News Digest: Jaswant Singh home from hospital after 4 months

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Wednesday, December 31, 2014
		Today's Headlines

		India
		Jaswant Singh home from hospital after 4 months Former BJP vet eran Jaswant Singh was discharged from Army Research and Referral (R&R) hospital on Tuesday . Hospital sources said the 76-year-old, who went into coma after suffering severe head injury four months ago following a fall at his house, has recovered significantly . Tsunami 10 years later: How the Nicobarese survived the killer waves The coconut was the only source of food and water to those stranded. It was the self-belief of the indigenous people that enabled their survival and recovery. 9% rise in number of board exam-takers Some 1.53 lakh more students than the number last year, will take their class X and class XII examinations, which begin on March 12. More India News»

		Business
		AAI tells SpiceJet to pay Rs 200 crore A question mark is hanging on whether SpiceJet will be able to fly in New Year or not. Have not commented on RBI, governor: Jaitley Finance minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said he had not commented on the Reserve Bank of India or governor Raghuram Rajan during his speech at the Make in India workshop on Monday. Two-wheeler lending gathers pace Six years after auto financiers - both banks and NBFCs - burnt their fingers in the two-wheeler business, loans for motorcycles and scooters are once again picking up speed. More Business News»

		Environment
		Tehran air pollution puts nearly 400 in hospital Almost 400 people have been hospitalized with heart and respiratory problems caused by heavy air pollution in Tehran, with nearly 1,500 others requiring treatment, an official said today. Bengal's new target: Tourism hubs with eco-friendly practices West Bengal, in its bid to prioritise sustainable development and eco-friendly practices, has got the ball rolling to promote eco-tourism on a large scale in the state. Pachauri: IPCC future not tied to Paris climate deal The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the leading UN body for the assessment of climate change, will continue its work, no matter whether countries arrive at a global climate deal next year in Paris or not. More Environment News»

		World
		Palestinian draft resolution fails in UN council, US votes against The UN Security Council on Tuesday rejected a Palestinian resolution calling for Israel to withdraw from Palestinian territories by late 2017. Obama golf game bumps Army couple's wedding spot President Barack Obama's passion for golf forced two US army officers to relocate their sun-kissed Hawaiian wedding at the last minute. Pakistan offsets Lakhvi detention suspension, arrests him for abduction Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist and 26/11 plotter Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi was arrested on Tuesday in an unrelated case a day after a local court suspended his preventive detention. More World News»

		Entertainment
		Alia and Saif spoof themselves This year can be safely called the year of social media proliferation, when micro-blogging sites became more than just an active audience engagement platform. Amongst the multiple trends witnessed in 2014, we list the popular ones. PK: Twitterattis mock Subramanian Swamy BJP functionary Subramanian Swamy drew attention on Twitter once again after he questioned the source of investment in Aamir Khan's latest flick, PK, earning him incredulous reactions and dismissive retorts from the Twitterati. Celebs who have abused their fans More Entertainment News»

		Science
		New graphene-like particle discovered In a breakthrough, researchers led by an Indian-origin scientist have discovered half-light, half-matter particles in atomically thin semiconductors made of a 2D layer of atoms. UK students aim to grow lettuce on Mars by 2018 A student team in the United Kingdom plans to grow lettuce on Mars by 2018 using the atmosphere and sunlight on the Red Planet. 'Your year of birth tied to risk of obesity' Scientists have found that the impact of a gene associated with obesity largely depends on the birth year of an individual. More Science News»

		Sports
		Indian Super League was watched by 429 million on TV An aggregate of 429 million viewers watched the inaugural Indian Super League live on TV, making it the 2nd most-watched sport in India after cricket. Mahendra Singh Dhoni retires from Test cricket Mahendra Singh Dhoni surprised the cricket world with his sudden announcement of immediate retirement from Test cricket, making way for Virat Kohli to don the mantle of captaincy. Gareth Bale not for sale at any price: Real Madrid Real Madrid have made it clear to Manchester United and other possible suitors for his signature that Gareth Bale is not for sale at any price. More Sports News»

		Technology
		Online startup boom: What made the year 2014 special Consumer internet companies raised over $4 billion this year amid an unprecedented global appetite for India's digital pie. Over 1,250 new ventures sprouted, with the number of mobile-first startups growing fastest 5 biggest milestones for Indian e-commerce industry in 2014 Consumer internet companies raised over $4 billion this year amid an unprecedented appetite for India’s digital pie. 2014: The year that was in tech More Technology News»

		Education
		FYUP closed book, nursery a page-turner The year 2014 witnessed many controversies on the education front. It began with the demand for scrapping of the four-year-undergraduate programme introduced by Delhi University. Delhi schools told to put up nursery admission criteria on website The Delhi government's directorate of education (DoE) today directed private schools to upload the criteria adopted for nursery admission for the academic year 2015-16, offering some relief to the parents. Super30 among top3 pioneering educational initiatives : Japanese group A Japanese media group has selected Mathematician Anand Kumar's Super 30 among three pioneering initiatives in the field of education. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Young city designer dies at Goa dance fest Young city designer dies at Goa dance fest Chembur pool revamp to be floated before civic panel in Mumbai A proposal to repair and reconstruct an Olympic-size swimming pool in Chembur is finally expected to come up before the civic standing committee on Friday. Centre, private companies to fund smart police stations After announcing the smart city initiative, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now drafted a plan to set up citizen-friendly smart police stations in each state. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Few new lots but parking rates raised Without upgrading infrastructure, civic agencies have increased parking rates in the city. World heritage tag proving elusive The year 2014 was significant on the heritage front as well. The proposal for nomination of Delhi as a world heritage city seemed to have hit a hurdle at the eleventh hour with the Centre questioning the implications of this Unesco inscription. Metro saw more footfall From launching a new interchange station at Mandi House to adding more coaches to pushing phase-II work, Delhi Metro had a busy year. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Cops seek to mine info from terror suspects in jail With clues from ground zero not providing enough leads, city police have got down to brass tacks to unravel the labyrinthine network of terror groups they suspect was involved in Sunday's subversive act on Church Street. Drones to keep eye on Bengaluru revellers New Year revelry will not be the same in Bengaluru this time around as police will put in place unprecedented crowd-management and surveillance techniques. No entry at Nandi Hills this New Year's eve Authorities have decided to ban entry of public and vehicles into the hill station between 4pm on December 31 and 6am on January 1. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Maoists 'kidnap' 13 tribals near Hyderabad Maoists have allegedly abducted 13 tribals from Pega village in Chintoor mandal on Saturday night. No arrests in banana fields' fire case in Guntur Police have failed to identify those responsible for burning the banana nurseries and drip irrigation equipment in six villages identified for location of state capital. Fake IMEI number racket busted; 3 held in Hyderabad Task Force sleuths busted a fake IMEI number generating racket and arrested three persons on Tuesday. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Widow to get pension after 26-year legal battle Ending a widow's 26-year court battle, the Madras high court has said she was eligible for family pension even though her husband had died within a year after joining the government service. Teen arrested for theft forced to perform sex acts, says mom A 19-year-old youth arrested for a bike theft was recently admitted to a government hospital in Chennai with severe infection and injuries to his private parts after policemen allegedly forced him to have oral and anal sex with three others in custody over two days. Tamil Nadu govt announces DA to transport workers In what could be seen as a conciliatory move, the state government on Tuesday announced enhancement of dearness allowance to the employees of state transport corporations from 100% to 107%. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Nigerian drug dealer's bail plea rejected A ‘homesick’ Nigerian citizen, who is serving a jail sentence in a drug peddling case, sought a month’s bail from Gujarat high court so that he could celebrate Christmas and New Year with his family in Africa. New Zealand MP, UK liquor baron among key speakers at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Gujrat The Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) 2015 will see an interesting array of NRI speakers — from historians, doctors and businessmen to liquor baron, member of parliament, and chief ministers from various states. 16 properties in Ahmedabad get home stay licences In a move that will enable foreign visitors experience the grandeur of Gujarat’s rich heritage and culture, the state government on Tuesday issued 16 licences under the home stay policy to house owners across Ahmedabad. At least one of these properties is a heritage house. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		26 fair price shops set up in Mela campus Expecting several lakhs of kalpwasis and seers in the month-long annual Magh Mela, at least 26 fair price shops and three liquid petroleum gas cylinder agencies along with wholesale and retail vegetable shops have been set up in 1,550 bighas of the mela campus to ensure availability of eatables at an economical price Puspmitra's 'save flower' mantra to echo in Magh Mela too As lakhs of devotees and kalpwasis are headed towards Sangam for the month-long Magh Mela, florists and flower sellers are hoping for doing a brisk business. However, there is one person – Pushpmitra Jiwacharya – who is worried. For the last 25 years, the 50-year-old crusader from Rishikesh is striving hard to minimize usage of flowers in various rituals for “flowers look beautiful on plants than being plucked.” CCTVs at 37 spots to check crime in Sangam City With the installation of CCTVs at 37 major locations, the police claimed on Tuesday that it would help in keeping an eye on mischievous elements and help in regulating traffic. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		80 tribals "converted" to Christianity in Odisha At least 80 tribals were allegedly converted to Christianity in Balisuda village in Sundargarh district of Odisha, officials said on Saturday. Elderly man beheaded for sorcery in Odisha An elderly man was beheaded in Odisha for allegedly practicing sorcery, police said on Thursday. UGC team visits Khallikote College A University Grants Commission (UGC) team on Tuesday visited government-run Khallikote College here to assess the infrastructure facilities for restoration of its autonomous status. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		MP Cong suspicious of EC's working before civic body polls On Monday, the Election Commission announced the elections for nine urban civic poll bodies including the Bhopal and Indore Municipal Corporations to be held on January 31 Sarod maestro's charges no music to babus Bureaucrats in Madhya Pradesh have strongly reacted to allegations by Sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan that he and his family members were being ignored for years by their home state. Bhopal, Indore civic polls on Jan 31 Polls in nine civic bodies including Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur and Chhindwara municipal corporations, will be held on January 31, Madhya Pradesh State Election Commission (MPSEC) announced on Monday. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Dhindsa cautions SAD on anti-BSF protests Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) secretary general and Rajya Sabha MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa on Tuesday disagreed with the party’s decision to protest against the Border Security Force (BSF). Cops to be present in full force today No policeman in Panchkula will be allowed to go on leave on Wednesday as all hands will be needed to maintain law and order during New Year celebrations. Convent schools upload lists on websites With winter vacations on in most schools across the city, parents who went looking for their children's names in eligibility lists at convent schools had to return disappointed. More Chandigarh News»

		To manage your newsletter subscription settings, click here	Other Newsletters from TOI : Top Headlines | Tech | Entertainment | Movie Reviews | Life & Style

News Digest: Enter the wedding packers

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Sunday, December 28, 2014
		Today's Headlines

		India
		Enter the wedding packers Outsource the wrapping to professional gift-wrapping services that cover everything from takeaways to trousseaus. India asks Pak to hand over Dawood India today asked Pakistan to hand over underworld don Dawood Ibrahim saying enough evidence have been given to it on the prime accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts. The difficulty of being Indian in 2015 The request to write this piece — on being Indian in 2015 — made me smile at the irony. I thought: if 2014 is anything to go by, 2015 is going to be less about being Indian than it is going to be about not being Indian enough. More India News»

		Business
		Insurance ordinance to help companies raise funds: Finance ministry The finance ministry on Saturday said the ordinance for insurance sector reform will help companies raise capital through new and innovative instruments, besides promoting economic growth and job creation. Government invites bids for 24 coal mines In the first tranche of coal block auction, government on Saturday invited bids for 24 mines, including seven in Chhattisgarh. Audi to step up investments on models, plants Volkswagen's flagship Audi division is to increase spending on new models, plants and technology through 2019 to push its goal of surpassing German rival BMW as the world's largest luxury-car manufacturer. More Business News»

		Environment
		Govt's save-dolphin plan starts with census The Mamata Banerjee government has submitted a Dolphin Action Plan for the state to the Centre, proposing to have a dolphin census done in the Ganga and conduct an awareness campaign to prevent the endangered species, which was declared the National Aquatic Animal in 2010, from going into extinction. Himachal to add more green pockets in Shimla The Himachal Pradesh government has decided to add a few more green pockets in Shimla town to the existing 17 pockets to expand its green cover, said town and country planning minister Sudhir Sharma on Saturday. Kerala seeks Centre's support to tackle sea erosion The Kerala government has urged the Centre to make suitable amendments to rules to bring sea erosion under disaster management, a state minister said Friday. More Environment News»

		World
		'Kill infidels or they'll rape your mother' Before war convulsed his hometown in Syria, Usaid Barho played soccer, loved Jackie Chan movies and adored the beautiful Lebanese pop singer Nancy Ajram. He dreamed of attending college and becoming a doctor. Under jihadi rule, people don't even have water, medicine ISIS's vaunted exercise in state-building appears to be crumbling, as living conditions deteriorate across the territories under its control, exposing shortcomings of a group that devotes most of its energies to fighting battles and enforcing strict rules. Snow delays flights, brings roads to standstill across UK Heavy snowfall and winter storms have swept parts of the UK, resulting in flight delays and closing of roads leaving dozens of passengers stranded. More World News»

		Entertainment
		BCCC asks Sony for apology scroll The BCCC has asked Sony to run an apology scroll on December 30 between 8.30pm and 9.30pm for ‘disseminating wrong stats’ in one of the episodes of Kaun Banega Crorepati. Arjun Kapoor: There is no comfort zone It’s been a good year for Arjun Kapoor, with all his films doing well at the box office. And the year 2015 will open with yet another ‘tevar’ full of Arjun doing what he does best. The young actor, who was in Ahmedabad recently to promote his film Tevar talked at length about being an actor, connecting with fans and more during a relaxed chat. Biopics coming up in 2015 The next year will see larger-than-life stories of those who made a mark, from musicians to sportsmen to war heroes More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Taking notes kills your memory Most of us take notes be cause we think doing so will help us remember what we're learning. Old PS3 for new computing This spring, Gaurav Khanna noticed that the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth physics department was more crowded than usual. Why, he wondered, were so many students suddenly so interested in science? New worry: Resistance to 'last antibiotic' surfaces in India For now, colistin is the only cannon left in the medical armoury to treat bacterial infections, mainly those acquired in the hospital that no drug can treat. The number of cases resistant to colistin is still rare, but worrisome, say doctors. More Science News»

		Sports
		Sunil Chhetri named 2014 AIFF Player of the Year Sunil Chhetri was declared 'AIFF Player of the Year' for the third time in four years while Bala Devi has been declared the 'Woman Player of the Year'. Constantine to take charge as India football team's coach Stephen Constantine will return as Indian football team's chief coach for the second time as his name has been cleared by the AIFF's Technical Committee. Indian football team drops to worst-ever FIFA ranking of 171 In a year when cash-rich ISL created waves, Indian national team slumped to its worst-ever FIFA rankings dropping to 171st in the 209-nation chart. More Sports News»

		Technology
		Lava Iris Fuel 60 review: Budget phone with big battery Domestic handset maker Lava has introduced Iris Fuel 60, a large capacity battery-equipped Android smartphone that comes with decent hardware specifications, on paper. COAI complains to Trai about net telephony, WhatsApp The fight between mobile operators and over-the-top (OTT) players such as WhatsApp, Skype and Viber is intensifying. 10 things to do with your old smartphone Bought a shiny new smartphone? Don't give your old one away for a pittance. We show you different ways you can put that old smartphone to work around the home, office or while you're on the move. More Technology News»

		Education
		CAT results website crashes, students fume Confusion prevailed after the results of CAT– the test for entry into the IIMs – were announced on Saturday. CAT results out, but students can't log on to site The Common Admission Test (CAT) results announced on Saturday brought more worry than cheer as several could not log on to the website. IIT Delhi director RK Shevgaonkar quits over demand for Sachin's academy, Subramanian Swamy's dues Subramanian Swamy had been seeking his "salary dues" between 1972 and 1991 but IIT Delhi director R K Shevgaonkar was against an out-of-court settlement. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Have a great Sunday with mix of fitness and fun Equal Streets is back tomorrow. Last Sunday saw between 45-50,000 people swarming the 6.5km Bandra-Santacruz stretch that’s closed to motorized vehicles from 7 to 11am. Cops clueless about why youth scaled highrise The police investigating the death of the 23-year-old who fell off the 11th floor of a Borivli highrise while scaling the building’s pipe are baffled. Dance, music & debate rock IIT-B fest's Day 2 Day two of IIT-Bombay’s annual cultural extravaganza, Mood Indigo, saw over 34,000 students from colleges across the country engage in various events and competitions. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Close shave as new car catches fire, brakes fail A woman employed with an MNC had a close shave when her few months old Volkswagen Vento car, which was serviced last Monday, caught fire near Bhikaji Cama Place on Saturday. 19-year-old boy stabbed in Saket A 19-year-old boy was stabbed by his own friends near Saket City Mall on Friday. The boy, identified as Roshan, was rushed to Max Hospital. Congress may repeat its 2013 winners, runners-up All of Congress' eight MLAs in the last assembly are likely to get tickets to contest the February 2015 elections as the party tries to regain lost ground after being reduced to a distant third place in December 2013. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		How Bengaluru gave hope to this tsunami-hit girl The tsunami had devastated the Tamil Nadu coast, including their Sandy Ade village in Kanyakumari, on December 26, 2004. Sheeba's father Chinnappa, who had left home in the morning to sell sea shells on the beaches of Kanyakumari, never came back. Guv may seek legal view on CM's names for KPSC The controversial proposals come in the wake of the KPSC’s reputation taking a beating with allegations of corruption and favoritism in selection of candidates to various services. B-school on wheels chugs in to learn from Narayana Murthy Some of the coaches make for hostels for boys and girls, two AC coaches make for conference rooms, one pantry car and two more washing coaches. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Administrative Staff College of India finds 7,200 illegal water connections Nearly 7,200 water connections were found to be illegal in a sample survey of 25,000 connections in three municipal circles (Kukatpally, Alwal and Malkajgiri) by the city-based Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI). Denied meeting KCR, TRS worker attempts suicide Denied permission to meet chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao by security personnel, a TRS activist attempted suicide at the CM’s camp office at Somajiguda on Saturday. HC stays Telangana, AP notices on computerisation of retail liquor shops Stating that it is unfair to insist retailers to be tech-savvy without computerising the distilleries first, the Hyderabad high court has stayed notices issued by the AP and Telangana governments to retail wine shop dealers directing them to install computers, printers and scanners in their shops. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		2 more Sun Network officials booked for harassment Police are now looking for the P Kannan, vice-president (HR) in Sun Network, and Saju David, channel head for Surya TV. Sources in the Sun Network said Kannan and Saju suddenly went on leave just a day before Christmas after allegedly received a tip about the arrest of Praveen. Fog in Delhi puts train users in a fix, most late by a day Travelling from Chennai to Delhi by train continues to be a hassle as fog in the northern parts of the country has derailed schedules. Brain drain from IITs down For decades, IITians have been faulted for leaving the country in search of greener pastures.But now, contrary to public perception, the brain drain from the premier technical institutions to foreign shores is declining. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Ahmedabad cops can't call from landlines! Even as a terror threat looms large over the city just days ahead of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas and Vibrant Gujarat meet in January 2015, alarm bells are ringing in Ahmedabad’s police stations. Employee fudged accounts over five years, alleges car dealer A car dealing firm based on SG Road has charged an employee with siphoning off Rs81.83 lakh over five years. Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India to help ventures survive longer Businesses that start must survive and grow.Internationally, close to 40% businesses fail within the first 1,000 days.Of those that survive the 1,000-day syndrome, a significant number fail to grow and make a mark. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Alumni to teach success mantras to IIIT-A students/ to budding engineers of IIIT-A An alumni of Indian Institute of Information Technology-Allahabad (IIIT-A) has decided to return to the campus and share secret ‘mantras’ of success with the current crop of budding engineers Drones, spotters to ensure peaceful Magh Mela Following terror alert issued by the Centre across the nation, the Magh Mela administration has roped in drones and spotters to ensure an incident-free mela. AU a hit among foreign students Allahabad University’s fame as a ‘seat of learning’ has crossed the international borders and is encouraging students from foreign locations to seek admission. The trend that started with the arrival of students from African countries like Kenya, Zambia, Nigeria and Mozambique has now spilled on to middle east, east Asian and south east Asian countries too. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		80 tribals "converted" to Christianity in Odisha At least 80 tribals were allegedly converted to Christianity in Balisuda village in Sundargarh district of Odisha, officials said on Saturday. Elderly man beheaded for sorcery in Odisha An elderly man was beheaded in Odisha for allegedly practicing sorcery, police said on Thursday. UGC team visits Khallikote College A University Grants Commission (UGC) team on Tuesday visited government-run Khallikote College here to assess the infrastructure facilities for restoration of its autonomous status. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		First verdict of MPPEB scam, two get 3 yrs imprisonment In the first verdict of Madhya Pradesh Professional Board (MPPEB) recruitment scam, special court in Bhopal sentenced two accused with 3 years imprisonment for fraud in constables’ recruitment scam, on Saturday. Madhya Pradesh STF tampered evidences of MPPEB scam: Digvijaya to SIT AICC general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Digvijaya Singh appeared before Justice Chandresh Bushan-led Special investigation team (SIT), constituted by high court to monitor STF investigations into Madhya Pradesh professional Examination Board (MPPEB) scam on Saturday and submitted a report claiming the most crucial electronic evidence in the case – Nitin Mohindra’s excel sheet – was tempered by investigating officers and they should be behind the bars. Power company passes off burden on consumers Madhya Pradesh Power Management Company that sought a 24% hike in power tariff in the state, is apparently trying to pass the burden of its ‘mismanagement’ on consumers. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Rebellion in Himachal Pradesh Congress over bus conductor scam An ordinary written test to recruit bus conductors in Himachal Pradesh has created a major political crisis in the hill state. Nineteen MLAs have approached chief minister Virbhadra Singh alleging a scam in the recruitment process and signed a petition demanding the cancellation of the test and interviews. 2 youths try to abduct young woman bank employee in Hisar Two unidentified youths tried to kidnap a girl in her car in Sector 13 of Hisar on Friday.She raised an alarm and both youngsters fled from the spot. Sikh bodies to lobby for UN resolution after Rajnath terms 1984 riots as genocide Union home minister Rajnath Singh's terming of the November 1984 violence against Sikhs as "genocide" has given fresh ammunition to Sikh groups trying to internationalize the issue. More Chandigarh News»

		To manage your newsletter subscription settings, click here	Other Newsletters from TOI : Top Headlines | Tech | Entertainment | Movie Reviews | Life & Style