France and Britain work together

* LONDON – France and Britain vowed yesterday to turn their “entente cordiale” into an “entente amicale”, working together on issues from tackling the credit crunch to fighting in Afghanistan US says sorry over shooting * CAIRO – US President George W Bush telephoned Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak yesterday to express “deep regret” over the killing of an Egyptian by a US-navy chartered vessel near the Suez Canal.

Freed judge visits Zardari * Pakistan’s deposed chief justice is visiting the widower of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, Asif Ali Zardari, in his first excursion since being freed from house arrest on Monday. Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry was put under house arrest more than four months ago when President Pervez Musharraf purged the courts to avert legal challenges to his disputed re-election.Monks disrupt journalists’ visit * LHASA, China – A group of monks shouting there was no religious freedom disrupted a carefully orchestrated visit for foreign reporters to Tibet’s capital Thursday, an embarrassment for China as it tried to show Lhasa was calm following deadly anti-government riots.Bush invited Abbas for talks * ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE – US President George W.Bush has invited Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to the White House in early May for talks aimed at advancing the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said yesterday.Monks deny Dalai Lama involved * BEIJING – Tibetan monks stormed a news briefing at a temple in Lhasa yesterday, accusing Chinese authorities of lying about recent unrest and saying the Dalai Lama had nothing to do with the violence, foreign reporters said.Medvedev orders anti-corruption measures * MOSCOW – Russian president-elect Dmitry Medvedev ordered anti-corruption steps to protect small businesses yesterday, a first sign he is serious about fighting the endemic graft economists say is hampering growth.Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry was put under house arrest more than four months ago when President Pervez Musharraf purged the courts to avert legal challenges to his disputed re-election.Monks disrupt journalists’ visit * LHASA, China – A group of monks shouting there was no religious freedom disrupted a carefully orchestrated visit for foreign reporters to Tibet’s capital Thursday, an embarrassment for China as it tried to show Lhasa was calm following deadly anti-government riots.Bush invited Abbas for talks * ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE – US President George W.Bush has invited Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to the White House in early May for talks aimed at advancing the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe said yesterday.Monks deny Dalai Lama involved * BEIJING – Tibetan monks stormed a news briefing at a temple in Lhasa yesterday, accusing Chinese authorities of lying about recent unrest and saying the Dalai Lama had nothing to do with the violence, foreign reporters said.Medvedev orders anti-corruption measures * MOSCOW – Russian president-elect Dmitry Medvedev ordered anti-corruption steps to protect small businesses yesterday, a first sign he is serious about fighting the endemic graft economists say is hampering growth.