Human Rights

21 Dec 2020; MEMO: Palestinian group Hamas on Sunday accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) of supporting Israeli occupation in violation of Palestinians' rights, Anadolu Agency reports.

"Statements made during visits by some Emirati officials to the [Israeli] occupation went over the line and reflect unlimited UAE support to the settlement and occupation," Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said on Twitter.

New Delhi, Dec 21 (PTI) Intensifying their agitation against the Centre's new agri laws, farmers began their day-long 'relay' hunger strike on a chilly Monday morning at all sites of protest on Delhi's borders with Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

Protesting farmers will participate in the hunger strike in batches and the first has 11 members, according to farmer leaders.

Chandigarh, Dec 20 (PTI) A 22-year-old Punjab farmer, who returned from a protest site near Delhi border, has allegedly committed suicide after consuming some poisonous substance, the police said on Sunday.

Gurlabh Singh, a resident of Dayalpura Mirza village of Bathinda district, had been part of the protest near the Delhi border.

He had returned to his village on Friday, they said.

The police said he consumed some poisonous substance on Saturday at his home.

He was taken to the nearest hospital where he was declared brought dead .

Bolpur (WB), Dec 20 (PTI) Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar will likely meet farmer unions agitating at the borders of the national capital for repeal of three farm laws in a day or two, Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday.

Several rounds of talks with farmers' representatives have failed to break the deadlock.

"I am not exactly aware of the timing but Tomar is likely to meet the representatives of farmers tomorrow or the day after to discuss their demands," Shah told a press conference.

Saharanpur (UP), Dec 20 (PTI) Police here arrested a ration depot operator for an "objectionable post" against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on a WhatsApp group, an official said on Sunday.

Superintendent of Police (City) Vineet Bhatnagar told PTI that Mohammad Kamal had circulated an "objectionable post" against the chief minister a few days ago.

19 Dec 2020; MEMO: Thousands of migrants in France on Friday staged demonstrations demanding permission to stay, Anadolu Agency reports.

Coinciding the International Day of Migrants on Dec. 18, activists had gathered in Richelieu-Drouot Square in the capital Paris and marched to the perimeter of the city's municipal building.

Police, who placed intensive security measures, did not allow the crowd to approach the municipality.

Chandigarh, Dec 19 (PTI) Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Saturday accused the Centre of adopting intimidatory tactics against arhtiyas by conducting income tax raids on their premises.

He warned that such draconian measures will further aggravate the angst of people against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Union government.

New Delhi, Dec 20 (PTI) Thousands of farmers protesting at Delhi borders against the Centre's new agri laws remained firm in their demands of repealing the legislations, even as the city recorded its coldest morning this season, with the mercury dipping to 3.4 degrees Celsius on Sunday.

According to the India Meteorological Department, a cold wave swept Delhi on Sunday.

19 Dec 2020; MEMO: A new report issued by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) shows how European Union (EU) migration policies have led to a mental health crisis among thousands of asylum seekers trapped in the Greek islands.

New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) The Congress on Friday said the government should stop "deceiving and betraying" farmers and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apologise to them for insulting those protesting against the recent farm laws by dubbing them as "anti-nationals".

Congress's chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala told a press conference that the prime minister is deceiving the farmers by meeting those in Madhya Pradesh through video-conferencing, instead of meeting those protesting in the cold at the doorstep of Delhi.