Christmas Begins In Mideast, Europe
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With the lighting of a candle for peace in his window, Pope John Paul began Christmas holiday celebrations that posed a new test for his frail health not long after visitors celebrated in Bethlehem.
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As Christmas approaches, Christians around the world turn to thoughts of the Holy Land and the great figures in the Bible.
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Several thousand pilgrims celebrated Christmas Eve in the traditional birthplace of Jesus on Friday (local time), welcoming the new thaw in Israeli-Palestinian relations and voicing hopes for peace in the Middle East.
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Peace appeals are heard as Palestinian leaders join Christmas festivities in the town of Bethlehem.
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BETHLEHEM, West Bank, Dec. 24 -- Several thousand pilgrims celebrated Christmas Eve in the place traditionally known as the birthplace of Jesus, welcoming the new thaw in Israeli-Palestinian relations and voicing hopes for peace in the Middle East.
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Shopkeepers in Europe's biggest economy have a grin on their faces &#151; and not only because Santa is coming to town.
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DUBAI: Save for Saudi Arabia, where he is persona non grata, Santa Claus is making inroads in the Muslim oil-rich Gulf - nowhere more so than in this emirate where he greets shoppers at malls and supermarkets.
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BETHLEHEM, West Bank  - Thousands of pilgrims and  a new Palestinian leadership celebrated Christmas in the town  of Jesus's birth Saturday with prayers for peace after the  death of Yasser Arafat.
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Encouraged by renewed peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, Christian pilgrims from around the world converged on Jesus' traditional birthplace Monday to celebrate Christmas Â a palpable contrast to the sparse crowds of recent years.
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Worshippers brought hopes for greater peace in the coming year as they flocked to Manger Square in Bethlehem and to St. Peter's in the Vatican to hear Christmas messages urging an end to violence, particularly in the Middle East. But from Indonesia to Iraq, fear overshadowed the festivities.
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Hundreds of millions people around the world celebrated on Saturday the birth of Jesus Christ as appeals rang out from Jesus&#39; birthplace in Bethlehem to the Vatican for peace in the Middle East.
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Israeli soldiers sent sweets and Christmas greetings to Palestinians in Bethlehem today, the latest sign that relations between the sides have warmed since the death of Yasser Arafat.
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Business & money: Europe's mobile operators vie for Christmas launch.
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Hundreds of pilgrims and a new Palestinian leadership came to Bethlehem for Christmas as the town of Jesus&#39;s birth celebrated the festival with new hopes for peace following Yasser Arafat&#39;s death.
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'Tis the day before Christmas and all through D.C.
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BETHLEHEM, West Bank -- Several thousand pilgrims celebrated Christmas Eve in the traditional birthplace of Jesus yesterday, voicing hopes for peace in the Middle East.
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BETHLEHEM, West Bank  - Pilgrims gathered in Bethlehem on Monday for a Christmas mass promoted by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Western powers as a chance to highlight the benefits of peacemaking.