Human Rights

New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) Protesting farmer unions on Tuesday said that a decision on the central government's offer for fresh talks has been deferred to Wednesday, even as they remained adamant on the demand to repeal the three farm laws.

Addressing a press conference at Delhi's Singhu Border, farmer leader Kulwant Singh Sandhu said that 32 farmer unions from Punjab held a meeting and discussed the next course of action.

New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) Asserting that the new farm reform laws will herald a new era in Indian farming, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Tuesday said the government is still willing to continue talks with protesting unions on all contentious issues.

The minister said the agriculture sector is the backbone of the Indian economy and the Narendra Modi government is focusing on doubling farmer's income by 2022.

22 Dec 2020; MEMO: A group of 24 Members of the European Parliament (MEP) signed a petition launched by Geneva-based Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor (Euro-Med) which called on Israel to lift its siege on Gaza and allow COVID-19 medical supplies.

22 Dec 2020; MEMO: The first direct commercial flight from Israel to Morocco took off from Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport this morning  with outgoing US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner on board.

The El Al flight was decorated with Moroccan and Israeli flags and the word "peace" in Hebrew, Arabic and English, according to the Israeli Broadcasting Corporation.

Israeli Chief of Staff for National Security Meir Ben Shabbat was also aboard the flight.

21 Dec 2020; MEMO: The Speaker of the Parliament in Tunisia, and the head of Ennahda Movement, has pointed out that the normalisation agreement between Morocco and Israel is a violation of the Arab consensus. He insisted that Tunisia will not join the normalisation frenzy.

"Regarding Morocco," Rached Ghannouchi told Sputnik, "we were shocked by this step, which contradicted the Arab consensus as expressed by the Arab Peace Initiative."

Ghaziabad, Dec 21 (PTI) Farmer protesting against the Centre's agriculture laws on Monday started a hunger strike and briefly blocked the Delhi-Ghaziabad road.

Superintendent of Police (City-II) Gyanendra Singh said farmers were persuaded to lift the blockade after which the National Highway-9 was opened to traffic.

On Monday, a group of 10 farmers initiated a hunger strike against the farm laws. They will be replaced by another group on Tuesday.

Jaipur, Dec 21 (PTI) Farmers protesting against agriculture laws on Jaipur-Delhi highway in Alwar's Shahjahapur on Monday accused the Centre of not looking into their demands despite a threat to their livelihood.

The livelihood of farmers is at stake but the government is paying no heed to their demands, they told reporters.

Farmer leader Balvinder Singh from Kota said they feed crores of people but their interests have been neglected by the Centre.

New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) Farmer leaders are expected to meet on Tuesday to discuss a plan of action as thousands gathered at protest sites on Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh to press for the repeal of the new agri laws brace the cold wave sweeping through the national capital.

Efforts are underway by the unions to draw support from farmers in other states like Bihar for their demand to enact a law assuring Minimum Support Price as the protest at the border points have been going on for almost four weeks now.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Black service members in the Air Force are far more likely to be investigated, arrested, face disciplinary actions and be discharged for misconduct, according to a new report that looked at racial disparities across the service.

21 Dec 2020; MEMO: Palestinian group Hamas on Sunday accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of supporting Israeli occupation in violation of Palestinians' rights, Anadolu Agency reports.

"Statements made during visits by some Emirati officials to the [Israeli] occupation went over the line and reflect unlimited UAE support to the settlement and occupation," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said on Twitter.