Rebels to give candidates tough time
Battlelines drawn n Nearly 50% candidates withdraw nominations n 1080 in fray
Chandigarh, January 16
The battlelines for the January 30 Punjab elections were drawn today with 974 candidates, nearly half of the 2,054 who had filed their nominations, withdrawing from the contest. In all, 1,080 candidates will try their luck in the poll. Most of the 117 Assembly segments will see a multi-corner contest, with many rebels giving official nominees of the party a tough contest.

Now, ombudsman for higher education institutions
New Delhi, January 16
Students attending higher education institutions run by the Centre and recognised by academic regulators will now have a platform to register their grievances and seek redress.

foul content
Blocking websites not an option: Google India
New Delhi, January 16
Google India, which along with 20 websites is facing criminal cases for allegedly hosting objectionable materials, today told the Delhi High Court that blocking them was not an option as democratic India was not a "totalitarian" regime like China.

border row
India, China begin talks
New Delhi, January 16
Amid hopes of an improvement in bilateral ties, the Special Representatives (SRs) of India and China today began the 15th round of talks on the long-standing border dispute between the two countries.

National Security Adviser Shivshankar Menon and Chinese State Councillor Dai Bingguo before Round 15 of the special representatives talks in New Delhi on Monday. — PTI

201 Indians rescued from cruise ship Rome, January 16 One Indian is missing in a luxury cruiser drowning incident off the Tuscan coast in Italy while 201 crew members from the country have been rescued, officials said here today. Rescue operations on: Coast Guard boats patrol near cruise ship Costa Concordia after it ran aground off the Tuscan coast in Italy. — AFP