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By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News BERLIN/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Hungary has condemned Ukraine for banning the Ukrainian Orthodox Church over its alleged complicity in Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country. Ukraine adopted legislation to ban religious groups linked to Moscow in a move that Hungary said targeted the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). Most Ukrainians are Orthodox Christians, but their faith is split between the UOC, traditionally allied with the Russian Orthodox Church in Moscow, and the independent Orthodox Church of Ukraine, recognized in 2019. Yet banning the UOC “is harmful and dangerous” and could set a precedent, argued Tristan Azbej, Hungary’s state secretary, for aiding persecuted Christians. His comments, obtained by Worthy News on Friday, were made this week at an international meeting of the International Religious Freedom or Belief Alliance (IRFBA) in Berlin, Germany. Azbej stressed, “Russia’s aggression was no justification for banning a church functioning on its territory or confiscating its property for political reasons, even if Ukraine cited security concerns.” He recalled that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed the relevant law outlawing the Moscow-recognized UOC in late August. EXPRESSING CONCERNS After Zelenskyy inked the law, several Eastern church leaders asked the Hungarian government “to pass on their concerns about the ban and Estonia’s interference in the affairs of the Orthodox Church in the country,” he said. Estonia, which declared independence from the Moscow-ruled Soviet Union in 1991, was among the most vocal supporters of Ukraine’s policies towards Russia. It was also one of the first nations to provide Ukraine with military aid, even before Russia’s full-scale invasion began on February 24, 2022. Azbej noted that he also expressed concern about the European Union’s plan to place the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, on a list of sanctions in connection with the war in Ukraine. He said several church leaders had turned to Hungary as a “voice of reason” regarding the matter. “Such bans could encourage power holders to restrict religious freedom in other countries for political or ideological reasons,” he added. However, Zelenskyy defended his decision, saying it “will strengthen our Ukrainian spiritual independence.” He said, “We must deprive Moscow of the last opportunities to restrict the freedom of Ukrainians. And the decisions for this must be 100 percent effective. We will ensure that.” Azbej denied that Hungary has not been critical of Russia. He stressed that Hungary, which the EU has criticized for maintaining close ties with Moscow, has “condemned Russia’s attack on Ukraine.” HUMANITARIAN AID Azbej said Hungary “stood in solidarity with the suffering Ukrainian people and had launched the country’s largest-ever humanitarian aid operation.” Critics, including several European leaders, counter that Hungary has also halted EU aid over policy differences with Brussels. Yet, the state secretary and other Hungarian government leaders suggested that Ukrainian President Zelenskyy should allow more cultural and religious rights in his nation. Hungary is particularly concerned about the plight of some 150,000 ethnic Hungarians living in neighboring Ukraine, including many Christians, with reports that several have been killed or injured while fighting in the army against Russian forces. The Hungarian delegation attending the Berlin gathering also focused on the global persecution of Christians, “which has not gathered enough attention in international diplomatic forums,” Azbej said. “Employing double standards, there’s a pretense that the lives of persecuted Christians are not as deserving of protection as other oppressed groups,” he added, citing the examples of “Islamist terrorists who murdered more than 4,000 Christians last year” in Africa and “atrocities committed by the Islamic State” group in Iraq and Syria. He said, “The persecution of Christians and the Yazidi religious minority was tantamount to genocide” and claimed that these groups “had not received sufficient support to this day.” Ahead of the conference, international church representatives attended a related event at the Hungarian embassy in Berlin, where they reportedly praised Hungary’s program for persecuted Christians. Around 365 million Christians are subject to “high levels of persecution and discrimination,” according to advocacy group Open Doors. That figure compared to 340 million in 2021. One in 7 Christians are persecuted worldwide, including 1 in 5 in Africa and 1 in 7 in Asia, according to investigators and reports cited by Hungary’s government and other leaders. The post Hungary condemns Ukraine’s Church Ban (Worthy News Focus) appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News ISLAMABAD (Worthy News) – Concerns mounted Friday about the plight of Pakistani Christian Zafar Bhatti, a pastor listed as Pakistan’s longest-serving blasphemy prisoner, who is facing execution. “Since the day of his arrest on July 12th, 2012, the Christian man has remained in prison. During harsh police interrogation, Zafar was forced to confess to blasphemy” against Islam, said advocacy group Voice of the Martyrs Canada (VOMC). “He has since recanted the previously made statement, asserting that it was spoken under duress,” VOMC told Worthy News. Over 12 years ago, authorities detained Bhatti for allegedly sending text messages insulting the Islam’s Prophet Muhammad’s mother. After Bhatti was reportedly tortured into confessing, he was initially sentenced to life in prison for “insulting the Prophet Muhammad” on May 3, 2017. On June 22, 2021, Bhatti’s conviction was upheld by a sessions court judge in the Rawalpindi District. However, soon after January 2022, the Rawalpindi Sessions Court sentenced Bhatti to death, several sources said. Christians said he has remained behind bars in the city of Rawalpindi’s Adiala Central Jail. NUMEROUS APPEALS “Over the years, numerous appeals and petitions have been filed in attempts to challenge Zafar’s conviction. Due to the dedicated efforts of those advocating on his behalf, the courts have scheduled ten hearings since May of this year,” VOMC explained to Worthy News. “However, the original complainant, Ibrar Ahmad Khan, has continued to follow the case, filing applications to submit additional alleged evidence against the accused Christian man. Thankfully, the judge has rejected Ibrar’s requests, emphasizing that all evidence should have been recorded earlier,” VOMC said. “Although the most recent hearing was scheduled for September 23rd, it has since been postponed.” The 61-year-old Bhatti, who is believed to suffer from diabetes, heart disease, and frequent headaches, was reportedly attacked in prison, raising concerns among Christians. “Amid concerns for the imprisoned believer’s physical condition, health issues have also been mounting for his wife, Nawab Bibi. The 76-year-old Christian woman has become very weak and suffers from failing eyesight,” said VOMC, which has been closely following the case. “Despite these health challenges, Nawab continues to visit her husband in prison every month. The British Asian Christian Association, which has been supplying support and daily provisions for the elderly couple, is presently seeking to provide the financial means for Nawab to undergo cataract surgery.” PRAYERS URGED VOMC said it had urged its supporters and other Christians that “In hopes of this long-suffering Christian brother’s soon release from prison, pray that any further delays to the hearings of his case will be rejected.” It also urged prayers that God “will continue to meet the ongoing needs of this imprisoned believer and his wife – ultimately providing this couple divine healing and restoration.” Pakistan, a strict Islamic country, has been criticized over its blasphemy legislation that rights groups say has been misused to target people, including minority Christians, often on false charges. Amid the controversies, at least 89 Pakistanis were extrajudicially killed over blasphemy accusations from 1947 to 2021, according to researchers and rights activists. Among the victims of such killings have been high-profile Pakistanis such as Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, Minister for Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti, a Christian, and high court justice Arif Iqbal Bhatti, who was slain in his chambers. The post Pakistan’s Longest Jailed ‘Blasphemy’ Pastor Still Facing Execution appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News KYIV/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – A young Ukrainian journalist, who was captured and detained by Russia while covering Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine in 2023, has died, an advocacy group confirmed Thursday. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) told Worthy News that 27-year-old Viktoria Roshchina died September 19, “just as she was transferred for a prisoner exchange.” The CPJ said it had demanded that Russian authorities “immediately disclose” the circumstances surrounding her death. “CPJ is shocked by the news of Viktoria Roshchina’s death during her unlawful imprisonment by Russia. We extend our deep condolences to her family and loved ones,” said Gulnoza Said, CPJ’s Europe and Central Asia program coordinator. “Responsibility for her death lies with the Russian authorities, who detained her for daring to report the truth on the Russia-Ukraine war. Ukrainian and Russian authorities must do everything in their power to investigate Roshchina’s death.” The CPJ said it learned about Roshschina’s death from Petro Yatsenko, a spokesperson for the Ukrainian government’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War, and Yaroslav Yurchyshyn. The journalist reportedly died while being transferred from the southwestern Russian port city of Taganrog to Moscow, the capital, for a prisoner exchange. Russian authorities officially notified Roshchina’s father about her death, Yurchyshyn said. REPORTING WAR Roshchina, who was a freelance reporter who covered the war in Ukraine for several Ukrainian media outlets, went missing on August 3, 2023, when reporting on eastern Ukraine. Her detention was only confirmed by Russia in April 2024. She is the latest in a long list of journalists being killed since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022. At least 15 journalists and one media worker have been killed covering the war since Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022, according to CPJ research. Additionally, “Multiple Ukrainian journalists have been detained in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine,” the group told Worthy News. Russia was the world’s fourth-worst jailer of journalists in CPJ’s 2023 prison census, with at least 22 journalists, including Roshchina, behind bars as of December 1. CPJ’s emails to the Russian Ministry of Defense and Ukraine’s Coordination Headquarters for the Treatment of Prisoners of War about Roshchina did not receive an immediate response. The post Young Ukrainian Journalist Dies In Russian Captivity appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Three soldiers were killed in northern Gaza, bringing the total of fallen troops in the territory on or since October 7 of last year to 734 soldiers, the military announced Thursday. Separately, a soldier was killed in Lebanon, where Israeli forces launched a ground offensive against Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group that launched rocket barrages against Israel, forcing tens of thousands of Israelis to evacuate. The latest fallen soldiers in Gaza were named as Staff Sergeant Major Ori Moshe Borenstein, 32, from Moreshet, Major Netanel Hershkovitz, 37, from Jerusalem, and Staff Sergeant Major Tzvi Matityahu Marantz, from Bnei Adam. Sources said the three served in the Logistical Support Unit of the 5460th Unit, which is part of the 460th Brigade. The soldier killed in combat in southern Lebanon was Sergeant Major Ronny Gazinate, 36, from the central Israeli city of Giv’at Shmuel, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Thursday. The IDF added that another reservist was seriously wounded in the same incident but did not publish his name. Gazinate is survived by his wife Shoshana and three children, who had all immigrated to Israel from France as a family, Israeli sources said. SERVING IN RESERVES Over the past year, he reportedly served more than 200 days in the reserves. A week ago, he said on the social media platform Facebook that he was called up for reserve duty for the third time since October 7. “Third time’s the charm,” he wrote. When he completed his second round of reserve duty in July, he wrote on Facebook that “it’s good to be home” and thanked his wife, “who manages the house, the kids, and her work all on her own.” He addressed her, saying: “You’re a superhero; you deserve a commendation! Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity and the strength to contribute to our country.” In total, at least nine Israeli soldiers were killed in Lebanon since Israel launched combat ground operations there on October 1, according to a Worthy News tally. Confirmation of the latest Israeli casualties came as Lebanon’s health ministry said Thursday that 11 people were killed and 48 injured in an Israeli strike on central Beirut, the capital. Israel says it is targetting Hezbollah and its leaders but accuses the Islamic group of hiding fighters and weapons among civilians. UN HIT However, the United Nations said its troops were also targeted, including two Indonesian peacekeepers who were injured after an Israeli tank allegedly fired at a watchtower in southern Lebanon. The U.N. claimed Israeli forces had “repeatedly hit” its positions in the last 24 hours. Israeli soldiers are also accused of deliberately shooting at the cameras and lights at two other United Nations Interim Force (UNIFIL) bases. Israel did not immediately comment, but it has accused at least some U.N. workers of actively supporting Iran’s proxies, such as Hamas. Earlier in the day, Palestinian sources said 28 people were killed in an Israeli strike on a school in central Gaza, where Israel noted Hamas “terrorists were hiding.” The post Four Israeli Soldiers Killed In Gaza, Lebanon appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

Friend, enter His presence, you're completely covered! Hebrews 9:24-28 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another-- He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation. This evening will begin the Biblical feast of Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur, which literally means Day of Coverings, can be a day of deep reflection on what the Lord has done for us. As Yeshua (Jesus) died on the cross 2000 years ago, the Gospel describes how the veil in the Temple was torn in two. This profound spiritual event reveals that the Lord gave all whose sins are covered by His blood access to the Holy of Holies, as He had become our High Priest in addition to being, Himself, the perfect sacrifice for sin. Although the Temple was not finally destroyed until 70 AD, Orthodox Judaism recounts in the Talmud that, beginning in 30 AD, God no longer accepted the animal sacrifices commanded in the Torah for the Day of Atonement [Tract Yoma 39b]. Throughout the ages, while the Temple stood, the High Priest would cast lots for the two goats which were to be offered as sacrifices on Yom Kippur. One lot was for the goat to be sacrificed on the altar, for YHVH -- and the other, called "Azazel," the goat cast out into the wilderness for the removal of sins [Leviticus 16:7-10]. Traditionally, as the Priest cast the lot, finding it in his right hand was a good omen, indicating that God had accepted the sacrifice. However, if the High Priest drew it in his left hand, this indicated the Lord's displeasure and even rejection of the sacrifice. For the 40 years after the sacrifice of Yeshua, the Talmud records that the lot was taken in the left hand of the High Priest. The same result for 40 years, a lot cast into the left hand, carries a statistical probability of 1 in 1,099,511,627,776 -- or one in a trillion chance! There were also other significant miraculous signs described in this tract that something of major significance had taken place related to the most critical sacrifice in the Temple order. It is clear to both Jews and Messianic believers that God was saying something important to the Jewish people in 30AD, something important enough to be recorded in the Talmud and something which demanded an explanation. We believe that the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD, 40 years after the sacrifice of Yeshua, followed a period of testimony and testing for the Jewish people concerning the fact that the sacrificial system had been consummated by Yeshua's death on the cross. 40 is a typical number of testing throughout the Bible. While animal sacrifices continued to be offered in the Temple while it stood, and many believing Jews continued to participate in them, it was clear that something new and definitive had opened the way for all people to enter the Holiest place and to know the Lord intimately and personally. Without intending to, the Talmud offers historical support for the significance and reality of the events in 30 AD, which consummated the sacrificial system given in the Torah; i.e., the death and resurrection of the Jewish Messiah, Yeshua of Nazareth, who died for the sins of the whole world. Friend, so enter into His presence boldly today with the full knowledge that the veil was torn -- the sacrifice was provided -- and the work was completed 2000 years ago in our Messiah Yeshua! Chag Sameach (Happy Holidays) and Shabbat Shalom! Wishing you a wonderful weekend! By the way, my wife just released an awesome new song yesterday titled -- I Need You. Your family in the Lord with much agape love, George, Baht Rivka, Obadiah and Elianna (Birmingham, Alabama) 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 now booking in the following states. Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida! If you know Rabbis, Pastors or Leaders who might be interested in 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 Young Ukrainian Journalist Dies In Russian Captivity A young Ukrainian journalist, who was captured and detained by Russia while covering Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine in 2023, has died, an advocacy group confirmed Thursday. Turkey: Erdogan denounces Israel as “Zionist Terrorist Organization” Reiterating similar remarks he made in the weeks after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 last year and triggered the current war in Gaza, President Tayyip Erdogan of NATO member Turkey stated this week that Israel is a “Zionist terrorist organization,” the Times of Israel (TOI) reports. US Seeks Support for New Lebanese President, Aims to Sideline Hezbollah Amid calls from Israel’s President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the people of Lebanon to rise up against Hezbollah, the United States is seeking regional support for the election of a new Lebanese president, the Wall Street Journal has reported. Hungary’s PM: ‘EU Waging Political Intifada’ Hungary’s rightwing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has accused the European Union’s executive of waging a “political intifada” against him and others disagreeing with its “pro-migration,” “pro-war” and “anti-family” policies. Israel-Palestinian Conflict Four Israeli Soldiers Killed In Gaza, Lebanon Three soldiers were killed in northern Gaza, bringing the total of fallen troops in the territory on or since October 7 of last year to 734 soldiers, the military announced Thursday. Israel Cabinet To Decide On Attacking Iran As Gaza Strike ‘Kills 28’ Israel’s Security Cabinet was due to authorize the prime minister and defense minister to respond to last week’s Iranian missile attack while Israeli forces struck Gaza in an attack that allegedly killed dozens. Inside the United States Food Prices Jump, Inflation Rises Faster Than Expected Newly released federal inflation data shows that prices rose faster than expected last month, putting more pressure on Americans’ budgets. Deadly Hurricane Milton Sweeps Through Florida, Killing Several, Impacting Millions Hurricane Milton, described as America’s “storm of the century” by U.S. President Joe Biden, has slammed into Florida, killing at least four people, destroying homes, and knocking out power to more than 2 million customers. Christian News Chinese Government Replaces Images of Jesus Christ With Pictures of Xi Jinping in Churches The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) reveals in a new report that China’s ruling Chinese Communist Party is continuing its program of Sinicization and crackdown on believers in Christ by removing Christian images and art, including depictions of Jesus, from churches and replacing them with pictures of President Xi Jinping. Thousands of College Students Gather at Mississippi State University to Worship Jesus and Hear the Gospel Following the recent surge in large revival services on US college campuses, 6,000 students gathered at America’s Mississippi State University for a powerful time of evangelism, worship, prayer, and water baptisms last week, CBN News reports. View the full article

By Casey Harper | The Center Square (Worthy News) – Newly released federal inflation data shows that prices rose faster than expected last month, putting more pressure on Americans’ budgets. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics on Thursday released its Consumer Price Index, a key marker of inflation, which showed that CPI rose 0.2% in September. While inflation rose more than expected last month, the year-over-year inflation of 2.4% in this latest data is much lower than the major spike in inflation in recent years. The data comes after the U.S. Federal Reserve announced an interest rate cut last month, a sign that the Fed believes inflation is under control enough to lower rates, and thereby boost the economy. “Disinflation continues, but anyone who thought the Fed was going to lower rates by another .50 basis points in November is dead wrong,” Jamie Cox, managing partner at Harris Financial Group in Richmond, said in a statement. “When interest rates aren’t high enough to lower growth, they aren’t high enough to stifle inflation completely either. The Fed will lower rates, but at a measured pace from here.” Much of the increase was driven by an increase in rent costs. The data also showed a jump in food prices of 0.4%, the biggest increase since January of this year. “Five of the six major grocery store food group indexes increased over the month,” BLS said. “The index for meats, poultry, fish, and eggs rose 0.8 percent in September as the index for eggs increased 8.4 percent. The fruits and vegetables index increased 0.9 percent over the month, following a 0.2-percent decline in August. The index for other food at home rose 0.2 percent in September and the index for cereals and bakery products increased 0.3 percent. The dairy and related products index increased 0.1 percent over the month, while the nonalcoholic beverages index was unchanged in September.” Eating out became 3.9% more expensive in the last year. Meanwhile, experts say the deadly hurricanes hitting the U.S. right now are impacting the job market. “Initial jobless claims jumped to 258,000 in the week ending October 5, above the 230,000 consensus forecast or Comerica’s forecast of 250,000,” Bill Adams, Chief Economist for Comerica Bank “This is the first claims report showing the impact of Hurricane Helene, which made landfall on September 26.” Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post Food Prices Jump, Inflation Rises Faster Than Expected appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Reiterating similar remarks he made in the weeks after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 last year and triggered the current war in Gaza, President Tayyip Erdogan of NATO member Turkey stated this week that Israel is a “Zionist terrorist organization,” the Times of Israel (TOI) reports. Erdogan made his remarks in light of Israel’s involvement in violent conflicts with Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Iran’s Islamic regime which supports both of these terror groups. “Israel is a Zionist terrorist organization,” Erdogan said in a speech to his AKP party’s parliamentary group, broadcast on state TV TRT. “A year ago, I said that Israel was faced with the choice between becoming a state or being a terrorist organization. Since then, Israel has acted like a Zionist terrorist organization, committing the most brutal genocide of the century in Gaza.” “Our neighbor Iran’s response to the escalating Israeli attacks last week has increased the risk of a regional conflict more than ever. We are following these tensions very closely, where a new threshold is being crossed almost every day, and we are taking all precautions for the security of our state and nation,” Erdogan said. Erdogan also criticized Western powers, especially the United States, for supporting Israel militarily. Notably, the historically tense relations between Turkey and Israel appeared to be thawing in September last year, with Erdogan and Netanyahu sitting down for a meeting and a photo opportunity together on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on September 19, 2023. The Hamas attack on Israel just over two weeks later reversed this course. The post Turkey: Erdogan denounces Israel as “Zionist Terrorist Organization” appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Israel’s Security Cabinet was due to authorize the prime minister and defense minister to respond to last week’s Iranian missile attack while Israeli forces struck Gaza in an attack that allegedly killed dozens. The Security Cabinet’s meeting came as an Israeli strike “killed at least 28 people” and injured some 54 others in the Rafidah school of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, said the Palestinian Red Crescent. Those figures could not immediately be verified. The Israeli military said it targeted “terrorists” inside the building after Israel was attacked by Hamas rockets on the first anniversary of the October 7 Hamas massacre of 1,200 people in Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant were also expected to order a retaliation to last week’s Iranian missile attack. The Security Cabinet was due to vote on the issue Thursday. Jerusalem has vowed a significant retaliation for Tehran’s second-ever direct attack on the Jewish state, in which some 200 rockets were fired in two waves on October 1. The Israeli military, backed by the United States and Jordan, shot down most of the missiles, but a Palestinian man from Gaza was struck by missile debris and died near Jericho in the Jordan Valley, officials said. Additionally, military sites reportedly suffered damage. POWERFUL RESPONSE On Wednesday, Gallant reportedly said Israel’s response “will be powerful, precise and above all—surprising,” adding that “the Islamic Regime will not understand what happened and how it happened.” He was due to unveil plans during the Security Cabinet meeting. It came after U.S. President Joe Biden held a “direct,” 30-minute phone call with Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu — their first conversation in weeks, the White House confirmed. Washington has expressed concern that Israel will hit nuclear sites, but Jerusalem has publicly declined to rule out anything. Tehran has threatened with a brutal retaliation if Israel attacks Iran, but the Israeli military seemed undeterred by these threats. As preparations for attacking Iran were underway, Israel also further extended the ground operation in Lebanon, where it battles Hezbollah fighters. The United Nations claimed that two of its peacekeepers were injured when an Israeli tank fired at its headquarters in southern Lebanon. The U.N. also said Israeli soldiers fired on another of its positions, damaging vehicles and communications. There was no immediate response from Israel, but the government has expressed concerns about at least some U.N. personnel working with “terrorists,” including in Gaza. The post Israel Cabinet To Decide On Attacking Iran As Gaza Strike ‘Kills 28’ appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Amid calls from Israel’s President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the people of Lebanon to rise up against Hezbollah, the United States is seeking regional support for the election of a new Lebanese president, the Wall Street Journal has reported. Iran-backed Hezbollah has a political wing that is represented in Lebanon’s parliament, as well as a paramilitary wing it has used to fire thousands of missiles at northern Israeli towns in support of Hamas in Gaza. In an effort to stop the missile attacks and return some 80,000 evacuated Israelis to their homes, Israel has launched a bombing campaign against Hezbollah targets that have caused the displacement of some one million Lebanese, with many casualties. The Biden administration reportedly aims to break Hezbollah’s hold on the country and shift the balance of power toward a democratic, non-terrorist model of government. According to the WSJ, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and US envoy to the Middle East Amos Hochstein have called leaders in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar, seeking their support for new leadership in Lebanon. The chronically unstable country has been without non-terrorist leadership since President Michel Aoun’s term in 2022. Concerning the US initiative, the Israel Hayom (Today) news outlet noted: “The American effort faces significant challenges, and fears of a new conflict between Lebanon’s factions have drawn criticism from Egypt and Qatar, arguing that Hezbollah must be an integral part of any future political settlement in Lebanon.” The post US Seeks Support for New Lebanese President, Aims to Sideline Hezbollah appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) reveals in a new report that China’s ruling Chinese Communist Party is continuing its program of Sinicization and crackdown on believers in Christ by removing Christian images and art, including depictions of Jesus, from churches and replacing them with pictures of President Xi Jinping. Warning that the Chinese government has “implemented the coercive ‘sinicization of religion’ policy, which has fundamentally transformed China’s religious environment,” the USCIRF attests that the suppression of religious groups has become the “core driving principle of the government’s management of religious affairs.” “Government officials have installed CCP loyalists as leading religious figures, altered houses of worship with CCP-approved architecture, integrated CCP propaganda into religious doctrines, and otherwise criminalized non-CCP-backed religious activities, all with the goal to ensure the stability of CCP rule,” the report says. According to the USCIRF, the Chinese government’s policy now includes “the removal of crosses from churches” and “replaced images of Jesus Christ or the Virgin Mary with pictures of President Xi.” The government has also “required the display of CCP slogans at the entrances of churches, censored religious texts, imposed CCP-approved religious materials, and instructed clergy to preach CCP ideology,” the USCIRF report explains. China ranks 19 on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted. “The Chinese Communist Party’s goal is to make sure churches don’t fall out of line with official viewpoints,” the Open Doors Christian advocacy organization explains in a current website report. “Official churches are encouraged to praise and pledge allegiance to the Communist Party and its ideology. Churches that claim Christ as King are viewed with suspicion, especially since Christianity is seen as a primarily Western influence,” Open Doors says. The post Chinese Government Replaces Images of Jesus Christ With Pictures of Xi Jinping in Churches appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Following the recent surge in large revival services on US college campuses, 6,000 students gathered at America’s Mississippi State University for a powerful time of evangelism, worship, prayer, and water baptisms last week, CBN News reports. The October 1 service was organized by Unite US, an American “movement of college students united to lift the name of Jesus.” The movement was birthed following a 5,000-strong worship service at Auburn University’s Neville Arena in September last year, during which 200 students were immediately baptized. “Jesus met us tonight in Humphrey Coliseum [on the Mississippi State University Campus,” Unite US said in an Instagram post about last week’s service. “Nearly 6,000 students worshipped together, confessed to sin that had been holding them back, and experienced freedom that can only be found in Him.” “We are celebrating with every single student who took a step toward Jesus tonight, and believe this is only the beginning,” Unite US added in the post. “Thank you, Jesus, for how You are moving in this generation!” In a statement to CBN about how she was impacted by the service in Mississippi, a student called Emma said: “I just feel like this is something I have been wanting to do for a long time. I kept telling myself I needed a perfect scenario to do it and I don’t think that I do. I just need to surrender myself and do it.” The post Thousands of College Students Gather at Mississippi State University to Worship Jesus and Hear the Gospel appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News MIAMI, USA (Worthy News) – Hurricane Milton, described as America’s “storm of the century” by U.S. President Joe Biden, has slammed into Florida, killing at least two people, destroying homes, and knocking out power to more than 2 million customers. Two deaths were reported at a retirement community following a suspected tornado in Fort Pierce on the eastern coast of Florida, broadcaster NBC News reported, citing St. Lucie County Sheriff Keith Pearson. However, by early Thursday, wind speeds reduced to a still dangerous 90 miles per hour (150 kilometers per hour), dropping Milton to a Category 1 hurricane in Florida, the southeasternmost U.S. state. Yet by that time, heavy rains and damaging storms had already surged and reached Florida’s Atlantic Coast. The eye of the storm made landfall in Siesta Key, a barrier island town of some 5,400 off Sarasota about 60 miles (100 kilometers) south of the Tampa Bay metropolitan area, which is home to more than 3 million people. Authorities said the hurricane was also about 10 miles (17 kilometers) northwest of Cape Canaveral, home to NASA’s Space Force Station. LIFE-SAVING MISSIONS Ahead of the storm, U.S. President Joe Biden said he “approved emergency declaration requests from the State and the Seminole Tribe of Florida. We have thousands of federal personnel on the ground. And we have staged 20 million meals and 40 million liters of water.” He added, “At my direction, Secretary of Defense [Lloyd J.] Austin has pre-positioned search and rescue teams, helicopters, and high-water vehicles as close to the storm as possible so they are ready to conduct life-saving missions.” Biden said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is in the area. Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis said that despite the hardship, “I’ve seen great sources of inspiration throughout the state of Florida with our first responders, with people who are working around the clock to help their fellow Floridians.” He said there are 150 shelters with a capacity for 200,000 people. Presidential nominee Kamala Harris has criticized DeSantis for allegedly refusing to take her calls just weeks before the election. She called it “utterly irresponsible” and “selfish” to play “political games” at a time of crisis. “I’ve been in touch with both FEMA and the president, as well as marshaling all our state agencies and working to support our local communities,” DeSantis countered. NO ROLE “She has no role in this,” he added. “In fact, she’s been vice president for three-and-a-half years. I’ve dealt with a number of storms under this administration. She has never contributed anything to any of these efforts, and so what I think is selfish is trying to blunder into this.” Yet amid the devastation and political turbulence, Christians set up prayer groups as concern mounted about the hurricane’s devastation. “Please join us in praying for those on the path of Hurricane Milton. May God provide peace and safety for those enduring this latest storm,” said the relief group Samaritan’s Purse, led by evangelist Franklin Graham. “Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, Florida, on Wednesday, October 9—unleashing powerful storm surge, torrential rain, and ferocious winds,” the group stressed. “The powerful Category 3 storm is pounding some communities that are still reeling from the devastation of Hurricane Helene less than two weeks ago,” Samaritan’s Purse noticed. “However, once the storm has passed, we will respond alongside the local church in Jesus’ Name.” The post Deadly Hurricane Milton Sweeps Through Florida, Killing Several, Impacting Millions appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Hungary’s rightwing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has accused the European Union’s executive of waging a “political intifada” against him and others disagreeing with its “pro-migration,” “pro-war” and “anti-family” policies. Orbán spoke about the European Commission (EC) during a fierce debate Weshesday in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, after his country took over the rotating EU presidency. Looking directly at EC President Ursula von der Leyen, the Hungarian leader noticed that “In the past, as the treaties say, the Commission was the guardian of the treaties. It was a neutral body. Its job was to put political debates aside and deal with differences in a legal manner, but this has now changed.” However, it has been turned into a body in a “political intifada,” he said. Rather than being a guardian of the treaties, it’s a political body, a political weapon. ” Orbán and Von der Leyen clashed over how to tackle the massive migration from mainly Muslim nations, Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine, and the EU’s economic stagnation. He suggested that the arrival of asylum seekers from low-income Muslim countries was “increasing antisemitism, violence against women and homophobia.” “The facts speak for themselves,” added Orbán amid boos from centrist and liberal legislators. OUTSIDE HOTSPOTS As a solution, he proposed that the EU should focus on establishing “outside hotspots” in neighboring countries to process asylum applications. He said that only those whose requests have been approved should be allowed into European territory. “Without outside hotspots, we cannot protect Europeans from irregular migration,” he told the European Parliament. “Other solutions are quite frankly an illusion.” The idea of offshoring migration procedures has gained traction in recent months. In May, 15 member states signed a letter pitching several proposals to advance the project, which remains controversial due to what critics view as fundamental rights. He spoke at a time when his country is still awaiting billions of euros in funding that has been withheld due to concerns about the rule of law in the country. Orbán has also received EU criticism over strict LGTBQ legislation banning education about homosexuality to minors that he says protects traditional families. Speaking Wednesday at an often turbulent debate, the Hungarian leader also dismissed the EU’s response to the Ukraine war as “poorly planned and poorly implemented. He urged the 27-nation bloc to resume communications with the Kremlin, which he attempted to do in a controversial visit to Moscow in July. ‘MISTAKEN POLICY’ “The European Union has mistaken policy when it comes to this war,” he said. “If we want to win, we need to change this losing strategy.” EC President Von der Leyen appeared furious. “There are still some who blame this war not on the invader but on the invaded. Not on [Russian President Vladimir] Putin’s lust for power, but on Ukraine’s thirst for freedom.” She added: “I want to ask them: would they ever blame the Hungarians for the Soviet invasion of 1956? Or the Czechs and Slovaks for the Soviet repression of 1968?”. Von der Leyen said, “The people of Ukraine are freedom fighters, just like the heroes that freed Central and Eastern Europe from Soviet rule.” Orbán reacted by shrugging off the comparison, calling it a “mistake.” He said the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 had “nothing to do” with Ukraine’s resistance against Russian troops. Bullet holes and other damage from that period are still visible at several buildings in Hungary’s capital, Budapest. Orbán also attacked Von der Leyen’s “Green Deal” on “climate change,” which he warned would harm industries. He said the EU was losing its competitiveness against the United States, and China lashed out at the bloc’s tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. ECONOMIC POLICIES Von der Leyen said Orbán’s economic policies had failed in a nation where hundreds of thousands of Hungarians had left to live in other countries. She noticed that Hungary was now inviting people from Russia and Belarus to take on the jobs Hungarians didn’t want. Von der Leyen also questioned Orbán’s decision to invite police from Communist-run China to patrol the streets. Orbán said his country follows all EU regulations and denied they could pose a security risk. Von der Leyen defended her track record reducing the bloc’s dependency on Moscow and accused Hungary of chasing “alternative ways” to buy Russian fossil fuels. Budapest is currently exempted from the EU’s ban on Russian oil. “Russia has proven time and again it is simply not a reliable supplier. So there can be no more excuses. Whoever wants European energy security first and foremost has to contribute to it,” von der Leyen said. Orbán is not in a hurry to introduce the EU’s energy policy in his country, which offers perhaps the EU’s lowest utility bills. While facing growing opposition at home, Orbán remains defiant as he is encouraged by his recently formed ‘Patriots for Europe,’ the third largest group in the EP. The post Hungary’s PM: ‘EU Waging Political Intifada’ appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the Lebanese to reclaim their country from Hezbollah and indicated on Tuesday evening that Israel had successfully assassinated Hashem Safieddine, the expected new leader of Hezbollah, who was targeted in an airstrike in Beirut last Thursday. He also asserted that Israel had eliminated the next in line for the position. In a video message on Tuesday night, Netanyahu called on Lebanese citizens to reclaim their country from Hezbollah’s control. Addressing the Lebanese public in an English-language video, he stated that Israel has “degraded Hezbollah’s capabilities; we took out thousands of terrorists, including [longtime Hezbollah leader Hassan] Nasrallah himself, and Nasrallah’s replacement, and his replacement’s replacement.” He further emphasized, “Today, Hezbollah is weaker than it has been in many, many years.” This is a message to the people of Lebanon: pic.twitter.com/btMQR0Xwtn — Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) October 8, 2024 In an airstrike on Beirut on September 27, Israel killed Nasrallah, the leader of the terror group since 1992. On October 3, Israel carried out a heavy bombing in Beirut, reportedly targeting Safieddine, the head of Hezbollah’s executive council, who managed the group’s political affairs and was thought to be Nasrallah’s successor. Netanyahu declared that “Hezbollah is weaker than it has been in many, many years” following targeted attacks that involved pagers, walkie-talkies, and both land and airstrikes against the terrorist organization. “Hezbollah is an organization without a leader; Nasrallah was eliminated, and his replacement was probably also eliminated,” said Israeli Defense Minister Gallant during a visit to the IDF Northern Command, noting that Hezbollah’s firepower capabilities have also suffered a significant setback. “This has a dramatic effect on everything that happens. There is no one to make decisions, no one to act,” the defense minister added. “The actions we are taking are being observed all over the Middle East. When the smoke in Lebanon clears, they will realize in Iran that they have lost their most valuable asset, which is Hezbollah.” The post Netanyahu Calls on Lebanese to Reclaim Their Country, Details Elimination of Hezbollah Leaders (Video) appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – The Colorado Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit against Christian baker Jack Phillips on procedural grounds, granting him another victory while avoiding First Amendment and discrimination issues. In a 4-3 decision, the court ruled that transgender lawyer Autumn Scardina improperly sued in Denver District Court after her discrimination complaint against Mr. Phillips was dismissed by the Colorado Civil Rights Commission. “Irrespective of the merits of Scardina’s claim, the district court here was not permitted to consider her case,” Colorado Supreme Court Justice Melissa Hart wrote in the 4-3 majority opinion. However, the decision did not evaluate the lawsuit’s merits. The lawsuit claimed Mr. Phillips violated the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act by refusing to create a pink-and-blue cake for Ms. Scardina to commemorate her gender transition anniversary in 2017. Jack Warner, senior counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), praised the ruling and called for an end to the “harassment” Mr. Phillips has faced since he first declined to create a same-sex wedding cake 12 years ago on First Amendment grounds, stating, “Enough is enough. Jack has been dragged through courts for over a decade. It’s time to leave him alone.” The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Mr. Phillips’ favor in its 2018 decision in Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission, determining that the panel showed hostility toward his Christian beliefs. “That ruling did not address Phillips’s free-speech rights to decline to create custom cakes expressing messages that violate his faith.” They added, “Now, the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling has ended the most recent lawsuit against Phillips, dismissing the case because the attorney who filed it did not follow the right process. Like the prior win, this ruling does not address Phillips’ free-speech rights,” the ADF said in a statement. The post Transgender-Cake Lawsuit Against Christian Dismissed by Colorado Supreme Court appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

Friend, repentance is a lifestyle; be ready! Luke 12:39-40 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man comes at an hour when you think not. As we find ourselves in the midst of the Yamim Noraim (Days of Awe), our hearts are centered this week on repentance as we prepare for Yom Kippur, which is approaching this Friday. In this spirit, I want to share something I discovered while studying the Jewish roots of many of Yeshua’s (Jesus’) parables. I came across an insightful teaching from a Jewish Rabbi, which I believe holds a valuable lesson for us today. Rabbi Eliezer said, "Repent one day before your death." His disciples asked him, "Does then one know what day he will die?" "Then all the more reason to repent today", he replied, "lest he die tomorrow, and thus his whole life is spent in repentance." When I first became a believer, I thought by simply dealing with my outward sins that I could live a state of sinlessness. But it wasn't long before the Lord began revealing and dealing with my inward sins and attitudes. Now, and the longer I walk with Him, I understand more and more the meaning of daily repentance! If we truly want to be free and walk in His liberty, we cannot avoid this crucial requirement for freedom. Because we cannot receive His forgiveness without it, repentance must be a way of life for us [1 John 1:9]. Friend, staying close to the Lord is His heart's desire for us...but one of the main conditions for it is walking in regular repentance. When we walk in humility and truthfulness about our sin -- we are walking in the light, and the blood of Jesus keeps cleansing us from sin. In that condition we are so much more able to love the Lord and those around us -- with Him, touching one life at a time. So, let's lay down our pride and turn to Him every day....with genuine repentance ... and then we'll be walking in daily revival! Your family in the Lord with much agape love, George, Baht Rivka, Obadiah and Elianna (Birmingham, Alabama) 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 now booking in the following states. Alabama, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida! If you know Rabbis, Pastors or Leaders who might be interested in 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 Central Bank of Russia Announces Mass Rollout of Digital Ruble The Bank of Russia has confirmed its central bank digital currency (CBDC), the digital ruble, is set for a mass rollout in the second half of 2025, Ledgerinsights reported on Wednesday, October 2. Mexico: “Young and Honest” New Mayor of Chilpancingo Murdered Days After Taking Office The new mayor of Chilpancingo, a gang-controlled state capital in southern Mexico, has been brutally murdered less than one week after taking office, the Independent reports. Chilpancingo has long been plagued by feuds and the violence of two drug gangs, the Ardillos and the Tlacos. Israel-Palestinian Conflict Netanyahu Calls on Lebanese to Reclaim Their Country, Details Elimination of Hezbollah Leaders (Video) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated on Tuesday evening that Israel had successfully assassinated Hashem Safieddine, the anticipated new leader of Hezbollah, who was targeted in an airstrike in Beirut last Thursday. He also claimed that Israel had eliminated the next in line for the position. Terror Stabbing Injures Six In Israel At least six people have been wounded, two of them critically, after a stabbing shook the Israeli city of Hadera, but the attacker was shot by armed civilians, witnesses said. Two Killed As Hezbollah Hits Israel At least two people were reportedly killed and eight injured as Lebanon-based Hezbollah fired some 90 rockets into northern Israel, just hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the Lebanese people to take back their country. Inside the United States Transgender-Cake Lawsuit Against Christian Dismissed by Colorado Supreme Court The Colorado Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit against Christian cakeshop owner Jack Phillips on procedural grounds, granting him another victory while avoiding First Amendment and discrimination issues. DeSantis Says Hurricane Milton Mobilization Is Largest in State’s History Mobilization for hurricane is larger for Milton than any previous in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said from Lake City on Wednesday. Largest US Water Company Faces Cybersecurity Incident American Water, the largest water and sewage utility company in the US, has paused billing amid an ongoing “cybersecurity incident” it announced on Monday October 8. Christian News Christian Groups Continue Helping Communities Recover From Hurricane Helene Churches and Christian aid groups in the US are continuing the hard work of helping communities recover from the massive destruction wreaked by Hurricane Helene as it tore through south-eastern states two weeks ago, CBN News reports. Indonesia Detains Influencer For ‘Blasphemy Against Jesus’ Indonesian police have detained a social media influencer for blasphemy against Jesus while Christians face growing pressure in the world’s largest Muslim nation, sources told Worthy News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – At least six people have been wounded, two of them critically, after a stabbing shook the Israeli city of Hadera, but the attacker was shot by armed civilians, witnesses said. Footage obtained by Worthy News showed a man being cornered by armed civilians. A man first shot in the air, making clear to the suspect that he should surrender. The armed civilians began yelling at the suspect in Hebrew and English to “get onto the floor,” but he ignored them. Soon after he was shot and, uniformed police forces rushed to the scene in Hadera, about 45 kilometers (28 miles) from the major Israeli cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa. The suspect was later identified as a 36-year-old Arab Israeli resident of the Umm al-Fahm in Israel’s Haifa District. Although he was shot and detained, his condition was not immediately apparent. Several victims were listed in critical condition in the latest such attack to hit Israel in recent weeks, officials said. DIFFERENT LOCATIONS Verified footage of Wednesday’s confrontation showed a knife-carrying person stabbing victims at four different locations before he was stopped by bystanders on what looked like a side street. The armed civilians began yelling at the suspect in Hebrew and English to “get onto the floor,” but he ignored them. Two of the stabbing victims initially listed as seriously injured have deteriorated to critical condition, said Eli Bin, the chief of Israel’s medical rescue service Magen David Adom. Three others were reportedly in serious condition, and the fourth was wounded. With the army striking Iranian proxies in Gaza and at least six other fronts, concerns are mounting about acts of terrorism inside the Jewish nation. The wars were triggered by the massacre of some 1,200 people and the abductions of about 250 others by Hamas in Israel on October 7. The post Terror Stabbing Injures Six In Israel appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Steve Wilson | The Center Square (Worthy News) – Mobilization for hurricane is larger for Milton than any previous in Florida, Gov. Ron DeSantis said from Lake City on Wednesday. State officials say 6,000 Florida National Guard soldiers and 3,000 from other states await storm rescue and recovery efforts, along with 34 search and rescue aircraft and 500 tactical vehicles. Hurricane Milton is forecast for landfall Wednesday night into Thursday. The National Hurricane Center says the storm, at 2 p.m. still a Category 4 in strength on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale with sustained maximum winds of 130 mph, is headed south of Tampa Bay in Manatee and Sarasota counties. The 2 p.m. advisory placed it about 130 miles west of Fort Myers, and 150 southwest of Tampa. Forecasters predict the storm will scoot across the peninsula as a weaker hurricane and be in the Atlantic by Thursday night before weakening into an extratropical storm. According to the Hurricane Center, hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles from the center and tropical storm-force winds extend outward up to 250 miles, especially to the north. “I’ve seen great sources of inspiration throughout the state of Florida with our first responders, with people who are working around the clock to help their fellow Floridians,” DeSantis said. “And you can count on us. We’re going to be in this all the way till the end. So please make sure you’re doing what you need to do to protect yourself.” The two-term Republican governor says there are 150 shelters with 30,000 individuals; capacity is for 200,000. Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said residents in flood zones under mandatory evacuation orders could face “life-threatening storm surge” and to go one of the shelters. “Your home, belongings can be replaced, but unfortunately, you can not,” Guthrie said. “And neither can your family.” He also said there were 2.3 million power outages during Hurricane Helene, which brushed the Gulf Coast before making landfall Sept. 26 in the Big Bend. He predicts more outages due to the storm’s track. DeSantis said there are 50,000 linemen, many from other states as far away as California, waiting for the storm to pass so they can start restoring power for Floridians. Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue said the Sunshine Skyway and the Howard Franklin bridges in Tampa Bay were closed due to high winds, along with the Courtney, Campbell and Gandy causeways that connect Hillsborough and Pinellas counties. He said the use of the left shoulder to facilitate evacuations on Interstates 75 and 4 had been discontinued. Perdue said Florida Department of Transportation bridge inspectors, damage assessment teams and heavy equipment are ready once the storm passes to get roads open as quickly as possible. Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post DeSantis Says Hurricane Milton Mobilization Is Largest in State’s History appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News BEIRUT/JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – At least two people were reportedly killed and eight injured as Lebanon-based Hezbollah fired some 90 rockets into northern Israel, just hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the Lebanese people to take back their country. Most rockets were launched Wednesday towards the Upper Galilee, Haifa Bay, and Kiryat Shmona areas, where several were killed and injured, said Israel’s rescue organization Magen David Adom (MDA) and the military. Several rockets were intercepted, while others fell in open fields, the military said. Yet that could not prevent the killing of a couple, a man and a woman, both aged 40, Israeli sources said. They reportedly sustained fatal wounds due to falling shrapnel while walking their dogs and did not have time to enter the protected area Three people were treated by MDA paramedics in the Haifa Bay area after they were hit by shrapnel. Among them was a 16-year-old in moderate condition and another person roughly 50 years old suffering “from light wounds,” the MDA added. A total of eight people were brought to the Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa for medical treatment, with one in serious condition and the rest suffering from minor wounds, medics said. Yet the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported it struck back after 20 rockets were detected in a barrage towards Kiryat Shmona alone, adding they had destroyed the site from where the missiles were launched. EMOTIONAL VIDEO The attacks came despite an emotionally charged video appeal by Netanyahu: “You have an opportunity to save Lebanon before it falls into the abyss of a long war that will lead to destruction and suffering like we see in Gaza,” he told Lebanese people. With attacks continuing, the Israel Air Force reportedly struck the Dahiyeh neighborhood of Beirut shortly after the deadly rocket barrage struck northern Israel. The strike on the Lebanese capital also followed talks between Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and former U.S. President Donald J. Trump, who is seeking re-election, Israeli sources said. Trump has overseen the Abraham Accords, which normalized relations between Israel and several Arabic nations. In his video address, Netanyahu made clear he had not given up hope that this accords will extend to Lebanon and that one day, the Lebanese and Israeli people of different religions will live in peace, without “terrorists.” “Do you remember when your country was called ‘the pearl of the Middle East’? I do,” he said. “So what happened to Lebanon? A gang of tyrants and terrorists destroyed it. That’s what happened.” AMMUNITION STOCKPILE He recalled that Israel withdrew from Lebanon 25 years ago, “But the country that actually conquered Lebanon is not Israel, it’s Iran, which financed and armed Hezbollah to serve Iran’s interest at Lebanon’s expense.” The Israeli leader stressed that Hezbollah “has turned Lebanon into a stockpile of ammunition and weapons and a forward Iranian military base.” Netanyahu said that Hezbollah launched a war against Israel after the October 7 massacre of 1,200 people by its ally Hamas in northern Israel. However, he warned Israel would win. “Now you, the Lebanese people, you stand at a significant crossroads. It is your choice. You can now take back your country and return it to a path of peace and prosperity. If you don’t, Hezbollah will continue fighting Israel from densely populated areas at your expense.” He added: “Today I ask every mother and every father in Lebanon a simple question: “Is it worth it?” Netanyahu said they deserve a better future and a peaceful nation. “Don’t let this terrorists destroy your future anymore than they have already done. Stand up and take your country back before it falls into the abyss of a long war. I say to the people of Lebanon: ‘Free your country from Hezbollah so that this war can end.’” The post Two Killed As Hezbollah Hits Israel appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – American Water, the largest water and sewage utility company in the US, has paused billing amid an ongoing “cybersecurity incident” it announced on Monday October 8. Based in Camden, New Jersey, American Water serves 14 million people, managing more than 500 water and wastewater systems in some 1,700 communities in California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. The company announced it had become aware of “unauthorized activity” on its computer network on October 3, which subsequently caused it to shut down some of its systems as a protective measure to ensure the continued supply of services, Reuters reports. The Associated Press reported Wednesday that the incident is ongoing. “Water services have been unaffected as protections remained in place Wednesday,” AP said. The company has notified law enforcement and is working with them to resolve the issue, CNN reported. “Although the details of the breach were not disclosed, organizations in the U.S. and abroad have struggled for years to defend against and contain incursions by ransom-seeking cybercriminals, who regularly hack into groups’ computers and encrypt the data to extort vast sums of money in cryptocurrency payments,” Reuters noted in its report. The post Largest US Water Company Faces Cybersecurity Incident appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – The Bank of Russia has confirmed its central bank digital currency (CBDC), the digital ruble, is set for a mass rollout in the second half of 2025, Ledgerinsights reported on Wednesday, October 2. The largest banks will be required to support the digital ruble by July 2025, Ledgerinsights reports. These banks will have to offer digital ruble accounts, and accept digital rubles. Smaller banks will have until July 2026 to comply and nonbank credit institutions have until July 2027,” Ledgerinsights said. Moreover, businesses will also have to accept the digital ruble, Ledgerinsights said. Businesses with a turnover of 30 million rubles ($320,000) or more must comply upon opening. Those with over 20 million rubles in revenues have an extra year, and those with less than that have two years. “The [Russian] central bank doesn’t believe it will be too challenging for merchants to adopt the CBDC, as it plans to mandate a universal QR code with a draft law in preparation, Ledgerinsights explained in its report. “This will be based on the QR codes currently used by SBP, Russia’s faster payment system. The universal QR code has already been piloted by 22 banks.” In a statement about the rollout, Russia’s central bank noted: “The digital ruble will not have a significant impact on the monetary policy transmission mechanism (MPTM). At the same time, the Bank of Russia has all the tools to compensate for the secondary effects of the introduction of the digital ruble on the MPTM, if they arise.” The post Central Bank of Russia Announces Mass Rollout of Digital Ruble appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Churches and Christian aid groups in the US are continuing the hard work of helping communities recover from the massive destruction wreaked by Hurricane Helene as it tore through south-eastern states two weeks ago, CBN News reports. The small North Carolina town of Swannanoa was one of the most severely impacted communities, and the First Baptist Church of Swannanoa has stepped up to help not only by providing food and other essentials but also by encouraging and offering hope to residents. “We were able to make it through as a church, so we feel that God has spared us so that we can be a beacon of hope in this community,” Jeff Dowdy, Senior Pastor of First Baptist Church of Swannanoa, told CBN. Meanwhile, the Asheville Dream Center is helping residents of Asheville, North Carolina by distributing water, food, and other supplies throughout the region. “Right now, we’re getting semi-trucks in here. We’re loading them, and we have over 60 nonprofits, churches, businesses, recovery centers, and neighborhoods that we are getting supplies out to,” Dream Center founder Michelle Coleman told CBN. CBN’s Operation Blessing is also working to help residents in North Carolina. “Teams are serving hot meals, as well as bringing food, water, and water purification systems to people in remote areas,” CBN said in its report. “A second Operation Blessing team is at work in Valdosta, Georgia. Cleanup crews are hard at work helping clear debris from yards and protecting damaged homes from the elements,” CBN said. Moreover, Operation Blessing is also preparing for Hurricane Milton to make landfall in Florida on October 10, CBN said. The post Christian Groups Continue Helping Communities Recover From Hurricane Helene appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – The new mayor of Chilpancingo, a gang-controlled state capital in southern Mexico, has been brutally murdered less than one week after taking office, the Independent reports. Chilpancingo has long been plagued by feuds and the violence of two drug gangs, the Ardillos and the Tlacos. Described as “young and honest” and keen to advance his community, Alejandro Arcos was sworn in as mayor of Chilpancingo, the capital city of Mexico’s Guerrero state, on Monday 30 September. The Guerrero state prosecutor’s office confirmed on Sunday, October 6 that Arcos had been killed but did not provide details as to the manner of his death, the Independent reports. Images of Arcos’ decapitated head left on a car in the street circulated on social media, although officials have not confirmed the manner of his death, the Independent said. “Chilpancingo is a city so violent that a drug gang openly staged a demonstration, hijacked a government armored car and took police hostage in 2023 to win the release of arrested suspects,” the Independent noted in its report. News of Arcos’ death followed news that the newly installed secretary of Chilpancingo city council had also been murdered three days earlier, the Independent said. In a statement about the two deaths, Alejandro Moreno, leader of the Institutional Revolutionary Party said: “They had been in office less than a week. They were young and honest public servants who were seeking progress for their community.” The post Mexico: “Young and Honest” New Mayor of Chilpancingo Murdered Days After Taking Office appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News MEDAN, INDONESIA (Worthy News) – Indonesian police have detained a social media influencer for blasphemy against Jesus while Christians face growing pressure in the world’s largest Muslim nation, sources told Worthy News. Ratu Talisha (RT), also known as Ratu Entok, is an internet celebrity in Medan, the capital of Indonesia’s North Sumatra province, because of the videos she posts on the Instagram platform. “As a suspect in a viral video, she is telling Jesus to cut his hair so that he doesn’t look like a woman,” investigators said. “This time, it seems that Muslims want to defend Christians,” a church worker in Medan told Worthy News. Worthy News did not publish the name of the Christian source amid security concerns. Authorities said she was detained Wednesday by the North Sumatra Police Cyber ​​Directorate. “Based on the case investigation results, RT was named a suspect. [As she could face] more than five years [imprisonment], the person concerned was also detained starting tonight,” added Senior Police Commissioner Hadi Wahyudi in published remarks. Hadi Wahyudi explained that Ratu Entok “was forcibly picked up by investigators from her home this [Wednesday] afternoon.” She “was charged under Information and Electronic Transactions” legislation, the police official added. SHAVING HAIR Previously, a video of Ratu Entok allegedly committing blasphemy “went viral on social media,” police said. Residents then reported the video to the North Sumatra Police. Several sources confirmed. “Don’t resemble a woman; your hair must be shaved, hmmm, like a monk, maybe. You shave, heh, you shave your hair, okay,” the woman purportedly told Jesus on Instagram. “Don’t resemble a woman; you shave, shave it so you look like her father. Shave it. If it’s a man, his hair must be bald; shave it short, shave it hey,” the celebrity allegedly said. Worthy News wasn’t able to verify the video footage independently. Yet the controversy over the footage comes after several churches, as well as private Bible study and prayer meetings, were earlier attacked or threatened by Muslim extremists, Worthy News established. There is debate about whether a detention for blasphemy will ease tensions, and critics argue that Jesus Himself did not resist when He was detained, mocked, and sentenced to death. SITUATION WORSENING The situation for Christians has been deteriorating in recent years, with Indonesian society increasingly influenced by conservative interpretations of Islam, according to rights investigators and local Christians. “Polls regularly show that especially young people hold conservative views, and by-laws on Islamic dress are becoming more common,” said advocacy group Open Doors. Converts from Islam and devoted Christians are especially facing pressure and attacks from their families and authorities, several sources told Worthy News. “Sometimes I hear my schoolmates saying things like, ‘Hey if you remain, Christian, you will also be crucified just as your Jesus was crucified.’They poke fun at us Christians in that way. I don’t take offense. I’m just used to hearing this,” a young Christian named as Raymond said. Indonesia ranks 42 on the Open Doors annual World Watch List of 50 nations where it says Christians face the most persecution. Christianity is observed by just over 10 percent of Indonesia’s roughly 282 million people, who are mainly Muslim, according to data cited by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Several church leaders have told Worthy News that the real number of “born-again” believers in Christ, referring to those who chose to become Christians, is millions higher than official data shows. The post Indonesia Detains Influencer For ‘Blasphemy Against Jesus’ appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News STRASBOURG/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – Hungary’s fiercely anti-migration prime minister lashed out at the European Union during a tense news conference interrupted by a furious activist and politician. Viktor Orbán, who tightly controls media at home, appeared visibly shocked when Márton Gyekiczki interrupted him as he spoke about his opposition to immigration. Gyekiczki, a municipal councilor and member of the opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) party’s youth movement, ran toward the podium where Orbán sat. He then threw a stack of what appeared to be banknotes at the prime minister. “How much did you sell out the country for? How much did you sell out the country for, Mr. Prime Minister?” Gyekiczki yelled as the papers scattered. “He sold out to [Russian President Vladimir] Putin, he sold out to [Chinese President] Xi Jinping!” He was soon pushed to the ground by bodyguards and moved out of the press room. Orbán responded that “in Hungary’s culture, calling each other a traitor basically means that we disagree with each other. The DK president, former Prime Minister Ference Gyurcsány, later wrote on social media that he was “proud” of Gyekiczki for his actions. “We will say it everywhere and always: Hungary has a traitorous government!” he added. The disruption during a press briefing in Strasbourg, France, came as Orbán was set to address the European Parliament there on Wednesday during Hungary’s six-month rotating presidency of the bloc. UNDER FIRE His government has long been at odds with the EU over what it sees as his curtailing of democratic rights and press freedom. A Worthy News reporter and several other journalists remain on the government’s blacklist for reports questioning policies. Orbán has increasingly come under fire for his close relations with autocracies like Russia and China, although his government also supports persecuted Christians. He was due to receive a mixed reception in the EU parliament on Wednesday. Many lawmakers there pushed for his government to be deprived of billions in EU funds over what they see as rule-of-law and corruption violations. Billions of euros (dollars) from the EU and Hungarian taxpayers were given to companies run by political allies, friends, and family members of Orbán, according to EU officials and investigative reporters. Two years ago, the parliament declared that Hungary under Orbán had become “a hybrid regime of electoral autocracy,” removing it from the community of democracies. Yet Orbán successfully formed the Patriots for Europe group within the parliament this year, uniting eurosceptic right-wing parties from around the continent to create the third-largest group in the EU legislature. EU ECONOMY Speaking to reporters in the French city of Strasbourg on Tuesday, Orbán condemned what he sees as a declining EU economy and lagging competitiveness with the United States and China. He called that “the most serious challenge we have to face.” Orbán also said he would open a bottle of champagne when former U.S. President Donald J. Trump returns to the White House after the November 5 elections. Several days later, he wants to host an informal EU summit as Hungary has the rotating EU presidency. The gathering in Hungary will focus on making a pact on improving the EU’s competitiveness. He noted that Europeans pay up to five times more for electricity and natural gas than their American counterparts, partly due to boycotting Russia. The West wants to punish Russia with energy sanctions over its invasion of Ukraine, “but we want a ceasefire,” Orbán suggested. Adding to his concern are reports that several members of the 150,000 ethnic Hungarians living in western Ukraine have been killed or injured while fighting. The post Hungary’s Anti-Migration PM Interrupted At EU News Briefing appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article