Pakistan cleared donkey meat and hide exports from Gwadar to China after a Chinese firm warned it would shut operations over delays there.

Hantavirus, a rare rodent-borne disease, drove a multinational health response after three reported deaths aboard MV Hondius off Cape Verde.

GCC countries scored 66.9 in the 2026 Economic Freedom Index, beating the global 59.9 average as the UAE, Qatar and Oman led the bloc overall.

UAE and French foreign ministers met in Abu Dhabi to review bilateral ties and regional developments as Gulf security concerns stay elevated.