Iraqis celebrate first Christmas near Mosul after Islamic State pushback
A few hundred Iraqi Christians have flocked to Bartella, a northern town recently retaken from Islamic State, to celebrate Christmas for the first time since 2013. Bartella, once home to…
Asylum seekers riot at Papua New Guinea detention camp
Asylum seekers held at a Papua New Guinea detention centre briefly took control of two compounds and expelled guards following the death of a refugee who fell ill at the…
Under scrutiny, Trump decides to dissolve his foundation
United States President-elect Donald Trump has said he intends to dissolve his charitable foundation, the Donald J. Trump Foundation, which has been under investigation by the New York attorney general.…
Pope says Christmas ‘hostage’ to materialism, God in shadows
VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis said on Saturday that Christmas had been “taken hostage” by dazzling materialism that puts God in the shadows and blinds many to the needs of…
Status Quo guitarist Rick Parfitt dies aged 68
Rick Parfitt, the guitarist of British rock group Status Quo, has died in hospital in Spain aged 68 after suffering from a severe infection. “He will be sorely missed by…
Sixteen hurt in Christmas eve blast at Catholic church in Philippines
Sixteen people have been wounded in a grenade explosion outside a Catholic church during a Christmas eve mass in the Philippines’ restive southern island of Mindanao, according to a priest…
South Korean president’s friend at heart of scandal summoned for questioning
A South Korean special prosecutor probing a corruption scandal engulfing impeached President Park Geun-hye has summoned a friend of hers at the centre of the crisis for questioning on Saturday…
Malta hijack ends peacefully as Gaddafi loyalists surrender
Hijackers armed with what were probably replica weapons forced an airliner to land in Malta on Friday before freeing all their hostages unharmed and surrendering, having declared loyalty to Libya’s…
Berlin market attack suspect killed in police shootout in Italy
MILAN – Italian police have shot dead the man believed to be responsible for this week’s Berlin Christmas market truck attack, killing him after he pulled a gun on them…
Passengers leaving hijacked plane in Malta
Passengers have walked down the steps from a hijacked plane at Malta International Airport, and Malta’s Prime Minister Joseph Muscat tweeted that a first group of 25 had been freed…
