Human Rights

Saudi Arabia excludes 5 professions from amendments to sponsorship system

06 Nov 2020; MEMO: The Saudi authorities have decided to exclude five professions from the amendments to the sponsorship system aimed at improving the contractual relationship between Saudi employers and expatriate workers.

The five professions include: private driver, guard, domestic worker, shepherd and gardener.

India: NREGA big success story in recent times: UN advisor

New Delhi, Nov 6 (PTI) NREGA is a big success story of recent times in India, providing protection from starvation to vulnerable sections of the population, says senior UN advisor Usha Mishra Hayes in her book which is about the ever-shifting world of policy which influences the social protection systems in Asian and African countries.

Israel bans deputy director from Al-Aqsa Mosque

05 Nov 2020; MEMO: Israeli occupation police have banned the deputy director of Al-Aqsa Mosque from the sanctuary compound, Quds Press has reported. Sheikh Najeh Bkeerat was handed the banning order on Wednesday.

Last week, also on Wednesday, the police raided Bkeerat’s office in Al-Aqsa and detained him. They banned him for a week and told him to report to the intelligence services in occupied Jerusalem after seven days.

Israel’s largest demolition in the occupied West Bank for years: UN official

05 Nov 2020; MEMO: The Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim for the occupied Palestinian territory, Yvonne Helle, said on Wednesday that the Israeli authorities have carried out their largest demolition operation in years against Palestinian structures in the occupied West Bank.

USA: George Floyd’s brother rallies voters on Election Day

NEW YORK (AP) — The murmurs spread quickly among the poll workers late Tuesday morning at a Brooklyn neighborhood station: George Floyd’s brother was present.

A few came up to Terrence Floyd, whose brother George died at the hands of Minneapolis police, sparking protests for racial justice across the nation. “Keep the fight going,” one Black woman urged. Others asked to take their photos with Terrence.

UN expert airs human rights concerns ahead of Myanmar vote

Geneva, Nov 3 (AP/PTI) An independent human rights expert working with the United Nations is calling on Myanmar's government and military leadership to stop persecuting supporters of the opposition ahead of Sunday's general election.

Thomas Andrews, a former US congressman from Maine who is the UN special investigator on Myanmar, called for free and fair elections but expressed concerns about the denial of the vote to Rohingya Muslims and others based on race, ethnicity or religion.

India: Karnataka to enact law banning religious conversions for marriage, says Minister

Bengaluru, Nov 3 (PTI) Karnataka Tourism Minister and BJP national general secretary C T Ravi on Tuesday said a law banning religious conversions for the sake of marriage will be enacted in the state.

He said the government will not remain silent when 'Jihadis' strip the dignity of women in the state.

The statement comes days after the Allahabad High Court held that conversion of religion for the purpose of marriage was illegal.

Egypt reopens border crossing with Gaza

02 Nov 2020; MEMO: Egypt will reopen the Rafah crossing with the blockaded Gaza Strip on Monday, the Palestinian Interior Ministry said on Sunday.

“The terminal will be open in both directions for four days until Thursday,” the Hamas-run ministry said in a statement.

This is the third time for the Egyptian authorities to reopen the Rafah crossing since March.

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