Crowds Gather in Bethlehem for Christmas

Սուրբ Ծննունդ, Բեթխեհեմ

 

Large crowds have begun to gather in the biblical town of Bethlehem for Christmas Eve celebrations.

Hundreds of tourists packed the town’s Manger Square to enjoy the cool, sunny weather ahead of celebrations on Tuesday evening. The nearby Church of the Nativity sits on the spot where tradition says Jesus was born.

The number of visitors remains below the levels of the late 1990s, when Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts were at their height. Following the outbreak of a Palestinian uprising in 2000, the numbers plunged.

 

 

Սուրբ Ծննունդ, Բեթխեհեմ

But thanks to a period of relative calm, they have been steadily climbing in recent years — and are expected to get an extra push this year thanks to the resumption of peace talks.

Palestinian Tourism Minister Rula Maayah says the Palestinians “deserve to have peace.”

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Popes Francis and Benedict meet to exchange Christmas greetings

Pope Francis made a Christmas visit to Pope Emeritus Benedict on Monday and said he found his 86-year-old predecessor looking well, according to television footage released by the Vatican.

Francis, who was elected in March, spent about 30 minutes with Benedict in an ex-convent on the Vatican grounds where the former pope has been living in near isolation.

Photos released by the Vatican newspaper show the two men, dressed in identical white robes save for Francis’ cape, chatting in a sitting room inside Benedict’s retirement home during the visit Monday.

They also prayed together in the adjoining chapel.

Television footage released by the Vatican – only the fourth time Benedict has been filmed since his resignation – showed him looking alert and in better health than on previous occasions.

Since Benedict’s retirement in February, the two men have met only once publicly, for an official Vatican ceremony in July.

Can you be DUI in a sleigh? Santa and his assistant come to grief after crashing into a wall during drunken sled ride through town

ձմեռ պապ

 

Father Christmas and his helper are facing drink driving charges after they careered round a Polish town in a sleigh and smashed into a brick wall.

The 51-year-old Santa actor and his 31-year-old female helper lost control of their horse in the middle of a market in a busy high street of Ustrzykach Dolnych.

 

Santa- Ustrzykach Dolnych1

Police say they are looking at pressing charges against the pair, who were supposed to be greeting children anxious to prove how ‘nice’ they had been this year.

The pair had been singing carols and waving at passers-by when a passing car beeped at them.

The noise startled their horse, which reared up, sending them flying into the road.

The pair were taken to local hospital suffering from concussion.

Police spokesman Dorota Glazowska said: ‘Technically, they were drunk while in charge of a vehicle on the road.’

 

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Want people to be nicer to you? STOP wearing deodorant: Bad body odour makes others more generous and supportive

Մարմնի տհաճ հոտ

 

Sharing a desk or spending time with someone who smells is usually best avoided, yet it could make you more compassionate.

Research has found that bad body odour is commonly associated with vulnerability, which triggers feelings of concern in others.

This means people tend to increase their level of co-operation when dealing with someone who smells bad because they feel sorry for them.

Lead author Jeroen Camps and colleagues, from the university KU Leuven in Belgium, said: ‘Scents are omnipresent in our daily world and they are of great importance as represented by the use of perfumes or fragrances in the work environment.’
‘Even though it has been argued that bad scents invoke negative judgments, we argued and demonstrated that a bad body odour elicits feelings of pity in others and increases prosocial behaviour.’

This can include underarm sweat, smelly feet, bad breath or other foul-smelling odours.

The research, published online in the Journal of Applied Social Psychology, involved several experiments.

 

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Wing of British Airways plane apparently clips brick building

A British Airways plane was damaged while taxiing at a South African airport Sunday, the company said.

“The 182 customers disembarked safely and there were no reported injuries onboard the aircraft,” spokesman Philip Allport said in a statement.

The statement did not detail how the Boeing 747 was damaged in Johannesburg, but photos on social media sites show the right wing of a plane apparently collided into a brick building.

British Airways said it has launched an investigation and is assisting the independent South African Civil Aviation Authority on the case.

Israel’s Parliament Bans Christmas Tree Display

Իսրայել, խորհրդարան,տոնածառ

 

The office of the speaker of Israel’s parliament says he has rejected a Christian lawmaker’s request to publically display a Christmas tree in the building.

Eran Sidis, a spokesman for Yuli Edelstein, said Monday that the speaker rejected yesterday’s request, but said the parliamentarian could display a Christmas tree in his office and his party’s conference room.

Sidis denied the rejection was connected to Israel’s Jewish character. He said displaying the tree until Orthodox Christmas January 7 would be too long.

Hanna Swaid, a Christian opposition lawmaker from Israel’s Arab minority, said a Christmas tree would promote multiculturalism and freedom of religion.

There have been previous bans on public Christmas tree displays. The mayor of a Jewish town bordering Nazareth has previously refused them, though some Christians live there.

 

Indonesia Warns Local Chief Who Blocked Airport

օդանավ

 

The Indonesian government has warned a district chief who forced an eastern airport to close temporarily after he failed to get a ticket on a booked flight.

Ngada District head Marianus Sae ordered dozens of city security officers to block the runway of Turarelo airport on Flores island on Saturday, forcing a Merpati Nusantara Airlines plane to fly back to Kupang, the capital of East Nusatenggara province.

The closure lasted more than two hours. Transport Ministry spokesman Bambang Ervan said Sae was denied a ticket from Kupang because the flight was fully booked.

He described the closure as unlawful and could harm the safety.

Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi deeply regretted the incident and issued a warning to the district chief.

 

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Chinese Vineyard Owner Dies in Bordeaux Crash

French authorities say a Chinese magnate, his 12-year-old son and two others died in a helicopter crash as they toured Bordeaux vineyards the businessman had recently purchased.

Vincent Corbel of the regional gendarme service said Monday that emergency workers recovered the boy’s body and most of the helicopter from the Dordogne River, but are still searching for the others. He said the reason for the Friday night crash is unclear.

Corbel said the former owner of the Chateau de la Riviere vineyards, James Gregoire, owned the helicopter and appeared to have been piloting it.

Lam Kok, who headed Hong Kong-based company Brilliant Group, drew attention in the French media when he bought the chateau, one of a string of Chinese purchases of French vineyards in recent years.

Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters march in Bangkok

Tens of thousands of anti-government protesters took to the streets of Thailand’s capital Sunday, some surrounding the home of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, whom they want to oust.

An estimated 90,000 protesters were marching in Bangkok, Lt. Gen. Paradon Patthanathabut, Thailand’s national security chief, told CNN. He said that number rose to 150,000 at the peak of the rally in the late afternoon.

He earlier said 10,000 had surrounded the premier’s home while she tours the northeast provinces. The demonstration there was later disbanded.

In a bid to cool tensions, Shinawatra dissolved the nation’s parliament earlier this month and called for new elections, to be held on February 2.

But the move has done little to appease anti-government protesters, who remained on the streets by the thousands.

The main opposition party, the Democrat Party, has said it will boycott the polls.

During the weeks of demonstrations, protesters have occupied various government offices. The rallies have been mostly peaceful, but there have also been deadly clashes between protesters and government supporters.

 

The Presidential Palace hosted numerous children from border villages of Armenia

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 Today, on the occasion of New Year and Holly Christmas, President Serzh Sargsyan and First Lady Rita Sargsyan at the Presidential Palace hosted children from a number of border villages of Armenia such as – Chambarak and Vahan villages of Gegharkunik marz, Khndzorut, Bardzrouni, Khachik, Sers villags of Vayots Dzor, Eraskh village of Ararat marz, Barekamavan, Berdavan, Dovegh, Baghis villages of Tavush marz – two hundred kids in total. In attendance of the little guests, the Christmas tree was lit up and festive events kicked off.

On behalf of Mrs. Rita Sargsyan and his own behalf, the President of Armenia warmly congratulated the participants of the event and all children on the occasion of New Year and Holly Christmas holidays and wished them all the best. “I wish you happiness, success; I wish that you – beloved kids of your parents, make them happy with your good learning performance, exemplary behavior, and greatest esteem towards your parents.

 

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I wish you all happy childhood, I wish you become good citizens of our country, active citizens, I wish you become successful persons, which first and foremost, dear children, requires good learning, diligence and, certainly, respect for the parents, elderly, and the country, “ President Serzh Sargsyan said. He also noted that he always wanted all children and young people to have the necessary opportunities to reveal their abilities and assured that the state is doing and will continue to do everything it can to create such opportunities.

Festive events for children will continue at Baghramian 26 also for two more days – December 24 and 25. Tomorrow, at the Presidential Palace hosted will be Armenian kids from Syria, children of fallen and disabled freedom fighters, children and grandchildren of the veterans and servicepersons of the Artsakh war, including those from the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, while on December 25 at the Presidential Palace will gather schoolchildren with excellent learning performance – almost 1000 children in total.

Children from the border villages have arrived to Yerevan yesterday, December 22 and before attending a festive event at the Presidential Palace they participated at the cultural program which was created particularly for them. They visited the Museum of History of Armenia, watched a performance at the H. Tumanian State Puppet Show Theater, and in the evening they participated at a festive New Year event organized at the Republic Square.

 

5021Festive events organized at the Presidential Palace on the eve of New Year have become a good tradition. Last year, hosted here were children aged 6-12 from the care and protection institutions (boarding schools and orphanages) as well as Armenian kids from Syria, schoolchildren with excellent learning performance, children and grandchildren of servicepersons and fallen freedom fighters.

5022

 

 

 

 

 

 

Swedish Christmas Goat Engulfed in Flames – Again

Շվեդիա, ամանորյա ծղոտե այծ

 

Vandals in Sweden have burned down for the 27th time a giant straw goat meant to symbolize Christmas spirit.

The 13-meter (43-foot) high and 3.6-ton heavy straw goat was engulfed in flames early Saturday after unidentified assailants attacked it in the Swedish town of Gavle, 150 kilometers (90 miles) north of Stockholm.

Շվեդիա, ամանորյա ծղոտե այծ

The straw goat is a centuries-old Scandinavian yule symbol that preceded Santa Claus as the bringer of gifts.

Since 1966, when the tradition of erecting the giant straw goat in the town square was introduced, Vandals have burnt it down 27 times.

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Here come the brides: Mass wedding in Nigeria sees 1,000 Muslim couples tie the knot

Նիգերիա,պսակադրություն, մահմեդական զույգ

 

More than 1,000 Muslim couples tied the knot at a mass wedding Thursday in Nigeria’s second city of Kano, part of a government programme aimed at promoting stable families.

The elaborate event at the city’s central mosque included 1,111 previously divorced women and an equal number of men, many of whom had also been married before.

The mass wedding programme was launched last year by the state government and sharia police, or Hisbah, who enforce Islamic law, in response to what officials have described as a divorce epidemic.

Hisbah chief Aminu Daurawa said the programme has arranged 4,461 marriages over the last 18 months.

Under the match-making programme, the state government pays the traditional bride price, provides brides with furniture and seed money to start a small business.

 

Pope sends out 2,000 Christmas packages to Rome immigrants containing phone cards and a free day’s Metro travel

Պապ, ներգաղթյալներ,ամանորյա նվերներ

 

Pope Francis has given Christmas packages to 2,000 immigrants at a shelter near the Vatican.

The package included a Christmas card signed by the Pope, postage stamps, a pre-paid international calling card, and a free day travel card for the Rome metro.

She added that Benedict XVI had also reached out to those in need through various initiatives, in ways that were never publicized by the Holy See’s Press Office, reported the Catholic News Agency.

Meanwhile Pope Francis has made an amateur video praising the world’s ‘cartoneros’ – the poor people who pick through garbage to find recyclable and reusable goods.

He says their work is dignified and good for the environment.

 

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Report: Woman gives 19 students poisoned yogurt

yogurtNineteen school children in central China were hospitalized this week after consuming yogurt laced with poison, China’s state run news agency Xinhua reported.

Among the sick children, three were in serious condition, the agency reported. But none of the victims suffered life threatening injuries, the agency reported.

The incident occurred Wednesday at a school in Hunan province, the news agency reported. A 34-year old woman has been detained and accused of placing rat poison and herbicide in the yogurt, Xinhua reported.

Indonesian Muslims Protest Christmas in Aceh

Ինդոնեզիա,մահմեդական, ցույց , Սուրբ ծննդյան տոնակատարություն

A group of Muslims has protested against Christmas and New Year celebrations in Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province.

About 70 protesters took part in the protest Friday at the governor’s office and at a hotel in the provincial capital, Banda Aceh.

The protest came days after an influential Islamic clerics’ organization, the Ulema Consultative Assembly, issued an edict prohibiting Muslims in the city from offering Christmas wishes or celebrating New Year’s Eve.

The protesters called on authorities to ban the celebrations, claiming they are prohibited by Islam.

Aceh at the northern tip of Sumatra is the only province in predominantly Muslim Indonesia that is allowed to implement a version of Islamic Sharia law.

 

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Spain to Present New Restrictive Abortion Law

Մարիանո Ռախոյ

 

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy says his government is about to approve an abortion law that rolls back current legislation permitting the procedure without restrictions until the 14th week. The proposal limits pregnancy terminations to exceptional circumstances, such as when the mother or fetus is in danger.

Rajoy said in Brussels on Friday the reform was an electoral promise and that it would essentially restore abortion limits that were in place in 1985.

The bill being considered at a Cabinet meeting was expected to once again allow abortion only in the case of rape or when there is a health risk. Certain fetal deformities may also be accepted as justification.

The bill has been opposed by most opposition parties and women’s groups across the country.

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The bride wore NOTHING: Nudist activists arrested as they marry in San Francisco with – surprise surprise – no clothes on

Սան Ֆրանցիսկո, մերկ ամուսնություն

 

A bride and groom have been arrested as they tied the knot after stripping naked in the street to campaign against San Francisco’s ban on public nudity.

Police swooped on ex-stripper turned activist Gypsy Taub, 44, and groom Jamyz Smith, 20, within a few minutes of them exchanging vows.

According to SFGate.com, she told the gathered congregation: ‘This is a protest against the nudity ban as much as it is a wedding.’

 

nude wedding1

The couple had derobed outside San Francisco City Hall after a yearlong campaign to highlight what they believe is a draconian restriction on their ability to be naked in public.

Officers from the local police department wrapped the newly wed couple into blanks and bundled them into separate vans as they shared a dance on the pavement during the service yesterday.

According to a law enacted by the Board of Supervisors in 2012 bans public nudity on streets, sidewalks and transit stations and vehicles.

It makes exceptions for young children and participants in parades and fairs that have received permits.

Taub was later issued a citation and released provided that she put the gown back on.

 

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Father doused in petrol sets himself alight at St Peter’s Square in Vatican City while clutching piece of paper with his daughter’s phone number

Vatican City1

 

A man doused his body with gasoline and set himself on fire in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City this morning, officials said.

The motive behind the self-immolation is not yet known, except that the unnamed man carried a piece of paper with the phone number of his daughter.

The 51-year-old man was ablaze in the square when a passing Jesuit priest ran to his aid to smother the flames with a jacket.

The priest was later joined by two police officers who used a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze.

The unnamed man was treated at a nearby hospital and transferred to a larger one, with serious burns to the upper part of his body.

The attack took place the day after Pope Francis held his final public audience of the year in St Peter’s Square.

 

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Spain Fines Google $1.2 Million Over Privacy Laws

Google-Corp

 

Spain’s data protection agency says it has fined search engine giant Google 900,000 euros ($1.2 million) for three serious breaches of the country’s laws.

The agency says in a statement that it was imposing a fine of 300,000 euros for each breach, and requesting that Google comply with the law without delay.

Thursday’s statement says Google collects and processes personal information illegally, that it combines personal information for purposes that are “not determined clearly” and that personal data is stored and maintained “for indeterminate periods of time.”

Data watchdogs in France, Britain, Germany, Italy, Netherlands and Spain have said Google needs to provide additional guarantees to comply with national privacy protection rules in each of those countries.

Marisa Toro, Google’s spokesperson in Spain, said the company was studying the statement.

 

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Brad Pitt Is ‘Not Doing Anything for’ His 50th Birthday, Source Says

Բրեդ Փիթ, 50-ամյակ

Brad Pitt apparently did not prepare anything special to celebrate his birthday. According to an Us Weekly report, the star who turned 50 on December 18 was busy filming his action movie “Fury” and was not really interested in celebrating the milestone.

“He’s not doing anything for it and he said he doesn’t want any surprises,” a source said. The actor apparently was self-conscious about turning 50. “He really doesn’t want to talk about his birthday much,” the source added.

According to the source, Pitt will celebrate his birthday with Angelina Jolie and their children Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Vivienne and Knox in Australia. “Brad said he’s going to celebrate his birthday this weekend in Australia. That’s going to be the only thing he does,” the source explained, adding that the family would not be at home for the holidays. “They’re used to celebrating wherever they’re working.”

Pitt is currently working on the World War II flick in London. The source said that the project had been draining, but it was “worth it.” The source commented, “The film is going to be amazing.”

 

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