International Headline News

Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:02:07 -0500
TOP STORIES as of 0900 HKT -- 26 January, 2010

> SRI LANKA GEARS UP FOR HISTORIC PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
Sri Lanka's Tamil minority, many of whom were driven from their
homes in the final stages of a decades-long conflict, may sway
the presidential vote on Tuesday.

> HAITIANS TORCH BODIES IN PLAZA
The smell of burning human flesh fouled the air in the Haitian
capital's central plaza today as three bodies trapped in a
crushed taxi were burned.

> IRAQ'S 'CHEMICAL ALI' EXECUTED
Saddam Hussein's cousin Ali Hassan al-Majeed -- known as
"Chemical Ali" for his involvement in poisonous gas attacks --
was hanged earlier Monday, Iraqi state TV reports.

> 36 DEAD IN BLASTS NEAR BAGHDAD HOTELS
At least three loud explosions were heard in Baghdad on Monday.

> BODIES FOUND AFTER LEBANON PLANE CRASH
Search aircraft join the hunt for survivors after an Ethiopian
Airlines jet with 90 people aboard crashes off the coast of
Lebanon. Rescue crews have recovered 23 bodies.

> APPLE DOUBLES IPHONE SALES
Apple reported another strong quarter on the back of its current
product lineup as it gears up for an anticipated unveiling of a
tablet computer, CNNMoney reports.

> CLUB AMERICA FOOTBALLER SHOT IN HEAD
Paraguay international Salvador Cabanas is in a critical
condition after being shot in the head in Mexico City on Sunday
evening.

> MINISTER: NOVEMBER RELEASE FOR SUU KYI
Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi will be released
in November when her house arrest term ends, a government
minister said.

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BUSINESS
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> DAVOS BATTLEGROUND FOR BANK REFORM
After the Democrats' electoral defeat in Massachusetts last
week, President Barack Obama beefed up both the substance of
financial reform and the rhetoric designed to sell his policies,
but stopped short of a change of personnel.

> U.S. ENABLED CHINESE GOOGLE HACK?
In order to comply with government search warrants on user data,
Google created a backdoor access system into Gmail accounts.
This feature is what the Chinese hackers exploited to gain
access.

> 'RANCHING' TUNA THE ECO-FRIENDLY WAY
Tokihiko Okada has hundreds of children. Well, not literally,
but you might as well call the giant bluefin tuna he cares for
in the ocean tanks his "children."