US envoy Witkoff calls Ukraine talks in Miami 'productive'

Tensions have escalated between the Catholic Church and the Trump administration, primarily over immigration policies that the Church deems inhumane. This discord highlights a significant ideological rift, as the Church advocates for compassion and support for migrants, contrasting sharply with the administration's stringent immigration stance.

The U.S. Supreme Court has blocked President Donald Trump's attempt to deploy National Guard troops in Chicago, marking a significant setback for his immigration enforcement strategy. This ruling raises important questions regarding the extent of presidential power in utilizing military forces for domestic law enforcement purposes.

Ukraine has withdrawn its troops from a strategically significant eastern town as Russian airstrikes intensified, resulting in civilian casualties and power outages, highlighting the ongoing violence as diplomatic efforts for peace remain stagnant ahead of Christmas.

Pope Leo XIV has called for a worldwide truce on Christmas Day, expressing disappointment over Russia's apparent rejection of this appeal amid ongoing conflict in Ukraine, where civilian casualties continue to rise due to Russian air strikes. Diplomatic efforts involving the United States and Europe have yet to yield significant progress towards peace.

The US Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision to block former President Donald Trump's attempt to deploy National Guard troops to Chicago, siding with a lower court's ruling that had previously halted the deployment. This decision follows legal challenges from Illinois state officials and local leaders who opposed the federalization of troops in the city.

A newly released batch of Epstein files includes references to Donald Trump, notably a claim by a senior US attorney that Trump was on a flight in the 1990s with Jeffrey Epstein and a 20-year-old woman. The files also detail Epstein's relationship with Larry Summers and contain an apparently fake letter to Larry Nassar. There is no indication of criminal wrongdoing associated with these references.

The Department of Justice announced that a letter purportedly from Jeffrey Epstein to Larry Nassar, which referenced Donald Trump, has been confirmed as a fake by the FBI. The letter, dated 2019, raised concerns due to its disturbing content, which included references to a love for 'young ladies.'

Venezuela has enacted a law imposing severe penalties on individuals supporting the U.S. blockade, a move that reflects the government's strong opposition to what it describes as illegal acts of piracy by the U.S. This legislation comes amid escalating tensions following the recent seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers by U.S. forces.