India and Russia inked several pacts including on civil nuclear cooperation and supply and joint development of military hardware during a hectic day-long visit of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin to New Delhi on Friday.
Russia will build up to 16 nuclear reactors at three locations in India, Russia’s deputy premier Sergei Ivanov, who accompanied Putin, told reporters. Russia is competing with French and American firms for lucrative contracts to build nuclear power plants for energy-hungry India because Asia’s third-largest economy needs to boost its supply to help sustain rapid economic growth.
Setting the tone for Putin’s one-day visit, mainly aimed at keeping one of the world’s biggest arms importers interested in Russian weapons, the erstwhile Cold War allies are also trying to strike an agreement on joint output of the fifth-generation fighter jet. Russia will build more than 1,000 stealth fighter jets within four decades, including at least 200 for its traditional weapons buyer India, the CEO of Russian plane maker Sukhoi, Mikhail Pogosyan, told reporters on the sidelines of Putin’s visit. Pogosyan also said he expected a joint venture with the state-run Indian company Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to manufacture around 200 fifth-generation fighter jets.
Russia and India also signed a contract worth 1.5 billion US dollars on Friday for Moscow to supply 29 MiG 29 K fighters, Pogosyan said. Russia would deliver the long-delayed refurbished Gorshkov aircraft carrier to India by the end of 2012, added deputy premier Ivanov on an issue that has troubled relations between the two powers. Putin’s visit is likely to have produced deals worth more than 10 billion USD mainly in defence contracts, nuclear reactors and trade.
Putin denied a deal with Pakistan was on the cards on the lines of the nuclear power pact with India.”Many countries of the world do not have any nuclear technical cooperation with Pakistan because we are concerned for our Indian friend. We sincerely count that our joint work, our efforts to counter-terrorism will produce positive substantial results in benefit of the two countries, he said. The two countries also agreed to strengthen cooperation in hydrocarbons through greater collaboration between oil and gas companies, but did not announce any firm energy deals.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is arriving in Pakistan today on a two-day visit.
During his stay, Karzai would meet with President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani. According to diplomatic sources, Pakistan would discuss India’s interference in Balochistan and security of Pakistanis present in Afghanistan with Karzai, while the latter would likely to raise regional strategy, and issues of 2 million Afghan refugees residing in Pakistan.
Sources added that the Afghan President would also seek shifting of arrested Taliban leader Baradar. It would be Karzai’s first visit to Pakistan after being elected President for the second term.

KABUL: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in Kabul on Wednesday to hold talks with his Afghan counterpart, a spokesman in Hamid Karzai’s office said.

It is Ahmadinejad’s first visit to Iran’s eastern neighbour since Karzai was re-elected following a deeply controversial election in Afghanistan in August.

“President Ahmadinejad arrived,” Siamak Hirawi, a deputy spokesman for Karzai, told media.

“They will discuss bilateral relations between the two countries and expansion of economic relations between the two countries,” Hirawi said.

The two presidents were also scheduled to discuss economic projects that benefit both countries, including a railway line from Tajikistan through Afghanistan to Iran, transport and similar projects, he said.

WASHINGTON: Commending the political leadership of India and Pakistan, the Obama Administration has said it is encouraged that the terrorist attack in India did not derail the resumption of peace talks between the two South Asian neighbours.

“We are most pleased with the political courage showed by leaders on both sides (of Pakistan and India) that notwithstanding the attack which was directly aimed at derailing this dialogue, that there is this political commitment to move forward with talks.

We think that’s going to be extremely important,” the Assistant Secretary of State for Political Affairs, P J Crowley, told reporters at his daily news conference.

Foreign secretaries of India and Pakistan are scheduled to meet on February 25.

“This is vitally important. There have been times in the past where India and Pakistan have had formal and informal dialogue.”

WASHINGTON: Pakistan had to do more to combat terrorists on its soil if it wanted to continue to receive substantial US aid, says John Kerry, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee of the US Senate.
Kerry said the weekend bomb blast in Pune shouldn’t derail the resumption of diplomatic talks between India and Pakistan.

Senator Kerry also suggested that the Pune blast should be the first item on the agenda if India found a Pakistani link to the attack.

“The right thing is to talk; you lose nothing by talking,” said the senator who was the Democratic presidential candidate in 2004. “I hope India will have that conversation with Pakistan and, if they have evidence to that effect, that should be the first thing on the table and Pakistan has to deal with it.”

He reiterated the US stance that Pakistan had to do more to combat terrorists on its soil if it wanted to continue to receive substantial US aid. “Pakistan has got to make clear its willingness to take on internal enemies,” he said.

Senator Kerry said that in his view discussions over Kashmir should not be a “prerequisite” in the initial conversation between the two nations and that the US stood ready to assist either side if asked. But, he said, “I do not think we should impose ourselves in any way.”

The senator called on Pakistan’s army chief Gen Ashfaq Kayani after his arrival in Islamabad. He will meet President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today.

Snooki Pics Leaked, “Jersey Shore” star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi may finally have something to worry about after spending the past few months appearing on TV shows and getting paid to show up at nightclubs: a nude photo of the reality star has hit the web. According to Radar Online, the photo was posted on a website and sarcastically contained Snooki’s recent denial of the photos’ existence:

“There are no nude pictures nor will there ever be. The tabloids just love Snook gossip .

Someone should probably tell Snooki that all of America can see the photo now anytime they want.

Snooki’s not the only “Jersey Shore” cast member getting her name linked to nude photos — Jenni “J-Woww” Farley has expressed a desire to be a Playboy centerfold.

Of course, there’s a big difference here between the two; while J-Woww will want her shots available for all to see, Snooki’s were reportedly intended to be kept private. Within the past week the pictures (along with some video) were being shopped around to various outlets; the owner of the website promises that more photos will be released soon.

Do you think this scandal will help or hurt Snooki’s career? Let me know your thoughts with a comment and stay tuned for more “Jersey Shore” news.

SYDNEY: Australia Vs West Indies 3rd ODI today, The third game of the ODI series between Australia and West Indies will be played at the Sydney Cricket Ground. And with the hosts leading the series 2-0, another win here would mean that the Australians would end up having an unassailable lead in the match-up.

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It is difficult to see how the West Indian side will be able to overcome the rather strong Australian line-up that has managed to bat and bowl with equal aplomb. And with starts like the ones that the West Indies has had in the series – they were 12/3 in the first game and a worse 16/4 in the second – it is only safe to assume that Australia will be favourites to make it three in a row.

The West Indian side will need to shuffle their batting around a little. Chris Gayle is bound to come good at some point or the other, such is his class. But one cannot be sure of the move to have Runako Morton opening the innings with him, or to have the pair of Dwayne Smith and Kieron Pollard bat so down the order.

One can almost see one of Smith or Pollard going up the order, and Morton going out of the side.

As compared to that, the Aussies have been rotating their best players around. Shane Watson and Brad Haddin have been afforded a break, and that has allowed Tim Paine and Adam Voges a re-entry into the squad. Paine will do both Watson and Haddin’s job as an opener and a wicket-keeper respectively, whereas Voges could be drafted into the playing eleven if the pitch is deemed to be a turner.

The onus, therefore, will lie in the hands of the top-order of Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke. The one batsman who has had a quiet series so far due to the lack of opportunities, is Michael Hussey and one can expect him to come to the party here!

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New Zealand won by 3 wickets (with 31 balls remaining).
Guptill, 91
Vettori, 34
New Zealand beat Bangladesh winning the third ODI today in Christchurch.
After winning the toss, New Zealand invited the host team to bat first. Bangladesh has set a target of 242 for the Kiwis. Imrul Kayes made a gutsy century while Shakib Al Hasan gave his best performance of the tour with 36 runs and Muhammad Ashraful 31 scores, but it was still not enough to prevent New Zealand from sweeping the series.

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TJ Southee and DL Vettori each took 3 wickets. Chasing the target, Kiwis made 244 at a loss of 7 wickets in just 45th overs. Martin Guptill played a remarkable innings of 91. The only Test match between the two countries would be held in Hamilton on February 15.

New Zealand won by 3 wickets (with 31 balls remaining).
Guptill, 91
Vettori, 34
New Zealand beat Bangladesh winning the third ODI today in Christchurch.
After winning the toss, New Zealand invited the host team to bat first. Bangladesh has set a target of 242 for the Kiwis. Imrul Kayes made a gutsy century while Shakib Al Hasan gave his best performance of the tour with 36 runs and Muhammad Ashraful 31 scores, but it was still not enough to prevent New Zealand from sweeping the series.

Watch Live Cricket

TJ Southee and DL Vettori each took 3 wickets. Chasing the target, Kiwis made 244 at a loss of 7 wickets in just 45th overs. Martin Guptill played a remarkable innings of 91. The only Test match between the two countries would be held in Hamilton on February 15.

India willing to Take up Balochistan Issue With Pakistan, India has set February 18 and 25 for Secretary-level talks, while terrorism would top the dialogue agenda between the two countries.
Talking to media in New Delhi, Indian Home Minister Chidambaram has said that India extended talks offers to Pakistan. He sought immediate arrest of Hafiz Saeed, saying that terrorism would be the main focus during the dialogue. According to Indian media, India was agreed to also discuss its alleged interference in Balochistan during the dialogue.