NEWS - SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 2025 - NEWS
Newly released photographs from Jeffrey Epstein's estate do not reveal wrongdoing, but do show Epstein in the company of powerful men from the worlds of politics, business and entertainment. LA Times
Every December, an estimated 10 million people flock to a Mexico City basilica to celebrate the Virgin of Guadalupe. LA Times
The saga of Sae Joon Park, a Los Angeles Army veteran who legally immigrated to the United States, was awarded a Purple Heart after being wounded in combat and self-deported to South Korea, was highlighted during a testy congressional hearing about the Trump administration's immigration policy. LA Times
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“Everyone is saying it’s a joke, but it’s really a serious thing,” one student said, adding that authorities are "vague" about details. New York Post
The German foreign ministry’s announcement, which Russia denied, was the latest suggestion of growing Russian aggression in Europe. New York Times
VOA VIEW: Russia is pushing it.
A major river in the region was set to crest on Friday, with more rain on the way. New York Times
The images, released without context by Democrats on the Oversight Committee, reveal little new about the deceased sex offender’s ties to prominent men in politics, entertainment and finance. New York Times
Members of the House of Representatives are weighing a vote to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) healthcare subsidies, also known as Obamacare subsidies, with both parties discussing next steps. This follows the Senate's recent rejection of competing proposals. OANN
A Kentucky Democrat lawmaker faced massive backlash and mockery after proclaiming that she “doesn’t feel good about being White,” while pushing to keep diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in the state's public schools at a Tuesday meeting. OANN
VOA VIEW: She is lost mind.
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Border czar Tom Homan pushed back on the Catholic Church for condemning the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign, calling on church leaders to spend a day with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents to see “why illegal immigration is not a victimless crime.” OANN
VOA VIEW: Illegals are illegal, period.
A federal grand jury has indicted a leader of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement in Oklahoma City on allegations of spending millions of dollars in grant funds on groceries, international trips, and personal real estate. OANN
The Trump administration's campaign against DEI and gender ideology in education hasn't slowed down the San Diego Unified School District. Washington Times
VOA VIEW: The SD school district has gone mad.
The Trump administration prevented $1 billion in student-loan fraud this year by increasing its identification requirements, which thwarted international rings seeking to defraud the program by submitting applications from phony students and dead people. Washington Times
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The U.S. Department of Transportation has issued new guidance telling airlines they do not have to cover passenger expenses, such as meals or hotel stays, when flight cancellations or long delays are caused by aircraft recalls. Washington Times
VOA VIEW: Sounds fair and make sense.
The U.S. Mint unveiled the designs for coins commemorating the 250th anniversary of American independence next year. They depict the founding documents and the Revolutionary War. Washington Times
New York has intentionally been giving out truck driver's licenses to illegal immigrants in violation of federal rules, the Transportation Department said Friday, adding that unless the state fixes things it will be stripped of tens of millions of dollars in highway money. Washington Times
VOA VIEW: They should be punished and pay penalty.
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A federal judge in Maryland on Thursday ordered Kilmar Abrego Garcia's immediate release from Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody. CBS
Convicted Minnesota fraudsters spent hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on luxury cars and private villas. The money was stolen from programs that provided services to underprivileged children. CBS
Time magazine named "the architects of AI" its 2025 Person of the Year on Thursday, calling out tech industry leaders behind the rise in artificial intelligence. CBS
The Senate on Thursday failed to advance competing Democratic and Republican measures to address health care costs. Follow live updates here. CBS
VOA VIEW: Dems are fools.
House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters he's satisfied with the intelligence and legality of the operation that killed two survivors of a U.S. strike on an alleged drug boat. CBS
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President Donald Trump will significantly ease federal restrictions on marijuana. CNBC
"We make it easier to be a public company in America," House Financial Services Chairman French Hill, an Arkansas Republican, said during debate on the bill. CNBC
As consumers find their next grocery obsession in fiber, food and beverage companies are racing to keep up with the trend. CNBC
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President Trump and the GOP mounted an immense pressure campaign in Indiana as they try to make the congressional map more favorable before the 2026 midterms. CNBC
The FBI is investigating more than 350 subjects in sweeping probe of '764,' an online network targeting minors with violence and sexual exploitation. FOX News
VOA VIEW: It's about time.
Invasive pasture mealybug spreads across 20+ Texas counties, threatening grazing lands and livestock operations. Never before seen in North America. FOX News
VOA VIEW: It must be contained.
A U.S. Border Patrol agent is alive after shooting and killing a suspected cartel smuggler during a "struggle" at the border, according to Texas law enforcement. FOX News
VOA VIEW: The bad guy is down.
Catch and release immigrant arrested by ICE after devastating hit-and-run leaves woman with broken vertebrae, collapsed lung in Maryland crash. FOX News
The United States has a plan for Ukrainian troops to withdraw from Donetsk province and the creation of a economic zone off limits to Russian forces. UPI
The State Department is offering a $5 million reward for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Francisco Manuel Bermudez Cagua, an alleged leader of the Ecuadorean Los Choneros cartel. UPI
A 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck off Japan's northeastern coast on Friday, prompting officials to issue a tsunami advisory. UPI
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agriculture specialists intercepted a potentially destructive bark beetle from the Ivory Coast at the Detroit Metropolitan airport, the agency announced Thursday. UPI
Mike Lindell, creator of the MyPillow and a noted conspiracy theorist, has announced he is running for governor of Minnesota to unseat Gov. Tim Walz. UPI
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President Donald Trump announced that Chinese President Xi Jinping has given assurances that China will not invade Taiwan during his time in office “because they know the consequences.” The big question is when?
During a interview on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” President Trump revealed that the meeting with Xi did not include talks on Taiwan, while proclaiming that Beijing would not take military action on the island while he remains in office. “He never brought it up. People were a little surprised by that. But they understand what’s gonna happen. [Xi] has openly said, and his people have openly said at meetings, ‘We would never do anything while President Trump is president,’ because they know the consequences,” Trump stated.
President Trump was also directly asked whether the United States would militarily intervene if China invaded Taiwan, to which he responded by stating that the United States has maintained “strategic ambiguity,” opting to avoid confirmation in either direction. “You’ll find out if it happens and [Xi] understands the answer to that,” Trump added. The 1979 Taiwan Relations Act mandates that the United States ensure Taiwan has the resources needed to defend itself. However, it does not require the United States to engage militarily should China.
The meeting represented the first in-person meeting between the two world leaders since 2019, which was largely spent on reaching trade agreements amid the ongoing threat of increased tariffs. The president agreed to lower tariffs on Chinese goods from 57% to 47% while China has agreed to reopen access to rare earth minerals and resume the purchase of U.S. soybeans, although the deal has yet to be formally signed. Meanwhile, China has ratcheted up concerns over a potential invasion of Taiwan due to an increase in large-scale military drills simulating an invasion and blockade of the island.
The Chinese military has continued to increase the frequency and complexity of military drills encircling the island, heightening tensions in the region. In response, Taiwan has increased its defense budget by roughly 75% in the past two years, proportionally allocating a larger share of government funds to defense than the United States.
