Good afternoon,

Today’s news: Globally, updates from Sudan and Ukraine. Plus, Netanyahu fired Israel's head of security. Locally, govt remains firm on the deadline for Afghan nationals and undocumented foreigners to leave Pakistan, journalist Farhan Mallick arrested, and Jamaat-i-Islami protests against Israeli aggression.

Plus: Biscuitt will be doing a special edition this Sunday on the contentious Sindh Water Canal project.

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Around The World

Updates from Sudan. Sudan’s military said Friday it retook the Republican Palace in Khartoum, the last heavily guarded bastion of rival paramilitary forces in the capital, after nearly two years of fighting. The seizure of the Republican Palace represents a major symbolic victory for Sudan’s military against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. However, it likely doesn’t mean the end of the war as the RSF holds territory in Sudan’s western Darfur region and elsewhere.

The head of the U.N. children’s agency has said the Sudanese conflict created the world’s largest humanitarian crisis. The war has killed more than 28,000 people, forced millions to flee their homes, and left some families eating grass in a desperate attempt to survive as famine sweeps parts of the country. A new report from UNICEF also linked the SAF to atrocities that included sexual violence against young children, some as young as one.

Bye bye bye. Israel's PM Netanyahu has fired the head of the nation's security service over its failure to anticipate the 7 October 2023 attack by Hamas. Ronen Bar was appointed in October 2021 for a five-year term as the Shin Bet's chief. The move sparked outrage and further inflamed anti-government demonstrations in Jerusalem, which saw thousands of Israelis join forces with protestors opposing Israel's renewed assault on Gaza.

Updates from Ukraine. The southern Ukrainian port city of Odesa was engulfed in flames late Thursday after being struck by a large-scale Russian drone attack, hours after US President Trump expressed optimism about ending the war. Delegations from Russia and the US will resume ceasefire talks in Saudi Arabia on Monday. Zelenskyy said a team from Ukraine will also attend, and urged Putin to “stop making unnecessary demands that only prolong the war.”

Pakistan

Time’s up. The Foreign Office has reiterated that the deadline for Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders and undocumented foreigners to leave the country by March 31 remains firm, despite concerns raised by the UNHCR regarding the repatriation process. The government has made it clear that after this date mass deportations will begin. 

The Illegal Foreigners Repatriation Program has been in effect since November 1, 2023, with the Ministry of Interior stating that sufficient time has been provided for the dignified return of undocumented foreigners. Earlier this year, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif approved a phased plan aimed at repatriating nearly three million Afghan nationals residing in the country. Registered Afghan refugees with Proof of Registration (PoR) cards are allowed to stay until June 30; however, those in Islamabad and Rawalpindi will be relocated to other areas.

As it happens. Journalist and YouTuber Farhan Mallick was arrested by the FIA yesterday for airing content critical of the establishment. Mallick, founder of Raftar media agency and former news director at SAMAA TV, was detained at the FIA’s Cyber Crime Reporting Centre following a three-month inquiry into his programs. His media agency claimed FIA officials visited their offices without prior notice and detained him after making him wait for hours. Mallick's wife stated they were not provided with any charges or an FIR. 

Barking up the right tree. Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) Emir Hafiz Naeemur Rehman announced nationwide protests today, against Israeli aggression in Gaza. The protests will include marches toward the US embassy in Islamabad and consulates in the four provincial capitals. Rehman emphasized that peaceful protests are a constitutional right, urging the authorities to allow these demonstrations without obstruction. He pointed out the hypocrisy of US support for Israel, contrasting it with the lack of action from Muslim countries, particularly Pakistan, which he believes should take a more proactive role in addressing the Palestine issue.

What else is happening?

🛻More than 46,000 Tesla Cybertrucks, which amounts to nearly all of them, have been recalled in the US due to concerns about part of the electric car's trim falling off. It comes as Tesla grapples with falling sales amid a backlash against the firm and Elon Musk.

🌌Astronomers have made the surprising discovery of oxygen and elements like heavy metals in the most distant known galaxy. The galaxy is 13.4 billion light-years away, meaning it formed in the early days of the universe. Here’s why it matters.