Defying U.S., Russia says no case for U.N. action against Iran

Defying U.S., Russia says no case for U.N. action against Iran

(Worthy News) – Russia does not believe there is a case for United Nations action against Iran, Russia’s U.N. ambassador said on Wednesday after traveling to Washington to view pieces of weapons that Washington says Tehran gave Yemen’s Houthi group.

The Trump administration has for months been lobbying for Iran to be held accountable at the United Nations, while at the same time threatening to quit a 2015 deal among world powers to curb Iran’s nuclear program if “disastrous flaws” are not fixed.

“We only heard some vague talk about some action,” Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said on Wednesday. “If there is something (proposed) we will see. How can we pass judgment prematurely before we know what it is about?” [ Source: Reuters (Read More…) ]

24-Week Premature Baby Video Goes Viral as Modern Science Sides with Pro-Life Message

24-Week Premature Baby Video Goes Viral as Modern Science Sides with Pro-Life Message

(Worthy News) – Pro-Life Groups are not giving up in their fight for unborn babies in the United States – despite the “Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act” failing in the Senate.

They are determined to get the message across to Congress that this is a bill that must be passed.

Live Action’s Lila Rose recently shared a video on Facebook of a baby born prematurely at just 24 weeks.

The viral video, which has been viewed over 14 million times, chronicles the life of Baby Toby from Sydney, Australia who was born on June 21, 2007, weighing one-pound, eight-ounces.

Meanwhile, the video depicting Baby Toby’s journey ends with clips of him at age 2, smiling, learning to swim and dancing during a trip to the playground.

Another recent video shows Toby at age 10 – riding a bike. [ Source: CBN News (Read More…) ]

Train carrying GOP lawmakers to retreat hits truck on tracks, 1 killed

Train carrying GOP lawmakers to retreat hits truck on tracks, 1 killed

(Worthy News) – A train carrying members of Congress to a Republican retreat in West Virginia slammed into a garbage truck Wednesday, throwing lawmakers from their seats and leaving at least one person dead, officials said.

Authorities identified the person killed as Christopher Foley, 28, of Louisa County, Va., one of two passengers inside the truck. The other passenger, still unidentified, was airlifted to the University of Virginia Medical Center with critical injuries.

The truck’s driver, also still unidentified, was transported to a hospital with serious injuries, according to Madeline Curott, public information officer of the Albemarle County, Va., police department. [ Source: Fox News (Read More…) ]

US classifies Hamas chief Haniyeh as specially designated global terrorist

US classifies Hamas chief Haniyeh as specially designated global terrorist

(Worthy News) – The United States government has become the first country outside of Israel to categorize Hamas Politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, Ambassador Nathan A. Sales, the State Department coordinator for counterterrorism, told The Jerusalem Post.

“Ismail Haniyeh has been involved in Hamas’s campaign of terrorism against Israel for years and even decades. The United States is not fooled by any attempt by Hamas to re-brand itself. We know it for what it is, a terror organization committed to the destruction of the State of Israel.”

Haniyeh called for a violent uprising until “Jerusalem’s liberation” in response to US President Donald Trump’s declaration on December 6 in which he recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. [ Source: Jerusalem Post (Read More…) ]

Liberman: In future war, Lebanon will ‘pay full price’ for Iran ties

Liberman: In future war, Lebanon will ‘pay full price’ for Iran ties

(Worthy News) – Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said Wednesday that should war erupt again with Lebanon, Beirut will “pay the full price” for Iran’s entrenchment in the country.

Speaking at an annual conference held by Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies, Liberman said that Lebanon will be held to account in a future war because, led by the terrorist Hezbollah group, it has “sacrificed its national interests by subjugating fully to Iran.”

“Lebanon’s army and Hezbollah are the same — they will all pay the full price in the event of an escalation,” Liberman said. “If a conflict does break out in the north, ‘boots on the ground’ remains an option. We won’t allow scenes like in 2006, where we saw citizens of Beirut on the beach while Israelis in Tel Aviv sat in shelters.”

US troops arrive for drill simulating massive missile attack on Israel

US troops arrive for drill simulating massive missile attack on Israel

(Worthy News) – US forces are deploying in Israel ahead of a large-scale joint Israel-US military exercise, due to start next week, which will simulate a major conflict in which Israel is attacked with thousands of missiles.

The biennial Juniper Cobra military exercise, which is being held for the ninth time, will take place amid an escalation of rhetoric between Israel and the Hezbollah terrorist group in southern Lebanon, which is believed to have an arsenal of between 100,000 and 150,000 short-, medium- and long-range missiles and a fighting force of some 50,000 soldiers, including reservists.

The Iranian-backed Hezbollah, which seeks Israel’s destruction, has reportedly been threatening to open fire at IDF soldiers if Israel does not halt the construction of a barrier it is building along the Israel-Lebanon border. [ Source: Times of Israel (Read More…) ]

DHS lets protected Syrians stay in US another 18 months, newly arrived Syrians shut out

DHS lets protected Syrians stay in US another 18 months, newly arrived Syrians shut out

(Worthy News) – The Department of Homeland Security announced Wednesday night that it will extend humanitarian protected status for the some 6,900 Syrians in the U.S. that already have it, but won’t allow newly arrived Syrians to apply.

DHS, which is responsible for deciding the fate of the program, said it was issuing an 18-month extension for the program known as Temporary Protected Status (TPS), but not a re-designation.

An extension allows those who already have TPS to remain in the program and re-register, but more recent arrivals will not be granted protection under this program. [ Source: ABC News (Read More…) ]

Gowdy finally had it with Washington

Gowdy finally had it with Washington

(Worthy News) – Trey Gowdy is done with politics.

The House Oversight Committee Chairman for years has joked privately about quitting Congress and returning home to South Carolina. On Wednesday, he finally pulled the plug — likely for good.

A rising star that many Republicans once considered a dark-horse for speaker of the House, Gowdy announced Wednesday he would not seek reelection or any political office and would instead return to the justice system. Sources close to him say he wants to return home, practice law and maybe teach and write a book with his friend Sen. Tim Scott. [ Source: Politico (Read More…) ]

Kurds in Syria call on US support to rein in Turkish operations

Kurds in Syria call on US support to rein in Turkish operations

(Worthy News) – Syria’s Kurdish militias have grown frustrated with the United States and its stance over the assault by Turkish forces in Afrin, on mainly-Kurdish areas of northwestern Syria near the Turkish border.

“How can they stand by and watch?” Aldar Khalil, a senior Kurdish politician, asked of the US-led coalition. “They should meet their obligations towards this force that participated with them (in the fight against terrorism). We consider their unclear and indecisive positions as a source of concern.”

Turkey began an offensive, dubbed Operation Olive Branch on January 20 with the stated aim of hitting positions held by the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) and “Islamic State” militants, although IS is not known to have a presence in Afrin. Turkey, a NATO ally to the United States, views the main Kurdish militia as an extension of the Kurdish insurgency it has battled for decades. [ Source: Deutche Welle (Read More…) ]

U.S. Oil Production Tops 10 Million Barrels A Day for First Time Since 1970

U.S. Oil Production Tops 10 Million Barrels A Day for First Time Since 1970

(Worthy News) – U.S. oil production surpassed 10 million barrels a day in November for the first time in nearly 50 years, a milestone that underscores the growing dominance of the U.S. oil industry.

While global oil exporters once dismissed shale as a flash in the pan, the industry has emerged more efficient than ever from a three-year oil price rout and is poised to take advantage of prices that are at their highest levels since late 2014.

In November, production rose to 10.038 million barrels a day, 4% more than the previous month, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That is just shy of the monthly record of 10.044 million barrels a day in November of 1970. [ Source: Wall Street Journal (Read More…) ]