Around the World
Large Asteroid to Pass by Earth on March 21, NASA says
The largest asteroid to pass by Earth this year will approach within about 1.25 million miles (2 million kilometers) of our planet on March 21, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said Thursday.
US officials say Israel has hit many ships taking Iran oil, arms to Syria: WSJ
Israel has targeted at least 12 ships bound for Syria, most of them transporting Iranian oil, with mines and other weapons, according to a Thursday report.
Poland Banned Same-Sex Unions And Adoption, But The EU Is Threatening To Override Them
Poland announced a new law Thursday which prohibited same-sex couples from adopting children, but the European Union responded by passing a resolution declaring the union an “LGBTIQ Freedom Zone,” Reuters reported.
Sudan’s PM in Cairo to discuss Ethiopia’s Nile dam dispute
Sudan’s prime minister held talks with the Egyptian president in Cairo on Thursday as both nations seek to build a united front in the ongoing dispute over the controversial dam that Ethiopia is building on the Blue Nile.
U.S. losing military edge in Asia, as China appears poised to attack Taiwan, top admiral warns
The leader of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command says America is losing its military edge as China becomes more emboldened and aggressive in the Pacific.
UN investigator finds Iran responsible for ‘egregious’ human rights violations
A United Nations investigator finds Iran has committed "egregious" human rights violations including brutal political repression and the violation of fundamental freedoms.
Russian government websites go dark after U.S. vowed retaliation for SolarWinds hack
Two days after the White House telegraphed a retaliatory stealth attack on Russian cyber systems, Russian government websites for the Kremlin and other agencies were knocked offline.
US designates African ISIS groups as foreign terrorists; freezes assets, prohibits business with them
The US State Department announced Wednesday it has designated two Islamic State (ISIS) affiliates in DR Congo and Mozambique as foreign terrorist organizations: it has frozen all US property and assets in their names, and has prohibited Americans from conducting business with them or providing material support to them, UPI reports.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
U.S., Israel discuss Iran in first meeting of strategic group
Senior U.S. and Israel officials focused on concerns about Iran during the first virtual meeting of a bilateral strategic group on Thursday, the White House said, an issue on which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has differences with the new Biden administration.
European, Arab diplomats try to revive Mideast peace efforts
Leading European and Arab world diplomats announced potential “small steps” Thursday toward reviving Mideast peace efforts after upcoming Israeli and Palestinian elections.
Rivlin, IDF chief to visit 3 European countries to discuss Iran threat
President Reuven Rivlin will travel to Germany, France, and Austria next week to speak to their presidents about the growing threat from Iran’s nuclear program and the International Criminal Court’s decision to open a probe into alleged war crimes by Israel and Palestinian terror groups.

Inside the United States
Judge Rules Texas Can Defund Abortion Giant Planned Parenthood
A judge on Wednesday sided with pro-lifers and Texas officials when she ruled the state followed the law in withdrawing Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood.
Over a third of Republicans don’t want the COVID vaccine — and many of them aren’t budging
The Biden administration, advocacy groups and states are making a push for minority and underprivileged communities who have often been overlooked and mistreated by the medical community to get the COVID-19 vaccine, a key element in the effort to immunize these groups. But there is no concerted effort to change the minds of one of the factions most resistant to getting the vaccine: the "definitely not" Republicans.
‘America is coming back’: Biden targets July 4 for virus ‘independence’
President Biden directed states Thursday to make all adults eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine no later than May 1 and targeted Independence Day as the entry point to normalcy, saying he wants to see Americans hold cookouts and other small gatherings after a nightmarish year.
House debates gun control legislation
The US House of Representatives has begun to debate two bills that would, respectively, expand firearm background checks, and extend the time-frame for conducting background checks on gun purchases, the Washington Examiner reports. Both bills were passed by Democrats in 2019 but the Republican-led Senate discarded them at the time.
Merrick Garland confirmed as US Attorney General in strong bi-partisan vote
The Senate on Wednesday confirmed federal appeals court judge Merrick Garland as US Attorney General in a 70-30 bi-partisan vote, USA Today reports. Garland, who was denied a Supreme Court confirmation hearing by the GOP-led Senate in 2016, received 20 votes from Republicans approving his appointment as Attorney General.

Christian News
India Christian persecution: Violent mob attacks prayer meeting in private home
A violent mob of around 70 people attacked a prayer meeting in a private home in India’s Chhattisgarh state Monday, destroying property, assaulting those gathered, and hospitalizing at least six believers with serious injuries, CSW reports. Chhattisgarh is one of nine states with controversial anti-conversion laws that are often used to harass and intimidate religious minorities from sharing their faith.
Evangelist Luis Palau Dies At 86
Luis Palau, the international evangelist who preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to more than 1 billion people through media and evangelistic events, has died, his family confirmed. The 86-year-old preacher, a close friend of the late evangelist Billy Graham, passed away after a decision to stop all treatment for his incurable lung cancer.

Worthy Watch
YouTube Falsely Labels Worthy Ministries as “Qanon” on its Videos
COVID stimulus price tag: $17,000 per person, $69,000 per family