International

Date: Wed, 18 Mar 2009 05:02:08 -0400

FRITZL PLEADS GUILTY TO ALL CHARGES
Josef Fritzl, who had been accused of keeping his daughter in a
cellar for decades and fathering her seven children, changed his
plea to guilty to all the charges made against him Wednesday in
an Austrian court.

GEITHNER: AIG MUST RETURN BONUS MONEY
Insurance giant AIG will have to return to the U.S. Treasury
Department the $165 million it just paid out in executive
bonuses, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner said in a letter to
congressional leaders.

IN AFRICA, POPE REAFFIRMS BAN ON CONDOMS
Pope Benedict XVI has refused to soften the Vatican's ban on
condom use as he arrived in Africa for his first visit to the
continent as pope. Sub-Saharan Africa has been hit harder by
AIDS and HIV than any other region of the world, according to
the United Nations and World Health Organization.

MADAGASCAR MILITARY BACKS OPPOSITION LEADER
Members of Madagascar's military stormed the presidential palace
and overran it. President Marc Ravalomanana was in another
palace at the time, reports said.

COLOMBIA'S FARC FREES SWEDISH CAPTIVE
The last non-Colombian hostage known to have been held by
leftist rebels in Colombia was freed Tuesday.....

U.S. BLAMES SUDAN'S PRESIDENT OVER DARFUR
The U.S. State Department threw aside diplomatic language and
criticized Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir for creating what
it calls a "catastrophe" by throwing many international aid
workers out of the country. The U.S. issued a direct challenge
to Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, warning that he and his
government "will be held responsible for every single death that
occurs in" the refugee camps of the Darfur region.

DISCOVERY DOCKS AT SPACE STATION
The space shuttle Discovery safely docked at the international
space station on Tuesday, a welcome smooth maneuver during a
mission that was delayed by a gas leak and threatened by
hurtling chunks of space junk.

SMALLEST KNOWN NORTH AMERICAN DINOSAUR FOUND
Canadian researchers say they have discovered the smallest known
North American dinosaur, a carnivore that roamed areas of the
continent 75 million years ago and weighed less than most
modern-day house cats.
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BUSINESS

WORLD BANK CUTS CHINA'S GROWTH FORECAST
The World Bank cut China's economic growth forecast in 2009 to
6.5 percent Wednesday, down a full percentage point from
November's projection.

FINANCIER STANFORD OWES $226M, U.S. SAYS
American financier Allen Stanford and his wife owe back taxes,
penalties and interest of at least $226.5 million, the IRS said
in court documents filed in Dallas, Texas.

NOKIA CUTS A FURTHER 1,700 JOBS AS DEMAND FALLS
Nokia, the world's leading cellphone maker, announced Tuesday
that it was cutting 1,700 further jobs globally due to falling
demand.