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THE TRIBUNE EARTHQUAKE RELIEF FUND

Advani quits, it’s over to GenNext
Parting shot — dispel impression that RSS controls BJP

Mumbai, December 31 Mr Lal Krishna Advani today formally quit as the president of the Bhartiya Janata Party. At a press conference here marking the end of the party's silver jubilee celebrations, Mr Advani said he was handing over the reins of the party to Rajnath Singh. Outgoing BJP President L K. Advani greets his successor Rajnath Singh at a press conference in Mumbai on Saturday. — AFP photo

Rajnath firm votary of Hindutva Lucknow, December 31 Mr Rajnath Singh, BJP President, is from the ranks of the RSS and a firm votary of Hindutva. A masters in mathematics, Mr Rajnath Singh (54), introduced Vedic mathematics in secondary schools when he was the Education Minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1991-92. RSS wants Rajnath to stick to ideology Atal a fraud, says Jyoti Basu

India: The Tasks Ahead
   SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

125TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS,
INAUGURAL SESSION

3-year jail for ex-chairman of Himachal board
Kangra, December 31
Former Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh Subordinate Service Selection Board Surender Mohan Katwal was today sentenced for three-year imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 was imposed on him under the Prevention of Corruption Act for tampering with the results for the appointment of the Vidya Upasaks in 2001.

Fireworks explode above a heart-shaped design on the Sydney Harbour Bridge during a New Year’s fireworks display. — Reuters

In video (28k, 56k)

1 held in phone tapping case
New Delhi, December 31
The owner of a detective agency in South Delhi was arrested in connection with the alleged phone tapping of Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh. Bhupendra, running the agency in South Extension-I, was nabbed last night.

Bomb scare in train
Mumbai, December 31
All passengers of the Mumbai- Ferozpur Janata Express were asked to get down from the train at Surat around 1.50 pm today following an anonymous call that a bomb has been planted in the train, according to Western Railway sources.

CPM leader, wife gunned down by Maoists
Kolkata, December 31
In a daring attack, MCC and PWG guerrillas gunned down the CPI(M) zonal committee secretary, Mr Rabindranath Kar, and his wife early this morning at Bhomragar village of Banduan in Purulia district, 250 km from here. They also burnt their bodies inside the house, which was set on fire.

Tourists throng Shimla Shimla, December 31 Notwithstanding the freezing cold, more than 1 lakh tourists have thronged the town to celebrate the New Year eve, with all hotels booked to capacity. According to the police, more than 80,000 tourists have descended on the town to celebrate the New Year eve. Chandigarh page:Revelry heralds New Year Welcome 2006: Girls at Shimla on New Year Eve. — Photo by Anil Dayal