[World] Clashes Near Syrian Capital, Aleppo Airport Closed

Clashes Near Syrian Capital, Aleppo Airport Closed
http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/heavy-clashes-suburbs-syrian-capital-18107051
Syrian troops and rebels fought Tuesday in suburbs of Damascus as well as near Aleppo's airport, stopping all flights in and out of the northern city, activists and state media said.

Five female teachers among seven killed by gunmen in Pakistan
http://www.livemint.com/Politics/DMSsu14OFtiNci8cv7UUbK/Gunmen-in-Pakistan-kill-7-aid-workers.html
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan - Gunmen ambushed a van in northwest Pakistan Tuesday and shot to death seven aid workers - five of whom were female teachers - in an attack that is likely to rekindle fears among Pakistanis over militant assaults on the country's ...

Reform, AIPAC stake out opposing positions on penalizing Palestinians
http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/east-jerusalem-villagers-israel-police-subjecting-us-to-collective-punishment.premium-1.491264
WASHINGTON (JTA) -- Two major Jewish groups are at odds over the prospect of penalties for the Palestinians in the wake of their enhanced U.N.

World Leaders Mark New Year
http://www.voanews.com/content/world-leaders-mark-new-year/1575646.html
Pope Benedict has called for world peace and condemned inequalities between the rich and the poor in a New Year's Day Mass. The pontiff spoke out against what he called "unregulated financial capitalism" in his address from St. Peter's Basilica Tuesday, ...

NYT journalist forced to leave China; website blocked
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gBQ_-9MD7PQK6TNwbIMkOXWIBmkg?docId=CNG.3d45f5801991e8ca77422113f0711c33.4f1
A New York Times journalist, who has worked in China over a decade, has been forced to leave the country after his visa was not renewed, in an apparent retaliation for the paper's report that alleged Premier Wen Jiabao's family had amassed USD 2.7 billion ...

Panetta Praises Afghan Security Move
http://www.wdio.com/article/stories/S2881349.shtml?cat=10373
WASHINGTON (AP) - Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says the Afghan government's announcement of a new step in putting Afghan forces in charge of the nation's security is evidence that the country is on the path to self-governance.

Singapore police arrest boy, 13, over bomb threat
http://www.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Singapore/Story/A1Story20130101-392809.html
SINGAPORE (AP) - Singapore police have arrested a 13-year-old boy for making an online threat to bomb a major resort. The police said Tuesday that the case comes under the Breach of Prohibition Against False Threats of Terrorist Acts.

New Year's Eve celebrations around the world: as it happened
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/uk/london-remembers-spectacular-2012-16256226.html
... Comments. • Australia, China, India welcomes in the New Year • Revellers around the world prepare to celebrate 2013 • Venezuela cancels celebrations as Hugo Chavez health flags • Britain expects washout New Year as flooding countinues • Record ...

NI bomb 'could have killed family'
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/1231/breaking10.html
NI bomb 'could have killed family'. A British army bomb disposal expert moves in to examine a booby trap bomb found under a policeman's car in Belfast yesterday.