Mumbai: The five-day old strike by hundreds of pilots of Jet Airways ended late on Saturday night with the private airline agreeing to unconditionally take back four pilots it had sacked for forming a trade union and the pilots agreeing to resume flying at the earliest. The rapprochement means most Jet flights will begin to operate normally from Sunday morning, ending one of the worst airline disruptions in the country in recent years.
The deadlock between the two sides was resolved after hours of talks in Mumbai on Saturday, a day after negotiations in the presence of the Chief Labour Commissioner in Delhi had come to a naught apparently over conditions set by the management over the future role of the National Aviators’ Guild (NAG), the new union that triggered the crisis.
Under the compromise reached today, the two sides agreed to form an internal grievance redressal mechanism which would exist alongside NAG. This panel would look into issues raised by pilots and other employees and would consist of five members of NAG and five from the management, including two board members, two senior flight operations officials and the CEO.
At the Delhi meeting on Friday, Jet’s executive director Saroj Dutta had placed the management’s proposals to the pilots and the latter had promised to respond to them. But that response had not come until late on Saturday evening.
NAG President Captain Girish Kaushik said earlier on Saturday that the guild was trying its best to come to an amicable solution with the management and the only stumbling block was their difference over the formation of NAG. “According to them, the formation of the pilots’ guild would be disadvantageous to Jet,” said Kaushik.
98 Jet pilots report for duty in Mumbai
MUMBAI: Nearly 100 of the 400 agitating pilots of Jet Airways reported for duty here on Sunday as the airlines said that its flight operations will return to normalcy soon.
"We are operating 172 domestic and 72 international flights. So far, 98 pilots have already reported fit. The operation is expected to return to normal soon," a Jet Airways spokesperson said.
The airline will initially schedule its operations on a 12-hour basis and will extend it subsequently after more flights are added into operations, he said.
The pilots' union National Aviators Guild (NAG) ended its five-day long agitation after a nine-hour-long meeting with the management in Mumbai last night.
The two sides agreed that the four sacked pilots will be reinstated and a consultative group be made to resolve all issues.
Car bomb kills cops in Srinagar
Srinagar: Two policemen were killed and nine of them injured when a powerful car bomb ripped through the police bus in which they were travelling, metres away from the Srinagar Central Jail. A civilian was also killed.
The bomb, an improvised explosive device (IED), went off soon after the bus dropped detainees at the jail and started for Pulwama. The bomb was placed in a car parked on the roadside. The Jamait-ul-Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for the attack. Speaking to a local news agency, a Jamait spokesman claimed 25 policemen had been killed in the attack.
This is first major strike by militants in the Valley since July 21, 2008, when seven soldiers were killed in an IED blast at Narbal on the Srinagar-Baramulla national highway.
Farooq Ahmad, IGP, Kashmir range, confirmed the deaths. But, he said, “We had not received any inputs about such an attack.”
Police said 13 policemen were travelling in the vehicle and the injured have been shifted to Shri Maharja Hari Singh (SMHS) hospital in the city. A 55-year-old woman, Khatija Begum, who was passing by was also killed on the spot. With many of the policemen critically injured, the death toll is likely to mount.
There has been a surge in militant activities in the last one month in Srinagar. On August 1, a policeman was killed, followed by the killing of two CRPF men at Lalchowk.
A year of Delhi blasts: 14 accused yet to be nabbed
NEW DELHI: A year has gone by since the serial blasts hit the capital but police is yet to nab 14 suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorists believed to be behind the attacks that left 26 people dead and 133 others injured.
Five blasts ripped through the capital on the evening of September 13 last year, for which terror group Indian Mujahideen had claimed responsibility.
As the city remembers the victims with moist eyes and prayers, a senior police official said they were on the trail and doing everything possible to catch those involved in the blasts, including Indian Mujahideen chief Amir Raza Khan.
Police had caught 12 men suspected to be behind the blasts a few days after the incident besides killing two in a fierce encounter in a flat in south Delhi's Jamia Nagar a week after the explosions.
In the encounter, which the locals and a section of political parties claimed was fake, Delhi Police lost its encounter specialist Mohan Chand Sharma.
However, the police got a shot in the arm when the National Human Rights Commission gave a clean chit to the police.
Police believe that Pak-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant outfit aided the Indian Mujahideen in the blasts and one of its operative Abu Alkama masterminded it with the help of Amir Raza Khan, the chief of Indian Mujahideen, Iqbal Bhatkal and Riyaz Bhatkal.
Police announced Rs five lakh reward for anyone giving information about the four terrorists. The other terrorists are carrying a reward of Rs one lakh on their head.
"Alakama is the main mastermind behind the creation of Indian Mujahideen and is responsible for the September 13 blasts. He is also involved in serial blasts in Jaipur, Ahmedabad and UP," the official said, adding Khan was allegedly working under the direct command of Alkama.
Five FIRs were registered in connection with the blasts.
Others against whom the reward of Rs one lakh has been announced include Ariz Khan (23), Shahzad Ahmad (20), Mohd Sajid (22), Mirza Sadab Baig (25), Mohd Khalid (25) Dr Shahnawaz (28), Hakim (23), Salman (19) and Mohd Khalid (25).
Police also raised the reward amount on Ariz Khan (23) and Shahzad Ahmad (21), both hailing from Uttar Pradesh's Azamgarh district. The duo had escaped from Batla House on September 19 during the encounter with police.
Police is banking on the witness statements of over 200 people, including 73 civilians, 37 doctors and around 15 policemen. Among the witnesses is a 12-year-old balloon seller.
Delhi Metro train derails
NEW DELHI: In second such incident in a month, a Delhi Metro train with 13 people on board derailed early this morning near the Yamuna Bridge in east Delhi but no one was injured.
Two wheels of the train's front coach jumped tracks at 6:04 am, seconds after it started from the Yamuna Bank station, a DMRC spokesperson said, adding that none of the 13 passengers on board were injured.
"Since it was the first train starting from Yamuna Bank station there were only 13 passengers. The accident took place as the train approached towards the Yamuna Bridge, just half-a kilometre from Yamuna Bank station," the spokesperson said.
Services on the Yamuna Bank-Indraprastha sector have been affected due to the incident, but metro trains were plying normally from Indraprastha-Dwarka Sector 9.
The DMRC spokesman said recovery operations were on at the accident site and senior DMRC officials have arrived to oversee the operations.
The accident comes exactly a month after a metro train derailed at the Dwarka station causing anxious moments to 34 passnegers on board.
A few days ago, a 108-metre signalling cable was stolen from between Yamuna Banks and Indraprastha stations leading to disruption of services on the line.
This is the third major accident involving Delhi Metro in two months.
On July 12, six persons were killed when an under-construction bridge on the Central Secretariat-Badarpur line collapsed near Zamrudpur in south Delhi.
Services on the Yamuna Bank-Indraprastha sector were hit due to the incident, but Metro trains were plying normally from Indraprastha to Dwarka sector 9. The DMRC spokesman said recovery operations are on at the accident site and senior DMRC officials are there to oversee the operation.
Metro services remained normal on Line 1 (Rithala-Dilshad Garden) and Line 2 (Central Secretariat-Jahangir Puri).
An inquiry committee consisting of three officers in the rank of General Manager -- GM (Maintenance), GM (Rolling Stock) and GM (Signaling and Telecom) from the Operation and Maintenance Department of DMRC has been set up to probe the incident.
A few days ago, a 108-metre signalling cable was stolen from between Yamuna Banks and Indraprastha stations leading to disruption of services on the line.
Today's mishap is the third major accident involving Delhi Metro in two months.
On July 12, six persons were killed when an under-construction bridge on the Central Secretariat-Badarpur line collapsed near Zamrudpur in south Delhi.
Indian Business News
Air India not to hike fares
MUMBAI: Air India said on Saturday it has not hiked its fares or overcharged passengers in the wake of the agitation by Jet Airways' pilots.
"Air India would live up to passengers' expectations as a dependable carrier. We have not overcharged our passengers due to the Jet strike," an Air India spokesperson said.
The airline is maintaining fares at normal level and there is no overcharging, the spokesperson said.
As some airlines had jacked up their fares to cash in on the market opportunity following the Jet Airways pilots strike, Civil Aviation Secretary M Madhavan Nambiar last night met representatives of all carriers and asked them to retain their fares at last week's level.
The ministry also directed the airlines to deploy more flights on the routes served by Jet to help the stranded passengers of the private carrier.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) also issued showcause notices to some airlines to explain the increase in fares. It has asked them to charge fares at last week's level (prior to the Jet Airways' pilots strike).
US welcomes Indian investment 'across sectors'
MUMBAI: Amid worries about the US adopting protectionist measures, a US government official on Sunday welcomed Indian companies to invest in various sectors in their country.
"International firms operating in the US are treated equally as American companies are," US Department of Commerce Director (Invest in America) Aaron S Brickman said.
"We want more Indian companies to come and invest here," he said.
Apart from sectors like IT, ITeS and pharma where Indians have invested in the US in the past, companies can also invest in other areas where they want to, he said.
"We also want FDI as it brings job opportunities, economic growth, innovative technology and best management practices to the US," he said.
The total flow of foreign direct investment into the US from India was USD 1.7 billion in 2007-08, he said.
"Out of the total investment made by the Asia-Pacific region in the US in 2008, India's contribution was only 1.2 per cent," Brickman said.
"I believe that India is under-representated in terms of FDI in the US," he said, adding, "but now we have a plan for India."
Although FDI from Asia into the US was miniscule, currently (around 14 per cent), it has a lot of potential, he said.
Ernst and Young, National Co-ordinator (Outbound Tax Advisory Services) Nico Derksen said, "the US needs a stream of entreprenuers, investors and innovators...Valuation of companies have come down as compared to what it was two years ago and so it is a good opportunity for acquiring companies," Derkson said.
The major Indian investors in the US are Tata, Reliance Industries Limited, Infosys, Essar, Wipro and Jet Airways, among others.
Brickman also invited small and medium sized Indian companies to invest there. "The American economy is driven by the small and medium sector. There are plenty of opportunities for SME companies," he said.
'Invest in America' was created in 2007 to manage foreign investment promotion.
It facilitates investment inquiries, acts as an Ombudsman, connects investors with states in the US, provides policy guidance and educates investors.
Gold likely to touch Rs 18,000 per 10 gm by Diwali: Assocham
NEW DELHI: Gold is likely to touch Rs 18,000 per 10 gram during the forthcoming festival season as the demand for the yellow metal peaks around Diwali time, according to a projection by industry body Assocham.
Gold prices is expected to increase by Rs 2,000 per 10 gram by Diwali, which is followed by a marriage season in the country, it said. Currently gold prices are hovering around Rs 16,000 per 10 gram.
"The bullion is likely to gradually see spurt in it's prices and stay around Rs 18,000 per 10 gram by Diwali," Assocham President Sajjan Jindal said.
This is due to the fact that more and more investors are flocking to take refuge to gold as an asset class as it happens to be the best bet against rising inflation, Assocham said.
The high valuations of stocks and its attendant risk have by and large motivating investors to part shift to gold as an investment class, it said
The chamber has suggested that those who want to invest in gold, should not purchase jewellery but instead buy the metal from Singapore or Dubai in form of bars.
It also said buying pure gold from banks is costly because one has to pay about 25% more than the market price.
Indain Sports News |Sports News
India run out of steam, lost top spot
Colombo: India landed in Sri Lanka needing three straight wins in order to claim the No 1 spot in the ICC’s ODI rankings, and they made the perfect start with a 97-run win over New Zealand on Friday. And the encounter against Sri Lanka — apart from being a dress rehearsal for the final — was billed as India’s second step towards achieving the top spot. But the dream was over in just 37.2 overs of India’s chase on Saturday, as they suffered a humiliating 139-run loss — their biggest defeat on Lankan soil —- with Man-of-the-Match Angelo Mathews claiming 6 for 20.
Mathews, playing in his 12th one-day international, derailed the Indian batting line up for 168 during their chase of 308. The 22-year-old wasn’t as fiery as Lasith Malinga, neither did he swing the ball like Thilan Thushara but he kept his basics right and stuck to his length, leaving the pitch to do the rest.
Chasing a target at the Premadasa is always a tough task given the slow nature of the pitch, and things started to go wrong for the Indians right from the start. Opener Dinesh Karthik once again disappointed and while Sachin Tendulkar looked good in his knock of 27, he submitted to a slower one. Yuvraj was tested outside the off-stump by Malinga and the Indian vice-captain finally edged one to keeper Kumar Sangakkara. Things went worse when Suresh Raina, who played brilliantly against New Zealand, was out for a golden duck.
Clijsters beats Serena, reaches US Open final
NEW YORK: Comeback queen Kim Clijsters produced a massive upset to defeat title and tournament favourite Serena Williams 6-4, 7-5 in the US Open semi-finals on Saturday.
The match had a chaotic ending with Williams handed a point penalty for verbally abusing and threatening a lineswoman who foot-faulted her to set up match point.
Williams had earlier drawn a warning for smashing her racquet to the ground after losing the first set. The second warning was an automatic point penalty, which just happened to come on match point.
"I said something and I guess they gave me a point penalty and unfortunately it was on match point," she said.
"Clearly in all this year I've never, never been foot-faulted and suddenly in this tournament they give me foot faults.
"I'm not saying I don't foot fault, but it was what it was.
"I've never been in a fight in my whole life so I don't know why she would feel threatened.
"I'm clearly not happy."
Clijsters, who looked stunned by the finish, became the first wildcard, man or woman, to reach a US Open final and the first mother to reach a Grand Slam final since Australia's Evonne Goolagong in 1980 when she won the Wimbledon title.
"I was trying to stay focussed for the match and was facing the other way," Clijsters said.
"I saw Serena talking to the linesman, but I was too far way to hear what she was saying so I can't really comment on what was happening out there."
Clijsters will take on Caroline Wozniacki in Sunday's final after the 19-year-old Dane defeated Yanina Wickmayer of Belgium 6-3, 6-3 in the other semi-final.
The highly-anticipated matchup of the tournament favourite and the young mother who only returned to competition in early August after taking two years out to marry and have a baby finally got underway at after 9:00 pm, over a day late following 48 hours of rain in the New York area.
The Arthur Ashe Stadium court was far from full with many fans having trudged off home after waiting in vain for hours in the damp, cool conditions to see some action.
Clijsters was quickest out of the blocks holding serve in the opening game of the match before putting some pressure on a heavy-footed Williams on her serve.
Games went with serve until 3-2 to Clijsters when a light drizzle started to fall once more, but play continued with both players looking tentative and unsure of their footing, especially the American.
Williams promptly dropped serve to 15 with a double fault and three unforced errors doing the damage.
But falling behind appeared to be just the wakeup call 11-times Grand Slam winner Williams needed as she turned on the power in the next game to break back immediately.
Clijsters held to love in her next service game, forcing Williams to serve to stay in the set at 4-5 down.
A forehand slapped into the net gave Clijsters a first set point and she took that when Williams mis-hit a backhand again into the net, smashing her racquet to the ground in disgust immediately afterwards and drawing a code violation.
It was the first set she had lost in the tournament.
Williams came back out after the changeover trying to get herself pumped up and a series of big groundstrokes had Clijsters on the back foot, helping the American to break serve in the first game of the second set.
But she gave that back right away double-faulting on break point and muttering to herself "I can't believe it."
Clijsters, whose only Grand Slam title win came here in 2005, held serve to lead 2-1, but two games later she was broken for the third time as Williams dominated the rallies with her heavier shot-making.
Williams saved three break points in the following game but on the fourth one Clijsters took control and levelled at 3-3.
She held her own serve from 0-30 down and then held three break points in the next game for a 5-3 lead only for Williams to produce big serves when she needed them most.
But four games later, Williams was in trouble on serve again and this time she cracked under the pressure after the foot fault to set up match point.
Hamilton pips Sutil for Italian GP pole
MONZA: Defending world champion Lewis Hamilton grabbed the 15th pole position of his career on Saturday when he produced a stunning last-gasp lap to take the prime starting spot for Sunday's Italian Grand Prix.
Hamilton, in his McLaren Mercedes, clocked a best lap of one minute and 24.066 seconds to outpace his nearest rival and close friend Adrian Sutil by just two-tenths of a second, so denying widespread celebrations in Delhi and Mumbai.
Sutil was second for the ever-improving Force India team, running on the same Mercedes engines as the McLarens, with two Finns, Kimi Raikkonen in a Ferrari, and Heikki Kovalainen in the second McLaren, taking third and fourth to fill the second row.
Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello was fifth for Brawn GP ahead of the current championship leader, his team-mate Jenson Button, the pair failing to break into the top four for this race.
Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi was seventh on his comeback debut with Force India and two-times champion Fernando Alonso eighth for Renault with the two Red Bulls of German Sebastian Vettel and Australian Mark Webber qualifying ninth and 10th.
On the first runs in the shootout, Hamilton set the pace with 1:24.605, a lap that left him in front of Raikkonen's Ferrari and the stunning Sutil's Force India while Button's first laps left him down in 10th.
With decent fuel loads, the cars were not showing their outright pace, as in Q2, but it was still a surprise when Sutil went top in the final seconds only to be overhauled shortly before the chequered flag fell by Hamilton.
On another glorious afternoon of blue skies, warm sunshine and perfect dry conditions, the opening mini-session delivered just what the local fans had come to see - a Ferrari on top of the time-sheets, with the flying Finn Raikkonen setting the pace ahead of Hamilton.
Equally satisfying for the tifosi was the sight of the luckless-so-far Giancarlo Fisichella cruising through to Q2 in 11th place, following his crash during morning practice.
He was clearly showing no nerves and plenty of determination on his dream debut with Ferrari.
Down at the bottom of the pile, however, there were exits for German Timo Glock of Toyota, Japanese kazuki Nakajima and his Williams team-mate German Nico Rosberg, Swiss Sebastien Buemi and his Toro Rosso team-mate Spaniard Jaime Algueersuari, who had to take a five place penalty after requiring a new gearbox following practice.
The track temperature was by mid-session hovering at 40 degrees Celsius and the air temperature was a balmy 27 degrees, conditions that ensured no problems for the leading teams including Brawn's sensitive machinery.
Button, driving with greater confidence and much more of his once-customary smoothness, appeared to be back to his best again after his run of five races without a podium.
Team chief Ross Brawn was certainly showing no signs of strain as his outfit began the countdown towards the championship finale. Acknowledging that the Italian race was important, he said: "Well, the car looks ok, doesn't it?
"It's a pretty challenging track for the drivers. It's a nice place to be here at Monza and the fans are always very warm. This sunny weather should help us.
"But we have to put the whole sequence together. One stops looks to be a logical choice tomorrow but I think many might make two. There will be two races going on which will come together towards the end."
The second part, Q2, saw Button emerge on top with a best time of 1:22.955 ahead of Hamilton and Barrichello with Sutil fourth for Force India, again making the best of their Mercedes-Benz engines.
But it saw a sad early exit for Fisichella, who was only 14th fastest for Ferrari and failed to make the top-ten shootout.
He was sent packing along with compatriot Jarno Trulli of Toyota, Frenchman Romain Grosjean of Renault, Pole Robert Kubica and his BMW Sauber team-mate German Nick Heidfeld, who suffered an engine failure.
Vettel crept through in 10th place, four behind Red Bull team-mate Webber, who was sixth just behind the astonishing Liuzzi, the Italian ensuring that Force India had two cars in the top ten for the first time.
Mumbai forgets Dungarpur on his death
MUMBAI: Even as the cricketing world rose in unison on Saturday to condole the death of one of India's most able cricket administrators, RajSingh Dungarpur, the scene at his Worli home where his body lay, reflected poorly on the people with whom he was associated for decades.
The 'Doyen of Dungarpur' who lived life kingsize breathed his last at 11.30 am. His niece took care of the 73-year-old Dungarpur during his last days as he struggled with Alzheimer's disease.
It was a sad farewell to 'Rajbhai' from the city of Mumbai. Till 7.30 in the evening only a handful of cricketers, committee members of the Cricket Club of India, which he institutionalised, and a few close friends were all who turned up at his residence.
It was surprising that none of the legendary sportspersons who stay at 'Sportsfield', a stone's throw away from Raj Singh's flat, came to pay their last respect.
There was a word about his close friend Lata Mangeshkar and ICC vice-president Sharad Pawar paying a visit but they hadn't till late evening.
Former Mumbai Cricket Association president Manohar Joshi happened to visit someone in the next wing of the building but immediately paid his respect on learning of Dungarpur's demise.
Former India wicketkeeper Farokh Engineer, who stays in England but incidentally happened to be in Mumbai, was among the firsts to reach the residence. "How would I not come. I had a great relationship with Rajbhai for over 40 years," he remarked. "He did a lot for Indian cricket and the CCI. It's a sad day for Indian cricket. He'll be deeply missed not just here but also at Lord's where he had a lot of friends. Raj was larger than life," said Engineer getting emotional.
Former India badminton player Nandu Natekar and late Ashok Mankad's son Mihir, late Dilip Sardesai's wife Nandini, former India wicketkeeper Kiran More, former India pacer GR Sunderram, former India players Dilip Vengsarkar and Lalchand Rajput and BCCI CAO Prof Ratnakar Shetty were among the few who paid a visit.
A legend in his own right, Raj Singh had the conviction of belief. Among his many decisions was the selection of Sachin Tendulkar as a 16-year-old in 1989 and extending an invitation to Mohammad Azharuddin to become India's captain.
While Dungarpur essayed many roles in cricket as a player, selector, team manager and board chief (1996-99), he was also invited to join the Bhartiya Janata Party by none other than former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee himself.
"Soon after my cataract operation in Delhi Mr Vajpayee called on me and said hereon we need your vision. Please join me, he told me," Raj Singh had revealed.
He also had a desire to write his autobiography, not one but three. "I think I'll write three; The Days of The Raj, Ups and Downs of Dungarpur and My Tryst With Indian Cricket," he had said.
He had his share of controversies too. Once Mohinder Amarnath termed his team of selectors as a 'bunch of jokers' and Sunil Gavaskar resigned from the National Cricket Academy disagreeing with Dungarpur's ideas. But it was the allegations of corruption by CCI members that pained him deeply.
'Rajbhai was an institution'
"He was down-to-earth, a strict disciplinarian." - Jayawant Lele, former BCCI secretary.
"Rajbhai used to breathe cricket and his contribution to this game was immense." - Chetan Chauhan, former India opener.
"He was an institution by himself. Indian cricket will find it hard to fill the void . " - Jagmohan Dalmiya, former BCCI president.
"He was instrumental in revival of cricket ties between India and Pakistan." - Shaharyar Khan, former PCB chief.
"He was very helpful towards cricketers. The greatest example of it is Salim Durrani." - Bapu Nadkarni, former Test cricketer.
"He was instrumental in my first trip abroad - in 1975 to Kenya. It's a beautiful memory. He was a father figure to everyone." - Kapil Dev, former India captain.
"He was a kind soul, who always believed in giving - never waiting for anything in return or waiting for compliments." - Salim Durrani, former Test cricketer.
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