New York: An Indian-American woman has been elected the new mayor of Californian city Cupertino. Savita Vaidhyanathan was sworn in last week in a ceremony. "I've had several congratulatory messages saying that I'm the first woman mayor of Indian-origin. Yes, I do take a lot of pride and prestige in that," she said. "I do want to thank the residents of the city of Cupertino that voted me in not looking at ethnicity at all. Thank you for your trust in me, and maybe we did break that silicon ceiling and put a few more cracks in that glass ceiling," Vaidyanathan said. She took over from Barry Chang who was mayor from 2015.
Indian-origin teens top science contest in US
HOUSTON: Three teenagers of Indian origin in the US, have bagged a scholarship worth $2,00,000 in a science competition for their innovative research that will help diagnose several health problems, including schizophrenia. Sixteen year old twin sisters Shriya and Adhya Beesam, 11th grade students in Plano, Texas, shared the $1,00,000 grand prize in the 17th Annual Siemens Math, Science and Technology Competition for their project titled 'Linked Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System: A Novel Approach to Schizophrenia Diagnosis." Also, Vineet Edupuganti, a senior at Oregon Episcopal School won the top individual award worth $100,00 for developing an ingestible battery that could change the way doctors diagnose and monitor health problems. His project was titled 'Development of a High-Performance Biodegradable Battery for Transient Electronics'.
US professor gets life threats over anti-Trump comments
LOS ANGELES: A California college professor who had made anti-Trump comments now remains in hiding after receiving death threats. Olga Perez Stable Cox, who taught human sexuality at the Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa, fled the state after a video of her rant was posted on Facebook and caused her trouble. In the roughly two-minute video secretly filmed by one of her students, the professor can be seen telling her class, "We are in for a difficult time. But again, I do believe that we can get past that. Our nation is divided' we have been assaulted, it's an act of terrorism." The video caught national media attention and prompted outrage and threats to her life. Over 1,000 emails and threatening phone calls were directed at Cox, OCC and her union.
Russian aircraft with 30 on board crashes, no fatalities
NEW DELHI: A Russian aircraft with 30 people on board crashed in Yakutia, Siberia, however, no fatalities have been reported. A law enforcement source said the plane crashed, adding, that "The Il-18 plane, which flew from the Koltsovo airport in Yekaterinburg on December 19 and crashed 27 km from the Tiksi village," the source added. The crew and passengers were evacuated and have been taken to a hospital near the crash site. Over 100 servicemen and two military Mi-8 helicopters are working at the Ilyushim Il-18 emergency landing site in Yakutia, a source from the regional emergency services said. "The search and rescue operation involves about 100 servicemen and two Mi-8 helicopters from the Tiksi airbase. The crash landing site has been found, it is located some 30 km from the village of Tiksi," the source added.
Puerto Rico beauty crowned Miss World 2016
MARYLAND: Puerto Rican Stephanie Del Valle was crowned Miss World 2016 at the 66th edition of the Miss World pageant held on 18 December 2016 in MGM National Harbor, Oxon Hill, Maryland. Yaritza Reyes from Dominican Republic was titled first runner up and Natasha Manneula from Indonesia was adjudged as the second runner up. Grand finale of the most prestigious pageant was hosted by former Miss World 2013 Megan Young, and actor Jason Cook. Stephanie clinched the coveted crown after defeating 117 contestants from around the globe. The Miss World pageant this year introduced new segments. The Top Model contest was won by Miss China, the Sports competition was won by Miss Cook Islands, Multimedia Award was won by Miss Philippines, Beauty with a Purpose was won by Miss Indonesia, and Talent Round was won by Miss Mongolia.
China gifts chandelier to Jinnah museum
KARACHI: China gifted a crystal chandelier to Pakistan, replacing an earlier one at the mausoleum of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, given by the Communist country 46 years ago. Chinese President Xi Jinping described the gift as a symbol of their all-weather strategic cooperative partnership. The new chandelier was unveiled by President Mamnoon Hussain, created by using 3D scanning technology at the Mazar-e- Quaid. Xi said that China-Pak friendship served the fundamental interests of the two countries and contributed to peace and development of the region.
Ban may run for S Korea presidency
SEOUL: UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon has hinted that he may run for presidency of his native, South Korea. Ban, who will leave his current post at the end of the year, was initially evasive about his political future. However, after leaving the UN, the 72 year old plans to take a rest, then go to South Korea and "try to meet as many people as possible, which may include political leaders and leaders of the community, societies and my friends." Stating that South Korea is "in turmoil", he told reporters, "I will really consider seriously how best and what I should and I could do for my country." There are chances of a poll taking place within two months after the country's parliament voted to impeach current President Park Geun-hye over an influence-peddling scandal-allowing a close friend to profit from her connections with the presidency.
19 Pak embassy staff have slipped out in last 5 years
ISLAMABAD: At least 19 employees of Pakistan's foreign affairs ministry posted in missions abroad cannot be traced. It is said they used their assignments as an opportunities to slip out of the country. The Foreign office maintains a list of staffers sent to Pakistani missions in First World countries from where they managed to disappear for good. "Whether they went on to seek asylum, became illegal immigrants or betrayed their country remains unknown," the report said. It added that the runaway officials were posted in the US, the UK, Canada, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, and Mexico from where they disappeared. "The popular destination remains the US where eight of these staffers disappeared followed by the UK with three, and two each in France and Sweden and one each in Canada, Switzerland, Spain and Mexico."
33 die in Siberia after drinking bath oil
MOSCOW: Thirty Three residents of Irkutsk died after drinking bath oil, hoping to get as drunk as alcohol. Investigators released a statement saying they had detained two people suspected of distributing the bath oil. The product had a warning on its label saying it should not be swallowed, but people ignored it and chugged it down. It remains unclear whether those selling the product were marketing it as a cheaper substitute for alcoholic spirits such as vodka. "Forty two people have been admitted to medical institutions of whom 25 have died," investigators said in the statement. "Investigators and the police are conducting searches at markets where the liquid was first obtained. More than 100 points of sale have been identified."
34 bodies of PIA flight crash victims identified
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences has begun receiving DNA reports of 48 victims of the Pakistan International Airlines flight that crashed near Abbottabad on December 7. So far, 34 bodies have been identified. PIMS Vice Chancellor Dr Javed Akram was quoted as saying that 13 bodies are yet to be identified as some of the DNA reports were still under process. He said it has been decided that bodies will be sent to Chitral on a C-130 after receiving the reports of the remaining victims which have to be identified. "There are eight bodies in Polyclinic and the remaining are in PIMS. We expect that the operation will be completed soon," Dr Akram said. Minister for Capital Administration and Development Division Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry informed that arrangements have been made to transport the bodies to their homes.
US doubles bounty for ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi
WASHINGTON: The United States has more than doubled the bounty on Islamic State group leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi to $25 million. The reward has now placed him in a category which has just one another occupant, leader of al-Qaeda Ayman al-Zawahiri. The State Department's 'Rewards for Justice Program' in 2011 had offered an initial bounty of $10 million for the elusive militant. The Rewards for Justice Program made the recent announcement as US-backed local forces close in on the Islamist militants in the urban strongholds in the cities of Mosul and Raqqa, Iraq and Syria. "Under al-Baghdadi, ISIl has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of civilians in the Middle East, including the brutal murder of numerous civilian hostages from Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States," the State Department said.
