China Crackdown on Unregistered Churches
Christians have been detained, and churches shut down or destroyed in China in the month before revised Regulations on Religious Affairs are due to come into effect on 1 February.
Security
After Knesset Speech, Major US Jewish Groups Praise VP Pence for Support of Israel
US Vice President Mike Pence’s speech at the Israeli Knesset on Monday was warmly praised by a number of major American-Jewish groups.
US: Russia ultimately to blame for Syrian chemical attacks
Russia is ultimately to blame for any use of chemical weapons in Syria, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday amid reports of a suspected chemical attack this week near the capital, Damascus.
Republicans demand new special counsel over lost FBI text messages
House Republicans are demanding that a second independent special counsel be convened to probe the FBI’s investigation into former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email account and server.
Was Lynch coordinating with Comey in the Clinton investigation?
Former Attorney General Loretta Lynch knew well in advance of FBI Director James Comey’s 2016 press conference that he would recommend against charging Hillary Clinton, according to information turned over to the Senate Homeland Security Committee on Friday.
US Senate advances bill to renew NSA’s internet surveillance program
The U.S. Senate on Tuesday advanced a bill to renew the National Security Agency’s warrantless internet surveillance program, as a final push by privacy advocates to derail the measure came up short.
Iran tortures and kills protesters; West mostly silent as 8,000 citizens arrested
Iran’s rulers have inflicted death by torture and gunfire on citizen protesters in a crackdown since the Dec. 28 street uprising erupted, the main opposition group said Tuesday.
Palestinian leaders vote to urge PLO to suspend recognition of Israel
Palestinian leaders voted on Monday to call for the suspension of recognition of Israel, and to suspend security coordination with Israel, as they met in response to US President Donald Trump’s acknowledgment of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Turkey’s Erdogan vows to destroy U.S.-backed ‘terror army’ in Syria
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to destroy a 30,000-man border security force in Syria, trained and equipped by Washington, characterizing it as a ‘terror army’ designed to infringe on the country’s sovereignty in the region.
House passes NSA spying bill after Trump tweets cause confusion
The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday passed a bill to renew the National Security Agency’s warrantless internet surveillance program, overcoming objections from privacy advocates and confusion prompted by morning tweets from President Donald Trump that initially questioned the spying tool.
PA security forces expose Hamas’ top terror architects in West Bank
The Palestinian Authority’s security forces revealed on Wednesday the identities of senior Hamas operatives behind efforts to rehabilitate the group’s terrorist infrastructure in Judea and Samaria, chief among them Maher Obeid, the organization’s newly appointed military commander in the West Bank.
Iranian Christian Receive Eight Year Sentences
Two Iranian Christians were sentenced to a total of eight years in prison by a revolutionary court in December 2017, after being convicted of national security-related crimes.
Trump calls GOP Dreamer fix a ‘bill of love,’ seeks deal with Dems on immigration
At a meeting Tuesday with bipartisan members of Congress, President Trump said the fix to the soon-to-expire temporary amnesty for ‘Dreamers’ would be a ‘bill of love,’ but stressed that tougher border security must be part of the deal.
Security cabinet holds ‘extremely significant’ meetings about northern border
Israel’s security cabinet has convened several times in recent days, holding ‘extremely significant’ meetings to discuss developments on the northern border and Iran’s presence in Syria.
Trump to unveil initiative to bring broadband to rural America
President Donald Trump plans to unveil an agriculture initiative seeking to bring broadband internet connection to rural America at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual convention.
Report: Hamas agrees to give PA control of its weapons
Hamas officials have informed Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that Hamas will agree to relinquish control of its weapons if it is allowed to join the Palestine Liberation Organization, the London-based pan-Arab daily Al-Hayat reported on Friday.
U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia Leading World to War with Iran, France Says
French President Emmanuel Macron has accused the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia of instigating a war as their mutual foe, Iran, was rocked by a week of protests.
Blast hits police in Afghan capital Kabul, dozens of casualties
A suicide bomber in the Afghan capital caused dozens of casualties on Thursday after blowing himself up close to a group of security personnel who were carrying out an operation against illegal drugs and alcohol dealing, officials said.
Trump’s pressure on Pakistan is major test of new strategy to end war in Afghanistan
The Trump administration’s strategy for ending the war in Afghanistan and defeating terror groups in the region faces its first major test in its confrontation with Pakistan.
UN Security Council to meet on Iran protests, at US request
The U.N. Security Council will hold an emergency meeting about Iran at the request of the U.S. which asked for the session to show support for anti-government protests.