Around the World
Pakistan Downgrades Ties With India as Tensions Rise Over Kashmir
Pakistan says it is expelling India's high commissioner to Islamabad, just hours after downgrading diplomatic and trade ties with New Dehli for stripping the disputed Kashmir region of its special status, as bilateral relations continue to deteriorate.
Turkey, US Agree to Form Joint Operation Center for Syria Safe Zone
Turkey and the United States said they agreed on Wednesday to establish a joint operation center in Turkey to coordinate and manage a planned safe zone in northern Syria.
Iranian President Warns of ‘Mother of All Wars’ If US, Britain Continue to Trifle with Iranian Oil
Iran on Tuesday declared its intention to further disrupt oil traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, announcing a naval drill to take place with Russia later this year in the disputed waterway.
US carrier sails into disputed South China Sea waters amid new flare-ups
A U.S. aircraft carrier sailed through the disputed South China Sea on Tuesday in the latest show of America’s military might amid new territorial flare-ups involving China and three rival claimant states.
Trump administration to seek Britain trade deal after Brexit
The Trump administration will pursue a free-trade agreement with Britain as soon as possible after it leaves the European Union, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Wednesday as the country’s new foreign secretary made his first official visit to the United States.
NATO chief says alliance must prepare ‘to address the rise of China'
China’s efforts to establish economic and even military influence far beyond its borders are pushing NATO to develop new plays for the Indo-Pacific, the security bloc’s civilian chief says.
Russian Military Unveils Stealth Drone’s Maiden Flight
A new Russian military drone equipped with stealth technologies has taken flight for the first time, according to footage published by Russia’s Defense Ministry.
500 Arrests Made During Clampdown in Indian-Ruled Kashmir, Report Says
A petition was filed Thursday in India’s top court challenging the communications blackout and security clampdown in Indian-controlled Kashmir, where people remained holed up in their homes for a fourth day.
Zimbabwe: A third of population faces food crisis, says UN
More than five million people in Zimbabwe - about a third of the population - need food aid, with many coming close to starving, the UN says.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israel seeks to change the face of the battlefield with AI-powered autonomous armored vehicles
The Israel Defense Forces unveiled plans this week for armored combat vehicles, with features normally seen in fighter planes.
Palestinian leaders express outrage at Jewish calls to visit Temple Mount
The London-based Saudi daily Asharq Al-Awsat reported that the 'extremist Jewish 'Union of Temple Organizations' called for Jews to storm the Aqsa Mosque on the occasion of Tisha Be'Av, which runs into the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha this year.
Foreign Minister: Israel Has Joined US-Led Coalition to Secure Gulf From Iran Threats
Israel is playing a role in a US-led coalition to secure the Persian Gulf from the threats posed by Iran, the Jewish state’s foreign minister revealed on Tuesday.

Inside the United States
Let the 2020 Race Begin: Evangelicals, Pastors Set To Mobilize, Change America
Roughly 400 pastors and faith leaders will descend on Lynchburg, Virginia later this week as two major evangelical forces unite together in the beginning efforts of a 2020 national ground game aimed at restoring Judeo-Christian principles across the country and mobilizing an evangelical army of pastors to lead the way.
Puerto Rico gets third governor after supreme court clears the way
Puerto Rico got its third governor in less than a week on Wednesday just hours after the bankrupt U.S. territory’s supreme court ruled that Pedro Pierluisi’s assumption of the office was unconstitutional and ordered him to leave.
FBI opens domestic terror investigation into Gilroy, Calif., mass shooting
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has opened a domestic terrorism investigation into a California mass shooting by a 19-year-old gunman who killed three people at a food festival last week, an official said on Tuesday.

Christian News
Chinese ‘Ministry of Truth’ Begins Editing God Out of Western Classics
China has introduced a new textbook with Western classics such as Robinson Crusoe, Vanka, and The Little Match Girl, but with every reference to God removed.
Study: Most churchgoers say they can walk with God alone
The majority of Protestant churchgoers believe they can walk with God without other believers — yet also say they need other believers to help them in that walk, a new study has found, highlighting the lack of discipleship in today’s churches.