Barbados Ditches Britain’s Queen And Becomes Republic
After nearly 400 years, Barbados severed its last remaining colonial bonds by ditching Britain’s Queen Elizabeth as head of state and forging a new republic.
Africa
Dutch Detain COVID Quarantine Escapees Amid Airport Chaos
Dutch police say they have detained a couple who escaped from a COVID quarantine hotel amid criticism about how the Netherlands treats suspected coronavirus infected people.
EU, US Ban Travel From Southern Africa Amid New COVID Variant Fears
The United States joined the European Union Friday in imposing travel restrictions on visitors from southern Africa after discovering a new COVID variant.
Christians Killed As US Removes Nigeria As ‘Country of Concern’
Just days after the United States removed Nigeria’s designation as engaging in or tolerating violations of religious rights, several Christians were killed by Islamic fighters, Christians said.
South African doctor who helped discover Omicron says variant’s symptoms mild so far
Symptoms of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron are “extremely mild,” according to South African Dr. Angelique Coetzee, who was one of the first to recognize the new variant.
WHO criticizes travel bans on southern African countries
The World Health Organization on Sunday urged countries around the world not to impose flight bans on southern African nations due to concerns over the new omicron variant.
WHO Calls New Coronavirus Strain ‘Variant of Concern’ And Names It Omicron
The United Nations health body said Friday the new coronavirus variant is “a variant of concern” and named it Omicron.
All EU States Ban Travel From Southern Africa
All 27 member states of the European Union agreed Friday to suspend travel from seven southern African nations over the outbreak of a new coronavirus.
EU Warns Of South Africa COVID Variant; Banning Flights
The European Union’s executive wants that EU countries introduce an “emergency brake” on travel from southern Africa due to a new coronavirus variant.
Rights groups outraged as Blinken removes Nigeria from US list of countries tolerating or promoting religious violence
Christian and government organizations have expressed fury at last week’s decision by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to remove Nigeria from a US list of countries identified as allowing or engaging in violent persecution of minority faith groups, Politico reports. Outrage at Blinken’s decision follows the bipartisan US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) 2021 report in which Nigeria is described as a “killing field for Christians.”
WHO calls special meeting to discuss new Covid variant found in South Africa with ‘a large number of mutations’
The World Health Organization is monitoring a new variant with numerous mutations to the spike protein, scheduling a special meeting Friday to discuss what it may mean for vaccines and treatments, officials said Thursday.
In Morocco, Gantz signs Israel’s first-ever defense MOU with an Arab country
Defense Minister Benny Gantz signed a memorandum of understanding with his Moroccan counterpart on Wednesday, the first such agreement between Israel and an Arab state ever, Israeli officials said.
Nigeria Condemned Over Detention Christian Journalist
Aid workers have condemned the detention of a Nigerian Christian journalist after he covered attacks against mainly Christian communities in Nigeria.
Lithuania Allows Taiwan To Establish ‘Embassy’ Despite China’s Outcry
Lithuania has defended its decision to allow Taiwan to open a de facto embassy in the Baltic nation despite an angry response from China.
US: $127.5 Million For Parkland Shooting Families
The U.S. government has reportedly reached a tentative $127.5 million settlement with the families of victims of a 2018 mass shooting at a Florida, high school.
Wife of American missionary held hostage in Niger pleads with US to honor promise of help
The wife of Jeff Woodke, an American missionary who has been held hostage in Niger for five years, on Wednesday appealed to the US government to honor its promise to keep all options on the table in seeking her husband’s release, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports. Making her appeal at a press conference in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Els Woodke also called on the international church for help to finance the rescue effort.
Gunman Kills One, Injures Others In Jerusalem’s Old City
Israel was on edge late Sunday after a suspected Palestinian militant opened fire in Jerusalem’s Old City, killing one Israeli man and injuring at least four others, including a rabbi.
Isolated Christians Turn To Satellite TV
A global Christian broadcaster says “isolated Christians” in the Middle East and North Africa use visual and digital technology to keep their faith alive amid mounting persecution.
Nigeria: Christian journalist imprisoned for reporting on 38 murdered believers
Christian journalist Luka Binniya has been arrested and jailed in Nigeria’s Kaduna state, after he reported on the killing of 38 believers by Fulani Islamic extremists, International Christian Concern (ICC) reported Thursday.
Nigeria: Captors murder two of 66 abducted Christians, “abducted worshipers are in danger”
Two of the 66 Christians abducted from Emmanuel Baptist Church in Nigeria’s Kaduna State on October 31 were murdered by their captors last week, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.