Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year, it is preceded by the season of Advent or the Nativity Fast and initiates the season of Christmastide, which historically in the West lasts twelve days and culminates on Twelfth Night; in some traditions, Christmastide includes an octave. Christmas Day is a public holiday in many of the world's nations, is celebrated religiously by a majority of Christians, as well as culturally by many non-Christians, and forms an integral part of the holiday season centered around it.
Marcus Chu is a 16-year-old student in Manila, where school classes have been suspended amid a citywide lockdown. But Marcus is putting his free time to good use, making face shields for frontline..
When bushfires landed on the doorstep of Gary Wilson and Julie Willis' kangaroo sanctuary they decided not to flee, but stay and defend their property and protect the 50 or more animals taking refuge...
Pope Francis said on Sunday he will this week deliver an extraordinary "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) blessing - normally given only at Christmas and Easter - and called for worldwide.. Reuters - Published
It was holiday time at Hong Kong's sprawling Harbour City shopping mall, and shoppers posed for selfies next to giant presents wrapped in golden foil, while toddlers jumped into a ball pit filled with.. Reuters - Published
Britain's Prince Harry and his wife Meghan visited Canada House in London on Tuesday to thank the High Commissioner for the hospitality they received during their Christmas holiday. Reuters - Published
Muslim women in the Palestinian Gaza Strip have been hand-crafting gifts for the approaching Orthodox Christmas as part of a project to empower a traditional community. Reuters - Published
Hong Kong will end 2019 with multiple protests planned for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day aimed at disrupting festivities and shopping in the Asian financial hub, which has seen a rise in clashes.. Reuters - Published
Hong Kong will end 2019 with multiple protests planned for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day aimed at disrupting festivities and shopping in the Asian financial hub, which has seen a rise in clashes.. Reuters - Published
A fire that swept through a poor community of the Chilean seaside city of Valparaiso on Christmas Eve has left not only people but hundreds of pets without homes. Reuters - Published
Surrounded by dozens of his descendants, Adrian LeBaron gave thanks to God as he prepared to celebrate Christmas for the first time since suspected Mexican drug cartel hitmen murdered his daughter and.. Reuters - Published
George Michael's sister Melanie Panayiotou died on Christmas Day, the third anniversary of the pop singer's death, her family said on Friday. Reuters - Published
The death toll from a Christmas typhoon that tore through the central Philippines rose to 28 on Friday, with 12 people missing, the disaster agency said, as authorities moved to restore power and.. Reuters - Published
Police in New Mexico are investigating the Christmas Day shooting deaths of four family members in a suburban Albuquerque home as a triple murder and suicide, authorities said on Thursday. Reuters - Published
More than 245 homes have been destroyed and 700 people left destitute after a forest fire tore through a low-income area of the Chilean seaside city of Valparaiso on Christmas Eve. Reuters - Published
Leading the faction, Binoy Tamang on Thursday said that he has urged the youth wing of Gorkha Janmukti Morcha to withdraw the strike keeping the tourist season in mind during the Christmas and New Year.. DNA - Published
Hundreds of protesters marched through festive Hong Kong shopping malls on Thursday, aiming to disrupt business in the Asian financial hub for a third day over the Christmas holidays, with riot police.. Reuters - Published
A typhoon that struck the central Philippines over Christmas has killed at least 13 people, disaster agency officials said on Thursday. Reuters - Published
Hundreds of anti-government protesters and their supporters gathered outside a tiny restaurant in Hong Kong for an unconventional Christmas dinner, sharing paper plates piled high with food under neon.. Reuters - Published
Britain's Queen Elizabeth said in her Christmas message on Wednesday that she was impressed by young people's dynamism towards fighting environmental destruction. Reuters - Published
It was freezing cold in most parts of the northern states on Christmas, with Srinagar recording its coldest night of the season at minus 4.3 degrees Celsius that froze water supply lines at several.. IndiaTimes - Published
Britain's Prince Andrew skipped the royals' traditional Christmas Day walk to church after what his mother Queen Elizabeth said in her seasonal address had been a "bumpy" year. Reuters - Published
Pope Francis urged the world to let the light of Christmas pierce the "darkness in human hearts" that leads to religious persecution, social injustice, armed conflicts and fear of migrants. Reuters - Published
Hong Kong anti-government protesters marched through several shopping malls chanting pro-democracy slogans on Wednesday, a day after violent clashes with the police left a prime tourist district.. Reuters - Published
Pope Francis and two other religious leaders sent out an extraordinary Christmas appeal on Wednesday to the leaders of South Sudan to keep their promise to form at least a transitional unity government.. Reuters - Published
Christmas turned to chaos for many holiday observers in the central Philippines as a typhoon with strong winds and heavy rains destroyed homes, cut off power and stranded travelers, disaster officials.. Reuters - Published
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday extended greetings to the nation on the occasion of Christmas and remembered the 'noble thoughts of Jesus Christ'. IndiaTimes - Published
A man with a white beard was being held on $10,000 bond for allegedly robbing a Colorado bank and throwing the stolen cash into the air while shouting, “Merry Christmas” to passersby, police and.. Reuters - Published
Pope Francis led the world's 1.3 billion Roman Catholics into Christmas on Tuesday, urging them not to let the Church's failings lead them away from accepting God's love. Reuters - Published
Wildlife carers in Australia are ready to work around the clock over Christmas, preparing for more admissions particularly for baby animals stressed by hot weather, bushfires and drought. Reuters - Published
Ousted Bolivian leader Evo Morales told Reuters he plans to return to his home country by next Christmas, after going into exile in neighboring Argentina following a disputed election. Reuters - Published
Hong Kong riot police fired rounds of tear gas at thousands of protesters, many wearing masks and reindeer horns, after scuffles in shopping malls and in a prime tourist district as pro-democracy.. Reuters - Published
Fewer than half of Christians from Gaza who sought Israeli permits to visit holy cities such as Bethlehem and Jerusalem at Christmas have so far had their applications granted, members of the small.. Reuters - Published
Britain's Prince Philip, the 98-year-old husband of Queen Elizabeth, was released from a London hospital on Tuesday and joined other members of the royal family for their Christmas celebrations. Reuters - Published
Queen Elizabeth will stress the value of harmony and reconciliation in her Christmas message this year, Buckingham Palace said on Tuesday, after a "quite bumpy" year for her own family and for Britain.. Reuters - Published
Five people were hospitalized after Christmas shoppers were crushed in a midnight balloon drop of gift vouchers at a Sydney suburban shopping center. Reuters - Published
The Christ Church in the North-Indian hill state Himachal Pradesh on this Christmas will play over 150-year-old Chimes Bell that was restored recently. DNA - Published
Queen Elizabeth will stress the value of harmony and reconciliation in her Christmas message this year, Buckingham Palace said on Tuesday, after a year in which the tortuous Brexit process aggravated.. Reuters - Published
While the North American Aerospace Defense Command stays alert for any signs of a North Korea missile launch – what officials in Pyongyang have described as a "Christmas gift" – it is also tracking.. Reuters - Published
Christmas cheer rang out through Bethlehem's Manger Square on Monday as pilgrims and worshippers flocked to the city revered as Jesus's birthplace and locals made final preparations for this year's.. Reuters - Published
Hong Kong is gearing up for demonstrations over the Christmas week with protesters planning to gather in districts across the city, including in prime shopping malls, the latest in more than six months.. Reuters - Published
British supermarket giant Tesco suspended a Chinese supplier of Christmas cards on Sunday after a press report said a customer found a message written inside a card saying it had been packed by foreign.. Reuters - Published
Scorching heat baking Australia eased on Monday bringing relief from extreme bushfires, which destroyed around 180 houses and killed one person over the weekend, allowing firefighters to prepare for.. Reuters - Published
Christians in the Gaza Strip will be allowed to visit holy cities such as Bethlehem and Jerusalem at Christmas, Israel authorities said on Sunday, reversing a decision not to issue them permits. Reuters - Published
Berlin police gave the all-clear on Saturday after earlier evacuating a Christmas market that was the scene of a fatal attack three years ago to investigate a possible suspicious object, which they did.. Reuters - Published
French President Emmanuel Macron called on transport unions to suspend strikes over pension reform during the Christmas holidays to avoid travel disruption. Reuters - Published
Hong Kong riot police swept into several shopping malls on Saturday, chasing off and arresting some anti-government Hong Kong demonstrators who had gathered to press their demands in the peak shopping.. Reuters - Published
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