International Headlines

Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2010 20:02:06 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0800 HKT -- 08 April, 2010

> KYRGYZ PRESIDENT TOPPLED, OPPOSITION SAYS
A former foreign minister claimed to be in control of an interim
government in Kyrgyzstan early Thursday after a wave of protests
that left at least 40 dead.

> THAI PM DECLARES STATE OF EMERGENCY
Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva declares a state of
emergency, hours after anti-government demonstrators storm the
country's parliament.

> NORWEGIAN BISHOP ADMITS CHILD ABUSE
A former Catholic bishop in Norway has admitted sexually abusing
a minor 20 years ago, a spokesman for the Norwegian Catholic
Church said Wednesday.

> HARD LABOR FOR AMERICAN MAN IN N. KOREA
An American man is sentenced to eight years hard labor for
illegally entering North Korea, the reclusive country's official
press agency says in a release.

> RESCUERS DRILL FOR TRAPPED MINERS
Rescue workers continued drilling a hole early Wednesday toward
where they believe four miners may be located days after a blast
killed 25 others in a coal mine in West Virginia.

> IS PRINCE WILLIAM GETTING ENGAGED?
British newspapers were filled with speculation Wednesday that
Prince William may soon propose to his girlfriend, Kate
Middleton, after an influential blog reported on a possible
date.

> UK ELECTION RIVALS SPAR IN FINAL 'PMQS'
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown traded barbs with political
rivals Wednesday in the last Prime Minister's Questions before
the general election.

> MARTINA NAVRATILOVA HAS BREAST CANCER
Nine-time Wimbledon tennis champion Martina Navratilova said
Wednesday she has breast cancer.

BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> RENAULT, NISSAN IN DAIMLER PARTNERSHIP
Nissan, Renault and Daimler on Wednesday announced a partnership that
will see the three companies take 3.1 percent mutual equity stakes and
work together on small cars, engines and light commercial vehicles.

> BEIJING LAYS GROUND FOR CURRENCY SHIFT
China has begun to prepare the ground publicly for a shift in
exchange rate policy, days after the US Treasury said it would
postpone a decision on whether to name China a "currency
manipulator".

> U.S. REGULATORS TO SEEK $16.4M TOYOTA FINE
US transport regulators are seeking to fine Toyota $16.4m -- the
maximum allowed -- for not telling them sooner about defects in
its cars that caused them to accelerate out of control,
officials said.