Gagrule.net

Gagrule.net News, Views, Interviews worldwide

UK: Up to 30 injured in explosion at Jewish celebration in London

By

Jewish celebration in London

An explosion during a Jewish celebration in London has left several people injured after crowds gathered to celebrate Lag BaOmer, a Jewish festive day on which bonfires are a tradition, Daily Express reports.

Close to 30 people have been injured following the explosion in Stamford Hill in north London, which may have been caused by a mobile phone.

Jewish news website Yeshiva commented on the event, saying: “It appears that the explosion was caused by fuel and not the smartphone, although there definitely were multiple smartphones placed inside the pile to be burned.”

Around thirty individuals are believed to have been treated for their injuries, with ten being taken to hospital.

Jewish ambulance service Hatzola and London Ambulance Service attended the scene to treat burn victims.

The severity of the injuries have not been confirmed.

Videos recorded at the event depict the bonfire being lit, followed by a large explosion which engulfed the crowd standing just a few metres from the fire.

Los Angeles over 5000 American Armenian has come together at Verdugo Park celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Artsakh’s liberation, VIDEO

By

Artsakh Liberation Movement’s 30th Anniversary with His Eminence Archbishop Barkev Martirosyan, Primate of the Diocese of Artsakh.

Los Angeles Artsakh Liberation Movement’s 30th Anniversary with His Eminence Archbishop Barkev Martirosyan, Primate of the Diocese of Artsakh.

Los Angeles under blue skies over 5000 American Armenian has come together at Verdugo Park celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Artsakh’s liberation, with Special Guest: Primate of Artsakh Diocese Archbishop Barkev Martirosyan, and many other local leaders and 23 local organizations. it was three time more than what the organizers expected.

Watch full coverage by GagruleLive on Facebook, YouTube and Twitter:

https://www.facebook.com/gagrulepage/videos/806678182863488/

YouTube:

Canada celebrates 150 with concerts, royals

By

Canada – the home of hockey, maple syrup and a selfie-prone prime minister – has marked its 150th birthday with concerts and citizenship ceremonies. But a history of indigenous mistreatment meant not everyone celebrated.

Despite heavy rain, Canadians turned out across the country to mark the country’s 150th birthday with outdoor concerts, citizenship ceremonies and a royal visit by Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau kicked off the celebrations in the capital, Ottawa, speaking in front of the thousands of revelers on Parliament Hill.

“Canada is a country made strong not in spite of our differences but because of them,” Trudeau said. “We don’t aspire to be a melting pot – indeed, we know true strength and resilience flows through Canadian diversity.”

Indigenous protests

The anniversary was not without controversy, particularly among First Nations who noted Canada’s history of mistreatment of indigenous people.

On Thursday, activists erected a teepee on Parliament Hill on Thursday in protest, and on Saturday indigenous protesters marched through the streets of Toronto, some holding the Canadian national flag upside down.

Trudeau met with the activists in Ottawa on Friday.

Saturday was the 150th anniversary of the founding of the self-governing state. On July 1, 1867, the British North America Act united the British provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec and Ontario into the Dominion of Canada.

New Year: Celebrations begin to mark start of 2016

By

ny.thumbThe world has begun celebrating the start of a New Year, with revellers in Australia and New Zealand some of the first to usher in 2016.

Crowds counted down the last seconds of 2015 at Auckland’s Sky Tower, which hosted a laser show and fireworks display.

Up to 25,000 people had been expected to turn out for the festivities in New Zealand’s largest city.

The country welcomed 2016 at 1100 GMT, an hour after Samoa and Kiribati.

Fireworks lit up Sydney harbour at midnight (1300 GMT) as the New Year welcomed in many parts of Australia.

About one million people were expected to turn out, and a pre-show for families was held at 9:00pm.

As the New Year sweeps across Asia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing and other major cities will kick off their own grand celebrations.

In Egypt, festivities will be staged in front of the pyramids near Cairo, as the government works to revive its tourist industry.

Meanwhile, in Dubai, an extravagant display will illuminate the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, with 400,000 LED lights and 1.6 tons of fireworks set to be used.

When 2016 hits Europe, approximately one million people will countdown at the Brandenburg Gate in Germany’s capital, Berlin.

Despite security fears across the continent, many major public events are going ahead, though with heightened security restrictions.

In Madrid, only 25,000 people will be allowed into the Puerta del Sol Square. More than 100,000 people are expected to watch the Mayor of London’s fireworks show, a ticketed event.

Over in Sierra Leone, the declared end of Ebola will mark a return to festivities, after Freetown, the capital, was left deserted a year ago due to the disease’s outbreak.

As 2016 finally reaches the Americas, up to a million people are expected to converge on Times Square in New York, amid tight security, to watch the famous ball descend.

On Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach, crowds will not only mark the New Year – they will also fete the 100th anniversary of Samba music, and the upcoming summer Olympics.

Anti Christian Muslim Turkey, protest in Istanbul’s Beyazıt for New Year celebrations

By

CİHAN photo

CİHAN photo

ISTANBUL – Doğan News Agency

A Muslim youth group has held an “anti-Santa” rally in Istanbul, a city where, ironically, Christians ruled hundreds of years ago. The Istanbul University branch of the group, Anatolia Youth Association (AGD), held a rally on Dec. 30 at Beyazıt Square. Around 100 people held posters against celebrations held during New Year’s Eve on the grounds that it is a Christian tradition. The group dispersed after reading a press statement.

Christmas is celebrated by small number of Christian minorities in Turkey. Many celebrate New Year’s Eve and exchange presents on that day.

The center of New Year’s Eve celebrations used to be Istanbul’s Taksim square in previous years. However, Istanbulites now prefer Nişantaşı or Beşiktaş for street celebrations rather than Taksim due to the increased number of sexual harassment incidents in the area.