News Digest: Bihar poll dates only after consultations, says EC

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Thursday, May 21, 2015
		Today's Headlines

		India
		Bihar poll dates only after consultations, says EC The Election Commission on Wednesday clarified that the September-October schedule for Bihar assembly poll was only tentative and a final call on the dates would be taken after consultations with the political parties and the state authorities. Clarify Aadhar card not mandatory to vote, Yechury tells CEC Yechury has requested Zaidi to clarify that the Aadhar Card is not mandatory for the exercise of franchise and ensure the sanctity of the data base collected by ECI from being possibly misused. Subramanian Swamy almost gets `married' again Swamy was presiding over the wedding of a party colleague at a temple when the faux pas occurred. More India News»

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		Environment
		150 artificial points for lion's outside Ahemedabad's Gir sanctuary With the census result throwing surprises that over 160 Asiatic lions were situated outside the protected area, the forest department has now shifted its focus in these areas. The department in the bid to provide relief from the scorching heat has constructed 150 artificial water points. Credit Agricole stops financing coal mining French bank Credit Agricole said on Wednesday it would no longer finance coal mining or miners as lenders grow increasingly uneasy about funding coal due to environmental concerns. Oil pipeline spills about 21k gallons off California coast An estimated 21,000 gallons (79,500 liters) of crude oil dumped into the ocean from a broken pipeline just off the central California coast before it was shut off, creating a spill stretching about 4 miles (6.4 kilometers) along the beach, the US Coast Guard said. More Environment News»

		World
		Islamic State seizes ancient town of Palmyra in Syria Islamic State extremists captured the ancient Syrian town of Palmyra after government defense lines there collapsed Wednesday, a stunning triumph for the group only days after it captured the strategic city of Ramadi in Iraq. Obama makes light of racist taunts on Twitter President Obama’s new Twitter account @POTUS racked up its first million followers in a record five hours after it debuted, but it took only 10 minutes for the first racist taunt to surface, confirming the US President’s oft-repeated assertion that while America has come a long way in overcoming bigotry, it also has a long way to go. Hungarian writer wins 2015 Man Booker The 2015 edition of the Man Booker International Prize has been won by Hungarian writer Laszlo Krasznahorkai. More World News»

		Entertainment
		No one would imagine me in a family film: Kangana Kangana Ranaut and Aanand L Rai first came together to work on Tanu Weds Manu four years back. BT Exclusive: First look of 'Azhar' The first look of Emraan Hashmi who will be playing Mohammad Azharuddin in the film titled Azhar, based on the life and times of cricketer and former captain of the Indian cricket team. Revealed: Neerja Bhanot's onscreen lover More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Dumb & dumber: Lyrics are dropping grades Parents who say their children's music is dumb might have a point. A study has found out the average hit song has lyrics at a third grader's reading level. Anti-aging drug may be just 5 years away A new anti-aging drug may be just five years away , say scientists who have identified the role of an enzyme in muscle wasting and associated age-related problems. Giant pandas can't stomach bamboo, say researchers Despite two million years of munching almost exclusively on bamboo, the giant panda's gut has not adapted to eating the plant -putting the creatures in an “evolutionary dilemma“, scientists said. More Science News»

		Sports
		Bangalore eliminate Rajasthan Royals to reach Qualifier 2 AB de Villiers combined with Mandeep Singh for a game-changing partnership as Royal Challengers Bangalore eliminated Rajasthan Royals from IPL 8. Feels like a new beginning for me, says Harbhajan The 'Turbanator' earned his recall exactly two years two months and 15 days after he had last played for India against Australia at Hyderabad in March 2013. Kohli to lead India in Test, Harbhajan makes comeback Sidelined for more than two years, veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh on Wednesday returned to India's Test squad for the tour of Bangladesh. More Sports News»

		Technology
		16 Android apps not available for iPhones Here are 16 interesting Android-only apps. Vodafone won't toe zero-rating plan of Airtel Vodafone, India’s second-biggest mobile operator, has refused to follow Bharti Airtel in launching a zero-rating platform, the decision coming at a time when telecom regulator Trai and the Department of Telecom (DoT) are looking into the entire gamut of issues related to net neutrality. 6 things to know about Apple's private CEO As Tim Cook becomes more comfortable on center stage as Apple's CEO, the public is learning more about how past events shaped the intensely private man. More Technology News»

		Education
		One cutoff per course likely at DU colleges Delhi University's stand on additional eligibility criteria may leave cutoff lists looking different this year. It's springtime for MBAs again: Study Corporates are once again investing in the promise of an MBA. On the academic floor, management education which went through troublesome years is seeing springtime this recruitment season. GujCET aspirants to get 4 marks against wrong questions The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education board (GSHSEB) has decided to award four marks against the four wrong questions to the students who wrote their Gujarat Common Entrance Test (GujCET) for admission to medical and para-medical courses. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		State offers best relief for land acquired from farmers The state government has hiked the compensation amount for land acquired through direct negotiations with farmers, making its deal the best in the country, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday. Chinese firms interested in investing in state, says CM At least two Chinese companies, including Foxconn, had shown interest in investing in Maharashtra, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said on Wednesday. 'Valmiki could have got longer jail term now' It’s inconceivable that a murderous sexual assault like the one on Aruna Shanbaug would get only seven years had the offence occurred now. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		DJB to recheck all residential bills above Rs 25k In an attempt to reduce cases of over billing, Delhi Jal Board will now scrutinise all bills issued under the residential category if they are up to Rs 25,000 or more for a period of three months. 'English (H) straddles disciplines' English teachers across DU colleges have to start by dispelling the myth that English (H) is easy.It isn't.It isn't a language course either. Watch on fresh illegal construction After promising in-situ rehabilitation of slum dwellers and regularization of all existing unauthorized colonies, the Delhi government on Wednesday formed a taskforce of subdivisional magistrates to keep a check on fresh unauthorized constructions. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		'Investment via portfolio management not biz' Investment by an assessee through the portfolio management service cannot be termed business; any profit accrued will be taxed as capital gains, the high court has said. Duo's smart ECG will help heart patients Blame it on lack of awareness or sheer negligence, a heart attack is often mistaken for gastric irritation which may result in delayed medical intervention and even in the death of a patient. Change in degree name irks students Two hundred students doing MS Communication in various colleges affiliated to Bangalore University believe they're being cheated by the varsity. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Telangana, Andhra Pradesh in the grip of heat wave Thirty-one people died due to sunstroke as north Telangana and parts of coastal Andhra Pradesh reeled under severe heat wave conditions on Wednesday with Nizamabad experiencing the hottest day at 46 degrees Celsius. Man fires shot, robs techie in ATM Armed with a gun, a robber barged into an unmanned SBI ATM at Yousufguda here on Wednesday morning, threatened a software engineer who came to withdraw money and made off with her gold ornaments and debit card. Naidu bats for Veerraju to placate Pawan Kalyan Apparently in a move to rein in film star Pawan Kalyan from hitting the streets, TDP supremo Chandrababu Naidu has ensured the entry of the hero’s close aide and BJP leader Somu Veerraju into the portals of legislative council. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Wife burns man, 6 of his kin to death in TN A 25-year-old woman separated from her husband on Wednesday burned him and six of his family members, including three minors, to death in Madurai's Kumarapuram village. Pandeeswari later surrendered before the police. MCI issues circular authorizing state councils to initiate action against doctors' strike In a move that has ruffled a few feathers among the medical fraternity, the Medical Council of India (MCI) has issued orders to ban strikes by doctors and has instructed the state medical council to take immediate disciplinary action against anyone going against the order. Govt remains indifferent to crumbling 92-yr-old Triplicane school A 92-year-old government school building in Triplicane is on verge of collapse. Close to four months after TOI reported about the condition of Lady Willingdon Higher Secondary School for Girls near Vivekananda House, the authorities concerned appear indifferent. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Gujarat CM returns after weeklong visit to China Chief minister Anandiben Patel returned to the state on Wednesday night after a weeklong visit to China and Hong Kong. On the concluding day of her visit, the CM witnessed signing of MoUs, addressed Gujarat Road Show and held discussions with industry leaders. Power to farmers raises alarm bell for APMCs The Agriculture Produce Market Committees (APMCs) have decided to hold a meeting on May 31 to discuss the fallout of the state government notification that allows farmers to sell their farm produce directly in the open market. The notification was issued on Tuesday. Ahmedabad school students go digital big time High school students in the city are rapidly adopting and adapting to a digital lifestyle to keep up with their peers in the changing times where ‘Being Digital’ is the new ‘Cool’. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Driver killed in bid to loot Rs 50 lakh The driver of a van of State Bank of India carrying Rs 50 lakh in cash from the main branch to Dubey Ka Purwa village in Pratapgarh district was killed when two miscreants opened fire and tried to loot the cash. Boat capsizes in Yamuna, three missing Three persons were missing when a boat, carrying 18 persons capsized in Yamuna. HC asks KDA to remove encroachers The Allahabad high court on Monday directed the Kanpur Development Authority (KDA) to get vacated unauthorized occupations by ‘kabadis’ (scrap dealers) at ‘O’ Block at Kidwai Nagar, Kanpur. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Puri priest held for assaulting couple A Puri priest was arrested on Tuesday for assaulting a couple and misbehaving with their daughter when they refused to take his assistance to enter the Jagannath temple. Puri priests threaten boycott of rituals over temple order A section of servitors of Jagannath Temple in Puri on Tuesday threatened to boycott rituals on Debasnan Purnima, protesting the shrine administration's ban on devotees from touching the deities on the bathing mandap. 3-yr-old rescued from Bengal, 1 held A three-year-old boy, Mohit, allegedly kidnapped from Bhubaneswar railway station in February, was on Tuesday rescued from a woman in West Bengal. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Congress accuses Modi of slashing development budget, favouring business houses Senior Congress leader and former Union minister Mukul Wasnik on Wednesday alleged that the Narendra Modi Centre in its first year of rule shunned Constitutional concept of equitable and inclusive development while favouring the Prime Minister's select business honcho friends. Wasnik was sent by the AICC to speak on the failures of Modi's "suit-boot ki sarkar". Lokayukta raids 'millionaire' panchayat secy in Umaria A village panchayat secretary in Umaria district of Madhya Pradesh, who joined government service at a gross salary of about Rs 5,000 per month became a multi-millionaire in just 12 years of service. MP govt constitutes award in memory of Aruna Shanbaug A day after the death of Aruna Shanbaug, Madhya Pradesh government on Tuesday announced the constitution of an annual award in her memory. More Bhopal News»

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