[World] Egypt approves constitution drafted by Mursi allies

Egypt approves constitution drafted by Mursi allies
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57560795/new-egypt-constitution-adds-to-economic-anxieties/
By Yasmine Saleh and Maria Golovnina. CAIRO | Tue Dec 25, 2012 6:14pm EST. CAIRO (Reuters) - Egyptian voters overwhelmingly approved a constitution drafted by President Mohamed Mursi's allies, results announced on Tuesday showed, proving that ...

Army defends old citadel in Syria's Daraa, rebels storm northern town
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/syrian-rebels-fully-capture-town-turkey-18060466
DAMASCUS, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Syrian troops repelled Tuesday an attack by armed rebels against an ancient citadel in the southern province of Daraa, state media said, as activists claimed that rebels stormed a pro-government town near the Turkish ...

Chinese And Syrians Are in Prayers Of the Pope
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/26/world/europe/pope-prays-for-freedom-in-china-and-peace-in-syria.html
ROME - Speaking from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Benedict XVI called on Tuesday for religious freedom in China and peace for the “defenseless” in Syria in his Christmas message.

EU likely to step up pressure on Israel in 2013, Foreign Ministry report says
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/eu-likely-to-step-up-pressure-on-israel-in-2013-foreign-ministry-report-says.premium-1.490010
Report states that the EU has become disenchanted with the diplomatic process in its traditional format - direct talks between Israelis and Palestinians - because they doubt its ability to lead to a solution.

US drone strategy in Yemen is fraught with peril
http://www.livemint.com/Politics/f4vb4qV079hGe4yApthPyL/Five-killed-in-Yemen-clashes-Brigadier-shot-dead.html
AL SARRAIN, Yemen - The U.S. drone flew over a cluster of mud houses on a ridge and, according to Yemeni officials, locked onto Adnan Qadhi, a mercurial man of many guises, including radical militant, peace mediator, preacher of violence and army ...

UN envoy worried after talks with Syria's Assad
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/syria/9764940/Syria-peace-envoy-Lakhdar-Brahimi-holds-talks-with-Bashar-al-Assad.html
BEIRUT (AP) - The international envoy to Syria said after talks with the country's leader Monday that the situation was "worrying" and gave no indication of progress toward a negotiated solution for the civil war.

Gulf council to unify members' militaries under a single command structure
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jhe2bCFXkWn6yHY9XPUFtl74WJ2A?docId=CNG.2bb078f0ea03606b326ae8f6b72b3b7d.401
(CNN) -- The Gulf Cooperation Council will fold the military of its member states under a single command structure, Bahrain's foreign minister announced Tuesday, the state-run Bahrain News Agency reported.

Australians survive Burma plane crash
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/two-dead-11-hurt-as-myanmar-airplane-crash-lands/articleshow/17753511.cms
Five Australians have survived a deadly plane crash in Burma. They were among 11 people who were injured when the plane crashed and burst into flames in a rice paddy near the Heho airport on Christmas Day.

Former South African president Mandela "much better": Zuma
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/rest-of-world/Nelson-Mandela-in-good-spirits-President-Jacob-Zuma/articleshow/17756819.cms
By Sherilee Lakmidas. JOHANNESBURG | Tue Dec 25, 2012 6:45am EST. JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Former South African president and anti-apartheid hero Nelson Mandela is looking much better after more than two weeks in hospital, President Jacob ...

Afghan 'Green-on-Blue' Attacker Named as Iranian National
http://www.voanews.com/content/afghanistan-attack-insider-iranian/1572099.html
ISLAMABAD - Authorities in Afghanistan say that a female policewoman who killed an American contractor in Kabul this week is an Iranian national.