News Digest: After SC order, CBI probes gruesome murder of teacher in Odisha

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Thursday, March 05, 2015
		Today's Headlines

		India
		After SC order, CBI probes gruesome murder of teacher in Odisha The Central Bureau of Investigation has initiated a probe into the murder of a contractual teacher of Odisha, Itishree Pradhan, who was burnt to death by an unknown assailant. Coal block auction: Usha Martin, Adani emerge winners on first day of Round 2 Steel wire and rope maker Usha Martin and Adani Power emerged winners in the second round of mine auction that began with a bouquet of four ready-to-produce blocks on Wednesday. Property disputes may shift to commercial courts The government is contemplating shifting all property-related disputes to commercial divisions under high courts once they are set up. More India News»

		Business
		Facebook, telcos battle over free access to net Call it the turf war between new-age social media entrepreneurs led by poster-boy Mark Zuckerberg and traditional telecom companies like Vodafone, Bharti Airtel and Telenor. Market volatility no reason to worry, say experts Despite the high volatility in sensex on Wednesday, most brokers say investors should not be nervous about the market since the fundamentals are in place. Cautious RBI backs govt on fiscal deficit The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has backed the government’s efforts to repair its finances by cutting interest rates but has cautioned that — in the short run — the postponement of fiscal consolidation to the 3% target by one year will add to aggregate demand. More Business News»

		Environment
		After monkey deaths, croc's body found The body of a crocodile with serious head injuries and a bloated abdomen was found recently near Vihar lake. India appeals rich nations to vacate carbon space for emerging economies With countries getting ready to present their respective climate action plan in advance ahead of the crucial Paris talks, India on Wednesday appealed the rich nations to vacate the carbon space for developing and emerging economies. India to partner with Africa to fight climate change Ahead of the UN climate conference in Paris later this year, India on Wednesday said that adaptation and mitigation must be accorded "equal" importance and assured that it will partner with African nations to fight climate change while taking cooperation to a "new level". More Environment News»

		World
		33 miners feared dead after pit blast in east Ukraine Seventeen miners were confirmed dead and rescuers held out little hope for another 16 still missing after a blast at a coal mine in the rebel-held city of Donetsk near the battle front in eastern Ukraine on Wednesday. Chad prez tells Boko Haram leader to surrender or die President Idriss Deby of Chad said on Wednesday he knew the whereabouts of Abubakar Shekau, the leader of the Nigerian militant group Boko Haram, and called on him to surrender or risk being killed. Kids to suggest Bapu's message to modern India Britain is asking Indian school children what Mahatma Gandhi’s message would be to modern India. More World News»

		Entertainment
		'I'm quite complicated in real life' Although Suzanna Mukherjee is sexy, smart and stylish like her character Naari Shrivastava in director Amit Khanna’s Fun Never Ends — Badmashiyaan, it was a little tough for her to play a con girl. Exclusive: Emraan Hashmi kissing Amyra  First look of the invisible Emraan Hashmi kissing Amyra Dastur underwater in Vikram Bhatt’s Mr. X. Anushka Sharma's NH10 poster copied from Black Widow? According to a report on Missmalini.com, the poster and the plot of Anushka Sharma's upcoming film NH 10 seems to be inspired by Hollywood film Black Widow. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Sun's heliosphere dominated by two solar jets: NASA Contrary to earlier visualisations, the sun's heliosphere is dominated by two giant jets of material shooting backwards over the north and south poles of the sun. Nasa reproduces building blocks of life in lab Studying the origin of life, Nasa scientist have reproduced three key components of human hereditary material in the laboratory. Hot drink: Coffee cuts heart attack risk People who drink between three and five cups of coffee a day could be reducing their risk of a heart attack, as they are less likely to develop clogged arteries, according to a new study. More Science News»

		Sports
		Indian team downplays Kohli's outburst against journalist The Indian cricket team on Wednesday tried to play down Tuesday's incident when vice captain Virat Kohli hurled abuses at a Hindustan Times correspondent. Team India inconsistent like Bollywood stars: Jeffrey Arthur Renowned British author and a former MP Jeffrey Archer said the current Indian team puzzles him and compared Dhoni-led side with Bollywood superstars. Australia crush Afghanistan by record 275-run margin Australia hit highest World Cup score when they made 417/6 against Afghanistan on their way to a 275-run win, the biggest winning margin in tournament history. More Sports News»

		Technology
		Sony Xperia Tablet Z4 first impressions With no flagship smartphone to show at Mobile World Congress for the first time in years, Sony came packing a top-end tablet to this year's event. Moto E second-generation first impressions We got the opportunity to play around with the second-generation Moto E at the ongoing Mobile World Congress, and here's what we think... The 15 richest people in tech Forbes has released its annual list of the richest people in the world. More Technology News»

		Education
		Will check one paper a day: Maharashtra junior college teachers Trouble is brewing on the HSC paper-checking front once again. CET applications witness reverse trend with 14% increase For the first time in over four years, registrations for the common entrance test (CET) for admissions to B-schools in the state have recorded a growth of nearly 14%. BCI recommends closure of DU law faculty In a fresh trouble for Delhi University Law faculty, a Bar Council of India panel has recommended its closure after it found lack of infrastructure and other irregularities in the functioning of the department. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		High levels still attractive for FIIs If the budget had provided investors a long-term growth path for the Indian economy, Wednesday’s surprise rate cut decision by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has provided the extra boost to investors to look at buying even when the sensex is at a record high. BMC sends crores down the drain on road contracts, says opposition The BMC has invited tenders for pre-monsoon road repairs worth Rs 25 crore. A similar amount had been spent last time on the same work. 'Don't hug, say namaste during Holi amid H1N1' Holi festivities this year has come between the crucial board exams and a raging swine flu outbreak in the city and its peripheral areas. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Delhi govt asks Centre to relieve Sanjiv Chaturvedi Delhi government has once again asked the Centre to depute Sanjiv Chaturvedi, who was removed as Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of AIIMS around four months back, as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the office of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. It is a man's world, not woman's, says Kiran Bedi BJP member and retired IPS officer Kiran Bedi on Wednesday said her experience of the last few weeks, possibly referring to defeat in the Delhi assembly polls, has made her realize that “it’s truly a man’s world…not a woman’s.” Teen raises Rs 2L at mini-marathon A 14-year-old Class IX student of Modern School, Urvi Maheshwari, has emerged as the youngest ‘Dream Teamer’ having raised alone Rs 2.03 lakh for charity at the Seventh Airtel Delhi Half Marathon held on November 23, 2014. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Mangaluru businessman's mega gift for employees: Nano cars Surat diamond exporter Savji Dholakia's lavish Diwali bonus options of a car, flat or jewellery were a pleasant surprise for his employees. Barely 10 crossings on a 31km road Kodigehalli Gate along Ballari Road is a stone’s throw away from the spot where a speeding tanker claimed two young lives last week. Kerala beedi tycoon in Bengaluru police custody till Friday Beedi tycoon and murder accused Mohammed Nisham was on Wednesday remanded to police custody by a city court till Friday. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Bad days for students as Centre cuts funds to midday meal scheme Vegetables, egg and even quality rice could go off the menu of over 55 lakh students from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, who are dependent on the midday meal scheme. Swine flu: T govt issues advisory against Holi mass gatherings In view of rising swine flu cases in Telangana, the government has issued an advisory against mass gathering for Holi, while doctors in Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh asked people to exercise caution in view of the deadly viral outbreak. Female acquaintance shielding gangster Gangi Reddy from law Alipiri blast accused and red sanders smuggler Gangi Reddy was able to evade law enforcing agencies, including the Interpol, and live in Mauritius, courtesy his accomplice, a woman of Indian origin. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Plea against classical language tag for Malayalam About seven years after two petitions were filed challenging the Centre’s decision to grant classical language status for Kannada and Telugu, which are still pending in the Madras high court, two more petitions have been filed opposing the classical language tag for Malayalam and Odia. Dwindling Parsis go back to their roots Just as the matriarch of the Tamil household in Chennai dots her porch with a kolam at the crack of dawn every day, women of the Parsi community pretty up theirs with what they call a 'chalk'. Smoke from burning garbage chokes Ayapakkam residents Thousands of residents of areas in and around Ayapakkam, a panchayat near Ambattur, say smoke from garbage being burned in the area is choking them. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		IIM-A wraps up placements for two programmes IIM Ahmedabad has completed the final placement process for the batch of 2015 for its flagship post graduate programme (PGP) in management as well as the agribusiness management (ABM) programme. SP sledge-hammers PSI Cricket may be a gentleman's game but SP Ahmedabad (rural) Nirlipt Rai is apparently neither a cricket enthusiast nor believes in gentle behavior when it comes to addressing subordinates. Ford's Sanand plant to begin production soon Ford India, a fully owned subsidiary of Ford Motor Company, will begin production of vehicles and engines at its newly built facility in Sanand by the end of this month. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Allahabad University forgets its famous teacher Although couplets of Raghupati Sahay alias 'Firaq Gorakhpuri' are still popular among art lovers, none remembered this revolutionary poet on his death anniversary on Tuesday. Colourless Holi for Gond communitywith obeisance to 'Lord Ravana' For the tribal community of Gond, the festival of colours, would begin with the worship of demon-king Ravana, a day after celebrations would end for the rest of the people. Police mitras to ensure peaceful Holi The district police have roped in around 2,000 'police mitra' across the city to ensure an incident-free Holi this year. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Child, 5 others killed in separate accidents Six persons, including a woman and her four-year-old son, died in three separate accidents late on Sunday. 5 'Aahar' meals for poor in Odisha from Utkal Divas Inspired by the Amma Canteen of Tamil Nadu and the recently-announced Anna Canteen of Karnataka, Odisha will have its own "Aahar" from Utkal Divas on April 1 offering subsidized cooked meals to the poor every day. Five-tier squad for Plus II exam to check malpractice The Plus II theory, and Class XII and Class X board examinations, conducted by Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) respectively, began on Monday. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Cops mum on action against Diggy Cops are cagey about course of action against AICC general secretary Digvijaya Singh, who is accused of ‘illegal appointments’ in the assembly during his tenure as chief minister. Bhopal records third coldest night in 12 yrs State capital experienced third coldest night on Wednesday in past 12 years as minimum temperature dipped to 10.5 (-4) degrees celsius. Barring 2012 and 2013, when minimum temperature dipped to 9.4 and 10.0 degrees celsius, respectively, drop in night temperature was lowest since 2004. Italian musicians perform at Basantotsav musical festival in Bhopal The folks of Bhopal were treated to a musical mélange this week when Italy-based musicians Ejino Nikoli and Virginia performed a jugalbandi on their saxaphone and flute, respectively. The occasion was the annual Basantotsav musical festival, which saw the audience turning up in huge numbers at Manas Bhawan to enjoy the performances of the ar More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		One rank one pension: Veterans meet defence minister, decide to wait The ex-servicemen fraternity has now decided to wait and watch for the announcement of one rank one pension (OROP) — the much-awaited demand of veterans, which the finance minister did not mention in his budget speech. HC dismisses plea seeking ban on screening of 'MSG' Punjab and Haryana high court on Tuesday dismissed two separate petitions challenging the screening of controversial movie 'MSG: The Messenger' featuring Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. Now, Chandigarh's Anandpur Sahib gets 'Sri' tag Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday ordered to re-designate the town of Anandpur Sahib, where Khalsa was founded, as 'Sri Anandpur Sahib'. More Chandigarh News»

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News Digest: Missing 8-year-old murdered in Mohali

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Wednesday, March 04, 2015
		Today's Headlines

		India
		Missing 8-year-old murdered in Mohali Missing for last nine days, Eeight-year-old Nitika Singla was found murdered about 100 meters away from her house at Lambi Gali in Kharar on Tuesday. Corporate espionage: Papers were exchanged in trains, crowded streets They may never have heard of Jonathan Pollard, but the modus operandi of the men involved in leaking sensitive documents from ministries wasn’t any less innovative than the American spy who sold secrets to Israel. From furtive meetings in restaurants to exchanging papers while brushing past each other at Metro stations, the accused took great care to avoid detection. 'Extraneous 2G pleas hit main cases' Irked with filing of unnecessary miscellaneous applications in the 2G scam cases, a special court on Tuesday warned against filing of miscellaneous applications saying the number of miscellaneous applications has climbed up to 2500 in the past two years leaving no time for reading case files and causing a “lot of trouble”. More India News»

		Business
		Voice, data tariffs to go up: Mittal Bharti chief says spectrum expensive, pressure on balance sheets 'Divestment target ambitious, no big stock to reach the goal' Disinvestment secretary Aradhana Johri is gearing up to face the challenge for meeting the massive target of Rs 69,500 crore for the next financial year. More bad news as Subrata Roy completes a year in jail More bad news poured in for the Sahara Group on the eve of Subrata Roy completing a year in jail. More Business News»

		Environment
		NGT takes cognizance of DDA's project The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has taken suo motu cognizance of Delhi Development Authority's (DDA) facelift plan for Qutab Golf Course which will involve shifting or transplanting more than 400 trees. 78 tigers died in 2014: Javadekar Number of tigers died in 2014 has increased to 78, due to both poaching and natural reasons, parliament was informed on Tuesday. Mercury dip stretches migratory season Plummeting mercury as a result of the unseasonal rains over the past two days could stretch the season for migratory birds at Okhla Bird Sanctuary. More Environment News»

		World
		US crackdown on Chinese 'maternity tourism' in Los Angeles US investigators launched dawn raids Tuesday on dozens of Los Angeles locations suspected of offering "maternity tourism" services for mostly Chinese mothers wanting to give birth in the United States. Netanyahu trashes US-Iran nuclear talks Reaching out to the American people and their lawmakers over the heads of the Obama administration, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu made a powerful case on Wednesday against Washington’s efforts to conclude a nuclear deal with Iran, saying it will only pave way for the regime in Teheran, which in his view is rooted in militant Islam, to get nuclear weapons. Indonesia nearly ready to execute 9 drug smugglers "We are just awaiting a report of their transfer preparation," Prasetyo told reporters in the capital, Jakarta, but gave no date for the executions. More World News»

		Entertainment
		Bipasha and Karan give each other a miss Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover missing each other at Tulsi Kumar’s wedding could either be an orchestrated stunt to convey they are just good friends or an indication of a probable lover’s tiff. Bhushan Kumar talks about Tulsi's kanyadaan Be it for the fact that Bhushan Kumar is the owner of a music label that dominates the music industry, the love and respect that the music industry shares for his late father Gulshan Kumar or the fact that he is now a producer, the film fraternity that was in town made it a point to come and bless his sister Tulsi on her marriage. Remakes to look forward to in 2015 Remakes are not new in Bollywood and the latest news doing the rounds is that critic-filmmaker-author Khalid Mohamed is set to remake a classic. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Hot drink: Coffee cuts heart attack risk People who drink between three and five cups of coffee a day could be reducing their risk of a heart attack, as they are less likely to develop clogged arteries, according to a new study. This pen will help diabetics monitor blood sugar levels Ballpoint pens filled with high-tech bio-inks can be used to draw sensors directly on the skin to help detect glucose levels in diabetics, scientists say. Gorilla origins of two AIDS virus lineages confirmed: Study Two of the four known groups of human AIDS viruses originated in western lowland gorillas in Cameroon, scientists said. More Science News»

		Sports
		World Cup: Upset Virat Kohli abuses scribe at training Virat Kohli suddenly lost his cool after the training session as he hurled abuses at a journalist before the side's group league game against Windies on Friday. Shami match-fit, Bhuvneshwar has heavy strapping on ankles Mohammed Shami has apparently recovered from his knee injury and is available for selection in team's next group league match against the West Indies. Akhtar criticised for mocking Pakistan cricket on Indian show Shoaib Akhtar's remarks mocking the state of affairs in Pakistan cricket on an Indian comedy show have evoked angry reactions from ex-players and officials. More Sports News»

		Technology
		Indian firm challenges Apple over 'iPhone' brand An Indian company called iVoice Enterprises is intensifying its battle against the Cupertino giant over the claim to the ‘iPhone’ brand. Apple replaces Samsung as world's top smartphone vendor: Gartner iPhone maker Apple has dethroned Samsung from the top spot on the global smartphone tally. Microsoft Lumia 640 XL first impressions We went hands-on with the Lumia 640 XL at the showcase event at the ongoing Mobile World Congress. Read on to find out what we think of the new Microsoft phablet... More Technology News»

		Education
		Lucky 13 clear NTSE from Chandigarh Thirteen students from city have made it to the national-level National Talent Search Examination. Haryana govt schools introduce monthly tests The directorate of school education has started holding monthly tests to monitor the performances of for students between classes 1 to 8. Maharashtra medical education on verge of collapse Dismal response to last month's advertisement for the post of professors and associate professors at the government-run Grant Medical College and JJ Group of Hospitals shows that medical education in the state is on the verge of collapse, thanks to lack of seriousness at all levels. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Suicide prompts doctors to allay H1N1 fears: 70% patients have recovered As the city recorded the third H1N1 death of a Mumbaikar, the authorities on Tuesday sought to allay fears by pointing out that nearly 70% of those who contracted the disease have been cured and are home. Welukar meets Maharashtra governor Mumbai University vice-chancellor Rajan Welukar met governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao on Tuesday morning for around 10 minutes, Raj Bhavan sources said. Mumbaikars get a taste of winter in March The city once again got a taste of winter on Tuesday when the minimum temperature dipped to 15 degrees Celsius, almost 5 degrees below normal. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		LS passes bill to allow e-rickshaws to legally ply on Delhi's roads Lok Sabha on Tuesday unanimously passed the bill to amend Motor Vehicles Act to help e-rickshaws ply in Delhi. Nirbhaya made filmmaker confront own demons Leslee Udwin, the Nirbhaya filmmaker, says she thought she would hit Mukesh Singh but came away feeling pity for the world Nirbhaya film telecast could weaken case, say activists Gender rights activists and legal experts have taken umbrage to the fact that Mukesh Singh's interview has compromised the Nirbhaya case, which is still awaiting a final verdict. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Siddaramaiah to announce IIT location in April Cop slaps ex-armyman for helping ambulance pass by A few days ago, Bengaluru Traffic Police was lauded for creating a green corridor for an ambulance carrying a live heart. 7 kids contract H1N1, Karnataka school shut for a week A school in Karnataka’s Vijayapur decided to shut the institution for a week as a precautionary measure after seven students contracted the H1N1 virus. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Telangana speaker gets HC notice on turncoat MLAs In a significant development, the Hyderabad high court on Tuesday issued notices to the speaker of Telangana legislative assembly and chairman of Telangana legislative council directing them to respond to the allegations of Congress and TDP. Spoofing tech baffles Hyderabad cops Sumit Agarwal (name changed), a resident of Nanakramguda, received a call from an anonymous number informing him that he won a Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) lottery worth Rs two crore with the programme’s jingle playing in the background. Visually-impaired couple find no Aasara in Hyderabad Fresh guidelines issued by the Telangana government for beneficiaries to claim pension under Aasara scheme have virtually left a visually-impaired couple floundering in the dark. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Judges' appointment case: Madras HC takes a dig at lawyers and Bar leaders From demanding a role in the selection and appointment of judges of the high court, advocates and Bar leaders are now trying to decide which judge should hear which case, rued a division bench of the Madras high court on Tuesday. Reprising Sita's story from the classics, but with a difference Sita, that nonpareil of virtue and submission, has in the recent past been given full voice by women like author Samhita Arni (Sita’s Ramayana) and filmmaker Nina Paley (Sita Sings The Blues), who’ve pulled her out of Ram’s penumbra and installed her as the hero of the epic. Rs 1cr for kin of techie run over by truck Refusing to buy the argument of an insurance firm that the “recklessness” of a 26-year-old software engineer caused his death in a road accident, the Motor Accident Claims Tribunal has directed it to pay a compensation of 1.01 crore to his parents. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Ahmedabad's missing animals mystery: Panjarapol fined 8 lakh A local court in Kalol, Gandhinagar, has ordered the Kalol Panjarapol (cattle pound) to pay Rs 8 lakh to an animal trader as compensation for the loss of nearly 700 goats and sheep. Woman found murdered in Vatva A 42-year-old woman was strangulated to death at her residence in Vatva on Monday. Gold-smuggling probe falls in Ahmedabad agencies' mine AHMEDABAD: Probe into the 60-kg-gold smuggling case, detected by crime branch at the city airport last week, seems to be lost in letters among various agencies. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Unable to check cheating, UP Board shuts down control room The UP Board has miserably failed to check cheating menace in ongoing class X and XII exams. Museum to act as nodal agency for smart city agenda The Allahabad Museum would start a series of discussions with a section of citizens to form public opinion on the way places of architectural and historical importance could be preserved during the course of its development to 'smart city'. Cops aim to trap Balkharia in marriage 'mandap' With intelligence input that dreaded brigand Sudesh Patel alias Balkharia, carrying a cash reward of Rs 6 lakh on his head, might be attending marriage ceremonies in various villages of Banda and Chitrakoot, the police have become vigilant to trap him. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Child, 5 others killed in separate accidents Six persons, including a woman and her four-year-old son, died in three separate accidents late on Sunday. 5 'Aahar' meals for poor in Odisha from Utkal Divas Inspired by the Amma Canteen of Tamil Nadu and the recently-announced Anna Canteen of Karnataka, Odisha will have its own "Aahar" from Utkal Divas on April 1 offering subsidized cooked meals to the poor every day. Five-tier squad for Plus II exam to check malpractice The Plus II theory, and Class XII and Class X board examinations, conducted by Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) and Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) respectively, began on Monday. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		'Singhasan Khali Hai' staged at Shaheed Bhavan in Bhopal During its latest outing on stage in the city, the Hindi play Singhasan Khali Hai compelled the audience at Shaheed Bhavan to reflect deeply on the current state of politics and how it affects the common man. Bhopal's Nutan College organises its annual cultural event Bhopal’s all-girl’s Nutan College recently organised its annual cultural event, which turned out to be an entertaining event for all. The talented girls participated in a dance competition on film songs of on-screen jodis who are now real life couples. MP guv returns, likely to go to Delhi after Holi Madhya Pradesh governor Ram Naresh Yadav, who was in New Delhi to meet President Pranab Mukherji returned to state capital on Tuesday evening. He is likely to leave for Delhi after Holi festival, as he failed to get an audience with the President in the last six days. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Failed bid to rob ATM in Chandigarh's Manimajra Unidentified men attempted to break ATM of a private bank in Manimajra on Monday night.The ATM was without guard and police have instructed bank management to provide footage of CCTV camera installed inside the ATM booth. Sunny relief for Chandigarh After witnessing rains and thundershowers for two days, city residents took a sigh of relief on Tuesday.With sun showing up, day temperature rose, but the clear sky sent down night temperature. With 36 cases in 6 months, cyber crime graph rises in Chandigarh w/pixSaurabh.Prashar@timesgroup.Until he fell into the trap of cyber criminals, Naresh Kumar, a government employee, didn't know what 'information technology' meant. More Chandigarh News»

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