A New Perspective on Constantine

(Worthy News) – The U.S. dollar is the dominant currency in oil trading, but Saudi Arabia is reportedly considering selling its crude in other currencies if American lawmakers pass an anti-OPEC bill.

The discussions, reported by Reuters, suggest that Riyadh is preparing a strategy to deal with potential passage of the No Oil Producing and Exporting Cartels Act, known as NOPEC. The legislation is widely viewed as a longshot, which means the Saudi move to marginalize the dollar is unlikely to come to pass.

Still, the kingdom has discussed the proposal with other OPEC members, two sources told Reuters. Another source said Riyadh has broached the subject with U.S. energy officials. [ Source: CNBC (Read More…) ]

The post Saudi Arabia is reportedly mulling 'nuclear option' of stripping the US dollar from oil trade appeared first on Worthy Christian News.

(Worthy News) – The federal budget deficit rose by $94 billion to $693 billion for the first half of fiscal 2019, the Congressional Budget Office estimated Friday in its monthly budget review.

Revenues were up, by 1% to $1.5 trillion, but spending rose even more, by about 5% to $2.2 trillion.

The federal government is headed toward a deficit of about $900 billion this year, according to the CBO, which is Congress’ nonpartisan agency for budget and economic projections. Deficits are only supposed to grow in the years ahead because of a long-term mismatch between spending and revenues, sending the federal debt to the highest levels since World War II. [ Source: Washington Examiner (Read More…) ]

The post Deficit rises $94 billion to $693 billion for first half of the year, budget office estimates appeared first on Worthy Christian News.

(Worthy News) – Several major pro-life groups say the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act is the single-most important bill of the 2019 legislative session.

Legislative Republicans are working to pass a bill to ensure that doctors provide life-saving care to infants who survive abortion. The bills, however, have been met with a Democratic blockade, despite heavy support from the party’s base. Pro-life groups say they are monitoring each politician’s position on the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act and plan on publicizing the results for all constituents to see. March for Life Action, the political arm of the annual protest against abortion, said the treatment of the Born Alive Act will be a major driver in its annual scorecard for lawmakers. It will grade representatives just as harshly for blocking a vote on the bill as for an actual “No” vote. [ Source: Washington Free Beacon (Read More…) ]

The post Pro-Life Groups Gear Up For Born Alive Bill Fight appeared first on Worthy Christian News.

(Worthy News) – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday vowed to go ahead with a deal to purchase Russian missiles despite Washington’s suspension of Turkey’s participation in a US jet program because of security concerns over the Russian deal.

Turkey’s agreement to buy the Russian S-400 system has further tested its relations with Washington, stoking US concern about Erdogan’s burgeoning relationship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin.

United States officials have repeatedly warned of the risks the Russian system would pose to Western defenses and the lack of interoperability with NATO hardware. [ Source: Times of Israel (Read More…) ]

The post Turkey to go ahead with Russia S-400 deal despite suspension from F-35 program appeared first on Worthy Christian News.

(Worthy News) – Evangelicals are on the front lines helping President Trump craft his plan for peace in the Middle East.

“We were stunned by that,” said Pastor Jack Graham of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas.

Pastor Graham was surprised when the White House decided to court faith leaders for input on its Israeli-Palestinian peace deal. [ Source: CBN News (Read More…) ]

The post 'Israel Has a Right to Exist': Evangelicals Help President Trump Craft Middle East Peace Plan appeared first on Worthy Christian News.

(Worthy News) – When Russia was invited to set up a fortified base in Hmeimim, in Syria’s coastal province of Latakia, and another in the port city of Tartus, it was under the assumption it would have the sole foreign military presence along Syria’s Mediterranean coast.

The Hmeimim tenure was open-ended, while the use of Tartus naval facility was granted until 2065 and renewable by mutual consent. However, from next October the Russians will no longer have the neighborhood to themselves – as Iran has leased parts of the port of Latakia.

Iran’s arrival on the scene raises serious political and security concerns for Moscow. [ Source: Asia Times (Read More…) ]

The post Syria leases Mediterranean port to Iran appeared first on Worthy Christian News.

(Worthy News) – U.S. employers brought 196,000 new employees on board in March as the labor market rebounded from a February lull.

The increase reported by the U.S. Labor Department on Friday was almost 10 times as much as the 20,000 added in February and topped even the 175,000 average estimate from economists. The unemployment rate, calculated separately, held steady at 3.8 percent and compares with a nearly 50-year low of 3.7 percent in November.

March’s gains leave average growth for the past three months at 180,000, well above the level needed to keep pace with inflation, which shows “the economy is still expanding and there are really no signs of a recession on the horizon,” Joseph Song, an economist with Bank of America, told the Washington Examiner. [ Source: Washington Examiner (Read More…) ]

The post Payroll growth reaches 196,000 in rebound from February low appeared first on Worthy Christian News.

(Worthy News) – Nearly 200,000 jobs were added to the U.S. economy last month — a figure that greatly surpassed expectations.

The Labor Department said in its monthly jobs report Friday that 196,000 jobs were added in March. Analysts had predicted additions in the 170,000 to 175,000 range.

The department also said job gains for January and February have been revised up 14,000 than first reported. [ Source: UPI (Read More…) ]

The post U.S. economy crushes predictions: 196K new jobs in March appeared first on Worthy Christian News.

(Worthy News) – Britain’s opposition Labour Party said on Friday that talks with the government on a last-ditch Brexit deal had made no progress, as EU leaders said Prime Minister Theresa May had not convinced them that they should let Britain delay its departure next week.

May wrote to Brussels asking European Union leaders to postpone Britain’s exit from next Friday until June 30. But they have insisted that she must first show a viable plan to secure agreement on her divorce deal in the deadlocked parliament.

Labour, which she turned to reluctantly after failing three times to get her deal passed, said the government “has not offered real change or compromise” in three days of talks. [ Source: Reuters (Read More…) ]

The post May's Brexit talks with Labour stall, delay request fails to convince EU appeared first on Worthy Christian News.