Good afternoon,

Today’s news: Globally, updates from Gaza and Lebanon. Locally, SC clears the Bahria property auction,  the World Bank approves $600M for reforms, and a glacier flood hits Hunza.

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Around The World

Updates from Gaza. Israel’s security cabinet has approved a plan to take over Gaza City, as Netanyahu said Israel intended to take military control of all of Gaza. The deadline for evacuating Gaza City is October 7, and the plan calls for no aid distribution in the city as a means of forcing Palestinians to evacuate. 

Israel’s plan has drawn criticism from world leaders as global outcry also mounts over starvation in Gaza, where only a trickle of aid has been allowed in and there are regular killings at aid sites. Israel’s air and ground war has already killed tens of thousands of people in Gaza, displaced most of the population, destroyed vast areas, and pushed the territory toward famine.

Updates from Lebanon. At least 6 people have been killed and 10 others wounded in two separate Israeli strikes on eastern Lebanon in its latest violation of a US-brokered ceasefire in a war with Hezbollah. The reported strikes came as Lebanon’s government endorsed a US-backed proposal for Hezbollah to be disarmed by the end of 2025. Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc accused the government of “accepting American demands” that would serve Israeli interests.

The right price. The US has doubled the reward for information leading to the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro to $50m, accusing him of being "one of the largest narco-traffickers in the world". During Trump's first term in office, the US government charged Maduro and other high-ranking Venezuelan officials with a range of offenses, including narco-terrorism, corruption, and drug trafficking, while Maduro previously rejected US claims about his direct involvement in drug trafficking.

Pakistan

Yard sale. The Supreme Court rejected Bahria Town’s plea to halt the auction of its properties amid an ongoing graft case linked to a £190 million UK settlement. The National Accountability Bureau has already auctioned three out of six properties to recover defrauded funds, despite Bahria Town's claim that the plea bargain was made under pressure. Founder Malik Riaz Hussain, facing multiple cases and financial losses, alleges political victimization. 

Bag secured. The World Bank is set to approve $600 million for the first phase of Pakistan’s $1.62 billion “Public Resources for Inclusive Development” program, aimed at boosting inclusive spending, enhancing fiscal governance, and supporting federal reforms. Aligned with IMF targets, the program will focus on tax policy reform, efficient public expenditure, and improved data systems to support transparency, accountability, and better service delivery in education and health.

Glacier burst. A glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) from Shisper Glacier swelled the Hassanabad Nullah in Hunza, damaging farmland, infrastructure, and parts of the Karakoram Highway, while putting dozens of homes at risk. Local authorities are monitoring the site, while the Gilgit-Shandur Road remains closed for a seventh day, stranding thousands. 

Meanwhile, the Met Office has issued heavy rain alerts for Azad Kashmir and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, with the PMDA forecasting another spell of monsoon rains in Pakistan from 8th to 13th August.

What Else Is Happening?

🗞️OpenAI has unveiled the long-awaited latest version of its AI chatbot, GPT-5, saying it can provide PhD-level expertise in coding and writing.

🔍The quest to find our purpose and the meaning of our life can lead to “Purpose Anxiety”. Here’s what you can do about it, according to experts.

Today In History

🥇 One year ago, on August 8th, Arshad Nadeem made history by winning gold while representing Pakistan at the Paris Olympics with a record-breaking javelin throw of 92.97 metres.