International Headlines

Date: Fri, 21 May 2010 20:02:04 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0800 HKT -- 22 May, 2010

> WARNINGS GULF OIL SPILL COULD REACH ARCTIC, EUROPE
A top scientist tells a U.S. congressional panel the effects of
the Gulf oil spill could reach Europe and the Arctic, as BP
streams live video of oil gushing into the sea.

> TWO DETAINED IRANIANS FREED IN IRAQ
Two Iranians detained for years in Iraq by U.S. troops have been
freed and are headed home, officials at the Iranian Embassy in
Baghdad told CNN on Friday.

> CLINTON GETS TOUGH ON N.KOREA
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says the international
community cannot allow North Korea's attack on a South Korean
ship to go unanswered.

> PAPER PUBLISHES MOHAMMED CARTOON
Once again, a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed has sparked anger
and controversy.

> ARREST OVER FAILED TIMES SQUARE BLAST
Pakistani authorities have arrested the son of a prominent
catering company owner in connection with the attempted Times
Square bombing case, U.S. and Pakistani officials said Friday.

> THAI PM URGES RECONCILIATION AFTER CHAOS
Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva says the country plans a swift return
to normalcy in the wake of violent clashes between
anti-government protesters and troops.

> ITALIAN BISHOP TESTIFIES IN ABUSE TRIAL
An Italian bishop testified this week in the trial of a priest
accused of child abuse, saying that although the accusations
were "alarming," he did not stop the priest's contact with
children.

> GERMANY BACKS BAILOUT AS EU TALKS
A task force of European Union finance ministers will meet in
Brussels Friday to discuss proposed tougher measures intended to
prevent another regional crisis on the scale of Greece's
economic meltdown.

BUSINESS
~~~~~~~~~~~
> BA PROFITS, REPUTATION IN TAILSPIN
British Airway's bitter battle with the nation's largest union
is bruising the balance sheet of the UK's flagship carrier,
leaving the airline -- once the envy of the industry -- with a
tarnished reputation amid record losses.

> SARKOZY: GERMANY, FRANCE UNITED ON EURO PLAN
French President Nicolas Sarkozy said Thursday that he and
German Chancellor Angela Merkel agree on how to handle Europe's
financial woes.

> SCOTCH DISTILLERY TURNS WHISKY INTO WATTS
Creating renewable energy from whisky might sound like a
hairbrained scheme conceived at the end of a long evening
drinking the amber nectar.