The presidential palace still bears the scars of a month of heavy fighting. But inside the ceremonial chamber, army generals from both sides sat within touching distance and applauded the new president as he swore an oath to
uphold
the constitution. Outside, UN peacekeepers stood guard, and French soldiers patrolled the streets around the palace. In the president's speech, he said the people's democratic voice had finally been heard.
French officials say recovery teams have retrieved a second body from the wreckage of an Air France plane which crashed over the Atlantic in 2009, killing all on board. The body, which was found at a depth of almost 4,000 metres, was still strapped into its airline seat. The remains of another of the 228 victims were recovered on Thursday.
National leaders and dignitaries are attending events in the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka, marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of the
eminent
Bengali writer and poet, Rabindranath Tagore. Mr Tagore was the first non-European to be awarded the Nobel prize for literature. Shahzeb Jillani reports.
The inaugural ceremony in Dhaka
kicked off
with cultural performances and songs written by Rabindranath Tagore. Addressing the event alongside the Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Indian Vice President Hamid Ansari said Tagore represented the common heritage that has influenced the intellectual and cultural ethos of the region. Officials say the international events are partly aimed at bringing the celebrated writer and poet closer to young people, many of whom are not too familiar with his works.