As academics and scientists mark the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth on Thursday, a new poll says only 39 percent of Americans believe in evolution, a topic of contentious debate among "biblical literalists" and those against teaching creationism in public schools.

Darwin published his "On The Origin of Species" in 1859, causing controversy over its proposition that humans evolved from animals, specifically apes.

The nation celebrates the 200th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln's birth on Thursday. President Barack Obama, who has been frequently compared to the 16th president, honors the Great Emancipator in ceremonies in Capitol Hill and in Illinois.

Congress will hold the Lincoln Bicentennial Celebration beginning 11:30 am ET. The President and lawmakers are scheduled to speak during the ceremony in the Capital rotunda.

There will be no room in Bethlehem for Christmas 2008. But the lack of vacant accommodations are not meant for the city's most famous birthday celebrant, but tourists because of the tourism boom enjoyed by the Palestinian city.

All 3,000 rooms in Bethlehem have been fully booked for the Yuletide holiday, said Samir Hazboun, chairman of the Bethlehem Chamber of Commerce and Industry. About 250,000 tourists are expected to arrive in Bethlehem on Christmas week, up from only 65,000 for the same week in 2007.

While the situation in Bangkok appears to be returning to normal with the full restoration of flights at the Suvarnabhumi Airport on Friday, fear of instability still grips the capital city over the medical condition of Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The fear was fueled by the failure of the 81-year old monarch to deliver his traditional birthday eve public address on Thursday due to a throat infection. Some political observers, though, opined the king deliberately kept silent to help calm down the heated political situation in Thailand following the eight-day takeover of the international gateway and the removal from office of Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat.

Because of a throat infection Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej failed to make his traditional birthday eve address on Thursday. It will be his 81st natal day on Friday.

Instead Crown Prince Varjiralongkorn announced over Thai radio his father's medical condition. The king is on medication and physicians placed him on a saline drip.