News Digest: Keep your no-booze gyan, get us jobs: Voters to Soren

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Sunday, April 20, 2014
		Today's Headlines

		India
		Keep your no-booze gyan, get us jobs: Voters to Soren It’s among the worst kept secrets in state politics — almost everybody, from polling officials to the district administration, knows of the ‘covert’ mutton-and-mahua feasts that parties organize here in the run-up to elections. In Mandi, a race to prove common man credentials In the country’s largest Lok Saha constituency after Barmer, the battle is between a commoner running down royalty and a ‘rani sahiba’ donning the commoner tag. BJP’s ‘aam admi’ Ram Swaroop Sharma misses no opportunity to point an accusing finger at opponent, Congress’s Pratibha Singh, daughter of long-gone Keonthal state’s royal family.  When netas use disability as abuse Political correctness is not the strong point of public discourse in India. Politicians are usually the worst offenders.  More India News»

		Business
		Documents detail another delayed GM recall General Motors waited years to recall nearly 335,000 Saturn Ions for power steering failures despite getting thousands of consumer complaints and more than 30,000 warranty repair claims, according to government documents released Saturday. Beijing auto show opens amid market slowdown Global and Chinese automakers are looking to the Beijing auto show to help boost sales in a slowing, intensely competitive market. Karnataka govt asks Toyota to restore operations Although the lockout was lifted on March 24, employees have not resumed work. More Business News»

		Environment
		42% of urban, 60% of rural Indian houses getting contaminated water: Study A small study of water samples from urban and rural households declared as getting drinking water from “improved” sources has shown that about 42% of urban and 60% of rural households were actually getting contaminated water. 3-million-year old green landscape found beneath ice sheet There was a green and forested landscape prior to the time that the ice sheet began to form in Greenland and scientists have now discovered that the three-million-year-old landscape still exists beneath the Greenland ice sheet. 15 Indian bird species among globally endangered Fifteen Indian bird species are part of a list of avians which are evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered. More Environment News»

		World
		US planning military drills in east Europe The US plans to carry out small groundforce exercises in Poland and Estonia in an attempt to reassure Nato’s eastern European members worried about Russia’s military operations in and near Ukraine, Western officials said on Friday. 10 more bodies found inside South Korean ferry Divers recovered 13 bodies from inside a ferry that sank off South Korea, pushing the confirmed death toll to 46, officials said on Saturday. Ukraine PM blasts anti-Jewish leaflets, demands justice Ukraine's prime minister voiced outrage at reports masked men in east Ukraine's main city handed out demanding Jews register or be expelled, demanding "these bastards" be brought to justice. More World News»

		Entertainment
		Ameesha Patel mobbed, slaps a man for groping her Bollywood actress Ameesha Patel got the shock of her life recently when she got mobbed during the launch of a jewellery showroom in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. Certified copy of Chitrangda 's divorce decree Here’s putting all the rumours around the Chitrangda Singh and Jyotinder Singh Randhawa divorce to rest. Delhi Times has a certified copy of their divorce decree. Why did Vir Das steal Kangana's metallic bra? When Kangana Ranaut and Vir Das came to the Delhi Times office on Friday, they spoke about their outrageous characters in Revolver Rani, the ephemeral love of the audience and the tussle between critical acclaim and mass popularity. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		US scientists make embryonic stem cells from adult skin For the first time, US researchers have cloned embryonic stem cells from adult cells, a breakthrough on the path towards helping doctors treat a host of diseases. British men get dadism at 38 It’s a startling moment in any man’s life. You’re on the sofa scrutinizing the money pages, looking forward to a good lawn-mowing and finding yourself excited about an upcoming sale at B&Q, when it hits you: you’ve turned into your dad. Does a brain workout work? Do brain training apps really sharpen those grey cells? Yes, say avid gamers but neuroscientists are not so sure. More Science News»

		Sports
		Mourinho's superb unbeaten streak ends Jose Mourinho suffered his first home league loss as Chelsea coach in 78 matches after bottom of the table Sunderland stunned them 2-1 at Stamford Bridge. Rafael Nadal seeks homeground solution World No. 1 Rafael Nadal targets a 9th Barcelona Open title this week desperate to prove his shock Monte Carlo Masters quarters exit is not a bad sign. Cavani brace helps PSG win League Cup Paris Saint-Germain won France's League Cup on Saturday, beating Olympique Lyon 2-1 at Stade de France to secure first leg of a likely domestic double. More Sports News»

		Technology
		Amazon smartphone: 5 likely features Amazon is planning to launch a smartphone. This has prompted industry analysts and tech blogs to muse about what the device might offer. Nokia X vs Nokia Asha 502, 503 vs Nokia Lumia 520 Realizing that mobile phone sales in India are largely concentrated at the bottom of the pool, Nokia has provided three new options. One in 4 Wipro staff to get up to 20% salary hike Wipro will give double-digit salary hikes to top performers and to those with hot skills, mainly big data and analytics specialists who are in short supply. More Technology News»

		Education
		Universities need to challenge frontiers of knowledge: DRDO chief India's universities and institutions should be able to challenge the frontiers of knowledge, Avinash Chander said. 500 PG students of Gujarat University get zero marks About 500 students of Master of Arts, Gujarati Literature students received a shock when all of them found that one of the paper all the students were marked zero. Vigorous efforts needed to make Indian varsities world class: Lord Swraj Paul NRI industrialist Lord Swraj Paul on Friday underlined the need for vigorous efforts to make Indian universities world class More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Oxygen therapy breathes new life into woman in a coma When Sonabai Morasker boards a bus for Shippur village near Kolhapur on April 25, she will leave without the memory of four days she spent in a state of unconsciousness—or coma— in a city hospital. Maharashtra chief minister's convoy in minor accident on Western Express Highway Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan’s convoy was involved in a minor accident on Western Express Highway at Kandivli (east) on Saturday. Chavan was not injured. Mumbai man steals to fund medical treatment, arrested The Kandivli police arrested a man on Thursday for committing several burglaries to allegedly support his health expenses. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Delhi Congress hints at secular ties Delhi Congress on Saturday hinted at exploring the possibility of an alliance with “secular” parties for elections for mayors and deputy mayors’ post in all the three municipal corporations in the capital. Rs 2 lakh damages for illegal detention The Delhi high court recently ordered the Centre and the governments of Delhi and Jammu & Kashmir to pay a man Rs 2 lakh as compensation for illegally detaining him. These teachers show how ideas make all the difference One day in northeast Delhi’s Seelampur, teacher changemaker at Madrasa e-Jadeed Shaheen Saifi realized that her Class III students were not paying attention during her lessons. So she came up with a trick. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Anti-Naxal Force guns downs cattle trader by mistake Anti-Naxal Force personnel allegedly shot dead Kabeer, 29, a resident of Krishnapura, in what police top brass maintain is a case of mistaken identity. Bid to reverse promotion of staffers after 18 years quashed These officials are on the verge of retirement.But the government wants to revert them to a junior position now. Couple dies after their scooter hits truck While HV Srinivas and Lakshmi alias Padmavathi, 30, died when their customized Honda Activa crashed into a parked truck. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Huge poll spend in AP worries Election Commission Staggering amounts of cash being spent by contestants in Andhra Pradesh during this election has the Election Commission of India worried. Heritage of negligence The International Council on Monuments & Sites (ICOMOS) adopted 'Heritage of Commemoration' as the theme for this year's World Heritage Day celebrations. Hafiz Baba Nagar sees no development in years Slums on either side of potholed-ridden narrow bylanes reminds one how basic civic amenities having been missing in the area for years. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Chennai high court denies bail to doctor who arranged accident to kill wife Two patients changed the life of Dr Selvaraj forever - one was Ginnett, who became his wife and later divorced him; the other was Velayutham, whom he engaged to murder Ginnett. Metrowater pumps to conserve water in Chennai Every day, one million cubic feet of water is lost to evaporation from each of the four reservoirs that quench the city's thirst. Dark days: Power fluctuations trip up schedules in Chennai The days are sultry and hot, and residents in many parts of the city have also started to face power fluctuations.Voltage has started to dip at night as airconditioners are used non-stop. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		4 schoolteachers arrested for gambling on IPL Five persons, including four schoolteachers were arrested by Tharad Police on Friday evening for gambling on IPL-7. 'Entrepreneurs create and multiply wealth of society' The 15{+t}{+h} convocation of Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDI) on Saturday saw an emotional keynote address by the GMR Group chairman G M Rao. Firm owner charged with kidnapping An executive working with a finance firm was kidnapped in Sector 20 of Gandhinagar and Sector 21 Police have registered a complaint. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Candidates bank on poll managers in campaigning The teams of all the candidates campaigning behind the scene are busy these days and handling the entire election management. 23 candidates file their nomination on last day 14 candidates from Allahabad parliamentary seat and 9 candidates from Phulpur parliamentary seat filed their nomination papers at the district collectorate on the last day on Saturday. SP women wing holds puja and yajna The women party workers also prayed for the victory of all the party candidates in 2014 parliamentary polls.  More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		State voter count rises by 40 lakhs Odisha saw a massive surge of over 40 lakh more voters taking part in voting this time, estimates made after the completion of the two-phase twin elections in the state has revealed. Parties flash victory sign before results The three major political parties - BJD, Congress and BJP - in the state on Friday claimed they would do exceedingly well in the just-concluded twin elections. Missing names, false voters cause low polling Several people complained that they had to return from the polling booths without casting votes, as their names were missing in the voters' list. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Silver lining in cloud: More educated from state may go to Parliament 2014 could be a game-changer. Lok Sabha representatives from the state are likely to be more qualified than their predecessors. Crorepati LS candidates double in MP  In five years, the net worth of candidates contesting from Madhya Pradesh has more than doubled. Out of the total 370 candidates in fray from the 29 constituencies in state, 20% (75) are crorepatis. Assets of LS candidates spiral by 200% since last LS poll The average asset of contestants has escalated by more than 200% since the last elections in 2009. In this election, 370 candidates have average assets of Rs 2.24 crore while in 2009, 420 candidates had average assets of a mere Rs 65.82 lakh. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Captain has run out of steam, is a mere bully: Majithia Punjab revenue minister Bikram Singh Majithia on Saturday said that Congress candidate from Amritsar, Captain Amarinder Singh, had "run out of steam" even before the campaign entered the last phase. SAD-BJP, Congress playing ping-pong with people: Gul Panag Exhorting people of Amritsar to "vote for themselves" as they were the aam adami, AAP's candidate from Chandigarh, Gul Panag, held a road show in Amritsar, along with party's candidate Dr Daljit Singh. Captain slams Akalis over drug legalisation issue Amarinder said that this only vindicated his stand that the drug trade was being run under the nose of Akalis."Now an Akali MP has confirmed it herself," he pointed out. More Chandigarh News»

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