DUNEDIN, Mar 6:
The first day of the opening test between New Zealand and England was abandoned due to rain without a ball being bowled Wednesday.
New Zealand won the toss and chose to bowl in heavily overcast conditions before umpires Paul Reiffel of Australia and Asad Rauf of Pakistan ruled that the light was not sufficient to allow play to begin on time.
Heavy rain then began to fall at the University Oval, forcing ground staff to fully cover the pitch and surrounds. The rain continued throughout the day, preventing play in the first two sessions and causing the umpires to abandon the day just 75 minutes before scheduled stumps.
Playing hours will be extended on the remaining days to make up for lost time and only 30 overs are likely to be lost if a full days’ play is possible on each of the next four days.
New Zealand named opening batsman Hamish Rutherford, son of former captain Ken Rutherford, and left-arm spinner Bruce Martin to make their test debuts Wednesday.
The 32-year-old Martin was first named in a New Zealand test squad in 1999 but did not play and has had to wait a further 14 years for his test debut. (Agencies)
Opening day of NZ vs England series washed out
Hit-and-run case:Salman wants culpable homicide charge quashed
MUMBAI, Mar 6: Terming as “bad in law” invoking of the charge of ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder’ against him in the 2002 hit-and-run case, actor Salman Khan today sought its quashing by a sessions court which questioned whether it had the jurisdiction to hear his plea.
Salman has filed a revision application against the order of a Bandra magistrate, who invoked the serious charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder (section 304 part II IPC), which is triable by the sessions court and attracts a maximum punishment of 10 years.
He was tried by a magistrate under lesser charge of causing death by negligence (section 304 A IPC), that provides for a maximum punishment of two years years in prison.
Hearing the Bollywood star’s plea today, sessions judge A N Patil asked his lawyer Ashok Mundargi to convince him whether he had the jurisdiction to hear the application.
The judge said since the magistrate had referred the case for trial by the sessions court, the Bombay High Court would have been the appropriate forum for filing the revision petition or appeal.
Salman’s lawyer argued that as the magistrate’s order was final and not interlocutory (interim), because he had invoked 304 part II after recording evidence of 17 witnesses, and found that a case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder was made against the actor, he had a remedy in law to move the sessions court with a revision application.
He could not have moved the sessions court had the magisterial court’s order been interlocutory as that was barred by statute, Mundargi contended.
The sessions court deferred the arguments to March 8 to decide whether Salman’s application could be entertained.
If the actor’s application is admitted, the court will decide on merit whether the more stringent charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder could be invoked. In case the court rejects his plea, the actor would either have to face trial under the same charge in the sessions court or move a superior court in appeal.
Earlier in the day, Salman’s counsel had sought the film star’s exemption from appearance before sessions court on March 11 as directed by the magistrate. However, he did not press the plea later.
Salman’s lawyer argued that the magistrate’s order was “erroneous, bad in law and contrary to evidence on record”.
He said the magistrate had failed to appreciate that he (Salman) had neither the intention (to kill people) nor the knowledge that his rash and negligent driving would kill a person and cause injury to four others.
The magistrate had observed that Salman was aware that driving in a rash and negligent manner might kill people sleeping on footpaths. Moreover, he was familiar with the topography of the area where the accident took place as he stayed there, the court had observed.
The magistrate had relied upon the evidence tendered by Salman’s police bodyguard Ravindra Patil, who had given a statement to police after the accident, that he had warned the actor about driving at a reckless speed as that might kill people but the actor did not heed his advice.
In his revision petition, Salman has pleaded that the magistrate had failed to consider contradictions and changes in the statement made before the court by Patil, who died during the trial.
The actor pleaded that not only he but everyone was aware that people slept on footpaths but there was no fixed place for them to retire for the day and they lay down wherever they found space. Therefore it was difficult for him to know that people were sleeping at the spot where the accident occurred.
One person was killed and four others injured when the Land Cruiser allegedly driven by Salman crushed a group of people sleeping outside a bakery in suburban Bandra in the wee hours on September 28, 2002.
Though the court had initially charged him with causing death by negligence, the more serious charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder was later slapped. The actor had challenged it in the sessions court which upheld the charge but the Bombay High Court set it aside on appeal.
Being aggrieved, the State had moved the Supreme Court which said the magistrate had the discretion to decide about invoking that charge. The apex court asked the magistrate to record evidence and decide afresh whether the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder was made out.
After examining 17 witnesses, the magistrate last month invoked provisions relating to culpable homicide not amounting to murder and referred the case to sessions court for trial. (PTI)
Bhajan CDs of Anand Swami, Abilash, Raina released
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 6: The audio and Video CDs one based on the Yogic Leelas of Anand Swami Ji as contained in Sanjeevani Kriya Bhajan Sangrha, other based on Bhajans of Badri Nath Abilash a disciple of Anand Swami Pran Nath Bhat Gareeb were released at Sanjeevani Kutiar Gareeb Dham Bohri here today while the audio and Video CDs Mahadev of Krishan Raina were released at Pt. Prem Nath Shastri Sanskritik Shodh Sansthan, Ajit Colony Gole Gujral.
Yogic Leelas of Swami Ji and Bhajans of Badri Nath Abilash were released at a function of Hora Ashtami held in the Ashram.
Both these CDs were well received by the audience.
Pt. Omkar Nath Shastri chairman Pt. Prem Nath Shastri Sanskritik Shodh Sansthan released the audio and video CDs of Mahadev at a simple and impressive function at Ajit Colony here. The CDs contain the bhajans of Krishan Raina, Ravinder Dhar and Niteka Bhan.
The function was among others attended by Jyotshi Bushan Lal Shastri, Jyotshi Avtar Krishan Shastri, Bushan Lal Bhat and Inder Ji Koul.
Speaking on the occasion Shastri Ji said that the main objective of the Sansthan is to keep the Kashmiri Hindu culture alive.
Iran using India for clandestine activities: US
WASHINGTON, Mar 6: Describing Iran as the “most significant threat’ to regional stability, a top American commander has accused Tehran of carrying out clandestine activities in more than a dozen countries including India.
An Iranian miscalculation raises the risk of sparking disastrous conflict, General James Mattis Commander of the US Central Command, told members of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee during a Congressional hearing.
“Iran remains the single most significant, regional threat to stability and prosperity. It’s reckless behaviour and
bellicose rhetoric, characterise a leadership that cannot win the affection of its own people or respect of any responsible nation in the region,” he said yesterday.
He added that Iran’s continued support to the murderous Assad regime in Syria coupled with its malign activities in India, Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Bahrain, Yemen, Gaza, Sudan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Thailand, Georgia, Bulgaria, Nigeria.
“In Washington DC it attempted to kill the Saudi ambassador and elsewhere in the world, as well as in the cyber-domain, raise the risk of Iranian miscalculation that could spark a disastrous conflict,” he said.
Senator Carl Levin, Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee said that all options, including military options, need to remain on the table and preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon is not only US policy but US is determined to achieve the policy goal.
“Iran is actively expanding threat network that has promoted violence across the regions in Yemen, Gaza, Sudan, Syria, Iraq and elsewhere. It provides financial and material support to overthrow or undermine governments or terrorise innocent civilians,” he said.
General Mattis added that the collapse of Assad regime in Syria would be the biggest strategic setback for Iran in 25 years.
“I believe they will arm militias inside the country to try to create a Lebanese Hezbollah-type effect. They would redouble their efforts vis-a-vis Iraq, Bahrain, Yemen and elsewhere,” he said.
Mattis said that Iran obtaining a nuclear weapons would be very dangerous for the world.
“It would be dangerous, because it would enable Iran to continue to act like a revolutionary cause, vice a responsible country and they would sense fewer limitations, and more invulnerability to conducting the kind of attacks that killed Israeli tourists in Bulgaria, provide MANPADS to Yemen, which they were just caught at.
I believe we would see more of this irresponsible, reckless behaviour,” he said in response to a question. (PTI)
Superlong JGBs underperform, 10-Year futures up on BOJ easing bets
TOKYO, Mar 6: Japanese government bond prices fell on Wednesday, giving up some of their steep gains earlier this week, with the superlong sectors underperforming, leading to the yield curve steepening.
The 20-year yield rose 2 basis points to 1.565 percent after edging close to a 10-year trough of 1.450 percent on Tuesday, while the 30-year yield added 2.5 basis points to 1.755 percent after sinking to a 2-1/2-year low of 1.625 percent the previous day.
The 10-year yield inched up 1 basis point to 0.670 percent, although 10-year futures, which are more liquid and tend to move opposite to yield, rose 8 ticks to 145.06 as investors kept betting on further aggressive monetary easing from the Bank of Japan.
‘The market has been driven by expectations that the BOJ will continue to ease monetary policy and may extend the maturities of the JGBs it buys, particularly after April,’ said Yuya Yamashita, rates strategist at J.P. Morgan.
The central bank is to conclude a two-day policy meeting on Thursday, the last under Governor Masaaki Shirakawa, who will step down on March 19.
Haruhiko Kuroda, nominated for BOJ governor, said on Monday during his confirmation hearing that the BOJ should strive to reach its 2 percent inflation target in two years and the most natural way to ramp up stimulus would be to buy longer-date government bonds.
His comments helped drive JBG yields sharply lower on Monday, with the 30-year yield posting its biggest one-day fall since September 2010.
Yamashita said he expected the 10-year to trade in the range of 0.600 to 0.700 percent in the near term.
The underperformance in the superlong sectors led to a steepening of the yield curve on Wednesday, with the spread between 10- and 30-year bonds rising to 108.5 basis points from a 6-1/2-month low of 105.5 basis points hit on Tuesday.
The shorter-dated five-year yield was unchanged, at 0.110 percent, not far from its record low of 0.095 percent reached on Monday, also helped by the central bank’s easing expectations.
‘When we start to get stronger economic numbers, investors will start positioning for a successful exit from deflation, but until then, it is difficult to find safe ways to fade the BOJ’s bond buying,’ said Neale Vincent, strategist at Nomura Securities.
‘One possibility is to use auction timing. With long-end issuance on the increase, it’s probably ok to fade the flattening in the periods between the 10-year and the 20-year auctions.’
Japan will issue a record 156.6 trillion yen ($1.7 trillion)of JGBs through regular auctions in the fiscal year from next April, including 42.8 trillion yen of bonds to finance spending.
The ministry will also increase the frequency of 30-year debt auctions to once a month in fiscal 2013/14 from the current schedule of eight times a year to develop the market for super-long bonds.
(AGENCIES)
JBT scam: HC notice to CBI on Ajay Chautala’s plea
NEW DELHI, Mar 6:
The Delhi High Court today sought response of the CBI on the plea of former Haryana Chief Minister O P Chautala’s son, Ajay Chautala, against his conviction and 10 year sentence for illegally recruiting 3206 junior teachers in 2000.
51-year-old Ajay Chautala, who is in Tihar Jail since his sentencing, has also moved an application seeking interim bail.
Issuing notice to the CBI, Justice Mukta Gupta fixed April 4 to hear the plea of Ajay, a sitting Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) MLA.
Ajay, his father O P Chautala and 53 others, including two IAS officers — Sanjiv Kumar and Vidhya Dhar — were convicted on January 16 by the trial court for illegally recruiting 3,206 junior basic trained (JBT) teachers in Haryana in 2000.
Earlier on February 14, INLD chief O P Chautala moved the high court challenging his conviction and sentencing in the JBT scam case. He has also sought interim bail on health grounds.
The court, on his plea, has sought his medical records from the jail authorities.
Kumar, who exposed the scam but was later found to be involved in it after a CBI probe, has also moved the high court against the trial court’s order by which he has also been convicted and sentenced to 10 years jail term.
He was the Director of Primary Education in 2000.
The trial court on January 22 had awarded varying jail terms to all the 55 persons convicted in the case.
Apart from the Chautalas and Kumar, Chautala’s former Officer on Special Duty Vidya Dhar and Sher Singh Badshami, who used to be political advisor of the former CM, have been given 10 years jail term.
Five others, including a woman, have also been awarded 10 years jail term by the trial court.
Of the remaining 45 convicts, one has been handed five years and the rest 44 were given four years imprisonment. (PTI)
Dialysis service begins in Gandhi Nagar Hospital
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 6: First time renal dialysis was started in Govt. Hospital Gandhi Nagar under the supervision of Director Health Services Jammu Dr. Madhu Khullar today.
Appreciating the efforts of Medical Superintendent Dr. Romesh Gupta and his team she stressed that the starting of dialysis facilties in Gandhi Nagar Hospital will be great boon for the patients suffering from kidney ailments. Otherwise these patients have to travel to other States or have to pay heavy cost for the dialysis which will now be available readily and free of cost here.
This facility will not only reduce the burden of Medical College but also ease the suffering of people of Jammu & Kashmir.
Dr. Madhu Khullar personally monitored the sixty-six years old chronic renal failure patient named Dheeraj Singh who received first dialysis in Govt. Hospital Gandhi Nagar Jammu.
She further added that shortly this facility will be available in Govt. Hospital Sarwal Jammu & District Hospital Udhampur.The first dialysis was started by Dr. Kaushal Kumar Khajuria Consultant along with his dedicated team.
2375 youth from Valley, 541 from Jammu recruited in Police
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 6: In sixteen (16) special recruitment drives in the State in last three years, a total 2375 youth from Kashmir valley and 541 from Jammu region were recruited in Police Department as constables.
In a written reply to the question of Congress member Jehangir Hussain Mir in the Legislative Council today, the Government said that in last three years, sixteen on the spot camps for special police recruitment drive were conducted in the State. These camps were held at Akhnoor, Khour and Nagrota in Jammu district, Inshan Wadan in Kishtwar, Udhampur and in Reasi districts of Jammun region.
In Srinagar district it was held at Khaniyar, Iddgah, Amira Kadal, Zadibal, Habba Kadal, Batmaloo, Hazaratbal, Sonwar, Chadoora/ Khanpora Sarai in Budgam, Rafiabad/ Rohama in Baramulla, Wachi/Reshipora and in Shopian district. A total 2375 youth were recruited in police as constables in Kashmir region while only 541 were recruited in Jammu division during these special on the spot drives in last three years.
Giving break up the Government said, in Akhnoor and Khour 173 youth were recruited, 86 in Nagrota-Dansal, just 47 in Kishtwar, 134 in Udhampur and 102 in district Reasi.
In Khaniyar area of Srinagar district, 132 youth were selected in Police, 201 in Iddgah constituency, 275 in Amira Kadal, 342 in Zadibal /Habba Kadal, 164 in Batmaloo, 102 in Hazratbal and 171 in Sonawar in district Srinagar. In Budgam total 392 youth were selected, in Baramulla 133, total 305 at Shopian while 158 in Wachi/ Reshipora in Shopian district.
The Government further claimed that special recruitment drives are conducted by Police Department in the areas with a view to give adequate representation to the eligible candidates in the areas which are under-represented in the Police Department. It is continuous process and while conducting these recruitment drives age, qualification and physical standards are taken care of properly as per the prescribed norms.
Power Ministry seeks feedback from companies to overcome sectoral issues
NEW DELHI, Mar 6:
The Power Ministry today asked a panel comprising private and public electricity producers to come forward with solutions to the issues engulfing the sector and formulate measures to tackle them.
“We are looking at the national tariff policy, issue of hydro electric power, ensuring capacity addition, issue of coal and gas shortages and transmission and the way forward,” Power Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia told reporters here.
The Advisory Group, formed by the Power Minister, includes industry captains like Anil Ambani, Chairman Reliance Power, Cyrus Mistry, Chairman Tata Group and Chanda Kochchar, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, ICICI Bank, and PSU heads and independent power producers.
“We have outlined four areas where I would like the advisory group to form sub-groups and come up with solutions, the four topics have been outlined today, the group will now revert to me when they are ready with solutions on those topics,” Scindia said.
The next meeting of the Advisory group with the Minister would be on March 13.
“The group will find solutions and come to us… March 13 they are coming to me with their deadlines and we will listen to their solutions. It is going to be piloted by them, not us,” he added.
On the issue of standard bidding documents for the new ultra mega power projects, Scindia said, “We are discussing it and will come to you when I have something.”
Delay in finalisation of the new standard bidding documents or SBDs is further postponing the award of UMPPs in the country.
The government has so far awarded four UMPPs — Mundra (Gujarat), which is being developed by Tata Power and three others Sasan (Madhya Pradesh), Krishnapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and Tilaiya (Jharkhand) are being executed by Reliance Power.
The first round of bidding for the Bedabahal UMPP in Odisha took place in August 2011, in which 20 companies qualified. The next round of bidding is awaiting the new SBDs.
The Power Ministry also plans to award two more UMPPs — Cheyyur (Tamil Nadu) and Sarguja (Chhattisgarh) — as early as possible. (PTI)
Shrivastava manager of hockey team for Azlan Shah tourney
BHOPAL, Mar 6: Madhya Pradesh Sports Department director Dr Shailendra Shrivastava has been appointed as the manager of the Indian hockey team for Azlan Shah tournament to be played in Malaysia from March 9 to 17, sources said.
Shrivastava had applied to the government for permission to travel abroad which he received yesterday.
He will be leaving for Ipoh shortly and in case India reaches the final, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan may go to Ipoh to see it, sources said.
The Indian team for the tournament is as following: Forward – Danish Mujtama (captain), Nitin Timaiya, Satbir Singh, Mandeep Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Chinglensana Singh, Dharamvir Singh and Gurvinder Singh Chandi, Fullback – Rupinderpal Singh, Harbir Singh, Gurjinder Singh, Halfback – Amit Rohidas, Gurmel Singh, M B Ayyapa and Goalkeepers – P R Shrijesh and Sushant Tirki. Coach – Michael Nobbs and Manager – Dr Shailendra Shrivastava. (PTI)