News stories come at us these days seemingly without end.  Crosstalk sorts through them to bring you up-to-date on what’s happening in our nation and around the world from a Christian perspective.  Here’s a sample of what was presented:

–President Joe Biden released a list of 39 pardons and 1,499 commutations of sentences Thursday, setting the record for presidential clemencies in a single day.

–Clemency was also given by President Biden to a former Ohio Democratic official who was convicted on charges related to taking bribes for nearly a decade.   

–FBI Chief Christopher Wray, who oversaw the weaponization of the federal agency   against now President-elect Trump, is voluntarily leaving. 

–Luigi Mangione, the person of interest in the New York City slaying of United Health Care CEO Brian Thompson, is facing additional charges in Manhattan according to an online court docket filed by city prosecutors. 

–A Florida woman was arrested Tuesday after allegedly threatening an insurance company representative by using the same words written on the shell casings left behind in the Manhattan murder of United Health Care CEO Brian Thompson.

–A Manhattan jury acquitted Daniel Penny on December 9^th of criminally negligent homicide over the death of Jordan Neely, a mentally ill homeless man.

–Black Lives Matter leader, Hawk Newsome, has called for black vigilantes to descend on major cities to retaliate against 26 year old former Marine Daniel Penny’s acquittal over the death of Jordan Neely.   

–Eagle Forum’s Ed Martin, will serve as Donald Trump’s next Chief of Staff at the Office of Management and Budget.

–Mysterious drone sightings have centered around New Jersey but they also have reportedly been sighted in areas such as San Antonio and San Francisco.

–Federal agents allege in court documents an individual had traveled to Ocean Park near Vandenberg Space Force Base and on November 30^th flew a drone over the base. 

–The large, unidentified drones seen buzzing around New Jersey at night for the past few weeks are very sophisticated, according to New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.

–In some churches this year, the manger has been replaced with a pile of rocks and the baby Jesus is no longer swaddled in a thin blanket but with a black and white keffiyeh, the Middle Eastern-style scarf signifying Palestinian resistance to Israeli aggression. 

–The Satanic Temple of Iowa is hosting “Satanic Holiday Joy” at the Iowa State Capitol this coming Saturday.

–Vandals have reportedly destroyed another satanic display, this time in Concord, New Hampshire.  

–Netflix’s latest offering is an animated Christmas movie that makes a mockery of the nativity story.