Good afternoon,

Today’s news: Globally, Updates from the UNGA, Gaza, Ukraine, and Iran. Locally, PM Sharif meets IMF chief for next tranche talks, Karachi lags in HPV drive, Pakistan targets $30bn pharma exports, and explosions in Tirah claim 14 lives.

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Around The World

Bleak House. US President Trump berated the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) during his address, lamenting that nations that were more welcoming of immigrants than the US under him were “destroying” their countries. He also stated the war in Gaza must stop immediately, while calling the recent recognition of Palestinian statehood by several countries a “reward” for Hamas. He reiterated his call for the captives taken from Israel and being held in Gaza to be returned home. 

Trump’s words were in contrast to those of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who said at a meeting on the two-state solution on Sunday that statehood for Palestinians “is a right, not a reward.” Furthermore, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani condemned Israel’s attack in Doha targeting Hamas leaders during his speech at the UNGA, while warning that the attack undermines any efforts aimed at ending the genocide against the people in Gaza, and demonstrated that Israel has become a rogue state.

Meanwhile, Israeli bombardment killed more than 50 people in war-battered Gaza City, while the widely criticised attack to capture the main urban centre continues. Additionally, the Global Sumud Flotilla reported explosions and communications jamming as drones hover overhead after Israel promised to take “the necessary measures” to stop it from breaking the sea siege of Gaza.

Wishy washy. Tehran has decided not to directly negotiate with the US over Iran’s nuclear programme, with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei calling talks with the US a dead end, as diplomatic parleys are conducted on the sidelines of the UNGA. The supreme leader’s comments followed a meeting between Minister of Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi and diplomats from Germany, France, the UK, and the EU foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, regarding the reimposition of sanctions, set to take effect in just days.

Software reboot. Donald Trump said he believes Ukraine, with the support of the EU and NATO, could win back all of the territory Russia captured, in a dramatic shift in his policy on Ukraine. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform after he met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the sidelines of the UNGA. He had previously said both Kyiv and Moscow would have to cede land to end the war. Zelenskyy and his European allies have been opposed to Trump’s suggestion of territorial compromise to achieve peace.

Pakistan

Fund for all. PM Shehbaz Sharif met IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva on the sidelines of the UNGA to discuss Pakistan’s economic reforms and future cooperation. He praised the IMF’s support through the $3 billion Stand-By Arrangement, $7 billion Extended Fund Facility, and $1.4 billion Resilience & Sustainability Facility, highlighting progress on structural reforms and urging the fund to consider flood impacts in its upcoming review on Sept 25, which could unlock a $1 billion tranche. Georgieva commended Pakistan’s reform efforts and reiterated the IMF’s continued support.

Tirah tragedy. At least 24 people, including 10 civilians and 14 Pakistan Taliban (TTP) fighters, were killed in explosions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Tirah Valley on Monday. Police said the blasts came from stored bomb-making material at a TTP compound, but opposition lawmakers have accused the military of carrying out nighttime airstrikes, calling it an “attack on unarmed civilians.” No official statement has been issued by the government or armed forces. Leaders from PTI and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan are now demanding an impartial inquiry, civilian compensation, and accountability, warning that the incident will deepen mistrust and fuel instability.

Vax off. As Sindh’s first-ever HPV vaccination drive for girls aged 9–14 nears its conclusion, data shows Karachi lagging far behind the rest of the province with just 33% coverage compared to an overall 57%, despite districts like Naushahro Feroze and Qambar exceeding 85%. Of Karachi’s target of 887,692 girls, only 288,477 have been vaccinated, with Keamari recording the lowest rate at 12%. 

Officials attribute the city’s poor response to widespread misinformation by social media influencers and religious opposition, as health experts emphasised the vaccine’s proven safety and 100% effectiveness against cervical cancer and noted that Sindh’s performance still surpasses other regions like Islamabad, where coverage is just 18%. 

Drug trade. Federal Health Minister Syed Mustafa Kamal announced an ambitious target of $30 billion in pharmaceutical exports over the next five years, as Pakistan works to reduce its 90–95% reliance on imported vaccines by boosting local manufacturing. Kamal highlighted the $1 billion achieved in exports in FY25 and pledged full government support to scale up production and adopt new technologies.

What Else Is Happening?

🌀China evacuated nearly two million people from its south as Super Typhoon Ragasa draws closer. 14 people have been killed and 124 are missing in Taiwan after a lake burst, causing severe flooding due to Ragasa.

🕋Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Sheikh, Saudi Arabia‘s grand mufti and the kingdom’s top religious figure for over 25 years, died on Tuesday at the age of 84.

💵 Nvidia and OpenAI announced the biggest AI infrastructure project in history, with Nvidia investing up to $100B in OpenAI as it uses its advanced GPUs for training and running next-gen AI.