Family refuses to stand for national anthem, forced to leave theatre.

Family refuses to stand for national anthem, forced to leave theatre

 

A family of four members was forced to leave a cinema hall after they refused to stand up when the national anthem was played just before the movie's screening. A video, which has gone viral both on YouTube and on microblogging site Twitter, shows some people arguing with the man who refused to stand when the national anthem was played. Some reports said the incident took place in a cinema hall in Kurla, Mumbai. Initially, the man refused to stand up saying that he didn't want to stand, but later changed his statement to say that he had a problem with his knee. Even as he is arguing with the rest of the audience, a woman is seen trying to pacify the agitated crowd. "India mein rahke ... national anthem baj rha...bolta main khada nahi hounga (You live in India and when the national anthem is playing you say you won't stand up?)," a man, who was sitting in front of the family, is heard saying. "You just leave the theatre. Come ... just leave," another one is heard saying. "Sir, main aapko achche se bol rha...please chale jayie," someone from the crowd is heard telling the man. The video shows the man trying to pacify the agitated crowd but to no avail. He finally leaves the cinema hall along with his family after an official of the theatre intervened and asked him to leave. In the video, people can be heard cheering and clapping when the family leaves the hall. The movie didn't start till the family left the hall. What law states From the "Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971" Section 3: PREVENTION OF SINGING OF NATIONAL ANTHEM "Whoever intentionally prevents the singing of the Indian National Anthem or causes disturbances to any assembly engaged in such singing shall be punished with imprisonment for a term, which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both." 

Further lets hope & pray that public don't bring the religion in this matter,disrespecting the National anthem & National flag shouldn't be tolerated. Cheers to the guys who respectfully made those people go out of  theatre. Its duty of every Indian to respect National Anthem & stand together for it, irrespective of its caste & creed.

Jai Hind!!

Alert Indians! Your passport might be cancelled post this Diwali!!😵😱

Alert Indians! Your passport might be cancelled post this Diwali

 

Wed, 11 Nov 10:35 am

Bengaluru, Nov 11: Do you have a passport? Then check it and take necessary steps as your passport might be cancelled soon post this Diwali.

Passport Seva Kendra earlier had issued a notice which stated that Indians, who are holding handwritten passports, will have to apply for a new one.

All handwritten passports will be invalid after Nov 25, 2015. Residents of the country, even though they are staying abroad, need to re-issue their passport if they are holding handwritten passport.

Those whose passports with 20-year validity extend beyond Nov 25, 2015, will also have to renew their passports. 

Such handwritten passports were issued til 2001. People having handwritten passports will not be given visas as such passports are being phased out in many countries across the world.

Countries, which come under International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), will not issue visas to those Indian residents who are holding handwritten passports.

OneIndia News

Source: www.oneindia.com

You are paying more tax on petrol than its actual cost of Rs.27.24 per litre.

You are paying more tax on petrol than its actual cost of Rs.27.24 per litre

 

New Delhi: With excise duty being hike five times in a year, taxes and duties now exceeded the actual cost of production of petrol.

As much as Rs 31.20 in the retail price of Rs 60.70 a litre of petrol in Delhi is because of central and excise duties.

Based on average cost of gasoline and foreign exchange rate during the second half of October, it costs Rs 24.75 to produce a litre of petrol at refineries, industry officials said.

After adding company margin and other costs, the price charged to a petrol pump dealer is Rs 27.24 per litre. On this price is added Rs 19.06 of excise duty that the Centre collects and a dealer commission of Rs 2.26 per litre. VAT or sales tax makes up for Rs 12.14 in the price of Rs 60.70 per litre in Delhi.

Similarly, a litre of diesel at the petrol pump costs Rs 45.93 but its cost for a refinery is just Rs 24.86. After adding margin, oil companies transfer it to retail petrol pumps for Rs 27.05, officials said.

To this is added an excise duty of Rs 10.66 per litre and a dealer commission of Rs 1.43 a litre. VAT in Delhi adds another Rs 6.79 to take the retail selling price to Rs 45.93.

The government had from November 7 raised excise duty on petrol by Rs 1.60 per litre and on diesel by 40 paise. The oil companies did not pass on this duty hike to consumers and absorbed all of it at the cost of their margin.

The increase in excise duty on the fuels is likely to yield an additional revenue of about Rs 3,200 crore to the government during the rest of the current fiscal.

The government had collected Rs 99,184 crore in excise collections from the petroleum sector in 2014-15. This was Rs 33,042 crore in the first quarter of current fiscal.

The basic excise duty on unbranded or normal petrol was increased from Rs 5.46 per litre to Rs 7.06 a litre, according to a CBEC notification.

After including additional and special excise duty, the total levy on petrol will be Rs 19.06 per litre as against Rs 17.46 at present. Similarly, on unbranded or normal diesel, excise duty has been increased from Rs 4.26 per litre to Rs 4.66 a litre. After including special excise duty, total incidence of excise duty on diesel will be Rs 10.66 per litre as against Rs 10.26 now.

The government had previously, in four instalments, raised excise duty on petrol and diesel between November 2014 and January 2015 to take away the reduction in retail rates that was warranted from falling international oil prices.

The four excise duty hikes during this period totalled Rs 7.75 per litre on petrol and Rs 6.50 a litre on diesel. It led to about Rs 20,000 crore in additional revenue to the government, helping it meet its fiscal deficit target.

Tax on petrol and diesel was first raised by Rs 1.50 a litre each from November 12, 2014.

Then again, from December 2, 2014, the excise duty on petrol was raised by Rs 2.25 per litre and by Re 1 on diesel. This was followed by government hiking excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 2 per litre each from January 2, 2015 and a similar proportion from January 16, 2015.

5 whacky pickup trucks at 2015 SEMA!!

The rather pointlessly large American cars do have some benefits, extension of these are the extra-large pickup trucks that can carry a lot of cargo apart from looking super cool. There were a variety of pickups on display at the ongoing SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Show in Las Vegas; unfortunately none of these will ever turn up in India anytime soon. So here is a photo gallery to give you a glimpse of what we are missing out on:
 
Nissan Titan XD
Nissan and Cummins have come together to set a land-speed record with this Titan XD diesel pickup truck. The project is named Project Triple Nickel and involves modifying this machine for performance. Under the hood is the 5.0-litre V8, producing 752Nm of torque and then there are tweaks to the body for better aerodynamics. The current record in D/DT class where the Titan intends to compete is 307Km and that is one hell of a number to beat.
 
Jeep Wrangler Red Rock Concept
This one tried to make an even more hardcore off roader out of a machine that already has respectable abilities. The mechanical changes to this Jeep include two-inch lift kit, electronic locking differential, rock-trac transfer case and solid axles at the front and rear. The concept also looks a lot different with special badging, unique colour and the exquisite interiors. Jeep has no plans of putting this to production, but might use few of its parts in the special edition models coming next year.
 
Chevrolet Colorado Z71
With the typical Chevy looks, the Colorado pickup has always been a looker. This one just takes it to the next level by adding a few accessories and performance parts that make it look a lot meaner. It gets racing stripes and red-black colour combination across the body and to improve utility there is a bar at the rear with LED auxiliary lighting.
 
Honda Baja Ridgeline race truck
This one is purpose-built to race in the Baja 1000 and that means this will take any sort of beating and live to talk about it. It has a tubular frame chassis, 3.5-litre twin-turbocharged V6 pumping 550bhp and all the off-road credentials with four-wheel drive and chunky tyres. There will also be a production version of this for the American market in early 2016.
 
Toyota Tundrasine
Need a vehicle that hauls all your business cargo through the day and then doubles up as your luxury party car in the evening? Toyota has just the right car for you, the Tundrasine pickup. Based on the 1974 Tundrasine 4x4 CrewMax, this concept has been stretched to 26 feet. Needless to say, the cabin is luxurious with leather and wood trims, and the photo shows there is still some space at the back for a live band. Only problem, it weighs 3,610 kilograms and that means it will not go into production (ever).

5 cool imports at SEMA 2015!

Americans are largely patriotic when it comes to cars. They love their Dodges and their Chevys and if you talk about performance they have the Corvettes and the Ford GT. But then, there is a huge cult following for imports – the Japanese/Korean cars – that can be tuned to glory.

We find some interesting cars with Asian roots at the Speciality Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show 2015 in Vegas that are either ridiculously beautiful or are all ready to wrestle with the American cars.

1. Honda HR-V

 For a car that starts as a humble daily crossover, the Tjin Edition of the Honda HR-V is as mad as it can get. The rich pink hue would make any girl go weak in her knees. I am not sure if a lot of guys would get this paint-job but the custom wide-body kit with deep-dish alloys in gold would have them sold on it.

2. Nissan GT-R NISMO N Attack

 

  If you thought 7:08:679 was not fast enough around the ‘Ring, the Americans can now have the N Attack package that will make the ‘Godzilla’ meaner and faster across any piece of tarmac you could throw at it.

3. Kia A1a Optima 

 If there has been something that has been built keeping America in mind, it is this car – the Kia A1A Optima. Inspired by the highway that runs across Florida, this Kia - based on a sedan – has been chopped into a convertible with suicide rear doors and painted in a bright shade of turquoise blue.

4. Genesis Coupe

So Tjin has been working overtime for the SEMA and we are not complaining. This time it’s a Genesis Coupe that does not only look fast. The V6 has been tricked out using a Bisimoto supercharger to boost it to more than 500bhp. Painted in green this coupe will certainly grab eyeballs.

5. Mazda MX-5 Speedster

If you love the Jaguar F-type project  but can’t afford it, Mazda has built one for us. The MX-5 Speedster looks fabulously beautiful especially in this shade of blue. It is powered by a 2.0-litre inline four engine and if you think it is not going to be fun, you should get behind the wheel of an MX-5 right away. 

LIVE: PM Narednra Modi announces Rs 80,000 crore special package for J&K.

LIVE: PM Narednra Modi announces Rs 80,000 crore special package for J&K

 

Sat, 7 Nov 12:39 pm

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is addressing a public meeting at a stadium in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. It is his fourth visit to the state after the NDA was voted to power at the Centre.

PM Modi will also inaugurate the 450 MW Baglihar hydro electric project (state II) and address another gathering as he lays the foundation stone for the four-laning of the Udhampur-Ramban and Ramban-Banihal section of National Highway 44.

Here are the live updates from PM Modi's J&K visit:

# PM Modi ends his speech with a vision for a New Kashmir, stronger Kashmir

# Narendra Modi announces 80,000 crore development project for J&K

# PM Modi pushes for IIMs and IITs to ensure global education standard in India

# A state which has given us Parvez Rasool should it not hold a international cricket match.Why not?: PM in Srinagar

# Kashmiriyat ke bina pura Hindustan adhoora hai, sirf Kashmir nahi: PM Modi

# Support shouldn't stop only at providing relief funds for all the losses incurred during the Kashmir floods: PM Modi at Srinagar rally

I have seen in my life no matter how big the challenges are, they can be overcome- PM Modi

- ANI (@ANI_news) November 7, 2015

I want to bring back those days when rest of India used to look forward to come and visit Kashmir- PM Modi pic.twitter.com/IIBL0REZZr

- ANI (@ANI_news) November 7, 2015

# PM cites Gujarat model at Srinagar rally, says Gujarat revived after 2002 earthquake in just three years.

All parts of India must develop. Every citizen of India's support & every part's progress is required: PM @narendramodi

- PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 7, 2015

When this land experienced pain, I would also experience pain & I came here, we worked with the then state government: PM @narendramodi

- PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 7, 2015

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

@ANI_news we already voted u to power @PMOIndia then u should be with us !

- Harnishaa Soma (@harnishaa_soma) November 7, 2015

I have got the privilege to visit Jammu and Kashmir so often. This land draws me here: PM @narendramodihttp://t.co/v0l1RVO9uZ

- PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 7, 2015

12.00 am: Prime minister Narendra Modi addresses the rally at Sher-e-Kashmir cricket stadium in Srinagar

11.55 am: Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed urges for good relation with Pakistan.

11.50 am: J&K Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed addressing the rally.

11.40 am: PM reaches Sher-e-Kashmir stadium. PDP President Mehbooba Mufti starts addressing the rally.

11.20 am: PM Modi arrives at Badami Bagh Cantonment, Srinagar

11.00 am:

J&K MLA Engineer Rashid detained by Police for waving black flags ahead of PM Modi's visit to J&K. pic.twitter.com/okYq1sB8Ab

- ANI (@ANI_news) November 7, 2015

10.53 am: J&K MLA Engineer Rashid detained by the police for waving black flags ahead of PM Narendra Modi's visit to the valley.

10. 15 am:

Mobile internet suspended in Srinagar hours before Modi to address a rally.

- mir ehsan (@mirehsankhaliq) November 7, 2015

The police and the CRPF have erected additional checkpoints across the city and on national highway. All the main roads leading towards city have been closed with barbed wire and every vehicle entering into the city is being checked at various spots. The police has been allowing only those vehicles with special security passes to cross. Even ambulances were stopped at various places.

Gold monetisation scheme: Top 5 things to know

Gold monetisation scheme: Top 5 things to know!!

 

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) announced details of the gold monetisation scheme last week and we explain here all that you need to know in 5 quick points. Check them out:

1. There are two gold monetisation schemes at work. In one, people take their physical stocks to a bank and get an interest on this for short-term and long-term schemes. The scheme is available for both jewellery as well as biscuits/bars.

2. The second part of the gold monetisation scheme involves non-physical gold, but the details of that are yet to be announced. The way the scheme is to work, if a person wants to buy Rs 1,00,000 of gold, he goes to a bank and gets a piece of paper acknowledging the bank/government owes him 37 grams of gold; an interest is paid on this and, at the time of maturity, the individual gets back the gold (plus the interest that accrues of this) either in physical form or as cash.

3. Both the gold monetisation schemes are desirable since people will get some returns on their gold - in the non-physical gold bond, there is an added advantage since the country doesn't import gold either.

4. There are some issues, however, with the gold monetisation schemes that still need clearing up. Know-Your-Customer (KYC) will be one and, while it is true there are KYC requirements even for buying physical gold, these are relatively less stringent.

5. The bigger problem with the gold monetisation schemes will be of the lack of liquidity. Right now, RBI is talking of short-term deposits of 1-3 years and longer-term deposits of 5-7 or 12-15 years. Theoretically, this gives investors a large range to choose from. But the key to all investments is liquidity, and that is something that goes away once an investor is locked into any tenure.

Gold languishes at 1 month low; govt launches gold scheme.

Gold remained under immense selling pressure for the fifth consecutive day at the domestic bullion market here today due to sluggish offtake by stockists and retailers in the face of bearish overseas sentiment. 

Elsewhere, silver also plummeted sharply following frantic unwinding by speculative traders. 

Meanwhile Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched three ambitious schemes to reduce the physical demand for gold and fish out 20,000 tonnes of the precious metal worth USD 800 billion lying idle with households.

The Gold Monetisation Scheme (GMS), 2015 will offer option to resident Indians to deposit their precious metal and earn an interest of up to 2.5 percent; while under the Sovereign Gold Bonds Scheme, investors can earn an interest rate of 2.75 percent per annum by buying paper bonds. 

Modi also unveiled the first ever Indian gold coin & bullion, bearing national emblem Ashok Chakra on one side and Mahatma Gandhi's image engraved on the other side. 

Standard gold (99.5 purity) declined by Rs 75 to end at Rs 25,875 per 10 grams from overnight closing level of Rs 25,950.

Pure gold (99.9 purity) also dropped by a similar margin to settle at Rs 26,025 per 10 grams compared to Rs 26,100 on Wednesday. 

Silver (.999 fineness) plunged by Rs 450 per kg to finish at Rs 36,000 against Rs 36,450 earlier. 

On the global front, the yellow-metal continued its downward spiral after Fed Chair Janet Yellen reiterated that a December rate lift-off was possible following robust US macro data as well as a stronger dollar.

Spot was trading marginally lower at USD 1,110 an ounce in early European session, while silver quoted little changed at USD 15.03 an ounce.

IndiGo bars woman in 'short dress' from flight

IndiGo bars woman in 'short dress' from flight!!

A woman passenger was not allowed to board an IndiGo flight from Mumbai to New Delhi on Monday morning as staff members of the private airline found her "inappropriately dressed". According to co-passengers, the woman, who was wearing a dress, missed her flight, though she was accommodated on a later flight after she reportedly changed into trousers.

While IndiGo confirmed the incident, it said the woman was stopped in accordance with a "specific dress code" that applies to its employees and their family members when they travel using the "staff leisure travel privileges" offered by the airline. While the woman is a former IndiGo employee, her brother is a current employee of the airline.

According to a co-passenger, Purabi Das, who was on the same Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Mumbai, the woman was scheduled to catch a connecting flight to New Delhi at 6:20 am. The Qatar Airways flight landed at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport at 2:40 am on Monday.

"While I was waiting for my connecting flight, I heard a commotion and found her (the woman passenger) crying. There were three IndiGo employees who had refused to let her board her flight. They said she was not wearing appropriate clothes," said Das.

"Nobody raised any objection at the Doha airport. She was not indecently dressed. She was wearng a frock that ended above her knee," added Das.

Another passenger, Devyadutt Sahu, alleged that the airline staff told him that he would not be allowed to board his flight if he tried to intervene in the matter. "When we took up the matter with officials at the check-in counter, an employee attempted to harass me, saying my hand luggage was beyond the permissible limit, and that I could carry only one bag for check in," he said.

Later, the woman passenger reportedly changed into trousers. Sahu and Das lodged a complaint with the airline's customer service department, but were reportedly told that the staffers were following protocol.

In an e-mail reply to The Indian Express, IndiGo said the woman passenger was familiar with the policy. "We regret that an IndiGo passenger (who happens to be an ex IndiGo employee and a family member of a current employee) experienced an untoward behaviour at the Mumbai airport. As per the guidelines outlined, employees and the nominated family members are required to maintain a specific dress code, as and when they fly with the airline under the staff leisure travel privileges. Keeping in mind this policy, the Mumbai ground staff followed the protocol to brief this passenger on the dress code policy," said the airline.

The airline said its senior managers in Delhi and Mumbai took the woman's feedback. "This matter will be thoroughly investigated and the staff will be further sensitised via focused learning workshops," it said.

China ends one-child policy

China ends one-child policy

China ended its hugely controversial one-child policy on Thursday, after decades of strict, sometimes brutal enforcement left it with an ageing population and shrinking workforce that has heightened the challenges of slowing economic growth.

All couples will be allowed two children, the official Xinhua news agency reported, citing a communique issued by the ruling Communist Party following a four-day meeting in Beijing. The historic change was, "intended to balance population development and address the challenge of an ageing population", Xinhua said. 

Campaigners welcomed the move, but stressed that a "two-child policy" still meant that China would retain population control mechanisms while demographic changes will take decades to have an effect, and previous loosenings led to fewer extra births than expected. The policy, instituted in the late 1970s, restricted most couples to only a single offspring and for years authorities argued that it was a key contributor to China's economic boom and had prevented 400 million births.

It was enforced by a dedicated national commission with a system of fines for violators and often forced abortions, leading to heartrending tales of loss for would-be parents. But China's population - the world's largest at 1.37 billion - is now ageing rapidly, gender imbalances are severe, and its workforce is shrinking.

The concerns led to limited reforms in 2013, including allowing a second child for some couples in urban areas.

Government plans to introduce Rs 2500 airfare for 1-hr flight.

Government plans to introduce Rs 2500 airfare for 1-hr flight.

 

With an aim to boost the aviation sector and offer more options to people, the government on Friday released the draft of the new Civil Aviation Policy. Incentives to fly to small towns at affordable costs and easing the norms for domestic carriers to operate services abroad are some of the highlights of the new draft. The policy will be finalised after inputs from stakeholders. One of the most people-friendly highlight of the policy is to ensure a tariff of no more than Rs 2,500 per ticket for each flying-hour with a host of incentives. It also mentions various other benefits to both airport developers and operators. According to the draft, Delhi will have two domestic terminals and one international terminal. All international services will have to operate from Terminal 3 of Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport. "A lot of consultation has taken place. We invite suggestions from stakeholders and public, since it involves the people of India. After all those suggestions come in, we will look into it," Civil Aviation Minister Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju said. "The policy will also have a fixed period of existence, so that industry can plan in advance. That is the idea," Raju said while unveiling the new draft. "The basic behind of National Civil Aviation Policy is to take flying to the masses," Civil Aviation Secretary Rajiv Nayan Choubey said, adding that operators will get some doles to fly to smaller towns with incentives linked to fuel prices and inflation. The draft also mentions that the government is contemplating to hike foreign direct investment (FDI) in domestic airlines to over 50 per cent under the open skies policy. 

Miraculous Foods That Prolong Youth

Miraculous Foods That Prolong Youth

 

Most of us wonder how to prolong youth. The beauty of human life totally lies being able to enjoy the pleasures of this planet when the body is healthy.

Healthy Alternatives To Caffeine

But unfortunately age loots us of our strength and vitality. This is why man had been trying hard to find a solution that would restore youth.

How Men Can Solve Their Problems Lifting Heavy

Though there isn't any such solution that can promise your youth back, there are some foods that preserve youth.

These are the foods that prevent ageing. Consuming them regularly helps a lot in preventing the ageing symptoms which may rob your peace.

Why Moving Is Better Than Dieting

Source: www.boldsky.com

Consume fish for 3 reasons. It provides proteins, anti-oxidants and omega 3 fatty acids. Your skin remains youthful and your body will be able to combat inflammation with the help of fish.

Dark Chocolate contains compounds that fight inflammation in your cells. Consume it without crossing the limit.

Cinnamon is good for your skin. It is also anti-inflammatory. In fact, sniffing it can also keep your mind active.

It contains anti-oxidants. In fact, some say that it helps your body flush toxins well.

These seeds which are loaded with omega 3 fatty acids are good for your brain, heart and your skin too.

Some health experts also recommend coconut oil as it can boost your metabolism and can also strengthen your cells.

Consume berries for one good reason- antioxidants. Your body can fight free radical damage easily.

Do you know that tea contains catechins? Well, tea can keep your appetite under control and can boost your metabolism too. But consume it in moderation.

Buy Best Health Insurance Plans 

Revealed! iPhone 6S & 6+ Prices Range From Rs. 62,000 to Rs. 92,000 in India !!!😓😨😨

Revealed! iPhone 6S & 6+ Prices Range From Rs. 62,000 to Rs. 92,000 in India

 

It's just amazing how iPhones are able to sell millions of units Worldwide at the prices they come at - After death of Steve Jobs, many people had thought that iPhone aura will diminish - but that's not happened. The sales of iPhone are setting record after record, even though each and every iteration of iPhone is getting increasingly expensive. According to various media outlets, for the first time, Apple is planning a blockbuster launch for it's newest iPhone 6S and 6 Plus in India. The launch event is expected to happen on October 16th of this month. But the prices of iPhone 6S and 6+ has already been revealed and the cheapest iPhone 6S (16GB) will put you down by Rs. 62,000 - nearly $1000! On the other end the most expensive unit will be iPhone 6 plus 128 GB that will have a price tag of whopping Rs. 92,000 or close to $1450. Here is the price list for all versions: Even though the price of iPhone is so high, Apple expects better sale numbers in India compared to all previous versions. In India, iPhone is just not a smartphone - it is a device that is bought to be flaunted and has the highest "richness" quotient! While, most consumers know that Apple themselves make over $500 profit on each of their phone, people still make a beeline in front of Apple stores worldwide. 

Growing India Importance

It is also for the first time that Apple is forging partnerships with Indian telecom operators well in advance of launch date. Till now, iPhone plans released by operators came out months later from the launch date. Like always, Apple will be offering EMI Schemes, where consumers will need to pay only a small upfront amount and rest can be paid in 12 or 24 month installments. It is expected that iPhone plans will come with bundled data offers or even unlimited data in case of some plans. There is a reason why Apple no more looks at India as a dumping ground for iPhones. For the first time in history, the growth of Apple products, especially iPhones, has been more in India compared with China . For the period between April to June, 2015, iPhones recorded a growth of 93% in India, which more than growth in Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Turkey and China. So, what's your take? Will you buy iPhones at that price? 

India one of worst places to die: UK report

India one of worst places to die: UK report

 

India has been ranked as one of the worst places in the world to die but Kerala was praised for bucking up the trend by providing good end-of-life care, according to an 80-country "quality of death" study. 

The 'Economic Intelligence Unit' (EIU) report found the UK to be the best place in the world in which to die, with developing countries like India at the bottom of the index of 80 countries.

However, it praised Kerala's provision of palliative care for patients with serious illnesses.
"While India ranks at the bottom of the Index in overall score, and performs badly on many indicators, Kerala, if measured on the same points, would buck the trend. With only 3 per cent of India's population, the tiny state provides two-thirds of India's palliative care services," said the 'Quality of Death: Ranking end-of-life care across the world' report.

"Moreover, the state has a formal palliative care policy in place (it is the only Indian state with such a policy) and its government provides funding for community-based care programmes," it said.

Kerala's unique system revolves around the Neighbourhood Network in Palliative Care (NNPC) project, co-founded by Suresh Kumar with the aim of improving both accessibility and quality of end-of-life care.

"There are a lot of medical problems, but there are also a lot of social, spiritual and financial issues-so anybody who has time to spare can, if properly trained, take care of these people," he said.

Palliative care advocates not only in developing countries but also across the world are studying Kerala's potent combination of government support and civic involvement in end-of-life care, the report said.

The bottom ranks of the Quality of Death Index are dominated by developing and BRIC countries, such as India, China, Mexico, Brazil and Uganda, where progress on providing end-of-life care is slow.

Taiwan has the highest rank in Asia, at sixth position. India and China ranked 67th and 71st respectively. 

The upper rungs of the index are dominated by wealthy European, Asia-Pacific and North American countries. Australia is second, New Zealand third and Ireland and Belgium complete the top five. The US is ninth in the index.

"A very strong marker in our index is the availability of specialised palliative care workers and this is where the UK scores particularly well. The other super strong marker is the way that the countries do have a plan for palliative care. That means they are on the dynamic of measuring progress and improving," said Annie Pannelay, EIU's healthcare specialist.

The Quality of Death Index, commissioned by the Lien Foundation, a Singaporean philanthropic organisation, is based on qualitative and quantitative indicators and took interviews of over 120 palliative care experts from around the world. 

Heavy Net use may lead to high BP and weight gain in teens!!

Heavy Net use may lead to high BP and weight gain in teens

 

Teens who spend hours on the Internet may be at risk for high blood pressure and weight gain, researchers say.
Researchers found that teens who spent at least 14 hours a week on the Internet had elevated blood pressure. Of the 134 teens described by researchers as heavy Internet users, 26 had elevated blood pressure.
This is believed to be the first study showing a link between time spent on the Internet and high blood pressure. The findings add to growing research that has shown an association between heavy Internet use and other health risks like addiction, anxiety, depression, obesity and social isolation, researchers said.The study was published in the Journal of School Nursing.

"Using the Internet is part of our daily life but it shouldn't consume us. In our study, teens considered heavy
Internet users were on the Internet an average of 25 hours a week," said Andrea Cassidy-Bushrow, a researcher at Henry Ford's Department of Public Health Sciences.

Muslim man beaten to death over rumours he had eaten beef in India!!!

Mohammad Akhlaq was attacked by around 100 people and despite being taken to hospital, police said "his life could not be saved"

A 50-year-old Muslim man was beaten to death over rumours he had eaten beef, a taboo in India, a Hindu-majority nation.

Mohammad Akhlaq was dragged from his house on the outskirts of the capital and attacked by around 100 people on Monday night, a police officer told AFP.

"When our team reached the spot a crowd was there outside his house. They (police) managed to rescue him and take him to the hospital, but his life could not be saved," said senior police superintendent Kiran S.

Indian police said on Wednesday they had arrested six people and "deployed additional personnel to contain any further repercussions".

Mr Akhlaq's 22-year-old son was also seriously injured in the attack and was in intensive care at a nearby hospital.

Killing cows is banned in many states of India, a majority-Hindu country that also has sizeable Muslim, Christian and Buddhist minorities.

In March, the state of Maharashtra toughened its ban to make even possessing beef illegal, a move seen by religious minorities as a sign of the growing power of hardline Hindus since nationalist prime minister Narendra Modi came to power.

The rumours that the family had eaten beef began when a calf was reported missing in Dadri village, 22 miles from New Delhi.

"An announcement about the family consuming beef was made at a temple, after which the mob descended on the man's house," said Kiran.

The Indian Express quoted Mr Akhlaq's daughter Sajida as saying the family had mutton in the fridge and not beef.

"They accused us of keeping cow meat, broke down our doors and started beating my father and brother. My father was dragged outside and beaten with bricks," she told the daily.

Google Android 6.0 Marshmallow revealed: Check out top 10 points

Google Android 6.0 Marshmallow revealed: Check out top 10 points

 

All you wanted to know about Android 6.0 Marshmallow: Google has launched 2 new smartphones, Google Nexus 6P priced at Rs 39,999 and Nexus 5X at Rs 31,900 in India - available from mid-Oct, but tellingly, loaded it with the latest version of the Android operating system - Android 6.0 Marshmallow. So, if you want to experience the new Android 6.0 Marshmallow, you need to buy these smartphones first. Google had announced the upgrade way back in in May, 2015. So, till then, forget Lollipop, check out the top 10 features (and many sub-features) of Android 6.0 Marshmallow:

1. Contextual Assistance 
* Now on Tap: get assistance without having to leave what you're doing-whether you're in an app or on a website. Just touch and hold the home button.
* Do more with your voice. Now you can have a dialogue with any of your apps that support the new voice interaction service. For example, if a user says "play some music on TuneIn," TuneIn will respond by asking "What genre?".
* Direct Share: a fast and easy way to share to the right person in the right app.

2. Battery 
* Doze: when your device is at rest, Doze automatically puts it into a sleep state to increase your standby battery life.
* App Standby: no more battery drain from seldom used apps; App Standby limits their impact on battery life so your charge lasts longer.
* USB Type C support*: Quickly transfer power and data all through the same cable. Lightning fast charging gives you hours of power in just minutes.

3. Privacy & Security 
* On an Android Marshmallow device, apps designed for Android Marshmallow only ask for permission right when it's needed. You can deny any permission and still continue to use the app.
* Advanced controls to turn permissions on or off for all your installed apps.
* Verified boot: when your Android device boots up, it will warn you if the firmware and Android operating system have been modified from the factory version.
* Use fingerprint sensors* to unlock your device, make purchases in Google Play, authenticate transactions in apps, and pay in stores.

4. Android Runtime ("ART") 
* Improved application performance and lower memory overhead for faster multi-tasking.

5. Productivity 
* Bluetooth' stylus support*, including pressure sensitivity and modifier keys.
* Improved typesetting and text rendering performance.
* Smarter text selection, built-in undo/redo, and text actions closer to your fingers.
* Text selection actions such as a new Translate option that lets you translate text from one language to another right on the spot. (Note: requires Google Translate app installed)
* Save paper with duplex printing support.

6. System usability improvements 
* App links: enables installed apps to automatically handle their web URLs so you can jump right into the app, rather than the mobile web site, as appropriate.
* Easily toggle and configure Do Not Disturb from quick settings.
* If someone calls you twice within 15 minutes, you can choose to allow the call to ring through while Do Not Disturb is enabled.
* Use automatic rules to enable Do Not Disturb for as many custom time blocks as you like or around events on your calendar.
* Simplified volume controls allow you to manage notification, music, and alarm volumes easily from anywhere with the touch of your volume keys.
* Streamlined Settings let you manage an app's settings all in one place, from battery and memory usage, to notifications and permissions controls.
* Google Now Launcher app list refreshed with search, fast alphabetic scrolling, and predictive App Suggestions.

7. Connectivity 
* More power efficient Bluetooth Low Energy ("BLE") scanning for nearby beacons and your accessories.
* Hotspot 2.0: Connect to compatible Wi-Fi networks seamlessly and securely.
* Bluetooth SAP: Make calls from your carphone using your phone's SIM.
* Portable Wi-Fi hotspot now supports 5GHz frequency bands.

8. Expandable storage 
* Flex Storage: makes using SD cards or external storage devices as encrypted expanded storage for your apps and games on Android Marshmallow a whole lot easier.

9. Device setup and migration 
* Easily transfer your accounts, apps and data to a new device.
* During setup, you can add an additional personal or corporate email account (e.g., IMAP)
* Auto backup for Apps: seamless app data backup and restore.
* Backup/restore of additional system settings such as your Sync settings, preferred apps, Do Not Disturb settings, Accessibility settings and enabled IMEs.

10. Android for Work 
* When receiving calls or viewing past messages, you can now see the full work contact details even if you're not logged into your work profile.
* Work status notification: A status bar briefcase icon now appears when you're using an app from the work profile and if the device is unlocked directly to an app in the work profile, an alert is displayed notifying the user.
* VPN apps are now visible in Settings > More > VPN. Additionally, the notifications that VPNs use are now specific to whether that VPN is configured for a work profile or the entire device.

(Text courtesy android.com)

RBI surprises, cuts repo rate by 50 bps; keeps CRR at 4%..

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) lowered the benchmark repo rate by 50 basis points to 6.75 percent, while keeping CRR and SLR unchanged at 4 percent and 21.5 percent, respectively. This marks the fourth repo rate cut by the RBI since January 2015.

However, it has lowered its FY16 GDP growth target to 7.4 percent from 7.6 percent. It also said the focus should now shift to bringing inflation down to 5 percent by FY17-end. The repo rate was last at 6.75 percent in March 2011.

 The focus of monetary action in the near term will now shift towards removing impediments in rate cut transmission by banks, the RBI said. It also intends to work with the government to ensure that banks pass on the bulk of the cumulative 125 basis points cut since January this year.

      "A further monetary policy accommodation will be conditioned by the abating of recent inflationary pressures, the full monsoon outturn, possible Federal Reserve actions and greater transmission of its front-loaded past actions," the RBI press release said.

    Governor Raghuram Rajan said the RBI intends to be as accomodative as possible given its inflation targets and with this 50 basis points rate cut, he has front-loaded action. However, the RBI cautioned that since the third bi-monthly statement of August 2015, global growth has moderated, especially in emerging market economies (EMEs), global trade has deteriorated further and downside risks to growth have increased.

 As far as India is concerned, a tentative economic recovery is underway, but is still far from robust, the RBI statement stated. 

 However, there are a lot of questions on the impact of poor monsoon on inflation. The RBI said looking forward, inflation is likely to go up from September for a few months as favourable base effects reverse. The RBI expects the outlook for food inflation to improve if the increase in sown area translates into higher production.

   "Moderate increases in minimum support prices should keep cereal inflation muted, while subdued international food price inflation should continue to put downward pressure on the prices of sugar and edible oil, and food inflation more generally," RBI said. 

 Rajan also expects pro-active supply-side management by the government. "It is important that pro-active supply-side management by the government be in place to head off any food price pressures should they materialise, especially in respect of onion and pulses.

" RBI said it expects CPI inflation to average around 5.5 percent in October-December and 5.8 percent in January-March 2016 and finally moderate to 4.8 percent in January-March 2017. The RBI has also said that foreign investment cap in government bonds will be relaxed in phases to 5 percent by March 2018. A hike in foreign investment limit in bonds will be announced every March and September.

The foreign investment limits in debt will be fixed in rupee terms. In aggregate terms, this is expected to open up room for additional investment of Rs 1,20,000 crore in the limit for central government securities by March 2018 over and above the existing limit of Rs 1,53,500 crore for all government securities (G-sec). Also, the RBI said Indian corporates can now issue rupee denominated bonds with a minimum maturity of five years at overseas locations within the ceiling of foreign investment permitted in corporate debt (USD 51 billion at present). 

Flipkart Announces Next Big Billion Sale’s Dates!!

BENGALURU: Homegrown e-commerce giant Flipkart has announced the second edition of "Big Billion Sale," to be held between October 13 and 17.An app-only shopping event, Big Billion Days, will offer exciting offers and unbeatable discounts across 70+ product categories for customers to shop from, the company said.
Celebrating the start of festive season, Big Billion Days will be the ultimate shopping event for customers to shop for gifts and other items for friends and family, it said.
Stating that customers can shop across a range of categories during the five-day long shopping festival, Flipkart said Myntra will also be a part of Big Billion Days and will be presenting a curated selection from iconic fashion brands at never-before offers.
Flipkart had last year apologized for the glitches encountered during the 'Big Billion Day' sale, admitting its "failure" in living upto the expectations of its customers.
"India shops the most during this time of the year. With over 75% of traffic coming via mobile, we expect this app only sale to be the biggest shopping event of the year. Bigger and better as compared to last year, we have worked towards ensuring a seamless shopping experience for our customers," Flipkart head of commerce Mukesh Bansal said.
Pointing out that the company has ramped up its technology and supply chain support to ensure all our 50 million customers have the best ever mobile shopping experience, he said "Infact, to cater to the massive customer demand; we have opened new fulfillment centers across the country to guarantee efficient delivery."
"Considering the sale will feature fantastic deals across millions of products in all categories from over 40,000 sellers, our aim is to give our consumers nothing less than 5 days to shop to their hearts content," he added... 

Mumbai Central will be the first to offer Google's WiFi services.

Mumbai Central will be the first to offer Google's WiFi services

The Mumbai Central railway station will be the first to offer Google's Wi-Fi services. The station's Wi-Fi service is expected to be ready for public use by mid-October. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced during his visit to Google's headquarters that the company will be collaborating with the Indian Railways to offer free Wi-Fi services at 500 stations by next year. 

Google will be partnering with RailTel Corporation of India to offer Wi-Fi services in stations. The service would be free for the first 30 minutes for a 24 hour period. RailTel has stated that it will be a high-speed network. It also claims that the network will be fast enough to deliver HD video streaming services, and passengers will be able to download a movie in four minutes.

RailTel's statement also added that high speed connectivity offered by the service can spur vendors in railway stations to offer additional services. It also said that it created a possibility of building an IoT ecosystem. This could lead to automated operations such as monitoring of rolling stock, efficient use of electrical lighting systems, and so forth. A. Seshagiri Rao, Director/Network Planning and Marketing of RailTel said, "Railway stations being places of human aggregation of all sections of society are ideal places to bridge the digital divide. With high penetration of smartphones, the station Wi-Fi could become locations where people can get initiated into experiencing broadband and digital literacy." In 2012, RailTel began providing free Wi-Fiservices at the Bangalore Railway Station.

Earlier this month, it was reported that Google is going to partner with the Indian Railways to launch Wi-Fi Services in over 400 railway stations. This initiative was said to have been codenamed Project Nilgiri. It was also reported that in phase two of the project, Google may provide Wi-Fi on moving trains. Currently, there are only a few trains in the country that provide Wi-Fi services.

Earlier this year, Google had added the Indian Railways schedule to Google Transit. It had also added public transport information of eight Indian cities. In December 2014, it was reported that Google was planning to introduce Google Fiber in India as part of the Digital India Program. It is possible that providing Wi-Fi connectivity in stations is just the first step in that plan, and may soon launch their internet services in the country soon.