‘I’m On The Side Of Peace’: Trump Optimistic For ‘Very Close’ Russia-Ukraine Peace Deal After Zelenskyy Meeting

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President Donald Trump expressed his continuing hope during a Sunday press conference at Mar-a-Lago that a peace deal could be reached between Russia and Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Sunday with Trump in Florida, during which the two discussed a proposed 20-point peace plan. Trump later told reporters during a joint press conference he and Zelenskyy spoke with multiple European leaders after their meeting.

“I do think we’re getting a lot closer, maybe very close,” Trump said. “The President and I just spoke to the European leaders.”

“They were President Emmanuel Macron of France, President Alexander Stubb of the Republic of Finland, President Karol Nawrocki of the Republic of Poland, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of the Kingdom of Norway, Prime Minister Georgia Meloni of the Italian Republic, Prime Minister Kier Starmer of the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland, Chancellor Friedrich Merz [of] the Federal Republic of Germany, Secretary General Mark Rutte, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, [and] President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission,” Trump continued.

Trump paused aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after Zelenskyy clashed with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance during a Feb. 28 meeting in the Oval Office. (Read more from “‘I’m On The Side Of Peace’: Trump Optimistic For ‘Very Close’ Russia-Ukraine Peace Deal After Zelenskyy Meeting” HERE)

Study: AI-Powered Job Interviews Are Causing Havoc for Applicants *and* Employers

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AI continues to reshape the job market for both employers and job seekers, as candidates turn to ChatGPT to help with writing and employers use fully AI-driven interviews to screen applicants. Some experts say AI leaves both sides of the job market in a “doom loop” of dissatisfaction as technology fails to help the right people find the right job.

The integration of AI into the hiring process has become increasingly prevalent this year, with more than half of the organizations surveyed by the Society for Human Resource Management utilizing AI to recruit workers in 2025. Additionally, an estimated third of ChatGPT users have reportedly relied on the OpenAI chatbot to assist with their job search. While these technological advancements may seem like a step towards efficiency and modernization, recent research suggests that the use of AI in hiring may be causing more harm than good.

A study conducted by Anaïs Galdin from Dartmouth and Jesse Silbert from Princeton analyzed cover letters for tens of thousands of job applications on Freelancer.com. The researchers discovered that after the introduction of ChatGPT in 2022, the cover letters became longer and better-written. However, this improvement in quality led companies to place less emphasis on the cover letters, making it more difficult to identify qualified candidates from the applicant pool. Consequently, the hiring rate and average starting wage decreased.

Moreover, with the increased volume of applications, employers are turning to automated interviews. A survey by recruiting software firm Greenhouse in October revealed that 54 percent of US job seekers have experienced an AI-led interview. While virtual interviews gained popularity during the pandemic in 2020, the use of AI to ask questions has not made the process any less subjective.

The widespread adoption of AI in hiring has created what Daniel Chait, CEO of Greenhouse, calls a “doom loop,” leaving both job seekers and employers feeling frustrated and dissatisfied with the process. Chait explains, “Both sides are saying, ‘This is impossible, it’s not working, it’s getting worse.’” (Read more from “Study: AI-Powered Job Interviews Are Causing Havoc for Applicants *and* Employers” HERE)

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DOJ Says Over One Million Additional Epstein Files Will Be Released in Coming Weeks

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The Department of Justice says it has received more than one million newly-discovered documents tied to Jeffrey Epstein and is now reviewing them for public release in the coming weeks under federal law and court orders.

According to a statement issued on Christmas Eve, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI uncovered a massive new collection of Epstein-related material and transferred it to the DOJ for processing.

The department said teams of attorneys are “working around the clock” to review the files and apply legally-required redactions to protect victims before publication. Because of the sheer size of the collection, officials cautioned that the process may take several more weeks, but emphasized that the DOJ intends to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act as well as “President Trump’s direction to release the files.”

The announcement coincides with a more assertive posture from the DOJ’s official X account, which has recently issued posts challenging rumors and disputed claims surrounding the Epstein releases. Among them was the department’s assertion that a supposed postcard allegedly written by Epstein to Larry Nassar was fabricated.

The heightened messaging came as the DOJ rolled out a new batch of previously unseen Epstein records earlier this week — roughly 11,000 files totaling close to 30,000 pages, including photographs, court exhibits, agency documents, emails, and video material.

Rep. Ro Khanna, the California Democrat who helped lead the bipartisan effort to force the release of the Epstein files, described the latest tranche as “a bombshell.” He pointed to records indicating that Donald Trump flew on Epstein’s plane at least eight times between 1993 and 1996 — a higher number than had previously been indicated in earlier communications from federal officials.

Khanna accused the department of prioritizing the protection of powerful figures tied to Epstein over transparency for survivors, whose identities must be legally redacted.

His co-sponsor on the disclosure effort, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, questioned who was operating the DOJ’s social media account on Christmas Eve after posts appeared using casual language to address reporters.

Criticism of the department’s rollout also came from outside government, including former Obama national security adviser Tommy Vietor, who called the DOJ’s approach “incompetent.” At the same time, transparency and legal analysts warned that many documents in the releases contain duplicates, heavy redactions, or unverified allegations that should not be treated as established fact.

The latest publications also renewed scrutiny of Epstein’s wider network after an internal 2019 email — shared publicly by journalist Julie K. Brown — showed federal investigators attempting to contact roughly ten potential “co-conspirators” following Epstein’s arrest.

Most of the names were redacted, but three remained visible: Ghislaine Maxwell, later convicted of sex-trafficking offenses; former modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, who died in custody in France in 2022; and billionaire retailer Leslie Wexner, a onetime Epstein associate who cut ties with him in 2007.

Attorneys for Wexner told BBC News that prosecutors said he was neither a target nor a co-conspirator and that he cooperated with investigators when contacted.

With more than a million additional records now in the pipeline, the disclosure effort is poised to continue into the coming weeks — likely prolonging political and public debate over Epstein’s network and the government’s handling of the case.

Experts say future releases may add new context but stress that raw investigative materials often contain leads, allegations, or partial information rather than definitive conclusions.

Man Skips Holiday Reunion Because Of Insane Tax Code

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Plenty of obstacles come between people and their families on the holidays: Illness, politics, work.

For Mark Klein, the obstacle was taxes. . .

Klein, a tax lawyer at Hodgson Russ, lives in Buffalo, New York. He “keeps track of the number of days he spends in Manhattan through an app on his phone, meticulously ensuring he does not surpass 183 days — the threshold at which individuals are required to pay city taxes,” the Financial Times writes. A holiday trip would’ve put him over that threshold.

Klein advises “some of the country’s wealthiest residents.” He reportedly told the Financial Times that “some of his clients fly into New Jersey and wait on one side of the George Washington Bridge, which connects to New York, until just after midnight to avoid triggering another day in the state.”

Christian Burgos, the director of tax services at Pollack and Brant, offered some unpleasant truth.

“If you’re not careful with how much time you’re spending in a particular jurisdiction throughout the year, once you’re reaching the latter half of the tax year you really have to be more mindful,” Burgos told the outlet. “There might be birthdays or family events that you have to skip out on. Otherwise, you’re going to trip that wire.” (Read more from “Man Skips Holiday Reunion Because Of Insane Tax Code” HERE)

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Boss Hands Workers $240M in Bonuses After Selling His Company for $1.7B

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A Louisiana factory chief proved to be a real-life Santa Claus — giving each of his 540 full-time employees six-figure bonus checks totaling $240 million.

The generous gesture came after the benevolent boss sold the company for $1.7 billion.

Graham Walker, the now-former CEO of Fibrebond, told The Wall Street Journal that he would not agree to sell his company if prospective buyer Eaton did not earmark 15% of the proceeds for its employees — even though none of them owned stock.

The deal, which was completed earlier this year when Eaton acquired Fibrebond, triggered payouts to 540 full-time workers, averaging about $443,000 per worker spread over five years.

Long-tenured employees received far more, according to The Journal. (Read more from “Boss Hands Workers $240M in Bonuses After Selling His Company for $1.7B” HERE)

Holiday Travelers Stranded at JFK Airport as Winter Storm Triggers Hundreds of Flight Cancellations

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Frustrated holiday travelers were left stranded at John F. Kennedy International Airport Friday night after hundreds of flights were canceled as a snowstorm slammed New York City and the tri-state area.

The wintery conditions sent post-Christmas travel plans at the Big Apple transit hub into a frenzy, leaving frazzled vacationers huddled on the floor with their families and luggage as they desperately waited for updates on rebooked flights that will take them home.

“I came to New York to have a ‘Home Alone’ Christmas just by myself,” Danniel Sermone, a 31-year-old who has been stuck at JFK since his Denver flight was axed Friday morning, told The Post.

“I wanted to hang out. I went shopping, and went to Times Square, crossed up there for a while with the big crowd. My next available flight is at 6 a.m. on the 28th. So I have been hanging out at JFK for about eight hours and still got like 30 left.”

More than half of the Empire State was placed under a state of emergency as forecasters warned that parts of the region would be walloped by nearly a foot of snow through Saturday afternoon. (Read more from “Holiday Travelers Stranded at JFK Airport as Winter Storm Triggers Hundreds of Flight Cancellations” HERE)

Kash Patel Confirms FBI’s J. Edgar Hoover Building to Be Shut Down ‘Permanently’

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Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel confirmed that the agency will be shutting down the J. Edgar Hoover Building in Washington, DC, “permanently.”

In a post on X, Patel explained that initially, there had been a plan to build a “new headquarters that wouldn’t open until 2035” for almost $5 billion. Patel added that the plan was “scrapped” and the agency “selected the already-existing Reagan Building, saving billions.”

“After more than 20 years of failed attempts, we finalized a plan to permanently close the FBI’s Hoover headquarters and move the workforce into a safe, modern facility,” Patel said. “Working directly with President Trump and Congress, we accomplished what no one else could.”

Patel’s post continued in part:

When we arrived, taxpayers were about to be on the hook for nearly $5 billion for a new headquarters that wouldn’t open until 2035. We scrapped that plan. Instead, we selected the already-existing Reagan Building, saving billions and allowing the transition to begin immediately with required safety and infrastructure upgrades already underway. Once complete, most of the HQ FBI workforce will move in, and the rest are continuing in our ongoing push to put more manpower in the field, where they will remain.

(Read more from “Kash Patel Confirms FBI’s J. Edgar Hoover Building to Be Shut Down ‘Permanently’” HERE)

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China Imposes Sanctions Against 20 U.S. Defense Companies Over Arms Sales to Taiwan

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The Chinese Communist government on Friday imposed sanctions against 20 American defense-related companies — including Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation and Boeing — and ten of their executives over arms sales to Taiwan.

China was infuriated by U.S. approval of an $11 billion arms sale to Taiwan last Wednesday, one of the largest American weapons deals ever approved for the island. The deal still needs approval from the U.S. Congress before it can be completed.

The arms package includes self-propelled howitzers, Javelin and TOW missiles, Altius drones, and units of the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), a highly effective mobile long-range multiple rocket launcher.

Military analysts consider the HIMARS to be one of the best rocket artillery systems in the world. The system has performed so well in Ukraine that the Ukrainians are working on developing their own domestically produced version of it.

The Altius drones would also be a formidable addition to Taiwan’s arsenal, as the package includes both sophisticated networked reconnaissance drones and precision strike weapons. The Altius-700M strike drone is a small but deadly drone that can deliver a 33-pound anti-armor warhead at ranges of up to 100 miles. Taiwan received congressional approval to purchase the Altius-600 series of long-range recon drones in 2024. (Read more from “China Imposes Sanctions Against 20 U.S. Defense Companies Over Arms Sales to Taiwan” HERE)

Former GOP Sen. Ben Sasse Reveals Stage-4 Cancer Diagnosis: ‘It’s a Death Sentence’

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Former U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse of Nebraska announced on Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with metastatic stage-four pancreatic cancer, candidly calling it “a death sentence.”

“This is a tough note to write, but since a bunch of you have started to suspect something, I’ll cut to the chase: Last week I was diagnosed with metastasized, stage-four pancreatic cancer, and am gonna die,” Sasse wrote in a post on X.

“Advanced pancreatic is nasty stuff; it’s a death sentence. But I already had a death sentence before last week too — we all do,” he continued.

Sasse, who is just 53 years old, noted, “I’ve got less time than I’d prefer.”

But he also expressed his eternal hope, noting that he is a Christian.

“As a Christian, the weeks running up to Christmas are a time to orient our hearts toward the hope of what’s to come,” he wrote. (Read more from “Former GOP Sen. Ben Sasse Reveals Stage-4 Cancer Diagnosis: ‘It’s a Death Sentence’” HERE)

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore via Flickr

New Epstein Files Ignite Firestorm: Disturbing Mansion Photos, Exposed Redactions — and Alleged Trump Flight Logs Rock Public Trust

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A new wave of documents and images from the Justice Department’s ongoing Epstein file release is shining a disturbing light into the late financier’s Manhattan townhouse — and sparking outrage after tech users uncovered that many of the government’s redactions can be bypassed with basic software tools.

The photos, taken inside Epstein’s sprawling Upper East Side mansion, reveal a trove of unsettling décor and role-play outfits, including childlike costumes, eerie taxidermy, and multiple pieces of artwork depicting children in inappropriate or compromising poses. One sculpture shows a ghostly bride figure gripping a rope in the home’s entryway. In another image, a framed picture of a young boy peering down his pants hangs on the wall.

Across the townhouse, more framed prints of children — along with bizarre props and staged costumes — add to what critics are calling a “window into Epstein’s twisted aesthetic.” The images were released as part of the DOJ’s compliance with a congressional deadline requiring the agency to turn over Epstein-related records.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche defended the decision to publish only a portion of the files ahead of the deadline, arguing that certain materials must remain shielded to protect survivors and private information. But the department is now facing a new controversy — because some of the very redactions meant to obscure names and details can apparently be removed with a simple copy-and-paste.

Tech-savvy users online demonstrated that portions blacked out in Adobe Acrobat reappear when pasted into programs like Google Docs or Microsoft Word. The glitch quickly went viral, fueling accusations of government incompetence and raising questions about whether sensitive content has now been unintentionally exposed. The authenticity of those unmasked sections, however, has not been independently verified.

The broader document dump has already produced a wave of explosive — and in some cases never-before-seen — photographs of Epstein with powerful political figures and celebrities. Among them are images of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson, and a shirtless Bill Clinton relaxing in a hot tub with an unidentified woman. Other photos show Clinton alongside Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell during travels abroad.

The files also include a newly publicized prosecutor email alleging that President Donald Trump flew on Epstein’s jet more frequently in the 1990s than previously reported — including several flights where Maxwell was also on board. The email does not accuse Trump of any crime, and the Justice Department has emphasized that some of the allegations in the records are “untrue and sensationalized,” stating that if any credible wrongdoing existed, it would have already surfaced. [via Reuters:]

In an email dated January 7, 2020, the unidentified prosecutor wrote that flight records showed Trump had flown on Epstein’s private jet eight times during the 1990s. Among those were at least four flights on which Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell was also aboard. Maxwell is serving a 20-year prison sentence for helping late financier Epstein sexually abuse underage girls.

In a social media post in 2024, Trump said he “was never on Epstein’s Plane, or at his ‘stupid’ Island.” There was no allegation in the prosecutor’s email that Trump had committed any crime. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the email.

On one flight described in the newly released records, the only three passengers were Epstein, Trump and a 20-year-old woman whose name was redacted. “On two other flights, two of the passengers, respectively, were women who would be possible witnesses in a Maxwell case,” the document stated.

Epstein’s world — and the powerful orbit around him — continues to ignite public anger and suspicion as each new batch of files drops. And with the DOJ promising more releases in the coming weeks, pressure is mounting for full transparency — along with renewed scrutiny over how such sensitive records are being handled.