You finally bought that dream phone with the latest specs and features and as you hold that bar of glistening glass and moulded metal in your hands, careful not to smudge the screen or scratch the surface, all you can think about is how to protect the precious device.

Fret not for we have compiled some basic and easy steps that you can follow to ensure that your phone survives the grit and grime of everyday life or worse if it gets nobbled.

Here are the top 5 tips:

1.       A screen guard: First and foremost, invest a puny amount in a good quality screen guard or tampered glass as it will go a long way in protecting the most vital part of the phone—its display screen. If the phone has a glass body, get a guard at the back as well.

2.       A sturdy case: You can get all kinds of cases made of metal, plastic, silicon, and even wood. However, it’s best to avoid the bulky ones and instead go for a lightweight silicon case that offers superior grip while not adding mass to the phone. If you’re a fan of minimalist designs, opt for a ‘bumper case’ that only covers the phone’s edges.

3.       Avoid phones in the loo: It’s so convenient to check Facebook and Twitter in the calm environs of the washroom and so is listening to that favorite track while showering. However, wet hands, a slippery floor, a bath tub full of water and that dreaded toilet bowl, there’s plenty that can go wrong in a bathroom.

4.       Mind those tight pockets: Don’t ever put your phone along with keys and coins in the same pocket, it’s a recipe for disaster as you’ll easily get scratches on the screen and the body. If you are one of those who keep their phones in the back pocket, always remember to take your device out before parking yourself to prevent a bendy phone.

5.       Get your device insured: This makes all the sense for high end phones. The insurance usually covers physical and liquid damage, fire damage and even theft. An insurance cover for a phone costing around Rs.10,000 usually starts at just Rs.600.

Chinese smartphone maker Oppo on Thursday launched its new "selfie expert" smartphone- the F3 Plus in India at Rs.30,990. Here are the top ten features of the phone:

1.    The phone has dual cameras at the front, a 16 megapixel primary camera and an 8 megapixel secondary camera. The former gets a 76.4-degree wide-angle lens and the latter sports a 120-degree wide-angle lens that offers 105 degree field of view for group selfies.

2.    The smartphone comes loaded with many camera features, including the selfie panorama, screen flash, palm shutter, smart facial recognition among others. 

3.    The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 SoC paired with the Adreno 510 GPU and runs on  Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.

4.    It has 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage which can be expanded to 256 GB via a microSD card.

5.    The dual SIM smartphone houses three separate slot-trays for two SIM cards and one microSD card.

6.    The battery at 4,000mAh is powerful and should easily last a day. Oppo claims that the F3 Plus can deliver up to 2 hours of talk time in just 5 minutes of charging.

7.    The 6-inch screen is full-HD (1080×1920 pixels) with a curved display and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection.

8.    The phone has a fingerprint sensor housed in the home button and the company claims that the phone can be unlocked in as little as 0.2 seconds.

9.    The Oppo F3 Plus will go on sale on April 1 from both offline and online channels. Pre-orders have begun and will go on till March 31.

10.    The smartphone weighs 185 grams and is available in two colours– Black and Gold.

Chinese smartphone maker Oppo on Thursday launched its new "selfie expert" smartphone- the F3 Plus in India at Rs.30,990. Here are the top ten features of the phone:

1.    The phone has dual cameras at the front, a 16 megapixel primary camera and an 8 megapixel secondary camera. The former gets a 76.4-degree wide-angle lens and the latter sports a 120-degree wide-angle lens that offers 105 degree field of view for group selfies.

2.    The smartphone comes loaded with many camera features, including the selfie panorama, screen flash, palm shutter, smart facial recognition among others. 

3.    The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 652 SoC paired with the Adreno 510 GPU and runs on  Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow.

4.    It has 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of internal storage which can be expanded to 256 GB via a microSD card.

5.    The dual SIM smartphone houses three separate slot-trays for two SIM cards and one microSD card.

6.    The battery at 4,000mAh is powerful and should easily last a day. Oppo claims that the F3 Plus can deliver up to 2 hours of talk time in just 5 minutes of charging.

7.    The 6-inch screen is full-HD (1080×1920 pixels) with a curved display and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 protection.

8.    The phone has a fingerprint sensor housed in the home button and the company claims that the phone can be unlocked in as little as 0.2 seconds.

9.    The Oppo F3 Plus will go on sale on April 1 from both offline and online channels. Pre-orders have begun and will go on till March 31.

10.    The smartphone weighs 185 grams and is available in two colours– Black and Gold.

The UN Human Rights Council is expected to adopt this week a resolution condemning the "dismal" human rights situation in North Korea, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is to convene a meeting in Geneva to adopt the resolution either on Thursday or Friday, according to ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck.

Cho noted that the UNHRC has adopted a resolution on the North's human rights since 2003 and, in particular, since 2014 it has reflected recommendations made by the Commission of Inquiry's report with greater emphasis on holding human rights violators accountable, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The spokesman added that the Seoul government has "actively" engaged in the process of drafting this year's resolution, sharing international concerns over the "systemic" and "widespread" violations of human rights taking place in the North.

North Korea has long been labelled as one of the world's worst human rights violators. 

The country does not tolerate dissent, holds hundreds of thousands of people in political prison camps, and keeps tight control over outside information.

But North Korea has slammed the criticism, calling it a US-led attempt to topple its regime.

The UN Human Rights Council is expected to adopt this week a resolution condemning the "dismal" human rights situation in North Korea, Seoul's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday.

The UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) is to convene a meeting in Geneva to adopt the resolution either on Thursday or Friday, according to ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck.

Cho noted that the UNHRC has adopted a resolution on the North's human rights since 2003 and, in particular, since 2014 it has reflected recommendations made by the Commission of Inquiry's report with greater emphasis on holding human rights violators accountable, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The spokesman added that the Seoul government has "actively" engaged in the process of drafting this year's resolution, sharing international concerns over the "systemic" and "widespread" violations of human rights taking place in the North.

North Korea has long been labelled as one of the world's worst human rights violators. 

The country does not tolerate dissent, holds hundreds of thousands of people in political prison camps, and keeps tight control over outside information.

But North Korea has slammed the criticism, calling it a US-led attempt to topple its regime.

What does British singing sensation Ed Sheeran have to do with tourism in Odisha?

A lot, if an Odissi cover of Sheeran's chartbuster Shape of You is to be seen and believed.

Joining the bandwagon, after IIT-Roorkee's memorable hip-hop cover, is a troupe of five Odissi dancers whose classy 'bhangas' (stances) interpreting the song against the gorgeous backdrops of state capital Bhubaneswar's monuments, has got over 10,000 views on YouTube in less than two days.

Detour Odisha, a travel company, shot the video in Sisupalgarh (a fortified township dating back to the third century AD), the exquisite Dhauli Shanti Stupa and Brahmeswara Temple (erected at the end of the ninth century).

In multi-hued traditional attires, danseuses Biswarupa Dixit, Smruti Pushpa Panda, Sulagnna Jena, Priyadarshini Pradhan and Madhusmita Swain demonstrate the elegance of one of India's major classical dance forms while also showcasing the rich architectural heritage of India's temple city.

Proving that music has no language barriers, the video also reinforces the use of 21st century digital media to popularise and record ancient Indian history.

What does British singing sensation Ed Sheeran have to do with tourism in Odisha?

A lot, if an Odissi cover of Sheeran's chartbuster Shape of You is to be seen and believed.

Joining the bandwagon, after IIT-Roorkee's memorable hip-hop cover, is a troupe of five Odissi dancers whose classy 'bhangas' (stances) interpreting the song against the gorgeous backdrops of state capital Bhubaneswar's monuments, has got over 10,000 views on YouTube in less than two days.

Detour Odisha, a travel company, shot the video in Sisupalgarh (a fortified township dating back to the third century AD), the exquisite Dhauli Shanti Stupa and Brahmeswara Temple (erected at the end of the ninth century).

In multi-hued traditional attires, danseuses Biswarupa Dixit, Smruti Pushpa Panda, Sulagnna Jena, Priyadarshini Pradhan and Madhusmita Swain demonstrate the elegance of one of India's major classical dance forms while also showcasing the rich architectural heritage of India's temple city.

Proving that music has no language barriers, the video also reinforces the use of 21st century digital media to popularise and record ancient Indian history.

The opposition Congress on Thursday alleged that rules were violated during the ongoing session of the Manipur Assembly as the state government is defending the defection of MLA Th Shyamkumar Singh to BJP after he won the elections on a Congress ticket.

Thounaojam Shyamkumar Singh won from the Andro seat on a Congress ticket in the recently concluded Manipur Assembly polls, but later joined the BJP, which has successfully stitched a five party coalition government in the state.

Taking part in a debate for demands for Supplementary Grant, Congress MLA K Meghachandra Singh accused the state government of holding the Assembly session by violating the rules of the House.

"The government is protecting MLA Shyamkumar. It seems justice has been denied by the Speaker by allowing the government to support him," Meghachandra said.

He said the Speaker was not ready to look into the matter and was not admitting an adjournment motion on the issue.

"Ten MLAs including myself have requested an adjournment motion, but was refused by the Speaker," Meghachandra said.

Responding to the matter raised by the Congress MLA, Speaker Yumnam Khemchand said the House had recorded the complaint.

The House today passed a supplementary budget worth Rs 3,828.31 crore for four months.

The opposition Congress on Thursday alleged that rules were violated during the ongoing session of the Manipur Assembly as the state government is defending the defection of MLA Th Shyamkumar Singh to BJP after he won the elections on a Congress ticket.

Thounaojam Shyamkumar Singh won from the Andro seat on a Congress ticket in the recently concluded Manipur Assembly polls, but later joined the BJP, which has successfully stitched a five party coalition government in the state.

Taking part in a debate for demands for Supplementary Grant, Congress MLA K Meghachandra Singh accused the state government of holding the Assembly session by violating the rules of the House.

"The government is protecting MLA Shyamkumar. It seems justice has been denied by the Speaker by allowing the government to support him," Meghachandra said.

He said the Speaker was not ready to look into the matter and was not admitting an adjournment motion on the issue.

"Ten MLAs including myself have requested an adjournment motion, but was refused by the Speaker," Meghachandra said.

Responding to the matter raised by the Congress MLA, Speaker Yumnam Khemchand said the House had recorded the complaint.

The House today passed a supplementary budget worth Rs 3,828.31 crore for four months.

A Jodhpur court on Thursday has set the date of hearing for the infamous Blackbuck poaching case involving Bollywood actors Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Neelam for April 1.

While filming the mega-hit Bollywood film ‘Hum Saath Saaith Hain’ in 1998, the actors were allegedly involved in the illegal hunting of two blackbucks in Kankaani village, which are protected under the Wildlife Protection Act.

The Jodhpur Court on January 18 had acquitted Salman in the Arms Act case, citing ‘prosecuted under wrong sections’.

However, the Rajasthan Government has filed a petition in the Jodhpur district and session court, challenging the actor’s acquittal. The court accepted the petition and issued a notice to the actor.

Earlier, the hearing of the case was scheduled for April 21.

Salman, also accused in possession of illegal arms, was acquitted of all charges. The actor was accused of possessing two arms – .32 revolver and .22 rifle, which license were expired while hunting the endangered species.

The quaint hill destination of Basar at the centre of Arunachal Pradesh is a place that one often dreams about travelling to, but seldom does it find its way into your itinerary.

Home to the beautiful and friendly Galo tribe, Basar's villages are surrounded by wilderness and wrapped in myths. True to the spirit of the northeastern state that literally means the "Land of the Dawn-lit Mountains", Basar impresses travellers in more ways than one.

The journey to the mostly unexplored area in the state's West Siang district is not for the faint-hearted. A nearly five-hour-long drive through the hills awaits the tourists from Silapathar, the last prominent town in Assam before entering Arunachal Pradesh. The roads are serpentine and narrow, surrounded by dense forests, and at some points even non-existent due to landslides.

The cars negotiating the roads with steep slopes on one side and sharp mountains on the other, pass through many fascinating spots, including the breathtaking "Brahmaputra viewpoint". The journey, thrilling as well as perilous, gives one the feeling of travelling through a virgin land, out of the common man's reach.

However, once one reaches Basar, the serenity and charm of the place drive away all the fatigue of the arduous journey. One can get lost into the wild without worrying about a phone call or an internet connection. At nearly 1,800 feet, Basar gives a sense of seclusion and lets you to explore through the rich heritage and traditions of the region.

Basar is a census town. And according to Wiki, a census town "is one which is not statutorily notified and administered as a town, but nevertheless whose population has attained urban characteristics" such as a population in excess of 5,000 with "at least 75 per cent of main working population employed outside the agricultural sector".

Basar comprises four villages: Gori 1,2,3 and Hoi. The inhabitants belonging to the Riba, Basar, and Riram clans of the Galo community are mostly farmers who cultivate rice in the slash-and-burn method. Tourists can witness the famous Mopin, or the harvesting festival, during April.

The Mopin celebrations start off with hundreds of men and women dressed in white, gathering on the field to pray for a good harvest. They celebrate by participating in "Ponu" (a local dance form) to the rhythm of a verse recited by a "Nyibo" (narrator) and apply "Itei" or rice powder on each other to bring good luck.

"The women of our tribe are the heads of the families. They are also the head of the kitchen. So they decide about the crops to be harvested. The locals sacrifice pets, mostly "mithoons", a buffalo-like animal, to please the gods and goddesses before they start the cultivation," explained Sinal, a Galo woman who participated in the ritual.

Walking along the roads through the dense woodlands or by the pristine village river, one can hear the folklore of Abu Tani, the first ancestor of the tribe. The inhabitants follow a unique tradition of memorising the names of almost 20-30 ancestors. They add the last few letters of their forefather's name to their own to remember them easily. According to the inhabitants who take a lot of pride in this practice, it is a good way to establish mutual respect and desire for co-existence.

The place, bustling with rich tribal history, is slowly opening up to visitors. The tribes are warm and welcome the tourists with a smile. The local administration has taken steps like confining pets, building toilets in every household and making the villages open defecation free (ODF) so that people from outside can enjoy their stay.

According to the administrative head of a local NGO named Gumin Rego Kilaju (GRK) that organised the first-ever Basar Confluence this year, it is this unexplored beauty and culture that they want to share with the outside world.

"At Basar, we have a rich culture unexposed to the outside world. So we thought of a cultural exchange through this confluence programme," observed Jummar Basar, organising chairman of AGRK Basar Confluence, adding that they are focusing to make it a calendar event which would give the tourists a reason to rejoice and be a part of Basar's rich culture.

While appreciating the enigmatic beauty of Basar, one can also enjoy the true mix of culture in the region through the artist's residency programme organised by the NGO.

As the sun sets over the hills of Basar, the villagers sing songs reminiscing about the past or gather around a campfire in the empty fields. The day's activity ends well in advance for a city dweller as the remote area, in the far northeastern corner of the country, goes to sleep quiet early with a sense of aloofness and mystery in its heart.

(IANS)
 

A contingent of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) took part in a grand military parade here on Thursday to mark Pakistan's Republic Day.

Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain thanked China for sending its soldiers for the parade and described it as a "historic opportunity", Xinhua news agency reported.

He said the Chinese army had never participated in such events earlier in Pakistan.

Hussain also acknowledged the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, saying the project is a best example of bilateral economic partnership.

Earlier on a rehearsal day of the parade, Major General Li Jianbo, head of China's 90-member contingent, said: "We have come here to convey a message of friendship to Pakistan on behalf of the Chinese people and the Chinese army. We sincerely hope that Pakistan will progress day by day and its army will be stronger and stronger."

Saudi Special Force's contingents and Turkish Janissary Military Band also participated in the parade.

Pakistan Day, or Republic Day, commemorates March 23, 1940 when a resolution was passed in Lahore, to demand a separate homeland for the Muslims.
 

Actor Michael Shannon might play the role of Cable in upcoming superhero film Deadpool 2.

While no deal has yet been made, Shannon has been the top choice for the role.

An official release date for Ryan Reynolds' sequel has not yet been announced. 

John Wick fame director David Leitch has been roped in to direct Deadpool 2 after Tim Miller dropped out due to creative differences with Reynolds.

Deadpool, which released in 2016, minted $782.6 million at the box office worldwide.

Earlier, it was announced that "Atlanta" actress Zazie Beetz has also joined the cast as mutant mercenary Domino. 

Touted as the biggest global movement against climate change, the Earth Hour 2017 will be observed across the world on March 25 between 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm. 

Over the years, India has emerged as one of the leading participants in the global event and this year too, various innovative events including the switching off of landmark monuments and buildings around the country will mark the movement.

Here’s how different cities in the country will show their support for the mega event – Earth Hour 2017:

WWF is holding two signature events for Earth Hour 2017—‘Pedal for the Planet’, a cyclothon that has been organised every year since 2009. It gives people a chance to contribute towards the campaign. 

‘One Planet Cities Pedalathon’ will be held in Chamundeshwari Stadium, Bengaluru to promote sustainable mobility.

Some of the prominent buildings that will switch off for Earth Hour include Rashtrapati Bhawan, India Gate, Akshardham Temple in Delhi, Charminar, Golconda Fort in Hyderabad, Guwahati High Court and the Secretariat in Assam, Indian Museum in Kolkata, Agra Fort in Uttar Pradesh, Christ Church in Shimla among many others.

To reach out to the masses, WWF has partnered with BSES, Delhi, Canara HSBC Oriental Bank of Commerce Life Insurance Company, E-bay, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) among others. 

Across the globe, millions of people from more than 170 countries will be participating in the 11th edition of the event this year to send out the message that they care about the planet.

The ‘Earth Hour’ is an initiative of the World Wide Fund (WWF) started in 2007 in Sydney to urge people across the globe to switch off their lights for one hour once every year. The idea is to spread awareness on the ill effects of climate change.

The judicial work in the national capital on Thursday was paralysed as the city lawyers went on strike to "safeguard the dignity" of the legal profession.

The lawyers are protesting a suggestion of the Bar Council of India (BCI) to the Law Commission that advocates should be banned from going on strike and imposed with penalties if they do. 

The Coordination Committee of All the District Court Bar Associations of Delhi said that the strike is being observed in the all six district courts complexes — Patiala House, Tis Hazari, Rohini, Karkardooma, Saket and Dwarka.

The committee said that the strike is not against the Bar Council of India (BCI) or any other organisation but "to safeguard the dignity" of the legal profession.

"None of the lawyers is appearing before the court as we have decided to abstain from work. The strike is successful," said New Delhi Bar Association President Santosh Mishra.

She added that a protest march is to take place at 12 noon on Thursday outside the BCI Office on the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Marg here.

The two warring factions in the AIADMK have expressed their plans to seek legal recourse to defreeze the party's "two leaves" symbol as ordered by the Election Commission.

In a statement on Wednesday night, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam said: "Despite placing before the Election Commission strong arguments, it is sad we were not able to get the 'two leaves' symbol."

Panneerselvam said the symbol will be retrieved through legal means.

Similarly, AIADMK Deputy General Secretary TTV Dinakaran told reporters that legal recourse to defreeze the party symbol would be looked into.

The ruling AIADMK is divided into two factions. The ruling faction is led by the now jailed General Secretary VK Sasikala while the other is headed by Panneerselvam.

The allotment of the symbol is important as election will be held on April 12 to the Tamil Nadu assembly from the Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency, which was represented by the late J. Jayalalithaa.

Dinakaran will be contesting in Radhakrishnan Nagar on behalf of the ruling party. The Panneerselvam faction has fielded E. Madhusudanan.

In an interim order on Wednesday night, the Election Commission froze the 'two leaves' symbol of the now divided AIADMK and decided that neither of the factions will use the party's name.

The panel said both groups shall be known by such names as they may choose showing, if they so desire, linkage with their parent party — AIADMK.

Both the groups shall be allotted different symbols from a list of free symbols notified by the poll body for the purposes of the current by-election.

Director Sagar Chandra says talks have been initiated for the Hindi remake of his last year's critically-acclaimed Telugu hit Appatlo Okadundevadu.

"I don't know for certain if the film will be remade in Hindi, but talks have been initiated. If things materialise, my producer will make official announcement," Chandra said.

Asked if he would direct the remake, he said he isn't sure.

"I don't know yet. I have started working on my next project's script," he said.

Appatlo Okadundevadu starred Nara Rohith and Sri Vishnu in the lead.

It was the story of an aspiring cricketer mistaken for his ties with a Naxalite group and its repercussions.

His next yet-untitled Telugu outing will be an action-comedy.

"I'm in talks with a few heroes. We haven't finalised anyone yet. It's going to be a romantic-comedy laced with action," he said.