Christians in Israel celebrate a more somber and subdued Christmas this year. Ukrainians mark Christmas as well with prayers for peace, and the Vatican was filled with excitement on Christmas Eve as the faithful gathered to witness Pope Francis inaugurate the Holy Year by unlocking the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica. Syrian refugees in Europe are worried about their future following the fall of Bashar al-Assad. The incoming Trump administration inherits efforts by the U.S. space agency, NASA, to return astronauts to the surface of the moon. Plus, a Christmas barnacle in Spain faces an uncertain future amid climate change.
