Indian-American Congressman launches caucus
Washington, Sep 30: In a bid to promote religious freedom and combat discrimination, Indian-American Congressman Shri Thanedar has launched the Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Jain (HBSJ) American congressional caucus. Thanedar, the founder and chair of the caucus, is joined by 27 other members of the US Congress, both from Republican and Democratic parties. Stating that the HBSJ communities have made significant contributions to the cultural, social, and economic fabric of the US, Thanedar said on Friday that the launch of the caucus “A commitment to stand against religious discrimination, to propel the wheels of inclusion, and to cultivate a nation where diversity is not just tolerated but celebrated,” he said while addressing an event in Washington. The group will address cultural misunderstandings and promote interfaith dialogue and harmony, in addition to supporting initiatives to promote well-being, education, and empowerment of the Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Jains in the US. (IANS)
Palestinian killed in West Bank
Jerusalem, Sep 30: Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian man in the West Bank late on Friday, Palestinian health officials said, the latest death in a monthslong surge of violence in the occupied territory. The Israeli military said that soldiers had shot two Palestinians who hurled Molotov cocktails at an army post near the West Bank city of Ramallah, the seat of the Palestinian authority. The Palestinian Health Ministry said the soldiers killed Muhammad Rumaneh from the hardscrabble Amari refugee camp in Ramallah. It did not identify his age, saying that Israeli authorities were withholding his body. Israeli officials have suggested in the past that holding onto the bodies of Palestinians slain in security incidents can deter attacks and prevent the exaltation of assailants at funerals that often draw giant crowds of protesters. In lieu of a funeral, residents of Ramallah called for a general strike Saturday to pay tribute to Rumaneh. Student groups at the prominent Birzeit University near Ramallah called off Sunday classes. (AP)
US govt prepares for shutdown
from today
Washington, Sep 30: The US government is preparing up for an indefinite shutdown notifying all state agencies to go into emergency preparedness to prioritise expenditure as Congress failed to endorse the Senate’s Continuing Resolution bill and voted out a defence expenditure bill that preceded it. The government will shut down at 12.01 a.m. Eastern Time Sunday if Congress fails to pass legislation to renew funding by the deadline. With Hard-line Republicans pushing for deep spending cuts, the possibility of a shutdown is high, even as a bipartisan approach by liberal minded republicans and democrats to push the continuing resolution in the house appears very dim given the time frame. Its shut down time really, media reports said. Most legislators have gone home to their constituencies to attend fundraising events and the speaker told them to be prepared to return in the event of an emergency if a solution emerges. (IANS)