News Digest: A new tango at work: Govt and party join hands to deliver quickly

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Tuesday, September 02, 2014
		Today's Headlines

		India
		A new tango at work: Govt and party join hands to deliver quickly Amit Shah's appointment as party chief is an extension of the same project under which Narendra Modi was projected as PM candidate at grievous cost to Advani. Modi government's 100 days: Experts see revival signs, but still wary The stock market is scaling fresh highs with regularity and the rupee has shown signs of stability. The investor mood seems to be lifting and business fat cats are smiling. Forces happy their minister is also finance minister A floundering defence-industrial base (DIB), a military grappling with gaping holes in its operational capabilities, a worsening civilmilitary divide, and no concrete longterm strategic planning. After eight years of AK Antony's "holding operation", the country needed a heavy weight defence minister to undertake systemic reforms across the board. More India News»

		Business
		Modi effect? Nifty crosses 8,000, sensex nears 27,000 During the April-June quarter the Indian economy, which had clocked the decade’s low of 4.7% growth in fiscal 2014, jumped to 5.7% rate as non-agricultural GDP expanded at 6% on an annual basis. Deregulation of diesel rate to up competition: Oil minister Once diesel attains market rate, the government will have to take Cabinet approval for formally lifting pricing curbs. RBI seeks time-bound loan approvals The new norms are part of the central bank’s guidelines on fair practices code for lenders. More Business News»

		Environment
		East Central Railway to tap solar energy to light up crossings According to sources, the number of railway crossing gates in ECR is about 2,113 of which 1,127 are manned and 986 are unmanned. 70% afforestation achieved in Arunachal Pradesh The Arunachal Pradesh Environment and Forest Department has achieved 70 per cent afforestation in the state at a time when forest areas are decreasing alarmingly in the country. Eat less meat to control global warming: Study Unless current eating habits, especially the Western style high meat diet, are changed the world will move towards ever increasing greenhouse gas emissions, says a new study. More Environment News»

		World
		Both sides guilty of atrocities in Iraq: UN Both Islamist fighters and, to a lesser extent, Iraqi government forces have killed civilians and committed atrocities in three months of fighting, a senior UN official said in an emergency debate on the conflict on Monday. China poultry farm hit in new outbreak of H5N6 bird flu Nearly 18,000 geese died on a poultry farm in northeast China after being stricken by the H5N6 bird flu virus last month, the agriculture ministry said. US urges Israel to reverse Palestinian land-grab plan Israel has faced increasing pressure, including from the United States, after saying it plans to expropriate 400 hectares (988 acres) of Palestinian land in the Bethlehem area in the south of the occupied West Bank. More World News»

		Entertainment
		'I won't share bed with a male contestant' Nausheen Ali Sardar will not be participating in this edition of Bigg Boss. While there have been speculations that the actress declined the offer over payment issues, she denies it. Was Saif and Aamir's divorce a costly affair? They say marriages are made in heaven, divorces on the other hand definitely aren't part of that deal. Actors who should endorse condoms With sex being a taboo in India, we hardly see celebrities endorsing products such as condoms. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		'Green' beats 'lean': Plants in offices boost productivity 'Green' offices with plants make staff happier and more productive than 'lean' designs stripped of greenery, a new research has found. Tea cuts risk of deaths not related to cardiac woes Drinking tea reduces the risk of dying from causes unrelated to the heart, a new study has claimed. Scientists develop batteryless cardiac pacemaker Researchers have developed a new batteryless cardiac pacemaker which is based on an automatic wristwatch and is powered by heart motion. More Science News»

		Sports
		Ronaldo unimpressed by Real Madrid transfer dealings World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo has said he wouldn't have sanctioned the sales of Angel di Maria and Xabi if he was in charge of Real Madrid. Pennetta beats Dellacqua to enter US Open quarters Italian 11th seed Flavia Pennetta reached the US Open quarterfinals for the fourth time when she defeated Australian Casey Dellacqua, 7-5, 6-2. Manchester United agree Falcao loan deal: Reports Man United have agreed a sensational deal to sign Colombia striker Radamel Falcao on a season-long loan from Monaco, according to widespread reports. More Sports News»

		Technology
		OnePlus wants to price the 64GB One under Rs 25,000 in India The company wants to replicate its global sales model in India and price the 64GB version of the phone under Rs 25,000. Nude photos of Jennifer Lawrence, Kate Upton, Kim Kardashian leak in massive iCloud hack Nude photos purportedly showing many top stars, including Oscar-winner Jennifer Lawrence and pop star Rihanna, bounced around social media, in an apparent massive hacking leak, US media reported. 6 best mid-range smartphones in India With the wide variety of smartphones available, here’s our list of six best smartphones available between Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000. More Technology News»

		Education
		AISA demands reforms in DUSU elections The increasing prominence of the left-leaning All India Students’ Association (AISA) in Delhi University’s students’ politics may mean changes in the election process itself. Women scientists enter IIT council HRD ministry has nominated two women scientists Tessy Thomas and Vijayalakshmi Ravindranath to the IIT council, the apex body of 16 IITs. CBSE Urdu students don't have syllabus, exam dates This year, Urdu syllabus and examination schedule are missing from the diaries of CBSE students.Officials admit the syllabus couldn't be printed as translation hasn't even begun. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Free vouchers to identify and treat TB in Mumbai The TB capital of the world has got a big shot in the arm, reports Malathy Iyer. A project funded by the Bill & Gates Foundation and implemented by global NGO PATH will provide free vouchers for medicines and diagnostic tests to poor people in Mumbai who have a persistent cough. Explain rules for Metro's fare panel: Bombay high court The Bombay high court on Monday asked the Centre to file an affidavit by September 18 to explain the procedure for appointment of a fare-fixing committee for Mumbai Metro, after the government disclosed that it was yet to form the panel. Clean-up task awaits new transport chief Experts say the new transport commissioner, Mahesh Zagade, who cracked a whip on corruption during his FDA tenure, will have a lot of cleaning-up to do at his new posting. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Man charged with rape acquitted after 'woman turns hostile' A trial court has acquitted a man charged of raping a woman after she admitted that the case was filed due to misunderstandings between the couple. Crimes against northeast Indians in Delhi up 270% Though the government has repeatedly said that people from the north-east living in Delhi are safe and that there is no specific targeting of people from the region, government data paints a different picture.  Rajnath's wife at CISF wives' meet, lauds force The CISF Wives Welfare Association, ‘Sanrakshika’, organized its first Sanrakshika Day on Sunday. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		6,000 Cong workers vie for posts in statutory bodies More than 6,000 aspirants for 1,200 posts! This is the intensity of competition among Congress workers to share the spoils of power. Kids, chill with Usain Bolt in Bangalore today It’s no secret that sprint legend Usain Bolt’s fine form extends beyond the track to the nightclubs he frequents on his travels. The fun-loving Jamaican, who will visit Bangalore on Tuesday, could just spin a few tracks and attempt to rap at a trendy club in the evening. Woman's burnt body found in govt school The partially charred body of a woman was found in a government school in Yelachenahalli, JP Nagar, on Monday morning. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Battered roads give goosebumps to citizens Huge craters, potholes and flood water triggered chaos on city roads on Monday morning. With the heavy rains for the past few days, most road stretches became unmotorable and people were found fretting and fuming over the poor quality of roads. Warangal Chenchus' tryst with city life About 80 families of the Chenchu tribe from Chennapur village in Regonda mandal and Jadalapeta (Bhavusinghpally) in Chityala mandal for the first time travelled to Warangal city to ‘see how a town looks like’. Their visit to the town was facilitated by Telangana assembly speaker S Madhusudhana Chary. Soon, manual of plant species for Haritha Haram The state forest department is compiling a manual of plant species for different categories of land where the government aims to plant 230 crore saplings in the next three years as part of the ambitious Haritha Haram programme to be launched in 2015. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Upset with father's remarriage, girl kills self A class 6 student set herself ablaze on the school premises at Pernampet in Vellore district on Monday morning. As wind abates, TNEB pins hope on new power plants Alarm bells ring for Tamil Nadu Electricity Board with the advent of September, when wind power generation halts and makes the state’s energy position tricky. Bus catches fire, passengers safe Thirty-three passengers travelling in a luxury bus had a miraculous escape when the vehicle caught fire after it hit a two-wheeler on the national highway near Ulundurpet in Villupuram district on Monday morning. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Were rehabilitation housing units given to ineligible people? court asks The HC sought details in response to a petition filed by Kalidas Nadar, who alleged that many families that were not entitled the flats got the housing unit in 29 different schemes across the city. August showers help narrow rain shortfall in Gujarat Though August had only a few rainy days this year, the spells were enough to help Gujarat cross the last two years record as far as the month's figure is concerned. Terror alert triggers search in Patan village bordering Pakistan Jawans of the Border Security Force (BSF) and local police conducted a search operation in the border village of Santalpur in Patan district during the early hours of Monday. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		1000-year-old palm leaves manuscripts on Buddha's life yet to be deciphered A treasure trove of 1000-year-old palm leaves manuscripts related to the life of Lord Gautam Buddha and around two lakh documents revealing 180 years of history of erstwhile princely Rampur State are still awaiting to get deciphered here at regional archive office (RAO) even after a gap of 60 years. Janta Express chugs on final journey into history The historical Janta Express, running between Howrah and Delhi, would now chug into history as the railway administration has decided to stop the movement of this train. High court recalls order to set up 13k courts On a recall application moved by the state government, the Allahabad High Court on Monday recalled its earlier order dated July 11, 2014 whereby a division bench of this court had directed for establishing 13,000 additional courts in district courts of Uttar Pradesh. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		AIIMS body formation delay hits institute functioning With the change in government at the Centre, the previous governing body headed by then health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad automatically lapsed. Eligibility changed for recruitment drive To attract more students, the government on Monday modified the eligibility criteria for the proposed mega four-day recruitment drive for technical and management students at Kalinga Stadium from September 17. Father of dead girl cries foul play Police on Monday registered cases against three employees of Kendua Sevashram, a government-run residential school for tribal girls in Nayagarh district, in connection with a girl's death the day before. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Seepage at Sadar Manzil threat to historic frescos Civic bodies in cities like Ahmedabad have taken a lead in preserving historic fabric of the city. Devotion for Bappa: From collection to creation From abstract to accurate, the varied forms of lord Ganesh never fail to charm his devotees.They always long to worship their beloved Bappa in his diverse avataras ? be it miniscule or life size. 68 workers drink gukta factory water, taken ill Some 68 workers of a ?gukta' manufacturing unit in Bhopal were taken ill after drinking water meant for industrial use. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		3 AAP members resign in Faridkot Aam Aadmi Party's Faridkot district in-charge has resigned from his post alleging that AAP MP Sadhu Singh's relatives, including his son, were interfering in party affairs. Report puts Jyoti Nooran's age at 17, but doesn't rule out variation The controversy related to Punjabi folk singer Jyoti Nooran took a new turn on Monday when the bone density verification (ossification) test carried out to determine her age indicated that she was around 17. Taking the spice out of big, fat Punjabi wedding? The big, fat Punjabi wedding may lose sheen if a local NGO's efforts bear fruit. In an effort to rein in the expenses incurred on lavish Punjabi weddings, Punjab Caucus for Public Cause (PCPC) has floated the idea of one-dish menu for marriage parties. More Chandigarh News»

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News Digest: Air force employee held for 'spying'

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Monday, September 01, 2014
		Today's Headlines

		India
		Air force employee held for 'spying' An IAF employee based at Pathankot in Punjab was arrested on charge of passing on strategic information about the air force station to a Pakistani woman, police said yesterday. Eligible for marriage only if you have an elite education A series of matrimonial sites have been launched to pair the academically privileged as more youngsters find a common college experience is key to compatibility. Consumer as king: 'No depreciation on reinstatement policies' Depreciation cannot be made applicable to policies issued on reinstatement basis, as per a recent ruling of the national commission in the New India Assurance vs Kamboj Ultra Sound & Diagnostic case. More India News»

		Business
		Govt ready with ONGC share sale The government is set to show the green light to ONGC disinvestment over the next few days as the petroleum ministry has decided to rework the subsidy sharing formula that will help the state-run explorer improve its earnings. Sebi allows govt room to lure retail investors The Securities & Exchange Board of India has decided against giving any immediate relief to the government to boost share sales through follow-on public offers (FPOs), even as it has provided some flexibility in offer-for-sale (OFS) on stock exchanges to boost retail investor participation in the disinvestment programme. Sivasankaran seeks bankruptcy protection NRI businessman C Sivasankaran who rode the telecom wave for two decades is officially bankrupt. More Business News»

		Environment
		Gujarat National Law University to draft two key laws on deep sea mining The US, China, Japan, Russia and South Korea lead this race for the natural wealth that lies untapped beneath the seabed. Obama administration says no deal reached on climate change The Obama administration has strongly refuted reports that it has reached any international agreement to combat the critical global issue. Elusive marbled cat sighted in Buxa Tiger Reserve The recent sighting of an elusive clouded leopard is not the only good news coming in from Buxa Tiger Reserve (BTR) at the moment. There’s more in store. More Environment News»

		World
		Top US senator urges weapons for Ukraine' The head of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee called on Monday for supplying Ukraine with weapons to fight what he called a "direct invasion" of the country by Russia. ISIS recruits planning 26/11-type attack in UK An ISIS attack on Europe is not just a wild fantasy of Islamic State militants anymore. Obama faces bipartisan criticism over foreign policy President Barack Obama faced criticism over his foreign policy from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers on Sunday as he wrestled with crises in Iraq, Syria, Libya and Ukraine. More World News»

		Entertainment
		When SRK, Alia Bhatt made fun of themselves Many Bollywood celebrities take themselves far less seriously than you’d like to believe — Alia Bhatt’s appearance in a video that parodies her ‘dumb’ image, shows that she’s sporting enough to laugh at herself. OMG: Armaan Kohli to copy Elvis Presley Armaan Kohli will be seen sporting an Elvis Presley-like Pompadour hairstyle in a forthcoming film. Hottest pin up girls of Bollywood With her bold and bindaas approach Poonam Pandey has surely made a special spot for herself in the list. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		More parents comfortable outsourcing parenthood Many modern-day parents are comfortable off-loading traditional parental duties to professional care-givers, researchers, including one of Indian-origin, have found. Artificial micro-humans to replace animals in lab tests Scientists are creating artificial micro-humans that will eliminate the need for using animals in laboratory testing. Women more addicted to cellphones than men: Study Women may be more inclined to use cellphones for social reasons such as texting or emails to build relationships and have deeper conversations, the study suggested. More Science News»

		Sports
		Balotelli misfires but Liverpool wins at Spurs Liverpool's speedy attacking unit produced a 3-0 victory at Tottenham on Sunday though Mario Balotelli failed to score on his return to the EPL. Chen inflicts more world title woe on Lee China's Chen Long won the men's badminton world singles title inflicting Malaysia's world number one Lee Chong Wei's third successive defeat in the final. Marc Marquez wins British MotoGP Runaway world championship leader Marc Marquez made it 11 wins from 12 races this season on Sunday as he won the British MotoGP at Silverstone. More Sports News»

		Technology
		Tech toys for motorcycle heads Here’s a bunch of ways of bringing Tech into your lonely motorcycle commutes or to spice up long rides out of town. 7 gadgets that are great investments As opposed to the norm, these are halo products that will not get easily obsolete — they will continue to function well (sometimes over several years) though they may be more expensive to purchase initially. Oracle loses bid to restore $1.3bn SAP verdict Oracle failed to revive a $1.3 billion verdict in its dispute with SAP as a US court said Oracle must choose to accept a lower amount or face a new trial. More Technology News»

		Education
		A renewed interest S Ayyappan, secretary, department of agricultural research and education and director general, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, who won the GM Modi award for science and technology 2014, talks to Rahat Bano about the scope in his field. Grievance redressed? Every university has to appoint an ombudsman under the UGC (Grievance Redressal) Regulations, 2012, Union human resource development minister Smriti Irani told the Rajya Sabha recently. But will this help students? The price of success A survey by a UK varsity reveals the incentives parents offer to their children for examination success. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Environmental nod must for rehab sites, state panel says All rehabilitation sites must have an environment clearance before a rehabilitation project is approved, the state environment appraisal committee-I (SEAC-I) has recommended. 35 Indians dive 13,500 feet down the sky in tandem to set world record At 55, gem and jewellery businessperson Anju Bansal was the second eldest in the group, but neither her age nor a fresh injury on her leg deterred her from taking the plunge, literally. Woman attacked, robbed of bag A 44-year-old homemaker, Farida Shaikh, was attacked by a thief who slashed her with a blade on her back and shoulder and snatched her handbag near the railway station in Seawoods. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Monsoon magic returns to Delhi, wet week ahead Delhiites enjoyed a wet weekend after suffering a long dry spell in the middle of the rainy season, as monsoon magic returned to a parched northwest India. 4-year-old sexually assaulted in Delhi A four-year-old girl was sexually assaulted by a minor in outer Delhi's Begumpur area Rain slows down traffic in Delhi Waterlogging and traffic jams were reported from various parts of the city on Sunday More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		He shelters stray horses Ganesha, an abandoned horse, wandered on the streets of Banashankari for 10 years. In 2011, he was rescued and sent to a shelter — a six-acre Rare Earth Farm, off Kanakapura Road. Around 20 years old, Ganesha horses around in the farm now. Banker wins fight against transport firm Banker Madhava VP was in for a rude shock when he opened the consignment of his household goods transported from Faridabad, Haryana to Bangalore. His treadmill was damaged. So were three dining chairs and the computer table. Want compensation for dog bite? Show voter ID If you are bitten by a stray dog and want the BBMP to compensate you, keep your voter ID card handy. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Employees in a quandary: To shift out of Hyderabad or not, that is the question The recommendations of the Sivaramakrishnan committee have further compounded the confusion among government employees over shifting to the proposed temporary capital of Vijayawada. Artist, film director Bapu no more Born Sattirajuin Lakshmi Narayana in 1933, Bapu spent his childhood years in Narsapur in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. My son was murdered, IPS officer's father says Manu Mukt Manav, the trainee IPS officer who mysteriously drowned at the National Police Academy’s pool on Friday, was an expert swimmer. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Plastic waste as industrial fuel: New plan may hold garbage fix People in the city started an active civic movement to clean the city’s beaches and roads in the ’90s. With the garbage problem completely out of hand 20 years later, and Corporation of Chennai’s plan to close the city’s dump yards at Kodingaiyur and Pallikarnai likely to be delayed by a full four years, a coalition of voluntary organisations has come up with a plan to help the civic body sort out the mess. Corporation ducks RTI queries on disease, deaths The tenacity of Corporation of Chennai’s health department — down with a severe and apparently incurable type of noinformationitis — is formidable to say the least. No matter how many requests for data it receives on diseases or deaths, it will not capitulate. Family kills two of its own in six months for property A man who was picked up for a drunken brawl on Saturday spilled the beans about two murders, mistakenly assuming that he was nabbed by police for the murders, leading to the arrest of six people. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Baby python kept in captivity rescued from Navrangpura A one-year-old Indian Rock Python found in captivity at a tea stall a few metres away from Navrangpura police station was rescued on Saturday night by animal rights activists. Crowdfunding helping budding entrepreneurs realize their dreams In 2007-08, Karan Pujara, 15, set out to study diploma from a premier institute in the city, he found it difficult to buy high-priced books for his studies. ISI conspiracy case of 2003: I was arrested for poll reasons, Maulana Abdul Kavi says Maulana Abdul Kavi, 58, the Hyderabad cleric recently granted bail in the ISI conspiracy case of 2003, said on Sunday that he had been falsely implicated in the case. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		SRTC scraps concession to physically disabled The Uttar Pradesh state road transport corporation (UPSRTC) remained unfazed of the pleas by physically challenged seeking revocation of the decision of scrapping the concession provided to them due to heavy losses to the corporation. However, the 100% physically disabled persons have been given free of cost travel as oppose to 40% concession provided earlier. Water-borne diseases spreading in Manda, Koraon blocks Supply of contaminated water is the key reason behind spreading of water-borne diseases in villages falling under Manda and Koraon blocks. Health teams visited several villages after death of eight children and revealed that villagers have no source to get pure and fresh potable water. AU prof designs cost-effective solar-based system to overcome power crisis Even as the entire state is reeling under acute power shortage, a professor of Allahabad University and his students have come up with a cost-effective solar-based system to overcome the power crisis. The prototype has shown encouraging results promising of harnessing more solar power from the same solar cells as compared to conventional method. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Students in state to miss date with Modi on Teachers' Day Teachers' Day this year will be different for schoolchildren across the country as Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address them live. Villagers give stolen bikes to cops People of a politically-sensitive village in Puri district handed over 50 stolen motorcycles, worth over Rs 20 lakh, to the police on Saturday. NIFT to promote Odisha art and craft The National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Bhubaneswar, opened the new department of fashion design on Saturday and decided to promote the state's rich art and culture through it. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Entry of vehicles banned from main gate at Habibganj station anticipating Shatabdi rush From Monday parking arrangements at Habibganj would change and no vehicle would be allowed entry to the station from the main gate that would be used for exit. BDS scam: BU ex registrar changed centre Special Task Force (STF) probe into BDS scam held former Barkatullah University (BU) registrar Sanjay Tiwari accountable for deciding change of centre a day ahead of examination. MP second in ragging, number up by 2 times in one year In yet another dubious distinction, Madhya Pradesh stood second in the number of ragging complaints filed from the state on the anti-ragging portal of University Grant Commission (UGC) filed so far this year. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		BJP flouted coalition code: Shanta Within days of Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal voicing his displeasure over the induction of former state DGP and SAD leader Paramdeep Singh Gill into BJP in Jammu, BJP's Punjab affairs in charge Shanta Kumar ticked off his party for flouting the coalition code. Security cover proves costly for man who spilled beans on Punjab Police Jagjit Singh, who filmed Punjab Police officials thrashing a woman in Tarn Tarn in 2013, after which he was given security cover, has concluded he was better off without protection. Campaign rolls on, PUSU heads for Kasauli Student parties in Panjab University are going all out to win the elections.On Sunday, Panjab University Students Union (PUSU) organized a trip for students. More Chandigarh News»

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