Reuters

• 

  For many migrants heading for the US, faith is their compass

  Since setting out from Honduras in the hope of reaching the United States, Nicolas Alonso Sanchez has worn a simple wooden cross around his neck – a quiet reminder of the Roman Catholic faith that propels him forward.

• Iraqi Christians celebrate Christmas one year after Islamic State defeat

  Iraqi Christians quietly celebrated Christmas on Tuesday amid improved security

• Indonesian rescuers use drones, sniffer dogs as tsunami death toll rises

  Indonesian rescuers on Tuesday used drones and sniffer dogs to search for survivors along the devastated west coast of Java.

• Remember the poor and shun materialism, pope says on Christmas Eve

  Francis, 82 led a solemn service for nearly 10,000 people in St Peter's Basilica for his traditional Christmas Eve Mass.

• Pilgrims converge on Bethlehem to celebrate Jesus' birth

  The Palestinian town in the Israeli-occupied West Bank is enjoying its busiest Christmas in years, with hotels nearly fully booked and the security situation relatively calm.

• Queen to call for peace and goodwill in Christmas message

  Queen Elizabeth will say in her Christmas message that the festival's message of peace and goodwill needs to be heeded as much as ever.

• Krakatau-triggered tsunami kills at least 168 in Indonesia, death toll set to rise

  A tsunami killed at least 168 people and injured hundreds on the Indonesian islands of Java and Sumatra following an underwater landslide .

• 

  Two arrested over Gatwick Airport drones as airport reopens

  London's Gatwick Airport reopened on Friday after a mystery saboteur wrought 36 hours of travel chaos for more than 100,000 Christmas travelers by using drones to play cat-and-mouse with police snipers and the army.

• Pope urges predator priests to turn themselves in

  Vatican sources believed it was the first time the pope had made such a direct appeal.

• After church split, Ukraine may force Moscow loyalists to badge themselves 'Russian'

  Ukraine on Saturday created a new Orthodox church independent from Moscow, which leaders have lobbied for since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991.

• Syria, Mattis, Afghanistan, shutdown: Trump ends year in chaos

  Thursday was a landmark day of chaos that appeared to test the resolve of even senior Republican backers in Washington.

• Trump starts withdrawal of US forces from Syria, claims victory

  Trump said on Wednesday they have succeeded in their mission to defeat Islamic State and were no longer needed in the country.