Happy Birthday Jamie Dornan: 5 Songs of the Actor You Must Have in Your Playlist

On Jamie Dornan's birthday, we have compiled a list of his best songs which should be on every music lover’s playlist.

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Jamie Dorman Birthday: 5 Best Movies of the Hollywood Actor

Fifty Shades of Grey came as one of the most praised movies of the Hollywood's superstar Jamie Dornan

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Manna Dey Birth Anniversary: Listen to Some of His Iconic Songs

On the 102nd birth anniversary of the legendary singer, let’s have a look at some of his most iconic creations:

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Updated Kia Sonet, Kia Seltos launched in India, AT variants feature paddle shifters

Having unveiled its new brand logo in the country a few days ago, Kia India has today launched the 2021 Kia Seltos and 2021 Kia Sonet, with both SUVs gaining some key additions. The 2021 Kia Seltos is priced from Rs 9.95 lakh to Rs 17.65 lakh, while the 2021 Kia Sonet’s prices range from Rs 6.79 lakh to Rs 13.25 lakh (all prices, ex-showroom). Both SUVs are now pricier by a notable margin, but along with sporting the new Kia logo, also pack some more features and changes to equipment levels across variants.

One of the key additions for the Kia Seltos is the arrival of the intelligent manual transmission (iMT) option. Kia first rolled out this ‘clutch-less’ gearbox on its Sonet compact SUV and is now offering it with the bigger Seltos as well, with a new HTK+ 1.5 petrol variant priced at Rs 12.19 lakh. That’s Rs 40,000 more than the HTK+ variant with a manual transmission, but the iMT version also gets automatic climate control and an electric sunroof, both of which are missing from the equivalent manual variant.

Additionally, the GTX+ 7 DCT and GTX+ AT versions of the Kia Seltos now feature paddle shifters. There’s also a new GTX (O) variant with black-and-beige leatherette seats, and electronic stability control is now offered from the HTX trim onwards. The UVO connected car tech has been updated, too, and now brings new functions including a voice-operated sunroof and driver-side window.

Similarly, the Kia Sonet, too, gets two new variants – HTX diesel-automatic and HTX 1.0 DCT. Paddle shifters are now standard on all automatic variants of the Kia Sonet, and just like the Seltos, the compact SUV, too, gets a voice-operated sunroof.

Electronic stability control is now available from the HTX trim onwards, as are rear sunshade curtains and multi-drive and traction modes (for the automatic variants).

An electric sunroof is now available from the HTK+ iMT variant onwards, and 16-inch alloy wheels are now offered from the HTX variant onwards. A smart key with push-button start and remote engine start features are now available from the HTK+ trims onwards (1.5 diesel and 1.0 turbo variants only).

Both the Kia Sonet and the Kia Seltos continue with the same engine options as before.

In related news, Kia will enter a new market segment early in 2022. This new model is rumoured to be a brand-new Kia MPV, which is likely to slot in between the Maruti Suzuki Ertiga and the Toyota Innova Crysta, both in terms of size and price.

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Actor Bikramjeet Kanwarpal passed away due to Covid-19 complications

Actor Bikramjeet Kanwarpal passed away on Friday due to Covid-19 complications. He was 52.

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Hina Khan changes social media bio to ‘Daddy’s Strong Girl’ in memory of her late father

Actress Hina Khan and her family are having a difficult time at this moment. After a sudden demise of her father, Aslam Khan, who had a cardiac arrest in Mumbai on April 21 this year, her family tested COVID 19 positive. The actress recently announced a break from social media after her father's death, however, she returned shortly after. During her time on social media, the actress also changed her social media bio to “Daddy’s strong girl" on Twitter and Instagram, in memory of her late father. 

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Happy Birthday Anushka Sharma: Here’s a Look at Her Best Movies

Anushka Sharma Birthday: The actress is known to give something new to her audience and not do just arm candy roles. She is also one of the few actresses who has become a producer

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Happy Gujarat Day 2021: Quotes, Wishes and WhatsApp Messages to Share with Your Loved Ones

Gujarat Day 2021: We have enlisted some Happy Gujarat Day 2021 greetings, wishes, and messages that you can send to your friends and family members

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Maharashtra Day 2021: History and Significance

Maharashtra Day: Under normal circumstances, various cultural programs and public gatherings would have been organised in order to celebrate the culture and tradition of Maharashtra.

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Tiku Weds Sheru: Kangana Ranaut to make digital debut as producer with Manikarnika Films

Actress Kangana Ranaut is all set to make her digital debut as producer with the upcoming film "Tiku Weds Sheru", a love story and a satire. Kangana dives into web space with her production house Manikarnika Films, and launches its logo on Saturday. "With 'Tiku Weds Sheru', Manikarnika Films is venturing into digital space. It's a love story and a satire with dark humour. In digital space, we will do more edgy, new-age and niche content," she said.

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Gujarat Day 2021: Know the History and Significance Behind the Day

It was on this day in the year 1960 that the former state of Bombay was segregated on a linguistic basis and two states were formed -- Maharashtra and Gujarat

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Labour Day 2021: History And Significance Of May Day

International Labour Day has been declared a national holiday in numerous countries. It is also called Antarrashtriya Sharmik Diwas or Kamgar Din in India

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Maharashtra Day 2021: Quotes, Wishes and Messages to Celebrate Statehood Day

Maharashtra Day: On this occasion, send messages, quotes and wishes to your family and friends to wish them

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Labour Day 2021: Inspirational Quotes to Help You Stay Motivated

International Labour Day 2021: The aim behind celebrating the day is to honour the struggle of the people who ensured that reforms like paid leaves and capping of work hours

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COVID Helpline: Maharashtra to Punjab, Alia Bhatt shares verified numbers in times of coronavirus crisis

Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt has stepped forward to help in times of coronavirus crisis in the country. The actress has been sharing verified COVID helpline numbers of states and cities on her Instagram account. Alia partnered with journalist Faye D'Souza to amplify credible information about COVID-19 resources through her verified social media pages. Over the past few days, the actress has been sharing lists of COVID-19 helpline numbers across cities in India. “It is a time for great uncertainty. Infrastructure and information are the need of the hour. We are limited in terms of what we can do for infrastructure. But we can do our bit to identify and amplify relevant information,” Alia informed in her post.

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Happy birthday Anushka Sharma: Times her PDA moments with Virat Kohli won hearts

Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma turns a year older today. She made her debut in Bollywood with Shah Rukh Khan in Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi (2008). In a career of over a decade, the actress has worked across genres with celebrated actors and directors. Continuing her streak of successful films, Anushka also launched her production company in 2014, Clean Slate Films. With her production house, the actress gave three films namely - NH10 (2015), Phillauri (2017) and Pari (2018). She also produced the web series "Paatal Lok" and the film "Bulbbul" for OTT last year. On the personal front, Anushka is married to Indian cricketer team skipper Virat Kohli. The couple tied the knot in December 2017 in Tuscany, Italy and became proud parents of daughter Vamika earlier this year.

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Vikram Singh Chauhan of Yehh Jadu Hai Jinn Ka! marries girlfriend Sneha Shukla in small intimate ceremony

'Yehh Jadu Hai Jinn Ka!' actor Vikram Singh Chauhan is now married to girlfriend Sneha Shukla. The actor took to Instagram to share the happy news with his fans and followers. In the picture, we see bride Sneha in a gorgeous red lehenga with intricate work on it, while groom Vikram looked dapper in a contrasting pale pink sherwani. Sharing a picture from their wedding ceremony, the actor informed that the couple had planned an elaborate grand wedding, but owing to the pandemic, they decided to have an intimate wedding celebration with only family in attendance. 

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Neha Kakkar recalls time she used to be 'thin', husband Rohanpreet Singh drops adorable comment

Singer Neha Kakkar treated her to fans some her gorgeous pictures. On Saturday, she shared throwback pictures from the time she used to be fitter. Neha, who is known for her chic sartorial choices, posted a series of pictures on Instagram, where she is dressed in a white and green suit. She paired this up with a heavy necklace and earrings, which she revealed were gifted by her mother-in-law.

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Apple’s app tracking transparency is now live with iOS 14.5: How does it work, and should you use it?

Apple users across the globe are adopting the latest operating system update, called iOS 14.5, featuring the now-obligatory new batch of emojis. But there’s another change that’s arguably less fun but much more significant for many users: the introduction of “app tracking transparency”.

This feature promises to usher in a new era of user-oriented privacy, and not everyone is happy — most notably Facebook, which relies on tracking web users’ browsing habits to sell targeted advertising. Some commentators have described it as the beginnings of a new privacy feud between the two tech behemoths.

So, what is app tracking transparency?

App tracking transparency is a continuation of Apple’s push to be recognised as the platform of privacy. The new feature allows apps to display a pop-up notification that explains what data the app wants to collect, and what it proposes to do with it.

There is nothing users need to do to gain access to the new feature, other than install the latest iOS update, which happens automatically on most devices. Once upgraded, apps that use tracking functions will display a request to opt in or out of this functionality.

How does it work?

As Apple has explained, the app tracking transparency feature is a new “application programming interface”, or API — a suite of programming commands used by developers to interact with the operating system.

The API gives software developers a few pre-canned functions that allow them to do things like “request tracking authorisation” or use the tracking manager to “check the authorisation status” of individual apps.

In more straightforward terms, this gives app developers a uniform way of requesting these tracking permissions from the device user. It also means the operating system has a centralised location for storing and checking what permissions have been granted to which apps.

What is missing from the fine print is that there is no physical mechanism to prevent the tracking of a user. The app tracking transparency framework is merely a pop-up box.

It is also interesting to note the specific wording of the pop-up: “ask app not to track”. If the application is using legitimate “device advertising identifiers”, answering no will result in this identifier being set to zero. This will reduce the tracking capabilities of apps that honour Apple’s tracking policies.

However, if an app is really determined to track you, there are many techniques that could allow them to make surreptitious user-specific identifiers, which may be difficult for Apple to detect or prevent.

For example, while an app might not use Apple’s “device advertising identifier”, it would be easy for the app to generate a little bit of “random data”. This data could then be passed between sites under the guise of normal operations such as retrieving an image with the data embedded in the filename. While this would contravene Apple’s developer rules, detecting this type of secret data could be very difficult.

Apple seems prepared to crack down hard on developers who don’t play by the rules. The most recent additions to Apple’s App Store guidelines explicitly tells developers:

You must receive explicit permission from users via the App Tracking Transparency APIs to track their activity.

It’s unlikely major app developers will want to fall foul of this policy — a ban from the App Store would be costly. But it’s hard to imagine Apple sanctioning a really big player like Facebook or TikTok without some serious behind-the-scenes negotiation.

Why is Facebook objecting?

Facebook is fuelled by web users’ data. Inevitably, anything that gets in the way of its gargantuan revenue-generating network is seen as a threat. In 2020, Facebook’s revenue from advertising exceeded $84 billion – a 21 percent rise on 2019.

The issues are deep-rooted and reflect the two tech giants’ very different business models. Apple’s business model is the sale of laptops, computers, phones and watches – with a significant proportion of its income derived from the vast ecosystem of apps and in-app purchases used on these devices. Apple’s app revenue was reported at $64 billion in 2020.

With a vested interest in ensuring its customers are loyal and happy with its devices, Apple is well positioned to deliver privacy without harming profits.

Should I use it?

Ultimately, it is a choice for the consumer. Many apps and services are offered ostensibly for free to users. App developers often cover their costs through subscription models, in-app purchases or in-app advertising. If enough users decide to embrace privacy controls, developers will either change their funding model (perhaps moving to paid apps) or attempt to find other ways to track users to maintain advertising-derived revenue.

If you don’t want your data to be collected (and potentially sold to unnamed third parties), this feature offers one way to restrict the amount of your data that is trafficked in this way.

But it’s also important to note that tracking of users and devices is a valuable tool for advertising optimisation by building a comprehensive picture of each individual. This increases the relevance of each advert while also reducing advertising costs (by only targeting users who are likely to be interested). Users also arguably benefit, as they see more (relevant) adverts that are contextualised for their interests.

It may slow down the rate at which we receive personalised ads in apps and websites, but this change won’t be an end to intrusive digital advertising. In essence, this is the price we pay for “free” access to these services.

Paul Haskell-Dowland, Associate Dean (Computing and Security), Edith Cowan University and Nikolai Hampton, School of Science, Edith Cowan University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Volkswagen ID.4 GTX debuts with a dual-motor setup, 299 hp and 480-kilometre range

As promised at the Volkswagen ID.4's unveiling in September last year, it's now available with dual-electric motor all-wheel drive as the ID.4 GTX. Going forward, the GTX tag will signify the electric performance sub-brand for Volkswagen, or as the company puts it, "the GTX is the GTI of the EV world". Versus the rear-wheel drive ID.4, the ID.4 GTX takes power up to 299 hp from 204 hp, also slashing the 0-100 kph performance to 6.2 seconds from 8.5 seconds.

Based on the VW modular electric MEB platform, the same 77 kWh capacity battery packs are sandwiched in the floor pan, and driving range stands at 480 km (WLTP), marginally down on the regular ID.4's 520 km range. At 125 kW charge rates, the ID.4 GTX can gain roughly 300 km of driving range with just a 10-minute charge.

Visually drawing parallels to the signature honeycomb grille on GTI models, the ID.4 GTX adds to the base ID.4's look with sporty touches like the gloss-black honeycomb air intake at the bottom of the bumper, and three diamond-shaped DRLs under the IQ Light headlights. Wheel sizes (20- and 21-inches) are the same as on the ID.4. Other changes include new bumpers unique to the ID.4 GTX. On the inside, changes are limited to the signature red contrast stitching across the dash and upholstery, while additional drive modes, such as Traction, add to the all-wheel drive capabilities.

Volkswagen also previewed the ID.5 and ID.5 GTX SUV coupes, essentially the ID.4 but with a more sharply rakes roof towards the rear to make for a sportier-looking crossover. We expect Volkswagen to launch the ID.5 SUV coupe abroad towards the end of the year. Meanwhile, Volkswagen India tells us that EVs are on the cards for the country, but only in a few years once the charging infrastructure is better developed.

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COVID 19: Nia Sharma has a vaccination query for ‘woke’ celebrities urging all to get vaccinated

Of late, a number of celebrities across social media platforms have taken to their verified accounts urging all to get vaccinated against COVID 19. From sharing infographics to video, social media timelines are abuzz with such appeals. However, actress Nia Sharma has a query for all. Taking to Twitter the actress tweeted asking 'woke' celebrities to also list down the centers/hospitals where vaccination for all is available. Seemingly Nia was taking a dig at the shortage of vaccine dosage.

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Germany could lose glaciers sooner than expected, as early as in the next decade: Report

Germany's glaciers are melting at a faster pace than feared and the country could lose its last ice caps in 10 years, an alarming report said Thursday. "The days of glaciers in Bavaria are numbered. And even sooner than expected," said Thorsten Glauber, environment minister of the southern region, home to Germany's ice-capped Alps. "The last Bavarian Alpine glacier could be gone in 10 years." Scientists had previously estimated the glaciers would be around until the middle of the century.

But the melting has accelerated dramatically over the last years.

Located in the Zugspitze area and in the Berchtesgaden Alps, Germany's five glaciers have lost about two-thirds of their volume in the past decade. Their surface areas have also shrunk by a third — equivalent to around 36 football fields.

Issuing a stark warning over global warming, Glauber stressed that the glaciers are "not only a monument of Earth's history in the form of snow and ice".

"They are thermometers for the state of our climate," he added.

A global study released Wednesday found nearly all the world's glaciers are losing mass at an ever-increasing pace, contributing to more than a fifth of global sea-level rise this century.

An international team of researchers analysing images taken by a NASA satellite said that between 2000-2019, the world's glaciers lost an average of 267 billion tonnes of ice each year — enough to submerge Switzerland under six metres of water every year.

The report came as meteorologists in Germany said this April has been the coldest in four decades.

Like elsewhere in Europe, Germany has recorded wild weather in recent years. After a winter in which temperatures plunged well below freezing in February, the mercury rose to 25.9 degrees on 1 April before slipping more than 15 degrees for much of the rest of the month.

Environmentalists blame global warming for the shifts and have been urging governments to do more to halt the damaging trend.

Under the 2015 Paris Agreement countries aim to keep the global temperature increase to under two degrees Celsius, and ideally closer to 1.5 degrees, by 2050.

Climate activists scored a landmark victory Thursday in a case against Chancellor Angela Merkel's government as the Constitutional Court ruled Berlin's environment protection plan insufficient.

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Nobel laureates stress ‘existential need’ to act and protect humanity from future risks

The failure to halt climate change, the destruction of nature and other intertwined global crises poses an existential risk to humanity, ten Nobel laureates said Thursday following the first-ever Nobel Prize Summit. Only profound changes in the way society produces, distributes and consumes almost everything — starting with energy — can forestall potentially catastrophic changes, they said in a joint statement, also signed by 20 other top thinkers. "We need to reinvent our relationship with planet Earth," the statement said. "Without transformational action this decade, humanity is taking colossal risks with our common future."

The risks of pandemics, they noted, are now greater due to the destruction of natural habitats, highly networked societies, and the spread of fake news on social networks.

The Nobel winners said societies must repair and restore the "global commons" that have allowed our species to flourish — the climate, ice, land, ocean, freshwater, forests, soils, and rich diversity of life that regulate the state of the planet.

"There is now an existential need to build economies and societies that support Earth system harmony rather than disrupt it," they warned.

"The next decade is crucial: global greenhouse gas emissions need to be cut by half and destruction of nature halted and reversed."

The amount of CO2 humanity can emit and still cap global warming at 1.5 degrees Celsius — our "carbon budget" — will be exhausted before 2030, scientists have calculated.

Earth's average global temperature has already gone up 1.2C compared to preindustrial levels.

At the same time, energy needs are increasing: every week until 2050 Earth's urban population will increase by about 1.3 million.

The Nobel signatories included economists Joseph Stiglitz of Columbia University and Oliver Hart from Harvard, biophysicists William Moerner from Stanford and Jacques Dubochet of Lausanne University, and astrophysicist Brian Schmidt of the Australian National University.

Last generation that can act

There is no Nobel Prize for environmental or Earth science.

"What we are doing amounts to an uncontrolled experiment on Earth’s life-support system," said Earth system scientist Johan Rockstrom, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and a signatory of the statement.

"We are the last generation with a reasonable chance of retaining long-term stability of critical parts of the Earth system."

The planet has sent up one red flag after another of a climate system teetering on the edge of dangerous tipping points, the statement said.

Parts of the Antarctic ice sheet may have already crossed irreversible melting thresholds, and the circulation of North Atlantic currents that ensure temperate winters in Europe has slowed.

Rainforests, permafrost and coral reefs are similarly approaching tipping points.

Widening inequality and distortions in the distribution of information have also reached the level of global crises, the Nobels cautioned.

"These supranational crises are interlinked and threaten the enormous gains we have made in human progress," they wrote.

Humanity is only now "waking up late" to these challenges but still has time to act, the statement said, outlining seven critical areas.

Biologists Linda Buck at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, and Elizabeth H. Blackburn from the University of California at San Francisco, along with virologist Charles Rice from The Rockefeller University, also signed.

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Trailer of web series Ramyug released: Now watch the tale Ramayan unfold on OTT

Director Kunal Kohli feels "Ramyug", his upcoming mythological web series that narrates the story of Lord Ram, should spread positivity and hope at a time when people are feeling depressed and demotivated owing to the pandemic. "The country is going through an extremely difficult time, and we hope that the re-telling of this epic tale will motivate and give strength to families that can sit together and watch this story," says Kohli.

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Asian Paints’ Nails It Once Again With Season 4 Of ‘Where The Heart Is’ That Showcases Celebrity Homes Like Never Before

Watch The Inspiring Stories Of Celebrities Who’ve Poured Their Heart Into Building Their Dream Homes

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Land Rover Discovery facelift set for India launch by mid-2021, to get three powertrains

Jaguar Land Rover India is expected to launch the facelifted 2021 Land Rover Discovery in the coming months. The SUV has already been listed on the Land Rover India website and should debut here after the revised Jaguar F-Pace launches in May 2021. The website suggests the 2021 Land Rover Discovery facelift will be available in India with three engine options. The diesel option is the D300 with Land Rover's new 3.0-litre inline-six MHEV diesel engine in its 300 hp and 650 Nm guise. This version can do zero to 100 kmph in 6.8 seconds and reach a 209 kph top speed.

There are two petrol engines on offer other than this. The base petrol engine is the P300 version with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine again making 300 hp and 400 Nm. Equipped with this, the facelifted Discovery can get from zero to 100 kph in 7.3 seconds and reach a 201 kph top speed. The top petrol engine is the P360 with its 3.0-litre inline-six MHEV motor that puts out 360 hp and 500 Nm. This can do 0 to 100 kph in 6.5 seconds and reach a 209 kph top speed.

All versions get Land Rover's basic terrain response system, an AWD system, air suspension and a two-speed transfer box. The diesel and top petrol get all of those but not the low range system. However, this can be optioned along with the All-Terrain Progress Control system, the Terrain Response 2 system and an active locking rear differential. The Discovery has a 900 mm wading depth and a 34-degree approach, 27.5-degree breakover and a 30-degree departure angle in the off-road mode. There is also a hill-descent function and a gradient acceleration control system.

The 2021 Land Rover Discovery facelift will be available in standard and R-Dynamic styling packs. Aside from this, there will be three variants on offer - S, SE and HSE. Notable features are the new 11.4-inch Pivi Pro infotainment system, 12.3-inch digital instrumentation, HUD, up to four climate zones, a 14-speaker Meridian audio system, panoramic sunroof, wireless charging, a PM2.5 air filter, 19 or 20-inch wheels and 18-way heated front seats.

Safety features include eight airbags, stability and traction control, torque vectoring by braking, TPMS, ABS, EBD and ISOFIX mounts on the front passenger and second-row seats.

Expect the Land Rover Discovery facelift to launch in the Indian market sometime in June 2021. The Discovery will compete with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz GLE and the BMW X5, although the Discovery is a seven-seater, unlike these SUVs. Expect prices to start from around Rs 80 lakh (ex-showroom). Meanwhile, Jaguar Land Rover India has started accepting bookings for the facelifted Jaguar F-Pace.

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Dil De Diya Song Out: Salman Khan, Jacqueline Fernandez set the stage on fire in new Radhe song

After winning hearts with chartbuster number 'Seeti Maar', the second song of Bollywood superstar Salman Khan 's film 'Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai', 'Dil De Diya' has also been released. Salman has shared the song on social media. In this one, Jacqueline Fernandes is seen shaking a leg with the actor and the song is already gaining much appreciation on YouTube. 

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Long-March 5B rocket launches first module of China's 'Heavenly Palace' space station

China launched the first module of its "Heavenly Palace" space station on Thursday, a milestone in Beijing's ambitious plan to establish a permanent human presence in space. Billions of dollars have been poured into space exploration as China seeks to reflect its rising global stature and growing technological might, following in the footsteps of the United States, Russia and Europe. The Tianhe core module, which houses life support equipment and a living space for astronauts, was launched from Wenchang in China's tropical Hainan province on a Long-March 5B rocket on Thursday, state television showed.

Chinese President Xi Jinping called the space station a key step in "building a great nation of science and technology" in a congratulatory message Thursday.

The Tiangong space station, whose name means "Heavenly Palace", is expected to be operational by 2022 after around 11 missions to deliver more modules and assemble them in orbit.

Live footage from state broadcaster CCTV showed space programme employees cheering as the rocket powered its way through the atmosphere billowing flames from the launch site.

Crowds wearing sunhats and wielding smartphone cameras gathered under the coconut trees of a nearby beach to watch the launch as a band played in photos published by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation.

"A palace in the sky will no longer be just a romantic fantasy of the ancients," the CCTV anchor said.

The completed station will be similar to the Soviet "Mir" station that orbited Earth from the 1980s until 2001.

The Chinese space station is expected to remain in low orbit at between 400 and 450 kilometres above Earth for a lifespan of around 15 years.

The completed station, weighing little more than 90 tons, will be around a quarter the size of the International Space Station.

The station will have two other modules for scientific study and will be equipped with solar panels as well as experimental equipment including an ultracold atomic experiment apparatus, according to the Chinese Society of Astronautics.

The core module will give three astronauts 50 cubic metres of living space, equipped with advanced telecommunications equipment that will allow astronauts to browse websites "no differently from normal people using the internet and phones on Earth", Bai Linhou, deputy chief designer of the space station, told CCTV.

China launched the Tiangong-1 lab, its first prototype module intended to lay the groundwork for the permanently crewed station, in September 2011.

The lab disintegrated on re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere in 2018, two years after it ceased functioning.

A second lab, the Tiangong-2, was launched into orbit in 2016.

Space ambitions

The International Space Station — a collaboration between the US, Russia, Canada, Europe and Japan — is due to be retired after 2024, although NASA has said it could potentially remain functional beyond 2028.

With the retirement of the ISS, which received its first crew in 2000, China's Tiangong could become the only space station in Earth's orbit.

Beijing does not have specific plans to use its space station for international cooperation like the ISS, but Chinese space authorities have said they are open to foreign collaboration, although the scope of that cooperation is as yet unclear.

The European Space Agency has sent astronauts to China to receive training in order to be ready to work inside the Chinese space station once it is launched.

China also said in March it was planning to build a separate lunar space station with Russia.

The facility, planned for either the surface or the orbit of the Moon, would house experimental research facilities and would be Beijing's biggest international space cooperation project to date.

The country has come a long way since its first satellite in 1970.

It put the first Chinese "taikonaut" in space in 2003 and landed the Chang'e-4 robot on the far side of the Moon in 2019 -- a historic first.

The Chinese space programme sent a probe into Mars' orbit earlier this year. The wheeled probe is expected to touch down on the surface of Mars in mid-May.

Also read: China begins building three-person space station, first launch to take place soon

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Twitter earned $86 million in latest quarter, revenue grew 28 percent

Like its bigger tech peers, Twitter posted stronger-than-expected results for the first quarter on Thursday. But its lukewarm outlook sent shares tumbling after hours. The San Francisco-based company earned $68 million, or 8 cents per share, in the January-March period. That’s up from a loss of $8.4 million, or 1 cent per share, a year earlier.

Revenue grew 28 percent to $1.04 billion. Analysts, on average, were expecting a loss of 2 cents per share on revenue of $1.03 billion, according to a poll by FactSet.

In a tumultuous start to the year, Twitter permanently suspended its arguably most powerful and polarising user — former President Donald Trump — from its platform in January after the deadly riots at the US Capitol.

It had also suspended more than 150,000 other accounts across its platform for what it described as “propagating a conspiracy theory” linked to dangerous behavior offline. Primarily these accounts were linked to QAnon, the unfounded conspiracy theory that claims Trump is waging a secret battle against the “deep state” and a sect of powerful devil-worshipping pedophiles.

While the suspensions irked certain users, Twitter executives insist they want a “healthy conversation” on the platform and are willing to take some heat for enforcing rules.

“When it comes to the Twitter Rules, we recognize that politicians and government officials are constantly evolving how they use the service, and we want our policies to remain relevant to the everchanging nature of political discourse on Twitter,” the company said in a statement Thursday. To this end, Twitter is seeking public input on its rules.

Twitter had 199 million daily users, on average, in the third quarter, up 20 percent year-over-year and slightly below the 200 million that analysts were expecting.

By comparison, Facebook had 1.88 billion daily users on average in March 2021, an increase of 8 percent year-over-year. Snapchat, meanwhile, had 280 million average daily active users in the first quarter.

Twitter does not disclose monthly user figures.

Twitter said it expects revenue between $980 million and $1.08 billion for the second quarter. The midpoint of that is below analysts’ expectations of $1.06 billion.

Twitter’s stock fell $6.21, or 9.5 percent, to $58.88 in after-hours trading.

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RIP, loneliest man in history: Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins passes away at 90

American astronaut Michael Collins, who piloted the Apollo 11 command module while his crewmates became the first people to walk on the Moon, died on Wednesday after battling cancer, his family said. Sometimes called "the loneliest man in history" because of his long solo flight while his colleagues loped across the lunar surface, Collins never earned the same global name recognition as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. But he was hailed as a lifelong advocate of space exploration: erudite and witty yet also self-effacing, maintaining in a 2009 interview with NASA that his historic accomplishments were "90 percent blind luck" and that astronauts should not be celebrated as heroes.

"Mike always faced the challenges of life with grace and humility, and faced this, his final challenge, in the same way," Collins' family posted on his official Twitter account.

Crewmate Aldrin led the tributes, writing on Twitter: "Dear Mike, Wherever you have been or will be, you will always have the Fire to Carry us deftly to new heights and to the future. We will miss you. May you Rest In Peace."

US President Joe Biden said that while Collins "may not have received equal glory," he was "an equal partner, reminding our nation about the importance of collaboration in service of great goals."

Born in Rome in 1930 to a US army officer serving as military attache there, Collins went on to become a fighter pilot and test pilot with the air force. He applied to NASA after being inspired by John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, and was selected to be an astronaut in 1963.

Collins' first spaceflight was on the Gemini 10 mission, where he made a then record-breaking two spacewalks.

But he is best known for being a member of the Apollo 11 mission when, on 20 July 1969, his crewmates Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took their giant leaps for mankind.

Remarking on Collins' role, a NASA press officer would later tell reporters: "Not since Adam has any human known such solitude."

Collins spent half a century trying to debunk that myth.

"I would enjoy a perfectly enjoyable hot coffee, I had music if I wanted to," he said at a 50th anniversary event in 2019. "Good old Command Module Columbia had every facility that I needed, and it was plenty big and I really enjoyed my time by myself instead of being terribly lonely."

He was worried, however, that Armstrong and Aldrin might not make it back alive -- remarking once that being the mission's sole survivor would have made him "a marked man for life."

World in my window

Ultimately, Apollo 11 was a success and after the crew splashed down in the Pacific, they embarked on a worldwide tour, at the end of which they were all awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Collins would go on to say the Moon mission forever changed his perspective, impressing upon him the fragility of our home planet and the need to protect it.

"When we rolled out and looked at (the Moon), oh, it was an awesome sphere," he said at a 2019 event at George Washington University.

But "as magnificent as that was, as impressive, and as much as I will remember that, that was nothing, nothing compared to this other window out there," he continued.

"Out there was this little pea about the size of your thumbnail at arm's length: blue, white, very shiny, you get the blue of the oceans, white of the clouds, streaks of rust we call continents, such a beautiful gorgeous tiny thing, nestled into this black velvet of the rest of the universe."

"Hey, Houston, I've got the world in my window," he told mission control.

Collins turned down an offer to command his own Moon mission and went on to become a diplomat, serving as assistant secretary of state for public affairs.

He later became the first director of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, and authored numerous books on space including his well-received autobiography "Carrying the Fire."

He retired in Florida, living with his wife Pat until she died in 2014.

Asked by Fox News in 2019 whether he thinks much about Apollo 11, he said: "Not very often."

"I lead a quiet life. I'll be walking along down my street at night, when it's starting to get dark and I sense something over my right shoulder and I look up and see that little silver sliver up there and think, 'Oh that's the Moon. I've been there!'

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Suzuki Misano EV roadster concept revealed: A future e-sportscar hiding in plain sight?

The wraps are off the Suzuki Misano EV roadster concept, commissioned by Suzuki from the Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) in Turin, Italy. For decades, Suzuki has been making compact cars as well as a wide range of motorcycles, and to signify the company’s ‘two souls’, Suzuki wanted a concept that would represent the best of both worlds. A team of 24 masters students – from countries including India, Italy, Turkey, France, Lebanon, Israel, Spain, Albania and Belgium – at IED Turin set to work on this concept in 2020, which has been named after the Misano World Circuit motorcycle racetrack.

At 4,000 mm in length, 1,750 mm in width and just 1,000 mm in height, the Suzuki Misano is a small, wide and low roadster with two seats, but not in the traditional side-by-side layout. To recreate the motorcycling experience, the Suzuki Misano has a tandem seating layout, with the cockpit offset to the left, and there’s even a small windscreen to add to the two-wheeler effect. In fact, Suzuki went a step ahead and swapped out the steering wheel for a motorcycle handlebar-style yoke!

As a result, there’s only a single rollover hoop on the left side, and the battery pack and a trunk are what you’ll find on the right side of the Misano. However, no details on the battery pack itself or any other technical details have been shared.

In terms of styling, the Suzuki Misano sports clean lines and smooth surfacing, with arrow-shaped LED lights adding some aggression to the face. A glass panel has been incorporated into the door on the driver’s side (there’s no door on the right side), rose gold accents offset the concept’s grey paint scheme, OZ Racing wheels – shod in Pirelli tyres – add volume to the wheel arches and standouts at the back are the slim LED tail-lights and a full-size diffuser.

There is no word on whether Suzuki envisions the Misano concept as a precursor to a future production sportscar. Suzuki has collaborated with IED in the past, and while the Misano has plenty of show car elements – such as the handlebar in place of a steering wheel – it is also not too far removed from a road-ready sportscar. Suzuki is hoping to make a big push into the world of electric vehicles, and an all-electric sportscar could well reaffirm its image as a maker of compact-yet-fun cars.

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Technical glitch keeps Ingenuity helicopter grounded on fourth Mars flight attempt

NASA's Mars Ingenuity helicopter missed its fourth scheduled flight on Thursday, with the space agency blaming a software glitch and vowing to try again the next day. "The helicopter is safe and in good health," said a statement, adding the rotorcraft had failed to transition to "flight mode." The team plans to attempt the flight once more on Friday at 8.16 pm IST (10:46 am Eastern Time) with data expected back at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory around three hours later.

The software issue is thought to be the same one that delayed Ingenuity's maiden voyage, the first powered flight on another planet. Initially scheduled for 11 April, the historic feat occurred on 19 April.

The reason was a glitch associated with the aircraft's "watchdog timer," which alerts Ingenuity to potential problems and pauses its processes if it thinks it has detected an error.

Engineers made a coding tweak that allowed Ingenuity to overcome the problem and transition to flight mode correctly — but estimated there was a 15 percent chance it would not work on each flight attempt.

"Today's delay is in line with that expectation and does not prevent future flight," NASA said.

Since reaching Mars in February under the belly of the Perseverance rover, the 1.8 kilograms helicopter has made three successful flights.

The last, which took place Sunday, saw it move faster and further than ever before, with a peak speed of 6.6 feet (two meters) per second. It covered 50 meters of distance.

Ingenuity's flights are challenging because of conditions vastly different from Earth's — foremost among them a rarefied atmosphere that has less than one percent the density of our own and means it has to spin its rotors at 2,400 revolutions per minute.

The Ingenuity technology demonstration will end in early May to allow the Perseverance rover to return to its main task: searching for signs of past microbial life on Mars.

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Neetu Kapoor shares emotional post on Rishi Kapoor's death anniversary: Have accepted life will never be same

On the first death anniversary of Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor, wife and actress Neetu Kapoor shared an emotional post in the memory of the veteran actor. Remembered the charisma the Rishi had, the actress wrote, "All of last year has been of grief and sadness around the world for us maybe more as we lost him .. Not a day has gone by when we have not discussed or reminisced him as he was an extension of our existence .. sometimes his wise advice:: his wise cracks : his anecdotes!"

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Sankashti Chaturthi 2021: Know the Significance, Timings and Rituals

The devotees of Lord Ganesha observe a fast on both this day as well as on the Chaturthi tithi of every month

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PUBG Lite discontinued in India, player support to end on 29 May

While mobile gamers in the country await the launch of PUBG Mobile India, the developers have shut down PUBG Lite in India. PUBG Lite developers had announced last month, that the game will be discontinued starting 29 April. "We are deeply grateful for the passion and support from the astounding number of PUBG LITE fans that have been with us. During the strenuous times of the COVID-19 pandemic, we hope that PUBG LITE was able to provide our fans a fun way to stay safe. Unfortunately, we have made the difficult decision to close service after much deliberation and the time has come for our journey to end. We regretfully inform you that service of PUBG LITE is scheduled to end on April 29th, 2021 (UTC)," the developers announced on 30 March.

On 30 March, the PUBG Lite webpage was shut down and new downloads of the app were blocked. As of 29 April, PUBG Lite's service has officially ended. And starting 29 May, player support will no longer be available.

Notably, even after the termination of PUBG Lite's services, the game will continue to be available on Facebook.

Meanwhile, new leaks around PUBG Mobile India's imminent launch keep coming in. On Thursday, some users on Twitter spotted a video put up by PUBG Mobile teasing the launch of the game in India, however, the video was taken down soon after.

#PUBG_MOBILE_INDIA TESAR🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/4sJoU4d91Q

— Rahul Prasad (@Rahulprasad0123) April 29, 2021

Last month, it was reported that the Indian government has finally given a green flag to the game's launch in the country. The makers of PUBG Mobile India recently also tied up with Microsoft Azure so that the entire game data is stored locally.

In November, PUBG Corporation announced PUBG Mobile's return to India. The company had revealed its plans for a new mobile game called 'PUBG Mobile India'. At that time, PUBG Corp also said that it will be investing $100 million in the Indian gaming industry. The company set up its India subsidiary last year and on 21 November, it was registered with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs with a paid-up investment of Rs 5 lakh. The company has been registered in Bengaluru.

This time around, PUBG Corp assures that in order to maintain privacy and security of players in India, it will conduct "regular audits and verifications on the storage systems holding Indian users’ personally identifiable information to reinforce security and ensure that their data is safely managed."

PUBG Corp also says that in the new PUBG Mobile India game, in-game content will be improved and tailored to reflect needs of Indian gamers. Several aspects of the game will be customised for instance, the game will now be "set in a virtual simulation training ground, new characters automatically starting clothed, and green hit effects to reflect the virtual nature of the game."

The new PUBG Mobile India game will also include a feature that places restrictions on game time to promote healthy gameplay habits.

PUBG Corp will also be establishing an India subsidiary and will hire over 100 employees specialising in business, esports, and game development. In addition to that, PUBG Corp says it will look to "actively collaborate and leverage local businesses to strengthen its gaming service."

 

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On This Day: World Wide Web (WWW) Became Public Domain

On April 30, 1993, CERN - the European Organization for Nuclear Research - announced that it was putting WWW into the public domain

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Dadasaheb Phalke Birth Anniversary: Lesser-known Facts About The Father of Indian Cinema

Dadasaheb Phalke's life turned around after watching Ferdinand Zecca’s silent film, The Life of Christ. This was when Dadasaheb made up his mind to make his first film.

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Shaken by trauma of India's COVID 19 situation, Priyanka Chopra, Nick Jonas share another video

Global star Priyanka Chopra Jonas and her husband Nick Jonas have come together to help India during the COVID 19 crisis. The couple released a new video message on social media urging the global community to help India by donating as much as they can in their capacity. The duo emphasised how India's healthcare system is at a breaking point and it needs support of the global community. 

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Tamil director-cinematographer KV Anand passes away

Tamil director-cinematographer KV Anand passed away on Friday in Chennai following a heart attack. He was 54. The ace filmmaker had helmed popular Tamil films like Ayan, Kana Kandaen, Ko, Kavan, Maattrraan, Anegan, and Kaappaan. Anand won the National Film Award for Best Cinematography for his debut film as a cinematographer, Thenmavin Kombath.

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