International News for December 31, 2008

Hu offers six peace proposals for cross-Strait ties
Chinese President Hu Jintao has offered six proposals to promote the peaceful development of the cross-Strait relationship. ANI

Pak preoccupied with India even as insurgent threat looms
Many Pakistanis still view India as their real enemy and are far less concerned about the spread of radical Islam in their midst, the Washington Post reports. ANI

2008, the most dangerous year for journalists in Pakistan
The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has termed 2008, as the most dangerous year for journalists in Pakistan. ANI

Bugti demands Musharrafs arrest to expose his fathers, Bhuttos killers
The Jamhoori Watan Party chief, Talal Bugti has demanded Musharrafs arrest, so that the killers of his father, Akbar Bugti and the former Pakistan PM Benazir Bhutto, could be exposed. ANI

Pakistan is the second deadliest place in the world for the press
Pakistan is the second deadliest place, in the world for the press with seven out of 60 journalists having been killed here in 2008, a worldwide press freedom round-up has claimed. ANI

Alice Springs outed as lesbian capital of Outback Australia
The Outback state of Australia, Alice Springs, is to be outed as the lesbian capital on national television. ANI

Fox News unveils top 10 strange-but-true stories of 2008
The top strange-but-true news story of 2008 was about a Pennsylvania cat lover, who got a smelly surprise when a neighbours cat turned out to be a frightened skunk. ANI

Israel rejects 48-hour cease-fire call against Gaza militants
Israel has rejected an immediate 48-hour cease-fire against Gaza militants. ANI

Indiana Jones comeback tops Biggest Movie Mistakes Poll of 2008
Harrison Fords return to his hit adventurer franchise with Indiana Jones And The Kingdom Of The Crystal Skull has topped this years Biggest Movie Mistakes poll. ANI

Boozy Brit parents take baby on 7hr pub crawl
A couple who took their four-month-old baby with them on a seven-hour booze binge have been sentenced to two-year community service. ANI

Author Terry Pratchett flabbergasted to receive knighthood
Author Terry Pratchett said he was flabbergasted to receive a knighthood for his services in the field of literature. ANI

Battery-powered smoking device banned by State Government
The Brumby Labor Government in Australia has banned a battery-powered device, which is said to be a healthy alternative to smoking. ANI

Shabab-e-Milli warns Pak hotels against allowing vulgar New Year celebrations
A wing of the Jamaat-e-Islami organisation, Shabab-e-Milli, has issued threats to the provincial administration and owners of five star hotels and restaurants in Karachi over New Year celebrations. ANI

China expresses concern over rising tensions between India, Pak
China has expressed deep concern over strained relations between India and Pakistan. ANI

Pak minister says no differences between Zardari and Gilani
Pakistans Information and Broadcasting Minister Sherry Rehman has rejected rumours of differences existing between President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. ANI

Wife bites hubbys willy to avoid sex!
A man was left crying with pain after his wife chomped his manhood because she did not want to have sex with him.Charris Bowers was taken into custody for attacking her husband after the couple had been drinking. ANI

More Americans to kiss their dogs rather than partners on New Years Eve!
More people in the US would be planting kisses on their pets while celebrating the New Year rather than on other fellow humans, reveals a new poll. ANI

The Dark Knight wins top movie websites Best Film of 2008 title
Batman blockbuster The Dark Knight has won the title to be the Best Film of 2008 on a prominent movie news website Moviehole.net. ANI

Giant turquoise flying rabbit balloon sparks major police alert in UK!
A giant turquoise flying rabbit led to a major police alert after it broke free from its quay and crashed into a bridge over the River Thames. ANI

Tainted milk scam: China to compensate child medical costs until 18
The compensation fund for victims of a tainted milk scandal will pay for medical costs the sickened incur until they reach 18, affected families said Tuesday. ANI

Mumbai terrorists trained in Karachi, says Lashkar Commander (Update- Zarar Shah)
The terrorists, who stroke at the heart of Southern Mumbai between November 26 and November 29, were trained at Karachi, according to a top Lashkar-e-Taiba commander. ANI

Malaysian employers find a new way to get rid of foreign workers
Employers in Malaysia have found a new way to deny salary to their foreign workers. ANI

China to start work on four nuke plants in 2009
China is expected to start work on four nuclear power stations in 2009, according to a senior government official. ANI

`Dolt Bush has read 186 books in last two years
In what without a doubt is the most astounding op-ed piece of the year, Karl Rove reveals that his friend and former boss, George W. Bush, has read probably hundreds of books over the course of his presidency. ANI

Prince Charles pips younger sis to become hardest working Royal
Prince Charles has trounced his younger sister Princess Anne Valentine Low to become the hardest working member of the Royal Family. ANI

100 bn dlrs overdraft leaves student in shock!
A Brit student was left gob-smacked when he saw his Barclays bank statement showing that he was 100 billion pounds overdrawn. ANI

Inaugural Committee warns Of crush-Level crowds
The Congressional Inaugural Committee has warned of crush-level inaugural crowds on January 20, the day on which Barack Obama will be sworn in as the 44th US President. ANI

Five of the worlds deadliest conventional weapons revealed
Five of the worlds deadliest conventional weapons have been revealed, and according to Fox News, some of them are terrifying, while others are silent but very effective. ANI

Europe rights commissioner condemns UK database plan
Critical comments by Europes Human Rights Commissioner, Thomas Hammarberg, has reportedly prompted Britain to rethink plans for a database holding details of every email, mobile phone and internet visit. ANI

Sex mad beaver leaves 20-mile trail of destruction!
A lovesick beaver that escaped from his enclosure in Lifton, Devon, has left a 20-mile trail of destruction, gnawing his way through the countryside in a bid to build the perfect dam to attract a female. ANI

The American laws that are the wackiest in the world!
While most states and countries come up with laws that are practical, America on the other hand has some that can claim to be the wackiest in the world. ANI

Rice tells Pak to get better handle on checking rampant Taliban in Fata
The U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has urged Pakistan to tackle the situation in the North -West Frontier Province (NWFP), as the Talibans activities has increased tremendously in the region. ANI

Washington lobbyist Iseman sues NYT for 27 million dollars
Washington lobbyist Vikki Iseman is suing the New York Times for 27 million dollars for publishing an explosive story last February that suggested a romantic link between him and Senator John McCain in 1999. ANI

More than an assault a day in UK Jobcentres
Jobcentres in the UK have turned into assault-centres, for more than one assault takes place in offices every day, show official figures.Records from Department of Work and Pensions, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, revealed that there were a total of 440 confirmed assaults at Jobcentres last year. ANI

McCain fears India will attack Pakistan
US Senator John McCain has expressed his fears that India might be on the verge of launching an attack on Pakistan in the wake of last months terror attacks on Mumbai. ANI

Atheist group files suit against prayer at presidential inauguration
An atheist group has filed a lawsuit to prevent the recitation of a prayer at President-elect Barack Obamas inauguration. ANI

Brit girl makes miraculous recovery after having third of heart removed
In what can be called as a miraculous case of survival, a girl who had almost one third of her heart removed in a life-saving operation has astonished doctors by showing full recovery. ANI

US asks Pak to handover Lakhvi to India
Pakistan has been pressurized by the United States to extradite Zaki Al Rahman Lakhvi, the alleged mastermind of the Mumbai terror attacks, to India. ANI

Obamas to make move to Washington this weekend
US President-elect Barack Obama and his family will move to Washington immediately after he ends his Hawaiian vacation, revealed his transition team. ANI

Lashkar communications chief admits to role in Mumbai terror attack
A leading member of the Lashkar-e-Toiba militant organisation has allegedly admitted his complicity in carrying out the November 26-29 terror attacks on Mumbai that led to the loss of over 170 lives. ANI

Tainted Blagojevich stuns all by naming ex-Illinois AG to replace Obama in Senate
Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich has named former state Attorney General Roland Burris to replace President-elect Barack Obama in the U.S. Senate, stunning lawmakers both in his home state and in Washington. ANI

Meet the coloured twins born to black and white elder twin sisters!
A Brit couple who had one black and one white twin daughter seven years ago could not help themselves from gasping when they had a set of coloured twin girls again! ANI

Now, topless women want male boob ban on Oz beaches!
Women, it seems, have decided to get back at all those in favour of banning them from baring their breasts on public beaches in New South Wales - they want boob-ban for men! ANI

Worlds oldest mum, Rajo Devi, 70, wants to have second child
An Indian woman, who became the worlds oldest mother after giving birth to a baby girl through IVF, is planning to for a second child. ANI

Pakistani President Zardari among 2008s top 10 foreign figures
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has been named among year 2008s Top Ten Prominent Foreign Figures by a Chinese newspaper. ANI

Venice to stage worlds largest kissathon on New Years Eve
In a bid to cement its reputation as the worlds most romantic city, Venice is organising a mass kissathon which is expected to see about 70,000 revellers exchanging kisses in St Marks Square at midnight on New Years Eve. ANI