Pakistan caretaker Cabinet takes oath
A 14-member caretaker Cabinet was sworn in here Tuesday President Asif Ali Zardari administered the oath to the ministers in a simple ceremony at the Presidency Caretaker Prime Minister Mir Hazar Khan Khoso was present on the occasion.

Indian to become first S Asian circuit court judge in US
Washington, April 2 
Described by US President Barack Obama as a "trailblazer", Indian-American Srikanth Sri Srinivasan has moved closer to become the first South Asian circuit court judge in the history of the United States.

Washington, April 2
Amid raging tension in the Korean peninsula, the US is moving some of its key military assets, including a warship and a sea-based radar platform, closer to the North Korean coast to monitor Pyongyang's military moves.

The decision to move destroyer USS John S McCain and the oil rig-like SBX-1 are the first of what may be other naval deployments, according to the CNN.

"I would urge everyone to disconnect this ship deployment from recent military exercises in South Korea We have regular ship movements in the Asia Pacific region and we use our ship movements for any number of purposes So I'd be very careful about connecting this to recent tensions on the Korean peninsula," Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told CNN.

The moves comes following a joint military exercise with South Korea, which included over flights by nuclear-capable B- 2 stealth bombers, and B-52s and F-22 Raptor stealth fighters.

"We are concerned about any miscalculation It is our goal very clearly to avoid miscalculation and risk We want to choose the path of peace and stability on the peninsula The North Koreans recently have engaged in a series of provocations, both in words and in actions," he said.

"It is time for them to come into compliance with their international obligations and to choose the path of peace," he said, adding the US has not seen any kind of troop movements on the North Korean side that would indicate imminent military action.

"So we think that things may be dialling down just a bit on the Korean peninsula At least we hope so Naturally we're prepared for any contingency," he said.

Meanwhile, South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se is scheduled to meet his American counterpart John Kerry here today, during which the two leaders are expected to discuss the threat perception and security situation in the region

"The Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea will be here Secretary Kerry will have a chance to consult with him There'll also be a joint press availability after that meeting," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said— PTI.

Lahore/Karachi, April 2
Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chief Bilawal Bhutto Zardari today returned to the country after spending over a week in Dubai but will not lead the party's campaign for the May 11 general election, one of his close aides said.

"Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will be very much a part of the campaign but he will not head the campaign In fact, the PPP never had tasked him to spearhead the election campaign," Hasham Riaz, Bilawal's chief of staff, said.

The 24-year-old chief of the PPP had left Pakistan for Dubai last month after a tiff with his father President Asif Ali Zardari and his aunt Faryal Talpur over the affairs of the party.

Zardari subsequently travelled to Dubai on March 30 amidst reports that the trip was aimed at persuading Bilawal to return to the country Zardari and his son flew into Karachi early this morning.

Riaz said Bilawal will attend a rally to be held at Garhi Khuda Baksh in Sindh province on April 4 to mark the death anniversary of his grandfather, former President Zulifqar Ali Bhutto.

The PPP plans to formally launch its election campaign at this rally organised in the traditional stronghold of the Bhutto family.

Bilawal will also address some public meetings during the election campaign, Riaz said. — PTI

Washington, April 2 
Described by US President Barack Obama as a "trailblazer", Indian-American Srikanth Sri Srinivasan has moved closer to become the first South Asian circuit court judge in the history of the United States.

A year after he was nominated by Obama on the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, the Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday announced its decision to hold his confirmation hearing on April 10, which was immediately welcomed by the White House.

Srinivasan (46) born in India and raised in Lawrence, Kansas, is currently serving as the Principal Deputy Solicitor General of the US.

"Sri (Srinivasan) is of course also a highly respected appellate advocate who has spent a distinguished career litigating before the US Supreme Court and the US Court of Appeals, both in private practice and on behalf of the United States for both Democratic and Republican administrations," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters.

"He has argued before the Supreme Court 24 times, drafted briefs and several dozen additional cases, and has also served as lead counsel in numerous cases before the federal and state appellate courts," Carney said yesterday. — PTI