International News for December 15, 2009

Bosses may soon be able to read workers racy texts on company phone
The US Supreme Court has announced that it will decide if bosses have the right to read X-rated text messages sent by an employee on the company phone. ANI

15 killed, 35 injured in Dera Ghazi Khan bomb blast
At least 15 persons were killed and 35 others injured in a powerful bomb blast in Dera Ghazi Khan on Tuesday. ANI

Topless GASP jeans ad most complained about in 2009
A billboard of topless women in denim jeans has topped the list of the most complained about advertisements for 2009. ANI

Benazir assassination : UN Commissions mandate increased by three months
: UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has extended the mandate of the UN commission probing the assassination of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto by three months. ANI

Mum of 13 getting IVF treatment for Christmas!
Debbie Simpson, a mum of 13 kids, is getting in vitro fertilisation (IVF) this Christmas because she wants nothing more than another baby. ANI

Eiffel Tower steps fetch £76k at Paris auction
A section of an Eiffel Tower staircase was sold off for 76,000 pounds at a Paris auction. ANI

Cheap watch worn by Obama becomes collectors item
Call it the Barack Obama effect - the US President has sent a relatively inexpensive watch to become an overnight best-seller after he was spotted wearing the same model. ANI

Malaysian Government must ensure bank loans for Indians
The Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) has called on the Malaysian Government to ensure Indian small entrepreneurs are able to obtain loans from commercial banks. ANI

Glamorous Barbie becomes burka-clad for charity
Toy doll Barbie, known for her glamorous clothes and pneumatic figure, has undergone a traditional makeover for charity. ANI

Security concerns, Blackwater behind A Q Khans restrictions: Pak Interior Ministry
The government has imposed movement restrictions on nuclear scientist Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan due to the deteriorating law and order conditions and the presence of US private security firm, Blackwater, in the country, the Lahore High Court has been told. ANI

How US troops dealt with Mortaritaville and Bombaconda in Iraq, Afghanistan
American solders deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq have formulated a language of their own, filled with black humor, cultural references and even the occasional crudity. ANI

Unheard of Pak terror group claims receiving help from Indian agents
An unheard militant group, Zarqawi, has reportedly claimed that it is being provided arms, ammunitions and finance to carry out terror strikes inside Pakistan. ANI

When veil became a fashion statement
Adopting the veil is not just a sign of social stigmatisation, but also a fashion statement for many people, say Turkish experts. ANI

Berlusconis attacker apologises for superficial, cowardly conduct
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconis attacker has reportedly apologised for his cowardly conduct. ANI

Taliban hand suspected behind Paks biggest ever bank robbery
Sundays stunning bank robbery in which foreign currency equivalent to 311.2 million rupees were looted from the Allied Bank here, has left the security agencies worried, as they fear that the looted money could land in the Talibans lap. ANI

Car crash leaves woman constantly craving for sex!
A car crash has left a woman sexually aroused 24 hours a day. ANI

Musharraf asked Swiss authorities to withdraw NRO cases
Former Pakistan Attorney General Malik Qayyum has told the Supreme Court that former President General Pervez Musharraf had asked the concerned authorities in Switzerland to withdraw cases against the NRO beneficiaries. ANI

US allows appointment of counsellors for arrested jihad seekers
The United States has allowed appointing counsellors for the five US origin terror suspects, who were arrested last week from Sargodha. ANI

No threat to Zardari, govt from Pak Army : Petraeus
US Central Command Chief General David Petraeus has said that he sees no threat either to the Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari or the current civilian government posed by the Army. ANI

New reports on Irans nuke program add urgency to tough sanctions
The Obama administration has underscored the urgency of tough new sanctions against Iran in the wake of new revelations that Tehran has been working secretly on a trigger for a nuclear bomb. ANI

The surreal after life of Dubya Bush
Former US President George W. (Dubya) Bush is clearly enjoying himself after leaving the White House. ANI

CIA, General Headquarters threat to Pakistans democratic government
The Pakistan Supreme Court has heard that the CIA and General Headquarters pose a threat to the current democratic government. ANI

Titanic ice-cube tray slammed as sick and distasteful
An ice-cube tray that makes frozen shapes of the Titanic has been criticized as sick. ANI

Little Boss, 6, pulls car with four people for 120m!
A six-year-old Malaysian child created a new national record when he pulled a Mercedes Benz E class with four passengers for 120m. ANI

Best man rigs newlyweds bed to Twitter sex!
A newlywed couples action between the sheets was broadcasted on Twitter after the grooms best friend rigged their bed to send a message on the micro-blogging website every time the couple had sex. ANI

Indiana School forced to remove Allah from holiday show
An elementary school in Indiana was forced to eliminate the mention of Allah from its holiday show following protest from a national conservative Christian group. ANI

Berlusconi knew something might happen minutes before Milan attack
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi feared something might happen at the rally in Milan minutes before he was assaulted by a mentally ill man. ANI

Pak Army Chief asks US to stop drone strikes
Pakistan Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has urged the United States to stop the drone attacks, saying it is proving counter productive and creating a negative impact on the global war on terror. ANI

22 million missing Bush era emails uncovered: Watchdogs
Two US watchdogs, who have dragged the Bush administration to the court for failing to maintain its email records, have claimed that computer technicians have uncovered 22 million White House e-mails from the former US Presidents tenure. ANI

Carla Bruni says single term as Frances First Lady is enough
Carla Bruni insists that one term as French First Lady is enough for her. ANI

Indias climate change proposals gets nod at Copenhagen summit
The proposal put forth by India to set up a network of climate innovation centers in various countries for developing and sharing green technologies has got a green signal, and is expected to form the basis of the final Copenhagen agreement. ANI

Brit court sentences man to jail for fighting off burglars, lets intruder walk free
In an amazing travesty of justice, a British court has jailed a businessman who fought off knife-wielding thugs to save his family with a cricket bat, while letting one of the intruders go scot-free. ANI

Saudi Arabia to flog 75-year-old woman for flouting sex segregation rules
Saudi Arabia is to flog a 75-year-old woman for breaching sex segregation rules, prompting human rights watchdog Amnesty International to appeal to the royal government in Riyadh to cancel a sentence of 40 lashes. ANI

Four killed, several injured in Kabul blast
A large explosion rocked Kabuls main diplomatic and government residential district on Tuesday morning killing at least four civilians and injuring several others. ANI

US will bomb Quetta if it gets actionable intelligence: Obama
Even as the Pakistani political and military leadership has reacted strongly to the proposed US drone strikes inside the country, President Barack Obama has warned that America would launch missile attacks inside Pakistan if it gets actionable intelligence about the presence of top Al Qaeda and Taliban leaders in a particular area. ANI

Rana knew about 26/11 attacks in advance: FBI documents
Tahawwur Hussain Rana, 48, who has been charged with plotting a terrorist attack against a Danish newspaper, also knew in advance about the 26/11 terror strike on Mumbai, the Globe and Mail quoted new FBI documents, as saying. ANI

Chinese protesters tortured in Black jails
Civil rights protesters in China are being dumped in psychiatric wards where they are forced to take mind-altering drugs and given electric shocks, reports Sky News. ANI

End of road if US attacks Quetta as Pak not a banana republic: Official
A senior Pakistani official has said that the US should stop dictating terms to the country, as Pakistan is not a banana republic, and warned that if the Obama administration move ahead with its plans of launching drone attacks in Quetta then it would be the end of the road for the ties between both the countries. ANI

Prince William to begin first major Australian visit
Prince William will head to New South Wales next month to bring the international attention to the state, Premier Kristina Keneally has revealed. ANI

UK bishop apologises for his pro-Taliban statement
The new Church of England bishop for the British armed forces has apologised for his earlier statement that the Taleban could be admired for their religious conviction and sense of loyalty. ANI

Best Job in the World winner becomes Tourism Queensland ambassador
Best Job in the World winner Ben Southall is set to go around the world as a Tourism Queensland salesman after his six-month job as island caretaker gets over. ANI

Indo-Pak dialogue must to prevent conflict: Clinton
Stressing on the need for resumption of bilateral talks between India and Pakistan on all outstanding issues, including Kashmir, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said extremists could try to provoke a war between the countries if issues are not resolved. ANI

Al Gores Copenhagen blunder: North Pole will be ice free in five years
Former US Vice-President Al Gore committed a blunder at the Copenhagen climate change summit by claiming that the Arctic could be completely ice-free in five years. ANI

Tahawwur Ranas bail plea hearing today
Canadian born Lashkar operative Tahawwur Hussain Ranas bail plea will be heard today in a Chicago court. ANI

Somnath temple, Bollywood stars and Shiv Sena leaders LeT targets, says FBI
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has revealed in its latest report that the famous Somnath temple in Gujarat, Bollywood stars and leaders of the Shiv Sena party in Mumbai are prime targets of the Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT). ANI

Pakistan snubs US on action against Haqqani network
Hours after the United States urged Pakistan to step up action on top Afghan Taliban commander Siraj Haqqani and his network, Islamabad has rebuffed Washingtons demands as Pakistani officials believe that doing so is contrary to its interests in Afghanistan. ANI

Convergys and Microsoft Set up Community Technology Center in Bangalore
Business Wire India

JDR Cable Systems to Provide Inter Array Cables for London Array Offshore Wind Farm
Business Wire India

PilotFish Technology Announces Next Generation SAP IDoc Integration Solution
Business Wire India

Exxon Mobil Corporation and XTO Energy Inc. Announce Agreement
Business Wire India

Alcon to Enter Surgical Glaucoma Market by Acquiring Optonol
Business Wire India

CARTES in Asia Signs Partnership Agreement With CIITA, Supported by Major Chinese Smart Card and General Industry Associations
Business Wire India

Samsung Electronics Appoints New Executive Leadership in Major Organizational Realignment
Business Wire India

Turk Telekom’s WIROFON on Argela’s Convergence Gateway wins "New Telecom Service of the Year" Award
Business Wire India