A steely war veteran from India, Ajit Ram sits in an open gas station booth past midnight, his pockets filled with cash and his only protection the hope that the surveillance camera behind him will scare off criminals. In February, the camera didn't stop two men from beating an attendant and emptying the cash register - it wasn't working. The owner fixed it after the killing two weeks ago of another employee at the Westampton filling station.

Lt. Governor John Garamendi of California USA, honoured Baba Ranjit Singh Ji (Dhadrianwale) and Giani Thakur Singh Ji (Damdami Taksal) based on the positive impact they are making on the community. He was mainly attracted by the number of community members influenced by the Parchaar done by these individuals. Baba Ranjit Singh Ji are currently on their 2008 three week Visit to California (U.S.A.) for Gurmat Parchaar.

Luis Vázquez, 21, listens during his sentencing Friday as friends of the man he attacked speak. "I'm really, really sorry for what I put you through," Vázquez told the victim.

Judge Monica Benton sentenced Luis Vázquez, 21, of Kent, to nine months in jail and 240 hours of community service for the hate crime. He will be eligible for work-release during his time in jail, the judge said. Vázquez pleaded guilty last month to reckless endangerment, second-degree assault and malicious harassment, the state's name for a hate crime, for the Nov. 24 attack on Sukhvir Singh, an Indian-born member of the Sikh religious community. Singh said he did not want to see the young man's life ruined. "If someone has made a mistake, they should learn a lesson from it," Singh said. "They should be punished accordingly, and it should be known to society that it is not good to have hate toward any human being."

Canada: Two Sikh sawmill workers have launched a complaint with the B.C. Human Rights Tribunal after they weren't allowed to work because they refused to wear hard hats over their turbans. Sohal and Sahota, who have been working in the province's forestry industry for more than 20 years, said they have always worn their turbans at Interfor's Acorn Mill in North Delta, B.C., and they haven't been injured. "They have played a tremendously strong role in Canada right from the turn of the last century in developing the forest industry and creating their own businesses and now they feel singled out. It is a really isolating feeling for them," Perry said.

SikhPride provides various services to the sikhs and those who want to learn more about sikhs. The portal is still in beta phase. SikhPride has a section for everyone. For those new to sikhi, there is an introduction package, then there is a sakhi section for the kids, audio (RajKaregaKhalsa Network) and video sections, wallpapers, charity website, Sikh History section, and various other sections. More content is currently being added to the portal. The SikhPride Network is being launched as a part of Sikhsangat.com