Chicago Mom Strangled In Garage Allegedly By 63-Year-Old Boyfriend

Sierra Jamison, a health care worker and mother of a 6-year-old boy, was found dead inside a garage near her home in Chicago on Monday, US media said quoting cops.

Jamison was strangled by her boyfriend, 63-year-old Lawrence Boyle, who was arrested Wednesday, news agency HuffPost reported quoting Chicago Police officials.

On Monday evening, Jamison told her mother that she was going to park her Jeep. It was then that she was murdered by her boyfriend, said cops.

Boyle was already waiting for Jamison at the garage.

Boyle, who was already waiting for Jamison at the garage, allegedly strangled her, took her phone and covered her body with a tarp, cops said further.

When Jamison did not return home and was unresponsive to calls and texts, her mother asked her brother to check on her, the report said.

Her brother claims he found Boyle outside the garage with Jamison's phone.

Boyle claimed that she had thrown it at him and left to go to the store, according to charging documents from the Chicago Police Department, the news agency report added.

Not convinced by Boyle's story, Jamison's mother then went to inspect the garage herself, where she found her daughter's body under the tarp, it said.

After leaving the garage, Boyle called his ex-wife and confessed strangling Jamison, according to the police document.

On Wednesday, Boyle turned himself in.

Boyle and Jamison had been friends for around a decade but they began dating a few weeks ago.

Sadina Jamison, Sierra's aunt, told CBS Chicago that Boyle had been someone Sierra had trusted and who "she was comfortable around" and had "no reason to fear."

Sierra Jamison was killed just a month after speaking out about violence against Black women.

Jamison was the victim of an attempted carjacking but bravely fought off the perpetrator. A group of women in the area came to her aid and she was able to escape unscathed.

She shared her experiences with news channel CBS Chicago, hoping her story would empower other Black women who had been victims of violent crimes.

She told the outlet: "They literally stepped in and helped me. It was a lot of Black empowerment, women empowerment, that day."

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Parineeti-Raghav Wedding: Gidda During Haldi, Asian Cuisine For Guests

Parineeti Chopra and Raghav Chadha's pre-wedding festivities are going on in full swing. The couple will get married tomorrow in Udaipur in the presence of close friends and family members. On Saturday, haldi ceremony took place in the morning. The bride-to-be and the bridegroom-to-be participated in the ceremony together. During haldi ceremony, ladkiwale and ladkewale performed Gidda (a Punjabi folk dance). Apart from haldi ceremony, welcome lunch was arranged for the guests. Asian and Indian cuisine were on the menu. In the evening, a 90's-theme based sangeet took place.

Uncertainty looms large over the guest list at Parineeti-Raghav's wedding. As per sources, Akshay Kumar will give the wedding a miss as he is not in the country. Manish Malhotra, who was supposed to arrive in Udaipur today, couldn't make it. He will reportedly arrive tomorrow with filmmaker Karan Johar. The biggest question remains whether Priyanka Chopra will attend the wedding or not.

On Saturday morning, Priyanka wished her sister Tisha (Parineeti is fondly called by this name) on Instagram. Sharing a happy picture of Parineeti, Priyanka wrote in the caption, "I hope you are as happy and as content as this on your big day little one...Always wishing you so much love...#Newbeginning." She also shared a video from an LA based farm that she visited with her brother-in-law Franklin Jonas and daughter Malti Marie, prompting conjectures that she might not attend the wedding.

On Saturday evening, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann arrived in Udaipur to attend the wedding. They also attended Raghav Chadha's engagement party in Delhi in May.

On Sunday, a sehrabandi will be held for Raghav Chadha and the baraat will then travel by boat from the iconic Lake Palace to the wedding venue. The jaimala, pheras and vidaai will end by 6.30pm after which a reception will be held.

Parineeti Chopra and Raghav Chadha got engaged in the presence of family members and friends in May in Delhi's Kapurthala House. Sharing pictures from their dreamy engagement, Parineeti wrote, "Everything I prayed for... I said yes." Take a look at the pictures here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by @parineetichopra

According to news agency ANI, Parineeti and Raghav have studied together at the London School of Economics. The two have been friends for a long time now.

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"Won't Let It Get Implemented Unless...": Uma Bharti On Women's Quota Bill

Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Uma Bharti on Saturday said that she would not let the Women's Reservation Bill get implemented unless it takes into account the OBCs.

"I represent half of the population of the country. We have accepted the bill which accounts for 33% reservation to women, but I will not let the bill get implemented unless it takes into account the OBCs", Uma Bharti said while speaking to reporters in Madhya Pradesh's Bhopal.

"The backward class people account for a major section of society. I want to appeal to the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister to provide 50% reservation to women in the upcoming elections. That too, with reservation to women belonging to Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe included", she added.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ms Bharti wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the tabling of the women's reservation Bill, demanding that of the 33-per cent reservation assured for women in the legislative bodies, 50 per cent should be set aside for ST, SC and OBC communities.

In her letter, a copy of which is with the ANI, Ms Bharti wrote, "The introduction of the women's reservation Bill in the parliament is a matter of happiness for the women of the country. When this special reservation was presented in the House by the then Prime Minister Deve Gowda in 1996, I was a member of Parliament. I immediately stood up and moved an amendment to this Bill and more than half of the House supported me. Deve Gowda happily accepted the amendment. He announced the handing over of the Bill to the Standing Committee."

"There was a lot of uproar in the House before it was adjourned. As soon as she came to the corridor of the House, many MPs from her party were angry but late former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee gave her a patient listening. Despite being staunch political opponents, Mulayam Singh Yadav, Lalu Yadav, and their party MPs were all in favour of the amendment, she wrote.

She added in her letter, "I am presenting a proposal for an amendment before you (PM Modi) as well. I am confident that you will get this Bill passed with the proposed amendments. 33% reservation for women in legislative bodies is a special provision. However, it should be ensured that of these 33 per cent reserved seats, 50 per cent are set aside for ST, SC and OBC women."

There is a provision for special reservations for backward caste women in Panchayati Raj and local bodies, she noted in her letter, adding that backward women from the Muslim community, recognised as such by the Mandal Commission, should also be considered for reservation in legislative bodies. If this Bill is passed without this special provision, then the women from the backward classes will be deprived of this special opportunity, she added.

"Although the MPs of our party and other parties, especially the Left and Congress MPs, were very angry with me, some senior leaders of our party supported me. As long as I was with you in the cabinet for five years, whenever the issue of women's reservation was raised, I would insist that it should be balanced and holistic," Ms Bharti wrote.

"I am no longer in the Parliament but the backward, Dalit and tribal sections of the country are confident that our government will clear the Bill after taking interests into consideration," she added.

The Women Quota Bill, which provides for 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha as well as the state legislative assemblies, cleared its final legislative hurdle at the Rajya Sabha on Thursday with 214 members voting in support and none against.

Earlier on Wednesday, the Bill got the nod of the Lok Sabha as it was passed with a brute majority of 454 votes in favour and just 2 against.

Even as some Opposition members flagged concerns over the delay in implementation of the Bill, the Centre maintained that it would implemented after due process.

The Rajya Sabha had earlier passed the Women's Reservation Bill in 2010 during the Congress-led UPA government but it was not taken up in the Lok Sabha and subsequently lapsed in the Lower House.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Video: Noida Woman Grabs Man's Collar, Slaps Him Over Missing Dog Poster

A fight erupted between a man and a woman in a Noida housing society over the removal of a missing dog poster. A video of the incident, which went viral on social media, shows the woman abusing the man while grabbing his T-shirt's collar and pulling his hair. In the video, the woman asks the man, "Is the Apartment Owners Association (AOA) more authoritative than the Supreme Court?". Despite the man's attempts to calm her down, she continues to push him, pull his hair, and eventually slaps him.

Reacting to the now-viral video, Noida police said on X (formerly Twitter), "A case has been registered at the police station in Noida Sector-113 in connection with the incident. The fight broke out between the president of Aims Golf Avenue Society and one of its residents."

The Police Commissionerate Gautam Buddh Nagar's official Twitter account also took note of the incident saying in a post on X, "In the mentioned incident, a dispute arose between the society's president and a woman at AIMS GOLF AVENUE Society in Sector-75 regarding a missing dog poster. A case was registered at Sector 113 police station in Noida."

उक्त प्रकरण में AIMS GOLF AVENUE सोसायटी सेक्टर-75 में सोसायटी के प्रेसिडेंट व महिला के बीच मिसिंग कुत्ते के पोस्टर को लेकर विवाद हो गया था। थाना सेक्टर-113 नोएडा पर अभियोग पंजीकृत है, निरोधात्मक कार्यवाही की जा चुकी है।

— POLICE COMMISSIONERATE GAUTAM BUDDH NAGAR (@noidapolice) September 23, 2023

The video has been widely shared on social media platforms drawing sharp reactions from several users.

An X user commented, "This lady should be arrested along with the man who was involved.'"

"Another user said, "This woman should be arrested immediately; she is beating the man."

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Amid Rumours Of Nayanthara-Atlee's Rift, SRK Says This About Narmada

Shah Rukh Khan hosted an Ask Me Anything session on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Friday. The actor, basking in the bumper success of  Jawan, replied to fans keeping his signature wit alive. However, Shah Rukh Khan's one reply can be taken into a special context as a report suggested that everything is not fine between the film's director Atlee and Nayanthara. One fan shared her feelings and wrote on X, "I loved Azad's bond with Suji ...the single mom storyline was so subtly done and really refreshing. Thank you for representing women from all walks of life. Love you Shah." Shah Rukh Khan replied to this, "I also felt that the story of Narmada as a single mom was amazing. Unfortunately in the scheme of things couldn't find more screen time but as is was also wonderful." For context, Nayanthara played the character of Narmada in the film while Shah Rukh Khan played Azad.

Take a look at Shah Rukh Khan's reply here:

I also felt that the story of Narmada as a single mom was amazing. Unfortunately in the scheme of things couldn't find more screen time but as is was also wonderful. #Jawan https://t.co/QStZVAOMxC

— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) September 22, 2023

A source told Hindustan Times, "She [Nayanthara] has been very upset with Atlee because her role was chopped in the film. Also, Deepika's [Padukone] character was elevated and Nayanthara's part was significantly sidelined."  Deepika has a "special appearance" in the film as Vikram Rathod's (SRK) wife. The source stated that "it was not a cameo" instead Jawan was made to look like a "SRK-Deepika" film. "It was not a cameo at all. Jawan was almost made to look like an SRK-Deepika film. Nayanthara is the leading actor down south, and hence, she was not happy with the treatment of Jawan. And that can never well be the reason why we might not see her in a Bollywood project, at least not anytime soon," the source added.

Asked about Nayanthara being MIA from promotional events and the success press meet, the source clarified that the actress follows a "no promotion policy because of her bad experiences in the past. "Nayanthara follows a no promotion policy for her films because of her bad experiences in the past when she was misquoted and because she feels that her job is to act and not get involved in the promotional activities," the source said.

However, amid such reports, Nayanthara wished Atlee on his birthday. Sharing a BTS picture, Nayanthara wrote, "Happy Birthday Atlee. So proud of you." Nayanthara didn't attend the Jawan press meet due to her mother's birthday. The actor sent her virtual message and congratulated the cast and crew.

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Opinion: Regime-Change Attempts in Bangladesh? PM Sheikh Hasina Thinks So

In April, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina accused the United States of pursuing a regime change in her nation. "They are trying to eliminate democracy and introduce a government that will not have a democratic existence," she said. This came on the back of the US castigating India's neighbour for human rights abuses. Despite the country having done well economically under Sheikh Hasina, reports of discontent against the ruling Awami League were shared in American political circles. However, PM Hasina's allegations seem to have found purchase as India has cautioned the US about interference in Bangladeshi elections.

Secretary of State Anthony Blinken announced visa restrictions on Bangladeshi officials in June, and was met with assurances and arguments from Sheikh Hasina's government. While a country reserves the right to offer entry to foreign visitors, government officials involved in trade and policy are often issued tangible reasoning for being denied access instead of unilateral accusations of participating in "democratic backsliding". At the same time, members of the Bangladeshi government wrote to Blinken with video evidence of Bangladesh's opposition vowing to obstruct elections, and requesting that the new American visa policy towards Bangladeshi officials apply equally to establishment and opposition. It may be seen as hypocritical that no official representative of the US is concerned about actual obstructions to free and fair elections in a democracy, as long as they stem from an opposition.

With trade and exports as a matter of constant discussion between governments, Dhaka has been forced to issue statements to mollify the US government, while also accusing them of fomenting unrest with the intent to change the government at the Centre. The US had previously imposed sanctions on officers of Bangladesh's Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and the Bangladesh Police in 2021. The same year, the US did not invite the Asian democracy to their Summit for Democracy. Earlier this year, however, senior state official Donald Lu was in Dhaka and suggested that the sanctions had made a difference, and that the RAB had been reigned in by US action.

Interestingly, the American castigation of the Islamic nation does not consider religious fundamentalism to be an issue. Despite the continued destruction of temples that exemplify the country's recent past as well as the significant but rapidly dwindling Hindu population, the American State Department chooses to instead cite the Rohingya refugee situation, in addition to internal political tussles. It is worth noting that Priya Saha, a minority Hindu woman who had the chance to bring up the persecution of minorities before former US President Donald Trump in 2019, was about to be charged with sedition in her home country. PM Sheikh Hasina disapproved of the move by her government to file charges against her, at the last minute. While the Bangladesh-America relationship has seen its fair share of challenges, attempts to improve ties with the Bangladeshi democracy were underway before the Biden administration took over, and engagement was less than adversarial. The change in the US administration in 2020 has brought forth renewed complications. Accusations of a regime change by a sitting Prime Minister are hardly trivial.

The US now cites accusations by the Bangladeshi Opposition, the Bangladeshi Nationalist Party (BNP) led by Khaleda Zia, as further proof of political persecution. Citing opposition talking points in a democratic nation by an international entity lends credence to suspicions of foreign interference by any nation. Considering American involvement in "Color Revolutions" around the world, it is not unlikely that democratic nations fear there may be similar attempts on their soil. Selfies in the background of the recently concluded G20 meeting in New Delhi featuring PM Hasina and her daughter Saima Wazed with American President Joe Biden have found mention in several reports; however, they come without any solid conclusions about attempts to reset ties between both democracies.

With the Biden administration placing Bangladesh in its crosshairs, one looming fear is that this only helps its largest trading partner China come ever closer. While the Sheikh Hasina - Narendra Modi camaraderie is well-known, India is in no position to substitute China's role in Bangladesh's economy. The Bangladesh-China trade is almost three times the size of Bangladesh-India trade at this time, although Sheikh Hasina is known to have requested India to ensure the supply of essentials to its neighbour.

Unlike Canada, Bangladesh enjoyed a bilateral meeting with the Indian administration to discuss enhanced connectivity, trade and the repatriation of Rohingya to Myanmar, among other issues. The non-fundamentalist Hasina government has worked towards a more stable Indian subcontinent and is strategically important to countering Chinese inroads in the region. However, the US currently seems to believe that antagonizing the Hasina government is a chance worth taking, even in the face of continued Chinese belligerence in the region. 

Puppet governments benefit only western corporates in the long term, as may be seen from history. Citizens are left bereft of means to address concerns, and whole nations remain fraught in poverty or war, often both. Democracy is a serious attempt at ensuring that the will of a people is exercised, and can only be based on free and fair elections. If a nation as powerful as the United States of America chooses to wield their immense diplomatic, media and trade power to undermine elections in a sovereign democracy halfway across the world, they will only bolster claims of democracy functioning as a reason to subdue. All democracies are imperfect democracies, and while the US is a valuable example of a sufficiently functional democracy, it cannot claim leadership of the free world by favouring undemocratic alliances in other democracies. The people of Bangladesh have the right to continue to choose their own leaders through democratic means. The world will keep watch and weigh Sheikh Hasina's assurances of free and fair elections as they approach in 2024, but in the meantime, American heckling will be seen as an explicit threat of regime change.

(Sagorika Sinha is a columnist and podcaster with experience in foreign policy analysis and international relations. She also writes about domestic policy when not working on her fledgling YouTube channel)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author.

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A "Young Child" Being Targeted: Kamal Haasan On 'Sanatana' Remark Row

Makkal Needhi Maiam chief Kamal Haasan on Friday said DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Youth Welfare Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin is being "hounded" for his remark on Sanatana Dharma.

Addressing a party meet in Coimbatore, Mr Haasan, without naming Udhayanidhi, the BJP or any other outfit, said a "young child" is being targeted today as he had spoken about Sanatana Dharma.

Indicating that there is nothing new about the minister's remark on Sanatana Dharma, the actor implied that several leaders of the Dravidian movement such as Udhayanidhi's grandfather and late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi have also spoken about it in the past.

Mr Haasan said the extent of reformist leader Periyar  V Ramasamy's anger against social ills can be understood from the leader's life. He said people like himself understood the word 'Sanatana' only due to Periyar.

Though Periyar had been the administrator of a temple and had even performed puja while in Kashi, he gave up all that and dedicated his entire life in the service of people, Mr Haasan said.

Neither the ruling DMK nor any other party can claim that Periyar belongs only to them; the entire state of Tamil Nadu should celebrate him as their leader, he said, adding that he himself has been one among those who honour Periyar.

Speaking about the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, he said the BJP regime may attempt to even advance it according to their convenience.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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