Month: July 2014

Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki Wednesday offered amnesty to Sunni militants who fought against the government and took control of swathes of territories in the Sunni-dominated provinces even as he described the declaration of an Islamic state by the militants as a threat to the entire region.

“I announce an amnesty for all tribes and all people who have been involved in actions against the state, who now return to their senses. They are welcome. We will not exclude anyone except those involved in killings,” Xinhua quoted Maliki as saying in his televised weekly speech.

Malaysian entrepreneur Tony Fernandes Wednesday sold his Formula 1 team Caterham to a consortium of Swiss and middle-eastern investors advised by former Force India and HRT boss Colin Kolles.

“Under the terms of the sale, the team will continue to race as Caterham F1 Team and will remain based at Leafield for the foreseeable future,” said a Caterham statement.

The new owners takes charge with immediate effect.

With a senior AIIMS forensic doctor reportedly alleging that he was pressurised to manipulate the autopsy report of Sunanda Pushkar, Delhi Police today said if required it will examine him and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor.

“Whatever will happen in this case in the future I can’t tell you right now but I want you to know that investigation in the case is going on. Whatever is necessary is being done. If it will be necessary to examine Dr Gupta, he will be,” said Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi.

The toll in the car bomb explosion that rocked a busy market in the northeastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri a day ago has risen to 56, civil defence sources told EFE Wednesday.

The bomb, which was placed in a van that carried coal, exploded Tuesday morning in the capital of the troubled northern Borno state, where the extremist Islamic group Boko Haram is active. At least 54 people were also injured in the blast.

Initial reports spoke of 10 dead and nearly 30 injured.

Iran has supplied Iraq with fighter jets to help it counter the belligerent offensive by Islamist militants who have taken over large swathes of territory, a media report said today.

Russia supplied an initial delivery of the aircraft just a few days ago but analysts at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) here say that a further delivery on July 1, originates from Iran, BBC reported.

This means that the US — which has also sent aircraft to Iraq — is operating alongside Iran in this conflict.

The number of Syrian refugees taking shelter in Turkey is expected to reach 1.5 million by the end of 2014, according to a report released Wednesday.

A total of 1.05 million Syrian refugees are currently housed in 22 refugee camps and cities in neighbouring Turkey, Xinhua reported quoting the Anadolu News Agency which cited a report released by the International Strategic Research Organisation and the Brookings Institute on Wednesday.

The Gujarat High Court here today adjourned the hearing on a plea filed by Bollywood actor-producer Aamir Khan and four others in a case of alleged filming of Chinkara, an endangered species, in their movie ‘Lagaan’.

Justice R D Kothari today adjourned the hearing as the state government sought time for further representation on the plea and scheduled the case for August 9.

Tech Mahindra today said it has formed a joint venture with Midad Holding to provide IT and ITeS solutions in Saudi Arabia.

Midad will hold 51 per cent stake in the JV firm (to be called Tech Mahindra Arabia), while Tech Mahindra will hold the remaining 49 per cent share.

“Headquartered in Al Khobar, Tech Mahindra Arabia will also have a presence across major cities in Saudi Arabia and will be functional post the regulatory approvals,” Tech Mahindra said in a statement.

Midad Holding is a subsidiary of Al Fozan, a diversified business group.

The Colombian football team was subject an insult after a caricature was published showing ‘Los Cafeteros’ players inhaling a white substance a reference to cocaine. The caricature has resulted in official protests.

Belgium’s French-speaking broadcaster RTBF published a caricature showing three Colombian players trying to sniff the vanishing foam used during the World Cup matches. The caricature was entitled “Colombia inhales confidence”, reports EFE.

Bolivian president Evo Morales said that the sanctions imposed by FIFA on Uruguay’s Luis Suarez is a revenge attempt, after several European teams were eliminated by South American teams from the World Cup.

“I feel that some FIFA leaders are retaliating on some South American players in order to not to continue eliminating the Europeans,” Morales said here, reports EFE.

The leader expressed his solidarity with Suarez and the Uruguayan team, hoping for South American teams to continue their quest in Brazil.
(IANS/EFE)

Eight Maoist rebels surrendered in Odisha Wednesday, police said.

They surrendered before police in the district headquarters town of Koraput, about 500 km from here.

“The rebels joined the local Chasi Muliya Adivasi Sangha organisation around 2009 and provided leadership in their area,” Deputy Inspector General of Police (Southwestern Range) Yashwant Jethwa told IANS.

Later, they became active members of Bandhugaon area committee of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist, he said.

Ingredients :

2 lb. Potatoes
Salt to taste
Oil for frying
1 large onion
1 clove Garlic
½ -inch fresh root Ginger
½ Teaspoon Caraway seeds
1 Teaspoon ground Coriander
½ Teaspoon Garam masala
½ ieaspoon Turmeric powder 8 oz. lean Beef, minced 1 Tomato
Salt to taste
1 Teaspoon freshly chopped mint
1 egg
Breadcrumbs for coating
Potato Chops (Alu Chop) Method :

Colombia defender Carlos Valdes praised teammate James Rodriguez for his role during the World Cup but also stressed on the fact that the team as a whole is most important.

Colombia will face hosts Brazil in the quarterfinals Friday after defeating Uruguay 2-0 in the Round of 16 with both goals coming from Rodriguez, reports EFE.

“Neymar is a great player and important for Brazil. But James Rodríguez also is important for us. Brings a lot to the team,” said the San Lorenzo de Almagro defender.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal Wednesday said the Haryana government’s move to create a separate body to manage gurdwaras and end the SGPC control in the state was unconstitutional.

Terming it as “an ill-conceived, arbitrary and unconstitutional move”, Badal warned the Congress government in Haryana against meddling in the religious affairs of Sikhs.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has appointed Maj. Gen. Delali Johnson Sakyi of Ghana as chief military observer and head of the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP).

Maj. Gen. Sakyi succeeds Maj. Gen. Young-Bum Choi of South Korea, who completed his two-year assignment June 16, 2014, Xinhua reported citing a statement issued by the UN Information Centre in Accra Wednesday.

With more than 35 years of military command and staff experience at national and international levels, Maj.Gen. Sakyi served most recently as force commander for the UN mission in South Sudan.

The government Wednesday hiked the minimum export price of onions by 67 percent and brought it under the Essential Commodities Act to curb hoarding as prices soared in the domestic markets.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to include onions and potatos under the purview of stock holding limits under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955.

Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Wednesday said the government has the highest respect for the judiciary, but it has the right to be consulted on the appointment of judges.

“We have the highest respect and regard for the institution of judiciary. We are fully committed for freedom of judiciary,” Prasad said.

GHMC Commissioner Somesh Kumar has strictly warned the Engineering officials against diverting the works allocated for Ramzan and Bonalu works for other works.

The Commissioner inspected various temples and mosques in the South Zone on Wednesday to review the various works taken up in view of upcoming festivals. He has directed Bala Subramanyam Reddy, Zonal Commissioner, South Zone and K. Babu Rao, Additional DCP, South Zone to finalise the list of works to be taken up on main roads including Bonalu procession routes, if at all they are left out.

Global software major Infosys Ltd became the world’s first IT firm to file a sustainability report based on the latest global reporting initiative (GRI) framework, the IT bellwether said here Wednesday.

“As a value-driven company, we follow the highest levels of disclosure, besides ensuring compliance with the laws of the land.

“The sustainability report demonstrates our reporting practices and addresses expectations of our stakeholders,” the $8.3-billion company said in a statement.

GRI’s fourth generation (G4) is the widely respected sustainability reporting framework, worldwide.

Conveying its serious concern over reports that the BJP was among parties which the US National Security Agency (NSA) was authorised to spy upon, India Wednesday summoned a senior US diplomat and sought an explanation on the issue.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said India has clearly explained its concerns to the US government and sought an assurance from the country that any such authorisation will not be acted upon.

He said intrusion of privacy of individuals and institutions was highly objectionable.

Algeria’s Bosnian manager Vahid Halilhodzic has quit from his post.

He is likely to be replaced by Frenchman Christian Gourcuff, reports EFE.

This news comes after Algeria exited FIFA World Cup post-losing 1-2 to Germany in the Round of 16 here Monday.

Halilhodzic quit after leading Algeria to a historic achievement after qualifying to the last-16 stage for the first time in their history.
(IANS/EFE)

The controversy surrounding the death of Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, was again revived Wednesday after the chief of the AIIMS forensic department reportedly said he was pressurised to show her death as “natural”. Even as union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan sought a report from AIIMS, the institute denied the allegation made by its senior doctor.

Tharoor also requested the authorities to conduct a “thorough investigation” to conclude the inquiry “rapidly and transparently”.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Wednesday said that Congress leader Shashi Tharoor had little choice other than issuing a statement today demanding a thorough probe into his wife, Sunanda Pushkar’s death case.

The government Wednesday decided to defer revising the retail prices of domestic LPG and public distribution kerosene due to the upward revision of state specific costs (SSC) till completion of discussions with state governments.

“Revision of retail selling price of domestic LPG and PDS Kerosene to those consumers on account of upward revision of the State Specific Cost Scheme (SSC) on Domestic LPG and PDS Kerosene would be deferred till the discussions are completed with the state governments during July 2014”, the petroleum ministry said here in a statement.

Although their national team has never played in a FIFA World Cup, Taiwan was present at the mega-event in another form: textiles sales.

Most of the teams’ jerseys are made of yarn having recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) which is used in liquid containers and plastic bottles, which keeps the body dry and enables better ventilation, reports EFE.

The material was developed by recycling 4.5 billion bottles annually used in Taiwan.

The football jerseys made of Taiwanese yarn were used for the first time in the 2010 World Cup and the demand has been high since.