Monday, February 09, 2009
International
DEATH TOLL RISES IN AUSTRALIAN BUSH INFERNO
Australia mobilizes its armed forces as wildfires continue to
decimate huge swathes of land in the southeastern state of
Victoria, claiming at least 131 lives and leaving thousands more
homeless. "This has been a devastating event for our state,"
said state premier John Brumby, whose own parents narrowly
escape the flames.
ISRAEL LAUNCHES FRESH GAZA AIR STRIKES
Israel launched air strikes against a number of targets in Gaza
Monday to retaliate against Palestinian militants who have fired
a "barrage" of rockets inside the Jewish state in recent days,
the military said.
BOMBER KILLS 17 IN SRI LANKA REFUGEE CAMP
At least 17 people were killed and 45 others wounded Monday when
a female suicide bomber blew herself up at a camp where
civilians had sought refuge from the fighting between government
troops and Tamil rebels in northern Sri Lanka, the defense
ministry said.
NISSAN TO SLASH 20,000 JOBS WORLDWIDE
Nissan, Japan's third-largest automaker, announced a series of
steps Monday to deal with the economic downturn, including
slashing its workforce by 20,000.
SRI LANKA SAYS 10,000 CIVILIANS FLEE FIGHTING
The Sri Lankan government said Sunday that more than 10,000
civilians have fled fighting between government forces and Tamil
rebels in northern Sri Lanka over the past week, a "sudden
increase" in people displaced by the violence.
SOURCES: IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN PULLOUTS DELAYED
Decisions about withdrawing troops from Iraq and sending more
troops to Afghanistan have been delayed until the Pentagon
provides U.S. President Barack Obama with more detail about the
risks and implications of the issues confronting him, according
to two senior Pentagon officials.
KHATAMI TO CHALLENGE IRAN'S AHMADINEJAD
Ending weeks of speculation, former Iranian President Mohammad
Khatami announced Sunday that he will run against the hardline
incumbent, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, according to Iranian
media reports.
PLANT, KRAUSS WIN GRAMMY RECORD OF THE YEAR
The Grammy Award broadcast may not have happened yet, but there
already quite a number of people with awards.
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BUSINESS
U.S. JOB LOSSES WORST SINCE 1974
U.S. employers slashed another 598,000 jobs in January, pushing
the unemployment rate up to 7.6 percent, according to the U.S.
Labor Department -- the largest monthly loss since December
1974.
STIMULUS WILL LEAD TO 'DISASTER,' SENATOR SAYS
Leading Republicans warned Sunday that the Obama
administration's $800 billion-plus economic stimulus effort will
lead to what one called a "financial disaster."
KBR CHARGED WITH BRIBING NIGERIAN OFFICIALS
The former Halliburton subsidiary KBR has been charged with
bribing Nigerian government officials with "tens of millions of
dollars" to obtain "billions of dollars in contracts," according
to court documents filed late Friday in Houston, Texas.
