5 Emerging Social Media sites that send good traffic

--By Sagar Satapathy, Editor-in-Chief

When it comes to social media sites, people talk about Digg, Reddit, Del-icio-us, Propeller and StumbleUpon. These sites not only send good traffic, but also throw back links to the blogs and websites. However, growing competition and stringent rules made it tougher to crack these sites and make your articles front page stories.

Several social media sites have cropped up in the past two years. Today, there are hundreds of sites that accept numerous submissions and give a little exposure to the bloggers. However, at least five social media sites have begun making impact on the web. They have witnessed a significant growth in the past few months and a sharp rise in their user-base. They still accept good content and help you get more traffic, if not too many back links. Here you go:

1) Sphinn

Sphinn is considered as a gold mine by the bloggers. They don't accept shit content. It definitely takes time to build a strong account on Sphinn, but once your article reaches the homepage, you get benefits in many ways. Sphinn sends both traffic and subscribers.

If top sphinners like your story, they bookmark the URL and themselves submit your high quality stories on a regular basis. Sphinn deals with the topics on SEO, Internet marketing, social media and many other relevant topics. There is no place for bad stories on Sphinn. Only high quality stories survive there.

2) Mixx

Mixx is an upcoming social media site that has fast established itself as one of the popular social media sites on the web. It's a perfect place for new users to start their social media career. Mixx is a great place for promoting interaction among the users. Unlike other social media sites, it does not ban users or sites frequently. It allows everyone to try their luck without any exception.

Mixx also rewards its users that submit good articles. A mixx badge really looks lucrative. It offers bades on various categories such as Top Ten, Thought Leader, Top Submitter, Enthusiastic, Hyperactive etc. etc. Mixx also allows users to share their stories with fellow mixxers in an easy way. People call this emerging social media site as "Mixx without Border".

3) Sk*rt

Sk*rt, which started its journey in 2007, have come a long way and has more than 15,000 active members. Sk*rt has very good features, thought not very extensive. If a story gets to the homepage on Sk*rt, it receives good traffic. Sk*rt has guest editors who regularly look at the content, vote for good stories, pick up the best and vote down bad stories. They have the power to push things up to the front page faster than others.

People, who use Sk*rt regularly, admit that nobody exploits the algorithm on Sk*rt. It is very simple and clear. If you get enough votes, you will be on front page and get good traffic. Some people say that Sk*rt is just for women, as it has many women-friendly features. However, it does not hold true. Sk*rt is used by more men than women. It all depends on the stories that are relevant to the topics covered by Sk*rt.

4) Fark

Fark has really surprised the social media users. Drew Curtis, the founder of Fark, has been running the website for the past five years. and, he has taken his site to a level where he can make real money while helping others to do the same. Fark features both weird and interesting news, which make it popular among the social media users. It has been acknowledged that Fark sends very good traffic when the stories make it to front page.

5) Tweako

Unlike other social media sites, Tweako does not publicize itself too much. But see its front page and you will know the difference. They feature only high quality articles. Tweako is a user-generated social media site that focuses on technology, business, Internet and computing. If you have a good quality articles on any of these topics, then Tweako is the right place. And what more, it really sends very good trafic.

Airtel's decision to slash tariff welcomed by Customers

Airtel's recent decision to slash its tariff on STD and roaming services is welcomed by 62 millions customers across the country. The STD rates have been slashed to Rs 1.50 per minute from Rs 2.65 per minute. Making outgoing local calls and receiving calls while roaming will now cost Re 1 per minute. The news tariffs will be effective from today, April 30 onwards.

UPA Government in trouble over Baalu's Confession

The UPA Government finds itself in deep trouble, after Surface Transport minister T R Baalu confessed that he had approached Petroleum minister Murli Deora for supply of natural gas for firms owned by his family (sons). The opposition parties led by BJP and AIADMK stalled the parliamentary proceeding for the fourth consecutive day.

The opposition parties have demanded that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh clarify the situation. The AIADMK has gone to the extent of demanding the PM's resignation. It came into picture that PMO wrote eight letters to the Petroleum ministry asking that gas supply to Mr Baalu’s companies be expedited.

Mr. Baalu said he did nothing wrong and there was no question of his resignation. Petroleum minister Murali Deora too dismissed the allegations saying it was 'routine'. The Congress sources denied that PMO had any role in this matter. With the opposition parties in no mood to spare the government, it has caused huge embarrassment to the Prime Minister and his party.

Breaking News! KPS Gill sacked as IHF President

Breaking News! The despot IHF President KPS Gill has been sacked by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). IOA has suspended the IHF with immediate effect. IHF to be replaced by an ad hoc committee, which will continue to govern Indian hockey. A new President and other office bearers will be elected soon. IOA has decided to take over the IHF so that it could be run in a transparent manner.

The decision was taken after a sting operation conducted by Aaj Tak exposed former IHF Secretary Jothikumaran taking bribe on camera to select a player in the national team. Jothikumaran was forced resigned after the exposure. The decision to suspend the IHF and Gill was announced by IOA Chairman Suresh Kalmadi. The ad hoc committee will be chaired by former Olympian Aslam Sher Khan. Other members of the committee will be former Olympians Ashok Kumar, Jafar Iqbal, Ajit Pal Singh and Dhanraj Pillay. Ric Charlesworth will be the advisor of the committee.

Gill's removal is seen a welcome step towards the revival of Indian Hockey. He held the post for 14 years and refused to step down despite criticism from several quarters. He almost ruined the Indian hockey. For the first time in 80 years, India failed to qualify for the Olympics, thanks to Gill's administration and corrupt practice prevalent in IHF.

Harbhajan Singh banned for 11 IPL Matches, Sreesanth let off with Warning

The match referee Farokh Engineer found conclusive evidence about Harbhajan's guilt and Sreesanth's innocence. While he banned Harbhajan for 11 IPL matches, no penalty was announced on S Sreesanth. He was let off with a mild warning. The match referee got video footage from 7 angles that proved beyond doubt that Harbhajan slapped Sreesanth without any provocation.

The 11-match ban ensured that Harbhajan won't be playing in any more IPL matches this season. The decision set a right precedent for other players in the country. BCCI is hailed for adopting a right approach on this matter. Earlier, Harbhajan pleaded guilty and admitted that he slapped Sreesanth. The match referee also held Mumbai Indians coach Lalchand Rajput guilty for that unfortunate incident. He was fined 50 per cent of his total match fee.

India makes History, PSLV C-9 launches 10 Satellites at one go

India set a world record, when the PSLV C-9 successfully launched 10 satellites to the orbit at one go. They included 2 Indian and 8 foreign satellites. The launch was conducted from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota. ISRO Chairnam Madhavan Nair hailed the launch as a huge success. The major satellite launched from the PSLV C-9 was India's latest remote sensing satellite CARTOSAT-2A.

Besides the 690-kg CARTOSAT-2A, the PSLV C-9 carried ISRO's Indian Mini Satellite-1 (IMS-1), and eight other nano satellites built by universities and research institutes in Canada and Germany.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai survives Assassination Bid

At least two persons have been killed and 10 others injured in an attack on a military parade in Kabul. The attack was aimed at President Hamid Karzai who was present at the ceremony. However, he was whisked away by the security guards immediately after the gunmen opened fire. Two Afghan MPs were reported to be injured.

Meanwhile, Taliban has taken responsibility for the attack. The parade was to to mark the 16th anniversary of the fall of the communist government in Afghanistan. While the security forces killed 3 gunmen, others managed to flee.

Breaking News! Harbhajan Singh suspended from IPL

The Harbhajan Singh - Sreesanth fracas took a dramatic turn, as the BCCI suspended Harbhajan Singh from the Indian Premier League (IPL) with immediate effect. Harbhajan will be put under suspension until further hearing. He won't be playing in tomorrow's match.

Earlier in the day, the BCCI had condemned Harbhajan's behaviour and had issued him a notice, asking to explain his conduct by Monday. The latest development put Harbhajan in deep trouble and it may well affect his cricket career.

Delhi Government to continue with BRT Corridors

The Delhi government has decided to continue with the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor in the capital city. It was decided at a high level meeting chaired by Delhi CM Sheila Dixit. However, the government has put the expansion of the controversial transport system on hold.

There has been widespread criticism of the government plan of going ahead with the BRT in the view of possible traffic chaos for the motorists. The CM assured that there will be a parallel road to reduce the problems of other vehicles such as cars and motorcycles. The government has planned six BRT corridors for Delhi.

Harbhajan slaps Sreesanth, BCCI trying a Cover-Up

Millions of cricket viewers were shocked when they saw Sressanth crying bitterly on the field after the IPL match between Mumbai Indians and Kings XI Punjab was over. Later, it was confirmed that Sreesanth wept, as he was slapped by Harbhajan Singh. It created an outrage in the cricketing circle and everyone condemned Harbhajan's behaviour. Later, Harbhajan went to the dressing room and apologised to Sreesanth.

It seems that BCCI is trying to cover-up the shameful incident that shocked the cricket world. This is the for the first time that two players of the senior team engaged in a on-field brawl. Harbhajan Singh has been news for all wrong reasons. He needs to rein in immediately. BCCI's flip-flop on this issue was evident, when Sreesanth later said it was not serious and was part of the game. Sreesanth may have forgiven Harbhajan, but can the millions of cricket lovers condone such irrational behavior from a senior cricketer???

April 26, 2008: Latest reports suggest that BCCI bowed the media and public pressure and condemned Harbhajan's behaviour. It also asked the spinner to explain his conduct by Monday. A formal notice has been issued to Harbhajan Singh. Read more here.

Parliamentary Panel summons Delhi Police Commissioner over Minor's rape by a Cop

The Parliamentary Committee on Women Empowerment has taken a strong exception to the rape of a minor by a property dealer and a traffic constable in a moving car in Delhi. The 12-year old girl, a resident of Nangalpuni, was dragged into a car by the constable, Sanjeev and property dealer Naresh yesterday near Shahbad Dairy in outer Delhi. The allegedly raped the girl and dumped her at the same spot. The incident occurred in broad daylight.

The constable was suspended and arrested after the victim's parents filed a police complaint. The property dealer was also arrested. The medical report of the victim confirmed rape. The constable Sanjeev Rana confessed to the crime. The Parliamentary Committee on Women Empowerment has summoned the Delhi Police Commissioner to explain the rise in crime against women in the capital. The involvement of a cop in the rape of a minor, brought shame to entire police force.

ICC CEO Malcolm Speed sacked

ICC CEO Malcolm Speed was relieved of his duty after he fell out with ICC acting President Ray Mali over Zimbabwe issue. The ICC sources said that there was a breakdown in the relations between the ICC CEO and certain cricket boards. Read more here.

Anti-Reservation protest outside Supreme Court, Students arrested

Hundreds of students observed a sit-in protest outside the Supreme Court to protest against the 27% OBC quota in higher education. The police had a tough time in evacuating the students. They had to use force.

The agitators included both boys and girls. They held placards and shouted slogans against the reservation policy. It could be recalled that recently the apex court had upheld the 27% OBC quota in educational institutions, but removed the creamy layer from the quota purview.

Inflation rises again, at 7.33%

The rising inflation continues to haunt the UPA government. Last week, it was at 7.14 per cent. However, despite the government claim of taking effective steps, the inflation rate again rose to end at 7.33%, causing panic within the government and misery to common people. The opposition and Left parties have criticized the government for failing to contain the inflation. The PM has urged the political parties not to "politicize" the issue. Perhaps, he forgot that Congress once routed BJP in Delhi on the rising Onion price.

Chagala's Musings: Raja Acharya killed Biranchi Das

After his dramatic "surrender" at the ETV studio in Bhopal, Chagala, one of the suspects in Biranchi Das murder case, had accused some top people as the murderers and had given a clean chit to his boss Raja Acharya. However, once back in Bhubaneswar, he changed tune and admitted before the police that Raja Acharya killed Biranchi Das in front of the Judo Hall in Bhubaneswar and he was present at the spot during that incident, though he claimed that he did not fire the shots.

Chagala's statements came on the expected lines, as the police always believed that they would extract the truth from him during interrogation. He will be subjected to further interrogation over the next few days. A Narco Analysis is likely to be conducted on Chagala to retrieve more valuable information from him.

Now the police have little doubt that Raja Acharya killed Biranchi on that fateful day. However, they are yet to arrest the culprit who has been on the run for more than 11 days. Meanwhile, the new Bhubaneswar DCP Himanshu Lal stepped up the efforts to resolve all mysteries surrounding the Biranchi Das murder case and the illegal scrap deal in which many top politicians, RPF officials, policemen and businessmen are said to be involved.

Nepal Polls: Maoists win 217 seats in Constituent Assembly

The counting of votes for the historic Constituent Assembly polls ended today. The Maoists won 217 seats in the 601-member Constituent Assembly. While they won 120 seats in direct elections, they were given 97 seats under proportional representation. While the Maoists secured 29.27 per cent of the total votes, the Nepali Congress got 21.13 per cent and Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) got 20.33 per cent of the total votes.

The Nepali Congress got 107 seats only. The new Nepalese government is empowered to nominate candidates to fill a further 26 seats. Meanwhile, Maoist leader Prachanda has said that Nepal will scrap the existing treaty (signed in 1950) with India and will sign a new one with a different approach.

Uproar over IPL Cheerleaders: Politicians, Stars and Players protest

--By Sagar Satapathy, Editor-in-Chief

There is an unprecedented outrage in India over the IPL Cheerleaders who entertain the crowd with their dance and glamour throughout the match. Cheerleaders are very common in Western countries. However, they are being used in India, probably for the first time. BCCI had introduced cheerleaders in IPL matches to add more spice to the game. Even the famous Washington Redskins Cheerleaders were brought in to perform for Bangalore Royal Challengers. However, now BCCI finds itself in a tight spot, after a widespread protest from various quarters.

It could be recalled that Bangalore Royal Challengers skipper Rahul Dravid and other senior cricketers refused to walk on the ramp on these cheerleaders in a recent ramp show. Dravid even termed it as "Bikini Cricket". Among cricketers, Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi expressed displeasure over the use of Cheerleaders in cricket. Kolkata Knight Riders owner Shahrukh Khan also spoke against the use of Cheerleaders. Even the Cheerleaders feel threatened by the aggressive crowd in India. Some of them complained lewd comments and insults from the spectators.

Today, Maharashtra Assembly witnessed a pandemonium over this issue. Opposition BJP, supported by other parties wanted a complete ban on Cheerleaders in IPL matches, and even compared them to bar dancers. Maharashtra MoS Home admitted that use of Cheerleaders in public matches is a disturbing trend and should be banned. BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha too came out in open and demanded a ban on Cheerleaders. Union Tourism Minister Ambika Soni today spoke against the Cheerleaders in IPL.

While the BCCI has tried to put up a volt face and justify the inclusion of Cheerleaders in cricket, it may find it tough to continue with its plan, if more people join the protest over the next few days. It looks imminent that BCCI may have to dump the Cheerleaders sooner or later. People go there to watch cricket, not bikini-clad girls, say critics.

Nepal goof-up: MEA seeks explanation from Intelligence Agencies

The overwhelming success of the Maoists in Nepal has put the Indian government in an embarrassing position. India has maintained strong relations with the Nepalese Royals and GP Koirala's Nepali Congress. Just days before the Constituent Assembly polls in Nepal, National Security Adviser MK Narayanan wished GP Koirala's Nepali Congress luck. However, after the turnaround in the polls, Indian government has lost the goodwill of the Maoists who are all set to assume charge in India's most trusted neighboring country.

The MEA (Ministry of External Affairs) is upset over the reports prepared by Intelligence Agencies, that predicted a clear win for the Nepali Congress and said Maoists would come third. The Maoists never acted against India's interest. That's why neither Prachanda nor Babu Ram Bhattarai made a public issue of the NSA's remarks. However, they conveyed their displeasure through diplomatic channels.

The MEA has sought an explanation from the Intelligence agencies on the goof-up, that embarrassed the Indian government. According to sources, the Intelligence agencies also misled Shankar Mukherjee, India's ambassador to Nepal. In a damage control move, the government is trying to re-open the diplomatic channels in order to secure the trust of the Maoists in Nepal.

Hillary Clinton bounces back, wins Pennsylvania Primary

In a major comeback move, Democrat Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton has defeated hher rival and front-runner candidate Barack Obama in the most important Pennsylvania primary. The win gave a new lease of life to Hillary's campaign. The pre-poll and exit polls had favored Hillary. Even Barack Obama had predicted that Hillary would win from Pennsylvania.

After today's win, Hillary now has 1,556 delegates, while Obama has 1,694 delegates. Both of them needed the magic figure of 2,025 delegates to get the final nod from Democrats. The race is wide open, but Obama holds a clear edge over Hillary.

Mid-Air scare for PM's Plane, Probe ordered

A probe has been ordered into the alleged security breach in the air when PM Manmohan Singh was returning to Delhi from Ranchi. The PM's aircraft was not allowed to land for 16 minutes and the pilot was asked to to hover over the Delhi airspace for 16 minutes before the plane was cleared for landing safely. It has been reported that Air Traffic Control(ATC) detected an unidentified blip on the radar, which caused a panic among the security circle.

Sources said the blip could be an aircraft carrying a transponder on board or anything else. A fault in the ATC system was also not ruled out. The Airport Authority of India (AAI) has ordered a probe into the incident.

Big B Amitabh Bachchan turns a Blogger

It's really heartening to see Big B Amitabh Bachchan stepping into the blogosphere in order to speak her mind out. Amitabh launched his blog on April 18. Since then, he has come up with many interesting events related to his films, career, family and many other things. Amitabh's blog is hosted at Bigadda.com. You can see it here .... http://blogs.bigadda.com/ab/ .

Off late, actors like Aamir Khan have shown interest in blogging, a powerful tool for expressing one's voice and concerns. Thousands of people have already visited the blog and post their comments. Amitabh Bachchan has received both bouquets and brickbats on his blog. However, he is unfazed. He said he would continue to blog and air his opinions and expression when they matter. Kudos to Big B!

The World celebrate Earth Day, Let's do it Everyday

The World celebrated the Earth Day on April 22, 2008 with much fanfare. Millions of people took part in rallies, organize special functions, take a pledge to save the Earth and many more events followed. Newspapers, websites, blogs published articles on the Earth Day and TV Channels had a busy day showing the celebrations and events. But do we really care about our Earth? A question we need to answer after making a self-introspection.

The first Earth Day was observed in 1970. It was the brain child of Gaylord Nelson, a US Senator from Wisconsin. Now it has become a global event. More than one billion people across the globe come together to take a pledge to save the Earth from danger and take steps to preserve the environment.

While the world is fighting the rise in pollution, global warming, climate change, heavy use of CO2 gas and other pollutants such as plastic and toxic materials, each of us need to take a definite stand on this issue. If we really care about our planet and environment, let's start working straightway. We don't need any support to make our Earth greener and pollution-free. Start it from home and the message will spread across the globe. No pledge, no statement. It's time to act. We need to prove that "action speaks louder than words".

Chagala, suspect in Biranchi Das murder case, surrenders in Bhopal

A man called Chagala, accomplice of gangster Raja Acharya and one of the prime suspects in the sensational Biranchi Das murder case, reportedly surrendered at the ETV's Bhopal office. He claimed that Judo coach Biranchi Das on the behest of IAS officer Priyabrata Pattnaik and Jubilee Sundarrai, a model and brother of senior Orissa bureaucrat and special relief commissioner Nikunja Kishore Sundarrai, fired the shots. Chagala claimed that Raja Acharya was innocent.

Chagala was hiding near the Bhopal railway station. He was brought to the TV Channel's office by the ETV staff. Later, he was taken into custody by the Bhopal police. Chagala accused five people, including Priyabrata, Jubilee, models Leslie, Bidusmita and Bidusmita's brother Arun Mantri of hatching a conspiracy to kill Biranchi Das. He categorically denied Raja Acharya's involvement. He also said that he was offered Rs. 10 lakh (Rs. 1 million) for the contract killing, of which Rs. 2 lakh was paid to him in advance.

According to Chagala, Biranchi was murdered because of the huge amount of money he received from the foreign countries for promoting child prodigy Buddhia Singh. Chagala's dramatic surrender in Bhopal and his statement raised many questions. The Orissa police and public are in no mood to believe what he is saying. They are under the impression that Chagala is either trying to save Raja Acharya or himself trying to escape from his wrath. It is believed that Chagala surrendered, as he could not cope with the mental stigma because of increasing police pressure after Biranchi's murder.

The Orissa Police have deputed a four-member team to Bhopal to bring Chagala back. Once they start the interrogation process, many skeletons are expected to tumble. The police have arrested Saroj alias Tukuna, who is an accomplice of Raja Acharya from Cuttack today. Meanwhile, Jubilee Sundarrai denied Chagala's charges and termed them as "baseless" and "ridiculous". He expressed confidence that police would come out with the truth soon.

BJP bows to Munde, Gopal Shetty appointed BJP's Mumbai Unit President

The BJP finally bowed to the pressure tactics adopted by Gopinath Munde. Just a couple of hours after Munde withdrew his resignation, BJP removed Madhu Chavan as party's Mumbai unit president and appointed Gopal Shetty in his place. Munde was upset over Madhu Chavan's appointment and had resigned from all party posts. Later, a compromise formula was worked out during his meeting with the BJP central leaders L K Advani and Rajnath Singh.

Sports Minister MS Gill advises KPS Gill to step down

A day after IHF General Secretary K Jothikumaran stepped down from his post following a sting operation showed him taking bribe on camera, Sports Minister MS Gill advised IHF President KPS Gill to reconsider his decision on not quitting.

MS Gill said KPS must introspect and review his position and he must step down to restore public faith in Hockey. Meanwhile, KPS Gill has reacted sharply to MS Gill's statement and said he does not need advice from anyone. Gill also made it clear that he would not quit at least for 2 years. KPS Gill's response came on expected lines, as he is well-known for his stubbornness and shamelessness.

Heat wave death toll 22 in Orissa, Schools closed

The sunstroke death toll in Orissa reached 22, even as the killer heat wave continues to play havoc in most parts of the state. Although the state government has officially put the death toll at 4, 22 people have been died so far by sunstroke. The Orissa government has ordered the closure of all schools in the state from today. The government also has decided to pay an ex-gratia of Rs 10,000 each from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund to the next of the kin of those who have died.

The maximum temperature hovers between 42 - 45 degree Celsius in most areas of the state. Situation in Talcher, Jharsuguda and Bhubaneswar is alarming. People have stopped moving outside home or office after 12 PM. Normal life has come to a complete halt because of the unprecedented heat wave.

According to the Met department, the north-westerly wind pattern is responsible for the sudden rise in mercury level. The current heat wave is likely to prevail for at least 3/4 days. Shortage of drinking water has been a new addition to people's woes. Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has ordered all concerned authorities to deal with the challenge on a war footing. He has asked the officials to repair defunct tube wells with immediate effect.

Breaking News! Gopinath Munde withdraws his resignation

Breaking News! The crisis in Maharashtra BJP is over, as party General Secretary Gopinath Munde withdrew his resignation after meeting the Central Leadership in Delhi. Munde met L K Advani twice today. He announced his decision after his second meeting with Advani.

Munde later went to BJP President Rajnath Singh's residence to hold talks with him. After a closed door meeting between him and Munde, Rajnath Singh announced that all issues have been sorted out and Munde is satisfied with the arragements.

Breaking News! IHF General Secretary Jothikumaran resigned after Aaj Tak Sting Operation

Breaking News! IHF (Indian Hockey Federation) General Secretary K Jothikumaran resigned from his post, after a sting operation conducted by Aaj Tak, showed him taking bribe on camera.

He allegedly took Rs. 2 lakhs (advance) for the selection of a player in the national hockey team for the forthcoming Sultan Azlan Shah tournament in Malaysia and demanded Rs. 4 lakh more after the selection. The Aaj Tak carried out the sting operation with utmost care and secrecy and it was named as "Operation Chak De".

The sting operation shocked all sports lovers and every citizens of the country. Jothikumaran was the No.2 in Indian hockey after KPS Gill. The new Sports Minister M S Gill acted fast and asked Mr. Jothikumaran to resign. According to PTI reports, Jothikumaran has resigned and a high level inquiry will be ordered soon. Meanwhile, Jothikumaran has pleaded innocence and said that he took the money to organize a hockey tournament, not for selection of players. Jothikumaran held the post for 15 years.

Jawan kills Officer, Colleague in Jammu, commits Suicide

A CRPF Jawan in Udhampur district of Jammu, shot dead his commander and another colleague before committing suicide by shooting himself. The incident occurred at Katra near Vaishno Devi shrine. All of them were air-lifted to the Government Medical College Hospital, Jammu, but could not survive.

The jawan was identified as Devinder Singh, while the company commander and other CRPF jawans were identified as Inspector Snoop and Parveen Kumar respectiviely. The CRPF has ordered an inquiry into the incident.

Heatwave situation grim in Orissa, Four cities declared as "Heat Islands"

The heatwave situation became grim in Orissa, with all parts of the state bearing the burnt of the scorching Sun. At least 17 people have been died so far in sunstroke. The government has taken several measures to combat the unprecedented heatwave, which is expected to continue over the next few days.

Four major cities Bhubaneswar, Talcher, Jharsuguda and Keonjhar have been identified as "Heat Islands". All bus services will be shut down from 12.30 PM till 3.30 PM. Daily wage labourers will stop working from 11 AM till 4 PM. Drinking water and ORS packet will be available in all buses.

Maoists get majority in Nepal, Prachanda to be PM

It's official now. Maoists won 120 out of 240 seats of the Constituent Assembly for which the elections were held recently. After getting a simple majority, Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal, popularly known as Prachanda declared that he would be the next Prime Minister of Nepal. The Constituent Assembly will have 601 seats.

While elections were held for 240 seats, remaining seats will be allotted to respective parties on a proportional basis. According to Prachanda, the 240-year old Monarchy will be abolished in the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly. The Maoists have already issued an ultimatum of four weeks to King Gyanendra to leave the palace. The Indian government is holding talks with the Maoist leaders in Nepal for a 'graceful exit' for King Gyanendra. The King and his family may seek asylum in India.

Crisis in BJP: Gopinath Munde resigns from Party Posts

Senior BJP leader and General Secretary of the party, Gopinath Munde resigned from all party posts on Sunday. He was upset over the appointment of Madhu Chavan as the head of BJP's Mumbai unit. "I resigned because the party was not functioning in a democratic way. I will now function as a common party worker", said Munde.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Arun Jaitely made it clear Munde's resignation won't be accepted and all issues will be resolved soon. However, latest reports suggest that 16 BJP Corporators from Pune, have resigned in support of Munde. BJP President Rajnath Singh said that both Gopinath Munde and state BJP chief Nitin Nadkari are flying to Delhi today. However, sources close to Munde said, Munde himself won't go to Delhi. He will send two party cadres on his behalf.

Sunstroke kills 17 in Orissa

Heatwave continues to play havoc in Orissa, as 17 people have been killed so far in sunstroke in different parts of the state. At least 5 people have been killed in Puri district, while Khurda and Keonjhar reported two casualties each. Other districts such as Balasore, Kendrapara, Mayurbhanj, Nayagarh and Sundargarh too reported one death each due to sunstroke.

Western Orissa is worst affected, as Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Bolangir and Jharsuguda witnessing unprecedented heat wave and acute water shortage. Industrial town Talcher reported a highest temperature of 45 degree on Saturday. The government has taken several measures to fight the heatwave related problems. All 30 districts of the state have been put on high alert and district collectors have been asked to take necessary steps to gear up to face a heat wave.

Citigroup announces 9,000 job cuts

Citigroup, the largest bank of the United States, has decided to cut 9,000 jobs worldwide following a heavy loss in its revenue. The company has lost $33 billion over the past nine months. The latest credit crunch has taken a heavy toll on American banks. Other leading banks JPMorgan, Wells Fargo and Wachovia too reported heavy loss in the first quarter of 2008. Read more here.

Lok Pal to probe Police-Criminal nexus in Orissa, IPS Officers transferred

The Orissa Police, which has been under scanner following a sharp rise in crime graph in the state in the past few months, received another jolt, as Chief Minister decided to take a tough stand on the alleged Police-Criminal nexus in the state and ordered a Lok Pal probe into this.

After the sensational murder of Judo Coach Biranchi Das, Bhubaneswar Police Commissioner Binay Kumar Behera had hinted at a possible police-criminal nexus in the state, following which the CM had sought a report from the DG Gopal Nanda.

In another development, the CM ordered a major reshuffle in the IPS cadre in the state. Bolangir SP Himanshu Lal has been appointed as the DCP of Bhubaneswar, while Cuttack SP Soumendra Priyadarshi has been transferred to Keonjhar. Amitabh Thakur, DCP of Bhubaneswar, has been transferred to Cuttack as the AIG. Deogarh SP Praveen Kumar was appointed as the new DCP of Cuttack. Several other IPS officers have been reshuffled. Bhavani Patnaik, the Investigating Officer in Biranchi Das murder case, has been shunted out. His new posting is yet to be decided.

Sarabjit's Hanging deferred by 1 more Month

Acting on a formal request made by the Indian government, the Pakistan government has deferred Sarabjit Singh's hanging by 1 more month. He was supposed to be hanged on May 01. The decision came after Pakistan's leading Human Rights activist Ansar Burney made efforts to postpone Sarabjit's hanging after his recent visit to India. Meanwhile, Sarabjit Singh's sister will soon visit Pakistan to meet him in the jail. She was already granted a Visa by the Pakistan Embassy.

Cricket Fever in India: A Colourful Beginning for the Great IPL Cricket

The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, was on its feet. Thousands of people gathered for the opening ceremony of the DLF IPL Cricket Series and it turned out to be a real extravaganza. Vijay Mallya and cash-rich BCCI ensured a bright, colorf