Natwar not included in revamped CWC
New Delhi, January 6
Congress President Sonia Gandhi today chose to make minor and necessary changes instead of going in for a major overhaul of the party organisation when she reconstituted the Congress Working Committee and the AICC secretariat today.

Cabinet cuts food subsidy
New Delhi, January 6
The UPA government today decided to cut the food subsidy by Rs 4,524 crore by reducing the quantity of wheat and rice issued through the PDS and Antodaya Anna Yojana, evoking a strong protest from the Left parties, which are propping up the Manmohan Singh government from outside.

Ordinance on minority quota approved
New Delhi, January 6
The Cabinet today decided to empower the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions to identify those minority institutions, which would be outside the purview of the reservation of SC/SCs and OBCs in educational institutions.

RSS never interferes in BJP’s affairs: Rajnath
New Delhi, January 6
Seeking to bring back the party on its ideological path, new BJP President Rajnath Singh today disagreed with his predecessor Mr L.K. Advani’s contention on public perception about RSS “interference” in party affairs even as he called for a nation-wide debate on core Hindutva issues, including Article 370 and the Uniform Civil Code.

Opinions page: BJP: present tense, future uncertain

No regrets on remark on Jinnah: Advani
New Delhi, January 6
Former BJP President L. K. Advani has “no regrets” for his statement on Mohammad Ali Jinnah in Pakistan and feels that his party missed a golden opportunity.

Appointment of Punjab minister’s son quashed
Chandigarh, January 6
The appointment of Punjab Excise and Taxation Minister Sardul Singh’s son, Mr Tejinder Pal Singh, as Inspector in the Punjab Police on compassionate grounds was today set aside by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Sports page: Doing an encore won’t be easy, says Dravid Sachin Tendulkar plays a shot as team-mate Mahendra Singh Dhoni looks on during a practice session at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on Friday. — AFP

IG’s name in graft case shocks Haryana cops
Chandigarh, January 6
Shock waves ran through the Haryana Police today as the news came about the naming of an Inspector General in a corruption case.

Decision on French ship’s entry after January 20
New Delhi, January 6
The Supreme Court Monitoring Committee on Hazardous Waste, which met in Mumbai today, restrained the French warship Clemenceau from entering within the 200-km exclusive economic zone of India till January 20 after the company assigned the task of decontaminating and scrapping decommissioned French aircraft carrier Clemenceau, Technopure, deposed before it.

Rice endorses India’s quest for nuclear energy
Washington, January 6
In a strong endorsement of India's quest to acquire technology and equipment to generate atomic power, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said that it will have to have civilian nuclear energy and not be dependent on countries posing concerns.

India, Pak to start Thar Express from February 1 New Delhi, January 6 India and Pakistan today decided to commence the Khokhrapar-Munabao train service, christened “Thar Express” from February 1. The decision was taken at the end of the two-day technical-level talks between the two sides on the rail link. The decision was taken at the end of the two-day technical-level talks between the two sides on the rail link.