| India,
France agree to strengthen cooperation on countering terrorism
by
Smita Prakash Paris:
India and France on Tuesday reiterated their commitment to strengthen cooperation
on countering the menace of terrorism. A statement released after Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh's working lunch with French President Nicholas Sarkozy said that
there was a "strong convergence of interest on the threats posed by terrorism
and measures to counter it." Both leaders also expressed their satisfaction over
the implementation and cooperation between the two countries in the fields of
civil nuclear energy,space and defence. The situation in the subcontinent, regional
issues, including Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Iraq, the Gulf and other countries
was also discussed, the statement said. Both leaders also reviewed bilateral ties
between India and France. They reiterated that India and France are strategic
partners and added that bilateral cooperation extends to education, health, defence,
peaceful uses of civil nuclear energy and several other fields. On the occasion,
President Sarkozy said: "India is one of the greatest democracies in the world.
India is a major power in the twenty-first century. India's involvement is essential
in all global matters." Both leaders said that this cooperation was a recognition
of the closeness and intensity of bilateral ties, which have led to annual leadership
summits becoming the norm. The Indian Prime Minister extended an invitation to
the French President to visit India. President Sarkozy said that he hoped to visit
India soon. Manmohan
Singh does not wait for his cavalcade, walks to hotel Top Paris:
Visiting Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's security detail was sent
into a tizzy on Tuesday afternoon, when he decided to walk to his to his hotel
after attending the French National Day celebrations here. Normally, as per protocol,
Singh has to wait for his official cavalcade and security detail to line up at
the venue of a function he is attending or departing from. But on Tuesday, he
set aside protocol and told the Special Protection Group (SPG) detail that was
accompanying him that he would be walking the couple of blocks to the Hotel De
Crillon, the place where he was staying. At first, he walked off on his own, but
then, he stopped and called out to his wife, Gursharan Kaur, who joined him for
the pleasant walk two blocks down. Shiv
Sena wants houses in Mumbai only for locals Top Mumbai:
In turf battle ahead of state polls in Maharashtra , Shiv Sena has promised houses
in Mumbai to state's bona-fide residents. Having lost ground to its faction, the
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, over hardline political posturing, Shiv Sena executive
president Uddhav Thackeray led a bunch of party activists and supporters to the
Mumbai Metropolitan Regional Development Authority (MMRDA) head office demanding
that non-Maharashtrians should be barred in that allotment of shelters. "In another
two to three months, Shiv Sena is confident of coming to power and then our government
will provide 500 square feet area houses to Marathi 'manoos' (bona-fide residents
of Maharashtra) to ensure that they need not go out of Mumbai to reside. Marathi
manoos is entitled to shelter and none else. This is our stand," said Thackeray.
"In Mumbai, the houses are built by the MMRDA for the poor. These houses are also
grabbed by builders. Immigrants from Bihar and Bangladesh are begging for accommodation
whereas what we are demanding is proper accommodation from government which is
our right," he added. The MMRDA last month announced that it would provide 43,000
homes at a rent starting as low as Rupees 800 per month. The project is aimed
at reducing the number of slums in Mumbai. Shiv Sena members feel that the housing
scheme doesn't give preference to Maharashtrians and would encourage outsiders
to settle in Mumbai. Maharashtra will hold elections to state assembly by October
and the migrants' issue could swing votes. Mumbai
eve teased girl dies; five months after consuming sleeping pills Top Mumbai:
A girl in Mumbai has committed suicide after city police failed to take action
against those who molested her. Saujanya Jadhav (24) committed suicide by consuming
sleeping pills, after she was molested by some youths who are said to be supporters
of a local councillor in the Koparkhane area of Nevi Bombay. Saujanya went into
a coma on February 27after consuming sleeping tablets. She died at the Sion Hospital
in central Mumbai. The family claims that the youths had been harassing Saujanya
and her sister Snehal for over six months. Saujanya's mother Mangal had registered
a police complaint twice against the eve teasers. But no police action was taken.
Saujanya's family also wrote to the Director General of Police, Maharashtra, S.S.
Virk, giving details of the case and also named the accused. Some youths attacked
the Jadhav family on May 4.Mangal Jadhav wrote a letter the Maharashtra's DGP,
but to no avail. Police initiated action only after Saujanya's death. Sensex
bounces back Top New
Delhi: The benchmark Sensex bounced back to record a hefty gain of 453.38
points at 13,853.70 on the BSE on Tuesday, following Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee
statement that the economy was showing early signs of recovery. The Sensex had
lost nearly 10 percent in the last few trading sessions. Mukherjee said in Parliament
on Tuesday that the government had to increase borrowing to invest more, in the
absence of private investment. The 50-share National Stock Exchange index Nifty
surged by 137.35 points at 4,111.40, after touching the day's high of 4,128.90.
The market also received a booster following upbeat economic data from Singapore
and Australia and a surge in investor confidence data in Germany. A better opening
at European stock markets and an overnight surge on the Wall Street were other
supporting factors. The realty sector index gained the most, 9.38 percent, to
2,995.16. The metal sector index was the second-best performer, gaining 5.53 percent
to 10,273.75, as market participants felt the improvement in economic conditions
would raise demand for base metals. Al-Qaeda
threatens to target Chinese workers in Africa following Uighur deaths Top London:
In a bid to avenge the deaths of Muslim Uighurs in Xinjiang, Al-Qaeda's North
African wing has threatened to target Chinese workers in Africa. The threat from
Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) comes in the wake of race riots in far
West China which claimed the lives of at least 136 Han Chinese and 46 Uighurs,
The Telegraph reports. The London based risk-analysis company 'Stirling Assynt'
quoted the AQIM, as saying that it would target the 50,000 Chinese who are working
in Algeria and launch attacks against other Chinese projects in Northern Africa.
"This threat should be taken seriously. Future attacks of this kind are likely
to target security forces and Chinese engineers alike," the AQIM said, referring
to its attack when the terror group had killed 24 Algerian security personnel
who were protecting Chinese engineers. China has repeatedly linked Uighur separatist
groups to Al-Qaeda, but this is the first time that the terrorist network has
made a direct threat against China or its overseas projects. Stirling Assynt said
that it had monitored an increase in internet "chatter" among possible jihadists
about the need to "avenge the perceived injustices in Xinjiang." "Some of these
individuals have been actively seeking information on China's interests in the
Muslim world which they could use for targeting purposes," Stirling Assynt said,
adding that locations included North Africa, Sudan, Pakistan and Yemen. Two extremist
web sites affiliated with Al-Qaeda noted that large numbers of Chinese work in
Saudi Arabia and the Middle East. "Chop off their heads at their workplaces or
in their homes to tell them that the time of enslaving Muslims has gone," read
one posting. China's policy of total control and its inability to stop Uighur
Muslims' killings has upset Islamic states.Protesting Muslims in Indonesia called
for a jihad against China on Monday, while Iran and Turkey, both key Chinese allies,
have lashed out at Beijing. Over 5,000 people protested in support of the Uighurs
in Istanbul on Sunday. In the Gaza Strip, Hamas has also said the unrest would
harm China's ties to the Muslim world. MJ's
coffin moved to basement of Forest Lawn Memorial Park Top London:
Late Michael Jackson's coffin has been secretly moved in Motown founder Berry
Gordy's private crypt at Forest Lawn Memorial Park , according to the sources.
The Jackson family decided to move the casket after the Thriller hitmaker's fans
started gathering try and get a look at the coffin. "The Jackson family was not
pleased and ordered the casket to be placed in the basement for security reasons,"
the Sun quoted a source as saying. The source also revealed that Michael's sister
LaToya, in charge of her brother's body, picked out everything he wore in the
viewing casket. The 50 year old singer, who apparently died of the cardiac arrest,
was wearing two black gloves, black trousers studded with black beads, a pearl-beaded
white jacket he wore to the Grammys, and an over-sized gold belt that resembled
a championship boxing belt. Michael's signature white glove has also been placed
in the casket. |
