Page 192 - Social Issues
Tattoos linked with mental health issues in individuals
Individuals with tattoos are more likely to be diagnosed with a mental health issue and report sleep problems, a recent study suggests.In a survey-based study published in the International Journal of Dermatology, the researchers also pointed out that people who had tattoos were more likely to be smokers, to have spent time in jail, and to have a higher number of sex partners.The survey was conducted in July of 2016 and resulted in a sample of 2,008 adults residing in the United States."Previous research has established an association between having a tattoo and engaging in risky behaviours. In an era of the increasing popularity of tattoos, even among women and working professionals, we find these relationships persist but are not associated with lower health status," said Karoline Mortensen, lead author of the study.
Transgenders in Japan must still be sterilised before changing gender
A court here has upheld a law effectively requiring transgenders in Japan seeking to legally change their gender to be sterilised, the media reported on Friday.
Nitish Kumar urges for caste-based census
Ahead of the forthcoming general elections, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has called for a caste-based census in 2021, citing that the population of the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes had gone up from the previous estimates recorded in the last census in 1931."The population of scheduled tribes and scheduled castes and other backward classes has increased but the limit (for quotas) is 50 per cent. The only data we have on this is from 1931 (census). In such a situation the best solution is caste-based census, it should be done and all will become clear," Kumar said."The reservation in Bihar by Karpoori Thakur ji divided backward classes into two categories, extremely backward and backward. We want the Centre to do so too," Kumar added referring to the reservation policy for the backward classes, brought by the former Chief Minister of the state, which incldued provisions for a sub-quota for the most backward classes (MBCs).The next census scheduled ..
Arun Jaitley in good health, recovering rapidly - Piyush Goyal
NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India's interim Finance Minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday that federal minister Arun Jaitley, who is in the United States for medical treatment, was in good health and recovering rapidly.
Pope in Panama blasts 'fears and suspicions' over migration
Pope Francis has said in Panama that the Church must work to overcome the world's "fears and suspicions" of migration, and pledged his support for "all efforts" to avoid further suffering in crisis-torn Venezuela. The pope is being kept abreast of developments in nearby Caracas, and was praying for the people of Venezuela, Vatican spokesman Alessandro Gisotti said. Francis is supporting "all efforts" to avoid further suffering for the population, he said. Speaking from Panama in Central America -- the hub for US-bound migrants -- Francis said on Thursday migrants were simply seeking "the minimum conditions for a better future". The Argentine pope was addressing Central American bishops on the first day of his visit for a global gathering of young Catholics for World Youth Day. Earlier, in a speech to government ministers and members of the diplomatic corps at the foreign ministry, he called on political leaders to reject "all forms of corruption". Young people, he said, insisted that .
Angola decriminalises same-sex relationships
Angola has decriminalised same-sex relationships, according to Human Rights Watch agency, the media reported.
Harvard, Levi Strauss, U.S. think tank in blockchain tie-up on worker welfare
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Harvard University's public health graduate school, U.S. think-tank New America, and American apparel company Levi Strauss & Co [LEVST.UL] announced on Thursday a collaboration to develop a blockhain-based system designed to augment outside auditors of factory health and safety with self-reporting by workers.
Health ministry postpones polio immunisation programme
The Ministry of Health has released a statement saying that the National Immunisation Day (NID) which was scheduled for February 3 has been postponed. The rescheduled date of NID will be convened soon.On January 18, a letter was issued to the Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare of all states barring Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Kerela stating postponement of Polio National Immunization Day for the time being due to some unavoidable circumstances. The letter further state that the rescheduled date of the said activity will be communicated in due course.Ministry said that more stringent testing of the vaccination will be done which will be dispatched to states for public usage after getting clearance from the national testing laboratory for each batch.The ministry also stated that India is already polio eliminated and has also introduced Inactive Polio Vaccine (IPV) in its universal immunisation program as per global guidelines.Moreover, the ministry said that there is neither a
Correction: Harvard, Levi Strauss, U.S. think tank in blockchain tie-up on worker welfare
NEW YORK (Reuters) - (Corrects first paragraph to read "augment" instead of "replace") Harvard University's public health graduate school, U.S. think-tank New America, and American apparel company Levi Strauss & Co [LEVST.UL] announced on Thursday a collaboration to develop a blockhain-based system designed to augment outside auditors of factory health and safety with self-reporting by workers.
Delhi Minorities Commission asks JNU administration to hold inquiry into charges levelled against professor
The Delhi Minorities Commission has directed the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) administration to conduct an inquiry into the allegations levelled by the JNUSU secretary against a woman professor for making religious comments. Aejaz Ahmed Rather, the JNU Students' Union (JNUSU) secretary, had complained to the commission against Professor Amita Singh of the Centre for the Study of Law and Governance, alleging that she had told him he looked like "a terrorist who has triggered 10 bomb blasts" on December 26. Singh had filed a police complaint against JNU Teachers' Association president Atul Sood and the JNUSU secretary for allegedly circulating fake news and trying to disturb peace, communal harmony and inciting violence and divisiveness on the campus. Following Rather's complaint, the Delhi Minorities Commission directed the JNU administration to conduct an enquiry against Singh, the commission said. In a letter addressed to the JNU registrar, the commission has directed the ...
Only Citizenship Bill can save Assam from becoming Kashmir: BJP
Making its stand on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2016, the Assam BJP on Thursday said that the state can be saved from becoming a 'Kashmir' only with the implementation of the Bill coupled with enforcing the Assam Accord's Clause VI and ST status to six communities.
Nitish, Tejashwi pay tributes to Karpoori Thakur
Cutting across party lines, political leaders of Bihar on Thursday paid tributes to former state Chief Minister Karpoori Thakur, an OBC stalwart and champion of social justice, on the occasion of his birth anniversary. Chief Minister and JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, senior RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, Left leader Dipankar Bhattacharya and others attended programmes held on the occasion. Speaking at a programme organised by JD(U)'s extremely backward classes cell, Kumar spoke on the need for implementing the "Karpoori formula" which envisaged a sub- quota for the relatively worse off within the quota for OBCs, at the national level. Pointing out that his government had implemented the formula after coming to power in 2005, Kumar urged the Centre to follow suit so that reservations to the OBCs provided as per the Mandal Commission report benefit those most needy. He also underscored the need for a comprehensive caste census in view of the perceived rise in population of ...
Odisha's KALIA scheme comes under HC scanner
The Orissa High Court Thursday issued notices to the state government asking it to file counters in the form of an affidavit within four weeks in response to a PIL that has challenged its Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income augmentation (KALIA) scheme. The division bench headed by Chief Justice K S Jhaveri issued the direction to Chief Secretary A P Padhi. The scheme, notified on December 22 last year, is likely to be implemented in the state from January 25. It is billed to provide financial, livelihood, cultivation and insurance support to small, marginal and landless farmers. Social activist Subhash Mohapatra of Bhubaneswar in his petition to the HC has alleged that the proposed scheme is slated to be implemented by drawing huge public money from the contingency fund of the state government, which is ultra vires to the Constitution. "The Kalia scheme violates Doctrines of Separation of Powers and the basic structure of the Constitution," the PIL stated adding that any step
Government puts off polio immunisation programme
The government has postponed holding of the National Immunisation Day (NID) on February 3, the Health and Family Welfare Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.
Goa Cong protests against Coastal Regulation Zone Notification
A dozen Goa Youth Congress leaders and workers Thursday buried themselves till neck deep in the sand at Miramar beach near here to protest against the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification 2018. The Congress was protesting against the notification which has curtailed the 'no development zone' line to 50 metres. Goa Pradesh Congress Committee President Girish Chodankar led the protest along with Leader of Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar and former Chief Minister Digambar Kamat. A dozen Goa Pradesh Youth Congress Committee leaders led by its President Varad Mardolkar buried themselves till neck deep in the sand as a mark of protest. Talking to reporters during the protest, Chodankar dubbed the CRZ notification as a "government-sponsored destruction of the environment." "Globally, it is the duty of respective governments to protect the environment. But the Indian government is working otherwise. They are working to destroy the environment," he alleged. The Congress leader ...
J&K Guv gives nod to bill for reservation to Paharis
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Thursday gave his assent to the Jammu and Kashmir Reservation (Amendment) Bill, 2014, granting reservation to people belonging to the Pahari community in government jobs, an official spokesperson said. The amendment provides for addition of a separate category for the persons belonging to the Pahari community, clan or tribe having distinct, cultural, ethnic and linguistic identity among the Socially and Educationally Backward classes (other than Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes), he said. He added that the methodology and authority for identification of the Pahari community shall be notified by the government. Because of members of the community residing in remote and inaccessible areas, they have historically faced considerable economic distress leading to overall socio-economic backwardness, the spokesperson said. They are not able to compete with other sections of the society who are better placed in terms of socio-economic position
Nitish and Tejashwi raise caste reservation issues
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and opposition leader Tejashwi Yadav on Thursday raised the reservation issue in a different way to mark the birth anniversary of veteran socialist leader and former chief minister Karpoori Thakur.
Following protest, Gujarat halts survey for Bharatmala project
Following a massive protest rally in Navsari district over the survey of agricultural land for a highway project under the Centre's Bharatmala project, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani Thursday ordered a halt to the survey work till the issue is resolved. Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Navsari district next week for the inauguration of the National Salt Satyagraha Memorial at Dandi village. Angry farmers from over 50 villages of tribal- dominated Navsari district Thursday converged at Chikhli town to register their protest against the Bharatmala project, as one of the roads connecting Surat with Nashik and Ahmednagar (in Maharashtra) would pass through Navsari district. Asked about the ongoing protest against the proposed land acquisition in the region for the project, Rupani told reporters in the neighboring Dang district that the work for the project has been halted. "We have halted the ongoing project work(survey). Nothing is going on ..
9-day agitation in Delhi from January 30
A nine-day agitation will be held in the national capital from January 30 by several social and political outfits that are fighting for the cause of farmers, women, youth, servicemen, people from Dalit and Adivasi communities, among others, the organisers said on Thursday.
Children of traditional sex workers face discrimination in schools by kids from other communities: Study
Children of traditional sex workers are often abused and discriminated at school by students from other communities, forcing them to prefer isolation than mingling with the rest of the society, a new study by the apex child rights body said. The study, conducted by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights, suggested that there was also a fear the children could join the profession of their parents. In most cases, the children preferred to not "interact or mingle" with outsiders or people from other communities, it said. "The communities under study prefer to live in isolation from rest of the society," the study, based on a set of questionnaire given to 1,000 respondents, said. NCPCR said the children of sex workers require quality education, rehabilitation and re-integration to insulate them from the "influence of their traditional practice". They need residential facilities, "otherwise they eventually become part of the family profession," it said. "(The) children of ..
