News Digest: BJP: Land scam allegation Cong's ruse to stall House

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Sunday, February 07, 2016
		Today's Headlines

		India
		BJP: Land scam allegation Cong's ruse to stall House The ruling party said the Congress is levelling such wild allegations ahead of the budget session of Parliament "to stall it and stop the development process.". Cong lets off Nirupam but warns him too Congress has let off Mumbai Congress chief Sanjay Nirupam for the "mouthpiece" embarrassment, with the caution that he should be careful with the publication in future. Siren, victim, vamp, whistleblower ... It is a common enough story in Kerala. A bright, sharp-tongued young girl from a lower middle class family learns early in life how to negotiate hardships when her father, burdened by debt, kills himself. More India News»

		Business
		No power plant facing coal shortage now: Piyush Goyal The government has transformed the country's coal scenario in a short span and not a single thermal power plant is now facing shortage of the fuel, Union minister Piyush Goyal said here on Saturday. China central bank to keep yuan stable: Report China will fine-tune monetary policy and keep the yuan basically stable while guarding against systemic financial risks, the country's central bank People's Bank of China said on Saturday in its fourth-quarter monetary policy report. Some unpaid Chinese workers ditch holidays to protest With China's economy growing at its slowest in 25 years, angry workers are demanding almost a year's unpaid wages as they are too proud to go back to native places empty-handed. Labour unrest is on the rise, a concern for Beijing as it seeks to avoid social unrest even as financial pressures build. More Business News»

		Environment
		Birds of 11 rare species found in Jharkhand Birds of 11 rare species thought to be extinct have been found during a survey of the water bodies in Jharkhand, a state forest department official said. For many species, noise pollution can be deadly Many birds and other animals use sound to locate food, avoid predators, navigate their environment, and even select a mate. But all of these life-essential functions can be disrupted by noise from ships and sonar probes in the sea, motor vehicles and industry on land, or airplanes, a study found. Govt' new wildlife vision banks on an eye in the sky The draft National Wildlife Action Plan for 2017-31 has urged that drones and “electronic eyes” be used to monitor protected areas to check poaching. More Environment News»

		World
		Seoul: North Korea fires rocket seen as covert missile test North Korea on Sunday defied international warnings and launched a long-range rocket that the United Nations and others call a cover for a banned test of technology for a missile that could strike the US mainland. North Korea brings rocket launch dates forward North Korea's planned launch of a long-range rocket could happen within a matter of hours, after Pyongyang shortened and brought forward the start of the launch window to Sunday. An updated notification sent by Pyongyang to UN agencies said the launch would now take place between February 7-14. Aniseh Makhlouf, mother of Syria's Assad, dies Aniseh Makhlouf, Syria's former first lady and the mother of current President Bashar Assad, died on Saturday, the presidency announced. She was 86. More World News»

		Entertainment
		When a girl left Varun Dhawan worried Celebs who faced flak for insulting cultures Is it flattery or mockery? Even as the debate about Beyoncé stereotyping Indian women in a new music video continues, we take a look at celebs who incited anger when they tried taking inspiration from other cultures How Pan Am Flight was recreated for Neerja Giving something more to eager fans, the makers have now released a behind-the-scenes video recounting what went into the making of the ill-fated flight. More Entertainment News»

		Science
		Young guys go gray, by choice On two magazine covers the singer Zayn Malik has graced in the last few months, the former member of the musical group One Direction, peers out of the photographs from beneath a silver mane. Banks fear rise of robo-advisors Banks are watching wealthy clients flirt with robo-advisers — computer programs to provide investment advice online— and that’s one reason the lenders are racing to release their own versions of the automated investing technology this year, according to a consultant. New tarantula named after Johnny Cash Scientists scouring the fields of Folsom, California found a new kind of black tarantula which they have named after Johnny Cash, the American music legend. More Science News»

		Sports
		IPL auction: Watson, Negi emerge biggest millionaires Shane Watson emerged the biggest of purchases from the 2016 IPL player auction in Bangalore, finding his second franchise in Royal Challengers Bangalore who forked out Rs 9.5 crore for his services. As it happened: IPL 2016 players' auction Yuvraj Singh, Ishant Sharma and Kevin Pietersen are among the eight marquee players to go under the hammer for the IPL 2016 players' auction. IPL auctions: How the eight teams stack up More Sports News»

		Technology
		8 gadgets & tech you should definitely use in 2016 Internet connection is tardy, find it tough to share files between iOS and Android, charging is slow, these are some of the most common complaints that people have with their gadgets.Here are some gadgets and technologies that provide simple solutions to these and many other such problems. BlackBerry Priv review: High on price, low on performance BlackBerry launched its first Android smartphone BlackBerry Priv in India at Rs 62,990. We bring you a complete review of the device and is it worth the price. Error 53: This could completely shut down your iPhone, without warning iPhone owners could be left with completely broken phones by a mysterious error that renders the handsets unusable. More Technology News»

		Education
		National civic fest: Students and their ideas steer change at civic level  It was a whirlwind of thought-provoking ideas at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan auditorium on Friday, thoughts that poured out of young minds and actually helped fix civic woes. GIAN attracts foreign faculty, but just in tech institutes Global Initiative of Academic Networks (GIAN), the much-touted programme to attract foreign faculty to teach for a term in India, is slowly finding its feet but primarily in IITs, NITs and techical education. Kids grasp Math concepts through classroom fans, floors What do a classroom window and the humble ceiling fan have to do with a child’s development? More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Heartache, kin's censure pushed teen to join IS? The story of India's youngest terror suspect is fraught with many a tragedy, including a love affair gone sour and family pressure. Liver swap gives hope to 2 families from Nairobi, Pune Meena Ranawade is a farmer's wife from a village deep in Pune district while Deepti Gadhvi is a newscaster with a Nairobi channel.What unites these 33-year-old mothers is a liver. Nigerian duo arrested for duping people of crores The cyber police at BKC on Saturday arrested two Nigerians from a residential colony in Pune from where they were hosting a slew of frauds spanning sites for jobs, matrimonials, loans and virtual relationships. Investigators were shocked to find that the duo—Suji Aurobe, 38, and Esther Twin, 36,—has also purchased a fully automatic Honda Accord car worth Rs30 lakh using fake Indian documents. The car is seized and brought to Mumbai. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Delhi cleric was IS recruiter: NIA Muslim cleric Abdus Sami Qasmi, a Delhi resident arrested on Friday from Hardoi in UP, was under watch for almost a year, and is seen as an important link in terror outfit IS's presence in India as he was allegedly instigating youth to plan jihadi attacks in the country. Most staff end strike in Delhi, but safai karamcharis go on A day after the Delhi high court issued notices to municipal employees' unions, asking them to explain why their strike shouldn't be declared illegal, doctors, nurses and paramedics have withdrawn their agitation. Ryan death: Father wants sexual assault angle probed The father of Devansh Kakrora, whose body was found floating in a water tank at Ryan International School, has claimed to have seen injuries on his son’s body and private parts, indicating a sexual assault. More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Screening hits and no misses It isn’t easy to cultivate good taste especially if you need an import licence for it. HN Narahari Rao remembers waiting to see Brazilian-French drama, Central Station, and the lyrical works of Iranian filmmaker Mohsen Makhmalbaf in the 1970s and 80s. In pre-liberalised India, importing film reels was out of the question. Vinyl's independent Groove He sells brass statues and vintage watches on Avenue Road. When cultural gaps colour ties Every time he heard a loud noise outside his HBR Layout office, Reverend Shine Thomas would rush out to cool frayed tempers. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Andhra Pradesh to spend Rs 2,637 crore for 'Amrut' scheme Andhra Pradesh will spend Rs 2,637 crore on the ambitious Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (Amrut) over a period of five years. Of this, the Centre will bear Rs 1,318 crore. Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh blamed for students losing MBBS The Hyderabad High Court has directed the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh (SAAP) to pay a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to three MBBS aspirants, who lost their seats due to the `lethargic attitude' of the authorities in processing their applications under the sports quota. Mudragada, wife continue fast over BC status for Kapu community The indefinite hunger strike by Kapu leader Mudragada Padmanabham and his wife Padmavathi seeking BC status for their community entered the second day on Saturday amid indications that the health of the wife was deteriorating. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Govt hosps ready with new drug to fight resistant TB Patients with extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) will receive a new medicine in government-run facilities in four cities starting next week. EVKS meets Rahul on TN poll strategy TNCC chief EVKS Elangovan on Saturday met Congress vice-president EVKS Elangovan and is said to have prevailed upon the leader to decide on electoral strategies, and alliances, at the earliest. Politicos condole Siachen deaths Political party leaders have expressed their grief at the death of army soldiers in an avalanche in Siachen glacier a few days back. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Aurora crush Lions in Ahmedabad Champions League Football Tournament Winning is a habit and Aurora FC appear to have developed one, albeit very late. After losing 10 games on the trot, Aurora FC finally got their act together last week by registering their first win by beating Olive Republic 1-0 in the Mazaa and Juggernaut Five-A-Side Ahmedabad Champions League Football Tournament at Juggernaut Arena. Gujarat industries pay highest electricity duty, water charges Gujarat's top companies and industries associations have made a written representation before the Gujarat Government and demanded reduction in the electricity duty, water charges and waterfront charges on the state owned ports in the coming state budget. Gujarat University staff to use public transport twice in a month The Gujarat University and its affiliated colleges academic staff and employees have decided to use bicycles or public transport for commuting to the colleges or the university twice every month on first and 15. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Sachar opposes quota for creamy layer Former Delhi high court chief justice Rajinder Sachar on Saturday called for abolition of the caste system while opposing reservation benefits for the “creamy layer”. Saints from Magh Mela opposes Common Civil Code Advocating for non-implementation of Common Civil Code, the Dharam Sansad, organised in the magh mela area of the city, resolved that it is neither correct nor advisable. IAS officer to look into financial irregularities of Allahabad University A retired IAS officer Sri Ram Yadav has been appointed by the authorities of Allahabad University to look into any financial irregularity committed at AU, informed the varsity V-C, Prof RL Hangloo. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Father arrested for raping minor daughter A man has been arrested from Hinjili area in Ganjam district on the charge of raping his 14-year-old daughter, police said today. Plan to ship petrol from Paradip to Bangladesh: Dharmendra India is planning to ship petrol and diesel to Bangladesh from the Paradip refinery of Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL), oil minister Dharmendra Pradhan said here on Saturday. Naveen's new housing scheme a day before Modi's Bargarh rally As Prime Minister Narendra Modi has chosen Sohela in Bargarh to hold one of the four farmer rallies on February 21, the state government is all set to launch a new scheme- Nirman Shramik Pucca Ghar Yojana- a day before the proposed rally. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Two peacock poachers nabbed by forest team near Mhow Two persons were arrested with four live peacocks and a dead one in Nandlai Ghati area of Mhow on Saturday afternoon. Now, file online complaint to fee regulatory panel In order to help students, Madhya Pradesh admission and fee regulatory committee has made the entire complaint process online from Saturday. Rollback of licence to stock liquor for IT-payers to cost MP Rs 25cr a yr Under fire, Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan rolled back his government's decision to allow citizens whose annual income is over Rs10 lakh to keep 100 liquor bottles at their place for consumption. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Punjab falters on helping drug dependents Punjab has lost the battle against drug de-addiction even before it has begun, a study by All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Delhi has indicated. Arjuna awardee Olympian SP under suspension commits suicide Arjuna awardee Olympian and suspended Punjab police superintendent Narinder Singh, 44, has committed suicide. Pamma's parents submit memo to Portuguese ministry of justice Parents of Sikh militant Paramjeet Singh Pamma, whose extradition from Portugal is being sought by the Indian authorities, met representatives of the Portuguese ministry of justice on Friday and submitted a letter addressed to Francisca Van Dunemurging to consider the threat of torture and possibility of life sentence before making a decision on India's request. More Chandigarh News»

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