Page 25 - Protest

Working to end hatred, distrust between Meteis, Kukis: Manipur Guv

Manipur Governor Anusuiya Uikey on Saturday said she was working to end the hatred and distrust that have strained the relationship between Metei and Kuki communities. Speaking to reporters after visiting a relief camp in Churachandpur district, Uikey said she has been meeting organisations representing the two communities, and seeking their cooperation to bring back peace and normalcy to the state. "I have come here for the second time, to share the grief of my brothers and sisters. It is nearly three months that these people are away from their homes. A lot of people lost their homes to arson, and many lost most of their belongings. They don't have anything left. I came here to see that at least these people do not face any problems at the camp," she said. "I have directed the government that the basic amenities must be ensured -- from clothes to mosquito repellents. I also got to know that there is a problem of medicines here. They are not getting a lot of things because trucks a

Manipur govt to hold special assembly session in August: Minister

The Manipur government on Thursday announced that it will convene a special assembly session in the second or third week of August. Government spokesperson and Information and Public Relations Minister Sapam Rajan said that the government is making efforts towards this end. There have been demands from several quarters to convene a special assembly session to discuss the current situation in the state. Rajan also dismissed media reports that claimed that the state government had not taken medical care of BJP MLA Vungzagin Valte after he was injured in an attack in the initial days of the ongoing ethnic strife in May. "We took care and regularly got updates of his health condition, even after he was discharged from the hospital. The government condemned the incident. BJP state president Sarda Devi and minister Th Basanta also met him in a hospital in Delhi," he said. Ethnic violence broke out in Manipur nearly three months ago, killing over 160 people since then, and injuring ...

'Government working to restore peace in Manipur, no killing since July 18'

Refuting the opposition's claim that Manipur "is burning", a senior government functionary said on Thursday that no killing has happened in the state since July 18 and asserted that peace and normalcy will be restored soon through talks with the two warring communities - Meiteis and Kukis. With the opposition bloc of 'INDIA' accusing the Centre of inaction, he said Home Minister Amit Shah spent three days, met 41 different groups and visited major sites of violence in Manipur. He contrasted the BJP-led dispensation's approach with that of the previous governments at the Centre when the northeastern state witnessed at least four major cases of ethnic violence. The only time a minister replied in Parliament was in August 1993 when the then Minister of State for Home Affairs spoke following the killing of hundreds of people and uprooting of over 350 villages during the Kukis-Nagas clashes, he claimed. Only once a minister, the then Minister of State for Home Rajesh Pilot, had visited t

Oppn to wear black clothes to Parliament tomorrow to protest over Manipur

All MPs belonging to the Opposition's INDIA bloc will wear black clothes to Parliament on Thursday as a mark of protest against the government over the Manipur issue, sources said. All MPs belonging to the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) have been asked to come dressed in black to protest Prime Minister Narendra Modi not making a statement on the Manipur issue in Parliament till now, an MP of the Opposition bloc said. A no-confidence motion against the government by the Congress on behalf of the opposition alliance was admitted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday. Birla said a date for a discussion on the motion will be decided after consulting the leaders of all parties. The Opposition has often resorted to wearing black to register their protest against the government on various issues. The Opposition has been demanding that Modi make a statement on the Manipur issue in Parliament before a debate on the matter can be taken up. With the opposition a

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Ex-security chiefs beg Netanyahu to halt legal overhaul as protesters march

Tens of thousands of protesters marched into Jerusalem on Saturday evening and hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets in Tel Aviv and other cities in a last-ditch show of force aimed at blocking Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's contentious judicial overhaul. Also Saturday, more than 100 of Israel's former security chiefs signed a letter pleading with the Israeli premier to halt the legislation, and thousands of additional military reservists said they would no longer report for duty, in a protest against the plan. In scorching heat that reached 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit), the procession into Jerusalem turned the city's main entrance into a sea of blue and white Israeli flags as marchers completed the last leg of a four-day, 70 kilometer (45-mile) trek from Tel Aviv to Israel's parliament. The marchers, who grew from hundreds to thousands as the march progressed, were welcomed in Jerusalem by throngs of cheering protesters before they set up camp in

Kishan Reddy prevented by police from visiting T'gana housing project site

High drama prevailed here on Thursday as Union Minister and Telangana BJP president G Kishan Reddy along with other party leaders sat on the road after being stopped by police from proceeding to inspect a site of the BRS government's housing scheme for the poor. Kishan Reddy sat on the road in Outer Ring Road miffed at being prevented from heading to the housing site. "Am I a criminal? Am I a terrorist? I have a right to go anywhere in India," Kishan Reddy told Commissioner of Rachakonda Police D S Chauhan who tried to persuade the Union Minister and other leaders to vacate the place. Kishan Reddy was later physically lifted by police and taken away from the place to a vehicle. He had announced a plan to visit the state government's two bedroom housing site at Batasingaram here. Kishan Reddy had earlier condemned the "house arrest" of BJP leaders by police in view of the planned visit to the two bedroom housing site.

Protesters storm Swedish Embassy in Baghdad ahead of planned Quran burning

Protesters angered by the planned burning of a copy of the Quran stormed the Swedish Embassy in Baghdad early Thursday, breaking into the compound and lighting a small fire. Online videos showed demonstrators at the diplomatic post waving flags and signs showing the influential Iraqi Shiite cleric and political leader Muqtada al-Sadr ahead of a planned burning of the Islamic holy book Thursday in Stockholm. The videos showed dozens of men climbing over the fence at the complex, with the sound of them trying to break down a front door. Another showed what appeared to be a small fire being set. Other footage showed men, some shirtless in the summer heat, inside what appeared to be a room at the embassy, an alarm audible in the background. Others later performed predawn prayers outside of the embassy. As dawn broke, police and other security officials gathered at the embassy as small plumes of smoke still rose. Firefighters tried to douse the flames from the ladder of a fire truck. So

Taliban uses tasers to break up Afghan women protesting beauty salon ban

Dozens of Afghan women protested a beauty salon ban on Wednesday after the Taliban ordered their closure nationwide. Security forces used fire hoses, tasers and shot their guns into the air to break up the protest. The Taliban said earlier this month they were giving all salons in Afghanistan one month to wind down their businesses and close shop, drawing concern from international officials worried about the impact on female entrepreneurs. The Taliban say they are outlawing salons allegedly because they offer services forbidden by Islam and cause economic hardship for grooms' families during wedding festivities. The ruling came from the Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada the latest curb on the rights and freedoms of Afghan women and girls, following edicts barring them from education, public spaces and most forms of employment. In a rare sign of public opposition to Taliban orders, dozens of beauticians and makeup artists gathered in the capital of Kabul to protest the ban. W

Protesters block highways as Netanyahu moves ahead with judicial overhaul

Tens of thousands of protesters on Tuesday blocked highways and train stations and massed in central Tel Aviv during a day of countrywide demonstrations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's contentious judicial overhaul plan. The protests, now in their seventh month, have taken on a sense of urgency in recent days as Netanyahu and his allies in parliament march ahead with the program. The first bill in the package a measure that seeks to limit the Supreme Court's oversight powers could become law as soon as next week. The unrest also cast a shadow over a visit to the White House by Israel's figurehead president, Isaac Herzog, who was invited to Washington to celebrate Israel's 75th anniversary. Herzog, a political centrist, has been involved in behind-the-scenes efforts to broker a compromise on the judicial overhaul, which has strained relations between Netanyahu and President Joe Biden. It was unclear whether Herzog, a former rival of Netanyahu's who has shown little ...

BJP holds protest against AAP MLA near Delhi Gate over tanker water supply

The Delhi BJP on Tuesday held a protest near Delhi Gate against AAP MLA from Matia Mahal Shoeb Iqbal, alleging that a section of residents in his constituency were being deprived of tanker water supply. No immediate reaction was available from Iqbal or the AAP over the issue. Leader of opposition in Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri led the protest. Delhi BJP vice president Ashok Goel, former mayor Ravinder Gupta, other party leaders and workers as well as the local residents participated in the protest. The water supply in Delhi was disrupted last week due to floods caused by the overflowing Yamuna river that forced the closure of three water treatment plants. The treatment plants have now been restored. Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor alleged that residents of Minto Road, Sitaram Bazar, Kucha Patiram, Lal Darwaja among others were not provided water supply from tankers, alleging that these were sent to Matia Mahal, Turkman Gate and old Daryaganj amid the crisis.

Protests swell in Tel Aviv against govt's decision of judicial overhaul

Tens of thousands of protesters packed the streets of Tel Aviv on Saturday night, marking the 28th straight week of demonstrations against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to overhaul the country's judiciary. Protest leaders promised further days of disruption lie ahead. Netanyahu's government gave initial approval to a key portion of the overhaul earlier this week, breathing new life into the grassroots movement. The bill still needs to be approved in two more votes, expected by the end of the month, before it becomes law. Saturday night protests have become a mainstay of the grassroots movement but this week was larger than usual. In Tel Aviv, protesters unrolled a massive banner reading SOS." They threw paint powder into the sky, streaking it pink and orange. Handmaids women dressed in red robes as characters from the dystopian novel and TV series The Handmaid's Tale once again took to the streets. Their jarring appearance is meant to drive home the notion that, if

Protests over West Bengal panchayat polls irregularities turn violent

Protests were held in different parts of West Bengal on Sunday against the violence that rocked the panchayat elections and over allegations of irregularities. The toll in the violence rose to 15 after a person was found dead in South 24 Parganas, and two others succumbed to their injuries, officials said. BJP supporters staged a demonstration outside the State Election Commission office in Kolkata. Security was beefed up in the area as the protestors shouted slogans against the SEC over the alleged "inability" of the poll panel to conduct the elections peacefully. In Purba Medinipur district, BJP workers blocked the Haldia-Mecheda state highway at Nandakumar alleging that ballot boxes were being tampered with at the counting centre at Srikrishnapur High School. "We received information around 3 am that the ballot boxes were being changed. We are demanding repolling at all the booths in the area under the protection of central forces, besides counting of votes at the booths itself,

BJP holds protest outside SEC office against Bengal rural poll violence

BJP supporters on Sunday staged a demonstration in front of the office of West Bengal State Election Commission here, protesting against the panchayat poll violence that left 15 people dead. Security was beefed up around the SEC office in the city as BJP workers shouted slogans against the alleged "inability" of the commission to conduct the elections peacefully. A delegation of the BJP's state unit went inside the office to meet State Election Commissioner Rajiva Sinha, a party leader said. A total of 73,887 seats in the state's three-tier panchayat system went to the polls on Saturday, with 2.06 lakh candidates in the fray. A voter turnout of 66.28 per cent was recorded provisionally, officials said. The toll in the violence during the rural polls rose to 15 after a person was found dead in South 24 Parganas, and two others succumbed to their injuries, they said. The BJP, which blamed the state election commissioner for the poll-related deaths, shot off a letter to Union Home ..

France faces 5th night of rioting over teen's killing by cops, 719 arrested

Young rioters clashed with police late Saturday and early Sunday and targeted a mayor's home with a burning car as France faced a fifth night of unrest sparked by the police killing of a teenager, but overall violence appeared to lessen compared to previous nights. Police made 719 arrests nationwide by early Sunday after a mass security deployment aimed at quelling France's worst social upheaval in years. The fast-spreading crisis is posing a new challenge to President Emmanuel Macron's leadership and exposing deep-seated discontent in low-income neighborhoods over discrimination and lack of opportunity. The 17-year-old whose death Tuesday spawned the anger, identified by his first name Nahel, was laid to rest Saturday in a Muslim ceremony in his hometown of Nanterre, a Paris suburb where emotion over his loss remains raw. As night fell over the French capital, a small crowd gathered on the Champs-Elysees for a protest over Nahel's death and police violence but met hundreds of ...

Macron scraps trip amid rioting across France, as loved ones bury teen

President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday scrapped an official trip to Germany after a fourth straight night of rioting and looting across France in defiance of a massive police deployment. Hundreds turned out for the burial of the 17-year-old whose killing by police triggered the unrest. France's Interior Ministry announced that in the latest night of violence, 1,311 people had been arrested around the country, where 45,000 police officers fanned out in a so-far unsuccessful bid to restore order. In the violence sparked by the teen's death on Tuesday, some 2,400 persons have been arrested overall. The protesters and rioters turned out on the streets of cities and towns, clashing with police, despite Macron's appeal to parents to keep their children at home. About 2,500 fires were set and stores were ransacked, according to authorities. The violence in France was taking a toll on Macron's diplomatic profile. German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's office said that Macron phoned on .

Social media is being blamed for fuelling riots in France: Here's why

Social media companies are once again under scrutiny, this time in France as the country's president blames TikTok, Snapchat and other platforms for helping fuel widespread riots over the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old driver. On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron accused social media of playing a considerable role in encouraging copycat acts of violence as the country tries to tamp down protests that surfaced long-simmering tensions between police and young people in the country. French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said police made 917 arrests on Thursday alone. More than 300 police officers have also been injured attempting to quell the rioting over the death of the teenager, who is of north African descent and has only has been identified by his first name, Nahel. Macron, who in tandem castigated video games for the rioting, said the French government would work with social media sites to take down the most sensitive content and identify users who call for ...

Over 900 people arrested in France overnight as rioters clash with police

Rioting raged in cities around France for a fourth night despite massive police deployment, with cars and buildings set ablaze and stores looted, as family and friends prepared Saturday to bury the 17-year-old whose killing by police unleashed the unrest. The government suggested the violence was beginning to lessen thanks to tougher security measures, but damages remained widespread, from Paris to Marseille and Lyon and French territories overseas, where a 54-year-old died after being hit by a stray bullet in French Guiana. The interior ministry announced 994 arrests around France by early Saturday. France's national soccer team including international star Kylian Mbappe, an idol to many young people in the disadvantaged neighbourhoods where the anger is rooted pleaded for an end to the violence. Many of us are from working-class neighbourhoods, we too share this feeling of pain and sadness over the killing of 17-year-old Nahel, the players said in a statement. Violence resolves

French president urges parents to keep teens at home to quell riots

French President Emmanuel Macron is urging parents to keep teenagers at home to quell rioting spreading across France and says social media are fueling copycat violence. After a second crisis meeting with senior ministers, Macron said Friday that social media are playing a considerable role in the spreading unrest triggered by the deadly police shooting of a 17-year-old. He said he wants social media such as Snapchat and TikTok to remove sensitive content and said that violence is being organised online. Of young rioters, he said: We sometimes have the feeling that some of them are living in the streets the video games that have intoxicated them.

Women's group, farmers protest outside Karnataka CM's house to clear loans

Women groups and farmers protested outside Karnataka CM's house for failing to fulfil his promise to clear all loans taken by women under the Stree Shakti Sanga scheme