Christmas Day blaze guts Australia homes

 A Christmas Day bushfire has destroyed more than 100 homes in Australia's Victoria state, officials say. Officials said 98 homes had been razed in Wye River and 18 at Separation Creek. No injuries are reported. Hundreds of firefighters have been battling the blaze along the famous Great Ocean Road in Victoria's south-west, popular with holidaymakers. A change to cooler weather and rain has greatly reduced the threat, but some emergency warnings remain in place. Some 1,600 residents and tourists from the popular tourist spot of Lorne were evacuated on Friday amid fears that a wind change would push the fire towards the town, but were allowed to return on Saturday.

 

Pope slams materialism in Christmas homily

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Pope slams materialism in Christmas homily

- See more at: http://www.thereport24.com/article/25369/index.html#sthash.4v52PcfZ.dpuf

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Pope slams materialism in Christmas homily

- See more at: http://www.thereport24.com/article/25369/index.html#sthash.4v52PcfZ.dpuf

 Pope Francis has warned the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics not to be "intoxicated" by possessions in his annual Christmas homily, reports BBC. He called for more sobriety in a world obsessed by "consumerism and hedonism, wealth and extravagance". The Pope was celebrating a Christmas eve Mass in St Peter's Basilica in front of about 10,000 people. Later on Friday he will deliver his traditional Christmas message from the central balcony of St Peter's Square. Celebrating Mass, the Pope said Christmas was the time to "once more discover who we are". He called on believers to show the same simplicity as the child Jesus, "born into poverty in a manger despite his divinity" to inspire their lives. "In a society so often intoxicated by consumerism and hedonism, wealth and extravagance, appearances and narcissism, this child calls us to act soberly, in other words, in a way that is simple, balanced, consistent, capable of seeing and doing what is essential," he said. "Amid a culture of indifference which not infrequently turns ruthless, our style of life should instead be devout, filled with empathy, compassion and mercy." Security was tight at the service with police carrying out spot checks in the area surrounding the Vatican. Everyone who went into the basilica, the largest church in Christendom, had to pass through metal detectors. Correspondents say the Pope, 79, used his homily to reflect the key themes of three years in office - mercy, compassion, empathy and justice. "In a world which all too often is merciless to the sinner and lenient to the sin, we need to cultivate a strong sense of justice, to discern and to do God's will," he said. His voice was occasionally hoarse - the effect of a slight flu earlier this week.

Google celebrates Christmas holidays with doodle

Christmas holidays are here and Google is celebrating the first holiday with its doodle. The doodle showcases different papercraft characters and cut out items that are colourfully crafted in the doodle with letters of the word Google set out with some little animals, which marks the first day of the holiday season. Unlocking the Horsepower: 10 Most Powerful Cars on the MarketCarophile Who are the 20 most beautiful women in the world?Risottop.com Recommended By Colombia When a viewer navigates his mouse over the colorful doodle, he sees message 'Tis the Season' and clicking on it takes you to the search page for the same caption. 'Tis the season!' is an album of Christmas songs by Olivia Newton-John and Vince Gill. Latest Comment coolHimanshu Sahu Since past many years, Google posts a series of doodles celebrating Christmas holidays.