Good afternoon,

Today’s news: Globally, Trump pushes Gaza resettlement plan amid stalled ceasefire talks, slaps tariffs on allies, and resumes arms shipments for Ukraine. Locally, Pakistan warns the UN of Afghan terror links, and extends Mahrang Baloch’s remand.

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Around The World

The Gaza ceasefire. US President Donald Trump held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, with both leaders touting their controversial proposal to push besieged Palestinians into neighboring countries. Their meeting comes as Israeli forces killed 60 Palestinians on Monday, and Israeli negotiators and Hamas held indirect talks in Qatar for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Negotiations have repeatedly stalled over Hamas’ demands for an end to the war and complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. At the same time, Israel wants Hamas to surrender and disarm before it ends the war. While the final details have yet to be agreed to by the sides, here is a draft of how the truce might look.

Pay up. The Trump administration unveiled steep tariffs on more than a dozen countries as it ramps up the pressure campaign aimed at winning concessions on trade. Trump put 14 countries, including Japan and South Korea, on notice that they will face tariffs of 25 to 40 percent from August 1 unless they take more US exports and boost manufacturing in the US. Meanwhile, the three major US stock indexes posted their worst day in about three weeks after the announcement.

Bear arms. Trump said Monday he plans to send additional defensive weapons to Ukraine after his administration paused weapons shipments last week, which included air defense missiles. The decision to send additional weapons also comes after Trump spoke separately last week with both Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Zelensky. He said afterward his talk with Putin was disappointing and there was “no progress” towards a ceasefire.

Pakistan

Maneuvering. Pakistani ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad warned the United Nations General Assembly that it has credible evidence of increasing collaboration between Afghan terrorist groups like the TTP, BLA, and Majeed Brigade to target its strategic infrastructure, with recent deadly attacks highlighting the threat. He urged global action to prevent Afghanistan from becoming a terrorist haven

Meanwhile, Pakistan and Afghanistan held additional secretary-level talks to address security and trade issues, with both sides recognizing terrorism as a major threat to regional development and agreeing on measures to enhance trade and connectivity.

Remand & resist. An anti-terrorism court in Quetta has granted a 10-day police remand for Dr. Mahrang Baloch, leader of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), and five other activists—Gulzadi, Beebow Baloch, Sibghatullah Shah, Ghaffar Baloch, and Beberg Baloch—extending their three-month detention. Arrested in March for allegedly attacking Quetta Civil Hospital and inciting violence during protests against enforced disappearances, Mahrang has been held under the Maintenance of Public Order law. Despite the BYC not being listed as a banned organization, Mahrang is named on the National Counter Terrorism Authority’s list of proscribed persons.

Tight leash. Authorities in Punjab have confiscated 18 lions kept illegally as pets after one lion attacked a woman and two children in Lahore last week. The victims sustained non-life-threatening injuries, and the lion, kept without a license, was relocated to a safari park while its owner was arrested. So far, 38 lion and tiger breeding farms have been raided and eight individuals arrested, with officials revealing that 584 lions and tigers are kept in homes and farms across Punjab.

What Else Is Happening?

💉The first malaria treatment suitable for babies and very young children has been approved for use and will be rolled out in African countries within weeks. There have been no approved malaria drugs specifically for babies; instead, they have been treated with versions formulated for older children, which presents a risk of overdose.

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