Obama praises US troops as Afghanistan mission winds down
President Barack Obama in a Christmas Day speech to US troops stationed in Hawaii hailed their "extraordinary dedication and sacrifices."
Pope condemns religious persecution in Christmas address
Pope Francis roundly condemned jihadist violence and the "brutal persecution" of religious minorities in a Christmas message.
China city bans Christmas in schools, warns over 'Western' culture
A Chinese city has banned schools from holding Christmas events, highlighting official suspicions about the increasingly popular festival because of its foreign origins.
Pope calls for greater empathy in Christmas Eve mass
Pope Francis urged people to have greater empathy towards family and friends with problems in his Christmas Eve mass.
German president urges compassion, help for refugees
Germany's president appealed in a Christmas message for compassion and openness towards refugees coming to the country.
Christmas in China, with saxophones, Smurfs and steam trains
Christmas has exploded in the atheist nation in recent years, with marketeers using everything from saxophones and Smurfs to steam trains to get shoppers to open their wallets.
Sierra Leone cancels Christmas as Ebola crisis deepens
Sierra Leone said it was banning any public Christmas celebrations as the spiralling caseload of Ebola infections continues to spread alarm.
Boston marathon bombs made with Christmas-light fuses
The twin bombs that went off at the Boston Marathon last year were made using improvised fuses from Christmas lights and detonators constructed from model car parts, US prosecutors said.
Burberry says sales sparkle over Christmas
Sales of Burberry's luxury handbags and clothing soared over the crucial festive trading period, boosted by impressive growth in Asia, the British fashion group revealed on Wednesday.
US stocks rise amid wave of positive sentiment
US stocks edged towards the finale of a banner 2013 in buoyant fashion this week, repeatedly reaching new records on a string of solid economic data.
More Americans shopped on their phones on Christmas
Most stores were closed but Americans still managed to shop on Christmas Day -- increasingly on their smartphones.
Amazon to compensate customers for late gifts
Amazon Thursday said it would give $20 gift cards and pay shipping costs for customers affected by problems at UPS and FedEx that delayed some Christmas package deliveries.
Red Cross recovers dozens of bodies in C. Africa capital
The Red Cross said Thursday it had recovered some 40 bodies on the streets of Bangui as the United States expressed alarm at the latest eruption of fighting in the Central African Republic.
Queen Elizabeth calls for 'quiet reflection' in 2014
Queen Elizabeth II urged people to take the time for quiet reflection in 2014, in her annual Christmas Day message to the Commonwealth.
Christians increasingly under threat: Catholic observers
Thousands of Christians are killed every year because of their faith and the persecution is becoming more widespread.
Christmas in mud as rain pelts Philippine disaster zone
Survivors of the Philippines' deadliest typhoon spent a gloomy Christmas Day surrounded by mud Wednesday as heavy rain drove many inside their flimsy shelters, dampening efforts to retain some holiday cheer in the deeply devout nation.
Arctic protester vows to fight on after Russian case closed
A British Greenpeace protester Tuesday said he was "jubilant" after Russia closed the criminal case against him for staging a protest on an oil rig, and vowed to keep fighting for environmental issues.
Kim urges N. Korea military to bolster combat readiness
North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has urged the country's military to bolster its combat readiness, saying a war could break out "without any prior notice", state media reported Wednesday.
Who shot Santa? Pellet gun hits man in red suit in Washington
A man dressed as Santa Claus was recovering after being shot in the back with a pellet gun Tuesday at a toy giveaway in Washington.
Rockets explode in Kabul as foreigners mark Christmas
Two rockets exploded in Kabul on Wednesday morning, causing no reported casualties but underlining Afghanistan's continuing security problems as many foreigners in the capital marked Christmas Day.
