Around the World
Global Concern Mount About Tensions In Eastern Ukraine
Pope Francis appealed for peace in eastern Ukraine, where growing violations of a ceasefire trigger rising tensions between Kyiv and Moscow agreed between Ukrainian government forces and Russian-backed separatists. It comes while a massive Russian military buildup is underway near Ukraine's borders and British warships preparing to sail for the Black Sea next month in support of Ukraine.
Russia, Czech Republic Expel Dozens Of Diplomats
Russia expelled 20 Czech diplomats after the Czech Republic ordered 18 Russian diplomats to leave on Saturday.
Raul Castro resigns as Communist chief, ending era in Cuba
Raul Castro said Friday he is stepping down as head of Cuba’s Communist Party, ending an era of formal leadership that began with his brother Fidel and country’s 1959 revolution.
Magnitude 5.9 earthquake shakes southwestern Iran in area of nuclear site
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake shook southwestern Iran along the Persian Gulf on Sunday, followed by at least three moderate-strength aftershocks, state TV reported.
Syria to hold presidential election next month, second under shadow of civil war
Syria is to hold a presidential election on May 26, the parliament speaker announced Sunday, the country’s second in the shadow of civil war, seen as likely to keep President Bashar Assad in power.
Super typhoon Surigae explodes to Cat. 5 intensity
Super Typhoon Surigae surged in intensity from a Category 1 storm on Friday to a beastly Category 5 monster on Saturday, with maximum sustained winds estimated at 190 mph with higher gusts.
Grief-Stricken Britain Burying Prince Philip
A grief-stricken nation said farewell to Prince Philip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, who spent more than seven decades supporting his wife in a role that both defined and constrained his life.
Hong Kong Court Jails Media Tycoon, Activists, For Pro-Democracy Rallies
A court in Hong Kong on Friday sentenced veteran pro-democracy leaders to prison terms of between eight and 18 months as Beijing remodels the city into one resembling any other on the Chinese mainland.
Iranian official admits Israel swiped nuclear archive
An adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Israel stole the country’s nuclear archive, in what appears to be the first public admission of the 2018 Mossad operation by an Iranian official.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
U.S. to Israel: Iran attacks intefering with nuclear deal efforts
Washington has informed Jerusalem of its displeasure over recent attacks against Iranian targets attributed to Israel, as well as what it called “boasting” by Israel regarding these incidents, sources said.
Israel, Greece sign biggest ever defense deal
Israel and Greece have signed their biggest-ever defense procurement deal, which Israel said on Sunday would strengthen political and economic ties between the countries.
To avert 5th elections, block Lapid, right-wing parties float direct vote for PM
A new effort to reintroduce direct elections for prime minister is reportedly being advanced by right-wing party leaders in a bid to break the political logjam, block Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid’s path to the premiership, and prevent a fifth consecutive Knesset election.
In J Street speech, Abbas urges Biden to scrap US law deeming PLO a terror group
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday urged the Biden administration to revoke a US law that deems the Palestinian Liberation Organization and its affiliates a terror group.
70,000 Muslim worshipers flock to Jerusalem for 1st Friday prayers of Ramadan
Tens of thousands of Muslim worshipers attended the first Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan at Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, in the largest such gathering since the coronavirus pandemic began.

Inside the United States
Al-Qaida urges ‘lone wolf’ terrorists to exploit U.S. civil unrest
On April 14, 2021, the pro-Al-Qaeda Jaysh Al-Malahim Al-Electroni released the second issue of its magazine Wolves of Manhattan, which included several articles inciting its supporters who live in Western countries to exploit civil unrest to carry out lone wolf attacks.
Riots, protests in Minnesota, Chicago, elsewhere in reaction to police shootings
Crowds poured into the streets in several U.S. cities on Friday night, reacting to the police shooting deaths of Daunte Wright in Minnesota and Adam Toledo in Chicago.
CDC: Half of U.S. adults have received one COVID-19 vaccine dose
Half of U.S. adults have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and about a third are fully vaccinated, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Indianapolis Mourns Eight Killed In FedEx Shooting
Indianapolis was plunged into mourning Friday after a gunman killed eight people and then himself at a FedEx facility in the sprawling U.S. city, officials said.

Christian News
Mozambique Christians Among Million Starving After Islamist Attacks
Nearly a million people, many of them Christians, face severe hunger in northern Mozambique after Islamist militants drove them from their homes, aid workers confirmed.

Worthy Watch
Pentagon confirms video of pyramid UFO stalking US warship is real