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1993 Mumbai blasts: TADA court sentences seven
Mumbai, May 29 (PTI) The TADA court today sentenced seven persons convicted for their role in 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, including four former customs officers, to prison terms ranging from five years' rigorous imprisonment to life imprisonment.
Those sentenced by the court today include Zameer Sayyed Ismail Kadri, who was held guilty for conspiracy, former customs officers R K Singh, Jaywant Gurav, Mohammed Sultan Sayyed and Sudhanwa Talavdekar, and duo Ayub Ibrahim Qureshi and Ehsaan Mohammed Qureshi found guilty of illegal possession of arms and ammunition.
Kadri, an associate of absconding accused Mohammed Dossa, was sentenced to life imprisonment and also directed to pay a fine of Rs 1.25 lakh by the court.
Special TADA Judge P D Kode, while sentencing Kadri, observed that he had close connections with Dossa and was involved in facilitating in the landing of arms and ammunition at the Dighi coast on January 9, 1993.
Kode also observed that Kadri could be held guilty of conspiracy only to the extent of concealing a part of the consignment which had landed at Dighi and later attempting to destroy evidence by dumping it in a creek.
The court held that no leniency should be shown to Kadri since he tried to conceal the weapons much after the blasts and was absconding after a proclamation notice was issued against him.
Former assistant commissioner of customs at Alibaug, R K Singh was sentenced to nine years' rigorous imprisonment and told to pay a fine of Rs 3 lakh, for allowing the landing of explosives and arms at the Dighi and Shekhadi coasts after accepting a bribe. PTI
Nithari serial killings: Murder, rape charges against Koli
Ghaziabad, May 9 (PTI) A special CBI court today framed murder and rape charges against Surinder Koli, the prime accused in the Nithari serial killing case, in connection with the killing of two women.
Moninder Singh Panther, at whose house the killings took place, has been charged with conspiracy to murder, destruction of evidence and providing shelter to the accused for the murder of Payal (22) by the special designated court of additional district judge Ram Jain.
However, Pandher has got a clean chit in four other cases - Payal (14), Pinki Sarkar (21) Nanda Devi (26) and Rimpa Haldar (21) - where Koli is the sole accused.
Advocate Khalid Khan, who argued against giving clean chit to Pandher in all the cases, told PTI that he will approach the high court for getting the charge of murder framed against Pandher.
He said that the court today added the charge of providing shelter to the accused against Pandher in the case of Payal (22) but refused to frame him for murder and kidnap.
Meanwhile, on the basis of Khan's petition, the judge has ordered that the case diary of Noida police prepared by the then circle officer Dinesh Yadav in the case of Payal (14) be presented before it. PTI
China asks India not to bring differences to the fore
Anil K Joseph Beijing, May 29 (PTI) In the backdrop of its denial of visa to an IAS officer from Arunachal Pradesh, China today said bilateral differences should not be brought to the fore till a fair and reasonable settlement of the vexed boundary issue is reached.
"We hold that the boundary issue between China and India should be settled fairly and reasonably at an early date through friendly consultations," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Jiang Yu said.
Before the boundary settlement, the differences should not be brought into the front, affecting exchanges between the two nations, Jiang told PTI here when asked to comment on Beijing's refusal to grant visa to an Indian IAS official from Arunachal Pradesh.
"China welcomes the friendly exchanges between the two nations," Jiang said without confirming the denial of Chinese visa to Gonesh Koyu, an IAS officer of the Arunachal Pradesh cadre who was a part of a 107-strong delegation of IAS officers who planned to travel to China.
"We welcome the Indian personnel to come and visit China and participate in the training programme," she said, apparently referring to New Delhi's decision to cancel the visit of 107 IAS officers for mid-career training in China.
She did not indicate the reason why the Chinese visa was denied to Koyu or whether China is willing to reconsider its decision to deny visa to the Indian official from Arunachal Pradesh cadre. PTI
Agriculture suffering from technology fatigue: PM
New Delhi, May 29 (PTI) Worried over slowdown of agriculture sector due to "technology fatigue," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today assured the Chief Ministers that the Centre was willing to support their plans for enhancing productivity in the segment.
Stating that small and marginal farming had become an unviable proposition, the Prime Minister told the 53rd meeting of the National Development Council (NDC) that until farming was made viable at this scale, it would be virtually "impossible" to reduce rural poverty and distress.
He said the public and private investment in agriculture sector should be seen in the context of a larger trend whereby subsidies have been increasing and investments declining.
"One feature that stands out is the lack of any breakthroughs in agricultural production technology in recent years. There is a technology fatigue which we need to address," he said.
The Prime Minister said reversing the prolonged slowdown in the agriculture sector is essential for "our goal of inclusive growth, for ensuring that growth benefits all sections of society and all regions of the country." He said the NDC could also consider launching a food security mission for raising production of wheat, pulses and edible oil to contain the rising prices. PTI
No time for extra warm-up games on Australian tour: BCCI
Mumbai, May 29 (PTI) The Cricket Board has expressed its inability to pencil in more than one tour game prior to the four-match Test series in Australia later this year as desired by the players.
"There's no chance to add any extra games. The players may want more but where's the time," BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah said today.
He was referring to India's packed international schedule after the ODI series against South Africa in Ireland next month.
The team for Ireland and the subsequent tour of England, to be selected at Bangalore on June 12, is set to depart on June 19 and return in the second week of September at the conclusion of the Natwest one-day series in England.
Some players, selected for the best-of-seven one-day rubber in England, would dierctly proceed to South Africa for the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup.
Australia will be in India to play seven ODIs in October, apart from a Twenty20 fixture against the hosts.
After this, Pakistan will tour India for three Tests and five ODIs, which would leave the team with hardly any breathing space before it departs for the tour of Australia for playing four Tests and an ODI tri-series.
As per the schedule, the Indians are slated to play only one warm-up game before taking on the Australians in the first Test at Melbourne from December 26.
Indian captain Rahul Dravid had earlier complained about the "over-crammed" calendar of the team, but the BCCI rejected his contention, saying that there was a rotation policy in place to prevent player burn-out. PTI
Former squash world champion Nicol to coach Indian players
Mumbai, May 29 (PTI) Former squash world number one Peter Nicol started a three-day coaching clinic today in Mumbai with the goal to lift the physically demanding sport in India to bigger heights than at present.
The Aberdeen-born Scot, world open champion in 1999, has joined the Mumbai-based World Squash Academy as its head coach and founder member, it was announced by its director Amar Haksar at a media conference today.
"I have joined hands with Peter to form the WSA in an effort to promote the game nationally and internationally by creating development programmes for those interested in playing competitive and/or recreational squash," Haksar said.
"We teach the beginners the fundamentals, while the advanced group are trained how to cope at the competitive level, sparring with one another and match play. We also emphasise on fitness," he added.
Nicol will visit India on two or more occasions each year to conduct specialised and intense clinics for the WSA's competitive players. The academy's programme is supported by top Indian players like Mahesh Mangaonkar, Raghav Mehrotra and Vikas Jhangra, according to Haksar.
Nicol, who defeated squash legend Jansher Khan of Pakistan to win the Mahindra Open here in 1997 and was the world number one for five years, said that Indian players were talented but it will take some time for them to reach the top. PTI
Pakistan shortlists five foreign coaches for cricket
Karachi, May 29 (PTI) Pakistan cricket authorities have trimmed down their shortlist of candidates for the post of national team coach to five foreign coaches.
Dr Naseem Ashraf, the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed that five candidates were under consideration but did not give their names.
"We are looking for a young dynamic energetic and qualified foreign coach. The candidates we have received applications from fit this bill and we have to pick the best for our team," he said.
The PCB had advertised the position of national team coach last month setting May 15 as the deadline for interested candidates to apply.
However, sources say no prominent names applied for the position because some of them ruled themselves out due to the condition set by the board that only candidates who have played first class cricket can apply.
Sources said that former West Indian captain, Jimmy Adams and off spinner Roger Harper and Leicestershire coach, Tim Munton were among the candidates who had applied and were being considered for the job.
Pakistan also failed to lure former Australian player, Dav Whatmore for the position after his contract with the Bangladesh team ended. Pakistan had also approached Australian Tom Moody but he preferred to sign for Western Australia.
Whatmore is now said to be in frontrunner for the high-profile coaching assignment of the Indian team.
The board has constituted a special three-member committee to select the candidate whose name would be put up for approval at the ad-hoc committee meeting being held next month in Lahore. PTI
Akram rules out permanent coaching role with Pakistan
Karachi, May 29 (PTI) Pakistan's former captain and bowling great Wasim Akram has ruled out a permanent coaching role with the national team, saying his other international commitments did not allow him the luxury of a long-term job.
Akram, who is in Lahore these days conducting a specialised coaching camp for fast bowlers said he does not have the stamina to sustain interest for the role of a bowling coach with the Pakistan team.
"I think I am better off doing stints like I am doing now. I would like to pass on my experience to the younger bowlers and they are plenty of good prospects in this camp as well," he said.
Speculations have been rife that the Pakistan Cricket Board might offer Akram a permanent coaching position with the national team ever since he conducted the three weeks camp on the invitation of the board.
Akram has stayed away from getting directly involved in Pakistan cricket since retiring in 2003 after the World Cup.
Akram, who ended his career with 414 Test and 502 ODI wickets also rubbished suggestions of Shahid Afridi that the national team did not require a full time coach.
Pakistan is without a coach after the death of Bob Woolmer during the World Cup and for the recent one-day series in Abu Dhabi, manager Talat Ali officiated as coach. PTI
Foreign players not harming Indian football: Bhutia
Namita Singh
New Delhi, May 29 (PTI) The continuing dominance of foreign players in domestic football was not detrimental to the Indian game and this development should be seen in a positive manner, ace striker Bhaichung Bhutia has said.
As in previous domestic seasons, foreigners ruled the roost, bagging the top four spots in the goalscorers' list. Bhutia said the Indian players needed to work harder to catch up with them.
"There is no lack of opportunities for Indian players. The foreigners are not snatching anything away from them. Indian need to create opportunities through hard work," Bhutia told PTI-Bhasha.
Among the players in the domestic league, Bhutia was impressed by JCT's Sunil Chetri, who was the highest goalscorer among Indians in the 11th NFL with 12 strikes.
"Chetri is playing well. He has a lot of potential," the veteran footballer said.
Injuries prevented the veteran forward from showing his best in the 11th National Football League but at the Super Cup match against NFL champions Dempo Sports Club, he sparkled with a hat-trick to bring the trophy to Mohun Bagan for the first time.
However, the team was a big let-down in the league, finishing as low as eighth with Bhutia contributing only five goals.
"Several players at the club were injured. I was also struggling with injuries but am totally fit now." PTI
Nifty touches new peak of 4,298.85; Sensex up 110 points
Mumbai, May 29 (PTI) Continuing its record-breaking journey, the wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty today scaled an all-time intra-session high of 4,298.25 points on the back of strong rally in Reliance Industries and other heavy-weight stocks.
The Nifty, which touched an intra-day peak of 4,298.85 points, ended the session at a new high of 4,293.25, registering a rise of 36.70 points, or 0.86 per cent from the previous close. It also touched the day's low of 4,248.90 points.
The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex also remained in positive zone for the third straight session and gathered another 110.32 points at 14,508.21 points after moving between 14,530.15 and 14,372.07 points.
All the key sectoral indices ended in the positive zone with sizeable gains, with capital sector index remaining the best performer.
The BSE capital goods sector index was up by 297.76 points, or 2.81 per cent at 10,598.38 on the back of a significant rise in BHEL, ABB, Siemens, Crompton Greaves, Lakshmi Machines and Reliance Industrial Infrastructure stocks. PTI
India largest debit card market for Visa in Asia Pacific
New Delhi, May 29 (PTI) India has become the largest market for Visa debit and pre-paid cards in Asia-Pacific with about 3.39 crore card-holders in 2006, accounting for about 34 per cent of the company's total customer-base of 10 crore in the region.
This is followed by Thailand and South Korea where the company has about 1.39 crore and 1.16 crore customers respectively, Visa Asia Pacific said in a release here today.
Even in terms of total transaction, India is among the top three destinations in the region, accounting for about 62 per cent of the total debit and prepaid card transactions.
"In India, debit or pre-paid programs have have shown good consumer take-up and at the end of last year, seven out of 10 Visa cards in India were debit or prepaid," Visa International Asia Pacific Country Manager South Asia Santanu Mukherjee said.
Total transactions through the Visa debit and prepaid cards in the region were at USD 156 billion in 2006, up 31 per cent from about USD 119.08 billion in 2005. The growth is almost double to that of the global transaction growth which rose by 17 per cent, it said.
The Asia Pacific region accounted for about 60 per cent of Visa global total consumer volume and over 67 per cent of the number of Visa transactions, it added. PTI
L&T Q4 net up 50 pc at Rs 701 cr; declares dividend
Mumbai, May 29 (PTI) Engineering and construction major Larsen & Toubro (L&T) today posted an increase of over 50 per cent in net profit at Rs 700.77 crore for the quarter ended March 31, against Rs 466.85 crore for the same quarter last year.
The total income (net of excise) grew 34.91 per cent to Rs 6,452.38 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 31, from Rs 4,782.46 crore in the corresponding quarter a year-ago, L&T said in a communique to the Bombay Stock Exchange.
The board of directors of the company at its meeting today declared a final dividend of Rs 2 per share, which together with the interim dividend of Rs 11 per share declared earlier, works out to Rs 13 on shares of Rs 2 each for the year ended March 31, 2007.
For the year ended March 31, L&T recorded a net profit after tax (after extraordinary items) of Rs 1,403.02 crore as against Rs 1,012.14 crore in the previous year and the total income (net of excise) increased to Rs 18,041.13 crore from Rs 15,198.63 crore in the period under consideration.
In the consolidated results for the year ended March 31, net profit was Rs 2,240.14 crore compared to Rs 1,317.21 crore last year and total income (net of excise) increased to Rs 21,342.16 crore from Rs 17,018.55 crore in the period under review.
The shares of L&T were trading at Rs 1,800, up 0.84 per cent on BSE in afternoon trade. PTI
Vodafone to complete Bharti stake sale by November 2008
London, May 29 (PTI) Britain's Vodafone, which acquired controlling stake in mobile firm Hutch-Essar, today said it will transfer its 5.6 per cent stake in Bharti Airtel back to the Indian mobile leader by November next year.
Following acquisition of control in Hutch-Essar for 10.9 billion dollars in cash, Vodafone had entered into a share sale agreement with Bharti regarding its 5.6 per cent equity in the company.
"The shareholding will be transferred in two tranches, the first before March 31, 2008 and the second by November 2008," Vodafone said in a statement after announcing its annual results for the year ended March 31.
"Following the completion of this sale, the Group will continue to hold an indirect stake of 4.39 per cent in Bharti Airtel," it added.
Vodafone completed the purchase of Hutch-Essar stake from Hong-Kong based Hutchison Telecom International Ltd (HTIL) on May 8.
The UK company paid 10.9 billion dollars in cash to HTIL, as against the previously agreed price of 11.08 billion dollars, reflecting retention and closing adjustments agreed between Vodafone and HTIL.
Vodafone said that Bharti Airtel irrevocably agreed on May 9 to purchase its 5.6 per cent shareholding and it expects to receive 1.6 billion dollars in cash consideration for this shareholding by November 2008.
Vodafone CEO Arun Sarin said: "The last year has seen a further reshaping of Vodafone's portfolio, with our acquisitions in Turkey and India further increasing the Group's exposure to the exciting growth opportunities in emerging markets. We are well placed to continue delivering on our strategy." PTI
Bahrain to declare six-month amnesty for illegal expats
Dubai, May 29 (PTI) Bahrain would declare a six-month amnesty for illegal expatriates from August, a move that is likely to benefit many Indians staying in the kingdom.
The last time Bahrain floated an amnesty scheme for illegal expats was in 2002.
Minister of Labour Majeed Mohsen Al Alawi said the general amnesty would be declared in August and would last for six months.
"We are hoping that it will yield the desired results and will benefit those staying here illegally," he said.
The minister is the head of the Labour Market Reform Authority (LMRA) which will supervise the entire exercise.
The Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the Ministry of Interior will work with us in this entire exercise. "We want to correct the labour market situation in the Kingdom. Those who don't abide by the rules will be severely punished," Al Alawi told the Bahrain Tribune. PTI
Kanishka warning mystery continues
Toronto, May 29 (PTI) Rejecting the claim of a former diplomat, a retired Canadian police officer has told the Kanishka Inquiry Commission that he was never given any warning about a possible terrorist threat to Air India Flight 182, just days before the 1985 bombing.
Former Canadian diplomat James Bartleman, who is currently the Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario, testified before the inquiry commission that he gave the warning to a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer only to be rebuffed.
Bartleman never delivered any warning to me that an Air India plane was about to come under attack in the week leading up to the 1985 bombing, Lloyd Hickman told the inquiry commission yesterday.
Hickman, who matches the rough description of the man Bartleman said he passed on a specific warning about the June 1985 Air India bombing, told a public inquiry that it wasn't him.
Bartleman shocked the public inquiry earlier this month when he testified that he came across raw intelligence while working in the External Affairs department that contained a specific warning that an Air India flight leaving Canada would be bombed a week later.
Bartleman said he recalled taking the document to a nearby meeting on June 18 and asked to speak with the senior RCMP in the room.
"If he would have called me out of a meeting to talk to me, I would have remembered that," Hickman told the inquiry commission. "He did not. I had no conversation with him." When he raised the document with the officer, Bartleman said he was rebuked and told the RCMP was already aware of the information. PTI
More politicians arrested in Bangladesh
Dhaka, May 29 (PTI) The military-backed interim government in Bangladesh continued with its crackdown against controversial bigwigs to "clean politics" with army-led joint forces arresting more high-profile politicians overnight.
After yesterday's arrest of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina's Awami League (AL) general secretary Abdul Jalil and controversial former state minister for home Lutfuzzaman Babar of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the joint forces carried out night-long raids at the homes of several politicians and businessmen in capital Dhaka and outside.
The overnight raids netted former home minister retired air vice marshal Altaf Hossain Chowdhury of BNP, influential AL leader Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, former president of the apex body of Bangladesh's business chambers Abdul Awal Mintu, mayor of northeastern Syleht Badruddin Kamran of AL, BNP leader and mayor of southwestern Barisal Mojibur Rahman Sarwar.
Earlier yesterday the security forces also arrested controversial businessman and former BNP lawmaker Abul Hashem and carried out searches at the homes and personal offices of a number of politicians including former ministers and seized "important documents".
BNP was yet to react formally to the arrests but AL chief Sheikh Hasina slammed authorities for arresting its general secretary as a fresh crackdown on the two major parties puzzled politicians in emergency-ruled Bangladesh. PTI
Ban hails UN peacekeeping achievements
United Nations, May 29 (PTI) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has praised the world body's peacekeeping achievements while seeking further reforms to allow operations to meet the challenges ahead.
In 2006, for the first time, the UN deployed more than 100,000 peacekeepers from a total of 115 countries-- both record numbers which Ban said "speak of unprecedented confidence in, and expectations of, United Nations peacekeeping." For the fourth year in a row, more than 100 peacekeepers lost their lives. Ban noted in a message marking the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers being observed today.
This brings home to us the risks that our colleagues in peacekeeping undertake on behalf of the international community to provide peace, security and hope to hundreds of millions of people, he said.
He hailed the contributions being made by those staffing UN missions. "Not only do they carry out core security functions like maintaining order and removing mines; they rebuild schools and bridges in efforts that combine to raise standards of living, slowly but surely," he said.
Peacekeepers ensure that refugees and displaced persons can return to their homes; that ex-combatants are disarmed and reintegrated into society; that children are taken off the battlefield and sent to school; that people exercise their right to vote in democratic elections; that individuals human rights are protected, not violated, by police forces and judicial systems; and that fields and forests are de-mined so that they can be used to sustain life instead of trigger death. PTI
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The sensex closed at 14508.21, up 110.32
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1 U.S. $ = 40.495 INR
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1 Singapore $ = 26.509 INR
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1 Euro = 54.676 INR
1 Qatar Rial = 11.127 INR
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