Photostream: News Digest: In BJP's Himachal victory, reverses lay bare old rivalry

THE TIMES OF INDIA

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Today's Headlines

India

In BJP's Himachal victory, reverses lay bare old rivalry

'Decision to shift seat came a bit late, didn't get enough time to campaign'

PM meets cyclone Ockhi victims in Kerala, vows help

More India News»

Business

Consumer nod must for changing subsidy-receiving bank account: UIDAI
The notification follows complaints of government grants, particularly LPG subsidy, being credited into the last account authenticated using national biometric ID, Aadhaar.

'Tata Tele, Reliance Jio, 3 others understated revenue by Rs 14,800 crore'
As per the report of Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) tabled in Parliament, government was paid Rs 1,015.17 crore less in licence fee, Rs 511.53 crore in spectrum usage charge, and Rs 1,052.13 crore as interest applicable on delay in payment.

Airtel deposits 'interim penalty' of Rs 2.5 crore with UIDAI
Airtel is learnt to have given the assurance that it will return Rs 190 crore that had flown into the 'unsolicited' payments bank accounts of 31 lakh mobile subscribers over the next 24 hours and will also inform the customers that their subsidy-linked account is being switched back to the originally-chosen account.

More Business News»

Environment

Top polluter China unveils nationwide carbon market
China, the world's biggest polluter, unveiled plans today for a national carbon market likely to become the world's largest exchange for emissions credits. Environmentalists praised the move as an important step in the battle against climate change as China burns more coal than any other country.

Lizard, turtle among more than 100 new species found in Mekong region
A Vietnamese 'crocodile lizard' and a Thai turtle found on sale in a local market are among more than 100 new species discovered in the ecologically diverse but threatened Mekong region last year, researchers said Tuesday.

Rights groups for amendment in compensatory afforestation law
Highlighting discrepancies in carrying out compensatory afforestation across the country, leading forest rights groups and tribal organisations have submitted a petition to a parliamentary panel demanding repeal or amendment of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Act to safeguard interests of 200 million forest dwellers who depend on forests for their livelihood.

More Environment News»

World

Saudi Arabia intercepts missile fired towards Riyadh
A spokesperson for the Houthi movement said a ballistic missile targeted the royal court at al-Yamama palace, where a meeting of Saudi leaders was under way. There was no official word on this assertion, but a royal family member appeared to confirm the missile was aimed at a royal palace meeting.

Rome's Christmas tree needled for losing lots of needles
Rome's official Christmas tree is losing so many needles so fast it has become a jolly joke for city residents. The 21-meter (70-foot) high tree, which was lit up on December 8, started shedding needles badly as soon as it was hoisted in place in the middle of bustling Rome's main square, Piazza Venezia.

Egypt court sentences presidential hopeful to 6 years
An Egyptian military court on Tuesday sentenced an army colonel to six years in prison after he announced his intention to run against President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi in next year's elections, his defense lawyer told The Associated Press.

More World News»

Entertainment

5 memorable dialogues from 'Munna Bhai MBBS'

Akshay Kumar poses for a quirky holiday picture
As the festive occasion of Christmas draws near, Akshay Kumar was seen reveling in the festive spirit.

Taimur and Inaaya to be classmates at Oxford?

More Entertainment News»

Science

Designer gold nanoparticles could combat deadly viruses
Scientists have created designer gold anti-viral nanoparticles that can bind to a range of viruses - such as dengue and herpes - and prevent them from infecting cells.

'Brain lesions could trigger criminality'

Gravity waves force Jupiter jet stream to change direction
A NASA-led team has found that gravity waves force an east-west jet stream speeding through the atmosphere high above Jupiter's equator to change direction on a schedule almost as predictable as a Tokyo train's.

More Science News»

Sports

IPL auction on January 27, 28 in Bengaluru
"Since most of the capped players will be back in auction, it will be a mega auction that will be held in Bengaluru on January 27 and 28. Since Bengaluru has been hosting all previous auctions, that was the choice of franchises," a senior BCCI official said on Tuesday.

Complex scheduling issues but no alternative: Gopichand
"Scheduling affects the entire world, not just India. But the fact that we have the Commonwealth and Asian Games, which are important, makes it a lot more complex for India," Gopichand told reporters on the sidelines of the launch of a sports foundation.

Govt to privatise stadiums under SAI to improve service quality
"We are keenly thinking of privatising some of our stadia to have better operations in terms of delivering sports to the sportspersons. There was a general study on how the stadia can be improved. The fact is that there is need to improve the way stadia are administered," Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said.

More Sports News»

Technology

Bengal mulling 'blockchain' to protect records stored online
Mamata government's proposed Cyber Security Centre of Excellence would be entrusted to execute the new 'blockchain' mechanism, officials revealed.

Asus ZenFone Max Plus (M1) with bezel-less display launched
Taiwanese smartphone maker Asus has launched another bezel-less smartphone ZenFone Max Plus (M1) in Europe.

Italian budget commission approves web tax on digital services
The budget commission of Italy's lower house approved on Tuesday a measure obliging companies to pay a 3 percent levy on some internet transactions in a move aimed at bypassing EU tax rules that benefit large tech firms.

More Technology News»

Education

Parliament clears bill empowering IIMs to grant degrees, set up campuses abroad
Providing statutory powers to the IIMs, the Bill enables the institutions to set up centres of management studies and allied areas outside India. It should be in accordance with guidelines laid down by the govt and in accordance with the provisions of the laws in force in such foreign country.

Decision to change Dayal Singh College (Eve) put on hold: Govt

APTET 2017 Registration Open, last date to apply is December 31
The registration process for APTET 2017 has begun today on the official website of Commissionerate of School Education, Andhra Pradesh - cse.ap.gov.in. The Andhra Pradesh Teacher Eligibility Test (APTET) is a state-level eligibility test for the candidates who wish to take teaching job in the state government schools, zilla parishad, municipality, mandal parishad, private aided as well as un-aided schools in Andhra Pradesh.

More Education News»

Mumbai

Inter-faith discord? Wife abducted, man blames in-laws

HC faults Thane tree authority, fellings on hold

Fatal shortcut on railway track: Seaman's wife, son run over

More Mumbai News»

Delhi

'Driverless' metro train goes through a wall

Thieves drill hole in bank wall, steal Rs 1cr
The criminals drilled their way into the bank through the boundary wall of a vacant plot next to it.They pulled out the CCTVs and the digital video recorder.

Building ready but funds crunch holds up new Safdarjung blocks
The faculty body of Safdarjung and VMMC, the medical college attached to the hospital, has now written to PM Modi to intervene. The new emergency block will have 500 beds, including 100 ICU beds, and 17 operation theatres - the largest for any public hospital in the country.

More Delhi News»

Bangalore

ACB probe into KHB scam seen as tactic to intimidate Devegowda

PIL seeks removal of 23,000 unauthorized hoardings

Bengaluru feels the chill but Met dept says it's normal winter

More Bangalore News»

Hyderabad

Fraudsters get card info from Delhi

Jharkhand brains behind ATM frauds in the Hyderabad

Poultry gets hormone taint, but organic way needs official stamp

More Hyderabad News»

Chennai

Karnan to walk out of prison today
He is bold, happy and confident" is how a friend described retired judge Justice C S Karnan, on the eve of his release from a Kolkata jail.

To curb graft, TN government bans cash transactions at sub-registrar offices
There will be no more cash transactions allowed in sub-registrar offices across the state, as the government has sent a detailed circular to registration offices asking them to adopt cashless transactions.

Campaign ends; Election Commission goes into a huddle

More Chennai News»

Ahmedabad

Seats with narrow victory margins up this year

OBC numbers go up in House

Camaraderie of agitation leaders: Mevani calls on Hardik

More Ahmedabad News»

Allahabad

Budding professionals to learn spiritualism basics at Magh Mela
Budding techies, doctors and other professionals will be converging on the banks of Ganga during Magh Mela commencing from January 2, 2018 to learn about spirituality, astrology and vastu from prominent seers and saints at the camps of spiritual and religious organisations.

High court issues notice to Ramdev in Noida land case
Acting on a contempt petition, the Allahabad high court on Monday issued notice to Patanjali Ayurved Ltd director Baba Ramdev for alleged disobedience of high court order in food plaza matter of Noida.

After defeats in 2 states, UP Congress organises 'EVM puja'
Following the party’s defeat in Gujarat and Himanchal Pradesh assembly elections, the members of district Congress Committee organised 'EVM puja' on Monday alleging that voting machines were hacked.

More Allahabad News»

Bhubaneswar

State govt to hold investor outreach activities ahead of 'Make in Odisha 2018'

Odisha promises free diagnostic services from January 1
The state government on Tuesday announced free diagnostic services in all government hospitals and free dialysis for kidney patients in most of the headquarters hospitals from January 1.

No anti-incumbency factor for BJD govt: Odisha CM
Odisha chief minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday claimed that his government would not face an anti-incumbency factor in the next state Assembly election.

More Bhubaneswar News»

Bhopal

Party's booth structure stronger in MP than Gujarat, claims Congress

Rewa abduction: Rs 22 lakh demanded for duo's release
A day after two youths were abducted by Rajauwa gang in Rewa district, a ransom of Rs 11 lakh for each was demanded by the gang of dacoits for releasing them, sources said.

Minor detained for molesting Class 1 student
A 16-year-old boy had been allegedly molesting a Class 1 girl for the last six months. The 6-year-old’s mother registered a complaint with Hanumanganj police on Sunday.

More Bhopal News»

Chandigarh

Italy-bound Punjabi dies after traffickers' swim-to-Croatia push
A youth from Gidarpindi village of Jalandhar district, who was flown from Delhi to Serbia on way to Italy, drowned after being allegedly forced by human traffickers to negotiate a river to reach Croatia.

Zooming past the rest

Allegations against Dr Manmohan Singh denigrated PM's office: Navjot Sidhu

More Chandigarh News»