United States Politics and Government

• Karoline Leavitt Says She’s Expecting Her Second Child - The White House press secretary announced on Instagram that she was pregnant with a daughter who was due in May. She and her husband have a 1-year-old son.
• Zelensky Says He’ll Meet With Trump in the ‘Near Future’ - There was no immediate confirmation from the White House about a meeting, which President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine has sought since the latest U.S.-.led push for peace got underway.
• Trump Is Getting Weaker, and the Resistance Is Getting Stronger - It’s become easier to imagine the moment when Trump’s mystique finally evaporates.
• What to Know About U.S. Military Action in Nigeria - Before the strikes on Thursday, President Trump said he would halt all aid and go in “guns-a-blazing” to target militants.
• Trump Announces Strike Against ISIS in Nigeria - The attack comes after President Trump ordered the Defense Department last month to prepare to intervene militarily in Nigeria to protect Christians from Islamic militants.
• Judge Blocks Detention of British Researcher Who Scrutinizes Online Hate - Imran Ahmed, who runs an organization that chronicles disinformation, was among five Europeans the State Department had barred, claiming they promote censorship.
• Pope Leo Makes Christmas Call for Dialogue to Address World’s Conflicts - Leo XIV’s Christmas address was his first since being elected pontiff and was scrutinized for comparisons with those of his predecessor, Francis.
• With Trump in Power, Democrats Try to Redefine Themselves as Disrupters - Since President Trump’s rise, Democrats have served as defenders of a political system many Americans believe is broken. Now the party is trying a new approach.
• DOJ Releases Another Batch of Epstein Files: Key Takeaways - The new documents — nearly 30,000 in all — contain hundreds of references to President Trump and include different versions of Jeffrey Epstein’s will.
• Trump Tosses Lifelines to the Struggling Coal Industry - The Energy Department ordered two coal-burning power plants to remain open, and the Environmental Protection Agency gave utilities more time to tackle toxic coal ash.