News Digest: Fears over EU plan for strict drug patent regime

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Tuesday, April 14, 2015
		Today's Headlines

		India
		Fears over EU plan for strict drug patent regime As Prime Minister Narendra Modi and German Chancellor Markel are set to discuss the India-EU free trade agreement, public health groups and Indian pharmaceutical companies are concerned that the European Commission may push for stringent patent regime for cheaper medicines manufactured at home. Congress to play Ambedkar card to win back dalits Congress would launch an “aggressive campaign” on social media and internet to project how closely it worked with BR Ambedkar and espoused his policies, a belated bid to undo the perception that the Nehru-dominated outfit was antagonistic to the foremost intellectual and dalit emancipator. Economic gap between upper castes and dalits persists Despite more access to education, better household amenities and increased incomes, the economic gap between upper castes and dalit and tribal communities continues unchanged over the years, according to latest economic data from the NSSO. More India News»

		Business
		No arbitration in RIL gas row: Centre The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that its dispute with Reliance Industries (RIL) over domestic gas pricing could not be subject to arbitration since it was an economic decision taken by the government. S&P warns of fiscal hurdle to infra push The Indian government may find it difficult to sustain the increase in public investment without further fiscal reforms, Standard & Poor's (S&P) said on Monday. Superbike market vrooms at 50% growth The Indian superbike market — comprising motorcycles of 500cc and above displacement — will more than double in the next five years to hit over 20,000 units by 2020. More Business News»

		Environment
		China to surpass US as top cause of modern global warming China is poised to overtake the United States as the main cause of man-made global warming since 1990, the benchmark year for U.N.-led action, in a historic shift that may raise pressure on Beijing to act. Nano ultrafine particles in Lucknow's air attacking lungs Your lung is an easier prey to pollution now. Thanks to the presence of nano pollutant called PM1 in city's air which has worried health experts as well. 12 panchayats all set to make a difference in Kozhikode People in 12 grama panchayats here are set to adopt a participatory waste management scheme, which would make it zero- waste generating areas. More Environment News»

		World
		Russia lifts ban on supplying S-300 missiles to Iran President Vladimir Putin on Monday lifted a ban on supplying Iran with sophisticated S-300 air defence missile systems after Tehran's landmark outline deal with the West over its nuclear programme. Iran suspends hajj trips to Saudi Arabia amid spat Iran suspended all minor hajj trips to Saudi Arabia on Monday amid growing diplomatic tensions between the two countries, state television reported. Violence escalates in east Ukraine ahead of talks Ukraine's military accused pro-Russian rebels on Monday of using heavy weapons that were meant to have been withdrawn under a ceasefire deal, after one Ukrainian serviceman was killed and six wounded in rebel-held territories. More World News»

		Entertainment
		Veerappan's wife to share infor with RGV Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has gotten in touch with slain sandalwood smuggler Veerappan’s widow, Muthulakshmi to gather details for his upcoming film, Killing Veerappan. Amyra Dastur: Emraan has the bitchiest sense of humour Amyra Dastur, 21, is honest, sensitive and simple. She dislikes confrontation and still carries the remnants of rejection she faced in school, due to her boyish looks. Sushmita Sen is mesmerised by Kangana Ranaut Bollywood actress and former beauty queen Sushmita Sen is all praise for her contemporary Kangana Ranaut. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Spider silk may help grow human hearts A new study has revealed that spider silk may help grow new human hearts in the future. Last days for ship that links St Helena to the world Recalling a bygone era of stately passenger liners and quaint colonial traditions, the RMS St Helena is making its last journeys before weekly flights to the far-flung South Atlantic island are introduced. Now, condoms that deliver Viagra doses? A group of scientists in Australia is developing a series of condoms which it claims could feel even better than wearing nothing at all. More Science News»

		Sports
		Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Royal Challengers by 8 wickets Openers David Warner and Shikhar Dhawan laid a solid platform as Sunrisers Hyderabad eased to a eight-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore. Sania tweets 'on top of the world' after she is crowned no. 1 Sania Mirza on Monday tweeted she was 'on top of the world' after she was officially crowned world no. 1 in the latest WTA ranking for women's doubles. Lucky to play alongside a legend like Virender Sehwag: Maxwell There aren't too many better exponents of explosive batting than Glenn Maxwell but he himself feels that he is lucky to be playing with Virender Sehwag in IPL. More Sports News»

		Technology
		10 good smartphones you've probably never heard of Each phone in the list has a major unique selling point included to prove why we think it’s worthy of its position. Net neutrality: Trai receives 1 lakh emails to save the internet The chief bone of contention nowadays against net neutrality is Airtel’s Zero plan, which aims to give higher bandwidth to apps and websites whose owners are paying it extra money. Indian IT companies may outdo MNCs in $13bn renewals Indian IT is gearing for a slugfest with global peers like IBM and HP as mega billion-dollar IT contracts come up for renewal. London-based IT research firm Ovum estimates that contracts worth $13 billion will be up for renewal this fiscal year. More Technology News»

		Education
		Premji varsity introducing new syllabus The way Indian students are introduced to economics needs a lot of improvement and there has to be a contextualization before jumping into theories and tools of economics, says Venu Narayan, director of the School of Liberal Studies and Strategic Development at Azim Premji University. AICTE breather for DU colleges seeking nod for B.Tech courses In a breather for 27 DU colleges who have been seeking AICTE nod for running B.Tech courses, the regulator has agreed to take a fresh view of the case. Raichur is govt's first choice for IIT, says minister Raichur is government’s first choice to set up the proposed Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Karnataka, medical education minister Sharanprakash Patil said on Monday. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Happy new year, solar calendar way Several communities that observe new year by the solar calendar are preparing to celebrate April 14-15 amid feasting and festivity. HC puts on hold govt move to regularize Mumbai's illegal buildings In a setback to the Maharashtra government, the Bombay high court on Monday restrained the state and BMC from taking a final decision on regularizing over 56,000 illegal structures in the city. 'Accused was in cop's home at time of crime' The first defence witness in 2010 Kurla minor rape and murder case told a sessions court Monday that the accused Javed Sheikh, a cable man, was attending to a repair call at the home of a police constable in Nehru Nagar at the same time the prosecution claimed he had carried out the gruesome act. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Regularize illegal colonies or prepare for protests: Congress A day after chief minister Arvind Kejriwal promised to regularize unauthorized colonies, Delhi Pradesh Congress Committee president Ajay Maken accused him of misleading people, and challenged him to an open debate. Crackdown on ration shops for diverting stock Delhi government has launched a crackdown on ration shops siphoning off supplies meant for registered consumers under the public distribution system. 'Uncle' takes boy fishing, sodomizes him A 40-year-old man was arrested for sodomizing a 10-year-old boy in southwest Delhi’s Raj Nagar area on Sunday. He also tried to kill the child but he was rescued. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		SSLC students will get four grace marks lose on the heels of the PU Education Board granting grace marks for blunders in the second-year English and maths question papers, the Karnataka Secondary Education Examination Board (KSEEB) has taken the same route to neutralize a gaffe in its Kannada-medium maths paper in the SSLC exam. KMF tanker topples, driver drowns in milk The driver of a KMF tanker lost control of his vehicle while negotiating a sharp curve near Mavinahole village in Shivamogga district on Monday and the tanker toppled into a roadside ditch. BMTC bus ploughs into military colony wall Fifty passengers of a BMTC bus had their hearts in their mouth on Monday as the vehicle jumped a median and rammed the compound wall of a military facility. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Rains heap misery on Andhra Pradesh and Telangana farmers Unseasonal rains and hailstorms caused widespread damage to crops in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Cops make 'tunnel' out of bounds for experts It was an ‘encounter’ of a different kind. The ‘killing’ of what could have possibly been an important archaeological find. More rains may lash Hyderabad, warns Met A day after six centimeters of rainfall, which brought down billboards and uprooted trees in several parts of the city on Sunday, Met officials warned that the worst is yet to happen and issued yet another storm warning. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Tamil Nadu puts up poor show at UPSC exam Tamil Nadu has registered a below-average performance at the UPSC (Main) examination, with only 263 from the state among the 3,308 candidates who have qualified for the final round of personal interviews. Four held for throwing bomb at retail outlet Four functionaries of Naam Tamilar Iyakkam were arrested for hurling petrol filled bottles at the Heritage Fresh outlet in Ayanavaram on Sunday night. No one was injured, but one of the glass doors was damaged, said a police officer. Woman from West Bengal held for trying to kidnap 4-yr-old girl Police arrested a 25-year-old woman from West Bengal on charges of kidnapping a four-year old girl at Ashok Nagar on Sunday. Thanks to the alert neighbours, the child was rescued before the woman could take her away. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Village gets Narmada water but dalits don't Urmila Parghi, a dalit girl from Choki village of Limbdi taluka of Surendranagar district, cannot fetch water from a Narmada water sump in her village as she is shooed away by women from other castes. Agents take bachelors for a ride with 'cheater' brides Six months ago, a family approached Jhaghadia police in Bharuch stating that the bride for their three sons fled with gold ornaments worth Rs 1.5 lakh hours after wedding. State BJP members resolve to forgo LPG subsidy As many as 370 members of the Gujarat BJP's executive committee have resolved to surrender their LPG subsidies in line with the call of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the citizens to give up subsidized gas connections. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Rural women script success story Male members returning home drunk was a routine affair. Women of the house had to bear the brunt and ignominy silently. They were told that it was their fate. Two-dozen schools asked to explain steep fee hike District inspector of schools (DIoS) has sought clarification from over two dozen schools affiliated with ICSE and CBSE for charging exorbitant tuition fee and selling school stationery and dresses from the school premises. Impersonator held in SSC exam A youth appearing in place of an aspirant in Combined Graduate Level-2014 (Tier II) exams conducted by Staff Selection Commission (SSC) was arrested at Government Inter College in Lucknow on Sunday. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		New cell to handle water supply The state government has mooted a project management unit (PMU) to ensure effective implementation of Odisha Urban Water Supply Policy by strengthening institutional capacity of Public Health Engineering Organization (PHEO). VSS deaths: Probe team gets Thursday deadline Official sources said the panel is waiting for laboratory test results of the medicines, administered to the women. They died between 10.30pm and 11pm, six hours after undergoing Caesarean section (CS) in the hospital. Past full of hope and vibrant future ahead The city turned 67 on Monday.It was on this day 66 years ago that then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundation stone of the capital city of Odisha. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Miraculous escape for 70 flyers at Khajuraho airport Around 70 people on board a Jet Airways' flight had a narrow escape when the aircraft's main landing gear broke after landing at Khajuraho on Monday. No eligible PM from Nehru clan: Jethmalani Talking about issue of alleged snooping of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s family members by late Jawaharlal Nehru, former law minister and lawyer Ram Jethmalani said, “Country did not get even a single eligible prime minister from Gandhi-Nehru family.” Satpura power engineers up in arms Madhya Pradesh Vidyut Mandal Abiyanta Sangh, body of engineers of state power companies, will launch protests against ‘proposed sale of two units of Satpura Thermal Power Station (STPS). More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		PU syndicate meets on April 20 Students from Jammu and Kashmir educational institutions and Kashmiri migrants are likely to get additional seats and concessions in admission to Panjab University (PU) from the coming session. Rastogi is PGI resident doctors' body president It's been after two decades that the presidential post for Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at PGI has been won by a non-clinician. 50 kg poppy husk recovered from three people Three people were arrested by police from three different locations with possession of poppy husk amounting to 65 kg on Sunday. More Chandigarh News»

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