Weekly News Brief 1/16/25

Breaking World News

Russia Launches Missiles Drones At Ukraine
Russia launched missiles and drones at Ukrainian energy facilities on Wednesday, one day after Kyiv claimed it carried out its most significant aerial attack of the war on Russian army factories and energy hubs hundreds of kilometers (miles) from the frontline.

Ukraine Launches Largest Aerial Strike on Russian Territory to Date
In its biggest aerial strike against Russia to date, Ukraine fired six US-made ATACMS ballistic missiles and UK-made Storm Shadow cruise missiles, and launched one of its largest drone attacks on Russian territory overnight on Tuesday, Reuters reports.

Pakistan: Violent Islamist Gang Traps Innocent People Into Blasphemy Charges, Human Rights Lawyers Say
An Islamist gang in Pakistan has targeted and trapped more than 450 people, including Christians, into being wrongfully charged with blasphemy, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.

Latest World News Headlines

Russia, Iran To Ink Partnership On Military Cooperation, Trade And Energy – January 14, 2025

NATO Chief: ‘Ukraine Not Strong Enough For Peace Talks With Russia’ (Worthy News Focus) – January 14, 2025

China’s Invasion Barges Signal Potential Invasion of Taiwan – January 14, 2025

Europe Must Tackle Antisemitism as Jews Leave in Thousands, Leader Warns – January 14, 2025

Hungary’s Jews Mourn Star Ágnes Keleti, Olympian and Holocaust Survivor – January 13, 2025

Jewish Community Targeted In Protests Over Egypt Youth’s Death In Italy – January 13, 2025

Islamists Seek To Topple’ Egypt’s Sisi After Ousting Syrian Leader (Worthy News Investigation) – January 12, 2025

Yemen Rocked By Deadly Gas Blast After Houthis Attack US Warship, Tel Aviv – January 12, 2025

Egypt: Archaeologists Uncover 3,600-Year-Old Tombs and Artifacts Near Luxor – January 10, 2025

Iranian General: ‘Ouster Assad Major Defeat For Iran’ (Worthy News In-Depth) – January 9, 2025

Breaking Israel News

Negotatiators From Israel, Hamas Reach Ceasefire
Negotiators from Israel and Hamas have agreed to a cease-fire and hostage release in Gaza, officials said on Wednesday, in the hope of ending the 15-month-war that has killed thousands.

Biden Praises Ceasefire Deal Between Hamas And Israel
After 15 long months of bloodshed in Gaza sparked by the Hamas massacre of 1,200 people in Israel, a hostage and ceasefire deal between Hamas and Israel was reached Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden said.

Iran Accuses Israel of Placing Explosives in Iranian Centrifuge
Iran’s Vice-President for Strategic Affairs, Mohammad Javad ZarMif, has accused Israel of planting explosives in Iranian centrifuge equipment, the Times of Israel (TOI) reports.

Latest Israel News Headlines

Holocaust Survivors Tell Their Stories on 80th Anniversary of Auschwitz Liberation – January 14, 2025

Israel’s FireDome Wildfire Defense System May Offer Hope For California – January 14, 2025

Hamas Rebuilding Despite Israeli Attacks (Worthy News Analyse) – January 14, 2025

Hamas-Israel Ceasefire Nearing – January 13, 2025

Palestine Group Launches Global Hunt For Israeli Soldiers (Worthy News Investigation) – January 12, 2025

Israel Advances In-House Weapons Production With Two Major Deals – January 9, 2025

Ancient Mosaic Floor with Deuteronomy Bible Verse Uncovered in Southern Israel – January 9, 2025

Breaking U.S. News

Both Sides Raise Concern of Weaponized Justice Department at Bondi Hearing
Accusations of weaponizing the U.S. Department of Justice were hurled by Republicans and Democrats during the confirmation hearing of Attorney General nominee Pam Bondi Wednesday.

Rubio: U.S. Foreign Policy Must Serve National Interests
Safety, strength and prosperity will be the key objectives of the U.S. Department of State under the second Trump administration, Secretary of State nominee Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said during his confirmation hearing Wednesday.

Republicans Introduce Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act
Republicans in the U.S. Senate and House introduced the Constitutional Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, which President-elect Donald Trump has said he will sign.

Latest U.S. News Headlines

Over 1,000 Inmates Battle LA Wildfires, Earning Pathways to Firefighting Jobs – January 14, 2025

FBI, DHS Warn of Likely Terrorist Attacks – January 14, 2025

House Passes Bill to Ban Transgender Students from Women’s Sports – January 14, 2025

Republican Lawmakers Introduce Bill To Allow Concealed Carry Across US States – January 13, 2025

Zuckerberg Criticizes Biden’s Social Media Censorship Policy, Ends Fact-Checking Program – January 13, 2025

Supreme Court to Consider Reinstating Preventative Care Insurance Coverage Requirements – January 13, 2025

Death Toll Rising In California Fires – January 12, 2025

Breaking Christian News

Africa: Most Deadliest Region for Christians
Africa remains the deadliest region for Christians, with Nigeria ranking as the country where a Christian is most likely to be killed for his or her faith, according to a new report by the Global Christian Relief (GCR) charity and advocacy group.

YouVersion Bible App Saw Nearly 800,000 Installations on First Sunday of 2025
The hugely popular YouVersion Bible App was installed nearly 800,000 times on January 5 this year alone, the Christian Post reports. Launched in 2008 by the US-based Life.Church ministry, YouVersion is available in 2,100 languages and has been installed on 850 million devices worldwide.

Colombia: Christian Leaders and Family Killed in “Premeditated, Targeted Assassinations”
Two protestant Christian church leaders and three Christian family members were recently assassinated in two premeditated incidents in Colombia, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reports.

Latest Christian News Headlines

Nigeria: Two Kidnapped Church Pastors Released Amid Ongoing Violence – January 14, 2025

India: Christian Couple Released on Bail Amid Surge in Persecution – January 14, 2025

India: Christian Woman Stripped and Brutalized by Hindu Nationalists on Boxing Day – January 13, 2025

Dozens Of Christians Killed In Nigeria’s Christmas Season Attacks (Worthy News Focus) – January 13, 2025

US Churches Broken In Fires Keep Faith Amid Flames (Worthy News Focus) – January 12, 2025

India Christians Reeling From Attacks (Worthy News Focus) – January 10, 2025

Nigeria: Christians Warned to Remain on High Alert as Fulani Militias Continue Murderous Rampage in Plateau state – January 10, 2025