Main News of December 15

A roundup of what has happened in the past 24 hours

WORLD

* Hundreds of thousands emerged onto the streets of Ukraine’s capital for dueling meetings for and against an embattled government struggling to cope with a political crisis provoked by last month’s decision to back away from greater economic ties with the EU

* European officials gave controversial statements about the future of a trade and cooperation agreement with Ukraine

* More than 91 percent of Turkmenistan’s registered voters came to polling stations to cast their ballot in the country’s first ever parliamentary elections that see more than one party competing

* Iran said it has successfully sent a monkey into space for a second time, part of an ambitious program aimed at manned space flight

RUSSIA

* The World Bank cut its 2013 forecast for the Russian economy, saying weaker domestic demand and delayed investment recovery are threatening growth

SPORTS

* The International Olympic Committee is putting up $20 million to fight doping and match-fixing - considered the two biggest threats to the credibility of the game