DOJ Finds Over 1 Million New Epstein Records, Seeks More Time to Release Files
The Justice Department (DOJ) said Wednesday it needs several more weeks to release all records related to Jeffrey Epstein after discovering more than one million additional potentially relevant documents, missing a congressionally mandated disclosure deadline set by the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
The announcement came on Christmas Eve amid mounting pressure from lawmakers, including a bipartisan group of US senators who asked the Justice Department’s inspector general to audit the department’s handling of the records.
The DOJ said federal prosecutors in Manhattan and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) uncovered the new materials while reviewing files that already exceed 3.6 million records and are now working to redact victim-identifying information as required by law.
The US Attorney for the Southern District of New York and the FBI have informed the Department of Justice that they have uncovered over a million more documents potentially related to the Jeffrey Epstein case. The DOJ has received these documents from SDNY and the FBI to review…
— U.S. Department of Justice (@TheJusticeDept) December 24, 2025
Lawmakers from both parties accused the department of violating the statute and delaying transparency, while the White House defended the DOJ’s actions.
The dispute centers on when and how the government will fully disclose Epstein-related records and whether the delays reflect mismanagement or a broader effort to limit public scrutiny.
Kennedy Center Jazz Tradition Canceled After Trump Name Added to Building
A Christmas Eve jazz concert at the Kennedy Center, a holiday tradition for more than two decades, was canceled after the White House announced that President Donald Trump’s name was added to the building’s exterior.
The decision, approved by a Trump-appointed board, prompted host and longtime musician Chuck Redd to call off the performance, citing opposition to the name change.
The Kennedy Center confirmed the cancellation but did not comment further.
Kennedy Center Christmas Eve jazz concert canceled after Trump name added to building https://t.co/7URdrqjMOn
— POLITICO (@politico) December 24, 2025
The renaming has drawn legal criticism because federal law designates the center as a memorial solely to late-President John F. Kennedy and bars adding any other name.
Zelenskyy Says Chinese Satellite Data May Be Aiding Russian Strikes on Ukraine’s Energy Grid
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia may be using satellite imaging data linked to Chinese entities to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, raising concerns about outside support for Moscow’s war effort.
Zelenskyy made the claim on Wednesday after meeting with Ukraine’s foreign intelligence chief, citing correlations between Chinese satellite imagery of Ukrainian territory and subsequent Russian strikes. He said Ukraine will raise the issue with allies, arguing it undermines diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year war.
The allegations come as Russia intensifies drone and missile attacks on Ukraine’s power, oil, and gas facilities, causing widespread outages and casualties, including a deadly strike on a thermal power plant in Kharkiv.
⚡ Zelenskyy: China may be providing Russia with satellite intelligence, citing cases where Chinese satellite imagery of Ukraine coincided with Russian strikes on energy facilities.
“We view this as activity that helps Russia prolong the war and undermines serious diplomacy.” pic.twitter.com/uO3RQfSaRc
— UNITED24 Media (@United24media) December 24, 2025
The comments follow recent diplomatic talks between Ukrainian and Chinese officials in Beijing and echo past US sanctions against a Chinese firm accused of supplying satellite imagery to Russia.
Saudi Arabia Urges Yemen Separatists to Withdraw as Coalition Strains Deepen
Saudi Arabia on Thursday publicly called on the Emirati-backed Southern Transitional Council to withdraw its forces from Yemen’s Hadramout and Mahra governorates, warning the move risks destabilizing a fragile coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
The Saudi Foreign Ministry said the separatists’ advance unjustifiably escalated tensions, harmed Yemeni interests, and undermined coalition efforts, while confirming mediation is underway to return forces to prior positions and transfer control to Saudi-backed National Shield Forces.
The dispute, announced on Christmas morning, highlights growing friction between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, longtime partners backing rival factions in Yemen’s civil war.
#Statement | The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia points out that the military movements in the governorates of (Hadramout and Al-Mahra), recently conducted by the Southern Transitional Council, were carried out unilaterally, and without the approval of the Presidential Leadership Council… pic.twitter.com/6JPJIMIJ1v
— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) December 25, 2025
The confrontation unfolds amid Yemen’s decade-long conflict, which began after the Houthis seized the capital in 2014 and has killed more than 150,000 people, fueled a humanitarian crisis, and threatened regional shipping through Red Sea attacks.
Saudi officials warned that further instability could trigger wider consequences, including renewed international involvement.
Turkey Recovers Flight Recorders After Jet Crash Kills Libya’s Top Western Military Chief
Turkish search teams on Wednesday recovered the cockpit voice and flight data recorders from a private jet that crashed near Ankara, killing eight people, including western Libya’s military chief, General Muhammad Ali Ahmad al-Haddad.
The aircraft went down Tuesday after departing Ankara for Tripoli, shortly after reporting an electrical malfunction and requesting an emergency landing. The Libyan delegation was returning from defense talks in Turkey aimed at strengthening military cooperation.
The crash site, located south of Ankara, was spread across a wide area, complicating recovery efforts as Turkish and Libyan officials worked to retrieve and identify remains.
Search teams have recovered the cockpit, voice and flight data recorders at the site of a plane crash in #Turkey that killed #Libya‘s army chief Mohammed Ali Ahmed al-Haddad and other senior officials.
Here’s what we know about the accident ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/COZedCYVWf
— FRANCE 24 English (@France24_en) December 24, 2025
Turkey launched a formal investigation and said the flight recorders will be examined in a neutral country, while Libya declared three days of national mourning for the senior commanders lost in the incident.
North Korea Showcases Apparent Progress on Nuclear-Powered Submarine
North Korea on Thursday released state media images showing what appears to be significant progress on an 8,700-ton nuclear-powered submarine, as leader Kim Jong Un inspected the vessel at a shipyard and condemned South Korea’s parallel push to acquire similar technology.
The photos suggest a largely completed hull, indicating that key internal systems may already be installed, according to South Korean experts.
Kim described the submarine as central to modernizing and nuclear-arming North Korea’s Navy and said it would strengthen deterrence against perceived US and South Korean threats. He labeled Seoul’s US-backed submarine plans an offensive act violating North Korea’s security and sovereignty.
Supreme Leader of North Korea Kim Jong Un personally supervised the on-site construction of the new 8,700-ton nuclear-powered strategic guided missile submarine. pic.twitter.com/0h1giivkPy
— OSINTWarfare (@OSINTWarfare) December 25, 2025
Analysts say the project could lead to sea trials within months and may have benefited from North Korea’s growing alignment with Russia, raising regional security concerns as tensions on the Korean Peninsula continue to intensify.
Sources: News Agencies
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Morning Brief: Fallen Iowa National Guard Soldiers to Be Honored, Zelenskyy Flags China Satellite Role in Russia Attacks, North Korea Shows Progress on Nuclear Submarine
Fallen troops honored, DOJ delays Epstein files, global tensions rise. Here’s your Thursday morning brief for December 25th, 2025.
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