Indian Airlines To Charge For Free Services

• Freeze on Freebies. Financially strained Indian airlines that have collectively lost $2 billion in the 2011-2012 financial year will no longer offer any free service to boost revenue. For instance, unaccompanied minors below the age of 12 could previously travel free of cost, but will now be charged Rs1,500 on domestic and Rs3,000 on international flights. The free check-in baggage limit of 20kg for domestic flyers may be reduced to 15kg and the excess baggage fee will be Rs200 per kg up from Rs100 per kg. For cancelling or changing a travel date passengers will have to pay Rs950 for domestic travel up from Rs750 and Rs1,750 for international flights. [The Times of India]

• Boxing Win. Indian boxer Mary Kom beat Poland’s Karolina Michalczuk 19-14 in women’s boxing at the 2012 Olympics on Sunday, August 5. If Kom can defeat her Tunisian opponent in the 51kg category quarterfinal on Monday, August 6, she will secure a bronze medal. [Firstpost.com]

• Temple Killings. A gunman killed six people and critically wounded three at a Gurudwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, on Sunday, August 5. Four people were shot dead inside the Sikh Temple of Wisconsin during the Sunday service, while three including the gunman, who was identified as a white man by witnesses, were shot outside. The Oak Creek police chief said that they were treating the shooting as a “domestic terrorist incident”. While witnesses alleged that there were more gunmen on the premises, the cops could not confirm this. [Reuters]