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Seeking to allay apprehensions of the National Democratic Alliance-ruled states, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said that the Centre will have the 'closest possible interaction' with all states while undertaking all anti-terror initiatives.Noting that it is not possible to effectively fight terror without the whole-hearted cooperation of the police machinery at all levels, he suggested setting up of a Group of Officers to advise the Government.

Participating in the meeting, chief ministers of NDA-ruled states that the new National Investigation Agency would 'disturb' the federal set up of the country and resented that states were not consulted before the new anti-terror laws were framed. "We will revisit the NIA Act, if needed," he told media persons at the end of a day-long conference of chief ministers on internal security.

"The state government is taking all out efforts to organise intensive patrols and effective screening of the refugees entering the country to avert infiltration of anti-national elements," Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said in his speech at the Conference of Chief Ministers on Internal Security in New Delhi.

There is a need to introduce National Identity Cards for all citizens to combat terror, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said in New Delhi on Tuesday.In his speech at the conference of chief ministers on internal security, Chouhan said "there is a need to give National Identity Cards to every citizen in order to stop infiltration from neighbouring countries. It will be effective in curbing heinous crimes other than keeping a check on terrorism."

"As the border is porous, criminals often commit crimes in India and slip into Nepal through the border. In a bid to provide fast and smooth movement to SSB personnel, the UP government has forwarded a Rs 1,503 crore project to the Centre for approval," UP Parliamentary Affairs Minister Lalji Verma said. The minister lamented that the Centre had reduced the state's financial assistance to modernise police force.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Tuesday demanded a financial assistance of Rs 300 crore from the Centre to modernise the state police to meet any challenge posed by terrorism. The chief minister said if the state police were better equipped and trained, there was no need to fly commandos to tackle any terror strike.

Mounting an attack on the Centre on behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance at the chief ministers' conclave in New Delhi, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Tuesday claimed that certain states have been 'sidetracked' during the United Progressive Alliance's fight against terrorism. Nitish Kumar shared his misgivings about the National Investigation Agency encroaching upon the state's powers.

Mohammad Ajmal Amir Iman Kasab, the lone terrorist arrested during the November 26 terror attacks in Mumbai, on Tuesday once again asked for consular access and legal aid from Pakistan, a top police official said.He sought legal aid for the second time and has been informed that his letter requesting consular access earlier has been handed over to the Pakistan High Commission.Kasab was, earlier in the day, remanded to further police custody till January 19.

Describing Mumbai attacker Ajmal Amir Iman Kasab's confession as "doctored", Pakistani authorities have reportedly said the evidence provided by India on the terror strikes is "insufficient" and no action can be taken based on it.

How did we get to this point, where the US President -- the ostensible leader of the free world -- is disrespected in a most serious manner and the incident is considered funny and deserving? What happened?

The statement by United States president-elect Barack Obama regarding American intervention in Kashmir is his first foreign policy mistake, a leading expert on South Asia said on Tuesday. A Kashmir initiative by America, however veiled, can undermine improving India-US ties, Selig S Harrison, director of Asia Programme at the Center for International Policy and a senior scholar of the Woodrow Wilson International, said an opinion piece published in The Washington Times.

Somdev Devvarman began the new season on a winning note, carving out a straight set win over world number 114 Kevin Kim to make the second round even as Rohan Bopanna was knocked of $ 450,000 ATP Chennai Open on Tuesday.

Ricky Ponting's bold declaration on Tuesday injected drama into the third and final Test in Sydney which seems headed for a nail-biting finish with South Africa needing 314 runs on a tricky fifth day track to complete a rare 3-0 whitewash. Set a daunting target of 376 runs, South Africa lost makeshift opener Morne Morkel for a second ball duck before reaching 62 for one at stumps on day four.