US Speaker Nancy Pelosi In Taiwan Despite China Death Threat
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi touched down in Taiwan as part of a tour of Asia, despite China branding the landmark visit “extremely dangerous.”
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US: Catholic school entitled to fire employee who entered same-sex marriage, appeals court rules
A federal appeals court in Chicago on Thursday upheld the decision of a Catholic high school to fire a guidance counselor who entered a same-sex marriage after she began her employment there, the Washington Times reports.
Russian Moves Troops As Red Cross Struggles To Reach Prison
Kyiv says Moscow is moving large numbers of troops to Ukraine’s south for battles against the country’s forces through the newly occupied territories and Crimea. The military movements came as elsewhere in Ukraine, the government told people to evacuate ahead of an expected offensive by Russia’s military there, while the Red Cross struggled to reach a prison where dozens of Ukrainian prisoners of war were killed.
US Offers Prisoner Swap To Russia
Freedom appeared a little closer Thursday to several detainees after the United States offered a prisoner swap to Russia: Viktor Bout, a notorious Russian arms dealer, for Brittney Griner, the American basketball star, and Paul Whelan, a former Marine.
Afghanistan Taliban “Decimates” Women’s Rights
Global advocacy group Amnesty International (AI) says Afghanistan’s ruling Taliban has “decimated” the rights of women and girls since taking over the country.
IAEA chief: Iran’s nuclear program is galloping ahead, we have very limited visibility
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Rafael Grossi warned on Friday that Iran’s nuclear program is “galloping ahead” and his agency has very limited visibility on what is happening.
22 states sue to stop Biden administration from linking school lunches to gender-identity agenda
Twenty-two Republican attorneys general sued Tuesday to block the Agriculture Department’s newly announced guidance making student-lunch funds contingent on enforcing the Biden administration’s gender-identity agenda.
As NATO Grows, China and Russia Seek to Bring Iran, Saudi Arabia Into Fold
In the East, however, security and economy-focused blocs led by Beijing and Moscow are looking to take on new members of their own, including Iran and Saudi Arabia, two influential Middle Eastern rivals whose interest in shoring up cooperation on this new front could have a significant impact on global geopolitical balance.
Democrats introduce bill to enact term limits for Supreme Court justices
A group of House Democrats introduced a bill on Tuesday to enact term limits for Supreme Court justices, arguing that the move will “restore legitimacy and independence to the nation’s highest court.”
ICE developing program to give ID cards to illegal immigrants, as border crisis rages
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is moving forward with a pilot program that would see ID cards given out to illegal immigrants, as part of broader efforts to keep track on the tens of thousands being released into the country each month due to the historic crisis at the southern border.
Indonesia: Christian Pastor murdered in Papua province
A Christian pastor was among ten people murdered by separatist gunmen in Indonesia’s Papua province on July 16, the Christian Post (CP) reports. The West Papua National Liberation Army, or TPNPB, the military wing of Papua’s main separatist group, claimed responsibility for the killings.
EU Sanctions Syrians Recruiting Mercenaries In Ukraine
The European Union has imposed asset freezes and visa bans on influential Syrians for allegedly recruiting mercenaries to fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.
WHO Declares Monkeypox Global Emergency
The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the monkeypox outbreak a “global emergency,” raising the prospect of tighter health measures.
Evangelist Graham Urges Prayers For Corona Suffering President Biden
American evangelist Franklin Graham has urged Christians to pray for President Joe Biden, who contracted a highly contagious variant of the coronavirus despite receiving vaccinations.
Iran ‘galloping ahead’ with nuclear program, IAEA chief warns
Iran’s nuclear program is “galloping ahead” and the International Atomic Energy Agency has very limited visibility on what is happening, IAEA chief Rafael Grossi told Spain’s El Pais newspaper in an interview published on Friday.
WHO Chief Declares Monkeypox a ‘Global Emergency’ Without Expert Consensus
The expanding monkeypox outbreak in more than 70 countries is an “extraordinary” situation that qualifies as a global emergency, the World Health Organization chief said Saturday.
Italian Premier Draghi resigns amid political turmoil, collapsed government
Italian Premier Mario Draghi resigned Thursday after key coalition allies boycotted a confidence vote, signaling the likelihood of an early election and a renewed period of uncertainty for Italy and Europe at a critical time.
Supreme Court won’t reinstate Biden immigration policies, pending litigation
The Supreme Court on Thursday denied a bid by the Biden administration to block a ruling from a federal judge that barred immigration officials from following its enforcement guidelines.
House Passes Bill Prohibiting States From Limiting Contraceptives, Abortifacients
The House of Representatives passed a bill on Thursday that would prohibit states from limiting the possession and distribution of contraceptives and abortifacients, even if they have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Poll: Majority of Americans believe religious liberty is declining in US
A new poll by Lifeway Research has found that 54% of Americans believe religious liberty is declining in the US, and 59% believe that tolerance of Christianity specifically is declining, CBN News reports. The poll found that evangelical believers are more likely (74%) to say religious liberty is declining than those who are not evangelical (48%).