Before volcanic eruption preparedness

South Korea's ongoing sex crime crisis forms the focus of a gripping new Netflix documentary— Cyber Hell: Exposing an Internet Horror. The latest program reveals just the tip of the iceberg of sex crimes in the Asian country, which can be traced back to a "deep-rooted gender inequality " and an increase in gender-based violence, Boram Jang, East Asia Researcher at Amnesty International, told Newsweek. "According to the Korean Institute of Criminology and Justice, violent crimes such as murder, robbery and arson are generally decreasing in Korean society, but crimes involving sexual violence are steadily rising," Jang said. Released on Wednesday, the new Netflix documentary follows the exposé of a sexual abuse scandal that saw dozens of women—including minors—allegedly being blackmailed into capturing non-consensual , sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. The footage was shared and sold via online chat rooms—known collectively as the "Nth Room"—on … [Read more...] about ‘Cyber Hell’ only scratches surface of South Korea’s sex crime crisis

Sweeping U.S. sanctions imposed on Iran have badly impacted the country’s economy and worsened the humanitarian situation in the Persian Gulf nation, a United Nations special envoy said Wednesday. According to Alena Douhan, the U.N. special rapporteur on unilateral coercive measures, the sanctions have affected Iran’s main export groups, banks and also several companies and nationals, including some pharmaceuticals and food production. This has led to inflation and growing poverty, and depleted state resources for dealing with the basic needs of people with low income and other vulnerable groups, Douhan told reporters during a press conference in Tehran . She singled out those suffering from “severe diseases, disabled people, Afghan refugees, women-led households and children” as being badly affected by the measures. Douhan, a Belarusian who was appointed in 2020 and reports to the U.N. Human Rights Council, also said that the “”sanctions have been substantially … [Read more...] about UN envoy: US sanctions on Iran worsen humanitarian situation

The Health Ministry on Wednesday launched a National Emergency Life Support (NELS) course for doctors, nurses and paramedics with the Union Minister of State Health Dr. Bharati Pravin Pawar stating that this will replace the health care professionals’ dependency on foreign modules. The course plan includes developing training infrastructure in all States/UTs to implement the NELS course and creating a cadre of trainers to train doctors, nurses and paramedics working in emergency departments of the hospitals and ambulance services. The activities under the NELS entail developing emergency life support training modules for doctors, nurses and paramedics after experts’ consultations and based on the Indian context, setting up and equipping skill centres in medical colleges under Centre/States to impart skill-based training on emergency life support for all categories of health functionaries. The Minister added that this initiative will lead to creation of a pool of trained doctors, … [Read more...] about National Emergency Life Support (NELS) courses launched for doctors, nurses and paramedics

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has tasked emergency services, the police, local self-governments and revenue officials to prepare micro-level disaster management plans to mitigate the threat of landslips, mudslides, tidal surges, rough seas, flooding and waterlogging usual during the southwest monsoon. Reviewing the State's monsoon preparedness, Mr. Vijayan said agencies should work in tandem to evacuate people living in disaster zones in advance. The district administration should house them in well-appointed relief camps with sufficient and clean toilet facilities. The administration should ensure that campers have access to hot and nutritious food, potable water and security. IMD forecas The India Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted a lull in the heavy downpour between May 19 and 25. The administration should use the interlude to complete monsoon preparedness related tasks on a war footing. Mr. Vijayan prioritised declogging of storm water drains, pre-monsoon pruning … [Read more...] about Micro-level disaster management initiated

The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday directed Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to interrogate West Bengal Minister of State for Education Paresh Chandra Adhikari over the appointment of his daughter as a teacher in a state-run school. Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay directed that the Minister should appear before the CBI authorities by Tuesday evening for interrogation over the allegations. A petitioner had approached the Court alleging that she was deprived from the job while the daughter of the minister got the job. The petitioner’s lawyer Firdous Shamim claimed that his client’s rank was 20 but suddenly it became 21 in the merit list. “Today it has become clear my client had secured 77 marks in the recruitment examination, while the minister’s daughter got only 61,” the lawyer said.  Babita Sarkar, the petitioner, said that just before the counseling, her rank had slipped from 20 to 21 and the name of the minister’s daughter, who was not in the earlier list, was included in the … [Read more...] about Calcutta HC directs CBI to question Bengal Minister over daughter’s appointment

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 8 ALISO VIEJO, Calif. (AP) — He was known by all as simply Dr. John, the quiet, calm physician who mentored kids in Kung Fu, finding time between patient appointments to encourage people to learn self-defense. So it was no surprise to friends and colleagues that John Cheng spent his final moments saving others by rushing a gunman who opened fire on a Southern California church of mostly older Taiwanese people, including Cheng’s recently widowed mother. The 52-year-old father of two was known for doing all he could to protect people. He was concerned enough about the growing number of mass shootings that he had taken safety courses to prepare himself for a situation like the one that cost him his life Sunday. “It was characteristic of Dr. Cheng to charge forward at that gunman,” said Erica Triplett, Cheng’s office manager. “It does not surprise any of us. … [Read more...] about Doctor who fought gunman remembered as epitome of kindness