Good afternoon,

Today’s news: Globally, US tariff aftershocks and Israel’s land grab in Gaza. Locally, province-wide strikes by BNP-M, farmers prepare for a nationwide strike against corporate farming, and Afghanistan deportations continue amid rising frustrations.

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Around The World

Sweeping. Last week, Donald Trump unveiled his long-awaited reciprocal tariffs on “Liberation” day. The world is still feeling the aftershocks as global markets plunged on Monday, deepening a global stocks rout triggered by Trump’s trade war and China’s forceful response. Markets in the EU, Asia, Australia, and the Middle East continued their downward trend today.

Market observers expect investors will face more wild swings in the coming days, with a short-term resolution to the trade war appearing unlikely. US stocks are set for further steep losses when Wall Street reopens, following a two-day rout last week that wiped out more than $6 trillion in market value. Get live updates here.

Trump defended his sweeping tariffs, likening the measures to medicine and saying that jobs and investment would return to the US to make it “wealthy like never before.” Trump officials also say that more than 50 countries have directly contacted the White House to initiate trade talks.

Land grab. Israel has dramatically expanded its footprint in the Gaza Strip since relaunching its war against Hamas last month. It now controls more than 50% of the territory and is squeezing Palestinians into shrinking wedges of land. The military has razed Palestinian homes, farmland, and infrastructure to the point of uninhabitability, according to Israeli soldiers and rights groups. 

Meanwhile, at least 57 people have been killed and 137 injured in Gaza in the past 24 hours. Since Israel resumed attacks on Gaza on March 18, the death toll has reached 1,391, while 3,434 were injured. The overall number of casualties since October 7, 2023, now stands at 50,752 killed and 115,475 injured.

Pen and paper. The leader of France’s National Rally party, Marine Le Pen, told supporters she would not give up despite being found guilty of embezzling EU funds and banned from running for office. Le Pen, the frontrunner for France’s next presidential election, was convicted by a Paris court for using more than €4.5 million of EU money to pay her party’s political staff. The court handed her a four-year prison sentence and a €100,000 fine.

Pakistan

Business, not as usual. The Balochistan National Party-Mengal (BNP-M) launched a province-wide strike and road blockades in response to a police crackdown on its supporters and the arrest of Baloch rights activists, including Dr. Mahrang Baloch. The party had planned a march from Lak Pass to Quetta on Sunday to demand the release of detained activists, but security forces blocked roads, used tear gas, and arrested at least 50 protesters.

BNP-M chief Akhtar Mengal condemned the government’s response, saying the provincial cabinet lacked the authority to address their demands. He announced that protests would continue until all detained members of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) were freed. The activists were arrested on March 22 after a sit-in at the University of Balochistan, and authorities have charged them with terrorism, sedition, and murder, following a protest in which three people were killed.

Seeds of discontent. Farmer groups across Pakistan have announced a countrywide protest on April 13 against the introduction of corporate farming under the federal government’s (and Pakistan Army’s) Green Pakistan Initiative (GPI). The protestors are demanding an immediate halt to projects and the eviction of peasants from lands they’ve cultivated for generations. They’re also demanding an end to canal projects in southern Punjab, redistribution of state farmland to tenants, and cancellation of hefty dues notices. Read more about the GPI here. 

High and dry. As part of a large-scale deportation effort, police and security agencies have been working to identify and deport illegal Afghan residents in Rawalpindi, Murree, and Karachi. Over 1,600 Afghan nationals were deported from Punjab and Sindh on Sunday, with an additional 5,000 people held in transit camps for processing. Many deported Afghans have voiced frustration over the sudden implementation of the deportation orders, claiming they were forced to leave quickly, while some have questioned the fairness of the process and expressed concerns about their treatment. Authorities say they are following international standards while ensuring the safety of repatriates, but the crackdown will continue as part of a broader strategy to address illegal foreign nationals in the country. 

Grim. In 2023, Pakistan accounted for 4.1% of global maternal deaths, with 11,000 women dying due to complications from pregnancy or childbirth, according to a United Nations report released on World Health Day. The report reveals that while global maternal deaths have declined by 40% since 2000, the pace of progress has slowed significantly since 2016. Pakistan was one of four countries that together contributed nearly half (47%) of all maternal deaths globally, with Nigeria, India, and the Democratic Republic of Congo being the other major contributors.

What else is happening?

🪙 Bitcoin fell below $79,000 yesterday, 39% off the all-time high it set in January.

😥 Former OpenAI researcher Daniel Kokotajlo and the AI Futures Project published “AI 2027,” predicting advancement to superhuman AI within two years, triggering consequences for humanity such as geopolitical risks, AI’s deployment into military systems, and superseding humans in safety and policy decisions.