Gujarat Riots: 8 sentenced to Life Imprisonment

A Godhra Sessions Court sentenced 8 people to life imprisonment on Gujarat riots case. The court convicted 11 of the 40 accused, but 29 people have been acquitted due to lack of evidence. The convicted people included the former BJP President of Kalol Taluka Panchayat, Chandradeep Parmar and some VHP activists.

Two young girls were raped and seven of that family were burnt alive by the rioters in Eral village of Panchmahal district on March 2, 2002. The rioters raped Shabana and Suhana, mutilated their bodies. and then burnt alive seven of the family, including the two girls. The survivor of that tragedy, Medina Sheikh narrated the story before the court and identified the accused.

Mukesh Ambani is World's Richest Man

Billionaire Mukesh Ambani has become the richest person in the world. He surpassed Bill Gates, Mexican business tycoon Carlos Slim Helu and famous investment guru Warren Buffett. Mukesh's sudden growth has been attributed to the bull run in the stock market.

As the share prices of Reliance Industries, Reliance Petroleum and Reliance Industrial Infrastructure have gone up, the net worth of Mukesh Ambani rose to $63.2 billion (Rs 2,49,108 crore).

Janadesh Yatra: PM forms Panel to look into the Demands

To pacify the landless agitators who are currently undertaking the Janadesh Yatra, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has set up a committee to study state-agrarian relations. All the issues related to land will be discussed. Union Rural Development Minister Raghuvansh Prasad Singh will be the head of the committee. The committee will conduct filed studies and surveys, and will present its report to the PM.

BJP, JD(S) parade MLAs in Karnataka, Governor keeps them on Hold

The political drama in Karnataka continues. In a new twist to the ongoing number game battle, BJP and JD(S) paraded 129 MLAs before the Governor. The MLAs submitted the letters of support for BJP-JD(S) coalition to the Governor. A total of 80 from BJP and 46 from JD(S) attended the joint legislature party meeting and unanimously elected Yeddyurappa (of BJP) as its leader.

Governor Rameshwar Thakur was not impressed with the latest development. He put the Karnataka MLAs on hold. According to the governor, he would get back to the MLAs after consulting the Center.

Senior JD(S) leader M P Prakash stayed away of the JD(S) meeting with six of his supporters. But it has become clear that he does not have the numbers to create any miracle. JD(S) Supremo and former PM H D Deve Gowda said he was forced into supporting the BJP because S M Krishna a former Congress chief minister was trying to split the JD(S). Meanwhile, the leader of the BJP-JD(S) combine has formally changed the spelling of his name from yediyurappa to yeddyurappa.

Ronen Sen apologises to LS Privileges Committee

India's Ambassador to the US, Ronen Sen tendered an unconditional apology before the Lok Sabha Privileges Committee for his "headless chickens" remarks. He maintained that his remarks were not against the MPs, but against the media persons opposing the Indo-US nuclear deal.

The Committee has accepted his apology and has decided not to take further action in this matter. Sen reportedly told the Committee that it was not an interview but a mobile phone conversation and that too was off the record. This is for the first time in Parliamentary history that a top diplomat appeared before the law makers for making controversial remarks against the honorable parliamentarians.

BSE Sensex hits 20,000

The BSE Sensex has hit a new peak by crossing the 20,000 mark for the first time in history. It took six sessions to reach 20,000 from 19,000. Despite the market regulator's restrictions on investments through Participatory Notes, stock prices have been moving up quite sharply over the past few sessions.

Larsen & Toubro, HDFC, BHEL, ONGC, HDFC Bank, State Bank of India, Reliance Industries, ICICI Bank and Reliance Energy are the major beneficiaries. Shares of Reliance Communications, Maruti Suzuki, Wipro, Tata Motors, Grasim Industries, Satyam Computer Services, ITC, Bharti Airtel, Hindustan Unilever, Infosys Technologies, Bajaj Auto, Mahindra & Mahindra and ACC are also up.

JD(S) in Karnataka heading for a Split

The JD(S) in Karnataka is heading for further trouble with senior leader M P Prakash taking on H D Deve Gowda and H D Kumaraswamy over the support to BJP. Prakash feels betrayed by JD(S) top leaders in unilaterally announcing the party's support to BJP to form the government while he was holding parleys with the Congress in Delhi on government formation.

Prakash has expressed surprise and questioned Deve Gowda's decision of going to BJP after refusing to transfer power to that party and directing him to approach the Congress. The split within the JD(S) seems likely after a number of legislators threw their weight behind M P Prakash.

Senior BJP leader B S Yediyuarappa met JD(S) leader M P Prakash on Sunday and sought his cooperation in the formation of a BJP-led coalition government. He also requested Prakash to join his ministry and guide the government with his vast experience. Former CM H D Kumaraswamy also met Prakash to hold discussions on the latest development.

Nandigram Tense, Mamata seeks PM's Intervention

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee has sought intervention of the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil to stop firing and bombing by CPI(M) workers in Nandigram. The leatest bombing at Nandigram left 3 people dead and several others injured.

He urged the people of Nandigram to carry on their fight against the "goons of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee". She expressed confidence that peace loving people would prevail over the rifle-carrying CPI(M) cadres and the state-sponsored terrorism.

20,000 People seeking Land Rights arrives in Delhi

At least 20,000 people from 15 states reached Delhi after marching 340 kms from Gwalior. They are demanding their rights to land and livelihood. The "Janadesh March" is organized by Ekta Parishad. The march was flagged off on October 2.

The protesters plan to sit on a protest near the Parliament. Their demands included National Land Authority, fast-track courts and a single window system to deal with land and livelihood disputes. Around 200 foreigners from 30 countries are also taking part in the rally lending support to the cause of the tribals and landless workers. According to sources, seven people have died during the rally till date. Four died due to illness and three were killed in accidents.

JD(S) supports BJP to form govt in Karnataka

Political compulsions and a possible split within its own party, forced JD(S) and its leader H D Deve Gowda eat humble pie and rush in to join hands with BJP. A few weeks back, Deve Gowda had said that it did not want the BJP make Karnataka another Gujarat. Now, he knocked at BJP's door again with unconditional support.

With JD(S) offering the letter of support before the governor, BJP is all set to get its first Chief Minister in a Southern Indian state. The new government will be headed by BJP's B S Yediyurappa. The Deputy CM will belong to JD(S). The Patch up came after a month of President's rule in the state, which was preceded by a break up between these parties on the issue of power transfer. It will be interesting to see how long the new government will last.

Gujarat Sting Operation likely to help Modi

When Tarun Tejpal of Tehelka decided to go ahead with his sting operation on Gujarat riots, he never thought that it would give political mileage to Narendra Modi, whom he targeted. But it happened. If we believe the analysts, the sting operation conducted by Tehelka and Aaj Tak that sent shock waves across India, will actually help Narendra Modi in the forthcoming assembly elections in Gujarat.

According to sources, the latest development has already surged the Hindus. Without doing anything, Narendra Modi has begun to get what he never thought of. There is a polarisation of Hindu votes across Gujarat and this is clearly visible. The consolidation of Hindu votes will give Modi a landslide victory, while his detractors will be left ruing their misfortune again. Although the major political parties have demanded Modi's ouster, there is a grim in the Congress camp. They can sense that worst is coming for them.

When the election dates were announced, Modi was seen as a clear favorite to win the Gujarat elections. Now the stakes are higher in his favor. The trends show that he is heading for another landslide victory unless there is a miracle. Is there anyone who can challenge Modi's authority in Gujarat. "No" is the answer at least for the time being.

Latest Google PR Update: Blog Link Farms Punished

The latest Google PR (Page Rank) update has punished a large number of blog link farms and sites that have indulged in link-building and SEO activities. Instead, Google has given much importance to the sites that produce genuine and regular content. Website and blogs indulging in the sale of text link ads, have been penalised, as their PR went down dramatically. A good number of blog networks and link farms have been badly affected.

Some of the leading blogs that saw the decline are Engadget (downgraded from PR 7 to PR 5) and DownloadSquad (from PR 5 to Pr 4). Interestingly, our own Breaking News Online, which heavily relied on genuine contents, has been rewarded with a PR 4. Other blogs in our network also got due recognition. Cricket Buzz got a PR 4, while Orissa Times Online and Bollywood Buzz got a PR 3 each. Thanks Google. We trust you!

Babulal Marandi's son killed in Naxal Attack

Former Jharkhand CM Babulal Marandi's son Anup and 17 others have been killed in a Naxal attack at Chilkhadia village in Giridih district of Jharkhand. According to sources, at least 50 Naxals raided the village during a cultural program. The Naxals opened indiscriminate fire and exploded bombs. Marandi's brother Nunulal, who was also present at the function, escaped unhurt.

Babulal Marandi blamed the Central and State government for the attack. The BJP has taken a strong note of the heinous attack and urged the central and state governments to come up with the strategies to curb the Naxal menace. The Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Democratic), headed by Babulal Marandi, has called for a statewide bandh on Sunday.

Chief Minister Madhu Koda has announced a compensation of Rs one lakh for the families of victims and one government job for each family.

Tehelka Expose on Gujarat Riots: Hindu leaders admit Modi's Role

A sting operation made by the Tehlka newsmagazine and Aaj Tak TV Channel in India released sensational footage in which leaders of Hindu groups VHP and Shiv Sena alleged that Gujarat CM Narendra Modi had sanctioned the communal riots of 2002. The operation was carried out by a undercover journalist Ashish Khetan.

Prominent leaders of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), Bajarang Dal and Shiv Sena admitted that Modi had given full approval to the "state-sponsored" riots that claimed lives of more than 3,000 Muslims including a Congress MP Ehsan Jaffri.

Haresh Bhatt, the BJP legislator from Godhra, said on camera that Modi had given rioters a free hand for three days. "He had given us three days time... to do whatever we could. He said he would not give us time after that. He said this openly. After three days he asked (us) to stop and everything came to a halt,"added Bhatt.

An accused in the Naroda Patiya massacre that claimed more than 80 people, told the journalist that Modi had come to the locality and had thanked the rioters saying "Aap dhanya ho" (you have done a great job). The Shiv Sena leader Babu Bajrangi openly admitted to piercing out of a foetus from the womb of a woman with a sword.

Another accused in the Gulbarga Society massacre in Ahmedabad, explained how former MP Ehsan Jaffri of the Congress was hacked limb-by-limb and burnt. The Tehelka footage also points to the manufacturing of bombs in factories owned by senior Bajrang Dal and VHP activists.

Bombs and rocket launchers were allegedly manufactured by the Hindu groups to be used in Muslim areas. The rioters got the support from State Administration, Police and Lawyers.
BJP reacted strongly to the sting operation, terming it as a political stunt on the eve of the Assembly elections in Gujarat.

The shocking revelations might polarise the Hindus and Muslims ahead of Assembly polls to be held in December. If that happens, Modi will again emerge victorious as a saviour of the Hindus.

Supreme Court asked States to make Marriage Registration Compulsory

The Supreme Court directed all states and Union Territories to formulate appropriate legislation within three months to make marriage registration compulsory. A bench headed by Justice Arijit Pasayat asked the states and UTs to file a compliance report along with an affidavit after the deadline period.

The new judgement will ensure that marriage registration be made mandatory for all religions. As expected, the Muslim groups objected to the Supreme Court's order, saying it violates their religious obligations. However, BJP has welcomed the apex court's order. According to legal experts, even though non-registration of marriages would not make marriages void, the Supreme Court's order was a step towards formulation of a uniform civil code.

30 Killed in Pakistan Blast

At least 30 people were killed and over 200 injured when a suicide bomber carried out a blast on a truck carrying security personnel and ammunition in the Swat region of Pakistan's North West Frontier Province (NWFP). The truck was carrying 31 Frontier Constabulary men and arms and ammunition from the police lines in Mingora to Barikot.

All the injured have been rushed to nearby hospitals. Several of them are said to be in a critical condition. The incident took place day after the military sent around 2,000 troops to the district in response to growing militant activity.

California Fire forces 500,000 People leave Home

The deadly fire that broke out in California, has caused the largest evacuation in state history, with more than 500,000 people fleeing their home to survive the wrath of wildfire. The fire has already destroyed more than 1,300 homes and continues to threaten more. According to sources, the firemen have admitted defeat to the deadly fire, as they have not been able to douse the flames yet.

About 375,000 acres or 585 square miles area have been affected by the wildfire. President George Bush has declared a state of emergency in California, thus paved the way for federal disaster aid. The President also promised to survey the state personally. Bush has already dispatched officials from the Department of Homeland Security to assess the damage. According to sources, at least $75 million federal assistance would be needed to tackle the situation.

10 Policemen get Lifer in Delhi Shootout Case

A Delhi Court sentenced 10 policemen to life in prison in the shootout of two businessmen who were killed at the busy Connaught Place market 10 years ago. The convicted officers claimed that they opened fire on the businessmen in self-defense after gun shots were fired from inside their car. However Judge Vinod Kumar rejected their claim outright.

The two deceased Pradeep Goel and Jagjit Singh were shot at least 38 times, as they drove through the Connaught Place shopping area in March 1997. The police mistook them for gangsters, as they were driving a similar car.

Madhumita Case: Amarmani gets Life Imprisonment

A Dehradun court convicted former UP Minister Amarmani Tripathi, his wife Madhumani and two others in the poetess Madhumita Shukla murder case. All the accused have been handed over life sentence. The poetess was found murdered at her Lucknow flat on May 9, 2003. She was allegedly murdered at the behest of Madhumani, who was opposed to her affair with her husband.

Amarmani Tripathi was arrested by the CBI after DNA test confirmed that the foetus found in Madhumita's body matched with his DNA. He has been a member of all major political parties at different point of time. Those political parties included BJP, Congress, BSP and SP. Several other criminal cases are still pending against him.

Coimbatore Blast Case: Basha, Nine others get Lifer

The final verdict in the Coimbatore blast case has been pronounced. The founder leader of Al-Umma, S A Basha and its general secretary Mohammed Ansari were awarded life imprisonment. Eight other convicts also got lifer in the 1998 case. It can be recalled that 70 of the 166 accused were convicted on charges of criminal conspiracy and murder. K Uthirapathi, the judge of the Special Court pronounced sentences for the first 10 convicts.

Interestingly, the convicts would undergo imprisonment for periods ranging from 17 to 125 years. Since they have been in the jail for the last 10 years, they would serve only the remaining period of the life imprisonment. The blasts occurred on February 14, 1998 on the eve of the visit of BJP leader L K Advani. The blasts claimed at least 58 lives.

Sanjay Dutt back in Yerawada Jail

After a two-month long freedom, Sanjay Dut had to return to Yerawada Jail in Pune. Dutt surrendered before the TADA Court where he received the copy of the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts case judgment. He was first taken to Arthur Road jail, from where he was sent to Yerawada Jail in the night.

Sanjay Dutt spent a quite night in Pune's Yerawada Jail. He is likely to continue cane furniture making. Dutt's lawyers are hopeful of getting a bail for him before Diwali, which falls on November 9. When Sanjay Dutt reached the Yerawada Jail, situation was completely different from last time. There was no crowd of curious onlookers. Only the mediapersons waited for him at the main gate.

Delhi Deputy Mayor died of Monkey Attack

Delhi's Deputy Mayor S S Bajwa died on Sunday of head injuries. He had been admitted Apollo Hospital following a fall from the terrace of his house, while trying to fend off an attacking monkey. Bajwa, 52, was the BJP Councillor from Anand Vihar ward. He is survived by his wife and a son.

Bajwa was cremated with full honors. All the schools and offices run by the MCD will remain closed on Monday to mourn the death of the ex-Deputy Mayor.

Bobby Jindal wins Governor's Race in Louisiana

Bobby Jindal, a 36-year old Republican Congressman, won the governor's election in Louisiana. Bobby had lost the election 4 years ago. He became the first Indian-American governor of any state in the United States. Jindal took 54% of the votes polled in the election. Jindal was always seen as an ambitious young politician.

He was appointed head of the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, at the age of 24. Two years later, Jindal served in the Bush Administration as an assistant secretary in the Department of Health and Human Services. Although he fought the governor election in 2003, he lost to current Democratic governor Kathleen Blanco by just 4 percent votes. Jindal's win sparked off celebrations in India including his native village in Punjab.

BSNL begins work on Wi-Max Technology

Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), India's largest telecommunication company is all set to expand its mode of services by offering new value-added services to its customers. The company will also introduce new technologies. The latest technology adopted by the BSNL is Wi-Max to connect the remote regions across the country.

With the Wi-Max technologies, the BSNL is planning to tie all parts of rural areas by high speed wireless broadband Internet service. his 2000 crore project is seen as a promising initiative by BSNL to improve rural telecommunication infrastructure. Wi-Max technology is much more reliable with high speed wireless data.

According to Kuladeep Goyal, Chairman and MD of BSNL, "The BSNL rural broadband project will bridge digital divide and connect 20,000 villages in India by delivering high speed broadband services". The BSNL has already asked Nokia Siemens Networks to build broadband access infrastructure across 7,000 villages across the country.

CBI begins investigation into Rizwanur case

The CBI began formal investigations into the 'unnatural death' of Rizwanur Rehman, the computer graphics teacher, whose body was found on the railway tracks a few weeks ago. The CBI will interrogate five Kolkata police officers including former police commissioner Prasun Mukherjee. It can be recalled that Calcutta High Court had ordered a CBI investigation into the death of Rizwanur.

The CBI has registered a case against Rizwanur's industrialist father-in-law Ashok Todi, who allegedly used his contacts to put pressure on Rizwanur to hand over his wife Priyanka to Todi, days before his mysterious death. The case was registered under various sections 302 (murder), 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy) and 506 (issuing criminal threats) of the IPC. The CBI team also visited the Patipukur area near Dum Dum where Rizwanur's body was recovered from railway tracks on September 21.

Benazir survives Suicide Attack, 138 Dead

Two powerful blasts rocked former Pakistan PM Benazir Bhutto's motorcade in Karachi at 12.38 AM on Friday. One of the blasts was a suicide attack. Although Bhutto survived the attack, at least 138 people were killed in the blasts. Over 550 people including two top PPP leaders were injured. 25 policemen were also among the dead.

The suicide attack took place just a few feet away from Bhutto's truck. Bhutto had left the unprotected, open-air perch of the truck and gone inside just before the explosions took place. Otherwise, it would have been a doomsday for Pakistan. Most of the dead people were PPP workers.

Bhutto was leading the procession to the mausoleum of Pakistan's founder, Mohammed Ali Jinnah. She was supposed to address a rally there. The rally was cancelled after the explosions.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, US President George Bush and many world leaders have condemned the blasts carried out by the fundamentalists. Musharraf termed the blasts as a conspiracy against democracy. The PPP (Pakistan People's Party) have decided to observe a three-day mourning in memory of the blast victims.

Benazir returns to Pakistan

Former Pakistan PM Benazir Bhutto returned to Karachi after an eight years of self-exile. "I am thankful to God, I am very happy that I'm back in my country and I was dreaming of this day," a sobbing Bhutto told Reuters. Bhutto was dressed in a green shalwar kameez with her head covered by a while scarf.

There is a strong speculation that Bhutto would enter into a power sharing agreement with Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf. The national elections are due in January 2008. More than 100,000 supporters lined up on the roadside to get a glimpse of their leader. Over 20,000 security personnel have ben deployed in Karachi to prevent any untoward incident.

It has been learnt that Benazir would visit Jinnah's tomb first. Pakistan' stock market reacted positively to Bhutto's homecoming. The Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) reached an all-time high of 14,802.61 points.

Kolkata Police Commissioner Prasoon Mukherjee gets Marching Order

Kolkata Police Commissioner Prasun Mukherjee and four other officers were trasnferred with immediate effect on the behest of West Bengal CM Buddhadev Bhattacharjee. The action was taken for their alleged involvement in the mysterious death of computer graphic artist Rizwanur Rehman who had married Priyanja, daughter of a leading industrialist of the city. According to sources, pressure is mounting on Prasun Mukherjee to quit the top post at Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).

Gautam Mohan Chakraborty has been appointed as the new Kolkata Police Commissioner. Kolkata also got two new deputy commissioners as both the previous DCs were removed from their positions.

Anne Enright wins the Man Booker Prize

Anne Enright from Ireland won the Man Booker Prize for her novel "The Gathering". There were top contenders like Indra Sinha and Mohsin Hamid. However, Enright left them way behind in the final run up to the Booker Prize. She received a prize money of £50,000 (70,000 euro) at a ceremony held in London's Guildhall.

Bloggers take a pledge to save Environment on the Blog Action Day

On October 15, 2007, bloggers across the world took a pledge to save the environment. The occasion was the Blog Action Day. This year, the theme was environment. Blog Action Day is a UN-backed event. It represents a significant milestone for Web 2.0. Bloggers from around the world who participated in serving up ideas, tips and data to inform people about the preservation of the environment via their blogs.

The global warming and degradation of the biosphere have been concern for all people irrespective of their geographical location. Blogs serve as the best platform to educate people and promote the awareness on saving the environment. And that is exactly what the bloggers did on the Blog Action Day.

Sensex crossed 19,000 Mark

The stock market continued its bull run with gaining 639.63 points in a single day trading. The BSE Sensex took just four days to reach 19,000 from 18,000. It's yet another milestone for the stock market that is buoyed by strong economic growth in India.

The rise has been attributed to the strong growth in sectors such as power, capital goods, infrastructure and telecom. Companies belonging to those sectors are having a great time so far. Foreign investors are pumping in huge money in the equity market, which is pushing the market to highest level.

Six killed in Ludhiana Blast

Three days after the Ajmer Sharif blast, another bomb blast rocked a cinema hall in Ludhiana, Punjab. The blast left six dead and several wounded. The blast took place on Sunday in Singar theatre located on Samrala Road. During the blast, Akshay Kumar-starred Bhool Bhulaiyya was being screened. The police have arrested at least a dozen people in connection of the blast.

Story of Two Brothers

One brother accusing the other for forcibly giving medications for mental illness - this is not a story of a common household, but of two celebrity brothers. It is what the big brother Faisal Khan is accusing Aamir Khan for.

The basic story

Faisal who first came into the media light with his lead role in Madhosh in 1994 failed to impress the audience and his film career finally came to an end with Mela, the film with brother. Along with his professional, his personal life was also turmoil. He got married to a handbag designer from London Samia Kamruddin which led to divorce just a few months later.

It is said that it was after the utter failure that this man got in his life both professionally and personally that ultimately made him seek medical help. He was ill since 2002 and got worse in 2005 when he was diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia. In 2004, he was also hospitalized on the complaint from Aamir Khan and other family members that he was sending threatening letters to him.

Brother versus brother

The whole situation took a twist when Faisal’s mother Zeenat filed a complaint of his missing, which was on October 12th. Faisal got in contact with the media and told that Aamir had been forcibly giving him medicines although he is fine and has no mental illness. He is presently staying in a lodge at suburbs and is unwilling to disclose his details. He had also on September 29th sent a letter to the Police Commissioner stating that his brother Aamir has held him captive and is forcing him with medications for mental disorder. Where this what Faisal said, Aamir and other sources have something else to reveal.

According to them, Faisal’s condition got much worse after he stopped taking medications when he started going outside Mumbai to look for land for his goat farm project over the last two months. Sources also said that although he had been living alone in his flat in Bandra when his illness deteriorates he refused to come out of his house and even talk to his family. He also got hallucinations that people would harm him and these accusations are just sequelae of his illness.

Doctors say

When his condition was discussed with doctors, they said that such an act from a paranoid schizophrenic patient is very common who suddenly gets deprived of medications and is more so in those who use to take the medicines on a daily basis.

So this is the story of two celebrity brothers. Does this ring a bell?? Who is right and who is wrong we do not know – may be it is the illness that has made a brother his brother’s rival or is there any other underlying link to it……..time will give the answer.

12 People killed in Gujarat Stampede

At least 12 devotees were killed on a narrow path leading to the temple of Goddess Mahakali in Panchmahal district in Gujarat. The casualties have been attributed to the stampede because of the narrow path. Many people fell into the gorge below. The temple is located on the top of Pavagadh hill.

At least 8 others have been injured. The police and administration have begun rescue operations. All the injured have been admitted to the hospital. The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 1 lakh to the kin of the deceased. Around one lakh devotees were present in the temple on the third day of Navaratri.

Aneek Dhar wins the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007

The long wait is finally over. Aneek Dhar from West Bengal won the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007. The result was announced at the grand finale held in Mumbai tonight. Aneek beat Raja Hasan from Rajasthan and Amanat Ali from Pakistan in a close contest. Aneek, patronised by Himesh Reshammiya, already received much accolade from music lovers across the world. Aneek has now become a star on his own calibre.

It can be recalled that Aneek had won Zee Bangla's 'Sa Re Ga Ma Pa' and got a wild card entry to the main challenge. Around 11 crore people across the globe voted for the three finalists, which is a record for any show.

The grand finale was held in Mumbai's Andheri Sports Complex with thousands of people congregated at the show. Many eminent music directors, Bollywood starts and music lovers graced the occasion. Akshay Kumar sang a song from Bhul Bhulaiyaa, while Vidya Balan came to the stage to greet the audience.

Other Sa Re Ga Ma Pa challengers like Poonam, Mauli and winner of the previous edition, Debojit performed on the stage. Poonam was given a SPARK car for her scintillating performance. She also received a trophy as the winner among the girls. She was declared as "Star of the House". Mauli Dave got the "Best Performer" award.

Sa Re Ga Ma Pa is the basic music composition on which the Indian classical music is based. This music reality show derived its name from that. The competition involved singers from India and Pakistan. Even Indians from the USA and UK participated in the contest. It spreads over 3/4 months and requires public voting via SMS (short message via mobile) and phone calls.

Participants are shortlisted through auditions across the country and the globe. A certain number of selected singers perfrom on the stage and they are given marks and feedbacks by the gurus or judges. Then the pubic voting comes into picture. One particiapant is voted out of the competition every week on the basis of that voting.

Al Gore and IPCC share the Nobel Peace Prize

Former US Vice President Al Gore and the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) headed by Chairman Rajendra Pachauri (India) shared the Nobel Peace Prize. This is a major boost to the International campaign for action against global warming.

Gore, 59, helped put environmental issues -- and more specifically global warming -- at the top of the international agenda with his Oscar-winning film "An Inconvenient Truth". IPCC is a UN body of about 3,000 experts that highlights pollution causing steadily mounting global temperatures.

Doris Lessing wins 2007 Nobel Literature Prize

Britain's Doris Lessing won the 2007 Nobel Prize for Literature. Lessing is the author of the famous book "The Golden Notebook" and dozens of other literary work. The 87-year old Lessing was praised by the Swedish Academy for her "skepticism, fire and visionary power." On previous occasions, she had won the James Tait Black Memorial Book Prize and the W.H. Smith Literary Award.

Doris's selection for Nobel Prize came as a surprise to all and literary critics came down heavily on the Nobel juries for awarding the Nobel Prize to someone who has not been able to prove anything in the literary field in the past 15 years.

Suicide Attack on CRPF Camp in Srinagar

After a brief lull, militants on Thursday carried out a suicide attack on the CRPF battalion headquarters in a hotel near the Dal Lake. The suicide bomber was killed on the spot. The incident occurred at 6.30 PM. According to sources, firing is still on and the security personnel are trying to flush out all militants.

The whole area was immediately cordoned off and efforts are on to neutralise the militants. The exact number of the militants involved in the incident are not immediately known. Reinforcements have been rushed to the area.

Blast at Ajmer Sharif, 3 Killed

A powerful bomb blast at the Ajmer Sharif shrine, killed 3 people and injured at least 20 people. Five persons are said to be critical. The blast occurred at 6.15 PM. The devotees had gathered at the shrine to break their fast and attend the "Iftaar" during the Ramazan. The injured have been rushed to the nearby JLN hospital and Victoria Hospital.

The police has cordoned off the area and launched high-level investigation to get more clue into the incident. A forensic team from Delhi has reached Ajmer, who will examine the blast site. A high Alert has been issued in Ajmer, Jaipur, Mumbai and Delhi. Other states have also been put under high alert.

The bomb is believed to have exploded in the ahat-e-noor area of the shrine. There were approximately 5,000 people in the shrine when the blast took place. PM Manmohan Singh, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and all other leaders have condemned the incident and urged people to maintain calm. The Rajasthan government has announced a compensation of five lakhs for the dead and one lakh for the injured.