[wanabidii] News Digest: India's Iran oil imports slide 19% in November

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Wednesday, December 21, 2016
		Today's Headlines

		Business
		India's Iran oil imports slide 19% in November India's oil imports from Iran fell 19 percent in November from a record high the previous month after regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iraq raised sales to the world's third-biggest oil consumer, regaining their positions as the top two suppliers. RCom to sell tower stake to Brookfield for $1.6 billion Under the terms of the deal, Reliance Communications is to receive an upfront payment of Rs110 billion ($1.6 billion), which it has said will use to cut its debt load. Naidu panel seeks cut in card transaction charges The proposal is in line with the central government’s push to boost digital transactions as part of efforts to shift to a cashless economy in the wake of demonetisation. More Business News»

		Environment
		Robot gives rare glimpse under Antarctic sea ice An underwater robot has captured a rare glimpse beneath the Antarctic sea ice, revealing a colourful world filled with the coconut-shaped sponges, dandelion-like worms, pink algae and spidery starfish. Obama bans new oil, gas drilling off Alaska US President Barack Obama on Tuesday banned new oil and gas drilling in federal waters in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, in a push to leave his stamp on the environment before Republican Donald Trump takes office next month. Australia begins new koala breeding programme Australia is starting a new koala breeding programme to save populations of the tree-dwelling bear in country's east. “These rehabilitated koalas can now look forward to a productive future as we work to revitalise the region's dwindling koala population,” Steven Miles said. More Environment News»

		World
		Delays hamper last evacuations from rebel enclave in Aleppo The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which monitors the conflict though activists on the ground, says 60 buses are waiting to leave eastern Aleppo on Wednesday with some 3,000 evacuees - the final step that surrenders the Syrian opposition stronghold in the war-torn city to the government. At least 26 killed in Congo protests, rights group says Security forces in Congo killed at least 26 demonstrators on Tuesday and arrested scores more amid protests against President Joseph Kabila's hold on power, a rights group said. The deaths were first reported since Kabila's mandate ended at midnight. Syrian army poised to enter Aleppo's last rebel enclave The Syrian army broadcast messages into the last rebel enclave of Aleppo on Tuesday, warning that it was poised to enter the area during the day and urging insurgents to speed up their evacuation of the city. More World News»

		Science
		Robot gives rare glimpse under Antarctic sea ice An underwater robot has captured a rare glimpse beneath the Antarctic sea ice, revealing a colourful world filled with the coconut-shaped sponges, dandelion-like worms, pink algae and spidery starfish. Obesity-gene may prompt kids to respond more to fast food ads The overt response of your kids to advertisements of burgers, pizzas and french-fries may be the result of a key obesity gene influencing their brain to respond more to food advertisements and other cues to eat, a study has found. Is it good to lower cholesterol to `levels of a newborn'? As the debate over the use and overuse of cholesterol-reducing medicines continues, a new study claims it’s indeed advisable to lower cholesterol to ``levels of a newborn baby’’ as it cuts the risk of a heart attack by a third. More Science News»

		Technology
		Paytm back after service outage Users of e-payments company PayTm today faced difficulties in transacting through the app which the company said was due to some "technical" error. Paytm vs Mobikwik battle reached India's dairy sector India's dairy sector is gearing up for a digital makeover, thanks to fierce rivalry between digital wallet companies Paytm and Mobikwik. After Mother Dairy partnered with Paytm for cashless payments at its booths, Mobikwik has tapped the country's largest dairy player Amul to gain a foothold into India's Rs 80,000 crore organised dairy market. ​ Super Mario Run: What's right and what's not The world so far is underwhelmed by "Super Mario Run,'' which Nintendo released for the iPhone last week. More Technology News»

		Education
		NCPCR conducts survey on safe and secure schools The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is carrying out a survey on safe and secure schools in the country, with the data being collected directly from students. CBSE wants smart cards for students President Pranab Mukherjee to preside over Army College of Dental Sciences convocation President Pranab Mukherjee would preside over the convocation ceremony of Army College of Dental Sciences (ACDS), Secunderabad here on December 23. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Pankaja Munde gets clean chit by Anti-Corruption Bureau in 'chikki' case 60% get job offers as phase 1 of IIT-B placements closes, avg salary Rs 11 lakh Activist writes to 26/11mastermind, warns him against exporting terror More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Court order on Arvind Kejriwal plea next month Four men held for attacking policemen On day 2, Kathputli Colony rehab picks up pace More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Bengaluru: Seven properties in Yelahanka demolished Inauguration of Janata Dal (Secular)'s new party building: Deve Gowda to invite Advani, Jaitley, Nitish, Lalu Deve Gowda has decided to invite all the national-level leaders who participated in Jayaprakash Narayan (or JP)'s Sampoorn Kranthi movement dring the days of the Emergency. Arun Jaitley and Lalu Prasad Yadav were student leaders spearheading the movement, and they were even jailed during this time. Woman accuses hospital of HIV+ blood transfusion A woman from Ramanagara approached a local court, accusing a Bengaluru-based hospital of injecting her with contaminated blood during an operation in February 2014, resulting in her contracting HIV. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		Owaisi questions NIA probity Fog effect: BA flight to Bengaluru lands in city 'Musaddilal owners not cooperating' More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Tamil writer Vannadhasan wins Sahitya Akademi award Income Tax officials raid Tamil Nadu chief secretary Rama Mohan Rao's residence, office at secretariat Income Tax investigation wing officials on Wednesday raided Tamil Nadu chief secretary P Rama Mohan Rao’s residence and his office at the secretariat over allegations of corruption. Damaged, defaced banners of Sasikala removed in Vellore The banners and hoardings in support of former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa's confidante V K Sasikalaa, which were damaged and defaced in Vellore city have been removed. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		Eco-insensitive government to cut buffer around sanctuaries Probe into board schools teaching NCERT syllabus ends State education minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama will meet District Education Officers (DEOs) and District Primary Education Officers (DPEOs) on Wednesday. First sighting in Jamnagar of brown-breasted flycatcher Ornithologists have recorded the first sighting of a brown-breasted flycatcher in Jamnagar city. So far, there have been only five to six recorded instances of sighting the bird in the state. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		BJP to take benefit of going cashless to grassroots The district unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would be exhorting people to go cashless. BJP will do in five years, what Nehru and others could not do in 65 years: Gadkari Union minister Nitin Gadkari said that the BJP-led government would, in five years, surpass the total developmental works undertaken by former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and successive governments in 65 years. Over 1,000 appear civil judge exam in Allahabad At least 97.09% of 1,065 candidates appeared for Uttar Pradesh Judicial Services (civil judge) exams, 2016, conducted by UP Public Service Public Commission (UPPSC) here on Tuesday. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Khadi board to set up mustard oil ghani plant To explore the market for pure mustard oil and honey, the Odisha Khadi and Village Industries Board has set up a mustard oil ghani plant on the premises of Udyogpuri in Gandamunda here on Tuesday. Boost for tribal education in Odisha To increase the intake capacity of tribal schools, the state government has decided to upgrade ashram schools to high schools and high schools to higher secondary schools by 2018-19 academic session. BJP's Bhubaneswar bandh today over mayor issue More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		X-mas carols ring in Yuletide spirit They are at it for almost 15 days ahead of Christmas.Carol groups are busy spreading sweet melodies of 'jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way' and other carols in the city. Hamidia junior doctors end strike, nurses on stir Hours after Junior Doctors Association (JUDA) returned to work at Hamidia Hospital, contractual nurses announced a three-hour strike daily until their salaries were paid, here on Tuesday. Posh city areas still seek glimmer of hope Modernisation or augmentation of metering, monitoring and control system comes later, the civic body needs to address some basic issues when it comes to street lights. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		BJP turns Chandigarh municipal corporation election into a referendum on 'notebandi' ​Out of the 26 municipal wards, the BJP-SAD alliance won 21 seats while Congress won four. The civic polls turned out to be a referendum for demonetisation as the two political parties tried to woo voters. BJP's victory in the state is being seen as a verdict of approval for demonetisation. Make December 22 'Gurbani Day', appeals Harsimrat Kaur Badal Union food processing industry minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal seems to be adding a bit of Panthic touch to the meeting or rallies she is attending. Seven SPs transferred in latest reshuffle in Haryana Police The Haryana government on Tuesday transferred 15 IPS and four HPS officers. Those relocated included the SPs of seven districts of the state. More Chandigarh News»

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