Blaze News - Pakistan

As opening statements got underway in a landmark trial over claims that Meta Platforms misled the public about the safety of Instagram and Facebook for young users and violated child privacy laws, one of the biggest fights in the case had already been resolved: whether a bipartisan group of ​US states would present their claims together. The states pushed for a single trial covering state consumer protection and federal privacy claims brought ‌by 29 attorneys general, while Meta argued for a series of smaller trials grouping states that have similar laws. The fight was about more than courtroom logistics. The states argued that the case centres on company-wide decisions affecting young users across the country and seeks nationwide changes to Meta's platforms, and that jurors should hear a single story about Meta's actions. Meta countered that ​jurors should evaluate states' claims separately because the underlying laws differ and warned that a combined proceeding...

US interest rates are likely to remain elevated for longer as stubborn inflation and signs of a weakening labour market complicate the Federal Reserve’s next move, leaving consumers facing continued pressure from borrowing costs even as economic growth loses momentum. A Reuters poll of economists showed that 90% expect the Fed to leave its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 3.50%-3.75% at its September 15-16 meeting. Nearly 80% also expect rates to remain unchanged through the end of the year, while economists forecasting at least one rate increase this year far outnumber those expecting a cut. The outlook reflects a difficult policy dilemma. Inflation remains well above the Fed’s 2% target, while recent employment data have shown an abrupt cooling in the labour market. Cutting rates too soon could revive inflationary pressure, while raising them further could deepen an economic slowdown and increase recession risks. US consumer prices rose 3.4% in July from a year...

The Foreign Office (FO) on Monday rubbished what it said were "baseless assertions" by the Indian home minister linking Pakistan to the recent arrests of terror suspects. Earlier today, Indian Home Minister Amit Shah said that security agencies arrested more than 200 "terror operatives" allegedly linked to ​Pakistan, thwarting potential "subversive attacks" around the country's Independence ‌Day last week, in one of the largest such crackdowns in years. A multi-state ​operation against what Shah said was a terror ​group, which he accused the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of backing, ⁠was carried out across 14 Indian states on August ​12, three days before India celebrated its 80th year ​of freedom from British colonial rule. Shah ​said agencies had ​recovered pistols, ⁠live cartridges and grenades allegedly bearing Pakistan Ordnance Factory markings and crude bombs. Modi govt destroyed the ISI-backed terror group ...

Crucial CCTV footage and a forensic report on Monday shed new light on the murder of Mir Raza Ali, the young owner of the popular dessert brand Wafflix, revealing the timeline of the discovery of his body, the arrival of police and an Edhi ambulance, and the presence of gunshot residue (GSR) on his body. Ali, 25, was allegedly kidnapped from PECHS before his body was found in bushes near a wedding hall in Gulistan-e-Johar on July 29. The case had initially been surrounded by uncertainty over whether he had been murdered or died by suicide. However, the findings of the second post-mortem consolidated his family’s longstanding claim that he had been murdered. The police probe is facing constant scrutiny by the public because of earlier lapses that were also admitted by the Sindh police chief. According to the footage, a nursery employee was the first to spot Ali’s body at 11:52am on July 29 and alerted the police. Two motorcycle-riding policemen reached the scene first,...

Cristiano Ronaldo on Sunday fuelled speculation about his retirement plans after saying the upcoming year will probably be the ​last of his playing career. The 41-year-old Portugal captain is ‌one of the most decorated players of all time, winning major trophies with Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and current club Al-Nassr ​since making his senior debut for Sporting in 2002. Ronaldo, ​a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, was unable to ⁠add a World Cup title to his list of honours ​after Portugal fell short at this year's tournament, leaving the ​sport's biggest prize absent from his trophy cabinet. "This is probably my last year of football, and I want to leave a spectacular legacy," ​Ronaldo told lifestyle magazine Vogue in an interview published ​on Sunday. Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez are married! For weeks, the internet was awash with speculation—about the date, the location, the guest list. (The rumored celebrity a...

Pakistan and seven other Islamic countries on Sunday condemned Israel’s declared rejection of the Road Map for completing the implementation of US President Donald Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict, as endorsed by UN Security Council Resolution 2803, as well as its rejection of Palestinian statehood. In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of Pakistan, Egypt, Türkiye, Indonesia, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said Israel’s positions amounted to a direct repudiation of the Comprehensive Plan, jeopardised its implementation and fundamentally undermined collective efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace. They said Israel’s rejection confirmed that it now bore responsibility for obstructing efforts to bring peace to Gaza and the rest of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Joint Statement The Foreign Ministers of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, the Republic of Indonesia, the...