News Digest: Supreme Court seeks Centre's response on govt ads

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Tuesday, August 18, 2015
		Today's Headlines

		India
		Supreme Court seeks Centre's response on govt ads Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Centre on whether it had set up a three-member ombudsman to keep a watch on misuse of public funds by government and its authorities in issuing public advertisements and if not then why it had not done so. Rs 10,000 prize to Air India cabin crew for timely Haj flights Air India has offered a one-time offer of Rs 10,000 for cabin crew operating Haj flights this year as an incentive to report to airport on time and take minimum leaves during the period. Send Maggi samples to accredited lab for tests: Panel The commission on Monday directed the department to send samples to accredited laboratory for testing. More India News»

		Business
		Birla Corp buys Lafarge's two units Harsh Lodha-led Birla Corporation has agreed to acquire Lafarge India’s two cement units in the eastern region in a deal valued at Rs 5,000 crore. Company drops Lalit Modi's name in Sahara deal Two foreign firms filed two separate applications in the Supreme Court seeking to buy Sahara group’s three overseas hotels for nearly Rs 12,000 crore. Telcos not ready to take responsibility for call drops Country’s top telecom operators on Monday refused to take the responsibility for call drops and poor network connectivity and warned that services may worsen in the coming days if the government does not support boosting of mobile tower infrastructure and spectrum holdings. More Business News»

		Environment
		Big wildfire threatens resort town in Washington Big wildfires threatened the Lake Chelan resort region of central Washington on Monday after driving away tourists, destroying a warehouse filled with nearly 2 million pounds of apples and forcing thousands of residents to flee. Democratic conservation of biodiversity is must India ranks among the top ten species rich nations in the world and is known for its rich biological diversity and high endemism. Now, Tendulkar to bat for Maharashtra's tigers Cricket icon Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar will now bat for Maharashtra's endangered big striped cats by becoming a 'Tiger Ambassador', an official said here on Monday. More Environment News»

		World
		15 killed in bus-train crash in South Africa : Official At least 15 people were killed today when a mini-bus plunged off a bridge, landed on rail tracks and collided with a train in eastern South Africa, an official said. Fierce Ukraine clashes kill 10 European Union and the United Nations have expressed alarm over a spike in violence in east Ukraine that claimed 10 lives as Russia warned Kiev could be preparing a fresh offensive. About 325,000 live in shadow of Ecuador's volcano Ecuadorean authorities said Monday that up to 325,000 people live in areas that could be threatened by fast-moving mud and rock flows if there is a major eruption of the Cotopaxi volcano. More World News»

		Entertainment
		Celebs who moved out of their parents' home Celebs grow up in the comfort of their parents' home. However, with time, they are choosing to move out of their nests and buying their own properties to settle down. Exclusive: Ranveer Singh as Peshwa Bajirao It is the 315th birth anniversary of Peshwa Bajirao today. Sanjay Leela Bhansali is making his dream project Bajirao Mastani based on the life of this great warrior. Kangana Ranaut's alleged relationships Let's take a look at the men she has been linked-up with, in the past... More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Gang killings spread like infectious disease: Study Gang killings move in a systematic pattern over time, spreading from one vulnerable area to the next like a disease, according to a groundbreaking US study. The study, by Michigan State University criminologists and public health researchers, could help pave the way for communities to one day anticipate and ultimately prevent gang-related homicides and other violent crimes. Page out of innovation: A book that filters water The next time you want to get clean water, all you need to do is tear a page from your very own "drinkable super book". Soon, single scan to detect blood clots anywhere in body Researchers have developed a new method that could one day be used to detect blood clots anywhere in the body with a single scan. To treat a blood clot, doctors need to find its exact location. More Science News»

		Sports
		Shikhar Dhawan ruled out of Sri Lanka Test series Shikhar Dhawan has been ruled out of the remaining two Tests of 3-match Test series against Sri Lanka due to a hairline fracture in his right hand. Super Saina Nehwal leads India's rise in badminton The real rise of Indian badminton in recent years can be credited to the emergence of Saina seven years ago, when as an 18-year-old she started giving tough competitions to the Chinese shuttlers. WATCH: Tributes pour in for retiring Kumar Sangakkara Indian cricketers Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and team director Ravi Shastri on Monday paid tributes to veteran Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara. More Sports News»

		Technology
		Meet 10 Indian-origin CEOs of global tech giants Here's a look at 10 India-born CEOs of global tech giants. Over 50,000 recommend full net neutrality on government portal A huge surge in public response has pushed the number of comments on the telecom department panel's net neutrality recommendations well past the 50,000 mark, with almost all seeking free and equal access to the web. Amazon a brutal workplace? CEO Jeff Bezos' memo to employees The article had talked about the brutal work environment prevailing in the company citing present and former employees as source. More Technology News»

		Education
		2015 ARWU: Indian universities fail global test Eight universities in the top 10 alone are from the US with two being UK-based, as more than 51 US institutions feature in the top 100. We don't need no technical education 50% of seats in technical courses vacant in state; high fees among factors Make-in-India cos find favour with IIT placement cell Foxconn, a Taiwanese multinational that announced an investment of $5 billion in a facility in Maharashtra early this month, is one of the top firms on the priority list of IIT-Bombay’s placement cell this season. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Prayers, festive repast to mark Navroz today Tuesday is a special day for the Parsi community as they celebrate their Navroz, their new year. Heart ailments among women on the rise, survey shows A survey conducted at the Nanavati Super Specialty Hospital in Vile Parle has shown that there is a steep rise in heart ailments among women of all age brackets. Work on trans-harbour link, new airport to begin simultaneously Work on the Navi Mumbai Airport and Mumbai TransHarbour Link (MTHL) is expected to begin simultaneously so that both the projects are completed around the same time. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		App-based cabs: HC asks if ban is implemented A day after Ola claimed 50% of its fleet runs on CNG, the Delhi high court stepped in on Monday to verify to what extent its ban order is being implemented . Work with DIAL to decongest IGI's 1D, aviation secretary tells AAI The aviation ministry may soon come to the rescue of harried flyers at Delhi’s hugely congested terminal 1D. Aviation secretary R N Choubey has asked Airports Authority of India chairman R K Srivastava to immediately work out an improvement plan with the GMR-led Delhi International Airport Pvt Ltd (DIAL). SC upholds Vikas Yadav's conviction in Nitish Katara murder The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the conviction of Vikas and Vishal Yadav, who had murdered Nitish Katara in 2002 for having a relationship with their sister Bharti, but agreed to weigh whether the 30-year jail term imposed by the Delhi high court was just punishment for the cousins. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Soon, register your property anywhere in B'luru Urban Soon, you may be able register a property located in Koramangala at a subregistrar's office (SRO) in Yelahanka or Malleswaram. Quiet Monday after Sunday's shootout An uneasy calm prevailed in Nimhans on Monday, a day after an undertrial was gunned down on the campus. Magisterial probe gets under way A magisterial inquiry got under way on Monday into the custodial death of Vishwanath, who was gunned down in Nimhans, where he was undergoing psychiatric treatment. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Number of UPSC aspirants from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana on the rise More than 87,000 candidates from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are all set to appear for the Union Public Service Commission prelims scheduled on August 23, a sizeable increase from ast year's 72,000. Tussle with I-T halts housing board projects The tussle over income-tax dues between the I-T department and Telangana Housing Board (THB) is taking a toll on several under-construction housing projects. The state government has stopped releasing funds to the THB as the I-T department has seized its bank accounts. Neglect claims another piece of city heritage No sooner than one sets foot inside the Paigah Tombs complex, off the busy streets of Santosh Nagar in the Old City , wonder and amazement takes over. It becomes wonder and amaz takes over. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Poignant stories draw former judge to early passion Though the doctor advises her to terminate the pregnancy , the husband, with manly pride, says he has the wherewithal to take care of the child. On the way back from the doctor, the couple stops to buy groceries. The husband offers to carry all the bags, but on reaching home he puts them down and mutters they are heavy . The wife smiles at him sympathetically, indicating that he had not given a thought to what women go through during pregnancy . Shareholders lukewarm to reinventing Madras bourse Since the curtains came down on the 76-year-old Madras Stock Exchange last year, members of the bourse have tried to revive it in many ways. While some in the business community have a sentimental attachment to it and argue that a local stock exchange would be a boost for local firms, others say in the age of internet and interconnected economies, local exchanges offer no real advantage. If not revival, a resuscitation would work just as well, feel many on the MSE board. Law shields tenant when advance paid exceeds rent due The small causes court in Chennai did not invent anything when it said landlords could not collect more than one month's rent as advance from tenants, for it is specifically stated in law and has been reiterated by the Supreme Court in several rulings. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		We don't need no technical education 50% of seats in technical courses vacant in state; high fees among factors Class XI student in Ahmedabad hangs self in classroom Shahibaug was in a shock as a class XI science student, Rajni Nakum, 16, committed suicide by hanging himself in his school classroom on Monday. Cricket betting: ED raids bookie's flat in Mumbai Ahmedabad unit of Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday carried out search operations at the premises of bookie Mahendra Mittal in Kandivali (East) in Mumbai, in connection with the Rs 2,600-crore international cricket betting racket unearthed in March this year. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Auto-lifters gang busted, 3 held, 10 bikes recovered The Nawabganj police on Sunday arrested three miscreants and claimed to have busted an inter-district gang of auto-lifters from Nawabganj highway. Two highway robbers held for looting truck Two members of a gang of highway robbers were arrested on Sunday. A mini-truck and 42 cartons of branded tea was recovered from them. UP Board exams: Online registration for jail inmates Madhyamik Sikshak Parishad (UP Board) has instructed district inspectors of school (DIoS) to get interested jail inmates registered online for class 10 or 12 exams next year. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Odisha to have 50-bed AYUSH hospital soon Odisha is planning to have a 50-bed integrated AYUSH hospital, either at Puri or Berhampur, health minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak said here on Monday. Startup of NITR duo now worth Rs 300 crore Two mechanical engineers, who graduated from National Institute of Technology, Rourkela, in 2002, turned their backs to high-salary corporate jobs to start their own venture back in 2010. Spercial unit for mother and child care at Sambalpur hospital soon The Sambalpur district headquarters hospital will soon get a 'mother and child health centre'. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		New law to ensure shelter to homeless Madhya Pradesh will be the first in country to enact a new law ensuring affordable housing to the public. Modi to open world Hindi conference on September 10 Prime Minister Narendra Modi would inaugurate three day World Hindi Conference on September 10, in Bhopal. NGOs allege violations during UCIL toxic waste trail run at Pithampur NGOs working for the survivors of the Bhopal gas disaster alleged violating of guidelines and directives of the Supreme Court during on-going incineration of 10 MT toxic waste carried from abandoned Union Carbide India Limited (UCIL) plant to Pithampur (Dhar district). More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Jalandhar administration fixes stock limits of pulses, oils Price Check- Jalandhar district administration has taken steps to control prices of essential commodities by fixing the maximum quantity of stock for all dealers and traders. Pay more for power in Haryana Power consumers in Haryana have to pay more as electricity distribution companies (discoms) on Monday raised the fuel surcharge adjustment (FSA) by 5 paise per unit for the recovery of arrears of 2013. Notice to Haryana over removal of minorities panel chief The Punjab and Haryana high court on Monday issued a notice to the Haryana government on following a plea against its decision to remove the chairman and members of the state commission for minorities. More Chandigarh News»

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