RUSSIA-PUTIN

MOSCOW - Russian President Vladimir Putin vows to fix Russia's economic woes within two years, voicing confidence that the plummeting ruble will recover and promising to diversify Russia's gas-dependent economy. Putin also has displayed a defiant stance toward the West, which he insisted was still trying to destroy Russia. By Laura Mills and Vladimir Isachenkov. 

VATICAN-US-CUBA

VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis praises the "small steps" of diplomacy and peacemaking that brought about the rapprochement between the U.S. and Cuba. In his first public comments about the breakthrough, Francis told new ambassadors on Thursday that diplomacy was a "noble job." 

NETHERLANDS-POLITICS

THE HAGUE, Netherlands - Crisis talks aimed at salvaging a cost-cutting Dutch health reform package and staving off the possible collapse of the country's 2-year-old ruling coalition are entering a third day. The future of Prime Minister Mark Rutte's two-party coalition hangs in the balance amid behind-closed-doors discussions aimed at rescuing health care reforms intended to shave 1 billion euros ($1.25 billion) off government spending. SENT: 130 words.

EUROPE-OBESITY RULING

LONDON - The European Court of Justice says obesity can be a disability, a ruling that could have consequences for employers across the continent. The court has ruled in the case of a Danish child-minder who says he was unfairly fired for being fat. 

NETHERLANDS-HATE SPEECH

THE HAGUE, Netherlands - Dutch authorities say they will prosecute lawmaker Geert Wilders for hate speech over a chant in which he asked his supporters whether they wanted more or fewer Moroccans in the Netherlands and they shouted back "Fewer! Fewer! Fewer!" 

UNITED NATIONS-SYRIA-AID

BERLIN - The United Nations is seeking more than $8.4 billion for next year to help nearly 18 million people affected by the war in Syria. 

BUSINESS & FINANCE:

SWITZERLAND-CENTRAL BANK

BERN, Switzerland - Following the fallout of the slide in the Russian ruble, Switzerland seeks to prevent the Swiss franc from breaching upper limits imposed on the currency by introducing negative interest rates on commercial bank deposits. 

BRITAIN-AIRSPACE

LONDON - Britain's air traffic service says it will compensate airlines for last week's computer glitch that briefly shut down London's busy airspace. 

GERMANY-ECONOMY

BERLIN - A closely watched survey shows that business confidence in Germany, Europe's biggest economy, has risen for the second month in a row as lower oil prices and a weaker euro helped brighten managers' outlook for the next six months. 

GREECE-UNEMPLOYMENT

ATHENS, Greece - Official Greek figures show unemployment in the country fell further to 25.5 percent in the third quarter from 26.6 percent in the previous quarter.