| President Trump wishes military members Merry Christmas Posted: 23 Dec 2017 10:30 PM PST  President Donald Trump spoke with military members over a video teleconference to wish them a Merry Christmas ahead of the holiday.
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| Deputies Fatally Shoot 6-Year-Old In His Home While Firing At Suspect Posted: 23 Dec 2017 02:07 PM PST  A Texas community is grappling with the death of a 6-year-old boy who was killed in his home Thursday as sheriff's deputies shot at a woman they were chasing outside.
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| Dozens Feared Dead In Massive Shopping Mall Blaze In Philippine City Of Davao Posted: 24 Dec 2017 03:32 AM PST  An enormous fire that consumed a shopping mall in the Philippine city of Davao, trapping at least 37 people inside, continued to burn on Sunday ― more than a day after the blaze began.
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| Italy PM plans to shift military forces from Iraq to Niger Posted: 24 Dec 2017 07:00 AM PST ![Italy PM plans to shift military forces from Iraq to Niger]( "Italy PM plans to shift military forces from Iraq to Niger") Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said on Sunday he would propose to parliament transferring some of the country's troops stationed in Iraq to Niger to fight people smuggling and terrorism. Gentiloni said Italy's 1,400-strong military presence in Iraq could now be reduced after victories against Islamic militants and instead deployed in the Sahel region of West Africa. "We have to continue to work, concentrating our attention and energies on the threat of people trafficking and terrorism in the Sahel," he said aboard the Italian ship Etna used in the European Union's "Sophia" operation to counter people smuggling in the Mediterranean.
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| Progressive Group Ousts Cenk Uygur Over Past Sexist Writing Posted: 23 Dec 2017 03:20 PM PST  The Justice Democrats ousted Cenk Uygur, one of its founding board members and a creator of progressive online network The Young Turks, following the Thursday revelation that Uygur had authored sexist blogposts in the early 2000s.
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| 6 of the most remarkable space moments of 2017 Posted: 24 Dec 2017 12:15 PM PST  From the astonishing solar eclipse that captivated millions across America to the end of the 20-year long Cassini spacecraft mission, 2017 was an astounding year for space discoveries.
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| SpaceX launch lights up the night sky Posted: 23 Dec 2017 08:08 AM PST  The launch of the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket created a shining, billowing streak that was widely seen throughout Southern California and as far away as Phoenix, and had some wondering if they'd just seen a UFO.
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| Thomas Fire becomes largest wildfire in California's history Posted: 22 Dec 2017 06:17 PM PST  The Thomas Fire has burned more acres than any previous wildfire on record in California, and there are no signs of a pattern change that would deliver beneficial weather for battling the blaze.
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| Assad 'considering evacuation' of children with cancer from Eastern Ghouta Posted: 23 Dec 2017 11:48 AM PST  Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian president, is reportedly considering a plea from a charity to move seven children suffering from cancer out of a war zone. Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a British adviser to the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organisations (UOSSM), told the BBC it had requested an evacuation of the children from eastern Ghouta. The suburb of Damascus, home to 400,000 civilians, has been under siege by Assad's forces for four years. It had been indicated by Assad's private officer that a decision on the children would be made next week, Mr de Bretton-Gordon said. He told the BBC: "We understand Assad is thinking about it. And we're calling him back on Tuesday morning to speak to him direct. "And if he gives us the go-ahead then the plan is that we will get to Ghouta as quickly as we can, get the children." The children include Rama Helweh, four, who has a malignant throat tumour and hasn't received the necessary medication for eight months. The proposed evacuation would not include Karim, a three month old baby who lost his left eye in a bombardment by Assad' forces and has become a symbol of the suffering in eastern Ghouta.
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| Mass shootings, hurricanes and President Trump top the biggest events of 2017 Posted: 23 Dec 2017 09:34 PM PST  In the final NBC News/WSJ poll of 2017, respondents reveal mixed reactions to a rocky year.
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| 2017 Was Mexico's Deadliest Year On Record Posted: 24 Dec 2017 06:27 AM PST  A total of 23,101 murder investigations were launched nationwide between January and November, reported Reuters, citing figures released by the country's interior ministry.
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| High School Students Gift Custodian With New Pair of Work Boots For Christmas Posted: 23 Dec 2017 07:45 AM PST  Several students pitched in for the purchase.
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| Federal Judge Partially Lifts Trump Administration Ban on Refugees Posted: 24 Dec 2017 10:21 AM PST  A federal judge in Seattle on Saturday partially lifted a Trump administration ban on certain refugees after two groups argued that the policy prevented people from some mostly Muslim countries from reuniting with family living legally in the U.S.
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| Apparently, Little Kids Think Birthday Parties Cause Aging Posted: 23 Dec 2017 07:01 AM PST  Whether they're flashy North West-style blowouts or more modest sheet cake-and-balloons affairs, birthday parties are a major ritual for many kids around the world.
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| The Thomas Fire Is Now The Biggest In California's History Posted: 24 Dec 2017 11:27 AM PST  The so-called Thomas Fire burning in parts of Southern California now ranks as the largest wildfire on record in the state.
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| Tunisia suspends Emirates flights over women security measures Posted: 24 Dec 2017 02:27 PM PST  Tunisia on Sunday 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.
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| US Marine Corps commandant tells soldiers: 'I hope I'm wrong but there's a war coming' Posted: 24 Dec 2017 01:46 AM PST  General Robert Neller told the Marine rotational force at the Norwegian Home Guard base near Trondheim: "I hope I'm wrong, but there's a war coming. "Just remember why you're here," Sergeant Major Ronald Green told the Marines, according to the military news site. The rotational force has been deployed in Norway since January, where they have supported Nato operations and trained in cold weather and mountainous conditions.
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| These 17 Photos Show Santas Spreading Joy Around The World Posted: 24 Dec 2017 04:09 PM PST  Santa Claus will soon be making his unbelievably fast trip around the world, delivering gifts to all of those children good enough to make his "nice" list.
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| Family asked to remove 'offensive' Jesus sign from their Christmas display because it offended a neighbour Posted: 24 Dec 2017 05:15 AM PST  A family has been asked to take down a sign with the name "Jesus" from their Christmas display, after a neighbour reportedly claimed it was offensive. Mark and Lynn Wivell said their homeowner's association had made the request after they put up the display outside their home in Adams County, Pennsylvania. "As part of our Christmas decoration, we would display the name Jesus to point out to everyone that we in this family believe that the reason for the season is to celebrate the birth of Jesus," Mr Wivell told the FOX43 news channel.
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| Officials: US agrees to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine Posted: 22 Dec 2017 08:15 PM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has approved a plan to provide lethal weapons to Ukraine, U.S. officials said Friday, in a long-awaited move that deepens America's involvement in the military conflict and may further strain relations with Russia.
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| Iraq's Mosul celebrates first post-IS Christmas Posted: 24 Dec 2017 06:09 AM PST  Hymns and cries of joy filled a church in Iraq's second city Mosul on Sunday as worshippers celebrated Christmas there for the first time in four years after the end of jihadist rule. "This is a sign that life is returning to Mosul," said wheelchair-bound Hossam Abud, 48, who returned earlier this month from exile in Iraqi Kurdistan. Patriarch Louis Raphael Sako of Iraq's Chaldean Catholic Church called on the congregation to pray for "peace and stability in Mosul, Iraq and the world".
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| Chess federation says Israel excluded from Saudi-hosted match Posted: 24 Dec 2017 05:39 AM PST ![Chess federation says Israel excluded from Saudi-hosted match]( "Chess federation says Israel excluded from Saudi-hosted match") Israeli players have been denied visas to participate in a speed chess championship hosted by Saudi Arabia this week, a vice president of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) said on Sunday. Seven Israeli players had requested visas for the tournament on Dec. 26-30. It would have marked the first time Saudi Arabia had publicly hosted Israelis as the Gulf state does not recognize Israel and there are no formal ties between them.
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| The Last Known Dancing Bears Of Nepal Have Been Rescued Posted: 23 Dec 2017 08:29 AM PST  The last two known bears forced to dance for spectators in Nepal have been rescued.
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| Miss America CEO Sam Haskell Resigns Amid Offensive Email Scandal Posted: 23 Dec 2017 12:24 PM PST  He was initially suspended by the organization
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| Turns Out That Carrie Fisher Wrote Some Of Her Best Lines In 'The Last Jedi' Posted: 23 Dec 2017 09:19 AM PST  Help us make "Star Wars" funnier, Carrie Fisher, you're our only hope.
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| NORAD Santa tracker 2017: Follow where Santa Claus travels on his Christmas Eve journey around the world Posted: 24 Dec 2017 12:53 PM PST  He's made his list, he's checked it twice, he already knows who's been naughty and nice. That's right: Santa Claus is coming to town – and you can follow him as he makes his way around the world. Every year, the boffins at Norad (the North American Aerospace Defense Command) kindly dedicate December 24th to tracking Father Christmas as he darts from chimney to chimney, country to country, and continent to continent, delivering gifts while voraciously consuming sweetmeats. When will Santa arrive in the UK? Their service began by happenstance in 1955, when a Sears ad in a local paper offering the chance to speak to Santa mistakenly printed the top secret phone number of Conad – Norad's predecessor. US Air Force Col. Harry Shoup took the first call from a young boy wanting to talk to Santa in good humour, and so a Christmas tradition was born. Now, every year, thousands of volunteers staff telephones and computers to answer calls and e-mails from children (and adults) around the world. As of 2007, search engine Google has also provided an online tracker, in partnership with Norad. Join us below to follow Santa's snow-flecked footsteps around the world. And keep your fingers crossed that when he arrives at your house, he'll find your name on the good side of that list ... 8:25PM The Acropolis Santa has just done a fly-by of another of the new wonders of the world - the Acropolis in Athens: 7:56PM Santa is on schedule #NORAD confirms #Santa has arrived over Chisinau, Moldova. #Santa reported the weather is clear and his is on schedule— NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) December 24, 2017 7:43PM Santa is in Europe! The Big Man was last spotted in Vilnius, Lithuania. #NORAD confirms #Santa has arrived over Vilnius, Lithuania— NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) December 24, 2017 7:33PM The 'Nanny State' Christmas lunch: Everything you should be eating, according to official advice With a measly portion of turkey, pallid boiled potatoes and just a quarter of a glass of champagne, this is what Christmas dinner might look like if public health guidelines were followed to the letter, Sophie Jamieson writes. Dubbed the "nanny state approved Christmas lunch", the menu to keep you below Public Health England (PHE) recommended calorie intake allows for only a quarter of a pig in blanket, a tenth of a serving of Christmas pudding and a twentieth of a mince pie. Taxpayers Alliance handout showing a visual representation of a Christmas lunch as approved by the National Health Service's nutritional guidelines PHE guidelines say the average man should keep below 2,500 calories per day. The figure is 2,000 calories for women. The bleak festive spread was created by the pressure group the TaxPayers' Alliance, who say PHE spend £40 million a year telling people how to live healthy lives. Read the full story. 6:57PM The best Christmas TV When you're taking a break from following Santa's journey around the world, here are the best TV offerings this year, including All Star Musicals and Mary, Mel and Sue's Big Chistmas Thank You. Dr Who Credit: BBC 6:25PM How does the Santa tracker work? People always ask how #NORAD tracks #Santa on Dec 24th! We use infrared sensors from Rudolph's nose to determine Santa's exact location throughout the night! To talk to a NORAD Santa Tracker, call 1-877-HI-NORAD. https://t.co/gSvRD6ezKo#NORADTracksSanta (Desktop browsers only)— NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) December 24, 2017 5:44PM Children in Russia - it's time to go to bed! #NORAD Just spotted #Santa over Russia! Children in Russia, it's time to go to bed. #NORADTracksSanta— NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) December 24, 2017 5:43PM How to host a family Christmas... without having a breakdown Do you remember waking up on Christmas day, filled with excitement and joy? Did you jump out of bed and rush downstairs to see if Father Christmas had successfully navigated the chimney/central heating system and delivered that all-important toy on your wish list? Good times. The chances are your first waking moments of Christmas Day are sprinkled with slightly different thoughts these days. Has the turkey finished defrosting? Will the kids like their presents? Is there still time to barricade the house to prevent the in-laws gaining access? Well, worry no longer. Read our guide that answers all you anxiety-ridden prayers. How to have the perfect Christmas 5:16PM Taj Mahal Santa has just visited India - cameras picked him up flying over one of the modern wonders of the world: 4:53PM The Christmas crystal ball Christmas Day is a bit like Groundhog. You wake up, stick the turkey in the oven, placate yourself with an odd concoction of coffee and Bucks Fizz, watch the kids tear open their presents, slave away in the kitchen some more, and finally pass out on the sofa. Tick, there goes another year. Here are the 24 things bound to happen at your big family Christmas tomorrow. 4:42PM Conquering Everest Santa is going to have to tug hard on those reins and get the reindeer flying high. He's coming into Nepal, home to eight of the 10 world's highest peaks, including the tallest Mount Everest. Nepal guess who is coming soon...that's right����.Time for good boys and girls to get to �� and catch some ��.�� pic.twitter.com/7EQUPdofev— NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) 24 December 2017 4:36PM Getting through Russia Santa is back working his way through Russia. It's a long, hard slog - Russia takes up an eighth of the Earth's land area - but Santa misses no one out on Christmas Eve. 4:12PM Christmas code-words Are you expecting to welcome friends and relatives tomorrow? Christmas day can be a bit of a war-zone, but everyone just tries to dust their resentment under the carpet because hey it's Christmas, and in the spirit of said holiday, thou shalt lie and deceive rather that tell the truth. If you do actually want to find out what everyone round the dinner table is actually thinking than read this: What people say at Christmas... and what they really mean 4:00PM No holiday on Christmas day in Thailand Santa is now dropping off presents in Thailand. 85 percent of the population in Thailand is Buddhist, and 14 percent practice Islam. As such, Christmas day is not taken as a holiday in Thailand but many lights and decorations still adorn the streets of Thailand's capital Bangkok during the month to celebrate the King's birthday on 5 December. Since the previous king passed away last year though, the celebrated holiday has moved to 28 July. 3:28PM From Saint Nick to Saint Graham Credit: Christopher Baines/BBC From one jolly bearded fellow to another - read Graham Norton's Christmas special agony uncle column here while you wait for the other one to hurry up with your presents already. 3:19PM The Las Vegas of Asia Santa is about to go over Macau, an autonomous region on the South coast of China dubbed the 'Las Vegas of Asia' because of it's bounty of casinos, and the bustling nightlife. You might want to turn down the light on Rudolph's nose Santa - you're not going to need it to light the way over here. The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel Credit: Kin Cheung/AP 2:52PM What to do after unwrapping the presents? After the presents, there is the turkey, but then how about a winter walk or maybe a film (and none of those slushy romantic ones please)? You could even book yourself into a mindfulness retreat if it's all become too much. We've wracked our brains for a range of activities to try out once Santa has done his job and all the presents have been ripped open. How to keep the family entertained over Christmas 2:37PM Great wall of China Santa has just crossed over the Great Wall of China, which was built by the Qin dynasty to keep northern invaders out of their territories. No such problems for Santa - nothing can get in the way of him and his reindeer tonight, they've got presents to deliver. Santa has a great view of the Great Wall #NORADTracksSanta thanks to @verizon for boosting our signal! pic.twitter.com/rEpRMxwkZW— NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) 24 December 2017 2:20PM 1 billion presents delivered! A congratulations are in order for a certain Mr Claus, who has just dropped off one billion presents this evening. However with 6.6 billion more people still waiting for their pressies, Santa still has a long night ahead of him. 2:16PM Valentine's Day on Christmas Eve Santa is in Japan. Christmas Eve is a big deal for young Japanese couples, who treat the evening as we would do Valentines Day. No one is quite sure why the evening became an event for couples, but pop-star Tatsuro Yamashita's 1988 song, "Christmas Eve" about the sadness of spending Christmas alone, popularised the romantic ideals of being close to that special someone on Christmas Eve. Meanwhile over here we're just thinking about all the pressies Santa is about to drop off. 2:02PM There's the Sydney Opera House It's flashback time. Here is Santa doing some sightseeing as he flys over some of Sydney's most famous landmarks. #NORAD spotted #Santa flying through Sydney, Australia! See the video! https://t.co/VwHzaTAGKO— NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) 24 December 2017 1:54PM Have yourself a very smug Christmas Are you watching Santa scoot around the world safe in the knowledge that all your Christmas day plans are sorted? I bet you're feeling pleased with yourself, and so you should be. However, if you're still flying around frantically trying to tie up all the loose Christmas ends then have a read of our guide to having a smug Christmas, and catch a glimpse of how the other (more organised) half live? How to have a smug Christmas, in ten supremely self-satisfied steps 1:35PM White Christmas? Not in Australia Santa has touched down in Australia. No dreaming of a white Christmas here as it's the height of summer in Australia, with average temperatures of 30C However in 2010 the ssemingly impossible happened as 11 inches of snow fell in New South Wales just a few days before Christmas day. No such luck this year mind. 1:27PM Have you got Christmas dinner covered? While Santa is busy going around the world sorting out the presents, who is sorting out the turkey covered on the big day? We recommend you start your prep for the big Christmas day meal today and save yourself any extra stress on the day. You can prep the vegetables, make the stocks for the gravy and roll up your stuffing balls. Still feeling nervous about cooking Christmas dinner? Take a gander at our ultimate guide to cooking the perfect Christmas dinner. How to cook the perfect Christmas dinner 1:10PM We hope Santa has wrapped up warm Santa is currently flying over the Eastern tip of Russia with the temperature at -17°C. Chilly stuff - so make sure you put some warmed mince pies out on the side for when he eventually comes round to you. 1:02PM Change of Telegraph Christmas Elf That's me done for the year. Over to Richard Jones for more Santa tracking tracking... 12:41PM A peaceful place Santa is currently on his way to the Federated States of Micronesia, population 104,937, which we've previously listed as one of 16 countries that do not have an army. Can you guess the 15 others? 12:13PM The rise of the Christmas Eve box In case you haven't already heard, there's a new Christmas trend in town – and today is the day when it comes to fruition. The Christmas Eve box is a package full of small gifts that kids get to open the night before Christmas. Think of as an early bird's stocking, only without the connotations of mouldy feet. You can find out more about what to put in these boxes (there's still time to cook one up at home – though you'll need to get creative) by reading our useful guide. Ho ho ho, merry Christmas Eve. 11:41AM Q: Why is Rudolph's nose red? A: Because it's hotter than the sun. Here's some science from Norad, on how they use the heat from Rudolph's nose to follow their man... Santa spotted on DSP satellite from the heat off Rudolph's nose! https://t.co/ODGqIM3THR— NORAD Tracks Santa (@NoradSanta) December 24, 2017 11:31AM Eyes to the skies He's off! We have our first Santa spotting of Christmas Eve 2017, with Norad reporting that his red sleigh is currently zooming over Russia, en route to New Zealand and Australia. Now that they've got Santa locked on their radar, you can follow his progress in the video at the top of this article. Godspeed, Santa Claus. 11:31AM Urgent: Presents needed Are you just waking up to the realisation that it's Christmas Eve? Have you hitherto buried your head in the snow, unwilling to even countenance the idea that you might need to buy a semi-random assortment of objects for your friends and loved ones? Does the thought of a last-minute trip to the heaving High Street make you want to heave in an entirely different manner? Then fear not, because we've rounded up some gift subscription ideas that a) will make great presents, and b) can be bought from the comfort of your front room, without so much as the need to put on a pair of pants. Take a look at the below, and heave a sigh of relief. Last-minute Christmas gift guide: how to do all your shopping ... without going to the shops 11:30AM The wait is nearly over Well boys and girls, we're getting close. It seems that Santa is currently doing some last minute quality control. Here's a leaked image from his HQ in Greenland... 11:30AM Santa's journey in numbers Santa will travel an estimated 510,000,000km on Christmas Eve, which means he'll average 10,703,437.5km/hr, or about 1,800 miles per second. According to calculations in 2014, there are roughly 1.85bn children who can hope to receive presents. With an average of 2.5 children per household, that means Santa has to slide down 740m chimneys. To hit those numbers, Santa needs to visit 390,000 homes per minute – or 6,424 per second. And what of the big guy's expanding waist line? Well, if each house places a 200ml glass of semi-skimmed milk and a mince pie by the fireplace, Santa will make his way throughy 148m litres of milk – enough to fill around 60 Olympic-size swimming pools – and chomp on 740m mince pies. As there are around 250 calories in a mince pie and 100 calories in the glass of milk, that means Santa will consume 259bn calories on Christmas Eve alone. Let's hope his trousers are elasticated. 11:30AM Fake news? A quick word on sources. This time last year, the Santa tracking world was split asunder by an apparent disagreement between the two main tracking organisations. While's Google's tracker reported its first sighting of Santa at 10am GMT, Norad's tracker lagged about 30 minutes behind. And it remained thus for the rest of the day: where one would see Santa arrive in, say, Madrid at 11pm GMT, the other would spot Santa in the same location half an hour later. Little has been said publicly about the confusion since then. The two organisations have apparently closed ranks after the division – leaving online conspiracy theorists to run amok. Are there two Father Christmases, sharing the burden of delivering gifts to every (good) child in the land? Was one tracker detecting an echo in time, the logical consequence of the vertiginous speeds at which Santa must travel? Had Google picked up a genuine unidentified flying object? No one has the answers to these questions – but suffice to say that if the same happens again this year, we at The Telegraph will treat Norad's tracker as the official timekeeper. No disrespect, Google, but those guys have got the nukes... 11:29AM Why does NORAD track Santa? While we wait for Santa to file all the obligatory flight plans and put the finishing touches on his sleigh packing (we imagine he's much like any father on Christmas Eve right now, desperately pushing another bag of presents into a car boot that's already jammed full), let's take the opportunity to look back on how this Santa tracking business started. The year was 1955, and an advert promoting Santa's Toyland at the Sears department store had been published in the Colorado Springs newspaper, offering excited children the chance to speak to big man himself. The only problem? Rather than listing a dedicated Sears phoneline, the advert referenced a top secret hotline at Conad – Norad's predecessor. The Sears advert that started it all Over at CONAD, all was calm and well, when US Air Force Col. Harry Shoup, director of operations at the nuclear missile base, noticed the red phone on his desk ringing. Col. Shoup had two phones, and you can imagine what the red one was for. "Only a four-star general at the Pentagon and my dad had the number," recalled his daughter Pam. Presumably fearing the worst, Col. Shoup picked up the receiver. Pam continues: "And then there was a small voice that just asked, 'Is this Santa Claus?'" Shoup was a straight-laced and disciplined man – much as you would expect for the director of operations at the US's nuclear HQ – and he reacted with due annoyance, suspecting he was the victim of a practical joke. But then the little voice started crying. "And Dad realised that it wasn't a joke," says Shoup's daughter. "So he talked to him, ho-ho-ho'd and asked if he had been a good boy and, 'May I talk to your mother?' And the mother got on and said, 'You haven't seen the paper yet? "'There's a phone number to call Santa. It's in the Sears ad.'" Shoup took the reins and ran with them. Soon, he was on local radio every hour, updating listeners on the whereabouts of an unidentified flying object that had the unmistakable look of a sleigh. From one small mistake, a tradition was born. Every year hence, the nuclear has run a Christmas Eve hotline for children, updating them on the whereabouts of the Great Benefactor In The Sky. The Norad Santa Tracking Operation HQ, in 2014 Over the years, Conad/Norad and Santa have proved to be a perfect fit. After all, who better to spot where Santa's sleigh is flying than a major operation dedicated to monitoring the skies? And what better way for the joint US-Canadian military division – men and women who routinely spent their time checking radar screens for signs of impending nuclear apocalypse – to spend their down time than talking to children about what they wanted for Christmas? In 2007, Norad partnered with Google to put the Santa tracking ritual online, and now children around the world can follow Santa's snow-flecked footsteps as he delivers presents during the night before Christmas. With the help of our live blog, of course. 11:29AM Good morning... ... and welcome to The Telegraph's Christmas Eve live blog, where we'll be tracking the movements of good ol' Santa (that's Father Christmas or even St. Nick to you and I) as he dashes around the world, delivering gifts and joy to all those children who have been well behaved over the course of the last 12 months. According to (un)official estimates, there's a while to go before Santa starts doing his thing. So, put the kettle on, get some breakfast inside you, fish out those dusty binoculars from wherever you left them this time last year, and get ready to join us for the ride.
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| The Latest: Russia attacks US decision to arm Ukraine Posted: 23 Dec 2017 08:39 AM PST  WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the U.S. decision to supply arms to the Ukrainian military (all times local):
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| ‘Squinty Eyes’ Reference Made At Mayor Ed Lee's Memorial Causes A Stir Posted: 23 Dec 2017 07:10 AM PST  Members of San Francisco's Chinese-American community have voiced their displeasure after a public official made a racially insensitive remark during the memorial service for the city's Mayor Ed Lee held last Sunday.
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| Sofia Richie and Scott Disick Kick Off Their Christmas Weekend Together Posted: 23 Dec 2017 11:16 AM PST  Scott Disick and Sofia Richie kicked off their Christmas weekend together
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| Rescuers search for Philippine storm victims as toll rises to 200 Posted: 24 Dec 2017 04:33 AM PST ![Rescuers search for Philippine storm victims as toll rises to 200]( "Rescuers search for Philippine storm victims as toll rises to 200") By Manuel Mogato MANILA (Reuters) - Rescuers in the Philippines searched on Sunday for survivors of a storm that triggered floods and landslides and killed about 200 people, left scores missing and thousands homeless, most of whom apparently ignored warnings to move to safety. Misery in the largely Christian Philippines was compounded by the death of at least 37 people in a shopping mall fire, officials said on Christmas Eve. The Philippines is battered by about 20 typhoons a year and warnings are routinely issued, but the level of destruction wreaked by tropical storm Tembin on the southern island of Mindanao from late on Friday came as a surprise.
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| Miss America suspends CEO over misogynistic emails Posted: 22 Dec 2017 09:31 PM PST  The Miss America pageant suspended its CEO on Friday after dozens of former beauty queens demanded he step down over leaked internal emails that contained misogynistic, fat- and slut-shaming language. The decision was announced in the face of mounting pressure in the media as the United States continues to grapple with a sexual harassment firestorm upending powerful men from Hollywood, to entertainment and politics. "The Miss America Organization Board of Directors today voted to suspend Executive Chairman and CEO Sam Haskell," it said.
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| Macedonia ready to give up claims on Alexander the Great Posted: 23 Dec 2017 09:34 AM PST ![Macedonia ready to give up claims on Alexander the Great]( "Macedonia ready to give up claims on Alexander the Great") SKOPJE, Macedonia (AP) — Macedonia's left-wing prime minister said he is ready to renounce his country's claim to be the sole heirs of the legacy of Alexander the Great to help solve a 26-year-old dispute with neighboring Greece over the country's name.
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| Deer At 'Santa's Journey' Exhibit in Ireland Picked Off By Cruel Poachers Posted: 24 Dec 2017 05:44 AM PST  Three Sika deer that were part of a Santa wonderland display in Ireland vanished in a trail of blood earlier this month, apparently shot and killed by poachers, according to authorities.
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| World’s largest amphibious plane, the AG600, makes successful maiden flight in China Posted: 24 Dec 2017 03:48 AM PST  The world's largest amphibious aircraft, the China-made AG600, made its maiden flight on Sunday, and comes as the latest milestone in the country's efforts to modernise its military. State television showed live images of the AG600 lifting off from Zhuhai airport in the southern province of Guangdong, which sits on the South China Sea coast. It returned about an hour later and taxied to its stand accompanied by martial music and greeted by crowds waving Chinese flags. Xinhua news agency said the aircraft was the "protector spirit of the sea, islands and reefs". China has stepped up research on advanced military equipment as it adopts a more muscular approach to territorial disputes in places such as the disputed South China Sea, rattling nerves in the Asia-Pacific region and the United States. Powered by four turboprop engines, the AG600 can carry 50 people during maritime search-and-rescue missions, and can scoop up 12 metric tons of water within 20 seconds for fire fighting trips, according to state media. It had previously been scheduled to make its first flight earlier this year but it is unclear why it was delayed after ground tests took place in April. The AG600 approaches the runway in Zhuhai Credit: REUTERS State-owned Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC) has spent almost eight years developing the aircraft, which is roughly the size of a Boeing Co 737 and is designed to carry out marine rescues and battle forest fires. The AG600 is known as 'Kunlong' in China Credit: AFP However, state media has also noted its potential use in the South China Sea, where China, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Brunei all have overlapping claims. The AG600's crew disembarking after its successful maiden flight Credit: VCG The AG600's chief designer, Huang Lingcai, was quoted in the official China Daily earlier this month as saying it can make round trips without refuelling from the southern island province of Hainan to James Shoal, claimed by China but which is located close to Sarawak in Malaysian Borneo. The aircraft has received 17 orders so far from Chinese government departments and companies. It has a maximum flight range of 2,800 miles and a maximum take-off weight of 53.5 tons. It can use conventional airports and also land and take-off from the sea. Ground staff stand guard for the latest military addition to China's military capabilities Credit: REUTERS China is in the midst of a massive military modernisation programme, ranging from testing anti-satellite missiles to building stealth fighters and the country's first indigenous aircraft carrier, to add to an existing one bought from Ukraine.
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| Ten great things Donald Trump will give America and the world in 2018 Posted: 23 Dec 2017 02:56 AM PST  Or take them as free advice to a struggling President whose approval ratings, with under a year until crucial midterm elections for Congress, are so deep in the basement he can barely find them. Watch as Trump gets more artful in his use of social media and less needlessly destructive. 2. It's finally time to engage with the Democrats on the Hill.
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| Britney Spears Wears Slogan T-Shirt In Support Of Dreamers Posted: 23 Dec 2017 02:14 AM PST  Pop star Britney Spears' opinion on the Dream Act is crystal clear.
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| London Zoo Staff Are Still Searching for 4 Meerkats After a Fire Broke Out Posted: 23 Dec 2017 08:12 AM PST  Zoo officials say a fire left one aardvark dead and four meerkats missing.
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| In new harassment case, edgy media firm Vice says it has fired three Posted: 23 Dec 2017 12:59 PM PST  Youth-oriented news company Vice Media acknowledged Saturday that it had allowed a "detrimental 'boy's club' culture" to flourish and had failed to protect women employees from harassment. A statement from Vice said three employees had been dismissed after "multiple instances of unacceptable behavior" emerged. The New York Times said Saturday that in an in-depth examination of the company's culture, it had uncovered four settlements against Vice employees for harassment or defamation.
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| Gaza zookeeper puts lion cubs up for sale Posted: 23 Dec 2017 06:26 AM PST ![Gaza zookeeper puts lion cubs up for sale]( "Gaza zookeeper puts lion cubs up for sale") The owner of a private zoo in the impoverished Gaza Strip has put three lion cubs up for sale, saying he can no longer afford to feed them. Mohammad Ahmad Jumaa took to social media to advertise the animals at 3,500 Jordanian dinars ($5,000) each. "Because of the bad economic situation and the difficulty of finding food and drink (for the animals), I was forced to put up for sale three cubs born around a month ago," he said.
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| Matt Damon's Father Dead At 74 Posted: 23 Dec 2017 11:59 AM PST  Kent Damon, father of actor Matt Damon, has died at the age of 74
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| Egypt FM to head to Ethiopia after Nile dam talks stall Posted: 24 Dec 2017 03:07 AM PST ![Egypt FM to head to Ethiopia after Nile dam talks stall]( "Egypt FM to head to Ethiopia after Nile dam talks stall") By Nadine Awadalla and Eric Knecht CAIRO (Reuters) - Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry will visit Addis Ababa next week for talks with his Ethiopian counterpart, a foreign ministry spokesman said, in a bid to end a standoff over a multi-billion dollar dam project on the Nile river. The dispute, which also involves Sudan, centers on control of a share of the waters of the Nile that stretches 6,695 km (4,184 miles) from Lake Victoria to the Mediterranean and is the economic lifeblood of all three countries.
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