Google now allows you to 'search' without internet

Google on Wednesday said that it will allow smartphone users to "search" for something even when there is no internet connection in the phone. Now of course, there is a catch here. Google, irrespective of its brilliant engineers, cannot defeat the laws of physics and return the search results from the web when there is no data connection in a smartphone. Just that now the Google app will now won't tell offline users that it can't complete the search. Instead, it will queue up the search query and complete the search when the phone connects to internet.

"Mobile networks can sometimes be inconsistent or spotty, which means that even if you have a connection when you start your search, it might fail before you get your results back," Google's Shekhar Sharad wrote on the company blog.

"With this change, search results are saved as soon as they are retrieved, even if you lose connection afterwards or go into airplane mode. So the next time you lose service, feel free to queue up your searches, put your phone away and carry on with your day. The Google app will work behind-the-scenes to detect when a connection is available again and deliver your search results once completed," he said.

Although this is not any solution to the internet connectivity issues that people face, particularly in countries in India, it just makes it slightly more convenient to use the Google Search on smartphones.

For now the feature is available only on Google Search app for Android. To get this feature, all that users have to do is update the app on their phone by going into the Play Store.

Of late, Google that is among the world's biggest web companies, is focusing a lot on improving the offline features in its app. Earlier, the company hoped to improve the offline capabilities of YouTube by allowing consumers to download the videos temporarily. The company's CEO Sundar Pichai had said this offline YouTube feature was specifically created keeping Indian users in mind. But then proved so useful and popular that the company also rolled it out in other regions.

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Thousands join Alec Baldwin, Michael Moore in pre-inauguration protest outside Trump Hotel

Thousands of New Yorkers — led by a star-studded roster of speakers and performers — gathered outside the Trump International Hotel in New York City Thursday evening to protest Donald Trump on the eve of his inauguration.

“This is the beginning of the 100 days of resistance,” declared filmmaker Michael Moore, who led the pre-inauguration rally along with other outspoken Trump critics, including Alec Baldwin, Mark Ruffalo, Rosie Perez and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.

For about two hours, the relatively subdued crowd that had assembled between Trump’s Columbus Circle property and Central Park West, listened and applauded as a lengthy lineup of A-listers, joined by local activists and officials, took turns denouncing the president-elect. Robert de Nero, Sally Field, Julianne Moore and Cher shared the dais with Reverend Al Sharpton, New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and the AFL-CIO’s Stuart Applebaum.

“[Trump] is a bad example of this country, this city,” said De Niro, before reading several mock tweets that he predicted Trump might write about him later that night.

From healthcare to immigration to islamophobia and LGBT rights, there were almost as many issues addressed at the rally as there were speakers who took the stage. However, the overarching message of the evening was one of unity — and the power in numbers.

“We are the majority,” said Michael Moore, referring to the millions of Americans who voted against Trump. “There’s more of us than there are of them.”

Yet as the parade of public figures on stage vowed one by one to stand up to Trump, it seemed the president-elect had already begun to have an effect on many of the non-famous New Yorkers in the crowd.

The majority of rally-goers who spoke to Yahoo News declined to provide their full names. Asked why, 27-year-old Carol from Queens answered, “paranoia about the incoming administration.”

“Just a general fear based on type of people he’s putting in power and how insecure he is about any criticism,” she continued. “It gives you pause.”

Nearby, a group of New York City public school teachers — with the exception of one man, who identified himself as Jeffrey Ellis-Lee — were equally hesitant to share their names.

Pinned to each of their jackets was a yellow piece of paper with a lowercase letter “i” which, Ellis-Lee explained, “represents that Trump is an illegitimate president.”

One of the teachers, a young woman who declined to give her first or last name, said that beyond their own opposition to Trump and “the things that he said on the campaign trail,” she and her colleagues were motivated to attend Thursday night’s rally because of the fear and concern expressed by many of their immigrant students in the wake of the election.

“We had a number of students crying, freaked out that they would be picked up by somebody because what they understood from the news was that they were not wanted,” she said.

Another teacher, who identified herself only as Emily, chimed in: “If it hasn’t been bad enough nationally, having a population of kids who are directly affected by everything he’s been saying and everything he’s been proposing is very hard to experience.”

Protecting New York City’s immigrants against potential attempts at widespread deportations by the incoming Trump administration was among the ways Mayor Bill de Blasio vowed that he will “stand up against hate” as part of his “pledge for the next 100 days of action.”

But while the celebrity calls to action and resistance were met with cheers and applause from the crowd, for many in attendance the event was more of a comforting farewell to the pre-Trump era than anything else.

“I don’t know how much good this is gonna do on a practical level,” said Carol. “I just feel like I can’t do nothing.”

Carol’s friend Claire, a 26-year-old who works in publishing and also declined to give her last name, agreed, citing her “own personal moral compass” as motivation for participating in Thursday night’s rally.

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Obama posts emotional farewell letter on Facebook

New York, Jan 20 (IANS) As Donald Trump sets to take oath as the 45th President of the United States, outgoing President Barack Obama shared an emotional farewell letter on the social networking site Facebook.

Expressing his gratitude to the US people, Obama wrote on Thursday: "Throughout these eight years, you have been the source of goodness, resilience and hope from which I've pulled strength. I've seen neighbours and communities take care of each other during the worst economic crisis of our lifetimes."

Obama recalled the Charleston Church shooting and said that he had mourned with grieving families searching for answers.

Obama noted that he had watched scientists help wounded war heroes walk again and seen "scientists help a paralysed man regain his sense of touch".

The outgoing President recalled some positive points of his tenure like providing access to healthcare and legalising same-sex marriages.

"I have seen the youngest of children remind us through their actions and through their generosity of our obligations to care for refugees, or work for peace, and, above all, to look out for each other," Obama further wrote.

"When the arc of progress seems slow, remember: America is not the project of any one person. The single-most powerful word in our democracy is the word 'We'. 'We the People'. 'We shall overcome'."

"I'll be right there with you every step of the way," he added.

The 44th US President shared a link on his Facebook post for anyone interested in keeping in touch with his work.

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6 Ways Virat Changed India

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Yuvraj Singh silences critics with sensational ton

Several questions hung over the fate of Yuvraj Singh before the second ODI against England at Cuttack. 

Was the man who once hit six sixes in an over in a World T20 game past his prime? Was he too old? Did he deserve a place in the playing XI at the expense of someone younger and more deserving? Was Virat Kohli’s fondness and respect for him the only reason that he was even selected?

On Thursday, Yuvraj answered his detractors in the most emphatic manner possible – by slamming 150 (127b, 21x4 3x6), his highest-ever ODI score and his 14th century in the format.

SCORECARD

After England had reduced India to 25/3 in 4.4 overs, Yuvraj got together with former skipper MS Dhoni to take the attack to the visitors.

Yuvraj was aggressive from the get-go. He hit the ball to all parts of the ground and never made one feel that he was playing an ODI after three long years in the wilderness, having last played in December 2013.

As the left-hander reached his century off 98 balls, and then stepped on the accelerator, fans at the Barabati Stadium were treated to the Yuvraj of old, the courageous, in-your-face batsman whose only intent is to dominate bowlers.

In the twilight of his career, Yuvraj showed why experience and class always come out on top.

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Rs 1299 Jio 4G phone leaked in image, looks like old feature phones

For several days now we are hearing about a cheap Rs 1000 Jio phone that is supposed to hit the market soon. It is said that this phone is not a smartphone but a feature phone. Now, there seems to be an image of such a phone floating on the web. Technology blog Fonearena says that this is Jio's upcoming cheap phone and that it will cost Rs 1,299.

The phone doesn't seem to have touch screen. It looks similar to a regular Nokia's feature phone. There is a D-Pad in middle similar to most of the feature phones in India. The keypad starts with shortcuts keys for MyJio, Jio Live TV, Jio video and Jio Music placed just below the display. The phone comes with T9 keypad and also has a dedicated button for torchlight.

According to the previous reports, Jio is working on a new category of phones which could help it tap the rural and tier-III markets for its mobile business and network. These phones will be feature phones but will support 4G connectivity, complete with the VoLTE feature that will help users make calls using the cellular network.

Reportedly, Jio could launch these VoLTE enabled phones with a price starting as low as Rs 999. According to an ET report, Reliance is working on two feature phones priced at about Rs 1,000 and Rs 1,500 which are likely to hit the market by March this year.

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Keeper Security reveals the most common passwords of 2016 and they're embarrassingly terrible

Password manager and digital vault firm Keeper Security has revealed the most common passwords of 2016, and they're embarrassingly lazy and awful. After scouring 10 million passwords that became public through the numerous massive data breaches that occurred in the past year, the Keeper team found that people are still relying on simple, easy-to-remember strings of characters to secure their online accounts and digital identity.

"We couldn't stop shaking our heads," Keeper wrote in a blog post on Friday. "What really perplexed us is that so many website operators are not enforcing security best practices."

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The firm noted that the list of most commonly used passwords have not changed much over the past few years indicating that "user education has limits".

"While it's important for users to be aware of risks, a sizable minority are never going to take the time or effort to protect themselves," they wrote. "IT administrators and website operators must do the job for them."

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Like in 2015, the most commonly used password of 2016 was "123456", which was used by nearly one in five users. Other popular passwords included easy-to-crack, overused strings such as "123456789," "qwerty," "11111" and, of course, "password."

Keeper also notes that four of the top 10 passwords of 2016 and seven of the top 15 were all six characters or shorter.

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"This is stunning in light of the fact that... today's brute-force cracking software and hardware can unscramble those passwords in seconds," the firm said. "Website operators that permit such flimsy protection are either reckless or lazy."

While some popular passwords such as "1q2w3e4r" and "123qwe" suggests that some users do attempt to use unpredictable patterns and character strings to secure their online accounts, Keeper dubs these efforts "weak at best".

"Dictionary-based password crackers know to look for sequential key variations. At best, it sets them back only a few seconds," Keeper said.

Also present on the list was the "seemingly random" password choices "18atcskd2w" and "3rjs1la7qe," which security expert Graham Cluley believes were created by bots created to post and spread spam on online forums.

"If a user forum does not have strong measures in place to verify that an account is being registered by a living, breathing human being, it's relatively trivial for someone with mischievous intent to write a program that creates multiple accounts for the purposes of spreading spammy messages or malicious links," he wrote last year.

"We can criticize all we want about the chronic failure of users to employ strong passwords. After all, it's in the user's best interests to do so," Darren Guccione, CEO and co-founder of Keeper Security, said. "But the bigger responsibility lies with website owners who fail to enforce the most basic password complexity policies. It isn't hard to do, but the list makes it clear that many still don't bother.

"While it's important for users to be aware of risks, a sizable minority are never going to take the time or effort to protect themselves. IT administrators and website operators must do the job for them".

Here are the 25 most common passwords of 2016, according to Keeper Security:

1. 123456

2. 123456789

3. qwerty

4. 12345678

5. 111111

6. 1234567890

7. 1234567

8. password

9. 123123

10. 987654321

11. qwertyuiop

12. mynoob

13. 123321

14. 666666

15. 18atcskd2w

16. 7777777

17. 1q2w3e4r

18. 654321

19. 555555

20. 3rjs1la7qe

21. google

22. 1q2w3e4r5t

23. 123qwe

24. zxcvbnm

25. 1q2w3e

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ATM Cash Withdrawal Limit Raised From Rs. 4,500 To Rs. 10,000 A Day, Says Reserve Bank

Reserve Bank of India relaxed the cap on ATM cash withdrawal from Rs. 4,500 to Rs. 10,000.

NEW DELHI:  Starting tomorrow, you can pull out 10,000 per day from an ATM, though a weekly limit of 24,000 per bank account remains unchanged. The RBI has increased the daily limit for ATM withdrawals from Rs. 4,500 which has been in place for a few weeks now. From current accounts, the amount that can be collected each week has been doubled to a lakh.

Limits of access to cash were declared on November 8 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi made the shock announcement that 500- and 1,000- rupee notes would be illegal just a few hours later.  The demonetisation drive, he said, would check tax evasion, corruption and counterfeiting.

A huge cash crunch followed, driving millions of Indians into long lines at banks, and the PM in an emotional speech asked for "just 50 days" till December 30 to resolve problems. After the new year, the scarcity of notes has eased up, though the opposition has said the government has defaulted on its PM because cash restrictions remain in place and, according to most estimates, virtually all the banned notes have been deposited in banks, meaning that black money has not been destroyed or forced out.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has pointed to improved tax collections to dismiss reports of economic disruption after the notes ban.

The shock decision on abolishing high-denomination notes  prompted most private economists to slash growth forecasts to 6.3-6.4 per cent for the fiscal year 2016/17 from over 7.5 per cent, citing the impact of the demonetisation, which they said would linger for one more year, but the government has called those concerns unfounded.

The  Finance Ministry's Statistics Office has predicted strong economic growth in the current fiscal year that ends in March. Gross Domestic Product is estimated to expand by an annual 7.1 per cent in the current fiscal year, slower than a provisional growth of 7.6 per cent in 2015/16. But the forecast does not fully take into account the impact of the notes ban.

On Friday, Urjit Patel, the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, has been summoned by a parliamentary committee to explain how the demonetisation decision was taken as also to outline its impact. In a written answer ahead of his appearance, the central bank has stated that it was the government which "advised" that 500 and 1,000-rupee notes be removed from circulation, which was then cleared by the RBI the next day.  

The PM announced demonetisation just 24 hours after that.  

The RBI has been criticised for following the government's lead on a landmark decision on currency and for taking a backseat in the days that followed, with Mr Patel missing from briefings that made important announcements on issues like cash limits.

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Just For A Moment, Mahendra Singh Dhoni Forgets He Isn’t The Captain

Before the start of the first ODI of the series at Pune, new India skipper Virat Kohli accepted that he has been doing some gaffes while taking calls on the Decision Review System (DRS) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni will have a big role to play as and when the situation comes to use the technology.


Once again Dhoni showed why he is known as an on-field machine as on the last delivery of the 27th over, England skipper Eoin Morgan tried to work a good length delivery from Hardik Pandya to third-man but rather edged it to Dhoni. The Indian team appealed but umpire C.K. Nandan shook his head left and right and adjudged Morgan not-out but Dhoni was confident.

Seeing Dhoni being upbeat about the nick, Kohli straight away went to the third umpire to ask for the technology and undoubtedly, he edged it. Dhoni was seen celebrating with Indian players before even the third umpire had a look at it and even end result favoured the Indian team.

@msdhoni reviews instead of @imVkohli and he's spot on pic.twitter.com/EeshQ2RkF6

— Vinay mani tripathi (@eevinaymani) January 15, 2017

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Ontario man photographs bizarre 'light pillars' in night sky

A rare weather phenomenon recently lit up the northern Ontario sky like a science fiction movie, and one local man managed to catch it on camera.

It happened when North Bay resident Timothy Joseph Elzinga was checking in on his two-year-old at around 1:30 a.m., reports the CBC. He happened to look out the window and was surprised to see rays of bright coloured lights shooting up into the sky.

Elzinga was intrigued and headed outside to snap some shots of the bizarre sight — a phenomenon known as light pillars.

According to the New York Times, the light pillars occur when hexagonal-shaped ice crystals form close to the ground. These crystals reflect nearby light sources like street lights or car headlights back up into the sky.

Last January a photographer in Kauttua, Finland managed to snap a shot of light pillars from directly below. From where she was standing, it appeared as if a street map of her town was being projected into the sky in light.

Light pillars happens with some frequency during the winter months in colder regions, so northern Canadians have the best chance of spotting the otherworldly display.

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Demonetisation: 10 big revelations from RBI's note to Parliament panel

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in its reply to the Parliament panel on demonetisation has said the decision to ban Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes was a joint decision between the central bank and the government.

In details available exclusively with India Today TV, the RBI also said it considered prinitng Rs 5000 and Rs 10,000 notes.

funfacts

HERE ARE THE 10 BIG REVELATIONS

1. RBI says demonetisation of high-value notes was a 'joint decision' between the government and the central bank.
2. Demonetisation's primary objective was to crack down on counterfeit notes.
3. RBI mooted introducing 5000 & 10,000 rupee notes as early as October, 2014 - a few months after Modi came to power.
4. RBI said the Rs 2000 note was chosen in view of the inflation and to manage currency logistics.
5. On why Rs 2000 note was not introduced in a phased manner, the RBI said the new design will 'catch the fancy of the public'.
6. Asked when the printing of new currency notes started, the bank said: June 2016.
7. On what led to the final decision on demonetisation, the RBI said new currency had reached critical minimum stock.
8. The RBI said it had weighed in the cash crisis and understood that it might not be possible to replace notes fully.
9. The RBI considered digital payment option to take a part of the cash crunch load.
10. The RBI claims demonetisation had no impact on its balance sheet.
11. funfacts

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‘Aiyo’! Did You Know These 12 Indian Words Are Now a Part of the Oxford Dictionary?

If you are an Indian, you must heard the word 'aiyo' - that typical, endearing southern phrase that can easily be a synonym for uh-oh, oh dear or oops (even that doesn’t quite capture aiyo's breathtaking range). Well, it turns out that 'aiyo' is now a legitimate English phrase as well after it was included in the Oxford English dictionary (OED) in 2016, as part of the latest addition of words to its database.

The official website of OED says 'Aiyo' was first cited in 1886 in the Chamber’s Journal and later references were attributed to the famed writer R.K. Narayan ("Aiyo! Never thought our  beloved headmaster would come to this end."[Tiger for Malgudi, 1984]).

However, this is not the first time an Indian term has found itself in this eminent dictionary. Reflecting the global popularity of Indian food, a number of Indian words have been earlier accepted in the Oxford English dictionary. Here are some of them.

1. Aiyo

Clearly a word of power with a colourful history, Aiyo is an expressive term that seems to have no content and yet is capable of expressing a range of feelings from dismay to derision. The dictionary describes it as: "In southern India and Sri Lanka, expressing distress, regret, or grief; 'Oh no!' or 'Oh dear!' "

2. Badmash

The dictionary describes the word as it means in Hindi: "a dishonest or unprincipled man." The word actually originates from Urdu, from Persian bad (evil) and Arabic ma‘āš (means of livelihood).

3. Bhelpuri

A popular street food in India, the inclusion of bhelpuri in the dictionary delighted food lovers across the world. The dictionary describes it as: "An Indian dish of puffed rice, onions, spices, and hot chutney".

4. Churidar

Churidar was first spotted in English usage as early as 1880. It took 135 years to officially make it to the English language. The Oxford dictionary defines churidar as "tight trousers made with excess material at the bottom of the legs, which falls in folds around the ankles, traditionally worn by people from South Asia".

5. Chutney

One of the most commonly used Indian words, chutney is described by the dictionary as "a spicy condiment of Indian origin, made of fruits or vegetables with vinegar, spices, and sugar." From Gordon Ramsay to Nigella Lawson, you'll see everyone slather their dish with a 'spoonful of chutney'!

6. Dhaba

Once merely stopovers for travelers, now destinations unto themselves, it can be safely said that dhabas are a testimony to how far Indians will drive just to get a sip of kadak chai or a bite into generously stuffed paranthas drenched with homemade butter. In the dictionary, dhaba has been included as a noun and is explained as "In India or in Indian contexts: a roadside food stall or restaurant".

7. Didi

The Hindi word for elder sister, didi has also crept in and made itself at home in the Oxford dictionary. The dictionary describes didi as "an older sister or older female cousin". Maybe the dictionary will open its arms to the 'bhaiya' soon too!

8. Ghee

An oil with a rich history in Ayurvedic medicine, ghee remained India's culinary star for centuries till it was sidelined in the 1980s by vegetable oils because of its high saturated fat. A word with Sanskrit origins, it is described by the dictionary as "clarified butter made from the milk of a buffalo or cow".

9. Masala

India has a plethora of masala ( from Urdu word 'masalah') or spices that are ground, powdered, dried, soaked or used as they are, to create some of the most special and popular delicacies in the country. The dictionary describes masala as "a mixture of ground spices used in Indian cooking".

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Jio beats Airtel, now fastest among all 4G services: TRAI data

Reliance Jio beat Airtel, Vodafone and others, becoming the fastest among all 4G service providers in India in December 2016, according to data released by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. TRAI's MySpeed portal had previously in October revealed that Reliance Jio was the slowest 4G service provider in India.

TRAI's MySpeed online portal, unlike its Android and iOS app, doesn't test the speed of an individual connection. It, instead, shows you the data of tests conducted across the country.

In order to check Jio's speed performance you will need to select 'Jio' as an operator, 4G as technology, and then compare the network with other (all) operators. The resulting graph, currently, shows Jio as having the highest average 4G download speed at 9.9Mbps with Airtel at second with 5.8Mbps. Vodafone, meanwhile, stands fifth with 4.2Mbps download speed.

The graph for average upload speed shows, however, shows Telenor as number one with 2.8Mbps while Jio follows closely at second position with 2.6Mbps.

The Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Limited subsidiary recently announced the Jio Happy New Year Offer for all existing and new users that "extends free voice, data, video call, SMS and Jio apps till March 31, 2017." The Happy New Year Offer basically is an extension to Jio's Welcome Offer that ended on December 3, 2016.

"Customers who buy Jio SIM cards December 4, 2016 onwards will be part of the Happy New Year Offer, while existing users who signed up for Jio Welcome Offer will automatically be moved to the new offer effective from 1st January 2017," the company said.

The earlier data limit of 4GB was brought down to 1GB after Jio announced the Happy New Year Offer.

"You can consume 1GB data a day on Jio's True 4G network. Post 1 GB you can browse unlimited data at 128 kbps," it added.

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In farewell, Obama urges Americans to escape their ‘bubbles’

President Obama warned in his farewell address late Tuesday that only renewed citizen engagement can save American democracy from the threats of economic dislocation, racial resentment, and the toxic partisanship that fester inside insulated “bubbles” where everyone looks and thinks the same.

“That’s what our democracy demands: It needs you. Not just when there’s an election, not just when your own narrow interest is at stake, but over the full span of a lifetime,” Obama told a crowd of approximately 18,000 in his adoptive hometown of Chicago.

“If you’re tired of arguing with strangers on the Internet, try talking with one of them in real life. If something needs fixing, then lace up your shoes and do some organizing. If you’re disappointed by your elected officials, grab a clipboard, get some signatures and run for office yourself. Show up. Dive in. Stay at it. Sometimes you’ll win. Sometimes you’ll lose,” the president said. “More often than not, your faith in America — and in Americans — will be confirmed.”

Obama spoke President-Elect Donald Trump’s name just once, and quickly quieted a chorus of boos that swelled from the audience in response. But sections of his speech could be seen as a message to the brash entrepreneur who is just 10 days away from taking the reins — most notably sections about accepting immigrants, beating back anti-Muslim prejudice and keeping American values safe from attack by autocrats and extremists.

The Islamic State “will try to kill innocent people, but they cannot defeat America unless we betray our Constitution and our principles in the fight,” Obama promised. “Rivals like Russia or China cannot match our influence around the world — unless we give up what we stand for, and turn ourselves into just another big country that bullies smaller neighbors.”

Obama’s remarks — part of a goodbye to the nation after eight tumultuous, consequential years — sometimes felt like a victory lap blended with a campaign rally. He came onstage to U2’s “City of Blinding Lights,” his 2008 anthem, and left to the strains of Bruce Springsteen’s “Land of Hope and Dreams,” a 2012 staple.

“Yes we can! Yes we did!” he said.

First lady Michelle Obama and daughter Malia embrace as President Obama praises them during his farewell address.

Obama recited his well-worn list of accomplishments — the steady, though often unsatisfying, economic recovery from the depths of the Great Recession; the raid that killed Osama bin Laden; his outreach to Cuba; the deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program.

But his speech was perhaps more notable for his warnings. Those admonitions recalled past presidential farewells, whether George Washington telling Americans to beware partisanship at home and entangling alliances overseas, or Dwight Eisenhower deploring the influence of a “military-industrial complex” over government.

Obama warned of growing economic inequality and of the coming economic losses of middle-class jobs to automation. He implored Americans not to embrace divisions based on race.

“After all, if every economic issue is framed as a struggle between a hardworking white middle class and undeserving minority, then workers of all shades are going to be left fighting for scraps while the wealthy withdraw further into their private enclaves,” he said.

To cure those ills, the president largely stuck to traditional Democratic calls for investments in education, a more generous safety net, stronger unions and higher taxes on the wealthy.

But his starkest warning was that Americans must stop sorting themselves into homogeneous enclaves.

“For too many of us, it’s become safer to retreat into our own bubbles, whether in our neighborhoods or on college campuses or places of worship or especially our social media feeds, surrounded by people who look like us and share the same political outlook and never challenge our assumptions,” Obama said. “Increasingly, we become so secure in our bubbles that we start accepting only information, whether true or not, that fits our opinions, instead of basing our opinions on the evidence that is out there.”

And this makes the “battle of ideas” at the core of American democracy into a battle over basic realities.

“Without some common baseline of facts; without a willingness to admit new information and concede that your opponent might be making a fair point, and that science and reason matter, we’ll keep talking past each other, and we’ll make common ground and compromise impossible,” he said.

While he leaves office quite popular — nearly 60 percent approve of the job he’s doing, according to recent polls — and quite young, at 55, Obama gave no hint in the speech of his post-presidency plans.

“It has been the honor of my life to serve you,” he said. “I won’t stop; in fact, I will be right there with you, as a citizen, for all my remaining days.”

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Trump given unverified reports that Russia had damaging details about him

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Classified documents that the heads of four U.S. intelligence agencies presented last week to President-elect Donald Trump included claims that Russian intelligence operatives have compromising information about him, two U.S. officials said Tuesday evening.

They told Reuters the claims, which one called "unsubstantiated," were contained in a two-page memo appended to a report on Russian interference in the 2016 election that U.S. intelligence officials presented to Trump and President Barack Obama last week.

Trump responded on Tuesday evening in a tweet calling the reports: "FAKE NEWS - A TOTAL POLITICAL WITCH HUNT!" The Trump transition team did not immediately respond to a request for comment. One of the officials, both of whom requested anonymity to discuss classified matters, said the Federal Bureau of Investigation and other U.S. agencies are continuing to investigate the credibility and accuracy of the claims.

They are included in opposition research reports made available last year to Democrats and U.S. officials by a former British intelligence official, most of whose past work U.S. officials consider credible.

The official said investigators so far have been unable to confirm the material about Trump financial and personal entanglements with Russian businessmen and others whom U.S. intelligence analysts have concluded are Russian intelligence officers or working on behalf of Russian intelligence. Some material in the reports produced by the former British intelligence officer has proved to be erroneous, the official said.

The FBI declined comment.

SURFACED LAST YEAR

The charges that Russia attempted to compromise New York real estate businessman Trump were presented to the FBI and other U.S. government officials last summer and have been circulating for months.

The FBI initially took the material seriously, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, which was first reported by CNN.

However, the FBI failed to act on the material, and the former British intelligence officer broke off contact about three weeks before the November election, they said.

The warning of information about Russia's compromising claims follows growing U.S. intelligence and law enforcement concerns about what Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has called "multifaceted" Russian influence and espionage operations in Europe and the United States.

In addition to hacking computer networks and spreading propaganda and fake news, it includes efforts to cultivate business and political leaders and find compromising personal, financial and other information on persons of interest, U.S. intelligence officials said.

The classified briefings last week were presented to Obama and Trump by Clapper, FBI Director James Comey, Central Intelligence Agency Director John Brennan and National Security Agency Director Mike Rogers.

U.S. intelligence chiefs included a classified summary of the material to make Trump aware that it is circulating among intelligence agencies, senior members of Congress, government officials and others, one of the officials said.

An unclassified intelligence report released on Friday concluded that Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an effort to help Trump's electoral chances by discrediting Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential campaign.

The report said U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that as part of the effort Russia's military intelligence agency, the GRU, used intermediaries such as WikiLeaks and others to release emails it hacked from the Democratic National Committee and top Democrats.

(Reporting Warren Strobel, Mark Hosenball, Jonathan Landay and John Walcott; Editing by Grant McCool and Lisa Shumaker)

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Michelle, Malia Obama tear up after president’s touching tribute during farewell speech

In his farewell address Tuesday night in Chicago, President Obama’s most poignant moments were touching thank yous to his wife and daughters.

In the same city where Michelle Obama was born, raised and met her husband, the president drew one of the biggest roars of the night for his extended tribute to the first lady.

“Michelle LeVaughn Robinson, girl of the South Side,” said an emotional Obama, “for the past 25 years, you’ve been not only my wife and mother of my children, you have been my best friend. You took on a role you didn’t ask for and you made it your own with grace and grit and style, and good humor. You made the White House a place that belongs to everybody. And a new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model. You’ve made me proud. You’ve made the country proud.”

Michelle sat in the front row as the McCormick Place crowd around her roared, standing for an extended ovation and repeatedly interrupting the speech. One of the appreciative audience members was Malia Obama, who was seated next to her mother and was wiping away tears as her father spoke. The president then turned his attention to his daughters.

“Malia and Sasha,” continued the president, “under the strangest of circumstances, you have become two amazing young women, you are smart and beautiful, but more importantly, kind and thoughtful and full of passion. You wore the burden of years in the spotlight so easily. Of all that I’ve done in my life, I’m most proud to be your dad.”

Sasha Obama did not make the trip to Chicago due to an exam in Washington on Wednesday morning. Michelle sat next to Malia, arm around her shoulder, eyes beginning to water as her husband addressed their children.

Obama saved one more personal tribute for his running mate and vice president of eight years, toasting Joe Biden, who was sitting with his wife, Jill, next to the first family.

“To Joe Biden,” said the president, wiping at a tear on his right eye, “the scrappy kid from Scranton who became Delaware’s favorite son: You were the first choice I made as a nominee, and the best. Not just because you have been a great vice president, but because in the bargain I gained a brother. We love you and Jill like family, and your friendship has been one of the great joys of our lives.”

Biden responded with a finger point and wink.

So proud of @POTUS and all that we've accomplished together. An incredible journey filled with remarkable people. I love you Barack. -mo pic.twitter.com/TFUN3GDLyz

— The First Lady (@FLOTUS) January 11, 2017

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Petrol pumps defer decision to not accept card payments till January 13

Petrol pump owners tonight deferred their protest till January 13 after banks put off the move to levy MDR charge.

Petrol pump owners tonight deferred till January 13 their decision to not accept credit and debit card payments for fuel sales after banks put off the move to levy the transaction (MDR) charge.

To promote cash-less transactions, the government had waived the Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on fuel purchase post demonetisation for consumers. But after the expiry of the 50-day window, the banks have decided to levy MDR on petrol pump owners.

This meant petrol pumps having to bear 1 per cent on all credit card transactions and between 0.25 per cent and 1 per cent on all debit card transactions from January 9.

In protest of the move, petrol pump operators had decided not to accept card payments from tomorrow.

"We have received official communication from oil marketing companies that the transaction fee charges have been deferred till January 13, 2017. AIPDA also has decided to defer the agitation till January 13," said Ajay Bansal, President, All India Petroleum Dealers Association (AIPDA).

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Om Puri's last interview: Did he have a premonition he was going to die?

In his last interview, Om Puri, who passed away this morning, spoke about his contribution to cinema being visible once he left the world.

Did Om Puri have a premonition about his death when he spoke about it just a fortnight ago? In retrospect, it would seem so, because he talked about "leaving the world" and that his legacy would be "visible" once he departed.

In an interview to IANS, Om Puri spoke about his contribution to cinema and how it will all be visible when he leaves the world. His comments on leaving the world have become a reality too soon.

In one of his last interviews, which took place at a hotel in Mumbai on December 23, 2016, Om Puri said, "My contribution as an actor will be visible once I leave this world and the young generation, especially film students will watch my films."

The 66 year-old actor died of a heart attack at his residence in Mumbai early morning on Friday.

Today, as he leaves a void in the world of cinema with his untimely demise, the film fraternity is looking back at his vast contribution to showbiz. Theatre, television, Indian and British films, Hollywood and Pakistani cinema - he did it all and left a lasting impression. His legacy, celebrities said, will live on.

A lover of alternate cinema with socially relevant themes at its core, Om Puri said, "For me, the real hard-hitting cinema was between 1980s and 1990s where Shyam Benegal, Govind Nihalani, Basu Chatterjee, Mrinal Sen and Gulzar made some remarkable films."

He worked in multiple projects with Govind Nihalani and Shyam Benegal - films like Aakrosh, Ardh Satya and Tamas, which catapulted him to the league of great actors. Both the directors were overcome by emotions after the news of Om Puri's death broke. In shaky voices, both said it was too early to talk.

Just days earlier, Om Puri was happily interacting with young scribes to promote his upcoming political satire Rambhajan Zindabad. Casually dressed in a pair of baggy jeans and a black shirt, he was, as was his style, devoid of any airs about his stardom - a position not defined by fanatical, frenzied fans, but by the sheer following of his nuanced performances and undying passion for art.

He was - as the biography by his former wife Nandita Puri - rightly says, an "Unlikely Hero".

The veteran actor, a recipient of Padma Shri, started his journey as an actor with a Marathi film Ghashiram Kotwal in 1972. If he featured in some intense dramas, he also balanced out his filmography with movies like Mirch Masala, Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro, Chachi 420, Hera Pheri, Malamaal Weekly and more.

"There are two kinds of cinema - one is just for entertainment, the other touches your heart. Both have their own purpose," Om Puri had said.

When he was the chairman of the National Film Development Corporation, Om Puri was focussed on encouraging meaningful films. The National School of Drama alumnus was also president of Cine and TV Artistes' Association.

More recently, he featured in Bollywood films like Ghayal Once Again and Mirzya, as well as in Pakistani film Actor In Law. He even used his distinct baritone for the voice of black panther Bagheera in the Hindi dubbed version of Hollywood film The Jungle Book.

Age did not slow him down. He was busy dabbling in multiple projects like Viceroy's House, Tubelight and Manto.

The two-time National Film Award winner was honoured with the Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award, in 1990.

His international career took off as early as 1982 when he featured in a small role in Oscar-winning film Gandhi. It also set the stage for him to explore more on foreign shores - his British films were My Son the Fanatic, East Is East and The Parole Officer, and his Hollywood movies included City of Joy, Wolf, The Ghost and the Darkness and The Hundred-Foot Journey.

In 2004, he was made an honorary officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to the British film industry.

While he had a glorious journey in the film world, his personal life went through turbulence. In 2013, his wife had filed a case against him, alleging domestic violence. They separated, leaving him with only visitation rights to their son, Ishaan.

He was frank and blunt about his views - and just last year, he faced the brunt of it when a police complaint was filed against him for his comments that were found to be insulting to Indian soldiers. In 2015, he spoke on the issue of cow slaughter in India. In 2012, he had landed in a bit of a soup after he called Naxals "fighters not terrorists".

But Om Puri remained fearless till the end - in his works and his words.

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Rs 2,000 genuine notes without Mahatma Gandhis image circulating in Madhya Pradesh

Two elderly farmers from Madhya Pradeshs Sheopur district were shocked after they were handed over Rs 2,000 notes at State Bank of India (SBI) without the image of Mahatma Gandhi, on Wednesday. The farmers, who thought the notes were fake, approached the SBI branch where

Two elderly farmers from Madhya Pradeshs Sheopur district were shocked after they were handed over Rs 2,000 notes at State Bank of India (SBI) without the image of Mahatma Gandhi, on Wednesday.

The farmers, who thought the notes were fake, approached the SBI branch where they were told that the notes were "genuine" but there was a printing error.

Krishna Meena, from village Bichhugawdi, as reported by Times of India, didnt notice anything wrong with the Rs 2,000 notes which he received from the SBI branch. It was only when another farmer who had similar notes told him about the error that both of them decided to approach the bank.

Sheopur (Madhya Pradesh): Farmer receives Rs 2000 notes from SBI Bank without Mahatma Gandhi's image pic.twitter.com/To8yiFIFxq

— ANI (@ANI_news) January 5, 2017

"The incident took place at Shivpuri Road branch of SBI. The notes were not counterfeit, but probably there was some printing error. They were taken back as soon as it (the error) was detected," TOI quoted Sheopur district manager of SBI, Akash Shrivastav.

According to the report, this series of faulty notes were printed at Bank Note Press in Dewas, Madhya Pradesh. Many such notes with "printing error" are in circulation in the region.

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Veteran actor Om Puri passes away

Veteran Bollywood actor Om Puri passed away on Friday morning. He was 66. According to reports, the actor succumbed to a heart attack.Actor Anupam Kher expressed his grief over Om Puris demise and tweeted, "Seeing him lying on his bed looking so calm cant believe

Veteran Bollywood actor Om Puri passed away on Friday morning. He was 66.

According to reports, the actor succumbed to a heart attack.

Actor Anupam Kher expressed his grief over Om Puris demise and tweeted, "Seeing him lying on his bed looking so calm cant believe that one of our greatest actors #OmPuri is no more. Deeply saddened & shocked."

Seeing him lying on his bed looking so calm cant believe that one of our greatest actors #OmPuri is no more. Deeply saddened & shocked.

— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPkher) January 6, 2017

The iconic Om Puri had graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune.

In 1990, he was conferred with the Padmashri, Indias fourth highest civilian award. He also won the National Film Award for Best Actor for Arohan and Ardh Satya.

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Twitter response: Mahendra Singh Dhoni skipped the Twenty20 and ODI captain

Take a bow @msdhoni .To lead India for 9 years with such wonderful results, India were really blessed to have you as #Captain .

— Mohammad Kaif (@MohammadKaif) January 4, 2017

@msdhoni India's finest captain in ODIs and greatest Indian ODI cricketer IMHO. Salute #MSDhoni

— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 4, 2017

MS Dhoni as captain...
60 in Tests (6th most!)
199 in ODIs (3rd most!)
72 in T20Is (most!)
331 in all internationals (most!)

— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) January 4, 2017

Trying to think like #Dhoni. Kohli most likely 2019 World Cup captain, so best that he leads in the Champions Trophy so best he starts now.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 4, 2017

There is no one like you.
You're the reason for millions of smiles.
Take a bow my Captain.🙏@msdhoni #dhoni pic.twitter.com/NLRtTlcPhq

— Sushant Singh Rajput (@itsSSR) January 4, 2017

Confirmation coming in: Dhoni's quit as ODI and T20 captain. But he must be in both teams!

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) January 4, 2017

BREAKING: @msdhoni has stood down as India ODI and T20I captain. He captained India in 199 ODIs and 72 T20Is. pic.twitter.com/ncaXSG46WM

— ICC (@ICC) January 4, 2017

Thnk u @msdhoni 4 making us feel euphoric & proud all these yrs. It was not only winnings but u also defined #Attitude for Indian Cricket.

— Anupam Kher (@AnupamPkher) January 4, 2017

Sign of a true leader is to know when to pass the baton!Thank u for the entertainment skipper u r an #Inspiration @msdhoni #livinglegend pic.twitter.com/H51ChX3yhc

— Kris Srikkanth (@KrisSrikkanth) January 4, 2017

I congratulate @msdhoni on an illustrious career as Capt who led #TeamIndia to memorable victories in T20WorldCup 2007 & 2011 @ICC WorldCup! pic.twitter.com/bTAZoJ9J9b

— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) January 4, 2017

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5 famous Indian cricketers whose career might end in 2017

The Indian captain is still going strong and looks unlikely to retire anytime soon

Under the captaincy of MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, India had a memorable year in 2016. They achieved plenty as a team and had some standout individual performers as well. A few of those performers were youngsters who were making their mark on international cricket.

As with any year, 2016 saw the retirement of several star performers and as time catches up with the players, it won’t be a huge surprise if 2017 saw a few more names call time on their international career, including some legendary Indian performers.

Here are 5 famous Indian cricketers whose career might end in 2017:

Irfan Pathan

Irfan Pathan hasn’t played for India since 2012

India haven’t had a lot of luck when it comes to all-rounders. While there have been plenty who have put their hands up, few have been able to sustain their place in the side for an extended period of time. One of the few who managed that was Irfan Pathan but despite picking up more than 300 wickets and scoring nearly 3,000 runs for India, he hasn’t played international cricket since 2012.

The all-rounder is just 32 but has shown that he hasn’t lost his touch. He was phenomenal in last year’s Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and has been one of the most consistent all-rounders in the domestic circuit but that hasn’t earned him a recall just yet.

The emergence of Hardik Pandya has all but meant that his hopes of a recall in T20Is are almost over and so it wouldn’t be surprising if one of India’s most successful all-rounders (statistically) called time on his international career, which promised so much but still never quite fulfilled on that promise.

Munaf Patel

The unsung hero of India’s 2011 World Cup triumph, Munaf Patel finished as India’s third-leading wicket-taker behind Zaheer Khan and Yuvraj and like his fellow pacer, it looks likely that Munaf Patel will call time on his international career.

The 33-year-old fast bowler hasn’t played for India since August 2011 and with plenty of young fast bowlers coming through the ranks and Munaf making little impact in the domestic circuit, it looks unlikely that he will play for India again. And that might mean that the bowler with over 100 scalps for India across all formats might follow Zaheer Khan into retirement from international cricket.

Yuvraj Singh

There can be little doubt that Yuvraj Singh is one of the best players to have ever represented India in coloured clothing. After all, he was integral in India’s two World Cup titles in the last decade. But time catches up with everyone and it looks as though it has with Yuvraj Singh as well.

Although the all-rounder was recalled last year for the Australia T20I series and played in the World T20 as well, he hasn’t played since then. And it almost looks like his comeback was the result of a horses for causes selection, aimed at helping India claim another World T20.

While the 35-year-old is still in great form, as evident from his Ranji Trophy record, it looks as though it might be difficult for him to find a way back to the Indian set-up. As a result, a player with over 10,000 runs and nearly 150 wickets for India might have to call it a day even if he feels as though he has a lot to contribute to the Indian team.

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