Guaido returns to Venezuela and a new phase in campaign

(Worthy News) – Opposition leader Juan Guaido shrouded the route and timing of his return in secrecy amid concerns he might be detained by Venezuela’s government. Yet he breezed through airport immigration checks and brazenly called for the downfall of President Nicolas Maduro at a rally where the presence of security forces was minimal.

Guaido’s homecoming Monday was the latest chapter in his struggle with Maduro, who has been warned by the United States and other countries not to move against his adversary and possibly realized arresting his foe could generate more street protests. And, while Guaido’s presence is likely to add at least short-term momentum to his campaign for political change, Maduro has proven resilient and still commands the critical loyalty of top military officers.

Venezuela is gripped by a humanitarian crisis that is expected to worsen as U.S. oil sanctions designed to put more pressure on Maduro take their toll. With both political factions holding firm amid increasing deprivation for Venezuelans, some analysts speculate that they might be considering negotiations on an end to the standoff. [ Source: Fox News (Read More…) ]

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Final IS defeat looms as thousands leave last area in Syria

(Worthy News) – A spokesman for the U.S.-backed Syrian forces fighting the Islamic State group says thousands of people, including militants, have left the last area held by the extremists in Syria.

Mustafa Bali tweeted that about 3,000 came out of the village of Baghouz in eastern Syria on Monday through a humanitarian corridor established by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces for those who want to leave or surrender.

Bali says among those who left was a large number of IS fighters who “surrendered to our forces.” [ Source: Fox News (Read More…) ]

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Mitch McConnell: It’s clear Senate will vote against President Trump’s national emergency

(Worthy News) – Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell hoped President Donald Trump wouldn’t declare a national emergency over border security, but said Monday that he was “obviously” unsuccessful in arguing against the move.

The Senate is likely to pass a resolution to block Trump’s emergency declaration, McConnell told reporters in Louisville.

“I think what is clear in the Senate is there will be enough votes to pass the resolution of disapproval, which will then be vetoed by the president,” he said. ” And then, in all likelihood, the veto will be upheld in the House.” [ Source: USA Today (Read More…) ]

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Israel denies new Russian offer to host Netanyahu-Abbas peace talks

(Worthy News) – An Israeli official on Monday denied that Russia had offered, during the prime minister’s visit to Moscow last week, to host a summit meeting between Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

A statement from the Russian embassy in Tel Aviv earlier in the day said that the issue had been raised during the trip.

Quoting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, the statement said that “during Prime Minister Netanyahu’s visit to Moscow, the situation in the Israeli-Palestinian settlement was discussed. We reaffirmed our position on Russia’s interest in overcoming the deadlock in this matter as soon as possible. [ Source: Times of Israel (Read More…) ]

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House Democrats launch aggressive new Trump probe

(Worthy News) – US Democrats launched a sweeping new probe of President Donald Trump on Monday, an aggressive investigation that threatens to shadow the president through the 2020 election season with potentially damaging inquiries into his White House, campaign and family businesses.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler said his panel was beginning the probe into possible obstruction of justice, corruption and abuse of power and is sending document requests to 81 people linked to the president and his associates.

The broad investigation could be setting the stage for an impeachment effort, although Democratic leaders have pledged to investigate all avenues and review special counsel Robert Mueller’s upcoming report before trying any drastic action. Nadler said the document requests, with responses to most due by March 18, are a way to “begin building the public record.” [ Source: Times of Israel (Read More…) ]

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Senate may reprimand Trump in addition to revoking his border emergency

(Worthy News) – Senate Republicans are holding active discussions about whether to amend a resolution revoking President Trump’s border emergency in a way that scolds Trump for the way he asserted authority over the federal budget to fund his border wall.

Senators made it clear Monday that Republicans are still debating whether they have the authority to add any language to the House-passed resolution, and if so, what they might add. But some confirmed that there is talk about hammering home in the resolution that the Senate is not happy with Trump’s move.

“There is a lot being talked about,” Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., told the Washington Examiner. “I have heard discussion about trying to express concern about separations of powers issues and maybe reining some of the powers back. It’s been all over the map. My sense is it won’t come together.” [ Source: Washington Examiner (Read More…) ]

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21 states, DC sue Trump administration over rules cutting Planned Parenthood funding

(Worthy News) – Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia are suing the Trump administration over new rules that would cut federal funding from Planned Parenthood and other clinics that provide or discuss abortions.

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, a Democrat, announced his decision on Monday to sue separately in a press conference and a coalition of 19 other states and the District of Columbia prepared to file their own suit Tuesday.

The rule in dispute applies to a $286 million-a-year grant, known as Title X, that pays for birth control, testing of sexually transmitted diseases, and cancer screenings for 4 million low-income people. [ Source: Washington Examiner (Read More…) ]

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Kavanaugh slams ‘pure discrimination’ against churches as court declines to hear religious liberty case

(Worthy News) – The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case about whether churches or other religious institutions in New Jersey are entitled to public funds for historic preservation.

The ruling involved a four-year-long battle in Morris County over whether county money should be used to repair historic churches. The New Jersey State Supreme Court ruled last year that the county could not continue to give historic preservation grants to 12 churches.

For years, Morris County had been giving churches money to make aesthetic and structural repairs to historic churches under a historic preservation program. In 2015, a county freeholder objected, arguing that taxpayer funds should not be used to repair places of worship.

The Supreme Court’s ruling was unanimous but three justices said the issue should soon be addressed. [ Source: Fox News (Read More…) ]

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NSA Weighs Ending Phone Surveillance Program Exposed by Snowden

(Worthy News) – The National Security Agency is considering ending a once-secret surveillance program that annually collects hundreds of millions of telephone call records, including those belonging to Americans, because it lacks operational value, according to people familiar with the matter.

Terminating the program, which was exposed publicly by former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden nearly six years ago, would represent a stunning concession from a spy agency that once argued the collection of call metadata was vital to national security.

Luke Murray, a national security adviser for Republican congressional leadership, said in a recent podcast interview with the Lawfare security blog that the NSA hadn’t used the program in the past six months and might not seek its renewal when portions of the Patriot Act that authorize it expire at the end of the year. [ Source: Wall Street Journal (Read More…) ]

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Mass arrests of Chinese megachurch members continue; some ‘violently beaten’

(Worthy News) – Nearly 50 more members, including 11 kids, of a Chinese megachurch closed down by the communist government in December were arrested at two different venues last Sunday, a watchdog group has reported.

Following the closing of Chengdu’s Early Rain Covenant Church and the arrest of its pastor, Wang Yi, on Dec. 9 for “inciting subversion of state power,” government actors are continuing to harass members of the congregation as they gather for worship inside of homes.

According to an update from the church, multiple homes that were hosting prayer gatherings on Feb. 24 were surrounded by police officers who ultimately interrupted the proceedings. At two of the home church services, every person in attendance was detained. [ Source: Christian Post (Read More…) ]

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