While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Dec 25

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Where's Santa? US-Canadian military command tracking St Nick

It's the question every good little girl and boy asks on Christmas Eve: When is Santa coming?

As it has done every year since 1955, a Canadian and American defense agency is tracking the jolly old man's path around the globe in his reindeer-powered sleigh.

A 3-D, interactive website at www.noradsanta.org shows Santa on his delivery route, allowing users to click to learn more about the various cities along the way.

The Santa tracker presented by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) dates to 1955, when a Colorado newspaper advertisement printed a phone number to connect children with St Nick mistakenly directed them to the hotline for the military nerve center.

Israel says attacks down, instability up over Trump move

Tunisia on Sunday (Dec 24) suspended Emirates Airlines flights after a public outcry over security measures in the United Arab Emirates targeting women from the North African country.
The transport ministry said it had "decided to suspend" Emirates flights to Tunis "until the airline is able to find the appropriate solution to operate its flights in accordance with international law and agreements".
A number of Tunisian women had said their travel to the Gulf state on UAE airlines had been delayed and some had been forced to undergo additional examination of their visas. That triggered angry reactions on social media and media outlets in Tunisia.

China, Russia oppose UN criticism of Myanmar over Rohingya

The UN General Assembly on Sunday (Dec 24) urged Myanmar to end a military campaign against Muslim Rohingya and called for the appointment of a UN special envoy, despite opposition from China, Russia and some regional countries.

A resolution put forward by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) was adopted by a vote of 122 to 10 with 24 abstentions.

China, Russia, Cambodia, Laos, the Philippines and Vietnam joined Myanmar in voting against the measure as did Belarus, Syria and Zimbabwe.

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Tennis: Serena Williams to return in Abu Dhabi next week

Former world number one Serena Williams will make her much-anticipated competitive return with an exhibition match on the final day of the Mubadala exhibition event on Dec 30, tournament organisers announced Sunday (Dec 24).
The 36-year-old, who has won an Open-era record 23 Grand Slam singles titles, will take on reigning French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.
Williams won the Australian Open 11 months ago but has not played since because of pregnancy and the birth of her first child, Alexis Olympia, in September. She has since fallen to 22 in the WTA rankings.

The number of anti-Israeli attacks fell in 2017, but US President Donald Trump's decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel's capital has provoked greater instability, a security chief said Sunday (Dec 24).

"The level of terrorism has decreased this year with 54 attacks against 108 in 2016," said Nadav Argaman, head of the Shin Bet domestic security agency.

"The number of attacks thwarted has increased," he told a news conference.

Tunisia on Sunday (Dec 24) suspended Emirates Airlines flights after a public outcry over security measures in the United Arab Emirates targeting women from the North African country.

The transport ministry said it had "decided to suspend" Emirates flights to Tunis "until the airline is able to find the appropriate solution to operate its flights in accordance with international law and agreements".

A number of Tunisian women had said their travel to the Gulf state on UAE airlines had been delayed and some had been forced to undergo additional examination of their visas. That triggered angry reactions on social media and media outlets in Tunisia.

Former world number one Serena Williams will make her much-anticipated competitive return with an exhibition match on the final day of the Mubadala exhibition event on Dec 30, tournament organisers announced Sunday (Dec 24).

The 36-year-old, who has won an Open-era record 23 Grand Slam singles titles, will take on reigning French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko.

Williams won the Australian Open 11 months ago but has not played since because of pregnancy and the birth of her first child, Alexis Olympia, in September. She has since fallen to 22 in the WTA rankings.

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