IMF Warns COVID-19 Could Cause Global Unrest
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warns of global social unrest if government measures to halt the coronavirus pandemic are seen as unfairly favoring the rich.
Iran
Iranian believer decides to stay in Iran and face persecution, inspires others
A Christian in Iran sent to languish in a remote desert town after a seven-year prison sentence found a warm welcome from local Muslims, according to a new YouTube interview.
UN predicts worsening locust plague in Africa and the Middle East
A second wave of desert locusts, projected to be 20 times the size of earlier swarms that the UN has called “unprecedented,” is expected to arrive in Africa and the Middle East over the summer.
Saudi-led Coalition Announces Cease-fire in Yemen War
The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said Wednesday that it was halting military operations nationwide in support of U.N. efforts to end a five-year war that has killed over 100,000 people and spread hunger and disease.
Top Hezbollah leader assassinated in Lebanon
A top Hezbollah commander close to Qassem Soleimani was assassinated in Lebanon Saturday night, following several months of seeming détente between the US and Iran.
Iran Releases Another Jailed Christian Convert
Iranian authorities have released another Christian convert from prison amid concerns the new coronavirus COVID-19 could spread in overcrowded jails, Christian activists said Monday. Amin Khaki, 38, learned from prison authorities Monday that he should not return to jail, confirmed well-informed advocacy group Middle East Concern (MEC). “It is expected that he will be able to reclaim the money put down as security,” MEC told Worthy News.
Locust swarms in Africa, Middle East rapidly increasing because of flight closures, spike in pesticide prices
Efforts to combat the spread of locust swarms in East Africa are facing serious challenges as a result of border closures, flight shutdowns, and increased shipping prices, with the current swarms expected to grow 500 times by June.
Iran Frees Christian Converts Over Coronavirus Concerns
Iran has released a Christian woman who was jailed after refusing to reconvert to Islam, activists confirmed to Worthy News. Rokhsareh (Mahrokh) Ghanbari, 62, is among some 85,000 prisoners freed in recent weeks amid concerns about the spread of the new coronavirus COVID-19.
Hezbollah accused of bringing coronavirus to Lebanon
The Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon has been accused of helping to bring coronavirus to the nation. Opponents of the powerful group point out that Lebanon took three weeks to block flights from Iran, after a woman who had just returned from there tested coronavirus positive on February 20. Hezbollah is accused of causing the delay to ensure its supporters could return home. Denying the claims, Hezbollah is trying to show the Lebanon Shiite community that it is working to protect them from the outbreak.
Trump claims Iran planning ‘sneak attack’ on US troops in Iraq
President Trump warned that Iran and its allies are planning to attack American troops “and/or assets” in Iraq.
US extends Iran nuclear cooperation sanctions waivers
The Trump administration on Monday renewed several waivers on U.S. sanctions against Iran, allowing Russian, European and Chinese companies to continue to work on Iran’s civilian nuclear facilities without drawing American penalties.
Messianic expectations of Jews and Muslims become one — Bible points to a false Jesus they and others will accept
The messianic expectations of Muslim and Jewish leaders are dovetailing, with many scholars from each camp agreeing that coronavirus is the harbinger of a divine figure who will arrive as a king in the midst of pandemics and economic crises.
US-led coalition pulls out of third Iraqi base this month
The U.S.-led coalition withdrew on Sunday from a military base in northern Iraq that nearly launched Washington into an open war with neighboring Iran.
‘Iran may well collapse’ under coronavirus strain, warns top EU diplomat
Iran’s theocratic regime could crumble under the pressure of the coronavirus outbreak that has spread through elite ranks and the broader population alike, according to the European Union’s top diplomat.
U.S. Imposes Sanctions On Iranian Revolutionary Guards-Linked Firms, Individuals
The United States says it has imposed sanctions against 20 companies based in Iran and Iraq, along with officials and other individuals there who are accused of supporting terrorist groups.
Coronavirus Ravages Middle East as Iran Warns of ‘Millions’ of Deaths
From Jerusalem’s Western Wall to Saudi Arabia’s Mecca, the coronavirus is changing the Middle East and people in the region are adjusting to a new normal.
African locust swarm headed for Middle East
An ‘unprecedented’ locust swarm is forming in the Horn of Africa, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, and is expected to cause major food shortages across Africa and the Middle East later this summer.
Coronavirus kills leading Iranian ayatollah, as worries intensify
A member of the Assembly of Experts, which has the power to appoint or dismiss the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has died from the COVID-19 illness caused by the virus, the semi-official Fars and Tasnim news agencies reported Monday.
IDF indicates Iran scaling back terror activity in light of coronavirus
The Israel Defense Forces indicated Monday its primary foe in the region, Iran, was curbing its activities as it grapples with a major outbreak of the coronavirus.
Iran Coronavirus Death Toll Passes 600, Syria Shuts Schools
Iran said Saturday the coronavirus outbreak has killed another 97 people, pushing the death toll in the country to 611, as war-ravaged Syria announced a number of strict measures despite the government saying it has no confirmed cases.