Govt wants parties out of RTI ambit
Cabinet clears proposal to make amendment to Act; next stop Parliament 
New Delhi, August 1
The Union Cabinet on Thursday cleared the proposal to amend the Right to Information (RTI) Act to keep national political parties out of the legislation’s ambit, a move that would keep the source of funding of political outfits under wraps. The decision to change the RTI Act was taken during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here after evolving a consensus among various political parties. 

No Telangana Bill this session: Shinde
13 Seemandhra ministers resign
New Delhi/ Hyderabad, August 1
Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde today said the Bill for the creation of a separate Telangana state would not be introduced in the forthcoming monsoon session of Parliament. The new state would, however, come into existence in the next six months, he added. Replying to question if the Bill for the creation of Telangana will come this session, Shinde, who was addressing his monthly press conference in New Delhi, said: “No, not in this session.

Bus tragedy: Punjab sets up SIT, promises action
Ludhiana, August 1
A day after a bus plunged into the Bhakra canal near Sirhind and around 42 passengers were feared killed, Punjab Transport Minister Ajit Singh Kohar today said a special investigation team (SIT) would probe the reasons behind the mishap. Action would be initiated against the road construction company, if it was found at fault, he added.

Snowden gets asylum in Russia for a year
NSA leaker leaves Moscow airport for secret location after giving a slip to reporters
Moscow, August 1
Fugitive former US spy agency contractor Edward Snowden slipped quietly out of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport on Thursday after securing temporary asylum in Russia, ending more than a month in limbo in the transit area. A Russian lawyer who has been assisting Snowden said the American, who is wanted in the United States for leaking details of secret government surveillance programmes, had gone to a safe location which would remain secret.

US snooping programme had one server located in India: Report

CM Akhilesh defends IAS officer’s suspension, Centre assures justice
Lucknow/New Delhi, August 1
Even as the Centre today assured that justice would be done in the case of suspended IAS officer Durga Shakti Nagpal, who had clamped down on the mining mafia in Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Budh Nagar, Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav vehemently justified her suspension. Facing intense criticism over the suspension of the 28-year-old officer by the UP government on July 27, Akhilesh blamed detractors of conspiring to blow the matter out of proportion.

Indigenous aircraft carrier to be launched at sea on August 12
New Delhi, August 1
The Indian Navy today announced that the sea-borne indigenously built aircraft carrier, named Vikrant, will be launched at sea on August 12. The carrier will carry a complement of fighters and helicopters. It is targeted for commissioning into the Navy by end of 2018, including its flight trials. Vice Chief of the Indian Navy, Vice-Admiral RK Dhowan, said: “About 75 per cent of the carrier has been erected on the dry dock at Kochi and that is correct readiness to launch at sea to complete the outfitting and carry on the trials”.