“Edward Snowden to deliver UK's 'alternative' Christmas address”, “Freed Pussy Riot rockers say they will continue to rock Russian system”, “Iran to sell Persian Gulf desalinated water”, “Turkey ministers Caglayan and Guler resign amid scandal”

edition.cnn.com. “Edward Snowden to deliver UK's 'alternative' Christmas address” - Edward Snowden will join the ranks of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Ali G and Marge Simpson when he delivers an "alternative" Christmas greeting to British television viewers Wednesday. The National Security Agency leaker will urge listeners to rally against mass government surveillance when he gives Channel 4's annual Alternative Christmas Message, which follows Queen Elizabeth II's traditional Christmas broadcast.

“Freed Pussy Riot rockers say they will continue to rock Russian system” - Two members of Russian punk band Pussy Riot who were freed from prison Monday tell CNN they will continue to be a headache for President Vladimir Putin's government.

“Security Council OKs thousands more troops to South Sudan”- Evidence of atrocities including mass killings emerged Tuesday in South Sudan, and the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to send thousands more troops to protect civilians in the young nation convulsed by violence.

bbc.co.uk. “Turkey ministers Caglayan and Guler resign amid scandal” - Turkish Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan and Interior Minister Muammer Guler have resigned after their sons were charged amid a corruption inquiry that has hit the government.

trend.az. “Kazakhstan to offer significant funds for water resources management”- The volume of investments in the state programme for water resource management amounts to 3.2 trillion tenge ($1=153.6 tenge), Kazakh Minister of Environment and Water Resources Nurlan Kapparov said on Dec.24.

“Uzbek president approves strategic partnership agreement with Kazakhstan” - Uzbek President Islam Karimov has signed a law "On ratification of the friendship and cooperation agreement between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan".

ilna.ir. “Iran to sell Persian Gulf desalinated water” - Iran will launch a water desalination plant on Qeshm Island, located in the Persian Gulf, Abbas Aliabadi, the managing director of Iran Power Plant Projects Management Company (MAPNA) said. The plant which is projected to be inaugurated in February, can supply sailing ships in the region with portable water, he added. The Qeshm facility will have the capacity to desalinate 18,000 cubic meters of water.

ria.ru. “3 Russian Military Satellites Put Into Orbit” -  Three military satellites launched from Russia early Wednesday morning have reached their target orbit, a Defense Ministry spokesman said.