News Digest: SC frowns on Azam Khan's absence from court

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Wednesday, September 28, 2016
		Today's Headlines

		India
		SC frowns on Azam Khan's absence from court The Supreme Court on Tuesday frowned on UP minister Azam Khan's non-appearance through his advocate in the Bulandshahr gang rape case despite the court seeking him to explain legality of his statement terming the brutal sexual assault as a 'political conspiracy'. India may drag Pakistan to WTO on MFN dispute A meeting convened by PM Modi will explore on Thursday the option of dragging Pakistan to the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) dispute resolution body for refusing to reciprocate for 20 years India's granting of the Most Favoured Nation status to Pakistan. Rlys' plan to upgrade coach designs delayed The railways' ambitious plan to improve passenger experience by introducing new designs in interior of coaches, new colouring scheme for trains and designer bed-rolls has hit a hurdle. More India News»

		Business
		Possible to meet April deadline for GST: Jaitley Lauding the progress achieved so far on GST implementation, finance minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday exuded confidence that it is "reasonably possible" to meet the April 1 deadline to roll out the new indirect tax regime. "GST progress showed that we have the stamina for reforms," he added. Sebi chief proposes a bond market for BRICS block Monthly returns to be mandatory under GST The tax department on Tuesday came up with two more draft rules and their formats on GST returns and refunds requiring assessees to file monthly returns and specifying procedure for claiming refunds of taxes, interest and fees. More Business News»

		Environment
		Over 90 per cent of world breathing bad air: WHO Nine out of 10 people globally are breathing poor quality air, the World Health Organisation said, calling for dramatic action against pollution that is blamed for more than six million deaths a year. The problem is most acute in cities, but air in rural areas is worse, WHO experts said. African elephants 'suffer worst decline in 25 years' The number of African elephants has dropped by around 111,000 in the past decade, a report released on Monday at the Johannesburg conference on the wildlife trade said, blaming the plummeting figures on poaching. New species of pika found in Sikkim A new species of a small mammal in the rabbit family has been discovered in the higher altitudes of the Himalayas in Sikkim, a study has claimed, saying it is an important part of the ecosystem. They look like tailless rats and are identified as 'Ochotona sikimaria' More Environment News»

		World
		India, China agree on terrorism issue amid Azhar row India and China agreed to a consensus on tackling terrorism despite differences about dealing with terror threats particularly those from Pakistan. The agreement comes in the midst of concern that China might once again block Indian efforts to get Masood Azhar designated as a terrorist by the UN. Bombings kill at least 17 in Baghdad: Officials Bombings targeting shopping areas in Shiite districts of the Iraqi capital on Tuesday killed at least 17 people and wounded more than 50, security and medical officials said. This blast came two days after another suicide bombing claimed by IS killed six people in western Baghdad. Turkey dismisses 87 spy agency staff over failed coup Turkey has dismissed 87 staff from its spy agency over alleged links to the failed July 15 coup. National Intelligence Organisation has suspended 141 personnel in an internal probe over links to US-based preacher Fethullah Gulen who Ankara alleges was behind the coup. More World News»

		Entertainment
		Dhoni recommended Sushant for the biopic When the makers of 'MS Dhoni: The Untold Story' were shortlisting actors for the biopic, Mahendra Singh Dhoni recommended Sushant Singh Rajput for the role. Lata Mangeshkar: Rare pictures that define her Decades ago, a stage performance by a singer ruled high, not on glamour but pure melody and music. Saiyami Kher admits to being in love The actress confesses that she’s in a relationship. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		New herbal drug developed by CSIR promises better management of diabetes SCATSAT-1 is a global mission: ISRO The SCATSAT-1 satellite launched by India for detection of cyclone and weather forecasting was a global mission and its services would be utilised by American space agency NASA and European Space Agency EUMETSAT, ISRO said. ISRO had yesterday launched SCATSAT-1 along with seven other satellites. Man boobs, panic and diarrhoea: The embarrassing side effects of the 'Superman supplements' More Science News»

		Sports
		India v New Zealand: Gambhir recalled in place of injured KL Rahul Opener Gautam Gambhir was on Tuesday recalled to the Indian Test side for the next two games of the ongoing three-match Test series against New Zealand. The veteran batsman replaced KL Rahul, who sustained a hamstring injury during the first Test. Thakur slams Patil for spilling beans about Sachin Tendulkar BCCI boss Anurag Thakur slammed former selection committee chief Sandeep Patil, who recently disclosed that the selection panel would have dropped Tendulkar before he eventually quit international cricket and that it had also considered removing Dhoni from ODI captaincy ahead of the 2015 World Cup. Eden track will not turn much, says Sourav Ganguly "The pitch is not going to turn ... there is too much moisture and this is the first match of the season. So unless something happens in the last two days, I don't see a lot of turn in the pitch," said CAB president Sourav Ganguly. More Sports News»

		Technology
		Apple iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus price details revealed, goes up to Rs 92,000 The iPhone 7 Plus 32GB, 128GB and 256GB will cost Rs 72,000, Rs 82,000 and Rs 92,000 respectively Apple slashes prices of iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus by up to Rs 22,000 Apple has announced biggest-ever price drop for its smartphones in India. Under the new pricing, iPhone 6S (128GB), carying an MRP of Rs 82,000, will now be available at an MRP of Rs 60,000. iPhone 6s Plus (128GB) will now be available at an MRP of Rs 70,000, the smartphone too has received a price cut of Rs 22,000. Apple's 4-inch smartphone iPhone SE, too has got a price cut. The 64GB version of iPhone SE will now be available at Rs 44,000. WhatsApp privacy policy challenged in Delhi High Court: 5 things to know A public interest litigation in the Delhi High Court (HC) challenges the change in WhatsApp's privacy policy. More Technology News»

		Education
		Indian universities go headhunting abroad Recalling 1975 order only way for IIM faculty quota? The dominant view in many IIMs is that the only way to resolve the demand for reservations in faculties in the premier institutes could be through the withdrawal of the 1975 HRD ministry order that exempted them from having quotas. NEET hits capitation fee, private medical colleges hike tuition charges More Education News»

		Mumbai
		9,563 kids below age 5 have died in state in last 5 months Maharashtra has recorded 9,563 deaths of children below five in the five months from April to August this year, according to data from the state’s health and family welfare department. No garba in Ghatkopar: Blame curbs & recession Navratri seems to be losing its charm this year. Ghatkopar residents suffered a major shock as two prominent organizers of dandiya raas, Jignesh Khilani of the Ghatkopar Gujarati Samaj and Ramesh Morabiya, who have been in the business for 18-25 years pulled out, leaving the Gujarati enclave without a single garba this season. Court suggests 'one family, one car' policy, inland water transport he Bombay high court on Tuesday asked the Maharashtra government to consider a "one family, one car" policy. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		After wife & daughter, tainted bureaucrat, son hang selves Tragedy struck again at the home of senior bureaucrat B K Bansal, earlier arrested by the CBI in a bribery case, two months after his wife and daughter had killed themselves due to the “humiliation“ of his arrest. BJP accuses Satyendar Jain of money laundering New Delhi, Sep 28 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday accused Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain of converting "black money into white" with the help of a 'hawala' operator, after the AAP leader was summoned by the Income Tax department on Tuesday for questioning over his investments in few Kolkata-based companies. Man stabbed to death in east Delhi More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Headed to KIA? Take note of new routes inside airport premises Private vehicles and cabs entering/exiting the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) have to follow a new set of traffic arrangements. Old Bengaluru first planned enclave, Chamarajpet, set to turn 125 Chamarajpet is astir on Tuesdays.Residents meet and brainstorm on how they should deck up the locality for a grand celebration scheduled next year. Land acquistion: Government to transfer compensation to owner's account Eight years ago, Basavarajappa Ballappa sold his two-and-a-half-acre land in Ballari district to the government for Rs 12 lakh for a proposed steel plant. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Government turns encroacher! Even as the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation's demolition squads are going hammer and tongs at illegal constructions on lakes and canals, an investigation has revealed that there are several areas in the city where lake beds have been encroached upon by the government's own departments. Panchayats plagued by illegal constructions It is not just Nizampet or Pragatinagar gram panchayats that have witnessed mushrooming of illegal constructions. Nearly a dozen other panchayats around the city have witnessed rampant proliferation of unauthorised structures over the past decade. 100-days plan fails to take off Days after devastating flooding brought Hyderabad to its knees, experts blame the municipal administration and urban development department for failing to improve the city's infrastructure as promised under the 100-days action plan. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Celebrating importance of tourism As the world celebrated Tourism Day on Tuesday, the Chandigarh administration organized functions to raise public awareness on the role of tourism and show how tourism helps in spreading social, cultural, political and economic values worldwide. Isro's longest launch got thrust from stop and start of engine To scale 'language barrier', handler joins tiger in Raj Language barrier does not inconvenience human beings alone, it can affect animals too. To make sure that a five-year-old white tiger, Rama, does not feel out of place when he lands at a zoo in Udaipur, authorities have sent along with him his handler at Vandalur Zoo, Chellaiah, for a week. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Maninagar police rejoice after teenager who ran away 20 times with boyfriend becomes a major Maninagar police rejoiced when a young woman who tried to elope with her boyfriend 20 times in the last six months, turned eighteen just a couple of days ago. Since she was a minor, it was the police's job to find the couple each time they ran away. Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation pays homage to Uri martyrs CM Vijay Rupani to link 37 APMCs in Gujarat to national agriculture trading portal e-NAM on Wednesday More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Allahabad University finalise list of candidates for student union MNNIT primed for Avishkar 2016 Congress aims to collect 5 lakh kisan maang patras More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Man duped of 95K by two women from Assam A 31-year-old man from Sundargarh's Sankara was duped of Rs 95,000 by two women from Assam in January this year.The matter came to light when Mantu Sharma filed a complaint with Sundargarh police recently. Glass palace at Rasulgarh for puja The Rasulgarh puja pandal will dazzle and glitter like never before as it will be made up of bangles, glasses and mirrors. State government cracks the whip on traffic violators Wary of the spurt in road accidents, the state government on Tuesday asked all district collectors and SPs to conduct zero tolerance drives against traffic violators every month. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		State exec meet on pro-poor policies Dabra cops' on toes: Search MLA's missing dog! Police in Dabra, a tehsil town of Gwalior district, are on their toes because they have a crucial job at hand.Cops are frantically searching for a local Congress MLA's dog that has been missing for a week. Loan fraud: HC rejects Thete's review petition On July 21, 2015, Bhopal court framed charges against Thete and other accused under section 420 (fraud) of IPC and other relevant sections for alleged illegal settlement of loan that was taken from Apex Bank. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		High court directs singer Sapna, petitioner to appear before it today Sapna Chaudhary and complainant Satpal Tanwar, who had filed FIR against her in a case under the SC/ST Act, to appear before it on Wednesday. Inmate ends life in Karnal jail An inmate of Karnal district jail committed suicide on Monday night.He was arrested on September 23 on the charges of forcing his wife to end her life for dowry and was sent to judicial custody a day later. People's faith shaken: National Commission for Minorities panel to government "There is lot of resentment, especially among Muslims, partly due to allegations that culprits were gau rakshaks (cow vigilantes). More Chandigarh News»

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