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The Hindu
9 hours ago
- The Hindu
Hema Committee report: No headway in probes; police decide to drop cases as survivors stay silent
The Kerala Police have decided to drop the cases that emerged from the Hema Committee's findings on sexual exploitation and the misogyny within the Malayalam film industry. The move to file Further Action Dropped (FAD) reports in the 35 criminal cases follows the inability of the special investigation team (SIT) to gather sufficient evidence, compounded by the non-cooperation of survivors. According to official sources, despite repeated summons by both the SIT and the court, the survivors declined to provide statements in connection with the cases. G. Poonguzhali, Additional Inspector General of Police and nodal officer for the probe, pointed out that while the FAD reports have been filed in 21 of these cases due to a complete lack of progress, the remaining 14 cases are also likely to be dropped temporarily. 'Not permanently closed' 'These cases are not being permanently closed,' the officer clarified. 'We have incorporated provisions that allow survivors to come forward at any point, which would enable us to reopen investigations. However, in the absence of cooperation, we have hit a legal and procedural dead end.' She added that the SIT had issued three rounds of notices, and the court had also summoned the survivors thrice without any response, making further investigation impossible under the circumstances. Despite this setback, police investigations into nearly 70 other cases, registered after the public release of the Hema Committee report and survivor disclosures, are ongoing. Of these, charge sheets have already been filed in nearly 25 cases. Notably, prominent figures in the Malayalam film industry, including MLA M. Mukesh, Siddique, Jayasurya, Edavela Babu, Maniyanpillai Raju and Ranjith, have been named in the submitted charge sheets. The Hema Committee was constituted in 2017 following growing demands from women in the film industry for systemic reform and protection from harassment.
Yahoo
19 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Northeast Florida synagogues on alert, reviewing security after Colorado flamethrower attack
A violent hate crime hundreds of miles away has faith leaders in Northeast Florida on high alert. On Sunday, federal agents say 45-year-old Mohammed Soliman used a homemade flamethrower to attack a Jewish group in Boulder, Colorado, injuring eight people. The group had gathered for a weekly demonstration supporting the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. According to the FBI, Soliman shouted 'Free Palestine' during the assault, later confessed, and said he would do it again. The attack triggered immediate concern at Temple Bet Yam in St. Augustine, where security is already a top priority. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] 'We got the alert this morning and shared it with our board right away,' Temple President Teresa Freedman said. 'We take every incident seriously—even when it's hundreds of miles away.' Temple Bet Yam is part of a network that includes a former FBI agent who monitors threats and distributes real-time alerts to synagogues across Northeast Florida. 'Every synagogue in Northeast Florida is looped in,' Freedman said. 'We all get the same alerts, the same briefings—and we act fast when needed.' [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Though she said recent bomb threats to local Jewish organizations haven't resulted in violence, Freedman isn't taking any chances. The temple is equipped with indoor and outdoor security cameras and holds events only when armed guards are present. 'We just held a drill during a community gathering to test our emergency plan,' Freedman said. 'We may be small, but we're not unprotected. We've done everything we can to keep our members safe.' Temple officials say they will continue evaluating and adjusting security measures as national threats evolve. Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
St. Johns County mother sentenced to prison for 2018 house fire that killed son
A St. Johns County woman accused of burning down her home in a 2018 fire that also killed her son has been sentenced to 3 years in prison followed by 5 years of probation. Michelle Taylor was charged with second-degree manslaughter and faced up to 13 years behind bars after her 11-year-old son died in the fire. On October 18th, 2018, Michelle Taylor, her son David, and 18-year-old daughter Bailey were at their home on Lee Street in St. Augustine when their house caught on fire. Taylor and her 18-year-old daughter made it out of the house safely, but her 11-year-old ran back into the home to save their family dog, according to the State Attorney's Office. He died from smoke inhalation and severe burns. Nearly three years later, in August 2021, Taylor was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and felony arson. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Investigators say she was trying to get insurance money from the house and later received a $90,000 check from her homeowner's insurance company. According to our previous reporting, fire investigators with the State Fire Marshal determined several areas inside the house tested positive for gasoline. On April 2nd, 2025, Taylor entered a no-contest plea for second-degree manslaughter in exchange for the murder charge being dropped. The arson charges were dropped at the sentencing as part of the plea agreement. During the hearing, the defense called upon seven witnesses, including Taylor's husband, daughter, and mother. Taylor herself took to the podium and delivered a very emotional testimony about how much she loved her son David. 'The day that he died, I died,' said Taylor. The State Attorney's Office called several witnesses as well. Taylor will only have to serve two and a half months in Florida State Prison, as she already served 33 months in the St. Johns County Jail. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Jacksonville teen escapes abuse and homelessness to graduate high school
One Jacksonville teen went from being homeless to a high school graduate, escaping abuse and rebuilding her life along the way. Thanks to the helping hands of a local program, the teen found safe housing and is now back in school, working, and planning for college. At just 18, Juliana Alcantara—who goes by Jay—has already faced more than most her age. 'I was with my mom at the time, and it was just like a bit of unstable housing due to substance abuse and such, and the safest option for me was to come and stay with my brother,' Jay said. After fleeing abuse between the ages of 15 and 16, Jay moved to Jacksonville seeking safety. For a while, she found it living with her brother—until he returned to South Carolina, the very place she was trying to escape. 'And go back there I feel like in a having to relive it even more,' she said. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] With nowhere else to turn, Jay found Daniel's Project Prepare at the age of 17—a local program that offers housing, life skills, and support to homeless and at-risk youth. She moved into the Independent Living Village last year, and everything began to change. 'Within like the short span. I'm now here and I have my own job and I can find my own transportation and I've been able to take up like a lot more responsibilities,' Jay said. Now at age 18, Jay graduated just last week from Fletcher High School. 'Once I was getting towards the end of school, like wow, I'm actually gonna graduate, and then like a couple days later it was like actually happening,' she said. She's now working part-time and looking ahead to college, with dreams of becoming a cosmetologist—or even a firefighter. 'And we are proud of her because she did it,' said Daniel Kids Program Director Carmella Prescott. Prescott said she's seen hundreds of teens in similar or worse situations than Jay over the past six years. '500 to 600 kids, most of them being successful, we're usually the 90% success rate because we're so intense,' she said. Nationally, more than one in four people experiencing homelessness are under age 25. 19% are children under 18, and 8% are young adults between 18 and 24, according to the 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report. Jay said to always trust the timing of things—because she believes you'll always end up at the destination where you want to be. SHARE PHOTOS OF GRADUATES IN YOUR LIFE: [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jacksonville Sharks will take on the Massachusetts Pirates on the road
The Jacksonville Sharks (6-2) will face the Massachusetts Pirates (2-5) for the third time this season in Lowell, Mass., on Thursday at 7 p.m. The teams have split the two earlier games this season; this game will be for the tiebreaker of the series. Each game the Sharks have faced the Pirates this season has been a battle, and that's to be expected, given the long history of this rivalry. Advertisement New Pirates Head Coach Tom Menas (0-2) is looking for his first win with his new team, and he'd like nothing better than for it to be against the Sharks. Last week, the Sharks beat Fishers Freight with a huge second-half comeback win, scoring 32 points in the second half with the help of new Sharks QB Tyler Huff. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] The Pirates faced the Arizona Wranglers last week, holding control of the game in the first half, but ultimately fell short in the second half, resulting in a loss. This was Massachusetts' third consecutive loss, prompting them to make changes to their roster and coaching staff. Advertisement Each team has made adjustments to the roster to prepare for this matchup. The Massachusetts Pirates have signed four more players to prepare for Jacksonville's strong roster: Offensive lineman Dontae Lucas, Jacques Bristol, defensive back Teldrick Ross, and wide receiver Steve McBride. The Sharks have brought back WR Khalil McClain from the 2023 Championship Roster. McClain will be wearing a Sharks jersey for the first time since his season-ending injury against the San Antonio Gunslingers in 2023. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Before his injury, McClain scored 5 touchdowns, making him a key offensive player. He is ready to return to the field and bring his talents to the game on Thursday. Advertisement Tune in to the IFL Network, the new streaming platform, to catch the games live. Want to watch with fellow fans? Head to Al's Pizza's Baymeadows location for the Sharks' Official Away Game Watch Party. Al's Pizza will be hosting special deals for the Shark Nation. Get your $4 draft beers and house wines, discounted wings, and a BOGO pizza deal if the Sharks score 5 extra points. Click here to download the free Action News Jax apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action Sports Jax 24/7 live.
