Chennai, Dec 5 : The Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) jointly announced on Friday that they have decided to form a coalition for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

AIADMK General Secretary Jayalalitha and CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat announced this during a joint press conference in Chennai this afternoon.

While speaking to reporters after an hour-long meeting, Jayalalitha described the meeting with Karat as “cordial”.

New Delhi, Dec. 5 : The President of the All India Minorities Front (AIMF),S. M. Asif, has issued an appeal to Muslims to prepare themselves for sacrifice against terrorism this Bakr Id.

In a press release, he said that "Sacrifice" is the spirit of Allah and that''s why the entire community sacrifices on the Bakr Id day before the Allah. Now when the holy festival of Bakrid which also is linked with Haj is a few days away the entire community should take a pledge to sacrifice themselves fighting against all sorts of terrorism.

New Delhi, Dec 5 : Uma Kant Mishra, a senior Indian Information Service (IIS) officer, has been appointed as Principal Director General (Media and Communications) in the Press Information Bureau (PIB).

Mishra comes in place of Deepak Sandhu, who took over as media advisor to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh yesterday

Mishra will hold additional charge as Director General, Directorate of Advertising Visual Publicity (DAVP).

Mumbai, Dec. 5 : Chhagan Bhujbal will be the new Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Chief Sharad Pawar named Bhujbal for the post today.

"Our state legislature party has decided that Chhagan Bhujbal will be the leader," Pawar said.

Bhujbal will take over from R R Patil, who resigned from the chair after taking moral responsibility for the Mumbai terror attack.

Bhujbal (61),last held the post in the Congress-NCP allied Government which came into power in Maharashtra in 1999.

New Delhi, Dec 5 : The Supreme Court today extended the interim stay against the arrest of three senior Kolkata police officers facing allegations of abetting the suicide of Rizwanur Rahman.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam granted protection to former DCP (Detective Department) Ajoy Kumar, former ACP Shukanti Chakraborty and former SI Krishnendu Das.

The apex court granted two weeks time to the petitioner to file their rejoinder.

Rizwanur had married Priyanka under the Special Marriages Act on August 18, 2007.

New Deli, Dec 5 : Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath today said that India and Russia have managed to sustain strong business vibes in recent years.

Addressing the India-Russia CEOs Council meeting here, Nath said that there is immense possibility for joint investments in the areas like banking, information technology, telecommunications, high-technology sectors, power, pharmaceuticals and textiles.