News Digest: Worried railway board 'dodges' comment on panel report

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Friday, June 12, 2015
		Today's Headlines

		India
		Worried railway board 'dodges' comment on panel report The railway board seems uncomfortable with the Bibek Debroy committee's recommendations and failed to even give its comments on the interim report submitted by the panel. 'Focus on running trains, not schools' The core activity of the Railways is to run trains and this should be its focus. This is the Bibek Debroy panel's key recommendation. Generate funds to power engine The railways needs to raise its internal resources and explore other methods of financing its growth and efficient functioning, the Debroy panel notes. More India News»

		Business
		Startups may get Sebi fund boost Market regulator Sebi intends to do away with the concept of promoters for companies that will be allowed to list on a new platform it is planning for startups. Mercedes Benz to make SUV in India Mercedes Benz has decided to manufacture the GLA entry SUV in India, the first market after Germany. A first: India tops World Bank growth list India is leading the World Bank's growth chart for the first time and is poised to overtake China in 2015, a report by the multilateral agency has said. More Business News»

		Environment
		UN climate talk: October bid for climate text Another round of UN climate talks wrapped up today after making little headway towards producing a text for a worldwide pact due in just six months' time. What countries have offered for Paris climate agreement Ethiopia on Wednesday became the latest country to present a plan to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions for a global climate pact that's supposed to be adopted in Paris later this year. Conserve rainwater: Minister to Gurgaon administration In view of rapid water depletion here, Union minister Rao Inderjit Singh on Wednesday directed the local administration to ensure maximum conservation of rainwater during upcoming monsoon season. More Environment News»

		World
		French investigators expand Germanwings probe A French prosecutor on Thursday formally opened a criminal inquiry into the Germanwings plane crash in March that killed 150 people to investigate whether mistakes were made in monitoring the psychological health of the co-pilot. Greece gets wake-up call: Coming week could seal its fate International creditors sent Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras home from a summit Thursday with a clear message: swiftly tone down your demands in the bailout talks over the next week or face financial ruin. Pentagon: Price tag for war on Islamic State is $2.7 billion The U.S. has spent more than $2.7 billion on the war against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria since bombings began last August, and the average daily cost is now more than $9 million, the Pentagon said Thursday. More World News»

		Entertainment
		'Dad threw money to stop me from doing films' Dil Dhadakne Do girl Ridhima Sud talks about her Delhi-Gurgaon roots and how she landed a break in the Zoya Akhtar film. Jackky Bhagnani and Neha Sharma split up The very sweet Jackky Bhagnani and his beautiful Youngistaan co-star, Neha Sharma have been seeing each other for over a year now. Sanjay Dutt likely to finish prison term Sanjay Dutt likely to finish prison term this year-end and three filmmakers are eagerly awaiting his return. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Robin flies high, becomes UK's national bird India has the peacock, America has the bald eagle and now Britain has the robin. Drug to check cholesterol gets FDA panel nod An expert committee that advises the Food and Drug Administration recommended on Wednesday that the agency approve the second in a new class of drugs that can drive cholesterol levels down to unheard-of levels. Twitter escalates war on trolls In its latest bid to stop trolls, Twitter is allowing users to create a public list of abusive accounts they have blocked. More Science News»

		Sports
		Let's be patient with Virat Kohli: Rahul Dravid Dravid feels that Kohli needs to be given enough time to settle as the leader of the pack in Test cricket and the upcoming series will help him establish well. Infographic: Mayweather tops Forbes list, Dhoni on 23rd MS Dhoni is among Forbes magazine's 100 highest-paid athletes in the world, the only Indian sportsman on the list that has been topped by Floyd Mayweather. India go down 1-2 against Oman in World Cup qualifier An inexperienced Indian football side gave a good fight before going down 1-2 against Oman in the home leg match of the 2018 World Cup Qualifier. More Sports News»

		Technology
		iOS 9 features already available on Android While Apple didn’t give iOS a major overhaul visually, it did introduce some new features and upgrades to system apps. Interestingly, a number of these features have been available on Android phones and tablets for a long time, though they are not part of stock Android. Call drops: Telcos may soon have to give free minutes Explaining the issue and its possible framework, telecom secretary Rakesh Garg said it could be in the form of giving free minutes to customers in lieu of call drops. Google Chrome for Android to load web pages faster on 2G in India Google launched a new feature which will help save data and give users a better experience on slow networks for the users in India, Brazil and Indonesia More Technology News»

		Education
		Baba goes to boarding school in Blighty Until recently, school talk in India’s affluent living rooms revolved around the Indian vs international schools debate. Now, the same crowd has returned to what used to be an old favourite — the British boarding school. Notify rules on PhD in open universities: HRD ministry to UGC The ministry’s action comes in the wake of Indira Gandhi National Open University having already amended its ordinance. IIMB will launch free online courses in July Sitting at home, now you can learn statistics, IT and operations management from top professors of IIM-Bangalore (IIMB). More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Alcohol in lawyer's blood 4 times legal limit The alcohol content in the blood of corporate lawyer Janhavi Gadkar is four times the legal limit. Gadkar is accused of colliding with a taxi while driving drunk and killing two persons and injuring four others early on Tuesday. Fewer night checks on women drivers A number of the big drunk-driving crashes that turned fatal on Mumbai’s streets since the 2006 Alistair Pereira case, it turns out, have involved women. Janhavi spends day in custody 'crying' Janhavi Gadkar, the 35-year-old law executive whose Audi rammed into a taxi on the eastern freeway and killed two persons, spent most of her second day in police custody at the RCF police station crying, according to the police. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		'Drunk' Merc driver hits divider, dies In yet another incident of rash and drunk driving, a 24-year-old chartered accountant student driving a Mercedes lost his life on Thursday. LG appoints special prosecutor for police Lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung has appointed a special public prosecutor to represent Delhi Police in the Tomar case, a trial court was informed on Thursday. This may turn out to be another controversial appointment, worsening the tussle between the Delhi government and the LG. Bharti's wife files plaint with police A day after moving Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) with a complaint of domestic violence against former law minister Somnath Bharti, his wife Lipika Mitra filed a complaint with Delhi Police on Thursday evening. It has been transferred to the crime against women cell, said police. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		2 hours, 2 chain-snatchers, 10 women Cocking a snook at police who had erected barricades and check-points across the city to rein in their ilk, two chain-snatchers struck at 10 areas in west and south Bengaluru within two hours. They were astride a black Bajaj Pulsar. Though acquitted, terror taint still haunts bizman Syed Sadiq Sameer, 39, was among the 17 persons acquitted in a terror conspiracy case by the Dharwad sessions court on April 30, 2015. Yet the father of two believes the worst is still not over. He is desperately trying to revive his glass and fabrication business but the terror taint continues to scare off his prospective clients. Make CET more transparent: HC The high court on Thursday asked the medical education department to suggest ways to make the Common Entrance Test (CET) procedure more transparent and mischief-free. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Telangana tapping 124 phones of AP leaders AP deputy chief minister KE Krishnamurthy on Thursday claimed that the Telangana government had tapped as many as 124 telephones belonging to Andhra leaders."We have documentary evidence to prove our charge. 'No power can stop project' Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday described himself as an "atom bomb ready to explode in the face of all those opposed to the irrigation projects in Telangana.""The work will go on come what may. TS-iPASS system to be launched today The government will launch the Telangana State Industrial Project Approval and Self Certification (TS-iPASS) system on Friday. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		LGBT film fest to focus on continuing discrimination In 2009, the Delhi high court in a judgment decriminalized homosexuality. Just four years later, in 2013, the Supreme Court dealt a blow to Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender (LGBT) rights, by making homosexuality a crime again. HC asks Centre for clarity on admissions for Lanka refugee kids The Madras high court has asked the Centre to make it clear whether it proposed to make any provision for admission of Sri Lankan refugees’ children in professional courses. Docs stitch 3 fingers of boy who lost them in escalator Parents of little Rishik are praying for nothing short of a miracle. The toddler had lost three of his fingers when he tripped and fell on an escalator at a city mall two days ago. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Buddha short-circuit: Gujarat conservation ruins cave A Buddha tourist circuit in Gujarat was among the high points of the meeting between Chinese president Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in September 2014 in Ahmedabad.  Dahej industrial units hit as effluent pipeline ruptures Large number of industrial units in Dahej special economic zone (SEZ) and Vilayat Industrial Estate are staring at production losses after the main 12.5 km pipeline discharging effluents into the high sea was damaged on Wednesday morning. HC sets deadline for Gir eco-tourism policy Gujarat high court on Thursday directed the state chief secretary to finally notify the eco-tourism policy for Gir sanctuary by June 24 and place it before the court the next day. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Balkharia gang seeks 'goonda tax' from bridge contractor Dreaded bandit Sudesh Patel alias Balkhar alias Balkharia and his gang has targeted labourers working at a small bridge near Bardaha river at Mau Gurdari village in Manikpur, Chitrakoot district and demanded ‘goonda tax’ from the contractor on Sunday night. 1,870 students clear PCS (Mains)-2014 As many as 1,870 candidates, out of 12,166 have been declared successful in Combined State Upper Subordinate Services (Mains) Examination-2014 or PCS(mains)-2014 by Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission (UPPSC) on Wednesday. 'Kabotarbaazi' catches fancy of Allahabadis in summers Summer in the Sangam city has more to offer than blistering heatwave. It is during this period that the sky over the old city area could be seen dotted with coloured pigeons on Sunday mornings as the birds try to gain maximum height and fly continuously for hours to bag various ‘kabotarbaazi’ championship contests for their owners. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Duped investors stir from July 15 The slow probe into mega chit fund scam has angered the duped investors.They have decided to launch statewide agitations from July 15. Setting up telecom towers now made easy Telecom companies won't have to go through time-consuming stages to get permission for erecting cellphone towers CRPF may use unmanned aircraft in anti-Maoist ops Expressing satisfaction with the ongoing counter-insurgency operations, CRPF DG Prakash Mishra on Wednesday said the forces could use unmanned aircraft in anti-Maoists operations in dense forests. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Relief from searing heat, monsoon still away Drop in day temperature in Bhopal below 40 degrees celsius mark for a couple of days has given respite to citizens from stifling weather conditions in last two months. Home Minister Babulal Gaur inaugurates Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum's anniversary celebrations in Bhopal The second anniversary celebrations of Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum commenced with tribal dance performances by artistes belonging to different communities. Child artistes present self-composed song featuring their names during Murga Ka Byah play at Shaheed Bhavan in Bhopal As part of the two-day children’s drama festival, a comedy play titled Murga Ka Byah was staged at Shaheed Bhavan. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Citizen charter, mobile vans for GMSH flagged off A voluntary blood donation camp was inaugurated by home and health secretary Anurag Aggarwal at Government Multi Specialty Hospital, Sector 16 on Thursday. Vigilance finally summons Poonam Malik UT's Vigilance wing finally summoned former deputy commissioner's PA Poonam Malik on Thursday to record her statement in an inquiry marked to the investigation agency by the higher authorities of the Chandigarh Administration over a month ago. Wheel of goods train comes off, rail traffic affected on Moga-Ludhiana section Railway track of over nearly 9km got damaged on Wednesday night after wheel of a goods train came off in Moga district. More Chandigarh News»

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