THE XXX FACTOR

Porn star Sunny Leone causes a stir in India

sunnyleone-commons

A Canadian porn star appearing in India’s biggest reality TV show is causing a stir in the mostly conservative country where sex is taboo and open displays of affection are still frowned upon.

GOING GREEN

Wind power to make up half of Danish energy use in 2020

Danish wind farm (AFP)

Denmark aims to have wind power supply half of the country’s electricity needs in 2020, under a new programme presented by Climate and Energy Minister Martin Lidegaard on Friday.

ONE-FINGER SALUTE

Russian anchor fired after flipping off Obama

russiamiddlefinger-screenjpg

A Russian newsreader has been fired after she “flipped the bird” to the camera after mentioning President Barack Obama.

AN OFFICER PIKE WANNABE?

Woman pepper sprays shoppers over Xbox

Black Friday pepper spray

A woman at the Porter Ranch Wal-Mart in California Thursday night reportedly used pepper spray on other shoppers in order to move ahead in line.

OCCUPY THANKSGIVING

Occupy Wall Street celebrates Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving at Zuccotti Park

Occupy Wall Street protesters celebrated Thanksgiving by gathering in a disputed New York square where their movement sprang up two months ago and feasting on turkey with all the trimmings.

ONLINE RIGHTS PROTECTED

EU court rules against web filters to block file sharing

ipadiphonetablet-afp

Internet service providers cannot be forced to install filters aimed at preventing people from illegally downloading music and other files, the EU’s top court ruled Thursday.

Science

Australia plans world’s largest marine reserve

The Australian government has said it plans to establish the world’s biggest marine protection zone…

Oil sands digger uncovers dinosaur

OTTAWA — A heavy equipment operator unearthed what appears to be a nearly complete plesiosaur…

Tech News

Apple drops ‘Jew or not Jew’ iPhone app

PARIS — French anti-racism groups have dropped anti-Semitism suits against Apple after it withdrew a…

Spotify hits 2.5 million paying subscribers

WASHINGTON — Swedish online music star Spotify said Wednesday ahead of a mystery announcement next…

Media

First ‘computer hacking’ arrest in Murdoch paper probe

LONDON — Police investigating the scandal that closed the News of the World tabloid made…

Talks to end NBA lockout resume: reports

NEW YORK — Negotiations aimed at ending the NBA lockout that reached it’s 146th day…

World

50 bodies found in two days of carnage in Mexico

Fifty dead bodies have been discovered over the past two days in western Mexico, victims of a fierce war waged…

Journalists sexually assaulted covering Egypt unrest

CAIRO — Two female foreign journalists on Thursday described harrowing sexual assaults carried out by crowds or police as they…

Pakistani woman kills, attempts to cook husband

KARACHI — Pakistani police on Thursday arrested a woman who had killed her husband and was attempting to cook his…

Thousands evacuated after China chemical plant blast

BEIJING — Around 6,000 people were evacuated Thursday after an explosion at a chemical plant near the southern Chinese city…

U.S. News

Protesters plan to Occupy Black Friday

Across the U.S. on Black Friday, activists in the Occupy movement are urging boycotts of…

Pole dancing: seedy show or Olympic sport?

Pole dancing may conjure up images of men in seedy clubs leering at semi-naked women,…

Congresswoman Giffords serves turkey at Tucson air base

(Reuters) – Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords served a Thanksgiving meal on Thursday to Air Force personnel…

Relatives hail pending release of U.S. students detained in Egypt

WASHINGTON — Relatives and university officials welcomed Thursday an Egyptian court’s order to release of…

Obama campaign slams Romney on immigration

WASHINGTON — US President Barack Obama’s reelection campaign enlisted two Hispanic lawmakers on Wednesday to…