NATO Allies Sound Alarm on Russia Chemical Weapons
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Dutch and German intelligence services believe Russia is intensifying its use of chemical weapons in Ukraine, including the deployment of the chemical agent chloropicrin, which can be deadly.
This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.
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Newsweek
39 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Church Doubles Down After Preacher Encouraged Prayers for LGBTQ Deaths
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. An independent Baptist church in Indianapolis has defended a sermon in which church members called for the deaths of people in the LGBTQ+ community. On July 3, preacher Justin Zhong said in a post on the Sure Foundation Baptist Church's Facebook page that the church would not apologize for the sermon. "The Bible is crystal clear that sodomites (homosexuals) deserve the death penalty carried out by a government that actually cares about the law of God," Zhong wrote. In an emailed statement to Newsweek, the Sure Foundation Baptist Church said: "The Bible puts the death penalty on the LGBTQ people. We as Christians must believe and preach what the Bible says. The reason people are so shocked about all this is not many 'Christians' and even 'pastors' actually believe the Bible. To be clear, we only called for the government to execute those people. We are against vigilantes." Why It Matters The church's unapologetic endorsement of violent anti-LGBTQ+ rhetoric reflects a worrying rise of open homophobia in the United States. According to the Human Rights Campaign, citing FBI data, there were 2,402 reported hate crime incidents targeting individuals based on their sexual orientation in 2023—up 23 percent from the previous year. What To Know On June 29, the Sure Foundation Baptist Church held "Men's Preaching Night," where multiple church members used homophobic slurs and called for violence against the LGBTQ+ community while speaking from the pulpit. In a sermon titled "Pray the Gay Away," Stephen Falco addressed the LGBTQ+ community, saying: "You ought to blow yourself in the back of the head. You're so disgusting." "How shall we then properly pray for gay people?" he continued. "We should pray for their deaths, plain and simple." A photo showing a Progress Pride flag on a flagpole in Taylor Square, Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney. A photo showing a Progress Pride flag on a flagpole in Taylor Square, Oxford Street, Darlinghurst, Sydney. After Falco spoke, another church member repeated similar violent and homophobic rhetoric. "You got another Pride Month here. I mean, obviously, I think they should be put to death," Wade Rawley said. "These people should be beaten and stomped in the mud, and then they should take a gun and blow the back of their heads off," he continued. After the sermon, which was broadcast live on Facebook, gained widespread criticism, the church took to its Facebook page to double down on the message. Zhong, who signed the message, wrote: "I will not apologize for preaching the Word of God. I will not apologize for stating facts. I will not negotiate with terrorists, among whom the LGBTHIV crowd is full of domestic terrorists." The church is no stranger to courting controversy. Zhong said in a sermon last year that he would like to see then-President Joe Biden and presidential candidate Donald Trump put to death. What People Are Saying The Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis, a community activist group, condemned the sermon in a statement: "The Concerned Clergy of Indianapolis stands firmly against the harmful rhetoric recently preached that condemned all LGBTQ individuals to hell and instructed people to stay away from them. Such messages are not only theologically irresponsible but pastorally dangerous." What Happens Next Sure Foundation Baptist Church appears to be unfazed by criticisms of its homophobic rhetoric and is likely to continue with its inflammatory sermons.
an hour ago
El Salvador court sentences 3 ex-military officers over killings of Dutch journalists
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador -- Three former El Salvador military officers were given lengthy prison sentences late Thursday over the 1982 killings of four Dutch journalists during the country's civil war. It means former Defense Minister Gen. José Guillermo García, 91, former treasury police director Col. Francisco Morán, 93, and Col. Mario Adalberto Reyes Mena, 85, will almost certainly die in jail. In the sentence, seen by The Associated Press, the court imposed 15-year sentences requested by the prosecution cumulative for each victim, adding up to 60 years. However, the court will follow the maximum sentence allowed at the time of the killings, which was 30 years. The court also ordered President Nayib Bukele, who is the commander in chief of the armed forces, to issue a public apology to the victims' families. Last month, a jury convicted the three officers after a trial that was closed to the public. García and Morán are under police guard at a private hospital in San Salvador, where they will serve out their sentences at their expense, the court ruled. Reyes Mena — who was the former army commander of the Fourth Infantry Brigade in Chalatenango — lives in the United States. In March, El Salvador's Supreme Court ordered that the extradition process be started to bring him back. 'Truth and justice have won over impunity and this is a historic event for El Salvador,' said Oscar Pérez of the Fundación Comunicandonos, which represents the families. The Dutch TV journalists — Jan Kuiper, Koos Koster, Hans ter Laag and Joop Willemson — had linked up with leftist rebels and planned to spend several days behind rebel lines reporting. But Salvadoran soldiers armed with assault rifles and machine guns ambushed them and the guerrillas. The United Nations Truth Commission for El Salvador, which was set up as part of a U.N.-brokered peace agreement in 1992, concluded there was clear evidence that the killings were the result of an ambush set up by Reyes Mena with the knowledge of other officials, based on an intelligence report that alerted of the journalists' presence. Other members of the military, including Gen. Rafael Flores Lima and Sgt. Mario Canizales Espinoza were also accused of involvement, but died. Canizales allegedly led the patrol that carried out the massacre of the journalists.
Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
El Salvador court sentences 3 ex-military officers over killings of Dutch journalists in 1982
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — Three former El Salvador military officers were given lengthy prison sentences late Thursday over the 1982 killings of four Dutch journalists during the country's civil war. It means former Defense Minister Gen. José Guillermo García, 91, former treasury police director Col. Francisco Morán, 93, and Col. Mario Adalberto Reyes Mena, 85, will almost certainly die in jail. In the sentence, seen by The Associated Press, the court imposed 15-year sentences requested by the prosecution cumulative for each victim, adding up to 60 years. However, the court will follow the maximum sentence allowed at the time of the killings, which was 30 years. The court also ordered President Nayib Bukele, who is the commander in chief of the armed forces, to issue a public apology to the victims' families. Last month, a jury convicted the three officers after a trial that was closed to the public. García and Morán are under police guard at a private hospital in San Salvador, where they will serve out their sentences at their expense, the court ruled. Reyes Mena — who was the former army commander of the Fourth Infantry Brigade in Chalatenango — lives in the United States. In March, El Salvador's Supreme Court ordered that the extradition process be started to bring him back. 'Truth and justice have won over impunity and this is a historic event for El Salvador,' said Oscar Pérez of the Fundación Comunicandonos, which represents the families. The Dutch TV journalists — Jan Kuiper, Koos Koster, Hans ter Laag and Joop Willemson — had linked up with leftist rebels and planned to spend several days behind rebel lines reporting. But Salvadoran soldiers armed with assault rifles and machine guns ambushed them and the guerrillas. The United Nations Truth Commission for El Salvador, which was set up as part of a U.N.-brokered peace agreement in 1992, concluded there was clear evidence that the killings were the result of an ambush set up by Reyes Mena with the knowledge of other officials, based on an intelligence report that alerted of the journalists' presence. Other members of the military, including Gen. Rafael Flores Lima and Sgt. Mario Canizales Espinoza were also accused of involvement, but died. Canizales allegedly led the patrol that carried out the massacre of the journalists. An estimated 75,000 civilians were killed during El Salvador's civil war, mostly by U.S.-backed government security forces. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
