Month: December 2025

Pope Leo XIV delivered his first Christmas address as pontiff to issue a sweeping appeal for empathy, peace and international cooperation, focusing repeatedly on the suffering caused by war, poverty and displacement, particularly in Gaza and Ukraine.

Addressing about 26,000 people from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica for the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing, the first U.S.-born pope urged believers to reject indifference and recognize the shared fragility of humanity. He framed the Christmas story as a reminder that suffering and hope are inseparable.  The Pope said:  “In becoming man, Jesus took upon himself our fragility, identifying with each one of us: with those who have nothing left and have lost everything, like the inhabitants of Gaza; with those who are prey to hunger and poverty, like the Yemeni people; with those who are fleeing their homeland to seek a future elsewhere, like the many refugees and migrants who cross the Mediterranean or traverse the American continent.”

Earlier in the day, Leo presided over his first Christmas Day Mass beneath the ornate interior of St. Peter’s Basilica.  In his homily, he stressed that peace can only emerge through genuine listening and dialogue, saying:  “There will be peace when our monologues are interrupted and, enriched by listening, we fall to our knees before the humanity of the other.”  Leo spoke directly about Gaza, describing civilians living in extreme conditions amid continuing humanitarian distress. “How, then, can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold?” He broadened his message to include civilians in other conflict zones, warning that “fragile is the flesh of defenseless populations, tried by so many wars, ongoing or concluded, leaving behind rubble and open wounds.”  He also highlighted the plight of young people forced into combat, saying they experience “the senselessness of what is asked of them, and the falsehoods that fill the pompous speeches of those who send them to their deaths.”

Leo also appealed directly for an end to fighting in Ukraine during his Christmas blessing, calling on all sides to pursue talks. “May the clamour of weapons cease, and may the parties involved, with the support and commitment of the international community, find the courage to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue,” he said. He offered prayers for what he described as the “tormented people of Ukraine,” nearly four years into the war triggered by Russia’s 2022 invasion.

The pope also called for justice, peace and stability across the Middle East, including Lebanon, Israel, the Palestinian territories and Syria, and remembered victims of violence and instability in Sudan, South Sudan, Mali, Burkina Faso and Congo. He urged reconciliation in Myanmar, renewed dialogue across Latin America, and humanitarian support for communities affected by natural disasters in South Asia and Oceania. Addressing tensions in Southeast Asia, he appealed for the restoration of “the ancient friendship between Thailand and Cambodia.”

Leo revived the tradition of offering holiday greetings in multiple languages, drawing cheers when he spoke in English and Spanish – the latter reflecting his years as a missionary and archbishop in Peru.  Leo, formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost of Chicago, was elected in May, becoming the first American pope in Church history. His inaugural Christmas celebrations come as the Catholic Church approaches the close of the Holy Year, set to conclude on Jan. 6 with the Feast of the Epiphany.

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President Donald Trump announced that the United States carried out airstrikes against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria on Christmas Day, saying the operation targeted extremists he accused of attacking civilians, particularly Christians. The strikes come shortly after separate U.S. military action against ISIS positions in Syria, launched in response to an attack earlier this month that killed American service members and an interpreter. Details about casualties, specific targets, or the full scope of the operation were not immediately released. The White House said additional information would be provided later.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump described the action as a decisive military operation, writing that a “powerful and deadly strike” had been launched against ISIS elements in the region. He said the militants had been “targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians.” The president added that the strikes followed earlier warnings to the group: “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. The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing,” Trump wrote.

Hegseth echoed the president’s remarks after the strikes, posting on X that there would be “more to come” and thanking Nigerian authorities for their cooperation. He wrote: “The President was clear last month: the killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end. The @DeptofWar is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas.” He concluded his message with, “Merry Christmas!”

U.S. Africa Command later confirmed the operation, stating that the strikes were conducted “in coordination with Nigerian authorities.” The Pentagon also shared an unclassified short video appearing to show a missile launch from a naval vessel. A U.S. defense official said the attacks hit multiple militants at known ISIS camps.

Nigerian officials acknowledged the strikes and said they were part of an ongoing security partnership with Washington. A spokesperson for Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the two countries are engaged in structured counterterrorism cooperation, including intelligence sharing and strategic coordination, which led to “precision hits on terrorist targets in Nigeria by air strikes in the North West.”

The announcement followed weeks of escalating rhetoric. In early November, Trump posted a video threatening to intervene in Nigeria “guns-a-blazing” and later said he had directed the Pentagon to prepare for possible military action. At the time, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth publicly confirmed that the Department of Defense was “preparing for action.”  Days after his November warnings, the U.S. State Department redesignated Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” under U.S. law for alleged “severe violations of religious freedom.” Nigeria was also recently added to a U.S. travel ban list imposing partial entry restrictions.

Nigeria’s population is roughly divided between a Muslim-majority north and a predominantly Christian south Nigerian leaders have pushed back on claims that the country is religiously intolerant. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has acknowledged violence but said such portrayals “does not reflect our national reality.” On Christmas Eve, Tinubu posted that he prayed “for peace in our land, especially between individuals of differing religious beliefs. I stand committed to doing everything within my power to enshrine religious freedom in Nigeria and to protect Christians, Muslims, and all Nigerians from violence.”

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On Tuesday, the Justice Department released a third batch of documents and photos tied to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, unveiling nearly 30,000 additional pages that include references to President Donald Trump and former President Bill Clinton, along with investigative records, emails, photos and court materials. The Justice Department says it will continue releasing records while maintaining legally required protections for Epstein’s victims.

The disclosure, mandated by Congress under the Epstein Files Transparency Act, includes more than 11,000 files drawn from FBI and DOJ records, media clippings, videos and internal correspondence. The department has released the materials in stages, with officials noting that hundreds of thousands of pages are expected overall.

Among the most closely examined documents is a January 2020 email from a federal prosecutor in New York that discusses flight records connected to Epstein’s private jet. The message states, “for your situational awareness, wanted to let you know that the flight records we received yesterday reflect that Donald Trump traveled on Epstein’s private jet many more times than previously has been reported (or that we were aware), including during the period we would expect to charge in a [Ghislaine] Maxwell case.”

According to the email, Trump appeared as a passenger on at least eight flights between 1993 and 1996, including four trips on which Ghislaine Maxwell was also listed. The message adds that Trump traveled at various times with Marla Maples, his daughter Tiffany, and his son Eric. It further notes that “on one flight in 1993, he and Epstein are the only two listed passengers; on another, the only three passengers are Epstein, Trump, and then-20-year-old [redacted]. On two other flights, two of the passengers, respectively, were women who would be possible witnesses in a Maxwell case.”  The sender and recipient of the email were redacted, and the document does not allege wrongdoing by Trump. Flight logs included in the release show the trips were largely domestic, involving locations such as New Jersey, Palm Beach and Washington, D.C.

The newly released files also contain unverified, anonymous tips submitted to the FBI, including one from October 27, 2020, in which a tipster claimed a woman alleged Trump and Epstein raped her in the 1990s. The woman was described as fearful of contacting authorities. It remains unclear whether the FBI investigated the secondhand allegation.

Another notable document is a note signed “J. Epstein” and addressed to disgraced former gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. The note reads in part, “Dear L.N., As you know by now I have taken the ‘short route’ home.” It continues with references to shared beliefs and includes the line that “our president also shares our love of young, nubile girls,” before concluding, “Life is unfair.” The envelope bears an Aug. 13, 2019 postmark from Northern Virginia, three days after Epstein died in federal custody. Investigators ruled his death a suicide.  The DOJ said there are inconsistencies surrounding the letter, including the postmark location and a return address listing the wrong jail. An FBI request for handwriting analysis was included in the files, though no conclusion was provided. Authorities say they are still reviewing the document’s authenticity.

The DOJ acknowledged that the new batch contains multiple references to Trump, while cautioning that some materials include “untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump that were submitted to the FBI right before the 2020 election.” In a statement posted on X, the department said, “The Department of Justice has officially released nearly 30,000 more pages of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. Some of these documents contain untrue and sensationalist claims made against President Trump… To be clear: the claims are unfounded and false.”

The latest release also sheds light on investigative discussions surrounding Epstein’s alleged associates. Emails from 2019 reference “10 co-conspirators,” while later correspondence discusses possible charges. Details about the alleged co-conspirators were sparse, describing one as a “wealthy business man in Ohio” and noting that several individuals were served grand jury subpoenas in Florida, Boston, New York City and Connecticut. The status of others was listed as unknown. To date, Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 and is serving a 20-year sentence, remains the only person prosecuted as Epstein’s accomplice.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the lack of clarity, writing on X, “Who are these 10 co-conspirators? Why haven’t we seen those memos? Where are the grand jury records? Where are the FBI records? What are they hiding? Tens of thousands of files released shed no light on who they are. More questions than answers.”

The latest released files/photos can be accessed on the Justice Department’s website – HERE.

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Former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse revealed Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer, sharing the news publicly on social media. In his message, Sasse underscored gratitude for family and faith while acknowledging the gravity of his condition, blending seriousness with resolve as he confronts what lies ahead.

Sasse, 53, wrote on X: “Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and am gonna die” he said, calling the illness aggressive and incurable. Sasse added, “Advanced pancreatic is nasty stuff; it’s a death sentence. But I already had a death sentence before last week too — we all do… Death is a wicked thief, and the bastard pursues us all. Still, I’ve got less time than I’d prefer. This is hard for someone wired to work and build, but harder still as a husband and a dad.”

Sasse said the diagnosis has deepened his appreciation for time spent with his wife, Melissa, and their three children, praising how his family has grown closer over the past year. Announcing the news during the holiday season, he noted that Christmas was not “the worst” moment to do so: “As a Christian, the weeks running up to Christmas are a time to orient our hearts toward the hope of what’s to come.” Despite the prognosis, Sasse emphasized his determination to keep going. “I’ll have more to say. I’m not going down without a fight,” he wrote. “One sub-part of God’s grace is found in the jawdropping advances science has made the past few years in immunotherapy and more. Death and dying aren’t the same — the process of dying is still something to be lived.”

Sasse represented Nebraska in the U.S. Senate from 2015 until early 2023. During his tenure, the conservative lawmaker was occasionally outspoken against leaders within his own party and was one of seven Republicans who voted to convict then-President Donald Trump during the second impeachment trial following the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack. Trump was ultimately acquitted. Before entering politics, Sasse built an academic career, earning degrees from Harvard University, Oxford University, St. John’s College, and a doctorate in history from Yale University.

He resigned from the Senate to become president of the University of Florida but stepped down from that role in mid-2024, citing serious health challenges faced by his wife, including epilepsy and memory issues linked to a past aneurysm and strokes.

Medical experts note that stage-four pancreatic cancer is the most advanced form of the disease, meaning it has spread to other organs. It is often detected late due to the lack of early symptoms and routine screening. According to national cancer data, pancreatic cancer typically affects older adults, with the average age of diagnosis around 70, making Sasse’s case at 53 relatively uncommon. Tens of thousands of Americans are diagnosed each year, and the disease remains among the deadliest cancers.

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