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UPA declares portfolios, Sibal gets Human Resources,
Moily
Law and Justice New
Delhi: Portfolios of the council of ministers of the UPA Government were declared
on Thursday evening with Kapil Sibal getting the Human Resource ministry and Veerappa
Moily getting the Law and Justice ministry. The arrangement of portfolios in Dr.
Manmohan Singh-led UPA Government gives Congress leader Kapil Sibal ( the Ministry
of Human Resource), Veerapa Moily (Law and Justice), Ambika Soni (Information
and Broadcasting), Murli Deora (Petroleum), Jaipal Reddy (Urban Develoment), Meira
Kumar (Water Resources), Salman Khurshid (Minority Affairs), Virbhadra Singh (Steel),
and Vilasrao Deshmukh (Heavy Industries and Pubic Enterprises). Ghulam Nabi Azad
(Family Welfare and Health), Farooq Abdullah (New and Renewable Energy), Anand
Sharma (Commerce and Industry), C.P.Joshi (Rural Development and Panchayati Raj),
Pawan Bansal (Parliamentary Affairs), Kamal Nath (Surface Transport and Highways),
Dayanidhi Maran (Textiles Industries), and Sri Prakash Jaiswal (Coal, Independent
Charge). M.S. Gill (Youth and Sports), Praful Patel (Civil Aviation), Jairam Ramesh
(Environment), M.Kharage (Labour and Employment), Vayalar Ravi (Overseas Affairs),
G.K.Vasan (Shipping), and A.Raja (Communication and IT). Shashi Tharoor (Mos External
Affairs), Sachin Pilot (MoS Commmunication and Information Technology and Telecom),
Jyotriraditya Scindia (Mos Commerce and Information Technology), M. K. Azhagiri
(Chemicals and Fertilisers), Prithvi Raj Chauhan (Independent Charge, and MoS,
Science and Technology). Jitin Prasad (Mos for Petroleum Ministry), Ajay Maken
(MoS Home Affairs), E.Ahmed (Mos Railways), and Agatha Sangma (Mos, Rural Development).
The ministerial meet is scheduled for May 30. Council
of Ministers represents experience, youthful energy: PM: Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh on Thursday said that his Council of Ministers represented experience as
well as youthful energy and talent. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh expanded
his week-old Government by inducting 59 more ministers, who took oath of office
and secrecy at the Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Talking to mediapersons
after the new Ministers were sworn-in at the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the Prime Minister
said his government's strategy would be economic growth with fiscal prudence.
Dr. Singh, however, refused to elaborate on it, saying that the strategy would
be revealed in the President's Address to the Joint Session of Parliament and
in the Budget speech of the Finance Minister. To a query about the reasons behind
the delay in formation of full Council of Ministers, Dr. Singh said that a lot
of consultations were to be held before finalising the names, as he wanted to
have a thorough examination of the available talent and experience so that the
Ministry represented youthful energy and experience. 59
new ministers inducted into Union Cabinet: President Pratibha Patil administered
oath of office to 14 Cabinet ministers, seven Ministers of State (Mos) with Independent
charge and 38 (MOS) on Thursday. The grand swearing-in ceremony, which started
around 11:30 a.m., took place in the Ashoka Hall of Rashtrapati Bhavan. Virbhadra
Singh, Vilasrao Deshmukh, Farooq Abdullah, Dayanidhi Maran, A Raja, Mallikarjun
Kharge, Kumari Selja, Subodh Kant Sahay, Dr. M S Gill, GK Vasan, Pawan Kumar Bansal,
Mukul Wasnik, Kantilal Bhuria and MK Azhagiri, took oath as Cabinet ministers.
Praful Patel, Prithviraj Chavan, Sriprakash Jaiswal, Salman Khursheed, Dinsha
Patel, Jairam Ramesh, Krishna Tirath were sworn in as MoS with Independent charge.
E Ahamed, V Narayanasamy, Srikant Jena, Mullappally Ramachandran, D Purandeswari,
Panabaka Lakshmi, Ajay Maken, KH Muniyappa, Namo Narain Meena, Jyotiraditya Scindia,
Jitin Prasada, A Sai Prathap, Gurudas Kamat, MM Pallam Raju, Mahadev Khandela,
Harish Rawat, KV Thomas, Saugata Ray, Dinesh Trivedi, Shishir Adhikari, Sultan
Ahmed, Mukul Roy, Mohan Jatua, SS Palanimanickam, D Napoleon, S Jagathrakshakan,
S Gandhiselvan, Preneet Kaur, Sachin Pilot, Shashi Tharoor, Bharatsinh Solanki,
Tusharbhai Chaudhary, Arun Yadav, Prateek Prakash Patil, RPN Singh, Vincent Pala,
Pradeep Jain and Agatha Sangma took oath as MoS. In the first round of swearing-in
on Friday, only 19 ministers were inducted along with the Prime Minister. Portfolios
have been allocated to only six ministers. The first session of the newly constituted
Lok Sabha is expected to begin on June 2, and is likely to continue till June
10. Timothy Roemer
to be new US Ambassador to India Top London:
President Barack Obama has nominated distinguished scholar and former Democratic
Congressman Timothy Roemer of Indiana to be America's new Ambassador to India.
Roemer served on the blue-ribbon commission investigating the Sepetmber 11, 2001
terror attacks on the United States and on a key committee to prevent nuclear
proliferation. He endorsed Obama during his primary campaign and was a strong
advocate of Obama's foreign policy approach. The White House also announced a
raft of top diplomats in capitals from Tokyo to Paris. The group fills many of
the highest profile jobs in the Foreign Service and will be crucial representatives
of Mr Obama and his State Department with US allies. Obama appointed Louis Susman,
a retired vice chairman of Citigroup Corporate and Investment Banking as British
envoy. The White House also announced it plans to nominate Miguel H. Diaz, an
associate professor of theology at the College of Saint Benedict and Saint John's
University in Collegeville , Minnesota , for the top job at the Vatican , The
Telegraph reported. To other capitals, Obama planned to nominate Charles Rivkin,
an outside homeland security adviser, to France. He named John Roos, Internet
and biotechnology lawyer, as the United States ' top diplomat to Japan. Obama
also named Patricia Butenis, a career diplomat who has previously been posted
in Baghdad, Pakistan and New Delhi , as ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
Announcing nominations to several
key administration posts on May 27, the President said: "I am grateful that these
distinguished Americans have agreed to help represent the United States and strengthen
our partnerships abroad at this critical time for our nation and the world. I
am confident they will advance American diplomacy as we work to meet the challenges
of the 21st century. I look forward to working with them in the years and months
ahead," according to a statement issued by the US Embassy in New Delhi. It said
Roemer is President of the Center for National Policy (CNP) in Washington, D.C.
Before joining the CNP, he represented the 3rd District of Indiana for six terms
as a U.S. Congressman, from 1991 to 2003. Congressman Roemer served as a member
of the 9/11 Commission, as well as the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons
of Mass Destruction, Proliferation and Terrorism. He currently serves on the Washington
Institute for Near East Policy's Presidential Task Force on Combating the Ideology
of Radical Extremism, and the National Parks Second Century Commission. As a distinguished
scholar at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, Congressman Roemer
works with Members of Congress and staff to improve public policy outcomes by
teaching on the legislative branch and policy analysis. Congressman Roemer holds
a B.A. from the University of California, San Diego and a M.A. and PhD. from the
University of Notre Dame. In
quest for supremacy, IAF inducts AWACS Top New
Delhi: The Indian Air Force's eye in the sky, AWACS (Airborne Warning and
Control System) platform fitted on IL-76 aircraft, was formally inducted by Defence
Minister AK Antony today. The IAF has raised a new squadron of AWACS, which will
be called 'Squadron 50'. Two more AWACS will be inducted in the squadron by the
end of the next year. The planes will especially be used to reinforce maritime
security in the wake of 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. India is one of the few countries
to have inducted the AWACS in their air forces. Antony described the induction
of AWACS as a milestone, and added that it would help to improve the country's
security apparatus. IAF chief Air Chief Marshal Fali H Major said: "AWACS will
enable the Air Force to project itself as a formidable force. Integration of this
sophisticated platform with our Air Defence Network will add a new dimension to
the IAF's capability to guard the Indian skies." "AWACS will be a dynamic asset
in the air, which can be mobilised in a quick time to counter an emerging threat
and tilt the balance in India 's favour. It will provide defence in depth and
enable the friendly forces to neutralise the adversary before it can pose a serious
danger," he added. The first of three Indian Air Force AWACS arrived in Jamnagar
, Gujarat on May 25. It took off from Israel 's Ben-Gurion Airport on Sunday,
first for Ovda in the southern Israeli coastal town of Eilat . At night, it flew
from Eilat to Jamnagar , reaching India on Monday. The Israeli-built system is
mounted on a Russian-built IL-76 transport aircraft as a part of the tripartite
agreement between India , Israel and Russia . The AWACS are slated to operate
from the Agra airbase under the Central Air Command. India 's most potent force
multiplier, AWACS, is capable of tracking down incoming missiles. The all weather
system is capable of engaging 60 targets simultaneously and has a range of 400
km. It has a radar that can help detect cruise missiles or aircrafts at ranges
much beyond the capabilities of present systems. It can also collate information
about troop movements and missile launches on ground and even intercept highly
secured communication networks of the enemy. The IAF AWACS would help pilots find
hitherto unconceivable space and room for tactical manoeuvres in the air under
controlled directions that would give them an edge over their adversaries at all
times. AWACS, a potent force-multiplier, would significantly enhance the effectiveness
of both offensive and defensive operations. The swift mobility that it provides
would help neutralise any threat, as it could be moved anywhere at a very short
notice. Relief
materials airdropped in cyclone-hit areas of West Bengal Top Barrckpore
Air Base (Kolkata): Helicopters of the Indian Air Force (IAF) carried out
relief operation sorties in the cyclone hit areas of North 24 Parganas and South
24 Parganas districts in West Bengal. The IAF helicopters dropped relief materials
in the areas like Hingalganj, Sandeshkhali of North 24 Parganas district and in
Basanti, Gosaba of South 24 Parganas district which is quite close to the India-Bangladesh
border. "We are planning to drop close to 20 tons of load which includes bread,
chira (beaten rice) and water for the people who are marooned in the North 24
Parganas and South 24 Parganas districts," said Wing Commander Tapan Srivastava
of Air Force Station, Barrackpore. Meanwhile, Railways Minister Mamata Banerjee
said that she would urge the Central Government to provide more help. "This is
not a time of politics, but I believe this is a time to help the people. I will
ask the Central Government to give more relief," said Banerjee. Cyclone Aila that
originated over the Bay of Bengal on Monday caused havoc in many parts of West
Bengal and Bangladesh . The resultant thunderstorm, tidal waves and flooding forced
half a million people to abandon their homes in Medinipur, Sundarbans (located
in South 24 Parganas), North 24 Parganas and Hooghly districts. Millions of people
in India and Bangladesh who have been temporarily displaced are in desperate need
of water, food and adequate shelter after the cyclone hit the region. It is estimated
that cyclone Aila killed at least 210 people and injured over 6,400 in India and
Bangladesh . While hundreds of thousands of residents were evacuated to cyclone
shelters, schools, colleges and other buildings, the high winds and floods destroyed
hundreds of thousands of homes, ravaged crops, killed livestock and damaged roads
and bridges. According to the Bangladesh Government, almost four million people
have been affected by the cyclone Aila, with at least 100 dead and hundreds more
still missing. While in West Bengal , authorities say that nearly 2.3 million
people have been affected. Curfew
lifted in trouble-torn areas of Punjab Top Chandigarh:
Following improvement in the situation in areas hit by violence, day curfew
was lifted in Jalandhar, Phagwara, Hoshiarpur, Malout and Ludhiana in Punjab.
Punjab had witnessed large-scale violence and arson after followers of Sikh religious
sect Dera Sachkhand Ballan took to the streets on Sunday night in protest against
the attack on their leaders in a Vienna Gurudwara. After three days of trouble
in the region shops and other commercial establishments were reopenend as the
day-time curfew was lifted. Curfew has been relaxed till six pm. Train and bus
services have been restored in the state. However, educational institutions remained
closed in the disturbed areas. While para-military forces have been sent back
to the barracks, state police continue to patrol sensitive areas in Jalandhar
district, which was worst-hit by the violence. Twenty three people have been arrested
across the state for indulging in arson. Danny
Boyle in India to help homeless child artistes Top
of 'Slumdog Millionaire' Mumbai:
Once under fire for not doing enough for its impoverished Indian child stars,
the makers of Oscar winning movie 'Slumdog Millionaire' said that they had bought
a flat for one of them whose shanty unfortunately was demolished in Mumbai recently.
This was disclosed by Danny Boyle, director of the movie while interacting with
media persons here on Wednesday. Earlier, Boyle along with producer Christian
Colson flew into Mumbai after pictures of Azharuddin Ismail and Rubina Ali picking
through the debris of their demolished homes, which the civic authorities had
termed as illegal, were splashed by the media. Smiling and hugging the children,
Boyle said a home had been bought for Azharuddin Ismail (9), who played the character
of Salim as a child in the movie. Further, he mentioned that very soon, they would
also buy one for Rubina Ali, who played the role of young Latika. Boyle blamed
the media for raising the expectations of families by sensationalising their joys
and sorrows. He also noted that they were given access to a world, an extraordinary
and glamorous world, and they understandably want their lives to be completely
transformed. "It's obviously a concern. We have been trying for a long time to
move them into legal accommodation. Both initially rented and eventually bought
by the Trust and held by the Trust so that they are perfectly safe for long term
accommodation, " said Boyle. Boyle and Colson disclosed about the setting up of
Jai Ho Trust, named after the film's award-winning song. This Trust, they said
is meant to pay for the education and basic living expenses of Ismail and Ali
until they turn 18. In February, consequent to the success of the movie, the government
of Maharashtra had announced that it would allot the two child artistes, suitable
apartments. However, Rafik Qureshi, father of Rubina Ali said that till date,
both the families have not heard from the concerned authorities. "The government
providing us house is a secondary thing. Firstly, it is 'Slumdog Millionaire'
team responsibility to get us houses as children have done so much hard work in
the film. They are still living in slums only. It has been six months now that
we haven't got any house to live," said Qureshi. Boyle said he was hastening with
the Jai Ho Trust to find a place for Ali before the onset of monsoon, which the
meteorologists say would be around June 10. A functionary for the Trust said the
apartment for Ismail was 'comfortable, in a good neighbourhood and near his school
and cost over two million rupees. Boyle and Colson last month also donated 500,000
pounds to a non-profit organisation to support a programme for children in a slum
in central Mumbai, where the major part of the film was shot.
CBSE class X results on Friday Top New
Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Examination (CBSE) will declare the
results of class X for Delhi, Allahabad and Guwahati regions on Friday. The Central
Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on Thursday said the results would be declared
at 10:00 a.m. The board had already announced the results of Ajmer, Chennai and
Panchkula regions on Tuesday. The results will be put up on the website www.cbse.nic.in
and www.cbse.results.nic.in. The schools can also get results by giving their
school code and email-id by registering themselves. Students can get their results
on their e-mail address by registering themselves on the web sites: www.results.nic.in.
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