Friday, February 20, 2026
Thursday, February 19, 2026
Wednesday, February 18, 2026
PM Shehbaz leaves for Washington to attend Trump's 'Board of Peace' meeting on Gaza
Sources say premier is expected to hold one-on-one meeting with Trump during his stay in US
By
Web Desk
February 18, 2026
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif (left) speaks with US President Donald Trump at the “Board of Peace” meeting during the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2026 in Davos on January 22, 2026. — AFP
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif departed for the United States on Wednesday to attend the inaugural global summit of the Board of Peace (BoP), hosted by US President Donald Trump in Washington on February 19.
The prime minister left for Washington from London, where he had arrived on Tuesday for a brief two-day stay following the conclusion of his official visit to Austria.
The sources said PM Shehbaz would have a one-on-one meeting with host President Donald Trump during his stay in Washington, The News reported last week.
They said that one of the key goals of the Washington meeting was to mobilise funding for Gaza’s reconstruction. More than 20 countries, including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Indonesia, Argentina and Hungary, are members of the board.
Last month, Foreign Office Spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said that Pakistan would continue to engage with international efforts aimed at peace and security in Gaza.
“Pakistan will remain engaged with international efforts for peace and security in Gaza, leading to a lasting solution to the Palestine issue in accordance with United Nations resolutions,” he said.
Best Bug Out Locations in America: Safest Areas To Be After Society Collapses
Best Bug Out Locations in America: Safest Areas To Be After Society Collapses
Oct 15, 2022
What are the best places in the United States to bug out to or safest place to live? I explain in this article and on my youtube channel. Video below.
Legend
RED shaded areas are the BEST bug out areas or safest areas to live
ORANGE areas are the second best areas to bug out to or live in
YELLOW areas are the best areas to get to or live in if you cannot reach the orange or red areas
Oct 15, 2022
What are the best places in the United States to bug out to or safest place to live? I explain in this article and on my youtube channel. Video below.
Legend
RED shaded areas are the BEST bug out areas or safest areas to live
ORANGE areas are the second best areas to bug out to or live in
YELLOW areas are the best areas to get to or live in if you cannot reach the orange or red areas
Strait Showdown: Iran Launches "Smart Control" Exercise At Oil Transit Point
by Tyler Durden
Monday, Feb 16, 2026 - 01:00 PM
Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) kicked off naval drills Monday in the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, according to state media.
The exercise, dubbed "Smart Control of Hormuz Strait," is being carried out by IRGC naval forces under the direct supervision of the Guards' top command, state television reported, with semi-official Tasnim news agency describing the drills as testing combat readiness against "possible security and military threats." Energy markets are watching closely.
IRNA: IRGC Navy conducts a hybrid, live exercise dubbed "Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz."
Under the supervision of IRGC Commander-in-Chief Major General Mohammad Pakpour, a state media press release described the exercise further as "A rapid, decisive, and comprehensive response to maritime security threats form the core focus of the intelligence and operational components of the units deployed during the exercise."
Indirect nuclear talks between the US and Iran have lately resumed after collapsing when Israel launched strikes on Iran in June 2025, igniting a 12-day conflict that included US attacks on three Iranian nuclear facilities - with another round of negotiations scheduled for Tuesday in Geneva, with Oman serving as mediator.
The timing is no coincidence, given that late last week President Trump announced he was dispatching a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East, while continuing to warn that military action against Iran remains on the table.
The IRGC has been conducing sporadic and in some cases unannounced drills in regional waters in order to demonstrate to Washington the Islamic Republic's military readiness.
Two weeks ago, when some of the first drills kicked off, US Central Command (CENTCOM) warned the IRGC it better be careful in the vicinity of US naval assets.
"We will not tolerate unsafe IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) actions including overflight of U.S. military vessels engaged in flight operations, low-altitude or armed overflight of U.S. military assets when intentions are unclear, highspeed boat approaches on a collision course with U.S. military vessels, or weapons trained at U.S. forces," CENTCOM said at the time.
Under the supervision of IRGC Commander-in-Chief Major General Mohammad Pakpour, a state media press release described the exercise further as "A rapid, decisive, and comprehensive response to maritime security threats form the core focus of the intelligence and operational components of the units deployed during the exercise."
Indirect nuclear talks between the US and Iran have lately resumed after collapsing when Israel launched strikes on Iran in June 2025, igniting a 12-day conflict that included US attacks on three Iranian nuclear facilities - with another round of negotiations scheduled for Tuesday in Geneva, with Oman serving as mediator.
The timing is no coincidence, given that late last week President Trump announced he was dispatching a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East, while continuing to warn that military action against Iran remains on the table.
The IRGC has been conducing sporadic and in some cases unannounced drills in regional waters in order to demonstrate to Washington the Islamic Republic's military readiness.
Two weeks ago, when some of the first drills kicked off, US Central Command (CENTCOM) warned the IRGC it better be careful in the vicinity of US naval assets.
"We will not tolerate unsafe IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) actions including overflight of U.S. military vessels engaged in flight operations, low-altitude or armed overflight of U.S. military assets when intentions are unclear, highspeed boat approaches on a collision course with U.S. military vessels, or weapons trained at U.S. forces," CENTCOM said at the time.
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
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