The world remembers the Boxing Day Tsunami – The urges divided peoples to find reconciliation – Saudi Arabia apparently considers female drivers a form of terrorism – And more in your CareerSpot World News Briefs:

Memorials were held in Indonesia, Thailand, and all of the countries affected by the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami to mark the anniversary.  More than 230,000 people were killed across 13 countries when one of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded thrust the ocean floor upward off the coast of Sumatra, creating a massive tsunami that swept across the Indian Ocean.  The devastation was worst in Thailand, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka.  More than 45,000 are still missing

In her Christmas message, Queen Elizabeth II paid tribute to the health care workers fighting the Ebola epidemic that has killed more than 7,500 people – mostly in the West African nations of Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia.  She also spoke of the need for people to engage in reconciliation, urging the people of England and Scotland to work together and put the unsuccessful independence referendum from earlier this year behind them.

Pope Francis condemned religious violence in his homily during mass at Christmas mass in Saint Peter’s Square.  The Pontiff cited the plight of victims of conflict in Syria and Iraq.  And he said, “Too many people are being held hostage or massacred” in Nigeria, where the terrorist group Boko Haram is steamrolling across the northeast of the country, unabated.

An arsonist set fire to a mosque in Seweden on Christmas Day.  This happened in the town of Eskiltuna, where more than 15 people were praying in the mosque when the noticed smoke.  Five people were taken to hospital.  Eskiltuna is a town was a large nmber of immigrants, and was the town where neo-nazi scum clashed with police and others over the immigration issue.

Saudi Arabia is drawing criticism for sending the cases of two women arrested for driving to a terrorism court.  25-year old Loujain al-Hathloul and 33-year old Maysa al-Amoudi have been in detention for a month.  Saudi Arabia doesn’t specifically outlaw women driving, but only men are able to get drivers licenses – it’s the only country in the world that pulls this tomfoolery.