Ban lauds India’s efforts for clean energy
United Nations: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday lauded India’s efforts to scale-up solar power and clean the Ganga river through an ambitious rejuvenation project and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “leadership and vision” in the field of sustainable development has “impressed and inspired” him. In his remarks through a video-link from here to the 15th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit in New Delhi, Ban said renewable energy can mean cleaner air and better health and climate-smart agriculture offers better water and food security.
Jordan warplanes strike ISIS after pilot murder
Amman: Jordan said on Thursday that its warplanes had launched new strikes against the Islamic State group, after vowing a harsh response to the burning alive of one of its fighter pilots captured in Syria. The announcement came as King Abdullah II personally paid his condolences to the airman’s family, which has urged the Government to “destroy” the jihadists, reflecting deep anger among Jordanians over the brutal murder. “The Jordanian air force launched raids against positions of the Islamic State group,” said a Government official, who did not want to be named.
Texas allows Sikh police officer to wear articles of faith
Houston: An Indian-American Sikh is set to become the first police officer in the US state of Texas to serve while keeping his Sikh articles of faith, including a turban and beard. Patrol Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal will be allowed to wear the turban and beard while patrolling the streets of Harris County in order to bolster cultural diversity.
lTTE leader wanted in Rajiv’s killing barred from going abroad
Colombo: A top lTTE leader, who is wanted in India in connection with the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi, was on Thursday barred from leaving Sri lanka by a court. Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP, who took over the leadership of the liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (lTTE) following the death of Velupillai Prabhakaran, was barred from leaving the country by the Court of Appeal. The court granted the motion of order as a sub-decision based upon a petition filed by the Marxist party, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). The JVP had filed a petition seeking KP’s arrest.
Kashmir is Pakistan’s ‘jugular vein’: Sharif
Islamabad: Pakistan on Thursday observed its annual ritual of ‘Kashmir Solidarity Day’ with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif describing Kashmir as his country’s “jugular vein”. Sharif, while addressing a joint session of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir’s assembly in Muzaffarabad, said he has an emotional bond with Kashmir from childhood and would continue to struggle for the right of people of Kashmir, which is the “jugular vein of Pakistan”.
China bans nicknames like Obama, Putin on internet
Beijing: Further tightening its control over Internet use, China has barred use of nicknames like ‘Obama’ and ‘Putin’ in cyberspace and put in place processes to filter out “malicious” and “pornographic” content. Fake and parody accounts pretending to be Government organisations, celebrities and officials are banned, the Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) said, as are nicknames that appear to advertise cults or pornography, or that damage state security.
Fresh deadline for Nepal’s new Constitution extended by 5 days
Kathmandu: Nepal on Thursday extended by five days a fresh deadline to draft the country’s new constitution, much delayed due to lack of consensus among political parties over contentious issues. Constituent Assembly (CA) Chairman Subas Chandra Nembang extended the deadline of the Questionnaire Committee through majority voting process in an attempt to allow opposition lawmakers to take part in the constitution drafting process.