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Iraq: Thousands displaced as battle for Mosul rages on

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Iraqi forces progress towards city limits despite heavy resistance from ISIL, as aid groups expect flood of refugees.

Iraqi civilians have had to make the dangerous journey fleeing the violence on foot [Reuters]

Iraqi civilians have had to make the dangerous journey fleeing the violence on foot [Reuters]

by Al Jazeera

More than 10,000 Iraqis have fled their homes since the start of an offensive to retake Mosul from ISIL this month, according to the UN.

That figure is just a fraction of the displacement that aid groups expect to see when Iraqi forces reach the city limits and some of the million-plus people thought to be inside attempt to flee.

“As the fighting gets closer to more populated areas, we’re starting to see more and more families flee the fighting,” Al Jazeera’s Stefanie Dekker, reporting from Erbil in northern Iraq, said.

“At least 1,000 people were evacuated by [Iraqi] counterterrorism forces from their villages,” Dekker added. “These are terrifying times for those people – their houses are shaking, and they are being caught in the crossfire.”

And while those evacuated by the elite Iraqi unit were guided to nearby camps, there “are no humanitarian corridors” to manage the thousands more being displaced, Dekker said.

“Many other people are making this terrifying journey on foot.”

But, though the number of displaced Iraqis has increased rapidly over the past two days, there was no sign an exodus of larger proportions was beginning.

The aid community has been scrambling to build camps and bring equipment to areas on the edges of the Mosul battlefield, a vast area where Iraqi forces are closing in on the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group (ISIL, also known as ISIS) from the north, east and south.

Strong resistance from ISIL has made the battle slow and dangerous, but Iraqi and Kurdish Peshmerga forces have retaken 90 villages and Iraqi government troops have gotten within six kilometres of Mosul on the eastern front.

Iraqi forces on Thursday retook the town of Rutba in western Iraq, where Shia militias reportedly forcibly displaced 60 families who they accused of collaborating with ISIL.

Meanwhile, the Peshmerga have concentrated their attack in the northeast, on the town of Bashiqa.

US-led coalition forces have been supporting them by hitting parts of the town with air strikes.

The US Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter, said on Wednesday that despite the slow progress, there were no plans to add more troops to the battle.

Southee, Neesham help New Zealand level series against India

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(AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

(AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

Ranchi: Indian Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni lost his first match in his home-town as the hosts went down fighting by 19 runs, enabling New Zealand level the five-match One-Day International (ODI) cricket series at the JSCA International Stadium here on Wednesday.

Chasing 261, tailenders Dhawal Kulkarni (25 not out) and Umesh Yadav (7) put up a record 10th wicket stand of 34 against the Kiwis but the equation was too steep for them. In the end, India were all out for 241 in 48.4 overs.

Pacer Tim Southee (3/40) and all-rounder James Neesham (2/38) wrecked India’s chase as the hosts had only opener Ajinkya Rahane (57) scoring a fifty, failing to once again convert his good start.

Virat Kohli (45) and Axar Patel (38) tried to hold fort but wickets tumbled around them with Dhoni (11) also falling cheaply to Neesham.

The downslide started with Rohit Sharma (11) falling early to a peach of an outswinging delivery from Southee.

Rahane was looking good tonking the first six of the match off Boult in the 6th over. The right-hander carted for fours off Southee and Boult.

With the fielding restrictions lifted after the first Powerplay, the Kiwis introduced spin, bringing Santner in the 10th over. Three over later, Ish Sodhi joined Santner but the skills of the Indian batsmen scored almost everytime over their rivals’ bowling.

One late cut off Sodhi in the 14th over by Kohli summed it up as the hosts were having a ball with spin from both ends.

Just when the hosts were looking to cruise to an easy win with both Kohli and Rahane stitching a 79-run second wicket partnership at 5.04 per over, Sodhi sent the former packing.

Lunging at a poor delivery way outside off-stump, Kohli (45) looked to cut in vain giving an outside edge to Watling who took a fine catch.

Meanwhile, Rahane brought up his 16th fifty in the 25th over off Devcich as the tourists perhaps missed a trick by playing the left-armer who seemed to ease the pressure off Dhoni and Rahane at a time India could have been put in a spot of bother after the dismissal of Kohli.

But Neesham, in his second spell, did the damage getting Rahane LBW after the latter shuffled his stance and played across.

Neesham was on the money again, this time castling the Indian captain with an incoming delivery which Dhoni missed all ends up with no foot movement whatsoever.

Manish Pandey and Axar Patel looked to put up a semblence of a fight before Pandey fell to a superb catch by Tom Latham at mid on with Southee picking up Kedar Jadhav plumb in front with his next delivery.

Amit Mishra and Axar Patel showed character for a 38-run eighth wicket stand until Mihra ran for a non-existent second run allowing Santer time to get him run out.

Patel followed suit in the same over, Boult yorking him from around the wicket.

Kulkarni and Yadav tried their best but in the end the target proved too big for the lower orer batsmen.

Earlier, Martin Guptill top-scored for the tourists with 72 off 84 balls to set India a target of 261.

Williamson’s charges rued not putting more runs on the board after getting off to a flying start where they hit 12 boundaries in the first ten overs but only managed 13 in the next 40.

Mishra returned with best figures of 2/42 getting the important scalps of Williamson and Neesham.

The Black Caps got off to a flying start and they were also helped by a missed catch. Amit Mishra grassed a difficult catch of Guptill (29) at mid-on in the seventh over, diving to his left but parrying his one-handed attempt towards long-on.

Patel outfoxed Latham (39) just when he and Guptill were looking good, with a slower one which the in-form opener swept to Ajinkya Rahane at short fine leg.

Moments later, Guptill brought up his fifty in 56 balls. Guptill continued to score freely, racing to 72 in no time as the tourists reached 138/1 by the 26th over.

Just when things were looking good for Guptill, Pandya snapped his stay with a short of length delivery that the right-hander edged to Dhoni behind the stumps.

Williamson met the same fate albeit a little earlier in his innings. Looking set at 41 off 58 deliveries laced with four fours, the right-hander fell prey to Mishra’s guile trying to cut the leggie and in the process nicking to Dhoni.

Neesham soon followed suit, this time Kohli taking a superb catch diving low to his left at cover off Mishra.

Watling and Taylor tried to up the ante but a swing of the bat from the wicket-keeper, who replaced Luke Ronchi, went only as far as Rohit Sharma who took a simple catch at fine leg.

Dhoni again accounted for Taylor soon after with the former collecting the ball in front of the stumps and then deflecting it back onto the stumps, all in one motion to catch the latter unaware.

Umesh picked up Anton Devcich as the Kiwis set India a target of 261 to wrap up the series.

(IANS)

Karnataka to seek Rs 3,760 cr central aid for drought relief

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drought karnataka

Bengaluru: Karnataka government on Wednesday said it would seek a financial assistance of more than Rs 3,760 crore from the Centre towards drought and flood relief works against an estimated loss of Rs 14,630 crore to crops and properties caused by the natural calamities.

A delegation led by Revenue Minister and Agriculture Minister would submit a memorandum to the Centre placing the state’s demands, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister T B Jayachandra told reporters after a cabinet meeting here.

The state government has already declared 110 taluks as drought hit with the loss to crops and properties pegged at Rs 12,145 crore.

Assistance of Rs 3,373 crore for drought relief would be sought as per the guidelines of National Disaster Relief Fund and State Disaster Relief Fund, he said.

As regards the damage caused by floods in Kalburagi, Bidar and Yadgir districts, he said the loss to crops and properties was estimated at over Rs. 2,485 crore against which over Rs 386 crore would be sought from the Centre as relief.

Jayachandra said the Centre would be asked to provide assistance to help tackle the water and fodder problems on a priority basis.

He said the cabinet also gave administrative approval for the recommendations of a cabinet sub-committee to ensure that jobs reserved for the physically challenged would not be allotted to any other category.

(Agencies)

Reserve Bank cautions citizens about fake Rs 500/100 banknotes

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Rupee

Mumbai: Worried over circulation of fake currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 denomination, the RBI on Wednesday asked the public to make it a habit to examine the notes before accepting them in the usual course of transactions.

“It has come to our notice that unscrupulous elements are putting into circulation fake Indian currency notes of higher denominations in the course of normal transactions, taking advantage of the gullible and unsuspecting nature of some members of the public,” the RBI said.

The central bank has cautioned the public to subject notes that are accepted to “careful scrutiny”.

Genuine Indian currency notes of higher denominations have strong counterfeit resistant security features, it said, adding the fake notes can be identified on closer inspection.

Detailed information on the security features on the banknotes are available on RBI website. “People are requested to make it a habit of looking at the notes before accepting them in the usual course of daily transactions and help arrest the counterfeiting of banknotes,” the RBI said.

The Reserve Bank is also considering additional identity requirements for the use of banknotes in large numbers. Counterfeiting of notes, or possession, exchange, acceptance, putting into circulation of counterfeit notes or in any way abetting such actions are offences under the Indian Penal Code and such actions are liable to be punished stringently.

The Reserve Bank has appealed to the public for cooperation and also authorities in containing the menace of circulation of counterfeit notes.

(PTI)

Pak says espionage charges against its official ‘false’

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abdul-basit

Islamabad: Pakistan today deplored India declaring its High Commission staffer in New Delhi as persona non-grata for espionage activities, terming charges against the diplomatic official as “false and unsubstantiated”.

Foreign Office in a statement said, “We condemn the detention and manhandling of our diplomatic official”.

The Indian action has been accompanied by an “extremely negative and orchestrated media campaign”, it said, adding the move “clearly reflects Indian actions to shrink diplomatic space for the working of Pakistan High Commission”.

“A staff member of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi was lifted by the Indian authorities yesterday (26 October 2016) on false and unsubstantiated charges. He was, however, released in about three hours on intervention by our High Commission,” the statement said.

“We reject the Indian allegations and deplore the Indian action which is indeed a violation of the Vienna Convention as well as the norms of diplomatic conduct especially in an already vitiated atmosphere.

“Pakistan High Commission has always been working within the parameters of international law and diplomatic norms,” the statement claimed.

It also alleged that India’s attempts to escalate the tensions and divert the international attention from the “grave human rights violations” being perpetrated in Kashmir can never succeed.

It urged the international community to “take notice of the Indian designs”.

India’s decision to declare a Pakistan High Commission staffer in Delhi as persona non-grata was conveyed by Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar who summoned Pakistan’s envoy Abdul Basit.

Delhi Police crime branch took the staffer identified as Mehmood Akhtar in custody after he was found in possession of certain defence documents. Akhtar was released after questioning as he enjoys diplomatic immunity.

The crime branch has also arrested two persons, residents of Rajasthan, for allegedly passing on sensitive information to Akhtar.

(Agencies)

“I will continue making films of all genres which will represent good cinema.” – Pradeep K. Sharma

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pradeep-k-sharma-producer

Producer Pradeep K. Sharma is one cool guy who takes everything in his stride without losing his calm & composure in the least bit. To start off his filmic career as a producer he made a right beginning by launching his own home production banner namely Baba Motion Pictures Pvt Ltd. Present herewith is a one on one interview session with him in Cafe Coffee Day.

How did you begin your filmic journey?

Honestly speaking I always aimed to be a filmmaker. And to make a right beginning towards this end I proceeded by launching my own home production banner namely
Baba Motion Pictures Pvt Ltd and produced my 1st film namely Direct Ishq which was a moderate success. Even my 2nd film released under the same banner namely 1:13:7 Ek Tera Saath has been released but sadly enough it received a very lukewarm response from the cine goer’s all over. But no regrets whatsoever I will continue making good cinema in all genres.

It seems you had a little tiff with director
Arshad Siddiqui during the making of 1:13:7 Ek Tera Saath?

You cannot really term it as a tiff. But then you tend to have a little misunderstanding which was later on cleared amicably. Even otherwise how could I upset my director Arshad Siddiqui who was also a part producer of 1:13:7 Ek Tera Saath. He had used the name of his long standing banner namely Eyefaa Studio.

It seerms singer Swati Sharma happens to be your daughter?

Yes you are right and indeed she has rendered 5 songs in 1:13:7 Ek Tera Saath.
But that’s all! I do not at all interfere in her singing career. In fact she takes her own independent decisions.

To what would you attribute the lukewarm response to your 2nd film 1:13:7 Ek Tera Saath!

No body can really understand the psyche of the Indian cine goer’s. You can never know what they would like and what they would not. Anyways I am very happy that my 2nd film also got released in the same year as my 1st film Direct Ishq. The music & the script were also great. My daughter Swati Sharma’s 5 songs with Raahat Fateh Ali Khan, KK & Aman Trikha were also very melodious. The film also had good actors like Ssharad Malhotra, Hritu Dudani & Melanie Nazereth.

Are you trying to follow in the footsteps of Ramsay Bros of the past era and Vikram Bhatt of the present times by making a film rooted in the horror genre?

No its nothing like that. Once again I would like to stress that I will continue making films of all genres as long as they represent good cinema that would be liked by the masses as well as the classes.

So which are the next films that you are planning under your own home production banner?

I am now planning to launch 2 new films under my own home production banner namely Aashiq Surrender & Ishqabaad as well as a Marathi film next year. Yes you can say that I was highly impressed & inspired by the grand success of Marathi film Sairaat. That apart I am also planning to make 2 big films every year, with big star cast in the coming years.

New Zealand fail to capitalise on good start, put 260 on board

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new-zealand

Ranchi: New Zealand failed to capitalise on a good start by their openers as they managed to put up 260/7 on the board against India in the fourth One-Day International (ODI) at the JSCA International Stadium here on Wednesday.

Martin Guptill top-scored for the tourists with 72 off 84 balls. His innings was laced with 12 boundaries. Guptill and Tom Latham put together a 96-run stand before Axar Patel (1/38) took the latter’s wicket.

The Kiwis lost wickets at regular intervals in the middle overs which stymied their flow of runs despite going at a good run rate.

The Black Caps got off to a flying start with Guptill taking a liking to Dhawal Kulkarni — playing in place of an ill Jaspreet Bumrah — hitting him for three fours in his first over.

Amit Mishra grassed a difficult catch of Guptill (29) at mid-on in the seventh over, diving to his left but parrying his one-handed attempt towards long-on.

Patel outfoxed Latham (39) just when he and Guptill were looking good, with a slower one which the in-form opener swept to short fine leg for a catch to Ajinkya Rahane.

Moments later, Guptill brought up his fifty in 56 balls. The right-hander, who is looking to hit a purple patch, drove Kedar Jadhav to long-on albeit his celebrations at reaching the landmark were subdued.

Guptill continued to score freely, racing to 72 in no time as the tourists reached 138/1 by the 26th over. Just when things were looking good for Guptill, Pandya snapped his stay with a short of length delivery that the right-hander edged to Dhoni behind the stumps.

Kane Williamson met the same fate albeit a little earlier in his innings. Looking set at 41 off 58 deliveries laced with four fours, highly-rated right hander fell prey to Mishra’s guile tryin to cut the leggie and in the process nicking to Dhoni.

All-rounder James Neesham soon followed suit, this time Virat Kohli taking a superb catch diving low to his left at cover off Mishra.

Watling and Taylor tried to up the ante as New Zealand were running out of overs. But a swing of the bat from the wicketkeeper who replaced Luke Ronchi went only as far as Rohit Sharma who took a simple catch at fine leg.

Smart wicketkeeping from Dhoni accounted for Taylor soon after with the former collecting the ball in front of the stumps and then deflecting it back onto the stumps, all in one motion to catch the latter unaware.

Umesh Yadav picked up Anton Devcich as the Kiwis set India a target of 261 to wrap up the series.

India lead the five-match 2-1 at the moment.

(IANS)

National Geographic’s ‘Afghan girl’ arrested in Pak over forged documents

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afghan-girl

Islamabad: National Geographic’s famed ‘Afghan Girl’ Sharbat Bibi was arrested by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA in Peshawar, authorities said Wednesday.

Sharbat Bibi was arrested from her home for forgery of a Computerised National Identity Card (CNIC), the FIA sources said. Sharbat Bibi has dual Pakistani and Afghan nationality, and both ID cards have been recovered from her, Pakistan daily Dawn reported.

An FIA official said the officer who had issued the ID cards to Sharbat Bibi was now working as a deputy commissioner in customs and got bail-before-arrest to avoid arrest in the case.

Last year, National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) issued three CNICs to Sharbat Bibi and two men who claimed to be her sons. Issuance of CNICs were in violation to the rules and procedures of NADRA.

The official added that relatives present at the given address have refused to recognise two persons listed as her sons in the form.

An inquiry had been launched with NADRA officials under fire for issuing CNICs to foreign nationals without legitimate documentation, Dawn online noted.

Sharbat Bibi became famously known as the ‘Afghan Girl’ when National Geographic photographer Steve McCurry captured her photograph at the Nasir Bagh refugee camp situated on the edge of Peshawar in 1984 and identified her as Sharbat Gula.

She gained worldwide recognition when her image was featured on the cover of the June 1985 issue of National Geographic Magazine at a time when she was approximately 12-years-old.

She remained anonymous for years after her first photo made her an icon around the world and until she was discovered by National Geographic in 2002.

(IANS)

Paul Beatty becomes first American to win Booker Prize

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paul-b

London: Paul Beatty has become the first American author to win the prestigious Man Booker Prize for “The Sellout” — a satire of race and class in the United States.

The novel, described by the judges as “shocking and unexpectedly funny”, tells the story of an African-American man who attempts to assert his identity, ironically by reintroducing slavery and segregation in his Los Angeles neighbourhood.

The 54-year-old author collected the 50,000 pound literary award at a ceremony at London’s Guildhall last night.

Beatty appeared overwhelmed with emotion and struggled for words as he began his acceptance speech.

“I hate writing,” the Los Angeles-born writer said.

“This is a hard book,” he went on. “It was a hard for me to write, I know it’s hard to read. Everyone’s coming at it from different angles.”

The author’s caustic wit and humour set against the backdrop of US politics earned him high praise from the judges, who compared his work to the likes of Mark Twain and Jonathan Swift.

Amanda Foreman, chair of the judging panel, said the novel had been chosen unanimously after four hours of deliberation.

“‘The Sellout’ is one of those very rare books that is able to take satire, which is in itself a very difficult subject and not always done well, and it plunges into the heart of contemporary American society with absolutely savage wit of the kind I haven’t seen since Swift or Twain,” she said.

“It both manages to eviscerate every social taboo and politically correct nuance, every sacred cow, while both making us laugh and wince. It is both funny and painful at the same time, and it is really a novel for our times,” she said.

Beatty, who now lives in New York, has three previous novels – “Slumberland”, “Tuff” and “The White Boy Shuffle”.

This is the third year that the award has been open to writers of fiction of any nationality. The shortlist included two British, two US, one Canadian and one British-Canadian writer.

The Sellout beat five other novels, including Madeleine Thien’s Do Not Say We Have Nothing, the bookies’ favourite.

Others in the running were Graeme Macrae Burnet for his Scottish crime thriller “His Bloody Project”, Deborah Levy for her novel “Hot Milk”, Ottessa Moshfegh’s “Eileen”, and David Szalay’s “All That Man is”.

The shortlisted authors each receive 2,500 pounds and a specially bound edition of their book.

The award was presented to Beatty by Camilla Parker-Bowles, the Duchess of Cornwall.

(PTI)

AMU professor dies, as he waits for ambulance for 6 hours

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amu

Aligarh: A professor died at Aligarh Muslim University’s hospital on Wednesday after hospital authorities reportedly could not arrange ambulance for him for over six hours.

D Murthy, a professor from Modern Indian Languages faculty, was a cancer patient and he was on ventilator.

Campus surgeon Dr Md Aslam said Prof. Murthy was cancer patient and he was referred to Delhi hospital after his condition deteriorated following surgery.

However, Professor Shaikh Mastan, friend of Murthy, alleged that the ambulance couldn’t be arranged in time as there was no coordination between Chief Medial Officer and doctors.

AMU spokesperson told media persons that a special team has been formed to investigate the issue and people responsible will be penalised.

(Agencies)

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