News Digest: 'Ghar wapsi' on hold, say VHP cadres, Togadia denies report

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Tuesday, December 23, 2014
		Today's Headlines

		India
		'Ghar wapsi' on hold, say VHP cadres, Togadia denies report Vishwa Hindu Parishad cadres across the country have apparently been orally instructed by their seniors to discontinue their ‘ghar wapsi’ events after the drive at Arnai village in Valsad district, on Saturday — at which at least 500 tribal Christians were “reconverted” to Hinduism — stoked a huge controversy. Christian conversions fuel tension in UP Fresh instances of religious conversions have been alleged, with a number of Hindus now claiming to have been converted to Christianity in various parts of UP. CBSE tones down plan for its schools on Xmas Day After the uproar over a proposal to mark ‘good governance day’ through events that could have meant schools remaining open on Christmas Day, the CBSE has issued cautious circulars announcing much watered down activities. More India News»

		Business
		New sales network for Maruti's LCV Co Plans To Bring The Vehicle Next Year; Will Not Opt For All-India Launch Singh seeks more time for fund infusion in SpiceJet Cash-strapped SpiceJet will have to wait longer for fund infusion. RBI tightens rules to isolate defaulters Raises capital requirement for banks lending to non-cooperative borrowers More Business News»

		Environment
		Flamingos give a miss to Ajmer lakes for 3rd time In the last three years, migratory birds like flamingoes have shifted their winter abode from the lakes of Ajmer. Govt shares outcome of Lima climate talks with Parliament A week after conclusion of the Lima climate talks, India on Monday lamented that the rich nations have failed to deliver adequately on the issue of finance and said the "goal of mobilizing 100 billion US dollars per year by 2020 is still a far cry". Pedalling their way to a greener environment Spreading awareness for an alternative mode of transport and a pollution-free environment, a bunch of cycling enthusiasts are waging a battle for cycle-friendly lanes in the city. More Environment News»

		World
		US at UN calls North Korea 'living nightmare;' China overruled The United States and other Western members of the UN security council on Monday slammed North Korea's human rights record after voting to over-rule China's objections and add the hermit state to the council's agenda. Twin bomb blasts in northeast Nigeria bus station kill 20 Two bomb explosions at a bus station in the northeast Nigeria on Monday killed at least 20 people and wounded 40, an emergency services official said, and witnesses said many of the victims had rushed in to help those wounded in the first blast. North Korea's Internet collapses after Sony hack North Korea's Internet went completely dark Monday after hours of instability, cyber experts said, suggesting the country's network could be under attack following the hacking of Sony Pictures. More World News»

		Entertainment
		Exclusive: Bipasha and Karan heat it up Exclusive first look of Bipasha Basu and Karan Singh Grover from the upcoming song 'Touch My Body' 'People need to get over my weight loss' In the capital recently, Adnan Sami talks about the current phase of obscene lyrics in Bollywood and how he is tired of people talking about his weight. Upen: I am not facing any financial crisis Good-looking actor Upen Patel , who is currently in news for his unpredictable behaviour in the Bigg Boss house has rubbished all the rumours regarding his financial crisis. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Experimental DNA vaccines show promise in Ebola fight Scientists may have finally found an effective vaccine against Ebola, with two experimental DNA vaccines to prevent Ebola virus and the closely related Marburg virus proving to be safe and generating a similar immune response in healthy Ugandan adults as reported in healthy US adults earlier this year. Self-destructing phone for spies soon Boeing and BlackBerry are working together to make an ultra-secure phone for US security staff, which will allow them to communicate securely and blow itself up if it falls into the wrong hands. Fast food slows down children's brains: Study Parents, please note! Fast food may slow the brain and make children perform worse in school, a new study has warned. More Science News»

		Sports
		EPL: Chelsea sink Stoke to secure top spot at Christmas Chelsea ensured they will spend Christmas Day on top of the EPL as goals from John Terry and Cesc Fabregas gave the leaders a gritty 2-0 victory at Stoke City. Abhinav Bindra defends air rifle national title, Vijay too wins Olympic medallists Abhinav Bindra and Vijay Kumar clinched a gold medal each in 10-metre air rifle and 25-metre standard pistol events respectively at the 58th National Shooting Championship. Indian badminton makes unprecedented leap in 2014 It turned out to be a watershed year for Indian badminton as the home shuttlers clinched no less than eight individual titles and also broke new grounds in team championships. More Sports News»

		Technology
		Infosys to 'follow' Google, Facebook in evaluating employees Infosys is in the midst of putting together a staff appraisal practice that includes some of the best practices followed at Google and Facebook. Second-generation Moto X gets a price cut in India The base 16GB variant of the second-generation Moto X now costs Rs 29,999, down from its launch price of Rs 31,999. Motorola also has exchange offer on the phone. 10 biggest tech acquisitions of 2014 2014 has been a busy year for major technology companies, from consumer-focussed players Apple and Google to enterprise-centric brands like SAP and Oracle. More Technology News»

		Education
		Job we met: Teach India's English edge 30,000 young Indians have been made job ready by the Teach India programme that also conducts special projects for students in ITIs, for Delhi Police and also in institutions such as Tihar Jail Edu pavilion at Vibrant to focus on holistic devpt The education department will put up a pavilion on the theme ‘Holistic Development through Education’ at the Vibrant Gujarat Summit CAT results to be declared on Saturday The results for common admission test (CAT)-2014 will be announced on Saturday when it will be uploaded on the official website in the evening. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Report abuse at Bhandup school, cops urge parents The police have put up posters outside the Bhandup school, where a junior KG (4) student had been sexually assaulted by one of its staffer, Kesari Upadhaya, on December 9, asking parents to come forward and register a complaint if any of their wards too had undergone similar trauma. Jumpstart Sunday with coffee art and capoeira Equal Streets is back with a plethora of new workshops including charcoal and coffee powder art workshops, self-defence training, and a sport and fitness programme for kids. For these Nerul students, there is no controversy over learning Sanskrit While the government toys with the idea of making Sanskrit a compulsory subject in schools, the 25 boarders of the Ved Pathshala located on the SIES College campus in Nerul, are oblivious to controversy. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		AAP collects 47L at fundraisers Two fundraising events, a lunch in Panchshila Park organized by AAP's Greater Kailash team and a dinner organized by the Rajinder Nagar team, saw the party collect around Rs 47 lakh on Sunday. An ad for an ad: BJP attacks AAP on radio BJP has attacked AAP on radio for misleading people and quitting from government.This is in response to a series of radio ads by AAP where it highlights the work done by the Kejriwal government in 49 days. Khirki raid: NHRC to hear Bharti's plea Days after he approached the Delhi high court, former Delhi law minister, Somnath Bharti on Monday won partial relief from the National Human Rights Commission. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Fog in Delhi, chaos at Bengaluru's KIA The dense winter fog in Delhi had a cascading effect on Bengaluru too on Monday. Businessman in jail for defaming doctor A Tamil Nadu-based businessman was arrested for allegedly using Facebook and WhatsApp to defame and harass a woman doctor from the city. 3 young scientists do IISc proud, win top honour Their fields of work may be diverse but they have something in common — dedication and excellence. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		No swine flu tests on weekends in city Hyderabad’s only swine-flu testing lab at government-run Institute of Preventive Medicine (PIM) remains shut over the weekends despite huge risk of the disease rapidly spreading across the city. Army objects to state government's move to transfer ownership of residential quarters to them In a setback to the kin of former soldiers of the erstwhile Nizam Army, local military authorities have raised objections over transfer of ownership of residential quarters located at Mohammadi Lines and Asifnagar Lines to them. Dance teacher held for misbehaving with student The Banjara Hills police arrested a dance tutor for misbehaving with an eight-year-old girl student at his dance school in Srinagar Colony on Monday. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		DMK men spend lavishly in party polls Candidates contesting for the influential district secretaries posts of the DMK in Tamil Nadu are spending lavishly. Corporation tweaks Chennai's speed breakers The usual trouble motorists experience while travelling over speed breakers — humongous humps or tiny rubber-plastic ones — may soon end. The city corporation has re-engineered 400 speed breakers on interior and bus route roads as per Indian Roads Congress (IRC) standards. Chennai schools restrict entry after Peshawar bloodbath Parents can no longer walk into schools on a whim. Attacks on children within and outside the country, especially the Peshawar massacre, have put schools on alert. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		BSF reunites Pak boy with kin Once again, India showed its soft corner for kids from the neighbouring country by handing over a four-year-old boy who had crossed over the international border into Kutch district from Pakistan in the wee hours of Saturday. Docs chalk out plan to cut infant mortality rate Pediatricians in Gujarat have chalked out an ambitious plan that includes social interventions to bring down the state's infant mortality rate (IMR). Honeymoon may end for 'holiday grooms' from UK, US Experts advocate social media background check More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Lawyers attack youth brigade in public glare A heated argument led to a group of advocates beating up a police officers’s driver in front of the district courts here on Monday. Nithari killings: Stay on Koli execution extended till January 9 The Allahabad High Court on Monday extended the stay on the execution of death sentence of Nithari killing convict Surendra Koli till January 9, 2015. Allahabad HC lawyers take out procession on bench issue As a part of their ongoing agitation against proposed setting up of a Bench of Allahabad High Court in west UP, high court lawyers here took out a procession from the HC to district court and handed over a memorandum, addressed to Prime Minister, to District Magistrate in this connection. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Jaundice: CM likely to visit Sambalpur Jaundice continues to affect Sambalpur with two more persons succumbing to the disease on Sunday. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik and chief secretary G C Pati are likely to visit the western Odisha city on December 24, government sources said. CUO to introduce Sanskrit The Central University of Orissa (CUO), Koraput, has decided to add Sanskrit to its masters programme. Singer Sohini debuts in Indi-pop, releases album Singer Sohini Mishra of Indian Idol fame has come up with her debut Indi-pop Hindi album ‘Love Rainbow’ that promises to bring fresh air into the musical genre. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Fog delays most trains, Shatabdi late by 5 hours Trains originating from Northern India continued to run hours behind schedule on Monday on account of thick fog leading to poor visibility. Gadget freaks beware, text-neck mania holds true An American spine surgeon has recently said that text-neck mania, a condition of the spine related to bending forward to look at the phone and a constantly bent neck can increase stress on the cervical spine to an extent that the head might even fall off. Only promises, no funds; NDA govt too fails Madhya Pradesh Just a month before general elections to Lok Sabha, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan sat on a four-hour-long dharna on March 6 in Bhopal to protest against UPA 's indifference towards his demand for a relief package of Rs 5,000 crore to compensate crop damage to farmers hit by unseasonal rains and hailstorms. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Make FIR copy available online within 24 hrs: Himachal HC to police Himachal Pradesh high court has made it mandatory for the police to bring the First Information Report (FIR) under public domain by uploading it on the official website of police department. Teams monitoring Pong Dam for bird flu Ahead of the arrival of migratory birds at Pong Dam, the district headquarters here on Monday issued an alert for bird flu after death of ducks at Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh and subsequently other birds too in nearby areas. NC created divide in panth: Sikh conglomerate Eleven-year-old Sikhs' new Nanakshahi Calendar (NC) has come under threat with the Gurmat Sidhant Parcharak Sant Samaj (GSPSS), a conglomerate of around 152 Sikh religious organizations, demanding to get rid of it and revert to the old Bikrami version. More Chandigarh News»

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