U.S. slaps more sanctions on North Korea after Sony hack

HONOLULU/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - North Korea was hit with more sanctions on Friday designed to impede access to the U.S. financial system in the wake of a cyberattack on Sony Pictures Entertainment , which the Obama Administration has said was supported by the reclusive country.

North Korea says new U.S. sanctions a hostile policy

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea on Sunday slammed fresh U.S. sanctions against it, calling them hostile and repressive policies by Washington.

Weather offers 'window of opportunity' in AirAsia jet search

PANGKALAN BUN, Indonesia (Reuters) - A multinational team searching for the wreck of an AirAsia passenger jet is hoping a break in the weather at the crash site will give them a "window of opportunity" on Sunday to find the plane's black box and recover the bodies of more victims.

Italy's second 'ghost ship' rescue prompts EU pledge on migrants

CORIGLIANO CALABRO, Italy (Reuters) - A cargo ship abandoned by its crew with 359 Syrian refugees on board was towed ashore in Italy on Saturday in the second such rescue this week, prompting calls for stronger European Union action in the face of new tactics by human traffickers.

Thirteen Egyptian Christians kidnapped in Libya: state media

CAIRO (Reuters) - Thirteen Egyptians were kidnapped in the Libyan city of Sirte, adding to seven that went missing last week in the war-torn North African country, Egypt's state news agency said on Saturday.

Mexico vigilante founder, 26 others arrested in 10 shooting deaths

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - The founder of a vigilante group in Mexico's restive western state of Michoacan was arrested on Saturday along with 26 followers for their alleged role in 10 deaths during a shootout with a rival group last month.

Russia Prepares For Hard Times

Russian President Vladimir Putin, center, heads the Security Council in Moscow's Kremlin on Dec. 26, 2014. Alexei Druzhinin, Presidential Press Service/RIA Novosti

Vasily Kashin, analyst, Centre for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, Moscow/Defense News: Russia Prepares for Lengthy Confrontation With West, Economic Restructuring



WNU Editor: Everyone that I know in Russia is expecting hard and tough times as a result of Ukraine, western sanctions, and the fall in commodity prices like oil. As an outside looking in I find the entire situation very strange .... living in Canada I live the good life, but everything back in my old country is now the opposite .... among my family/friends/associates/and contacts .... there is no optimism for the short term .... everyone is preparing for the worse. Interestingly .... I have detected no change in support for Putin .... many still support him and do not blame him for the current crisis. I disagree .... but in Russia I am in the minority on this one.



Update: Analysis: Putin, Russia confront a new, unstable reality -- Michael Birnbaum, Stars and Stripes/The Washington Post

Mayor of Mali town killed as clashes and abuses spike in north

BAMAKO (Reuters) - The mayor of a town in northern Mali died on Saturday from wounds sustained in an ambush that killed his son, one of a string of attacks highlighting persistent instability in the north of the country.