India won the four-match ODI Series 3-1

With a massive win at Vadodara, India won the four-match series against the West Indies 3-1. After being put into bat, India scored a mammoth 341/3, thanks to a fine unbeaten 100 off 76 balls by Sachin Tendulkar, which was his 41st century in one-day international. He was duly supported by Ganguly's 68, Dravid's 78 and a blistering knock of unbeaten 40 off 20 balls by MS Dhoni in the end.

In reply, West Indies kept losing wickets in regular intervals before being bowled out for 181 in 41.4 overs, thus giving India a 160-run victory. Only Samuels and Ramdin offered some resistance with 55 and 40 respectively. Sachin Tendulkar was adjudged both Man of the Match and Man of the Series. The series victory is a huge relief for Rahul Dravid who has been under severe criticism for a few months.

The find of the series was Robin Uthappa, who proved his worth by playing some flourishing shots as opening batsman. Robin can form a deadly combination with Saurav Ganguly, who is in great form. It seems that for the time being, India's opening problem has been sorted out. With two solid knocks in three matches, Ganguly proved his critics wrong and showed why he is still an asset to the Indian cricket. With Sachin back in form and Dravid playing some great innings, India can hope to do well in World Cup 2007.

The problem in the middle order also seems to be solved with Yuvraj Singh back in side and proving his fitness by fielding for full 50 overs with a stunning catch in the West Indies innings. Let's hope that we can at least reach the semifinal stage in the world cup and do our ground work then after. The series against the in-form Sri Lanka over the coming weeks will also decide how solid India's preparations are for the world cup.

Tata Steel wins Corus Bid

A great moment for India! Tata Steel is all set to become the world's fifth biggest steel company, as it won a bid battle with the Brazilian Companhia Siderurgica Nacional (CSN). Tata Steel acquired the Anglo-Dutch steelmaker Corus Group by paying 5.75 billion pounds ($11.3 billion). It offered 608 pence per share in cash, outsmarting CSN's final bid of 603 pence. Tata Steel was declared winner after 9 rounds of bidding process.

Tata's bid to take over Corus raised eyebrows in the Western world and it became a major tussle between the steelmakers. Both CSN and Tata Steel were keen to buy Corus to become significant players in the steel industry. Last year, Mittal Steel bought Luxembourg's Arcelor to create the world's biggest steelmaker, Arcelor Mittal. CSN has the upper hand just ahead of the auction after it has made a bid worth $9.6 billion. However, Tata Steel had the last laugh.

Shilpa wins 'Big Brother' Show as Chicken Curry Rules

The racial slur came as a blessing in disguise for Bollywood heartthrob Shilpa Shetty, as she comprehensively beat all her rivals to win the biggest reality show 'Big Brother' on Channel 4 in the UK. Shilpa beat her nearest rival Jermaine Jackson, Michael Jackson's brother by bagging 67% of the total votes. Shilpa screamed with joy when the result was announced.

Shilpa was overwhelmed by the support showered on her by people across the globe and broke into tears. She thanked everyone and thundered with pride, 'Chicken Curry Rules'. She bagged a prize money of £100,000. A proud moment for India, as she became the first Indian to achieve this distinction. Shilpa was the favorite to win the contest after she became the victim of alleged racist bullying by fellow contestant Jade Goody, who was later voted out a couple of weeks ago.

The show became the most controversial show in the TV history after thousands of complaints reached UK's Ofcom. The racist controversy also compelled the main sponsor, Carphone Warehouse to pull out of the show. In less than a month, Shilpa became the big word in film/television world. With a series of offers from several quarters including Hollywood waiting for her, Shilpa's career is all set to get a major boost in the coming days. Congratulations Shilpa! We all are proud of you.

Rahul Roy Won the 'Big Boss' Reality Show

The curtain finally came down. Ending 12 weeks of high drama and speculation, Rahul Roy won India's largest reality show, 'Big Boss'. The grand finale on Sony Entertainment Television witnessed Rahul Roy beating his fellow housemates Carol Gracias and Ravi Kishen to win the show with a prize of whopping Rs. 50 lakhs. Viewers across the country have chosen Rahul as their choice to stay on, which is seen as a mandate for his modesty, simplicity, candor and honesty.

In a surprise eviction on Wednesday, item girl Rakhi Sawant was voted out of the house although she was considered favorite to win the show. After her ouster, Rakhi Sawant came out in the open against the housemates. She accused her housemates and their well-wishers of foul play in throwing her out of the house. Whatever the outcome may have been, 'Big Boss' changed the lives of some of the celebrities for ever. Rahul, who was in obscurity for a long time, is now back in the news and will remain so in the coming days.

Surat Roof Collapse Killed Seven Children

At least seven children were killed and many others trapped when the roof of a residential school for girls collapsed near Vyara town, about 100 km from Surat. The incident occurred at the Adarsh Niwasi Prathmik Shala in Tichakpura, a tribal-dominated village. Over 100 girl students are feared trapped, however, some sources put the figure at twelve.

Ambulances and fire brigades immediately rushed to the spot and rescue operations are going on. The local people were the first to reach the spot and rescued some girls from the debris. Government sources confirmed the death of 7 girls and said that at least 12 injured girls are in a critical condition. They all are being treated in a local hospital.

According to latest reports, the death toll reaches 11 with four more children succumbing to injuries. Chief Minister Narendra Modi has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

Suicide Attack on Pakistan Hotel

Just minutes ago, a suicide bomber carried out a blast outside the Hotel Marriott at Islamabad. According to latest reports, the bomber and one of the security guards were killed and six others were injured in the blast. The Indian High Commission was to host a Republic Day Function at the hotel later in the evening. Was the blast aimed at the Indian dignitaries or was it just a terror act? Only the investigation will reveal the truth. The police cordoned off the area and higher authorities already rushed to the spot.

The Hotel Marriott is located in the downtown area and is highly popular with foreign tourists and business people. It is believed that when the security guard tried to stop the suicide bomber, he exploded the device, triggering a powerful blast. Had it exploded inside the hotel, the causalities would have been much higher.

A Proud Nation Celebrates its 58th Republic Day

The nation celebrated its 58th Republic Day with much fanfare and a mighty military display. The much impressive parade was held in Delhi with thousands of people thronging to the place despite chilled weather and security concerns. The parade witnessed India's military strength with brave soldiers from the Army, Air Force and Navy participating in the parade in different guise. Russian President Vladimir Putin was the chief guest at this year's Republic Day celebrations.

Missiles, Radars and other military equipments were on a display besides the fighting skill shown by IAF helicopters, Sukhoi and dare devils on motorcycles. 26 well-decorated tableaux from 18 States also participated in the parade. The police, para-military forces and ex-servicemen of the country also showcased the country's military strength and cultural diversity.

Gallantry awards such as Kirti Chakra, Shaurya Chakra and others were given to some of the brave soldiers of the country.The parade also had about 1,200 school children showcasing India's cultural diversity along with 21 'National Bravery Awards' winners.

Republic Day not only reminds us about the day when we became a self-reliant and sovereign nation, but also it symbolizes with the pride, self-esteem and dignity of every individual of this proud nation. Let's take an oath that we will always fight for our unity, pride and self-esteem and will never give up to external pressure under any circumstances. Jai Hind!

Spouse or Computer? Ask the Americans!

Gone are the days when American people loved to spend more time with their spouses. today, if you hear them saying "Honey, I'm home", don't assume anything; you may be wrong though. They are addressing their home computer, not their spouses. The survey conducted by Kelton Research shows that 65% of Americans spend more time with their computers than they do with their spouses.

The survey underlined the fact that the Americans are increasingly becoming devoted to technology, thus ignoring their spouses and kids. Three years ago, not more than 50/60 percent of Americans were dependent on their computer. However, today at least 84% are completely dependent on computer and Internet. Ironically, the average American spends 12 hours a month dealing with and trying to fix computer problems.

The trend is inevitable. Is there is a solution to it? Perhaps not. The computer and Internet technology seem to have taken people completely under its fold. There is no escaping route.

Nithari Accused beaten up in the Court Room

Moninder Singh and Surinder Koli, the main accused in the Nithari killing case, were beaten up by the lawyers outside the Ghaziabad court room. According to latest reports, Moninder fell unconscious after being beaten up badly. Both the accused were to be produced in the court by the CBI for the extension of their custody for further interrogation. The public also joined the lawyers to rough up Moninder and Surinder. The police had to use force to disperse the crowd. Both Moninder and Surinder were later hospitalized and are out of danger now.

It is to be recalled that the Nithari killing case shocked the entire nation and shaked the foundation of the UP government. The issue was politicised further after the callosuness shown by the UP police in probing the case. Both the public and political pressure compelled the UP government to order a CBI probe into the killing. The CBI found that at least 30-odd children were kidnapped and brutally murdered by Moninder and Surinder in the past couple of years. The CBI probe is all set to unearth more mysterious facts in the coming days.

Roaming Charges Reduced

Big news for the cell phone users! The TRAI (Telephone Regulatory Authority of India) slashed the roaming tariff up to 56 percent. It also abolished roaming rental charges and surcharge on national roaming services. The new tariff will take effect from February 15, 2007. According to the new regulations, subscribers will receive free SMS while roaming. In addition, they won't be required to pay any separate PSTN charges.

The new roaming tariff will be applicable to all mobile subscribers (pre-paid and post-paid) and all other tariff plans offered by the GSM and CDMA operators in the country. As obviously, TRAI's revolutionary step has not been welcomed by the cellular operators. However, the common people have reasons to celebrate.

Chappell Slapped at Bhubaneswar Airport

In a bizarre incident that sent shock wave across the cricketing world, a person belonging to the so-called Kalinga Sena, slapped Greg Chappell, the Indian coach at Bhubaneswar (Orissa) Airport. This is a clear case of security lapse and the Orissa government is to blame for this incident. The incident showed how callous the security staff were even though there is a dangerous threat to the Indian cricket team from the terrorists.

Although the incident occurred just a few minutes ago, BCCI President Sharad Pawar was quick to react and assured to talk to the Orissa CM, Naveen Pattnaik in this regard.

The reason given by the accused Biranchi Moharana was ridiculous and absurd. He claimed that Orissa players were repeatedly neglected by the BCCI and the selection committee. He held BCCI and Chappell responsible for this. However, he seems to have forgotten that Orissa just managed to reach the Elite stage after a gap of four years. You can't expect your players to be in the Indian squad when your team has been playing in the plate division for the last four years. First set your house in order, then demand what you deserve.

Breaking News: Abhishek and Aishwarya got Engaged

Breaking News!!! Just minutes ago, Legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan confirmed that his son Abhishek Bachchan got engaged to versatile actress Aishwarya Rai at her Mumbai residence. Finally, all the speculations were put into rest. Let us wish all the best to both Abhishek and Aishwarya.

I took this opportunity to become the First Person to report this sensational news on the Web/Blogosphere minutes after the news channels confirmed it. CNN-IBN website was the second to publish this news, as its news came 9 minutes after my reporting.

Rumor was there for the last few months. However, it gained momentum after the recent visit of Bachchans and Aiwsharya to temples and the release of Guru, which received accolade from the viewers and critics. Now we have to wait and watch for the grand wedding that might take place in February this year.

Army Offensive Against ULFA

The recent killing of Bihari migrants in Assam put ULFA in a precarious situation. They never expected that the Centre would take such a drastic action against them. However, the government had little options left. The Army stepped up its offensive against ULFA as the crackdown entered the fifth day.

According to the latest reports, the Army gained significant success in the operations carried out in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Several ULFA hideouts in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh have been busted. It is to be seen how long the "Operation Clear" will continue and if it would dent the morale of ULFA cadres or not. It can be recalled the Army has vowed to wipe out ULFA's potential.

The role of the Bhutanese government in India's offensive against the ULFA is laudable. However, the non-cooperation of the Bangladesh government has put the Indian government in a tight spot. India always wanted to maintain a peaceful co-existence with its neighbors. However, Pakistan and Bangladesh never reciprocated India's friendly gesture. Now the recent political turbulence in Bangladesh aggravated the situation further.

It's high time we adopt a clear stand on Bangladesh's approach towards India's peace process. We need to show them that they cannot take our goodwill approach for granted.

Carnival of Sports #3

Hi Everyone! Welcome to the third edition of the Carnival of Sports. I wish all our readers a very HAPPY NEW YEAR. I received a large number of submissions this week out of which 9 posts managed to make the cut. Here are the posts in the order they were received.

Joe Pelletier presents Hockey's Greatest Legends: Table Hockey Dreams posted at Hockey's Greatest Legends. The site is exclusively dedicated to hockey legends. Don't miss out reading some of the hilarious posts on Joe's site.

Dean Landers presents The SportFellas - Doak Walker? More Like Joke Walker posted at SportFellas.com. If you're a true college football fan and can pull that collective head of yours out of the SEC's posterior for a moment, you might come to recognize that the wrong man was collecting the trophy at tonight's Doak Walker presentation.

Tyler presents Headshots:Hockey Hits of the 1980s posted at National Hockey League Digest. Yet another great post on hockey. Learn more about the 'Head Shot’ controversy and watch out the video.

Travis Wright presents San Diego Chargers and Marty Prepare for Patented Playoff Meltdown posted at TimeCheeze.com. Watch Out San Diego Charger fans!!!

Laura Young presents Trolley Dodger posted at Dragon Slayer's Guide to Life. Before they were the Dodgers,they were the 'Superbas' and before that, unfathomably, the 'Bridegrooms'. Here's a rare treat for baseball fans and a slice of Brooklyn history.

Baiguai presents What Are the Best Shoes for Training? posted at Kung Fu Artistry. What shoes do you use for martial arts training? And what do you look for in a training shoe?

Kevin presents Teaching Children Perfect Pushups With "Steps" posted at Planet Dojang. Teaching the children to do a perfect push up is not easy. Read more to learn those helpful tips.

Wyatt Earp presents That's A Shame posted at Support Your Local Gunfighter. Read more about the match between Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks.

Dan Harris presents China And Yao Ming Rising? posted at China Law Blog. This is all about basketball. Despite lack of experience in the global arena, China is doing well in Basketball. Read more...

With this, the new year edition of the Carnival of Sports is concluded. I expect to see more interesting and useful posts in the future edition of this carnival.