Sunday, December 21, 2008
International
TOP STORIES as of 1000 GMT -- 21 December, 2008
IRANIAN WARSHIPS JOIN FIGHT AGAINST PIRATES
A group of Iranian warships steams into the Gulf of Aden,
joining an expanding list of navies sent to protect shipping
routes from Somali pirates, state-run media reports.
GAZA MILITANTS FIRE MORE ROCKETS AT ISRAEL
Palestinian militants launched eight rockets and mortars from
Gaza into Israel Sunday morning, according to Israeli sources.
BILL TO KEEP FOREIGN TROOPS IN IRAQ STALLS
Iraq's parliament turns down the first draft of a bill that
would have allowed all foreign troops to remain in Iraq after
the U.N. mandate expires on December 31.
U.S. MAY DOUBLE TROOP STRENGTH IN AFGHANISTAN
Up to 30,000 additional U.S. troops could be sent to Afghanistan
next year, roughly doubling the number already there, military
officials said Saturday. Some 20,000 of the additional personnel
would be combat troops, said Col. Gregory Julian, spokesman for
U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
JET SKIDS OFF U.S. RUNWAY, CATCHES FIRE
A Boeing 737 jet carrying 112 people skidded off the runway
while it was taking off at Denver International Airport in
Colorado on Saturday, an airport spokesman said.
ROAD WARNING FOR U.S. DRIVERS AMID BLIZZARD
The Northwest braced for blizzards Saturday morning while cities
from the Midwest to New England were cleaning up after a major
storm delayed air travel and created havoc on the ground.
OBAMA RAISES NEW JOBS GOAL TO 3 MILLION
President-elect Barack Obama has decided to increase his goal
for creating new jobs after receiving economic forecasts that
suggest the economy is in worse shape than had been predicted.
OBAMA'S INAUGURATION TO CARRY HEFTY PRICE TAG
When President-elect Barack Obama takes the oath of office next
month, the nation's capital will be the site of a massive
celebration. But local officials are worried they might get
stuck with the check.
BUSINESS
CANADIAN AUTO INDUSTRY GETS BAILOUT TOO
Canada will provide roughly $3.3 billion in aid to its
automotive sector, honoring a previous pledge to provide 20
percent of what the U.S. government offered automakers,
officials announce.
BANKING GROUP HYPO SLASHES WORKFORCE
German financial giant Hypo Real Estate said Saturday it planned
to halve its 1,800 strong workforce by 2013 as part of
cost-cutting measures. The banking group received €50 billion
($70 billion) in emergency government funding in October.
MONEY WOES HITS WORLD'S RICHEST LEAGUE
The falling value of the pound against the euro might be good
for British exporters, but for the country's football clubs it's
a kick in the teeth.
