Page 20 - Social Issues
Journalist killed in Mexico: reports
A journalist was murdered Tuesday in southeast Mexico, her former employer and other news outlets reported. Norma Sarabia was a correspondent for the newspaper Tabasco HOY for 15 years and most recently worked for other media outlets in Tabasco state, the newspaper said in its report of her death. Sarabia is the sixth journalist slain this year in Mexico. Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for reporters: more than 100 have been murdered here since 2000, amid a wave of violence linked to drug trafficking and political corruption. The vast majority of those killings remain unpunished. Reporters Without Borders ranks the country as the third most dangerous in the world for the press, after war-torn Afghanistan and Syria. In May, crime reporter Francisco Romero was murdered in a resort town on Mexico's Caribbean coast after receiving threats. Romero, who was enrolled in the Mexican government's protection program for journalists and human rights activists, was ...
ISIS module case: NIA raids underway in Coimbatore
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is conducting raids at seven locations in Coimbatore in connection with the ISIS module case.Searches are being held in Anbu Nagar, Podanur, and Kuniyamuthur areas of the city, to name a few.Raids, which began at 7 AM today, are currently underway.A fresh case of ISIS module was registered by NIA in Coimbatore, and raids are being conducted in that connection, NIA sources told ANI.The in-charge of the ISIS module, the sources said, was believed to be in touch with Easter Sunday bombings mastermind Zahran Hashim on Facebook.
Inmates turn RJs, run FM Radio stations in Telangana prisons
From enabling prisoners to explore their creativity and providing them entertainment, the Telengana Prisons Department has started in house FM Radio facility at jails across the state, where inmates don the role of radio jockeys. As part of a scheme to reform and rehabilitate prisoners, the Prisons Department started the project wherein select inmates were being trained to run FM Radio stations 'Antarvani' (inner voice). The inmates could also participate in programmes, which helps them be in good humour and overcome depression. Inmates operate the FM Radio Stations, make announcements on the jail's time table, play patriotic, devotional and folk songs and music for fellow prisoners. "Our main aim is their reformation and rehabilitation. Once they get back to the mainstream, they should be good gentlemen. So we started several initiatives and this (Radio Stations at jails) is another one," Director General (Prisons and Correctional Services) V K Singh told ...
India's general election most inclusive poll: UN conference told
India's recently-concluded general election was the most historic and "inclusive" poll as it ensured that every person exercise their right to vote, including those with disabilities, an annual UN conference was told. Addressing the conference here on Tuesday, Secretary in the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment Shakuntala Doley Gamlin said India underlined its commitment to providing an enabling environment for differently-abled citizens. "India remains firmly committed to providing a universal enabling environment for persons with disabilities to fulfil their rights equally with others and realise their full potential and in creating a fully inclusive country where all enjoy equal rights," she said. "India just recently concluded the most historic, inclusive general election wherein a wide a range of facilities were provided to make the polling stations more inclusive and accessible to ensure that all can exercise their ..
Trump inadvertently reveals more of US-Mexico migrant deal
US President Donald Trump revealed Tuesday that Mexico agreed to take stronger legal action to halt Central American migrants if its initial efforts to stem the flow don't show results in 45 days. In bright sunshine outside the White House, Trump waved what he said was the text of an agreement Mexican and US officials signed Friday to avert the application of tariffs on their exports to the United States. Photographs of the document revealed that Mexico appeared to pledge to enact or enforce certain domestic laws if Washington is not satisfied with the results of its first promised efforts -- deploying 6,000 National Guardsmen to reinforce its southern border and expanding its policy of taking back asylum-seekers as the United States processes their claims. If, after 45 days, the US government "determines at its discretion" that the results aren't enough, the document says, "the Government of Mexico will take all necessary steps under domestic law to bring the agreement into force." ..
Modi's major minority outreach: Slew of plans to be rolled out soon
The Modi government is working on a major outreach to the minorities in the country through a slew of programmes, including building of educational infrastructure, encouragement to girls education and expanding the scholarship scheme.
Hong Kong: 5,000 personnel deployed as anti-extradition bill protests intensify
Swathes of protesters took to the streets of Hong Kong on Wednesday, continuing demonstrations against a controversial extradition bill which would allow criminal suspects in the city to be sent to mainland China for trial.This comes as lawmakers are slated to hear a second reading of the bill along with holding a debate on it.5,000 police personnel in anti-riot gear have sealed all entrances of the Hong Kong's Legislative Council building, around which the protests are being held.The demonstrators have blocked roads around the complex and have erected barriers to hamper the arrival of additional policemen, according to CNN.Marking the biggest march in Hong Kong in the past 15 years, around a million people took to Hong Kong's streets on Sunday to protest against the bill which has been defended by the region's pro-Beijing leader, Chief Executive Carrie Lam."This is a very important piece of legislation that will help to uphold justice and also ensure that Hong Kong will fulfil her ...
At least 30 Venezuelan migrants missing after boat sinks: lawmaker
At least 30 Venezuelan migrants are missing after the speedboat they were travelling in sank on its way to Curacao, an opposition lawmaker said. The vessel left from a village in the northwest on Friday with 30 to 35 people on board, deputy Luis Stefanelli told AFP on Tuesday, quoting family members. "No one has been in touch with their families, which makes us fear the worst," said Stefanelli. Authorities have not commented on the report. The body of a man wearing a life jacket was found near Bullenbaai bay in Curacao, according to a coast guard statement published by media on the Caribbean island. However, it was not clear if he had been aboard the speedboat that left clandestinely from the Venezuelan village of Aguide in Falcon state. It's the third such boat carrying Venezuelan migrants to capsize in the last month, with a total of 80 people now missing. The previous two boats were heading for Trinidad and Tobago. Another opposition lawmaker, Robert Alcala said on May 19 that 29 ..
Mali premier visits massacre site as survivors recount ordeal
The prime minister of Mali visited the site of one of the country's worst massacres on Tuesday, pledging to step up security and reconciliation efforts after an attack that left scores dead and stoked fears for the fragile Sahel country. The hours-long assault targeted a village in a largely ethnic Dogon enclave in central Mali. It bore the hallmarks of the violence, much of it driven by ethnic tensions, which has claimed hundreds of lives in the last 18 months. Ninety-five people were killed, according to an early toll that remained unconfirmed on Tuesday. Premier Boubou Cisse, who visited the village with other senior ministers, paid tribute to the "innocent victims of the discord and the hate", according to a government statement. "All the victims of the horror and the barbarism remind us of the responsibility incumbent upon us as leaders to reinforce and accelerate security, economic and political efforts for peace and reconciliation," he said. The attack on the village of Sobane
Wife faces domestic violence, triple talaq; husband arrested
The Agra police Tuesday arrested a man for allegedly subjecting his wife to domestic violence and divorcing her by resorting to "triple talaq", a practice declared illegal by the Supreme Court. The police arrested Agra's Rakabganj resident Chukru Rehman on the intervention of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was approached by the woman., official sources said here. A resident of Dhobi Mohalla, Sadar Bazar in Agra, Tarannum had written to the chief minister requesting him to take action against her husband. She told the chief minister that he had recently divorced her for no reason by uttering "talaq" thrice, said officials. On the woman's complaint, the chief minister directed the administration to look into the matter. The Agra police then lodged an FIR against Rehman and arrested him Tuesday after which he was remanded to judicial custody, the officials said. The couple has three children. In her letter, Tarannum had also said her husband had married another woman ..
Charity watchdog condemns Oxfam for Haiti behaviour
England's charity watchdog condemned Oxfam GB on Tuesday for having a "culture of poor behavior," in connection with the sexual misconduct scandal involving its workers in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake. The Charity Commission for England and Wales issued an official warning following an 18-month investigation that concluded Oxfam's culture and response to keeping people safe was inadequate and failed to take risks to alleged victims seriously enough. The commission said that while management had good intentions, they weren't matched by resources and an organizational culture that prioritized keeping people safe. "No charity is so large, nor is its mission so important that it can afford to put its own reputation ahead of the dignity and wellbeing of those it exists to protect," commission chair Tina Stowell said. The Times of London first reported misconduct allegations against seven former Oxfam GB staff in Haiti, including the use of prostitutes some of whom may have been ...
7 killed after boat capsizes off Greek island of Lesvos
At least seven people were killed after a boat carrying dozens of refugees capsized in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Greek island of Lesvos on Tuesday.The remaining 57 people on the boat were rescued in a joint search operation carried out by Hellenic Coast Guard, European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), as well Greek Air Force, reports Xinhua.The refugees had set off from the Turkish shore in a plastic dinghy at about 2 am (local time). The overladen boat capsized shortly before reaching the island of Lesvos, even though the weather at that time was calm.Of the seven people who drowned, three were children of African origin, local officials said.Since 2015, hundreds of refugees from Turkey and Syria have lost their lives after undertaking treacherous sea journeys on overcrowded boats in a bid to escape the turmoil of their own countries.Greece has become one of the main gateways for refugees entering Europe in recent years. According to a 2018 report by United Nations High
Germany plans to ban gay, lesbian 'conversion therapy'
German Health Minister Jens Spahn said Tuesday he plans to write a law this year to ban so-called conversion therapies that aim to make gays and lesbians heterosexual. "My position is clear: homosexuality is not an illness, which is why it does not need to be treated," said Spahn, who is gay and married to a man. "I would very much like to have a bill this year that could then be presented to parliament," he told a Berlin press conference. Medical experts consider psychological or spiritual interventions to change someone's sexual orientation pseudo-scientific, ineffective and often harmful. The most controversial techniques involve administering electric shocks as subjects view images of homosexual acts, or injections of the male hormone testosterone. In Germany, there are an estimated 1,000 attempts a year to "re-educate" homosexuals -- from family members, "coaches" and therapists, and sometimes involving prayers and even exorcisms, said Joerg Litwinschuh-Barthel of the ...
NDA government to table bill to bring changes in 'Labour Laws' during upcoming session of parliament
Government will table an "important bill" to bring reforms in Labour Laws during the upcoming session of Parliament, sources said here on Tuesday.A meeting in this regard took place recently in the Home Ministry when the issue of reforms of labour laws was discussed.A total of 44 old Labour Laws will be kept in four categories while some other old laws will be abolished, they said.The government is likely to table the Bill in Parliament during the second week of budget session. A cabinet approval for it will be taken soon.It will also be the first bill to be introduced in Parliament during the second term of Modi government.The first session of the 17th Lok Sabha will be convened from June 17 to July 26 during which the Union Budget will be presented by the new government on July 5.
Clear, realistic approach required towards EVs adoption: Hero MotoCorp
The country's largest two wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp Tuesday said the plan to shift towards electric mobility at a time when the manufacturers are trying to upgrade their models to comply with BS-VI emission norms could have a serious impact on the industry. The two wheeler major proposed a clear and realistic roadmap towards the adoption of electric vehicles (EV). The company's comments come in response to media reports that the government was considering a proposal to ban sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) three-wheelers by 2023 and less than 150 cc two-wheelers by 2025. "This move (towards EVs) will be very critical because it impacts an industry that is a significant contributor to the country's GDP and is a large job creator," Hero MotoCorp Chairman Pawan Munjal said in a statement. It also puts the industry, manufacturers, and customers in unfamiliar territory, as the automotive ecosystem all over the world is still only beginning to understand the development and ...
Votes of minority community members are a 'blessing': Varun Gandhi
Newly-elected MP from Pilibhit Varun Gandhi said he considers the votes he has got from minority community members as a "blessing", but rued that that not many from the community cast their ballot in his favour. "I did not get many votes of the minority community members, but this is also true that people from the minority community, who had voted for me, it was a blessing for me. "A number of persons from the minority community had supported me and also campaigned for me. Sarcastic remarks were made against them, yet they did not budge and wholeheartedly supported me in the election," he said on a visit here Monday. Gandhi, who had swapped constituency with his mother Maneka Gandhi in the recent election, said he will not leave Pilibhit and will continue to serve the people of this constituency. Plibhit was earlier represented by Maneka Gandhi, who was re-elected to the Lok Sabha from Sultanpur. "I am going to work for all. Now, I am not going to leave Pilibhit. For the next 30-40 ...
Villagers climb high-voltage tower in protest
Two groups of farmers climbed atop high tension electricity tower at different villages near here Tuesday, protesting against measurement of land for proposed erection of transmission towers by the Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCI), police said. A group of 10 villagers of Semmandampalayam climbed a tower in their village while a similar protest was held by around 20 others at nearby Chenniandavar Kovil as officials of the PGCI, who were accompanied by police, started the measurement work. The protesters were persuaded to climb down and later arrested, they said. Earlier, tension prevailed in the villages as the farmers gathered, protested against the officials taking up the work and demanded that they leave. They have been objecting to installation of the power towers on their agricultural land saying it would affect their livelihood. CPI(M) MP-elect P R Natarajan from Coimbatore condemned the arrest.
Botswana's High Court decriminalizes same-sex relations
Botswana's High Court on Tuesday legalized same-sex relations in the south African country in a ruling that said two articles that had criminalized homosexuality were unconstitutional.
UP: Female foetus covered in watermelon skin found dumped in drain
A female foetus, around five-months-old, was found inside a watermelon rind dumped in a drain at a village here, police said Tuesday. A sanitation worker had spotted the foetus on Monday in Gejha village in Sector 93, they said. "Ravindra alias Kallu, sanitation worker, had alerted police about the foetus in the drain while he was working outside a house in the village around 11 am," Station House Officer, Phase 2 police station, Farmood Ali Pundir said. "The female foetus was spotted inside a watermelon rind that was dumped in the drain," he said, adding that the foetus appeared to be five-month-old. An FIR has been registered in the matter against unidentified persons under the Indian Penal Code Section 318 (concealment of birth by secret disposal of body), the SHO said. The foetus has been sent for a medical examination and further probe is underway, he added. Abortion is illegal in India but can be performed up to 20 weeks under certain circumstances as mentioned in the Medical ...
Social media content contributes to radicalisation: Twitter executive
Radicalisation in the digital era is not new, but now one of Twitter's key executives has said that there's "no doubt" that social media content, in some cases, contributes to radicalisation.
