News Digest: Reduced govt litigation cuts pendency of cases

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Thursday, August 20, 2015
		Today's Headlines

		India
		Reduced govt litigation cuts pendency of cases The emphasis on discouraging government litigations and bringing down pendency of cases in the courts are producing good results. Political riots deadlier than communal ones: NCRB More people get injured or killed in political riots than in communal conflagration. According to latest data released by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), in 2014, there were over 2,400 victims of political violence, while 2000 people were injured or killed in communal riots. Congress searches for way out of oblivion in UP Battered into marginalization for two decades and now facing outright irrelevance, Congress is planning a brainstorming session for a reality check and the way forward in Uttar Pradesh. More India News»

		Business
		Urban consumption shows signs of revival Urban consumption growth appears to be showing signs of improvement, with the fastest-growing segments for the top 200 cities being multiplexes, retail apparel and quick-service restaurants. Tatas' PE arm boards Uber with $100m tab Tata Group's private equity arm Tata Opportunities Fund has invested $80-100 million in taxi-hailing app Uber as part of its new financing round, which has reportedly valued the San Francisco-based company at just over $50 billion. Paytm set to foray into financial services business Not just funding from Alibaba, but Paytm seems to be replicating the Alibaba group’s business model in India. More Business News»

		Environment
		Eco-sensitive zone radius around Karnala to be reduced The Rs 1,1000-crore Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) project will not face environmental impediments as the Union environment and forest ministry (MoEF) is likely to approve the eco-sensitive zone as 0-8km from the Karnala bird sanctuary. Deficit monsoon hits hydel power output in Karnataka Deficit southwest monsoon over a month in the catchment areas of Karnataka has hit power generation from hydel sources in the state, an official said on Wednesday. Rain in China blast city raises pollution fears Heavy rain fell on Tuesday on the remains of a Chinese industrial site devastated by giant explosions, complicating clean-up efforts and heightening fears about toxic contamination as ceremonies were held to mark the disaster's 114 deaths. More Environment News»

		World
		UN troops accused of 3 rapes in Central African Republic Three young females, including a minor, have accused United Nations peacekeepers of raping them in the Central African Republic, the U.N. announced Wednesday, just a week after the world body's chief removed the head of the peacekeeping mission there over the handling of a series of similar allegations. Suicide bomber kills 16 in northeast Syria: monitor A suicide bomber killed at least 16 people on Wednesday in an attack on Kurdish security forces in northeastern Syria claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group, a monitor said. Indigenous protesters chase off police in Ecuador town Indigenous protesters wielding spears in southeastern Ecuador have sent police and soldiers fleeing in a clash that Interior Minister Jose Serrano says injured eight security force members. More World News»

		Entertainment
		6 times when Bollywood handled 'sex' smartly 'Costume' copy-cats of Bollywood Madhur Bhandarkar introduces his 'Calendar Girls' There has been a mystery about them from the start. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Coming, an oral drug to treat alcoholism An oral drug that treats alcoholism and has very few side-effects may be available in five to six years, according to scientists, including one of Indian-origin, who have identified compounds that drastically reduced drinking in rats. Working over 8 hrs a day raises stroke risk by 33% It's now official -working over 8 hours a day increases the risk of stroke by 33%. Now, send your name to Mars on board Nasa's InSight lander Here is an opportunity for space geeks and Mars enthusiasts all over the world in a way to become Martians as their names will actually touchdown on the surface of the Red Planet. More Science News»

		Sports
		We have it in us to bounce back in series: Virat Kohli Virat Kohli says his team is well-equipped to bounce back against Sri Lanka and the players are "hungry and keen to perform" in the second Test. ICC lifts spot-fixing ban on Salman Butt and Asif The ICC confirmed that the sanctions against Mohd Asif and Salman Butt will expire at midnight on Sept 1 and that they will be eligible to return to competitive cricket. Qualifying for Rio tough, winning a medal tougher: Mary Kom Gearing up to make the Olympic cut for a second successive time, M C Mary Kom said it would be no walk in the park to fetch a medal even if she qualifies for next year's Games in Rio de Janeiro. More Sports News»

		Technology
		Android 6.0 Marshmallow: 10 new features After months of waiting, Google has finally announced that the next version of its mobile OS Android will be called Marshmallow. HTC One ME review: Good enough, but not the best Read our HTC One ME review to find out if the almost-flagship has what it takes to create a distinct identity for itself and capture the limelight from Samsung Galaxy S6 among buyers. 10 best smartphones launched recently in India Looking for a new smartphone? Then your search is over, as we bring to you the 10 hottest smartphones launched in the country in the past couple of months More Technology News»

		Education
		Govt meet fails to decide on revival of class X exams Despite a broad consensus to bring back class X board examination and revoke the " no detention" policy, no decision could be taken in the 63rd meeting of the Central Advisory Board of Education on Wednesday. Number of girls admitted to IITs up marginally The number of girls admitted to IITs has gone up marginally this year, too, from 8% last year to 9% in the current batch. Though, in absolute numbers, girls on the elite institutes’ campuses have gone up by 40, compared to 2014, gender disparity continues to be a problem. Son of landless farmer in Jodhpur district cracks AIPMT A nondescript village Beelwa in the interiors of Jodhpur district is celebrating the success of Shiv Prakash, who has attained 461 all India rank in All India Pre-Medical Test, announced recently. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Eco-sensitive zone radius around Karnala sanctuary to be reduced The Rs 1,1000-crore Mumbai Trans Harbour Link (MTHL) project will not face environmental impediments as the Union environment and forest ministry (MoEF) is likely to approve the eco-sensitive zone as 0-8km from the Karnala bird sanctuary. After Raj outburst on award row, Sena response lukewarm While the state government went ahead with the function to bestow the Maharashtra Bhushan award on noted writer and bard Babasaheb Purandare on Wednesday, the MNS and NCP activists poured ire on each other in several parts of the city in a full display of political slugfest. RIL goes virtual for staff's 'Shubh, Labh' In a unique employee engagement initiative, Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries (RIL) has created two virtual employees. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		LG for Centre's view on CNG probe Lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung has approached the Centre seeking its opinion on the AAP government's decision to conduct a probe into the CNG fitness scam, in which a number of officials of the erstwhile Sheila Dikshit regime were under the scanner. Snarls till 3pm after road closed Traffic jams were reported from parts of south Delhi on Wednesday morning when Mathura Road was closed to traffic during the cremation ceremony of President Pranab Mukherjee’s wife Suvra Mukherjee. AAP throws audit barb at Cong, BJP Aam Aadmi Party questioned the role of Congress and BJP with regard to the CAG audit of Delhi discoms. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		'Lack of guidance and team spirit delay Namma Metro' Metro Man E Sreedharan is right, say sources in the Bengaluru Metro Rail Corporation. There is slackening of pace in implementation of this multi-crore project, leading to a delay in operations. Many insiders share Sreedharan's view and say his criticism is apt. BJP's counter-charge: Congress looted BBMP A day after the Congress released its chargesheet against the BJP, the saffron party, in a tit for tat move, released its list of charges against the ruling party. Air pollution casts a dark spot on verdant NLSIU campus They might not be eligible voters just yet, but they're legal minds in the making and have a fair idea of what they want from the city that is home or they've adopted as home for the next few years till they get their degrees. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		180 student suicides in seven months: Report Though the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data for 2014 shows that the number of students ending their lives has gone down, Andhra Pradesh and Vijayawada seem to be bucking this trend. Reports say there have been close to 400 suicide attempts in the city this year. Coffee overdose harms body, NIN study finds The next time you yearn for your favourite cuppa, think twice, as experts from the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) have noticed that too much intake of caffeine can hamper the absorption of nutrients in the body. Shifting of AP govt staff put off till 2016 Unable to resolve the issue of ‘local’ status of its employees, the Andhra Pradesh government has decided to postpone till next year the process of shifting of the state administration from Hyderabad to the new capital region. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Tamil Nadu sees Jun-Aug shortage in Cauvery supply from Karnataka A fresh row is brewing over sharing of Cauvery water with the Tamil Nadu government saying there has been a shortage of 24 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) in supply from Karnataka’s reservoirs for the June-August period. As landfills overflow, source segregation gains ground The Kodungaiyur and Perungudi dump yards have reached their capacity and the only solution, environmentalists say, is to localise waste management. 13-year-old boy with rare genetic disorder gets kidney transplant When 13-year-old Hariharan was born, his parents, farmers from Trichy district, did not know anything about organ donation, let alone imagine that one of them would one day have to donate a kidney to save their son's life. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Pandian appointed chairman of BECL Former chief secretary D J Pandian has been appointed chairman of Bhavnagar Energy Company Ltd (BECL). IIM-A invites undergrads to spend a day on campus The Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) is organizing its 2nd Open Day on its campus on August 22.The Open Day was initiated last year with the idea of connecting with the local community. Mumbai bookie placed bets worth crore in Ind-SL Test Mumbai-based bookie Mahendra Mittal had carried out transactions and had taken bets worth Rs 90 crore on the last day of the first test match between India and Sri Lanka which concluded on August 15. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Cobra teams to offer adequate security cover to primary school teachers in Chitrakoot In a fresh attempt to ensure security and safety of teachers taking classes in primary and junior high school in dacoit infested Manikpur block of Chitrakoot distict, top zonal police authorities on Wednesday deputed two specially formed Cobra police teams for patrolling around schools. Contact list of looted mobiles proves handy for dacoit to make threatening calls to teachers Bandit Ashok Kol, who gained notoriety for abducting three primary school teachers performing duties in Manikpur block of Chitrakoot district in a short span of four months HC: Send kids of govt officials, etc to primary schools The Allahabad High Court on Tuesday took a serious note of the pathetic condition of primary schools in the state and directed the chief secretary to ensure that children/wards of government officials/servants, those serving in the local bodies, representatives of people and judiciary, etc., send their wards to these schools. Only then they would be serious enough to look into the requirements of these schools and ensure that they are run in good condition, it observed. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Odisha government introduces bill in assembly to prohibit land grabbing The Odisha government on Wednesday introduced the Odisha Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill, 2015 in the assembly to make land grabbing a "cognizable" offence. Odisha assembly witness pandemonium over Prakash Mishra case The Odisha assembly on Wednesday witnessed pandemonium as the opposition Congress and ruling BJD MLAs shouted slogans in the house resulting repeated adjournment. Crime branch detains Sarathi baba's son The state Crime Branch on Wednesday detained Satyam Raula, ‘adopted’ son of Sarathi baba, a 48-year-old spiritual leader, who was arrested on August 8 on charges of cheating and forgery. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Two women gang-raped in Bhopal, one set ablaze, second killed Two women, one of them a dalit, were allegedly gang-raped in Morena district on Monday night. Shopkeeper killed, woman cop hurt after low-floor bus hits their scooter in Bhopal A speeding low-floor bus killed a shopkeeper and critically injured a woman cop on Tuesday after it hit their two-wheeler from behind. Lokayukta returns to tainted Joshi couple bungalow, this time to trap another corrupt babu Lokayukta raids early on Tuesday at house of director, State Institute of Agriculture Extension and Planning, D N Sharma, in Bhopal unearthed property of Rs 5 crore. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Bajwa urges Capt, Bhattal to practice restraint Amidst all the verbal spat between two former chief ministers -- Capt Amarinder Singh and Rajinder Kaur Bhattal --Punjab Congress president Partap Singh Bajwa on Wednesday not just asked the two to practice restraint, but also wondered why his leadership was being questioned by Amarinder time and again. Raxil case: HC disposes of plea for CBI probe into purchase of fungicide The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday disposed of the petition seeking CBI probe into irregularities in purchase of controversial fungicide Raxil after the court was informed that the Haryana government had already ordered a CBI investigation. Post Bolaria's resentment, other Akalis get active in Amritsar (South) segment Amritsar (south) assembly segment has become the hub of hectic political activity after sitting MLA Inderbir Singh Bolaria sounded a bugle of revolt against his own government on the issue of getting the garbage dump shifted from Bhagtanwala and setting up of solid waste management project outside his constituency. More Chandigarh News»

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