Page 143 - Social Issues
Odisha govt hikes dearness allowance of employees by 3pc
The Odisha government on Monday announced a hike in dearness allowance of employees and dearness relief of pensioners by 3 per cent. A proposal in this regard was approved by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, an official release said. The hike will be implemented retrospectively from January 1, 2019, it said. With Monday's raise, the rate of DA and TI now stands at 12 per cent in Odisha.
India, Sweden to increase cooperation on anti-microbial resistance: Swedish Health Minister
Anti-microbial resistance (AMR) poses a "really dangerous" challenge globally, and India and Sweden intend to boost cooperation to tackle it, Swedish Health Minister Lena Hallengren said Monday. After a meeting with Union Health Minister J P Nadda, Hallengren told reporters, "We were discussing specifically this AMR work because there has been a cooperation but we intend to really increase (it) because it is a global and really dangerous situation we are facing." When anti-microbial drugs are overused, AMR develops as microorganisms such as bacteria, virus and fungi that become resistant to drugs. Stating that AMR work is an "ongoing cooperation" between India and Sweden, Hallengren hoped that India would join the "Alliance of Champions, which is a creation between many countries globally to face and to fight AMR". At the 2015 World Health Assembly, the then Swedish Health Minister Gabriel Wikstrom launched the "Alliance of Champions", which consisted of health ministers of 14 ...
UN chief: Human rights are losing ground in the world
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is denouncing a "groundswell of xenophobia, racism and intolerance" and says human rights are losing ground in the world. The UN chief kicked off the high-level segment of the Human Rights Council by expressing alarm at "shrinking civic space," with journalists and activists targeted. Guterres said more than 1,000 journalists and human rights defenders have been killed over the past three year. Four environmental activists, mostly indigenous people, were killed on average every week last year, he said. "We must do more to defend defenders and end reprisals against those who share their human rights stories," Guterres said. Broadening the message, he also expressed concerns about economic inequality and warned that "big data" and facial-recognition technologies are being misused.
Odisha government hikes DA by 3%
Ahead of the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in Odisha, the Naveen Patnaik government on Monday announced a hike of Dearness Allowance (DA) by an additional three per cent for its employees.
YouTube sensation Lilly Singh comes out bisexual
Indian-origin YouTuber Lilly Singh aka Superwoman on Monday revealed she is bisexual. The 30-year-old internet sensation said she faced challenges in the past due to her gender, colour and sexuality, but has now decided to "embrace" them. "Female... Coloured... Bisexual. Throughout my life these have proven to be obstacles from time to time. "But now I'm fully embracing them as my superpowers. No matter how many 'boxes' you check, I encourage you to do the same," she posted on Twitter. Other popular YouTubers have also come out as bisexual in recently. In October, Anna Akana revealed she is a bisexual after getting drunk at the Streamy Awards. Lilly, who went active on YouTube in 2010, has emerged as one of the most popular stars on the video-sharing website. She is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
An Indian family sans caste or religion
Since her birth 35 years ago M.A. Sneha, an advocate in Tirupathur, has remained without any caste or religion.
Maha govt tables supplementary demands of Rs 4284 cr
The Maharashtra government on Monday tabled supplementary demands worth Rs 4,284.65 crore in both Houses of the state legislature, including funds for pension of freedom fighters and to help milk producers. Of this, Rs 3,146.43 crore is the demand for additional expenditure till the next session while the rest of the amount pertains to expenses already incurred by the government. "Rest of the amount has already been spent and we want to make a provision for it," Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said. The supplementary demand figure jumped because of the state's government's decision to allot Rs 2,000 crore in its contingency fund, he said. "An additional burden came following the Supreme Court's decision to issue pension to some freedom fighters who were earlier denied it due to technical reasons by the earlier government in 2004," Mungantiwar said. "We had to make some financial arrangement to make extra payment to these pensioners, which is as high as Rs 482 ...
Big B will fight against discrimination towards women as long as he's alive
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan says it is unfortunate to have come across stories about married women who are thrown out of their house because they are suffering from Hepatitis B. He is against this kind of discrimination towards women and says he will fight for it as long as he is alive.
Maha budget session begins, oppn boycotts Guv's address
Opposition parties on Monday boycotted Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao's address to the joint sitting of the Maharashtra legislature to voice their protest against his recent remarks on the RSS. Earlier this month, Rao said in Nagpur that the RSS is one of the most secular and inclusive organisations as it has always respected the right of individuals to practice their own faith. Expressing displeasure over the remarks, opposition members stayed away from the Central Hall where the governor arrived to deliver his address to the joint sitting of both the Houses on the first day of the budget session. Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Dhananjay Munde said they decided to boycott the address because they "were doubtful if it will be the governor's address or that of a RSS person".
Oscars 2019: 'Green Book' wins best original screenplay, 'BlacKkKlansman' takes home award for adapted screenplay
Nick Vallelonga, Brian Hayes Currie and Peter Farrelly won best original screenplay for 'Green Book' at the 2019 Oscars on Sunday evening. The evening also saw Spike Lee winning the Oscar for best adapted screenplay for 'BlacKkKlansman.'Taking the stage, Currie said "I'd like to thank Universal Studios." He went on to thanks the entire cast and crew and his parents, "the best" he could ever have. Farrelly thanked the "entire state of Rhode Island," and went on to add, "Thank you all... we did it."Spike Lee shares the honour with Charlie Wachtel, David Rabinowitz, and Kevin Wilmott, for adapting Ron Stallworth's 2014 memoir Black Klansman about infiltrating the Ku Klux Klan.Taking the stage, Lee gave a powerful speech on slavery and racism in the US, and added, "Make the moral choice between love versus hate. Let's do the right thing!".
'Racist' Serena Williams cartoon given Australian all-clear
A controversial Australian newspaper cartoon of Serena Williams which was blasted as racist and sexist did not breach media standards, the country's press watchdog ruled Monday. Melbourne Herald-Sun illustrator Mark Knight's caricature in September showed a butch and fat-lipped Williams throwing a temper tantrum at last year's US Open after losing to Naomi Osaka. It sparked widespread condemnation across the world, including from Harry Potter author JK Rowling and the Washington Post, which likened it to the era of racial segregation in the United States. The Herald-Sun defiantly republished the cartoon on its front page in the wake of the criticism under the headline "WELCOME TO PC WORLD". The Australian Press Council received complaints that Williams' depiction "may cause it to be an offensive and sexist representation of a woman and a prejudicial racial stereotype of African-American people generally". It said there was concern about her being shown with "large lips, a broad flat ..
Abusive clergy tools of Satan: Pope
Ending the four-day summit on "The Protection of Minors in the Church" here, Pope Francis called clergymen who perpetrated sexual abuse as "tools of Satan," on Sunday (local time)."Every abuse is an atrocity. In people's justified anger, the Church sees the reflection of the wrath of God. It is our duty to listen attentively to this silent cry," the Pope tweeted."Consecrated persons chosen by God to guide souls to salvation, let themselves be dominated by their human frailty or sickness and thus become tools of Satan," he added during his closing remarks on February 24."The brutality of this worldwide phenomenon becomes all the more grave and scandalous in the church, for it is utterly incompatible with (its) moral authority and ethical credibility," CNN further quoted the pontiff as saying.He tried contextualising sexual abuse towards minors by labelling it as a "widespread phenomenon in all cultures and societies" historically while calling for an "all-out battle" against the sexual
UN Women lauds Odisha govt for proposing women's reservation
The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women) lauded the Naveen Patnaik-led Odisha government for the women's reservation proposal.In a letter addressed to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the UN Women said: "We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the support extended by your government in implementation of the joint programme between UN Women & the Panchayati Raj Department, Govt of Odisha to promote Gender Responsive Governance in the state."The Women's Reservation Bill has been gathering dust for several years now for want of unanimity among different parties over the issue.The proposal, which was passed in November 2018 by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, seeks to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies.It is worth mentioning that the Rajya Sabha passed the Constitution 108th Amendment Bill in 2010. However, the Bill lapsed after the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha in 2014. The ...
PM-KISAN Scheme won't help Modi win elections: Gehlot
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of cashing in on farmers' plight for votes and said that launching the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme at end of his tenure will not help him win the elections.
Hry police issues directions to prevent violence, discrimination against Kashmiris
The Haryana Police has issued directions to prevent acts of violence, discrimination and other coercive acts against Kashmiris, including those enrolled in education institutes, and other minorities in the state, ADGP (Law and Order) Mohd Akil said here on Sunday. A written communication has been issued to all police commissioners, district SPs, SPs, the railways and DCP Panchkula for taking all possible steps to ensure the safety and security of students, traders and other persons of Kashmiri origin, and other minorities, he said. "They have been directed to take prompt and necessary action to prevent incidents of assault, threat, social boycotts and such other egregious acts against them," Akil was quoted as saying in an official release here. On Friday, the Centre asked all states to ensure security of people belonging to Jammu and Kashmir amid reports that some of them were attacked in different parts of the country in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, that ...
3 children meet with watery grave
: Three children got drowned in a water body at a village in the district after they accidentally slipped and fell into it Sunday, police said. Surya Vamshi and Sandesh, both aged 9, and Kamlesh (12), all children of migrant workers from Maharashtra settled in Sangareddy to earn their livelihood, had gone to the water body when the accident took place, the police said. The bodies of the three have been recovered and investigations begun, they said.
Argentine bishop's case overshadows pope's sex abuse summit
Pope Francis may have wrapped up his clergy sex abuse prevention summit at the Vatican, but a scandal over an Argentine bishop close to him is only gaining steam. The Associated Press has reported that the Vatican knew as early as 2015 about Bishop Gustavo Zanchetta's inappropriate behaviour with seminarians. Yet he was allowed to stay on as bishop of the northern Argentine diocese of Oran on until 2017, when he resigned suddenly, only to be given a top job at the Vatican by Francis, his confessor. New documents published by the Tribune of Salta newspaper show that the original 2015 complaint reported that Zanchetta had gay porn on his cellphone involving "young people" having sex, as well as naked images of Zanchetta masturbating that he sent to others. The age of the "young people" isn't clear. But Francis told his summit Sunday that Vatican legislation criminalising possession of child porn involving children under age 14 should change to include older victims. "We now consider ...
Haryana issues directions for safety of Kashmiris
The Haryana Police on Sunday issued directions to prevent acts of violence, discrimination and other coercive acts against Kashmiris, including students enrolled with various educational institutions, and other minorities in the state.
Women reservation: UN compliment for Patnaik
The United Nations has complimented Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his government's proposal of 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and the state Assemblies. The compliment came from United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women). "We are pleased that the Government of Odisha has showcased leadership by proposing 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and the Assemblies," Deputy Country Representative of UN Women, Nishtha Satyam said in a letter to Patnaik. While the country awaits the passage of the Constitution Amendment Bill for the purpose before Parliament, such commitment from the states is likely to renew dialogue on the issue at the national level, the letter said. "We commend your thought leadership and support on the fact that the economic and social progress can be sustained, only if half of the population have a role in the highest decision-making bodies of the states and the country," said ...
MSME ministry to hold conclave on empowering women entrepreneurs from marginalised sections
Issues like access to financing, assessing risks and growth mantras enabling SC-ST women entrepreneurs to set up and run a sustainable business will be discussed during a conclave here on Monday. The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises will organise a conclave on 'Empowering Women Entrepreneurs 2019, Financing and Enabling Women from Marginalised Sections'. "The first of its kind conclave endeavours to empower women entrepreneurs from marginalised sections and enable their growth and success in business by offering substantial knowledge on various business opportunities and national best practices in doing business," an official statement said. The conclave is being organised under National SC-ST Hub initiative of the MSME ministry which is targeted towards developing a supportive ecosystem towards SC or ST entrepreneurs. "Path-breaking women entrepreneurs and inspirational women achievers will be awarded with Enterprising Women of the Year 2018 Awards. Loan disbursal ...