Washington DC to include Sikhism in school curriculum
Washington, July 8: Students in Washington D.C. will now have a chance to learn about the Sikh community with the District of Columbia State Board of Education voting in favour of new social studies standards that will include Sikhi, or the Sikh faith, in the school curriculum. With this development, Washington D.C. will now join 17 states in the US to incorporate accurate information about Sikhs into their social studies standards for public schools. The new standards will give approximately 49,800 students in the state the opportunity to learn about the Sikh community, a Sikh Coalition release stated. (IANS)
Top US diplomat to visit India, B’desh from July 8-14
Washington, July 8: Uzra Zeya, a senior US diplomat in charge of democracy and human rights, will embark on a visit to India and Bangladesh beginning on Saturday to engage with civil society organisations on freedom of expression and inclusion of women and girls and vulnerable groups including religious and ethnic minorities. In India, the Indian-American diplomat will also meet with senior government officials to discuss the deepening US-India partnership, the State Department said in a release on Friday. Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights and US Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues Uzra Zeya will travel to India and Bangladesh from July 8 to 14. In both countries, Under Secretary Zeya will engage with civil society organisations on freedom of expression and association, and inclusion of women and girls, persons with disabilities, and vulnerable groups, including marginalised religious and ethnic minorities. (IANS)
4 militants attack police station, kill 2 security forces
Tehran, July 8: Four militants attacked a police station and killed two security forces in southeastern Iran, state TV reported on Saturday. The armed group attacked a police station in Zahedan, a city in Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan province, about 30 kilometres (18.64 miles) from the border with Pakistan, triggering a shootout. Two security forces were killed, the report said. Iran’s powerful Revolutionary Guard said in a statement that the four militants were killed. The report quoted Alireza Marhamati, the province’s deputy governor, as saying the militants were trying to gain access to the police station and were equipped with grenades, but did not elaborate further. (AP)
Primary schools in B’desh shut due to heatwave
IDhaka, June 5: The Bangladesh Education Ministry has announced a four-day closure of government primary schools across the country because of the ongoing heatwave. The Ministry noted the decision was taken considering the health and safety of the children, reports Xinhua news agency. The authorities are expected to take further preventive measures if the heatwave continues. (IANS)