WASHINGTON: A lucky lottery player in the US state of Arkansas has won the $1.8 billion Powerball prize, the second-largest US lottery jackpot ever won, the gambling game&#39;s organizer said on Thursday. &quot;With final ticket sales, the Powerball jackpot reached $1.817 billion, making it the second-largest US lottery jackpot ever won and the largest Powerball prize this year,&quot; Powerball said in a statement. The drawing was held on Christmas Eve. The winner can claim the full amount in 30 annual payments or opt for a one-off cash payout of $834.9 million before tax. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, according to Powerball. The largest lottery bonanza in history was $2.04 billion, awarded in 2022 to a person who bought their ticket in California.

Americas

The winner can claim the full amount in 30 annual payments or opt for a one-off cash payout of $834.9 million before tax; odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million

US lottery player wins $1.8 bn Powerball on Christmas Eve

PALM BEACH: President Donald Trump said on Thursday that US forces conducted deadly strikes against Islamic State &quot;Scum&quot; in northwestern Nigeria, and vowed more attacks if the militants keep killing Christians. &quot;I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was,&quot; Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, adding that &quot;the Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes.&quot;

Vows more attacks if the fighters keep killing Christians; adds he previously warned that there would be hell to pay, “and tonight, there was." 

Trump says US launched 'numerous' deadly strikes on IS in Nigeria

DAMASCUS: Syrian authorities on Thursday said forces killed a senior leader in the Islamic State group and arrested another operative in fresh operations near capital Damascus in coordination with the US-led coalition. Syrian security and intelligence forces, working in coordination with the international coalition, conducted what the interior ministry described as a &quot;precise security operation&quot; in the Damascus countryside. &quot;The operation resulted in neutralizing the terrorist Mohammad Shahada, known as &#39;Abu Omar Shaddad&#39;, who is considered one of the prominent IS leaders in Syria,&quot; it added. &quot;This operation comes as confirmation of the effectiveness of joint coordination between the national security agencies and international partners.&quot; Later Thursday, the interior ministry said security forces &quot;in joint coordination with international coalition forces&quot; arrested &quot;the leader of a terrorist cell affiliated with the Daesh (IS) organization&quot; elsewhere near Damascus, seizing weapons and ammunition. Late Wednesday, authorities said they captured Taha al-Zoubi, also known as Abu Omar Tabiya, an IS leader in the Damascus region, along with several of his men, also in a joint operation with the US-led coalition. The interior ministry also said on Thursday that security forces had arrested three members of an IS-affiliated cell in Aleppo province. A December 13 attack killed two US soldiers and an American civilian. Washington blamed the attack on a lone IS gunman in Syria&#39;s Palmyra. In retaliation, US forces conducted strikes targeting scores of IS targets in Syria. The strikes killed five members of the jihadist group, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. In November, during a visit by interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa to Washington, Syria officially joined the US-led coalition against IS. Sharaa is an Islamist ruler and a former jihadist whose group fought IS at the height of his country&#39;s civil war.

Middle East

Syrian authorities said forces killed a senior leader in the Islamic State group and arrested another operative in fresh operations near capital Damascus in coordination with the US-led coalition

Syria says kills senior IS leader, arrests operative near Damascus

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan is scheduled to arrive in Pakistan on Friday for an official visit focused on bilateral relations and regional security, the Pakistan foreign office announced on Wednesday. The visit comes at the invitation of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.&nbsp; Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed will be accompanied by a high-level delegation comprising ministers and senior officials. Since its formation in December 1971, Pakistan-UAE relations have grown across political, economic, and social spheres, evolving into a &ldquo;trustworthy strategic partnership&rdquo; based on mutual trust, according to the UAE foreign office. The UAE and Pakistan share strong economic ties, with approximately 1.8 million Pakistani expatriates working in the UAE. These expatriates contributed $5.5 billion in remittances in the current fiscal year, significantly supporting Pakistan&rsquo;s macro-economy, according to the ministry. The UAE-Pakistan Assistance Program, launched in January 2011 at a total cost of $450 million, has funded the reconstruction of infrastructure damaged by floods and natural disasters in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Bajaur, and South Waziristan, creating jobs and improving livelihoods in these regions. The country has also reaffirmed its support to Pakistan in overcoming macroeconomic challenges, exemplified by its $2 billion financial deposit with the State Bank of Pakistan.&nbsp; Over the past two decades, the UAE public and private sectors have invested more than $10 billion in Pakistan, spanning communications, services, tourism, information technology, oil and gas, housing, banking, and real estate, according to the UAE ministry of foreign affairs. State-owned and private UAE companies have played an active role in Pakistan&rsquo;s economic landscape.&nbsp; The Abu Dhabi Group owns Al Falah Bank and invested in UBL Bank; Dubai Islamic Bank has branches in Pakistan; Mashreq Bank Pakistan is a fully digital, Shariah-compliant bank. Additionally, Emirati telecommunications firms acquired shares in Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited for over $2 billion. Currently, around 19 Emirati companies are operating in Pakistan, reflecting the depth of economic engagement between the two countries, according to the UAE foreign office. The Pakistan foreign office said earlier this week that Sheikh Mohamed&rsquo;s visit to Pakistan and the ensuing talks are expected to focus on enhancing cooperation in trade, investment, energy, development, and regional stability.

Foreign Affairs

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed set to arrive in Pakistan for talks on bilateral relations, trade, investment, energy, and regional security, highlighting a longstanding strategic partnership and deep economic ties between both countries

Pakistan–UAE partnership: Key developments and milestones

ISLAMABAD: United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrives in Pakistan on Friday for an official visit focusing on bilateral relations and regional security, the Pakistan foreign office said on Wednesday. The visit marks Sheikh Mohamed&rsquo;s first official trip to Pakistan since assuming the UAE presidency in 2022 and his second visit to the country this year.&nbsp; Sheikh Mohamed became Ruler of Abu Dhabi on May 13, 2022, following the death of Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and was elected President of the UAE a day later. Sheikh Mohamed is widely regarded as a central architect of the country&rsquo;s modern political, economic, and security policies. He is the third son of the UAE&rsquo;s founding president, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. Born in 1961, Sheikh Mohamed received military training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in the United Kingdom, graduating in 1979.&nbsp; He has held various roles in the UAE armed forces, including service in the elite Amiri Guard and as a pilot in the UAE Air Force, according to the UAE government&rsquo;s official website. In January 2005, he was appointed Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, a position in which he oversaw the development of the military&rsquo;s strategic planning, training, and defense capabilities. Before becoming president, Sheikh Mohamed held several key leadership roles in Abu Dhabi.&nbsp; He was named Crown Prince in 2004 and chaired the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, overseeing major policy decisions.&nbsp; He also played a leading role in economic diversification initiatives, including the establishment of Mubadala Development Company in 2002, now one of the UAE&rsquo;s main state investment entities. As chairman of the Tawazun Economic Council, he supported investments to strengthen domestic industries and reduce reliance on oil revenues. He has also been a prominent advocate of humanitarian assistance, directing UAE aid through organizations such as the Emirates Red Crescent to countries affected by conflict and natural disasters.&nbsp; During the COVID-19 pandemic, he led efforts to expand medical assistance and vaccine distribution internationally. He continues to prioritize investments in education, healthcare, infrastructure, and regional security to enable further progress and growth in Abu Dhabi. Sheikh Mohamed is married to Her Highness Sheikha Salama bint Hamdan bin Mohamed Al Nahyan; they have four sons and five daughters and are blessed with numerous grandchildren. His visit to Pakistan, followed by discussions, is expected to focus on expanding cooperation in trade, investment, energy, development, and regional stability, the Pakistan foreign office said.

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan will arrive in Pakistan for talks on trade, investment, energy, and regional security, highlighting his leadership in Abu Dhabi’s political, economic, and military development

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan: Architect of Abu Dhabi’s security and growth

VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV on Thursday urged Russia and Ukraine to find the &quot;courage&quot; to hold direct talks and spoke of the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza in his first Christmas message. The US pope, who was elected by fellow cardinals in May after the death of his predecessor pope Francis, also condemned the &quot;senselessness&quot; of war and the &quot;rubble and open wounds&quot; it leaves behind. Speaking to a crowd of some 26,000 people in St Peter&#39;s Square, the pope called for &quot;solidarity with and acceptance of those in need&quot; in Europe -- a possible reference to growing anti-immigration sentiment on the continent. &quot;Let us pray in a particular way for the tormented people of Ukraine,&quot; he said. &quot;May the parties involved, with the support and commitment of the international community, find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue,&quot; he added. Russian and Ukrainian officials have spoken separately in recent weeks to US negotiators about proposals to end the war started by Russia&#39;s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Tens of thousands have been killed, eastern Ukraine decimated and millions forced to flee their homes. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky this week outlined key points of a plan to end the conflict after US talks. But Russian President Vladimir Putin has so far shown no willingness to compromise, doubling down on his hardline demands. &#39;Return of life&#39;In his first Christmas homily as pontiff, Leo addressed the dismal conditions in Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people are still living in temporary shelters in wintry conditions weeks after a fragile ceasefire took hold. &quot;How... can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold,&quot; the pope said, adding that the territory&#39;s inhabitants &quot;have nothing left and have lost everything.&quot; The UN has said an estimated 1.3 million people currently need shelter&nbsp;assistance in Gaza and has warned of the increasing risk of hypothermia as temperatures dip. &quot;The war, in all its forms, has been harsh on everyone living on this land,&quot; Elias al-Jalda, a Palestinian Christian from Gaza, told AFP after attending a Christmas mass at Gaza&#39;s only Roman Catholic Church late on Wednesday. &quot;We hope this year will mark the beginning of a new phase -- one defined by a complete end to the war and the return of life to Gaza,&quot; said Jalda, one of dozens attending the mass. &#39;Compassion and reconciliation&#39;Sarah Mullally, who becomes head of the Church of England next month, addressed the issue of immigration directly in her Christmas sermon Thursday. &quot;Our national conversations about immigration continue to divide us, when our common humanity should unite us,&quot; &nbsp;said the future archbishop of Canterbury. &quot;We who are Christians then hold fast to joy as an act of resistance,&quot; she added. Britain&#39;s King Charles III called for &quot;compassion and reconciliation&quot; at a time of &quot;division&quot; across the world in his annual Christmas Day message broadcast. &quot;With the great diversity of our communities, we can find the strength to ensure that right triumphs over wrong,&quot; he said. &quot;It seems to me that we need to cherish the values of compassion and reconciliation the way our Lord lived and died.&quot; As well as being king of the United Kingdom, Charles is head of the 56 countries that make up the Commonwealth. Joy in BethlehemIn Bethlehem, the Christian community celebrated its first festive Christmas in more than two years as the occupied West Bank city emerges from the shadow of the war in Gaza. Hundreds of worshippers gathered for mass on Wednesday night at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the biblical birthplace of Jesus Christ. In Syria, Christmas lights illuminated Damascus&#39;s Old City despite the Christian community&#39;s fears of violence after a deadly attack in June. Around the district, home to several important churches, red baubles hung from trees, shopkeepers put up Christmas decorations and street vendors peddled warm chestnuts. &quot;Syria deserves joy and for us to be happy, and to hope for a new future,&quot; said student Loris Aasaf, 20. Trump&#39;s Christmas messageIn the United States, President Donald Trump issued a starkly different message to those of religious leaders. He wished a Merry Christmas &quot;to everyone, including the radical left-wing scum&quot;, referring to Democrats. In Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had a sombre message after the deadly attack during a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on December 14. &quot;After the terror inflicted on Jewish Australia celebrating Hanukkah and Bondi Beach, we feel the weight of sorrow in our hearts,&quot; he said&nbsp;

Europe

Pope Leo XIV urged Russia and Ukraine to find the "courage" to hold direct talks and spoke of the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza in his first Christmas message

Pope urges Russia, Ukraine dialogue in Christmas blessing

ISLAMABAD: Two Tajik border security personnel were killed after &ldquo;terrorists&rdquo; from Afghanistan attempted to illegally cross into Tajikistan, marking the third armed terrorist attack originating from Afghanistan, Tajik authorities said on Thursday.&nbsp;According to a press statement issued by the Border Troops of the State Committee for National Security of Tajikistan, three members of a terrorist organization crossed the border and entered Tajik territory from Afghanistan where they were resisted by Tajik security forces.&nbsp;&ldquo;On December 23, 2025, at 23:30, three members of a terrorist organization crossed the state border and entered the territory of the Republic of Tajikistan from Afghanistan within the protected area of Border Outpost No. 5 &lsquo;Bog&rsquo; of the 0341 &lsquo;Sarchashma&rsquo; Border Detachment, located in the Qavoq area of Shamsiddin Shohin District,&rdquo; the statement said.&nbsp;Officials said the group resisted security forces and attempted to target a border post.&nbsp;&ldquo;The terrorists refused to obey orders from Tajik border guards to surrender and offered armed resistance. They intended to carry out an armed attack on one of the border posts of the Border Troops of the State Committee for National Security of the Republic of Tajikistan,&rdquo; the statement added.&nbsp;During the armed clash, two servicemen of the Border Troops of the State Committee for National Security were killed, according to the statement.&nbsp;Tajik officials said this was the third &ldquo;armed attack, terrorist act, and border crossing&rdquo; from Afghanistan in the past month, noting that previous incidents resulted in casualties among civilians and security personnel.&nbsp;&ldquo;These facts demonstrate that the Taliban government has shown serious and repeated irresponsibility and has failed to fulfill its international obligations and consistent promises to ensure security and stability along the state border with the Republic of Tajikistan and to combat terrorist organizations,&rdquo; the statement said.&nbsp;Tajikistan said it expects an apology from the Taliban leadership and &ldquo;effective measures to prevent further incidents.&rdquo;&nbsp;The statement further reported the seizure of three M16 rifles, a Kalashnikov assault rifle, three foreign-made pistols equipped with silencers, 10 hand grenades, a night-vision scope, explosives, and other ammunition at the scene.&nbsp;Last month, three Chinese workers in Tajikistan were killed in an attack launched from Afghanistan near the border. The Tajik foreign ministry said a drone and firearm attack targeted workers of a Chinese company in the country&rsquo;s south.

Central Asia

Two Tajik border guards were killed after alleged militants crossed from Afghanistan, resisted security forces, and attempted an attack on a border post, marking the third such incident this month

Two Tajik border guards killed in cross-border militant attack from Afghanistan

ISLAMABAD: A coalition of right-wing Hindu groups enforced a statewide shutdown in India&rsquo;s Chhattisgarh state on Wednesday, disrupting daily life and targeting Christmas celebrations amid protests over alleged religious conversions, according to Indian media reports. The daylong shutdown, known as a &ldquo;Chhattisgarh Bandh,&rdquo; was called by the Sarva Hindu Samaj to protest what it described as an inadequate police response to a violent clash earlier this week in Kanker district, The Hindu reported. The unrest escalated in Raipur, the state capital, where a mob stormed the Magneto Mall on Wednesday afternoon. The media reported that about 40 to 50 men armed with sticks and rods entered the mall, tore down Christmas decorations including stars, garlands, and a Santa Claus display, and questioned shoppers and staff about their religious identity and caste before damaging property. The Indian Express reported that Raipur police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against around 30 unidentified individuals on charges of rioting and vandalism. Police said investigations were underway. The shutdown capped a volatile week for minority relations in central India.&nbsp; On Tuesday, the Catholic Bishops&rsquo; Conference of India issued a statement condemning what it described as an &ldquo;alarming&rdquo; rise in attacks on Christians during the Christmas season. According to The Hindu, the bishops said they were particularly disturbed by a viral video from Jabalpur in the neighboring state of Madhya Pradesh. The footage allegedly shows Anju Bhargava, a local vice president of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, verbally abusing and physically harassing a visually impaired woman who was attending a Christmas program. &ldquo;These attacks gravely undermine India&rsquo;s constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion,&rdquo; the bishops said in the statement, urging Union Home Minister Amit Shah to ensure strict law enforcement and provide &ldquo;proactive protection&rdquo; to Christian communities.

In Raipur, a group armed with wooden sticks damaged Christmas displays at Magneto Mall (Screengrab / X)

Asia

A coalition of right-wing Hindu groups enforced a statewide shutdown in India’s Chhattisgarh state on Wednesday, disrupting daily life and targeting Christmas celebrations amid protests over alleged religious conversions, according to Indian media reports

Indian Hindutva groups call Chhattisgarh shutdown, target Christmas celebrations 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s security forces carried out an intelligence-based operation in Kalat district of Balochistan on December 24 and killed eight militants, the military&rsquo;s media wing said Thursday. In a statement issued from Rawalpindi, the Inter-Services Public Relations said the operation was conducted on the reported presence of militants it described as belonging to &ldquo;India proxy, Fitna al Hindustan.&rdquo; &ldquo;During the conduct of operation, our forces effectively engaged the terrorists&rsquo; location, and after an intense fire exchange, eight Indian sponsored terrorists were sent to hell,&rdquo; the statement said. ISPR said weapons, ammunition and explosives were recovered from the militants and said they had been involved in &ldquo;numerous terrorist activities in the area.&rdquo; &ldquo;Sanitisation operations are being conducted to eliminate any other Indian sponsored terrorist found in the area,&rdquo; the statement said. The military said its counterterrorism campaign under the vision &ldquo;Azm e Istehkam,&rdquo; approved by Pakistan&rsquo;s Federal Apex Committee on the National Action Plan, would continue &ldquo;to wipe out menace of foreign sponsored and supported terrorism from the country.&rdquo; Earlier this month, the military said security forces killed 12 militants during an intelligence-based operation in Kalat. In March, the Global Terrorism Index 2025 ranked Pakistan as the second-most impacted country by terrorism and reported that deaths in terrorist attacks rose 45% compared with the previous year.

An image of Pakistan Army personnel in a military vehicle. — (AFP/FILE)

Security

Pakistan’s security forces carried out an intelligence-based operation in Kalat district of Balochistan on December 24 and killed eight militants, the military’s media wing said Thursday.

Eight militants killed in intelligence-based operation in Kalat, ISPR says

VATICAN CITY: Pope Leo XIV on Thursday condemned the &ldquo;rubble and open wounds&rdquo; left behind by wars, singling out the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza as he conducted his first Christmas homily. &ldquo;Fragile is the flesh of defenseless populations, tried by so many wars, ongoing or concluded, leaving behind rubble and open wounds,&rdquo; the pope said at the Mass in St. Peter&rsquo;s Basilica. &ldquo;How &hellip; can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold,&rdquo; he said.

Pope Leo XIV addresses faithfull as he performs the Christmas mass at St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on December 25, 2025. (AFP)

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday condemned the “rubble and open wounds” left behind by wars, singling out the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza as he conducted his first Christmas homily

US lottery player wins $1.8 bn Powerball on Christmas Eve

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