NEW DELHI: A major earthquake has hit Nepal near the Chinese border between the capital of Kathmandu and Mount Everest, with at least four confirmed dead less than three weeks after a massive quake struck the South Asian country.
An official with an International Organization for Migration said a number of buildings collapsed in the isolated town of Chautara after Nepal's earthquake, with at least four people were killed.
IOM spokesman Paul Dillon said a search and rescue team had already begun searching through the wreckage of the little town.
Chautara has become a hub for humanitarian aid in the wake of the April 25 quake, with dozens of aid workers now based there to send help deeper into the countryside.
The US Geological Survey said the quake hit with a magnitude of 7.3 around 12.35 pm today, 68 kilometres west of the town of Namche Bazar near the Everest base camp. Tuesday's quake was deeper, however, coming from a depth of 18.5 kilometers (11.5 miles) versus the April 25th quake that hit 15 kilometers (9.3 miles). More shallow earthquakes tend to cause more damage at the surface.
The tremors in Kathmandu lasted close to a minute according to an AFP correspondent in the city, with the ground swaying. Sirens could be heard soon afterwards.
In India, the Home Ministry said there were not one but two earthquakes -- one in Nepal and the other in Afghanistan (6.9 on the Richter scale).
This comes after an earthquake on April 25 killed more than 8,150 people and injured more than 17,860 as it flattened mountain villages and destroyed buildings.
The quake's epicentre was close to the Everest Base Camp, which was evacuated after an avalanche triggered by the April 25 earthquake killed 18 climbers. Mountaineers seeking to scale the world's tallest peak have called off this year's Everest season.
Man who attempted suicide after sedating wife and children, dies
VENJARAMOODU: A man who was admitted in the hospital after he tried to set himself on fire by dousing kerosene on his body died here Sunday. He took the extreme step after sedating his wife and children by giving sleeping pills. The dead identified as Sathyan (50) of Vattappara died last night at the medical college hospital.
Sathyan offered juice mixed with sleeping pills to his family last Tuesday. His wife Vatsala (48), daughter Divya (20), son Vishnu (17) and a relative Nithya (28) are undergoing treatment.
Doctor held for selling abortion pill at exorbitant price
THRISSUR: A doctor was held for selling abortion pills at an exorbitant price at a private clinic near educational institutions. Dr P Abdul Jaleel, owner of Sins Clinic in Kozhikode was taken into custody by the drugs controller intelligence. A case has been registered against the doctor as per drug control act and the offence is sure to imprison him for atleast seven years.
Dr Jaleel misused the act relaxed for private doctors to sell medicine without license. The price of the tablet kit containing four is Rs 850. The company will give three as free when the seller buys one and the maximum price for it is Rs 230, but the doctor used to charge Rs 2900.
Though abortion is legalized in India, it will be permitted only in emergency situations. The doctor should directly examine the health condition of the woman undergoing abortion. However, Dr Jaleel supplies medicine whoever goes there. The drugs control department obtained secret information about it four months back. The sudden financial growth of the doctor surprised everyone. His clinic in a rented building was soon shifted to his own building. He owned many vehicles.
Medicine demanded was given to an official of the drugs control department without any question. As a bill was not provided, the official sought the help of a panchayat member. According to that, he reached the clinic along with the panchayat member with specially marked notes. The doctor was caught red-handed when he was trying to give the medicine after accepting money. Almost ten tablets were seized from the clinic.
Deputy drugs controller Ravi S Menon said that this is the first case registered in India. The team consisted of drugs intelligence inspector Shaji M Varghese, regional drug inspector Subhash Menon, inspectors Harish Kumar, Deny Mathew, Mahalakshmi and Shanthikrishna.
Dr Jaleel misused the act relaxed for private doctors to sell medicine without license. The price of the tablet kit containing four is Rs 850. The company will give three as free when the seller buys one and the maximum price for it is Rs 230, but the doctor used to charge Rs 2900.
Though abortion is legalized in India, it will be permitted only in emergency situations. The doctor should directly examine the health condition of the woman undergoing abortion. However, Dr Jaleel supplies medicine whoever goes there. The drugs control department obtained secret information about it four months back. The sudden financial growth of the doctor surprised everyone. His clinic in a rented building was soon shifted to his own building. He owned many vehicles.
Medicine demanded was given to an official of the drugs control department without any question. As a bill was not provided, the official sought the help of a panchayat member. According to that, he reached the clinic along with the panchayat member with specially marked notes. The doctor was caught red-handed when he was trying to give the medicine after accepting money. Almost ten tablets were seized from the clinic.
Deputy drugs controller Ravi S Menon said that this is the first case registered in India. The team consisted of drugs intelligence inspector Shaji M Varghese, regional drug inspector Subhash Menon, inspectors Harish Kumar, Deny Mathew, Mahalakshmi and Shanthikrishna.
One dies in accident
ALAPPUZHA: One person was killed and eight injured after three cars collided at Harippad Monday morning. The condition of four is stated to be serious. The dead has been identified as Gopalakrishna Kurup (70).
The car in which Kurup was travelling with his family and proceeding to Amritha Hospital for treatment first collided with one Sharat‘s (27) car. Another car which came behind struck the other two cars.
Kurup’s children Sreejith, Sreeja, her children Anakha and Ashwin, car driver Shashi Kumar, Sharat’s father Rajendran and mother Shantha are the injured. The condition of Sreeja, her children and Shashi Kumar are very serious and have been admitted at the Alappuzha Medical College Hospital.
The car in which Kurup was travelling with his family and proceeding to Amritha Hospital for treatment first collided with one Sharat‘s (27) car. Another car which came behind struck the other two cars.
Kurup’s children Sreejith, Sreeja, her children Anakha and Ashwin, car driver Shashi Kumar, Sharat’s father Rajendran and mother Shantha are the injured. The condition of Sreeja, her children and Shashi Kumar are very serious and have been admitted at the Alappuzha Medical College Hospital.
Bar scam: Nod for subjecting driver Ambili for lie detector test
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Thiruvananthapuram vigilance court Monday permitted to subject Ambili, driver of Biju Ramesh, bar association working president, for a lie detector test, in connection with the bar scam involving Finance Minister K M Mani. The court directed forensic lab officials to fix a date for the test.
Ambili had told vigilance that it was he who transported Rs 35 lakh from the one core to Mani at his house in Palai. He had stated that the money was safely kept in bar owner Sreevatsan’s house and later handed it over to Mani after making sure that he was in his house. Meantime, Ambili told reporters that he will not run away from the lie detector test.
Ambili had told vigilance that it was he who transported Rs 35 lakh from the one core to Mani at his house in Palai. He had stated that the money was safely kept in bar owner Sreevatsan’s house and later handed it over to Mani after making sure that he was in his house. Meantime, Ambili told reporters that he will not run away from the lie detector test.
Jayalalithaa acquitted, set to return as CM
BENGALURU: AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa was Monday acquitted by the Karnataka High Court in the 19-year-old disproportionate assets case, a verdict that is sure to put her back in the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister's seat.
"All the appeals have been upheld and the convicts have been acquitted," Justice C R Kumaraswamy said as he read out the operative part of the judgment at 11 am sharp, a minute after entering the jam-packed court and the whole proceedings wrapped up in about four minutes.
Setting aside the trial court verdict, the single bench judge also exonerated AIADMK chief's close aide Sasikala Natarajan and the latter's relatives J Elavarasi and V N Sudhakaran, disowned foster son of Jayalalithaa, giving relief from the conviction of four years for all.
As the judge was still in his seat completing formalities after reading out the operative portions, AIADMK supporting advocates present in large numbers in the court hall congratulated each other and also gestured to the judge raising their hands in gratitude.
As the judge left the court room, the advocates lifted one of their senior colleagues on their shoulders raising slogans praising Jayalalithaa, to which few senior lawyers and police officials objected asking them to respect the decorum of the court.
Welcoming the verdict, Jayalalithaa said, "It has confirmed that I have done no wrong. The case was foisted by political enemies.
The judgment came on appeals filed by Jayalalithaa and three others against the verdict of Special Court Judge John Michael D'Cunha who had on September 27 last held her and three others guilty of corruption. He had awarded four years jail term, due to which the AIADMK supremo attracted disqualification as an MLA.
The lower court judgment automatically disqualified Jayalalithaa as an MLA and unseated her from the chief minister's post. Now with the High Court's clean chit, she is expected to assume reins of office at Fort St George, with the judgment coming as a significant political turnaround just one year ahead of Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.
EC sources said Jayalalithaa will have to contest the election again to become a member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
Speaking to reporters outside the court, B Kumar, senior counsel for Jayalalithaa said the prosecution case made by the "then DMK government now stands dismissed".
"The consequence of this pronouncement is that she is entitled to resume the office of Chief Minister," a beaming Kumar said.
"All the appeals have been upheld and the convicts have been acquitted," Justice C R Kumaraswamy said as he read out the operative part of the judgment at 11 am sharp, a minute after entering the jam-packed court and the whole proceedings wrapped up in about four minutes.
Setting aside the trial court verdict, the single bench judge also exonerated AIADMK chief's close aide Sasikala Natarajan and the latter's relatives J Elavarasi and V N Sudhakaran, disowned foster son of Jayalalithaa, giving relief from the conviction of four years for all.
As the judge was still in his seat completing formalities after reading out the operative portions, AIADMK supporting advocates present in large numbers in the court hall congratulated each other and also gestured to the judge raising their hands in gratitude.
As the judge left the court room, the advocates lifted one of their senior colleagues on their shoulders raising slogans praising Jayalalithaa, to which few senior lawyers and police officials objected asking them to respect the decorum of the court.
Welcoming the verdict, Jayalalithaa said, "It has confirmed that I have done no wrong. The case was foisted by political enemies.
The judgment came on appeals filed by Jayalalithaa and three others against the verdict of Special Court Judge John Michael D'Cunha who had on September 27 last held her and three others guilty of corruption. He had awarded four years jail term, due to which the AIADMK supremo attracted disqualification as an MLA.
The lower court judgment automatically disqualified Jayalalithaa as an MLA and unseated her from the chief minister's post. Now with the High Court's clean chit, she is expected to assume reins of office at Fort St George, with the judgment coming as a significant political turnaround just one year ahead of Assembly elections in Tamil Nadu.
EC sources said Jayalalithaa will have to contest the election again to become a member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
Speaking to reporters outside the court, B Kumar, senior counsel for Jayalalithaa said the prosecution case made by the "then DMK government now stands dismissed".
"The consequence of this pronouncement is that she is entitled to resume the office of Chief Minister," a beaming Kumar said.
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