Christmas came early for someone who purchased a Powerball ticket worth more than $1.8 billion at a gas station outside Little Rock, Arkansas. The lone winner in Wednesday’s Christmas Eve drawing matched all five winning numbers and the Powerball to capture the second-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history. Under Arkansas law, the winner has 180 days to claim their prize. The ticket was purchased at a Murphy USA gas station in the Little Rock suburb of Cabot. The mayor says the entire community is buzzing about who the potential winner might be, although since the gas station is on a major interstate, it's possible they're from out of town.

Preston Stone threw three touchdown passes and Northwestern turned four turnovers into touchdowns and beat Central Michigan 34-7 in the GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field on Friday. The Wildcats (7-6) extended their bowl game winning streak to six. They haven’t lost in the postseason since a 45-6 loss to Pittsburgh in the 2015 Outback Bowl. Central Michigan (7-6) is 0-3 against the Big Ten in bowl games, with all three losses coming at Ford Field. The Chippewas lost 51-48 to Purdue in the 2007 Motor City Bowl and 21-14 to Minnesota in the 2015 Quick Lane Bowl.

Police say that two people have been killed and at least two more injured in northern Israel in a car-ramming and stabbing attack by a Palestinian man. Police said that the attacker first crashed his vehicle into people in the northern city of Beit Shean on Friday, killing a 68-year-old man. The assailant then sped onto a highway where he fatally stabbed a teenage woman and injured another person. Israel’s rescue services said that both victims were pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. Two other people were injured. The attacker was hospitalized with injuries and Israel's military started an operation in the attacker's hometown of Qabatiya in the West Bank.

The United States airstrikes targeting militants affiliated with the Islamic State group in northwestern Nigeria are a major escalation of an offensive that Nigeria’s overstretched military has struggled with for years. U.S. President Donald Trump said the “powerful and deadly” strikes were carried out against IS militants on Thursday. Although officials did not say which group was targeted, security analysts said the target is most likely the Lakurawa group, an IS-affiliated jihadi group that became more active and lethal in Sokoto and other northwestern states in the last year. Here is what to know about the militants.

President Donald Trump says the U.S. launched a deadly strike against Islamic State forces in Nigeria, after spending weeks accusing the West African country's government of failing to rein in the persecution of Christians. Trump posted news of the strike Thursday night on his social media site. He said last month that he'd ordered the Pentagon to begin planning for potential military action in Nigeria following the claims of Christian persecution. The State Department then announced that it would restrict visas for Nigerians and their family members involved in mass killings and violence against Christians. The U.S. recently designated Nigeria a “country of particular concern” under the International Religious Freedom Act.

Nikola Jokic set an NBA record with 18 points in overtime. His performance led the Denver Nuggets to a 142-138 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves on Christmas night. Jokic's output also helped the Nuggets set a league record with 27 points in a single extra period. Nuggets coach David Adelman called Jokic the "best player in the world" and highlights his "crazy stat line" of 56 points, 16 rebounds and 15 assists. Jokic made 15 of 21 shots from the floor and 22 of 23 free throws. Teammate Jamal Murray says, “Sounds about right.”

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says that he will meet on Sunday with U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida. Zelenskyy told journalists on Friday that the two leaders will discuss security guarantees for Ukraine during Sunday’s talks, and that the 20-point plan under discussion “is about 90% ready.” The announced meeting is the latest development in an extensive U.S.-led diplomatic push to end the nearly four-year Russia-Ukraine war. But efforts have run into sharply conflicting demands by Moscow and Kyiv.

Separatists in southern Yemen are accusing Saudi Arabia of targeting their forces with airstrikes. The Southern Transitional Council says the strikes happened in Yemen’s Hadramout governorate. It’s unclear if there were any casualties. The Council’s satellite channel aired footage that appeared to show the strikes, with a man blaming Saudi aircraft. Officials in Saudi Arabia did not comment. On Thursday, the kingdom called on Emirati-backed separatists to withdraw from two new governorates they control. This move has threatened to spark a confrontation within a fragile coalition battling the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the north.

Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been sentenced to 15 years in prison and must pay 13.5 billion ringgit ($3.3 billion) for his role in the 1MDB corruption scandal. On Friday, the High Court found him guilty of abuse of power and money laundering, linked to over $700 million channeled into his accounts. The new sentence will run after his current term ends. Najib denied wrongdoing, claiming the funds were a Saudi donation. The judge rejected this, citing evidence of Najib's ties to financier Low Taek Jho. Najib's lawyer plans to appeal. The scandal has been one of the world's largest financial frauds.

Since returning to the White House in January, President Donald Trump has overturned decades of U.S. trade policy — building a wall of tariffs around what used to be a wide open economy. His double-digit taxes on imports from almost every country on earth have disrupted global commerce and strained the budgets of consumers and businesses worldwide. They have also raised tens of billions of dollars for the U.S. Treasury. Still, the erratic way the president rolled out his tariffs  made 2025 one of the most turbulent economic years in recent memory.

Founded during the Black Freedom Movement of the 1960s, Kwanzaa is a non-religious holiday that is observed by millions of Americans. It has become a nationally recognized celebration of African culture and community in the United States that is also celebrated in countries with large African descendant populations. It serves as a nationwide communal event, reinforcing self-determination and unity in the face of oppression. The holiday spans seven days from the day after Christmas to New Year’s Day. African American author, activist and professor Maulana Karenga founded Kwanzaa following the 1965 Watts Riots in Los Angeles, also known as the Watts Rebellion.

The Minnesota Vikings are trying to practice the process of winning in December despite being eliminated from contention for the playoffs. The Vikings beat the Detroit Lions 23-10 on Thursday for their fourth consecutive victory to improve to 8-8. Coach Kevin O'Connell clearly believes in the carryover value of finishing strong this season. Safety Harrison Smith spearheaded the defense's six-turnover, five-sack performance against the Lions. Minnesota finishes at home in Week 18 against Green Bay. The Packers have clinched their spot in the playoffs but could still be alive in the division race behind Chicago.