Good afternoon,

Today’s news: Globally, updates from Gaza, Russia, and Trump’s tariffs on the EU. Locally, Supreme Court live-streams PTI case hearing, Indian-linked militancy and rising Khuzdar attack deaths, and protest in North Waziristan enters its eighth day.

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Around The World

Updates from Gaza. Israeli strikes pounded the Gaza Strip early on Monday, killing at least 54 in two separate attacks, including people sleeping in a school-turned-shelter. The Israeli military said it targeted militants operating from the school.

Spain urged the world to consider sanctions on Israel as it hosts foreign ministers from 20 European and Arab nations in Madrid to push for a two-state solution. The countries in the EU that Israel had long counted on as close allies have been adding their voices to growing global pressure after it expanded military operations in the besieged and bombarded Gaza Strip.

Craze-off.  Russia and Ukraine swapped hundreds more prisoners Sunday in the last part of a major exchange. Hours earlier, the Ukrainian capital Kyiv and other regions came under a massive Russian drone-and-missile attack that killed at least 12 people and injured dozens. Ukrainian officials described it as the largest aerial assault since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Trump rebuked Putin after the attacks on Ukraine, saying that "He has gone absolutely CRAZY!".

Flip the script. President Donald Trump said Sunday that he has agreed to delay a 50% tariff on European Union imports until July 9, after he and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen had a “very nice call” that led to the delay. As recently as Friday, Trump said he was “not looking for a deal” with the EU, and that their tariff rate was set at 50% and would go into effect on June 1.

Pakistan

Order, order. The Supreme Court of Pakistan’s constitutional bench on Monday live-streamed proceedings for the first time as it resumed hearings on review petitions challenging its July 2024 verdict, which had declared the PTI eligible for reserved seats in the National Assembly. The ruling, supported by 8 of 13 judges, recognized 39 PTI candidates as returned MNAs but was not implemented by the National Assembly amid objections from the ECP, PML-N, and PPP. During the hearing, arguments were presented questioning the eligibility of the PTI-allied Sunni Ittehad Council for reserved seats, as it had not contested the elections as a party.

Tensions resurge. The Pakistan Army announced on Sunday that it had killed 9 "Indian-sponsored" militants in 3 separate intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, and Khyber districts, amid heightened tensions following the May 10 ceasefire with India. The military reiterated its resolve to eliminate what it calls "Indian-sponsored terrorism.”

Additionally, The death toll from last week's bomb attack on a school bus in Balochistan's Khuzdar district has risen to 10, including 8 children as 2 more students died during treatment, state media reported. The attack, which Pakistani officials blame on the alleged Indian-backed network "Fitna Al-Hindustan", is being seen as part of a broader pattern of violence targeting soft targets in the insurgency-hit province. 

On all corners. A protest sit-in in Mir Ali, North Waziristan continued for the seventh consecutive day on Sunday, with locals demanding justice for the deaths of 4 children in a suspected drone strike on May 19. The strike, which also injured 5 others including a woman, has triggered widespread anger among residents, who claim the attack was carried out by security forces. 

ISPR has denied any involvement, blaming the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and saying that the allegations against security forces were part of an Indian-sponsored disinformation campaign designed to create distrust between locals and the military. Talks with tribal elders have stalled and locals allege a communications blackout across the district, except in the cantonment and have threatened to cut its connectivity if services aren't restored. Protesters have now planned a long march to Islamabad starting today, passing through key towns and rallying support.

What Else Is Happening?

🛰️ Astronauts have discovered a new microbe on China’s Tiangong space station that appears uniquely suited for space. It can break down protein in nutrient-deficient environments and even self-repair radiation damage. But scientists aren’t sure yet if the bacterium evolved up there or hitched a ride from Earth.

🤖 AI startup Anthropic says its new AI model can work for nearly seven hours in a row, in another sign that AI could soon handle full shifts of work now done by humans. The new model could bring AI one step closer to replacing full-time jobs.