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Indian nurses freed from Iraq return home; families overjoyed

KOCHI: Forty-six nurses, who were held captive by ISIS militants in Iraq, today returned home by a special Air India flight to a happy reunion with their families here, bringing to an end their about month-long ordeal.

The special aircraft, which also had on board about 137 others, touched down the tarmac at Kochi International Airport at 11.57 am, a senior airport official said.

Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy received them at the airport.

Family members of nurses, on whose face a sigh of relief was writ large, had assembled in large numbers to see their beloved ones return and were joined by political leaders from BJP and Congress at the airport.

The ordeal of the nurses, who were working at a hospital in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, began when ISIS (Islamic State for Iraq and Syria) militants launched an offensive in that region on June nine.

Even as Indian authorities continued to maintain constant touch with their counterparts in Iraq for the safe release of nurses, they were moved out on Thursday against their will and detained in the militant-held city of Mosul.

Efforts by the External Affairs Ministry led to setting free the nurses held in captivity and they were transported in buses to Erbil International Airport yesterday.

The special flight that left Erbil in the early hours of today arrived at Mumbai for a brief stop over for refuelling and catering supplies.

Besides the nurses, the flight also carried 137 other Indian nationals, including 70 from Kirkuk in the northern part of Iraq, 23 crew members and three government officials, including a Joint Secretary-level IFS officer and an IAS woman officer from Kerala.

Chandy thanked the Centre, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Indian Embassy in Iraq and MEA for ensuring the return of nurses from strife-hit Iraq.

"The Centre has acted in complete understanding of the deep anxieties of Kerala. The Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Iraq have made sincere efforts in securing release of the nurses," Chandy told reporters here.

The Kerala Government has made arrangements to enable nurses to reach their respective destinations across the state. — PTI

JeM militant killed in encounter; locals hold protest 

SRINAGAR: A Pakistani militant belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terrorist outfit was today killed and an Army jawan injured in a gunbattle in Tral area of south Kashmir's Pulwama district.

The incident sparked tension in the area as a group of locals staged a violent protest demanding the body of the deceased militant, the police said.

The protesters set ablaze two police mobile bunkers, prompting the cops to resort to a baton-charge and fire teargas shells to restore law and order.

An Army spokesman said the encounter took place during a search operation by security forces in the forest area of Aripal village, 45 km from here, following information about the presence of militants there.

The spokesman said one ultra has been killed so far in the operation, which is continuing.

"The body of the militant has been recovered along with one AK-47 rifle," the spokesman said.

An Army jawan was also injured during the operation, he added.

The police identified the slain militant as Madani Bhai, a Pakistani national belonging to the JEM outfit. — PTI

Punjab Budget on July 16

CHANDIGARH: Punjab's Budget for 2014-15 will be presented on July 16 in the state Assembly.

The six-day Budget Session in the state would commence on July 15.

The session will commence with Obituary references to those who died since the last session in February, an official spokesman said here today.

The Budget presentation on July 15 will be followed by discussions on the proposals on July 18 and July 21, the spokesman said.

He said non-official business would be conducted on July 17.

The discussion and voting on demands in respect of Budget Estimates and the Appropriation Bill for 2014-15 and legislative business, if any, would be taken up on July 22.

The House would adjourn sine die on July 22; the tentative schedule issued for the session said, adding that revised programme, if any, would be issued later.

The Budget Session of the state Assembly is being held now as the state had passed a Vote on Account till July 31 at its session in February due to the Lok Sabha poll. — PTI

Malaysian authorities hunt for more LTTE members

Kuala Lumpur: Malaysian authorities are on the hunt for more members of the outlawed LTTE after a crackdown on the Tamil militant group led to the arrest of seven persons in the last two months in the country.

Four suspected Tamil Tigers, including a man allegedly involved in the 1999 assassination attempt on the then Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga, were arrested on Thursday.

The detention of the four in Serdang, Sentul, Sungai Besi and central Kuala Lumpur brings the total number of Sri Lankan Tamils arrested here, in the last two months, to seven.

Three others were arrested on May 15.

The police here believe the Tamil Tigers were trying to revive their movement using Malaysia as a transit point, hideout and a new base of operation.

The police have not yet divulged the names of the four LTTE men arrested on Thursday but have confirmed that one was a bomb expert, while another was involved in the attempted assassination of Kumaratunga in 1999.

The suspects, aged 32, 37, 43 and 45, were believed to be responsible for past attacks in Sri Lanka.

Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said the four were suspected of attempting to revive the LTTE movement.

The four were living in Malaysia since 2009 and were highly respected in the LTTE network, the Star paper reported quoting unnamed sources.

“The four have been LTTE members since early 1990s. One of them even joined when he was a teenager.

“They came to Malaysia following the Sri Lankan military crackdown on the LTTE and hoped to plan attacks from Malaysia while trying to revive the movement,” the source was quoted as saying.

Khalid said among the items seized were a huge number of forged Malaysian passports along with forged stamps of the Immigration Department and those of foreign embassies.

The LTTE was defeated in a military campaign in 2009, ending a nearly three decades-long civil war in Sri Lanka. — PTI

Brazil set up semis date with Germany with 2-1 win

FORTALEZA (Brazil): David Luiz blasted a sensational free kick into the net from 35 yards as Brazil knocked out South American rivals Colombia 2-1 to set up a FIFA World Cup semifinal clash with Germany, here Friday.

Luiz doubled the Brazilian lead with his spectacular free kick that crashed into the top right of the net in the 69th minute while skipper Thiago Silva's first half strike on a Neymar corner kick had put the hosts ahead.

Colombia pulled one back when James Rodriguez converted a penalty in the 80th minute but Brazilians held nerves in the tense remaining time to set up a last-four clash with European powerhouse Germany, who ousted old rivals France 1-0 in Rio De Janeiro early in the day.

The hosts though have some worries going into Tuesday's showdown as Brazilian skipper Silva will miss the last-four clash due to double booking and Neymar's fitness is under cloud after he was carried off on a stretcher following a rough challenge from Colombian defender Juan Camillo Zuniga late in the second half.

Neymar, kneed on the back by Zubiga, was taken to a hospital to undergo tests.

In a fast and frenetic quarterfinal clash, Brazil came up with its best show so far in the home tournament even as Colombia put up a spirited fight.

Young Colombia striker Rodriguez was gutted as he left the field in tears before exchanging his shirt with Luiz, who consoled the rival player.

Rodriguez scored his sixth goal of the tournament but his penalty was not enough to keep his side alive in the tournament.

Silva struck as early as in the seventh minute when Neymar's corner was missed by Luiz in the middle but the home skipper smashed in with knee.

Silva became the first captain to score for Brazil in a World Cup game in 20 years and it was Brazil's quickest World Cup goal since Ronaldo scored in the fifth minute against Ghana in 2006.

It was slack defence from Colombia as Silva was allowed to drift in at the back post. — PTI

Neymar ruled out of World Cup with fractured vertebrae

FORTALEZA (Brazil): Brazil lost superstar striker Neymar for the World Cup after he fractured a vertebrae during his side's 2-1 World Cup quarter-final win over Colombia.

Colombia defender Juan Zuniga kneed the 22-year-old Neymar in a crunching tackle and the Barcelona player was stretchered off in agony in the closing minutes of the game in Forteleza.

The injury and the suspension of captain Thiago Silva for the semi-final against Germany overshadowed a sensational David Luiz goal that sealed victory in one of the most physical games seen at this World Cup.

A hospital exam "showed he suffered a fracture of the third vertebra" in his back, team doctor Rodrigo Lasmar told reporters.

Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari fumed that Neymar has been "hunted" throughout the tournament and that no punishment was given for the tackle on him.

"I have been saying for three matches that Neymar has been hunted, but all the other countries say it is not true and it is only their players that are hunted." Silva was booked for a second time in the tournament for impeding a clearance by Colombian goalkeeper David Ospina.

But in Zuniga's case "there was not even a yellow card and Thiago got a yellow card for nothing," Scolari said.

Brazil are in the World Cup semi-finals for the first time in 12 years, but Scolari, who has vowed his side will win their sixth World Cup, now faces a major crisis.

Silva put Brazil ahead after seven minutes and Luiz scored a sensational 30 metre free kick to give Brazil victory.

Colombia's James Rodriguez extended his lead as the tournament's top scorer with his sixth goal in five games from the penalty spot after Julio Cesar brought down Carlos Bacca.

But Colombia now leave and Brazil must now prepare without Neymar and key defender Silva for only their second World Cup meeting with Germany in Belo Horizonte on Tuesday.

The Germans beat France 1-0 earlier in the day.

Luiz's goal was another special moment in the World Cup.

"Today It was great because I hit the exact point where the ball can go many ways and it is difficult for the goalkeeper," said Luiz. — AFP

Germany made experience count, admits Deschamps

RIO DE JANERIO: France coach Didier Deschamps said that Germany's experience of the big occasion and his side's poor finishing proved crucial as the French bowed out of the World Cup.

"There was not much between the sides," he said after the 1-0 quarter-final defeat at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. "One team is more used to these occasions and has more experience.

"We were not clinical in front of goal and Manuel Neuer made an important save at the end" from Karim Benzema.

"We played much as we had done during the tournament but Germany are a better side than what we have faced so far.

"We were a little timid at the start of the match but after that we did plenty of good things," said the coach, who dismissed suggestions that playing in the mid-afternoon heat and humidity of Rio could be blamed for France's exit.

"The temperature did not help Germany any more than it did us. There was maybe a bit less freshness but everyone has to adapt." Deschamps is confident that the future is bright for the team.

"A new group was created after our win in the play-off against Ukraine (in November) and I have seen some good things during this campaign.

"We don't have the same experience at this level as Germany but I am proud of what the players have done on and off the field.

"There is work to be done, but the materials are there and we need to maintain the same quality and the same spirit.

"There is lots of sadness and frustration among the players but we can't forget what we have done well up to now.

"I prefer to take away the positives that have been there since we arrived in Brazil. I am proud of everyone and am proud to have come this far with them," said Deschamps, whose thoughts will soon turn to the 2016 European Championship on home soil. — Agencies