A local administration in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, has defied an order from the state high court and subsequently bulldozed a mosque - which is seen as one of the most inflammatory actions against a Muslim place of worship since the demolition of the Babri Mosque in 1992.
The mosque was situated in the city of Ram Sanehi in Uttar Pradesh, and had stood for over six decades.
The number of Indians living below the poverty line is expected to reach 134 million, which is more than double the 59 million projected prior to the recession
The poverty rate in India rose to 9.7 percent in 2020, a sharp increase from the January 2020 forecast of 4.3 percent
For the fifth straight day, India has set a new global record for a rise in daily coronavirus cases, in addition to cumulative deaths jumping to an all-time high figure over the past 24 hours.
With 352,991 additional cases in the past 24 hours, India's total infections have surpassed 17 million, behind only the United States.
There are growing concerns that strains of the virus being tested in India are potentially more contagious.
India has been downgraded from ‘Free’ to Partially Free’ in the annual report published by Freedom House, a Washington-based pro-democracy think tank and human rights watchdog.
Published this week, the latest report marks the 4th consecutive year of democratic backsliding under the Modi government, highlighting that the country appears to be inching closer to authoritarianism.
In the aftermath of the online backlash against the Indian government's callous treatment of protestors, India has threatened to 'punish' Twitter if it does not comply with the government's request to restore a block on accounts connected to allegedly inflammatory tweets about farmers’ protests.
On Monday, Twitter blocked over 250 accounts, following a request by the Indian government, under the presupposition that the tweets could potentially 'incite' violence.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stated that the protesters that stormed New Delhi's historic Red Fort last week, caused an "insult" to the country, and that his government will proceed with the proposed agricultural reform.
Farm leaders issued a statement that they were not responsible for violence, that it was caused by a minority of those on the parade, and that they will resume their talks with the government.
The United Arab Emirates has expressed its frustration with Israel, after a senior health official blamed a sharp rise in coronavirus cases on Israelis returning from vacations in Dubai.
Tens of thousands of Israelis have travelled to the United Arab Emirates since Israel normalised ties with the Gulf state in September.
Hundreds of police guarded the historic Red Fort in the heart of the Indian capital on Wednesday following violent clashes between farmers and authorities in which one person was killed and at least 80 injured.
Tens of thousands of farmers, protesting against reforms of the agriculture sector that they say benefit big private buyers at the expense of growers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that protests by farmers against three laws brought by his government were politically motivated, as he touted the success of an agricultural scheme launched last year.
Thousands of farmers from several Indian states have been camped on the outskirts of New Delhi for over a month, blocking highways to demand that Modi’s government repeal the farm laws passed in September that they say threaten their livelihoods.
India’s main opposition party pressed the government on Thursday to call a special parliamentary session to withdraw new agricultural laws that farmers say will leave them at the mercy of big corporations.
Rahul Gandhi, a senior leader from the opposition Congress party, handed the president a copy of a petition that he said had attracted 20 million signatures online.