Page 65 - Social Issues
EC allows poll code relaxation for Maha drought relief works
The Election Commission has permitted relaxation in the model code of conduct, in force since March 10 for the Lok Sabha polls, in Maharashtra to allow the state government to undertake drought relief measures. The relaxation was made after chief minister Devendra Fadnavis wrote to the EC on April 30 on the issue. Polling for all 48 Lok Sabha seats in the state got over on April 29. In a letter dated May 5 to the state chief electoral officer (CEO), the EC said it had no objection to the proposal for a relaxation in the model code of conduct in view of public interest. The EC letter directed that government staff involved in vote counting should not accompany ministers on any tour during this period.
Elderly man commits suicide by jumping in front of train in Shamli
A 65-year-old man allegedly committed suicide by jumping before a moving train in Uttar Pradesh's Shamli district, police said on Monday. The incident occurred on Sunday near the Balwa Kheri village under Kotwali police station. There were no reports of train services being affected on the route, Circle Officer Ashok Kumar Pankej said. The deceased, identified as Prahlad Singh of Rasulpur village, was mentally ill, his son Mahek Singh told police. However, the exact cause behind the alleged suicide is being ascertained, Pankej said. In another incident in Shamli district, a 26-year-old man tried to commit suicide on Sunday by hanging himself from a ceiling fan in his room but his wife foiled the attempt, he said. Pankaj Kumar suffered serious injuries while attempting suicide and was rushed to a hospital, the officer added.
Brunei rules out capital punishment for gay sex, adultery
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei on Sunday said that the country will not impose death penalty on those convicted of gay sex and adultery in an apparent bid to temper global backlash following its rollout of strict new Islamic laws last month.The Sultan, in a televised speech, said he would extend a moratorium on capital punishment and ratify the United Nations Convention Against Torture, CNN reported.In April, the tiny oil-rich country in East Asia announced to enact a stern new penal code under which adultery and gay sex will be punishable by stoning to death, and theft will be punished with amputations.The announcement followed widespread international condemnation and a high profile campaign, whereby celebrities, including George Clooney and Elton John, joined rights groups in seeking to boycott hotels owned by the sultan, while large companies including JPMorgan and Deutsche Bank told their staff to avoid using Brunei-owned hotels in the wake of new laws.Brunei became the first .
Brunei backs down on gay sex death penalty
Brunei will not impose the death penalty on those convicted of having gay sex, in an apparent bid to temper international condemnation following its roll out of strict new Islamic laws last month.
Brunei death penalty moratorium applied to new Shariah laws
Brunei's sultan says a moratorium on capital punishment is in effect for new Shariah criminal laws including stoning people for gay sex and adultery that sparked an international outcry. The United Nations has called the new laws "draconian" while the US and several other countries had urged Brunei to halt its plans. Celebrities including George Clooney, Elton John and Ellen DeGeneres have rallied for a boycott of nine hotels in the U.S. and Europe linked to Brunei. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah said Sunday that Brunei has had a "de facto moratorium" on capital punishment for over two decades and "this will also be applied to cases under the" new Shariah laws. The announcement came as a surprise but appeared aimed at deflecting criticism that Islamic criminal laws are cruel.
Trump taps former border patrol chief as ICE Director
President Donald Trump's latest choice to lead US Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a former border patrol chief under the Obama administration who has publicly backed the president's border wall. Trump tweeted on Sunday that Mark Morgan "will be joining the Trump Administration as the head of our hard working men and women of ICE." He added: "Mark is a true believer and American Patriot. He will do a great job!" The announcement follows a shake-up at the Department of Homeland Security triggered by the president's frustration with the increasing number of migrants at the border. The shake-up started last month, when Trump withdrew Ron Vitiello's nomination to lead US Immigration and Customs Enforcement midway through the confirmation process. DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen then resigned, along with Undersecretary for Management Claire Grady, who was in line to be her successor. Morgan, who was named the head of the US Border Patrol in 2016, was ousted early in Trump's ...
Brunei says death penalty moratorium to cover sharia laws
Brunei's sultan said Sunday a moratorium on capital punishment will also extend to sharia laws that include stoning to death for gay sex and adultery, after a furious backlash against the punishments. It was the first time Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah had commented publicly on the new penal code since it fully entered force last month, and his remarks appeared aimed at assuaging worldwide criticism. The laws, which also include amputation of hands and feet for thieves in the tiny sultanate on Borneo island, sparked fury from celebrities, including actor George Clooney, the United Nations and rights groups. In a televised speech ahead of the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, the sultan said: "I am aware that there are many questions and misperceptions with regard to the implementation of the (sharia penal code)." "There should not be any concern on the sharia law as it is full of Allah's mercy and blessings," he said, according to an official translation of his address. "As evident
Trump announces former Border Patrol chief Mark Morgan as new ICE head
United States President Donald Trump on Sunday announced Mark Morgan as the new head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)."I am pleased to inform all of those that believe in a strong, fair and sound Immigration Policy that Mark Morgan will be joining the Trump Administration as the head of our hard-working men and women of ICE. Mark is a true believer and an American Patriot. He will do a great job!" Trump tweeted.Morgan, a former FBI agent, served as the head of the US Customs and Border Protection towards the end of former President Barack Obama's tenure.Morgan left the Border Patrol in late January 2017, one day after Trump signed an executive order to build a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.After his return, Morgan will replace former acting ICE Director Ronald Vitiello, who resigned earlier this month. Vitiello left his post after Trump announced he wanted to go in a "tougher" direction with the agency, The Hill reported.The announcement comes amid a reshuffle in the ...
Govt set to provide financial assistance to minority investors for class action lawsuits
In a significant move, the government is readying a scheme to provide financial assistance to minority investors filing class action lawsuits under the companies law, a senior official said. Working on ways to further bolster measures to protect the interest of investors, the corporate affairs ministry would also be encouraging investors to resort to class action suits. Under Section 245 of the Companies Act, investors can file a class action suit in case they feel that the management or conduct of the affairs of a company are prejudicial to their interests. The concept of the class action suit, that provides an option for investors to seek remedy as a group, is well known in Western countries. "We are looking at class action suits. We will be soon coming out with a scheme for providing financial assistance to minority investors to file class action by using the IEPF (Investor Education and Protection Fund). "The IEPF will introduce a scheme for reimbursing legal expenses incurred on .
Pope asks Bulgarians to 'open hearts' to migrants
Pope Francis urged Bulgarians to open their hearts and doors to refugees as he began a visit to the European Union's poorest country, where the main Orthodox Church snubbed holding joint prayers with the pontiff. Prime Minister Boyko Borisov met Francis at the airport, welcoming him with a large pot of kiselo mlyako, a mildly sour-tasting local yoghurt, saying: "This is your grandmother's yoghurt." "The first time I heard the word yoghurt was from my grandmother," the pope replied. The Bulgarian emissary to the Vatican Kiril Topalev had earlier quoted the pope as telling him: "I grew up with Bulgarian yoghurt. When I was two years old, my grandmother gave me Bulgarian yoghurt." Pope Francis's three-day tour, which also takes in North Macedonia, includes a visit to a refugee camp on the outskirts of Sofia and a commemoration of Mother Teresa, the most famous native of the Macedonian capital Skopje. The Pope evoked a "new winter" plaguing Bulgaria and other European nations who face an .
Mozilla releasing fix for Firefox extensions bug
Mozilla has started releasing a fix for a bug that prevented existing and new add-ons from running or being installed on the Firefox browser late on Friday.
Sexual attitude continues to evolve well into late 20s
Indicating that development of sexual orientation continues long past adolescence into adulthood, new research has found attraction towards the same or opposite sex can change over time.
UN committee weighs in on French right-to-die case
A UN committee has asked France to suspend any decision to withdraw life support for a man kept alive in a vegetative state for a decade, weighing in on a bitterly-disputed legal case which has torn his family apart. The move by the UN committee on disabled rights was the latest twist in a long-running legal drama that has ignited a heated debate in France on the right to die. The case centres on the fate of Vincent Lambert who suffered severe brain damage after a car accident in 2008 which left him a quadriplegic. Since then, he has been kept alive through artificial nutrition and hydration at a hospital in Reims, northeastern France. In 2014, the doctors, backed by Lambert's wife Rachel, five of his siblings and his nephew Francois decided to stop his nutrition and hydration in line with France's passive euthanasia law. But his parents, deeply-devout Catholics, and his half-brother and sister obtained a court order to halt the move on grounds his condition might improve with better .
FAME needs to be supplemented with steps to boost EV adoption: CII
Policies like FAME need to be supplemented with measures such as domestic manufacturing of vehicles, batteries and components to boost mass adoption of electric vehicles by 2030, industry body CII said Sunday. Quoting a study by the Centre, the chamber said India can save 64 per cent of anticipated road-based mobility-related energy demand and 37 per cent of carbon emissions in 2030 by pursuing a shared, electric, and connected mobility future. Measures like market creation and adoption, domestic manufacturing of vehicles, components and batteries, strategic sourcing of key raw material and skill development in India are needed to support policies like FAME to embrace mass adoption of electric vehicles by 2030, it said. This would result in a reduction of 156 million tonnes of oil equivalent in diesel and petrol consumption in 2030 and net saving of approximately USD 60 billion in 2030 at present oil prices. This is also in line with India's vision of reducing oil imports by 10 per ...
Brazil president drops New York visit amid backlash
Brazil's president Jair Bolsonaro cancelled a planned trip to the United States following a storm of protest over his controversial racist and misogynist remarks in New York City.Jair Bolsonaro was due to receive 2019 Person of the year award by the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce. The award was in recognition of his strongly stated intention of fostering closer commercial and diplomatic ties between Brazil and the United States and his firm commitment to building a strong and durable partnership between the two nations.Bill de Blasio, New York's mayor, hailed the move and said New Yorkers have chosen to stand up against oppression and bigotry."Jair Bolsonaro's assault on LGBTQ rights and destructive plans for our planet are reflected in too many leaders -- including many here in our country. Everyone must stand up, speak out and fight back against this reckless hate," Blasio tweeted.
Keep banned groups in check during Ramazan:Pak interior ministry to provinces
Pakistan's interior ministry has asked the provincial governments to ensure that the ban on outlawed groups, including Jaish-e-Muhammed, LeT and Jamaat-ud-Dawa, from collecting donations was strictly enforced during the month of Ramazan, a media report said Sunday. The ministry issued instructions to the provinces on Saturday to keep banned and under-observation organisations under strict surveillance, the Express Tribune reported. The provincial governments have started monitoring these outfits, it said. Citing sources, the paper said that the ministry directed the provincial governments to ensure that the ban on outlawed outfits from collecting Zakat, alms or donations was strictly enforced during the month of Ramazan. The provincial governments have been instructed to inform the public that under the Anti-terrorism Act 1997 and UN Security Council Act 1948, banned organisations could not be provided with any support or financial assistance as it was a crime punishable by ...
The battle is over, your Karma awaits you 'Modi Ji': Rahul Gandhi
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Sunday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying, "Projecting your inner beliefs about yourself onto my father won't protect you.""Modi Ji, the battle is over. Your Karma awaits you. Projecting your inner beliefs about yourself onto my father won't protect you. All my love and a huge hug," Rahul tweeted in response to Modi's remark that "Rajiv Gandhi's life ended as 'Bhrashtachari No 1.'"On Saturday, Modi while addressing an election rally in Uttar Pradesh had said, the life of Congress president Rahul Gandhi's father Rajiv Gandhi ended as 'Bhrashtachari number 1.'"Your father was termed 'Mr Clean' by his courtiers, but his life ended as 'Bhrashtachari No 1,' Modi had said.He was apparently referring to Bofors scam, in which Rajiv Gandhi was accused of receiving kickbacks from Swedish defence manufacturer Bofors for the sale of artillery guns to India.However, Modi's comments were not well received by Congress.On Sunday, senior Congress leader .
Pope off to Bulgaria, a poor EU nation hostile to migrants
Pope Francis is heading to Bulgaria, the European Union's poorest country and one that taken a hard line against migrants, which conflicts with the pontiff's view that reaching out to vulnerable people is a moral imperative. Francis is expected to visit a refugee center during his two-day visit starting Sunday, as well as dive into the Vatican's complicated relations with the Bulgarian Orthodox Church. The trip ends with a daylong stop Tuesday in neighboring North Macedonia, the first by a pope. Francis starts his Bulgarian trip by meeting with Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, whose center-right, pro-Brussels coalition government includes three nationalist, anti-migrant parties. The government has called for the closure of EU borders to migrants and sealed off its own frontier to Turkey with a barbed-wire fence. The Argentine pope has made the plight of migrants and refugees a hallmark of his papacy, urging governments to build bridges, not walls, and to do what they can to welcome and ..
Couple commits suicide by jumping in front of train in UP
A young couple ended their lives by jumping in front of a train in Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district, police said Sunday. Vipin Kumar (28) and Dipika (27) died on Saturday night after they jumped in front an approaching train in the district's Khatoli town, Station House Officer Harsharan Sharma said. They married four years ago against the wishes of their families. They were facing some problems because of which they might have committed suicide, the officer said. The bodies have been sent for postmortem and investigation into the case is underway, he said.
Nigerian women accused of prostitution arrested - then assaulted
In Nigeria, being a young woman "is a crime", said a 25-year-old beautician, arrested two weeks ago while walking home in the capital Abuja. She says she was detained, assaulted and then raped by those meant to protect her. "Around 9:30 pm, or 10:00 pm (local time), I was walking back home," she said. "The police arrested me in the street, accusing me of 'being out late'." The officers demanded she pay 4,000 naira (USD 11) but she did not have the cash. So the officers grabbed her, she said. "They took me to the bush behind a building," she said, her voice cracking with emotion. "There were four of them. They molested me, and while three were holding me down, one of them raped me. He didn't use a condom." Several other women reported similar assaults that night. In two dramatic raids last month, dozens of women were dragged out of nightclubs, hotels and bars - or simply taken off the streets - in Abuja. They were arrested for prostitution, a charge many furiously denied. The sweeping .