Fearful Christmas in Baghdad after attacks on Christians
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Christians in Baghdad celebrated Christmas on Sunday in a heightened state of fear after deadly attacks on Christian-owned shops that sell alcohol.
Pope’s Christmas message offers hope in world hit by terrorism, war
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis on Sunday offered a Christmas hope for peace in a world lacerated by war and terrorism, urging people to remember migrants, refugees and those hit by economic instability caused by “idolatry of money”.
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth misses Christmas church service due to ‘heavy cold’
SANDRINGHAM, England (Reuters) – Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, 90, missed a traditional Christmas church service on Sunday for the first time in decades due to a heavy cold, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said.
Kremlin says Putin and Erdogan discuss Syria by phone
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan discussed the Syria crisis in a phone conversation on Sunday, the Kremlin said in a statement.
Four doctors in China suspended over kickbacks: state media
BEIJING (Reuters) – Three doctors in Shanghai and one in Hunan province have been suspended pending investigations over allegations they took kickbacks from pharmaceutical companies, Chinese state media reported.
China’s aircraft carrier to drill in Western Pacific
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s first aircraft carrier will carry out drills in the Western Pacific, in what the navy called part of routine exercises, amid renewed tension over self-ruled Taiwan that Beijing claims as its own.
Two die as police building collapses in Nigeria’s megacity Lagos
LAGOS (Reuters) – Two people were killed when part of a two-storey building in a police training college collapsed in Nigeria’s commercial capital Lagos on Sunday, the police and the emergency agency said.
Anger in Afghanistan at female pilot’s U.S. asylum bid
KABUL (Reuters) – There was an angry reaction in Afghanistan to news that the first female fixed-wing pilot in the country’s air force was requesting asylum in the United States after completing an 18-month training course.
Pakistan releases Indian fishermen in bid to ease tensions with Delhi
KARACHI, Pakistan (Reuters) – Pakistan released 220 Indian fishermen on Sunday as a goodwill gesture aimed at easing tensions with its neighbor, officials said.
South Korea prosecutor says it might raid presidential office
SEOUL (Reuters) – South Korea’s special prosecutor investigating a corruption scandal involving President Park Geun-hye said on Sunday it was considering whether to raid the presidential offices and if it did so, it had no choice but to do so publicly…
