Reuters World News Summary

Speaking at an event commemorating 100 years since the founding of the SVR foreign intelligence service, Putin said the agency and other security services were a crucial guarantee of Russia's "sovereign, democratic, independent development." Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce partnership with food charity Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced Sunday that their new charity has partnered with the World Central Kitchen and its celebrity chef to feed the hungry in disaster-stricken areas around the world.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Rockets fired at U.S. Embassy land inside Baghdad's Green Zone, damaging compound

At least eight Katyusha rockets landed in Baghdad's heavily fortified Green Zone in an attack targeting the U.S. Embassy, causing some minor damage on the compound on Sunday, the Iraqi military and the embassy said on Sunday. The Iraqi military said an "outlaw group" fired eight rockets. Most of the missiles hit a residential complex and a security checkpoint inside the zone, damaging buildings and cars and wounding one Iraqi soldier, a military statement said. Biden's options for Russian hacking punishment: sanctions, cyber retaliation

President-elect Joe Biden's team will consider several options to punish Russia for its suspected role in the unprecedented hacking of U.S. government agencies and companies once he takes office, from new financial sanctions to cyberattacks on Russian infrastructure, people familiar with the matter say. The response will need to be strong enough to impose a high economic, financial or technological cost on the perpetrators, but avoid an escalating conflict between two nuclear-armed Cold War adversaries, said one of the people familiar with Biden's deliberations, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'You will die in the forest' - Nigerian schoolboys describe kidnap ordeal

Annas Shuaibu says he awoke to the sound of gunshots fired by men who burst into his boarding school in northwest Nigeria in a nighttime raid. He and hundreds of other boys were rounded up and forcibly marched out of the school and into a nearby forest. After several hours trekking through woodland, the gunmen ordered them to stop walking and warned them not to try to flee, Shuaibu said. "They said even if you tried to escape, or we allowed you to run, you will go nowhere. Rather, you will die in the forest," he said. Britain, EU tell each other to give way in 'difficult' trade talks

Britain insisted on Sunday that the European Union should shift position to open the way to a post-Brexit trade pact, drawing a swift response from the bloc's negotiator defending the union's right to protect its interests. Negotiations are expected to continue on Monday, beyond a Sunday deadline set by the European Parliament, and a senior British government source described them as "difficult" because of the "significant differences" in position. Pope snubs Vatican's sci-fi Nativity scene, directs visitors to others

Pope Francis on Sunday appeared to add his own thumbs-down to widespread criticism of an unorthodox nativity scene in St. Peter's Square, telling visitors to instead visit a nearby exhibition of traditional crèches. At his last Sunday blessing and address before Christmas, Francis also said the holy day that marks the birth of Jesus had been "kidnapped" by consumerism. Keep up the good work, Putin tells spy agency staff

Russian President Vladimir Putin said the foreign intelligence service was exceptionally important for protecting the country, in comments made soon after it was accused by some of being behind a major hack on U.S. government departments. Speaking at an event commemorating 100 years since the founding of the SVR foreign intelligence service, Putin said the agency and other security services were a crucial guarantee of Russia's "sovereign, democratic, independent development." Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announce partnership with food charity

Britain's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle announced Sunday that their new charity has partnered with the World Central Kitchen and its celebrity chef to feed the hungry in disaster-stricken areas around the world. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's non-profit group, the Archewell Foundation, is teaming up with celebrity chef Jose Andres to build a series of Community Relief Centers. Central African Republic opposition calls for election delay due to violence

Central African Republic's main opposition coalition on Sunday demanded the Dec. 27 election be postponed due to violence by armed groups outside the capital Bangui, but the government insisted the vote would go ahead. On Saturday, the authorities accused former president Francois Bozize of plotting a coup after his candidacy was rejected. United Nations peacekeepers also dispersed armed rebel groups occupying roads and towns near Bangui. Flights cancelled, holidays in disarray as Sydney battles pre-Christmas COVID-19 outbreak

Dozens of domestic flights due to leave Sydney were cancelled on Monday and authorities issued more health alerts across the city, as Australia battled to contain a fresh COVID-19 outbreak in its largest city four days before Christmas. More than 50 locations including cafes, gyms, casinos and supermarkets across Sydney have been infected so far and authorities urged anyone who had visited the venues to immediately get tested and self-isolate. Tougher UK coronavirus curbs may last some time, health minister suggests

London and southeast England may stay under tighter curbs for some time to stem a fast-spreading new coronavirus strain, Britain's health minister suggested on Sunday, as COVID-19 cases surged by a record number for one day. The government faced criticism for abruptly scrapping plans to ease restrictions for Christmas and imposing an effective lockdown on more than 16 million people. Health minister Matt Hancock defended the decision, saying evidence showing the new strain was causing spiralling cases had forced the action.