International

Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2008 05:02:09 -0500
TOP STORIES as of 1000 GMT -- 31 December, 2008

ISRAEL TO CONTINUE GAZA CAMPAIGN
Israel decides to continue its offensive in the Palestinian
territory of Gaza despite a French proposal for a humanitarian
truce, a spokesman says. Israel's fourth day of attacks has sent
the Palestinian death toll to more than 375.

ZIMBABWE ACTIVISTS REMAIN LOCKED UP
A court in Zimbabwe ordered 14 activists to remain in jail
Wednesday, pending a Supreme Court hearing over their alleged
participation in a plot to topple the government of President
Robert Mugabe. Two other activists facing lesser charges were
released.

BRAZILIAN ACCUSED IN NUN'S MURDER ARRESTED
A lengthy investigation into the erratic behavior of a Brazilian
accused of ordering the murder of a 73-year-old American nun led
to his recent arrest.

FOUR EXECUTIVES ON TRIAL IN CHINA MILK SCANDAL
Four executives working for the Sanlu Group, the major dairy at
the heart of a contaminated milk scandal in China that sickened
nearly 300,000 infants, went on trial Wednesday in the country's
north, state-run media reported.

GHANA VOTE RESULTS EXPECTED FRIDAY
Ghana's new president won't be determined until Friday when
voters in one constituency return to the polls to recast their
ballots, the chairman of the Ghana Electoral Commission
announced.

NASA DETAILS FINAL SECONDS FOR COLUMBIA
A NASA report on the last minutes of space shuttle Columbia
cited problems with the crew's helmets, spacesuits and
restraints, which resulted in "lethal trauma" to the seven
astronauts aboard. But the report also acknowledged that "the
breakup of the crew module ... was not survivable by any
currently existing capability."

'JENA 6' FIGURE TRIED SUICIDE, POLICE SAY
A teenager whose arrest in a racially charged assault case drew
thousands of protesters to his rural Louisiana hometown was in a
hospital Tuesday after a shooting that his lawyer said was
accidental.

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BUSINESS

CONSUMER CONFIDENCE IN U.S. SLUMPS
A key measure of U.S. consumer confidence fell to an all-time
low in December amid a dismal job market and uncertain outlook
for the new year.

ASIA, PACIFIC MARKETS MOSTLY HIGHER
Most Asia and Pacific markets were solidly in positive territory
Wednesday during limited trading on the final session of a
dismal year.

COLOMBIA FREEZES FUEL PRICES
Colombia will freeze prices for gasoline and other petrofuels
through March, the government has announced.