NEW DELHI, July 17 ? None of the senior Congress leaders from North Eastern Region barring former Mizoram Chief Minister, Lal Thanhawla found place in the reshuffled AICC. The keenly awaited reshuffle proved to be bad news for the Congress leaders of the Region as the new look AICC would have only one face from North-east. Former Mizoram Chief Minister replaces Minister of State for Defence, Bijoy Krishna Handique in the all-powerful Congress Working Committee (CWC) as permanent invitee. That apart, Kirip Chaliha has been appointed as a whip in the reconstituted Congress Parliamentary Party...

GUWAHATI, July 17 ? The overall flood situation in the State has remained unchanged. The death toll in the current wave of flood which completed its twenty-fourth day today, has gone up to 62 with reports of recovery of three more bodies of the victims of the floods in Saonapur and Sipajhar areas. A three-member assessment team of the International Federation of Redcross and Red Crescent Societies from the Red Cross National Headquarters, New Delhi visited the flood-affected areas of Kamrup and Nalbari districts on July 14 and 15.

The team has emphasised on the post-flood operations like...

DIMAPUR, July 16 ? Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has rewarded JD (U) leader Deo Nukhu, a former minister and one of the two legislators of the party in the state Assembly with deputy chairmanship of State Planning Board with Cabinet status. Political observer in the State are of the view that Rio has rewarded Nukhu for embarrassing his party president Huska Sumi for dismissing the latter?s statement that the party had withdrawn support to the Rio Government.

Nukhu, a first timer who opened the account of Samata Party in Nagaland winning the prestigious Chizami seat under Phek district...

ITANAGAR, July 16 ? The overall flood situation in Arunachal Pradesh has improved with rains stopping and waters of rivers receding. Official sources said four districts of the state namely Lohit, East Siang, East Kameng and lower Debang valley were the worst affected due to the flood. About one lakh people were affected in the four districts.

Hundreds of hectars of standing crops were washed away, cultivable lands damaged, many government and private buildings destroyed and power and water supply system snapped. As an immediate relief the government had already announced Rs 10 lakh each to...

SHILLONG, July 16 ? Chairman of North Eastern Council (NEC) Lt Gen (retd) Ajai Singh today reviewed the status of Meghalaya?s Baljek airport, lying incomplete for nine years, and enquired about its operatability. Singh, who is also the Assam Governor, went to the incomplete airport in West Garo Hills district town on way to Guwahati and had a review session with the officials.

He found out the status and queried what type of aircraft could operate from there, Deputy Commissioner of the district, S Jagannathan, told PTI over phone. The work of the Baljek airport, the second one of Meghalaya...