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Friend, relax! Matthew 8:26-27 But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?" Imagine being one of the disciples in that boat, waves crashing all around, the boat rocking wildly. They were terrified, thinking this might be the end. But there was Yeshua (Jesus), asleep in the same boat! He was with them the whole time, waiting for them to trust Him. Isn't that just like our lives sometimes? We're in the thick of it, storms raging, calling out, "Lord, do you not see what's happening to me?!" But yes, He sees! The same Yeshua who calmed the sea back then is with us today. He knows what we're going through, and at His command, our fiercest storms can turn into peace so profound it leaves us in awe. Friend, so let’s find our peace, our "shalom," in the midst of whatever storm you are facing in life ... for it's in these storms we learn of God's faithfulness and when He displays His awesome power. Let's renew our trust in the Lord today -- for God has great plans for those who will put their trust in Him. So relax ... He's got you! Your family in the Lord with much agape love, George, Baht Rivka, Elianna and Obadiah (Phoenix, Arizona) Editor's Note: My wife, Baht Rivka, led some powerful, spontaneous worship in Northern Israel with dear friends of ours, overlooking the Sea of Galilee. It’s worth a listen! Don’t forget to subscribe, like and SHARE! Editor's Note: Feel free to share any of our content from Worthy, including Devotions, News articles, and more, on your social platforms. You have full permission to copy and repost anything we produce. Editor's Note: During this war, we have been live blogging throughout the day -- sometimes minute by minute on our Telegram channel. Be sure to check it out! Around the World Syrian Leader Dissolves Militias, Abolishes Constitution Syrian rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, previously Abu Mohammed al-Golani, declared himself transitional president, abolished the constitution, and disbanded the national army and all political and armed groups, including his own. In his Wednesday victory speech, he officially took office, marking a departure from Bashar al-Assad's rule. China is Upgrading Its Carrier Aviation Force at Faster Pace than US The Chinese People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is working hard to expand its military technology and structure, including upgrading its carrier aviation force at a faster pace than the United States Navy is, the Real Clear Defense (RCD) reports. Biden Administration Shared Secret Intelligence on ISIS Threat with New Syrian Leaders The outgoing United States Biden administration was sharing secret intelligence on threats from the Islamic State terror group with the Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham Islamic organization that took over governing Syria after ousting President Bashar al-Assad’s regime last month, the Washington Post reported exclusively on January 24. Stampede Kills Dozens At India’s Hindu Festival India’s prime minister expressed condolences Wednesday after dozens of people were killed in a pre-dawn stampede in northern India, where tens of millions of Hindus gathered to take a dip in what they call “sacred river waters.“ Israel-Palestinian Conflict Trump Urges Arab Nations to Accept Palestinians from Gaza President Trump's plan to transfer Palestinians from Gaza to Jordan and Egypt expands on a contentious proposal previously rejected by Arab states, potentially indicating a major shift in U.S. foreign policy, according to the Wall Street Journal. “Antisemitism is Rampant, Diversity is Viewed as a Threat,” UN Human Rights Chief Says Antisemitism is “rampant” as Jews worldwide face increasing “intimidation, threats and physical violence,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said Monday during an address marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day. No Israeli-Saudi Normalization Agreement Without Palestinian State, Riyadh Ambassador says Saudi Arabia cannot normalize diplomatic relations with Israel unless the Palestinians are granted statehood, Riyadh’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Prince Khalid bin Bandar, said during an interview with Times Radio that aired Sunday. Inside the United States Midair Collision Near Washington DC Kills Several; President Trump Briefed (Update) Multiple bodies were pulled from the water Wednesday night after an American Airlines passenger plane and a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter crashed into the Potomac River following a midair collision close to Reagan Washington National Airport on Wednesday night, several sources say. American Airlines Jet Collides with Helicopter Over Potomac A commercial plane collided with a military helicopter near Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Va., and crashed into the Potomac River, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Trump Signs Order to Send ‘The Worst’ Illegal Immigrants to Guantanamo Bay President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order to send 30,000 illegal immigrants to Guantanamo Bay, the latest development in his aggressive effort to close the southern border and carry out mass deportations. RFK Jr. Denies Anti-Vax Accusations, Promises Focus on Chronic Disease Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the controversial nominee for Health and Human Service secretary, denounced accusations that he is anti-vaccine, anti-abortion or anti-industry. Christian News Significant Shift: American Protestant Churches Increasingly Identify as Non-Denominational Evangelicals Over the last 50 years, the number of evangelicals identifying as "nondenominational" has risen dramatically, growing from less than 3% in the early 1970s to nearly 35% in 2022, according to the General Social Survey. Once seen as a fringe group, these evangelicals, who often choose warehouse buildings for their congregations, now make up a significant portion of American Protestants. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Antisemitism is “rampant” as Jews worldwide face increasing “intimidation, threats and physical violence,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, said Monday during an address marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day. In addition to representing Holocaust Remembrance Day, January 27 this year also represents the 80th anniversary of the 1945 liberation by Allied forces of around 7000 prisoners from the Auschwitz-Birkenau Nazi concentration and extermination camps in Poland. “Exhausted, emaciated, terrified, and sick, those 7,000 were all that remained of 1.3 million men, women and children who had been deported to Auschwitz,” Türk said. “They, in turn, were a small part of the six million Jews, the Roma and Sinti, people with disabilities, gay people, and so many others who were persecuted, hunted, and killed by the Nazis.” Remarking on the importance of memorializing this evil period in history, Türk continued: “On Holocaust Remembrance Day, we bear witness to the darkest, most monumental of crimes. We honor the victims, we pay tribute to the survivors, and we remember that the world vowed never again to allow such atrocities to be unleashed on humanity.” Türk went on to say that the scourge of Jew hatred remains to this day. “Antisemitism is rampant, on our streets and online. Jews face increasing intimidation, threats, and physical violence,” he noted. All too often, discrimination and dehumanization are winning out over solidarity and compassion; diversity is viewed as a threat rather than something to be treasured; and many leaders are undermining and weakening the rule of law.” “I fear that we are sleepwalking into a grim future where human rights and dignity are denied, stripped away, or forgotten,” Türk said. “Holocaust Remembrance Day must jolt us from this stupor. It is a wake-up call to the dangers of indifference, complacency, and apathy, Türk warned. And it reminds us that we have a duty to stand against intolerance. And we must celebrate diversity.” The post “Antisemitism is Rampant, Diversity is Viewed as a Threat,” UN Human Rights Chief Says appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – The Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is working hard to expand its military technology and structure, including upgrading its carrier aviation force at a faster pace than the United States Navy is, the Real Clear Defense (RCD) reports. CNS Fujian (CV 018), PLAN’s Catapult Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Landing (CATOBAR) aircraft carrier, has just been through a second round of critical introductory pilot-carrier crew test and will go on to flight recovery and launch operations, RCD reports. “At the current rate of progress, Fujian should achieve full operational status by this August. The PLAN will launch its as-yet-unnamed Type 004 CATOBAR carrier shortly thereafter It promises to be larger and more capable than Fujian and within 90 days of its launch, China will start construction of its fifth carrier, probably a Type 005,” Carl O. Schuster, a retired US Navy Captain and military studies expert, told RCD. PLAN’s new prototype maritime nuclear reactor indicates that it, or the Type 006 will be nuclear-powered, RCD reports. “If the PLAN maintains its present construction-to-commissioning pace, the Type 004 should be operationally ready by 2027, and the Type 005’s sea trials will begin that same year or early in 2028. The latter could be operational by 2030. Whatever the Type 005’s propulsion system, its entry into service will give the PLAN three CATOBAR carriers in the Western Pacific before this decade’s end,” Schuster noted. Among numerous other significant developments, PLAN is also expanding and technologically advancing its carrier air wings, RCD reports. PLAN is currently producing two catapult-launch/arrested landing capable aircraft, the KJ-600 AEW-CS and the J-15T, RCD reports. “While the US Navy struggles to commission one carrier every 7-10 years, China has commissioned two and possibly a third in this decade. China is also commissioning nearly twice as many guided missile cruisers, destroyers, and frigates than the United States,” Schuster said. “The PLA has come a long way over the last 30 years, studying America’s and other Western nation’s militaries throughout that period to this day. Beijing is working strenuously to address its military shortcomings, expanding its force structure, advancing its military technology, and developing a modern, joint doctrine. America’s leaders and partners ignore that progress at their countries’ peril,” Schuster added. The post China is Upgrading Its Carrier Aviation Force at Faster Pace than US appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Saudi Arabia cannot normalize diplomatic relations with Israel unless the Palestinians are granted statehood, Riyadh’s ambassador to the United Kingdom, Prince Khalid bin Bandar, said during an interview with Times Radio that aired Sunday. The ambassador made his remarks while discussing the new Trump’s administration’s interest in expanding the Abraham Accords to include Saudi Arabia. Brokered by the first Trump administration in 2020, the Abraham Accords are bilateral agreements on Arab-Israeli normalization. So far, normalization agreements have been signed between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. Asked what Saudi Arabia would need to enter the Accords, bin Bandar said Sunday that a Palestinian statehood is a “red line” for the Saudi Kingdom. “We cannot have a normalization with Israel without a solution for the Palestinians. And the solution for the Palestinians is a state; it is very clear,” he attested. “That doesn’t mean we can’t have discussions. Saudi Arabia is a country that engages with everyone, whether we like it or not,” bin Bandar continued. “We believe engagement is the way to move things forward, and so we are happy to continuously engage in processes with anyone, but we do have some red lines, and for us to end the last 75 years of pain and suffering caused by one problem has to include a Palestinian state.” Acknowledging the challenges to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, bin Bandar reflected that any solution would need to take into consideration Israel’s security requirements, especially in light of the Hamas invasion of October 7, 2023. “We also have to remember, there’s another side, we have to find a solution that fits the Israelis,” bin Bandar said. “That adds a level of complication, particularly with the current government in Israel, but I think we have to address, when someone is struggling through emotion and trauma and difficulty, which both the Israelis and the Palestinians have been for the last year, you have to hold them, you have to be kind to them, you have to be soft with them, but you also have to be very straight, and we have to be more straight with the Israelis and say, look, this is the only option.” The post No Israeli-Saudi Normalization Agreement Without Palestinian State, Riyadh Ambassador says appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – The outgoing United States Biden administration was sharing secret intelligence on threats from the Islamic State terror group with the Hayʼat Tahrir al-Sham Islamic organization that took over governing Syria after ousting President Bashar al-Assad’s regime last month, the Washington Post reported exclusively on January 24. One apparent outcome of the exchanges was that the new Syrian government was able to foil an ISIS plot to set off a bomb at a Shiite shrine in a Damascus suburb, WaPo said. A former US official familiar with the US-Syrian exchanges told WaPo the Biden administration had been keen to prevent ISIS from taking advantage of the political transition in Syria to make a comeback. “It’s the right, prudent and appropriate thing to do, given that there was credible, specific information [about ISIS threats], and coupled with our efforts to cultivate a relationship with these guys,” the official said. “The intelligence exchange with HTS, which has not been previously reported, has occurred in direct encounters between U.S. intelligence officials and representatives of HTS, rather than via third parties, and has involved exchanges between the two sides, in Syria and a third country,” WaPo said it was told. The communications began around two weeks after HTS came to power on December 8, WaPo said. The post Biden Administration Shared Secret Intelligence on ISIS Threat with New Syrian Leaders appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News NEW DELHI (Worthy News) – India’s prime minister expressed condolences Wednesday after dozens of people were killed in a pre-dawn stampede in northern India, where tens of millions of Hindus gathered to take a dip in what they call “sacred river waters.“ Narendra Modi offered his sympathy to “devotees who have lost their loved ones.” He added that local officials were helping victims “in every possible way” without specifying the number of dead. The tragedy happened on the most auspicious day of the six-week Hindu gathering, Maha Kumbh Mela, or Great Pitcher Festival, in Prayagraj, in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. State authorities said at least 30 people were killed and 60 were injured in the predawn stampede, but reporters estimated the toll to be nearly 40 based on bodies brought to a morgue. Held every 12 years, the Maha Kumbh Mela attracts more than 400 million visitors, both Indians and tourists, making it humanity’s largest gathering. On Monday alone, nearly 15 million Hindus, six times the expected number, dipped in freezing waters to seek “absolution of their sins,” officials said. In contrast, India’s minority Christians view baptism as an expression of their faith in Christ, in whom all sins have been forgiven. TRAGEDY FOR INDIA Wednesday’s tragedy in India, a mainly Hindu nation, was witnessed by many. As pilgrims rushed to participate in the “sacred day” of ritual bathing, people sleeping and sitting near the rivers said they were trampled by huge swells of devotees rushing towards them in the darkness. “I was sitting near a barricade, and during the pushing and shoving, the entire crowd fell on top of me, trampling me as it moved forward,” pilgrim Renu Devi, 48, told reporters. “When the crowd surged, elderly people and women were crushed, and no one came forward to help.” Some witnesses spoke of a huge push that caused devotees to fall on each other. Others complained that the closure of routes to the water brought the dense crowd to a standstill and caused people to collapse due to suffocation. “There was commotion. Everybody started pushing, pulling, and climbing over one another. My mother collapsed… then my sister-in-law. People ran over them,” said Jagwanti Devi, 40, as she sat in an ambulance with the bodies of her relatives. Rescue teams carrying victims from the accident weaved through piles of clothes, shoes, and other discarded belongings. POLICE CARRYING BODIES Police were seen carrying stretchers bearing the bodies of victims draped with thick blankets. Dozens of relatives were anxiously waiting for news outside a large tent serving as a purpose-built hospital for the festival, around 1 kilometer (0.6 miles) from the accident. An official at Prayagraj’s SRN Hospital, where some of the injured were taken, told reporters that those who died had either suffered heart attacks or had comorbidities like diabetes. “People came in with fractures, broken bones… Some collapsed on the spot and were brought dead.” It was not immediately clear how the tragedy would impact the festival, with millions more expected to arrive. Crowd control is a significant issue in the world’s most populous nation of nearly 1.5 billion people. The post Stampede Kills Dozens At India’s Hindu Festival appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Casey Harper | The Center Square (Worthy News) – President Donald Trump signed an executive order late Tuesday restricting transgender drugs and surgeries for minors. The order lays out a litany of concerns, from the harm done to children to the lifelong medical bills, and says the U.S. government will no longer support “maiming and sterilizing” those age 18 and younger. “Across the country today, medical professionals are maiming and sterilizing a growing number of impressionable children under the radical and false claim that adults can change a child’s sex through a series of irreversible medical interventions,” the order reads. “This dangerous trend will be a stain on our Nation’s history, and it must end.” Trump’s order comes after another order that made it the official policy of the U.S. government that there are only two sexes, a significant shift from the Biden administration. Trump also recently signed an executive order blocking transgender people from joining the military. Under the Biden administration, the military paid for and accommodated gender transitions. “It can take a minimum of 12 months for an individual to complete treatments after transition surgery, which often involves the use of heavy narcotics,” Trump’s order said. “During this period, they are not physically capable of meeting military readiness requirements and require ongoing medical care. This is not conducive for deployment or other readiness requirements.” Those orders have faced pushback and lawsuits, like some of Trump’s other orders. This latest order related to minors points to surgeries to remove or alter breasts or genitals and drugs such as sex hormones, puberty blockers, “including GnRH agonists and other interventions…” The order goes on to point out that “countless” children later regret their transitions, which are irreversible and often sterilize the recipients and make women unable to breastfeed. “Accordingly, it is the policy of the United States that it will not fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit these destructive and life-altering procedures,” the order reads. The executive order, one of a flurry signed by Trump since he took office, also directs the Department of Justice to investigate deceptive medical practices that have facilitated these surgeries and drugs and to put forward legislation allowing children and families to sue medical providers if they have been harmed by the process. The order also says the DOJ must “prioritize investigations and take appropriate action to end child-abusive practices by so-called sanctuary States that facilitate stripping custody from parents who support the healthy development of their own children, including by considering the application of the Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act and recognized constitutional rights.” Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post Trump Takes on the Trans Issue with More Executive Orders appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Kenneth Schrupp | The Center Square (Worthy News) – California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a plea agreement has been reached to result in no jail time for activists who recorded conversations with Planned Parenthood staff about the procurement and sale of tissue from aborted fetuses. In 2015, then-California Attorney General Xavier Becerra filed 15 charges against David Robert Daleiden and, as a co-conspirator, Sandra Merritt, for illegally recording private conversations without the other parties’ consent by posing as buyers for a medical company. The undercover recordings released by Daleiden, who serves as Project Lead at the pro-life Center for Medical Progress, show a senior Planned Parenthood director meeting with him to discuss the sale of tissue from aborted babies, and includes a description from the Planned Parenthood staffer about the abortion process and what tissues are easiest to save for sale for medical research. “The agreement — a negotiated settlement with zero punishment — is in exchange for a new “no contest” plea by Daleiden and Merritt on a single video recording charge,” said the CMP in a statement. CMP also noted that Daleiden’s investigation resulted in a $7.8 million settlement in which two companies admitted to illegally selling aborted fetuses from Planned Parenthood in Southern California. While it is legal for buyers to pay for processing costs, it is illegal to sell fetal tissue for prices in excess of reasonable processing costs. Just months after Daleiden released the videos in July 2015, Planned Parenthood announced it would no longer be accepting reimbursement for fetal tissue. Bonta’s office celebrated the agreement as a win for abortion care access, and as a contrast to the Trump administration, which last week pardoned 23 individuals who were convicted for blockading abortion centers. “While the Trump Administration is issuing pardons to individuals convicted of harming reproductive health clinics and providers, my office is securing criminal convictions to ensure that Californians can exercise their constitutional rights to reproductive healthcare,” Bonta said in a statement. “We will not hesitate to continue taking action against those who threaten access to abortion care — whether by recording confidential conversations or other means.” Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post CA Drops Charges Against Pro-Life Activists’ for Release of Undercover Videos appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Sarah Roderick-Fitch | The Center Square (Worthy News) – Following months of speculation and conspiracy theories surrounding mysterious drone sightings up and down the East Coast, the White House confirms they flew with federal government authorization. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, addressed the sightings during a press briefing on Tuesday, confirming that drones flown around the eastern seaboard late last year, specifically New Jersey, had been “authorized to be flown by the FAA.” The press secretary quashed concerns that the sightings were attributed to foreign adversaries. “This was not the enemy,” she said. “After research and study, the drones that were flying over New Jersey in large numbers were authorized to be flown by the FAA for research and various other reasons,” said Leavitt. “Many of these drones were also hobbyists, recreational and private individuals that enjoy flying drones.” Instead, the new press secretary pointed fingers at individuals for the increase in sightings, chalking them up to “curiosity.” The White House comments appear to echo statements made by the Pentagon on Dec. 17, attributing a majority of the sightings were either recreational or authorized by the government. At the time, the Pentagon said that over 1 million drones were registered with the FAA and are used legally for commercial, recreation and government purposes. At the time, the Pentagon reported that the FBI had received over 5,000 tips regarding the sightings. The statement said, “Having closely examined the technical data and tips from concerned citizens, we assess that the sightings to date include a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones. We have not identified anything anomalous and do not assess the activity to date to present a national security or public safety risk over the civilian airspace in New Jersey or other states in the northeast.” During the height of the sightings, President Donald Trump questioned why the government wasn’t forthcoming regarding the sightings, vowing transparency when he returned to the Oval Office. In addition to the Pentagon statement a month ago, on Tuesday he made good on the promise. Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post Pentagon’s December Answer on Drones Confirmed by White House appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News GAZA CITY/JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – The United Nation’s Palestinian refugee agency prepared Wednesday to cease all operations in East Jerusalem after Israel ordered it to vacate its premises there. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) considers East Jerusalem, along with the West Bank, also known as Judaea and Samaria, and Gaza as occupied. However, the Israeli government considers all of Jerusalem to be part of the Jewish nation and its “eternal capital.” Israel has had a tense relationship with the UNRWA after revelations that at least nine of its employees were involved in the Hamas-led rapes and massacre of some 1,200 people in Israel on October 7, 2023. Israeli lawmakers in October passed a law banning UNRWA from the country and also prohibiting Israel’s authorities from having contact with the agency, although exceptions can be made. Yet it took the Israeli government till Sunday to order the UNRWA to end its operations in areas it considers part of the country. At UNRWA’s offices in East Jerusalem Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood workers were seen packing boxes and loading portable buildings onto a truck. DECISION CRITICIZED Jonathan Fowler, a spokesperson for UNRWA, stressed, “It’s an unacceptable decision.” “The people that we serve … we are not able to tell them what is going to happen to our services as of the end of this week,” Fowler added. U.N. officials fear “tens of thousands of Palestinian refugees in Israeli-occupied East Jerusalem” will lose education, healthcare, and other services provided by the UNRWA when Israel’s ban on the agency takes effect Thursday. The ban also alarms some of Israel’s Western allies, who fear it could further “worsen” the already “dire humanitarian situation” in Gaza after 15 months of war. The ban does not refer to operations in the West Bank and Gaza. Yet, observers say the restrictions on Israeli authorities’ contact with the agency will likely impact operations there. The post Israel Orders UN Palestinian Agency To Close In East Jerusalem After Massacre appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News BEIJING (Worthy News) – Chinese authorities have detained 10 Christians from the house church “All Ranges Church” in Tibet as part of a broader anti-Christian campaign, Christian investigators said Tuesday. The Christians were reportedly detained on Christmas Day, December 25, 2024, but details about the arrests just emerged. “This latest crackdown starkly highlights the hypocrisy of the Chinese government, which claims to uphold constitutional guarantees of religious freedom while systematically targeting independent faith groups,” said ChinaAid, an advocacy group that maintains contacts with targeted Christians in Communist-run China. The arrests occurred in the Bayi District of Nyingchi City, Tibet, where the accused were charged under Article 300 of China’s Criminal Law for “sabotaging the enforcement of laws by organizing and utilizing cult organizations,” according to Christians familiar with the case. “This controversial provision has been repeatedly used to suppress religious communities that operate outside state-approved systems,” ChinaAid added in a statement obtained by Worthy News. The detained individuals were named Yao Xilin, Zhang Wei, Ren Xiaoyun, Wang Haiying, Li Chunjie, Qin Chenglan, Li Xiaolin, Xiao Mingzhi, Wang Ying, and Li Yan. Worthy News learned those detained include church leaders, youth ministers, and members. Authorities said the outlawed “All Ranges Church” in Tibet held meetings and used social media platforms like Zoom and WeChat to conduct prayer services. Officials labeled these actions as threats to national order. “The timing of these arrests on Christmas Day underscores the Chinese Communist Party’s (CCP) blatant disregard for the significance of religious observances and its ongoing hostility toward Christians,” said a ChinaAid spokesperson. Despite China’s claims of protecting religious freedom under its constitution, it consistently persecutes faith groups that reject state oversight, according to human rights activists. FOUNDED IN 1984 The “All Ranges Church,” founded in 1984 by Pastor Xu Yongze, has been a frequent target since being labeled a “cult organization” in 1995, said sources with knowledge about the situation. “The church’s refusal to join the state-sanctioned “Three-Self” Patriotic Movement has made it a focal point of government suppression, with members often detained, forced to confess, and subjected to harsh sentencing. Church documents, including “Basic Church Building Proposal” and “Cross Salvation,” were deemed evidence of illegal activity,” ChinaAid explained. “Such actions expose the CCP’s contradictory stance: while officially guaranteeing freedom of thought and belief, the government criminalizes peaceful religious practices,” ChinaAid stressed. Similar crackdowns on “All Ranges Church” members have also been reported in affiliated house churches in Ningxia and Hubei provinces in recent years. They “have followed the same pattern, with forced confessions and convictions. Observers warn that the CCP is now employing the same suppression tactics in Tibet,”‘ChinaAid noticed. Bob Fu, founder and president of ChinaAid, condemned these actions: “The CCP [and President] Xi Jinping government’s recent large-scale arrests and prosecutions of orthodox house churches in Tibet and Northwest China is purely religious persecution, “ he said in remarks sent to Worthy News. ‘SEVERE RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION’ He added that it was “also a sign of increasingly severe religious persecution throughout Tibet. These arrested church leaders and Christians are innocent, and their prosecuted actions fully comply with religious freedom practices protected by the Chinese Constitution and international law.” Fu, a former house church pastor in China, said his group calls “on the international community to unite in pressuring the CCP to stop persecution and release these detained church leaders.” China ranks 15th on the annual World Watch List of 50 nations, where advocacy group Open Doors says Christians suffer most for their faith in Christ. “In recent years, the government has aggressively tried to ensure all religious expression is in line with official Chinese Communist philosophy. Any church or church leader stepping beyond that can come under heavy restrictions,” Open Doors added in a recent assessment of the situation. Unregistered churches, even those once tolerated, are considered “illegal and increasingly put under pressure, as authorities seek to enforce regulations and tighten policies,” according to an Open Doors investigation. Even state-approved churches come under intense “ideological pressure,” and smaller congregations “are often forced to merge to make a larger church that is easier for the state to control,” added Open Doors. Children under 18 are forbidden from attending church, sources say. “Officially registered churches are carefully regulated to make sure nothing they promote falls outside CCP guidelines. The surveillance and monitoring of all suspected church leaders are consequences of following Jesus in China,” Open Doors noted. Despite these reported difficulties, Christian researchers estimate that at least nearly 100 million Christians live in the country of 1.4 billion people. Other sources say the figure may be higher. The post China Detains Tibet House Church Members appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News KINSHASA (Worthy News) – The European Union and world leaders expressed outrage Tuesday after rioters stormed embassies and started fires in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Missions belonging to France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United States, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, and the United Nations were all assaulted, European diplomats said. The attacks were part of an eruption of protests over a Rwandan-backed rebel offensive in the east, prompting hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes. Angry demonstrators said they targeted Western and African countries “complicit” in Kigali’s support of M23 rebels, who overran the eastern provincial capital Goma. Several embassy gates were set on fire, according to witnesses. Reporters observed that men chipped at letters in cement at the French compound, some people scaled the wall, and a tireburned from railings. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot condemned the attack on France’s embassy in the capital, Kinshasa, saying: “These attacks are unacceptable. Everything is being done to ensure our personnel’s and citizens’ safety.” BLAZE UNDER CONTROL Barrot acknowledged that the French embassy in Kinshasa was attacked and briefly caught fire but added that the blaze had been controlled. A spokesman for the EU’s foreign affairs chief, Kaja Kallas, said in Brussels that the 27-nation bloc demands the protection of diplomatic missions “in accordance with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.” The Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign said the Dutch embassy in Kinshasa was among others targeted by “a violent protest“ on Tuesday. “Local security forces are now on site to protect the building, and the situation appears to be stabilizing,” it said. Yet Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp described the reports from Kinshasa as alarming. “Our absolute priority is to ensure the safety of our colleagues in this frightening situation. It’s terrible that they have to experience this,” he wrote on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. His ministry urged Dutch nationals in Kinshasa to remain indoors due to the violent protests, noting that “foreigners are among the targets.” The ministry also.said it is ready to assist and is closely monitoring the situation. TENSIONS REMAIN HIGH Congo’s Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya said the situation was brought under control, but tensions remained high. “All of this is because of Rwanda. What Rwanda is doing is in complicity with France, Belgium, the United States, and others,” one protester, Joseph Ngoy, told reporters. However, when speaking on national TV, Muyaya urged protesters to stop their attacks. “We have every right… to express our anger, but let’s do it peacefully. Let’s not attack the consular infrastructures of countries accredited in Congo,” he said. The riots underscored broader tensions in the African nation. Since the start of the year, fighting between the Congolese army and M23 rebel forces has intensified in eastern DRC. Western governments have urged their citizens to avoid the region, citing security concerns. The post Embassies Attacked In DRC appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

Friend, take your enemy by surprise! Matthew 5:39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also. People read this verse, and think God is telling them to be passive -- to overlook what happened. That is not a bad thing -- but it isn't exactly what Yeshua (Jesus) was saying. Turning the other cheek is noat about being passive. It's about being active! So active that it actually confounds your enemy! Turning the other cheek is about taking an action so revolutionary, so shocking, so out of the ordinary that it shocks everyone around. It confounds the world -- and can also change it! Do you truly want to overcome evil? So stop sulking about it, stop dwelling on it and stop doing nothing about it! Take a most unexpected action of surprising love -- because that is what Yeshua did for us.....and it changed our lives, didn't it? Friend, has someone hurt you or sinned against you? Those things happen and they always will because of our sinful human nature. But now -- turn that into an action of love! Your family in the Lord with much agape love, George, Baht Rivka, Elianna and Obadiah (Phoenix, Arizona) Editor's Note: My wife, Baht Rivka, led some powerful, spontaneous worship in Northern Israel with dear friends of ours, overlooking the Sea of Galilee. It’s worth a listen! Don’t forget to subscribe, like and SHARE! Editor's Note: Feel free to share any of our content from Worthy, including Devotions, News articles, and more, on your social platforms. You have full permission to copy and repost anything we produce. Editor's Note: During this war, we have been live blogging throughout the day -- sometimes minute by minute on our Telegram channel. Be sure to check it out! Around the World Embassies Attacked In DRC The European Union and world leaders expressed outrage Tuesday after rioters stormed embassies and started fires in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Malaysia Launching Digital ID ‘Super-App’ Malaysia’s government says it is launching a “national digital identity ecosystem” named “MyDigital ID Superapp” across the Asian nation. US Hostage Released by Taliban After Nearly 900 Days in Captivity US citizen Ryan Corbett was last week released from nearly 900 days in captivity after being taken hostage by the Taliban in Afghanistan in August 2022. Israel-Palestinian Conflict Israel Orders UN Palestinian Agency To Close In East Jerusalem After Massacre The United Nation's Palestinian refugee agency prepared Wednesday to cease all operations in East Jerusalem after Israel ordered it to vacate its premises there. Israel: ‘20,000 Hamas Fighters Killed’ Sparking Gaza Death Toll Debate (Worthy News Focus) A leading war crimes lawyer at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, the Netherlands, has publicly raised doubts that Israel committed genocide in Gaza. Inside the United States CA Drops Charges Against Pro-Life Activists’ for Release of Undercover Videos California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced a plea agreement has been reached to result in no jail time for activists who recorded conversations with Planned Parenthood staff about the procurement and sale of tissue from aborted fetuses. Pentagon’s December Answer on Drones Confirmed by White House Following months of speculation and conspiracy theories surrounding mysterious drone sightings up and down the East Coast, the White House confirms they flew with federal government authorization. More Than 3,500 Undocumented Migrants Arrested in Trump’s First Week, Including Dozens of Venezuelan Gang Members President Donald Trump’s first week in office has seen US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and federal partner agencies arrest more than 3,500 undocumented migrants, including dozens of members of the notoriously criminal Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang. US Supreme Court to Consider Constitutionality of Publicly Funded Religious School In a move that may significantly broaden religious rights in America, the US Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal from an Oklahoma Catholic school that seeks to become the nation’s first publicly funded religious charter school, the Hill reports. Trump Blocks Federal Funding For Abortion in US and Abroad Blocking government funding for abortions both in the US and abroad, newly inaugurated President Donald Trump on Friday reinstated the Mexico City Policy and the Hyde Amendment. Christian News China Detains Tibet House Church Members Chinese authorities have detained 10 Christians from the house church "All Ranges Church" in Tibet as part of a broader anti-Christian campaign, Christian investigators said Tuesday. California: Christian Charity Reports Surging Interest in Gospel Amid Wild-Fire Relief Efforts The Dream Center Christian charity which provides food and housing for those in need in Los Angeles has reported a surging interest in the Gospel among volunteers who have flocked to help bring relief following the recent devastating California wildfires that killed 24 people and destroyed some 12,000 buildings and homes. View the full article

=By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News GAZA CITY/JERUSALEM/THE HAGUE (Worthy News) – A leading war crimes lawyer at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, the Netherlands, has publicly raised doubts that Israel committed genocide in Gaza. Geert-Jan Knoops made the comments as experts doubt the death toll figures provided by Hamas-controlled authorities. Following last week’s ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, debates have begun about Hamas-backed health authorities claiming that more than 46,600 people were killed, with just over half of them identified as being “women, children or older people.” The United Nations went even further, saying in November that 70 percent of Gaza’s casualties are women and children. The organization called the situation “a systematic violation of international humanitarian law.” Advocacy group Amnesty International echoed these sentiments in December, alleging “genocide” by Israel, further isolating the Jewish nation on the global stage. In the Netherlands hosting the ICC, Dutch civil servant Eline Bosman resigned in protest over her government’s approach to the Gaza crisis. EXPRESSING FRUSTRATION In an interview, she expressed frustration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for “its failure” to take a firmer stance against Israel. She reportedly considered gifting her boss, Minister Veldkamp, 42,000 candies—symbolizing the lives allegedly lost in Gaza at the time, along with a reminder of “the 67 children who die daily in the conflict.” Yet the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced last week that they had killed at least 20,000 Hamas fighters since October 7. Prominent military expert Andrew Fox labeled the numbers as “misleading,” claiming the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza provided inflated statistics. Fox and researchers Tom Simpson, Lewi Stone, and Gregory Rose studied the data and found “evidence” of manipulation. For instance, they noted that natural deaths and pre-October seven fatalities may be included in civilian casualty tallies. Additionally, some deaths in Gaza were caused by failed Hamas rocket launches, with up to 15 percent of rockets falling within Gaza itself, according to the researchers. CASUALTIES DEBATE A key issue is the distinction between civilian and militant casualties. While Hamas claims all deceased Gazans are “martyrs,” Fox agrees with the IDF that around 50 percent of the dead are combatants. A Hamas commander admitted in September that about half of the group’s 40,000 fighters had been killed. This would suggest a roughly 1:1 ratio of civilians to militants if accurate. Fox noted significant errors in Hamas-provided data, such as “a 22-year-old listed as a baby” or women with male names recorded among female casualties. Critics accuse Fox of spreading propaganda, but he argues that these errors are “the tip of the iceberg.” Dutch lawyer Knoops and other experts say the claim that Israel is committing genocide remains contentious. Knoops stressed that such allegations require “proof of intent to destroy a population.” Israel maintains that its operations target Hamas, not civilians. “The Amnesty report relies on interviews with 212 people and existing U.N. documents, but it’s unclear who these interviewees are or how their information was verified,” Knoops told leading Dutch daily De Telegraaf (The Telegraph). Without insight into the intelligence behind Israel’s military operations, experts argue it is nearly impossible to determine violations of wartime laws. Commentators believe this lack of clarity underscores the broader challenge of verifying casualty figures and accountability in one of the world’s most complex and polarizing armed conflicts. The post Israel: ‘20,000 Hamas Fighters Killed’ Sparking Gaza Death Toll Debate (Worthy News Focus) appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News KUALA LUMPUR (Worthy News) – Malaysia’s government says it is launching a “national digital identity ecosystem” named “MyDigital ID Superapp” across the Asian nation. The application, available on smartphones, aims “to protect” Malaysians from online fraud and identity theft, according to officials. The government claims it will also make it “more convenient” for citizens to verify their identity. “After signing up for MyDigital ID, Malaysians no longer need to log in to different platforms using different passwords. Only one verification system is needed for apps and portals to log in,” its developers announced. The creators add that the platform makes “it safer for Malaysians” to make online financial transactions or use online government, financial, education, and healthcare services. Malaysia says the blockchain-based platform, a technology for digital currencies such as Bitcoin and others, will include a digital wallet. “At the same time, it will enable businesses to unlock new opportunities and streamline their operations in the digital age,” explained Dato’ Fadzli Shah, co-founder of blockchain network Zetrix, which supports the project. BROADER ONLINE TOOL Creators of Malaysia’s “MyDigital ID Superapp likely drew inspiration” from the Chinese “WeChat” platform, according to industry insiders, WeChat evolved from a simple online chat tool to a platform offering services ranging from e-commerce and payments to ride-hailing and government services. The MyDigital ID Superapp is due to be released within months and is overseen by Malaysia’s national research and development agency, MIMOS, Worthy News learned. China appears to be involved in its development: Last year, Zetrix allowed Chinese nationals to “authenticate and verify” their identities, and it is digitizing Chinese driving licenses “for verification purposes” overseas. Critics have questioned China’s and other governments’ control over personal data of a significant part of the world population. Yet Malaysia says personal data are carefully protected. Malaysia’s electronic government service provider MY, E.G., Services Berhad and its subsidiary MYEG Alternative Payment Services Sdn Bhd developed the multi-million dollar Superapp with MyDigital ID Solutions Sdn Bhd, part of NIMOS. The post Malaysia Launching Digital ID ‘Super-App’ appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – The Dream Center Christian charity which provides food and housing for those in need in Los Angeles has reported a surging interest in the Gospel among volunteers who have flocked to help bring relief following the recent devastating California wildfires that killed 24 people and destroyed some 12,000 buildings and homes. In an interview with CBN News, Matthew Barnett, pastor and CEO of the Dream Center in Los Angeles, said many new people from all walks of life have been hearing and experiencing the Gospel as they deliver aid to communities affected by the fires. The Dream Center itself is working on providing not only emergency food and shelter but also long-term support. “They’re not just open,” Barnett said about interactions with the flood of volunteers. “They are telling you stuff that you’re not even asking them. I mean, they are volunteering … their lives … and, just by listening and asking them questions, and then you say … ‘God is with you.’” “As people are working 10 hours a day so joyfully … I’m talking to them as they’re serving … we’ll play worship music and … they’ll be like, ‘I like the song. I never heard before. What is it?’” Barnett said. “And then we’re just talking about God while we’re working together with this whole new community.” Noting that many have requested prayer, Barnett said: “It really is kind of a revival in action where people just want to know that God is there, but I’m really seeing it in a very unusual way through a lot of the volunteers rubbing shoulders all day long.” “Serving is the greatest way to engage people that do not know the Lord because everybody can rally around that,” he said. “Everybody can get behind the fact that the Gospel inspires you to do great things and to love people in practical ways, and it’s an unbelievable open door to be able to share why you do it and what inspires you to make that change.” The post California: Christian Charity Reports Surging Interest in Gospel Amid Wild-Fire Relief Efforts appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – President Donald Trump’s first week in office has seen US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and federal partner agencies arrest more than 3,500 undocumented migrants, including dozens of members of the notoriously criminal Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang. Having campaigned on the promise to unleash an unprecedented crackdown on illegal immigration, Trump declared a national emergency on the US-Mexico border immediately upon coming to power on January 20, and signed a series of executive orders to stem what he calls the “invasion of our country” by undocumented migrants. “[Trump’s] administration quickly closed off access to the CBP One app and asylum protections at the US border; sent more active-duty troops to help with border barriers and removal flights; opened the door for immigration authorities to arrest immigrants in schools, churches and hospitals; and cleared the way for authorities to begin removing more than a million migrants who were legally admitted to the US under the Biden administration,” NPR said in a report about the actions taken. Meanwhile, ICE rounded up an increasing number of migrants, arresting a record 1,179 on Monday, January 27, Axios reports. “US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, along with federal partners, including the FBI, ATF, DEA, CBP, and the US Marshals Service, began conducting enhanced targeted operations today in Chicago,” ICE stated in a website post on Sunday. “[ICE aims to] enforce US immigration law and preserve public safety and national security by keeping potentially dangerous criminal aliens out of our communities,” the agency said. The post More Than 3,500 Undocumented Migrants Arrested in Trump’s First Week, Including Dozens of Venezuelan Gang Members appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – In a move that may significantly broaden religious rights in America, the US Supreme Court has agreed to hear an appeal from an Oklahoma Catholic school that seeks to become the nation’s first publicly funded religious charter school, the Hill reports. Accepting the case on Friday, the Justices will consider whether Oklahoma’s Supreme Court was right to block St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School from opening as a public religious charter school. In 2023, the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City requested Oklahoma state funding for a virtual charter school shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled private schools could receive public funds from school voucher programs and government grants. While Oklahoma’s charter school board accepted St. Isidore’s application, Oklahoma’s Republican attorney general, Gentner Drummond, filed suit in the state’s Supreme Court, arguing that allowing Oklahoma’s taxpayers to have a religious charter choice would violate the Oklahoma Constitution. “We’ve taken a step down a slippery slope that will result someday in state-funded Satanic schools, state-funded Sharia schools. This is not what Oklahomans nor our Constitution, nor the US Constitution permit,” Drummond said in a statement to KFOR-TV. Agreeing with Drummond that the school is unconstitutional, the Oklahoma high court wrote: “Because it is a governmental entity and a state actor, St. Isidore cannot ignore the mandates of the Establishment Clause, yet a central component of St. Isidore’s educational philosophy is to establish and operate the school as a Catholic school.” The case is expected to be heard by the US Supreme Court this term, with a decision anticipated in the summer, the Hill reports. The post US Supreme Court to Consider Constitutionality of Publicly Funded Religious School appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – US citizen Ryan Corbett was last week released from nearly 900 days in captivity after being taken hostage by the Taliban in Afghanistan in August 2022. Corbett was released in exchange for a Taliban member on January 21. His family thanked the outgoing Biden administration and the new Trump administration as well as the government of Qatar and US congressional lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle for helping to secure his release. “We are profoundly grateful to President Trump, National Security Advisor Mike Waltz, and incoming Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler for their efforts, even before taking office, to help bring Ryan home.” “We also thank President Biden, former Secretary of State Blinken, former Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs Roger Carstens and his extraordinary team, including Jacob Hernandez, for their tireless work and steadfast dedication to bringing Ryan back to us,” the family statement reads. Married with small children, Corbett had launched Bloom Afghanistan – a social enterprise focused on strengthening Afghanistan’s private sector. He was working on a valid 12-month visa when he was taken into captivity with another foreign national by the ruling Taliban on August 10, 2022. He was never charged with a crime. “Ryan and his German colleague were detained by the Taliban with the only suspected reasons being their value as political leverage,” his family said in a statement. Welcoming his return, David Theobald, senior pastor at Grace Baptist Church in Dansville, New York, who has known the Corbett family said during a sermon: “I happen to think that the Lord providentially carried out this rescue. Smack dab in the middle of the overlap of two administrations with all kinds of ambiguity as to which party was responsible — so that we would know that the Lord is responsible, that he is our only hope.” The post US Hostage Released by Taliban After Nearly 900 Days in Captivity appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Blocking government funding for abortions both in the US and abroad, newly inaugurated President Donald Trump on Friday reinstated the Mexico City Policy and the Hyde Amendment. The Mexico City Amendment is a Reagen-era policy that prohibits government funding of foreign organizations that provide and promote abortions. The policy was scrapped by Trump’s predecessor, Democratic incumbent Joe Biden, who revoked the order by executive order in January 2021. All Republican administrations since Ronald Reagan’s in the 1980s have implemented the Mexico City Policy, while all Democratic administrations since then have revoked it. Democrats claim the policy undermines women’s reproductive health and US partnerships in global health efforts. “I direct the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, to the extent allowable by law, to implement a plan to extend the requirements of the reinstated Memorandum to global health assistance furnished by all departments or agencies,” Trump wrote in his order on the Mexico City Policy Friday. “I further direct the Secretary of State to take all necessary actions, to the extent permitted by law, to ensure that U.S. taxpayer dollars do not fund organizations or programs that support or participate in the management of a program of coercive abortion or involuntary sterilization.” First implemented in 1977, the Hyde Amendment prohibits federal funding for abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or where the pregnancy poses a threat to the woman’s life. “For nearly five decades, the Congress has annually enacted the Hyde Amendment and similar laws that prevent Federal funding of elective abortion, reflecting a longstanding consensus that American taxpayers should not be forced to pay for that practice,” Trump’s order on Hyde Amendment reads. “However, the previous administration disregarded this established, commonsense policy by embedding forced taxpayer funding of elective abortions in a wide variety of Federal programs.” “It is the policy of the United States, consistent with the Hyde Amendment, to end the forced use of Federal taxpayer dollars to fund or promote elective abortion,” the order states. The post Trump Blocks Federal Funding For Abortion in US and Abroad appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News BRUSSELS/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – The European Union has renewed sanctions against Russia after EU member state Hungary stopped blocking the move in return for a declaration on energy security, as it depends on Russian natural gas and oil supplies. At an EU foreign ministers meeting on Monday, leaders also agreed on a road map to lift some of those imposed on Syria following the recent ouster of its long-time autocratic leader Bashar al-Assad. EU representatives also called for a unified approach to deal with U.S. President Donald J. Trump and what critics called his “divide and rule policy.” The EU’s top diplomat, Kaja Kallas, said that as the U.S. undertook a “transactional” foreign policy, Europe needed to “close ranks.” “We are stronger when we are united,” including on the war in Ukraine launched by Russia with a full-scale invasion in February 2022, she told reporters. “Europe delivers: EU Foreign Ministers just agreed to extend again the sanctions on Russia,” Kallas added in separate remarks on social media. “This will continue to deprive Moscow of revenues to finance its war,” she said. “Russia needs to pay for the damage they are causing.” However, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who maintains close ties with Moscow, demanded consultations with the U.S. Trump administration before a decision on sanctions was renewed. ‘SANCTIONS FREE RELATIONS’ He also said it was time for a “sanctions-free” relationship with Russia. Yet he backed down after it became clear that his ally Trump disagreed. Yet Trump stressed last week that he was ready to increase the economic pressure on Russia to strike a peace deal. Budapest then cited its complaints about Ukraine ending a transit deal that brought Russian natural gas to Hungary, where households still enjoy one of Europe’s lowest utility bills. Fearing Hungary would veto sanctions, the EU’s executive European Commission declared it was “ready to continue discussions with Ukraine on the supply to Europe through the gas pipeline system in Ukraine.” As reporters asked whether the statement meant anything, Kallas said: “Well, it meant [something] to Hungary, so that mattered.” Ukraine closed its transit of Russian natural gas to the EU but suggested it is ready to sign a contract to move Azeri gas through Ukraine to the EU. Baku tried to broker an agreement last year to continue Russian flows to the EU or swap in Azeri natural gas, but these failed. Azerbaijan has limited spare gas production. The EU statement also said, “The Commission will approach Ukraine to request assurances regarding the maintenance of oil pipeline transfers to the EU. ” Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó said he was satisfied with the Commission’s assurances. “The European Commission committed itself to the protection of the natural gas and oil pipelines leading to member states of the European Union,” he said. NOT UNFREEZING BILLIONS Hungary’s lifting of opposition to Russian sanctions was good news for officials from other EU countries. They had warned that failure to roll over the sanctions before a January 31 deadline would have consequences, such as unfreezing billions of Russian assets in Europe used to help Kyiv. The sanctions up for renewal include all sector-based bans on trade and measures that immobilized Russia’s central bank assets. Legally, the EU’s 27 countries must unanimously vote to renew these restrictions every six months. Zsuzsanna Vegh, a program officer at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, a policy think tank, suggested that staying united on key policy issues such as the war also sends a signal from the EU to the Trump administration. She accused Trump of trying to weaken the EU and deal with countries bilaterally. “European leaders competing for attention from the Trump Administration will have a negative impact on the unity of the EU,” she said. “And Trump’s support for the eurosceptic European far-right could further weaken the union.” However, Hungary’s Orbán views Trump as an inspiration to “Make Europe Great Again.” The post EU Renews Sanctions On Russia As Hungary Ends Opposition appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News OSWIECIM, POLAND (Worthy News) – World leaders and dozens of Holocaust survivors gathered Monday at the former site of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp in Poland to commemorate the 80th anniversary of its liberation by Soviet troops at the end of World War II. The ceremony was overshadowed by concerns about rising antisemitism and fears that the world’s worst tragedy in recent history may soon be forgotten. It was also regarded as likely one of the last major observances of Auschwitz’s liberation that survivors would be able to attend due to their advanced ages. Auschwitz was the largest of the extermination camps and has become a symbol of Nazi Germany’s genocide of six million European Jews, known as the Holocaust, or Shoah. One million Jews died in the Nazi-run death camp built in Oswiciem in southern Poland between 1940 and 1945. Most of them were killed on an industrial scale in gas chambers as well as through torture and starvation. Germany’s Nazi regime also killed some 100,000 non-Jews, including Poles, Roma, Soviet prisoners of war, gay people, and disabled people. Yet, eight decades after Soviet troops found survivors in the throes of starvation and the many human remains of those who passed away, concerns were raised that the tragedy may occur again. ‘WORLD BECOMING TOXIC’ “The world has become toxic,” noted 86-year-old Tova Friedman. She was 6 years old when she was among the 7,000 people liberated from Auschwitz on January 27, 1945. “I realize that we’re in a crisis again, that there is so much hatred around, so much distrust, that if we don’t stop, it may get worse and worse. There may be another terrible destruction,” added Friedman who flew to Poland this month from her home in the U.S. state of New Jersey. For Friedman, one of the youngest Auschwitz survivors, “January 27 [when the camp was liberated] has always been my true birthday. I’ve celebrated it every year since I was a little girl. It’s the day that counts.” Friedman expressed disbelief at commemorating the milestone alongside “so many important people,” including Britain’s King Charles and Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof and Secretary of State Vincent Karremans also attended the ceremony, along with Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Dutch Queen Maxims. It also marked the first time the 21-year-old Crown Princess Amalia participated in such an event. The Netherlands sent a large government delegation just months after the nation experienced what some described as the first pogrom against Jews there since the Holocaust. On November 6 and 7 November, Dutch people of mainly Moroccan and Turkish Muslim descent launched what organizers called a “Jew hunt” in Amsterdam around the soccer match between Amsterdam’s Ajax and Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv. DOZENS WERE INJURED Dozens were injured in the violence that some said was partly provoked by Israeli soccer fans shouting anti-Arab slogans related to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. However, several Dutch and Israeli politicians said the specific hunting of Jews, including asking for their passports before attacking them, amounted to a pogrom resembling the Nazi era. At the ceremony in Auschwitz, Friedman said that the “resurgence of anti-Semitism is shocking. “Our Judeo-Christian values are overshadowed by prejudice, fear, and extremism. Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, is fighting for its right to exist.” It was also a reference to October 7, 2023, when Hamas fighters killed some 1,200 people in Israel in the worst atrocity against Jews since the Holocaust, sparking the Israel-Hamas war. Dignitaries from 54 nations joined her and more than 60 other survivors and their families inside a large tent erected over Auschwitz’s infamous entrance, known as “the gate of death.” The central image of the commemoration was a train track leading to a symbolic wagon. However, the speeches primarily addressed today’s challenges rather than focusing solely on the liberation eight decades ago. “Five and ten years ago, I spoke here about the Holocaust in the past tense,” said Ronald Lauder, a major donor to the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum. “I never thought I would see the boycotts, targeted attacks, and exclusions happening again.” DRAWING HOLOCAUST PARALLELS He drew parallels between the atrocities of the Holocaust and the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, both rooted, he said, in “centuries-old Jew-hatred.” As Holocaust survivors issued calls for vigilance and action, several warned that the world was sliding into another crisis. “We are not only mourning the victims but also the unrest and distrust tearing apart our societies,” Friedman noted. “We must reignite our collective conscience to combat the violence and hatred spreading today. It’s an immense challenge, but we are obligated to try.” The ceremony concluded with an emotional tribute. For Monday’s commemoration in Oswiecim, the U.S. sent a delegation led by Steve Witkoff, President Donald J. Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, who played a key role in negotiating this month’s Gaza truce agreement between Israel and Hamas. Howard Lutnick, Trump’s pick for secretary of commerce, was also present, as was Charles Kushner, father of Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and Trump’s choice as ambassador to France. Dozens of other leaders and dignitaries attended Monday’s ceremony, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Britain’s King Charles III, and French President Emmanuel Macron, but organizers asked them not to speak. LISTENING TO OBSERVE Instead, they were requested to listen and observe as they toured the Auschwitz grounds, which now operates as a memorial site whose goal is to inform visitors about the atrocities that happened at the site. Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima lit candles in memory of the victims, while Crown Princess Amalia, dressed in black, paid her respects with a solemn nod. They made clear that the event underscored the urgent need to remember the lessons of history amid rising global tensions. Before the ceremony, Poland’s President Andrzej Duda remembered the victims of Auschwitz in a television address, saying his nation has a unique role in preserving its memory. “We Poles, on whose land occupied by Nazi Germany the Germans built this extermination industry and concentration camp,” said Duda, “are today the guardians of memory.” At the ceremony on the former grounds of Auschwitz, Duda, accompanied by survivors, laid a wreath at the so-called “Death Wall,” where shooting executions took place. Some survivors wore blue-and-white striped scarves, the colors of the prisoner uniforms they were forced to wear at the camp. In several interviews with German media, Chancellor Olaf Scholz commented that it was “depressing how many people in Germany hardly know anything about the Holocaust.” Each state in Germany has control over how the Holocaust is taught in schools, and instruction is inconsistent, he suggested. His comments came days after U.S. billionaire Elon Musk joined via video link a political rally organized by the far-right Alternative for Germany Party, telling thousands of party supporters that Germany places too much emphasis on “past guilt.” SINS OF PARENTS “Children should not be held responsible for the sins of their parents, let alone their great-grandparents,” Musk said to cheers. However, he also made clear in separate comments that he loves the Jewish people wearing a tag with the names of hostages still held by Hamas in Gaza. A day after the political rally, Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote in a post on social media X that calls at the political rally “about ‘Great Germany’ and ‘the need to forget German guilt for Nazi crimes’ sounded all too familiar and ominous. Especially only hours before the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.” In an appearance on Germany’s public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk, Abraham Lehrer, vice president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, said of the horrors Nazi Germany perpetuated at Auschwitz: “We must not allow commemoration to be ‘enough.’ ” That’s why a U.S.-based organization is transforming the house of Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss into a research center devoted to fighting extremism. The Counter Extremism Project was introduced to the public on the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz on Monday. The house, which belonged to a Polish military family before Nazi Germany invaded Poland, lies next to the site of the former death camp, now the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum. “My dream, and those of our colleagues, is that every visitor, every fellow, every academic that comes here takes action to fight extremism and antisemitism wherever they come from,” said Mark Wallace, the CEO of the Counter Extremism Project. The post World Remembers Liberation Auschwitz Amid Concerns About Antisemitism (Worthy News In-Depth) appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – President Trump is implementing a significant restructuring of the U.S. military through three executive orders, addressing those thrown out for refusing the Covid-19 vaccine, banning transgender service members, and banning the use of “invented and identification-based pronouns.” President Trump will issue an executive order to reinstate approximately 8,000 service members dismissed for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, restoring their original ranks, back pay, and lost benefits. This reverses actions taken under President Biden. President Trump emphasized that reinstating service members discharged for refusing the COVID-19 vaccine fulfills a campaign promise and a commitment from his inauguration speech last week. A White House fact sheet specifies that the executive order will instruct Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to reinstate “all members of the military (active and reserve) who were discharged for refusing the COVID vaccine and who request to be reinstated.” According to a White House fact sheet, after the 2023 repeal of the vaccine mandate, only 43 of over 8,000 dismissed troops chose to return under President Biden, many of whom had lost their jobs and received less than honorable discharges, affecting their veterans benefits. At his confirmation hearing, newly confirmed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth committed to reinstating service members dismissed for refusing the vaccine. President Trump will also issue executive orders through another directive to ban transgender individuals from serving in the military and to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. President Trump will sign an executive order to revoke Mr. Biden’s 2021 directive that allowed transgender people to serve openly in the military, citing mental health and physical readiness issues. The order, first reported by The New York Post, will ban transgender service members, stating that “unit cohesion requires high levels of integrity and stability among service members.” It will also address military standards on pronouns and gender identity, noting that the extensive medical care and minimum 12-month recovery period post-transition surgery, often involving heavy narcotics, render transgender individuals physically incapable of meeting military readiness and requirements. The post Trump Overhauls Military Using Executive Orders appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

Friend, beware! Matthew 10:16 Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: therefore be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. Nature provides us with an illustration that closely parallels the insidious tactics employed by our adversary. According to scientists, Arctic polar bears feed almost entirely on seals. To enjoy such a meal, they sometimes resort to a cunning bit of trickery. If the hole through which the seal gets his food is near the edge of the ice, the polar bear will take a deep breath and swim under water to its exact location. Remaining below the surface, he will then make a tiny scratching sound, imitating a fish. When the charmed seal hears this, he dives in for a quick supper, only to find himself suddenly entrapped in the huge, hungry embrace of his predator. God has sent us forth as sheep among the wolves. There are so many theories disguising themselves as Godly. We're hungry for that meal -- but we must be wise enough to make sure it's not a trap! Keep reading and studying the Word of God! Pray and ask Him to reveal His truth. Friend, the enemy loves to tempt us with a 'treat' so he can devour us! Don't take anyone's word but God's! Your family in the Lord with much agape love, George, Baht Rivka, Elianna and Obadiah (Phoenix, Arizona) Editor's Note: My wife, Baht Rivka, led some powerful, spontaneous worship in Northern Israel with dear friends of ours, overlooking the Sea of Galilee. It’s worth a listen! Don’t forget to subscribe, like and SHARE! Editor's Note: Feel free to share any of our content from Worthy, including Devotions, News articles, and more, on your social platforms. You have full permission to copy and repost anything we produce. Editor's Note: During this war, we have been live blogging throughout the day -- sometimes minute by minute on our Telegram channel. Be sure to check it out! Around the World EU Renews Sanctions On Russia As Hungary Ends Opposition The European Union has renewed sanctions against Russia after EU member state Hungary stopped blocking the move in return for a declaration on energy security, as it depends on Russian natural gas and oil supplies. Trump Withdraws Tariff Threat on Colombia Following Agreement The White House declared late Sunday that President Donald Trump has decided against implementing tariffs and certain sanctions on Colombia following their agreement to accept deported migrants from the US on US military aircraft. Stocks Tumble As China Challenges US’ AI Dominance China’s new artificial intelligence (AI) model, DeepSeek, spooked investors Monday, sparking a $1 trillion withdrawal from stocks in the United States and Europe. Israel-Palestinian Conflict World Remembers Liberation Auschwitz Amid Concerns About Antisemitism (Worthy News In-Depth) World leaders and dozens of Holocaust survivors gathered Monday at the former site of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp in Poland to commemorate the 80th anniversary of its liberation by Soviet troops at the end of World War II. Hamas Has Recruited Up to 15,000 New Members Since Start of Gaza War, US Sources Say Iran-backed Hamas has recruited between 10,000 and 15,000 new members since the group attacked Israel on October 7 2023 and triggered the war in Gaza, two congressional sources briefed on US intelligence have told the Jerusalem Post. Inside the United States Trump Overhauls Military Using Executive Orders President Trump is implementing a significant restructuring of the U.S. military through three executive orders, addressing those thrown out for refusing the Covid-19 vaccine, banning transgender service members, and banning the use of "invented and identification-based pronouns." Abbott Deploys Texas Military to Rio Grande Valley to Assist Trump Administration Texas Gov. Greg Abbott surged additional Texas military resources to the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) to assist President Donald Trump with his border security efforts. U.S. National Debt Burden Tops $106,000 Per Person The national debt continues to rise at a breakneck pace, with Americans bearing a greater and greater debt burden. Christian News Nigeria: Boko Haram Steps Up Attacks on Christians, “Many of Us Have Lost Everything” The Boko Haram jihadist insurgent group intensified its attacks on Christians in Nigeria’s Borno state earlier this month, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports. Christians Arrested/Tortured by Sudanese Army, “Christians of All Backgrounds are Trapped in the Chaos” Seven Sudanese Christian youths were arrested and tortured by intelligence agents of the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) in the country’s River Nile state on Jan. 14, Morning Star News (MSN) reports. Wracked by a civil war launched between the SAF and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), View the full article

By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor (Worthy News) – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott surged additional Texas military resources to the Rio Grande Valley (RGV) to assist President Donald Trump with his border security efforts. Abbott did so as removal operations are already underway in Trump’s first week in office after he issued a series of executive orders to secure the border, including sending 1,500 troops to Texas and California, The Center Square reported. Abbott directed the Texas Military Department to deploy the Texas Tactical Border Force to the RGV to coordinate efforts with U.S. Border Patrol agents. More than 400 troops are departing from military bases in Fort Worth and Houston Monday morning, as well as C-130s and Chinook helicopters, to join thousands of Texas National Guard soldiers already stationed at the Texas-Mexico border. “Texas has a partner in the White House we can work with to secure the Texas-Mexico border,” Abbott said. “For the past four years, Texas held the line against the Biden Administration’s border crisis and their refusal to protect Americans. Finally, we have a federal government working to end this crisis. I thank President Donald Trump for his decisive leadership on the southern border and look forward to working with him and his Administration to secure the border and make America safe again.” Abbott first deployed the border force in May 2023 to the RGV and El Paso to support his border security mission, Operation Lone Star, The Center Square reported. Under OLS, thousands of Texas National Guard soldiers and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers have been deployed to the Texas-Mexico border since March 2021. Abbott also received the support of 25 Republican governors, who also sent troops to Texas to participate in OLS. “We have shifted troops to hotspots, added additional drone teams, and increased miles of barrier along the border. The dedication of these troops to the State of Texas is inspirational,” Texas Military Department Major General Thomas Suelzer said when the border force was first deployed in 2023. They included quick reaction forces comprised of military police units in El Paso and another to cover the region stretching from San Antonio to the Rio Grande Valley. Last year, Texas Military Department efforts expanded after Texas built its first modern-day military base at the U.S. border in Eagle Pass, Texas, the only National Guard base along Texas’ border with Mexico, The Center Square reported. Texas’ Forward Operating Base camp houses 1,800 troops with the ability to expand up to 2,300 if needed. Since then, military forces have been consolidated, enabling troops to expand barrier construction and other operations. Since March 2021, when OLS was launched, more than 10,000 Texas National Guard troops and Texas Department of Public Safety troopers have been deployed to the Texas-Mexico border. Through OLS, they’ve built more than 240 miles of border barriers, constructed 100 miles of border wall, installed and fortified 200 miles of concertina wire barriers, and installed marine buoy barriers, including additional barriers last week. Attempts by the Biden administration to prevent Texas’s construction of concertina wire and buoy barriers failed in court. OLS officers alone have apprehended more than 530,000 illegal border crossers, repelled over 140,000 attempted illegal entries, made more than 50,000 criminal arrests, with more than 43,000 felony charges reported, and seized enough lethal doses of fentanyl to kill everyone in the U.S., Mexico and Canada combined, according to data from the governor’s office. After Texas’ first Border Czar Mike Banks expanded OLS efforts, a 51% drop in federal border apprehensions was reported in one year in Texas, The Center Square exclusively reported. Within that first year, as Texas resistance grew, illegal entries increased in Arizona, California and New Mexico, The Center Square exclusively reported. Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post Abbott Deploys Texas Military to Rio Grande Valley to Assist Trump Administration appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article