Israeli strikes said to target Syria, blasts heard near Tel Aviv
Israeli planes carried out an airstrikes near Damascus early Friday, Syrian state media claimed, and sounds of explosions were heard in central Israel shortly after.
Worthy News
Thousands riot on Gaza border; Palestinian killed by IDF fire
A 26-year-old Palestinian has been killed by IDF fire during the protest along the Gaza border on Thursday night, claim the Hamas-operated health ministry in Gaza.
DIA leads on lab leak theory
The 17 agencies that make up the U.S. intelligence community remain divided on how the virus behind the COVID-19 pandemic originated, but the Defense Intelligence Agency is the most forward-leaning among the spy services in asserting that the virus most likely began inside a Chinese laboratory, according to U.S. intelligence sources.
Afghanistan’s Taliban To Work With China As ‘Main Partner’
Shortly after declaring victory against the United States, Afghanistan’s new Islamist Taliban rulers reached out to China, which wants to cooperate with them.
Jan. 6 committee Dems push telecoms to secretly turn over phone records of GOP colleagues
The Democrat-led House Select Committee investigating the January 6 Capitol breach has requested that a number of telecommunications companies preserve the phone records of a group of GOP lawmakers and former President Donald Trump.
Manchin Jolts Democrats by Urging ‘Pause’ on $3.5 Trillion Bill
Senator Joe Manchin is demanding a “strategic pause” in action on President Joe Biden’s economic agenda, potentially imperiling the $3.5 trillion tax and spending package that Democratic leaders plan to push through Congress this fall.
Florida: ‘$5,000 Fines For Demanding COVID Jabs’
The U.S. State of Florida confirmed Thursday it would impose $5,000 fines on businesses, schools, and government agencies that demand people to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccination.
Italy may eventually make COVID vaccine shots compulsory for all, Draghi says
Italy may eventually make COVID-19 inoculations compulsory for everyone of eligible age, and plans to start administering booster vaccine shots later this month to vulnerable people, Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on Thursday.
U.S. troops not abandoning its bases inside Syria, Pentagon says
The Pentagon is denying reports by Iranian state media that U.S. military forces abandoned three bases inside Syria used in the fight against the Islamic State.
Supreme Court divides 5-4, leaves Texas six-week abortion ban in place
The Supreme Court divided 5-4 on Wednesday, leaving a Texas ban on abortion after six weeks in place while litigation challenging the law continues in the lower courts.
Jerusalem: Archaeologists find “cheat weight” from First Temple era
Archaeologists excavating in Jerusalem’s Old City have unearthed a weight that was likely used to cheat traders some 2,700 years ago in the First Temple period, the Jerusalem Post (JP) reports.
Mu COVID Variant, Which Scientists Fear is Resistant to Vaccines, Detected in 39 Countries
A new coronavirus strain has been declared a variant of interest by the World Health Organization (WHO) with mutations that may be resistant to vaccines.
Majority of companies plan to issue COVID vaccine mandate for employees
A new survey by advisory firm Willis Towers Watson shows that more than half of US companies are planning some kind of COVID-19 vaccine mandate for their employees by the end of the year, ABC News reports. The survey was carried out last month, amid the surge of the more contagious delta variant.
20 states sue Biden administration over gender identity-sexual orientation rules
Twenty states have filed suit against the Biden administration to block what they say are unconstitutional new laws on sex and gender discrimination in schools, Just the News (JN) reports. In January this year, President Biden issued an executive order to “prevent and combat discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation.”
Diverse faith groups rally to help Afghan refugees
Diverse American faith groups, including Protestant and Catholic churches, Islamic organizations and Jewish agencies are helping Afghan refugees who were evacuated to the US after the Taliban took over Afghanistan last month, Just the News (JN) reports.
Israel opens China-operated Haifa port to boost regional trade links (Video)
Israel has opened a new shipping port along its Mediterranean coast that will bring much-needed competition to a sector plagued by delays and boost the country’s standing as a regional trade hub.
Nigeria Christians Mourn Scores Killed As Kidnappings Continue
Christians in central and northern Nigeria say they are mourning scores of fellow-believers killed in recent weeks by Islamic militants. They also remain concerned about ongoing kidnappings of Christian students, including in the nation’s troubled northeast, Worthy News learned.
EU removes Israel from safe travel list, backs travel restrictions
The European Union recommended Monday that its 27 nations reimpose restrictions on tourists from seven countries, including Israel, because of rising coronavirus infections there.
Journalists now stranded in Afghanistan
U.S.-friendly journalists are still in Afghanistan, left behind following the recent exodus of U.S. troops, support teams, and other personnel. The journalists left behind have worked under the umbrella of the U.S. Agency for Global Media — USAGM — an independent federal agency that oversees such global media entities as the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe.
McConnell dismisses GOP’s Biden impeachment chatter: ‘That’s not going to happen’
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday dismissed the notion that President Biden would be impeached over the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, arguing that a Democratic-controlled Congress would never allow it.