McCarthy quells conservative revolt, House passes debt-limit deal
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy beat back a revolt from conservative Republicans and opposition from progressive Democrats on Wednesday to pass his bipartisan debt-limit deal.
Month: May 2023
Indonesia Internet Crackdown Sparks Concerns Ahead Of Polls
Southeast Asian legislators have expressed concern about growing “restrictions” on Indonesia’s freedom of speech and expression on the internet ahead of historic upcoming elections next year.
Pakistan: Young Christian man sentenced to death for blasphemy, “Our faith in Christ has not waivered”
In a move described as the “murder of justice,” a court in Pakistan on Tuesday sentenced a 22-year old Christian man to death after finding him guilty of an unsubstantiated charge of blasphemy, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.
Iran prepared for ‘wholesale export’ of weapons to its allies, top general says
Iran plans to ramp up its exportation of weapons and other military equipment in the coming months, one of the country’s top generals said Wednesday.
Oklahoma Supreme Court rules abortion laws unconstitutional
The Oklahoma Supreme Court struck down two abortion laws Wednesday passed by state lawmakers in 2022, calling them “unconstitutional.”
Another Natural Gas Reservoir Discovered Off Israel’s Mediterranean Coast
Israel’s Energy Ministry and the Energean Company on Wednesday announced the discovery of a new natural gas reservoir off Israel’s Mediterranean Coast, the Hebrew-language Calcalist business news outlet reported.
Israel denies striking Syria-Lebanon border
Five terrorists died overnight Tuesday in an explosion at a base in Lebanon belonging to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, according to Arabic-language media.
US CENTCOM chief in Israel as part of IDF drill
The commander of U.S. forces in the Middle East arrived in Israel on Tuesday, a day after the Israeli military launched a two-week drill simulating a multi-front war.
US to give Ukraine a further military aid package of about $300 million
The US is expected to announce this week that it will be sending Ukraine a new military aid package totaling up to $300 million and including additional munitions for drones, the Associated Press reports.
Brazilian’s President Seeks Regional Currency
Brazil’s president has proposed creating a regional trade currency for South America as part of broader efforts to ditch the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency.
Russia Threatens Using Nuclear Weapons After Moscow Attacks (Worthy News In-Depth)
Russia’s president accused Ukraine of terrorism after drones hit Moscow, the capital, and at least one of his allies suggested using nuclear weapons in response.
Chinese jet conducts ‘aggressive’ maneuver in front of U.S. surveillance plane
A Chinese fighter jet buzzed an Air Force surveillance aircraft last week in what officials said was an “unnecessarily aggressive maneuver” over the South China Sea.
Israel: Iran ‘close to point of no return’
Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen met with European counterparts in Slovakia on Tuesday and called for unity in countering the Iranian threat before it is too late.
Debt limit deal clears House panel, setting up floor debate
The House Rules Committee on Tuesday evening advanced a bipartisan bill to raise the debt limit and avert a national default, paving the way for a floor debate in the lower chamber on Wednesday.
Freedom Caucus threatens ouster as McCarthy rushes forward with debt-limit vote
Speaker Kevin McCarthy is rushing forward a vote on a bipartisan agreement to hike the nation’s debt limit until after the 2024 election, even as a brewing revolt from hard-right members of the House Freedom Caucus casts doubt on his future as leader.
Biden threatens sanctions after Uganda passes one of world’s most extreme anti-gay laws
In a move that has caused US President Joe Biden to threaten sanctions against the country, Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni on Monday signed one of the world’s harshest anti-LGBT laws, providing the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality” involving the transmission of deadly diseases like AIDS, carrying a 20-year prison sentence for “promoting” homosexuality, and criminalizing mere identification as LGBTQ, Axios reports. Same-sex relations were already banned in Uganda.
Nigeria: 50 members of Plateau Baptist Convention murdered by jihadists
Fifty members of the Baptist Conference in Nigeria’s Plateau state have been killed in a recent spate of attacks by Islamic jihadists in Mangu and Barkin Ladi Local Government Areas, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
Indonesia: Muslim extremists disrupt two church services; “If a church is seen to spreading the gospel, they soon run into opposition”
Christians on Indonesia’s Sumatra Island were recently prevented from worshiping when mobs of Muslim extremists disrupted two separate services in Binjai, North Sumatra Province, and in Riau, Pekanbaru Province in southern Sumatra, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.
Dept of Homeland Security classifies US as “heightened threat environment:” faith-based institutions and minorities among vulnerable groups
The US Department of Homeland Security issued a bulletin last week announcing that, ahead of the 2024 general election cycle, the United States “remains in a heightened threat environment” as individuals and groups motivated by a range of diverse beliefs and grievances present a “persistent and lethal threat” to the country.
Dutch Abortion ‘To Save The Planet’ Sparks Christian Outcry
Christian activists in the Netherlands have warned of “a culture of death” after a woman was hailed as a hero for aborting her unborn baby “to save the planet.”