Human Rights

10 Feb 2021; MEMO: Israeli occupation forces yesterday arrested prominent Hamas member, Khaled Al-Hajj, in the West Bank's northern city of Jenin.

"An Israeli force raided our home in Al-Jabriyat neighbourhood and detained my husband," Al-Hajj's wife told Anadolu Agency, adding that the reason was "unclear".

Chandigarh, Feb 9 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said BJP leaders were facing spontaneous anger of farmers and rejected as hilarious claims of the saffron party's state unit that the protesters were not peasants but Congress workers.

Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma had earlier in the day accused the Punjab government of organising protests under the guise of farmers' agitation to "prevent" candidates of the saffron party from campaigning ahead of the February 14 civic polls.

08 Feb 2021; MEMO: Israeli settlers attacked the Palestine TV crew this morning while they were filming near the illegal settlement of Ariel, built on land seized from Salfit in the north of the West Bank.

08 Feb 2021; MEMO: France's escape from acknowledging its colonial crimes will not last long, the Algerian government said Monday, Anadolu Agency reports.

"France's escape from recognising its colonial crimes in Algeria cannot last long. A criminal usually does everything possible to avoid admitting his crimes," Information Minister Ammar Belhimer said in a statement released by state-run daily El-Massa.

United Nations, Feb 9 (PTI) Reiterating his concern over the situation in Myanmar, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has been reaching out to regional leaders in Asia to call for collective and bilateral action to create conditions for the recent military coup in the country to be reversed, the UN chief's spokesperson has said.

Myanmar's military last week toppled the government and seized power for one year, detaining top political figures, including de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

New Delhi, Feb 8 (PTI) CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury Monday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his speech in Parliament and alleged it was full of "untruths".

"PM's speech is full of untruths. We have all along sought agri reforms for strengthening Indian agri, ensuring food security with healthy remuneration to farmers. NOT for destroying Indian agri & annihilation of farmers, all to benefit crony corporates. Repeal three black laws," he said in a tweet.

New Delhi, Feb 8 (PTI) Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra's critical reference to a former chief justice of India created uproar in Lok Sabha on Monday, with treasury members accusing her of violating parliamentary rules and demanding that her remarks be expunged.

RSP MP N K Premachandran, who was in the Chair, said her remarks will be expunged if found objectionable.

Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal termed her comments against the former CJI, who was not named, as "shameful".

Washington, Feb 8 (PTI) A powerful India Caucus in the US Congress has urged the Indian government to ensure that the norms of democracy are maintained and protesters allowed to demonstrate peacefully and have access to the Internet as it held a meeting with New Delhi's envoy here.

India's Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu, who regularly interacts with India Caucus members on a number of issues, had a virtual meeting with the top leadership of the Congressional India Caucus last week.

Yangon, Feb 8 (AP-PTI) A protest against Myanmar's one-week-old military government swelled rapidly on Monday morning as opposition to the coup grew increasingly bold.

The protesters at a major downtown Yangon intersection chanted slogans, raised a three-finger salute and carried placards saying Reject the military coup and Justice for Myanmar.

Guwahati, Feb 7 (PTI) Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Assam, Congress Lok Sabha MP Gaurav Gogoi on Sunday said people are being harassed by various agencies for criticising the government, leading to the shrinking of democratic space in the country.

Addressing a press conference here, Gogoi accused the Narendra Modi government of threatening all forms of democractic protests in the country and trying to silence peaceful dissent.