Displaying items by tag: USA

Hans Schmidt, a street preacher and military veteran, was shot in the head while sharing the Gospel in Arizona. Unaware of the gunshot, he drove to his church, Victory Chapel, with blood streaming down his face. On the way to the hospital, he suffered a seizure and became unconscious. Doctors gave little hope, telling his wife Zulya that the outcome looked grim. They expected death, and detectives even spoke of an autopsy. However, prayer warriors across the nation began interceding for him. Hans was placed in a medically-induced coma and remained unresponsive for a month. Then, miraculously, he woke up and spoke. His wife was astonished and overjoyed. Against all odds, he fully recovered, returned to his family, and resumed playing the drums at church. He has also forgiven his assailant, who was never found. Now, he continues preaching the message of God’s love, focusing on the importance of forgiveness.

The Global Day of Prayer for America is scheduled for 22 September, with the goal of sparking a nationwide revival. Participants are invited to join an online prayer meeting from 7:00 to 10:00 am (EST), featuring leaders from around the globe. This event focuses on uniting believers to seek a Christ-awakening, where the Holy Spirit ignites a passion for Jesus and spiritual transformation sweeps across the country. Dr Jason Hubbard emphasises the urgent need for revival in American churches, communities, and families, highlighting the spiritual stagnation and division currently present. The call is for extraordinary prayer and intercession, recognising that true revival brings societal transformation and comprehensive change. The event underscores that revival is not merely a series of meetings but a deep, God-driven movement marked by humility, repentance, and a hunger for God's presence. It is a call for America to be saturated with the power and glory of God, bringing revival from coast to coast.

Both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have spoken briefly to Donald Trump, following a second apparent assassination attempt against him on 15 September. Harris expressed relief over Trump’s safety, while Biden focussed on safety and protection measures. Speaking later, Harris reiterated her stance against political violence, emphasising the importance of democracy and peaceful discourse. While Trump was playing on a Florida golf course, Secret Service agents spotted a man armed with an AK-style rifle near the perimeter. The suspect, Ryan Wesley Routh, had reportedly lain in wait for twelve hours. He fled from the scene, but was later arrested after a car chase. Trump’s immediate reaction was to blame Biden and Harris for inciting violence against him through their rhetoric.

President Daniel Noboa has proposed changing Ecuador’s constitution to allow foreign military bases, a move aimed at combating transnational crime and drug trafficking. He argues that Ecuador needs international military assistance to address escalating gang violence. This proposal comes fifteen years after former president Rafael Correa banned foreign military bases, ending the US presence in the country. It would have to pass through the constitutional court, the national assembly, and a public referendum. Noboa, facing declining approval ratings due to ongoing violence, hopes this reform will bolster his security policies ahead of his 2025 re-election campaign. Gang-related violence has surged in Ecuador's port cities, with murder and kidnapping rates skyrocketing.

Born to a Hindu father and Christian mother near Chennai, Mohan committed his life to Christ while in the tenth grade after grappling with spiritual questions about heaven and salvation. Baptised in 1990, he received the gift of speaking in tongues a few months later. He soon felt called to plant churches and began evangelising in a nearby village. Despite having a career as an engineer, Mohan used his earnings to support pastors and plant churches, leading to the establishment of ten churches in India. In 2012, he moved to Connecticut, where he continues to support global church-planting efforts. During the Covid lockdown, Mohan spent time in deep prayer, leading to the creation of Universal Apostolic Ministries, which focuses on planting churches in Hindu, Islamic, Buddhist, and communist countries. His ministry has expanded from India to include Myanmar, Bhutan, Pakistan, China, Mexico, and beyond.

At an event in Phoenix, US media personality Tucker Carlson talked at length to actor Russell Brand about his recent conversion, then asked him to close the event in prayer. Dropping to his knees, Brand declared: ‘I call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, our heavenly Saviour. I pray … that the dark and demonic forces which appear to operate in the corporate and global world experience your light, Lord.’ After asking God to guide everyone's words and hearts towards grace and forgiveness, he continued: ‘Thank you, Lord, for the many gifts that you have bestowed upon us. Thank you for the glory of consciousness itself, in which we can experience you and live for you. Thank you for the beauty of nature, in which we see your wisdom and your creativity and your infinite glory. All of us are fallen, but in your holy name we are forgiven by your act of redemption. By your sacrifice in your name, we pray. Amen.’ ‘Amen’, Carson responded, prompting cheers from the audience.

France, Germany, and the UK have introduced new sanctions on Iran for supplying ballistic missiles to Russia, which US secretary of state Antony Blinken said  will be used against Ukraine. The sanctions include restrictions on Iran Air and travel bans on military officials. UK foreign secretary David Lammy described Iran's actions as ‘a dangerous escalation’. Several individuals and organisations involved in the supply of the missiles face sanctions, and Russian cargo ships transporting these supplies have also been targeted. The Western nations have demanded that Iran halt its missile deliveries, citing security threats to Europe. Blinken and Lammy also flew to Ukraine to ‘hear directly from the leadership’ about their objectives. Volodymyr Zelensky has asked for authorisation to use Western-supplied missiles to strike targets inside Russia - a move the USA has so far resisted. Russia continues to make advances in eastern Ukraine.

Kamala Harris faced Donald Trump in a high-stakes debate ahead of the 2024 election. Harris, making her debate debut against Trump, focused on attacking his leadership, highlighting his shifting positions on abortion and crowd sizes. Trump attempted to play up his immigration policies but struggled under Harris’s sharp retorts. Harris emphasised her vision for change, positioning herself as the candidate to move beyond Trump’s ‘tired playbook’ of grievances. Despite Trump’s attempts to paint her as a continuation of Joe Biden, she stayed on message, especially on economic and climate issues. The debate moderators fact-checked Trump, leading to complaints from him and his supporters about unfair treatment. Harris ended the debate on a high note, made even better when pop star Taylor Swift publicly endorsed her. Though polls show mixed views on who represents ‘change’, Harris’s performance has solidified her status as a strong contender in the extremely tight race for the White House.

The USA has filed criminal charges against Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas, and five other individuals for orchestrating the deadly attack on 7 October which killed 1,200 people, including forty Americans. The charges include conspiracy to support a terrorist organisation, conspiracy to murder US nationals, and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction. The complaint alleges support from Iran and Hezbollah. Three of the defendants are believed to be dead, while Sinwar remains in hiding. These charges are part of a broader effort to dismantle Hamas’s operations, but the White House also says it is actively working with Egypt and Qatar on a new ceasefire and hostage deal. In other developments, in Israel there have been three days of huge protests against Benjamin Netanyahu, and the UK government has decided to suspend sale of certain types of arms sales to Israel because they might be used in violation of international humanitarian law.

Venezuela’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia has sparked international condemnation. Canada, the USA, and Brazil have all criticised Nicolás Maduro for his crackdown on opposition members following a contested presidential election in July. He was declared the winner with 52% of the vote but failed to release vote tallies. The opposition have presented records to back up their claims that Gonzalez won. When he refused to testify in an investigation, a warrant was issued for his arrest. Brazil, once supportive of Venezuela, expressed concerns and warned that his detention would be seen as politically motivated. The USA, long critical of Maduro, accused him of extreme measures to retain power. Meanwhile, Human Rights Watch has accused armed groups of killing 23 protesters after Maduro’s victory: see.