University and college teachers in the state will observe `Cease Work' day on July 7 to protest against the state government's failure to implement the Fifth Pay Commission recommendations. According to a press release issued by the Maharashtra Federation of University and College Teachers' Organisations (MFUCTO) teachers will also court arrest state-wide. MFUCTO will also begin an indefinite strike from July 21.

Leopard admits itself to IIT

An ageing leopard from the Sanjay Gandhi National Park at Borivli which had snuck into the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) campus late on Tuesday night was spotted this morning causing panic on campus. It was sighted in the lobby of a building near the ladies' hostel. After some students shut the building's door, the forest authorities and police were summoned. The cat was finally tranquilised and placed in a treatment cage in the park, according to IIT Public Relations Officer Aruna Thosar-Dixit. Forest authoritiessaid the animal would soon be released into the park. This is the second such incident at the IIT campus in a year.

Hostess trips, flight delayed

A New Delhi-bound Jet Airways flight was delayed by half an hour because an airhostess missed her step and stumbled on to the tarmac when the ladder was being removed from the Boeing 737-400 aircraft this evening.

The flight attendant, who was trying to summon a ground attendant to remove a large piece of hand-baggage, lost her balance and fell as the step-ladder was being removed at the domestic terminal at Santacruz, airport sources said. She has been admitted to Nanavati Hospital.

INTUC strike against maxicabs

All unions affiliated to the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC) in the Maharashtra State Road Transport corporation (MSRTC) will begin an agitation soon if the Shiv Sena-BJP government does not revoke its decision to introduce maxicabs in the state. The Maharashtra INTUC also decided today that the a minimum of a day'ssalary of all its five lakh worker-members in the state will be donated to the national fund for soldiers wounded in Kargil.

Officer-goer at Mahim killed

Twenty-two-year-old Kalpana Joshi was murdered en route to work at Mahim this morning. According to Mahim police, an unknown person confronted Joshi and slit her neck with a knife at around 9.45 am. A case of murder has been registered and investigations are on.

-- Newsline and agencies