An Israel Defence Forces report has recorded a substantial escalation in colonist aggressions in the West Bank during the last year.

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The UN Children's Fund, UNICEF, decries that at least 100 children have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire that was struck in early October.

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The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem expresses his hope that the ongoing anti-government protests in Iran will not deteriorate into more “violence and bloodshed”, and he decries the situation of “total devastation” in Gaza.

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At the end of their Plenary Assembly, the Bishops of the Central African Republic issue a forceful appeal to the new government to safeguard peace in the country, marked by years of violence, displacement, poverty, and divisions.

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Amid the recent political developments in Venezuela, the country’s Bishops invite children and teachers to begin the new school year in the hope of building a society based on justice, peace, and democracy.

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Jan 12, 2026 / 18:41 pm (CNA).

The Catholic bishops in Panama addressed the “urgent need to give ourselves a new constitution” in a message following the 224th ordinary assembly of bishops, which took place this week.

“It’s not just a matter of reforming texts but about renewing consensus, strengthening democratic institutions, guaranteeing social justice, and ensuring that the country’s legal framework is in line with the times we live in and those to come,” the prelates stated after their assembly, which was held from Jan. 5–8.

“Embracing the legacy of Jan. 9 [1964] requires a clear-sighted understanding of the challenges of the present time. Among them is the urgent need to give ourselves a new constitution that responds realistically and with a vision for the future to the aspirations of the Panamanian people,” the prelates stated.

On Jan. 9, 1964, a group of Panamanian students attempted to raise the Panamanian flag in the Panama Canal Zone, then under U.S. control, which sparked violent clashes with U.S. troops, leaving 21 dead and leading to the rupture of diplomatic relations. This event paved the way for the negotiations that ultimately returned control of the canal to Panama.

In their statement, the bishops noted that the sacrifice of these young people “reminds us that sovereignty is not inherited passively but is defended with conviction, unity, and generous dedication.”

Poverty that cries out to heaven

“The poor cannot wait. These are not just numbers or statistics; they are people with faces and stories. They are children, elderly people, women, young people, and entire communities whose dignity is violated every day. And we cannot remain indifferent either,” the bishops stated.

The bishops also emphasized the importance of caring for the environment and reaffirmed their “pastoral support for our brothers and sisters in Río Indio, and for those who must make decisions, so that discernment and decisions guarantee a decent life and secure land, without exclusions or impositions.”

In that area of ​​the country, the Panama Canal Authority (ACP by its Spanish acronym) is developing a large project to build a new reservoir to ensure water for the canal, which has generated opposition from local communities that will be flooded and relocated. The ACP promises compensation and a better standard of living, however.

The Panamanian bishops also expressed their “deep concern over the increase in violence that is becoming normalized in daily life” and emphasized that “no form of violence is acceptable, because it denies the dignity of the human person, created in the image and likeness of God, and is radically opposed to the Gospel of life and peace.”

They urged “that the justice system act responsibly and effectively, guaranteeing the real protection of victims and unrestricted respect for life.”

Solidarity with Venezuela

The bishops reiterated their “closeness and solidarity with the Church and the Venezuelan people. You are not alone. And in communion with the successor of Peter, we affirm that ‘the good of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail above any other consideration and lead to overcoming violence and embarking on paths of justice and peace, guaranteeing the country’s sovereignty, ensuring the rule of law enshrined in the constitution, and respecting the human and civil rights of all.”

“We unite in prayer so that the Lord may grant that nation the gift of reconciliation, harmony, and a future of cooperation, stability, and peace,” they emphasized.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Jan 12, 2026 / 18:07 pm (CNA).

Archbishop Paul Coakley and President Donald Trump met on Jan. 12 to discuss areas of “mutual concern,” which likely included topics related to immigration enforcement and Venezuela’s sovereignty.

The archbishop of Oklahoma City, Coakley, who was elected president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in November 2025, visited with Trump at the White House on Monday.

Following the meeting, Coakley indicated on X that in addition to meeting with Trump, he also met with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

“The meetings served as an introduction as well as an opening to further conversations on topics of mutual concern, which will hopefully carry forward,” the USCCB leader said.

“I appreciate the opportunity and welcome the potential for ongoing productive conversations,” he added.

The meeting was closed to the press.

Pope Leo XIV has said immigrants must be treated with dignity and has encouraged all people in the United States to heed the U.S. bishops’ message on immigration.

Coakley, appearing on CBS News’ “Face the Nation” on Dec. 21, 2025, had previously predicted that immigration would be a discussion topic with Trump and said: “I think we have opportunities to work together. We have opportunities to speak frankly with one another.”

After U.S. military action to capture Venezuela’s president, Pope Leo on Jan. 4 called for full respect for Venezuela’s national sovereignty and for the human and civil rights of its people.

Earlier in the day on Jan. 12, Pope Leo XIV met with Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado at the Vatican.

This story was updated on Jan. 13, 2026.

Jan 12, 2026 / 17:21 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV has proclaimed a “Special Year of St. Francis” to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death. During this time of grace, which will extend until January 2027, the faithful are granted the opportunity to obtain a plenary indulgence.

This Franciscan Jubilee Year, considered a gift for the entire Church and an occasion for authentic spiritual renewal, was inaugurated on Jan. 10 with a decree issued by the Apostolic Penitentiary of the Holy See.

Until Jan. 10 of next year, the faithful can obtain this grace under the usual conditions — sacramental confession, Communion, and prayer for the intentions of the pope — by making a pilgrimage to any Franciscan conventual church or place of worship dedicated to St. Francis anywhere in the world.

Furthermore, the elderly, the sick, and those who, for serious reasons, cannot leave their homes can obtain the plenary indulgence by spiritually joining in the jubilee celebrations and offering their prayers, pains, or sufferings to God.

In a world where “the virtual takes over the real, disagreements and social violence are part of everyday life, and peace becomes more insecure and distant every day, this Year of St. Francis spurs all of us, each according to our possibilities, to imitate the poor man of Assisi, to form ourselves as far as possible on the model of Christ,” the decree states.

For the Order of Friars Minor, this time is also an opportunity for the faithful to become “models of holiness of life and constant witnesses of peace.”

On the occasion of this anniversary, Pope Leo XIV addressed a letter to the ministers general of the Franciscan Family Conference in which he emphasized that “in this era, marked by so many seemingly endless wars, by internal and social divisions that create distrust and fear, he continues to speak. Not because he offers technical solutions, but because his life points to the authentic source of peace.”

In this regard, he highlighted that St. Francis reminds us that “peace with God, peace among people, and peace with creation are inseparable dimensions of a single call to universal reconciliation.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Jan 12, 2026 / 16:51 pm (CNA).

The Heritage Foundation, led by former Wyoming Catholic College President Kevin Roberts, released its proposals to support family life amid low marriage and birth rates.

“We believe that this first foray into family policy by Heritage will not only cause a real important national conversation,” Roberts told reporters Jan. 12, “but one that also improves the discussion” in the U.S. Congress.

Roberts said Heritage is “pretty confident” the Trump administration will be amenable to the policy proposals contained in the paper, stating that “the good rhetoric from the administration, including the president himself, has signified that they understand that this is a civilizational problem.”

The report, titled “Saving America by Saving the Family: A Foundation for the Next 250 Years,” is co-authored by Roger Severino, Jay Richards, Emma Waters, Delano Squires, Rachel Sheffield, and Robert Rector.

Heritage’s plan proposes eliminating all marriage penalties in welfare programs and the imposition of “meaningful work requirements” for welfare recipients.

The report encourages Congress to adopt financial incentives including the creation of a Newlywed Early Starters Trust (NEST) fund of $2,500 to support men and women who marry by age 30. The paper also calls on Congress to apply the current $17,670 adoption tax credit to married parents for each of their newborn children. Heritage’s plan proposes a $2,000 credit per child under 5 years old cared for at home to benefit families who prefer at-home child care over paid outside child care.

Ultimately, he said, “we are giving them a set of policy proposals that they can chew on.”

Roberts said conversations on Capitol Hill with members of both the House and Senate “have gone exceedingly well” but noted that “very few” of those conversations took place with Democrats. The reason for this, he said, was that “some Democrats have a knee-jerk reaction anytime they hear safety net reform.” However, he said, “I think there will be a lot of thoughtful people on the center-left who will want to be engaged in this conversation, [and] they’re going to appreciate that we’re looking at this certainly not from a partisan or even ideological standpoint but from the lens of social science.”

The report comes after fallout within the Heritage Foundation after a video message by Roberts defending Tucker Carlson’s interview with self-avowed antisemite Nick Fuentes. Roberts eventually issued an apology for the video.

The policy think tank’s plan aims to help solve the plight of dwindling marriage and fertility rates across the country by “promoting a culture of marriage and intact families” rather than creating “a complex maze of federal marriage programs,” according to the report.

The paper states that the national nonmarital rate rests at 40%, while a quarter of children across the country live with a single parent, the highest number in the world. In addition to the decline in marriage has come a decrease in fertility, the report said.

“Unless reversed, deaths will soon outpace births, reshaping the American family from a source of abundance into a scarcity of both parents and children,” the report said.

The report calls on President Donald Trump to issue a series of executive orders requiring the federal government to explicitly detail how its actions help marriage and family, and to block actions that discriminate against marriage and family.

The Heritage Foundation president also expressed hope that states eventually will seek to compete with one another “in terms of their own policies for the most advantageous incentives.”

Jan 12, 2026 / 16:21 pm (CNA).

The Nicaraguan dictatorship announced on Jan. 10 the release of “dozens of people” who were imprisoned following pressure from the United States and coinciding with the 19th anniversary of the regime of President Daniel Ortega and his wife and “co-president,” Rosario Murillo.

In a brief statement on X, the Nicaraguan Interior Ministry said that on Saturday, Jan. 10, “dozens of people who were in the National Penitentiary System are returning to their homes and families.”

The dictatorship did not provide details about the released prisoners, but the Spanish EFE news agency was able to confirm with their families the release of seven opposition figures: Jessica Palacios, Mauricio Alonso, Mario Rodríguez Serrano, Pedro López, María José Rojas, Óscar Velásquez, and evangelical pastor Rudy Palacios.

According to the newspaper La Prensa, the local media outlet Divergentes reported the release of at least 30 political prisoners, while other media outlets reported a lower number.

“What happened in Venezuela has unleashed fear in the tyrannical government and hope in the people,” Arturo McFields Yescas, the former Nicaraguan ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS), told ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.

“It is interesting that a simple statement from the American embassy led to the release of ... the prisoners in Nicaragua. This means that a little pressure from the United States can produce a lot of change,” the former diplomat commented from exile.

On Jan. 9, the U.S. embassy in Nicaragua posted the following message on X: “Venezuela took an important step toward peace by releasing a large number of political prisoners. In Nicaragua, more than 60 people remain unjustly detained or missing, including pastors, religious workers, the sick, and the elderly. Peace is only possible with freedom!”

The post was accompanied by the Spanish translation of a text from President Donald Trump on Truth Social in which he celebrated Venezuela’s release of “a large number of political prisoners as a sign of ‘seeking peace.’”

McFields said that this “demonstrated that President Trump’s words are accompanied by actions. What if there were a statement at the highest level? What could he do? Demand the release of all the prisoners. There is leverage that must be used, and the release of all the prisoners must be demanded now.”

The former diplomat emphasized that now among the people of Nicaragua, “there is a quiet hope that the dictators can fall at any moment. The timing is uncertain, but there is a certainty that they can fall. Before this, talking about the fall of a dictator was utopia, it was madness. But not anymore, now it’s a reality.”

“The dictatorship,” McFields continued, is reeling from those images “of Maduro, the all-powerful leader, arrested and humiliated. And those images have deeply affected the regime. The fear is so great that, although they have expressed solidarity with Maduro, they haven’t mentioned President Trump at any point.”

The former diplomat noted that “Ortega has been in power illegally for 19 years, [a period of] illegality and brutality, religious persecution, confiscation of churches, harassment of the church, destruction and desecration of churches — a horrendous situation that has been experienced in Nicaragua, but what happened today fills us with immense, immeasurable joy.”

What McFields said is similar to the Jan. 10 post on X by the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.

“Today, the brutal Murillo-Ortega dictatorship ‘celebrates’ 19 years of what should have been a five-year democratic term. Nicaraguans voted for a president in 2006, not for an illegitimate, lifelong dynasty. Rewriting the constitution and crushing dissent will not erase the aspirations of Nicaraguans to live free from tyranny,” it stated.

Historic mural of risen Christ restored in Nicaragua

Meanwhile, the Archdiocese of Managua reported that Cardinal Leopoldo Brenes attended the presentation of the completed restoration work on the historic mural of the risen Christ in St. Dominic Parish in the Nicaraguan capital.

“This Saturday morning, Jan. 10, Archbishop Cardinal Leopoldo José Brenes received from the central government of Nicaragua the completed restoration work on the historic mural in St. Dominic Parish,” the archdiocese’s press release stated.

The work “was carried out under the supervision of the relevant authorities, as this structure is part of the nation’s cultural heritage.” The restoration consisted of “cleaning and reinforcing the entire structure, as well as reconstructing the image of the risen Christ, which accidentally collapsed in December 2024,” without causing any injuries.

The image — which has been in the church since its construction in 1968 and withstood the 1972 earthquake — had been weakened by the constant seismic activity in Managua.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.