Page 44 - Social Issues
Maharashtra students protest against medico's suicide
The Students Federation of India (SFI) and other student organisations staged vociferous protests against the recent suicide of a post-graduate woman medical student due to alleged casteist abuse in a Mumbai hospital and demanded stringent action against the culprits here on Monday.
India has only two castes, rich and poor: Goa CM
India has only two castes -- the rich and the poor -- and Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to eradicate this difference with his slogan of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas', Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Monday, while speaking at an awards function here.
Mizoram Budget for FY20 to be presented on June 13
Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga will present the state budget for the 2019-20 fiscal on June 13, a senior official said on Monday. The Mizoram Assembly session would commence on June 12 and conclude on June 27, he said. Assembly Secretary S R Zokhuma told PTI the meeting of the business advisory committee (BAC), chaired by speaker Lalrinliana Sailo, on Monday decided that the state budget will be presented on June 13. The regular budget had already been prepared, but the announcement of the Lok Sabha polls before the session of the legislature in March prompted Zoramthanga to seek a vote on account for the first four months of 2019-20.
Govt to identify tribals displaced from Chhattisgarh allegedly due to Salwa Judum
The Centre will ask the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments to identify tribals who allegedly fled Chhattisgarh due to the Salwa Judum movement around 15 years ago and settled there, according to officials. Salwa Judum was a militia that had been deployed as part of anti-Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh. It was operational between 2005 and 2011, before it was banned by the Supreme Court. The action came on a complaint of an NGO, CGNet Swara Foundation, that wrote to the ministry claiming that over 5,000 families had fled Chhattisgarh due to the controversial militia force formed by late Congress leader Mahendra Karma in mid-2005 to counter the Maoists. "We received a complaint on May 12 stating that a number of tribal families fled to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana from Chhattisgarh due to Salwa Judum. We have to take all state governments on board and verify these cases," a senior official of the Tribal Affairs Ministry said. "Once the verification process is completed, we will .
Dr Payal suicide case: Three accused doctors seek fair investigation
Three doctors - Hema Ahuja, Bhakti Mehar, and Ankita Khandilwal - all accused of abetting Dr Payal Salman Tadvi to commit suicide by persistently harassing her on the pretext of her social identity - have urged the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) to ensure 'fair' probe into the whole issue.In a letter to the MARD on Monday, the trio has also denied the charges of 'ragging' levelled against them by the victim's mother Abeda Tadvi."We want the college to conduct a fair investigation to give justice. But this is not the way to do investigation through the police force and media pressure without listening to our side," they have stated in the letter."Just because we don't know the reason why suicide was committed, it is seriously an injustice to put the blame on us without any proper cause and levelling a charge of atrocity," the letter written and signed by the three doctors reads."You all are aware of the workload in residency and do you all really believe burdened ...
Fire audit not done by 99 pc Maha housing societies: Official
Nearly 99 per cent of the housing societies in Maharashtra have not got their fire audits done, an official claimed on Monday. The housing societies were taking these essential safety requirements lightly, Maharashtra State Co-Operative Housing Federation chairman Sitaram Rane told reporters here. "Almost 99 of the housing societies in the state have not done their fire audit, which is mandatory," he said. Last week, 22 students of a coaching institute were killed in a devastating fire at a four-storey building in Gujarat's Surat district. Referring to the death of three sanitation workers due to suffocation while cleaning a septic tank in a complex here earlier this month, Rane said the housing societies should be aware of the safety norms and prevent such incidents from reoccurring. He said a three-day housing expo would be held in Thane from Friday to raise awareness about various issues and some professional services which the residential societies can avail.
Johnson & Johnson Showcases Support to the LGBTQ+ Community on International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB 2019)
/ -- Launches Employee Resource Group, Open&Out for India employees In recognition of the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB), an annual worldwide celebration of sexual and gender diversities, Johnson & Johnson India underlined its commitment to the LGBTQ+ community with its newly-created employee resource group Open&Out. (Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/892966/J_J_IDAHOTB_2019.jpg ) Open&Out is a voluntary, employee-led resource group for colleagues who are open-minded & out to make a difference for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) professionals and their straight allies within the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies. Commenting on the occasion, Emrana Sheikh, Head - Human Resources, Johnson & Johnson India, said, "Johnson & Johnson is proud to advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and provide a safe and welcoming working environment that supports every individual in feeling proud, integrated and ..
New Zealand to announce 1st ever 'Wellbeing Budget'
The New Zealand government will deliver its first ever "Wellbeing Budget" this week, said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday.
Delhi: Man dies under suspicion circumstances at police station
A man named Balraj died at Bavana police station here under suspicious circumstances on Sunday, according to the police.Gaurav Sharma, DCP Outer North, said: "Balraj died yesterday (Sunday) under suspicious circumstances after he was called at Bavana police station for questioning."Sharma informed that a case of attempt to murder was registered against Balraj's son for which he was summoned to the police station.The DGP said that the victim jumped from the balcony of the police station in an attempt to suicide."Balraj committed suicide by jumping off from the balcony of the police station. After giving an excuse to drink water, he went to the balcony and jumped," Sharma added.According to Sharma, no foul play has been visible as of yet.
3 bombs found in Nepal
A bomb disposal team of the Nepal Army has disposed three explosive devices in the country, a day after four people died in three blasts in the capital, officials said on Monday.
Owaisi hits out at Ramdev's comments on population explosion
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi Monday hit out at yoga guru Baba Ramdev over his comments that the country is not ready to deal with its population explosion and for suggesting measures like limiting voting rights to two children only. "There is no law preventing people from saying downright unconstitutional things, but why do Ramdev's ideas receive undue attention?," Owaisi tweeted. "That he can do a thing with his stomach or move about his legs shouldn't mean @narendramodi lose his right to vote just because he's the 3rd kid," the tweet said. Owaisi was re-elected from Hyderabad constituency in the recent Lok Sabha election. The yoga guru Sunday opined that India is not ready to deal with its population explosion and suggested some measures like denying voting rights and other government services to the third children onwards. Addressing a press conference in Haridwar, he said the country's population should not be allowed to go beyond 150 crore. "This is only possible if we enact .
Rishi urges government to focus on education, employment
Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor has urged the government to focus on employment, education and health provisions for citizens.
Israeli drugmaker Teva to pay Oklahoma $85 mn in opioid suit
Israeli pharmaceutical giant Teva agreed on Sunday to pay the US state of Oklahoma USD 85 million to settle a lawsuit accusing it of fueling the state's opioid epidemic, Oklahoma's attorney general said. The announcement comes after Purdue Pharma, maker of the opioid painkiller OxyContin -- a key driver of the crisis responsible for tens of thousands of deaths in the United States -- reached a USD 270 million settlement with the state in March. Attorney General Mike Hunter said in a statement the Teva settlement shows Oklahoma's "resolve to hold the defendants in this case accountable for the ongoing opioid overdose and addiction epidemic that continues to claim thousands of lives each year." The money will be used by the midwestern state to fight the opioid crisis, Hunter said, with an announcement of how exactly it will be spent made in the future. Meanwhile, another pharmaceutical titan, Johnson & Johnson, is set to go on trial in Oklahoma on Tuesday, with the company facing ...
Clashes between prisoners in Brazil jail leave 15 dead: Official
Clashes between inmates killed 15 people at a jail in Amazonas state in northern Brazil on Sunday, the regional prison authority said. The clashes broke out around 11:00 am during visiting hours at the facility, located some 28 kilometers from the state capital Manaus. "It was a fight between the inmates. There had never been deaths during the visits," Colonel Marcos Vinicius Almeida told a news conference. An investigation has been opened to determine the cause of the fight, Almeida said. Almeida emphasized that authorities had reacted within minutes to the Sunday violence, preventing a potentially worse result. In January 2017, the same facility was the scene of a prison rebellion that lasted almost 20 hours and left 56 people dead. Brazil has the world's third largest prison population, with 7,26,712 inmates as of June 2016, according to official statistics. The population is double the capacity of the nation's prisons, which in 2016 was estimated to be 3,68,049 inmates. Along with
Ireland to liberalise divorce laws following referendum
People in the Republic of Ireland voted to ease restrictions on divorce laws by an overwhelming majority after the results of a recently held referendum were revealed on Sunday morning.Results of the referendum, held on Friday, showed that 82 per cent of voters want to change the existing divorce law under which a person can only apply for a divorce after living separately from their spouse for four out of the previous five years, CNN reported.However, the clause will now be removed, allowing lawmakers to decide on a new separation period.Minister for Justice and Equality Charlie Flanagan took to Twitter on Friday saying the exit polls showing overwhelming support for the change are "very positive news.""I intend moving speedily with legislation to cut waiting time and thereby reduce upset and trauma on couples and children where marriages have irreconcilably broken down," Flanagan wrote.In March, Flanagan said the government intends to reduce the separation period to two years so ...
Senegal broadcaster held over sex assault remarks
A Senegalese woman television presenter was in custody on Sunday after her allegations of rape against minority Fulanis sparked protests outside her studio, her employers and police said. Adja Astou Cisse, who works for private 7TV in the Senegalese capital Dakar, was arrested Saturday, the sources said. The arrest follows the May 19 murder of an adolescent following an attempted rape in Tambacounda, some 420 kilometres (260 miles) east of Dakar. The former French colony has seen a string of demonstrations protesting violence against women.
PM only paying lip service to minorities, says Owaisi
AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi on Sunday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was only paying lip service by saying minorities live in fear as he and his party BJP had been "practicing hypocrisy" for five years.
BJP worker shot dead in Amethi: Smriti urges party workers to exercise restraint, targets Rahul
After one of her close aides was killed here, BJP MP Smriti Irani Sunday asked party workers to exercise restraint, even as she said Congress president Rahul Gandhi's 'take-care-of-Amethi-with-love' message was "loud and clear" to her. The BJP leader, who arrived here following the death of Surendra Singh (50), said he was killed so that Amethi could be "terrorised, disintegrated and made to bow down". Irani, who unseated Gandhi from his bastion when results for the Lok Sabha elections were announced on May 23, told reporters "My request to all party workers is that we should exercise restraint." In the first incident of post-poll violence in Uttar Pradesh, Singh, a close aide of Irani, was shot dead by two unidentified men. The police have not ruled out the possibility of it being a "political murder". "On (May) 23, I was given a message that take care of Amethi with love. To the person, who gave me the message, I would like to say that I have received the message loud and clear," ...
Three French IS members sentenced to death in Iraq: judiciary
An Iraqi court on Sunday sentenced three French citizens to death after they were found guilty of joining the Islamic State group, a court official said. Captured in Syria by a US-backed force fighting the jihadists, they are the first French IS members to receive death sentences in Iraq, where they were transferred for trial. Named as Kevin Gonot, Leonard Lopez and Salim Machou, they have 30 days to appeal. Iraq has taken custody of thousands of jihadists repatriated in recent months from neighbouring Syria, where they were caught by the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces during the battle to destroy the IS "caliphate". Iraqi courts have placed on trial hundreds of foreigners, condemning many to life in prison and others to death, although no foreign IS members have yet been executed. Those sentenced on Sunday were among 12 French citizens who were caught in Syria and transferred to Iraqi custody in February. Rights groups including Human Rights Watch have criticised Iraq's ...
Learning disabilities can be diagnosed by NIMHANS' battery: Centre to HC
The Centre has told the Delhi High Court that learning disabilities can be diagnosed by NIMHANS battery, a tool which ascertains the degree of the disability. The government also told the court that as per the disability assessment guidelines notified last year, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) battery is the prescribed diagnostic tool to assess learning disabilities. It told Justice Vibhu Bakhru that anyone who tests positive according to the battery, would be considered as 40 per cent disabled and they would be eligible for all attendant benefits. The submission was made while hearing a man's plea, filed through advocate Rohan Alva, claiming there is no method or criteria fixed for ascertaining the percentage of disability in such cases. The petitioner, whose son suffers from dyslexia, said the guidelines in place only evaluate and certify the disability in cases of learning disabilities like dyslexia. However, taking note of the government's ...
