News Digest: CRPF seeks J&K-type allowance in Naxal areas

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Friday, June 27, 2014
		Today's Headlines

		India
		CRPF seeks J&K-type allowance in Naxal areas The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Thursday urged home minister Rajnath Singh to increase allowances given to jawans posted in Naxal areas. PM Modi likely to inaugurate Godavari Pushkarams next year Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the Godavari Pushkarams scheduled to be held at Rajahmundry between August and September next year. Despite LS sweep, BJP sees Delhi polls as tall order The BJP leadership considers the electoral battle in the national capital the most difficult task for the party. More India News»

		Business
		Government mulls pricing gas in rupees The government is weighing the option of switching to a mechanism of fixed return on investment for producers and setting domestic gas prices in rupees instead of dollars to shut out exchange rate volatility. Star Alliance entry to end AI freebie culture? Will Air India’s entry into Star Alliance from July 11 finally achieve the impossible: Clamp the brakes on free upgrades that netas, babus, other influential people and their kin have enjoyed for years by buying the cheapest economy tickets but getting ‘bumped’ up to business or first class? Sensing loan waiver, farmers stop payment After assuming charge in October, SBI chairman Arundhati Bhattacharya has identified five areas of focus — bad loans, risk management, cost control, leveraging technology, improving service delivery and increasing non-interest income. More Business News»

		Environment
		Climate change prompting Arctic birds to breed early Earlier spring seasons and snow-melt brought about by climate change are causing migratory birds that breed in the Arctic Alaska to breed sooner, says a study. Iran tries to save Asiatic cheetah from extinction Gary Lewis, with the UN Development Program, said the dropping numbers in Iran are alarming. Canada offers to join efforts to clean up Ganga Canada has offered to collaborate with the government on its ambitious project to clean up the Ganga, Union minister Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday. More Environment News»

		World
		Militants take Iraqi gasfield town Militants took a town an hour from Baghdad that is home to four natural gasfields on Thursday, another gain by Sunni insurgents who have swiftly taken large areas to the north and west of the Iraqi capital. Al-Sadr vows to 'shake the ground' against militants Powerful Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr vowed to “shake the ground” under the feet of advancing Sunni militants, risking ratcheting up sectarian tensions today in a crisis dividing Iraq along communal lines. Israel offers to help Arab nations over Iraq crisis Israel offered to help moderate Arab nations threatened by a lightning offensive by Islamic militants in Iraq, as the country's top diplomat met with US secretary of state John Kerry today. More World News»

		Entertainment
		Movie Review: 'Ek Villain' When Guru's love Aisha is threatened by Rakesh, a villain, the evil within him resurfaces. He too bays for blood and how 'I saw bruises on Preity Zinta's arm' Actress Preity Zinta, who has accused her former boyfriend Ness Wadia of abusing and threatening her, has apparently shown her bruises to her neighbour. 'I'm 42, but on some days, I can be 18' Interview: Sajid Khan speaks up on his film Humshakals. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Fight against antibiotic resistance gets £10m boost Antibiotic resistance has been voted as the deadliest threat of our times in the UK and is now a focus of a £10 million prize on ways to tackle it. Brain implant helps paralysed man move his hand using thoughts For the first time, a 23-year-old paralysed man from US has been able to move his hand using his thoughts, thanks to an innovative device that bypasses the injured site. Organ created from stem cells; they contract at 30 beats/min Miniature human hearts that beat of their own accord have been grown in the lab using stem cells. More Science News»

		Sports
		Suarez gets nine-match ban, out of WC Fifa banned Uruguay's Luis Suarez for 9 international matches and barred him from all football activities for four months for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini. Paes-Stepanek enter second round Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek put out Mariusz Fyrstenberg of Poland and Rajeev Ram of the US 6-2, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 to move into the second round. Belgium beat Korea 1-0, win Group H Vertonghen scored from a rebound in the 78th minute to give 10-man Belgium a 1-0 victory over South Korea and clinch top spot in Group H at the World Cup. More Sports News»

		Technology
		#GoogleIO2014: Complete coverage Google I/O 2014: Complete coverage Google announces Android One platform for low-end smartphones Google has announced Android One, a design reference platform that enables manufacturers to build low-end smartphones more easily, at I/O 2014. Next Android version to have better performance, revamped UI Google has given a preview of Android L release, the next version of Android, which focuses on performance as well as design. More Technology News»

		Education
		No corporal punishment, CBSE reminds schools The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has reminded all its affiliated schools to keep out corporal punishment at every cost. Directorate of Technical Education specifies composite score method for engineering admissions The composite score will be drawn from a 50:50 weightage to the percentile of marks obtained in paper 1 of the JEE (Main) 2014 and in the Std XII physics, chemistry and mathematics (PCM) group of the board exams. DU proposes 'blending' FYUP with 3-year course  Breaking 10 days of silence over rollback of the four year undergraduate programme (FYUP), the Delhi University on Thursday wrote to the University Grants Commission (UGC) proposing a ‘blended’ formula that incorporates elements of FYUP in a three-year semester system. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		1 dies under train near Masjid, 2 injured A commuter was run over by a train between Sandhurst Road and Masjid station on Wednesday night. Two others were injured in the incident that hit services for nearly 15 minutes. Cidco upbeat about land acquisition from project affected persons for Navi Mumbai international airport City and Industrial Development Corporation (Cidco) is optimistic about acquiring 671 hectares of land from 14 villages to develop the Rs 15,000-crore international airport project. Maharashtra Public Service Commission finally gets chairman Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Thursday appointed veteran bureaucrat V N More the chairman of the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC). Law secretary H B Patel was appointed member. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		DU proposes 'blending' FYUP with 3-year course, UGC rejects plan Breaking 10 days of silence over rollback of the four year undergraduate programme (FYUP), the Delhi University on Thursday wrote to the University Grants Commission (UGC) proposing a ‘blended’ formula that incorporates elements of FYUP in a three-year semester system. 'Ensure 24x7 power, water in Ramzan' Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee (DPCC) president Arvinder Singh on Thursday urged lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung to ensure uninterrupted power and water supply in the Muslim-dominated areas of the city during Ramzan. AIIMS doctors want to extend health scheme Doctors and staff members of AIIMS have pitched for extending their health benefit scheme beyond the premiere institute to all other hospitals empanelled with the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS). More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		A woman's life in a metro: Rogue auto driver, lax cops A hardened Bangalore may dismiss it as just another run-in with a rogue auto driver, but our hardy victim — a 22-year old NGO activist — splashed her story on Facebook and got back at her harasser. Biggest counterfeit Indian art controversy hits auction Bangalore-based Bid & Hammer's forthcoming auction has been assailed by what, perhaps, is the biggest controversy to come to light in the Indian art market, writes Neelam Raaj. School principal borrows girls' pillows, dances drunk Mallikarjun Swamy, 52, principal of Kittur Rani Chennamma Residential School in Yellammana Palya, Anekal taluk, Bangalore Urban district, allegedly suffers from a perversity. He can't sleep till he rests his head on a pillow borrowed from a girl student. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		PM Modi likely to inaugurate Godavari Pushkarams next year  Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to inaugurate the Godavari Pushkarams scheduled to be held at Rajahmundry between August and September next year.  Cops mull PD Act amendment to book red sanders smugglers Realizing their folly of booking dreaded red sanders smugglers under the Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act, the Andhra Pradesh police brass are mulling amendment to the Act. Mock security drill held at Hyderabad airport With regular intelligence alerts of a possible terror attack, a mock drill was conducted to check preparedness of security agencies at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport (RGIA) on Thursday. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		With defence boost in mind, PM to witness rocket launch Signalling that space science and related missile technologies are a top priority for India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will witness the launch of PSLV-C23 rocket at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR) in Sriharikota on Monday. No major initiatives for long term solutions S Janakarajan, professor at Madras Institute of Development Studies, discusses the state’s water situation. Court rulings on Cauvery & Mullaperiyar will help short term, but depletion of groundwater levels should be reversed Two major political victories of the present AIADMK government relate to water. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Seats glut hits students, B-schools The Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree is losing its charm for students. Man held with gold worth Rs 16 lakh Customs department on Thursday morning arrested a man for smuggling gold worth Rs 16.03 lakh at Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Mumbai-based Javed Alam Beg was caught with 645.4 gram of gold concealed in the form of wires. Gujarat CM to visit Australia in August Chief minister Anandiben Patel will make her first foreign visit as CM to Australia in August. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Young Scientist Award for Allahabad University alumnus Allahabad University alumnus Prashant Kumar Rai has bagged the prestigious Young Scientist Award from the Council of Science and Technology. Khusro Bagh dying slow death because of neglect As you pass through the busy lanes of Khuldabad Sabzi Mandi, a grand entrance with projected balconies and designs, hidden by encroachments, welcomes you. Allahabad University authorities prepare for smooth conduct of NET For the first time, UGC shall provide booklet in Braille format for the visually impaired candidates, informed the coordinator. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Odisha raises retirement age of govt staff to 60 Pushed to the wall by large-scale vacancies, the Odisha government on Wednesday raised the retirement age of its employees from 58 to 60 years. Tribal children should be empowered through education Odisha is a tribal dominated state. Daitapati, Odisha govt stalemate continues The Jagannath Temple administration’s effort to quell the warring Daitapati priests came a cropper as a meeting between the car festival’s special officer Suresh Mohapatra and priests ended inconclusively at Puri on Wednesday. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Teenaged girl sexually harassed by foster father A teenaged girl was sexually harassed and forced to watch obscene videos by her foster father for close to eight years. Madhya Pradesh parched as monsoon stutters With monsoon not advancing further in Madhya Pradesh, many cities, including Bhopal are parched despite June coming to an end. Weatherman said monsoon would take a few more days to advance in remaining parts of the state. Getting drugs in Bhopal no big deal Getting contraband is not tough in Bhopal. Apart from organised interstate racket, there are small time peddlers operating in different areas of city. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Zirakpur man stabbed 6 times, dies Sanjay Kumar, 49, a resident of Zirakpur, was stabbed to death near Hallomajra light-point, Chandigarh, on Wednesday night. Missing trader found dead in Morni A shopkeeper, Kuldeep Kumar, 32, a resident of Bapu Dham Colony, Sector 26, was found dead in Tikkar Taal, Morni, on Thursday. Decomposed body found A highly decomposed body was recovered from a drainage near Sector 47 on Thursday. More Chandigarh News»

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