International News

Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 05:02:18 -0500

TOP STORIES as of 1000 GMT -- 16 December, 2008

SHOE-THROWER WANTED TO 'HUMILIATE TYRANT'
The brother of the journalist who hurled his shoes at U.S.
President George W. Bush said his sibling's actions were
"spontaneous" and represented the wishes of millions of Iraqis
who want to "humiliate the tyrant." Muntadhar al-Zaidi, pictured
above, remains in jail after the incident, a government official
said.

JUDGE AIDS INVESTORS IN $50B 'SCAM'
A U.S. federal judge issues an order that may help investors
allegedly swindled by New York financier Bernard Madoff in what
appears to be the largest "pyramid scheme" in history recover
some of their money, CNNMoney reports. It is estimated losses by
financial firms, charities and individual investors, could reach
$3 billion.

BASQUE TERROR SUSPECTS CAPTURED IN POLICE RAID
Spanish police arrested four suspected members of the Basque
separatist group ETA Tuesday, a week after the group's alleged
new military chief and five other ETA suspects were detained: Report

ASEAN SETS SUMMIT DATE, FORGES CHARTER
A summit of Association of Southeast Asian Nations leaders will
take place late February in Thailand, its government announced,
a day after Abhisit Vejjajiva was picked as prime minister and
ASEAN's charter came into force.

U.N.: ZIMBABWE CHOLERA DEATHS NEARLY 1,000
The number of cholera deaths in Zimbabwe is approaching 1,000,
according to new U.N. figures. The latest death toll came amid
claims by one of Zimbabwe's top officials blaming the cholera
outbreak on "a genocidal onslaught" by Zimbabwe's former
colonial ruler -- Britain. The United States and Britain quickly
denounced the accusations.

SOURCES: OBAMA PICKS EDUCATION, INTERIOR CHIEFS
President-elect Barack Obama is set to name Sen. Ken Salazar as
his choice for interior secretary and Chicago public schools
boss Arne Duncan as his pick for education secretary, sources
said Monday.

FORMER ECUADORIAN PRESIDENT CORDERO DIES
Former Ecuadorian President Leon Febres Cordero died of cancer
Monday afternoon. He was 77.

CANADA: TWO DIPLOMATS MISSING IN NIGER
Two Canadian diplomats have been reported missing in Niger, the
Canadian government said Monday, adding that both men work for
the United Nations.

BUSINESS

ASIA, PACIFIC MARKETS MIXED
Stocks were mixed Tuesday across Asia as investor's worries
about U.S. automakers, an alleged international pyramid scheme
and a U.S. Federal Reserve meeting weighed on markets.

CHINA, TAIWAN REOPEN REGULAR TRANSPORT LINKS
Regularly scheduled commercial flights, shipping, and mail
between Taiwan and China resumed Monday for the first time since
the 1949 revolution that brought the Communist Party to power on
the Chinese mainland.

SUZUKI QUITS WORLD RALLY SCENE AS SALES DIP
Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corporation has pulled out of
next year's FIA World Rally Championship citing a drop in sales
due to the global financial crisis.