NEW YORK - New York taxi drivers, many of them immigrants from dozens of countries, are notorious for being unkempt and even obnoxious.

TORONTO - The kirpan issue was to the fore once again in Canada Wednesday when four Sikhs were barred from entering the Quebec provincial assembly for carrying a "potential weapon".

GEORGE TOWN - Two Malaysian Indian brothers celebrating the Thaipusam festival of the Tamil Hindus carried idols of Buddhist deity Kuan Yin after their ailing mother recovered.