A massive standoff took place between the protesting farmers and the Haryana Police after the Delhi Chalo march was stopped by the cops. Nearly, 101 farmers tried to resume their march to the national capital from the Sambhu protest site on Punjab-Haryana border, demanding a legal guarantee for the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and addressing other issues.   

The Haryana police responded by firing tear gas shells to disperse the protesters. They reportedly asked farmers to provide the necessary permission to proceed with their protest, which led to an argument with the farmers and protesters at Shambhu.

Speaking to the media, a protesting farmer said that the police are asking for identity cards, but they should give a guarantee that they will allow them to go to Delhi. The farmer added that the police said that there is no permission to go to Delhi, so why should they give their identity cards. 

The Haryana police claimed that the farmers were moving as a mob and not as the planned group of 101 farmers. They further stated that the farmers would be allowed to proceed only after identity verification.

The police mentioned that they will first verify the identities of the farmers and then allow them to go ahead. They added that they have a list of 101 farmers, but these are not the same people. The protestors are not letting us verify their identities and are moving ahead as a mob, the police said. Nonetheless, the farmers denied, saying they had not provided any list to the police.

Considering the farmers’ renewed attempt to march towards Delhi, security has been strengthened at the Punjab-Haryana border, with barricades set up to block their advance. Furthermore, prohibitory orders under Section 163 (formerly Section 144), which prevent the gathering of over five people, are also in place at the border.

Beside Shambhu border, the Khanauri border between Punjab and Haryana has been sealed under tight four-layered security, with 13 contingents deployed.

Earlier on Friday, the farmers tried to move towards Delhi but suspended their bid after many farmers sustained injuries when security personnel fired tear gas shells at the border.

After a week-long offensive, Syrian rebel forces claimed control of Damascus, encountering no resistance from the government troops. The Syrian military officials reportedly said President Bashar al-Assad, who ruled the country with an iron fist for 24 years, boarded a plane to an undisclosed location. 

Furthermore, the army command has informed officers that the Assad regime has fallen. Following, the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham rebel faction issued a statement, mentioning that December 8, 2024, marks the end of the dark era and the beginning of a new era for Syria.  

The Britain based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights stated that the Syrian military and security forces have withdrawn from Damascus International Airport. It further added that officers and soldiers abandoned the airport amid the rebel offensive.

Furthermore, the rebels also announced that they had entered the notorious Saydnaya military prison north of Damascus and freed prisoners there. They added that they celebrate with the Syrian people the news of freeing the prisoners and releasing their chains and announcing the end of the era of injustice in Saydnaya prison.

The Syrian opposition forces said that the country will be governed by Prime Minister Mohammed al-Jalali until a formal transition of power takes place. Reports said, Mohammed Al-Jalali expressed his willingness to work with any leadership chosen by the Syrian people.

The Armed opposition groups seeking to overthrow Assad swept into Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, in a shock offensive on November 27, reigniting the 13-year civil war that devastated the country. Major cities in the north, including Daraa and Hama, fell to the opposition fighters in a matter of days amid little resistance from government troops.

Last week, the advances in the past week were by far the largest in recent years by rebel factions, led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has its origins in Al-Qaeda and is considered a terrorist organisation by the US and the United Nations.

Earlier on Saturday, the rebels said they were encircling the capital where Assad has ruled since 2000. In the night, they captured Homs, a strategic city which is at the crossroads between Damascus and the Syrian dictator’s stronghold on the Mediterranean coast.

Reportedly, Syria has been ruled by the Assad family for over five decades, with President Bashar al-Assad taking power in 2000 following the death of his father, Hafez Assad.

As per the United Nations, Assad’s regime has been responsible for the deaths of more than 350,000 opponents, widespread imprisonment and torture, and the use of banned nerve gas against opposition-held areas to quash dissent.

The embattled Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance in Maharashtra on Saturday lost ally Samajwadi Party (SP), which decided to withdraw its support to the MVA after a controversial social media post by Milind Narvekar, a senior leader of Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT), commemorating the demolition of the Babri Masjid.

Narvekar’s post, shared on the 32nd anniversary of the Babri Masjid demolition, had a photograph of the mosque along with a quote from Shiv Sena founder Balasaheb Thackeray saying: “I am proud of those who did this.” The post also featured images of Uddhav Thackeray, his son Aaditya Thackeray, and Narvekar himself.

Reacting sharply to the post, SP state president Abu Asim Azmi declared the party’s decision to exit the MVA , stating that the SP could not associate with ideologies that contradict its secular principles.

“The Samajwadi Party cannot remain aligned with any form of communal ideology. This remark glorifying the demolition of the Babri Masjid is unacceptable, and we have decided to part ways with the MVA,” Azmi said in a statement. He emphasized that the SP is prepared to contest elections independently in Maharashtra if necessary.

SP leader Rais Shaikh echoed Azmi’s sentiments, highlighting that the foundation of the MVA alliance was built on secular values and a commitment to protecting the Constitution. “When such radical ideologies surface, it forces parties like ours to reconsider our position,” Shaikh stated.

The MVA, a coalition of the Shiv Sena (UBT), Nationalist Congress Party Sharad Pawar (NCP-SP), and the Congress, was formed to counter the BJP-led Mahayuti in Maharashtra. However, the controversial remark seemed to be the last straw in an already fragile alliance.

Azmi expressed disappointment, questioning the ideological consistency of the Shiv Sena (UBT). “How are these actions any different from the BJP’s stance? We cannot align with such double standards,” he remarked.

The SP’s exit is a blow to the MVA, which has been grappling with diminishing electoral fortunes. In the last Assembly elections, the Congress secured 16 seats, Shiv Sena (UBT) 20, and NCP 10, reflecting a steep decline in their collective influence.

The fallout also coincided with the boycott of the Maharashtra Assembly oath-taking ceremony by MVA legislators, who alleged electoral manipulation through Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). SP leaders, however, defied the boycott call and participated in the proceedings.

“We took the oath because we respect the democratic process. But we cannot support a coalition that contradicts the values it claims to uphold,” Azmi explained.

With only two MLAs in the Maharashtra Assembly, the SP’s departure may not drastically alter the numerical strength of the MVA. It underscores deeper ideological rifts within the coalition. Political analysts believe this episode could push the MVA to reassess its strategy and internal dynamics. The electoral setback to the Shiv Sena (UBT) had been ascribed to it foregoing its ideological moorings which is closer to the BJP’s Hindutva.

Meanwhile, the BJP-led Mahayuti, which won a resounding 230 seats in the 288-member assembly, continues to solidify its position in the state.