Month: April 2025

[ad_1] CHENNAI: A child's trauma at being sexually abused by her father, a mother's initial attempt to protect her without reporting the crime, a phone call from an aunt in Singapore that led to the ghastly secret inadvertently tumbling out, and a long, bumpy road to justice.Seven years of silence, fear, doubt, blackmail and legal complexities culminated recently in a Pocso trial court verdict that sent the convicted offender - a Chennai builder - to 20 years in jail. The abuse had started in April 2018, with the father targeting his then five-year-old daughter on the pretext of bathing her. When the child complained to her mother about what she was being subjected to, it led to regular fights between husband and wife.The child, already traumatised, further withdrew into her shell when she saw her parents quarrel. The abuse continued, […]

[ad_1] Pharma major Roche may have earned over a hundred times what risdiplam, a drug used to treat spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), should cost to bring to market according to calculations by public health activists. After Roche declined to share information on the cost of clinical trials, Knowledge Ecology International (KEI), a US-based non-profit working on access to affordable medicines, calculated the costs and pegged them at about $50 million. Roche earned $5.8 billion from the sale of risdiplam in the 2021-2024 period, about 115 times the calculated cost.In response to the calculations sent to it by KEI, Roche stated: "Only a small fraction of projects make it 'from bench to bedside' and we have to absorb the cost of failing projects as well, while your calculation only addresses successful development. Similarly, our dedication to innovation extends to the continuous […]

[ad_1] A new request from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) while processing H-1B visa applications (Form I-129) and also while processing applications for employment-linked green cards is perplexing attorneys and H-1B beneficiaries who are sponsored for the visa or green card.The spate of inquiries from USCIS has gained momentum over last week. “The request for evidence (RFE) states: We have encountered potentially ‘adverse information’ related to the beneficiary. To continue processing your application or petition, we require an updated address for the beneficiary so that we may collect biometric data. Please submit the beneficiary’s current and updated residential address.”This has prompted the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) to issue a ‘Practice Alert’ for its members and also to reach out to USCIS. It has reminded the immigration agency that if it does have any adverse information, it is […]

[ad_1] DHAKA: A Dhaka court has ordered the issuance of an arrest warrant through the Interpol against Saima Wazed Putul, daughter of ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in connection with a plot allocation corruption case.Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Zakir Hossain issued the order on Sunday, following an application by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).Hasina's daughter, Saima Wazed, is currently serving as the regional director of the World Health Organization (South-East Asia Region).According to a media report, quoting court and ACC sources, the commission had requested the issuance of the Interpol warrant, and the court granted the request after a hearing.On April 10, the court had ordered arrest warrants against Hasina and Wazed in the same corruption case. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: China has sought an "impartial" probe into the Pahalgam terror attack while backing Pakistan's "legitimate" security concerns and calling upon both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint. Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi spoke to his Pakistan counterpart Ishaq Dar Sunday and also supported Pakistan's efforts to safeguard its sovereignty and security interests.According to a Chinese readout, Wang told Dar that as a hardcore friend and all-weather strategic partner, China fully understands the legitimate security concerns of the Pakistani side and supports it in safeguarding its sovereignty and security interests. China had earlier condemned the terrorist attack in Kashmir's Pahalgam but also worked with Pakistan last week to water down a UNSC condemnation of the April 22 attack on tourists. Wang spoke to Dar amid the threat of an armed conflict between India and Pakistan."China supports an impartial […]

[ad_1] INDORE: A van rammed into a bike, killing the biker on the spot, before veering off the road and plunging into a well, resulting in the death of 10 passengers and critical injury to four others in Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur district on Sunday afternoon.A local villager (42), who managed to rescue three passengers, died after inhaling toxic gas in the well.A Special Disaster Emergency Response Force team deployed a crane to retrieve the van - which was en route to Aantari Mata Temple in Neemuch's Manasa - from the well. They pumped out 8 to 10 feet of water to ensure no one remained trapped inside.The four injured, including a three-year-old girl and a 10-year-old boy, were admitted to Mandsaur district hospital.Deputy CM Jagdish Devda, along with district collector Aditi Garg and SP Abhishek Anand, supervised the rescue operations. […]

[ad_1] LUCKNOW: Barely a few paces from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly in Lucknow, fearless touts at an Aadhaar Seva Kendra (ASK) promise and deliver anything for a price. They even conjure up a name uncannily similar to that of deputy CM Brajesh Pathak.When this reporter visited the Vidhan Sabha Marg-based Ratan square complex to test a widely rumoured tout racket, he was in for many surprises. The crowded Aadhaar Kendra had touts lurking everywhere, among them three young women in their mid-20s who were also part of the syndicate.One such tout, who identified himself as Rajesh, approached this reporter. "I'm from Bakshi Ka Talab area and a huge admirer of deputy CM Brajesh Pathak. I wish to change my name from Brijesh Pathak to Brajesh Pathak, but there are no documents to support this," the reporter dropped the bait. "Ho […]

[ad_1] SRINAGAR: The required war on terrorism should not make innocent Kashmiris collateral damage, Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, and People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone have warned amid a massive crackdown on terrorists, including demolition of their family homes, in the Pahalgam attack aftermath.“Punish the guilty, show them no mercy, but don’t let innocent people become collateral damage… There must be a decisive fight against terrorism and its origins. The people of Kashmir have come out openly against terrorism. It’s time to build on this support and avoid any misplaced action that alienates people,” Omar said.Earlier, National Conference MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi alleged on X, “Kashmir and Kashmiris are being given collective punishment.”Mehbooba said the Union govt should tread carefully and avoid alienating innocent people while acting against terrorists. “There are reports of thousands […]

[ad_1] TOI Correspondent from London: Hundreds of Indian-origin supporters gathered Sunday outside the Indian high commission in London, overwhelming a small protest organised by British Pakistanis aimed at “rejecting Indian propaganda” following the April 22 Pahalgam terrorist attack that left 26 people dead, mostly tourists.While about 50 people turned up for the Pakistan protest opposite the high commission, hundreds of PIOs (persons of Indian origin) filled the area in front of the mission building. The Indian side, separated by police barricades, displayed a massive Tricolour on the building and used a loudspeaker to outvoice the Pakistani protesters, singing the national anthem and chanting “Jai Shri Ram”, “Vande Mataram”, and “Bharat Mata Ki Jai”. Some could be seen shaking water bottles.The Pakistani protesters raised slogans against PM Narendra Modi and shouted “Pakistan Zindabad”, but lacked placards and enthusiasm. “This is a […]