Good afternoon,

Today’s news: Globally, updates from Gaza, Russia, and India. Locally, cotton output plunges 30%, PTI protests loom as NA session opens, and PM visits flood-hit GB as rains persist.

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Around The World

Updates from Gaza. Israeli PM Netanyahu accused Hamas of not wanting a ceasefire deal and requested the International Red Cross to bring food and medical care to hostages held in Gaza, after public fury ignited over videos showing two emaciated Israeli captives. 

Meanwhile, aid agencies warn that without an immediate cessation of hostilities, Gaza is spiraling into an irreversible humanitarian collapse, with at least 21 Palestinians killed in Israeli attacks across Gaza since dawn on Monday. More than 22,000 humanitarian aid trucks are waiting outside the Strip, as an average of 84 trucks have entered the besieged enclave since July 27. 

Thousands of demonstrators also marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia, calling for peace and aid deliveries in Gaza. 

Business? none of yours. India has indicated that it would continue buying oil from Russia and that its relationship with Russia is steady and time-tested, which should not be seen through the prism of a third country. Trump had threatened a 25% tariff on goods from India plus an additional import tax because of New Delhi’s purchases of Russian oil. India’s daily oil consumption is pegged at around 5.5 million barrels, of which nearly 88% is met through imports.

Updates from Russia. An overnight Ukrainian drone attack on an oil depot near Russia’s Black Sea resort of Sochi sparked a major fire, as the two countries traded strikes. Meanwhile, in southern Ukraine, a Russian missile strike hit a residential area in the city of Mykolaiv, wounding seven people. The Ukrainian air force said Sunday Russia launched 76 drones and seven missiles against Ukraine. It said 60 drones and one missile were intercepted, but 16 others and 6 missiles hit targets across eight locations.

Pakistan

No cushion. Pakistan’s cotton production has dropped by 30% compared to last year, driven largely by a record 47% decline in Sindh’s output, according to the Pakistan Cotton Ginners Association (PCGA). Despite 154 ginning factories in Sindh versus 114 in Punjab, more cotton is being processed in Punjab due to price-driven diversion from Sindh and Balochistan. Heavy rains have damaged cotton quality, reducing demand from textile mills and causing losses for ginners, prompting some factory closures.

Anarchy agitation. A new session of Pakistan’s National Assembly begins today amid rising political tensions, with expected protests from PTI lawmakers over the recent convictions of key party leaders and the verdict on reserved seats. Convicted MNAs are unlikely to attend due to arrest fears, leaving PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar to lead the protest inside the assembly. Summoned by President Asif Ali Zardari, the session’s agenda includes the tabling of eight bills and two ordinances focused on citizenship, industry, criminal laws, whistleblower protection, and agriculture.

Meanwhile, the PTI, under the opposition alliance Tehreek Tahaffuz Ain-e-Pakistan (TTAP), will launch a nationwide protest on August 5 to mark two years since Imran Khan’s arrest, vowing peaceful and constitutional demonstrations across the country. TTAP leaders emphasized the movement’s legal nature, highlighting alleged violations of Khan’s rights, judicial partiality, and suppression of dissent. Protests will occur district-wide in cities like Peshawar, Swabi, and Nowshera.

Damage control. PM Shehbaz Sharif visited Gilgit on Monday to assess the flood damage caused by ongoing monsoon rains, which have killed 300 people nationwide since June 26. The worst-hit Gilgit-Baltistan (GB)  districts—Diamer, Skardu, Gilgit, and Ghizer—were declared calamity-affected, prompting immediate relief efforts. Pakistan faces continued rain threats, with the PMD forecasting intensified monsoon activity, potential flash floods, and landslides in northern regions from August 4 to 7.

What Else Is Happening?

💨SpaceX delivered a fresh crew to the International Space Station on Saturday, making the trip in a quick 15 hours. While speedy by US standards, the Russians hold the record for the fastest trip to the space station — in just three hours.

🚨A volcano in far eastern Russia has erupted for the first time in more than 500 years, which experts link to last week's massive earthquake. Hours later, another 7.0 earthquake in Russia led to tsunami warnings in three areas of the peninsula.