14 arrested in human trafficking sting at comic convention in US

(Worthy Insights) – California’s state attorney general said an anti-human trafficking operation conducted at the popular Comic Convention — known as Comic-Con — in San Diego, California, last week resulted in 14 arrests and the recovery of 10 sex trafficking victims.

In a release, Rob Bonta said the joint operation between his office and the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force targeted sex buyers who use the popular convention to seek out potential victims.

The annual convention is dedicated to all things related to comics and comic books, including art, movies, video games and other media. Organizers said this year’s event in San Diego attracted about 135,000 people. [ Source: VOA (Read More…) ]

‘Sobbing’ Boxer Angela Carini Quits Match After 46 Seconds as Gender Debate Rages: Video

(Worthy Insights) – Angela Carini, a female boxer from Italy, withdrew from a boxing match at the Paris Olympics in just 46 seconds after taking a punch to the face from a competitor, Imane Khelif, who was disqualified from a previous competition over gender identity controversies, according to NBC News.

“This is unjust,” Carini said, according to The Toronto Sun. “Carini fell to her knees in the ring, sobbing,” Reuters reported.

“I am heartbroken,” Carini told reporters, according to The New York Times. “I went to the ring to honor my father. I was told a lot of times that I was a warrior but I preferred to stop for my health. I have never felt a punch like this.”

She added, according to The Times: “I got into the ring to fight. I didn’t give up. But one punch hurt too much and so I said, ‘Enough.’ I’m going out with my head held high.” [ Source: Heavy (Read More…) ]

‘Something Has Shifted’: Pastors Report Revival Fires Spreading in the UK

(Worthy Insights) – Revival fires are reportedly spreading across the United Kingdom. From England to Ireland, Christians are witnessing a “shift” and a new hunger for God in the once spiritually dry region.

“Something has shifted in the last six months and it feels almost like it’s a rising river,” said Pastor Craig Cooney who leads Hope Church in Northern Ireland. He believes the spiritual drought brought on by the pandemic is over.

“Between 2020 and 2023 I found myself often saying that I’ve never seen the church at such a low ebb that it just felt like we were going through the motions post-Covid, that churches were struggling, their numbers were down. But not only were their numbers down, there was just a lack of zeal, lack of passion, a lack of enthusiasm, a lack of growth. And something shifted around the start of this year, I would say, and it’s difficult to describe or define,” Cooney said. [ Source: CBN News (Read More…) ]

A huge quarry from late Second Temple period uncovered in Jerusalem

(Worthy Insights) – A huge quarry – one of the largest ever found in Jerusalem, dating from the end of the Second Temple period, in recent weeks is being uncovered by an Israel Antiquities Authority excavation in the Har Hotzvim industrial area in Jerusalem, funded by the Vitania real estate development company on its grounds. The excavated area extends about 3,500 square meters and is just one section of a massive quarry. A stone tool was found here which, according to the Jewish Halacha/Law, does not become impure, and was widely used by the Jewish population in Temple times.

During the excavation, the archaeologists uncovered tens of various-sized building stones, as well as quarrying and cutting trenches whose outlines indicate the size of the blocks being quarried. “Most of the building stones extracted from here were huge rock slabs, whose length reached ca. 2.5 meters, their width was 1.2 meters and they were 40 centimeters thick,” say Michael Chernin and Lara Shilov, excavation directors on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority. [ Source: Israel365 (Read More…) ]

Democrats May Have a Real Chance to Reform the Supreme Court

(Worthy Insights) – The summer of reversals for President Joe Biden continued in dramatic form on Monday as he announced that he now supports sweeping Supreme Court reform. In an op-ed for the Washington Post, Biden pushed 18-year term limits and a binding ethics code on Supreme Court justices — after a long career spent opposing such measures — as well as a constitutional amendment overturning the court’s recent decision granting presidents immunity from criminal prosecution.

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And then came the news that Biden would be endorsing proposals to overhaul the court amid his last gasp effort to hold on as the Democratic presidential nominee, followed a few days later by his decision to step aside.

Now, despite outward appearances and a challenging political terrain, the path to Supreme Court reform is beginning to take shape. Based on interviews on and off the Hill, there is a rough consensus and strategy that could actually lead Democrats to embrace Biden’s stance and act on the court — if they can win in November. [ Source: Politico (Read More…) ]

US House Speaker Mike Johnson Blasts Kamala Harris for Skipping Netanyahu Address

(Worthy Insights) – US House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) on Tuesday slammed Vice President Kamala Harris over her decision not to attend Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming address to a joint session of the US Congress.

“It has never been more important than it is right now for us to stand with our closest ally in the Middle East,” Johnson told reporters at the US Capitol, arguing it is “inexcusable” and “outrageous” that Harris is “boycotting” Netanyahu’s speech.

“This is a historic moment,” Johnson continued. “It is an important moment for the country, for all the reasons we’ve said. The gravity of this situation cannot be overstated, and yet Kamala Harris will abandon her seat. As you all know, as the vice president and serving as the president of the Senate, she is supposed to be seated next to me in the rostrum. She will not be there, because she refuses to attend.” [ Source (Read More…) ]

IOC hears Palestinian request to ban Israel from Olympics over war in Gaza

(Worthy Insights) – The International Olympic Committee was Tuesday weighing a Palestinian call for Israeli athletes to be barred from the Games over the war in Gaza, three days before the Opening Ceremony in Paris.

As the Israeli Olympic team settled into the Athletes’ Village, the IOC was studying a letter sent by the Palestine Olympic Committee to President Thomas Bach asking him to ban the Israelis, citing the bombings of the besieged Gaza Strip as a breach of the Olympic truce.

The letter sent on Monday “emphasized that Palestinian athletes, particularly those in Gaza, are denied safe passage and have suffered significantly due to the ongoing conflict.” [ Source (Read More…) ]

Elon Musk ‘Tricked’ into Putting Son on Puberty Blockers: Xavier Was ‘Killed by the Woke Mind Virus’

(Worthy Insights) – Billionaire businessman Elon Musk is revealing a very personal reason behind his decision to abandon the state of California as he goes to battle against woke ideology. He says he was deceived into allowing one of his children to be converted to transgender after being told his son would commit suicide if he didn’t approve the procedures.

Now he’s vowing to destroy the “woke mind virus” that he says figuratively “killed” his son, stealing his male identity and replacing it with a transgender deception.

A week ago Musk said he was leaving California and moving his X (formerly Twitter) and SpaceX businesses to Texas instead. He said he was partly motivated to take the action in response to a new California law that orders schools to deceive parents when their kids are struggling with gender confusion. [ Source (Read More…) ]

‘Christians of America Stand Solidly with Israel’: Netanyahu Meets with Evangelicals in DC

(Worthy Insights) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with a group of evangelical Christian leaders in the nation’s capital on Tuesday.

At the meeting he expressed his gratitude for their steadfast friendship in the face of global antisemitism and the painful aftermath of the October 7th terrorist atrocities.

“I want to thank you for your incredible support at all times and especially in these trying times,” he told the group. “We have no better friends than you, and I don’t say that lightly or haphazardly. It comes from the heart. It also comes from knowing how deeply you are committed to Israel, and how strongly you stand up for Israel, stand up for the truth, stand up for our common heritage and our common values,” Netanyahu said. [ Source (Read More…) ]

Rape surges 11% in NYC — as bail reform, vulnerable migrants, depleted NYPD create perfect crime storm

(Worthy Insights) – The Big Apple has seen an alarming 11% jump in rapes this year — with some sections of the city seeing their numbers more than double.

There were 880 rapes reported citywide from Jan. 1 through July 14, compared to 796 in the same period last year, NYPD stats reveal.

“This should be a wake up call,” said Jane Manning, director of Women’s Equal Justice.“The NYPD needs to allocate more investigators to its understaffed Special Victims Unit, so that every case is investigated well and dangerous offenders are apprehended.” [ Source (Read More…) ]

Secret Service Denied Trump Requests for More Security, Shooter Seen 20 Minutes Before Attack

(Worthy Insights) – Three investigations are currently underway into the Secret Service following last Saturday’s assassination attempt on Donald Trump. On Monday, Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle testified on Capitol Hill as calls mount for her resignation.

In a packed hearing room, Director Cheatle faced bipartisan criticism over how her agency handled security before a 20-year-old man shot Trump from a nearby rooftop. Lawmakers repeatedly questioned who was responsible for the agency and whether Cheatle should retain her position, but she continued to refuse to step down.

“Our mission is not political. It is literally a matter of life and death,” Cheatle stated in her first public appearance since the rally. She promised to move “heaven and earth” to ensure that an incident like the one on July 13th never happens again. “I have full confidence in the men and women of the Secret Service. They are worthy of our support in executing our protective mission.” [ Source (Read More…) ]

Iran Hangs 8 In 2 Days Amid Concerns Over Rise In Executions After Election

(Worthy Insights) – Rights groups say Iranian authorities executed eight people over the weekend, bolstering concerns that the regime may accelerate the carrying out of death sentences after a lull ahead a snap presidential election held earlier this month.

The human rights-focused news agency HRANA reported that four people, including an Afghan national, were hanged on July 21 in Qezel Hesar prison in Karaj. The news agency said they were convicted of drug-related charges.

Rights groups have documented a sharp rise in the number of Afghans executed in Iran, with activists saying they do not get fair trials. [ Source: Radio Free Europe (Read More…) ]

Historic Dallas Chapel Connected to Pastor Robert Jeffress Burns in 4-Alarm Fire

(Worthy Insights) – First Baptist Church of Dallas, where Dr. Robert Jeffress is the senior pastor, was forced to hold its Sunday services at the Dallas Convention Center after a four-alarm fire tore through the 134-year-old Historic Sanctuary of the church on Friday.

It took 100 firefighters to keep the fire contained, but the damage to that chapel building was severe.

Pastor Clint Pressley of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Charlotte, N.C. posted, “If the SBC (Southern Baptist Convention) had a Notre Dame it would be FBC Dallas. This is heartbreaking. Praying the Lord is merciful.” [ Source (Read More…) ]

‘He Loved Jesus’: Hundreds Honor Life of Corey Comperatore, Heroic Ex-Fireman Slain at Trump Rally

(Worthy Insights) – Family, friends, and the general public continue to mourn the murder of Corey Comperatore, a former firefighter who died Saturday during the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.

Hundreds of people attended a candlelight vigil, which featured songs, testimonials, and prayer, Wednesday night at Lernersville Speedway in Sarver, Pennsylvania, to remember and celebrate Comperatore’s life.

Among them was Pastor John Neyman, a local preacher with ties to the community. Neyman was invited to speak at the event, and he told CBN News he shared an important message about the power of forgiveness and of Comperatore’s courage. [ Source (Read More…) ]

Trump wins round in libel suit against Pulitzer Prize Board over Russia stories

(Worthy Insights) – Donald Trump scored a significant court win Saturday as a state judge in Florida turned down attempts by the Pulitzer Prize Board to toss out a libel lawsuit Trump filed in 2022 relating to a series of reports in the New York Times and Washington Post on the 2016 Trump campaign’s ties to Russia.

In a 14-page ruling issued Saturday, Senior Judge Robert Pegg turned down arguments from the prominent journalism awards panel that their decision to bestow the national reporting prize on the staffs of the two newspapers in 2018 amounted to a statement of “pure opinion” rather than fact.

The libel suit does not hinge directly on the articles the Times and Post published about the Trump campaign’s links to Russia or on the decision to award the Pulitzer to the newspapers. [ Source (Read More…) ]

Jonathan Turley Delivers Blunt Message About Biden and ‘Horrific…Censorship’

(Worthy Insights) – Free speech expert Jonathan Turley believes America is in the midst of its “most dangerous” anti-free speech era, calling President Joe Biden the “most anti-free speech president since John Adams.”

Turley, a George Washington University law professor and the author of “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage,” told CBN News that the assaults on free expression today are uniquely troubling. He cited the communications and educational dominance he sees in media and other spheres.

“We’ve had these periods of anti-free speech movements before, but this is the most dangerous,” he said. “And the reason is because we’ve never seen an alliance like this, where the government, corporations, academia, and the media joined together in this attack on free speech.” [ Source (Read More…) ]

Is a Digital Dollar Coming Soon, and What Would It Mean for Americans’ Privacy?

(Worthy Insights) – When asked whether a Federal Reserve or Central Bank Digital Currency might be on the horizon, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told a congressional committee this year, “We’re nowhere near recommending or let alone adopting a central bank digital currency in any form.”

While Powell admits that while the central bank continues to work on a digital currency, he realizes the obstacles to success at the present time are insurmountable.

For starters, the Fed knows a Central Bank Digital Currency or CBDC could wreck the nation’s banking industry, threaten the dollar’s status as the world’s reserve currency and even threaten the Fed itself. [ Source (Read More…) ]

‘He Died a Real-Life Super Hero’—Churchgoing, Jesus-Loving Girl Dad Shielded His Family From Sniper Fire at Trump Rally

(Worthy Insights) – Corey Comperatore was violently shot Saturday evening after he shielded his family from a sniper who was attempting to assassinate former President Donald Trump at a rally in Butler County, Pennsylvania.

An engineer by profession, the 50-year-old Comperatore, who was the former chief of the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company, a husband to his wife, Helen, and a father to their two daughters, Allyson and Kaylee, is being hailed as a hero for protecting his family from this senseless act.

At approximately 6:15 p.m., the shooter, who has been identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, used an AR-style rifle to fire off multiple shots at Trump while lying on a rooftop an estimated 150 yards from where Trump was speaking to a crowd of Pennsylvanians in the hopes of securing their vote for November’s upcoming presidential election. [ Source: Church Leaders (Read More…) ]

Donald Trump-Appointed Judge Hands Joe Biden a Legal Blow in Texas

(Worthy Insights) – A Texas judge has placed an injunction on a Biden administration law that would protect transgender rights in schools and universities.

Federal district judge Matthew Kacsmaryk, who was nominated to the position by Donald Trump in 2017, wrote that the rule went against gender discrimination laws by placing transgender females in women’s spaces.

Thursday’s ruling came on the same day that the Republican-led House of Representatives passed a measure to kill the same federal rule. [ Source: NewsWeek (Read More…) ]

US Army Base Holds Training Class Calling Pro-Life Orgs ‘Terrorist Groups’

(Worthy Insights) – A U.S. Army base in North Carolina previously held a training class in which pro-life organizations were described explicitly as “terrorist groups.”

The training class included a presentation that featured a slide deck listing the pro-life groups National Right to Life and Operation Rescue as terrorist organizations at Fort Liberty, formerly Fort Bragg, the Fort confirmed to the Daily Caller News Foundation. The Fort condemned the slides on Thursday and claimed that the deck was put together by a garrison employee who was not authorized to use them for the presentation.

“This is a national outrage. Instead of defending us from foreign terrorists, Joe Biden’s Pentagon is attacking pro-life Americans as a domestic terror threat,” Republican Indiana Rep. Jim Banks told the DCNF. “Even if this slide deck was unapproved, it still exposes the Biden Pentagon for creating a politicized environment where far-left wack jobs feel they can get away with teaching our troops that conservative Americans are their adversary and legitimate military targets. We are in dangerous territory.” [ Source: Daily Caller (Read More…) ]