Church in Bethlehem to use representative rubble instead of bright lights in Christmas crib
Bethlehem: Even as Christians count the day down to the festival marking the occasion of Jesus Christ, the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in the heart of the city has taken everyone by surprise with its bold statement that it opposes the traditional bright lights, festive tree or glittering ornaments used as a part of the celebrations.
In contrast, the Church has opted for a decoration made from debris, a visual representation of the destruction faced by Gaza in the current Israel-Palestine clash this year, reports BNN, pointing out that Bethlehem is a focal point for Christian pilgrims as it is believed to be the birthplace of Christ.
The Church is displaying a heap of concrete debris, at the heart of which is a toy baby. The Christmas display is found to be a poignant representation of an infant caught beneath the rubble, as the scene turns all the more grim, surrounded by broken branches of trees, various icons and candles. The ambiance of the entire scene proves to be a complete contrast to the joyous feel and festive cheer in the usual Christmas cribs.
Spiritual leader of the Church Pastor Munzir Ishak has said that the decision to display wreckage in place of the traditional Christmas décor would, hopefully, prove to be a potent message the world over to maintain solidarity with the suffering people of Gaza. God is present in the pain of the people, regardless of acts of violence and destruction, the Pastor emphasized.
He also said that the situation in Palestine, which he called was a 'genocide war' of targeting all of Palestinians, including the civilians, has already extinguished the festive spirit of Christmas. It is not the joyous celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ but a mournful reflection on the human cost of conflict, Ishak added.
The message of the Church proves to be both an act of introspection, reminding the congregation of how God takes human companionship in suffering, and an outward message, pointing out to the Christian community across the world about the grim reality of Christmas in Palestine.
The Church of Nativity in the city is open to visitors from all over the world, especially during Christmas. As a representation of optimism and the enduring spirit of the Palestinians in spite of the challenges, an olive sapling has been placed among the debris. The message of hope and peace put forth by Christmas remains unshaken, regardless of the ongoing conflict across borders.
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Private bank manager, three others held for cyber fraud involving Rs 12.51 crore
Bengaluru, Dec 28: Four people, including the manager of a private bank, were arrested for allegedly siphoning off Rs 12.51 crore by stealing sensitive data from a company, police said on Saturday.
The matter came to light after the director of Dream Plug Pay Tech Solutions Private Limited (CRED) approached the police in November, alleging the siphoning of Rs 12.51 crore from the company’s accounts.
According to the police, the director alleged that the company’s nodal and current bank accounts were with the Indiranagar branch of Axis Bank in Bengaluru and that some unknown persons had gained access to the email addresses and contact numbers associated with these accounts.
Investigation revealed that the accused stole the company's data, forged CIB forms, and duplicated signatures and seals to facilitate the transfer of Rs 12.51 crore to 17 different bank accounts in Gujarat and Rajasthan.
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City Police Commissioner B Dayananda said that by using the phone number and email ID linked to the private company's Axis Bank account, the accused faked corporate Internet banking forms and seals, enabling the transfer of Rs 12.51 crore to various accounts.
Bengaluru East CEN police investigated the case and arrested four people, including an Axis Bank manager in Gujarat.
"Rs 55 lakh that was transferred to 17 accounts has been frozen, and Rs 1,28,48,500 has been recovered from the accused along with two mobile phones. More accused are still at large, and the police are working to identify them," he added.
