Page 87 - Social Issues
Political parties need to focus on issue-based election campaigning (Column: Active Voice)
The Indian elections that kicked off on Thursday are a democratic exercise the likes of which the world has never seen. In the worlds largest democratic practice, around 900 million voters - more than the combined population of all the European countries, across 543 constituencies will cast their votes to decide the fate of political parties.
Screen time has little impact on teen well-being: Study
A higher amount of screen time -- which may involve gaming, or watching TV -- before bedtime may not have a direct impact on young people's mental health, contrary to popular belief, scientists say. Data from more than 17,000 teenagers show little evidence of a relationship between screen time and well-being in adolescents, according to the study published in the journal Psychological Science. "Implementing best practice statistical and methodological techniques we found little evidence for substantial negative associations between digital-screen engagement and adolescent well-being," said Amy Orben, a researcher at the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) in the UK. "While psychological science can be a powerful tool for understanding the link between screen use and adolescent well-being, it still routinely fails to supply stakeholders and the public with high-quality, transparent, and objective investigations into growing concerns about digital technologies," Orben said in a ...
Teenager commits suicide in Muzaffarnagar
A16-year-old boy has committed suicide by consuming poison in Amit Vihar locality here, police said Saturday. According to Station House Officer Santosh Kumar Singh, the youth took the extreme step Friday when his parents were not in the house. The exact cause behind the suicide was not none as yet and further investigations were on, the SHO said. The body has been sent for post mortem, he added.
7,000 Tihar inmates given counselling by mental health experts
In a bid to check on mental and behavioural disorders among inmates lodged in the Tihar Prison Complex, the Delhi Prison Administration has provided counselling to as many as 7,000 inmates.The Delhi Prison Administration in collaboration with an NGO - Mental Health Foundation and mentored by AIIMS had started the intensive counselling services on April 16 last year as part of 'Project Samarthan'.DG (Prisons) of Tihar jail, Ajay Kashyap said, "One of the problems our inmates face in jail is the inability to cope with incarceration that leads to depression and mental stress. These are problems which need to be looked at""Last year we went into a partnership with AIIMS and Medical Health Foundation of India. Under this we started a project in which we started to concentrate on mental health of inmates coming into the prison system," he added.The tools of the project has been developed on the guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO).In last few years, prevalence of disorders ...
Battles intensify around Libya capital as thousands displaced
Forces answering to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar battled units that back Tripoli's unity government on the edge of the capital Friday, days into a new round of conflict that has killed dozens and displaced thousands. Gunfire and blasts rang out and smoke rose as forces backing the fragile UN-backed government of Fayez al-Sarraj attempted to block an offensive by Haftar's self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA). Dozens of people have been killed and more than 300 wounded over the last eight days, the World Health Organization said on Friday. The United Nations said the fighting had driven 8,000 people from their homes and that "displacements from areas affected by the clashes in and around Tripoli continue to surge". "Many families remain stranded inside conflict-affected areas," with supplies running short, UN spokesman Rheal Leblanc told reporters in Geneva. French authorities said Friday they were in touch with all parties to Libya's conflict. But they did not confirm a report in
350 migrants 'break violently' into Mexico as new caravan arrives
A group of around 350 Central American migrants "broke violently" into Mexico Friday, the country's immigration authorities said, as a new caravan of around 2,500 people arrived from Guatemala. Mexico's National Migration Institute said some members of the caravan had attacked local police in the southern town of Metapa de Dominguez -- news sure to draw the attention of President Donald Trump as he continues his crackdown on undocumented migrants heading toward the US. "Today at 3:30 am (0830 GMT) a group of approximately 350 people broke violently across the Mexican border from Guatemala," the National Migration Institute said in a statement. "With an aggressive attitude, (the migrants) broke the padlock on the border gate and entered the country." The caravan set out Wednesday from the city of San Pedro Sula in Honduras and has picked up Guatemalans and some Nicaraguans along the way. The migrants are mostly fleeing poverty and brutal violence in their home countries. "We can't live
Debt-ridden farmer commits suicide in Maharashtra
A debt-ridden farmer committed suicide by hanging self from a cliff near his village in Niphad here.The farmer has been identified as Subhash Yashwant Shinde. Police said that he committed suicide on April 8 as he was tense due to debt.Talking to ANI on Friday, the farmer's son Rahul Shinde said: "My father was very tense for some days because he had debt amounting to Rs 3.5 lakh. He was unable to return the loans which he had taken for me and my sister's education."He said: "The farm produce was low due to poor rains. That is why my father committed suicide.""My mother is very upset and has not eaten for the past two days," he added.District Collector Suraj Mandhre said: "We request all farmers do not take such an extreme step. It leaves their family in trouble.""The administration is always willing to help farmers in distress," he said.The post mortem examination of Shinde's body was conducted at a government hospital in Niphad.
Husband doesn't shave, bathe; MP woman files for divorce
A 23-year-old woman from Madhya Pradesh has filed for divorce, claiming that her husband shuns shaving and bathing for almost a week at a stretch. The couple, who married last year, was directed by Bhopal family court to stay separately for six months, after which they will be granted divorce decree, a counsellor said. "Bhopal family court judge R N Chand has directed the couple to stay separately for six months," court counsellor Shail Awasthi told PTI Friday. The woman and her 25-year-old husband filed a mutual consent plea for divorce, Awasthi said. She said in her complaint that her husband doesn't shave his beard and bathe for 7-8 days at a stretch. "Women now-a-days are separating from their husband over petty issues. This woman, who hails from Barigarh near Bhopal, complained that her husband stinks and when she asks him to bathe, he wears perfume to beat the odour," Awasthi said. The man is from Sindhi community and runs a shop and the woman is a Brahmin, Awasthi .
Centre for Social Development members endorse Modi for Lok Sabha polls
Over 200 members of advocacy institution Centre for Social Development (CSD), including academicians, Friday endorsed the initiatives taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government and wished him for his victory in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. In a statement, the CSD said all its members are extremely delighted and happily endorsed the initiatives and programmes launched by the government under the leadership of Modi. "We all the academicians, teachers and research scholars of CSD willingly accepted and endorsed all social, economic, cultural, national programmes launched by the NDA government," the statement said, which was issued along with a list of its 211 members. The CSD is a platform for the academic fraternity committed to advocate, care and protect the academic interests of the society belonging to SCs, STs and OBCs, the statement said.
IT officials raid photography firm in Coimbatore
Income Tax officials and Election flying squad Friday carried out raids at a photography firm here following information that huge sum of unaccounted cash was stored there, police said. The searches were concluded around 5 PM, but there was no official information from the I-T authorities on the outcome, they said. Owner of the firm claimed the information was false and given by two sacked employees. Talking to reporters here, he claimed nothing was taken away by the officials.
CPI-M-led LDF stages farmers rally in Wayanad
Taking on the Congress in the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency from where its party chief Rahul Gandhi is contesting, the ruling CPI(M)-led LDF Friday organised a farmers rally highlighting their "sorry plight" since the economic liberalisation of 1991. Holding placards and banners, the Left Democratic Front workers took out a march at Pulpally town in the high rangeconstituency protesting the "continuing anti-farmer approach" of the Congressand the BJP. All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) national president Ashok Dhawale and other leaders participated in the march. The banners listed the farmers' suicides and their "sorry plight" since the 1991 economic liberalisation. Dhawale, who had led the farmers in the historic Mumbai protest, said it was only the Left Front that can protect the rights of the farmers. "The agrarian reforms and the economic policy of the Congress has affected the farmers. The BJP is just following the policy of Congress," he said. The Left farmers group also
Outnumbered in Mizoram rolls, men outdo women in voting
Though outnumbered by women in Mizoram's electoral lists for the past many decades, 1.07 per cent more men cast their votes than women in Thursday's Lok Sabha polls in the northeastern state, a top official said on Friday.
Around 7,000 inmates provided counselling by mental health experts at Tihar Jail: official
As many as 7,000 inmates of Tihar Jail have been provided counselling by professional mental health experts as part of 'Project Samarthan' which was launched by the prison administration in April last year with an aim to reduce suicide cases, officials said Friday. The Delhi Prison Administration in collaboration with an NGO - Mental Health Foundation and mentored by AIIMS had started the intensive counselling services on April 16 last year. The Tihar Jail is the second jail after the Pennsylvania Correction Services who are using this technique, they said. The tools of the project has been developed on the guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO). "As soon as the inmate enters the jail premises, he starts feeling mental pressure. Sometimes, they become depressed and they stop eating or sleeping. Some of them become aggressive and some of them become very introvert," said Ajay Kashyap, Director General of Tihar Prison. So far approximately 7,000 inmates have been assessed and
4th industrial revolution will add unpredictability to future of work: India
As the ILO marks its centenary amid unprecedented technological transformation and disruption in the labour market, India has said the fourth industrial revolution will add unpredictability to the future of work, requiring people's opportunities and well-being to be localised and re-examined. "Anxiety about the impact of technology on the world of work is not new. The question of how technology shapes work and labour and how society should shape technology through choices and policies, has always fuelled intense public debate, India's Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador K Nagaraj Naidu said Thursday. Addressing the high-level plenary meeting to commemorate the 100th anniversary of ILO's establishment, Naidu said change has always been a constant factor in the working lives of humans - from creating fire to sending a red sports car fly by planet Mars. However, the fourth industrial revolution characterised by its convergence of the physical, digital, and the biological
Lawsuit filed against Jussie Smollett by Chicago city officials
Chicago city officials have filed a lawsuit against the 'Empire' actor Jussie Smollett, in a bid to recover investigation costs of an alleged hate crime. The officials reportedly claimed that he orchestrated the attack as a publicity stunt, where he complained of being assaulted by a masked man on Jan 29.As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, the suit is the aftermath of Smollett's refusal to pay back the USD 130,000 that the policemen had spent on overtime.Smollett's attorney Mark Geragos, addressed a letter to the city last week, in which he maintained that the claims being made up against his client are 'defamatory'.As per the city code of Chicago, Jussie could be reportedly made to pay thrice the amount asked now if he refuses to pay after the verdict comes in the favour of the city.Jussie however, agreed to do some community service before the charges were dropped and also accepted to forfeit USD 10,000 in bond money.Jussie, a black and a gay, was attacked by a masked man on Jan .
Consumption Demand Key Driver Of Domestic Economic Growth In Recent Years
Consumption demand has been the key driver of economic growth in India in the recent years. According to an article titled 'The Consumer Rules! Some Recent Survey-based Evidence' in the latest Monthly Bulletin from the Reserve Bank Of India (RBI), survey based information on households' perceptions and expectations about a range of key parameters that could impinge on their consumption decisions - income, employment and inflation - provide early indications about the current state of consumption demand.
'Hitler would have loved social media': Disney CEO
Disney CEO Bob Iger on Thursday called upon US politicians to reject hate in the run up to the 2020 election -- and claimed that Adolf Hitler would have "loved social media" as a tool to spread extremist propaganda. "Hate and anger are dragging us toward an abyss," he said at a dinner organized by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Jewish human rights organization. "Our politics, in particular, are now dominated by contempt." "Hitler would have loved social media," he added. "It's the most powerful marketing tool an extremist could ever hope for." "At its worst, social media allows evil to prey on troubled minds and lost souls," he said. With a fierce campaign for the 2020 US presidential election expected in the coming months, Iger also stressed that it is "possible to argue policy without attacking people." "I want to hear a pitch that isn't grounded in contempt of others," he said. "I want to see a vision big enough to include everyone.
Congress' 'NYAY' is 'ANYAY' against people of country, says Union min HS Puri
Congress chief Rahul Gandhi's poll assurance of NYAY is designed for "bankruptcy", Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri has said, claiming it will prove to be an "ANYAY" (injustice) against people of the country. Puri, who is the Housing and Urban Affairs Minister in the Modi government, said Congress forgot to tell people that if it comes to power, the party is not going to implement it alone and needs state governments to chip in. In an interview to PTI, the minister said states will have to implement Nyuntam Aay Yojana (NYAY) in coordination with the Centre, seeking to know whether the Congress asked states, which will spend huge money, if they are ready for it or not. Under NYAY, Congress has promised to deposit Rs 72,000 annually into bank accounts of 20 per cent of the poorest people across the country if it comes to power. On April 8, Gandhi had said the concept of "NYAY" was at the core of its campaign for the Lok Sabha polls and built on the promises the party has made to the ..
20 killed in bomb blast in Pakistan
At least 20 people were killed and 48 others injured on Friday in a suicide bombing apparently targeting the Shiite Hazara ethnic minority community at a crowded fruit market in Pakistan's Quetta city. The blast at around 7:35 am was caused by an improvised explosive device (IED) that had been hidden among the vegetables in the market, police said. "So far 20 people have been confirmed dead," provincial Home Minister Ziaullah Langove said. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Abdul Razzaq Cheema said that Shiite Hazara ethnic community was the apparent target of the bombing. "The victims include from Hazara and other ethnic groups like Pashtuns," he said. At least eight of those killed in the bomb blast at Hazarganji area of Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, belonged to the Hazara community. The security forces fear the death toll may rise, GEO News reported. Forty eight others were injured and were undergoing treatment. Four FC personnel were also among the injured, the ...
I-T raids at Namakkal-based construction firm
The Income Tax department on Friday carried out raids at the premises of PSK Engineering Construction and Co in Namakkal district.Officials from the IT department had received information about the presence of unaccounted cash, sources said.Searches are also being conducted at the premises of Akash Baskaran and Sujai Reddy in the cities of Chennai and Tirunelveli, respectively.The IT raids across Tamil Nadu come less than a week before the state will go to polls on April 18.Further details are awaited..