Dispatches from India: Farmers lead country-wide shutdown
We take a look at a national shut-down organised by the farmers’ movement and trade unions, protests demanding unemployment and against last year’s labor laws, and the latest in the COVID-19 situation
The heavy cost of ‘insulting’ monarchy in Thailand
Thailand has been witnessing massive protests over the past few months and one of the key demands has been the repeal of the draconian lèse-majesté law. Unsurprisingly, the government has used this provision indiscriminately against protesters
Political crisis in Slovakia derails fight against COVID-19
The incumbent coalition government in Slovakia is mired in a political crisis over disagreements on the procurement of Sputnik V vaccines from Russia, even as the country faces an acute COVID-19 crisis
Benjamin Netanyahu fails to get majority yet again, deadlock in Israel continues
In the results announced today, no party or coalition, even after the fourth election in two years, has reached the majority mark of 61 seats in the 120 member Israeli parliament Knesset
Algerian Supreme Court overturns conviction of journalist Khaled Drareni, orders retrial
Drareni was arrested last year in March and was detained without charge or trial while he was covering the Hirak protests in the country. He was charged with “inciting an unarmed gathering” and “endangering national unity”
After years of blockade, Saudi-led coalition allows four ships to dock at Hodeidah in Yemen
Four ships carrying gas oil, LPG and fuel oil were allowed to dock at Hodeidah port. The Saudi-led Gulf military coalition’s blockade of the city has led to one of the worst humanitarian crisis of the century
Jordanian security forces crack down on demonstrations on anniversary of 2011 protests
The protests were called to mark the 10th anniversary of anti-monarchy and pro-democracy protests. Protesters were also demanding an end to the emergency law imposed last year and addressing of several economic issues such as rising unemployment
Palestinian prisoner Maher Abu Rayan launches hunger strike against Israeli medical neglect
43-year-old Maher Abu Rayan is serving a 25-year prison term and is suffering from multiple health issues as a direct result of the extremely violent fashion in which he was arrested in 2003