International

Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:02:07 -0500
TOP STORIES as of 0900 HKT -- 14 January, 2009

GAZA DIPLOMACY EFFORTS RAMPED UP
Israeli tanks penetrated into Gaza City early Tuesday despite
calls by U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon urging both sides in the
increasingly deadly conflict to halt hostilities. Israel's
military reported clashes between its troops and Hamas fighters
and said at least 30 Palestinian combatants were killed or
wounded.

IRAQ QUESTIONS OBAMA'S 'SILENCE' ON GAZA
One of Iraq's two vice presidents raised concerns over
President-elect Barack Obama's "silence" on Gaza during a
meeting with U.S. Vice President-elect Joe Biden on Tuesday.

CLINTON: IRAQ TROOP WITHDRAWAL 'TOP PRIORITY'
Sen. Hillary Clinton today pledged to help end the war in Iraq
by safely withdrawing American troops. Clinton told a Senate
panel considering her nomination as secretary of state that, if
she is confirmed, the State Department would "be firing on all
cylinders."

AUTHORS SEE PATTERN IN PRINCE HARRY'S MISTAKES
Prince Harry, the red-headed younger son of Britain's Prince
Charles and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, is back in the
headlines after a British tabloid posted a home video of him
using an offensive term to describe an Army colleague.

EUROPE GAS FLOW BLOCKED AT UKRAINE BORDER
A deal to resume gas supplies to Europe appeared to break down
on Tuesday after Russian state energy giant Gazprom said Ukraine
was blocking onward transit.

ETHIOPIAN TROOPS BEGIN SOMALI WITHDRAWAL
Ethiopian forces propping up Somalia's transitional government
have begun their withdrawal from the country, pulling out of two
key bases in Mogadishu, eyewitnesses and officials said Tuesday.
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BUSINESS

BERNANKE: MORE BANK BAILOUTS NEEDED
U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says President-elect
Barack Obama's proposed fiscal stimulus package could help the
economy, but more bailouts of financial institutions may also be
needed to bring about a sustained recovery.

PROTESTERS BUY UP LAND FOR HEATHROW RUNWAY
Environmental campaigners say they have dealt a blow to the
proposed expansion of London's Heathrow Airport by buying up
land earmarked for the construction of a controversial third
runway.

EUROPE MARKETS FOLLOW ASIAN SLIDE
Tokyo's Nikkei tumbled nearly 5 percent Tuesday after new
government figures showed a dramatic decline in Japan's
international trade amid a global financial slowdown and slow
demand for Japanese goods.