• Biscuitt
  • Posts
  • Israel begins the invasion of Gaza City.

Israel begins the invasion of Gaza City.

Good afternoon,

Today’s news: Globally, updates from Gaza, Tibet, and Venezuela. Locally, SC grants Imran bail in May 9 cases, Pakistan-China-Afghanistan vow deeper ties, and Punjab reels under floods as KP battles disease surge.

Grab your chaye, let’s go.

P.S. First time reading? Subscribe here for free.

Around The World

Updates from Gaza. Palestinians are fleeing parts of Gaza City after the Israeli military began the first stages of a planned ground offensive as Gaza’s Health Ministry recorded two deaths due to malnutrition, raising the total number of hunger-related deaths to 271. Hundreds of Palestinians in Gaza City left towards the north-western part of the city as residents described relentless bombardments overnight into Thursday. 

Meanwhile, Israel is calling up tens of thousands of reservists to take part in the impending military operation. The occupation of  Gaza City, which Israel’s PM Netanyahu said was one of the last Hamas strongholds, will require the military to bring in 60,000 more reserve troops and extend the service of another 20,000. 

Read more here.

Jet2 Holiday. China’s President Xi Jinping made a rare visit to Tibet to mark the 60th anniversary of the consolidation of Chinese rule over the long-contested Himalayan territory. Xi arrived in Tibet’s regional capital, Lhasa, where about 20,000 officials and locals greeted him. His visit comes just two months after the Dalai Lama announced that his office, not China, would choose his successor. China's leaders, however, claim that only they have the power to oversee that decision.

Here comes trouble. Three US warships ordered to deploy off the coast of Venezuela by US President Trump could arrive by the weekend, as Washington sends its military to “curb drug trafficking by Latin American crime cartels”. The deployment comes as Trump increases pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, after recently doubling a reward for his arrest to $50m on drug offences linked to cocaine trafficking. President Maduro announced the deployment of 4.5 million militiamen throughout the country in retaliation, assuring that “no empire will touch the sacred soil of Venezuela.”

Pakistan

Turning tide? The Supreme Court has granted bail to former Prime Minister Imran Khan in eight cases related to the May 9 riots. Khan, who has denied involvement and called the cases politically motivated, remains jailed pending bail in one final case. PTI hailed the ruling as a breakthrough, coming weeks after top party leaders were convicted, disqualified, and sentenced over the same riots. 

Squad goals. Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan held the sixth Trilateral Foreign Ministers Dialogue in Kabul, pledging stronger joint efforts against terrorism, deeper cooperation in trade, transit, health, education, and culture, and the extension of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor into Afghanistan. The talks helped ease tensions between Islamabad and Kabul, with both sides reaffirming upgraded diplomatic ties and vowing to improve security collaborations. 

Weathered down. Heavy monsoon rains have triggered severe flooding across Layyah, Taunsa, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, and Muzaffargarh, breaching protective bunds, submerging dozens of villages, destroying thousands of acres of crops, and displacing countless families. The PDMA has issued a red alert across Punjab, warning of worsening floods as rivers swell, dams near capacity, and more heavy rains are forecast until August 24.

Meanwhile, Health officials in KP have warned of rising cases of respiratory infections, diarrhea, skin diseases, and potential malaria outbreaks in 11 flood-hit districts, where over 134,000 patients have been examined and 330 deaths reported. The provincial health department has deployed medical teams, set up camps, and distributed medicines and mosquito nets to prevent major disease outbreaks and ensure continued healthcare services.

What Else Is Happening?

🎮French police are investigating the death of a popular streamer, who died during a nearly 12-day stream after apparently suffering abusive and humiliating treatment while viewers watched live.

🇮🇳India has successfully test-fired an indigenously developed intermediate-range ballistic missile capable of carrying a nuclear warhead deep into the territory of its geopolitical rival, China. The missile has a range of over 5,000 kilometers.