On Christmas, Obama marks end of Afghan combat

President Barack Obama marked the end of more than a decade of combat in Afghanistan by paying tribute to America's military, telling troops on Christmas Day that their sacrifices have allowed for a more peaceful, prosperous world to emerge out of the ashes of 9/11. 

At an oceanfront Marine Corps base in Hawaii, Obama told troops that while tough challenges remain for the U.S. military in hotspots like Iraq and West Africa, the world as a whole is better off because American troops put country first and served with distinction. He said Americans and their president could not be more thankful. 

"Because of the extraordinary service of the men and women in the American armed forces, Afghanistan has a chance to rebuild its own country," Obama said to applause from Marines and their families. "We are safer. It's not going to be a source of terrorist attacks again." 

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Christmas in Cuba

Gloria Gomez remembers the day she lost out on a job because she showed up to the interview with a cross hanging from her necklace.

It was 1970, at the peak of Cuban leader Fidel Castro's crackdown on Catholic Church institutions around the island. Gomez said she not only lost the secretary job, but also friends who either renounced their religion to appease the communist government or didn't want to be associated with her being so outspoken about religion. 

Gomez, 72, never backed down. She kept going to church. She brought out a Nativity scene and a small, plastic Christmas tree in her home each December. She watched as Castro's government slowly allowed Catholics to practice their religion more freely and as Pope Francis helped broker last week's deal to restore diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba. 

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iPhones 6 and 6 Plus are a very big deal

Are the bigger iPhones worth all this big time attention? The answer is a resounding yes, a point emphasized by consumers who've preordered the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus in record numbers. These are the phones Apple devotees have been waiting for: iPhones that measure up to what's fast becoming the new normal — the large, modern smartphone display. Count me among those glad they're here. 

People have preordered on faith, since they haven't seen these super-sized iPhones up close or experienced what they feel like in pockets and handbags. I have and let me be reassuring — you won't regret your decision, though going big may require a small adjustment, and my experience wasn't totally trouble-free. 

The new phones are enclosed in sturdy anodized aluminum. And though the handsets are bigger and heavier their predecessors, they're also thinner. The sleep/power button has moved to the side. Each has the Touch ID fingerprint scanner introduced on the iPhone 5s. 

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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan-Katrina Kaif Still at Cold War? Actresses Maintain Safe Distance from Each Other

                                           
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Katrina Kaif's cat-fight is quite famous in B-town and the two have managed to stay away from each other until now.
But at a recent party, Aishwarya and Katrina ran into each other.

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Watch: Impressive Amitabh Bachchan, Dhanush in new 'Shamitabh' audio trailer!

                     
New Delhi: Megastar Amitabh Bachchan is known for doing films which leave indelible impact on the audiences. This time, the thespian is ready to enthrall all with his upcoming venture 'Shamitabh'.

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Mohit Marwah Trains With Top Stars.

                               
Upcoming actor Mohit Marwah is taking his acting career seriously, and hopes to make maximum impact with his second film. Apart from carefully sifting through scripts for the right role, Marwah is training to get a super fit body.

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Australia anti-terror police arrest two in Sydney

Australian police said they did not believe an attack was imminent 

Counter-terrorism police in Sydney have arrested two men, charging one with possession of documents designed to facilitate a terrorist attack. 

The other suspect was charged with breaching a control order. 

The arrests were related a series of counter-terrorism raids in September, officials said. 

They come after Australia's prime minister said there had been heightened "terror chatter" since a cafe siege in Sydney last week. 

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Global arms trade deal takes effect

Enforcing the treaty will not be easy, as Russell Trott reports 

A global arms trade treaty regulating the multibillion-dollar business has come into force - a move hailed as "a new chapter" by UN chief Ban Ki-moon. 

He said he hoped the treaty would help prevent the transfer of weapons to "warlords, human rights abusers, terrorists and criminal organisations". 

The deal also bans arms supplies if this promotes war crimes or genocide. 

So far 60 nations have ratified the accord, but not the US - the world's top arms exporter. 

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The Interview: Obama hails move to screen North Korea film

The Interview includes a fictional plot to assassinate North Korea's leader 

US President Barack Obama has welcomed a decision by Sony to screen a comedy about North Korea in some US cinemas. 

Sony initially pulled the film following a cyber-attack and threats against cinemas, but reversed that decision in the face of criticism. 

The US has accused North Korea of being behind the cyber-attack. 

The film is expected to show in 200 mostly independent and art-house cinemas on Thursday. Hackers have threatened fresh attacks. 

Mr Obama was one of those to criticise Sony's earlier decision to cancel the film's release, calling it a "mistake". 

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