Amid media reports that Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar was in Delhi and had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Amit Shah, speculation gained ground that a Cabinet reshuffle might be held on Sunday.

President Pranab Mukherjee will go to Bhutan on a state visit on Friday and will return on Saturday evening. So far, he has no official engagement on Sunday.

In his brief interactions with the media on two-three occasions, the Goa chief minister did not deny suggestions that he was being tipped to be the defence minister. I cannot comment. Let the prime minister, who has invited me, comment, he said when asked about the media speculation after his meeting with Shah.

However, after his meeting with Modi, he told reporters they only discussed Goa issues and there was no talk on his induction in the Union Cabinet. We have not discussed anything about that. So, as of now the issue is dead, he said.

As Parrikar is neither a member of the Lok Sabha nor the Rajya Sabha, he will have to seek a by-election. The BJP will have to find a replacement for him in Goa, where the party is heading a government. Deputy Chief Minister Francis DSouza could be a replacement, which will be a record of sorts for the party.

Others who hold dual charge are Prakash Javadekar (environment and information & broadcasting) and Ravi Shankar Prasad (law and communications and information technology). Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also has a clutch of portfolios, including minister of state for finance, though she has an independent charge despite being a first-time minister.

Rajasthan has only a nominal presence in the Cabinet and new victories in Haryana and Maharashtra will require representation from these two states as well. In anticipation of the Bihar elections in 2015 and Jharkhand and Delhi, there is a possibility these states could send representatives to the Cabinet as well.

Link:
Parrikar meets Modi, Shah amid reshuffle talks

Florida voters granted Gov. Rick Scott another four years in office Tuesday night and he will serve alongside an all-Republican Cabinet, a GOP majority in the state Senate and a super-majority in the House.

That should make it very easy for Scott to carry out his policy goals, as long as it doesnt run counter to the priorities of legislative leaders who have no problems squabbling behind closed doors with the states chief executive.

Scott cannot run for re-election in 2018 because of term limits. That means, for better or worse, Floridians can expect him to follow his own heart on policies and positions without as much consideration as to how voters perceive him.

The governor will make public his plans for 2015-16 when he unveils his budget proposal in January.

No one has a crystal ball, but here are 10 things to look for during Scotts second term.

Focus on jobs: Expect more cold calls and letters from Scott to companies based in Democratic-controlled states as he did throughout his first term. And expect angry rebuttals from those governors as a result. Expect him to continue supporting the elimination of regulations he believes stifle business growth. Expect the governor to compare Florida to Texas often, especially when it comes to job growth statistics. I will not let up; we will become No. 1, Scott said on election night.

More tax cuts: Speaking of jobs, Scott believes that cutting taxes and fees for Florida businesses and individuals fuels economic growth. On the campaign trail, he said he would propose $1 billion in tax and fee cuts during his second term. Some of that will be a heavy lift such as his desire to introduce a constitutional amendment that would limit property tax increases but others could be more palatable to the Legislature now that members have at least two years until the next election.

No tuition increases: Gov. Rick Scott doesnt believe that Florida students attending public universities and state colleges should pay any more in tuition than they already do. He helped convince the Legislature to remove provisions in the state budget that allowed for automatic tuition increases in certain cases. He has great influence on the makeup of universities boards of trustees and the state Board of Governors. As a result, dont expect tuition increases for state universities to get any love, although Florida State University and University of Florida have some special flexibility. Although all schools have more control over the fees that students pay for some services, sizeable increases in that area also will be frowned upon.

No easier restoration of rights: Under Gov. Charlie Crist, felons who had completed the terms of their sentences saw a streamlined process that made it easier to get their rights restored, allowing them to vote and serve on juries. Shortly after Scott took office, he and the Cabinet reversed Crists policy and established a minimum five-year waiting period for ex-convicts to apply to have their rights restored. Not only was Scott re-elected, but the Cabinet was, too, so expect no changes here.

More conservatives on the bench: State law requires four Florida Supreme Court justices to retire in the coming years, including several considered among the most liberal on the seven-member bench. Justice James Perry must retire in 2017, which means Scott will pick his replacement. The other three could hold off until the final days of Scotts term, and that could pave the way for joint appointments by him and his successor. Meanwhile, Scott will appoint dozens of people to judicial vacancies in county, circuit and appellate courts across the state during his second term.

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10 things to expect in Gov. Rick Scott's second term

Norman Baker has launched a fresh attack on Theresa May, saying he resigned as a Home Office minister after facing a constant battle to introduce policies in the face of a Tory lurch to the right in pursuit of Ukip voters.

Nick Clegg was making plans to replace him with a woman. The deputy prime minister has faced intense criticism for failing to appoint any women to one of the Lib Dems five cabinet posts. Bakers replacement will have the title of minister of state one rung below a cabinet minister.

The preparations for the mini-reshuffle came after Baker resigned. He had likened his experience working under the home secretary to walking through mud. The former minister expanded his attack on May on Tuesday morning as he accused her of failing to allow him to develop policies.

Baker told the BBC News channel: The home secretary was reluctant to let me have my head and it was a constant battle to try to get things through. That is unfortunate not just for the Home Office but actually for the government.

The former minister dismissed criticism from Damian Green, who was sacked as a Home Office minister in the Tory summer reshuffle, that he had acted as a Lib Dem home secretary on a par with May.

Baker said: We are in a coalition government and therefore it was right that I took an interest in matters right across the department which is no different to how I behaved in the Department for Transport.

But he said that his battle was complicated by the Tories lurch to the right in response to the Ukip threat.

I have done it for a year, it is very hard work, the Home Office is probably at the cutting edge of the coalition, he said. It is where most policy issues are difficult, whether it is Europe or immigration. It has not been helped by the lurch to the right from the Conservative party as they chase Ukip off to the fringes.

Baker said there was no point in hanging on to office. We dont always have to cling to office as ministers. If we think there is a time to go, there is a time to go. I want a break. I want to spend more time with my family, more time in my constituency, more time doing stuff I want to do, like my music.

The Lib Dem president, Tim Farron, accused the home secretary of insulting the electorate by acting as if the Conservatives had won an overall majority at the last election in her high-handed treatment of Baker.

More here:
Norman Baker describes constant battle with Theresa May

When Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently extended a Rs 8,000-crore (Rs 80 billion) central support for building roads in Jammu & Kashmir, Union Cabinet's approval for the big-ticket announcement came in barely 48 hours.

Unlike in the past, the proposal did not get stuck in the corridors of the Planning Commission, a Nehruvian-era body.

The Commission, which occupied the centre stage in all critical economic and social decisions until a few months ago, is now but a shadow of its former glorious self.

Its office, an imposing five-storied structure opposite Parliament House, earlier teemed with people engaged in one or the other meeting, especially in the run-up to annual Budget preparations.

Not anymore; that seems to be a story of the past, as hectic activity has given way to an eerie sense of uncertainty.

During its heyday in the 1960s and '70s, even the location where a public-sector undertaking should come up was decided by the Commission. But, today, the pivotal role it was known to play in shaping the country's development trajectory is conspicuously missing from the scheme of things.

The Planning Commission's importance gradually reduced over the years as India moved from a Soviet-style controlled economy to a more market-driven one. But the body still wielded considerable clout, particularly on important decisions of the Cabinet or Groups of Ministers.

Though all major policy decisions are referred to the Commission even today, its opinion is no longer paramount. In fact, even as a new body to replace the Planning Commission takes shape, the wings of the old one are being gradually clipped.

Its diminishing role is also evident in the fact that a mid-term appraisal (MTA) - a course correction of sorts that in normal circumstances is completed by the third year of a Plan period - is yet to be done for the 12th Five-Year Plan (2012-13 to 2016-17).

"We are ready with our sectoral assessment for MTA. But, as of October, there has been no signal from the government on whether or not it wants to carry out the process," said a senior Planning Commission official who did not wish to be named.

Excerpt from:
Battered Planning Commission loses more of its teeth

By Pattrick Smellie

Oct. 6 (BusinessDesk) - The biggest winner in todays new Cabinet line-up from Prime Minister John Key is Simon Bridges, who moves from 18th to ninth in the rankings and picks up the politically important transport portfolio from Gerry Brownlee.

Returning to the environment portfolio, previously held by Amy Adams, is Nick Smith, signalling a softening in the governments intended reforms to the Resource Management Act, while Adams picks up the justice portfolio ranking from Judith Collins, who resigned during the election campaign.

Collins has no way back to the Cabinet until after an inquiry into the actions that led to her departure two weeks out from the Sept. 20 election.

Paula Bennett, tipped as a potential replacement to Prime Minister John Key, moves from ninth to fifth ranking, ceding her social development portfolio to Anne Tolley, whose previous police and corrections portfolios are divided between Michael Woodhouse and Peseta Sam Lotu-Iga, who was promoted into Cabinet.

Bennett also becomes Associate Minister of Tourism, effectively making her under-study to Key, who retains primary responsibility for tourism.

Two new threads of focus are the way portfolios relating to housing and the security and intelligence services.

Finance Minister Bill English will become Minister in charge of Housing New Zealand, while Bennett will take the new social housing portfolio, and Smith will be Minister of Housing. This triumvirate will become responsible for major reforms already under way to make state housing provision more efficient and competitive, with greater provision by non-profit social housing organisations.

Also in their sights will be ongoing progress to improve the availability of urban land for housing to ease house price pressures.

Bridges retains the energy and resources portfolio and becomes deputy leader of the House, supporting Brownlee, who keeps his third-place ranking in the Cabinet, retaining responsibility for recovery from the Canterbury earthquakes and picks up the defence portfolio.

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Bridges biggest winner in new Cabinet

Pressure is growing on Theresa May to find replacement for Fiona Woolf The former chairman of the child sex abuse inquiry resigned on Friday Baroness Kennedy and Lady Justice Hallett were previously approached Two women were on 'long list' before Woolf was appointedbut declined They had been rumoured as her possible successors but now search is on Esther Rantzen has declined while Michael Mansfield would 'consider' post

By Tom McTague, Deputy Political Editor for MailOnline and Claire Carter for MailOnline

Published: 04:51 EST, 2 November 2014 | Updated: 11:48 EST, 2 November 2014

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The Governments beleaguered inquiry into historic child abuse could be ordered to start work without a chairman following Fiona Woolfs dramatic resignation last week, William Hague said today.

Mrs Woolf stood down on Friday after victims unanimously attacked her appointment over her links to the Tory peer Leon Brittan, who is accused of failing to act on a dossier of child abuse allegations as Home Secretary in the 1980s.

Her resignation came after the first choice to head up the inquiry, Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, quit the role in July because he late brother Michael Havers was Attorney General in Margaret Thatchers government.

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Child abuse inquiry may begin WITHOUT a replacement for Fiona Woolf

When Jim Murphy announced that he was standing for the Scottish Labour leadership, and was swiftly installed as the favourite, it was clear that he would have to resign from the shadow cabinet. That is what he has done today, tellingPienaar's Politics: "I want to dedicate myself full-time to changing Scotland and changing the Scottish Labour Party.

"It's difficult to do that and to serve in the shadow cabinet, and therefore after talking to Ed Miliband over the past couple of days I've decided to stand down from the shadow cabinet."

It is doubtful that he leaves with much sadness. After being demoted from shadow defence secretary to shadow international development secretary in the last reshuffle, following his criticism of Miliband's stance on Syria, and being excluded from the election strategy group,he felt that his talents were being under-used.

Attention will now move to Murphy's likely replacement. One possibility suggested to me by several Labour sources isforMargaret Curran, the current shadow Scottish secretary, to fill Murphy's place with Glasgow Central MP Anas Sarwar, who resigned as Scottish Labour deputy leader earlier this week, taking her brief. But such a move would not impress development NGOs, who I'm told are angered by Miliband's use of the post as a consolation prize. They are feeling increasingly neglected by the Labour leader, who rarely mentions development issues and who has made few foreign trips.

If he wants to assuage their concerns, Miliband could promote the current shadow international development ministerAlison McGovern, who is well liked by the sector and is one of the most impressive of the 2010 intake. The promotion of McGovern would also put Miliband closer to achieving his ambition for women to hold 50 per cent of posts in his shadow cabinet (which, as I revealed over the summer, he is keen to meet before the end of the parliament). Another possible candidate mentioned by several sources isLuciana Berger,who has impressed since being shadow public health minister in 2013.

Read more:
Former Scottish Labour deputy leader Anas Sarwar is expected to join Miliband's team.

First came what the tabloids referred to as W-jinin, the resignations of two female Cabinet members Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi and Justice Minister Midori Matsushima on the same day.

The W in this case conveys two nuances: the first being double, and the second as the initial letter in the word women.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abes placid composure and quick response in nominating Yoichi Miyazawa as Obuchis replacement won him a temporary respite from media critics. But within three days Kyodo News discovered that, buried in Miyazawas political fund report for 2010, was an entry dated Sept. 6 for an outlay of 18,230 to Mazan, a bar that features sadomasochistic sex shows in Hiroshimas Naka Ward.

Miyazawa himself appears blameless, telling reporters he had never even heard of the place. While the public seems inclined to take him at his word, that hasnt kept the media from nicknaming him the SM METI Minister (METI being the acronym for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry).

The blogosphere was nevertheless determined to have fun with the latest revelation. One wag described the bar expenditure as having been for the purpose of SM seiji katsudo, coining a pun by substituting the kanji for seiji in seiji katsudo (political activities) with the kanji for seiji (sexual) to create sexual activities.

Yukan Fuji (Oct. 25) reported that Mazan has been in business for over 10 years and has, up to now, managed to stay out of the headlines.

Its a cozy place combining cubicles and a counter, that seats about 16, one of the bars regular patrons tells the tabloid, adding that two or three female performers typically make use of candles and whips in their S&M shows.

The shows, performed twice each evening, last 15 and 30 minutes. At some events, participation by up to three customers is permitted.

Customers arent allowed to touch the girls, and no nudity is involved, the patron says. Male customers are billed 4,000 for all they can drink, and females 2,000. The 18,230 receipt issued to Miyazawas office is likely to have covered several customers.

It appears that a staff member of Miyazawas office in his 40s accompanied four other people, a local news reporter tells Shukan Shincho (Nov. 6). SM establishments have long been famous for exercising discretion. For that reason, they are favored by academics, politicians, company owners and the like. As they are specialized places, what goes on inside doesnt get leaked out into the social mainstream.

Read more:
Media whips up fuss over S&M bar claim

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) - ??Here is a list of road projects around the Heartland scheduled for Sunday, November 2.

Butler County, MO

Route 72 in Bollinger County will be reduced to one lane as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform shoulders repairs. This section of roadway is located from Old Route 72 to Route B.

Existing lanes of Route 67 from CR 323 to Route 160/158 will be signed as Route C. The north end of Route C (existing Route 67) will remain closed for about two months as work is completed at the intersection of Route 67, Route C, and CR 323.

Cape Girardeau County, MO

Route AA will be closed while crews replace a pipe under the road. This section of road is located between County Road 422 and County Road 266. Weather permitting, crews will be working on Tuesday, Nov. 4 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Route AA in Cape Girardeau County will be closed as Missouri Department of Transportation crews replace a pipe under the roadway.This section of roadway is located between Oak Street and West Daisy Street.Weather permitting, work will take place Monday, Nov. 3 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The City of Jackson's annual Asphalt Street and Sidewalk Improvement Program is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 16, weather permitting. The schedule includes:

Starting at 8 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 29, contracted concrete slab repair and replacement will begin on Silver Springs Road between Independence Street and Bloomfield Road in Cape Girardeau. The work will cause lane closures. The expected project completion time is about four weeks.

MoDOT plans to replace the bridge on Route 61 over Hughes Creek - two miles from Route CC. Construction is set to begin in 2015.

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Heartland road projects for 11/2

First came what the tabloids referred to as W-jinin, the resignations of two female Cabinet members Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yuko Obuchi and Justice Minister Midori Matsushima on the same day.

The W in this case conveys two nuances: the first being double, and the second as the initial letter in the word women.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abes placid composure and quick response in nominating Yoichi Miyazawa as Obuchis replacement won him a temporary respite from media critics. But within three days Kyodo News discovered that, buried in Miyazawas political fund report for 2010, was an entry dated Sept. 6 for an outlay of 18,230 to Mazan, a bar that features sadomasochistic sex shows in Hiroshimas Naka Ward.

Miyazawa himself appears blameless, telling reporters he had never even heard of the place. While the public seems inclined to take him at his word, that hasnt kept the media from nicknaming him the SM METI Minister (METI being the acronym for the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry).

The blogosphere was nevertheless determined to have fun with the latest revelation. One wag described the bar expenditure as having been for the purpose of SM seiji katsudo, coining a pun by substituting the kanji for seiji in seiji katsudo (political activities) with the kanji for seiji (sexual) to create sexual activities.

Yukan Fuji (Oct. 25) reported that Mazan has been in business for over 10 years and has, up to now, managed to stay out of the headlines.

Its a cozy place combining cubicles and a counter, that seats about 16, one of the bars regular patrons tells the tabloid, adding that two or three female performers typically make use of candles and whips in their S&M shows.

The shows, performed twice each evening, last 15 and 30 minutes. At some events, participation by up to three customers is permitted.

Customers arent allowed to touch the girls, and no nudity is involved, the patron says. Male customers are billed 4,000 for all they can drink, and females 2,000. The 18,230 receipt issued to Miyazawas office is likely to have covered several customers.

It appears that a staff member of Miyazawas office in his 40s accompanied four other people, a local news reporter tells Shukan Shincho (Nov. 6). SM establishments have long been famous for exercising discretion. For that reason, they are favored by academics, politicians, company owners and the like. As they are specialized places, what goes on inside doesnt get leaked out into the social mainstream.

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