International News for November 17, 2008

NATO spy could have passed on missile defence, cyber-war secrets to Russia
An Estonian defence ministry official, who was arrested in September, could have passed on secrets on the US missile shield and cyber-defence to Russian Intelligence, while working with NATO. ANI

Obama brings hope to Israel-Iran talks: Peres
Israel believes there is a chance for dialogue with Iran if Barack Obama succeeds in uniting the international community behind a common policy. ANI

Obamas high-class staff prefers economy class travel
While President-elect Barack Obama is all set to take the highest office in the United States, his team still prefers to travel in the economy class. ANI

UK Home Secy slams businessmen for entertaining clients at lap-dancing club
British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith has slammed businessmen who entertain their clients at lap-dancing clubs. ANI

No decision yet on which type of school the Obamas girls will go
Incoming U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama has said that the family is yet to make a decision on whether to send their two daughters to a public or a private school. ANI

Obamas involvement in politics put strains on his marriage
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama and his wife Michelle have admitted that his involvement with politics did, at times, put strains on their marriage, but Michelle added that she is quite happy with Barack finally having his home and office in one place. ANI

Latest word added to Collins English Dictionary is from The Simpsons
The Collins English Dictionary has a new word added to its list, and its origin is from the American animated sitcom The Simpsons. ANI

Obamas on their personal transition
The Obamas are looking forward to their stay at the White House 65 days from now, and do hope that the transition at the personal level will be smooth for them and their daughters 10-year-old Malia and 7-year-old Sasha. ANI

Oz mens club witnesses row over womens inclusion
Granting admission to women has created a furore in the all mens Richmond Rotary Club in Sydney. ANI

Fattest UK teen loses 6 stone in just 10 weeks in US camp
Weighing 33 stone, a schoolgirl, who was declared the fattest teenager in Britain, has lost six stone in just 10 weeks after enrolling into the worlds leading weight loss camp in the US. ANI

Cheat massage parlours cum brothels ripping off health funds Down Under
An undercover investigation revealed that about 80 massage services in Sydney were actually brothels in disguise, offering sexual services in the name of raunchy massages, and even giving health funds rebate to regular customers. ANI

UK science minister claims to have power like a sixth sense
British Science Minister Lord Drayson claims that he has a power like a sixth sense, which enables him to foretell some events even before they occur. ANI

Australian Sex Party soon to be introduced to Oz politics
A political party called Australian Sex Party is all set to be launched on November 20th at Melbourne Sexpo in Australia. ANI

Russian billionaire prints book of his wifes erotic poses
A Russian billionaire, who is very proud of his wifes beauty, decided to share it with the world by printing a book of erotic photographs of her. ANI

25pct Oz teens have experienced domestic violence
One in four teenagers is a victim of domestic violence Down Under, according to a new survey. ANI

Internet fraudsters selling financial identities for 80 pounds in UK
Internet crooks are selling complete financial identities for just 80 pounds in Britain, according to an online safety group. ANI

Burglar in critical condition after owner sits on him to stop him from fleeing!
An alleged burglar was found to be in a critical condition after a dweller sat on him to stop him from fleeing, before the police arrived. ANI

What Michele said to Barack about his Washington digs
During the more than two-year-long campaign to win the bid for the White House, Democrat Barack Obama split his time between his family home in Chicago where Michelle and the girls lived, and a very modest apartment in Washington, which nearly burned down. ANI

Healthy life years matter more than life expectancy after 50
A new study has shown that the number of years of healthy active life people live after the age of 50 varies greatly across Europe. ANI

25pct UK school kids bullied for their beliefs
One in four kids is bullied at school because of their religious belief, according to a new study. ANI

Seven persons die of cold in quake-hit Balochistan
At least seven people, including a child and five women, died of chilling cold in the earthquake-hit Karezat tehsil of Balochistan province in Pakistan. ANI

Pak Taliban decide not to hold talks with federal govt in future
The Pakistans unit of the Taliban, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has reportedly said that it will not negotiate with the Pakistan government in future because the latter was inciting common people (by forming lashkars) against them. ANI

Unlike Bush, Obama regime not to push Pak for its anti-terror support
Experts on US policy vis-à-vis South Asia feel that the new Barack Obama administrations key policy with regard to situation in South Asia would be to convincingly secure Pakistans meaningful co-operation in anti-terror efforts, instead of pushing it, as done by the present Bush administration. ANI

Iraq approves pact to ensure US troops are withdrawn in 3 years
The Iraqi cabinet has reportedly approved a hard-fought security pact with the US, under which all American troops would withdraw from the country in three years, thereby putting an end to the US-led occupation of Iraq. ANI

Canada spending millions of dollars in watching Qaeda suspects movements
Canadian government is learnt to be spending between five and ten lakhs in keeping a vigil on suspected al-Qaeda members, who belong to other countries but have been released into Canadian communities. ANI

Nepal Constituent Assembly puts final stamp on statute calendar
Nepal Constituent Assembly (CA) has unanimously endorsed the proposed calendar of events, according to which the new constitution will be endorsed by April 2010. ANI

Pak turns to Friends for aid to combat financial crisis, Islamist insurgents
In the wake of the ongoing recession and economy collapse, Pakistan is learnt to have turned to Britain and 11 other Friends of Democratic Pakistan for help to save itself from financial crisis and military defeat by Islamist insurgents, said a report in timesonline.com ANI

Brit school that banned Sikh girl from wearing bracelet asked to pay 76K pounds
A school in South Wales has been asked by a court to pay 76,000 pounds as legal costs to a Sikh girl who was banned from wearing a religious bracelet. ANI

Suicide-attack-hit Paks Marriott hotel to have bombproof wall
The Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, which faced the most dreadful suicide attack in Pakistans history claiming more than 50 lives, will have a bomb-proof wall around it to protect it against terrorist attacks in the future, said the hotel administration. ANI

Women in 30s and 40s most irresponsible drinkers in UK
A new study has revealed that women in there 30s and 40s are becoming the most irresponsible drinkers in Britain. ANI

Zardari seeks drone technology from US to enhance ability to fight terror
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has reportedly urged Washington to provide the predator technology to Pakistan instead to enhance its ability to fight terrorism. ANI

Mass migration, Internet major threats to UKs national security: Ex-Home Secretary
Former British Home Secretary John Reid has warned that mass migration and the Internet are major threats to the countrys national security. ANI

Sarah Palin may make $10.8m in book deals
Alaska Governor Sarah Palin is emerging as an unlikely saviour of the US publishing industry, for literary agents are considering signing her for book deals. ANI

US daily again claims air strikes a result of secret deal, Pak denies
Second time in the past few days, a leading American daily the Washington Post has claimed that the US and Pakistan had agreed to a dont-ask-dont-tell policy that allows unmanned Predator aircraft to attack suspected terrorist targets in rugged western Pakistan, and according to which Islamabad will keep on protesting against them but simultaneously giving a tacit approval. ANI

Carla Bruni blamed for Nicolas Sarkozys shift to the left
French President Nicolas Sarkozys supporters, who are worried about his inclination towards socialism, believe that his glamorous wife Carla Bruni is behind the shift towards the left. ANI

Pak forces given licence to kill to protect NATO supplies
Pakistan government is learnt to have given a shoot-to-kill order for those trying to disrupt the NATO supplies to Afghanistan. The order comes in the wake of recent incidents whereby insurgents hijacked as many 15 trucks loaded with supplies for NATO and American forces in Afghanistan, though they were later recovered. ANI

Indian American Jindal says something is wrong with Republican Party
Louisianas Indian American Governor Bobby Jindal is of the view that there is something wrong with his Republican Party, and that it needs to do three things to get back on track. ANI

Obamas pooch to enter White House either in late winter or early spring
The Obamas have said that while they have promised their two daughters a dog as their gift for their father winning the U.S. presidential elections, they will wait to induct the pooch till late winter or early spring. ANI

Russia backpedals on missile threat towards US
Russia has announced that it will not carry out its threats to deploy new missiles facing Europe and that the advent of a new U.S. administration provides great opportunities to overcome other differences with the United States. ANI

Obama team taps three for key positions
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has announced the appointment of three key White House advisers over the weekend. ANI

Most adults think Brit kids are danger to society
A new study has revealed that more and more adult population is beginning to think of Brit children as a threat to the society. ANI

Pak PM hopes US air strikes could stop under Obama administration
Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said that the US air strikes would be stopped after the new Barack Obama administration assumes office in the White House on January 20. ANI

US think tank urges halt to air strikes
A leading American thinktank has reportedly urged the Bush administration to stop unilateral air strikes in Pakistans tribal areas, and advised it to instead focus on supporting its economy reeling under recession and budgetary deficit. ANI

Karzai offers protection to Mulla Omar for peace
Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said that he would go to any extent to protect the fugitive Taliban leader Mullah Mohammad Omar in exchange for peace in the country. ANI

Henry VIIIs love letters to Anne Boleyn to be revealed online
Love letters written by King Henry VIII of England to Anne Boleyn, who later became his second wife, will soon be made available to the public for the first time - in an online archive. ANI

Films rates suitable for kids are full of swearing
Movies that are rated suitable for children viewing contain a scandalous amount of swearing, according to a survey. ANI

Obama to keep poll promises - pull out of Iraq, crush Al-Qaeda, close Cuba prison
US President-elect Barack Obama has reportedly said that hw would keep his poll promises of pulling out troops from Iraq, crushing Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, and shutting down the Guantanamo Bay camp. ANI

Real-life African Mowglis friends in pics were tame animals
Eighteen-year-old Tippi Degre might have been called the real-life African Mowgli after extraordinary pictures showing her playing with an elephant, leopard, and ostrich appeared in the media last week, but it has now emerged that all those creatures were tame animals. ANI

Pakistan temporarily bans movement of trucks carrying NATO troop supplies
American and NATO troops deployed in war-ravaged Afghanistan faced an unexpected crisis on Sunday after Pakistan temporarily stopped oil tankers and container trucks from passing through a key passageway into the a country, threatening a critical supply route and raising more fears about security in the region. ANI

Obama unlikely to be allowed to use Blackberry in White House
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama may have to give up using his much loved Blackberry mobile phone because of Congressional and court-related legal strictures. ANI

Obama says national security team and economy are his top priorities
U.S.President-elect Barack Obama said on Sunday that the security of the United States and getting the countrys economy back on track would command his attention on a priority basis once he assumes office on January 20, 2009. ANI

Hillary Clinton would be a good choice as Secretary of State, says senior GOP leader
A senior Republican leader has said naming Hillary Rodham Clinton as the next U.S. Secretary of State would be a good choice. ANI

Obama resigns as Illinois Senator
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama on Sunday resigned as the junior Senator from Illinois and told his constituency in a thank-you and farewell letter that he was ending one journey to begin another. ANI

ECI Telecom Selects PMC-Sierra Wireless Backhaul Transport Architecture for BroadGate Family of Optical Access Platforms
Business Wire India

Wipro-NewLogic Delivers WLAN and Bluetooth RF IPs in TSMC 90nm
Business Wire India