Maoists disrupt life, kill 2, blast tracks
Day 2 of bandh: Factory ransacked, traders abducted
Ranchi/Gaya, March 23
Maoists killed two persons in Jharkhand and blew up rail tracks in four eastern states today, just hours after they targeted the Rajdhani Express by blasting a rail line in Bihar in which hundreds of passengers had a miraculous escape after 10 coaches derailed.

Food, care, core facilities: Missing
Chandigarh, March 23
As one enters the dark, dingy single room of the dharamshala that doubles as an anganwari centre in Nangal Garhian village, around 20 kms from here, four-year-old Satnam follows in. Pale, thin and dressed in clothes three times his size, Satnam watches every move intently, his eyes full of hope.

On Headley Trail
After yes, US now reluctant to give India access
New Delhi, March 23
In a major embarrassment for India, the US, this morning said no decision had been taken to give India direct access in questioning terror-suspect David Coleman Headley who has confessed his role in the 26/11attacks.

The Last Word
ND Tiwari
‘Grand’ old man with a glad eye
Chandigarh, March 23
Back in Dehradun after a controversial stint as Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Narain Dutt Tiwari is doing what he does best — interacting with common people from the Kumaon region where he hails from, and inspecting the schemes that he had introduced as Chief Minister of Uttarakhand.

Building blaze kills 10 in downtown Kolkata
Kolkata, March 23
At least 10 persons were killed and 30 injured when a devastating blaze swept through three floors of a 150-year-old multi-storey building housing offices and residences on the upscale Park Street on Tuesday.

US Army gets its first Sikh graduate in 25 years
Washington, March 23
Captain Tejdeep Singh Rattan, a 31-year-old dentist, has become the first Sikh in over 25 years to be allowed to complete US Army officer basic training without giving up his turban or shaving his full beard. Rattan graduated on Monday at Fort Sam Houston after the army made an exemption to a uniform policy that has prevented Sikhs from enlisting since 1984 without sacrificing the articles of their faith.

SINGH ON A SONG: US Army Capt Tejdeep Singh Rattan speaks to journalists at the US Army officer basic training graduation ceremony at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio on Monday. — AP

Parliament gives Martyrs’ Day a miss New Delhi, March 23 Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s towering 18-feet bronze statue in the Parliament looked lonely today, with just one MP turning up to pay floral tributes at it on the occasion of Martyrs’ Day. Seventy-nine years ago on March 23, 1931, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev went down in history as heroes, kissing the gallows with ease. But the Parliament gave them a miss.