TOKYO, Mar 12: The yen remains overvalued despite its recent steep fall from historic peaks versus the US dollar, Japan’s prime minister said today, while the country’s finance minister kept up a warning against speculative currency moves.
‘Compared to record highs seen last October the yen has weakened but as a trend it is still somewhat overvalued … The yen is valued highly in relative terms when considering fundamentals,’ Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said in parliament.
Finance Minister Jun Azumi added there was no change in Japan’s stance of taking steps against speculative moves in currency markets, though he declined to say whether the yen is correctly valued at present.
‘As I’ve said before, we will take firm action against excessive and speculative moves,’ Azumi said at the same parliamentary committee meeting. He acknowledged that a strong yen damages the global competitiveness of Japanese firms.
When urged by an opposition lawmaker to step into forex markets more frequently, Azumi said there were no constraints on intervention by Japan, though the fact it regularly discloses intervention amounts makes it different from emerging economies that heavily intervene to weaken their currencies.
The yen in early February advanced towards a record high against the dollar, but it has retreated nearly 10 percent after monetary easing from the Bank of Japan and brighter prospects for the US economy.
The dollar was down 0.3 percent at 82.16 yen, hovering below a 10-1/2 month high above 82.60 yen hit on Friday. (Agencies)
LOS ANGELES, Mar 12: Whitney Houston’s daughter said she still hears her mom encouraging her ‘keep moving, keep going,’ and the pop star’s sister-in-law revealed new details of the day Houston died in their first public interviews since the singer’s death.
Bobbi Kristina Brown, 19, yesterday told talk show host Oprah Winfrey that she was ‘doing okay … I’m doing as good as I possibly can’ since her mother was found lifeless in the bathtub of her room at the Beverly Hills Hilton hotel on February 11, the eve of the music industry’s Grammy Awards.
‘I can hear her voice, you know, and spirit talking to me, telling me, you know, ‘keep moving baby. I’m right here. I got you’ … She’s always with me. I can always feel her,’ Bobbi Kristina Brown told Winfrey.
‘I feel her pass through me all the time,’ said Brown, whose father is singer Bobby Brown.
Houston and Brown’s only daughter said she feels her mom’s presence in the house they shared in Atlanta. The ‘lights turn on and off, and I go ‘mom, what’re you doing?’ … I can still laugh with her. I can sit there and I can still talk with her.’
Houston was 48-years-old when she died. She rose to fame in the 1980s and enjoyed a long career that peaked with her 1992 hit ‘I Will Always Love You’ from the movie ‘The Bodyguard.’
But her life was plagued by a troubled marriage to singer Brown, and she had previously admitted to heavy use of cocaine, marijuana, alcohol and prescription pills.
Officials have said prescription drugs were found in the hotel room where she died, but a cause of death is still pending toxicology tests which are expected later this month.
The interview, which took place at the Atlanta home of Houston’s brother Gary and sister-in-law and manager Patricia, revealed new details of the day the singer died.
FACE DOWN IN BATHTUB
Oprah opened the broadcast by saying ‘members of the family told me she (Houston) was face down and naked’ in the bathtub, and Patricia revealed that Houston’s assistant, Mary, discovered the singer’s body in the hotel room bathtub.
A security guard who is Patricia Houston’s brother tried in vain to resuscitate Houston in the room but was unsuccessful.
He was ‘trying to revive her to the point of exhaustion,’ Patricia Houston said, ‘and I called his name. I said, ‘Ray … Let it go.’ They (paramedics) asked him to move. He was on his knees. He said, ‘I tried.’ He was so out of breath.’
A tear rolled down Patricia Houston’s face as she recalled the sight of her sister-in-law lying dead on the hotel room floor. ‘She had a peacefulness on her, a look on her. She had a peaceful look,’ Patricia Houston said.
Winfrey asked Patricia Houston if she believed drugs were involved in the singer’s death. Patricia Houston said she believed the pop star’s worse days of drug abuse were behind her, although she stopped short of saying Houston was not on drugs or drinking on the day of she died.
‘I don’t think drugs (were) an issue for her before her death. I don’t know what happened that day. Do you understand what I’m saying,’ Patricia Houston said.
Finally, Winfrey asked Houston’s brother Gary whether Brown, whom Whitney Houston divorced in 2007, was asked by Houston’s family not to attend the singer’s funeral and Gary replied ‘Absolutely not.’ Brown did turn up for the funeral, but left early, blaming a mixup with security over seating.
He said his family was not angry about a picture of Houston in her casket that was printed in the tabloids following her death, and added that his mother long ago had premonitions about a young demise for his sister.
‘I remember my mother used to say … Whitney’s not going to be with us too long,’ Gary Houston said. ‘She’s an angel. She’s a gift.’
SRINAGAR, Mar 12: The Director Local Bodies Kashmir, Shamim Ahmad Leharwal, today suspended the executive officer of Pulwama and Shopian Municipal Committees for violating the orders of the director for auctioning of the entry tax points at the two South Kashmir district headquarters.
The executive officer of Pulwama and Shopain Municipal Committees, Bashir Ahmad Nanda, was directed by the Director Local Bodies not to auction the entry tax points on his own. He had directed him that a member from Director’s office will supervise the bidding process for transparency.
But Nanda auctioned the entry tax points at ` 36 lakh when the original bid was ` 41 lakh causing at loss of at least ` 5 lakh to the state exchequer.
JAMMU, Mar 12: A unique modus operandi being used to smuggle liquor from Punjab to Jammu under the trucks loaded with vegetables was today foiled at Lakhanpur by the alert staff of Toll Post Lakhanpur.
The liquor had been loaded under the truck of vegetables bearing No. 7288 HR37.
During checking and weighing of vegetables, the Excise staff became alert and subjected to truck to frisking. It was detected and 3806 bottles of IMFL had been concealed under the boxes of vegetables.
The Excise Department seized the liquor. Driver of the truck identified as Balwinder Singh son of Ajmanger Singh R/o village Douan, Mohali in Chandigarh and his associate Amit Singh son of Sher Singh of the same village were subjected to questioning during which they revealed that they were smuggling liquor for the purpose of huge benefits as rates of liquor in Jammu and Kashmir were very high as compared to Punjab.
The Excise team, which made the seizure, was led by Deputy Excise Commissioner, Toll Post Lakhanpur Dr Mushtaq Ahmed along with Excise and Taxation Officers PS Chib, Sohan Lal, Alyas Khan, Gurmohan Singh and GL Sharma, Inspectors Rohit Sharma, Anil Chandan, Ashok Khajuria and Sanjeev Khajuria and Excise Guards Tilak Raj and Romesh Kumar. SHO Lakhanpur Inspector Chanchal Singh supervised the Excise team.
JAMMU, Mar 12: A one day workshop on time and stress management was organized by Entrepreneurship Development Institute in collaboration with PHD chamber under PHD-KAS at its Campus here today.
A spokesperson of the EDI said that during the workshop emphasis was laid on different factors leading to stress, concept and relevance of time, traditional time management, 4th generation of time management, time index, time profile, understanding stress and its consequences and managing stress to live better.
C.M Krishna, Programme Director, PHD-KAS Project in his concluding remarks said, that managing stress is all about taking charge, taking charge of your thoughts, your emotions, your schedule, your environment, and the way you deal with problems. He said the ultimate goal is a balanced life, with time for work, relationships, relaxation and fun, plus the resilience to hold up under pressure and meet challenges head on.
Welcoming the participants, Dr. M.I. Parray, Director EDI said, “time management is no longer simply a way to gain competitive advantage, it is now an essential survival tool for the 21st century.”
JAMMU, Mar 12: New India Assurance Company (NIAC) concluded nine day income generation programme at its training centre, Satwari, wherein more than 20 candidates from different parts of the State participated.
The training incharge while concluding the programme emphasized the need for creating awareness on the insurance portfolio particularity among the far-flung inhabitants of the State. The participants were trained by the experts drawn from the fields of management, marketing and rural development who imbibed theoretical and practical knowledge of principles and practice of general insurance portfolio, particularly as per the requirements of the people of the State.
The course coordinator said successful candidates would be authorized by the Insurance Regulatory Development Authority of India to legally practice general insurance work.
JAMMU, Mar 12: Jammu and Kashmir ITI Contractual Instructors Union held mass protest demonstration in front of Director Technical Education today to focus the attention of the authorities concerned towards their just and genuine demands.
Their demands pertained to Regularization of vocational instructors working as Academic Arrangement for the past seven years; Enhancement in their salary at par with consolidated rate employees; To get the process of interview initiated by SSRB from the posts on which incumbents are already working, stopped immediately; and To withdraw the above referred posts of vocational instructors from J&K Service Selection Board.
Hundreds of contractual vocational instructors from various districts of the State participated in the demonstration. While addressing president of National Trade Union Front Mohd Gafoor Dar urged the Government and concerned authorities of Technical Education to settle the demands of vocational instructors of ITIs on priority basis.
Later a delegation of the Vocational Instructors Union led by Gafoor Dar called on Director Technical Education and discussed the problems of vocational instructors. The Director assured to take up their demands with the Government.
Others who addressed included Ghulam Rasool Geelani, Nishat Ahmed Raina, Molvi Nazir Ahmad, Farooq Ahmad Sheikh, Nisar Ahmed Lone, Manzoor Ahmed, Bilal Ahmed, Parvaiz Ahmed, Rayees Ahmed, Intizar Hussain, Zulfkar Ahmed, Reyaz Ahmed, Ghulam Mohidin, Faisal and Mohd Maqbool.
RAJOURI, Mar 12: The teaching faculty of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU), Rajouri under the umbrealla of BGSBU Teaching Association today announced boycott of classes for indefinite period.
While briefing the media, a spokesman of the Association claimed that BGSBU administration had assured the teaching faculty a month ago regarding fulfillment of their demands but nothing significant has been done so far.
The decision to boycott classes was taken in a meeting of BGSBUTA held under the chairmanship of its president, Dr Asghar Ali Shah.
The Association expressed concern over the alleged callous attitude of the university administration saying that despite giving repeated reminders, there was no response from them.
Dr Asghar Ali Shah said the association had observed pen down strike last month after which administration had assured to fix a meeting with the Vice-Chancellor to resolve the issues of the teachers but they failed even to fix a meeting with the Vice-Chancellor.
He added that teaching faculty have cooperated with the administration for a long time but they have done nothing for the welfare of teaching community.
He announced that the Association will soon approach the Chancellor of the university, Omar Abdullah and apprise him about the failure of university authorities.
JAMMU, Mar 12: Intensifying their agitation for passage of Shrines and Temples Protection and Management Bill in current session of State Legislature, Kashmiri Pandits cutting across their party affiliations today staged a demonstration, in front of Press Club here.
The demonstration was held on the call of Pt Prem Nath Bhat Memorial Trust, which is spearheading the ongoing movement for the enactment of the law for the protection and management of Hindu shrines and temples in Valley most of whom are in a dilapidated condition at present as they have suffered extensive damage during last 22 years turmoil.
The leaders of all KP political, social and religious bodies including Panun Kashmir (PK) participated in the demonstration.
They resolved and pledged to take the ongoing agitation to its logical conclusion. They warned to intensify the agitation in case the Bill was delayed in this session of the Legislature also and urged the Government to fulfill its promise made with the community.
Raising slogans in support of the Bill, the protestors warned to intensify the agitation in case Government further delayed its passage in the ongoing session of Legislature. They expressed grave concern over the condition of the Hindu shrines in Valley whose land has been encroached by anti social elements as well as some Government organizations on their own.
With banners and placards in the hands the demonstrators said that entire community is concerned over the protection on Hindu shrines and temples in Valley which are the symbols of thousands years of civilization, culture, traditions and ethos. Their preservation is must for the posterity as every shrine and temple is in itself worth thousands of institutions, they added.
They said the sentiments of entire community across the globe are attached with these shrines and temples most of whom have been vandalized after the mass exodus of the community 22 years ago. “For their protection and management we wanted a statutory board on the pattern of Auqaf Board for protection of Muslims shrines and Gurdwara Prabandhak Board and Committees for protection of Sikh Gurdawars in the State”, said a member of the Trust.
He said the passage of the Bill will be biggest confidence building measure for the displaced KPs for their return and settle back in Valley with a sense of security and dignity.
The speakers, while addressing the demonstrators regretted that despite assurances given publicly to them by the leaders and legislators from all the parties to support their demand for the passage of the Bill as well as the assurances held by the Government, the Bill has not been passed.
They said Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister, Raman Bhalla, Agriculture Minister, G H Mir, PDP patron Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, CPI Leader, M Y Tarigami and BJP and NC MLAs had given assurance that the Bill will be passed in this session but till date no headway was made in this regard.
The KP leaders reiterated their appeal to Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah and Raman Bhalla to get the Bill passed as assured in the ongoing Session of Legislature.
Meanwhile some political organizations including BJP and Kranti Dal have also extended full support to the demand. Kranti Dal general secretary, Preetam Sharma along with his supporters also joined the demonstration and extended full support to the displaced Pandits in their struggle.
NEW DELHI, Mar 12: Kashmiri Pandit Conference (KPC) today stressed on wide ranging discussions and debates among the displaced community on the return and rehabilitation and has urged the individual organizations not to give confusing statements on this sensitive issue concerning the future of seven lakh exiled Pandits.
The KPC which held two day working committee meeting at Union Capital under the chairmanship of its president, Kundan Kashmiri said the return and rehabilitation of the community being an important issue needs wider debate and discussion among all KP organizations as well as consultation among the cross section of the community as any step taken in hurry will prove counter productive to the larger interests of the community.
The KPC in a handout said before taking any decision on return first and foremost thing to ponder over by the community leadership is to see that weather the mindset has changed in Valley, which was responsible for the mass exodus of the community.
It said the issue also politically involves wider ramifications keeping in view internationally recognized conflict between India and Pakistan over Kashmir, demands like so-called Azadi, self rule and autonomy etc, mood and temper of the people of Kashmir, day to day militant related incidents in the Valley, direct involvement of Pakistan in Kashmir turmoil and appeasement policies of Union Government towards fundamentalists in Kashmir. Hence this all needs to be kept in mind before taking any step for return, the meeting added.
It said though track two diplomacy and foreign diplomacy is also involved in settling the Kashmir issue but the Pandits demand for separate homeland and Kashyap State is a big impediment in their way. To further this formula efforts are being made to lure some KP families to return to Kashmir to defeat the demand of homeland and Kashyap State, which the community leadership should cautiously counter, the handout added.
