Saturday, February 4, 2006, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Airport stir end in sight

PM promises no job loss New Delhi, February 3 Striking employees of the Airports Authority of India could end their stir with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh personally assuring workers that there would be no job loss due to privatisation of Delhi and Mumbai airports. In video (28k, 56k) Passengers sit near disposed garbage outside the airport in New Delhi on Friday. — Reuters photo

Editorial: Flights of despair
Business page: Indian slashes air fares

UN watchdog puts off decision on Iran
New Delhi, February 3
The emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s board of governors at Vienna overshot its scheduled calendar of two-day talks today as the 35-member board held consultations and decided to crystallise views on the Iran issue at an extended session tomorrow.

Egyptian ship carrying 1,400 sinks
Cairo, February 3
An Egyptian ferry boat with some 1,400 persons on board sank in the Red Sea during a crossing from Saudi Arabia to Egypt, the maritime authorities said today. Around 185 bodies were recovered by rescuers amid fears of a much higher death toll, maritime sources told AFP.

Blackworm hits 80,000 computers in India
New Delhi, February 3
Computer virus Blackworm and its variants ravaged more than 80,000 computers across the country through its mailing worm Nymex that cut a swathe through the Microsoft Windows operating system.

Medical college Principal shown the door
Amritsar, February 3
The SGPC president, Mr Avtar Singh, today placed Dr U.S. Dhaliwal, Principal, Guru Ram Dass Medical College, under suspension with immediate effect for indulging in unconstitutional acts. Dr Dhaliwal is the third Principal in a row since the inception of the SGPC-run medical college in 1997 who has been removed unceremoniously.

Govt moots phone tapping agency
New Delhi, February 3
The government today discussed the concept of setting up a central agency for phone tapping with the telecom operators and fine-tuning the Indian Telegraph Act. The agency would act a liaison between the telecom companies and the security agencies and there would be complete secrecy in the whole operations as to which number was being tapped, industry sources said.

125TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS,
INAUGURAL SESSION

	PUNJAB: Sikh bodies train guns on Akal Takht Jathedar
	HARYANA: “Tau Devi Lal” removed from thermal unit
	HIMACHAL: Society dupes government
	J&K: Malik clarifies on meetings with PM
	CHANDIGARH: PU convocation today
	LUDHIANA: PSEB staff protest against manhandling
	DELHI: Dreams of many a designer demolished on 2 MG Road
	Opinions: Guaranteed jobs
	BUSINESS: MFs to tap boom in infrastructure sector
	NATION: Kumaraswamy takes oath as CM
	WORLD: India seeks Pak’s permission for opening visa camp in Karachi
	SPORTS: We won’t experiment too much: Dravid

Curfew imposed in Dhar
Dhar (MP), February 3
Indefinite curfew was imposed today in this sensitive town following lathicharge on a violent crowd of devotees in the controversial Bhojshala shrine where Hindus and Muslims were to offer prayers according to a schedule.

Dreams of many a designer demolished on
2 MG Road
MCD to raze other shopping centres in ‘Lal Dora’ areas
New Delhi, February 3
While the MCD bulldozers inched ahead to shatter their expensive outlets, the fashion frat screamed blue murder. Despite pleas and explanations and “valid documents”, they could not prevent the men and machines from doing their job, razing their well-crafted niches.
(Details on Delhi page)

Rly employees to go on strike from March 1
Mumbai, February 3
Employees affiliated to the Bharatiya Railway Mazdoor Sangh and eight other Central railway organisations will go on an indefinite strike from March 1 in support of their 15-point charter of demands, including constitution of the sixth Pay Commission. — UNI

Ammonia leaks from Jalandhar ice unit Hundreds evacuated Jalandhar, February 3 Hundreds of residents of the Rama Mandi area, on the city outskirts, were forced to rush out of their houses following an ammonia gas leak from an ice factory in the locality this morning. Deputy Commissioner of Jalandhar Ashok Gupta inspects the Raman Mandi area, near Jalandhar, following an ammonia gas leak from a factory on Friday. — Tribune photo by Pawan Kumar