News in brief

Popularity of ‘Putin the Shiite’ sky high in Iraq
AFP, BAGHDAD: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s bullish entry into the Syrian conflict has worked wonders for his popularity in neighbouring Iraq, where some await “Hajji Putin” like a saviour.
Sitting at his easel in his central Baghdad workshop, painter Mohammed Karim Nihaya touches up a portrait of Putin he copied from the Internet.
“I have been waiting for Russia to get involved in the fight against Daesh,” he says, referring to the Islamic State group that last year declared a “caliphate” straddling Iraq and Syria.
“They get results. The United States and its allies on the other hand have been bombing for a year and achieved nothing,” the bespectacled artist says.

Pakistan arrest ‘militant’ carrying celebrity hitlist
AFP, KARACHI: Police in the Pakistani city of Karachi have arrested a suspected militant who was carrying a hitlist of celebrities, models and fashion designers, a senior official said Thursday.
The list, seen by AFP, was discovered while the suspect was being interrogated by police earlier this week.
It named several television hosts, designers, fashion models, singers, actors, and other show business figures as targets.
Police would not say which militant group the suspect is believed to belong to, with senior official Jamil Ahmed describing him only as a “rigid-minded radical”.

Kashmir rebels kill top anti-terror officer
AFP, SRINAGAR, India: Militants have killed one of Indian Kashmir’s most senior police officers, credited with hundreds of successful anti-insurgency operations in the restive region, police said Thursday.
Gunmen opened fire on sub-inspector Mohammad Altaf during a covert operation against a top rebel in Kashmir’s northern Bandipore area on Wednesday and he later died in hospital, officers said.
Altaf was attempting to find a top commander from the Lashkar-e-Taiba group, who carries a bounty of two million Indian rupees ($31,000), when the shooting occurred, according to a police officer.

Nepal seeks air-lifted fuel as India supplies stay blocked
AFP, KATHMANDU: Nepal called on foreign oil companies Thursday to air-lift fuel into the landlocked country to ease a nationwide shortage as supplies from India remain blocked by protesters, officials said.
Scores of trucks have been stranded at a key India-Nepal border checkpoint for almost two weeks, cutting off vital supplies and forcing fuel rationing, as ethnic minorities protest against the Himalayan nation’s new constitution.
“We have issued a notice for global suppliers willing to bring in fuel by air... including aviation fuel, cooking gas, petrol and diesel,” said Bijay Satyal, manager of state-run Nepal Oil Corporation.

Hillary message rises: She won’t be Obama 2.0
AFP, WASHINGTON: As Barack Obama’s secretary of State, Hillary Clinton loyally carried out his agenda, but since mounting her presidential bid she has split with the White House on several key issues, including global trade.
Drilling in the Arctic Ocean is too risky, she argues. Deportations? The administration’s record rate of sending undocumented immigrants home is unnecessarily “breaking up families,” according to Clinton.
The White House has dilly-dallied long enough on whether to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline, and Clinton recently came out against it. As for Syria, she has complained that aiding and arming Syrian rebels was taking too long.
Gun violence? If elected, Clinton said she would try to circumvent a gridlocked Congress to implement stricter gun laws.

News in brief

Popularity of Putin the Shiite sky high in Iraq AFP, BAGHDAD: Russian President Vladimir Putins bullish entry into the Syrian conflict has worked wonders for his popularity in neighbouring Iraq, where some await Hajji Putin like a saviour. Sitting at his easel in his central Baghdad workshop, painter Mohammed Karim Nihaya touches up a portrait of Putin he copied from the Internet. I have been waiting for Russia to get involved in the fight against Daesh, he says, referring to the Islamic State group that last year declared a caliphate straddling Iraq and Syria. They get results. The United States and its allies on the other hand have been bombing for a year and achieved nothing, the bespectacled artist says. Pakistan arrest militant carrying celebrity hitlist AFP, KARACHI: Police in the Pakistani city of Karachi have arrested a suspected militant who was carrying a hitlist of celebrities, models and fashion designers, a senior official said Thursday. The list, seen by AFP, was discovered while the suspect was being interrogated by police earlier this week. It named several television hosts, designers, fashion models, singers, actors, and other show business figures as targets. Police would not say which militant group the suspect is believed to belong to, with senior official Jamil Ahmed describing him only as a rigid-minded radical. Kashmir rebels kill top anti-terror officer AFP, SRINAGAR, India: Militants have killed one of Indian Kashmirs most senior police officers, credited with hundreds of successful anti-insurgency operations in the restive region, police said Thursday. Gunmen opened fire on sub-inspector Mohammad Altaf during a covert operation against a top rebel in Kashmirs northern Bandipore area on Wednesday and he later died in hospital, officers said. Altaf was attempting to find a top commander from the Lashkar-e-Taiba group, who carries a bounty of two million Indian rupees ($31,000), when the shooting occurred, according to a police officer. Nepal seeks air-lifted fuel as India supplies stay blocked AFP, KATHMANDU: Nepal called on foreign oil companies Thursday to air-lift fuel into the landlocked country to ease a nationwide shortage as supplies from India remain blocked by protesters, officials said. Scores of trucks have been stranded at a key India-Nepal border checkpoint for almost two weeks, cutting off vital supplies and forcing fuel rationing, as ethnic minorities protest against the Himalayan nations new constitution. We have issued a notice for global suppliers willing to bring in fuel by air... including aviation fuel, cooking gas, petrol and diesel, said Bijay Satyal, manager of state-run Nepal Oil Corporation. Hillary message rises: She wont be Obama 2.0 AFP, WASHINGTON: As Barack Obamas secretary of State, Hillary Clinton loyally carried out his agenda, but since mounting her presidential bid she has split with the White House on several key issues, including global trade. Drilling in the Arctic Ocean is too risky, she argues. Deportations? The administrations record rate of sending undocumented immigrants home is unnecessarily breaking up families, according to Clinton. The White House has dilly-dallied long enough on whether to approve the Keystone XL Pipeline, and Clinton recently came out against it. As for Syria, she has complained that aiding and arming Syrian rebels was taking too long. Gun violence? If elected, Clinton said she would try to circumvent a gridlocked Congress to implement stricter gun laws.