'Christmas baby' born on Philadelphia subway
A woman in Philadelphia got an unexpected holiday surprise on the subway when she went into labour, delivering a healthy child dubbed the "Christmas baby."
The woman was on a train on Thursday in central Philadelphia in the US state of Pennsylvania when her water broke.
Two transit police officers were urgently called to the train as the woman went into labour, and their post-baby-delivery joy was captured on camera and later tweeted to the world (above).
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Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels swap hundreds of captives in peace push
Ukraine and pro-Russian rebels swapped hundreds of prisoners on Friday as part of a new push for peace that came despite Kiev's decision to cut off key transport links to breakaway Crimea.
The prisoner exchange on a dark and isolated stretch of a road north of the devastated eastern rebel stronghold of Donetsk unfolded as negotiators from both sides held video talks on Skype at reviving stalled negotiations.
The prisoner handover went off without a hitch and now stands out as a rare example of cooperation between the two bitter enemies.
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Swedish protesters denounce mosque arson attack
Several hundred marchers turned out in Sweden Friday to denounce an arson attack on a mosque that injured five people Thursday, as the traditionally tolerant country confronts the rising influence of the extreme right.
A firebomb was thrown through a closed window of the mosque in the central city of Eskilstuna Thursday, injuring five of the nearly 70 worshippers inside - two of whom remained hospitalised on Friday.
Answering calls to denounce the attack by the "Together for Eskilstuna" Facebook page, a large group of people converged on the damaged mosque to show their support.
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Sony Pictures' comedy The Interview grosses more than US$1 million
Sony Pictures comedy The Interview grossed more than US$1 million (S$1.3 million) in limited release at the US box office on Dec 25, the studio said on Friday.
The US$44 million film was pulled from wide release after major US movie chains balked at showing the movie owing to security concerns, and it was instead shown at some 320 smaller theatres in the United States, less than 10 per cent of its planned wide release.
"Considering the incredibly challenging circumstances, we are extremely grateful to the people all over the country who came out to experience The Interview on the first day of its unconventional release," Rory Bruer, Sony Pictures president of distribution, said in a statement.
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Football: Sanchez saves Arsenal as Giroud sees red
Alexis Sanchez helped maintain 10-man Arsenal's Champions League push as his man-of-the-match display condemned Queens Park Rangers to a 2-1 Premier League defeat on Friday.
The Chilean forward went from zero to hero after squandering an early penalty and then putting Arsenal ahead with a 37th-minute header.
Arsenal striker Oliver Giroud was sent off for violent conduct before Sanchez's mazy run carved out a second goal for Tomas Rosicky.
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