18 December, 2019 By SJA Jafri (Courtesy Messenger) SYDNEY/ PERTH/ MELBOURNE: Yesterday was Australia’s hottest day on record, according to preliminary data from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). The average maximum temperature across the country was 40.9 degrees Celsius, breaking the mark of 40.3C set in January 2013, but it’s …

18 December, 2019 By SJA Jafri PARIS/ MELBOURNE: A total of 49 journalists were killed this year, 389 are currently in prison and 57 are being held hostage, according to the annual worldwide round-up of deadly violence and abusive treatment against journalists, released today by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Journalism …

17 December, 2019 By SJA Jafri + Agencies TEHRAN/ BAGHDAD: At least 304 people have been killed in the recent protests in Iran, Amnesty International reported on Monday, accusing security forces of “massacring” unarmed demonstrators. Video footage obtained showed Iranian security forces opening fire on protesters “who did not pose any imminent risk”, according …

17 December, 2019 By SJA Jafri + BBC NEW DELHI/ MELBOURNE: Indian police have denied shooting people during protests in Delhi – as anger at a citizenship law spreads across the country. At least three people said they were shot, but police said their wounds were caused by broken tear-gas …

17 December, 2019 By SJA Jafri ISLAMABAD/ DUBAI/ MELBOURNE: A special court in Pakistan has sentenced former military ruler Pervez Musharraf to death on charges of high treason and subverting the constitution. “Pervez Musharraf has been found guilty of Article 6 for violation of the constitution of Pakistan,” government law officer …

‘JI’S PROTESTS EXPECTED IN INDO-PAK’ 15 December, 2019 By SJA Jafri + Agencies DHAKA/KARACHI: Protests and rallies are expected against the detention of Daily Sangram’s Editor Abul Asad in India and Pakistan while the political conflicts have already been started across Bangladesh between Awami League and Jamaat-e-Islami’s (JI) activists, sources …

14 December, 2019 By SJA Jafri + Agencies NEW DELHI: Demonstrators in eastern India on Saturday set fire to more than a dozen buses and vandalised at least six railway stations, as violent protests against a new citizenship law continued for a fourth straight day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government says the …

13 December, 2019 By SJA Jafri WASHINGTON/ GENEVA/ KARACHI: Ismailis around the world celebrating Mawlana Hazar Imam’s 83rd birthday — an occasion to reflect on the unique spiritual bond that links each murid to the Imam-of-the-Time. Throughout history, Ismaili Muslims have been led by a living, hereditary Imam-of-the-Time descended from the progeny of Prophet …

11 December, 2019 By SJA Jafri WASHINGTON/ KARACHI: According to the experts, human rights activists, historians, victims, present and former high-ups, bureaucrats, government and private institutions, security forces’ officials and sources claimed that it’s too late, but at last, once again, masses, states even United Nations Organizations (UNO) particularly United …

09 December, 2019 By SJA Jafri + Agencies NEW DELHI: A controversial bill, which will grant citizenship to religious minorities from India’s neighboring countries, was passed in the lower House of Parliament (Lok Sabha) on Monday amid concerns it violates the spirit of the country’s secular constitution. The Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) …