News Digest: 'Muslims have lower divorce rate than other groups'

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Monday, April 10, 2017
		Today's Headlines

		India
		'Muslims have lower divorce rate than other groups' NAAC asked to rework accreditation process for higher education institutes Following complaints of corruption by the council’s peer team, the ministry asked NAAC to work towards bringing transparency, objectivity and technology into the grading system. As per the new methodology, the peer team assessment of institutions will be given just 20% weightage instead of the current 100% in deciding the grade of an institution. Staff shortage at ordnance factories hurts defence projects An acute shortage of staff at ordnance factories, the mainstay of defence production, is affecting manufacturing schedules, research and development of new products and quality control, all impacting India’s ambitious plans for enhanced indigenisation in this sector. More India News»

		Business
		Paytm taps online-to-offline to get users for e-commerce biz Snapdeal founders reassure staff amid takeover speculation The founders of Snapdeal told employees in an email on Sunday that the e-commerce company will ensure there is no disruption to staff "as the way forward becomes clear," as speculation of a takeover swirls. Bengal jewellery should get GI tag: UBM India Jewellery manufactured in West Bengal should get the GI tag so that it could fetch a premium over others, a leading B2B trade show organizing company UBM India said. More Business News»

		Environment
		Ken-Betwa link gets forest panel's nod but with limits The forest advisory committee (FAC), an expert body that advises the government on approval or rejection of major projects involving diversion of forest land has recently recommended the Ken-Betwa river link project (phase 1) in Madhya Pradesh for forest clearance. 3 tiger cubs destined for zoo in Syria rescued in Lebanon The tigers, which were being transported from Ukraine, arrived at the Beirut airport on March 7, inside a ventilated 0.3-cubic-meter (10.6-cubic feet) crate, where they could not stand or move and were forced to urinate and defecate on each other, according to Animals Lebanon. NGT declines to modify SC order on BS-III vehicles A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar declined to grant the relief to the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) saying that it has no jurisdiction to entertain the plea. More Environment News»

		World
		Trump seeks to eliminate North Korea nuke threat Second suspect arrested over Stockholm truck attack: Court The new suspect is being investigated about "terrorist crime" (by committing murder). A first suspect has been officially identified as a 39-year-old man from Uzbekistan and "applied for a permanent residency permit in 2014", a request later rejected. Donald Trump: Different strokes More World News»

		Entertainment
		Bebo and Amrita's friendship shines at KJo's party We got our hands on some inside pictures of besties Kareena Kapoor Khan and Amrita Arora posing. Abhishek posted this rare throwback picture of Jaya on her birthday On the account of Jaya Bachchan's birthday today, son Abhishek Bachchan wished his beloved mother on his Instagram account by posting a vintage image of Jaya. Arjun Rampal squashes assault allegations Arjun Rampal took to Twitter to deny the allegations of assaulting a man at a nightclub in New Delhi. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Govt asks ISRO to share technology for manufacturing Lithium-ion batteries for vehicles The government has asked Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to allow interested players including from private sector to obtain the technology for mass production of Lithium-Ion batteries for electric vehicles. ISRO will now come up with a framework to make this process smooth. How paedophiles hide sexual abuse images in innocent-looking sites Tech-savvy paedophiles are using a series of digital techniques known as "masking" and "breadcrumbing" to hide illegal materials from regular web users online, while allowing others to track down illegal images and film by following a series of covert clues. Unexplained radio signals are coming from space, not Earth, scientists confirm New work confirms that the mysterious bursts of radio waves, tracked over 10 years, are actually coming from somewhere else in the universe. More Science News»

		Sports
		IPL: Rana, Pandya pull off sensational chase for Mumbai Nitish Rana scored a belligerent half-century as Mumbai Indians overhauled Kolkata Knight Riders's target of 179 in the final over. Rana and Hardik Pandya produced a wide array of shots to pull off a stunning chase. Paes leaving midway was final nail in coffin: Bhupathi Mahesh Bhupathi on Sunday said he had no "personal agenda" in keeping Leander Paes out of the Indian Davis Cup team and said his former partner's decision to leave Bangalore mid-way into the tie was a final nail in the coffin. IPL 2017, SRH v GL: Rashid, Warner star in thumping win Rashid Khan continued his impressive run and David Warner returned to form as Sunrisers Hyderabad recorded a nine-wicket win against Gujarat Lions at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium on Sunday. More Sports News»

		Technology
		Reliance Jio Prime offer: 3 'best' competing plans After wooing millions of customers by offering free data, Reliance Jio has finally made its services paid. Here are three best Jio Prime competitors you can go for. Facebook's VR unit Oculus sued over 3D tech Facebook Inc's virtual reality unit Oculus VR is facing a lawsuit alleging it incorporated without authorization a smaller competitor's patented technology into its Rift headset. Computer hack sets off 156 emergency sirens across US city A computer hack set off all the emergency sirens in Dallas for about 90 minutes overnight in one of the largest known breaches of a siren warning system, officials in the Texas city said on Saturday. More Technology News»

		Education
		NAAC asked to rework accreditation process for higher education institutes Following complaints of corruption by the council’s peer team, the ministry asked NAAC to work towards bringing transparency, objectivity and technology into the grading system. As per the new methodology, the peer team assessment of institutions will be given just 20% weightage instead of the current 100% in deciding the grade of an institution. NEET in Urdu: Govt says not biased against Muslims UP government exempts PhD holders from NET for post of assistant professors More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Uncertainty over Maharashtra govt order on re-test for students who fail Class IX As this academic year draws to an end, schools in the city are confused about the state's directive to conduct a re-exam for the students who fail in class IX. Topsy-turvy college rankings leave students and profs baffled Contrary institution rankings by bodies connected with the central government, one directly , has left millions of students puzzled. Tribunal puts onus on BEST staff to ensure safety, grants Rs 18lakh relief The family told the tribunal that at the time of the incident, Khan worked as a scrap vendor and earned Rs 1.50 lakh a year.They claimed Rs 6 lakh relief under various heads and also sought interest on the amount. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Delhi-NCR close to toppling Mumbai as India's ad capital In the past few years, the Delhi-NCR market has surged, and though it is still behind Mumbai, the gap has shrunk to its narrowest ever. If this trend continues, Delhi-NCR might dislodge Mumbai from its perch this year itself. If Mumbai recovers from the decline of 2016, the displacement will take longer. Rohini battles the great divide Rohini, one of the biggest sub-cities of Asia, was developed as a residential hub in northwest Delhi during the 1980s. Biker dies after being hit by speeding vehicle in north Delhi A 34-year-old biker was killed after being hit by an unidentified speeding vehicle around 1.30am on Ring Road in north Delhi’s Civil Lines on Saturday. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Turnout crosses 75%; outcome could change caste matrix for both parties The high-decibel campaign by the Congress and BJP for a fortnight seems to have worked, with voters in Nanjangud and Gundlupet constituencies turning out in huge numbers in the Sunday bypoll. Phone-theft case: CID to probe custodial death The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) will probe the alleged death of a 24-year-old man in the custody of Sampigehalli police in north Bengaluru in the wee hours of Sunday. Ramesh alias Ramappa of Tondebhavi in Chikkaballapura district was arrested in connection with a cellphone-snatching case. Cops took Ramesh to a hospital where he was declared brought dead. BJP the hot fave among bettors With the bypoll to Nanjangud and Gundlupet concluding on Sunday, poll pundits may be finding it tough to predict the outcome, but gamblers in the state's illegal betting market, or satta, or matka, are betting high on the BJP. While the odds on the Congress and BJP were roughly the same a few days ago, closer to the polls, bookmakers believed BJP had a good chance in Nanjangud and a slight edge in Gundlupet. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Medha Patkar adds weight to TJAC efforts Medha Patkar extended her support to the activities of joint action committee. Rohingya Muslims in city on the edge after Jammu crackdown With the Centre reportedly planning to crack the whip on Rohingya Muslim refugees and sentiments rising against them in Jammu region, activists working for them said most Rohingyas in the city have refugee cards. Vegetable prices shoot through roof, Old City residents fume With the early onset of summer, vegetable prices have begun to increase steadily, leaving lower and middle class families fuming. French beans, for one, seems to be out of a poor man's plate these days. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Gangai Amaren seeks RK Nagar's sympathy Senior Sociology professor 'illegaly' transferred by Tirunelveli University After row, English replaces Hindi on highway milestones More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		BJP MP's son among four booked for betting on IPL Con call centres had US accomplices Scorching heat back in Gujarat after a break More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Allahabad University sets up panel to evict hostel inmates The panel will be headed by the dean of student welfare (DSW), Prof R K P Singh, while AU proctor Prof Ram Sevak Dubey and Prof Satyanarayan from the department of botany would be the other two members of the committee. It is my conviction that Ram temple will be built at Ayodhya: Uma Bharti "It is my 'astha' that a temple will be constructed at the spot where we have believe Ram Lala to have been born," the firebrand BJP leader said. NRHM scam: Allahabad HC seeks CBI reply More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Flag march by RAF-CRPF, curfew relaxed for 4 hours in Bhadrak The RAF and CRPF personnel staged the march through sensitive areas after they arrived at the arson-hit town, a senior official said. Odisha government bans social media in Bhadrak Odia film 'Khyanika: The Lost Idea' to be premiered at Hidden Gems Film Festival in Canada More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Madhya Pradesh civic body plans complete meat ban Seeks Views On Proposal On Facebook MP child rights panel to challenge quota exemption to minority schools The Madhya Pradesh State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MPSCPCR) has decided to challenge a law that exempts aided or unaided minority schools from reserving 25% seats for socially and economically backward sections. Hoshangabad civic boss for meat ban If Hoshangabad municipal chairman Akhilesh Khandelwal has his way, this little city on the banks of Narmada river will be the first in Madhya Pradesh to go pure veg. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Old bomb shell found from river bed Panic struck the people of Bareke village in Ferozepur, the town near the India-Pakistan border, on Sunday evening after a bomb shell was found. Kin of Patiala boy killed in Melbourne seek Sushma Swaraj's help Family of 18-year-old Vishal Mahant from Patiala, who was killed in a road accident in Melbourne on Friday night, has sought help from the Union minister for external affairs, Sushma Swaraj, to bring his body back to the country at the earliest. War on drugs make history sheeters feel the heat The war against drugs is making cops dust off old files pertaining to habitual offenders, and to their surprise most of the cases against these history sheeters are pertaining to drug trafficking. More Chandigarh News»

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News Digest: President calls for strong poll reforms to boost democracy

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Sunday, April 09, 2017
		Today's Headlines

		India
		President calls for strong poll reforms to boost democracy Ken-Betwa link gets forest panel's nod but with reservations Trafficking along Indo-Nepal border scary: Sashastra Seema Bal An official statement said while a total of 33 victims, both Indian and Nepalese, were apprehended by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) from these areas in 2014, the figures went up to 336 in 2015, 501 in 2016 and till March this year, 180 boys and girls have been rescued by it. More India News»

		Business
		PMO discusses ways to involve realty firms in housing scheme The meeting called by the Prime Minister's principal secretary Nripendra Misra discussed how the benefits of the interest subsidy on affordable housing could reach the prospective home buyers at the earliest, sources said. RBI warns banks of action for not passing rate cut benefits RBI deputy governor SS Mundra said that banks have been not transparent in passing on the interest rate cuts to borrowers, nor have they migrated majority of loans to marginal cost of funds based lending rate (MCLR). Silver tumbles by Rs 800 to Rs 41,750, gold steady In Delhi, silver ready dropped Rs 800 to Rs 41,750 per kg and weekly-based delivery plunged Rs 1,010 to Rs 41,380 per kg. However, gold remained flat at Rs 29,300 per 10 grams even as it strengthened overseas. More Business News»

		Environment
		3 tiger cubs destined for zoo in Syria rescued in Lebanon The tigers, which were being transported from Ukraine, arrived at the Beirut airport on March 7, inside a ventilated 0.3-cubic-meter (10.6-cubic feet) crate, where they could not stand or move and were forced to urinate and defecate on each other, according to Animals Lebanon. NGT declines to modify SC order on BS-III vehicles A bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar declined to grant the relief to the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) saying that it has no jurisdiction to entertain the plea. Some of Greenland's coastal ice may be lost by 2100: Study More Environment News»

		World
		Warplanes strike Syrian town hit by chemical attack Warplanes on Saturday struck the Syrian town where a chemical attack had killed scores of people earlier this week, as Turkey warned that a retaliatory US missile strike on a Syrian air base would only be "cosmetic" if greater efforts are not made to remove President Bashar Assad from power. Cong goes on break, Trump awaits big progress on agenda Trump is approaching the end of his first 100 days in office without having signed a single major bill into law. Looking ahead, prospects for healthcare are dicey, while other initiatives like infrastructure spending and carrying out his proposal for spending cuts aren't ready for prime time yet. Donald Trump: Different strokes More World News»

		Entertainment
		This video of Badshah translating his lyrics to English has #viral written all over it Speaking exclusively to TOI Entertainment, Badshah decodes some lyrics for his fans. Kamal Haasan escapes fire tragedy at Chennai residence unhurt Actor-filmmaker Kamal Haasan on Saturday said he escaped a fire accident at his Chennai residence on Friday night. AbRam sports matching tattoo like SRK and it's adorable More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Govt asks ISRO to share technology for manufacturing Lithium-ion batteries for vehicles The government has asked Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) to allow interested players including from private sector to obtain the technology for mass production of Lithium-Ion batteries for electric vehicles. ISRO will now come up with a framework to make this process smooth. How paedophiles hide sexual abuse images in innocent-looking sites Tech-savvy paedophiles are using a series of digital techniques known as "masking" and "breadcrumbing" to hide illegal materials from regular web users online, while allowing others to track down illegal images and film by following a series of covert clues. Unexplained radio signals are coming from space, not Earth, scientists confirm New work confirms that the mysterious bursts of radio waves, tracked over 10 years, are actually coming from somewhere else in the universe. More Science News»

		Sports
		IPL 2017: RCB pull off 15-run win despite Pant heroics The Royal Challengers Bangalore (157/8) held their nerves to beat Delhi Daredevils (142/9) by 15 runs despite a brilliant 37-ball 69 from Rishabh Pant. IPL 2017: Maxwell fires KXIP to six-wicket win Captain Glenn Maxwell led from the front with a quickfire knock to fashion a six-wicket win for Kings XI Punjab in their Indian Premier League opener against Rising Pune Supergiant on Saturday. Bopanna, Balaji seal India's place in World Group play-offs Bopanna and debutant Balaji defeated Farrukh Dustov and Sanjar Fayziev 6-2, 6-4, 6-1 in the doubles rubber of the Asia/Oceania Group I second round contest at Bengaluru's KSLTA stadium. Uzbekistan needed to win the doubles rubber to keep the tie alive but Indians proved too good for the visitors. More Sports News»

		Technology
		MuveAcoustics Drive earphones review: Striking the right chord What is it that makes the MuveAcoustics Drive worthy of that price tag? We spent an ample amount of time with the earphones and this is what we think. Samsung Galaxy S8+ with 6GB RAM could hit other markets, but on one condition Samsung Galaxy S8+ with 6GB RAM is priced at KRW 1,155,000, or around Rs 65,700. Microsoft Surface Pro 5 details emerge “Surface Pro 5 will not change the Surface Connect power connector, I was just told. Kaby Lake, nothing dramatic,” tweeted Thurrott. More Technology News»

		Education
		NEET in Urdu: Govt says not biased against Muslims UP government exempts PhD holders from NET for post of assistant professors Maths section tricky and lengthy in JEE (Main), aspirants say More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Paralyzed waist down, Bandra man achieves swimming success at sea Of black ink and other student blues: Telecounsellors tackle exam anxiety Newly-found milestone first seen by a history buff in 1988 More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		'AAP government did not use central money to help urban poor' The other Madhuris and Karismas Did more for Delhi in 2 years than BJP did in 15: Arvind Kejriwal More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Online paper moderately difficult: Students The Joint Entrance Exam (IIT-JEE Main) online paper held on Saturday was lengthy and moderately difficult, said students.While chemistry and physics papers were moderate, mathematics was easier, they said. Truckers' stir called off The 10-day truckers' strike was called off on Saturday after the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) agreed to reduce the third-party premium hike. For Karnataka CM, trust vote; for Yeddyurappa, dalit vote bank BENGALURU: The outcome of bypolls in Nanjangud and Gundlupet on April 13 matters more to the Congress than the BJP, as the party is on the threshold of going in for a midcourse correction to face assembly elections in 2018. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Triple talaq: Jamaat-e-Islami to start awareness campaign Reborn in Hyderabad: Victim of Taliban brutality back on feet, set to fly After a successful hip replacement operation at the Osmania General Hospital last February, courtesy the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, Afghan youth Abdul Kahar is all set to fly back to his home town Paktika. TRS plenary to address backwards welfare A massive public meeting will be organised in Warangal on April 27 on the occasion of the Formation Day celebrations of the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS), senior party leader K Keshava Rao said here on Saturday. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		'We caught Dhinakaran's men red-handed giving out cash' TTV Dhinakaran's campaign runs like well-oiled machine The election campaign of AIADMK (Amma) faction and its star candidate T T V Dhinakaran in R K Nagar assembly byelection works like a well-oiled machine. Chennai to be dry for 4 days, tipplers stock up The spirits have rarely been this low for Chennaiiites. First, the Supreme Court ban on liquor vends within 500 metres of state and national highways kicked in on April 1. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Cops ground con call centre on wheels City crime branch on Saturday nabbed five persons running a con call centre from moving cars to avoid being tracked. After the recent crackdown on con call centres by Thane and Ahmedabad crime branch, they had changed their modus operandi. Fugitive who shot man in Vastral arrested The special operations group (SOG) of city crime branch nabbed Amit Gajjar, alias Totdo, an absconder in a murder case, for shooting a man named Gautam Sindhav in Vastral last Friday. Of Sagar Thakar and his web of deceit As Sagar Thakar alias Shaggy, the alleged mastermind behind con call centres in Maharashtra and Gujarat, has been apprehended by Thane police, city police have upped the ante in their search for new information on the intricate network of con call centres in Ahmedabad and its periphery. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		It is my conviction that Ram temple will be built at Ayodhya: Uma Bharti "It is my 'astha' that a temple will be constructed at the spot where we have believe Ram Lala to have been born," the firebrand BJP leader said. NRHM scam: Allahabad HC seeks CBI reply Now, burning agricultural residue in open to attract fine In compliance with the National Green Tribunal order, Allahabad district administration will impose a fine on farmers who burn agricultural residue in the open, in a bid to contain rising pollution levels in thedistrict. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Bhadrak tense: Odisha seeks 4 companies of RAF The state government has sought four companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) to be deployed in Bhadrak town in view of the communal tension being escalated there. The demand for Central forces came after the government extended clamping of curfew till Sunday morning. Week-long Odia New Year Celebration begins In the run up to Odia New Year to be celebrated on April 14, Odisha government has started a week-long celebration of Odisha’s culture and traditions in a grand manner from Saturday. Various competitions on Odia cultural activities, popular practices and festivals will be held during the week and also noted artists will perform popular dance and music shows. Special stall by readers of noted writer Manoj Das draws huge crowd in Bhubaneswar Book Fair More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Ater & Bandhavgarh go to polls today with VVPAT aid Amit Shah to take part in Narmada Yatra on Apr 17 Unprecedented security for Ater bypoll More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Now, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh says he is 'committed' to farm loan waiver Amarinder said the state government has approached the Centre for farm loan waiver. The Congress government is committed to fulfil every poll promise. In a first, court to send summons via WhatsApp With technology revolutionising communication, a financial commissioner (FC) court in Haryana -- a quasi-judicial body -- headed by senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka has ordered that summons in a partition suit be served via WhatsApp. School board thumbs down cheating menace More Chandigarh News»

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