News Digest: Singapore's former PM on five-day official visit to India

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Monday, September 08, 2014
		Today's Headlines

		India
		Singapore's former PM on five-day official visit to India Singapore's former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong is on a five-day visit to India during which he will be meeting several political heads, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi. J&K flood fury is Kedarnath-2, Omar says Drawing parallel between last year's Kedarnath tragedy and the Jammu & Kashmir's flood, chief minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday hoped that his government will be able to keep the death toll less by better and speedy rescue operation. 1,800 refugees still in Shamli camp A year after one of the worst riots in the history of the state, 1,800 refugees are still living in the relief camps of Shamli district. More India News»

		Business
		Modi govt has stuck to path laid out by UPA, says Rajan India's new government may take some time to unveil "grand, big picture reforms" as it is currently focusing on implementation of stalled projects worth $50-70 billion that will pay dividends in the short run by helping on the inflation and income fronts, RBI governor Raghuram Rajan has said. 'Telcos must keep rivalries out': Ravi Shankar Prasad Communications and IT minister Ravi Shankar Prasad is in charge of the telecom sector, which has been hit by a series of controversies. Government plans new return to plug excise, service tax evasion The government plans to introduce a new annual tax return that will include information from income tax audit report, including TDS and income tax returns, and cost audit report as it looks to draw information from multiple sources to clamp down on evasion of excise and service tax. More Business News»

		Environment
		Two more cubs of Royal Bengal tiger die in Indore zoo Four cubs were born on September 5 by successful mating of a white tigress, called Shivani, and a Royal Bengal Tiger for the first time in any zoo of Madhya Pradesh. 99 per cent of Sweden's waste is now reused Around 99 per cent of Sweden's garbage is now recycled and the country is so efficient at managing waste they are importing it from other European countries. California blue whales, once nearly extinct, back at historical levels California blue whales, the largest animals on Earth once driven to near extinction by whaling, have made a remarkable comeback to near historic, 19th-century levels, according to a University of Washington study released on Friday. More Environment News»

		World
		Scottish independence backers lead Supporters of Scottish independence from Britain have taken their first opinion poll lead since the referendum campaign began, indicating a real possibility that they might win, according to a YouGov survey for the Sunday Times newspaper. US urge Afghan rivals to resolve disputed vote US President Barack Obama today urged the rival candidates in Afghanistan's disputed election to come to an agreement on a national unity government to end the crisis over the vote. Obama to set out plan to go on offensive against Islamic State President Barack Obama will deliver a speech to Americans and consult with lawmakers this week to sell his plan to go on the offensive against Islamic State militants, but is trying to head off public concern about another big military escapade. More World News»

		Entertainment
		I can be in a tub full of petals with ladies: SRK We spoke to the dynamic and full-of-life Farah Khan, who was too happy flaunting the fact that she was the only one man or woman who had managed to get Shah Rukh to take off his shirt in a film. Excerpts: Sonam tries to overcome her fear of elevators Sonam Kapoor, who has a phobia of elevators, tried to conquer it sometime back in Bangkok. Fear Factor: Celebrities and their weird phobias Be it heights or water, close space or elevators, darkness or fire, each one of us has some phobia or the other. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		100m-year-old volcano found under the Pacific A massive 100 million-year-old ancient extinct volcano has been discovered lurking four kilometres underwater in one of the least explored areas of the Pacific Ocean. Bra does not increase risk of breast cancer: Study Wearing a bra does not increase the risk of breast cancer - even if it is underwired or worn all year long, according to new research. In Europe, Neanderthal art that looks like hashtag The hashtag may be a symbol of modern life, but its origins can be traced back to Neanderthal carvings. More Science News»

		Sports
		Serena Williams downs Caroline Wozniacki for sixth US Open title World number one American Serena Williams won her 18th Grand Slam title at last, overpowering Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 6-3, 6-3 to capture her sixth US Open crown. F1: Lewis Hamilton wins Italian Grand Prix Lewis Hamilton turned a poor start into a dramatic win ahead of his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg in Italian GP, cutting German's lead from 29 points to 22. US Open: Nishikori, Cilic seek glory in unlikely final istory, redemption and glory will be on the line when Japan's Kei Nishikori and Croatia's Marin Cilic battle for the US Open men's title on Monday. More Sports News»

		Technology
		First impressions: Moto 360 smartwatch Is the Moto 360 the best smartwatch among the current crop? Moto X (Gen 2) preview: New avatar but will it be worth the price? It won't be wrong to say that it's a completely new phone and not just an iterative upgrade. 8 ridiculously expensive gadgets money can buy See eight of the most ridiculously expensive gadgets money can buy. More Technology News»

		Education
		Mumbai colleges have up to 135 students in a class this year Some of the top city colleges affiliated to Mumbai University this year have more than 135 students in a classroom, especially the commerce classes. Students aim to borrow less from banks for MBA A big take away from the great recession of 2009 among the students worldwide is to borrow less and count on greater contributions from parents investing in their education. Threat of closure Budget private schools, which serve children from low-income families, face a threat of closure under the right to education (RTE) act 2010. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Mumbai colleges have up to 135 students in a class this year Some of the top city colleges affiliated to Mumbai University this year have more than 135 students in a classroom, especially the commerce classes. Deepika Padukone, Arjun & Sonam at the second edition of Fashion's Night Out in Mumbai This evening of indulgent retail therapy with a cause was attended by celebs like Deepika Padukone, Sonam Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor and Neha Dhupia to name a few. Help centres to be set up for lost kids and medical emergencies The traffic department has imposed a series of restrictions for Anant Chaturdashi. From noon on Monday till 6am on Tuesday, it will close off 49 roads to traffic, make another 55 one-way, ban parking on 95 stretches and bar heavy vehicles from 13 roads. To monitor mandal processions, it has mounted 218 CCTV cameras at different junctions. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Cops plan e-database of IGI staff With the sharp rise in theft cases and bolder crimes being reported from IGI airport, the baggage loaders at IGI, considered a minor nuisance till now, are turning into a security issue Ozone-depleting AC gas new favourite of smugglers While R-22 gas or chlorodifluoromethane is allowed to be imported, shipments are closely regulated and require a license to be brought into the country. Private firms to gain Rs 6k crore per year on power minister's rescue plan The nine private power projects account for 10,580mw, and as government documents indicate, would corner over 24 million tonnes of domestic coal a year ? enough to run a 5,000mw plant or feed Delhi's demand. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		5 infants rescued from beggars in Bangalore These are infants you see on the road, in the hands of beggars, often flaunted to get passersby pull some money out of their pockets out of sympathy. Bangaloreans bid adieu to Ganapa Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations peaked in the city on Sunday as devotees made a beeline to water bodies for visarjan. Over 3 lakh idols were immersed in four lakes till midnight. Staff head for office, with kids in tow It was a very different sight at the secretariat on Sunday. Hundreds of officials headed for their offices — many with their spouses and children in tow. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		IM operative learnt tech skills in Banjara Hills Alleged Indian Mujahideen (IM) operative Ajaz Shaikh reportedly learnt the art of using various information technology tools at an institute in Banjara Hills. Heavy rains trigger flood alert in Telangana, AP villages Danger warning signal No. 1 was issued in Bhadrachalam town as the water level in the Godavari crossed 45 feet. The danger warning here is issued if the water level crosses 42 feet, officials said. 'Farmers can take final call' "We have decided to meet farmers of Guntur district along the Krishna river and put up our plans before them. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Courier firms asked to pay artist Rs 5 lakh for negligence The state consumer disputes redressal commission directed two courier companies to pay a city-based painter a relief of Rs 5 lakh for failing to deliver her paintings in time. City artist takes his love of symmetry to Mumbai At 68 sculptor S Nandagopal's work has taken a new turn. No stranger to innovation, the Chennai artist's foray into art began with painting but was sealed with his love for metals. IT companies flood campuses with offers If campus placements are an indication of the financial health of the country, India is on a recovery curve. Engineering colleges are showing around 20% growth in the number of jobs being offered to freshers this year. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		State tops in onion, potato output Gujarat may have slipped from third to the fifth position in overall production of onions of potatoes in the country for 2013-14, but the state has recorded the highest per hectare productivity of these two crops. Marine Task Force to get 1k new recruits The state police's Marine Task Force (MTF), also dubbed as 'Marine SRP' due to its role as enforcing agency similar to State Reserve Police (SRP) in cities and districts, is to recruit more than 1,000 personnel. 2 women claim to be moms of child found by police The mystery over a two-and-a-half-year-old boy, Sagar, found by Madhavpura police on Friday foxed the cops as two women came forward, claiming motherhood of the boy. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		UPSRTC plans to restart rural bus service Uttar Pradesh State Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) had planned to restart rural bus service to connect the city to remote villages. In 2012, the scheme was discontinued after poor road connectivity and infrastructure led to wear and tear of dozens of vehicles within a short period. Villagers block Jhansi-Mirzapur Highway;demand more compensation for land acquired to construct Karchana power plant Hundreds of villagers in Kachri villages blocked Jhansi-Mirzapur Highway for several hours on Sunday, demanding compensation as per new acquisition policy for the land acquired to construct the proposed 1,320 MW power plant in Karchana. Five IERT students expelled for ragging Five students, including three girls of Institute of Engineering and Rural Technology (IERT), were on Sunday expelled for two years after a fresher lodged a complaint with the anti-ragging helpline of University Grants Commission (UGC). Action would also be initiated against 12 officials for bid to hush up the case. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Missing Sambalpur youth rescued from UP Sudarsan Meher of Sambalpur got his son on Saturday.He was rescued by Uttar Pradesh (UP) police from the house of Jaiprakash Jatt at Dhanoura in the northern state. Incessant showers worry idol makers in Cuttack The incessant rain has not only thrown normal life out of gear in Millennium City but also adversely affected Durga Puja preparations. The artisans in the city are worried as idol-making has got delayed. Open up umbrella to study in classroom Students of several city schools are having a hard time due to incessant rain over the last few days. The heavy rain has exposed poor infrastructure facilities in schools with seeping walls and dripping roofs. Finding it difficult to manage in some schools, teachers have asked students not to come to school till the rain stops. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		MP sitting on permissions to prosecute corrupt babus Madhya Pradesh government is sitting over requests of state Lokayukta seeking sanction to prosecute corrupt officials. More than 100 such requests including around 40 made in 2013 are pending, despite apex court's direction for clearing such requests in three months. MP BJP forgets Atal-Advani, all hail Modi-Shivraj On August 26, BJP patriarchs Atal Behari Vajpayee, LK Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi were axed from the party's Parliamentary Board. Ten days later, they have disappeared from posters at Madhya Pradesh BJP's working committee meet where discussions revolved around success stories of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and to a lesser extent about chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. If BJP forgot its elders to usher-in a new era, it would still be understandable. But the party here also intentionally or otherwise forgot to place its national president Amit Shah on the banners. Look-out notice issued against IAS couple Madhya Pradesh Lokayukta police on Saturday issued a look-out circular (LOC) against on-the-run former IAS officer couple Arvind Joshi and Tinoo, following an arrest warrant issued against them by district court in a disproportionate assets case. Information has been sent to airports, through Intelligence Bureau (IB), across the country to prevent Joshi couple from leaving the country. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Ragnis pull in crowd for netas' recital With assembly polls dates expected to be announced soon, the folk artists of Haryana are already in high demand. Rains bring misery for farmers, claim first victim Missing from his native Chahlaan Wali village since Saturday, his body was found on a rail track near Maur Mandi, where he had thrown himself in front of an approaching train. Congress ads dump 'Hooda' for party The punch line 'Number 1 Haryana, Hooda ji ka Haryana' used by Congress to woo voters has been dropped ever since Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee (HPCC) has taken over the advertisement campaign of the party. More Chandigarh News»

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News Digest: 'Sathasivam did nothing wrong by becoming governor'

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Sunday, September 07, 2014
		Today's Headlines

		India
		'Sathasivam did nothing wrong by becoming governor' Many articles and statements have appeared in several newspapers and journals criticizing Justice Sathasivam, former Chief Justice of India, for having accepted the post of governor of Kerala. 'CJI post too revered to be exposed to doubts' The appointment of former CJI P Sathasivam as Kerala governor has triggered a debate on the propriety of post-retirement assignments for judges. Heroes emerge amid loot and arson in Saharanpur The July riots left a trail of burnt shops and broken people. But a bunch of ordinary men and women rose above the communal frenzy exemplifying courage and character. More India News»

		Business
		Dena Bank looks to raise Rs 1,500 crore Dena Bank is looking to raise Rs 1,200 crore this fiscal to meet its business growth of 18% during the same period. Ebola outbreak dulls diamond industry The Ebola outbreak has started casting a shadow over the diamond industry as diamantaires have stopped sourcing rough diamonds from West African countries. Africa accounts for 50% of the global production of diamonds that is pegged at $14 billion. Andhra eyes defence, aerospace investments AP government to come out with comprehensive policy on attracting private investments in defence, aerospace sectors. More Business News»

		Environment
		Javadekar promises rhino protection force for Assam Promising to curb rhino poaching in Assam, Union minister of state for environment, forest and climate change Prakash Javadekar announced a Centre-funded special rhino protection force for the state. Insa urges policy makers to take action against climate change In the run up to the UN climate summit in New York, Indian scientists and the Indian National Science Academy (Insa) urged policy makers to take “actionable steps” to reduce the impact of climate change. Forest dept to open seventh vulture 'restaurant' in Gadchiroli today Even as International Vulture Awareness Day will be observed by the forest department on Saturday to highlight plight of vultures facing extinction, Naxal-infested Gadchiroli district is booming with vultures. More Environment News»

		World
		Artillery attack challenges ceasefire in east Ukraine Witnesses in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol reported sustained explosions outside the city and a volunteer battalion of Ukrainian fighters says Grad rockets were fired at its positions late Saturday, little more than a day after Ukraine and Russian-backed separatist rebels signed a cease-fire following more than four months of fighting in the country's east. Boko Haram militants seize more Nigerian towns Thousands of fear-stricken residents in several towns and villages in Nigeria's northeast Adamawa state have fled their homes after troops failed to retake a major town seized by Boko Haram militants, residents have said. Islamic State beheads second captive Lebanese soldier Islamic State militants have beheaded a captive Lebanese soldier, images published on social media showed on Saturday, the second Lebanese soldier to be killed in captivity by the group since it raided a Lebanese border town last month. More World News»

		Entertainment
		'I don't even know when a guy hits on me' She talks nine to the dozen, and he measures his words. She grew up on a staple of Hindi films, and he had a select few of them on repeat mode. She is a national fashion icon and he is the ‘lover boy’ of Pakistan. Yet, they get along like a house on fire. Sonam Kapoor and Fawad Khan, who play the leads in Khoobsurat, get catty with each other in a chat with Bombay Times. Salman shoots Bigg Boss 8 promo at airport Salman Khan recently shot for a promo for Bigg Boss 8 at the Mumbai domestic airport. Celebs who refused to be part of Salman's Bigg Boss There are many celebrities who have refused to be inmates of Bigg Boss despite getting lucrative money and a chance to become a household name and get noticed by filmmaker. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Expensive thrills don't do much for your happiness If you follow the gospel of "#YOLO," the trite acronym for "you only live once" that is used to justify any number of exhilarating risks, you are probably not an older person. When cars talk, and drivers exit Image Henry Ford famously said: "If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses". Luckily for drivers they weren't asked and car manufacturers have been audaciously reinventing the wheel. Low-carb may trump low-fat diets Low-fat group did lose weight but it was more muscle than fat, shows study. More Science News»

		Sports
		F1: Lewis Hamilton ends pole drought at Nico Rosberg's expense Lewis Hamilton claimed his first pole position in eight attempts when he outpaced his Mercedes team-mate and championship leader Nico Rosberg in qualifying. Chhetri, Mandar score as India beat Shanghai East Asia Dominant India came up with yet another clinical display to beat Chinese Super League side Shanghai East Asia 2-0 in their own backyard on Saturday. Babita Kumari working on new strategy for Asian Games With the CWG gold in her kitty, Babita Kumari has now shifted focus to the Asian Games and is working on a totally different approach to tackle her opponents. More Sports News»

		Technology
		First impressions: Nokia Lumia 730, the selfie phone Nokia has unveiled Lumia 730, a smartphone with a 5MP wide-angle front camera. So how is it using the selfie camera? Here are our first impressions of Nokia Lumia 730 Moto X (Gen 2) preview: New avatar but will it be worth the price? It won't be wrong to say that it's a completely new phone and not just an iterative upgrade. 6 reasons why Samsung should fear the iPhone 6 Apple created the smartphone era, while Samsung has ruled the charts over the last four years. But Apple's product announcements on September 9 may change the course of the smartworld. More Technology News»

		Education
		International literacy day to be celebrated on September 8 The National Literacy Mission Authority (NLMA) will organize International Literacy Day (ILD) celebrations in the country on September 8. Medical Council of India creates advisory committee to address academic concerns Medical Council of India has created an advisory academic committee to take care of the various academic concerns, so as to ensure that the relevant challenges are duly met. India is second largest & fastest growing source of international students to New Zealand Representing 12% of the international student population in the country, New Zealand is turning out to be an emerging attraction for Indian students aspiring to go abroad. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Doctor held for raping teen in car A 48-year-old doctor took a 17-year-old patient in his car to an isolated area off Sanjay Gandhi National Park at Thane and allegedly raped her inside the vehicle on Friday. Wife calls spouse 'hijra', court grants him divorce Two cases in the family court have shown how all-encompassing 'mental cruelty' can be in divorce matters. Not in race for CM's post, says Uddhav Uddhav Thackeray announced on Saturday he was not in the race for the chief minister's post, reports Ambarish Mishra. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Illegal liquor recovery: 6 FIRs filed across Delhi The Excise department has registered FIRs in six cases where it recovered illegal liquor during raids across Delhi. Nothing wrong to form Govt in Delhi: Amit Shah The BJP on Saturday said it has the right to form the government in Delhi as it is the single largest party in the assembly and had got the people's mandate. Green think tank revived in Delhi to tap solar power The union government’s elaborate agenda for renewable energy has led Delhi government to make the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Management Centre—which will act as a ‘think tank’ for solar energy projects in Delhi—more active. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Bangalore No 1 buyer of furniture sold online The coming together of a robust real estate market with a tech-savvy population has made the country’s IT capital set online furniture sales on fire. Babus to miss Sunday siesta, clear files today It’s Sunday morning blues for babudom today. Key bureaucrats and their staff, in a drastic departure from norm, will march to Vidhana Soudha to put in a hard day’s work. Operation Live Heart not first for our cops According to traffic police, in the last one month, live hearts have been transported twice between BGS Hospital, Southwest Bangalore, and Narayana Hrudayalaya, South Bangalore More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		CAG rips Andhra government on bauxite mining In a clear warning to the Telugu Desam government, which is planning to reopen bauxite mining in Visakhapatnam district, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India observed that the memoranda of understanding signed by the previous Congress government with Jindal South West Holding Ltd and Ras Al Khaimah during 2005-2007 was only to loot precious mineral wealth in the picturesque Araku valley. CAG rips YSR government's bauxite mining lease In a clear warning to the Telugu Desam government, which is planning to reopen bauxite mining in Visakhapatnam district, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India observed that the memoranda of understanding signed by the previous Congress government with Jindal South West Holding Ltd and Ras Al Khaimah during 2005-2007 was only to loot precious mineral wealth in the picturesque Araku valley. KCR meets PM, seeks special status for Telangana Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to accord special status to the state on the lines of Andhra Pradesh. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Jayalalithaa revamps cabinet again, Ramana back Chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Saturday dropped milk and dairy development minister V Moorthy from the cabinet. Former govt staff held for cheating job aspirants Central Crime Branch officers of the city police on Friday arrested a former secretariat employee on charges of cheating 15 engineering graduates of Rs40 lakh after by promising them jobs in the state government. Police used friend of actor who killed husband to lay trap Kannada film actor Shruti Chandralekha, who evaded arrest for almost nine months, finally landed in the police net after investigators used a friend of hers to call her to the Majestic bus terminus in Bangalore where policemen lay in wait. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Court quashes order to derecognize school Gujarat high court has come to the rescue of a school that wanted to shift because of a problem of over-crowding that happened after the education department imposed another school in the same building. Woman accuses hubby, in-laws of murder attempt A 26-year-old woman has registered a complaint of attempt to murder along with mental and physical harassment against her husband and in-laws with Sola police. 'Missing' jeweller held, ornaments worth Rs 11 lakh seized Shivji Soni, a Naranpura-based jeweller who had earlier registered a fake complaint of abduction and robbery of gold ornaments worth Rs 11 lakh and later went missing, was caught by Naranpura police on Friday. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Alleged ragging: AU authorities to take cops' help Acting on the alleged case of ragging reported on the campus of Allahabad University by some student leaders and failing to contact the affected student, the varsity authorities have decided to take the help of police authorities. NCR launches e-demand facility for railway wagon registration North Central Railway had launched e-demand facility for registration of railway wagons. This has been done for making wagon registration process more easy, quick and transparent. Idol makers warned to follow UPPCB guidelines The district administration and police checked the spots where idol makers were making idols to check whether they are following norms set by Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB) in making the deities. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		CBI arrests owner of Odia daily, MLA aide In the most significant development since the arrest of Artha Tatwa group CMD Pradeep Sethy, the CBI on Friday arrested the owner of an Odia newspaper and a close associate of a BJD MLA for their alleged role in the multi-crore chit fund scam. Bhubaneswar IIT is more 'trusted' than its clones at Kanpur, Mumbai: Study The Indian Institute of Technology at Bhubaneswar (IITBBS) is a "more trusted" brand compared even to the first-generation IITs at Kanpur and Mumbai, a latest survey says. Conduct safety audit at incomplete flyover sites: Cops The police commissionerate has asked the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and its contractors to conduct a safety audit of under-construction flyovers on NH-5 where labourers and commuters have often died or suffered injuries in accidents. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Singaji scrapes coffers: Freight costs double than coal Coal is cheaper than its cost of transportation to state-owned Shree Singaji thermal power plant at Dongaliya in Khandwa district of Madhya Pradesh. Devotees start bidding goodbye to Ganesha People in the city have started bidding goodbye to Lord Ganesha with a hope that he will return next year with greater enthusiasm and good luck. BJP state executive meet on Saturday The BJP state executive committee will meet for a day on Saturday to ratify the appointment of newly inducted state party president Nandkumar Singh Chouhan. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Skies clear, but cotton fields still submerged Muktsar/ Skies opened up after two days of heavy downpour in the Malwa region, but cotton fields still remained submerged at many places. Amritsar is wettest in region Vast swathes of Punjab and Haryana continued to receive moderate to heavy rains on Saturday morning, bringing down mercury by a few notches. Haryana BJP leaders want high command to restrain Badal from supporting INLD "We strongly feel that Badal should not come to Haryana to campaign against BJP candidates, and we have conveyed our sentiments to the party high command," Haryana BJP spokesperson Veer Kumar Yadav said on Saturday. More Chandigarh News»

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