CNN news 2009-01-02 加文本

There is no letup in the fighting in the Middle East. Israeli airstrikes on Gaza continue for a sixth straight day. Hamas says a rocket killed one of its top militant leaders. Israel says it bombed the home of another Hamas leader, but it doesn't know if the targeted militant was there. The number of casualties continues to grow. Palestinian medical sources say more than 400 people have been killed in Gaza, another 2000 wounded. Earlier today, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni met with French President Nicolas Sarkozy to discuss peace proposals. France is calling for a 48-hour truce, an idea that Israel had earlier rejected.

In Baghdad, a heavily fortified area is back in Iraqi hands for the first time since the war began. The so-called Green Zone, a four-square-mile area in the heart of Baghdad was handed over by U. S. military leaders today to Iraqi authorities as part of a security agreement. The area houses Iraqi government offices and the U. S. Embassy.

A man wanted for questioning about bomb threats at Aspen, Colorado Banks has been found dead of an apparently self-inflicted wound. The body of 72-year-old James Blanning was discovered in rural Pitkin County, just east of Aspen. The threats, hand-delivered to two of the banks, shut down part of resort town yesterday. Police cleared out a 16-block area. Investigators say Blanning was threatening mass deaths if he didn't get 60, 000 dollars for each of a total of four bombs. Police say they believe Blanning acted alone. Now this plan was  thwarted when at least one of the banks immediately called police. Investigators say they disabled all four bombs.

Some people in Ukraine could be in for some frigid days and nights. Russian energy giant Gazprom has cut off supplies of natural gas to Ukraine, saying the Ukrainian's owed some 2 billion dollars for past deliveries. Ukraine says it's paid the debt in full. Ukraine state-run energy company says it's now tapping into underground storage sites for extra gas.(www.hXen.com)

Happy New Year! It's been a chilly start to the New Year for lots of us. Hundreds of thousands shivered in New York Times Square. They came to see that famous Waterford Crystal ball fall. Senator Hillary Clinton and former President Bill Clinton helped New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg push the button for the ball drop and usher in 2009.

Well, those are the headlines this hour. Do stay with cnn for more on these stories and the other news of the day.