Airport employees begin stir
Flights not hit
New Delhi, March 11
Employees of the Airport Authority of India began a “non-cooperation” drive across the country at the stroke of midnight tonight opposing the closure of existing airports in Bangalore and Hyderabad and initial reports said commercial flights were largely unaffected.

Lahore blasts kill 24
Lahore, March 11
At least 24 people were killed and over 170 injured in two massive suicide car bombings that destroyed the federal headquarters of Pakistan’s premier probe agency and a house near PPP chairman Asif Ali Zardari’s residence here today, a week after the attack on a naval college in the city.

A damaged vehicle outside the offices of Federal Investigation Agencies after a bomb attack in Lahore on Tuesday. — Reuters photo

India worried
Sports: Australia scrap Pakistan tour
World page: PPP endorses Asif Zardari as next Prime Minister

MPA moves SC against ‘minority’ Cong govt
New Delhi, March 11
Meghalya Progressive Alliance today moved the Supreme Court against the installation of a “minority” Congress government in Meghalya and sought to declare state Governor S.S. Sidhu’s action of administering oath to D.D. Lapang for Chief Minister, as an unconstitutional move.

CBI nabs Rail Coach Factory CE taking bribe

Kapurthala, March 11 A CBI team arrested Rail Coach Factory chief engineer J.K. Singla while taking a bribe of Rs 1 lakh from a representative of Chandigarh-based Vinod Construction Company here today. J.K. Singla after his arrest

Prepare for ’09 polls: Sonia
New Delhi, March 11
Although the Congress has got into poll mode, party president Sonia Gandhi today indicated there were no plans to hold an early election.

Oil above $107
Singapore: Oil eased from record levels in Asian trade today but underlying momentum remained strong because of the weak greenback and supply concerns, dealers said. In morning trade, New York's main contract, light sweet crude for April delivery fell 19 cents to $107.71 a barrel from its record finish of $107.90 in US trading.
(Details on Business page)

To pay salaries, JK govt puts rare blue sapphire under hammer
Jammu, March 11
When a cushion-cut 22.66 carat Kashmir sapphire set in a pendant and surrounded by diamonds was sold for a world record price of over $ 3 million in April last at Christies, the officials in the cash-starved Jammu and Kashmir Minerals Limited literally felt itching in their hands.
Bidders inspect blue sapphire put on auction in Jammu on Tuesday. — Tribune photo by Anand Sharma

Poll toll: Agri-corporates told not to procure wheat Chandigarh, March 11 Agri-corporates have been told not to procure wheat from Punjab and Haryana. These directions have been issued to procure maximum foodgrains for buffer stocks, public distribution system and to control foodgrain prices in the election year.