Human Rights

Nashik, Dec 14 (PTI) A protest was held here in Maharashtra on Monday in support of farmers who have been agitating at the borders of Delhi for a repeal of three agri laws.

The demonstration was held in front of the district collector's office under the aegis of the Kisan Sangharsh Samanvay Samiti (KSSS).

Besides demanding scrapping of the contentious laws, the protesters demanded that the government bring a new legislation guaranteeing the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farm produce.

14 Dec 2020; MEMO:  The US announced its adoption of a new map of Morocco on Saturday that includes the disputed Western Sahara, after recognising the Kingdom's sovereignty over the territory.

Ambassador David Fisher made the announcement on the fringe of the signing ceremony of the new map at the US Embassy in Rabat.

14 Dec 2020; MEMO: Israeli settlers escalated their attacks against Palestinians across the occupied West Bank, Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported yesterday.

On Saturday night, a group of Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian homes in Sa'ir neighbourhood in the West Bank city of Hebron. They raided homes and attacked people and threatened to set their properties on fire.

14 Dec 2020; MEMO:  Egyptian authorities have detained Abdul-Latif Shehab, transportation minister in the cabinet of late President Mohamed Morsi, local media reported on Saturday evening.

Abdul-Latif, who was detained from his house east of Cairo, is the second minister from Morsi's cabinet to be detained in the space of one week over claims of joining the "banned" Muslim Brotherhood.

14 Dec 2020; MEMO:  Saudi Arabia has invested $3.75 billion in its flagship tourism project, The Red Sea Development Co (TRSDC) which it says will provide 70,000 jobs.

The project's Chief Executive, John Pagano, said discussions are underway with local and regional investors to involve them in building resorts, hotels and entertainment facilities in NEOM.

New Delhi, Dec 14 (PTI) Farmer leaders on Monday started their day-long hunger strike against the Centre's new farm laws and said protests will be held at all district headquarters later in the day, even as more people are expected to join ongoing agitation at Delhi border points.

Farmer leader Baldev Singh said, "Representatives of farmer unions have started their hunger strike at Singhu Border."

New Delhi, Dec 13 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested a member of the PFI's student wing, Rauf Sharif, after he was apprehended by authorities at the Thiruvananthapuram airport in Kerala, official sources said on Sunday.

They said Sharif has been placed under arrest under sections of the Prevention of the Money Laundering Act (PMLA) on Saturday and a Kerala court has sent him to judicial custody. The ED is expected to move for his custodial remand on Monday.

New Delhi, Dec 13 (PTI) Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday asked the BJP-ruled Centre to shun "arrogance" and scrap three farm laws as demanded by agitating farmers, and bring a Bill to guarantee minimum support price (MSP) for agricultural produce.

Kejriwal said he will hold one-day fast on Monday in response to a call given by the agitating farmers and urged his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) volunteers as well as the people of the country to join in.

Jaipur, Dec 14 (PTI) The Rajasthan farmers protesting against the Centre's new farm laws continued to block the Delhi-Jaipur national highway at Shahjahanpur in Alwar district on Monday as police stopped them from marching towards Delhi.

With the police stopping them from proceeding towards the national capital along the state's border with Haryana, the farmers camping at Jaisinghpur-Khera border in Shahjahanpur under the leadership of Swaraj Abhiyan chief Yogendra Yadav and others went on a day-long hunger strike, seeking the repeal of farm laws.

NEW DELHI (AP) — Tens of thousands of protesting Indian farmers have called for a national strike on Monday, the second in a week, to press for the quashing of three new laws on agricultural reform that they say will drive down crop prices and devastate their earnings.

The farmers are camping along at least five major highways on the outskirts of New Delhi and have said they won’t leave until the government rolls back what they call the “black laws.”