Chennai rains: 4 dead, schools shut for 2nd day as more downpour expected

Over the next few days, moderate to heavy rains will continue to lash Chennai and other parts of Tamil Nadu

Chennai and coastal parts of Tamil Nadu have received heavy rains for a third day in a row. Until now, four people have reportedly died across the state due to heavy rainfall.

The state administration has decided to keep the schools shut in several parts of the state.

In the past 24 hours, areas near Chengalpattu have received 100 mm rainfall, with most places receiving an average of 40 mm rainfall in the city.

Also Read : Indian Railways: New timings for 500 trains from Nov 1; know the details

While the rain stopped on Wednesday morning for a few hours before resuming, suburbs of Chennai faced water stagnation. Also, some local rivers and bridges were also flooded.

On Tuesday, a woman died in Cuddalore, 190 km from Chennai Rains , after a wall of her home collapsed, taking the total death toll to four.

TV footage showed rainwater beginning to enter houses in Krishna Nagar and Lakshmipuram at Mudichur in Chennai after two days of rain. Mudichur was also one of the areas worst affected by the 2015 floods. Residents of Varadarajapuram were moving out with their belongings as water from the Adyar flooded these areas.

At Thiruvanchery, water from the Selaiyur lake was flowing over open land and roads to reach the Madambakkam lake, instead of a proper channel.

The administration announced that schools in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Nagapattinam, Tiruvallur and seven taluks of Cuddalore would remain shut for one more day since the MET department has forecast more rains for the city. Read Full Story >>>

IPS officer arrested for cheating in UPSC mains exam with Bluetooth gadget

Safeer Karim, currently an Assistant Superintendent of Police in Tirunelvelli district, was caught talking to his wife during the exam

An Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, aspiring to enter the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), was arrested for cheating in the civil services main exam with Bluetooth equipment, a police officer said on Monday.

Safeer Karim, currently an Assistant Superintendent of Police in Tirunelvelli district, was caught talking to his wife in Hyderabad for answers, according to the officer.

The officer said being IPS Officer Caught Cheating in exams will have a serious effect on Karim's career.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

Himachal polls: BJP manifesto is about 'mafia raj', jobs, free pilgrimage

The strong focus on measures to better the law and order situation comes in the backdrop of widespread protests over the Kotkhai rape and murder case and other incidents

Dismantling “mafia raj”, women’s safety, free ‘chardham’ pilgrimage for the elderly and jobs for youth are among the key focus areas in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) “Vision Document” for the Himachal Pradesh polls which was released by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley here on Sunday.

The document promised a 24-hour helpline in the chief minister’s office for reporting all types of crimes, setting up of Somnath Vahini, a task force of ex-servicemen to take on drug mafia and crime.

The strong focus on measures to better the law and order situation comes in the backdrop of widespread protests over the Kotkhai rape and murder case and other incidents.

“The BJP government would have to do ten years’ work in five years as the present Congress government did not take up any developmental work while re-establishing the credibility of the government would be challenge,” Jaitley said while releasing the manifesto.

ALSO READ : HP polls: Palampur set for interesting contest

He was flanked by Union ministers J P Nadda and Thawar Chand Gehlot, former chief ministers Shanta Kumar and Prem Kumar Dhumal, state BJP chief Satpal Singh Satti and other senior leaders.

 

The vision document stressed on eradication of corruption while also claiming that the activities of land, forest, drug, mining, and building mafia would be curbed while transparency would be ushered in public life.

To ensure transparency, BJP MLAs would publicly declare all their assets, it said.

Safe drinking water to every house, road connectivity to all villages, emergency medical services in rural and remote areas, doubling the income of farmers by 2022, raising of compensation for land acquired by the government for developmental projects, social security pension and free “Chardham Yatra” for senior citizens are other salient features of the document…..Read More 

Samsung Galaxy J5 gets new security patch: Here's why it is important

The update addresses Blueborne vulnerability and is currently rolling out to Galaxy J5 users in Europe via over the air (OTA)

Samsung has released a critical software upgrade for its budget Galaxy J5 smartphone. The update addresses the Blueborne vulnerability, which was recently identified as a serious threat that spreads through Bluetooth and takes control over user devices.

The update with firmware number J530FXXU1AQI3 is currently rolling out to Galaxy J5 Update users in Europe via over the air (OTA). Recently, Samsung had released the security patches to address Blueborne vulnerability for several its flagship series smartphone-- Galaxy S, Note and A series.

Other smartphone manufacturers such as Motorola are also pushing out the security patch to address the vulnerability.

Here is what the Blueborne vulnerability is and why the security updates are important

BlueBorne is a malicious code that spreads from one device to another via Bluetooth. It allows hackers to take control of affected devices by running commands in devices that go unnoticed by the users. Unlike other malicious viruses, the BlueBorne does not require the user to click on a link or download something over the internet. It just spreads through Bluethooth, even if the other device is not paired with the affected device. It spreads even when the Bluetooth is set as undiscovered.

How to safeguard your device

The best way to keep your device protected from BlueBorne vector is to update your device with the latest security patches deployed from operating system (OS) developers or original equipment makers (OEMs). Most of the OEMs and OS developers have already started releasing patches to address the vulnerabilities associated with BlueBorne vector.

Another way to protect your device is by switching off your Bluetooth. The device security should be set to allow minimum access to Bluetooth-based services. This is no proper solution but can shield the device till you receive the security patch to address the vulnerabilities.

Top developments: Swiss couple attacked in Fatehpur Sikri; 5 held

Sushma Swaraj sought a report from the Uttar Pradesh government on the assault

One of the two Swiss tourists attacked and badly injured near Agra five days ago was discharged from Delhi's Apollo Hospital on Thursday even as five people, including three minors, were taken into custody for the crime. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who visited Agra, promised better security for tourists.

Sushma seeks report

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj said while Marie Droz had been discharged from the hospital, her male friend Quentin Jeremy Clerc's condition was improving. The Swiss embassy in New Delhi confirmed the October 22 attack and said it was providing them consular services.

The ugly attack took place when the young couple was walking alongside a train track in Fatehpur Sikri near Agra. Clerc was left with a fractured skull and several bruises.

Senior Superintendent of Police Agra, Amit Pathak, said late on Thursday evening that five persons, including three minors, have been taken into custody for the crime.

Also Read : Latest Current Affairs

Sushma Swaraj sought a report from the Uttar Pradesh government on the assault. Minister of State for Tourism KJ Alphons expressed deep concern.

"You would kindly appreciate that such incidents negatively impact our image and are detrimental to our efforts in promoting India as a tourism destination," Alphons told the Chief Minister in a letter.

He said a "fast and speedy response in identifying and ensuring speedy action including conviction of the guilty would be reassuring" and would send a "good message of our efforts to prevent recurrence of such incidents". Read Full Story >>>

OnePlus 5T leaks hint 18:9 screen, fingerprint scanner on back: Know more

It is speculated that the smartphone would sport same specifications as that of OnePlus 5 except a potentially bigger battery

China-based smartphone maker OnePlus is reportedly working on the next iteration of its current year flagship. Dubbed as ‘OnePlus 5T’, the upcoming smartphone recently appeared in the tech forums.

Going by the purported report that confirms the existence of 5T model, it is believed that the device would sport a bigger screen in 18:9 aspect ratio format with FHD+ resolution. Also, OnePlus would shift the fingerprint sensor on the back side to accommodate a bigger screen on the front with small bezels.

An image shared by Android Authority, an online technology portal, gave a glimpse of the upcoming flagship model from OnePlus. In the picture, the phone is shown from an angle revealing the speaker at the bottom, same chassis as that of OnePlus 5 and a new wider format screen.

It is speculated that the smartphone would sport similar specifications as that of OnePlus 5 except for a potentially bigger battery…..READ MORE

Tips to crack Haryana govt job exams- know Ramdev, teej other cults

Lakhs of students prepare for various entrance exams every year to bag the much coveted government or banking sector jobs

Preparing for a government exams in Haryana? Here’s a tip – buck up your knowledge on cult-like figures and the job is youOver the last two years, some of the questions that candidates have been asked to answer in Haryana are related to Baba Ramdev and other such cult-like figures.

Here are such questions:

Where is the dera of Kali Kamali Baba located in Haryana? Who is the guru of Baba Ramdev? On which part of the body is the ornament ‘Chalkada’ worn?

Millions prepare for various entrance exams every year to bag the much-coveted government or banking sector jobs.

Why ask such questions?

Candidates and social activists are now questioning “the logic behind such questions” for recruitment to the posts of police constable, clerk, food sub-inspector, patwari (revenue official), statistical assistant and even pump operators.

Young job aspirants are often baffled as they do not find answers to these questions in any book and have to seek help from their relatives and grandparents. Appearing for these exams becomes a nightmare for many.

BJP backs such questions

Raman Malik, spokesperson for BJP in Haryana said, “the questions are related to the social fabric of the state that should be known by the aspirants.”

“Job seekers must be sensitive and aware of diversity in society. If those who know about the social fabric are selected, they will be able to serve people in a better way, he added”.

Modi-government schemes fill Civil prelims exam

In June, the BJP-led government was criticised for questions asked in this year’s civil services preliminary examination. The aspirants were asked questions related to Goods and Services Tax (GST), benami transactions and schemes run by the central government.

“What is/are the most likely advantages of implementing Goods and Services Tax?” reads a question. | Readmore

Father claims 3-yr-old Indian girl in Texas choked on milk, charged

A post mortem has been conducted on the child's body, but the medical examiner has yet to announce the exact cause of death

Police have charged the adoptive father of a three-year-old Indian girl in her death after he admitted that the child choked while he was making her drink milk and died in their home in Texas, according to court documents.

Wesley Mon Mathews had earlier told police that Sherin Mathews disappeared when he made her stand in a lane behind their house in Richardson city at 3 a on October 7 as punishment for not drinking milk.

After nearly two weeks of searching by police using drones, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and volunteers, her body was found on Sunday in a ditch near their house in the city near Dallas. While the search was going on, Mathews stuck to the story about Sherin's punishment and mysterious disappearance.

Mathews, who was arrested on Monday, was charged with causing injury to a child which carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Also Read : Missing Indian-American toddler choked on milk and died: 10 key developments

As of Tuesday evening, he was being held in jail with bail set at $1 million. Mathews, 37, who works in information technology, is of Indian origin. He and his wife, Sini who is a nurse, had adopted Sherin from an orphanage in Bihar.

Richardson police officer V. Diaz said in court documents that on Monday Mathews came to the police with his lawyer and said that he "physically assisted" Sherin with drinking milk in the garage of their house after she had earlier refused to drink it. The child began coughing and choking, her breathing slowed and then there was no longer any pulse, he told police.

He "believed" she had died and admitted to removing the body from the house, Diaz said.

Mathews did not wake his wife, who is a registered nurse at Dallas Children's Medical Center, when that happened, the Dallas News reported.

Sini has not told police what had happened, according to the newspaper. It quoted police Sgt. Kevin Perlich as saying that she said the clothing found on the child's body could have been something Sherin wore and gave the dental records, which were used to identify the girl. Read More

Watch: Mirage 2000 fighter jets land on Lucknow-Agra Expressway

The exercise was conducted near Bangarmau in Unnao

Twenty aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF), including AN-32 transport, Mirage 2000 and Sukhoi 30 MKI, made a touchdown on the Lucknow Agra Expressway on Tuesday.

Two AN-32 transport and fighter planes such as Mirage 2000, Jaguar, Sukhoi 30 MKI are taking part in the exercise.The AN-32 are meant for humanitarian assistance and relief operations during floods or any other natural calamity.

Latest Current Affairs : The exercise was conducted near Bangarmau in Unnao.

The IAF's touchdown exercise, in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Government, is the first official IAF exercise on the expressway, which was inaugurated in November last year.

"It is for the first time any transport aircraft will land and then take off from the expressway. The AN-32 are meant for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief during floods or any other natural calamity," PRO, Defence (Central Command), Gargi Malik Sinha told PTI.

On November 21, six Mirage and Sukhoi jets had presented airshow and conducted their maiden training on its 3.3 km long specially built runway in Unnao district near Kanpur. Then Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and then ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) president Mulayam Singh Yadav were present during the air show.

For October 24 exercise, a stretch of the 302-km long expressway would be closed for traffic during October 20-24. The training will help the IAF pilots to get acclimatise to the landing and takeoff exercise using public highways/expressway during emergency or war situations. Read More

Smokeless Diwali: Delhi, there is something foul in the air, don't make it worse

A ban is rarely a great solution, but we must recognize that no other agency is upholding our right to breath clean air.

Current Affairs : Go outside and get some fresh air. Go for a walk, it will clear your mind.” Fresh air and a relaxing walk are simple pleasures unavailable to residents of Delhi/NCR. Walking, running or cycling here might cause more damage to your health than any good.

Why do you say this?
Because on an average day in Delhi/NCR PM2.5 pollution is between 150-400 micrograms per cubic metre. This means the ‘baseline’ or ‘everyday’ pollution in the NCR due to essential or routine economic activities, in and around Delhi, is 2 to 4 times above the danger mark. Transportation, factories, coal-fired power production, waste burning, unending construction work, slash and burn agriculture in neighbouring states, and local climate effects are the major reasons. This has been the case for the last 5-10 years. It is a problem because PM2.5 levels above 60-100 micrograms per cubic metre are considered unsafe by the WHO.

What does PM2.5 do?
Such poor air quality is a contributor to chronic year-long complaints of cough, sniffling, irritability in the eyes, headaches, fatigue, asthma, bronchitis, and skin allergies. Common ailments in Delhi/NCR. These high levels of PM2.5, over longer periods, increase the risk of serious breathing disorders, developmental disorders in children, cardiovascular issues, and neurological problems. Shocking, but not unexpected, is the fact that 40 percent of children in the NCR have critically low lung function. Almost every day in Delhi is an attack on our health that we regretfully ignore.

If there are so many factors, why are people focusing on air pollution due to Diwali firecrackers?

Last year air pollution (PM2.5 and PM10) levels in the NCR were 14-16 times above the safe limit on the day after Diwali. Such levels have never been recorded in an Indian city before. It was a public health emergency for Delhi/NCR. Testing for breathing disorders went up by 10-20 times. Schools were shut. The number of sick days increased dramatically. If regular days in Delhi are a dose of hazardous air, last November, the day after Diwali, was a quite simply poison.

We can handle 14-16 times pollution for one day of celebration, okay?
If you really believe that you are completely wrong. Such levels of pollution are ‘anti-human’. Doctors don’t know if our bodies can cope with such pollution. According to Dr Arvind Kumar, one of India’s lead chest surgeons, in his 25 year experience, only patients that were smokers had black deposits on their lungs. In recent years, Dr Kumar has seen PM2.5 deposits aggregating on the lungs of nonsmokers, children, and even people that are active/healthy. And there is no mechanism to clean your lungs – these deposits are permanent. They decrease your lung capacity and eventually impacts your cardiovascular and neurological function. | Readmore…

Dhanteras 2017: Offers on gold are pouring in. Here's your guide

Are you planning to buy gold this Dhanteras? It is that time of the year when people flock to buy gold

It is that time of the year when people flock to buy gold. Dhanteras, an amalgamation of Sanskrit words dhan, that stands for wealth, and teras that refers to the 13th day of the Hindu calendar, is marked by praying to goddess Lakshmi and the purchase of gold objects.

To cater to the ritual of shopping on Dhanteras , various online websites have come up with attractive offers on gold, silver and other metals for the Diwali Sale season. From the option of buying gold for Re 1 to getting massive discounts on branded jewellery, the online shopping world is full of best deals for Dhanteras celebrations.

This year’s Dhanteras comes after the government changed a key rule governing gold buying. As part of the push to revive consumer sentiment in the economy, the government recently allowed people to buy Rs 2 lakh worth of gold without quoting the permanent account number.

1. Buy Gold For Re 1: Paytm Gold: Under its ‘Diwali Gold Sale’, Paytm enables 3% additional gold on a minimum purchase of Rs 10,000 in this festive season. You have to use the promo code GOLDFEST to avail the offer. In order to sell gold, Paytm has partnered with MMTC-PAMP, for 24 karat gold. Alternatively, you can buy gold from it at for as little as Re 1.

2. Amazon Gold coins: If you aim to buy a gold coin, you must check out the offer from biggest e-tailer-Amazon. The e-tailer is offering its customers up to 10% discount on gold coins. You can choose from a range of leading brands like Joyalukkas……READ MORE

Indian-origin teenager Akshay Ruparelia becomes UK's youngest millionaire

Ruparelia claims to have already sold 100 million pounds worth of properties since he set up his business

Latest Current Affairs : An Indian-origin teenager has become one of Britain’s youngest millionaires after his online estate agency business got valued at 12 million pounds in just over a year.

Akshay Ruparelia, at just 19 years of age, juggled his school work with negotiating property deals for his no-frills business that offers to sell properties for a fraction of the cost charged by established high street estate agents.

This week "Nationwide Online Agents: Doorsteps. Fees From £99." became the 18th biggest estate agency in the UK just 16 months after the website went live.

Ruparelia claims to have already sold 100 million pounds worth of properties since he set up his business.

“I got the website up and running and after a couple of weeks a man in Sussex asked me to sell his home and a separate chunk of land he owned beside it.

“I had to pay my sister’s boyfriend 40 pounds to drive me to Sussex to take photographs of the house, as I hadn’t passed my driving test and didn’t have a car,” he recalls.

The north London-based schoolboy was able to sell the property and land within three weeks, which set the ball rolling.

He started his company with 7,000 pounds, borrowed from relatives and now employs 12 people. Click here to know more about Akshay Ruparelia

Fire breaks out at PMO; doused in 20 minutes

The blaze was reported in room number 242, located on the second floor, at around 3.35 am

A minor fire broke out in a room at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in the wee hours on Tuesday.

The blaze was reported in room number 242, located on the second floor, at around 3.35 am.

"At around 3.35 am we got a call in our control room that a fire broke out in PMO's office, room number 242," Divisional Fire Officer Gurmukh Singh told ANI.

Fire tenders were immediately rushed to the spot and they took care of the situation in less than 20 minutes.

Singh said the fire broke out due to sparking in a computer's UPS. No casualties have been reported due to the incident.

The room belonged to a section's officer.

Click Here To Known More About : Fire At PMO

BookMyShow looks for Flipkart's backing to combat Alibaba

A minority stake in BookMyShow to give Flipkart a play in the fast-growing online ticketing space and also an access to a high-spending loyal customer base

Amid competition from deep-pocketed global players like Alibaba, India’s leading online ticketing platform BookMyShow is looking for a backing in its space from Flipkart, the country’s largest internet company.

While Flipkart BookMyShow Deal has been one of the few profitable internet companies in India, with a profit of Rs 3.1 crore on a revenue of Rs 248 crore in the year that ended March 2016, competition from rivals like Paytm has caused sales growth to slow.

To shield itself from cash-burning rivals, BookMyShow will sell a minority stake to Flipkart, a behemoth with a cash reserve of $4 billion. For the e-commerce major, a stake in BookMyShow will give it a play in the fast-growing online ticketing space and also an access to a high-spending loyal customer base.

Also Read : Latest Current Affairs

According to Livemint, which reported the story first on Monday, Flipkart is interested in outright ownership of BookMyShow, but talks have largely steered towards purchase of a minority stake in the company. Both companies have a common investor in Accel Partners, one of the oldest and reputed early-stage VCs in the country.

Flipkart has been an active investor in other internet businesses and its acquisitions like Myntra, Jabong and PhonePe have borne fruit. Myntra says it will become profitable at an earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) level by March 2018, while PhonePe says it is the largest digital payments player on UPI.

While Flipkart is looking at categories like groceries to get customers to buy from it more often, the model will take time and significant investments over the next few years. On the other hand, online ticketing, already an established market in India, will give Flipkart the desired repeated purchases on its platform. Read More

India appoints Gautam Bambawale as new ambassador to China

Bambawale appointment comes at a time when India and China are trying to put behind the Dokalam stand-off

Seasoned diplomat Gautam Bambawale, India's high commissioner to Pakistan, was today appointed as the country's next envoy to China.

This was announced tonight by the external affairs ministry.

A 1984 India Foreign Service (IFS) officer, Bambawale is expected to take up the assignment shortly, the ministry said. He will replace Vijay Gokhale.

A deft hand in Sino-India relations, Bambawale opted to learn Mandarin Chinese as his foreign language and served in Hong Kong and Beijing between 1985 and 1991.

He was first the desk officer for China in the Ministry of External Affairs and served as director in the Americas Division of the ministry, responsible for relations with the US and Canada (1993-94).

He has also functioned as the Deputy Chief of Mission of the Indian Embassy in Beijing.

His appointment comes at a time when India and China are trying to put behind the Dokalam standoff and work on a "forward-looking" approach in their ties.

India to send 300,000 youth to Japan for on-job training

Japan will bear the financial cost of the skill training of Indian technical interns; about 50,000 of them may also get jobs in Japan

Latest Current Affairs : India will send 300,000 youth to Japan for on-job training for 3-5 years as part of the government’s skill development programme, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said here today.

Japan will bear the financial cost of the skill training of Indian technical interns.

The Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Minister said the Union Cabinet has approved signing of Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) between India and Japan on the ‘Technical Intern Training Program (TITP)’.

The MoC, he said, is expected to be signed during his three-day visit to Tokyo starting October 16.

“TITP is an ambitious program to send Three Lakh Indian technical interns to Japan for on the job training for a period of three to five yrs,” Pradhan said in a tweet.

He said the youth will sent for training in the next three years with Japanese financial assistance.

About 50,000 of them may also get jobs in Japan, he added.| Readmore…

Aarushi murder case: Allahabad High Court to decide Talwars' fate today

The court will pronounce its verdict on Rajesh and Nupur Talwar's plea challenging their conviction by a CBI court for the murder of their daughter and domestic help in 2008

The Allahabad High Court will on Thursday deliver its verdict on an appeal filed by Rajesh and Nupur Talwar challenging a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court order convicting them for the murder of their daughter Aarushi and domestic help Hemraj in 2008.

A special CBI court in Ghaziabad had convicted the couple in the case on November 26, 2013, and awarded them life sentence the next day.

While the high court is likely to decide the fate of the Talwars in this high-profile case today, we look at the timeline of events in the Aarushi Talwar double Aarushi Murder Case since 2008 leading up to now:

2008

May 16: Aarushi Talwar, 14, daughter of a dentist couple Rajesh and Nupur, is found dead with her throat slit in her bedroom at their Noida home. The family’s missing domestic help, Hemraj, becomes the prime suspect.

May 17: Hemraj is found dead on the terrace of the Talwars’ flat. The door of the terrace is found to be locked from inside.

Also Read : Latest Current Affairs

May 18: Noida police’s preliminary investigation suggests the murders were conducted with surgical precision. An inside job is suspected.

May 23: Investigating agencies suspect a case of honour killing. Rajesh Talwar is arrested for the double murder.

May 31: The Noida Police hands over the case to CBI.

June 13: Rajesh Talwar's compounder Krishna is arrested. The domestic help of Rajesh Talwar’s friend and his neighbours are called for questioning.

June 20: CBI conducts Lie detection test on Rajesh Talwar.

July 12: Ghaziabad court gives bail to Rajesh Talwar after CBI fails to provide evidence. CBI calls it a “blind case”.

2009

September: Forensic reports show most of the evidence taken from the crime scene were tampered with. Read Full Story >>>

GIC Re IPO opens today. Should you invest?

GIC Re is the largest reinsurance company in India in terms of gross premiums accepted in fiscal 2017

General Insurance Corporation of India Limited (GIC Re’s) initial public offer (IPO) opens today for subscription. The company aims to garner over Rs 11,000 crore. The price band has been fixed at Rs 855 – Rs 912 per share. The IPO would be India’s third biggest ever, after Coal India’s Rs 15,200 crore and Reliance Power’s Rs 11,700 crore issues.

The IPO consists of an offer for sale (OFS) of 10.75 crore shares (12.5% stake pre-issue) worth Rs 9,804 crore at the higher price band and a fresh issue of 1.72 crore shares worth Rs 1,569 crore. The amount raised from the fresh issue will be used for augmenting the capital base to support future business growth and to maintain current solvency levels.

ALSO READ:  MARKETS LIVE: Sensex up 100 pts, Nifty tests 10,050; Q2 earnings in focus

GIC Re is the largest reinsurance company in India in terms of gross premiums accepted in fiscal 2017. The company, according to CRISIL Research, accounted for nearly 60% of the premiums ceded by Indian insurers to reinsurers in FY17.

Should you subscribe to the IPO? This is what leading brokerages and research houses across the country suggest:

PRABHUDAS LILLADHER

GIC Re showed strong net premium growth at 73% YoY mainly led by four‐fold jump in crop insurance premium collections in FY17 due to the implementation of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) scheme whereas fire insurance continues to grow stable at ~23%. GIC Re does not look to increase third party motor business and health group business which has historically had high losses and has not been a profitable business line. At the upper band of Rs 912, the company trades at 27.4x Mar‐17 EPS which we believe is fairly priced, but given the liquidity in the markets and company’s performance in the recent past, we recommend to Subscribe for long term gains..Read More

This is what makes Amitabh Bachchan the hot brand that he is, even at 75

Even as he turns 75 today, Amitabh Bachchan is one of the richest actors and one of the most in-demand endorsers in Bollywood

Everyone is looking for the Don -- the original one in Bollywood. And that is with good reason. In the fickle business of stardom, Amitabh Bachchan, who turns 75 today, has managed to remain relevant, anchoring Kaun Banega Crorepati, starring in films, and endorsing products.

Currently, he is one of the busiest actors in the country. After he is done shooting for KBC for Sony TV, he will be on the sets of 102 Not Out — a feature film in which he plays Rishi Kapoor’s father. It is expected to hit the screens next year. According to the latest Forbes’ list of richest actors in the country, he is ranked nine, with earnings of $9 million. This puts him ahead of Ranbir Kapoor (earning $8.5 million). He is the only one on the list above 60 years of age.

While his last film Sarkar 3 (2017) bombed, producers believe he can still hit the jackpot if the content of a film is good, such as Piku (2015) or Pink (2016). That’s the reason he still commands an attractive fee of Rs 7-10 crore per film, according to analysts.

Age is no impediment to his work as an endorser, either. Bachchan is the first choice for many corporate brands and also for governments looking to push social messages. Currently, he endorses 10 brands — ranging from inner wear (Lux Cozi), mobile phones (One Plus), jewellery (Kalyan Jewellers), air conditioners (LLoyd), to e-commerce sites (Just Dial), to name a few.

Bachchan is also the brand ambassador for the goods and services tax.

Companies are happy to fork out Rs 2 crore a day (most companies generally hire him for three to five days), because they know his magic will work. So what makes him tick at 75, when most stars are content with a Lifetime Achievement Award? (He has already got the coveted Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award.)

Sam Balsara, chairman of Madison World, one of the leading advertising firms in the country, said, “He (Bachchan) brings two key elements to the brand: Statesmanship and maturity through his iconic status, which no other cricket or Bollywood celebrity can match. He brings credibility to the brand. Read More

We're all human: 'Nudge' theorist Richard Thaler wins economics Nobel

Thaler showed that economic and financial decision-makers are not always rational, but mostly deeply human

US academic Richard Thaler, who helped popularise the idea of “nudging” people towards doing what was best for them, won the 2017 Nobel Economics Prize on Monday for his work on how human nature affects supposedly rational markets.

Influential in the field of behavioural economics, his research showed how traits such as lack of self-control and fear of losing what you already have prompt decisions that may not have the best outcome in the longer term.

“I think the most important impact (of my research) is the recognition that economic agents are human and economic models have to incorporate that,” Thaler, a professor at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business, said in call broadcast at the Nobel news conference.

ALSO READ: Nobel Prize in Economics: Who is Richard Thaler?

Awarding the 9 million Swedish crown ($1.1 million) prize, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences said: “Richard Thaler’s contributions have built a bridge between the economic and psychological analyses of individual decision-making.” “His empirical findings and theoretical insights have been instrumental in creating the new and rapidly expanding field of behavioural economics, which has had a profound impact on many areas of economic research and policy.”

His work even earned him a glamorous foray into the movie business when he made a cameo appearance, alongside Christian Bale, Steve Carell and Ryan Gosling, in the 2015 movie “The Big Short” about the credit and housing bubble collapse that led to the 2008 global financial crisis.

“Well, I was pleased. I no longer will have to call my colleague Eugene Fama ‘Professor Fama’ on the golf course,” he joked, referring to his University of Chicago colleague who won the prize in 2013…..READ MORE

No firecrackers in Delhi-NCR this Diwali as SC bans sale until Nov 1

The bench said they wanted to see the impact of a cracker-free festivity at least in one Diwali

Latest Current Affairs : The Supreme Court on Monday ruled that there will be no sale of firecrackers during Diwali, as it restored a November 2016 order banning the sale of firecrackers and stocking of firecrackers in Delhi and National Capital Region.

A bench headed by Justice A K Sikri, while restoring the order, said: “We should see at least in one Diwali the impact of a cracker-free festivity.”

However, the court said that the September 12, 2017 order lifting the ban on the sale and stocking of firecrackers in Delhi NCR will be back into effect from November 1.

 

Asus Zenfone 4 Selfie: A mid-range smartphone with good dual front cameras

Priced at Rs 14,999, the phone is superb for selfie lovers, but its overall performance and battery disappoint

The concept of front camera in phones dates back to the time when mobile phone makers were toying with the idea of internet-enabled devices with video call features. But the front camera’s journey has come a long way since: What used to be a video camera with pixelated output is now much more advanced and packed with robust features to meet millennials’ growing demand for tools that help them stay updated on social media platforms.

Taiwanese electronics giant Asus is among the smartphone makers that have taken the front camera game very seriously and are innovating to make it even better. With the announcement of the Zenfone 4 Selfie series, the company has brought to the table two smartphones with dual selfie cameras – the Asus Zenfone 4 Selfie Pro and Asus Zenfone 4 Selfie (dual camera). Also announced recently was an entry-level smartphone with software-based enhancements for the front camera.

Business Standard reviewed the dual-front-camera variant of the Zenfone 4 Selfie to test its camera capabilities, besides the overall smartphone performance. Here are our observations:

Row over Amit Shah's son: Rs 100-cr defamation suit and 10 developments

The Congress, CPI(M), and the AAP have sought an inquiry into allegations against Jay Shah

 

A political storm hit the Narendra Modi-led government and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) after a news website reported that a company run by party chief Amit Shah's son, Jay Amit Shah, recorded a 16,000-times increase in turnover in only a year after Modi became the Prime Minister and the senior Shah the party president. In a statement that the BJP released on Sunday evening, Jay said he would be filing civil and criminal defamation cases against the news website's owners, editor, and the author of the article in Ahmedabad, where he runs his business, and sue them for Rs 100 crore in damages.

 

The Congress, CPI-M, and the AAP on Sunday sought an inquiry into allegations against Jay Shah and a company linked to him. (Read all about the political storm kicked up by the report on Amit Shah's son.

 

Responding to the article, the BJP rubbished the allegations and Jay Shah issued a statement saying the article carried by the website, The Wire, had made "false, derogatory and defamatory imputations" against him. (Read more about how BJP responded to the article)

These developments came over a report, written by Rohini Singh in The Wire, detailing the growth of Jay Shah's company, Temple Enterprise Private Ltd, from revenues of Rs 50,000 in 2014-15 to Rs 80.5 crore in 2015-16.

 

The controversy comes at a politically significant moment with election to the Gujarat Assembly barely 60 days away, and the winter session of Parliament scheduled to start in the first half of November.

 

Here are the top 10 developments

 

 

1) Shah Jr accuses website, author of defamation: Jay Shah on Sunday refuted the story alleging that his private business rose to an astronomical level after the BJP came to power at the Centre and called it "false and derogatory". In a press statement issued hours after the website, The Wire, released the story, Jay Shah said: "The article makes false, derogatory and defamatory imputation against me by creating in the minds of right-thinking people an impression that my business owes its 'success' to my father Shri Amitbhai Shah's political position."

 

(Read More)

Are self-driving cars the future of mobility for disabled people?

Self-driving cars present fundamentally new ways to think about transportation and accessibility

Self Driving Cars could revolutionise how disabled people get around their communities and even travel far from home. People who can’t see well or with physical or mental difficulties that prevent them from driving safely often rely on others – or local government or nonprofit agencies – to help them get around.

Autonomous vehicle technology on its own is not enough to help these people become more independent, but simultaneous advances in machine learning and artificial intelligence can enable these vehicles to understand spoken instructions, observe nearby surroundings and communicate with people. Together, these technologies can provide independent mobility with practical assistance that is specialized for each user’s abilities and needs.

Also Read : Here's what the Nobel Prize tells us about the state of economics

A lot of the necessary technology already exists, at least in preliminary forms. Google has asked a blind person to test its autonomous vehicles. And Microsoft recently released an app called “Seeing AI” that helps visually impaired people better sense and understand the world around them. “Seeing AI” uses machine learning, natural language processing and computer vision to understand the world and describe it in words to the user.

In the lab I run at Texas A&M, along with the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, we are developing protocols and algorithms for people with and without disabilities and autonomous vehicles to communicate with each other in words, sound and on electronic displays. Our self-driving shuttle has given rides to 124 people, totaling 60 miles of travel. We are finding that this type of service would be more helpful than current transportation options for disabled people. Read More

Darjeeling unrest: Mob chases West Bengal BJP chief, beats up party workers

An angry Ghosh claimed that ‘goons were deployed’ to disturb the meeting

A day after the Jana Andolan Party activists protested against his visit in Kalimpong, West Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh was on Thursday heckled, his party workers were roughed up and his meeting had to be aborted midway in hill town Darjeeling.

An angry Ghosh claimed that “goons were deployed” to disturb the meeting, and blamed the Binoy Tamang faction of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha for “roughing up” BJP activists. He also hinted that the instigation for the “attacks” could have come from “Kolkata” in an indication to the Mamata Banerjee government.

There were two incidents of protest against the BJP leader, who was first shown black flags and ‘go back’ posters by another hill-based outfit Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) on his way to Darjeeling.

Later, there were protests and demonstrations at the Bijoya Sammilani which he attanded in Darjeeling, forcing the organisers to cancel the function.

Television grab showed Ghosh being abused and heckled, BJP activists being beaten up amid shouts of “go back” on the road outside the function venue.

“Our meeting was attacked by goons who were drunk. Our people were beaten up. So we had to stop our meeting. On the road outside without any provocation, they chased our men and beat them up. Some of them (BJP activists) were bloodied. These are hired goons sent to create trouble. These are the same goons who have fomented unrest in the hills for three months,” said Ghosh….Read more