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Showing posts from 2018

'Simmba' roars with Rs. 75.11 crore at the box office

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Business Standard : Inching near to the Rs. 100 crore mark, Ranveer Singh and Sara Ali Khan 's 'Simmba' earned Rs. 75.11 crore during its first weekend. While the action-thriller raked Rs 20.72 crore on the first day of its release, it gained steam on the second day and minted Rs. 23.33 crore. On its third day, the flick earned Rs. 31.06 crore and crossed the Rs. 50 crore mark. Film critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh took to Twitter to share the news. He tweeted, "# Simmba sets the BO on fire, on Day 3... Has a fantastic weekend... Growth on Day 3 [vis-a-vis Day 2]: 33.13%... Should record solid numbers today [31 Dec] and tomorrow [1 Jan]. Fri 20.72 cr, Sat 23.33 cr, Sun 31.06 cr. Total: ? 75.11 cr. India biz." 'Simmba' is Sara Ali Khan's second Bollywood movie after she made her debut with Abhishek Kapoor's 'Kedarnath' earlier this month. Apart from Ranveer and Sara, the movie also casts Sonu Sood, who portrays the ro

Bacteria in Northern Ireland soil could combat superbugs

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Business Standard : A bacteria discovered in the soil from Northern Ireland can halt the spread of several antibiotic resistant superbugs, new research has found. The soil the researchers analysed originated from an area of Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, which is known as the Boho Highlands. It is an area of alkaline grassland and the soil is reputed to have healing properties. The researchers named the new strain of bacteria Streptomyces sp. myrophorea. The findings published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology showed that the newly-identified strain of Streptomyces inhibited the growth of four of the top six multi-resistant pathogens identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as being responsible for healthcare-associated infections. The four multi-resistant pathogens against which the new strain of bacteria was found effective are -- Vancomycin resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Klebsiella pneum

New rules for e-commerce portals will not hurt smartphones' growth in 2019

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Business Standard : Snazzier phones with premium price tags are set to vie for Indian customers' wallets in 2019, but it would be entry-level and affordable smartphones driving sales volume in the world's second largest smartphone market. However, exclusive launches and deep discounts on e-commerce platforms like Flipkart and Amazon could become a thing of the past as new rules for online marketplaces with new rules coming into effect in February. According to experts, 2018 was a vibrant year for smartphone companies in India as shipments grew by an estimated 11 per cent to about 150 million units. And the growth streak is expected to get a bit better at 12 per cent in 2019. The stellar growth saw India uprooting the US as the the world's second largest mobile phone market by volume -- ranking behind China but handset prices have been skewed towards lower-end of the market. "This is likely to change fast. We expect that mid-range smartphones, those

Jivi Banana 6 review: Cheap copy of original banana phone, the Nokia 8110

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Business Standard : Jivi, a home-grown mobile phone brand known for budget phones, recently launched the Banana 6 at Rs 1,299. Replica of the Nokia 8110 feature phone , famous for its banana-shaped design and commonly known as the original banana phone, the Jivi Banana 6 is also a feature phone with a curved design and a slider on the front, covering the keypad. In terms of design, the phone’s bright yellow colour pops out too much and might not go down well with everyone. The slider mechanism is reminiscent of the good old Nokia days when phones with sliders and flaps were common. However, the quality of the slider does not seem to be good. It feels out of the place while sliding down and requires constant efforts to keep it intact. The slider is used for unlocking/locking the phone and receiving calls. The back of the phone has a removable cover with a battery, dual-SIM and microSD slot underneath. The phone is powered by 1,000 mAh battery. On the front, the phone has a 2

Most eligible singles taken in 2018: Celebrity weddings that left us in awe

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Business Standard : This year saw a Prince of the royal family of Britain getting married. One of the richest business magnates of the world married his daughter off. The biggest teen pop star of a decade ago tied the knot. The Bollywood actress who beat the Khan trinity to top a list India's movie stars, too, took the nuptial vows. Here's a quick recap of 10 marriages that garnered attention like none others: 1. Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Suits star Meghan Markle tied the knot with Prince Harry in a wedding ceremony that boasted of the who's who of the glamour world. "I was unprepared for the depth of emotion I felt stepping onto the grounds of Windsor Castle. It literally took my breath away. I exclaimed out loud to no one in particular: 'Whoa! This right here is a whole another level! And I thought immediately of the history, the legacy, the astounding moment Meghan Markle was stepping into," Oprah Winfrey wrote in a column. 2. Priyank

India asks US health monitor to withdraw or modify Zika outbreak alert

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Business Standard : India asked the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to “withdraw or modify” an alert the latter issued cautioning pregnant women against travelling to India lest they risk a Zika infection . On December 13, the CDC had warned that “an outbreak of Zika has been reported in India” and that the disease is “endemic” in the country. It added, “Pregnant women should not travel to areas with risk of Zika. This is because Zika infection during pregnancy can cause serious birth defects.” The CDC had classified the alert as ‘Level 2’, which requires ‘enhanced protection’. Level 1 on its three-tiered list calls for ‘usual precautions’ and Level 3 advises against ‘non-essential’ travel. However, the Indian government has taken strong exception to the use of the term “endemic” because, it argued, Zika infections have been contained within small areas. Three cases of Zika infections had been reported in Gujarat last year, and many more in Ra

Give a colourful twist to your winter wardrobe

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Business Standard : Winter has finally arrived and for most people, this means layering up in all blacks or greys and hibernating till the season is over. While there is nothing wrong with these colours, one can also experiment with different hues to add freshness to this gloomy winter . Neelanjan Sil, Head of Design at Blackberrys Casuale and Kamakshi Kaul, VP Design Head, Max Fashion brings you some amazing tips to incorporate colours in your otherwise monochrome winter wardrobe. * Statement coats and blazers in bright hues: Statement coats are one of the biggest winter trends . Opt for a statement coat in a bold colour that not only brightens your wardrobe but also keeps you warm. While traditionally blazers do fall under formal category, they look great for casual looks too. Throw a bright colour blazer over a simple outfit to give an instant boost to your outfit. With temperatures decreasing, you can choose from seasonal fabrics wool and tweed to keep you warm. * So

How to be chic not flashy

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Business Standard : With the need to impress, women are looking to try newer trends and style statements. In such situations, one easily becomes the victim of flashy dressing . However one can take care of few basic guidelines to avoid such fashion faux paus. Tanvi Malik, Co- founder of FabAlley and Indya lists down some steps. * Nothing can kill your style quite as quickly as an ill-fitted shirt or too-tight pants. Even if the clothes feel comfortable, if they don't fit, don't wear them. * Mix a print with something tonal or solid colours for a winning combo and not with another eye-catching print. * There are many things in life that would classify as being a drag, but your pants shouldn't be one of them. Hem lines that flirt with the floor are fine when flared and flowy trousers are trending so much, but you've gone too far when they make contact with the floor. * You wouldn't leave the house in mud-covered clothes, so why would you walk

Tips, trends for the party season

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Business Standard : With New Years Eve fast approaching, it's time to look your best and let your hair down at the end-of-the-year bash. If all of the holiday planning and shopping caused you to leave your New Year strategy sidelined, don't worry - there's still time to get that perfect make-up look and find that fabulous hair -do. Saba Khan, Head Make Up Artist- MUD India and Celebrity Hairstylist and Make-up expert Namrata Soni dole out some quick fixes to not just look great but also impress many with your flawless face and hair. "Women are now understanding the importance of good skin care and the role it plays in make-up. Well hydrated skin is the trend of the season. Luminous looking skin with soft metallic sheen has been popular. For those who prefer matte skin, gently flushed cheeks mixed with soft colour and gloss on the eyelids is a great look., " says Khan For the eyes, liners are always great and soft infused liners have been very popu

Study finds harmful risk factors of violent sleep disorder

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Business Standard : Kicking and yelling during sleep? You may want to know the risk factors of a violent sleep disorder . According to a recent study, taking antidepressants for depression, having post-traumatic stress disorder or anxiety diagnosed by a doctor are risk factors for a disruptive and sometimes violent sleep disorder called rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder. The study was published in the journal of ' Neurology ', the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The study also found that men are more likely to have the disorder. REM sleep is the dream state of sleep. During normal REM sleep, your brain sends signals to prevent your muscles from moving. However, for people with REM sleep behavior disorder, those signals are disrupted. A person may act out violent or action-filled dreams by yelling, flailing their arms, punching or kicking, to the point of harming themselves or a person sleeping next to them. "While mu

Beauty trend forecast for 2019

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Business Standard : A monochromatic make-up look and shimmering gloss for both lips and eyes will be the trend to look out for in the year to come, say experts. Stafford Braganza, National Make-up Artist at NYX Professional Makeup, Elton J. Fernandez, Official Make-up Artist at Maybelline New York, and Iman Allana, Founder of Bollyglow, share what trends will make it big in 2019: * Shimmering gloss is making a comeback in 2019 for both lips and eyes. It has been years of matte lipstick and it's time for gloss to shine again. Gloss glistens back to the beauty landscape with lots of silky slip and sheen in a non-sticky texture. * Nudes continue to stride their way to the top alongside the emerging glosses and glitter eyes that will make a statement in the coming year * Living coral will be a major trend, adding a pop of this shade to our vanity is all we need to keep abreast the beauty trends and ace the beauty game in 2019. * Minimalism will be the mantra

Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption linked to kidney disease risk: Study

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Business Standard : If you love indulging in fruit drinks or soda , you might want to have a look at this. Higher collective consumption of sweetened fruit drinks, soda, and water is associated with a higher likelihood of developing chronic kidney disease (CKD), a recent study suggests. As part of the study, researchers studied 3003 African-American men and women with normal kidney function.  The investigators further assessed beverage intake through a food frequency questionnaire administered at the start of the study in 2000-04, and they followed participants until 2009-13. Among the 3003 participants, 185 (6%) developed CKD over a median follow-up of 8 years. After adjustment for confounding factors, consuming a beverage pattern consisting of soda, sweetened fruit drinks, and water was associated with a higher risk of developing CKD. Participants in the top tertile for consumption of this beverage pattern were 61% more likely to develop CKD than those in the bottom ter

Step-up your style game with modern jewellery

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Business Standard : Modern jewellery nowadays is not just limited to new or contemporary styles but has also been extended to the next level in the form of light- weight jewellery for parties as celebrations are high in the air. Rohan Sharma, Managing Director of RK Jewellers South Extension 2 and Prakshi Sharma, Creative head and Designer of Prakshi Fine Jewellery list some options that will help you pick and decide the right kind of modern jewellery with your outfits * Choker : Choker or choker necklaces are strongly in trend this season. The jewellery goes well with both Indian and western look. People have seen preferring the most for parties and weddings. It looks perfect to wear on off shoulder or deep neck top/dresses. Also, the jewellery is available in vast variety of designs to make a style statement. * Bracelet : A fancy accessory around the wrist gives very feminine vibe and well goes with gown and dress for parties. Diamond bracelets looks classic with party

'Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga' trailer: This unexpected romantic drama will leave a deep impact!

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Business Standard : The trailer of 'Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga' takes you on a beautiful and refreshing journey of love and relationships and will definitely leave you wanting for more! The flick brings the real-life father-daughter duo of Anil Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor together on screen for the first time ever, but there's more to it! This one is not a typical Bollywood love story. Sonam took to her Twitter handle to share the trailer. "Want to know my secret? Watch the trailer of the most unexpected romance of the year - #EkLadkiKoDekhaTohAisaLaga ," she wrote along with the video. Featuring Sonam, Anil, Rajkummar Rao and Juhi Chawla, the trailer is convincing and heart-touching. It not only promises to bring back the old charm of romance but also stays relevant to the current times and shows how relationships have changed over the years. It will definitely leave a deep impact on the audience as it reminds one to stop being judgemental about

HP Sprocket Plus review: Portable photo printer complemented by robust app

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Business Standard : It may seem a little old school, but printed photos still have a charm that digital ones just cannot match. Even so, you cannot deny that getting photos printed has its own hassles. And, that is what led to the birth of portable printers like the HP Sprocket Plus . A successor to the Sprocket, which was launched last year, the Plus edition is a tad bigger in size and can print 30 per cent larger pictures than the previous version. Aside from the capacity to print bigger photos, the Plus edition is almost identical to the Sprocket. A bigger size notwithstanding, it remains a light and portable device. The Sprocket Plus, with a no-frills design, has a removable cover on top to pack 10 zero-ink (ZINK) papers in a tray that fits 20 sheets at a time. As the name suggests, these papers do not require ink, so there is no risk of spillage. Operating the HP Sprocket Plus is easy, thanks to the feature-rich Sprocket app available for both iOS and Android devices.

Yes, you can look into the past. All you have to do is stare at the sky

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Business Standard : Our senses are stuck in the past. There’s a flash of lightning, and then seconds pass until we hear the rumble of distant thunder. We hear the past. We are seeing into the past too. While sound travels about a kilometre every three seconds, light travels 300,000 kilometres every second. When we see a flash of lighting three kilometres away, we are seeing something that happened a hundredth of a millisecond ago. That’s not exactly the distant past. But as we look further afield, we can peer further back. We can see seconds, minutes, hours and years into the past with our own eyes. Looking through a telescope, we can look even further into the past. A second back in time If you really want to look back in time, you need to look up. Moon is our nearest celestial neighbour - a world with valleys, mountains and craters. It’s also about 380,000km away, so it takes 1.3 seconds for light to travel from the Moon to us. We see the Moon not as it i

Six ways you can turn over a new leaf in your relationships in 2019

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Business Standard : Even if the foundation of your relationship has long been built on trial and error, a relationship is nothing more than small growths and achievements, marked by the occasional misstep. The Smarter Living team has culled a few tips from our archive to help you grow in that new relationship, rekindle an old flame or turn a breakup into a positive experience. Be a more patient person Relax. It’s going to be O.K. A 2012 study in the Journal of Positive Psychology identified three distinct expressions of patience: interpersonal, which is maintaining calm when dealing with someone who is upset, angry or being a pest; life hardships, or finding the silver lining after a serious setback; and daily hassles, which is suppressing annoyance at delays or anything irritating that would inspire a snarky tweet. The good news is the same study found that patience as a personality trait is modifiable. Even if you’re not a particularly patient person today, there’s stil

Thane: 3 arrested for cutting off man's genitals

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Business Standard : Police arrested three people including a woman for allegedly cutting off a man's genitals here. The man had allegedly harassed the woman and made unwanted advances towards the woman. Police stated. "The man had allegedly made unwanted advances towards the woman. Thereafter she hatched the plot with two others. Case registered and probe underway." The woman called the victim to a secluded place where two of her companions beat him up, following which the woman cut off his private parts. The doctor has deemed the victim's condition critical. "We have put him on ventilator support. We are working hard to keep him alive. Private parts and the brain has been majorly injured," Dr Dyaneshwar asserted. BS