World Dec. 17th, 2009 (10)

#1 — BBC | Mexican forces kill drug lord Arturo Beltran Leyva

One of Mexico’s most-wanted drug lords has been killed in a shoot-out with state security forces, officials say.

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#2 — BBC | More than 50 MPs challenge expenses repayment demand

At least 50 MPs have said they want to challenge an auditor’s request that they repay money they claimed on expenses dating back five years.

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#3 — CNN | Air France crash report set for release

(CNN) — Investigators probing the June crash of an Air France flight off Brazil will release their second interim report Thursday with a press briefing, officials said.

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#4 — Fox | Liberals’ Dream of Single-Payer Health System Dies

WASHINGTON — The liberals’ longtime dream of a government-run health care system for all died Wednesday in the Senate, but Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont vowed it will return when the realization dawns that private insurance companies “are no longer needed.”

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#5 — NY Times | 4 Big Mortgage Backers Swim in Ocean of Debt

Even as the biggest banks repay their government debt in what is being heralded as a successful rescue program, four troubled giants of the financial world remain on government life support.

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#6 — Times | Thousands stranded as Globespan Group travel company collapses

Thousands of British holidaymakers today faced a battle to return home for Christmas after waking up in hotels around the world to discover that their flights had been cancelled.

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#7 — Times | Doctors order Silvio Berlusconi to remain in hospital for fourth night

Silvio Berlusconi was ordered by his doctors to remain in hospital last night for the fourth successive night, raising alarm over the long-term physical and psychological damage caused by the attack on him in Milan.

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Telegraph | Silvio Berlusconi leaves hospital after attack

#8 — Times | North Korean arms plane ‘has links to New Zealand’

The mystery surrounding the missile-laden plane seized in Bangkok en route from North Korea deepened today as it emerged that the aircraft had links to a company based in New Zealand.

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#9 — Telegraph | UK retail sales in surprise decline

UK retail sales saw a surprise drop in November for the first time in six months, in a worrying sign for retailers in the days before Christmas.

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#10 — Telegraph | Triple the pay rise in public sector, official figures show

Public sector workers have been awarded pay rises nearly three times higher than those of private sector employees, official figures indicate.

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