Page 301 - Social Issues

Italian lawmakers back protection for Asia Bibi

Rome, Nov 9 (IANS/AKI) Italian Parliament has come out in support of Asia Bibi, a Pakistani Christian woman acquitted of blasphemy, and sought protection for her and her family.

Trump administration blocks asylum claims by those crossing US southern border illegally

In another controversial move, the Trump administration has decided to restrict the entry of illegal migrants who cross the southern border with Mexico to seek asylum in the US. The move, opposed by several right groups, is at preventing the several thousands of people, mainly from three Latin American countries - Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador - from entering the country and using the existing asylum law to gain entry into the United States. The Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security published a joint rule on Thursday prohibiting certain people caught crossing the US southern border from Mexico between ports of entry from claiming asylum. Once the plan goes into full effect, migrants entering at the US southern border would only be eligible for asylum if they report at official ports of entry, officials said. For doing so, President Donald Trump is using his authority to suspend or restrict entry of aliens into the US if he determines it to be in the national ...

2 arrested for murder attempt on Meghalaya rights activist

Two people were arrested on Friday in connection with the murder attempt on a women's rights activist and two other persons in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district, police said.

171 children from separated families still in US custody

At least 171 children from separated families still remain in US custody more than four months after a judge ordered the American government to reunite the undocumented immigrant families it had split up at the border, according to court documents.

Kids point at adults for bullying

Ahead of the upcoming Anti-Bullying Week next week a survey has showed that children want adults to show each other more respect, with nearly half of them seeing grown-ups bullying each other.

Trump administration blocks asylum claims by those crossing US border illegally

The Trump administration has taken a major step to restrict asylum claims by barring "aliens" who illegally cross the US southern border to seek asylum, a controversial move by President Donald Trump on efforts to crackdown on immigration. The move, opposed by several right groups, is at preventing the several thousands of people, mainly from three Latin American countries - Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador - from entering the country and using the existing asylum law to gain entry into the United States. The Justice Department and Department of Homeland Security published a joint rule on Thursday prohibiting certain people caught crossing the US southern border from Mexico between ports of entry from claiming asylum. Once the plan goes into full effect, migrants entering at the US southern border would only be eligible for asylum if they report at official ports of entry, officials said. For doing so, President Trump is using his authority to suspend or restrict entry of aliens ...

Tanzania: 2 journalists freed from detention

Two scribes from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), an American-based independent non-profit organisation, were released from detention in Tanzania and have departed from the country.Angela Quintal and Muthoki Mumo, the two journalists, were allowed to return to their hotel in the Tanzanian capital of Dar es Salaam, after they were taken to an unknown location by officials and interrogated for several hours, CNN reported.The passports of the two CPJ scribes have also been returned.CPJ executive director Joel Simon said in a statement, "Angela Quintal and Muthoki Mumo travelled to Tanzania to understand the challenges facing the Tanzanian press and to inform the global public. It is deeply ironic that through their unjustified and abusive detention of our colleagues, Tanzanian authorities have made their work that much easier. It is now abundantly clear to anyone who followed the latest developments that Tanzanian journalists work in a climate of fear of intimidation. We call .

US crackdown on asylum for migrants

Illegal migrants entering the US through its southern border will no longer be eligible for asylum under a new rule, the Donald Trump administration has said.

Bangladesh rescues Rohingya illegally heading for Malaysia

Police are interrogating six people suspected of human trafficking after Bangladeshi guards separately rescued nearly 50 Rohingya refugees from boats heading for Malaysia through the Bay of Bengal, an official said Thursday. Pradip Kumar Das, officer-in-charge at Teknaf, said they were questioning the suspects to learn about a network of smugglers who may be luring refugees from sprawling camps ahead of a plan to repatriate them. He said 33 refugees including nine children were rescued from a fishing boat near the Saint Martins Island on Wednesday while another 14 Rohingya were rescued at Shahporir Island a day before. Six suspected Bangladeshi traffickers were also arrested while the rescued refugees were sent back to their camps in the district, he said. Das said they were lured by the traffickers with promises of marriages and jobs in Malaysia. He said the rescued refugees told them they paid money to the traffickers who said they would soon land in Malaysia amid fears that they ...

Secret statue in Tel Aviv depicts controversial Israeli minister

A statue of controversial Israeli Culture Minister Miri Regev was erected secretly in Tel Aviv Thursday in an apparent protest against legislation opponents say will restrict artistic freedom. The larger-than-life statue of Regev in a short-sleeved flowing white dress appeared in the square outside Israel's national theatre, Habimah, with a small sign nearby reading #InTheHeartOfTheNation. The sculpture faced into a huge mirror in what many saw as a reference to the magic looking-glass in the Snow White story. The work, by Israeli artist Itay Zalait, drew the attention of the press and passers-by who came to get a glimpse before its inevitable removal, as it had been set up without a permit. The outspoken Regev has drawn the ire of Israel's cultural establishment with a long series of statements and acts. Most recently she promoted a bill that would cut public subsidies to cultural organisations accused of not showing "loyalty" to the state. Zalait was circumspect on the statue's ...

DTC protestors seek President's permission to commit suicide

DTC contractual workers on Thursday, the 18th day of their indefinite protest, appealed to the President of India to either intervene or allow them to commit suicide.

UK university explores India-Pakistan dialogue on competition law

The Centre for Law, Economics and Society at University College London (UCL) organised its first-ever South Asian Competition Law Conference this week to promote direct dialogue on the subject in the region, particularly between India and Pakistan. The conference, held at the UCL campus on Tuesday, explored the theme of 'Adoption, Implementation and Impact of the Indian and Pakistani Competition Laws' with leading legal experts from the region deliberating the near-contemporaneous adoption of competition law in both countries. "The developments in the competition regimes of India and Pakistan, whilst important for the two countries also have a considerable impact on the entire South Asian region," UCL's Centre for Law, Economics and Society said in a statement. "As countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and Sri Lanka begin to experiment with competition regimes, they are influenced as much by the competition experience of their geographical neighbours as they are by the

File report on AIIMS in Madurai on Dec 6: Court to Centre

The Madras High Court's Madurai Bench Thursday directed the Centre to file a report on December 6 on the steps taken to set up an All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) at Thoppur here. Justices K K Sasidharan and P D Audhikesavalu directed the Union Health Secretary to submit the report which, they said, should also contain details as and when the work on the institute would begin and when it would be completed. The judges were hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by Ramesh who said the work on the institute had started in other states where it had been proposed while in Tamil Nadu it was yet to take off. The petitioner moved the court seeking a gazette notification on setting up the AIIMS in Thoppur and for allocation of funds. The state government had offered five locations and the Centre in June last had announced Thoppur as the site for the medical instituted.

Meghalaya rights activist injured in coal mafia attack

Meghalaya rights activist Agnes Kharshiing suffered injuries after she was allegedly attacked by a group of people suspected to be belonging to the coal mining mafia in East Jaintia Hills district on Thursday, police said. The activist and her companion had reportedly gone to capture photographs of illegal coal mining in the district and were stopped by the miscreants on their way back, a senior police officer said. Kharshiing, 58, was intercepted and accosted near Tuber Sohshrieh at around 1.30 pm, where she was found in an unconscious state, he said. "Kharshiing was found injured and she was rushed to the civil hospital in West Jaintia Hills district," the officer said. Chief Minister Conrad Sangma condemned the incident and asked police to nab the culprits behind the assault. "We have issued necessary directions to the police and the district administration to investigate the matter and arrest those behind the attack," Sangma said in a statement. He said violence in any form will ..

Amnesty India demands probe into activist Arun Ferreira's claim he was beaten in custody

Amnesty India Thursday demanded an impartial probe after activist Arun Ferreira's claimed he was beaten by a Maharashtra police officer in custody, and asserted the alleged ill-treatment shows how India is becoming a "dangerous place" for human rights defenders. Ferreira, who was arrested in August for alleged Maoist links along with four other prominent activists, told a Pune court on Tuesday he was "hit" by the investigating officer. He said he was "hit" on his face "eight to ten times" by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Shivaji Pawar on November 4 during interrogation. Asmita Basu, programmes director at Amnesty India, said Ferreira's submission is alarming and this raises serious questions about the government's treatment of human rights defenders. "The authorities must conduct a prompt, thorough and impartial investigation into his allegations." Amnesty India claimed Ferreira's lawyer Sidharth Patil spoke to them. The Amnesty statement said Patil told them that Ferreira ...

Man jumps to death at Hyderabad Metro station

: An unidentified man allegedly committed suicide Thursday by jumping off the staircase at the Ameerpet Metro rail station here, police said. The man, aged between 35 and 40, was half-naked and appeared to be mentally unsound, police added. "His identify has not been established. We are investigating the case. He appeared to be mentally unsound," a police official said adding the man jumped before a security tried to stop him.

HRW flags gender discrimination, harassment in China's civil service

Human Rights Watch on Thursday denounced gender discrimination and sexual harassment in China's civil service and called on Beijing to put a stop to both.

At least 20 dead in Tajik prison riot: Security sources

Around 20 prisoners and two guards were killed in clashes at a prison in Tajikistan's northern city of Khujand, two security sources told AFP on Thursday. One of the sources said that "around 20 prisoners" died in clashes that also claimed the lives of two guards. The second source confirmed the number of victims and said a further six guards had been injured. The ex-Soviet country's government has yet to confirm the prison riot or the deaths.

Protests in Sabarimala not acceptable: Kerala HC

The Kerala High Court on Thursday turned down a bail plea by a man arrested last month, saying protests against the entry of women to the Sabarimala temple were unacceptable.

Immigration means everything to me: French Montana

Hip-hop artiste French Montana wants people across the world to embrace immigration and give due importance to healthcare.