Builders of Obama's Health Website Saw Red Flags

Crammed into conference rooms with pizza for dinner, some programmers building the Obama administration's showcase health insurance website were growing increasingly stressed. Some worked past 10 p.m., energy drinks in hand. Others rewrote computer code over and over to meet what they considered last-minute requests for changes from the government or other contractors.

As questions mount over the website's failure, insider interviews and a review of technical specifications by The Associated Press found a mind-numbingly complex system put together by harried programmers who pushed out a final product that congressional investigators said was tested by the government and not private developers with more expertise.

Project developers who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity — because they feared they would otherwise be fired — said they raised doubts among themselves whether the website could be ready in time. They complained openly to each other about what they considered tight and unrealistic deadlines. One was nearly brought to tears over the stress of finishing on time, one developer said. Website builders saw red flags for months.

A review of internal architectural diagrams obtained by the AP revealed the system's complexity. Insurance applicants have a host of personal information verified, including income and immigration status. The system connects to other federal computer networks, including ones at the Social Security Administration, IRS, Veterans Administration, Office of Personnel Management and the Peace Corps.

President Barack Obama on Monday acknowledged technical problems that he described as "kinks in the system." He also promised a "tech surge" by leading technology talent to repair the painfully slow and often unresponsive website that has frustrated Americans trying to enroll online for insurance plans at the center of Obama's health care law.

But in remarks at a Rose Garden event, Obama offered no explanation for the failure except to note that high traffic to the website caused some of the slowdowns. He said it had been visited nearly 20 million times — fewer monthly visits so far than many commercial websites, such as PayPal, AOL, Wikipedia or Pinterest.

"The problem has been that the website that's supposed to make it easy to apply for and purchase the insurance is not working the way it should for everybody," Obama said. "There's no sugarcoating it. The website has been too slow. People have been getting stuck during the application process. And I think it's fair to say that nobody is more frustrated by that than I am."

The online system was envisioned as a simple way for people without health insurance to comparison-shop among competing plans offered in their state, pick their preferred level of coverage and cost and sign up. For many, it's not worked out that way so far.

Just weeks before the launch of HealthCare.gov on Oct. 1, one programmer said, colleagues huddled in conference rooms trying to patch "bugs," or deficiencies in computer code. Unresolved problems led to visitors experiencing cryptic error messages or enduring long waits trying to sign up.

Congressional investigators have concluded that the government's Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, not private software developers, tested the exchange's computer systems during the final weeks. That task, known as integration testing, is usually handled by software companies because it ferrets out problems before the public sees the final product.

The government spent at least $394 million in contracts to build the federal health care exchange and the data hub. Those contracts included major awards to Virginia-based CGI Federal Inc., Maryland-based Quality Software Services Inc. and Booz Allen Hamilton Inc.

CGI Federal said in a statement Monday it was working with the government and other contractors "around the clock" to improve the system, which it called "complex, ambitious and unprecedented."

The schematics from late 2012 show how officials designated a "data services hub" — a traffic cop for managing information — in lieu of a design that would have allowed state exchanges to connect directly to government servers when verifying an applicant's information. On Sunday, the Health and Human Services Department said the data hub was working but not meeting public expectations: "We are committed to doing better."

Administration officials so far have refused to say how many people actually have managed to enroll in insurance during the three weeks since the new marketplaces became available. Without enrollment numbers, it's impossible to know whether the program is on track to reach projections from the Congressional Budget Office that 7 million people would gain coverage during the first year the exchanges were available.

Instead, officials have selectively cited figures that put the insurance exchanges in a positive light. They say more than 19 million people have logged on to the federal website and nearly 500,000 have filled out applications for insurance through both the federal and state-run sites.

The flood of computer problems since the website went online has been deeply embarrassing for the White House. The snags have called into question whether the administration is capable of implementing the complex policy and why senior administration officials — including the president — appear to have been unaware of the scope of the problems when the exchange sites opened.

Even as the president spoke at the Rose Garden, more problems were coming to light. The administration acknowledged that a planned upgrade to the website had been postponed indefinitely and that online Spanish-language signups would remain unavailable, despite a promise to Hispanic groups that the capability would start this week. And the government tweaked the website's home page so visitors can now view phone numbers to apply the old-fashioned way or window-shop for insurance rates without registering first.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee was expected to conduct an oversight hearing Thursday, probably without Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius testifying. She could testify on Capitol Hill on the subject as early as next week.

Uninsured Americans have until about mid-February to sign up for coverage if they are to meet the law's requirement that they be insured by the end of March. If they don't, they will face a penalty.

On Monday, the White House advised people frustrated by the online tangle that they can enroll by calling 1-800-318-2596 in a process that should take 25 minutes for an individual or 45 minutes for a family. Assistance is also available in communities from helpers who can be found at LocalHelp.HealthCare.gov.

GOP, Boehner take shutdown hit in new CNN poll

Washington -- Just more than half the public says that it's bad for the country that the GOP controls the House of Representatives, according to a new national poll conducted after the end of the partial government shutdown.

And the CNN/ORC International survey also indicates that more than six in 10 Americans say that Speaker of the House John Boehner should be replaced.

The poll was conducted Friday through Sunday, just after the end of the 16-day partial federal government shutdown that was caused in part by a push by House conservatives to try and dismantle the health care law, which is President Barack Obama's signature domestic achievement.

According to the survey, 54% say it's a bad thing that the GOP controls the House, up 11 points from last December, soon after the 2012 elections when the Republicans kept control of the chamber. Only 38% say it's a good thing the GOP controls the House, a 13-point dive from the end of last year.

This is the first time since the Republicans won back control of the House in the 2010 elections that a majority say their control of the chamber is bad for the country.

Majority want Boehner out

"We fought the good fight. We just didn't win," Boehner said at the end of the shutdown. And while he received a standing ovation at a closed gathering of House Republicans as the crisis came to a close, he may not see anything to applaud in the new poll.

"John Boehner fares just as badly as the GOP," CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said. "Sixty-three percent of all Americans think that Boehner should be replaced as Speaker of the House, a view shared by roughly half of all Republicans."

Fleischer: Shutdown deal is a 15-yard punt

According to the poll, only 30% of the public says Boehner, who became Speaker in January 2011, should continue in that role.

Congress near historic lows

The survey indicates that the approval rating for Congress remains near an all-time low. Only 12% of those questioned say they approve of the job Congress is doing, just two points higher than the historic low in CNN polling. And 86% give federal lawmakers a thumbs-down, also near the all-time high.

Forty-four percent say they approve of the job the President is doing with 52% saying they disapprove.

Four things we learned from government shutdown

"Barack Obama's numbers are pretty anemic, but he remains in much better shape than the GOP," Holland said. "Even though Obama's approval rating remains stuck in the mid-40s, it didn't take a hit during the shutdown -- 44% just before the shutdown began; 44% now."

According to the survey, 44% also say they have more confidence in Obama rather than the GOP in Congress to deal with the major issues facing the country today, a 5-point drop from last year; 31% say they have more confidence in congressional Republicans, unchanged from last December.

Obama wants new approach after shutdown

"The biggest change on that question is the 21% who volunteer that they don't have confidence in either side -- a remarkably high number that is roughly double its usual level," Holland said.

 What's next for the GOP

Majority favor health care law or say it doesn't go far enough

Even though they lost this round, conservatives vow to continue their fight to dismantle Obamacare. And they point to major troubles with the rollout of the website where Americans without insurance can enroll in the new health care exchanges.

The president is expected to address the law, and the glitches, at an event Monday at the White House.

According to the poll, just more than four in 10 say they favor the law, with 56% opposed to it.

But of those opposed, 38% say they are against the law because they think it's too liberal and 12% say it's not liberal enough. That means that 53% either support Obamacare, or say it's not liberal enough.

The health care numbers are little changed from late last month, just before the start of the shutdown.

Congressional fight over Obamacare turns to website woes

The poll was conducted for CNN by ORC International, with 841 adults nationwide questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Obama Defends U.S. Engagement in the Middle East

UNITED NATIONS — President Obama on Tuesday laid down a retooled blueprint for America’s role in the strife-torn Middle East, declaring that the United States would use all of its levers of power, including military force, to defend its interests, even as it accepted limits on its ability to influence events in Syria, Iran and other countries.

In a wide-ranging speech to the General Assembly that played off rapid-fire diplomatic developments but also sought to define what he called a “hard-earned humility” about American engagement after 12 years of war, Mr. Obama insisted that the United States still played an “exceptional” role on the world stage. Turning inward, he said, “would create a vacuum of leadership that no other nation is ready to fill.”

Mr. Obama embraced a diplomatic opening to Iran, saying he had instructed Secretary of State John Kerry to begin high-level negotiations on its nuclear program. He called on the Security Council to pass a resolution that would impose consequences on Syria if it failed to turn over its chemicals weapons.

And he delivered a pitch for peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, talks that have restarted at the prodding of Mr. Kerry.

Hours later, Iran’s newly elected president, Hassan Rouhani, echoed the call for diplomacy, telling the General Assembly that “we can arrive at a framework to manage our differences.” But Mr. Rouhani said Iran would insist on its right to enrich uranium, and he warned Mr. Obama to resist influence from “warmongering pressure groups.”

Mr. Rouhani, who had mounted an aggressive charm offensive in the weeks before arriving in New York, also declined a chance to shake hands with Mr. Obama — avoiding a much-anticipated encounter that would have bridged more than three decades of estrangement between the leaders of Iran and the United States.

In their speeches, both leaders balanced their ideals as statesmen with their imperatives as politicians. But for Mr. Rouhani, a handshake may have proved too provocative for hard-line constituencies back home. At the end of a day of drama and dashed expectations at the United Nations, the spotlight swung back to the grinding work of diplomacy that awaits both nations.

In the morning, it was a somewhat diminished American leader who faced a skeptical audience of world leaders here. After first threatening, then backing off, a military strike against Syria, and now suddenly confronting a diplomatic opening with Iran, Mr. Obama has employed a foreign policy that has at times seemed improvisational and, in the view of many critics, irresolute.

The president acknowledged as much, saying his zigzag course on military strikes had unnerved some allies and vindicated the cynicism of many in the Middle East about American motives in the region. But he said the bigger threat would be if America withdrew altogether.

“The danger for the world is that the United States, after a decade of war, rightly concerned about issues back home, and aware of the hostility that our engagement in the region has engendered throughout the Muslim world, may disengage,” Mr. Obama said. “I believe that would be a mistake.”

Despite a war-weary public and its declining reliance on Middle Eastern oil, the United States would continue to be an active player in the region, Mr. Obama insisted, defending its interests; advocating for democratic principles; working to resolve sectarian conflicts in countries like Iraq, Syria and Bahrain; and, if necessary, intervening militarily with other countries to head off humanitarian tragedies.

“We will be engaged in the region for the long haul,” Mr. Obama said in the 40-minute address. “For the hard work of forging freedom and democracy is the task of a generation.”

For a president who has sought to refocus American foreign policy on Asia, it was a significant concession that the Middle East is likely to remain a major preoccupation for the rest of his term, if not that of his successor. Mr. Obama mentioned Asia only once, as an exemplar of the kind of economic development that has eluded the Arab world.

Much of Mr. Obama’s focus was on the sudden, even disorienting flurry of diplomatic developments that began after he pulled back from the brink of ordering a strike on Syria last month. He said Iran’s overtures could provide a foundation for an agreement on its nuclear program, but he warned that “conciliatory words will have to be matched by actions that are transparent and verifiable.”

Referring to the moderate statements of Mr. Rouhani, and an exchange of letters with him, Mr. Obama sounded a cautiously optimistic tone about diplomacy. “The roadblocks may prove to be too great,” he added, “but I firmly believe the diplomatic path must be tested.”

Similarly, Mr. Obama pushed negotiations at the Security Council on a Russian plan to transfer and eventually destroy President Bashar al-Assad’s chemical weapons. But he faulted Russian and Iran for their support of Mr. Assad, saying it would further radicalize Syria. And he claimed it was only the American threat of military action against Syria that had set in motion these diplomatic efforts.

“Without a credible military threat, the Security Council had demonstrated no inclination to act at all,” the president said. “If we cannot agree even on this, then it will show that the U.N. is incapable of enforcing the most basic of international laws.”

The president spoke immediately after Brazil’s president, Dilma Rousseff, delivered a blistering denunciation of the United States over reports that the National Security Agency monitored e-mails, text messages and other electronic communications between Ms. Rousseff and her aides. Last week, Ms. Rousseff canceled a state visit to Washington to signal her displeasure with the N.S.A. surveillance, the most significant diplomatic fallout from revelations that have also strained relations with other allies, like Mexico and Germany.

Mr. Obama took note of these grievances, saying the United States was rethinking its surveillance activities as part of a broader recalculation that included restricting the use of drones, and transferring prisoners out of the military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, and ultimately shutting it down. His words echoed a speech he delivered last spring on the need for the United States to get off “perpetual war footing.”

“Just as we reviewed how we deploy our extraordinary military capabilities in a way that lives up to our ideals,” the president said, “we have begun to review the way that we gather intelligence, so as to properly balance the legitimate security concerns of our citizens and allies, with the privacy concerns that all people share.”

Mr. Obama reaffirmed his support for another perennial American project: bringing Israelis and Palestinians together. With talks starting again between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and the Palestinian Authority leader, Mahmoud Abbas, Mr. Obama appealed for support.

“The time is now ripe for the entire international community to get behind the pursuit of peace,” he said. “Already, Israeli and Palestinian leaders have demonstrated a willingness to take significant political risks.”

Mr. Obama also sent a warning to Egypt’s military-backed government that it would lose American support if it continued to crack down on civil society. His message was viewed positively by the Egyptian state news media, despite the criticism, because they claimed he credited the government with taking steps toward democracy.

“We will continue support in areas like education that benefit the Egyptian people,” he said. “But we have not proceeded with the delivery of certain military systems, and our support will depend upon Egypt’s progress in pursuing a democratic path.”

For all his caveats, Mr. Obama left no doubt that the United States would use its political, economic and, if necessary, military power in the Middle East. Acknowledging that his position on Syria had prompted uneasiness in the region, he insisted that the United States would still act to protect its interests.

The president also issued a fervent call for countries to intervene when necessary — as the United States did in Libya, but conspicuously did not do in Syria.

“Sovereignty cannot be a shield for tyrants to commit wanton murder, or an excuse for the international community to turn a blind eye to slaughter,” he said.

WH goes all-out to win Syria strike support ahead of Tuesday speech

Following President Obama's return from Europe, the White House is making an all-out effort to win Americans' support for a military strike against Syria ahead of Congress' return from its August recess and the president's scheduled Oval Office speech on Tuesday, even as the president faces opposition within his own party.

White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough will begin the full court press by appearing on the Sunday morning talk shows to continue to make the president's case that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ordered a chemical-weapon attack last month that killed more than 1,400 of his own people and that the United States must take punitive action.

The major public push comes ahead of the Senate vote as early as this upcoming week. The President has watched as members of his own party have balked at his call for a strike, with the latest being moderate Democratic senator Mark Pryor of Arkansas.  

Pryor released a statement on Saturday saying the administration has not demonstrated that getting involved in Syria is in the country's national interest.

"I cannot support military action against Syria at this time," Pryor said.

The president hasn't won over liberal activist groups, either. The Associated Press reported late Saturday that MoveOn.org has spent "in the mid-five figures" to air a TV commercial urging Congress to oppose airstrikes against Syria. The 30-second ad, titled "Not Again," says the U.S. didn't set out to spend eight years at war in Iraq and a decade in Afghanistan and predicts the same thing will happen if Congress approves Obama's desired military action in Syria.

The commercial concludes by telling Congress, "Don't lead us down this road again." Viewers are given a telephone number and urged to call Congress to voice opposition. MoveOn says the ad will air this week on MSNBC, with a heavier rotation around Obama's planned address to the nation Tuesday night.

MoveOn was one of Obama's biggest campaign supporters, but Anna Galland, its executive director, told AP Saturday that the organization is following the will of its members. During a recent 24-hour vote, more than 70 percent of MoveOn's members came out against military strikes, she said. 

Galland said the group "will stand closely" with Obama on other issues, such as the implementation of his health care law. But on Syria, "we had a very clear mandate from our members to go out strongly on this," she said. "This is a big moment."

Obama said Aug. 31 that he had decided the U.S. should act but also said he wanted congressional support, which has already resulted in numerous classified briefings at the White House and on Capitol Hill and Secretary of State John Kerry testifying publicly at two congressional hearings earlier this week.

A senior administration official told reporters this weekend the push to win public support will also include National Security Adviser Susan Rice making a speech at the New America Foundation on Monday. The speech will take place the same day another classified briefing is scheduled for the House, the chamber in which Democratic and Republican congressional members appear most skeptical of a strike, despite large support from Capitol Hill leadership.

Also on Saturday, the White House announced the president will do a round to interviews Monday afternoon with CNN, Fox, PBS and the three major networks that will be taped, then aired on their evening news broadcasts.

And a DVD related to last month's chemical weapon attack -- which was shown Thursday to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in a classified briefing -- was circulating publicly Saturday. A source tells Fox News parts of the videos can be found on YouTube and that the CIA compiled the images and put them on the DVD. The videos were purportedly shot by pro-opposition forces in Syria. The Washington Post reported Saturday that the CIA had authenticated 13 of the videos. 

With the exception of France, no other countries have supported the U.S.' plan for a military strike.

But this weekend, the European Union agreed the Aug. 21 chemical weapon attack outside Damascus appears to have been the work of the Assad regime but also said any potential military attack against it should wait for a U.N. inspectors' report.

After meeting with Secretary of State John Kerry, the EU ministers ended days of division on the issue at the G-20 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia, with a common statement Saturday that the available intelligence "seems to indicate strong evidence that the Syrian regime is responsible for the attack," EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said.

Germany joined in blaming the attack on the Syrian government. It had been the only European member of the G-20 not to co-sign the statement.

The statement calls for a strong international response against Assad's regime but stops short of explicitly calling for military action against the Syrian government.

On Friday, French President Francois Hollande qualified his country's support, saying the country would wait for the U.N. report before deciding to intervene militarily.

Meanwhile, McDonough, Kerry and Vice President Joe Biden continue to call members of Congress. And McDonough is taking to the House Democratic Caucus on Tuesday morning, before Obama’s statement, the administration official told reporters returning from the G-20 summit.

The official also said the list of countries that signed the EU agreement shows broad international support for the U.S. even if the countries don’t participate operationally and that the statement includes everything the White House wanted.

White House confident on winning Hill support on Syria but scrambling to get votes

The Obama administration, bolstered by evidence the Syrian government used lethal sarin gas on its own people, expressed confidence Sunday that Congress would back President Obama’s decision for a military strike on the Middle East country. 

However, the president and his inner circle worked furiously over the weekend to win congressional support, appearing on Sunday shows, holding classified briefings and making calls to Capitol Hill leaders.

A senior administration officials told Fox News that the president, Vice President Joe Biden and Chief of Staff Denis McDonough made phone calls on Sunday to senators and House members urging them to vote in favor of the authorization of military force in Syria.

The official called the lobbying effort a "flood the zone" strategy, in an apparent acknowledgement of just how hard winning Capitol Hill approval will be.

The effort was preceded by Secretary of State John Kerry blanketing the Sunday shows and administration official proceeding with a round of weekend briefings, as Capitol Hill lawmakers said Obama may not have the votes right now.

“I would say if the vote were today, it would probably be a no vote,” New York Rep. Peter King, a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, told “Fox News Sunday.”

The comment underscored the risk Obama took in deciding over the weekend to seek approval from Congress, a step King argues he didn't need to take.

Kerry told “Fox News Sunday” that he couldn’t imagine Congress would “turn its back” on Israel or other U.S. allies in the region and on the Syrians slaughtered in the Aug. 21 chemical weapon attack, allegedly ordered by President Bashar al-Assad.

“I can't contemplate that Congress would turn its back on all of that responsibility,” Kerry said. “I don’t believe Congress will do that.”

Kerry’s comments and the White House blitz were the latest in a series of dramatic turn of events since the chemical weapon attack two weeks ago outside Damascus that killed more than 1,400 people including hundreds of women and children.

The White House official confirms on Sunday the president called Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain over the weekend to invite him to the White House on Monday, the same day Obama will hold another conference call with House members.

"In all calls and briefings, we will be making the same fundamental case: the failure to take action against Assad unravels the deterrent impact of the international norm against chemical weapons use, and it risks emboldening Assad and his key allies – Hezbollah and Iran – who will see that there are no consequences for such a flagrant violation of an international norm,” the official told Fox News.

 On Saturday, with Navy ships in the Mediterranean Sea ready to launch missiles, Obama made the surprising announcement Saturday, saying he had decided on a limited military response but would seek Congress’ approval.

The announcement followed Kerry’s impassioned speech Friday for punishing Assad, whom he called a “thug” and a “criminal.”

However, the largely Republican opposition to the strike had already taken shape and continued Sunday.

Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that the U.S. getting involved in the roughly 2-year-long Syrian civil war is a mistake and that the president has about a “50-50” chance of getting House approval.

Democrats also expressed reservations.

"I certainly enter this debate as a skeptic, but I'm going to allow the administration to make its case this week," Connecticut Democratic Sen. Christopher Murphy, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, told NBC.

The administration’s classified briefings Saturday and Sunday included Republicans and Democrats in the GOP-controlled House and the Democratic-controlled Senate, where Obama will likely have the strongest support for the  biggest foreign policy vote since Congress authorized President George W. Bush to invade Iraq.

More classified meetings are scheduled in the coming days on Capitol Hill, as party leaders consider whether to call members back from their August recess that ends Sept. 9.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee plans to meet Tuesday.

Kerry, who appeared on all five major Sunday talk shows, said support from Capitol Hill and the public will give American the legitimacy a “full-throated” response.

“Our country is much stronger when we act together,” said Kerry, knocking back speculation that Obama’s weekend announcement went against the advice of his national security team.

“No decision is made until the president of the United States makes the decision,” he said.

Kerry also said Obama has the authority to launch retaliatory strikes with or without Congress' approval, but stopped short of saying the president would do so if the House or Senate withholds support.

In an apparent attempt to win congressional support, he said the United States has received hair and blood samples from first responders indicating sarin was used in the attack in the Damascus suburbs.

It was the first piece of specific physiological evidence cited by the administration, which previously cited only an unnamed nerve agent in the killings.

Washington has struggled to rally allies to its cause, with only France firmly on board among major military powers. Britain cannot be counted on after Parliament rejected using force in a vote last week.

A little more than a year ago, Obama declared that Assad's use of chemical weapons would be the "red line" in a conflict that he has steadfastly avoided. But Obama deferred any immediate action Saturday by announcing that he first would seek congressional authorization.

Late Saturday, the White House sent Congress a draft resolution authorizing force against Syria to "deter, disrupt, prevent and degrade" the Assad regime's ability to use chemical weapons. It doesn't lay out a timeline for action or detail Obama's strategy.

Lawmakers told Fox News after a briefing Sunday that Congress will likely revise the resolution before voting on it. Among their concerns was that the words "targeted" and "limited" were not included, though the president has repeatedly said that would be the scope of such an attack. 

Kerry reiterated Obama's oft-repeated promise not to send any American troops into Syrian territory, a reflection of the president's own aversion to getting too deeply involved in a conflict that has killed more than 100,000 people and drawn in terrorist organizations on both sides of the battlefield.

Polls also show significant opposition among Americans to involvement after a decade of war in the Muslim world, and several officials have cited the faulty intelligence about weapons of mass destruction that led up to the Iraq war as justification of the need for lengthy debate before U.S. military action.

Administration officials said that until late Friday Obama appeared set on ordering a strike without first seeking Congress' approval. After a walk around the White House grounds with Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, the president told his aide he had changed his mind.

Budget 2013: Chidambaram focuses on women, youth, poor in budget

Budget 2013: Chidambaram focuses on women, youth, poor in budget

NEW DELHI: To woo "ambitious" women, "impatient" youth and the poor, the Congress-led UPA government Thursday promised them more schemes and programmes as they "represent the vast majority of the people of India".


"...before I close this part of my speech, I wish to draw a picture of three faces that represent the vast majority of the people of India," finance minister P Chidambaram said. 

"The first if the face of the woman. She is the girl child, the young student, the sportswoman, the homemaker, the working women, and the mother. The second is the face of the youth. He is impatient, she is ambitious, and both represent the aspirations of a new generation. The third is the face of the poor who look to the government for a little help, a scholarship or an allowance or a subsidy or a pension. 

He said the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government on behalf of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the chairperson of the UPA Sonia Gandhi has made these promises to these three groups in the budget. 

Chidambaram then announced a special Rs 1,000 crore (Rs 10 billion/$181 million) corpus named Nirbhaya Fund for the safety of the women. The fund has been announced in memory of the young woman who passed away on Dec 29 last year, two weeks after she had been brutally gang-raped in a moving bus in the Indian capital. 

"We have a collective responsibility to ensure the dignity and safety of women. Recent incidents have cast a long, dark shadow on our liberal and progressive credentials. As more women enter public spaces - for education or work or access to services or leisure - there are more reports of violence against them," Chidambaram said. 

"We stand in solidarity with our girl children and women and we pledge to do everything possible to empower them and to keep them safe and secure. A number of initiatives are under way and many more will be taken by government as well as non-government organizations," he added. 

"These deserve our support. As an earnest of our commitment to these objectives, I propose to set up a fund - let us call it the Nirbhaya Fund - and government will contribute Rs 1,000 crore," he said. 

As the media is not allowed to name a rape victim, the young woman who fought those who assaulted her Dec 16 was referred to as "Nirbhaya" (fearless one) and "Damini" (lightning) by sections of the press. 

The minister said the Women and Child Development along with other ministries will work out the details of the structure, scope and application of the fund. 

He said they want to motivate the youth to voluntarily join skill development programmes. 

The aim is also to reach out to the youth who were in the forefront of anti-rape agitation in the country after the gang-rape of the 23-year-old physiotherapist trainee. Also, 70 per cent of voters in the country are under 35 years. 

"I propose to ask the National Skill Development Corporation to set the curriculum and standards for training in different skills, the candidate will be required to take a test conducted by authorized certification bodies," he said. 

He said upon passing the test, the candidate will be given a certificate as well as a monetary reward of an average of Rs 10,000 per candidate. 

"Skill-trained youth will give an enormous boost to employability and productivity. On the assumption that 10,00,000 youth can be motivated, I propose to set apart Rs. 1,000 crore for this ambitious scheme," Chidambaram added. 

For the poor of the country, the finance ministry said Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme has captured the imagination of the people, especially the poor. 

Described as a "game-changer" by the government, Chidambaram said the Congress-led government "is the government of the people." 

"The money is the money belonging to the people. When we say 'Aapka paisa aapke haath", why should anyone oppose it? We have made a modest and cautious beginning on the 1st of January, 2013. 

"Nearly 11 Lakh beneficiaries have received the benefit directly into their bank accounts," he added. 

He said they "see the smiles on the faces of the dalit girls and the tribal boys who have received their scholarships." 

"We see the happiness on the faces of the pregnant women who are assured that the government cares for the mother and the child before and after child birth," the finance minister said. 

"We are redoubling our efforts to ensure that the digitized beneficiary lists are available; that a bank account is opened for each beneficiary; and that the bank account is seeded with Aadhar in due course," he further said. 

He said the direct cash transfer will be rolled out throughout the country during their term.

Union Budget 2013, Budget news 2013, Economic Survey 

Benedict promises obedience to successor

Benedict promises obedience to successor:

The pontiff appeared to be trying to defuse concerns about possible conflicts arising from the peculiar situation of having a reigning pope and a retired one.

Pope Benedict XVI promised his “unconditional reverence and obedience” to his successor in his final words to his cardinals on Thursday, a poignant farewell before he becomes the first pope in 600 years to resign.

The pontiff appeared to be trying to defuse concerns about possible conflicts arising from the peculiar situation of having a reigning pope and a retired one.

Delivering an unexpected speech, Benedict also urged the “princes” of the church to set aside their differences as they elect the next pope, urging them to be unified so that the College of Cardinals works “like an orchestra” where “agreement and harmony” can be reached despite diversity.

“Among you is also the future pope, whom I promise my unconditional reverence and obedience,” Benedict said in his final audience.

Benedict’s decision to live at the Vatican in retirement, be called “emeritus pope” and “Your Holiness” and to wear the white cassock associated with the papacy has deepened concerns about the shadow he will cast over the next papacy.

But Benedict has tried to address those worries, saying that once retired he would be “hidden from the world.” In his final speech in St. Peter’s Square on Wednesday, he said he wasn’t returning to private life, but rather to a new form of service to the church through prayer.

Shortly before 5 p.m., Benedict will leave the palace for the last time as pontiff, head to the helipad at the top of the hill in the Vatican gardens and fly to the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo south of Rome.

There, at 8 p.m. sharp, Benedict will become the first pontiff in 600 years to resign. The doors of the palazzo will shut and the Swiss Guards will go off duty, their service protecting the head of the Catholic Church over for now.

Keywords: Pope's resignation, Pope Benedict XVI

No Obama Effect On Andhra Politicians | AP Politicians Comments in Denikaina Ready

No Obama Effect On Andhra Politicians

'There is no white, black, Asian, Spanish, or someone else. We all are Americans and we are a great nation', said Barack Obama after winning the presidential election. His victory speech is something our Andhra Pradesh politicians are feeling hard in their ears, while the whole world has cheered.

Today, a couple of politicians from a secular party commented that 'Denikaina Ready' movie is insulting Indian culture by degrading a top caste. So, we are in a position of dividing ourselves with castes and fighting for that even after 65 years of independence. Why can't we all feel like Indians and equal, questions the youth of India now? What is that juice Obama is drinking daily to call everyone as equal and why are we still reeling in the name of castes, they adds.

Ironically, the same politician has congratulated Obama on his win, and now he is commenting about 'kulam', talking about 'kulam' and living only in 'kulam'. Let us hope that these kind of politicians will soon take an exit call and give chances to youths to progress India into a new level.

KCR Gives Mind Blowing Statement | KCR Declares that TRS Not Joining Congress

KCR Gives Mind Blowing Statement

'Don't believe in Congress, they are very dangerous', said KCR during the brain-storming meet of the party today. Apart from this he shocked everyone with his stunning revelations.

'Congress is the one that halted the process of creation of Telangana way back in 1969. They are quite dangerous for the formation of separate state', said KCR. 'We'll win 15 MP seats and 100 MLA seats at any cost in 2014 elections', he adds. Talking about JAC and Kodandaram, he says that 'I have intentionally kept JAC leaders and Kodandaram aside, but will talk with them soon'. These words of KCR have shocked one and all. 'TRS will revive to its strength very soon. We are going to create a storm in the region', the TRS chief concluded before saying that TRS is not going to merge with any party.

Analysts say that KCR is indirectly saying that there is no Telangana any sooner. That is why KCR is talking about elections and seats.

Don't Drag 'Blood' Into Chiru's Politics

Don't Drag 'Blood' Into Chiru's Politics

Whenever Megastar Chiru hits a bull's eye in his political or movie career, somehow his detractors try to take a shot at him. And this bashing always revolves around the Blood Bank started by Chiru as an initiative to serve people better.

Time and again, many agencies and authorities have given statements that there is nothing like a fraud going on in the blood bank owned by Megastar Chiranjeevi. However, his enemies keep him attacking that he is collecting blood for free from his fans and selling it them for money. So, how many crores Chiru might have amassed by now?

If we look at the fact, the remuneration of Chiru for a single movie is a thousand times more than what he would have earned on this Blood Bank, if any. Why would a man of masses will do such a big mistake of doing business with Blood, as such there is no other business for him to invest or nothing else he could take up that gives him heavy profits?

Recently, some media are accusing that Chiru is answerable to his fans as lots of them have donated blood when he started his Prajarajyam. If Chiru merged his party into Congress, that doesn't mean that their blood is going waste. Blood is to serve needy patients, but not to honour achievements or political mileages. Fans have donated it for a good cause and they are happy as long as that cause, Blood Bank, is doing well in helping those who need that blood. So it's better not to bring this 'blood' into 'politics' to blame Chiru!

V S K V Reddy
Irving, Texas.

One More Suicide For Telangana State

One More Suicide For Telangana State

Osmania students have accused that KCR has colluded with Congress and delaying the formation of this state, which is taking a toll on the life of students. On Tuesday night, one more student Santosh has committed suicide for this delay in formation of separate state.

A student, V Santosh from Saraswati College of Tukkuguda, Hyderabad has committed suicide in front of Arts College building in Osmania Campus on Tuesday night. Reportedly, he has written a suicide note saying that he is upset with the delay in formation of T-state and blamed Congress and ways of TDP for the delay. Situation in OU turned tense with students not allowing police to shift Santosh's body to hospital. They have raised slogans against KCR and have beaten up few supporters of KCR on the campus.

We have to see how swiftly Congress acts in this case to solve the issue of Telangana.

Brahmins Divided for Mohan babu? | Tirupathi Brahmins Blessings for Mohan Babu

Brahmins Divided for Mohan babu ?

Today a press meet was organized by Mohan Babu along with some Brahmin priests from Tirupathi and Chennai, condemning the acts done by few Brahmin Associations of state regarding protesting against 'Denikaina Ready'. However this is drawing big flak now.

Chennai based Brahmins have condemned the acts of Guntur Brahmins who conducted final rites of Mohan Babu for insulting their community in 'Denikaina Ready' movie. However, Andhra Pradesh based Brahmin associations have differed with the way Tirupathi and Chennai based priests have addressed the issue. 'Why can't these priests look into the side of how Denikaina Ready movie insulted our community? Had they watched the movie in the first place?', asked Brahmin Samaakya head. Looks like, this issue is dividing Brahmins into two groups.

However, Mohan Babu has not spoke a single word about the movie and the protests Brahmins are putting in. 'Issue is in court and I'll respond when time comes', said Mohan Babu.

'Naidu Destroying NTR's Aims & Dreams' | Sharmila Comments O Chandrababu Policies

'Naidu Destroying NTR's Aims & Dreams'

With two competitive Paada Yaatras going on in the state, this is a time for accusations and YSR-C leader Sharmila has blasted both Congress and TDP for their anti-people ways.

'Banning Liquor and two rupees per kilo rice are the fantastic plans and dreams of late NTR, which are completely destroyed by Naidu's corporate ways', said Sharmila during his Paada Yaatra. She quoted that if Naidu is spoiling NTR's dreams, ruling Congress party is aiming at shattering YSR's dreams that help poor people a lot. 'YSR included the names of Indira and Rajeev Gandhi everywhere, while Sonia included YSR's name in FIR after his death', stressed Sharmila. As Naidu has increased blasting YSR-C, Sharmila too increased her stress against Telugudesam.

On a whole, politicians of this state are destroying the aims and dreams of common people without any doubt.

'Niluvu Dopidi' For Jagan Before Bail | ED Wants to Lock More Assets of Jagan

'Niluvu Dopidi' For Jagan Before Bail

Until March 2013, there is no question of getting bail and walking out of Chanchalguda jail for YSR-Congress president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy. But it looks like, after walking out of jail, Jagan will have nothing in hand.

'Niluvu Dopidi' is what we say when we give all our money and gold to Lord Balaji when we visit Tirupathi. Here in the case of Jagan, Enforcement Directorate is doing that 'dopidi' by attaching complete assets of Jagan to the cases. Already ED has freezed 51 crores worth assets of Jagan in connection with Illegal assets case and freshly they served a notice to Jagan to attend before them on Dec 17th. Before Jagan's attendance, ED wants to lock more assets that belong to Jagan, Jagathi Publications and Nimmagadda Prasad. If this continues forever like this, then by the time Jagan will release from jail there will be nothing in his hand.

On the other hand Jagan may not prefer to go to Delhi to attend this questioning session. Instead he can go for the option of tele-conference quizzing.

Is There Truth In KTR's Words? | KTR Demands CM Visit To Telangana Region First

Is There Truth In KTR's Words?

We have seen how our political parties are creating a publicity campaign of 'Neelam' Cyclone devastation in Andhra region the other day. With Kiran, Naidu and Sharmila cashing on this natural calamity, KTR is saying that he is not an innocent guy.

'There are more losses in Telangana region than in Andhra region. CM Kiran Kumar should visit our area first and should stand support for the farmers of Telangana', said K Taraka Ramarao, TRS MLA. We have to agree that farmers have lost their crops due to Neelam, but how far it is correct to say that T-region lost more than Coastal Andhra. In costal belt, four districts are devastated with floods and a hundred of people lost their lives. If you keep the destroyed crops aside, where are basic amenities like food and water for them at this crucial time?

So why is KTR showing his T-sentiment even during grief stricken times is really something we should leave to his conscience. But there is no truth in his words!

Sting Operation on Hyderabad 'Call Boys' | Hyderabad Male Prostitutes

Sting Operation on Hyderabad 'Call Boys'

In a rather ghastly incident, a couple of software engineers from Hyderabad city, who are working as call-boys (male prostitutes) are caught in a popular Telugu channel's sting operation.

After losing morale and a penchant to earn easy money, some Software engineers from the Hitech-City are taking up this route. It is revealed that rich married woman whose husbands stay away somewhere in the other part of the world are buying these boys for nights by shedding huge money. The call-boy den owners are running a website with information about all the available boys, and payments are accepted only through credit cards. As the call-boys are software engineers, they have easily created this hi-tech setup very easily to earn easy money.

'While politicians are doing prostitution with democracy, and raping our system, why should we worry about these innocent male prostitutes?' asks popular writer Posani Krishnamurali. But he finally condemned the acts of call-boys.

Eye-Opener: Gunasekhar's Good Heart | Gunasekhar Donated 5 Lakhs for Neelam Affected People

Eye-Opener: Gunasekhar's Good Heart

Though this over-creative director is reeling with flops, his heart and mind is not of that kind. And, he proved today about his uniqueness among all the other fraternity of celebrities in our tinsel town.

Director Gunasekhar, who is not making good money in the tinsel town at the moment, has decided not to care about it when it comes to helping poor. For the sake of 'Neelam' cyclone affected people in Andhra region, Gunaskehar has donated 5 lakhs rupees. He has passed the 'cheque' to Chief Minister's relief fund through his PRO BA Raju. Good job man!

What are our other celebrities doing at this crucial time? Are they just heroes and performers on the screen, or will they be doing any good stuff in real life is something we have to see.

'We Are Not Asking Heaven, Or Biryani' | Chandrababu Naidu Slams Kiran for Cyclone Effect People

'We Are Not Asking Heaven, Or Biryani'

Are people asking for heaven and biryani from this Congress party every day? Our opposition leader feels that nothing sort of is happening and people just want a glass of pure water to drink and a unit of current to satisfy their agriculture needs.

'People are not asking this government to show them heaven and give them biryani every day. They are just asking Kiran to solve their problems. But Congress govt failed to the core', stressed TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu, who resumed Paada Yaatra after today after visiting Cyclone hit areas the other day. 'I'm not happy sitting in Hyderabad after coming to know that people are suffering from problems. That's why I took a Paada Yaatra', he added, regarding his Yaatra. As usual, people applauded for the TDP Chief and welcomed him with claps.

But Congress on the other hand is blasting Naidu for using Cyclone as a subject for his 'campaign' and for writing a letter to PM Manmohan saying that Kiran and co failed to exercise rescue operations and relief works when floods and cyclone devastated Coastal Andhra.