Good afternoon,

Today’s news: Globally, more updates from Gaza, Trump’s golden dome, and sanctions on Russia and Syria. Locally, Pakistan, China, and Afghanistan agree to expand CPEC amid regional tensions, a deadly bus attack hits Khuzdar, COAS Asim Munir promoted to the rare Field Marshal rank.

☕ Grab your chaye, let’s go.

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Around The World

Update from Gaza. Israeli forces continue bombarding Gaza, killing at least 85 people since yesterday, as Israeli officials dismissed criticism from the UK and the EU over the monstrous war in the enclave. 

Authorities in Gaza say Israel’s starvation policy has killed at least 326 Palestinians since March 2, as the UN warns that 14,000 babies are at risk of dying within 48 hours. The UN also says no aid has been distributed in Gaza because of Israeli restrictions, despite a handful of aid trucks entering the territory. Live updates here.

Meanwhile, the UK has paused trade negotiations with Israel and sanctioned West Bank settlers, as Britain’s top diplomat slammed Israel’s operation in Gaza as morally unjustifiable and wholly disproportionate. The European Union announced that it would review its relationship with Israel, with the EU’s foreign policy chief calling the situation on the ground in Gaza catastrophic.

Dome-d. US President Donald Trump laid out his clearest plan yet for the “Golden Dome” missile defence programme. The system is designed to take down hypersonic missiles, ballistic missiles, and advanced cruise missiles and would consist of next-gen technologies across land, sea, and space, including sensors and interceptors. Trump added that Canada had asked to be a part of the system.

The wreckoning. The European Union and the United Kingdom have announced coordinated sanctions against Russia to ramp up pressure on Putin to end the war against Ukraine, as diplomatic momentum to reach a ceasefire accelerates. 

The EU and the UK will aim at Russia’s shadow fleet of oil tankers that illicitly transport oil to circumvent Western restrictions, as well as the supply chains of Russian weapons systems, Kremlin-funded information operations, and financial institutions that help Russia evade sanctions.

Money-cure. The European Union has lifted economic sanctions on Syria in a bid to help the war-torn country’s recovery, offering the nation another critical lifeline after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad. The EU announced the policy shift after the United States lifted its own sanctions on Damascus last week.

Pakistan

Best Friends. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in Beijing, where they agreed to extend the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to Afghanistan and deepen Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation. The trilateral meeting, part of a forum established in 2017, emphasized regional security, economic connectivity, and joint efforts against terrorism. China reaffirmed support for Pakistan’s sovereignty amid regional tensions. Both sides stressed ongoing defence cooperation, operational readiness, and joint responses to emerging regional threats, with China assuring continued technical support and commending Pakistan’s strides in indigenous defence technologies. 

Khuzdar bus attack. Six people, including four children, were killed and many others injured in a militant attack on a school bus in Balochistan’s Khuzdar district on Wednesday, as it transported students to an army-run school. Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti condemned the vehicle-borne IED attack, calling it a cowardly act against innocent children. The Pakistan military blamed “Indian terror proxies” for orchestrating the assault, linking it to recent regional tensions following the Pahalgam attack and subsequent military escalation. No group has claimed responsibility, but suspicion falls on separatist outfits like the Balochistan Liberation Army, known for past violent attacks.

Rank you very much. The government has promoted Army Chief Gen Asim Munir to “Field Marshal” — the highest military rank, typically ceremonial, and rarely awarded. Only one person in Pakistan’s history, Field Marshal Ayub Khan (1965) 👀, has held it before Asim Munir. It holds no active command authority unless explicitly assigned and is not defined in Pakistan’s Constitution or Army Act. Approved by the cabinet and endorsed by PM Shehbaz Sharif, the move is meant to signal strong institutional backing. Though it has sparked debate over possible structural shifts like a Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) or a vice COAS role. Separately, Air Chief Zaheer Babar Sidhu received an unprecedented second extension for his role in Operation Bunyan-al-Marsoos.

What Else Is Happening?

☕May 21 is designated as International Tea Day by the United Nations, marking the significance and value of the drink globally, economically, and culturally. Here’s some more tea about tea!

💬Google is introducing a new artificial intelligence (AI) mode that more firmly embeds chatbot capabilities into its search engine, aiming to give users the experience of having a conversation with an expert.