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AltCity, MWTF Demand Human Rights for Migrant Workers in Lebanon

AltCity and Migrant Workers' Task Force (MWTF) are holding an event to coincide with International Human Rights Day from December 16 to 22.

“Everyone in Lebanon has human rights. Through photo essays, infographics, and positive social interactions we are working toward justice for migrant workers in Lebanon,” Dima Saber, Co-founder of AltCity, said.

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Spanish Botched Fresco Artist Sells Work on eBay

A painting by the 80-year-old Spanish artist who became famous for her botched restoration of a Christ fresco in a small-town church has fetched €1,080 ($1,421) on eBay.

The closing price Tuesday for Celia Gimenez's oil painting "Las Bodegas de Borja" ("Borja's Wine Cellar") more than tripled its starting price after 52 bids.

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More than 100 Detained in China for Doomsday Rumors

Chinese police have detained more than 100 people, among them members of a fringe Christian group, for spreading rumors about the world's impending end, state media reported Tuesday.

Police seized leaflets, video discs, books and other apocalyptic materials in the recent arrests of 101 people across eight provinces and regions, from the prosperous east coast to less developed western China, the Xinhua News Agency said.

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Popol Vuh: The Mayan Holy Book

Before the creation of the Earth, there was only silence and darkness, only the sky and the sea until the deities Tepeu and Gucumatz created trees, animals and man -- so says the Mayan holy book.

The Popol Vuh is a spiritual and philosophical book that explains the creation of the world. Even today, it plays an important role in defining the identity of ethnic Mayas in Mexico and central America.

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Study: Christians Most Populous of World's Religions

Christians are the world's biggest religious group, numbering some 2.2 billion people, according to a study released Tuesday by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.

Pew assembled data on the size and geographic distribution of eight major religious groups, including non-believers.

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British Lawmakers Voice Opposition to Gay Marriage

Dozens of British lawmakers signed an open letter published Monday opposing government plans to introduce same-sex marriages.

A cross-party group from the elected lower House of Commons and the largely appointed upper House of Lords signed the letter to The Daily Telegraph newspaper warning ministers that they had no mandate to "redefine" the meaning of marriage.

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Contested Chinese Imperial Seal on Auction in Paris

A French auction house is to put on sale Monday a historic Chinese seal despite threats of legal action alleging the piece may have been stolen from Beijing's Forbidden City by Anglo-French forces in 1860.

The green jade seal is expected to fetch up to 200,000 euros ($263,000) and dates from the Qianlong period (1736-95).

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Mennonites Find Prosperity in Paraguay Outback

With Bible in hand as a shield against adversity, Paraguay's Mennonites have celebrated their bounty 85 years after settling in the inhospitable plains known as El Chaco.

Established in 1927 by Mennonites fleeing Germany and the Soviet Union under Stalin, the deeply pacifist Protestant community has survived and flourished to become an important generator of wealth for Paraguay, said Ronaldo Dietze, a descendent of German settlers.

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China Cracks Down on Doomsday Rumors

China has detained dozens of people, some of whom it terms doomsday cult members, as part of a nationwide crackdown on rumors about a supposed forthcoming apocalypse, state media said Monday.

Authorities in five different areas have detained 52 people for spreading predictions of a December 21 "doomsday" linked to the ancient Mayan calendar, the state news agency Xinhua reported.

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Mandela Remains in Hospital for Ninth Day

South Africa's former president Nelson Mandela remained in hospital for a ninth straight day on Sunday as he recovered from a lung infection and gallstone surgery.

The office of the president, which has been sending out brief updates on the health of the 94-year-old Mandela, did not release any information Sunday and the presidential spokesman could not be reached for comment.

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