International

Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2009 05:02:08 -0500
TOP STORIES as of 1000 GMT -- 03 January, 2009

ISRAELI GROUND ATTACK SPECULATION MOUNTS
Israel has continued to pound Hamas targets in Gaza as the world
waits to see whether Israel will launch a ground attack.
Meanwhile, Israel and Hamas have settled into a steady but
deadly exchange of rockets and missiles,
:reports.

JOHN TRAVOLTA'S SON, 16, DIES IN BAHAMAS
The 16-year-old son of actor John Travolta died Friday morning
after suffering a seizure while vacationing with his family in
the Bahamas.

IRAQ SUICIDE BOMBING KILLS AT LEAST 30
At least 11 people were killed and 17 wounded Friday afternoon
in a suicide bombing in Yusifiya, a city about 25 kilometers
(15.5 miles) southwest of Baghdad, an official with the Ministry
of Interior siad.

AIRTRAN APOLOGIZES AFTER MUSLIM FAMILY REMOVED
A day after a Muslim family was removed from a flight at Reagan
National Airport near Washington, officials of AirTran Airways
and the family stood their ground Friday, each accusing the
other of misconduct.

TEEN: I WAS TRICKED INTO TRAINING AS A BOMBER
A 14-year-old who was trained to kill by radicals in the tribal
regions of Pakistan now sits in a crowded classroom at a
detention facility in Kabul. His only wish? To see his parents
again.

AUSTRALIA AGAIN SAYS NO TO GITMO DETAINEES
Australia declined a request from the Bush administration to
resettle detainees held by the United States at Guantanamo Bay,
the Australian Associated Press agency (AAP) reported Saturday.

OBAMA TO MEET LAWMAKERS TO DISCUSS STIMULUS
President-elect Barack Obama is expected to meet with
congressional leaders Monday to discuss his proposal for the new
economic stimulus plan, which leaders are now referring to as an
"economy recovery plan," a Senate Democratic leadership aide
said Friday.

SRI LANKA: SUICIDE BLAST AFTER REBEL CAPITAL FALLS
Sri Lankan troops recaptured the former seat of the Tamil Tiger
rebel movement after days of heavy fighting, military officials
said Friday.

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BUSINESS

UKRAINE SEEKS HELP FROM EUROPE IN GAS STANDOFF
Ukraine has sent a delegation to meet European leaders a day
after Russian energy giant Gazprom cut its gas supply and as
fears mount the rest of the continent could be affected. The
delegation left after Gazprom chief executive Alexey Miller,
pictured, upped the ante by saying Ukraine would pay the full
market price of $418 dollars per 1,000 cubic meter.

WALL STREET STARTS YEAR WITH A BANG
Stocks rallied today, with investors starting off the new year
on the right foot after an abysmal 2008. The Dow closed above
9,000 for the first time since November. Analysts and investors
are cautiously optimistic that Wall Street will recover some in
2009, but the extent of any recovery will depend on a variety of
factors.

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.