Today on The World: More economic woes for recession-hit Japan; Descending into a dark and dangerous coal mine in Ukraine; and what you can learn from loneliness.

We close our program this Christmas Day with a carol from a small village in Ireland. The song is called "The Darkest Midnight" and is performed by Irish singer Cara Dillon.

Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre is said to be where Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead. This holy site is now being fought over by a half dozen Christian denominations. Irris Makler reports.

Today's Geo Quiz is designed to give listeners a few moments' respite from winter's chill. The answer is Haiti. Anchor Lisa Mullins has details.

The Christmas carol "O Come All Ye Faithful" may contain a hidden political message. We hear from a professor in the UK about the coded meaning, which he says was to be understood by rebel English Catholics in the 18th Century.

We asked some prominent people to tell us about the books that have meant the most to them in their lives. Among those we hear from are opera singer Plácido Domingo, writer Pico Iyer, and astronaut Bill Anders.

Nobel Prize-winning British playwright Harold Pinter has died at the age of seventy-eight. Anchor Lisa Mullins recalls his life and career.

Environmentalists in Europe want to reduce the carbon footprint of the holidays. They're promoting the purchase of locally grown Christmas trees. The World's Gerry Hadden reports from Prague.

Anchor Lisa Mullins finds out what's typically served at the Christmas table in the African nation of Kenya. She speaks with Binyavanga Wainaina, author, journalist and African food fanatic, who currently teaches at Williams College in Massachusetts.

Four years ago, a deadly tsunami struck Indonesia, killing more than 200,000 people. Hardest hit was the province of Aceh. Reporter Jocelyn Ford revisits the area and updates us on what life is like today, especially for one survivor.

Darmawatis and her daugher in 2005 after the tsunami (left) and in 2008 (right)