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Friend, integrity is greater than walls! Revelation 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. The Great Wall of China is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It stretches over 4,000 miles (6,400 KM) and was built to protect China from the barbaric hordes to the north. The designers of the wall made it so high that it could not be scaled, so thick that it could not be penetrated, and so long that no one could go around it. Yet, during the first hundred years of the wall's existence China was successfully invaded three times, without the wall having been climbed or breached. So how, you ask, did the invaders raid China? Well, the problem wasn't the wall – it was the gatekeepers! In each of these invasions the barbarians simply bribed the gatekeepers who opened the gates, so the enemies just walked right through. Friend, the protection of the Great Wall of China was only as secure as its gatekeepers. What a lesson, since, don't we all also have "gates to keep"...our eyes, and our ears, and our mouth? No matter how strong we may feel, we can never forget that these points of entry will be seen by our enemies and there will be attempts to bribe or seduce us so they can break through. We must not allow the "barbaric hordes" to invade our lives by failing to keep careful watch at these entry points –our integrity and our authority depend on the security of our gates! Your family in the Lord with much agape love, George, Baht Rivka, Obadiah and Elianna (Melbourne, Florida) 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! Editor's Note: Dear friends — we are going to be heading WEST!!! Now booking in the following states: Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, and Arkansas …. If you know Pastors, Rabbis or Ministry Leaders who might be interested in some powerful Israeli style Hebrew/English worship and a refreshing word from Worthy News about what’s going on in the Land, please let us know how to connect with them and we will do our best to get you on our schedule! You can send an email to george [ @ ] worthyministries.com for more information. Around the World Christians Urge Prayers As Typhoon Hits Philippines Christians in the Philippines appealed for prayers Sunday after authorities warned of “life-threatening” surges as the sixth massive storm hitting the nation in the past month intensified. Poland Sends Fighter Jets Amid Russia’s Strike on Ukraine (Worthy News Radio) Poland says it has scrambled fighter jets and mobilized “all available forces” on Sunday amid a “massive" Russian missile and drone attack on neighboring Ukraine that killed at least seven people. Dutch Fishing Town Rescues Jews Christian residents in the Dutch town of Urk, known for its many churches and fishing traditions, are providing shelter to Jews after the Netherlands’ first pogrom since World War Two. UN To Push For Global Narrative Using AI and Media (Worthy News In-Depth) A United Nations committee has agreed to tackle “hate speech” and “misinformation” globally through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and media, despite worries the approach may “stifle pluralistic debate.” Scuffles At France-Israel Match After Amsterdam Pogrom Brief scuffles broke out, and soccer fans whistled and booed as the Israeli anthem played at the start of the France-Israel match in Paris following a pogrom against Jews in the Netherlands, officials said Friday. China Opens Controversial Port In Peru China’s President Xi Jinping has inaugurated a controversial massive port on the edge of Peru’s coastal desert that locals fear will leave many of them without a hopeful future. Israel-Palestinian Conflict ‘Days of Repentance’ Operation Destroyed Nuclear Facility in Iran The 'Days of Repentance' operation launched by Israel against Iran in late October targeted and destroyed a highly secretive nuclear weapons research facility in Parchin, according to Axios. Inside the United States Trump Vows to Reduce Energy Costs With His Latest Cabinet Picks With his latest cabinet nominations, President-elect Donald Trump promised to bring down the cost Americans pay for energy by expanding oil and gas production. Christian News Myanmar Christians Face Further Acts of Repression by Military Christians in Myanmar’s Rakhine state face continued persecution by the country’s Buddhist military junta (Tatmadaw), which has proved itself violently hostile to believers and recently imposed new restrictions on church services, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports. Canada: Evangelicals Call on Parliament to Protect Children From Exploitation by Pornography Platforms With pornography increasingly and freely available to minors on the internet, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) has called on the Canadian parliament to support a bill that would hold pornography platforms accountable to “ensure child sexual abuse materials and intimate images shared without consent are not uploaded to their sites,” Christian Daily International (CDI) reports. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News KYIV/WARSAW/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Poland says it has scrambled fighter jets and mobilized “all available forces” on Sunday amid a “massive” Russian missile and drone attack on neighboring Ukraine that killed at least seven people. https://www.worthynews.com/wordpressimages/2024/11/WorthyNewsRadioNov17.mp3 There were also deaths reported in Ukrainian strikes on Russia following the heaviest attacks on Ukraine in months. Blasts reverberated across Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and other cities as Russia stages its most giant missile and drone strikes since August. More than 200 strikes hit areas, including the capital, Kyiv, with Ukraine’s energy infrastructure as the main focus of Russia’s attack. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia’s army fired 120 missiles – cruise missiles and ballistic missiles – and 90 drones, killing and injuring numerous people. He expressed his “deepest condolences” as it became clear that people were killed in cities Lviv, Dnipropetovsk, Odesa, and Mykolaiv. Dozens have been injured. POWER STATIONS Ukraine’s largest private energy provider said the attack had “seriously damaged” equipment at thermal power stations. Emergency power cuts were implemented in the Kyiv, Donetsk, and Dnipropetrovsk regions. In response to the attacks, at least two people were reportedly killed in Ukrainian drone strikes on the Belgorod and Kursk regions inside Russia. With fighting ongoing, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Russian President Vladimir Putin has not shifted in his thinking about the war in Ukraine. He spoke as a march against the war underway by the Russian opposition in exile in Berlin. As clashes continued, Poland’s military said that “due to a massive attack by Russia in neighboring Ukraine, operations by Polish and allied aircraft have begun.” Poland, a member of the NATO military alliance, said it scrambled warplanes “aimed at ensuring security in the areas adjacent to the threatened zones.” However, it underscored mounting concern that the nearly three-year-old war could turn into a larger international armed conflict. Already, thousands of North Korean forces are backing Russian forces, and intelligence sources claim Pyongyang has supplied Moscow’s army with long-range rocket and artillery systems, some of which have been moved to Russia’s Kursk region. The post Poland Sends Fighter Jets Amid Russia’s Strike on Ukraine (Worthy News Radio) appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News URK, NETHERLANDS (Worthy News) – Christian residents in the Dutch town of Urk, known for its many churches and fishing traditions, are providing shelter to Jews after the Netherlands’ first pogrom since World War Two. “These days, it’s more important to spread the Light than ever, and our Light is Jesus and God,” says a young woman talking to an Israeli television crew that has been rescued by residents from Urk. “And the Light will survive,” she adds. The young woman starts to cry. “I cry because it is very close to my heart. I’ve read thousands of books like World War Two. All those kinds of stories. And now it comes alive in my own [country]. I can see it from your people. I think it’s very awful, and I am deeply ashamed.” The crew she talks to on a cold rainy winter day near Lake IJssel is among Jews welcomed by the people of Urk, where Israeli flags hang at homes and other buildings. “And in these dark days, we also light up the Stars of David that can be found here,” 60-year-old Ellie Molenaar tells Worthy News. “And I have a Jewish candlestick in front of the window,” she tells a Worthy News reporter with her grandchildren laughing nearby. Molenaar and others in this town of nearly 22,000 people, some 85 kilometers (53 miles) northeast of Amsterdam, have been shocked that Arab Muslims hunted Jews after the November 7 soccer match between Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv and Amaterdam’s Ajax teams. The events in Amsterdam, in which numerous Jews were injured, prompted Urk to intervene. “A drivers group was formed to transport Israelis, who no longer trusted taxis from hotels to Amsterdam Schiphol Airport,” recalls Robert ten Napel, 54.“Here in Urk, many young men are tied to the Jewish community and Israel.” With thousands of Jews trapped in hotels and other places amid hit-and-run attacks, he and others in Urk rushed into action after quickly organizing the rescue operation through social media. “You drop your work and go,” says Jan Bakker, 52, matter-of-factly. “Jews can always find refuge in Urk. We had quickly reserved places for them to stay. The town council had previously offered to accommodate Jews and Jewish educational institutions.” TV CREW Among them was the Israeli television crew, who had since left for Israel after fleeing Amsterdam to Urk. “They weren’t safe there, so they stayed overnight in Urk,” explains Ten Napel. “The atmosphere was intimidating. You’re standing there facing all these shouting, aggressive types.” He and other men involved in the rescue operation of Jews have been surprised that Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema allowed a pro-Palestine protest despite an ordinance banning such rallies “Worse still, a city council member and a municipal advisor participated in the demonstrations and haven’t been dismissed. If the Dutch state allows this, you’ve lost the fight,” Bakker says. André de Vries, 52, agrees. “When we returned on Sunday evening, we told each other: the lights have gone out for good in Amsterdam.” Yet in Urk, Christians say they want to show the Jews the Light of Christ in a dark world. Several were involved in driving to war-torn Ukraine to pick up Jews and help them resettle in Israel. “The warning that our Jewish friends have been sounding since the massacre on October 7, 2023, in Israel is: ‘Now it is our turn, the Jews, the people of Saturday. Soon, it will be your turn, the people of Sunday, the Christians’,” De Vries recalls. “We are not fearful, but ultimately, the question does arise: ‘What will we do as a Christian community when we are next?’ That reality is among us; we have seen what they are capable of.” BIBLICAL PROPHECY Bakker agrees. “The Biblical prophecy that the Jews will one day return to the land of Israel is now coming true.” But he says it is horrific that many Jews arrive in Israel as refugees looking for a hiding place. “Years ago, we visited Israel for the first time with a sort of ‘spiritual awareness.’ As Christians walking around there, realizing that the Holocaust, or Shoah, took place in religious Christian Europe,” De Vries explains. “The Shoah is also part of our history. Therefore, our generation must ensure that the words ‘never again’ become a reality. We want to do things differently and take responsibility,” he adds. They even received more than 100,000 dollars from two local entrepreneurs to help them in their rescue mission. Holocaust survivor Phia Baruch has tears in her eyes when hearing about Urk’s compassion. “Almost all of my family died in the Nazi death camps. Urk’s caring for Jews gives me hope,” she tells Worthy News. The post Dutch Fishing Town Rescues Jews appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – The ‘Days of Repentance’ operation launched by Israel against Iran in late October targeted and destroyed a highly secretive nuclear weapons research facility in Parchin, according to Axios. The Israeli operation significantly damaged Iran’s attempts to restart its nuclear weapons research, according to several Israeli and U.S. officials who spoke with Axios. On October 25, an Israeli strike targeted the Taleghan 2 facility within the Parchin military complex, located roughly 20 miles southeast of Tehran. Previously part of Iran’s Amad nuclear weapons program, which ceased in 2003, this facility was used for explosive testing essential for nuclear device detonation. High-resolution satellite images obtained by the Institute for Science and International Security post-strike revealed that the Taleghan 2 building was completely destroyed. A former Israeli official familiar with the details of the strike reported that it obliterated advanced equipment used to develop the plastic explosives that encase uranium in nuclear devices, which are essential for their detonation. While Iran continues to deny that its trying to develop a nuclear weapons program, in August, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence (DNI) changed its assessment removing a sentence that had previously been in its intelligence reports over the past years, which stated, Iran “is not currently undertaking the key nuclear weapons-development activities necessary to produce a testable nuclear device.” Next week, the board of governors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is scheduled to convene and likely vote on a censure resolution against Iran due to its insufficient cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog. While the West often views Iran’s nuclear program through a secular lens, the spiritual aspect should not be overlooked. Iran is the only country where Twelver Shi’ism is the state religion. Twelver Shīʿism, the largest branch of Shīʿa Islam, makes up about 85% of Shīʿas. “Twelver” signifies belief in twelve divinely appointed leaders, the Twelve Imams, with the last, Imam al-Mahdi, expected to return as the Mahdi. Twelvers see the Imams as Muhammad’s spiritual and political successors, guiding with justice and interpreting Islamic law and the Qur’an’s inner meanings. They are viewed as infallible (Ismah) and divinely chosen (nass). The Twelvers’ believe that the Mahdi is expected to appear in times of extreme chaos, returning alongside Jesus as a messiah to bring peace and establish Islam globally. Twelver beliefs, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and threats toward Israel and the West have raised concerns. Critics suggest that Iran’s Supreme Leader might incite conflict to hasten the 12th Imam’s arrival. Former Iranian President Ahmadinejad has even called for the Imam’s return at the UN, asserting that the Islamic Revolution’s primary goal is to prepare for his reappearance. The post ‘Days of Repentance’ Operation Destroyed Nuclear Facility in Iran appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News NEW YORK (Worthy News) – A United Nations committee has agreed to tackle “hate speech” and “misinformation” globally through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and media, despite worries the approach may “stifle pluralistic debate.” The U.N. General Assembly Fourth Committee (also known as the Special Political and Decolonization Committee) adopted the resolution as the U.N. seeks to streamline its worldwide narrative on themes like climate change, digital identification, and digital money. The Fourth Committee also voted for a resolution on our “Our Common Agenda” plan, which includes rolling out the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs aim to achieve “peace and prosperity for people and the planet.” However, to achieve that aim, preferably by 2030, people have to follow U.N. “SDGs” guidelines on, for instance, “climate change,” which critics say will involve more surveillance and censorship. The “Our Common Agenda” resolution also includes rolling out bank account-linked digital identification documents (IDs) that experts warn will give states more control over people’s spending. Yet, with alternative media and other critical voices questioning these policies, the U.N.‘s Department of Global Communications will be asked “to make specific efforts to raise awareness about misinformation and disinformation,” according to the resolution seen by Worthy News. The Department will also be asked to consider “the impact of AI and propose ways to address such a challenge in accordance with international human rights law, within existing resources.” FAKE NEWS? While AI has been used to spread fake news or to suppress dissent, the technology can also help to gather actual facts more efficiently. Yet it wasn’t clear how both resolutions would encourage open debates within the U.N., including authoritarian and democratic member states. Argentina was among those voicing concern about the U.N.’s use of the term “hate speech,” adding that it can be abused to prevent pluralistic debate. Its representative “dissociated himself from paragraphs in resolution B that refer to hate speech, to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Our Common Agenda,” according to a transcript seen by Worthy News. Islamic-ruled Pakistan was among the most vocal states disagreeing with Argentina’s concerns. It even suggested pressuring tech giants such as Google and Meta to follow the U.N. narratives. Pakistan said the tech giants “should be “collaborated with” and warned they should not put profit before the need to join “the war on disinformation.” Speakers also highlighted the role of journalists in providing “accurate information” about armed conflicts and crises and the need to protect them. JOURNALISTS KILLED Numerous journalists have been killed, many in armed conflicts in Gaza and Lebanon sparked by the Hamas massacre of some 1,200 people in Israel on October 7, last year, delegates noted. Ukraine’s delegate also mentioned Viktoria Roshchyna, a Ukrainian journalist who documented Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine launched in February 2022. Russia detained her, and “On the 10th of October, it was revealed that the journalist lost her life,” he said. The delegate “also pointed to the Russian Federation’s attacks on television towers in his country and its attempts to disrupt broadcasting in Ukraine,” the transcript said. Ukraine’s delegate accused the Kremlin of supporting Russian journalists of “glorifying its war crimes” even as “inside Russia, there is a systematic and brutal crackdown on civil society.” He “condemned the Russian Federation’s use of hybrid information warfare tactics” to “justify the criminal actions of its armed forces and dehumanize Ukrainians,” the U.N. said. Britain accused Russia “of weaponizing disinformation,” noting “the rise in anti-U.N. disinformation in Mali, which coincided with the arrival of mercenaries from the Russian Federation’s Wagner Group” of mercenaries. BLUE HELMETS “This led to a rise in attacks against peacekeepers and the forced closure of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) after it became the most dangerous peacekeeping mission in the world,” Britain’s delegate stressed. Moscow “also designed a disinformation campaign to influence the outcome of the Republic of Moldova’s presidential election, she said, adding: “We cannot be complacent.” Russia’s “disinformation campaigns” threaten lives, including those of U.N. peacekeepers, “eroding trust between the ‘blue helmets’” or peacekeepers “and communities they serve.” Moscow has denied wrongdoing. The Kremlin consistently accuses the West of spreading misinformation while several of Russia’s media outlets were closed in the European Union and other countries such as Israel. Yet despite different views on what amounts to “misinformation” or “hate speech,” the U.N. has made clear that it will push for a narrative on what it considers critical issues for the world. The post UN To Push For Global Narrative Using AI and Media (Worthy News In-Depth) appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Christians in Myanmar’s Rakhine state face continued persecution by the country’s Buddhist military junta (Tatmadaw), which has proved itself violently hostile to believers and recently imposed new restrictions on church services, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports. Ruled by the Tatmadaw, which wrested power from the country’s democratic government in a 2021 military coup, Myanmar ranks 17 on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted. In a new act of repression, Myanmar’s military has ordered the removal of Christian symbols, ICC reports. “Last month, we installed a cross, a symbol of our faith, to identify the Christian church here, but the police came and demanded it be removed,” one congregant told ICC. “We had prayed before putting it up, so we refused to take it down ourselves and instead asked them to remove it.” The Tatmadaw has also ordered police to take down the names of people attending church services, which themselves must obtain authorization to operate, ICC said. “Since the military coup in February 2021, Christians have encountered greater violence and tighter restrictions,” ICC noted in its report. “Believers have been killed and churches have been indiscriminately attacked, even well-established ones in predominantly Christian states like Chin and Kayah.” “More Christians than ever have been driven out of their homes and have found refuge in churches or IDP camps. Some are even forced to flee to the jungle where they are often deprived of access to food and health care,” ICC said. The post Myanmar Christians Face Further Acts of Repression by Military appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News PARIS/AMSTERDAM ((Worthy News) – Brief scuffles broke out, and soccer fans whistled and booed as the Israeli anthem played at the start of the France-Israel match in Paris following a pogrom against Jews in the Netherlands, officials said Friday. Thousands of security forces provided security in and outside the Stade de France stadium Thursday amid concerns about a repeat of last week’s violence in the Netherlands, where Jews were hunted by mainly Arab Muslims, officials said. French President Emmanuel Macron, who attended the soccer event with Prime Minister Michel Barnier, said beforehand, “France would not give in to antisemitism.” At one point, it took about a minute for security personnel to step in when a scuffle broke out early in the game between a few supporters in a stand behind one of the goals. Some of those involved were draped in Israeli flags, but it was not clear what caused the clash,” witnesses recalled. About 40 people were arrested around the match, including 20 who were taken into custody, according to police. The match, which ended 0-0, was held amid tensions over Israel’s wars against Iran’s proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah, designated as terrorist groups by Israel and most of its allies. Ahead of Thursday’s match, protests erupted in Paris on Wednesday against a gala organized by what media called “French far-right figures” in support of Israel. The “Israel is Forever” gala, planned by an association of the same name, was to raise funds for the Israeli military. GALA CONDEMNED Guests invited included Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, but his office confirmed he did not attend after a storm of criticism. Smotrich is a vocal advocate of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, also known as Judaea and Samaria Local associations, unions, and left-wing political parties condemned his invitation to the gala, prompting two protests in the French capital. He drew international outrage this week by saying he hopes the return to the White House of Donald J. Trump “would clear the way” for Israeli annexation of the West Bank. Critics say such a move would likely “extinguish Palestinian statehood dreams.” The French Foreign Ministry called Smotrich’s remarks “contrary to international law” and “counterproductive” to efforts to reduce regional tensions. Critics also pointed at Nili Kupfer-Naouri, president of the “Israel is Forever” association, who triggered anger in 2023, after the Israel-Hamas war started, for saying “no civilian in Gaza was innocent.” She referred to Gazan civilians found to be holding hostages abducted from Israel by Hamas in their homes. Amid the controversies, thousands marched late Wednesday through central Paris streets denouncing a “gala of hatred and shame.” SITUATION ‘UNFAIR’ “Imagine if an association was hosting a gala for Hezbollah or Hamas — there’s no way the police would allow that,” said Melkir Saib, a 30-year-old protester. “The situation is just unfair.” Groups of pro-Palestine demonstrators broke windows at the McDonald’s and Starbucks outlets along the route, though the march did not turn into the antisemitic violence seen in Amsterdam in recent days, witnesses said. The outlets’ windows were hit with red paint and shattered by the rioters in a video uploaded to social media and reviewed by Worthy News. “Complicit,” “Boycott,” and “Free Palestine” were sprayed on the glass, along with an upside-down red triangle that Israeli sources say is used in extremist videos to indicate targets in Israel. Separately, protesters, including Jewish leftist organizations “opposed to racism and antisemitism,” gathered near the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, chanting slogans against the gala and Smotrich. Yet French authorities defended the event, with Paris police chief Laurent Nunez saying the gala posed “no major threat to public order.” Authorities tried to ensure public order Thursday when Israeli and French soccer fans were in the streets of Paris. MASSIVE SECURITY Some 4,000 officers and 1,600 stadium staff were deployed to police the game, with about 2,500 of those officers around the stadium itself, Paris police Paris police chief Laurent Nunez said. It was a far cry from the roughly 1,200 police deployed in Amsterdam in recent days, where Jews were hunted following last week’s soccer match between Amsterdam’s Ajax and Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv teams. While the Palestinian Authority and others pointed to some violence by hardcore Israeli soccer fans, the Dutch government said these incidents “paled in comparison to the hunting of Jews in Amsterdam.” At least five Israelis were in hospitals, and dozens of others sustained minor injuries in what attackers called the “Jews hunt.” The Israeli national carrier, EL AL Airlines, sent several rescue planes to evacuate some 3,000 fans who traveled to Amsterdam to cheer on their team. Israel’s government advised its citizens to avoid attending cultural and sporting events taking place abroad this week following Amsterdam’s first pogrom since World War Two. The post Scuffles At France-Israel Match After Amsterdam Pogrom appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News CHANCAY, PERU (Worthy News) – China’s President Xi Jinping has inaugurated a controversial massive port on the edge of Peru’s coastal desert that locals fear will leave many of them without a hopeful future. The mega port of Chancay, a remote fishing town where a third of its 63,000 residents lack running water, is a $1.3 billion project majority-owned by the Chinese shipping giant Cosco. Xi and Peruvian President Dina Boluarte participated on Thursday by video link in the opening of the Chancay port, about 80 kilometers (48 miles) north of the capital, Lima, on the Pacific Ocean. Xi said that Chancay, a 15-berth, deep-water port, was the successful start of a “21st century maritime Silk Road” and part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, its modern revival of the ancient Silk Road trading route. “It is very important that we work together to ensure the success of Chancay Port from construction through operation so that the route from Chancay to Shanghai will lead China, Peru, and Latin America to common development and prosperity,” Xi said earlier in a signed editorial Thursday that ran in the local newspaper El Peruano. Don’t tell that to 78-year-old fisherman Julius Caesar (“like the emperor of Rome,” he says). “Our fishing spots no longer exist here. They destroyed them,” he told The Associated Press (AP) news agency, gesturing toward the dockside cranes. “I don’t blame the Chinese for trying to mine this place for all it’s worth it. I blame our government for not protecting us.” INCREASING FOOTPRINT It comes as China increases its footprint across resources-rich South America as part of broader efforts to rival the United States. Xi attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Lima as a sign of that cooperation. However, Washington has watched with unease over the years as China established deep trading relationships with countries across Latin America. Yet Matt Murray, the senior State Department official dealing with APEC issues, insisted to the Voice of America (VOA) broadcaster that the port was “not a source of concern” for the Biden administration. “I don’t necessarily see this as complicating our relationship in the region,” he told VOA. “We view it as a natural part of business that Latin American countries will have diverse trade and investment partners.” However, with some of the world’s largest container ships to berth at Chancay Port in January 2025, residents fear the arrival of pollution and oil spills, further impacting fishing stocks. In 2022, a botched tanker delivery at the nearby La Pampilla refinery sent thousands of barrels of crude oil spilling into Peru’s famously biodiverse waters, displacing legions of fishermen. Today, reporters noticed that a glance at the dying town center, mainly featuring empty seafood restaurants, tells the story of diminished fishing stocks and decimated tourism even without the port being operational. The post China Opens Controversial Port In Peru appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – With pornography increasingly and freely available to minors on the internet, the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) has called on the Canadian parliament to support a bill that would hold pornography platforms accountable to “ensure child sexual abuse materials and intimate images shared without consent are not uploaded to their sites,” Christian Daily International (CDI) reports. Concerned about an apparent lack of age and consent verification by pornography platforms, EFC submitted a statement to the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights at the House of Commons, meeting Oct. 31 at the Canadian Parliament, in support of Bill c-270, “An Act to amend the Criminal Code (pornographic material),” CDI reports. The bill had been sponsored by Conservative MP Arnold Viersen, a known human rights activist for trafficking victims and children. “We believe it’s crucial for Parliament to require pornography platforms ensure child sexual abuse materials and intimate images shared without consent are not uploaded to their sites,” the EFC said in its statement. “It is evident many of these platforms will not take such measures unless required to and held accountable for doing so.” “The onus must not be on children and youth to monitor commercial pornography sites to ensure that depictions of their abuse and exploitation are not posted or, if discovered, to ensure they are swiftly removed,” the EFC added. “The onus must not be on victims of non-consensual uploads to watch for the content and ensure it is removed. “Companies must be responsible for ensuring that the content they host and profit from is not child sexual abuse material, that the people depicted in images or videos are not minors, and that they consent to their image being posted,” the EFC attested. “We urge the committee to support Bill C-270’s measures to ensure illegal content is not uploaded in the first place,” the EFC emphasized. The post Canada: Evangelicals Call on Parliament to Protect Children From Exploitation by Pornography Platforms appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Tensions between Iran and Israel remain high as Tehran’s military pledged a strong response to Israel’s strikes last month. At the same time, the UN’s atomic watchdog is focused on preventing nuclear escalation, with IAEA chief Rafael Grossi urging that Iran’s nuclear facilities, including Fordow and Natanz, should not be targeted as he is scheduled to visit the country. This week, IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi visited Iran for high-level meetings with officials to hold Tehran accountable for past nuclear safeguarding pledges and to gain clarity on the status of its nuclear program. Since the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA in 2018, Iran has expanded its nuclear activities, enriching uranium up to 60 percent, near the 90 percent required for nuclear weapons. The IAEA’s surveillance has been disrupted multiple times, with Iran blocking some of its most experienced inspectors, hindering negotiations. Despite Iran’s ongoing nuclear development, Rafael Grossi emphasized that its nuclear installations should not be attacked. “I say this with regards to Iran… nuclear installations should not be attacked,” he stated during a joint news conference with Iran’s nuclear chief Mohammad Eslami on Wednesday. Grossi’s comments came during a news conference on Thursday, just three days after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on Monday that Iran was “more exposed than ever [for] strikes on its nuclear facilities.” He added, “We have the opportunity to achieve our most important goal – to thwart and eliminate the existential threat to the State of Israel.” While the West often views Iran’s nuclear program through a secular lens, the spiritual aspect should not be overlooked. Iran is the only country where Twelver Shi’ism is the state religion. Twelver Shīʿism, the largest branch of Shīʿa Islam, makes up about 85% of Shīʿas. “Twelver” signifies belief in twelve divinely appointed leaders, the Twelve Imams, with the last, Imam al-Mahdi, expected to return as the Mahdi. Twelvers see the Imams as Muhammad’s spiritual and political successors, guiding with justice and interpreting Islamic law and the Qur’an’s inner meanings. They are viewed as infallible (Ismah) and divinely chosen (nass). The Twelvers’ believe that the Mahdi is expected to appear in times of extreme chaos, returning alongside Jesus as a messiah to bring peace and establish Islam globally. Twelver beliefs, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and threats toward Israel and the West have raised concerns. Critics suggest that Iran’s Supreme Leader might incite conflict to hasten the 12th Imam’s arrival. Former Iranian President Ahmadinejad has even called for the Imam’s return at the UN, asserting that the Islamic Revolution’s primary goal is to prepare for his reappearance. The post UN Atomic Chief Says Iranian Nuclear Sites Shouldn’t Be Attacked appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on Thursday afternoon that Israeli fighter jets targeted command centers and terrorist infrastructure linked to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group in Damascus, Syria. Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), citing a Syrian military source, reported on Thursday that Israeli attacks on several residential buildings in the suburbs of Damascus killed 15 people and injured 16. Israeli army radio reported that the targets of Thursday’s attack in Damascus were assets and headquarters of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) group. An IDF spokesperson later confirmed that IAF fighter jets struck military buildings linked to PIJ, which has supported Hezbollah in efforts against Israel. “The Islamic Jihad terrorist organization has been assisting Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, with the purpose of attacking Israel,” the IDF said in a statement. “The terrorist organization is an additional Iranian proxy acting under the direct instruction of Iran. Moreover, the Islamic Jihad terrorist organization operates in Syria under the cover of the Syrian Regime,” the statement added. This airstrike marks Israel’s second attack in the past 24 hours on Syrian territory. The earlier strike targeted bridges and roads in the Homs region, near the Syrian-Lebanese border, used to transport Iranian weapons to Hezbollah. The post Israel Strikes Islamic Jihad Infrastructure in Damascus appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor (Worthy News) – A 28-year-old man in Houston, Anas Said, has been indicted and arrested on charges he attempted to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a federally designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO). U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani and FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams Jr. announced the details of the case in a news conference on Thursday. Said was born in Houston, Hamdani said, but lived in Lebanon until he was roughly 14 years old, where his family is from. He returned to the U.S. roughly 10 years ago. After the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel, he was allegedly motivated to plan a terrorist attack on local military recruiting centers in Houston, provide a “sanctuary” to ISIS operatives from his Houston apartment, bragged that he would commit a 9/11-style terrorist attack if given the resources, said he wanted to harm the Israeli community in Houston, and plotted to harm former President George W. Bush, according to a multi-agency investigation. “Today is a great day because we’ve taken a suspected terrorist off the streets of Houston, Texas, and that’s something we at the FBI don’t get to publicly say very often,” Williams said. “Said was accused of attempting to provide material support to ISIS … and by his own admission was planning a terrorist attack on U.S. soil from his apartment here in southwest Houston.” Said has been on the FBI-Houston’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) radar since 2017 under the Trump administration, Williams said. JTTF’s early investigation found that he frequently viewed ISIS literature and other online propaganda and “held a deep affinity for high-ranking ISIS personnel and even ordered custom propaganda to outwardly show his support for ISIS.” FBI agents interviewed him multiple times since he first came to their attention, but after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks, his “behavior began to mobilize towards violence … and jumped to the top of our list of national security threats,” Williams said. After law enforcement officials executed searches of Said’s residence, vehicle and electronic devices, they uncovered additional links between him and ISIS, including a plot to harm former President Bush, according to court documents. Investigators uncovered multiple social media accounts that showed his continued support for ISIS and that he was “searching for ways to commit violent acts in the United States … right here in Houston,” Williams said. “He admitted to discussing how best to conduct an attack on local military recruiting centers. He admitted to wanting to use explosives to commit a mass killing here in Houston. He offered his home as a state sanctuary to ISIS operatives. He bragged that he would commit a 9/11 style attack if he only had the resources. He expressed the desire to join the U.S. military just so he could commit an act once he was inside their ranks.” “JTTF partners stopped Said’s plans from becoming a reality,” he said. Hamdani described the violent acts perpetrated by ISIS, explaining that it recruits followers through social media, which is what Said was allegedly doing. Said allegedly communicated with ISIS’s official media outlet, created ISIS propaganda videos and flyers and edited at least five videos and two images that he then sent to an alleged ISIS social media and web designer, Hamdani said. The materials were allegedly disseminated to other ISIS supporters, including videos and images promoting ISIS violence. Still images from the videos were presented at the press conference. Said also allegedly “discussed his desire to travel overseas to commit violent jihad in his messages and … commit violent acts in Houston.” Documents show he allegedly was researching how to make a bomb and build an explosive belt, Hamdani said. Said is charged with one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, ISIS, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and up to a 250,000 fine. “Individuals or groups cannot use social media to provide material support to ISIS or other terrorist organizations,” Hamdani said. Those who do are considered national security threats, he said. Hamdani also warned “wannabe terrorists who believe they can hide behind the encrypted apps or anonymous social media profiles … we will find you and we will hold you to account.” Said was arrested on Nov. 8 and his detention hearing was held Thursday afternoon. FBI Houston’s Joint Terrorism Task Force conducted the investigation, receiving assistance from the Houston and Sugar Land police departments and Harris County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Hamdani’s office and the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section trial attorneys. Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post ISIS-Linked Houston Man Indicted, Planned 9/11 Style Terrorist Attack appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Casey Harper | The Center Square (Worthy News) – Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is president-elect Donald Trump’s pick to serve as U.S. Health and Human Services secretary. “I am thrilled to announce Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as The United States Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS),” Trump said in a statement. “For too long, Americans have been crushed by the industrial food complex and drug companies who have engaged in deception, misinformation, and disinformation when it comes to Public Health.” The lifelong Democrat became an Independent during his presidential campaign and then endorsed Trump, helping propel Trump to victory. Kennedy has been outspoken about the need to take on corporate food companies as well as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to address the chronic health crisis in America. “The Safety and Health of all Americans is the most important role of any Administration, and HHS will play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming Health Crisis in this Country,” Trump said. “Mr. Kennedy will restore these Agencies to the traditions of Gold Standard Scientific Research, and beacons of Transparency, to end the Chronic Disease epidemic, and to Make America Great and Healthy Again!” Kennedy is also known for his skepticism of some vaccines. Kennedy has pushed his “Make America Healthy Again” movement in recent months, raising concerns about the chemicals in American food and how federal health agencies have either allowed harmful food and drugs or been coopted by corporations. The MAHA website emphasizes regenerative agriculture, habitat preservation, combatting corporate corruption and removing toxins from the environment. “Robert F Kennedy Jr will be The Secretary of Health and Human Services!” Donald Trump Jr. posted on X. “Promises Made Promises Kept.” Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post Trump Picks Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead HHS appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – The United States Supreme Court is soon to hear a case challenging a Tennessee law that prohibits sex-change treatments for minors, CBN News reports. The Republican-led Tennessee legislature last year passed the law that bans minors from receiving hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and sex-change surgery. Brought by the Biden administration’s Justice Department together with a Nashville trans-identifying teenager, his parents, and the ACLU, the case known as ‘United States vs. Skrmetti’ will be heard by the Supreme Court justices next month. Explaining the reasons for the legal challenge, ACLU attorney Chase Stangio said in a statement: “If the court can announce that we are not protected under the Constitution, it can and will do that for everyone. The movements that are targeting trans people currently are pushing the false narrative that it is harmful to be trans.” However, many experts internationally have expressed severe concerns about the impact of such drastic and often irreversible treatments for minors especially. “We know based on research, based on clinical practice, based on growing international consensus, that these interventions for minors are not based on any credible evidence that the benefits outweigh the risks. There are a growing number of teenagers and young adults who say that they have been harmed,” Dr. Leor Sapir of the Manhattan Institute said in a statement to CBN News. “[The Biden administration] eliminated age minimums from their standard of care recommendations under pressure from Dr. Rachel Levine, the Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,” Sapir said. “Puberty blockers are associated with risks such as cognitive impairment, bone density problems, brittle bones, sexual dysfunction, and of course sterility when they’re coupled with cross-sex hormones, lifelong sterility, so there are serious risks that come from these interventions. And I haven’t even gotten into the surgery issue, so, it’s perfectly reasonable. In fact, it’s completely justified for states to say, this is an ongoing uncontrolled medical experiment on children, and we’re going to regulate it.” “We’re going to make sure that kids have the ability to understand what they’re getting themselves into before they can possibly give consent to these treatments,” Sapir attested. The post Supreme Court Weighs on Age Limits for Transgender Surgeries appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

Friend, touch someone and bring out their inner beauty! Isaiah 6:8 Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. A young couple was visiting a renown jewelry store in New York City. They browsed through cases of magnificent diamonds with their gleaming yellow light along with many other splendid precious stones. Among those beautiful stones, one in particular caught his wife's eye. It was completely lusterless and didn't seem to be in the right place. "That is one terrible looking stone, do you see that?", the she said. The curious husband asked a clerk if they could see the stone. The clerk opened the case, took out the stone and held it in his hand for a few minutes. When he opened it, there was a perfectly flawless stone. There was not a place on it that didn't gleam with the splendor of the rainbow. "How did you do that?", they asked in surprise. "This is an opal", he replied. "It is what we call the sympathetic jewel. It only needs contact with the human hand to bring out its wonderful beauty." Merely a touch brings out this stone's beauty. We live in a world where beauty is hidden under pain, sin, and suffering. How many lives only need the warm touch of human sympathy, love, and compassion, to make them gleam with a radiant splendor? Friend, reach out and touch someone this weekend for His glory! Share with them the love of God and not only will they receive a glimmer of joy, but you will gleam with His radiance too! When the Lord asked whom shall I send, Isaiah replied "Hineni (here am I)". Let's say "Hineni" today and be used by the Lord to bring out the beauty of those around us! Shabbat Shalom and have a great weekend! Your family in the Lord with much agape love, George, Baht Rivka, Obadiah and Elianna (Melbourne, Florida) 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! Editor's Note: Dear friends — we are going to be heading WEST!!! Now booking in the following states: Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, and Arkansas …. If you know Pastors, Rabbis or Ministry Leaders who might be interested in some powerful Israeli style Hebrew/English worship and a refreshing word from Worthy News about what’s going on in the Land, please let us know how to connect with them and we will do our best to get you on our schedule! You can send an email to george [ @ ] worthyministries.com for more information. Around the World UN Atomic Chief Says Iranian Nuclear Sites Shouldn’t Be Attacked Tensions between Iran and Israel remain high as Tehran’s military pledged a strong response to Israel's strikes last month. At the same time, the UN's atomic watchdog is focused on preventing nuclear escalation, with IAEA chief Rafael Grossi urging that Iran's nuclear facilities, including Fordow and Natanz, should not be targeted as he is scheduled to visit the country. Taiwan Considering $15 Billion Weapons Deal with US: Report Taiwan has told the incoming Trump administration it is interested in securing a massive $15 billion military weapons deal with the United States, the Financial Times reported exclusively on Tuesday (November 12). Israel-Palestinian Conflict Israel Strikes Islamic Jihad Infrastructure in Damascus The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on Thursday afternoon that Israeli fighter jets targeted command centers and terrorist infrastructure linked to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group in Damascus, Syria. Inside the United States ISIS-Linked Houston Man Indicted, Planned 9/11 Style Terrorist Attack A 28-year-old man in Houston, Anas Said, has been indicted and arrested on charges he attempted to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a federally designated foreign terrorist organization (FTO). Trump Picks Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead HHS Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is president-elect Donald Trump’s pick to serve as U.S. Health and Human Services secretary. Supreme Court Weighs on Age Limits for Transgender Surgeries The United States Supreme Court is soon to hear a case challenging a Tennessee law that prohibits sex-change treatments for minors, CBN News reports. The Republican-led Tennessee legislature last year passed the law that bans minors from receiving hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and sex-change surgery. Christian News Mexico: New Law Makes Christians Increasingly Vulnerable to Persecution A new law intended to protect Indigenous Mexican communities may force Christians in Mexico to participate in traditional pagan practices on pain of legal repercussions, Christian Today (CT) reports. Egypt: Terrorism Circuit Court Considers Death Penalty for Two Men Who Bombed Protestant Church Amid efforts by Egypt’s Islamic government to improve its relations with Egyptian Christians, the Cairo Criminal Court's terrorism circuit has referred the case of two men convicted of a church bombing to the Grand Mufti for his opinion on whether the death penalty should be applied, Watani International (WI) reports. Worthy Insights ‘God of Darkness’ asteroid will pass so close it is expected to get ‘the shakes’ A recent study led by Ronald-Louis Ballouz from Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory suggests that the asteroid 99942 Apophis may experience tremors—similar to earthquakes—due to Earth's gravitational pull during its close flyby on April 13, 2029, with simulations indicating significant surface changes. Apophis, approximately 340 meters in size, will pass within about 32,000 kilometers of Earth, closer than many satellites in orbit. 51 Biden laptop deniers in danger of losing security clearances; letter falsely accused Russia Several Republican lawmakers want Congress to strip the security clearances of dozens of former U.S. intelligence officials who worked against President Trump in 2020 by asserting that information in the laptop of Hunter Biden was likely Russian disinformation. Quiet coup drags Bibi to court during war Establishment powers in Israel have decided to join the seven-front war against the Jewish state by targeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Trump Triumph Complete: CNN Ratings Drop 94% After Declaring War on Incoming President If you examine cable news viewership trends closely enough, you will find reasons for both satisfaction and discouragement. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – A new law intended to protect Indigenous Mexican communities may force Christians in Mexico to participate in traditional pagan practices on pain of legal repercussions, Christian Today (CT) reports. The Open Doors international Christian advocacy organization has warned legislation passed in September may see Mexican Christians having to participate in such rituals as animal sacrifice if they want to avoid punishment by the government. Considered obligatory, such rituals are followed by Indigenous groups who practice a combination of Catholic tradition with pre-Hispanic beliefs. Even before the new law was passed to protect these practices, those who did not participate could face fines, imprisonment, or expulsion from their communities. “In many indigenous communities, religious customs are inseparable from community life,” Liz Cortés, a partner of Open Doors working in Mexico, told Christian Today. “Christians who choose not to participate in these rituals are often seen as outsiders, disrupting the social order. This new reform essentially legitimizes this persecution by empowering local authorities to enforce these traditions as law, leaving Christians vulnerable to harassment and violence.” “Christians are often cut off from essential services such as water and electricity,” Cortés said. “Their children are denied education, and they are barred from accessing health services. We respect the traditions of these communities, but we cannot stand by while Christians are forced to renounce their faith or face imprisonment, fines, and social exclusion. It is crucial that the Mexican government safeguards religious freedom alongside the autonomy of indigenous peoples.” In a separate statement to Christian Today, Jorge Jiménez, a researcher for Open Doors in Mexico, explained: “By recognizing indigenous customs as public law, the government has essentially created a ‘fourth level’ of governance, making it difficult for Christian minorities to defend their rights under national law. Indigenous courts, which may be biased against Christians, could handle these cases, complicating legal recourse.” Secular Mexico ranks 37 on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted. The post Mexico: New Law Makes Christians Increasingly Vulnerable to Persecution appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Amid efforts by Egypt’s Islamic government to improve its relations with Egyptian Christians, the Cairo Criminal Court’s terrorism circuit has referred the case of two men convicted of a church bombing to the Grand Mufti for his opinion on whether the death penalty should be applied, Watani International (WI) reports. The two men are among 14 defendants, including eight women, who belonged to a terror group that bombed the Protestant church of al-Niema (Grace) in the Cairo northeast suburb of al-Marg in 2023. The bombing resulted in casualties and fatalities although the numbers have not been widely reported. “The Public Prosecution charged the defendants with joining a terrorist group established against the law and Constitution,” WI reports. “The group aimed at disrupting public order, imperiling society’s security, curbing constitutional and legal rules, preventing State institutions and public authorities from carrying out their duties, assaulting the personal freedoms of citizens, their public liberties and rights, and impairing national unity.” Egyptian courts may only apply the death penalty if it is approved by the Mufti, an official legal expert in Sharia law who can issue a ‘fatwa’ death sentence. Egypt ranks 38 on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted. The post Egypt: Terrorism Circuit Court Considers Death Penalty for Two Men Who Bombed Protestant Church appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Taiwan has told the incoming Trump administration it is interested in securing a massive $15 billion military weapons deal with the United States, the Financial Times reported exclusively on Tuesday (November 12). Taiwanese defense has been brought to the forefront of the world stage amid heightened tensions with China, whose government denies Taiwan’s independence and wants to annex the island nation through war if necessary. Citing anonymous Taiwanese official sources, the FT said Taipei’s inquiries about a defense deal include interest in procuring the Aegis destroyer, and possibly 60 F-35s, four Advanced Hawkeyes, 10 retired vessels and 400 Patriot missiles. “There are quite a few big platforms and other items that our armed forces have had their eyes on for a long time, but have not been able to acquire, so there’s a lot to choose from,” a Taiwanese official source told the FT. In its report, the FT quoted US-Taiwan Business Council president Rupert Hammond-Chambers as noting that such a large deal “could look like a down payment that would attempt to get off on the right foot with the new administration.” Reporting on the matter, the Taipei Times noted: “In his first term, Trump approved 11 packages to Taiwan worth US$21 billion, including F-16 jets and tanks, with the administration under US President Joe Biden also approving US$7 billion in deals.” The post Taiwan Considering $15 Billion Weapons Deal with US: Report appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Christen Smith | The Center Square (Worthy News) – President Joe Biden met with Donald Trump for nearly two hours on Wednesday in what his spokeswoman described as a “cordial” and “substantive” discussion. The pleasantries, however, don’t undermine the administration’s campaign-era messaging that painted the president-elect as a “threat to democracy” bent on exacting revenge on his political enemies. “The president is always going to be obligated to be honest with the American people,” said Karine Jean-Pierre, Biden’s press secretary. “What he says still stands.” The comment came in response to reporter questions about the two presidents cooling down the divisive rhetoric that dominated the campaign trail. Jean-Pierre said Biden did not apologize during the meeting, though he wasn’t the only one lobbing bombastic criticism across the aisle. She pointed to Trump’s description of Democrats as “the enemy within” and an “evil” party filled with “communists, Marxists and fascists.” In a brief public exchange with Biden on Wednesday, the president-elect said although “politics is tough … it’s a nice world today.” He also expressed appreciation for “a transition that’s so smooth, it’ll be as smooth as it can get.” Jean-Pierre reiterated the sentiment later Wednesday. “What we also want to be very clear about is the importance of listening to the will of the American people,” she said. “There was an election. It is important to respect our institution. It’s important to respect free and fair elections. And that’s what this president is doing – leading by example and putting that aside and putting the American people first.” She declined to share specifics of the meeting, except that Trump came with a long list of questions and that the two touched on national security and domestic policy issues. It was just one of several noteworthy developments on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, where fellow Republicans elected Sen. John Thune as the new majority leader in the upper chamber. The North Dakota lawmaker is viewed by some as a potential hindrance to Trump’s cabinet nominations, though he said the leadership team is “united behind” the president-elect. Multiple media outlets also called the majority for the U.S. House in Republicans’ favor after the party captured 218 seats to Democrats’ 208, with nine races outstanding late Wednesday afternoon. The remainder of races uncalled are not likely to flip. Trump also backed current House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., as still the best choice for the job. He and fellow Louisianan Steve Scalise, as House majority leader, were reelected shortly thereafter. Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post Biden Stands Behind Trump Criticism Amid ‘Smooth Transition’ appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Casey Harper | The Center Square (Worthy News) – President-Elect Donald Trump named two more high-profile figures to his administration Wednesday afternoon, the latest in a flurry of presidential picks. Trump tapped U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., to serve as attorney general and former Democratic Congresswoman and Lt. Col. Tulsi Gabbard to serve as director of National Intelligence. “For over two decades, Tulsi has fought for our Country and the Freedoms of all Americans,” Trump said in a statement. “As a former Candidate for the Democrat Presidential Nomination, she has broad support in both Parties – She is now a proud Republican! I know Tulsi will bring the fearless spirit that has defined her illustrious career to our Intelligence Community, championing our Constitutional Rights, and securing Peace through Strength.” Trump pointed to Gaetz’ background as a lawyer and emphasized the need to end weaponization of the Department of Justice, which indicted Trump on dozens of charges. “Matt will root out the systemic corruption at DOJ, and return the Department to its true mission of fighting Crime, and upholding our Democracy and Constitution,” Trump said in a statement. “We must have Honesty, Integrity, and Transparency at DOJ. Under Matt’s leadership, all Americans will be proud of the Department of Justice once again.” Gaetz infamously led the effort to oust former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy from his leadership position in a series of marathon votes that eventually led to House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., taking the role. Gaetz said online that it would be “an honor to serve” in the role. “On the House Judiciary Committee, which performs oversight of DOJ, Matt played a key role in defeating the Russia, Russia, Russia Hoax, and exposing alarming and systemic Government Corruption and Weaponization. He is a Champion for the Constitution and the Rule of Law,” Trump said. Gaetz previously was under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department and House ethics committee over sexual misconduct allegations. Gaetz denied any wrongdoing, and the Justice Department dropped its case in 2023, declining to bring charges against him. Democrats have pledged to fight back. “Trump won the election, but more than 72 million people voted for Democrats and they don’t expect us to roll over and play dead,” U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said in a statement. “We will have a peaceful transition of power, followed by a vigorous challenge from the party out of power, because that’s how democracy works.” Trump has also named: Veteran and Fox News host Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense Veteran and former New York congressman Lee Zeldin as head of the Environmental Protection Agency. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., as Secretary of State. Former Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Tom Homan as “border czar.” Former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. Former Congresswoman and current governor of South Dakota, Kristi Noem as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to lead the “Department of Government Efficiency. William Joseph McGinley as White House Counsel. Steven C. Witkoff as Special Envoy to the Middle East. Rep. Mike Waltz, R-Fla. as national security advisor. Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y. as ambassador to the U.N. Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post Trump taps Matt Gaetz as Attorney General, Tulsi Gabbard as Intelligence Official appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News ANKARA/JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Wednesday that Turkey has cut its ties with the State of Israel, marking a sharp escalation in diplomatic tensions between the two nations. “We have cut trade and ties with Israel, period,” Erdoğan said in remarks to Turkish media. However, Israeli officials in Jerusalem said they were unaware of the diplomatic status change. While Turkey recalled its ambassador from Israel “in protest of the Gaza War,” the Turkish embassy in Tel Aviv is still operating, Israeli sources said. Erdoğan spoke to reporters aboard his plane following recent visits to Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan. The Turkey’s leader stressed his condemnation of what he called “genocide” by Israel in Gaza and Lebanon. ISRAEL DENIES Israel’s government has vehemently denied committing atrocities, saying it is fighting Iran’s proxies, such as Hamas, after the group killed some 1,200 people in southern Israel on October 7 last year. However, Erdoğan said there was “an urgent need” for humanitarian aid and an immediate ceasefire. “As you know, intense efforts are being made to keep the pressure on Israel alive and to take coercive measures against this country based on international law,” he added. The Turkish president has been among Israel’s harshest critics before and after last year’s Hamas massacre, described as “the worst atrocity against Jews since the Holocaust,” or Shoah. He refused to condemn the Hamas atrocities against Israeli civilians and instead lashed out at Israel for its war against Hamas in Gaza. In March, Erdoğan emphasized Turkey’s strong ties with Hamas, which he refuses to recognize as a “terrorist organization.” “Turkey is a country that speaks openly with Hamas leaders and firmly backs them. No one can make us qualify Hamas as a terrorist organization,” he said HITLER COMPARISON The Turkish president has also compared Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler who ordered the murder of six million Jews. “Netanyahu and his administration, with their crimes against humanity in Gaza, are writing their names next to Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin, like today’s Nazis,” Erdoğan claimed. In May, the Turkish leader escalated his rhetoric by calling Netanyahu a “vampire” and said the State of Israel was a threat to “all of humanity.” He also announced that Turkey would halt all commercial trade with the Jewish state. Former Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz strongly condemned Erdoğan, accusing him of undermining both Israeli and Turkish traders. “Erdoğan crossed a line and blocked ports for Israeli exports and imports,” Katz complained. “This is how a dictator behaves – trampling on the interests of the Turkish people and businessmen and ignoring international trade agreements,” he argued. The post Turkey Cuts Ties With Israel appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News, with reporting by Johan Th. Bos in Amsterdam AMSTERDAM (Worthy News) – Police say pro-Palestine protesters gathered on Amsterdam’s central Dam Square despite a protest ban following the first pogrom in the Netherlands against Jews since World War Two. “We are present on Dam Square in large numbers because of a prohibited demonstration,” Amsterdam police said late Wednesday. “We have ordered the demonstrators to leave. Some of them then left voluntarily. The remaining demonstrators are surrounded by police officers. They have been arrested and will be transported in waiting buses.” Some protesters were wearing masks, although face coverings are prohibited under a temporary emergency ordinance issued by authorities. Police, present with many officers, vans, and riot police, intervened briefly, calling “everyone to leave Dam Square,” but then left protesters alone, reporters saw. Those attending the pro-Palestine rally were able to continue their protest till police broke up the massive gathering. Amsterdam’s local authorities (the mayor, police chief, and chief public prosecutor) issued an emergency ordinance after numerous people were injured during a “Jews hunt” by Arab Muslims. HIGH RISK The decree designates the city as “a high-risk security area,” enabling preventive searches and banning protests, officials said. The emergency ordinance was to expire on Thursday at noon local time. However, “a security risk area will remain in effect” until Sunday. “Due to the ongoing unrest in the city and the online threats to a number of schools in Amsterdam,” the Amsterdam leadership said. Within this area, police can “preventively search” anyone, authorities announced. Although the demonstration was moved to the Westergasterrein (Western Gast Terrain), many demonstrators stayed on Dam Square shouting “Free Palestine!” and other slogans. During an emergency debate in parliament, critics said, “Amsterdam is moving toward anarchy.” Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders said he will present a motion to parliament calling for the resignation of Amsterdam Mayor Femke Halsema. The post Amsterdam Despite Ban; ‘Capital Moving Toward Anarchy’ appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – President-Elect Donald Trump continues to fill out his cabinet today by announcing Florida Senator Marco Rubio as the next Secretary of State. Trump praised Rubio, stating, “He will be a steadfast advocate for our nation, a reliable friend to our allies, and a fearless force who won’t back down to our adversaries. I’m eager to work with Marco to make both America and the world safe and great again!” Marco Rubio, a Florida senator and Cuban American with significant foreign policy experience, has transformed from a former Trump opponent to a trusted ally and was even considered a finalist for Trump’s vice-presidential pick. Currently, Rubio holds key roles as the top Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, positioning him as a strong candidate. If confirmed, he would make history as the first Latino Secretary of State. The post Trump Selects Marco Rubio for Secretary of State appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-SD) will take over as Republican Senate leader and majority leader in the new Congress, succeeding Mitch McConnell (R-KY), the longest-serving party leader in Senate history, in January. Sen. John Thune, R-S.D., was elected Senate majority leader on Wednesday, winning in the second round of voting and defeating Sens. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and John Cornyn, R-Texas. “I am extremely honored to have earned the support of my colleagues to lead the Senate in the 119th Congress and am beyond proud of the work we have done to secure our majority and the White House,” Thune said in a statement released on X, formerly known as Twitter. “This Republican team is united behind President Trump’s agenda, and our work starts today,” Thune concluded. Joining Thune in Senate leadership are Sen. John Barrasso, R-WY, as assistant majority leader; Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., as Republican conference chair; Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., as Republican Policy Committee chair; Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., as Republican conference vice chair; and Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., as chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. The post Republicans Select Thune as New Senate Leader appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Newly appointed Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated on Wednesday that Israel would reject any ceasefire agreement that does not require Hezbollah to withdraw beyond the Litani River, amid reports that a deal may be close. “We will not agree to just any cease-fires, we will not take our foot off the gas, and we will not accept any agreement that does not include the achievement of the war goals,” Katz said on Wednesday. Katz outlined Israel’s conditions for a potential deal, stating that it includes “the disarmament of Hezbollah, its withdrawal beyond the Litani [River], and creating the conditions for the residents of the north to return to their homes in safety.” Katz further emphasized that any agreement must grant Israel the right to “enforce” the terms and to “act against any terrorist activity and organization,” he explained. Several media outlets reported that Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Monday to discuss the terms of a potential deal. France, also involved in the mediation efforts, addressed Israel’s security concerns during a visit by its Foreign Minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, to the Jewish state last week. The post Israeli Defense Minister: ‘Hezbollah Must Withdraw Beyond Litani River’ appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article