From Baltic to Asia, East-West aerial confrontations heat up
NEW YORK (Reuters) – From the skies of the Baltic to the South China Sea, a new era of confrontation with Russia and China is pitting U.S. and allied pilots against their counterparts on a scale not seen since the Cold War era.
U.S. leads 22 more air strikes against Islamic State: task force
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S.-led coalition conducted 12 air strikes against Islamic State militants in Syria on Monday and 10 strikes Iraq, the U.S. military said in a statement.
Russia watchdog blocks web pages calling for Navalny support protest: activists
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia’s Internet watchdog is working to block social networking sites rallying support for a mass protest next month backing Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, activists said on Monday.
Spain’s Catalonia court to probe region head over independence vote
MADRID (Reuters) – Catalonia’s High Court said on Monday it would open proceedings over the alleged disobedience of regional President Artur Mas and other local leaders for holding a symbolic vote on independence from Spain in November.
China probes former senior aide to Hu Jintao over graft
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s ruling Communist Party announced a corruption investigation into a one-time senior aide to former president Hu Jintao on Monday, as President Xi Jinping opens another front in his sweeping battle against deep-rooted graft.
Landmine explosion wounds seven soldiers in southeast Turkey
DIYARBAKIR, Turkey (Reuters) – Seven Turkish soldiers including a battalion commander were wounded on Monday when their armoured vehicle drove over a land mine in mainly Kurdish southeast Turkey, the military said.
Pope says Vatican administration is sick with power and greed
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – The Vatican’s top administrators would have been expecting an exchange of pleasantries at their annual Christmas meeting with Pope Francis on Monday.
China condemns cyberattacks, but says no proof North Korea hacked Sony
BEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – China said on Monday it opposed all forms of cyberattacks but there was no proof that North Korea was responsible for the hacking of Sony Pictures, as the United States has said.
Police fire on Myanmar protesters, one dead, 20 hurt: reports
YANGON (Reuters) – Myanmar police fired on protesters near a mine at the center of a long-running land dispute on Monday, killing one person and wounding 20 others, media reports said, as the China-linked company announced plans to expand the project.
Ukraine threatens to cut off power to rebel-held regions if usage not curbed
KIEV (Reuters) – Ukraine may stop supplying electricity to separatist-held eastern regions if the territories do not adhere to consumption limits imposed across the country due to an energy crisis, an energy ministry official said on Monday.
