For Capt. Kamaljit Singh Kalsi, a doctor, and 2nd Lt. Tejdeep Singh Rattan, a dentist, this is a hill worth fighting for.

These two U.S. military recruits of the Sikh faith are challenging an Army order that they remove their turbans and cut their unshorn hair and beards when they report for active duty in July.

In Sikhism, which originated in northwestern India, the turban and unshorn hair are articles of faith and can't be removed.

But the U.S. military says there are times when the military cannot accommodate certain religious practices, "such as when those religious observations would interfere with the wear of proper military headgear or protective clothing or equipment."   SOURCE ARTICLE

Singled out for additional screenings at San Francisco International Airport (SFO), Sikhs in the area say they avoid using the airport whenever possible.

The Sikh Coalition, a rights group, has found in its Transportation Security Administration (TSA) report card that SFO was the "worst case scenario" for Sikh travellers.   FULL ARTICLE LINK

A victim's forgiveness and a defendant's remorse led a King County Superior Court judge to be lenient Friday when she sentenced a construction worker who attacked a Sikh taxi driver last year.

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.   FULL ARTICLE LINK

An Australian school refused entry to a Sikh student on Tuesday because he was wearing a turban, saying it would not change its rules despite the threat of legal action.

The family of the 12-year-old boy, who will not be named, have complained to the Anti-Discrimination Commission in Queensland state after Ormiston College ordered the boy to cut his hair and remove his turban as a condition of entry.   FULL ARTICLE LINK