Festive Flair: Christmas Celebrated in Ethiopia with Unique Traditions

Thousands of Ethiopian pilgrims and tourists gathered in Lalibela to celebrate Orthodox Christmas at ancient churches carved into rock. The three-day festival, known as "Lidet," draws believers from around the world. Tourists like Samuel Choi marvel at Ethiopia's rich heritage, while locals like Masresha Misgana see it as a yearly tradition connecting them to their religious roots. The celebration blends ancient traditions with modern times, showcasing Ethiopia's enduring commitment to its Christian faith.

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Norway Secures First World Cup Spot In 27 Years, Emerges As One Of Europe's Best

After a 4–1 win over Estonia followed by another 4–1 victory against Italy, Norway has officially qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 27 years. For a nation boasting generational talents like Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard, many fans are asking: what took so long? The answer lies not just in tactics, but in a transformation led by manager Ståle Solbakken, who played in Norway’s last World Cup appearance in 1998. This time, he’s guided a young, dynamic squad through skepticism, tactical overhauls, and cultural rebuilding to become one of the most feared teams in Europe. “Everyone believes in the project and wants the best for one another,” Solbakken said. “You can talk endlessly about tactics, but it means little if you don’t generate that team spirit.” From Doubt to Dominance Norway’s turnaround began during last year’s UEFA Nations League campaign. A 5–1 thrashing by Austria nearly cost Solbakken his job. But a late rally saw them top their group and gain promotion to League A — a turning point that sparked belief. Since then, Norway has won 11 consecutive competitive games, including a stunning 3–0 win over Italy in June, a 5–0 rout of Israel, and a jaw-dropping 11–1 demolition of Moldova. The team leads Europe’s qualifiers in goals (37), assists (29), and one-vs-one take-ons. “Norway are one of the two best teams in Europe, together with Spain,” said Israel’s coach Ran Ben-Shimon. Tactical Evolution Solbakken’s biggest shift has been structural. Moving from a reactive setup to a possession-based, high-pressing style, Norway now plays with confidence and clarity. Their flexible 4-3-3 morphs into a pressing diamond, with wingers Oscar Bobb and Antonio Nusa isolating defenders while midfielders Sander Berge, Patrick Berg, and Ødegaard orchestrate the tempo. Their defense, led by Kristoffer Ajer and Torbjørn Heggem, uses zonal principles to stay compact and intercept rather than engage in risky duels. “Perhaps I was too ambitious at the start,” Solbakken admitted. “But now, with the players we have, we’ve embraced a more front-foot, attacking approach.” Haaland and Ødegaard: Stars Who Serve the System While Erling Haaland’s 16 goals in eight qualifiers have drawn headlines, his off-ball work has been just as vital. Martin Ødegaard, meanwhile, has gone from promising talent to world-class playmaker and inspirational captain. “Scoring week in, week out for Manchester City is one thing,” said former keeper Erik Thorstvedt, “but doing it for Norway is something else entirely.” Shared Leadership, Strong Identity Solbakken has built more than a system — he’s built a culture. Leadership is distributed, egos are in check, and players clearly enjoy playing together. Even with international superstars in the mix, the team remains grounded. “Distances,” Solbakken said when asked what holds it together. “They’re fundamental — for defending, for possession, and for keeping options open.” What’s Next As they look ahead to next year’s World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, Norway’s ambitions are no longer about participation — they’re about competing. “I don’t think there could ever be a more wonderful night in my life,” Solbakken said. “It’s simply surreal … and I think I’ll get happier and happier as the evening goes on.” For Norway, this is more than just a return to the world stage. It’s the beginning of a new era.

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Archaeologists Discover Lost Iron City of the Silk Road in Uzbekistan Highlands

In the remote mountains of Uzbekistan, a team of archaeologists has uncovered a lost city that may rewrite the history of the Silk Road — and reshape how we understand the role of nomads in Central Asia’s past. Perched nearly 7,000 feet above sea level in a rugged valley once thought too harsh for permanent settlement, the newly excavated site known as Tugunbulak is believed to be the long-lost city of Marsmanda, a medieval industrial hub known from sparse 10th-century Arab texts for its iron production. For centuries, its location remained a mystery — until now. “This place doesn’t make any sense,” said archaeologist Michael Frachetti of Washington University in St. Louis, co-director of the project alongside Farhod Maksudov of Uzbekistan’s National Center of Archaeology and Sanjyot Mehendale of UC Berkeley. “The whole valley is one big archaeological site.” The city they’ve uncovered is vast — about 300 acres, twice the size of Pompeii. High-resolution drone-based lidar mapping revealed traces of walls, streets, kilns, and fortified structures spread across four distinct districts. Aerial surveys and traditional digs uncovered slag heaps, furnaces, smelting kilns, and a mound thought to be the city’s administrative center. Even more surprising than its scale is its location. Tugunbulak lies in a highland region that experiences snowpack for more than half the year, where few people live today. Yet around A.D. 550, just as the First Turkic Khaganate was expanding, the site began to thrive — producing iron weapons, tools, and possibly even crucible steel, used in making some of the finest metalwork in the ancient world. A Nomadic City, Hidden in the Highlands The discovery challenges the long-standing narrative that pastoral nomads were little more than raiders preying on sedentary civilizations. Instead, Tugunbulak paints a picture of a hybrid society — mobile yet urban, rugged yet technologically advanced. “This overturns the old idea of nomads preying on civilization,” said historian Henry Misa of Ohio State University. “I see instead a hybrid society of farmers, pastoralists, miners, and metallurgists.” The city appears to have operated for at least 500 years, serving as a seasonal meeting ground and industrial center. At nearby Tashbulak, a smaller, previously excavated site three miles away, archaeologists found glass beads, fine-glazed pottery, silver rings, and spindle whorls — signs of long-distance trade and textile production. The two sites may have represented different facets of a single regional hub, with Tashbulak possibly home to a community that had embraced Islam earlier. Evidence of a Warrior Elite The team’s most stunning find came from a trench inside a rammed-earth building believed to be a metallurgy center. Inside, they uncovered the grave of a Turkic warrior buried with a horse and a trove of personal items — arrowheads, a pipe possibly used for smoking cannabis, bronze earrings, coins inscribed in Sogdian, and a button stamped with a wolf’s head, believed to be a Turkic clan symbol. Only three such high-altitude warrior burials have ever been found in this part of Central Asia. “We have an individual buried in a Turkic way,” said Maksudov. Though the warrior stood just 5-foot-4, the presence of weapons and armor-piercing arrowheads suggests elite status. The skeleton may belong to a young man or possibly a woman — more testing is needed. A Center of Trade and Technology Fragments of kaolin-lined kilns, used in the production of high-heat ceramics or low-grade steel, hint at industrial-scale ironworking. The amount of slag recovered is astonishing. “We can now say with assurance that nomadic people were fully capable of large-scale iron smelting,” said metallurgist Thilo Rehren of the Cyprus Institute. Researchers believe Marsmanda supplied iron and possibly steel to cities like Samarkand, a six-day journey away. Remnants of apricot pits, grape seeds, and peach stones at Tashbulak also suggest trade with fertile lowlands. “There wasn’t necessarily an antagonistic relationship between lowland and highland groups,” said Frachetti. “There is a symbiosis, and they are doing it in a unique way.” A Vanished City, Rediscovered Marsmanda seems to have been largely abandoned by A.D. 1050, perhaps due to deforestation, drought, or competition from other iron sources. “Some combination may have turned this into the medieval version of an American Rust Belt city,” Frachetti said. Scholars outside the project now widely agree that the team has found the lost city. “There is no disputing this is Marsmanda,” said Sören Stark of New York University. Others, like Søren Michael Sindbæk of Aarhus University, say the site has “the potential to rewrite the history of Central Asia.” The archaeologists plan to return in 2026 to excavate what may be the city’s administrative center. Until then, they’re sifting through the finds, analyzing what the artifacts and architecture can reveal about one of the Silk Road’s most unexpected cities — a nomadic metropolis hidden in the mountains.

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French Man Finds Gold Treasure Worth Over $800,000 While Digging a Pool in His Yard

In a find that seems straight out of a treasure hunter's dream, a man in Neuville-sur-Saône, France, stumbled upon an unexpected fortune while digging in his backyard. Preparing to install a swimming pool earlier this year, he unearthed gold bars and coins with an estimated value of 700,000 euros (about $812,000). The treasure was concealed in plastic bags and buried underground. After the discovery, the man promptly reported it to local authorities. This led to the involvement of DRAC, the regional arm of France's Ministry of Cultural Affairs. Their job was to determine if the gold held any archaeological significance. If it did, the French state could potentially claim ownership. However, investigations revealed that the gold was relatively recent—only about 15 to 20 years old. Each piece bore unique identifiers traceable back to a legal origin; they were melted down by a refinery in Lyon and had no ties to any local crimes or thefts. Given these findings and according to French civil law dating back to the 19th century, treasures found on one's property belong to the finder if no one else can prove ownership. The previous owner of the house passed away without leaving any indication as to why this valuable stash was buried there. For now, this anonymous homeowner gets to keep his surprising windfall—an event that's sure to make him view his backyard with newfound appreciation.

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British Surgeon Saves Baby's Life by Removing Massive Tumor Aboard Hospital Ship

A baby girl in Sierra Leone is alive today thanks to a life-saving surgery performed by a British surgeon aboard a floating hospital. Ten-month-old Memunatu had been living with a tumor so large it nearly covered her entire face. It started growing when she was just five months old. Her mother, Aminata, first brought her to a local hospital, but doctors told her Memunatu was too young to operate on. As the lump grew, the family feared the worst. Then came an unexpected encounter. Aminata met a volunteer from Mercy Ships, a nonprofit that runs fully equipped hospital ships offering free medical care in regions with limited access. At the time, the group’s vessel, Global Mercy, was docked in Freetown. When staff saw Memunatu’s condition, they immediately offered to help—free of charge. “I was very worried for my child,” Aminata said. “She’s so little for such a condition.” Doctors onboard realized that the tumor was pressing on the baby’s airway. If left untreated, it would have eventually prevented her from eating, speaking, swallowing, or even breathing. Dr. Leo Cheng, a Maxillofacial Head and Neck Surgeon from Royal London Hospital, performed the delicate surgery. “With every single millimeter I was estimating, calculating, and trying to prevent any bleeding,” he said. “It went very slowly but very positively—thank God.” The operation took nearly four hours. The hardest part? Managing the baby’s airway during intubation, given how close the tumor was to her windpipe. Memunatu recovered onboard the ship with her mother by her side. Once the swelling subsided and she was cleared to go home, the change was dramatic. “The tumor had grown so fast, almost the size of her head, hiding her beautiful face,” said Anne-Marie Van Tonder, the South African Mercy Ships volunteer who first flagged her case. “Her eyes were so full of light and joy.” Aminata still can’t believe it. “If not for this surgery that Mercy Ships did for my child, she would have lost her life,” she said. Mercy Ships has been providing free surgeries to people in need for decades. Since docking Global Mercy in sub-Saharan Africa in 2023, they’ve completed more than 3,600 procedures—treating people with conditions that are easily fixed in countries with proper medical infrastructure, but often go untreated elsewhere for years. Memunatu’s story is one of many. Mercy Ships has helped a boy walk in shoes again after 13 years of going barefoot due to injury, and given a toddler—whose arms were fused from burns—the ability to hug her parents for the first time. Each case is a reminder of what’s possible with access to skilled care, no matter where you live.

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Startup Unveils Funky-Looking Alternative To Traditional Water Bottles

A new startup is drawing attention — and big backing — for a reusable water bottle designed to offer the portability of single-use plastic with none of the waste. The product, called Elio, is the latest creation from Lumio, a company known for smart design. The bottle features a collapsible, food-grade silicone body wrapped in a silicone-coated aluminum shell. With a quick twist, it compresses down to roughly the size of a hockey puck, making it easy to slip into a pocket or clip to a bag. Despite its compact size, the bottle holds 25.4 ounces (750 ml) of liquid. It’s BPA-free, plastic-free, and designed to be both leak-proof and odor-resistant. It’s dishwasher-safe and fully recyclable, with a wide-mouth cap for easy filling and cleaning. A built-in strap under the lid adds convenience for carrying or attaching to gear. While not insulated, Elio can keep water cold for up to six hours. But the main draw is its portability and sustainability — two things consumers increasingly value as plastic waste piles up. In the U.S. alone, over 60 million plastic bottles are tossed into landfills every day, according to the Container Recycling Institute. The bottle’s Kickstarter campaign set a modest goal of $10,000. It has now raised nearly $95,000, with almost 1,200 backers signing on — a clear sign that there's demand for alternatives to conventional reusable bottles, which can be bulky, heavy, or prone to leaching chemicals over time. Elio’s creators are betting that its mix of convenience and low-impact materials will resonate with eco-conscious consumers looking for something better than plastic, but more practical than stainless steel or glass. One commenter on New Atlas summed up the appeal simply: “Seems like a great product.” With a design that aims to tackle two problems at once — plastic pollution and on-the-go hydration — Elio offers a glimpse of what a more sustainable future might look like: smart, stylish, and waste-free.

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Astronomers Discover Thousands Of Hidden Siblings Of The "Seven Sisters

Astronomers have discovered that the famous Pleiades star cluster, long known as the “Seven Sisters,” is only the tip of a cosmic iceberg. A research team at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has revealed that the Pleiades is actually the dense core of a vastly larger network of related stars — a stellar family that stretches far across the sky. Dubbed the “Greater Pleiades Complex,” the structure is about 20 times larger than previously thought. “This study changes how we see the Pleiades — not just seven bright stars, but thousands of long-lost siblings scattered across the whole sky,” said Andrew Boyle, lead author and graduate student in physics and astronomy at UNC-Chapel Hill. Using data from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and the European Space Agency’s Gaia telescope, the researchers identified thousands of stars that appear to share a common origin with the central cluster. Most stars, including our Sun, are born in clusters. Over time, these groups drift apart, making it hard to tell which stars were originally connected. But young stars spin faster than old ones, and astronomers can use their rotation as a sort of “cosmic clock.” Boyle and his colleagues used this method to trace distant stars back to their birthplace — and found many that match the Pleiades. “We’re realizing that many stars near the Sun are part of massive extended stellar families with complex structures,” said co-author Andrew Mann, a professor at UNC-Chapel Hill. “Our work provides a new way to uncover these hidden relationships.” The Pleiades has long been a key benchmark for studying young stars and exoplanets, but its significance also runs deep culturally. It’s mentioned in the Old Testament and the Talmud, celebrated as Matariki in Māori tradition, and even appears in the logo of Japanese carmaker Subaru. By mapping how stars spin, researchers are building a new kind of Galactic map — one that could help uncover the Sun’s own origins and piece together the puzzle of how solar systems like ours form. “By measuring how stars spin, we can identify stellar groups too scattered to detect with traditional methods — opening a new window into the hidden architecture of our Galaxy,” Boyle said. The findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal, may reshape our understanding of the Milky Way — and how star clusters like the Pleiades help give rise to planets, solar systems, and perhaps life itself.

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7-Year-Old Scout Hero Saves Choking Friend With Quick-Thinking Action

A seven-year-old boy from Wiltshire is being celebrated as a hero after using first aid skills he learned at Scouts to save a choking classmate during lunch. Harry, a member of the 1st Aldbourne Beavers, acted quickly when he saw another child struggling with a piece of sausage lodged in his throat during a meal at school. "A boy was choking at lunch and I back-slapped him," Harry said. "I went to the teacher and said 'the boy's choking'. I feel thankful for myself that I listened [in Beavers.]" Thanks to his fast thinking, the boy recovered. Harry’s actions earned him a commendation for Meritorious Conduct — a rare recognition — which was presented to him during the village’s Remembrance Parade. He received a framed certificate, a cloth badge, and a medal with the Beavers' emblem. “I couldn’t believe that I [got an award],” Harry said. “I feel really proud.” His mother, Sarah, said she took Harry to a local first aid course in Aldbourne where he was the only child in the room. She hopes his story encourages other families to introduce their children to basic emergency training. “I’m really proud of him,” she said. “I’m really pleased he’s done something good, and I think it’s really important for kids to learn first aid.” Al Hogan, a leader with the 1st Aldbourne Beavers, praised Harry’s calm under pressure. “He was such a superstar and so calm,” she said. “When we are talking about it after, we refer to him as ‘Harry the hero’.” For Harry, it was just about doing the right thing. For the rest of the community, it was a life-saving reminder of the power of preparation — even at age seven.

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Cyprus Schoolchildren Lead Green Initiative, Inspiring Global Environmental Efforts

In Cyprus, schoolchildren are leading the charge in a grassroots push for a greener planet — and their efforts are finally starting to pay off. A national programme called “I Go Green” has taken root in 44 schools across the island, encouraging students, families, and neighbourhoods to turn schoolyards into thriving green spaces. It’s part of a broader effort to tackle climate change through education and community action. Launched by the Cyprus Environment and Sustainable Development Education Unit (CSEU), the programme is designed to do more than just plant trees. It aims to create climate-resilient spaces where students can learn, play, and grow — while helping the environment at the same time. “We want our schools to deliver climate resilient conditions that will improve both the learning performance and achievement of students,” said Aravella Zachariou, who heads the initiative. “But at the same time, we want to provide them with interactive learning and entertainment.” The results are visible. Dozens of schools now feature gardens and planted areas that not only reduce heat but also bring people together. In many neighbourhoods, the project has bridged generations, with parents and grandparents pitching in to help. Schools are selected based on how well they can sustain the green areas long-term. That means developing detailed maintenance plans and selecting native or climate-suitable plants to ensure they thrive. “After the first two years of operation, the programme is operating through national funds,” said Zachariou. “It helps create communities that are more sustainable, more equitable, and healthier.” This month, one of the participating schools, Agrokipia Primary, hosted students from Catalonia, Spain, as part of Erasmus Week. The visit sparked a cross-border exchange of ideas — and even inspired a song. “I think these activities are very good for environmental protection and help the children involved to learn things from other schools and other countries,” said Arnaud Arxe, a visiting student. Maria Soler, a music teacher from Catalonia, said the impact goes beyond planting trees. “It is important to go beyond the boundaries of local communities so that other countries and schools can see your goals and be inspired by such ideas and movements,” she said. The students marked the moment by writing and performing a song together — “Together for the Earth” — with lyrics about planting, protecting the planet, and how even small steps can lead to big change. The movement has drawn attention from major organisations including the United Nations, UNESCO, and governments in Greece, Serbia, and the Netherlands. The programme costs around €500,000 per year and is largely supported by EU funding, along with volunteers who provide expertise in sustainable construction. Organisers hope that “I Go Green” will soon spread beyond Cyprus, supported by international partners eager to replicate its community-driven model elsewhere. For now, the students in Cyprus are showing what’s possible — one tree, one school, one neighbourhood at a time.

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This Adventurer is Aiming To Break the South Pole World Record

A British adventurer paralysed from the chest down is gearing up for a record-breaking journey to the South Pole, hoping to redefine the limits of disability and raise thousands for spinal cord injury research. Darren Edwards, 32, from Shrewsbury, will attempt to sit-ski 222 kilometres across Antarctica this December, aiming to become the first person to reach the South Pole using a sit-ski over such a distance. The current record stands at 111 kilometres. If successful, it will mark the latest in a series of extreme challenges for Edwards, who was paralysed nine years ago in a rock climbing accident in North Wales. Since then, he has crossed Europe’s largest ice cap, completed seven marathons on seven continents in seven days, and led adaptive expeditions around the world. This latest feat, however, may be his most ambitious yet. “The thing that really kept me mentally strong and physically strong was just trying to challenge what I thought I could achieve with my injury,” Edwards said. He will be joined on the expedition by a high-profile support team, including explorer Lucy Shepherd, Chief Scout Dwayne Fields, and filmmaker Matthew Biggar, who will document the journey. The expedition is expected to take 20 days, covering roughly 11 kilometres each day in one of the harshest environments on Earth. Along the way, Edwards hopes to raise £100,000 for Wings for Life, a charity dedicated to funding research into spinal cord injury cures. “I've tried to take adversity and turn it into something positive,” he said. “For me, adventure became that kind of saving grace.” The challenge is as much about changing perceptions as it is about distance or endurance. Edwards has spoken openly about his desire to push back against assumptions around disability — and to show what’s possible when people are given the chance to adapt and keep moving forward. This time, he’s aiming for the bottom of the world.

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Strangers Save Woman's Lost Purse In Chicago With A Daring Rescue

Lavonne Schaafsma was visiting Chicago from Michigan when a brief moment of panic turned into a powerful reminder of kindness from complete strangers. After spending time people-watching in Millennium Park, she reached for her car keys — and realized her purse was gone. Inside were her ID, credit cards, medications, and several hundred dollars in cash. As the realization set in, so did the anxiety. “I started to feel anxiety, first in my legs, then in my gut and then right on top of my chest,” she said. “I couldn’t think straight.” For the next hour, she retraced her steps. Just before giving up, she walked into a nearby gift shop on a hunch. When she asked the cashier if anyone had turned in a black purse, the woman’s eyes widened. “At that moment, all of the tears and sobs came out,” Schaafsma said. “All of my anxiety came out.” The cashier then shared the story: about 30 minutes earlier, two women had spotted a man going through the purse on a park bench. When they questioned him, he mumbled that it belonged to his wife. The women didn’t buy it. Instead, they pretended it was theirs and took it from him, then rushed to the gift shop to hand it over to a security guard. They waited for a while to see if the owner would return, but eventually had to leave. Just five minutes later, Schaafsma walked in. “These women who I don’t know saved me hours and hours of work canceling credit cards,” she said. “They rescued me from massive anxiety.” Schaafsma never got the chance to thank them. But their decision to step in and help a stranger stayed with her. “What act of kindness am I willing to do on behalf of someone I don’t know?” she now often asks herself. “Would I have noticed something wasn’t right and stepped up?” To the two women she never got to meet, Schaafsma had one final message: “Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

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