[wanabidii] News Digest: December factory activity slows on cash crunch

		THE TIMES OF INDIA
		Monday, January 02, 2017
		Today's Headlines

		Business
		December factory activity slows on cash crunch The index slipped below the crucial 50 threshold — which separates contraction from expansion — for the first time since December 2015. This also marked the biggest month-on- month decline in the index in over eight years or since November 2008 . Rupee down 5 paise in subdued start to new year The rupee depreciated by five paise in early trade on Monday to quote at 67.97 against the US dollar on the first trading day of 2017 due to fresh buying of the American currency by importers at the Interbank Foreign Exchange. I-T scanning data pile to dig out unaccounted income Armed with information on deposits and purchases in the wake of demonetisation, the tax department is pursuing presumed wrongdoing with unprecedented intensity. More Business News»

		Environment
		China to ban ivory trade by end of 2017 China says it plans to shut down its ivory trade by end of 2017 in a move designed to curb mass slaughter of African elephants. Chinese government will end processing and selling of ivory and ivory products by end of March as it phases out legal trade, according to a statement released on Friday. World's oldest male panda dies: Officials The world's oldest male panda, with more than 130 descendants, has died aged 31, officials said. Pan Pan Pan, whose name means “hope” in Chinese was a prolific father, siring many cubs over the years that have gone on to have offspring of their own. Delhi's air quality enters 'severe' zone yet again Level of pollutants had seen a rapid build up before Christmas; however, the situation improved a little thereafter and remained so for at least two days. Air quality had started falling again on December 27. The average AQI of December 27 and 28 were 329 and 385, both in the very poor category. More Environment News»

		World
		ISIS claims responsibility for Istanbul nightclub attack The IS-linked Aamaq News Agency said the New Year's Eve attack was carried by a "heroic soldier of the caliphate who attacked the most famous nightclub where Christians were celebrating their pagan feast." It said the man opened fire in "revenge for God's religion and in response to the orders" Baghdad suicide car bomb blast kills 32 A suicide car bomb attack in a densely-populated neighbourhood of Baghdad on Monday killed at least 32 people and left dozens wounded, hospital officials said. Many of the victims were daily labourers waiting for jobs at an intersection in Sadr City, a sprawling majority Shiite neighbourhood. Trump has no intention to stop using Twitter Donald Trump is planning to do "many big things", his communications director said, adding that Trump has no intention to stop using Twitter. Trump would institute a five-year ban on officials leaving govt to become lobbyists, and a lifetime ban "on anyone who wants to serve a foreign government." More World News»

		Science
		NASA solar observatory to add leap second to master clock Pan Pan, whose name means “hope” in Chinese was a prolific father, siring many cubs over the years that have gone on to have offspring of their own. On Dec 31, official clocks around the world will add a leap second at 23 hours, 59 minutes and 59 seconds Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). NASA's Curiosity rover discovers purple rocks on Mars The image captured from the Mast Camera (Mastcam) on Curiosity Mars rover shows purple-hued rocks near the rover’s late-2016 location on lower Mount Sharp. Variations in colour of the rocks hint at the diversity of their composition on lower Mount Sharp, NASA said. NASA may build ice homes on Mars to protect astronauts The surface of Mars has extreme temperatures and the atmosphere does not provide adequate protection from high-energy radiation. The researchers believe that their “Ice Home” design provides a sound engineering solution to offer astronauts a safe place to call home. More Science News»

		Technology
		Apple's 'make in India plans' have a twist The iPhones proposed to be assembled in Bengaluru will be primarily for sale only locally and not meant for overseas markets. Bharti Airtel in talks with Telenor to buy India business for $350 million: ET Now Bharti Airtel, the country’s leading telecom operator by users, is in talks with Norway-based Telenor for buying its India business for $350 million, ET Now reported on Monday. PM Narendra Modi's New Year speech brings cheer for these 'tech-based' companies The PM had announced the inclusion of non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) in the credit guarantee scheme for small, medium and micro enterprises (SMEs) and also extended the scheme for loans up to Rs 2 crore. More Technology News»

		Education
		Medical students will have to clear exit test for 'Dr' tag The draft Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill 2016 said the medical students will have to pass the National Exit Test (NEXT), which is expected to create a level-playing field in medical education. An official said NEXT would improve the quality of medical education and help benchmark students. Centre to set up five new universities for minorities The Centre has decided to set up five new universities for imparting higher education including medical to students belonging to minority communities, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi announced here on Thursday. Sharp fall in number of offers at IITs this year A 'global slowdown' has resulted in a sharp decline of job offers in the first phase of the recruitment process in IITs. Though the number of recruiters has gone up, number of jobs offered has gone down. India Inc, both public & private, though have not directly linked the trend to demonetisation. More Education News»

		Mumbai
		Mumbaikar brutally assaulted in Dahanu local over seat Request for a seat share landed a youth in a Palghar hospital nursing his grievous injuries after he was brutally assaulted by a "group" in Dahanu train on Friday afternoon. How Mumbai prison officials mint money The Anti-Corruption Bureau is in possession of video evidence of corruption in various jails in Maharashtra. The clips were submitted by a person who was not allowed to meet his relative lodged in Thane Jail until he paid a bribe to the jail staffers. Taken aback by the demand for the bribe, science student Amit Mishra said that he started recording specific instances of venality in Thane Jail, Taloja Jail, Arthur Road Jail and Kalyan Jail. Demand for dowry in cash puts Pawara boys in a quandary More Mumbai News»

		Delhi
		Delhi cops with some cricket still left in them A group of Delhi Police officials who “still have cricket left in them,” practice almost daily at the Bharat Ground in Ashok Vihar. Lodhi's walls and some pro football The captains of the ten teams that will compete in the country’s premier football league, the I League, played some street football at Lodhi Art District. Sorry, no freebies, mitron - Modi denies Delhi's New Year friend request The prime minister’s New Year’s Eve address had Delhi anticipating another big announcement, or at least big discounts so that they could raise multiple toasts to their ‘mitron’. But neither happened, and the biggest takeaway for the night was perhaps sobriety! More Delhi News»

		Bangalore
		Crowds pack Bengaluru for New Year Eve's bash Church that emerges out of nowhere Abandoned but a traveller’s delight is what you could call Shettihalli Church, which has appeared as a result of receding waters it was submerged under. This 1860 French church had a life of about 100 years before it was left to stand alone after the village it stood in was evacuated to construct a dam across Hemavati. IISC, Volvo tie-up for smooth, clean transport At least seven departments of Indian Institute of Science (IISc) will be pressed into service to develop sophisticated equipment to usher in more luxurious rides to long-distance bus passengers, besides quicker movement of goods-carrying trucks. More Bangalore News»

		Hyderabad
		RTC employees, passengers suffer as Charminar bus stop lacks amenities Old City's cupping therapy fast gaining popularity outside too A suicide is not just trauma of tragedy, costs kin Rs 2.6 lakh: Study More Hyderabad News»

		Chennai
		Give benefits to sacked worker: HC to Tamil Nadu Electricity Board Appointment of law officers: Madras HC gives last chance to TN govt to file draft rules The Madras high court on Friday gave a “last chance” to Tamil Nadu government to file draft rules on appointment of law officers. The government should hand over the copies of the rules to amicus curiae within 10 days. Youngsters in Tiruvannamalai try to revive polluted tank A group of youngsters in the temple town came together on Sunday for a social cause – to clean and rejuvenate an ancient tank that has been polluted for over two decades. More Chennai News»

		Ahmedabad
		BJP will win 2/3rd majority in assembly like Panchayat elections: Vijay Rupani Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani while speaking at the Panchayat Sarpanch Samelan(gathering) after felicitating the newly elected Sarpanchas told that, “like the recent results in the village Panchayat elections and other municipalities BJP will win 2/3rd majority in the upcoming assembly elections.” Dr Sudhir Shah's book on neurological disorders launched Padma Shri Dr Sudhir Shah launched his first public awareness guide on brain and neurological disorders on Sunday. Youth saves man from ending life on tracks Left with not enough money for treatment 58-year-old tempo driver Ramdhan Sendharkar, a resident of Amraiwadi, went to the rail tracks to end life near Maninagar crossing on Sunday evening. More Ahmedabad News»

		Allahabad
		BJP bikes arrive in Allahabad for door-to-door drive The BJP leadership in Uttar Pradesh is stressing door-to-door campaign to prepare and collect data of voter in all the 403 assembly constituencies in the run-up to 2017 state assembly polls. Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha activists want Maurya as CM if BJP wins A large number of Bharatiya Janata Party and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) activists assembled at Ramghat, on the banks of Ganga here on Sunday and prayed for the success of the party in the Assembly election. Allahabad police lines to run on solar power The district’s reserve police lines will run on solar power following state government nod to the ‘Green Police Line’ project of the city police. State government has already sanctioned Rs 1 crore for the project and Allahabad reserve police lines would be the first in the state to get the green tag. More Allahabad News»

		Bhubaneswar
		Tapas Paul drags Babul Supriyo's name in ponzi scam Engineering college admission set for rejig The state government is planning to introduce certain key changes in counselling for engineering admission, including charging a portion of the admission fee, to ensure no BTech seat goes vacant in government-run colleges. Old town Ekamra Kshetra cleans up The Old Town (Ekamra Kshetra), which is the heritage hub of the capital city, is now its cleanest neighbourhood. More Bhubaneswar News»

		Bhopal
		Severe back pain drives man to suicide Fed up with persistent back pain, a 40-year-old interior designer committed suicide in the city on Saturday night. AAP's state-wide stir against note ban pains today Enthused by turnout at Arvind Kejriwal's rally in state capital on December 20, state unit of the AAP is to launch a state-wide protest from January 2 against PM Narendra Modi's alleged failure to deliver on his promise of easing cash pains in 50 days after demonetisation. Vyapam to reduce exam fees by 80% Shifting from offline to online system of examinations, Vyapam will now lessen the burden of candidates appearing in the exam by reducing examination fees by almost 80%. More Bhopal News»

		Chandigarh
		Hubby, his brother held for killing pregnant woman Ludhiana's roads retain their killer tag Love for watches drives Congress MLA Kewal Singh Dhillon campaign The Congress MLA from Barnala, Kewal Singh Dhillon, has such a fetish for wristwatches that he has distributed nearly 1,000 of them among his supporters and members of his election campaign staff. More Chandigarh News»

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