TikTok fined $5.7 million for collecting data on children

World Popular video sharing app TikTok has agreed to pay $5.7 million to settle allegations which illegally collected personal information from children under the age of 13, such as names, email addresses and their location.
US Federal Trade Commission said in a statement on wednesday that the TikTok fine is a record for a child privacy case.

Popular TikTok, which belongs to $75 billion startup ByteDance, has more than half a billion users worldwide, giving it an international edge over other Chinese-owned social media platforms, which have struggled to expand outside their home market.US fine relates to Musical.ly, a video-sharing app Bytedance bought in 2017 and merged with TikTok last August.

As per investigation on Musical.ly had "uncovered disturbing practices, including collecting and exposing the location" of young children. Despite receiving thousands of complaints from parents, the company failed to comply with requests to delete information about underage children and held onto it longer than necessary, as per source.

Company on Wednesday introduced a "separate app experience" for younger US users in which they "cannot do things like share their videos on TikTok, comment on others' videos, message with users, or maintain a profile or followers."

App which launched in 2014, Musical.ly let users upload short videos of themselves lipsyncing to popular songs. For registering the app, people had to give an email address, phone number, username, first and last name, short bio and profile picture.

Collection of that personal information provided more than enough evidence for Musical.ly to see it was violating the US Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.

Popular Musical.ly, which had more than 65 million registered users in the United States before it merged with TikTok, received thousands of complaints from parents saying their underage children had created an account without their knowledge. COPPA requires internet companies to obtain "verifiable parental consent" before collecting, using or disclosing personal information from children.

Earlier Disney (DIS) subsidiary Playdom was fined $3 million in 2011 for collecting and displaying children's information in multiplayer online games.

69,450 students writes Plus Two exam in Vellore, Tiruvannamalai on March 01

69,450 students are going to appear for the Plus Two public examinations beginning on Friday in Vellore and Tiruvannamalai districts amid tight vigilance.

A total of 41,422 students from Vellore are taking the examinations at 169 centres across the district. A contingent of 2820 teachers, including headmasters, post-graduate and graduate teachers, are being drafted into examination duty, according to a senior officer.

Question papers will be kept safely at 19 custodian points which are being manned by armed policemen. Route officers have been nominated to safely transport the question papers to the examination centres.

Officers, including Chief Education Officer (CEO) S Mars, are supervising the arrangements for holding the public examinations. Flying Squads with a strength of 250 will be monitoring the the conduct of the examination at the centres without giving room for malpractices.

From Tiruvannamalai, 28,028 students are appearing for the public examinations in 112 examination centres. CEO M Jayakumar, the officers of School Education department are in full swing to ensure smooth conduct of the examinations. 180 squads have been constituted to keep vigil on the examination centres where 1677 invigilators will supervise the examination in the halls.

Senior officer said that 24 route officers have been entrusted with the task of ferrying the question papers from the 8 custodian points to the examination centres with adequate protection. 2 senior officers, in the rank of joint directors, have been dispatched to Vellore and Tiruvannamalai districts for overall supervision of the arrangements and conduct of the examinations.

Special flying squads set up by the School Education department, the district administration is also creating teams to keep an eye on the conduct of examination and hold surprise checks.

Engineering students to re-appear with Junior if failed a semster thrice | Anna University

More pressure on Engineering students who failed a semster thrice.

Engineering students of colleges affiliated to Anna University who fails to clear the first semester in three attempts will no longer be able to enter the third year (fifth semester) and will have to redo the failed course with regular students (juniors).

Same applies to those enter sixth, seventh and eight semesters, say exam regulations released by Anna University on Monday.

New rules will cover those joining from 2019-20 as well as those in the 2017-18 and 2018-19 batches. Current students were given a one-year exemption after they protested saying they were not informed of the regulations during admission.

As Students of the 2017-18 and 2018-19 batches can appear for arrears till the 6th semester but can move to the final year (7th semester) only on completing all courses enrolled in the 1st semester.

Internal marks secured will be carried over for the above mentioned three consecutive semesters. To lab courses, they can reappear for failed courses when offered next by the college concerned.

Retaining Students could reappear for arrears any number of times with many clearing the backlog only in their final year. From now, who not completing the engineering course in seven years will not be awarded the degree.

Anna University vice-chancellor M K Surappa said, was to improve quality. “Students can’t appear for arrears continuously. One is unable to clear arrears in one plus three attempts, then he/she is not fit to be engineers,” he said.

There will be no ceiling on the number of arrears a student can appear for in a particular semester. Old rules restricted the number of arrears in a semester.

Per semester, a student can take seven core/elective subjects (worth three/four credits each) along with labs or employment enhancement courses (worth two credit points). Most credits a student can register in a particular subject can’t exceed 36. Of this, 24 are consumed by current semester courses and students get only 12 points (maximum three arrears) for reappearance.

Who are all failing in even semesters (March/April) could reappear for backlogs only in next March/April. The same applied to odd semester exams. As this two regulations have been removed now.

Benefits of Guava

Cancer: Lycopene content reduces risk of prostate cancer and breast cancer.

Digestion: Control's diarrhea, treats gastroenteritis and promotes healthy bowel movements.

Weight loss: Helps lose weight without compromising the intake of nutrients.

Hormone Levels: Helps thyroid gland to control hormone production and absorption.

Brain: With Vitamin B3 and B6 it increases brain function and sharpness focus.

Vision: Intake improves eyesight

Healing: Prevents cold, viral infections and cures scurvy.

Skin: Improves texture of skin and controls premature aging.

Blood Pressure: Reduces cholesterol levels and high blood pressure.

Diabetes: Regulates absorption of sugar in diabetics.

Includes:
Nutrients (Dietary Fiber22%, Protein 5%, Calories 3%)
Vitamins (Vitamin C 381%, Vitamin A 12%, Pantothenic Acid 5%)
Minerals (Potassium 12%, Copper 11%, Manganese 8%)

For example 100grams of Guava provides 381% of daily requirement of Vitamin C

TN Govt public exam time table 2019 +2, +1, SSLC

Mukesh Ambani enters into top 10 richest person in the world with $54 billion

Top management Reliance Industries Ltd chairman Mukesh Ambani is now among the Top 10 richest persons in the world with a net worth of $54 billion even as younger brother Anil Ambani meager into the oblivion having lost over 65% of his net worth, as per the report.

As list shown from The Hurun Global Rich List 2019 is topped by Amazon chief executive Jeff Bezos for the second year in a row, as Mukesh Ambani is placed 10th with a net worth of 3.83 trillion, thanks to a rally in RIL share prices, the energy-to-telecom group a market capitalisation of 8 trillion.

Big man Mukesh Ambani owns almost 52% in Reliance Industries.

As Anil Ambani, held in contempt of court by the Supreme Court last week for not paying Ericsson 540 crore, has lost over $5 billion from $7 billion seven years ago to $1.9 billion this year, even though both the brothers got off with more or less the same amount of inherited wealth.

Also "Having started off similarly after the break-up of the family wealth, Mukesh added $30 billion to his wealth in the past 7 years, while Anil has lost over $5 billion during the same period," as per the report.

Other wealthiest Indians are Hinduja Group chairman S.P. Hinduja with net worth of $21 billion, Wipro chairman Azim Premji is at 3rd with a networth of $17 billion, the report showed.

Cyrus S. Poonawalla, chairman of the Poonawalla group which run Serum Institute, with a net worth of $13 billion is not only ranked as the 4th richest Indian but also breaks into the top 100 global ranking.

Steel ArcelorMittal's Lakshmi Mittal stands at 5th position, followed by Kotak Mahindra Bank's Uday Kotak ($11 billion), Gautam Adani ($9.9 billion) and Sun Pharma's Dilip Shanghvi ($9.5 billion).

Cyrus Pallonji Mistry and Shapoorji Pallonji Mistry, both with wealth of $9.5 billion each come in the 9th and the 10th position, respectively, thanks to their 18.4% holding in the country's largest conglomerate Tata Group.

As per the list, Smita Crishna, a third-generation heir of the Godrej family, tops the female billionaire list with a networth of $6.1 billion, while Kiran Mazumdar Shaw of Biocon Ltd is the richest self-made woman entrepreneur ranked 671 with a wealth of $3.5 billion.

"From 2012, this is for that first time that India has slipped to the 5th rank in the Hurun Global Rich List. An underperforming rupee and a lackluster stock market resulted in the country losing one-third of the list," Hurun Report India managing director and chief researcher Anas Rahman Junaid said.

Report also points out that media billionaires had a bad year, led by Zee's Subhash Chandra and Sun TV's Kalanithi Maran who lost their networth substantially.

Amazon tops the list for the second consecutive year with net worth of $147 billion, which may not hold for long as he is divorcing his wife who owns half of his 16% stake in the world's largest online retailer.

As per the Hurun report, the number of individuals featured in the 2019 edition has come down by 224 to 2,470 from 2,694 in 2018. Cumulative wealth of these 2,470 individuals stood at $9.5 trillion amounting to 12% of global GDP.

Wealth of $96 billion, Microsoft founder Bill Gates ranks 2nd in the global list followed by Warren Buffett, chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. with net worth of $88 billion, LVMH's Bernard Arnault at $86 billion at the 4th slot.

Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg with networth of $80 billion is at the 5th position.

Passport mela @ Vellore on March 2

Passport Mela: The Regional Passport Office, Chennai, will be holding special passport mela on Saturday at the Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK), Vellore.

Appointments will be released today 27 at 2.30 p.m. for the mela.

Vellore Post Office Passport Seva Kendra will function on March 2 like any other normal working day and accept applications as per time slots allotted to the applicants. To get participate in the passport mela, applicants have to log on to the official website ‘www.passportindia.gov.in’, register online, generate ‘ARN’ (Application Registration Number), and pay online fees and then take appointment.

The applicants participating in the mela should bring the printout of ARN with appointment details, to the POPSK along with the documents required in originals, plus one set of self-attested photocopies.
The Applications under ‘Fresh’ and ‘Re-issue’ categories only will be accepted, according to a press release issued by the Regional Passport Officer, Chennai.

Wipro enters Limca Book of Records | campus recruitment

Top MNC Wipro Technologies campus recruitment at Vellore Institute of Technology has found a place in the Limca Book of Records in its 2019 edition. Press release by VIT university said, Wipro Technologies (Wipro Turbo) made job offers to 139 students with a CTC (cost to company) of Rs 6 lakhs per annum to the students of the 2018 graduating batch of Vellore Institute of Technology during the campus recruitment drive held at the campus.

Highest number of offers given by a company to students from a single institution, and has found a place in the Limca Book of Records in its 2019 edition.

Want to reduce belly, drink this healthy juice | down Blood Sugar Levels | Type 2 diabetes

Probably know the immense benefits of Aloe Vera juice, popular choice easily available in the market. Sticky, thick liquid made from the flesh of the aloe vera plant leaf can help improve or treat a wide range of health conditions, including type 2 diabetes. Research have shown that consuming this healthy elixir in juice form can be an effective tool to burn belly fat and speed up your weight loss.

You’re living with diabetes, consuming aloe vera juice can help you lose weight, improve blood sugar levels, and support digestive health. May be noted that aloe vera plant, native to Africa and certain Indian Ocean islands, has been used in herbal medicine for thousands of years, mainly due to its healing properties. Aloe vera plant’s leaves also contain a clear gel that is extensively used in ointments and personal care products such as creams, lotions, and shampoos. Read - Weight loss: The ONE food you should never eat for breakfast if you want to get rid of belly fat fast

Is Aloe vera juice for type 2 diabetes: Does it help with blood sugar and weight loss?

Many people with type 2 diabetes have excess weight, especially around the waistline, increasing their risk of other health complications like cardiovascular disease. Eating a balanced diet can help manage the symptoms of diabetes and lose or maintain weight. Some foods that contain properties which may be able to lower blood sugar levels, burn body fat. The Aloe vera is one such food that may be beneficial for diabetics trying to improve blood sugar control and shed pounds.

Aloe vera has been shown to decrease blood lipids (fats) in patients with abnormally high levels of these molecules in the blood - such as people with type 2 diabetes and/or acute hepatitis. Plant has also been linked to many health properties, including decreased swelling and faster healing of wound injuries. The Aloe vera contains certain compounds such as lectins, mannans, and anthraquinones, which may be beneficial for health in a number of ways. Read - Diabetes: Try THIS morning drink to keep your blood sugar levels under control​

It Highlighting the anti-diabetic effects of the aloe vera plant, American researchers published a review of nine studies that explored the benefits of aloe vera for type 2 diabetes patients. Taking aloe vera as an oral supplement on a regular basis can significantly reduce the level of glucose in the blood, as well as lower HbA1c (1.05%), or glycated hemoglobin.

How much to consume and where to find aloe vera juice

The Aloe vera juice can be purchased online or in health food stores. Make sure that you go for organic and pure aloe vera juice. Recommended maximum daily dose for aloe vera juice is 50ml, for capsules, the recommended dose is 200 to 300mg per day.

Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purpose only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.

Vellore to get Rs 650 crore worth schemes under smart city project

VELLORE: Under the smart city project, lots of works worth Rs. 650 crore are going to be launched on Tuesday in Vellore city. As Tamil Nadu Minister for Commercial Tax and Registration KC Veeramani and Minister for Labour and Employment Nilofer Kafeel will lay the foundation stones at a ceremony to be held at Sathuvachari.

There may be Multi-level car parking at three locations at a cost of Rs. 31 crore, underground sewage system at two places with an estimate of Rs. 547 crore, drinking water schemes worth Rs.243 crore and 2.14 MW solar power generation unit at a cost of Rs. 13 crore are part of the works to be launched.

Launch: “Works with a total estimate of Rs. 650 crore are going to be launched on Tuesday under the smart city project,” S Sivasubramanian, commissioner of Vellore City Municipal Corporation, said.