News Digest: Polls change priorities, most oppn parties skip Aadhaar vote in RS

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Thursday, March 17, 2016
		Today's Headlines

		India
		Polls change priorities, most oppn parties skip Aadhaar vote in RS Just 140 MPs voted on the Congress amendments to the Aadhaar Bill in the absence of regional players like Trinamool Congress, SP, BJD, BSP, JD(U) and NCP, making it a largely NDA versus Congress-Left affair. Best Parliament session so far, says Centre As the Budget session goes into recess from Thursday , the government expressed satisfaction at its conduct so far claiming it has been the most productive Parliament session since the Modi government came to office. Congress rages at money bill route, may move court Congress on Wednesday threatened to move court against the Centre's decision to present the Aadhaar Bill as a “money bill“, accusing the Modi regime of fraudulently trying to bypass RS where it does not have a majority . More India News»

		Business
		India signs big energy deals with Russia's Rosneft Indian state oil companies inked multibillion-dollar energy deals with Russia's Rosneft to buy into its most promising Siberia assets, stepping up a drive to cut India's dependence on imports. The Indian PSUs will now have almost 50% stake in Vankor oil field and buy about 30% of Taas-Yuriakh field. Finance ministry body recommends steel import duties The chief of the Directorate General of Safeguards, a division of the finance ministry, has recommended maintaining import duties on some steel products until March 2018, a government document showed on Wednesday, in a move to support the local steel industry and protect mills from cheaper imports. China's Premier Li says confident about economy Li defended the country's economic policies on Wednesday, repeating well-worn lines that there was more opportunity than risk and vowing there would be no hard landing for the world's second-largest economy if the government presses ahead with reforms. More Business News»

		Environment
		Blame global warming, New Zealand losing glaciers Climate change 'redistributes' global water resources Rising temperatures worldwide are changing not only weather systems but also the distribution of water around the globe, thereby affecting the availability of potable water, a new study has found. The findings will help scientists understand changes that are likely to affect global water resources. Millions in US at risk from rising seas: Study Rising sea levels driven by climate change could upend the lives of more than 13 million Americans by the end of the century, according to a study. In Florida alone, some six million residents could be affected, and one million each in California and Louisiana More Environment News»

		World
		Syria Kurds say they'll declare federal region A powerful Syrian Kurdish political party is planning to declare a federal region in northern Syria, a model it hopes can be applied to the entire country, a spokesman for the faction said. The Democratic Union Party said it is not lobbying for an only-Kurdish region but an all-inclusive area. Will 'fight to death' for Nazism: Norway mass killer Mass murderer Anders Behring Breivik vowed to fight "to the death" for Nazism as he took the stand on Wednesday in a lawsuit against the Norwegian state, confirming fears he would use the platform to grandstand his extremist views. The right-wing extremist had made a Nazi salute in court on Tuesday. Pakistan's top court lifts travel ban on Pervez Musharraf Pakistan's Supreme Court on Wednesday ordered the government to lift a travel ban on former military ruler Pervez Musharraf, paving the way for him to leave the country while awaiting trial for treason and other charges. More World News»

		Entertainment
		Mallika madly in love with French magnate? Mallika Sherawat, whose next Hollywood outing will be director Daniel Lee’s 'The Lost Tomb,' is currently on a personal and professional high. Blockbusters we wish Kajol hadn't rejected! There is a long list of Bollywood movies the actress rejected which went on to be huge hits. Arijit: Would thank TOIFA for nomination The noticeable nuances of his voice, his firm hold over Indian classical music and his modest disposition has propelled Arijit Singh to the top echelon of Bollywood playback singing. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		US made dengue vaccine 100 percent effective in small study A dengue vaccine developed by US National Institutes of Health scientists protected everyone given the shot against the virus in a promising small study published on Wednesday, with the researchers saying it could become widely available by 2018. Students generate electricity from waste tomatoes A group of students in the US has used waste tomatoes to generate electricity. Large amounts of damaged tomatoes are thrown away in the US because they are not considered fit for grocery stores. This inspired Namita Shreshtha of South Dakota School of Mines & Technology to collaborate with researchers from Princeton University and Florida Gulf Coast University to devise a pilot fuel cell running on tomatoes. Organs 'have minds of their own' when growing, scientists discover A team of researchers from the University of Sussex revealed in a study published in Biology Letters that different animal organs, and even different parts of a single organ, can change sizes at different rates. More Science News»

		Sports
		World T20: Gayle's 47-ball century smashes England Put into bat, England put up 182/6 without a single batsman touching 50, but that total was made to look 20 runs short as Chris Gayle waded into their attack to hasten a six-wicket win with 11 balls left at the Wankhede Stadium. South Africa paid $10m bribe for hosting 2010 World Cup: FIFA Football's governing body FIFA said on Wednesday that members of its executive committee had in the past sold their votes in World Cup hosting contests, including for the tournament held in South Africa in 2010. Afridi stars as Pakistan beat Bangladesh by 55 runs Pakistan thrashed Bangladesh by 55 runs on Wednesday in their opening match of the ICC World Twenty20, with skipper Shahid Afridi starring with bat and ball at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata. More Sports News»

		Technology
		12 weird but true facts about technology Here we round up a bunch of facts and anecdotes that sound so ridiculous, you'll question their authenticity. Bengaluru pals building India's first driverless car A few years ago, Bengaluru-based techie Roshy John was one his way home from the airport in a taxi when the sleepy driver almost ran into another vehicle. John took the wheel and drove the driver and then himself home — but the near-death experience got him thinking. Sony's PlayStation VR priced at $399, launching in October Sony Corp announced on Tuesday that its virtual reality headset for PlayStation will launch globally in October for $399, a move that undercuts its biggest competitor by hundreds of dollars. More Technology News»

		Education
		CBSE sets up committee of subject experts for maths As students of class XII across the country complained about a lengthy and tricky Mathematics paper and demanded leniency in evaluation, the Central Board of Secondary Education set up a committee of experts to look into the matter. UGC writes to varsities to introduce anti-corruption related topics in the curriculum The students across colleges and universities will soon study anti-corruption in their curriculum, as the University Grants Commission (UGC) has advised vice-chancellors of all universities and even to colleges to add topics related to the same to enable students to get an overview of concepts and framework of anti-corruption progressively. UGC sets up committee to look into off-campus centres The UGC has set up a committee to look into all aspects of off-campus centres established by some institutions deemed to be universities without its prior approval or that of the HRD ministry. UGC has issued notices to several leading institutions that had set up off-campus centres without approval. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		HC rejects Gadoli kin plea against cops The Bombay high court on Wednesday dismissed a petition filed by the brother of gangster Sandeep Gadoli, who was shot dead by Gurgaon police at a hotel in Andheri, seeking an FIR against Gurgaon Police on murder charges. HC declines Gadoli kin plea for new FIR The Bombay high court on Wednesday refused to direct Mumbai police to register a criminal case against Gurgaon cops for the alleged fake encounter of the north Indian state’s most wanted criminal Sandeep Gadoli, as sought by his brother Kuldeep Singh House suspends AIMIM MLA for 'anti-national' act He Refused To Say ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Give defence land or tunnel nod to ease Dhaula Kuan traffic: Road transport Min The road transport ministry wants the ministry of defence (MoD) to either part with parcels of their land or allow building of underpasses below its land to decongest the stretch between Dhaula Kuan and RTR flyover on NH-8. Body of 3-year-old found in manhole The body of a 3-year-old boy was recovered from a manhole in south Delhi's Safdarjung area on Wednesday morning.Police said that the body had no injury marks and it seems as if it was dumped there after being murdered. Safdarjung plans pre-marital screening clinic Safdarjung Hospital, one of the largest government facility in the country, may soon get a special clinic for pre-marital screening. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Trivial cases: Karnataka HC asks trial courts to examine granting relief under Probation of Offenders Act HC notice on plea seeking second Navodaya Vidyalaya for Bidar Lake encroachers ignore DCs' notice, face eviction Lake encroachers in Bengaluru Urban and Rural districts, who have failed to respond to notices issued by the deputy commissioners, will ace the music now. With only 3,043 of the 13,074 encroachers having replied, the authorities are drawing up a two-pronged plan to take possession of the properties. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Prisoners go on hunger strike over shifting Prison authorities decided to shift the inmates after a high security check of the barrack following the discovery of a mobile phone in the barrack they were housed in. the decision was taken to shift them to a different barrack which also houses hardened criminals. 24-year-old medico commits suicide According to sources, the deceased identified as S Soumya, a resident of Mamillagudem of Khammam district, was recently married to one Dr Pavan Kumar who hails from Nalgonda district. Soumya, who was pursuing a post-graduate degree in dermatology. 'Accord special category status to AP' The AP state assembly on Wednesday unanimously passed a resolution calling upon the central government to accord special category status to the bifurcated state. It has also urged the Centre to fulfil all the 17 promises made to Andhra Pradesh. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Aviva India appoints new Chief Investment Officer Aviva Life Insurance on Wednesday said it has appointed Prashant Sharma as its chief investment officer. Road-widening work in sanctuary upsets naturalists The chopping down of several trees to widen a road leading to a private estate in the Meghamalai Wildlife Sanctuary has come as a shock to naturalists. Surgery gives baby with Down's syndrome voice On Tuesday, when 25-year-old Ruqaiya heard her baby boy cry, it took a while for her to recognise the sound. It was the first time Yaseen had announced his arrival. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Jail staff recovers foreign currency from smuggler held by DRI CBI gets one more month to probe Junagadh HIV case Opposition wallk out of assembly demanding strict implementation of liquor ban More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Holi season is adulteration time With the festival of colours just round the corner, it is also the time for mouth-watering sweets and hence, their adulteration.Khoya and Paneer remain the most commonly adulterated food items. HC sets aside select list of SIs, PAC platoon commanders The Allahabad high court on Wednesday set aside the select list of sub-inspectors in civil police and PAC platoon commanders of a 2011 recruitment process. BA student cries ragging, AU to probe A BA-II student of Allahabad University has lodged a complaint against a research scholar residing in the same hostel. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Tribals demand official status for Bhumij language Village committee gives Rs 6 lakh to 60 families to build toilets Kandigaon, the village of Ganjam district which had imposed a fine on 60 people for defecating in the open, is now extending help to villagers build toilets at their homes. The village committee has sanctioned Rs 6 lakh from its fund to 60 poor families for this purpose. HC orders to shut down 104 kalyan mandaps functioning illegally in Cuttack More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Madhya Pradesh selects 34 cities for AMRUT, 16 for housing scheme Govt plans crackdown on fake NGOs Cong stages walkout over health stir issue health services on ransom.We will take stringent action ?to ensure. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Haryana CM writes to governor, seeks help With farmers in Punjab filling up the SYL canal in Patiala and Ropar districts after the Punjab government de-notified the land acquired for the project, the Haryana government has urged the governor to immediately restore status quo of the canal in Punjab's territory as on March 14. Makauni farmer plans fish farm at fortune's second turn Land acquisition for the SYL canal had come as a bolt from the blue for Piara Singh, lambardar of village Makauni Kalan, in early 80s. Nearly 12 of the total 18 acres owned by him were gone and this left his two sons to look for opportunities abroad. In water war, Badal sends 'cheque' to Haryana The ongoing war over Sutlej-Yamuna Link (SYL) canal between Punjab and Haryana took a new twist on Wednesday after Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal dispatched a Rs 191-crore cheque to his counterpart in neighbouring state Manohar Lal Khattar. More Chandigarh News»

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