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Updated every two minutes
Chennai Super Kings set up a Royals date
Sat, May 31, 2008 at 19:27, Updated at Sat, May 31, 2008 on 05/31/2008 at 5:55pm (UTC) | | | Mumbai: Chennai Super Kings' pace attack ripped apart the strong Kings XI Punjab top-order batting and restricted them to a paltry 112-8 in the second semi-final of Indian Premier League at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday night.
Everything went wrong for Kings XI Punjab after skipper Yuvraj Singh opted to bat first on winning the toss and half their side was back in the dug-out with only 40 on the board on a seaming track.
Poor batting coupled with some good seam bowling undid the Punjab side.
Makhaya Ntini and Manpreet Singh Gony rocked the high-flying Kings XI Punjab side with a double strike each which reduced Yuvraj Singh-led team to a pathetic 34-4 in the sixth over.
Ntini started the domination of the ball over the bat when he had James Hopes caught behind chasing an outswinger for two in the second over.
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AIIMS says no to post-mortem of Gujjar agitators’ bodies
Saturday, 31 May , 2008, 20:19 on 05/31/2008 at 5:52pm (UTC) | | |
New Delhi: The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Saturday rejected the Rajasthan government's request to conduct post-mortem on 14 bodies of Gujjars lying unclaimed at the Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital in Jaipur.
The agitating Gujjars had demanded that independent doctors from outside the state should conduct the post-mortem of the bodies of their protesters who were killed in police firing last week.
Full coverage: Gujjars on the warpath | Images
“We received a request from the Rajasthan government for conducting post-mortem but we have expressed our inability to do so,” said Shailendra Yadav, Deputy Director, Administration, AIIMS.
“We have refused the request on the grounds of jurisdiction. We work only in the notified area of south Delhi and for any other work of such nature, a court order needs to be forwarded to us,” Yadav told IANS.
Earlier in the day, a top Jaipur police official said a team of AIIMS doctors was scheduled to arrive at the SMS hospital for autopsy. However, the SMS hospital administration rubbished the police claim. “I have no knowledge of an AIIMS team coming here. We have not received any circular regarding Delhi doctors conducting post-mortem,” S S Ranawat, Deputy Medical Superintendent, SMS Hospital, told IANSover telephone from Jaipur.
However, he added: “We have kept the bodies in deep freezer and they have not started decaying.”
At least 39 people have lost their lives in clashes between Gujjars and police in Rajasthan. Gujjars, an ethnic tribe, have been demanding Scheduled Tribe status for more job and education reservations.
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Bainsala softens, says ready to talk to Raje
By WILLIAM FOREMAN, Associated Press Writer on 05/31/2008 at 5:51pm (UTC) | | | Jaipur, May 31 (PTI) In an apparent softening of stand, Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla, leading an agitation by the community pressing for ST status, today said he was prepared to hold talks with Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje if she showed "inclination and a positive attitude".
"Mukhyamantri manas to banye, main tayaar hoon (let the Chief Minister make up her mind for talks, I am ready)", Bainsla, spearheading agitation for nine days, told PTI over phone from Karwady where he is camping along with his supporters for the last nine days.
When it was pointed out to him that the state government has already recommended to the Centre four to six per cent reservation for Gujjars, he said he has not received any letter to this effect.
In reply to a question, the Gujjar patriach said as soon as he received the letter in which six percent quota has been recommended he would call off the agitation.
Reminded that under Article 342 of the Constitution, only the Centre is empowered to take a decision on the matter, Bainsala said "let the state government send the letter first, we shall see it".
Asked when he would call off the agitation since the situation has become "chaotic" and people have suffered, he said he was ready to call off the stir agitation and hold dialogue with the Chief Minister once he received the copy of the recommendation letter. PTI
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India will apologise to Burney
Sandeep Phukan, Vijay S Patwal, Suresh, Swati M, S on 05/31/2008 at 5:50pm (UTC) | | | Senior officials will apologise to Pakistani human rights activist Ansar Burney who was refused entry into Delhi on Friday night and told to fly back to Dubai from the airport.
He had recently secured the release of Indian death row prisoner Kashmir Singh and is still working to save Sarabjit Singh from the gallows. Burney has said that he is shocked at being turned away by India.
On Monday, it was said that there was a 'lookout notice' on Burney but the Home Ministry and Foreign Ministry say they don't know why he was sent back.
''You should ask for explanation from India government. The people of India should ask for explanation. It is embarrassing for India,'' said Ansar Burney, Humans Rights Acitivist.
Embarrassed, the Home Ministry described the incident as regrettable and said he is most welcome.
The Home Ministry has said this could have been avoided if they had known of his plans. The ministry also said that Burney was not deported, he was sent back due to inadequacy in travel documents.
Just a few weeks ago, when Burney visited India, he was given a warm welcome for his role in the save Sarabjit campaign, the Indian prisoner who's facing a death sentence in Pakistan.
''We are ascertaining the details from the Home Ministry,'' said Anand Sharma, Minister of State for External Affairs.
Burney had flown in from London to attend a seminar on terrorism, at the invitation of Syed Yahya Bukhari, president of Jama Masjid United Forum. A witness to the drama at the airport on Friday night, Bukhari said, ''the least India can do now is to say sorry''.
''It's obvious. You should apologise after all he is your friend,'' said Syed Yahya Bukhari, President, Jama Masjid United Forum.
For now, the Pakistani government has been silent about the whole affair.
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Govt may delay fuel price hike decision
May 31, 2008 01:34 IST on 05/31/2008 at 10:18am (UTC) | | | The government may defer raising the price of fuels to early next week, after the two-day national executive meeting of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which begins on Sunday.
Such a move would provide "ammunition" to the main opposition party on a platter, according to an informed source.
The delay could also be due to a lack of consensus within the government on the issue of hike and the other components of the relief package for the cash-strapped oil companies who are bearing the brunt of the fuel subsidy.
"No decision has been finalised yet," said a senior Central minister.
However, the hike is likely to be "moderate" to minimise the burden on the common man as well as to limit inflationary tendencies.
Moderate hikes are of little help to the oil marketing companies whose under-recoveries -- the gap between the actual subsidised selling price and the desired selling price -- have bloated due to high crude oil prices.
The price of the Indian basket of crude has jumped from an average of $80 per barrel in 2007-08 to an average of over $110 per barrel in the current fiscal. The basket reached an all-time high of $129.08 per barrel last week.
The three government owned marketing companies -- Indian Oil Corporation [Get Quote], Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd [Get Quote] and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd [Get Quote] -- are projecting an under-recovery of Rs 2,35,000 crore in 2008-09, three times more than what it was last year.
To bring down the under-recovery to zero, the price of petrol needs to be higher by Rs 16.34 per litre, diesel by Rs 23.49 per litre, kerosene by Rs 28.72 and LPG by Rs 306 per cylinder.
When the prices were hiked this February -- petrol by Rs 2 per litre and diesel by Re 1 a litre -- the gain to the oil companies was wiped out in four days, according to a senior official of one of the oil companies.
Price hikes are likely to be accompanied by cuts in duties which are a large chunk of the retail price (see chart). IOC, the country's largest fuel retailer, contributed Rs 62,668 crore to the exchequer in 2007-08, of which a little more than half went to the Centre's kitty and the rest to the states.
Understandably, Finance Minister P Chidambaram wants to limit the duty cuts so that his revenue targets are not strained.
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Rajasthan trounce Delhi to enter final
May 30, 2008 22:51 IST on 05/31/2008 at 10:16am (UTC) | | | Shane Watson did the star turn as Rajasthan Royals stormed into the final of the Indian Premier League , beating Delhi Daredevils by 105 runs in the first semi-final at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on Friday night.
The Australia all-rounder first hit a breezy 52 as the Royals put up a challenging 192 for 9 in their allotted 20 overs and then destroyed the Delhi top order.
In a triple strike he had the top three Delhi batsmen -- Virender Sehwag [Images], Gautam Gambhir and Shikhar Dhawan -- dismissed cheaply.
Reduced to 24 for 3, Delhi never recovered and lost wickets at regular intervals. Watson finished with figures of 3 for 10 in three overs as Delhi Daredevils were dismissed for a paltry 87 in 16.2 overs.
Munaf Patel , who was omitted from the ODI squads for Bangladesh and Pakistan tours, claimed 3 for 16 and Shane Warne [Images] 2 for 21 to hasten Rajasthan's passage to the final.
Rajasthan Royals take on the winners of Saturday's second semi-final between Kings XI Punjab and Chennai Super Kings .
Delhi began their run-chase on a poor note as Sehwag (3) pulled a ball wide of the stumps from Watson and was caught by Sohail Tanvir at deep mid-wicket in the second over.
Gambhir (11) and left-handed Dhawan (5), who both showed good form earlier in the tournament, perished in quick succession after enabling Delhi make a partial recovery.
Gambhir slashed Watson off backfoot and was caught at cover point while Dhawan pulled the Aussie straight to short mid-wicket to leave Delhi gasping at 24 for three.
Watson's first three-over spell read a superb three for 10 and if Delhi had hopes of staging a fight-back they were thwarted by the dismissal of Manoj Tiwary (0), four runs later, off Munaf Patel.
It was a regular procession of batsmen thereafter.
Tillakratne Dilshan top-scored with 33 in 22 balls -- inclusive of a six and five fours -- before being seventh out at 76 in the 13th over.
Earlier, Yusuf Pathan celebrated his Team India inclusion with a whirlwind 45. The hard-hitting Pathan, named in the Indian 15 for next month's tri-series in Bangladesh and Asia Cup in Pakistan earlier in the day, creamed the hapless Delhi attack, which included Glenn McGrath, hitting four sixes and three fours in his 21-ball knock.
The 25-year-old Baroda all-rounder took over the attacking reins from all-rounder Watson, who stroked his way to a fine half century in 29 balls, including four sixes and three fours, after openers Graeme Smith (25 in 21 balls) and Swapnil Asnodkar (39 in 21 balls) launched the innings on a sound note.
Watson and Pathan's efforts helped Rajasthan Royals add 109 runs in the last 10 overs after Smith and the pint-sized Asnodkar put on 65 runs in 40 balls at the start.
Watson was involved in a breezy 52 runs partnership off 29 balls with Mohd Kaif (12) after Rajasthan Royals suddenly slipped to 76 for 3 from 65 without loss.
The innings started slowly as Smith was hampered by a pulled muscle while going for a run. But Asnodkar, who often took the aerial route and hit a six and six fours, boosted the run-rate.
The right-hander, after edging McGrath for his first four in the third over, struck Mohd Asif for three fours in the fourth over -- a slash, a lofted off drive and a hook � to give the innings the much-needed push.
Smith then took over and slammed McGrath for three consecutive fours as the score raced to 43 for no loss in five overs.
Asnodkar had a lucky escape off the first ball of V Yo Mahesh's spell when Farveez Maharoof dropped a sitter at long leg. He celebrated the escape by swinging the same bowler to the same area for a six to raise the 50 of the innings in only 33 balls.
Maharoof made amends by sending back both the Rajasthan openers with the last three balls of his first over.
Smith was caught flicking at deep square leg by a diving Shikhar Dhawan and then Asnodkar was dismissed at the same score of 65, caught at backward point off the Sri Lankan.
Maharoof also accounted for Sohail Tanvir, promoted up the order by his skipper, Shane Warne, as a pinch-hitter, when he miscued a swing to leg and the ball ballooned behind to stumper Dinesh Karthik .
From 65 for no loss, Rajasthan were reduced to 76 for three in the space of 14 balls. But the arrival of Watson brought about another run-spree as the Aussie slammed Yo Mahesh for a four and two sixes in his third over after change of ends to raise the 100 in 65 balls after the first ten overs had yielded 83 runs.
Watson then lofted leg spinner Amit Mishra for a six over long on to keep the scoring on a healthy note by adding 52 runs in 29 balls for the fourth wicket with Kaif to take the total past 125.
Kaif looked out of touch and was clean bowled when he tried a leg side heave off Mishra and missed the ball completely.
Pathan commenced his innings in whirlwind fashion by hoisting Mishra for successive sixes. Later he hit McGrath for a flat six over long on before being run out while going for the second run.
The track did not offer the pace bowlers the same sort of bounce and pace that was evident in previous matches held at the same stadium. Asif was carted around for 21 runs in his first two overs while McGrath gave away 22 in his first three.
Yo Mahesh proved very expensive and gave away 50 runs for two late wickets in his four overs.
Maharoof took three for 34 to emerge as the most successful bowler while Mishra claimed 2 for 37.
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