Iraq has made Christmas Day a national holiday, its government confirmed this morning. The Iraqi Cabinet approved an amendment to its national holidays law which creates a new official one 'on the occasion of the birth of Jesus Christ'. Previously, Christmas Day had been designated as a religious break only for the Iraqi Christian community, but the amendment extends the holiday to everyone. Iraq - a 95 per cent Muslim country - has made Christmas Day a nationwide holiday for all'Happy Christmas to our Christian citizens, all Iraqis and to all who are celebrating around the world,' the Iraqi government wrote on Twitter. Catholics joined together to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ at St George Chaldean Church in Baghdad.

Source: Daily Mail December 25, 2018 10:20 UTC