Monthly Current Affairs 2016 February

Budget 2016: personal tax interest increased

Increase the rate of surcharge on income exceeding Rs 1 crore to 15% from 12%.
2016-02-29

Now, a scheme for domestic black money

The government unveiled a new scheme to tackle domestic black money asking those with undisclosed income to come clean by paying tax, surcharge and penalty that add up to 45% of the concealed income.
2016-02-29

Budget 2016: Arms spending held steady, Center looks to shop at home

The Centre plans to focus defence spending more on the domestic market instead of importing fighter planes, ships and submarines, after saying it will leave military spending for 2016-17 largely unchanged following years of increases. Union finance minister Arun Jaitley announced as part of his Budget 2016 speech a defence allocation of Rs 2.49 lakh crore.
2016-02-29

Jaitley throws open the coffers for rural India

Finance minister Arun Jaitley unveiled a Rs 19.78 lakh crores ($300 billion) budget for 2016-17, with a focus on the rural economy and infrastructure along with a minor rebate for small taxpayers and more money for health, literacy and roads.
2016-02-29

Budget 2016: Pro-poor, pro-rural measures get top billing

With big investments in the rural sector and a break for small tax payers, finance minister Arun Jaitley's Budget 2016 was largely pro-rural and pro-poor in an attempt to counter months of opposition criticism that PM Modi's is a "suit-boot ki sarkar".
2016-02-29

Now, LPG connection for women of BPL households

The government this day announced a new initiative to provide cooking gas to women members of BPL families with state support with a a financial support of Rs 1600 for each LPG connection to the BPL households.
2016-02-29

Oscars 2016: The complete list of winners

The 88th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2015 and took place on February 28, 2016, For more details kindly visit this link
2016-02-29

Oscars 2016: Mark Rylance wins for best actor in a supporting role

2016-02-29

Budget bag: FMs make a brief case for style

The word 'budget' comes from the French word 'bougette' which means small bag. That probably explains why no Union budget is ever complete without the mandatory photo-op of the finance minister holding up his 'budget bag'.
2016-02-28

Amid F-16 row, US and Pakistan to hold strategic dialogue

Pakistan and the US will hold a ministerial-level strategic dialogue on key areas, including economy, security and counter-terrorism, amid strong opposition by India as well as the US lawmakers on the proposed F-16 deal to Islamabad.
2016-02-28

Indian Army grapples with arms, gear shortage

Long-winded procedures and bureaucratic bottlenecks continue to stymie the already long-delayed modernisation of the Army, which is grappling with shortages in several areas ranging from modern assault rifles, bullet-proof jackets and night-fighting capabilities to howitzers, missiles and helicopters.
2016-02-27

What India's INS Arihant could mean for world

India is conducting the final trials of its first nuclear-armed submarine, which would make it the sixth country in the world to possess a vessel capable of launching nuclear warheads from underwater.
2016-02-27

Despite objections from some lawmakers, US to sell F-16s to Pak

"We support the proposed sale of eight F-16s to Pakistan to assist Pakistan's counter terrorism and counterinsurgency operations. Pakistan's current F-16s have proven critical to the success of these operations to date," state department spokesperson Helaena W White said.
2016-02-27

Syria war: Technology gives Assad s army edge

In an army that has lost well over 60,000 dead in almost five years of hard fighting, Syria s officers have suddenly discovered that the new Russian technology has coincided with a rapid lowering of their casualties.
2016-02-27

Provident fund withdrawal norms tightened

Retirement fund agency Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has tightened norms for withdrawing the provident fund as well as to invest it in the Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana.
In today's scenario when retirement age is 58 years across all organisation the clause of scheme is not relevant. But the big change is that now under this facility, the subscriber would be able to withdraw his contribution and interest earned on it unlike 90 per cent of the total accumulations earlier.
2016-02-26

President Mukherjee calls for revision of IPC

Amid a raging debate on the sedition law, President Pranab Mukherjee said the Indian Penal Code (IPC) requires a thorough revision to meet the needs of the 21st century and changes are necessary in the "archaic" police system.
2016-02-26

Gianni Infantino elected new FIFA President

Gianni Infantino of Switzerland is the new FIFA president after winning a second-round vote. Infantino got 115 of the 207 eligible votes to take a decisive majority ahead of Sheikh Salman of Bahrain.
2016-02-26

To make a point, US tests intercontinental missile

US deputy defence secretary Robert Work, who witnessed the launch, said the tests, conducted at least 15 times since January 2011, send a message to strategic rivals like Russia, China and North Korea that Washington has an effective nuclear arsenal.
2016-02-26

Chinese ships' presence hints their submarines may be near Andamans

The presence of a supply and support ship close to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands made Indian Navy officials suspect that one or more PLAN submarines were prowling in the Area of Responsibility (AoR) of the ANC.
2016-02-26

Vijay Mallya's Rs 515 crore 'sweetheart deal' faces Sebi scrutiny

Vijay Mallya's Rs 515-crore 'golden parachute' to exit United Spirits faces an extensive scrutiny by markets regulator Sebi, which has begun looking into possible violations of corporate governance and other norms because of this deal.
2016-02-26

Economic Survey 2016: Highlights

The Economic Survey, the basis for Arun Jaitley's Union Budget for the fiscal year starting April 1, projected India to grow 8% in the next couple of years. The survey was prepared by the finance ministry's chief economic adviser Arvind Subramanian.
2016-02-26

India to UN: Brand Masood Azhar a terrorist

India has written to the UN to include the name of Masood Azhar, leader of the proscribed Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist group, in its list of designated terrorists, an external affairs ministry official said.
2016-02-26

Hizb head hails J&K ultras even as cops rescue his son from building

Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin hailed three slain Lashkar-e-Taiba militants for giving a tough fight to Indian security forces during the Pampore encounter even as J&K police and paramilitary forces safely evacuated his younger son Syed Mueen, a computer analyst working at the Entrepreneurship Development Institute.
2016-02-25

US senator: F-16 sale to Pak badly timed, 'complicates' India-US ties

Top Republican senator John McCain acknowledged the "timing" of the announcement on the sale of F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan was "really bad" and that the Obama administration needs to explain the reason behind its decision which "complicates" India-US relations.
2016-02-25

No fare hike in Suresh Prabhu's passenger-focused Rail Budget

Railway minister Suresh Prabhu left passenger and freight fares unchanged and announced a number of people-friendly initiatives, including introduction of three new superfast trains, in the Rail Budget 2016.
2016-02-25

Sanjay Dutt released, salutes tricolour

Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt walked free out of Pune's Yerwada prison after completing his jail term in the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case. Dutt later went straight to Lohegaon Airport to take a chartered flight to Mumbai. Sanjay Dutt released from Yerawada jail in Pune after completing prison term of 42 months
2016-02-25

Man who bought Modi's suit to give Rs 200 crore for girls' welfare

The man who bought Narandra Modi's famed suit that had Narendra Damodardas Modi monogrammed as pinstripes on it for Rs 4.31 crores, Lavjibhai Badshah would donate Rs 200 crores to 10,000 girls (Rs 2 lakhs each) across the country.
2016-02-23

India's first nuke submarine ready for operations

India's first nuclear armed submarine, INS Arihant, has passed all mandatory tests and is now ready for all full-fledged operations.
2016-02-23

This 104-yr-old inspired PM Modi to touch her feet

A 104-year-old woman from a village in Chhattisgarh's Dhamtari district who sold her goats for constructing toilets at her home, came in for special praise by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who said it is a big sign of changing India.
2016-02-21

Jat quota stir: 10 dead in Haryana, Delhi stares at severe water crisis

At least 10 people have been killed and 150 injured as protests by the Jat community in Haryana demanding Other Backward Classes (OBC) status entered the seventh day . Fresh incidents of violence were reported from Bhiwani and Sonipat districts.
2016-02-21

Centre asks Haryana to ensure Delhi water supply

Centre has asked the Manohar Lal Khattar-led Haryana government to ensure that the water supply to the national capital is not disrupted. Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had earlier said there is no water left in Delhi and added that the crisis is expected to prolong for at least two days.
2016-02-21

Acid attack on AAP leader Soni Sori in Bastar

Aam Aadmi Party leader Soni Sori who had been anticipating risk to her life for past few days in Bastar, was acid attacked after she was intercepted by two motor-bike borne persons night at Bastanar area in Bastar region.
2016-02-20

Jat leaders say agitation will end only after quota ordinance

Several jat leaders refused to call off the quota agitation unless the Haryana promulgates an ordinance to include the community in the OBC category. The response came after chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that his government has "accepted" their demands, but did not elaborate.
2016-02-20

Nepal PM says no misunderstandings with India

Success of Nepal's new constitution will depend on "consensus and dialogue" and India is for peace and stability of the Himalayan nation, PM Narendra Modi said after holding talks with Nepalese PM KP Sharma Oli. Oli said "misunderstandings" that persisted in the last few months "no longer exist".
2016-02-20

McCullum hits fastest Test 100 ever, in 54 balls

In his 102nd and final Test, McCullum overtook Viv Richards and Misbah-ul-Haq for the fastest Test ton off 54 balls.
2016-02-20

Dawood's nephew held in US for narco-terrorism

Dawood Ibrahim's nephew Sohail Kaskar, 36, has been caught in the US for conspiring to commit narcoterrorism, provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and unlawfully sell missile launching systems.
2016-02-19

Harper Lee, 'To Kill a Mockingbird' author, dies

Harper Lee, who wrote one of America's most enduring literary classics, 'To Kill a Mockingbird', about a child's view of right and wrong and waited 55 years to publish a second book with the same characters from a very different point of view, has died at the age of 89.
2016-02-19

Kalikho Pul sworn in as CM of Arunachal Pradesh

Dissident Congress leader Kalikho Pul has been sworn in as the new chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh, hours after the Centre lifted President's Rule. The swearing in ceremony was held at the Raj Bhawan in Itanagar.
2016-02-19

Saudi Arabia and Iraq top oil suppliers to India

India's oil imports from Saudi Arabia and Iraq hit the highest in over a decade last month as Opec's top producers gained at the expense of Latin American oil a validation of the Opec policy of maintaining output and fighting for market share. Saudi Arabia was the top supplier to India in January.
2016-02-19

Honda to recall 57,676 units of 3 models in India

Japanese carmaker Honda announced the recall of 57,676 units of its three models in India. City, Jazz and Civic models manufactured between January 2012 and June 2013 have been recalled to replace faulty airbags as part of Honda's global exercise.
2016-02-19

What the i' in Apple s iPhone stands for

It s perhaps one of the most important letters in the world but nobody s entirely sure what it means. The naming convention was first introduced with the iMac. Launched in 1998, the computer marked the beginning of the modern Apple.
2016-02-19

OROP for all premature military retirees mulled

Defence minister Manohar Parrikar said the government was reconsidering denial of one rank, one pension (OROP) scheme to all military personnel who opt for premature retirement (PMR) from service.
2016-02-18

Now, tricolour to fly high at central universities

The national flag will now fly prominently at all central universities, according to Union human resource development ministry. The tricolor will fly on a 207-feet high mast on the campuses to signify "strong and united" India. A unanimous resolution was adopted by vice chancellors of central universities.
2016-02-18

Ex-DU prof Geelani sent to 14 days judicial custody

Former Delhi University lecturer SAR Geelani, arrested for sedition in connection with an event at the Press Club of India, has been sent to 14-day judicial custody.
2016-02-18

'N Korea has ordered attack on South Korea'

South Korea's spy agency has told ruling party officials that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un recently ordered preparations for launching attacks on South Korea, in the latest sign of high tensions on the Korean peninsula after the North's recent nuclear test and missile launch.
2016-02-18

Despite Nepal s pact with China, India is still its lifeline

An avowedly India-sceptic Prime Minister of Nepal, K P Sharma Oli, will make New Delhi his first destination on February 19 after declaring he would not visit India until the blockade at Birgunj was lifted.
2016-02-17

2,200 corrupt govt officials identified, CBI says

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) claimed to have identified 2,200 corrupt senior government officials in 2015 and initiated enquiries against them. The agency said there was a 94% jump in crackdown against corruption in the country from 2014.
2016-02-17

Beijing ups ante, deploys missiles to disputed S China Sea island

China has deployed an advanced surface-to-air missile system to one of the disputed islands it controls in the South China Sea, Taiwan and US officials have said. Satellite images have reportedly shown Chinese missiles and radar deployed on Woody Island in the Paracel chain.
2016-02-17

10-year-old Indian girl Ishita Katyal wows brainiacs meet

10-year-old Pune writer and middle-schooler Ishita Katyal quite extraordinarily debuted as the opening speaker at the TED2016 (Technology, Entertainment, Design), a nerdy conference of some of the world s smartest people.
2016-02-16

Vodafone asked to pay Rs 14,200 crore tax dues or face asset seizure

The I-T department has issued Vodafone a reminder over its Rs 14,200-crore tax demand and threatened to seize assets in the case of non-payment, a move the UK firm said shows disconnect with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise of a tax-friendly environment.
2016-02-16

Health Protection Scheme will replace all health schemes

The health ministry plans to roll out a centrally sponsored 'Health Protection Scheme' which will replace several of the existing government-supported health schemes including Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana (RSBY), the government's flagship health insurance plan catering to families below poverty line (BPL).
2016-02-15

Mega howitzer deal with US set to break Bofors artillery jinx

India may finally exorcise its Bofors ghost of 30 years. After several years of hard-nosed negotiations, which also saw the proposed deal being stalled for a couple of years, the US government finally submitted an over $700 million offer for India to acquire 145 M-777 ultra-light howitzers.
2016-02-15

Mysuru cleanest city in India, Varanasi, Patna among worst 10

Mysuru in Karnataka has retained its position as the cleanest among all million plus and capital cities while Dhanbad in Jharkhand has been ranked the worst. These are findings of the first ever cleanliness ranking of cities since Swachh Bharat Mission was launched in October 2014.
2016-02-15

IT highest-paying sector in India: Study

According to Monster Salary Index (MSI), the IT sector is the highest paying sector in India, but only 57.4% are satisfied with their salary.
2016-02-15

Infosys to bring back stock options as incentive

Infosys, one of the first Indian companies to offer stocks to its employees in the 1990s, has initiated moves to roll out a new stock incentive plan.
2016-02-15

PSLV will soon be operated by Antrix Corp, Isro's commercial arm

The Isro chief AS Kiran Kumar said that once the plan materializes, the integration and launch of the rocket will be handled by an industrial consortium through the commercial arm of Isro, Antrix Corporation.
2016-02-15

JD(U), RLD to merge in UP for 2017 battle

The Sharad Yadav-led Janata Dal (United) and Ajit Singh's Rashtriya Lok Dal will merge to form a new political entity - with a different name and symbol - to contest next year's Uttar Pradesh assembly elections, RLD national general secretary Jayant Chaudhary said .
2016-02-15

NSG withdraws 600 men from VVIP security duty

Taking the first step towards reverting to its original role of undertaking counter-terror operations, the NSG has pulled out over 600 commandos from its VVIP security unit and used them for the first time during the recent Pathankot attack.
2016-02-14

F-16, Pervez Musharraf pour cold water on India-Pakistan talks

Even as India and Pakistan continue to be "in touch", the prospect of an early start to the comprehensive bilateral dialogue (CBD) in the form of a meeting between the foreign secretaries now looks increasingly bleak.
2016-02-14

India lose U-19 World Cup trophy to West Indies

The Indian Under-19 team's quest for an unprecedented fourth World Cup title ended in disaster as the West Indies out-witted the Rahul Dravid-coached side by five wickets in a tense summit clash.
2016-02-14

Indian American judge in US Supreme Court race

Heading almost every short-list in US circles is Sri Srinivasan, particularly since he is one of the few Obama nominees to be have been approved by the Senate when he was elevated to the Federal Appeals Court (he won a unanimous 97-0 vote from the Senate).
2016-02-14

With an eye on China, India sends aircraft carrier to Male

It's 44,500 tonnes of robust Indian diplomacy cruising on the high seas, hot on the trail of the Chinese in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), first in Sri Lanka and now, Maldives.
2016-02-13

Saudi Arabia moves troops to Turkey as base for Syria invasion

Saudi Arabia is sending troops and fighter jets to Turkey's Incirlik military base ahead of a possible ground invasion of Syria. The Turkish foreign minister confirmed the deployment in a statement to a newspaper , days before a temporary ceasefire is due to come into force.
2016-02-13

PM Modi launches Make in India Centre in Mumbai

Kicking off the 'Make In India Week', Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Make In India Centre at the MMRDA Grounds here along with Swedish Prime Minister Kjell Stefan Lofven and the Prime Minister of Finland, Juha Petri Sipila.
2016-02-13

Nurse's son leads India in LIGO project

Professor Anand Sengupta, a professor in Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar (IIT-Gn), led a team of scientists under the aegis of Indian Initiative in Gravitational-Wave Observations (IndIGO). His mother was working as a staff-nurse in a government hospital of Dhanbad in undivided Bihar, while his father used to do office work in West Bengal Electricity Company. The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory(LIGO) is a large-scale physics experiment and observatory to detect gravitational waves which discovered gravitational wave on 11 Feb 2016.
2016-02-13

BCCI bans Pak umpire Asad Rauf for 5 years

Tainted Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf was banned for five years by the BCCI after its disciplinary committee found him guilty of corrupt practices and bringing the game into disrepute.
2016-02-12

JNU student leader held for sedition after Afzal Guru protest event

Police arrested the president of Jawaharlal Nehru University's student union, a day after it registered a case of sedition against "unknown persons" in connection with a campus event on Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.
2016-02-12

Goa to term national bird, state animal vermin

National bird peacock and state animal wild bison are among animals proposed to be listed by the Goa government as 'nuisance animals'. The government's decision is likely to evoke strong resentment from the environmentalists as the peacock is the national bird and the wild bison is a 'protected species'.
2016-02-12

Made-in-India Combat Hawk to be ready in 2017

The Combat Hawk, which has already generated interest for its potential in unconventional operations, is currently under development jointly with BAE.
2016-02-12

Small savings funds to get lower returns from April

The government said it will lower interest rates on small savings from April, a move that will not only reduce earnings on Public Provident Fund Deposits and National Savings Certificate but may also impact rates on bank fixed deposits.
2016-02-12

Groundbreaking discovery: Einstein's gravitational waves detected

Physicists around the world have confirmed that they had detected unambiguous signals of gravitational waves emanating from the collision of two massive black holes 1.5 billion light years away in deep space.
2016-02-11

Delhi's odd-even plan to return on April 15

The second phase of odd-even traffic experiment in Delhi will be from April 15 to April 30, Delhi chief minister made this announcement .
2016-02-11

Siachen braveheart dies: Nation pays tributes

Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad, who was described as a miracle soldier after being dug out alive from snow and ice in which he was buried for six days in the inhospitable Siachen glacier, died .
2016-02-11

Siachen braveheart Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad dead

Koppad miraculously survived after being under 35 feet of ice at an avalanche-hit army post in the Siachen glacier in Jammu and Kashmir, six days after he and nine other soldiers were buried.
2016-02-11

Ishrat Jahan encounter case: All you want to know

David Coleman Headley, one of the prime accused in the 26/11 terror attacks, told a special Mumbai court that Ishrat Jahan, the 19-year-old girl who was killed in an alleged 'fake encounter' in 2004, was affiliated to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
2016-02-11

Ishrat Jahan encounter case: All you want to know

David Coleman Headley, one of the prime accused in the 26/11 terror attacks, told a special Mumbai court that Ishrat Jahan, the 19-year-old girl who was killed in an alleged 'fake encounter' in 2004, was affiliated to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).
2016-02-11

Ishrat Jahan was LeT suicide bomber: Headley

"Jahan, who was killed in a 2004 encounter by Gujarat cops, was a Lashkar member," Headley said while deposing for the third day before a Mumbai court via video from the US.
2016-02-11

Possession of house delayed? You may lose 85% tax benefit

As if the mental harassment of delayed delivery of a house is not bad enough, you could also be losing 85% of the tax benefit on your home loan, for no fault of yours.
2016-02-10

PM's wife files RTI, seeks his passport details

Jashodaben Modi, 64, the estranged wife of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, filed an RTI application seeking details and a copy of the PM s passports. She filed her application at the Regional Passport Office (RPO), Ahmedabad.
2016-02-10

India, Russia revive 5th-gen fighter jet talks

After nearly a year, India and Russia have revived talks on the 5-generation fighter aircraft. Also, cost negotiations for the joint production of 200 Kamov 226T helicopters have begun. Russia has made a new offer on the delivery of Sukhoi T-50 (PAK-FA) fighter jets to India under the joint project.
2016-02-10

Joint patrol with India on South China Sea likely, US official says

Washington wants its regional allies and other Asian nations to take a more united stance against China over the South China Sea, where tensions have spiked in the wake of Beijing's construction of seven man-made islands in the Spratly archipelago.
2016-02-10

How a brave soldier defied certain death at -45C

Lance Naik Hanumanthappa Koppad s pulse was active when he was rescued from under 35 feet of snow in -45°Celsius temperature fi ve days after an avalanche hit an Indian Army post in Siachen an altitude of 19,600 feet.
2016-02-10

Talks in limbo, Pak flirts with J&K separatists

Amid uncertainty over the foreign secretarylevel talks, Pakistan has sought to keep the Kashmir pot boiling by insisting that the dispute will top its agenda for the dialogue with India.
2016-02-09

North Korea satellite achieves stable orbit

A satellite launched into orbit by North Korea has now stabilized in its orbit around the earth, a US official and a second source familiar with the matter said .
2016-02-09

Headley's disclosure: Pak unlikely to take action

Much as the Indian agencies view American LeT operative David Coleman Headley s deposition via video conferencing as a legal step forward with his testimony regarding the role of Hafiz Mohammad Saeed, Zaki-ur Rehman Lakhvi and serving or retired ISI/Pakistan army officers in 26/11 attacks now admissible as evidence in the court, they are highly sceptical of any follow-up action by Pakistan.
2016-02-08

Russian jets help Syrian forces push near Turkey

The Syrian army advanced towards the Turkish border in a major offensive backed by Russia and Iran that rebels say now threatens the future of their nearly five-year-old insurrection against President Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian army is now just about 25km from the Turkish border.
2016-02-08

26/11: Headley confirms ISI role

Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Taiba(LeT) operative David Headley wanted to fight actively in Kashmir against the Indian Army but LeT commander Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi stopped him, saying something more "adventurous" was in store for him.
2016-02-08

2 LeT attempts to attack Mumbai failed before 26/11, Headley says

One of the main conspirators in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, American national David Coleman Headley, deposed as a witness in the case and said that Pakistani terrorists attempted to attack Mumbai twice before the 26/11 strikes that killed 166 people but failed both times.
2016-02-08

Visited Mumbai 7 times before 26/11, 'true LeT' man Headley says

One of the main conspirators of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, American national David Coleman Headley, deposed as a witness in the case and admitted that he had come to the city on a false identity at the behest of his colleague and handler, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative Sajid Mir. Mir, an alleged Pakistani national, is also an accused in the case.
2016-02-08

Election years see 30% rise in number of Padma Shri awards

Around 30% more Padma Shri awards the fourth highest civilian honour were given in election years compared to the average of the preceding four years, irrespective of political affiliation.
2016-02-07

IARI releases 7 new varieties of crops

In a sign of the strength of India s public research institutions, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) released seven new varieties of field crops including wheat, rice, chickpea, pigeon pea and mustard and identified 11 varieties of high-yielding agricultural and horticultural produce during 2015.
2016-02-07

Single entrance exam for medical courses soon

In a move that is expected to help students aspiring to seek medical education, the health ministry is set to move a Cabinet note proposing changes to the Indian Medical Council (IMC) Act, 1956 that will allow a single common medical entrance test for both undergraduate and postgraduate medical courses in all colleges across the country, including private colleges and deemed universities.
2016-02-07

IPL auction: Watson, Negi emerge biggest millionaires

Shane Watson emerged the biggest of purchases from the 2016 IPL player auction in Bangalore, finding his second franchise in Royal Challengers Bangalore who forked out Rs 9.5 crore for his services.
2016-02-06

Kerala backs ban on women s entry at Sabarimala

The Kerala government has told the Supreme Court that banning entry of women of menstrual age in historic Sabarimala temple in the state is a "matter of religion" and it is duty bound to "protect the right to practice the religion of these devotees".
2016-02-06

Railways may end sops for elderly on AC-I

The railways is exploring the option of withdrawing concessions offered to a host of individuals, including senior citizens, who travel by AC first class coaches with the tickets coming at 50% discount.
2016-02-05

Welder s son bags Rs 1.2cr with Microsoft job

In a heartening story of triumph in the face of adversity, a Khagaria welder s son, Vatsalya Chauhan, has bagged a 1.02 crore per annum job at IT giant Microsoft.
2016-02-05

Sweden, UK reject UN panel ruling on Assange

Sweden said it did not agree with a UN panel which ruled that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's stay in Ecuador's London embassy amounted to "unlawful detention". Britain too rejected the UN panel's ruling and said it would challenge the report's findings.
2016-02-05

This ayurveda drug for diabetes costs just Rs 5

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has launched a scientifically validated ayurvedic drug (BGR-34) for type II diabetes here .
2016-02-05

Snapdeal not to renew Aamir Khan's contract

According to sources, Snapdeal has decided not to renew Bollywood star Aamir Khan's contract as brand ambassador of the company. Ad and marketing executives said the move was linked to Khan s comments in November about intolerance in the country that led to a storm of protests across the country.
2016-02-05

Russia 'could take Baltic capitals in 3 days'

According to several war games scenarios conducted by a US think-tank, it would take between 36 and 60 hours for Russian battalions to occupy the Estonian and Latvian capitals of Tallinn and Riga. The report comes amid rapidly declining relations between Putin and the West.
2016-02-05

PM appoints 'outsider' as sanitation seceretary

The government appointed World Bank water and sanitation expert and a former IAS officer Parameswaran Iyer as the secretary of drinking water and sanitation ministry for two years.
2016-02-05

Siachen avalanche: Army says no to Pak help in search for soldiers

Director General of Military Operations Lt Gen Ranbir Singh declined his Pakistani counterpart's offer for help in rescuing Indian soldiers buried under snow after an avalanche hit their post in Siachen Glacier
2016-02-04

Follow Lodha panel recommendations: SC to BCCI

The Supreme Court gave a stern message to BCCI asking it to "fall in line" with the recommendations of Justice R M Lodha Committee which has suggested a massive restructuring of the country's apex cricket body.
2016-02-04

Follow Lodha panel recommendations: SC to BCCI

The Supreme Court gave a stern message to BCCI asking it to "fall in line" with the recommendations of Justice R M Lodha Committee which has suggested a massive restructuring of the country's apex cricket body.
2016-02-04

Cops left behind Tanzanian girl at mob's mercy: K'taka home minister

The incident involving a Tanzanian girl in Bengaluru night could have been prevented had the city police not left the girl at the mercy of the mob.
2016-02-04

Bengal land murder case: 11 sentenced to death

The Krishnanagar district court pronounced death sentence to the 11 convicts, including a TMC leader, found guilty in the sensational Aparna Bag murder case. Aparna was murdered by a gang led by TMC leader Lankeshwar Ghosh on November 13, 2014 who tried to forcibly grab a piece of land.
2016-02-04

'Chances of finding survivor in Siachen remote'

A day after 10 soldiers went missing in an avalanche in Siachen, the defence ministry said that the chances of finding any survivors were remote.
2016-02-04

Julian Assange 'unlawfully detained' in Britain, UN rules

Julian Assange today said he would accept arrest by UK police if the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention investigating his case ruled against him.
2016-02-04

Sameer Sardana, son of ex-Maj Gen, held in Goa for terror links

A 44-year-old man from Dehradun who is being interrogated by the Anti-terrorist Squad (ATS) of the Goa police for the past three days on suspicion of being linked with jihadi groups is a Doon School alumnus and son of a decorated former Major-General of the Indian Army.
2016-02-03

India has only 2,000 oncologists for 10m patients

Even as cancer is fast taking epidemic proportions in India, the country is facing severe shortage of care- givers with merely 2000 oncologists to look after around 10 million patients.
2016-02-03

Indian company claims world's first Zika vaccine

"We believe we have an early mover advantage in developing the Zikavac and we are probably the first in the world to file for global patent for Zika vaccine candidates," said Krishna Ella, CMD Bharat Biotech.
2016-02-03

10 Army jawans missing in Siachen avalanche, rescue operation on

At least 10 Army jawans are reported to be missing after an avalanche hit Siachen's northern glacier in Jammu and Kashmir.
2016-02-03

First case of Zika caught in US 'spread by sexual contact'

Just one day after the World Health Organization deemed the virus as an international health emergency, officials in Dallas County said a patient had contracted the virus via sexual contact and not through a mosquito bite, as reported earlier.
2016-02-03

Yahoo to lay off 1700, shareholders want CEO out

The anticipated purge will jettison about 15% of Yahoo's workforce along with an assortment of services that Mayer decided aren't worth the time and money.
2016-02-03

Sardar Singh accused of sexual harassment

Suspected ISI mole Irshad Ahmed, who was working as a manual labourer at Mamoon cantonment in Pathankot, was arrested by the Punjab police .
2016-02-03

Eye on Putin: US to give weapons to NATO nations

President Barack Obama plans to substantially increase the deployment of heavy weapons, armored vehicles and other equipment to NATO countries in Central and Eastern Europe, a move that administration officials said was aimed at deterring Russian from further aggression in the region.
2016-02-02

Shock win: Ted Cruz beats Trump in Iowa Republican presidential race

Senator Ted Cruz beat billionaire Donald Trump in Iowa's presidential nominating contest , dealing a big upset to the national front-runner in the race to be the Republican Party's White House nominee in 2016.
2016-02-02

Alphabet overtakes Apple in value; shares soar

Alphabet Inc surpassed Apple Inc as the most valuable company in the United States in after-hours trading , knocking the iPhone maker from the top spot that it has held for the better part of four years.
2016-02-01

Is Gujarat not a part of India? SC on states ignoring welfare schemes

The Supreme Court came down heavily on certain states for not implementing welfare legislation National Food Security Act, saying that why a state like Gujarat is not implementing the law passed by Parliament.
2016-02-01

'India is too democratic, but Modi is forcing things to be done'

From running a hedge fund to analysing human behaviour , the 56-year-old Nassim Nicholas Taleb has lived a rich life. India is more robust than other countries in the region because it has a history of turmoil, which it has handled rather well, said Taleb, who postulated the 'Black Swan' theory of randomness and probability. He also said Modi is trying to do things as he had claimed he would try to do.
2016-02-01

Kapus in Andhra set 6 train bogies ablaze

An agitation by the Kapu community for quotas in government jobs and educational institutions in Andhra Pradesh turned violent with the agitators setting fire to two police stations and at least six compartments of a train in East Godavari district .
2016-02-01

Ahmedabad beats Delhi in heritage tag race

The Centre has nominated Ahmedabad as India s contender for the World Heritage City title.
2016-01-31

Woman can be karta of a family: Delhi high court

The eldest female member of a family can be its Karta, the Delhi high court has ruled in a landmark verdict. A unique position carved out by Hindu customs and ancient texts, Karta denotes managership of a joint family and is traditionally inherited by men.
2016-01-31

Rohith Vemula was a Dalit: SC/ST panel chief

Refuting claims of external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, SC/ST commission chairman PL Punia said here that Hyderabad scholar Rohith Vemula who committed suicide early this month was a Dalit.
2016-01-31
Source: The Times of India News