The report, produced by correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, focused on migrants deported under the Trump administration and sent to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center, where detainees alleged torture, beatings, sexual abuse, and harsh confinement.
The video surfaced after it reportedly aired on Canada’s Global Television Network and was later removed, though archived copies remain online.
This is a damning piece about a torture prison that is being used by the Trump administration. That’s why the piece was pulled. All Americans deserve to see this story. Shame on Bari Weiss. https://t.co/jn2QS8zAop
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) December 23, 2025
CBS and Global TV declined to confirm the video’s authenticity or explain how it leaked.
The segment cited experts who questioned the legal basis of the deportations and referenced Human Rights Watch findings that only eight deported men had been convicted of violent or potentially violent crimes.
CBS News leadership said the story needed further reporting to include the administration’s perspective, while Alfonsi said the piece was accurate and had cleared legal and editorial review.
US Approves $951M Missile Sale to Denmark as Trump Revives Push on Greenland
The United States approved a potential $951 million sale of advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles to Denmark, the State Department announced Monday, pending congressional approval.
Denmark, a NATO ally, requested 236 missiles and related equipment to strengthen its ability to address current and future security threats.
The decision comes as US President Donald Trump renewed calls for US control of Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, and appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as a special envoy to the island.
🇺🇸🇩🇰 The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Denmark of 236 Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missiles – Extended Range (AMRAAM-ER), plus associated equipment and services for an estimated cost of $951 million.
The prime contractor would be… pic.twitter.com/meROYhqTCp
— Colby Badhwar 🇨🇦🇬🇧 (@ColbyBadhwar) December 22, 2025
Danish and Greenlandic leaders rejected the idea, stating that Greenland cannot be annexed and belongs to its people. Greenland has exercised self-rule since 2009, though Denmark retains authority over defense and foreign policy.
Trump argued the territory is vital to US national security due to Russian and Chinese activity, citing the long-standing US military presence at Pituffik Space Base.
Venezuela Lawmakers Move to Criminalize Tanker Seizures After US Confiscations
Venezuela’s National Assembly on Tuesday approved a fast-tracked law that criminalizes actions seen as hindering the country’s navigation and commerce, including the seizure of oil tankers.
The measure, passed in Caracas by the ruling party-controlled legislature, follows recent US seizures of two Venezuela-linked oil tankers in international waters as part of US President Donald Trump’s pressure campaign against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
The bill allows for fines and prison sentences of up to 20 years for individuals who promote, support, finance, or participate in acts such as piracy, blockades, or other alleged illegal actions against entities doing business with Venezuela. It now awaits Maduro’s signature.
The Venezuelan National Assembly unanimously approved a resolution rejecting US President Donald Trump’s order to impose a full blockade on sanctioned oil tankers entering or leaving the country pic.twitter.com/RXlW52btLU
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 18, 2025
US authorities say the seized tankers were part of a fleet used to evade sanctions, while Venezuelan opposition leaders have backed the US actions.
The law also directs the executive branch to create protections and incentives for companies operating with Venezuela amid what the government calls unlawful maritime interference.
Yemen Warring Parties Agree to Release 2,900 Detainees in Largest Swap Since 2014
Yemen’s internationally recognized government and Iran-backed Houthi rebels agreed to release about 2,900 detainees from both sides of the conflict, officials said, marking the largest prisoner exchange since the civil war began in 2014.
The deal, reached in Muscat after 12 days of talks, was signed under the supervision of the United Nations Special Envoy for Yemen and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). It includes Yemeni detainees as well as seven Saudi and 23 Sudanese nationals.
The agreement aims to address a humanitarian issue and build confidence between the warring parties amid a largely stalled conflict.
بفضل الله ثم بتوجيهات ومتابعة القيادة في المملكة 🇸🇦- يحفظها الله- وبتوجيهات صاحب السمو الملكي وزير الدفاع، وبالتعاون مع الحكومة اليمنية، وبجهود كريمة ومساعٍ صادقة ومقدرة من سلطنة عمان، وقعت اتفاقية لتبادل المحتحزين في اليمن تحت إشراف مكتب المبعوث الأممي الخاص لليمن واللجنة… pic.twitter.com/UdvGRWxpMr
— محمد ال جابر (@mohdsalj) December 23, 2025
Yemen’s war, which began when the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa, has killed more than 150,000 people and triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
UN and ICRC officials said the release will reunite detainees with their families and advance commitments made under the 2018 Stockholm Agreement.
Ukraine Withdraws From Siversk as Russian Forces Push Toward Key Eastern Strongholds
Ukrainian forces have withdrawn from the eastern town of Siversk, the military said Tuesday, as Russian troops press an offensive aimed at breaking Ukraine’s defenses in the Donbas region.
The pullout follows weeks of Russian advances driven by numerical superiority and sustained assaults, according to Ukraine’s General Staff, which said the withdrawal was ordered to preserve troops and resources.
❗️In order to preserve the lives of Ukrainian soldiers and the combat effectiveness of the units, Ukrainian defenders have withdrawn from Siversk — General Staff of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/YZ3Cn1VIrO
— 🪖MilitaryNewsUA🇺🇦 (@front_ukrainian) December 23, 2025
The loss of Siversk, located about 30 kilometers (20 miles) east of Sloviansk, brings Russian forces closer to a major hub in Ukraine’s defensive “fortress belt,” a line of cities Moscow has demanded Kyiv surrender. Russia had previously claimed to have captured the town, a claim Ukraine had denied until this withdrawal.
The development comes as Ukraine faces US pressure to pursue peace talks nearly four years into the war sparked by Russia’s invasion.
Fighting continues across eastern Ukraine, including near Pokrovsk, as Ukrainian forces attempt to disrupt Russian logistics and slow further advances.
Kim Jong Un Showcases New Hotels With Daughter Ahead of North Korea Party Congress
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un attended the opening of five new hotels in the Samjiyon tourist zone near the Chinese border over the weekend, state media reported Tuesday, as he sought to highlight economic progress ahead of a major ruling party congress.
Kim appeared at the ceremonies with his daughter Ju Ae, whom some analysts view as a potential successor, and toured the newly opened facilities.
The events took place in northeastern North Korea as the government ramps up public displays of development before the first party congress in five years, expected in early 2026.
🇰🇵 North Korea’s Kim and daughter tour lavish new mountain resort
Images broadcast by North Korean state media KCTV show leader Kim Jong Un and his daughter, Ju Ae, inspecting newly-completed hotels at a mountain resort. pic.twitter.com/Fwe5AdLRyC
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) December 23, 2025
Kim described the hotels as evidence of the country’s growing status and economic potential.
The openings follow a series of recent factory inaugurations, part of a broader push to showcase achievements before the congress, where North Korea is expected to unveil a new five-year development plan.
China Rebukes US Nuclear Posture After Report Details Missile Expansion
China on Tuesday urged the United States to meet what it called its primary responsibility for nuclear disarmament, responding to a draft Pentagon report that said Beijing had expanded its intercontinental ballistic missile force near the Mongolian border.
Speaking in Beijing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said the US, as the world’s largest nuclear power, should significantly reduce its arsenal to enable broader global disarmament.
China has reaffirmed its firm commitment to a policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons and a self-defensive nuclear strategy, rejecting U.S. claims as repeated hype aimed at justifying the acceleration of U.S. nuclear modernization and undermining global strategic stability. pic.twitter.com/eDKrnq33hw
— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) December 23, 2025
The Pentagon report, as reported by Reuters, assessed that China has likely deployed more than 100 DF-31 intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) in three silo fields and shows little interest in arms control talks. US analysts said China is rapidly modernizing its nuclear forces and could exceed 1,000 warheads by 2030, up from an estimated low-600s stockpile in 2024.
China rejected the report’s conclusions, accused Washington of using such claims to justify its own nuclear modernization, and reiterated its no-first-use policy and stance against engaging in a nuclear arms race.
Sources: News Agencies
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Evening Brief: Supreme Court Blocks Guard Deployment in Chicago, Yemen Warring Parties Agree to Release Detainees, Ukraine Withdraws From Siversk
SCOTUS blocks Guard deployment, leaked CBS report stirs backlash, Ukraine exits Siversk. Here’s what’s making headlines this Tuesday evening.
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