Page 21 - Social Issues
Clear, realistic approach required towards EVs adoption: Hero MotoCorp
The country's largest two wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp Tuesday said the plan to shift towards electric mobility at a time when the manufacturers are trying to upgrade their models to comply with BS-VI emission norms could have a serious impact on the industry. The two wheeler major proposed a clear and realistic roadmap towards the adoption of electric vehicles (EV). The company's comments come in response to media reports that the government was considering a proposal to ban sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) three-wheelers by 2023 and less than 150 cc two-wheelers by 2025. "This move (towards EVs) will be very critical because it impacts an industry that is a significant contributor to the country's GDP and is a large job creator," Hero MotoCorp Chairman Pawan Munjal said in a statement. It also puts the industry, manufacturers, and customers in unfamiliar territory, as the automotive ecosystem all over the world is still only beginning to understand the development and ...
Votes of minority community members are a 'blessing': Varun Gandhi
Newly-elected MP from Pilibhit Varun Gandhi said he considers the votes he has got from minority community members as a "blessing", but rued that that not many from the community cast their ballot in his favour. "I did not get many votes of the minority community members, but this is also true that people from the minority community, who had voted for me, it was a blessing for me. "A number of persons from the minority community had supported me and also campaigned for me. Sarcastic remarks were made against them, yet they did not budge and wholeheartedly supported me in the election," he said on a visit here Monday. Gandhi, who had swapped constituency with his mother Maneka Gandhi in the recent election, said he will not leave Pilibhit and will continue to serve the people of this constituency. Plibhit was earlier represented by Maneka Gandhi, who was re-elected to the Lok Sabha from Sultanpur. "I am going to work for all. Now, I am not going to leave Pilibhit. For the next 30-40 ...
Villagers climb high-voltage tower in protest
Two groups of farmers climbed atop high tension electricity tower at different villages near here Tuesday, protesting against measurement of land for proposed erection of transmission towers by the Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCI), police said. A group of 10 villagers of Semmandampalayam climbed a tower in their village while a similar protest was held by around 20 others at nearby Chenniandavar Kovil as officials of the PGCI, who were accompanied by police, started the measurement work. The protesters were persuaded to climb down and later arrested, they said. Earlier, tension prevailed in the villages as the farmers gathered, protested against the officials taking up the work and demanded that they leave. They have been objecting to installation of the power towers on their agricultural land saying it would affect their livelihood. CPI(M) MP-elect P R Natarajan from Coimbatore condemned the arrest.
Botswana's High Court decriminalizes same-sex relations
Botswana's High Court on Tuesday legalized same-sex relations in the south African country in a ruling that said two articles that had criminalized homosexuality were unconstitutional.
UP: Female foetus covered in watermelon skin found dumped in drain
A female foetus, around five-months-old, was found inside a watermelon rind dumped in a drain at a village here, police said Tuesday. A sanitation worker had spotted the foetus on Monday in Gejha village in Sector 93, they said. "Ravindra alias Kallu, sanitation worker, had alerted police about the foetus in the drain while he was working outside a house in the village around 11 am," Station House Officer, Phase 2 police station, Farmood Ali Pundir said. "The female foetus was spotted inside a watermelon rind that was dumped in the drain," he said, adding that the foetus appeared to be five-month-old. An FIR has been registered in the matter against unidentified persons under the Indian Penal Code Section 318 (concealment of birth by secret disposal of body), the SHO said. The foetus has been sent for a medical examination and further probe is underway, he added. Abortion is illegal in India but can be performed up to 20 weeks under certain circumstances as mentioned in the Medical ...
Social media content contributes to radicalisation: Twitter executive
Radicalisation in the digital era is not new, but now one of Twitter's key executives has said that there's "no doubt" that social media content, in some cases, contributes to radicalisation.
Chemical castration bill signed into law in USA's Alabama
Alabama's Governor, Kay Ivey, signed a chemical castration bill into law on Monday. The bill targets those who commit a sexual offence against children under 13 years of age in the US State.The new law requires the convict to start the medical process a month before being released from custody and continue until the court deems it unnecessary, CNN reported.The offenders are required to pay for their own treatment. They cannot be denied parole simply due to their inability to pay.Chemical castration is the administration of a drug to bring about a reduction in the body's production of androgens -- especially testosterone -- as per its medical definition by Merriam Webster. However, the effects can be reversed if the person stops taking the drugs."This bill is a step toward protecting children in Alabama," the Governor said.The document was introduced by state Republican Representative Steve Hurst and approved by both houses of the Alabama legislature.According to CNN, chemical ...
Botswana scraps anti-gay laws in landmark decision
Botswana's High Court ruled Tuesday in favour of decriminalising homosexuality, handing down a landmark verdict greeted with joy by gay rights campaigners. Under the country's 1965 penal code, homosexuality is punishable by a jail term of up to seven years. But Judge Michael Elburu declared it was time to "set aside" the "provisions of a Victorian era" and ordered the laws be amended. In a courtroom packed with activists, the judge declared that the current laws oppressed a minority of the population. "There's nothing reasonable in discriminating," he said. "We say the time has come that private, same sexuality must be decriminalised." "It is a variety of human sexuality," he said. Jubilation erupted in the courtroom as the decision was announced, and campaigners waved the rainbow flag of gay rights. In Geneva, the UN agency UNAIDS added to the applause. "This is a historic ruling for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Botswana," Gunilla Carlsson, UNAIDS' executive ...
Botswana High Court decriminalises homosexuality
In a major victory for gay rights campaigners in Africa, Botswana's High Court on Tuesday overruled a colonial-era law that criminalised homosexuality in the country.Under Section 164 of Botswana's Penal Code, homosexuality was an offence that carried a sentence of up to seven years imprisonment, until today, when a three-judge bench unanimously voted to revoke the laws, which, they said, conflicted with Botswana's Constitution, reported The New York Times."Human dignity is harmed when minority groups are marginalised," said Judge Michael Leburu before delivering the judgement. "Sexual orientation is not a fashion statement. It is an important attribute of one's personality."Hailing the judgement, Matlhogonolo Samsam, a spokesperson for gay rights group 'Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals of Botswana', said, "It is a historical moment for us. We are proud of our justice system for seeing the need to safeguard the rights of the LGBT community."The case was brought to the court by an ...
Businessman's suicide note reveals he shot wife, daughter before killing himself: Police
Businessman Nitin Sarraf's suicide note has revealed that he first shot dead his wife Alka and then his daughter before ending his life, police said.Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Patna, Garima Malik on Tuesday told the media that "Prima facie, it seems that the man shot his wife and daughter from his pistol and then committed suicide. He had mentioned this in a suicide note without stating the reason behind this act.""investigation is underway," she added.Earlier today, police recovered three bodies from a house in Kidwaipuri area of the city. Businessman Sarraf, his wife Alka Sarraf and their daughter were found dead in house number 46 of the area.Their son was found severely injured. He was rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment.Sarraf is a well-known businessman in Patna and owns multiple cloth showrooms across the city.
UP Cabinet okays raising pension amount for elderly
The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Tuesday approved a proposal to raise the pension amount for the elderly by Rs 100 under a scheme in this regard. At a meeting presided by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the cabinet also approved increasing the age-limit for resident doctors of Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical sciences from 35 to 37 years. "The Cabinet has passed the proposal of increasing the amount of pension for senior citizens. Now they will receive Rs 500 (earlier Rs 400). Over 45 lakh elderly people of the state will benefit from this move," state Cabinet minister Shrikant Sharma told reporters here. The Cabinet gave its approval to demolish 76 houses that are in bad shape to pave the way for construction of the AIIMS in Rae Bareli by 2020. "A proposal to demolish the 47 shambles of type-1 and 29 of type-3 houses has been passed," state Health Minister Siddharth Nath Singh said. Also, having a BEd degree along with BTC has been made mandatory to become an assistant ...
Cash-rich global giants unable to compete with homegrown payments leader Paytm
With 550 crore transactions in the financial year 2018-19 and a gross transaction value (GTV) of over $50 billion (around Rs 34,706 crore), homegrown digital payments company Paytm continues to dominate its global counterparts -- Google Pay, Whatsapp Pay and Walmart-Phonepe.
Three jihadists, 9 children expelled to France from Turkey: legal source
Three French jihadists and their nine children returned to France on Tuesday after being expelled by Turkey, a day after France took back 12 orphaned children of French jihadists from camps in northern Syria. The three adults -- a 35-year-old man and two women, one aged 36 -- were taken into custody by the French authorities and the children were placed under the protection of the state.
Modi government eradicated 'disease' of communalism: Naqvi
Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Tuesday that the Modi government has eradicated the "disease" of communalism and appeasement politics and by doing so it has created an atmosphere of healthy inclusive growth in the country.
Bengaluru: Two arrested for using abusive language against JD(S) leaders
Two persons have been arrested, on Tuesday, for allegedly using abusive language against Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, former Prime Minister HD Devegowda and Nikhil Kumaraswamy on a Facebook Live post.The High Grounds police have arrested the two men identified as Siddaraju and Jaumaraju based on a complaint filed by Lokesh. The post was broadcasted live on May 23.Siddaraju and Jaumaraju deleted the video on Facebook after drawing flak on the social media platform.The two are residents of Ramanagara district of Karnataka.
US judge rules Missouri's only abortion clinic can remain open
A US court here on Monday issued an order to keep Missouri's only abortion clinic open.Circuit Judge Michael Stelzer from St. Louis court granted non-profit organisation Planned Parenthood's request for a preliminary injunction, which extended his earlier order to temporarily block the state from allowing the abortion clinic's facility to lapse, Al Jazeera reported.The fight over the clinic's license comes when legislatures around the United States are passing new restrictions on the abortion rights of women.Missouri's health department last month declined to renew the clinic's licence to perform abortion procedures, citing concerns about patient safety, "failed surgical abortions" and legal violations.Stelzer's ruling on Monday ordered the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services to decide on Planned Parenthood's application to renew its license by June 21.In the order, the judge said that he was not determining whether the license should be approved or denied. But the judge
YouTube CEO apologises to LGBTQ community
After the LGBTQ community called out to YouTube for not considering homophobic remarks as violation of its platform's policies, company CEO Susan Wojcicki apologised to the community.
Telangana couple death case: Duo committed suicide, clarifies police
The police here on Tuesday clarified that the duo who were found dead at a lodge in Chandanagar police station limits earlier in the day committed suicide by consuming poison.The deceased have been identified as Mohan Lal and Swarnalatha. The officials suspect that the couple took the grave step as they were afraid of making their relationship public."Today evening we received information from a lodge in Chanda Nagar area stating that two members committed suicide by consuming poison. We immediately reached the spot and found two members committed suicide. The duo were in a relationship and it is suspected that they were scared if their relationship will be accepted by their parents or not," said Ravinder, Circle Inspector, Chandan Nagar.A case has been registered under Section 174 of the CrPC and the bodies have been shifted to Gandhi Hospital for Periodic Medical Examination (PME) .A thorough investigation into the matter is underway.
Hundreds more Indians confirmed as British under Windrush Scheme
UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid has issued another personal apology for the Windrush scandal, involving migrants being wrongly denied their British citizenship rights, as a latest official update revealed that hundreds more Indians were caught up in the row. The Windrush generation refers to citizens of former British colonies who arrived before 1973, when the rights of such Commonwealth citizens to live and work in Britain were substantially curtailed. While a large proportion of them were of Jamaican/Caribbean descent who came on the ship Windrush, Indians and other South Asians were also affected by the UK government's handling of their immigration status. According to the latest update by UK Home Secretary Javid on Monday, a total of 737 Indians have been able to confirm their status in the wake of the scandal involving Commonwealth nationals wrongly denied their citizenship rights in Britain. A majority of them (559) had arrived in the UK before 1973, when the immigration rules had
UP government hikes senior citizen pension, allows micro-breweries in state
A cabinet meeting of Uttar Pradesh government took place on Tuesday in which many key decisions including increasing pension of senior citizens and allowing microbreweries in the state were taken.Sharing details of the decisions, UP Minister Shrikant Sharma said, "The Senior Citizen pension has been increased from Rs 400 to Rs 500 per month for the citizens between the age of 60 to 79. The pension for people over 79 years of age is already Rs 500."He also stated that breweries will be allowed in the state and said, "Necessary amendment in the rule has been done to allow micro-breweries in the state. License fee has been increased and a capacity of 2.1 lakh litre of production will be allowed in a year."Speaking further, state health minister Siddharth Nath Singh said that the construction of AIIMS is ongoing in Raebareli and will be completed by 2020. "An Age limit of PGI doctors has been increased by two years and now it is raised to 37 from 35 years", he said.