Apple Set to Launch 8GB iPhone 5c in India

Apple is set to introduce the 8GB iPhone 5c in India, NDTV Gadgets has learnt.

The 8GB variant was officially unveiled back in March, and was initially available in UK, France, Germany, Australia, and China. Recently, the company launched it in additional countries, including Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Sweden, Poland, Czech Republic, Ireland, Portugal, Austria, Spain, Denmark, Finland, Switzerland, and Norway.

Now, Apple is set to add to this list, with India amongst the countries that is slated to get the cheapest current-generation iPhone.

The iPhone 5c was launched in India carrying a price tag of Rs. 41,900 for the 16GB model. 8GB variant is cheaper than the 16GB iPhone 5c by EUR 50 (Rs. 4,100 approximately), so a sub-Rs. 35,000 price tag for the 8GB iPhone 5c is likely.

While the 8GB iPhone 5c is not without its limitations as we've noted earlier, the strategy of offering previous generations iPhone models at lower price points has worked well for Apple India in the recent past, so it's likely that sales of the first 'colourful' iPhone will also get a push thanks to the price.

During the last earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook highlighted the growth in the India market, which industry insiders have attributed to the various cash backs and exchange offers that Apple has launched in the country.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 Movie Review

Cast:Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Dane DeHaan
Director: Marc Webb

SPOILERS AHEAD

Deep into The Amazing Spider-Man 2, my 11-year-old companion was confused about a certain plot point — justifiably, I'd say — and demanded an immediate and thorough explanation.

"Shh, not now. Later!" I hissed. Because, though I didn't admit it, I really didn't want to miss an Andrew Garfield-Emma Stone kiss. And who knew when the next one was coming?

With great chemistry, you see, comes great kissing.

Let's just say this unequivocally: Whether or not my young Spidey fan would agree, the best thing about the The Amazing Spider-Man 2, the second installment of director Marc Webb's series reboot, is that infectious chemistry between Garfield and Stone. In fact, given that this overstuffed, overly long film is a sequel to a sequel, and that it spends a gazillion dollars retelling a story (in 3-D and IMAX) that the world already knows, you could argue that the Garfield-Stone dynamic is the real justification for the whole enterprise.

This isn't just because the two happen to be real-life partners — though it can't hurt. Garfield is a sensitive actor who brings a quirky blend of intelligence and goofiness to Peter Parker, and a welcome hipster edge to the role that the wide-eyed Tobey Maguire didn't have in the earlier incarnation of the Marvel character.

As for Stone, she's just so darned charming. And though it's again a stretch to imagine her as a high school student, heck, we'll take it. (In fact, Stone is 25 and Garfield is 30, so we're just gonna have to give them a pass on this. At least they get their diplomas this time.)

Another winning presence is that of Sally Field, touching as the now-widowed Aunt May. The reliable Field gets one terrifically emotional scene with Peter that may have you reaching for a tissue.

As for the plot, though, that may have you reaching for a notepad. There are not one, not two, but three villains (at least!) here, and all sorts of backstories — something for everyone, which means too much.

The most important backstory involves Peter's parents, and what really happened to them once they abandoned him as a tot (hint: it involves a very fast-paced plane ride).

Back on terra firma, we start with an even faster-paced urban chase involving Spider-Man, a hammy, Russian-accented Paul Giamatti, and some plutonium, distracting Peter/Spidey from Gwen, who's anxiously awaiting Peter's arrival at their graduation.

Peter does arrive, miraculously, but we quickly learn that the key obstacle to their relationship remains in place: Peter's fear of putting Gwen in harm's way. Haunted, Peter just can't commit (they always have an excuse, right?) Not surprisingly, Gwen gets very charmingly annoyed, and kinda sorta breaks up with him. But these two can't stay apart for long.

Meanwhile, there are big goings-on at Oscorp, that huge bioengineering corporation headed by Norman Osborn. With Norman on his deathbed, son Harry (Dane DeHaan) Peter's old buddy, returns from boarding school. The pale, wiry DeHaan is entertainingly creepy as he descends into desperation.

Then there's the unappreciated Oscorp employee Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx). When he falls into a vat of mutant electric eels (OSHA would have a field day at Oscorp), he morphs into Electro, a glowing monster who can manipulate electricity and suck the power from a whole city (Foxx is more convincing as the villain than the self-effacing scientist).

In this age of multi-tasking, Peter/Spidey sure has his work cut out for him — taking care of New York, of Gwen, and of the endearingly curious Aunt May, who, in a funny moment, wonders why, when Peter does the laundry, he turns all the clothes red and blue?

Where will it all end? Well, at least two more sequels (to the sequel, to the sequel) are planned, and any number of future confrontations loom. Which of the villains will re-emerge to challenge Spidey?

Shh, not now. Later! We're thinking about that kiss.

Last Phase of Lok Sabha Polls in Bihar Tomorrow

Patna: Polling would be held in six Lok Sabha seats in the sixth and last phase of the elections in Bihar tomorrow to decide the fate of 90 candidates, including film-maker Prakash Jha and former union minister Raghubansh Prasad Singh.

While Mr Jha is trying his luck on a JD(U) ticket from Paschim Champaran, more popularly remembered as Bettiah, Raghubansh Prasad Singh, would do so from his traditional Vaishali seat on a RJD ticket.

Mr Singh is opposed by politician Rama Singh of LJP and Vijay Kumar Sahni of JD(U).

The six seats where polling would be held were Valmikinagar, Paschim Champaran, Purvi Champaran, Vaishali, Gopalganj(SC) and Siwan.

Elaborate security measures are in place with 58,000 security personnel deployed. Armed personnel would be posted at every polling location.

The Election Commission has reduced poll timings by two hours in five assembly segments in view of Maoist threat. 

1994 Triple Murder: CBI Alleges Saini Tampered with Documents

New Delhi:  The CBI has filed an application in a Delhi court seeking action against Punjab DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, an accused in 1994 triple murder case, for allegedly showing tampered copies of some certified documents to a prosecution witness during his examination.

Special CBI judge A K Mendiratta asked the CBI to supply copy of its application to the accused persons and fixed the case for May 15 for their response and arguments. "Though the certified copies of the public record are admissible under Section 74 of the Evidence Act, since serious allegations of tampering/forgery of documents, already produced during cross-examination, have been made by special public prosecutor for CBI, it shall be appropriate in case copy of the application is supplied to the accused to file response," the court said.

Special public prosecutor Y K Saxena, during cross- examination of prosecution witness and complainant Ashish Kumar, a relative of the victims, submitted before the court that the certified copies of documents put to the witness during cross-examination on behalf of accused Saini "appear to be tampered, and necessary steps be taken as deemed fit and proper in the interest of justice". 

The CBI's application was vehemently opposed by the counsel for the accused saying that it was misuse of process of law and was not maintainable. The case pertains to alleged involvement of Saini, the then SSP of Ludhiana, in the kidnapping and murder of three persons -- Vinod Kumar, Ashok Kumar and their driver Mukhtiar Singh -- in 1994 in Ludhiana.

The CBI has alleged that the three men were murdered at the behest of Saini who had hatched a conspiracy in connivance with other accused policemen Sukh Mohinder Singh Sandhu, Paramjit Singh and Balbir Chand Tiwari to settle a personal score against the owners of Saini Motors, an automobile dealership in Punjab. 

Vinod and Ashok were chief financiers to Saini Motors. The case was registered against Saini and others on the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and was transferred to Delhi by the Supreme Court in 2004.

Jet Airways Top Official Flouts Norms, Allegedly Travels on Bunk Reserved for Flight Crew

Mumbai:  Jet Airways chief Naresh Goyal's executive assistant Jennifer D'Silva is alleged to have pressurised the captain of its international flight to allow her to sleep on a bunk which is only meant for resting of flight crew members as per the DGCA norms, sources said.

The incident happened on the airline's Mumbai-Hong Kong flight recently in which D'Silva was travelling with her husband, they said. The flight time between the two cities is about five and a half hours.

"D'Silva was travelling to Hong Kong from Mumbai in the economy class. She wanted to sleep and asked for the bunk to be provided for this purpose. However, the pilot informed her that the bunk was only meant for the crew members and can't be given to a passenger. However, she forced the pilot to allow her to sleep on the bunk behind the cockpit," Jet Airways sources told PTI.

They also said that the issue has been taken up with the members of the airline's pilots body, National Aviators Guild.

"The guild members are likely to discuss the issue on May 14 at their meeting with the management," the sources said.

When contacted, Jet Airways said that D'Silva had visited the bunk, but did not comment on the allegations.

"We confirm that the executive travelled in the economy class on the Bombay-Hong Kong sector, seated No 39A. She did visit the bunk area. However, this was not in violation of the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) rules," a Jet Airways spokesperson said in a statement to PTI.

India, Others Need to Wait Till 2017 for Automatic Tax

New Delhi:  As they continue their efforts to clamp down on the menace of black money, India and other countries will have to wait at least till 2017 before the new global standard for automatic exchange of tax information comes into effect.

India, Switzerland and 45 other nations had agreed upon automatic exchange of tax information, which is seen as a major step forward in global efforts against banking secrecy practices.

The endorsement of the 'Declaration on Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) in Tax Matters' under the aegis of think-tank Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) last week had paved the way for finalising a single global standard in this regard later this year in September.

"The effectiveness of AEOI will come only when the standard is translated into domestic legislations and hardware in banks' IT. This means that AEOI will take place in 2017 at the earliest," Pascal Saint-Amans, Director of the OECD Centre for Tax Policy and Administration, told PTI from Paris.

Paris-based Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) sets the global tax standards and frames conventions against tax frauds, among others.

With respect to automatic exchange of tax information, he said things are at early stages in terms of developing the standard as well as "getting the commitments"

EPL: Manchester City F.C. Aim to Win Title Without Hiccups on Season's Last Day

London:  Manchester City will hope to avoid the nerve-shredding drama of the 2011-12 season's final day when they host West Ham United in their Premier League title decider on Sunday. (Read: Aguero fit for Man City's title decider)

Two years ago, City needed to match Manchester United's result to take the title on the last day and only prevailed after Sergio Aguero scored a heart-stopping injury-time winner at home to Queens Park Rangers.

This time around the scenario is more straightforward, as although City lead second-place Liverpool by only two points, their superior goal difference means that a draw against West Ham will suffice.

City closed to within touching distance of a second title in three years by overwhelming Aston Villa 4-0on Wednesday, but manager Manuel Pellegrini has warned his side that the job is not finished yet.

"It is important to be calm ahead of this game," said the Chilean, who has already led City to glory in the League Cup.

"We have experienced players and some of them played in the game when we last won the Premier League, but the situation is different, many of the team are different, and we are playing different opposition. I expect to win the match and I'm not thinking about a draw or anything else."

Liverpool's title challenge was compromised by a 2-0 loss at home to Chelsea followed by a calamitous 3-3 draw at Crystal Palace on Monday, in which they let a 3-0 lead slip in the last 11 minutes.

However, if Liverpool win at home to Newcastle United and West Ham pull off a shock victory at the Etihad Stadium, the Merseyside club will secure their first English top-flight title since 1990.

"In terms of Sunday, all we can do is win our own game, and send the supporters away happy. They have been brilliant for us this year," said Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers.

"If we win our game and the (City) result goes against us, we'll end up finishing second. That shows how much we've progressed and we've actually pushed them all the way to the very end. That's something we'll draw strength from."

While City's rout of Villa took them to 100 league goals for the campaign, Liverpool are on 99.

Meanwhile, Liverpool's top scorer Luis Suarez, who has netted 31 times this season, needs one more goal to claim the record for goals in a 38-game Premier League season outright.

With the four Champions League qualifying places already secured by City, Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal, the only other issue to be decided at the top of the table concerns the Europa League slots.

Fifth-place Everton, who visit FA Cup finalists Hull City, have already secured one of the two Europa League berths and Tottenham Hotspur can pip Manchester United to the second if they avoid defeat at home to Villa.

United visit Southampton, where interim manager Ryan Giggs will take charge of the defending champions for the final time.

"There is not really a lot of pressure on me at the moment because it is just four games and we can't really win anything," said player-coach Giggs, who has yet to announce his plans for next season.

"However, we can qualify for the Europa League and we will carry on trying to do that."

Norwich City are already certain to join Fulham and Cardiff City in succumbing to relegation as they trail fourth-bottom West Bromwich Albion by three points with a vastly inferior goal difference.

Norwich close the campaign at home to Arsenal, who will hope to welcome back Jack Wilshere after the England midfielder spent two months on the sidelines with a fractured foot.

"He will be ready for the World Cup. For the rest, I do not want to make an individual case of anybody," said Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

"We have everybody who played (in the 1-0 win) against West Brom available. We could have the return of (Aaron) Ramsey and Wilshere could be in the squad as well for Sunday."

Third-place Chelsea will be without Frank Lampard due to illness for their trip to Cardiff, meaning the talismanic midfielder, whose contract is due to expire, may have already played his last game for the club.

Mumbai Indians Can Still Make IPL 7 Top-Four Despite Loss to Chennai Super Kings: Ambati Rayudu

Mumbai:  Just two wins in eight games notwithstanding, defending champions Mumbai Indians' batsman Ambati Rayudu still believes the team has a chance to make the Indian Premier League playoffs if it raises its performance by a few notches.

"We have to win most of our away games as well as when we come back here. If we just play  the way we are playing and just step it up a little bit, I think we should be okay," Rayudu said after his team's loss to Chennai Super Kings by four wickets here on Saturday. (Scorecard)

Two-time IPL winners Chennai Super Kings also snapped the defending champions' 10 match winning spree at the Wankhede Stadium and when asked what went wrong, Rayudu said, "If I analyse it, maybe a few decisions here and there might have been tough." (Highlights)

The 28-year old said the title-holders played well and the match could have swung either ways.

"It (the wicket) was slightly slow, when you compare it to the last two games. Ball was not really coming onto the bat and maybe towards the end there was dew on the wicket so it was skidding a little bit. But even in the early part of their innings, they were struggling because the ball was stopping and coming. I feel all in all we played a good game. Maybe it could have gone either ways," he said.

"The wicket for spinners was gripping and turning. They had more spinners in their team, three actually. Even Harbhajan (Singh), when he was bowling, it was gripping and turning. We thought at the time-out that anywhere close to 160 was a good score on this wicket. So, we were close to it (with 157)," the Baroda player added.

Rayudu notched up his first half century in the tournament this year, a 43-ball 59, and said he was pleased with the way he was batting.

"In T20, when you bat in different numbers your role differs from game to game. I cannot say my role everyday is to walk in and hold one end. I am pretty happy with the way I am batting and I don't really evaluate my batting  in T20 format as such but I am happy with the way I am batting," he said.

Scientists May Have Found a Way to Turn Off Fear

Queensland:  In a discovery that could spell the end for phobias, neuroscientists may have worked out how to silence the gene that feeds fear.

The breakthrough may help loosen the grip of fear-related memories, which are involved in phobias and conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder, scientists say.

For many people, fear of flying or of spiders skittering across the lounge room floor is more than just a momentary increase in heart rate and a pair of sweaty palms.

It's a hard-core phobia that can lead to crippling anxiety.

Now an international team of researchers, including scientists from The University of Queensland's Queensland Brain Institute, may have found a way to silence the gene that feeds this fear.

The team has shed new light on the processes involved in loosening the grip of fear-related memories, particularly those implicated in conditions such as phobia and post-traumatic stress disorder, QBI senior research fellow Dr Timothy Bredy said.

Bredy said they discovered a novel mechanism of gene regulation associated with fear extinction, an inhibitory learning process thought to be critical for controlling fear when the response was no longer required.

"Rather than being static, the way genes function is incredibly dynamic and can be altered by our daily life experiences, with emotionally relevant events having a pronounced impact," Bredy said.

By understanding the fundamental relationship between the way in which DNA functions without a change in the underlying sequence, future targets for therapeutic intervention in fear-related anxiety disorders could be developed.

"This may be achieved through the selective enhancement of memory for fear extinction by targeting genes that are subject to this novel mode of epigenetic regulation," he said.

Xiang Li, the study's lead author, said fear extinction was a clear example of rapid behavioural adaptation, and that impairments in this process were critically involved in the development of fear-related anxiety disorders.

"What is most exciting is that we have revealed an epigenetic state that appears to be quite specific for fear extinction," Li said.

Bredy said this was the first comprehensive analysis of how fear extinction was influenced by modifying DNA. 

"It highlights the adaptive significance of experience-dependent changes in the chromatin landscape in the adult brain," he said.

Soon Delhi's Traffic Police to Accept Fine Through Plastic Money.

New Delhi:  Don't have enough cash to pay traffic challan? Well, the excuse will no longer help you dodge the fine as Delhi Traffic Police is soon going to upgrade its hand-held e-challan device which will accept money through debit and credit cards.

"A proposal in this regard has been approved and very soon we would be able to accept challan through debit and credit cards on the spot," a senior police official has said. The e-challan scheme was rolled out last year under which the hand-held device replaced the challan book used by traffic police personnel earlier.

Now, the e-challan is issued on the spot with these devices. However, as of now, offenders can only pay in cash.

Currently, the traffic police here have around 1,200 such hand-held devices. On an average, around 12,000 challans are issued in Delhi everyday.

"We are waiting for the service providing company to make the devices adaptable so that debit and credit cards can be swiped on them and money can be transferred," the official said.

This will be another feather in the cap of the Delhi Traffic Police which had on Thursday launched a mobile application through which commuters can get instant traffic updates, calculate taxi and auto fares, report defunct traffic signals and fetch all related information right on their smartphones.

The mobile App and an upgraded website of the force were launched by Delhi Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung. The new mobile application is currently available on Android phones and can easily be downloaded from Google Play Store.

It will be soon available on Windows and Apple Store. The App is currently available on Android phones and can easily be downloaded from Google Play Store.

This application will enable the public to utilise the e-services provided by Delhi Traffic Police like obtaining information about traffic alerts and advisories to plan the journeys accordingly, in advance.

People can assess fare charges to be paid to auto/Taxi /Radio Cab drivers, calculation of distance travelled and shortest route to be taken for destined journey in Delhi.

Complaints can be lodged against TSR/Taxi drivers for misbehaviour, refusal and overcharging.

Commuters can also access information about pit for vehicles towed away by Traffic Police when parked unauthorisedly or improperly.

Direct calls can be made to Emergency Numbers. 

For NDTV Updates,

Story First Published: May 11, 2014 10:35 IST

Indian Scientists Lauded by Narendra Modi on National Technology Day

New Delhi:  BJP leader Narendra Modi on Sunday said Indian scientists are "our strength" and they will help shape the future in this "knowledge era", while greeting the nation and the community of scientists on National Technology Day.

"Our scientists are our strength and will help shape our future in this Knowledge Era with both defence and civilian impact," the Bharatiya Janata Party's prime ministerial candidate wrote on Twitter.

"Today, we should think on how India can become self-sufficient in defence manufacturing. How can we strengthen R&D in defence sector," he added.

Adding that the day marks the anniversary of the Pokhran tests of 1998, Modi said the tests were a "victory of technology" and the "nation's willpower".

"Under Atal (Bihari Vajpayee), India scripted a new chapter in our history and gave a strong message to the world with the success of the tests in Pokhran. NDA's foreign policy also ensured that those nations opposed to India testing gradually developed strong ties with India in various fields," he added.

IN VIRGINIA,HOT AIR BALLON CRASHES.

A hot air balloon caught fire and crashed during a festival in Caroline County, Va. on May 9, 2014.

Witnesses reported black smoke rising from the balloon, which was reportedly carrying several people, before seeing it collapse.