Around the Globe

Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Christmas Mass as pope at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, greeting thousands of faithful in rainy St. Peter’s Square and emphasizing faith, charity, and hope in his homily. The 70-year-old U.S. pontiff criticized a “distorted economy,” renewed a call for a global Christmas truce, and prepared to deliver the traditional “Urbi et Orbi” blessing. The 2025 Christmas celebrations also marked the close of the Catholic Church’s Jubilee Holy Year, which brought millions of pilgrims to Rome.

A shallow 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck Taitung County in southeastern Taiwan on Wednesday evening, according to the US Geological Survey, which reported the quake at 5:47 p.m. local time (0947 GMT) at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). Taiwan’s Central Weather Administration issued its own magnitude estimate earlier, and local authorities and emergency services began assessments of possible impact. No immediate reports of damage or casualties emerged following the seismic event, while regional and international monitoring centers continued to track aftershocks and review updated seismic data for Taiwan.

Ukrainian emergency officials said a Russian missile strike on port infrastructure in Odesa on Saturday killed eight people and wounded 27, as a Kremlin envoy prepared to travel to Florida for talks on a U.S.-proposed plan to end the nearly four-year war in Ukraine. Authorities reported significant damage to Black Sea port facilities, ongoing rescue and investigative operations, and parallel diplomatic efforts involving Russia, the United States, and international partners on a potential framework for ceasefire and security arrangements.

Australian authorities on Sunday investigated possible foreign terror links and confirmed a gun law review after a father-and-son pair allegedly carried out a mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney that killed at least 16 people. Officials said the suspects appeared to have acted alone, prompting renewed concern about “lone wolf” attacks. Police recovered multiple firearms, treated the case as a potential terrorism-related incident, and increased security in crowded public areas while hospitals continued to care for injured victims.

South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs on Monday confirmed the nation’s 11th case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) this season at a broiler breeder farm in Namwon, about 265 kilometers south of Seoul. Authorities implemented quarantine, culling, movement controls, and disinfection measures at and around the affected site and ordered poultry farms nationwide to reinforce biosecurity. The government continues intensive surveillance and monitoring of poultry facilities and pledged to release further information as new test results and reports emerge.

Pope Leo XIV on Sunday condemned prison overcrowding and inadequate rehabilitation programs during a special Holy Year Mass at the Vatican for detainees, guards and their families. The liturgy marked the closing event of the Catholic Church’s 2025 Holy Year and drew an estimated 6,000 registered participants, according to the Vatican. Delegations from major detention facilities joined the weekend pilgrimage, which featured religious services, pastoral activities and meetings led by Vatican clergy and visiting chaplains. Church officials and security staff coordinated logistics and access for the prison groups throughout the event.

Philippine authorities reported that three Filipino fishermen were injured and several boats damaged when China Coast Guard vessels used water cannons and allegedly cut anchor lines near Sabina Shoal in the South China Sea. The incident involved around 20 Philippine fishing boats operating about 150 kilometers off Palawan. China said it carried out “necessary control measures,” including loudspeaker warnings and maneuvering to drive the boats away. The confrontation followed earlier collisions and water cannon incidents between Chinese and Philippine vessels near the Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal.

Cambodia said on Saturday that Thai forces continued bombing its territory hours after US President Donald Trump announced that Cambodia and Thailand had agreed to stop fighting. Officials in Banteay Meanchey linked the latest clashes to a long-running dispute over the colonial-era demarcation of the countries’ 800-kilometer (500-mile) border. Authorities reported that the renewed violence displaced around half a million people from villages near contested frontier areas and prompted emergency relief efforts and monitoring by local and national agencies.