CNN / FOX / NEWSMAX / THE HILL – US House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy is facing difficulty in his bid to become speaker due to his small majority and low popularity. He has made concessions to opponents, including allowing a small number of House members to trigger a vote to remove him as speaker. Meanwhile, a group of 15 current and incoming Republican House members have pledged to only support McCarthy for the position.
CNN / FOX NEWS
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI passed away on December 30 at the age of 95. He was the first pope to resign in over 500 years, and became the world’s first “pope emeritus” in centuries. In a spiritual testament published after his death, he requested forgiveness for those he had wronged, and in a separate letter published in February 2022, he issued a general apology to survivors of abuse, but admitted to no personal or specific wrongdoing.