Human Rights

Paris, Sep 16; AP/GANASHAKTI:  Former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, who leaked classified documents detailing government surveillance programs, is calling on French President Emmanuel Macron to grant him asylum.

Snowden, now living in Russia to avoid prosecution in the United States, stressed in an interview broadcast Monday on France's Inter radio that "protecting whistle-blowers is not a hostile act" and that he feels entitled to get protected status in France.

New Delhi, Sep 16 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administration on a plea seeking to produce before court former chief minister Farooq Abdullah, who is allegedly under detention following the scrapping of the state's special status.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and justices S A Bobde and S A Nazeer issued notice to the Centre and the state, and fixed Rajya Sabha MP and MDMK leader Vaiko's plea for hearing on September 30.

New Delhi, Sep 16 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Monday allowed senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad to visit Jammu and Kashmir, but said he cannot hold any political rally.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi said the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister can visit four districts -- Srinagar, Jammu, Baramulla, Anantnag -- to meet people.

The bench, also comprising justices S A Bobde and S Abdul Nazeer, was told by senior advocate A M Singhvi, who was appearing for Azad, that he wants to meet the people and inquire about their welfare.

New Delhi, Sep 16 (PTI) The Congress on Monday strongly condemned former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah's detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA), saying it is the country's "misfortune" that the leaders who fought for its unity and integrity have been put behind bars.

Congress' reaction came as sources said on Monday that Abdullah has now been detained under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA), which enables authorities to detain any individual for two years without trial.

Hardoi (UP), Sep 16 (PTI) A 20-year-old Dalit man was allegedly burnt alive over his relationship with a woman from another caste, a killing that his relatives said also led to his mother's death.

According to the police, the suspected case of honour killing occurred at Bhadesa area of Hardoi district on Saturday.

Abhishek alias Monu was beaten up, kept hostage in a house and set ablaze, Superintendent of Police Alok Priyadarshi said.

15 Sep 2019; MEMO: The emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on the level of foreign ministers was held on Sunday, Anadolu reports.

The meeting discussed the recent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks in which he said he would annex large parts of the occupied lands in the West Bank — including the Jordan Valley.

New Delhi, Sep 14 (PTI) A 24-year-old woman was allegedly burnt to death by her husband in west Delhi's Raghubir Nagar area, police said on Saturday.

Poonam succumbed to her injuries in Safdarjung Hospital on Friday at around 11:30 PM after being burnt on Monday by her husband who "doused her with kerosene", they said.

Earlier, she was admitted to Guru Gobind Singh Hospital.

New Delhi, Sep 15 (PTI) Any attempt to impose one language will lead to disruption of the country's unity, the CPI(M) said on Sunday criticising Union Home Minister Amit Shah's comments on Hindi.

Shah's statement that "Hindi should be treated as the national language runs contrary to the spirit of the Indian Constitution and our country's linguistic diversity," the Left party said.

Shahjahanpur (UP), Sep 15 (PTI) The father of a law student, who accused BJP leader Swami Chinmayanand of raping her, on Sunday termed the leakage of the video footage given to the SIT by his daughter, as a "conspiracy" and said he would request the Supreme Court to order a probe into it.

"From where have the screenshots and videos come to the social media? The screenshots have been posted even on various social media platforms. These were given to the SIT by my daughter. This is a conspiracy," he said.

Chennai, Sep 15 (PTI) The DMK president M K Stalin on Sunday accused the Centre of "autocratic imposition of Hindi" and underscored the need for unity in opposition ranks to take forward protest against the government on such issues.

Addressing an MDMK party event chaired by its leader Vaiko here, Stalin said Tamil was sidelined in the competitive examination conducted by the railways and postal department.