Japan on Thursday marks the 70th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. An American B-29 bomber named Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb, dubbed "Little Boy", on Hiroshima at 8:15 AM local time (2315 GMT) on August 6, 1945, in one of the final chapters of World War II. Nearly everything around it was incinerated, with the ground level hit by a wall of heat up to 4,000 degrees Celsius -- hot enough to melt steel. About 140,000 people are estimated to have been killed in the attack, including those who survived the bombing itself but died afterwards due to severe radiation exposure. On August 9, the port city of Nagasaki was also attacked with an atomic bomb, killing more than 70,000 people.

No need for police verification for reissue of passports
No police verification is required for reissue of passports, provided the first passport had been issued on the basis of clear police report, the parliament was informed on Wednesday. The decision will have a significant impact on applicants facing delay due to mandatory police verification for re-issuance of his or her passport. The Home Ministry is also working on a country-wide online police verification project for passports that will cut down the time required for issuing the travel document from a month, at present, to just a week. The project is likely to be launched from Bengaluru in November.

NIA to step in as Pak terrorist is confusing intelligence agencies
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) will on Monday begin probe into yesterday's daring attack on a BSF convoy near Udhampur in Jammu and Kashmir and take custody of the lone terrorist Usman alias Mohammad Naved. "Its fun doing this," said Naved, a suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba militant from Pakistan, who was interrogated all throughout the night. Initially, he said that he was in his early 20s but later claimed that he was only 16. He had been changing his statements. First he identified himself as Kasim Khan and later as Usman.This has been the tactics of banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) sending youngsters to Jammu and Kashmir with the direction that in case they were caught, they should claim to be below 18 years so that they are tried as juveniles.

Pak media and ISI mum on the arrest of terrorist in J&K
While there is uproar in India over the arrest of terrorist Mohammed Naved from Jammu and Kashmir, the Pakistani media has kept mum over the issue. Naved, who was arrested alive on Wednesday, admitted on camera that he came from Pakistan to kill Indians for revenge. Most Pakistani TV channels merely made only a fleeting reference to the arrest and played the issue down. They kept their focus on border skirmishes and claimed that three people had died in firing from the Indian side. Pakistan government owned Inter-Services Public Relations has also remained silent on the arrest.

Online RTI applications now cover 431 public authorities
People can now file RTI applications online with 431 public authorities, the government said on Wednesday. One has to pay a fee of Rs 10 for seeking information. An Indian citizen can file RTI application online through www.rtionline.gov.in. The prescribed fee for RTI application can also be paid online through a payment gateway of State Bank of India by way of internet banking of State Bank of India and its associate banks and by using Rupay card, debit or credit cards of Master and Visa.

Jaipur blasts accused Bada Sajid killed in Syria while fighting for ISIS
One of the 10 Indian Mujahideen bombers who carried out serial blasts in Jaipur in May 2008 has reportedly been killed last month while fighting for the ISIS (Islamic State). The 30-year-old former IM operative Mohd Sajid alias Bada Sajid is reported to have died in the first week of July. The May 2008 serial blasts were triggered at nine spots in Jaipur by a group of 10-odd IM operatives.

Centre approves e-visa facility at Gaya airport
In a bid to boost tourism in Mahabodhi temple, Bodh Gaya and to attract tourists, Indian government has approved on arrival e-visa facility at Gaya International Airport from 2015-16. Gaya airport is the only one in eastern India selected for this facility. Immigration system at the airport is being designed to meet the logistical requirements of on arrival e-visa.

Goa's former minister Churchill Alemao arrested in bribery case
Former minister Churchill Alemao was arrested by the Crime Branch of the Goa Police late on Wednesday in connection with the Louis Berger bribery case, in which Goa's former chief minister Digambar Kamat is also linked. Alemao, who police claim is one of the recipients of the $976,630 bribe paid by Louis Berger officials in 2010, in order to secure implementation rights for a Rs.1,031 crore worth water and sewage management project.

Talks on for securing release of 2 Indian teachers in Libya
The Indian Embassy in Tripoli was in talks with authorities in Libya to ensure release of the two Indian teachers abducted by Islamic State terror group (ISIS) in war-torn Libya eight days ago. Two other abducted teachers were released by ISIS on August 1.

Porn ban stays as ISPs wary of vague order
Internet service providers (ISPs) have said that that they cannot follow Centre's directive to allow adult websites that do not carry child pornography.  Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPAI) president Rajesh Chharia has told telecom secretary Rakesh Garg in a letter to withdraw the directive which was confusing and which had put responsibility on ISPs.  the Department of Telecom in an order yesterday said, "The intermediaries (ISPs) are hereby directed that they are free not to disable any of the 857 URLs which do not have child pornographic content.

IITs, NITs to refund acceptance fee if student gives up seat
Professional institutions IITs and NITs will now refund the acceptance fee after deducting minimal processing charges in case a student gives up his allotted seat. The relief will be applicable if the student surrenders the seat before the commencement of academic session. An aspirant pays a non-refundable seat acceptance fee of Rs 45,000 in general category and Rs 20,000 in SC/ST categories during counselling.

Direct release of wages to MGNREGA workers okayed
For better implementation of the scheme and provide empowerment of states, The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved release of wages directly to the accounts of the workers engaged under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). The wage component of MGNREGA will be released following the State Employment Guarantee Fund window direct to the worker's accounts based on a fund transfer order.