Today's news headlines - 8 December 2011

• Mullaperiyar dam row: On Dec 7 Lord Ayyappa devotees from Tamil Nadu decided to return to their home towns mid-way without visiting Sabarimala temple. The pilgrims, who were stranded at Cumbum where Sec 144 was imposed, following the reports of attacks on Tamilians, returned back to their towns. Other reports suggest that protesting against Kerala's stand to construct a new dam, MDMK leader Vaiko is set to stage a day-long fast at Theni district on 8 December.
  
  
• Ant-Putin protests continue in Russia despite a show of force by Russian police who it’s reported have arrested more than a thousand people in the crackdown since the election on 4 December. Ex-president Mikhail Gorbachev said the election was unfair, and called for a re-run. Meanwhile, Vladimir Putin has signed the official papers to declare himself a presidential candidate for next years election.
  
  
• Asian stocks fell as hopes faded that a bold solution might be found to a crippling debt crisis that is threatening to drag Europe into deep recession.
  
  
• Google India gets Income-Tax notice for not revealing correct revenues. IT dept has questioned the practice of paying tax on 'net' income from advertisements, after crediting a sizeable amount to Google Ireland.
  
  
• Apple upgrades its software; introduces new emoticons, Emoji.
  
  
• 2G scam case: CBI court allows Subramaniam Swamy to examine P Chidambaram.
  
  
• Naturalized U.S. citizen Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai pleaded guilty on 7 December to secretly receiving millions of dollars from Pakistan and the Inter-Services Intelligence Agency (ISI) while lobbying in the United States over the disputed territory of Kashmir.
  
  
• Nuns should be offered the contraceptive pill, on health grounds, since it would cut their risk of getting cancer, two Australian doctors said on 8 December.
  
  
• Girl students of Dronacharya Nursing College, Dharamsala are living in a state of fear for the last two days as some anti-social elements in the locality had forcibly tried twice to enter the girls hostel situated at Yol.