Bomb Detonates at Philippines Catholic Church

Sixteen people were wounded in an explosion at a Catholic church on Christmas eve in the Philippines. A grenade detonated outside of a Christmas eve mass service on the island of Mindanao, Reuters reports. Midsayap town police Chief Bernardo Tayong reportedly said most of the injured were standing outside the church at the time of the blast. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attack. The U.S. embassy in Manila has advised citizens against visiting some islands in the nation because of recent bombing and kidnapping threats. Police in Australia and Indonesia reported that they foiled some attempted bomb plots ahead of the holiday weekend.