Wife Detained Cuban Pastor Worried About Whereabouts
The wife of a Cuban pastor detained amid unprecedented protests against Cuba’s ruling Communists has expressed concerns about his whereabouts.
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Senate unanimously passes bipartisan bill banning imports from Xinjiang, China
The United States Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan bill on Wednesday that would ban the importation of anything made in Xinjiang, China, including Nike and Coca-Cola products made there, because of the forced labor and genocide of Uyghurs and other minorities in the region, Axios reports. The legislation now goes to the House on a date to be decided.
Chinese Pastors told to preach on Xi Jinping’s anniversary speech saying “only socialism can save China”
China’s government-controlled Protestant Church (known as the Three-Self Patriotic Movement) has told its pastors they must now preach sermons that include a July 1 speech given by President Xi Jinping in which he glorified the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and said “only socialism can save China”, Bitter Winter reports.
Pakistan persecution: Two Christians poisoned to death by Islamists
There is fresh concern for the welfare of Christians in Pakistan after two believers were poisoned to death by respective Muslim acquaintances earlier this year, International Christian Concern reports. Rights advocates report that the level of persecution against Christians in Pakistan is “extreme.”
Dozens Die As Flooding Hits Germany, Netherlands, Belgium
Dozens of people were dead Thursday as the worst flooding in years struck parts of the low-lying seafaring Netherlands as well as nearby Germany and Belgium.
Dutch Investigative Journalist Peter R. de Vries Dies Of Shooting Wounds
Dutch investigative journalist Peter R. de Vries, whose relentless coverage of the Dutch underworld made him friends and foes, has died from injuries sustained in a shooting in Amsterdam, several sources confirm. He was 64.
Uzbekistan’s New Religion Law Adds Pressure on Christians
Christian rights activists say Uzbekistan’s new Religion Law maintains restrictions despite state media claims that it extend freedoms.
Rouhani warns Iran could enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels
Iran’s outgoing president on Wednesday warned his country could enrich uranium at weapons-grade levels of 90 percent if it chose, though it still wanted to save its tattered nuclear deal with world powers.
Democrats Attempting to Force $3.5 Trillion spending bill through without GOP support
Senate Democrats announced a top-line budget number late Tuesday that will propel their plan to enact the full array of President Joe Biden’s social welfare and family aid promises without Republican votes.
US to evacuate under-threat Afghan interpreters as Taliban gains ground
Thousands of interpreters who aided US and NATO forces in Afghanistan will be evacuated beginning in late July, Washington announced Wednesday, as Taliban insurgents captured a strategic crossing on the Pakistan border from government forces.
Drug-overdose deaths in the U.S. rose by nearly 30% in 2020, synthetic opioids primarily to blame
Deaths due to drug overdoses in the United States increased nearly 30% during 2020, a spike largely attributed to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic combined with an increasingly deadly drug supply.
15 years on, IDF girds for a potentially devastating war against Hezbollah
In a future war with Hezbollah, more rockets and missiles would be fired at Israel from Lebanon in the span of less than two days than were fired during the entire 11-day battle between Israel and Palestinian terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip in May, according to fresh Israeli military assessments.
‘Just the beginning’: UAE opens Tel Aviv embassy as sides hail ties
The United Arab Emirates on Wednesday formally inaugurated its embassy in Israel, capping a process that began with an agreement to normalize diplomatic relations nearly a year ago.
Senate Democrats to introduce bill to federally decriminalize marijuana
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Senate Democrats plan to unveil legislation Wednesday that would decriminalize marijuana on a federal level.
Police are being attacked in major cities grappling with cop shortages
Police are being attacked in major cities where departments are struggling to maintain staff.
‘Down with dictatorship’: 19K protest, clash with cops over France COVID rules
Police in Paris fired tear gas to disperse demonstrators on Wednesday, as 19,000 people protested throughout France over new coronavirus restrictions.
Nigeria: Kaduna state closes 13 mostly Christian schools as abductions spiral
Amid a catastrophic situation of relentless kidnappings in Nigeria’s Kaduna state, the local Schools Quality Assurance Authority (SQAA) has ordered the closure of 13, mostly Christian, schools which it identified as being “vulnerable” to attacks by Islamic militants who abduct students, Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports. Following the kidnapping of 140 pupils from Bethel Baptist High School on July 5th, CSW said Kaduna has become an “epicenter for kidnapping.”
Israel: Archaeologists find 2,000-year-old coins inscribed with references to freedom of Jerusalem and Zion
Israeli archaeologists in the Binyamin region of the West Bank recently found two 2,000-year-old coins which are inscribed with references to the freedom of Jerusalem and Zion, the Times of Israel reports. The coins date back to the times of the Jewish wars against the Romans.
Abortion providers file lawsuit to block Texas ‘heartbeat’ legislation
A group of abortion providers filed a federal lawsuit against Texas on Tuesday, in an effort to block a new ‘heartbeat’ law that allows private citizens to sue anyone who helps a woman get an abortion, UPI reports.
Church of England confirms it will apologize for centuries of supporting anti-semitism in England
The Church of England has confirmed it will officially apologize for the church’s involvement in the expulsion of Jews from medieval England, the Telegraph reports. Jewish groups have welcomed the move.