13 Bulgarians Killed in Iraq

Just shows how pointless this war is - It hasn't actually acheived anything other than more fatalities.

US military deaths in Iraq war at 4,219 As of Monday, Dec. 29, 2008, at least 4,219 members of the U.S. military had died in the Iraq war since it began in March 2003, according to an Associated Press count. The figure includes eight military civilians killed in action. At least 3,399 military personnel died as a result of hostile action, according to the military's numbers. The AP count is the same as the Defense Department's tally, last updated Monday at 10 a.m. EST. The British military has reported 178 deaths; Italy, 33; Ukraine, 18; Poland, 21; Bulgaria, 13; Spain, 11; Denmark, seven; El Salvador, five; Slovakia, four; Latvia and Georgia, three each; Estonia, Netherlands, Thailand and Romania, two each; and Australia, Hungary, Kazakhstan and South Korea, one death each. clipped from www.kentucky.com

Christmas Eve Age-old Tradition Brings Good Fortune

An Article about Yambol on Christmas Day from the Epoch Times. To read the whole article click on the link:
http://en.epochtimes.com/n2/life/christmas-eve-tradition-9017.html

Bulgarian dancers from the town of Yambol wait before performing a pagan traditional dance named Koledari (Koleduvane), in central Sofia. Koledari is an important ancient pagan festival that coincides with the Winter Solstice in December. For 15 years, the town of Yambol, situated in the southern part of Bulgaria, which is in Eastern Europe, has hosted the National Koledari Feast on Christmas Day. For this year’s celebration, 37 Koledari groups will gather from various parts of the country for a contest in the town’s main square. Koledari Songs Koledari songs are typical in Bulgarian folklore tradition, which mingles Christian rituals with pagan legends. The song texts cover topics like wishing one good health, long life, an abundant crop, luck, love, happiness, and joy. Some tell stories about age-old professions: about the farmer, the harvester, the shepherd, the mayor, the tailor. clipped from en.epochtimes.com

Cigarette News in Bulgaria

The State Cigarette firm to be sold to a private enterprise.

clipped from www.reuters.com PRESS DIGEST - Bulgaria - Dec 11 Thu Dec 11, 2008 2:26am EST ECONOMY - Bulgaria will sell its state cigarette producer Bulgartabak BTHG.BB directly through the privatisation agency after the government decided that no parliament approval will be necessary for the sale (Dnevnik, Trud, Duma, Sega, Standart).