Page 29 - Protest

Israel PM Netanyahu delays judicial reform plan amid general strike

Embattled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was forced to back down on controversial plans to overhaul the country's judiciary on Monday, amid unprecedented nationwide strikes

In Macron's France, streets and fields seethe with protest against him

A big day has come for French high school student Elisa Fares. At age 17, she is taking part in her first protest. In a country that taught the world about people power with its revolution of 1789 and a country again seething with anger against its leaders graduating from bystander to demonstrator is a generations-old rite of passage. Fares looks both excited and nervous as she prepares to march down Paris streets where people for centuries have similarly defied authority and declared: Non! Two friends, neither older than 18 but already protest veterans whose parents took them to demonstrations when they were little, are showing Fares the ropes. They've readied eyedrops and gas masks in case police fire tear gas as they have done repeatedly in recent weeks. The French are known for fighting and we'll fight," says one of the friends, Coline Marionneau, also 17. My mother goes to a lot of demonstrations ... She says if you have things to say, you should protest. For French Preside

Congress-led Oppn protest outside Parliament, seek probe in Adani matter

Trinamool Congress, which had earlier indicated that it would not participate in the protests, also took part

Israeli president urges Netanyahu to halt legal overhaul amid protests

Israel's ceremonial president on Monday urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to immediately halt a contentious overhaul of the judiciary. Isaac Herzog's plea comes hours after tens of thousands of people burst into the streets around the country in a spontaneous show of anger at Netanyahu's decision to fire his defense minister after he called for a pause to the overhaul. The overhaul has sparked one of Israel's gravest domestic crises, drawing widespread opposition from business leaders, legal officials and even the country's military.

Israel PM Netanyahu fires defence minister, sparks protest across country

Tens of thousands of Israelis poured into the streets of cities across the country on Sunday night in a spontaneous outburst of anger after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu abruptly fired his defence minister for challenging the Israeli leader's judicial overhaul plan. Protesters in Tel Aviv blocked a main highway and lit large bonfires, while police scuffled with protesters who gathered outside Netanyahu's private home in Jerusalem. The unrest deepened a monthslong crisis over Netanyahu's plan to overhaul the judiciary, which has sparked mass protests, alarmed business leaders and former security chiefs and drawn concern from the United States and other close allies. Netanyahu's dismissal of defence Minister Yoav Gallant signaled that the prime minister and his allies will barrel ahead this week with the overhaul plan. Gallant had been the first senior member of the ruling Likud party to speak out against it, saying the deep divisions were threatening to weaken the military. But

Israel's minister calls govt to halt judicial reform in jolt to Netanyahu

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant has called upon the government to stop the controversial judicial overhaul legislation that has sparked protests across the country, sticking his neck out amid Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's insistence to go ahead with the proposed "reforms". His intervention came as Israelis opposed to the changes held mass rallies across the country for the twelfth week in a row. "The security of the State of Israel is my life's mission. Over the course of my entire adult life, I have dealt with Israel's security day in and day out," Gallant, Netanyahu's close aide, said on Saturday. He said that he still supported the need to revamp the court system, but acknowledged that unprecedented feelings of anger, pain and disappointment have risen within the military over the proposed changes to Israel's balance of power. The revamp includes enabling Parliament to overrule decisions made by the Supreme Court - a move that critics say will undermine the independe

Oppn holds protest march alleging 'democracy in danger', seeks JPC probe

Several opposition parties on Friday held a protest march from Parliament, alleging that "democracy is in danger" and demanding a JPC probe into the Adani issue. Addressing the media at Vijay Chowk, several leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, also raised the issue of Rahul Gandhi's conviction in a 2019 criminal defamation case by a Surat court and alleged that the government was targeting the opposition with cases to suppress their voices. After a protest inside the Parliament House complex, a host of Opposition leaders from parties such as the CPI, CPI(M), Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray), JD(U) and Aam Aadmi Party, marched to Vijay Chowk, holding placards like 'We demand JPC' and 'Save LIC' and a huge banner in front of them with 'Democracy in Danger' written on it. "We're fighting for JPC into Adani issue for months. They have a majority but the BJP is scared as there's something fishy. We'll keep fighting unitedly for it," Kharge said. He also hit out at BJP .

Police detain DK Shivakumar, others over Rahul Gandhi conviction row

Karnataka police detained Congress state president DK Shivakumar and other party leaders and workers who were protesting against the Surat Court verdict against Rahul Gandhi."Their (BJP) party will collapse in Karnataka. It is on the verge of collapse. They are just trying to blackmail all leaders & contractors. We're with people and people are with us. Their voice is our voice. We want to see Karnataka regain its glory," Shivakumar told mediapersons.Earlier today, Congress leaders protested against the conviction of Rahul Gandhi by the Surat District court in a criminal defamation case. The Wayanad MP was sentenced to two years in jail but was later granted bail by the court and his sentence suspended for 30 days to let him appeal the decision.The Congress party planned a massive agitation including a protest at the Vijay Chowk in the national capital.The party said it also plans to meet President Droupadi Murmu with other parties over the issue.Congress is also expected to ...

UK to take security seriously after vandalism by pro-Khalistani protesters

The UK government will take the security of the Indian High Commission here "seriously", top British officials have said as they condemned as "disgraceful" and "completely unacceptable" the vandalism at the mission by a group of protesters waving separatist Khalistani flags. The tricolour flying atop the Indian High Commission was grabbed at by the protesters chanting pro-Khalistani slogans on Sunday, leading to an arrest related to the violent disorder. Officials from the mission said the "attempted but failed" attack had been foiled and that the tricolour was now flying "grander". The Metropolitan Police said two members of security staff sustained minor injuries which did not require hospital treatment. An investigation has been launched. Responding to the incident, London's mayor Sadiq Khan said he condemned "the violent disorder and vandalism that took place". "There is no place in our city for this kind of behaviour," he tweeted. The British High Commissioner to India Alex

Israeli PM Netanyahu urges military chief to contain reservist protest

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the military's chief of staff on Sunday to contain a wave of protest from within the ranks over a contentious government plan to overhaul the judiciary. Netanyahu's remarks come as Israel is embroiled in a major crisis that has sent tens of thousands of people into the streets protesting every week for the last two months. The divide over Netanyahu's plans to change the legal system has not spared the country's military, its most trusted institution, where many reservists have pledged not to show up for duty under what they see as impending regime change. Starting Sunday, more than 700 elite officers from the Air Force, special forces, and Mossad said they would stop volunteering for duty. The typically taboo talk of refusal to serve in a military that is compulsory for most Jews and is highly respected by the Jewish majority underlines how deeply the overhaul plan has divided Israel. Netanyahu has rejected a compromise plan proposed

Jill Biden calls on men to support women fighting for their rights

Jill Biden on Wednesday praised a group of women from around the world, including those who have been protesting against Iran's leaders, for showing courage while fighting for their rights and called on men to "be partners" with women and support them in their cause. "As much as we need women who are willing to speak up, we need more men who are willing to listen and act," the first lady said. "We need more men to hold each other accountable when their sisters are being hurt or left behind, she said at a White House ceremony for the 2023 recipients of the International Women of Courage Awards. "We need more men who nurture families, who feed and teach and mentor, who build safer communities. We need more men who know that caring, collaboration and kindness are signs of strength, not weakness. "Men, we need you to support the women who are fighting for their rights and to lift up those who have been silenced, she continued. Be partners, be partners with women. Become the men of ...

Excise policy scam case: BJP burns effigies of AAP leaders across Delhi

Leader of Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri along with Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva burnt the effigies outside the ancient Hanuman Temple at Connaught Place

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DU teachers sit on hunger strike over delay in forming governing bodies

Several teachers of Delhi University sat on a 12-hour hunger strike over delay in forming governing bodies in 28 colleges funded by the Arvind Kejriwal government. The strike called by the AAP teachers wing -- Academics for Action & Development Delhi Teachers Association (AADTA) -- started at around 7 am at Arts Faculty. They also demanded the absorption of ad hoc and temporary teachers working in various Delhi University colleges. Several members of the Executive Council, Academic Council and Finance Committee of the varsity participated in the strike. Some former members and chairpersons of the governing bodies (GB) were also part of the demonstration, AADTA said in a statement. "The large scale participation shows the anger of teaching community over the way the university administration has politicised the GB formation in these colleges and the recruitment process in a narrow partisan manner," it said. Last month, the Delhi government had sent the list of its nominees for the

AAP stages protests in several states after Dy CM Sisodia's arrest

AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday claimed that most of the CBI officers were opposed to arresting his deputy Manish Sisodia but did so due to political pressure

Sisodia CBI probe: AAP leaders detained for protesting near agency office

Police on Sunday detained several AAP leaders, including Sanjay Singh and Gopal Rai, protesting near the CBI office where Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia is being questioned in the Delhi excise policy scam case. Section 144 has been imposed in the south district, the police said. The protesters were detained to ensure that the law and order situation doesn't go out of hand, they said. Confirming their detention, AAP MLA Kuldeep Kumar said, "We were protesting peacefully but were detained." Rai, the environment minister in the Delhi government, said the police were taking him away in his car. In a tweet in Hindi, Rai said, "Modi ji's hooliganism at its peak... I cannot walk without someone's help but police surrounded my car from all sides and forcefully made the person accompanying me get down... "Policemen barged inside my car and are taking me. This is the height of hooliganism but neither will we be scared nor will we bow down." The CBI on Sunday began its second round o

Uttarakhand HC orders action against violence during paper leak protest

The Uttarakhand High Court on Tuesday ordered strict action against all those who created violence during an agitation in Dehradun by unemployed youths against recruitment examination paper leaks. "It appears that the mob agitating against paper leak resorted to violence. No matter what the issue, it cannot be used as an excuse to resort to violence, destroy public property, or create public nuisance," a division bench of the high court comprising Chief Justice Vipin Sanghi and Justice Alok Kumar Verma observed. "The petitioner has a fundamental right to protest in a peaceful manner after obtaining proper permission from the administration. Therefore, we reject the demand for action against the police. We direct the government to take appropriate and strict action against all those involved in violence or arson," it said. The order came on a petition demanding a CBI probe into recruitment exam paper leaks and action against police personnel who resorted to lathicharge against ...

Cops use water cannons to disperse employees demanding restoration of OPS

The Haryana Police on Sunday used water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse a large group of state government employees holding a demonstration in Panchkula for the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme. Police took action when the demonstrators, who had gathered on the Panchkula-Chandigarh border, tried to cross over into the Union Territory and march towards the Haryana chief minister's residence and 'gherao' it to press for their demand. There was heavy police deployment at the site on the border, police said. The demonstrators had gathered under the banner of the 'Old Pension Scheme (OPS) Restoration Struggle Committee' and a representative of the panel, while speaking to reporters in Panchkula, claimed that a few employees had suffered injuries during the police action. "Restoration of OPS is a legitimate demand. Governments of Rajasthan, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh have restored it. The Haryana government has given an excuse that the government will go bankrupt if OPS is

Israelis protest judicial overhaul plans for 7th week in several cities

Tens of thousands of Israelis marched Saturday in several cities against judicial overhaul plans proposed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government. The demonstration took place in the central city of Tel Aviv, part of a weekly protest campaign that has kicked off since Justice Minister Yariv Levin announced the proposed changes in early January. Netanyahu and his supporters, members of the most religious, right-wing government in the country's history, say the changes are needed to rein in a judiciary that wields too much power. But critics, who include large sectors of Israeli society, say the overhauls would weaken Israel's Supreme Court and damage the country's fragile system of democratic checks and balances. They also say that Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption charges, is motivated by a personal grudge against the legal system and has a deep conflict of interest. Netanyahu has said he is a victim of a witch hunt. In Tel Aviv, protesters raised large Israeli fl

Adani-Hindenburg row: AAP holds protests in Srinagar, Jammu; demands probe

Police on Sunday prevented AAP workers from staging a protest outside the BJP office here over the Adani-Hindenburg row. Led by AAP's central Kashmir youth president Jibran Dar, party workers assembled in Jawahar Nagar area and raised slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and business tycoon Gautam Adani. The protesters alleged that Modi was favouring Adani, but doing nothing for ordinary people. Before they could reach the BJP office in the area, the protesters were detained by police and whisked away to the local police station. Adani Group stocks have taken a beating after US-based activist short-seller Hindenburg Research made a litany of allegations, including fraudulent transactions and share price manipulation, against it. The Adani Group has dismissed the allegations as lies. The AAP also staged a protest outside the BJP office in Jammu over the issue and demanded a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into independent India's "biggest scam". AAP workers led