THURSDAY, JANUARY 15

HEALTH DEPT 'QUIETLY' REFUNDED PLANNED PARENTHOOD The Trump administration’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) “quietly released” tens of millions of dollars in previously frozen Title X family planning funds to Planned Parenthood affiliates and other abortion facilities in December, Politico reported this week. READ

TRUMP SUGGESTS PLANS TO STRIKE IRAN PAUSED President Donald Trump said yesterday that he received assurances that the “killing in Iran is stopping” amid the Iranian government’s crackdown on anti-government protests. He made the remark after warning in recent days that he would strike Iran if they used force against protesters. READ

SUPREME COURT RULES IN FAVOR OF ELECTION INTEGRITY EFFORTS The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 yesterday that congressional candidates can challenge state election laws governing when mail-in ballots are counted. The ruling potentially opens the door to more lawsuits over election laws nationwide, further empowering Republican-led efforts at improving election integrity. READ

STATE DEPT HALTS IMMIGRATION VISAS FOR 75 COUNTRIES The State Department yesterday ordered an indefinite pause on immigrant visa processing for applicants from 75 countries, including Somalia, Iran, and Russia. The directive specifically targets immigrant visas, such as those for family reunification or employment-based permanent residency, not tourist or student visas. READ

US, DENMARK IN 'FUNDAMENTAL DISAGREEMENT' ON GREENLAND Denmark’s foreign minister met with Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the White House yesterday. The minister stated after their talks that Denmark remains in “fundamental disagreement” with the U.S. over President Donald Trump's plans to purchase Greenland. Trump had stated before the meetings that Greenland's rejection of his plans was "their problem." READ

INSPIRING: FAMILY GIVES UPDATE 1 YEAR AFTER LOSING HOME One year after the Eaton Fire destroyed their home in Altadena, California, the Halpin family, known for a viral video in which they sang the “Regina Caeli” beside a surviving statue of the Virgin Mary, has shared an update on their recovery, including ongoing reconstruction and continued reliance on faith. READ

DHS: ICE AGENT WHO SHOT RENEE GOOD HAD INTERNAL BLEEDING The ICE agent who fatally shot Renee Good Jan. 7 in Minneapolis suffered internal bleeding in his torso following the incident, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson told FOX News yesterday. The spokesperson did not disclose the extent of the injury. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said hours after the shooting that ICE Agent Jonathan Ross was treated at a local hospital and released the same day. READ

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ADMIN OFFERS RELIEF TO FOREIGN-BORN RELIGIOUS WORKERS Leaders of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) this week welcomed a new Trump administration regulatory change that eliminates a longstanding visa requirement for foreign-born religious workers, calling the move a “truly significant step” toward supporting essential religious services across the U.S. READ

HINDU RADICALS DENY INDIAN MAN CHRISTIAN BURIAL A Christian man, who died at the age of 90 last week, was denied burial in his ancestral village in eastern India after villagers objected to Christian funeral rites and demanded traditional Sarna rituals instead, raising concern among Christian leaders over growing persecution in the region. READ

NOT TO BE MISSED... Here are the stories we couldn’t fit in today’s LOOP:

The FBI this month raided the home of a journalist as part of an investigation into federal leaks. READ
PBS has shut down its weekend newscast due to federal funding cuts. READ
A New Mexico school district enabled a "trans" student's sexual misconduct. READ

BEAUTY: INSPIRING FILM RETRACES WAY OF ST. CUTHBERT Five students and a professor from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas, headed to the United Kingdom last summer with two objectives in mind: To reach Lindisfarne, the “Holy Island” off the coast of northeast England, after prayerfully walking the Way of St. Cuthbert, and to remind the world why beauty matters. Read the whole inspiring story in this CatholicVote exclusive. READ

CATHOLIC 101 Pope Leo recently reflected that friendship with God in prayer is vital in this life. “If Jesus calls us to be friends, let us not leave this call unheeded. Let us welcome it, let us take care of this relationship, and we will discover that friendship with God is our salvation," he said. READ

SAINT OF THE DAY Today the Church honors St. Paul of Thebes, considered the first Christian hermit in Church history. He was orphaned as a teenager and fled to a remote desert cave to escape persecution. He found himself thriving there, and never returned to the outside world. READ

DAILY PSALM "Redeem us, Lord, because of your mercy." (Psalm 44) READ

DAILY READINGS Today's Mass readings. READ

A VISIT WITH OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE Kelsey Reinhardt, President and CEO of CatholicVote, shares her experience of visiting St. Juan Diego’s miraculous tilma in Mexico and her opportunity to consecrate CatholicVote’s mission to Our Lady of Guadalupe. READ