The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	Republican National Convention Sikh scripts history, offers prayers at convention Tampa (Florida), August 30 A Sikh priest has scripted history by offering invocation at the Republican National Convention, where he was invited by the party as part of its "healing touch" effort towards the community shocked by the Wisconsin gurdwara massacre. Ishwar Singh, the head priest of the Sikh Society of Central Florida, offered invocation and brief opening remarks at the start of the convention's second days' proceedings here yesterday, immediately after America's national anthem. "It was a great day for me and the Sikh community," Singh said after creating history. This is for the first time in the history of Republican National Conventions that a Sikh went to the stage to offer invocation. "It is a great honour for me to be here today as a Sikh and as an American. I am proud that my country cherishes the values of freedom, equality and dignity," Singh, sporting a white turban, said in his remarks in front of thousands of Republicans who had gathered from all across the country to nominate Mitt Romney as their presidential candidate. Singh was invited for the invocation by the Republican party as part of its "healing touch" effort towards the Sikh community which was shocked and shattered by the killing of six worshippers in a gurdwara in Wisconsin on August 5. "We are deeply saddened by recent acts of violence, including the mass shooting of Sikh-Americans in our gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. Let us end hate against all people and remember that we truly are one nation under God," he said. Singh concluded his invocation with the last line of Ardaas, the Sikh prayer of supplication: "Nanak naam chardi kala, tere bhane sarbat da bhala" and explained it in English: "In the Name of God, Waheguru, we find everlasting optimism. Within your will, we pray for the uplift of all humanity." — PTI
	Indian-American slams Obama over policy issues Tampa (Florida), August 30 After an impressive speech by Indian-American Ranjit Ricky Gill, yet another Indian-origin leader launched a scathing attack on President Barack Obama over a range of policy issues during the ongoing Republican convention in Tampa. Civil engineer Yash Wadhwa, speaking at the convention, alleged that under the present administration, the US of "his dream" had become a tent city with people waiting in line for government handouts. "Ronald Reagan used to say that America is a shining city on a hill. Under President Obama, we are becoming a tent city with people waiting in line for government handouts, and I don't like it," Wadhwa said in a live interview during the convention last night. Wadhwa, a businessman for over past two decades, is director of Operations, Strand Associates Inc. and a candidate for the Wisconsin State Assembly. He is among the business people being highlighted at the convention. — PTI
	Special to the tribune BBC comedy depicts ‘Asian stereotype’, raises hackles Shyam Bhatia in London A new TV comedy series about a Pakistani Muslim family has caused outrage among British viewers, who say they and their religion are being caricatured by the BBC. British Muslim Adil Ray is the creator of the series ‘Citizen Khan’, which was aired earlier this week, and depicts family head Mr Khan as he struggles with wedding plans of one of his daughters. As he drives in his yellow Mercedes — with a Pakistani flag flying from the bonnet, the car helps underline his sense of self-importance and sets him up to be mocked about his illusions and delusions as a community leader, as well as his standing in the business community. In recent years, this is the second controversial comedy show about the Asian community. ‘Goodness Gracious Me’, starring Meera Syal, was praised for challenging Asian stereotypes, but critics of ‘Citizen Khan’ say it repeats or reinforces stereotypes about British Muslims. A spokesman for the BBC commented, “Citizen Khan has made a very positive start, launching successfully with 3.6 million viewers and a 21.5 per cent share in a late night slot.” “New comedy always provokes differing reactions from the audience. The characters are comic creations and not meant to be representative of the community as a whole,” he added. Some outraged viewers, however, strongly disagree. One commented yesterday, “Citizen Khan is honestly the dumbest show EVER. It’s not even funny and quite disrespectful.” Another viewer said, “I was disgusted with the Citizen Khan sitcom…Shame on the person who thought of such a concept.”
	US slaps sanctions on eight top LeT leaders Tampa (Florida), August 30 The United States today slapped sanctions on Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e- Toiba's eight top commanders, including Mumbai terrorist attack mastermind Sajid Mir and the group’s founder Hafiz Saeed's son. Announcing the sanctions, the US said the LeT, despite being designated as a foreign terrorist organisation in January 2002, continues to "operate in Pakistan" and throughout the region and engage in terrorist activities worldwide. "The LeT has conducted numerous terrorist acts against interests of Pakistan, India, Afghanistan and the US and is responsible for the November 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed more than 160 persons, including six Americans, and the July 2006 Mumbai train bombings that killed more than 180 persons," the Department of Treasury said. Besides Mir, other LeT leaders slapped with sanctions are Abdullah Mujahid, Ahmed Yaqub, Hafiz Khalid Walid, Qari Muhammad Yaqoob Sheikh, Amir Hamza, Abdullah Muntazir and Talha Saeed, the son of LeT leader Saeed. Individuals targeted today are based in Pakistan and involved in LeT's propaganda campaigns, financial networks and logistic support networks. "Today's targets also include military commanders directly responsible for the murderous 2008 Mumbai attacks as well as attacks on coalition and Afghan forces. Today's designations are designed to undermine LeT's leadership and support networks of the LeT that have planned terrorist attacks around the world," the Treasury Department said. — PTI 26/11 mastermind in dock 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack mastermind Sajid Mir among the banned commanders The LeT, despite being designated as a foreign terrorist organisation, continues to operate in Pakistan and throughout the region and engage in terrorist activities worldwide, says the US The terror outfit is responsible for the November 2008 Mumbai attacks and the July 2006 Mumbai train bombings
	Sunita Williams spacewalks for station repairs Houston, August 30 Indian-American astronaut Sunita Williams and her Japanese colleague on board the International Space Station today ventured outside the lab to perform maintenance tasks of their home in orbit. NASA astronaut Williams and Japanese flight engineer Akihiko Hoshide aim at replacing a faulty power-switching unit and a failing robotic arm camera of the space station. This is the fifth spacewalk undertaken by 46-year-old Williams. On August 20, two Russian astronauts worked outside the orbiting lab to relocate a cargo boom. But today's spacewalk is the first performed by a US astronaut since the final shuttle mission in July 2011. — PTI
	Maldives’ Nasheed wasn’t ousted in coup: Inquiry Male, August 30 Mohamed Nasheed was not ousted as the President in a coup as claimed by him and the transfer of power was legal, a government-appointed inquiry commission said today amid caution by India to all stakeholders in Maldives against disturbing peace and tranquillity over it. The change of the President on February 7 was "legal and constitutional", said the report compiled by the Commission of the National Inquiry (CONI) and handed over to President Mohamed Waheed. India wants all political parties in the Maldives to take up the issues arising out of the report through a peaceful political dialogue, to make a way forward for resolving the political situation in the country. The events that occurred on February 6 and 7 were, in large measure, "reactions to the actions" of 45-year-old Nasheed, who was the first democratically-elected President of Maldives, said the report. "The resignation of President Nasheed was voluntary and of his own free will" and was "not caused by any illegal coercion or intimidation", it said. "There were acts of police brutality on 6, 7 and 8 February that must be investigated and pursued further by the relevant authorities," the executive summary of the 62-page report said. With regard to the idea that there was a "coup d'etat", nothing in the Maldives changed in constitutional terms, said the report, which was rejected by Nasheed. The Constitution was precisely followed as prescribed and President Waheed properly succeeded Nasheed, it said. Nasheed has been maintaining that he was removed in a coup and urging India to recognise this. — PTI
	Forces bomb Syrians queuing up for bread Beirut, August 30 Syrian jets and artillery have struck at least 10 bakeries in Aleppo in the past three weeks, killing dozens of people as they waited in line to buy bread, the Human Rights Watch (HRW) said on Thursday, accusing the military of targeting civilians. The US-based group said the attacks were either aimed at or were done without care to avoid the hundred of civilians forced to queue outside a dwindling number of bakeries in Syria's biggest city, a front line in the civil war. "The attacks are at least recklessly indiscriminate and the pattern and number of attacks suggest that government forces have been targeting civilians," the HRW said. "Both reckless indiscriminate attacks and deliberately targeting civilians are war crimes,” it says. One attack on August 16 killed around 60 persons and wounded more than 70, said the HRW, which sent a researcher to the embattled city. Food shortages in Aleppo - a focal point of the 17-month-old uprising against President Bashar al-Assad - have forced many bakeries to close, meaning huge queues for the food staple outside the remaining shops. "Day after day, Aleppo residents line up to get bread for their families, and instead get shrapnel piercing their bodies from government bombs and shells," said Ole Solvang, the HRW researcher who visited Aleppo. Thousands of rebels from Aleppo's countryside began moving into the city, Syria's economic hub, in July. Many moved their fighters into schools and other buildings in residential neighbourhoods, leading to high civilian casualties as Assad's forces pounded rebel-held areas with air strikes and artillery. — Reuters Bombing bakeries The Human Rights Watch (HRW) says Syrian jets and artillery have struck at least 10 bakeries in Aleppo in the past three weeks Many people have been killed while waiting in line to buy bread Deaths look deliberate, says the HRW
	Pak, India begin parleys on gas pipeline Afzal Khan in Islamabad Pakistan and India on Thursday began two-day talks in Lahore for laying the infrastructure for a gas pipeline between the two countries. The parleys will also work out tariffs for the gas that India will deliver in the system of Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited near Lahore. A four-member expert team of state-run gas utility GAIL (India) Ltd led by the managing director of the Inter State Gas System arrived in Lahore to initiate talks with the Pakistani authorities. Pakistan will be provided Liquefied natural gas (LNG) from GAIL. The factors to determine the gas price will include LNG price, terminal services cost, re-gasification and transportation costs. India plans to expand its pipeline network for the shipment of LNG across the border.
	26 coal mine workers killed in China Beijing, August 30 In one of the worst mine accidents in China in recent months, at least 26 miners were killed and 21 others remained trapped underground after a gas explosion ripped through a coal mine in southwest China’s Sichuan Province, officials said today. As many as 21 miners remained trapped underground, and their condition was not immediately known, state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Rescue efforts at the Xiaojiawan Coal Mine in the city of Panzhihua were proceeding, but were hampered by high temperatures in the gas-filled pit, according to the headquarters. —PTI