India’s parliament on Tuesday (July 26) passed a new labour law that allows children to work for their families, despite concerns by activists that it will hurt their development.
The Lok Sabha or the lower house approved a ban on all children under 14 from working, except if employed in family businesses or in the sports and entertainment industry.
The current law prohibits children under 14 from working only in hazardous jobs, although even this is not properly implemented, according to activists.
The government defended the decision to allow some forms of labour after school hours or during vacations, saying some children needed to learn traditional skills and that families needed a helping hand.
“The purpose of the bill is that we should be able to practically implement it. So we have given some exemptions,” junior labour and employment minister Bandaru Dattatreya told parliament.
“We have enabled many safeguards in the new bill,” he added.
Unicef decried the new provision in the law, saying the legitimisation of family work would further disadvantage children from poorer families.
“The proviso where the child helps his family or family enterprises, which is other than any hazardous occupations… raises serious concerns and is believed to impact the development and protection of the child,” it said in a statement.
Millions of children in India work as domestic servants and in factories, mines and many other areas, according to aid agencies and government figures.
India’s Nobel laureate and child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi said he was disappointed by the amended law.
“The Child Labour Amendment Bill 2016 is a missed opportunity to protect our children and generations to come,” he wrote on Twitter.
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)