives. The seven claimants are expected to learn the extent of their liability for Associated Newspapers’ legal costs, which have reportedly reached around £34 million ($46 million). The claimants are believed to have insurance covering approximately half of tha...

BEIJING, 21 August, 2026 (Ghufran): China has said that US sanctions and economic pressure will not help resolve the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Washington has previously urged various governments, including China, to join its efforts to isolate Iran's economy. Responding to a question about US President Donald Trump's threats, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said sanctions and pressure would not contribute to resolving the issue. He urged all relevant parties to act responsibly and resolve the dispute through political and diplomatic means. The United States says its economic campaign will force the Iranian government to yield, while Tehran has described the pressure as "economic terrorism" and said the campaign is destined to fail.When US Treasury Secretary Scott ...

JAKARTA, 21 August, 2026(News Desk): Indonesia and China have agreed to expand defense cooperation and strengthen collaboration in food, energy and mineral security during high-level meetings in Jakarta on Friday. Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi discussed ways to advance bilateral cooperation in political, economic, security, maritime and people-to-people relations. Wang Yi said the two countries agreed to improve coordination on development and security priorities to support the modernization of both nations. He stressed the importance of opposing unilateralism and power politics while safeguarding international fairness, justice and the legitimate interests of developing countries.The two sides also discussed strengthening food, energy and mineral...

20 August 2026 (Nosheen): Yemen’s Houthi movement has claimed responsibility for separate drone attacks targeting Najran airport and a facility belonging to Saudi state oil giant Aramco in the southern Saudi region of Najran. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the two targets were attacked separately using drones in what he described as highly precise operations. According to Saree, the first operation targeted a sensitive Saudi site at Najran airport, while the second was directed at an Aramco facility in the region. The Houthi spokesperson claimed that both operations successfully struck their intended targets but did not provide details regarding possible casualties or material damage. Saudi authorities had not immediately confirmed or denied the Houthi claims, leaving it unc...