24 hours in pictures, 22 December 2025

Russian Lieutenant General killed in car bombing in Moscow

A Russian policeman works near a destroyed car after a blast from an explosive device planted under the vehicle in a residential area of Moscow, Russia, 22 December 2025. The head of the Russian General Staff’s Operational Training Directorate, Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, was killed in a car explosion in Moscow, the Russian Investigative Committee reported. Picture: EPA/MAXIM SHIPENKOV

Gregor Deschwanden of Switzerland soars through the air during the men’s Large Hill HS140 FIS Ski Jumping World Cup competition at the Gross-Titlis Schanze in Engelberg, Switzerland, 21 December 2025. Picture: EPA/PHILIPP SCHMIDLI

Braamfischer resident Matome Mathata prepares food parcels at Braamfischerville Multipurpose Centre, Soweto, 22 December 2025, during a Distribution Initiative by Black Coffee Foundation. Picture: Nigel Sibanda/The Citizen

Thousands of runners dressed as Santa Claus participate in the second edition of the Santa Claus race, a 5km fun run through the streets of Barcelona, on December 21, 2025. (Photo by Lluis GENE / AFP)

Snow covers the landscape in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani-administered Kashmir, 21 December 2025 (issued 22 December 2025). After a prolonged dry spell, fresh snowfall blanketed the high mountain areas of Taobat village in Neelum Valley, Pakistan-administered Kashmir, triggering a sharp drop in temperatures and marking the onset of winter, delighting residents while disrupting daily life and travel. Picture: EPA/AMIRUDDIN MUGHAL

Romanians commemorate 36th anniversary of the December 1989 Revolution

Two passengers film the guard of honor as their tram passes by the Heroes of the Revolution the Cemetery during a commemoration event marking the 36th anniversary of the 1989 December anti-communist uprising, in Bucharest, Romania, 21 December 2025. More than 1,100 people were killed across Romania in the civil unrest, known as the December 1989 Revolution, that toppled Eastern Europe’s most repressive communist regime. Picture: EPA/ROBERT GHEMENT

Jewish holiday of Hanukkah celebrated in Amsterdam

A Hanukkah menorah is lighted on Dam Square during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, 21 December 2025. Hanukkah, an eight-day Jewish holiday also known as the ‘Festival of Lights’, begins at sundown on 14 December, and ends at nightfall on 22 December 2025. Picture: EPA/DINGENA MOL

Models present creations by Pakistani designer Raja salahuddin during the Hum Bridal Couture Week in Lahore, Pakistan, 20 December 2025 (issued 21 December 2025). Picture: EPA/RAHAT DAR

People celebrate after winning the second prize of El Gordo Lottery in Madrid, Spain, 22 December 2025. The second-prize winning number, 70048, was sung by students of San Ildefonso school during the traditional Spanish Christmas Lottery. The traditional Spanish Christmas Lottery, with a first prize called ‘The Fat One,’ offers some 2.70 billion euros in prizes, with 4 million of them going to the jackpot of 400,000 euros per ticket. Picture: EPA/MARISCAL

Bolivia celebrates summer solstice with ancestral rituals

The hands of an ‘amauta’ woman, or spiritual guide, during an ancestral ceremony in La Paz, Bolivia, 21 December 2025. Dozens of people gathered to commemorate the Southern Hemisphere’s summer solstice with traditional rites, dances, and indigenous music, offering prayers to ‘Pachamama’ – Mother Earth – for blessings at the start of a new agricultural cycle. Picture: EPA/GABRIEL MARQUEZ

Johannesburg celebrates holiday season with annual Festival of Lights

Stilt walkers entertain the crowds during a modern interpretation of the Nativity scene at the annual ‘Festival of Lights’ at Joburg Zoo in Johannesburg, South Africa, 21 December 2025. The festival features massive animal-shaped light displays, ballet, dance performances, and a fairground. Picture: EPA/KIM LUDBROOK

Johannesburg Executive Mayor Joins JMPD and DED Pickitup

General views during the joint cleanup with Pikitup, the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) and the Economic Development Department (DED) on December 2025 in Johannesburg, South Africa, The program focused on improving cleanliness, waste collection, and safety in public spaces as part of coordinated efforts to enhance service delivery in the city. (Photo by Sharon Seretlo/Gallo Images)

Buzkashi premier league matches in Kabul

Team Sar-e-Pul (Black colors) and Team Kunduz (Brown shirts) compete during a Buzkashi premier league match in Kabul, Afghanistan, 21 December 2025. Buzkashi is a traditional sport in which horse-mounted players attempt to place a goat or calf carcass in a goal. Several provincial teams are participating in the Buzkashi league. Picture: EPA/SAMIULLAH POPAL

Italian Frecce Tricolori aerobatic team performs before the second run of the Men’s Giant Slalom race of the Alpine Skiing World Cup in Alta Badia, Italy, 21 December 2025. Picture: EPA/ANDREA SOLERO

Bathers dressed as Santa Claus and Mrs Claus and other wearing Christmas hats take part in the traditional Christmas bath in Nice, on the French Riviera, on December 21, 2025. (Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP)

A fire breather performs while presenting outfits from African designers during the Africa Fashion Week Nigeria (AFWN) in Lagos, Nigeria, 21 December 2025. Since its inception, AFWN has become a leading platform in Africa for emerging and established fashion designers to showcase their creations. Picture: EPA/EMMANUEL ADEGBOYE

Choristers take part in a rehearsal for their upcoming Christmas performances, at St Paul’s Cathedral in central London on December 22, 2025. (Photo by CARLOS JASSO / AFP)

Tourists visit the Iguazu Falls in Brazil

Tourists visit the Iguazu Falls in Iguazu National Park in Foz do Iguazu, Brazil, 21 December 2025. Picture: EPA/Juan Pablo Pino

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