News Digest: Professor UR Rao, ex-Isro chief and renowned space scientist, passes away

Professor UR Rao, ex-Isro chief and renowned space scientist, passes away
Internationally-renowned space scientist UR Rao passed away early Monday, leaving the Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) bereft of the experience of a man who has been a part of all its launches in one capacity or another. He was 85.

Apps on mobiles expand 'privacy' debate exponentially

Pranab warns govt against excessive use of ordinances
President Pranab Mukherjee spoke out on Sunday against using “the ordinance route for any monetary matter” as he cautioned against “the instrument of ordinances which is an extraordinary power vested with the executive”.

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Govt plans new agency to keep check on CAs
The government is reviewing plans to put in place the National Financial Reporting Authority (NFRA) as it seeks to rein in the Institute of Chartered Accounts for India (ICAI) for its perceived failure in enforcing discipline.

Amazon's new Go Local policy worries online sellers

It's never too late to start saving for your retirement
When I wrote about a comfortable retirement, a few readers mailed to ask about what happens when retirement is not really secured. Some of them had lived through a life defined by large spends, and were genuinely worried about their future. What should 50-year olds who worry about their retirement do?

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RSP bans plastic bags below 50 micron thickness

'Superalgae' to protect world's corals from bleaching
Researchers have found a solution to reduce coral bleaching by genetically engineering the micro-algae found in corals, enhancing their stress tolerance to ocean warming. These micro-algae are called Symbiodinium, a genus of primary producers found in corals that are essential for reef health.

Humans turning Earth into 'plastic planet': Study
By 2015, humans had generated 8.3bn metric tonnes of plastics, 6.3bn tonnes of which had become waste. Of that, only 9% was recycled, 12% was incinerated and 79% accumulated in landfills, researchers said. If this trends continue, 12bn metric tonnes of plastic waste will be in landfills by 2050.

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2 killed in shooting at Israeli embassy in Jordan
Two Jordanians were killed and an Israeli was wounded by gunfire Sunday in a residential building in the heavily fortified Israeli embassy compound in Jordan's capital, the kingdom's Public Security Directorate said.

8 people found dead in truck in 'human trafficking crime'
Eight people have been found dead in a tractor-trailer outside a Walmart in Texas in what police are calling a horrific human trafficking case. Several other people, possibly dozens, were found in the truck, which didn't have a working air conditioning system, and they were taken to hospitals.

Russia to blame for 'hot war' in Ukraine: US special envoy
Russian aggression is to blame for violence in eastern Ukraine, where people are dying in what should be seen as a "hot war" rather than a "frozen conflict", the US special envoy to the Ukraine peace talks said on a visit to Ukraine on Sunday.

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Women's World Cup final: Bollywood celebs wish India's "Women in Blue"
Popular celebrities from Bollywood and sports like Lata Mangeshkar, Sachin Tendulkar and Shah Rukh Khan have wished luck to the Indian women's cricket team, which takes on England in the final of the Women's World Cup on Sunday.

Here's when Anushka Sharma will join Shah Rukh Khan for Aanand L Rai's film
Fans can expect Anushka to get into the thick of things as soon as she wraps up work on her home production 'Pari'.

'Om Shanti Om' stars hail film's musical adaptation
Actors Deepika Padukone, Arjun Rampal and Shreyas Talpade on Sunday congratulated filmmaker Farah Khan and hailed the Japanese musical adaptation of their 2007 film 'Om Shanti Om'.

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New colour-changing sensor can identify different alcohols

Indian scientists tap AI to identify aggressive breast cancer

NASA invites citizen scientists to explore solar eclipse
NASA has invited citizen scientists to participate in a nationwide science experiment by collecting cloud and air temperature data and reporting it via their phones during the total solar eclipse that will occur on August 21 and pass through the US.

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WWC: India suffer heartbreaking 9-run defeat against England in final
Indian eves on Sunday snatched defeat from the jaws of victory as hosts England won the ICC Women's World Cup final by 9 runs. Chasing a tricky total of 229, Indian middle-order collapsed like a pack of cards, being bowled out for 219 in 48.4 overs.

Near perfect Froome claims fourth Tour de France title
Froome put on a near-perfect performance to claim his 4th Tour de France and move within one title of cycling's greatest as Team Sky tightened their grip on the classic race. He is now one title behind Belgian Eddy Merckx, Spain's Miguel Indurain and French duo Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault.

Chappell backs skipper Kohli in coach controversy
Australian legend Ian Chappell has backed India skipper Virat Kohli in the controversy that erupted after his fallout with former coach Anil Kumble, saying "if a coach is to be inflicted on a captain", it should be someone with whom he is comfortable.

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Singapore's visa rules to bring more pain for TCS, Infosys, HCL and Wipro
Singapore has sought to defend its visa regime, saying that one-third of its workforce is "already foreign" and it would be "mindless" to have open border without any policy framework to control the flow of people.

This Bengaluru-based firm might just be first to land a private spacecraft on the moon
Team Indus is a finalist in the Google Lunar X Prize competition that seeks teams to successfully land a 90% private-funded spacecraft on the moon.

Microsoft is using domain names in its legal fight against Russian hackers, here's why
US Tech giant Microsoft is going after a Russian hacking group believed to be connected to the country's intelligence agency GRU and behind several high-profile cyber attacks including on the NATO and the Hillary Clinton campaign.

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Uniform NEET questions in regional papers from 2018, says Javadekar
Union human resource development (HRD) minister Prakash Javadekar on Saturday made big-ticket announcements in Kolkata that will affect the fortunes of lakhs of students appearing in joint entrance examinations in medicine and engineering countrywide.

5,915 engineering seats vacant after 6th round of admission
As many as 5,915 seats remain vacant in various engineering colleges, including IITs, NITs, IIITs and other centrally funded government institutes, even after the sixth round of admission.

Govt committed to turn 'brain drain' into 'brain gain', Prakash Javadekar says
"The Prime Minister scholarship scheme will provide stipends between Rs 75,000 and Rs 1,00,000 every month to research scholars," Javadekar said. He said under 'Uchchatar Abhishkar Yojana' (UAY) started by the government, research students are working on customised requirements of industry.

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Two jailbirds make rope using wire, flee from Kalyan prison
Two undertrials lodged at a prison in Kalyan fled by scaling the jail wall on Sunday morning.

MMRDA officer asks junior to sit on lap', booked
A senior officer of MMRDA, the regional development agency , has been booked for allegedly sexually harassing a junior colleague.The police said that the accused, Milind Patil (37), a senior town planning officer, had once made the woman sit on his lap, kissed her on another occasion and often used to pass obscene comments and wolfwhistle at her in their office at Bandra. Patil, who is married, has not yet been arrested.

4 lecture-free days for all Mumbai University students this week
With just a week to go for the governor's July-31 deadline to declare results, Mumbai University has decided to extend the non-instructional days up to July 27 for all departments and affiliated colleges, not just the commerce and arts faculties. While teachers have been asked to dedicate at least six hours for valuation and moderation work, colleges are requested to keep assessment centres open from 7 am to 8 pm and even beyond that, if required.

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NGT lifts stay on revamp of Qutab Golf Course
The stalled work to redevelop Qutab Golf Course in an upscale south Delhi loacality is all set to begin, with the National Green Tribunal lifting the stay order on the construction activity.

Swine flu threat grows; 600 deaths, 12,500 cases this year
Swine flu, the viral illness that became a pandemic in 2009, has made a comeback this year, claiming nearly 600 lives across the country so far this year with close to 12,500 cases being reported.

Vice-chancellor asks for a tank in JNU to instil 'love for Army'
Celebrating Kargil Vijay Diwas on campus in the presence of Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and V K Singh, Jawaharlal Nehru University vice-chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar on Sunday requested the government to instal a battle tank in the university.

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'Ahinda movement will be strengthened to prevent Dalits from joining Hindutva fold'

Govts are shying away from talking to farmers: Aruna Roy

Nothing wrong in states having individual flags: Shashi Tharoor

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On foreign trips, Tollywood stars struck by drug craze
Some Tollywood personalities, who are on the radar of prohibition and excise officials for their links to drug peddlers, reportedly consumed drugs even during their foreign trips.

43 newborns dumped this year in Hyderabad, activists say government is to blame
Latest government data shows that increasingly newborn girls are being abandoned in the city.

School principal recalls studious dedicated teen
TOI, Gnanasiri K, the current principal of the school said that Mithali was very disciplined as a child and did exceptionally well in studies.

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Train accidents up by nearly 50% on slow line renewal
A steep increase in train accidents has accompanied a slowdown in the pace of track renewal by Indian Railways over the past year.

With 3,000 cases, Tamil Nadu records 32-fold jump in H1N1 in 6 months

Pakistani drug peddler with 2 fake Aadhaar IDs held in Tamil Nadu
an illegal ferry from Sri Lanka was nabbed at Erwadi in the district on Saturday.

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Amdavadis brace up for rainy Monday
After incessant rainfall lashing the city for over two days this weekend, Amdavadis are getting ready for another rainy day with India Meteorological Department (IMD) Gujarat forecasting rains will continue to soak the city on Monday .

Disability no hurdle in IIM-A dream run

Southern culture lights up cloudy Ahmedabad

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Allahabad: DM to probe case of missing fruits in Mid-Day Meal

Petrol given without helmet in Allahabad
The recent order of the district magistrate, regarding wearing helmet compulsory for getting petrol from any of the petrol pump of the city, has fallen on deaf ears. On the third day of the implementation of the order (which came into force from July 20 onwards), there was hardly any pump in the city which was found to be following the orders.

BJP to provide study materials to students
State BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) leadership is all set to distribute study material among the children of class 9th and 10th who would be appearing in general knowledge aptitude test to be conducted by the party across the state on August 26.

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Woman, two sons killed over witchcraft
The police on Sunday arrested two persons in connection with the murder of a woman and her two minor sons of Dhipabandha village under Badampahad police limits in Mayurbhanj district.

Close shave for passengers as bus overturns in Dhenkanal
Around 50 passengers on Sunday had a narrow escape when a bus overturned on NH 55 near Jharagadia village under Dhenkanal Sadar police limits in Dhenkanal district.

Snakes out after rains in Bhubaneswar
Sushree Mishra got the shock of her life when she discovered a snake under the vegetable tray of her refrigerator. She screamed and immediately called the Snake Helpline members. Much to her relief the snake was a common wolf snake, a nonvenomous one.

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2 swindlers in police net for IAF job fraud

Snake sighting on the rise in city

Upper Lake, Kolar far away from full tank level

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Punjab CM gives Harmanpreet Rs 5 lakh, offers DSP's job
A day after TOI reported that ‘Punjab snubbed Harmanpreet's job request 6 years back', the Punjab government on Sunday offered the Moga girl DSP's post.

Stray bullets injuring residents

Haryana blames power tariff hike on bill defaulters

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