Archives for 2022

FAIRFAX: A jury sided Wednesday with Johnny Depp in his libel lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard, awarding the “Pirates of the Caribbean” actor more than $10 million and vindicating his allegations that Heard lied about Depp abusing her before and during their brief marriage.

But in a split decision, the jury also found that Heard was defamed by one of Depp’s lawyers, who accused her of creating a detailed hoax that included roughing up the couple’s apartment to look worse for police. The jury awarded her $2 million.

The verdicts bring an end to a televised trial that Depp had hoped would help restore his reputation, though it turned into a spectacle that offered a window into a vicious marriage.

Heard, who was stoic in the courtroom as the verdict was read, said she was heartbroken.

“I’m even more disappointed with what this verdict means for other women. It’s a setback. It sets back the clock to a time when a woman who spoke up and spoke out could be publicly humiliated. It sets back the idea that violence against women is to be taken seriously,’’ she said in a statement posted on her Twitter account.

Depp, who was not in court Wednesday, said “the jury gave me my life back. I am truly humbled.”

“I hope that my quest to have the truth be told will have helped others, men or women, who have found themselves in my situation, and that those supporting them never give up,” he said in a statement posted to Instagram.

Depp sued Heard for libel in Fairfax County Circuit Court over a December 2018 op-ed she wrote in The Washington Post describing herself as “a public figure representing domestic abuse.” His lawyers said he was defamed by the article even though it never mentioned his name.

The jury found in Depp’s favor on all three of his claims relating to specific statements in the 2018 piece.

Throughout the proceedings, fans who were overwhelmingly on Depp’s side lined up overnight for coveted courtroom seats. Spectators who couldn’t get in gathered on the street to cheer Depp and jeer Heard whenever they appeared outside.

A crowd of about 200 people cheered when Depp’s lawyers came out after the verdict. “Johnny for president!” one man yelled repeatedly.

Greg McCandless, 51, a retired private detective from Reston, Virginia, stood outside the courthouse wearing a pirate hat and red head scarf, a nod to Depp’s famous role as Capt. Jack Sparrow in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” series.

“I do believe that there was defamation, and I do believe that it did hurt his career,” McCandless said. “I think the jury heard the evidence, and the verdict was just.”

In evaluating Heard’s counterclaims, jurors considered three statements by a lawyer for Depp who called her allegations a hoax. They found she was defamed by one of them, in which the lawyer claimed that she and friends “spilled a little wine and roughed the place up, got their stories straight,” and called police.

Sydni Porter, 30, drove an hour from her home in Maryland to show support for Heard. She said the verdict was disappointing, but not surprising, and sends a message to women that “as much evidence as you have (of abuse), it’s never going to be enough.”

The jury found Depp should receive $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, but the judge said state law caps punitive damages at $350,000, meaning Depp was awarded $10.35 million.

While the case was ostensibly about libel, most of the testimony focused on whether Heard had been physically and sexually abused, as she claimed. Heard enumerated more than a dozen alleged assaults, including a fight in Australia — where Depp was shooting a “Pirates of the Caribbean” sequel — in which Depp lost the tip of his middle finger and Heard said she was sexually assaulted with a liquor bottle.

Depp said he never hit Heard and that she was the abuser, though Heard’s attorneys highlighted years-old text messages Depp sent apologizing to Heard for his behavior as well as profane texts he sent to a friend in which Depp said he wanted to kill Heard and defile her dead body.

In some ways, the trial was a replay of a lawsuit Depp filed in the United Kingdom against a British tabloid after he was described as a “wife beater.” The judge in that case ruled in the newspaper’s favor after finding that Heard was telling the truth in her descriptions of abuse.

In the Virginia case, Depp had to prove not only that he never assaulted Heard, but that Heard’s article — which focused primarily on public policy related to domestic violence — defamed him. He also had to prove that Heard wrote the article with actual malice.

And to claim damages, he had to prove that her article caused the damage to his reputation as opposed to any number of articles before and after Heard’s piece that detailed the allegations against him.

The case captivated millions through its gavel-to-gavel television coverage, including impassioned followers on social media who dissected everything from the actors’ mannerisms to the possible symbolism of what they were wearing. Both performers emerge from the trial with reputations in tatters with unclear prospects for their careers.

Eric Rose, a crisis management and communications expert in Los Angeles, called the trial a “classic murder-suicide.”

“From a reputation-management perspective, there can be no winners,” he said. “They’ve bloodied each other up. It becomes more difficult now for studios to hire either actor because you’re potentially alienating a large segment of your audience who may not like the fact that you have retained either Johnny or Amber for a specific project because feelings are so strong now.”

Depp, a three-time best actor Oscar nominee, had until recent years been a bankable star. His turn as Sparrow helped turn the “Pirates of the Caribbean” into a global franchise, but he’s lost that role. He was also replaced in the third “Fantastic Beasts” spin-off film, “The Secrets of Dumbledore.”

Despite testimony at the trial that he could be violent, abusive and out of control, Depp received a standing ovation Tuesday night in London after performing for about 40 minutes with Jeff Beck at the Royal Albert Hall.

Heard’s acting career has been more modest, and her only two upcoming roles are in a small film and the upcoming “Aquaman” sequel due out next year.

Depp’s lawyers fought to keep the case in Virginia, in part because state law provided some legal advantages compared with California, where the two reside. A judge ruled that Virginia was an acceptable forum for the case because The Washington Post’s printing presses and online servers are in the county.

KOLKATA: Renowned Bollywood singer Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known as KK, had several heart blockages and he could have been saved if CPR was administered on time, a doctor who conducted autopsy said on Thursday.

KK died on Tuesday night due to a massive cardiac arrest after a live performance at Nazrul Mancha in Kolkata.

“He had a major blockage in the left main coronary artery and small blockages in various other arteries and sub-arteries. Excessive excitement during the live show caused stoppage of blood flow leading to cardiac arrest that claimed his life,” the medical practitioner told PTI on condition of anonymity.

The artiste could have been saved if someone had administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) immediately after he fell unconscious, the doctor said.

He said that the singer had prolonged cardiac problems which remained unaddressed.

“The vocalist had 80 per cent blockage in the left main coronary artery and small blockages in various other arteries and sub-arteries. None of the blockades were 100 per cent. During Tuesday’s performance, the singer was walking around and at times dancing with the crowd which created excessive excitement that caused stoppage of blood flow leading to cardiac arrest,” he said.

The doctor said that excessive excitement stopped blood flow for a few moments resulting in an irregular heartbeat for a very short time.

“As a result, KK fell unconscious and had a cardiac arrest. If CPR had been given immediately, the artiste could have been saved,” he said.

CPR is an emergency procedure comprising chest compressions as well as artificial ventilation to manually maintain brain function until further steps are taken to restore normal blood circulation and breathing in a person experiencing cardiac arrest.

The doctor said the autopsy revealed that the singer was on antacids “probably considering some pain which he mistook as digestive problems”.

Incidentally, a senior officer of Kolkata Police revealed that the singer’s wife has admitted that KK used to take a lot of antacids.

“He had told his wife during a telephonic conversation of experiencing pain in his arm and shoulders,” the IPS officer said.

Police has also recovered several strips of antacids from the hotel room where KK was staying.

The post-mortem examination, which lasted for nearly an-hour-and-a-half and was videographed, has rejected any foul play and suggested that the singer died because of a massive cardiac arrest after almost a three-hour performance.

Police have registered a case of unnatural death and started an investigation.

The vocalist, who is known for his versatility, has sung in different languages including Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi and Bengali.

Initial hits such as ‘Pyaar Ke Pal’ and ‘Yaaron’ made KK popular among the youths of the country.

As a playback singer, he has recorded Bollywood numbers such as ‘Ankhon Mein Teri’ (Om Shanti Om), ‘Zara Sa’ (Jannat), ‘Khuda Jaane’ (Bachna Ae Hasino) and ‘Tadap Tadap’ (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam).

NEW DELHI: The price for a commercial LPG cylinder has been reduced by Rs 135 with immediate effect from today. With the latest reduction, a 19-kg commercial Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder in Delhi will now cost Rs 2219.

Prior to the reduction in prices, the commercial LPG cylinder was priced at Rs 2454 in Kolkata, Rs 2306 in Mumbai, and Rs 2507 in Chennai. After the respite, the rate for a commercial LPG cylinder in Kolkata is now Rs 2322, Rs 2171.50 in Mumbai, and Rs 2373 in Chennai.

This reduction in price is only valid for commercial ones, and not the domestic LPG cylinders.

Earlier, in the first week of May, the price of an LPG cylinder was hiked by Rs 50.On May 1, the price of a 19-kilograms commercial LPG cylinder was increased by Rs 102.50, to Rs 2355.50.

Last month, on May 1, Oil marketing companies organized more than 5000 LPG panchayats on the occasion of Ujjwala Diwas, where apart from experience sharing, aimed at safe and sustained usage of LPG, all-out efforts were made to maximize customer enrolment.

NEW DELHI: A petrol pump dealers’ association has announced that no purchase of petrol and diesel will be done from oil marketing companies (OMC) on Tuesday as a mark of protest against no increase in the commission of petrol pumps by the OMCs.

“In 24 states in the country, we will not purchase petrol and diesel from oil marketing companies (OMC) on Tuesday, 31 May in protest of no revision in their commissions despite the rise in petrol and diesel prices,” said President, Delhi Petrol Dealers Association.

According to the Association, the dealer margins are to be revised every six months but the OMCs have not done the same since 2017 despite a steep increase in fuel prices and operational costs.

The Association said the reduction in prices of petrol and diesel by the central government through excise duty cut has put the burden on petrol pumps leading to further losses.

Earlier this month, in a significant step aimed at providing relief to people from high fuel prices, the Centre announced a reduction in excise duty on petrol by Rs 8 per litre and on diesel by Rs 6 per litre.

The states where the petrol dealers will join the protest include Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, Sikkim and West Bengal.

ALIGARH: A college professor here was sent on compulsory leave after a video showing him performing ‘namaz’ in the college lawns went viral and Hindu right-wing youth leaders demanded action against him.

The incident was reported in Sri Varshney College following which Professor S R Khalid was on Tuesday sent on one month’s compulsory leave.

A spokesman of the college told media that an inquiry has been ordered into the matter after some youth leaders belonging to the Bhartiya Janata Yuwa Morcha (BJYM) charged the teacher of indiscipline and trying to disturb peace by offering prayers at a public place.

A complaint in this connection was also filed at Kuwarsi police station.

Police said action in the matter will be taken after receiving a report from the college authorities.

Student leader Deepak Sharma Azaad told reporters that by offering ‘namaaz’ inside the college campus, the professor was trying to vitiate the peaceful atmosphere.

LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has spoken to his Pakistani counterpart, Shehbaz Sharif, for the first time since the latter’s election last month to discuss a range of topics, including bilateral trade and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Downing Street said the call between the leaders on Monday evening focussed on regional and international affairs, including the role of a new UK Trade Envoy to Pakistan – Conservative member of Parliament Mark Eastwood – appointed last year.

Johnson also thanked Pakistan for help in relocating Afghans to the UK after the Taliban takeover of Kabul.

“Welcoming the United Kingdom and Pakistan’s strong partnership over the past 75 years, the Prime Minister said the relationship is incarnated in the close ties between our people,” a Downing Street spokesperson said in a readout of the call.

“They agreed to strengthen those ties further and boost trade and investment, with the Prime Minister highlighting the appointment of a new UK Trade Envoy to Pakistan to drive those efforts,” the spokesperson said.

The readout added: “On international affairs, Prime Minister Sharif recognised the UK’s efforts to address the crisis in Ukraine, and the leaders agreed on the importance of ending the immense human suffering and global economic instability caused by the invasion.

“The Prime Minister thanked Pakistan for their help in relocating Afghans to the UK after the Taliban takeover of Kabul. The leaders welcomed ongoing cooperation and committed to work together to support a more peaceful and tolerant Afghanistan, noting the importance of ensuring girls can go to school.”

Sharif is said to have passed on his congratulations on Queen Elizabeth II’s upcoming Platinum Jubilee celebrations this weekend.

“The leaders looked forward to meeting in person in the near future,” Downing Street said.

PML-N leader Shehbaz Sharif took office in April this year after a no-confidence motion against former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.

CANBERRA: A record 13 women, including the first female Muslim, were sworn in as ministers in Australia’s new government on Wednesday.

The ceremony conducted by Governor-General David Hurley in the capital, Canberra, came 11 days after new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led the center-left Labor Party to an election victory over the incumbent conservatives.

“Proud to lead an inclusive government that is as diverse as Australia itself,” Albanese wrote on Twitter. “Welcome to all these new Labor members.”

Anne Aly was sworn in as Australia’s first female Muslim minister while Ed Husic became the first Muslim to serve in Cabinet

Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong were sworn in early last week so they could fly to Tokyo for a summit with President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Of the 30 ministers appointed to the new government, nearly half are women. Women also hold a record 10 spots out of 23 in core Cabinet roles. With some votes still to be counted from last month’s election, the Labor Party has secured enough seats to hold an outright majority in the 150-seat House.

Albanese’s Cabinet includes some new faces as well as some lawmakers who served in the previous Labor government that last held power nine years ago.

“We have an overflow of talent on our side of the parliament,” Albanese said, adding that “it’s the most experienced incoming Labor government in our history since federation.”

Albanese has been getting support from an unusual source: British singer-songwriter Billy Bragg.

Bragg wrote on Twitter that he’d awoken to find that “the new prime minister of Australia had quoted my lyrics in his first press conference.”  Bragg went on to say he wasn’t surprised as he’s been friends with Albanese for more than 20 years after they met at a theater in Sydney and bonded over a shared love of music and compassionate politics.

“The challenges he faces are daunting and I don’t envy him his success,” Bragg wrote. “Some of us just sing about making the world a better place ” he now has the responsibility of delivering on that promise.

LUCKNOW: A local court on Tuesday said that if the Hindu parties want to move an application for appointment of a commission to survey the Tilewali Masjid here, they may approach the civil judge before whom the regular suit pertaining to the issue is already pending.

The order came from the district court while hearing a civil revision petition by the Muslim side that challenged the order passed on September 25, 2017 by the civil judge declining to reject the regular suit entirely.

The regular suit was filed by Lord Shesh Nagesh Tileshwar Mahadev in the court of civil judge (junior division) South in the state capital in 2013.

In the suit, it is claimed that there is a temple of Lord Shesh Nagesh at Tilewali Masjid in Lucknow and it was being damaged by the defendants.

The plaintiff had demanded ownership right on the premises and also permission to offer prayers at the site.

When the regular suit was filed, it was opposed by the Muslim side which claimed that the suit was time-barred.

After hearing the parties, the civil judge declined to reject the entire suit on September 25, 2017.

Maulana Syed Shah Fazlur Rahman then moved the district judge on October 11, 2017 filing a civil revision against the order.

Meanwhile, the Hindu parties moved an application before the district judge seeking the appointment of a Commission to survey the premises, so that the site could be protected.

Additional District Judge Kalpana said that the application could be filed before the civil judge because the regular suit is still pending before it.

The ADJ, however, fixed July 2 as the next date for hearing the revision petition.

On the other hand, a fresh revision petition has been filed in a district court in Mathura urging it to direct a survey of the Shahi Idgah mosque and verify the claims of signs of a temple there.

“Additional District Judge Sanjay Chaudhary has set July 8 for the disposal of a revision application,” district government counsel Sanjai Gaur said on Tuesday.

Last week, Additional District Judge Sanjai Chaudhari, while disposing of a similar application, had directed a lower court to speedily decide the plea for appointing a court commissioner to survey the Shahi Idgah mosque and verify the claims of temple signs there.

The revision applications came after the lower court of civil judge (senior division), which is hearing a bunch of suits for the removal of Shahi Idgah Masjid from near the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple, on May 23 fixed the next hearing on July 1 on their application for appointing the survey commissioner.

The petitioners have been seeking an urgent order while expressing apprehension that the evidence of the temple structure may be damaged or destroyed.

The judge had decided to hear the matter on the reopening of courts after the summer vacation, instead of passing an order, the counsel for petitioner Dinesh Chandra Sharma, who has now moved the district court, said.

Sharma, treasurer of Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha, is among those who have filed the suits.

The petitioners had claimed in the earlier application that temple signs are present in the mosque, and had also expressed apprehension that the same (marks) may be disfigured, or destroyed by the defendant of the suit, Sharma said.

It has been requested in the revision application to cancel the order of the lower court and pass an order for the survey, the counsel for the petitioner said.

The lower court is hearing a bunch of suits for the removal of Shahi Idgah Masjid from near the Krishna Janmabhoomi temple in the Katra Keshav Dev Temple complex and subsequent interim applications for appointing a court commissioner to survey the mosque.

The petitioners have sought the mosque’s survey, claiming the existence of several signs of temples, like those of “om, swastika and lotus” inside it besides its alleged “Hindu architecture”.

The pleas have been filed by deity Thakur Keshav Dev Ji Maharaj virajman (in-situ) in its capacity as a juristic person, represented by advocates Mahendra Pratap Singh and Rajendra Maheshwari as its “next friend”, among others.

The other petitioners included United Hindu Front founder Jai Bhagwan Goyal, a Delhi resident, and Vrindavan’s Dharm Raksha Sangh president Saurabh Gaur.

The defendants are secretary Intezamia Committee Shahi Masjid Idgah, Mathura, chairman of UP Sunni Central Waqf Board Lucknow, managing trustee of Sri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan Mathura and secretary of Sri Krishna Janmabhumi Trust, Mathura.