Rupee slumps to 71-mark first time ever, drops 26 paise against US dollar

Forex dealers said besides robust month-end demand for the American currency from oil importers, dollar's strength against its rival currencies on expectations of rising interest rates amid lingering.

Stock Market Live: The rupee slumped to a fresh record low of 71 against the dollar for the first time ever by falling 26 paise on persistent demand for the US currency amid rising crude prices.

At the Interbank Foreign Exchange (Forex) market, the local currency opened lower at 70.95 a dollar and slipped further to hit its lifetime low of 71 from its previous close of 70.74.

Forex dealers said besides robust month-end demand for the American currency from oil importers, dollar's strength against its rival currencies on expectations of rising interest rates amid lingering Sino-US trade tensions, weighed on the domestic currency.

Rupee Vs Dollar

On Thursday, the rupee slid further by 15 paise to close at a fresh lifetime low of 70.74 to the dollar due to strong demand for the greenback from oil importers and surging crude oil prices stoking inflation fears.
Growing fears about rising inflation in amid high global crude oil prices and consistent outflow of foreign funds from the domestic equity market also weighed on the domestic currency.
Benchmark Brent crude oil was at USD 78 a barrel in early Asian trade.
Meanwhile, the BSE Sensex fell 78.64 points, or 0.20 per cent, to 38,611.46 points in opening trade.

Read more on Rupee At 71

 

Jupiter's Great Red Spot reveals signs of water, raise hopes life could exist there

NASA scientists peering deep inside Jupiter's Great Red Spot -- a storm that has been raging on the planet for over 350 years -- have detected signs of water above the planet's deepest clouds.

The pressure of the water combined with their measurements of another oxygen-bearing gas, carbon monoxide, imply that Jupiter has two to nine times more oxygen than the Sun, researchers said.

The findings, published in the Astronomical Journal, support theoretical and computer-simulation models that have predicted abundant water on Jupiter.

The revelation was stirring given that the team's experiment could have easily failed. The Great Red Spot is full of dense clouds, which makes it hard for electromagnetic energy to escape and teach astronomers anything about the chemistry within.

The data collected will supplement the information NASA's Juno spacecraft is gathering as it circles the planet from north to south once every 53 days.

Among other things, Juno is looking for water with its own infrared spectrometer and with a microwave radiometer that can probe deeper than anyone has seen -- to 100 bars, or 100 times the atmospheric pressure at Earth's surface.

If Juno returns similar water findings, it could open a new window into solving the water problem.

Juno is the latest spacecraft tasked with finding water, likely in gas form, on this giant gaseous planet.

Jupiter is thought to be the first planet to have formed by siphoning the elements left over from the formation of the Sun as our star coalesced from an amorphous nebula into the fiery ball of gases we see today.

Read the full report of NASA : Jupiter's Great Red Spot

Chemotherapy may cause early menopause risk in women

Women with lung cancer who underwent chemotherapy are likely to experience an early menopause.

Health News: The results suggested that chemotherapy for patients with lung cancer increases the risk of early loss of menses in survivors.

It may cause acute amenorrhea and menopause, leading not only to hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and bone loss but also the possibility of loss of fertility.

"Although more definitive research is needed, premenopausal women who need chemotherapy for lung cancer appear to have a similar risk of amenorrhea, early menopause, and loss of fertility as premenopausal women receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer and lymphoma," said JoAnn Pinkerton, executive director at the North American Menopause Society (NAMS) in the US.

Early Menopause

Although lung cancer is more common in older adults, women are diagnosed at a younger age compared with men. Extensive research of women receiving treatment for breast cancer has found that between 40 per cent and 80 per cent have premature menopause. However, early menopause rates after lung cancer treatments are understudied, the researchers said.

The study, published in the journal Menopause, included 182 premenopausal women, with an average age of 43, between 1999 and 2016 and annually thereafter about their menstrual status. Types of lung cancer treatments were recorded, and frequencies of self-reported menopause at each survey...continue reading

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News Source: BS

Intex Infie 33 review: Feature rich device for first time smartphone users

The Infie 33 boasts modern features such as 18:9 aspect ratio screen and face unlock. Priced at Rs 5,049, the phone is available across retail stores.

Technology News: Unlike most of the Chinese smartphone manufacturers, home-grown electronics manufacturer Intex targets the offline market, therefore has a healthy presence that caters to smartphone users in tier-II and tier-III cities. Expanding the line-up, the company launched the Infie 33 with modern features, such as 18:9 aspect ratio screen and face unlock, at Rs 5,049.

The Infie 33 sports a 5.34-inch screen of FWVHA resolution stretched in 18:9 aspect ratio. It boots Android Nougat-based Intex user interface loaded with lots of bloatware. However, some of them are quite useful such as face unlock, privacy system and app freezer. The face unlock is not as fast and accurate as seen in other budget smartphones. However, considering the fact that the smartphone is an entry-level budget device, this feature adds to the phone’s overall utility. The privacy system allows the user to keep apps, images, files and other data in a password-protected space. The app freezer is a performance booster feature that allows the phone to close background apps that are consuming resources while being idle.

Intex Infie 33

The phone is powered by a MediaTek 1.3GHz quad-core processor, paired with 1GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. Basic functions such as calling and messaging are smooth. However, due to low internal storage, the phone starts to hang when loaded with apps and data in internal storage. Thankfully, it features a microSD card slot for storage expansion up to 128GB.

In terms of imaging, the Intex Infie 33 sports a 5-megapixel camera module on the front and back. The camera performance is satisfactory and it comes loaded with several modes such as panorama, watermark, time lapse, slow-mo, beautification, portrait, bokeh and night. The image quality is satisfactory in daylight condition. However, the overall image quality is sub-standard.

Read my full review → Intex Infie 33 Review

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News Source: BS

Ducati launches Scrambler 1100 in India priced at 10.91 lakhs: Details here

The 1100cc Scrambler does not drift much from the legendary scrambler silhouette but looks beefed up and is surely a head-turner.

Technology News: Italian motorcycle manufacturer Ducati has launched the new Ducati Scrambler 1100 in India with a starting price of Rs 1.09 million (10.91 lakh) ex-showroom Delhi. Although the 1100cc Scrambler does not drift much from the legendary scrambler silhouette, the new addition to the line up looks beefed up with a slightly redesigned chassis, twin underseat exhausts, a new twin spar, steel-trellis frame and double-sided aluminium swing arm.

The Ducati Scrambler 1100 is powered by a Euro 4 compliant oil/air-cooled 1079cc L-twin two-valve engine developed from the Monster 1100cc engine that puts out a maximum power of 86 hp at 7,500 rpm and a maximum torque of 88.4 Nm at 4,750 rpm. The The L-twin powertrain is mated to a 6-speed gearbox with wet multiplate clutch.

Ducati Scrambler 1100

The new Scrambler is feature-packed with a full-digital instrument panel, inspired from the bikes of 1970s and a host of electronic rider aids. The bike comes with ride-by-wire throttle that features three riding modes - Active, Journey and City.

The Active mode delivers 85 bhp with aggressive throttle response, the Journey mode also has 85 bhp but on tap, thus giving a smoother throttle response. While the City mode has the power tapped down to 75 bhp in order to manuever in city traffics and the throttle response is even smoother. The modes are accompanied by adjustable hydraulic brake pumps and clutch. The Scrambler 1100 also features a four-level traction control system, and Bosch cornering ABS, along with big...continue reading

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News Source: BS

Decoding Rafale Jet Deal: Timeline, allegations and counter-allegations

India began the process to buy a fleet of 126 MMRCA in 2007 after the Defence Ministry, headed then by Congress leader A K Antony, cleared the proposal from the IAF.

Rafale Deal Controversy: As the controversy surrounding Rafale deal escalates, here is an explainer and a timeline relating to India's purchase of 36 combat jets from France for an estimated Rs 580 billion

What is Rafale?

Rafale is a French twin-engine multi-role fighter jet designed and built by Dassault Aviation. The Rafale jets are considered one of the most potent combat jets globally.

What was the UPA deal?

India began the process to buy a fleet of 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) in 2007 after the Defence Ministry, headed then by Congress leader A K Antony, cleared the proposal from the Indian Air Force.

The contenders for the mega deal were Lockheed Martin's F-16s, Eurofighter Typhoon, Russia's MiG-35, Sweden's Gripen, Boeing's F/A-18s and Dassault Aviation's Rafale.

After a long-drawn process, bids were opened in December 2012 and Dassault Aviation emerged as L-1 (lowest bidder). In the original proposal, 18 planes were to be manufactured in France and 108 in India in collaboration with the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd.
There were lengthy negotiations between the then UPA government and Dassault on prices and transfer of technology. The final negotiations continued till early 2014 but the deal could not go through.

Details of the negotiatied price per Rafale were not officially announced, but it was suggested by the then UPA government that the size of the deal would be USD 10.2 billion. The Congress claimed per aircraft rate including avionics and weapons was zeroed in at Rs 5.26 billion (As per Euro exchange rates prevailing then).

Read all about → Rafale Jet Deal

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News Source: BS

99.3% of demonetised notes are back; Rs 15.31 trillion returned: RBI

500- and 1000-rupee notes worth Rs 15.41 trillion were demonetised.

DeMonetisation News: As many as 99.3 per cent of the old 500 and 1,000 rupee notes, that was banned overnight in November 2016, have been returned, the Reserve Bank of India said in its annual report.

Of the Rs 15.41 trillion worth 500 and 1,000 rupee notes in circulation before November 8, 2016, notes worth Rs 15.31 trillion have been returned.

The "humungous task of processing and verification of specified bank notes (SBNs) was successfully achieved," it said.

The SBNs received were verified, counted and processed in the sophisticated high-speed currency verification and processing system (CVPS) for accuracy and genuineness and then shredded, it added.

SBNs refer to the demonetised old 500 and 1,000 rupee.
RBI said the processing of SBNs has since been completed. "The total SBNs returned from circulation is Rs 15,310.73 billion".

Read the annual report on → DeMonetisation

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News Source: BS

LG unveils it's new 'Q series' smartphone in India at Rs 15,990

Expanding its Q series, South Korean tech Major LG Electronics launched a new smartphone "Q7" in India at Rs 15,990.

Technology News: Expanding its Q series, South Korean tech Major LG Electronics on Tuesday launched a new smartphone "Q7" in India at Rs 15,990.

The 5.5-inch FHD+ smartphone with 18:9 aspect ratio will be available across leading retail stores from September 1.

The device is powered by 1.5 GHz Octa-Core chipset coupled with 3GB RAM and 32GB internal storage that can be expanded up to 2TB.

LG Q7 Offer

"We are confident that the consumers who are looking for a balanced smartphone with the premium features will find the LG 'Q7' very hard to resist," Advait Vaidya, Business Head- Mobiles, LG India, said in a statement.

The device runs Android Oreo and houses 3,000mAh battery -- equipped with Qualcomm's "Fast Charge" technology.

The smartphone sports 13MP with PDAF rear camera and 8MP front camera. It also comes with an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based...continue reading

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News Source: BS

Sennheiser launches new Bluetooth in-ear headphones "CX 6.00BT" at Rs 7,490

German audio brand Sennheiser on Tuesday launched a new Bluetooth in-ear headphones "CX 6.00BT" at Rs 7,490.

Technology News: German audio brand Sennheiser on Tuesday launched a new Bluetooth in-ear headphones "CX 6.00BT" at Rs 7,490.

Powered by the company's high-quality proprietary speaker system, the CX 6.00BT delivers clear, detailed sound with an enhanced bass response, the company said in a statement.

"Wireless headphones gained momentum last year and this year we expect more consumers to join the wireless movement which we kickstarted," said Kapil Gulati, Director Consumer Segment, Sennheiser.

Sennheiser CX 6.00BT Offer

"Hence, yet again we have created the CX 6.00BT to deliver everything you need to enjoy excellent sound on the go," Gulati added.

The headphones comes with multi-connection capability that enables pairing with up to two devices simultaneously, for example when switching between one's phone and computer.

It has an integrated microphone with cVc noise cancellation technology for crystal clear calls on the go and supports three-way calling....continue reading

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News Source: BS

'Rafale Scam' a direct deal between Modi and failed industrialist: Congress

The Congress also alleged that Modi-led Prime Minister's Office (PMO) connived to help jeweller Mehul Choksi escape from India.

Latest News: The Congress party accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of behaving like a 'medieval monarch' in getting a failed Indian industrialist the contract to manufacture Rafale fighter jets. The Congress also alleged that Modi-led Prime Minister's Office (PMO) connived to help jeweller Mehul Choksi escape from India.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was yet to react to these allegations at the time of filing of this report. Congress spokesperson S Jaipal Reddy, who heads the subgroup of the party to study the Rafale fighter jet deal, alleged that the 'Rafale scam' was a 'direct deal between PM Modi and the industrialist', whose only distinction is that he has 'spectacularly failed as an industrialist'.

What is Rafale Deal Controversy

Over the past few days, Congress party leaders have fanned out across the country to hold press conferences on the 'Rafale Scam'. Reddy alleged that since Modi announced the deal in Paris, and in the spirit of 17th century French monarch Louis XIV, who famously said 'I am the State', the Indian PM also behaved like a 'medieval monarch' to ignore all defence procurement procedures to snatch away the Rafale deal from the public sector Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) to gift it to a particular industrialist with no experience in defence manufacturing.

Reddy said the price negotiation committee was not consulted, the cabinet committee on security was not consulted. “We do not know whether the Air Force was consulted?” Reddy asked. On the argument that the French have supported India on crucial junctures and the deal was a strategic decision, Reddy said it was a global tender to purchase the fighter jets and the price and specifications are the only concern. “We don’t mix foreign relations with financial decisions. That only monarch can, prime ministers cannot. The PM is accountable to Parliament. He can be summoned...continue reading

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News Source: BS

Bhima Koregaon Case: Police searches houses of activists for Maoist links

The raids were carried out as part of the probe into the violence at Maharashtra's Koregaon Bhima village following an event held in Pune last year.

Latest News: Pune Police conducted searches at the residences of prominent activists across the country for their suspected Maoist links, a senior police officer said.

The raids were carried out as part of the probe into the violence at Maharashtra's Koregaon Bhima village following an event held in Pune last year, he said.

Searches are being carried out at the homes of Left wing activist and poet Varavara Rao in Hyderabad, activists Vernon Gonzalves and Arun Ferreira in Mumbai, trade union activist Sudha Bhardwaj in Chhattisgarh and civil liberties activist Gautam Navalakha, who lives in Delhi, he said.

Bhima Koregaon Raids

Rao's name had cropped up in a letter seized by the police during searches at the premises of one of the five people arrested in June in connection with the Elgar Parishad event on December 31 last year to commemorate 200 years of the Koregaon Bhima battle in 1818.

In June, five people were arrested for having close Maoist links after they allegedly made "provocative" speeches at the event, triggering violence at Koregaon Bhima village in the district, according to an FIR registered at the....continue reading

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News Source: BS

Accident Pics: NTR's son, TDP leader Nandamuri Harikrishna dies in road accident in Telangana

NTR's son Nandamuri Harikrishna, the son of former Andhra Pradesh CM NT Rama Rao (NTR), was driving an Toyota Fortuner in high speed.

Nandamuri Harikrishna, the son of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister NT Rama Rao, died today in a road accident in Telangana. N Harikrishna, 61, was a former parliamentarian and an actor.

The accident took place around 6:30 am in Nalgonda, 100 km from Hyderabad.

Harikrishna was the fourth son of late former Andhra Pradesh chief minister and TDP founder NT Rama Rao and brother-in-law of incumbent state Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

Harikrishna had received multiple injuries. He died while undergoing treatment at the Kamineni hospital in Narkeptally.

According to the police, the accident took place at the Anaparthy highway, 100 km away from Hyderabad, when the former's parliamentarian's car turned turtle after the person on the driving seat lost control over the vehicle.

Political Background:

• N Harikrishna, 61, was the son of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) founder and former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao. He was also the brother-in-law of present Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu. In the early 90s, when TDP was going through internal fluctuation, Harikrishna played a crucial road in getting the party back on track. He was also a Minister in Naidu's cabinet and later also served as a Member of Parliament.

Nandamuri Harikrishna is survived by his wife, two sons, and a daughter. From his first wife, he had two sons, Janaki Ram and Kalyan Ram, and a daughter Suhasini. From his second wife, he had a son Taraka Ram who was later renamed by his father Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao (NTR) as Nandamuri Taraka Rama Rao Jr (NTR Jr). Both Kalyan Ram and NTR Jr are successful actors in the Telugu film fraternity.

Full updates → Nandamuri Harikrishna

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Cashback, Buyback, more: Know Oppo Realme 2 (Price, Specs and Offer)

However, compared to predecessor, it would feature a new format screen, better internals and an improved camera module.

Technology News: Realme, a sub-brand of Chinese smartphone manufacturer Oppo is launching the second iteration of its value-for-money smartphone in India today ( August 28). Named the Realme 2, the smartphone would have a gradient design, similar to the first-generation device. However, compared to the predecessor, the upcoming smartphone will feature a new format screen, better internals and an improved camera module, according to a device listing page on the e-commerce platform Flipkart.

Realme 2 Offer

The Realme 2 would sport a 6.2-inch HD+ resolution screen with a notch, accommodating a front camera, earpiece and sensors. On the back, the phone would get a dual camera module placed horizontally on top left centre, along with an LED flash. The back would also feature a fingerprint sensor, which was missing in the predecessor.

However, like the predecessor, the Realme 2 would feature a diamond-shaped gradient design on the back and on the frame.

Oppo Realme 2 Offer

In terms of specifications, the Realme 2 would be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor. However, there is no confirmation on the details of processor and RAM/ROM configurations. Imaging would be taken care of by a dual-camera module on the back that is expected to feature a 13-megapixel primary sensor, mated with a 2MP depth-sensing lens for bokeh and portrait shots. Selfie camera is expected to feature an 8MP lens of f/2.0 aperture size. Powering the smartphone would be a 4,230 mAh battery.

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News Source: BS

NotPetya: How a Russian malware created the world's worst cyberattack ever

NotPetya malware spread like wildfire across the world, eating into every electronic equipment, computers, extracting data and demanding exorbitant amounts for recovery in form of Bitcoins.

Technology News: Imagine you wake up one day for work and realise that the IT hub in the office is acting fishy. All your colleagues, donning sharp suits, carrying compact laptops and tablets in one hand, a flask of coffee on the other, head to their desks for the day's operations to begin, only to find out that their files, both official and personal, are being "encrypted".

A daunting idea, isn't it? And what if these files in your C drive are mysteriously being repaired or, maybe in a more surreal way, you are being ordered to pay a sum of $300 worth of bitcoin to decrypt the files -- all this is not just a wicked idea, but this is what happened at the time when the most devastating cyberattack took place in today's history.

What is NotPetya Malware

"For the past four and a half years, Ukraine has been locked in a grinding, undeclared war with Russia that has killed more than 10,000 Ukrainians and displaced millions more. The conflict has also seen Ukraine become a scorched-earth testing ground for Russian cyberwar tactics. In 2015 and 2016, while the Kremlin-linked hackers known as Fancy Bear were busy breaking into the US Democratic National Committee’s servers, another group of agents known as Sandworm was hacking into dozens of Ukrainian governmental organisations and companies. They penetrated the networks of victims ranging from media outlets to railway firms, detonating logic bombs that destroyed terabytes of data."

In this conflict between the two nations, the Russian hackers, in June 2017 came out with one of the most devastating cybersecurity breaches to attack networks of victims via encrypted code, ranging from media outlets to railway firms, detonating logic bombs that destroyed terabytes of data. This idea of destruction gave birth to NotPetya, a much bigger threat to the world than the infamous Wannacry malware.

How to recognise NotPetya Malware

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News Source: BS

 

New iPhone to stick with iPhone X design, have new colors, bigger screens

Perhaps the most significant phone will be a new, cheaper device destined to replace the iPhone 8.

Technology News: Apple Inc is not only doubling down on the iPhone X, it's tripling down.

The world's most valuable company plans to launch three new iPhones soon that keep the edge-to-edge screen design of last year's flagship, according to people familiar with the matter. The devices will boast a wider range of prices, features and sizes to increase their appeal, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing unannounced products.

However, none of the three iPhones will be wholly new designs like the iPhone X was last year or the iPhone 6 in 2014, with some inside Apple labelling the launch as an "S year", a designation the company has given to new handsets that retain the previous design but add new internal features. The company is planning more significant changes for next year, they added.

The iPhone X wasn't as big a hit as some Wall Street analysts hoped for before it was released last November. However, it still sold strongly and helped Apple gain share in a smartphone market that has almost stopped growing.

The upcoming iPhone, planned to be unveiled in September, show the company is adjusting its strategy. Rather than luring millions of new iPhone users, Apple's goal these days is to steadily raise average prices, while expanding the total number of active devices to support sales of accessories and digital services like streaming music and video.

There'll be a new high-end iPhone, internally dubbed D33, with a display that measures about 6.5-inch diagonally, according to the people familiar with the matter. That would make it the largest iPhone by far and one of the biggest mainstream phones on the market. It will continue to have a glass back with stainless steel edges and dual cameras on the back. The big difference on the software side will be the ability to view content side-by-side in apps like Mail and Calendar. It will be Apple's second phone with a crisper organic light-emitting diode, or...continue reading

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News Source: BS

Nokia 6.1 Plus Review: Sleek design, smooth performance at affordable price

The Nokia 6.1 Plus is one of the most balanced budget midrange smartphone. It ticks almost all the right boxes and shows some strength in all areas.

 

Technology News: The Android One smartphone is the first Nokia offering to feature notch screen, along with dual camera module on the back and premium glass design. Priced at Rs 15,999, this edition is cheaper than its predecessor, the Nokia 6.1. In comparison to the predecessor, it also offers better hardware, premium design, bigger screen estate and enhanced camera modules.

Nokia 6.1 Plus Design

• Design wise, the Nokia 6.1 Plus looks plush in its glossy outlook. It features a glass-metal-glass design in a compact form factor, which is easy to hold and operate. The phone is light in weight, which makes it easy to use and carry around in hand or pocket. It is among a few smartphones to have a perfect body size, which is neither big nor small. Granular detailing in design such as silver accent lining around keys and fingerprint sensor also accentuates its overall premium appeal.

Nokia 6.1 Plus Display

• The phone sports a 5.8-inch fullHD+ notch-based screen stretched in 19:9 aspect ratio. The screen is covered with curved Gorilla Glass 3 for protection against accidental scratches. Though the protective glass is not from Corning’s latest breed, it is still sturdy and protects the screen surface from day to day damage from coins, keys and other pointed items.
• In terms of display quality, it is a bright unit that makes it legible under bright sunny conditions. However, the contrast ratio and the colour output is not up to the mark. The black looks greyish and the colours show shift in contrast when looked from angles. At times, the touch above the screen also fails to recognise input. It could be a software glitch, but the failed attempt certainly diminishes the phone’s overall utility.

Nokia 6.1 Plus Battery

• The phone is powered by 3,060 mAh battery, which keeps the show going for almost a day. The phone also supports quick charging. However, it still takes almost two hours to fill up a completely exhausted battery to 100 per cent. Importantly, the phone features USB type-C port for charging and data transfer jobs, and features a dedicated 3.5mm audio output port, which is a welcome feature considering the fact that most phones are losing it just to bring down the waist size.

Read the my review → Nokia 6.1 Plus Review

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News Source: BS

Chocapocalypse: No chocolates by 2050?

No more chocolate by 2050? Several articles have pointed recently that we are heading to a major chocolate crisis.

Consumption is mainly driven by perceived health benefits such as anti-aging, antioxidant effects, stress relieve, blood pressure regulation and others.

So where are the biggest chocoholics located? Traditionally, more than half of all chocolate produced is eaten in Western Europe and North America. Country with the “sweetest tooth” in the world is Switzerland, with more than 8kg per capita of chocolate consumed in 2017.

Rapid urbanization, growing middle class and changing consumer tastes have triggered increasing appetite for chocolate. But things are changing as new trends like “coffee culture” emerge, affecting ways chocolate is used and consumed.

Yet chocolate producers are struggling.

Endangered Chocolate Production

Yet chocolate producers are struggling. Cocoa, the delicate plant behind chocolate needs humid tropical climates and shades of rainforests, which limits areas where you can grow it. Leading regions are found in West Africa, with Ivory Coast and Ghana alone contributing to more than 50% of the entire world’s production.

However, as a result of global warming, cocoa cultivation in these areas is expected to literally move uphill to maintain optimal growing conditions. The challenge remains in the limited areas of land available, as many of these locations are currently banned from cultivation or might not be suitable for it.

Contagion and Alternative products

Enemies of cocoa trees come in different shapes and sizes, two being disease and pests. Estimates indicate that these nuisances cause yearly losses of 30% to 40% of the total global cocoa production.

In June of this year, Ivory Coast announced it will have to take out an entire cocoa plantation of 100,000 hectares contaminated by swollen-shoot plant virus to stop it from spreading further. It will take at least five years before the area can be it replanted again.

As a result of “natural” hazards coupled with price fluctuations, cocoa farmers consider switching to alternatives potentially more profitable and easier to produce.

Indonesia, the world’s third largest cocoa producer, experienced declining cocoa output since 2010 due to poor weather and ageing cocoa trees. Consequently, some farmers shifted production to crops such as corn, rubber or palm oil.

↓↓↓ Read full news here ↓↓↓

Chocapocalypse: No chocolates by 2050?

Airtel Postpaid Offer: Users can now get free 3-month Netflix access, Amazon Gift-card and more

This is the second content partnership Airtel has announced in the country in as many weeks. Last week, it announced a long-term content and distribution partnership with Zee Entertainment Enterprises.

Airtel and Netflix have announced an expansion of their partnership in India through which subscribers of select Airtel Postpaid and V-Fiber home broadband plans will receive a three-month free Netflix subscription. After this, these subscribers will be able to pay for Netflix subscription using their Airtel postpaid or home broadband bill. Existing Netflix subscribers will also be eligible for this gift.

Subscribers not eligible for the gift will be able to sign up to Netflix through Airtel’s applications and pay for their subscription using their Airtel bill.

The telecom operator will announce details of eligible postpaid mobile and home broadband plans over the coming weeks. Netflix and Airtel have also partnered to promote Netflix content through a dedicated row on the Airtel TV app.

Offer Details here → Airtel Netflix Offer

“Partnerships are at the core of Airtel’s DNA and we are delighted to expand our strategic relationship with Netflix. Affordable high-speed data services and growing smart devices have created a massive opportunity, perhaps one of the biggest in the world, for the uptake of content – both local and global. We look forward to working closely with Netflix to leverage this huge potential and continue delighting customers with some amazing offers.”

The expanded partnership adds to the digital content portfolio on Airtel TV, which currently offers over 10,000 movies and shows in addition to more than 375 LIVE TV channels.

Check the Plans here → Airtel Postpaid Plan

 

Diesel at record high of Rs 69.46 a litre, petrol inches towards Rs 78 mark

The increase pushed diesel price to its highest ever level of Rs 69.46 a litre in Delhi. In Mumbai, the fuel now costs Rs 73.74 a litre.

Latest News: Diesel prices today hit a record high of Rs 69.46 per litre while petrol rates inched towards Rs 78 a litre mark after a fall in rupee made imports costlier.

Diesel price was today hiked about 14 paise per litre and petrol by 13 paise, according to price notification of state-owned fuel retailers.

The increase pushed diesel price to its highest ever level of Rs 69.46 a litre in Delhi. In Mumbai, the fuel now costs Rs 73.74 a litre.

Fuel prices in Delhi are the cheapest in all metros and most state capitals due to lower sales tax or VAT. Diesel price had previously hit its highest level on May 29 when it reached Rs 69.31 a litre mark in Delhi.

Petrol and Diesel Price 

Petrol in Delhi today costs Rs 77.91 per litre, and Rs 85.33 in Mumbai. The rates are however lower than the peak hit on May 29 when they touched Rs Rs 78.43 a litre in Delhi and Rs 86.24 in Mumbai.

Fuel prices have been on the rise since August 16 after the rupee dipped to its lowest value against the US dollar. The domestic unit hit a record low of 70.32 in early trade that day.

Petrol price has risen by Rs 0.77 a litre in Delhi in last 12 days. Diesel rates have gone up by Rs...continue reading

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News Source: BS

 

Bank of England tales: The ghost, giant and heroic sewer worker

Over its three centuries, the institution nicknamed the Old Lady of Thread needle Street has built up as many stories as there are gold bars in its vaults.

 

International News: When the Bank of England’s 121st governor takes over from Mark Carney next year, he or she will be reminded that the world’s second-oldest central bank is steeped in history.

From funding wars to a buried giant and a roaming ghost, over its three centuries the institution nicknamed the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street has built up as many stories as there are gold bars in the vault.

The BOE’s first job in July 1694, when it opened its doors at rented premises in the Mercer’s Hall in the City of London, was to raise capital for William and Mary’s war against France. It then moved a couple blocks away to the Grocer’s Hall, where it fended off an upstart South Sea Company, which tried to usurp it as the government’s banker.

When that enterprise’s bubble popped in 1720, the BOE cemented its position as the home of stable money, and in 1734 moved to its legendary address on Threadneedle Street. The BOE bought the neighboring St. Christopher’s church after a group of protesters climbed the steeple during the anti-Catholic Gordon Riots of 1780 and flung missiles into the bank.

It promised to leave the graves of the church undisturbed and refurbished the graveyard as its garden court. At the end of the 18th century, the garden would once again serve to bury the dead when a giant was laid to rest.

At 6 foot, 7.5 inches (202 cm), William Jenkins was a hulk at a time when the average man was 5 foot 7.

Sickly in the last weeks of his life, the bank teller developed a crippling fear that body snatchers might dig him up and sell his corpse to medical practitioners eager to inspect and display it. This was a rational fear in 1798 — the going rate for a corpse of that size was 200 guineas — about 25,000 pounds ($32,000) in today’s money.

Read full story → Bank of England Tales

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News Source: BS

RCom completes sale of fibre assets to Reliance Jio for Rs 30 billion

Last year, Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Communications signed a pact with Reliance Jio for sale of wireless spectrum, tower, fibre and MCN assets.

Reliance Communications said it has completed sale of its fibre assets and related infrastructure assets, worth Rs 30 billion, to Mukesh Ambani-backed Reliance Jio Infocomm (RJIO).

"With successful completion of the fibre monetisation transaction, 1,78,000 kilometers fibre stand transferred to RJIO," Reliance Communications said in a BSE filing.

Last week, Reliance Communications had completed the planned sale of its media convergence nodes (MCNs) and related infrastructure assets, worth Rs 20 billion, Reliance Jio Infocomm.

Earlier this month, Reliance Communications had reinstated bank guarantees worth Rs 7.74 billion with the telecom department ahead of the timeline set by the telecom tribunal, and had said that its Rs 250 billion asset sale plans were "on track".

Last year, Anil Ambani-owned Reliance Communications signed a pact with Reliance Jio for sale of wireless spectrum, tower, fibre and MCN assets - the proceeds of which were to be used to reduce debt.

The deal announced in December 2017, packed in 122.4 MHz of 4G spectrum in the 800/900/1800/2100 MHz bands, over 43,000 towers, 1,78,000 kilometres of fibre and 248 media convergence nodes. The nodes' sale concluded today represents the initial tranche of the planned, larger deal.

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News Source: BS

Florida Shooting: Four killed, including gunman at a video game tournament

The police said a mass shooting led to multiple fatalities and warned people to stay 'many blocks' away.

 

Florida Shooting News: Four people were killed in a shooting on Sunday in a mall in Jacksonville, Florida, media reports said. Eleven people were wounded by the gunfire, of whom four have died, Efe reported.

"There were three deceased individuals at the scene, one of those being the suspect, who took his own life," Sheriff Mike Williams told a news conference yesterday, naming the suspect as 24-year-old David Katz from Baltimore, Maryland.

The police said a mass shooting led to multiple fatalities and warned people to stay "many blocks" away.

The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office said on Twitter that the shooting took place in Jacksonville Landing, a downtown market place, and warned everyone to stay "many blocks" away from the area, as the area "is not safe at this time".

While local law enforcement authorities have released no specific figures, they are speaking of "multiple" fatalities at the Jacksonville Landing mall, including many people taken to hospitals in the area.
"Mass shooting at the Jacksonville Landing. Stay far away from the area. The area is not safe at this time. STAY AWAY" said the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office on its Twitter account, adding in another tweet "Multiple fatalities at the scene, many transported".
SWAT teams made a sweep of the area to rescue people who had hidden in the shops within the mall when the gunfire broke out.
Law enforcement also took to the social networks to ask people who were in hiding at the mall to remain under cover and "calm" until officers could find them.

At the press conference, Williams also said that the sweep of the mall by law enforcement had concluded and that no further victims or witnesses had been found, adding that within a few hours additional details would be provided to the media on the case.

The Jacksonville Landing mall is a popular shopping center with about 20 restaurants and some 70 stores that are visited each year by many thousands of local residents and tourists.

Read Full Updates on → Florida Shooting

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News Source: BS

Bollywood cherishes brother-sister bond on 'Raksha Bandhan'

As the entire nation celebrates the festival of 'Raksha Bandhan' on Sunday to cherish brother-sister bond, B-town celebrities also poured their hearts out on social media by posting messages for their siblings.



Here are some lovely messages from the B-town sisters for their brothers.


Bollywood diva and global icon Priyanka Chopra took to Instagram to express her love for brother Siddharth Chopra saying "it is hard to imagine a life without him".



Actor turned-interior decorator Twinkle Khanna, who is known for her wittiness, shared a wonderful message for all the brothers out there.


She wrote, "This Rakhi let's do it the amphibian way -'The helpless woman who needs Raksha is a creature of the past. What she needs is support not protection, and not just from her brothers but sisters are well'

Another actress Rakul Preet Singh expressed her love for her 'brat' brother and wrote, "Happppy Rakhi my brat!! Protect me, listen to me, get me amazing gifts ( il send u a list ) ???? ... first rakhi that v aren't together but I love u the most ?? @jap_aman"

Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat too shared a sweet message for her brother and thanked him for being her 'strength' in times of need.



Newlywed Sonam Kapoor also made an adorable post for her brothers and wrote, "To my brothers a very very happy Rakhee... I'm so thankful to have all of you in my life.. love you all a lot! And sorry I'm not there today to tie you rakhee.. your favourite sister, Sonam Also @jahaankapoor26 you're the best! "

More Bollywood Raksha Bandhan Specials

Rahul Gandhi slams mob lynchings and attacks on Dalits; BJP hits back

Rahul Gandhi said the Modi government believed that tribals, poor farmers, Dalits, minorities and people from other lower castes should not get the same benefits that the elite of India does.

Latest News: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said mob lynchings and attacks on Dalits and minorities reflected the anger that currently pervaded India’s society because of growing joblessness and the Narendra Modi government taking away protections provided to the country’s poor. He said the Modi government’s demonetisation and poorly implemented goods and services tax (GST) have destroyed the informal economy and killed jobs in the small and medium businesses, which contributed to this anger.

Addressing a gathering at the Bucerius Summer School at Hamburg in Germany, of which Rahul Gandhi is an alumnus, the Congress president pointed to the example of the rise of the Islamic State, in Iraq and Syria to caution that excluding a large number of people from the development process could lead to creation of insurgent groups anywhere in the world.

Also Read: Rahul Gandhi Germany Speech

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) picked on Rahul Gandhi’s comments to allege the Congress chief was not only belittling and insulting India abroad, but also justifying terrorism. BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said Rahul “lied through his teeth” in his criticism of the Modi government. Patra asked whether Gandhi's submission was that minorities in India would “sell their soul” to IS if jobs are not available for them, and this amounted to “denigrating” the community. The BJP spokesperson said he wondered whether the data on job growth was “made in 10, Janpath”.

Rahul Gandhi said the Modi government believed that tribals, poor farmers, Dalits, minorities and people from other lower castes should not get the same benefits that the elite of India does. He said unleashing of demonetisation and faulty implementation of GST killed jobs that the poor used to get, and the accompanying weakening of "protections" has “made India angry”, and...continue reading

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News Source: BS

Rahul Gandhi's Germany speech not broadcast live due to tech glitch

Gandhi's address was to be aired via a YouTube link, starting 9:30 pm IST, which was later rescheduled to start from 10:30 pm IST.

 

Latest News: Congress president Rahul Gandhi's address to the Indian Overseas Congress in Berlin in Germany Thursday could not be aired 'live' due to a technical glitch, the party said.

Gandhi's address was to be aired via a YouTube link, starting 9:30 pm IST, which was later rescheduled to start from 10:30 pm IST.

The address, however, could not be aired 'live' and the Congress party cited a technical glitch as the reason for it.

Gandhi is on a five-day tour to Germany and the UK.

Also Read: Rahul Gandhi slams mob lynchings and attacks on Dalits

On Thursday night, he had addressed a gathering at the Bucerius Summer School in Hamburg, Germany.

He was to address the Indian Overseas Congress Friday night during his two-day stay in Germany.

He heads to London Saturday.

In London, he will address students of London School of Economic tomorrow. And on Saturday, he will address a gathering of the Indian National Overseas Congress.

Rahul Gandhi Germany Speech

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News Source: BS

Nokia launches Nokia 6.1 Plus at Rs 15,999, announces Nokia 5.1 Plus

The Nokia 5.1 Plus, on the other hand, will go on sale sometime in September.

Technology News: HMD Global, a Finnish mobile phone manufacturer and an official licensee of Nokia-branded phones, on Tuesday (August 21) announced the launch of Nokia 6.1 Plus and Nokia 5.1 Plus in India. These are the first Nokia-branded smartphones in India to feature notch-based screen. The Nokia 6.1 Plus is priced at Rs 15,999 and will be available exclusively on Flipkart and Nokia online store from August 30. The Nokia 5.1 Plus, on the other hand, will go on sale at the homegrown e-commerce platform sometime in September and the price would be announced closer to the sale date. Both smartphones come in three colours --- gloss black, gloss white and gloss midnight blue.

Nokia 6.1 Plus Features

The Nokia 6.1 Plus sports a 5.8-inch fullHD+ screen stretched in 19:9 aspect ratio. It features a glass-metal-glass design with curved sides for a slim profile and compact form factor. The phone sports a dual camera set-up on the back featuring a 16-megapixel primary sensor, mated with a 5MP depth-sensing lens. On the front, there is a 16MP sensor for selfies.

The camera modules feature ‘Bothie mode’, which allows a user to take pictures from the front camera and back camera simultaneously. Both the cameras support auto HDR, along with bokeh mode, beauty mode, portrait mode and manual mode. Both the front and back camera modules also feature artificial intelligence enhancements such as facial recognition for animated masks/stickers and filters.

The Nokia 6.1 Plus is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 system-on-chip (SoC), mated with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage, expandable up to 400GB via microSD card. As part of Android One family, it comes with guaranteed two years of Android upgrades and three years of monthly security updates.

Also Know → Nokia 5.1 Plus Features

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News Source: BS

ASUS ZenBook Pro 15 UX580: Intriguing ScreenPad, superior performance (Tech Review)

A major highlight at Computex in Taipei this year was Taiwanese tech major ASUS' ZenBook Pro 15 UX580 - the main attraction of which is a ScreenPad that is essentially a touchpad composed of an LCD touchscreen placed beneath its trackpad.

Technology News: A major highlight at Computex in Taipei this year was Taiwanese tech major ASUS' ZenBook Pro 15 UX580 -- the main attraction of which is a ScreenPad that is essentially a touchpad composed of an LCD touchscreen placed beneath its trackpad.

The concept is inspired by the Touch Bar that we saw on Apple MacBook Pro back in 2016 and can also be used as a mini secondary monitor for multi-tasking.

The notebook comes with powerful internals such as 8th-generation Intel Core i9-8950HK hexa-core processor, NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti graphics, 16GB DDR4 RAM and 1TB storage and the company is touting it as a professional-grade laptop that promises superior performance.

ASUS ZenBook Pro 15 UX580 Features

Carrying forward the legacy of ASUS ZenBook series, the ZenBook Pro 15 UX580's design is not much of a change from the previous iterations.

That being said, the device does have a few tweaks such as the color variant. The ZenBook Pro has been introduced in a "Deep Dive Blue" with rose gold trimmings that looked tasteful.

The inside of the device has a beautiful brushed metal finish, which handled smudges and fingerprints well.

Know more → ASUS ZenBook Pro 15 UX580

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News Source: BS

Facebook deletes 652 fake accounts and pages targeting world politics

According to Facebook, some of the fake Pages, groups and accounts originated in Iran and some in Russia.

International News: Facebook has removed 652 fake accounts for "coordinated inauthentic behavior" that originated in Iran and Russia and targeted people across multiple Internet services in the Middle East, Latin America, Britain and the US.

According to Facebook, some of the fake Pages, groups and accounts originated in Iran and some in Russia.

These sanctions allow companies to provide people Internet services for personal communications, including the government and its affiliates.

"But Facebook takes steps to prevent people in Iran and other sanctioned countries from using our ad tools," said Gleicher.

Also Read: Whatsapp Fake News Controversy

Facebook also removed Pages, groups and accounts that can be linked to sources the US government has previously identified as Russian military intelligence services.

"While these are some of the same bad actors we removed for cybersecurity attacks before the 2016 US election, this more recent activity focused on politics in Syria and Ukraine," Facebook said.

For example, these accounts are associated with Inside Syria Media Centre, which the Atlantic Council and other organisations have identified for covertly spreading pro-Russian and pro-Assad content.

Read Full Story → Facebook Deletes Fake Accounts

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News Source: BS