ISLAMABAD (AFP) - Pakistan's top court on Friday threw out an appeal from embattled Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani against contempt charges, paving the way for him to be indicted next week.

KAMPALA (AFP) - A Ugandan lawmaker behind a proposed draconian anti-gay bill that sparked an international outcry said Friday he wanted to drop clauses that would see the death penalty introduced for certain homosexual acts.

BEIJING (AFP) - China's trade surplus widened to $27.28 billion in January as imports plunged more than 15 percent from a year earlier, official data showed Friday.

BEIJING (AFP) - China's exports fell 0.5 percent in January from a year earlier, state media said Friday, as overseas economic woes hurt demand for Chinese goods and factories closed for the Lunar New Year holiday.

BRUSSELS (AFP) - Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos launched a stinging attack on conservative election rival Antonio Samaras on Thursday, saying the country's future in the eurozone lies firmly in his hands.