International

Date: Fri, 9 Jan 2009 20:01:08 -0500
TOP STORIES as of 0900 HKT -- 10 January, 2009

ISRAEL, HAMAS BRUSH OFF U.N. CEASE-FIRE RESOLUTION
Israel has continued its offensive in Gaza, hitting more than 50
targets, despite calls for an immediate cease-fire by the U.N.
Security Council. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel was
disregarding the U.N. vote because the resolution will not be
heeded by "murderous" Palestinian groups.

'SUICIDE BOMBER' CAUGHT AFTER LAHORE BLASTS
Three explosions rocked Pakistan's second largest city Friday,
according to Lahore police.

BLAGOJEVICH IMPEACHED IN OBAMA SEAT ROW
The Illinois House of Representatives on Friday voted almost
unanimously to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

OBAMA NAMES NEW INTELLIGENCE CHIEFS
President-elect Barack Obama will announce Friday that he is
naming Leon Panetta as CIA director and Dennis Blair as director
of national intelligence, two officials close to the transition
said.

'RANSOM PAID' TO PIRATES FOR SAUDI SUPERTANKER
Pirates holding a Saudi-owned supertanker off the coast of
Somalia have set the vessel free, according to Andrew Mwangura
of the Kenya Seafarers Association.

CHARLES TAYLOR'S SON SENTENCED FOR TORTURE
The son of former Liberian President Charles Taylor Sr. was
sentenced Friday to 97 years in prison for charges including
torture and conspiracy, according to a federal court in Florida.

'CANCER-FREE' BABY GIRL BORN IN LONDON
A woman gives birth to the first child in Britain known to have
been screened as an embryo to ensure she does not carry a gene
linked to breast and ovarian cancer, a spokesman for University
College London said.

14 DEAD, 22 MISSING AFTER COSTA RICA QUAKE
Fourteen people have died and another 22 are missing after a
6.2-magnitude earthquake Thursday in north central Costa Rica,
officials said Friday.

----------------------------------------------
BUSINESS

EU: RUSSIA GAS SUPPLY SHOULD RESTART
Gas should start flowing again through the Ukraine from Russia
immediately after a deal was reached for EU monitors to
supervise the system, the EU says. The standoff has affected
millions of people across Europe, who have been forced to cut
down on gas heating or live without it amid freezing
temperatures.

INDIA RUNNING DRY AS OIL STRIKE BITES
Fuel pumps across India ran dry Friday as a strike by workers at
state-run oil companies entered a third day.

OBAMA CALLS FOR 'DRAMATIC ACTION'
U.S. President-elect Barack Obama said Congress must take
"dramatic action" on his economic aid package as soon as
possible, warning that a failure to do so would have devastating
long-term consequences for the nation.