Prime Minister announces Rs 500 crore relief package for Arunachal Pradesh

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has announced a Rs 500 crore relief package for the economic development of Arunachal Pradesh. He made this announcement during his first ever visit to the state. The package would be mainly utlized for the people who suffer extensive damage dur to bad weather.

According to the PM, there are enough opportunities in Arunachal Pradesh for tourism, Hydel projects and development of coomunication infrastructure. He also announced a daily chopper service between Guwahati and Tawang. According to the PM, the government will provide Rs 10 crore for the establishment of Ramakrishna Mission Hospital in Itanagar. The PM was accompanied by Arunachal CM Dorjee Khandu, Governor J J Singh and Union Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar.

Coast Guard terms Sethusamudram project as a Security Threat

The controversial Sethusamudram project has raised serious concerns at the highest level in defence circles. Vice Admiral R F Contractor, the DG of Coast Guard, said that Sethusamudram project could pose a security threat to the country. According to him, there are chances of militants using the proposed channel.

The UPA government has expressed surprise over this statement. The Union Tourism and Culture Minister, Ambika Soni said that Coast Guard hasn't given any information to the Indian government on security threat posed by the Sethusamudram project.

Cable damage hits Internet Connectivity in India

Internet users in India had a tough time with net connectivity following damage to underwater cables in the Mediterranean sea. While most compaines switched over to backup systems, there has been a 50 to 60 per cent cut in bandwidth across India. The cable damage also hit Egypt, as two cables were damaged in the Mediterranean sea off the coast of Egypt. It was caused by a ship that accidentally cut the cables.

Major BPOs and IT comapnies were worst affected, as most of their work is dependent on Internet-based calls and data transferring. Cyber cafes across the country are too badly hit by the sudden disruption in Internet connectivity. The slowdown is expected to continue over the next few days. It might take 10 to 12 days for the connection to be completely restored.

Last consignment of Mahatma Gandhi's ashes immersed

The last consignment of Mahatma Gandhi's ashes were immersed in the Arabian Sea on his 6oth death anniversary on Wednesday. The ritual was performed by Nilamben Parikh, granddaughter of Gandhiji's estranged son Harilal. Nilamben emptied the urn filled with ashes into the sea and rinsed the pot. Earlier in 1948 and in 1997, Bapu's ashes were immersed in the rivers by his sons Manilal, Ramdas and Devdas. During the rituals on Wednesday, abour 15 descendents of Mahatma Gandhi's sons gatheered at the venue.

Although barely 500 people were present on the auspicious occasion, some promient leaders including Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil, Maharashtra Dy. CM R R Patil, governor S M Krishna, and congress leader Priya Dutt attended the ceremony.

Mayawati favors CBI Probe into Communal CD case, targets Rajnath, Lalji Tandon

Uttar Pradesh CM Mayawati had ordered the police to file a chargesheet against BJP leaders Rajnath Singh and Lalji Tandon in the 2007 Communal CD case. Later in the day, she toned down her aggression against the BJP leaders, but favored a CBI probe into the incident.

During the assembly elections in April-May 2007, some controversial CDs appeared in public, which were released by key BJP leaders. While Lalji Tandon was present at the CD release function, Rajnath denied he was present there. BJP state legislature party has urged Mayawati not to grant permission for criminal prosecution of Rajnath Singh and Lalji Tandon, as it was a totally false and baseless charge.

RBI keeps all key rates unchanged

Bringing huge disappointment to the stock and financial markets, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has decided to keep all key interest rates unchanged. The RBI Governor Dr Y V Reddy made this announcement on Tuesday. Repo rate will remain at 7.75 per cent. Reverse Repo will be 6 per cent. The RBI has kept the bank rate and CRR unchanged at 6 per cent and 7.5 per cent respectively. There would no changes in these rates until March 31, 2008.

By retaining its key rates, the RBI is hopeful of contain the inflation rate within 5 per cent. The GDP projection for the year 2007-08 remains the same at 8.5 per cent.

Ambanis, Mittal and Azim Premji - World's richest CEOs

Ambani brothers - Mukesh and Anil, Steel baron Lakshmi Mital and Wipro chief Azim Hassan Premji are listed among the 10 richest CEOs in the world in the latest rankings published by American magazine Forbes. Warren Buffet, the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway topped the list with $52 billion. Lakshmi Mittal grabbed the second spot with a net worth of $32 billion.

Mukesh Ambani is on 6th place with a net worth of $20.1 billion, while Anil Ambani is on 7th spot with $18.2 billion. Azim Premji is on 9th spot with a net worth of $17.1 billion. However, according to Forbes sources, the data was taken a year back. Other important CEOs who are figured in the list are Sheldon Adelson, CEO of Las Vegas Sand (3rd spot), LVMH Group CEO Bernard Anault (4th spot) and Oracle CEO Lawrence Ellison (5th spot). While Michael Dell, CEO of Dell is on 8th place, Charles Koch, CEO of Koch Industries is placed at 10th position.

Breaking News! Ban on Harbhajan Singh lifted, fined 50 percent Match Fee

A victory for Team India and millions of Indian cricket fans across the globe! Justice John Hansen lifted the three-test ban on Harbhajan Singh. The racism charges against Harbhajan were dropped. Since the charges were downgraded to Level 2, he was fined 50 percent of his match fee for using minor offensive language.

Andrew Symonds could not even recall the words uttered by Harbhajan Singh when he was cross-examined by BCCI lawyer VR Manohar. In the absence of any concluding evidence, Justice Hansen dismissed all charges against Harbhajan, but fined him 50 per cent of his match fee for confronting Symonds on the field. Celebrations erupted across India, as the TV channels flashed the news of Harbhajan's remarkable victory against Andrew Symonds and Australians.

Narendra Modi takes centerstage at BJP National Council

Gujarat CM Narendra Modi took center stage at the BJP National Council at New Delhi. He lodged a scathing attck on the UPA government over "communal budget" and "national security". A 4000-strong delegated attended the meet. It could be remembered that on the opening day of the BJP National Council, party president Rajnath Singh showered praise on Modi and described him as a role model

Modi not only praised BJP's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani, but also paid respect to former A B Vajpayee. While attacking the Congress, Modi expressed concern that Centre's plans like raising priority lending to 15% to minorities may lead to large-scale conversion among the dalits and STs. He also flayed the Manmohan Singh for taking a soft stand on issues related to terrorism.

US Spy Satellite breaks down, to hit Earth

An American spy satellite has lost control following a major technical failure in the space. It is likely to hit the earth by late February or early March. The debris of this satellite may pose a danger to the environment. It is not known where the debris will land. The US officials confirmed that they had no control over the disabled satellite.

The scientists are monitoring the situation and are looking at options to prevent any possible damage to be caused by the satellite. The National Security Council officials have urged people not to be panic, as numerous satellites have fallen over the years without causing harm.

Gurgaon Kidney Racket: Raids continue

Police raids continued for the third consecutive day in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. According to police sources, the racket was spread over Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Haryana, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. The gang had links with foreign clients and some illegal organizations operating there.

The police have zeroed in eight bank accounts belonging to the people involved in the kidney racket. They have informed the concerned banks to freeze the accounts with immediate effect and co-operate with the police to trace the transactions made from these accounts. The Gurgaon police has requested the Interpol to issue red corner notices against Dr. Amit and Dr. Jeevan who are allegedly involved in the kidney racket and are suspected to have fled the country.

Sania Mirza becomes Asia's No. 1 Woman Tennis Player

Notwithstanding the controversies and injuries, India's Sania Mirza reached a new high in her career by becoming Asia's No. 1 woman tennis player. She had reached third round at the recently concluded Australian Open tournament, where she was beaten by Venus Williams.

Sania Mirza gained three spots to reach 29th position in the latest WTA rankings. Leading Chinese player Na Li dropped to the 32nd position.

College in UP named after Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan laid the foundation of a women's college in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh. The college is named after daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. The college will be known as Shrimati Aishwarya Bachchan Girls' Degree College.

Besides Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya, some prominent leaders such as Samajwadi Party general secretary Amar Singh, former UP CM Mulayam Singh Yadav, former Andhra Pradesh CM N Chandrababu Naidu, former J&K CM Farooq Abdullah and former Haryana CM Om Prakash Chautala attended the foundation-laying ceremony.

A 15,000 strong greeted and clapped when Aishwarya Rai Bachchan addressed the huge gathering. She thanked the people of Uttar Pradesh for showering love and affection on her. The foundation-laying ceremony coincided with the 52nd birthday of Amar Singh. According to latest reports, Amar Singh's new home in Lucknow too has been named after Aishwarya.

Former Indonesian President Suharto dead

Former President of Indonesia, Suharto, who was once considered a dictator, died at the age of 86. He died of multiple organ failure. He was admitted to the hospital on January 4 and later went into a coma.

Suharto ruled Indonesia from 1976 to 1998. He had unleashed a campaign against the Communists and brought his country closer to the West. He had to step down following widespread student demonstrations and rioting. He was accused of amassing billions of dollars for him and his family. Suharto would be buried near Surakarta or Solo, in central Java.

Novak Djokovic wins Australian Open

The men's singles title in the Australian Open tennis went to Serbia's Novak Djokovic. Djokovic beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) to win his maiden Grand Slam title. The game lasted for nearly three hours.

Djokovic is the first Serbian to win a major tennis title. He not only extended his current winning streak to 11 matches, but also retained his 3rd spot in the ATP Rankings.

Sania, Bhupathi lose in Australian Open final

Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza faltered at the last hurdle, as the duo went down to fifth seeds Tiantian Sun and Nenad Zimonjic in the Mixed Doubles final at the Australian Open. The unseeded Indian pair went down to their tougher opponents 6-7, 4-6. It was Sania's first ever Grand Slam final.

Maria Sharapova wins Australian Open, Bhupathi-Sania in Mixed Doubles Final

Roger Federer crashed out of the Australian Open tennis. But in the women's section, Maria Sharapova established her supremacy by beating Ana Ivanovic 7-5, 6-3 in the final. Sharapova won the Australian Open for the first time. This is her 3rd Grand Slam win of the career.

There is a good news for the Indian fans! Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza reached the Mixed Doubles final, by beating Nathalie Dechy of France and Andy Ram of Israel 6-4, 6-2 in the semifinal. They will now meet Nenad Zimonjic and Tiantian Sun in the final on Sunday.

No Tableau from West Bengal, Goa, Delhi and Assam at Republic Day Parade

A few states did not send their tableau to this year's Republic Day parade in the capital. The West Bengal government has decided not to send its tableau for the 8th consecutive year. Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Goa and Assam too did not send their tableau this year.

Assam CM Tarun Gogoi has asked the Chief Secretary to institute a high level inquiry to find out why the State’s tableau was not sent to this year’s Republic Day parade in New Delhi.

India celebrates its 59th Republic Day

With much fanfare and enthusiasm, India celebrates the 59th Republic Day. Republic Day functions were held across the country and people unfurled tri-colour in schools, colleges, offices, institutes, clubs and other places including their roof-tops. At the Republic Day parade at New Delhi, India's first woman President Dr. Pratibha Patil took the guard of honour. Many other dignitaries, politicians and public attended the parade.

Personnel from Army, Air Force and Navy showcased their strength and prowess. India's old and latest air crafts, guns, missiles and tanks were displayed at the parade. Supersonic missile Brahmos was the main attraction at the gala function. India's fighter helicopters and air crafts including the Jaguars and Sukhoi 30s roared like lions in the sky and established their supremacy. Sky was no limit for them.

Children, who received bravery awards, travelled across the Raj Path on an elephant. Tableau from different states and ministries adorned the Raj Path. Schoolchildren and other artists performed with enthusiasm to the delight of the spectators. Daredevils on motorcycles amused the crowd with their spectacular performance.

Nicolas Sarkozy, the President of France, was the Chief Guest at the Republic Day function this year. He sat along Indian PM Manmohan Singh and enjoyed the proceedings. Heavy security arrangements were made across Delhi to prevent any untoward incident. Republic Day celebrations have been reported from all state headquarters. More than a billion people in the country chant two words to mark this big occasion - Jai Hind!

Four each get Ashok Chakra and Kirti Chakra on Republic Day

After the Civilian awards, it's the turn of Military awards. Four people got Ashok Chakra medals posthumously. Four others got Kirti Chakra, while 22 people received Shaurya Chakra. Here's the full list of Chakra medal winners:

Ashok Chakra:

Naib Subedar Chunni Lal, Col Vasanth Venugopal, Capt Harshan R and Major Dinesh Raghuraman (all Posthumously).

Kirti Chakra:

Sepoy Suresh (posthumously), Major Subhash Chand Punia, Major Kumandur Prabhakar Vinay and Major Shatrujeet Kotwal.

Shaurya Chakra:

Squadron Leader Shantanu Basu, Naib Subedar Subhash, havildar Udar Bhanudas Parvati, sepoy Badal Hasda, rifleman Abdul Hamid Chara, guardsman Ajesh M A and a civilian Srikumar R (all Posthumously), Major Amit Kumar Chand, Major Brij Kishore Dhoundiyal, Major Virender Singh Salaria, Major Rajesh Kumar Singh, Major Anshul Shukla, Major Ishwar Singh Dahiya, Captain Lalit Kansal, Wing Commander Rahul Monga, Wing Commander Anil Kumar, BSF Assistant Commandant Anurag Kumar, Naib Subedar Khem Singh, havildar Bulla Ram, naik Rajan Singh, lance-naik Narbu Sherpa and sepoy Jugulu Sabar.

Padma Awards announced

The Padma Awards have been announced. The President of India approved the names of the 119 persons for Padma Shri, Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan. The list included 13 Padma Vibhushan, 35 Padma Bhushan and 71 Padma Shri winners.

Some of the promiment Padma Vibhushan award winners are Asha Bhosle, Justice A.S Anand, Pranab Mukherjee, Dr. R K Pachauri, Late Edmund Hillary (Posthumous), Sachin Tendulkar, Vishwanathan Anand, L N Mittal, N R Narayana Murthy, Ratan Tata and PRS Oberai.

Here's the final list of winners:

Padma Vibhushan Winners:

Art: Asha Bhonsle.

Public Affairs: Justice A.S Anand, PN Dhar and foreign minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Science and Engineering: Dr E Sreedharan, and Dr Rajendra Kumar Pachauri.

Sports: Late Mr Edmund Hillary (Posthumous), Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar and Viswanathan Anand.

Trade and Industry: Lakshmi Narayan Mittal, N R Narayana Murthy, PRS Oberoi, Ratan Naval Tata.

Padma Bhushan Winners:

Art: Amarnath Sehgal (Posthumous), Ustad Asad Ali Khan, P Susheela, Ustad Rahim Fahimuddin Dagar and Prof. Sushil Kumar Saxena.

Civil Services: Chandrshekhar Dasgupta, K Padmanabhiah and V Ramachandran.

Literature and Education: Prof Brijinder Nath Goswamy, Prof Ji Xianlin (China), Prof Kaushik Basu (USA), Prof. (Smt.) Padma Desai (USA), Ravindra Kelekar, Dr (Smt.) Shayama Chona, Shri Lal Shukla, Dr Srinivasa SR Varadhan, Prof TK Oommen and Prof (Dr) Jagjit Singh Chopra.

Medicine: Prof Nirmal Kumar Ganguly.

Public Affairs: Mian Bashir Ahmed, Late Yuli Mikhailovitch Vorontsov (Posthumous), Lord Meghnad Desai.

Science and Engineering: Prof Asis Datta and Prof. Sukh Dev.

Astronautics: Sunita Williams.

Social Work: Vasant Gowarikar, DR Mehta, Dominique Lapierre (France) and Dr (Ms.) Inderjit Kaur.

Trade and Industry: Suresh Kumar Neotia, Baba Neelkanth Kalyani, K. V. Kamath (ICICI Bank), Shiv Nadar and Vikram Pandit.

Padma Shri Winners:

Art: Gangadhar Pradhan, Mikhailovich Pechinkov (Russia), Pandit Gokulotsavji Maharaj, Hans Raj Hans, Dr.(Smt.) Helen Giri, Jatin Goswami, Jawahar Wattal, John Martin Nelson, Jonnalagadda Gurappa Chetty, Kekoo M. Gandhy, Madhuri Dixit, Mangala Prasad Mohanty, Manoj Night Shyamalan, Meenakshi Chitharanjan, Moozhikkulam Kochukuttan Chakyar, P.K. Narayanan Nambiar, Pratap Pawar (UK), Sabitri Heisnam, Sentila T. Yanger, Dr. Sirkazhi G. Sivachidambaram, Tom Alter and Prof. Yella Venkateswara Rao.

Journalism: Barkha Dutt, Rajdeep Dilip Sardesai and Vinod Dua.

Literature and Education: Prof. Amitabh Mattoo, Balasubramanian Sivanthi Adithan, Bholabhai Patel, Dr. (Smt.) Bina Agarwal, Prof. (Dr.) K.S. Nisar Ahmed, Dr. (Smt.) M. Leelavathy, Dr. Nirupam Bajpai, Dr. Srinivas Udgata, Prof. Sukhadeo Thorat, Shri Surjya Kanta Hazarika, Dr. Vellayani Arjunan and Mohammad Yousuf Taing.

Mango Plantation and Grafting: Haji Kaleem Ullah Khan.

Medicine: Dr. A. Jayanta Kumar Singh, Prof. (Dr.) Arjunan Rajasekaran, Prof. (Dr.) C.U. Velmurugendran, Dr. Deepak Sehgal, Prof. (Dr.) Dinesh K. Bhargava, Dr. Indu Bhushan Sinha, Dr. Keiki R. Mehta, Dr. (Smt.) Malvika Sabharwal, Dr. Mohan Chandra Pant, Dr. Rakesh Kumar Jain, Dr. Raman Kapur, Dr. Randhir Sud, Dr. Shyam Narayan Arya, Prof. (Dr.) Surendra Singh Yadav, Dr. Tatyarao Pundlikrao Lahane and Dr. Tony Fernandez.

Public Affairs: Colette Mathur (Switzerland).

Science and Engineering: Bhavarlal Hiralal Jain, Dr. Joseph H. Hulse (Canada), Prof Kasturi Lal Chopra, Dr. Sant Singh Virmani (USA).

Social Work: Kailash Chandra Agrawal, Sister Karuna Mary Braganza, Dr. (Smt.) Kshama Metre, Dr. Kutikuppala Surya Rao, Madan Mohan Sabharwal, Dr. (Ms.) Sheela Barthakur, V.R. Gowrishankar, Vikramjit Singh Sahney and Yousaf Ali Musaliamveettil Abdul Kader of UAE.

Sports: Baichung Bhutia and Bula Chowdhury Chakraborty.

Trade and Industry: Dr. Amit Mitra.

Kidney racket busted in Gurgaon

The biggest ever Kidney Transplant racket has been busted in Gurgaon late yesterday night. The racket had a team of 4 doctors and several brokers. One doctor and 4 brokers have been arrested so far. The brokers used to target the labourers from Meerut and Muradabad and lure them to come to Gurgaon. Shockingly, about 500 patients have been operated for kidney transplant in the past 6 - 7 years. The leader of the gang, Dr. Amit Kumar is missing.

The Haryana police has raided several places in Gurgaon and Ballabhgarh. The Sector-23 house in Gurgaon, which had the operation theatre, has been sealed by the police. The gang used to see kidneys in five countries. According to latest reports, at least 4 Greece citizens have been taken into custody in connection with this case. Investigations are still going on.

No Politician will get "Bharat Ratna" this year

The government has sough to put an end to the recent controversy on the country's highest civilian award "Bharat Ratna" by deciding not to confer the award any politician this year. It was decided at a high level meeting presided by the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

It could be recalled political parties such as BJP, BSP, Lok Dal, RJD and others have demanded the coveted award for their own party men, which triggered a major controversy in the past few weeks.

UP Mafia Don arrested in Bhubaneswar

Notorious UP gangster Brijesh Singh was arrested in Bhubaneswar by the Special Cell of Delhi Police. He was a former MLC of UP Legislative Council. Brijesh Singh was wanted in several cases across India. More than 100 cases are pending against him in various courts.

He has been absconding for over two decades now. He is believed to be a close associate of Dawood Ibrahim. A fake passport has been recovered from Singh. Recently, UP CM Mayawati has accused Brijesh Singh of plotting to kill her.

Jet Airways becomes First Indian Private Airline to fly to Gulf

Jet Airways, one of the premier airlines in India, added another feather to its cap, when it became the first Indian private airline to fly to Gulf. The airline began its daily direct flights to Doha from Mumbai and Kozhikode and from Muscat to Kozhikode and Kochi.

The maiden flight to Qatar was received by Dr. George Joseph, the Ambassador of India to Qatar and Mr. Akbar Al Bakr, CEO Qatar Airways. Several other dignitaries were present at the reception. Here's the flight schedule to Gulf, as announced by Jet Airways:

Daily Flights:

Depature from Mumbai - 07:25 hours
Arrival at Doha - 08:25 hours

Departure from Qatar - 10:00 hours
Arrival at Kozhikode - 16:55 hours

Departure from Kozhikode - 20:00 hours
Arrival at Doha - 22:00 hours

Departure from Doha - 23:15 hours
Arrival at Mumbai - 05:15 hours

Prices:

Economy class promotional prices start at QAR 830 for a one way ticket between Doha and Mumbai.

Return fares from Mumbai to Doha start from QAR 1560.

Economy class promotional prices start at QAR 970 for a one way ticket between Doha and Kozhikode.

Return fares from Kozhikode to Doha start from QAR 1690

NASA releases image of Mystery Figure on Mars

The latest images of an alien on Mars released by NASA strengthened the belief there may be life on the red planet. The photo taken by NASA looks like a naked woman with her arm outstretched. The image was taken by NASA's Mars explorer Spirit in 2004.

Although NASA hasn't confirmed the existence of an alien on Mars, the Internet is abuzz that there is life on Mars. Some experts dismissed the theory and said that figure could be an optical illusion caused by a landscape on Mars.

Market bounces back, Investors smile

Thanks to an unprecedented interest rate cut by the US Federal Reserve, the BSE Sensex has bounced back with an increase of 864.13 points to close at 17,594.07. Though there have been fluctuations throughout the day, finally the Sensex succeeded in keeping the momentum and registered huge gains, bringing smile to the faces of thousands of investors. Nifty too witnessed a rise of 404.10 points to close at 5203.40.

US Fed cut interest rate by three-quarter point

Just before the US markets opened on Tuesday, the US Federal Reserve (Fed) took a dramatic decision by cutting the interest rate by 0.75% to 3%. The Fed reacted to global market turmoil and took this unprecedented step to shore up its own economy. This is the biggest ever interest rate cut in the past 26 years, as the last Fed cut was 0.75% in 1982.

European markets saw slight recovery, but overall market response was still not remains below average. It is expected that US Federal Reserve's rate cut will have a positive impact on Indian market when it opens tomorrow. It could be recalled that Financial Services firm UBS predicts recession in US economy in first half of 2008, which triggered the fall of stock markets across the globe. UBS had also said US GDP is expected to contract 1% in 2008.

Market recovers slightly, closes at 16,730

After a unprecedented fall, the BSE Sensex recovered slightly to close at 16,730 points. Still, it lost 875 points during the day's trading, which is considered huge. Investors lost lakhs of crores of rupees, as the BSE Sensex took a downward turn since yesterday. Thousands of investors in the country are in shock, as one investor died of heart attack in Bhavnagar, after losing Rs 3 lakh due to the market crash.

The Nifty at the National Stock Exchange plunged 310 points, or 5.9 percent, and closed at 4,899. Finance Minister P Chidambaram urged the investors to maintain calm and tried assuage fears raised about Indian economy. The FM categorically said that fundamentals of Indian economy are very strong and they won't be deterred by foreign economies.

Bloodbath continues on Dalal Street, Market plunges by 1,700 points in One Minute

Bloodbath continues on Dalal Street, as the BSE Sensex crashed by 1,700 points within 1 minute of its opening trade. The Sensex reached a new low of 15,888 points. Nifty too fell by 600 points. The trading was halted for an hour and it would resume at 10.55 AM.

Bilkis Bano gangrape: 11 get life term

A special court in Mumbai sentenced 11 persons to life imprisonment for their involvement in the Bilkis Bano gangrape case, which took place during the 2002 communal riot in Gujarat. The convicts were also charged of murdering eight people. Another convict, Somabhai Gori, a police official, has been sentenced to 3 years' rigorous imprisonment. Seven persons were acquitted, while one accused died during the trial.

Bilkis was raped when she was travelling with a group of 17 people from Chaparwad to Panivela. Eight persons were killed, while six other went missing after the brutal attack by a group of mob. Bilkis, who was six months pregnant, was gangraped. The case was transferred to Mumbai on her request.

Black Monday: BSE Sensex crashes on US Recession fears

There is a bloodbath on Dalal Street. The BSE Sensex crashed by over 2,000 points to reach below 17,000 and Nifty fell by over 700 points on a Black Mondy. The panic was attributed to the fear of recession in the US.

Later, the Sensex gained 500 points to surpass the 17,000 mark again. similarly Nifty gained 200 points. The Sensex had to stop trading for a while out of panic. Almost all shares have taken a downward turn.

Updates from bus mishap in Nasik, Bhubaneswar

Sunday and Monday brought bad news for the pilgrims in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Around 42 people were killed in two separate accidents.

Nasik Bus Mishap: At least 38 people were killed and 37 injured when a private luxury bus fell into a gorge near Nasik. Twelve women and four children are among those killed. The ill-fated bus was returning from Nanduri Garh. The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 1 lakh for the kins of dead.

Bhubaneswar Bus Fire: In a ghastly tragedy, at least 4 people were dead and 25 injured when a tourist bus returning from Puri to Bhubaneswar, caught fire at Kalpana Chowk, Bhubaneswar. While two people were charred to death on the spot, two others succumbed to injuries in the medical. The bus belonged to the Madhya Pradesh Tourism department. All tourists were from Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh.

Indian student shot dead in US University

Just over a month after two Indian students were killed inside Louisiana State University campus, another Indian student Abhijit Mahato has been shot dead inside his Anderson Street apartment in North Carolina's Duke University. The incident occurred on Friday.

The 29-year old Abhijit Mahato was originally from Tatanagar. He was studying for an engineering doctorate degree focused on computational mechanics at Duke's Pratt School of Engineering, university. The police is investigating the cause and motive of the murder.

Brown offers $1.6 billion to India, supports India's bid for UNSC seat

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has offered US$1.6 billion for India's development programs. The amount will be distributed over the next three years. Brown is currently on a state visit to India with a large delegations of business tycoons from the UK. He would be given a ceremonial welcome in Rashtrapati Bhawan on Monday. Besides meeting President Pratibha Patil and PM Manmohan Singh, Brown is expected to meet other important leaders.

In a significant development, Brown has supported India's bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council. Brown and his Indian counterpart Dr. Manmohan Singh are expected to discuss terrorism including the issue of terror financing. They will also discuss the present situation in Pakistan, besides focusing on improving the economic ties.

It's Team India at Perth, Nation salutes its Heroes

A rejuvenated Indian cricket team registered a historic win at WACA, Perth, when they beat Australia by 72 runs. Indian team under the leadership of Anil Kumble rose from the dust and humbled the mighty Australians on a wicket, which was considered as a graveyard for Indian batsmen due to its bouncy nature.

India's famous win at Perth bring cheers to millions of cricket fans across the country, who were upset at the controversies aftermath Sydney test. Read more here.

Chess Legend Bobby Fischer passes away

Chess legend Bobby Fischer passed away at the age of 64. Fischer was regarded as the greatest chess player in the US history. Though he started playing for the country and made several records, later he became a hardcore critic of the United States and its policies. He spent his last days in Iceland after being granted citizenship in 2005.

Victory for Tata Nano Project: Calcutta High Court upholds Singur land acquisition

In a historic judgement, the Calcutta High Court dismissed all petitions challenging the land acquisition at Singur. It upheld the acquisition and rejected 19 petitions, giving a victory to the West Bengal government and clearing ways for Tata Nano project to take off.

The court clearly stated that there were no illegalities in the land acquisition at Singur. Tata Motors, which already launched its Rs 1 lakh Tata Nano, will be setting up the production plant at Singur.