Searching for phantom pings – Japan and Australia want to make a submarine deal – Pakistan police are accused ot standing by as a pregnant woman was stoned to death – Apple is now representing for them gangstas all across the world (but Dre is Still D-R-E) – And a lot more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:

Those “pings” weren’t from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 – A US Navy expert says the search in the Indian Ocean west of Perth was likely chasing noises from either the searching ship itself or equipment used to detect the pings.  US Navy Director of Ocean Engineering Michael Dean says other countries involved in the search came to the same conclusion.  But then, a US Navy spokesman walked back Dean’s comments as “speculative” and “premature”.  MH370 disappeared on 8 March with 239 people on board including six Australians.

Australia and Japan are reportedly ready to negotiate a submarine deal.  Australian officials have expressed an interest in the silent-running diesel-electric propulsion systems used in Japan’s Soryu diesel submarines, built by Mitsubishi and Kawasaki.  Hawkish Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to export more arms and military technology.  Any deal would take months to complete, and would also attract the attention of China.

The husband of a pregnant Pakistani woman stoned to death in broad daylight says police stood by and did nothing to stop the attack.  This happened outside a court in Lahore.  Farzana Parveen’s family was reportedly upset because she married a man she loved, instead of the one intended for her through arranged marriage.  United Nations Human Rights chief Navi Pillay is urging Pakistan’s government to take “urgent and strong measures” against so-called “honor killings” which said noted were completely honorless.

Human Right Watch is calling on the Thai junta to immediately revoke its order to prosecute civilians in military courts, and to stop arbitrary arrests of people engaged in peaceful protests or criticism of the military government.  The first high profile trial is scheduled later this week, and former Education Minister Chaturon Chaisaeng has been denied access to legal counsel.  Soldiers arrested Chaturon on Tuesday afternoon as he attempted to give a press briefing at the Foreign Correspondents Club in Bangkok.

Thailand’s junta appointed two retired generals – staunch monarchists who took part in the last coup in 2006 – to advisory positions with the military government.  Each were supporters of the anti-democracy protests that began last November.  It is not clear what powers the advisers will have, but their appointment suggests the junta has no intention of working with democratically elected leaders.

It turns out that four more girls than were previously counted had escaped from Boko Haram when the Islamist terrorist group kidnapped more than 200 schoolgirls from a boarding school in northeastern Nigeria.  57 got away after the mass abduction.  The miscount happened because the parents of the four didn’t notify authorities.  Boko Haram is still holding 219 schoolgirls.

It’s now official: Apple Computer is buying Beats By Dre for US$3 Billion, making the rapper Dr. Dre the first billionaire in Hip Hop.  Apple will offer both Beats’ streaming music service and premium headphones as a separate brand. I guess all that time Dre spent perfecting the Beats is finally paying off.  But he’s still got love for the streets, yo. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get back to hitting them corners on the low-low, girl.  I don’t know what that means.