NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump has decided to continue with the Obama-era tradition of hosting Diwali dinner in the White House for 200 Indians. The Indian-American community in the US hopes that Trump will address some visa-related issues with community members during this dinner. In fact, the community is hoping Trump will also consider their request that he address a rally in Chicago for around 15,000 Indian Americans, said Shalabh Kumar, Trump supporter and founder of the 'Republican Hindu Coalition'. In June, Trump ended a decades-long White House tradition of celebrating Ramzan with an 'iftar' dinner.
Nirav Patel vying for seat in New Jersey assembly district
New Jersey: Indian American Nirav Patel is running for a seat in the state assembly in New Jersey's 12th Legislative District. Patel, a Democrat, is among six candidates vying for two seats in the General Assembly. Patel and Gene Davis are the Democrats, and Libertarians Anthony J. Storrow and Daniel A. Krause are all attempting to win the seats from Republican incumbents Ronald Dancer and Robert Clifton. Patel promises "a new direction" for the state. "After 8 years of a failed governor, New Jersey is heading in the wrong direction," the candidate said. "I am new to politics, but I plan to help fight to put New Jersey back in the right direction. Among the issues Patel has been campaigning to fix in the district include fiscal responsibility, rebuilding the infrastructure and healthcare. Patel, a graduate of Rutgers University, is a lifelong advocate for increasing access to quality, affordable healthcare, his site said.
Death sentence of 15 Indians commuted by Kuwaiti Emir
NEW DELHI: Death sentences to 15 Indians lodged in a Kuwaiti jail have been commuted to life imprisonment by the Emir of Kuwait, India's External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said. Sushma said the Emir has also directed that the sentences of 119 Indian nationals be reduced." Sushma thanked the Emir of Kuwait for his "kind" gesture and said the Indian Embassy in that country will extend assistance to the Indian nationals who will be released from jails.
Indian-American in fray to be next health secy
Washington: An Indian-American Seema Verma is in the race to fill the vacancy of health secretary in the Trump administration. At present she is the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Her main opponent is Scott Gottlieb, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. Both have previously been vetted by the White House, nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate to their current jobs within recent months, a significant selling point. Trump's selection of a secretary could be a turning point in a healthcare debate that has polarised Washington, as he faces a choice of working with Democrats to fix the current system or continuing his failed efforts to dismantle his predecessor's programme. If Trump picks Verma to succeed Price at the department of health and human services, it would be taken as a sign that he wants to continue vigorous opposition to the Affordable Care Act, with the government doing the minimum required by the law to implement its provisions.
Arrest warrants against Sharif's children
Islamabad: An anti-corruption court in Pakistan issued arrest warrants against the three children and son-in-law of the former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif after they failed to appear for a hearing. The court also announced that it would indict next week Nawaz Sharif for corruption. "Judge Mohammed Bashir issued arrest warrants with possibility of bail against his children Hasan, Husain and Maryam and her (Maryam's) husband Mohamed Safdar Awan because they did not appear before the court and ordered them to do so," the court's spokesperson Mohamed Irfan said.
Fish fall from sky with rain in northern Mexico
MEXICO CITY: Civil defence officials in northeast Mexico say a light rain was accompanied by fish that fell from the sky. Tamaulipas civil defence says that rain in the coastal city of Tampico included fish. Photos posted on the agency's Facebook page show four small fish in a bag and another on a sidewalk. According the US Library of Congress, it's a phenomenon that has been reported since ancient times. Scientists believe that tornadoes over water could be responsible for sucking fish into the air where they are blown around until being released to the ground.
Over 90% of Kurds vote for independence from Iraq
Irbil (Iraq): The Kurdish referendum on independence from Iraq was approved by more than 92% of voters, officials said, as Iraq's prime minister Haider al-Abadi vowed to keep his country united without resorting to the use of force. Even with the strong support, the non-binding vote is unlikely to lead to formal independence, but it has escalated long-running tensions with Baghdad, which has moved to block flights in and out of the Kurds' autonomous region. Iraq and its neighbours, along with virtually the entire international community, are opposed to any redrawing of the map.
Hafiz Saeed's detention extended by a month
Islamabad: A Pakistani court has extended by a month the detention of terrorist leader Hafiz Saeed, blamed for the Mumbai terror attack. The Lahore High Court directed the counsel for Jamat-ud- Dawa (JuD) chief Saeed to file a fresh application against the latest order of the Punjab Home Department extending his detention by another 30 days. Earlier, an official of the home department presented the latest detention order before the court. Justice Syed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi, however, turned down a home department request for holding in-camera proceedings of the petition.
OJ Simpson walks out of Nevada prison
Nevada: OJ Simpson, acquitted of the 1994 murder of his ex-wife and her friend after the "Trial of the Century," was released on Sunday from a prison in Nevada, where he had been held since 2008 for a botched armed robbery at a Las Vegas casino hotel. The state's Department of Corrections posted a seven-second video on Facebook showing the retired American football star and former actor being released. The midnight timing was "to ensure public safety and reduce the potential for incident," the department said in a brief statement. Simpson's lawyer, Malcolm LaVergne, said: "All information related to Simpson's whereabouts is confidential until (Monday) at the earliest." Seventy-year-old Simpson was granted parole in July after nine years behind bars. There was no mention at the parole board hearing of his 1990s trial for the murder of his ex-wife Nicole Brown Simpson and a friend, Ron Goldman. He was found not guilty in 1995 following the sensational, 13-month trial in Los Angeles.
Playboy founder Hugh Hefner dies
LOS ANGELES: Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, who helped usher in the 1960s sexual revolution with his groundbreaking men's magazine and built a business empire around his libertine lifestyle, died last week aged 91, Playboy Enterprises said. Hefner, once called the "prophet of pop hedonism" by Time magazine, peacefully passed away at his home, Playboy Enterprises said in a statement. Hefner was sometimes characterized as an oversexed Peter Pan as he kept a harem of young blondes that numbered as many as seven at his legendary Playboy Mansion. This was chronicled in "The Girls Next Door," a TV reality show that aired from 2005 through 2010. Hefner faced obscenity charges in 1963 for publishing and circulating photos of disrobed celebrities and aspiring stars but he was acquitted.
Catalan referendum: More than 100 hurt in crackdown
Madrid: Catalonia's emergency services said that 91 people and 11 police officers were injured in a police crackdown at polling stations for an independence referendum banned by Madrid. Thirty-five people were lightly injured, while three others were "more seriously" hurt, they said, adding that nine had to be taken to health centres. "The injuries were mostly bruises, dizziness and anxiety attacks," they added. Police fired rubber bullets in Barcelona as they charged protesters who wanted to go for the independence vote which was banned by Spain's central government and the courts. Catalan leader Carles Puigdemont lashed out at the action by Spain's national police in dispersing people in Barcelona who wanted to vote.
