New US-China Trade War Looms Over Coronavirus Pandemic
Tensions between China and the United States are rapidly escalating into a possible trade war with Beijing and Washington accusing each other of responsibility for the coronavirus outbreak.
China
Millions Struggle To Survive In Philippines Coronavirus Lockdown (Worthy News Investigation)
The Philippines faces international pressure to end one of the world’s most repressive coronavirus lockdowns, with 120,000 people detained and some killed or abused for curfew violations in the past month. Witnesses, including Christian single mothers, have told Worthy News of intimidating police and military checkpoints.
Pastor in China Reportedly Arrested for Posting Information About Coronavirus Outbreak in March
The wife of a pastor imprisoned by Chinese authorities has said her husband was arrested for re-posting messages about the coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports. Zhang Xinghong said she was told by Chinese authorities that her husband Pastor Zhao Huaiguo has been charged with inciting subversion of state power because of these posts.
India Condemns U.S. Religious Rights Report
A U.S. government advisory panel wants India on a religious freedom blacklist over a “drastic” downturn under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, triggering an angry reaction from New Delhi. In addition to India, the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) also recommends the inclusion of four more – Nigeria, Russia, Syria, and Vietnam.
Letter Campaign As Christian Spent 2000th Day In North Korean Jail
Christians have launched a global letter-writing campaign demanding the release of an ethnic Korean believer who spent his 2000th day in a prison inside North Korea. Jang Moon Seok, a deacon, was kidnapped by suspected North Korean agents in November 2014 from China, according to aid workers familiar with the situation. He is currently serving a 15–year prison sentence on charges that friends link to his involvement providing aid to North Koreans and evangelism.
Some 132,000 Turn To Christ In ‘Quarantine Revival’
More than 130,000 people from across the world, many in lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, have decided to follow Jesus Christ after an online evangelism event, organizers said. “We are living through a Great Quarantine Revival, and I think God is just getting started,” explained evangelist Nick Hall, whose Pulse movement organized the virtual program.
EU Unveils $580 Billion Aid Package Amid Virus Lockdowns
After the U.S. unveiled similar measures, the European Union has approved a $580 billion aid package to help limit the devastating economic consequences of coronavirus pandemic lockdowns in member states. However, beyond the immediate aid, the dispute remains over the structure – and funding – of a long-term recovery plan. It emerged this weekend that the European Commission, the EU’s executive, has now been tasked to make proposals by May 6, when another video conference will be held.
Coronavirus origins in lab not ruled out by scientific studies
A scientific study recommended by White House medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci pointing to the origin of coronavirus pandemic as a jump from animals to humans also concludes it cannot be ruled out that the virus may have escaped from a laboratory.
Chinese house church begins meeting online, members arrested anyway
The online Easter meeting of an unregistered house church in China was disrupted and six of its members arrested, with the government warning the church of severer measures if it continued to meet.
Trump to order temporary suspension on immigration to US
President Trump announced on Monday night that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he will be ordering a temporary suspension on immigration to the US. In a post on Twitter, the President said: ‘In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!’
EU Chief Apologizes To Italy Over Coronavirus Pandemic
The chief of the European Union’s executive has made ‘a heartfelt apology’ to Italy for the block’s slow response in handling the coronavirus pandemic. Italy suffered more than 21,000 coronavirus-related deaths, the highest toll in Europe, officials say.
Pastor in China arrested for subversion of state power
A pastor in the Hunan province of China was arrested on April 2 for suspected subversion of state power. Persecution watchdog International Christian Concern (ICC) reports that the pastor was arrested after his church refused to join a government-approved religious organization.
China may be conducting secret nuclear tests, State Department warns
The State Department is concerned China may be conducting small nuclear tests in secret, possibly violating an international agreement banning such tests, Fox News confirmed Wednesday.
China says its economy shrank by 6.8% in the first quarter as the country battled coronavirus
China reported that its first-quarter GDP contracted by 6.8% in 2020 from a year ago as the world’s second-largest economy took a huge hit from the coronavirus outbreak, data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China showed.
Hungary Defends “Orwellian Law” Amid Criticism
Hungary has condemned global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) for saying that an ‘Orwellian law’ has imposed an ‘information police state’ in the country. RSF urged two United Nations rapporteurs to condemn the governments of Hungary and dozens of other nations for ‘violating the right to information’ about the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump Halts Funds To WHO
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he is halting payments to the World Health Organization (WHO) over its role in the coronavirus pandemic. “The WHO pushed China’s misinformation about the virus,” he told reporters at the White House.
China cracks down on coronavirus data as new report rebuts official death toll
The Chinese government has ordered new restrictions on studies regarding the origin of the coronavirus outbreak, in a further sign Beijing is hiding details behind the cause of the global pandemic.
Chinese government continues to target crosses on churches
The Chinese government has continued its campaign of removing crosses from churches in recent months, citing bizarre reasons in support of the “sinicization” of religion begun by President Xi Jinping.
Britain pledges 200 million to criticized WHO and agencies
Britain has pledged 200 million pounds ($248 million) to charities and the World Health Organization (WHO), which has come under U.S. pressure over its handling of the new coronavirus pandemic. Its Easter present came while British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has been suffering from the virus COVID-19, said he “owed” his life to British medics.
China Halts Online Church Services
China’s Communist government has halted online church services despite the coronavirus pandemic forcing many Christians to stay at home this Easter, Worthy News learned Saturday. The online religious rights watchdog Bitter Winter and local Christians said only groups holding state-issued licenses could stream religious services online in China. “We can’t get together because of the pandemic,” an underground house church pastor in the province of Jiangxi told Bitter Winter.