Snapdeal buys Freecharge for $400m

E-commerce marketplace Snapdeal has acquired online recharge platform FreeCharge for an estimated $400 million (Rs 2,400 crore), making it one of the largest deals in the consumer internet space in India. FreeCharge is a mobile commerce platform where users can pay their mobile, DTH and utility payments across most major operators. However, FreeCharge will continue to function as an independent platform and without any changes in its shopping experience.

TRAI recommends 112 as single emergency number for India 

Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has proposed ‘112’ as a single emergency number that can be used all across the country including for police, fire and ambulance departments. This emergency number will be similar to the ‘911’ an all-in-one emergency service in the United States.

Nasim Zaidi appointed next Chief Election Commissioner

President Pranab Mukherjee has appointed Syed Nasim Ahmad Zaidi as the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). Zaidi hailed from 1976 batch IAS officer and has worked in the Civil Aviation Ministry for a long time. After Brahma retires on April 19, Zaidi will take charge and will have tenure up to July, 2017 when he attains the age of 65. An EC or a CEC has tenure of six years in office or 65 years of age, whichever is earlier.

Liu Xiang: China’s former Olympic 110m hurdles champion retires 

China’s Olympic gold medal-winning hurdler Liu Xiang, one of the country’s biggest sports stars, has retired. The 31-year-old won the country’s first Olympic men’s athletics gold in the 110m hurdles in Athens in 2004 and added a world title in 2007. He also held the world record in 2006 with a time of 12.88 seconds.