Does FoxNews Have The Sexiest Anchors? You Be The Judge

By Carl Williott

Credit: Getty Images/Dimitrios Kambouris

Conventional wisdom dictates that Fox News hires the most "talented" on-air female anchors. The network seems to draw on an apparently limitless supply of perky blonde vessels to spout right-leaning siren songs about imminent disaster and financial collapse.
But does Fox News actually have the hottest anchors, or is this just one of those accepted social "facts" that aren't really true? This being a critical election year, we cannot abide vague assumptions; we must find hard truths. So as stewards of the media, it is our responsibility to get to the bottom of this pressing issue.
We worked tirelessly, planting ourselves in front of the TV with a couple six packs, flipping between the news networks on mute. After hours of rigorously objectifying, we stumbled upon a shocking finding: Rupert Murdoch's news channel does not have the highest number of hot anchors. Nope, that title goes to Bloomberg TV. Looks like New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg knows how to pick 'em. MSNBC, on the other hand, really needs to pick up the pace.
Below, you'll find the 36 sources for our painstaking research. Media is the fourth pillar of democracy, and these anchor ladies give us a fifth pillar (in our pants).

Bloomberg (14)

Cristina Alesci

Credit: Bloomberg TV

Willow Bay

Credit: Getty Images/Scott Wintrow

Deirdre Bolton

Credit: Bloomberg TV

Margaret Brennan

Credit: Bloomberg TV

Cali Carlin

Credit: Getty Images/Katy Winn

Andrea Catherwood

Credit: Getty Images/MJ Kim

Emily Chang

Credit: Bloomberg TV

Courtney Donohoe

Credit: Bloomberg TV

Sara Eisen

Credit: Bloomberg TV

Susan Li

Credit: Bloomberg TV

Betty Liu

Credit: Getty Images/Stephen Lovekin

Trish Regan

Credit: Getty Images/Neilson Barnard

Gigi Stone

Credit: Getty Images/Jemal Countess

Hitha Prabhakar

Credit: Getty Images/Evan Agostini

Fox News (13)

Ainsley Earhardt

Credit: Getty Images/Dario Cantatore

Courtney Friel

Credit: Getty Images/Dimitrios Kambouris

Kimberly Guilfoyle

Credit: Getty Images/Jason Kempin

Shibani Joshi

Credit: Fox News

Megyn Kelly

Credit: Getty Images/Chelsea Lauren

Jenna Lee

Credit: Fox News

Martha MacCallum

Credit: Fox News

Maria Molina

Credit: Fox News

Heather Nauert

Credit: Getty Images/Evan Agostini

Reena Ninan

Credit: Fox News

Marianne Rafferty

Credit: Fox News

Sandra Smith

Credit: Fox News

Andrea Tantaros

Credit: Getty Images/Jamie McCarthy

CNN (7)

Brooke Baldwin

Credit: CNN

Ashleigh Banfield

Credit: Getty Images/Jason Kempin

Erin Burnett

Credit: Getty Images/Stephen Lovekin

Kate Bolduan

Credit: CNN

Natasha Curry (HLN, CNN's sister network)

Credit: HLN

Brianna Keilar

Credit: Getty Images/Brad Barket

Alison Kosik

Credit: CNN

MSNBC (2)

Contessa Brewer

Credit: Getty Images/Michael Loccisano

JJ Ramberg

Credit: MSNBC

Fear Stifles Naga Voices From Expressing Opinion on Political Conflict

Today, Nagas have been broken into pieces morally because of gun culture and became vision-less.

Kohima, Feb 2 : Former Nagaland chief minister SC Jamir has illustrated how fear was preventing the Naga people in expressing their opinions on the Naga political conflict and how they they could no longer raise their voice against tyranny and persecution.

Jamir, the only living signatory to the 16-point Agreements of 1960 leading to the formation of Nagaland as the 16th state of the Indian union, in his latest booklet has lamented that apparent suppression of free speech, popular thoughts and participation of the people by the armed groups had made the political movement intractable.

“Today, Nagas have been broken into pieces morally because of gun culture and became visionless,” the Congress leader lamented and said the Nagas deserved a better future.

The booklet noted that an unambiguous, united and single Naga political agenda had been ‘hijacked’ by innumerable groups, factions and parties, which were often indistinguishable from each other.

The booklet ‘A Realistic Perspective on Unification-Peace-Reconciliation-Efforts’ was distributed during a function organized by Nagaland Law Students’ Federation at Dimapur yesterday where Jamir was the chief guest.

This had created confusion and disorder not only for the Naga people, but also for the Indian leadership, Jamir maintained.

“So far, in Nagaland, the common people have not manifested their preference or mandate in favor of any political party, group or faction, whether overground or underground,” the booklet noted.

“In the absence of mass appeal and general public support, the Naga political movement has become totally lifeless and listless and everyone is merely paying an ostentatious lip service to the Naga cause.”

The octogenarian leader rued that the Naga people reeling under decades of oppression, violence, brutality and threats, were shattered physically, mentally and emotionally because of the regime of threats, intimidation, violence, killings and extortion.

Jamir, who also served as governor of Goa and Maharastra, maintained that political groups and factions, both overground and underground, had abjectly failed to scrutinize the role, relevance and rationale of the concept of ‘sovereignty and separate homeland’ in relation to modern times and its challenges.

He said that unity among the Nagas should be the first and foremost agenda to evolve a common framework where a definitive, pragmatic, amicable and a progressive action plan could be charted out for resolving the festering Naga political problem.

Narrating a few personal experiences, Jamir said corruption had also eaten into society, and called upon the young people to confront these challeges to bring about a change in Naga society.

Train Derails in Assam; 3 Dead, 50 Injured

At least three people have been killed and 50 others have been injured after seven coaches of a passenger train derailed at an unmanned crossing in Kamrup district of Assam today.

According to reports, the Bongaigaon-Guwahati Chilarai passenger train rammed a stationary dumper truck stuck on the tracks at Gossainghati between Azara and Mirza railway stations at around 9:30 am.

Injured passengers have been rushed to Mirza Public Health Centre. Those critically wounded have been referred to Gauhati Medical College Hospital, police said.

Railway officials along with rescue teams have reached the spot, railway sources said.

Railway helpline numbers:

Rangiya: 03621-244279
New Bongaigaon: 03664-231754
Guwahati: 0361-2331621, 2331622, 2331623

Kim Gangte: People Looking For An Alternative To Congress

Corruption is the No.1 issue. We want effective, transparent and corruption-free governance


Power struggle: Kim Gangte. Photo: Indranil Bhoumik/Mint

By Utpal Bhaskar

Imphal/New Delhi: The Trinamool Congress (TMC) fought the Manipur state assembly elections for the first time. The TMC, which contested 47 seats, marked its entry in the state by winning the Konthoujam constituency in the 2011 by-election and is led by its state chief Kim Gangte. Gangte, a former member of Parliament (MP) from the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the state’s first woman MP, explained the TMC’s strategy in the state in an interview. Edited excerpts:

As a party, the TMC is a new entrant in Manipur. What is your game plan?

People are looking for an alternative to the Congress. People look at didi Mamata (Banerjee). People feel that if she could bring a change in West Bengal by defeating such a strong party such as the Communist Party of India (Marxist), we could also bring a change here.

You have invoked Mamata’s name. The TMC looks like a single-leader party. Don’t you think that this is cult worship?
This is not cult worship. It is the ideology, the principles such as care and concern for the masses—the street vendors, farmers and labourers. She represents the poor masses to us.

You have contested on 47 seats in a 60-member assembly. What is the realistic number that you are looking at winning?
We are expecting 15 to 21 seats of these.

Were you approached for a pre-poll alliance?
Yes, we were. All the opposition parties approached us, such as the Manipur People’s Party, Nationalist Congress Party, Janata Dal (United), Rashtriya Janata Dal among others. We wanted to fight the elections alone.

What are the real issues in these elections? Is corruption an issue?
Corruption is the No.1 issue. We want effective, transparent and corruption-free governance. We also have a law and order problem. There have been human rights violations. Everything is bad here. There are no roads, no electricity. We buy one gas cylinder for Rs. 1,800.

What will be the impact of the Co-ordinating Committee (CorCom), a coalition of seven valley-based underground outfits, boycotting the Congress? Will that benefit your party? What will be the impact of the Nagaland People’s Front (NPF) fighting the state assembly elections for the first time?
The CorCom’s stand against the Congress will not benefit us.

Why?
That question should be asked to the Congress. It’s not a matter of the CorCom. People have been looking for a change and they are seeing the Trinamool Congress as the agent of that change.

What about the Naga-dominated hill districts of Senapati, Ukhrul, Chandel and Tamenglong? Do you think you will be able to make a dent there?
Yes. We have put up five candidates in those areas. In most of those areas, the people are supporting us as they look at the NPF as a local party. They look at the Trinamool Congress as a party which has a lot of say in the Centre.

What is your and your party’s view on Armed Forces Special Powers Act (Afspa)?
We are against Afspa and all these draconian laws. We live in a civilized world. If Manipur is a part of India, it is time that the Centre and the state government took these issues very seriously because the people are against it.

Since your party is a part of the Congress party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government, what has it done to remove Afspa?
We have spoken to our leaders. They know the seriousness of the issue to a great extent.

Jhum Deadline To Curb Mizoram Forest Fires

Aizawl, Feb 2 : The Mizoram government will announce steps to tackle wildfire triggered by the slash and burn method of farming, popularly called jhum, during late winter and early summer in the state.

Sources said in Aizawl, the state-level fire prevention committee, under the chairmanship of chief minister Lalthanhawla, has set March 15 as the deadline for the farmers to complete the jhum process of burning the fallow and dry fields.

The committee will ensure that the administrations of the state’s eight districts abide by the directive.

An official data bank released by the economics and statistics department of the Mizoram government revealed that jhum, generally undertaken on the slopes of the hills criss-crossing this state of 2,1081 square km, has hindered the output of rice, the staple of Mizos and vegetables.

Statistics showed that Mizoram produces 1,40,503 tonnes of rice, mainly from jhum cultivation, which is inadequate to meet the domestic demand. The state has to depend on monthly ration from the Centre.

The state government has now launched a Rs 2,289-crore scheme for farmers to shun jhum cultivation, to grow paddy the modern way and also encourage them to produce cash-spinning commercial crops like sunflower.

A senior government source in Aizawl today said the chief minister has now been stressing the need to prevent forest fires especially after October when the state is quite dry.

Forest department sources in Aizawl said between December 2010 and May 2011, as many as 58 wildfires had destroyed 1,260 hectares of the forestland, leading to a loss of Rs 1.66 crore.

At least six persons died in Kolosib district in Mizoram, 90km from Aizawl, two years ago as jhum farmers were in one such fire.

Manipur Repoll in Manipur on Feb 4

New Delhi, Feb 2 : The Election Commission of India has ordered repoll/fresh poll in 34 polling stations in Manipur which would be conducted on February 4 from 7 am to 3 pm.

Issuing fresh orders, the Commission declared the earlier polling held in these booths on January 28 as null and void.

Polling will be held again at 34 booths across 11 constituencies in Manipur owing to fraud and violence during voting in the state assembly elections on 28 January.

In Manipur, repoll has been ordered in certain polling booths of 11 assembly constituencies of Chinsai (ST), Tamei (ST), Tamenglong (ST), Nungba (ST), Mao (ST), Tadubi (ST), Tipaimukh, Thanlon, Henglep, Chandel and Tengnoupal.

Polling had been countermanded in certain polling booths in Manipur due to sporadic incidents of violence and damage to EVMs during the January 28 polls in the state.

Manipur, which has a 17.5-lakh-strong electorate, recorded a total poll percentage of around 80 per cent. The polling was marred by militant violence that claimed seven lives, including those of security personnel and an ultra.

On the polling day, a man posing as a voter had entered a polling station in an interior area in Chandel assembly constituency at around 12:30 pm and started firing indiscriminately, killing a CRPF man, three polling persons and two voters on-the-spot, before he was gunned down.

Including the presiding officer, seven persons were killed in the fire-fight between CRPF personnel manning the polling station and suspected cadres of NSCN (IM) on the day of polling.

There were also reports from six other places in the state where mobs had damaged Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and, in another incident, miscreants had snatched an EVM.

80% Mizoram Students Get Drinking Water in School

Aizawl, Feb 1 : Mizoram government on Tuesday said that more than 80 per cent of students in the state have been provided with drinking water in the educational institutions.

Education Secretary Esther Lalruatkimi said 81 per cent of primary schools were provided water while it was 88 per cent, 65.82 per cent and 100 per cent coverage in middle schools, high schools and higher secondary schools respectively.

She said this during a consultation held here with authorities of both government and private institutions.

Availability of separate urinals for boys and girls was 53.42 in Aizawl district, she said, adding that 100 per cent achievements on this reported from majority of other districts was doubtful.

She urged the school authorities to give factual reports so that the Supreme Court, which instructed the governments to provide 100 per cent drinking water and urinals to the students, would be provided with factual information by the state government.

How To Get Smokey Eyes in 5 Easy Steps

The classic smokey eye has come a long way from black and grey.For the warmer months, a coloured version is the fashion-forward the way to, and we love how pink is this Spring's pretty pick.

To get you started, Vogue.in teamed up with Lancome Head Makeup Artist, Stafford Braganza who broke it down to five easy steps - easy as pie!

Step 1: After prepping your eye with concealer and a dust of translucent powder, trace your upper lash line with a black eyeliner pencil. With a flat brush smudge the color for a softer look. We love the Lancome Le Crayon Khol for its soft texture and ease of use.

Step 2: Go over your waterline with the black eyeliner so your eyes look defined. A gel eyeliner works best for all day wear.

Step 3: With a fluffy blending brush, apply a black eye shadow along the outer half of your eye blending into your eye socket. Start off with a very little amount of color on the outer corner of your eye moving inwards along your crease, so the density of color reduces half way in. Remember not to pull it all the way into the inner corner or you risk creating a circle around your eye.

Step 4: Using your clean finger gently tap a pink satin or shimmer shadow onto your eyelid. Blend it into the black shadow along moving upwards and outwards.

Step 5 : Finish off with a healthy coating of mascara for long lush lashes. Vogue.in recommends the Lancome Virtuose Black Carat Mascara for dramatic lashes that pair very well with a smokey eye look.