Hispanic politician joins Clinton cabinet

WASHINGTON - Bill Clinton widened the ethnic diversity of his future cabinet by choosing Henry Cisneros, a leader in the Hispanic community, and Jesse Brown, a black former marine, to be responsible respectively for housing and urban policy and for veterans' affairs, writes David Usborne. During the presidential campaign, Mr Clinton, promised his administration would 'look like America'.

Announcing the appointment of Mr Cisneros, 45, a former mayor of San Antonio, Texas, Mr Clinton said his city-hall experience would help in solving the crisis in many of America's inner cities. Mr Cisneros is popular among Hispanics and played a conspicuous role supporting Mr Clinton during the elections. His political prospects were clouded shortly after he stepped down as mayor in 1989 when he confirmed he had had an extramarital affair while in office.

Mr Brown, 48, is executive director of the Disabled American Veterans, a lobbying group. His right arm is partially paralysed from a wound received in Vietnam.