What was expected to be a delight to the taste buds, turned out to be a horror for a 22-year-old solutions engineer, Saurav Sabharwal, working with Nokia-Siemens Network in Gurgaon, Haryana. 

Saurav joined his colleagues on eating most pastry in least time on Wednesday afternoon. He won the bet but ultimately lost his life to asphyxiation. After the competition Saurav choked his throat due to eating three pastries in quick succession and collapsed in the washroom.

He was immediately transported to a hospital but could not be saved.

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) bagged 44 out of total 45 oil and gas exploration blocks with its partner BHP Billiton and GVK Power. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, on Thursday, gave permission to start oil exploration. 

The wholesale price index (WPI) based inflation rate continued to decline in the second consecutive week and now stands at 8.90 per cent. The inflation was 8.98 per cent a week ago. Declining trend brings a respite for the central government, which is facing flak for rising prices. 

It has also paved a way for Reserve Bank to further revise key interest rate to improve liquidity condition in the financial system. Economists believe that it can further slide even below the expectations of the Reserve Bank in the coming days. 

The state government of UP is likely to give pay scale to school teacher in accordance with the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission. After the pay hike, school teachers would get pay scale equal to central government employees. 

The decision would put extra burden of Rs 1,500 crore on the state exchequer but politically prove beneficial for BSP in the wake of forthcoming general elections.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India, on Thursday said that short term selling is not a cause of market meltdown. SEBI Chairman futher added that it would not stop short selling as a regulator at this point of time. 

BJP’s senior leader and NDA’s Prime Ministerial candidate, L.K. Advani stressed the need to take hard steps for country’s economic growth. He warned that India can face meltdown, causing large scale lay-offs following the impact of the global slowdown. India needs stern actions and willpower to bring the situation to normal level. He was speaking in a meeting with top corporate leaders to discuss impact of global slowdown.