Deadline looms for Google Books deal

Authors are split over the

Amazon has urged a New York court to reject a deal that would allow Google to build a vast digital library.

The online retailer says that if Google is given exclusive rights to scan books for use on the internet, it is "likely to lead to a monopoly".

Interested groups and authors have until 28 January to file objections to the project to a US court.

Google says the project will "unlock access to millions of books" and give authors new ways to distribute books.

Google Books aims to scan millions of books worldwide and make them available - and searchable - online.

It was first launched in 2004 but was put on hold a year later when the Authors Guild of America and Association of American Publishers sued over "massive copyright infringement".

As a result, in 2008 Google agreed to pay $125m (£77m) to create a Book Rights Registry, where authors and publishers could register works and receive compensation.

A decision on whether the deal could go through was originally scheduled for early October.

Split opinion'

But, the presiding Judge sent the deal back to the drawing board after criticism and objections from around the world.

Groups have until 28 January to file objections to the revised settlement to a US court, which will decide whether to approve it. Authors have the same deadline to opt-out of the project.

A fairness hearing has then been set for 18 February.

In the run up to the deadline, industry and authors have once again started mounting pressure on Google.

France ex-PM Villepin cleared of Sarkozy smear

Former French PM Dominique de Villepin has been cleared of plotting to discredit President Nicolas Sarkozy when he was the interior minister.

He had been accused of failing to stop the Clearstream corruption inquiry into Mr Sarkozy, despite knowing the claims against his rival were false.

Both men had been hoping to succeed Jacques Chirac as president in the 2007 election.

Several other defendants in the case were found guilty on various charges.

The judge said there was no proof Mr De Villepin had acted in bad faith, and he was cleared on all four counts of complicity to slander, to use forgeries, dealing in stolen property and breach of trust.

There were cheers outside the courtroom as the verdict was read out, but Mr De Villepin showed little emotion, says the BBC's Emma Jane Kirby in Paris.

After the verdict, he said outside the courtroom: "After many years of ordeal, my innocence has been recognised. I was hurt by the image of politics that was portrayed, of the commitment that I have made over the past 30 years.

"I am now looking to the future to serve the French people and contribute in a spirit of unity to the recovery of France."

The former prime minister is now likely to relaunch his political career and to challenge President Sarkozy in the next general election in 2012, our correspondent says.

His acquittal will be a bitter blow to Mr Sarkozy, who celebrates his 55th birthday on Thursday, and who had promised he would "hang from a butcher's hook" for trying to smear his name, she adds.

Complex investigation

In 2004, Mr Sarkozy's name appeared on a list of top politicians and businessmen who were wrongly linked to an illegal bank account in Luxembourg.

It was alleged those named on the list had received bribes from international arms sales.

Arch rivals: Sarkozy v Villepin

The list was sent to people including Mr De Villepin, who was accused of failing to stop the conspiracy.

During the investigation, Mr De Villepin admitted he knew of the documents - but the court found no evidence to prove he had known they had been faked.

At the trial, prosecutors had called for him to receive an 18-month suspended sentence and a fine of 45,000 euros (£39,000).

Three other defendants were convicted, including a former executive of the EADS aerospace group, Jean-Louis Gergorin, who admitted leaking the fake list to investigators, and Imad Lahoud, a computer specialist, who confessed to adding Mr Sarkozy's name to the list.

Both men were fined 40,000 euros (£34,500; $56,000). Gergorin must serve 15 months in prison and Lahoud must serve 18 months.

A fifth defendant was cleared.

Afghanistan: Security transition 'by end of 2010'

President Karzai has vowed to cut corruption in the government

Afghan forces could take control of security in some provinces by the end of 2010, delegates at a key summit about the country have said.

A statement at the end of the one-day meeting in London said the process could be complete within five years.

UK Foreign Minister David Miliband described 2010 as a "decisive" year because a new government was in place, but warned of a "refreshed" insurgency.

World leaders pledged $140m (£87m) to win over low-level Taliban fighters.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has recently announced plans to encourage Taliban members to renounce violence and join in peace talks.

"We must reach out to all of our countrymen, especially our disenchanted brothers, who are not part of al-Qaeda, or other terrorist networks, who accept the Afghan constitution," he told delegates.

"Today alone there have been over $140m worth of commitments for the first year of the national reintegration programme and we are committed to seeing that through."

Mr Miliband said: "The aim of the conference was to align the military and civilian resources of every coalition partner behind a clear political strategy, to help President Karzai and his government deliver the ambitious agenda that he set out in his inaugural speech last November.

"The themes of mutual responsibility - Afghan and international - and of unity behind a clear plan came through very strongly indeed."

The final communique from the summit in London said it welcomed Afghanistan's goal of taking charge of the "majority of operations in the insecure areas of Afghanistan within three years and taking responsibility for physical security within five years"

DFA to celebrate ‘Basant’ in Lahore on Feb 20, 21

LAHORE: The District Flying Association announced on Sunday to celebrate ‘basant’ in Lahore from Feb 20 to 21.

On the other hand, Punjab’s Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said the Punjab Assembly has not given any permission in this connection.

The DFA said that basant would be celebrated in line with the safety measures chalked out by the government.

DFA General Secretary Sheikh Salim told media that kites would be made available from Feb 5 in the city.

Hundreds of people are associated with the business of kite flying and it is a good step that Punjab Assembly has given a permission for basant.

Atiq sees Indian RAW behind AJK suicide attacks

RAWALPNINDI: Former prime minister Azad Kashmir and chief of Muslim Conference Sardar Atiq has said that India’s secret agency RAW is involved in suicide attacks in Azad Kashmir.

Addressing a program here, Sardar Atiq condemned what he said atrocities being unleashed by the Indian troops in the Occupied Kashmir and urged the international community to completely boycott India.

On the occasion Chairman of Awami Ittehad Saghir Chughtai announced merger of his party with Muslim Conference.

Dry, cold weather to continue

ISLAMABAD: Mainly Cold and Dry weather is expected in most parts of the county during the next 24 hours. According to the Met Department, wintry conditions will continue for another 3 to 4 days, while fog is likely to prevail in various areas of Punjab. Light rain was recorded in Rohri, Sukkar and Zhob during the last 24 hours. The lowest minimum temperature of the country was recorded in Para Chinar (-11 C), while lowest minimum temperature in Islamabad remained (7 C), Lahore (5 C), Karachi (15 C), Peshawar (6 C), Quetta (3 C), Muzaffarabad (4 C) and Murree (2 C).

ANP urges gun-lovers to leave Karachi

KARACHI: Awami National Party Sindh President Shahi Syed on Sunday urged all section of the society to strengthen the government in its bid to get rid of terrorists from the country. Speaking at a ceremony hosted to mark the death anniversary of Bacha Khan and Wali Khan, he said people of all ethnicities should help the government to eliminate terrorism. He said those who are fond of using guns should move to the mountains by vacating Karachi. Syed said that a war of transfer and posting is under way in Karachi to seize lands and to attain their personal interests. He stressed that the government should give a 15-day notice to all licensed and un-licensed arms companies and cleanse of city from weapons.

Laadli – Title Track [Star Plus Drama OST]

Download Title Track Of Laadli Soap Drama Of Star Plus

Sabki Laadli Bebo drama

Sabki Laadli Bebo is one of the prime time tele-serial which is aired by Star Plus at 10.00 PM Mon- Fri . The story of Sabki Laadli Bebo is all about a cute, cheerful, innocent girl Bebo— who is loved by her family immeasurably.

This affluent, respectable, traditional Punjabi family of 3 brothers and their parents always yearned for a girl child and their happiness knew no bounds when after years God answered their prayers and a daughter was born.

As the only girl child born in the traditionally rich Punjabi family after ages, she was nothing less than a precious jewel in the house and there was an amazing bond between each of them. Unheard and unexposed to the sorrows and miseries of life she knows only to smile and laugh.

Her motto of life is to be happy and make others happy and she is proud to be born in such a loving family. Will Bedo always be happy? Will she never see the sorrows and miseries of the world? Watch Sabki Laadli Bebo for the answer.Check this sweet soap pictures in the photo gallery below: see Drama Click Here

Dakar: The Most Dangerous Race on Earth

Marc Coma 2110 Dakar Rally

The Dakar insanity is a one-of-a-kind, 17 day, 14-stage, 9,000-kilometer rally loop-de-looping through Argentina and Chile (map of the course) and it is not your average ramble in the country. For 30 years in Africa and now in South America it has been considered the toughest motor vehicle race in the world. The 2010 rally started January 1 and is slated to conclude on January 17 in Buenos Aires

Dunes, desert, mountains, drug cartels, coups d'états and other hostile obstacles wait for the 151 bikes, 25 quads, 134 cars and 52 trucks. As proving grounds for the manufacturers, approximately 45 percent will not finish the race – which only proves you can roll them and fold them and light them on fire. Vehicle parts fly and sometimes, so do the drivers.

How dangerous is the race? One year a rider got lost on the route and three days later they brought him out in a bag. Argentine quad driver Marco Patronelli said, "You could be dying at the side of the road and they would pass by at top speed." Although the vehicles do have rear-view mirrors the drivers/riders do not look back.

There is not much financial rewards for the event with the winner receiving 25,000 euros. I guess that is better than a trophy, and a kiss from a Buenos Aires beach bunny but it barely pays for the physical therapy a driver/rider needs after finishing the race.

The sport takes speed, endurance and keeping your bottom-side down. There is no bunching behind the leader, no caution flags, and no parade lap.

The Versus television channel broadcasts it on United States TV. It can also be followed at www.dakar.com or the Versus Web site.

preparation بھارت کی جنگی تیاریاںfight of india

بھارتی اخبار کے مطابق بھارتی افواج پاکستان اور چین سے ایک ساتھ جنگ کے لئے تیاری کر رہی ہیں۔ اخبار نے بھارتی آرمی چیف دیپک کپور کے حوالے سے کہا ہے کہ بھارت کئی ایک محاذ وں پر ایک ساتھ لڑنے کے لئے تیار ہے۔ بھارتی اخبار کے مطابق پاکستان اور چین کے ساتھ لڑنے کے لئے بھارتی افواج کو شملہ میں جنرل اے ایس لامبا کی سربراہی میں تربیت دی جاچکی ہے، بھارت سمجھتا ہے کہ پاکستان اور چین اتحادی ہیں اور اگلی جنگ پاکستان اور چین کے ساتھ بیک وقت ہوسکتی ہے، اس اخبار کے مطابق جنگ ہونے کی صورت میں بھارت کو امریکہ اور روس کی بالواسطہ مدد ملے گی اور بھارت کو دو جنگیں ایک ساتھ لڑنی پڑیں گی۔ اخبار کے مطابق جنگ ہونے کی صورت میں پہلے 96 گھنٹوں میں فیصلہ کرنے کی صلاحیت رکھتا ہے اور سامنے والے کو سیز فائٴرپر مجبور کردے گا۔

بھارت کی اس جنگی تیاری کو کس طرح دیکھنا چاہیے؟

اگر ایسا ہوا تو پاکستان کی حکمت عملی کیا ہونی چاہیے؟

بھارت کی جنگی تیاریوں پر اپنی رائے سے آگاہ کریں۔