Gun Sales in July: 2 Million, Up 134.6% From July 2019
There were an estimated 2 million firearms sales in July, which is an increase of 134.6% from July 2019, according to Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting (SAAF).
Worthy News
Thousands attend Sean Feucht’s ‘Riots to Revival’ event in Portland: ‘Church is rising up’
Thousands attended California evangelist Sean Feucht’s “Riot to Revival” worship concerts this weekend in Portland, Oregon, and Seattle, Washington, two cities that have been gripped by riots and protests in recent weeks.
Biden Chooses Kamala Harris As Vice Presidential Running Mate
Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden has chosen Senator Kamala D. Harris of California as his vice presidential running mate on Tuesday.
Over 100 people arrested in apparently organized outbreak of looting and unrest
Amid ongoing violence and looting in Chicago, over 100 people were arrested Monday after 13 police officers were injured during a night of unrest, the Washington Examiner reports. In a statement, Police Superintendent David Brown said the unrest “was not an organized protest” but “an incident of pure criminality” that reportedly began after officers shot and wounded a 20-year-old man who had opened fire on them.
Six Arab ask United Nations to extend arms embargo on Iran
Six Arab Gulf countries sided with the US in sending a letter to the United Nations Saturday, asking for a continued arms embargo on Iran, the Washington Examiner reports. The embargo was scheduled to expire once the 2015 Iran deal comes into force.
Evangelical colleges cut over 230 staff positions due to financial concerns
Citing continuing financial concerns, evangelical colleges and universities around the country have canceled over 230 faculty and staff positions as they head into the fall semester, Christianity Today reports. More than 150 positions were eliminated in the spring and dozens more were cut over the summer.
Bipartisan US bill aims to advance normalized ties between Israel, Arab states
Two US senators introduced bipartisan legislation last week aimed at promoting normalized relations between Israel and Arab countries.
Israel closes Gaza border crossing after spike in arson balloon attacks
Following waves of explosive balloons launched from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory over the last few days, Israel will shut the Gaza Strip’s Kerem Shalom commercial crossing beginning Tuesday morning “until further notice,” the Israeli military liaison to the Palestinians announced.
Powerful derecho with 100mph winds causes chaos across Midwest
A rare storm packing 100 mph winds and with power similar to an inland hurricane swept across the Midwest on Monday, blowing over trees, flipping vehicles, causing widespread property damage and leaving hundreds of thousands without power as it moved through Chicago and into Indiana and Michigan.
Federal deficit swells to nearly $3 trillion in first 10 months of fiscal year 2020
The federal deficit so far this fiscal year is at $2.8 trillion, roughly $2 trillion higher than the deficit for the same period last year, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
House will be mostly absent until mid-November
The House will be in session just three weeks between now and Nov. 16, Democratic leaders announced Monday.
Seattle City Council votes to scale back police department funding as officer pay on chopping block
The Seattle City Council approved steep cuts to the city’s police department but avoided the 50% scale back in funding social justice activists had sought.
Johnson subpoenas FBI in review of Russia probe origin
The Senate Homeland Security Committee on Monday subpoenaed the FBI and Director Christopher Wray as part of its broad review into the origins of the Russia investigation, Fox News has learned.
Iran nuclear deal at risk as U.N. council prepares to vote on arms embargo
The U.N. Security Council is preparing to vote this week on a U.S. proposal to extend an arms embargo on Iran, a move that some diplomats say is bound to fail and put the fate of a nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers further at risk.
Lebanese Christians Suffering More Misery After Deadly Beirut Blast
The Beirut blast that killed 160 people adds to the suffering of Christians who already face food shortages and social unrest due to the coronavirus crisis, aid workers say. Their warnings came shortly before the government resigned Monday amid public outcry over the explosion, triggered by ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse at the Beirut port.
California pastor holds services for 1,000 people in defiance of COVID-19 court order
Defying a California court order issued amid coronavirus concerns, the leader of Godspeak Calvary Chapel, Ventura County held indoor church services for around 1,000 people on Sunday, the Washington Examiner reports. Prior to holding the services, Pastor Rob McCoy described the county rules on indoor services as “draconian” and stated that no one in his church was infected with COVID-19.
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) launches campaign for mass clemency as systemic response to racist incarceration
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is launching a years-long campaign for the clemency and release of 50,000 prisoners as a means to address “decades of racist, punitive, and degrading incarceration,” Fox News reported last week. “The Redemption Campaign” will be lobbying state governors to grant mass clemency to “older incarcerated people,” “people convicted of drug distribution and possession offenses,” “people incarcerated for technical probation or parole violations,” and people who would have received a lesser sentence if convicted under current laws.
End of July jobless rate remained high, although lower than forecast
Although the number of employment claims at the end of July was over 1 million for the 20th straight week, it was also the lowest number of new claims since the US was struck by COVID-19 in March, the Washington Examiner reports. The end of July saw 1.2 million claims when economists had forecast there would be 1.42 million.
Lebanon Government Resigns After Beirut Blast Kills 160 People
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hassan Diab announced Monday that he and his government have resigned amid public outcry over a Beirut port explosion that killed 160 people. The August 4 blast also injured 6,000 men, women, and children and left hundreds of thousands of residents homeless.
Britain Increasing Border Security As Migrants Cross Channel In Risky Boats; Europe Concerned
Britain’s government pledged Friday to strengthen border security, as a daily record number of people crossed the English Channel to the U.K. in small boats. The measures that reportedly could involve the Royal Navy, come amid broader concerns in Europe about a rising number of migrants re-emerging following lengthy coronavirus lockdowns.