At the moment, it appears as though Gowda will win the elections easily since the BJP has its full strength and also the support of five Independents. The Janata Dal (S) which had first decided to vote in favour of the Congress candidate has not made up its mind as of now.

Sriramulu who had broken away from the BJP will vote for the Congress candidate, but with the support of just three MLAs he will not be able to upset the Chief Minister.

As Karnataka Chief Minister Sadananda Gowda prepares to face an acid test in the Legislative Assembly tomorrow, the BJP MLAs have been locked up at the Golden Palms resort in the outskirts of Bangalore, reports rediff.com's Vicky Nanjappa.

Gowda faces an election to the legislative council tomorrow in order to continue serving as the CM. Currently he is a Member of Parliament and in order to serve in the state assembly he has to be elected Member of the legislative council.

However, the BJP does not want to take any chances of horse trading and has decided to guard its MLAs until the voting commences tomorrow at 9 am. They will be taken to the Vidhan Soudha at 9 am directly.

Last week marked exactly 10 years since the term BRIC was coined. The catchy acronym for Brazil, Russia, India and China used to describe the new powerhouse emerging markets.

But the man who invented the moniker now says one of the four has been a great disappointment. No, not Russia, with all its recent troubles; not Brazil, whose economy contracted in the last quarter; and certainly not China, which continues to power on.

More

Named after the pioneering female pilot, Amelia Rose Earhart is constantly asked whether she flies planes. So the Denver 9News reporter finally decided to learn.

Now that she's completed her instrument training, she's vowed to recreate Earhart's 1937 North American voyage, starting in Oakland, California and ending in Miami. When the original Earhart landed in Miami, she announced her plans to circumnavigate the globe -- the same trip that would result in her unexplained disappearance.

More on the Huffington Post.

Just in: The government has asked the National Investigating Agency to file a chargesheet against David Coleman Headley, accused in the November 26, 2008, Mumbai terror blasts.

Also read on Rediff.com: NIA has watertight case against Headley

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today asked the officials of the state road construction and rural works departments to evolve a long-term policy for the upkeep of roads in Bihar during all seasons. Reviewing the performance of the two departments at a high-level meeting here, Kumar said "it is necessary that we should have a long-term policy for maintenance of the roads in Bihar".

It may be recollected that Lalu Prasad Yadav, once promised to make Bihar's roads as "smooth as Hema Malini's cheeks".

And this is the reaction to that story.

Just days after a legal petition was filed seeking the ouster of the ISI chief, the Pakistani military today refuted businessman Mansoor Ijaz's claim that
Lt Ahmed Shuja Pasha had travelled to some Arab countries in May to discuss a move to remove President Asif Ali Zardari. 

Referring to a blog on the website of the British newspaper, The Independent, which had quoted Ijaz as saying that he had learnt from US intelligence sources that ISI chief Pasha had received the go-ahead from Arab countries to oust Zardari, the military denied the controversial Pakistani-American businessman's assertions.

"It has been said that the (ISI chief) met senior Arab leaders and asked permission for a military coup in Pakistan. The story has been published without verification at any level," the Inter-Services Public Relations said in a statement.

On the Independent.co.uk: For all the fevered discussion about Memogate, one of the most arresting claims to emerge seems to have evaded even the faintest scrutiny. In the very evidence Mansoor Ijaz marshaled before the Pakistani public, he says there was a second, rival plot, set in train during the very same days in early May. It, too, involves a senior Pakistani official reaching out to foreign allies in a similarly abortive bid to take on a powerful institution back home.

More

Tabloid reads...

Transplant surgeon Dr Asim Syed becomes first ever to donate his own kidney after mother, Dilshad, falls ill. Readthe story on the Daily Mail

Babasaheb Ambedkar's Dalit followers have done him a great disservice. They have taken over a National Textile Corporation mill in Mumbai -- Indu Mill -- because they want to convert it into a memorial for him. In doing so, they have adopted the "grammar of anarchy' that Ambedkar abhorred.

Read the report on Firstpost.com

In what may have been the biggest women's demonstration in Egyptian history, thousands marched in the streets of Cairo yesterday against the military's abuse of female protesters. The military issued an apology statement, approving of the protest: "The Supreme Council of the Armed Forces expresses its utmost sorrow for the great women of Egypt, for the violations that took place during the recent events."  

And the image that catalysed the rally

Kim Jong Il's passing closes a sad and tragic chapter for the people of North Korea. His 17-year reign will be remembered as a dark period in their history characterized by great suffering and steady and dangerous provocations to the outside world.

On cnn.com

In a major setback to the prosecution, a local court today rejected the Maharashtra CID closure report in mysterious death of seven-year-old Yogita Thakre and directed the agency to reinvestigate the case. 

Yogita was found dead on May 19, 2009 in the boot of a car parked in the compound of then Maharashtra BJP president Nitin Gadkari's home. The kin of the deceased, including herparents and sisters, have demanded Narco test to be conducted on Nitin Gadkari, his PA Sudhir Deolgaonkar, driver ManoharPanse and then police inspector of Kotwali police station R M Katole.

Also on the NYT's India blogs: Delhi's choking air pollution has caught the attention of politicians in recent weeks. A massive influx of cars, which are being added at an estimated rate of more than 1,000 a day, is an oft-cited reason for the dirty air.

But according to data collected by Urbanemissions, a research group that studies air pollution across India, cars account for 25 percent or less of two key pollutants, carbon monoxide and the larger particulate matter known as PM10.

So, what's the problem? Read this

Shashi Tharoor has set the cat among the pigeons by re-opening the old debate about whether we should abandon our Westminster-style parliamentary system and move to an American-style presidential system instead.

In a long and well-argued essay in Tehelka, he carefully identifies the maladies that plague our current dispensation, most vividly on view recently in the government's about-face on FDI in retail.

Read more on the NYT's India blogs.

While Moody's says GDP growth rate will fall, the global agency today upgraded the credit rating of Indian government's bonds from speculative to investment grade, a move that could encourage FIIs to increase their exposure in gilts and help companies raise funds from abroad at competitive rates.

Global credit ratings agency Moody's today said policy paralysis coupled with global uncertainty is expected to pull down India's GDP growth rate below 7 per cent in the current fiscal from 8.5 per cent a year ago.

"In the last few months, tight monetary conditions and a cloudy global outlook have combined to reduce manufacturing output and investment initiatives.

"We expect growth to fall below 7 per cent in 2011-12 from 8.5 per cent in 2010-11 due to the impact of an uncertain global funding environment, high domestic interest rates and the apparent lack of policy initiatives that can revive
business confidence," Moody's said.

A week after a Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter plane crashed leading togrounding of the fleet, IAF chief N A K Browne today took an hour-long sortie in the aircraft in Pune, in an exercise aimed at restoring the confidence of pilots. 

The Air Chief Marshal took off from Lohegaon air base and was accompanied by Wing Commander Anurag Sharma, Commanding Officer of the SU-30 MKI squadron, based in Pune. Addressing the air-warriors after the sortie, Browne said, "I wanted to be here to not only fly the SU-30 MKI but also to assure you that our SU-30 fleet is in good and capable hands."

On Firstpost.com: How many Sukhois must crash for us to call it a scandal

In a clear political message, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today dismissed any impression that there are differences between the party and the government and the programmes and policies are correct. 

However,  she did not not make a reference to the controversial decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail, which the government had to put on hold following stiff Opposition in Parliament and outside. 

"Every now now and then, our political opponents have been trying to create an impression that there are differences between the Congress party and the government. Let me once and for all nail this. 

"There may well be differing points of view.  But whatever is eventually done is done together," she said addressing the Congress Parliamentary Party.

More drama from Justice Hegde:

-- If CBI is a holy cow for the ruling party, let them give a trained organisation for investigation by Lokpal. Let them create a new organisation.

-- What's the big idea of continuing the CVC?

-- What way Lokpal is useful? Just creating Lokpal and giving employment to people?

You can be assured of interesting quotes from Justice Santosh Hegde. Criticising the government's move to keep the CBI out of the purview of the Lokpal, Justice Hegde today said the step would reduce the anti-corruption watchdog to a mere complainant which is not acceptable.
"This is unacceptable totally because now they are trying to make the Lokpal institution just a complainant, not an investigative agency", the former Supreme Court judge said.
If you've just joined us, the Lokpal Bill was cleared last night by the Union Cabinet, but the new Bill will be a Constitution amendment Bill which will also bring the Prime Minister under the  ambit of Lokpal with certain riders.
The Bill, however, keeps the CBI out of purview of Lokpal except on cases which are referred to it by the latter. The Lokpal will have its own wings for preliminary inquiries and prosecution.

"From what I read in newspapers, the Lokpal  institution which is going to be headed by top-level people can only enquire, then investigation is handed over to the  CBI. CBI, in turn, is answerable to the Government. It does not come
under Lokpal. Therefore, what's the role of Lokpal? Only an enquiry officer?", the former Karnataka Lokayukta said. With this move, the CBI would only become "all-powerful", he said.

For the second consecutive year, Pakistan has been identified as the most dangerous country for journalists with the killing of seven scribes there in 2011
out of a total of 43 murdered worldwide. 

The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists said, in the past five years 29 journalists had been killed in Pakistan in relation to their work. 

"... the CPJ research shows Pakistan to be among the worst countries in the world in bringing the killers of journalists to justice," the body said in its year-end report. 

"The best known case in Pakistan this year involved Saleem Shahzad, a reporter for Asia Times online who died in May after writing a report which alleged that al-Qaeda had infiltrated Pakistan navy," the CPJ said.

As Parliament debates the Lokpal bill, in an irony of sorts, news comes in that Union Cabinet Ministers have accumulated dues of Rs 435 crore on the cash-strapped Air India which is 93 per cent of the the total bills incurred by
them during their visits abroad

Responding to a question in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office V Narayanasamy said during 2009-10 Cabinet Ministers incurred bills of Rs 61.10 crore on foreign travel while ministers of state spent Rs 3.78 crore.

Just in: The government will table the National Food Security Bill in Parliament tomorrow, says Food Minister K V Thomas.

Ditto, the new Lokpal Bill, as we told you earlier.

In other news, Space shuttle Atlantis, which only five months ago flew the final mission of NASA's 30-year shuttle program, is now being prepared for its public display at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida.

Its insides being pulled out to ensure it is safe for exhibit, as well as significantly lighten it for its planned steep-angled display, Atlantis is scheduled to be powered down this week for the final time. Photographs of its glass cockpit powered and lit for one of its last times. See it on Collectspace.com

Just in: The Delhi High Court has upheld the conviction of former union minister Sukhram and two others in 1996 telecom scam.

Sukhram, who had held the telecom portfolio in P V Narasimha Rao's cabinet, was convicted on November 17 in a cable contract case. He was handed a five-year jail term by the Special CBI judge R P Pandey on November 19 and is currently in jail.

Sukhram had challenged his conviction and sentencing by a trial court (for taking a bribe to award a contract to a telecom firm in 1996). Sukhram (86) had filed a plea for suspension of the sentence on health grounds and old age for which the court also sought his medical report.  

More than five million North Koreans have so far turned out to pay their respects to late leader Kim Jong-il, state media say. Kim's body is lying in state in the capital Pyongyang as organised public mourning continues in streets and halls around the country.

More on the bbc.

News from around the world: Almost 200 people have died in two days of clashes in Syria, as the violence intensifies. Two activist groups put Tuesday's toll at 84. A video has emerged of a young boy, whose body was apparently torn in half by shelling in the city of Homs.

More on the bbc.

Yesterday, President Pratibha Patil was in the news for the fleet review in Mumbai and for being the first woman president to sail a warship. Read: Navy's grand show of strength, made in India.

Today, she is in the news for an entirely different reason -- a total of 20 mercy petitions, including that of Parliament attack case convict Afzal Guru, were pending before the President, Rajya Sabha was informed today. 

Sources said the Home Ministry had submitted Afzal Guru's case to the President's Secretariat for a decision on July 27, 2011 with the recommendation that the clemency petition should be rejected. Guru was convicted of conspiracy in the December 2001 Parliament attack and the order to sentence him to death was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2004. The sentence was scheduled to be carried out on October 20, 2006.

However, Guru's execution was stayed following a mercy petition filed by his wife. He remains on death row since then.

Read on rediff.com: Kashmir will burn if Afzal Guru is hanged

Finance minister and the government's troubleshooter Pranab Mukherjee apologised on behalf of the government after the PM's security allegedly manhandled a BSP MP in the Parliament precincts.

We told you earlier (13:26 pm post) that there was an uproar in Parliament over a member's alleged harassment by the Prime Minister's security personnel, which forced an adjournment of the Lok Sabha for nearly two hours. 

BSP and Samajwadi Party members rushed into the Well as soon the House reassembled at noon after an earlier adjournment, demanding action against the Special Protection Group personnel responsible for the incident in which BSP MP Rama Shankar Rajbhar was allegedly manhandled.  

Shah Rukh Khan is in a spot with the Kerala police, which registered a case against the actor today for violating the provisions of the Indecent
Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act 1986. 

Shah Rukh, who was in Kochi on December 4 in, had performed the popular number 'Chammak Challo', along with some skimpily clad artistes. Police said the cases have been registered against Shah Rukh and partners of a textile showroom he was inaugurating, who organised the function.

More inside stories from Parliament

Sonia Gandhi walked across the Central Hall of Parliament and saw a huge crowd around Rahul Gandhi. She was escorted by SPG men.

Jagan Reddy, President of the YSR Congress the lone party MP was seated in the Central Hall just next to Rahul Gandhi's row. Sabbam Hari and Ramakrishna Reddy two Congress MPs were with Jagan Reddy.

Dr Maitreyan ADMK MP walked upto Jagan to greet him, while some BJP and TDP MPs greeted, YS Chowdhary TDP MP, who was seen talking to Reddy alone in Central Hall.

As we've been doing every day, that the Parliament is in session, here's the inside story from both the Houses, by our Delhi correspondent.

In the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister Kumari Selja refused to listen to Chairman of the Rajya Sabha during Question Hour today.

Hamid Ansari asked her to complete her reply and not to give into the provacations of Opposition parties, but Selja wanted to read from a prepared text, a report of the past four years' performance.

Ansari said the text can be sent to the MPs and she need not waste her time, but Selja continued reading. Just as Ansari was about to ask her to take her seat, Selja did so.

The House saw a restless Sonia Gandhi, seated in the front row when it opened for business today. She joined Speaker Meira Kumar and asked the Opposition MPs not to rush into the well of the House.

Rahul Gandhi spent over an hour in the Central Hall sipping coffee and eating idli-vada. He was surrounded by at least 25 MPs from the Congress and an equal number of mediapersons. On two or three occasions, there were bursts of of laughter when Rahul was talking about his Uttar Pradesh campaign.

And another one on the loony leader: North Korean dictator Kim Jong-il's body is likely to be embalmed and put on display as a lasting reminder of the bloodline of the family that founded one of the world's most reclusive states.

More on reuters.

North Korea's new young leader will have to share power with an uncle and the military after the death of his father Kim Jong-il as the isolated country shifts to collective rule from strongman dictatorship, a source with close ties to Pyongyang and Beijing said.

Read the reuters report.

It has become commonplace to compare and contrast the two rising Asian powers. The faster pace of China's growth is attributed to the simpler command chain of authoritarianism and one-party rule. Meanwhile, many bemoan Indian red tape, indecision and chaos, the apparent cost of the state's democratic character and its accommodation of diverse points of view.

Novelist Chandrahas Choudhuri on Bloomberg

Also see: Former Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohammed on India's democracy slowing growth.

India's plan to boost food subsidies by 50 percent is threatening efforts to cut the budget deficit, extending the biggest jump in bond risk among the largest developing nations.

The cost to protect the debt of State Bank of India, seen as a proxy for the nation, against non-payment rose 234 basis points in 2011 to 395 basis points, the most in three years, according to data provider CMA. 

More on Bloomberg.

The ruling BJP today ferried its legislators to a private resort on the city outskirts fearing poaching from opposition parties during tomorrow's bypoll to
the lone legislative council seat which Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda has to win to continue in the post.
BJP sources said all the MLAs will return to the city tomorrow and head towards Vidhana Soudha, the state secretariat for voting, which is done through secret ballot.  Normally, ahead of a poll, MLAs or MPs are ferried to a hotel in the city

You do know that Jayalalithaa has written to the PM opposing the Food Security Bill. Read Bibek Debroy's blog on the Economic Times on the issue. 

This is what happened in Parliament today, on the last day of the Question Hour.

There was uproar (par for the course now) over a member's alleged harassment by Prime Minister's security personnel in the Parliament precincts today, which forced an adjournment of the Lok Sabha for nearly two hours. 

BSP and Samajwadi Party members rushed into the Well as soon the House reassembled at noon after an earlier adjournment, demanding action against the Special Protection Group personnel responsible for the incident in which BSP MP Rama Shankar Rajbhar was allegedly manhandled.

Just in: The ADMK met today and in a show of strength stood by Tamil Nadu CM J Jayalalithaa's decision to sack her former friend Sasiklala from the party. All MPs were present.

Also see: Party rallies behind Jayalalithaa

The CPM meet to discuss the Lokpal is underway. The Lokpal Bill is to be tabled in Parliament tomorrow.

While giving the K Karunakaran Award to Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the capital today, the PM showered praise on him, saying, "There are few people in politics today who can match his long and exemplary record of public service."    

Equating Mukherjee with former Kerala Chief Minister K Karunakaran, he said, "All those who know him are familiar with his vast knowledge, prodigious memory and capacity for hard work.

"Less well known is that he is an avid reader with an abiding love for history, the arts and culture, not to mention his weakness for Bengali sweets," he said.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today took strong exception to the National Disaster Management Authority forming a team of experts to draw up a contingency response plan for the Mullaperiyar Dam, saying it was nothing but "succumbing to the subterfuge" of Kerala.

A smartphone app launched today in Delhi aims to fight a rise in sexual assault cases by enabling women to immediately alert friends or family if they feel at risk.

The Fight Back app created by Indian non-profit organisation Whypoll will -- at the press of a single key -- send an SOS via text message, email and Facebook.

Once the SOS is activated, recipients will be able to track the sender's location via GPS and come to her aid.

More on the International News

Update on Anna Hazare:

Attacking the government for keeping CBI out of Lokpal, Hazare today accused it of "cheating" the people by bringing a weak Bill to "save" corrupt politicians. A day after the Union Cabinet approved the Lokpal Bill
leaving CBI out of its purview, Hazare said the ombudsman would not be strong and effective if the premier investigation agency was not kept under it.

 "If the CBI is outside then how will the Lokpal be strong. This system will save corrupt politicians. If CBI comes under Lokpal then P Chidambaram would be in jail. You are saving corrupt politicians and say it is a strong Lokpal,"
he said. 

Rejecting the bill, Hazare also took strong exception to government bringing a separate Citizens' Charter Bill, saying a common man will have to run from pillar to post to get his grievances redressed under the proposed system. "It is cheating people who will teach them a lesson," Hazare said. 

"How can the Lokpal be effective when Citizens Charter is out of its purview. A person will have to go through various levels for redressal of his rievances... what to do? It's like fooling people," he said. 

Team Anna key aide Arvind Kejriwal says he is yet to read the Lokpal bill, but points out that a Lokpal without legislative or investigative powers is unworkable. He says the Citizens Charter bill is disastrous and will collapse within 10 days of enactment.

As Jammu and Kashmir slips into another snowy winter, security officials and civilian administrators in the state have reason to reflect on 2011 as having been extraordinarily peaceful, perhaps even the quietest in nearly 20 years.

Read more on Firstpost.com

Since we promise to tell you all the news as it happens, here's some...

Abhishek Bachchan:  Driving back to Jaipur after visiting Ajmer Sharif Darga.

Click here for the picture

If you use the suburban local train service on the Central railway, and was late for work, here's what happened.

A Kalyan-bound local train derailed near the Masjid station this morning, disrupting rail traffic on the suburban section of Central Railway. The train, which had started from the CST station, was approaching the Masjid station, when the sixth bogie (from the engine) derailed, railway sources said.
Efforts are on to restore the traffic, they added. The incident occurred in the morning rush hour, inconveniencing thousands of commuters. No casualty was
reported.

PM Manmohan Singh today said that all political parties must cooperate in running Parliament and it was indeed sad that "despite our best efforts Parliament isn't running smoothly. He also credited the "successful management of the UPA to finance minister Pranab Mukherjee and Sonia Gandhi.

An official US report has identified Nehru Place in New Delhi among the top 30notorious IT markets of the world, dealing in goods and services infringing intellectual property rights.

'The Out-of-Cycle Review of Notorious Markets report identifies more than 30 markets that typify the problem of marketplaces that deal in goods and services that infringe on intellectual property rights and help to sustain globalpiracy and counterfeiting. 

The results identify examples of both Internet andphysical marketplaces that have been the subject of enforcement action connected with counterfeiting and piracy, or that may merit further investigation for possible IPR infringements.

Just in: MDMK's Vaiko, Nedumaran and 10 others arrested for organising a blockade of 13 routes connecting Kerala and Tamil Nadu. The MDMK chief on December 5, had complained to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that the Kerala government was creating "panic and fear psychosis" among the people on the Mullaperiyar Dam issue while contending that the 116-year-old structure was safe. 

As the confrontation between Kerala and TN escalated over the safety of the dam, political leaders and lawmakers have been demanding Singh's intervention in the issue for the past few days. 

Rediff.com's Onkar Singh reports that Sonia Gandhi, in her first interaction with the Congress Parliamentary Party after her return from the US for an undisclosed surgery in September, said that there were no differences between the party and the government.

She made a scathing attack on members of the civil society led by Anna Hazare saying, "Yeh aar par ke ladai hai..I am always ready to fight," she told a small group of journalists.

According Navin Jindal who attended the meeting at the Central Hall of Parliament, Sonia Gandhi touched upon all topics including the Lokpal bill.

"The cabinet has approved the Lokpal bill and it will be introduced in the Lok Sabha soon," she said.

She also spoke about the Food Security bill in particular and described it as a major achievment. 

Telecom minister Kapil Sibal told journalists after the meeting, "She referred to the strides made by the government as promised by the party in its manifesto during the 2009 general elections."

Sonia Gandhi adds that the BJP and Team Anna should accept the bill. Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha has adjourned till 12 pm over price rise and farmers suicides. 

Good morning.

Sonia Gandhi has spoken out over the Lokpal draft which was okayed by the cabinet yesterday, saying it's a historic bill and the government and the Congress is together on this. She also she would fight for Lokpal and the women's reservation bill.

Cabinet clears Lokpal draft; Anna, opposition reject it (The Times of India)
The key formulations of Lokpal Bill cleared by Cabinet were slammed by both Team Anna and the opposition, setting the stage for another round of confrontation. Read

Govt plans to introduce new Lokpal Bill in LS on Dec 22 (Indian Express)
Union Cabinet has approved Bill that will have no control over CBI but brings PM within its purview. Read

Ready for lokpal battle, says Sonia Gandhi (Hindustan Times)
Sonia Gandhi today told party MPs that Congress was ready to fight for lokpal and women's bill, reports said. The opposition and Team Anna should accept the government's draft bill, she added. Read

India urges Russia to drop case against Gita translation (The Hindu)

India has asked Russia to drop a court case against a translation of the Bhagavad Gita, while Russian ambassador to India Alexander Kadakin criticised as "madmen" those from the Siberian city of Tomsk who have sought a ban on the scripture which is part of the Mahabharata. Read

Noida witnesses biggest traffic pileup on e-way (The Times of India)
The Noida-Greater Noida Expressway witnessed the biggest pileup ever with over 30 vehicles crashing into each other due to thick fog and poor visibility. Read

Party rallies behind Jayalalithaa (The Hindu)

A day after the expulsion of Sasikala and her family members from the AIADMK, the Christmas celebration, organised by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, turned out to be a show of solidarity. Read

2G scam: I heard Raja shouting at Mathur at the top of his voice, says Achary
Testifying in the case, Achary said a rift had developed between Raja and then telecom secretary DS Mathur when the grant of 2G licences was the 'burning issue