Afghan Refugees & Religion: An Afghan Christian convert, Ziba Mastoor, fled Taliban pursuit and reached Qatar on a temporary visa, but now fears deportation back to danger—highlighting how women and religious minorities face restrictions, intimidation, and forced displacement across the region. Global Economy & War: World Bank chief economist Indermit Gill warns that escalating US-Iran hostilities could push global growth down to 1.3% and lift inflation, with knock-on effects for food and interest rates. Water & Development: ADB and Japan launched a $10m fund (WISER) to strengthen water security, efficiency, disaster resilience, and clean hydropower systems across Asia-Pacific. Education & Admissions: A Senate panel raised concerns over MDCAT complaints and coaching costs, with calls to hold the test twice yearly to ease stream-based disadvantages. Prison Reform in Punjab: Punjab’s “Naya Aaghaz” programme offers released prisoners interest-free loans up to Rs200,000 plus vocational support to restart small businesses. Budget & Women’s Health: Pakistan unveiled a Rs18.8trn federal budget for 2026-27, citing regional shocks while expanding education and public health, including women’s health exemptions. Pakistan-Iran Cooperation: Interior ministers Mohsin Naqvi and Eskandar Momeni agreed to boost counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics, and action against illegal immigration and human trafficking. Religious Minorities in Focus: The European Parliament condemned persecution of Christians in Nigeria and a forced-conversion/forced-marriage case involving a 13-year-old Pakistani girl, urging stronger protections. Youth & Work: A commentary argues Pakistan’s graduate jobs gap needs a shift toward entrepreneurship and practical skills beyond degrees. Immigration Pressure: Reports note large numbers of undocumented migrants held in detention centres, underscoring the human cost of enforcement.