The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

	US ready to help new Iraq leader Iranian official congratulates Abadi * PM-designate quoted calling for political unity Baghdad, August 12 Iraq's new prime minister-designate won swift endorsements from uneasy mutual allies the United States and Iran on Tuesday as he called on political leaders to end crippling feuds that have let jihadists seize a third of the country. Haider al-Abadi still faces opposition closer to home, where his Shia party colleague Nuri al-Maliki has refused to step aside after eight years as premier that have alienated Iraq's once dominant Sunni minority and irked Washington and Tehran. However, Shia militia and army commanders long loyal to Maliki signalled their backing for the change, as did many people on the streets of Baghdad, eager for an end to fears of a further descent into sectarian and ethnic bloodletting. As Western powers and international aid agencies considered further help for tens of thousands of people driven from their homes and under threat from the Sunni militants of the Islamic State near the Syrian border, Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States would consider requests for military and other assistance once Abadi forms a government to unite the country. Underscoring the convergence of interest in Iraq that marks the normally hostile relationship between Washington and Iran, senior Iranian officials congratulated Abadi on his nomination, three months after a parliamentary election left Maliki's bloc as the biggest in the legislature. Like Western powers, Shia Iran is alarmed by Sunni militants' hold in Syria and Iraq. "Iran supports the legal process that has taken its course with respect to choosing Iraq's new prime minister," the representative of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on the Supreme National Security Council was quoted as saying. "Iran favours a cohesive, integrated and secure Iraq," he said, adding an apparent appeal to Maliki to concede. Abadi himself, long exiled in Britain, is seen as a far less polarising, sectarian figure than Maliki, who is also from the Shi'ite Islamic Dawa party. Abadi appears to have the blessing of Iraq's powerful Shia clergy, a major force in the land since US troops toppled Sunni dictator Saddam Hussein in 2003. Iraqi state television said Abadi "called on all political powers who believe in the constitution and democracy to unite efforts and close ranks to respond to Iraq's great challenges". One politician close to Abadi told Reuters that the prime minister-designate had begun contacting leaders of major groups to sound them out on forming a new cabinet. The president said on Monday he hoped he would succeed within the next month. Maliki angrily dismissed Abadi's nomination on Monday as illegal. But there was no further sign of opposition on Tuesday. — Reuters Who are Yazidis? * The Yazidis are one of the world's smallest and oldest monotheistic religious minorities. Their religion is considered a pre-Islamic sect that draws from Christianity, Judaism and the ancient monotheistic religion of Zoroastrianism * Yazidis worship one God and honour seven angels. They reject the idea of sin, the devil and hell itself. * Many regard them as devil-worshippers because the Yazidis revere an angel who, their tradition holds, refused to obey God Yazidi MP wounded in copter crash Kirkuk: An Iraqi lawmaker who helped bring attention to the plight of besieged members of her Yazidi community was wounded on Tuesday in the crash of a helicopter delivering aid. The pilot was killed when the chopper, packed with rescued Yazidis, crashed during takeoff. Yazidi MP Vian Dakhil, whose appeal on the plight of people stranded on the mountain made her the public voice of her community, was injured in the crash.
	American arrested for sympathising with ISIS New York, August 12 An American man returning from abroad has been arrested here for allegedly making Twitter postings in support of the dreaded terrorist group ISIS. Donald Ray Morgan, 44, was arrested on August 2 on arrival at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport from Frankfurt, Germany, according to federal court documents. A federal grand jury in North Carolina charged him with illegal weapons possession, and prosecutors say he was involved in weapons trafficking in violation of his probation for a previous felony conviction, the court documents show. The court documents make no mention of the ISIS connection, but US officials say that part of what drew their attention is Morgan's online activities, making Twitter postings in support of the terrorist group. Morgan is not thought to be involved in any active plots inside the US or elsewhere and instead may be more of an "aspirational" supporter of ISIS, CNN reported. The New York Daily reported that at his first appearance in court on August 4, prosecutors opposed bail, citing fears that he was possibly involved with ISIS. — PTI
	Russian aid convoy won’t be allowed to enter Ukraine Kiev/Moscow, August 12 A Russian convoy of trucks carrying tonnes of humanitarian aid left on Tuesday for eastern Ukraine, where government forces are closing in on pro-Russian rebels, but Kiev said it would not allow the vehicles to cross onto its territory. Kiev and Western governments warned Moscow against any attempt to turn the operation into a military intervention by stealth in a region facing a humanitarian crisis after four months of warfare. "This cargo will be reloaded onto other transport vehicles (at the border) by the Red Cross," Ukrainian presidential aide Valery Chaly told journalists. "We will not allow any escort by the emergencies ministry of Russia or by the military (onto Ukrainian territory). Everything will be under the control of the Ukrainian side," he said. Russia said it would transfer the convoy to the aegis of the International Committee of the Red Cross, but made no reference to the demand the goods be reloaded. The European Union said the aid would have to be verified. "No political or any other objectives must be pursued," EU humanitarian aid commissioner Kristalina Georgieva told a news conference. Russian media said the column of 280 trucks had left from near Moscow and it would take a couple of days for it to make the 1,000 km journey to Ukraine's eastern regions where rebel fighters seek union with Russia. — Reuters
	Israel, Palestine engage in ‘tough’ talks Cairo/Gaza, August 12 Israeli and Palestinian negotiators in Cairo were today locked in "difficult" talks to find a long-term solution to the crisis in Gaza, even as the 72-hour truce took hold for the second day allowing people in the Hamas-ruled area to fix the destruction. "We are facing difficult negotiations. The first truce passed without notable achievements. This is the second and final ceasefire," Palestinian news agency Ma'an quoted Mousa Abu Marzouk as saying. Last week, Hamas refused to extend a first 72-hour halt in fighting with Israel unless their demands, particularly the opening of border crossings with Gaza and the construction of a seaport, were met. An Israeli official told Israel Radio that there had been no progress in the talks so far, as the gaps between the sides remained too vast. Israeli officials said that another 72 hours were needed to cement a long-term cease-fire deal with Hamas. The radio station reported that the delegation was expected to agree to ease some restrictions in Gaza, including extending fishing rights, increasing the number of materials that enter Gaza, along with Israel allowing funds to enter the Strip to be used to pay the salaries of Hamas officials. The Israeli delegation said that it was not going to give any concessions regarding Hamas' demands to open a seaport and airport in Gaza, Jerusalem Post reported. With just 72 hours of calm under the current cease-fire, Palestinians rushed to fix some of the worst of the destruction caused by the conflict started on July 8. Israel wants Hamas, the militant Islamic group that runs Gaza, to disarm as part of a demilitarisation of the territory. Hamas, meanwhile, is demanding a series of measures, including an end to Israel's blockade on Gaza, an extension of fishing rights off the coast and the reopening of air and seaports. — PTI Flotilla to break Gaza blockade Istanbul: A group of human rights organisations said today that they were organising a flotilla of vessels that will attempt to breach Israel's blockade of Gaza later this year. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition said it plans to sail to Gaza ‘during 2014’. It did not specify how many vessels would participate, but said the flotilla was "a reflection of the growing worldwide solidarity with the Palestinian people — from the US to Malaysia, from Scandinavia to South Africa." The group organised two previous flotillas, in 2010 and in 2011. Israel says it imposed the blockade in 2007 to prevent Palestinian militants bringing weapons into Gaza. UN begins food programme in Gaza The UN World Food Programme (WFP) and its partners on Tuesday launched a special food distribution programme in Gaza for 730,000 people who are not receiving food under other programmes, in an effort to reach all conflict-affected people there. The WFP and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East started distributing one-time food parcels of 10 kg rice and 30 kg of wheat flour to 143,000 families.
	Pak SC panel to probe rigging allegations Islamabad, August 12 Extending an olive branch to his opponents, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif today announced to set up a commission of Supreme Court judges to probe the charges of rigging in the last year's elections. Sharif made the announcement in a televised speech to the nation ahead of planned opposition protests on Thursday. "I will ask the chief justice of Pakistan to appoint a three-member panel of judges of the Supreme Court to probe the allegations of rigging in the polls," he said. The announcement came just one day ahead of the protests planned by cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan and influential cleric Tahirul Qadri. Imran is agitating against the rigging and Qadri has announced to bring a revolution. Sharif criticised his rivals for the protest which coincides with the 68th Independence Day of Pakistan. The Prime Minister said that he was ready for talks with the rivals to sort out problems. He also announced that a 33-member parliamentary committee of all parties had been set up to suggest reforms in the electoral laws which will be implemented before the next elections due in 2018. — PTI