ISIS may plan Istanbul like attack in US: CIA

ISIS may plan Istanbul like attack in US: CIA

The Islamic State terror group may carry out a terror attack similar to the one at Istanbul's Ataturk airport, CIA Director John Brennan has said.

The despicable attack at Istanbul's international airport that killed dozens and injured several certainly bears the "hallmarks" of the Islamic State's depravity, Brennan said here yesterday.

"We've seen ISIL (Islamic State) carry out and incite an array of terrorist attacks in the region, directly, indirectly and I would be surprised that ISIL is not considering carrying out these attacks in the near abroad as well as the far abroad," he said.

"And the United States, as we well know, is leading the coalition to try to destroy as much of this poison, inside of Syria and Iraq, as possible. So it would be surprising to me that ISIL is not trying to hit us, both in the region as well as in our homeland," Brennan said while to replying to a question at the Council on Foreign Relations, a top American think-tank.

"I think what you see in the propagation of their material, they have a magazine, Dabiq, that goes out that says exactly that. It exhorts individuals to do it."

"So if anybody here believes that, you know, the US homeland is hermetically sealed and that Daesh or ISIL would not consider that, I think-I would guard against that," he added.

Brennan said global instability is one of the defining issues of the time, and its implications are hard to overstate.

"As instability spreads, extremists and terrorists are finding sanctuary in ungoverned spaces. Energy supplies are being disrupted. Political reform is suffering as too many governments opt for authoritarian measures at the expense of democratic principles and respect for human rights," the CIA official said.

As many as 42 people were killed and hundreds wounded yesterday after suicide attackers armed with guns and bombs attacked Istanbul's busy Ataturk Airport, apparently targeting Turkey's crucial tourism industry. The government blamed the attack on Islamic State extremists but there was no immediate confirmation from the group. Read More

Favourability ratings of Clinton, Trump increased: Gallup survey

Favourability ratings of Clinton, Trump increased: Gallup survey

The favourability ratings of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton have increased since they clinched the presidential nominations of the respective Republican and Democratic parties, a Gallup survey said on Thursday.

Since clinching nomination in early June, Clinton's favourable ratings among Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents have gone up slightly to 71%, compared with 68% in April and May, the survey said.

68-year-old Clinton's image is now partly restored to what it was at the start of the year when 74% of Democratic viewed her favourably.

Trump has also maintained higher favourable ratings among Republicans and the party leaders since he emerged as the sole Republican candidate in May compared with earlier in the year.

Trump's favourable ratings among Republicans averages 64% so far in June, the same as in May but higher than the 54% to 56% in the three prior months.

His current favourable ratings also exceed the average 61% he earned from this partisan group in January, the survey noted.

Clinton, 68, and Trump, 70, have each lost ground over the course of 2016 among independents who lean toward neither party.

"Because of this, the candidates' national favorable ratings have stayed still or declined slightly, despite recent improved ratings from their own partisans," it said. Read More

Britain's Theresa May launches bid to succeed PM Cameron post Brexit

Britain's Theresa May launches bid to succeed PM Cameron post Brexit

Interior minister Theresa May vowed to unite Britain as she launched her bid to succeed David Cameron as prime minister with a letter to The Times, the newspaper has reported.

The Conservative leader resigned in the wake of Britain's vote to leave the European Union in a June 23 referendum that sent shockwaves through the continent.

Like Cameron, May supported remaining in the bloc but played a low-key and conciliatory role in the campaign that has seen her tipped as a unifying figure.

In her letter to The Times, May announced a "mission to make Britain a country that works for everyone," according to the broadsheet yesterday.

"If you're from an ordinary, working-class family, life is just much harder than many people in politics realise," May wrote.

The appeal to working-class voters by the vicar's daughter was aimed at her main rival for the leadership, the Latin-quoting former mayor of London and prominent "Leave" campaigner Boris Johnson, who projects a more upper-class image.

Cameron promoted May, 59, to Home Secretary following his 2010 election victory and she kept the role after his 2015 re-election.

Known as a hardliner on immigration, May's stern demeanour and wardrobe of sober suits have drawn comparisons with 1980s Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

Cameron's successor is expected to take office in early September. Read More

Read More Topics:

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EU leaders tell Britain to exit swiftly, market rout halts

Barack Obama does not see major, cataclysmic changes after Brexit

China pulls up chief negotiator for limited global support for anti-India position at NSG

China pulls up chief negotiator for limited global support for anti-India position at NSG

The Chinese leadership has pulled up Wang Qun, its lead negotiator and Director General of the Arms Control Division at the Foreign Ministry, for failing to drum up significant global support for China's position in Seoul which blocked India's entry into the NSG.

Highly placed Western and Chinese sources said that Wang Qun had told Beijing that at least one third of the NSG nations would endorse China's position. However, the position was totally in the reverse, with as many as 44 nations backing India and China only having the support of four nations.

Beijing now fears that the fallout of the NSG outcome could have an impact on a crucial verdict expected soon from the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in a case brought by the Philippines concerning China's territorial reclamation activities in the South China Sea.

As things stand, Beijing's stance flies in the face of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) of which it is a signatory. China's big fear now is India could use the same ploy that Beijing used in Seoul at the NSG plenary and back The Hague Court's decision which is likely to go against China.

Highly-placed sources said that the global support for India's position at the NSG could well be leveraged by New Delhi to back the enforcement of The Hague Judgment - a scenario which could isolate China and could even trigger its exit from UNCLOS.

Informed sources said the focus now shifts from the NSG to the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague where a judgment is expected, which when enforced, could force China to give up land in favour of the Philippines. Read More

Virat Kohli promotes a healthy lifestyle; launches Stepathlon Kids

Virat Kohli promotes a healthy lifestyle; launches Stepathlon Kids

After launching his apparel line under the Wrogn brand name and investing in FC Goa in the (football) Indian Super League, Indian cricket Test captain Virat Kohli has now partnered with Stepathlon Lifestyle, a wellness-promoting entity, to launch Stepathlon Kids, a company dedicated to children's fitness programmes.

This venture will also mark Stepathlon’s entry into the business to consumer space. The company will also receive operational support from Cornerstone Sports and Entertainment, a sports celebrity management company.

The new firm, through an annual ‘30 Day Race’ around a virtual world, will urge children to take 15,000 steps a day, in a bid to have a healthy lifestyle and to create long-term positive behaviour. According to a study commissioned by the World Health Organization in 2014, as many as 22 per cent of children in India are obese and facing health issues. Stepathlon Kids will be focused on building children’s holistic health – encouraging of physical activity and educating them on nutrition, exercise, stress and more. Kohli will play a role in creating widespread awareness. Read More

7th Pay Commission: Cabinet approves big pay hike for government employees

7th Pay Commission: Cabinet approves big pay hike for government employees

The union cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday approved the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission, a move which will boost consumption by putting extra disposable income in the hands of the central government’s 4.7 million employees.

The Seventh Pay Commission (7th CPC) had recommended a 23.5 per cent increase in pay, pension and allowances under a ‘business as usual’ scenario. It had envisaged an increase in pay of Rs 39,100 crore, increase in allowances of Rs 29,300 crore and increase in pension of Rs 33,700 crore, taking the total financial impact for 2016-17 to Rs 1.02 lakh crore.

The pay panel revisions are in force retrospectively from January 1, 2016.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had said before the budget that he would provide Rs 1.1 lakh crore and the budget documents showed that Rs 1.06 lakh crore has been provided for.

The centre is likely to provide additional details later in the day at a post-cabinet media briefing. It is not yet known if the Government Employees has cleared 7th CPC recommendations in-toto or if there are some changes.

As per the initial reports, the minimum pay has been set at Rs 18,000 per month while the maximum pay has been capped at Rs 2.5 lakh per month.

Jaitley is facing massive spending commitments this year not only due to the 7th CPC payout but also in infrastructure and agricultural sectors.

Read More Topics:

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Military seethes at Pay Commission suggestions

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Brazil launches Olympic anti-terrorism campaign

Brazil launches Olympic anti-terrorism campaign

Brazil has launched an awareness campaign designed to foil terror plots during the RioOlympics in August.

"It's a simple, informative campaign without calling for hysteria," defence ministry official Luiz Felipe Linhares said in a statement on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

The South American country is not a traditional terrorist target and the government hopes the initiative will reduce Rio's vulnerability to possible attacks.

The campaign involves the distribution of brochures, posters and booklets explaining how to identify people engaging in suspicious activity, officials said.

"Our country has never faced this type of threat so we need to make sure that people are more alert," Brazilian defence force anti terrorism chief, Mauro Sinott said.

"The message that we want to pass on is that if you think a certain situation is suspicious, it is because it is in fact suspicious."

Earlier this month the government said Brazil's intelligence agencies were working alongside counterparts in the US, Britain, France, Israel and Russia to counter the threat of terrorism.

Brazil will also deploy tens of thousands of troops in Rio's streets to ensure the safety of athletes, officials, residents and an estimated 600,000 foreign visitors during the August 5-21 Games.

In total, there will be 85,000 security personnel - including armed forces, police and security agents - patrolling the city. Read More

Olympics could be big failure amid crisis: Rio Governor

Olympics could be big failure amid crisis: Rio Governor

Rio de Janeiro's interim Governor Francisco Dornelles has admitted the upcoming Olympic Games could be a "big failure" if there were no appropriate measures taken in regards to security and transport.

Dornelles declared an unprecedented "state of public calamity in financial administration" earlier this month with less than 50 days until the opening ceremony, which could threaten "the fulfilment of the obligations as a result of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Rio 2016", Xinhua news agency reported.

Brazil's federal government has already reportedly agreed to disburse federal funds to cover Rio's shortfall, prioritising any projects considered necessary for the Games.

However according to Dornelles, the funds have not yet reached the state.

Dornelles also warned that due to lack of money, the police patrols may came to a halt by the end of the week.

"I am optimistic about the Games, but we have to show the reality," he said in an interview on Monday with state-media media Globo. "We can make a great Rio Olympics, but if some steps are not taken, it can be a big failure."

"We have to give proof that we are equipping security and the mobility for people to come to the country."

Dornelles' remarks are in sharp contrast with other higher-level Brazilian officials who always repeat that the games would be unaffected by the various political and economic problems ravaging the host nation.

The games are slated to start on August 5.

US accuses Russia of harassing diplomats

US accuses Russia of harassing diplomats

Washington has delivered high-level complaints to Moscow about accusations of increasing intimidation of American diplomats in Russia, the State Department said.

"We see an increase and we take it seriously," State Department spokeswoman Elizabeth Trudeau told reporters at a press briefing on Monday.

Secretary of State John Kerry last discussed the matter with Russian PresidentVladimir Putin on March 24, CNNreported citing Trudeau as saying.

The spokeswoman said that harassment of diplomats by Russian security agents and traffic police had been an issue over the past two years but did not detail any incidents nor why Kerry brought up the matter with Putin.

Other Western embassies had reported the same behaviour towards their diplomats stationed in Moscow, Trudeau added.

Moscow, however, has charged that Washington has also engaged in problematic behaviour.

Last week, the Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Moscow has "felt a significant increase in pressure on the Russian Embassy and consulates general of our country in the US."

According to Zakharova, staff members of Russia's consulate missions abroad "regularly become the objects of provocations by the American secret services, face obstacles in making official contacts and other restrictions," including travel.

Trudeau dismissed Russia's claims of US harassment of its diplomats as "without foundation" and said American diplomats are faced with same restrictions as Russian diplomats under the terms of a reciprocal agreement. Read More

Clinton never personally denied Benghazi security: Democrats

Clinton never personally denied Benghazi security: Democrats

Hillary Clinton never personally denied any requests from diplomats for additional security at the US outpost in Benghazi, Libya, according to Democratson a select House panel who absolved the former secretary of state and the US military of wrongdoing in the deadly September 11, 2012 attacks.

In a report pre-empting the Republicans, the panel's five Democrats said after a two-year investigation that the military could not have done anything differently that night to save the lives of four Americans killed in Libya. US Ambassador Chris Stevens died in one of the two assaults at the diplomatic facility and CIA annex.

Democrats' release of their own report heightened the partisanship of the inquiry, which has been marked by finger-pointing on both sides.

Republicans accuse the Obama administration of stonewalling important documents and witnesses, while Democrats say the panel's primary goal is to undermine Clinton's presidential bid.

The Libya attacks became immediate political fodder, given their timing in the weeks before President Barack Obama's re-election, and that has not abated despite seven previous congressional investigations.

The panel's Republican majority missed a self-imposed deadline to issue a report "before summer," but the Democrats' move in issuing their report could spur the GOP's final product.

Whatever the timing, the Republican report is certain to have repercussions for Clinton, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee. The investigation led to the revelation that Clinton relied on a private email server to conduct government business, a practice now the subject of an FBI probe. Read More

Trump targets to raise $10 million

Trump targets to raise $10 million

The campaign of Donald Trump, presumptive presidential nominee of the Republican party, has set a target of raising another $10 million by the month end, according to an email sent on Monday.

Over the last few days, the Trump campaign raised $11 million, it said adding it is working to "shatter records" by raising another $10 million in the remaining four days of June.

The mass email seeking funds was sent by his son Eric Trump, who described it as the most ambitious fund raising campaign yet.

"Hillary Clinton's campaign machine and her liberal media allies are desperate. First, they claimed we raised too little. Then, when donors like you helped us to raise $11 million in just a few days, they claimed we were lying," the junior Trump wrote in his first fund raising email.

A real estate tycoon from New York, Donald Trump had self-funded his campaign during the primary elections. He started raising money for the general election in May.

In May, Clinton out-raised him. However, Trump argues that he started fund raising only in the last few days of May.

The Trump campaign says its fund raising activities have gained pace this month.

"The truth is we did better than $11 million and no amount of spin from Crooked Hillary's machine can change that fact. We cannot let them get away with this," Eric Trump said.

"That's why we set another Trump-sized goal. We are working to shatter records again this week — by raising another $10 million before the Federal Election Commission's 2nd quarter fund raising deadline this Thursday at midnight. Afterwards, our results will be covered heavily by the media," he wrote. Read More

Clinton boasts double-digit lead as support for Trump plunges

Clinton boasts double-digit lead as support for Trump plunges

Presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton is holding a 12-point lead over her Republican rival Donald Trump as support for the latter tumbled in the past month, a poll released on Sunday showed.

Clinton enjoys 51% of support among Americans, up by seven points from May, compared to Trump's support at 39%, which is down by seven points, according to the Washington Post-ABC News poll.

This is Clinton's biggest lead over Trump since last fall and is a dramatic reversal from the May poll, in which Trump led Clinton slightly by 46% to 44%, Xinhua news agency reported citing the poll.

The poll discovered that 56% of American voters believe Trump stands against their beliefs, while 64% said Trump does not have the necessary credentials to be president.

Clinton's lead over Trump narrows to 10 points by 47% to 37%, when the two third-party presidential candidates were mentioned in the poll.

Libertarian Party's Gary Johnson gains 7% of support, while Green Party's Jill Stein garners only 3%, according to the poll.

The controversial comments on women, minorities and Muslims made by Trump may have contributed to his recent slide in the poll, as the majority of American voters regard them as biased.

Overall, 66% of Americans think Trump's remarks as "unfairly biased," while only 29% said they are "not unfairly biased".

Even among the Republicans, 41% think Trump's remarks are "unfairly biased", while 53% said they are "not unfairly biased".

Trump has been criticised recently for publicly attacking a Mexican-Americanjudge overseeing the Trump University fraud case. Read More

Chile manager Pizzi labels Messi as 'the best player of all time'

Chile manager Pizzi labels Messi as 'the best player of all time'

Soon after guiding Chile to their second straight Copa America Centenario title, manager Juan Antonio Pizzi has lavished praise on Argentina star striker Lionel Messi and described him as the 'best player of all time'.

Pizzi's announcement came right around the same time when Messi was announcing his retirement from international football following his country's 2-4 defeat at the hands of Chile in Copa America.

Although Messi missed his crucial penalty kick in the final match, Pizzi's opinion about his fellow countryman remains the same.

Admitting that he admires Messi, Pizzi believes it is very difficult to match the numbers that the Barcelona striker achieved during his career.

"Because I know what it means to value certain numbers and Messi's numbers are unmatched, and I don't think they will ever be matched because it's impossible for a player to find the things that Messi finds," Pizzi was quoted as saying by Goal.com.

The Chile coach also praised his side's successful defense of the Copa America title and said that his players helped them to become a strong national team, which can compete even with the best.

After both sides failed to score goal in regulation time and extra time, Chile and Argentina were taken to penalties to decide the winner.

Messi, who was making his 112th appearance for the national side, missed his spot-kick in the dramatic penalty shootout as Argentina lost their fourth major final in nine years.

Before two successive Copa America final defeats by Chile, Argentina were beaten 1-0 in the 2014 World Cup final by Germany. Messi's side had also suffered defeat against Brazil in the 2007 Copa America final. Read More

Brexit impact: 10 things to know about the political storm in UK

Brexit impact: 10 things to know about the political storm in UK

Even as Britain is coming to terms with its electorate’s vote to exit the European Union(EU), political turmoil in the UK has escalated too.

While the European Union has asked UK to initiate the exit process swiftly, Scotland could throw a spanner in the works as it had voted to ‘remain’ in the EU. Meanwhile, the Labour Party is facing a revolt from its senior leaders, even as uncertainty prevails over Prime Minister David Cameron’s successor. Cameron quit the day the results of the Brexit referendumcame in, leaving it to his successor to deal with what will likely be a messy exit.

Here are 10 things to know about the political crisis that has hit the UK.

Scotland's threat

Scotland is said to be considering a referendum to be independent from UK if Britain actually manages to exit the EU. The move is said to be under consideration after the nation voted to ‘remain’ in the EU. Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon has also threatened to block Brexit, stating that the decision will need the consent of Scotland’s semi-autonomous Parliament.

Filling the void

British Prime Minister David Cameron announced on Friday that he will step down from the office in three months and that a new leader will take over by October. The Conservative Party has been in a huddle, scouting for a replacement to the PM soon, amid uncertainty over next plan of action for the country. Some reports indicate ex-mayor Boris Johnson, who favoured the ‘Leave’ campaign, could be his successor. Read More

India cuts RBI governor shortlist to four, officials say

India cuts RBI governor shortlist to four, officials say

By Douglas Busvine and Rupam Jain

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - The government has narrowed down its list of candidates to become the next governor of the Reserve Bank of India to four, a senior government official told Reuters.

A new Monetary Policy Committee also will be chosen soon, the official said.

The moves seek to ensure policy continuity after RBI chief Raghuram Rajan shocked markets 10 days ago when he announced he would not seek reappointment in September.

The failure of negotiations on his possible return had sparked fears that Rajan's departure could put at risk the inflation-targeting central banker's gains in stabilising Asia's third-largest economy over the past three years.

Sending a reassuring message to markets, the official said that the list of candidates to replace Rajan had been whittled down to four - three of them central bank veterans, with the other the head of the country's largest commercial bank.

The four were current RBI Deputy Governor Urjit Patel, former deputy governors Rakesh Mohan and Subir Gokarn, and State Bank of India Chair Arundhati Bhattacharya.

Another official from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office said that Rajan was expected to join the search committee to appoint three external members of a new six-member RBI Monetary Policy Committee.

The objective was to ensure that the MPC is constituted as soon as possible, before the appointment of Rajan's successor, both officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter.

"We are very hopeful that the present governor will be a member of this search committee," the first official said, adding that if all goes well the new panel would be formed by Aug. 1.

If that timetable holds, it would mean that the MPC is in place in time for the last bi-monthly policy meeting that Rajan is expected to chair in early August.

The central bank held rates earlier this month after an uptick in consumer price inflation, but maintained its easing bias, meaning it is more likely to reduce interest rates than to raise them in future.

Under the finance bill passed this year, three members of the MPC would be RBI insiders, headed by the governor.

The three external members would be chosen by a search committee comprising Modi's cabinet secretary, the RBI governor, the secretary of the finance ministry's department of economic affairs and three outside experts chosen by the government.

The makeup of the MPC, which would assume responsibility for setting interest rates, was the result of a hard-fought compromise between the RBI and the finance ministry. The RBI governor's vote would be decisive in the event of a tie. Read More

Smoking puts your sperm at risk

Smoking puts your sperm at risk

Do you smoke? You could be unwittingly lowering your sperm quality, a new study warns.

The research that included 20 nonsmoking men and 20 men who smoked found that that sperm of smokers has a greater extent of DNA damage than that of non-smokers.

Researchers also assessed 422 proteins in participants' sperm. One protein was absent, 27 proteins were underrepresented, and 6 proteins were over-represented in smokers. Analyses of these proteins suggest that cigarette smoking may promote an inflammatory response in the male reproductive tract.

"More and more studies are demonstrating a harmful effect of smoking on male fertility. Our results point in the direction of important semen alterations: semen of smokers presents an inflammatory nature, associated with decreased capacity of sperm to achieve fertilization and generate a healthy pregnancy," said senior author Dr Ricardo Pimenta Bertolla.

Bertolla added that in the study, sperm DNA fragmentation was increased. Other studies have proposed this to be a potentially promutagenic effect, which is to say that sperm with altered DNA may lead to health problems in the offspring.

The study appears in BJU International. Read More