A New Perspective on Constantine

(Worthy News) – Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry and U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., have released the Louisiana Students Rights Review, a 15-page guide that explains the religious freedom rightsof teachers and students in public schools.

The review says that public schools in the U.S. do not need to be “religion-free zones.”

“To the contrary, both federal and state laws specifically protect religious freedom rights in public schools,” the document reads. “Thankfully, Congress and our state legislature still recognize the fundamental importance of religious liberty — the first freedom listed in the Constitution’s Bill of Rights.” [ Source: Christian Headlines (Read More…) ]

(Worthy News) – French President Emmanuel Macron has accused the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia of instigating a war as their mutual foe, Iran, was rocked by a week of protests.

Macron on Wednesday joined several other world leaders to weigh in on protests that began as demonstrations against austerity measures under Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and later spilled into isolated, deadly clashes between civilians and security forces. The French leader called for dialogue with Tehran and criticized three of his international partners for pursuing what he considered bellicose policies toward a country the trio have increasingly sought to isolate and undermine in recent years.

“The official line pursued by the United States, Israel and Saudi Arabia, who are our allies in many ways, is almost one that would lead us to war,” Macron told reporters, according to Reuters. [ Source: NewsWeek (Read More…) ]

(Worthy News) – Donald Trump’s administration has announced plans to vastly expand oil and gas drilling in nearly all US coastal waters, reversing protections in the Arctic, Atlantic and Pacific.

Environmentalists, and some Republicans, sharply criticised the move which is part of Mr Trump’s “American Energy Dominance” plan.

It would be the most expansive US offshore drilling proposal in decades, including opening up federal waters off the California coast for the first time in more than 30 years. [ Source: UK Telegraph (Read More…) ]

(Worthy News) – A suicide bomber in the Afghan capital caused dozens of casualties on Thursday after blowing himself up close to a group of security personnel who were carrying out an operation against illegal drugs and alcohol dealing, officials said.

Islamic State, which has claimed a series of attacks in Kabul over the past two years, issued a statement on its Amaq news agency saying it was responsible.

It said a suicide bomber targeting a group of police and intelligence service personnel had detonated an explosive vest, killing or wounding around 80 of them.

(Worthy News) – The Trump administration’s strategy for ending the war in Afghanistan and defeating terror groups in the region faces its first major test in its confrontation with Pakistan.

In a tweet this week, President Trump said Pakistan’s government has played the United States for “fools” and received nothing but “lies & deceit” in return for $33 billion in aid over the last 15 years.

On Thursday the administration said it was suspending security assistance to Pakistan, including $255 million in military aid this year. [ Source: USA Today (Read More…) ]

(Worthy News) – The U.N. Security Council will hold an emergency meeting about Iran at the request of the U.S. which asked for the session to show support for anti-government protests.

The council has scheduled a Friday afternoon meeting on the Middle East. Alma Konurbayeva, a spokeswoman for council president Kazakhstan, confirms the session will be about Iran.

It’s not yet clear how the discussion will take shape. Members are divided in their views of the protests. [ Source: Fox News (Read More…) ]

(Worthy News) – A powerful nor’easter continues to spread heavy snow and strong winds across New England with blizzard conditions bringing travel to a halt across the region.

The storm first hit the southeastern coast of the United States with heavy snow and ice on Wednesday before moving up the coast and bringing blizzard conditions to part of the northeastern U.S. on Thursday.

“An eye has developed in the storm,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.

Powerful winds over 75 mph have been reported in coastal areas in Massachusetts, while blizzard conditions have forced airport closures in New York City. Power outages are increasing in New England and coastal areas are being inundated with severe flooding. [ Source: Accuweather (Read More…) ]

(Worthy News) – A rapidly-intensifying winter storm system known as a “bomb cyclone” targeted the Northeast on Thursday after leaving its deadly mark across the Southeast, snarling travel across the region with snow, ice, bone-chilling winds and a central air pressure similar to that of the devastating Superstorm Sandy.

The wicked winter weather left at least three people dead in North Carolina due to vehicle accidents. Two men died Wednesday night when their truck overturned into a creek in Moore County southwest of the Raleigh-Durham area. Sgt. Michael Baker identified the two killed to the Associated Press as the driver, 57-year-old Michael Alexander Wilson, and a passenger, 73-year-old Jerry David Wilson. Both were from Bear Creek.

In a separate crash early Thursday, a driver slid off a road in snowy conditions and overturned his vehicle in Beaufort County. [ Source: Fox News (Read More…) ]

(Worthy News) – A light earthquake shook California’s San Francisco Bay Area early on Thursday, waking many, but there were no immediate reports of damage.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the shallow quake was of magnitude 4.5 and occurred at 2:39 a.m. (5:39 EST). Its epicenter was in Berkeley, across the bay from San Francisco.

A spokesman for the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services said there were no reports of harm to the region. [ Source: Reuters (Read More…) ]

(Worthy News) – The number of visits by religious Jews to the Temple Mount has increased by 75% in 2017, compared to 2016, according to the Yera’eh organization, which encourages Jewish ascent to the Temple Mount.

In the past year there have been 25,628 religious Jews’ visits to the Temple Mount, compared with 14,626 last year, 11,001 visits in 2015, 11,754 in 2014, and only 5,658 visits by religious Jews in 2009.

Religious Jews are counted separately from the other visitors, and are not allowed to enter the Temple Mount compound without police escort. [ Source: Jewish Press (Read More…) ]