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India: 2 ministers caught surfing porn on cellphones
8 killed in North Waziristan drone attack
Japan account surplus tumbles to 43.9pc
Quetta: Talal, Shahzain booked in kidnapping case
PML-N finishes if bar remains to become PM third time: Gilani
Gets support, not orders from Iran: Hezbollah
Loral wins Aussie satellite contract
US lawmakers back stronger ties with Philippines
Lahore man pulled alive from factory rubble after 47 hours
US legislators encouraged by Indo-Pak dialogue
Pentagon looking for improved relations with Pakistani military
Rennes beats Evian to reach French Cup quarters
Trinidad's former leader flown to US
Russia pushes Syria reforms as bloodshed mounts
Yahoo chairman stepping down

India: 2 ministers caught surfing porn on cellphones

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Two BJP ministers, Lakshman Savadi and C C Patil, allegedly watching pornography on cellphone on the floor of the Karnataka assembly, while Savadi holds the cooperation portfolio, Patil is women and child development minister. BJP president Nitin Gadkari called up chief minister Sadananda Gowda and urged him to not spare the ministers if they were found guilty. The ministers were caught in the act even as the House was in the middle of a heated debate on the recent hoisting of Pakistan flag in Sindagi taluk in Bijapur district. Close-ups of the ministers watching the salacious clip were beamed on TV channels in the evening, sparking a furore. The TV visuals showed both ministers, sitting next to each other, gazing into Savadi s handset and exchanging banter.

8 killed in North Waziristan drone attack

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A US drone attack targeting a militant compound killed eight insurgents in a troubled Pakistani tribal region on Wednesday, security officials said. Two missiles hit the compound located in Tappi, 10 kilometres (six miles) southeast of Miranshah, the main town in volatile North Waziristan near the Afghan border, a military official in Peshawar said.

Japan account surplus tumbles to 43.9pc

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The country logged a trade deficit due to lower exports and higher energy costs, government data showed Wednesday. The surplus in the current account, the broadest measure of trade with the rest of the world, stood at 9.63 trillion yen ($125 billion) in 2011, the lowest level since 1996, the finance ministry said. The figure was down 43.9 percent from 2010, the sharpest year-on-year decline since 1985. The surplus in returns on overseas investment and other income expanded "but the balance of goods and services trade slipped into the red, reducing the surplus in the current account," the ministry said in a statement. The traditionally export-led economy has shifted to more overseas production as shown by strong figures for earnings from overseas assets held by Japan. Those earnings rose by nearly 20 percent to 14.03 trillion yen. Analysts say any systemic shift in Japan s current account numbers could threaten the country s ability to finance its large government budget deficits. Earlier data from the ministry showed Japan suffered its first annual trade deficit in more than 30 years in 2011 after the March quake-tsunami and strong yen hit exports while high fuel costs pushed up import bills. The current account surplus for December alone dropped 74.7 percent to 303.5 billion yen, decreasing year-on-year for the 10th straight month since the March earthquake and tsunami disasters. The surplus was smaller than an average of 337.5 billion yen expected by economists surveyed by the Nikkei business daily. The March disaster disrupted manufacturing supply chains across Japan, hampering exports. It also knocked out cooling systems at a major nuclear power plant on the nation s east coast, sparking the world s worst atomic disaster in 25 years and sending confidence in the technology plummeting. Japan is resource-poor and its fossil fuel imports have soared in the wake of the Fukushima nuclear crisis, with atomic power stations being taken offline and thermal fuel plants used to make up the difference. In addition, the eurozone debt crisis has slowed the global economy and sent traders scurrying to the safety of the yen, driving up its value and reducing Japanese exporters  incomes. The current account measures trade in goods, services, tourism and investment.

Quetta: Talal, Shahzain booked in kidnapping case

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On the order of Balochistan High Court, New Saryab police station has registered a kidnapping case against five persons including Jamhoori Watan Party (JWP) chief Talal Bugti and his son Shahzain Bugti. The case has been registered on the complaint of education department official Babu Noor Muhammad. He has charged that the accused have kidnapped his son, brother and father.

PML-N finishes if bar remains to become PM third time: Gilani

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Addressing Pakistani community in Qatar, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said that PML-N had finished if the government did not remove the bars from assuming a third term as prime minister. Gilani said that country s future lies with democracy and institutions should work within their spheres. “We have not come to power through back door but through peoples votes and I am the country s longest serving prime minister,” he said.

Gets support, not orders from Iran: Hezbollah

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Nasrallah acknowledged Tuesday for the first time that his militant movement received financial and material support from Iran, but denied it took instructions from the Islamic Republic. Nasrallah said Hezbollah previously only confirmed Iranian political and moral backing because it did not want "to embarrass our brothers in Iran," but had changed policy because Iran s leadership had announced its support in public. "Yes, we received moral, and political and material support in all possible forms from the Islamic Republic of Iran since 1982," Nasrallah told supporters by videolink in a speech marking the anniversary of the birth of the Prophet Mohammad. "In the past we used to tell half the story and stay silent on the other half ... When they asked us about the material and financial and military support we were silent." Nasrallah said Iran had not issued orders to Hezbollah since the movement was founded 30 years ago, adding that if Israel attacked Iran s nuclear sites, the leadership in Iran "would not ask anything of Hezbollah." He said if that were to happen, Hezbollah s own leadership would "sit down, think and decide what to do." Speculation has grown that Israel might be planning to attack Iranian nuclear facilities after strong public comments by Israeli leaders about Iran s atomic ambitions. Many analysts believe that in the event of an Israeli attack on Iran, Hezbollah - which fought a punishing 34-day war with Israel in 2006 - would attack the Jewish state. Nasrallah s statement will not surprise world powers, including The United States, which lists the group as a terrorist organization, and says it has military support from Iran and Syria. Hezbollah was set up 30 years ago by Iran s Revolutionary Guards to fight Israeli forces which had invaded Lebanon. Nasrallah denied U.S. charges that his movement was involved in money laundering or drugs smuggling, saying Iran s support meant the movement was not in need of cash. Federal prosecutors in the United States said in December three Lebanese financial institutions linked to Hezbollah laundered more than $240 million through the U.S. used car market. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration officials have also said Hezbollah has become involved in the drug trade, facilitating distribution and sale of cocaine in West Africa. Nasrallah said Hezbollah was not involved in money laundering, nor in drug smuggling which was religiously forbidden. "No drugs, no money laundering and not trade at all," he said of Hezbollah activities. The Hezbollah leader also defended his support for close ally Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is trying to crush an 11-month uprising against his rule. The United Nations says Assad s crackdown on protests has killed 5,000 people. Nasrallah, who has praised the uprisings in other Arab countries which toppled three entrenched leaders last year, said Assad still enjoyed support from the army and a large section of the population, and criticized Syria s opposition for rejecting Assad s promised reforms and offers of dialogue. "They say we don t want dialogue and we don t want reform (because) it s too late ... It s too late when there is fighting in Syria and there are people pushing it to civil war?" "They are betting on the West, on America, on money and weapons to overthrow the regime. But this is a losing bet," he added.

Loral wins Aussie satellite contract

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California-based Space Systems/Loral has won a 620 million Australian dollar ($670 million) contract to build two satellites to service remote portions of Australia s national broadband network, which will be among the world s fastest. The government said in a statement Wednesday that the subsidiary of Loral Space & Communications Inc. based in Palo Alto, Calif., will deliver the two Ka-band satellites for launch in 2015. They will provide broadband access to remote locations that will not be reached by a fiber optic network being rolled out across Australia. The government has a AU$36 billion plan to deliver broadband speeds of 100 megabits per second to 90 percent of Australian homes, schools and businesses.

US lawmakers back stronger ties with Philippines

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They said Congress soon will approve the transfer of a second ship to help the ally s navy defend its waters. Republican Rep. Ed Royce told a House of Representatives Foreign Affairs hearing on US-Philippine relations that the congressional review process for transferring the Coast Guard Cutter Dallas will be finished this week, and the ship should soon be on its way to Manila. Another aging US cutter, the Hamilton, was transferred to the Philippines last May. The US has sought to boost the Philippines  ability to maintain its maritime security because of its ally s concern over assertive Chinese behavior in disputed waters of the South China Sea. While the United States has no territorial claims in the region, the top US diplomat for East Asia, Kurt Campbell, reiterated that the US has a national interest in such claims  peaceful resolution and the freedom of navigation in seas that carry about a half the total tonnage of world trade.

Lahore man pulled alive from factory rubble after 47 hours

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A man, Asghar Ali, has been rescued from the rubble even after 47 hours. While rescue teams are struggling to save other lives, as the death toll from the accident rose to 19. As per details, the three-story factory collapsed on Monday in Lahore after a gas explosion, killing at least 21 people and trapping dozens. "The factory has completely collapsed and two houses next to it as well," an emergency official said, adding that authorities were having trouble getting heavy rescue machinery to the area because of narrow streets. According to sources, at least 60 people including 25 women were at work when the factory, which produced veterinary medical products, crumbled. Rescue workers on Tuesday had pulled out a 60-year-old woman, Saliha Bibi, alive. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has also taken the notice of the incident and sought report within 48 hours.

US legislators encouraged by Indo-Pak dialogue

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Senator John Kerry, chairman of the US Senate s Foreign Relations Committee, has hailed Pakistan s decision to grant most-favoured-nation (MFN) status to India. "I am encouraged that Pakistan granted India most-favored-nation status and that the two nations are continuing their dialogue on a host of issues", he said. In his opening remarks before the testimony of Ms. Nancy Powell, President Obama s nominee to be new US ambassador to India, he said "one area that is showing signs of promise -- especially on economic cooperation -- is the India-Pakistan relationship", while referring to the recent Indo-Pak meetings in this regard. "I hope both countries, India and Pakistan, can seize this moment to break with the perilous and somewhat stereotyped politics of the past", he observed adding that "Washington is going to be looking to New Delhi not only for cooperation, but increasingly for innovation, for regional leadership". "There are fewer relationships that will be as vital in the 21st century as our growing ties with India and its people. On all of the most critical global challenges that we face, India really has a central role to play", he said. "India s strategic role is also growing and requires India s sustained presence and engagement, whether to combat nuclear proliferation, to promote economic stability in Afghanistan or to encourage human rights in Burma and Sri Lanka", he opined. Ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Richard Lugar, on the occasion, said that "US and India share concerns about the stability of Afghanistan and Pakistan and the growing military capabilities of China". "India is poised to be an anchor of stability in Asia and a center of economic growth far into the future", he argued. "Our ongoing cooperation with India includes efforts to ensure security in South Asia. India and the United States have strong incentives to cooperate on counterterrorism in the region and beyond", he emphasized while questioning as to what opportunities existed for US-Indian initiatives designed to combat terrorism, in light of the Obama administration s intent to reduce U.S. forces in Afghanistan and the complex relationship of United States with Pakistan. Nancy Powell, who has previously also served as the US amabassador to Pakistan from August 2002 to October 2004, said that the "new Silk Road vision foresees a network of economic, transit, trade and people-to-people connections across South and Central Asia. India supports this vision and is a significant donor in Afghanistan and has taken steps to facilitate better trade with Pakistan". Talking about the security threats allegedly emanating from Pakistan, she said that "terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba pose a critical threat not only to our partners like India but also to U.S. strategic objectives in the region" and vowed to work for better counterterrorism efforts in the region as the US amabassador to India. Commenting on the possibilities of a greater Indo-Pak cooperation and the possible role of US in it, she expressed firm belief in encouraging a dialogue and the resolution of problems between India and Pakistan. "I believe that ideas are supported by both countries, ideas to be endorsed through the track two or track one negotiations that are very active on both levels, that there would be a role for the United States to play", she suggested. "I have had the opportunity to meet many of the people that are engaged in these dialogues and certainly think that the United States plays a role in encouraging ideas and looking for additional creative solutions, but that the primary responsibility rests with the two countries", she argued. When asked to elborate on such a role, she said that she had worked with so many leaders and diplomats in both India and Pakistan. "I am very confident that they have the ability to do that, but certainly don t rule out our ability to assist", she stated. Giving her views on the US-India relationship, she said India s population of 1.2 billion and its large consumer economy represents a huge, fast-growing market for US manufactured goods. "Our exports are growing at nearly 17 percent a year. At this rate exports from the United States to India are expected to nearly double in five years", she hoped. "Another priority is our defense cooperation, which currently is at an all-time high. U.S. defense sales to India reached nearly $8 billion last year, and India holds more military exercises with the United States than with any other country", she pointed out.- Contributed by Awais Saleem, Dunya News correspondent in Washington, DC

Pentagon looking for improved relations with Pakistani military

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While talking to reporters Tuesday, press secretary of the US Department of Defense, George Little said that "transfer of last three F-16s by US to Pakistan shows that despite setbacks in the bilateral relationship last year, our military-to-military cooperation remains ongoing". He said that there was no delay in this transfer and final delivery of F-16s was made as it had been originally scheduled. When asked, if the delivery of F-16s to Pakistan was a confidence-building measure by US towards Pakistan in the context of troubled relationship during the last few months, he only said that "we look forward to broadening, expanding, and improving this relationship moving forward with Pakistan". He refused to comment on the New York Times story that United States was considering the option of apologizing to Pakistan on the November 26 NATO airstrike in Mohmand that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. "I am not going to comment specifically on that report and would leave it there". He also stepped short of confirming of the visit of the US Central Command (CENTCOM) commander, Gen. James Mattis to Pakistan for a meeting with army chief Gen. Ashfaq Pervez Kayani, as some media reports have suggested, and whether the Pakistani officials have given the green signal in this regard.  "I do not have any visits to announce today, but we always look forward to meeting our Pakistani counterparts", George Little observed. It may be mentioned here that US chief of staff Gen. Martin Dempsey had offered to send Gen. Mattis to Pakistan for a briefing on NATO inquiry report, but Pakistani officials turned it down. Reiterating the official position of Pentagon and the US administration on the question of apology to Pakistan, he said the US had already expressed regret. "As you know, in December, we expressed our deepest regret for the killings in the November 25/26 border incident", George Little recalled.  "We expressed our deepest regret to the Government of Pakistan, in fact to the people of Pakistan", he pointed while stopping short of saying if the US could go on and offer a formal apology. There were also no new updates on the reopening of the NATO supply routes from Pakistan, he suggested. - Contributed by Awais Saleem, Dunya News correspondent in Washington, DC

Rennes beats Evian to reach French Cup quarters

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Rennes was up 3-0 with 20 minutes left before Evian scored two goals in a three-minute span, and winger Cedric Barbosa nearly grabbed an equalizer when his effort hit the bar in the 88th. "We re very happy," Rennes coach Frederic Antonetti said. "We re aware of our weaknesses though. We should have kept that match under control." Rennes winger Jires Kembo-Ekoko opened the scoring with a free kick that took a deflection off the wall in the 20th minute. Midfielder Julien Feret doubled the lead with a low drive from the edge of the box in the 54th before substitute Yacine Brahimi fired home a long-range strike to make it 3-0 in the 68th. But Evian pulled one back two minutes later when Kevin Berigaud converted a penalty after Rennes defender Jean-Armel Kana-Biyik had fouled Nicolas Farina. Evian winger Sidney Govou then took a pass from Barbosa to find the net in the 72nd. "We had a spell of weakness after our third goal," Feret said. "We helped them get back into the match with the penalty. We qualified but with a scare." Rennes has won the French Cup twice and is in sixth place in the French league while Evian is just four points above the relegation zone. "I have a lot of regrets," Evian coach Pablo Correa said. "Things get very difficult if you need to score four goals to win, especially against one of the best French teams. I can tell you we won t concede three goals in our next match." On Wednesday, Lyon hosts Bordeaux, titleholder Lille visits Valenciennes, Montpellier faces Chateauroux and Gazelec Ajaccio plays Drancy. However, three French Cup matches have been rescheduled because of frozen pitches following a cold snap. The French Football Federation postponed Paris Saint-Germain s match at Dijon on Tuesday and Marseille s game against Bourg-Peronnas on Wednesday to Feb. 15. It also called off the match between Quevilly and Orleans on Tuesday, setting Feb. 21 as the new date. The cold snap led to the postponement of three French league matches last weekend.

Trinidad's former leader flown to US

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Trinidad s former Prime Minister Patrick Manning has been airlifted to Walter Reed Medical Center in the United States for treatment following a stroke. Spokeswoman Wendy Lewis said Tuesday that the stroke partially paralyzed the right side of Manning s body and left him with slurred speech. Manning s sister Petronella Manning says he was flown Monday to Maryland and is expected to undergo four weeks of therapy. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar has said the government will pay for all of Manning s medical expenses. The 65-year-old Manning was prime minister from 1991-1995 and from 2001-2010. Manning kept his seat in the House of Representatives but was ousted as party leader in the May 2010 general elections.

Russia pushes Syria reforms as bloodshed mounts

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Days after blocking a U.S.-backed peace plan at the U.N., senior Russian officials pushed for reforms Tuesday during an emergency meeting with Syrian President Bashar Assad, promoting a settlement to end the uprising without removing him from power. Thousands of flag-waving government supporters cheered the Russians in the Syrian capital of Damascus, while to the north, Assad s forces pounded the opposition city of Homs underscoring the sharp divisions propelling the country toward civil war. The violence has led to the most severe international isolation in more than four decades of Assad family rule, with country after country calling home their envoys. France, Italy, Spain and Belgium pulled their ambassadors from Damascus, as did six Gulf nations, including Saudi Arabia. Germany, whose envoy left the country this month, said he would not be replaced. The moves came a day after the U.S. closed its embassy in Syria and Britain recalled its ambassador. Turkey, once a strong Assad supporter and now one of his most vocal critics, added its voice to the international condemnation, with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying his country cannot remain silent about massacres in Syria. He said Turkey would "launch a new initiative with countries that stand by the Syrian people instead of the regime." His comments reflect a growing movement by the U.S., Europe and countries in the region to organize a coalition of nations to back Syria s opposition, though what kind of support remains unclear. Over the weekend, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called for "friends of democratic Syria" to unite and rally against Assad s regime. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov flew into Damascus on Tuesday, accompanied by his foreign security chief, to try to boost a plan that would keep Assad in power, even though many prominent members of the opposition reject that entirely. "It s clear that efforts to stop the violence should be accompanied by the beginning of dialogue among the political forces," Lavrov said, according to the Russian news agency ITAR-Tass. "Today we received confirmation of the readiness of the president of Syria for this work." The visit was also a sign that Moscow wanted to get a firsthand assessment of the situation on the ground in Syria  and the raucous welcome the diplomats received from thousands of regime supporters appeared aimed at showing that Assad s grip is firm, at least in Damascus. Syria has been a key Russian ally since Soviet times, and Moscow remains a major arms supplier to Damascus even as Assad unleashes his forces to crush not only peaceful protesters, but army defectors who are fighting the regime. The U.N. estimates the government crackdown has killed more than 5,400 people since March, making Syria s conflict one of the deadliest of the Arab Spring. Hundreds more are believed to have died since the U.N. released that figure in January, but the chaos in the country has made it impossible for the world body to update its figures. Tuesday s visit by Lavrov and intelligence chief Mikhail Fradkov was evidence that Russia does not want to be seen as giving Assad a free hand to crush his opponents in the wake of Saturday s veto at the U.N. Security Council. Both Russia and China blocked a Western- and Arab-backed resolution supporting calls for Assad to hand over some powers as a way to defuse the 11-month-old crisis. Russia has opposed any U.N. call that could be interpreted as advocating military intervention or regime change. Russia and China also used their veto powers in October to block an attempt to condemn the violence in Syria. On Tuesday, Moscow delivered its own message to Syria, calling on all sides to hold a meaningful dialogue. "Necessary reforms must be implemented in order to address legitimate demands of the people striving for a better life," Lavrov told Assad, according to ITAR-Tass."

Yahoo chairman stepping down

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Bostock, in a letter to shareholders, also said Yahoo was in "active discussions" with its partners in Asia on restructuring its holdings in the Alibaba Group and Yahoo Japan. Bostock said he had decided not to stand for re-election at Yahoo s next shareholders meeting, along with board members Vyomesh Joshi, Arthur Kern and Gary Wilson. He said the board elected two independent directors on Tuesday: Alfred Amoroso, former president and chief executive of Rovi Corp., and Maynard Webb, a former chief operating officer at eBay. Bostock said a strategic review of Yahoo has made "significant progress" and has included "a wide range of discussions with potential partners. "We have engaged with potential investors and reviewed proposals concerning an equity investment in the company, although at this time there have not been any proposals which have been deemed by the committee to be attractive to our shareholders," he said. "We are also in active discussions with our partners in Asia regarding the possibility of restructuring our holdings in Alibaba Group and Yahoo Japan," Bostock said. "While we continue to devote significant resources to these discussions, we are not in a position at this time to provide further detail or to provide assurance that any transaction will be achieved," he said.

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