Weekly News Brief; Week of 5/3/23

Iran seizes second oil tanker in Gulf waters in a week

In the latest of a series of seizures or attacks on commercial vessels since 2019, Iran on Wednesday morning seized control of a second oil tanker in Gulf waters in a week, Reuters reports.

Iran’s President Raisi meets with Syrian President Assad in Damascus

Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi met with Syrian President Bashar Assad in Damascus on Monday, marking the first time an Iranian president has visited Syria since the civil war took over the country in 2011, the Associated Press reports. Raisi’s meeting with Assad was part of a two-day visit to boost economic and political cooperation between Iran and Syria.

Teenager Detained As Belgrade School Shooting Kills Nine (Worthy News Radio)

Serbian police say they have detained a 14-year boy who was allegedly involved in killing at least eight students and a security guard at a primary school in Belgrade.

Latest World News Headlines

Hundreds Detained In France After Policeman Was Nearly Killed In Protests – May 2, 2023

Russia Rejects US Casualty Claims As Battle Continues (Worthy News Radio) – May 2, 2023

Mother of Kidnapped US Journalist Doubts Biden’s Assurances – May 2, 2023

BRICS Expands Threatening West’s Dominance – May 2, 2023

Russia Unleashes Missiles Strike in Ukraine Ahead of Counteroffensive (Worthy News Radio) – May 2, 2023

French police clash with violent protesters during mass May Day demonstrations – May 2, 2023

Turkish forces have killed leader of Islamic State, Erdogan says – May 1, 2023

Breaking Israel News

Israel, Gaza Armed Groups Agree to Cease-fire After Recent Flare-Up

Israel and Gaza armed groups agreed to a cease-fire early Wednesday after a day of increased violence, sparked by the death of a prominent Palestinian Islamic Jihad member during a hunger strike in an Israeli prison. According to Al Jazeera and Reuters, Palestinian sources confirmed that the truce went into effect before dawn, mediated by officials from Egypt, Qatar, and the United Nations.

IDF hits terrorist targets in Gaza after series of day-long rocket barrages

The Israel Defense Forces struck terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday night following a series of rocket attacks throughout the day, the army said in a statement.

Latest Israel News Headlines

Netanyahu not in contempt of court, High Court rules – May 2, 2023

US Speaker McCarthy addresses Israel’s Knesset – May 2, 2023

Syria says Aleppo airport forced to shut after Israeli airstrike; 1 soldier killed – May 2, 2023

Israeli airstrikes hit targets near Homs, Syrian state media says – April 30, 2023

Breaking U.S. News

As evidence emerges in Hunter Biden probe, investigators see a political protection racket

A letter falsely insinuating a laptop was Russian disinformation. An IRS whistleblower. Suspicious activity bank reports. Suggestions of false testimony to Congress.

Customers Urged To Remain Calm After First Republic Collapse

Worried customers were urged Tuesday to remain confident in the U.S banking system after First Republic became the second-largest bank to fail in American history.

Latest U.S. News Headlines

Kansas passes law defining gender as person’s biological sex at birth – May 2, 2023

Pennsylvania school district must allow After School Satan Club – May 2, 2023

US Dust Storm Kills Six and Injures Dozens – May 2, 2023

Treasury’s Yellen Says US Could Default as Soon as June 1 – May 2, 2023

In 3rd Major Bank Collapse, Regulators Seize First Republic Bank, Sell It to JPMorgan Chase – May 2, 2023

FDIC Recommends Raising Insured Deposit Limit for Businesses – May 2, 2023

U.S. military is tracking another mysterious balloon – May 2, 2023

Breaking Christian News

US Commission on International Religious Freedom publishes annual report, lists worst violators

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) on Monday published its annual report on the state of religious freedom around the world, listing those nations which it found to be the worst violators of such freedom, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.

Sudan: Christians killed, churches destroyed in ongoing violent conflict

While it is not yet clear if Christians are being specifically targeted in the violent civil conflict in Sudan, four churches have been destroyed and Christians have reportedly been killed, wounded, turned away from state hospitals, and barred from receiving humanitarian aid being given to Muslims, Baptist Press reported on April 28. The violence broke out on April 15 as the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) fought for control of the government.

Uganda: Christian college student murdered for sharing the Gospel

A 24-year-old Christian college student in northern Uganda was murdered last month by a suspected radicalized Muslim because he had been sharing the Gospel on his school campus, Morning Star News (MSN) reports. While Christianity is legal in Uganda, Christians, especially evangelists, have been increasingly vulnerable to deadly attacks by radicalized Muslims.

Latest Christian News Headlines

Florida court rejects churches’ request to leave UMC with property and no exit fees – May 1, 2023

Nigeria: Slaughter of Christians continues, “We lost hope in the Nigerian Police” – May 1, 2023

Concerns About Abducted Christians In Nigeria After Killings – April 28, 2023

Nigeria: Christian community devastated by jihadist attacks worships God in burnt-out church on Good Friday – April 27, 2023

18 US Christian colleges forced to shut down since pandemic – April 27, 2023

100 Christian Families Freed From Pakistan Brick Kilns – April 26, 2023

Nigeria: Mass slaughter of Christians continues; 134 murdered by Fulani jihadists in Benue state – April 26, 2023

Breaking World News from this Week- 3/1/23

The following news is taken in whole or part from Worthy News Ministries.

‘Ukraine To Join NATO In Long-Term”; Clashes Intensify

The secretary general of NATO effectively warned Moscow on Monday that Ukraine would become a military alliance member in the “long term” as frontline clashes intensified and Kyiv’s military hit targets deep inside Russia.

US Treasury Secretary Yellen In Ukraine After Deadly Drone Strike

U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen arrived in Kyiv to reaffirm U.S. support for Ukraine’s struggle against Russia’s invasion, hours after deadly drone strikes in Ukraine and a counterattack against a Russian warplane.

Trains Collide In Greece; Dozens Killed

Authorities say at least 32 people have been killed and 85 injured in northern Greece after two trains collided.

Latest World News Headlines

UN atomic agency confirms Iran has enriched uranium close to weapons grade – March 1, 2023

Ukraine Open For Chinese Peace Plan, But Confusion Remains (Worthy News Radio) – February 27, 2023

Nigeria Presidential Elections Clouded By Chaos – February 27, 2023

Britain and EU agree deal on Northern Ireland – February 27, 2023

Hungary Reluctant To Expand NATO – February 27, 2023

US Intel. ‘Coronavirus Leaked From Wuhan Lab’ (Worthy News Analysis) – February 27, 2023

Chinese COVID Lab Leak Debate Resurges After New Report Drops – February 26, 2023

Breaking Israel News

American Citizen Killed in Jericho Area Terror Attack as Judea, Samaria Violence Expands

Palestinian terrorists killed an Israeli-American citizen in another deadly attack Monday on a main highway near the city of Jericho. The killing came on the same day that the family of two murdered brothers from a Jewish community in Samaria buried their sons at Jerusalem’s Mt. Herzl Cemetery.

Protesters launch nationwide ‘day of disruption’ against justice overhaul

The protest movement against the government’s justice overhaul plan was set to escalate its tactics on Wednesday in a “national day of disruption.”

Latest Israel News Headlines

Papua New Guinea will open embassy in Jerusalem – February 27, 2023

UN Security Council to hold 3rd emergency meet on West Bank violence since new gov’t – February 27, 2023

Israel’s coalition set to pass Override Law in Knesset this week – February 26, 2023

In escalation, 21 arrested at 100,000-strong Tel Aviv anti-judicial reform rally – February 26, 2023

Breaking U.S. News

Number of Americans identifying as LGBT has doubled in last decade, poll shows

A new Gallup poll shows that the percentage of Americans identifying as LGBT has doubled in the last 10 years, the Christian Post reports. Released on Wednesday last week, the poll was based on responses from 10,700 American adults in 2022.

Pro-life activists ‘unlawfully arrested’ for protesting fetal organ harvesting outside San Francisco hospital By Ryan Foley, Christian Post Reporter

Pro-life activists say they were unlawfully arrested for handing out flyers outside a San Francisco hospital they believe is using aborted babies’ remains in fetal tissue research.

Latest U.S. News Headlines

White House orders TikTok off government devices within 30 days – February 27, 2023

Two Days After Buttigieg Visit, Biden Admin Halts Removal of Toxic Waste From East Palestine – February 27, 2023

California faces more blizzards, floods in multistate storm – February 26, 2023

Neo-Nazi Groups Organizing Antisemitic ‘National Day of Hate,’ Police Warn – February 24, 2023

US housing market has lost $2.3 trillion in value from its peak as home prices tumble – February 24, 2023

House GOP announces bills to guard against government censorship – February 23, 2023

U.S. government got $400 million in vaccine royalties from Moderna, company says – February 23, 2023

Breaking Christian News

Ancient Biblical city of Antioch was devastated in Turkey earthquake

The ancient Turkish city of Antioch, where the Bible says followers of Jesus were first called Christians, has been devastated by the catastrophic 7.8-magnitude earthquake which hit Turkey and Syria on February 6 and killed 42,000 people, the Christian Post (CP) reports.

Uganda: Forty Christian children rescued after abduction by Islamist, “we thank God”

Forty Christian children in Uganda have been rescued after being kidnapped by Islamists who may have planned to sell them to a militant group in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Morning Star News (MSN) reports. The children’s abduction is one of many documented examples of the intense persecution of Christians in Uganda.

Latest Christian News Headlines

US Christian University Ending 24/7 ‘Revival Worship’ On Campus As ‘Fire’ Spreads (Worthy News In-Depth) – February 23, 2023

Mozambique: Christians increasingly vulnerable to Islamic State terror – February 23, 2023

Iran: Two Christians pardoned and released from prison – February 23, 2023

Nigeria Christians Face Cash Crisis Ahead Of Elections (Worthy News In-Depth) – February 23, 2023