M A I N   N E W S

Bush sworn in President

WASHINGTON, Jan 20 (UNI) — George Walker Bush strode up the imposing Capitol Hill this afternoon to become the 43rd President of the USA, marking a formal end to the bitter and the close elections the nation witnessed in the last 100 years.

Ironically, the Supreme Court Chief Justice William Rehnquist, one of the five judges who ruled against the resumption of hand counts in Florida paving the way for the election of Mr Bush as the next President, administered the oath of office during the 30-minute ceremony held at the western end of the Capitol Hill, the nation’s Parliament.

After the ceremony was over, President Bush moved to greet his father and former President, Mr George Bush Sr., embraced him and kissed his mother Barbara Bush. It was an emotional moment for the family when Mr Bush Sr. was seen wiping his tears.

Outgoing president Bill Clinton and Vice-President Al Gore also greeted the new President, walking up to him after he had taken the oath.

The ceremony, including a brief address to the nation by President Bush, was watched among others by former President Jimmy Carter, Congressmen, Governors, diplomats and thousands of people from all over the USA.

Earlier, Mr Dick Cheney was administered the oath of office as Vice-President.

In his 11-minute address from behind a bullet proof enclosure, Mr Bush spoke of implementing his election promises, including improving the education system, reforming the medicare and social security programmes, reducing taxes and preparing a nuclear defence shield.

He also pledged to stand by the allies of America.

Immediately after the ceremony, outgoing President Clinton took leave of President Bush and left for New York.

Rumour leads to tension in Ludhiana
From Jupinderjit Singh
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Jan 20 — A curfew-like situation prevailed in the city, particularly in the old interior areas, following a rumour that another shootout had taken place near CMC hospital causing the death of a man late in the evening.

Shopkeepers immediately pulled down the shutters and markets soon wore a deserted look. Within no time, the rumour spread in the entire city and panic gripped residents. The rumour emanated from Khudd Mohalla, where it was said certain persons had attacked some houses in retaliation against an altercation during the bandh yesterday. One person was injured.

The rumour was that the man had died in a local hospital and his supporters, belonging to a particular community, had attacked the alleged assailants. However, it proved to be a rumour only as neither any person had died nor was there any attack on any of the houses.

The police soon rushed to the site and policemen were deployed on several sensitive spots in the city. Senior police officials, including SSP Kuldip Singh, also reached the area.

Talking to mediapersons, he said no one knew what had actually happened and everybody seemed to follow each other in closing down their shops and running helter skelter. He said the panic was compounded as the power supply went off at the same time.

The panic was so strong in the busy Chaura Bazaar area that people went inside the Gurdwara Akalgarh Sahib for safety and security fearing that a riot might have broken out. It was after a few hours they came out of the gurdwara.