Report: Over 340M Christians Persecuted Daily; At Least 4,781 Killed for Their Faith 2019--2020

Every day, more than 340 million Christians suffer discrimination, inequality, or active persecution in at least 50 countries in the world, according to a report released yesterday by Open Doors, a Christian human rights organization, the Crux website reports today (January 14, 2021).

In 2018-2019. 2,983 cases of Christians being killed for their faith were recorded by the international watchdog group, while there were at least 4,781 between October 2019 and  September 2020.

Over 90 percent of these killings were in Africa, where a terrorist group blamed Christians for the coronavirus pandemic.

House of Reps. Impeaches Trump for a 2nd Time; McConnell Won't Call Senate Session for His Trial

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has rejected a plan to reconvene the Senate in an emergency session to hold trial over an impeachment article against President Trump in the House, the Daily Wire website reports today (January 13, 2021). 

Without the emergency session, the Senate is due back in session on January 19, so McConnell's decision all but kills a Democrat-led effort to oust Trump from office before his term ends and President-elect Joe Biden is sworn in on January 20. 

Democrats have proposed holding the trial over Trump's impeachment well-into Biden's presidency; however, most legal scholars believe that impeaching and removing a president after he left office is illegal and unconstitutional.

Trump Calls 2nd Impeachment Move Ridiculous; Views It as the Greatest "Witch Hunt" in History

President Trump today (January 12, 2021) said the new push in Congress to impeach him a second time is a "continuation of the greatest witch hunt in the history of politics," the Washington Times website reports.

"I think it's causing tremendous anger," Trump told reporters as he left the White House to view his new border wall in Texas. 

He said the push by House Democrats to impeach him for inciting last week's riot at the Capitol is "absolutely ridiculous."

Pope Awards Women More Roles in Cath. Church; But He Still Refuses to Let Women Become Priests

 Pope Francis changed church law today (January 11, 2021) to explicitly allow women to do more things during Mass, granting them access to the most sacred place on the altar, while continuing to affirm that they cannot be priests, according to the Yahoo News website. 

Francis amended the law to formalize and institutionalize what is common practice in many parts of the   world. Women can now be installed as lectors, to read Scripture and serve on the altar as eucharistic ministers. 

Francis said he was making the change to increase the recognition of the "precious contribution" women make in the church, while emphasizing that all baptized Catholics have a role to play in the church's mission.

Most Americans Want Trump Out before Jan. 20; Two-thirds Believe Trump Caused Riot at Capitol

A majority of Americans would like to see President Donald Trump removed from office before January 20, 2021, when President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn in, according to a new poll by ABC News/IPSOS, the Daily Beast website reports. 

The poll also found that two-thirds of Americans hold Trump directly responsible for the deadly riot on Capitol Hill on January 6.  

The poll showed that 56 percent of Americans want Trump gone, while just 43 percent say he should stay in place. 

Trump Tells White House Aides He Won't Resign; Regrets Releasing Video Condemning Capitol Riot

President Donald Trump is resisting all demands he resign from office after  a violent riot by his supporters resulted in five deaths as they stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, according to the NY Times website. 

Behind closed doors at the White House, Trump struck a defiant tone, insisting to his close supporters that he would remain a potent force in American politics. 

He also expressed regret about releasing a video a day after the riot committing to a peaceful transition of power and condemning the violence at the Capitol that he had a day before incited. 

Trump Accuses Twitter of "Banning Free Speech;" Twitter Banned Trump for Inciting Capitol Riots

Donald Trump today (January 8, 2021) accused Twitter of  "banning free speech" in a tweet from a  POTUS account, as Twitter blocked Trump from sending any messages due to his encouraging the Capitol building rioting this week, according to the Sky News website.

The social media company has permanently suspended the president's account and wiped out all his old tweets. 

Twitter's ban comes after Trump was similarly banned from Facebook and Instagram following the riots at the U.S. Capitol.