IT IS one of the inspirational legends of Indian journalism that James Hickey, founder and editor of the Bengal Gazette — this country’s first newspaper, with its first edition going back to January 1780 — was a fearless seeker of the truth, taken to court and imprisoned by Warren Hastings, then governor-general. Reality is a little different. Hickey’s paper was often a gossipy, yellow rag. It thought nothing of publishing scurrilous...
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Every eighth urban child in India lives in slum: report by Vinaya Deshpande
Every eighth urban child in India in the age-group of 0-6 years stays in slums, according to ‘Slums in India – A statistical compendium 2011' published by the Union government. “... about 7.6 million children are living in slums in India and they constitute 13.1 per cent of the total child population of the urban areas of the 26 States/ Union Territories reporting slums,” the report compiled by the National Buildings...
More »ICMR to fund study on morning-after pill use, abuse by teens & sex workers by Kounteya Sinha
The nation wants to know how often teenagers pop the emergency contraceptive pill. The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) will support and finance research projects that will look at the pill's use and overuse. Emergency Contraceptive Pills (ECPs) are used to prevent pregnancy following an unprotected act of sexual intercourse within 72 hours. The council has called for research proposals by December 31 on emergency contraception, especially those that will look...
More »Pinki Virani author-activist interviewed by R Krithika
India is finally ready with a comprehensive Bill that will protect children from sexual abuse. But the Bill, says author-activist Pinki Virani, has a major flaw regarding sexual consent that needs to be immediately addressed and the stakeholders consulted before it becomes law. With a certain Standing Committee so much in the news, let us look at what is happening with another Standing Committee looking into a Bill to protect children...
More »Even Food Minister's home State misses deadline on Food Security Bill by Gargi Parsai
With only a few States having sent in their comments on the Food Ministry's draft National Food Security Bill, 2011, till the closing date on Friday, the Centre is planning to extend the date by a month or two, official sources said. Despite Minister of State for Food and Consumer Affairs K.V. Thomas having written to all States and Union Territories last week to send in their comments, not even his...
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