World News
Armenia and Azerbaijan signed a historic peace agreement at the White House on Friday, formally ending nearly four decades of territorial conflict and opening a new chapter in South Caucasus geopolitics. The accord, brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump, cements Washington’s strategic foothold in a volatile region bordering Iran and deep within the former Soviet sphere.
President Donald Trump has quietly authorized the use of U.S. military force against Latin American drug cartels that his administration has officially classified as foreign terrorist organizations, according to reports by The New York Times and New York Post. The move represents the most aggressive escalation yet in Trump’s long-running campaign to dismantle transnational narcotics networks flooding the United States with fentanyl and other illicit drugs.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has presented the Trump administration with a sweeping cease-fire proposal in Ukraine that would require Kyiv to cede significant territory in exchange for a halt to hostilities, European and Ukrainian officials told the Wall Street Journal.
U.S. President Donald J. Trump says he is prepared to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin as early as next week, despite Moscow’s refusal to include Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in peace discussions.
The Iranian judiciary announced Wednesday that it has executed Rouzbeh Vadi, a prominent nuclear scientist accused of spying for Israel and providing intelligence that led to the assassination of Iranian nuclear personnel during the 12-day war with Israel in June.
Israel News
Israel’s Security Cabinet has approved Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s proposal to take control of Gaza City, marking a significant escalation in the nearly two-year war with Hamas. The decision, announced Friday, comes despite warnings from top military officials that the move could endanger hostages still held in the enclave and deepen the humanitarian crisis.
Germany on Friday halted military exports to Israel “that could be used in Gaza,” amid one of the worst tensions between the German and Israeli governments since the establishment of the Jewish nation following World War II.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has clarified Israel’s long-term strategy for the Gaza Strip, stating in two separate interviews that while Israel will take temporary military control of the territory, it has no intention of annexing or permanently governing it.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to present a sweeping new military and governance plan for the Gaza Strip to Israel’s security cabinet on Thursday, according to government sources who spoke with The Jerusalem Post. The proposal is expected to greenlight a large-scale IDF operation to occupy additional portions of the coastal enclave over a five-month period.
In a historic visit to the biblical heartland of Israel, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson declared his intention to remove the term “West Bank” from U.S. federal government language and replace it with the biblical names “Judea and Samaria,” reinforcing America’s growing alignment with Israel’s ancestral claims to the disputed region.
US News
President Donald J. Trump on Thursday signed an Executive Order to ensure that federal regulators do not promote policies or practices allowing financial institutions to deny or restrict services based on political beliefs, religious beliefs, or lawful business activities, guaranteeing fair access to banking for all Americans.
Newly released data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reveals a continued rise in anti-Jewish hate crimes in 2024, reinforcing concerns among Jewish advocacy groups and faith leaders about escalating hostility and the need for stronger government action.
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he has instructed the Department of Commerce to begin developing a new census that will explicitly exclude illegal immigrants from the population count, reigniting a constitutional debate over representation and federal funding.
The FBI has released its comprehensive “Reported Crimes in the Nation” statistics for 2024, revealing a significant decline in violent crime across the United States. According to the report, violent crime dropped an estimated 4.5% nationwide compared to 2023, with murder and non-negligent manslaughter down nearly 15%.
The U.S. trade deficit narrowed dramatically in June, falling to $60.2 billion–the lowest level since September 2023–as imports plunged and the trade gap with China shrank to a 21-year low. The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis released the data Tuesday, highlighting the significant impact of President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff policies on global trade dynamics.
Christian News
Evangelical missions are surging through Brazil’s Amazon, bringing medical aid, education, and the gospel to remote villages, reshaping the region’s spiritual identity and accelerating the nation’s shift away from Catholicism. Project Amazon’s Missionary boat alone treats 100,000 patients a year, fueling rapid church growth among indigenous communities.
Militants allied with the Islamic State group (ISIS) are carrying out brutal attacks against Christians in central and southern Africa, including mass killings often through beheadings, as well as the destruction of churches and homes, investigators say. Advocacy groups and international officials warn of a growing crisis that they suggest is ignored by much of the world.
American evangelist Franklin Graham has welcomed a decision by U.S. President Donald J. Trump to allow federal employees, including Christians, to openly express their faith while at work, in a move that changes decades of policies.
In a city often dubbed one of the most unchurched in America, more than 35,000 people gathered this past weekend at the Moda Center for the first major evangelistic crusade in Portland in over 25 years — and more than 3,200 made public decisions to follow Christ.
Predominantly Muslim Fulani herdsmen have reportedly killed a Christian woman in a village in Nigeria’s Plateau State—the latest of 17 Christians slain in the area since July 15, local sources said Tuesday.