International News for July 11, 2009

Iran preparing package for talks with West
Iran is preparing its stands on political, security and international issues so that they can become a basis for talks with the West and calm down the mounting international pressure. ANI

Sarah Brown twice refused veal meal at G8 summit
Sarah Brown might belong to a nation of avid meat-eaters, but the wife of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown twice declined eating veal during official receptions at the G8 summit in Italy. ANI

Relief, rehabilitation in Swat, Malakand to cost billions: UN
The rehabilitation and reconstruction work in the war ravaged Swat and Malakand Divisions would cost billions of dollars, the United Nations (UN) has said. ANI

Rudd Govt. in worst foreign policy crisis following Chinas Rio Tinto GM arrest
The Australian Governments open support to the Shanghai-based Australian general manager of iron ore mining company, Hu Stern, who has been arrested on espionage charges in China, is set to put the Kevin Rudd government in the worst foreign policy crisis since taking office in November 2007. ANI

Berliners outrage over 17000 Govt staff being ex Stasi members revelation
Citizens of East Germany are shocked by Berlin Free Universitys latest revelation that 17,000 staff currently employed by nations five federal states were former members of the dreaded Stasi secret police. ANI

Now, environmentally friendly coffins made out of pure wool
A Brit textile firm has come up with a unique environmentally friendly coffin, which is made entirely out of wool. ANI

Meet the Croatian man who has lived with bullet in head for 38yrs
A man in Croatia has been alive with a riffle bullet in his head for 38 years. ANI

China dumps control for subtler realm of Western spin in crisis reporting
Eighteen months ago, when unrest had broken out among Tibetans in western China, the Chinese government had banned foreign reporters in the region, but in stark in contrast the administration changed their tactics to tackle the Urumqi unrest. ANI

German zoo renames baboon called Obama after racist claims
A zoo in Germany has reportedly renamed a baby baboon from Obama to Okeke, after being accused of racism. ANI

US warns Pak over multi-billion rupee Chinese locomotive procurement scam
The United States has reprimanded Pakistan for the multi billion rupee Railway scam in which an US firm was denied a fair chance to secure a contract of a whopping 12.5 billion rupees. ANI

Hollywood legend Errol Flynn worked as Nazi spy, met Hitler, claims biography
Australian born Hollywood star Errol Flynn worked as an undercover agent for the Germans and met Adolf Hitler shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War. ANI

Obamas Ghana visit, signal US wont play second fiddle to China in Africa: Experts
Barack Obamas choice to visit Ghana after his successful diplomatic tours to Italy and Russia indicate that the US President wants to send a message that Washington wont take a back seat to China, which has been increasing its role in Africa through growing trade and aid arrangements. ANI

Outrage over UK police move to go soft on Muslim extremists to prevent further radicalization
In a bid to stop Muslim extremists from becoming more militant, the UK Government is set to issue a guideline for police, directing them not to charge them in many hate crime cases, a move that has created outrage amongst critics. ANI

Taliban losing fight in Afghanistan, says Britains top general
British Chief of Defence Staff Sir Jock Stirrup has insisted that the Taliban is losing the fight in Afghanistan. ANI

Man arrested with gun outside Obamas home gets five-year jail term
A man arrested outside US President Barack Obamas Kenwood home with a gun last year has been sentenced to five years imprisonment. ANI

US asks Pak to publicly accept its tacit approval to drone strikes
The United States has asked Pakistan to publicly accept its tacit approval to the drone strikes being carried out in its lawless tribal region along the Afghan border, as its consistent denial on the issue is creating new tensions with Washington. ANI

Israel may allow creation of crack Palestinian counter-terror squad to check Hamas
The Israeli Defence Force is considering allowing the Palestinians to establish a specially trained counter-terror squad, qualified to carry out pinpoint operations against Hamas terrorist cells in the West Bank. ANI

India agrees to quota for Malay Indians keen on investing in country
Accepting a request by the Malaysian Indian Business Association (MIBA), the Indian government has decided to set aside a quota for Malay Indians, who want to invest in India. ANI

Malaysian High Court orders return of Hindraf leaders passport
A Malaysian High Court has ruled that passport of Hindraf leader P. Uthayakumar be returned to him, revising a Session Courts ruling made in December 2007. ANI

Pak seals Afghan border to prevent spillover following US surge in Talibans heartland
Pakistan has sealed its border with Afghanistan and has reportedly deployed huge number of troops along the region bordering the Helmand province in the neighboring country, where the US-led allied forces have launched a massive surge against the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. ANI

Snakes are the ultimate massagers!
For those seeking the ultimate in therapeutic body massages, a new form of massage has come up, which involves a nest of writhing snakes. ANI

Paks unnecessary excitement may delay its cherished goal of French nuclear deal
It is highly unlikely that Pakistan and France would ink a bilateral civil nuclear deal by the end of the year as was being claimed by diplomatic circles here. ANI

Carla Bruni pledges £43,000 donation for LAquila quake hospital
French First lady Carla Bruni Sarkozy gave glimpse of her philanthropist side as she pledged a personal donation of a whopping 43,000 pounds to a hospital treating survivors of earthquake- ravaged town of LAquila. ANI

Honoured Obamas first ever meeting with Pope
US President Barack Obama received a great honor on Friday when he met with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican for the first time. ANI

Swimming pools can get teen daughters pregnant!
A woman has slapped a lawsuit on a hotel, alleging that her teenage daughter conceived after using the swimming pool on its premises. ANI

Swimming pools can get teen daughters pregnant!
A woman has slapped a lawsuit on a hotel, alleging that her teenage daughter conceived after using the swimming pool on its premises. ANI

Barbaric Somalian Islamists publicly behead 7 for spying
Islamist insurgents in Somalia have beheaded seven people for allegedly abandoning their Muslim faith and spying for the government. The public killings, which took place in Baidoa town, come in the wake of a failed offensive by the Islamists, who tried to seize Somalias capital, Mogadishu two months ago. ANI

Gilani blames Musharraf for illegally stripping provinces of powers
Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has blamed the former President General Pervez Musharraf of violating the norms of the Constitution by grabbing the autonomy enjoyed by the provinces. ANI

The truth behind Obamas rear view G-8 pic revealed
A reporter behind the controversial G-8 photo, which depicts U.S. President Barack Obama seemingly checking out a womans rear, has now lent some clarity to it. ANI

Zardari lacks political strength to allow concessions to India: Report
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardaris candid admission that militants were being nurtured on his soil may have been welcomed by the international community, but a report in The Times said that he lacks the political strength to give India the concessions that it has put forth as conditions to resume the stalled peace process between both the countries. ANI

Senior Iranian clerics dismayed over Khameneis son being groomed for leadership
Senior conservative clerics in Iran are concerned over Ayatollah Khameneis alleged attempt to groom his son, Mojtaba Khamenei for leadership, who is leading the governments anti-protest militias, according to a report ANI

Udaipur named Worlds Best City
Udaipur has been named the Worlds Best City in a poll by Travel and Leisure magazine. ANI

Two jailed in UK for inciting racial hatred online
Two men have been jailed in UK for publishing inflammatory race hate articles on the internet, in a case that has been hailed as a landmark. ANI

Critically wounded Mullah Fazlullah on death bed: BBC report
The Swat Taliban chief, Mullah Fazlullah has been grievously injured in the ongoing military offensive, and is on his death bed, a BBC report has claimed. ANI

Implement sharia in Pak or face bloody revolution: Lal Masjid head
The head of Pakistans radical Lal Masjid, Abdul Aziz, has threatened the Pakistan Government of launching a bloody revolution, if the Zardari-led coalition fails to enforce an Islamic system in the country through parliament. ANI

US hopeful of amnesty to American journalists arrested by North Korea
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is hopeful that two American journalists detained by North Korea on charges of illegally entering the country will be granted amnesty. ANI

Obamas book deemed dangerous for prisoners, could jeopardise national security
An American al-Qaeda member, who is serving a 30-year sentence for conspiring to commit various terrorist acts including the murder of then President George W Bush, was banned from reading two books written by Barack Obama, as they were potentially detrimental to national security. ANI

All done to resolve Indias relations with Pakistan: PM
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has said that all necessary measures have been taken to resolve all outstanding issues that have bedeviled Indias relations with Pakistan, but it requires credible action on the part of Pakistan to deal with. ANI

Pak Armys close links with Taliban laid bare by CNN report
The Pakistan Army was caught unaware on Friday when a media report claimed that it has declared that it could contact the Taliban to broker a ceasefire between the US and the banned extremist outfit. ANI

India can sustain 8 to 9 per cent growth rate
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has said India should be able to sustain with little bit difficulty growth rate of 8 to 9 per cent notwithstanding difficulties on the international front. ANI

More intellectuals to be involved in process of governance: PM
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has said that Nandan Nilekanis appointment has been widely welcomed and there would be involvement of more and more top intellectuals in process of governance. ANI

PM says courts verdict on Article 377 to be discussed with cabinet
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has said the matter related to the Delhi High Courts ruling on gay sex legalization will be discussed with his cabinet colleagues to seek their views in this regard. ANI

What Obama may gift to Pope Benedict XVI during their meeting
Barack Obamas staff called the owner of a religious gift shop in Philadelphia, Louis DiCocco, for advice as to what gift should be given to Pope Benedict XVI when the U.S. President meets him. ANI

Govt. will have to take tough decisions to pull country out of turmoil: Gilani
Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has said the government would have to take some tough decisions to pull the country out of the current turbulent situation. ANI

Smartmatic Signs Record $150 Million Voting Contract for the Elections in the Philippines
Business Wire India

KDF Equips A Multi-Million Dollar Digital X-Ray Production Facility
Business Wire India