International

Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 05:01:12 -0500

JAPAN'S ECONOMY 'WORST SINCE END OF WWII'
Japan is grappling with its worst economic crisis since the end
of World War II, the nation's economic and fiscal policy
minister said Monday. The comments from Kaoru Yosano followed
news of Japan's gross domestic product falling 12.7 percent in
the fourth quarter in 2008.

CHAVEZ DECLARES VICTORY IN VENEZUELA VOTE
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has declared victory in a
constitutional referendum that will allow him to run for a third
six-year term in 2012. With 94 percent of the votes counted,
about 54.4 percent of the voters supported the referendum and
45.6 percent were opposed, the National Election Commission
said.

AFGHANISTAN TO HELP REVIEW U.S. WAR ON TERROR
Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Sunday that his country would
join the strategic review of the U.S.-led war on terrorism.

CLINTON HEADS TO ASIA FOR FIRST STATE TRIP
Armed with a sweeping diplomatic agenda, Hillary Clinton headed
for Asia on Sunday on her first overseas trip as secretary of
state.

SEX TRADE TOPS U.N. TRAFFICKING LIST
Sexual exploitation and forced labor are the most common forms
of human trafficking in the world, a new report from the U.N.
Office on Drugs and Crime said.

U.S. ENVOY HOLBROOKE ARRIVES IN INDIA
Fresh from visiting leaders in Pakistan and Afghanistan, U.S.
special envoy Richard Holbrooke arrived in India on Sunday, the
U.S. Embassy in New Delhi said.

MEXICAN NAVY CONFISCATES 7 TONS OF COCAINE
The Mexican navy confiscated 7 tons of cocaine being transported
on a fishing vessel in international waters in the Pacific
Ocean, the navy secretary said.

NTSB: PLANE FELL 800 FEET IN 5 SECONDS
A commuter airliner that crashed Thursday in upstate New York,
killing 50 people, underwent violent pitching and rolling, with
passengers experiencing twice the normal force of gravity, just
before impact, a federal investigator said Sunday.
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BUSINESS

BRITISH ECONOMY TO WORSEN IN 2009
Shackled by a global recession, the United Kingdom's economy
will only get worse in 2009, the Confederation of British
Industry said Monday.

OBAMA PLANNING AMBITIOUS ROAD AHEAD
Fresh off victory on President Obama's $787 billion economic
recovery plan, several top White House aides say they're
planning an ambitious agenda for the rest of February. The White
House will focus on addressing the housing crisis, cleaning up
the banking mess and laying the groundwork for reform of the
health care system and entitlement programs like Medicare.

$250K MICROSOFT BOUNTY ON WORM CREATOR
Software giant Microsoft is offering a $250,000 reward for
information leading to the arrest and conviction of hackers
behind a powerful computer virus that could lead to millions of
PCs being hijacked.