News Digest: At least 2 killed as trains collide in UP's Sonbhadra

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Thursday, April 03, 2014
		Today's Headlines

		India
		At least 2 killed as trains collide in UP's Sonbhadra According to TV reports, Katni passenger train collided with Varanasi-Shaktinagar Intercity Express near Obra station. Sonia Gandhi files papers, shows six-fold hike in assets Congress president Sonia Gandhi has assets worth over Rs 9.28 crore — Rs 2.81 crore in movable and Rs 6.47 crore in immovable properties. CBI hands over reports on 20 Coalgate cases to CVC for scrutiny CBI sources said the files were sent in a sealed envelop to the CVC which, in turn, will analyse and give its report to the Supreme Court within four weeks. More India News»

		Business
		Bandhan, IDFC bag licences to set up banks Twelve years after it issued its last set of bank licences, the Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday granted in-principle approvals to two completely disparate organizations – IDFC, an infrastructure financing firm, and Bandhan, a microfinance institution. MFs' average assets surge to record high The average assets under management (AUM) of the mutual fund (MF) industry surged to a record high of 9.04 lakh crore in the last quarter of the just concluded financial year. Govt grants NOC to Tata-Singapore Airlines Clearing the final hurdle for the Tata-Singapore Airlines (SIA) JV full service airline, aviation minister Ajit Singh Wednesday gave it the initial no objection certificate (NOC). More Business News»

		Environment
		SeaWorld lobbies against California bill to ban 'Shamu' shows SeaWorld executives urged California lawmakers on Wednesday not to pass a bill banning live performances and captive breeding of killer whales, a move that would force the company's San Diego marine theme park to end its popular "Shamu" shows. Tuskers knock at Chhattisgarh's Barnawapara Forest department officials said that this is the first time that 30 elephants were seen in sanctuary, which may be an indication of permanent migration. Quarter of Europe's bumblebee species risk extinction: Study Almost a quarter of European bumblebee species are threatened with extinction, largely because of climate change and intensive farming, the International Union for Conservation of Nature warned on Wednesday. More Environment News»

		World
		Putin officially divorces his wife Russian President Vladimir Putin has formally divorced his wife Lyudmila after more than 30 years of marriage, Kremlin spokesman said on Wednesday, following a surprise breakup announcement last year. Minor tsunami hits Japan after Chile quake Small tsunami waves hit northern Japan early Thursday following a powerful 8.2-magnitude earthquake thousands of kilometres away across the Pacific Ocean in Chile, officials said. Three million workers spared of income tax in UK Three million workers in the UK will be taken out of income tax bracket as a rise in the tax threshold takes effect on Sunday. More World News»

		Entertainment
		Confirmed: Ranveer Singh to play Bhansali's 'Bajirao' ​Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s passion and perfection is well known OMG: Anurag Kashyap defends Tarun Tejpal It seems Anurag Kashyap loves to court controversies. The filmmaker has taken the aid of social media to defend Tehelka founder and former Editor-In-Chief Tarun Tejpal. Tarun is currently in jail for allegedly raping a junior colleague at a conference in Goa last year. John's wife Priya to join him in India in May John Abraham married girlfriend Priya Runchal this New Year’s while he was on his holiday in the US More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Nasa cuts ties with Russia except on space station After insisting that space relations wouldn't be altered by earthly politics, Nasa on Wednesday said it was severing ties with Russia except for the International Space Station. Robots to operate on astronauts in space Researchers have developed a fist-sized robot surgeon that slides into the body through an incision in the belly button and can help perform surgery on astronauts in deep space. Bacteria an effective tool to counter mosquito larvae: Study Spraying larvicide, the tried-and-tested formula to get rid of mosquito larvae, is back-dated. More Science News»

		Sports
		This World T20 is lowest scoring so far This is the lowest-scoring World Twenty20, in terms of average runs scored per innings till the semifinals stage. Not a team has managed to score 200 as yet. Already thinking about Carlsen: Anand Viswanathan Anand is back. After winning Candidates and earning the right to fight Magnus Carlsen for the World Championship, Anand returned to Chennai. T20 WC: Selection headache for India India captain MS Dhoni may have to choose between Mohammed Shami and Mohit Sharma for the World Twenty20 semifinal against South Africa on Friday. More Sports News»

		Technology
		'Product-less' Samsung copied iPhone, Apple claims Samsung knew iPhone would be a big seller, but it didn't have a product that could compete so it stole Apple's technology, an Apple attorney told jurors. Whatsapp suffers outage a day after handling 64 billion messages WhatsApp is currently suffering a service disruption, with users facing frequent delays in sending and receiving messages. Google aims to bridge gap between apps and web If Google has its way, soon Android users will be able to search the content stored inside apps using the Google Search app. More Technology News»

		Education
		Maulana Azad National Urdu University mulls centre for religious studies The central varsity, which has developed a concept note on the project, held a workshop on its campus on Wednesday which saw the participation of noted educationist P A Inamdar. No queues for disabled at polling booths: EC Ramps, a companion and no queues. These are some of the special disabled-friendly measures the Election Commission has taken to keep polling stations barrier-free, the poll panel told the Madras high court on Wednesday. England's foreign students fall for first time in 30 years The number of international students attending England's universities has dropped for the first time in three decades, a study said Wednesday, with students from India and Pakistan hit by tighter visa rules. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Defunct scanners at cop HQ endanger security All the scanning machines-an X-ray device to scan vehicles, a bag screener and hand-held metal detectors-at the entrance of the Mumbai police headquarters at Crawford Market have broken down, making the premises vulnerable. Posing as customers, 5 women steal Rs 13 lakh gold bangles A gang of five women made away with gold ornaments worth Rs 13 lakh from the Borivli branch of a leading jewellery store chain on Monday. BJP will be largest party, NDA won't get magic: Sharad Pawar With five days to go before the first round of voting in the 2014 general elections, NCP president Sharad Pawar said on Wednesday that the BJP is likely to emerge as the single largest party. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		BJP may win 5-7 seats in Delhi, opinion poll says Riding a strong Narendra Modi wave, the BJP in Delhi is likely to win 5-7 seats in the coming Lok Sabha elections, an opinion poll by research agency Cicero for the India Today Group has said.  Narendra Modi's rally in Ghaziabad may choke national highway No. 24 You might want to avoid using NH-24 on Thursday with BJP’s prime ministerial candidate, Narendra Modi, scheduled to hold a rally along the route at a venue in Indirapuram. Ghaziabad to see a clash of titans The Ghaziabad parliamentary constituency came into existence in 2008, following implementation of the recommendations of the Delimitation Commission. Prior to that, Ghaziabad was a part of Hapur Lok Sabha seat. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		He works old haunts for votes Tarfile in local parlance is a row of houses on the railway track, home to people who migrated long ago from droughthit parts of current-day Yadgir district in search of a livelihood. Masked men loot club, flee with Rs 7L A gang of 10 masked dacoits barged into an entertainment club off Mysore Road, attacked the members and staff, and fled with Rs 7 lakh and valuables. The Tuesday night operation lasted 10 minutes. No cheques for property tax The BBMP will not accept cheques for payment of property tax from this financial year. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Maulana Azad National Urdu University mulls centre for religious studies The central varsity, which has developed a concept note on the project, held a workshop on its campus on Wednesday which saw the participation of noted educationist P A Inamdar. Siddaramaiah on test as MLAs play truant Congress views the Lok Sabha elections as a big test for chief minister Siddaramaiah's ability to rally party legislators in favour of candidates in key constituencies that are hovering between victory and defeat in Karnataka. Bouncers to guard Gandhi Bhavan  Anticipating trouble after the release of the party candidates' list, the Congress on Wednesday hired bouncers to quell trouble makers.  More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Raise funding so no child is left behind The Right to Education Act, 2009 fell far short of the long-held aspiration for a common school system that would be the bedrock of an independent, democratic and egalitarian India. NGOs to push schools to follow rule, parents to use law The government and private schools have for two successive years failed to ensure that 25% of seats are reserved for underprivileged students under the RTE Act and that these seats are allotted to the intended beneficiaries. 'Conflicting rules' may hit RTE seats Schools in the city say they are prepared to admit children under the 25% reservation clause of the Right to Education Act despite a low success rate across the state in the past two years. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Gujarat HC turns down Pradeep Sharma's plea for FIR in Snoopgate Justice G R Udhwani turned down Sharma's petition and observed that it was not maintainable because Sharma had an alternative remedy available to redress his issue. Woman turned away by hospital delivers at home Rinku Bhavesh Chanchu, 21, pregnant with her first child, felt the first contractions at around 11 am on Tuesday. Leave mobiles, cameras behind on voting day When you head to your polling booth on April 30, ensure you don't carry your mobile phone with you.Else you will not be allowed to vote.Not just that, carrying a camera to the polling booth is also banned. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Lawyers protest against spurious cold drinks A section of lawyers of Allahabad high court on Tuesday gathered near the high court, protesting against the supply of contaminated cold drinks in the area. High court adjourns hearing in Varanasi buildings' case Hearing a PIL seeking stoppage of construction within 200 metre on both the banks of the Ganga in Varanasi, the Allahabad High Court on Tuesday directed the petitioner to submit a note of the entire case narrating all the issues involved in the petition and adjourned the hearing of this case till March 16. Railways to introduce Train Side Vending System There is good news for the passengers as railway administration has decided to provide food to passengers through Train Side Vending system in the trains that are devoid of pantry cars. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Rising graph of crimes against women, but few voices in poll time The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) ranked Odisha 7th in the country in rapes in 2012. Utkal Divas celebrations toned down Utkal Divas was a low-key affair this year with the model code of conduct in force. Suicide whiff in death of four of family Tragedy struck a family in Dhenkanal district as four of its members - a woman, her two sons and daughter - were found dead in their house in the early hours of Tuesday. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Bhopal ushers New Year with rangolis and delicacies Yuthika Mudiraj was busy preparing to welcome Telugu new year Ugadi on Tuesday.A resident of Minal residency, Yuthika also invited her childhood friend on the occasion. Official booked for breach of trust An official of Regional Research Laboratory (RRL) at Advanced Materials and Processes Research Institute (AMPRI), Bhopal, was booked for depositing medical claim of a deceased former official in his bank account. Contractor tricked by foreigners A gang of foreign nationals duped a Bhopal-based businessman of Rs 75,000 by luring him to help a cancer patient based in South Africa to donate her property. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		500 students to help voters on poll day Around 500 students from the city's colleges and schools will be stationed at polling booths across Chandigarh to help voters in case of any difficulty. Pawan Kumar Bansal launches his mobile app Sitting MP and Congress party's parliamentary candidate Pawan Kumar Bansal on Wednesday launched a mobile application, which will be used not only for canvassing, but also to provide help to women in an emergency. AAP activists protest attack on Kejriwal's car, detained Over 50 activists of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) were taken into preventive custody by police in Rohtak while shouting slogans near Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's residence on Wednesday.  More Chandigarh News»

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