International

Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2009 05:01:04 -0500
TOP STORIES as of 1000 GMT -- 12 January, 2009

ISRAEL HALTS ATTACKS TO LET RELIEF SUPPLIES INTO GAZA
For a fifth day, the Israeli military broke off its assault on
Gaza for three hours to allow residents to pick up humanitarian
supplies, a Defense Ministry spokesman said Monday. Nearly 900
people in Gaza and 13 Israelis have died since the conflict
began on December 27.

HOPES RISE FOR RUSSIA-UKRAINE GAS DEAL
Hope were rising Monday that Europe's natural gas supplies could
return to normal after Russia's Gazprom said Ukraine had
re-signed a deal on monitoring deliveries through its
territories.

AUSTRALIAN TROOPS KILL TALIBAN COMMANDER
Australian commandos have killed a Taliban chief blamed for
numerous attacks on coalition troops in southern Afghanistan,
including one that killed an Australian soldier last week, the
country's defense ministry announced.

INDONESIA FERRY DISASTER LEAVES 246 MISSING
Rescue crews continued their search for 246 people still missing
on Monday, a day after their ferry capsized off the coast of
Indonesia.

SATYAM STOCK SURGES ON NEW LEADERSHIP
Stocks of Satyam Computer Services Ltd., the Hyderabad-based
company at the center of a massive corporate fraud case, surged
Monday on news the new government-appointed board will pick a
new chief operating officer.

NIGERIA MILITANTS RELEASE PHOTOS OF HOSTAGES
A Nigerian militant group released pictures Sunday of two
Britons identified as captive oil workers, saying the men were
"alive and well" and that more such Western workers would be
taken hostage if the country does not stop exporting its oil
wealth.

CHINA'S TAINTED MILK ARRESTS REACH 60
Chinese authorities have arrested 60 people in connection with
the country's tainted milk scandal that killed six infants and
sickened nearly 300,000 more, state media reported.

REPORTS: SERBS HANG MLADIC WANTED POSTERS
Serbian authorities have put up wanted posters for war crimes
suspect Ratko Mladic at police stations across the country in
their search for the highest-ranking figure from the
Bosnia-Herzegovina conflict to remain at large, according to
Serbian media reports.
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BUSINESS

RUSSIA BACKS OFF DEAL WITH UKRAINE
Just as millions of Europeans struggling through cold winter
temperatures thought a resolution had been reached in the
Russia-Ukraine natural gas standoff, Russia said it will not
proceed on a deal.

OBAMA TEAM, DEMS TALK BAILOUT
U.S. Senate Democrats who met with members of President-elect
Barack Obama's economic team were optimistic about plans to
spend the remaining $350 billion in Troubled Asset Relief
Program funds. Lawmakers have expressed unhappiness with the way
Treasury made few strings attached to the $350 billion allocated
to banks so far and the lack of tracking mechanism.

LLOYDS TSB IN U.S. SANCTIONS BREACH
British bank Lloyds TSB agrees to pay a $350 million penalty to
the U.S. authorities for illegal financial transfers that
violated sanctions.