Page 4 - Christmas

President Murmu extends greetings to citizens on eve of Christmas

President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday greeted citizens on the eve of Christmas and hoped that everyone rekindles the spirit of mercy and compassion. The festival of Christmas gives the message of love and compassion, she said. "This festival also inspires us for selfless service to the humanity. The teachings of Jesus Christ are always relevant to maintain peace and harmony in the society, Murmu said. On this holy festival, "let everyone rekindle the spirit of mercy and compassion and follow the teachings of Jesus Christ in their lives, the president said. "On the auspicious occasion of Christmas, I extend my hearty greetings to all fellow citizens, especially the Christian brothers and sisters," Murmu said in her message on the eve of Christmas.

Liquor shops to be open till 11 pm on eve of Christmas, New Year in Noida

Liquor shops will remain open till 11 pm on December 24 and 31 across Noida and Greater Noida on account of Christmas and New Year festivities, officials said on Saturday. The move follows an order of Uttar Pradesh Excise Commissioner Senthil Pandian C, who issued similar directions regarding extending the period of sale of liquor from all retail shops on the eve of Christmas and New Year. "In compliance with the order, authorised liquor outlets in Noida and Greater Noida will remain open from 10 am to 11 pm on December 24 and 31," Gautam Buddh Nagar District Excise Officer Subodh Kumar Srivastava told PTI. Usually, authorised liquor outlets in the region close at 10 pm. Earlier this week, the excise department asked Noida and Greater Noida residents to apply for an occasional bar licence if they are considering hosting parties, whether at homes or at the community level, where liquor would be served. Not having a valid licence for serving liquor is illegal and can attract legal .

Dhankhar writes to Kharge again, invites him to residence on Christmas Day

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday invited Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge to his residence on December 25 for an interaction on the issue of disruptions in Parliament and the suspension of opposition MPs, saying despite his repeated requests, such a meeting could not happen during the Winter session. The vice president said the disorder in the House was deliberate and part of a strategy. "I do not seek to embarrass you by indicating the predetermined role of the main opposition party in this communication, but will share with you when I have the benefit of interaction with you," he said. In a fresh letter to Kharge, who is the leader of opposition in the House, Dhankhar wrote, "We need to move ahead" and invited him for an interaction on December 25 "or a time of your convenience" at his official residence. Responding to Kharge's December 22 letter, the Rajya Sabha chairperson said he wished that the Congress leader's assertion that "we firmly believe in fostering dialog

Christmas 2023: Know the importance of lighting candles on Christmas

Christmas candles carry seasonal cheer into the home and lighting the candles has extraordinary significance. Christmas candles are also symbolic of the Light from Heaven during the winter evenings

Vistara offers discounts on domestic and international travel on Christmas

Vistara Airlines is set to offer business class seats starting Rs 9924, which guarantees a trip with spacious seats and personalised service for those seeking the ultimate in luxury

Ways to plan your Christmas and New Year holidays this festive season

Travelling during the Christmas and New Year is different from travelling during other times of the year. Arranging the ideal holiday needs pre-planned preparation to ensure a charming experience

Merry Christmas 2023: History, Importance, Traditions, Common Rituals

Christmas is a much-cherished celebration all over the planet. The celebration is related with good cause, spreading happiness and investing energy with loved ones

10 Decoration Ideas on Christmas Evening and why they are important

Generally, the Christmas tree is an evergreen decoration. Not only was it thought to prevent illness and evil spirits, but it was also a symbol of eternal life with God

Under shadow of war in Gaza, Bethlehem gearing up for a subdued Christmas

Bethlehem is gearing up for a subdued Christmas, without the festive lights and customary Christmas tree towering over Manger Square, after officials in Jesus' traditional birthplace decided to forego celebrations due to the Israel-Hamas war. The cancellation of Christmas festivities, which typically draw thousands of visitors, is a severe blow to the town's tourism-dependent economy. But joyous revelry is untenable at a time of immense suffering of Palestinians in Gaza, said Mayor Hana Haniyeh. The economy is crashing, Haniyeh told The Associated Press on Friday. But if we compare it with what's happening to our people and Gaza, it's nothing. More than 18,700 Palestinians have been killed and more than 50,000 wounded during Israel's blistering air and ground offensive against Gaza's Hamas rulers, according to health officials there, while some 85 per cent of the territory's 2.3 million residents have been displaced. The war was triggered by Hamas' deadly assault October 7 on south

Top 5 Christmas movies of 2023 to watch this winter with your family

Christmas is on its way, and if you are a movie geek, here are the top 5 movies which you can watch on different OTT platforms. Check the list below

Putin orders cease-fire for orthodox Christmas; Kyiv won't take part

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday ordered his armed forces to observe a unilateral 36-hour cease-fire in Ukraine this weekend for the Orthodox Christmas holiday, the first such sweeping truce move in the nearly 11-month-old war. Kyiv indicated it won't follow suit. Putin did not appear to make his cease-fire order conditional on Ukraine's acceptance, and it wasn't clear whether hostilities would actually halt on the 1,100-kilometer (684-mile) front line or elsewhere. Ukrainian officials have previously dismissed such Russian moves as playing for time to regroup their invasion forces and prepare additional attacks. At various points during the war that began Feb. 24, Russian authorities have ordered limited, local truces to allow civilian evacuations or other humanitarian purposes. Thursday's order was the first time Putin has directed his troops to observe a cease-fire throughout Ukraine. Based on the fact that a large number of citizens professing Orthodoxy live in the .

Third force: The tightrope walk that awaits Prachanda, Nepal's new PM

On Christmas day, Dahal became prime minister of Nepal for the third time - with Oli's assistance. The story of how he achieved this is a riveting one

Philippine rain, flooding on Christmas cause at least 25 deaths, damage

The death toll from heavy rains and floods that devastated parts of the Philippines over the Christmas weekend has risen to 25, with 26 others still missing, the national disaster response agency said Wednesday. Nearly 400,000 people were affected, with over 81,000 still in shelters and nine others injured, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said. Sixteen of the 25 deaths were reported in Northern Mindanao region in the south, while 12 of the 26 missing are from the eastern Bicol region, the council added. A shear line the point where warm and cold air meet triggered rains in parts of eastern, central and southern Philippines, the state weather bureau PAGASA said. The weather disturbance disrupted Christmas celebration in affected provinces, with photos from the southern province of Misamis Occidental showing rescuers carrying an elderly woman on a plastic chair as they waded through a flooded street. Some residents in the province were seen hanging on to

Holiday sales up 7.6% as US spending remained resilient amid inflation

Holiday sales rose this as American spending remained resilient during the critical shopping season despite surging prices on everything from food to rent, according to one measure. Holiday sales rose 7.6, a slower pace than the 8.5% increase from a year earlier when shoppers began spending the money they had saved during the early part of the pandemic, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks all kinds of payments including cash and debit cards. Mastercard SpendingPulse had expected a 7.1% increase. The data released Monday excludes the automotive industry and is not adjusted for inflation, which has eased somewhat but remains painfully high. U.S. sales between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24, a period that is critical for retailers, were fuelled by spending at restaurants and on clothing. By category, clothing rose 4.4%, while jewellery and electronics dipped roughly 5%. Online sales jumped 10.6% from a year ago and in-person spending rose 6.8%. Department stores registered a mod

Kerala sees 5% rise in alcohol sales during Christmas, says BevCo

Kerala saw an overall five per cent increase over last year's sales of alcohol during the Christmas season this year, according to a source in Kerala State Beverages Corporation Ltd (BEVCO). The source said sales between December 22 and December 25 generated around Rs 250 crore. This number could further go up by December 31, the source said. On Christmas eve, there were sales for around Rs 90 crore from BEVCO outlets. This was slightly less than last year, but the sale receipts from the outlets were not yet in, said the source. Therefore, the figure could go up, according to the source. The State government slashed sales tax on wine from 112 per cent to 86 per cent, the source added.

Covid or common cold? What to do if you have symptoms this Christmas

Along with Covid, northern hemisphere countries including the US and the UK are currently seeing or have recently seen large increases in influenza, respiratory syncytial virus and the common cold

Pope Francis appeals to call off senseless Ukraine war, express solidarity

"May the Lord inspire us to offer concrete gestures of solidarity to assist all those who are suffering, and may he enlighten the minds of those who have the power to silence the thunder of weapons"

Charles chooses multi-faith theme for first Christmas broadcast as UK King

King Charles III chose a multi-faith message for his first-ever Christmas Day broadcast on Sunday as British monarch, referencing the work of churches, synagogues, mosques, temples, and gurdwaras across the UK and wishing everyone a Christmas filled with peace, happiness and everlasting light. The 74-year-old King, who had recorded the message earlier this month at St. George's Chapel at Windsor Castle, focussed on the unifying theme of light overcoming darkness celebrated across all faiths. The traditional broadcast was also packed with heartfelt tributes to the life and legacy of his late mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away aged 96 in September. While Christmas is, of course, a Christian celebration, the power of light overcoming darkness is celebrated across the boundaries of faith and belief, said King Charles. So, whatever faith you have, or whether you have none, it is in this life-giving light, and with the true humility that lies in our service to others, that I ...

Himachal Police directs SPs, district police to manage tourists' rush

In view of festival season of Christmas and New Year, Himachal police authorities have issued necessary guidelines and directed SPs and other district police officials to make adequate arrangements

Picnics, church visits, food make Christmas merry in West Bengal

Picnics, visits to churches by the faithful and long queues outside various monuments marked the Christmas celebrations in West Bengal on a fun-filled Sunday for the young and the old. Those who chose to enjoy a leisurely holiday stayed at home with a sumptuous spread for lunch while at many places, local clubs and cultural organisations arranged for a feast for underprivileged children and the elderly. While city dwellers made a beeline for popular picnic spots in the rural surroundings in groups of various sizes, another flow of people from the districts swarmed Kolkata for a visit to the Alipore Zoo, Victoria Memorial Hall, Eco Park and Nicco Park, among others. As the day progressed and evening descended, the dazzling Park Street, the beautifully decorated cynosure of many people for whom a visit to the place in the posh Kolkata locality is a must for food and drinks and merrymaking, came to life in its full glory. There were queues of the young and old at St Paul's Cathedral i