Diaspora

BRAMPTON: Three youth of Punjab origin have been arrested and charged in connection with an extortion investigation in Brampton. They were allegedly involved in making extortion calls to businessmen, spreading fear in the region.

OTTAWA: The Hindu Canadian Foundation (HCF) on Monday strongly condemned the call by Khalistani extremists on Monday to send back 800,000 Hindus to India.

CHANDIGARH: The Global Sikh Council (GSC) has extended its support to the recent appeal made by Singh Sahib Gyani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, Jathedar of Sri Akal Takhat Sahib, Sri Amritsar Sahib, for all Sikh parcharaks (preachers) including Bhai Ranjit Singh Dhadhrianwala, to come together under the banner of Sri Akal Takhat Sahib to rejuvenate the mission of Sikhi parchar across India.

PHAGWARA: In a heartfelt tribute to the victims of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, USA-based Indian community members led by Phagwara based Dr Romesh Japra who is Chairman Fremont Hindu Temple San Fransisco, held a candlelight vigil at the Vedic Dharma Samaj Fremont Hindu Temple.

AMRITSAR: Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami has congratulated a large number of Punjabis, especially Sikh representatives, in the Canadian federal elections, expressing happiness. He said that it is a matter of great pride for the Sikh community and all Punjabis that these candidates have proved their leadership in Canadian politics by winning and have raised the heads of Punjabis.

OTTAWA: Once a kingmaker in Canadian politics, Jagmeet Singh announced on Tuesday that he is quitting as the leader of the National Democratic Party (NDP) after he lost his own election to parliament and his party suffered a rout.

NEW YORK: A Punjab-born surgeon, her two children and their partners were killed along with her husband, who piloted a small plane that crashed in New York state.

OTTAWA: Canada's three-term Liberal Member of Parliament Chandra Arya, who has been barred from contesting in the forthcoming elections under the party's banner in his own Ottawa Nepean constituency over alleged foreign-interference concerns involving India, believes he has been denied nomination this time for speaking out against the Khalistani extremist movement in the country.

BELGIUM: We, the representatives of Gurdwaras across Europe, strongly condemn the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) backed Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for prematurely and arbitrarily removing Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Raghbir Singh and Jathedar of Takht Kesgarh Sahib Giani Sultan Singh by the Executive Committee (EC) of the SGPC without due consideration for the profound religious significance of the position of Jathedar, and instead, the decision is driven by political motives aimed at advancing their own interests.

WASHINGRTON: Kash Patel is set to make history Thursday when the Republican-led US Senate votes to confirm him to head the FBI, the country’s premier investigating agency.

MARYLAND: On the invitation of Maryland Lt. Governor Aruna Miller, Bhai Sawinder Singh, Hazuri Ragi of Sri Harmandir Sahib (Golden Temple), Amritsar, attended the recent Governor’s Interfaith Council meeting, where faith leaders from diverse communities came together to discuss shared challenges and promote unity.

CHANDIGARH: In a bid to make the verification process easier for Non Resident Indian(NRI) Punjabis, the Government of Punjab under the visionary leadership of S. Bhagwant Singh Mann Chief Minister of Punjab has operationalised E-Sanad portal in September, 2024 all over Punjab through which NRI Punjabis can apply for countersigning their documents from their homes. In this connection, 6481 applications have been received for countersigning on this portal from 1 January 2025 to till date.

CHANDIGARH: The Youth Akali Dal's flagship initiative, 'Meri Dastaar Meri Shaan,' has now gone international, as SAD leader Lakhvir Sangha is set to organize a 'Dastaran Da Langar' camp at Gurdwara Kalgidhar Darbar in Winnipeg, Canada, on 25th January.

AMRITSAR: Four washing machines were presented by US resident Balwant Singh's family to Sachkhand Sri Harmandir Sahib.

AMRITSAR: The three- day 34th World Punjabi Conference to be held in Lahore has begun with a call to raise the flag of Punjab , Punjabi and Punjabiyat .

AMRITSAR: Cabinet Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, who has the charge of NRI Affairs, today reached the house of Majitha Road resident Amandeep Singh, who was arrested in a case in Laos, and told the family that his son has been released by the police and Soon he will return to the country.

PHAGWARA: In a tragic incident, a 52-year-old man from Phagwara, Bakhtawar Singh Bajwa, lost his life during a dispute at a gurdwara in Brussels, Belgium. Reports suggest that the incident occurred on Wednesday night amidst ongoing tensions related to the gurdwara’s management.

INDIANAPOLIS: Four residents of Greenwood are in the Johnson County jail this morning accused of murder waiting for extradition to New Jersey.

KUWAIT: Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised Indian workers abroad during his visit to a labour camp in Mina Abdullah, Kuwait, marking the first official program of his historic visit to the West Asian nation.

CHICAGO: Punjabi Cultural Society of Chicago (PCS) participated in the 90th anniversary of Chicago Thanksgiving Day Parade with a well decorated float, Ashke Bhangra Club team, Punjabi Dholi Manmeet Singh and DJ Miss Bhalla blasting Punjabi Bhangra music on State Street in the heart of downtown Chicago on November 28, 2024. The Chicago loop boomed with music.

LONDON: UK's Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, which has been opening its monthly meetings with “Bible Reading and Prayer”, has turned down request to have Hindu opening-prayer in an upcoming session.

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday highlighted the deep connection the diaspora shares with their roots, stating that "Bhartiyata (Indianness)" is deeply embedded in the personalities of Indian communities abroad.

PERTH: A red-hot India captain Jasprit Bumrah picked four wickets to scythe through the Australia batting line-up as the hosts’ reached 67/7 in 27 overs and trail visitors by 83 runs at stumps on day one of first Test at the Perth Stadium on Friday.

PATIALA: The Wisconsin-based billionaire Darshan Singh Dhaliwal expressed his delight over Donald Trump winning the USA Presidential elections last week, as the results reflected the expectations of majority of Indian community in United States.

Cincinnati, Ohio:  The 555th Parkash Purab of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism, was celebrated with great devotion and enthusiasm by Sikh community at the Guru Nanak Society of Greater Cincinnati Gurdwara Sahib. The community organized a series of special programs over three days to mark this auspicious occasion.

CHANDIGARH: The portrait of Lord Dr. Indarjit Singh, the first turbaned Sikh parliamentarian in the UK and Europe, has been installed in the Bishop’s Corridor of the House of Lords in the British Parliament at Westminster, London for his immense contribution to the house and public services to the nation. This marks the first time a Sikh’s portrait has been displayed in the British Parliament.

NEW DELHI: As Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived on Sunday on his first-ever visit to Nigeria, the Indian community living in the West African country turned up in large numbers giving him a rousing welcome, chanting 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Vande Mataram' slogans, at the Abuja airport.

AMRITSAR: Resident of Australia Jitinder Singh Uppal and his family presented a bus with a palanquin to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee for the holy relics of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the keys of which were handed over to the former general secretary of the Shiromani Committee Bhai Rajinder Singh Mehta and Shiromani Committee officials.

UNITED NATIONS: Swami Vivekananda’s role as the inspirer of spirituality across the world and the builder of bridges was honoured at an exhibition of his life and work here.

Milpitas(California): The leader of a prominent Punjabi association in North America welcomed on Saturday the Pakistan government’s decision to grant free online visas within 30 minutes of arrival to Sikh community members living in the US, UK, and Canada. North American Punjabi Association (NAPA) executive director Satnam Singh Chahal also urged the Pakistani and the Indian governments to reopen the Wagah border to facilitate cross-border trade.

CHANDIGARH: The Global Sikh Council (GSC), a global confederation of 31 national-level Sikh organizations, held its 11th Annual General Meeting (AGM) in London, UK. During the election proceedings, Lady Singh Kanwaljit Kaur was unanimously re-elected to serve a two-year term as president, highlighting her continued commitment and leadership within the organization.

BRAMPRON: The Peel Region Police in Ontario has arrested two doctors who worked together at a homeopathic clinic in Brampton. They are accused of sexually assaulting female patients several years ago.

BHUBANESWAR: Following widespread uproar over the proposed untimely celebration of Snana Yatra and Ratha Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Houston in U.S., the Puri King Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb on Tuesday wrote letter to the authorities of ISKCON urging the organisation to postpone the performance of the sacred festivals on the proposed dates of November 3rd and 9th respectively which is contrary to the scriptural injunctions.

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden would celebrate Diwali on Monday evening with a large number of Indian-Americans from across the country at the White House, his last as the President, the White House said in a statement.

CHANDIGARH: The Global Sikh Council (GSC), representing 31 national-level Sikh organizations worldwide, has unanimously passed a resolution to free two of the Sikh temporal seats, Takht Sri Patna Sahib in Bihar and Takht Sri Hazur Sahib in Maharashtra, from government control with the active participation of local Sikh sangat and Gurdwara committees.