Pope Benedict XVI has a cousin who is one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, according to this newspaper article (pdf). Steffie Brzakovic was raised a Catholic, but became a Witness in the 1970’s. Appearently her becoming a Witness caused issues with her family, as she hadn’t heard from her cousin in over 50 years. She remembers him as a ‘bad boy’.

Interestingly, he commends her and the Witnesses for ‘doing the work we should be doing’, referring to the ministry.

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I always wondered if it were possible, and assumed it wasn’t. I figured the altitude was just too great, and perhaps helicopters cannot fly that high. Appearently I was wrong, they CAN fly that high. This video is claimed to be the first landing of an aircraft on the top of Everest. It’s not a ‘full’ landing, but a ‘hover’ landing, where at least one of the skids is in constant contact with the surface for over 3 minutes. 2 minutes is required in order to claim a ‘take-off’, and this would be the world record for the Highest Landing and Take-Off if it is officially confirmed.

Read more here: Everest News

Watch the video here: Helicopter Landing On Everest (WMV)