Trump signs bill to improve religious groups’ security
President Trump has signed little-noticed legislation to fund greater protection of religious institutions against terror attacks.
Security
Team Trump puts Hunter Biden, Obama on trial
President Trump’s defense team put Hunter Biden and former President Barack Obama on trial on Monday during the impeachment case in the Senate, questioning why Democrats weren’t outraged about Mr. Biden’s $3 million sweetheart deal with a Ukrainian gas company or Mr. Obama’s ‘caving’ to Russia on missile defense.
Christian Association of Nigeria asks probing questions of government after killing of its leader
The Christian Association of Nigeria issued a damning indictment this week of the Nigerian government’s failure to save its leader, who was kidnapped in early January and executed by Boko Haram on Monday.
‘Direct Hit’ Reported as Rockets Target US Embassy in Baghdad
Several rockets targeted the U.S. Embassy in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, on Sunday evening, with some reportedly hitting the building itself for the first time in several years.
Netanyahu: White House peace plan an ‘opportunity that cannot be missed’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday that the Trump administration’s much-awaited peace plan was a ‘historic moment’ and an opportunity that should not be missed.
Senate blocks Democrats’ pretrial demand for Trump documents
President Trump’s impeachment trial opened with a vote to block a subpoena for White House documents related to Democratic allegations the president abused the power of his office by withholding security aid from Ukraine.
New Swarms of Locusts Threaten Crops, Food Security in Ethiopia
A new round of locust swarms has hit Ethiopia and is again threatening crops and food security, say agricultural officials.
Israel foiled 560 ‘significant’ terror attacks in 2019, says head of intel agency
Israel’s internal security agency says it has thwarted over 560 ‘significant’ terror plots, including suicide attacks, in the past year.
Trump administration will move to block ‘birth tourism’
The Trump administration is days away from announcing a plan to limit the automatic provision of U.S. citizenship to people born in the United States whose parents are non-citizens visiting the country, a senior administration official told the Washington Examiner on Monday.
Angered by EU Approach to Nuclear Deal, Iran Threatens to Withdraw From NPT
Iran warned Monday it will withdraw from the global nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) if Germany, France, and Britain refer their dispute over the Iran nuclear deal to the U.N. Security Council.
Riots in Lebanon’s Capital Leave More Than 150 Injured
Police fired volleys of tear gas and rubber bullets in Lebanon’s capital Saturday to disperse thousands of protesters amid some of the worst rioting since demonstrations against the country’s ruling elite erupted three months ago. More than 150 people were injured.
Russia Supports Iran Joining Moscow-Beijing Security Bloc
Just days after the Iranian regime fired missiles at military bases in Iraq and accidentally shot down a Ukrainian passenger plane, Russia’s foreign minister has reiterated that Moscow supports full membership for Tehran in a Eurasian security bloc sometimes viewed as an aspiring counterweight to NATO and the West.
Dozens wounded as Iraqi protesters up pressure on government
Iraqi security forces wounded dozens of protesters on Sunday as renewed anti-government demonstrations gripped the capital and Iraq’s south, activists and officials said.
Hezbollah’s threat to Israel rises amid Lebanon chaos
Lebanon’s political crisis escalated this weekend, with hundreds of civilians wounded in running street battles against security forces. The chaos will increase the Lebanese Hezbollah’s temptation to lash out at Israel to unify the nation against a common enemy.
Christian activist taken by regime during protests in Iran
Authorities in Iran arrested a Christian woman who converted from Islam during protests last week against the accidental downing of a Ukrainian passenger jet, though it is still not known whether she had any involvement with the demonstrations.
Iran is closer ‘than ever before’ to regime collapse, says former Obama security advisor
Iran has had a turbulent past week, marked by more than a hundred Iranian deaths and dramatically increased tensions with the U.S. As it enters into the third day of protests fueled by popular anger over the government’s handling of a downed passenger jet, some observers argue this is the most vulnerable the Islamic Republic’s regime has been since its founding in 1979.
Top White House official says peace plan could be rolled out before March vote
A top White House official has said US President Donald Trump’s administration will not necessarily wait until after Israel’s March 2 elections to release its long-awaited peace plan.
Muslim herdsmen kill a dozen more Christians in Nigeria
Muslim Fulani herdsmen killed 13 Christians in Plateau State, Nigeria on Wednesday, Jan. 8, adding to a body count that has seen scores of Christian farmers murdered by the pastoralists in the last few years.
House Passes Three Bills To Advance 5G and Cyber Security in US
A package of bills designed to give the United States an advantage over China in the race to employ 5G, the fastest wireless networks available, were passed by the House on Wednesday.
UN to vote Friday on new Syria cross-border aid resolution
Facing a Friday deadline that could halt the delivery of humanitarian aid to more than 1 million Syrians every month, the divided U.N. Security Council is set to vote on rival resolutions that would continue deliveries through border crossings to mainly rebel-held areas.