Scientists Reveal Real Face Of Santa Claus After 1,700 Years. See Pics

Scientists have revealed the face of Saint Nicholas of Myra, the real-life bishop who inspired the concept of modern-day Santa Claus. According to the New York Post, the groundbreaking reconstruction comes 1,700 years after the saint's death and was possible by analysing data from his skull. Using advanced techniques, researchers managed to "forensically recreate" the face of Saint Nicholas of Myra, whose penchant for gift-giving prompted the legend of Father Christmas.

In the images, shared on Instagram by the study's lead author, Cicero Moraes, the saint is depicted with a broad forehead, thin lips and a round nose. The 3D images reveal his face to be both "strong" and "gentle," Mr Moraes said, per the outlet. 

Take a look at the images below: 

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A post shared by Cicero Moraes (@cogitas3d)

Saint Nicholas of Myra died in 343 AD - long before anyone could snap a photo. He was known for only rewarding well-behaved kids with gifts and inspiring the Dutch folk figure of Sinterklaas. Over time, the character merged with English Father Christmas to become the Santa Claus we know today. 

Despite the saint's popularity, there was no accurate depiction of his until now. Mr Moraes said the 3D images match the early descriptions of Santa Claus in literature, such as the 1823 poem "Twas The Night Before Christmas," which describes his "rosy cheeks," a "broad face" and a "nose like a cherry."

"The skull has a very robust appearance, generating a strong face, as its dimensions on the horizontal axis are larger than average," he said. "This characteristic, combined with a thick beard, is very reminiscent of the figure we have in mind when we think of Santa Claus," he added. 

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According to the Post, scientists used the data collected by Luigi Martino in 1950 to reconstruct the saint's face. Studying his remains revealed that the saint suffered from chronic arthritis in his spine and pelvis and a thick skull that likely caused frequent headaches. The scientists said the saint also likely survived off a mostly plant-based diet. 

"We initially reconstructed the skull in 3D using this data," Mr Moraes said. "We supplemented this with the anatomical deformation technique, in which the tomography of a living person's head is adjusted so that the virtual donor's skull matches that of the saint," he explained. 

"The final face is an interpolation of all this information, seeking anatomical and statistical coherence," Mr Moraes added. 

Notably, while Saint Nicholas was initially buried in Myra, or modern-day Turkey, his bones were later moved to Bari, Italy, where they remain today.

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Nepal Joins China's Belt And Road Initiative, Raises Concerns For New Delhi

A significant agreement was signed in Beijing today paving the way for China to make major inroads in Nepal. Seven years after an initial understanding for Kathmandu to be part of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative or BRI, today's agreement lays the framework of how projects will be executed.

Breaking tradition of making New Delhi a Nepalese prime minister's first port of call after election results, KP Sharma Oli chose to visit Beijing instead. He has been in China since Monday to work closely with Xi Jinping and finalise the deal.

China and Nepal have "signed the framework for Belt and Road Cooperation today," Nepal's foreign office said in a post on X today, but shared no further details.

Sources familiar with the agreement have said that today's deal means both countries will not plan and coordinate the details of each project. It also paves the way for China to fund these projects and how exactly each project would be financed by Beijing.

The Government of Nepal and the Government of the People's Republic of China signed the Framework for Belt and Road Cooperation today. pic.twitter.com/6oTlDvTzIe

— MOFA of Nepal 🇳🇵 (@MofaNepal) December 4, 2024

In 2017, Nepal had agreed in-principle to be part of China's mega Belt and Road project - a massive network of roads, transport corridors, airports, and rail lines connecting China with the rest of Asia, Europe and beyond. However, no progress was made in the last seven years because of the lack of a proper framework of executing them. Kathmandu also struggled to find political consensus on the issue. That now seems to have been addressed with today's pact.

China's Belt and Road Initiative, though ambitious, has been a red flag for many countries due to Beijing's suspicious dealings and ulterior motives. Several countries have fallen in a debt trap, often called China's "debt diplomacy" wherein China builds a mega project on credit in a smaller country in terms of economy, and when the country cannot pay back the loan or interest, Beijing either takes over the project for a lifetime or cuts a deal to forward its expansionist agenda.

China's Belt and Road Initiative has also had a history of ignoring the national security concerns and violating the sovereignty of other nations.

Several leaders in Nepal's government and opposition are concerned over debt concerns mounting in an already-stretched economy. Even within Prime Minister Oli's government, there is fierce debate over the potential risks in mega projects executed by China. Nepal Congress, which is a key ally of PM Oli's party, has vehemently opposed any projects funded by Chinese loans.

China had funded the airport project in Pokhra - Nepal's second-largest city - by loaning more than $200 million. Nepal went ahead with the project despite India raising serious concerns and opened the airport last year.

But the airport has had to deal with losses due to lack of international flights. This can partially be due to a slender demand for airlines, but also due to India's refusal to planes using its airspace to do so.

Pokhra, located around 120 kilometers from Kathmandu, is less than 20 minutes from the India border by commercial flight. India had to shut its airspace out of a national security compulsion because Kathmandu ignored New Delhi's concerns that China may use the airport to station its military aircraft and helicopters - a massive national security threat for New Delhi.
 

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South Korean President Withdraws Martial Law Order Hours After Declaring It

Within six hours of announcing a martial law in the country, South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said he will withdraw it.

In a 4:30 am (local time) special address to the nation, President Yoon said, "Just a moment ago, there was a demand from the National Assembly to lift the state of emergency, and we have withdrawn the military that was deployed for martial law operations. We will accept the National Assembly's request and lift the martial law through the Cabinet meeting."
 

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Audi Driver Drags Motorcyclist On Bonnet For 3 Km Post Argument In Pune

The driver of an Audi allegedly dragged a motorcycle rider on the car's bonnet for more than 3km after an argument in Pimpri-Chinchwad township of Pune district, police said on Tuesday.

Hours after the incident on Sunday evening, police arrested the car driver, Kamlesh Patil (23), and his two associates, Hemant Mhalaskar (26) and Prathamesh Darade (22), who were with him in the high-end vehicle.

According to the police, the victim, Zacheria Mathew, was riding a motorcycle when his two-wheeler was hit by a recklessly driven Audi car in the Bijlinagar area.

"After getting down from his motorbike, Mathew approached the car occupants and sought an explanation. However, the three accused started abusing him and his friend, and also assaulted them. Later, the car driver tried to hit the complainant, leading him to fall on the bonnet. He then allegedly dragged him (Mathew) on the car's bonnet for more than 3km and sped away," said an officer from the Nigdi police station.

A case was registered against the three car occupants, including the driver, and they were arrested under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, he added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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Advocate Defending Hindu Priest In Bangladesh Attacked, Says ISKCON

A lawyer defending Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari,  the Hindu priest arrested and accused of sedition in Bangladesh, has been attacked, the ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) has said.  In a post on X, Radharaman Das, the spokesperson for ISKCON, said, "Please pray for Advocate Ramen Roy. His only 'fault' was defending Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu in court. Islamists ransacked his home and brutally attacked him, leaving him in the ICU, fighting for his life".

Many lawyers in Bangladesh, however, have denied any such event.

Last month too, there were claims on social media and a few news outlets that a lawyer defending Chinmoy Krishna Das was killed. But investigations revealed that the murdered lawyer, Saiful Islam, was an assistant public prosecutor and he was not defending Chinmoy Das.

The post from Radharaman Das read: 

Please pray for Advocate Ramen Roy. His only 'fault' was defending Chinmoy Krishna Prabhu in court.

Islamists ransacked his home and brutally attacked him, leaving him in the ICU, fighting for his life.#SaveBangladeshiHindus #FreeChinmoyKrishnaPrabhu pic.twitter.com/uudpC10bpN

— Radharamn Das राधारमण दास (@RadharamnDas) December 2, 2024

Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, a prominent former leader of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Bangladesh, was arrested in Dhaka last month after protests by the Hindu community in Rangpur, demanding stronger legal protections for minority groups. He has been accused of sedition and was denied bail by a Dhaka court on Tuesday.

Bangladesh has seen widespread political violence and protests over minority rights since the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Amid attacks on minority Hindus in the neighbouring coutry, Radharaman Das had earlier posted on X that two disciples of Chinmoy Krishna Das have gone missing in Chattogram after a second Hindu monk, Shyam Das Prabhu, was arrested.

India has condemned the arrest and urged Bangladeshi authorities to ensure the safety and security of Hindus and other minorities. 

The arrest has also been strongly criticised by Indian religious leaders and members of the civil society.

Protest rallies have been held in West Bengal and several other staes that share border with Bangladesh.

In Tripura, the criticism has taken the form of boycott. Hotels and restaurants have decided not to accept bookings from tourists from Bangladesh, the top association of the travel sector has said.

Earlier today, more than 50 protesters allegedly entered the premises of the Bangladeshi mission in Tripura capital Agartala, leading to panic among the officials and staff at the complex. India has described the incident as "deeply regrettable".

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"Siddharth Was Collateral Damage To Priyanka's Success": Madhu Chopra

Priyanka Chopra is a prominent name in the global entertainment industry. She is celebrated for her remarkable career and back-to-back hit projects. In a recent interview, the actress' mother, Madhu Chopra opened up about the sacrifices she made to support Priyanka's career aspirations. She revealed that her unwavering focus on Priyanka's success came at a cost – her son, Siddharth Chopra, experienced the absence of his mother's presence during his formative teenage years. Madhu Chopra admitted, “Siddharth was the collateral damage to all of Priyanka's success because dad (Ashok Chopra) was working, I was with Priyanka, he just grew up on his own, and he was a teenager at that time. He, I think, was collateral damage for me," in an interview posted on Something Bigger Show YouTube channel.

Madhu Chopra continued, “When I think about it, these are certain things that you had to deal with him (Siddharth Chopra)/" Further, talking about how she sees her son struggling in his daily life, Madhu Chopra added, “I see him struggling every day, and I feel that, okay, God has blessed you, so just count your blessings, one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done. I count my blessings every day." However, she takes pride in having such wonderful kids and even expressed gratitude for them. “I have two great kids who love me and care for me," Madhu Chopra stated.

Despite the impact Priyanka Chopra's career had on Siddharth Chopra, the two siblings are quite close to one another. Proof of the same is often found on their social media handles. On the actress' birthday this year, her doting brother shared a throwback photo of the entire Chopra clan, followed by a cheerful photo of the actress. His caption read, “Happy happy birthday Big Sister. From Being the Glue to us all. Total Rockstar. Wish you the very best in life. Have an awesome year ahead.”https://www.instagram.com/p/C9jimqGSTUV/

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A post shared by Siddharth Chopra (@siddharthchopra89)

In August 2024, Siddharth Chopra took a significant step in his personal life by getting married to Neelam Upadhyaya. Priyanka Chopra attended the wedding festivities with her husband, Nick Jonas and their daughter Malti Marie Chopra Jonas. 

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SRK Responds To Diljit's Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo Slogan During Kolkata Concert

Shah Rukh Khan responded to Diljit Dosanjh's heartwarming post shared on X in his style. Diljit performed at the city of joy last night as a part of his magnificent Dil-Luminati India Tour and summed up the spirit of the city with "Karbo, larbo, jeetbo re" (We fight and we will win) mantra. Diljit shared the video on his X and called himself a Shah Rukh Khan fan. Replying to the post, Shah Rukh Khan wrote, "Thank you for bringing joy to the City of Joy, @diljitdosanjh Paaji. I'm sure all at @KKRiders and their fans love the Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo reference. All the best and have a great tour.... Love u." Take a look:

Thank you for bringing joy to the City of Joy, @diljitdosanjh Paaji. I'm sure all at @KKRiders and their fans love the Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo reference. All the best and have a great tour…. Love u https://t.co/SS9EpJV0Ev

— Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) December 1, 2024

Diljit gave a roaring shout out to Shah Rukh Khan's mantra "Korbo larbo jeetbo re" during the concert. Diljit can be heard saying, "Karbo, larbo, jeetbo re... This is a very good tagline. Is it from the IPL team Kolkata Knight Riders? It's very nice. And specially, it's Shah Rukh Khan Sir's team, so I have to like it. Because I am a fan of Sir. It's a nice mantra as well. You work hard, fight with yourself. We are supposed to give our 100% no matter we win or not. If you work hard 100%, you will be victorious at any cost. It's a very good slogan."Sharing the video, Diljit wrote, "Thank you Kolkata. Love you. See you again." 

Ahead of the concert, Diljit visited the iconic spots in Kolkata including Indian Coffee House, Howrah Bridge and the banks of the Ganges. Take a look:

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A post shared by DILJIT DOSANJH (@diljitdosanjh)

Diljit's next stop is Bengaluru. He will wrap up his India leg of the tour in Guwahati on December 29.

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