International

Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2009 20:02:03 -0500
TOP STORIES as of 0900 HKT -- 17 January, 2009

CRASH PILOT 'THE RIGHT PERSON AT THE RIGHT TIME'
The pilot who successfully ditched his US Airways plane in New
York's Hudson River without anyone on board dying was "the right
guy at the right time," a friend said. Chesley B. Sullenberger
III walked the length of the plane twice to verify everyone was
evacuated, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

RACISTS WATCHED FOR OBAMA INAUGURATION
Hate crimes experts and law enforcement officials are closely
watching white supremacists across the country as Barack Obama
prepares next week to be sworn in as the first black president
of the United States.

ISRAELI FORCES CLASH WITH HAMAS GUNMEN
More airstrikes rattled northern and southern Gaza early Friday
morning as Israeli forces stepped up their campaign against the
Palestinian territory's Hamas leaders.

ISRAEL, U.S. TARGET HAMAS ARMS SMUGGLING
The top diplomats from the United States and Israel plan to sign
an agreement Friday on a move to stop arms smuggling by Hamas
militants from Egypt into the war-ravaged Palestinian territory
of Gaza, Israeli officials said.

IRANIAN MEDIA REPORT BAHA'I MISSIONARY ARRESTS
Iranian authorities have reportedly arrested several women for
doing missionary work for the Baha'is, the religious group whose
persecution by the Islamic republic has been condemned by human
rights activists and governments around the globe.

SOMALIA CONFIRMED AS PIRACY CAPITAL
Piracy off the coast of Somalia rose nearly 200 percent in 2008
compared to the year before, with bolder attacks over greater
distances, an international piracy monitor said Friday.

U.S. TROOPS DIVERTED FOR AFGHAN SURGE
A naval brigade is being diverted to Afghanistan to help prepare
for the extra U.S. troops that will be sent to that country, a
Pentagon spokesman announced Friday.

SLEEPER VIRUS EXPOSES MILLIONS OF PCS TO HIJACK
A new sleeper virus that could allow hackers to steal financial
and personal information has now spread to more than eight
million machines in what industry analysts say is one of the
most serious infections they have ever seen.
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BUSINESS

CITIGROUP TO SPLIT AFTER $8.3B LOSS
Citigroup has announced plans to split the company in two after
reporting a bigger than expected fourth quarter loss of more
than eight billion dollars.

BANK OF AMERICA GETS NEW BAILOUT PACKAGE
Bank of America will get another $20 billion from the U.S.
government's bailout fund, with federal guarantees for another
$118 billion in mortgage-backed securities on its balance
sheets, the Treasury Department announced early Friday.

Russia is hoping for wide participation
at talks this weekend in Moscow to resolve a gas dispute that
has left parts of Europe stuck in the cold, Russian Foreign
Minister Sergei Lavrov said Friday.