Human Rights

CARACAS, Oct 6 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov met Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro on Saturday to underline Moscow’s support for the leftist leader that has helped him stay in power despite intense Western pressure to quit.

Moscow has acted as a lender of last resort for Venezuela, with the government and oil giant Rosneft providing at least $17 billion in loans and credit lines since 2006.

A 16-year-old Dalit girl was sexually assaulted in Mainpuri district of Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday by a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) office bearer and three of his family members.

Acoording to reports; RSS Prant Sah Boudhik Pramukh Satish Yadav, his brothers Jaidev Yadav and Sahdev Yadav, and his son Ganesh Yadav molested the dalit girl.

5 Oct 2019; MEMO: Germany’s new military sales to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), despite Gulf country’s involvement in the Yemen conflict, has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition and voluntary groups, Anadolu Agency reports.

Describing arms transfer an “irresponsible policy” pursued by the Chancellor Angela Merkel, German opposition, the Left party (Die Linke) criticized the deal.

Hyderabad, Oct 5 (PTI) Senior BJP leader Ram Madhav has said leaders who have been placed under house arrest in Jammu and Kashmir after abrogation of Article 370 by the Centre, will be released soon and they can resume their "normal" political activity.

Speaking at 'Jana Jagaran Sabha' on the Centre's decision to revoke special status of J&K granted under Article 370 on Friday, the BJP general secretary said once Governors rule is lifted and legislature takes over, constitutional entities such as Commissions for SC, Women and Minorities will be set up in the region.

New Delhi, Oct 4 (PTI) The Supreme Court Friday said it would wrap up hearing in the politically sensitive Ram Janmbhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute at Ayodhya by October 17, a day sooner than the earlier schedule.

A 5-judge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, on the conclusion of 37th day of the hearing, fixed the schedule for the final leg of the lengthy arguments.

The Muslim side would complete the arguments on October 14, it said, adding that thereafter, two days would be granted to the Hindu parties to sum up their rejoinders -- October 16.

Mumbai, Oct 4 (PTI) Veteran filmmaker Shyam Benegal, who is among the 49 celebrities against whom an FIR has been lodged for alleged sedition, on Friday said the case makes "no sense" as their open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi voicing concern over growing incidents of mob lynching was just an appeal and not any threat.

The FIR was lodged in Muzaffarpur against the celebrities that also included Anurag Kashyap, Aparna Sen, Mani Ratnam, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Soumitra Chatterjee, Shubha Mudgal and historian Ramchandra Guha.

GAZA, Palestine, Oct 5 (NNN-WAFA) – At least one Palestinian was killed and 11 injured on Friday, by Israeli soldiers’ gunfire, during clashes with dozens of Palestinian demonstrators in eastern Gaza Strip, close to the border with Israel, medics said.

Ashraf al-Qedra, spokesman of the health ministry in Gaza, told reporters that, Allaa Hamdan, 28, was killed, east of Jabalia, in northern Gaza Strip.

He added that, 11 others were injured, including five by live ammunition, during the clashes that broke out on Friday afternoon.

The United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations has added an appeal to end what it calls a “humanitarian crisis” in Kashmir in its report ahead of the annual Foreign Appropriations Act for 2020. This could become the first step towards legislative action by American lawmakers against India on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen has been refused permission to visit Kashmir by the Government of India. A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Home Affairs did not respond to a query about Van Hollen’s inability to visit Kashmir.

About 50 members of the US Congress, including Sen. Chris Van Hollen, have expressed concern over the situation in Kashmir. Van Hollen, a Democrat who represents Maryland, said he asked to go to Kashmir so he could see the reality on the ground for himself.

4 Oct 2019; MEMO: The growth rate of Israel’s settler population in the occupied West Bank during 2018 was double that of the equivalent national figure, reported the Jerusalem Post yesterday.

The settler growth rate remained roughly steady at 3.5 per cent, compared to the national rate of 1.9 per cent, according to data released by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS).