After turbulent 2014, next year may be no calmer
NEW YORK (Reuters) – From financial crisis in Russia to cyber warfare with North Korea, 2014 has generated new flashpoints right into its final days, setting 2015 up to be just as turbulent.
China, Vietnam to address maritime disputes without using ‘megaphone diplomacy:’ Xinhua
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Senior Chinese and Vietnamese officials have agreed to settle their maritime disputes without resorting to “megaphone diplomacy”, the official Xinhua news service said on Saturday.
U.S., allies conduct 12 air strikes against Islamic State: Task Force
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States and its allies carried out 12 air strikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria on Saturday, the Combined Joint Task Force said.
Belarus’ Lukashenko dismisses prime minister and top ministers
MINSK (Reuters) – Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko has dismissed the country’s prime minister, central bank head and other top ministers, the presidential press service said on Saturday, in the biggest government reshuffle since 2010.
Russia says to supply coal, electricity to Ukraine
MOSCOW/KIEV (Reuters) – Russia has agreed on a new deal to supply coal and electricity to Ukraine, which is struggling with a lack of raw fuel for power plants due to a separatist conflict in the industrial east, Russian officials said on Saturday.
Kiev, rebels exchange POWs; trains, buses to Crimea suspended
KIEV (Reuters) – Ukraine’s government and pro-Russian separatists on Friday exchanged hundreds of prisoners of war while Kiev said it would suspend all train and bus service to Crimea, effectively creating a transportation blockade to and from the regi…
Islamist gunmen attack African Union base in Somalia
MOGADISHU (Reuters) – Eight Islamist gunmen infiltrated the main African Union (AU) base in Mogadishu on Thursday and killed three peacekeepers and a civilian contractor, the AU mission in Somalia said.
China to list legal places of worship, ‘root out’ illegal: Xinhua
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – China is to publish online details of legal religious venues, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday, apparently in an effort to identify unsanctioned groups as part of an effort to “root out illegal religious activit…
U.S.-funded radio station says Azerbaijan office raided
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Azerbaijani authorities raided and closed the bureau of the U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) on Friday in an apparent attempt to silence one of the country’s last independent media outlets, the station said.
Parents of Cuban who spied for U.S. say they only hope he’s well
HAVANA (Reuters) – For two decades, the parents of a Cuban man convicted of spying for the United States believed he was innocent. Now that all signs suggest he was a double agent working for Washington, they say they can only wish him a happy future.
