itsjohntime

Date: Wednesday, February 24, 2010
>TOP STORIES as of 0900 HKT -- 25 February, 2010

> TOYODA TEARS UP AFTER CONGRESSIONAL HEARING
Toyota President Akio Toyoda tears up and pauses for composure
as he thanks the audience for their support following his
testimony before U.S. lawmakers.

> CONTRACTORS IN AFGHANISTAN SCRUTINIZED
Several key U.S. senators on Wednesday tore into private
contractors working in Afghanistan for the company formerly
known as Blackwater, accusing them of flouting regulations and
endangering the U.S. mission.

> KILLER WHALE KILLS SEA WORLD TRAINER
A killer whale has killed a trainer at Sea World, a spokeswoman
for the Orlando, Florida, attraction said Wednesday.

> 15 NEW SUSPECTS IN DUBAI MURDER PLOT
Dubai police name 15 new suspects in the murder of a top Hamas
official who was attacked by an alleged Israeli hit squad in a
Dubai hotel room in January.

> CUBAN DISSIDENTS 'KEPT FROM FUNERAL'
More than 20 Cuban dissidents were detained Wednesday when they
tried to attend the funeral and several memorials for a
political prisoner who died Tuesday after a prolonged hunger
strike, human rights activists said.

> REPORT: HAMAS SON WORKED FOR ISRAEL
The son of a Hamas official worked for Israeli intelligence and
was the Jewish state's "most valuable source in the militant
organization's leadership," a news report said Wednesday.

> CLASHES AS GREEK WORKERS STRIKE
Protesters clashed with police in central Athens Wednesday as
thousands of transport workers went on strike against severe
austerity measures the government says are needed to tackle the
country's crippling budget deficit.

> UK 'SORRY' FOR FORCED CHILD MIGRATION
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown will apologize on behalf of
the UK government Wednesday over a controversial child migration
policy which saw thousands of children separated from their
families and sent to Australia and other Commonwealth countries.

BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> WHAT GREECE TELLS US ABOUT EUROPE
The size and scale of the protests in Greece are hard to ignore.
Athenians filled Constitution Square in the heart of the capital
protesting the austerity measures being put forward by the
Government of George Papandreou. This is his first major test on
the ground since taking office last autumn.

> GOOGLE IN BRUSSELS ANTITRUST INQUIRY
The European Commission has launched a preliminary antitrust
investigation into Google's search engine and its
search-advertising service.

> LABOR DISPUTES ROLL ACROSS EUROPE
French air traffic controllerswent on strike Tuesday as labor
unrest continued to roll across Europe despite the suspension of
a strike by Lufthansa pilots after just one day.