News Digest: Woman makes retired man's MMS in Meerut

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Saturday, December 20, 2014
		Today's Headlines

		India
		Woman makes retired man's MMS in Meerut Meerut SSP Onkar Singh told TOI he knew about the case. "After listening to his woes, I have asked Nauchandi police station to look into the matter and file an FIR," he said on Friday. With rounds of talks, Jaitley irons out GST differences with states The Centre and states spent several hours over the last eight days trying to narrow their differences to pave the way for the bill to amend the Constitution and roll out GST. Nitish to PM: Clear air on conversions Senior JD (U) leader Nitish Kumar on Friday “blamed” the BJP for stalemate in Parliament and suggested to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that his words on controversial issues threatening secular fabric of the country would rather enhance his stature. More India News»

		Business
		Govt pegs economic growth at 5.5% this year The government on Friday indicated that it may have to undertake spending cuts to meet the fiscal deficit target. Adani, Downer in 2 billion dollar deal : Australian Engineering Group Downer EDI has won a 2 billion dollar contract from Adani Group's Carmichael Coal Mine project in Queensland in one of the largest deals of its type signed in the country in recent years. Sensex up 314 points on global trends Extending its rise for the second straight session, the benchmark BSE sensex spurted by over 314 points in early trade today on firming global trend after the US Fed gave indication of holding interest rate hike in the short-term. More Business News»

		Environment
		Drones to guard Delhi forests, monitor encroachments Drones will soon fly over Delhi's forests to monitor encroachments and breach of boundaries of protected forest areas. Leopard dies from bacterial infection Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) in Borivali lost another wild cat on Wednesday night when leopard Poman passed away around 10.30pm. Government to strengthen laws to combat plastic hazard: Javadekar Linking the drive against plastic to 'clean-India' campaign, environment minister Prakash Javadekar today said the government will take a number of steps like tightening legal provisions and increasing the quantum of fine to deal with the menace of plastic. More Environment News»

		World
		Iraqi Kurds claim end to Mount Sinjar siege Iraqi Kurds claimed on Thursday to have broken a siege on a mountain where Yazidi civilians and fighters have long been trapped as the US said air strikes killed several ISIS leaders in recent weeks. White House open to Castro visit as US-Cuba ties thaw A US visit by Cuban President Raul Castro is a possibility, the White House said on Thursday, a day after he and US President Barack Obama announced a historic bilateral rapprochement. Obama warns North Korea over Sony hack: 'We will respond' US President Barack Obama on Friday warned North Korea it would face retaliation over a cyber attack on Sony Pictures and pledged not to bow to dictators, as an envoy for Pyongyang denied involvement. More World News»

		Entertainment
		Why Arjun Rampal didn't shave for 25 days? To add to his intense character in Roy, Arjun Rampal is seen sporting a bearded look 'Costume' copy-cats of Bollywood When Sonam Kapoor pretended to be drunk While shooting for the song 'Phatte Tak Nachna' in 'Dolly Ki Doli' that required Sonam Kapoor to be drunk, she started dancing, holding a bottle in her hand More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Common painkiller can boost health, longevity' A common over-the-counter drug -Ibuprofen -that tackles pain and fever may also hold key to a longer, healthier life, a new research has claimed. Power solution lies in champagne bubbles? Using Japan's most powerful computer, researchers have explored how the physics of champagne bubbles may enable the design of more efficient power stations or propellers. Pakistan beats India in race to become Cern associate member Pakistan today beat India in the race to become an associate member of Cern, the world’s largest particle physics laboratory that recently found some evidence of "God particle". More Science News»

		Sports
		India conspired against us before CT final: Pak hockey coach Pakistan coach Shahnaz Sheikh made allegations that it was "India's conspiracy" to put pressure on his players before Champions Trophy final vs Germany. Saina storms to semis of World Super Series Finals Olympic bronze medallist Saina Nehwal entered the last four of the $1,000,000 BWF World Super Series Finals, registering her third straight win in Group A. My best is yet to come, hopefully: Viswanathan Anand World champion Anand said he is not quitting the game anytime soon and is preparing to play more tournaments in the coming year after a decent show in 2014. More Sports News»

		Technology
		Apple Pay coming to India: Report According to an internship vacancy posted by Apple on its UK website, the company is expanding its payment solution’s reach and India is on its sights. Google to focus on cars with next Android version Google is laying the groundwork for a version of Android that would be built directly into cars. 10 best smartphones of 2014 We’ve compiled a list of 10 best smartphones of 2014, in no particular order… More Technology News»

		Education
		Only 5% of IIT-Madras PhD candidates land jobs Only around 5% of PhD candidates at IIT-Madras have been placed in companies at the end of the first session of this year's placement season. National Math Day is now 'GANIT' Continuing with the new tradition of giving Hindi names to policies and programmes, National Mathematics Day, celebrated on December 22 to mark the anniversary of Srinivasa Ramanujan, has been now christened GANIT (mathematics). IIT placements rise 15% in first phase of hiring The first phase of placements at IIT-Bombay this year ended on a high note on Friday with a record 1,000-plus students being offered jobs, a significant jump from 898 last year. The scene at other IITs is equally encouraging. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Swachh wave headed for Colaba jetty The cleanliness wave that has hit many parts of the city is now headed for the Jamshed Bunder Jetty. Landfall is expected on Saturday morning. New anti-pollution norms for ready-mix concrete plants soon Ready-mix concrete (RMC) plants in the city will not be allowed within 200m of schools, colleges, hospitals and courts and they must maintain a 100-m buffer zone from residential areas as well as arterial roads and highways. Bldr's appeal seeking stay on razing Borivli tower to be heard on Jan 7 The Bombay high court on Friday placed the matter for hearing for interim stay on demolition of Aditya Towers in Borivli (W) to January 7. The appeal for stay had been moved by developer Girish Patel. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Not the first time he's cried wolf Criminal, nut or incurable prankster? The jury is out on Sunny Sharma, the 29-year-old who left entire NCR in panic by making a hoax call about bombs planted at busy locations in Gurgaon a day after Taliban massacred 132 students in Peshawar. 11 months on, driver held for Rohini murder Eleven months after an 80year-old woman was found murdered at her Rohini apartment, her flat ransacked and son-in-law bundled up in their car, crime branch officials have cracked the case and have arrested the mastermind. HC clears decks for Munak link in Dwarka The Delhi high court on Friday cleared the decks for removal of habitation on the proposed channel to route water from Munak Canal to a water treatment plant located in Dwarka. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Children not fish or cattle to be ferried atop cylinders: HC Schoolchildren are not cattle or fish to be ferried atop gas cylinders in vehicles, the High Court observed on Friday while hearing a PIL. Two girls rescued from RT Nagar flats A guardian angel from an apartment complex in R T Nagar, helped rescue two sisters, aged 13 and 12, from their employers in the same block on Friday. Applying under Tatkal? Wait for passport to get shorter Passport applicants have reason to cheer. To provide faster service, the Regional Passport Office (RPO), Bengaluru, has increased the number of appointments for those applying under Tatkal category. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Head constable found beheaded A head constable was beheaded allegedly by unidentified persons at Bandi Atmakur village near Nandyal town in Kurnool district. His body was found on Wednesday. Railway passenger thrashed by cops, dies A 28-year-old migrant worker died after he was allegedly beaten up by five policemen at Dhone railway station in the early hours of Wednesday. Division of minority bodies in final stages, says Dy CM Deputy chief minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali on Wednesday said that the government would soon fill all vacant posts in the minorities welfare department (MWD) and its agencies apart from expediting their bifurcation. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		14 years on, cops say can't crack murder Throwing up their hands, state police have admitted before the Madras high court that even 15 years after a woman was murdered they have not been able to unravel the mystery despite 17 police officers from different wings of the department investigating the case. Sahitya Academy award for Poomani for Agnaadi Tamil writer Poomani has won this year's Sahitya Akademi award for his historical novel 'Agnaadi'. HC may fine Centre on river-link plan The Madras high court has slammed the Centre for delay in filing its response to a PIL on Tamiraparani-Nambiyaru river linking project in Tirunelveli, and warned that it would impose a cost of 10,000 if it failed to furnish a reply by February 23, 2015. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		NRGs put their money where their heart is Dayananda Shukla, a pharmacy store owner in Newark, US, recently visited his village in Petlad taluka to attend a private get-together organized to set up a primary school. Cops get licence to snoop The state government has given its approval to the Cyber Suraksha Kavach (CSK), a task force whose members will be police officers authorized to monitor activity on different social media. 400 police personnel to run task force Cyber Suraksha Kavach (CSK), which is formed to keep an eye on cyber domains, will expand its strength in coming years. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		HC lawyers to resume work today The Allahabad High Court Bar Association (HCBA) on Thursday called off their five-day-old strike and resolved to resume judicial work from Friday. Unnecessary hue & cry raised over ghar wapsi: VHP The Vishwa Hindu Parishad has said that political parties raising hue and cry over ‘ghar wapsi’ had remained quiet over the same event organized during Congress-led UPA regime. The organization claimed that ghar wapsi of more than 7,000 people was conducted during the UPA regime. Basic Shiksha Parishad to regularize exam calendar of basic schools Basic Shiksha Parishad would be regularising the examination calendar of all basic schools across the state from the new academic session. The pattern proposed is said to be set in line with the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) calendar. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Odisha set to cross the Maha hurdle They have earned a place in Group B with a sixth-place finish in Group A of Ranji Trophy last season and are riding high on their performance in Vijay Hazare Trophy this time, where they lost to giants Punjab in the semifinal. But Odisha know four-day cricket is a different ball game and they need to punch above their weight in Group A Basant's return boosts hosts Basant Mohanty has been declared fit to play as Odisha take on Gujarat in their second match of the Ranji Trophy MI stint boosted me as cricketer: Patel My first year in international cricket has gone so fast that I did not even realize it, says Akshar Patel More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Ex-MLA Bhaiya Raja dies in Bhopal Former MLA Ashok Veer Vikram Singh alias Bhaiya Raja, who was undergoing treatment at government-run Hamadia Hospital in judicial custody, died on Friday. HC turns down mining baron's bail petition Madhya Pradesh high court (MPHC) on Thursday upheld lower court's decision to reject bail plea of mining baron Sudhir Sharma, the accused in Madhya Pradesh Professional Examination Board (MPPEB) scam following objections raised by Special Task Force (STF). Buses collide head-on, 1 dies One person was killed and 35 others sustained injuries, eight of them seriously, when two passenger buses collided head-on near a crossing in Lambakheda on city outskirts, here on Thursday morning. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		HC relief for Fauji in CLU scam case The Punjab and Haryana high court on Friday stayed the investigation against former Haryana chief parliamentary secretary (CPS) Ram Kishan Fauji in the cash-for-change of land use (CLU) licence scam. NGT defers plea on new tubewell connections to December 22 Hoshiarpur-based NGO Safal Bharat Guru Parampara on Friday argued for continuation of stay quo on releasing of new tubewell power connections in Punjab and prayed before the National Green Tribunal to stop the state government from allowing eucalyptus plantation in Punjab. Primary admission: Last day for submission of forms today Today is the last chance for parents looking forward to get their wards admitted in primary schools. More Chandigarh News»

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