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Sunday, January 9, 2011

Thief’s back in business (again)

Pakistan's US allied ruling party avoided the collapse of its government Friday after its reversal of unpopular economic reforms helped persuade a key ally not to defect to the opposition. But the economic concessions could cost Islamabad billions in international loans badly needed to stabilize its shaky economy. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement announced it would remain a member of the ruling coalition after a pomp-filled visit to its Karachi headquarters by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. Without the MQM's 25 seats, Gilani's Pakistan People's Party would fall short of the 172 seats needed for a parliamentary majority. The political crisis had threatened to distract Pakistan's government from its counterterrorism alliance with the U.S. Some analysts had suggested that Pakistan's powerful army could use the political discord as a reason to counter U.S. pressure to crack down more on Al-Qaida and Taliban militants along the border with Afghanistan. The MQM's decision to rejoin the coalition came a day after Gilani said the government would reverse unpopular fuel price hikes that partly prompted the party's defection. The premier said Friday that the government also would postpone a new tax system meant to raise more revenue.

World powers and Iran

Talks between world powers and Iran on its disputed nuclear programme will take place in Istanbul on January 21 and 22, Turkey's Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Saturday, local media reported. The dates corresponded to those given by Iran's Fars news agency in a report on Friday, after European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton's spokeswoman said she was looking at resuming the talks on January 20. Turkey's Anatolia news agency quoted Davutoglu as saying Ashton would be in Istanbul next week to start preparing for the meeting. A previous round of talks between Iran and six world powers -- Britain, China, France, Russia, the United States and Germany -- spearheaded by Ashton, took place in Geneva on December 6-7. That round followed a 14-month hiatus in the talks on Iran's uranium enrichment programme, which Tehran insists is peaceful but the US and its allies believe is aimed at developing an atom bomb. The US State Department said it looked forward to the next round of talks and "would like to see a meaningful negotiations process emerge," without specifying dates. Tehran sprang a new surprise Saturday ahead of the discussions, saying it could now make its own nuclear fuel plates and rods, technology the West claims the Islamic republic does not possess.

First woman to win Bigg Boss4


Popular TV actress Shweta Tiwari Saturday walked away with the crown of Bigg Boss 4and the prize money of Rs.1 crore at a grand finale here after her dignified and balanced behaviour for 14 weeks in the house. She is the first woman to win the show. An overwhelmed and emotional Shweta, dressed in a fuschia-coloured sari, burst into tears after seeing her daughter and mother when she came on to the stage. "I have won because of your love. I am very happy," she said to the audience after being announced the winner. Earlier three seasons of the show were won by actor Rahul Roy, reality show winner Ashutosh Kaushik and Vindu Dara Singh, respectively. The actress, once regarded as small screen's favourite bahu (daughter-in-law) after she gained fame with Kasautii Zindagii Kay, pipped finalists WWE wrestler The Great Khali, actor Ashmit Patel and Dolly Bindra who is infamous for her bizarre behavior, to win the reality show. Though the decision was based on viewers' votes, Shweta's inmates like Samir Soni, Manoj Tiwari and Aanchal Kumar felt she was most deserving owing to her patience in dealing with the verbal fights with loud mouthed co-participant Dolly, who walked away as the third runner up. Khali was declared the first runner up and Ashmit the second runner-up.