International

Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 05:02:08 -0500
TOP STORIES as of 1000 GMT -- 02 January, 2009

HAMAS: 'AVENGE BLOOD OF OUR PEOPLE'S MARTYRS'
A Hamas spokesman calls on Palestinian militants to avenge the
death of slain military commander Nizar Rayan, as well as "the
blood of our people's martyrs," following his death in an
Israeli airstrike. Rayan was killed on a sixth day of bombings
in Gaza -- but rockets continue to land in the Jewish state's
territory.

SRI LANKAN ARMY RETAKES FORMER REBEL CAPITAL
Sri Lankan troops recaptured the former seat of the Tamil Tiger
rebel movement after days of heavy fighting, military officials
said Friday.

19 DEAD UNIDENTIFIED AFTER BANGKOK BLAZE
Investigators posted photos of the unidentified victims of a
catastrophic nightclub fire outside a Bangkok police station
Friday in hopes that relatives would be able to identify them.

SUSPECTED U.S. STRIKE KILLS 4 IN PAKISTAN
The second suspected U.S. missile strike in two days killed four
suspected Islamic militants in northwest Pakistan, intelligence
officials said Friday.

SINGAPORE'S GDP SLUMPS 12.5 PERCENT
In a further indication of the weakening Asian economy,
Singapore on Friday said GDP had declined by 12.5 percent in
real terms in the fourth quarter of 2008 and revised downwards
its growth estimates for 2009.

MUSLIM FAMILY SENT OFF PLANE FOR ALARMING TALK
A Muslim family removed from an airliner Thursday after
passengers became concerned about their conversation say AirTran
officials refused to rebook them, even after FBI investigators
cleared them of wrongdoing.

REPORT: CHINA, VIETNAM AGREE ON LAND BORDER
China and Vietnam have settled a lengthy border dispute nearly
30 years after a month-long war that left tens of thousands of
people dead, state-run media reported.

MYANMAR RELEASES NORTH KOREAN DEFECTORS
Nineteen North Korean defectors have been released from
detention in Myanmar and sent to Thailand, Burmese officials
told the U.S.-funded Voice of America news service Thursday.

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BUSINESS

FORMER SANLU CHIEF FAULTS POOR REGULATION
The head of major Chinese dairy firm Sanlu Group argues that
the country's lack of regulations regarding a toxic chemical
contributed to a tainted milk scandal that sickened nearly
300,000 infants, state-run media reports.

ASIAN, PACIFIC MARKETS OPEN 2009 MOSTLY HIGHER
Asian stock exchanges were mixed on the first trading day of the
new year, with Hong Kong and South Korean markets showing gains
Friday and Australia slumping.

GAZPROM CUTS OFF GAS SUPPLIES TO UKRAINE
Russian energy monopoly Gazprom said Thursday it had cut off
supplies of natural gas to Ukraine after a payment deadline
expired. Ukraine owes the energy giant about $2 billion for past
natural gas deliveries.