Indian farmers stage nationwide protests to mark one year of farm laws

Indian farmers on Monday blocked highways and railway tracks as part of a nationwide strike to mark one year of introduction of three farm laws that they say will hurt their livelihood. The legislation introduced last September aims to liberalize the agriculture sector. Several rounds of talks have been held between farmer leaders and the Central government, but the impasse remains. Every Indian will now get a digital health ID, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday, as he launched the "Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission." Under this, a unique digital health ID will be provided to the people, which will contain all the health records of the person. According to the government, "citizens will now only be a click-away from accessing healthcare facilities". Political activists staged protests in Geneva and London this past weekend to demand Pakistan to dismantle terror camps and stop exploitation of natural resources in its occupied territories of Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan. They also highlighted human rights violations by the Pakistani establishment against ethnic minorities and demanded the international community to intervene.