Pope Francis celebrates Immaculate Conception
Pope Francis blesses a toddler as he pays a traditional visit on December 8, 2022 to the statue dedicated to the Immaculate Conception near Piazza di Spagna in central Rome on Thursday, celebrating the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. The Immaculate Conception is the church doctrine that the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus, was exempted of the original sin from the moment of her conception. Vatican Media handout, AFP
New York Times on strike
Members of the New York Times Guild, the labor union for about 1,400 of the newspaper's employees, gather in front of the Times' main offices during a 24-hour strike by the union in response to failed progress in contract negotiations with management in New York, New York, USA, on Thursday. The strike is the first major work stoppage at the newspaper since 1981. Justin Lake, EPA-EFE
Teachers demand: Prioritize salaries over investment fund
Members of the Manila Public School Teachers Association (MPSTA) and Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT-NCR) troop to Mendiola Bridge on Friday to air their demands for President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to ensure the release of their benefits before Christmas Day and to prioritize teachers' salaries over the Maharlika Investment Fund. The teachers wrote their demands on a "Christmas wish tree" and gift boxes. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News
Marcos Jr. welcomes new ATAK choppers
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attends the ceremonial blessing of two T-129 ATAK choppers acquired by the government from Turkey under a multimillion-dollar contract as part of the Philippine Air Force’s modernization program on Friday in Malacanang. The two state-of-the-art helicopters will complement a pair of refurbished Bell AH-1S Huey Cobra attack helicopters from Jordan, along with armed light observation and transport helicopters in PAF’s inventory. Office of the Press Secretary
'Santa Claus' cheers for Croatia in World Cup
Fans of Croatia cheer prior to the FIFA World Cup 2022 quarter final soccer match between Croatia and Brazil at Education City Stadium in Doha, Qatar on Friday. The two countries have only met twice in previous World Cups, 2006 and 2014, with the Brazil side emerging victorious in both. Georgi Licovski, EPA-EFE
