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Small issues in OROP will be dealt in future, Manohar Parrikar says

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Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on 6 September said there might be a few small issues pertaining to implementation of 'One rank, one pension' (OROP) scheme, which over time will get automatically addressed. "OROP as a principle has been accepted, full financial requirements have been fulfilled. There might be a few small issues which over a period of time will get automatically addressed," he told the media.

Modi rides the Metro to Faridabad, makes a few things clear about OROP

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Photo: PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 6 September made it clear that the armed forces jawans who have had to give up their jobs prematurely would be covered by OROP benefits announced by the government on 5 September. The protesters, following this announcement, called off the hunger strike. "Some people feel that those who have to leave the job after 15-17 years of service will not get OROP. My jawan brothers, whether it is a havildar, a sepoy or a naik, you are the ones who secure the nation. If anybody gets OROP, you will be the first," he said at a rally in Faridabad, while inaugurating a Metro line.

Germany greets Syrian refugees with 'Welcome' signs

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Photo: Getty Images

On 6 September, thousands of migrants walked into Germany without any resistance. They were welcomes with signs, applause and a happy atmosphere. With little children and fewer belongings the refugees from Syria were greeted with baloons and warm smiles. "The people here treat us so well, they treat us like real human beings, not like in Syria," Mohammad, 32, from the devastated town of Qusayr told AFP, as his eyes welled up with tears.

Indrani Mukerjea's police custody ends today; taken to residence for questioning

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Photo: Getty Images

Yesterday, a day before her police custody ends today, Indrani Mukerjea, the prime accused in the sensational Sheena Bora murder case, was taken to her residence in Worli in Mumbai, apparently to connect a few "remaining dots" in the Sheena Bora murder mystery. Indrani was taken to Worli from Khar police station shortly before 4 pm while two others accused - her former husband Sanjeev Khanna and former driver Shayamvar Rai - were grilled at Khar police station. This was Indrani's first visit to her residence since her arrest last month.

J&K: Pakistan continues ceasefire violation in Poonch, one civilian killed

India-Pakistan border-Getty Images

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After an army jawan was injured in ceasefire violations from across the border on 5 September, Pakistani troops once again resorted to firing on the Indian positions in the Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, late night on 6 September. The ceasefire violation has claimed life of one civilian, while seven are injured. The injured persons are being taken to a local hospital. Pakistani troops are using automatic and heavy machine guns and the cross border firing is still on. The Indian army is retaliating. "Our side retaliated appropriately but no casualty or damage were reported till reports last came in," Lt Col Manish Mehta, Jammu-based defence spokesperson said.

Delhi court accepts SPP appointed by Najeeb Jung, not one by AAP govt

Delhi government, on 7 September, got a jolt from a court here which turned down its notification appointing a special public prosecutor (SPP) in the Rs 100- crore transport scam case, observing that the LG-appointed SPP would conduct proceedings in the matter.The court dismissed an application filed by advocate B S Joon who said that being appointed by the AAP government, he was entitled to conduct prosecution of the case in which Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) had filed charge sheet last week. His plea for supply of documents was not accepted by the court, which approved the appointment of lawyer Sanjay Kumar Gupta by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung to conduct the prosecution.

Samajwadi Party will contest on all 243 seats in Bihar

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Ramchandra Singh Yadav, president of Bihar Samajwadi Party, on 7 September, said that his party will be contesting on all 243 seats in the state. RJD, JD(U) and SP had earlier formed a 'Mahagathbandhan' to fight the upcoming Bihar elections, but Mulayam Singh Yadav's party decided to walk out of the 'Janta Parivar' on 3 September. Ram Gopal Yadav, veteran leader of SP informed the media about their decision. Now, the JD(U), RJD and Congress are fighting the Bihar elections together under the leadership of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

World's oldest vegetarian restaurant still a hit in Switzerland

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Photo: AFP

Haus Hiltl, the world's oldest vegetarian restaurant in Zurich, is still a sought-after eatery which offers a wide range of Indian dishes from Palak Paneer to Sabmbhar Vada. Certified by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2012 for being the oldest continuously operational vegetarian restaurant in the world, it was founded in 1898 by some German immigrants as 'Vegetarierhem AG' to popularise vegetarianism as a way of healthy living. India's former prime minister Morarji Desai was among those who visited the restaurant that is located in Zurich's Sihlstrasse. He had visited the eating joint during an official visit to the country.

One million years old: the age of a monkey fossil

Scientists have dated a species of fossil monkey, roughly the size of a small cat, from the Caribbean region to just over one million-year old. The discovery was made after some international researchers recovered a fossil tibia (shin bone) belonging to the species of extinct monkey Antillothrix bernensis from an underwater cave in Altagracia province, Dominican Republic, according to a statement by University of Melbourne. The fossil was embedded in a limestone rock that was dated using the uranium-series technique. The researchers used three-dimensional geometric morphometrics to confirm that the fossil tibia does indeed belong to Antillothrix bernensis, a primate that existed on Hispaniola relatively unchanged for over a million years.

Soon, the need for a real hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy

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NASA scientists have designed the concept of a spacecraft that would hitch rides on comets and asteroids by spearing them with tethers. Comet Hitchhiker is a concept for orbiting and landing on comets and asteroids using the kinetic energy - the energy of motion - of these small bodies. "Hitchhiking a celestial body is not as simple as sticking out your thumb, because it flies at an astronomical speed and it won't stop to pick you up. Instead of a thumb, our idea is to use a harpoon and a tether," said Masahiro Ono, the principal investigator based at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena.

Dalit students complain of lack of funds as state govt fails to distribute money

Dalit students in certain districts of Tamil Nadu - Cuddalore, Tirupur, Tiruvannamalai and Kancheepuram, complaued that their parents were forced to borrow morning at exorbitant rates and remit it to the institutions because the State government had not distributed the "tuition fee" as promised. Citing a Government Order, the students said that the government had directed the Adi Dravida Welfrare Department to find out the number of students eligible for getting the financial assistance until they have completed the course. "Irrespective of the course and be it in government colleges or aided institutions or self-finance institutions, the government had promised the students to give them the "tuition fee" till completion of the course."

Law Commission submits report; wants a check on pet shops & breeders violating rules

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A trade that has reached an estimate value of 800 crore has no rules regulating it. On 28 August, the Law Commission submitted a report to Union Law Minister DV Sadananda Gowda. They said that the government has been taking note of the callousness pervasive in India's animal market. Some of the horrors vis-a-vis the animals include drugging them to prevent crying and large birds being stuffed into small cages. The report observed that "pet shops and breeders violate provisions of animal welfare laws with impunity." Cruelty on animals isn't new and it is common seeing protected animals and wild animals caught and sold in in blatant violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act. Instead of policing the animal market in India, the government has been sitting on a number of regulatory rules. This has resulted in animals being treated inhumanly and subsequently leading to their deaths.

Maharashtra: Drought in Marathwada forces woman farmer to commit suicide

(Wire) Karnataka drought. AFP PHOTO/ASIT KUMAR

Photo: AFP

A 40-year-old woman ended her life by setting her ablaze in the drought-hit Marathwada region on 5 September. The deceased was identified as Manisha Gatkal, a farmer in Marathwada's Osmanabad and a mother of five children. Apparently, she doused herself with kerosene and set herself ablaze due to lack of work and food. Reportedly, her husband Laxman Gatkal in an interview to NDTV said "We are really very poor. There was no food. I had no work. When I got some work I went out. She latched the door and killed herself." Manisha's brother-in-law said if Laxman had got work under NREGA, they would have had money and she wouldn't have committed suicide. This tragic incident has happened at a time when the state is facing serious drought situation. Several farmers on the border of Solapur and Osmanabad district are hit by drought and have no work. As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the maximum number of farmers have committed suicide in Maharashtra.

WHO report says that 20% Indians will suffer with psychiatric problems by 2020

According to a report by the World Health Organisation, 20 per cent of the entire Indian population will be facing some sort of psychological problem by 2020. Currently, around 10 crore people in India are suffering from different psychological illnesses. At least 35 lakh Indians have been admitted to the hospitals because of psychiatric problems, as per official reports. Currently, India has only 4,000 psychiatrists, 1,000 psychiatric social servants, 1,000 diagnostic psychiatrists and 900 nurses available. There is an acute shortage of doctors as well as infrastructure in this field.