Human Rights

Coimbatore, Feb 18 (PTI) A farmer died by suicide on his farm near here early Thursday as he was apparently upset over the torture and abusive language allegedly used by a private financial firm for not repaying a loan, police said.

In a letter purportedly written by him and recovered from his house, the 30-year-old Anandan said the employees of the financial firm had used abusive language for the delay to repay the Rs 45-lakh loan, the police said.

Chandigarh, Feb 19 (PTI) The body of a 72-year-old farmer was allegedly gnawed at by rats at the mortuary of the civil hospital in Haryana's Sonipat district, prompting the authorities to order a probe.

The incident came to light on Thursday morning when the family of Rajender found injury marks on his face and foot.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — After waiting months and sometimes years in Mexico, people seeking asylum in the United States are being allowed into the country starting Friday as they wait for courts to decide on their cases, unwinding one of the Trump administration’s signature immigration policies that President Joe Biden vowed to end.

18 Feb 2021; MEMO: Israeli authorities are preparing a law that would prohibit any cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, and would propose five years in prison for any violations of this law, RT reported yesterday.

18 Feb 2021; MEMO: The authorities in Saudi Arabia have arrested well-known scholar Aisha Al-Muhajiri, reportedly because she has continued to preach and teach the Qur'an at her home in the holy city of Makkah. The 65 year old was said to have been arrested by "20 members of the Saudi intelligence service."

New Delhi, Feb 18 (PTI) The Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Wednesday accused the Centre of trying to "counter and destroy" the farmers' movement against the new agri laws and said it has appealed for peaceful protests during the 'rail roko' agitation on February 18.

The statement of the umbrella body of protesting unions came a day after BJP chief J P Nadda and Home Minister Amit Shah met party functionaries, MPs and MLAs from Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh in the wake of mahapanchayats being organised by farmer leaders.

HONG KONG (AP) — Prominent Hong Kong democracy advocate and newspaper publisher Jimmy Lai was again denied bail on Thursday ahead of his April trial on charges of colluding with foreign forces.

Lai is one of several activists facing charges and possibly lengthy prison terms under the sweeping National Security Law that Beijing imposed on the semi-autonomous southern Chinese city last year following massive anti-government protests in 2019.

Pune, Feb 18 (PTI) Members belonging to various organisations and political parties on Thursday held a 'rail roko' agitation at the Pune railway station to register their protest against the Centre's three farm laws, officials said.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella body of farmer unions, which has been spearheading the protest at Delhi borders, had announced this nationwide rail blockade to press for its demand to repeal the legislations.

17 Feb 2021; MEMO: A Saudi Arabian court adjourned on Monday before sentencing more than 60 Palestinian and Jordanian prisoners, the Chairman of the Jordanian Committee on Political Prisoners, Khader Al-Mashayekh, has revealed. The court will pronounce the sentences on 21 June.

17 Feb 2021; MEMO: The Biden administration has approved a $200 million arms sale to Egypt despite ongoing human rights abuses in the country including the arrest of a former political prisoners' cousins days before the sale.

The US State Department said that the $197 million sales of Raytheon-made Rolling Airframe Missiles were for Egypt's navy to improve defence around the coast including the Red Sea and that it has approved the sale subject to congressional review.