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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced intense criticism and protests as he defended the parliament's vote for a crucial clause in the government's controversial judicial reform package. Amidst ongoing demonstrations and international concern, Netanyahu justified the move as a "necessary democratic step," highlighting the need to empower the elected government and align policies with the majority of citizens, reported AFP.

Ahead of a UN summit that would take place next week, Afghan women rallied in Kabul on Saturday, defying a crackdown on dissent. They demanded that other countries refrain from formally recognising the Taliban regime. Since the Taliban took back control in 2021, protesters who voiced opposition to growing restrictions on women's rights have been physically assaulted or imprisoned, and security forces have fired shots into the air to break up some demonstrations. However, sporadic gatherings...

France is expected to see major public transportation disruptions on Thursday, operators have warned, as employees join a statewide protest against a wildly unpopular pension reform plan. The proposed reforms, which are currently being debated in parliament, would increase the minimum amount of contributions needed to get a full pension and raise the retirement age from 62 to 64. The Thursday strike will be the first time in 12 years that all unions in France have come together since the retire...

Scores of people holding a demonstration at a factory producing COVID-19 antigen kits clashed with the police, several videos that went viral on social media on Sunday showed. According to Reuters news agency, the incident took place on Saturday when the workers were protesting for wages and against layoff by the manufacturer, Zybio, in the central municipality of Chongqing. Police and Zybio are yet to respond to this situation, but several media outlets reported that the protest pertained to wa...

In Madrid, thousands of protesters marched in support of the region's basic healthcare facilities and warned that any alteration to the system would "destroy" local healthcare. Under the banner, "Madrid rallies in support of public healthcare and against the intention to dismantle primary care services," massive crowds gathered at four locations around the capital. 

Niloofar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi—the two journalists who first broke the news of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini who died in custody of Iran's morality police—have been branded as CIA agents by Iran. According to a joint statement released by Iran’s ministry of intelligence and the intelligence organisation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards on Saturday, both journalists are currently lodged in Iran’s notorious Evin prison.

Three people were killed after Iranian forces opened fire at scores of protesters in the western town of Mahabad, according to local media reports. A scuffle had broken out between security forces and the agitators who were targeting the government buildings in protest against the killing of an anti-regime protester, Ismail Moloudi. The protesters had gathered there after Moloudi was buried in the city.

Several protests against a planned reform that would increase taxes on the wealthy to fund social programmes were held across Colombia on Saturday. The proposal is being promoted by President Gustavo Petro, the first elected socialist leader of the South American nation. "Today, we ask the government to take into account the productive sector of the country, to understand that tax reform is not needed in the way they are doing it," businessman Alvaro Aparicio, 58, told AFP in Bogota.

Heavy gun battles in the southeastern Iranian province of Sistan-Baluchestan have claimed 19 lives, including of a Revolutionary Guards colonel, the state media reported. "Nineteen people were killed and 20 wounded in the incident," regional governor Hossein Khiabani told the state broadcaster late on Friday.  "Provincial intelligence officer of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Colonel Ali Mousavi was also killed," state television added.

The controversial state funeral of assassinated former prime minister Shinzo Abe concluded on Tuesday evening amidst massive protests in central Tokyo city.  Attended by dignitaries including US Vice President Kamala Harris and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who considered Abe a personal friend, the funeral service took place at Nippon Budokan. More than 4,000 guests were invited, including around 700 foreign officials and ambassadors. Among Japan's royal family, Crown Prince Akishin...