December 2009 Headlines
"Santa Claus" or Saint Nicholas lives in the imaginations of children each Christmas season. But most may not know that there was a real Saint Nicholas.
As our Christmas card to all of the CBNNews.com users, we present the following editorial printed by the New York Sun in 1897.
The government reports 49 million Americans are struggling to put food on the table. But thousands of faith-based organizations are fighting back.
More than 16,000 students have descended on St. Louis from the U.S. and Canada. Their purpose: To learn more about God's calling on their lives.
In her book, The Magnificent Obsession, Anne Graham Lotz examines the life of Abraham and how his story can be applied to Christians today.
The charismatic movement has had a huge influence on the shape of the church in today's world.
Perhaps the best "2009 person of the year" is not a person at all-- but rather the group of Americans that rallied across the nation for issues important to them.
Washington State lawmakers are eyeing an 8 percent tax on candy as a way to raise revenue for the cash-strapped state.
Mississippi is the most religious state in America, according to a new survey that took a look at religious practices across the country.
An Ohio school board voted to temporarily delete the phrase after legal advisers informed them they would lose any lawsuit to keep it in.
Montana's high court paved the way for legal assisted suicide, Thursday, saying no laws in the state prevent patients from seeking such help.
What were the stories that grabbed your attention this year? Check out this year's top 10 most important topics to you.
Focus on the Family founder James Dobson revealed Thursday that he will be launching a new non-profit group and radio show in 2010.
A 'supposed' reaction to the death of Sen.Ted Kennedy came out on top of the list of 'Notable Quotables' by the Media Research Center.
Military operations for 2009 in Afghanistan proved to be far deadlier for U.S. forces than the Iraq war.
God's presence has been falling upon special services at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City. Now the question remains: Could this be the next Great Awakening?
The 32-member band traveled to California from the Ohio State School for the Blind and are practicing daily at one of the local high schools.
CBN News takes a look back at the lives lost in 2009 and how those individuals left their mark.
Despite a dismal year economically for 2009, most Americans are optimistic about the new year on a personal level, according to a recent Associated Press poll.
Conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh is "resting comfortably" in a Hawaii hospital Thursday after suffering chest pains.
After a Colorado mom and her baby were brought back from death, her husband says there's no other explanation except the hand of God.
CBN News takes a look back at those who did "good" in 2009. Some are household names, others are ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
New York City's Times Square has been reopened to traffic after a bomb squad found no explosive devices in an abandoned van parked in the area.
A Vermont judge has ordered a Christian woman to transfer custody of her 7-year-old daughter to her former lesbian partner.
With the New Year fast approaching, CBN News decided to highlight some of the people who gave of themselves to help others in 2009.
Thousands of youth are attending a missions conference in St. Louis this week. Their focus is full-time ministry both overseas and here at home.
With homeland security threats becoming more prevalent, authorities are considering making greater use of 'body scanners.'
Airport security will be extremely tight this week as U.S. officials beef up operations after last Friday's terror plot to blow up Northwest Airlines flight 253.
After a two-day security clampdown prompted by a thwarted attempt to bomb a jetliner, some airline officials said in-flight restrictions had been eased.
President Obama orders a review of the "no-fly" list procedures after the botched terror plot on Northwest Flight 253 on Christmas day.
See CBN's Shawn Brown's exclusive interview with Michael Oher, the inspiration behind the film The Blind Side.
An father in Wasilla, Alaska is giving God the credit for saving the life of his teenage son.
The alleged Christmas Day terrorist had been in one of the U.S. government's many terror databases since November.
Heavy winter storms have started subsiding, leaving behind concerns about flooding in some areas.
A 23-year-old Nigerian man who claimed to have ties to al-Qaida was charged with trying to destroy a Detroit-bound airliner on Christmas Day.
A 5-year-old girl abducted by a man outside her Phoenix home was rescued hours later after police chased down the suspect's pickup and found her "alive and well" inside.
In Idaho, Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl's family pleaded on Christmas Day for his release and urged him to "stay strong."
Northwest Airlines passenger from Nigeria, who said he was acting on al-Qaida's instructions, set off an explosive device Friday in a failed terrorist attack.
The "Christmas Jars" giving movement has spread across the U.S., and one Florida woman knows first-hand how the trend has changed lives.
A controversial policy that put pregnant soldiers in war zones at risk of discipline will be rescinded under an order from the top U.S. commander in Iraq.
A fierce Christmas storm dumped more snow and ice across the nation's midsection Friday, leaving many to celebrate the holiday just where they were.
A growing Christmas tradition is offering hope for needy families while also sparking a new spirit of giving.
A new Zogby survey shows 'O Holy Night' tops the list of America's favorite Christmas carols.
The U.S Fire Administration is reminding people to be extra cautious this Christmas season.
A daylong standoff at a small-town Virginia post office ended peacefully with three hostages being released.
For missionaries working in dangerous parts of the world, receiving Christmas cards filled with messages about Christ's birth, hasn't been safe - until now.
Christmas is usually a time when children receive gifts. But one little girl from Middleton, Wis. has found a selfless way to give to others this Christmas season.
A Florida 7th grader recently saved the life of a teenage driver whose truck swerved into a frigid neighborhood pond.
Richard and Mayumi Heene are scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday after pleading guilty to charges that they pulled off the balloon boy hoax in October to promote a reality TV show.
Even though a Detroit, Mich. church had a hole in its roof for about a year, it didn't stop its congregation from ministering to those in need.
After threats of legal action prompted county officials in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. to remove a nativity scene and a menorah from a courthouse lawn, the nativity display has been returned.
The charity aid organization teamed up with the U.S. Marines' Toys for Tots campaign,and the Salvation Army's Angel Tree. Altogether, they helped hundreds of families feeling the financial pinch.
American Airlines flight overshot the runway at Jamaica's Norman Manley International Airport, injuring 40 passengers.
Brazil's chief justice ruled in favor of a U.S. man who has waged a five-year legal battle for his son.
Thousands of homeless people from across Texas were given the party of a lifetime over the weekend at the Dallas Convention Center.
After appearing at her first court hearing in Ohio, it looks like the teenager will be spend Christmas in foster care.
Several weeks after school officials in East Syracuse, N.Y. banned Christmas symbols and activities from the classroom, Christmas has returned to the Minoa school district.
As of Tuesday, airport officials were still scrambling to get passengers out of the airport and to their final destination.
For example, some of the messages on the signs include "Heathen's Greetings" and "Reason's Greetings."
As winter arrived Monday, people along the East Coast set out on slick sidewalks and roads to shop.
Michigan asked the Supreme Court to help prevent Asian carp from invading the Great Lakes from the Mississippi River system.
The number of lives touched by evangelist Oral Roberts shined crystal clear in the halls of his university.
The controversy began after radical Muslim Louay Safi was invited to lecture at Fort Hood shortly after last month's shooting rampage.
Blizzard weather conditions couldn't keep one Massachusetts couple from tying the knot.
Candy canes are a familiar U.S. holiday tradition. Carrying on the time honored tradition is the Vrinios family who has been manufacturing the treat for more than 100 years.
The International House of Prayer has become a place where worshippers lift non-stop praise and prayer up to God.
Many charities are suffering from the economic downturn this Christmas season.
Female American soldiers who become pregnant while on active service in Iraq and Afghanistan could face court martial and go to jail.
The unexpected death of 32-year-old Brittany Murphy, who gained fame in such movies as "8 Mile" and "Just Married," appeared to be from natural causes.
A U.S. Army major made his son's wish come true by paying him a surprise visit to his school on his birthday.
Washington D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty signed a bill Friday to legalize same sex marriage at the All Souls Unitarian Church.
Airports across the country are scrambling to get people home for the Christmas holiday after a weekend of record snow on the East Coast.
An India-flagged bulk cargo freighter with a failed engine was adrift Sunday in the North Pacific.
Had Nolan and Vietti rented a $5 locator beacon, searchers below might have been able to pinpoint their location.
Before the American Revolution, pastors spoke out against the evils of England's tyranny. Pastors today are also speaking out against too much government control.
Thousands attended a public memorial service Monday for well-known evangelist and university founder Oral Roberts, who died Tuesday, Dec. 15.
The U.S. has transferred a dozen Guantanamo detainees to Afghanistan, Yemen and the Somaliland region as the Obama administration prepares for the facility's closure.
A fierce weekend storm that dropped record snowfall up the coast from Virginia to New England turned out not to be as naughty as many had feared.
Threats of legal action forced officials in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. to remove a nativity scene and a menorah from a courthouse lawn.
According to the Giving USA Foundation, 93 percent of charities reported they have felt the effects of the economic downturn this year.
Facebook has become much more than just a social Web site for one Iowa man.
CBN's Operation Blessing International is on the scene in Norfolk, Va. rebuilding a local church and food bank in a poor neighborhood.
After 35 years behind bars for a crime he did not commit, James Bain was released on Thursday.
Major Nidal Hasan, the Army psychiatrist charged in last month's deadly shooting spree at Fort Hood, Texas has been transferred from the intensive care unit of the hospital where he's being held.
The movie, "The Blind Side", is still going strong at the box office and finished in second place this past weekend.
Two climbers missing on Mount Hood for the past five days have likely perished and a search will not resume anytime soon.
Walt Disney's nephew was an avid ocean sailor who won the California-to-Hawaii Transpacific Yacht Race in record time a decade ago and backed programs to bring youth to the sport.
Bengals receiver Chris Henry has died, one day after suffering serious injuries upon falling out of the back of a pickup truck in what authorities describe as a domestic dispute.
First Lady Michelle Obama helped deliver more than 500 toys to needy children on Wednesday.
A thrift store worker found more than $9,000 stuffed inside an old heating pad box.
Residents in southwest Colorado Springs, Colo. say a wild deer has been wondering around with a string of lights tangled in his antlers.
The first flight of Boeing's new 787 jetliner brought no surprises for the long-delayed aircraft.
Energy-efficient LED traffic lights don't burn hot enough to melt snow and can become crusted over in a storm.
Pro-life supporters went to Capitol Hill Tuesday to pray and protest against abortion funding in the Senate health care bill.
The Washington, D.C. City Council is expected to vote on a measure legalizing gay marriage Tuesday.
An Oregon man discovered an unusual stowaway on his long commute home from work.
A Ten Commandments sign placed in the yard of a Milwaukee home is causing quite a controversy.
They call him by many names--Sinter Claus, Pere Noel, Father Christmas, Santa Claus-- but the legend of St. Nicholas dates back centuries.
A recall underway involves more than 50 million Roman-style window shades and roll-up blinds.
The Obama administration is taking a major step toward closing Cuba's Guantanamo Bay prison.
The search continues for the Christian climbers missing on Oregon's Mount Hood.
In Denver an anonymous person donated two rare U.S. gold coins and a South African coin to the Salvation Army.
Safety experts say the dangers of texting behind the wheel rival drinking and driving.
The city of Houston, Texas has elected its first openly gay mayor, Annise Parker. She will take office Jan. 1.
A cloud bank hugging the flanks of Mount Hood frustrated the air search for two missing climbers on Sunday.
The 20-year battle over the Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial Cross went to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday.
Organizers say the ark is supposed to represent the potential flood of issues that could arise if world governments don't address climate change.
Since 2006, the volunteer non-profit group has given back to families that have lost loved ones serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
More than 270,000 people have signed the first-ever Manhattan Declaration to stand against laws that defy traditional values.
Tiger Woods said Friday he is taking an indefinite leave from golf to work on saving his marriage.
Congress is working to create a new agency to regulate consumer financial products, but some lawmakers are afraid the controversial community organizing group ACORN will get a seat on the oversight board.
Houston became the largest U.S. city to elect an openly gay mayor, with voters handing a solid victory to City Controller Annise Parker after a hotly contested runoff.
Another in a series of winter storms moved into California Saturday, bringing rain and snow while sending mud and debris on to highways.
Just like the lyrics of the old Christmas carol, the weather outside is frightful. Harsh winter weather is not loosening its grip on about two-thirds of the nation.
New Jersey lawmakers have shut down the prospect of gay marriage for the time being.
In the famous cheese state of Wisconsin, experts have begun to carve a giant Santa Claus out of cheddar.
Christmas tree farmers nationwide are donating their most prized trees to some of the most deserving people.
Fox News Channel commentator Oliver L. North is battling prostate cancer, according to Politico.com.
World War II veteran's homeowners' association drops a demand that the 90-year-old Medal of Honor winner take down a 21-foot flagpole in his front yard.
Christmas tree farmers around the U.S. are hoping to brighten up the holidays for troops serving overseas as well as their families here at home.
A new survey shows that Americans are more and more inclined to mix and match religious beliefs.
On Monday, a Senate committee approved the same-sex marriage measure, clearing the way for a full Senate vote.
Snow and freezing temperatures are creating dangerous travel conditions for Americans across the Midwest and Northeast.
A group of white firefighters who persuaded the U.S. Supreme Court to sanction their promotions over black colleagues are receiving their new badges Thursday.
The rapid U.S. build up in the Afghan war will include more missions to chase down terrorists deemed too extreme to change sides.
The Navy SEALs charged with assaulting an Iraqi terror suspect may be victims of an al Qaeda propaganda strategy.
Shoppers in Minnesota are getting to see Santa like they've never seen him before.
Despite the recent tragedy, more than 50,000 troops at Fort Hood, Texas, are expected to celebrate the holidays at a special community event.
House speaker Nancy Pelosi led the official grand illumination of the Capitol Christmas Tree Tuesday night.
A Minnesota man accused of throwing a tomato at former Gov. Sarah Palin has been arrested and charged with fourth degree assault.
One small-town theater in Kansas would be out of business if it weren't for high school students.
Haggard is holding services in his barn next to his home in Colorado Springs where it's standing-room only.
The national non-profit organization, Homes for Our Troops, is ensuring that one disabled veteran will have a very special Christmas this year.
The Senate will question the Transportation Security Administration Wednesday, which comes after the TSA posted secret information online.
A fierce winter storm was leaving dangerous ice, heavy snow and vicious winds in its wake as it slogged eastward early Wednesday.
The Supreme Court will decide if a California law school can force a Christian group to allow homosexuals and non-believers into their organization.
A top official of the Islamic Society of North America, an organization with alleged ties to radical Islamic groups, lectured to U.S. soldiers before their deployment.
Forecasters say a huge winter storm that barreled through the western U.S. is getting stronger.
The battle over marriage moves to New Jersey this week where time is running out to pass a same-sex marriage bill under a gay-friendly governor.
A "Merry Christmas" sign is back on display at a North Andover, Massachusetts fire station.
Two of three Navy SEALs accused in the mistreatment of an Iraqi prisoner were arraigned in military court, Monday.
A California town is turning a shabby tree like the one Charlie Brown made famous into an opportunity to bless others.
One elementary school teacher has found a way to help military children with a family member deployed during the holidays.
A retired firefighter to return to the scene of the Japanese sneak attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, for the first time in 68 years.
Controversial battlefield restrictions may be making the fight even tougher for U.S. forces in Afghanistan.
Richmond, Va., residents are appalled that even a 90-year-old war veteran and Medal of Honor recipient can face penalty for flying a flag in his front yard.
Holiday decorating is underway at the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, N.C.
The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles elected a lesbian as assistant bishop Saturday, the second openly gay bishop in the global Anglican fellowship.
Legendary Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden has announced he will be retiring after this season's bowl game.
A fire ripped through a barn at a county fairgrounds in southwest Ohio, killing two people and 43 horses.
A Fort Hood medical unit that lost three soldiers during the shooting rampage last month is deploying to Afghanistan.
CBN's Operation Blessing teamed up with Atlanta-based Home Depot to provide a pleasant surprise someof the city's flood victims.
What if you could live your life without fear? Christian author Max Lucado tackles that question in his latest book, 'Fearless.'
Speaking at the lighting of the national Christmas tree Thursday, President Barack Obama said the celebration represents universal values.
The cable company Comcast is trying to buy a majority stake in NBC Universal for nearly $14 billion.
A storm knocked out power to thousands of homes in the Northeast on Thursday before giving way to sunny skies and record high temperatures.
The couple allowed to attend a White House dinner they weren't invited to failed to show up for a hearing, Thursday, to discuss why they were at the event.
The White House is all decked out for the Christmas season.
A new MTV-Associated Press study reveals 'sexting' has become prevalent among America's youth.
Tiger Woods says he has let his family down and regrets his "transgressions."
Several churches in Boise, Idaho are offering to pay people's parking tickets in an effort to demonstrate God's grace.
A federal court has decided that rules regulating when Plano, Texas school students could distribute religious materials is constitutional.
New York legislators have defeated a same-sex marriage bill and the vote was not as close as many people expected.
Lawmakers in New York rejected a bill, Wednesday, that would have made the state the 6th to legalize gay marriage.
As the debate over health care continued on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, hundreds of abortion supporters delivered a specific message to Congress-- "Stop Stupak."
A Florida judge is considering whether her order banning school prayer is legal.
Maj. Nidal Hasan has already been charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder after the Nov. 5 shooting in a building at the Texas base.
A Baptist church in Erwin, Tenn., was engulfed in flames Tuesday morning.
A "Merry Christmas" sign at a North Andover, Ma. fire station is stirring up some controversy, rather than promoting holiday cheer.
An elderly man, serving as a deacon at a Texas church, slugged it out with three robbers to protect the proceeds of his church's Sunday offering.
General Motors Chief Executive Officer Fritz Henderson stepped down Tuesday after only eight months as leader of the struggling auto giant.
A New Jersey inmate will now be allowed to preach during worship services in the New Jersey State Prison.
Ohio authorities have ordered Christian teen Rifqa Bary and her Muslim parents to sit down and discuss their religious views, a caseworker revealed Tuesday.
Church members are expected to give the money away to people in their community as random acts of kindness.
This year, Americans can help fulfill a child's Christmas wish with just the click of a mouse.
The man suspected of gunning down four police officers in a suburban coffee shop was shot and killed by Seattle police early Tuesday.
The U.S. Secret Service is still deciding whether to bring criminal charges against the couple who snuck into the White House during last week's state dinner.
Bishop Thomas Shaw told the Boston Globe that gay couples deserve the "same sacrament of fidelity" as heterosexual couples.
Authorities believe the man sought in the slaying of four police officers is still alive, aided by a network of friends and family.