News Digest: Quake rattles Bengal, 3 dead and 60 injured

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Sunday, April 26, 2015
		Today's Headlines

		India
		Quake rattles Bengal, 3 dead and 60 injured The devastating earthquake in Nepal rattled Bengal as well just before noon on Saturday, killing three and injuring scores in the northern districts. This Anzac Day was for Indians ​India’s WWI role acknowledged; 100 years of gas attack on Indians too Oldest Indian to attempt Everest safe Mala Honnatti, 62, the oldest Indian to attempt an ascent of Mount Everest, is reportedly safe following the devastating earthquake that struck the region on Saturday. More India News»

		Business
		Germany hints at preparations of a Plan B on Greece German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble hinted on Saturday that Berlin was preparing for a possible Greek default, drawing a parallel with the secrecy of German reunification plans in 1989. Volkswagen chairman resigns after dispute over CEO The chairman of the board of Volkswagen AG, Europe's biggest automaker, has stepped down after clashing with other board members over his criticism of the company's top management. Jayant Sinha doesn't see any opposition to GST Playing down the walk-out staged on Friday by the opposition parties in Parliament on the GST Bill, minister of state for finance Jayant Sinha on Saturday said the government is not expecting any resistance to its passage. More Business News»

		Environment
		Earthquake: HSI assesses animal needs, ready for disaster relief In response to the earthquake in Nepal, Humane Society International’s Animal Rescue Team said it is ready to deploy for disaster relief. SC notice to Centre and states on welfare of captive elephants The Supreme Court on Friday sought responses from the Centre and states on a PIL seeking a ban on elephant trade and regulating the welfare measures for elephants owned by religious institutions. India-Bangladesh join hands to protect spectacled langur India and Bangladesh have decided to take concerted conservation efforts to protect the rare spectacled langur along with other primates found in Patharia Hills Reserve Forest on either side of the fenced border along Assam's Karimganj district. More Environment News»

		World
		Leaders, charities offer help after Nepal quake As world leaders and global charities tried to grasp the scope of an earthquake that devastated Nepal, they offered condolences for the nearly 1,400 people killed and readied emergency aid for the survivors. Mountaineering groups struggled to check on climbers, and Nepalese abroad did their best to reach families in the stricken area. Israeli forces kill two knife-wielding Palestinians Israeli security forces killed two knife-wielding Palestinian attackers in separate incidents in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem on Saturday, police said. Fresh clashes in Yemen kill 38 as calls for talks grow Fierce fighting raged on Saturday in south Yemen between Iran-backed rebels and loyalists of exiled president Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, as pressure mounted for the warring factions to hold political talks. More World News»

		Entertainment
		Akshay Kumar talks about doing C-grade films Akshay Kumar is an A-list actor and has some of the biggest films of Bollywood to his credit. However, at some point the actor has done C-grade films like Mr Bond. Sunny Leone all praise for Aishwarya Sunny made headlines when she had said that she doesn't like being compared to Aishwarya. However, the actress has clarified that she never gave such a statement and was indeed shocked to read such an article. TV actress ties the knot with show's director Jyotsna Chandola, of Sasural Simar Ka fame, tied the knot with director Nitesh Singh in Banaras on Tuesday, April 15, 2015. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Long-term exposure to air pollution damages brain Long-term exposure to air pollution can cause damage to brain structure and impair cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults, scientists, including one of Indian-origin, have found. 'Invisible Man' is fact now, not just fiction In a first, scientists have created a perceptual illusion of having an invisible body among humans in the lab and found that the feeling of invisibility changes our physical stress response in challenging social situations. Genome study reveals lonely end for the world's woolly mammoths The most complete genetic information assembled on woolly mammoths is providing insight into their demise, revealing they suffered two population crashes before a final, severely inbred group succumbed on an Arctic Ocean island. More Science News»

		Sports
		Chennai Super Kings crush Kings XI Punjab by 97 runs Chennai Super Kings thrashed Kings XI Punjab by 97 runs in a 2015 Indian Premier League clash at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday. WBA dent Liverpool's Champions League challenge Liverpool's remote chance of staying in the hunt for Champions League qualification suffered a setback after a 0-0 draw at West Brom on Saturday. Malinga, McClenaghan bowl MI to 20-run win over SRH Lasith Malinga and Mitchell McClenaghan came up with stellar bowling display to help Mumbai Indians beat Sunrisers Hyderabad by 20 runs on Saturday. More Sports News»

		Technology
		Xiaomi Mi 4i vs Asus Zenfone 2 (2GB RAM version): Which one to buy If you’re in the market for a premium budget smartphone that costs between Rs 12,000 to 14,000, we have some good news. Net neutrality: Telcos warn of six-fold hike in data tariffs Mobile operators on Friday said that they may have to increase data tariffs by up to six times to remain viable if the proposed regulations did not offer a level-playing field with net-based services such as Skype and WhatApp. Microsoft is changing, but is it fast enough? Microsoft is changing its business. The question is whether it's changing fast enough. More Technology News»

		Education
		More 'errors' in answer key to JEE mains More complaints are pouring in about the answer key to the Joint Entrance Examination (Mains) conducted in early April. 'Medical research needs to focus on follow up studies' Medical research has to start focusing on follow ups of earlier findings, said ex-director general of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), Dr Vishwa Mohan Katoch. Online centralized admissions for Gujarat Univ's BCom, BBA, BCA The Gujarat University has decided to have online centralized admission for the commerce colleges in Ahmedabad and for bachelor of business administration and bachelor of computer application courses offered by colleges affiliated to the university. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Lokhandwala lake desilting begins In a long-awaited move, civic authorities have begun the work of desilting and fencing the large lake along the Back Road in Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri. Butchers in Mumbai take Jersey cow 'solution' to BJP Muslim community leaders and beef merchants’ associations have stepped up their demand to allow slaughter of Jersey cows’ progeny (bulls and bullocks) to mitigate the crisis due to ban on beef. Minority worship places most affected in DP: SP Though the draft development plan (DP) 2034 disturbed the layouts of several religious places, the Samajwadi Party (SP) has alleged that structures of minority communities were the most affected and that the chief minister was misleading people by announcing its scrapping. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		NCR residents regret investing in highrises Tremors of the massive 7.9 magnitude earthquake in Nepal on Saturday were felt in Gurgaon, Noida and Ghaziabad, triggering panic and forcing people to rush out of their homes and offices. Janta ka Budget sees thin but keen gathering In densely-populated Madanpur Khadr on the south-eastern periphery of the city, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s experiment with participatory budgeting—Janta ka Budget—stirred about 365 of the estimated 11,000-strong electorate invited to the meeting though there were arrangements to accommodate a thousand by 9am on the Jalebi Chowk grounds. Ticket to enter world of dance photography Taking up the challenge to brighten up prospects of dance photography in India, the third edition of Spandan—a global exhibition of pictures in this category, showcasing the work of over 30 photographers from around the world, was inaugurated at Indian Habitat Centre on Friday. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		He brings sunny solutions to Bengaluru's power-cut days As a young electrical engineer, HNA Prasad, 68, would often wonder why there were so many power cuts and why the sun's energy was not tapped by successive governments. Fence the water-filled quarry, say villagers Two days after five engineering students drowned in an abandoned quarry in Bettahalasuru, north Bengaluru, villagers demand the water body be fenced. HC notice to BDA, 3 others for selling park land The Karnataka high court on Saturday ordered notice to the BDA and BBMP over a PIL challenging the allotment of land reserved for a park in the city. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		VAT exemption for realtors opting for composition scheme The Hyderabad High Court has held that the benefits of tax exemptions under the AP VAT Act should be given to all classes of real estate developers, if they opt for composition scheme at the beginning. Hyderabad varsities mull e-governance for better transparency Varsities in the city are now going hi-tech with introduction of various e-governance operations to transform the quality of services provided in the field of higher education.  1L households to get water connections in GHMC limits In order to serve tail-end and ill-served areas in Greater Hyderabad, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWS&SB) has decided to sanction one lakh new water connections as part of Krishna phase-III drinking water supply project. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		TN Chief minister writes to Modi on K'taka's plans for Mekedatu reservoir Chief minister O Panneerselvam on Saturday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to advise the government of Karnataka not to proceed with its “illegal plan” of constructing a reservoir on the Cauvery near Mekedatu. 4th medical college in city unlikely before September The grand opening of Government Medical College and Hospital at Government Omandurar Estate, Chennai’s fourth medical college, is likely to be put off till September. On Friday, the government announced sale of MBBS/BDS forms for 19 medical colleges from May 11, which account for 2,555 seats, but was silent on inaugurating the new college. Siva hopeful of transgender Bill becoming an Act It’s a rare honour for a parliamentarian to get a private member’s Bill, moved by him, passed in the House. The last time this happened in the country was 45 years ago. DMK Rajya Sabha member ‘Trichy’ Siva has this honour after The Rights of Transgender Persons Bill, 2014, was passed in the Rajya Sabha on Friday. Despite pressure from Union ministers, he refused to withdraw it. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		ACPC seminar through BISAG on every Wednesday The Admission committee for professional Courses after a successful experiment on Friday, has decided to impart training to the students and parents seeking admission in professional courses for degree and Diploma engineering and Pharmacy and Architecture on every Wednesday. Malaria underreported in state? The website of National Vector Borne Disease Control Programme (NVBDCP) shows zero malaria deaths in the state over the past two years. 31, including 11-yr-old boy, take diksha in city Eleven-year-old Yash Morakhia from Surat was the youngest in the 26-member group to take initiation for ‘sanyasa’ (monkhood) from Jain Acharya Hitruchiji Vijayji Maharaj on Saturday. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Lichchavi passengers looted near Manauri Armed dacoits looted passengers travelling in Lichchavi Express between Manauri and Bamrauli railway stations on Kanpur-Allahabad route of North Central Railway on Friday morning. Allahabad University student sculpts 3,000 kgs hammer Son of a poor peasant of a small village at Nagaipur of Baheria block in Allahabad proved his mettle in the first sculpture that he has made. He and five others have made a hammer weighing over 3,000 kgs. Free wi-fi facility at Civil Lines Bus Depot soon The Civil Lines Bus Depot of the city would become the first public place to be equipped with wi-fi services. Uttar Pradesh Road Transport Corporation, in collaboration with Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) has came out with the proposal to equip the depot for better internet connectivity. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Tremor felt in Bhubaneswar Tremors of the earthquake that rocked central Nepal on Saturday were felt in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, among other parts of Odisha. OHRC seeks report on Burla deaths The Odisha Human Rights Commission on Friday issued notice to superintendent of VSS Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Burla and Sambalpur SP in connection with the deaths of three women in the institute on April 10. Unit to contain dog menace at Kalarahanga soon The state government has decided to set up another Animal Birth Control (ABC) unit at Kalarahanga here to contain the canine menace in the city. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Nepal quake shockwave felt across Madhya Pradesh Earthquake tremors created panic in the entire state and government offices were vacated as a safety precaution. Rs 1,000 crore Kisan Kalyan Kosh on the cards: CM Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that anti-development elements will not be allowed to succeed. CM dedicates Punasa irrigation project Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said water privatization would not be allowed. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Residents set to rate PU hostels Panjab University (PU) hostels are all set to introduce feedback system for its inmates.The feedback forms, which will reach the hostels by Monday, will ask for suggestions and feedback from students. Man gets life term for Barwala murder District sessions judge RK Sondhi on Friday sentenced a man to life imprisonment for the murder of a truck driver near Barwala in May 2014.The murder was the fallout of a drunken fight. UGC forms panel on ABVP complaint against PU After the members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP) wrote to the ministry of human resource development in New Delhi on April 11 about misappropriation of funds in the university, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has constituted a committee to look into the matter. More Chandigarh News»

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