Google Maps May Need a License, IRCTC Data Leak, and More News This Week

It's been an interesting week in tech news, with both scientific development and consumer tech ticking along nicely.

There have been some major developments from India, but one of the most important bits of news that we came across was that the government might be working on a law that could would make it mandatory for Google Maps to get a license in India. According to a draft bill, the Ministry of Home Affairs is planning a law where you need a government license to acquire and to disseminate map data; and there are huge fines if this is not the case. There are also huge fines for "incorrect" depictions of India's borders. While the idea of a law around geospatial information makes sense, the specifics of the draft could be worrying.

The next piece of news from India is also really big - the Mumbai police warned that data had been hacked from the rail ticket booking site IRCTC, which is the biggest e-commerce destination in the country. It later turned out that this was not the case, but there was still serious cause for concern as officials admitted customer data might have been sold, and an enquiry is being conducted. IRCTC has three crore active and registered users, so the information of these users and their cards could be at risk, though officials assured all sensitive information is encrypted before it's stored.

Another huge piece of news for Indian tech enthusiasts was the announcement of carrier billing for Google Play, launched on Idea. This allows people to pay for apps without a credit or debit card - instead, the money is deducted from your prepaid balance, or added to your postpaid bill. Gadgets 360 first reported this on Tuesday, but one development we learned on Thursday was that Idea is charging a convenience fee for all transactions. This could be a spanner in the works - if it's cheaper to use a debit card, and people are anyway not used to paying for apps, then this mode of payment might not catch on. Idea did not respond to a request for comment on the issue.

Continuing the theme of big stories, Reliance Jio has started to roll out its 4G services to the public. It's not the open market yet, but the company has launched an employee referral program through which Jio employees can invite up to 10 people to join the network. These users will get 10GB free voice and data for three months, and also get access to "premium applications" for live TV, video on demand, news, and cloud storage.

Possibly the most exciting tech news right now is that SpaceX successfully landed its Falcon 9 rocket on a floating platform early on Friday. The rocket went into space, came down from a height of around 25,000 miles, and then landed on a floating platform. It's an incredible achievement with far reaching possibilities, though of course, that's all going to be off in the future.

In Brazil, there were some developments around the use of WhatsApp. On Tuesday, a judge ordered carriers to block WhatsApp for 72 hours, a move that affected 100 million users. This was struck down the next day by another judge, but it shows how vulnerable the services that we all rely on actually are.

Meanwhile, one of the more humorous developments took place recently, when the Los Angeles Police Department revealed that it cracked an iPhone 5s, at the same time the FBI was struggling with an iPhone 5c. Apple can't be happy about this news, but it's probably even more upset by the fact that a Chinese court rejected its trademark over the iPhone name. The court declared that a leathermaker can use the iPhone name for its handbags and phone cases. Meanwhile, long-time HTC fans might be saddened (if unsurprised) as the company continues to struggle. The company has seen dismal sales of its new flagship in China, and it's very promising VR division just become a new company.

Source: http://gadgets.ndtv.com/

Canada wildfire: Images show Fort McMurray devastation

Pictures obtained by the BBC show large parts of the Canadian city of Fort McMurray in ruins following a devastating wildfire.

The exact scale of the damage is difficult to assess, as access to the city is restricted.

Officials have given few details other than to report that 1,600 homes and other buildings have been destroyed.

However, people who have seen the damage say whole neighbourhoods have been wiped out.

One picture shows the ruins of many houses, with a car untouched by fire. In another, a destroyed church is surrounded by rubble.

Some parts of the city, in the province of Alberta, have been defended resolutely and are still standing.

The city's airport suffered only minor damage despite being licked by flame and engulfed by smoke.

Only the "Herculean" efforts of fire fighters saved the facility, says Scott Long of the Alberta Emergency Management Agency.

• 'It doesn't seem real': The residents who fled their homes
• How 'perfect storm' boosted Alberta fire
• The images of whole neighbourhoods in ruins are shocking but they will not surprise the people of Fort McMurray who fled knowing that their city was in danger of being consumed by fire.
  The fire in the province of Alberta covers 850 sq km (328.2 sq miles), and the entire city of almost 90,000 people was evacuated three days ago.
  Most fled south but some of those who headed north have been airlifted to safety.
  A police-escorted convoy of 1,500 vehicles was passing through the city along the only safe route to Edmonton and Calgary to the south, but police have told the BBC it has has been suspended because of flames up to 200 feet high on both sides of the road.
  It will take approximately four days for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to escort all evacuees from sites north of Fort McMurray, authorities said.
  For nearby communities though the danger has not receded.
  Officials are predicting that it will be "weeks and weeks" before the fire is completely out. The region has not had significant rain in two months.

The skies above the empty and smouldering city are full of strange shapes.

There are clouds that billow like bright white cauliflowers, boiling rapidly as they change by the second.

There are clouds illuminated by vertical streaks of a dull red from the fires on the ground.

And there are giant clouds stretching as far as the eye can take in with a single glance, great walls of smoke blown sideways by the strong winds.

The helicopters - almost 150 of them, we are told - look puny in the face of such a dramatic display of nature's power, but occasionally they do seem to be making progress in slowing the fire's march across the plains.

Ultimately though, says Bill Stewart, co-director of the University of California's Center for Fire Research and Outreach, only nature can stop it entirely. Source: BBC News

Elections: Labour's Sadiq Khan promises a 'better' London

Labour's Sadiq Khan has vowed to do all in his power to make London "better", as he was sworn in as the new mayor.

Referring to his council estate roots, Mr Khan, the city's first Muslim mayor, said he wanted all Londoners to have the same opportunities he has had.

It comes as Defence Secretary Michael Fallon defended Conservative Zac Goldsmith's campaign, describing it as the "rough and tumble" of politics.

The much-criticised campaign questioned Mr Khan's alleged links to extremists.

Mr Khan beat Mr Goldsmith, by 1,310,143 votes to 994,614, giving him a larger personal mandate than either of his predecessors, Boris Johnson and Ken Livingstone.

He has announced he will step down as MP for Tooting, meaning a by-election will be held to elect a new representative in Parliament.

• Election results: Latest updates
• Key points: At-a-glance summary
• Live: Bristol mayor election result
• Hamilton bid to lead UKIP in assembly
• PCC to investigate Hillsborough 'spin'

The former Labour minister's victory in London ends eight years of Conservative control of City Hall.

It has also given a boost to Labour after its poor performance in Scotland's election which saw it slump to third place behind the Conservatives.

Following on from its London success, Labour has also won Bristol's mayoral contest, with candidate Marvin Rees beating the incumbent, independent George Ferguson, by a comfortable margin.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn welcomed Mr Rees' victory, saying in a tweet: "Another Labour mayor who will stand up for their city!"

But Mr Corbyn was absent from Mr Khan's swearing-in ceremony earlier on Saturday.

Mr Khan - who nominated but did not vote for Mr Corbyn in the Labour leadership contest - said he was "not sure" why, adding: "We'll have to find out what he was doing."

Traffic and travel news for South Cumbria - Tuesday May 3

HERE is the latest traffic and travel news for Cumbria.

Roads

A590: Some congestion between Ulverston and Barrow.

A595: Congestion around the Sellafield site.

A591: Delays around Waterhead between Holbeck Lane and Borrans Road.

Rail

Due to emergency engineering works between Carlisle and Appleby all lines are blocked. Train services between Leeds and Carlisle may be terminated at and started back from Appleby. Disruption is expected until further notice. Replacement road transport services are conveying passengers between Appleby and Carlisle in both directions until further notice.

Ongoing roadworks

A590 Greenodd: Lane one of the eastbound carriageway just west of Greenodd roundabout is currently closed until further notice while a survey of the embankment takes place.

A591: The A591 is closed in both directions between the Dunmail Raise junction in north of Grasmere and the B5322 Back Lane junction in Legburthwaite because of a landslip. A diversion is in operation and a shuttle bus is running between Grasmere and Keswick. All other traffic will be diverted around 40 miles. The road is due to reopen on Friday May 13.

M6 Junction 34 Lancaster: Work off the motorway on the Heysham Link project requires a lane one and hard shoulder closure in both directions on the motorway around junction 34.

M6 junctions 16 to 19: Cheshire smart motorway

Work is underway for the smart motorway upgrade – typically with 1 or 2 lanes closed overnight between junctions in both directions and/or mobile lane closures along short sections of carriageway.

M6 junctions 19 to 20: A £14.5 million programme of bridge repairs and new safety barriers is underway with narrow lanes, 50 mph speed limit and use of the hard shoulder as a running lane in places.

M6 junction 27 to junction 29: Surfacing works have now commenced on the northbound and southbound carriageway. This will be undertaken Monday to Friday between the hours of 9pm and 5am, for completion July 2016. To facilitate the works lane closures will be required as well as slip road closures at junction 7 only. Diversion routes will be in place.

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Delta's Bastian Era Begins

Delta Air Lines president Ed Bastian succeeded Richard Anderson as CEO on Monday. A change in leadership style seems likely, but not a major shift in direction.
Speaking at a media gathering in Atlanta last week, Bastian called Anderson a "close friend and close partner" and said they had worked together on "every significant decision" made by Delta over Anderson's nearly nine years leading the carrier. While Bastian has his own priorities, such as keeping Delta's brand and technology fresh and continuing to steer marketing to Millennials, he added that Anderson, now chairman of Delta's board of directors, also will continue to have a presence in those decisions. "We have different personalities—I come from the financial and analytical side—but think alike in the main areas, and he's still my boss," Bastian said. "We talk two or three times a week."
Bastian takes the reins of a company with both strong financial health and a strong operational record. Delta's profit per seat is 10 percent higher than its competition's average, Bastian said. And through the first four months of the year, Delta has completed all mainline flights on 68 days. That's 30 more than this time last year and more than twice as many as all its major competitors combined this year, he said.

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A Global Getaway with Four Seasons and more

A new trekking path has been developed in Jabal Akhdar, Oman, a five-minute drive from Alila Jabal Akhdar hotel. Marked with the national colours of red, white and yellow, the trail is 7.5 kilometres long and starts in the village of Mahabis. The route passes the abandoned village of Al Khutaymi, before navigating 600 metres down into the plantations of Masirat Ash Shuraqiyn. The trail takes approximately six hours to complete. Rooms at the Alila Jabal Akhdar cost from 187 Omani rials (Dh1,784) per night, including half-board and taxes. For more information, visit www.alilahotels.com.

Fall in love again at Mandarin Oriental

Couples can take advantage of the Mandarin Oriental in Bodrum’s A Moment of Romance package. Ideal for honeymooners or those celebrating an anniversary milestone, the offer includes private airport transfers, welcome drinks and chocolate-covered strawberries, and monogrammed bathrobes. Also included is a honeymoon breakfast, served in the guest’s room or at the Sofra restaurant, dinner, a 50-minute couple’s massage, and the choice of a signature care and treatment packages at the spa. The package costs from €595 (Dh2,507) per night, including taxes. For more information, visit www.mandarinoriental.com.

Staycation with the Tilal Liwa Hotel

Try a staycation for less with the Tilal Liwa Hotel’s Summer Savings package. The offer includes buffet breakfast at Al Badiya Restaurant, 20 per cent off food and beverages (children ages 6 and under receive free meals), and 20 per cent off massage treatments. Visitors can also take advantage of several outdoor activities including desert cycling, sandboarding and kite flying. The package costs from Dh289 per night for a family of two adults and two children ages 6 and under, including taxes, and is available from May 15 to September 15. For more information, visit www.tilalliwa.danathotels.com.

A Global Getaway with Four Seasons

Travellers can now book the Four Seasons’ Global Getaway package, part of the brand’s new private-jet excursions for next year. The 24-day itinerary, which runs from March 16 to April 8, will start in Singapore, and explore a number of the brand’s destinations, including Koh Samui, Budapest, Nice, Bogota and Miami. Travellers will visit the Unesco World Heritage Site at Singapore Botanic Gardens, the fisherman’s village of Bo Phut in Koh Samui, St Stephen’s Basilica in Budapest and the Brimstone Hill Fortress in St Kitts. The package costs from US$135,000 (Dh495,848) per person, based on two people sharing, including accommodation, internal transport and taxes.

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Travel Question of the Day: Simon Calder on valid passports for the US

Q I am going on holiday to Florida in August. My passport was issued in 2010. I have heard I may need to get a new one because of the need to be biometric. Is that correct?

Ian Scott

A There has been concern in the past few months about some UK travellers being barred from the US because their passports did not contain a chip with biometric data. My understanding is that every British passport issued from 2007 onwards is an “e-passport” containing biometric information, and acceptable to the US authorities. The affected individuals were, as far as I know, all people who had obtained passports in 2006 that were the old type. So your passport should be valid for travel to the US up to and including the expiry date; there is no need to renew. Just make sure you get your Electronic System for Travel Authorization (Esta) approval in good time.