[World] Envoy Meets With Assad as Russia Seeks Distance

Envoy Meets With Assad as Russia Seeks Distance
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/25/world/middleeast/syria.html
BEIRUT, Lebanon - Lakhdar Brahimi, the special envoy seeking an end to the Syria crisis, held an urgent meeting with President Bashar al-Assad in Damascus on Monday as new signs emerged that Russia, Mr. Assad's most important foreign backer, was ...

Haaretz poll: Likud-Beiteinu weakening as Bennett's rightist party rises
http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/haaretz-poll-likud-beiteinu-weakening-as-bennett-s-rightist-party-rises.premium-1.489739
Haaretz poll: Likud-Beiteinu weakening as Bennett's rightist party rises. Voters are punishing Prime Minister Netanyahu for attacking rival who said that if he were in the army, he'd refuse an order to evacuate settlers.

Pope calls for Israeli-Palestinian peace
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/pope-lights-christmas-candle-vatican-window-18056590
Pope Benedict leads world's Roman Catholics into Christmas,asks for prayers for those who "live, suffer" in Holy Land.

Russian Prosecutor Seeks Acquittal in Lawyer's Death
http://latitude.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/24/the-betrayal-of-russian-orphans/
MOSCOW - A prosecutor unexpectedly pressed Monday for the acquittal of the only official to be tried in the case of Sergei L. Magnitsky, a lawyer whose death in prison three years ago generated an international furor over Russian human rights abuses.

Deadly Passenger Jet Crash in Burma
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jZZhvhHn8lHUDTrEG0vYruZ45HgQ?docId=CNG.8df7074dd85e3e58011c244a706a4a0c.31
Two people are dead after a Burmese passenger jet was forced to make an emergency landing Tuesday morning in eastern Shan state. The Air Bagan plane, carrying 65 passengers and six crew members on a flight from Rangoon, landed on a road about ...

New Delhi Maintains Alert as Policeman Injured in Protests Dies
http://www.livemint.com/Politics/RvEm6hHLa64ZWLIAriKe4K/Policeman-injured-in-Delhi-gang-rape-protest-dies.html
Police remained on high alert in the central areas of New Delhi for the second day, keeping metro rail stations closed and manning check points, after a policeman succumbed to injuries sustained during violent weekend protests against the gang-rape of a ...

China Car Accident Kills 11 Children in Jiangxi, Radio Reports
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-12/24/content_16048785.htm
A car accident in eastern China's Jiangxi province killed 11 children, China National Radio reported today. The van in which the children were riding fell into a pond this morning, the state broadcaster reported.

Venezuelan vice president says he spoke with Chavez, who is up and walking ...
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/chavezs-condition-is-stabilizing-government-report/article6692127/?cmpid=rss1
CARACAS, Venezuela - Venezuelan Vice President Nicolas Maduro said late Monday night that he had spoken by telephone with President Hugo Chavez and that the leader is up and walking following cancer surgery in Cuba.

Egypt opposition alleges vote fraud in referendum
http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/international/25-Dec-2012/egypt-awaits-referendum-result
CAIRO (AP) - Egypt's opposition said Sunday it will keep fighting the Islamist-backed constitution after the Muslim Brotherhood, the main group backing the charter, claimed it passed with a 64 percent "yes" vote in a referendum.

Seoul shares end flat on US fiscal uncertainty
http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/12/24/3155354/nkorea-criticizes-skorean-border.html
SEOUL | Mon Dec 24, 2012 1:11am EST. SEOUL Dec 24 (Reuters) - South Korean shares finished little changed on Monday as a lack of progress in U.S.

UN to Hold Arms Trade Treaty Conference in March
http://www.skynews.com.au/topstories/article.aspx?id=829882
The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly late Monday to hold a conference in March to try to reach agreement on a U.N. treaty to regulate the multibillion-dollar global arms trade.

UPDATE 4-Italy PM Monti resigns, elections likely in February
http://www.smh.com.au/world/monti-set-to-stand-but-voters-not-keen-20121222-2bshp.html
Fri Dec 21, 2012 2:27pm EST. * Monti resigns, elections expected in February. * President to consult with political leaders Saturday.