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By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

JERUSALEM/LOS ANGELES (Worthy News) – Clashes broke out at U.S. universities, injuring several people Wednesday as police struggled to end weeks-long protests against Israel’s war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Violence erupted at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) after a pro-Palestinian encampment was “forcefully attacked,” the school’s chancellor claimed Wednesday.

UCLA Chancellor Gene Block told media that “a group of instigators” arrived on campus Tuesday to “forcefully attack” the pro-Palestinian encampment.

The attack prompted the school to ask for police assistance, he added.

Fifteen people were injured during the UCLA confrontation, including one person who was hospitalized, officials said.

Elsewhere, activists at the University of Wisconsin in the state’s capital, Madison, reportedly fought with security forces who destroyed their tents as tensions rose over the Gaza war, thousands of miles (kilometers) away.

Wednesday’s riots erupted after police raided a building occupied by pro-Palestine protestors at Columbia University in New York late Tuesday, breaking up a rally that critics said had paralyzed the school.

REBUILDING BARRICADE

Back at UCLA, police wearing helmets and face shields separated the groups and restored calm, witnesses said.

Later Wednesday, pro-Palestinian protesters rebuilt a barricade around their encampment, underscoring the difficulties law enforcement has in containing resilient anti-war crowds.

No counter-protesters were seen while police were deployed throughout the campus, authorities said.

In Madison on Wednesday, police with shields removed all but one tent and shoved protesters, reporters said.

Four officers were injured, including a state trooper who was hit in the head with a skateboard, said University of Wisconsin police spokesperson Marc Lovicott.

Within hours, protesters had erected more tents at the same university campus.

More than 30 people were reportedly arrested, most of them released without charges, but four were charged with battering law enforcement, police said.

VIETNAM MOMENT

Tent encampments of protesters calling on universities to stop doing business with Israel or companies that support the war in Gaza have spread across campuses nationwide in a student movement unlike any other this century.

Tent encampments of protesters calling on universities to stop doing business with Israel or companies that support the war in Gaza have spread across U.S. campuses.

Experts say the rallies are part of a student movement unlike any other this century.

The police crackdowns echoed actions decades ago against a much larger protest movement protesting the Vietnam War.

Israel has defended its military operations in Gaza, saying it was responding to attacks by “terrorist organization Hamas,” which killed some 1,200 people and abducted hundreds in Israel on October 7.

The Hamas-run Health Ministry says over 34,000 Palestinians have died in Israeli attacks, but those figures were impossible to verify independently.

While pro-Palestine protests have gained much attention, thousands shouting “God loves Israel!” and “Israel is not alone!” gathered outside the gates of Columbia University last week to protest against the “rising antisemitic spirit on college campuses across America.”

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by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to eliminate Hamas in Gaza while the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) 98th and 162nd divisions have been intensively preparing for upcoming operations in the Gaza Strip, focusing on the impending Rafah offensive.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the IDF would proceed to enter Rafah regardless of any hostage agreement with Hamas.

The Prime Minister’s Office released a statement in which Netanyahu declared, “The idea that we will halt the war before achieving all of its goals is out of the question. We will enter Rafah, and we will eliminate the Hamas battalions there – with or without a deal, in order to achieve total victory.”

The announcement arrives as the IDF gears up for a potential offensive in Rafah. Reports from Hebrew media suggest that should a hostage agreement with Hamas not materialize in the next few days, the operation is set to begin.

The 162nd Division has operated in Gaza for six months, focusing on the Netzarim corridor until last week. The 98th Division was in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis for four months before withdrawing earlier this month.

In a statement, the IDF said the divisions are “working to strengthen readiness for the continuation of the war in the Gaza Strip,” having reviewed plans for upcoming operations.

The Biden Administration has stated its firm stance against civilian casualties in the event that the IDF enters Rafah, presenting a significant challenge in an area home to over a million civilians.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Israel on Wednesday.

Blinken’s visit is centered on ensuring the IDF takes every measure to minimize civilian casualties if Israel decides to enter Israel.

Blinken will examine the locations of evacuation zones, the readiness of medical facilities to treat the injured, and the arrangements for providing food to those evacuated from Rafah to designated humanitarian areas.

Meanwhile, the Egyptian military is on high alert due to fears of a mass exodus from Rafah. These fears have pushed Cairo to pressure Hamas for a settlement to avoid further Israeli military action.

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By Casey Harper | The Center Square

(Worthy News) – President Joe Biden recently signed a $95 billion foreign aid bill and in so doing may have ended any hopes for a bill this Congress to address the southern border crisis.

Some Senate Republicans pushed to have strict border protections added to that foreign aid bill, which included about $61 billion for Ukraine in its war against Russia’s invasion, about $26 billion for Israel in its war against the terrorist group, Hamas, as well as about $8 billion meant to bolster the Indo-Pacific region against China, in part bolstering Taiwan.

Senate leadership unveiled a foreign aid bill with some border protections earlier this year, but that bill was immediately attacked by many Republicans.

Critics said the bill did not do enough to close the border and unnecessarily gave broad powers to the head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to allow migrants into the U.S.

Both Biden and House Republicans have expressed a desire to pass another border bill, but whether they can agree on a bill and get the sign off of a less enthusiastic Senate, seems a tall order.

“Sadly, Senate leadership has shown it has zero interest in holding Biden accountable and securing the border,” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told The Center Square. “That became clear when Mitch McConnell abandoned the terrible immigration bill he negotiated with Democrats that did nothing to secure the border, then immediately partnered with Democrats to pass $60 billion for Ukraine aid without border security measures forcing Biden to enforce the law.”

When that bill was under scrutiny, former President Donald Trump blasted it, calling it a gift to Democrats. He and other Republicans essentially argued it would give Democrats credit for addressing the border without doing anything substantive to actually fix the border crisis.

Democrats argued that Trump did not want Democrats to get a legislative win during the election year on the border, an issue he wants to focus on these next few months.

Republicans have also repeatedly argued that Biden has legal authority to deal with much of the border crisis, but does not have the political will. Biden has enacted a series of administrative changes on the handling of deportations, asylum claims, and more to make it easier for illegal immigrants to come into the U.S. and stay.

“It is infuriating that after President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas dismantled President Trump’s successful border security policies, they are now purposely ignoring the laws,” Scott said. “We have to stop illegal immigration and keep Americans safe. President Biden is lawless. His actions to open the border are intentional because he wants to see an invasion of illegal aliens into the United States. Floridians want a secure border TODAY.”

Republicans in the U.S. House also passed a border legislation that has been largely ignored. H.R. 2, the “Secure the Border Act of 2023.”

The bill in question would have forced DHS to continue building the Trump-era border wall and to expedite construction by waiving certain legal requirements. The bill would also give retention bonuses and better equipment to border patrol agents and would require that U.S. Customs and Border Protection have drones operating at the southern border at all times.

From the bill summary:

This section prohibits DHS from (1) processing the entry of non-U.S. nationals (aliens under federal law) arriving in between ports of entry; (2) providing funds to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) that facilitate or encourage unlawful activity; or (3) providing funds to NGOs that provide certain services, such as lodging or immigration legal services, to inadmissible non-U.S. nationals who enter the United States.

The bill, among other things, would also increase CBP’s data collection and data releases, block DHS from enacting COVID-19 policies without Congressional approval, limit the number of alleged asylum seekers who can come into the U.S., and would beef up penalties for employers who hire an unauthorized illegal immigrant.

“The fight to secure our border has been one of my highest priorities since Biden took office and intentionally created this crisis,” Rep Bob Good, R-Va., told the Center Square. “Last year, the House successfully passed H.R. 2 which would force the Biden Administration to halt the invasion at our southern border. Unfortunately, the Democrat-run Senate refuses to take it up. Republicans should attach H.R. 2 to every must-pass bill going to the Senate.”

For now, though, passing any bill before November seems unlikely.

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By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

BRUSSELS/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – With mixed feelings, Central and Eastern Europe marked the 20th anniversary of the European Union’s “Big Bang” expansion with concerns about its future dampening celebrations.

On May 1, the EU grew from 15 to 25 after being joined by Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia.

Yet several nations have since struggled to meet Brussels’ expectations regarding improving fundamental freedoms and a rule-of-law-based society.

Hungary, for instance, is still waiting for 19 billion euros ($20.3 billion) in funds the EU continues to withhold, about half of COVID-19 pandemic recovery grants and loans and the other half of so-called cohesion funds, officials said.

Brussels withheld the funds as the Hungarian government had come under pressure about its perceived authoritarian style and massive corruption in the country.

Realizing these and other tensions with those who joined later, the EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said, “Twenty years ago, the European family embraced 10 new Member States. [However] Our work on the reunification of Europe is not complete.”

“EU enlargement enhances security, justice, and democracy. We aspire for a stronger Union capable of projecting our values across the world,” he added on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

EU ELECTIONS

However, with European elections due next month, the president of the EU’s executive European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said the “Hungarian people have made Europe stronger.”

She noticed that “the vibrant culture and economic dynamism of the Hungarians permeate the entire European Union.”

Von der Leyen recalled that: “Twenty years ago, our [European] family was finally united in a common home.”

She added that “Hungary has always been at the heart of Europe” and that ”generations of Hungarians fought to regain their freedom” under decades of communist rule.

And, “Twenty years ago, you decided to take your rightful place in the middle of our continent. You chose Europe,” Von der Leyen noticed.

While opinion polls suggest many Hungarians have since been disappointed with the EU, a majority still supports membership.

RESIDENTS REMEMBER

Opinion polls also showed that despite tensions, at least eight in ten adults in Poland and six in ten in Hungary say the EU promotes peace, democratic values, and prosperity.

However, as residents remembered the 20th anniversary of EU enlargement, Hungary and Slovakia feared the Ukraine war would overshadow the party.

Since Russia began invading its neighbor in February 2022, hundreds of thousands are believed to have been killed and injured, including many soldiers whose lives had just begun.

Governments in EU countries like Hungary and Slovakia favor peace talks to end the war and refuse to deliver weapons.

And since the EU’s massive expansion 20 years ago, Britain left the club, leaving 27 member states to fend for themselves about their future direction.

Yet, with much at stake, Von der Leyen and others focused on flag ceremonies, which still seemed to make some crowds enthusiastic.

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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – The United States government is planning to reclassify cannabis as a less dangerous drug, in a move that would bring federal cannabis law closer to individual state laws, Sky News reports. Like heroin and LSD, Marijuana is currently classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act, indicating a high potential for abuse and no recognized medicinal qualities.

Calling for a review of the federal law on cannabis, US President Biden in 2022 pardoned thousands of Americans convicted of possessing marijuana.

In a statement in December, Biden added: “Criminal records for marijuana use and possession have imposed needless barriers to employment, housing, and educational opportunities. Too many lives have been upended because of our failed approach to marijuana. It’s time that we right these wrongs.”

However, the Biden administration has no plans to legalize the use of cannabis outright for recreational use, Sky News said.

A new proposal by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) would acknowledge that cannabis has medicinal properties and that it is less easily abused than other drugs, Sky News reports. The US Department of Justice has recommended the drug be reclassified to “Schedule Three” under the Act, placing it in the same category as ketamine and some anabolic steroids. “Schedule Three” indicates a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence.

Thirty-eight US states have legalized cannabis for medicinal use, including 24 where it is decriminalized for recreational use as well.

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By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

TBILISI/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – The smoke cleared Wednesday in the streets of Georgia’s capital after dozens of people were detained while an opposition leader was seen bandaged and bruised, as security forces cracked down on the latest protest outside Parliament against a bill that demonstrators say threatens press freedom.

Police in Tbilisi used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowd, according to witnesses and reporters.

Georgia’s Interior Ministry said at least 63 people were arrested in the demonstration against the law that would require media and non-commercial organizations to register as “pursuing the interests of a foreign power” if they receive more than 20% of funding from abroad.

Protesters denounce it as “the Russian law” because Moscow uses similar legislation to what critics view as stigmatizing independent media and organizations critical of the Kremlin.

Protesters say the bill would derail Georgia’s integration with the European Union, a long-time wish in this republic, which was once part of the Russia-led Soviet Union, which collapsed in the 1990s after more than seven decades of communist rule.

Georgia was granted its EU candidate status in December, but recent developments in Georgia have worried EU leaders.

The ruling party proposed a similar media law last year but withdrew it after tens of thousands of demonstrators protested.

RUSSIA-GEORGIA RELATIONS

Russia-Georgia relations have been complicated and turbulent since the Soviet Union’s collapse.

That became clear in 2008 when a Worthy News reporter witnessed the Russo-Georgian War, seen as the first European war of the 21st century.

The conflict broke out between Russia, alongside the Russian-backed self-proclaimed republics of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and Georgia.

The war occurred in August 2008, following a diplomatic crisis between Russia and Georgia, both formerly constituent republics of the Soviet Union.

The fighting took place in the strategically vital South Caucasus region and ended in a stalemate

Some 14 years later, Georgia joined international resolutions condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, but it also became a primary destination for Russians fleeing military mobilization and political crackdowns.

Even Georgia’s ruling party has seen internal tensions over Russia.

LEADER INJURED

On Wednesday, Georgian television showed Levan Khabeishvili, chairman of the pro-West United National Movement party, arriving in Parliament with bandages on his nose and forehead. Members of Khabeishvili’s party said police had assaulted him during the protests.

Purple bruising and cuts were visible around Khabeishvili’s left eye as he urged fellow lawmakers to scrap the bill.

“If you are not interested in how the leader of the main opposition party has been beaten up, then — for the sake of those young people who were injured, who were hit on the heads and bruised — I want to ask you once more, even though I do not have any hope, withdraw this law,” he said.

Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze alleged at a briefing that Khabeishvili broke through a police cordon the night before and was injured while he “resisted.” Darakhvelidze denied wrongdoing, saying protesters and opposition leaders were “constantly committing violence.”

Police broke up Tuesday’s protest after demonstrators tried to block entrances to Parliament, witnesses observed.

Earlier this month, parliament endorsed the bill on its first reading. The debate continued Wednesday during the second of three required readings before adoption.

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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – The US ambassador to the United Nations warned Monday that “history is repeating itself” as Sudan faces a “crisis of epic proportions” that includes a “large-scale massacre” in El-Fasher in the Darfur region, AFP reports.

Still devastated by the genocidal war against the Darfuri people that began in 2003, Sudan has been in the throes of a new war since April last year: this time, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) are fighting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for control of the country. The two forces had worked together to overthrow the fledgling government that was established following the ouster of dictator Omar al-Bashar in 2019. Now, in the deadly fight for power, thousands of civilians have been killed, and millions have been displaced and forced to the brink of famine.

During a press meeting following a UN Security Council meeting on Sudan, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield told journalists that El-Fasher, which has served as a center for humanitarian aid, is on the precipice of a large-scale massacre.

“There are already credible reports that the RSF and its allied militias have razed multiple villages west of El-Fasher, and as we speak, the RSF is planning an imminent attack on El-Fasher,” which “would be a disaster on top of a disaster,” Thomas-Greenfield said.

“As I’ve said before, history is repeating itself in Darfur in the worst possible way,” Thomas-Greenfield continued. “And an attack on El Fasher would be a disaster on top of a disaster. It would put five hundred thousand internally displaced persons at risk, people who traveled from across Darfur to seek refuge. And that’s on top of the two million Sudanese who call El Fasher home.”

A crisis of epic proportions is brewing … Right now, 5 million – 5 million people in Sudan are on the brink of famine, and tens of millions of people are in desperate need of aid,” Thomas-Greenfield said.

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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Amid ongoing legal proceedings to finalize the matter, Israel’s government has told the country’s Supreme Court justices that it is working on the immediate enlistment of army-age ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) men into the Israel Defense Forces, i24News reports.

The ultra-Orthodox community has been exempt from the compulsory draft affecting all other Israeli Jews since the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948. Sponsored by the state, young Haredi men have occupied themselves with religious studies instead. While this was generally accepted in the early years of the state, the issue has become increasingly contentious: the Haredi community has grown substantially, and many Israelis feel it is unfair they should be exempt from helping to defend the country while also receiving funding from the government. Moreover, especially in light of the Oct. 7 disaster, the need for Israel to have a larger army has come to the forefront.

Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs confirmed in a statement that plans are underway to start a gradual enlistment process for the Haredi community, i24News reports.

“The responsible authorities are working on a plan for the gradual recruitment of Haredim into the IDF, and initial plans are due to be completed within several weeks,” Fuchs stated in the government’s response to the Supreme Court.

In a separate statement, opposition Leader Yair Lapid said the government must reject all delays to immediate enlistment of ultra-Orthodox men.”You can’t say ‘Together we will win’ if we don’t mobilize together,” Lapid said.

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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – A Christian pastor in Nigeria’s Kaduna state was ambushed and murdered by gunmen as he traveled to visit members of his church last month, Christian Daily reports.

With tens of thousands of Christians murdered predominantly by Islamic terrorist insurgents since 2009, Nigeria ranks six on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries that are most dangerous for Christians. Kaduna is among several Nigerian states with the highest levels of incessant violence perpetrated against believers.

Rev. Manasseh Ibrahim was traveling along the Birnin Gwari-Kaduna Highway in northern Kaduna state on Apr. 23 when he was shot and killed by men the Birnin Gwari chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) described as “bandits,” Christian Daily reports. Pastor Ibrahim was serving with the ECWA Gure congregation under the ECWA Kaduna Central District Church Council (KCDCC).

“Rev. Manasseh Ibrahim, a pastor with ECWA [Evangelical Church Winning All] Church, Gure, was on his way for a pastoral church ministration in the Kurebe area of Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna state when he was ambushed and killed by the bandits,” local CAN chairman, Rev. Yahaya Kinge, said in a press statement announcing the pastor’s death.

Referencing government inaction in the face of relentless violence suffered by Christians in the Kaduna state, Kinge said: “Christians who are direct victims of banditry and insurgency in Kaduna state are fed up with the inability of Nigeria government to find a lasting solution to the incessant killings of innocent Christians. The hard push of Christians to the wall through incessant attacks is enough; and we can no longer bear this brunt.”

According to the most recent data made available by the Open Doors international Christian advocacy organization, 4,118 Christians were killed for their faith in Nigeria between Oct. 1, 2022 and Sept. 30, 2023 – more than in the rest of the world combined.

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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – An Australian Assyrian church leader who was stabbed in the eye among other parts of his body during a livestream worship service on Apr. 15 has already returned to the pulpit saying he forgives the attacker, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel of Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Sydney, was stabbed by a 16-year-old boy whose parents have since stated he has a history of mental illness and anger management issues. The boy, whose identity has not been made public, has been arrested on charges of terrorism and involvement with an Islamic extremist group.

Wearing a patch to cover the eye that was blinded during the attack, Bishop Emmanuel returned to the pulpit on Sunday Apr. 28. During his address to the congregation, the Bishop expressed his love for his attacker and his forgiveness.

“He will always be my son,” the bishop said. “I will always pray for you. I will always wish you nothing but the best.”

“This is our Christian faith, but above all, this is our Christ, who is all,” the Bishop attested. “And always taught to love one another, because God is love, and the Lord Jesus, he is God, revealed in the flesh, period. He taught us to love everyone without any differentiation. This will never change.”

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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – An Australian Assyrian church leader who was stabbed in the eye among other parts of his body during a livestream worship service on Apr. 15 has already returned to the pulpit saying he forgives the attacker, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.

Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel of Christ The Good Shepherd Church in Sydney, was stabbed by a 16-year-old boy whose parents have since stated he has a history of mental illness and anger management issues. The boy, whose identity has not been made public, has been arrested on charges of terrorism and involvement with an Islamic extremist group.

Wearing a patch to cover the eye that was blinded during the attack, Bishop Emmanuel returned to the pulpit on Sunday Apr. 28. During his address to the congregation, the Bishop expressed his love for his attacker and his forgiveness.

“He will always be my son,” the bishop said. “I will always pray for you. I will always wish you nothing but the best.”

“This is our Christian faith, but above all, this is our Christ, who is all,” the Bishop attested. “And always taught to love one another, because God is love, and the Lord Jesus, he is God, revealed in the flesh, period. He taught us to love everyone without any differentiation. This will never change.”

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By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor

(Worthy News) – Texas Department of Public Safety and U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers are seizing large quantities of cocaine at the border.

In two recent stops, they seized enough lethal doses of cocaine to kill more than 4.1 million people.

In McAllen, Texas, DPS officers working through Gov. Greg Abbott’s border security mission, Operation Lone Star, seized 98 kilos (216 pounds) of cocaine in one traffic stop. The cocaine seized had an estimated street value of $2 million and enough lethal doses to kill more than 3.2 million people.

According to AddictionResources.net, a lethal dose of cocaine is more than 30 milligrams.

On April 16, DPS Criminal Investigations Division officers, with the assistance of Texas Highway Patrol officers, pulled over the driver of a truck tractor semi-trailer for a traffic violation. A DPS trooper and CID special agents searched the trailer, going through a pallet of dried goods in the cargo area. They said uncovered 90 cellophane-wrapped bundles containing cocaine. Their investigation led them to a residence in McAllen where they found and seized three AR-15 rifles and one AK-47.

Three Mission, Texas, residents were arrested as a result of the operation: Francisco Marquez-Carretero, Tania Rodriguez-Hernandez and Christian Martinez Caudillo. They were charged with manufacturing and delivery of a controlled substance and transported to the Hidalgo County jail, according to a DPS statement.

Nearby, at the CBP Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas Port of Entry, CBP Office of Field Operations officers seized 57 pounds of cocaine in one traffic stop.

On April 25, a CBP officer at the Pharr International Bridge referred a 58-year-old Mexican citizen driving a 2008 Dodge vehicle to secondary inspection. A secondary non-intrusive inspection and canine unit found 24 packages hidden inside the vehicle that tested positive for cocaine. The amount seized contained enough lethal doses to kill more than 800,000 people and had an estimated street value of more than $761,000.

“This significant cocaine seizure is reflective of the strong enforcement posture of our frontline CBP officers and their effectiveness in applying inspections experience and technology,” Hidalgo/Pharr/Anzalduas POE Director Carlos Rodriguez said in a statement. “Seizures like these exemplify CBP’s commitment to advancing our border security mission while facilitating lawful trade and travel.”

CBP seized the narcotics and vehicle. Homeland Security Investigations special agents arrested the driver and began a criminal investigation, according to a CBP announcement.

The next day, CBP OFO officers at the Del Rio Port of Entry seized weapons and ammunition heading for Mexico.

As law enforcement officers have explained to The Center Square, Mexican cartels and their operatives smuggle people and drugs north into the U.S. and smuggle weapons, cash and other contraband south to Mexico.

On April 24, CBP OFO Del Rio officers working outbound traffic leaving the U.S. for Mexico at the Del Rio International Bridge stopped the driver of a 2015 Chevy Express van for inspection. The driver, pulling a utility trailer, was referred for a non-intrusive inspection and canine examination. This led to the discovery of seven weapons, 104 rounds of ammunition, nine magazines and 59 grams of marijuana hidden inside the conveyance.

CBP seized the weapons, ammunition, magazines and marijuana. HSI agents began an investigation.

“This seizure serves as another example of the effectiveness and the utilization of officer experience and technology to prevent weapons from going south and causing greater harm,” Del Rio POE Director Liliana Flores said. “These types of seizures perfectly illustrate CBP’s resolute commitment to securing our shared border with Mexico.”

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By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS (Worthy News) – The top U.N. court has rejected a request by Nicaragua to order Germany to halt military and other aid to Israel. It also declined Nicaragua’s demand to Germany to renew funding to the U.N. aid agency in Gaza.

The International Court of Justice ruled Tuesday that the legal conditions for making such an order weren’t met and ruled against the request in a 15-1 vote.

The court will still hear arguments from both sides on the merits of Nicaragua’s case, which alleges that, by giving support to Israel, Germany failed to prevent “genocide” in Gaza.

Israel says its war is directed against Hamas, which it says was involved in the worst atrocities against Jews since the Holocaust, or Shoah, in Israel on October 7 when it killed some 1,200 people and took hundreds more as hostages.

The case will likely take months or years.

Nicaragua alleges that Germany is breaching the 1948 Genocide Convention by supplying military aid to Israel amid the Gaza war.

“Germany is failing to honor its own obligation to prevent genocide or to ensure respect of international humanitarian law,” Carlos Jose Arguello Gomez, Nicaragua’s ambassador to the Netherlands, said at the hearings.

EXPORTING ARMS

Germany, a longtime supporter of Israel, argued that it has exported few weapons to the country since Hamas’ October 7 attack on Israel.

The Hamas-run Health Ministry claims more than 34,000 Palestinians died, but those figures have been impossible to verify.

Tuesday’s ruling came after South Africa asked the International Court of Justice in a separate case to take emergency measures against Israel last December, alleging the country is responsible for apartheid against Palestinians.

The International Court of Justice eventually ordered measures for Israel “to prevent genocide in Gaza,” but it declined to declare Israel’s military operation an illegal “genocide” act.

Israeli legal adviser Tal Becker told judges in that case that Israel is fighting a “war it did not start and did not want.”

A separate investigation into Israel by the International Criminal Court could, however, issue arrest warrants for Israeli leaders.

The International Criminal Court inquiry was launched in 2021. It covers possible war crimes committed by Israel and Palestinian fighters going back to 2014.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday expressed concern that the court could soon press charges, which he called “a scandal on a historic scale.”

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By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

BEIJING (Worthy News) – China will send a robotic spacecraft on a round trip to the moon’s far side within the coming days amid mounting concerns about a possible military space race between the world’s superpowers.

The mission, to be carried out within days, is the first of three technically
demanding operations that will pave the way for an inaugural Chinese crewed landing and a base on the lunar South Pole, sources said.

Since the first Chang’e mission in 2007, named after the mythical Chinese moon goddess, China has made leaps forward in its lunar exploration.

Experts say the communist-run nation has narrowed the technological chasm with the United States and Russia.

Yet it also comes amid concerns in Washington that much of the rapidly developing technology will be used for military purposes targeting U.S. capabilities, including satellites.

China and Russia have also stepped up military cooperation, including joint naval and air exercises on Japan’s doorstep.

PEACEFUL PURPOSES?

Yet Beijing so far emphasizes its peaceful purposes.

In 2020, China brought back samples from the moon’s near side in the first sample
retrieval in more than four decades.

That mission confirmed for the first time it could safely return an uncrewed spacecraft to Earth from the moon.

This week, China is due to launch Chang’e-6 using the backup spacecraft from the 2020 mission.

Officials say it will collect soil and rocks from the side of the moon that permanently faces away from Earth in a mission that the West closely watches.

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By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned reported plans by the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants for Israeli government officials on charges related to the conduct of its war against Hamas.

Netanyahu said Tuesday it would be “a scandal on a historic scale” if the Netherlands-based ICC charged Israeli leaders with war crimes.

“The possibility that they will issue arrest warrants for war crimes against IDF (Israel Defence Force) commanders and state leaders, this possibility is a scandal on a historic scale,” Netanyahu stressed.

“I want to make one thing clear: no decision, neither in The Hague nor anywhere else, will harm our determination to achieve all the goals of the war – the release of all our hostages, a complete victory over Hamas, and a promise that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel.”

He spoke after several sources confirmed that ICC prosecutors interviewed staff from Gaza’s two biggest hospitals.

ICC investigators reportedly took testimonies from personnel in the main hospital in Gaza City in the north of the Gaza Strip, Al Shifa, and the main hospital in Khan Younis in the south of the enclave known as Nasser.

‘POSSIBLE CRIMES’

They were speaking to medics about “possible crimes” in the Gaza Strip, said sources familiar with the talks.

The two leading Gaza hospitals were both targeted by Israeli forces who accused Hamas of using them for military purposes.

Hamas and the medical staff have denied the accusations despite mounting evidence of tunnels in the area, where Hamas runs the main health institutions.

The United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk said he was “horrified” by “the destruction” of the Nasser and Al Shifa medical facilities in Gaza that Israel claims have been used by Hamas for its military operations.

Palestinian officials have also demanded investigations after hundreds of bodies were exhumed in mass graves at Nasser.

Israel has vehemently denied it was responsible for those deaths.

ISRAELI DENIALS

The Israeli military said claims by Palestinian authorities that the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) had buried bodies were “baseless and unfounded.”

It said forces searching for Israeli hostages still held by Hamas had examined bodies previously buried by Palestinians near Nasser Hospital and had returned the bodies to where they were buried after they were examined.

“The examination was conducted in a careful manner and exclusively in places where intelligence indicated the possible presence of hostages. The examination was carried out respectfully while maintaining the dignity of the deceased,” the IDF) said.

The Hamas-led Health Ministry claims more than 34,000 Palestinians have died since Israel launched its military operations in Gaza. Those figures have been impossible to verify independently.

Israel says its war was triggered by the “terrorist organization Hamas” killing some 1,200 people, including raped women and babies, on October 7 in Israel from where it also took 253 hostages.

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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – A number of US lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties are working on legislation that would sanction the International Criminal Court if it decides to issue arrest warrants for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhyahu or other senior Israeli officials, Axios reported exclusively.

The International Criminal Court is believed to be considering arrest warrants for Israeli leaders related to their prosecution of the war against Hamas in Gaza. Israel contends the war is needed to completely dismantle Hamas’ terrorist capabilities following the Oct. 7 massacre and kidnapping of civilians, while much of the world accuses the Jews of carrying out a genocide against Palestinians.

Responding to reports about forthcoming arrest warrants, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said in a statement on Monday: “If unchallenged by the Biden administration, the ICC could create and assume unprecedented power to issue arrest warrants against American political leaders, American diplomats, and American military personnel.” For its part the Biden administration said in a statement: “The ICC has no jurisdiction in this situation and we do not support its investigation.”

Meanwhile, House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Michael McCaul (R-Texas) told Axios that lawmakers are working on a bill to sanction ICC officials if that should become necessary. Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) told Axios that the US should consider whether it wants to remain a signatory to the Rome Statute, the treaty which established the International Criminal Court. “We have to think about talking to some of the countries that have ratified [the treaty] as to whether they want to support the organization,” Sherman said.

Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-N.Y.) said in a post on X: “I know Congress will ensure consequences for such an absurd decision.”

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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Christians in northern Mozambique have come under increasing threat from Islamic extremist insurgents fighting the Mozambican government in order to impose their version of Muslim law and control on the country, The Roys Report (TRR) has said.

While Mozambique is predominantly Christian, the rise of Islamic extremism in the north is now such a major threat that the southeast African country ranks 39 on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted. Islamic jihadists have murdered more than six thousand people and displaced more than one million in Mozambique since Oct. 2017.

According to TRR, Islamic extremists have intensified their attacks on Christian communities, resulting in the recent displacement of some 100,000 Christians and the targeted destruction of church buildings. The attacks have intensified and have become bolder as insurgents seize control of more territory.

Mozambican-born Dr Eric Morier-Genoud, an author and political scientist at Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, affirmed in a statement to the The Roys Report: “The insurgency has always had a religious element. Their political project is to establish a society based on their interpretation of the Muslim sharia law.”

In a website statement about the situation facing Mozambican Christians, the Open Doors international Christian advocacy organizations says: “The rise of Islamic extremism in the north of the country, especially in regions like Cabo Delgado, has had a devastating impact on the lives of believers. Churches have been burnt down, pastors abducted, and many killed. The objective of these groups is to establish a strict Islamic state, and Christians are often targeted as symbols of resistance to this extremist ideology.”

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By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

KYIV/BUDAPEST (Worthy News) – In an unusual move, outgoing NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg lashed out at allies for not providing Ukraine in time with the weapons it needs to stave off Russia’s invasion of the war-torn nation.

Speaking on the train taking him into Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital that has endured massive attacks, Stoltenberg told Ukrainians that his military alliance’s members failed to live up to their promises of military aid in recent months.

However, he pledged that the flow of arms and ammunition would now increase. “The United States spent six months to agree a package [of $61 billion], and European allies have not delivered the ammunition we promised. But now I’m confident that things will change,” he said in comments monitored by Worthy News on Tuesday.

Yet Stoltenberg acknowledged that the slow phase of arms deliveries to Kyiv impacted the battle zone, with security officials saying that Russia gained the initiative. At the same time, ammunition-starved Ukrainian forces were forced onto the defensive.

Russian troops captured several villages in eastern Ukraine, achieving quick but limited advances against thinly stretched Ukrainian forces, according to Ukraine’s commander-in-chief, Colonel General Oleksandr Syrskiy.

“Of course, the fact that we have not delivered what we promised has put a dent … into the trust,” Stoltenberg said.

UNANNOUNCED VISIT

He spoke on an unannounced visit to Ukraine, where he held talks with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and addressed Ukraine’s parliament, the Rada.

He noted that Russian forces have gained the initiative – at least in part due to a shortage of arms and ammunition from Kyiv’s Western partners. “I will also be very honest with President Zelenskiy and also with the Rada that NATO allies have not delivered what we have promised over the last months,” Stoltenberg stressed.

The NATO chief’s visit, his third since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022 – comes as Kyiv tries to increase the number of men fighting on the frontlines after thousands were killed and injured.

In recent days, Kyiv announced that men of military age will no longer be able to obtain passport documents abroad, putting pressure on the many young men among millions of refugees to return to Ukraine.

Since last week, men aged 18 to 60 can obtain travel documents exclusively at the migration service in Ukraine, where they potentially face being drafted into the army.

They may replace the many exhausted, injured, or killed forces after a failed Ukrainian counteroffensive last year.

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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Fulani Islamic herdsmen are continuing a protracted, exceedingly brutal, violent campaign to clear rural areas in Nigeria’s Benue state of Christians, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.

Fulani herdsmen killed three Christians between April 18-20, MSN reports. One Christians was murdered in Otukpo County’s Entepka village on April 20, and two were killed in the Entepka District’s Adoka-Icho community on April 18. In a statement to MSN, Otukpo Local Government Council Chairman Alfred Omakwu said: “The two were ambushed and shot by the herdsmen.”

A month earlier, suspected Fulani herdsmen killed three Christians in attacks on Onipi village on Mar. 19 and on Okakpoga village on Mar. 12, Omakwu added. In all, herdsmen attacked nine predominantly Christian villages in Entekpa District.

Calling for urgent government action, Andrew Mamedu of the Action Aid international humanitarian organization said in an Apr. 20 press statement in Abuja that the relentless attacks on Christian communities in Benue have displaced about 1.4 million people.

“With what is happening in Benue state, people may not have villages to retire to when they grow old,” Mamedu said. “There is also the loss of culture that comes with it. If we fail to act now, I am afraid that by 2030 we will have lost a generation, and it may take up to about 50 years to recover from it.”

“Families have been torn apart, homes destroyed and futures shattered,” Mamedu said. “The trauma and suffering endured by those affected are profound and long lasting, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable peace building and conflict resolution efforts.”

Ruled by an Islamic government that has done almost nothing to protect its Christian citizens from nearly two decades of deadly violence by Islamic terrorists, Nigeria ranks six on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.

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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – A new report published by Israel’s Innovation, Science and Technology Ministry shows that, since the Oct. 7 massacre which triggered the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, academic researchers from European countries have been increasingly unwilling to cooperate with their Israeli counterparts, the Times of Israel (TOI) reports. The boycott primarily affects research in the fields of medicine, biology, physics, space, and computer science.

According to the Innovation Ministry’s report, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Iceland, and Ireland are leading a boycott of cooperation with Israeli researchers, TOI said. Italian and Belgian researchers, too, have joined the boycott.

A summary of the report published Thursday by Israel’s Channel 13 TV news station showed that 38 percent of Israeli research is carried out together with European researchers, and that this cooperation reached its highest level yet in 2023, TOI said.

However, since Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza was triggered by the Palestinian terror group’s murder of (according to current tallies made without knowing how many hostages have survived) 1,068 mostly civilian Israelis and 71 foreigners on Oct. 7, 2023, funding for joint research between Israel and European countries has been reduced and there have been fewer exchanges between respective academics, TOI reports.

Israel’s Science and Technology Minister Gila Gamliel has announced she will begin working with the Foreign Ministry and appoint a committee to address the matter, TOI said.

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by Stefan Bos, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Over the past week, Russian troops have captured several villages in eastern Ukraine, achieving quick but limited advances against thinly stretched Ukrainian forces, who have relinquished territory while awaiting promised military aid from the U.S., according to the Wall Street Journal.

Recently, Russia has taken control of multiple villages in the Eastern Donetsk region as Ukrainian forces have retreated.

“The situation at the front worsened,” Ukraine’s commander in chief, Col. Gen. Oleksandr Syrskiy, stated on Sunday. “[The enemy is] actively attacking along the entire front line with tactical success in some areas.”

Although Russia hasn’t managed a significant breakthrough, it is slowly making headway toward its long-held objective of seizing Ukraine’s eastern industrial hub, the Donbas region. The Wall Street Journal reports that Russia’s notable gains are partly due to a shortage of support and munitions from Western allies.

“In military parlance, we are in the middle of a so-called shaping phase of an offensive,” explained Vienna-based defense analyst Franz-Stefan Gady to the Wall Street Journal. “The main aim of these Russian attacks is to slowly grind down Ukrainian defenses along the front line to enable Russian ground forces to maneuver and capture tactically and operationally important military objectives.”

Gady further noted that the recent capture of villages brings Russian forces closer to major targets like the cities of Chasiv Yar and Pokrovsk to the north, which could threaten Ukraine’s primary defensive line in the Donbas.

Last week, following a breakthrough in Ukrainian defenses at the village of Ocheretyne, Russian forces have worked to widen the gap. Over the weekend, Syrskiy reported that Ukrainian troops had fallen back to positions west of the villages of Berdychi, Semenivka, and Novomykhailivka, “preserving the lives and health of our defenders.”

However, a substantial collapse of Ukraine’s defenses could occur, warned Gady. “The threat of a partial Ukrainian front-line collapse in 2024 is real.”

Last week, the U.S. Senate passed a long-awaited aid package to address Ukraine’s severe ammunition shortage, with military support now en route. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky recently highlighted the disparity in firepower, noting Ukraine could only respond with one artillery round for every 10 fired by Russia.

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By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor

(Worthy News) – Several Republican attorneys general have sued over the Biden administration’s Title IX rule change, arguing it is illegal. More states are expected to follow.

The lawsuits come after the Biden administration’s Department of Education rewrote the Title IX statute to expand the definition of “sex” to include “gender identity.”

Title IX, which is part of the Education Amendments Act of 1972, states, “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

Title IX was created to prohibit discrimination against women in all educational programs that receive federal money, including K-12 schools, colleges and universities. The new rule redefines biological sex and requires schools to allow men and boys, claiming to be women and girls, respectively, to use female-only facilities and join female-only sports or lose federal funding.

The lawsuits were filed after Republican governors and state education commissioners last week said their states would not comply.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was among the first to speak out, saying, “Florida rejects [president] Joe Biden’s attempt to rewrite Title IX. We will not comply and we will fight back. We are not going to let Joe Biden try to inject men into women’s activities … undermine the rights of parents and … abuse his constitutional authority to try to impose these policies on us here in Florida.”

On April 25, Florida Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr., sent a letter to all superintendents and charter school leaders stating, “at Governor Ron DeSantis’ direction no educational institution should begin implementing any changes. Instead of implementing Congress’s clear directive to prevent discrimination based on biological sex, the Biden administration maims the statute beyond recognition in an attempt to gaslight the country into believing that biological sex no longer has any meaning.”

The same day, Oklahoma’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters also instructed Oklahoma schools not to comply, saying, “Biden’s re-write of Title IX is one of the most illegal and radical moves we have ever seen from the Federal Government. Oklahoma will not sit idly by while radicals trample on the Constitution and take away women’s rights. We are taking swift and aggressive action against Biden in his war on women.”

On Monday, Texas sued, arguing the rule is illegal. “Title IX does not apply to discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. But even if those concepts were protected against discrimination by Title IX, the Final Rule’s provisions do not faithfully implement such protections because they mark as unlawful school policies that do not discriminate based on those concepts – instead, the Final Rule requires schools to discriminate based on sexual orientation and gender identity by allowing single-sex programs and facilities but requiring opposite-sex access to them for only those individuals with a transgender gender identity,” Texas’ 30-page brief states.

The lawsuit asks a district court in north Texas to postpone the effective date of the rule, Aug. 1, declare the rule unlawful and permanently enjoin the Department of Education from implementing it.

Gov. Greg Abbott instructed the Texas Education Agency to ignore Biden’s “illegal dictate.” He also wrote a letter to President Joe Biden, saying, “Title IX was written by Congress to support the advancement of women academically and athletically. The law was based on the fundamental premise that there are only two sexes – male and female. You have rewritten Title IX to force schools to treat boys as if they are girls and to accept every student’s self-declared gender identity. This ham-handed effort to impose a leftist belief onto Title IX exceeds your authority as President.”

Abbott said rewriting Title IX “tramples laws” that he signed to protect women’s sports in Texas. Last year, Abbott and multiple Republican governors signed bills into law to protect women’s and girls’ sports.

A coalition of four Republican attorneys general, led by Louisiana, also sued on Monday. Mississippi, Montana and Idaho joined Louisiana, arguing in their 43-page brief that the rule “is an affront to the dignity of families and school administrators everywhere, and is nowhere close to legal.”

The lawsuit makes similar arguments as Texas’ and asks a U.S. district court in Louisiana to declare the rule is contrary to law, violates Article 1, Section 8, Clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution, is an unlawful exercise of legislative power under Article 1 of the Constitution, is arbitrary and capricious, an abuse of discretion, and violates the Administrative Procedures Act.

Also on Monday, a second coalition of state attorneys general led by Alabama sued, including Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, who were also joined by several groups. In their 84-page complaint they also argue the rule is illegal and ask a U.S. district court to issue a preliminary and permanent injunction barring the rule’s enforcement.

The lawsuits were filed after a coalition of 15 attorneys general led by Montana AG Austin Knudsen, called on the DOE in 2022 to cancel its plans to rewrite Title IX, The Center Square reported.

Knudsen argues the rule “could cost Montana taxpayers money in civil lawsuits and the possible loss of federal funding in states that seek to protect equal opportunities for women and girls. It would also harm victims of sex discrimination and violence, as Title IX is used in grievance procedures to produce a fair outcome.”

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By Brett Rowland | The Center Square

(Worthy News) – President Joe Biden’s plans to cancel student debt for some borrowers could cost taxpayers up to $1.4 trillion, depending on how the plans are implemented, a new report estimates.

The nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimated all Biden’s recent debt cancellation efforts would cost a combined $870 billion to $1.4 trillion.

“That’s more than all federal spending on higher education over the nation’s entire history,” according to a report from the group. “The vast majority of this debt cancellation was put in place through executive actions under President Biden.”

The group said about $620 billion of debt cancellation has already been implemented.

“Our numbers differ somewhat from our previous estimates, mainly because the President’s plan to cancel $10,000 to $20,000 of student debt per person was ruled illegal by the Supreme Court and the cost of his newest plan remains uncertain,” according to the report.

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget noted its $870 billion to $1.4 trillion estimate was close in cost to all projected education appropriations over the next decade (about $935 billion from 2025-2034). It estimated the cost of offering universal pre-K and universal affordable child care would be $750 billion.

“As we’ve explained before, most of these student debt cancellation policies have not only been costly, but also inflationary, poorly targeted, counter to the mission of lowering college costs, and not financially justified,” according to the report. “Instead of continuing down this road, lawmakers should work together on reforms that actually fix the student loan program and address the cost and quality of higher education.”

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