Page 26 - Social Issues
Man climbs tree, threatens suicide as salary delayed
In protest against the non-payment of his salary for the last 18 months, a contractual worker in West Bengal's Purulia Municipality climbed a tree and threatened to commit suicide by jumping down, police said on Saturday.
Centre tells Odisha to send list of farmers under PM-Kisan
The Centre has set July 31 as the deadline for Odisha government to send the list of farmers to avail benefits of the PM-Kisan scheme, according to state Agriculture and Farmers Empowerment minister Arun Kumar Sahoo. He, however, said that there was no clarity on inclusion of large farmers under the PM-Kisan scheme. "The Centre has sought the list of farmers from Odisha by July 31. They have decided to include 46 lakh small and marginal farmers from the state in the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM-KISAN) scheme as per the 2011 Agriculture census," the minister said on Friday. Though the PM-Kisan scheme was launched by the Centre on February 24 this year. The state government has so far sent a list of only 12,45,000 farmers to the Centre. Of them, 9,36,139 have so far received the first installment of Rs 2,000 as financial assistance under the PM Kisan scheme. The money could not be transferred to the bank accounts of remaining farmers due to lack of ...
Trump says tariffs on Mexico suspended indefinitely
President Donald Trump has announced that he had suspended plans to impose tariffs on Mexico, tweeting that the country "has agreed to take strong measures" to stem the flow of Central American migrants into the United States. But the deal the two neighbours agreed to falls short of some of the dramatic overhauls the US had pushed for. A "US-Mexico Joint Declaration" released by the State Department said the US "will immediately expand the implementation" of a program that returns asylum-seekers who cross the southern border to Mexico while their claims are adjudicated. Mexico will "offer jobs, healthcare and education" to those people, the agreement stated. Mexico has also agreed, it said, to take "unprecedented steps to increase enforcement to curb irregular migration," including the deployment of the Mexican National Guard throughout the country, especially on its southern border with Guatemala. And Mexico is taking "decisive action to dismantle human smuggling and trafficking ...
British Asian Trust & Rajasthan Royals launch anti-trafficking partnership
The British Asian Trust, the leading South Asian diaspora development organisation, which was founded by HRH The Prince of Wales, announced a major new partnership with leading Jaipur-based Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket team the Rajasthan Royals. The partnership, backed by the Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), will launch a media driven mass awareness campaign to combat child-trafficking in India.
UK: 4 teens arrested after homophobic attack in Camden
The Metropolitan Police on Friday arrested four teens, aged between 15 to 18 years, on suspicion of robbery and "aggravated hate crime" against two women on a bus in Camden.The incident took place during the wee hours of May 30, when the women, who are in their 20s, boarded the bus in West Hampstead."There were at least four of them. They started behaving like hooligans, demanding that we kissed so they could enjoy watching, calling us 'lesbians' and describing sexual positions," one of the victims, Melania PS claimed in a Facebook post.The six of them were the only ones in the bus, apart from the driver, Melania added."In an attempt to calm things down, I started making jokes. I thought this might make them go away. Chris (her partner) even pretended she was sick, but they kept on harassing us, throwing us coins and becoming more enthusiastic about it," she further said, recounting the horrific incident."The next thing I know is that Chris is in the middle of the bus fighting with ...
Trump's trump card on tariffs appears to force Mexico to control migrants (News Analysis)
US President Donald Trump's use of tariffs as his trump card against Mexico appears to have forced the southern neighbour to agree to restrict the wave of Central Americans transiting through it to the US border in crisis proportions.
Non-profit bodies seek long-term engagements with pvt players to meet contraceptives' demand
A group of non-profit organisations have sought long-term engagements of at least five years with private partners to meet the gap in demand and supply of contraceptives, saying India's family planning goals too are aimed for long term results. In their recommendations to the Union Health Ministry, the group sought designating independent consultants to reduce the risk of private and public partners and give them a neutral, but qualified, agency to manage projects, including verification of claims and processing payments. The recommendations were an outcome of a national consultation held by the Population Foundation of India (PFI) in collaboration with the Hindustan Latex Family Planning Promotion Trust and John Snow India that deliberated on studies focused on strengthening India's family planning programme through social franchising and social marketing of contraceptives. "As India's family planning goals are long-term, the FP programmes need longer term partnerships, at least for .
US urges inclusion of Afghan women in ongoing peace talks
The United States has urged for the involvement of Afghan women in the ongoing peace process and make sure that their voices are heard during the negotiations with the Taliban.In a letter, members of the US Congress have told US Secretary of State Michael R Pompeo that the Afghan women were excluded from the peace talks during the February and May peace negotiations between the US negotiators and the Taliban members in Doha, Tolo News reported."Yet during the February and May talks in Doha between American diplomates and the Taliban, Afghan women were not represented. Afghan women voices need to be heard - not just on women's rights, but on the future of their country. We urge the State Department to protect Afghan women's negotiation position and hard-won gains in all discussions with the Taliban," the letter read.A copy of the letter, which has also been sent to the US Special Representative on Afghan peace, Zalmay Khalilzad, has further asked the State Department to make sure that .
Trump suspends Mexico tariffs after reaching migration deal
US President Donald Trump has announced the indefinite suspension of tariffs against Mexican imports after the two countries signed a deal to stem the flow of migrants from Central America.
Mexico promises 'unprecedented steps' to curb migration in US deal: joint statement
Mexico will take "unprecedented steps" to stem the flow of Central American migrants transiting the country to the United States, including by deploying National Guard troops, the countries said in a joint statement Friday. The announcement came as the US and Mexico hammered out a deal on migration to avoid punishing tariffs on all Mexican imports that US President Donald Trump had threatened to put into effect on Monday. "Mexico will take unprecedented steps to increase enforcement to curb irregular migration, to include the deployment of its National Guard throughout Mexico, giving priority to its southern border," the statement said. Mexico would also target human smuggling and trafficking groups, the statement said. Meanwhile, measures on the US side will include sending migrants who had applied for asylum back to Mexico to wait while their claims were being processed.
US reaches deal with Mexico on immigration, tariffs 'indefinitely suspended'
United States President Donald Trump on Friday announced that his administration reached an agreement with Mexico over immigration and the tariffs on the Central American country have been "indefinitely suspended," after days of gruelling negotiations between the two sides."I am pleased to inform you that The United States of America has reached a signed agreement with Mexico. The Tariffs scheduled to be implemented by the U.S. on Monday, against Mexico, are hereby indefinitely suspended," Trump tweeted.The US President also said that Mexico agreed to take "strong measures" to deal with illegal immigration and the details of the deal would be released by the State Department shortly."Mexico, in turn, has agreed to take strong measures to stem the tide of Migration through Mexico, and to our Southern Border. This is being done to greatly reduce, or eliminate, Illegal Immigration coming from Mexico and into the United States. Details of the agreement will be released shortly by the ...
Trump says US, Mexico reach agreement on migration and tariffs 'indefinitely suspended'
US President Donald Trump said late on Friday that Washington had reached an agreement with Mexico on migration, and that the punishing tariffs he had been threatening were "indefinitely suspended." "I am pleased to inform you that The United States of America has reached a signed agreement with Mexico. The Tariffs scheduled to be implemented by the U.S. on Monday, against Mexico, are hereby indefinitely suspended," he said on Twitter. "Mexico, in turn, has agreed to take strong measures to stem the tide of Migration through Mexico, and to our Southern Border. This is being done to greatly reduce, or eliminate, Illegal Immigration coming from Mexico and into the United States.
1 in 5 boys married off before turning 15: UNICEF
The UNICEF has, after its first-ever in-depth analysis of child grooms, stated that an estimated 115 million boys and men around the world were married as children, out of which 1 in 5 children (23 million) was married off before attaining the age of 15.The study, which was carried out using data compiled from 82 countries, revealed that child marriage among boys is prevalent across a range of countries around the world, spanning sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, South Asia, and East Asia and the Pacific."Marriage steals childhood," said UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore in a statement issued on Friday. "Child grooms are forced to take on adult responsibilities for which they may not be ready. Early marriage brings early fatherhood, and with it added pressure to provide for a family, cutting short education and job opportunities."According to the data, the Central African Republic has the highest prevalence of child marriage among males (28 per cent), ...
'Good chance' of reaching deal with Mexico, says Trump
US President Donald Trump on Friday said there is a "good chance" of reaching a deal with Mexico in order to avoid new tariffs on imports from the Central American country.However, he warned that tariffs will be imposed as planned from June 10 if the two sides are unable to reach an agreement."If we are able to make the deal with Mexico, & there is a good chance that we will, they will begin purchasing Farm & Agricultural products at very high levels, starting immediately. If we are unable to make the deal, Mexico will begin paying Tariffs at the 5% level on Monday!" Trump tweeted.Amid the threat of tariffs looming, officials of the two countries began the third day of high-stakes discussions on the immigration issue on Friday in a bid to avoid the duties.The Mexican government has been under intense pressure from the Trump administration to block thousands of migrants from gaining asylum in the US.Trump has threatened to impose a five per cent tariff on all Mexican goods,
Trump says deal possible with Mexico in migration row
US President Donald Trump said Friday that there is a "good chance" that a deal can be reached with Mexico on controlling migrants to avert the imposition of trade tariffs. But Trump warned that if an agreement cannot be reached in crunch talks between US and Mexican officials in Washington, that the five-percent tariffs will go into place on Monday -- a move which could clobber Mexico's economy. "If we are able to make the deal with Mexico, & there is a good chance that we will, they will begin purchasing Farm & Agricultural products at very high levels, starting immediately," Trump tweeted. "If we are unable to make the deal, Mexico will begin paying Tariffs at the 5% level on Monday!," he said. Trump made the Twitter comments from Air Force One as it was returning from Europe to Washington, where Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard was meeting with US officials at the State Department for the third day to discuss US demands for a crackdown on Central American migrants .
PSU general insurers are hopeful of capital infusion by Centre
As the non-life insurance industry is witnessing growth in the last few years, public sector general insurers sought capital infusion from the centre and are hopeful that the central government would pay heed to their request in the budgetary proposals, an official said on Friday.
Delhi women's panel gets 5.26 lakh distress calls in 2018-19
Over 5.26 lakh calls were handled by Delhi Commission For Women counsellors in the last financial year, the government said in its outcome budget released on Friday. The 181 helpline is operated by DCW for women in distress. The DCW has counselled 4,854 victims and families over various issues in the last financial year and in 3,276 cases, it ensured FIRs were registered. The panel took up 33,389 cases during its Mahila Panchayats and its counsellors handled 5,26,804 calls on the 181 helpline.
Only 191 out of targeted 530 mohalla clinics built by 2018-19: Delhi govt outcome budget
The AAP government has been able to build only 191 mohalla clinics by 2018-19 fiscal out of the target of constructing 530 such facilities by that time, according to the outcome budget released by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday. As many as 1,000 mohalla clinics are planned to be established in the city under the flagship project of the Delhi government. The AAP government had set a target of building 530 mohalla clinics by the end of financial year 2018-19, the outcome budget 2019-20 showed. However, according to data shared in the document, the number of such clinics built till that time stood at 191. The government has set a target of constructing 530 mohalla clinics by 2019-20. A mohalla clinic is a neighbourhood facility for providing free primary healthcare to the city's residents closer home. A typical mohalla clinic has a doctor, a midwife-cum-nurse, and an array of diagnostic services and essential medicines are provided free of cost to patients there. The AAP
Hope Modi govt would find a solution to Naga political issue:
Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio Friday expressed hope that the Narendra Modi government which won a second term would find a solution to the decades old Naga political issue. Speaking at a programme here Rio dwelled on Naga Political issue saying it was Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had signed the Frame Work Agreement on August 3, 2015 and people felt that settlement could come soon. But he lamented that due to some deadlock it got delayed, without elaborating. He expressed hope that Modi will take decision as this time the BJP-led NDA has overwhelming majority. On Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), Rio reiterated that it cannot be implemented in Nagaland as Nagas are protected under the Article 371(A). Article 371A in The Constitution Of India has a special provision with respect to the State of Nagaland Rio said the NDPP as small partner in the NDA government is committed to work for minority and "we need to have alliance with them and work cohesively for the ...
3 held for Lankan refugee's murder
Three people were arrested Friday for allegedly killing a Sri Lankan refugee and burning his body in Kanyakumari district as he was in love with the sister of one of the accused, police said. The half-burnt body of the 34-year-old Rasi, an inmate of a refugee camp in Tirunelveli district, was found at a crematorium at Kariyamanickapuram. Police identified the body with help of another Lankan refugee who said Rasi was missing from the Samugarangapuram camp since May 25. Following investigations, police arrested Kaydeeswaran and two others for allegedly murdering Rasi as he was in love with the sister of Kaydeeswaran. Kaydeeswaran had asked Rasi to come to a place with him in a car and he stabbed him to death, burnt his body with the help of his associates.