[U.S.] Michelle Obama Helps Track Santa

Michelle Obama Helps Track Santa
http://abcnews.go.com/US/slideshow/president-obama-family-spend-christmas-hawaii-18059079
First Lady Michelle Obama reacts while talking on the phone to children across the country as part of the annual NORAD Tracks Santa program in Kailua, Hawaii, Dec. 24, 2012.

Police: NY gunman set 'trap' for firefighters
http://abcnews.go.com/US/gunman-shoots-firefighters-kills-trap-webster-ny-blaze/story?id=18055594
WEBSTER, N.Y. - An ex-con gunned down two firefighters after luring them to his neighborhood by setting a car and a house ablaze early Monday, then took shots at police and committed suicide while several homes burned.

Small fire breaks out on US Airways jet in Phoenix
http://www.theindependent.com/news/national/small-fire-breaks-out-on-us-airways-jet-in-phoenix/article_f00b8097-3049-592a-bcd6-8b9c8ed4f2b8.html
A US Airways jet briefly caught fire at its gate at the Phoenix airport during maintenance tests. US Airways spokeswoman Michelle Mohr says crews were conducting routine maintenance tests when the fire broke out Monday night on the plane's auxiliary ...

Christmas tornadoes, snow possible as weather system moves east
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/nation_world/20121224_ap_christmastornadoespossiblealonggulfcoast.html
A large, powerful storm system threatened to bring a white Christmas to parts of the Great Plains and dangerous tornadoes to the Southeast, forecasters said.

Legally speaking, Murray man is Utah's Santa Claus
http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/24/going-to-sleep-while-we-wait-for-santa/
State Street in Murray is already a festive place. Big red and green snowflake lights, that are also evocative of poinsettias, line the street, and a bright theater marquee reads "Have a Murray Christmas.

China says principal drove school van when 11 died
http://www.nbc29.com/story/20420837/china-says-principal-drove-school-van-when-11-died
New taxes are coming Jan. 1 to help finance President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.Full Story. New taxes are coming Jan. 1 to help finance President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.

Ben Affleck not running for US Senate in Massachusetts
http://www.politico.com/story/2012/12/ted-kennedy-jr-says-he-wont-run-for-senate-85461.html?hp=f1
Ben Affleck, the actor, director, and Massachusetts native, will not be a candidate to succeed the departing senior Senator John Kerry.

Gun patrons: Deport him!
http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/20121225_Sideshow__Gun_patrons__Deport_him_.html
CNN's Piers Morgan has drawn the wrath of arms advocates - who are petitioning to send him home. Tirdad Derakhshani, Inquirer Staff Writer.

Bellaire Mourns Loss of Veteran Police Officer and Local Business Owner
http://www.sfgate.com/news/texas/article/Police-officer-among-2-fatally-shot-in-Houston-4143534.php
The Bellaire community is mourning the loss of a veteran police officer and a local business owner who were killed on Christmas Eve after a routine traffic stop went horribly wrong.

Final Newsweek Cover a Poetic Farewell to Print
http://www.livemint.com/Consumer/xbWwUE5J8aP18YBEqvwj1I/Hashtag-symbolizes-end-of-an-era-for-Newsweek.html
The final issue of Newsweek magazine will hit newsstands on Monday morning, but the publication debuted its last cover online on Sunday morning.

What's Open, Closed for Christmas, Christmas Eve
http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/holiday-schedules-1.1090997
Monday, Christmas Eve. OPEN Monday: Post offices · U.S. Government offices. State offices (see PDF of state holiday schedule attached to this article), except for the Connecticut Department of Motor Vehicles, which is normally closed on Monday.

Christians flock to Bethlehem to mark Jesus' birth, as pope presides over Vatican ...
http://bostonglobe.com/news/world/2012/12/25/palestinians-share-bethlehem-holiday-joy/LTdfPi83qKT2a4UqC1o8gM/story.html
VATICAN CITY - Despite the tension and violence that shook the Holy Land this year, Christians from around the world flocked to Manger Square in Bethlehem on Monday to celebrate the birth of Jesus in the ancient West Bank town where he was born.