International Headlines

Date: Sun, 13 Jun 2010 20:02:03 -0400
>TOP STORIES as of 0800 HKT -- 14 June, 2010

> ISRAEL NAMES HEAD OF COMMISSION FOR FLOTILLA INQUIRY
Retired Israeli judge Jacob Turkel will lead an inquiry into the
Israeli raid on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara, Israeli Prime
Minster Benjamin Netanyahu has announced.

> ETHNIC VIOLENCE CONTINUES IN KYRGYZSTAN
Armed groups are battling for control of a hospital in the
Kyrgyz city of Jalal-Abad, according to reports. Almost 100
people have died in days of ethnic clashes.

> TRIBAL LEADERS BACK KANDAHAR OFFENSIVE
Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the
top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, were in Kandahar
Sunday to sell their plan of an upcoming military operation in
the province.

> PAKISTANI SPY AGENCY 'TRAINING TALIBAN'
Pakistan's intelligence agency, the ISI, calls the shots for the
Taliban and other insurgent groups in Afghanistan, training,
funding and giving shelter to them, a Harvard academic claims in
a new paper.

> 15 KILLED IN BAGHDAD BLAST, GUN BATTLE
At least 12 people were killed and 40 others wounded in a
bombing and gunfire near Iraq's central bank in the capital on
Sunday, an Interior Ministry official said.

> OBAMA TO SPEAK TUESDAY ON OIL SPILL
President Barack Obama will visit the Gulf states affected by
the oil spill on Monday and Tuesday and then address the nation
on Tuesday night from the White House on the next steps in
responding to the environmental catastrophe, his senior adviser
said Sunday.

> AFGHAN SCHOOLGIRLS APPARENTLY POISONED
About 60 schoolgirls in Afghanistan's Balkh province appear to
have been poisoned and required hospitalization, the Ministry of
Health said Sunday.

> CLASHES IN IRAN ON VOTE ANNIVERSARY
Clashes erupt in Tehran between security forces and crowds of
people gathering at the key sites to mark the first anniversary
of Iran's contested presidential election.

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

> INVESTORS COULD BE IN FOR A BUMPY RIDE
Markets could be in for another bumpy ride this week as
investors continue to look for clues on where the global economy
is headed.

> UK MEDIA ATTACK OBAMA FOR BP COMMENTS
British media have leapt to the defense of beleaguered BP
following attacks by the White House over its handling of the
Gulf Coast disaster.