Christians around the world celebrate Christmas

(CNN) -- Christians all over the world are celebrating Christmas.

At Vatican City on Friday night, Catholic worshippers packed pews inside St. Peter's Basilica to hear Pope Benedict XVI deliver Midnight Mass.

Celebrants, both young and old, watched in reverence as the choir serenaded the pontiff during his ceremonial march into the church. He was led into St. Peter's for Christmas Eve services by 30 cardinals, a tradition that was started by Pope John Paul II.

Bells rang out during the Holy Eucharistic, with chimes that could be heard inside the church as well as throughout Vatican City.

In 2009, Midnight Mass was interrupted when 25-year-old Susanna Maiolo jumped a barrier and knocked the pontiff down. She had tried to get to the pontiff on Christmas Eve in 2008, but was detained, Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said.

Christmas Eve Mass was held at 10 p.m last year, so the pope, who was 82 years old at the time, would be well-rested for Christmas Day services.

Thousands converged Friday on Bethlehem to celebrate Christmas in the town where Jesus is believed to have been born, joining the Latin patriarch of Jerusalem, Fouad Twal, and a Roman Catholic archbishop for Midnight Mass.

Twal, the highest-ranking Catholic cleric in the Holy Land, led a procession of priests and believers to the Church of the Nativity for the traditional service.

Pilgrims, many of whom visit the city every year at this time, packed Manger Square outside the church in anticipation of the patriarch's arrival.

"When we come, we are saying not only, yes Jesus, we are here; we are all Christian, we are all brothers," one tourist in the crowd outside the Nativity Church told CNN.

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and President Mahmoud Abbas, Muslims, were expected to travel to Bethlehem to attend the Mass.

At least 90,000 tourists are expected to visit the city by the end of the Christmas season, according to Bethlehem Mayor Victor Batarseh.

Many Palestinian Christians in Bethlehem say they regret spending another Christmas in occupied territory. The city is near the high wall that forms part of Israel's West Bank barrier.

In 1948, Christians represented 80% of the Bethlehem's population, that number is now just 35%.

Inside Beijing's Immaculate Conception Cathedral, more than 1,000 Chinese parishioners gathered to say Mass on Friday.

The ceremony was heralded by hymns and Christmas carols, and was led by a young priest who asked the congregation to "pray for the holy father, Pope Benedict XVI, and the Chinese bishops."

It's a stark change from the 1960s and '70s, when religion was suppressed in China. Now, the sights and sounds of Christmas are all around, making it one of the biggest commercial holiday seasons in Chinese cities.

While many Chinese are taking advantage of the lucrative side of the season, others are searching for the meaning of Christmas.

"My parents are Catholic," said 19-year-old Joseph Min. He said many youths are lost in the nation's "wave of social changes," but many are "seeking a kind of religion or philosophy in life".

China has become home to more than 6 million Catholics, according to a report approved at the eighth National Congress of Chinese Catholics in early December, the China Daily said.

Beijing and the Vatican severed diplomatic ties in 1951, but efforts are reportedly under way to reconcile their differences. CNN

Why I'm dreaming of a white-noise Christmas

(CNN) -- While Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus at Christmas, atheists may wonder if there is another birth they might be able to commemorate.

One possibility is to give thanks for the arrival of Isaac Newton, who was born on Christmas Day 1642 according to the Julian calendar, which was still in use in England at the time.

Another possibility, and probably my preference, is to use Christmas Day as an excuse to celebrate the biggest birth of all, namely, the creation of the entire universe.

For tens of thousands of years, humans have stared up into the heavens and wondered about the origin of the universe. Up until now every culture, society, and religion has had nothing else to turn to except its creation myths, fables, or religious scriptures.

Today, by contrast, we have the extraordinary privilege of being the first generation of our species to have access to a scientific theory of the universe that explains its origin and evolution.

The Big Bang model is elegant, magnificent, rational, and (most importantly of all) verifiable. It explains how roughly 13.7 billion years ago matter exploded into being and was blown out into an expanding universe. Over time this matter gradually coalesced and evolved into the galaxies, stars, and planets we see today.

Before explaining how you might celebrate the birth of the universe, let me quickly explain why we are convinced that there was a Big Bang. First of all, telescope observations made back in the 1920s seemed to show that all the distant galaxies in the universe were redder than they should have been.

Red light has a longer wavelength than all the other colors, so it was as if the light from the galaxies was being stretched. One way to explain this stretching of galactic light (otherwise known as the "red shift") was to assume that space itself was expanding. Expanding space is a bizarre concept, but it is exactly how we would expect space to behave in the aftermath of a Big Bang explosion.

However, this single piece of evidence was not enough to convince the scientific establishment that the Big Bang had really happened, particularly as the observations were open to interpretation. For example, the Bulgarian-born astrophysicist Fritz Zwicky pointed out the redness of the galaxies was merely an illusion caused by the scattering of light by dust and gas as it passed through the cosmos.

By the way, as well as being a critic of the Big Bang and the data that seemed to support it, Zwicky was also responsible for inventing a beautiful insult. If a colleague annoyed him, Zwicky would scream out, "Spherical bastard." Just as a sphere looks the same from every direction, a spherical bastard was someone who was a bastard whatever way you looked at him.

A second pillar was needed to support the Big Bang model, and this time the crucial evidence relied on measuring the ingredients of the universe, most importantly hydrogen and helium. These are smallest atoms in the periodic table and the most common in the universe, accounting for 74 percent and 24 percent of all atoms, respectively. Crucially, the only way to create such large amounts of hydrogen and helium is in the wake of the Big Bang. In particular, the pressure, density, and temperature of the early universe would have cooked exactly the right amount of hydrogen and fused it into exactly the right amount of helium.

In other words, the Big Bang is the best (and probably the only) way to explain the abundances of these light elements. Nearly all the other elements were made later in collapsing stars. These stars provided the perfect environment for the nuclear reactions that give rise to the heavier elements that are essential for life. CNN

Inter appoint Brazilian Leonardo as new coach

(CNN) -- Inter Milan have named Leonardo as their new coach in succession to the sacked Rafael Benitez.

The appointment was confirmed in a statement on the Italian club's official website.

"Leonardo has just signed a contract with Inter until June 30, 2012," it read.

"Everybody at Inter wishes to welcome Leonardo. He will take charge from December 29 when training resumes. The club will make an announcement over the next few days regarding his official presentation.

"We are sure that with his class, experience and winning mentality the club and the team can achieve the results that everyone at Inter and all the Inter fans want to see".

Leonardo, 41, was a member of Brazil's 1994 World Cup winning squad, but spent a season in charge of Inter's bitter city rivals AC Milan after taking over from Carlo Ancelotti, who went to English Premier League Chelsea.

He spent four years with Milan as a player and then seven as part of the coaching staff, before succeeding Ancelotti.

His spell in charge saw them finish third in Serie A, but he reportedly fell out with owner Silvio Berlusconi.

Former Valencia and Liverpool boos Benitez lasted just six months at Inter, taking them to the Club World Cup and the Italian Super Cup, but they trail in seventh in Serie A, which is led by Milan.

Benitez, who succeeded Jose Mourinho, paid the price for outspoken comments at a press conference in Abu Dhabi on Saturday following their Club World Cup final victory against TP Mazembe.

He complained that he needed more funds to augment a squad which has been badly-hit by injury, but his remarks served only to alienate the club's president Massimo Moratti.

Confirmation that he would be leaving the San Siro came on Thursday, with Moratti indicating that his replacement would be announced after Christmas.

In the event, Inter have moved more swiftly and Leonardo has the twin task of moving them up the Italian standings and their defense of the European Champions League.

They have a repeat of last season's final against Bayern Munich in their last 16 tie on February 23 and March 15.

Inter captain Javier Zanetti approved of the choice of Leonardo, who had been widely tipped for the role.

"I know Leonardo well. He is a very intelligent person, someone who is always on the ball," Zanetti told AFP.

"He has a lot to give as a coach thanks to the experiences he gathered as a player and as a man".

Leonardo will be the fifth man to coach both Milan clubs. CNN

Ohio woman says markings in pistachio look like Jesus' face

Some call a central Ohio woman a little "nutty," but she says to use your imagination.

Michelle Phipps, of Dublin, thinks an image on a pistachio shell she found has a striking resemblance to Jesus.

A co-worker brought the nuts into the office to share with other employees. Phipps said one of the nuts stood out from the rest.

Her co-workers thought they saw some other images in the nut.

"We all started joking about it and talking about it. One thought it looked like Jason from a movie, or Freddy Kruger or George Washington. All sorts of things," Phillips said. CNN

Snow and ice snag travel at Europe's airports

(CNN) -- A part of Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris was evacuated Friday due to the accumulation of snow on the roof and hundreds of flights were canceled because of a shortage of de-icing fluid, authorities said, as blustery winter weather snarled travel across Europe.

Nearly 2,000 passengers were moved from Terminal 2E to other parts of the airport, French authorities said, calling the measure "preventative".

Part of the roof of that terminal collapsed in 2004, shortly after the state-of-the-art building was inaugurated. Four people were killed, media reports at the time said.

About a foot of snow had fallen on the roof Friday by the time authorities decided to close the terminal, French media reports said.

Authorities were working to clear it and reopen the terminal. French authorities earlier Friday asked airlines to cancel half their morning flights to and from the airport because de-icing fluid was running low, they said.

That led to the cancellation of 400 flights Friday morning -- 200 arrivals and 200 departures.

Then, early in the afternoon, authorities asked airlines to scrap a third of their flights for the rest of the day.

Charles de Gaulle is the second busiest airport in Europe, after Heathrow in London. CNN

START gets initial approval in Russia

Moscow (CNN) -- The lower house of the Russian parliament gave preliminary approval Friday to START, a nuclear arms reduction treaty between Russia and the United States.

The State Duma voted 350-58 in favor of the accord Friday. It needed 225 votes to pass.

Two more readings are required before the treaty can go to the upper house of parliament, the Federation Council, for consideration. The first of those two readings will happen in mid-January.

The U.S. Senate approved the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, or New START, by a 71-26 vote on Wednesday.

The treaty is considered a critical component of nuclear non-proliferation efforts and the Obama administration's attempt to "reset" relations between the United States and Russia.

It would resume inspections of each country's nuclear arsenal while limiting both the United States and Russia to 1,550 warheads and 700 launchers.

The accord "will strengthen our country's security (and) international stability, consolidate the non-proliferation regime, and become an additional factor encouraging positive trends both in our relations with the U.S. and on the international arena in general," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said during the debate that preceded the vote.

Lavrov, however, criticized a resolution passed by the U.S. Senate stating that treaty should not be interpreted in a way that could restrict the development of America's missile defense system. CNN

Son of notorious insurgent leader is arrested

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A key member of an insurgent network in the Afghan-Pakistani region has been seized recent days, Pakistani military intelligence sources told CNN on Friday.

He is Nasiruddin Haqqani, son of Afghan insurgent leader Jalaluddin Haqqani, whose notorious group, called the Haqqani Network, operates in Afghanistan and Pakistan and is closely tied to the Taliban.

Nasiruddin Haqqani was detained in recent days while driving from Peshawar to the tribal region of North Waziristan, the sources said. The United Nations says he is believed to be based out of Miram Shah in North Waziristan, where the network operates.

The Pakistani military intelligence sources asked not to be named because they are not authorized to speak to the media.

This arrest comes amid concerns among U.S. officials that Pakistan has not been aggressively confronting militants operating in the tribal regions.

The Haqqani Network "has been at the forefront of insurgent activity in Afghanistan, responsible for many high-profile attacks," the United Nations says. CNN

Golfer, 64, plans 600th round of 2010

(CNN) -- An American amateur golfer is poised to extend an incredible world record on December 26 as he aims to complete his 600th round of 2010.

Richard Lewis holds the Guinness Book of World Records' title of "Most Avid Golfer" after breaking the mark of most rounds played in a year when he finished his 587th on December 19.

The 64-year-old, who has played as many as 54 holes in a day, will take to the tee at the Four Seasons Resort and Club in the Las Colinas region of Dallas, Texas for his next milestone.

He has played all of his rounds at the club's TPC venue -- which hosts the PGA Tour's Byron Nelson Championship event -- and its private members' course at Cottonwood Valley.

Lewis, who has walked an estimated 3,900 miles during the feat, explained how this achievement is the next best thing to being a professional golfer. CNN

Burglar makes off with valuable Warhol, Lichtenstein prints

New York (CNN) -- A crafty burglar tunneled through a hallway wall into a New York home and made off with valuable jewelry, watches and artwork by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.

The heist was worth between $500,000 and $1 million, said New York Police Department spokesman Sgt. John Buthorn.

The homeowners were away for the Thanksgiving weekend when the burglar broke into the apartment. Police did not identify the residents or the give the location of the apartment.

Among the items stolen was "Camouflage," a set of eight signed Warhol prints in various colors, the American artist's abstract take on a recognizable pattern.

Other stolen prints included "Thinking Nude" and "Moonscape," by Lichtenstein and

"The Truck" and "Superman" by Warhol. An oil painting called "Live Cat" by British artist Carl Fudge was also missing.

Police are asking the public for help in the search for the at-large suspect. CNN

Cuba begins to publish leaked U.S. documents

Havana, Cuba (CNN) -- A Cuban government-run website has begun translating into Spanish and posting online leaked U.S. government cables that discuss the island nation.

"Las Razones de Cuba" or "Cuba's Reasons" has as of Friday published seven cables originally released by WikiLeaks, the group whose leaks of confidential documents has been deeply embarrassing for U.S. officials.

The translated cables detail meetings between independent Cuban bloggers with officials from the United States Interests Section, the U.S. diplomatic mission in Cuba.

According to the "Cuba's Reasons" website, the cables show an attempt by U.S. officials to "organize youth networks to subvert the Cuban Revolution."

The website promised to continue posting the leaked cables.

Other cables released by WikiLeaks that detail U.S. officials' speculation on former President Fidel Castro's health and Cuba's economic woes have not been posted on the site.

According to the website, WikLeaks possesses 2,080 cables that mention Cuba.

Excerpts of some of WikiLeaks the cables have previously been published on Cuban government websites and in state newspapers. Although Cubans have access to the web in internet cafes and in some workplaces and schools, the internet is not widely available on the island. CNN

Ivory Coast: UN backs Alassane Ouattara as president

The UN General Assembly has formally recognised Alassane Ouattara as the winner of Ivory Coast's disputed presidential election.

The move came ahead of a meeting of West African heads of state to urge President Laurent Gbagbo to step aside.

Earlier, the region's central bank handed over control of Ivory Coast's accounts to Mr Ouattara.

Correspondents say the moves are increasing the isolation of Mr Gbagbo, who has insisted that he won the vote.

The decision of the Central Bank of West African States could make it difficult for the incumbent president to pay the army.

Violence since disputed election in November has left 173 people dead in Ivory Coast.

A senior UN official said its investigators had also found evidence of extrajudicial executions, more than 90 cases of torture and 500 arrests, as well as abductions, kidnappings, acts of sexual violence, and destruction of property.

The 28 November poll was meant to unite the country after a civil war in 2002 split the world's largest cocoa producer in two.

The country's electoral commission ruled that Mr Ouattara had won, but the Constitutional Council said Mr Gbagbo had been elected, citing vote-rigging in some northern areas.

The UN, which has about 10,000 peacekeepers in the country overseeing the peace process, has backed Mr Ouattara as the winner.

He was given a further boost on Thursday when the General Assembly unanimously decided to recognise his choice of diplomats as the sole official representatives of Ivory Coast to the UN. BBC News

Japan agrees record 92.4 trillion yen draft budget

The Japanese government has approved a record level of spending of 92.4 trillion yen ($1.1tn; £711bn) for the next financial year.

The cabinet agreed the draft budget, which must still be approved by parliament before 31 March.

Japan's economy has suffered from deflation, a high yen that hurts exports, weak domestic demand and poor consumer confidence.

The budget is aimed at boosting the economy, but adds to public debt.

And some analysts have said the programme was unlikely to offer a big economic boost.

Reined in

Debt-servicing costs and social security spending making up about 55% of the budget.

Aid for local authorities accounts for another 18.2% of the budget. The remainder of the spending is split among defence, public works projects, education and technology.

The Democratic Party-led administration has promised to keep new borrowing at 44.3tn, in line with this year's level.

But Japan was forced to raise spending due to higher debt servicing costs.

Japan's public debt is expected to reach 891tn yen, or 184% GDP, by the end of March 2012, the highest among developed nations.

The government said tax revenues would be about 40.9tn yen in the next fiscal year, with another 7.2tn raised by raiding special reserves.

The government has already reined in spending programmes including handouts to fund childcare. BBC News

Andy Warhol art thief sought by police

New York police are looking for a thief who tunnelled into an apartment last month and stole works by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein and others.

The thief broke through a hallway wall between 24 and 28 November while the owner was away and took art and other items worth $750,000 (£485,000).

Among prints taken were Lichtenstein's Thinking Nude and Moonscape, and Warhol's The Truck and Superman.

A series of eight signed Warhol prints, called Camouflage, were also taken.

Watches, jewellery and an oil painting by British artist Carl Fudge were also stolen.

So was a video recorder that had been connected to surveillance cameras.

The identity of the victim has not been disclosed. BBC News

Haiti mobs lynch voodoo priests over cholera fears

Voodoo priests in Haiti are being lynched by mobs who blame them for spreading cholera, the country's government has said.

At least 45 people have been lynched in recent weeks as Haiti continues to be ravaged by a cholera epidemic.

Haiti's communications minister has made an appeal for the lynchings to end and called for a campaign to ensure people understand how cholera spreads.

More than 2,500 Haitians have died from the water-borne disease since October.

Another 121,000 people have been treated for symptoms of cholera, with at least 63,500 admitted to hospital, figures show.

The outbreak has also prompted angry protests aimed at the United Nations, whose Nepalese peacekeepers have been suspected of introducing cholera to Haiti.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has announced an investigation into the reports, although the UN initially denied the suggestion. BBC News

Russian MPs back Start US arms treaty in first reading

The lower house of the Russian parliament, the Duma, has voted to give initial approval to the Start nuclear arms pact with the US.

The treaty, aimed at reducing both countries' nuclear arsenals and allowing their inspection, was ratified by the US Senate on Wednesday.

There were hopes the Duma would give its full approval but officials decided that two more readings were necessary.

The pact must also be ratified by the upper house, the Federation Council.

Before MPs voted to back the treaty by 350 votes to 58, concerns were expressed in the Russian parliament about two non-binding amendments that had been made by the Senate before ratification.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the amendments - committing the US to a missile defence system and modernising its nuclear arsenal - did not change the treaty as a whole.

He said it was "unacceptable" that the US was trying to ensure that "future strategic-range non-nuclear systems" not currently covered by the pact should not be subject to its terms.

Earlier, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev praised President Barack Obama for pushing the pact through the Senate. BBC News