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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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