December 2011 Headlines

Christians Continue Decades-Long Mission to Save Korea

Missionary Joseph Davies died before he could fulfill his desire to spread the gospel in Korea.  But decades later, other Christians are continuing his mission.

Does 'X-mas' Really Take Christ Out of Christmas?

Some Christians are troubled by the abbreviated spelling of Christmas or X-mas. But does the "X" really take Christ out of Christmas?

'Muslim Mafia' Targeting Religious Freedom?

Religious liberty is one of America's most cherished protections. But if one group has its way, that could change not only in the U.S., but around the world.

World Rings in 2012 and Bids Adieu to a Tough Year

With glittering fireworks and celebrations from New Zealand to Times Square, the world eagerly welcomed a new year and hope for a better future Saturday.

Iran Proposes New Nuclear Talks with World Powers

Iran has proposed a new round of talks about its controversial nuclear program with the six world powers, the country's top nuclear negotiator said Saturday.

Syrian Opposition Groups Unite Against Assad

Syria's two largest opposition groups signed an agreement on setting up a democracy after President Bashar Assad's regime falls, opposition figures said Saturday.

Evangelicals Facing Legal Hurdles in Russia

An organization that works to protect religious liberties in the United States is also working to protect those same liberties in other countries.

Operation Blessing Peru Holds Christmas Campaign

The Christian Broadcasting Network's Operation Blessing International recently held a Christmas campaign in Peru for children living in poverty.

US Warns Iran Against Closing Oil Passage

The U.S. has warned Iran it will not tolerate the Islamic Republic's threat to shut down the Strait of Hormuz, blocking a good portion of the world's oil supply.

Greek Tax Officials Strike over Salary Cuts

Tax officials in Greece walked off the job Thursday morning, starting a 48-hour strike.

Kim Jong Un Named N. Korea 'Supreme Leader'

With top party and military officials standing beside him, Kim Jong Un  watched ceremonial proceedings from a balcony overlooking Kim Il Sung Square.

Iran Threatens Less Oil If More Sanctions Imposed

Iranian officials say more sanctions will result in less oil, even as Western leaders consider tougher sanctions against the country.

Taliban Takes Credit for Deadly Troop Attack

The Taliban has claimed responsibility for an attack in Afghanistan that killed three NATO service members.

North Korea Says Goodbye to Kim Jong Il

North Korea gave the world a rare glimpse inside the country as it laid its former dictator, Kim Jong Il, to rest Wednesday.

CBN Equador Christmas Outreach Draws 10,000

The Christian Broadcasting Network partnered with a local church in Equador to hold a Christmas outreach event.

Nigerian Christians Fear More Church Bombings

An Islamic group has claimed responsibility for Christmas Day church bombings in Nigeria, which killed 39 people.

African's Tragedy-Stricken Kids Find Hope in Song

Each year, kids from some of Africa's poorest countries try out for the African Children's Choir. For them, it's a way to escape the hopelessness they face at home.

Pope Calls for World Peace in Christmas Message

Pope Benedict XVI called for an end to the bloodshed in Syria and the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in his Christmas message Sunday.

'Project Hope' Helps Former Soviet Union Kids

Many children in the former Soviet Union are living without parents in poor conditions. Russian Ministries is working to help them through 'Project Hope.'

Anti-Putin Protests Draw Tens of Thousands

Tens of thousands of demonstrators on Saturday cheered opposition leaders and jeered the Kremlin in the biggest show of outrage yet.

Wave of Bombs Devastate Baghdad after US Pullout

A series of at least 14 bombs went off across Baghdad Thursday morning, killing at least 60 people.

Philippine Typhoon Victims Face Bleak Christmas

Christmas could be bleak for many survivors of the typhoon that recently struck the southern Philippines. The death toll there is now exceeds 1,000.

Mystery Surrounds N. Korea Successor Kim Jong Un

Kim Jong Un is the heir to the North Korean regime and its nuclear weapons, but many doubt his ability to lead.

Former Missionary Hostage: No Aid to North Korea

The Korean American missionary once held hostage in North Korea is speaking out against evangelist Franklin Graham's call for food aid to the communist regime.

Fmr. N. Korea Envoy: Kim Jong Un 'Not Ready'

Former U.S. ambassador Christopher Hill says it could take years to get North Korea's Kim Jong Un up to speed.

Christian Population Declining in Europe

A new study by the Pew Research Center shows Christianity on the decline in Europe.

Iran Delays Death Sentence for Christian Pastor

A 'non-decision' from an Iranian cleric on the fate of jailed Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani has delayed his possible execution.

China Sees New Surge in Christmas Tradition

For many who celebrate Christmas in China, the holiday has little to do with the birth of Christ, but many are coming to know the true meaning behind the holiday.

Franklin Graham: Islamists 'Lining Up' Against Israel

Franklin Graham joins in on the concern that Islamist victories in the Middle East will be perilous to Israel and the region's non-Muslims. 

Hero of Czechoslovakia's 'Velvet Revolution' Dies

Vaclav Havel helped to lead his people to freedom without a single shot being fired.

Tropical Storm Flooding Kills Hundreds in Philippines

Flooding triggered by a deadly tropical storm killed nearly 650 people in the Philippines this weekend, according to the Red Cross.

Kim Jong Il Dead; Eyes on N. Korea's Heir Apparent

North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il has died at the age of 69 of heart failure. Now the world is wondering what's next for the tyrannical regime.

After Pullout, Iraq's Christians Still at War

The war in Iraq has ended, but many human rights groups fear this could mean an even tougher time for Christians in the country.

Last US Troops Exit Iraq

As dawn broke Sunday, a small cluster of Iraqi soldiers along the highway waved goodbye to the departing American troops.

Death Toll Rises in Philippine Floods

The death toll from floods and mudslides in the Philippines has risen above 650.

Panetta Becomes First Defense Chief to Visit Libya

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta arrived in Tripoli Saturday, becoming the first Pentagon chief to set foot on Libyan soil.

Death Toll in Philippine Floods Rises to 436

Pounding rain from a tropical storm swelled rivers and sent walls of water crushing into two southern Philippine cities, killing at least 436 people.

Ex-Heathrow Worker Claims Muslims Harassed Her

Nohad Halawi, says she and other Christian staff at Heathrow Airport were victims of systematic harassment because of their religion.

Peace Concerts Bring Muslim Warriors to Christ

Missionaries from Eternal Life International are working with local churches in the Philippines to bring the gospel to even the most militant of Muslims.

Afghan Town Gets New Children's Learning Center

Many families in Kabul can't afford to send their children to school. Operation Blessing has partnered with an education center to provide free classes.

Chinese Police Shut Down Christmas Celebration

Chinese police in the village of Xintan broke up a public Christmas celebration before it even started.

Obama Admin OK's Iran Bank Sanctions

The measure, passed by the Senate Thursday, imposes the harshest measures yet on the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program.

US Officials Formally Shut Down War in Iraq

After nine years of fighting, the war in Iraq officially ended Thursday as United States officials formally shut down operations in Baghdad.

Explorers Say They've Found Pieces of Noah's Ark

Daniel McGivern and his team claimed to have discovered two large sections of Noah's ark resting just below surface atop Mount Ararat.

Clinton Calls on Iran to Release Pastor Youcef

State Secretary Hillary Clinton has finally called for the release of Youcef Nadarkhani, the Iranian pastor sentenced to die for refusing to recant his Christian faith.

Clinton: Religious Liberty Means 'Right of Change'

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said religious liberty includes the right to change or criticize religions, even acts that Muslims find offensive.

Putin Protesters Eye Russia's Soviet Days

Frustrations are high in Russia and some are openly talking about a return to the old days of the Soviet Union.

Canada Bans Burqa in Citizenship Ceremony

Muslim women are no longer able to wear a burqa while taking Canada's oath of citizenship.

US, Muslim Summit Way to Outlaw Islam's Critics?

A U.S. State Department summit including more than two dozen world governments has come under fire from free speech and religious rights advocates.

Stakelbeck on Terror: Arab Spring Turns Islamist Winter

CBN News analyzes the Muslim Brotherhood's recent success across the Middle East and North Africa, as well as the group's plans for global domination.

Grenades Thrown at Crowd in Belgium, 4 Dead

A man armed with grenades and an assault rifle opened fire on Christmas shoppers Tuesday in the central square of Liege, Belgium, located east of Brussels.

Saudi Woman Beheaded for 'Witchcraft'

The Saudi Arabian chief of religious police said the woman had tricked people into thinking she could treat illness for $800.

Iran Expanding War Base on America's Doorstep?

Iran's leaders warn once they're done with Israel, they're coming for the U.S. They're already in the Western hemisphere laying the groundwork.

US Teen Escapes Muslim Militants in Philippines

Kevin Lunsmann had been staying at an island resort with his mother and cousin when they were kidnapped five months ago by the Abu Sayyaf, an al Qaeda affiliate.

U.S. Formally Asks Iran to Return Drone Aircraft

The Obama administration has formally asked Iran for the return of a U.S. surveillance drone captured by Iranian armed forces last week.

Obama: 'Days Are Over' for US Troops in Iraq

President Obama and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki met to discuss 'a normalization of the relationship' between the U.S. once American troops leave.

NATO to End Training Mission in Iraq

NATO will permanently stop the training program mission in Iraq and withdraw all of its soldiers by Dec. 31.

Iran, Hezbollah Tentacles Reaching Latin America

Like Iran, Hezbollah is committed to the U.S.'s demise.  Now the two are spreading their tentacles across Latin America and could go operational at any moment.

Muslims, Catholics Unite to Fight Gay Marriage

Glasgow's Muslim and Catholic communities are united in their efforts to stop the Scottish government to change the law to allow homosexual marriages.

Russia's Protests End with Hint of Change

Thousands held the largest anti-government protests that post-Soviet Russia has ever seen, Saturday, to criticize electoral fraud and end Vladimir Putin's rule.

Ailing El Salvador Villagers Get Free Medical Care

Operation Blessing International has provided free treatment and medicine to more than a thousand villagers in El Salvador.

Iranian TV Releases Video of US Stealth Drone

Iranian officials claim its military shot down the aircraft on Sunday.

Abducted Ex-FBI Agent Pleads for Help in Video

The family of a retired FBI agent, who's been missing for five years, hopes a year-old videotape will rekindle the search for him.

Brotherhood Emerges Victorious in Egypt Elections

The Muslim Brotherhood's political arm, the Freedom and Justice Party, says it has captured 40 percent of the seats in parliament.

US Troops Arrive in Africa for Efforts against LRA

The LRA is a brutal rebel group in Africa known for kidnapping children and forcing them to become soldiers or sex slaves.

Small Loans Saving People from Poverty

Peter Greer, president of Hope International, said his goal is to lift struggling people out of poverty around the globe.

Syria's Assad Denies Attacks on Protesters

Syrian President Bashar Assad said the bloody assault on anti-government protesters in his country is not his fault.

US, Canada Team Work to Revamp Border Crossing

President Obama explained that streamlining screening procedures was an important move for the economy since Canadians spend more money in the U.S. than any other people.    

Clinton to Egypt: 'Respect Rights and Democracy'

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned the new government in Egypt Tuesday to respect women's rights and adhere to democratic rule.

Dozens Die in Rare Attacks on Afghan Shiites

At least 55 people were killed after a suicide bomber detonated an explosive device inside a mosque in Kabul, the single deadliest attack in the Afghan capital in more than three years.

Experts: Nuclear Iran Would be Game Changer

No matter how much the world leaders stand against a nuclear Iran, evidence shows the Iranians are closer than ever before to acquiring the bomb.

Vatican Readies for Christmas with 82-Foot Tree

The Vatican kicked off the Christmas season Monday with a 82-foot tree in St. Peter's Square.

West Pledges Support for Afghanistan

The United States and other nations have vowed to keep helping Afghanistan -- even after they leave the country in 2014.

Orphan's Promise Premieres 'Superbook' in Peru

The Christian Broadcasting Network's Orphan's Promise ministry recently partnered with a local church in Peru to premiere the Spanish-language version of the latest Superbook episode.

Muslim Brotherhood Leads in Egypt Voting

Partial election results show the Muslim Brotherhood-affiliated Freedom and Justice party leading with 36.6 percent in Egypt's election.

Arab League Agrees on Details for Syria Sanctions

The Arab League has approved details of sanctions against Syria aimed at pressuring the regime to end its deadly eight-month crackdown on dissent.

Al Qaeda Holds Elderly US Aid Worker Hostage

Al Qaeda has claimed responsibility for the August kidnapping of an American aid worker in Pakistan and refused to release the 70-year-old man until a list of demands are met.

Early Results Give Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood Victory

Early Egyptian election results put the Muslim Brotherhood in the lead -- a group that is no friend of the United States.

Fmr Mexico President Says US to Blame for Drug War

Murders and kidnappings are part of daily life in Mexico as drug cartels battle for control of the border.

Niger Famine Victims Get Garden, Food Bank

Operation Blessing International is using a community farm to help hungry families in the African nation of Niger.

British Christians Fearlessly Proclaim Jesus' Name

Christians in the United Kingdom took to the streets this week to boldly proclaim they're not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Clinton Urges Myanmar to Expand Reforms

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has challenged Myanmar's leaders to expand its reforms on her historic visit to the Southeast Asian nation.