[wanabidii] News Digest: Gold futures spurt Rs 139 on global cues

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Wednesday, December 28, 2016
		Today's Headlines

		Business
		Gold futures spurt Rs 139 on global cues Analysts said speculators’ widening their bets, tracking a firming global trend, mainly supported the upside in gold prices at futures trade. Globally, gold inched up 0.28 per cent, to $ 1,141.509 an ounce in New York on Tuesday. India's flawed generic drug trials business The guidelines of the WHO, which decides on approvals for drugs sold in several countries dependent on United Nations programs for basic medicines, are not legally-binding for the CROs. While India has guidelines on clinical trials, they don’t specify the length of time participants should take between trials. Home buyers to reap dividends of rate cut war Demonetisation slashes funding costs for mortgage companies as firms managed to raise cheap money from bond markets. More Business News»

		Environment
		Paris Climate deal among UN's big achievements in 2016 The long-pending Paris Climate Agreement finally came to fruition after Ban, in his final of year at the helm of the world body, mobilised nations to ratify the agreement, which calls on countries to combat climate change and limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius. Poaching at all-time high, tiger numbers still rose The records of the Wildlife Protection Society of India (WPSI) show that at least 129 tigers and 419 leopards died in 2016 as compared to 91 tigers and 397 leopards in 2015. Of these, at least 50 tigers and 127 leopards were poached, a record in the last 10 years. Large-brain birds may survive climate change UK researchers found that birds living in harsh environments and habitats with an unpredictable climate, such as places where there are extreme fluctuations in weather from one year to the next, had larger brains relative to their body size. More Environment News»

		World
		Blast in Afghan capital wounds member of parliament No group has so far claimed responsibility for the blast targeting Fakuri Behishti, an MP from central Bamiyan province, who was on his way to parliament. Parliament speaker Abdul Raouf Ibrahimi told lawmakers that a relative of the MP has been killed. Air strikes kill 22 civilians in eastern Syria: Monitor The oil-rich province of Deir Ezzor is almost totally under IS control and has been regularly targeted by a US-led military coalition. In Syria, IS is targeted by warplanes of the US-led coalition as well as Turkey, the Syrian regime and its ally Russia. Israel pulls back from approving new settlements Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested the decision be put off, said Jerusalem Planning and Housing Committee member Hanan Rubin, hours before US Secretary of State John Kerry is to give a speech laying out his vision for ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. More World News»

		Science
		China launches high-resolution remote sensing satellites The satellites, SuperView-1 01/02, blasted off at 11:23 am Beijing time on the back of a Long March 2D rocket. They are able to provide commercial images at 0.5-meter resolution. China plans to form a BeiDou network consisting of 35 satellites for global navigation services by 2020. 2016: A year that unlocked mysteries of our solar system! Scientists used stereo images from NASA's MESSENGER spacecraft to create a high-resolution topographical map of Mercury to discover a broad valley. The newly discovered “great valley” in the southern hemisphere of Mercury provided more evidence that the small planet closest to the Sun is shrinking. ISRO to launch record 83 satellites in one go in Jan ISRO today said it would launch a record 83 satellites in one go using its PSLV-C37 rocket toward the end of January. Of the 83 satellites, 80 belong to Israel, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Switzerland and the US. More Science News»

		Technology
		Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge users may receive this new Android 7.0 Nougat feature The changelog of the fifth Android Nougat Beta for Galaxy S7 Edge smartphones doesn’t mention anything about this change and talks only about fixes. HMD Global may launch at least 5 Nokia smartphones in 2017: Report HMD Global will launch the four smartphones with display sizes ranging from 5.0 to 5.7-inches with either QHD or full-HD resolution. Also, the display panels are said to be supplied by LG, Century Technology (CTC) and Innolux. This is how Apple's alleged iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus' White colour variants may look like The short 6-second video posted by Sonny Dickson on Twitter, shows not just the iPhone 7 but also the iPhone 7 Plus in White colour. More Technology News»

		Education
		IIT-Kharagpur to slash fee hike by half Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur looked poised to slash the proposed hike in registration fees for MTech and PhD scholars by half following unprecedented protests at the institute for over a week. ​New IITs have better faculty-student ratio Despite their more comfortable situation at the moment, the newer IITs are not slackening pace. IITs seek review of fee concessions for special category students The cost incurred on such students is "adversely affecting the financial viability of the institutions and eroding their corpus funds", IITs said in a report. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Bhayander corporator disqualified over invalid OBC certificate Employer raises Rs 25 lakh for driver's son Two open heart surgeries and one heart transplant later, 6-year-old Aditya Shinde got a new lease of life. The multiple procedures also meant that his father Rupesh Shinde, 37, who works as a driver for a couple from Sion was crushed under a mountain of debt. Chargesheet against Michael Ferreira in Rs 425-crore investor scam More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		The govt loves to play teacher, even with not-so-keen students in NCR Whether it’s Delhi, Gurgaon or Noida, the administration never tires of dragging unwilling participants to the classroom for a few extra lessons. Here’s a small recap. JNU suspends eight for 'disrupting' meeting Even after 25 yrs in jail, no Supreme Court relief for murder convict More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Discoverers worry for the 'world's longest cannon' The cannon is known as Bara Gazi Toph and measures about 29 feet in length. Its circumference is 7.6 feet and diameter 2 feet. The barrel is 7-inch thick. In India, the largest recorded cannon is about 23 feet long and is located in Koulas Fort in Nizamabad district of Andhra Pradesh. KPTC hopes to reduce power cuts The upcoming summer may not be as bad as the previous ones as the energy department aims to reduce maintenance schedules and introduce Distribution Automation System (DAS) to prevent long hours of power cuts. Business year ahead - Challenges in 2017: IT, Realty The city's flagship IT industry faced one of its most challenging times this year with the impact of the Brexit vote, cuts in technology spends by global corporates, and the apprehension of protectionism associated with Republican candidate Donald Trump becoming the next president of the United States. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Wakf Board tests poll waters for first time in Telangana, but rot runs deep Start 2017 with de-stressing and discipline ISC to report to HRD on R&D conditions More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Sasikala Pushpa's husband, supporters assaulted outside AIADMK headquarters Sasikala is an expelled member of the AIADMK. She was expelled from the AIADMK after her outbursts in Parliament against the party leadership on August 1. Sasikala Pushpa’s husband, lawyers and supporters suffered injuries as party cadre beat them badly on Wednesday afternoon. Cyclone Vardah: Central team 'could see' speedy restoration work done by Tamil Nadu govt An inter-ministerial central team set up to assess the trail of destruction caused by cyclone Vardah on Wednesday assured Tamil Nadu chief minister O Panneerselvam that it will take up an in-depth assessment of the damage and submit its report at the earliest. Nine-year-old girl deposes, dad held for burning mom alive More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		All the world's a stage for these artistes Ahmedabad Times talks to Gujarat’s celebrated artistes about their experiences of performing for an audience that is not their home crowd… Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation shuts fire exit, risks lives of its own staff There is just one gate to enter the AMC headquarter at Danapith. The reason cited is the heavy opposition protest at the standing committee meeting and hurling of bangles at the standing committee chief’s office in July. Booze ban drives Gujaratis to watering holes Abhishek Shah, a 26-year-old professional with a private company , has made a last-minute plan to head to Diu with his friends to ring in the New Year.Shah is not alone. With state government tightening noose around drinkers through a stricter prohibition law, revellers are flocking to nearby tourist destinations outside Gujarat to usher in year 2017. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		Fog clears by noon but chill continues Cold sends people rushing to OPDs Cow's that! Learn with fun about bovines More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		OIC asks govt to give info on mining scam The Odisha Information Commission (OIC) has directed the state government to disclose information to an RTI applicant on the action taken following recommendations of the M B Shah Commission of inquiry into the mining scam. Odisha administrative service officer jailed in graft case Thirteen years after a senior Odisha administrative service (OAS) officer was arrested by vigilance for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 2,000, a court here on Tuesday sentenced him to three years in prison. Congress to make mayor issue major rural poll plank The Congress has decided to rattle the ruling BJD on mayor sex scandal issue in the ensuing panchayat elections. The opposition party, which has been holding demonstrations and dharnas against the BJD for allegedly shielding party leader and mayor Ananta Narayan Jena, has planned a series of agitations to mount pressure on him. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Former Madhya Pradesh CM Sunderlal Patwa, 92, passes away Metro rail work in Bhopal and Indore to start from next fiscal year Ministers, babus not even looking at overseas this year-end More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Now, CAT for admission in state varsities All the universities of Haryana under higher education department will have a common admission test (CAT) staring from the academic session 2017-18. Punjab rural development minister in trouble over 'Hindu ardas' The recitation of Hindu prayer, in the way Sikh 'ardas' is said, at the inauguration of poll office of Punjab rural development minister Sikandar Singh Maluka on Monday at Rampura Phul town of Bathinda has created a controversy. A resident of Mehraj village in Rampura Phul has filed a police complaint and has demanded registration of case against Maluka for hurting the religious sentiments of Sikhs. 4 Punjab and Haryana cops among 9 held as Rs 18.4lakh note deal goes awry Four cops from Haryana and Punjab police were among nine people arrested for attempting to provide Rs 18.40 lakh, largely in new currency , to some residents of Patran in Sangrur district of Punjab, with an eye on making profit. More Chandigarh News»

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