Wednesday, December 10, 2008
International News
OBAMA CALLS ON ILLINOIS GOVERNOR TO RESIGN
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has called for Illinois Gov.
Rod Blagojevich to resign. Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday on
federal corruption charges, including trying to sell Obama's
vacant Senate seat.
U.N. SOURCES: U.S. PROPOSES PURSUING PIRATES
The United States is circulating a proposal that could allow
military forces to enter Somali territory in "hot pursuit" of
pirates, sources on the U.N. Security Council said Wednesday.
GHANA PRESIDENTIAL RUNOFF ON DECEMBER 28
A presidential runoff election in Ghana will be held December
28, the nation's electoral commission announced Wednesday.
ASSISTED SUICIDE BROADCAST SPARKS ROW
A British TV channel was scheduled to air a controversial
documentary Wednesday night showing a terminally ill man
committing assisted suicide. The film follows retired university
professor Craig Ewert during the last four days of his life in
2006, when he visited a Swiss clinic with his wife, Mary, in
order to die.
CLASHES, STRIKE SHUT DOWN ATHENS
Riot police and protesters clashed in central Athens on
Wednesday during demonstrations to mark a nationwide labor
strike called following the fatal police shooting of a teenager.
Images showed protesters lobbing missiles at lines of police
wearing body armor and carrying riot shields. Police retaliated
by firing tear gas, according to reports.
OFFICIALS: DEAL ON U.S. AUTO BAILOUT
The White House and leading congressional Democrats reach an
agreement on legislation to provide a stopgap $14 billion
bailout to ailing U.S. automakers, according to officials from
the administration and Congress. But strong Republican
opposition in the Senate make prospects there less certain.
PAKISTAN ARRESTS 'LEADERS' OVER MUMBAI ATTACKS
Pakistani authorities have arrested two top leaders of the
Islamic militant group India blames for the November massacre in
Mumbai, Pakistan's prime minister confirmed Wednesday.
HUGE BLACK HOLE FOUND AT CENTER OF GALAXY
German astronomers say they discovered conclusive proof of a
supermassive black hole at the heart of the galaxy
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BUSINESS
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IRISH PORK SALES GET ALL-CLEAR
The Republic of Ireland will resume sales of pork and bacon
following a food safety scare that prompted the recall of all
Irish pork, the country's Agriculture Minister Brendan Smith
announced Wednesday.
MINING GIANT RIO TINTO TO CUT 14,000 STAFF
British-based mining giant Rio Tinto announced plans to cut
14,000 jobs on Wednesday, just weeks after a planned buyout by
rival BHP Billiton collapsed.
CHINA SLOWDOWN PROMPTS UNREST FEARS
China's sharp economic slowdown is set to cause more labor
unrest amid factory closures and mass layoffs triggered by the
global financial crisis, a government minister and economists
have warned.
