International Headlines

Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2010 20:02:04 -0400
TOP STORIES as of 0800 HKT -- 20 March, 2010

> BRITISH AIRWAYS STRIKE GOES AHEAD AS TALKS COLLAPSE
British Airways cabin crews will strike from Saturday as
last-ditch talks to avert industrial action between union
representatives and the airline collapse without a deal.

> MIDEAST QUARTET: PEACE DEAL IN 2 YEARS
Israel refuses to reverse its decision to build new homes in
largely Arab East Jerusalem, but it is offering measures to
kick-start the peace process, Middle East envoy Tony Blair said.

> POPE FINALIZES PEDOPHILE PRIESTS LETTER
A letter written by the pope in an attempt to defuse anger in
Ireland over a sex abuse scandal in the Roman Catholic Church
was expected to be delivered Friday.

> CATHOLIC SEX ABUSE SCANDAL GOES GLOBAL
As Pope Benedict XVI wound down his first visit to the United
States in 2008, the U.S. Catholic Church's news service noted
that the pontiff had achieved his top objective for the trip by
personally apologizing to Americans who had been sexually abused
by priests.

> 'SUPER MOSQUITO' COULD FIGHT MALARIA
They are normally transmitters of the disease, but mosquitoes
could one day be used to tackle malaria after scientists
developed a genetically engineered version of the species that
can deliver a vaccine.

> OBAMA GAMBLES ON HEALTHCARE VOTE
There wasn't a big-screen hero with a gun to his head or a
Hollywood beauty in harm's way, but Washington was caught-up in
a cliffhanger this week -- and President Barack Obama was at the
center of it.

> AL-MALIKI LEADS COUNT IN IRAQ ELECTION
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's coalition has edged ahead
in Iraq's parliamentary elections, according to partial results
from election officials.

> TV HOST FACES EXECUTION FOR 'SORCERY'
Amnesty International is calling on Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah
to stop the execution of a Lebanese man sentenced to death for
"sorcery."

BUSINESS
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> BA STRIKE: WHAT TO DO?
Cabin crew plan to strike between March 20 - 22 and March 27 -
30 according to the Unite union.

> BRUSSELS URGES EU TO REACH GREEK DEAL
The European Commission urged European Union governments on
Friday to reach an explicit agreement next week on a financial
standby facility for Greece to help it overcome its debt crisis.

> BERLIN LEANS TOWARD IMF ON GREECE
Germany is leaning towards involving the International Monetary
Fund should Greece call for help to stem its budget crisis, a
move Berlin hopes would help avoid potential constitutional
court objections to a German bail-out.