Many important events will take place this year.

For example, 2012 could be the year that some countries decide to stop using the euro as their currency.

There will be big sporting competitions, such as the Euro soccer championship and the Olympics, in the spring and summer.

In November, we might see a new American president as the United States holds national elections.

The new year looks to be one that we will not likely forget.

A Christmas tree decoration

The holiday is a celebration of the birth of Jesus.

Christmas traditions include going to church, eating a special meal, singing holiday songs, decorating a tree and giving gifts to family and friends.

Ivanovo is a Russian city situated 250 kilometers outside of Moscow.

The town is an important center for the textile industry in Russia.

As a result, there are far more women living in Ivanovo than men.

For this reason, the town is also called the City of Brides.

Donald Keene, a Japanese scholar for seven decades, has decided to move permanently to Japan, according to a report in the Mainichi Daily News.

The 89-year-old teacher, writer and translator will become a Japanese citizen.

The Columbia University professor fell in love with Japanese literature after reading “The Tale of Genji” in 1940.

The newspaper quotes Keene as saying that learning a foreign language requires time and motivation.

Source: Mainichi Daily News

Did you know that Brazil is home to the largest population of Japanese people outside of Japan?

Large numbers of Japanese people immigrated to Brazil in the early part of the 20th century.

Most of the original Japanese immigrants were farmers.

The Japanese people have shown the rest of the world how to behave during a difficult situation.

According to reports, there was no looting after the devastating earthquake and tsunami that took place in March.

Despite the adversity which nature brought, people acted in an orderly way. Stores cut prices, and everyone helped each other.

Words

looting: stealing or taking something. Looting is often used in newspaper reports after an earthquake or riot.

devastating: causing damage.

adversity: a very difficult situation, a disaster.

orderly: well behaved.

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Today, February 14, is the day when a person tells another person how much their love means.

On this day lovers give each other cards, flowers and chocolates.

Valentine’s Day is named after Saint Valentine, a bishop who lived in Terni (Italy) during the third century after Christ.

Saint Valentine was famous for marrying couples who were not allowed to marry in Rome.

The married couple gave each other flowers at the time. That is why flowers are still an important gift on Valentine’s Day nowadays.

However, the emperor was not happy about Saint Valentine performing marriages that were not allowed in Rome.

He ordered that Saint Valentine be executed on February, 14, 269.

Drivers who use a mobile phone could go to jail for up to two years in the United Kingdom.

Presently, British drivers have to pay a $120 fine if they are caught using a mobile while driving.

In 2005, 129,000 British drivers were caught speaking into a mobile while driving.

Source: The Guardian

A Chinese singer has proposed to Nicolas Sarkozy.

“I want to say to the President of France: ‘Choose me. I will be a perfect wife for you,” said the singer Namu.

Sarkozy divorced his wife Cecilia last month.

Source: The Daily Telegraph

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Twenty-nine percent of Americans believe George W. Bush is doing a good job as president, according to a poll by The Wall Street Journal and NBC News.

This is the lowest rating for Bush in the six and a half years he has been president.

The only good news for Bush is that Congress received a 23 percent approval rating.