Saturday, January 17, 2009
International
TOP STORIES as of 0900 HKT -- 18 January, 2009
OLMERT: GAZA CEASE-FIRE TO BEGIN AT 2 A.M.
Israel has declared a unilateral cease-fire in the fighting in
Gaza beginning at 2 a.m., Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
said. "We can say that the conditions have been brought about
that enable us to say that the aims that we laid down for the
operation have been completely achieved -- if not more than
that, " Olmert said. "Hamas has been dealt a very serious blow."
N. KOREA SAYS IT HAS 'WEAPONIZED' PLUTONIUM
Senior North Korean officials say the communist regime has
"weaponized" its stockpile of plutonium, according to a U.S.
scholar, in a move suggesting that North Korea may have
significantly hardened its stance on nuclear negotiations.
OBAMA RETRACES LINCOLN'S TRAIN RIDE
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama retraces the route taken by
President Abraham Lincoln in 1861, traveling by train from
Philadelphia to Washington Saturday ahead of Tuesday's
inauguration ceremony. Obama has cited Lincoln as an influence
and inspiration during his own journey to the White House.
DRIVER, BYSTANDER KILLED IN IRAQI BOMB BLAST
A bomb attached to a vehicle exploded in western Baghdad
Saturday, killing the car's driver and a bystander, an Interior
Ministry official said.
TSVANGIRAI 'GLAD TO BE BACK' IN ZIMBABWE
Zimbabwe's main opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, returned
to the country Saturday but vowed that he would not be rushed to
join an inclusive government.
GERMAN EMBASSY DAMAGED IN KABUL BLAST
Seven civilians are killed after a suicide bomb explodes near
the German embassy in Kabul, a government official says. Five
U.S. military personnel are also wounded in the blast, three of
them seriously, says a U.S. military spokesman.
TOP SAUDI CLERIC CONDONES CHILD MARRIAGE
The debate over the controversial practice of child marriage in
Saudi Arabia was pushed back into the spotlight this week, with
the kingdom's top cleric saying that it's OK for girls as young
as 10 to wed.
RUSSIA: GAS FLOW TO RESUME WITHIN DAYS
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is attending talks in
Moscow on Saturday to try to resolve the ongoing gas dispute,
according to Ukraine's official news agency, Ukrinform.
---------------------------------------------
BUSINESS
CITIGROUP TO SPLIT AFTER $8.3B LOSS
Citigroup has announced plans to split the company in two after
reporting a bigger than expected fourth quarter loss of more
than eight billion dollars.
KELLOGG RECALLS PRODUCTS AMID SALMONELLA SCARE
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 453 people
in 43 states and Canada have been infected with salmonella
Typhimurium.
BANK OF AMERICA GETS NEW BAILOUT PACKAGE
Bank of America will get another $20 billion from the U.S.
government's bailout fund, with federal guarantees for another
$118 billion in mortgage-backed securities on its balance
sheets, the Treasury Department announced early Friday.
Breaking News
Olmert: Israel will implement cease-fire in Gaza at 2 a.m.
Breaking News
Suicide bombing kills seven civilians near German Embassy in Kabul,
Afghan Interior Ministry official says.
International
TOP STORIES as of 1000 GMT -- 17 January, 2009
DEADLY SUICIDE BOMBING ROCKS KABUL
Seven civilians are killed after a suicide bomb explodes near
the German embassy in Kabul, a government official says. Five
U.S. military personnel are also wounded in the blast, three of
them seriously, says a U.S. military spokesman.
ISRAELIS EDGE CLOSER TO CEASE-FIRE IN GAZA
Israel's security cabinet could vote Saturday on the basics of a
plan that may end the fighting in Gaza, as movement toward a
cease-fire seemed to pick up steam on multiple fronts.
DRIVER, BYSTANDER KILLED IN IRAQI BOMB BLAST
A bomb attached to a vehicle exploded in western Baghdad
Saturday, killing the car's driver and a bystander, an Interior
Ministry official said.
TOP SAUDI CLERIC CONDONES CHILD MARRIAGE
The debate over the controversial practice of child marriage in
Saudi Arabia was pushed back into the spotlight this week, with
the kingdom's top cleric saying that it's OK for girls as young
as 10 to wed.
UKRAINIAN PM IN MOSCOW FOR GAS TALKS
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko is attending talks in
Moscow on Saturday to try to resolve the ongoing gas dispute,
according to Ukraine's official news agency, Ukrinform.
INVESTIGATORS ANALYZE U.S. JETLINER CRASH
Aviation investigators arrive in New York to interview the pilot
of a US Airways plane that crash-landed in the Hudson River.
Passengers have lauded Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger for his
bravery in bringing the plane down without loss of life and
ensuring all aboard were evacuated before he left the aircraft.
U.S. INTEL: BIN LADEN'S SON LIKELY IN PAKISTAN
A son of Osama bin Laden, believed to be an al Qaeda operative,
has left Iran and is likely in Pakistan, the chief intelligence
officer of the United States said Friday.
RACISTS WATCHED FOR OBAMA INAUGURATION
Hate crimes experts and law enforcement officials are closely
watching white supremacists across the country as Barack Obama
prepares next week to be sworn in as the first black president
of the United States.
--------------------------------------------
BUSINESS
CITIGROUP TO SPLIT AFTER $8.3B LOSS
Citigroup has announced plans to split the company in two after
reporting a bigger than expected fourth quarter loss of more
than eight billion dollars.
KELLOGG RECALLS PRODUCTS AMID SALMONELLA SCARE
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 453 people
in 43 states and Canada have been infected with salmonella
Typhimurium.
BANK OF AMERICA GETS NEW BAILOUT PACKAGE
Bank of America will get another $20 billion from the U.S.
government's bailout fund, with federal guarantees for another
$118 billion in mortgage-backed securities on its balance
sheets, the Treasury Department announced early Friday.
Friday, January 16, 2009
International
TOP STORIES as of 0900 HKT -- 17 January, 2009
CRASH PILOT 'THE RIGHT PERSON AT THE RIGHT TIME'
The pilot who successfully ditched his US Airways plane in New
York's Hudson River without anyone on board dying was "the right
guy at the right time," a friend said. Chesley B. Sullenberger
III walked the length of the plane twice to verify everyone was
evacuated, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.
RACISTS WATCHED FOR OBAMA INAUGURATION
Hate crimes experts and law enforcement officials are closely
watching white supremacists across the country as Barack Obama
prepares next week to be sworn in as the first black president
of the United States.
ISRAELI FORCES CLASH WITH HAMAS GUNMEN
More airstrikes rattled northern and southern Gaza early Friday
morning as Israeli forces stepped up their campaign against the
Palestinian territory's Hamas leaders.
ISRAEL, U.S. TARGET HAMAS ARMS SMUGGLING
The top diplomats from the United States and Israel plan to sign
an agreement Friday on a move to stop arms smuggling by Hamas
militants from Egypt into the war-ravaged Palestinian territory
of Gaza, Israeli officials said.
IRANIAN MEDIA REPORT BAHA'I MISSIONARY ARRESTS
Iranian authorities have reportedly arrested several women for
doing missionary work for the Baha'is, the religious group whose
persecution by the Islamic republic has been condemned by human
rights activists and governments around the globe.
SOMALIA CONFIRMED AS PIRACY CAPITAL
Piracy off the coast of Somalia rose nearly 200 percent in 2008
compared to the year before, with bolder attacks over greater
distances, an international piracy monitor said Friday.
U.S. TROOPS DIVERTED FOR AFGHAN SURGE
A naval brigade is being diverted to Afghanistan to help prepare
for the extra U.S. troops that will be sent to that country, a
Pentagon spokesman announced Friday.
SLEEPER VIRUS EXPOSES MILLIONS OF PCS TO HIJACK
A new sleeper virus that could allow hackers to steal financial
and personal information has now spread to more than eight
million machines in what industry analysts say is one of the
most serious infections they have ever seen.
--------------------------------------------
BUSINESS
CITIGROUP TO SPLIT AFTER $8.3B LOSS
Citigroup has announced plans to split the company in two after
reporting a bigger than expected fourth quarter loss of more
than eight billion dollars.
BANK OF AMERICA GETS NEW BAILOUT PACKAGE
Bank of America will get another $20 billion from the U.S.
government's bailout fund, with federal guarantees for another
$118 billion in mortgage-backed securities on its balance
sheets, the Treasury Department announced early Friday.
Russia is hoping for wide participation
at talks this weekend in Moscow to resolve a gas dispute that
has left parts of Europe stuck in the cold, Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday.
International
TOP STORIES as of 1000 GMT -- 16 January, 2009
PASSENGERS PRAISE 'PHENOMENAL' LANDING
Passengers on US Airways flight 1549 that crash-landed into New
York's Hudson River have praised the courage of Chesley B.
"Sully" Sullenberger. Passengers said Sullenberger's actions
minimized damage to the aircraft and saved its 155 passengers
and crew. Sullenberger has been a pilot with US Airways since
1980, following seven years in the U.S. Air Force.
AIRSTRIKES CONTINUE TO TARGET HAMAS LEADERS
More airstrikes rattled northern and southern Gaza early Friday
morning as Israeli forces stepped up their campaign against the
Palestinian territory's Hamas leaders.
HONDA CUTS JOBS; SUBARU TO POST LOSSES
Japanese automaker Honda announced Friday it will cut production
and eliminate its temporary, part-time workforce of 3,100, while
smaller rival Subaru's parent company warned it would post
losses for 2008.
ZIMBABWE ACTIVIST: 'I FEARED FOR MY LIFE'
Zimbabwe's top human rights activist broke down twice in court
Thursday, as she described being detained and tortured by state
agents last month.
BANK OF AMERICA GETS NEW BAILOUT
Bank of America will get another $20 billion from the U.S.
government's bailout fund, with federal guarantees for another
$118 billion in mortgage-backed securities on its balance
sheets, the Treasury Department announced early Friday.
IRELAND NATIONALIZES ANGLO IRISH BANK
Shares in Anglo Irish Bank have been suspended after the Irish
government stepped into nationalize the bank after the deciding
a planned a recapitalization plan was longer an "appropriate and
effective" way to keep the lender afloat.
BUSH GIVES FAREWELL ADDRESS TO NATION
President Bush will make his last public appearance as commander
in chief in a prime-time television speech Thursday, his
spokeswoman said.
U.S.-UNITED ARAB EMIRATES SIGN NUCLEAR DEAL
The United States signed an agreement Thursday on civil nuclear
cooperation with the United Arab Emirates -- the first such pact
with a Middle Eastern country.
-------------------------------------------------
BUSINESS
EUROPE LASHES OUT AT RUSSIA, UKRAINE
European officials expressed frustration at Russia and Ukraine's
inability to enforce an agreement to resume delivery of natural
gas, amid heat and cooking gas shortages and sub-zero
temperatures endured by millions of people.
ECB CUTS RATES TO RECORD 2 PERCENT LOW
The European Central Bank Thursday cut a key lending rate by
half a percentage point to 2 percent.
BRITAIN: THIRD HEATHROW RUNWAY APPROVED
The British government -- ignoring a firestorm of controversy --
Thursday approved construction of a third runway at London's
Heathrow Airport, saying the move is essential for British
business and would retain the airport's status as a major
European hub.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
International
TOP STORIES as of 0900 HKT -- 16 January, 2009
JETLINER CRASH LANDS ON HUDSON RIVER
Passengers have scrambled to get off a sinking jetliner after it
went down with more than 150 people on board in New York's
Hudson River. All passengers are believed to have escaped from
the US Airways jet, which was en route to Charlotte. "I think
that's miraculous," a passenger said.
HAMAS ADMITS MINISTER KILLED
Hamas-controlled Al-Aqsa TV announces Hamas Interior Minister
Saeed Siam has been killed in an airstrike, along with his son
and brother, as Israeli ground forces -- backed by massive air
power and heavy shelling -- push deeper into Gaza City. The
United Nations' main relief compound is damaged during heavy
fighting earlier in the day.
UK: 'WAR ON TERROR' PHRASE DID HARM
The phrase "war on terror" is misleading and may have done more
harm than good as countries around the world fight extremism,
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Thursday.
SRI LANKAN JOURNALIST PREDICTED OWN EXECUTION
A crusading Sri Lankan journalist shot dead last week knew he
would be killed -- he said so in a dramatic, posthumously
published column touching a raw nerve in his war-torn island
nation.
BUSH GAVE FAREWELL ADDRESS TO NATION
President Bush made his last public appearance as commander
in chief in a prime-time television speech Thursday.
U.S. SENATE OKS USE OF REMAINING BAILOUT FUNDS
President-elect Barack Obama's political clout is being put to
the test Thursday, just days before his inauguration, as the
Senate votes on whether to tap into the second half of the $700
billion bailout package.
GREEK TERROR GROUP: WE SHOT POLICEMAN
Greece's most militant terror group has claimed responsibility
for shooting and critically injuring a 21-year-old policeman,
according to a long statement published Thursday in a local
newspaper.
--------------------------------
BUSINESS
NEW BANKING WOES DRAG MARKETS
Global stocks continued sliding Thursday as reports that Bank of
America faces a cash shortfall in its purchase of Merril Lynch
dragged Wall Street while and ECB rate cut failed to cheer
Europe.
ECB CUTS RATES TO RECORD 2 PERCENT LOW
The European Central Bank Thursday cut a key lending rate by
half a percentage point to 2 percent.
BRITAIN: THIRD HEATHROW RUNWAY APPROVED
The British government -- ignoring a firestorm of controversy --
Thursday approved construction of a third runway at London's
Heathrow Airport, saying the move is essential for British
business and would retain the airport's status as a major
European hub.
Senate rejects an attempt to block $350 billion in bailout funds, effectively releasing the money for incoming President Obama.
Senate rejects an attempt to block $350 billion in bailout funds,
effectively releasing the money for incoming President Obama.
Breaking News
Investigators believe all passengers and crew, more than 150 people,
survive a plane crashing into New York's Hudson River.
Breaking News
Emergency officials are responding to a downed US Airways plane in New
York's Hudson River, officials say.
U.S. Airways jet crashes in New York City's Hudson River
U.S. Airways jet crashes in New York City's Hudson River
1/15/2009 3:51:43 PM EDT
Breaking news: Obama plans Middle East effort
WASHINGTON - President-elect Barack Obama says he will appoint a team
immediately after his inauguration Tuesday to address "on Day One" the
crisis in Gaza and troubles across the Middle East. In a wide-ranging
interview with USA TODAY, Obama noted challenges in Iran, Afghanistan
and Pakistan as well as Gaza. "We've got to be active in all these
areas in order for us to be successful in any of these areas," he
said, adding that the diplomatic offensive could include special
envoys.
Breaking News
Hamas Interior Minister Saeed Siam killed by an Israeli airstrike,
along with his son and brother, Hamas' Al-Aqsa TV says
Number of people filing for first-time unemployment benefits rose last week by 54,000 to 524,000, the goverment says.
Number of people filing for first-time unemployment benefits rose last
week by 54,000 to 524,000, the goverment says.
International
TOP STORIES as of 1000 GMT -- 15 January, 2009
BESIEGED AID GROUP PLEADS FOR GAZA TRUCE
As red-hot shrapnel falls on the main U.N. HQ in Gaza, the
organization's aid agency has called on both Israel and Hamas to
stop their now-20-day war. But a spokesman for the U.N. Relief
and Works Agency says neither side seem to be listening, halting
distribution of food and health supplies to outlying parts of
the warzone.
BUSH OFFICIAL SAYS GITMO DETAINEE TORTURED
For the first time, a senior Bush administration official has
publicly described a detainee's treatment at the U.S. Navy Base
at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, as torture, according to a published
report.
RED CROSS WORKERS KIDNAPPED IN PHILIPPINES
Men on motorcycles with machine-guns abducted three workers of
the International Committee of the Red Cross in the southern
Philippines Thursday morning, officials said.
WORST OF U.S. DEEP FREEZE IS YET TO COME
Frigid air gripped cities from the Canadian border to Florida on
Wednesday, with some cities posting record lows.
CHINA BECOMES WORLD'S THIRD LARGEST ECONOMY
China has become the world's third-largest economy, surpassing
Germany and closing rapidly on Japan, according to government
and World Bank figures.
ASIAN MARKETS TUMBLE AFTER WALL ST SELL-OFF
Asian markets tumbled Thursday after a sell-off on Wall Street,
with the Nikkei closing 4.9 percent lower after Japan's Cabinet
office reported a record drop in November machinery orders,
another sign of the ongoing recession.
APPLE'S JOBS TO TAKE SICK LEAVE
Apple Inc. CEO Steve Jobs said today he will take a leave of
absence because of health issues, CNNMoney.com reports. Jobs,
who announced last week that he suffered from a hormone
imbalance that caused him to lose weight, said he will be away
from the job until the end of June. "My health-related issues
are more complex than I originally thought," he said in a letter
to employees.
SUSPECTED WWII BOMB WOUNDS MAN IN JAPAN
A worker was severely injured Wednesday when a bomb, believed to
be left over from World War II, went off at a construction site
in Okinawa, police said.
-------------------------------------------
BUSINESS
VOTE LOOMS ON REMAINING U.S. BAILOUT FUNDS
The U.S. Senate will vote Thursday on whether the second half of
the $700 billion financial rescue package is released, Senate
Majority Leader Harry Reid said late Wednesday.
KELLOGG WARNS ON PEANUT BUTTER CRACKERS
The Kellogg Co. announced Wednesday it is recommending that
consumers not eat its peanut butter crackers because they may be
tainted with salmonella.
GEITHNER SNAG PROMPTS BUREAUCRATIC MOVE
As U.S. President-elect Barack Obama defended Tim Geithner, his
Treasury Secretary choice, a top Bush official agreed to stay on
as acting Treasury Secretary if Geithner is not confirmed by
Inauguration Day, a source close to the transition team said.
Breaking News
Uncontrollable fire rages at U.N. relief agency's HQ in Gaza as
compound hit by artillery, agency's local director says.
House Democrats, citing worst financial crisis since Depression, propose $825 billion of spending and tax cuts to revive economy.
House Democrats, citing worst financial crisis since Depression,
propose $825 billion of spending and tax cuts to revive economy.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
International
TOP STORIES as of 0900 HKT -- 15 January, 2009
PALESTINIANS: GAZA DEATH TOLL PASSES 1,000
Palestinian medical sources have said the death toll in Gaza has
risen to 1,010, while a further 4,700 Palestinians have been
wounded in the conflict which began on December 27. The news
came as Israeli warplanes and artillery pounded the territory
for a 19th day.
RUSSIAN NAVY THWARTS PIRATE ATTACK
A Russian naval ship rescued a Dutch container vessel under
attack by suspected Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden, the head
of the International Maritime Bureau said Wednesday.
MAFIA SUSPECT SEIZED AFTER SEWER CHASE
Police Wednesday arrested the suspected head of an Italian mafia
murder squad following a two-day manhunt after he eluded police
by crawling through sewer pipes, according to Italian media
reports.
PENTAGON: IRAQ SAFER, IRAN A THREAT
Iran poses a significant threat to Iraq, but security has
greatly improved in the war-ravaged country, according to a
Pentagon report.
SECRETARY FOR IRANIAN RIGHTS GROUPS 'ARRESTED'
Iranian authorities arrested a woman Wednesday who worked as a
secretary for two human rights groups funded by Nobel peace
laureate Shirin Ebadi.
BUSH: TERROR THREAT IS OBAMA'S TOP PRIORITY
U.S. President George W. Bush says the biggest priority his
successor Barack Obama will face is protecting the U.S. from a
9/11-style terrorist attack. In an interview with Larry King,
Bush said his administration had "decimated" al Qaeda's
leadership and brushed off low opinion poll ratings as
"yesterday's news."
EUROPEANS FREEZE THROUGH GAS DISPUTE
Silvia Todorova has been heating water in a cooking pot so she
can bathe her eight-month-old son Daniel.
--------------------------------------------------
BUSINESS
BARCLAYS CONFIRMS WORLDWIDE JOB CUTS
Barclays says it will cut 2,100 jobs from its UK retail and
commercial banking businesses and Barclays Wealth, which is
likely to take job cuts at the bank past 4,000 this week.
EU LEADERS SLAM 'BRUTAL' GAS BLOCKADE
Frustrated European Union leaders lashed out Wednesday at the
Russian and Ukrainian energy companies whose dispute over
natural gas has stopped supplies to Europe for the past week.
FARMERS: PESTICIDE BAN MEANS DEARER FOOD
Farmers have warned that the cost of food could rise after the
European Parliament voted to restrict the use of many pesticides
on crops.
International
TOP STORIES as of 1000 GMT -- 14 January, 2009
ROCKETS FALL ON ISRAEL, GAZA FIGHTING CONTINUES
Three rockets fell on Israel from Lebanon for the second time in
a week, striking open fields, Israeli police said Wednesday.
Meanwhile, sporadic fighting continued as Israeli troops pushed
into Gaza City and international efforts to end the conflict
ramped up.
PENTAGON: EX-GITMO DETAINEES RESUME TERROR
Dozens of suspected terrorists released by the United States
from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are believed to have returned to
terrorism activities, according to the Pentagon.
BUSH: TERROR THREAT IS OBAMA'S PRIORITY
The commander in chief's priority is preventing another
terrorist attack in the United States, President Bush told CNN's
"Larry King Live" Tuesday.
BUSH AWARDS MEDALS TO WARTIME ALLIES
Three former wartime allies were reunited at the White House for
one last time when President George W. Bush awarded America's
top civilian honor to the former prime ministers of Britain and
Australia.
PIRATES RELEASE TWO SHIPS OFF EAST AFRICA
Somalia-based pirates on Tuesday released a Turkish-flagged ship
carrying 4,500 tons of chemicals that was seized two months ago
off Yemen's coast, the International Maritime Bureau said.
BARCLAYS CONFIRMS WORLDWIDE JOB CUTS
Barclays is believed to be cutting about 2,100 jobs worldwide in
investment banking and money management as it slashes costs to
cope with the fall-out from the credit crisis.
SPANISH COURT OPENS 'JESUIT MASSACRE' CASE
Spain's National Court opened an official investigation into 14
former military officers in El Salvador accused of killing six
priests, their housekeeper and her daughter in November 1989.
---------------------------------------------
BUSINESS
GEITHNER QUESTIONED ON TAXES, HOUSEKEEPER
Members of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee met with treasury
secretary nominee Tim Geithner over concerns involving his
personal taxes and the immigration status of a former
housekeeper, transition officials said.
ACCUSATIONS REIGNITE EUROPE'S GAS ROW
A deal to resume gas supplies to Europe appeared to break down
on Tuesday after Russian state energy giant Gazprom said Ukraine
was blocking onward transit.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
International
TOP STORIES as of 0900 HKT -- 14 January, 2009
GAZA DIPLOMACY EFFORTS RAMPED UP
Israeli tanks penetrated into Gaza City early Tuesday despite
calls by U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon urging both sides in the
increasingly deadly conflict to halt hostilities. Israel's
military reported clashes between its troops and Hamas fighters
and said at least 30 Palestinian combatants were killed or
wounded.
IRAQ QUESTIONS OBAMA'S 'SILENCE' ON GAZA
One of Iraq's two vice presidents raised concerns over
President-elect Barack Obama's "silence" on Gaza during a
meeting with U.S. Vice President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday.
CLINTON: IRAQ TROOP WITHDRAWAL 'TOP PRIORITY'
Sen. Hillary Clinton today pledged to help end the war in Iraq
by safely withdrawing American troops. Clinton told a Senate
panel considering her nomination as secretary of state that, if
she is confirmed, the State Department would "be firing on all
cylinders."
AUTHORS SEE PATTERN IN PRINCE HARRY'S MISTAKES
Prince Harry, the red-headed younger son of Britain's Prince
Charles and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, is back in the
headlines after a British tabloid posted a home video of him
using an offensive term to describe an Army colleague.
EUROPE GAS FLOW BLOCKED AT UKRAINE BORDER
A deal to resume gas supplies to Europe appeared to break down
on Tuesday after Russian state energy giant Gazprom said Ukraine
was blocking onward transit.
ETHIOPIAN TROOPS BEGIN SOMALI WITHDRAWAL
Ethiopian forces propping up Somalia's transitional government
have begun their withdrawal from the country, pulling out of two
key bases in Mogadishu, eyewitnesses and officials said Tuesday.
---------------------------------------
BUSINESS
BERNANKE: MORE BANK BAILOUTS NEEDED
U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says President-elect
Barack Obama's proposed fiscal stimulus package could help the
economy, but more bailouts of financial institutions may also be
needed to bring about a sustained recovery.
PROTESTERS BUY UP LAND FOR HEATHROW RUNWAY
Environmental campaigners say they have dealt a blow to the
proposed expansion of London's Heathrow Airport by buying up
land earmarked for the construction of a controversial third
runway.
EUROPE MARKETS FOLLOW ASIAN SLIDE
Tokyo's Nikkei tumbled nearly 5 percent Tuesday after new
government figures showed a dramatic decline in Japan's
international trade amid a global financial slowdown and slow
demand for Japanese goods.
News Alert!
Man accused of threatening to kill Bush, blow up White House
01/13/09 04:39 PM, EST
Federal authorities have charged a Louisiana man with threatening to
kill President Bush.
News Alert!
Missing pilot fled on motorcycle, authorities say
01/13/09 11:16 AM, EST
An Indiana financial manager who apparently tried to fake his death by
crashing his airplane left on a motorcycle he had stashed in his
parachute landing zone, authorities said Tuesday.
Cholera deaths near 2,000 in Zimbabwe
01/13/09 10:25 AM, EST
Deaths in Zimbabwe related to the cholera epidemic are approaching
2,000, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, and close to 40,000
people have been affected by the preventable water-borne disease.
The world's finest airports
01/13/09 10:23 AM, EST
Identifying the world's finest airports is easy. Hong Kong
International Airport, Singapore's Changi and Seoul's Incheon have
topped the ranks of airport awards for the last decade.
Obama to make case on bailout, rally support for recovery plan
01/13/09 09:26 AM, EST
President-elect Barack Obama will go to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to
meet with Senate Democrats and make his case for how he wants to spend
the second half of the $700 billion bailout, two Democratic sources
said.
Australian dog food pulled from Chinese stores in health scare
01/13/09 08:27 AM, EST
A brand of imported pet food is being pulled off store shelves in
China after reports of dogs being sickened by it, a company official
said Tuesday.
Protesters buy up land for Heathrow runway
01/13/09 07:38 AM, EST
Environmental campaigners say they have dealt a blow to the proposed
expansion of London's Heathrow Airport by buying up land earmarked for
the construction of a controversial third runway.
News Alert!
Official: Clinton to push U.S. leadership renewal
01/12/09 10:25 PM, EST
Hillary Clinton will tell Senate members Tuesday that her goals as
secretary of state, if she is confirmed, will include a renewal of
American leadership, a official with President-elect Obama's
transition team said.
Safety council urges ban on cell-phone use while driving
01/12/09 09:34 PM, EST
The National Safety Council called Monday for a nationwide ban on
cell-phone use while driving, a prohibition opposed by the industry.
Minnesota case may offer clue to U.S. salmonella outbreak
01/12/09 08:18 PM, EST
Federal and state health officials said Monday that salmonella linked
last week in Minnesota to King Nut peanut butter was caused by the
same strain of bacteria responsible for an ongoing outbreak of 410
salmonella cases in 43 states.
Group accuses Israel of firing white phosphorus into Gaza
01/12/09 07:34 PM, EST
The international group Human Rights Watch is accusing Israel of
firing weapons containing white phosphorus into Gaza. The group
demands that the alleged practice cease.
Biden meets with Iraqi leader in Baghdad
01/12/09 10:09 AM, EST
Vice President-elect Joe Biden on Monday met with Iraqi President
Jalal Talabani in Baghdad, the president's office confirmed.
International
TOP STORIES as of 1000 GMT -- 13 January, 2009
HAMAS DEFIANT, ISRAEL TIGHTENS GRIP
The rumble of artillery fire and the roar of ensuing explosions
continued to roll through Gaza early Tuesday despite
pronouncements by an Israeli official earlier that the military
operation may be in its final days.
ISRAEL ACCUSED OF USING WHITE PHOSPHORUS
The international group Human Rights Watch is accusing Israel of
firing weapons containing white phosphorus into Gaza. The group
demands that the alleged practice cease.
RUSSIA RESTARTS EUROPE'S GAS SUPPLY
Russia has started pumping natural gas to Europe again through
Ukrainian pipelines, a week after the gas flow was interrupted.
SOURCES: OBAMA TO CLOSE GUANTANAMO QUICKLY
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama plans to close the U.S.
military prison at Guantanamo Bay as early as his first week in
office to show a break from the Bush administration's approach
to the war on terror, two officials close to the transition have
said.
JAPAN'S CURRENT ACCOUNT SURPLUS DIVES
Japan's current account surplus, a leading gauge of
international trade, dropped 66 percent in November from the
year before, a sharp decline reflecting the global economic
slump, the government announced Tuesday.
TOKYO'S NIKKEI SLUMPS NEARLY 5 PERCENT
Tokyo's Nikkei tumbled nearly 5 percent Tuesday after new
government figures showed a dramatic decline in Japan's
international trade amid a global financial slowdown and slow
demand for Japanese goods.
ASSETS FROZEN OF MAN ACCUSED OF FAKING DEATH
An Indiana judge Monday froze the assets of Marcus Schrenker, a
suburban Indianapolis financial manager authorities say tried to
fake his own death by crashing his private plane into a Florida
swamp.
---------------------------------------------------
BUSINESS
OBAMA: GIVE ME THE MONEY
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama made his case to Congress for
the release of $350 billion in remaining federal bailout funds,
as lawmakers voice objections to how the first $350 billion was
used.
ALITALIA LANDS INTERNATIONAL PARTNER
The board of ailing Alitalia airline says it has accepted an
offer from Air France-KLM to buy 25 percent of the company and
become its international partner.
Monday, January 12, 2009
International
TOP STORIES as of 0900 HKT -- 13 January, 2009
SOURCES: OBAMA TO CLOSE GUANTANAMO QUICKLY
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama plans to close the U.S.
military prison at Guantanamo Bay as early as his first week in
office to show a break from the Bush administration's approach
to the war on terror, two officials close to the transition have
said.
HAMAS LEADER DELIVERS DEFIANT SPEECH
Hamas leader Ismail Haniya delivered a defiant speech Monday,
promising that the current conflict with Israel will deliver "a
new future" to the people of Gaza. About 900 people in Gaza have
died and around 3,600 suffered injuries since an Israeli
offensive began last month.
ISRAEL ACCUSED OF USING WHITE PHOSPHORUS
The international group Human Rights Watch is accusing Israel of
firing weapons containing white phosphorus into Gaza. The group
demands that the alleged practice cease.
BUSH ADMITS 'MISSION ACCOMPLISHED' A MISTAKE
President George W. Bush admitted mistakes but defended his
accomplishments in the final White House news conference of his
presidency. Talking about how the fall of Baghdad was handled,
he said: "Clearly, putting a 'Mission Accomplished' [banner] on
an aircraft carrier was a mistake. It sent the wrong message."
U.S. VISITORS FACE TIGHTER ENTRY RULES
Travelers visiting the United States under the Visa Waiver
Program (VWP) risk being detained at airports and sent home if
they don't comply with new U.S. immigration rules. Visitors from
27 VWP countries -- including most of Western Europe, New
Zealand, Japan and Australia -- must now register their details
online at least three days before departure.
ALITALIA LANDS INTERNATIONAL PARTNER
The board of ailing Alitalia airline has accepted an offer from
Air France-KLM to buy 25 percent of the company and become its
international partner, Alitalia announced Monday evening.
U.S. SENATE REPUBLICANS BRACE FOR OMINOUS 2010
The 111th Congress has just barely begun as Senate Republicans
brace for more grueling elections in 2010 which threaten to
further weaken Republicans in Congress.
INDONESIA FERRY DISASTER LEAVES 246 MISSING
Rescue crews continued their search for 246 people still missing
on Monday, a day after their ferry capsized off the coast of
Indonesia.
-----------------------------------
BUSINESS
RUSSIA TO RESTORE GAS SUPPLY TO EUROPE
Russia will start pumping natural gas to Europe again after an
interruption of nearly a week, energy giant Gazprom's deputy CEO
Alexander Medvedev has said. The announcement came after Moscow signed
an agreement to end a bitter dispute with Ukraine.
MERKEL SEEKS $67B ECONOMIC STIMULUS
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's ruling CDU party has proposed
a $67 billion (€50 billion) fiscal stimulus package of
investment and tax cuts aimed at helping the German economy
through the recession.
60 ARRESTED OVER CHINA TAINTED MILK SCANDAL
Chinese authorities have arrested 60 people in connection with
the country's tainted milk scandal that killed six infants and
sickened nearly 300,000 more : a provincial official said
Breaking News
Roland Burris is expected to take Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat this
week, Democratic Senate leaders say.
President-elect Obama has formally asked President Bush to request the remaining $350 billion in bailout funding, White House says.
President-elect Obama has formally asked President Bush to request the
remaining $350 billion in bailout funding, White House says.
News Alert!
Militia kills ranger in Congo national park
01/11/09 04:57 PM, EST
A militia killed a ranger in a Democratic Republic of Congo park where
authorities are trying to protect endangered gorillas threatened by
civil war, the park said.
Obama administration job-seekers face tough odds
01/11/09 04:51 PM, EST
When George W. Bush became president eight years ago, about 90,000
people applied for jobs in his administration. That's about a quarter,
however, of the people who are looking for a way into President-elect
Barack Obama's administration.
Obama: 'Much more determined' to break Mideast deadlock
01/11/09 01:38 PM, EST
President-elect Barack Obama said Sunday the suffering on both sides
of Gaza's borders has led him to ramp up his commitment to working for
a peace deal in the Middle East.
Zimbabwe opposition: Help us find abducted members
01/11/09 01:01 PM, EST
Zimbabwe's main opposition party has asked organizations such as the
United Nations to help find 11 supporters who were allegedly abducted
by government agents, a party spokesman said.
International
TOP STORIES as of 1000 GMT -- 12 January, 2009
ISRAEL HALTS ATTACKS TO LET RELIEF SUPPLIES INTO GAZA
For a fifth day, the Israeli military broke off its assault on
Gaza for three hours to allow residents to pick up humanitarian
supplies, a Defense Ministry spokesman said Monday. Nearly 900
people in Gaza and 13 Israelis have died since the conflict
began on December 27.
HOPES RISE FOR RUSSIA-UKRAINE GAS DEAL
Hope were rising Monday that Europe's natural gas supplies could
return to normal after Russia's Gazprom said Ukraine had
re-signed a deal on monitoring deliveries through its
territories.
AUSTRALIAN TROOPS KILL TALIBAN COMMANDER
Australian commandos have killed a Taliban chief blamed for
numerous attacks on coalition troops in southern Afghanistan,
including one that killed an Australian soldier last week, the
country's defense ministry announced.
INDONESIA FERRY DISASTER LEAVES 246 MISSING
Rescue crews continued their search for 246 people still missing
on Monday, a day after their ferry capsized off the coast of
Indonesia.
SATYAM STOCK SURGES ON NEW LEADERSHIP
Stocks of Satyam Computer Services Ltd., the Hyderabad-based
company at the center of a massive corporate fraud case, surged
Monday on news the new government-appointed board will pick a
new chief operating officer.
NIGERIA MILITANTS RELEASE PHOTOS OF HOSTAGES
A Nigerian militant group released pictures Sunday of two
Britons identified as captive oil workers, saying the men were
"alive and well" and that more such Western workers would be
taken hostage if the country does not stop exporting its oil
wealth.
CHINA'S TAINTED MILK ARRESTS REACH 60
Chinese authorities have arrested 60 people in connection with
the country's tainted milk scandal that killed six infants and
sickened nearly 300,000 more, state media reported.
REPORTS: SERBS HANG MLADIC WANTED POSTERS
Serbian authorities have put up wanted posters for war crimes
suspect Ratko Mladic at police stations across the country in
their search for the highest-ranking figure from the
Bosnia-Herzegovina conflict to remain at large, according to
Serbian media reports.
----------------------------------
BUSINESS
RUSSIA BACKS OFF DEAL WITH UKRAINE
Just as millions of Europeans struggling through cold winter
temperatures thought a resolution had been reached in the
Russia-Ukraine natural gas standoff, Russia said it will not
proceed on a deal.
OBAMA TEAM, DEMS TALK BAILOUT
U.S. Senate Democrats who met with members of President-elect
Barack Obama's economic team were optimistic about plans to
spend the remaining $350 billion in Troubled Asset Relief
Program funds. Lawmakers have expressed unhappiness with the way
Treasury made few strings attached to the $350 billion allocated
to banks so far and the lack of tracking mechanism.
LLOYDS TSB IN U.S. SANCTIONS BREACH
British bank Lloyds TSB agrees to pay a $350 million penalty to
the U.S. authorities for illegal financial transfers that
violated sanctions.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
International
TOP STORIES as of 0900 HKT -- 12 January, 2009
ISRAEL CALLS FOR PATIENCE AS DEATH TOLL NEARS 900
Israeli aircraft and troops are continuing their assault on
Gaza, despite an Israeli official's assessment that the
two-week-old operation may be in its final days.
Eight-hundred-ninety-eight people have been killed and 3,695
injured in Gaza since the start of fighting, Palestinian medical
sources said.
REPORT: U.S. REJECTED ISRAELI PLEA TO ATTACK IRAN
U.S. President George W. Bush rejected three requests in 2008
for permission and aid for a potential airstrike inside Iran,
according to the New York Times. Israel wanted bunker-busting
bombs, equipment to help refuel planes making flights into Iran,
and permission to fly over Iraq to reach the site of Iran's only
uranium enrichment plant, the report said.
FERRY CARRYING 250 CAPSIZES IN INDONESIA
A rescue operation is underway in eastern Indonesia on Sunday
after a passenger ferry capsized with about 250 people on board.
PRINCE HARRY APOLOGIZES FOR OFFENSIVE REMARKS
Videos purportedly shot by Britain's Prince Harry and including
offensive language prompted an official apology Saturday from
the prince and the royal family.
SAUDI PROFESSOR RELEASED FROM PRISON
An outspoken Saudi human rights advocate who was imprisoned
without charge for nearly eight months was freed this weekend,
according to a fellow human rights activist.
ZIMBABWE OPPOSITION: 11 BACKERS STILL MISSING
Zimbabwe's main opposition party has asked organizations such as
the United Nations to help find 11 supporters who were allegedly
abducted by government agents, a party spokesman said.
MILITIA KILLS RANGER IN CONGO NATIONAL PARK
A militia killed a ranger in a Democratic Republic of Congo park
where authorities are trying to protect endangered gorillas
threatened by civil war, the park said.
----------------------------------------------------~~~~~~~~~~~
BUSINESS
THIRD PERSON ARRESTED IN SATYAM SCANDAL
The chief financial officer of India's Satyam Computer Services
Ltd. was arrested Saturday, the third person taken into custody
in a scandal that began when the company's chairman admitted
inflating profits with "fictitious" assets and non-existent
cash.
RUSSIA, UKRAINE LOOK TO RESUME GAS FLOW
Russia and the European Union have agreed on how to control the
transit of natural gas through Ukraine to Europe, the Russian
news agency Interfax reported Saturday.
LLOYDS TSB IN U.S. SANCTIONS BREACH
British bank Lloyds TSB agrees to pay a $350 million penalty to
the U.S. authorities for illegal financial transfers that
violated sanctions.
International
TOP STORIES as of 1000 GMT -- 11 January, 2009
CLASHES NEAR GAZA CITY, WITNESSES SAY
Clashes between Hamas militants and Israeli soldiers raged to
the north and east of densely populated Gaza City early Sunday,
the 16th day of an Israeli offensive, witnesses and medical
sources said.
COSTA RICA QUAKE TOLL JUMPS TO 34
The number of people killed from an earthquake in Costa Rica
rose to 34 on Saturday, a government official said.
THIRD PERSON ARRESTED IN SATYAM SCANDAL
The chief financial officer of India's Satyam Computer Services
Ltd. was arrested Saturday, the third person taken into custody
in a scandal that began when the company's chairman admitted
inflating profits with "fictitious" assets and non-existent
cash.
BUS TUMBLES INTO RAVINE IN PERU, KILLS 32
Thirty-two people were killed and 25 others injured when a bus
skidded off a rain-slicked mountain road and tumbled into a
ravine in northern Peru early Saturday, a transit police
spokesman told CNN.
MILITANTS ATTACK PAKISTAN TROOPS; DOZENS DEAD
Hundreds of militants, believed to be foreign fighters, launched
attacks on various military check posts in Pakistan's border
with Afghanistan Saturday night and early Sunday morning,
military officials said.
REPORT: EU, RUSSIA MOVE TOWARDS GAS DEAL
Russia and the European Union have agreed on how to control the
transit of natural gas through Ukraine to Europe, the Russian
news agency Interfax reported Saturday.
OBAMA FAMILY VISITS LINCOLN MEMORIAL
President-elect Barack Obama, who in 10 days will be sworn in
using the Bible of his political hero Abraham Lincoln, visited
the Lincoln Memorial in Washington on Saturday night with his
family.
PRINCE HARRY APOLOGIZES FOR RACIST REMARKS
Videos purportedly shot by Britain's Prince Harry and including
offensive language prompted an official apology Saturday from
the prince and the royal family.
-----------------------------------------
BUSINESS
LLOYDS TSB IN U.S. SANCTIONS BREACH
British bank Lloyds TSB agrees to pay a $350 million penalty to
the U.S. authorities for illegal financial transfers that
violated sanctions.
INDIAN OIL WORKERS END CRIPPLING STRIKE
Facing intense government pressure, Indian oil workers agreed to
call off a three-day strike and go back to work, the Oil and
Petroleum Ministry announced.
OBAMA CALLS FOR 'DRAMATIC ACTION'
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama said Congress must take
"dramatic action" on his economic aid package as soon as
possible, warning that a failure to do so would have devastating
long-term consequences for the nation.
