A report by the United Nations’ special rapporteur on Palestine has revealed that 63 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Germany, were complicit in Israel’s two-year genocide in the Gaza Strip, it emerged on Wednesday. The report, written by Francesca Albanese and available with Dawn.com, notes that Israel’s actions were not carried out in isolation, but with the aid of “third states”. “The genocide in Gaza was not committed in isolation, but as part of a system of global complicity,” the report stated. “Rather than ensuring that Israel respects the basic human rights and self-determination of the Palestinian people, powerful third states — perpetuating colonial and racial-capitalist practices that should have long been consigned to history — have allowed violent practices to become an everyday reality.” The report adds that foreign countries facilitating Israel and shielding it from accountability have enabled Tel Aviv to “embed its regime of settler-colonial apartheid in the occup...
President Donald Trump has pardoned CZ, marking another act of clemency for a prominent figure in the crypto industry that signals a concerning trend. US President Donald Trump pardoned Changpeng Zhao, also known as CZ, on Oct. 21. The former Binance executive is just the latest on a growing list of convicted crypto executives to receive clemency from the White House. Even on the campaign trail, Trump promised to make an about-face on crypto policy and grant clemency to individuals such as Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht. The president cited instances of lawfare from the Biden administration as a significant motivator. While starting with Ulbricht in January, the list has grown to include four executives from the exchange BitMEX as well. This has encouraged some high-profile crypto figures behind bars, such as former FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried, to make overtures to the Trump administration. Read more
Europe’s MiCA framework is seen by Germany’s main opposition party as a barrier to Bitcoin adoption, sparking calls for regulatory reform. The German parliament is set to review a motion urging the government to recognize Bitcoin as a unique, decentralized digital asset that deserves a strategic approach. Germany’s main opposition party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), has submitted an official motion to the national parliament, the Bundestag, opposing the overregulation of Bitcoin (BTC). Filed on Thursday, the motion argues that Bitcoin is fundamentally different from other crypto assets and should not fall under the Europe-wide crypto regulatory framework known as Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA). Read more
Lahore continued to rank as the most polluted city in the world in terms of air quality, global monitor IQAir said on Wednesday. A day ago, the city’s Air Quality Index (AQI) reached a severe peak of 422 but dropped to 341 today — still categorised as “hazardous” — keeping it at the top of the list of cities with the poorest air quality. Behind the Punjab capital in the rankings were New Delhi with an AQI score of 232, Beijing at 222, Kinshasa and Kathmandu at 155 each, and Karachi at 140. The Punjab government has taken notice of the situation and raised a high alert, including revising school timings across the province to begin at 8:35am. In response to the crisis, the Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) has also launched a large-scale anti-smog operation, deploying 16 mechanical washers, 50 regular washers, and 400 workers for road washing and water sprinkling. Meanwhile, Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, in a statement, praised the efforts of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in handling the...
Binance founder Changpeng Zhao warned investors not to buy a new CZ-themed memecoin after its price crashed 86% within hours of launch. Binance founder Changpeng “CZ” Zhao warned crypto investors not to buy a new memecoin launched to capitalize on his popularity, cautioning against the financial risks of trading celebrity-linked tokens with no real blockchain utility. The memecoin emerged shortly after a fan page built a golden statue of Zhao, sharing pictures and offering to send it to the founder of the world’s largest crypto exchange. Zhao warned users in a Wednesday X post not to buy the memecoin associated with the statue, as the token's launch signaled that the creators were looking to “make a quick buck off an interaction” with the founder. Read more