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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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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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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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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WhatsApp stops working on older iPhones, Android and Windows smartphones

Popular social media application WhatsApp has stopped working on older iPhones and Android handsets to ensure that it could continue to introduce new features and stay secure, which relies on the app being used on newer operating systems. Anyone using Android 2.1 or 2.2, an iPhone 3GS or iOS 6 will find the app has stopped working. The same will happen to anyone on Windows Phone 7, The Independent reported on Monday.

The company has advised that anyone with any of the older handsets who want to keep chatting with friends should simply buy a newer phone.

WhatsApp had initially said that all BlackBerry models and some Nokia handsets would also find themselves unable to get onto the chat app. But it went back late last year, apparently in response to complaints.

"We are extending support for BlackBerry OS, BlackBerry 10, Nokia S40 and Nokia Symbian S60 until June 30, 2017," the company wrote in an update to its blog.

The changes are thought to be in large part to allow WhatsApp to more deeply integrate encryption and other privacy services. Such technology stops messages from being read, and has led to WhatsApp facing criticism from governments who believe that WhatsApp conversations should be made public, the report said.

Its also likely to allow for more rapid introduction of new features. Rumoured updates scheduled in 2017 include a new feature that would allow people to edit or entirely delete messages after they have been sent.

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BSNL unveils unlimited local and STD call plans at Rs 144

Cashing in on the rollout by several telecom operators offering unlimited free call facility, Government run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd today joined the bandwagon with launch of a new Rs 144 plan for its customers offering similar features.

The plan, which is valid for six months, would offer unlimited local and STD calls to any network for a period of one month and it would come with 300MB data, BSNL Chairman and Managing Director Anupam Srivastava told reporters.

After handing over two new packs to customers, Srivastava said with the new pack, calls are absolutely free and would be available for both pre-paid and post-paid customers. The telecom service provider was also taking up several initiatives including launch of 4,400 WiFi hotspots across the country.

"We have 4,400 WIFI hotspots launched country wide. I think in Mahabalipuram near Chennai has a similar WiFi hotspots. Our immediate strategy is to expand this. In next one year, we will be having around 40,000 WiFi Hotspots across the country," he said.

Besides the company had also obtained 2500 Mhz from Government of India for launching service in rural areas, he said, adding BSNL would unveil classic LTE (Long Term Evolution) spectrum in phased manner.

Airtel also recently launched two new postpaid plans for its users across the country. The company has launched two Infinity plans priced at Rs 549 and Rs 799. Users get unlimited voice call over any network in India in addition to 4G data benefits. Both the plans include free incoming calls on national roaming and free 100 SMS per day.

Under the Infinity Plan worth Rs 549, users get unlimited free local and STD voice calls to any network in India. Users will also get 1GB free data for non-4G handsets and 3GB if they are using a 4G-supported phone. In addition to these, Airtel is also giving its users a premium access to its Wynk Music and Wynk Movie service.

The other plan costs Rs 799 and gives users access to unlimited free local and STD calls to any network in India. Along with this, users also get 3G data benefit of 3GB for non-4G phones and 5GB for 4G handsets. Just like the RS 549 plan, this plan also includes a premium access to Airtel's Wynk Music and Wynk Movie service.

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Don’t Have a Passport? The Government’s New Rules Make This the Perfect Time to Get One!

The Ministry of External Affairs has announced various modifications to the passport rules, aimed at easing the process of issue of passport. Many new rules for various sections of society have also been announced. Rakesh Dubbudu from Factly takes a closer look.

The Government has announced new passport rules aimed at simplifying and easing the process of issue of passport.  The new passport rules also simplify the process of application for single parents, orphaned children, sadhus, etc. The changes have thus been notified. In one of the most major changes, eight (8) different documents will now be accepted as proof of Date of Birth (DOB). As per the existing provisions of the Passport Rules, 1980, all applicants born on or after 26th January 1989 must mandatorily submit a Birth Certificate as the proof of Date of Birth (DOB). Changing this rule, the government has now decided that applicants can submit any of the following eight (8) documents as the proof of DOB while submitting the passport application:

1. Birth Certificate (BC) issued by the Registrar of Births & Deaths, or the Municipal Corporation, or any other prescribed authority whosoever has been empowered under the Registration of Birth & Deaths Act, 1969 to register the birth of a child born in India.

2. Transfer or School-Leaving or Matriculation Certificate issued by the school last attended, or by the recognized educational board containing the DOB of the applicant.

3. PAN Card issued by the Income Tax Department with the DOB of applicant.

Aadhar Card/E-Aadhar having the DOB of applicant.

4. Copy of the extract of the service record of the applicant (only in respect of Government servants) or the Pay Pension Order (in respect of retired Government Servants), duly attested/certified by the officer/in-charge of the Administration of the concerned Ministry/Department of the applicant, having his DOB.

5. Driving licence issued by the Transport Department of the concerned State Government, having the DOB of the applicant.

6. Election Photo Identity Card (EPIC) issued by the Election Commission of India having the DOB of applicant.

7. Policy Bond issued by the Public Life Insurance Corporations/Companies having the DOB of the holder of the insurance policy.

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CISF makes carrying of Aadhar Card compulsory for airport staffers from January 1

aadhar card compulsary carry on 1st january 2017 at airport

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is responsible for the security at the airport, has issued these new guidelines.

In an effort to boost security, the airport employees across the country will have to carry Aadhaar cards to work along with their airport entry pass (AEP), from January 1.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), which is responsible for the security at the airport, has issued these new guidelines.

This comes in the backdrop of series of meetings between the BCAS and CISF, where discussions were held to plug in any possible loopholes.

Employees working at the airports are issued AEP every year:

1. This POS is used extensively by private, contractual, government employees but this is mostly a concern with private employees that Aadhar card is seen as essential and robust part of security system.

2. Sources said, in view of the cases of forged AEPs, the security agencies have asked the staff to carry Aadhaar cards as well.

3. "Since, almost every citizen now has an Aadhaar card, we will make it mandatory for them to carry it. Besides the Aadhar also has biometric details of the individual. This will be an additional security feature," DG CISF OP Singh told India today.

4. The CISF is responsible for security at the airports while the BCAS frames security rules.

5. There have been some cases where fake AEPs were detected.

6. In a recent case, a private employee with AEP was caught in a case involving money.

7. The CISF officials privy to the meeting said that it is a belief now that most people possess an Aadhar card and even in case of frauds, the onus will lie with the individual and there is possibility of immediate detection, so the suggestion by the guarding forces was accepted and has been communicated to all regional directors of the BCAS in the country.

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