International News for November 24, 2009

Red Carpet welcome for Manmohan Singh at White House
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh received a red carpet welcome at the White House in Washington DC on Tuesday. ANI

Obama welcomes Manmohan Singh at White House
US President Barack Obama on Tuesday welcomed Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at the White House, and said that it is fitting that the Indian Prime Minister should be the first State visitor of his administration. ANI

Welcome ceremony for Manmohan Singh shifted indoors due to rain
The White House welcome ceremony for Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur has been shifted indoors due to continuous rains here. The gun salute has also been cancelled. ANI

Reconstituted India-US CEOs Forum to meet PM,Obama
The reconstitued India-US CEOs Forum met in Washington, on Monday and will meet Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and US President Barack Obama at the White House today. ANI

World must prepare for peaceful rise of China, says PM
Indian Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, who is on a four-day visit to Washington, has said that while there is a degree of uncertainty on the part of China vis--vis resolving issues with India, he does not understand the reasons behind it. ANI

Obama administration puts on the glitz for Manmohan Singh
Visiting Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will be greeted by the Obama administration for the first State Guest dinner of his presidency on Tuesday with a red-carpet welcome and a 21-gun salute. ANI

Afghanistan needs sustained support of world community: PM
Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has said that war-ravaged Afghanistan needs the sustained support of the world community, and added that India is doing its bit even it does not suit some other countries in the neighbourhood. ANI

Pak SC directs authorities to formulate policy regarding issuing I-cards to Hindus
: The Pakistan Supreme Court has asked the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) to come up with a policy for the registration of Hindu couples for computerised national identity cards. ANI

Sarah Palin still an American political heavyweight
Recent polls and political analysis have suggested that former U.S. Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin is still a political heavyweight. ANI

Iran must avoid going down the nuclear weapon path: Manmohan Singh
Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has said that Iran must not go down the nuclear weapons path, and added that New Delhi has unambiguously and consistently said that it does not support such a step. ANI

New Sugardrop tomato is as sweet as a peach
For people, who find the taste of ordinary tomatoes too sharp, a new type of tomato described as sweet as a peach might taste appealing. ANI

China set for Disney theme park in Shanghai
China is set to see the opening of a Disney theme park in Shanghai. ANI

Taliban planning mass extinctions by poisoning Karachis water supply
Pakistan intelligence agencies have warned that the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is planning to poison Karachis main water supply. ANI

Silvio Berlusconi named Rolling Stones Rock Star Of the Year
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been named as rock star of the year by the Rolling Stone magazine. ANI

Otto von Bismarck got marriage proposals in mails from doting fans
Otto von Bismarck, the Iron Chancellor who forged modern Germany, received thousands of fan mails including marriage proposals from women besotted with the dashing leader. ANI

Kaira dispels rumours about differences between Zardari, Gilani over NRO list
Pakistan Information and Broadcasting Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira has rebuked reports about differences between President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yosuf Raza Gilani on the issue of National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO). ANI

India has expressed concern over US arms supply to Pakistan: Nirupama Rao
Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao has told media persons here that the Indian Government has expressed its concern to Washington over US arms supply to Pakistan. ANI

Scotland Yard forwards four MPs expenses files to prosecutors
Scotland Yard has forward four cases of MPs and peers facing criminal charges of fraud over their expenses claims to prosecutors ccording to The Telegraph, those facing prosecution are Labour MPs Elliot Morley, David Chaytor and Jim Devine, and peers Baroness Uddin, Lord Hanningfield and Lord Clarke of Hampstead. ANI

Family of murdered Brit Indian woman continues to live in nightmare
The family of Brit Indian Geeta Aulakh, who was left mutilated and dying in a London street, is living in a nightmare and has yet to come to terms after the brutal murder of the mother of two. ANI

British police arresting people to expand DNA database
People in Britain are routinely being arrested simply because police wants to record their DNA profiles on the national database, a new report has claimed. ANI

Terrorists have gripped mainland Pakistan: PM
Visiting Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh told a distinguished gathering at the Centre of Foreign Relations (CFR) here on Monday that his country was very concerned about terrorists and insurgents, who were once very active along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, stretching their influence into mainland Pakistan. ANI

Kiwi mum says she plays Bach to help cannabis plants grow!
A Kiwi woman has revealed in court that she plays Bach to her cannabis plants to help them grow. ANI

Pak back to singing jaded UN resolutions-for-K-settlement tune
Pakistan has once again raked up the issue of Kashmir, saying that it should be resolved in accordance with the United Nations resolutions of 1948 and 1949. ANI

White House keeps suspense alive on Manmohan Singhs banquet details
As the White House gets ready to witness the first State dinner of the Obama era in honour of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, speculations over the list of invitees and attire to be worn by the glamorous guests kept the rumour mills abuzz. ANI

Barmaid dares Oz premier to take lie detector test to defy sex-scandal allegations
The Premier of South Australia, Mike Rann, has been challenged by a former parliament barmaid to take a lie detector test after he strongly denied having had sex with her. ANI

US envoy Roemer key to managing U.S.-India relationship
In having six-time Congressman Timothy Roemer posted as Washingtons envoy in New Delhi, there is a view that the exquisitely sensitive U.S.-Indian relationship is being managed by someone with a finely tuned political ear. ANI

Brit woman cheated by boyfriend 53 times now exposes love rats online
A Brit woman, who was cheated by her lover, decided to teach him and other love rats a lesson by starting a website where they could be exposed. ANI

Lovers caught having sex at top of Sydneys historic clock tower
A young couple was caught having sex in full view of passers-by at the top of Sydneys historic clock tower. ANI

When Nicolas Sarkozy, Carla Bruni met the Simpsons
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Carla Bruni have become the latest high profilers to be parodied in the hit animated TV show The Simpsons. ANI

Malaysian sex workers using porn films to rob distracted clients
A group of Malaysian sex workers are reportedly using pornographic movies to distract clients before robbing them off their belongings. ANI

When Prince William bumped into naked Kiwi rugby players
Prince William came face-to-face with a rather embarrassing situation when he bumped into naked All Blacks rugby team players during his New Zealand visit. ANI

Islamic Fashion Festival VIII launched in Kuala Lumpur
The Islamic Fashion Festival VIII has been launched in style in Kuala Lumpur, featuring designs from Royal Terengganu Songket and Muslim wear designers. ANI

Ex-Olympics chief Samaranch had close ties with KGB: Book
Former International Olympic Committee chief, Juan Antonio Samaranch, had close ties with the KGB, and his election for the top Olympic job was also influenced by the spy network, a new book has claimed. ANI

Margaret Thatcher is back at 10 Downing Street
Former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher came back to 10 Downing Street to attend the unveiling of her portrait. ANI

Manmohan Singhs US visit not aimed at diminution of Pak importance: Holbrooke
US Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke, has said that Pakistan need not worry about Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singhs US visit, as the Obama administration is trying to strengthen its ties with all the three big countries of the region, which include China and Pakistan. ANI

Afghan apples headed for Indian markets
The first shipment of Afghan apples for sale in the Indian market - branded the the Silk Road Harvest - left Kabul for New Delhi by an Air India Flight on November 11, 2009. ANI

Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) pledges support for Canadas athletes
The Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce (ICCC) has committed its support to Canadian athletes competing in the October 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. ANI

76-year-old Nepalese man is worlds oldest Mt. Everest climber
Guinness World Records has officially recognized a Nepalese man who climbed the Mt. Everest at age 76 as the oldest to conquer the worlds highest peak. ANI

Most Indians still feel that US giving India short shrift
A majority of Indians across the United States feel that President Barack Obama gave too much deference to China during his recent Asia trip, and thus created doubts about whether Washington is on Indias side, reports the Christian Science Monitor. ANI

Five things about Sarah Palin you never knew
While much has been discussed about Sarah Palins book Going Rogue, there are facets of her life mentioned in the tome that have not yet been unravelled to the public. ANI

US in indirect talks with Afghan Taliban
The United States is in secret talks with the Afghan Taliban, with countries like Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Britain playing the role of mediators, sources have revealed. ANI

US thanks India for extending hospitality to Dalai Lama
The United States has thanked India for extending hospitality to Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, a comment and a situation that isnt going to please China, which views the latter as a renegade and a splitist. ANI

US must reassure India that it is a valued strategic partner: Burns
Nicholas Burns, the lead negotiator on the U.S.-India nuclear deal in the Bush administration, has said that Washington must reassure New Delhi that it is a valued strategic partner. ANI

Manmohan Singh lauds Indian-American contribution to India-US ties
Stating that the edifice of the India-US partnership is founded on many pillars, Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmhan Singh said on Monday that one of these pillars was the large Indian-American community, which has contributed enormously and significantly to building ties between the two countries. ANI

India, US can do much more on counter-terrorism cooperation: PM
Expressing his appreciation for the cooperation that India has received from the United States in the area of counter-terrorism in the recent past, particularly in the context of the 26/11 attacks on Mumbai, the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, said on Monday that he was convinced that both countries had the wherewithal to expand cooperation in this area further. ANI

Climate change: India determined to be part of the solution, says PM
Accepting that India was a latecomer to industrialization and has contributed very little to the accumulation of greenhouse gas emissions that cause global warming, the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, said New Delhi is determined to be part of the solution on the climate change front. ANI

Progress, reform urgently needed at United Nations: PM
Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Monday once again called on the United States and other developed countries to take a leadership role in ensuring that reform takes place in the United Nations and its Security Council. ANI

Global meltdown recovery immediate challenge before India, US: PM
Expressing confidence and optimism about the future of the India-US partnership, visiting Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh told a distinguished gathering at the Council of Foreign Relations (CFR) here, that there is a growing convergence of our national interests, both within the bilateral framework and on regional and global issues, but the immediate challenge before us is to bring the world to full recovery from the global economic and financial crisis. ANI

Pakistan must make a break with the past, abjure terrorism: PM
To have a peaceful South Asia, the Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, said on Tuesday that Pakistan must make a break with the past, abjure terrorism and come to the table with good faith and sincerity. ANI

India committed towards world free of nuclear weapons: Manmohan Singh
The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, said on Monday that India has been committed to the goal of creating a world free of nuclear weapons since it gained independence from Britain in 1947. ANI

India, US ink pacts on traditional knowledge, IPR, investment promotion
India and United States inked two significant inter-governmental agreements at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Monday. ANI

Indian, US industry bodies ink dozen agreements, deepen economic ties
Building blocks for deepening Indo-US economic cooperation were put in place on Monday with the signing of a dozen agreements and memoranda of understanding between different Indian and US partners in the presence of Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia and Indias Ambassador to the United States Meera Shankar. ANI

Transatlantic Holdings, Inc. Announces Closing of Debt Public Offering
Business Wire India

SensorDynamics Launches Expanded Range of All-Purpose MEMS Inertial Combo Sensors
Business Wire India

Bayer CropScience Signs Agreement with GVK Biosciences on early-stage Research Projects
Business Wire India

Kaohsiung Int’l Container Arts Festival Opens with "A Moving Sound" Performance
Business Wire India