Good afternoon,

Today’s news: Globally, Russia fires drones, missiles at Ukraine, and recognizes Taliban rule.  Locally, Pakistan kills 30 “Indian proxy” militants at the Afghan border, a Karachi building collapse traps residents, and lawmakers sound the alarm on climate disasters.

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Around The World

Updates from Ukraine. Russia launched a record number of drones, as well as 11 cruise and ballistic missiles at Ukraine overnight into Friday, striking multiple buildings and residential areas. At least 23 people were wounded in the attack, which lasted 13 hours. Ukraine intercepted 476 out of a record 539 Russian drones.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Donald Trump that Moscow will not give up on its goal of eliminating the “root causes” of the war in Ukraine. However, Putin also expressed readiness to seek a political and negotiated solution to the conflict during his one-hour phone conversation with Trump on Thursday.

Nice to re-meet you. Russia has become the first country to formally recognise Taliban rule, with Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi calling it a "courageous" decision. Earlier this year, the Taliban was removed from Russia's list of terrorist organisations to pave the way for the establishment of a full-fledged partnership with Kabul. Last year, Putin also called the Taliban “allies in the fight against terrorism”, notably against Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISIS-K), a group responsible for deadly attacks in both countries.

Go 4th. The US Congress has passed Donald Trump's “Big, Beautiful” spending bill in a significant victory for the president’s domestic agenda. After a gruelling session on Capitol Hill, the House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 218 to 214 on Thursday afternoon. The Congressional Budget Office estimates the bill could add $3.3 trillion to federal deficits over the next 10 years and leave millions without health coverage - a forecast that the White House disputes.

Pakistan

Terror by proxy. At least 30 “Indian-sponsored” militants were killed while attempting to cross into Pakistan through its border with Afghanistan this week, the Pakistani military said on Friday. All 30 militants, belonging to “Indian proxy Fitna Al-Khawarij,” were killed as a result of “precise and skillful engagement.” “A large quantity of weapons, ammunition, and explosives was also recovered from the killed militants.

A building collapses in Karachi. A multi-story residential building collapsed in Karachi’s Lyari neighborhood on Friday, killing one person and injuring five others. Rescue efforts are ongoing as several residents are believed to be trapped under the debris, though no official statement has been issued by the Sindh Building Control Authority regarding the building’s safety status. Karachi, a city of over 20 million, has witnessed frequent building collapses due to poor construction oversight.

Hot mess. A parliamentary panel on climate change has urged urgent federal support for national and provincial disaster management authorities to address worsening climate threats in Pakistan. The panel highlighted the country's extreme climate vulnerability and under-resourced provincial and district authorities. The NDMA also presented its 2025 Disaster Calendar, featuring forecasts of floods, heatwaves, GLOFs, and sea level rise, and showcased its advanced early warning systems and responder training programs.

What Else Is Happening?

🇵🇹Liverpool and Portuguese football player Diogo Jota and his brother were killed in a car accident in Spain when the Lamborghini they were in veered off a road and burst into flames.

🤝Japanese lab Sakana AI has introduced AB-MCTS, a new algorithm that lets competing AI models collaborate on complex problems, using their collective intelligence to solve problems too difficult for any of the individual models.