Daniel Mookhey has become the first politician of Indian-origin to become the treasurer in any Australian state. Mookhey, a Hindu, took his oath of allegiance on the holy Bhagavad Gita. He was sworn in along with New South Wales Premier Chris Minns and six other ministers. “Sworn in as treasurer of the great state of NSW. Thank you to the people of NSW who entrusted us with this honour and privilege,” Mookhey, 39, said in a statement. “I am incredibly honoured and humbled to be the first Australian minister, state or federally, to take my oath of allegiance on the Bhagavad Gita. This is only possible because Australia is so open and so welcoming to the contributions of people like my parents, who I was thinking about a lot as I took my oath earlier today,” he said. Mookhey's parents migrated from Punjab to Australia in 1973.
Indian-origin man fatally stabs another
A 32-year-old man of Indian descent has been detained and charged with the second-degree murder of a Canadian in downtown Vancouver. Following a short altercation between two men outside the Starbucks restaurant at West Pender and Granville Street, Inderdeep Singh Gosal fatally stabbed Paul Stanley Schmidt, 37. Footage of the videos shared by by-standers on social media show the victim lying in a pool of blood outside the Starbucks cafe, and Gosal being taken into custody by police. "We believe this homicide was witnessed by dozens of bystanders, and there may be people with information who have not yet come forward," Sergeant Steve Addison of Vancouver Police Department said.
Two youths arrested for cheating elderly woman
Police arrested two youths who were suspected in stealing $109,000 from a 78-year-old resident in Yarmouth, USA. The suspects were involved in a computer virus scheme and demanded funds from the victim to remove unwanted items from her computer. The scam started when the victim called a tech support number to assist with an issue with her computer. The suspects were arrested after they returned to the victim’s residence to collect money from her and after they were observed at the victim’s house. The suspects are identified as Nikit S Yadav, 22 and Raj Vipul Patel, 21 from New Jersey. Both are charged with Conspiracy and Larceny over $1,200 by false pretenses. Police sought help from public relating to this incident.
Pak Taliban militants kill four in roadside blast
Militants in Pakistan targeted the country’s police force in two attacks in a volatile northwestern province, killing four officers and wounding six, officials said. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for both attacks. In one attack, police say a roadside bomb struck a vehicle carrying officers, killing four of them. The officers were reinforcements responding to an attack earlier in the day on a police station in Lakki Marwat, a town in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan. Six officers were wounded in the attack on the station. Local police officer Ashfaq Khan said a search was under way for the attackers. The Pakistani Taliban said in a statement that one of the slain officers, Iqbal Mohmand, was targeted as he was behind the arrest and killing of some of their fighters.
Lanka reduces fuel price
Following the IMF rescue package and indications of economic stabilisation, the Sri Lankan government announced considerable reductions in fuel prices. The action was taken after Sri Lanka received a bailout of around $3 billion from the IMF on March 20. To unlock the initiative, the Lankan government had already implemented hard economic measures like tax and utility rate increases, which prompted protests from labour unions and opposition organisations. “Sri Lanka has slashed fuel prices with effect from March 29 midnight,” said power and energy minister Kanchana Wijesekera . The price of different petrol will be lowered by 26. 5% while diesel price will be reduced by 19. 8% and kerosene by 3. 3%, according to media reports.
Junta dissolves Suu Kyi’s party as it boycotts poll
The ousted ruling party of Myanmar’s former leader Aung San Suu Kyi was among 40 political parties dissolved, after they failed to meet a registration deadline for an election set to perpetuate the military’s dominance. NLD is among dozens of parties that held parliamentary seats in the past decade that were weakened by the military’s 2021 coup. Many of the parties are unable or unwilling to contest the poll, which has widely been dismissed by critics as a sham. State-run Myawaddy TV said 63 parties had registered for the election at local or national level and named 40 parties that were automatically disbanded for failure to sign up. The polls, for which no date has been announced, are almost certain to be swept by Union Solidarity and Development Party, a military proxy that was trounced by NLD in the 2015 polls and in a 2020 vote the generals eventually voided, citing irregularities.
20 killed as a bus ferrying pilgrims crashes in Saudi
A bus ferrying pilgrims to the holy city of Mecca burst into flames after a collision on a bridge, killing 20 people, Saudi state media reported. The incident took place in Asir province. “According to preliminary information, the number of deaths reached 20, and the total number of injuries was approximately 29,” the state-affiliated AlEkhbariya channel reported. It said the victims had “different nationalities” but did not mention them. The channel said the bus had “car trouble”, without specifying, while the private newspaper Okaz said the accident resulted from an issue with the brakes. The bus “then collided with a bridge, overturned and caught fire”.
Two killed in knife attack at Lisbon Ismaili centre
A knife attack at the Ismaili Centre in Lisbon left at least two persons dead and another injured. The officers later shot the attacker after he refused to lay down his weapon and approached them with a large knife. He was arrested and taken to hospital. Ismailis are a minority within Shia Islam whose members have been attacked by extremist groups in countries such as Pakistan. Portugal PM Antonio Costa said everything indicated that it was an isolated act, and it was premature to make any interpretation about the crime. The two women killed in the attack were Portuguese nationals who worked at the centre, media cited Nazim Ahmed, leader of the Ismaili community in the country, as saying. He said the attacker was an Afghan refugee.