The post of the President of Punjab Youth Congress (PYC) has been given to Ravneet Singh Bittu, a close confidant of the former Congress chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh.

Bittu's grandfather was the former congress chief minister of Punjab, Beant Singh who was assassinated during the peak days of militancy in Punjab.

Ghulam Nabi Azad, former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir was one of the first voters to exercise his right during the final phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls on Wednesday. He said that the elections were "historic".

Accompanied by his wife, Shamima Azad, the former CM said, "These polls are historic as compared to 1996 and 2002 ones as the separatist's call for poll boycott has been rejected and people are no longer getting carried away by hollow slogans of separatists or those parties trying to create a divide."

Shiv Sena Chief, Bal Thackeray, said that he would like the forming of 'Hindu terrorists'.

In an interview he said, "If they, Hindu terrorists, are behind the September 29 Malegaon blast, I would be glad. Terrorists should be born among Hindus, I have begun to feel." He further said," Sadhvi Pragya Singh, Lt Col P S Purohit, arrested in connection with the Malegaon blast, have been victimized. What was their fault? Something had to be done to take on fanatic Muslims."

Former Chief Minister of Rajasthan, Vasundhara Raje was unanimously elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party in the Rajasthan Assembly in Jaipur. BJP has made no other changes in the State unit for the upcoming parliamentary elections. Venkaiah Naidu, incharge of the State; Ramdas Agarwal, National Treasurer and the State President O P Mathur were present at the meeting. Senior BJP leader and former Home Minister, Gulab Chand Kataria proposed Raje's name which was unanimously approved.

Dhaka  - Security has been beefed up across Bangladesh amid threats by militants against prominent political leaders running in elections next week, officials said Wednesday.

"The forces have been ordered strictly maintain security across the country," said Police Chief, Noor Mohammad. Threats against two former prime ministers Sheikh Hasina Wajed and Khaleda Zia were not from an organized source, Mohammad said.

Los Angeles - In what is likely to be his last retreat before becoming the world's most powerful man, US president-elect Barack Obama is stirring up a storm of interest as he holidays in Hawaii.

Paparazzi photographs of the bare-chested politician striding powerfully through the surf. Detailed descriptions of his luxury beachfront hideaway. Analyses of the calibre of his golf swing.