Dec 25 Queen recalls 'familiar laugh missing' in Christmas speech By Danica Kirka, Associated Press Saying she understood the difficulty of spending the holiday season “with one familiar laugh missing,” the monarch delivered her address beside a framed photograph of her arm-in-arm with Prince Philip, who died in April at age 99. Continue reading
Dec 25 Surging COVID cases, 'jingle jabs' make for somber Christmas By Nicole Winfield, Peter Smith, Associated Press In the United States, many churches canceled in-person services, but for those that did have in-person worship, clerics reported smaller but significant attendance. Continue reading
Dec 25 El Salvador frees three women convicted of abortions By Associated Press Morena Herrera of the Citizen's Group for the Depenalization of Abortion said late Friday that the group was told one woman would be set free at presidential order, but when they went to the prison to greet her, three were… Continue reading
Dec 25 Flight cancellations drag on as airlines short-staffed By Tali Arbel, Associated Press FlightAware, a flight-tracking website, noted 875 flights entering, leaving or inside the U.S. canceled Saturday, up from 689 Friday. About 200 more flights were already canceled for Sunday. FlightAware does not say why flights are canceled. Continue reading
Dec 24 Pope celebrates Christmas Eve Mass as virus surges in Italy By Nicole Winfield, Associated Press A maskless Francis processed down the central aisle of the basilica as the Sistine Chapel choir sang “Noel,” kicking off the Vatican’s Christmas holiday that commemorates the birth of Jesus in a manger in Bethlehem. Continue reading
Dec 24 South African minister objects to sale of Mandela's cell key By Andrew Meldrum, Associated Press The key is among Mandela memorabilia being sold by Guernsey’s auction house in New York on Jan. 28. Continue reading
Dec 24 COVID puts a damper on Christmas Eve again around the world By Jack Jeffrey, David Crary, David McHugh, Associated Press Travel plans are being disrupted because of flight cancellations, as the pandemic once again casts a pall on celebrations around the world. Continue reading
Dec 24 Russian court slaps Google, Meta with massive fines By Uliana Pavlova, Associated Press A Moscow court has fined Google nearly $100 million and Facebook's parent company Meta $27 million over their failure to delete content banned by local law. Continue reading
Dec 24 COVID-19 spike worsens Africa's severe poverty, hunger woes By Farai Mutsaka, Associated Press As 2021 comes to a close, many people in richer parts of the globe are fretting over the risk of contracting COVID-19 and how rising infections are upending their holiday plans. Continue reading
Dec 24 U.S. to lift travel ban on 8 southern African countries By Ashraf Khalil, Associated Press The White House says the U.S. will lift travel restrictions to eight southern African countries on New Year's Eve. Continue reading