International news and analysis, with a focus on the developments that matter most to readers in Pakistan and South Asia.
Drone strikes hit two cargo ships in the Black Sea off Bulgaria on Tuesday, sinking one vessel and leaving 11 sailors missing. Sofia called the attacks unacceptable, summoned Russia’s ambassador, and asked NATO and the EU for help. Key takeaways Illustration: WHAT TODAY? Two cargo …
The Vatican announced on Tuesday that Pope Leo XIV, 71, has been diagnosed with lung cancer. Surgeons removed the lower lobe of his right lung at Rome’s Gemelli hospital in a 90-minute operation that the Vatican called successful with no complications. The pontiff is resting, …
Key takeaways The IMF warned on Tuesday that an AI market correction, severe cyberattacks and rising bond yields could trigger sharp global market turmoil, urging policymakers to curb excessive leverage and build resilience before new shocks hit. The International Monetary Fund warned on Tuesday that …
Key takeaways US President Donald Trump said Russia and Ukraine had agreed to an “energy ceasefire” effective immediately — a surprise to Kyiv, which welcomed the idea but reported Russian drones and glide bombs still hitting energy sites in Kyiv and Kharkiv. The announcement caps …
Key takeaways Category 4 Hurricane Simon is bearing down on Mexico’s Pacific coast with sustained winds of 150 mph. Puerto Vallarta and surrounding coastal communities face dangerous storm surge, flash flooding, and damaging winds. Residents and visitors should follow official guidance and be ready for …
A missile strike on the passenger-terminal complex at Riyadh’s King Khalid airport killed 12 people and wounded 309 on Saturday, authorities confirmed. The deadliest attack on Saudi soil in over a decade was blamed on Houthi rebels by the Saudi-led coalition, which vowed a decisive …
South African jurist Navi Pillay, 85, has won the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for her lifelong work defending international law. The announcement landed amid a storm: hours later, the United States sanctioned the International Criminal Court — where Pillay once served as a judge — …
Three Saudi nationals were killed and several people injured in two Houthi attacks on Riyadh’s King Khalid airport on Thursday. The Saudi-led coalition vowed retaliation, while airlines including Lufthansa and Air India suspended flights to the capital amid the escalating war. Key takeaways Three Saudi …
Key takeaways Anne Carson has won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature, the Swedish Academy announced on October 8. The Canadian poet and classicist was honoured for an inventive body of work that fuses ancient Greek myth with modern life, making her the 19th woman …
A 28-year-old technician at a Siberian anti-plague lab died of undetermined pneumonia. Russia says lab tests found no plague; WHO rates the public risk low. Washington is pressing Moscow for more transparency. Lab-accident claims remain unconfirmed. What happened in Irkutsk Darya Shipilova, a 28-year-old laboratory …