Samsung may launch Galaxy Note 8 on Sept 12 in India

DECCAN CHRONICLE.

PublishedSep 6, 2017, 3:03 pm IST

S. Korea-based tech giant Samsung is likely to introduce the Galaxy Note 8 smartphone on September 12, on the day of iPhone 8 launch.

Samsung Galaxy Note 8

S. Korea-based tech giant Samsung is likely to introduce the Galaxy Note 8 smartphone on September 12, on the day when Apple is slated to globally announce three new iPhone models, in India.

According to reports, Samsung has begun sending out press invites for a launch event, without specifying what product will be launched. However, speculations suggest it could possibly be the Galaxy Note 8, which was globally unveiled on August 23.

On the other hand, Apple – Samsung’s biggest rival in the market – is gearing up to announce two upgraded iPhone 7 models and a complete revamped iPhone on the same day.

Interestingly, Samsung has already opened pre-registrations for Galaxy Note 8 in India.

Although, Samsung never officially disclosed Note 8’s price, the model is expected to cost more than its predecessor Note 7, which was priced at Rs 59,990 in India.

The Galaxy Note 8 features a 6.3-inch AMOLED quad HD display with 2960 x 1440 pixel resolution, will be powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 835/ Exynos octa core SoC, backed by 6GB of RAM and 64GB of internal storage with support for microSD card. It comes with a dual camera setup sporting two 12MP sensors — one wide angle lens and one telephoto lens and an 8MP selfie shooter. The phablet runs on Android 7.1.1 with company’s UI on the top.

It has a dedicated button for Samsung’s virtual voice assistant Bixby. The Galaxy Note 8 draws power from a 3300mAh battery and is IP68 certified water and dust resistant.

Blue Whale Challenge: Jodhpur girl makes another attempt to end life

Tabeenah Anjum, Jaipur, DH News Service, Sep 6 2017, 20:38 IST

A 17-year-old girl who attempted suicide playing Blue Whale Challenge Monday night and was rescued by locals has made another bid on her life by consuming pills on Tuesday night. File photo

A 17-year-old girl who attempted suicide playing Blue Whale Challenge Monday night and was rescued by locals has made another bid on her life by consuming pills on Tuesday night. 

The girl, daughter of a BSF officer, had once again tried to end up her life by consuming sleeping pills on Tuesday. However, her life was saved after her parents took her to the hospital on finding her in an unconscious state. According to the doctor who is treating her at the Jodhpur's government hospital said, "She is out of danger but is yet to respond to the queries. The girl also looks depressed.". 

Earlier on Monday night she tried to kill herself by jumping into the Kaylana Lake situated in Jodhpur district of Rajasthan but was rescued by the locals working near the lake. From Rajasthan, this is the first case reported of Blue Whale Challenge, which has been in news for making teenagers indulge in self-harming acts and subsequently taking their own lives. 

According to the police, the girl has downloaded Blue Whale Challenge in her mobile since last few days. The girl failed to complete the game and was fearing that her mother will die as the game administrators had threatened her. SHO, Mukta Pareek at Mandore Police Station said, "We had already told the parents to be little cautious as the girl looked upset and depressed. We are yet to record her statement but as of now she is out of danger."

Rajasthan Human Rights Commission on Wednesday also sought a report from state government over steps taken to check the Blue Whale Challenge in Rajasthan.

The challenge that originated in Russia is spread over 50 days and requires the participants to complete 50 tasks. Over one hundred deaths linked to it have been claimed in last two months. Initially, the participants are asked to complete tasks like watching a horror movie alone, carving the shape of a whale onto their body and ultimately the last challenge is to commit suicide

Medical admission suspended as CMC Vellore could not follow own processes

A Christian Medical College official has said that NEET gives only the scores and it is clearly not enough to judge a candidateUpdated: Sep 06, 2017 17:21 IST

KV Lakshmana 

CMC officials feel that the government order tthat says colleges will have to admit students solely on the basis of NEET scores has undermined the institution’s reputation

Chennai Officials of the Vellore-based Christian Medical College (CMC) said on Wednesday that they took the decision to suspend admissions for its MBBS and super specialities courses for the next academic session as they could not follow their own admission process after being asked to admit students based solely on NEET scores. Admissions to medical and dental colleges are done on the basis of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test or NEET.

A senior CMC official told the Hindustan Times that the government order that says colleges will have to admit students solely on the basis of NEET scores has undermined the institution’s reputation.

“We have not objected to NEET at all. It is a qualifying examination as far as CMC is concerned. But we conduct a series of tests and interviews of candidates to check if they possess all the qualities we are looking for people in the medical profession,” the official said.

He said the NEET gives only the scores and it is clearly not enough to judge a candidate.

“We need to check their leadership skills, if they were team players, have the commitment to serve the society, among other things. Which is why it takes three days to complete the tests and interview process,” he added.

A private, minority-run educational and research institute, the CMC follows a three-day admission process to shortlist students under which they conduct a test to check their aptitude and commitment to serve in rural areas.

Only 15% of the seats in undergraduate medical courses are available for general candidates, the rest are reserved for people from the minority Christian community. The students have to serve for two years in the hospitals run by Christian missionaries.

Article 30(1) guarantees minorities, both religious and linguistic, the right “to establish and administer educational institutions” of their choice.

“Since our admission process gets completed by July, a decision was taken to suspend admissions for the current academic year,” he added.

However, admissions to postgraduate courses were completed under CMC’s internal admission procedure..

Maharashtra minister’s daughter, secretary’s son get state scholarship to study 

Sep 07, 2017 09:04 IST

Manasi Phadke

A Maharashtra minister’s daughter and the son of an IAS officer in his department have made the cut for a special state scholarship to study abroad, triggering accusations of fund misuse and questions over conflict of interest.

Social justice minister Rajkumar Badole’s daughter, Shruti Rajkumar Badole, will study at the University of Manchester in the UK, while department secretary Dinesh Waghmare’s son, Antariksh Dinesh Waghmare, will study at the University of Pennsylvania in the US.

Incidentally, it is the social justice and special assistance department that administers the scholarships instituted in 2003 for post-graduate and PhD courses.

The scholarships are given to a maximum of 50 students from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Dalit families who have secured admission in any of the world’s top 300 academic institutions.

The minister’s daughter and the bureaucrat’s son are among 35 students deemed eligible this year.

While Shruti Badole will pursue her PhD in Astronomy and Astrophysics for three years, Antariksh Waghmare will do a two-year Master of Science course in Information System.

As a part of the scholarship, the state will fund the students’ return economy fare, tuition fee, and an annual stipend of $14,000 (nearly Rs 9 lakh), or£9,000 (more than Rs 7.5 lakh) in case of admission in the UK.

The scholarship includes an additional fund of $1,375 (around Rs 88,000), or £ 1,000 (around Rs 83,000) for the UK for other academic expenses.

Despite several attempts, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Rajkumar Badole could not be reached for comment.

On Wednesday evening, the social justice department said in a statement that the objection to Shruti Badole and Antariksh Waghmare’s selection was wrong and both had made the cut purely on merit.

“Shruti Badole has a degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai, and has studied Master of Science in London. She has got admission in the 29th best institution as per the internationally accepted QS world university rankings. Similarly, Antariksh Waghmare has got admitted to the 95th best university,” the department said.

“No rules have been changed to ensure their inclusion. Moreover, the minister and the secretary took a stand that they won’t be associated with the selection process since their wards were applicants,” the statement added.

Social justice department secretary Dinesh Waghmare defended his son and the minister’s daughter’s inclusion in the scholarship list. “They are both adults and applied independently as per the procedure and were selected on merit. The fact that Shruti Badole is the daughter of a minister and my son is an IAS officer’s son is not a reason for disqualification.”

He added, “The selection committee used to be under my chairmanship, but because we were aware that our children were applicants, we kept away from the process. The chief minister constituted a new committee this year under the chief secretary’s chairmanship.”

Besides the chief secretary, the selection committee includes the additional chief secretary of higher and technical education, the medical education secretary, directors of medical education and technical education and social welfare commissioner.

The scholarship was earlier only for students whose annual family income did not exceed Rs 6 lakh per annum. The state cabinet amended norms in 2013 to waive the income criteria for students who secured admission in the top 100 academic institutions, said Dinesh Waghmare.

The opposition slammed the BJP-led Maharashtra government over the two selections, saying the minister was misusing a scholarship scheme for the needy.

“On one hand, the prime minister appeals to people to give up gas subsidy and the state government tells well-to-do farmers to refuse the loan waiver, but on the other hand, the minister is misusing a scheme for his daughter,” said Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant.

“This shows the double standards of the government, where the public should keep sacrificing, while the ministers keep benefiting,” he added.

Journalist Gauri Lankesh shot dead in Bengaluru

STAFF REPORTER

BENGALURU,SEPTEMBER 05, 2017 21:12 IST



Gauri Lankesh. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Police sources said Ms. Lankesh collapsed after she was shot at by three assailants as she was entering her house in Rajarajeshwari Nagar.

Senior journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh was shot dead at her house in Rajarajeshwari Nagar in Bengaluru late on September 5. Bengaluru Police Commissioner T. Suneel Kumar confirmed to The Hindu that she was shot dead.

Police sources said Ms. Lankesh collapsed after she was shot at by three assailants as she was entering her house at around 8 p.m.



Police arrive at Gauri Lankesh’s residence, where she was shot dead, in Bengaluru on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: K. Murali Kumar

Multiple gunshots

According to M.N. Anucheth, DCP (West) her body was found on the verandah of her house in R.R. Nagar police station limits. Police have cordoned the area.

A neighbour who heard the gunshots said that there were multiple firings. Another resident of the area, who did not wish to be named, said that she was shot at as she got down from her car and opened the gate, adding that he immediately called the ambulance.

Karnataka Home Minister Ramalinga Reddy, quoting eyewitnesses, told The Hindu that there were four gunshots and that there were three shooters who came in a vehicle. Ms. Lankesh was "shot at close range" and she "died on the spot", he said, adding that all shots were to the front.

Mr. Reddy also added that Ms. Lankesh had called him last Saturday - before he was appointed the State's Home Minister, saying she wanted to meet him. He had asked her to meet him on Monday but she had not come.

CCTV cameras

Three police teams JT Com (Crime), ACP (Kengeri gate), ACP (Chikpete) are on the case. "Four empty cartridges were found. Residents say they heard the sound of a scooter. But no eye witnesses to the incident itself," Suneel Kumar, Commissioner said adding that there were no conclusive leads as of now. "We are looking at all angles," he said.

There are two CCTV cameras in the house, including at the porch itself but Police are yet to see CCTV footage.

Mr. Anucheth said the police had spoken to five neighbours who were present during the event but were not eyewitnesses.




Residence of journalist Gauri Lankesh at Rajarajeshwari Nagar in Bengaluru on September 5, 2017. She was shot dead by assailants as she was entering the house. | Photo Credit: Sampath Kumar G.P.
"Great loss to the community of independent journalism"

Her death comes two years after leading progressive thinker and researcher M.M. Kalburgi was shot dead in his Dharwad home in 2015.

Ms. Lankesh has been known for her strident stands against communalism in Karnataka. In 2016, she was convicted in a defamation case filed by MP Prahlad Joshi, who had objected to a report against BJP leaders.

Reacting to the news Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee chief G. Parameshwara said Ms. Lankesh’s death was a great loss to the community of independent journalism. “Lost a dear friend, an accomplished journalist and a wonderful human being. Miscreants will be brought to book very soon,” he said.

Condemning the killing of Ms. Lankesh, Narendra Nayak, president of the Federation of Indian rationalist Associations, said, “The elimination of voices of reason by silencing them through murder was the hallmark of those cowardly dunces who have no arguments to counter those put forward by us.” She was one of those who was not afraid to speak her mind on any issue which she felt was important, he said.

“As a fellow member on the hit list of these organisations, I feel sad that I have lost a good friend and a supporter... I knew her since three decades right from the days she was a reporter for Sunday. More than a journalist she was a social activist raising her voice for the oppressed and exploited of the society, he said. “It is a shame tor all the citizens of our country that we have tolerated such a sorry state of affairs here that even voices cannot be raised against the forces of irrationalism and communalism. Let those forces clearly understand that such acts by them are not going to silence us. They are only going to become stronger.”

The Indian Women Press Corps condemned the killing and said, “The silencing of a journalist in this manner has dangerous portents for Indian democracy."

Supreme Court asks WhatsApp, Facebook to undertake not to share consumer data with third party

Amit Anand Choudhary| TNN | Sep 6, 2017, 21:40 IST


NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked online giants Facebook and WhatsApp to file affidavit in the court giving assurance that they would not share data of their users to a third party till Centre framed a law for data protection.

A five-judge constitution bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, justices A K Sikri, Amitava Roy, A M Khanwilkar and M M Shantanagoudar granted the companies time of four weeks to file affidavit. The bench said that it would examine their response and then decide whether interim order was required to be passed to restrain them from sharing the data with third party.

Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Arvind Datar, appearing for multi-national companies, denied the allegations of sharing of data with any third party. They said that only information regarding phone number, mobile device used, last access and their registration ID of WhatsApp users were shared with Facebook. They contended that two billion people used WhatsApp but none, except two students who filed petition, had made any complaint on violation of their privacy.

Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the bench at the outset of proceedings that an expert committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of former apex court judge Justice B N Srikrishna by Centre to identify key data protection issues in India and file a draft bill on data protection law. He pleaded the court defer the hearing till the Centre framed the law.

Agreeing with his submission, the bench deferred the hearing on a petition challenging WhatsApp 2016 privacy policy. It, however, said that the data of users should be protected in the interim period and asked the companies to give undertaking.

"Let the affidavit be filed within four weeks hence. After the affidavits are filed, the matter shall be listed for consideration of passing the interim order. Be it clarified, if the assertions made in the affidavit would not require any kind of intervention by this court, this court may not pass any interim order," the bench said and fixed the matter for hearing on November 20.

The bench was hearing a petition filed by an engineering student Karmanya Singh Sareen, 19, and law student Shreya Sethi, 22 challenging constitutional validity of WhatsApp privacy policy. Advocate Madhavi Divan, appearing for them, contended that the multinational companies were involved in economic espionage as they were creating meta-data of users and using it for commercial use.

The bench had earlier expressed concern over social networking platforms like WhatsApp collecting data of their users and using it for commercial purposes and had said that there was need to put in place a mechanism for data protection and agreed to examine a plea for framing guidelines.

The petitioner had contended that data collected by WhatsApp was goldmine and that was why Facebook took over it by paying 19 billion US Dollar. "The meta-data collected by the company reveal much more information about the users which the company could use for commercial purposes," it said.

From now on, ID a must to book flights

Sep 7, 2017, 07:02 IST



NEW DELHI: The Centre will issue the final rules for "no flylist" (NFL) on Friday. Once implemented, one will need to give number of any of the following IDs — Aadhaar, driving licence, passport or Pan number — while booking a domestic ticket.

For international travel, passport number is anyway mandatory.

"India is pioneering in having a no fly list on the basis of safety as other countries have it on security grounds. A DGCA team (led by chief BS Bhullar) recently had discussions with global regulators at a meet in Mongolia. We had received comments on the draft NFL and after much deliberations, the final rules will be issued on Friday," Union minister of state for aviation Jayant Sinha said.

One of the reasons for the NFL taking some time to get implemented was due to the process of ensuring that a person on this list should not be able to fly using another name. "We are going to issue a civil aviation requirement (CAR or rule issued by DGCA) where some identity card number will have to be provided. People giving Aadhaar numbers will soon be able to get digital boarding cards," Sinha said.