Islamabad: A heatwave in Pakistan's largest city Karachi and other districts claimed the lives of 224 people as mercury rose to up to 45 degree celsius. Health Officials said many of the victims were elderly people who were suffering from fever, dehydration and gastric problems. Pakistan's meteorological office said the hot and humid weather is likely to continue for another week. The highest temperature recorded in the country was in 48 degree celsius in 1938.
7 Taliban attackers killed after assault on Afghan parliament
Kabul: The Afghan security forces gunned down 7 Taliban militants who had attacked the Afghanistan Parliament killing 2 civilians and injuring 31 others. A suicide bomber blew himself up right outside the building where a session was in progress. An explosive-laden car was detonated near the building gates which was followed by more than half a dozen blasts. The attack came as a second district fell in the hands of Taliban, in the north. The fight off was the first one where the Afghan security team battled without foreign backing. The militant group has described the attack as a “coordinated suicide attack” and said, “We have launched an attack on parliament as there was an important gathering to introduce the country's defence minister.”
Indian 'peeping Tom' jailed in Dubai
Dubai: An Indian worker in Dubai is convicted of molestation and sentenced to three months in jail, for watching a woman use a wash room in a mosque. The court has also ordered the man to be deported on the completion of his sentence. A 47 year old Saudi translator, the complainant, told the prosecutor, “I passed by a worker and saw him watering the plants in the yard. Shortly after I entered the cubicle, I smelt an odour of sweat. It lasted for four to five minutes.” She said as she turned around, she saw the worker watching her. The worker's supervisor however, said the man is allowed to enter the women's wash room at a particular time to clean.
Anish Kapoor's erotic sculpture vandalized in France
Versailles: 'Dirty Corner', the huge 70 meter, red metal work put up in the garden of the palace of Versailles was sprayed with yellow paint by unknown vandals. The controversial Anish Kapoor sculpture was dubbed as the “vagina of the Queen” by the media. The 61 year old Kapoor expressed his sadness on the event and blamed the right-wing intolerance saying the sculpture, “has seemingly given offence to certain people of the extreme political right-wing in France,” and said the vandalism “represents a certain intolerance that is appearing in France about art. The problem seems to be political.”
Court overturns breastfeeding ban on mom with tattoo
Sydney: In a custody battle, a 20 year old woman was initially banned from breastfeeding her 11 month old son after a Federal Circuit Court judge believed the baby could be infected with HIV. Although the mother was tested negative, there were concerns for the child's health as she had been tattooed recently. “Looking at perhaps the benefit to the child, who is 11 months old, breastfeeding, as opposed to what would be a lifelong issue in circumstances where the child contracted HIV, it is the view of the court that it is not in the best interests of the child that the mother continue to breastfeed,” Judge Matthew Myers told the court. The decision was triggered by the information found on the Australian Breastfeeding Association's website. The group, however, disagreed the ruling later and the Family Court overturned the decision after the mom launched an urgent appeal.
Indian origin scientist to get Russia's highest tech award
St Petersburg: US based Indian origin scientist B Jayant Baliga will be given Russia's top technology award in recognition of his work in energy management. The Global Energy Prize is called the electronics equivalent of the Nobel Prize. Baliga invented the digital switch or the insulated gate bipolar transistor in 1983. The IGBT switches energy hundreds of thousands of times a second, raising the efficiency of any equipment manifold. Shuji Nakamura, a Nobel Laureate, is also being recognised for his work on blue light emitting diodes. Both the nominees will be presented the award by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Sikh student can join US army programme with beard, turban
New York: In a court ruling, a Sikh-American student has finally been allowed to enrol in an army programme without having to give up on his articles of faith. Born and raised in Queens, New York, Iknoor Singh had previously been denied the right to enrol in his college's ROTC programme on account of his religion. Singh had alleged that the army's refusal to accommodate his religious exercise violates the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) and had brought a lawsuit against senior military officials. US District Court Judge Amy Jackson said, "Given the tens of thousands of exceptions the Army has already made to its grooming and uniform policies, its successful accommodation of observant Sikhs in the past, and the fact that, at this time, plaintiff is seeking only to enrol in the ROTC programme, the Army's refusal to permit him to do so while adhering to his faith cannot survive the strict scrutiny that RFRA demands." Singh now has the right to enrol in the Army ROTC programme without shaving his beard, cutting his hair, or removing his turban.
White man guns down 9 at black church in US
Washington: Nine African-Americans worshippers were killed when a white man opened fire at the black Emanuel AME Church in South Carolina. Identified as Dylann Roof, the 21 year old was said to have sat down at the prayer meet for an hour before opening fire and fleeing. This incident follows an earlier case of a white cop killing a black man. US President Barack Obama said, “Any death of this sort is a tragedy; any shooting involving multiple victims is a tragedy. There is something particularly heartbreaking about a death happening in a place in which we seek solace and peace and especially in a place of worship.”
