Designer Anand Jon gets 59yrs for sex crimes

Designer Anand Jon gets 59 yrs for rape

LOS ANGELES: An Indian-born fashion designer convicted of sexually abusing a string of teenage girls and women was Monday sentenced to a minimum

of 59 years in jail by a Los Angeles judge.

Anand Jon Alexander, 35, whose clothes had reportedly been worn by celebrities including Paris Hilton and Mary J. Blige, was found guilty of 16 sex crimes, including forcible rape and sexual battery, at a trial in November.

Alexander represented himself at Monday's sentencing hearing, where he broke down in tears as he requested a new trial. The judge rejected his request.

Prosecutors at Los Angeles Superior Court had accused him of preying on a string of girls and women aged between 14 and 21 over a six-year period from 2002 to 2007.

Nine women testified against Alexander during his trial. Most of the designer's victims were aspiring models lured into meetings with Alexander and forced into sex, prosecutors said.

Alexander is also the subject of an indictment made up of similar allegations in New York, as well as an ongoing probe in Dallas.

22-year-old Andhra student dies in car accident in US

WASHINGTON: A 22-year-old student from Hyderabad was killed in a freak car accident in the US.

Naresh Dacha, first year MS (EE) student at Wright State University, was driving from his home to the university Monday morning along with his friend Varun when his car hit a tree on Route 22 in Dayton, Ohio.

The incident happened around 5.30 am when Naresh hit the tree in an effort to save a cat.

Varun, who was in the front passenger's seat, is safe with minor injuries, said Prasad Thotakura, president-elect of Telugu Association of North America (TANA).

"We have informed the parents of Naresh. We are making all the necessary arrangements to send the body of Naresh to Hyderabad as soon as possible," Thotakura said.

Naresh completed his BTech from Arora Engineering College, Bhuvangiri, Nalgonda district in 2008 and joined Wright State University in January 2009. He is survived by his parents and brother who live in Hyderabad.

"It is very sad to see a young bright student losing his life in a freak, horrific accident. Bhaskar Dacha, father of Naresh, was in a great shock seeking TANA help to send Naresh's body to Hyderabad to pay last respects to his beloved son," said Jayaram Komati, president, TANA.

Source: Times of India

India imported swine flu vaccine

NEW DELHI: India will vaccinate 20 lakh healthcare and emergency services personnel against the deadly H1N1 virus by the end of January using an

imported swine flu vaccine.

The health ministry has set aside Rs 100 crore as an interim budget to purchase these vaccines from any one of the four international manufacturers — Novartis, GSK, Sanofi Pasteur and Baxter — whose candidates are presently undergoing human trials.

However, India has one clear condition — the vaccine would have to undergo safety and efficacy trials on the Indian population before being used in the country.

According to experts, the vaccine may behave differently in Indians in comparison to people of other nationalities and may cause serious side effects like paralysis, urticaria and toxic reactions. Refusing to accept data from the trials conducted in foreign countries, ICMR director general Dr V M Katoch wrote to all four companies making it clear that even if it was not a largescale trial, the companies would have to atleast undertake a two-month bridge study on around 500 healthy volunteers.

Novartis and GSK have agreed to initiate a bridge study in India while the other two are yet to get back.

The global vaccines are expected to be available by October-end. It will then undergo a two-month bridge study in India. If found to be safe and efficacious in the Indian population, the two-dose vaccine, expected to cost around Rs 500 per dose, will be imported for frontline health workers dealing with H1N1 cases.

India’s indigenous vaccine being developed by Serum Institute, Bharat Biotech and Panacea Biotech is expected to be ready by April. The Indian vaccine will then be picked up by the government at a much cheaper price to vaccinate other high risk groups like children younger than five years old, people suffering from chronic health disorders and pregnant women.

Speaking to TOI, Dr Katoch said, "India can’t use a new vaccine against a completely novel virus without being sure that it is safe and effective for the Indian population. Till now, two of the foreign companies have agreed to carry out bridge studies in India. If all four companies carry out the study and their vaccines prove safe, we will then buy from whoever gives us the cheapest price. To start with, we will use it on healthcare workers for which we would require around 40 lakh doses of the imported vaccine."

According to director general of health services Dr R K Srivastava, countries like UK, France and US have booked vaccines from these international manufacturers under an advance purchase agreement. This is because the candidate vaccines have been tried on their population which isn’t the case with India.

An official said, "Even though these companies knew that most of their vaccines will be purchased by developing countries like India and China, they didn’t conduct trials here."

AP News: rains forcast in Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad, Aug 31 : Widespread rains have been forcast in Andhra Pradesh in the next two or three days following the formation of a trough which is expected to develop into a low pressure in the Bay of Bengal even as two people died today.

According to weather office here today, the trough would develop into a system bringing more rains to the state.

The upper air cyclonic circulation over west central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal extending upto mid-tropospheric level persists. Under its influence, a low pressure area may form over west central Bay of Bengal and neighbourhood during next 48 hours.

Another upper air cyclonic circulation system over south Rajasthan and adjoining Gujarat and neighbourhood, persists, extending upto lower-tropospheric level.

Hyderabad city received 10 cms of rains during the last ten hours, ending at 0830 hrs this morning. One person was electrocuted in the Chaderghat area while police found a body in a nullah in the city.

Several low-lying areas in the city were inundated and hundreds of people marooned. Several areas plunged into darkness due to disruption in electrical supply. Traffic jams were witnessed in seveal places due to water logging and overflowing of the drains.

The chief amounts of rainfall recorded in cm are Elamanchili 5, Srungavarapukota 4, Salur 3, Komarada and Parvathipuram 2 each.

Light to moderate rain or thundershowers are likely to occur at a few places in the districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam and East Godavari of Coastal Andhra Pradesh.

Isolated rain or thundershowers are likely to occur in the remaining districts of Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Rayalaseema.