News Digest: Sikkim at 40: Small state with surprising success

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Saturday, May 30, 2015
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		India
		Sikkim at 40: Small state with surprising success In the 40 years since Sikkim became India's 22nd state, the erstwhile Himalayan kingdom has been flying under the radar in accomplishing the near-impossible. Modi effect? SAD to woo NRIs with major drive Robin.David@timesgroup.The country's oldest regional party, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), has taken on a herculean task of winning over one of its harshest critics � the large Punjabi diaspora scattered across the globe. Modi to attend Anandpur Sahib celebrations on June 19 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday confirmed his participation in the 350th foundation day celebrations of Sri Anandpur Sahib on June 19, accepting an invitation by chief minister Parkash Singh Badal. More India News»

		Business
		You may need to pay lower fare for no check-in baggage Traveling light may soon translate into savings for domestic flyers. The directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) has sought airlines’ views on allowing lower fares for zero check-in baggage passengers. Britannia edges past Parle as top biscuit company Having been dominated by a formidable leader like Parle for several years, Britannia Industries is finally having a day in the sun. Bosch net profit drops 11.9% in Q4 Auto components manufacturer Bosch Ltd’s net profit declined by 11.9% to Rs 287 crore in the quarter ended March 31, compared to that in the corresponding quarter last year. More Business News»

		Environment
		New pollution alert closes California beaches Workers scrambled to clean oil pollution along a series of California beaches near Los Angeles on Thursday, barely a week after a huge oil spill further up the coast. Australia confident Great Barrier Reef not 'in danger' Australia said on Friday it was confident it had done enough to prevent the United Nations from listing the Great Barrier Reef, the world's biggest coral reef ecosystem, as being 'in danger'. 'Dementor' wasp, giant stick insect among new Mekong finds Many of the newly-described species are already under threat from new roads and dams and the region's rapacious demand for wildlife meat and luxury timber, the WWF said in its report. More Environment News»

		World
		'You'll be next': Bangla blogger gets death threat Ananya Azad says he may leave the country Labour leader's India visit will be a priority: Keith Vaz Labour’s new vice chairman and the longest serving Asian MP in the House of Commons Keith Vaz wants Britain to build a monument in honour of UK’s Indian community. In his first exclusive interview to TOI’s Kounteya Sinha, Vaz says the Labour party can’t take India’s growing clout for granted and will get the new party leader to visit India as a top priority. US military orders review as anthrax mishap widens The US military said on Friday it discovered even more suspected shipments of live anthrax than previously thought, both in the United States and abroad, and ordered a sweeping review of practices meant to inactivate the bacteria. More World News»

		Entertainment
		Tabu as IG Meera Deshmukh in 'Drishyam' Nishikant Kamat’s remake of the Malayalam film Drishyam is one of the most engaging thrillers ever made. Farhan and DDD family to meet Milkha Singh Ever since his movie outing Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, where he played India’s most high-profile and loved athlete; Farhan Akhtar has shared a very warm relationship with Milkha Singh. Katrina adds a stylish twist to summer dressing The classy Katrina Kaif has been signed on as the new style ambassador for fbb, one of the most popular fashion hubs in the country and the title sponsor of the Miss India 2015 pageant. The brand’s latest campaign captured the actress looking her classy and fabulous self, dressed in fbb’s current Spring Summer collection, which resonates its core ideology of style, fashion and beauty. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Indian Medical Association to lead pan-India drive on vitamin D deficiency The widespread deficiency of vitamin D has prompted the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to start a two-year pan-India awareness campaign, which will conclude in December 2016. Scientists find new strategy to starve HIV to death Scientists have found a new strategy to starve the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to death - by blocking its sugar and nutrient pipeline. Scientists create new version of spider silk Spinning a major success for the textile industry, researchers have now succeeded in producing samples of spider silk in the laboratory. More Science News»

		Sports
		Sepp Blatter wins Fifa presidency amid corruption storm Sepp Blatter won the Fifa presidency for a fifth time on Friday after his challenger Prince Ali bin al Hussein withdrew just before a scheduled second round. Indian team needs a mentor more than a coach: Gavaskar Even as the cricket board is looking to finalise Indian team's coach, former captain Sunil Gavaskar said that the team required a mentor rather than a coach. Federer moves smoothly into 4th round of French Open Roger Federer continued his smooth progress at the French Open with a straightforward 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 defeat of Damir Dzumhur to reach the fourth round. More Sports News»

		Technology
		Android M vs Android Lollipop: 6 new Android M features Here's a breakdown of the six big changes that are coming in Android M in comparison to Android Lollipop. Google announces Android M features at I/O 2015 The theme of Android M is “to improve the core user experience” of Android, said Dave Burke, Google's vice-president (engineering) for Android. Flipkart's Bansal to Snapdeal: Don't blame India if you can't hire good engineers India's startup CEOs don't hesitate to pull punches and speak their mind on social media and this includes, taking on fellow entrepreneurs. More Technology News»

		Education
		1,183 ragging cases, 66 FIRs in two years Of 1,183 cases of ragging reported to the University Grants Commission (UGC) from universities and colleges in 2013 and 2014 from across the country, the police filed an FIR in 66 cases. Just half of CBSE students continue with board after Class X Merely 50% of the students who appear for the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) Cass X examination in the state continue with the board for the higher secondary classes. IIT-Madras's ban on student group snowballs into political row The HRD ministry said the action against the Ambedkar-Periyar Study Circle (APSC) for spreading "hatred" against PM Narendra Modi was taken by IIT-Madras "as per their own procedures and guidelines". More Education News»

		Mumbai
		BEST has put freeze on hiring, promotions Pushed to the wall, the BEST has put a freeze on recruitments and also stopped all promotions in a bid to "save establishment costs. Intolerant society: Misbah complains to Maria as broker, builder deny harassing her Young media professional Misbah Quadri, who has said she was virtually forced out of a rented flat as she is Muslim, on Friday wrote to police commissioner Rakesh Maria complaining about the discrimination she faced in Sanghvi Heights in Wadala (East). Top bankers, babus to draft finance hub plan MUMBAI: BJP’s first chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday constituted a high powered task force to draft an action plan for setting up International Financial Services Centre in BKC. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Car death mystery: 65-yr-old killed by son over biz quarrel Flames were still licking the shell of the old Maruti Esteem car, melting and sizzling its paint and upholstery, and a body strapped in its rear set, when Abhinaw Baweja hailed an auto near IGI Airport, returned home, and went to bed. He had got rid of the only hurdle in the way of his plan to start a business—his father. For third day in a row, SOL's BCom paper leaked In what could turn out to be a huge “leak scam”, yet another question paper of BCom final year of the School of Open Learning (SOL), Delhi University, was leaked on WhatsApp for the third day in a row. No house for Mr Zaidi: How difficult it really is for Muslims to find a place Hindus and Muslims have lived together peacefully for centuries in this city that has always been a living symbol of a syncretic culture that has largely remained unchanged since the time of the Mughals. But what if all is not hunky dory? What if faith-based discrimination also lurks behind the facade of tolerance and harmony? More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Man waiting at bus stop dies as downpour brings down tree Wind and rain that lashed the city on Friday evening claimed the life of a man who had taken cover under a bus stop on Anepalya Main Road, off Hosur Road. Karnataka HC stays demolition of several properties in JP Nagar 8th phase area In big relief to Munilakshmamma and 32 others , the Karnataka high court on Friday stayed the demolition of their properties by the BDA in Muneshwara layout, 2nd Block ,Jambu Savari Dinne, J P Nagar 8th phase area in Bengaluru city. Karnataka fails to ride the 'tourist' bus to coronation There will not be another event as tourist-friendly as the coronation of the young Yaduveer Wadiyar as Mysuru Maharaja today, for decades. Nothing attracts tourists, especially the high-paying dollar clientèle, more than the pomp and splendour associated with a royal event in India. Royal weddings are big, but coronation is absolutely top of the charts. More Bangalore News»

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		Chennai
		Drive against errant auto drivers loses steam, commuters blame poor enforcement After the initial euphoria, the drive launched by the state transport authority and the traffic police against city auto drivers not plying by the revised fares seems to have lost its fizz. Not enough cops to protect seniors in suburbs Helplines and special beat policemen may not be enough to protect the elderly, especially in the suburbs. The overall staff strength may need to be boosted to police areas where one station typically covers a larger area unlike in the heart of the city. Cops watch film in theatre with handcuffed bike thief in tow Being suspended for dereliction of duty is nothing new in the police force. But, a police team killing time while on duty, watching a Jyothika-starrer '36 Vayadhinile' (At 36) in a cinema theatre with a handcuffed bike thief in tow, was taking things a bit too far. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Delhi billionaire's Jain diksha begins The three-day extravagant diksha ceremony of billionaire Delhi businessman Bhanwarlal Doshi began on Friday in the presence of over 1,000 Jain monks. Centre to raise Rs 22k crore by selling assets of 5 sick units The Centre plans to sell assets of five sick central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) to raise Rs 22,000 crore. The assets are likely to be sold in the next couple of months. Builder pulls down 'Hindus only' sign “Scheme fakt Hindu bhaiyo mate”. This board of a housing scheme, which was set up on Badiyakaka Road only a few meters away from the RSS Headquarters, went viral in the city. More Ahmedabad News»

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		Bhubaneswar
		Chit fund firm director held by Odisha Crime Branch Ponzi scams continue to surface in Odisha with the economic offence wing of the state Crime Branch on Friday arresting Subhransu Singh, the director of Shreebhumi multistate cooperative society on charges of duping investors of more than Rs 50 crore. Engineer arrested for bid to kill wife in Berhampur Kandhamal police arrested a mechanical engineer working with National Thermal Power Corporation on Wednesday for trying to kill his wife by pushing her from the roof of a house at Angul on May 19. ED to investigate kidney sale racket The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday took up investigation into the alleged kidney sale racket. More Bhubaneswar News»

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