Worthy Brief - 9/2/2021
Friend, you are helping build it!
2 Corinthians 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
The noted English architect Sir Christopher Wren was supervising the construction of a magnificent cathedral in London. A journalist thought it would be interesting to interview some of the workers, so he chose three and asked them this question, “What are you doing?” The first replied, “I’m cutting stone for a shabby 10 shillings a day.” The next answered, “I’m putting in 13 hard hours a day on this job.” But the last said, “I’m helping Sir Christopher Wren construct one of London’s greatest cathedrals.”
Whether you realize it or not, we too are building something. We who believe are building up God’s Kingdom, the richest and greatest Kingdom this world will ever see!
Friend, let’s examine ourselves and see if we need to make some changes in our perspective. We have the privilege of partaking in something amazing -- and better yet, doing it for the King of Kings!
Your family in the Lord with much agape love,
George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah
Baltimore, Maryland
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Journalists now stranded in Afghanistan
U.S.-friendly journalists are still in Afghanistan, left behind following the recent exodus of U.S. troops, support teams, and other personnel. The journalists left behind have worked under the umbrella of the U.S. Agency for Global Media — USAGM — an independent federal agency that oversees such global media entities as the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe.
WHO tracking new ‘mu’ coronavirus variant
The agency added the mu variant to its list of "variants of interest" on Monday. The mu variant “has a constellation of mutations that indicate potential properties of immune escape,” the WHO said in its weekly bulletin.
Iran says nuclear talks won’t resume for 2-3 months
Stalled talks aimed at reviving Iran’s nuclear agreement with world powers will likely not resume for another two to three months, Tehran’s foreign ministry said Wednesday.
Afghanistan on verge of humanitarian ‘catastrophe,’ World Food Programme warns
One-third of Afghanistan is facing food insecurity amid the Taliban takeover, according to the United Nations' World Food Programme (WFP).
Russia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan to Hold Naval Drills
Russia’s Defense Ministry announced on Tuesday that it would hold naval drills in the Caspian Sea. The drill is scheduled for early September and would include small missile and artillery ships from Iran, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan, Reuters reported.
UN Study: Weather Disasters Increased Fivefold in Last 50 Years
A new report released Wednesday by the United Nations indicates extreme weather events have increased fivefold over the past 50 years, while the number of fatalities related to those events has dropped.
U.S. Military Frustrated That They Left Behind Americans in Afghanistan
With the president and commander-in-Chief Joe Biden pressuring them to leave, U.S. military officials expressed outrage about the Army abandoning Americans in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
Transcript: U.S. President Biden Knew Of Imminent Fall Of Afghanistan
U.S. President Joe Biden heard in July from his Afghan counterpart that Afghanistan would quickly fall to the Taliban without adequate American air support, but Biden was reluctant to provide it, according to a transcript analyzed by Worthy News.
Australia: Surveillance bill that gives authorities unprecedented powers comes into law
A new bill that is posed to give law enforcement unprecedented powers to "identify and disrupt serious criminal activity occurring online" has passed through both houses within 24 hours on August 26, 2021.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
EU removes Israel from safe travel list, backs travel restrictions
The European Union recommended Monday that its 27 nations reimpose restrictions on tourists from seven countries, including Israel, because of rising coronavirus infections there.
Israel to issue no further permits for terrestrial oil exploration
Energy Minister Karine Elharrar announced Tuesday that Israel will stop issuing new permits for oil exploration on land.
Inside the United States
McConnell dismisses GOP’s Biden impeachment chatter: ‘That’s not going to happen’
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Wednesday dismissed the notion that President Biden would be impeached over the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan, arguing that a Democratic-controlled Congress would never allow it.
Texas Senate passes $1.8 billion border security bill with funds for 700 miles of barriers
The Texas Senate passed a $1.8 billion border security bill that will allow Republican Gov. Greg Abbott to implement a plan to curb illegal immigration from Mexico and install more than 700 miles of border barrier.
Strong winds push California wildfire closer to Lake Tahoe (Video)
Flames raced across treetops and through drought-stricken vegetation as firefighters scrambled Wednesday to keep a growing California wildfire from reaching a resort city at the southern tip of Lake Tahoe after evacuation orders were expanded to neighboring Nevada.
Hurricane Ida: Millions without power in New Orleans and southern Louisiana amid high temperatures
Millions of residents of New Orleans and southern Louisiana struggling to cope without power after Hurricane Ida slammed into their region, may have to wait up to 30 days for electricity to be restored, Voice of America (VOA) reports.
Texas 6-week abortion ban takes effect as challenge looms at Supreme Court
A Texas law banning abortions after six weeks went into effect Wednesday after the Supreme Court did not intervene to block it this week.
Christian News
Algerian Christian refugee arrested and repatriated by Tunisia
Algerian Christian and refugee Sulieman Buhafss was arrested by Tunisian secret police on August 25, and sent back to Algeria over alleged involvement with the Movement for Self-Determination for the Kabylie (Le MAK), a political group designated by Algeria as a terror organization, Christian Worldwide Solidarity (CSW) reports. Le MAK is a group that aims to protect the rights of Algeria’s minority, mostly Sunni Muslim, Berber population.
Iran persecution: Court reduces prison sentences of three Christians
A court in Iran has reduced the five-year prison sentences of three Iranian Christians who were appealing against their convictions for engaging in anti-Islamic propaganda, Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reports. Amin Khaki, Milad Goudarzi, and Alireza Nourmohammadi each saw their prison sentence reduced to three years, although their overall appeal was denied.
Worthy Watch
Taliban Convoy Moves Towards Panjshir
Spain: Flash Flood Drops 72 Liters (15 Gallons) of Water in 30 minutes
Caldor Fire Closes on Lake Tahoe