November 19, 2021

*) India’s Modi withdraws controversial farm laws ​​After more than a year of Indian farmers displaying massive street power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repealed three highly controversial agricultural reform laws. Farmers were against the laws as they would no longer be assured of a minimum price for their crops. At the time, the government said the reforms were essential to modernise the nation but has now backed down ahead of elections in three heavily agrarian states. *) Sudan's police chief denies role in protester deaths Sudan’s police chief has defended his security forces after at least 15 people were killed by live fire at Wednesday's protests against last month’s coup. Lieutenant General Khalid Mahdi Ibrahim said security forces only used legal means to contain protests. Wednesday’s deaths brought the overall death toll since the coup to at least 39. *) Belarus clears main refugee camps at EU border Belarus has cleared the main camps where refugees were sheltering at the border with Poland. Belarus state media said late on Thursday that the refugees sheltering in the forest had been taken to a warehouse away from the Polish border. The EU has accused Belarus of deliberately creating the crisis by flying in refugees and forcing them to attempt illegal border crossings into Poland and Lithuania. Minsk denies "orchestrating" the crisis and both sides have agreed to talks. *) World Food Programme drivers released after weeklong detention in Ethiopia All of the World Food Programme drivers and UN workers arrested by the Ethiopian government in the north have been released. Ethiopia arrested 72 drivers in Afar province, on the only functional road leading into the conflict-and-famine-hit region of Tigray. The arrests follow an escalation of conflict between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government and Tigray forces in early November – when the rebels threatened to besiege capital Addis Ababa. *) Deforestation of Amazon surges to highest levels since 2006 The deforested area in Bra