The traditional Via Meadia Yule Blog continues today, Boxing Day, with the second of the Thirteen Posts of Christmas. From Christmas Eve through to Twelfth Night, we explore the Christmas story and the ideas behind the celebration.

Al Jazeera shuts down its Egyptian network in an apparent attempt by the Qatari government to restore ties.

Merry Christmas and happy holiday to all!

Proselytization is a practice as old (and sometimes as divisive) as religion itself. Most recently, it has reared its head in India.

It’s Christmas Eve today and time for the oldest tradition at Via Meadia: our annual Yule Blog when we update and present our thirteen posts of Christmas running from the preparatory Advent blog on Christmas Eve through Twelfth Night. During this holiday season in 2014-2015 we will blog on a light holiday schedule through New Year’s Day and on January 2 we will be back at full force.

The MSM is completely blind to how flimsy Bill de Blasio’s mandate was upon election last year. His troubles with the NYPD are probably just the beginning of a turbulent term in office.

The West has consistently been baffled by Putin’s reluctance to change policy. That’s because it doesn’t understand that in Putin’s own mind, he has been a successful leader fighting the currents of history.

Ben Ali’s Former Prime Minister, Beji Caid Sebsi, wins the Presidency of Tunisia.

The Transatlantic community paved the way for Russian aggression well before the Ukraine crisis, says Estonia’s President, Toomas Ilves.

The U.S. gave Egypt the long-promised helicopters, despite the Sisi government’s poor human-rights record.