WorthyNewsBot

(Worthy News) - Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday declared a state of mourning after a freak overnight downpour with the force of a "waterfall" flooded three towns near Athens, killing at least 15 people. "At this time, declaring a state of national mourning over this great tragedy is the least we can do," Tsipras said in a televised address. "I pledge that we will stand next to the families of the victims with all the means at our disposal," he added. [ Source: UK Telegraph (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - A US man with Hunter syndrome, a rare genetic disorder, has become the first human patient to trial a gene-editing treatment inside his body. Scientists acknowledge that gene-editing procedures carry potential risks, but there is huge potential too for better treatments for patients in future. Brian Madeux, a 44-year-old man with the inherited metabolic disorder, has had 26 surgeries to treat his symptoms, and said he has a lot of hope for this new treatment. [ Source: ABC News (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Russia and the United States were on a collision course ahead of a UN Security Council vote Thursday on the fate of a UN-led probe to determine who is behind chemical attacks in Syria’s six-year war. Washington and Moscow have put forward rival draft resolutions on renewing for a year the mandate of the Joint Investigative Mechanism (JIM), tasked with identifying perpetrators of Syria’s toxic gas attacks. After negotiations failed to bridge differences, the rivals each called for a council vote on their draft resolutions on Thursday, hours before the JIM’s mandate expires at midnight. [ Source: Times of Israel (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - An outbreak of violence between Israel and extremist groups in Gaza could destroy the fledgling agreement to end the 10-year rift between Fatah and Hamas, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Nickolay Mladenov told The Jerusalem Post. “It is in their [the Islamic Jihad’s] best interest to deescalate as soon as possible. Any other path would lead us back into a cycle of violence,” he said on Tuesday. “If it does not lead us immediately into a cycle of violence, it will destroy the prospect of reconciliation and return the PA back [to Gaza].” [ Source: Jerusalem Post (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - The Palestinian Authority is pushing back against reports that its being pressured by Saudi Arabia into agreeing to accept terms for peace with Israel. "Saudi Arabia told President Mahmoud Abbas that it will not normalize relations with Israel before a peace solution is reached for the Palestinian conflict," Foreign Minister Riyad Maliki said on Tuesday, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA. He said Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz made that clear to Abbas during their meeting in Riyadh last week. [ Source: Jerusalem Post (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas vowed to the Palestinian people that the free and independent state of Palestine within the June 4, 1967 borders, with eastern Jerusalem as its capital, would be established with absolute certainty. In remarks on the the 29th anniversary of the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, Abbas said that Yasser Arafat, the founder of Fatah, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the PA, wanted the 1988 Declaration of Independence to send a message of peace to the world. Abbas said the world is more aware than ever of the rights of the Palestinian people, especially their right to self-determination, freedom and independence, and that the Palestinian state is recognized and can no longer be ignored. [ Source: Arutz Sheva (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - One of the Iron Dome batteries recently deployed in the center of the country in response to rising tensions with terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip was placed in the Dan region, which includes Tel Aviv, the IDF cleared for publication Tuesday. Iron Dome batteries have been deployed in several locations in the center of the country, in case the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip fire rockets at Israel in retaliation for the destruction of a terror tunnel leading from Gaza into Israel. Several terrorists were killed in the destruction of the tunnel. The IDF has stepped up its forces near the fence closing off the Gaza Strip in order to deal quickly with any attempts by the Islamic Jihad terrorist group, which lost a senior member and several other operatives in the destruction of the tunnel, to enact revenge. [ Source: Arutz Sheva (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - The FBI has reportedly asked the Senate for unredacted documents obtained from abortion providers, which may signal an investigation into Planned Parenthood and other parties involved in the market for fetal tissue from abortions. The document request occurred recently and was directed to the Senate Judiciary Committee, The Hill reported. The chairman of that committee, Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, referred Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers for criminal investigation in December, following the release of the committee’s lengthy probe into the market for fetal tissue. Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the pro-life Susan B. Anthony List, said she welcomes the potential investigation into Planned Parenthood’s business practices. [ Source (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Amid increased tension on both its northern and southern borders, Israel has deployed Iron Dome batteries in the Gush Dan region in central Israel, it was cleared for publication on Tuesday. The deployment of the batteries in an area that encompasses Tel Aviv and other central Israeli cities comes amid threats from Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) after Israel destroyed one of its cross-border attack tunnels two weeks ago, killing 12 terrorists who were inside. While the army has not called up reservists, the IDF also has upped its readiness along the Gaza border, forbidding farmers and other civilians from approaching close to the Hamas-controlled enclave, and closing down three tourists site along the Strip. [ Source: Jerusalem Post (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Amid increasing tensions between Israel and Islamic Jihad, the militant group has raised its state of readiness to its 'highest level,' according to a report in the London-based Arabic newspaper Al-Hayat. Senior sources in the Gaza-based militant group stated that, should Islamic Jihad choose to act against Israel, any action would be "for purposes of self-defense" and "deterrence." The group also said that they are "closely monitoring" Israeli activity, including watching civilians in Gaza border communities. [ Source: Jerusalem Post (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister has called on Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to normalize relations between the kingdom and Israel, a report said. he pro-Hizbullah Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar on Nov. 14 publicized the contents of a letter it said was sent from Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir to Crown Prince Mohammad in which al-Jubeir lists the potential benefits of what would be a dramatic shift in Saudi policy. The letter called on Saudi Arabia to embrace U.S. President Donald Trump’s effort to normalize relations between Israel and the Arab world as part of an effort to achieve a final status agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. [ Source: World Tribune (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - The globe’s richest 1% own half the world’s wealth, according to a new report highlighting the growing gap between the super-rich and everyone else. The world’s richest people have seen their share of the globe’s total wealth increase from 42.5% at the height of the 2008 financial crisis to 50.1% in 2017, or $140tn (£106tn), according to Credit Suisse’s global wealth report published on Tuesday. “The share of the top 1% has been on an upward path ever since [the crisis], passing the 2000 level in 2013 and achieving new peaks every year thereafter,” the annual report said. The bank said “global wealth inequality has certainly been high and rising in the post-crisis period”. [ Source: UK Guardian (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Household debt in the United States reached a record $13 trillion in the third quarter, and rose for the 13th consecutive quarter, officials said Tuesday.. A report by the New York Federal Reserve's Center for Microeconomic Data on household debt and credit showed the figures. It's based on data from the agency's Consumer Credit Panel and credit ratings firm Equifax. The third quarter statistic was $280 billion above the previous record for the period (2008). [ Source: UPI (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Australia is poised to become the 26th nation to legalize gay marriage after the results of a survey were revealed Wednesday showing a majority support redefining the marital union to include same-sex couples. The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported 61.6 percent of Australians support such a measure, while 38.4 percent are against it. Votes were cast by 12.7 million people, nearly 80 percent of the nation, in the non-compulsory postal survey between Sept. 12 and Nov. 7. The poll is non-binding, but parliament promised to put forward a proposal to legalize same-sex marriage if voters supported it. [ Source: Washington Times (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - President Trump said Tuesday that he secured trade deals that will be worth over $1 trillion to the U.S. on his 12-day trip through Asia. “We’ve had a tremendously successful trip,” Mr. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One after leaving a summit in The Philippines. “We have at least $300 billion worth of deals.” The president predicted the value of those agreements with U.S. companies such as Boeing will quadruple. “It’s minimum $300 billion, and that’s going to be very quickly over a trillion dollars,” Mr. Trump said. “And I would say that’s the least significant thing that we accomplished.” [ Source: Washington Times (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Monday he’s considering appointing a special counsel to look at whether the FBI properly handled the investigation into Russia’s purchase of uranium rights and donations to the Clinton Foundation while Hillary Clinton led the State Department. In a letter to Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, Virginia Republican, Mr. Sessions said he wouldn’t confirm or deny whether there was an investigation but that he has asked senior prosecutors to evaluate “certain issues” raised by Mr. Goodlatte. He said that review will help him and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein decide “whether any matters merit the appointment of a special counsel.” Mr. Sessions also said the Justice Department’s inspector general is looking into whether then-FBI Director James B. Comey botched procedures in his handling of the investigation into Mrs. Clinton’s secret emails. [ Source: Washington Times (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - The highly anticipated Museum of the Bible opens this week and along with it, co-founders Steve and Jackie Green have released a new book. This Dangerous Book: How the Bible Shaped Our World and Why it Still Matters Today explores the influence of the Bible throughout history and the Greens, who own the Hobby Lobby arts and crafts store chain, also share some of their own personal faith stories. [ Source (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - A U.S. appeals court in California on Monday let President Donald Trump’s latest travel ban go partially into effect, ruling the government can bar entry of people from six Muslim-majority countries with no connections to the United States. A three-judge panel of the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals partially granted a Trump administration request to block at least temporarily a judge’s ruling that had put the new ban on hold. Trump’s ban was announced on Sept. 24 and replaced two previous versions that had been impeded by federal courts. The action means the ban will apply to people from Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia and Chad who do not have connections to the United States. [ Source: Reuters (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - Donald Trump Jr. confirmed Monday night that he communicated with the WikiLeaks Twitter account during the 2016 election. Trump Jr. responded to a report from the Atlantic that he was in contact with WikiLeaks during the 2016 election by posting screenshots of the communications on his Twitter page. “Here is the entire chain of messages with @wikileaks (with my whopping 3 responses) which one of the congressional committees has chosen to selectively leak,” he tweeted Monday night. “How ironic!” [ Source: Washington Examiner (Read More...) ] Here is the entire chain of messages with @wikileaks (with my whopping 3 responses) which one of the congressional committees has chosen to selectively leak. How ironic! 1/3 pic.twitter.com/SiwTqWtykA — Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) November 14, 2017 View the full article

(Worthy News) - The Supreme Court said Monday it will hear a challenge to California’s law requiring pro-life pregnancy counselling centers to also tell women about options for abortion, in a move opponents said amounts to a violation of free speech rights. California’s Reproductive FACT Act requires pregnancy clinics to post a message directing their patrons to government offices for taxpayer-subsidized abortions. Two clinics, A Woman’s Friend Pregnancy Resource Clinic and Alternative Women’s Center, said they are pro-life, and requiring them to tell women about abortion options violates the First Amendment. [ Source: Washington Times (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - The number of hate crimes reported to U.S. law enforcement in 2016 rose by 4.6 percent over the prior year, driven in part by upticks in race-motivated incidents against whites and Hispanics, and religion-motivated incidents targeting Muslims and Jews, according to FBI data released Monday. About 57 percent of the 6,121 incidents reported to law enforcement were motivated by race or ethnicity, with the half of race-related crimes motivated by anti-black bias. Religion-motivated crimes accounted for 21.0 percent of incidents and crimes motivated by sexual orientation accounted for 17 percent of incidents. [ Source: Washington Times (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - European Union foreign ministers approved economic sanctions, including an arms embargo, on Venezuela on Monday, saying regional elections last month marred by reported irregularities had deepened the country’s crisis. Anxious not to push Caracas any closer to economic and political collapse as debt restructuring talks begin, EU governments held back from targeting any individuals. The bloc instead left names for a later stage to try to persuade President Nicholas Maduro to calm the situation. [ Source: Reuters (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - A huge rescue effort is under way after a powerful earthquake struck Iran's mountainous border with Iraq, killing more than 400 people and injuring more than 7,000. Teams are looking for survivors trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings. The quake is the deadliest in the world this year. [ Source: BBC (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - A number of Iron Dome missile defense batteries were deployed in central Israel on Monday, the military said, amid heightened tensions with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad since the army demolished the terrorist group’s border-crossing attack tunnel last month. The Israel Defense Forces confirmed the anti-missile systems had been installed in central Israel, but would not elaborate on their exact location, citing army policy. The Iron Dome system, which is designed to shoot down short-range rockets and, in some cases, mortars was deployed to counter the threats made by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group, which has vowed to avenge its members killed in the tunnel blast and its aftermath. [ Source: Times of Israel (Read More...) ] View the full article

(Worthy News) - President Donald Trump penned a letter to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu recently, thanking him for his support following Trump’s United Nations address in September, and pledging to work together with Israel to confront Iran over its nuclear program. According to a report by Channel 10, Prime Minister Netanyahu first revealed the letter at a meeting with senior Likud officials on Sunday. In the letter, President Trump singles out Israel as “one of the few countries in the world” which expressed support for the president’s September address at the United Nations, in which he warned the US may be forced to go to war against the North Korean regime, and urged world leaders to confront Iran over its nuclear program and human rights abuses. [ Source: Arutz Sheva (Read More...) ] View the full article