Saturday, December 13, 2008
International News
TOP STORIES as of 1000 GMT -- 13 December, 2008
170 ARRESTED IN GLOBAL CHILD PORN PROBE
More than 170 people around the globe have been arrested in a
major operation targeting international child pornographers,
U.S. officials said. The probe and arrests stretched from North
America and Europe to Australia.
WHITE HOUSE MAY BAIL OUT BIG 3
The Bush administration says it will consider using the money
set aside to help banks and Wall Street to rescue the auto
industry.
ZIMBABWE: CHOLERA IS GENOCIDE BY UK
One of Zimbabwe's top officials blamed his country's spreading
cholera outbreak on what he calls "a genocidal onslaught" by
Zimbabwe's former colonial ruler -- Britain.
ECUADOR WON'T PAY FOREIGN DEBT INTEREST
Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa said Friday he will not pay
interest on the nation's foreign debt and that he was prepared
to accept any consequences.
TAIWAN'S EX-PRESIDENT CHEN RELEASED ON BAIL
Former Taiwanese President Chen Shui-bian was indicted Friday on
several corruption charges, including embezzlement and accepting
bribes.
PRESSURE GROWS ON EMBATTLED ILLINOIS GOVERNOR
Embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, asked by reporters
today whether he plans to resign, said only that he'll "have a
lot to say at the appropriate time." Hours earlier, Illinois
Attorney General Lisa Madigan had asked the state Supreme Court
to remove Blagojevich -- accused of trying to sell off a U.S.
Senate seat -- temporarily from office.
PENTAGON WEIGHS OPTIONS OVER SOMALI PIRATES
The Pentagon is looking at options, but there are no plans for
U.S. forces to go ashore in pursuit of pirates in Somalia, a
spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff said Friday.
U.S. ENVOY URGES INTERNATIONAL MUMBAI PROBE
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte called Friday for
international support to help India investigate the deadly
terrorist attacks in Mumbai.
BUSINESS:
STOCKS SLIDE ON U.S. AUTO BAILOUT NEWS
World markets endured fresh punishment Friday as U.S. lawmakers'
rejection of a $14 billion bailout for the ailing Detroit auto
industry, weakening currencies in the U.S. and the UK and the
bleak economic outlook weighed on investors' minds.
EU APPROVES $267B BAILOUT PLAN
European Union leaders meeting in Brussels have approved a
€200 billion ($267 billion) stimulus plan for the 27-nation
bloc's battered economy.
FORMER NASDAQ CHAIRMAN CHARGED WITH FRAUD
Former Nasdaq chairman Bernard Madoff was arrested Thursday and
charged with a single count of securities fraud for allegedly
operating a multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme from his investment
advisory business, federal authorities said.
