The Vatican City witnessed a special prayer service on Christmas, led by Pope Leo, who appealed for an end to wars and conflicts worldwide. The Pope specifically mentioned the sufferings of Palestinians in Gaza and offered prayers for peace, justice, and stability in Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and Ukraine. Christmas celebrations took place across the globe, with special prayer services held in churches in Syria. In Damascus, the Church Scouts organized a parade on the occasion of Christmas, while in Iraq, Christmas festivities were celebrated with great fervor in churches. Palestinians in Gaza celebrated Christmas, holding special prayer services in Beit Lahm, where churches were adorned with lights.
In Berlin, a record 28,000 football fans sang a special Christmas carol at the stadium. In Moscow, a large number of people participated in the Christmas Festival. Astronauts at the space station decorated a Christmas tree and wished each other a Merry Christmas. The iconic Empire State Building in New York was beautifully lit up with colorful lights. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced on Christmas that Israel has officially recognized Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state.
In a related development, the police said that during the investigation, footage from a dashcam installed in the car was also obtained, which included audio and video recordings, and was considered an important piece of evidence. China has imposed restrictions on 20 US defense companies and 10 individuals for selling arms to Taiwan.
In Syria’s Homs city, a mosque explosion during Friday prayers resulted in the deaths of six people and more than 20 being injured. A video of the late muezzin of the Prophet Muhammad Mosque, Sheikh Faisal Nauman, has gone viral on social media. Japan’s cabinet has approved a record defense budget of $58 billion for the fiscal year 2026, in the context of increasing regional tensions with China.
In a statement, Nigerian officials said that US airstrikes had targeted extremist targets with extreme accuracy. According to foreign media, the High Court has convicted Naji Razak in four cases. Officials said that the name and nationality of the tanker are not disclosed. Britain’s King Charles III, in his Christmas address, emphasized the importance of empathy, compassion, and unity.
Iranian media reported that Akramuddin Rafiq, the former police chief of the Afghan province of Takhar, was assassinated in Tehran. They added that about a month ago, Tashar came to his house, quarreled, and left. In Canada, a Sikh lawyer’s legal struggle has led to the abolition of a century-old law that made it mandatory for professionals to take an oath of allegiance to the British monarch.
In Hyderabad, India, a man set fire to his wife in front of their children and then pushed their daughter, who was trying to save her mother, into the flames and escaped. According to North Korean state media, Kim Jong-un inspected a guided missile submarine in the sea. Sources say that a protest was held outside the Pakistani consulate in Bradford, UK, against the High Commission’s statement. The spokesperson said that the matter will be investigated by the British police in accordance with the law.
