An Afghan police officer fatally shot an American contractor at Kabul police headquarters early on Monday, authorities said. The killing occurred a day after five policemen were killed by their commander in Jawzjan province, in the north.

South-Africa-Mandela

Former South African President Nelson Mandela will remain in a Pretoria hospital through Christmas, the government said on Monday.

U.S.A.

New-York-Firefighters-Shooting

A man convicted of killing his grandmother decades ago ambushed firefighters on Monday, fatally shooting two of them as they arrived to battle a blaze in upstate New York, police said.

US-Houston-Police-Killed

A police officer and a bystander died from wounds suffered in a parking lot shootout after a car chase in a Houston metropolitan area Monday morning, police said.

US-Washignton-Bar-Shooting

One person died and one person was wounded when an apparent altercation led to a shooting at a Seattle-area bar, police said Monday. The shooting occurred just a few hours after the Seattle Seahawks won their way into the NFL playoffs. Several players and other celebrities were among hundreds of people gathered at Munchbar, a popular nightspot in Bellevue, Washington. No players were injured in the incident, which occurred just after 1 a.m. PT Monday.

US-Obama-CNN-Most-Intriguing-2012

A year ago, President Barack Obama was under fire. Today, he is being feted. In just 12 months, the 51-year-old lawyer and former U.S. senator raised by a single mother went from a beleaguered candidate for re-election -- his record and signature health care law under daily attack by Republican rivals -- to being the first Democrat to win more than 50% of a presidential vote twice since Franklin D. Roosevelt. Now the nation's first African-American president is CNN's Most Intriguing Person of 2012, as voted on by readers of CNN.com, five days after being named Time's Person of the Year.

US-Malala-CNN-Most-Intriguing-2012

The Pakistani teen blogger simply sought to get an education. But Malala Yousufzai, 15, an outspoken critic of the Taliban, became a symbol of defiance against militants, empowering young women worldwide. CNN.com readers voted her as the second-most intriguing person of 2012, days after she was short-listed for Time's Person of the Year. U.S. President Barack Obama came first in both lists.

US-Americans-Syria-Poll

Most Americans are concerned about the bloody civil war raging in Syria, but according to a new national survey a majority of the public opposes direct U.S. involvement in the fighting.

POLITICS

POL-Fiscal-Cliff

Call it a bigger, bolder version of the deadline-driven congressional stalemates over taxes and spending that have come to define Washington dysfunction of the past two years. The latest edition of political "blinksmanship" pits President Barack Obama and Democrats against Speaker John Boehner and Republicans on the fiscal cliff -- automatic tax increases for everyone and deep spending cuts including the military that will trigger in the new year without an agreement. With neither side showing any sign of blinking, however, the battlefield likely shifts to the Senate this week after GOP disarray in the House stymied any progress before Christmas.

POL-Idaho-senator-DUI-arrest

U.S. Sen. Michael Crapo, R-Idaho, was arrested early Sunday morning in Alexandria, Virginia, and charged with driving under the influence, according to the town's police department.

POL-Kennedy-Senate

After giving it serious consideration, Ted Kennedy Jr. has decided not to run for Massachusetts' soon-to-be open seat in the U.S. Senate.

POL-George-HW-Bush-Condition

Former President George Herbert Walker Bush will spend Christmas in a Houston, Texas, hospital despite doctors' hopes last week he could be home by the holiday, his spokesman told CNN.