One thing we really need to thank the internet for: colorized historical photographs. Of course, the phenomenon comes to us courtesy of Photoshop and the talented editors who transformed black and white images into digital works of art. We're just happy we get to feast our eyes upon them.

Thanks to a Reddit user named Brinkman87, we have a plethora of polychromatic snapshots that bring history back to life. Behold, 15 of the best colorized photos on the web:

Bollywood's reigning queen, Deepika Padukone completes six glorious years in the film industry. The actress' debut film 'Om Shanti Om' released this very day.

The model-turned-actress featured in dual roles -Shantipriya, a leading actress of the 1970s, and later as Sandy, an aspiring actress in Farah Khan's 'Om Shanti Om', opposite Shah Rukh Khan.

Farah Khan took to twitter to post about the anniversary of 'Om Shanti Om', "Thanx 4 reminding me that 2day is 9th nov..OSO released ths date 2007..@iamsrk @deepikapadukone ..how time flies!," she posted.

Her performance garnered immense praise with critics terming her 'a talented whiff of fresh air'.

Her next release, 'Bachna Ae Haseeno' (2008) saw her play Ranbir Kapoor's ladylove. And once again the film went on to become a huge commercial success.

Another of Deepika's notable performances is the strong-headed career woman in Imtiaz Ali's 'Love Aaj Kal' opposite Saif Ali Khan.

'Cocktail' in 2012 saw Deepika play the impulsive party girl, Veronica. Not only did she sizzle on screen, but her performance earned her Best Actress nominations at several award ceremonies, including Filmfare, Screen, and IIFA.

For Ayan Mukherjee's 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani', Deepika once again effortlessly transformed herself to play Naina Talwar, 'the wallflower'. The film that also starred former boyfriend Ranbir Kapoor received great reviews and took the Box office by storm.

Her last release, romantic action comedy, 'Chennai Express' had Deepika play a South Indian girl and she nailed it, even the accent. The Shah Rukh starrer was a rage and ultimately declared a blockbuster.

Deepika's next release, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Ram Leela' with rumoured boyfriend Ranveer Singh has already created much hype and fans are eagerly waiting to see the beauty on the silver screen once more.

Dharamsala-based model Vijay Singh couldn't believe his luck when he won Mallika Sherawat's hand on the quirky dating reality TV show "The Bachelorette - Mere Khayalon Ki Mallika". He is confident they are made for each other and feels their small town connect will help them in their journey.

He beat the other finalist Karan Sagoo, an NRI restaurant owner from London, on the Life OK show's finale Friday night.


Sounding completely zapped, Vijay said after the triumph: "I can't believe I've been chosen by Mallika! Back home in Himachal Pradesh, I used to watch every film of hers. I especially liked her in 'Murder'. She's my favourite."

"The Bachelorette India - Mere Khayalon Ki Mallika", based on the internationally popular format of "The Bachelor", focused on finding a match for Mallika from among 30 contestants, who came from different parts of the country and abroad.

At the show's beginning itself, the actress had clarified that she was only looking for a companion via the show and that she was not promising to settle down with the man she chooses finally.

But for Vijay, 24, winning the show and the actress' heart was "like a dream".

"The other finalist Karan Sagoo also stood a very good chance of winning. But when Mallika gave me the rose, I was in a state of complete disbelief," he said.

Of course the marriage has not taken place as yet and therein lies the catch.

To that, he said: "We've got to know each other as much as we could on the show. Now it's time to take the relationship beyond the show. And for that we need time. We need to get to know one another. I'm pretty confident Mallika and I are made for one another."

Shyly and in chaste Hindi, the small town boy said: "Mallika and I are similar in many ways. She is frank, caring and very transparent about her likes and dislikes. So am I. We both come from small towns. She is from Rohtak in Haryana. I am from Himachal. We both arrived in Mumbai with our dreams. Like her, I too hope to make something of my life."

Recalling his early days in Mumbai, Vijay said: "I came to Mumbai on Aug 18, 2012. I participated in the Gladrags (model hunt) contest 2013. I can't believe I am standing here looking at the prospect of becoming one of India's most desirable woman's life partner."

"When I was chosen, I was in a state of disbelief. When I became one of the two finalists, I was even more surprised. Now having won Mallika's hand, I feel I am in a dream," he said.


Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/vijay-singh-ready-to-wed-mallika-family-says-hes-too-young/1/322361.html

Possibly the strongest typhoon ever to hit land devastated the central Philippine city of Tacloban, killing at least 100 people, turning houses into rubble and levelling the airport in a surge of flood water and high wind, officials said on Saturday. The toll of death and damage from

Typhoon Haiyan on Friday is expected to rise sharply as rescue workers and soldiers reach areas cut off by the massive, fast-moving storm, now barreling out of the Philippines towards Vietnam.
The category 5 “super typhoon” weakened to a category 4 on Saturday, though forecasters said it could strengthen again over the South China Sea on its course to hit Vietnam early on Sunday.

Authorities in 15 provinces in Vietnam have started to call back boats and prepare for possible landslides. Nearly 300,000 people were moved to safer areas in two provinces alone – Da Nang and Quang Nam - according to the government's website.

The Philippines has yet to resume communications with officials in Tacloban, a city of about 220,000 that appeared to suffer the worst of the typhoon, but a government official estimated at least 100 were killed and 100 wounded.

“Bodies are lying on the street,” said Captain John Andrews, deputy director general of the Civil Aviation Authority.

The national disaster agency has yet to confirm the toll but broken power poles, trees, bent tin roofs and splintered houses littered the streets of the city, suggesting the toll could be higher.

Television images showed residents of Tacloban, about 580 km (360 miles) southeast of Manila, wading through flooded streets that were littered half-submerged cars.

Congress leader Sajjan Kumar today sought to declare as "illegal" the probe and chargesheets filed by the CBI in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case against him. This comes days after the Gauhati High Court said that the Central Bureau of Investigation or CBI is 'unconstitutional' and does not have powers to investigate crimes.

Mr Kumar's counsel mentioned the Gauhati High Court's judgement today and said if the CBI itself is unconstitutional, its probe and chargesheets are also illegal.

The judge, however, said the effect of this judgement is not clear at this stage as it is too early and asked the counsel to proceed with the case.

The court also asked the defence counsel to advance his arguments on the two applications filed by Mr Kumar and other accused in the case.

The court gave November 15 as the next day of hearing.

The court had earlier framed various charges including murder and rioting against Mr Kumar, Brahmanand Gupta, Peru, Khushal Singh and Ved Prakash in connection with killing of a man in Sultanpuri area in the riots that had occurred after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984. One of the accused, Khushal Singh, has died.

The CBI had earlier said that though the chargesheet pertains to killing of six people, it was only restricting to the charge relating to murder of Surjit Singh and not of other deceased in respect of whom the trial had already taken place.

The court is yet to fix a date for beginning the trial by recording statements of prosecution witnesses.

Mr Kumar and three other accused had moved an application seeking removal of CBI's nine witnesses in the case claiming they were "irrelevant".

The plea was opposed by senior advocate H S Phoolka, appearing for the victims', saying that the nine witnesses were very important and leaving them out will be miscarriage of justice.

In the other application, the accused had also sought summoning of judicial records of two riot cases of Sultanpuri area which were decided in 2002 and 2003 as some of the witnesses of this case had also deposed during those trials.

Mr Kumar was not an accused in both the cases which had resulted in acquittal of others.

In July 2010, the trial court had framed charges of murder and rioting against the accused in connection with the case of killing of Surjit Singh in Delhi's Sultanpuri area.

Pacer Mohammad Shami gave an awesome exhibition of reverse swing to cap a dream debut with five second innings wickets as India inflicted an innings defeat on a hapless West Indies inside three days in the first Test to mark a fabulous start to the Sachin Tendulkar farewell series on Friday.

Scorecard

Shami followed up his 4-71 performance in the first innings with a 5-47 show in the second to claim an enviable match haul of 9-118 -- the best ever by an Indian pacer on debut.

Shami's performance propelled India to an innings and 51-run victory in the first Test at the iconic Eden Gardens. Offie Ravichandran Ashwin followed up his exploits with the bat (124) with admirable figures of 3-46.

Needing 219 runs to escape the ignominy of an innings upset, the West Indies collapsed like a pack of cards in the final session -- 98 minutes into the post tea session -- to be bundled out for 168. Veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul (31 not out; 101 b, 2x4) put up a gritty resistance, but in the end ran out of partners.

In the morning, Ashwin struck his second Test ton (124) and extended his seventh wicket stand with Rohit Sharma (177) to a staggering 280 to enable the hosts finish at a mammoth 453. The visitors had notched up 234 in their first innings.

Beginning their second knock in the post-lunch session, the West Indies raised the promise of a fightback by reaching 101/1, courtesy a 68-run second wicket stand between Darren Bravo (37; 78 b, 4X4) and Kieran Powell (36; 83 b, 5x4), but Ashwin began the Caribbean demolition by foxing Powell with a flighted delivery that hit the batsman on the pad plumb in front of the stumps.

Shami - after a listless effort in his first spell - returned with a vengeance close to tea, and saw the back of Marlon Samuels (4) with one that reversed and got him leg before.

In the second over after tea, Bravo tried to cut Ashwin, who had pitched outside the off stump, and the ball dipped into the hands of a diving Rohit Sharma at point. The West Indies were then 120/4.

Shami then jagged one back after pitching on a length just outside the off stump, inducing an inside edge from Windies wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin (1), which was lapped up by his Indian counterpart.

With half the side gone, Chanderpaul (23) and skipper Darren Sammy (8) tried to put up resistance briefly, but they crumbled in Shami's 11th over - the 49th of the innings.

The Bengal pacer again pitched on a length outside the off stump, and got the ball to reverse, uprooting Sammy's middle stump.

Two deliveries later, Shane Shillingfored got a similar ball which unsettled the off stump by breaking through the gate.

There was a further tragedy for the Caribbeans after the next delivery. Shami again extracted reverse swing, and Veerasammy Permaul (0) was struck on the pads. As the Indian fielders appealed, Permaul took a few steps out of the crease, but the alert Dhoni was quick to throw down the stumps to get a run out decision.

Florida Georgia Line was experiencing the power of a song at the Country Music Association Awards on Wednesday night, taking two early trophies thanks to the overwhelming popularity of "Cruise."

With their mothers in attendance, the duo of Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley scored single and vocal duo of the year. Their quick tally was more proof the so-called bro country movement is the sound of the moment in mainstream country. FGL kicked off the show performing a fist-pumping medley with Luke Bryan, and very quickly returned to the stage to take the trophy for single of the year for their "Cruise" remix featuring Nelly. They also played the new song "Round Here."

Meanwhile, Kacey Musgraves — who, along with Taylor Swift, led all nominees with six — won the new artist trophy, besting a field including Florida Georgia Line.

"This first year for me has just been undescribable," said Musgraves.

Hosts Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley got the show going on a jovial note as they took the stage with their opening skit, first joking about feuds in music. They got Bryan and Zac Brown to hug it out after their mild feud over song trends in Nashville. They joked about Juliette Hough's misguided blackface Halloween costume, urging Darius Rucker to start his own feud with the singer. They skewered Obamacare to a Nashville audience that roared with approval.

Then, they brought out the guys from the hit show "Duck Dynasty" and parodied Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines," with Willie Robertson doing a little twerk for Underwood.

Swift tied Florida Georgia Line with two trophies after her "Highway Don't Care" collaboration with Tim McGraw and Keith Urban won musical event and music video of the year before the show began. Lee Brice's "I'd Drive Your Truck," about a fallen soldier whose father still drives his truck, won song of the year.