Christmas burglar jailed (Otago Daily Times)

CHRISTCHURCH: Rory Khan Conley told his probation officer he felt "like a scumbag" for his Christmas morning burglary in Christchurch, in which he stole a little girl's presents.


Unexpected Christmas delights seniors (Galveston County Daily News)

Santa and his merry elves paid a surprise visit to Galveston County seniors this Christmas, bringing delight and smiles.


Kiwis Take A “She'll Be Right” View Of Christmas (Scoop.co.nz)

Saving for the festive season throughout the year isn't a high priority for many Kiwis, with most choosing to wear the costs of Christmas at the time, according to a new survey.


NEXT! (Telluride Daily Planet)

Long lines greeted greeted customers at the U.S. Post Office in Telluride on Monday afternoon. Alyssa Ramirez packs presents for her nieces in an Express Mail box before mailing it off to Oklahoma as Atsuko Ishihara addresses her package heading to Spain. They both waited in line to assure their presents would be under the tree by Christmas. Next Day Express is the only option left starting ...


Outlines of Herstory (East Bay Express)

Bay Area art doyennes merge public and private. by DeWitt Cheng Not so long ago, history was considered, with only a little exaggeration, the chronicle of the deeds and misdeeds of conquering kings; the world was their bloody arena, as perversely glorious as Troy's fatal plains (the Great Man theory readily degenerates into The Iliad for Idiots). Thankfully, that millennialist marching/shouting ...


Going All-in: Christmas in April for Estrada (The Hanford Sentinel)

For Shawn Estrada, April 8 may as well be December 25.


Animal activists target big breeders and puppy mills (Chicago Tribune)

State and federal laws do not go far enough to protect animals, advocates say Carla Kibler said she wishes she had investigated before falling in love with Beefcake, an English bulldog puppy she bought from a Naperville pet store in December. Her 10-year-old triplets agreed to forgo their Christmas presents to get the dog, which cost more than $2,000.


Bike donations are boy's birthday bonus (Suburban Journals)

With a November birthday and Christmas a month later, Seth Thompson, 11, knows exactly what he doesn't need - more gifts.


Sweet 16: Presents Given Away (WOWT Omaha)

Some have called it the biggest train wreck on television -- MTV's "Sweet 16" show where teens celebrate their birthdays with excess. Two girls from Springfield, Nebraska, decided to do the opposite for their 16th birthday by celebrating their generosity for others.


Tuesday football as it happened (BBC News)

Arsenal thrash Porto to reach the Champions League quarter-finals and, in the Premier League, Birmingham see off Portsmouth and Sunderland thump Bolton.