• Malaysian Christians Await High Court Ruling on 'Allah' Case

  Malaysia’s high court is expected to announce its decision this week on a case contesting whether the government of the predominantly Muslim country can bar Christian groups from referring to God as “Allah.”

• Volcano Forces Thousands of Filipinos to Mark Christmas as Evacuees

  Tens of thousands of Filipinos celebrated Christmas in temporary evacuations centers Friday after having fled their homes in fear of a major volcanic eruption. With the alert level for the Philippines’ Mayon volcano at the second-highest stage, more than 40,000 evacuees had to stay away from their homes and settle for a Christmas in crowded gymnasiums and schools, where they shared rations of noodles, fried fish and fruit, and where children opened donated presents.

  

• World Leaders Conclude Climate Change Talks with Nonbinding Accord

  Delegates at the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, concluded their historic two-week gathering Saturday with a nonbinding "Copenhagen Accord" that signals a new start for rich-poor cooperation on climate change but falls short on concrete steps against the global phenomenon.

  

• Malaysia High Court to Rule on 'Allah' Case Dec. 30

  Malaysia’s high court has set Dec. 30 as the date that it will rule on a case contesting whether the government of the predominantly Muslim country can bar Christian groups from referring to God as “Allah.”

• Malaysian Gov't, Catholic Church Take Battle Over 'Allah' to High Court

  Malaysia’s high court began hearing legal arguments Monday over the use of “Allah” by Christians as a translation for God. While the Catholic Church in Malaysia insists that the word “Allah” is not exclusive to Islam and has been used by Christians and Muslims in Arabic-speaking countries for centuries, Senior Federal Counsel Datuk Kamaluddin argued otherwise, saying that the word is exclusive to Islam and that its sanctity must be protected.