Envoys
present papers
New
Delhi: Seven envoys presented their credentials to President
of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam at a ceremony at Rashtrapati
Bhavan here on Tuesday. The envoys who presented their credentials
were Dr. Tamerlan Elmar oglu Karayev, Ambassador of Azerbaijan,
Dominique Dreyer, Ambassador of Switzerland, Alexander Ilascik,
Ambassador of the Slovak Republic, Pedro Pablo De Bedout
Gori, Ambassador of Colombia, Han Chang On, Ambassador of
Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Lt. Gen.(Rt.) Anbaree
Abdul Sattar Adam, High Commissioner of Maldives, and Jose
Vicente de Sa Pimentel, Ambassador of Brazil. The credential
presentation ceremony was attended by the senior members
of the missions, senior officials of the Ministry of External
Affairs and Rashtrapati Bhavan
Think
on quality of films, appeals Jaipal Reddy (Go
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Panaji:
India is producing a good number of films and the number
is on increase. However, this is the time to think on the
quality of the films we produce, Union Minister for Information
and Broadcasting and Culture Jaipal Reddy, said here today,
according to a press release. While addressing the gathering
after inaugurating the Indian Panorama section of 35th International
Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2004 this morning, the Minister
emphasized the need to utilize such festivals to enhance
the sale of Indian films. The Minister, while referring
to the piracy problem in Indian film industry, said that
merely framing of the laws will not be able to check this
menace. The need of the hour is to involve the chief ministers
of various states for effective implementation of such laws.
The implementation will not be possible without the active
cooperation of the states as well as the viewers, he added.
Arresting
Sankaracharya was a painful decision, says Jaya (Go
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New
Delhi: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha today
described arresting Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati
as the "most painful" decision by her government. "This
was one of the most painful decisions I have ever taken.
This is not something I have done happily. I am doing my
duty," Jayalalitha told reporters in the Capital. She said
this after meeting deputy chairman of Planning Commission
Montek Singh Ahluwalia. The Sankaracharya was arrested two
weeks back on charges of alleged involvement in the murder
of a temple official who worked earlier with him. Despite
strong protests from the rightists, including the BJP, VHP,
Shiv Sena and Bajrang Dal, demanding the seer's release,
Jayalalitha has failed to budge from her stand.
LS
Speaker convenes all-party meet ahead of winter session
(Go
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New
Delhi: Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee convened
an all-party meeting in the Capital in a bid to ensure a
smooth winter session that begins tomorrow. Earlier, Chatterjee
held similar meetings with all political parties especially
the main Opposition party the BJP, which has stalled the
parliament proceedings over the "tainted ministers" issue.
The Speaker said that he has been assured of "full co-operation"
by the Opposition during the entire 23-day session. The
meeting was attended by Communists along with the BJP, Congress
and other parties.
Indian,
Pak foreign secretaries to meet on Dec 23, 24 (Go
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Islamabad:
Foreign secretaries of Pakistan and India will take
up the issues of Kashmir, peace and security and confidence-building
measures when they meet for two days of talks on December
23 and 24. Earlier, Pakistan had proposed December 21 and
22 for the talks, but India had suggested December 23 and
24. "We have conveyed our concurrence to these dates," the
Daily Times quoted Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan
as saying at his weekly news briefing on Monday. The foreign
secretaries would work out a schedule of meetings on six
other key issues: Siachen, Wullar barrage, Sir Creek, terrorism
and drug trafficking, economic and commercial cooperation
and promotion of friendly exchanges. The proposed meetings
between narcotics control authorities in New Delhi, which
were to begin on Monday, and another meeting of the committee
of experts scheduled for December 9 and 10, have been rescheduled,
Khan added.
Jihadis
in Pak impart 'violent lessons' against Hindus (Go
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Islamabad:
After spewing venom on the Americans and the infidels
for their so-called attacks on Islam, jihadis in Pakistan
are now imparting "violent lessons" aimed at targeting Hindus.
The Daily Times quoted a report in the Chicago Tribune as
saying that not only were the madrassas functioning in a
clandestine manner as "secretive" religious schools and
espousing jihad or holy war but, was also imparting "violent
lessons" targeting Hindus. The report further states that
these schools which were under the control of politically
powerful clerics and advocating conservative Islam coupled
with religious intolerance, were glorifying Osama bin Laden
and Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar and the Taliban's
efforts to establish a puritan Islamic state based on the
Sharia in Afghanistan.
