Japan says no to nuke policy.

As thousands assembled in Hiroshima's Peace memorial Park to mark the 57th anniversary of the world's first atomic bomb attack, Japanise Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi reaffirmed Japan's policy against building or processing nuclear weapons.

"As the only country in history to have experienced atomic bombings, I would like to underline Japan's unwavering commitment to its war-renouncing Constitution and its three principles: non-possession, non-production and non-entry of nuclear weapons" Mr. Koizumi said.

-The Asian Age - August 7, 2002.

France : Spy Chief sacked

President Jacques Chiracof France fired the head of France's foreign intelligence service, the DGSE. The spy agency is accused of launching a probe that resulted in two reports, in 1999 and 2000, into the nature of Chirac's links with disgraced Japanese banker Shochi Osada. The reports were undertaken with Chirac’s socialist opponents were in power. Earlier this month, the President when sacked the head of France's domestic intelligence service following leaked allegations that his RPR party benefited from an alleged ransom paid to free French hostages in Lebanon in 1988.

- Time - August 6, 2002

China wary on ASEAN anti-terrorism agreement

China was worried that a prospective counter-terrorism pact between the United States and the Association of South Asian Nations (ASEAN) might give Washington too much clout in South East Asia, where Beijing had been extensively cultivating ties, analysts said.

“China doesn’t want to see the US using the fight against terrorism to set up military bases in Southeast Asia and have troops stationed there" said Zhu Feng, the director of security programmed at Beijing University’s School of International studies.

- The Times of India July 31, 2002.

India : Move to rein in cyber cafes

The Government of India is toying with the idea of introducing a system of registering cyber cafes. This step is aimed at checking the use of paid internet facilities by anti-national elements. Asif Reza Khan right hand man of the arrested underworld don Aftab Ansari, had booked space on computer servers and used cyber cafes to communicate with associates.

What is being proposed are clear-cut registration norms, and a system of maintaining a detailed log of internet usage, that would be applicable to all cyber outlets countrywide.

IISSM Welcomes the Move

- Hindustan Times July, 28 2002.

USA : Beyond the Rubber bullets.

The U.S armed forces don't do much shooting anymore. Even in Afghanistan, they engage in more advising and guiding than the gunplay. Soldiers today are asked more often to keep the peace or diffuse demonstrations, and the last thing they want in those situations is to fire a lethal weapon. That's why the Pentagon is spending more and more research-and development dollars on weapons that stun, scare, entangle or nauseate - anything but kill.

- Time July 29, 2002

London to spy on its motorists.

London’s is soon to become the world's first city to spy on motorists with cameras and then bill them for the privilege of driving into the centre of town for business, pleasure or a simple rain check.

The controversial scheme, billed as congestion charging, passed the last legal hurdles and is considered an important test case for big cities all over the world.

The scheme will be enforced by means of Automatic Number Plate Recognisation, a system routinely employed by London police to address the risk of terrorist attack.

-The Times of India August 1, 2002

High -tech radar vigil on Kolkata roads

Kolkata police will also soon introduce special cars fitted with long distance cameras to the city streets, for booking motorists who break traffic rules on the city roads.

Even if the driver is far away from the police van, the traffic police on the prowl would be able to zero in and see whether seat belt is fastened or a cell phone is being used while driving.

-The Asian Age July 24, 2002

Bush unveils anti-terror strategy

US President George W Bush has proposed a strategy to protect America from terrorism that could use US military to enforce quarantines during a biological attack and 'red teams' of agents thinking like terrorists to pinpoint weakness.The plan, which would take years and billions of dollars to realise, seeks new vaccines, tighter border inspections and includes a major effort to protect infrastructure such as power plant and pipelines.

-The Times of India July 18, 2002