News Digest: CBI nabs masterminds of railway recruitment racket

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Friday, May 15, 2015
		Today's Headlines

		India
		CBI nabs masterminds of railway recruitment racket The Central Bureau of Investigation has arrested the alleged masterminds of a job racket for fleecing unemployed youths on the pretext of giving them recruitment in railways and training for the same using a fake Railway Recruitment Board website. Congress claims govt ducking parliamentary scrutiny A day after the budget session ended, Congress slammed Modi government for “bulldozing” the opposition by pushing legislations without the required parliamentary scrutiny of standing committees. Mamata getting cosy with Centre to stall Saradha probe: CPM PM has alleged that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s new found bonhomie with Prime Minister Narendra Modi could be attributed to the Trinamool Congress seeking relief in Saradha scam. More India News»

		Business
		FDI in e-comm: It's Flipkart, Snapdeal vs Amazon, eBay The government on Thursday began consultations on FDI in B2C e-commerce amid a sharp divide between Indian and foreign players. Finance minister sticks to April deadline for GST Finance minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday stuck to the April deadline for rolling out goods and services tax (GST) but acknowledged that there was a lot of unfinished work, which had to be completed during the monsoon and winter sessions of Parliament. SC rejects telcos' plea for extension of 2G licences The Supreme Court on Thursday turned down pleas by various telecom companies, including Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Idea Cellular and Reliance Telecom, for extension of their 2G spectrum licences, which expired in November last year. More Business News»

		Environment
		Fertility of world's soil reaching peak, scientists warn The fertility of the world’s soil is reaching a peak that will threaten global food supplies this century unless more is done to preserve the long-term viability of existing farmland, according to a group of leading scientists. Reduce Indravati tiger reserve buffer zone: C'garh to Centre Chhattisgarh government will send a proposal to the Centre seeking to reduce the area of buffer zone of Indravati Tiger Reserve that lies in Bastar division of the state. Mangrove crusader Pokkudan to start mangrove school Mangrove crusader and environmentalist Kallen Pokkudan is slowly giving a concrete shape to his long-cherished green dream a school to train the young generation about the importance of mangrove conservation. Probably this is the first such institute in the country, he says without any claim. More Environment News»

		World
		President returns to Burundi after attempted coup Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza, who was in Tanzania when a general attempted to overthrow him, has returned to the African nation, the presidency said in a telephone text message on Thursday. Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi calls on supporters to join him The leader of the Islamic State militant group that controls swathes of Syria and Iraq issued an audio statement on Thursday in which he called on supporters to join him or to take up arms wherever they live in the world. Obama offers security cooperation to Gulf nations President Barack Obama pledged America's ''ironclad commitment'' to anxious Persian Gulf nations Thursday to help protect their security, pointedly mentioning the potential use of military force and offering assurances that a potential nuclear agreement with Iran would not leave them more vulnerable. More World News»

		Entertainment
		Salman Khan to sing two songs in 'Hero' Salman Khan is singing not one but two tracks in Sooraj Pancholi’s debut film. How Aishwarya fought tuberculosis Aishwarya Sakhuja was in the news for her health complications during her TV show Saas Bina Sasuraal two years ago. She had to even quit after her health worsened. However, we hear that the actress confessed recently on the dance reality show Nach Baliye that she had been down with tuberculosis. 'As actresses, we don't have choices' As Anurag Kashyap’s Bombay Velvet releases today, in which she plays the role of a jazz singer Rosie, she talks to us about why she respects Ranbir Kapoor, what keeps her secure and what made her cry on the set. Excerpts: More Entertainment News»

		Science
		A two minute walk can undo harms of oversitting With evidence mounting that sitting for long stretches of time is unhealthy , many of us naturally wonder how best to respond. Doctors can now inject drugs directly into brain Doctors can now inject drugs straight into people's brains, after making a major discovery in breaking through the barrier that keeps the nervous and circulatory systems apart. Our attention span shorter than goldfish's Humans have become so obsessed with portable devices and overwhelmed by content that we now have attention spans shorter than that of the previously jokingly juxtaposed goldfish. More Science News»

		Sports
		Mumbai Indians beat Kolkata Knight Riders to keep playoff hopes alive Kieron Pollard bowled a brilliant last over as Mumbai Indians kept their playoffs alive with a five-run victory against Kolkata Knight Riders in their IPL match. Dravid bats for India-Pakistan series from cricketing angle Giving his support for the proposed revival of Indo-Pak cricket series, former skipper Rahul Dravid said he welcomed it from a purely cricketing perspective. Sania Mirza-Martina Hingis storm into semis in Rome Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis stormed into semifinals of Rome Masters with a straight-set win over Goerges and Soler-Espinosa in doubles event. More Sports News»

		Technology
		Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg turns 31: 12 little-known facts Housing.com CEO gives away shares worth Rs 200cr to staff Rahul Yadav, co-founder & CEO of Housing.com, announced at a company town hall held in a suburban hotel in Mumbai that he is allotting all his shares to employees of the realty portal, in what comes across as an unprecedented move by a company founder and leaves him with no skin in the game. Indian startups open up to 'fail-fast' culture Taking failure as a norm is a major cultural shift in India, where high-achieving children are typically expected to take steady jobs at recognized firms. More Technology News»

		Education
		Presidency internship to make students industry-ready Presidency University has tied up with Edward Food Research and Analysis Centre Ltd (Efrac), an integrated testing and research facility for food and drugs, to make students industry-ready and help them land a job right after college. IIT Madras signs joint doctoral programme agreement with Curtin University In an attempt to broaden and strengthen research links with Australia, the IIT Madras on Thursday signed a joint doctoral programme agreement with Curtin University, Australia. Digital boards may replace blackboards in TMC-run schools The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) is planning to replace the blackboards in its schools with white projector screens. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Mumbai's deputy fire chief succumbs to burns from Kalbadevi fire The city's deputy chief fire officer Sudhir Amin, who suffered fourth-degree burns in the fire at Gokul Niwas, Kalbadevi, last Saturday, succumbed to his injuries following multiple organ failure at 4.30pm on Thursday at the National Burns Centre, Airoli. HC contempt notices for Mumbai college ex-lecturer The Bombay high court has issued two show cause notices for contempt of court to a former lecturer of Siddharth Law College, Churchgate, for making allegations against two judges. BMC fails to plan for water crisis: Activists News of an impending water crisis the monsoon is delayed, has citizens questioning why the BMC fails to plan ahead though the city has faced similar situations in the last few years. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Drivers get a lesson in gender sensitivity The drivers of public transport vehicles participated in a gender sensitization drive on Thursday, where they underwent a training programme named ‘Building Bonds’, to reduce gender-based violence and abuse. Ex-partner shoots property dealer, aide A property dealer and his business associate were shot dead by three men at a market near Shankar Road in central Delhi on Thursday morning. One of them, Ram Charan, was a witness to a case of cheating registered against his former business partner. Family members claimed he was threatened and even offered money to turn hostile. However, no police case had been registered. Man asks for sauce with food, thrashed A 24-year-old MCD employee was brutally beaten up by a food stall owner and his son for asking an extra serving of chilli sauce with a plate of momos in east Delhi’s Mayur Vihar area on Wednesday night. The victim had to be admitted to a hospital following the incident and a search is on to nab accused. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Immune to setbacks, he topped his school Warm milk lovingly prepared by a mother as you studied. A tuition teacher to clear your doubts. Cops goof up, murder accused slips out on bail Police officers in the state are arguing over how a murder accused walked out of jail without a valid bail. Phishers ditch email, call citizens posing as bank employees Economic offenders are slowly moving from emails and SMSes to calls. More Bangalore News»

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		Chennai
		New class 12 syllabus ready, but exam reform needed Shankar* was a topper in Class 10 and Class 12 state boards but couldn't match that performance again in college. Centre mum on Tamil Nadu plea, RTE goes for toss More than a week after chief minister O Panneerselvam wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention on stalled and slashed reimbursements to schools for expenditure incurred under the Right to Education Act Effective vector control key to reducing cases In spite of efforts to control vector-borne ill nesses, cases of acute encephalitis syndrome (AES) continue to rise in Tamil Nadu, especially among children. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		IAS officer's wife 'adopts' 60 children In a parting gift to Gujarat's underprivileged children, Smita Murmu, wife of IAS officer G C Murmu who has been now shifted to Delhi, has adopted about 60 children whose mothers were either involved in bootlegging or petty crimes. CM to pitch Gujarat as land of opportunities Chief minister of Gujarat Anandiben Patel will begin her China tour by attending the Chinese government’s programme to welcome Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Friday. She is leading a high-profile delegation from Gujarat to join the PM’s entourage. 25% fee hike in medical courses likely For wannabe doctors and paramedics, education could well get dearer. A fee hike of not less than 25% is likely in medical and paramedical colleges across Gujarat. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Cheat tricks bank manager, withdraws money A cheat had allegedly befooled a district official of Pratapgarh and manager of Allahabad Bank on Thursday and fraudulently withdrew Rs 40,000 on the pretext of giving aid cheques to farmers. An FIR had been lodged against the bank manager and the cheat. Manisha gets bail from high court he Allahabad High Court on Thursday granted bail to one Manisha Makhija, the alleged lover of Kanpur based businessman Piyush Dasani, who had allegedly killed her wife Jyoti at Kanpur on July 27, 2014. It is alleged that Manisha had conspired the murder of Jyoti in collusion with Piyush. People protest crumbling civic amenities in city Congress workers joined local residents’ protest against supply of contaminated water and deteriorating civic condition at Allahabad Municipal Corporation on Thursday. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Parsuram murder: Arrest warrant against convicts The district and sessions court, Balangir, on Thursday issued arrest warrants against three convicts, who were awarded rigorous life imprisonment by the Orissa high court on May 4 in the murder of young politician Parsuram Satpathy in 1974. Scheme for vulnerable tribals mooted Aiming overall development of particular vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs), the state government is planning to launch a new scheme, Odisha PVTG Empowerment and Livelihood Improvement Programme. Akademi should be the link between people and artists: Dinanath Pathy Noted painter, writer, art historian, curator, teacher and administrator Dinanath Pathy is a multifaceted personality in the art scenario of India. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		3 years on, probe into Bhopal's drug trials case still incomplete Three years on, commissioner for departmental inquiries have failed to conclude investigation against six senior doctors of the Maharaja Yashwantrao government hospital, Indore, in connection with ‘unethical' drug trials issue. Sacked IAS officer Tinoo Joshi surrenders before special court, sent to jail Sacked IAS officer Tinoo Joshi surrendered before district special court on Thursday, two days after an arrest warrant was issued against her for jumping bail in Rs 41-crore disproportionate assets case. Woman gangraped in Kalyan, dumped in train to Bhopal Battered, bruised and gangraped, she lay slumped in a corner of the S-6 coach of Pathankot Express. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		All Punjabi hostages shot, says ISIS abduction survivor On a day the external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj assured relatives of 39 Indians, mostly Punjabis, abducted by Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) that they were safe, Harjit Masih from Punjab, one of the hostages who had managed to escape, debunked the Centre’s assertion on Thursday. He claimed that he was a witness to his fellow workers being gunned down in July 2014 in Mosul, Iraq. Parliament attack case judge to probe Gurgaon land deals The man who delivered the judgment in the Parliament attack case will now investigate land deals in Haryana. The state government on Thursday evening said that the one-man commission of retired judge of Delhi high court Justice S N Dhingra will investigate licences issued to develop commercial colonies in Gurgaon. Chandigarh auditor on UN mission killed in attack The Kabul guesthouse siege tragedy has come home for a family in Sector 45 of Chandigarh. RK Bhatti, 64, a retired Indian Audit and Accounts Service official, was one of the four Indians killed in the Taliban attack in the capital of Afghanistan on late Wednesday night. More Chandigarh News»

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