Ukraine health system in danger of collapse as reforms stall
STAIKY, Ukraine (Reuters) – Paint is flaking on the damp walls and cracked ceilings of the small hospital in the Ukrainian village of Staiky and much of the equipment is over 30 years old.
Japan says armed Chinese coastguard ship seen near disputed islands
TOKYO (Reuters) – A Chinese coastguard ship equipped with what appeared to be four gun turrets was sighted near disputed islands in the East China Sea, Japan’s coastguard said on Wednesday.
Gunmen kill army colonel and resistance chief in Yemen’s Aden
ADEN (Reuters) – Unidentified gunmen shot dead a Yemeni army colonel and a southern resistance leader in Aden on Tuesday night, a local official said, the latest in a string of assassinations in the city often carried out by Islamist militants.
Australian police arrest two more men over alleged attack plot
SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian police said on Wednesday they had arrested two more men in Sydney as part of an operation that thwarted a potential attack by home-grown Islamist militants last year on targets that included a navy base.
Hong Kong police charge five over legislature blast
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong police on Wednesday charged five men with conspiracy to arson over a small blast outside the legislature earlier this month.
Thai junta reaffirms will hand back power in 2017, entering second phase of reforms
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thai prime minister and junta leader Prayuth Chan-ocha gave a sweeping year-end speech on Wednesday in which he reiterated that the junta will hand back power in 2017 and that it was entering “phase two” of its reform plan.
Identities revealed for all six U.S. troops killed in Afghanistan attack
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A female Air Force officer who was one of the first openly gay U.S. service members to get married was identified on Tuesday as one of the six U.S. troops killed by a suicide bomber near Bagram air base in Afghanistan.
Venezuela opposition says Socialists seek to challenge 22 new lawmakers
CARACAS (Reuters) – Venezuela’s opposition on Tuesday accused the ruling Socialist Party of seeking to block 22 lawmakers from taking office in January in what it described as an effort to undermine the opposition’s commanding victory in this month’s l…
Ten migrants drown off Greek island, coastguard rescues 13
ATHENS (Reuters) – Five children, one woman and four men drowned when their boat sank off the small Greek island of Farmakonisi, Greek coastguard officials said early on Wednesday.
Greece allows civil partnership for same-sex couples
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greece late on Tuesday enacted a human-rights’ bill which allows civil partnership agreements between same-sex couples despite protests and opposition from political parties and the powerful Orthodox Church.
