Your News Digest from Times of India

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Wednesday, March 12, 2014
		Today's Headlines

		India
		AAP ups the glamour quotient with Gul Panag AAP could get a dash of glamour with actor Gul Panag likely to be named as its candidate from the Chandigarh constituency. Arvind Kejriwal skips Delhi for big fight with Modi A Kejriwal vs Modi faceoff appears imminent with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) announcing candidates for all seven Delhi parliamentary seats.  BJP's '160 Club' sends ripples in party More India News»

		Business
		IRDA asks SBI Life to refund Rs 275 crore In a move that will benefit 7.5 lakh borrowers of State Bank of India Group, the insurance regulator has asked SBI Life to refund Rs 275 crore of premium collected from policyholders, which makes it the biggest refund order in insurance history. Opposition to Suzuki plant grows In January this year, MSIL board allowed Suzuki to set up a car manufacturing unit in Gujarat as a 100% subsidiary of the Japanese company.Earlier, MSIL was to set up this plant. CBDT provides tax clarity on M&As Further, even the payment made on which tax has not been deducted is denied as a business expenditure in the hands of the Indian payer. More Business News»

		Environment
		Rhino census to start in Bengal forests The forest department will conduct rhino census at Gorumara National Park spread over an area of over 88 square kilometres and other adjacent forestlands on Wednesday and Thursday. 15 bird species in India critically endangered Even as conservation efforts at various levels continue to show hope for the future, the latest International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Birds (2013) shows that fifteen bird species in India continue to be Critically Endangered (CR). Solar lights to ward off tigers at Sundernbans' villages WWF-India has launched the project — 'Lights for Stripe' — to install solar lights along the edge of villages on the fringe areas of the tiger reserve. More Environment News»

		World
		Ukraine won't intervene in Crimea: President “Unfortunately, for now Russia is rejecting a diplomatic solution to the conflict,” he said. US and India could accomplish a lot together: Obama On a more serious level, the ambassador’s energies in Washington, at a time when India is busy navel-gazing due to elections at home, will be directed at averting punitive US trade sanctions. 'Miniskirt' turbulence for Japanese budget carrier Skymark Airlines came under fire from the cabin crew's labour union, which said the super-short skirt — with a distinctively swinging sixties look — barely covers wearers' thighs. More World News»

		Entertainment
		Why Sunny Leone refused to go topless Legend has it, Alfred Hitchcock had to shoot and re-shoot the shower scene in his 1960 horror-thriller 'Psycho' over seven days to get the right impact HOT PICS: Lesbian & gay kissing scenes in Bollywood 'Salman is not in movies because he is ambitious' Atul Agnihotri, 45, is a family man whose wife Alvira is his best friend. He not only looks up to his father-in-law Salim Khan as his father, but also respects him for setting the right hierarchy in his house where there are no favourites and every decision is taken collectively More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Drinking ups premature birth risk Drinking during first three months of pregnancy has been now confirmed to heighten the risk of having premature or unexpectedly small baby. American, two Russians back on Earth after half-year in space Two Russian cosmonauts and an American astronaut on Tuesday landed back on Earth in Kazakhstan after a stay aboard the International Space Station of over half a year, which saw the Olympic torch paraded in space. Tree rings reveal reasons for Genghis Khan's rise A new study of tree rings preserved for over a thousand years has shown that warm wet weather in the late 12th century may be responsible for the rise of the Great Mongol Empire. More Science News»

		Sports
		Zaheer is clearly past his prime: Prasad Zaheer Khan is clearly past his prime and is struggling while bowling his second spell, ex-India player and bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad said on Tuesday. Champions Bayern ease past Arsenal FC Bayern Munich were held to 1-1 draw by Arsenal in Champions League but it was not enough to stop the holders reaching the quarterfinals 3-1 on aggregate. Can perform in all formats, says Pujara "I'm definitely capable of performing in all formats. The moment I start scoring runs for India in ODIs, critics will have no problems," said Cheteshwar Pujara. More Sports News»

		Technology
		Vodafone: 2G and 3G tariffs will converge in future Vodafone India said the 2G and 3G tariffs will converge in near future, although there is little scope for further cut in 3G rates. Why Apple should fear Samsung's Tizen strategy Samsung's decision to use Tizen, a non-Android operating system has mostly been seen as a blow to Android developers. Google to pay $3.5 million bonus to Nikesh Arora Google will pay finance chief Patrick Pichette a $3 million annual bonus, and chief business officer Nikesh Arora a $3.5 million bonus. More Technology News»

		Education
		Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering: UGC to re-implement PG scholarship Engineering graduates, who have qualified the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE), can now avail of a vital scholarship from the University Grants Commission (UGC) to pursue their postgraduate (PG) studies. FIR registered in SSC algebra paper leak in Mumbai Kandivli (W) police station has registered an FIR against a 16-yr-old SSC candidate under sections 6 (possession of question paper before exam) and 7 (copying) of Maharashtra Prevention of Malpractice at University, Board and other Specified Examinations Act, 1982. Algebra paper leak in Mumbai being probed by SSC board Officials are in a tough spot after a school complained that one of the SSC candidates who was appearing for his algebra exam on Tuesday had a copy of one of the question papers. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Minor harassed at market in Amboli The Amboli police registered a case of molestation against an unknown person on Monday evening. The man had tried to force a minor girl to accompany him. Illegal terrace flat of 1993 blasts approver razed The BMC demolished a 650-sqft illegal terrace flat near Yari Road in Andheri on Tuesday. Officials say the flat on the terrace of Bunch Berry CHS’s A wing was illegal and the city civil court had ordered its demolition. Bookings for special AC train fail to pick up on Day 2 Bookings for the Mumbai-New Delhi air-conditioned premium train failed to pick up on the second day too even though the train is scheduled to depart on March 15. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Modi, Kejri pichkaris to keep Holi revellers busy Supporters of Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal are arming themselves with pichkaris this Holi to take each other on. And Sadar Bazaar is all geared up with appropriately packaged water guns to keep both camps busy. Congress in dilemma: Which MP to drop Agarwal sweeps primaries for NE Delhi seat The sitting MP from North East Delhi parliamentary constituency and former DPCC chief, J P Agarwal, may once again be Congress' face in the general elections.  More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Engineering fees: Govt gets a week A high court division bench headed by Justice KL Manjunath on Tuesday granted a week's time to the government to continue talks with private unaided engineering colleges to fix their fees. Cong has broken 'Hindutva lab' in the coast: Janardhana Poojary An expected win in Congress primaries has given B Janardhana Poojary a new zest. Farmer leads fight against smoking What has a farmer got to do with colleges? But Durgaiah M (60), from a village in Ramanagaram district, is a familiar face in some Bangalore colleges. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		With no role in Telangana, Jaipal Reddy sticks with Chevella With the Congress high command not wishing to involve him in Telangana state politics, Union minister Jaipal Reddy is all set to fall back on contesting the Lok Sabha once again from Chevella.  TDP counts on settlers to win five LS seats Despite the exodus of several leaders in the Telangana region, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) is confident of not only retaining the two Lok Sabha seats it had won in the region in 2009, but bag three more constituencies (Malkajgiri, Chevella and Mahbubabad) in the light of the changed dynamics brought about by the bifurcation of the state. Task Force sleuths nab accused in 2010 communal clashes Task Force sleuths arrested a 23-year-old accused, who went absconding, in the 2010 communal riots case and handed him over to Special Investigation Team (SIT) officials on Tuesday. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Cong isolation prompts Vasan to pull out of Lok Sabha race Calling the electoral alliances in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere in the country opportunistic, Vasan said the hidden agendas of various parties would be known only after the polls. Poorly placed bins become motorists' bane Garbage bins in the city are often kept haphazardly, left to protrude onto roads and posing a threat to motorists. Leak found in Chennai's major water line A leak was detected in a pipeline conveying water from Chembarambakkam lake to Chennai near Poonamallee flyover on Tuesday. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Our marathon men in Parliament Congress MP from Mandvi, Chittubhai Gamit, became the longest serving MP in Gujarat in 1998 when he was elected for seven terms in a row -- Gamit died last year in December. Girls fleeing home found Amraiwadi police on Tuesday found two girls in a matter of hours after they were reported missing. Oil spill after car rams into auto A major oil spill after an accident at the flyover over Iskcon Crossroads on SG Road halted the traffic for more than five hours.Traffic was diverted to the road below till late evening. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		563 students get degree at IIIT-Allahabad convocation A total of 563 students were awarded degrees in BTech, MTech, MBA, MSCLIS and PhD at the ninth convocation of Indian Institute of Information Technology, Allahabad on Monday. Now serving NaMo thali, RaGa basket Businessmen of Sangam city are cashing in on the election fever with innovative ideas to not only give a boost to their trade but also to instigate customers to stop for a while and debate over the leaders in the fray. High court dismisses writ petition challenging PCS- 2011 results The Allahabad High Court on Monday dismissed a writ petition whereby the result of Provincial Civil Services (PCS)-2011 examination conducted by Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) was challenged. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Polls around the corner, time to look for better prospects Many leaders are deserting their parties in the run-up to the simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state. Lilies speak for ticket aspirants Flower vendors in the city are doing brisk business as a large number of ticket aspirants are making a beeline in front of Naveen Nivas with flower bouquets. Grand old party to field new faces Congress is likely to field a sizeable number of new faces for the ensuing assembly elections, party sources said on Monday. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Bhopalites enjoy a play with acclaimed artists at Bharat Bhavan Bhopalites enjoyed a theatrical weekend with acclaimed artistes like KK Raina, Ila Arun, Pitobash, Aditi Sharma and Abhishek Pandey, who staged a play titled Namaste on Sunday evening at Bharat Bhavan. BJP-NDA to come to power with 300 seats in the Lok Sabha: Naqvi BJP national vice-president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Monday explained why it is necessary for party president Rajnath Singh to contest from Lucknow. High court adjourns hearing in Bhandari's bail plea to March 12 Madhya Pradesh high court has adjourned the bail hearing of prime accused in MP PMT scam and chairperson of Shri Aurobindo Institue of Medical Science, Dr Vinod Bhandari to March 12. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Saini chapter still not over, Punjab chief electoral officer says Punjab chief electoral officer V K Singh said the action regarding complaint against Punjab director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini is still not over. PPP compromised with its ideology by aligning with Congress: Bhagwant A day after satirist-turned-politician Bhagwant Mann got the AAP ticket, he has found fault in Peoples Party of Punjab chief Manpreet Badal. He also said he had not left the party but it was PPP that left him. Cong complains to poll officer against Jagir Kaur Jagir Kaur exercised political pressure to force the XEN, panchayati raj, to organize a foundation stone laying ceremony in both the villages on March 2. More Chandigarh News»

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