News Digest: Now, BJP steps into Section 8 duel between AP and Telangana CMs

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Monday, June 29, 2015
		Today's Headlines

		India
		Now, BJP steps into Section 8 duel between AP and Telangana CMs The BJP has finally stepped into the battle between the chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana over the cash-for-vote and phone-tapping cases. ACB zeroes in on bribe money financiers in cash-for-vote case After preliminary analysis of call data records (CDR) of the accused, including jailed TDP MLA Revanth Reddy, in the cash-for-vote case, Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) officials have identified certain people, mostly financiers, who might have arranged the Rs 50 lakh bribe paid to nominated MLA Elvis Stephenson. CBI must probe cash-for-vote, Congress says The Congress party on Sunday demanded a CBI investigation into the cash-for-vote case and even threatened to file a public interest litigation (PIL) if the two warring governments failed to recommend a probe by the central agency. More India News»

		Business
		PE exits may create 2 new IT unicorns Private equity deal counters are buzzing at two of India's fast emerging IT companies, both being valued at around $1 billion each. Tata Sons caps group cos' brand fee at Rs 75cr Tata Sons, owner of the Tata brand and promoter of Tata companies, has capped the royalty payment from group entities using the Tata name at Rs 75 crore. Staff acquire VINCI's stake in infra co NAPC At a time when the world's largest construction company — VINCI of France — did not see potential in India and pressed the exit button, in a giant leap of faith, the employees of the company have stepped in to acquire the French company's stake in NAPC, a Chennai-based infrastructure company. More Business News»

		Environment
		Conservationists squirm as thousands of fish are stunned, killed in bizarre ancient ritual In a bizarre ritual which has evoked the ire of environmentalists, almost eight to ten thousand villagers of Jaunpur, almost 85 km from Dehradun, participated in the Maun mela on Sunday. Researchers develop eco-friendly oil spill solution Researchers, including those of Indian-origin, have developed an eco-friendly biodegradable green "herding" agent that can be used to clean up light crude oil spills on water. Panel on Yamuna suggests ban on use of fresh water A committee constituted by the National Green Tribunal has suggested that use of fresh water should be prohibited and made an offence in order to maintain the minimum environmental flow of Yamuna river. More Environment News»

		World
		County clerks can refuse gay couples: Texas attorney gen County clerks in Texas who object to gay marriage can refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples despite last week's landmark US supreme court ruling requiring states to allow same-sex marriage, Texas attorney general Ken Paxton said on Sunday. Solar Impulse plane departs Japan, headed for Hawaii A solar-powered plane attempting to circumnavigate the globe without fuel has taken off from Japan after an unscheduled, month-long stop. Five dead in suicide blast at Nigeria leprosy hospital At least five people have been killed and 10 wounded after a suicide bomber blew himself up outside a leprosy hospital on the outskirts of the northeast Nigerian city of Maiduguri, emergency services said on Sunday. More World News»

		Entertainment
		PIC: Kajol joins Ajay in London on a break Post the first schedule of their film shoot in Bulgaria, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol flew to London. Salman-Ash should never have broken up? Though they have moved on, we certainly think some celebs looked great with each other. When Arjun opened up about Sridevi It was in KJo's chat show that Arjun opened up about this aspect of his life. In a candid conversation, the actor said that his relationship with Sridevi would never be normal. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Plastic LEGO plans to go eco-friendly The LEGO Group is planning to replace its iconic plastic bricks with pieces made from sustainable and environment friendly materials. Artificial blood transfusion may be reality by '17 The world's first human trial of artificial blood grown in a lab from stem cells is set to take place in the UK by 2017. Will tweaked microbes make Mars Earth-like? US defence scientists are planning to use genetically engineered algae, bacteria and plants to radically transform the climate of Mars and terraform it into an Earth-like planet. More Science News»

		Sports
		HWL: India lose to Australia 2-6, finish 2nd in Pool A India crashed to their first defeat in the Hockey World League Semi-Final 2015 losing to Australia 2-6 in their final Pool A game at Antwerp, Belgium. ICC confirms receiving Lalit Modi's email in 2013 The ICC confirmed that it had received a letter from Lalit Modi in 2013 in which ex-IPL chief alleged that 3 players were bribed by a business tycoon. India likely to rest key players for Zimbabwe tour India are likely to field a second string team for the tour of Zimbabwe and senior players such as skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni might be given a break. More Sports News»

		Technology
		5 tablets with unique features Some device makers are endowing their tablets with special features to stand out.We take a look at five unique tablets… Sony Xperia Z3+ first impressions Almost nine months after launching the Xperia Z3 in India, Sony is back with a new high-end smartphone. 8 cool smartphones coming to India soon Smartphone makers from China are making a beeline to India, heading to the market in droves More Technology News»

		Education
		`It fulfilled all expectations' VIDHI LOHIA BA (hons) economics (graduating this year) St Xavier's College, Mumbai. ​More UG seats After admitting PhD students for more than a hundred years, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, opened its doors to 83 enrolees for a four-year undergraduate programme in science in 2011. What do employers want? Fresh graduates should be able to think beyond their core discipline and possess people skills, say experts More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Morning peak hour services may be affected on WR The morning peak hour train services may be affected on Western Railway as the restoration work for getting the affected coach back on tracks and clearing platform number 3 at Chuchgate was still going on, sources said. Pawar stumps Uddhav at MCA polls For Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray, it was a huge disappointment when his nominee Vijay Patil, son of education baron and former Bihar governor DY Patil, lost the crucial Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) elections to NCP founder president and former agriculture minister Sharad Pawar. Malwani tragedy: Widowed mom of six had sought solace in hooch The Jadhav sisters haven't spoken much since they lost their mother in the Malwani hooch tragedy two weeks ago. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		11kg gold seized at IGI replaced with yellow metal Officials were in for a surprise when 11kg of gold seized from passengers, who had tried to smuggle it through Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) in five different incidents, were found to be metal pieces when the packets were opened before a departmental committee for disposal. 17-year-old kidnapped, gang-raped A 17-year-old girl was allegedly kidnapped and gang-raped by a man, whom she befriended on Facebook, and his accomplices. Convicts to learn farming In a new initiative by Tihar Jail authorities, life convicts with good conduct in the past 12 years will be shifted to a semi-open jail. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Rainbows fine, what of clouded minds? "I'm coming out. I want to be honest." Good marks, but little progress Students are setting new records for the highest marks in board or competitive exams every year. By invitation: The grand old alumna from Bengaluru had many firsts While at school she was a mathematics wizard and a painter. At IISc, where she did her MSc and PhD in the 1930s, she was a tennis champion and bridge player. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Nearly 50% voters to be struck off rolls in Hyderabad district This is happening in our Hyderabad. Believe it or not, the electoral registration officers (EROs) under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) have marked out the names of 18.30 lakh voters for deletion from the electoral rolls in Hyderabad district on the ground that they have shifted residence or their houses were found locked. Spirituality, fitness go hand in hand for youth during Ramzan in Hyderabad Ramzan may well be a month of fasting or even feasting. A big, fat Iftar get-together in Hyderabad A big, fat Iftar get-together in Hyderabad More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Chennai goes on metro map, Jaya to launch service today Come Monday, Chennai will have one more attraction to flaunt — the metro rail. Drunk cop gropes woman, crowd blocks traffic on Arcot Road A drunk special sub-inspector of police created a furore by groping a woman pedestrian on Arcot Road near Kodambakkam on Saturday night, following which her colleagues and passersby gathered in protest and blocked traffic on the busy thoroughfare. 'Gold-plated' idols new telesale con Telemarketing swindles may not be new but the city police have recorded a new version of the scam, receiving a complaint about a man tricked into buying a fake Dhan Lakshmi yantra, a gold-plated pendant or idol that is supposed to bring wealth and prosperity. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		GIFT's reservoir plan put on hold for now Planning a common 15-day water reserve for Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad cities is proving to be a big challenge for the state Urban Development Department (UDD). Just recently Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT), which had started issuing tenders for work on its own massive Samruddhi Sarovar, was put on hold. Ahmedabad passport office to get more officers The regional passport office in Ahmedabad is set to get more than 50 officers from central government which in turn is expected to increase the number of passports issued in the state by 10%-15% this year. Humidity saps Ahmedabad but no rain likely this month High humidity levels will continue to discomfort Amdavadis in the coming days and no rain is likely till early next month. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Space crunch at AU hostels a blessing in disguise for pvt lodges At a time when Allahabad University had started admitting students for academic session 2015-16, there could be hundreds of admission seekers from other cities, who may face accommodation crunch. AU scientists develop herbal oil for fungal infections High humidity has led to spurt in cases of fungal infection. The easy remedy to the problem comes in form of oil extracted from various herbs. Cattle hold roads hostage, commuters struggle for space Stray cattle continue to hold Sangam City to ransom. Herds occupy busy thoroughfares and footpaths making commuting a Herculean task. Garbage littered on roads provide fodder to these stray cattle and herds can be found around garbage bins. Allahabad Municipal Corporation’s cattle catching squad has failed to break the sway of these animals on roads. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Congress ups ante against Naveen in Nabakalebara mismanagement Buoyed by the overwhelming response it received during Friday’s statewide shutdown, Congress has constituted a seven-member fact-finding committee to examine the circumstances, leading to Nabakalebara mismanagement, particularly after the recent Brahma Paribartan (soul transfer) fiasco in Puri. Congress ups ante against Naveen in Nabakalebara mismanagement Buoyed by the overwhelming response it received during Friday’s statewide shutdown, Congress has constituted a seven-member fact-finding committee to examine the circumstances, leading to Nabakalebara mismanagement, particularly after the recent Brahma Paribartan (soul transfer) fiasco in Puri. Now, BJP readies for stir against Puri ritual lapse A day after the Congress organized a successful Odisha bandh over the Nabakalebara mess, the BJP on Saturday got down to preparing a blueprint for a weeklong agitation, touching all districts, on the issue. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		More than 500 trains cancelled till July 3 Due to fire at route relay interlocking (RRI) cabin at Itarsi recently, more than 500 express and passenger trains would remain cancelled from June 29 to July 3. Major fire beaks out in SBI in New Market, furniture burnt A major fire broke out in State Bank of India at ground floor of Panchanan building at New Market on Sunday evening, triggering tension in heart of the city. No homework in home minister's remission vow to 'yogic' convicts Madhya Pradesh minister of home and jail, Babulal Gaur, made a foot-in-mouth announcement on June 21, granting a month’s remission to prisoners practising yoga on International Yoga Day. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Many Satnams, few playgrounds Many of Punjab's sports heroes have come from its villages, but Indian- born NBA player Satnam Singh Bhamara's village still lacks adequate facilities for its residents. Punjab sends rescue team for stranded pilgrims in Uttarakhand The Punjab government has dispatched a high-level rescue team to oversee the evacuation of the pilgrims stranded at Hemkund Sahib, Uttarakhand, due to heavy rains and reported damage to bridges and roads. FB hacker booked The Chandigarh police on Saturday registered a case against an unknown person on the complaint of a woman that her Facebook account was hacked.Sources said the accused sent messages from the complainant's account. More Chandigarh News»

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News Digest: Focus on your work, ignore allegations: BJP to Raje

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Sunday, June 28, 2015
		Today's Headlines

		India
		Focus on your work, ignore allegations: BJP to Raje BJP leadership on Saturday conveyed to Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje to ignore the ongoing allegations against her about supporting former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi’s application seeking UK citizenship. New security framework to spur investment Streamlining the policy to grant security clearance for investment proposals, the Union home ministry has laid down specific parameters for intelligence agencies to report any adverse inputs against the promoter or bidder. 'Myanmar echoes India terror stand' Myanmar is on the same page with India on effectively guarding the border between the two countries to check Indian north-eastern insurgents having camps on its side of the border, according to home ministry sources. More India News»

		Business
		Don't allow extra fees for check-in bags: Govt to DGCA Domestic air travelers will not have to pay extra for taking checking-in up to 15-kg of check-in baggage, for now. Minister of state for aviation, Mahesh Sharma, on Saturday said he has asked the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) not to accede to budget airlines' demand for levying a fee on check-in baggage for domestic flyers. Power tariff in Maharashtra cut by 14% In a move that could give a major boost to Maharashtra government’s ‘Make in Maharashtra’ initiative, power tariff for industries in the state has been reduced by 14%. India, Thailand to sign double taxation treaty India and Thailand will sign a double taxation treaty and an MoU for setting up an ayurveda chair in one of the Thai universities during the three-day visit of external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj beginning from Saturday. More Business News»

		Environment
		Yamuna's rising level increases pollution woes The Yamuna’s rising level has led to increased presence of contaminants and pullutants in the water, causing numerous problems both for riverside residents and the Agra Jal Sansthan (AJS). With the continuously rising water level, the quantity of waste discharged by the industries and households in the city is also increasing Corals adapting to global warming: Study At a time when global warming is threatening the very survival of coral reefs, some coral populations already have genetic variants necessary to tolerate warm ocean waters, a new study says. How rainwater can save rupees A new study, using NASA data, has suggested that rainwater can save people in India a bucket of money. More Environment News»

		World
		Nearly 200 injured amid fire explosion in Taiwan: Media About 200 people were injured after a fire suspected to have stemmed from the explosion of an unknown flammable powder occurred in a recreational park in northern Taiwan, local media reported on Saturday. NY manhunt for prison escapee heats up after accomplice killed A day after killing the first of two convicted murderers who escaped from a maximum security prison in New York, hundreds of law enforcement officers were scouring an area near the Canadian border on Saturday in hopes of apprehending his accomplice. Kurdish forces drive IS fighters out of Syria's Kobani Kurdish forces have driven out Islamic State fighters who had infiltrated the Syrian border town of Kobani, but clashes continued outside the town, activists and the official Syrian news agency said Saturday. More World News»

		Entertainment
		5 Reasons we want Don 3 On the day Don 2 had released 3 years earlier, fans of the film have started trending #WeWantDon3 on Twitter. Here's why we agree with the them. SRK films that have crossed Rs 100 crore 7 films we wish had a different ending We look at seven Bollywood films we wish had a different ending. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Chennai lab develops diabetic footwear More than 50% of lower leg amputations are estimated to be linked to diabetes. A therapeutic open footwear developed by scientists at Central Leather Research Institute now promises to reduce foot complications in diabetic patients by reducing abnormal distribution of foot pressure. India lags behind even Kenya in research: Study The country has only four researchers for 10,000 working people while Kenya and Chile have six and seven, respectively, according to Scopus database which is the world’s largest abstract and citation database on scientific literature. Saturn's 2-billion-year age gap problem solved A new study has solved Saturn's two billion-year age gap problem, supporting an 80-year-old prediction. More Science News»

		Sports
		Lalit Modi names two Indian cricketers who were bribed Lalit Modi has alleged that two leading Indian cricketers and a West Indian player had been bribed by an Indian real estate tycoon. BCCI confirms Indian team's selection for Zimbabwe tour BCCI on Saturday confirmed that the selection committee will meet on Monday to pick the squad for the Zimbabwe tour and India A squad for an upcoming tri-series. Sangakkara to retire after second Test against India The 37-year old, made his decision public to quit the longest format of the game ending weeks of speculation in a press conference after third day's play against Pakistan. More Sports News»

		Technology
		8 cool smartphones coming to India soon Smartphone makers from China are making a beeline to India, heading to the market in droves Sony Xperia Z3+ first impressions Almost nine months after launching the Xperia Z3 in India, Sony is back with a new high-end smartphone. Net neutrality report to be out soon: Ravi Shankar Prasad The telecom department is waiting for the report from sectoral regulator ​Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), telecom minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said. More Technology News»

		Education
		Rajasthan education department orders fresh lottery for RTE seats in 14K schools The state education department on Saturday ordered a fresh round of lottery in 14,000 private schools which didn't receive a single application seeking admission under the Right to Education Act. Now, go online to get an IIT-Kharagpur certificate   Professionals across seven metro cities including Kolkata can now do a certificate course under the country’s premier technology institute — IIT Kharagpur, while on job. Delhi university admission: Students made to play waiting game Chaos continued at Motilal Nehru College on the third and final day of first cutoff list admissions with the administration failing to manage the large number of applicants. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Three of family suffer from rare eye condition When four-month-old Prem Ubale, son of a farm labourer from Pandharpur, was operated for congenital cataract in a Kandivli eye hospital last week, his family had a sense of déjà vu. 'Aligning Metro III along coastal road will benefit few Mumbaikars' The state government exploring the option of aligning Metro III along the coastal road has created unease among a section of citizens who have been opposing the proposed car shed at Aarey. 5,000cr water project in arid zone gets nod The Ministry of environment and forest led by senior BJP leader Prakash Jawdekar on Friday approved a Rs 4845 crore Krishna-Marathwada irrigation project that will irrigate nearly one lakh hectares land in the drought and suicide prone Marathwada region. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Delhi traffic police de-stress to tackle abusive violators The next time you are stopped by a traffic policeman, you might be greeted with a smile and then told about the violation before being issued a challan. Runaway teen rescued from traffickers A 13-year-old girl, who fled from her house after getting scolded by her parents landed in trouble when a vagabond kidnapped her to traffic her for money. Three people, including a woman, have been arrested in the case. DUTA writes to Irani to withdraw CBCS The Delhi University Teachers’ Association has written to the minister for human resource development to withdraw the proposed choice based credit system (CBCS) scheduled for implementation across universities from the academic session 2015-16. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Karnataka HC stays July 12 election to Karnataka Film Director's Association The Karnataka high court has stayed the July 12, 2015 election for electing 15 Members of executive committee of the Karnataka Film Directors Association. Two Bengaluru city colleges fail to send students list, 150 D Ed students lose their plea About 150 students , who were pursuing Diploma in education (D.Ed )course in two private colleges in Bengaluru city lost their plea after the principal of District Institute of Education and Training(DIET), Bengaluru district told the court that two colleges in failed to submit any list or papers for approval for the D.Ed course in respect of 2014-15 academic year. After the interval It's been about eight months since Lucia released in theatres in Karnataka, 10 since it premiered in London. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Once confined to homes, now to offices Considered a safe haven for Hyderabad's four lakh-strong working class, 30% of which are women, Hi-Tec City's image took a severe beating in 2013 after two horrific incidents — reported within a span of eight months — gave residents of this cosmopolitan pocket a reality check. NGO proposes heart attack management plan for Telangana After Tamil Nadu, Telangana could well be the second state in India to have in place a comprehensive health strategy to reduce the mortality rate due to heart attacks. Trudging through legal maze for their kids Marital discords are as old as the institution of marriage itself, but what is being fought out increasingly these days in the city are battles for shared parenting. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		50 inspectors loiter as crime rate shoots up in Chennai While the crime rate has gone up in some places in the city and suburban areas due to lack of police personnel, at least 50 police inspectors in the city are loitering on the corridors of the city police commissioner’s office as they have not been given any posting since four months. Dr RK Nagar constituency voters hope Amma would look after them Most of the voters who stood in long queues in front of polling booths in R K Nagar constituency in north Chennai on Saturday nursed one hope – that their constituency would shed the tag of neglect. They hope that once chief minister J Jayalalithaa becomes their elected representative, she would take special care of the constituency. Dr RK Nagar bypoll: High turnout for a Chennai constituency With a 74% voter turnout, the R K Nagar bypoll is an endorsement of sorts of the AIADMK’s strength in this urban constituency. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Railway tribunal pulls up WR officials for inaction The Ahmedabad bench of Railway Claims Tribunal (RCT) has castigated the Western Railways (WR) for paralyzing the tribunal due to shortage of staff leading to pendency of large number of claims. K G Subramanyan awarded Savyasachi Award Noted painter K G Subramanyan was conferred third Dhirubhai Thakar Savyasachi Saraswat Award at Gujarat Vishwakosh Bhavan on Saturday evening. Teesta moves HC for de-freezing of bank accounts Social activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband, Javed Anand, have approached the Gujarat high court for de-freezing of the bank accounts of their two NGOs — Sabrang Trust and Citizens for Justice and Peace. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		IRCTC plan to make Aadhar card must for e-ticketing To check the activities of touts and ensure transparency in purchase of tickets, Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) is planning to make Aadhar card mandatory for user registration process for e-ticketing. Unaided schools employ teachers more than sanctioned posts Hundreds of teachers were allegedly found to be appointed more than the sanctioned posts in unaided secondary schools in many districts of the state. They were also drawing salary and perks from past several years. Robbers strike twice in busy thoroughfares Two consecutive daytime loots were reported from the Sangam City on Friday. In both the incidents, miscreants escaped with the bounty unchallenged. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Carpenters blame Daitapatis for delay in making idols Under fire for delay in construction of new idols of deities of Jagannath Temple for Nabakalebara, carpenters on Thursday shifted the blame to a section of Daitapati servitors. Cong bandh today: Several examinations postponed The Council of Higher Secondary Examination (CHSE) and various universities postponed the examinations, scheduled for Friday, in view of the bandh call by the Congress. Culture dept to run Odia language body The Odia Bhasa Pratisthan will function under the culture department soon. The institution has been functioning under the school and mass education department since its inception on April 1, the formation day of Odisha, in 2006. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		PPAs force MP to buy power at high prices Long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs) between private independent power producers (IPPs) and state government coupled with a low demand has put Madhya Pradesh in a piquant situation. Now, STF officer Baghel claims threat to life from MPPEB scamsters As MPPEB scam explodes on the high and mighty, 40 scam accused mysteriously die snuffing out key linkages and whistle-blowers face brunt of attacks, now investigators probing the scam seem to have developed cold feet. Bedsheets and rolls of cloth found from ex Satna jailer's house Bed-sheets, rolls of cloth allegedly meant for stitching dresses of jail inmates, slippers, and even tiffin boxes which were allegedly meant for children of inmates, were recovered from the house of a former jail superintendent of Satna, on Friday. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Many Satnams, few playgrounds Many of Punjab's sports heroes have come from its villages, but Indian- born NBA player Satnam Singh Bhamara's village still lacks adequate facilities for its residents. Punjab sends rescue team for stranded pilgrims in Uttarakhand The Punjab government has dispatched a high-level rescue team to oversee the evacuation of the pilgrims stranded at Hemkund Sahib, Uttarakhand, due to heavy rains and reported damage to bridges and roads. FB hacker booked The Chandigarh police on Saturday registered a case against an unknown person on the complaint of a woman that her Facebook account was hacked.Sources said the accused sent messages from the complainant's account. More Chandigarh News»

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