Monday, December 22, 2008
International
TOP STORIES as of 1000 GMT -- 22 December, 2008
NINE HEADLESS BODIES FOUND IN MEXICO
Mexican police have found nine human heads and nine headless
bodies in Guerrero, and some of the remains were of soldiers,
officials said. Attorney General Eduardo Medina Mora, above,
said this month that organized-crime killings climbed to 5,376
in 2008, more than double of such deaths in 2007.
ALLEGED U.S. MISSILES HIT PAKISTANI AREAS
Suspected U.S. missiles hit targets in Pakistani tribal areas
near the border with Afghanistan on Monday, killing at least
seven people, Pakistani intelligence sources and local officials
said.
DIPLOMAT: U.S. OPPOSES ZIMBABWE UNITY DEAL
The United States no longer supports a power-sharing deal
between Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and the country's
main opposition because a viable unity government is not
possible with Mugabe in power, a top U.S. diplomat has said.
BROTHER: SHOE THROWER HAS COURT DATE
The trial of a reporter charged with throwing his shoes at
President Bush during a news conference will begin next week,
according to the reporter's brother.
LOCKERBIE MARKS 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF BOMBING
Events commemorating the bombing of an American airliner over
the Scottish town of Lockerbie are taking place Sunday in both
the UK and the U.S. to mark the 20th anniversary of the attack
which killed 270 people.
COLOMBIAN REBEL GROUP TO RELEASE 6 HOSTAGES
A Colombian rebel group announced plans to release 6 hostages,
including former Gov. Alan Jara and former legislator Sigifredo
Lopez Tobon, according to a statement from the group on Sunday.
CHINA TO PROVIDE $19B TO TAIWAN FIRMS
China will provide 130 billion yuan ($19 billion) in financing
over the next two to three years to Taiwan-based companies doing
business in the mainland, the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State
Council said Monday, the latest sign of warming ties between
Beijing and Taipei.
U.S. WINTER STORM SLOWS TRAVEL
Bitterly cold temperatures and heavy snow challenged people
across a broad swath of the United States on Sunday even as more
winter weather was poised to slam into the Northwest and
Northeast on Monday.
BUSINESS
OBAMA RAISES JOBS GOAL TO 3 MILLION
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama has decided to increase his
goal for new jobs after receiving economic forecasts suggesting
the economy was in worse shape than predicted, two Democratic
officials told CNN.
ASIAN MARKETS BEGIN HOLIDAY WEEK MIXED
Asian and Pacific markets were mixed but mostly lower on Monday
ahead of what's expected to be a volatile but shortened holiday
week, thanks to a slew of economic reports.
CANADIAN AUTO INDUSTRY GETS BAILOUT
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.
