Latest news with #Asperger'sSyndrome
The Sun
4 days ago
- The Sun
Court of Appeal dismisses ex-student's bullying lawsuit appeal
PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by a former special education student seeking damages and declaratory relief over alleged bullying and insufficient educational support. The appellant, now 27, has ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome. A three-member bench, comprising Justices Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, Datuk Azmi Ariffin, and Datuk Faizah Jamaludin, ruled that the appellant failed to substantiate his claims against the school, principal, Malaysian government, and Education Ministry. The lawsuit, filed in 2017, alleged negligence leading to physical and verbal abuse. The appellate court upheld the High Court's February 2023 decision, citing insufficient evidence. Justice Mohd Nazlan noted the appellant did not testify, and his adoptive mother's testimony was deemed hearsay. 'The alleged assailant was neither named in the suit nor called as a witness,' he said. While condemning bullying, the court found no proof of victimisation. Justice Mohd Nazlan emphasised schools' duty of care but found no breaches in this case. The appellant had claimed repeated bullying, including being tied to his bed and spat on, with no action taken despite complaints. - Bernama
The Star
4 days ago
- The Star
Court of appeal dismissed former special needs student's appeal in bullying suit
PUTRAJAYA: The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by a former student of a special education secondary school who sought damages and declaratory relief over alleged bullying and the failure to provide proper special education. The appellant, now 27, had been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Asperger's Syndrome. The Court of Appeal three-member bench, comprising Justices Datuk Mohd Nazlan Mohd Ghazali, Datuk Azmi Ariffin and Datuk Faizah Jamaludin, dismissed the appeal after ruling that the appellant failed to prove his claim against the school, the school principal, the Malaysian government and the Education Ministry. The appellant, through his adoptive mother, had filed the lawsuit in 2017 at the High Court against the school, the school principal, the Malaysian Government and the Education Ministry. He claimed the respondents breached their duty of care, which caused him to be a victim of physical and verbal attacks whilst at the premises of the school. In the 44-page judgment, which was uploaded on the judiciary's website on Monday (Aug 4), the appellate court affirmed the Feb 2023 decision of the High Court in dismissing the suit filed by the young man. Justice Mohd Nazlan said there was insufficient evidence that the respondents failed to ensure a proper and appropriate education and teaching facilities for the young man. He said the appellant failed to prove the allegation of bullying incidents on the balance of probabilities, and also did not prove the actual occurrences of the verbal and physical assault as claimed by the appellant. Justice Mohd Nazlan observed that the appellant did not testify in his case, and the testimony provided by his adoptive mother was deemed hearsay and therefore inadmissible. "The appellants' (appellant and adoptive mother) case regarding the alleged incidents could not succeed, as the individual accused of harassing and assaulting the appellant was neither named as a party to the suit nor subpoenaed to testify as a witness,' he said. The court stressed that bullying has no place in any civilised society, but found the evidence presented in the case insufficient to prove that the appellant had been victimised. "In this case, we are not unsympathetic to the problems and plight encountered by the appellants. "There may have been disagreements or even altercations, especially involving the first appellant and H (the individual in question), but the court must decide based on facts and evidence,' said Justice Mohd Nazlan. He said school authorities, including teachers and staff, undoubtedly owe a duty of care to ensure the safety of their pupils and students within the compound and premises of the school and that they were responsible for the students' safety, welfare, and well-being. "Schools must, in their operations, adhere to the regulations, standards, and policies issued by the education authorities, particularly concerning the provision of special education for students with special needs,' he said. However, he added that no breaches of these duties had been established in this case. In the statement of claim, the appellant claimed he was bullied several times at the hostel, including being spat at while he was praying, tied to his bed, punched and kicked, and his belongings were stolen. He claimed that no action was taken by the school and its principal, despite numerous complaints lodged. In the statement of defence filed on July 24, 2017, the school stated that the placement of the student concerned was made based on the choice made by the boy and his adoptive mother during registration. — Bernama
Extra.ie
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Extra.ie
Simon Harris pays tribute to 'best brother' Adam on wedding day
Simon Harris has paid a touching tribute to his brother Adam, as the younger Harris ties the knot. The Tánaiste's younger brother Adam, founder and CEO of autism charity AsIam, is set to tie the knot to his fiancé Daniel on Saturday (August 2). Taking to his Instagram, Mr Harris — who's previously spoken fondly of his younger bro — shared a series of sweet snaps of him and Adam, their sister and Adam with Mr Harris' kids to commemorate his wedding. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Simon Harris (@simonharristd) 'To Adam, my buddy, the best brother, uncle and friend anyone could ask for, wishing you and Daniel a lifetime of happiness on this, your wedding day,' Mr Harris wrote. 'Proud of you always.' People wished Adam and Daniel the best for their wedding day, with Rosie O'Donnell commenting: 'So happy for you and your family,' while another added 'Congratulations to them both! Hope they have a fantastic day.' 'Huge congratulations to Adam and Daniel! Hope you all have a wonderful day,' another added, while another commended Adam's work with autistic people over the years, commenting: 'Huge Congrats to Adam, he's done so much for autistic people in Ireland. We're so grateful. We're here in tayto park today and with our As I Am card they have been amazing my daughter and our family can enjoy the day. X.' Simon Harris has paid a touching tribute to his brother Adam, as the younger Harris ties the knot. Pic: Simon Harris/Instagram Mr Harris also shared a lovely photo of he and Adam ahead of the wedding, with the brothers Harris kitted out in tuxedos as Mr Harris wrote 'the sun is shining and he's all set!' Mr Harris previously spoke about his brother in a heartwarming tribute on World Autism Awareness day, saying that Daniel — who was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome when he was five — taught him 'how to see the world differently.' 'This World Autism Awareness Day, I'm especially proud of my brother Adam,' he wrote. 'To me, he is my younger brother but he's also an inspiration and it is thanks to him I have the drive to do the work I do. Mr Harris' younger brother ties the knot in Cork this afternoon. Pic: Simon Harris/Instagram 'Adam has taught me how to see the world differently, more kindly and more honestly,' he added. 'Grateful for him everyday.' Mr Harris is the eldest of three children, with his younger sister Gemma being born on his third birthday and Adam being born five years later.
Metro
23-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
British ITV drama 'that made TV history' storms Netflix top 10 chart
Netflix viewers have rushed to watch a legal drama from the man who created The Crown. First hitting screens in 2002, The Jury was the first TV show to ever be allowed to film inside the historic Old Bailey courthouse. Before he was busy delving into the private lives of the Royal Family, Peter Morgan penned this drama, which fans have called a 'compelling must-see'. The first season followed the killing of a teenage boy, who was stabbed 28 times on his way to school one morning. After one of his classmates is charged with murder, a jury must decide his guilt. 'The trial, which is engulfed in protests and media speculation, brings together 12 jurors who find themselves having to make a decision that the entire country is waiting for,' it was teased of the series. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. The jurors tasked with making a ruling included Charles, a young man who has left the seminary to search for his lost love; Elsie, an old lonely woman who is dying; Johnny, a recovering alcoholic; Jeremy, a once-wealthy family man who lost all his money when conned by a friend in a bad investment and Marcia, a single mother who is forced to let her mother back into her life during the trial. The actors who played jury members included Gerard Butler, Helen McCrory, Stuart Bunce, Nicholas Farell and Tim Healy. Over a decade later – in 2011 – it was followed by a second season. This week both were added onto Netflix, with the show now one of the most watched shows in the UK, currently sitting on number 7 on the charts. In 2010 the second season of The Jury was announced, with ITV describing the show as a 'character-based series which focuses on the everyday people who find themselves at the centre of one of the most controversial criminal re-trials of their time'. Standing alone from the events of the first season, the second follows the retrial of Alan Lane, who was convicted five years earlier of the murder of three women whom he'd met through an Internet dating site. The jurors include Paul Brierly, a single man looking after his mother; Katherine Bulmore, a teacher who has had an affair with a 17-year-old pupil; Tahir Takana, a Sudanese immigrant waiting to get a visa to join his brother in the US and Rashid, a quiet young man with Asperger's Syndrome. The cast included Julie Walters, Sarah Alexander, Roger Allen, Danny Babington, Lisa Dillon and Jo Hartley. Sharing their thoughts on the show online, viewers called it 'thought-provoking', 'compelling' and the 'perfect binge watch'. Speaking in 2011 Peter, who had gone on to work on movies including The Queen, Frost/ Nixon and The Other Boleyn Girl, spoke about how another season came to fruition after a decade. More Trending 'I had fun doing the original one and enjoyed it and missed it. I suddenly thought, 'I'd like to do that again'. There'd been silence from ITV so I assumed they didn't want me to do another one, and I think maybe they thought because I was writing films I wouldn't want to do one,' he said. 'So, there was this misunderstanding. 'But I said, 'Fancy another one? Because I'd really love to write one'. And they said, 'Sure'.' View More » The Jury is streaming on Netflix. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Neil Gaiman allegations explained as The Sandman season 2 part 2 launches on Netflix MORE: ITV star reveals gruesome broken bone was kept secret on shark series MORE: 9 deliciously bleak films and where to stream them after 'soul-crushing' new horror
India Today
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Today
Meet Khushi, girl with Asperger's syndrome in Pankaj Tripathi's Criminal Justice 4
Khushi Bharadwaj, who began as a child artiste on television, played a teenage girl in 'Criminal Justice Season 4'. The 17-year-old plays the role of Ira Nagpal, a girl dealing with Asperger's syndrome. exclusively spoke to Bharadwaj to understand how she played an emotionally layered character, a difficult one at that, given the sensitivity of the condition and the responsibility of doing right by the played probably the most vulnerable role in the show. Did it ever occur to you that if you didn't get it right, the performance would be perceived as tone-deaf, and even insulting to people living with the syndrome?Yes, and that responsibility was something we all took very seriously. We knew that if not handled with care, it could be perceived as tone-deaf or even offensive to those living with Asperger's Syndrome. That's why we did extensive preparation before stepping on set. I personally underwent more than 45 hours of intense training, including sessions with acting coach Sandip Ghosh sir and renowned psychiatrist Varkha Chulani. We focused deeply on the emotional and behavioural aspects - how someone with Asperger's experiences the world. I watched numerous real-life video references, studied gestures, and even observed some of my schoolmates who live with similar our creative director Rahul sir, the creative team, and our director Rohan Sippy sir spent hours in consultation with psychiatrists to ensure the portrayal was both accurate and goal was never to stereotype but to portray one girl's individual journey with sincerity and truth. While I had the privilege of performing the role of Ira Nagpal, it was truly a collective effort by the entire team that made this character come alive with sensitivity and depth. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Khushi Bhardwaj (@khushibhardwaj_official)Talk to me about that scene featuring Ira's aggression in a class. Yes, that scene takes place during a piano class and was one of the most emotionally intense moments for me. Ira's aggression wasn't just a random reaction - it was an outburst that had been building up due to several emotional was being bullied in class, and at the same time, she was silently processing a lot of grief and confusion. She had just lost Roshni, someone she deeply cared about, and she was missing her father terribly - he was in jail, and that absence created a void she didn't know how to express. All of this pain and pressure had been bottled up inside her, and that moment in the classroom was when it finally didn't approach it as a 'violent' scene - we approached it as an emotional release. The night before the shoot, we had a detailed prep session with the creative team, our acting coach, and a psychiatrist. We talked about how someone with Asperger's might process trauma and how their emotional language might differ from that moment was Ira's way of crying out for help - not in words, but in the only way she could. It was a powerful scene to shoot, and I'm grateful we handled it with so much care and you saying that people living with Asperger's syndrome are aggressive? Isn't that a generalisation? I completely agree that as storytellers, we carry the responsibility to be nuanced. Ira's aggression in that one scene was not a generalization. It was a personal, situational response to extreme emotional stress.I hope viewers understand that aggression is not a trait of Asperger's but rather a reaction that can come from anyone who feels unheard of or misunderstood. We never intended to stereotype, and I believe the overall arc of the character shows her as layered, sensitive, and deeply human. advertisementDo you think that real-life people who are living with such conditions should be the ones playing such roles for a better, more realistic and sensitive representation? Yes, I completely agree. People who are actually living with conditions like Asperger's can portray these characters beautifully. They are smart, aware, emotionally deep, and incredibly talented. If given the right platform and support, they can bring a level of authenticity that no one else can an actor, I also feel a strong sense of responsibility when portraying such characters. That's why, for Ira Nagpal's role, we didn't jump into performance - we spent weeks training with psychiatrists and experts, observing real behaviours, and having honest conversations about what the character is going through emotionally.I truly hope that in the future, the industry becomes even more inclusive. And until then, if actors like us are given these roles, it's our duty to treat them with care, integrity, and a deep sense of respect for the community we tell me about your experience of working with Pankaj Tripathi and Mohammes Zeeshan Ayyub in the show - two profound actors. Working on 'Criminal Justice' was an unforgettable experience. Sharing the screen with Pankaj Tripathi sir and Zeeshan Ayyub sir was both an honour and a huge learning sir has this calm and grounded presence on set. He's extremely patient, always focused, and barely even looks at his phone during shoots. Just watching him work teaches you so much about commitment and staying in sir, on the other hand, is one of the most humble and knowledgeable people I've met. There's so much to learn from him—not just as an actor, but as a person. He genuinely cares, whether it's about the scene, his co-actors, or the environment on set. Working with him felt safe and collaborative, like I was constantly growing through every being around both of them made me better - not just in my craft, but also in how I see and approach work. advertisementYou had to give 12 auditions for the role. Why? They could have selected you after one or two. Yes, 12 sounds like a big number, but this wasn't an easy character to play. Ira lives with Asperger's Syndrome, and getting her portrayal right—without exaggeration or misrepresentation - was very important.I remember after my very first audition, I got a call within 30 minutes asking me to change a particular part of my performance. That showed me how seriously the casting team was approaching this. My casting directors, Karan Mally and Nandini Shrikent, were extremely particular about staying true to the condition and the emotional layers of the those rounds of auditions, we did several workshops to fine-tune everything—from body language and tone, to emotional reactions. It wasn't just about casting someone - it was about doing justice to Ira's world, and I'm grateful that they pushed me to give it everything I from Delhi, Bharadwaj began her acting journey quite early. She began doing ramp shows at the age of eight for IKFW (India Kids Fashion Week), and from there, a new chapter began when she started getting calls for TV 2019, she shifted to Mumbai after getting selected for a role in 'Baalveer Returns', a fantasy show on Sony SAB - her first acting break. The role helped her pursue acting seriously while also focusing on her describing her passion for acting, Bharadwaj shared that acting is not just "performance, but also a way to tell stories that matter, to explore different emotions, and to connect with people on a deeper level."'Criminal Justice', also featuring Surveen Chawla and Shweta Basu Prasad, is currently streaming on JioHotstar.
