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by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – On the eve of high-stakes talks in Tehran, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi issued a stark warning that Iran is dangerously close to acquiring a nuclear weapon. Grossi arrived in Tehran on Wednesday and met with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. He is set to meet senior officials ahead of Saturday’s indirect U.S.-Iran talks in Rome. “It’s like a puzzle. They have the pieces, and one day they could eventually put them together,” Grossi told French newspaper Le Monde in an interview published Wednesday. “There’s still a way to go before they get there. But they’re not far off, that has to be acknowledged,” he said. While Iran insists the IAEA should be the sole body responsible for monitoring any nuclear agreement, the U.S. administration has yet to decide. Behind the scenes, Israel is pressuring Washington to take the lead in supervising any deal. In his interview with Le Monde, Grossi emphasized, “Without us, any agreement is just a piece of paper.” The IAEA reports that Iran is enriching uranium to 60% purity—near the 90% needed for weapons-grade material and well above the 3.67% limit set by the now-defunct 2015 nuclear deal. “It’s not enough to tell the international community ‘we don’t have nuclear weapons’ for them to believe you. We need to be able to verify,” said Grossi. IRAN REJECTS U.S. DEMAND, SAYS URANIUM ENRICHMENT ‘NON-NEGOTIABLE’ Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi declared Wednesday that uranium enrichment is “non-negotiable,” pushing back against U.S. Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff’s call to dismantle the program as part of any future agreement. “Iran’s enrichment is a real, accepted matter,” Araghchi told reporters after a cabinet meeting. “We are ready to build confidence in response to possible concerns, but the issue of enrichment is non-negotiable.” IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL NEEDS VERIFICATION Any nuclear deal with Iran will depend on verifying its enrichment and weaponization capabilities, President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said on Monday. “The first meeting was positive, constructive, compelling,” Witkoff told Fox News, referring to last week’s talks in Oman. While not calling for a complete dismantling of Iran’s program, he emphasized, “This is going to be much about verification on the enrichment program.” “They do not need to enrich past 3.67 percent,” he said, citing the limit under the 2015 nuclear deal Trump withdrew from in 2018. “In some circumstances, they’re at 60 percent, in other circumstances 20 percent. That cannot be, and you do not need to run… a civil nuclear program where you’re enriching past 3.67 percent.” The IAEA recently reported Iran possesses 274.8 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent, approaching the 90 percent weapons-grade threshold. MILITARY PREPARED IF DIPLOMACY FAILS If diplomacy fails, the United States, along with Israel, is ready to proceed with military action against the Iranian nuclear program, as the Pentagon has deployed two carrier strike groups in the region, along with the build-up of fighter jets, bombers, and support aircraft positioned near Iran. The U.S. also deployed additional air defense systems in Israel in the event a war broke out with Iran. IRAN’S NUCLEAR AMBITIONS CONNECTED TO PROPHECY? While the West often views Iran’s nuclear program through a secular lens, the spiritual aspect, which plays a central role in driving Iran’s nuclear ambitions, should not be overlooked. Iran is the only country where Twelver Shi’ism is the state religion. Twelver Shīʿism, the largest branch of Shīʿa Islam, makes up about 85% of Shīʿas. “Twelver” signifies belief in twelve divinely appointed leaders, the Twelve Imams, with the last, Imam al-Mahdi, expected to return as the Mahdi. Twelvers see the Imams as Muhammad’s spiritual and political successors, guiding with justice and interpreting Islamic law and the Qur’an’s inner meanings. They are viewed as infallible (Ismah) and divinely chosen (nass). The Twelvers believe that the Mahdi is expected to appear in times of extreme chaos, returning alongside Jesus as a messiah to bring peace and establish Islam globally. Twelver beliefs, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and threats toward Israel and the West have raised concerns. Critics suggest that Iran’s Supreme Leader might incite conflict to hasten the 12th Imam’s arrival. Former Iranian President Ahmadinejad has even called for the Imam’s return at the UN, asserting that the Islamic Revolution’s primary goal is to prepare for his reappearance. The post IAEA Chief Warns Iran Is ‘Not Far’ from Nuclear Bomb Ahead of Key Talks appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk, has suspended nearly 500,000 federal credit cards across more than 30 agencies in a sweeping move to curb wasteful government spending, according to NewsWeek. On Tuesday, DOGE announced on X that it had deactivated approximately 470,000 federal credit cards as part of its effort to rein in government spending. “Credit Card Update! The program to audit unused/unneeded credit cards has been expanded to 30 agencies. After 7 weeks, ~470k cards have been de-activated. As a reminder, at the start of the audit, there were ~4.6M active cards/accounts, so still more work to do,” the post stated. DOGE reported suspending 200,000 unnecessary credit cards across 16 federal agencies in March. The task force noted that the government currently holds 4.6 million credit cards, which accounted for $40 billion in spending last year. Musk wrote on X Wednesday: “Twice as many credit cards are issued and active than the total number of government employees! Crazy.” Twice as many credit cards are issued and active than the total number of government employees! Crazy. https://t.co/6Zfr3fyHM8 — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 16, 2025 The post DOGE Deactivates Nearly Half a Million Government Credit Cards appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – The Interior Department will transfer nearly 110,000 acres of federal land along the U.S.-Mexico border to the U.S. Army, creating a new base where troops could detain trespassers, including migrants, as part of President Trump’s border security push, which aims to deter illegal crossings. The Trump administration’s move to place the border zone under Army control aims to bypass a federal law that bars U.S. troops from domestic law enforcement. “Securing our border and protecting our nation’s resources go hand in hand,” said Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. “The American people gave President Trump a mandate to make America safe and strong again. This transfer reflects Interior’s commitment to public safety, national security, and responsible stewardship of our public lands.” Burgum announced the emergency land transfer on April 15 during a visit to New Mexico, granting the Army three years of control over the border zone, according to the Interior Department. The Roosevelt Reservation, a 60-foot-wide federal buffer zone stretching along the border from New Mexico to California, excluding tribal and private lands, was previously managed by the Interior Department. However, under a presidential memo issued by Trump on Friday night, control was shifted to the Defense Department. The Interior Department acknowledged that some of the transferred land is vital to local communities. It said the Bureau of Land Management will coordinate with the Army to ensure continued support for activities like grazing and mining. The post Trump Admin Gives U.S. Army Control of Federal Land Along US-Mexico Border for Security appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Thérèse Boudreaux | The Center Square (Worthy News) – The dramatic rise of autism in children across the U.S. is partially due to increased exposure to environmental toxins over the past fifty years, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said during a press conference Tuesday. Drawing from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s newly released Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network survey, Kennedy highlighted how autism prevalence is nearly five times higher than recorded in the first ADDM survey 22 years ago. The CDC report, using data in 2022 from 16 monitoring sites across the U.S., showed that one in 31 eight-year-olds born in 2014 and one in 34 four-year-olds born in 2018 in the U.S. are autistic. Whether environmental factors play a role in autism is a highly controversial topic still undergoing research. Kennedy’s comments are a break from his critics who say autism is a genetic condition. Kennedy said the scientific community’s hyperfocus on finding a genetic cause is “a dead end.” “This is a preventable disease. We know it’s an environmental exposure, and it has to be,” Kennedy said. “Genes do not cause epidemics—they can provide a vulnerability, [but] you need an environmental toxin.” Kennedy also denied the claim that scientists are seeing increased rates of autism only because of changing diagnostic criteria and better recognition rates. “We know what the historic numbers are, and we know what the numbers are today, and it’s time for everybody to stop attributing this to this ideology of epidemic denial,” Kennedy said. “Only a very small portion of it can be charged [as] better recognition or better diagnostic criteria.” According to data tabled by the CDC, the autism prevalence rate has increased from an average of four per 10,000 children in the 1970s to one per 88 children in 2008, now one in roughly 31 to 36. Kennedy believes that the “epidemic denial” is based on “an industry canard.” “If the epidemic is an artifact of better diagnostic criteria or better recognition, then why are we not seeing it in older people? Why is this only happening in young people?” he added, calling for the press to be more inquisitive. “This is coming from an environmental toxin, and somebody made a profit by putting that environmental toxin into our air, our water, our medicines, our food,” Kennedy said. “And it’s to their benefit to normalize it, to say ‘oh, this is all normal, it’s always been here.’ But that’s not good for our country.” As part of its mission to find the root causes of autism and other chronic diseases, the HHS is going to “remove the taboo” on certain types of research and “look at all potential culprits,” Kennedy said, including mold, food additives, pesticides, ultrasounds, medicines, and air and water pollution. The HHS has promised to begin releasing such studies — “done by the most credible scientists from all over the world” — within the next three weeks. The Autism Society, America’s oldest grassroots autism organization, celebrated Kennedy’s renewed emphasis on studying the condition but argued the CDC’s report does not prove the existence of autism preventability or an autism epidemic, only improved diagnostics. “The Autism Society of America remains committed to ensuring that prevalence data drives equity and access — not fear, misinformation, or political rhetoric,” Autism Society President Christopher Banks said. “Further exploring data like this report, requires significant funding, expert-led, quality, transparent research methodology, that follows peer-reviewed due process.” Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post RFK Jr. Says ‘Autism Epidemic’ Linked to Environmental Toxins, Not Just Genetics appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square contributor (Worthy News) – For the second full month in a row since President Donald Trump’s been in office, illegal border crossings reached record lows in March, reversing Biden administration illegal crossings, which were the highest in recorded U.S. history. In March, 29,065 illegal border crossers were encountered and apprehended nationwide, a fraction of what they were under the Biden administration. In March 2024, they totaled 246,505 nationwide; in March 2023, 259,471; in March 2022, 250,404, excluding those who evaded capture, according to CBP data. The biggest decrease was at the southwest border, where Border Patrol agents reported the lowest daily average apprehensions in recorded history of 264 a day in March. That’s 20% lower than the 330 daily nationwide average apprehensions in February and 94% lower than 4,488 per day average from March 2024, CBP said. “U.S. Border Patrol’s apprehensions along the southwest border for the entire month of March 2025 were lower than the first two days of March 2024,” Acting CBP Commissioner Pete Flores said. “For the second month in a row, you have broken the record in the history of the nation for the lowest number of encounters at the border. You have said that America’s laws matter and that they’ll be enforced and we’re hard at work now to get people to go back home that are here illegally,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem told the president at a cabinet meeting before the numbers were released. “The Alien Registration Act has been in place long enough now that those individuals that are here illegally, if they haven’t registered, then they can be charged criminally and they can face fines up to $1,000 a day and face deportation if they don’t go home, and they’ll never get the chance to come back to America,” she said, referring to notices DHS has sent to foreign nationals released into the U.S. through a range of Biden-era parole programs. She said that DHS was continuing to encourage illegal foreign nationals to use the CBP Home App to register to self deport and was “working on the resources and funding to buy them a plane ticket to send them home.” She also said that after having discussions with officials in El Salvador, Colombia, Mexico and others that these countries were considering setting up programs to support the return of their citizens – with the understanding that they could come back to the U.S. “So, when they get there, they’ll have housing and food assistance and so making sure that these folks have the opportunity to go home so that they can get the chance to come back to America is important,” she said. Thousands of illegal foreign nationals have already self-deported, Noem said, but there were still 21 million people “that need to go home because they’re here breaking our laws.” Another security measure being implemented will impact all U.S. citizens, she said. “The American people need to know that Real ID will be required to travel on May 7th,” she said, referring to a Bush-era program. She said she sent notifications to governors to communicate that at the state level, saying, of Americans, “I don’t want anybody to get delayed and not be able to travel when they get to an airport.” Congress passed the Real ID Act in 2005, signed into law by former President George W. Bush, to require extensive documentation in order to obtain a state-issued driver’s license or identification card. Real IDs will be required to board domestic airline flights and access federal government facilities and nuclear power plants. Requiring a Real ID was touted 20 year ago after the 9/11 terrorist attacks as a way “to prevent terrorists from abusing the asylum laws of the United States, to unify terrorism-related grounds for inadmissibility and removal, and to ensure expeditious construction of the San Diego border fence,” according to the bill language. Requiring Real ID “will also help us bring integrity back to all of our IDs and how they’re used for issuing drivers licenses,” Noem said. “Governors know how I feel about making sure their driver’s licensing system has integrity because a lot of people use their driver’s license to vote, and the backbone of our country … is election integrity.” In response, Trump said, “we’re going to work with people [who illegally entered the country] so that if they go out in a nice way and go back to their country, we’re going to work with them right from the beginning point, trying to get them back in.” Doing so gives them an incentive, he said, otherwise they’ll “never be allowed” back into the U.S. “once a certain period of time goes, by which is probably going to be 60 day.” He also said that many U.S. farmers and businesses were knowingly using illegal immigrant labor. Instead of encouraging them to hire Americans, or comply with federal immigration and labor laws, Trump said his administration would work with them. “We’re also going to work with farmers, that if they have strong recommendations for their farms for certain people, we’re gonna let them stay in for a while and work with the farmers and then come back and go through a legal process,” he said. “We have to take care of our farmers and hotels, and you know, various places where … they need the people. “We’re going to be working … very carefully on that so a farmer who comes in with a letter concerning certain people saying they’re great, they’re working hard, we’re gonna slow it down a little bit for them, and then we’re going to ultimately bring them back. They’ll go out, they’re going to come back as legal workers.” Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post Illegal Border Crossings Hit Record Low Second Month In Row appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Morgan Sweeney | The Center Square (Worthy News) – The White House said Tuesday it plans to help protect Social Security benefits from noncitizens and ramp up anti-fraud efforts. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt outlined key points from the memorandum to reporters at a press briefing on Tuesday afternoon. Through the memorandum, Trump aims to stop noncitizens and “other ineligible people” from obtaining social security, Medicare or Medicaid benefits in part by expanding fraud prosecution efforts across the country. “[The memorandum] will expand the Social Security Administration’s fraud prosecutor program to at least 50 U.S. attorney offices and establishes a Medicare and Medicaid fraud prosecution program in 15 U.S. attorney offices,” Leavitt said. The Social Security Administration’s Inspector General will also be required to audit earnings reports for people aged 100 and older whose records have shown conflicting information to fight identity theft. The memorandum also directs the SSA to look into “[reinstating] the use of civil monetary penalties against individuals who engage in SS fraud in an effort that has been paused for several years” Leavitt said. Former President Joe Biden Tuesday night is giving his first address since leaving office and reportedly plans to talk about social security under the Trump administration. “These taxpayer funded benefits should be only for eligible taxpayers and President Biden should think about what he did in his last term, which is allow tens of millions of illegal people into our country, many of whom were fraudulently receiving these benefits,” Leavitt said. Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post White House Prepares to Go After Noncitizens Who Defraud Entitlement Programs appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News GQEBERHA, SOUTH AFRICA (Worthy News) – An American pastor who was abducted last Thursday during his sermon at a church in South Africa‘s port city of Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape province, has been rescued in a shootout, that left three suspects dead, Christians told Worthy News. Josh Sullivan, also described as “a U.S. church planting missionary,” was rescued Tuesday by the “Hawks” — the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation — during a fatal shootout in Gqeberha, police confirmed. “A multi-disciplinary law enforcement operation led by the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, known as the Hawks, has resulted in the successful rescue of the 45-year-old American citizen, reportedly a local pastor who had allegedly been kidnapped and held at a safe house in KwaMagxaki, Gqeberha, on 15 April 2025,” the South African Police Service said in a statement obtained by Worthy News. The shootout reportedly began when suspects in a car parked outside the house tried to escape and began firing at them. Three unidentified suspects were killed, police added. Lieutenant Colonel Avele Fumba described the pastor’s rescue as a miracle. “The victim was found inside the same vehicle from which the suspects had launched their attack. Miraculously unharmed, he was immediately assessed by medical personnel and is currently in an excellent condition.” Worthy News learned that following his release, Sullivan, who describes himself on his personal website as “a church-planting missionary,” was reunited with his wife Meagan and their two children. “Josh has been released. I just got the go-ahead to let it be known,” said Sardar Mushtaq Gill, the founder of LEAD Ministries Pakistan, an advocacy group that closely followed the case. FEELING CLOSENESS LEAD said that it feels close to the Sullivan family as Christians are also facing kidnappings and other kinds of persecution in Pakistan. “Please do not stop praying for the Sullivans. Praise The Lord Jesus Christ [for his rescue],” Gill told Worthy News. Josh Sullivan, a 45-year-old American citizen from Tennessee, has been living in the Motherwell township branch of the Fellowship Baptist church with his wife and two children since 2018. The missionary was abruptly abducted on Thursday evening when four men broke into the Fellowship Baptist Church in Motherwell, a fast-growing township comprising Gqeberha and other towns. They reportedly stole two cell phones from members of the congregation before seizing Sullivan from the pulpit and bundling him out of the building. His truck was found abandoned a few hours later, the family said. In comments monitored by Worthy News, the family’s spokesperson, Jeremy Hall, explained that his wife and their children were at the church when the kidnapping happened but escaped unharmed. “They [the attackers] knew his name,” Hall said in published remarks. ENTERING CHURCH “The men entered the church and initially held Meagan and walked her towards the door before saying, ‘Josh, is this your wife?’ They then pushed her to the ground and took Josh before driving off in his vehicle.” He added, “The car was found a few kilometers [miles] away shortly afterward.” Sullivan’s kidnappers then made a ransom demand, prompting the intervention of South Africa’s elite police unit, known as the Hawks, sources said. “Thank you for your support and prayers. Please do not stop praying for The Sullivans,” his post read.
“Also, PLEASE respect The Sullivans privacy and their parents. A lot of folks love The Sullivans, and they love you back, but give them some time.” Although he was rescued, his abduction underscored broader concerns about the rapidly deteriorating security situation in South Africa. The number of kidnappings over the last decade has risen by 264 percent, police data showed. The post Kidnapped US Pastor Rescued In South Africa, 3 Suspects Dead After ‘Miracle’ appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News HAFIZABAD, PAKISTAN (Worthy News) – At least three Christian children have died in Pakistan’s Punjab province after a suspected Islamic extremist distributed poisoned sweets among Christian kids, several sources told Worthy News Tuesday. The “horrifying incident has shaken the Christian community in Qila Sahib Singh, a neighborhood in [the city of] Hafizabad,” said Sardar Mushtaq Gill, the founder of the advocacy group LEAD Ministries Pakistan. Gill, whose group represents Christians in the region, told Worthy News that the attack occurred on Palm Sunday, April 14, at about 6:30 p.m. local time. The distribution of poisoned sweets “has tragically claimed the lives of three children, while five others remain hospitalized in critical condition,” Gill added. Police announced that investigations are currently underway to identify and apprehend the suspect. Eyewitnesses said an unknown man arrived in the area “on a three-wheeler” and handed out sweets “specifically to Christian children.” Shortly after consuming the sweets, the children reportedly began showing signs of severe illness. “Alarmed residents attempted to intervene, but the suspect fled the scene before he could be apprehended,” Gill confirmed. Christian leaders suggested this attack was religiously motivated and potentially linked to Islamic extremist groups known for targeting Christians and other religious minorities in Pakistan. TIMING OF ATTACK “The timing of the attack—so close to Easter—has heightened concerns of further targeted violence during the Christian holy season,” LEAD said in a statement. “This was not a random act,” added Pastor Imran Amanat, a leader with LEAD Ministries, “This was a deliberate attempt to harm our children and our community. We demand immediate action from the authorities and full protection for Christians during this vulnerable time.” Gill called it “a heinous act of religiously motivated violence” and added there was a “need for urgent government intervention to prevent further tragedies.” LEAD Ministries has urged the Christian community to remain vigilant and united in prayer. “Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of these innocent lives,” said Pastor Amanat. “We ask the global Christian community to join us in prayer—prayers for comfort, for healing, and for justice.” This tragic event has reignited calls for stronger legal protections and security measures for Pakistan’s Christian minority, which has faced discrimination, threats, and violence, LEAD said. “As the investigation continues, the Christian community in Hafizabad—and across Pakistan—waits for justice and for meaningful action to ensure such violence is never repeated,” Gill told Worthy News. The post Pakistani Christian Kids Die Of Poisoned Sweets appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent, Worthy News ABUJA (Worthy News) – A new spate of attacks in Nigeria killed at least 113 people, many of them Christians, well-informed sources told Worthy News on Tuesday. “More Christians have been killed, including in Jos,” the administrative capital and largest city of Plateau State, said Paul Jongas, a Christian farmer and evangelist, who fled anti-Christian violence and now lives in Abuja. He and his family fear that with Easter approaching, believers in Nigeria are even more vulnerable to attacks by Islamic groups. The deadly attacks in Nigeria’s central Plateau State displaced thousands, Christians said. Since the end of March, Fulani militant herdsmen “attacked at least eight communities in the local government [areas] of Bokkos and Bassa,” said advocacy group Open Doors. “Alongside those [113] killed (and the number could be higher), a further six are missing, and many others injured. Over 300 homes have been destroyed, leaving more than 3,000 people displaced.” The most recent attack was on Palm Sunday night, April 13, in a Christian community in Bassa, Christians said. Some “43 people were killed, several houses were burnt down with people inside,” added a local Open Doors contact. Amongst the other attacks, three Christian farmers were cultivating their land on March 24 when they were killed. Three days later, the militants killed 11 Christians who had gathered for a funeral, including a pregnant woman and a ten-year-old girl. On April 2, at least five Christian women were killed as they gathered for fellowship,” Open Doors explained. SCORES MORE DEAD Nigeria’s National Emergency Agency said gunmen had killed at least 50 people last week and displaced nearly 2,000 others in several days of attacks in Plateau. The attacks come as Christian communities in the region still recover from a series of attacks in 2023 in the area, including one on Christmas Eve in which around 200 believers were killed. In a statement, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu strongly condemned the violence in Plateau State, urging the state’s leadership to find “a lasting solution” to persistent “communal” conflicts.” “We cannot allow this devastation and the tit-for-tat attacks to continue. Enough is enough,” Tinubu said in a statement signed Monday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. However, critics say Tinubu and his allies have to do more to protect the Christian community in states where extremists seek the Islamization of regions. Christian advocacy group Open Doors recently reported that in 2024, some 3,100 Christians were killed and more than 2,000 kidnapped in Nigeria. While security was reportedly stepped up in affected communities, “Our people are living in fear,” said Titus Ayuba Alams, a Christian serving as a special adviser to local authorities on workers’ welfare and corporate affairs. “Children no longer go to school, even worship in churches, you can’t do it, because you are running for your life.” MILLIONS ARE DISPLACED Open Doors says those displaced by the latest deadly violence join the “millions of Christians displaced by violence and conflict, not just in Nigeria but throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Many end up at displacement camps that are dangerously ill-equipped to care for people.” “We feel ignored, forgotten. Like we are in the dark,” said Pastor Barnabas from Nigeria, who lives in a displacement camp after narrowly surviving a violent attack. “I will not lose my confidence in God. I will always encourage the Christians here,” he added in comments shared by Open Doors. Open Doors said it is involved in the four-year “Arise Africa” campaign to raise global awareness of the persecution of Christians in Nigeria and other African nations. “Violence against Christians in Sub-Saharan Africa is unprecedented – and it’s driving people from their homes. Open Doors estimates that 16.2 million Christians are displaced. Many are persecuted for their faith. The very survival of the church is at risk – unless we act.” “Let’s pray that the Lord will make provision because we have four IDP [internally displaced person] camps: one in Bokkos, one in Gombe, and two in Hurti. And in Bokkos, we have more than 2,000 IDPs. In Hurti, we have more than 4,000, and the same is true in Gonde,” added Reverend Arum, the CAN (Christian Association of Nigeria) chairman of Bokkos’ lower government authority. “Let’s pray that the Lord will make provision, and the body of Christ will support the church through prayers and, if they can, support them financially.” The anti-Christian violence is linked mainly to two groups—the extremist Islamist militant Boko Haram and its splinter factions and a range of militias or “bandits” linked to Fulani herders, Muslims who have waged a campaign of land grabs against Christian farmers in the fertile and more Christian “Middle Belt” of central Nigeria. The Fulanis’ grazing land has dried up over the past decades. However, Christians also say the attacks are more than an issue over land and are linked to their faith in Christ, which radical Muslims oppose. Of Nigeria’s nearly 229 million people, Muslims comprise 53.5 percent, while 45.9 percent are Christians, according to official estimates. Nigeria ranks 7th on the annual World Watch List of 50 nations where Open Doors says Christians face the most persecution for their faith. The post At Least 113 Christians Feared Dead In Nigeria Attacks (Worthy News In-Depth) appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

Friend, the veil was torn! Hebrews 10:19-23 Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. The New Testament records that when Yeshua (Jesus) died; there was a great earthquake and the veil of the Temple was torn in two. The size of this gigantic veil is not recorded in the NT...but we read from other sources that it was roughly 60 feet long and 30 feet wide with multiple woven layers the thickness of a man's hand! It was hung on a crossbeam stone – a lintel – which was over 30 feet long and weighed more than 30 tons! It was not an easy cloth to tear... Jerome, a fourth-century Church Father, writes concerning the tearing of the veil, that not only was the veil torn, but the great earthquake had also caused the lintel of the Temple to be broken in two. In fact, it seems that the breaking of the lintel was what caused the veil to be torn in half from top to bottom, since the veil hung down from the lintel. In the culture of the Jewish people, a father will commonly mourn the loss of his son by rending or tearing his garment... Can we suggest that the rending of the Temple's veil likewise, dramatically expressed our Heavenly Father's agony over the death of Yeshua, His only begotten Son? The way was prepared through the death of the Son of God for us to have access to the Holy of Holies, that place on earth which was prepared for the abiding Presence of God's Spirit, and, in earlier Temple times, actually contained His Glory. In the death of the Messiah Yeshua, every barrier and obstacle, even a 30 ton stone that needed to be broken – was removed, to make a way for us to have an intimate relationship with the Father! Friend, the sound of ripping cloth, the rending of a massive veil, echoes throughout history to this very day. The agony of that sound of mourning opened for us "a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh" [Hebrews 10:20]...so that now, at any time, we can approach our Heavenly Father with boldness and confidence in His love and acceptance. As we embrace the sacrifice of Yeshua, come with a clean heart in His righteousness, we may fully expect His constant intervention and blessing in our everyday lives--- because the way has been permanently opened to us! Your family in the Lord with much agape love, George, Baht Rivka, Elianna and Obadiah (George, Baht Rivka & Obi - Little Rock, Arkansas | Elianna - Married living in Missouri) Editor's Note: Feel free to share any of our content from Worthy, including Devotions, News articles, and more, on your social platforms. You have full permission to copy and repost anything we produce. Editor's Note: During this war, we have been live blogging throughout the day -- sometimes minute by minute on our Telegram channel. Be sure to check it out! Around the World Trump: Decision on Iran Coming ‘Very Quickly,’ Says Nuclear Threat ‘Easy to Solve’ U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his hardline stance on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, telling reporters Monday, “They cannot have a nuclear weapon. Iran has to get rid of the concept of a nuclear weapon.” Hungary Enshrines Only Two Genders In Constitution Despite Protests Hungary has adopted a constitutional amendment banning LGBTQ+ gatherings, including the annual Pride March while recognizing only two genders, “man and woman.” Nigerians Mourning Landmine Victims Residents in northeastern Nigeria were mourning Monday after at least eight bus passengers were killed over the weekend by a landmine that authorities said was likely placed there by “terrorist group Boko Haram.” Israel-Palestinian Conflict U.S. Approves Major Arms Shipment to Israel, Sets Sights on Iran Israel is expected to receive a significant arms shipment from the United States in the coming weeks, including over 3,000 munitions for the Israeli Air Force, as it prepares for ongoing operations in Gaza and a possible strike on Iran, Israeli officials said Monday. Inside the United States Trump Administration Freezes More Than $2.2 Billion in Funding to Harvard The U.S. Department of Education late Monday said it is freezing more than $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard University after its president said earlier in the day it would not comply with President Donald Trump's demands over antisemitism on campus and diversity, equity and inclusion policies. Budget Group Says the Actual Federal Debt is $158.6 Trillion As Americans file their taxes at the last minute this April 15, the federal debt – and Americans’ federal debt burden – continues to grow. Christian News At Least 113 Christians Feared Dead In Nigeria Attacks (Worthy News In-Depth) A new spate of attacks in Nigeria killed at least 113 people, many of them Christians, well-informed sources told Worthy News on Tuesday. US Missionary Returns Home After Detention In Tunisia An American missionary who was detained in Tunisia for over a year on charges of espionage has spent his first days in freedom after the United States secured his release, Worthy News learned Tuesday. Togo Pastor Killed, Others Persecuted By Islamists Several pastors in northern Togo are facing “persecution from militant Islamic groups” crossing over from neighboring countries, and several people have been killed, Christians told Worthy News. Worthy Insights Antisemitism ‘Explodes’ Down Under – Australian Jews Look to Leave When two Muslim nurses from a Sydney-area hospital were suspended and then charged for boasting in a TikTok video about killing Jewish patients, it brought Australia's growing epidemic of Jew hatred to the world's attention. View the full article

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News TUNIS/WASHINGTON (Worthy News) – An American missionary who was detained in Tunisia for over a year on charges of espionage has spent his first days in freedom after the United States secured his release, Worthy News learned Tuesday. “Robert Vieira is headed home to reunite with his family after more than 14 months of pre-trial detention,” said U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a statement on social media platform X. Rubio suggested the Christian had been held on trumped-up charges. “We acknowledge the Tunisian government’s actions to correct this situation and secure Vieira’s release as the Trump Administration continues to secure the release of all detained Americans.” In separate published remarks, U.S. Special Envoy Adam Boehler said Vieira was freed Sunday afternoon. “We appreciate the government of Tunisia’s decision to resolve this case and allow Mr. Vieira to reunite with his family after more than 13 months of pre-trial detention,” Boehler explained, adding that he worked closely with Tunisian foreign minister Mohamed Ali Nafti After being released on Sunday, Vieira flew home to the U.S. alongside his family, Worthy News learned. Christian rights activists view the detention of the Christian missionary as part of a broader campaign against devoted believers by authorities and Islamist extremists in the mainly Muslim nation. VIOLENT ATTACKS “All Christians are at risk of attack by violent Islamist extremists around the southern border,” noted Christian advocacy group Open Doors. “Being known as a Christian affects a Tunisian’s reputation, their job security and, in the worst cases, can result in complete rejection or abuse from their Muslim family and community,” noted advocacy group Open Doors. It ranks Tunisia, which has a tiny but thriving Christian minority, as 34 on its annual World Watch List of 50 countries where it claims Christians face the most persecution for their faith. Among those facing the most pressure are those abandoning Islam, Christians say. “Men from Muslim families who become Christians face ostracism, intimidation, beatings, and death threats. They can also be denied promotion and suffer loss of employment and physical violence,” added Open Doors. “A Christian woman can be physically beaten, expelled from her home, put under house arrest or threatened with rape, forced marriage or death. If already married, she is likely to be divorced, have her children taken away, and have her financial support withdrawn.” It stressed that there has been “a rollback of women’s rights in Tunisia” since President Kais Saied ushered in a new constitution in 2022. “Church gatherings are also monitored by the authorities; despite this, the church in North Africa is growing.” Yet Christians still comprise roughly 0.2 percent of Tunisia’s over 12 million mainly Sunni Muslim population, according to Christian researchers and the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). The post US Missionary Returns Home After Detention In Tunisia appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – Israel is expected to receive a significant arms shipment from the United States in the coming weeks, including over 3,000 munitions for the Israeli Air Force, as it prepares for ongoing operations in Gaza and a possible strike on Iran, Israeli officials said Monday. The shipment, recently approved by the U.S. administration, is aimed at enhancing the Israeli Air Force’s readiness for a major offensive planned by the IDF Southern Command in Gaza. It adds to more than 10,000 aerial munitions already slated to replenish Israel’s stockpiles following 18 months of sustained, multi-front conflict. The shipment supplements an earlier deal for heavy munitions that Israel secured from the U.S. last year. Although the Biden administration initially froze the transfer, President Donald Trump lifted the freeze in recent weeks. In February, the U.S. government approved a $7.41 billion arms deal with Israel, including guided munitions, bombs, and related equipment. The Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) informed Congress that the agreement is meant to ensure Israel maintains its ability to defend itself. Just before President Trump returned to office, the Biden administration signed off on an $8 billion weapons deal with Israel. Under the agreement, Israel will use U.S. military aid to buy 3,000 Hellfire missiles and over 2,000 precision bombs—together worth about $660 million. In a separate $6.75 billion deal, Israel will also get more than 2,000 smart bombs, 13,000 guidance kits to make regular bombs more accurate, and nearly 17,500 bomb fuses. Most of these weapons are expected to start arriving in 2025, while the Hellfire missiles will be delivered in 2028. The latest arms shipment comes as U.S. and Iranian diplomats prepare to meet in Rome to discuss Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. If diplomatic efforts fail, Israel is expected to take the lead in striking Iran’s nuclear program in the near future. President Donald Trump has made it clear that he will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons. The post U.S. Approves Major Arms Shipment to Israel, Sets Sights on Iran appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent (Worthy News) – U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated his hardline stance on Iran’s nuclear ambitions, telling reporters Monday, “They cannot have a nuclear weapon. Iran has to get rid of the concept of a nuclear weapon.” Speaking during a meeting with El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, Trump said, “We’ve got a problem with Iran, but I’ll solve that problem, that’s almost an easy one.” Earlier, aboard Air Force One, Trump said he expects a decision “very quickly” on the issue, ahead of a second round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks scheduled for Saturday in Rome. Trump asserted that the Islamic Republic “wants to deal with us, but they don’t know how.” He continued, “I want them to be a rich, great nation. The only thing is, one thing, simple, it’s really simple: They can’t have a nuclear weapon. And they’ve gotta go fast. Because they’re fairly close to having one. And they’re not going to have one.” “And if we have to do something very harsh, we’ll do it,” he added. “And I’m not doing it for us. I’m doing it for the world. These are radicalized people, and they cannot have a nuclear weapon.” When asked if that “something very harsh” includes a potential strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, Trump replied, “Of course it does.” Speaking further on Tehran’s approach to the U.S., Trump said, “I think they’re tapping us along because they were so used to dealing with stupid people in this country.” .@POTUS: "Iran has to get rid of the concept of a nuclear weapon. They cannot have a nuclear weapon… I think they're tapping us along because they were so used to dealing with stupid people in this country." pic.twitter.com/tfMQXo1GGu — Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) April 14, 2025 IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL NEEDS VERIFICATION Any nuclear deal with Iran will depend on verifying its enrichment and weaponization capabilities, President Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff said Monday. “The first meeting was positive, constructive, compelling,” Witkoff told Fox News, referring to last week’s talks in Oman. While not calling for a complete dismantling of Iran’s program, he emphasized, “This is going to be much about verification on the enrichment program.” “They do not need to enrich past 3.67 percent,” he said, citing the limit under the 2015 nuclear deal Trump withdrew from in 2018. “In some circumstances, they’re at 60 percent, in other circumstances 20 percent. That cannot be, and you do not need to run… a civil nuclear program where you’re enriching past 3.67 percent.” The IAEA recently reported Iran possesses 274.8 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent, approaching the 90 percent weapons-grade threshold. MILITARY PREPARED IF DIPLOMACY FAILS If diplomacy fails, the United States, along with Israel, is ready to proceed with military action against the Iranian nuclear program as the Pentagon has deployed two carrier strike groups in the region along with the build-up of fighter jets, bombers, and support aircraft positioned near Iran. The U.S. also deployed additional air defense systems in Israel in the event a war broke out with Iran. IRAN’S NUCLEAR AMBITIONS CONNECTED TO PROPHECY? While the West often views Iran’s nuclear program through a secular lens, the spiritual aspect, which plays a central role in driving Iran’s nuclear ambitions, should not be overlooked. Iran is the only country where Twelver Shi’ism is the state religion. Twelver Shīʿism, the largest branch of Shīʿa Islam, makes up about 85% of Shīʿas. “Twelver” signifies belief in twelve divinely appointed leaders, the Twelve Imams, with the last, Imam al-Mahdi, expected to return as the Mahdi. Twelvers see the Imams as Muhammad’s spiritual and political successors, guiding with justice and interpreting Islamic law and the Qur’an’s inner meanings. They are viewed as infallible (Ismah) and divinely chosen (nass). The Twelvers believe that the Mahdi is expected to appear in times of extreme chaos, returning alongside Jesus as a messiah to bring peace and establish Islam globally. Twelver beliefs, Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and threats toward Israel and the West have raised concerns. Critics suggest that Iran’s Supreme Leader might incite conflict to hasten the 12th Imam’s arrival. Former Iranian President Ahmadinejad has even called for the Imam’s return at the UN, asserting that the Islamic Revolution’s primary goal is to prepare for his reappearance. The post Trump: Decision on Iran Coming ‘Very Quickly,’ Says Nuclear Threat ‘Easy to Solve’ appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Tate Miller and Dan McCaleb | The Center Square contributor (Worthy News) – The U.S. Department of Education late Monday said it is freezing more than $2.2 billion in federal funding to Harvard University after its president said earlier in the day it would not comply with President Donald Trump’s demands over antisemitism on campus and diversity, equity and inclusion policies. “Harvard’s statement today reinforces the troubling entitlement mindset that is endemic in our nation’s most prestigious universities and colleges – that federal investment does not come with the responsibility to uphold civil rights laws,” the department’s Joint Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism said in a statement, citing the “harassment of Jewish students” that “has plagued campuses in recent years…” As a result, the task force said it will put “a freeze on $2.2 billion in multi-year grants and $60M in multi-year contract value to Harvard University.” Earlier Monday, Harvard said it would not comply with a set of demands from the Trump administration in order to receive federal funding, The Center Square reported. Those demands including ending DEI programs as well as reforming programs that fuel antisemitism. “We have informed the administration through our legal counsel that we will not accept their proposed agreement,” Harvard President Alan Garber wrote in a message to the school’s community. “The University will not surrender its independence or relinquish its constitutional rights,” Garber wrote. The agreement the Trump administration proposed to Harvard involved discontinuing DEI practices and programs, implementing merit-based hiring and admissions policies, and reforming programs with “egregious records of antisemitism or other bias,” as outlined in an April 11 letter. “Harvard has in recent years failed to live up to both the intellectual and civil rights conditions that justify federal investment,” the letter stated. After the Department of Education – in the effort to eliminate antisemitism – announced in late March a review of the nearly $9 billion in federal funding Harvard received, Garber wrote in a message that the school would “engage with members of the federal government’s task force to combat antisemitism to ensure that they have a full account of the work we have done and the actions we will take going forward to combat antisemitism.” The university “fully embrace the important goal of combatting antisemitism,” Garber wrote, while outlining Harvard’s various reforms that were made to combat antisemitism. When it was announced in March that $400 million in federal funding would be revoked from Columbia due to antisemitism, the school soon complied with preconditions laid out by the Trump administration, according to the Department of Education. Columbia’s preconditions were mainly related to antisemitism and certain policies that concern protests, according to the letter it received. Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post Trump Administration Freezes More Than $2.2 Billion in Funding to Harvard appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article

By Casey Harper | The Center Square (Worthy News) – As Americans file their taxes at the last minute this April 15, the federal debt – and Americans’ federal debt burden – continues to grow. While the federal government reports a national debt nearing $37 trillion, one budget watchdog says the figure is actually much higher: $158.6 trillion, amounting to $974,000 for each federal taxpayer. Truth in Accounting, a nonprofit budget accountability group that emphasizes a different approach to government accounting, released those figures, arguing that they more accurately represent the fiscal situation of the federal government. TIA’s report includes $51.6 trillion for Medicare and $67.1 trillion for Social Security for benefits that have been promised to recipients down the road but are not considered in the ordinary national debt conversation. “These numbers come from the Social Security and Medicare Trustees Reports, which include calculations of the present value of projected benefits over the next 75 years, offset by the dedicated receipts expected over that period,” TIA Founder and CEO Sheila Weinberg told The Center Square. “Our calculations focus only on current participants – we do not include receipts or benefits from future participants. “For Medicare specifically, in addition to the estimates based on current law, the actuaries also provide projections under the ‘Illustrative Alternative Scenario’… This scenario includes more realistic assumptions about future physician payment rates, and we use the IAS in our estimates.” For instance, current government debt levels do not take into account the future payments for Social Mecurity and Medicare in the coming years, some of the nation’s biggest and most problematic financial obligations. “The Treasury Department only included a fraction, $241 billion, of the Social Security and Medicare liabilities on the federal balance sheet because unknown to most people, according to government documents, recipients do not have the right to any benefits beyond the benefits to be paid next month, and laws to reduce or stop future benefits can be passed at any time,” reads TIA’s report, first obtained by The Center Square. Budget experts have raised the alarm for years about the federal government’s runaway spending – under both political parties – and the threat it poses to the U.S. “Our country’s financial condition continues to spiral out of control, and taxpayers are left holding the bag,” Weinberg said. TIA argues current federal accounting downplays the severity of the U.S. debt problem. “Nontransparent, flawed budgeting and accounting techniques currently produce inaccurate amounts, making the federal government’s finances difficult, if not impossible, to manage,” the report said. “The first step in managing the nation’s finances should be presenting accurate and transparent figures through full accrual budgeting and accounting that includes the costs and growth in the liabilities related to the two programs our seniors rely on the most, Social Security and Medicare. This would enable Congress, the President, and the American people to make better-informed tax and spending decisions.” Reprinted with permission from The Center Square. The post Budget Group Says the Actual Federal Debt is $158.6 Trillion appeared first on Worthy Christian News. View the full article