IN BRIEF (Page 11)

Russia

Security alert after dead found

Russia has put security forces on combat alert in the southern Stavropol region after the discovery of five bodies with gunshot wounds and an explosive device, police said. Russia has already tightened security before next month's Winter Olympics in Sochi and is on high alert after suicide bombers killed at least 34 people in separate attacks in the southern city of Volgograd last month.

Cuba

Castro appears at gallery opening

Cuban news media say former President Fidel Castro has appeared in public for the first time since April. The 87-year-old Castro appeared on Wednesday night at the opening of a Havana art studio. The official website Cubadebate carried a photo of the event on Thursday, though it did not show his face. A seated, gray-haired Castro is shown from behind, pointing at a work of art while artist Alexis Leyva leans in to talk with him.

United States

Obama to curb phone spying

President Barack Obama is expected to restrict National Security Agency access to US phone records and rein in spying on foreign leaders, according to people familiar with a White House review of the government's surveillance programs. Obama could unveil his highly anticipated decisions as early as next week.

AP-AFP-Reuters

(China Daily 01/10/2014 page11)