Covid casts shadow but Christmas celebrations go on across the world

Palestinian bagpipers play as part of a parade to celebrate Christmas in Manager Square, Bethlehem (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

Musicians banging drums and playing bagpipes marched through the biblical town of Bethlehem on Friday to the delight of smaller than usual crowds — a mix of conviviality and restraint reflected in celebrations around the world on a Christmas Eve dampened once again by the coronavirus.

Travel restrictions imposed by Israel, the main entry point for foreign visitors heading to the occupied West Bank, home to the traditional birthplace of Jesus, kept international tourists away for a second year.