Page 33 - Protest

Starbucks workers plan to go on strike at more than 100 US stores

Starbucks workers at more than 100 US stores say they're going on strike Thursday in what would be the largest labour action since a campaign to unionize the company's stores began late last year. The walkouts are scheduled to coincide with Starbucks' annual Red Cup Day, when the company gives free reusable cups to customers who order a holiday drink. Workers say it's often one of the busiest days of the year. Starbucks declined to say how many red cups it plans to distribute. Workers say they're seeking better pay, more consistent schedules and higher staffing levels in busy stores. Starbucks opposes the unionization effort, saying the company functions best when it works directly with employees. The Seattle coffee giant has more than 9,000 company-owned stores in the US. Stores in 25 states planned to take part in the labour action, according to Starbucks Workers United, the group organising the effort. Some workers planned to picket all day while others planned shorter walkouts.

Thousands of CPI-M activists lay siege to Kerala Governor's residence

Vijayan and the Governor have been at loggerheads ever since he refused to ink Ordinances or Bills which are concerning the higher education sector.

Covid-19 lockdowns spark violent protests in China's Guangzhou City

In videos on social media, hundreds of people can be seen marching in the streets and pushing over police barriers in Guangzhou's Haizhu district, which has been in lockdown since late last month

From Nazca Lines to the Mona Lisa, a history of unique climate protest

The protests, meanwhile, do reveal the anger and frustration activists feel, especially with the decision of Egyptian authorities and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

Protests in Iran rage on the streets as officials renew crackdowns

Protests in Iran raged on streets into Thursday with demonstrators remembering a bloody crackdown in the country's southeast, even as the nation's intelligence minister and army chief renewed threats against local dissent and the broader world. The protests in Iran, sparked by the September 16 death of a 22-year-old woman after her detention by the country's morality police, have grown into one of the largest sustained challenges to the nation's theocracy since the chaotic months after its 1979 Islamic Revolution. At least 328 people have been killed and 14,825 others arrested in the unrest, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, a group that's been monitoring the protests over their 54 days. Iran's government for weeks has remained silent on casualty figures while state media counterfactually claims security forces have killed no one. As demonstrators now return to the streets to mark 40th-day remembrances for those slain earlier commemorations common in Iran and the wider .

'Protest is tool in the hands of civil society', says Supreme Court

Protest is a "tool in the hands of the civil society" just as "strike is a weapon in the hands of the workmen", the Supreme Court said on Wednesday. The top court made the remarks while hearing an appeal filed by Ravi Namboothiri, who had challenged the Kerala High Court's judgment that upheld a trial court verdict setting aside his election as councillor in the Gram Panchayat in November 2015. His election to the post was cancelled on the ground that he suppressed in his nomination form his involvement in a criminal case and that he had committed a corrupt practice. A bench of justices S Abdul Nazeer and V Ramasubramanian said the Kerala Police Act was the successor legislation of certain police enactments of the colonial era which aimed at scuttling the democratic aspirations of the indigenous population. "Just as strike is a weapon in the hands of the workmen and lockout is a weapon in the hands of the employer under labour welfare legislations, protest is a tool in the hands of

22 booked for stone pelting at minister Sattar's residence in Aurangabad

An offence has been registered 22 persons for allegedly shouting slogans and pelting stones at Maharashtra Minister Abdul Sattar's residence to protest his alleged comment against Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MP Supriya Sule, police said on Tuesday. An offence was registered against 22 protestors, 17 of whom have been identified, at Begumpura police station on Monday night, an official said. The state agriculture minister on Monday stoked a controversy with his alleged objectionable remarks against Sule, triggering protests by NCP workers in various cities. Stones were hurled at Sattar's residences in Aurangabad city and Mumbai, while demonstrations were held against him in his hometown Sillod, Pune, Thane, Aurangabad, Jalna, Nagpur and Pandharpur, officials said. A case under sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting) and other relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code has been registered, the official said. The NCP's district unit president Kailas Patil, party leader

Italy's support for Ukraine 'subject of debate' amid widespread protests

A growing number of Italians argued that current policies risk prolonging the war while diverting resources the government should be spending domestically.

Protest in Tibet over Covid-19 restrictions, nearly 200 detained: Report

Around 200 residents of Tibet's capital Lhasa were detained in the wake of massive protests last week after China imposed covid lockdown that restricted the residents to their homes

Imran Khan assassination: Protesters block roads in Islamabad, pelt stones

Taking to Twitter, Islamabad police said, "The protesters have taken the traffic hostage. Protesters are requested not to set fire to vehicles."

US President Biden says 'we're gonna free Iran' as protests there go on

President Joe Biden on Thursday told supporters we're gonna free Iran after audience members appeared to call on him to address the ongoing protests that have spread through that country in the aftermath of the death of a young woman in the custody of its security forces. Don't worry, we're gonna free Iran," Biden said in an aside during a campaign rally for Democratic Rep. Mike Levin. He added, They're gonna free themselves pretty soon. Biden made the comments as supporters in the crowd held up cellphones displaying the message FREE IRAN. The Biden administration has faced growing criticism from Iranian American activists who are calling on the White House to abandon its efforts to resurrect the Iran nuclear deal because of the protests. The administration announced sanctions last month against Iranian officials for the brutal treatment of demonstrators following the September death of Mahsa Amini after her arrest by Iran's morality police. The administration has also recently hi

J'khand: UPA to stage protest on Nov 5 against attempts to destablise govt

Hours after the ED summoned Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren for questioning in an alleged illegal mining case, members of the ruling UPA coalition decided to launch a state-wide protest against the "attempts to destabilise a democratically elected government". A two-hour meeting of the UPA -- comprising the JMM, the Congress and the RJD -- was held at the CM's residence here in the evening, shortly after the summons was served by the agency. JMM MLA Sudivya Kumar, following the meeting, said a decision to give a "befitting reply" to the BJP-led Centre, which is "hatching conspiracies using probe agencies", was taken by the leaders of the ruling alliance. "The UPA has decided to oppose BJP move... We will unmask the conspiracy hatched by the BJP, generate awareness among people about it," he said. "We will stage a protest on November 5 against these attempts to destabilise the government. I will tell people that efforts are being made to disrupt the outreach programmes launche

MGNREGA funds: Manipur body calls for economic blockade on two highways

Demanding release of funds under the MGNREGA scheme to all the 16 districts of the state, the All Manipur Tribals Development Grievances Forum called for an indefinite blockade on two vital hoghways

Several Iranian protesters rally to mark 40 days since Mahsa Amini's death

Hundreds of protesters poured into the streets of a northwestern Iranian city on Wednesday to mark the watershed 40 days since the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, whose tragedy sparked Iran's biggest antigovernment movement in over a decade. Deaths are commemorated in Shiite Islam as in many other traditions again 40 days later, typically with an outpouring of grief. In Amini's Kurdish hometown of Saqez, the birthplace of the nationwide unrest now roiling Iran, crowds snaked through the local cemetery and thronged her grave. Death to the dictator!" protesters cried. State-run media announced that schools and universities in Iran's northwestern region would close, purportedly to curb "the spread of influenza". In downtown Tehran, shops were shuttered and riot police were out in force. A group of schoolgirls marched through the streets, shouting against the government as cars stuck in traffic honked their support, witnesses said. Antigovernment chants also echoed fro

Kerala HC quashes unlawful assembly, rioting case against Pinarayi Vijayan

The Kerala High Court has quashed a case of unlawful assembly and rioting and connected proceedings in a magisterial court against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and 11 other CPI(M) leaders in connection with the 2009 human chain protest against India entering into a trade agreement with ASEAN countries. Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas quashed the case against the CPI(M) leaders, also including Prakash Karat, former Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan and current state Minister for General Education V Sivankutty, saying that there was no use of criminal force by them or the protestors, the protest was not indefinite, normal life was not paralysed and therefore, offences of unlawful assembly or rioting under the IPC were not made out. The case was quashed on the plea moved in the high court by the 12 CPI(M) leaders. While quashing the case, the high court said just like the leadership of a political party is not an immunity against prosecution, the position of the accused shall not

Allahabad University students to continue protests over fee hike of 400%

It has been nearly a month since the students of Allahabad University (AU) in Uttar Pradesh have been protesting over the 400 per cent hike in fees, varsity officials said

Joe Biden juggles nuclear talks as Iran escalates repression of protestors

President Joe Biden has hit back at Iran over the government's brutal crackdown on anti-government protests. He's praised the brave women of Iran for demanding basic rights and signalled that he'll announce more sanctions against those responsible for violence against protesters in the coming days. The outpouring of anger largely led by young women and directed at the government's male leadership has created a seminal moment for the country, spurring some of the largest and boldest protests against the country's Islamic leadership seen in years. And while the Biden administration says it is dedicated to standing by the women of Iran, the president faces a tough question: Can he credibly side with the protest movement while also trying to salvage the languishing 2015 Iran nuclear deal that would pump billions into Tehran's treasury? The risk of a nuclear Iran is terrifying on all levels, Marjan Keypour Greenblatt, director of a network of activists that promotes human rights in Ir

US to impose costs on Iran for crackdown against peaceful protesters: Biden

US President Joe Biden has said they will impose costs on perpetrators of violence against peaceful protesters in Iran, the country witnessing protests over the death of a woman in the custody of the morality police. "This week, the United States will be imposing further costs on perpetrators of violence against peaceful protesters. We will continue holding Iranian officials accountable and supporting the rights of Iranians to protest freely," Biden said in a statement. Biden said the United States is making it easier for Iranians to access the internet. The United States is also holding accountable Iranian officials and entities, such as the morality police, that are responsible for employing violence to suppress civil society, he said. "I remain gravely concerned about reports of the intensifying violent crackdown on peaceful protests in Iran, including students and women, who are demanding their equal rights and basic human dignity," he said. They are calling for just and unive

Women protesters demand more security after Afghan bombing kills students

A group of Afghan women Saturday protested a suicide bombing that killed or wounded dozens of students in a Shiite education centre in the capital Kabul a day earlier, demanding better security from the Taliban-run government. The demonstration was quickly broken up by Taliban police. The bomber struck an education centre Friday packed with hundreds of students in a Shiite neighbourhood, killing 19 people and wounding 27. Among the casualties were teenagers taking practice university entrance exams, a Taliban spokesman said. The morning explosion at the centre took place in Kabul's Dashti Barchi neighbourhood, an area populated mostly by ethnic Hazaras, who belong to Afghanistan's minority Shiite community. The Islamic State group has carried out repeated, horrific attacks on schools, hospitals and mosques in Dashti Barchi and other Shiite areas in recent years. About 20 protesters Saturday gathered in the Dashti Barchi area for about 45 minutes before their rally was broken up b

Phagwara sugar mill workers hold protest over non-payment of salaries

Phagwara sugar mill workers on Saturday held a demonstration here denouncing the mill management for not paying their salaries for the last three months. Phagwara sugar mill labour union leader Sukhdev Singh also sought the intervention of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in the matter. "We have families. We find it next to impossible to pay the fees of our school going children. The owner of the mill has run abroad. The local mill officials are giving us false assurances, said one of the protesters. The protesters demanded the management to pay at least a month's salary to the workers considering the ongoing festival season, and threatened to intensify their protests if their demand is not met.