Benetton Unveil Controversial New Ad Campaign – There’s no doubt that these are the pictures of the day. U.S. President Barack Obama kissing his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez, Mahmoud Abbas embracing Benjamin Netanyahu, and Germany’s Angela Merkel locking lips with Nicolas Sarkozy. Is this bad fan fiction? A new approach to international diplomacy? The stunning (albeit photoshopped) images are part of a new campaign by the United Colors of Benetton. [huffpo – includes all images]

Benetton Pulls Pope Kiss Pic After Vatican Freaks – Italian clothing company Benetton has pulled an ad showing Pope Benedict XVI kissing a senior Egyptian imam after the Vatican launched a strong protest. The ad, with its doctored image, is part of a global advertising campaign. [bbc – pope image at huffpo – see link above]

Martin Johnson Resigns As England Rugby Manager – England manager Martin Johnson stepped down after a 3-1/2-year stint in charge culminated in an incredibly toilet rugby World Cup campaign dogged by problems on and off the pitch and a miserable quarterfinal exit. Johnson, 41, told a news conference he would not be renewing his contract when it expired at the end of this year. [stuff]

Google Launches Music Store – With sights set firmly on its Silicon Valley nemesis Apple, Google launched its music service at an event in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The move into the space signals Google’s aim to challenge the mighty iTunes head-on. The service update integrates a music section into Google’s Android Market, Google’s media hub for Android devices. [wired]

Public Protector Won’t Suspend Malema Contract – The contract benefiting suspended African National Congress Youth League president Julius Malema can’t be cancelled because it would have serious legal implications, the public protector’s spokesperson said on Wednesday. [mail&guardian]

Malema Urges ANC To Bring It On – Has No Intention Of Resigning – Julius Malema believes he has punched holes in the ANC’s disciplinary case against him and has vowed to fight to the bitter end. He challenged the ANC to fire him because, he said, he had no intention of resigning. [timeslive]

The Mila Kunis Marine Corps Ball Date: It’s On! – Marine Sgt. Scott Moore’s date with movie star Mila Kunis is on! Kunis’ rep told FOX411.com that reports Kunis was trying to get out of attending the November Marine Corps Ball in North Carolina with Sgt. Moore “are false.” Kunis, who was promoting her film “Friends With Benefits,” famously said “yes,” and her co-star Justin Timberlake backed her up. [foxnews]

Silvio Berlusconi’s Departing Gift To Italy: A Love Album – Italy’s former prime minister and former cruise-ship crooner, Silvio Berlusconi, has released an album of love songs on his last day in office. The self-declared Latin lover, who often boasted that he single-handedly kept large groups entertained for hours on end with his charm and silky voice, wrote the lyrics for the album entitled True Love. [theage]

Super Mario Is In Trouble With PETA – Animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has set its sights on iconic video game character Mario for wearing fur in Nintendo’s latest 3DS game Super Mario 3D Land. Since the game launched Sunday, the organization has launched a scathing online campaign entitled “Mario Kills Tanooki.” In Nintendo’s new game, Mario sometimes dons the skin of a tanooki, which is a Japanese raccoon dog. [foxnews]

Nokia’s Windows Tablet To “Take On” Apple’s iPad – Nokia is to launch a tablet computer next year, making its first foray into a market which is dominated by Apple and has seen rival entrants lose millions. The tablet will go to market in June and will run on Microsoft’s yet to be released Windows 8 software, the director general of Nokia France let slip in an interview on Wednesday. Apple must be quivering in their boots. Not. [guardian]

Disney Heavyweight Joins Apple’s Board – Apple Inc. (AAPL) beefed up its board by appointing Art Levinson as chairman, filling a vacancy left by the death of Steve Jobs, and adding Walt Disney Co. (DIS) Chief Executive Officer Robert Iger as a director. Levinson, on Apple’s board since 2000, becomes non- executive chairman, the Cupertino, California-based company said yesterday in a statement. [bloomberg]

Linkedin Prices Secondary Stock Offering – LinkedIn has priced a secondary offering of 8.8 million shares at $71 apiece. The online professional networking service said Wednesday that most of the shares will be sold by employees and early backers. The company is selling 1.3 million. This would bring in $91 million. It plans to use the funds to help finance its expansion. [washpo]

Yanks Send Marines To Oz, In Case China Freaks Out – President Obama insisted Wednesday that the United States does not fear China, even as he announced a new security agreement with Australia that is widely viewed as a response to Beijing’s growing aggressiveness. China responded swiftly, warning that an expanded U.S. military footprint in Australia may not be appropriate and deserved greater scrutiny. [cbsnews]

John Lennon Peace Sign Sells For R1.2 Million – A placard reading “Bed Peace”, which was made by former Beatle John Lennon during his peace-in with wife Yoko Ono at a Canadian hotel, fetched almost £100,000 at a London auction on Tuesday. The sign, sold at Christie’s auction house, was bought by an anonymous telephone bidder for £97,250 ($153,835, 113,670 euros). The iconic singer-songwriter made the placard in 1969 during his second week-long bed-in to protest the Vietnam War. [dawn]

Kim Jong Il Looks At Fish – Kim Jon Il was out and about reently and we are truly blessed to have a brand new picture of Our Dear Leader looking at something. This time it is fish. His handlers took note as he pointed, wearing his trademark puffy jacket. So Rad. So Cool. So Awesome. Well done, Kim! [kimlooksatthings]

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