News Digest: Ghulam Nabi dares govt, FM says he gave IS 'respectability'

Ghulam Nabi dares govt, FM says he gave IS 'respectability'
BJP and Congress clashed in the Rajya Sabha on Monday over leader of opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad's alleged comparison of terror outfit Islamic State with RSS.

Won't say 'Bharat mata ki jai': Owaisi

Azad's RSS-IS remark a gambit to woo Muslims?
Senior Congress member Ghulam Nabi Azad's RSS-Islamic State comparison appears unusually bold but coming in the run-up to the elections in three key states, it also indicates a strategic calculation.

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Quikr merger: CommonFloor sees job cuts
The costly acquisition of CommonFloor by online classifieds firm Quikr is taking a toll on the former’s employees. Quikr, which paid around $100 million for the real estate inventory aggregator, is laying off more than 150 CommonFloor employees.

Amazon applies for e-wallet licence, Takes on Paytm, Flipkart Money
In a move aimed at building its presence in the payments space, Amazon’s India arm has applied for a semi-closed wallet licence with the RBI. A central bank committee is expected to review new applications next month. Amazon is looking to open up the wallet for third-party platforms as well.

Banks gang up against e-wallets
A couple of banks have raised the issue of regulatory arbitrage — enjoyed by digital wallets like Paytm — with the Indian Banks Association. Paytm, said that wallet holders will be converted into bank account holders once the payments bank is set up in 2016.

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More than 50 animal species critically endangered: Govt
Out of 96,000 animal species in the country, more than 50 have been assessed as "critically endangered" and 310 as "endangered", the Rajya Sabha was informed on Monday.

NGT seeks Centre's view on banning micro-plastics
The National Green Tribunal has sought response from the Centre on a plea seeking ban on use of micro-plastics in cosmetic and bodycare products in India alleging their use is extremely dangerous for aquatic life and environment.

'Buddha's teachings can resolve global issues'
Maas is a nascent body of 320 monastic and lay Buddhist organizations across 39 countries. The body is of the opinion that Buddha’s teachings could resolve issues ranging from climate change and nuclear proliferation to poverty and war.

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Aid not reaching 20% of Syrians in urgent need, UN says
The United Nations and its partners are starting to get basic supplies to besieged areas in Syria but haven't reached about 20 per cent of those in urgent need and are "extremely concerned" about some 500,000 people caught behind frontlines, according to a joint statement on Monday.

Anti-Trump protestor says racism, not Islam, motivated confrontation
Thomas DiMassimo caused a stir Saturday when he tried to rush the stage in Dayton, where the Republican presidential frontrunner was wrapping up a campaign speech. DiMassimo, a senior at Wright State University, has been charged with disorderly conduct and inducing panic.

Merkel firm on refugee stance despite vote 'debacle'
The stinging result for the conservative CDU was accompanied by a surge in backing for the right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD), which had sparked outrage by suggesting police may have to shoot at migrants to stop them entering the country.

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Ranbir-Katrina's friends try to calm tension
Ranbir Kapoor and Katrina Kaif may not be a couple any more, but it looks like their friends are ensuring their break-up doesn’t result in a flare-up on the set of their upcoming film.

Celebrities and their weird demands
Let's take a look at some Bollywood celebs with a weird list of demands...

'I was bipolar and alcoholic. It was scary!'
He was at the perfect pitch of stardom. In the trance of super-success. He created any beat — desi or angrezi — and the nation rolled up their sleeves, pulled up their lungis and partied all night with abandon.

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More than 500 drugs may face ban
Around 500 more medicines, including popular antibiotics and anti-diabetic drugs, may soon face a ban for being “irrational”, unsafe and inefficacious, official sources said. The health ministry,is evaluating a list of over 6,000 products.

Europe-Russia mission blasts off on hunt for life on Mars
A joint European-Russian mission aiming to search for traces of life on Mars blasted off for the start of a 7-month unmanned space trip to the red planet. The ExoMars 2016 mission is the first part of a 2-phase exploration aiming to answer questions about the existence of life on Earth's neighbour.

IISc develops a powerful microscope out of a simple smart phone
The Department of Instrumentation and Applied Physics at Indian Institute of Science (IISc) has transformed a simple smart phone into a powerful microscope by replacing the camera with high resolution optics of a microscope.

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We are obviously WT20 favourites in our own minds: Kohli
"We are very confident with the way we have been playing. We have won 10 out of the 11 last games we have played, taking some good momentum in to the World Cup," said Virat Kohli.

Expecting spin to play big part in World T20: Williamson
Wary of spin friendly surface in the tournament-opener against India, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson said adapting to the conditions will be a big challenge for his side in the World Twenty20 on Tuesday.

World T20: In-form India target first win over New Zealand
The qualifying stage is over, and now the major teams come into play as phase two of the 2016 ICC World Twenty20 starts with hosts India taking on New Zealand, in their first T20I in the post Brendon McCullum era.

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Android N vs Android Marshmallow: 10 new features
Check out 10 new features Android N brings to your smartphone and tablet...

Apple iPhone 7 leaked image tips new design, camera
This may be your very first look at iPhone 7. French website NoWhereElse has obtained alleged technical drawings of iPhone 7.

Xiaomi to set up 2 plants, launch more devices in India
Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi plans to set up two manufacturing plants in India and launch more devices this year as it ramps up its presence in the world's fastest growing market amid a cooling in its home market.

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HC exempts non-Tamil students from Tamil langugae paper
The Madras high court on Monday exempted all class X students having mother tongue other than Tamil from writing Part I Tamil language during the board exam commencing tomorrow provided they had sought the relief from authorities concerned.

'Very lengthy' CBSE mathematics paper stumps students
Teachers say it was both “slightly tough and took too much time.” Two six-mark questions from matrices and determinants and one four-marker were all lengthy. Scoring a 100% would’ve required good time management and fast calculation.

Irom Sharmila scholarship awarded to Rohith Vemula and Kanhaiya Kumar
The 2016 Irom Sharmila Scholarship has been jointly awarded to Rohit Vemula (posthumously) of Hyderabad Central University and Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union president, Kanhaiya Kumar) on Monday.

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Kin of man killed in accident seek 1L relief, get 38L
The widow of a 48-year-old man and his aged parents have been awarded compensation of Rs 38.15 lakh — 38 times the amount that his family had claimed. The Mulund resident was killed in an accident in Chembur.

Beach lifeguards spot marooned lovers kilometre away, save them
A young couple perched on the rocks by the sea at Dana Pani beach in Malad on Monday were so lost in their world that they failed to notice that high tide had set in around them. Andheri resident Ejaz Shaikh (25) and Reshma Pawar (21), who lives in Borivli, were rescued by a team of lifeguards.

Former Sainik who had got Bal Thackeray arrested

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3 flyers at IGI without right papers let off, lens on staff
Immigration officials at the IGI airport have once again landed under police scanner after three men, holding passports of the ECR (emigration check required) category, were let off even after they were caught beyond the immigration area without the mandatory clearance certificate from the overseas Indian affairs ministry.

South Corporation to seal 2k towers, connectivity issues loom
Dropped calls may soon become the norm for residents of south and parts of west Delhi as South Delhi Municipal Corporation has directed the building department to seal and demolish over 2,000 illegal mobile towers.

Man acquitted of harassment charges after 11-yr trial
After facing trial for 11 years in a sexual harassment case, a man has been acquitted of the charges by a trial court which observed that the police miserably failed to prove his guilt beyond reasonable doubt.

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All government forms in Karnataka to be in Kannada?
Kannada Development Authority (KDA) has asked the government to implement Kannada as the official language of administration, and recommended that all applications be in Kannada, instead of the current bi/trilingual format.

Bengaluru cops to landlords, institutions: Submit foreigner details in 15 days

Total plastic ban in Karnataka

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Poor fund allocation to hit tourism projects
Several ambitious plans of the Telangana Tourism Development Corporation will take a hit thanks largely to the measly budget outlay of Rs 232 crore given to department of youth advancement, tourism and culture.

Telangana budget: some major allocations
Highest allocation of over Rs 26,000 crore earmarked for irrigation projects and Mission Kakatiya.

Telangana is a tiger freed of shackles: State finance minister
Telangana, which was a "caged tiger" till June 2, 2014, unleashed its potential and the tiger is "finally free of all its shackles", finance minister Etela Rajender declared on Monday.

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Southern Railway to run Chennai-Howrah special train
Southern Railway will run superfast special fare special train from Chennai Central to Howrah to clear the extra rush of passengers.

Chennai Corporation dog pound poorly maintained, animal lovers say
Lack of proper register for incoming dogs, ill-maintained kennels and poor sterilization of community dogs welcome the visitors at the Chennai Corporation’s dog pound on Lloyds Road in Royapettah in Chennai.

Carcasses of dolphin, calf washed ashore near Chennai
Carcasses of a female pantropical spotted dolphin and its stillborn calf were washed ashore on Nainarkuppam beach near Uthandi in Chennai on Monday.

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Traffic management gets a boost in budget

Drones to keep eye on roads for congestion

Gujarat road safety policy to target fatal accidents

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Two army personnel electrocuted at Allahabad Junction

Soon, eight Kaushambi villages to become open-defecation free

TOI chronicles HC's 150-yr journey
One of the highlights of the 150th year anniversary function was the release of 500-page Commemoration Volume titled `Gavel and Pen', by the President and the Chief Justice of India.The volume has been produced by The Times Group.

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Naveen Patnaik requests Centre to expedite Jagamohan repair

KV, 2 MLAs skip crucial BJP meet
Three MLAs skipped a joint meeting of BJP legislators and the new office-bearers here on Sunday in an apparent manifestation of internal dissension in BJP over the recent rejig of office-bearers a week ago on March 6.

Farakka shutdown triggers power crisis
A power crisis looms large over Odisha a day after the National Thermal Power Corporation shut down most units of its super thermal power plant at Farakka in Murshidabad district of West Bengal.

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Defecate in open, lose ration card, gun licence: Minister

PM Modi to visit Dr Ambedkar's birth place in Mhow, participate in Simhastha

Surrender subsidy on ration cards, appeals MP minister

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After clean chit, IAS officer Ashok Khemka seeks report
After getting a clean chit in the case pertaining to purchase of moong seeds, Haryana's whistleblower IAS officer Ashok Khemka has sought copy of the probe report so that "he may expose his frame-up in the case".

PRTC diverted loans for new buses to pay salaries
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has said that Punjab's oldest public transport firm Pepsu Road Transport Corporation (PRTC) that it availed loans worth Rs 31.

SIT to monitor probe in over Rs1,000 crore rice export scam
The Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT) on black money will monitor the probe into the alleged over Rs 1,000-crore scam in export of high-quality Basmati rice to Iran which was fraudulently diverted mid-sea to Dubai.

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