International

Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2009 05:02:03 -0500

SONY PROFITS DOWN 95 PERCENT
Sony blamed the global economic slowdown, increased competition
and an appreciating yen for a 95 percent drop in third-quarter
profits, as the company announced its results Thursday.

GORE: CLIMATE CHANGE NEAR IRREVERSIBLE
Suggesting that the planet will soon reach an irreversible
"tipping point" of damage to the climate, former U.S. Vice
President Al Gore tells members of the American Congress on that
the United States needs to join international talks on a treaty.

JAPAN EXECUTES FOUR DEATH-ROW INMATES
Japan executed four convicted killers on death row on Thursday,
the government said, marking the first set of executions in the
country since October 2008.

U.N.: MYANMAR FACES FOOD SHORTAGE
Myanmar is facing a food shortage largely due to last year's
deadly Cyclone Nargis, which destroyed nearly all the rice crops
in the fertile Ayeyarwaddy delta, the United Nations said
Wednesday.

U.S. HOUSE PASSES STIMULUS BILL
The U.S. House has passed an $819 billion economic stimulus
package on a party-line vote, despite U.S. President Barack
Obama's efforts to achieve bipartisan support for the bill. The
final vote was 244 to 188. No Republicans voted for the bill,
while 12 Democrats voted against it.

WITH 5 KIDS, NO JOB, 'BETTER TO END OUR LIVES'
It was described as one of the most grisly scenes Los Angeles
police had ever encountered: the bodies of five young children
and their parents, all shot to death, in two upstairs rooms of
the family's home.

FRANCE BRACES FOR 'BLACK THURSDAY' STRIKE
France geared up for transportation disruptions ahead of a
nationwide labor strike dubbed "Black Thursday."

ISRAEL EXPELS VENEZUELAN AMBASSADOR
Israel has expelled Venezuela's ambassador in response to
Venezuela's expulsion of an Israeli envoy and the rupture of
diplomatic relations earlier this month.
--------------------------------------------
BUSINESS

ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PROFITS FALL
International oil giant Royal Dutch Shell announced Thursday
that its net profits fell 27 percent in the last quarter of
2008, another indicator of the sickly global economy.

U.S. HOUSE APPROVES OBAMA STIMULUS BILL
The U.S. House of Representatives passed President Barack
Obama's economic stimulus package, sending the $819 billion bill
to the Senate, where it will face more opposition from
Republicans.

IMF PREDICTS WORST YEAR FOR ECONOMY SINCE WWII
The world's stock markets moved into positive territory
Wednesday despite an International Monetary Fund report which
said the global economy was heading for its worst year since
World War II.