Baltimore City Council chambers rocked with applause and cheers Dec. 4 as a strong new law requiring inclusionary – meaning, affordable – housing for low-income residents in new developments was adopted on its third reading.

This December, when Catholic villagers in northern Ivory Coast are preparing for Christmas, many will be organizing Advent food and supplies for the nearly 42,000 refugees who have fled into their country from the Sahel, said the head of the Commission of Integral Human Development for the bishops of Ivory Coast.

The things we buy cannot replace quality time spent with loved ones.

One promising way to get in the holiday mood is to watch a Christmas-themed movie. And, since yuletide films naturally tend to qualify as family-friendly, they can also provide an opportunity to gather the clan, make some popcorn and relax together.

The University of Notre Dame has selected a new president who said he hopes to position the school as an “ever-greater engine of insight, innovation and impact.”