Populist Leaders Hungary, Poland, Italy Seek Nationalist Alliance
Hungary’s right-wing Prime Minister Viktor Orbán says he and populist leaders from Poland and Italy have agreed to work on a new nationalist political force in Europe.
China
US ready for ‘mutual’ steps as world powers to hold nuclear talks with Iran
World powers and Iran will meet by videoconference to discuss the possible return of the United States to the Iran nuclear deal, the European Union announced Thursday, in a development welcomed by Washington.
WHO report fails to quell questions over COVID-19 origins, possible lab leak
A team of international virus experts working with Chinese counterparts failed to pinpoint the origin of the COVID-19 pandemic during a visit to China, amid mounting questions over stonewalling by Beijing and whether the virus escaped from a Chinese research laboratory.
Leaders Call For New World Order After Pandemic
More than 20 world leaders want all nations to unite under a new global settlement saying it is the only way to prevent future pandemics and stamp out nationalism. They made the appeal Tuesday in an open letter published in Britain’s the Daily Telegraph and publications such as Le Monde in France and El Pais in Spain.
China persecution: 30 officials raid house church, remove property without warrants
Amid continuing raids on house churches, more than 30 officials conducted a warrantless raid on the Mt. Olive house church in China’s Chongqing municipality last Wednesday, Christian Post reports. The officials arrived at the house church with trucks in which they removed all property from the home.
WHO investigator admits it took China’s word on Wuhan lab leak
One member of the World Health Organization investigative team said the WHO took the word of Chinese lab workers about the possibility of COVID-19 originating through a Wuhan lab escape, as a new WHO-China joint report concluded it was unlikely and didn’t need further study.
China May Give ‘Tortured Rights Lawyer’ Life Sentence
China’s Communist authorities may sentence detained human rights lawyer Chang Weiping to life imprisonment, Christian rights activists warned Monday.
Iran, China sign huge 25-year strategic deal; could reduce US regional influence
Iran and China on Saturday signed a 25-year strategic cooperation agreement addressing economic issues amid crippling US sanctions on Tehran, according to Iranian state media.
China, Iran expected to sign 25-year accord, Iranian state media says
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi arrived in Iran on Friday for a visit that Iranian state media said would see the signing of a 25-year cooperation agreement between the two countries, which are both under U.S sanctions.
US President Biden Threatens To Change Senate Rules
U.S. President Joe Biden used his first news conference to threaten fundamental changes to Senate rules to battle Republican opponents and defend his controversial migration and China policies.
Ever Given crisis: It may take “weeks” to unblock Suez canal; daily cargo losses $9.6 billion
Experts have said it may take weeks to move the enormous Ever Given container ship which ran aground in the Suez Canal on Tuesday, blocking all shipping through the vital waterway, and causing some $9.6 billion per day in lost cargo traffic worldwide, the Washington Examiner reported Thursday.
China, Russia officials meet in show of unity against EU, US
The foreign ministers of China and Russia affirmed their countries’ close ties at a meeting Tuesday, amid intense criticism and new Western sanctions against them over human rights.
U.S., allies announce sanctions on China over Uyghur ‘genocide’
The United States and its allies in Canada, Britain and the European Union on Monday announced sanctions on several Chinese officials alleged to have links to what U.S. officials say is a genocidal campaign against Uyghur Muslims.
Christian persecution in China: home Bible study raided, at least a dozen people detained
Authorities from the civil affairs bureau and police force in China’s Guizhou province raided a Protestant home Bible study Tuesday morning, reportedly detaining at least 12 people for questioning, Radio Free Asia reports. The Bible study was being attended by members of the Ren’ai Reformed Church, whose pastor Zhang Chulei was one of the first church leaders to sign the declaration of Christian faith initiated by jailed pastor Wang Yi.
Surge in US firearms imports in 2020
A new report estimates that the US in 2020 saw a 60% increase in personal firearm imports, compared to the same category of imports in 2019. Small Arms Analytics & Forecasting (SAAF) reported an estimated 6.4 million handgun and long-gun units were imported in 2020, a surge from 4.0 million in 2019. SAAF said its import estimates are based on raw data obtained from the International Trade Commission.
Family, Friends ‘Celebrate Life’ Of Late Evangelist Luis Palau
An emotionally charged private memorial service was held Saturday, March 20, in honor of world-renowned evangelist Luis Palau. He passed away this month after losing his battle against lung cancer at age 86, leaving behind an evangelism legacy that impacted millions’ lives.
China’s Jailed Poetic Pastor Denied Visit By Elderly Mother
Chinese Pastor John Cao Sanqiang spent the fourth anniversary of his imprisonment alone after China’s authorities prevented his elderly mother from meeting him, supporters said.
‘No way to strangle China’: Fiery rhetoric, clashes besiege U.S., Beijing at Alaska meeting
Senior Biden administration officials squared off against their Chinese counterparts in Alaska on Thursday, with the two sides trading charges of global coercion and undermining international order.
Pompeo casts doubt on WHO-China coronavirus origins inquiry and defends Wuhan lab intelligence
Mike Pompeo cast doubt on the credibility of the recent WHO-China investigation into the origins of COVID-19 ahead of its expected report release as the former secretary of state defended the declassified intelligence that seemingly points toward the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Report: WHO Granted China Authority To Veto Scientists On Wuhan Mission
The Chinese government maintained tight control of a World Health Organization investigation in Wuhan into the origins of the coronavirus, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal, which said that Beijing was granted veto power over which scientists were allowed to take part in the mission.