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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – A national US prison ministry has shared remarkable stories of how God has touched the lives of hundreds of inmates, bringing them spiritual freedom in Christ, CBN News reports. Founded in 2009, the God Behind Bars ministry exists to “introduce inmates to Jesus and connect them to the local church.” The ministry uses satellite campus churches, inmate tablets, and Pando – a faith-based app containing worship music and Christian resources – to reach over 2.3 million prisoners in the United States. Among those who have been saved through the ministry is Daniel, a former gang member who had been in a satanic cult. “I’ve seen the glory of God,” Daniel told the ministry. “There is nobody greater. There is nobody more powerful, nobody more dangerous, which is good when you need a warrior on your side. He is a man of battle, for real.” “About a year ago is when God took me out of the satanic cult,” Daniel added. “I had been with the Lord before that, but I backslid and wasn’t involved in church anymore, so it was an accident that I became part of [the cult] when I was trying to learn deeper things.” In a separate report about a service in which 25 men who were detained in a maximum security prison gave their lives to Christ, God Behind Bars stated: “One man who got baptized was leading a Wiccan group, came to Jesus, and was baptized! Another man (who came) to this service for the first time invited Jesus into his life and was baptized! Another man has been in prison for 40 years and is serving a life sentence. He wasn’t signed up to be baptized but made the spontaneous decision to be baptized.” The post US Ministry Sees God Touching the Lives of Prisoners, Delivering Them From Darkness appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Casey Harper | The Center Square (Worthy News) – Just one week from Election Day, millions of dollars have poured in online through ActBlue, the Democratic Party’s primary donation processor, but a series of allegations of fraud have put ActBlue in the spotlight and potentially up for a crackdown from House Republicans if they retain the majority this November. The New York Post reported on a Republican memo showing that the U.S. Treasury found hundreds of donations made to Democrats via ActBlue were flagged by banks as potentially suspicious. “Democrat donor platform ActBlue may have ILLEGALLY funneled donations from China, Russia, Iran, Venezuela and other countries in the names of Americans – without their consent,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., wrote on X in response to the reporting. “The [House Admin Committee] is working to get the American people answers they DESERVE,” he continued, referring to the committee’s investigation into ActBlue. The House Oversight Committee is also investigating ActBlue and helped turn up the subject of the New York Post’s reporting. ActBlue has declined multiple requests for comment from The Center Square. As The Center Square previously reported, Republican strategist Mark Block filed a lawsuit saying 35 donations were made to Kamala Harris’ campaign via ActBlue using his name. ActBlue’s scrutiny is also coming from leaders in Missouri, Virginia, Texas and Wyoming, who have already opened inquiries or pressed ActBlue, citing similar concerns. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton formally made a criminal referral last week to the Department of Justice over ActBlue’s alleged fraudulent donations, which came on the heels of his call for the Federal Elections Commission to step in on the issue. “I have made a criminal referral to the U.S. Department of Justice based on the findings from our investigation into ActBlue,” Paxton said in a statement. “My investigation uncovered evidence showing that bad actors are likely using ActBlue’s platform to make illegal campaign contributions. It is illegal to engage in election fraud and it is illegal to obscure one’s identity to flout election rules. The Department of Justice must take immediate action to prevent illegal conduct in our elections.” ActBlue could face more serious inquiry if Republicans retain state government control and the federal legislative bodies. A Department of Justice under President Donald Trump’s second term could act on Paxton’s referral, among others. Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post Democratic Donation Processor Faces Potential Reckoning If GOP Wins in November appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – Former U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s ally and chief strategist Steve Bannon was released from a Connecticut federal prison early Tuesday after serving four months in jail for failing to comply with a subpoena by a Congressional committee investigating January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Bannon’s release comes just one week before the November 5 presidential election, with polls suggesting a slight lead for Trump. He was met by his daughter Maureen early Tuesday morning as he left the Federal Correctional Institution in Danbury, Connecticut, in the pre-dawn hours. Bannon, 70, then headed to Manhattan, where he resumed his WarRoom podcast and online show and later held an afternoon news conference. “I’m finally out of being a political prisoner,” Bannon told reporters, adding that prominent Democrats hoped to break him. “I think you can see today I’m far from broken. I’ve been empowered by my four months in Danbury federal prison.” Bannon was convicted in 2022 on two counts of contempt of Congress for refusing to comply with a subpoena from the House Select Committee that investigated the January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. On that day, rioters claiming to be supporters of then–U.S. President Trump sought to keep him in power by occupying the Capitol after what they viewed as fraudulent elections. PREVENTING CONGRESS They attempted to prevent a joint session of Congress from counting the Electoral College votes to formalize President-elect Joe Biden’s declared victory. Sources familiar with the matter said that while in prison, Bannon, who publicly questioned the election outcome, digitally kept in touch with a small group of loyalists, including guest hosts of his WarRoom podcast. They said he would, in part, discuss the news and politics of the day, including topics he thought about for the show. He reported to prison on July 1 after the Supreme Court rejected his bid to delay his sentence while he appealed his conviction. A federal appeals court panel upheld Bannon’s convictions in May, but Bannon now asks the full appeals court to hear his case. His legal team says the congressional subpoena was invalid because Trump had asserted “executive privilege.” Prosecutors, though, say Bannon had left the White House years before, and Trump had never invoked executive privilege before the committee. MORE CHARGEShttps://worthynews-1fe3e.kxcdn.com/wordpressimages/2024/10/steve-bannon-worthy-ministries-640x360.jpg Bannon faces additional criminal charges in New York state court, alleging he duped donors who gave money to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Bannon has pleaded not guilty to money laundering, conspiracy, fraud, and other charges. A trial in that case is scheduled to begin in December. He blames Democrats and their agenda for the ongoing prosecutions. He said former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, “sent” him to prison “to silence” his voice. His critics say an independent jury convicted him, and a judge sentenced Bannon. The post Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon Released From Prison appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – No new diplomatic missions other than embassies will be allowed in Jerusalem, which Israel regards as its “eternal undivided capital,” the Jewish nation’s parliament, the Knesset, decided Tuesday. The United States, under then-President Donald J. Trump, was the first Western nation to move its embassy to Jerusalem. On Tuesday, lawmakers voted 29-7 for a bill to encourage the establishment of more embassies in the capital, as no new consulates are allowed there. The latest legislation is an amendment to “the Basic Law: Jerusalem, Capital of Israel.” However, Israeli sources said the law will not affect the status of existing diplomatic missions, including consulates, in the Israeli capital. It was also not expected to impact the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ). “The Christian Embassy is not an accredited diplomatic mission,” the ICEJ explained. “It does represent tens of millions of Christians worldwide, including many churches and entire denominations, who share a Biblical worldview that compels them to bless and comfort Israel in our day. We faithfully carry out our mandate to show favor to the Jewish nation and people.” DIPLOMATIC TREATY The bill adopted Tuesday says that “diplomatic” embassies in Jerusalem must be ones of states accredited to the State of Israel and have diplomatic treaties with the Jewish nation. That prevents the establishment of diplomatic missions in Jerusalem servicing Palestinians from, for instance, Gaza or the West Bank, also known as Judaea and Samaria, according to a Worthy News assessment. Experts say the modern State of Israel made its capital clear from its inception, moving the Constituent Assembly—later renamed the Knesset—from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem in 1949. Under the law, new consulates in Israel must only support “residents of Israel or officials tasked with interacting with Israel.“ Legislators Ze’ev Elkin of the right-wing United Right alliance and Dan Illouz of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party initiated the law to prevent Jerusalem’s division. They condemn the growing number of countries recognizing Palestine as an independent state with parts of Jerusalem as its capital. “Jerusalem is the eternal and undividable capital of the State of Israel, and we will not enable any other country to question our sovereignty over a unified Jerusalem. No pressure will deter us from maintaining this important principle,” Elkin said in published remarks. Illouz added, “Whoever questions [a unified] Jerusalem questions the very existence of the State of Israel, and we will not accept this. This law clarifies once and for all: Jerusalem is ours, and it is not for sale.” EAST JERUSALEM He made clear that Israel’s capital includes East Jerusalem, which modern-day Israel took over in 1967 following the Six-Day War against a coalition of Arab states. Most countries do not recognize Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel and base their embassies in Tel Aviv, often opening smaller consulates in Jerusalem. However, Elkin recalled that during the previous government’s tenure, he had threatened to “quit the coalition if a new U.S. consulate would be opened in Jerusalem” to serve Palestinians. He passed the bill “for the State of Israel not to find itself again under diplomatic pressure to open consulates.” Eight countries operate consulates-general in Jerusalem, which are not diplomatic missions to Israel but to what they consider Palestine. Currently, five countries — the U.S., Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, and Papua New Guinea — have embassies in Jerusalem. The post Israel: ‘No New Diplomatic Missions Other Than Embassies In Jerusalem’ (Worthy News In-Depth) appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News LONDON (Worthy News) – The teenager who allegedly killed three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in England in a stabbing rampage that sparked massive violent protests has been charged with a terrorism offense, officials said Tuesday. Merseyside Police said that Axel Rudakubana, 18, who was accused of murdering the three girls and injuring 10 others, produced the deadly poison ricin that was found in his home. Chief Constable Serena Kennedy said Rudakubana also had the terror group Al-Qaida’s “jihad training manual.” The document titled “Military studies in the jihad against the tyrants: The al-Qaeda training manual” includes a translation of a manual produced by Al-Qaida offering advice “on urban warfare and terrorism,” law enforcement sources said. The rest were instructions to operatives on “how to establish terrorism cells and what to say if they are arrested, “ according to sources familiar with the material. Although the ricin was found in a search of Rudakubana’s home in early August, health officials stressed that the “ risk to the public and emergency workers was low.” Rudakubana, who police said was born in Cardiff, Wales, to Rwandan parents, already faced three counts of murder over the deaths of Alice Dasilva Aguiar, 9, Elsie Dot Stancombe, 7, and Bebe King, 6, in the seaside town of Southport in northwest England. CHARGED WITH MURDER The suspect, who is 18 but was 17 at the time of the attack, is charged with the murders of Bebe King, aged six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine. He is also accused of attempted murder of Leanne Lucas, the class instructor, businessman John Hayes, and eight children, not named for legal reasons, and with possession of a knife. However, the leftist British government denied Tuesday that it tried to cover up the attack despite the details only emerging three months after the stabbings. Suspicions among anti-Islam protesters that the attacker was a Muslim asylum seeker motivated by terrorism sparked riots over the summer, with thousands arrested and dozens jailed. Ahead of the new charges, the National Police Chiefs’ Council said 1,590 people had been arrested in connection with the anti-migration and anti-Islam riots that followed the stabbings. There have been 1,015 charges, while 572 people remain on bail. Inquiries to find 216 wanted people continue, officials said. The stabbing underscored broader concerns about tensions over migration in Britain, although the alleged attacker was born on British soil. The post Britain Charges Teen With Al Qaida Ties With Terrorism appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – A secretive Iranian military base that experts believe is connected to Tehran’s nuclear weapons program appears to have been damaged by Israel’s air strikes on Saturday, the Times of Israel (TOI) reports. Israel’s October 26 strikes were in retaliation for the barrage of some 200 ballistic missiles launched at the Jewish state by Iran’s Islamic regime on October 1. Satellite photos analyzed by The Associated Press show several buildings at Iran’s Parchin military base were damaged. The UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency believes Iran used the Parchin base to test high explosives that could trigger a nuclear weapon, TOI reports. The photos show additional damage at the Khojir military base close by, TOI reports. Khojir is a large missile production site near Tehran that experts contend has an underground tunnel system below it. Iran has not confirmed attacks on either site, but did say that four Iranian soldiers were killed during the raid, TOI reports. In a statement about the strikes, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday: “We promised we would respond to the Iranian attack and on Saturday we struck… The attack in Iran was precise and powerful, achieving all of its objectives.” The post Israel’s Strike on Iran Damaged a Site Experts Believe Is Connected to Nuclear Weapon Development appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Suspected Boko Haram Islamic terrorists in northeast Nigeria have beheaded four ‘infidel’ civilians, one of whom was a woman and one who is believed to have been a Christian, the Open Doors international Christian advocacy organization reported on October 24. The traumatizing attack took place amid ongoing extreme violence against Nigerians considered ‘infidels’ for not conforming to the terrorists’ jihadist ideology. Reporting that the beheadings were carried out in Borno State, in northeast Nigeria, Open Doors said the four victims had been abducted and their killings were filmed. “In the video, an armed terrorist, dressed in fatigues and speaking Hausa, told onlookers how one of the people he would behead was his younger sister,” Open Doors reports. The terrorist explained that his sister was “part of the infidels we will annihilate today,” Open Doors reported. The terrorist then added that he would do the same if it were his mother or his child – anyone ‘who goes against our religion.’ “Wherever there is an infidel, we will go and find them out by ourselves and execute them,” the terrorist said before murdering the victims. “Boko Haram extremists have clearly said time and time again that they are waging a jihad against people they call ‘infidels’ – that is anyone who does not sign up to their extreme interpretation of Islam,” John Samuel, Open Doors’ legal expert for sub-Saharan Africa said in a statement. “Some of the people at the top of this list, then, are Christians who are clear targets because of their faith.” The post Nigeria: Boko Haram Behead Four ‘Infidel’ Civilians Including a Woman appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

Friend, call upon your God! Jonah 1:6 So the captain came to him, and said to him, "What do you mean, sleeper? Arise, call on your God; perhaps your God will consider us, so that we may not perish." At this point, the captain (who probably worshiped Baal and Yamm, god of the sea) has more faith than Jonah. Frantic in the midst of impending catastrophe, he jolts Jonah back to life and intercession. They say there are no "foxhole atheists"; when great danger comes God somehow bursts into existence. But these sailors were polytheists, and desperation led them to implore the local god of every man in the boat for mercy and salvation. Even these idol worshipers knew that prayer is the only recourse in the hour of desperation. It's something to remember and apply in our day to day encounters with people. So many these days are dealing with serious and even desperate situations, while they're waiting there at the checkout counter...and while they don't much care to hear a sermon, they might really appreciate our prayers. We've been in situations, with hardly a clue whom we were speaking with, and simply said, "Do you mind if I pray for you?" Suddenly eyes light up, "Yes, please do!" Prayer brings people back into direct relationship with God and reminds them of their dependence on Him, and whether we're on a ship in a storm, or facing some other potential catastrophe, we all desperately need His grace and favor. And connecting with people this way is actually easier than you might think. Friend, the times are coming, and are already here, when more and more people facing desperation may turn and cry to us, "Call on Your God to save us!" They may even wake us up from our spiritual slumber to do it. Rather than rubbing our eyes and groaning, "Duh, what?" we ought to be already awake, looking for them now. 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 Britain Charges Teen With Al Qaida Ties With Terrorism The teenager who allegedly killed three girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in England in a stabbing rampage that sparked massive violent protests has been charged with a terrorism offense, officials said Tuesday. US Would Help Defend Saudi Arabia Against Iranian Attack, Report The United States recently quietly indicated to Saudi Arabia that it would help to defend the Kingdom against an attack by Iran or its proxies, sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News. Lebanon Politician Openly Condemns Hezbollah With Israel pounding Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, there were signs of growing discontent Monday about the Iran-backed group as a key official said it would bring disaster over the nation. Israel-Palestinian Conflict Israel: ‘No New Diplomatic Missions Other Than Embassies In Jerusalem’ (Worthy News In-Depth) No new diplomatic missions other than embassies will be allowed in Jerusalem, which Israel regards as its “eternal undivided capital,” the Jewish nation’s parliament, the Knesset, decided Tuesday. Israel’s Strike on Iran Damaged a Site Experts Believe Is Connected to Nuclear Weapon Development A secretive Iranian military base that experts believe is connected to Tehran’s nuclear weapons program appears to have been damaged by Israel’s air strikes on Saturday, the Times of Israel (TOI) reports. Israel’s October 26 strikes were in retaliation for the barrage of some 200 ballistic missiles launched at the Jewish state by Iran’s Islamic regime on October 1. Iran Supreme Leader Seeks World Coalition Against Israel Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has urged the world to stand up against Israel in a military coalition “if necessary” after the Jewish nation struck army sites in Iran on Saturday, killing at least four military personnel. Inside the United States Democratic Donation Processor Faces Potential Reckoning If GOP Wins in November Just one week from Election Day, millions of dollars have poured in online through ActBlue, the Democratic Party's primary donation processor, but a series of allegations of fraud have put ActBlue in the spotlight and potentially up for a crackdown from House Republicans if they retain the majority this November. Former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon Released From Prison Former U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s ally and chief strategist Steve Bannon was released from a Connecticut federal prison early Tuesday after serving four months in jail for failing to comply with a subpoena by a Congressional committee investigating January 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Trump ‘Reviving Christian Faith’ In White House Former U.S. President Donald Trump says he wants to bring Christian faith back into the White House if he wins the elections next week. Christian News Nigeria: Boko Haram Behead Four ‘Infidel’ Civilians Including a Woman Suspected Boko Haram Islamic terrorists in northeast Nigeria have beheaded four ‘infidel’ civilians, one of whom was a woman and one who is believed to have been a Christian, the Open Doors international Christian advocacy organization reported on October 24. The traumatizing attack took place amid ongoing extreme violence against Nigerians considered ‘infidels’ for not conforming to the terrorists’ jihadist ideology. Dozens Killed In Sudan Mosque Attack; Christians Concerned (Worthy News In-Depth) Christian rights investigators confirmed Monday that Sudan’s military struck a mosque in the country’s east-central Gezira State, killing up to 31 people, after churches were also attacked. Pakistan: Christian Mother Granted Rare Bail in Blasphemy Case In a rare move for a Pakistani court, a trial judge in Punjab Province, Pakistan, last month granted bail to a Christian mother falsely accused of blasphemy, Christian Daily International (CDI) reports. Worthy Insights TV Hits Trump With 85% Negative News vs. 78% Positive Press for Harris One week before Election Day, a new analysis from the Media Research Center finds that broadcast evening news coverage of the 2024 presidential race has been the most lopsided in history. Since July, ABC, CBS and NBC have treated Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris to 78 percent positive coverage, while these same networks have pummeled former Republican President Donald Trump with 85 percent negative coverage. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – The United States recently quietly indicated to Saudi Arabia that it would help to defend the Kingdom against an attack by Iran or its proxies, sources familiar with the matter told Bloomberg News. The US assurances were reportedly given amid the recent exchanges of attacks between Israel and Iran and Israel’s wars against Iranian proxies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. “The tacit offer, made in the past few weeks, has given Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and other Gulf Arab leaders some comfort as they await Israel’s response to Iran’s Oct. 1 missile attack, said the people, asking not to be identified discussing sensitive issues,” Bloomberg reported, citing its sources. “Gulf states fear any escalation of the conflict could severely hurt their economic and security interests, the people said.” According to an analysis by Axios, the US was worried Iran would hit Saudi oil fields if Israel had struck oil sites rather than military targets in its attack on Iran on Saturday. “Israel’s strikes, by hitting military targets rather than industrial facilities, have — for now — prevented a wider war,” Axios noted in its October 27 report. “That has been a key goal of President Biden and Secretary of State Tony Blinken since the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel. “Saudi Arabia doesn’t have defenses as extensive as Israel’s layered systems, making the desert kingdom more vulnerable,” Axios added. “We’re told the risk of Iran hitting Saudi oil fields would have arisen had Israel hit Iranian oil fields.” The post US Would Help Defend Saudi Arabia Against Iranian Attack, Report appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News BEIRUT (Worthy News) – With Israel pounding Hezbollah positions in Lebanon, there were signs of growing discontent Monday about the Iran-backed group as a key official said it would bring disaster over the nation. “Hezbollah has built tunnels and barriers under the watchful eyes of Lebanon’s official agencies,” noted Samir Geagea, the head of the influential Christian Lebanese Forces party. He reportedly demanded in parliament that the government stop Hezbollah from bringing further problems to the country. “It is the state’s responsibility to tell Hezbollah—enough, your policies, your strategy, the axis of (resistance) across arenas, and alignment with Iran are bringing disaster upon Lebanon.” Geagea was also cited by the Saudi state-owned news outlet Al Arabiya as saying, “If the Lebanese army had been on the border, Israel would not have attacked Lebanon.” He added in separate remarks that “The state’s absence in favor of the Hezbollah mini-state, which was sucking the capabilities of the state, is no longer acceptable. We’ve seen where Hezbollah’s decisions on war and peace have taken us.” He noted that to remediate the situation, the Lebanese government should send the military to southern Lebanon, after which United Nations Resolution 1701 should be enforced. “I am not saying that the government should ask the army to clash with [Hezbollah], but it should start from somewhere.” He also expressed concern that after Israel’s September elimination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, the “decision-making has fallen into the hands of Iran and what’s left of Hezbollah fighters, led by Iranian officers.” Israel says it is not at war with Lebanon but with Iran’s proxies, such as Hezbollah. The post Lebanon Politician Openly Condemns Hezbollah appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – Former U.S. President Donald Trump says he wants to bring Christian faith back into the White House if he wins the elections next week. Trump, who has identified himself as a non-denominational Christian, pledged to revive a “Faith Office” in the White House. During an interview with the National Faith Advisory Board in Powder Springs, Georgia, on Monday, Trump told moderator Paula White-Cain that he would reinstate the office he created during his first term. In January 2020, Trump picked White-Cain, a Pentecostal pastor, to oversee the Faith Office during his final year in office. “We’re going to set that up,” Trump said Monday. “It’s important, and it’ll be directly into the Oval Office.” He added, “We have to save religion in this country. I mean, honestly, religion is under threat in this country, a serious threat, and we can’t let that happen. It’s sort of the fabric of our country. It’s the thing that holds our country together. We can’t, we can’t lose it. We’re not going to lose it.” A similar office, the Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships, was first established by the Bush Administration in 2001. The Obama administration revamped it, and the Biden administration relaunched it in 2021. FAITH OFFICE In addition to reinstating the Faith Office, Trump recently appointed Dr. Ben Carson, his former Housing and Urban Development Secretary, as his campaign’s national faith chair. Trump discussed his experience with faith and fatherhood at the National Faith Advisory Board summit. He recounted his upbringing in New York and said he sometimes enjoyed religious ceremonies. Trump praised conservative Christians as a crucial part of his administration and said that a revamped office of faith would have a direct line into the Oval Office. He also promised to repeal the Johnson Amendment, which bars 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations such as Christian ministries from supporting or opposing political candidates. Critics claim Trump uses Christianity to win votes. Trump alluded to that Monday, saying: “I shouldn’t scold anyone, but Christians aren’t known for being very solid voters. We have to save religion in this country. No, honestly, religion is under threat.” Yet Trump has also said that he isn’t the savior of America. At several rallies, he spoke about Jesus Christ as “the Boss” and the one more famous than him who has a role in him surviving an assassination attempt. However, perhaps nowhere has he publicly spoken about the faith he says he has, as in 2021 when he stressed that “Our country needs a Savior right now. And our country has a Savior—and it’s not me. That’s somebody else much higher up than me. Much higher.” CHRIST’S INFLUENCE Trump spoke about critical historical moments in the Church and Jesus’ example: “The life and death and resurrection of Jesus Christ forever changed the world,” he declared. “And it’s impossible to think of the life of our own country without the influence of His example and His teachings,” he said in comments read and heard by Worthy News. “Our miraculous founding, overcoming civil war, abolishing slavery, defeating communism and fascism, reaching boundless heights of science and discovery, so many incredible things. None of this could have ever happened without Jesus Christ and his followers and his Church,” he noticed. “None of it.” He urged the church crowd “to remember that Jesus Christ is the ultimate source of our strength and our hope and here and everywhere and for all time.” The post Trump ‘Reviving Christian Faith’ In White House appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News TEHRAN (Worthy News) – Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has urged the world to stand up against Israel in a military coalition “if necessary” after the Jewish nation struck army sites in Iran on Saturday, killing at least four military personnel. In comments reviewed by Worthy News on Monday, Khamenei said: “The world should form a coalition, a political coalition, an economic coalition, and if necessary, a military coalition against the war crimes of the Zionist regime, an evil regime that is committing the most savage war crimes today.” In footage seen by Worthy News, he addressed the families of the killed Iranian security forces in Tehran on Sunday, saying: “A significant negligence is occurring in the world regarding the wicked Zionist regime,” referring to Israel. He said, “Governments and nations – especially governments – and international bodies like the United Nations are truly neglecting the issue of confronting the Zionist regime.” The Iranian leader said, “What the regime has done and continues to do in Gaza and Lebanon are among the most brutal war crimes,” and that they “violate all international laws on war.” Khameini’s words were due to be seen as selective anger by his critics: He did not say if a massacre of some 1,200 people and the kidnappings of about 250 persons carried out by Iran-backed Hamas in Israel last year could be viewed as “brutal war crimes.” The atrocities triggered Israel’s war against Iran’s proxies in Gaza and other fronts, including Lebanon. ISRAEL SUCCESSFUL While the Israelis “try to make the impact of their strikes appear larger than reality,” any move inside Iran to make them appear more minor would also be “wrong,” Khamenei said. He seemed to acknowledge the air superiority of the United States over Iran. “It would be wrong for us to say that it was nothing and it did not matter,” Khamenei added, suggesting that Israel’s military hit the Islamic Republic hard despite air defenses. “The calculation error of the Zionist regime must be disrupted. They do not know Iran, its youth, its nation. They [Israel] have not yet been able to fully comprehend the power, capabilities, initiative, and will of the Iranian nation. We must make them understand it,” he stressed. Khamenei also opened a Hebrew account on social media platform X after the Israeli strikes, but that was soon suspended early Monday. A brief note appended to it saying: “X suspends accounts which violate the X Rules.” It wasn’t immediately clear what the violation was. Khamenei’s office has maintained multiple accounts for the 85-year-old supreme leader on X for years and has sent messages in various languages. This isn’t the first time Khamenei has seen a suspension or removal from social media. In February, Meta removed Facebook and Instagram accounts for the supreme leader over his support of Hamas after its October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, seen as the worst atrocities against Jews since the Holocaust, or Shoah. The post Iran Supreme Leader Seeks World Coalition Against Israel appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News KHARTOUM (Worthy News) – Christian rights investigators confirmed Monday that Sudan’s military struck a mosque in the country’s east-central Gezira State, killing up to 31 people, after churches were also attacked. Advocacy group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) told Worthy News that “the Sudan Armed Forces (SAF) dropped barrel bombs indiscriminately on the Sheikh El Jeili Mosque in Wad Madani, Gezira State, after evening prayers on October 20.” Local authorities known as The Wad Madani Resistance Committees said 15 victims have been identified, while “dozens of body parts and corpses are yet to be identified.” However, local reports suggested the total number of casualties could be as high as 31, CSW said, adding it was concerned about attacks hitting churches. “This is not the first time that places of worship have been targeted in the war between the SAF and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).” The CSW recalled that during the war, which began on April 15, 2023, the largest church in Omdurman “was bombed by the SAF,” while the RSF also attacked churches. “In March 2024, SAF-affiliated Islamist militia detonated explosives inside a mosque, also in Omdurman.” The attack on the Sheikh El Jeili Mosque comes amid stepped-up clashes between the two groups, including in Gezira State, Christians said. “The RSF have attacked villages in the state following the defection of one of its commanders, Abu Aqla Kikal, to the SAF on October 20. On October 25, at least 124 people were killed in an attack that led to thousands being forcibly displaced,” CSW added. RAF MILITIAS The RSF grew out of and is primarily composed of militias that previously fought on behalf of the Sudanese government. Its actions in Darfur qualify as “crimes against humanity,” the Human Rights Watch group said previously. “Disturbing reports also suggest that several women had committed mass suicide” following the RSF attacks “to avoid being subjected to sexual violence, sexual slavery or kidnapping by the armed group,” CSW explained. “There are also reports of the RSF separating men in the community and detaining some in a local mosque. Others were marched into fields and killed.” Mervyn Thomas, CSW’s founder and president, explained to Worthy News that “attacks on places of worship where civilians are gathered and seek refuge constitute severe breaches of international humanitarian and human rights law.” He said international bodies, such as the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission on Sudan, “must document thoroughly.” The attacks on civilians in Gezira State “underscore the urgent need for coordinated international protection mechanisms, especially for vulnerable groups such as women and girls and minority communities,” he argued. “The emerging reports of extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, the targeting of civilians, and looting are deeply disturbing and unacceptable. All parties to the conflict must be pressured to protect civilians by their obligations under international law and the Jeddah Agreements.” ARMS PROLIFERATION Additionally, “steps must be taken to stem the proliferation of arms into Sudan and to penalize those responsible for this,” Thomas said. “We extend our deepest condolences to the families of those killed and injured in the aerial bombardment of the Sheikh El Jeili Mosque.” The deadly strikes underscored that the civil armed conflict in this Northeast African nation of 50.5 million people has entered its second year. “Sudan’s two warring factions remain locked in a deadly power struggle. Since the conflict began on April 15, 2023, almost 15,000 people have been killed, and more than 8.2 million have been displaced, giving rise to the worst displacement crisis in the world,” according to an assessment by the U.S.-based bipartisan Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) obtained by Worthy News. “Nearly 2 million displaced Sudanese have fled to unstable areas in Chad, Ethiopia, and South Sudan, overrunning refugee camps and prompting concerns that Sudanese refugees could soon attempt to enter Europe,” the think tank warned. The United Nations continues to plead for more support, saying over 25 million need humanitarian assistance, and deteriorating food security risks are triggering the “world’s largest hunger crisis.” Fighting between the rival factions broke out in April 2023 in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum, raising fears of a return to full-scale civil war. Observers say the conflict is primarily a power struggle between the SAF and RAF, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan “Hemedti” Dagalo, who are battling for control of the nation and its resources. CONFLICT DEEPENS “As the conflict deepens, humanitarian conditions are declining, and the promise of a long-awaited democratic transition diminishes,” the CFR warned. As fighting continues, there is concern that the tiny Christian minority in the Sunni Muslim nation will be targeted even more by extremists. Over 165 churches have already been closed and others destroyed, Christians said. Churches have also reported “human rights violations such as rape, kidnap, and looting” in the country. Sudan ranks eighth on the annual World Watch List of 50 nations, where advocacy group Open Doors says Christians face the most persecution for their faith. The post Dozens Killed In Sudan Mosque Attack; Christians Concerned (Worthy News In-Depth) appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – In a rare move for a Pakistani court, a trial judge in Punjab Province, Pakistan, last month granted bail to a Christian mother falsely accused of blasphemy, Christian Daily International (CDI) reports. A widow and the mother of two children, Saima Masih of Toba Tek Singh District, Punjab Province was arrested and imprisoned on August 6 after Muslim neighbors falsely accused her of desecrating pages of the Koran, CDI reports. Following a number of applications and hearings, Masih was granted pre-trial bail by Additional Sessions Judge Gojra Waseem Mubarak on September 10, CDI reports. She had been in prison for just over a month. “Despite her release, Saima’s safety remains in jeopardy as societal pressures and the possibility of vigilantism pose ongoing threats,” Sajid Christopher of the Human Friends Organisation told CDI. “Such accusations often lead to the accused being ostracized, regardless of their legal outcome, which means her life and that of her children remain under constant risk.” In a current website report about the situation facing Christians in Pakistna, the Open Doors international Christian advocacy organization states: “Pakistan’s notorious blasphemy laws are often used to target minority groups, but Christians are disproportionately affected. Indeed, roughly a quarter of all blasphemy accusations target Christians, who only make up 1.8% of the population.” Ruled by an Islamic regime which promotes harsh blasphemy laws, Pakistan ranks 7 in the Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted. The post Pakistan: Christian Mother Granted Rare Bail in Blasphemy Case appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – China is rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal at an unprecedented pace, according to a Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report. The report warns that growing capabilities could boost leaders’ confidence but also increase the risk of dangerous mistakes, with strategies for the new weapons still in development—raising the potential for escalation in the coming years. China is rapidly advancing its nuclear capabilities at a faster rate than any time in history, surpassing 2018 projections with over 500 deliverable warheads, according to the DIA report. The report “Nuclear Challenges” projects that by 2030, China will have over 1,000 operational warheads, with most capable of reaching the continental United States. “China is undergoing the most rapid expansion and ambitious modernization of its nuclear forces in history — almost certainly driven by an aim for enduring strategic competition with the U.S. and a goal to actualize intensified strategic concepts that have existed for decades but are now being realized,” the report said. In addition to expanding its nuclear arsenal, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has undertaken a sweeping modernization campaign, achieving several key milestones over the past five years. China has established the air leg of its nuclear triad with the H-6N bomber, capable of aerial refueling and carrying nuclear-capable air-launched ballistic missiles, first showcased in the 2019 Chinese National Day parade. China has expanded its arsenal of road-mobile DF-26 intermediate-range ballistic missiles (IRBMs), dubbed the “Guam killer” for their ability to target U.S. forces on the Pacific island. According to the report, these missiles represent Beijing’s first precision-strike nuclear-capable weapons. China’s military has added two more Type 094 JIN-class submarines, increasing the fleet to six. It has also upgraded its missile systems with the longer-range JL-3 submarine-launched missile, which can reach the U.S. from secure areas like the South China Sea. The report detailed how China has also deployed the DF-31 road-mobile Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) with enhanced survivability and introduced the DF-41, its first road-mobile ICBM equipped with Multiple Independently Targetable Re-entry Vehicle (MIRV) technology. This weapon can carry up to three warheads and offers greater range and accuracy than earlier models. In conclusion, the report warned that as China strengthens its nuclear capabilities, its leaders may become more confident but more prone to dangerous mistakes. With the PLA still figuring out how to use these new weapons effectively, the chances of escalation could increase in the coming years. The post China Rapidly Expands and Modernizes Its Nuclear Arsenal at Unprecedented Pace appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

Friend, wake up! Jonah 1:4,5 But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up. Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that was in the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep. It must have been a bad storm. These men were experienced, hardened sailors who had seen it all at sea. If they were scared, this could have been the first "perfect storm" since Noah's flood. So they started the first interfaith prayer meeting in the Bible, each man crying out to his own god. As the ship groaned and creaked in howling wind and massive waves, and the men threw cargo overboard in a desperate attempt to save it, where was Jonah? On deck helping them? Confidently praying to His own God? Shaking with fear and paralyzed with deep conviction? No, he’s taking a nap down below... How could anyone sleep through a storm like this -- especially a prophet of the Most High? I see a few possibilities: one, Jonah was a prophet whose relationship with the Lord was so close he was used to trusting Him through all kinds of difficulties, so he was just abiding in his usual trust. Remember Yeshua (Jesus) also slept during a very bad storm on the Sea of Galilee. Or, maybe the hold of the ship was so deep and Jonah was so tired that he wasn't aware of the grave danger up above; a perfectly natural explanation. And there's one more possibility: Jonah's disobedience made him vulnerable to the enemy. ( For example, I have at times been somehow induced into slumber when I've made a serious decision to spend time in prayer.) We know for sure the enemy wants us to sleep while the world falls apart around us. His interests are served when we relax in our own eternal security while others are dying in the storms of this world. But Jonah's apathy toward Nineveh morphed into one which actually threatened his own life, without his even being aware of it. He had the authority and capacity to save the others, but the enemy may have poured out on him such a spirit of apathy and deadening slumber that it required the desperate pagans, far more aware of the danger, to rouse the prophet back to his true calling. Storms are brewing of every kind; social, economic, political, military. Houses are "burning"; ships are "sinking". Many lives are falling apart. We might be weighed down and paralyzed by it all, or just deeply apathetic because they all deserve judgment while we await the "rapture". But I don't think the Lord wants us to sleep through these storms. At least, not with Jonah's attitude. Friend, so be awakened to your calling and sound the alarm! As the very prophetic words of Yeshua (Jesus) are coming to pass -- it should be a wake-up call to us, for He told us when you see "all of these things" coming to pass, know that the Kingdom is near ... even at the doors! [Matthew 24:33] Your family in the Lord with much agape love, George, Baht Rivka, Obadiah and Elianna (Palm Beach, 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 China Rapidly Expands and Modernizes Its Nuclear Arsenal at Unprecedented Pace China is rapidly expanding its nuclear arsenal at an unprecedented pace, according to a U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) report. The report warns that growing capabilities could boost Chinese leaders' confidence but also increase the risk of dangerous mistakes—raising the potential for escalation in the coming years. Germany’s Automaker Volkswagen To Shut 3 Factories Volkswagen, one of Germany’s largest automakers, intends to close three factories, impacting thousands of jobs, its works council said Monday. Israel-Palestinian Conflict ‘Iron Beam’ Set to Fully Deploy by 2025 Israel’s Iron Beam, a high-powered laser air defense system, is set to become operational by mid-2025, Israel's Defense Ministry announced Monday, as the government announced a 2 billion-shekel ($536 million) arms agreement. Israel Bans United Nations Relief Agency UNRWA Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, voted Monday for legislation banning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA), which services Palestinian refugees in east Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank. Egypt Proposes Two-Day Ceasefire For Israeli Hostages Egypt proposed on Sunday an initial two-day ceasefire in Gaza to exchange four Israeli hostages of Hamas for some Palestinian prisoners amid ongoing deadly clashes. Inside the United States Referendum Upheld: Ohio State Court Strikes Down ‘Heartbeat’ Abortion Law A county court judge has permanently blocked an effort by Ohio’s attorney general to enforce a 2019 law banning abortion at six week’s gestation, the Associated Press (AP) reports. Ohio’s Republican Attorney General Dave Yost sought to enforce the 'heartbeat bill' despite last year’s voter-approved amendment to enshrine the right to abortion under Ohio’s state constitution. Microsoft Fires Employees Over Gaza ‘Genocide’ Vigil U.S. tech giant Microsoft has fired two influential employees after they organized a vigil at the company's headquarters in honor of "victims of the Palestinian genocide." Trump, Harris Fighting For Attention With Hostile Rhetoric (Worthy News Focus) U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald J. Trump and his Democratic rival Kamala Harris are fighting for attention in their final campaign sprint toward the November 5 presidential poll after holding competing rallies attended by tens of thousands of people. Christian News Uganda: Pastor Murdered With His Family After Leading Muslims to Christ A pastor and his wife and two young daughters were burned to death in eastern Uganda earlier this month by Islamic extremists enraged that he had led three Muslims to Christ, Morning Star News (MSN) reports. Ex-Terrorist Condemns Arrests Christians In Indonesia The leader of an underground Christian movement for former Muslims expressed concern Monday about the recent arrest of two Christians for "blasphemy" against Islam. More Than 1,000 Students Answer Call to Follow Jesus at Florida University Gospel Event The Unite US evangelistic outreach to American college students has reported that the University of Florida saw more than 1,000 students answer the call to follow Jesus during a campus event last week. Worthy Insights Trump, RFK Jr’s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ Pledge Signals Major Shift In GOP Priorities Former President Donald Trump and former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s recent vow to tackle public health issues together could signal a major shift in Republican priorities if the Trump campaign prevails on Election Day. Hundreds of ballots destroyed in drop box arson; officials say Vancouver, Portland incidents linked Hundreds of ballots were destroyed in a ballot box fire in Vancouver early Monday morning, and another ballot box fire in Portland destroyed three ballots. The fires happened about a week away from the Nov. 5 general election. Law enforcement officials believe the two incidents — and a similar Vancouver incident three weeks ago — are all linked. Witches Report Their Spells Against Trump Aren’t Working: ‘He Has a Shield’ From dabblers to hard-core practitioners, witchcraft has been on the rise in the U.S. in recent years. It has become so trendy that there's an entire TikTok hashtag dedicated to WitchTok, and it's got billions of views. The occult has gained popularity in the political realm as well, once again on display during this election season. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Israel’s Iron Beam, a high-powered laser air defense system, is set to become fully operational by mid-2025, Israel’s Defense Ministry announced Monday, as the government announced a 2 billion-shekel ($536 million) arms agreement. The Magen Or system, otherwise known as “Iron Beam”, will integrate into the network of Israel’s air defense system, said military-research chief Daniel Gold. “The combination between laser interception and missile interception will further tighten the defense envelope against rockets, missiles, drones, cruise missiles, and other threats,” Gold stated. The Magan Or system is designed to intercept a wide array of aerial threats, including rockets, mortars, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and cruise missiles. The plan is to fully integrate the Iron Beam into the existing Iron Dome system. In the future, an algorithm will determine whether to neutralize aerial threats using a laser or the Iron Dome’s Tamir interceptor missiles. The Iron Beam’s 100-kW laser has a range of only 5 to 6 miles, far shorter than the Iron Dome’s, and can intercept only one threat at a time, unlike Iron Dome, which can handle multiple threats simultaneously. Additionally, the laser system faces limitations during poor visibility, such as cloudy weather, rain, or sandstorms. The post ‘Iron Beam’ Set to Fully Deploy by 2025 appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, voted Monday for legislation banning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNWRA), which services Palestinian refugees in east Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank. The UNRWA was outlawed several months after an internal U.N. investigation concluded that nine employees “may have been involved” in the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre in Israel of some 1,200 people. The vote passed 92-10 and followed a fiery debate between supporters of the law and its opponents, primarily members of Arab parliamentary parties. A second bill severing diplomatic ties with UNRWA was also being voted on later Monday. Knesset Foreign Affairs Committee chairman MK Yuli Edelstein said both bills were needed as UNWRA’s operations “eternalized” the issue of Palestinian refugees. He mentioned that the U.N. agency has provided aid and assistance across Palestinian territories and to Palestinian refugees for more than seven decades. BANNING UNWRA Edelstein said banning UNWRA was also not necessary as “employees had participated in, and even served as commanders, in the October 7 Hamas massacre.” Additionally, Edelstein mentioned “incitement in UNWRA school curriculums.” He said, “The time had come to ban the agency from Israel.” Yet critics say the legislation, which won’t take effect immediately, risks collapsing the already “fragile aid distribution process” while Gaza faces a humanitarian crisis. Israel has denied starving Palestinians but says Hamas is stealing aid and selling goods at high prices. However, the U.N. says hundreds of its workers were killed in Israeli strikes hitting Gaza. It was unclear how many had ties to Hamas. However, Israel says it targets Iran’s proxies, including Hamas. The post Israel Bans United Nations Relief Agency UNRWA appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – A pastor and his wife and two young daughters were burned to death in eastern Uganda earlier this month by Islamic extremists enraged that he had led three Muslims to Christ, Morning Star News (MSN) reports. Christianity is legal in Uganda but Islamic extremists are increasingly bold in attacking believers in Christ, especially those who converted from Islam. Pastor Weere Mukisa, his 25-year-old wife, Annet Namugaya, and their two daughters, 7-year-old Judith Banirye and 4-year-old Sylvia Bamukisa were murdered when Islamic arsonists set their home in Kibale village, Namutumba District on fire shortly before 3 a.m. on October 13, the pastor’s brother James Tusubira told MSN. “When the three young Muslims converted to Christ, my brother started receiving threatening messages that he should stop any contact with the three young converts, and that the act committed is against the teaching of Islam to not join the religion of infidels,” Tusubira told MSN. Tusubira ran to his brother’s home upon realizing it was burning, he told MSN. “We rushed to the scene of the incident and found the house torched and the five bodies burned beyond recognition,” he said. “Many people started arriving till the break of the day. Plastic bottles of petrol were found outside the house.” The murders have been reported to police, MSN reports. “Please pray for us so that these radical Muslims who destroyed my brother and the entire family can be brought to book,” Tusubira said. The post Uganda: Pastor Murdered With His Family After Leading Muslims to Christ appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News MEDAN, INDONESIA (Worthy News) – The leader of an underground Christian movement for former Muslims expressed concern Monday about the recent arrest of two Christians for “blasphemy” against Islam. Ahmad Quraisy, the pen name he uses amid security concerns, told Worthy News that police detained Christian florist Rudi Simamora on Thursday in Sunggal, near Medan, the capital of Indonesia’s North Sumatra Province. “The Muslim mob raided Rudi Simamora’s home after a debate [about faith] with Nuskin Ustad Yusuf on the social media platform TikTok,” recalled Quraisy Soon after, “someone had reported Rudi Simamora” [to police], and his home was raided by the Islamic masses, ending with a forced arrest,” he added. He said the man’s house had been surrounded by a Muslim mob “since 11 am local time,” adding that the “area was only secured at midnight.” Quraisy, who is well-informed about the situation: He was once a commander of the feared Islamic State of Indonesia (NII) before turning to faith in Christ after a preacher’s sermon in the church he planned to blow up. But the former Islamic terrorist is now involved in converting Muslims to Christianity or, in his words, “personal faith in Christ.” RECENT ARRESTS Yet he suggested that the recent arrests of Christians for blasphemy underscore the mounting pressure on devoted believers in the world’s largest Muslim nation. Rudi had already been detained in 2022 for allegedly insulting Islam, Christians said. He was sentenced to one year in prison on February 23, 2023, and released earlier this year. Reverend Erwin Tambunan, chairperson of the Medan Regional Indonesian Churches Association (Persatuan Gereja Indonesia Daerah, or PGID), apologized to Muslims for Rudi’s 2022 comments and said Christians support all legal processes against such perpetrators. It was not clear whether Tambunan spoke under duress as Islamic extremists have attacked several churches. Rudi’s arrest came weeks after the detention in the coastal city of Sibolga, 336 kilometers (210 miles) outside Medan of Muchtar Nababan, on blasphemy charges, Christians said. The September 3 arrests came after the ex-councilor of Sibolga allegedly had been “blaspheming [Islam’s prophet] Muhammad and Islam on his Facebook website. Muchtar reportedly said on Facebook that Christians were protected “from Muslims’ black magic.” SECRETARY ANGRY The arrest occurred after Raju Firmanda, secretary of the National Committee of Indonesia Youth (Komite Nasional Pemuda Indonesia, or KNPI) group in Central Tapanuli, filed a criminal case against Muchtar. Local Muslims protested against Muchtar at Sibolga police headquarters, Christians confirmed. Yet despite these setbacks, many Muslims turn to Christ, Quraisy explained, adding that “healings by Christ” also took place, including a woman who was dying in hospital. “We are now closely following the cases of the arrested Christians,” said Victoria, a Christian hosting house church gatherings and prayer meetings. Christians comprise some 11 percent of Indonesia’s 281.5 million people, who are mainly Muslims, according to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Indonesia ranks 42 on the annual World Watch List of 50 nations, where the advocacy group Open Doors says Christians face the most persecution for their faith in Christ. The post Ex-Terrorist Condemns Arrests Christians In Indonesia appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – The Unite US evangelistic outreach to American college students has reported that the University of Florida saw more than 1,000 students answer the call to follow Jesus during a campus event last week. Unite US has held a number of college campus Gospel events, including at the University of Arkansas, Mississippi State University, the University of Mississippi, and the University of South Carolina. Each event has been marked by many baptisms and a strong response to calls for students to put their faith in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. In a Facebook post about the October 23 event at Florida University, Unite US wrote: “We are IN AWE that over 1,000 students came forward to make the decision to follow Jesus tonight. The O’Dome [at Florida University] was filled with more than 6,000 students who went all-in, lifting up the name of Jesus and experiencing the freedom that can only be found in Him.” “We are praying for every single student who came forward and made the decision to follow Jesus tonight, and we’re celebrating with every student who chose to make their faith public through water baptism!” Unite said. “God has HUGE plans for this generation!” Unite US added. The post More Than 1,000 Students Answer Call to Follow Jesus at Florida University Gospel Event appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News BUDAPEST/BERLIN (Worthy News) – Volkswagen, one of Germany’s largest automakers, intends to close three factories, impacting thousands of jobs, its works council said Monday. Thousands gathered in Wolfsburg, where the firm has been headquartered for nearly nine decades. Blowing horns and whistles, workers insisted that no plant should shut. However, Volkswagen reiterated on Monday, that restructuring was needed and said it would make concrete proposals on Wednesday. “Management is absolutely serious about all this. This is not saber-rattling in the collective bargaining round,” confirmed Daniela Cavallo, Volkswagen’s works council head. “This is the plan of Germany’s largest industrial group to start the sell-off in its home country of Germany,” Cavallo added, not specifying which plants would be affected or how many of Volkswagen Group’s roughly 300,000 staff in Germany could be laid off. She said Volkswagen also plans to cut salaries at the brand by at least 10 percent and freeze pay in 2025 and 2026. It comes as Germany, famed for its car industry, experiences social and economic difficulties and high production costs. EU PUSH Thomas Schaefer, the CEO of Volkswagen passenger cars, said its German factories were not productive enough adding that plant costs were “as much as 50 percent above what the company had budgeted for, making individual factories twice as expensive as the competition.” In addition, we at Volkswagen still handle many tasks internally that the competition has already outsourced more cost-effectively,” he stressed. The European Union’s push toward the so-called “green energy” transition away from Russian oil, natural gas, and electric vehicles has also been linked to the current troubles in Europe’s largest economy. The crisis comes after Volkswagen tried to overcome the aftermath of its 2015 diesel scandal, also known as Dieselgate, which cost tens of billions of dollars. Last year, ex-Audi boss Rupert Stadler received a suspended sentence of one year and nine months by a German court, becoming the first former board member to receive such a sentence. Volkswagen admitted that it had intentionally installed software programmed to switch engines to a cleaner mode during official emissions testing. The software switched off again, enabling cars to drive more powerfully on the road while emitting as much as 40 times the legal pollution limit. Besides paying nearly $900 million to impacted customers, Volkswagen made its biggest payout over the diesel scandal in the United States, where the environmental authorities revealed its emissions test cheating in September 2015. So far, the company has paid over 32 billion euros ($34.7 billion), mainly in fines and damages in the U.S., while its shares struggle. The post Germany’s Automaker Volkswagen To Shut 3 Factories appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – A county court judge has permanently blocked an effort by Ohio’s attorney general to enforce a 2019 law banning abortion at six week’s gestation, the Associated Press (AP) reports. Ohio’s Republican Attorney General Dave Yost sought to enforce the ‘heartbeat bill’ despite last year’s voter-approved amendment to enshrine the right to abortion under Ohio’s state constitution. After nearly 60% of voters approved adding reproductive rights—including the right to abortion—to the state’s constitution in November 2023, the court issued its first permanent injunction reflecting this mandate. In his ruling on Thursday (October 25), County Common Pleas Judge Christian Jenkins noted that Yost was seeking to enforce almost the entirety of the abortion ban signed into law by Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine in 2019. Ohio’s Attorney General “evidently didn’t get the memo” that the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade in 2022 and returned the issue of abortion to individual states to decide, Jenkins said. “Ohio voters have spoken. The Ohio Constitution now unequivocally protects the right to abortion,” the ruling stated. “To give meaning to the voice of Ohio’s voters, the amendment must be given full effect, and laws such as those enacted [the act] must be permanently enjoined.” “Despite the adoption of a broad and strongly worded constitutional amendment, in this case, and others, the State of Ohio seeks not to uphold the constitutional protection of abortion rights, but to diminish and limit it,” Jenkins wrote. In court papers filed in the spring, Yost acknowledged that the vote rendered Ohio’s 2019 ban unconstitutional but sought to retain other parts of the law—including requirements for abortion providers to check for a fetal heartbeat before performing the procedure, reporting obligations for providers, and provisions related to informed consent. Yost’s office said he is considering an appeal, AP reports. The post Referendum Upheld: Ohio State Court Strikes Down ‘Heartbeat’ Abortion Law appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News JERUSALEM/CAIRO/WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – U.S. tech giant Microsoft has fired two influential employees after they organized a vigil at the company’s headquarters in honor of “victims of the Palestinian genocide.” The two men, originally from Egypt, told reporters they were dismissed after holding the observance at the Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Washington, on Thursday. Abdo Mohamed and Hossam Nasr were part of a coalition of Microsoft employees who called themselves “No Azure for Apartheid” in protest against the sale of the Microsoft cloud-computing technology to Israel’s government. Microsoft said over the weekend that it remains “dedicated to maintaining a professional and respectful work environment. Due to privacy and confidentiality considerations, we can not provide specific details.” Nasr said he fears deportation back to Egypt if he can’t find new employment within two months. Mohamed, a data scientist from Egypt, complained that Microsoft had “failed to have space for [employees] to come together and share [their] grief.” He did not mention the “grief” of Israel, which was holding a national day of mourning for the roughly 1,200 people who were killed by Hamas in southern Israel on October 7 last year, triggering the war in Gaza. LOOKING FOR WORK Mohamed said he needs to find new employment within two months, or he may face deportation, presumably to Egypt. It was not clear whether he would be prepared to start a new life in Gaza. Despite his dismissal, Nasr defended the vigil, saying it was in honor of Palestinian victims in Gaza and to “call attention to Microsoft’s complicity in the genocide” due to the use of its technology by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Israel has vehemently denied its involvement in genocide, saying nearly half of the reported killed Palestinians are “Hamas terrorists.” The Hamas-run Health Ministry claims that about 43,000 Palestinians were killed by Israel in more than a year of urban warfare in Gaza, which has a population of roughly 2.5 million people. Nasr was previously subject to internal investigations by Microsoft, including for posting antisemitic memes online on social media, Israeli sources said. Writing on social media, Nasr called Microsoft “an evil Zionist corporation facilitating and empowering a genocide.” He revealed that he learned of his termination an hour before receiving a call from Microsoft, as he saw the group Stop Antisemitism announce it on social media. Stop Antisemitism had called on Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella months before to take action against Nasr, who co-founded Harvard Alumni for Palestine and was co-president of the Palestine Solidarity Committee at the university. The post Microsoft Fires Employees Over Gaza ‘Genocide’ Vigil appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News JERUSALEM/CAIRO (Worthy News) – Egypt proposed on Sunday an initial two-day ceasefire in Gaza to exchange four Israeli hostages of Hamas for some Palestinian prisoners amid ongoing deadly clashes. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi made his pitch while Hamas-run authorities claimed Israeli military strikes killed 45 Palestinians across the enclave. Sisi also said that talks should resume within ten days of implementing the temporary ceasefire to reach a permanent one. He spoke while William Burns, the director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), was holding talks in Doha on the possibility of a new wide-ranging hostage deal. Egypt’s proposal would only mean freedom. Four of 101 captives are still held by Hamas, including the bodies of dozens of hostages feared dead. The purpose is to kick-start wider negotiations,” a well-informed source was quoted by The Jerusalem Post newspaper as saying. There was no immediate comment from Israel or Hamas. However, a Palestinian official close to talks told reporters that Hamas would likely “listen to the new offers, but it remains determined that any agreement must end the war and get Israeli forces out of Gaza.” HAMAS MASSACRE The war in Gaza was triggered by the Hamas massacre of some 1,200 people and the kidnapping of about 250 persons in southern Israel on October 7, last year. Hamas-run authorities claim that about 43,000 Palestinians have been killed since then, without differentiating between combatants and civilians. On Sunday, Hamas-backed health officials said Israeli military strikes killed “at least 45 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip” on Sunday, most of them in the north. Among those killed were reportedly two more journalists, bringing the total death toll of media workers in Gaza since the start of the war to 182, according to observers. The United Nations said the “deliberate killing of a journalist is a war crime,” but Israel has denied targeting reporters. Separately, Israeli air strikes across Lebanon killed at least 21 people, including three paramedics. In the past 24 hours, authorities said, but those figures could not be verified independently. Israel has given advance warnings to residents living near presumed Hezbollah sites to evacuate. The Israeli government has accused Iran’s proxies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon of hiding among civilians to use them as “human shields.” The post Egypt Proposes Two-Day Ceasefire For Israeli Hostages appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article