6th SEPTEMBER 2014

In a major step towards realising its nuclear energy ambitions, India signed a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with Australia here on Friday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart, Tony Abbott, were present during the signing of the agreement. The two nations held five rounds of negotiations on the deal since 2012, when Australia reversed its policy on nuclear sales to India. The policy was based on India’s refusal to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

N. Shanthakumari representing Moodalapalya ward and K. Ranganna from Kamakshipalya ward were elected unopposed as the city’s 48th Mayor and 49th Deputy Mayor respectively, on Friday. Both posts were reserved for the general category.

Visiting Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said that Australia would back India’s bid to join the Nuclear Suppliers Group, given New Delhi’s “scrupulous” record on nuclear issues. He said he was keen that more Indian investment should follow the nuclear deal.

A modest attempt to ensure adequate rice for 60 tribal families in the Agastyarkoodam Hills to celebrate Onam has turned out to be an overwhelming success at Technopark, with the techie crowd donating over three tonnes of rice in barely three days. The initial target was 600 kg. The initiative, titled Rice Bucket Challenge and modelled on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and its Indian version from Hyderabad, also named Rice Bucket Challenge, both of which have gone viral on social media, was launched by Technopark chief executive officer K.G. Girish Babu on September 2 and ended on Friday.

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Friday handed over to his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi two ancient idols of Hindu deities which were allegedly stolen from temples in Tamil Nadu before being bought by art galleries in Australia

Chandrakala Padia, Vice-Chancellor of Maharaja Ganga Singh University, Bikaner, was appointed chairperson of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, Shimla.

Australia on Friday announced the extension of the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund (AISRF) for a further four years and also pledged Australian dollars (AUD) 20 million for the initiative. Visiting Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott made the announcement here after a visit to the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre at AIIMS 

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he was keen that more Indian investment should follow the nuclear deal signed on Friday, which clears uranium sales to India. Mr Abbott said he would “welcome” Indian companies in the energy and infrastructure sectors. In particular, he mentioned the Gujarat-based Adani Group and the Andhra-based GVK Group for their large investments in the recent past, defending them against allegations by environmental organisations like Greenpeace.

Iran has failed to meet a deadline to provide answers about its nuclear weapons programme, the U.N. atomic watchdog said on Friday in a report seen by AFP. Not answering the International Atomic Energy Agency’s long-standing questions over the allegations could harm the chances of a potentially historic deal between Iran and world powers focused on Tehran’s current activities.

The United States confirmed Friday that the leader of Shabab militants in Somalia was killed in an air strike earlier this week, in what the White House called a major blow to Al-Qaeda’s network. The death of Ahmed Abdi Godane is “a major symbolic and operational loss to the largest Al-Qaeda affiliate in Africa and reflects years of painstaking work by our intelligence, military and law enforcement professionals,” the White House said in a statement. The Pentagon also confirmed that Godane was taken out in Monday’s attack.

China’s broadcasting authority has said online streaming sites must obtain licences before showing foreign TV shows and movies, in a tightening of control over the industry.

A decade after the strongest tsunami in living memory, 24 countries spanning from Australia to South Africa will take part in an U.N.-backed simulation exercise next week to test their capacity to forecast and tackle similar disasters. The exercise, organised by UNESCO.

Adani to begin coal mine development in Australia. The approval to the project was announced by Australian Environment Minister Greg Hunt, who had approved the Carmichael Coal Mine and Rail Infrastructure project subject to 36 strict conditions.

Japanese auto major Suzuki Motor Corp (SMC) chief Osamu Suzuki on Friday met Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel, even as the State Government cleared issues related to the company owning and investing at the upcoming plant in the State instead of its Indian arm Maruti Suzuki. Mr. Suzuki and Ms. Patel discussed SMC’s proposed plant coming up at Hansalpur village of Ahmedabad district at an estimated investment of Rs.4,000 crore

Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has secured an order valued at Rs.5,100 crore from Madhya Pradesh Power Generating Company Ltd. for setting up a 1,320 MW supercritical thermal power project at Shree Singaji TPP (Stage-II) on a complete engineering-procurement-construction basis. The project order covers design, engineering, manufacture, supply, erection and commissioning of two coal-fired thermal units of 660 MW each with supercritical parameters.

Cipla on Friday said it would acquire two manufacturing units from its contract manufacturer Okasa for Rs.100.93 crore. The acquisition will be carried out through the company’s wholly-owned subsidiary Medispray Laboratories, Cipla said in a filing to the BSE. The consideration for the above two transactions are Rs.29 crore and Rs.71.93 crore respectively

The prize money for the Fenesta National tennis championship has been doubled for this year to a total prize purse of Rs. 18 lakh. Making the announcement in a press conference here on Friday, the Chairman and Senior Managing Director of DCM Shriram Limited, Ajay Shriram, said that the initiative was to celebrate the organisation’s long association with the game, dating back to the first edition in 1992. Welcoming the move, the president of the All India Tennis Association (AITA), Anil Khanna, responded by announcing a wild card each to the men’s and women’s winners of the event for the Delhi Open.

World champion and top seed Hou Yifan of China won the 2013-24 FIDE women’s Grand Prix chess, with two rounds still to be played in the final leg at Sharjah. Her title was confirmed after her challenger and second seed Koneru Humpy drew with Zhu Chen of Qatar in the ninth round on Thursday.

Lt. Col. Sudhakar Jayant of Indian Army completed a hat-trick of titles after clinching the gold for the third time at the IWF world Masters weightlifting championships at Copenhagen.Competing in the 62kg category, the 45-year-old Indian lifted a total of 185kg — 85kg (snatch) and 100kg (clean and jerk). Jayant had won the gold with a lift of 192kg in 2013 in Italy. His 87kg in snatch was also a Games record.

5th SEPTEMBER 2014

Vijayawada and the surrounding VGTM (Vijayawada, Guntur, Tenali and Mangalagiri) region will be the new capital of Andhra Pradesh. The city happens to be a vital road-railway junction, besides having air and port connectivity.

The Pollution Control Board in the district has sent samples of water in the Cauvery and Bhavani rivers following immersion of Lord Ganesha idols earlier this week in connection with the Chathurthi celebrations, to the National Green Tribunal.

Water level has been steadily increasing in Periyar dam. The level stood at 130.3 feet in the dam on Thursday. The inflow into the dam was 2,485 cusecs and the discharge 500 cusecs. The storage was 4,965 mcft. With comfortable storage in the dam, farmers in other parts of the district appealed to the government to release water in 18th Channel and PTR Channel for irrigation in single crop areas in Thevaram and Bodi blocks. The water to be released through 18th Channel will be stored in 44 irrigation tanks to irrigate rain-fed crops up to Meenakshipuram in Bodi block and to recharge groundwater table.

A Committee of the Assam Assembly has recommended to the Excise Department to legalise the sale of ethnic alcoholic beverages and bring them under licence system. The Standing Committee on Development Departments of the House has also sought a study to explore commercialisation of ethnic drinks.

The Corporation of Madurai has clamped a ban on use of particular varieties of plastic materials in the city limits with effect from September 11. According to Commissioner C. Kathiravan, plastics in any form manufactured in the thickness below 40 microns are banned. Be it a manufacturer or a wholesale merchant or an end user, the usage of banned plastics would attract fine and action as per law.

Ruling in favour of 25 children petitioners, the Karnataka High Court on Thursday declared that schools claiming minority status — religious or linguistic — could be exempted from filling 25 per cent of seats under the Right to Education (RTE) Act only if such institutions were certified as a “minority institution” by the authorities competent to grant such certificates

A $5.6-million bronze Dancing Shiva and a $300,000 stone Shiva idol will be handed over to Prime Minister Narendra Modi by his Australian counterpart, Tony Abbott, on Friday. Both were stolen from Tamil Nadu and housed in Australian galleries

George Clooney is set to direct a film on the U.K. phone-hacking scandal. Inspired by the bookHack Attack by The Guardian journalist Nick Davies, the upcoming film will expose The News of the World ’s hacking into voicemail messages of elected officials, celebrities and ordinary British citizens. Clooney, 53, will also produce the film alongside Grant Heslov and Michael De Luca.

One Direction has earned a spot in the Guinness World Records 2015 book after their first three albums debut at number one on the standard-bearing American chart. The group’s Midnight Memories is their latest chart-topping LP. It debuted at number one on Billboard 200 following its release late last year. Previously, their first album Up All Night and their sophomore set Take Me Home also entered the same chart at the top slot.

The short film, Frozen Forever , will bring Elsa, Anna and Kristoff of the hit animated film Frozen back to the silver screen, Disney has said. It is set to premiere in Spring 2015. Frozen , a take-off on the Hans Christian Andersen’s Snow Queen fairy tale,is the most successful animated movie of all time.

Danish toy maker Lego has taken the top spot as the world’s biggest maker of toys by sales, overtaking Barbie doll-maker Mattel, its first-half results showed on Thursday. Performance was boosted by the Lego Movie product line.

India recorded the highest number of suicides in Southeast Asia in 2012, says a report released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva on Thursday. The number of victims was 2,58,075 — 1,58,098 men and 99,977 women — that year. Globally, the number was 8,04,000.

The Union Home Ministry on Thursday sounded an alert across several States hours after al-Qaeda chief Ayman Al-Zawahiri announced the formation of an Indian wing of his group to open a campaign in the subcontinent.


Infosys on Thursday said it had bagged a five-year contract from Europe’s second largest oil and gas company, BP. No financial details were provided. “The agreement, effective September 1, 2014, will provide IT services across BP’s operations, including corporate functions, upstream and downstream segments, energy trading and marketing

A new guide from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) offers case studies on how to make schools child-friendly and explores deterrents to school attendance. Child-friendly Schools and Systems , prepared in collaboration with the Union Human Resource Development Ministry, is a set of suggestions to schools in being child-friendly and secure and ensuring rights-based quality education for children.

Tara Balgopal, Veteran danseuse and teacher lives on charity. An accomplished Kathak, Kathakali and Bharatanatyam dancer, she has lost count of medals she has won. Presidents from S. Radhakrishnan to R. Venkataraman, and Prime Ministers from Jawaharlal Nehru to Indira Gandhi have honoured her

4th SEPTEMBER 2014

President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday appointed former Chief Justice of India P. Sathasivam Governor of Kerala. He will be sworn in on Friday.

                            

Bangladesh has agreed to hand over United Liberation Front of Asom leader Anup Chetia to India, which will send back Nur Hossain, prime accused in a case of seven murders in Narayanganj.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is expected to make the much-awaited announcement on capital in the Assembly on Thursday as also the plans of the government to develop each district in the State. The State government has already announced that Vijayawada and its surrounding areas would form the capital region.

Superintendent of Police D. Prakash has said that to avoid communal tension in Bijapur district, the ban on a controversial song, “Banayenge Mandir”, would continue even during the on-going Ganesh idol processions and immersion. Mr. Prakash made it clear that criminal cases would be booked against those who violate this order. — Staff Correspondent

President Pranab Mukherjee has cleared the appointment of Justice H.L. Dattu, the senior-most judge in the Supreme Court, as the 42nd Chief Justice of India. Justice Dattu could become the last Chief Justice of India to be appointed under the collegium system of judicial appointments. Justice Dattu will become the Chief Justice of India after the retirement of CJI R.M. Lodha on September 27, 2014. He will hold the post for a little over a year until his retirement on December 2, 2015.

The Department of Personnel and Training has notified amendments giving autonomy to the Lokpal Search Committee to shortlist and recommend names independently for selection of Chairman and members of the anti-corruption body. The former Supreme Court judge Justice K.T. Thomas, who resigned as Chairman of the committee citing lack of freedom, said  the amendments were a “progressive departure” and a “step in the right direction” from the earlier version

Union Minister for Rural Development Nitin Gadkari has “ordered sweeping changes” in the MGNREGA(Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act), mandating that 50 per cent of all the works that are taken up at the district-level under the scheme should only be for water conservation other changes  include focussing the Centre’s efforts only on the 2,500 backward districts identified by the Planning Commission,  also instructed the officials to reverse a 2011 decision of the UPA government which allowed States to seek funds from the MGNREGA allocations for constructing Individual Household Latrines (IHHL) under the guidelines of the Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan.

Call it coincidence or design, Krishna river is set to gain back some of its some historical significance. Andhras built Amaravati on its banks as capital city way back in 3rd Century BC and now with the report on Sivaramakrishnan Committee on capital being out, the government has sent enough feelers that the Vijayawada, Guntur, Tenali and Mangalagiri (VGTM) region will be a suitable location for capital. However, historians opine that selection of VGTM for capital is more of the political convenience than a historical significance. “Historically Andhras or Telugu people had many capitals under several dynasties. The region near Amaravati is just a political decision and no historical perspective to it.

Mumbai’s Esplanade House, once the residence of Jamsetji Tata, founder of the Tata empire, and the Shri Sakhargad Nivasini Devi Temple Complex in Satara are among the 14 projects from 10 countries that bagged the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards that were announced in Bangkok on Tuesday. The awards recognise efforts of private individuals and organisations in restoring and conserving heritage structures and buildings.

Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia has rejected donations by Reddit users.  (Reddit, stylized as reddit, is an entertainment, social networking service and news website where registered community members can submit content, such as text posts or direct links)

Tata Consultancy Services has reappointed N Chandrasekaran as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director for a five year term. The appointment is effective from October 6, 2014. Chandrasekaran was earlier appointed as CEO and MD for a period of five years from October 06, 2009 to October 05, 2014, the company said in a BSE filing.

India and Bangladesh have reached a decision on ratification of the Land Boundary Agreement (LBA) and ensure zero border killings. The agreement signed in 1972 was not ratified by India under various domestic compulsions. Bangladesh ratified it in 1974.

China will set up two industrial parks in India, one each in Gujarat and Maharashtra, and the two countries are expected to sign agreements for this soon. Chinese Consul-General in Mumbai, Liu Youfa, told presspersons here on Tuesday that a park would come up near Pune on about 5 sq. km and another near Ahmedabad on about 10 sq. km. The park in Maharashtra will be focussed on automobile sector and that in Gujarat on the power sector. The Pune park will be completed in about 12 years in three stages and is likely to see total investment of $5 billion. The first phase will be completed in three years.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe named five woman Cabinet Ministers on Wednesday. One of those who won a ministerial portfolio was Yuko Obuchi (40, in picture) the daughter of former Premier Keizo Obuchi. She became the first woman to assume the powerful post of Economy, Trade and Industry Minister.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called on both Ukrainian rebels and government forces to cease fire and agree to the broad terms of a truce ending their four-month war. Mr. Putin’s first direct appeal on the insurgents to lay down their weapons came hours after the beleaguered Ukrainian President, Petro Poroshenko, said he and Mr. Putin had agreed on a ceasefire deal.

3rd SEPTEMBER 2014

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating TCS Japan Technology and Cultural Academy Soukoukai on Tuesda.  Addressing a 2,000-strong gathering at a seminar organised by the Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) and Nikkei, Mr. Modi said India was attractive to Japan on account of three Ds — democracy, demography and demand.

 L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad (L&TMRH) Chief Executive and Managing Director V.B. Gadgil

Multinational aerospace and transportation company Bombardier Transportation sees a very good potential for metro rail projects proposed in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada. The $18-billion company, which set up its Indian arm Bombardier Transportation India Private Limited after it bagged $1-billion metro car contract for Delhi Metro, now has set up Euro 30-million factory at Savli in Gujarat with a production capacity of 360 cars per annum. The world’s largest rail vehicle manufacturing company is all set to export 450 cars to Australia from its Indian unit. It has also set its eyes on emerging market in South East Asia.  In an exclusive interview, Bombardier Transportation India Chief Country Representative Harsh Dhingra

The World Bank has told the Chennai Corporation that its funding of the pedestrian plaza at T. Nagar is conditional. It has advised the civic body to complete a study on environment and the social impact of the proposed pedestrianisation project in that area. The study by the Chennai Corporation is also expected to assess the impact of the project on ‘reducing extreme poverty’ and ‘promoting shared prosperity’. The Rs.83-crore pedestrian plaza, part of the T. Nagar redevelopment proposal, had already been approved by the Corporation Council a few months ago. “Funding for the project will not be approved without a proper study of the social and environmental aspects of such an innovative urban infrastructure project.

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has said that the State would get 2,800 MW additional power by the end of next year. Chairman and Managing Director of Rural Electrification Corporation Rajeev Sharma along with CMD of TS Genco D. Prabhakar Rao called on Mr. Rao at the Secretariat on Tuesday. During the interaction, the TS Genco CMD said that by next year-end, the State would get 2,800 MW from Bhupalpally (600 MW), Singareni (1200 MW) and central station (1000 MW). He said once this was made available, the deficiency would be overcome and extra power to be generated in future would become surplus.

After its disappointment over the delay in a nuclear agreement with Japan, India is looking ahead to Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s visit this week for good news on the nuclear trade front.  Mr. Abbott, who arrives in New Delhi on Thursday for a two-day visit, will make a “positive announcement” on selling uranium to India as part of a civil nuclear cooperation agreement that has been under negotiation since 2012, with five rounds complete. If successful, India will get a share of Australia’s uranium reserves, about one-third of the world’s extractable reserves for India’s estimated need of about 5,900 tonnes by 2020.

Mangalore Urban Development Authority does not get any fund from the government to pay salary for its staff and office maintenance, for developing layouts or any other development activities. It has to entirely depend on two types of funds collected by it. It is “general fund” collected for approving change in the use of a land or building (land conversions) and “reserve fund” collected as penalty fee for single site approvals, according to commissioner Mohammad Nazeer. The “general fund” should be used to pay salary of staff, building maintenance and developing layouts and the other one for developing parks and open space

Former Foreign Secretary A.P. Venkateswaran (85) passed away at a private hospital here on Tuesday afternoon. Mr. Venkateswaran was chairman of the Asia Centre, which is engaged in organising interaction and discussions on issues pertaining to Asian countries. He had made headlines when he resigned from his post in January 1987, after he was snubbed by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

The former Attorney-General of India G.E. Vahanvati died in Mumbai on Tuesday following a heart attack. Prior to his appointment as the top law officer, he had served as the Solicitor-General of India between June 20, 2004 and June 7, 2009. He was earlier the Advocate General of Maharashtra.

A four-member high-level committee has been set up under the former Cabinet Secretary T.S.R. Subramanian to examine five laws administered by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change. The five laws to be put under the scanner are Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980; Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972; The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; and The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

The Supreme Court has restrained West Bengal from taking steps to administer “any kind of contraceptives” or methods of sterilisation to curb the rising elephant population in the state. Whereas the State Forest Minister Binay Krishna Barman said that the government was in talks with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) regarding administration of PZP (Porcine zona pellucida) vaccine, which can prevent pregnancy in elephants for about a year.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine last week has indicated that keeping a healthy heart may have as much to do with the quality of healthcare as avoiding risk factors. The international study, led by researchers at the Population Health Research Institute at the McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences was conducted in 17 nations across the world, including India and Bangladesh in this region.

Finance and Defence Minister Arun Jaitely on Tuesday successfully underwent a planned elective laparoscopic procedure for diabetes management by Dr. Chowbey, a recipient of the Padma Shri award, is an honorary surgeon to the President of India, the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) and surgeon to the Dalai Lama

Operation Indian Ocean - African Union (AU) troops and government forces launched “Operation Indian Ocean,” a major offensive aimed at seizing key ports from the Islamist rebels and cutting off one of their key sources of revenue — multi-million dollar exports of charcoal.

Iran unveiled a new surface-to-air missile on Tuesday and two radar systems it said would improve its defences against “enemies”. The military ceremony came just one week after Iran said it downed an Israeli spy drone that had reportedly been deployed above the Natanz uranium enrichment site in central Iran. The Talash-3 (Effort-3, in Persian) missile is capable of hitting targets at higher altitudes than previously possible, said General Farzad Esmaili, Iran's aviation defence commander, without stating its range. He also showed off two radar systems — the Arash-2, which can detect small drones at a distance of 150 km, he said, and the Kayhan system which can locate missiles and drones.

South African fast bowler Norman Gordon, oldest surviving Test cricketer at 103 years, passed away after a year long illness due to renal complications. Gordon passed away in his home in Hillbrow, close to the Johannesburg City Centre, where he has lived for over sixty years. Gordon played five Tests against England back in 1939 taking 20 wickets in all before World War cut short his international career. His nickname was ‘Mobil’ as he used to apply hairgel to set his flowing mane while bowling.

 V. Diju received the Arjuna Award from the President of India in New Delhi on Friday. The triumphed in Chinese Taipei in 2009 made Diju and Jwala was the first Indian mixed-doubles pair to win a Grand Prix.

Saina Nehwal is training under former badminton star and coach U. Vimal Kumar at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy (PPBA) here for two weeks. According to a PPBA press-release, the decision was arrived at after discussions with national badminton coach P. Gopi Chand, who played a stellar role in Saina’s progress.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the MRF Pace Foundation signed an official agreement here on Tuesday. Under the landmark five-year deal, the Elite group of bowlers (including the Board’s centrally-contracted pacemen) will spend quality time under Australian pace legend and Director of Coaching at the MRF Pace Foundation, Glenn McGrath. The BCCI will nominate 20 established bowlers for the Pace Foundation camps under McGrath. Each camp will be two-week long — three such camps are conducted by McGrath every year here — and will be attended by 10 Elite bowlers.

2nd SEPTEMBER, 2014

China’s railway plans for Tibet are firmly on track with two new rail lines going west and east from Lhasa. The ambitious railway line from Beijing to Lhasa began seven years ago. The extended lines — 251 km from Lhasa to Shigatse on the west and 433 km to Nyingchi (still under construction) in the east — will effectively link Tibet to India, Nepal and Bhutan.

Japan on Monday pledged to invest Rs. 2.1 lakh crore ($35.5 billion) in a wide spectrum of projects in India over five years. These include infrastructure, clean energy and skill development. Capping lengthy deliberations between visiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe, the two sides also decided to double the number of Japanese companies operating in India in five years. Announcing the “Japan-India Investment Promotion Partnership,” both leaders were upbeat about their future relationship. Two countries decided to collaborate in the procurement of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and upstream development of oil and gas as well as clean coal technology. Five agreements, including one in defence, were signed during Mr. Modi’s visit, in which the two sides also decided to turn their “Strategic and Global Partnership to a Special Strategic and Global Partnership”.

After attending a road-show in Mumbai to attract investors to West Bengal's proposed financial hub, State Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim said the government would clear all investment proposals “within a day if the proposals are tabled in September.” The proposed financial hub at Rajarhat on the eastern fringes of Kolkata was inaugurated by Mamata Banerjee in 2012. Mr. Hakim claimed that the response to the road show was “impressive” and top officials of several financial institutions -- public and private -- enquired about the terms and conditions of investing in the hub. In the hub, banks and financial institutions such as UCO Bank, State Bank of India, Allahabad Bank, Sriram Credit, the West Bengal Financial Corporation and the West Bengal Infrastructure and Development Corporation are setting up offices.

The State Cabinet which met here on Monday reportedly decided in favour of Vijayawada-Guntur stretch as capital of Andhra Pradesh, apparently brushing aside Sivaramakrishnan Committee’s report that had lot of reservations about this location. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is likely to make a formal statement about the Cabinet’s decision in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday. He is expected to list out the reasons in defence of his government’s choice. In fact Mr. Naidu is stated to have cautioned his Cabinet colleagues against divulging any information to media about deliberations at today’s meeting, citing rules that prohibited Ministers from making any statement outside the Assembly when it is in session.

The fares at the Tindivanam and Karanodai toll plazas have been hiked from September 1, based on the increase in the wholesale price index (WPI), an index that measures and tracks the prices of wholesale goods. It is also a measure of inflation. A total of 22 plazas under the control of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in the State have increased their rates by 5.98 per cent.  (V. Chinna Reddy, Chief General Manager (Technical), NHAI)

Global mass surveillance and privacy of Internet users are likely to dominate discussions at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) which begins in Istanbul on Tuesday. The IGF is a forum for multi-stakeholder policy dialogue on Internet governance convened by the United Nations Secretary-General to carry out the mandate from the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS). This year’s Forum concludes on September 5. Elvira Tiguru, spokesperson for Association for Progressive Communications,  said that “The latest edition of the Global Information Society Watch reveals the complicity of both states and corporations in communications surveillance.  Also Report shows how most people and governments have completely missed the point of mass surveillance: it is ubiquitous, widespread, and involves everyone, whether or not you are a ‘threat to the state’, or engaged in criminal activities,” 

Dr. Govind, CEO, National Internet Exchange of India, who is attending the IGF, said, “India is the third largest user of internet in the world, with 220 million users of mobile internet alone. So the discussions taking place here matter to us.”

Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala, - Governor of Karnataka

The Supreme Court on Monday refused a plea by ICC president N. Srinivasan to reinstate him at the helm of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Mr. Srinivasan’s plea, made through his counsel, came at a hearing when the Justice Mukul Mudgal Committee filed an interim report seeking two months’ time to complete its investigation into the Indian Premier League betting and spot-fixing scandal.

The Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) is contemplating high speed inter-city rail corridors spread over 1,141 km and connecting all district headquarters and major towns of Telangana State with the city. (HMDA Commissioner Neerabh Kumar Prasad.) The Comprehensive Transportation Study (CTS) for the city too had suggested corridors to connect Nizamabad, Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, Warangal, Khammam, Karimnagar, Sangareddy, Medak, Vikarabad and Adilab

The extended railway lines built by China in Tibet — 251 km from Lhasa to Shigatse on the west and 433 km to Nyingchi (still under construction) in the east — will effectively link Tibet to India, Nepal and Bhutan. These are part of the Chinese government’s mission 2020 for infrastructure in Tibet. By 2020, China hopes to build 1,300 km of rail lines in the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) as well as more than 1,10,000 km of roadways, many of which will work as feeder lines to the railway stations that dot the line.

India and Japan will explore with the United States the possibility of raising their joint secretary-level trilateral dialogue to the level of foreign ministers, On a possible civil nuclear deal, both Mr. Modi and Mr. Abe, who held detailed discussions, directed their officials to expedite their negotiations and bring them to a conclusion. Japan has major domestic concerns on nuclear issues, especially after the Fukushima disaster, and Indian officials had previously indicated that an agreement on civil nuclear cooperation was unlikely in the current trip.

Union Health Minister Dr. Harsh Vardhan on Monday called for Information Technology-guided transparency in the interface between organ donors and recipients when the National Organ and Tissue Transplantation Organisation (NOTTO) becomes operational.

The Antrix Corporation-Devas Multimedia spat over the cancelled contract for two Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) satellites has come up before the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) at The Hague. It even claimed $1.6 billion (around Rs. 9,600 crore by current exchange rate) for breach of contract.

India’s dominating performance against England coupled with Australia’s shock loss to Zimbabwe made it the sole No. 1 team in the latest ICC ODI rankings issued here. “World champion India has been confirmed as the No. 1 ranked side in the Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings,” the ICC said in a statement.

1st SEPTEMBER, 2014

Thousands of Tibetan Buddhists stream in Lhasa’s Norbulingka everyday, to offer scarves for the 14th Dalai Lama and pray for his return. Norbulingka was the “summer palace” home of the Dalai Lama from 1956 to 1959, before he fled to India. For decades, the Chinese government had kept the Tibetan Autonomous Region (TAR) off limits to outsiders. 

A team of Forest Department officials will soon visit Beijing, another Chinese town- Xianyou, Hong Kong and Singapore to hold pre-bid meetings with prospective buyers of seized red sanders logs of around 4,160 metric tonnes to be auctioned from September 19 to 26. The cash-strapped government has decided to sell in the international market more than 8,500 MTs of red sanders logs.  As many as 246 people, including 76 from China, Japan, Singapore, U.A.E, Nepal and Australia had inspected the logs in seven depots at Kadapa, Bhakarapet, Tirupati, Udayagiri, Kanigiri, Adurupally and Venkatagiri. Of them, 49 were from China and 16 from Japan. 

Mr. Modi, who visited the heritage Toji temple on Sunday morning, met Nobel laureate in medicine Prof. Shimna Yamanaka, and discussed a possible remedy for sickle cell anaemia prevalent in India. Mr. Kadokawa, who called on Mr. Modi at his Kyoto hotel, told the Prime Minister that the city had the lowest per capita garbage generation in Japan. When Mr. Kadokawa referred to the Kyoto city museum, the Prime Minister inquired whether it was a digital facility. Mr. Kadokawa also informed the Prime Minister that the city was going to become poster-free from Sunday.

The Nalanda University (NU) will rise again on Monday as academic classes will begin on its new campus in Bihar’s Rajgir. The resurrection of the ancient university will bring to fruition of an idea proposed by the former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in 2006. “We will have a low-key launch with classes for the School of Ecology and Environmental Studies and the School of Historical Studies beginning 9 a.m. tomorrow [Monday]. Right now there are 15 students and 11 faculty members,” NU Vice-Chancellor Gopa Sabharwal 

The Punjab-based Netaji Subhash Kranti Manch on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to visit the Renkoji temple in Tokyo where some believe that the ashes of the late freedom-fighter Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose are buried.

Legendary actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao will be the first Indian actor to be honoured with a postage stamp by the U.S. Post Service (USPS). The Akkineni Foundation of America (AFA) has said that the stamp will be issued on the birth anniversary of Nageshwara Rao, who died of cancer early this year. A special release ceremony is being planned by AFA on September 20 in Dallas, Texas. The AFA is also planning to release the stamp in India on December 17 at the first International Akkineni Awards Ceremony being planned at ANR College, Gudivada in Krishna district of Andhra Pradesh. 

Responding to the government’s recent ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’ (Clean India Campaign), engineering major Larsen & Toubro Ltd. (L&T) on Sunday announced plans to build 5,000 toilets as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative. L&T group executive chairman A.M. Naik said that initially 2,000 toilets would be built.

Taking a cue from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech, Sulabh International on Sunday kick-started its nationwide ‘Toilet for Every House’ campaign from Katra Sadatganj village in Badaun that has been in the news for the killing of two girls when they ventured out of their homes in the dark to relieve themselves.

Jailed Bahraini activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja has been on hunger strike for a week seeking release, his lawyer said on Sunday, adding that authorities have arrested his daughter at the airport.“Abdulhadi is continuing with the hunger strike he began on August 25” in Jaw prison near Manama, said lawyer Mohammed al-Jishi. Jailed for life for plotting to overthrow the monarchy, Mr. Khawaja (54) had staged a 110-day hunger strike in 2012.

Spain’s Carolina Marin pulled off a monumental upset as she beat Chinese world No.1 Li Xuerui to win the women’s singles title at the badminton World Championships in Copenhagen on Sunday. The 21-year-old ninth seed recovered from dropping the opening game to the top seed and Olympic champion to complete an incredible 17-21, 21-17, 21-18 victory and earn her country its first ever major title in the sport.