Gaza City / Geneva: The conflict in Gaza escalated tragically on Thursday, with Israeli strikes killing at least 52 people across the territory, according to the civil defence agency and local hospitals. The casualties included a local employee of the French humanitarian organization, Doctors Without Borders (MSF). The civil defence agency, operating under Hamas authority, stated the deaths were caused by “continuous Israeli bombardments on the Gaza Strip since dawn,” specifying that 10 people, including at least one child, were killed in Gaza City alone. Hospitals across Gaza reported receiving 10 bodies in Gaza City, 14 in central Gaza, and…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
Washington, D.C.: The administration of President Donald Trump has presented a major challenge to academic autonomy in the United States, demanding that colleges sign a 10-point agreement covering everything from foreign enrollment to student and staff ideological values in exchange for preferential access to federal funds. The memo, sent on Wednesday and shared with Reuters by a White House official, outlines several sweeping terms aimed at realigning universities with the administration’s conservative agenda. Among the core demands are: Capping international undergraduate enrollment at 15 percent. Banning the use of race or sex in hiring and admissions decisions. Implementing a five-year…
Rabat, Morocco: The North African kingdom of Morocco is facing a deepening social crisis, with protests over inequality and poor public services set for a sixth consecutive night. The unrest follows a night of fatal clashes in the southern city of Agadir, where three demonstrators were killed, intensifying public anger across the usually stable nation. The protests, which erupted last Saturday, are fueled by popular frustration over social inequality as Morocco pours massive investment into infrastructure to host the Africa Cup of Nations next month and the 2030 World Cup. Chants from the demonstrators have made their priorities clear: “We…
Stockholm: Nobel Prize officials in Sweden have issued a stark warning that the Trump administration’s assault on science funding and academic freedoms could severely jeopardize the United States’ position as the world’s leading research nation, potentially causing global, irreversible harm to scientific progress. Since taking office in January 2025, the US President has implemented billions of dollars in funding cuts, attacked the academic freedom of universities, and overseen massive layoffs of scientists across federal agencies. Hans Ellegren, secretary general of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, which awards the Nobel Prizes in physics, chemistry, and economics, stated that the country’s…
Quetta: The Balochistan Provincial Assembly on Thursday approved the Balochistan Provincial Assembly (Special Privileges Amendment) Bill 2025, a piece of legislation aimed at significantly enhancing the protection and security cover provided to the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Ministers, Opposition Leader, and all Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs). The bill was presented by Provincial Health Minister Bakht Mohammad Kakar and passed with a majority vote. Lawmakers termed the legislation “necessary for safeguarding the democratic process” and ensuring that public representatives can execute their constitutional duties without fear of intimidation or security threats. Key Security Provisions: Position Security Personnel Entitlement Speaker At…
Islamabad: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has dismissed a petition seeking to quash a cybercrime case registered against an individual accused of orchestrating a malicious online campaign targeting the family of Judge Humayun Dilawar and the broader judiciary. Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas, in a detailed judgement, held that the First Information Report (FIR) could not be quashed at this stage since the challan (charge sheet) had already been submitted to the trial court. The judge stressed that the partial quashing of an FIR—to the extent of one accused while others remain nominated—was a “legal impossibility.” The petitioner, an official…
Lahore: Two years after the devastating attacks on Christian communities and churches in Jaranwala, victims and minority rights activists gathered at the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) on Thursday to condemn the state’s failure to deliver justice, calling the government’s promises a “futile” exercise. Shakeel Bhatti, a victim and member of the Minority Rights Movement, expressed profound disillusionment, stating that the high-level pledges by the Punjab government to make the Jaranwala attacks an “example” had fallen flat. “We waited for two years, we went to courts, [the] joint investigation team (JIT) and police officers but it all proved futile…
Islamabad: A significant change in weather is sweeping across Pakistan, with the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecasting a new spell of rain, windstorms, thunderstorms, and hailstorms from October 3 to October 7. The Met Office has indicated that temperatures are likely to drop significantly during this wet period. The forecast has prompted the Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to issue an alert regarding a potential increase in river flow due to heavy rainfall expected in the province between October 5 and 7. Forecast Across Key Regions: Punjab: Oct 2 (night) to Oct 3: Isolated rainfall and thunderstorms are expected…
Karachi: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday suspended a notification issued by the University of Karachi (KU) that had revoked the law degree of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri. The court’s decision offers temporary relief to the sitting judge in a highly publicized controversy surrounding his academic credentials. The court’s ruling came during the hearing of a petition filed by Justice Jahangiri, which challenged the August 2024 decisions by the KU’s Unfair Means Committee (UMC) and Syndicate to cancel his degree. As the hearing commenced, the KU Registrar, the Sindh Advocate General, and other respondents appeared…
Islamabad, Pakistan Pakistan’s security forces have conducted a significant intelligence-based operation (IBO) in Balochistan’s Sherani district, resulting in the killing of seven militants. The military’s media affairs wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), referred to the deceased as “Indian-sponsored terrorists,” linking them to external hostile forces. In a statement released on Friday, the ISPR confirmed that the operation was executed on October 1 following credible intelligence regarding the presence of terrorists identified as belonging to ‘Fitna al Khawarij’, a term the state uses to denote militants from the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). “During the conduct of the operation, own forces effectively…
