International Headlines

Date: Wed, Apr 21, 2010 at 8:02 PM
 >TOP STORIES as of 0800 HKT -- 22 April, 2010
 

> IRAN EXPECTED TO BEGIN MILITARY EXERCISES IN GULF
Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps is expected to begin air, land
and sea exercises in the Persian Gulf perhaps as soon as
Thursday, Iran's IRIB news agency says.

> PLANES RETURN BUT EUROPE FACES BACKLOG
Airports across Europe re-open six days after ash from an
Icelandic volcano forced the shutdown of airspace, stranding
thousands of passengers.

> RUSSIA, UKRAINE AGREE ON GAS DEAL
Russia's president and the newly elected president of Ukraine
signed a landmark agreement on Wednesday that signals an end to
years of enmity between the two former Soviet republics.

> POPE: WE'LL TAKE ACTION ON SEX ABUSE
Pope Benedict XVI was "deeply affected" by a meeting with
victims of abuse by Catholic clergy, he said Wednesday, in his
first public comments on the scandal in more than a month.

> AT LEAST 12 MISSING AFTER OIL RIG BLAST
At least 11 people were missing and seven were critically
injured after an explosion on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico,
the U.S. Coast Guard said Wednesday.

 > UGANDAN KING, 18, TAKES FULL CONTROL
One of Uganda's last remaining kings turned 18 in a boisterous
four-day ceremony that ended Sunday and allowed him to take full
control of his kingdom in the western part of the country.

> HEATHER LOCKLEAR CHARGED IN HIT-AND-RUN
Actress Heather Locklear allegedly crashed her car into a street
sign near her home last weekend and failed to report the early
morning wreck, police said.



 BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~

> APPLE SOARS WITH 90% INCREASE IN PROFITS
Apple on Tuesday reported a 90 per cent increase in
second-quarter profit, far surpassing bullish Wall Street
estimates with a 49 per cent increase in revenue.

> RYANAIR WILL LIMIT PASSENGER COMPENSATION
One of Europe's largest budget airlines indicated Wednesday it
might not reimburse passengers for costs incurred while they
were stranded by the volcanic ash cloud -- a potential violation
of European Union rules.

> STRIVING TO PLAY PERFECT MACAU GAME
Steve Wynn raises the back of his shirt, revealing the scars
from spinal surgery that has prevented him from visiting Macau
since November.