Author: Divya Mahendru

On Wednesday, Dabur India disclosed that its subsidiaries are facing lawsuits from customers in the United States and Canada who claim that the usage of Dabur India’s hair relaxer products has resulted in health problems, including ovarian cancer and uterine cancer. Among the subsidiaries facing these lawsuits are Namaste Laboratories LLC (“Namaste”), Dermoviva Skin Essentials Inc. (“Dermoviva”), and Dabur International Ltd. (“DINTL”), all of which operate under the umbrella of Dabur India Limited. According to a filing made with the stock exchange, the lawsuits are currently in the initial stages of litigation, specifically within the pleadings and early discovery phases.…

India’s Supreme Court declined to legalise same-sex marriage on Tuesday, causing disappointment among numerous LGBTQ+ couples and activists.  In lieu of this, the court has opted to endorse the government’s proposal to establish a committee to assess the possibility of extending additional legal rights and benefits to same-sex couples. Activists and same-sex couples expressed their dismay with the verdict and affirmed their commitment to persist in their advocacy efforts. Chief Justice DY Chandrachud additionally called upon the government to safeguard the rights of the LGBTQ+ community and put an end to discrimination against them. This year, a five-judge bench considered…

This year marks the 31st iteration of International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Poverty manifests in various forms, adapting to different circumstances. It may signify hunger, inadequate housing, illness, or insufficient funds to meet essential requirements. Essentially, poverty denotes a state in which an individual lacks the financial means to satisfy their basic needs. Alarming statistics reveal a recent upturn in the global poverty rate, marking the first increase in two decades, while endeavours to diminish extreme poverty have encountered numerous setbacks. Worldwide, nearly 44 million people currently grapple with impoverished conditions. On this International Day for the Eradication…

In suburban Chicago, a 71-year-old man named Joseph Czuba is facing charges for the fatal stabbing and assault of a 6-year-old boy and the severe injury of a 32-year-old woman in Plainfield, Illinois. Authorities believe that their Muslim background was the motive behind the attack, and they have linked it to the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza. The assault on a Palestinian-American mother and her son, who were victims of this heinous crime, deeply disturbed President Biden. He expressed his profound distress over the incident, underscoring the connection between the attack and the ongoing violence in Israel and Gaza.…

On Friday, the British Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, strongly denounced the alarming increase in anti-Semitic incidents in the UK in the aftermath of Hamas’s violent attack on Israel. London’s Metropolitan Police have reported a significant surge in anti-Semitic crimes and occurrences since the beginning of the war. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor of the Metropolitan Police disclosed that from September 30 to October 13, there were 105 incidents of anti-Semitism and 75 anti-Semitic offences, a stark contrast to the 14 incidents and 12 offences recorded during the corresponding period the previous year. In a statement, UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak…

The White House announced on Friday that North Korea has sent over 1,000 containers of military equipment and munitions to Russia in the past few weeks for potential deployment in Ukraine.  White House national security spokesman John Kirby strongly criticised North Korea for supplying this military equipment to Russia.  U.S. intelligence agencies closely monitored the transportation of this military equipment and munitions, which was transported from North Korea on a Russian-flagged vessel to a Russian port and then further by rail to an ammunition depot located in close proximity to Ukraine, according to officials. High-ranking White House officials have expressed…

On Thursday, a jury delivered a verdict in the case involving the arrest of Elijah McClain by Aurora, Colorado police officers. Randy Roedema, one of the officers responsible for McClain’s arrest, was found guilty of criminally negligent homicide and assault. In contrast, the same jury acquitted Jason Rosenblatt, another officer who was jointly tried with Roedema, on manslaughter and assault charges. Notably, a third officer, who was the first to approach McClain, is currently facing charges and is awaiting an upcoming trial. After 16 hours of deliberation spanning three days, the jury reached a verdict. The announcement came at approximately…

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden denounced the weekend assault by Hamas militants on Israel, characterizing it as the most tragic day for Jews since the Holocaust, as the count of U.S. citizens who lost their lives in the conflict reached a minimum of 22. “This attack was a campaign of pure cruelty — not just hate, but pure cruelty — against the Jewish people,” Biden told Jewish leaders gathered at the White House. In a strong show of support for Israel, the US President expressed, “We are closely monitoring the situation in Israel, and my team and I, including the…

An exceedingly perilous hurricane called ‘Lidia’ has made landfall on the Pacific coast of Mexico, registering as a Category 4 storm with wind speeds reaching up to 140 mph (220 km/h). Local tourist destinations took precautions to shield themselves from heavy rainfall, potentially life-threatening winds, and flooding.  According to the US National Hurricane Center (NHC), Lidia reached an “extremely dangerous” intensity, with sustained winds of 140 miles per hour (225 kph) in the state of Jalisco. The affected area is a sparsely populated peninsula. The hurricane is currently tracking south of Puerto Vallarta, which may help mitigate the impact on…

The cherished US library system, once an international exemplar, faces a relentless assault from politicians, right-wing activists, and corporate publishers. These forces are actively undermining the core values of libraries, including promoting equal opportunity, ensuring universal education, and preserving cultural heritage. They stand in opposition to the majority of Americans who strongly support libraries. This hostile minority is turning librarianship into a perilous profession. It is imperative to halt this campaign against libraries. Amidst the backdrop of conservative parent groups initially opposing mask mandates during the pandemic and subsequently pivoting towards opposing the teaching of “critical race theory,” a new…