News Digest: With Abe calling for polls, Japanese foreign minister to miss India trip

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Wednesday, November 19, 2014
		Today's Headlines

		India
		With Abe calling for polls, Japanese foreign minister to miss India trip Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s decision to call snap elections has one India effect – Japanese foreign minister Fumio Kishida will not be coming to India this weekend. Govt promises maintenance won't suffer between highway upgrades The road transport ministry will soon come out with a norm for maintenance of highway stretches, which almost become “orphan” for 5-6 months after NHAI or any other agency awards these projects to private players. Will quit CM's post if links to Saradha are proved, Mamata Banerjee says Asked about BJP chief Amit Shah saying that TMC is trying hard to protect extremist fundamentalist Muslim forces in the state, the CM reacted in a TV interview saying, “Who is this man (Amit Shah)? More India News»

		Business
		Bid to attract inflows gets boost: Shell After Vodafone, energy major Shell has won a transfer pricing case against the income tax department. Govt relaunches Kisan Vikas Patras The government on Tuesday relaunched Kisan Vikas Patras (KVPs) and offered to double your investment in 100 months as it looked to boost savings in the economy and step up investment. Govt hurries 40k cr stake sale in Coal India, ONGC Narendra Modi led NDA Government is hurrying to mop up around Rs 40,000 crore through disinvestment of minority stakes in Coal India and ONGC before global investors go on year-end holidays. More Business News»

		Environment
		Climate change not behind collapse of European Bronze Age: Study Scientists who studied a huge population collapse in Europe at the end of the Bronze Age have said climate change, commonly assumed to be responsible, could not have been the culprit. Wetlands facing threat in India Basai Wetland of Gurgaon in Haryana, one of the important bird areas of country, is facing threat of being lost forever. Panel, suggesting changes in green laws, submits its report Suggests amendments in almost all green laws including those relating to environment, forest, wildlife and coastal zone clearances. More Environment News»

		World
		Palestinians kill four rabbis in Jerusalem synagogue attack Three of the victims held dual US-Israeli citizenship and the fourth man was a British-Israeli national, police said. Republicans block sweeping overhaul of NSA programme Senate Republicans on Tuesday blocked a sweeping overhaul of the once-secret National Security Agency programme that collects records of Americans’ phone calls in bulk. Kurds seize arms, six buildings used by ISIS The Kurds also took a large quantity of rocket-propelled grenade launchers, guns and machine gun ammunition. More World News»

		Entertainment
		Happy New Year fails to break Kick's record It’s a no-brainer why Bollywood biggies chase those magical release dates in the calendar Top 10: Instagram pics of the week Kapoor Khandaan: Know less popular members More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Here come the autonomous robot guards The security guard of future is five feet tall, Wi-Fi-equipped and looks uncannily like a cross between a Dalek and EVE from Wall-E. Study finds alternative to anti-cholesterol drug For the first time since statins have been regularly used, a large study has found that another type of cholesterol-lowering drug can protect people from heart attacks and strokes. Philae reveals presence of large amount of water ice on the comet The European Space Agency has revealed that the comet - 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko “is not nearly as soft and fluffy as it was believed to be”. More Science News»

		Sports
		World Chess Championship: Anand draws Game 8 against Carlsen Norwegian world champion Magnus Carlsen and title challenger Viswanathan Anand decided to split points in 41 moves in the eighth round of their title match. ISL: Garcia helps Kolkata defeat NorthEast United Luis Garcia fired in a stunning header to help Atletico de Kolkata end their four-match winless run by registering a 1-0 victory over NorthEast United FC. Terry Walsh quits as coach of Indian hockey team In a major blow to Indian hockey, national coach Terry Walsh quit from his post after the demands put by him were not met by the Indian authorities. More Sports News»

		Technology
		Google, Stanford researchers announce major breakthrough in image recognition Scientists have created artificial intelligence software able to recognize the content of photos and videos with such accuracy that it can sometimes mimic humans. Lenovo Vibe X2 review: A good looking, feature rich smartphone At a price less than Rs 20,000 is the Vibe X2 worthy of being referred to as a ‘value for money’ phone? 7 tips to improve the way you search online As the internet continues to grow with every passing second, the amount of content available online — such as text, pictures and even high-definition multimedia — keeps on increasing. More Technology News»

		Education
		IIM-A hikes fees after 2 yrs After a gap of two years, the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has increased fees for its postgraduate programme (PGP) and agri-business management programme (ABM) from the current Rs 16.6 lakh to Rs 18.5 lakh. IIM-A hikes course fee, set to introduce changes in curriculum India's premier business school Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad announced a fee hike ranging from Rs 1.9 lakh to 2.5 lakh for three of its flagship courses. Indian students rediscover US as education destination After three years of decline, the number of Indian students at US campuses increased by six per cent to 102,673 in the 2013-14 academic year, according to a new report on International Educational Exchange. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Lens on foreign band shows for tax evasion On November 1, around 1,000 music lovers attended a concert by popular band ABBA at a Santacruz gymkhana. In February, 3,000 spectators enjoyed a performance by the Bellamy Brothers at the same venue. Mumbai gets some colour with street art Viewing art is commonly thought of as a stodgy affair, requiring hushed tones, hors d’oeuvres and deep pockets. Indie directors to train lens on filmmaking fundas For filmmaker Ritesh Batra, it was a breeze to shoot in Bandra. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Watch how Qutub stood tall in barren lands It’s the monument that witnesses the maximum footfall in the national capital, and now visitors to the Qutub Minar will get a chance to see how it evolved through the centuries. 67 counsellors to help those taking Boards The Directorate of Education wants to ensure the students do the very best possible in their exams and not be hamstrung by stress. It is getting counsellors from its Educational Vocational Guidance Bureau to counsel students of Class XII to help them gird up against stress brought on by the pre-boards and board exams. Pickpocket calls himself Kejriwal to fool cops A man gave his name as Arvind Kejriwal to police when interrogated for pickpocketing. As Delhi Police registers FIRs based on information noted down verbatim, he was charged with the offence of attempting to commit theft under the same name on Tuesday afternoon. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Bengaluru Kiss of Love plan sets off protest The Kiss of Love campaign against moral policing is here. With the Karnataka government saying it is open to permitting the event, raucous opposition has preceded its arrival.Human rights activists have confirmed their campaign in Bengaluru later this month. Nano taxis set to trigger new fare war in Bengaluru This could mean the death of autorickshaws. Cab aggregators TaxiForSure and Ola will soon introduce Tata Nanos as part of their fleet, and Google Ventures-funded Uber is looking at launching hatchbacks like Indica, Micra and Beat. TaxiForSure will roll out Nano taxis in Bengaluru next week with 200 cabs initially. Ola, too, is looking at the same opportunity. Killer bear sat by body for hours Experts Say Attack Unlike Previous Cases More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Inter exam row: AP team meets governor A delegation of Andhra Pradesh ministers called on governor E S L Narasimhan and requested him to persuade the Telangana regime to agree to a common schedule for the Intermediate examinations to be held next year. Telangana doctors on collision course with IMA With backing from the state government, doctors supporting Telangana Indian Medical Association (TIMA) are now on a collision course with IMA, the country's largest body of doctors. Case booked against Nara Lokesh The LB Nagar police have registered a case against AP chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu's son Nara Lokesh for making derogatory comments against Telangana government and chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		'Missing' tiger at Vandalur trapped Officials have finally trapped Nethra, four days after the Royal Bengal tiger was reported ‘missing’ at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park in Vandalur. Tribunals can work independently, concludes court Conclusions of a criminal court cannot be binding on Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT), as tribunals have to come to independent conclusion on the basis of evidence, said a city court, awarding 28.08 lakh to the husband of a techie killed in road accident in 2007. Respiratory illnesses in city spike with pollution Rising air pollution in Chennai is making more people sick with respiratory illnesses, especially chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), say experts. According to data released by System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research, which conducts regular air quality checks in Indian metros, Chennai ranks second in air pollution after Delhi. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Babus to adopt a village each for swachch push The Gujarat government has asked senior bureaucrats to adopt one village each for ‘Swachhta and Safai’ (cleanliness and sanitation) mission. 'Vadodara set to be an innovation hub' In an effort to provide a strong platform to micro, small and medium enterprises across the state and country, Vadodara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) in association with the Government of Gujarat will provide an opportunity for innovators in the MSME sector to showcase, meet and network at VCCI Expo 2014 which will be held from November 27 to December 1, 2014 at Navlakhi Ground in Vadodara. DFS to run psych tests on caste killings suspects A team of Maharashtra police has been stationed at Gandhinagar with six suspects of the sensational triple murder case in Ahmednagar. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		MNNIT offers help to update officials on rain harvesting Following announcement of Allahabad being developed into a smart city, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) has offered its services to brief government officials about advanced techniques and corrective measures for installation of Rain Water Harvesting (RWH) System. Swiss cottage only for VIPs this Magh Mela Visitors to this year’s month-long Magh Mela would not be able to enjoy the cozy confines of Swiss Cottage. Additional district magistrate (city) SK Sharma said, “Though Swiss cottages would be available but strictly for VIPs and touring officials. Authorities would be discouraged from using it. SSC chief sends clarification via mail, protesters refuse to relent Staff Selection Commission (SSC) chairman has sent a letter to Combined Graduate Level Exams-2013 aspirants refuting allegations of irregularities in exams. However, aspirants protesting outside commission’s regional office in Allahabad and demanding CBI probe into malpractices have dismissed the clarification as a ‘gimmick’. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Soon, BMC will approve building plans, not BDA People who want to build a house in city have to approach Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) for approval of their building plans soon and not Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), as is the ongoing practice. ED grills Pyari on Seashore 'links' Odisha Jan Morcha (OJM) president Pyarimohan Mohapatra, once regarded as the state's de facto chief minister, was questioned by the enforcement directorate (ED) for about three hours in connection with the Seashore Group scam here on Monday. Security for girls in sevashrams Chief minister Naveen Patnaik ordered foolproof security for girls in schools and hostels run by the ST and SC development department. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Big leaders too busy to unveil Indira statue on birth anniversary A statue of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi which was installed outside the Madhya Pradesh state Congress office and stood wrapped in a green cloth from head to toe for the past six months, will finally get unveiled on Wednesday. MP Congress expels 11 rebels before civic body polls The state Congress on Monday expelled 11 members from various districts for anti-party activities. Botched sterilizations: Tribal rights activists press for invoking Atrocities Act Ekta Parishad, an organisation working for tribal rights, have already submitted a memorandum to state governor Balramdas Tandon, seeking his intervention to direct the state government to register cases under the provisions of Atrocities Act. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Haryana cops deliver flop after 12-day stakeout Twelve days, lots of intelligence gathering and several flag marches later, the Haryana police on Tuesday botched up the operation to flush out controversial preacher Rampal from Satlok Ashram at Barwala, where he is holed up for the past several weeks defying high court's non-bailable warrants. How Haryana 'godman' Rampal became 'famous' Born in a family of farmers in Sonipat's Thanana village, Rampal Dass, has come a long way from being an engineering diploma holder to self-proclaimed "jagat guru", who has hogged attention for defying the Punjab and Haryana high court for weeks now. Chandigarh municipal corporation holds colourful event for children The municipal corporation (MC), on Tuesday, organized Children's Day at Nehru Park in Sector 22 as 1,000 children along with their parents from different parts of the city and slums participated in the colourful event. More Chandigarh News»

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