A Congressman in United States Joe Crowley has started fresh attempts to enlist Sikhs into the U.S. Army. Currently Sikhs are not allowed to serve in the armed forces due to their religiously mandated turban and beard. In a letter to US defense secretary Chuck Hagel, Mr. Crowley said “we respectfully request that the US armed forces modernise their appearance regulation so that patriotic Sikh Americans can serve the country they love while abiding by their articles of faith.” The letter further said that “The current Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army is a turbaned and bearded Sikh, even though Sikhs constitute less than two percent of India’s population.” The letter is being circulated in the Congress for the Lawmakers to sign it.
Earlier the Sikhs were allowed to serve in the US Armed forces but after the change in regulations in 80s wearing turbans and beards in uniform was prohibited, which made it impossible for any religious Sikh to serve in US Army.
Snowden Still in Limbo
Edward Snowden, the former U.S. Spy agency contractor, is about to seek asylum in Russia. His lawyer said that he is going to write an application for that. Earlier in June-July this year Snowden revealed facts about secret mass-surveillance programmes of US and British governments to press. Since then he has been absconding from US to escape an arrest. Currently he’s in the transit zone of a Moscow Airport. Many human right activists are pressurising the Russian government to give him shelter. Russian President Bladimir Putin said that he’ll not let Mr. Snowden threaten the relations of US and Russia. Earlier External Affairs Minister of India Shri Salman Khurshid denied asylum to Snowden by saying that India is not an “open house for asylums”.
Taliban asks Malala to come back and study in a madrasa
July 12 was celebrated by United Nations as “Malala Day” and seven girls were awarded the “Malala Award” on this occasion; out of these seven two were Indians, 15 year old Razia Sultan of Meerut (UP) and 21 year old Ashwini of Bangalore were amongst those who were awarded. Razia was a child labourer and used to stitch footballs at the age of four before she was rescued by an NGO. On the other hand a Taliban leader and former Pakistan Air Force member Adnan Rashid, in a letter, asked Malala to come back to Pakistan and study in a madrasa.Attempt to Enlist Sikhs in US Army
A Congressman in United States Joe Crowley has started fresh attempts to enlist Sikhs into the U.S. Army. Currently Sikhs are not allowed to serve in the armed forces due to their religiously mandated turban and beard. In a letter to US defense secretary Chuck Hagel, Mr. Crowley said “we respectfully request that the US armed forces modernise their appearance regulation so that patriotic Sikh Americans can serve the country they love while abiding by their articles of faith.” The letter further said that “The current Chief of Army Staff of the Indian Army is a turbaned and bearded Sikh, even though Sikhs constitute less than two percent of India’s population.” The letter is being circulated in the Congress for the Lawmakers to sign it.
Earlier the Sikhs were allowed to serve in the US Armed forces but after the change in regulations in 80s wearing turbans and beards in uniform was prohibited, which made it impossible for any religious Sikh to serve in US Army.
Snowden Still in Limbo
Edward Snowden, the former U.S. Spy agency contractor, is about to seek asylum in Russia. His lawyer said that he is going to write an application for that. Earlier in June-July this year Snowden revealed facts about secret mass-surveillance programmes of US and British governments to press. Since then he has been absconding from US to escape an arrest. Currently he’s in the transit zone of a Moscow Airport. Many human right activists are pressurising the Russian government to give him shelter. Russian President Bladimir Putin said that he’ll not let Mr. Snowden threaten the relations of US and Russia. Earlier External Affairs Minister of India Shri Salman Khurshid denied asylum to Snowden by saying that India is not an “open house for asylums”.
Taliban asks Malala to come back and study in a madrasa
July 12 was celebrated by United Nations as “Malala Day” and seven girls were awarded the “Malala Award” on this occasion; out of these seven two were Indians, 15 year old Razia Sultan of Meerut (UP) and 21 year old Ashwini of Bangalore were amongst those who were awarded. Razia was a child labourer and used to stitch footballs at the age of four before she was rescued by an NGO. On the other hand a Taliban leader and former Pakistan Air Force member Adnan Rashid, in a letter, asked Malala to come back to Pakistan and study in a madrasa.
