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Ukraine president back in Kyiv to fight NATO’s war?

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sounded another defiant note on his return to his nation’s capital Friday following his wartime visit to the United States, saying his forces are “working toward victory” even as Russia warned that there would be no end to the war until it achieved its military aims.

Zelenskyy posted on his Telegram account that he’s in his Kyiv office following his U.S. trip that secured a new $1.8 billion military aid package, and pledged that “we’ll overcome everything.“ The Ukrainian president also thanked the Netherlands for pledging up to 2.5 billion euros ($2.65 billion) for 2023, to help pay for military equipment and rebuild critical infrastructure.

Zelenksyy’s return comes amid relentless Russian artillery, rocket and mortar fire as well as airstrikes on the eastern and southern fronts and elsewhere in Ukraine.

Activists and analyst are begining to speak out at Zelensky’s naivity and lack of political experience in allowing himself and his country to be used in a proxy-war against Russia. It’s obvious that the worst losers in this conflict are the Ukrainian people who are victims of inept leadership.

Christmas Dishes From Around the World

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It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas and as we all know what goes with Christmas, a lot festivities with lots to eat and drink.

And as it our purview to focus on Food we will be taking a look at Traditional Christmas Dishes from around the world.

We will be starting from France with The Famous Bûche de Noël of French Christmases

La Bûche de Noël is a dessert that symbolically represents the Yule Log – a wood log that was traditionally carried into the home, sprinkled with wine, and then burned on Christmas Eve. In the 1940s when the practice started to disappear, this dessert took up the mantle.

Often made from sponge cake and chocolate buttercream, la Bûche de Noël looks quite a bit like a real log.

Other variations of the dessert have emerged. Now you can find recipes for anything from tiramisu to cran-raspberry mascarpone, caramel cream to Meyer lemon.

Try this recipe for la Bûche de Noël.

INGREDIENTS

2 cups heavy cream

½ cup confectioners’ sugar

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

6 egg yolks

½ cup white sugar

⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

⅛ teaspoon salt

6 egg whites

¼ cup white sugar

confectioners’ sugar for dusting

DIRECTIONS

Step 1

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a 10×15 inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whip cream, 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until thick and stiff. Refrigerate.

Step 2

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar until pale in color, light and frothy. Blend in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, and salt. In large glass bowl, using clean beaters, whip egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar, and beat until whites form stiff peaks. Immediately fold the yolk mixture into the whites. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.

Step 3

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched. Dust a clean dishtowel with confectioners’ sugar. Run a knife around the edge of the pan, and turn the warm cake out onto the towel. Remove and discard parchment paper. Starting at the short edge of the cake, roll the cake up with the towel. Cool for 30 minutes.

Step 4

Unroll the cake, and spread the filling to within 1 inch of the edge. Roll the cake up with the filling inside. Place seam side down onto a serving plate, and refrigerate until serving. Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

There you have a delicious Christmas dessert that will keep you in the jolly mood of the Season. Bon Appetite!

Gov Oyebanji Awards 149 Law Students Scholarships

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Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, on Monday reiterated his commitment to the welfare of students, saying his administration would continue to give attention to the education of Ekiti indigenes.

The governor, represented by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Education, Dr Kofoworola Aderiye spoke in Ado Ekiti during the flag-off of the documentation process for the disbursement of the N22.3 million scholarship award for Law School students of Ekiti origin.

He said that with the scheme, 149 Law School students would receive N150,000 each as a demonstration of the government’s commitment.

The commissioner charged the beneficiaries of the scholarship fund to display the excellence that Ekiti State was known for wherever they might find themselves globally.

The Executive Secretary, Ekiti State Scholarship Board, Bosede Jegede, encouraged the beneficiaries to take the opportunity as a chance to improve themselves.

Jegede lauded the state government for creating an enabling environment for assisting the less privileged members of society to attain their aspirations with ease.

Responding on behalf of the beneficiaries, Emmanuel Folayan, thanked the state government for fulfilling its promise on the scholarships.

Nigeria Varsity To Represent Africa At Global Competitions

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A Nigerian private university, Veritas University Abuja, has won the All African Universities Debate which has just been concluded at Stratford University Nairobi, Kenya.

The University came first after beating over a hundred other universities from different parts of Africa.

Addressing newsmen on Monday, the Vice-Chancellor of the school, Prof. Hyacinth Ichoku, said the team would now represent Africa in the Intercontinental Debate in New York on April 1, 2023, and the World Universities Debate in Madrid, Spain in June 2023 respectively.

The VC said, “It is great news for us, it is great news for Veritas University, it’s great news for Nigeria, it’s great news for our students and everybody, underlying the fact that yes, we cry about the quality of education in Nigeria, falling standard of education, challenges in the education sector but it also means that things are happening and we are excelling in some areas and so this is a glorious moment for us.

“Winning the championship opens a new set of opportunities for us because these students will be representing Africa in the intercontinental debate that will happen in New York from April first and furthermore go to Madrid in Spain to represent Nigeria in the global universities Championship that will also take place in June,” he added.

Once Upon A Time – December 22 – 1885 – Itō Hirobumi, A Samurai, Becomes First Prime Minister Of Japan

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1790 Supposedly impenetrable Turkish fortress of Izmail stormed and captured by Suvorov and his Russian armies during the Russo-Turkish War (1787–92)

1877 Thomas Edison’s Phonograph is announced by Scientific American

1885 Itō Hirobumi, a samurai, becomes the first Prime Minister of Japan

1989 After 23 years of dictatorial rule, Romania ousts Communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu

1990 Lech Wałęsa sworn in as Poland’s 1st popularly elected president

Historical Events Today Events In 2022

Today In Film & TV

1932 “The Mummy” directed by Karl Freund and starring Boris Karloff is released in the US – 1st Mummy horror film

Today In Music

1894 Claude Debussy’s first orchestral masterpiece “Prélude à l’apres-midi d’un faune” premieres in Paris

Today In Sport

1894 United States Golf Association forms in New York

1956 Colo is born, the first gorilla to be bred in captivity at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Columbus, Ohio

1849 The execution of Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky by firing squad is called off at the last second

Famous Weddings

1882 Australian soprano Nellie Melba (21) weds Charles Nesbitt Frederick Armstrong in Brisbane

1915 Biologist Alexander Fleming (34) weds Sara McElroy

1936 Austrian-American filmmaker Billy Wilder (30) weds first wife Judith Coppicus; divorce in 1946

Household Refuse, Steelworks Gases To Be Turned Into Jet Fuel

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Waste gases from a steelworks and household rubbish could be used to fuel airplanes for “guilt-free flying” and this is coming from the U.K. government.

It comes as five projects have been awarded a share of a £165m government fund.

The Department of Transport said the project will also produce 300,000 tonnes of sustainable aviation fuel a year.

The government said this was “enough to fly to the moon and back about 60 times” and equates to around 14,331,300 miles (23,063,991 km).

One of the projects will be based at Port Talbot steelworks and will convert steel mill off-gases into fuel.

Another scheme will develop a plant creating duel using carbon captured from a gas-fired power station and hydrogen made from renewable electricity.

The other successful projects include sustainable fuel plants in Teesside, Immingham and Ellesmere Port, which will cover domestic and commercial waste.

UK government Transport Secretary Mark Harper said: “Using waste or by-products to refuel airliners sounds like a flight of fancy, but… it’s going to help us make guilt-free flying a reality.

“It’s exactly this kind of innovation that will help us create thousands of green jobs across the country and slash our carbon emissions.”

Exploring Gediminas’ Tower, Lithuania  

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Gediminas’ Tower sits on top of the hill of Gediminas and it is the highest natural hill of such kind in Lithuania.

The Upper castle (now only Gediminas tower has remained) is a symbol of Lithuania, and especially of Vilnius.

The Castle Hill surrounded by rivers was a convenient location to build a castle and establish a bigger settlement.

Archaeological investigations have revealed that there had already been a settlement on the Castle Hill in the Neolithic.

In the 9th century, the hill was reinforced with wooden and stone fences by the Grand Duke of Lithuania, Gediminas, whereas in the 11th-13th centuries a wooden castle had already been erected.

Later the first brick castle was completed in 1409 by Grand Duke Vytautas. The early history of the castle is closely related to the history of the development of the city. Third floor tower was rebuilt in 1930, by Polish architect Jan Borowski.

Some remnants of the old castle have been restored, guided by archaeological research. Every Lithuanian knows the legend of how the castle was built.

They will tell you that it was the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas stopped for an overnight near the confluence of Neris and Vilnele rivers. That night he dreamed an iron wolf howling on a hill.

In the morning his soothsayer (mage) Lizdeika explained his dream as a sign for him to build there a city as it will become a well-known and widely resounded in all over the world.

Gediminas ordered to pour a mound at the same place where he slept.

On the hill there they built a castle, which was the predecessor for the nowadays Gediminas castle.

During the Second World War, the tower was damaged, and reconstructed already again during the Cold War in 1956 – 1960. At that time a museum was opened and is still functioning till our days.

Gediminas tower is an octagonal building, its foundations were laid in stone, and walls built in Gothic style with bricks.

There is a beautiful viewpoint opening from the top of the tower, most of old town buildings can be seen from there – churches and beautiful sea of red roofs.

The view stretches from a nearby Vilnelė and Neris river valleys to a new-town district in southern part of Vilnius.

Some remains of a defensive wall can be seen nearby Gediminas tower – 10 meters south and 22 meters of it lies north of the tower. Also some remains of the northern gateway, and the lower part of southern tower can be seen on the hill.

On the eastern side – there are some remains of a mansion-house.

The palace was built with 4-meter-thick walls and sharp Gothic arcs. Gediminas’ Tower is an important state and historic symbol of the city of Vilnius and of Lithuania itself. It was depicted on the former national currency (the litas) and is mentioned in numerous Lithuanian patriotic poems and folk songs.

The Flag of Lithuania was re-hoisted atop the tower on October 7, 1988, during the independence movement that was finalized by the Act of the Re-Establishment of the State of Lithuania on March 11, 1990.

One more thing worth mentioning is that the beginning of the Baltic Way was in Vilnius, just outside the Gediminas tower.

From here, a magnificent row of people stretched over three countries, ending at Hermann Tower in Tallinn, with hope that the three Baltic states will receive their independence from the USSR without any difficulties.

Christmas Eve Service: How It Started

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Christmas Eve has many of its own customs and traditions. The most widely practised one that still exists today is going to a Midnight Mass Church Service.

In many countries such as Spain, Mexico, Poland and Italy, this is the most important Church service of the Christmas season.

People might fast during Christmas Eve (not eat any meat or fish usually) and then the main Christmas meal is often eaten after the Midnight Mass Service in these countries.

In some other countries, such as Belgium, Finland, Lithuania and Denmark the meal is eaten in the evening and you might go to a Midnight Service afterwards!

Christmas Eve is also the day when people in some countries, like Germany, Sweden and Portugal exchange their presents.

In many European countries including Germany, Serbia and Slovakia, Christmas Eve is the day when the Christmas Tree is brought into the house and decorated.

It was also traditional to bring the Yule Log into the house and light it on Christmas Eve.

It’s also the time that the wonderful book ‘A Christmas Carol’ by Charles Dickens is set and that going out Carol singing was and still is very popular. In the past, if you weren’t carol singing, in parts of the UK, you might go out wassailing (to sing carols from house to house at Christmas.)

How It Is Celebrated: Christmas In Venezuela

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Christmas in Venezuela is one of the most colorful in Latin America and the whole world! Firework shows are very popular.

Some traditional Christmas music in Venezuela is ‘Gaita’ music. This is a type of folk music from the Zulia state.

It’s played on several instruments including the ‘Cuatro’ (a guitar with four strings) a ‘Tambora’ (a Venezuelan drum), the ‘Furro’ (a type of drum but it has a stick coming up through the middle of the skin of the drum – this can make it have some different sounds) and the ‘Charrasca’ (a ribbed tube that you rub a stick up and down).

The singers are known as ‘Gaiteros’. Another type of music in Venezuela is called ‘Aguinaldos y Parrandas’. This style is also popular at Christmas as the songs are like carols.

Some homes will have a Christmas Tree, but they’re normally artificial ones as pine and fir trees aren’t common in Venezuela.

Nativity Scenes (Nacimiento) are very popular and in some regions they are more common than Christmas Trees.

Going to Midnight Mass (Misas de Aguinaldo) is very popular and there many other masses and church services in the days before Christmas. In Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, there’s a tradition of people rollerskating to the early morning church services from 16th to 24th December.

The roads are often closed to traffic by 8.00am to make it safe for people to skate!

Traditional Venezuelan Christmas foods include ‘Hallacas’ – a mixture of beef, pork, chicken, capers, raisins, and olives that is wrapped in maize and plantain leaves and tied up with string into a parcel and then boiled or steamed afterwards; the Pan de Jamón – a type of bread that’s made with puff pastry, filled up with ham, raisins, olives and bacon and shaped like a ‘swiss roll’! Chicken Salad and Pernil (a leg of pork).

The real Christmas celebrations start on December 21st.

It was also a tradition for people to paint their houses two to four weeks before Christmas, so it was all nice and smart and ready to be decorated for Christmas.

Many people have new clothes for Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

British Airways & Virgin Atlantic Pause Ticket Sales Due To UK Strikes

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Following UK Strikes, All customers looking to purchase inbound flights to London’s Heathrow airport cannot do so because of an upcoming Christmas Border Force staff strike.
News report shows Border Force has requested that all airports expect passenger numbers on strike days to be above 70-80% of 2019 levels to “suppress demand” and stop selling tickets.
This comes after the government denied 75% of Border Force’s union members a 2% pay raise increase. This rejection was followed by the union’s warning for airlines to suppress demand to wallow for better management of the flow of people through border control when workers execute the first walkout on Friday, 23 December.