News Digest: Electoral bonds will rob poll funding of transparency, fears CEC

Electoral bonds will rob poll funding of transparency, fears CEC
Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi, who hangs up his boots on July 5, tells TOI that notwithstanding the sustained campaign by parties like AAP questioning EC’s neutrality, the poll body had always gone by the rule-book and court rulings to decide cases.

Netanyahu to join 'best friend' Modi in Tel Aviv on July 5 to meet PIOs
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has been invited to attend a public event on July 5 in Tel Aviv where PM Narendra Modi is scheduled to speak to a gathering of the Indian Jewish community during his visit to the middle east nation.

Rib-tickling complaints from vacationers this summer season
As the holiday season ends, tour organisers are getting feedback — both bouquets and brickbats — from vacationers. While most complaints are genuine, some are such that they make going through the critical mails worth it for the serious people running the travel firms.

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Government notifies Goods and Services Tax identification number rules
The intent of notifying these rules is to start the process of issue of registration certificate, GSTIN, to taxpayers who have already been issued provisional ID for registration (PID) as well as to the new taxpayers, a Finance Ministry statement said here on Saturday.

GST Launch: This is what PM Modi said
From quoting Albert Einstein's take on tax system to pulling out shloka from the Rig Veda to giving insights on ophthalmology, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was at his eloquent best at the launch of GST on the midnight of Friday and Saturday. Here are the highlights of his 'tryst with destiny' moment

GST impact: Steel sector to witness more organised form of business
Listing the positives of the GST for steel trade, SUFI said, the new tax regime abolished the special additional duty (SAD) on imported goods which was a very cumbersome procedure. There will be a shift from unorganised players to organised form of doing business.

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Assam to raise new force for rhino protection

'Half-a-degree of warming boosted extreme weather'
Comparing two 20-year periods -- 1960-79 and 1991-2010 -- between which average global temperatures jumped 0.5 C (0.9 F), scientists found that the hottest summer temperatures increased by more than 1 degree C across a quarter of Earth's land areas, while the coldest winter temperatures warmed by more then 2.5 degree C.

Ice-free areas of Antarctica to increase by 2100: Study
Ice-free areas may increase in Antarctica by 25 per cent due to climate change, leading to drastic changes in the continent's biodiversity, a study warns. They found the melting ice could create up to 17,000 square kilometre of new ice-free area across Antarctica.

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Snipers, bombs, mortars: Philippine troops battle against Islamists
The two spoke quietly to each other as the sniper took three more shots across the Agus river into the militant-held commercial district of Marawi, now a battleground strewn with debris from ruined buildings. Scores of bodies are rotting in the area, and the stench mixes with the smell of gunpowder.

World leaders bid farewell to Helmut Kohl
Helmut Kohl, who died on June 16 at 87, was lauded at a ceremony at the European Parliament as a dedicated European who abhorred war by former US President Bill Clinton, Russia Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and other figures.

Bangladesh marks anniversary of cafe attack that killed 22
Foreign delegates, activists and family members vowed to tackle Islamic militancy as they visited the Holey Artisan Bakery, the site of the July 1, 2016, attack. Five militants belonging to Jumatual Mujahedeen Bangladesh had targeted the cafe in Dhaka that killed 20 hostages and 2 security officials

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Watch: Making of Anushka-SRK's 'Radha' song
Imtiaz Ali’s upcoming film ‘Jab Harry Met Sejal’ has already caught the attention of the audience with its mini trails and the song ‘Radha’.

Malaika Arora flaunts her sexy back in this sizzling picture

Pics: Maanayata Dutt sets the mercury soaring in Cannes
Sanjay Dutt and family is currently holidaying in the serene surroundings of Cannes and the pictures being shared by Maanayata Dutt are proof that they are having a blast.

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Isro's rockstar PSLV launched 209 foreign satellites since 1999
PSLV has turned out to be the most trusted and reliable satellite carrier of the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro). It has not just launched 209 satellites of 28 countries since May 1999, the vehicle has also placed 48 Indian satellites in their respective orbits till now.

IISU new director Sam Dayala Dev sets priority to develop spacecrafts for quick surveillance

New material removes water pollutants using solar energy
Scientists have developed a new non- toxic material that uses solar energy to degrade harmful synthetic dye pollutants which are released at a rate of nearly 300,000 tonnes a year into the world's water.

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Team India coach to be selected on July 10: Ganguly
The interview to select the next India coach will be held on July 10 in Mumbai, former India captain Sourav Ganguly who is also part of the three-member Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) said on Saturday.

BCCI committee mulls Sports Code's 12-year-1-break tenure
The BCCI's eight-member committee on Saturday deliberated on the issue of three-year 'cooling off' period with a couple of alternate suggestions, including a 12-year tenure for office bearers in the proposed draft bill of National Sports Code.

FIFA shifts India's U-17 World Cup group matches to Delhi
Heeding to the government's request, football's world governing body, FIFA on Saturday shifted India's group matches of the upcoming U-17 World Cup from Mumbai to the national capital.

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Moto M smartphone gets Android Nougat update in India
Lenovo-owned Motorola has started rolling out Android 7.0 Nougat update for its mid-range smartphone – Moto M. The company launched the device in December last year priced at Rs 15,999. Along with the latest Android, the update also brings Duo video calling to the device.

GST sale: 12 hot deals on smartphones, TVs and more

Comparison: Honor 9 vs Honor 8
Comparison: Honor 9 vs Honor 8

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India to set up 20 world class research institutions
India will set up 20 world class institutions across the country to promote research and innovation, said Union Human Resources Development Minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday.

Award of bonus marks for wrong question in IIT comes under SC lens

Plus III admissions 2017: DHE Odisha declares first selection list
The Department of Higher Education (DHE) has declared the first selection list for +3 admissions on their official website today.

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Tree collapses on auto in Borivli, kills driver
A 45-year-old auto driver died after a tree collapsed on his vehicle in Borivli on Saturday morning.This is the second tree fall death in the city in a month.

'Shetye was depressed, tried to immolate self at Yerwada'

No bail for man who allegedly sent mails after blasts
Shaikh had filed for bail in 2015 and on July 1, Justice P D Naik rejected it after agreeing with special public prosecutor Raja Thakare that confessions of three co-accused in the case have to be considered against him.

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Video: Mango festival begins at Dilli Haat in Janakpuri

Mixed bag on 1st day: Shops yet to adapt to GST
Fewer footfalls at popular markets but a rush at malls. That’s how the first day of GST played out in the capital as showers drove people to malls with outlets still offering discounts in multiple sales in order to clear stocks.

Delhi: Now, get a Magenta Metro every 100 sec
The 36.98km stretch, the first phase of which will be commissioned after three months, will run on Communication Based Train Control (CBCT), a state-of-the-art signaling technology, which will help the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) slash its existing peak-hour frequency of 135 seconds.

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Environmentalists join hands to save Kodagu

Students to wield pens to save letter writing culture

Here, villagers have to walk on iron rod to cross river

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Muncipal Commissioner has no power to lease out municipal properties beyond three years: HC

Tuberculosis: Health rights activists demand access to new drug

Woman brands kids with hot spoon for consuming food

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61-year-old Japanese man attacked, robbed of phone in Chennai
Two men on a bike on Saturday afternoon attacked and robbed a 61-year-old Japanese national of his iPhone at the SIPCOT industrial estate in Irungattukottai on the outskirts of the city.

Rs 80 crore tax fraud: 1,000 BSNL staff in dock

Video: Corporation makes alterations to Ripon Buildings, upsets heritage conservationists

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Video: Sneak peek into Gujarat's annual fixture Khel Mahakumbh

Crucial Unesco session begins today

100 years of Bapu's timeless idea

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Allahabad: People claim women 'Needled' by bike-borne miscreants
More than a decade after rumours of elusive ‘Muhnochwa’ (a creature that scratched faces) petrified people in rural areas of eastern Uttar Pradesh, a similar ‘Suinochwa’ scare is driving people out of their wits in Phulpur tehsil of Allahabad.

RPF saves young girl in UP
The authorities of the North Central Railways (NCR), showing timely action and humane approach, recovered a 10 year old girl who had lost her way home and accidently alighted Kamayani express at Bhopal. The girl was handed over to her relatives at Allahabad when the train arrived, on Saturday.

Back to school, teachers welcome students with roli and tika
Shalini, Shikha, Simran, Devendra, Monu, Sudhir, Jeenat and others – studying in Primary School in Malaq Har-Har (First) - were quite surprised after teachers welcomed them back to school by applying Roli and Tika on their foreheads after summer vacations here on Saturday.

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Six minor girls, two minor boys rescued from Bhubaneswar station

Cinema halls in Odisha face closure threat following GST
Most cinema halls across Odisha faced the threat of closure following the roll out of Goods and Services Tax (GST) across the country on Saturday. Following the GST tax on tickets below Rs 100 has gone up from 5% to 18% in smaller town, leading to a sharp rise in ticket prices.

Market opens on a positive note on first day of GST

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Satna civic workers end strike

Rattled by events, Satna mayor to conduct puja to ward off evil eye

MP ready for 'record' plantation today

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Rohtak Nirbhaya's brother booked for rape
Brother of the Sonipat woman, who was raped brutalized and killed by three men in May and was later called Rohtak’s Nirbhaya, has been booked for allegedly raping and robbing a widow.

Video: Vehicles damaged as mob goes on a rampage in Patiala

New initiative launched to check inconsistencies in government schools
: Kullu deputy commissioner Yunus has started an initiative in which every government officer would visit government schools located in remote areas to assess their shortcomings.

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