Air India pilots’ call off strike, Govt assures payment of dues

The stir by a section of Air India pilots which led to cancellation of 52 flights was called off on Saturday night after the state-owned airline reportedly assured them that their pending salary and allowances would be cleared in phases before March.

"Things have been sorted out. The management has assured us that they would pay a part of due allowances by 20th of this month, a part of rest by 20th February and clear our dues by March," A S Bhinder, President of Indian Commercial Pilot's Association -- an association of erstwhile Indian Airlines pilots said.

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Bid to blacken democracy, Anna on Ramdev attack

Anna Hazare on Saturday denounced as an attempt to "blacken democracy" the incident in which Swami Ramdev's face was smeared with ink and said such attacks will not deter "people's movements". "This is not an attempt to blacken the face of Swami Ramdev. This is an attempt to blacken democracy," Hazare said in a statement from his village where he is convalescing after a bout of bronchitis.

"Someone's unblemished life cannot be sullied due to the ink, which will be wiped off clean in two minutes. But those whose life is stained with corruption, goondaism and loot those stains won't be washed away," he said.

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Iraq suicide bombing leaves 50 dead

At least 50 people were killed and around 100 others injured Saturday in a suicide bombing targeting Shia pilgrims in Iraq, Xinhua reported. The bombing took place around 9 a.m. in the southern city of Basra, police said.

A suicide bomber blew himself up near a police check-point when a crowd of Shia pilgrims was walking to a shrine in Al Zubair town, around 550 km from Baghdad. Security forces sealed off the site as ambulances and civilian cars evacuated the wounded to hospitals, police said.

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Expect good amount of dividend from PSUs: Fin Min

The Finance Ministry on Saturday said it expects the public sector units to pay "good amount" of dividend in the current fiscal. "The meetings (with PSUs) are going good. I hope we will be getting some good amount (of dividend). Effort is on," Economic Affairs Secretary R Gopalan told reporters here.

Pressed hard for funds, Finance Ministry officials are meeting the heads of PSUs to persuade them to increase dividend payment to the government. At the meeting with the PSU chiefs in sectors like steel, coal, mines, power and oil in the last two days, however, they failed to obtain an assurance of larger dividend receipt from companies.

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I have learnt to plan to get a batsman out: Pankaj Singh

As Rajasthan rode on a fine bowling display of pace spearhead Pankaj Singh to enter into the Ranji Trophy final, the bowler says he has learnt the art of getting a "batsman out" but insists he wants to add another "couple of yards to his pace".

"I have learnt to plan to get a batsman out and also to bowl in right areas. My main weapon was the out swinger but now I have learnt to move the ball both ways," said Pankaj, whose four-wicket haul against Haryana in the second innings of the Ranji Trophy semi-final match was instrumental in shaping Rajasthan`s victory.

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