The FTSE 100 fell today after the release of a report from the Bank of England. The bank’s Financial Policy Committee released its latest report on October 26th, which contained warnings about the potential risks to the UK economy posed by Brexit. The FTSE 100 dropped by 0.4% in response to this news, with many investors worried that a hard Brexit could be coming in 2021.
The Christmas season is almost upon us once again. The shops are full of festive decorations and Christmas trees are being erected in town centres across the country. It’s a time of year when families come together to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and enjoy the festive season together. However, there is more to this celebration than just putting up decorations and singing songs around the tree. This tradition has been around for over 1,000 years and has evolved over time.
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. The 25th December marks his birthday according to both Christian and pagan traditions. It’s a time when people give gifts to each other, decorate their homes with tinsel and lights, eat mince pies and drink hot chocolate with marshmallows.
“In the beginning was the Word.”
“And the Word was with God.”
“And God said let there be light.”
“And there was light.”
“Genesis 1:1-4”
Christmas, also known as Christmas Day or simply as Christmas, is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. It is celebrated on December 25th in most countries around the world. The date of Christmas varies from year to year because it is calculated by the Gregorian calendar, which is a solar calendar. As a result, it falls on different dates every year.
The date of December 25th was first used to celebrate Christmas by Pope Julius I in 350 AD. He chose this date because it was exactly nine months after March 25th, which was the day that Roman Emperor Constantine had declared that Christianity would be tolerated in his empire.
“Jesus”, meaning “God saves”, was born during Roman rule over Judea and Galilee. His birth came about when his mother Mary (also known as Maryam) was engaged to Joseph but before they were married.
“Jesus”, born around 6BCE, grew up in Nazareth with his family. He became an important figure for Christians and Muslims alike because he preached about love and peace for all people.
“Jesus”, born circa 4BCE, had many followers who believed he could perform miracles such as healing sick people and walking on water. Some followers believed he could even raise people from the dead.
“Jesus”, born circa 2BCE, was executed by crucifixion at age 33 due to political tensions between Jews and Romans. Before dying he said: “Forgive them Father for they know not what they do.”
The North Sea has been a vital part of the UK economy since the 1960s. But it’s also one of the most dangerous places to work in the world. The Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy says more than 1,000 people have died there over the last 50 years. It’s estimated that over half of those deaths were due to drowning.
But while there have been improvements in safety standards, particularly since 2010, many offshore workers still feel vulnerable.
The Dixie Chicks are one of the most popular country music groups in history. Their debut album Wide Open Spaces sold more than 10 million copies and they have won five Grammy Awards. But the group hasn’t always been so well-liked. In 2003, lead singer Natalie Maines made a comment about President George W. Bush that led to her being banned from country radio stations across America and becoming a target for death threats.
On March 10th, 2003, the Dixie Chicks were performing at an anti-war concert in London with activist group Voices in the Wilderness when lead singer Natalie Maines told the crowd: “Just so you know, we’re on the good side with y’all. We do not want this war, this violence; we are ashamed that [President] George Bush is from Texas.” The comment sparked outrage among country music fans across America and led to major controversy for The Dixie Chicks.
At first glance it might seem like a silly reason to be angry at a band for their political opinions. After all, there is nothing wrong with speaking your mind and voicing your concerns about something you believe is unjust or unfair.
“But it wasn’t just Natalie Maines’ opinion that got people upset,” says musician Billie Joe Armstrong.
“Natalie said it while performing overseas in front of an audience who didn’t vote for President Bush,” he explains.
“She was effectively telling her American fans who voted for him that they were wrong.”
In short: Americans were angry because Natalie Maines said something while overseas that she wouldn’t have been able to say if she’d been back home in Texas (or anywhere else where there are plenty of conservative voters). They felt like she should have respected President Bush regardless of whether or not they agreed with him politically.
“I think it’s important to remember how strong feelings can be about politics,” says author Michael J. Mooney.
“People can feel very passionate about their beliefs on either side.”
A bomb scare at Manchester City’s stadium, the Etihad Stadium, led to the postponement of their Premier League match against Brentford on October 27th. The news broke just before kick-off, and it was later confirmed that the game had been canceled after a suspicious package was found in the stadium. With so much money and prestige on the line, it’s not surprising that Man City fans were furious with this news. However, there are some people who think that the game should have gone ahead.
The match between Man City and Brentford was supposed to be played at 7:45pm UK time on October 27th. It was scheduled to be broadcast on Sky Sports as well as NBCSN in America. However, shortly before kick-off, police confirmed that they were investigating a “suspicious package” inside of the stadium.
It later emerged that this package contained a fake bomb left by pranksters who wanted to test security for next year’s Commonwealth Games which will be held in Manchester. A member of staff found the package in one of three toilets inside of the ground and immediately reported it to police.
Following an evacuation of all 76,000 fans from inside of Etihad Stadium, police conducted a controlled explosion on the package. No arrests were made and no injuries were reported.
Christmas is a religious holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25th every year, which marks the day that Jesus was born in Bethlehem around 2,000 years ago. Christmas has been celebrated since at least the 4th century, when St Augustine wrote about it in his book The City of God. However, some historians argue that Christmas celebrations started earlier than this.
Christmas is a religious holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25th every year, which marks the day that Jesus was born in Bethlehem around 2,000 years ago. However, many people choose to celebrate Christmas on December 25th because it falls during the coldest time of year and it’s likely to be snowing! It’s also important to note that most people think Santa Claus gives presents on Christmas Day and not Easter Sunday.
Flamingos have become synonymous with pink, but that’s not the only colour they come in. The iconic birds can also be seen in shades of white and grey. However, flamingos are pink because of the food they eat, which is made up of shrimp and algae. The pigments in these foods make the birds’ feathers a bright shade of pink.
The pigment that makes flamingos turn pink is called carotenoids. These compounds are found in a variety of sources, including carrots and tomatoes. While flamingos get their carotenoids from shrimp and algae, other animals get theirs from different sources.
Faul Ne Demek, or “no reason” in Turkish, is a strange disease that has recently swept across Europe. The virus causes those infected to feel an overwhelming urge to say “no reason” every time they are asked why they did something. The illness is believed to have originated in Turkey and spread rapidly through the continent thanks to its catchy name and simple message.
The name of the virus itself is not what caused it to become such a widespread issue. Rather, it was the way that it spread from person to person that made Faul Ne Demek so popular. When someone asks someone else why they did something, and that person responds with “no reason” rather than giving a real answer, they themselves will be infected with Faul Ne Demek.
This cycle can continue indefinitely until someone either gives a real answer or simply says no reason when asked why they did something. So far, there have been few instances where this cycle has been broken without drastic measures.
The Minnesota State Legislature has voted to change the state’s flag in time for the centennial of the existing design. The new design, however, has raised some eyebrows.
The legislature approved a bill on October 25th that would replace the current flag with one that features a blue background with a large white star and “L’Étoile du Nord” (French for “the Star of the North”) written in gold. The current flag was adopted in 1893 and features a red field with an emblem featuring a Native American on horseback holding an olive branch and a peace pipe over his head. Supporters of changing the flag say that it is outdated and does not represent Minnesota’s modern identity.
