NEW DELHI: Sunni insurgents on Thursday moved out all 46 Indian nurses holed up in a hospital in the Iraqi city of Tikrit.

The External Affairs Ministry said the nurses were "on the road" but added there was no information where they were being taken to.

Ministry spokesman Syed Akbaruddin told the media that the nurses were safe but some had suffered "minor injuries" during the shifting. He didn't provide further details.

The official underlined, however, that they were not being moved on "their free will".

Asked if the Sunni insurgents, who have made rapid advances in Iraq in recent weeks, had shifted them forcibly, Akbaruddin said: "In zones of conflict there is no free will. There are no expressions of free will."

Pressed to reveal who had taken them, the spokesman said: "Everything need not be said."

One nurse earlier told an Indian television channel that they were being moved by the Sunni insurgents to Mosul. 

Earlier in the day, Kerala Chief Minister Oomen Chandy met External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj seeking an effective action to evacuate 46 nurses, majority of them from Kerala, from the ISIS-controlled Tikrit town in the war-torn Iraq.

During his meeting, Chandy expressed concern over the safety of the nurses who are in touch with him over telephone.

The nurses told Chandy that they are living in panic, as the situation is deteriorating minute-by-minute, sources said.

Chandy had a 40-minute meeting with Swaraj who assured him of all possible help and efforts for safe evacuation of the nurses.

After his initial meeting with her, Chandy was again called back by Swaraj and was updated on the latest information on the safety of nurses, the sources said.

Swaraj has informed Chandy that the situation is not conducive for their immediate evacuation and they can only be brought back after the situation normalises, officials said. — IANS/PTI

Hope NSA surveillance on BJP has no impact on bilateral ties: US

WASHINGTON: The US has hoped its National Security Agency surveillance on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), revelation of which has highly been objected by New Delhi, would not have an adverse impact on the bilateral relationship between the two countries.

“We certainly hope not,” State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki told reporters on Wednesday at her daily news conference when asked about the strong protest lodged by India against the alleged spying of BJP by the National security Agency.

The BJP figured on the list of foreign political parties along with Lebanon’s Amal, the Bolivarian Continental Coordinator of Venezuela, Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, Egyptian National Salvation Front and the Pakistan Peoples Party for whom the National Security Agency (NSA) had sought permission to carry out surveillance, said the document made public by The Washington Post early this week.

“We look forward to continuing discussion on a full range of bilateral and regional issues. There has been an invitation issued for a visit, and we are looking forward to that, hopefully in the fall,” Psaki said in reference to the possible September visit to the US by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Psaki said American diplomats met Indian officials in this regard.

“I can confirm that diplomats from our Embassy have met with their MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) counterparts on this issue, but I am not going to get into the substance of our private conversations,” she said.

Without directly mentioning India, the State Department spokesperson said the US is talking with the Indian Government to increase confidence between the two countries on this issue.

“As you know, since January 17th, the (US) President has made clear that he is instructed his national security team as well as the intelligence community to work with foreign counterparts to deepen our coordination and cooperation in ways that rebuild trust moving forward,” Psaki said.

She refrained from confirming if the BJP has been taken off the list of global political organisations that is being spied upon by the NSA or the US has assured to the Modi Government that it would not be done in the future.

“I am just not going to have any more details I can lay out for you, other than to convey that we have a deep and broad partnership with India. We will discuss any concerns that we need to discuss through our private diplomatic channels”, Psaki said.

“And obviously, that is already ongoing, including as it relates to these specific reports,” she added. — PTI

3 killed as Army foils infiltration bid along LoC

JAMMU: Three intruders were killed on Thursday morning during an infiltration bid along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, the police said.

A gunfight between the Army and the group of heavily armed infiltrators is on, authorities said in Jammu.

“The gunfight started this (Thursday) morning between a group of heavily armed infiltrators and the Army troops along the LoC in Balnoi (Mendhar) area of Poonch,” a senior police officer told IANS.

“The Army troops spotted a group of intruders in the area. The infiltrators were challenged after which they opened fire at the troops triggering a gunfight which is going on.”

Thursday’s infiltration attempt comes a day ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s one-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir.

Modi is scheduled to inaugurate a hydropower project in the border town of Uri in the Valley. — IANS

NEW DELHI: AIIMS Forensic Department head on Thursday stuck to his controversial claim that pressure was brought on him to manipulate the post- mortem report on former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor’s wife Sunanda Pushkar.

A day after the premier health institute denied his claim, Sudhir Gupta said, “I stand by what I said.”

“How do they know there’s no pressure on me? Who were they to clarify that there’s no pressure on me? What was the hurry to call a press conference?” he said.

He was asked about the AIIMS rejecting allegations levelled by him.

“Not only the post-mortem of Sunanda Pushkar, but in a number of cases post-mortem reports were finalised by me as per the principle and practise of medicine and as per its ethical and legal norm. I have never succumbed to any pressure in my life,” Dr Gupta told PTI.

He said all his reports are bona fide.

Rejecting the charge of Dr Gupta, the AIIMS had said there was no evidence that any pressure from outside was put on him (Dr Sudhir Gupta) to alter the autopsy report. — PTI

SAO PAULO: Tears shed by Neymar and his fellow Brazilian stars at the World Cup have shocked some of the country's football legends and coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has ordered extra-coaching with the team psychologist, a report said.

Sports psychologist Regina Brandao made an "urgent" and unscheduled visit to the Brazil training camp, ahead of Friday's quarter-final with Colombia, Folha de Sao Paulo newspaper said.

Some football elders such as Carlos Alberto, captain of the team that won the World Cup in 1970, said today's Brazilian stars cry too much. While the team have not commented on whether the sessions were "urgent", Neymar said that he was enjoying talking with the psychologist.

The special visit came after a jittery Brazil scraped past Chile on penalties in the last 16. Neymar, goalkeeper Julio Cesar, David Luiz and captain Thiago Silva were all seen crying after. Brandao held a meeting with all the players and the technical team, according to Folha. She did not speak individually with players.

The psychologist, who has worked with Scolari for more than 20 years, told CBF TV: "The visit formed part of our initial planning. I have classes and I couldn't be here for long. I speak constantly with the players. We speak to each other on WhatsApp, we speak on the phone, we communicate by email," she added.

The stark emotions of Brazil's players have caused much debate and concern over whether they are psychologically equipped to deliver a home World Cup win.

Neymar cried during the national anthem at the tournament-opener against Croatia, and tears have never been far away since. "They cry during the national anthem, they cry at the end of extra-time, they cry before and after the penalties," said technical director Carlos Alberto Parreira. World Cup legend Zico said a lack of self-control could damage Brazil's chances on the pitch. "There's a lack of focus during the game, which can hurt Brazil. There are players who get emotional and forget the game. They need to have more control," he said.

Carlos Alberto, Brazil's World Cup captain in 1970, said the Selecao should save their tears until after they have won the final in Rio de Janeiro on July 13. "The team is crying when they're singing the anthem, when they get hurt, when they shoot penalties! Come on... Stop crying! Enough!" he said.

Neymar, the team's star player with four goals so far, insisted though that the sessions with Brandao have been beneficial. "I had never done anything like it before and I am quite enjoying it," said the forward.

"It is not only us, in football, who are surrounded by emotion every day and need psychologists. I think it could do every person good, to make one more relaxed. We have a very good relationship with Regina Brandao. She is a great person. I am learning a lot and I hope to continuing doing it."

Carlos Alberto said: "They say it's the pressure from playing at home. But they should have been prepared for this. They knew they would go through this. Where's the psychologist?"

"This shows the team is not 100 percent ready to face a World Cup. When you are prepared to win, everything happens automatically. When you're not prepared, you cry when the result is not positive. This is what's happening now."

Scolari has stressed that Brazil are a young team, while goalkeeper Cesar, who is 34, said he had every right to show his emotions. "I never hid that I am an emotional person. This match proves that if you have a dream you must chase it," he said, after the shoot-out with Chile. — AFP