US Treasury halts licences for English proficiency tests in Iran, forcing students to travel abroad to sit exams A woman walks by a mural depicting Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on a street in Tehran, Iran, August 13, 2026. PHOTO: REUTERS She had planned to study psychology in Italy, but after United States … Read more

Actor argues Pakistan’s poverty limits youth-led change seen elsewhere, encourages ‘civil’ conversation Actor Nadia Hussain took a wide-ranging look at Pakistani society in a recent interview, discussing why she used her platform to weigh in on social issues.  Nadia said staying silent was never an option for her. “Some people don’t want to talk, but I … Read more

Smoke rises from a burning truck during what the Houthis say was an attack targeting trucks coming from Saudi territory, at Al-Wadiah border crossing near Al-Wadiah, on the Saudi-Yemen border, in this still image obtained from a handout video released. Photo: Reuters Operations at some energy facilities in Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter, … Read more

On average, students were reading at a level that had in the past been expected of students one year younger Teenagers look at their mobile phone screens in Paris, France, February 20, 2026. PHOTO: REUTERS Teenagers more accustomed to smartphones than Shakespeare are reading at the worst levels seen this century, driving a broader decline … Read more

Encourages fans to approach online conversations with kindness rather than hostility Pakistani actor Sajal Aly shared a message for her fans on how supporting a favourite celebrity should never come at the expense of putting someone else down. Taking to social media, the actor urged her followers to refrain from spreading hate or negativity in … Read more