[wanabidii] News Digest: Govt committed to insurance reform: FM

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

		Business
		Govt committed to insurance reform: FM "The government is extremely determined to go ahead with this (insurance sector) reform and will not allow a parliamentary disturbance to obstruct or delay a reform of this kind," Arun Jaitley said. Gold bounces higher on global support Gold prices bounced back at the domestic bullion market here on renewed offtake from jewellery traders and retail consumers amidst good local buying interest ahead of the year-end festivities and wedding season. Govt stares at Rs 1 lakh crore tax deficit The government on Friday acknowledged that it is staring at a potential revenue shortfall of over Rs 1 lakh crore this fiscal year and indicated that some expenditure reduction may be undertaken to stick to the fiscal deficit target of 4.1% of gross domestic product (GDP). More Business News»

		Environment
		Bengal mulls Sunderbans tourism committee West Bengal may soon have a separate committee to look into any impact of eco-tourism in the Sunderbans mangrove region, a minister said here on Friday. 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. More Environment News»

		World
		Egypt to reopen Gaza crossing Sunday Egypt is to reopen the Rafah border crossing with Gaza tomorrow for the second time in two months to allow those stranded in Egypt to enter the Palestinian territory, officials said. America's resurgence is real: Obama Reflecting on the significant progress made by the country this year and in the nearly six years since he took office, US President Barack Obama on Saturday said that America's resurgence is real. Obama says North Korea hacked Sony, vows response President Barack Obama declared on Friday that Sony "made a mistake" in shelving a satirical film about a plot to assassinate North Korea's leader, and he pledged the US would respond "in a place and manner and time that we choose" to the hacking attack on Sony that led to the withdrawal. More World News»

		Science
		Earth grew new layer under Iceland volcano By monitoring how magma flows through cracks in the rock away from a volcano, scientists have shed light on how the earths crust forms. 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. More Science News»

		Technology
		Flipkart raises $700 million, files to go 'public' The new round catapults Flipkart right up into the top-tier of the world's most valued privately-held tech startups like Uber, Snapchat, Airbnb and Dropbox. 6 best Bluetooth speakers under Rs 6,000 Here are the best budget Bluetooth speakers that you can buy... 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-Bombay breaches 1,000-job record in 1st phase itself 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
		Sheru, stray dog hit by 26/11 terrorist's bullet, dies at animal hospital The ailing dog, believed to be around 14 years old, had also developed a leg injury recently, said Dr Mayur Dangar, manager at Bombay Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, better known as SPCA. 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. More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		30 trains to Delhi delayed due to fog It was a cold, foggy Saturday morning here, delaying over 30 trains. The Met Office has forecast clear day ahead. 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. 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
		Urban terrace farming nipped in the bud by government itself You can grow vegetables – pesticide free- on your own and on the terrace of your house but a scheme that sure would have hit off well with the urban populace has fallen flat. SWB forms panel as cases pile up In a significant move, the AP State Wakf Board (APSWB) on Friday announced a legal advisory committee headed by a retired high court judge to look into over 3,500 cases in various courts of law. Elephants kill two men in two days in Chittoor A herd of elephants on Friday killed a farmer at Karagallu village of V Kota mandal in Chittoor district. The incident has created panic in villages abutting forests in Chittoor district as it comes close on the heels of a similar attack on Thursday in which a forest line watchman was trampled to death by elephants at Naniya village near Ramakuppam. More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		CM disappointed over Sri Lanka's unwillingness to release Tamil Nadu boats The Tamil Nadu government on Saturday expressed disappointment over the Sri Lankan government’s unwillingness to release boats of Tamil Nadu fishermen impounded by the Lankan navy for crossing the international maritime boundary line. 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'. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Two GIDC officials caught taking Rs 2 lakh bribe Two officials of Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC) have been caught for taking bribe in Valsad. Income tax sleuths search premises of stockbrokers The investigation wing of income tax (I-T) department carried out surveys and searches at 32 premises in the country, including eight in Ahmedabad and one in Rajkot. 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. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Eight highway police stations soon The State Highway Police may soon be a reality. The highway police will provide security to travellers round-the-clock. Shelter homes add to woes of homeless Instead of providing relief, the shelter homes of Allahabad Municipal Corporation have only added to the woes of hapless, homeless people. UPSRTC surveys eateries serving quality food Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) has started a survey to select restaurants or eateries serving quality food and maintaining hygiene in the cooking and serving area. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Aviation experts to voice ozone concern Concerned over the depleting ozone layer because of the emission of aviation fuel, civil aviation experts and environmentalists here will discuss measures to be taken to check pollution on Saturday. AT scam: Nayagarh DSP in CBI net The CBI on Friday arrested a DSP-rank officer, identified as Pramod Panda, in connection with Artha Tatwa (AT) Group Ponzi scam. Ponds in Ward 44 gasp for fresh air Three natural ponds in Ward 44, Badagada, have become victims of neglect with sludge and weeds overflowing in them and surrounded by overgrowth, making them unsuitable for bathing. More Bhubaneswar News»

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		Chandigarh
		Two PG youths stabbed critically in Chandigarh Sector 15 Two PG youths were attacked and critically wounded at their private parts with a butcher knife by a student of Shri Guru Gobind Singh College (SGGSC)-26, Varun Anand, who is also a PG, near their PG accommodation in sector 15 in wee hours of Saturday. 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. More Chandigarh News»

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