International Headlines

4/02/2010
>TOP STORIES as of 0800 HKT -- 03 April, 2010

> IRAN MAY SEND WEAPONS TO TALIBAN, U.S. OFFICIAL SAYS
New U.S. military intelligence suggests Iran plans to smuggle
weapons into Afghanistan in the coming weeks, a senior U.S.
Defense Department official said Friday.

> TEEN ID'D AS MOSCOW SUBWAY BOMBER
Investigators identify one of the female suicide bombers in
Monday's deadly metro attacks in Moscow as teenager Dzhennet
Abdullayeva from Dagestan.

> 'CHARLIE'S ANGELS' FORSYTHE DIES
Actor John Forsythe has died at the age of 92, his publicist
said Friday.

> SINGER CITED FOR NAKED STROLL
Erykah Badu's naked stroll through downtown Dallas, Texas, for a
music video has earned her a disorderly conduct citation.

> FLIGHTS TO U.S. FACE TIGHTER SECURITY
The U.S. is to announce tougher airport checks Friday for people
entering the country as a result of a review ordered after the
failed December 25 attack over Detroit.

> PREACHER: ABUSE FURY 'LIKE ANTISEMITISM'
Pope Benedict XVI's personal preacher on Friday compared the
fury aimed at the Catholic leadership because of sexual abuse
within the Church to aspects of antisemitism.

> GAMERS PLEAD GUILTY TO BABY'S DEATH
A South Korean couple whose three-month-old daughter died of
malnutrition while they raised a virtual child in an online game
has pleaded guilty to negligent homicide.

> HITLER'S STUDENT SKETCHES UP FOR SALE
A British auction house plans to sell off newly discovered
sketches done by Adolf Hitler when he was a struggling student
trying desperately to get into art school.

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

> DAIMLER FINED $185M FOR BRIBERY
German carmaker Daimler AG and three of its subsidiaries pleaded
guilty to bribing government officials with tens of millions of
dollars in Russia, China and 20 other countries, the U.S.
Justice Department announced.

> U.S. ECONOMY ADDS 162,000 JOBS
The U.S. economy created 162,000 jobs last month the government
said on Friday, bolstering hopes that the economic recovery is
gathering steam.

> U.S. MANUFACTURING ON THE INCREASE
Manufacturing activity grew for the eighth straight month in
March, at the fastest rates since July 2004, according to a new
report.

Employers added 162,000 jobs in March, though 48,000 of those are census hires, government says. Jobeless rate firm at 9.7%.

Date: Fri, 02 Apr 2010 10:46:52 -0400

Employers added 162,000 jobs in March, though 48,000 of those are
census hires, government says. Jobeless rate firm at 9.7%.

Markets, Thursday, 04/1/2010

Date: Thu, 01 Apr 2010 17:34:45 -0400

|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Dow : 10,834.41 down 1.74 | S & P : 1,165.16 down 2.56 |
| NASDAQ: 2,397.40 down 1.36 | Bond (10Y): 3.90% up 0.072
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|

MARKETS:
Dow, S&P 500 at new 18-month highs
Stock advance recharges at the end of a choppy session ahead of a long
holiday weekend. Investors welcome improved readings on economy, but
show caution.

U.S. stocks advance on hope for global rebound

Date: Thu, 01 Apr 2010 12:01:15 -0400

U.S. STOCKS ADVANCE ON HOPE FOR GLOBAL REBOUND
U.S. stocks climb broadly on Thursday after reports that jobless
claims fell in the U.S. and international manufacturing expanded both
in Asia and Europe.

JOBLESS CLAIMS FALL 6,000 IN LATEST WEEK
The number of people applying for unemployment benefits falls 6,000 in
the week ended March 27 to a seasonally adjusted 439,000, the Labor
Department reports.

U.S. ISM MANUFACTURING INDEX RISES TO 6-YEAR HIGH
The U.S. manufacturing sector expands for an eighth straight month in
March, boosted by stronger orders and production, the Institute for
Supply Management reports.

DOLLAR RISES TO SEVEN-MONTH HIGH VERSUS YEN
The U.S. dollar rises to a seven-month high versus the Japanese yen,
though it fell against other currencies, as investors sorted through
global economic data that signaled the recovery was picking up pace.

RIM SHARES FALL ON WORRIES ABOUT REVENUE, OUTLOOK
Research In Motion Ltd. saw its shares fall Thursday morning after the
wireless device maker reported disappointing revenue and unit
shipments for the fourth fiscal quarter.

Manufacturing activity grows in March to the fastest pace since July 2004, purchasing managers say.

Date: Thu, Apr 1, 2010 at 10:22 AM

Manufacturing activity grows in March to the fastest pace since July
2004, purchasing managers say.

Energy: Energy stocks jump out of the gate

Date: Thu, Apr 1, 2010 at 10:11 AM

Energy stocks rose with the broad market on Thursday, as the sector
kicked off the first day of the second quarter.

Energy: U.S. stocks open higher

Date: Thu, Apr 1, 2010 at 9:57 AM

U.S. stocks climb broadly on Thursday after reports that jobless
claims fell in the U.S. and international manufacturing expanded both
in Asia and Europe.