Human Rights

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders wants to suspend taxpayer funding of new charter schools and ban those that are for-profit as part of his plan to overhaul public education that he released on Saturday.

Saying charter schools are “exacerbating educational segregation,” Sanders proposes more transparency and accountability for them, as well as limits on the pay of their chief executives. According to the campaign, the 10-point plan focuses on “reversing racial and economic segregation that is plaguing elementary and secondary schools.”

PHOENIX (AP) — Nordstrom has apologized to Sikhs for selling a turban they found offensive, but a representative with the U.S. community’s top civil rights organization said Saturday they are still waiting to hear from the Gucci brand that designed it.

“We feel that companies are commodifying and capitalizing on something that is dear and sacred to people around the world,” said Simran Jeet Singh, a senior fellow with the New York-based Sikh Coalition, who said the turban has a deep religious significance for the men of his faith.

ISLAMABAD, May 19 (Xinhua): Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Qamar Javed Bajwa said that a display of patience, determination and unity is required to bring ultimate peace in the country, the military's media wing said in a statement.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Commercial airliners flying over the Persian Gulf risk being targeted by “miscalculation or misidentification” from the Iranian military amid heightened tensions between the Islamic Republic and the U.S., American diplomats warned Saturday, even as both Washington and Tehran say they don’t seek war.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats will hear from former CIA director John Brennan about the situation in Iran, inviting him to speak next week amid heightened concerns over the Trump administration’s sudden moves in the region.

Brennan, an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, is scheduled to talk to House Democrats at a private weekly caucus meeting Tuesday, according to a Democratic aide and another person familiar with the private meeting. Both were granted anonymity to discuss the meeting.

New Delhi, May 17; GANASHAKTI: Among  hundreds academicians, intellectuals, cultural activists  etc jointly issued the following statement: 

We are deeply shocked by the statement of Ms. Pragya Thakur, the BJP candidate for the Bhopal Lok Sabha seat, lauding Nathuram Godse the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi as a “deshbhakt”.

Kota (Rajasthan), May 17 (PTI) Seven persons including three brothers were booked for allegedly raping a 26-year-old woman in Rajasthan's Jhalawar district, the police said on Friday.

Bane Singh, Ghanshyam, Dewan, Mangilal, Durgalal, Pappu and Magilal hail from village Manpura Jagir in Jhalawar district and are yet to be nabbed, they said.

Of the seven accused, Bane Singh, Ghanshyam and Dewan are brothers, they added.

Mumbai, May 17 (PTI) Targetting Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his statement that he will not forgive BJP's Bhopal candidate Pragya Singh Thakur for calling Nathuram Godse a "patriot", Maharashtra Congress president Ashok Chavan Friday said the definition of "patriotism" was different for the ruling party.

"Its definition is different from the rest. Modi and Amit Shah might have distanced themselves from her comments but the fact is Godse's ideology and BJP's ideology are the same," Chavan alleged.

New Delhi, May 17 (PTI) A 27-year-old man was gored to death allegedly by a stray cow after his bike hit the bovine in west Delhi's Inderpuri area, police said.

The incident took place on Thursday evening at Dev Prakash Shastri Marg when Ravi Takral was riding his motorcycle, they said.

The victim was going from his home to Todapur on his motorcycle when a stray cattle came in the way, a senior police officer said.

Noida, May 17 (PTI) The Noida Police on Friday registered a case against e-commerce giant Amazon for allegedly hurting "Hindu sentiments" after rugs and toilet seat covers with pictures of Hindu gods were available for sale on its US website.

An online campaign to "boycott Amazon" was initiated by several social media users Thursday over the issue, with an Amazon spokesperson saying all sellers must follow the company's selling guidelines and those who do not comply will be subject to action, including potential removal of their account.