WorthyNewsBot

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – A Belarusian preacher, Syarhey Melyanets, has still not been released from jail in Belarus after being sentenced to 13 days’ imprisonment on unspecified charges, Radio Free Europe (RFE) reports. Melyanets’ imprisonment is part of an ongoing crackdown on civilians by Belarus’ authoritarian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka. As Worthy News reported, evangelical pastor Rev. Alyaksandr Zaretski was recently jailed in Belarus shortly after giving a sermon in which he prayed that Russia would end its invasion of Ukraine. Lukashenka is renowned for his support of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin. In a post on the Telegram social media channel, Christian Vision said Melyanets, the father of seven children, had still not been released. “Melyanets is known for attending the Minsk trials of activists who face charges that are widely seen as politically motivated and publishing articles about them on Facebook,” RFE noted in its report. “Very often, political activists are not released in Belarus after serving their administrative jail terms,” RFE added. “They are usually then presented with additional criminal charges.” The Viasna Human Rights Center, Belarus’ leading human rights group, reported recently that thousands of Belarusian civilians have been convicted on trumped-up political charges in the last three years. The post Belarus: Imprisoned Preacher Remains In Jail appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News VATICAN CITY/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – The Vatican has effectively called the growing trend of sex-change surgery and surrogacy another threat to humanity. In an opinion reviewed by Worthy News on Tuesday, the Vatican said that gender changes are on par with abortion and euthanasia as practices that “violate God’s plan” for human life. The death penalty is also cited, as it “violates the inalienable dignity of every person, regardless of the circumstances.” The views are in the Vatican’s doctrine office issued “Infinite Dignity,” a 20-page declaration prepared for five years. After substantial revision in recent months, it was approved on March 25 by Pope Francis, who ordered its publication, according to sources familiar with the document. In its most eagerly anticipated section, the Vatican stressed the rejection of “gender theory” or the idea that one’s gender can be changed, calling that approach “extremely dangerous.” It said God created man and woman as biologically different, separate beings and added they must not tinker with that plan or try to “make oneself God.” “EXTREMELY DANGEROUS” Gender theory is “extremely dangerous since it cancels differences in its claim to make everyone equal,” the declaration said. The gender theory “intends to deny the greatest possible difference that exists between living beings: sexual difference.” Therefore, “all attempts to obscure reference to the ineliminable sexual difference between man and woman” are “to be rejected,” the document said. Sex change, including through surgery, was judged negatively since it “risks threatening the unique dignity the person has received from the moment of conception.” This does not mean, however, excluding the possibility that “a person with genital abnormalities that are already evident at birth or that develop later may choose to receive the assistance of healthcare professionals to resolve these abnormalities,” the Vatican said. Yet the document also made clear that “every sign of unjust discrimination” against gay persons “is to be carefully avoided, particularly any form of aggression and violence.” It is “contrary to human dignity that in some places” people “are imprisoned, tortured and even deprived of the good of life solely because of their sexual orientation,” the Vatican noticed. Under Pope Francis, the Catholic Church has shown greater openness toward the LGBTQ+ community, including by recently lifting the ban on blessings by priests of same-sex couples. DISPLEASING BISHOPS That move displeased conservative bishops in the U.S., Africa, and elsewhere. The document appeared to strike a balance between those concerns and the pontiff’s views on homosexuality and gender change. In the “non-exhaustive” list, the declaration also mentioned abortion, euthanasia, and surrogate motherhood as “violations of human dignity” alongside war, the death penalty, poverty, and human trafficking, all themes raised previously by the pope as issues of concern. The final item on the list is “digital violence,” as “New forms of violence are spreading through social media,” such as cyberbullying. Additionally, “the internet is also a channel for spreading pornography and the exploitation of persons for sexual purposes or through gambling,” the document noticed. Therefore, “respect for the dignity of the human person beyond all circumstances [should] be placed at the center of the commitment to the common good and at the center of every legal system,” the declaration concluded. The declaration’s existence, in the works since 2019, was confirmed in recent weeks by the new prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Argentine Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, a close Pope Francis confidante. The Vatican said it was published now to commemorate “the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights” and to reaffirm “the indispensable nature of the dignity of the human person in Christian anthropology.” The post Vatican: ‘Gender Change Threat To Humanity’ appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – A Brazilian Supreme Court Justice has launched a probe into Elon Musk’s social media company, X, for spreading fake news and initiated a separate investigation targeting Musk for potential obstruction. Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes sought to crack down on “fake news” regarding the Supreme Court’s actions on Musk’s social media company X. According to the decision, Elon Musk will face investigation for his alleged deliberate criminal use of X as part of a probe into a group known as digital militias, accused of disseminating defamatory fake news and threats against Supreme Court justices. The new inquiry will assess whether Musk committed obstruction, organized crime, and incitement. In response to the judge’s remarks, Elon Musk, a staunch advocate for free speech, asserted that X would not adhere to his orders, regardless of the repercussions. Elon Musk criticized the demands, stating, “These are the most draconian demands of any country on Earth!” He expressed concern about potential repercussions in another post, saying, “We will probably lose all revenue in Brazil and have to shut down our office there.” Musk emphasized the importance of principles over profit, stating, “But principles matter more than profit.” Furthermore, he called for the resignation or impeachment of the judge, declaring, “This judge has brazenly and repeatedly betrayed the constitution and people of Brazil.” The political right in Brazil has frequently criticized de Moraes for allegedly exceeding his authority to suppress free speech and partake in political persecution. In previous probes into digital militias, individuals associated with former President Jair Bolsonaro have been arrested, and the residences of his supporters have been raided. Bolsonaro himself became the subject of an investigation in 2021. The post Brazil Supreme Court Justice Opens Investigation of Elon Musk Over Fake News appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – On Monday, the U.N. Security Council revived the Palestinian Authority’s aspirations for full United Nations membership. However, the United States stated that the current state of relations between Israel and the Palestinians is not ready for such a move, effectively dampening the Palestinian Authority’s immediate prospects for U.N. membership. Nevertheless, the United Nations Security Council president has referred the Palestinian Authority’s statehood application for full UN membership to its membership committee. Vanessa Frazier, Malta’s UN ambassador and the current chair, announced that the 15-member committee is anticipated to decide on Palestine’s status this month. She also suggested that the committee convene on Monday to review the application. However, the U.S., wielding veto power as one of the UN Security Council’s five permanent members, underscored on Monday that the Palestinian Authority needs to consolidate control over all Palestinian territories and enter into statehood negotiations with Israel before it can attain full statehood status, as stated by its U.N. delegation. “The issue of full Palestinian membership is a decision that should be negotiated between Israel and the Palestinians,” stated U.S. Deputy Ambassador Robert Wood on Monday. Israel’s U.N. ambassador, Gilad Erdan, ruled out the prospect of Palestinian statehood, framing it as a threat to Israel’s existence. “From well before the establishment of the U.N., the Palestinians’ goal has been clear: the annihilation of the Jews,” Erdan told reporters. He highlighted the continuity of hostile ideology, noting, “The U.N. was founded in the wake of World War II and ‘the same genocidal ideology that this body was founded to combat is still prevalent among the Palestinians,'” he emphasized. The post UN Security Council Rekindles Palestinian Statehood Ambitions; U.S. Says Not Yet appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Early Monday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) targeted and eliminated a high-ranking field commander of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan unit in southern Lebanon, according to both the Israeli military and the terrorist organization. On Monday morning, Israeli fighter jets targeted the village of al-Sultaniyah, leading to the death of Ali Ahmed Hassin—a field commander in Hezbollah’s elite Radwan units—and two others, as confirmed by the Israeli military and Lebanese security sources. Ali Ahmed Hassin, identified by the IDF as holding a rank comparable to a brigade commander, played a crucial role in coordinating attacks on northern Israel’s Ramim Ridge. This region has seen frequent rocket, missile, and explosive drone attacks during the southern conflict with Hamas. The IDF highlighted Hassin’s involvement, stating, “As part of his role, he was responsible for the planning and execution of terror attacks in the Ramim Ridge area against the Israeli home front.” Hezbollah confirmed the death of Hassin, stating he was killed “on the road to Jerusalem,” a phrase it uses to describe operatives who die in Israeli strikes. The organization did not acknowledge him as a commander in its statement. Since October 8, in support of Gaza amid the ongoing war, Hezbollah has launched almost daily attacks on Israeli border communities and military outposts. Over 3,100 rockets, missiles, and drones have been fired from Lebanon into northern Israel, with an additional 35 launched from Syria, the IDF reports. In response, the IDF has targeted approximately 4,700 Hezbollah positions during the conflict. Hezbollah has reported that 273 of its members, primarily in Lebanon but also in Syria, have been killed by Israeli forces during the current conflicts. To date, border clashes have led to the deaths of eight civilians in Israel, in addition to 10 IDF soldiers and reservists. Regional tensions escalated following an alleged Israeli airstrike in Damascus on Monday, which resulted in the death of seven members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including the senior Quds Force commander, Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi. Iran has promised retaliation. Supporting Iran’s stance, Hezbollah has endorsed Iran’s right to “punish” Israel, with its leader Hassan Nasrallah announcing on Friday that a response was imminent. The post Israel Eliminates Senior Hezbollah Elite Force Commander appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced a ‘date is set’ for the long-planned invasion of Rafah, emphasizing in a video statement that victory cannot be achieved without conducting a military operation in the Gazan city. “We are constantly working to achieve our goals—first and foremost the release of all our hostages and achieving a complete victory over Hamas,” Netanyahu stated in a video released on Monday. “This victory requires entry into Rafah and the elimination of the terrorist battalions there, it will happen —there is a date,” Netanyahu stressed. Soon afterward, the White House reported that it had not been informed of any details or a specific date concerning an Israeli operation in Rafah. According to the latest Israeli intelligence, Hamas has a total of four battalions located in Rafah, numbering approximately 3,000 terrorists. Netanyahu has emphasized that to secure Israel’s safety, these battalions must be thoroughly defeated, preventing Hamas from reorganizing and posing a renewed threat to Israel. The Biden administration is urging Israel to avoid a full-scale ground invasion, warning that such action could result in a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The White House is advocating for a more targeted approach that focuses on high-value Hamas targets and reinforcing the border with Egypt. However, it is believed that many of the 133 hostages, still held by Hamas after 184 days, are located in Rafah. Last month, a bold operation by Israeli special forces successfully rescued two hostages from the city. Two weeks ago, Netanyahu told U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, “We have no way to defeat Hamas without entering Rafah and eliminating the remnant of the battalions there.” He added, “I told him that I hope we will do this with US support, but if necessary, we will do it alone.” The post Netanyahu Declares ‘Date Is Set’ for IDF Offensive in Rafah Critical For Victory appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

Friend, caution -- under construction! 1 Kings 6:7 And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building." Isn't it remarkable that every stone was beautifully constructed at a place far away from the Temple sight -- and then put together perfectly on location? And these weren't small stones either -- these were great BIG stones, made far away and then and placed in perfect precision. (1 Kings 5:17) The Holy Spirit is erecting a magnificent temple today! And each stone -- that is, each of us -- has been carefully cut from this world's dark quarry, perfectly chiseled and smoothed to fit into a specific special spot within a growing structure -- upon which our Messiah is the chief cornerstone! Friend, you are a chosen and precious stone! Let's allow the Spirit of God to chisel us today! God desires to smooth out our rough edges so that we will be built into a glorious Temple unto the Lord. Your family in the Lord with much agape love, George, Baht Rivka, Obadiah and Elianna (Dallas, TX) (Baltimore, Maryland) Editor's Note: New Videos -- Earthquakes, Al Quds Day and Imminent War | Israel Strikes in the Heart of Damascus, Cicadas, and Revival | Prophecy to be fulfilled, Ai, and Cern! | Star Spangled Banner, Eclipses, and the Red Heifer Shabbat!" Be sure to watch, share, and subscribe to our YouTube Channel! 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: We are planning our summer Tour so if you would like us to minister at your congregation, home fellowship, or Israel focused event, be sure to let us know ASAP. You can send an email to george [ @ ] worthyministries.com for more information. Around the World Brazil Supreme Court Justice Opens Investigation of Elon Musk Over Fake News A Brazilian Supreme Court Justice has launched a probe into Elon Musk's company, X, for spreading fake news and initiated a separate investigation targeting Musk for potential obstruction. Thailand Passengers Miraculously Escape Ship Fire All people on board a burning ferry were miraculously safe Friday, including many passengers who jumped into the sea to escape the large fire that engulfed the vessel in the Gulf of Thailand, officials said. Israel-Palestinian Conflict UN Security Council Rekindles Palestinian Statehood Ambitions; U.S. Says Not Yet On Monday, the U.N. Security Council revived the Palestinian Authority's aspirations for full United Nations membership. However, the United States stated that the current state of relations between Israel and the Palestinians is not ready for such a move, effectively dampening the Palestinian Authority's immediate prospects for U.N. membership. Israel Eliminates Senior Hezbollah Elite Force Commander Early Monday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) targeted and eliminated a high-ranking field commander of Hezbollah's elite Radwan unit in southern Lebanon, according to both the Israeli military and the terrorist organization. Netanyahu Declares ‘Date Is Set’ for IDF Offensive in Rafah Critical For Victory Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced a 'date is set' for the long-planned invasion of Rafah, emphasizing in a video statement that victory cannot be achieved without conducting a military operation in the Gazan city. Inside the United States Total Eclipse Wows Millions A solar eclipse wowed millions across the United States, Mexico, and Canada on Monday. Trump Lays Out IVF, Abortion Stance After Court Rulings Former President Donald Trump laid out his stance on abortion and in vitro fertilization (IVF) Monday after recent major court cases reshaped the landscape on both those issues. Christian News Southern Baptist Convention lost over 1,200 congregations from 2021-2022 The world’s largest Baptist denomination, the US Southern Baptist Convention, lost a record 1,200 congregations in 2022, a new study by Lifeway Research shows. The data for 2022 is the latest available; a report for 2023 will be published soon, Lifeway said. Nicaragua Imprisons, Fines Protestant Pastors on Unsubstantiated Money Laundering Charges As part of President Daniel Ortega’s long-term crackdown on religious leaders, authorities in Nicaragua have now convicted 11 Protestant pastors on apparently trumped-up money laundering charges, sentencing them to jail sentences of 12-15 years in prison and an $80 million fine each. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News WASHINGTON/NEW YORK (Worthy News) – A solar eclipse wowed millions across the United States, Mexico, and Canada on Monday. The phenomena, dubbed the Great American Eclipse for its long path over North America — was visible in the sky over parts of Mexico, 15 U.S. states, and eastern Canada on Monday. Mexico’s Pacific Coast was the first location in North America to see a total solar eclipse. It then continued into the U.S. state of Texas and along a “path of totality” spanning more than 100 miles (160 kilometers) across the continent’s width. The sun was entirely obscured by the moon for a few minutes in 15 states from Texas to Maine, but the eclipse was at least partially visible in 49 states. Alaska was the only state where the eclipse wasn’t visible. U.S. space agency NASA began tracking the total solar eclipse over much of North America and Mexico on Monday, saying the “sky will darken as if it were dawn to dusk.” The post Total Eclipse Wows Millions appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Casey Harper | The Center Square (Worthy News) – Former President Donald Trump laid out his stance on abortion and in vitro fertilization (IVF) Monday after recent major court cases reshaped the landscape on both those issues. In a video posted online, Trump expressed support for IVF and said abortion laws should be handled by the states. “Under my leadership, the Republican party will always support the creation of strong, thriving and healthy American families,” Trump said. “We want to make it easier for mothers and families to have babies, not harder. That includes supporting the availability of fertility treatments like IVF in every state in America.” Trump’s support comes after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled in February that embryos should be treated as children, creating major questions about the future and legality of IVF. IVF usually works by creating embryos outside the womb and then implanting them within the womb. Often, because of the failure rate of those implantations, those seeking IVF treatment will create many more embryos than they expect to have as children. Later, if a couple decides to stop trying to have children, the remaining embryos are either donated or destroyed, but destroying them could have been illegal under the new ruling. In response, Alabama lawmakers passed a law in March providing criminal and civil immunity to IVF clinics that destroy or damage embryos. “Today, I’m pleased that the Alabama legislature has acted very quickly and passed legislation that preserves the availability of IVF in Alabama,” Trump said. “The Republican party should always be on the side of the miracle of life and the side of mothers, fathers, their beautiful babies, and that’s what we are.” Trump went on to say he has continued to receive questions about his stance on abortion since the overturning of Roe v. Wade, something he took credit for in the video. He said whatever states decide will be the final say. “It must be remembered that the Democrats are the radicals on this one because they support abortion up to and even beyond the ninth month,” Trump said. “The concept of having an abortion in the later months and even execution after birth, and that’s exactly what it is, the baby is born, and the baby is executed after birth, is unacceptable and almost everyone agrees with that.” The stance is a major strategic decision for Trump, as President Joe Biden and Democrats have repeatedly used the abortion issue to rally their base after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the nationwide abortion legalization allowed Roe v. Wade and sent the issue back to the states. “Like Ronald Reagan, I am strongly in favor of exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother,” he added. Abortion has been a significant electoral issue for decades, but the overturning of Roe v. Wade significantly increased its importance. Under the Supreme Court’s ruling, states can decide their own abortion laws. During his State of the Union Address, Biden made a point of this and claimed he would rally women to his side in November on this issue. “Clearly those bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade have no clue about the power of women,” Biden said in his State of the Union remarks. “But they found out. When reproductive freedom was on the ballot, we won in 2022 and 2023, and we will win again in 2024. If you – if you, the American people, send me a Congress that supports the right to choose, I promise you I will restore Roe v. Wade as the law of the land again.” The post Trump Lays Out IVF, Abortion Stance After Court Rulings appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – The world’s largest Baptist denomination, the US Southern Baptist Convention, lost a record 1,200 congregations in 2022, a new study by Lifeway Research shows. The data for 2022 is the latest available; a report for 2023 will be published soon, Lifeway said. Lifeway’s analysis of the 2022 Annual Church Profile of the Southern Baptist Convention shows that 1,253 congregations that had been members of the Convention in 2021 had disaffiliated in 2022. The study shows that 2% of the 50,423 congregations that were members of the SBC in 2021 had disbanded or closed by the time the data for 2022 was available. A further 0.5% had left or were disaffiliated from the SBC by the same time period. The number of congregations that disbanded, closed and left or disaffiliated from the SBC from 2021 to 2022 is significantly higher than the previous two years when 1,003 and 1,002 congregations stopped being members of the SBC. “The primary reason congregations are no longer considered active Southern Baptist congregations is that they cease to exist,” Lifeway Research said. Around 4 in 5 of the missing congregations (79%) disbanded/closed, leaving Southern Baptists with 984 fewer congregations. Within that group, 813 (83%) closed.” “Another 136 (14%) merged into another Southern Baptist congregation,” Lifeway continued. “Fewer became part of a non-Southern Baptist church (17 or 2%), never got started (8 or 1%) or are now a campus of another church (10 or 1%).” The post Southern Baptist Convention lost over 1,200 congregations from 2021-2022 appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – As part of President Daniel Ortega’s long-term crackdown on religious leaders, authorities in Nicaragua have now convicted 11 Protestant pastors on apparently trumped-up money laundering charges, sentencing them to jail sentences of 12-15 years in prison and an $80 million fine each. The 11 pastors are all associated with the US-based Mountain Gateway evangelistic ministry. The pastors and Mountain Gateway vehemently deny the charges. The pastors’ arrests followed their participation in organizing eight large-scale Gospel events attended by thousands of Nicaraguans last year. In an interview with the Washington Times, Britt Hancock, head of Mountain Gateway Order, said Ortega’s government is trying to force the ministry out of Nicaragua. “As an official, registered ministry in Nicaragua, they canceled our registration and they seized all of our assets,” Hancock said. “They’ve frozen our bank accounts there. … Mountain Gateway in Nicaragua as an organization? Well, that’s over.” “We can’t go to Latin America, we can’t go to Mexico, and that’s problematic for us because we have a big ministry footprint” in Mexico, Hancock said. Nevertheless, Hancock added: “[The] work of the Kingdom of God is not over, the spiritual side of things will continue, but as an organization, we can’t be there,” Nicaragua ranks 30 on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted. “Hostility towards Christians in Nicaragua continues to intensify, with those who speak out against President Ortega and his government viewed as destabilizing agents,” the Open Doors international Christian advocacy organization explains in a website statement. “Christian leaders have been harassed and arrested, Christian properties seized, Christian schools, TV stations and charities closed, and churches monitored and intimidated.” The post Nicaragua Imprisons, Fines Protestant Pastors on Unsubstantiated Money Laundering Charges appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News BANGKOK (Worthy News) – All people on board a burning ferry were miraculously safe Friday, including many passengers who jumped into the sea to escape the large fire that engulfed the vessel in the Gulf of Thailand, officials said. There were 108 people on board the Ko Jaroen 2, including 97 passengers and 11 Burmese boat crew members, all of whom survived, according to local authorities. The overnight ferry from Surat Thani province was reportedly about to reach its destination, the famous tourist island of Koh Tao, when one of the passengers heard a crackling sound, witnesses said. The passengers also reported that they smelled smoke. Within five minutes, flames engulfed the ferry, and plumes of thick smoke rose from the vessel. Panicked passengers on board started jumping into the sea, footage showed. One passenger, Maitree Promjampa, recalled, “We could barely get the life vests in time. It was chaotic. People were weeping … I also teared up.” As they reached the shores, several passengers were rushed to hospital for smoke inhalation, officials said. QUESTIONS REMAINED Questions remained as to why the fire broke out. Police Colonel Chokchai Sutthimek, superintendent of the Koh Tao Police Station, said the vessel was mid-sea and approaching the pier at Koh Tao at around 6:30 a.m. local time when the fire broke out. “The fire originated in the engine room while the boat was mid-sea and approaching the pier at Koh Tao, causing panic among passengers, some of whom jumped overboard,” Sutthimek confirmed. Boats from Koh Tao immediately rushed to aid passengers and crew, all successfully rescued. The fire was contained by 8.20 am local time. Thailand has had more deadly boat incidents in recent years. In July 2018, two tourist boats capsized in the country’s Phuket Province, killing 47 Chinese tourists. The post Thailand Passengers Miraculously Escape Ship Fire appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

Friend, show some end time love!! Matthew 24:12-13 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. The Bible speaks of a great falling away in the last days (2 Thessalonians 2) before the end of the age arrives, and it seems that we're seeing it on a grand scale all around us. Virtually everywhere we look we're watching the decline of morality and ethics -- in government, entertainment, and social culture. It seems hard to deny that we're living in the final days of abounding iniquity which Yeshua (Jesus) foretold. This is not an easy time for true believers. The evil around us can be so discouraging and the darkness so oppressive that it really threatens our ability to walk in love. Yet the reality of the gospel is brighter and more relevant than ever in this world. And the inner light of Messiah burning in us will be all the more intense and warm in this gloomy landscape, if -- and only if, we fill our lamps with His holy oil and burn with His last days love. Anti-Christ culture is permeating our society. But we respond with the enduring culture of Messiah, a culture of supernatural love that will not die. Friend, take heart and don't be deceived or discouraged, or allow your love to grow cold. These signs of the end are simply proof that God is on His throne and His sovereign Word is being fulfilled exactly as He spoke it. Continue in His love. Radiate His light. Wherever you are, wherever you go, bring His love. Love will endure, even forever. Your family in the Lord with much agape love, George, Baht Rivka, Obadiah and Elianna (Dallas, TX) (Baltimore, Maryland) Editor's Note: New Videos -- Earthquakes, Al Quds Day and Imminent War | Israel Strikes in the Heart of Damascus, Cicadas, and Revival | Prophecy to be fulfilled, Ai, and Cern! | Star Spangled Banner, Eclipses, and the Red Heifer Shabbat!" Be sure to watch, share, and subscribe to our YouTube Channel! 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: We are planning our summer Tour so if you would like us to minister at your congregation, home fellowship, or Israel focused event, be sure to let us know ASAP. You can send an email to george [ @ ] worthyministries.com for more information. Around the World Ukraine Civilians Suffer More Deaths Despite Pope’s Peace Appeals (Worthy News Radio) Pope Francis's appealed to pray for peace and urged leaders to negotiate on the future of Ukraine as the war-torn nation was reeling Sunday from massive Russian strikes that, besides soldiers, also killed more than a dozen civilians over the weekend. Russia, in turn, accused Ukraine of hitting Europe's largest nuclear power plant. The reported attacks came amid calls by Kyiv for better air defenses and calls for a world summit on peace. 100,000 Hungarians Rally Against Government After Scandals Some 100,000 Hungarians, many waving flags, marched through Budapest on Saturday in the largest demonstration in years against the country’s perceived authoritarian leadership. Pro-Russian Candidate Wins Slovakia’s Presidential Elections The nationalist left government’s pro-Russia candidate, Peter Pellegrini, has won Slovakia’s presidential election with about 53 percent of the vote, in an outcome due to worry the West. Israel-Palestinian Conflict Israel, World Mark 6 Months Since Hamas Massacre After Violent Protests Israel and its allies observed Sunday six months since the “Black Sabbath” on October 7, when Hamas fighters killed some 1,200 people and abducted about 253 persons. Israel Withdraws Ground Troops From Gaza Early Sunday morning, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) pulled back all its ground troops from the Gaza Strip, retaining only one brigade to maintain security along a corridor that divides the Palestinian territory. The IDF declared on Sunday that it had completed the active combat phase of the conflict for the time being, but it did not rule out the chance of launching a new offensive into Rafah, located in the far south of Gaza, in the future. Biden Urges Hamas Ceasefire and Warns Israel U.S. President Joe Biden has urged the leaders of Egypt and Qatar to pressure Hamas to agree to a Gaza ceasefire while also questioning Israel’s tactics amid a rising death toll. Israel Fires Officers Over Deadly Drones Israel’s military confirmed Friday that it fired two officers and reprimanded three others for their roles in the deadly drone strikes against aid workers in Gaza, which was condemned by crucial allies. Inside the United States Supporters of Palestine in Michigan Chant ‘Death to America!’, Call for the ‘Elimination’ of the Entire US System (Video) Pro-Palestinian supporters were heard chanting "Death to America!" and "Death to Israel!", calling for the entire U.S. system to be overhauled and called the United States "one of the rottenest countries that has ever existed on this Earth." 200,000 Deportation Cases Dismissed Because DHS Failed to File Paperwork About 200,000 deportation cases have been thrown out by immigration judges, according to a new report published by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. Earthquake Rattles New York City Region, Strongest Since 1884 In an area typically not associated with seismic activity, Lebanon, New Jersey, was hit by a 4.8 magnitude quake, shortly followed by a 4.0 magnitude aftershock that affected New York City, Philadelphia, and surrounding regions, marking the most powerful earthquake to strike the region in 140 years. Worthy Insights Toronto police encourage people to leave keys for thieves to steal cars “To prevent the possibility of being attacked in your home, leave your fobs at your front door because they’re breaking into your home to steal your car. They don’t want anything else,” Toronto Police Service Constable Marco Ricciardi said to residents at a recent community safety meeting in Etobicoke. Huge star explosion to appear in sky in once-in-a-lifetime event Sometime between now and September, a massive explosion 3,000 light years from Earth will flare up in the night sky, giving amateur astronomers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to witness this space oddity. Polar vortex is ‘spinning backwards’ above Arctic after major reversal event The polar vortex circling the Arctic is swirling in the wrong direction after surprise warming in the upper atmosphere triggered a major reversal event earlier this month. It is one of the most extreme atmospheric U-turns seen in recent memory. View the full article

(Worthy News) – During a rally in Dearborn, Michigan, Pro-Palestine advocates voiced chants of “Death to America!” and urged for a complete dismantling of the U.S. system. They also sought the removal of President Joe Biden, condemning the United States as “one of the rottenest countries that has ever existed on this Earth.” https://www.worthynews.com/wordpressimages/2024/04/Memri-Dearborn-2.mp4 At a pro-Palestinian rally in Dearborn, Michigan, marking International Al-Quds Day on Friday, attendees chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” while speakers also guided the crowd with the chant “from the river to the sea.” Tarek Bazzi, a Michigan-based activist linked to the Hadi Institute, emphasized at the rally, “Imam Khomeini, who declared the International Al-Quds Day, this is why he would say to pour all of your chants and all of your shouts upon the head of America.” This statement was highlighted in a video from the event distributed by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI). Bazzi further invoked Malcolm X, quoting him as saying the U.S. is “one of the rottenest countries that has ever existed on this Earth,” as part of his argument for dismantling the entire American “system.” Bazzi, referring to President Biden as “Genocide Joe,” stated, “It’s not just Genocide Joe that has to go. It is the entire system that has to go. Any system that would allow such atrocities and such devilry to happen, and would support it – such a system does not deserve to exist on God’s Earth.” Bazzi shifted focus to Israel, advising the audience on how to respond when “fools” question “if Israel has the right to exist,” by stating that the chant “Death to Israel” is “the most logical chant shouted across the world today.” The remarks were followed by chants of “Death to Israel!” from protesters in the crowd. Subsequently, protesters were heard voicing chants of “Free Palestine” and “From the River to the Sea,” a slogan used by Pro-Palestinian activists to signify the area from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea being entirely devoid of any Jewish presence. The post Supporters of Palestine in Michigan Chant ‘Death to America!’, Call for the ‘Elimination’ of the Entire US System (Video) appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News LONDON/JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Israel and its allies observed Sunday six months since the “Black Sabbath” on October 7, when Hamas fighters killed some 1,200 people and abducted about 253 persons. The day began hours after dissatisfaction with the war boiled over late Saturday, with police in Tel Aviv forcibly dispersing tens of thousands of anti-government protesters. They gathered in the Israeli city to demand the release of hostages seized by Hamas six months ago. In an open letter early Sunday, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak made clear he understood the pain of Israelis. Recalling the October 7 events, he spoke of “the most appalling attack in Israel’s history, the worst loss of Jewish life since the Second World War. Six months later, Israeli wounds are still unhealed. Families still mourn, and hostages are still held by Hamas.” Sunak stressed, “We continue to stand by Israel’s right to defeat the threat from Hamas terrorists and defend their security.l However, he also mentioned the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and said, “The whole of the UK is shocked by the bloodshed and appalled by the killing of brave British heroes who were bringing food to those in need.” DEADLY DRONES Sunak referred to Monday’s Israeli drone strikes that killed seven aid workers of the World Central Kitchen group in Gaza. Israel fired several officers, saying the deadly attack had been a tragic mistake. Sunak suggested that the attack underscored that after “six months of war in Gaza, the toll on civilians continues to grow.” He said there was “hunger, desperation, loss of life on an awful scale.” The Hamas-run health ministry claims more than 33,000 Palestinians were killed, but those figures have been difficult to verify independently. Yet, “This terrible conflict must end. The hostages must be released. The aid – which we have been straining every sinew to deliver by land, air, and sea – must be flooded in,” the prime minister argued. He spoke as mediated talks continued to reach a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. “The children of Gaza need a humanitarian pause immediately, leading to a long-term sustainable ceasefire. That is the fastest way to get hostages out and aid in, and to stop the fighting and loss of life,” Sunak wrote on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. CEASEFIRE CALLS He said such a ceasefire would be “For the good of both Israelis and Palestinians – who all deserve to live in peace, dignity and security – that is what we will keep working to achieve.” His message was delivered on the day that Israeli opinion polls suggested that the vast majority of Israelis are unhappy with the results achieved so far in the war against Hamas. Less than a third of Israelis said they are satisfied with the results achieved so far in the war, half a year after Hamas’s attack on October 7, according to the poll published by Israeli daily Maariv. More than half (62 percent) of respondents said they are dissatisfied with the results so far, and 9 percent said they don’t know, the poll showed. The frustration expressed in polls was certainly shared by demonstrators expressing anger Saturday that more than 100 hostages remain in Hamas custody in Gaza amid concerns about reports of sexual abuse and killings. Their rally came as the Israeli military said it had recovered the body of a hostage from southern Gaza. With tensions mounting, Hamas sent a delegation to Cairo for talks on a ceasefire in Gaza and a hostage-for-prisoner swap deal between the Islamic group and Israel. TOUGH DEMANDS Yet it warned it would demand “a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, and the return of displaced individuals to their places of residence.” It also seeks a “serious prisoner swap deal” involving the release of 1,000 Palestinian “security prisoners,” including some 100 serving lifetime jail sentences for murdering Israelis. In exchange, Hamas would release dozens of female, elderly, and wounded hostages. Israel agreed only to a brief ceasefire and rejected Hamas’ request to allow displaced civilians to return home. The Israeli government has pledged the destruction of Hamas, which it views as a terrorist group seeking the annihilation destruction of the Jewish nation and the Jewish people. The post Israel, World Mark 6 Months Since Hamas Massacre After Violent Protests appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Early Sunday morning, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) pulled back all its ground troops from the Gaza Strip, retaining only one brigade to maintain security along a corridor that divides the Palestinian territory. The IDF declared on Sunday that it had completed the active combat phase of the conflict for the time being, but it did not rule out the chance of launching a new offensive into Rafah, located in the far south of Gaza, in the future. The IDF announced that after four months of continuous combat, the 98th Division’s troops were withdrawn from the Khan Younis region. Currently, only the Nahal Brigade remains in the Gaza Strip, assigned the duty of guarding the Netzarim Corridor, a strategic passage that extends from the Be’eri region in southern Israel to the coastal area of the Strip. Following an evaluation at the IDF Southern Command, Israeli Defense Minister Gallant remarked, “The forces came out [of Gaza] and are preparing for their future missions; we saw examples of such missions in action at Shifa [Hospital] and also for their future mission in the Rafah area.” “We will reach a situation where Hamas does not control the Gaza Strip and where it does not function as a military framework that poses a risk to the citizens of the State of Israel,” Gallant stated. The withdrawal on Sunday seemed to mirror the strategy previously employed in the northern Gaza Strip after the IDF’s initial ground assault last year. Following an extensive offensive that lasted several months and involved multiple divisions, the IDF exited northern Gaza, only to re-enter later for more focused, smaller-scale operations. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi stated that although there has been a withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, the conflict with Hamas is ongoing and far from concluded. “We are fighting this war differently, it is different from its predecessors,” Herzi stated in a press release commemorating the six-month anniversary of the October 7 attack by Hamas. “The war in Gaza continues, and we are far from stopping. Senior Hamas officials are still in hiding. We will get to them sooner or later. We are making progress, continuing to kill more terrorists and commanders and destroy more terror infrastructures, including last night,” Herzi continued. “We will not leave Hamas brigades active in any part of the Strip. We have plans, and we will act when we decide. At the same time as the offensive effort, we allow the introduction of humanitarian aid into the Strip. The interest of Hamas is to present a humanitarian crisis in Gaza, to press for an end to the war,” Herzi added. “Hamas is trying to take control of the humanitarian aid and prevent its distribution, to return and control the Gaza Strip; this should not happen. Therefore, we continue to dismantle Hamas from its military and governmental capabilities to bring about… stability to the region,” Herzi concluded. This situation effectively allows Palestinians to move without restrictions in southern Gaza and Khan Yunis, leaving no measures in place to prevent Hamas from reassuming control. Meanwhile, the IDF maintains a separation, isolating the northern and central regions of Gaza from the south. There was a time when the IDF deployed five divisions, comprising between 30,000 to 40,000 ground troops, deep within Gaza, in addition to larger forces encircling the Strip. During the IDF’s ground offensive that began in late October, 260 soldiers lost their lives, and 1,552 were injured. The health ministry in Gaza, controlled by Hamas, reports that the conflict has resulted in over 33,000 deaths in the Strip so far, a figure that includes around 13,000 individuals identified by Israel as Hamas combatants killed in combat. This statistic cannot be independently confirmed. Additionally, Israel reports the elimination of approximately 1,000 militants within its borders on October 7. The post Israel Withdraws Ground Troops From Gaza appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News VATICAN CITY/KYIV/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Pope Francis’s appealed to pray for peace and urged leaders to negotiate on the future of Ukraine as the war-torn nation was reeling Sunday from massive Russian strikes that, besides soldiers, also killed more than a dozen civilians over the weekend. Russia, in turn, accused Ukraine of hitting Europe’s largest nuclear power plant. The reported attacks came amid calls by Kyiv for better air defenses and calls for a world summit on peace. https://www.worthynews.com/wordpressimages/2024/04/WorthyNewsRadioApril7.mp3 On Sunday authorities said at least three civilians were killed in a Russian attack on the frontline village of Guliaipole in Ukraine’s southeastern Zaporizhzhia region. The two men and a woman were the latest known civilian victims in the more than two-year-long war. Officials suggested that the death toll could have been higher if Ukraine’s forces had not destroyed 17 attack drones launched by Russia overnight. Earlier on Saturday, two Russian missile and drone strikes killed at least eight people and wounded some 10 more people in the northeastern Kharkiv area, officials said. Separately, in the eastern region of Donetsk, artillery shelling killed four people in the village of Kurakhivka, including a 38-year-old woman and her 16-year-old daughter, according to local authorities. Elsewhere, a 25-year-old man in the village of Krasnohorivka was reportedly killed. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy suggested the death toll could rise, saying Ukraine is running out of air defense missiles if Russia keeps up its intense long-range bombing campaign. NATO PLEDGE The secretary general of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, pledged that the military alliance celebrating its 75th anniversary won’t abandon Ukraine. Talks have been underway on his proposal to do so via a 100 billion-euro ($107 billion) five-year fund. “We must ensure reliable and predictable security assistance to Ukraine for the long haul,” he said. “We are transforming NATO’s comprehensive assistance package into a multi-year program of assistance,” Stoltenberg added. However, Ukrainian troops on the battlefield also face other challenges. They say Russia uses drones dropping teargas and other chemicals, although they have been banned during war under the Chemical Weapons Convention. In turn, Moscow has accused Kyiv of attacking the Russian-held Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, Europe’s largest, on Sunday. The strike allegedly damaged a truck parked near the station’s canteen, and there were no reports of radiation leaks or casualties. Russia is also investigating a dam burst in the Orenburg region that forced thousands, including at least 900 children, to evacuate. However, there were no indications that Ukraine was responsible. CHINA INVOLVED Yet there are concerns the war will pull in more nations, with Russia’s and China’s foreign ministers meeting in the coming days to discuss the war in Ukraine, among other issues. The United States had warned allies that China had provided crucial intelligence to Moscow in its war against Ukraine, including through satellite imagery for military purposes, as well as microelectronics and machine tools for tanks. As battles raged, Ukrainian President Zelensky said he hoped that he and Swiss President Viola Amherd would set a date within days for what he called “a world peace summit” in Switzerland. At least 80 to 100 nations are expected to attend the meeting. Yet, Moscow said the peace summit would have been pointless without Russian participation. Previously, Kyiv made clear that Russia won’t be invited to the gathering. The post Ukraine Civilians Suffer More Deaths Despite Pope’s Peace Appeals (Worthy News Radio) appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Some 100,000 Hungarians, many waving flags, marched through Budapest on Saturday in the largest demonstration in years against the country’s perceived authoritarian leadership. Saturday’s rally, which included a march towards the parliament building, was organized by a former insider of the ruling Fidesz party, Péter Magyar. He publicly broke with the government in February and is now aiming to challenge the position of Viktor Orbán, the longtime powerful prime minister. “Everybody here hates Orbán,” said 32-year-old Peter, who declined to give his last name. He and others talking to Worthy News say speaking publicly against Orbán could impact their jobs and lead to tensions with family members. Their fear highlights the polarization in Hungary that critics claim has been growing over the past 14 years under Orbán’s rule. Western diplomats say the prime minister undermined democratic institutions while seeking closer ties with Moscow and Beijing and overseeing a “corrupt patronage” network. The European Union has been upholding billions in funding partly due to corruption concerns. NO BUSINESS? Asked about why his close allies, including his son-in-law and former school friend, are all millionaires and even billionaires in euros, Orbán said he wasn’t dealing with business. Orbán, who began his career as an anti-communist liberal, has moved his Fidesz party to the right. He served as prime minister between 1998 and 2002, but since returning to power in 2010, he has taken a more nationalist, il­liberal path, frequently clashing with the EU. Now, Magyar – previously married to Hungary’s former justice minister – is trying to build a new kind of opposition movement. He recently leaked an audio clip he recorded with his then-wife Judit Varga, who was Justice minister then. In the recording, two people are heard talking about the investigation into a graft case involving Varga’s former deputy. Magyar says it contains proof that Antal Rogán, the minister of the prime minister’s cabinet office, and his staff manipulated investigative records. “Sure, they struck themselves out,” the woman purported to be Varga can be heard saying in the recording, an apparent reference to Rogan and his staff. DOMESTIC VIOLENCE However, following the revelations, she said in a written statement on social media that Magyar had been involved in domestic violence against her and pressured her into saying things. The corruption scandal comes after a sexual abuse of children scandal in a state-run orphanage that forced Orbán’s allies, the then president and the former justice minister, to resign from politics. While Orbán has been a political survivor, Saturday’s protest was expected to put further pressure on the government leader ahead of upcoming European Parliament elections. “From now on, nothing will be as it’s been,” Magyar said as he made the case for a more pro-Western European-facing Hungary. “Change has started, which can’t be stopped,” he pledged. Speaking to the crowds, Magyar accused the country’s media and the prosecutor’s office of lacking real independence. He mentioned again “high-level government corruption” and said he would launch a party that would run in the European Parliament election in June. Yet friends and foes agree that Magyar will face an uphill battle to change a political system that a generation grew up with. The post 100,000 Hungarians Rally Against Government After Scandals appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News BRATISLAVA/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – The nationalist left government’s pro-Russia candidate, Peter Pellegrini, has won Slovakia’s presidential election with about 53 percent of the vote, in an outcome due to worry the West. Pellegrini, an ally of populist Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, has made clear he does not want to send weapons to wartorn Ukraine. He accused his pro-Western rival Ivan Korčok of seeking to send Slovak troops to Ukraine to help it in its battle against Russia. With almost all votes counted, Korčok, 60, admitted defeat, adding: “I am disappointed.” He congratulated president-elect Pellegrini, who is expected to support the cabinet’s policies towards Ukraine strongly. The current leaders of Slovakia and neighboring Hungary, both NATO military alliance member states, want Ukraine and Russia to launch peace talks. Slovakia’s new government also halted any arms deliveries to Kyiv and criticized Western sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine. LEFT-WING Pellegrini, 48, also favors a vital role for the state. He heads the left-wing Hlas (Voice) party that finished third in the recent parliamentary vote and joined a governing coalition with Fico and the ultranationalist Slovak National Party. Critics worry Slovakia under Fico will abandon its pro-Western course and follow the direction of Hungary’s nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. Thousands have taken to the streets across Slovakia to rally against Fico’s pro-Russian and other policies, such as plans to amend the penal code and take control of public media. Korčok, a retired diplomat and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Slovakia has been critical of the government’s perceived autocratic style. Though the office is mainly ceremonial, Slovakia’s president ratifies international treaties, appoints top judges, is the armed forces commander-in-chief, and can veto laws passed by parliament. Outgoing President Zuzana Caputova, an outspoken liberal, used her limited powers to resist Fico, a veteran politician who returned to power in October after years in the political wilderness. With Pellegrini replacing her, a new political direction is expected in the country of 5.4 million people that Western allies will closely follow. The post Pro-Russian Candidate Wins Slovakia’s Presidential Elections appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor (Worthy News) – About 200,000 deportation cases have been thrown out by immigration judges, according to a new report published by the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. TRAC researchers evaluated data from January 2021 to February 2024 and found that 200,000 asylum or other immigration cases were dismissed because the Department of Homeland Security didn’t file paperwork with the courts in time for scheduled hearings. TRAC, a nonpartisan, nonprofit data research center, is affiliated with the Newhouse School of Public Communications and Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. One of the policies implemented by DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for which he was impeached relates to changing the detention and removal process. This included mass releasing illegal foreign nationals into the country who were given a Notice to Appear before an immigration court at a future date and location. In 2023, The Center Square first reported that Hondurans who illegally entered the country were being released by Border Patrol agents after giving them NTAs with court dates at an immigration court in North Carolina in 2026. NTAs state that the individual listed on it is in the U.S. illegally and is subject for removal. A Honduran’s NTA obtained by The Center Square, for example, states: “You are an arriving alien. The Department of Homeland Security alleges that you: 1. Are not a citizen or national of the United States; 2. You are a native of Honduras and citizen of Honduras; 3. On or about May 2, 2023, you applied for admission to the United States at a Brownsville, Texas, Port of Entry; 4. You are an immigrant not in possession of a valid unexpired immigrant visa, reentry permit, border crossing card or other valid entry document required by the Immigration and Naturalization Act. “On the basis of the forgoing it is charged that you are subject to removal from the United States pursuant to” several federal laws listed. By law, DHS is required to file the NTA with the court listed on it. DHS issuing an NTA “simply gives notice to the individual that they may be placed in removal proceedings,” the Immigrant Legal Resources Center explains. The actual process for removal does not begin until DHS files the NTA with an immigration court. “Once an NTA is filed with the immigration court and removal proceedings officially begin, an immigrant is on the path to potential removal from the United States,” it states. TRAC explains, “DHS’s duty to file NTAs in Immigration Court is an essential step in the immigration enforcement process.” It also notes that of the one million cases already initiated in fiscal 2024, 97% are removal cases for which DHS must file an NTA. Ten years ago, DHS’s failure to file an NTA before the first scheduled hearing “was rare,” TRAC notes. “However, the frequency increased once Border Patrol agents and other DHS personnel were given access to the Immigration Court’s Interactive Scheduling System,” creating a range of problems. TRAC researchers found that DHS personnel were scheduling immigration court hearings before NTAs were filed. As a result, DHS blocked off courts’ “valuable limited time by scheduling hearings for cases that do not legally exist, because DHS has not filed the required NTA before the hearing.” Because DHS did not file 200,000 NTAs with their respective courts, the courts had no jurisdiction to hear them and the cases were dismissed. Dismissed cases need new NTAs to start the process over. “These large numbers of dismissals and what then happens raise serious concerns,” TRAC says. TRAC evaluated data to determine which removal proceedings were dismissed but restarted within a year. It found that “only around a quarter of these individuals who had their cases dismissed for lack of a filed NTA had their Court cases restarted within one year by DHS issuing a new NTA. This suggests that in three-quarters of these 200,000 cases, the immigrant was effectively left in legal limbo without any way to pursue asylum or other means of relief.” TRAC researchers also identified a pattern: NTA-related monthly case dismissals averaged more than 6,600 in fiscal 2022 and more than 5,700 a month in fiscal 2023. The largest number of dismissals were in Houston, Miami, Los Angeles and El Paso, according to the data. “The Houston, Texas, Immigration Court and the Court’s Dedicated Docket in Miami, Florida, are clear standouts,” the report notes, with 50% or more of new cases dismissed because DHS didn’t file NTAs since fiscal 2021. The next greatest number of dismissals for the same reason were at the El Paso Dedicated Docket and the Los Angeles Dedicated Docket, with dismissal rates of 30% and 26%, respectively. The data evaluated also shows that the refiling rates were low. TRAC concluded, “the almost total lack of transparency on where and why these DHS failures occurred” is “troubling” as is “the lack of solid information on what happened to these many immigrants when DHS never rectified its failure by reissuing and filing new NTAs to restart their Court cases.” In response to its findings, two U.S. House committees launched an investigation. Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post 200,000 Deportation Cases Dismissed Because DHS Failed to File Paperwork appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News BRATISLAVA (Worthy News) – Voters in Slovakia were returning to the polls Saturday for the second round of their small country’s presidential election, in which they choose whether to move towards the European Union or Russia. The contest pits pro-European diplomat Ivan Korčok, who unexpectedly came top in the first round with 42.5 percent, against social democrat Peter Pellegrini, the current parliament speaker. Analysts said at stake is whether Prime Minister Robert Fico, who took power in October for the fourth time, will get an ally in the presidential palace or an opponent who could challenge his pro-Russian stance. The opponent was also expected to support reforming criminal legislation and the media, which raised concern over the weakening of the rule of law and democratic values. For Korcok, 60, the main battle cry has been not to give Fico and his coalition all executive positions. Pellegrini, 48, has tried to portray Korcok as a war-monger for his support for arming Ukraine and suggested he may take Slovak troops into the war, which Korcok denies. WAR RHETORIC Outgoing President Zuzana Caputova, a human rights lawyer not seeking a second term, criticized the war rhetoric in a television address on Wednesday. “I am sorry that playing with fear was part of this campaign,” Caputova said. “I have had the opportunity to get to know both presidential candidates during my five years in office, and I can say with a clear conscience that neither Peter Pellegrini nor Ivan Korcok will drag us into any war and will not send any of our soldiers to Ukraine.” Pellegrini is a close ally of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. He heads the left-wing Hlas (Voice) party, which finished third in last September’s parliamentary elections. It then joined a governing coalition with Fico’s leftist Smer (Direction) party and the ultranationalist Slovak National Party. The post Slovakia’s Presidential Poll Fight Between Pro-Russia and Pro-Western Camp appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – In an area typically not associated with seismic activity, Lebanon, New Jersey, was hit by a 4.8 magnitude quake, shortly followed by a 4.0 magnitude aftershock that affected New York City, Philadelphia, and surrounding regions, marking the most powerful earthquake to strike the region in 140 years. According to the USGS, following the morning earthquake, there have been at least 18 aftershocks of varying magnitudes. The most significant of these aftershocks happened in Gladstone, New Jersey, just before 6 p.m. on Friday, recording a magnitude of 4.0. The US Geological Survey (USGS) announced that a 4.8 magnitude earthquake, occurring at 10:23 a.m. ET near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, about 45 miles west of New York City, was felt by 42 million people, with people feeling the tremor as far as Maryland and Massachusetts. Notably, the quake’s epicenter was situated less than seven miles northeast of former President Donald Trump’s National Golf Club Bedminster, placing it near the heart of the seismic activity. Earthquakes occur less frequently on the East Coast of the U.S. compared to the West Coast, largely due to the East Coast’s position away from the boundaries of tectonic plates. The most significant earthquakes in the eastern U.S. typically happen along the mid-Atlantic Ridge, a geological feature that runs through Iceland and stretches across the Atlantic Ocean. The USGS has recorded that earthquakes of magnitude 5 or higher occurred near New York City in 1737, 1783, and 1884. The post Earthquake Rattles New York City Region, Strongest Since 1884 appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News WASHINGTON/JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – U.S. President Joe Biden has urged the leaders of Egypt and Qatar to pressure Hamas to agree to a Gaza ceasefire while also questioning Israel’s tactics amid a rising death toll. Additionally, Biden said Hamas should free its hostages as part of a deal to be discussed this weekend in Cairo, Egypt. His comments came after he warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that future U.S. support for Israel’s Gaza war depends on fast new steps to protect civilians and aid workers. Biden and Netanyahu‘s roughly 30-minute call followed Israeli airstrikes, killing seven food aid workers in Gaza. The tone of their conversation underscored a change in the Biden administration’s support for Israel’s war efforts. It was the first time the U.S. leader threatened to rethink his backing if Israel didn’t change its tactics and allow much more humanitarian aid into Gaza. The White House would not specify what could change about U.S. policy, but commentators said it could alter military sales to Israel. Measures were also expected to include reducing America’s diplomatic backup for Israel on the world stage. UN RESOLUTION The U.S. already declined to veto a recent United Nations Security Council Resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Amid the political wrangling, Bill Burns, the director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, was to lead the American delegation to the Cairo talks on a Gaza Ceasefire, Worthy News monitored Biden reportedly wrote letters to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, and urged them “to secure commitments from Hamas to agree and abide by a deal.” White House national security spokesperson John Kirby also said Biden told Netanyahu “to empower” his negotiators in Cairo that a deal can be reached quickly. The United States and its allies view a ceasefire as essential to allow more humanitarian aid to get into Gaza amid fears of famine among the Palestinians there. Under the most recent proposal, Israel and Hamas would agree to a six-week ceasefire in exchange for the release of sick, elderly, and wounded hostages held by Hamas. Yet progress on a deal has been stalled for weeks. The Hamas-run health ministry says more than 33,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since Israel launched its war against Hamas nearly six months ago, but those figures have been difficult to verify independently. The ministry does not differentiate between combatants and civilians. Israel says it killed at least some “13,000 Hamas terrorists” since launching its military operations in Gaza. The battle was triggered by Hamas killing some 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapping about 253 others on October 7, Israeli officials said. The post Biden Urges Hamas Ceasefire and Warns Israel appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Israel’s military confirmed Friday that it fired two officers and reprimanded three others for their roles in the deadly drone strikes against aid workers in Gaza, which was condemned by crucial allies. Monday’s attack on a convoy of the U.S.-based World Central Kitchen (WCK) charity killed seven aid workers on a food-delivery mission. The military said the officers responsible for the strike had mishandled critical information and violated the army’s rules of engagement. Friday’s published findings of a retired general’s investigation came after accusations from the United States and others that Israel wasn’t doing enough to protect Gaza’s civilians and aid from its war against Hamas. Palestinians, several aid groups, and other critics claim Israel fires “recklessly” at innocent people, but Israel says Hamas is using civilians as human shields. “It’s a tragedy,” Israel Defense Forces spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari told media. “It’s a serious event that we are responsible for, and it shouldn’t have happened. And we will make sure that it won’t happen again,” he added. The move at the height of the war seemed remarkable. Similar dismissals haven’t been reported within Hamas after the group misfired rockets that killed civilians or when its fighters massacred some 1,200 noncombatants, including raped women and children, on October 7 in Israel. ‘STEPS FORWARD’ WCK called the investigation and disciplinary actions “important steps forward” — but said more needed to be done. “Without systemic change, there will be more military failures, more apologies, and more grieving families,” the group said, adding that it appeals for an independent investigation. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken agreed, saying that while Israel took responsibility, the U.S. would review the findings “to see not just what steps are being taken but the results.” Military officials said that the investigators concluded that a colonel authorized the series of deadly drone strikes on the convoy based on one major’s observation — from grainy drone camera footage — that someone in the convoy was armed. That observation turned out to be untrue, military officials said. Under the Israeli army’s rules of engagement, officers must have “more than one reason” for identifying someone as a target before they can be hit. The army said the colonel and the major were dismissed, while three other officers were reprimanded, the most senior of whom was the head of the Southern Command. The results of the investigation were turned over to the military’s advocate general, who will decide whether they or anyone else involved in the killings will receive more punishment or be prosecuted. It came as WCK confirmed that British victims John Chapman, 57, James “Jim” Henderson, 33, and James Kirby, 47, who were working for the charity’s security team, were among those killed. The others who died in the strike were the team’s leader, Lalzawmi “Zomi” Frankcom, 43, an Australian national, along with Palestinian Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 25; US-Canadian dual citizen Jacob Flickinger, 33; and Polish national Damian Sobol, 35, the group said. The post Israel Fires Officers Over Deadly Drones appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News JERUSALEM/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Israeli embassies are on high alert amid concerns they will be targeted by Iran, which vowed revenge for Israel’s alleged assassination of the senior commander of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Brigadier General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who led the IRGC, was killed with six other people, including another Iranian general, when Israeli warplanes destroyed the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Syria, sources said. Besides security measures at embassies, some Israeli ambassadors were asked not to arrive at public events over fears for their security following Monday’s strike, officials said. It came while Bulgarian police found a cache of weapons that members of Iran-backed Hamas, deemed a terrorist group by Israel, wanted to use against Jewish targets in Europe, officials said. Four people previously arrested in the Netherlands and Germany were said to be involved in the scheme. Yet despite the tensions, Israel denied claims it withdrew its ambassadors and evacuated its embassies in multiple locations worldwide after consultations between the Israeli Foreign Ministry and Israel’s Shin Bet security service. On October 8, one day after Hamas launched its massacre of southern Israel last year, embassies across the world were also notified of concrete threats to their security. Those threats materialized in some embassies, with a staffer at the Israeli embassy in Beijing being assaulted on October 13, Israeli sources said. The staffer was hospitalized “in stable condition,” Israeli media reported. The post Israel Embassies On High Alert After Iran Threatens Attacks appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article