Does Instagram copy Snapchat? Insta CEO admits 'stories' similar to 'snaps'

Does Instagram copy Snapchat? Most of you will instantly agree it does but for Instagram CEO, the Facebook-owned photo-sharing app is just "building" on Snapchat.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, Kevin Systrom said that even if Snapchat had all of these features before, it doesn't mean Instagram is blatantly copying Snapchat.

Systrom endorsed that Instagram's "Stories" feature is "definitely similar" to Snapchat's version, but argued that it did not establish that they were copying.

Originally launched by Snapchat, the "Stories" feature shows photos and videos shared in chronological order that disappear after 24 hours.

Facebook introduced something similar in its app Instagram last August. Today, Instagram has over 200 million people using "Stories" daily — more than even Snapchat.

Today, Messenger, WhatsApp and the main Facebook app have all added "Stories" feature (In WhatsApp, it is called 'Status').

However, for Instagram CEO, Snapchat-Instagram battle is akin to the early days of cars, saying that more companies came along after the Model T.

"In this scenario, Instagram is simply building upon a technology that Snapchat created," Systrom was quoted as saying.

That Facebook is going after Snapchat is not news, but the battle has now become somewhat ugly.

At its recent F8 developer conference in San Jose in the US, CEO Mark Zuckerberg launched "Camera Effects Platform" to encourage augmented reality (AR) effects -- a move reported by The New York Times as Facebook's "brazen heist" over Snapchat.

"Facebook is not just learning/borrowing features from Snapchat (mostly to Instagram), but it has been borrowing features from other messaging apps too. For example, Facebook Messenger learned a lot of features from WeChat (China) since last year's F8, such as creating branded accounts and letting brands use it for customer services," Xiaofeng Wang, Senior Analyst with US-based market research firm Forrester, told IANS.
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Babri prosecution will not be safe in CBI hands unless SC monitors its work

Last month, the Supreme Court decided that senior BJP leaders like L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharti and others must be tried for the charge of conspiring to demolish the Babri Masjid and ordered that their trial in Lucknow be held on a day-to-day basis. On May 30, Advani and the others were granted bail by the trial court on sureties of Rs 20,000.

Though the Supreme Court has fixed a period of two years for the trial’s completion, this is unlikely to happen unless the apex court directly supervises matters and also monitors the role of the CBI – the prosecuting agency – during the course of the trial. The trial court can give its verdict only on the basis of the evidence placed before it and it is the CBI that will have to provide the evidence. Unfortunately, the CBI’s past record in this case does not inspire confidence about its impartiality. The investigating agency has already shown three different faces in this case, lending credence to the belief that it is a  ‘Cover-up Bureau of Investigation’. There are many instances to prove this charge and even the apex court had described the CBI as a “caged parrot”.

CBI, phase I, face 1

The role of the CBI at different stages of the Ayodhya case has been questionable. In the first trial in the court of additional sessions judge (Ayodhya episode), Lucknow, Jagdish Prasad Srivastva, the CBI went all out to put the facts in evidence for framing of charges against the accused persons including Advani, Joshi and others for delivering speeches and conspiring to demolish the Babri Masjid. In para 36 of his order dated September 9, 1997, the judge, on the basis of evidence provided by the CBI, gave details of the role of Advani and Joshi, and how they started their rath yatra. “On December 1, 1992, Advani said in Kanpur that kar sewa does not mean bhajan and kirtan but it is meant for starting construction of Ram Mandir.” At para 9, the order said:

"On December 5, 1992 a secret meeting was held at the residence of  Vinay Katyar, which was attended by Advani and Pawan Kumar Pandey and a final decision to demolish disputed structure was taken. Their argument was that there was a ban on construction not on demolition. Thus the accused leaders assembled near Ram Janam Bhoomi/ Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992, and Advani categorically said in his public speech, before the demolition of disputed structure that ‘today is the last day of kar sewa, kar sewaks would perform last kar sewa’. When he came to know that central forces were proceeding from Faizabad to Ayodhya, he asked the public to block the National  Highway, so that the forces do not reach Ram Janam Bhoomi.  Prosecution has also contended that when disputed structure was being pulled down,. Advani asked Kalyan Singh not to tender his resignation till the disputed structure is completely pulled down."
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Inside story behind Modi govt's move to regulate cattle slaughter markets

While there has been outrage over the new rules framed by the government banning the sale of cattle slaughter, the exercise to frame these rules started out to put an end to something happening in neighbouring Nepal. The government is on record saying that the new Cruelty to Animals (Regulation of Livestock Markets) Rules 2017 was conceived on the directions of the Supreme Court (SC). The SC, in turn, had set the ball rolling after a petition filed by Gauri Maulekhi, animal rights activist. Maulekhia told Business Standard, “The government has done the right thing by introducing these rules. Yet a lot of misinformed people are criticising this move. They should look at the despicable conditions in which animals meant for slaughter are treated at animal markets. I am completely happy with the new rules. If we have to be secure as a nation, we have to protect our livestock from the cattle mafia.”

Maulekhi’s petition seemed to have achieved what she hadn’t set out to achieve in the first place. “That is the beauty of a Public Interest Litigation. It doesn’t need to be confined to specifics. Although I wanted to put an end to ritual sacrifice of cattle in Nepal, the highest court directed that rules be framed for an end to barbaric treatment of animals at various markets where the organised mafia operates” said Maulekhi.

The petition sought the court’s intervention after pointing out that cattle was being illegally transported from Indian states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal “across the India-Nepal border for a gruesome and barbaric ritual sacrifice at the Gadhimai festival held every five years in the village of Bariyapur, across the India-Nepal border. In a space of two days over 5 lakh animals are slaughtered making it the largest animal sacrifice in the world.”
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100 GB broadband data for Rs 500: Reliance Jio may launch JioFiber by Oct

Reliance Jio Infocomm, which has been testing its fibre-to-the-home (FTTH)-based JioFiber broadband in select cities, is expected to commercially launch its services by October, according to a report in the Economic Times.

Under its base plan, Reliance JioFiber might offer a whopping 100 GB of broadband data for as low as Rs 500. In terms of bandwidth, the JioFibre services are speculated to offer 100 Mbps speed.

Recently, Business Standard reported that the Reliance JioFiber broadband services would launch with a preview offer – similar to how the company launched its Jio services -- with free access to JioFiber services for 90 days. Under the complimentary offer, the JioFibre broadband services will offer a blazing speed of 100 Mbps and a monthly free data of 100 GB, besides free access to Jio premium applications. The user will continue to get 1 Mbps of speed after 100 GB data cap.

Though the services would be offered for free, Reliance Jio would charge Rs 4,500 as a one-time refundable installation charge that will be returned if JioFibre users choose not to continue with JioFiber.

To counter JioFibre, India’s leading broadband service provider Bharti Airtel recently upgraded its plans and is now offering almost 100 per cent of additional free data on every plan. Under the new plans, the company is offering 60 GB of high-speed broadband data at Rs 899, up from 30 GB offered earlier. Similarly, the updated Rs 1,099 plan dishes out 90 GB, compared with 50 GB earlier. The higher Rs 1,299 plan offers 125 GB, compared with 75 GB, while the premium Rs 1,499 plan offers 160 GB, against 100 GB earlier.

For Airtel broadband customers in the Delhi-NCR region, the company is running a promotion and offering additional 1,000 GB of broadband data on select plans.
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Modi govt's cattle trade ban to halt $4 bn beef exports, lead to job losses

CATTLE TRADE BAN - The Indian government's ban on the trade of cattle for slaughter threatens $4 billion in annual beef exports and millions of jobs if the government does not revoke the stoppage decreed last week, according to two industry officials.

In the latest setback to the Muslim-dominated meat industry, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government decreed animal markets will only be able to trade cattle for agricultural purposes such as ploughing and dairy production.

The ban is likely to further alienate Muslims, who make up 14 percent of India's 1.3 billion people, and raise communal and religious tensions. Hindu hardliners and cow vigilante groups have been increasingly asserting themselves since Modi's Hindu nationalist government came to power in 2014.

Most of India's beef comes from water buffalo rather than cows, which are considered holy by Hindus, but local cattle traders and slaughterhouses have repeatedly come under attacks from activist groups that oppose the meat trade.

"In the garb of the order that prohibits the trading of cattle at organised markets, the government has tried to impose a ban on the meat industry," Abdul Faheem Qureshi, head of the Muslim All India Jamiatul Quresh Action Committee, told Reuters.

"Meat supplies will very soon grind to a halt in India and abroad if either the government does not repeal this draconian order or a court does not step in," Qureshi said.

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iPhone 8 to feature new display format with OLED design: Report

Apple's next generation iPhone will not be similar to the display like the previous devices and will sport an 18.5:9 aspect ratio like LG G6.

"The new aspect ratio allows manufacturers to increase the size of a smartphone display while keeping it narrow enough to hold one-handed and still use the keyboard comfortably," Forbes.com reported on Monday.

iPhone 8 is rumoured to sport a bold new design featuring an OLED display without a bezel and the company may also move the fingerprint reader to the back of the phone.

Apple will also bring "True Color iPad Pro" screen technology to its smartphones for the first time that uses advanced four-channel ambient light sensors to automatically adapt the colour and intensity of the display to match the light in your environment.

The full spectral sensing ambient light sensor will be added across the iPhone 7S, iPhone 7S Plus and iPhone 8.
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Smartron srt.phone: A fine deal if you are a die-hard Sachin Tendulkar fan

Domestic information technology (IT) start-up Smartron, which counts Indian cricket legend Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar and former Motorola Mobility Chief Executive Sanjay Jha among its investors, recently launched the srt.phone smartphone, “inspired by the dependable traits of Tendulkar”.

At the launch of srt.phone, the company claimed that the smartphone used the best antennas and other security features that made it an all-rounder. Indeed, Smartron has pleased investors with its manoeuvres to deliver solutions ranging from internet of things (IoT) to smartphones built specifically for Indian consumers. But how does the srt.phone fare against the claims of dependability and the inspiration it apparently draws from one of the tallest role models for India in recent times?

To find out, Business Standard took the device for a spin and tested its real-life performance. Here is an in-depth review of the srt.phone:
!Design

The srt.phone offers a no-frills design, with rounded edges and curved sides. The smartphone might look appealing, but its polycarbonate built with metallic finish seems to somewhat spoil the experience. The plastic built is not loose or creaky – it fits perfectly on all sides and the matte touch adds to the aesthetics – but the pseudo metallic look was not necessary; it is way too prominent even at the first glance.

The front of the srt.phone is dominated by a 5.5-inch full-HD display protected with Gorilla Glass 3. There are three capacitive keys below the display, but these are without any sign or icon, just three flat dots. These dots acts are the home button and navigation keys. The earpiece along with sensors are placed neatly on the top, next to the front camera.
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Sachin: A Billion Dreams: A glorified account of an over-glorified celeb

As I walked out of the cinema hall after watching Sachin: A Billion Dreams, I wondered: Would I have thought differently of this biopic had I not known anything about the person it is based on? James Erskine’s documentary on one of the most celebrated cricketers in the world – one who has achieved a near-deific status in India – went along expected lines.

But was that because I, like many Indians and cricket followers around the world, already knew so much about Sachin Tendulkar? How would someone living under a rock for the last quarter of a century, and did not know who Tendulkar was, have liked it?

Sachin: A Billion Dreams starts off rather nicely, showing us a naughty curly-haired boy of seven or eight years living in Mumbai’s Bandra suburb, getting up to the usual seven-or-eight-year-old boy things like annoying his neighbours with pranks. The boy then receives a cricket bat as a gift from his elder sister, and this is where the story that most Indians and cricket followers already know begins.

This wasn’t the first time I was watching the celluloid adaptation of a story I already knew. I wasn’t, of course, expecting any suspense or plot twists, but I have been far more entertained by some of those other movies where I already knew what was going to happen, than I was by Sachin: A Billion Dreams. Maybe our man under the rock might think differently, but then a story still needs to be told properly, completely and honestly, and this is where Erskine’s attempt is found lacking.
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Jio effect: Tata Tele's net worth erodes by Rs 11,650 cr

The woes of Tata Teleservices continue to mount with its net worth eroding by Rs 11,653 crore at the end of the financial year ended March 2017, on rising losses and interest payments.

The company announced a loss of Rs 4,617 crore for FY17, compared to a loss of Rs 2,023 crore in FY16. This is a bad news for its promoter, Tata Sons, which will have to keep investing in the company’s equity so that it can meet its liabilities, bankers said. But, the company’s debt stood reduced almost five per cent from Rs 30,192 crore in FY16 to Rs 28,766 crore in FY17.

Because of the price war in telecom spurred by the entry of Reliance Jio, the Tata group company’s turnover declined to Rs 9,419 crore in FY17 from Rs 10,588 crore in FY16.

The Tata group company is not the only one which struggled during the year. Aditya Birla Group’s Idea Cellular also reported losses of Rs 400 crore, compared to a profit of Rs 2,728 crore in FY16. Sales and profits of the top two players, Bharti Airtel and Vodafone, also declined during the year (See chart).

Bankers said they were not worried about Tata Teleservices’ debt service coverage ratio of 0.18 as Tata Sons always stepped in with funds to pay bank loans. The Ebitda (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) fell to Rs 1,341 crore in FY17 from Rs 1,700 crore in FY16.

Jio’s launch, in fact, has triggered a consolidation among the current telecom players. Vodafone India, the country's No.2 telecom company in terms of revenues, and Idea Cellular have announced a plan to merge their operations in India, thus becoming the country's No.1 player. Bharti Airtel, India’s No.1 player, has merged smaller player Telenor with itself. Reliance Communications is awaiting the Supreme Court’s approval to merge its wireless telephony business with Aircel, thus reducing its debt by half.

The rising losses of Tata Teleservices may be a dampener for a suitor to buy or merge the company.

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iPhone production: India offers a homemade road map to Apple

India has offered its own electronics manufacturing road map to global tech giant Apple to comply with as it kick-starts local production of its flagship product iPhone and carve up a larger chunk of the country’s fast-growing smartphone market.

“We have drawn a road map of indigenisation, in consultation with the industry over the past two years. We have shared it (with Apple) and asked them to align with it… we don’t need to give them any separate concessions. Apple said they will examine this and get back,” said Aruna Sundararajan, secretary to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology.

Apple did not comment. It had requested the government to grant it 15 years of duty-free import of components to assemble its iPhones in the country, sharing a road map to slowly indigenise products.

The government has instead chalked out its own National Policy on Electronics to achieve its goal of a $400-billion market in the sector by 2020.

Earlier this month, the Cupertino-headquartered firm conducted a trial run for producing its low-cost iPhone SE at Taiwanese contract manufacturer Wistron’s facility in Bengaluru. Apple in a statement said its “Made in India” iPhones would hit store shelves in late May.

“They have big plans for India and they definitely intend, as they have told us, to make all their products in the next phase, for which they are evaluating various options. The first thing they had requested was 15 years of duty-free imports of their components,” said Sundararajan.

India has maintained that it would not offer any concessions specifically to Apple produce smartphones locally, but would instead come up with concessions that would benefit all smartphone makers looking to set up manufacturing operations in the country. It also rejected Apple’s request to set up local plants to refurbish used iPhones, which it intended to offer to local customers at lower prices.
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Customers will force Airtel, Vodafone, Jio into battle for market share

In a letter to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India recently, Reliance Jio Infocomm accused Bharti Airtel of introducing discriminatory tariff plans in the marketplace and using misleading advertisements to promote its services. To many, it was nothing but round two of a bruising telecom battle that began when Reliance Jio entered the market nine months ago doing much the same that it now accuses competitors of doing: Undercutting rivals and offering freebies to consumers.

While Jio had a free run till March this year notching up over 100 million subscribers in the process, experts say that sanity in terms of pricing and promotions will eventually prevail. But for the moment, the price and discount focused Indian customer is forcing brands into one of the biggest battles for market share.

“There will likely be a spike in consumers switching across all mobile carriers. As a result, they (mobile carriers or telecom operators) will be making quick reactive decisions based on the competitive scenario,” Paul Moore, director, global, Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, part of the WPP Group, said. “Mobile carriers will place more emphasis on products and services to add value and lock in users,” he says.

GraphKantar Worldpanel ComTech is the largest continuous consumer research mobile phone tracking panel in the world and India is the nineteenth addition to the list of markets tracked, indicating its importance, Moore says. Most telecom majors are already beginning to indulge in reactive decisions, offering tariff plans based on lifestyle, usage, occupation, gender and age. The spending pattern of subscribers has come sharply into focus, he says, as most players determine which plan will suit the consumer’s need.

There is a reason why telcos in India are doing this, he says. Average monthly spend on mobile services is lowest in India vis-a-vis the Comtech panel’s other markets, which includes the US, UK, Brazil, Spain, Argentina, Russia, Germany, Italy, France, Australia, China and Japan.

Moore says India’s average monthly spend stands at merely $2.5 or Rs 161 based on the current exchange rate ($1 = Rs 64.55). Compare this with China’s average monthly spend and it stands at $8.7 or Rs 562, Brazil’s $7.6 or Rs 491 and Mexico’s $10.7 or Rs 691.
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Saharanpur protests herald a new phase in Uttar Pradesh's dalit politics

Saharanpur, a district known for its woodcraft products in western UP, is in the news for two caste and communal incidents, involving clashes with Dalits. The ongoing Dalit protest in the district, which has now reached the capital New Delhi, suggests a new phase in Dalit politics in UP, closely related to the declining fortunes of the BSP, and efforts by the BJP to bring the Dalits into the ambit of its more socially inclusive Hindutva strategy.

Dalit politics has been through a number of phases in UP related to the strategies pursued by the BSP and rapid social change in the state in recent decades. In the 1990s the construction of Dalit identity by BSP leaders Kanshiram and Mayawati, promoted a radical, anti-upper caste politics, demanding self-respect and dignity. The BSP was still a movement-party, a democratizing force moving downwards to mobilize the smaller and marginal Dalit sub-castes in the poorer regions of UP. By the end of the decade two developments introduced significant change: class divisions within the community with rise in literacy and attainment of non-agricultural employment among a small better off section of the Dalits, which coincided with the weakening of identity politics and the return of a desire for development in the state. For the better-off, upwardly mobile, section of Dalits, the improvement of economic status became as important as identity and self-respect and they tended to move away from the BSP, becoming more open to parties that promised economic betterment. This shift has been more marked among the non-Jatav Dalits rather than the Jatavs who form the core constituency of the party.

The second significant change was the attempt in the 2000s by the leadership of a resurgent BJP to widen its social base and incorporate the OBCs and Dalits. While this strategy had begun in the 1990s, under Amit Shah the party began a second round of more strident experimentation with non-Brahmin Hindutva to create a ‘Maha Hindu’ identity which would enable them to both win elections and create a united Hindu force against the Muslim ‘other’. These changes have contributed to fragmentation within the Dalit community, which are visible in Saharanpur.

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Xiaomi Redmi 4 on sale from noon today: Phone's a steal at Rs 6,999

Xiaomi Redmi 4, a budget device from the China-based smartphone manufacturer, will go on sale on Tuesday at 12pm IST via Amazon India and Mi.com. The smartphone will only be available in two variants on launch day-Matte Black and Elegant Gold colour variants.

The Xiaomi Redmi 4 price in India starts at Rs. 6,999 for the 2GB RAM/ 16GB storage variant.

The Redmi 4, a made in India smartphone, is the latest addition to Xiaomi’s entry-level Redmi series and succeeds the popular Xiaomi Redmi 3S and 3S Prime, which according to company, is the smartphone most sold in India online with 4 million sales within just 9 months.

The smartphones in Redmi series offer great features at affordable price tags. Each Redmi device offers a massive battery in a sleek and compact body. The Redmi 4 is no different and it carries the legacy forward by offering a very efficient 4,100mAh battery.

Key features:

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 Octa-core processor
• 4100mAh battery that can last for 2 days under regular usage
• 13MP PDAF (phase detection autofocus) camera, 5MP, f/2.0 front with Beautify mode
• 5-inch HD display
• Metal body with fingerprint sensor. 2.5D curved glass
• Dual SIM (3-choose-2 hybrid SIM tray)
• LTE and VoLTE support
• Three variants: 2GB RAM + 16GB Flash, 3GB + 32GB, and 4GB + 64GB
• Up to 128GB microSD expandable storage
• Available in Black and Gold colours
• MIUI 8 based on Android 6.0

While the Redmi 4 weighs heavy in terms of specifications, we tested the device to check its capability to judge its worth and here are the observations:

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Arnab Goswami gets notice from Delhi HC for alleged Times Now 'theft'

The Delhi High court has issued a notice to former Arnab Goswami, the former editor-in-chief of the group's Times Now channel, in the case pertaining to the alleged breach of employment contract and misusing intellectual property of Times Now, the channel owned by Bennett Coleman and Company Ltd (BCCL), Live Law reported.

The Group had filed a criminal complaint against Arnab Goswami. Soft copies of the complaint and an executive summary thereof were reviewed by Business Standard.

Times Now, Goswami’s previous employer, alleged that the audio tapes played during the Sunanda Pushkar story and the earlier Lalu Prasad controversy on Republic TV were ‘procured and accessed’ by Goswami and Sridevi while they were employed by Times Now.

Republic TV is the name of the news channel that Goswami launched on May 6,  months after he quit Times Now last November.

In its complaint, BCCL sought to slap Goswami and Sridevi with various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act, for allegedly using material that belonged to BCCL on Republic TV. BCCL claims the duo had access to stories, audio-video content, documents, tapes, while they were still employees of Times Now, and had used some of these in the channel that Goswami launched on May 6.

In its executive summary, BCCL submitted that on the first day of its launch, Republic TV carried an expose on Lalu Prasad Yadav in which audio tapes containing phone conversations between the ex-chief minister of Bihar and Shahabuddin allegedly while he was still in prison were played out.

BCCL further claimed that another expose was done on Republic TV by Goswami on May 8 in which audio tapes of phone conversations between Prema Sridevi (former News Reporter of Times Now) and the Late Sunanda Pushkar (wife of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor) and their house help Narayan was broadcast.

BCCL alleged that both these exposes displayed material (in the form of audio tapes of phone conversations) that was procured and accessed while Goswami and Sridevi were in the employment of Times Now. It said that an internal inquiry clearly pointed out that these tapes were procured and in the possession of Goswami and Sridevi while they were in the service of BCCL.

The complainant also alleges that Goswami and Sridevi had on Republic TV admitted and claimed that the audio conversation in the Sunanda Pushkar case aired on May 8 was in their possession for the last two years when they were with Times Now.  

Accusing Goswami and Sridevi of wilfully and deliberately using Times Now's intellectual property, BCCL has sought to prosecute the duo for criminal misappropriation of property under section 403 and other provisions of the Indian Penal Code, and certain sections of the Information Technology Act.

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Manchester attack: 22 dead; kids missing from concert, here is what we know

Manchester attack - A massive attack shook Manchester on today that killed at least 22 people. Reportedly 50 others have been injured. The 'terrorist attack' took place at a concert of pop star Ariana Grande in the Manchester city in the UK.

As per AFP, Greater Manchester Police says that 22 people have died because of the attack already. The attacker died detonating the bomb, they said.
"This is currently being treated as a terrorist incident until police know otherwise," the statement said.

Eyewitnesses reported hearing a loud "bang" from inside the venue. Video footage from the scene showed bloodied victims being helped by emergency services.

Here is what we know so far:

—Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron have also expressed their sympathies for the victims.

—Prime Minister Theresa May said the incident was being treated as a terrorist attack. She is set to chair an emergency Cobra meeting in response to the atrocity, reports Daily Star.

—Police have set up a helpline for people who are worried about loved ones on 0161 856 9400.

—Large areas around the arena have been sealed off and Victoria Station has been closed and is expected to be closed throughout Tuesday.

—UK police responded to reports of an explosion shortly after 10:33 pm (2133 GMT) at the arena, which has the capacity to hold 21,000 people, where the Ariane Grande had been performing to an audience that included many children, according to Reuters.

—The blasts reportedly went off at the end of the concert near the box office area of the venue. "It was one bang and essentially everyone from the other side of the arena where the bang was heard from suddenly came running towards us," an eyewitness said.

—22 people have been reported killed while 50 others are injured.

—The blast was reported to have hit the foyer of the building at 10:30pm.

—The attacker was killed trying to detonate the bomb

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Dangal set to beat Baahubali-2, grosses over Rs 1,500 crore worldwide

Aamir Khan-starrer wrestling drama Dangal has grossed around Rs 1,501 crore worldwide, collecting $12.64 million till 11 pm (China Standard Time) on Sunday in China and has become second Indian film to gross over Rs 1,500 crore. Dangal, directed by Nitesh Tiwari, has grossed over $113 million in China, becoming highest non-Hollywood foreign grosser in the Chinese box office, posing threat to the position of S S Rajamouli's action fantasy epic Baahubali: The Conclusion as the top worldwide grosser among Indian films. It is also the highest grosser at the overseas box office among Indian movies.

Dangal grossed Rs 1,501 crore till now, among which Rs 731.36 crore is from China and Rs 25.78 crore is from Taiwan, according to movie trade analyst Ramesh Bala. In the Chinese box office charts, Dangal has dethroned Guardians of the Galaxy-2 in China in the second week and continues to be at the top since then.

Before the China and Taiwan release, Dangal's worldwide gross was around Rs 744 crore and Rs 387 crore net in India — excluding dubbed versions it was Rs 375 crore.

Dangal is very likely to cross Baahubali-2's worldwide gross collections soon as Baahubali's theatrical run is slowing down in most areas. Baahubali-2's worldwide collections stand at Rs 1,565 crore till Sunday and India collections stand at Rs 988 crore net, according to Ramesh Bala.

However, Dangal's brilliant run can be challenged once the "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales", the fifth movie from the popular franchise, releases in China next Friday. 

It is also notable that Prabhas-starrer Baahubali-2 is yet to release in China. But, the first part wasn't successful in that country earlier. However, Baahubali's producer Shobhu Yarlagadda made clear on several occasions that he intends to release the film with a proper strategy this time in China, Japan, Taiwan, Latin American countries, among others.

Both the parts of Baahubali are being screened at the Cannes Film Festival. The first part's screening was on 20 May and the second part's screening is on 21 May. This is being seen as a marketing strategy by the film's team before its release in other countries.

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No, Google's not a bird: Bringing the internet to rural India

Babulal Singh Neti was sitting with his uncle on a recent afternoon, trying to persuade him of the merits of the internet.

It was 105 degrees outside, and the sun was beating down on the frazzled croplands. His uncle said he had no use for the internet, since he had never learned to read; furthermore, he wanted to nap. This he made clear by periodically screwing up his face into a huge yawn.

Mr. Neti, 38, pressed on earnestly, suggesting that he could demonstrate the internet’s potential by Googling the history of the Gond tribe, to which they both belonged. Since acquiring a smartphone, Mr. Neti couldn’t stop Googling things: the gods, Hindu and tribal; the relative merits of the Yadav caste and the Gonds; the real story of how the earth was made.

Access to this knowledge so elated him that he decided to give up farming for good, taking a job with a nongovernmental organization whose goals include helping villagers produce and call up online content in their native languages. When he encountered internet skeptics, he tried to impress them by looking up something they really cared about — like Gond history.

His uncle responded with half-closed eyes, delivering a brief but comprehensive oral history of the Gond kings, with the clear implication that his nephew was a bit of a good-for-nothing. “What does it mean, Google?” his uncle said. “Is it a bird?”
And then, theatrically, he yawned.

While India produces some of the world’s best coders and computer engineers, vast multitudes of its people are like Mr. Neti’s neighbors, entering the virtual world with little sense of what lies within it, or how it could be of use to them.
The arrival of the internet in their lives is one of India’s most hopeful narratives.
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IPL final 2017: Mumbai Indians beat Rising Pune Supergiant; Dhoni defeated

Magnificent death bowling saw Mumbai Indians snatch an incredible one-run victory from the jaws of defeat against Rising Pune Supergiant in a thrilling grand finale of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Monday.

This was Mumbai Indians' third IPL trophy in 10 editions and more special for their skipper Rohit Sharma, who is the only captain to win a hat-trick of titles. Rohit has in fact ow won four IPL titles (one for Deccan Chargers in 2009).

For Mahendra Singh Dhoni, it was yet another final that ended in a defeat -- fifth in seven summit clashes.

In one of the closest finals during the 10 editions, the trio of Jasprit Bumrah (2/26 in 4 overs), Mitchell Johnson (3/26 in 4 overs) and Lasith Malinga (0/21 in 4 overs) were brilliant at the death defending a lowly total of 129/8 as Supergiant were restricted to 128 for 6 at the end.

It was Johnson, who kept his nerve during the final over where 11 runs were needed. Manoj Tiwary smacked the first one to mid-wicket boundary bringing the eqaution down to 7 from 5 balls.

However the next two deliveries turned out to be disaster with both Tiwary and skipper Steve Smith (51, 50 balls) were caught in the deep.

With four required off final ball and 3 for a Super Over, Dan Christian went for an impossible 3rd run only to be run out as Mumbai players celebrated like never before.

Credit should also be given to Bumrah and Malinga for giving away only 10 runs between them in the 17th and 18th over which suddenly increased the pressure.

While the target was an easy one, it turned out to be tricky with 47 needed off the last five overs.

With Mahendra Singh Dhoni (10) at the crease in company of Smith, the Krunal Pandya over yielded 14 runs. Dhoni square cut Krunal and then Smith played a reverse pull for a six to get 14 runs off the over.
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Zomato to update security of 6.6 mn accounts

Online restaurant guide and food ordering app Zomato will be reaching out to 6.6 million users, whose 'hashed' passwords could be 'theoretically decrypted' in order to get them to update their account security.

On Thursday, the company had reported that about 17 million user records have been stolen from its database, which included user email addresses and passwords but no payment information or credit card data.

"6.6 million users had password hashes in the 'leaked' data, which can be theoretically decrypted using brute force algorithms," Zomato said in a blogpost.

A hashed password is series of random-looking characters used by companies for security reasons to protect users.

The company will be reaching out to these users to get them to update their password on all services where they might have used the same password, it added.

Zomato said it was able to get in touch with the hacker, who had put the stolen user data up for sale. He has agreed to destroy all copies of the stolen data and take the data off the dark web marketplace.

The startup further said it will be introducing a bug bounty programme on Hackerone for security researchers very soon, which was the key demand of the hacker.

"The hacker has been very cooperative with us. He/she wanted us to acknowledge security vulnerabilities in our system and work with the ethical hacker community to plug the gaps," Zomato said.

The company said hacker also gave it all the details on the way he/she got access to this database.

The startup promised to post this information on their blog, once they close the loopholes so that it can be a lesson for others to follow. The disclosure comes at a time when the world is coping with the cyber attack by ransomware 'WannaCry', which has impacted IT networks in over 150 countries.
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Worried about GST rates? Know what gets cheaper and costlier from July 1

The Goods and Services Tax (GST) rehime is set to be rolled out from July 1, more than 11 years after a formal process to introduce it began. The GST Council on Thursday fixed rates for 1,211 items. In the second half of the Council meet, on Friday, rates of services and products like beedi, cigarettes, tobacco, footwear, gold, textile, handloom, handicraft, agricultural equipment and biscuits, will be discussed.

It appears from the first set of announced rates that consumers can rest assured most of the items will become cheaper (for now) as the new rates will be lower than the current effective levies.

Mobiles phones, however, might get costlier, with the government imposing a 12% GST, taking away the benefit under duty differential that was being offered to local manufacturers. So, under the new GST rate, while imported phones will become cheaper, most locally manufactured ones will get costlier.

Foodgrains will cost less as the GST Council decided to exempt the daily-use commodities from the levy.

GST promises to stitch together a common national market by replacing a string of central and local levies such as excise, value added tax, octroi, service tax.

What will get cheaper?

"Categorisation of several consumer products like soaps, toothpaste and hair oil under 18 per cent is good news and should see price drop for consumers," said Pratik Jain, leader, indirect tax, PwC to Economics Times. "Similarly, several food items such as edible oil, tea, coffee, sugar, etc, have been kept at 5 per cent , with exemption for milk and foodgrain, which would also cheer industry."

Branded goods: Tax rates on branded goods have been slashed to 18 per cent. Currently, the effective tax rate for the three items is pegged at 23-24 percent.

Hotels: Staying at hotels post the implementation of GST will become cheaper as they are currently taxed at 22% and a posed to be under the 18% tax bracket.

Restaurants which will come down to 18% from 22% tax slab.

Foodgrains will cost less

Processed food items that draw tax rates of 15% will be taxed at 5% under GST.

Under services, entertainment services will be brought down from 22% to 18% under GST.

Soap which are currently taxed at 28% will be taxed at 18% under GST. Similarly toothpaste will come down from 22-24% current tax rate to 18%.

Personal hair products - hair oil will become cheaper as it will drop 10% from 28% current tax rate to 18% under GST.

Entry level cars, two-wheelers, paint, cement, electrical items, consumer durables are expected to get cheaper.
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GST rate: Most services to be taxed at 18%, say govt sources

On the second day of the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council meeting on Friday, government sources in Srinagar, where the meeting is being held, told Business Standard that most of the services would be taxed at the rate of 18 per cent under the GST regime.

Besides, there will be no new addition of services in the exempted list under GST. Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar said services that were currently exempt would continue to be exempt under GST.

The next meeting of the GST Council will take place on June 3.

Kerala Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said, "GST Council agreed on 18% rate for telecom & financial services"

"There are four rates for services: 5 per cent, 12 per cent, 18 per cent, 28 per cent," he said while speaking to CNBCTV18.

Here is what GST Council agreed on

—Most exemptions for services to continue

—Service tax, luxury tax will be subsumed in GST

—GST rate for branded garments at 18 per cent

—Transportation to fall under 5 per cent bracket

—GST Council to mull beedi, cigarette, gold

—All hotel services with tariff over Rs 5,000 to be taxed at 28 per cent
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Kulbhushan Jadhav cannot be hanged till final verdict: ICJ tells Pakistan

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) today stayed the execution of Indian national Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been sentenced to death by a Pakistan military court on charges of espionage and subversive activities.

In a major boost to India, which has moved the UN's highest judicial body against the death sentence, the ICJ instructed Pakistan to take all "necessary measures at its disposal" to ensure that Jadhav was not executed pending a final decision by it.

The decision of the 11-judge bench was unanimous, ICJ President Ronny Abraham said while reading out the verdict.

The ICJ said that India should have been granted consular access to its national as per the Vienna Convention to which both countries have been signatories since 1977.

The ICJ asserted its jurisdiction over the case of the 46-year-old former Indian Navy officer while noting that the circumstances of his arrest remain disputed.

"The 150-day period for clemency given by Pakistan, which ends in August suggests that the execution can happen immediately thereafter," observed the international court in The Hague.

The ruling came three days after India and Pakistan gave their submissions in the case.

Pakistan claims its security forces arrested Jadhav from its restive Balochistan province on March 3 last year after he reportedly entered from Iran. However, India maintains that he was kidnapped from Iran where he had business interests after retiring from the Indian Navy.

Jadhav's case is the latest flashpoint in the tensions between Pakistan and India.

On May 8, India moved the ICJ against the death penalty, alleging violation of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. On May 9, the global court stayed the death sentence as a provisional measure.
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Paytm payments bank launching next week, but not with Shinjini Kumar as CEO

After more than a year's delay, online mobile wallet major Paytm would finally launch its payments bank on May 23. But in a crucial change, former Reserve Bank of India (RBI) executive and PricewaterhouseCoopers consultant Shinjini Kumar, who was chosen for the role of the payments bank chief executive officer (CEO), has stepped down and is in exit mode, while Renu Satti, vice-president, business, will take over. (A payments bank can carry out most banking operations but can't give out loans or issue credit cards.)

"We are in the process of launching Paytm Payments Bank on May 23. We recently received approval from RBI for Renu Satti to be the CEO," said a Paytm spokesperson.

Kumar told Business Standard that she stepped down as she was relocating back to Mumbai. Paytm Payments Bank headquarters would be in Noida. "I want to be in Mumbai. I tried to relocate to Delhi, but as things are evolving more, it was difficult to travel back and forth between Delhi and Mumbai. That is the reason I decided to step down," Kumar said.

She added that sending a fresh list of probable CEOs for the payments bank for approval, as well as some other conversations with RBI, caused a delay in final approval.

Satti started as manager, human resources, Paytm, nearly a decade back and has risen up the corporate ladder since. She has headed different teams for online marketplace and mobile wallet at the firm.

The payments bank will launch its services first in Uttar Pradesh (UP) and then expand to northeast.

In January, Paytm founder and CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma told Business Standard that in the first phase the payments bank would have 100,000 banking correspondents. "In the first phase, we are targeting as many as 200 million wallets, current accounts and savings accounts. While normal banks target savings accounts and current accounts, we will target wallets as well," he had said.

In the last one and a half years, Paytm postponed the opening of the payments bank seven times. Sharma in January had even announced the launch of the bank. But it got delayed.

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Actress Reema Lagoo passes away of cardiac arrest at 59

BREAKING NEWS - ,Veteran actress Reema Lagoo, known for her performance in movies like "Hum Aapke Hain Koun" and "Kal Ho Na Ho", died due to a cardiac arrest in the wee hours on Thursday at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital here.

She was 59.

Lagoo was admitted to the hospital late last night after she complained of chest pain, the hospital's Executive Director Ram Naraian told PTI.

"We will issue a health report later in the day, after consulting with her family," he said.

Lagoo's son-in-law Vinay Waikul told PTI, "She was complaining of chest pain so we took her to hospital around 1 am. She passed away due to a heart attack around 3.15 am. She was perfectly fine and had no health issues...So it is really shocking for all us that she is no more with us."

Lagoo appeared in Marathi and Hindi films, besides doing a number of TV shows.

She is survived by daughter Mrunmayee, who is also a theatre and film actress and theatre director.

Lagoo has worked in super hit films like "Maine Pyar Kiya", "Saajan", "Vaastav, "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai" and, "Hum Saath-Saath Hain" among others, while her popular television serials included "Tu Tu Main Main" and "Shrimaan Shrimati".

Her acting career spanned over four decades and she was last seen in the television show "Naamkaran", aired on Star Plus.
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WannaCry ransomware: 48k cyber attack instances in India, says Quick Heal

Security software maker Quick Heal said on Tuesday it had detected over 48,000 instances of the WannaCry ransomware attack in India, targeting both enterprises as well as individuals using systems running Microsoft’s Windows OS.

The WannaCry bug, for which India’s Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) issued a critical warning on April 13, has reportedly crippled hundreds of thousands of systems, especially healthcare and transport networks, across 150 countries. In a webcast on Monday, CERT-In said India had not been affected by the attack as badly as many other countries.

Quick Heal said the ransomware attack was not focused towards any particular industry but was spread across industries, “especially those organisations which are online and connected”.

graph “In the last few days, we have received distressed calls from customers belonging to verticals like education, banking, financial, manufacturing, healthcare and even from a few services sectors,” said Sanjay Katkar, managing director and chief technology officer of Quick Heal.

The IT security solutions provider said 60 per cent of the attacks were targeted at enterprises and rest at individuals in India. Kolkata saw the most attacks, followed by Delhi, Bhubaneshwar, Pune and Mumbai.

The WannaCry bug encrypts critical files on a computer it infects, with the attackers demanding $300 paid through Bitcoin to regain access to those files.

CERT-In on Monday advised victims of the attack to not pay the ransom and wait for researchers to develop a key with which they would be able to unlock their data.

Both CERT-In and Quick Heal have advised the system administrators and individuals to update Windows with the latest security patches issued by Microsoft. Further, users can take backups of their data to ensure that they do not lose it in case their systems get infected with the ransomware.
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Mukesh Ambani sole Indian among Forbes' list of Global Game Changers

Forbes magazine has named Reliance Industries (RIL) Chairman Mukesh Ambani as the topmost among its "Global Game Changers" who are transforming their industries and changing the lives of billions around the world.

Ambani features at the top of the Forbes' second annual Global Game Changers' list of 25 "intrepid business leaders unsatisfied with the status quo" who are "transforming their industries and changing the lives of billions of people around the globe."

The American magazine referred to the Ambani-led Reliance Jio mobile network's efforts to spread internet penetration in India.

"Oil and gas tycoon entered the country's telecom market with a bang, offering fast internet at dirt-cheap prices. Gained 100 million customers in six months and set off a wave of consolidation in the market," Forbes said.

"While plenty of corporate functionaries make headlines for successful turnarounds or record profits, we sought to identify true movers and shakers who are determining the course of the future for more than just their own shareholders or employees," it said.

Forbes said those on the latest game changers' list are re-imagining the many facets of everyday life, from health to money transfers through digital means.

The list includes home appliances company Dyson's founder James Dyson, US investment management company BlackRock co-founder Larry Fink, Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, social media platform Snap co-founder Evan Spiegel and Chinese ride-sharing giant Didi Chuxing founder Cheng Wei.
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CBI raids on Karti Chidambaram: Plot decoded and some unanswered questions

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday raided 16 properties linked to Karti P Chidambaram, son of former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram, in Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Gurugram. The raids are related to foreign investment clearances approved by the Centre’s Foreign Investment Promotion Board to media firms in 2007 during the United Progressive Alliance rule.

The First Information Report, which facilitated the raids, was filed in Delhi on Monday. The firms under scanner, INX Media Private Limited and INX News Private Limited, had Indrani Mukherjea and Peter Mukherjea as former directors. The two are currently in prison on charges of killing their daughter Sheena Bora in April 2012. Their bunglow in Mumbai was also raided.

Apart from the three, the FIR names Padma Vishwanathan as director of Advantage Strategic Consulting, “unknown officials” of the Ministry of Finance and “other unknown persons”. Chess Management Services, a firm in which Karti Chidambaram was a director during the alleged transactions, also finds a mention.

Officials aiding the CBI in the raids in Chennai said the FIR was the result of “three months” of investigation into the alleged transactions, which emerged during the “review of material” recovered from Indrani Mukherjea in the course of the probe into the Sheena Bora murder case.

The case is primarily based on two alleged illegalities:

• The media firm obtained foreign funding multiple times higher than what was allowed and redistributed it to another firm for which it did not have approval. 
•  
• And that it used Karti Chidambaram’s links with his father to post facto clear these inherently illegal transactions.

Both the father and the son denied the allegations. P Chidambaram alleged that the Centre was targeting his son to silence his voice.

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Xiaomi launches VoLTE-ready Rs 6,999 Redmi 4 smartphone: Things to know

China-based smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi on Tuesday updated its entry-level Redmi series with the launch of the Redmi 4 smartphone in India. Successor to the already famous Redmi 3S, the latest smartphone carries the legacy forward by offering a very efficient 4100mAh battery in a compact design form. The smartphone, priced at Rs 6,999, will be available from 12 noon on May 23 on Amazon India, Mi.com and Mi home.

Coming to the specifications, the dual-SIM smartphone features a 5-inch HD screen enclosed in a metal body. The screen is covered with a 2.5D curved glass that adds to the overall design language of the smartphone. The device is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 processor, which is an octa-core SoC, coupled with an Adreno 505 GPU. The Redmi 4 supports 4G LTE and VoLTE out of the box, covering all-India LTE bands.

Key features of the Redmi 4:

• Qualcomm Snapdragon 435 Octa-core processor
• 4100mAh battery that can last for 2 days under regular usage
• 13MP PDAF (phase detection autofocus) camera, 5MP, f/2.0 front with Beautify mode
• 5-inch HD display
• Metal body with fingerprint sensor. 2.5D curved glass
• Dual SIM (3-choose-2 hybrid SIM tray)
• LTE and VoLTE support
• Three variants: 2GB RAM + 16GB Flash, 3GB + 32GB, and 4GB + 64GB
• Up to 128GB microSD expandable storage
• Available in Black and Gold colours
• MIUI 8 based on Android 6.0

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Maruti launches new Dzire, starting price Rs 5.45 lakh

Maruti Suzuki today launched the new Dzire sedan, a lighter and more fuel efficient vehicle at Rs 5.45 lakh onwards (ex showroom, Delhi). The petrol variant begins at Rs 5.45 lakh and goes up to Rs 8.41 lakh. Diesel variant begins at Rs 6.45 lakh and goes up to Rs 9.41 lakh. Maruti spent Rs 1,000 crore to develop the new Dzire.

First launched in 2008, Dzire happens to be Maruti’s second most sold car (after the Alto) and brings 14 per cent of the company’s domestic sales. Dzire also is the largest selling compact sedan in the country accounting for half of the segment volumes. The new Dzire offers a higher fuel efficiency of 5.5 per cent and 6.8 per cent on the petrol and diesel variant, respectively. Diesel Dzire claims to give an efficiency of 28.4 km/litre while petrol offers a mileage of 22 km per litre. Bookings for the new car started early this month and the company has already got bookings of 33,000 cars. Deliveries will start immediately.

“We have designed a fresh new car that is an authentic sedan. It is more spacious and more comfortable, more feature packed.

The many fine touches on the inside make it plush and premium, distinguishing it from everything else,” said Kenichi Ayukawa, managing director at Maruti Suzuki. He said it is bound to generate plenty of excitement among its young and aspirational customers. Dzire is also critical for the market leader as it eyes an annual volume of two million cars by 2020 (it sold 1.56 million vehicles in FY17).

With this launch, the country’s top car maker desires to position Dzire as a vehicle distinct from Swift which happened to provide cues for the initial model when it was launched in 2008. The new model is now called Dzire and not Swift Dzire as it seeks to break away from the Swift association. The first generation of Dzire was seen as a Swift with an additional boot space. Strategically, the company is bringing the full model change of Dzire first and the new Swift may come next year.

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OnePlus 5 launch soon: Device to have flagship features for half the price

OnePlus 5, the next flagship device from the stable of China-based smartphone manufacturer OnePlus, is making a lot of buzz over the internet. The smartphone, expected to launch in a couple of months, is making the tech community keep an eagle eye on every small information available.

While big names such as Samsung and LG have already announced their flagship smartphones, the keen wait for the OnePlus 5 is understood, given that OnePlus devices are known to throw in top-tier specifications at half the price of other flagship devices.

Recently, OnePlus CEO Pete Lau posted a picture on Weibo confirming the development of OnePlus 5. Soon, the smartphone features, specifications, camera samples and even the price of the smartphone surfaced online. And, as days passed, the OnePlus 5 specification sheet was leaked by an online technology-based portal Slashleaks.

The name
The next iteration of the flagship device from the stable of OnePlus would be named OnePlus 5. This, however, is yet to be confirmed by the company. In Chinese culture, numeric 4 is considered bad omen, so the buzz is that the smartphone manufacturer would skip number 4, and the device coming after OnePlus 3 would bear the OnePlus 5 moniker.

Display
According to the specifications leaked through Slashleaks, the OnePlus 5 smartphone is to carry the legacy 5.5-inch screen size but with a major bump in screen resolution. The smartphone screen would be raised to quad-HD resolution from the full-HD resolution, standard across all OnePlus devices so far.

Camera
Earlier leaks suggested that the OnePlus 5 would feature a dual-camera set-up at the rear. However, the latest leaks hint that the device would feature a single camera of 23-megapixel at the rear and a 16 MP camera at the front.
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After Adityanath left, AC, sofa taken away from slain BSF trooper's home

The family members of slain BSF head constable Prem Sagar were befuddled when the Deoria district administration installed a window airconditioner, put up a sofa and carpet at their home ahead of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's visit this Friday.

They were in for even a greater shock when these trappings of affluence vanished within minutes of the chief minister's departure.

Sagar's family members said they were taken aback when the authorities removed the air conditioner, sofa and carpet soon after the chief minister left their place.

"Officials took away the carpet, sofa and AC soon after Adityanath left our residence....Within 15 to 30 minutes of his departure, everything was gone," Dayasagar, the brother of the fallen BSF trooper said.

There was, however, no official word on it.

The Deoria administration had installed airconditioners, put up new curtains, sofas and carpets in the living room where the chief minister was to meet the family.

A day before CM's visit, dusty roads in the village were cleaned and drains which always used to remain open were covered.

Head Constable Sagar was on patrol duty on May 1 along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch when Pakistan's Border Action Team (BAT) crossed the LoC and ambushed the patrol team. While taking cover, Sagar and Naik Subedar Paramjeet Singh of the Army were left behind.

They were killed and their bodies mutilated.

Sagar's family had refused to cremate his body, insisting that the chief minister visit them. They agreed to hold the last rites only after the chief minister spoke to them.

Adityanath visited Sagar's family on May 12 at his native village Tikampaar to offer condolences and presented a cheque for Rs 4 lakh. He also reportedly promised employment to Sagar's children after they complete their studies.

The chief minister said a shaheed smarak (martyr's memorial) and a girls inter college will be set up in the village in the memory of the slain trooper.

He also promised a road to connect the village to the main road.

With regard to a demand for a gas agency for the family, he had said a recommendation will be sent to the central government.

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iPhone 5S for Rs 15,499! Best deals on Day 2 of Flipkart Big 10 Sale

With plenty of discounts and exciting deals, Flipkart opens its day 2 of the 'Big10 Sale', which will go on until May 18. The secon day of this huge sale will see a significant cut in the price of Apple products like iPhone 5S 16GB, which available at Rs 15,499, iPhone 7 and iWatch along with other electronics like laptops and desktops, TVs, tablets, smartwatches and other gadgets.

In addition, Flipkart is also offering 10 per cent instant discount (up to Rs 1,500) with HDFC Bank credit card. The offer is valid on a minimum purchase of Rs 6,499. Besides, there is a 30 per cent cashback, up to Rs 300, on payments done through PhonePe. Both these offers can be clubbed together.

Here is a look at the best deals on Day 2:

1. iPhone 5S
Apple, iPhone 5s, iPhone 7 Apple, iPhone 5S Available for Rs 15,499, iPhone 5S is an absolute steal with an exchange offer of Rs 14,500 and no-cost EMIs starting from Rs 5,167 per month.

2. Google Pixel XL, 32GB, 4GB RAM
Starting from Rs 34,999 with a flat Rs 13,000 on all debit and credit cards. A no cost EMI from Rs 18,000 per month ios also provided to the customers. The customers can also avail of the exchange offer and get an off of Rs 29,000. 

3. iPhone 7 Plus 32GB

Up to Rs 18,001 off and starting at Rs 54,999. Customers can also opt for the exchange of Rs, 20,000 and a special price of flat Rs 17,001 off. 

4. Other Budget phones: 

Moto G5 plus, Moto M and Samsung On Nxt available for Rs 15,999, Rs 15,999 and Rs 14,900 respectively. Available exclusively on Flipkart, these budget phones also come with different exchange offers and easy no cost EMIs

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Meet the Indian teen who has developed world's smallest satellite for Nasa

When the US’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) launches the world’s smallest satellite KalamSat on June 21, it will be the first time ever that it would be piloting an experiment by an Indian student. Developed by Rifath Sharook, an 18-year-old boy, from Tamil Nadu’s Pallapatti town, KalamSat weighs only 64 grammes.

‘KalamSat’, named after India's nuclear scientist and former President, APJ Abdul Kalam, will be launched from a Nasa facility in Wallops Island. Sharook’s project, the first to be manufactured via 3D printing, got selected through a competition, ‘Cubes in Space', sponsored jointly by NASA and 'I Doodle Learning'. The project aims to take the performance of new technology to space.

Key features of the miniature satellite

Sharook said it would be a sub-orbital flight and after launch the mission span would be 240 minutes. The tiny satellite would operate for 12 minutes in a micro-gravity environment of space. “The main role of the satellite will be to demonstrate the performance of 3D-printed carbon fibre”, the Times of India quoted Sharook as saying.

Speaking about his experience, Sharook added: “We designed it completely from scratch. It will have a new kind of on-board computer and eight indigenous built-in sensors to measure acceleration, rotation and the magnetosphere of the earth. The main challenge was to design an experiment to be flown to space which would fit into a four-metre cube weighing 64 grammes”.

His experiment was funded by an organisation called ‘Space Kidz India’, said Sharook, adding he had a great interest in space and he was also a subscriber of the Nasa Kid’s Club.
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In 2 weeks, Hindi version of Baahubali 2 beats lifetime earnings of Dangal

In just 14 days since its release, the Hindi dubbed version of filmmaker SS Rajamouli magnum opus 'Baahubali 2: The Conclusion' has crossed the domestic lifetime collection of Bollywood superstar Aamir Khan's sports drama film 'Dangal'.

Filmmaker Karan Johar, who has presented the Hindi version of 'Baahubali 2: The Conclusion', on Friday shared on Twitter that the film has minted Rs 390.25 crore, surpassing the lifetime business of 'Dangal', which collected Rs 387.38 crore domestically. 'Dangal' had earlier this year became Bollywood's highest grosser in the country.

Alongside an image revealing the Hindi collection of the film in India, Karan tweeted: "The reigning film. 'Baahubali 2: The Conclusion'."

The film, featuring Prabhas, Anushka Shetty, Rana Daggubati and Tamannaah in the lead, released in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam in over 6,500 screens across India, and in 9,000 plus screens worldwide.

The Hindi version of 'Baahubali 2: The Conclusion' has now become the highest grossing film in Bollywood and is eyeing the Rs 400 crore club, said trade expert Taran Adarsh.

"Baahubali 2: The Conclusion is a one-horse race. Collects Rs 390.25 crore in two weeks... All set to start a new club for Hindi films: Rs 400 crore club," Adarsh posted on Twitter on Friday.

The worldwide box office collection of "Baahubali 2: The Conclusion" has already surpassed the Rs 1,000 crore mark. This is the first time that an Indian film has managed to rake in that much money.
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