MANAMA: In a significant policy shift aimed at attracting long-term foreign investment, Bahrain has lowered the minimum real-estate investment required for its Golden Residency Visa, cutting the threshold from BHD 200,000 to BHD 130,000. The decision, announced by the Kingdom’s Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs (NPRA), marks one of the most substantial relaxations in Bahrain’s residency rules in recent years. Officials said the revised requirement is part of Bahrain’s broader strategy to boost competitiveness in the region as Gulf states increasingly vie for global investors, entrepreneurs and skilled professionals. The Golden Residency Visa,a 10-year, renewable permit offers beneficiaries the right…
Author: Imran Ali Khan
At the 46th summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), regional leaders underscored that respect for the sovereignty of all member states remains a fundamental principle, warning that interference in the internal affairs of any state is not only unacceptable but poses a direct threat to the collective peace and stability of the Gulf region. The leaders stressed that the security, stability and sovereignty of GCC states are shared and indivisible, and any harm to one member inevitably impacts the entire bloc. The summit emphasized expanding international cooperation and strengthening political, security and economic partnerships with friendly nations and global…
Washington, D.C: The Trump administration announced that it will maintain an indefinite pause on asylum approvals, following a fatal shooting near the White House that left one National Guard member dead and another critically wounded. The alleged shooter, 29-year-old Afghan national Rahmanullah Lakanwal, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the November 26 incident. Lakanwal, who had been granted asylum in April 2025, had previously worked as part of a CIA-backed partner force fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan and entered the United States as part of a resettlement program after the American military withdrawal in 2021. Details…
Pakistan’s security leadership has issued a stark warning about the escalating regional threat emanating from Afghanistan, with Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry accusing the Afghan Taliban regime of enabling instability by supporting cross-border terrorist attacks. Addressing senior journalists, the DG ISPR said a strong nexus of political terror crime has taken shape across the border, posing a direct challenge to Pakistan’s internal stability. He asserted that Pakistan’s issue is not with the Afghan people but with the Afghan Taliban leadership, which he said has failed to uphold its commitments under the Doha Agreement. The…
Islamabad: Significant progress has been reported in the ongoing judicial dispute over the transfer of high court judges, as five Islamabad High Court (IHC) judges filed a miscellaneous petition before the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) on Saturday. The judges are challenging the transfer of their intra-court appeal from the Supreme Court (SC) to the FCC, established under the controversial 27th Constitutional Amendment. The petition was filed by Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, Justice Babar Sattar, Justice Sardar Ejaz Ishaq Khan, Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz, and Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri. The matter pertains to the transfer of three judges from other high…
Washington, D.C.: In a meeting that surprised political observers, US President Donald Trump and New York City’s incoming mayor, Zohran Mamdani, exchanged smiles, compliments, and pledges to collaborate on crime and affordability challenges at the White House on Friday. The encounter, held in the Oval Office, marked a sharp departure from months of public insults and political clashes between the two leaders. Trump, 79, and Mamdani, 34, a Democratic socialist and state lawmaker, had previously sparred over immigration, economic policy, and city governance. Yet, during their first face-to-face meeting, the pair displayed a rapport that caught both the press and…
Brussels: Pakistan and the European Union (EU) have emphasized the need to further deepen trade and investment ties, leveraging the EU’s GSP+ scheme as a catalyst for sustainable growth, export diversification, job creation, and mutually beneficial economic opportunities. The announcement came during the 7th Strategic Dialogue between Pakistan and the EU, held in Brussels and co-chaired by Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and EU’s chief diplomat Kaja Kallas. The dialogue provided a comprehensive review of the full spectrum of Pakistan-EU relations, building on positive momentum from previous high-level engagements and institutional interactions, according to Pakistan’s Foreign…
Dubai: An Indian Air Force (IAF) Tejas fighter jet crashed during a flying display at the Dubai Air Show on Friday, resulting in the death of the pilot, officials confirmed. Witnesses reported the aircraft was flying at low altitude around 2:15 pm (1015 GMT) before descending in a ball of fire, sending plumes of black smoke into the sky. The IAF confirmed the pilot sustained fatal injuries and expressed condolences to the bereaved family. A court of inquiry is being constituted to ascertain the cause of the accident, the IAF said on X. Dubai authorities also confirmed the crash, describing…
lslamabad: Pakistan’s international stature is rising after former US President Donald Trump publicly embraced Army Chief General Asim Munir, calling him a “great guy” and claiming to have brokered a ceasefire that averted a potential South Asian conflict. The development has been welcomed in Islamabad, where officials described the May clash with India as a diplomatic and strategic victory, Bloomberg reported Friday. According to a US Congress report, Pakistan has moved from being an “afterthought” in Washington’s South Asia strategy to a country of growing importance, as Trump’s relationship with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi soured amid high US tariffs…
Islamabad: Pakistan’s tax authority has issued a stern warning to Chinese tile manufacturers operating in the country, demanding full disclosure of production figures or the immediate cessation of operations. The warning comes after representatives of four Chinese firms appeared before the Senate Standing Committee on Finance, resisting the installation of monitoring cameras at their factories. Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) Chairman Rashid Langrial said the government estimates Rs30 billion in annual tax evasion by tile manufacturers and is determined to curb it through Artificial Intelligence-enabled cameras. If your board of directors does not agree to install the cameras, then you…