Time Zone by Time Zone, Another New Year Sweeps into View

Revelers are celebrating the traditional ball drop in New York City’s Times Square, ushering in 2023 in the largest New Year’s celebration in the United States. Thousands gathered in and around the iconic landmark to ring in the new year as millions more celebrated throughout the globe. The dazzling Saturday night spectacle anchored celebrations across the U.S. and the world. 

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Ukraine Conflict Casts Shadow on Russia as It Enters 2023

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s New Year’s address to the nation usually is rather anodyne and backed with a soothing view of a snowy Kremlin. Putin lashed out at the West and Ukraine this year with Russian soldiers in the background. The conflict in Ukraine cast a long shadow as Russia entered 2023. 

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Benedict XVI, First Pope to Retire in 600 Years, Dies at 95

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, who will forever be remembered as the first pontiff in 600 years to resign has died. The Vatican says he died Saturday morning at age 95. Benedict's dramatic decision in 2013 to retire paved the way for the conclave that elected Pope Francis as his successor. The two popes then lived side-by-side in the Vatican gardens, an unprecedented arrangement that set the stage for future “popes emeritus” to do the same.And it set the stage for a reigning pope to celebrate the funeral Mass for a retired one. The Vatican announced that Francis would preside over the funeral Thursday in St. Peter’s Square.

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Islamic Extremists Attack, Burn Homes of Christian Communities in Northeast Nigeria

Islamic extremist groups continue to pillage and rampage Christian communities in Nigeria. This time, extremists burned homes and destroyed livestock, just days after terrorists killed a pregnant Christian woman.    

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Russia Hits Key Infrastructure with Missiles across Ukraine

Russian missiles struck Ukraine in the biggest wave of strikes in weeks, hitting power stations and other critical infrastructure Thursday during freezing winter weather. Russia fired 69 missiles at energy facilities and Ukrainian forces shot down 54, Ukrainian military chief Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi said. Local officials said attacks killed at least two people around Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city. 

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Pelé Remembered for Transcending Soccer around World

Pelé was remembered for a life beyond the field, for transcending the sport of soccer and becoming perhaps the most well-known person on Earth. Pelé scored 12 goals in 14 World Cup matches and is the only three-time world champion. He won titles in 1958, 1962 and 1970. His death was especially impactful for generations of Brazilian players who idolized him.

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‘I Think of Them’: Abducted Nigerian Schoolgirls Remembered

Margret Yama’s phone screensaver is a picture of her cousin, Rifkatu Galang, who is still held by Boko Haram extremists nearly nine years after she and 275 other girls were seized from their school in northeastern Nigeria. Yama was among those taken but later freed. Dozens of others have been rescued or found, but 94, including her cousin, remain missing in what was one of the Islamic extremist group's most daring attacks in Nigeria.

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Pope Francis Calls for Prayer for Retired Pope Benedict XVI: 'He's Very Sick'

The Vatican says Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI is lucid, conscious, and stable, but remains in serious condition – just one day after he called for prayers for his predecessor.

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Lack of Info on China's COVID-19 Surge Stirs Global Concern

Moves by several countries to mandate COVID-19 tests for passengers arriving from China reflect global concern that new variants could emerge in its ongoing explosive outbreak — and that the government may not inform the rest of the world quickly enough.

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Anti-Christian Riots in Surge Across 20 Villages In India: 'Increasingly Dangerous Climate'

Christian persecution continues to climb in India as radical Hindu nationalists attack believers for refusing to re-convert to Hinduism, a persecution watchdog reports.  

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Germany: Former Nazi Camp Secretary, 97, Appeals Conviction

A 97-year-old woman is appealing her conviction in Germany of being an accessory to more than 10,000 murders when she was a secretary to the commander of the Nazis' Stutthof concentration camp during World War II.

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Sweden Pulls Back from Gender Affirming Care on Minors: 'Good Psychosocial Care Is Fundamental'

Sweden has officially announced that it is pulling away from providing transgender treatment to minors.

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Are Billions of US Dollars in Military and Humanitarian Aid Really Making a Difference in Ukraine?

Billions of U.S. taxpayer dollars have been poured into Ukraine. That fact has many Americans concerned about where all that money is going. CBN News Contributing Correspondent Chuck Holton went to Kyiv to find out if their contributions really are making a difference.

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China Sends 71 Warplanes, 7 Ships Toward Taiwan in 24 Hours

China’s military sent 71 planes and seven ships toward Taiwan in a 24-hour display of force directed at the self-ruled island, Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said Monday after China expressed anger at Taiwan-related provisions in a U.S. annual defense spending bill.

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S. Korea Launches Jets, Fires Shots After North Flies Drones

South Korea's military fired warning shots, scrambled fighter jets, and flew surveillance assets across the heavily fortified border with North Korea on Monday after North Korean drones violated its airspace for the first time in five years in a fresh escalation of tensions.

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Violent Night or Silent Night for Christians in Hostile Nations?

There are radical differences between how Christians in free nations celebrate Christmas and how Christians in nations hostile to Christ celebrate Christmas. 

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For Afghan Refugees, Time is Running Out. It’s Time to Rally Around Them, Together

For those Afghans who managed to get on flights out of Afghanistan and eventually to the U.S., time is running out.

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'I Saw a Demon Manifest': Pastor's Daughter Tormented by Evil Spirit, Then She Recalled What He Told Her

Sarah Gonzalez wanted to pretend it never happened. She was dabbling in witchcraft when she had a demonic encounter that she knew could have killed her. Afterward, she lived in total fear that the demon would return. And then one day, it did.

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'You Don't Know Who Will Be Next': Ukrainians Fight for Survival as War Rages On

Devoid of electricity, water, or heat, life on the front lines in southern Ukraine is sheer survival. The town of Orikhiv once was home to about 20,000 people. Today, less than ten percent remain. Abandoned pets roam the streets, hungry and traumatized by the near-constant shelling, which has damaged or destroyed more than 70 percent of this city.

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Taliban Bar Women from College in Ongoing Destruction of Freedom for Afghan Women and Girls

Afghanistan's Taliban rulers on Tuesday banned female students from attending universities effective immediately in the latest edict cracking down on women's rights and freedoms.

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Zelensky to Meet Biden, Address Congress as War Rages On

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is making his way to Washington for a summit with President Joe Biden and to address Congress on Wednesday. The trip will be his first known trip outside the country since Russia’s invasion began in February.

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Hindu Charity in Texas Reportedly Raising Cash to Persecute Christians in India, Demolish Churches

A Texas-based Hindu charity reportedly held a local fundraiser in Frisco, Texas last month, circulating a flyer that listed "the destruction of illegal Christian churches" as one of its goals. 

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Top UK Court Rules Plan to Send Asylum-Seekers to Rwanda Is Legal

Britain's High Court ruled Monday that a plan to send asylum-seekers on a one-way trip to Rwanda is legal but the government must consider the circumstances of each case before deporting anyone, a judgment that sets the controversial policy up for further legal battles.

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North Korea Says Latest Launches Tested 1st Spy Satellite

North Korea says it fired a test satellite in an important final-stage test for the development of its first spy satellite. That's a key military capability coveted by its leader Kim Jong Un. The North’s state media said Monday the test was done to assess the satellite's photography and data transmission systems. It also released black-and-white photos showing Seoul and another South Korean city as seen from space in an apparent attempt to show the North is pushing to monitor its rival with its advancing technologies. 

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Fleeing Persecution in China: Christian Congregation Takes Refuge in Thailand, Hopes for Asylum in the US

Three years ago, 62 members of the China's Shenzhen Reformed Holy Church, also known as the Mayflower Church, fled to South Korea to escape persecution from the Communist government. They requested political asylum in South Korea, but were denied. The church is now in Thailand, where members hope to gain refugee status, and eventually resettle in the United States.

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THE GLOBAL LANE: Blasphemy Laws Could Lead to Violator's Execution, but Gov't Attitudes Changing

Around the world, Christians and other religious minorities face punishment if convicted of blasphemy against Islam.

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Jordan Unveils $100M Plan for Biblical Site Where Jesus Was Baptized

The country of Jordan has unveiled new plans to draw one million Christians to the site that's believed to be the place Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. 

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US Poised to Approve Patriot Missile Battery for Ukraine

U.S. officials say the Biden administration is poised to approve sending a Patriot missile battery to Ukraine, finally agreeing to an urgent request from Ukrainian leaders desperate for more robust weapons to shoot down incoming Russian missiles. The officials said the approval is likely to come later this week and could be announced as early as Thursday.

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Biden Drives Saudis Into China's Arms Fueling More 'De-dollarization' of World Economy

China has moved in on the U.S. relationship with Saudi Arabia. 

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Second Iranian Detainee Executed over Alleged Protest Crime

Iran says it executed a second prisoner detained amid the nationwide protests that are challenging the country’s theocracy. Iran’s Mizan news agency, under the country’s judiciary, identified the man hanged to death in public on Monday as Majidreza Rahnavard.

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Ukrainian Youth Choir Defies War with Messages of Freedom

From a dank Kyiv bomb shelter to the bright stage lights of Europe’s theaters, a Ukrainian youth choir’s hymns in praise of freedom offer a kind of healing balm to its war-scarred members.

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More Than 18,000 World Cup Fans Embrace Jesus After Pro-Soccer Player-Turned-Pastor Ignites Gospel Campaign

A former professional soccer player-turned-pastor is on a digital mission to reach World Cup fans with the Gospel. Jesse Bradley, a preacher at Grace Community Church in Auburn, Washington, told CBN’s Faithwire he’s seen thousands of soccer fans embrace Christ since launching his effort.

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UK's Highest Court Upholds Ban on Pro-Life Prayers and Gatherings Near Abortion Clinics

The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ruled this week the Northern Irish government can create censorship zones banning pro-life demonstrations, including prayers, within a 328-foot perimeter outside of any abortion facility across the region. 

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China Eases Anti-COVID Measures Following Protests

China has rolled back rules on isolating people with COVID-19 and dropped virus test requirements for some public places. That is a dramatic change to a strategy that confined millions of people to their homes and sparked protests and demands for President Xi Jinping to resign.

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Franklin Graham's Ministry Sends 100M Pounds of Food to Ukraine as Pastors Brave Harrowing Frontline Conditions

Samaritan's Purse, the Christian humanitarian arm of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), has announced it has reached a major milestone by distributing more than 100 million pounds (totaling 45,000 metric tons) of food in Ukraine. 

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14 Church Members Killed, Swept Away by Flood in Johannesburg

The death toll from the tragic flash flood that swept away members of a church congregation along the Jukskei River in Johannesburg has risen from nine to 14, officials have confirmed. 

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'The Explicit Targeting of Prayer': Pro-Life Activist Takes Legal Action as City Criminalizes Prayer

A U.K. pro-life volunteer has taken legal action against a city ordinance that creates censorship zones around abortion clinics, making it illegal for pro-life activists to speak, pray, or assist women looking for alternative options.

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Russia Claims Kyiv Hit its Air Bases, Fires More Missiles

The Kremlin claims Ukrainian drones have struck two air bases deep inside Russia. Hours later, Russia unleashed another massive missile barrage across Ukraine, striking homes and buildings and killing civilians. The targeting of the Russian air bases threatened a major escalation of the nine-month war because it hit an airfield that houses bombers capable of carrying nuclear weapons.

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Confusion over Iran's Religious Police as Women Drop Hijab

Confusion over the status of Iran’s religious police is growing as state media cast doubt on reports the force had been shut down. The mixed messages have raised speculation that Iran’s clerical leadership is considering concessions in an attempt to defuse widespread anti-government protests that are entering the third month.

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Missionary Pilot Jailed in Mozambique, Family and Mission Group Plead for Prayer

It's been more than a month since an American missionary pilot has been detained by Mozambique police on allegations of supporting insurgents in the country. Now his family, friends, and the Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF) are asking Christians around the world to pray for "his safety and swift release."

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Muslim Attackers Torch House Church, Severely Beat 2 Christian Converts in Uganda

Muslim extremists burned down a house in eastern Uganda after a fellowship group of almost two dozen people had met to worship on the same day. 

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Iran Morality Police Status Unclear after 'Closure' Comment

An Iranian lawmaker has said that Iran’s government was “paying attention to the people’s real demands” a day after a top official suggested that the country’s unpopular morality police has been shut down following months of protests. The comment regarding the force's purported suspension or abolition came after months of deadly anti-government protests. The Associated Press has been unable to confirm the current status of the religious force.

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‘No Other Explanation’: David Limbaugh Reveals Surprising Thing That Led Him From Skepticism to Christian Faith

Author David Limbaugh, brother of the late Rush Limbaugh, recently revealed the surprising thing that helped convince him of biblical truth: the presence of evil.

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Brother of US Man in Russian Prison Says Contact Resumed

The family of Paul Whelan, an American imprisoned in Russia for espionage, says that he has resumed contact after unexpectedly becoming unreachable in November. Along with WNBA star Brittney Griner, Whelan is the focus of efforts by the United States to arrange a prisoner swap with Russia. 

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Communist Regime Eases COVID Lockdowns, Shifting to Surveillance Tech Against Protesters

The Chinese Communist Party has eased up its zero-COVID policy, but the regime is also using the power of surveillance technology to squash dissent. 

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China to Increase Nuclear Warheads to 1,500, Pentagon Warns

A new Pentagon report warns that China continues to rapidly modernize its nuclear force and is on track to have 1,500 active warheads by 2035. China has already stated its goal to have a military powerful enough to be able to take Taiwan by force, if necessary.

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