No newspapers in the UK this morning but some stories to pick up from their online versions.
The biggest breaking story overnight is that a woman jumped the barriers in St Peter's Basilica in Rome last night and knocked down Pope Benedict XVI as he walked down the main aisle to begin Christmas Eve Mass.
Footage aired on Italy's RAI state TV showed a woman dressed in a red hooded jumper vaulting the wooden barriers and rushing towards the Pope before being swamped by bodyguards. The 82-year-old pontiff quickly got up and was unhurt, said a Vatican spokesman, the Reverend Ciro Benedettini.reports the Times
Other news and the Telegraph reports that
President Barack Obama has hailed the "historic vote" which saw landmark healthcare legislation passed through the Senate, saying it brought the US towards the end of a near century-long struggle for reform.
The 60-39 vote on a cold winter morning capped months of arduous negotiations and 24 days of floor debate. It also followed a succession of failures by past congresses to get to this point. says the Independent
Meanwhile the Guardian reports that
Violence across Iraq left at least 26 people dead yesterday, most of them Shia pilgrims attending mourning ceremonies, prompting fears of further sectarian attacks as Shia Islam's most solemn occasion looms.
The Mail reports that
The Arctic weather sweeping Britain claimed more victims yesterday as the AA and police took the extraordinary step of urging families to postpone their Christmas celebrations until the roads are safer. Three people died in separate accidents as the freezing conditions continued to cause havoc.
The Times says that The Queen will pay tribute to the bravery of Britain's servicemen and women in her Christmas message
A total of 243 British troops have died since the start of operations in Afghanistan in 2001, including 106 this year alone.
Sara Payne, the child protection campaigner, has responded to treatment and her condition has improved after she suffered brain surgery complications. reports the Telegraph
The 40-year-old is thought to have endured internal bleeding after a clip in her head – inserted during surgery to deal with a swollen blood vessel last year – came loose.
Finally last-minute shoppers provided a boost to retailers despite the recession, with men more likely than women to be out looking for gifts on Christmas Eve, retailers said.reports the Guardian
Stores across the country reported strong sales as shoppers splashed out an estimated £1m a minute. Shopping centres such as Meadowhall, near Sheffield, said bad weather conditions had not limited the number of people trooping through its doors
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