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By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – America’s leading legal commentators are reportedly holding regular “off-the-record” conference calls on how to tackle former U.S. President Donald J. Trump’s legal issues.

Members of the Zoom chat group, all part of the “Anti-Trump Cinematic Universe,” denied that their weekly online sessions are aimed at derailing Trump’s re-election bid or sending him to jail, Politico Magazine reported Wednesday.

The gathering, held every Friday, is hosted by Trump critic Norman Eisen, a legal analyst at broadcaster CNN and ex-senior official in the administration of then-President Barack Obama, according to sources familiar with the calls.

Eisen convened the group since 2022 when Trump’s legal woes mounted in the aftermath of the attack on the United States Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., by rioters claiming to be Trump supporters.

Eisen was also a vital member of the team of lawyers assembled by U.S. House Democrats to handle Trump’s first impeachment trial.

Regular attendees on Eisen’s call reportedly include Bill Kristol, the longtime conservative commentator, and Laurence Tribe, a prominent liberal constitutional law professor.

Also joining is John Dean, a White House counsel under President Richard Nixon before pleading guilty to obstruction of justice in the “Watergate scandal.” He was prosecuted for his role in the 1972 break-in at the Democratic National Committee offices at the Watergate complex in Washington under the direction of the White House.

CONSERVATIVE LAWYER

Among others attending the calls is George Conway, a conservative lawyer and co-founder of the anti-Trump Lincoln Project, Politico Magazine reported.

Andrew Weissmann, who was a senior prosecutor on Robert Mueller’s Trump-Russia investigation and is now a legal analyst at the MSNBC network, is another regular on the calls, Worthy News learned.

Jeffrey Toobin, a pioneer in the field of cable news legal analysis, is said to be another member of the crew.

The rest of the group apparently includes recognizable names from politics, law, and media, such as Obama-era U.S. Attorneys Harry Litman, Barbara McQuade, and Joyce White Vance.

Litman is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times, a cable news regular, and a podcast host. McQuade and Vance co-host a podcast and are under contract with MSNBC.

Two other call participants linked to MSNBC include Jennifer Rubin, an opinion writer for The Washington Post newspaper
who often covers Trump’s legal affairs. The other person is Mary McCord, an ex-federal prosecutor and high-ranking official in the Justice Department who co-hosts an MSNBC podcast with Weissmann, sources said.

Karen Agnifilo, a former senior prosecutor in the Manhattan District Attorney’s office and CNN commentator, is an occasional attendee, as is Elliot Williams, a former federal prosecutor who provides commentary on CNN, Politico explained.

NO STRATEGY

Members of the group have denied they gathered to streamline their thoughts and strategy towards Trump before they air their views to millions of Americans.

They point out there’s not always consensus during their sessions. For example, they said, CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig engaged “in a cordial but pointed exchange” with Luttig during his guest appearance.

Honig and others “expressed skepticism” about arguments for Trump’s disqualification from presidential elections due to his perceived role in the attack on the U.S. Capitol. The U.S. Supreme Court eventually ruled that Trump could not be thrown off the Colorado ballot by the state for his conduct during the January 6, 2021, violence.

“It feels almost like a seminar in law school,” a participant in the group was quoted as saying. Most calls comprise “deliberation, debate, and discussion,” albeit “with a distinct anti-Trump tilt to it,” the participant added.

Yet critics could wonder whether regular Friday sessions between influential U.S. media personalities on Trump could add to public concerns over perceived liberal bias in mainstream media.

“Trump has claimed that there is a legal conspiracy against him, and there is a risk that news of a group such as this could give Trump and his allies an attractive target,” noted Ankush Khardori, a Politico Magazine senior writer

“Trump’s claims of an organized conspiracy might be bunk, but there are other potential problems with the Friday Zooms: There is a risk, for instance, that the calls could breed groupthink or perhaps help dubious information spread, where it might then reach people watching the news,” Khardori warned.

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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has asked the US not to proceed with proposals to sanction the IDF’s Netzach Yehuda (Judea Forever) battalion for alleged human rights violations against Palestinians in the West Bank (Judea and Samaria).

An exclusively male battalion made up of ultra-Orthodox and religious nationalist soldiers, Netzach Yehuda has been accused of violations against Palestinians in the West Bank before – particularly in the case of 78-year-old Palestinian-American Omar As’ad who died while being detained by the battalion in 2022.

Referencing reports that the US is preparing to sanction the battalion, Gallant said on Sunday: “I call on the US administration to withdraw its intention to impose sanctions on the Netzach Yehuda battalion.”

“Damage to one battalion affects the entire defense establishment—this is not the right path for partners and friends,” Gallant added. “Our friends and our enemies are closely watching the ties between Israel and the United States, now more than ever.”

Gallant went on to discuss Israel’s ongoing war against Hamas in Gaza with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. In a readout of the conversation delivered on Sunday night, the US State Department said: “[Gallant and Blinken] discussed efforts to protect Israel’s security and negotiations to secure the release of hostages, enable an immediate ceasefire, and increase the flow of life-saving humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians in Gaza. The secretary also underscored the importance of measures to de-escalate tensions in the region.”

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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Jewish students at some of America’s most important universities have expressed fear for their safety as increasingly intense mass protests against Israel take hold on US college campuses, CBN News reports.

Pro- Palestinian/anti-Israel protests at Yale, New York University, and Columbia University have caused the cancelation of classes and the arrests of dozens of protestors.

Anti-Israeli protests in support of Hamas and the Palestinians in Gaza and West Bank swept across the world in the immediate aftermath of the Hamas massacre of 1,200 mostly civilian Israelis, the rape, torture and wounding of hundreds of others, and the kidnapping of around 250 more women, children, babies and men on Oct. 7 last year.

Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza to destroy Hamas’ terror infrastructure and rescue the remaining 136 hostages has exacted a tragically heavy toll in terms of civilian casualties and humanitarian suffering because Hamas strategically hides behind its women and children and underneath hospitals and schools.

The Palestinian terror group which has ruled Gaza since 2007 murders dissidents and also denies food and supplies to its population, claiming their survival is the responsibility of world organizations. Nevertheless, the anti-Israel protests in US colleges and in major cities around the world were launched even before the ground incursion into Gaza began.

In its report Wednesday, CBN News referenced a video that was taken at the Columbia University campus showing Jewish students being told by protestors to “go back to Poland.”

The students appeared afraid and searched for the police. Another video shows a Jewish Columbia student telling a reporter:”I was there today and it made me physically sick hearing the things they were saying and doing. So, over this [Passover] holiday I kind of just want to try to avoid it as best as I can for my own safety.”

CBN also referenced a photo of a demonstrator standing in front of pro-Israel students holding a sign with an arrow pointing to them saying: “Al-Qasam’s [Hamas’ military wing] next targets.”

A further video shows Shai Davidai, a Jewish assistant professor at Columbia Business School being denied access to the campus he is employed to teach on while college officials stand by in apparent approval of his obstruction.

“I am a professor here, I have every right to be everywhere on campus. You cannot let people who support Hamas on campus and me, a professor, not go on campus. let me in now.”

In a statement, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) said: “Students are scared, they’re afraid to walk on campus, they don’t deserve that. I’ve never seen a level of protest that is so person to person, that is so visceral.”

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By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – U.S. President Joe Biden plans to declare a “national climate emergency” in what critics say is an effort to block American energy development while appeasing his environmentalist donor base, Worthy News learned Wednesday.

Biden’s top advisers have resumed talks on declaring such an emergency “to reduce carbon dioxide emissions” ahead of upcoming presidential elections, according to sources familiar with the meetings.

The declaration would give Biden wartime powers to limit oil and liquefied natural gas exports, suspending offshore drilling and halting the industry’s ability to transport its products via pipelines and trains.

“The average American is certainly not demanding a climate emergency declaration. It’s the losing team of left-wing Democrat activists and the shrinking base of elites who are,” U.S. Oil and Gas Association President Tim Stewart said in published remarks.

“It’s not about climate; it’s about control: Control over the entire U.S. economy, control of production, manufacturing, distribution, and consumption. If you control energy, you control all these things. Which means you have control of the people.”

Stewart compared the use of emergency powers to measures used by federal, state, and local governments to restrict citizens’ freedoms and choices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

INCREASING SUPPORT

For Biden, it would mean shoring up support among billionaires and others funding both the “climate alarmist movement” and Democrat Party campaigns, including his own for re-election, critics say.

“By now, we have gotten used to incredibly damaging and stupid decisions from the Biden administration, but the idea of declaring a ‘climate emergency’ is in a class by itself,” said Tom Pyle, President of the Washington DC think tank Institute for Energy Research.

“As with the freeze on new LNG permits, the only emergency President Biden is seeking to address with this latest threat is his slippage in the polls among young voters,” he added in comments to The Telegraph newspaper.

The White House denies wrongdoing. “President Biden has treated the climate crisis as an emergency since day one and will continue to build a clean energy future that lowers utility bills, creates good-paying union jobs, makes our economy the envy of the world, and prioritizes communities that for too long have been left behind,” said White House spokesperson Angelo Fernandez Hernandez.

It wasn’t immediately clear when the additional climate emergency declaration measures would be rolled out.

But with elections in November, commentators suggest the fossil fuel energy industry should prepare for a rocky road ahead. That’s music to the ears of the far-left activist group The Sunrise Movement. “The pressure is working. Let’s keep it up,” they wrote on social media platform X.

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By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

JERUSALEM/GAZA (Worthy News) – As Israel observed Passover on Wednesday, its military stepped up efforts to pressure Hamas to free hostages during this holiday period as it prepared to invade Rafah, one of the last standing cities in the Gaza Strip.

Satellite images appeared to show Israel building a tent city as it prepares to evacuate more than one million Palestinians who have sought refuge in Rafah.

Yet a Palestinian health official later said the tent camp was being set up to house displaced people who are currently sheltering in a hospital and “is not related” to any impending military operation.

Ahead of the expected invasion into the southern Gaza City, troops were also active in the north of Gaza as part of declared efforts to surround and destroy Hamas.

Broadcaster Al Jazeera, which Israel has accused of biased reporting, said “fears are rising” for tens of thousands of civilians in northern Gaza’s Beit Lahiya as Israeli troops attack the city “with extreme force” and order Palestinians to flee immediately.

It added that three family members were killed and four wounded after an Israeli air strike destroyed their home in southern Rafah city.

The news came amid reports that Gaza medics continue to search for bodies on the grounds of Nasser Hospital in the city of Khan Younis, where more than 300 bodies have been recovered so far.

‘BASELESS, UNFOUNDED’

Israel’s military said claims that it buried bodies in a mass grave there were “baseless and unfounded.”

But it did say that during a two-week operation at the hospital in February, troops “examined” bodies buried by Palestinians.

“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 Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement.

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.

At least 34,262 Palestinians have been killed and 77,229 wounded in Israeli attacks on Gaza since October 7, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.

These figures have been impossible to verify independently, and the Hamas authorities do not differentiate between combatants and civilians.

Israel says it launched the war in Gaza after it was attacked on October 7 when Hamas killed some 1,200 people and took hundreds as hostages.

ENTERING RAFAH

With frustration mounting over the roughly 130 hostages still held, Israel’s military appeared to prepare to enter Rafah.

The presence of a massive tent city nearby underscored the struggle to find shelter in Gaza, where some 80 percent of people have fled their homes, according to Palestinian officials and aid workers.

More than half of the territory’s population of roughly 2.3 million sought refuge in Rafah, according to several estimates.

In what commentators and residents of the city saw as a sign of an imminent invasion, the military confirmed that it was working on relocating civilians to a safe zone a few miles (kilometers) away along the Mediterranean coast.

Just a day earlier, Israeli warplanes hit Rafah sites, adding to concerns among civilians sheltering there that a ground assault would soon follow.

Marwan Shaath, a 57-year-old resident of Rafah, told reporters, “Our bags have been packed for months now for the time of the evacuation.”

Western allies have urged Israel not to invade Rafah, but Israel insists that the push is needed to eliminate Hamas fighters sheltering in a network of tunnels beneath the city.

The IDF says they also want to capture or kill Hamas leaders presumed to be in Rafah and ensure the release of the remaining hostages captured during the Hamas-led October 7 attacks on Israel.

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By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – The United States and European allies are imposing new sanctions on Iranian military leaders and weapon makers to punish Iran for its April 14 missile and drone attack on Israel, but they urge the Jewish nation not to retaliate strongly amid fears of a broader war.

The European Union’s European Council President Charles Michel called additional
Sanctions “a clear signal that we want to send: We need to isolate Iran.”

He said details would be forthcoming in the next few days.

However, Michel’s announcement came shortly after the foreign ministers of Britain and Germany visited Israel to urge restraint in its response to Iran’s assault.

Britain’s and Germany’s foreign ministers, David Cameron and Annalena Baerbock, visited Israel on Wednesday to urge restraint in its response to Iran’s assault.

Yet Netanyahu said after the meeting that while he appreciated “all kinds of suggestions and advice,” he “want to make it clear: We will make our own decisions, and the State of Israel will do everything necessary to defend itself.”

So far, Israel is reported to have launched an airstrike on a military base in Iran with missiles capable of evading Iranian radar. They targeted a crucial component of the air defense system that safeguards Iran’s nuclear facilities, Israeli sources said.

HITTING IRAN

The air strike in central Iran hit a site near the city of Isfahan, part of a network protecting Iran’s highly classified Natanz nuclear facility nearby, Worthy News monitored.

Israel had earlier warned that it won’t allow Iran to develop nuclear weapons, though the Islamic Republic claims its nuclear program is “peaceful.”

Yet American and European officials suggest that they hope their sanctions will encourage Israel not to increase retaliation against Iran. Tehran has so far said that the Israeli strike had done only limited damage to its infrastructure.

White House officials said U.S. sanctions target leaders and entities connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, Iran’s Defense Ministry, and the Iranian government’s missile and drone programs.

The sanctions also seek to block exports by Iran’s steel industry that bring Tehran billions of dollars in revenue, they said.

“I’ve directed my team, including the Department of the Treasury, to continue to impose sanctions that further degrade Iran’s military industries,” President Joe Biden said in a statement. “Let it be clear to all those who enable or support Iran’s attacks: The United States is committed to Israel’s security.”

Britain said it had imposed sanctions on seven people and six entities linked to Iran’s regional military activity and its attack on Israel, which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called a “reckless act and a dangerous escalation.”

CONDEMNING BEHAVIOR

“These sanctions — announced with the U.S. — show we unequivocally condemn this behavior, and they will further limit Iran’s ability to destabilize the region,” Sunak said in a statement.

Israel’s foreign minister, Israel Katz, welcomed the new sanctions.

“This is our opportunity to form a global front and a regional coalition against Iran, together with the U.S., the EU, and moderate Arab states, to stop the serpent’s head that threatens global stability,” Katz wrote on social media. “We must stop Iran now before it’s too late.”

But critics warn the sanctions may not curb military activity by Iran, which has continued despite hundreds of Western sanctions, in part through illicit shipments of oil.

It was also far from clear that the sanctions would persuade Israel not to strike Iran further in retaliation for this month’s attack.

Last October, the Biden administration announced similar sanctions on the Iranian drone and missile programs, which officials claimed were aimed at “frustrating” Iran’s ability to produce the weapons it used to hit Israel.

Israel and its allies shot down some 99 percent of them, several security sources confirmed.

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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – A pastor and his Christian brother in India’s Punjab state were severely wounded last week after a group of warrior Sikhs attacked them with swords on account of their faith in Christ, Morning Star News (MSN) reports. India ranks 11 on the Open Doors World Watch List 2024 of the top 50 countries where Christians are persecuted.

On Apr. 18, four Sikhs belonging to the traditional Nihang warrior group attacked Pastor Gurjeet Singh and his younger brother Gurdeep Singh in Sultanwind village, Amritsar District, MSN reports. Pastor Singh has led a house church in Sultanwind for 10 years.

In a statement to MSN, Daljit Kaur, the pastor’s wife, said the attackers approached her brother-in-law outside the house where a worship service was about to start, saying: “We have warned you earlier as well to not conduct church and not convert people, but you have not paid heed.” The men then assaulted her brother-in-law Gurdeep, striking him with swords Kaur stated.

Pastor Singh rushed out to help his brother, and the attackers turned on him too, MSN reports. “To protect his head, Gurjeet shielded every blow with his hand and thus sustained severe cuts on both his hands, his arm, his palm and they almost chopped off his thumb,” Kaur said. The brothers were hospitalized and each had to have surgery.

The Sikhs accused the two men of conducting church services and luring villagers to become Christians. “My husband was threatened twice by the Nihang Sikhs earlier, but he did not tell me anything about the threat – he knew I would begin to worry,” Kaur said.

In a statement to MSN, local church leader Pastor Vishnu Dev said: “I am very disturbed at the brutal attack on the brothers. If the police do not conduct fair investigation and just action, we will gather together and protest against the authorities and demand justice.”

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by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Israel’s military is preparing to target what it describes as the final stronghold of Hamas in Rafah, a city in Gaza where over a million Palestinians are currently seeking refuge.

Preparations for the ground incursion are intensifying, with plans to evacuate approximately 1.4 million civilians from Rafah over a three-week period. The duration of the operation is expected to last about six weeks, depending on the response from Hamas and the presence of civilians.

While the U.S. has urged Israel to reconsider a major offensive into Rafah, highlighting concerns for civilian safety, Israel insists it must take action in the southern city in Gaza to eliminate Hamas, a designated terrorist organization by the U.S.

Israel’s military has reported that it has successfully disbanded 20 out of Hamas’s 24 military battalions and is now focused on eliminating the last four battalions located in Rafah.

In recent days, Israel’s air force has conducted strikes in Rafah, with Wafa, the Palestinian Authority’s official news agency, reporting that Sunday’s attacks killed at least 16 Palestinians.

In mid-April, Israel’s Defense Forces (IDF) announced it had mobilized two reserve brigades “for operational activities on the Gazan front.”

According to Egyptian officials familiar with the plans, Israel is gearing up to relocate Rafah civilians to nearby Khan Younis and other areas, where it intends to establish shelters equipped with tents, food distribution centers, and medical facilities, including field hospitals.

Egyptian officials told the Wall Street Journal that the evacuation operation, expected to last two to three weeks, will be conducted in coordination with the U.S., Egypt, and other Arab nations, including the United Arab Emirates.

Any military operation by Israel would target the removal of key Hamas military commanders and the rescue of the 129 hostages still in captivity following the terrorist organization’s attacks on Oct. 7. Most of these hostages are suspected to be located in Rafah.

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by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Rafael Mariano Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told Deutsche Welle that Iran is “weeks rather than months” away from having enough enriched uranium to build a nuclear bomb.

“But that does not mean that Iran has or would have a nuclear weapon in that space of time,” Grossi told Deutsche Welle.

He noted that while uranium enrichment at near weapons-grade levels is concerning, it doesn’t directly imply that Iran possesses a nuclear weapon. “A functional nuclear warhead requires many other things independently from the production of the fissile material,” Grossi said.

Grossi expressed concerns about the IAEA’s limited access in Iran, which fuels speculation about Tehran’s nuclear activities.

Grossi pointed out unresolved IAEA findings, such as traces of enriched uranium found in unexpected places, which heighten concerns about Iran’s transparency.

“I have been telling my Iranian counterparts time and again […] this activity raises eyebrows and compounded with the fact that we are not getting the necessary degree of access and visibility that I believe should be necessary,” he said. “When you put all of that together, then, of course, you end up with lots of question marks.”

Critics of the Iranian regime have been warning for years of Iran’s intentions of developing nuclear weapons, despite Iranian claims publicly that it is only for peaceful purposes. However, the credibility of these denials is eroded by the persistent calls from Iranian leaders for the “Death of Israel,” referring to it as the “Little Satan” and advocating for the destruction of the United States, labeling it as the “Great Satan.” Such rhetoric casts doubt on their declarations of pursuing a peaceful nuclear program.

In February 2024, Worthy News reported that Ali-Akbar Salehi, the former head of Iran’s nuclear agency, declared that Iran had “crossed all the thresholds of nuclear science and technology.”

During an interview with Iran International broadcaster, Salehi stated that all components needed to assemble a nuclear weapon were available.

“Here’s an example: Imagine what a car needs; it needs a chassis, an engine, a steering wheel, a gearbox,” Salehi explained, as monitored by Worthy News. “You’re asking if we’ve made the gearbox; I say yes. Have we made the engine? Yes, but each one serves its own purpose.”

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by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) — On Tuesday, the U.K. Prime Minister announced that the nation will increase its defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by the end of the decade. Additionally, he pledged $620 million in military aid to Ukraine, including long-range missiles and four million rounds of ammunition.

UK’s Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the defense spending increase the “biggest strengthening of our national defense for a generation.” Speaking in Poland alongside NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Sunak emphasized the urgency of the situation: “In a world that is the most dangerous it has been since the end of the Cold War, we cannot be complacent,” he said. “As our adversaries align, we must do more to defend our country, our interests and our values.”

On Tuesday morning, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to confirm the U.K.’s assistance and “assure him of the U.K.’s steadfast support for Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s brutal and expansionist ambitions,” according to a statement from Sunak’s office.

U.K. officials announced that their support package to Ukraine includes 400 vehicles, 60 boats, 1,600 munitions, and 4 million rounds of ammunition as Ukraine contends with Russian advances on the eastern front. The shipment will also feature British Storm Shadow long-range missiles, capable of striking targets up to 150 miles away, which have been effective in targeting Russian positions.

The announcement was made just hours before the U.S. Senate passed a bill, which President Biden is expected to sign, providing nearly $61 billion in aid to Ukraine. This marks a new round of support from the United States for the war-torn ally.

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by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – In a late Tuesday vote, the Democrat-controlled Senate passed a $95.3 billion foreign aid package. The legislation provides $60.8 billion in military aid to Ukraine, $26.4 billion to Israel, and $8 billion to Taiwan.

The Senate approved the legislation with a 79-18 vote, receiving bipartisan support from Democrats and Republicans. The bill, requiring a minimum of 60 votes to pass, will now be sent to President Joe Biden, who has indicated he will sign it into law.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said on X after the vote, “Tonight, America sends a message to the entire world: We will not turn our back on you.”

The House previously approved the package in a rare Saturday session, during which Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) faced the threat of losing his position after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) filed a motion to vacate the chair last month. Johnson has garnered support from Democrats and former and potentially future President Donald Trump, especially after advancing the foreign aid package.

The White House released a statement after the bill was passed, indicating that it would be signed on Wednesday.

“The need is urgent: for Ukraine, facing unrelenting bombardment from Russia; for Israel, which just faced unprecedented attacks from Iran; for refugees and those impacted by conflicts and natural disasters around the world, including in Gaza, Sudan, and Haiti; and for our partners seeking security and stability in the Indo-Pacific,” according to a statement released from the White House.

“I want to thank Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, and all of the bipartisan lawmakers in the Senate who voted for this bill. This critical legislation will make our nation and world more secure as we support our friends who are defending themselves against terrorists like Hamas and tyrants like Putin,” the statement concluded.

In mid-February, the Senate passed a $95 billion foreign aid bill supporting Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan with a 70-29 vote, gaining the backing of most Democrats and some Republicans. However, a bipartisan immigration deal initially attached to the bill was removed after being blocked by a coalition of Republican and Democrat senators. Consequently, the House declined to consider the Senate-approved legislation, with Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and other Republicans insisting that measures to address the border crisis be included.

Over the weekend, the House approved its foreign aid package in segments. During this process, a sufficient number of lawmakers voted against a border security bill that was also up for consideration.

The bill also includes sanctions for fentanyl trafficking, among other issues, and compensates Ukraine using seized Russian assets. Additionally, the bill includes a provision requiring ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, to divest from the app within a year or face a ban in the United States. TikTok is anticipated to challenge this legally, a step that could prolong the process.

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By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor

(Worthy News) – More than 1.7 million foreign nationals have illegally entered the U.S. in the first six months of fiscal 2024, the greatest number for this time period in U.S. history.

The 1,733,496 who illegally entered in the first six months of the fiscal year outnumber the 1,547,866 who illegally entered in the first six months of fiscal 2023 by more than 185,000.

In March, there were 246,432 illegal entries reported nationwide, with 189,372 illegally entering through the southwest border alone, according to the latest CBP data.

CBP also processed 44,000 foreign nationals who arrived at ports of entry using its CBP One phone app last month. Since January 2023 through the end of March 2024, more than 547,000 foreign nationals successfully scheduled appointments to present at ports of entry using the app, according to CBP data.

Through a new program created by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, from Jan. 5, 2023, through the end of March 2024, 404,000 Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans were granted parole and released into the U.S. Among them were 86,000 Cubans, 168,000 Haitians, 77,000 Nicaraguans and 102,000 Venezuelans who CBP claims “were vetted and authorized for travel.”

Mayorkas was sued over the app and the parole program by more than 20 state attorneys general. House Republicans identified the app and parole programs as illegal and cited them in their charges used to impeach him.

As was the case in March and every month, the majority of foreign nationals illegally entering were single adults.

In the first six months of fiscal 2024, more than one million single adults – 1,040,553 – illegally entered the U.S., according to CBP data. They totaled more than the individual populations of Wyoming, Vermont, Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota and nearly as much as the population of Delaware.

In March, CBP agents seized 16% more fentanyl and 19.6% more heroin than they did in February.

In the first six months of fiscal 2024, CBP agents seized 10,026 pounds of fentanyl.

Two milligrams of fentanyl, the weight of a mosquito, is considered a lethal dose. One pound of fentanyl, or 453,592 milligrams, is enough to kill 226,796 people.

This fiscal year through April 4, CBP agents seized enough fentanyl to kill more than 2.2 billion people.

This is after CBP Tuscon Sector agents have been seizing record amounts, more recently enough to kill nearly 4 billion people, The Center Square reported.

While much attention has focused on the southwest border, the number of illegal border crossers has skyrocketed at the northern border, where the greatest number of terrorists are also being apprehended. In the first six months of fiscal 2024, 91,408 illegal border crossers were apprehended, the greatest number in U.S. history.

In fiscal 2021, only 27,180 illegal crossers were apprehended at the northern border. The number increased dramatically to 109,535 in fiscal 2022, and to 189,402 in fiscal 2023.

Nationally, if the numbers continue on the same trajectory, fiscal 2024 illegal entries and fentanyl seizures are on track to surpass all other previous fiscal year records. CBP’s fiscal year is from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30.

Under the Biden administration, record number of apprehensions of illegal border crossers were broken every year. In fiscal 2021, a record 1.9 million illegal border crossers were apprehended, the highest number in U.S. history at the time. The number excluded those who evaded capture known as gotaways.

That record was broken in fiscal 2022 creating a new record of more than 2.7 million, and was again broken in fiscal 2023, surpassing 3.2 million, excluding gotaways.

Since fiscal 2021, a record 11 million foreign nationals reportedly illegally entered the U.S., including two million gotaways, The Center Square has reported.

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By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

LONDON/PARIS (Worthy News) – Five people, including one child, have died in an attempt to cross the English Channel from France, just hours after Britain’s Parliament approved a law to deport migrants to Rwanda.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, once himself a migrant, said the tragedy underscored his flagship Rwanda bill was necessary to deter people to risk their lives trying to enter Britain illegally.

Yet senior officials at the United Nations and the Council of Europe, Europe’s top rights watchdog, have continued to strongly condemn the Rwanda scheme.

Tuesday’a accident involving an overcrowded a crowded boat occurred off the coast of the beach near Wimereux, and an investigation has been opened and assigned to prosecutors in Boulogne-sur-Mer, authorities announced.

French officials said the boat carrying more than 110 people hit a sandbar, but it then continued on its way before the accident occurred.

“A sudden crowd movement apparently occurred in the overloaded boat, causing several casualties,” said the local Prefecture de Pas de Calais authorities.

The incident is among the deadliest in the Channel this year, taking the death toll to 15 in total, according to official data.

Officials say the is getting more deadly as 25 people have died in crossings since August 2023, according to Home Office figures, out of a total of 73 fatalities in the past seven years.

Thousands of migrants fleeing war, persecution and poverty are known to have died on their way to Europe in recent years, including in the Mediterranean Sea.

“We want to prevent people making these very dangerous crossings . . . criminal gangs are exploiting vulnerable people,” Sunak said Tuesday. “They are packing more and more people into these unseaworthy dinghies.”

Yet Enver Solomon, who heads Britain’s Refugee Council, argued that the only “sustainable way” to reduce crossings was to create more ways for people to safely apply for asylum.

However several European nations have expressed concern about the influx of migrants, including many from Muslim nations amid rising antisemitism and extremist incidents.

Yet supporters say Europe should remain open for those in need, a view shared by Pope Francis.

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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Massive floods in south China’s Guangdong province have killed at least four people since the region began to be battered by record levels of rainfall last week, ITV News reports.

Weather experts had warned that the Beijiang River Basin was set to experience a once-in-50-year flood peak, but the flooding has surpassed that expectation to reach a near-centennial event. Guangdong saw 411 flood warnings from Apr. 19-21.

China’s Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters has raised the flood emergency response warning for Guangdong province from Level IV to Level III, with heavy rainfall expected to continue through Tuesday evening, the Times of India reported.

In addition to the four confirmed dead, 10 people are missing in Zhaoqing and Shaquan in Guangdong province, ITV said. A total of 110,000 people were evacuated, and many have seen their livelihoods destroyed: “My rice fields are fully flooded, my fields are gone,” Huang Jingrong, from Qingyuan, told Reuters.

The state agency Xinhua announced that 45 rivers and 66 hydrologic stations in Guangdong province reported water levels had exceeded the alert threshold, the Times of India said. Five warehouses have been made ready with around $15 million of supplies to assist residents, ITV reports.

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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) warned last week that the year-long war between the Islamic Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and their rival, the Islamic Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group, has reached devastating levels and is severely impacting religious communities including Christians.

Having together violently deposed the fledgling democratic government established in Sudan after brutal dictator Omar al-Bashir was ousted in 2019, the SAF and the RSF are now vying for power in a war that has killed over 13,000 people and displaced millions more so far.

In an Apr. 19 press release, the USCIRF warned that armed combatants have intentionally targeted religious communities in Sudan, reportedly damaging or destroying over 150 churches among other houses of worship. In an example cited by the USCIRF, one of the country’s largest and oldest Evangelical churches located in Gezira State was set on fire by the RSF. In another example, the RSF attacked a Coptic Christian monastery in Wad Madani.

“This week is the one-year anniversary of the brutal war that continues to tear Sudan apart,” USCIRF Commissioner Mohamed Magid is quoted as saying in the press release. “With no end in sight, USCIRF is sounding the alarm that this war is having on religious communities. International humanitarian law deems houses of worship and religious sites as sacrosanct, even during armed conflict.”

Warning of the potential for genocide, USCIRF Commissioner Frank Wolf added in the press release: “USCIRF had high hopes for the future trajectory of freedom of religion or belief in Sudan. The Sudanese transitional government made significant progress from 2019 to 2021. Sadly, USCIRF is instead watching the horrors unfold in Sudan, reminiscent of the past wars that resulted in genocide and crimes against humanity in the country.”

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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – As Christians in India suffer increasing violent persecution at the hands of extremist Hindu nationalists, believers in next-door Nepal are now at risk of persecution as that same Hindu nationalism begins to target them too, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.

Although Nepal is no longer officially a Hindu nation, Hinduism remains the main religion in this nation that includes 1,341,000 Christians (4.4% of the population).

According to ICC, there is evidence suggesting that Hindu nationalists in India have been funding violence against religious minorities in Nepal. “Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists have seen their sacred buildings, holy ceremonies, and specific individuals targeted by the Hindu majority,” ICC said in its report.

“Pray that Christians in Nepal will remain bold in their faith despite the growing threat of persecution and that they will remain safe,” ICC requested.

In a current website statement about the situation facing Christians in Nepal, the Open Doors international Christian advocacy organization says: “Though Nepal is no longer an official Hindu state, most Christian persecution in Nepal comes from radical Hindu groups who want the country to return to Hinduism. Many Nepalese Christians come from Hinduism and endure the rejection of their families after they find Jesus.”

“Pray for Nepal’s government,” Open Doors adds. “Ask that God would touch the hearts of Nepalese leaders, and that they would allow true religious freedom to flourish.”

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by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that Hamas would experience “painful blows” as the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) gear up for a significant operation in Rafah, Hamas’ stronghold in southern Gaza. Netanyahu, referencing the Passover, called for the release of 133 hostages held by Hamas.

As Israel prepares to celebrate Passover this week, Prime Minister Netanyahu delivered a speech in Hebrew, reflecting on the ongoing crisis. He expressed sorrow over the hostages still held in Gaza and emphasized that Hamas’ survival hinges on the potential division among Israel and its allies.

“Why is this night different, citizens of Israel? That on this night, 133 of our dear brothers and sisters are not at the seder table and are still held captive in the inferno of Hamas,” Netanyahu remarked during his Passover speech.

“We have already freed 124 of our hostages and we are committed to returning them all home—the living and the fallen,” the prime minister continued.

“And what is not different about this night? In every generation, they rise up to destroy us, but the Holy One, Blessed be He, delivers us from their hands,” Netanyahu stated, further adding, “This time, too, we will overcome those who seek our lives, thanks to our faith, the courage of our soldiers and our unity.”

In his speech, Prime Minister Netanyahu likened Hamas to the biblical Pharaoh. “It hardens its heart and refuses to let our people go; therefore, we will bring it more painful blows—and it will happen soon,” he declared.

Netanyahu promised to “increase the military and diplomatic pressure on Hamas, as this is the only way to free our hostages and achieve victory.” Concluding his speech, Netanyahu said, “Citizens of Israel, on the eve of Passover, when the people of Israel went forth from slavery to freedom, let us remember our fallen heroes, and our wounded fighters, thanks to whose sacrifice, we are free people. Together we will fight, and with God’s help, we will win. A kosher Passover to all of the Jewish people.”

On Sunday, Arab media reported significant airstrikes in Rafah, the southern Gaza city where the final battalions of Hamas and their leadership, along with remaining hostages, are reportedly located. The Israel Defense Forces have not yet responded to requests for comment on these reports.

Last week, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant discussed upcoming operations in Rafah, focusing on the evacuation of civilians and increasing the provision of food and medical supplies, according to statements from his office.

Washington has warned that a significant military operation in Rafah would endanger Palestinians, and potentially isolate Israel internationally without improving its security. The U.S. has recommended more targeted strikes against Hamas leaders along with collaboration with Cairo to secure the Egypt-Gaza border.

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By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

NEW YORK (Worthy News) – Terry Anderson, the Middle East correspondent for The Associated Press (AP) agency who said his “Christian faith” helped him deal with being held hostage for nearly seven years in Lebanon, has died at age 76, Worthy News learned Monday.

The globe-trotting journalist passed away at his home in Greenwood Lake, New York, on Sunday, confirmed his daughter Sulome Anderson.

The cause of death was unknown, though his daughter told the AP he had recently had heart surgery.

Anderson is survived by his daughters Sulome and Gabrielle and their mother—”his ex-wife and best friend”—Madeleine Bassil, and his sister Judy and brother Jack, the family said.

He will be remembered by many for recounting his abduction and years-long captivity by Iran-backed Islamic fighters in his best-selling 1993 memoir “Den of Lions.”

Yet his daughter said, “I know he would choose to be remembered not by his very worst experience, but through his humanitarian work with the Vietnam Children’s Fund, the Committee to Protect Journalists, homeless veterans, and many other incredible causes.”

‘EXTREME SUFFERING’

Sulome Anderson added that although her “father’s life was marked by extreme suffering during his time as a hostage in captivity, he found a quiet, comfortable peace in recent years.”

His journalism career was launched after his military service when he served in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he rose to the rank of staff sergeant and completed two tours during the Vietnam War.

His experiences apparently prompted him to study at Iowa State University, where he graduated with a double major in journalism and political science.

He was soon hired by the AP and reported from various locations across the globe, including Japan and South Africa. Anderson went to Lebanon in 1982, just as civil war began erupting in the troubled Middle East nation.

“Actually, it was the most fascinating job I’ve ever had in my life,” he said in an interview. “It was intense. War’s going on — it was very dangerous in Beirut. Vicious civil war and I lasted about three years before I got kidnapped.”

Anderson was working as the AP’s Beirut bureau chief and had just dropped off his tennis partner, a photographer for the news agency, when the kidnapping occurred on March 16, 1985.

HEZBOLLAH FIGHTERS

A group of men, later identified as Hezbollah fighters of the Islamic Jihad Organization in Lebanon, forced him into another vehicle.

The militants reportedly beat the journalist, blindfolded him and kept him chained up in various hideaways for almost seven years.
He was released in 1991, as the 16-year civil war ended.

Wearing a sweatshirt printed with his picture, former hostage Anderson greeted happy colleagues on December 10, 1991, at The Associated Press headquarters in New York.

He walked with his arm around fiancee Madeleine Bassil, who became his wife.

Anderson said his faith as a Christian helped him let go of his anger. And something his wife later told him also enabled him to move on: “If you keep the hatred, you can’t have the joy.”

At the time of his abduction, Anderson was engaged to be married, and his future wife was six months pregnant with their daughter, Sulome.

MARRIAGE, DIVORCE

The couple married soon after his release but divorced a few years later, and although they remained on friendly terms, Anderson and his daughter were estranged for years.

“I love my dad very much. My dad has always loved me. I just didn’t know that because he wasn’t able to show it to me,” Sulome Anderson told the AP in 2017.

Father and daughter reconciled after the publication of her critically acclaimed 2017 book, “The Hostage’s Daughter,” in which she told of traveling to Lebanon to confront and eventually forgive one of her father’s kidnappers.

“I think she did some extraordinary things, went on a very difficult personal journey, but also accomplished a pretty important piece of journalism doing it,” Anderson said. “She’s now a better journalist than I ever was.”

After returning to the United States in 1991, Anderson led a peripatetic life, giving public speeches, teaching journalism at several prominent universities, and, at various times, operating a blues bar, Cajun restaurant, horse ranch, and gourmet restaurant.

Yet he also struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder, won millions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets after a federal court concluded that the country played a role in his capture, and then lost most of it to bad investments. He filed for bankruptcy in 2009.

RURAL LIFE

Upon retiring from the University of Florida in 2015, Anderson settled on a small horse farm in a quiet, rural section of northern Virginia he had discovered while camping with friends.

“I live in the country, and it’s reasonably good weather and quiet out here and a nice place, so I’m doing all right,” he said with a chuckle during a 2018 interview with The Associated Press.

Numerous tributes honoring Anderson poured in, with many praising the late journalist’s bravery and courage.

Julie Pace, senior vice president and executive editor of the AP, responded to the news of the former correspondent’s death.

“Terry was deeply committed to on-the-ground eyewitness reporting and demonstrated great bravery and resolve, both in his journalism and during his years held hostage,” Pace said. “We are so appreciative of the sacrifices he and his family made as the result of his work.”

AP reporter Farnoush Amiri posted about Anderson’s passing on on X, formerly Twitter, writing, “May we all feel this way in the end: Terry Anderson’s daughter said, ‘I saw him a week ago, and my partner asked him if he had anything on his bucket list, anything that he wanted to do. He said, ‘I’ve lived so much, and I’ve done so much. I’m content.'”

“My family is obviously deeply grieving right now, and we need some time to process our loss and organize a memorial,” Sulome Anderson said. “We will announce one in time. Many thanks for all the heartfelt condolences we have received.”

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By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

DAMASCUS/JERUSALEM (Worthy News) – Troops at a U.S. military base in northeastern Syria are reeling from missiles fired from Iraq in the first such attack against American forces in months, security officials said Monday.

At least five rockets were reportedly launched from the Iraqi town of Zummar towards the base in the Syrian town Rumalyn, but no U.S. personnel were injured, according to security sources.

An official spoke of a “failed rocket attack,” but it was not clear if the rockets had failed to hit the base or been destroyed before they reached the site.

It was also unclear whether the base was the intended target, according to observers familiar with the situation.

Yet an aircraft from the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq and Syria carried out a strike against the launcher in Iraq, security officials said.

Two security sources and a senior army officer in Iraq added that a small truck with a rocket launcher fixed on the back had been parked in Zummar, a town on the border with Syria.

An army officer said the destroyed truck was seized for further investigation, and initial investigation showed it was damaged by an air strike. “We are communicating with the coalition forces in Iraq to share information on this attack,” the officer added in published remarks.

IRAQI PREMIER

U.S. sources spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity amid security concerns and because they were likely not authorized to talk more openly.

The attack came a day after Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani returned from the United States, where he met President Joe Biden at the White House, officials said.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack.

Yet a social media group linked to the Kataib Hezbollah militia said armed factions in Iraq resumed attacks after a near-three month pause due to “little progress” in talks to end the U.S.-led military operation in the country.

Another popular group on the social media platform Telegram, close to Kataib Hezbollah, Sabreen News, said there had been “no official statement” by the Iran-backed faction.

Sunday’s attack came after Tehran warned the U.S. to stay out of Iran’s fight with Syria. Iran backs several groups in the region fighting against Israel, the U.S., and other allies of the Jewish nation.

Last week, the Islamic Republic fired hundreds of drones and missiles toward Israel, but 99 percent of them were shot down by the Israeli military and allies, including the U.S., Israel announced.

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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – A new study by the American Bible Society (ABS) shows that there has been a significant increase in the number of young adults aged 18–27 (Gen Z) who say the Bible has transformed their lives.

Released on Thursday, the study by ABS is published in the first installment of its “State of the Bible USA” 2024 report.

According to the ABS report, the number of Gen Z young Americans who said the Bible was the source of transformation in their lives rose from 50% in 2023 to 54% in 2024.

“Increasingly, the Bible must compete for our attention in an ever-busier world. The State of the Bible survey bears this out as we see Scripture engagement decreasing over the last few years, especially in younger generations,” John Farquhar Plake, ABS Chief Program Officer, said in a statement. “Yet our youngest adults show signs of interest in the Bible, curiosity about it, and transformative interaction with it…We have good reason for hope,” Plake said.

Other key findings in the ABS report include: 1) “There are more Bible Disengaged Americans than ever: 57% of Americans are Bible Disengaged—the highest number in the 14-year history of this survey.” 2) “Once again, Black Americans lead the way in Scripture Engagement. In the past year, the Scripture Engagement of Black Americans increased slightly to 28%. This is higher by far than the score for white Americans, which dropped slightly to 16%,” the report reads.

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by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – According to a new lawsuit, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is unlawfully gathering data on every citizen who invests in the stock market.

The New Civil Liberties Alliance (NCLA) filed a lawsuit against the SEC on Tuesday, alleging that the agency is amassing large quantities of personally identifiable information through its “Consolidated Audit Trail” (CAT) program.

The NCLA’s lawsuit alleges that the SEC, through the Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT), mandates the most extensive government-directed collection of personal financial data in American history. Without any statutory authority, the SEC requires brokers, exchanges, clearing agencies, and alternative trading systems to gather and submit detailed information on every investor’s trades in U.S. markets to a centralized database. This database, accessible indefinitely by the SEC and private regulators, stores comprehensive trade data from across the nation.

According to the NCLA, the CAT database is poised to become the largest securities database ever established, and the most colossal government database outside of the National Security Agency (NSA).

This extensive collection of American financial data significantly heightens the risk of cybersecurity breaches, putting the financial security and privacy of all Americans at severe and unnecessary risk. Concentrating such vast amounts of data in a single government-held database greatly amplifies both the probability and potential impact of a catastrophic security breach that could jeopardize the financial stability of all Americans.

In its lawsuit, the NCLA will argue that Congress never granted the SEC the authority to establish such a data collection and surveillance system. By implementing it regardless, the SEC is usurping legislative power, thereby violating Article I of the Constitution, which assigns all legislative authority exclusively to Congress.

The NCLA highlighted that SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce has criticized the CAT system as “a dangerous dog.” The NCLA emphasized that Americans would never accept government agencies collaborating with private companies to gather comprehensive data on all their purchases, nor would they tolerate giving the government a “direct feed” from their car GPS systems to track their movements.

“SEC’s CAT has no precedent in history. By seizing all financial data from all Americans who trade in the American exchanges, SEC arrogates surveillance powers and appropriates billions of dollars without a shred of Congressional authority—all while putting Americans’ savings and investments at grave and perpetual risk. The Founders provided rock-solid protections in our Constitution to prevent just these autocratic and dangerous actions. This CAT must be ripped out, root and branch,” stated Peggy Little, Senior Litigation Counsel of the NCLA.

The NCLA, a nonpartisan, nonprofit civil rights organization, was established by esteemed legal scholar Philip Hamburger to defend constitutional freedoms against encroachments by the Administrative State. Through its public-interest litigation and other pro bono work, NCLA aims to curb the unauthorized powers of state and federal agencies and ignite a new civil liberties movement dedicated to reinstating the fundamental rights of Americans.

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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – As Haiti reels under years of gang-led terror, chronic violent political instability, and poverty, a group of Christian ministers led by Kenya’s first lady Rachel Ruto recently participated in a “marathon” prayer event seeking God’s help for the Caribbean nation and asking His protection for the 2,500 multinational police force Kenya is now leading to support Haitian police.

Established by the office of Rachel Ruto, wife of Kenyan President William Ruto, a committee of Kenyan, Haitian and American ministry leaders spent three days in prayer for Haiti at Nairobi’s Weston Hotel last month. The initiative was organized by the Ruto administration’s Faith and Diplomacy office.

Addressing the gathering on the second day of the event, Mrs Ruto said: “We have come together to say we want to form a prayer strategy, and we would like you to join us in praying for this great country of Haiti because we know the Lord can transform Haiti.”

We have seen what God has done for the nation of Kenya, and we believe God can do the same for nations of the world,” Mrs Ruto asserted.

“We cannot allow our police to go to Haiti without prayer,” Mrs Ruto added. “We had pastors from Haiti and America, and we are seeing how these three countries can come together to pray because we believe with prayer everything is possible.”

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by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – Finland’s Supreme Court has agreed to hear a years-long case brought by the country’s Prosecutor General against Dr. Päivi Räsänen, a Christian member of parliament who was charged – and acquitted – of hate speech after publicly expressing her opposition to homosexuality, CBN News reports. Asserting her protected rights to freedom of speech and religion, Räsänen has indicated she will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights should the Finnish Supreme Court rule against her.

In a case that was launched in 2017, Räsänen was prosecuted after she wrote a social media post criticizing her denomination, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, for supporting an LGBTQ Pride event at the time. An investigation led to the unearthing of a pamphlet she had authored 20 years earlier in which she stated her belief that the Bible forbids homosexuality. Charges pertaining to hate speech against the LGBTQ community were subsequently filed against her.

After protracted litigation, and with the threat of a prison sentence over her head, Räsänen was unanimously acquitted for a second time by a court of appeals in November last year – after the prosecutor appealed a lower court’s original acquittal, CBN News reports.

The prosecutor was not content to let the matter rest even after the appeals court acquittal and has asked Finland’s highest court to weigh in: the prosecution reportedly wants the Supreme Court to convict Räsänen, ban her pamphlet, and order her to pay thousands of euros in fines, CBN News said.

“The Supreme Court has today announced that it will give the Prosecutor General the permission to appeal the unanimous acquittal of the Helsinki Court of Appeal concerning the charges about my statements,” Räsänen said in a press release Friday. “I have, however, a peaceful mind and I am ready to continue to defend free speech and freedom of religion before the Supreme Court and, if need be, also before the European Court of Human Rights,” Räsänen said.

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