Samaa TV

Independence Day celebrations have officially begun across the country. Streets, markets and intersections were illuminated with the colours of the national flag, while spectacular fireworks lit up the night sky. For millions, the celebrations are also a reminder of the immense sacrifices made for the creation of a free homeland. From Karachi and Lahore to Abbottabad, Okara and Shakargarh, citizens came out to celebrate Independence Day with enthusiasm.

On the nation’s Independence Day, the government delivered a price adjustment for consumers by increasing the retail rates of petroleum products across the country. Under the revised daily pricing framework, the Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA) issued an official notification outlining upward adjustments for both petrol and high-speed diesel. The government's latest price revision introduces slight per-liter increases across major petroleum commodities.

In a resounding showcase of patriotism, national spirit, and defensive resolve, President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif jointly inaugurated the iconic Yadgar-e-Fatah. The grand unveiling stood as a profound tribute to the country’s history, honouring the sacrifices of martyrs and ghazis while reflecting Pakistan's firm determination to defend the homeland.

American-Pakistani businessman and analyst Tanweer Ahmed has called for greater investment in young people and highlighted ACT AI and MicroCerts as key initiatives for preparing Pakistan’s youth for an artificial intelligence-driven global economy.

A Russian military officer was ‌killed in a bomb attack on Thursday in Russian-annexed Crimea, and a woman was arrested on suspicion of assassinating him on ​behalf of Ukrainian special services, the regional governor ​said. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine. Several unofficial ⁠Russian Telegram channels named the victim as Robert ​Shageyev, whom they described as a former Ukrainian naval ​officer who switched allegiance to Russia during Moscow's annexation of Crimea in 2014.

A threat that Air Force ​One could be targeted by a shoulder-fired missile prompted the Secret Service to secretly move President Donald Trump onto a smaller government jet during a trip to Turkey ‌last month, a person briefed on the matter said on Wednesday. The threat emerged on the final day of Trump's visit to Ankara for the NATO summit amid heightened tensions with Iran, the source said.

Alphabet's Google launched Gemini 3.7 Flash on Thursday, its latest AI model designed for software coding and automated business tasks, but offered no details on when ​its flagship Pro model will be released. Investors have been closely watching for ‌Gemini 3.5 Pro, Google's premium model, as a test of whether its DeepMind AI unit can keep pace with rivals Anthropic and OpenAI. Google had said in July Gemini 3.5 Pro was being ​tested with partners and would be coming "soon".

Travis Kelce made his first public comments about his star-studded wedding to Taylor Swift on Wednesday, ​calling it "the best night of my life" and expressing ‌gratitude that "the AC was cookin'" during a New York City heat wave. Kelce took questions from reporters during Kansas City Chiefs training camp in Missouri as ​the team prepares for the NFL season that starts ​in September.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif welcomed Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide at the Prime Minister’s House on Thursday for high-level delegation talks. The leaders discussed friendly bilateral relations and agreed to deepen cooperation across several key sectors. Expressing satisfaction over the cordial state of Pakistan-Norway relations, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif highlighted Pakistan's strong interest in expanding two-way trade.

Warning that the survival of human civilization and the natural world faces immediate risk, the Lahore High Court (LHC) has called on the government to enact robust environmental legislation. Presiding Judge Justice Shahid Karim released a comprehensive 288-page written verdict in the long-standing smog case, declaring that climate change is a man-made global disaster requiring urgent, coordinated state action.