U.S. lawmakers seek temporary extension to internet spying program

U.S. lawmakers seek temporary extension to internet spying program

(Worthy News) – Republican leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives are working to build support to temporarily extend the National Security Agency’s expiring internet surveillance program by tucking it into a stop-gap funding measure, lawmakers said.

The month-long extension of the surveillance law, known as Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, would punt a contentious national security issue into the new year in an attempt to buy lawmakers more time to hash out differences over various proposed privacy reforms. [ Source: Reuters (Read More…) ]

Hezbollah’s young adherents emboldened after US announcement on Jerusalem

Hezbollah’s young adherents emboldened after US announcement on Jerusalem

(Worthy News) – Ali is six, and yet already he fiercely chants “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” at a rally alongside his family. It is a typical Beirut rally, organized by the Shia militia Hezbollah, to protest US President Donald Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

“At six, he is too old to not be here,” his mother Fatima said as she pushed the stroller carrying Ali’s baby brother, justifying her decision to bring her children to a political rally. She seemed unconcerned that his words were hate speech.

Fatima is a follower of Shia Islam and a Hezbollah supporter, like most of the thousands of people who had gathered in south Beirut’s Dahiya district, Hezbollah’s Shia-majority heartland. [ Source: Deutche Welle (Read More…) ]

176 nations at UN call for Palestinian statehood

176 nations at UN call for Palestinian statehood

(Worthy News) – The General Assembly voted 176-7 on Tuesday to affirm the Palestinian right to self-determination, one day after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas pledged to renew his quest for state membership in the international body.

The vote is nonbinding and has no impact beyond underscoring international support for Palestinian statehood among most of the UN’s 193 members.

The United States, Canada and Israel were among the seven that opposed the text; four states abstained. [ Source: Jerusalem Post (Read More…) ]

Trump warns U.N. that cuts in U.S. foreign aid will follow anti-Jerusalem votes

Trump warns U.N. that cuts in U.S. foreign aid will follow anti-Jerusalem votes

(Worthy News) – President Trump dared the United Nations Wednesday to vote against his decision to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, saying “we’ll save a lot” in foreign aid cuts for countries that cross his administration.

“We’re watching those votes,” Mr. Trump said at a Cabinet meeting of a pending U.N. vote. “Let them vote against us. We’ll save a lot. We don’t care.”

U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley tweeted Tuesday night that the administration will be “taking names” of nations that vote against the administration’s embassy move and Mr. Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. The U.S. also vetoed a resolution by the U.N. Security Council on the matter. [ Source: Washington Times (Read More…) ]

Trump warns U.N. that cuts in U.S. foreign aid will follow anti-Jerusalem votes

Trump warns U.N. that cuts in U.S. foreign aid will follow anti-Jerusalem votes

(Worthy News) – President Trump dared the United Nations Wednesday to vote against his decision to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, saying “we’ll save a lot” in foreign aid cuts for countries that cross his administration.

“We’re watching those votes,” Mr. Trump said at a Cabinet meeting of a pending U.N. vote. “Let them vote against us. We’ll save a lot. We don’t care.”

U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley tweeted Tuesday night that the administration will be “taking names” of nations that vote against the administration’s embassy move and Mr. Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. The U.S. also vetoed a resolution by the U.N. Security Council on the matter. [ Source: Washington Times (Read More…) ]

Christmas High Alert: Churches Tightening Church Security in Pakistan, Egypt

Christmas High Alert: Churches Tightening Church Security in Pakistan, Egypt

(Worthy News) – This Christmas season Christians in Pakistan and Egypt are on high alert. They are asking their governments to help provide tightened security for worship services.

Just last Sunday, two Islamic terrorists attacked the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta, Pakistan killing nine Christians as they worshipped. A security officer shot and killed one of the gunmen, the other terrorist fired into the church just moments before detonating a suicide vest.The Islamic State of Pakistan claimed responsibility for the attack. [ Source: CBN News (Read More…) ]

Companies trumpet bonuses, pay hikes after Congress passes tax bill

Companies trumpet bonuses, pay hikes after Congress passes tax bill

(Worthy News) – Multiple companies announced Wednesday they plan to reward employees with higher wages and bonuses due to the tax bill passed by the Republican-led Congress.

Wells Fargo, Boeing, Fifth Third Bancorp, and Comcast each announced additional investments and attributed the changes to the tax reform legislation.

The announcements follow that of AT&T, which said earlier Wednesday it plans to award $1,000 bonuses to 200,000 union-represented, nonmanagement, and front-line management employees once President Trump signs the tax bill. The telecom company also said it will invest $1 billion in the U.S. next year. [ Source: Washington Examiner (Read More…) ]

Congress sends historic tax bill to Trump

Congress sends historic tax bill to Trump

(Worthy News) – House Republicans on Wednesday voted for the second time in two days to pass a major tax overhaul, sending the $1.5 trillion tax cut to President Trump, as promised, just before Christmas.

“With the new tax system we will deliver today, things will change for the better, and they will change immediately,” said the bill’s author, Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, on the House floor.

The House passed the bill 224-201, after passing it Tuesday 227-203. Twelve Republicans voted “no” in both votes. [ Source: Washington Examiner (Read More…) ]

South Korea fires shots after another North Korea soldier defects

South Korea fires shots after another North Korea soldier defects

(Worthy News) – Shots were fired after a North Korean defector fled to the South on Thursday across the DMZ, the land border that divides the peninsula, South Korean military officials said.

The “low-ranking” soldier appeared at a checkpoint in a heavy fog, and walked across the military demarcation line a little bit after 8 a.m., according to an official from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Yonhap News Agency reported.

After the defection, North Korean soldiers approached the border, apparently in search of the defector. In response, South Korean soldiers fired some 20 warning shots at around 9:30 a.m., the JCS official told reporters. More gunfire was heard around 40 minutes later, the official said, but no bullets were found to have crossed the border.

The crossing took place in the northeastern province of Gangwon, according to South Korean broadcaster KBS. Gangwon is where Pyeongchang, the city hosting the 2018 Winter Olympics in February, is located. [ Source: USA Today (Read More…) ]

EU says Brexit transition to end in December 2020

EU says Brexit transition to end in December 2020

(Worthy News) – The Brexit transition period should end on 31 December 2020, with a clear view what sort of relationship the EU and UK will have afterwards, the EU Commission proposed on Wednesday (20 December).

The end of the transition period would coincide with when the EU’s current seven-year budget runs out, to which the UK would have to continue to pay in to until then.

During the transition period, the UK would have to comply with all EU rules and policies, including the four freedoms of the single market such as free movement, but would not participate in any decision-making as it is no longer a member. [ Source: EU Observer (Read More…) ]