Traditionally, the only people left in central London on Christmas Day are dozens of enterprising photographers waiting for each other to move out of the way so they can get the perfect shot of an “eerily deserted” Oxford Street. http://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/techugees-in-crimbo-limbo-the-startup-workers-and-assorted-media-mates-who-wont-be-home-for-christmas-9943901.html
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine president said Wednesday his government would no longer deploy peacekeepers in “impossible” missions like the Golan Heights, where Filipino forces were attacked by Syrian insurgents. http://news.yahoo.com/philippines-wont-send-troops-unclear-mission-090411379.html
EU officials who are blacklisted from entering Russia have an ‘aggressive position’ towards the country and press for further sanctions, Russia’s Foreign Ministry representative said on Thursday. Moscow added it has no plans to make the list public. http://rt.com/politics/192640-eu-russia-blacklist-no-entry/