Pak considers India an existential threat: US

Washington: The United States wants its relations with Pakistan to remain positive, but their interests sometimes differed as Pakistan considered India as an existential threat, according to Washington's intelligence chief.

Testifying before the Senate Select Intelligence Committee Tuesday, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said the US relationship with Pakistan was a "challenging relationship but an important one," as the interests of the two countries are "not always congruent."

Noting that Afghanistan remains a hot spot, Clapper said, "During the past year, the Taliban lost some ground, but Taliban's senior leaders continued to enjoy safe haven in Pakistan."

To be successful, Afghanistan must have support from coalition forces and its neighbours-particularly Pakistan, he said.

Asked by panel vice-chairman Saxby Chambliss about what was being done about safe havens of terrorists in Pakistan, Clapper said that they were talking to Pakistan about it.

"Al Qaeda will increasingly rely on ideological and operational alliances with Pakistani militant factions to accomplish its goals with Pakistan and to conduct transnational attacks," he said.

"Pakistan military leaders have had limited success against Al Qaeda operatives, other foreign fighters and Pakistani militants who pose a threat to Islamabad," Clapper said.

"We judge Al Qaeda operatives are balancing support for attacks in Pakistan with guidance to refocus the global jihad externally against US targets," he said.


Clapper said India had significantly increased its engagement with Afghanistan in 2011, but New Delhi in the near term is unlikely to send troops or heavy equipment to Kabul because it does not want to provoke Pakistan.

India's increased engagement is aimed at helping the Afghan Government sustain its sovereignty and independence during and after International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) forces draw down, he said.

"We judge that India sees its goals in Afghanistan as consistent with US objectives and favours a sustained ISAF and US presence in the country.

"India will almost certainly cooperate with the United States and Afghanistan in bilateral and multilateral frameworks to identify assistance activities that will help bolster civil society, develop capacity, and strengthen political structures in Afghanistan," he said.

CIA Director David Petraeus said while Pakistan had conducted operations in Federally Administered Tribal Areas and Swat, they had not pressured the Haqqani Network or Mullah Nazir's group, nor pressured those present in Balochistan.

IANS

Will urge India to rethink Rafale decision: UK PM

London: British Prime Minister David Cameron said on Wednesday that India's decision to choose France's Dassault Aviation over Eurofighter as preferred bidder for a $15 billion war plane contract was disappointing and he would urge India to reconsider.

"Of course I will do everything I can, as I have already, to encourage the Indians to look at Typhoon (Eurofighter) because I think it is such a good aircraft," Cameron told parliament.


"The decision is obviously disappointing but it is about who the Indians have assessed as making the lowest bid and therefore asked to enter into further negotiations. They have not yet awarded the contract," he added.

He said he did not expect any job losses in Britain as a result of the decision and said "it doesn't rule out Typhoon for India."

"We must go on making the case. This (Eurofighter) is a superb aircraft with far better capabilities than Rafale and we will try and encourage the Indians to take that view," he added.

Rafale, made by Dassault, emerged on Tuesday as preferred bidder in the contest to supply India with 126 warplanes.

While exclusive talks are not a guarantee of sale, they deal a probable knockout blow to Rafale's chief rival in India, the Eurofighter Typhoon, a fighter plane developed by a consortium of four European aviation companies --the German and Spanish branches of EADS (EAD.PA), Britain's BAE Systems (BAES.L) and Italy's Finmeccanica (SIFI.MI).

IANS

BJP, Congress spar over Taslima Nasreen's book

New Delhi: A war of words ensued between the BJP and the Congress on Wednesday over the cancellation of the official release of controversial author Taslima Nasreen's book in Kolkata with the former accusing Congress of driving the country towards a dangerous mindset and the latter saying fanaticism was intrinsic to the Opposition party's DNA.
"We condemn it. Congress is driving the country towards a dangerous mindset," senior BJP leader Murali Manohar Joshi said reacting to the cancellation of the release of the seventh part of Nasreen's 'Nirbasan' (Exile) at Kolkata Book Fair.
Reacting to BJP's attack, Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said that BJP has a tendency of "tilting at windmills".
"Fanaticism is intrinsic to the DNA of BJP and its affiliate organisations," Tewari said asking the Opposition party to "purge itself from fanaticism" and look within before levelling "false allegations" against Congress.

2G: Ten facts on Supreme Court's big verdict on Chidambaram and telecom scam

New Delhi:  The Supreme Court is scheduled to deliver three important verdicts on different parts of the telecom scam tomorrow. Justices GS Singhvi and AK Ganguly will announce whether Home Minister P Chidambaram should be investigated by the CBI, which is handling the telecom or 2G scam. Since Justice Ganguly is retiring on Thursday, he will be sitting in a bench headed by Chief Justice of India S.H. Kapadia.

Here are 10 big facts about this story:

1) The Supreme Court will announce tomorrow morning whether P Chidambaram should be formally investigated as part of the CBI inquiry into the telecom scam. Mr Chidambaram was Finance Minister in 2008 when nine companies were granted 122 mobile network licenses with second-generation spectrum or airwaves thrown in for free. The  swindle - which cost the government Rs. 1.76 lakh crores according to the government's auditor - was allegedly engineered by A Raja, who was then Telecom Minister. He is now in jail and is being tried for criminal conspiracy, cheating and breach of trust by a public servant which carries a maximum sentence of a life term in prison.

2) The court will also decide on whether 122 licenses issued during Mr Raja's tenure as Telecom Minister should be cancelled.

3) Why is Mr Chidambaram in the hot spot? Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy says that as Finance Minister, Mr Chidambaram endorsed the decisions taken by Mr Raja, and is therefore complicit in the scam. Mr Swamy along with lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan has petitioned the Supreme Court on different dimensions of the scam.  The CBI's investigation was ordered in 2010 on the basis of petitions by Mr Swamy and Mr Bhushan in the Supreme Court. Mr Swamy says that documents show that Mr Chidambaram was consulted by Mr Raja in four meetings on the pricing of spectrum and licenses. Mr Chidambaram, he says, over-ruled officials in his ministry who suggested an auction of spectrum.  Instead, Mr Raja chose to award licenses on a first-come-first-serve basis - and then manipulated the rules to allegedly help companies he favoured and moved them to the head of the queue. They were sold licenses at rates used in 2001, even though India's mobile subscriber base had shot up nearly a 100 times since then.

4) While the Supreme Court will decide on  whether the  CBI should investigate Mr Chidambaram, a special CBI court that's handling the telecom scam trial will decide on Saturday whether he should be made a co-accused in the case. That petition has also been filed by Mr Swamy.

5) Mr Raja has in his defence in court repeatedly stated that Mr Chidambaram and the Prime Minister were both kept updated on how he planned to allot what's called the 2G licenses. He has also threatened to summon Mr Chidambaram as a witness.

6) Is there any evidence against Mr Chidambaram? What has escalated the case against Mr Chidambaram, currently the Home Minister, is a note that was sent by the Finance Ministry in March this year to the Prime Minister's office. The note suggested that in 2008, the Finance Ministry headed by Mr Chidambaram could have done more to insist that Mr Raja conduct an auction of valuable spectrum.

"... the Finance Minister did not deal with the need, if any, to revise entry fee or the rate of revenue share... Subsequently, in a meeting held on January 30, 2008, between the then Minister of Finance and (the then Minister of) Telecommunications, it was noted by the former that he was for now not seeking to revisit the current regimes for entry fee or revenue share," the note from the Department of Economic Affairs said.


7) Mr Chidambaram's defence: The government has staunchly defended Mr Chidambaram so far, and has said that he was not in direct communication with Mr Raja about his policies.  The government has argued that it was not Mr Raja's policies that were the problem, but a manipulation of the rules that spawned the massive telecom scam.  Mr Chidambaram has said that he tried to enforce an auction of spectrum and that he alerted the Prime Minister to the potential problems of Mr Raja's policies. Mr Chidambaram has said that he was in favour of an auction and had said so on more than one occasion. As for allowing sale of equity by Swan and Unitech, Mr Chidambaram has said there was no violation, it was in sync with DoT guidelines and was legal.

8) Was an auction necessary?  TRAI or The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India recently said that guidelines in 2008 did not mandate an auction for 2G frequency. In a report submitted to the trial court headed by Judge OP Saini, the regulatory body said that when licenses were awarded, the goal was not revenue generation. The idea was to improve mobile phone services for the average Indian and to provide more connectivity at low prices. TRAI's report has been seized by many of those on trial as part of their defence.

9) A third important verdict is expected: the Supreme Court is likely to decide on whether to sanction Prashant Bhushan's request for a Special Investigating Team (SIT) to monitor the CBI's inquiry. Mr Bhushan and Mr Swamy have both alleged that the CBI is under pressure from the government to protect Mr Chidambaram.

10) Mr Swamy alleges that Mr Chidambaram should also be held responsible because it was on his watch as Finance Minister that two companies were allowed to sell their licenses to foreign investors at huge profits. Unitech Wireless and Swan Telecom landed partnerships with Telenor and Etisalat DB  respectively. Their promoters have argued that they did not sell their stake; they diluted  equity. The government has said that the laws at the time were not broken by either company. The huge prices paid by the foreign companies, however, do highlight how under-valued the licenses were.
 

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74 dead in worst soccer violence in Egypt

Cairo: At least 74 people were killed and hundreds injured after soccer fans rushed the field in the seaside city of Port Said on Wednesday following an upset victory by the home team over Egypt's top club, setting off clashes and a stampede as riot police largely failed to intervene.

It was a bloody reminder of the deteriorating security in the Arab world's most populous country as instability continues nearly a year after former President Hosni Mubarak was swept out of power in a popular uprising.

The melee - which followed an Egyptian league match between Al-Masry, the home team in the Mediterranean city, and Al-Ahly, based in Cairo and one of Egypt's most popular teams - was the worst case of soccer violence in Egypt and the deadliest worldwide since 1996. One player said it was "like a war."

In Cairo, fans angered that another match between Al-Ismaili and Zamalek was halted because of the Port Said violence set fire to the bleachers at the main stadium in the Egyptian capital, authorities said. No injuries were reported, and employees said firefighters extinguished the blaze before it caused much damage.

The clashes and ensuing stampede did not appear to be directly linked to the political turmoil in Egypt, but the violence raised fresh concerns about the ability of the state police to manage crowds. Most of the hundreds of black-uniformed police with helmets and shields stood in lines and did nothing as soccer fans chased each other, some wielding sharp objects and others hurling sticks and rocks.

Security officials said the ministry has issued directives for its personnel not to "engage" with civilians after recent clashes between police and protesters in November left more than 40 people dead.

The violence also underscored the role of soccer fans in Egypt's recent protest movement. Organized fans, in groups known as ultras, have played an important role in the revolution and rallies against military rule. Their anti-police songs, peppered with curses, have quickly become viral and an expression of the hatred many Egyptians feel toward security forces that were accused of much of the abuse that was widespread under Mubarak's regime.

There have been other recent violent incidents at soccer games. In April, the ineffectiveness of the police force also was on display when thousands of fans ran onto the field before the end of an African Champions League game between local club Zamalek and Tunisia's Club Africain. The hundreds of police on duty at Cairo International Stadium could not stop the violence then, either.

Activists scheduled rallies Thursday outside the headquarters of the Interior Ministry in Cairo to protest the inability of the police to stop the bloodshed.

Many gathered outside Al-Ahly club in Cairo, chanting slogans against military rule, and hundreds filed into Cairo's main train station to receive the injured arriving from Port Said. "We die like them, or we ensure their rights," the crowd chanted, along with slogans denouncing the military rulers.

As the train arrived, scores jumped on top of the train and raised Egyptian flags.

"They came at us with machetes and knives...they threw some of us from the fourth floor," one returning fan told the private TV station ONTV.

"Everyone was beating us. They were beating us from inside and outside, with fireworks, stones, metal bars, and some had knives, I swear," another fan told the station, which did not give their names.

In Port Said, residents marched early Thursday, denouncing the violence and saying it was a conspiracy by the military and police to cause chaos.

Army tanks and armored vehicles joined police patrolling near hospitals and morgues. Police were not to be seen in the streets after the violence and were unavailable to break up fights that followed.

The tension also spread to the nearby Suez province. About 500 protesters, including soccer fans and activists, gathered outside the main police headquarters to protest what they called police negligence.

A security official said the police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. He was speaking on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to reporters.

The scuffles erupted when fans of Al-Masry stormed the field following a rare 3-1 win against Al-Ahly. Al-Masry supporters hurled sticks and stones as they chased players and fans from the rival team, who ran toward the exits and up the stands to escape, according to witnesses. One man told state TV he heard gunshots in the stadium, while a lawmaker from Egypt's powerful Muslim Brotherhood said the police didn't prevent fans carrying knives from entering the stadium.

TV footage showed Al-Ahly players rushing for their locker room as fistfights broke out among the hundreds of fans swarming on to the field. Some men had to rescue a manager from the losing team as he was being beaten. Black-clothed police officers stood by, appearing overwhelmed.

The Interior Ministry said 74 people died, including one police officer, and 248 were injured, 14 of them police. A local health official initially said 1,000 people were injured and it was not clear how severely. Security forces arrested 47 people for involvement in the violence, the statement said.

State TV appealed to Egyptians to donate blood for the injured in Port Said, and the military sent two aircraft to evacuate serious cases to the capital, Cairo.

Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi, the head of the military leadership that assumed power after Mubarak's ouster, welcomed Al-Ahly team players who were flown back to Cairo from Port Said on a military aircraft.

"This will not bring Egypt down," he told reporters at a military air base east of Cairo. "These incidents happen anywhere in the world. We will not let those behind it go ...This will not affect Egypt and its security."

The military declared three days of mourning starting Thursday.

Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim told state TV that 13,000 Al-Masry fans stormed the field, jumping a low fence and attacking about 1,200 Al-Ahly fans. He transferred the Port Said local security chief to a desk job as a punitive measure.

Al-Ahly goalkeeper Sharif Ikrami, who was injured in the melee, told the private station ONTV that dead and wounded were being carried into the locker room.

"There were people dying in front of us," he said. "It's over. We've all made a decision that we won't play soccer any more. How will we play soccer after 70 people died? We can't think about it."

Hesham Sheiha, a health ministry official, said most of the deaths were caused by concussions, deep head wounds and suffocation from the stampede. He said 40 people were seriously injured.

In an interview with the team's station, Mohammed Abu Trika, a player with Al-Ahly, criticized police for standing by and not intervening in the violence.

"People here are dying and no one is doing a thing. It's like a war," he told the team TV station. "Is life this cheap?"

Egypt's state prosecutor ordered an immediate investigation into the violence, and the Egypt Football Association ordered an indefinite suspension of the league games. The parliament said it would convene an emergency session.

The two sides also traded conspiracy theories, with each side blaming the other for trying to destabilize the country.

Essam el-Erian, a Brotherhood lawmaker, said the military and police were complicit in the violence, accusing them of trying to show that emergency regulations giving security forces wide-ranging powers must be maintained.

"This tragedy is a result of intentional reluctance by the military and the police," he said.

The manager of the Al-Masry, Kamal Abu Ali, announced he also was resigning in protest.

"This is not about soccer. This is bigger than that. This is a plot to topple the state," he told the same station, using an often-cited allegation by the military against protesters.

Bob Bradley, the former U.S. national team coach who was hired in September as coach of Egypt's national team, was not at the stadium, U.S. Soccer Federation spokesman Michael Kammarman said.

It was the deadliest incident of soccer violence since Oct. 16, 1996, when at least 78 people died and 180 others were injured in a stampede at a stadium in Guatemala City before a World Cup qualifying match between Guatemala and Costa Rica.

The Port Said game was a face-off between two teams with a long history of fierce competition, Al-Masry, the home team, and Al-Ahly, a record 36-time winner of the Egyptian league and a six-time winner of the African Champions League.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter said he was "shocked and saddened" by the deaths.

"This is a black day for football. Such a catastrophic situation is unimaginable and should not happen," he said in a statement.

The Confederation of African Football, which organizes the African Cup, said a minute's silence would be held before all quarterfinals this weekend as a mark of respect for the dead.

CAF President Issa Hayatou said, "African football is in a state of mourning."

Don Cornelius Dead: Don Cornelius Commits Suicide in Sherman Oaks CA

Don Cornelius — who famously created “Soul Train” was found dead in his Sherman Oaks, CA home this morning … and law enforcement sources tell us it appears he committed suicide.
We’re told cops discovered the body at around 4 AM PT. Law enforcement sources tell us … Cornelius died from a gunshot wound to the head and officials believe the wound was self-inflicted.
We’re told Cornelius was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
“Soul Train” changed the landscape of television when it debuted in 1971 and ran until 2006.
Officials have notified Don’s family.
Cornelius was 75.
During Don’s bitter divorce proceedings in 2009, he told an L.A. judge he was suffering from “significant health issues” and wanted to “finalize this divorce before I die.”
Cornelius was arrested in 2008 for beating up his wife. He pled no contest to misdemeanor domestic violence and was placed on 3 years probation. His probation just terminated.
The divorce was granted in 2010.
Sources close to Don tell us … the TV icon was plagued with health issues for years … including a stroke and a condition that required brain surgery.
Shawn Holley — Don’s lawyer and good friend — tells TMZ, “This is devastating news. Don was a kind, funny and brilliant man. Even though his many health battles had left him frail, he remained vibrant, courtly and always sharp as a tack.”

Nicki Minaj Wonderland: Nicki Minaj Hot On Wonderland February/March 2012

Bringing her unique ways to the publication’s latest installment, Nicki Minaj pretties up the cover of the February/March 2012 issue of Wonderland
The “Stupid Hoes” hitmaker sports her colorful pink coif on the Matt Irwin shot front page while chatting about her adoration for Barbie and life in the UK.
Highlights from Miss Minaj’s interview are as follows.
On the UK:
“I was born in London in my past life, no one can tell me different. I probably was like a queen in London, I was probably the people’s queen that fought for lives … and I probably started off as a maid and then was just, like, really revolutionary and moved all my [Barbies] into the big queen mansion.”
On her real life and stage persona:
“Oh they’re definitely two completely different people. Obviously what I would wear at home is not what I would wear up on stage and I think, when I’m at home it’s a way more introspective character and I think the person people see on stage is anything but. I watch a lot of Judge Judy. And I watch a lot of Forensic Files. And I cook – I cook spaghetti really, really good; I cook macaroni and cheese really, really good; I cook chicken really, really good.”
On being obsessed with Barbie:
“I feel like Barbie is great because it doesn’t only focus on beauty – you have Barbies that work, they have tons of different jobs now. And they come in different shades, which I love, and different hairstyles. So I think that they’ve gotten to the point where they’re making girls feel like it’s OK not to look like or be like the traditional Barbie. Now in terms of a body image, even male action figure dolls are cut up more than the average man – it’s just how people make dolls!”