Good afternoon,

Today’s news: Globally, updates from Gaza, a plane crash in Bangladesh, and Iran’s nuclear enrichment plans. Locally, hundreds of tourists were rescued in Gilgit-Baltistan amidst flash floods, and the government ordered a probe into the sugar price surge.

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Around The World

Updates from Gaza. Israeli allies, including the EU, the UK, France, Australia, Canada, and 21 other countries, have issued a joint statement that the war in Gaza “must end now” as suffering there had reached new depths. This is the latest sign of allies’ sharpening language as Israel’s international isolation deepens. They condemned the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization says Israel's ground offensive in central Gaza has compromised its efforts to continue working, after its facilities and warehouses came under attack. The Israeli military has not yet commented. Get live updates from Gaza here.

Plane crash in Bangladesh. A Bangladesh air force training aircraft crashed into the campus of Milestone School and College in Dhaka’s Uttara neighbourhood, killing at least 27 people, including the pilot, and injuring 171. Medical efforts are still underway. The armed forces said that the jet experienced a mechanical fault after taking off for a training exercise, adding that an investigation would be held. 

Tuesday has been declared a day of mourning with the national flag flown at half-mast. The crash marks the deadliest aviation disaster the country has seen in decades and has drawn condolences from leaders of neighbouring countries, including Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif and Indian PM Narendra Modi.

Big green. Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi said that Tehran cannot give up on its uranium enrichment programme, which was severely damaged by US and Israeli air strikes last month. Tehran and Washington held talks on the nuclear programme earlier this year, seven years after Trump pulled the US out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). Under the pact, Iran opened the country’s nuclear sites to international inspection in return for the lifting of sanctions.

Pakistan

Stay home. Flash floods triggered by heavy rains have stranded and endangered hundreds in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Diamer and Skardu regions. Over 200 tourists were rescued in Diamer, while operations continue to find 20–30 still missing. At least 5 people have died, and more than 50 homes, four bridges, and key infrastructure like schools, police posts, and mosques have been damaged. In Skardu, 413 vehicles were stuck on the Deosai route but cleared overnight.

Authorities have declared a state of emergency on Babusar Road, halting all tourist movement. The NDMA has issued a landslide alert for parts of GB, KP, and AJK and warned against travel to mountainous areas. 

Since June 26, monsoon rains have killed 234 people and injured nearly 600 across Pakistan, with Punjab hit the hardest. The PTA has directed telecom operators to ensure uninterrupted services and real-time coordination in flood-affected regions.

Sugar high. The National Assembly Standing Committee has formed a sub-committee to investigate the recent sharp rise in sugar prices, examining export-import patterns and identifying potential beneficiaries. Chairperson Jawed Hanif Khan suggested possible collusion between politicians, bureaucrats, and industry players, calling for accountability and legal action if wrongdoing is found.

Meanwhile, Pakistan’s attempt to import 50,000 metric tons of sugar through an international tender has reportedly drawn no offers, traders said on Tuesday. The tender closed without any price submissions, largely due to the tight shipment window.

What Else Is Happening?

🤖OpenAI has signed a deal to use AI to increase productivity in the UK's public services, giving OpenAI access to government data and see its software used in education, defence, security, and the justice system.

🌊China has started building a mega-dam on the Yarlung Zangbo River in Tibet, which could become the world’s largest source of hydroelectric power when completed. The mega-project will include five hydropower stations on the river.