World
UK gets first female Sikh, first turbaned MPs in general election
London: Britain today got its first female Sikh and first turban-wearing MPs as the general election results began pouring in with Indian-origin Labour Party candidates winning more seats than their rival Conservatives. Labour Party candidate Preet Kaur Gill won her Birmingham Edgbaston seat by polling 24,124 votes, defeating ruling Conservative party rival Caroline Squire by 6,917 votes.
Operation Blue Star: SFJ demands UN probe
United States: A Sikh rights group has asked the UN to set up a tribunal to investigate alleged crimes committed against the community members during the 1984 Operation Blue Star. Marking the 33rd year of Operation Blue Star, hundreds of Sikhs rallied outside the UN Headquarters yesterday holding placards and raising pro-Khalistan slogans.
Indian-American lawyer killed after being hit by train in US
A 46-year-old Indian-American lawyer has been killed in the US after being hit by a train at a crossing in California. Kirtee Kapoor, who was born in Bangalore, was a partner in the law firm Davis Polk, The Mercury News reported. Kapoor, who lived in Menlo Park city, was killed by a southbound Caltrain on Monday at the Watkins Avenue crossing in Atherton town, the San Mateo County Coroner's office said
Polls open in Britain's general election
London: UK polls today opened with about 46 million eligible voters expected to cast their ballot to choose between Prime Minister Theresa May and Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn under the looming shadow of the two deadly terror attacks that recently rocked the country. The odds seem to be in favour of May holding on to her job as the British Prime Minister who called for snap polls 52 days ago.
Indian-American among 12 new astronauts chosen by NASA
Houston: NASA has chosen 12 new astronauts, including an Indian-American, from a record number of over 18,000 applicants, who will be trained for missions into Earth orbit and to deep space. The seven men and five women comprise the 22nd class of American spaceflight trainees since 1959. This is the largest group NASA has selected in almost two decades. It was selected from a record 18,300 applicants — more than NASA has ever had during an open astronaut call.
'Uber fires executive who obtained Indian rape victim's medical records'
New York: Ride-hailing company Uber has fired a top executive who had allegedly obtained medical records of a 26-year-old woman raped by an Uber driver in India in 2014, according to a media report.Eric Alexander, the president of business in the Asia Pacific, was fired on Tuesday, just as the company announced that it had fired 20 employees over the last few months for harassment, discrimination and inappropriate behaviour.
China likely to set up military base in Pakistan: Pentagon
China is likely to establish additional military bases in Pakistan and other countries with which it has longstanding friendly ties and similar strategic interests, a new Pentagon report said today as the world's largest army increasingly flexed its muscles. In its annual report to the Congress on China's military build-up, the US Department of Defence said China's construction of military base in the strategic location of Djibouti is just the first of what will likely be an ongoing expansion in friendly foreign ports around the world
Russia condemns Iran attacks, urges 'coordination' against IS
The Kremlin today condemned gun and suicide bomb attacks in Tehran claimed by the Islamic State and called for greater coordination in the fight against the group. "Moscow decisively condemns such terrorist attacks," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, adding that "the continuation of a series of terror attacks again underlines the need for coordinated actions in the fight against terror and IS." (AFP)
Body of Frenchman recovered from River Thames, UK attack death toll 8
A 45-year-old French tourist who was thrown into the River Thames after being hit by the terrorists' speeding van during the London Bridge attack was today named as the eighth victim of the horrific massacre. Xavier Thomas was found last night in the water by the Metropolitan Police's specialist marine unit
Security of the Indian community is a priority: New Zealand MP
Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, List MP of New Zealand’s ruling National Party and Chairman of the Select Committee on Law and Order, has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to remain tough on criminals and shared the community’s concerns of rising incidences of robberies and burglaries. In an exclusive statement, Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi, who is currently in his third-term as a List MP, has reiterated various steps initiated recently by his government to improve law and order in the country