Texas heartbeat abortion ban heads to Abbott’s desk as he vows to sign
A Texas bill that would ban abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected is heading to the desk of Gov. Greg Abbott, who has vowed to sign the measure.
Washington
Karen Christians in Myanmar persecuted by Burmese army; “please pray”
Rights groups report that Karen Christians in Myanmar are suffering under attacks and massive displacement by the Tatmadaw Burmese military which wrested control of the civilian government in February, and which carries out violent campaigns against ethnic and religious minorities in the country, International Christian Concern has reported. Prayer has been requested for the Karen Christians and all those oppressed in Myanmar.
‘Crimes against humanity’: State Department highlights China genocide
The State Department on Wednesday declared that the Chinese government continues to engage in genocide and crimes against humanity through the repression of predominantly Muslim Uyghurs and other minorities in western China.
Crisis worsens: 178,622 attempted to cross US-Mexico border illegally in April, most in two decades
Federal law enforcement at the U.S.-Mexico border stopped 178,622 people trying to enter the country illegally in April, the highest amount in more than two decades.
‘Bill Gates Ties With Pedophile Epstein Played Role In Divorce’
Melinda Gates’s concerns about Bill Gates’s ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein played a crucial role in their upcoming divorce, people familiar with their thinking say.
U.S. job openings soar to highest level on record
U.S. employers posted a record number of available jobs in March, illustrating starkly the desperation of businesses seeking to find new workers as the economy expands.
Iran has enriched uranium to up to 63% purity, IAEA says
“Fluctuations” at Iran’s Natanz plant pushed the purity to which it enriched uranium to 63%, higher than the announced 60% that complicated talks to revive its nuclear deal with world powers, a report by the U.N. nuclear watchdog said on Tuesday.
Blinken calls Hezbollah ‘threat,’ U.S. blacklists 7 Lebanese nationals
The United States on Tuesday called on governments worldwide to take action against Lebanon’s Iranian-backed militant group Hezbozllah, as the Treasury Department sanctioned seven Lebanese nationals it said were connected to the group and its financial firm, Al-Qard al-Hassan (AQAH).
U.S. cutter fires at Iranian vessels in Strait of Hormuz
A U.S. Coast Guard cutter fired at least 30 warning shots at a group of Iranian fast-attack boats Monday while escorting a U.S. Navy submarine through a tense section of the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.
Biden administration launches $350 billion COVID-19 payments for state and local governments
The White House unveiled plans Monday to provide federal funding to state and local governments attempting to build their economies in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ukrainian Soldiers Killed Amid Flareup In East
Ukraine says at least two soldiers were killed and another wounded in recent days in clashes between Ukrainian government forces and Russian-backed separatists. The military claims the latest reported skirmishes rose the death toll to at least 36 Ukrainian soldiers killed in the east this year.
Economy falls far short of expectations with just 266,000 jobs in April, unemployment rate rises to 6.1%
The economy added far fewer jobs than expected in April, just 266,000, and the unemployment rate rose slightly to 6.1%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.
US Navy seizes weapons in Arabian Sea likely bound for Yemen
he U.S. Navy announced Sunday it seized an arms shipment of thousands of assault weapons, machines guns and sniper rifles hidden aboard a ship in the Arabian Sea, apparently bound for Yemen to support the country’s Houthi rebels.
Biden administration holding nearly 25,000 migrant children without parents
Nearly 25,000 migrant children were in the custody of the government, apart from their families, in early May.
Iran Teases Attack on US Capitol Building as Biden Admin Prepares To Lift Sanctions
Iran released a provocative new video over the weekend that depicts its military forces blowing up the United States Capitol building, a threat that comes as the Biden administration inches closer to providing Tehran with billions of dollars in economic sanctions relief.
US fertility rate dips over 4% from 2020, reaching another record low
The fertility rate in the United States dipped 4.3% from 2020, reaching another record low for the nation.
US Secretary of State meets with head of Israel’s Mossad spy agency
US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has met with Yossi Cohen, the head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, for talks that centered on Iran, the Associated Press reports.
FBI: Gun frenzy now in 16th month as Biden seeks ban
The nation’s gun craze propelled by politics and the coronavirus has now hit 16-straight months of shattering records, with April sales of at least 1.8 million and FBI background checks logging over 3.5 million.
Biden cancels remainder of Trump border wall projects funded by Pentagon
The Pentagon canceled border wall projects that the Trump administration had funded with $10.5 billion it diverted from other federal departments on the basis that the southern border was experiencing a national emergency.
US denies Iran claims of prisoner deal; UK plays it down
The United States and Iran are in active talks over the release of prisoners, a person familiar with the discussions said Sunday as Washington denied a report by Iranian state-run television that deals had been struck.