A DAY IN A MANGER This is why we celebrate Christmas on December 25… and it’s not because that’s when Jesus was born

The nativity didn't take place in December at all

EVERY year, on Christmas day, Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus and churches all over the country tell the nativity story.

We have celebrated Christmas on this date since the fourth century
It turns out that is pretty unlikely – and he was probably born in the spring or autumn.

In fact, no one knows the exact date of the birth, and the bible doesn’t specify a date.

The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine - the first Christian Roman Emperor.

A few years after that, Pope Julius I officially declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated then.

The birth of Jesus was unlikely to have been in December

The reason for the choice of December 25 goes back to an ancient belief that prophets died on the same date they were conceived.

Believing Jesus died on March 25, early theologians pinpointed that as the date of the annunciation, when Mary was told she would have the baby.

December 25 is nine months after that and was, therefore, chosen as the birth date.

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We throw out a third of all food we grow

In US and Canada, around 40% of leftovers are discarded

Washington: Globally, we throw out about 1.3 billion tonnes of food a year, or a third of all the food that we grow.
That’s important for at least two reasons. The less the world wastes, the easier it will be to meet the food needs of the global population in coming years. Second, cutting back on waste could go a long way to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

How do we manage to waste so much?

Food waste is a glaring measure of inequality. In poor countries, most of the food waste is on the farm or on its way to market. In South Asia, for instance, half of all the cauliflower that’s grown is lost because there’s not enough refrigeration, according to Rosa Rolle, an expert on food waste and loss at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation.

Why is recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital so contentious?

Of all the issues at the heart of the enduring conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, none is as sensitive as the status of Jerusalem. The holy city has been at the centre of peace-making efforts for decades.

Seventy years ago, when the UN voted to partition Palestine into Jewish and Arab states, Jerusalem was defined as a separate entity under international supervision. In the war of 1948 it was divided, like Berlin in the cold war, into western and eastern sectors under Israeli and Jordanian control respectively. Nineteen years later, in June 1967, Israel captured the eastern side, expanded the city’s boundaries and annexed it – an act that was never recognised internationally.

Israel routinely describes the city, with its Jewish, Muslim and Christian holy places, as its “united and eternal” capital. For their part, the Palestinians say East Jerusalem must be the capital of a future independent Palestinian state. The unequivocal international view, accepted by all previous US administrations, is that the city’s status must be addressed in peace negotiations.

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J                                    ayalalithaa in a hospitalbed.

Jonghyun: Funeral held for K-pop star and Shinee member

A private funeral service is being held for Korean superstar Jonghyun, who took his own life last week aged 27.
Jonghyun, whose real name was Kim Jong-hyun, was the lead singer of one of the biggest K-pop groups, Shinee.

His death has sparked waves of grief among the global K-pop community - hundreds of fans have paid tribute at the hospital where his body was held.

A note believed to have been sent by him to a friend spoke of his struggles with depression and fame.
It said he was "broken from the inside" and that "the life of fame was never meant for me".

Fish sex so loud it could deafen dolphins

A species of Mexican fish amasses in reproductive orgies so loud they can deafen other sea animals, awed scientists said Wednesday, calling for preservation of the "spectacle" threatened by overfishing.
An individual spawning Gulf corvina, said the research team, utters a mating call resembling "a really loud machine gun", with multiple, rapid sound pulses.

And when hundreds of thousands of fish get together to spawn once a year, "the collective chorus sounds like a crowd cheering at a stadium or perhaps a really loud beehive," study co-author Timothy Rowell from the University of San Diego told AFP.

"The sound levels generated by chorusing is loud enough to cause at least temporary if not permanent hearing loss in marine mammals that were observed preying on the fish," he said.

Rowell and colleague Brad Erisman of the University of Texas used specialised underwater sound gear to eavesdrop on spawning Gulf corvina, a popular eating fish.

Each spring, all adults of the species migrate to a single site -- the Colorado River Delta in the northernmost part of Mexico's Gulf of California -- for what scientists call a "spawning aggregation" that can number into the low millions.

The frenzy sees all the world's adult corvinas gathered in less than one percent of their usual home range for a few weeks.

During this time, male corvinas emit calls that reverberate through the hulls of fishing boats, and can be heard even above water -- drawing in the fishers.

Sunny Leone declines to perform in Bengaluru

Says safety is more important
Actor Sunny Leone has finally spoken out about the controversy surrounding her performance in the city on New Year’s eve. Taking to social media on Tuesday, she said she will not perform in Bengaluru, as safety is more important.

The police had announced that permission will not be given to the event, proposed to be held in Manyata Tech Park.

Earlier, activists of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Yuva Sene had protested against Ms. Leone’s participation in the New Year’s eve party, even threatening ‘mass suicide’ if she were to perform.
However, the police maintained that their decision to deny permission for the event had nothing to do with the protest and was taken keeping law and order concerns in mind, as most of the police personnel would be deployed on bandobast duty on that day.

Malaysia and Sri Lanka to enhance cooperation in many fields

President Maithripala Sirisena and the visiting Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak agreed to expand existing close cooperation in many fields including trade and investment, agriculture, science and technology including nano and bio technology, e-commerce, e-courts, international forums, military training, diplomatic training and intelligence exchange to curb drugs and human smuggling.

Three agreements were signed after the bilateral talks held between the two leaders, in which, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and number of Malaysian and Sri Lankan ministers also participated. The bilateral meeting was held at the Presidential Secretariat, today (18).

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50 Chinese couples marry in Sri Lanka in mass ceremony.

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) - Clad in traditional Chinese, Western and Sri Lankan costumes, 50 Chinese couples were married at a mass ceremony in Sri Lanka's capital on Sunday to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and to promote the island nation as a tourist destination.

The ceremony in Colombo was attended by Sri Lankan politicians and diplomats from both nations. A number of Chinese nationals attended as well.

Soon after the couples arrived in decorated cars, the ceremony began with traditional Sri Lankan drummers and dancers blowing conch shells as a symbol of auspiciousness and performing a welcome dance.

President says will request Putin to withdraw tea ban

President Maithripala Sirisena said today that he would make an official request from Russian President Vladimir Putin to withdraw the temporary ban on Sri Lanka tea imports.

The Russian Federation on Thursday announced that tea imports from Sri Lanka had been banned due to the detection of a single specimen of the agricultural pest, the beetle Trogoderma Granarium in the packaging material of a consignment of tea shipped from Sri Lanka.

Anushka, Virat enjoy honeymoon in ‘heaven’

Couple post a picture from unknown snowy destination

Newly wed actress Anushka Sharma and star cricketer Virat Kohli are currently enjoying their honeymoon amidst snowcapped mountains — but won’t say where.

Sharma on Friday shared a selfie with Kohli.

Is Ram Setu, The Land Bridge Connecting India And Sri Lanka, Manmade? Science Channel Says Yes

There are stones that have been brought from far and set on top of the sand bar in the island chain.

Is Ram Setu, the land bridge connecting India and Sri Lanka, manmade or natural?
A new TV show by the Science Channel owned by Discovery Communications  claims that a scientific investigation into the structures forming Ram Setu, also called Adam’s Bridge, suggests that the ancient Hindu myth of Lord Ram building such a bridge could be true.

The show has used satellite images from NASA and quotes scientists and geologists from Indiana University Northwest, University of Colorado Boulder, and Southern Oregon University.
am Setu, between Pamban Island near Rameshwaram in India and Mannar Island off Sri Lanka is 50km long and has been in the centre of a controversy since the UPA-1government in 2005 proposed the Sethusamudram shipping canal project that would have required dredging the area. The project was opposed by the BJP-led NDA citing the mythologicalimportance of the bridge. It is believed that Ram Setu is the bridge built by Lord Ram with the help of a vanara sena to reach Sri Lanka to rescue his wife Sita from the Rakshasa king, Ravana.  
The UPA-I government had initially filed an affidavit in Supreme Court saying there was no evidence to prove that Ram Setu was a place of worship. It was later withdrawn.

Communists win Nepal’s first election under the new constitution

AFTER centuries of absolute monarchy followed by decades of chaos, Nepal is taking to democracy in a big way. Since May its people have voted into office 753 newly created local councils, seven new provincial assemblies and a 275-member national parliament. Counting is not quite done for those last two votes, run simultaneously over the past three weeks, but the winner is clear. A coalition of two ostensibly communist parties, the Unified Marxist Leninists (UML) and the Maoist Centre, looks set to control not just the national government but six of seven provinces.

The alliance was tapped to win after the Maoists abruptly ditched their erstwhile coalition partner in the outgoing government, the Nepali Congress, to join the UML. But the scale of the avalanche comes as a shock to the centrist and liberal Congress, which over the turbulent past quarter-century has served as the default party of government. The leftists captured 70% of the 165 seats allocated on a first-past-the-post (FPTP) basis, compared with a meagre 14% for Congress. (Calculations are still under way for the remaining 110 seats, which will be allotted proportionally.)

Fire Destroys Years of Research at 4,500-year-old Ventarron Site

The Ministry of Culture has requested a criminal investigation into the causes of a fire that has heavily damaged the pre-Inca site of Ventarron, outside the city of Chiclayo on the north coast in Lambayeque.

Conservation specialists from the Culture ministry have arrived at the site to assess the damage.  According to archaeologist Walter Alva, who discovered the magnificent burial site of the Lord of Sipan nearby almost 30 years ago,  years of research and excavation work have been lost.

Alva’s son Ignacio, also an archaeologist and working at the site, said pots and other artifacts more than 4,500 years old have also been destroyed or damaged.

entarron, an exceptional site, is the oldest architectural complex in northern Peru and includes the oldest mural painting discovered so far in the Americas.  The unusual mural, now blackened from the fire is painted in blacks and ochers and depicts a deer trapped in a net.

Saudi sovereign fund plans cinema venture with AMC Entertainment

Saudi Arabia’s main sovereign wealth fund said it planned to enter the cinema business with major U.S.-based movie exhibition company AMC Entertainment Holdings, as the conservative kingdom lifts a 35-year-old ban on cinemas.

“In line with the fund’s mandate to help unlock promising new sectors within the kingdom, PIF and AMC Entertainment will explore theatrical exhibition and related investment and partnership opportunities in Saudi Arabia,” the Public Investment Fund said.
Neither of the partners gave details of the business ventures which might arise from their non-binding memorandum of understanding.
The Saudi government announced on Monday that the first theaters could start showing films as early as March, part of a liberalizing reform drive that has opened the door to concerts, comedy shows and women drivers in the past year.

Can Rahul Gandhi revive India's Grand Old Party?

Rahul Gandhi's ascension to the leadership of India's 132-year-old Congress party comes at a time when it is struggling to stay relevant.

Mr Gandhi's appointment was confirmed on Monday, days after he filed his nomination papers for the post. There were no other contenders. He will officially take over on 16 December.

The Congress, the country's largest opposition party, won less than 20% of the popular vote in the seismic 2014 general elections which catapulted Narendra Modi's BJP to power. It secured just 44 - or 8% - of the 543 parliamentary seats in its worst performance ever.

Since then, the Congress has lost elections in half-a-dozen states, and is now in power in only two big states - Karnataka and Punjab - and three other smaller ones. Its prospects in two imminent state elections - Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh - look mixed.

Voters in cities and villages have deserted the party in droves - between 2009 and 2014, the Congress lost more than 9% of the popular vote, bleeding support across castes and minorities. "It is a party bereft of a social constituency of its own," says political scientist Suhas Palshikar.

The party has already gained the unenviable reputation of failing to make a comeback in states it loses.

Tamil Nadu, where the Congress last won an election in 1962, and West Bengal, where it hasn't been in power since 1977, are standout examples. Key states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, where the Congress lost in recent elections, appear to be going the same way.

At the next local government election, J, V, P functionality is another way.

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) had prescribed a code of ethics to be followed by all its candidates seeking to contest at the forthcoming local government elections.

Parliamentarian and the JVP Propaganda Secretary Vijitha Herath said it had been made mandatory for all candidates to adhere to this code of ethics to ensure an emergence of group that was well-disciplined and people and environmentally friendly.

Mixed marriages and their success formulae

I would describe our family as: ‘globetrotting,’ ‘entrepreneurial,’ and ‘sleep-deprived’.

My children’s unending energy comes from both cultures. From having a Finnish breakfast to an American dinner, the children are balanced in the middle. One of the advantages of raising children in a multi-cultural family is the understanding that there are many ways to do and to think about something, and being able to literally think about things in two ways. This starts with us as the parents learning from each other and then it is passed on to the kids.

“I would agree that being raised in a multicultural family makes a child more tolerant, open-minded and accepting of other cultures. Besides helping to create a richer environment at home, the blend of cultures creates a more accepting and curious attitude for things outside the home.

We have been gradually taking pieces from both our cultures and adding new traditions of our own as we go to create our own family culture.

There are double the holidays celebrated, traditions that need to merge, and cultural foods that I need to find ingredients for to make.

“We are also trying to figure out what curriculum our children will follow for their upcoming school. Our toddler understands both English and Finnish, but mainly speaks back in English, while our eight-month-old is cooing fluently in both languages.”

I would describe our family as: mosaic, dynamic, and interesting.

Raising children in a multicultural environment creates different scenarios that allow them to possess receptive minds towards any environment they find themselves in. I believe that tolerance is innate for children born in multicultural homes by default. Being raised in an interracial home also inculcates acceptance in children at a very young age, making them understand that there are different ways of living. It makes the children innovative and this can be observed in little things such as fabricating a dish by simply infusing both cultures in it or just incorporating one cultural dance move into another.

Sri Lanka accedes to the Optional Protocol

Dec 08, Colombo: Sri Lanka, as announced at the U.N Human Rights Council last month, has acceded to the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture to cooperate with international agencies in combating torture

he Secretary-General of the United Nations, acting in his capacity as depositary, announced that Sri Lanka acceded to the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment on 5th December 2017.

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Dubai government to build Mars Science City as part of mission to Mars

The government of Dubai has announced plans for the development of a vast 'space simulation development' in Dubai called Mars Science City, as part of Dubai's Mars 2117 Strategy, which seeks to build the first settlement on Mars in the next 100 years.

The AED 500 million-scheme, extending over 1.9m sq ft, will simulate conditions on the surface of the red planet, with heat and radiation insulation and walls which are 3D printed from desert sand.

The developers say the structure – consisting of a series of domes – will be one of the most sophisticated the world.

Mars Science City will have a museum displaying "humanity’s greatest space achievements", with educational areas to engage young people and inspire in them a passion for space, exploration and discovery.

Australian Parliament Approves Same-Sex Marriage

Australia's Parliament has voted to approve same-sex marriage following a protracted and often bitter debate that was finally settled in a nationwide referendum last month that overwhelmingly backed the move.

In the capital Canberra, applause welled up from the House gallery after the chamber on Thursday followed Australia's Senate in approving the Marriage Amendment Bill of 2017.
"What a day! What a day for love, for equality, for respect! Australia has done it," Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull said in a speech following the vote.

"It's time for more marriages, more commitment, more love, more respect," Turnbull said. "This belongs to us all. This is Australia — fair , diverse, loving and filled with respect for every one of us. This is a great day — it belongs to every Australian."

Australia's Attorney-General George Brandis described the vote as "a truly historic moment."

I tried to take my child to work with me in Japan – but I got thrown out -Yuka Ogata

Earlier this month, I decided to take my 7-month-old baby into the chamber of the Kumamoto municipal assembly because I believed it was the only way I could overcome the huge obstacles that had been placed in front of me as a working mother.

I saw it as my best chance to move forward with the policies I have devoted myself to ever since I became a councillor in my home city: to improve childcare provision and make Japan’s working environment more family friendly.

But almost none of the proposals I have made since I was elected two years ago have been accepted by the city.

After I discovered I was pregnant, I asked the assembly to support me so that I could look after my infant son and continue my job as a councillor. I asked for permission to breastfeed him in the chamber, or for daycare to be provided in the assembly building for the children of councillors, assembly staff and visitors.

But my proposals were turned down. Instead, I was told to resolve those issues myself. Once again, I came up against a mindset that supports the status quo and makes bringing up children in Japan very difficult.

Johnny Hallyday, Singer Known as the ‘French Elvis,’ Dies at 74

French rock star and actor Johnny Hallyday, who became the first Gallic singer to popularize rock ’n’ roll in France and sold over 110 million records during a music career spanning over half a century, has died, according to Agence France Presse. He was 74 and had been fighting cancer for several months.

Widely known as the “French Elvis,” Hallyday began his singing career at the end of the 1950s specializing in French-language cover versions of famous songs by artists like Gene Vincent, Eddie Cochrane and Elvis Presley — whose example inspired him to become a singer.

At the beginning of 1960 Hallyday released his first album, “Hello! Johnny.” The following year he performed at France’s first rock festival at the Palais des Sports in Paris, setting off a near-riot that led to a ban on rock ’n’ roll shows for several months.

Hallyday’s covers instantly proved a successful way for American rock ’n’ roll to infiltrate its way into France. He even gave the Jimi Hendrix Experience their very first gig as his opening act at the Paris Olympia in October 1966.

In later years he was clever enough to sustain his popularity and increase his cross-generational appeal by moving into emotive balladry in a career trajectory similar to that of Presley.

Jerusalem as new capital in Israels

                                     Capital if jerusalem
Officials in Washington confirm that Trump will recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and will order the embassy to be moved there.
Senior U.S. administration officials said in a briefing with reporters on Tuesday night that President Donald Trump will announced in a speech on Wednesday that he has decided not only to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in honor of Israel’s 70th Independence Day, but has also ordered to start the process of moving the American embassy to Jerusalem.

"The president will say that the United States recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel – it is recognition of the historical reality that Jerusalem has been the center of Jewish faith for thousands of years, and the reality today in which the government ministries, the Supreme Court and the central authorities are all located in the capital of Israel – Jerusalem," the officials said.
                                 Capital of Tel-aviv

"The second statement [in the speech] will be that the president ordered the State Department to begin the process of moving the embassy from its present location in Tel Aviv to a new location in Jerusalem," they continued.

United States and Sri Lanka Strengthen Trade and Transportation Partnership

December 5, Colombo:  On December 4, U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Atul Keshap and Secretary of Civil Aviation Mr. G. S. Withanage signed an agreement to amend the U.S.-Sri Lanka Open Skies Agreement of 2002 to facilitate the movement of cargo goods more efficiently and profitably.  The amendment strengthens global express delivery cargo networks, enhances bilateral connectivity and competitiveness, and facilitates economic growth and job creation.

“This amendment to our bilateral Open Skies Agreement further strengthens the robust and longstanding trade relationship between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said Ambassador Keshap.  “As Sri Lanka’s largest trading partner, the United States seeks economic growth that provides employment and opportunity for the citizens of both our nations.”

Cricketers vomiting after fielding in smoggy Delhi: Sri Lanka coach

Pollution stopped play Sunday in the third Test between India and Sri Lanka, and visiting coach Nic Pothas said the smog was so extreme that his players -- who took the extraordinary step of wearing face masks -- were "coming off the field and vomiting".

Concentrations of the smallest and most harmful airborne pollutants in Delhi, one of the world's most polluted capitals, hit 384 -- 15 times the World Health Organization maximum -- before returning to levels considered just "unhealthy", the US embassy website showed.

Play was halted for around 20 minutes at the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium as Sri Lankan fielders complained of health troubles and the umpires consulted the match referee and team doctors.

Play resumed but Sri Lanka protested twice more, with the visitors soon short on fielders as pacemen Lahiru Gamage and Suranga Lakmal returned to the pavilion.

Indian skipper Virat Kohli declared his first innings on 536 for seven to get the visiting fielders off the ground after the third stoppage.

India's powerful cricket board was less than impressed, accusing the visitors of making a fuss, and vowed to write to its Sri Lankan counterpart about the incident. But Pothas said his men were physically sick amid the "extremely high" pollution levels choking the ground.

Supermoon 2017: Did NASA lie? Shock claim Moon is only 4.7 miles from Earth

A slightly larger, brighter full moon will appear in the sky Sunday night

AS the supermoon 2017 prepares to rise on the horizon, it has been shockingly claimed that NASA hid the truth about the Moon from the world.

The December 3 full moon will reach its point of perigee tomorrow, approaching a distance of around 22,5744 miles from Earth.

But a bizarre video uploaded to YouTube by user RitchieFromBoston, purports to contain evidence that the Moon is much closer to Earth than that and is actually less than 4.7 miles away.

The conspiracy video kicks off with Mr Ritchie peddling theories about chemtrail sprays before shifting his attention to the Moon.

He said: “They’re lying to us. Do not believe NASA because they are lying about our entire origin.”

Claiming to use a Nikon P900 digital camera, he zooms in all the way on the Moon, exposing every bump and crater on its surface.

He said: “See this video that I’m taking right now? I am clearly in the daytime and am zooming in on the Moon.

“Let’s watch this again. In the daylight I am zooming right in on the Moon – no problem with a Nikon P900.

And I can zoom in even further than that, and I believe I will. There it is. You can literally see what looks to be stars shining right through it.”

Scientists develop world’s first artificial intelligence politician

Scientists have developed the world’s first artificial intelligence politician, that can answer a person’s queries regarding local issues such as policies around housing, education and immigration.

The virtual politician, called SAM, was created by Nick Gerritsen, a 49-year-old entrepreneur in New Zealand.

“There is a lot of bias in the ‘analogue’ practice of politics right now,” said Gerritsen.

“There seems to be so much existing bias that countries around the world seem unable to address fundamental and multiple complex issues like climate change and equality,” he said.

Hague Tribunal Probes Slobodan Praljak’s Courtroom Death

As Dutch prosecutors confirmed that Bosnian Croat military chief Slobodan Praljak took poison before he died, the Hague Tribunal launched an independent review to establish what went wrong at the UN court.

The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia on Friday launched its own independent review into the death of former Bosnian Croat military chief Slobodan Praljak, who swallowed poison in the courtroom after being sentenced to 20 years in prison.

The review will focus on “ICTY internal operations”, the UN court said.

It remains unclear how Praljak got access to the poison in the court.

“The review is mandated to undertake an assessment of relevant existing procedures as well as make any recommendations which may assist other courts in the future,” said a statement from the ICTY.

 

The outcome of the review will be made public, subject to due process and confidentiality considerations,” it added.

The probe will be led by Hassan B. Jallow, Chief Justice of The Gambia and former prosecutor at the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda and the Mechanism for International Criminal Tribunals.