📈 EPF math: How to hit one crore with basic salary of 25k

An employee starting with a basic salary of Rs 25,000 can potentially build an EPF corpus exceeding Rs 1 crore. This scenario was calculated for an employee in India where the interest rate is assumed at 8.25%. Over 29 years, with a 6% annual salary increment, the total EPF contributions would reach Rs 34,61,365. The accumulated interest is projected at Rs 66,87,046, resulting in a maturity amount of Rs 1,01,48,411. This shows the power of compounding over a long investment horizon. 💰

⚖️ Supreme Court to hear Gadling's bail plea

The Supreme Court announced it will hear the bail plea of activist Surendra Gadling on October 14. This plea is connected to the 2016 Surjagarh iron ore mine arson case in Maharashtra. Mr. Gadling has been incarcerated since June 2018, facing charges from both the arson case and the Elgar Parishad-Maoist links case. The High Court had previously rejected his bail bid on January 31, 2023, finding the Maoist allegations prima facie true. The matter has seen several delays, including multiple judge recusals.

📱 Xiaomi 18 Fold benchmark confirms chipset and RAM

Xiaomi is launching the 18 Fold this month, and a prototype was spotted in the Geekbench AI database. This foldable phone is powered by the self-developed Xring O3 SoC and comes with 16GB of RAM. The device will run Android 17, achieving a 629 single precision score on the benchmark. The Xring O3 CPU features two cores at 4.36GHz and four cores at 3.69GHz. 📱

⚽ Chelsea's first bid for mid rejected

Chelsea's initial offer for AS Monaco midfielder Lamine Camara has been rejected by the French club. The Blues were looking to find a replacement for Enzo Fernandez after the reported £125 million deal. The rejection came after Chelsea made a relatively low bid of only £43 million. Camara offers proactive interception and technical security to bolster the squad depth. Chelsea must now either increase the offer or target other players before the transfer window closes.

🤖 Instagram cracks down on fake AI profiles

Instagram is taking steps to combat fake user profiles generated by AI on the platform. The company will change the label from "AI creator" to "AI-generated profile" for these accounts. Additionally, it will limit the reach of accounts featuring fake people without the proper label. This action follows user frustration after initially testing the AI creator label earlier this year. Instagram plans to proactively hunt these accounts to improve content transparency moving forward. 🤖

😔 Faridabad teen dies after school punishment

A 16-year-old student in Faridabad died after being punished by her teacher. The incident happened on Tuesday at Navodaya Vidya Niketan Senior Secondary School in Faridabad. The victim, from Dabua, was allegedly made to stand in the sun for four hours following a biryani fight among classmates. Her father claims this humiliation led to her suicide, though the principal denied the punishment. Police have registered a case and are currently gathering details from all involved parties. 😔

📈 India tweaks export taxes on fuel, cuts jet fuel levy

The Indian government increased windfall taxes on petrol and diesel exports while reducing the levy on jet fuel. This decision by the Union finance ministry was made on Tuesday, reflecting crude oil price volatility. The tax on diesel exports is now ₹25 per litre, and the ATF export duty stands at ₹19 per litre for the next fortnight. These special excise duties aim to stabilize domestic supply and capture supernormal profits from petroleum companies. The rates are reviewed every fortnight based on international crude oil prices. ⛽

🤔 Punjab's 5 political camps face major tests

The rallies at Baba Bakala offered a mid-point reading of Punjab's five main political camps ahead of the 2027 assembly election. Congress showed many leaders but lacks unified direction, while BJP aims to prove itself beyond Akali Dal support. AAP must defend its record on delivered welfare schemes against voter expectations. SAD is becoming more aggressive, fighting multiple rivals in the Panthic space. Waris Punjab De is focusing heavily on addressing the severe drug crisis in the state. 🧐

🌕 Oppo Find X9 Ultra vs. iPhone for Lunar Eclipse Shots

A near-total lunar eclipse recently occurred while the author was camping on the Wales coastline in the UK. The author tested the Oppo Find X9 Ultra, using a 300mm (13x) teleconverter lens for astrophotography. The phone delivered the best quality eclipse photos the author had captured using a mobile device so far. While manual controls were lacking in the dedicated mode, the 13x zoom provided impressive close-ups of the moon. Despite preferring dedicated cameras, the X9 Ultra made it possible to pack lighter while still getting great shots. 🌕

🔥 Armed men burn houses in Manipur village

Armed individuals set multiple houses on fire in a village within Manipur. Local authorities reported the incident which has caused significant distress in the area. The exact number of houses and people affected was not specified in the initial report. The violence is part of ongoing tensions and conflicts in the region. Authorities are currently investigating the attack and managing the situation.

📊 Delhi Voter Exclusions Outshine Other States

The recent data reveals a significant number of voter exclusions in Delhi compared to other states. Specifically, Delhi has recorded a higher percentage of excluded voters across the nation. These figures were compiled and released on March 15, 2024, by the Election Commission of India. This disparity has sparked discussions regarding the electoral roll accuracy and inclusion processes. Authorities are now reviewing the criteria to address these reported discrepancies going forward.