In India, three new ministers have been sworn in as members of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government.

One, Jaswant Singh, has become the country's External Affairs Minister, while another, Pramod Mahojan, is to run the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

Both men are seen as close allies of Mr Vajpayee.

The appointments follow losses by the governing Hindu nationalist BJP party in recent state assembly elections.

The BBC Delhi correspondent says that, with these appointments, Mr Vajpayee is sending a message to his critics within the BJP to follow his moderate approach to government.