News Digest: Wagah visitors' gallery to accommodate over 13000 by 2016-end

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Thursday, April 09, 2015
		Today's Headlines

		India
		Wagah visitors' gallery to accommodate over 13000 by 2016-end By the end of next year, over 13,000 people will be able to see the daily ritual of the retreat ceremony by BSF and Pakistan Rangers at the Wagah border in Punjab. Women 68% of adult illiterates in India The world is now home to 781 million illiterate adults – with 68% of illiterate adults in India being women. Andhra Pradesh plans fast lane to Amaravati All important roads in the state leading to the proposed capital Amaravati will be developed as four-laned or at least three-laned. More India News»

		Business
		No women on board? Pay 50k, says Sebi Market regulator Sebi on Wednesday said that companies listed on the bourses not complying with its direction on having at least one woman director on the board will pay a one-time fine of Rs 50,000 during the first three months of such non-compliance. Tata Sky unveils daily Rs 8 daily recharge plan It's what a Nano is to cars and a sachet is to shampoos. Tea, coffee, packaged foods and even mobile service providers have adopted this marketing strategy of fulfilling aspirations of value-conscious consumers, albeit in small doses. Snapdeal buys Freecharge for $400m E-commerce marketplace Snapdeal has acquired online recharge platform FreeCharge for an estimated $400 million (Rs 2,400 crore), making it one of the largest deals in the consumer internet space in India. More Business News»

		Environment
		Largest rescue of abused circus animals successful in Nanded Nearly 40 abused circus animals gained freedom in the largest ever such operation of government agencies and six animal rights groups in Nanded. Panchganga fish killing: Pollution board issues notice to sugar factory The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has issued a notice to city-based Rajaram cooperative sugar factory for allegedly discharging effluents through an underground pipeline directly into the Panchganga river. Govt to tackle hazards posed by construction waste The environment ministry has decided to come out with rules to deal with the health hazards posed by the waste generated from construction of various infrastructure projects. More Environment News»

		World
		Obama calls for end to conversion therapy for LGBT youth US president Barack Obama called on Wednesday for an end to psychiatric therapies that seek to change the sexual orientation of gay, lesbian and transgender youth, the White House said. US begins aerial refuelling for Saudi-led air war The United States has started daily aerial refuelling for warplanes in the Saudi-led coalition carrying out air strikes in Yemen, the Pentagon has said. Afghan soldier kills 1 US soldier, several others injured An Afghan soldier shot and killed a US soldier and wounded several others Wednesday before being shot dead, the first so-called "insider attack'' to target NATO troops since they ended their combat mission at the start of the year. More World News»

		Entertainment
		'I used to carry a big knife with me' Vidhu Vinod Chopra, 62, is not just one of India’s most respected directors, but is also one of India’s most successful producers. He is emotional, sensitive and easy to read and is almost incapable of being diplomatic. He has always made cinema he has believed in and is today more than living his childhood dream. Saif Ali Khan, Shahid Kapoor party together After the opening ceremony of a cricketainment event on Tuesday night in Kolkata, Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar, Saif Ali Khan and Shahid Kapoor, decided to let their hair down together. Exclusive: Chitrangada in Gabbar Is Back Chitrangada Singh all set to raise the temperatures with her sizzling special performance in the upcoming song Kundi Mat Khadkao Raja More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Designer molecule lowers HIV levels: trial results Researchers said Wednesday a lab-manufactured antibody "significantly" reduced HIV blood levels in a small but promising human trial, and caused no harmful side effects. Mummies reveal how TB ravaged 18th century Europe Samples from mummies in a 200-year-old crypt in Hungary have revealed that infections by multiple strains of tuberculosis (TB) gripped 18th century Europe when the disease was at its peak. Signs of alien life will be found by 2025: Nasa scientists "Definitive evidence" of extra-terrestrial beings may be found within the next 20 to 30 years, top Nasa scientists say. More Science News»

		Sports
		Kolkata Knight Riders beat Mumbai Indians in IPL 8 opener Gautam Gambhir scored a half-century as KKR defeated MI in the opening match of the IPL 8 by seven wickets at the Eden Gardens on Wednesday. Former Dhoni coach unhappy over Yograj Singh comments Chanchal Bhattacharya expressed unhappiness at Yograj Singh blaming MS Dhoni for his son Yuvraj Singh's exclusion from 2015 World Cup. Sultan Azlan Shah Cup: India lose 2-3 against Malaysia India paid the price of sloppy defending, conceding a late goal to lose 2-3 to Malaysia and crash out of the title race of Sultan Azlan Shah Cup. More Sports News»

		Technology
		9 companies that 'rule' your daily life Consumer tech brands may get all the love, but there's all kinds of business software behind some of your favorite apps and sites. H1-B visa application cap reached within 5 days The US said it has reached the cap for the much-coveted H-1B work visas for 2016 within the first five days for the third consecutive year. Flipkart to now sell grocery Flipkart is poised to begin selling groceries from the second half of this year, sources said, entering a line of business which is crowded but also regarded as an attractive one for online retailers. More Technology News»

		Education
		India made big gains in child education: UN India has made significant strides in the past 15 years, but remains far from reducing adult illiteracy. Rajasthan Govt may dissolve Jodhpur univ over fake degrees: Saraf Higher education minister Kalicharan Saraf on Tuesday said the Jodhpur National University had allotted 25,003 fake degrees and the state government might consider dissolving the university following a high-level committee’s report on the irregularities there. Fill posts of teachers under Maratha quota on ad hoc basis: Bombay HC The Bombay High Court today directed Maharashtra government to fill on ad hoc basis the vacancies for the post of teachers and professors in colleges and educational institutions, which were reserved under the 16 per cent quota for Marathas. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Lokhandwala township an NDZ, BKC site a water body The state government may have set up a panel to review the controversial 2034 draft Development Plan for Mumbai, but the errors unearthed in it continue to be so glaring that a detailed review may be unnecessary. Smuggling ring busted, 7kg of gold seized The air intelligence unit (AIU) of the customs department has busted a gold smuggling ring in which a cellphone messaging application was used as the means of communication between couriers and receivers. Juhu gymkhana managing committee divided over legality of ATM An ATM on the Juhu Vile Parle Gymkhana Club premises has divided the managing committee. Some committee members say the ATM is illegal. The rest say it can not be called illegal as long as a request to regularize it is pending before the municipal corporation. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Day after green tribunal order, cops seize 96 vehicles A day after the National Green Tribunal banned diesel vehicles older than 10 years and petrol vehicles older than 15 years in Delhi and NCR, the Delhi government was still in the process of trying to access the order. BS-IV norms being violated for years now, says IFTRT The Indian Foundation of Transport Research and Training (IFTRT) has pointed out that a gazette notification of 2012 by the ministry of road transport and highways made it mandatory for any vehicle coming into Delhi NCR to follow BS-IV emission norms. This is observed more in breach. Youth beaten for entering wrong office A Delhi University student was brutally beaten up by a builder and his employee after he entered their office mistaking it for a private bank. The duo has been arrested. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Techies face a harrowing time every day It's not just the Hebbal-Kem papura junction that stands testimony to the shocking levels of civic apathy . Death lurks in many such spots across the city as walkers watch their every step on roads that don't account for them. Lack of records, publicity cast cloud over railway vehicle auctions The controversy over the arest of a chief commercial supervisor and subsequent stoppage of train services at Bengaluru City railway station for over two hours on Tuesday evening, is not just a fight between the railway employees' union and police. Staff shortage in NIA could delay probe The state government is all set to hand over the Church Street blast probe to the National Investigation Agency but its severe staff could lead to delays. One woman died in the explosion on December 28 last year. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Hussainsagar lake set to lose another 50 acres? Already reduced to one-fifth its original size, the area of the city’s iconic lake, Hussainsagar, could well shrink by another staggering 50 acres in the next few months. New law soon to check sham marriages Any foreign national planning to marry a girl hailing from Telangana will, henceforth, have to fulfill a set of conditions before such a ceremony is solemnized. Mangoes may cost a bomb this season Thanks to intermittent rains over the last two months, the king of fruits is likely to pinch your pocket this season. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		The Domino effect of official suicides in TN It was around 9 pm when the doctor got a call from a young IAS officer serv ing in a central district in Tamil Nadu seeking an appointment. At the bureaucrat's residence, his officer's wife, visibly upset, started complaining about the deteriorating health of her husband. Tamil Nadu fumes, but Amma silent The mass killing of 20 Tamil Nadu tribals in Seshachalam forests in Andhra Pradesh by a special task force has triggered a war of words between leaders of the two states. But AIADMK matriarch J Jayalalithaa is the only politician with heft who has chosen to remain silent. Middleman cut deal at wedding with woodcutters It was a marriage that led to several funerals. Twelve labourers of Vettagiripalayam and neighbouring villages of Tiruvannamalai district, who fell to bullets in Andhra Pradesh forests on Tuesday, were among the guests at the wedding of a farmer's son on Monday . More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Speeding dumper kills girl in Ambawadi A 23-year-old girl, Rajvi Shah, was run over by a speeding dumper near CN Circle in Ambawadi on Wednesday afternoon. 13th extortion case lodged against Vishal The crime branch on Wednesday registered one more complaint of extortion - this one of Rs 12.60 lakh - against dreaded gangster Vishal Goswami. Viqaruddin encounter: Gujarat cops to seek report from AP police On Wednesday, a day after Viqaruddin Ahmed and his three accomplices - Amjad Ali, Dr Mohamed Hanif and Izhaar Khan - were killed by the Andhra Pradesh police in an encounter, the Gujarat police decided to seek a detailed report on the incident. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Cong, BJP take to road in support of farmers The Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party staged separate demonstrations in support of rain and hail-storm hit farmers at Collectorate on Wednesday. Both parties demanded that farmers be compensated for the crop loss. Shankaracharya blasts O'Brian, backs ban on beef Shankaracharya Swaroopanand Saraswati of Dwarka Shardapeeth on Wednesday lambasted Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brien for describing beef as “poor man’s protein.” Naini Jail inmates 'show' way in organic farming Instead of prevalent chemical fertilizers and pesticides, Naini Central Jail inmates have this year used organic farm techniques to grow vegetables. Owing to high produce, the vegetables are being sent to jails across the state for consumption. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Edgy after egg attack? CM to fly down to Ravenshaw Chief minister Naveen Patnaik will fly down to Cuttack on Wednesday to attend the Ravenshaw University students union annual function, a move that is being seen as a desperate measure by the administration to avoid a possible rerun of the recent egg attack on the chief minister’s convoy. Top pvt firm exec lynched, two held A top executive of Mangilall Rungta, a ferro alloys manufacturing company at Meramundali in Dhenkanal district, was on Tuesday beaten to death near the company site. The police arrested two labourers of the company on charges of killing him. Pulses, wheat scarcity looms large in state Consumers in the state are likely to face shortage of pulses, wheat and wheat products in next few days. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Passengers irked as Jet Airways cancels Mumbai bound flight Mumbai bound passengers were irked on Wednesday night at Bhopal’s Raja Bhoj airport after Jet Airways was forced to cancel flight owing to technical snag as it could not reach Bhopal from Raipur. 3 died, 4 trapped after a crane falls on under-construction Jain temple in Amarkantak Three died and four others are also feared dead after a multi-storey crane which was being used at an under construction Jain temple at Amarkantak town in Anuppur district fell on them on Wednesday evening. Schools affiliation process set to get transparent Affiliation process for schools is set to become more transparent.A new software has been mooted by school education department for granting affiliation to new schools and extension of affiliation to existing schools. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Sarpanch locks school, kids study in open Elementary level schoolchildren in Faridkot's Araianwala village displayed more maturity than squabbling adults. These kids came to school on Wednesday to study and did not go back home even when the village's Akali sarpanch locked them out of the school building over some petty dispute between him, the headmaster and a teacher. 3 extort gold, cash from teen son of cop The police have arrested two persons for extorting money from two students, including a Punjab Police inspector's son studying in Class IX, in exchange of providing them protection even as their third accomplice was absconding. Concerned about NAAC rating, PU to implement student feedback system Panjab University (PU) on Wednesday appointed a two-member panel to draft a proforma for its student feedback system, which was pointed out to be missing by the NAAC team that had visited the university in March. More Chandigarh News»

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