Manmohan Singh disappoints critics with minimalist Indian cabinet reshuffle



NEW DELHI // The Indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh, reshuffled his cabinet for the second time in seven months to deflect criticism that his government is corrupt and his leadership weakening.

But this time, as in January, Dr Singh's promised shake-up proved to be minimal - an anticlimax, considering that he met Sonia Gandhi, the head of the ruling Congress Party, as many as four times over the past week to discuss changes to his government.

The frequency of those meetings was seen as evidence that the prime minister was fighting for what he had said would be "expansive" changes to his cabinet.

Chintamani Mahapatra, a political science professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi, said: "People were expecting that, in the light of a series of corruption charges against ministers, Dr Singh would do some housecleaning/ This wasn't reflected in the reshuffle at all, and the message will go around now that he continues to be guided firmly by Sonia Gandhi rather than by his own ideas."

Ms Gandhi would have wanted to reshuffle ministers according to the needs of coalition politics, Mr Mahapatra suggested, while Dr Singh would have wanted to press for changes based simply on good governance.

Shahnawaz Hussain, a spokesman for the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, said in a statement: "The reshuffle clearly shows that the government does not care about popular sentiment. People expected significant changes this time."

The four biggest government portfolios - dealing with finance, home affairs, external affairs and defence - will continue to be held by their incumbent ministers. A host of ministers of state - junior ministers - were named to various ministries.

The most prominent change was the elevation of Jairam Ramesh to the rank of cabinet minister. Mr Ramesh, who had been the tough-talking environmental minister, has now been put in charge of the rural development ministry which gives him a position in the cabinet.

This new assignment is being seen as a reward for Mr Ramesh's work in enforcing environmental controls on industry and in implementing projects such as the massive effort to clean the polluted Ganges river.

The rural development ministry, which is at the heart of the government's flagship rural employment guarantee scheme, is seen as a critical post because of the massive voter base in rural India.

Dr Singh's sole political statement in this reshuffle came in his refusal to name anybody from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), a south Indian party that is a coalition ally of the Congress, to a ministerial post.

Two ministers from the DMK have had to resign during the past nine months for their involvement in a telecommunications corruption scandal that is under investigation. One of those former ministers, A Raja, is in prison awaiting trial, while the other former minister, Dayanidhi Maran, resigned last week.

The telecommunications scam has been foremost among the corruption controversies that have emerged from Dr Singh's two-year-old government. A report from India's auditor-general has estimated that the scam cost the government nearly Dh139 billion in revenue.

"So not giving the DMK a ministerial berth is maybe the most significant aspect of this reshuffle," Mr Mahapatra said. "The prime minister is hinting that he can get on perfectly well without the DMK's support, and really, the DMK now is so weak that it has no option but to continue to be on board in the coalition. Otherwise they'll even more marginalised. They'll be nowhere in the picture."

Nayanthara: Beyond The Fairy Tale

Starring: Nayanthara, Vignesh Shivan, Radhika Sarathkumar, Nagarjuna Akkineni

Director: Amith Krishnan

Rating: 3.5/5

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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode

Directors: Raj & DK

Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon

Rating: 4/5

Griselda
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A little about CVRL

Founded in 1985 by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, the Central Veterinary Research Laboratory (CVRL) is a government diagnostic centre that provides testing and research facilities to the UAE and neighbouring countries.

One of its main goals is to provide permanent treatment solutions for veterinary related diseases. 

The taxidermy centre was established 12 years ago and is headed by Dr Ulrich Wernery. 

The specs

Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)

Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Rating: 4/5
The biog:

From: Wimbledon, London, UK

Education: Medical doctor

Hobbies: Travelling, meeting new people and cultures 

Favourite animals: All of them 

A new relationship with the old country

Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates

The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:

ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.

ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.

ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.

ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.

DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.

Signed

Geoffrey Arthur  Sheikh Zayed

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Electoral College Victory

Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

What is the definition of an SME?

SMEs in the UAE are defined by the number of employees, annual turnover and sector. For example, a “small company” in the services industry has six to 50 employees with a turnover of more than Dh2 million up to Dh20m, while in the manufacturing industry the requirements are 10 to 100 employees with a turnover of more than Dh3m up to Dh50m, according to Dubai SME, an agency of the Department of Economic Development.

A “medium-sized company” can either have staff of 51 to 200 employees or 101 to 250 employees, and a turnover less than or equal to Dh200m or Dh250m, again depending on whether the business is in the trading, manufacturing or services sectors. 

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Business Insights
  • As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses. 
  • SMEs with revenue below Dh3 million per annum can opt for transitional relief until 2026, treating them as having no taxable income. 
  • Larger entities have specific provisions for asset and liability movements, business restructuring, and handling foreign permanent establishments.