State Department Appoints Special Envoy for LGBT Rights, UK Okays 3-Parent Babies, and More…

Asquith's News Tips: A weekly roundup of news stories you don't want to miss

VATICAN CITY

Pope and Curia reflect on superficial religiosity

RADIO VATICANA

Pope warns mafia that criminals cannot be true believers
SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER

Pope Francis receives German Chancellor Angela Merkel
VATICAN NEWS

Armenian saint proclaimed Doctor of the Church by Pope Francis — 10th-century Armenian mystic, poet and monk, St. Gregory of Narek, to be a Doctor of the Universal Church
— (The Church is richer for this elevation. A wonderful inclusion, and joyful news for Armenians everywhere)
CATHOLIC HERALD

Royalty, prelates and the "great and good" sign filial appeal urging Francis to uphold traditional family values during US Synod in October
BBN SIGNATORIES

Will Pope Francis travel to Ukraine?
NCR

Synod’s chief organizer seized books by top cardinals defending Church’s marriage teachings
LIFE SITE

Leak of Vatican financial czar Cardinal George Pell’s expenses to Italian weekly was clearly aimed at discrediting him
AP

Benedict XVI in better health now than when he officially retired two years ago
AFP

Is the Pope Emeritus experiment working?
CATHOLIC HERALD

NORTH AMERICA

Al-Shabab calls for attacks on Jewish-owned malls in UK, Canada & USA

JEWISH PRESS

Obama should know better than to attempt to manipulate history — Obama’s recent speech on Islam and America’s foundation was historically inaccurate
CATHOLIC HERALD

The New America: Lesbian CNN journalist disappointed her six year old daughter isn’t showing signs of lesbian attraction
DAILY MAIL

War in America:
Obama to ban bullets by executive action, threatens top-selling AR-15 rifle — (And so it begins, the stripping-away of the rights and freedoms of the American people at every single level)
WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Obama struggling to ban guns [for now] so he’s banning bullets instead — Rush Limbaugh
BBN

Treasury used unauthorized $3 billion for Obamacare
WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Obama arms savage Muslims while Christians fighters are abandoned
SHOEBAT

Obama lays open utter contempt of Jews in deal which will allow Iran to develop 6,500 nuclear centrifuges — A decade ago not even one was permitted
TUNDRA

Obama plans to "Islamify" America with massive Muslim immigration
WESTERN JOURNAL

Why a new State Department position could spell trouble for religious liberty — The State Department’s new LGBT special envoy will promote human rights abroad, but could also pose a serious threat to religious freedom, say experts.
“I believe this administration’s long-term objective is more revolutionary,” said Dr. Tom Farr, director of the Religious Freedom Project at Georgetown University
CNA

Coptic Christians protest outside White House wearing orange jumpsuits, hoping for aggressive US response — (Sadly, an aggressive response from the current US administration, is about as likely as seeing Turkey returning to being a "moderate" Islamic nation. It just isn’t going to happen)
GOSPEL HERALD

Obama’s fight against the Ideology-With-No-Name — Egyptian President al-Sisi knows its name and has courageously denounced it
CWR

The New America: City of Lake Worth begins persecution of the Christian church
CHARISMA

Atheist to open "reason station" next to Prayer Booths in City Hall
CHARISMA

Anti-Christian America: Christian group ejected from Capitol Visitor Center because their racial reconcilliation event included the phrase "an appeal to heaven"
CHRISTIAN POST

"One day there’s going to be a President Rodriguez" — says Obama in response to those concerned over amnesty
BBN

"Next 20 months likely to be very dangerous" — says Senator Ted Cruz as he observes "anger and defiance" which characterized Obama’s reaction to 2014 midterm elections
WND

Why American soldier joined the frontline against ISIS
BCN

Catholic school pulls out of Boston Saint Patrick’s Day Parade after gay group approved — (Well done to the Immaculate Heart of Mary School of Still River. You will be judged, lambasted, accused of being homophobic and worse, but you are taking a stand for Christ; and that’s what counts)
LIFE SITE

Christians, including former Muslim, say West misunderstands Islam — (This could be the understatement of the month!)
CHRISTIAN DAILY

Study finds homeschoolers less likely to leave faith than those attending public or private schools
CHRISTIAN NEWS

ISRAEL

Palestinian stabs ulta-Orthodox Jew in Jerusalem

DAILY MAIL

Seminary in Jerusalem set on fire
CHARISMA

Iran planning war on Israel’s northern border
ARUTZ SHEVA

Iran deal shows Bibi was right
JEWISH PRESS

Obama intent on assisting Iran to attain nuclear weapons — Netanyahu
DAILY TELEGRAPH

Muslims taunting Jews by hosting picnics on Temple Mount in defiance of agreed laws
INN

Muslim women taunting Christian visitors to Temple Mount
CHARISMA

Apple CEO Tim Cook Praises Israel’s integration of minorities
ISRAEL TODAY

Franciscan monks enjoy snowball flight in Jerusalem (Ah .. monks and their peculiar habits! Reminds me of the Dominican
snowball fight in Dublin some years back)
DAILY MAIL

RECOMMENDED ON ALETEIA

For Syria, an Infusion of Hope for Desperate Christian Community
— Western charitable organization pledges material assistance, but native bishop offers something less tangible

Threat to Attack Malls in America is Real, Says Terrorism Expert — Al Shabab has a track record in Africa—no reason they won’t try the same thing in US

ISIS Has Begun Executing Captured Christians, According to Report — Unconfirmed report warns of impending mass execution of "infidels"

BRITAIN & IRELAND

House of Lords approves of "Three-Parent Babies" — Britain to become first nation to legalize controversial procedure
CNBC

Jihadi John unmasked

INDEPENDENT

Outrage as campaign group describes ISIS executioner as being a beautiful, extremely kind and gentle young man — Then blames BRITAIN for radicalizing him
DAILY MAIL

We’re optimistic about economy: Consumer confidence in their spending power hits four-year high amid falling food and fuel prices — (Do NOT be fooled. This is the prelude to what I believe will be a crushing economic collapse in the West)
DAILY MAIL

Former Archbishop George Carey warns that free speech is under "exceptional attack" in UK
CHRISTIAN TODAY

UK anti-terrorism chief quits over failure to expel suspects
DAILY TELEGRAPH

British Muslim businessman raped teenage girls
DAILY MAIL

The New Britain: H
undreds of desperate British women have proposed marriage to ISIS thugs
DAILY MAIL

British Catholic Bishops to advise parishioners on voting
DAILY MAIL

It is vital that young Catholics involve themselves in politics
CCIEW

The abortion industry has an iron grip on Parliament — The UK abortion industry’s stranglehold on MPs is now so tight that even a modest clarification of an existing law was not possible
CATHOLIC HERALD

Anti-Christian Britain: Scottish school bans Christian book after humanist complaint — A book designed to help with the move to secondary school has been banned at a Scottish school after humanists complained it could “distress” pupils
CHRISTIAN NEWS

Bishop of Paisley denounces rise of anti-Semitism after reports of Jews leaving Scotland
THE TABLET

Growing Scottish opposition to assisted suicide bill
SCOTTISH CATHOLIC OBSERVER

Moderator of Church of Scotland invites Pope to Scotland
TCOS

EUROPE

In Germany, Jewish magazines are now being delivered in plain packaging to minimize attacks against Jews

JEWISH PRESS

Court gives life sentence to German nurse who says he killed up to 30 patients
FXN

Danish imam at Berlin mosque calls for "death to Jews"
THE LOCAL

Mont Saint-Michel has been cut off by the sea for the first time since 1879
RFI VIDEO

Ukrainian Catholic leader: Ukrainians "hurt" by Pope’s description of war
CATHOLIC CULTURE

AFRICA

American missionary kidnapped in Nigeria

NBC

Catholics in Uganda celebrate 136 years of their faith
RADIO VATICANA

Coptic Church mobilizing to evacuate Egyptians from Libya
CATHOLIC CULTURE

African bishops aim for observer status at African Union
CNA

MIDDLE EAST

Apostolic Nuncio in Syria says population feels abandoned
RADIO VATICANA

Why didn’t the recent Turkish incursion into Syria draw ISIS fire?
JERUSALEM POST

Egyptian Islamist, Wagdi Ghoneim (living in Turkey) says of Coptic Christians that "treachery runs in their blood" in support of recent ISIS massacre
MEMRI

Former Miss Turkey facing prison for insulting President Erdoğan — (Recep Erdoğan views any criticism towards him as being akin to blasphemy)
DAILY STAR

Children tortured and electrocuted in Syria
UNHCR

Dubai residential tower in flames — One of the world’s tallest residential towers caught fire in Dubai’s Marina district, sending bright yellow flames several stories high
USA TODAY

Iran considers offer for new Russian anti-ballistic missile system
JERUSALEM POST

Iran and ISIS serve the interests of Apocalyptic Islam and are paving the way for the Islamic Messiah — Joel Rosenberg
CHRISTIAN POST

Iran blows up replica of USS Nimitz during training exercises
CNN

We want to be like ISIS — Children of the Middle East
DAILY MAIL

Who are the Assyrian Christians? Facts about those being targeted by ISIS
DAILY EXPRESS

Young men arrested in Saudi Arabia for playing loud music and inappropriate dancing at private party
DAILY MAIL

Saudi Arabia sentences man to death for renouncing Islam
DAILY MAIL

Christianity could disappear from Middle East entirely if persecution continues
GOSPEL HERALD

THE ISIS FILES

ISIS planning to execute 150 Christians

DAILY MAIL

ISIS blows up Church of the Virgin Mary in Mosul, as terrorist group aims to wipe out Christianity
INQUISITR

ISIS kidnap at least 90 people from Christian villages in Syria
DAILY MAIL

ISIS kills 15 Christian hostages in Syria and beheads woman
ALF

The rise of ISIS: Map shows how terror group now extends from Algeria to Afghanistan
DAILY MAIL

New ISIS video shows Kurdish Peshmerga fighters paraded in cages
DAILY MAIL

The Bride of ISIS
DAILY MAIL

Brainwashed in their bedrooms: British schoolgirl jihadi brides who fled to Syria to join ISIS were following SEVENTY extremists on Twitter accounts that the internet giant had refused to axe
DAILY MAIL

How ISIS is funded by black-market oil trading, illegal drugs and internet cafes
DAILY MAIL

ASIA & FAR EAST

Pakistani Muslims humiliate rape victim by publicizing video of their depraved acts

BBC

48 dead after Bangladesh ferry carrying up to 140 passengers sinks
FXN

American blogger hacked to death in Bangladesh
FXN

Hindu leader says Mother Teresa’s work tainted because she "only wanted to convert Hindus to Christ" — (Notice how since the persecution of Christians in the Middle East has continued unchecked, so other anti-Christian groups and individuals have found the "courage" to speak out. Watch out for growing anti-Christian sentiment in the West in the years ahead)
GOSPEL HERALD CRUX

Malaysian Muslims to be punished for missing prayers
MALAYSIA DIGEST

Muslim school principal in Indonesia abuses pupils, then calls them "demon possessed" for reporting him
JAKARTA GLOBE

Thai church attracting Buddhists
BCN

Adultery de-criminalized in South Korea (Sad really, because those nations which enshrine social Biblical commands in their statutes, are now remarkably few)
JOONGANG DAILY

North Korea could have 100 nuclear weapons in five years, research says
CHRISTIAN TODAY

FAMILY MATTERS

If Islamic terrorists are devout Muslims, then why are they hooked on porn?

CHRISTIAN POST

Psychopathic Porn: The X-Rated Path of Destruction
CBN

Same-sex
polyamory
: Another "breakthrough" for our tolerant world?
CHRISTIAN NEWS

ADDITIONAL

Future of the Internet at stake

TDC

Evangelical author tells Christians "Stop ignoring Sabbath"
CHRISTIAN DAILY

A call for Christian unity
CHRISTIANITY TODAY

Of parishes, priest shortages and the gifts of the Spirit
NCR