The
Daily Brief: Tuesday, June 20, 2017
President Trump slammed North Korea's "brutal regime" Monday after the death of college student Otto Warmbier, who was released by the communist nation in a coma last week. "Lot of bad things happened," Trump said during a White House meeting with technology CEOs, "but at least we got him home to be with his parents. It's a brutal regime," Trump went on, "and we'll be able to handle it."
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the United States held North Korea accountable for Warmbier's "unjust imprisonment" and demanded that the country release three other Americans it is holding prisoner for alleged crimes against the state. The U.S. government has previously accused North Korea of using such detainees as political pawns. (Read more)
- Oh, Father, how can we ever forgive this sin? Lord, we cannot forgive the North Koreans . . . but You can. We ask this, in Your name. Lord God, please meet Otto's parents in this time of deep pain, and help them come through this shock by Your grace, in Your name, amen.
- "Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted." (Matthew 5:4)
2. Georgia special election: Voters to settle most expensive congressional race in history - Fox News
With campaign spending expected to top $50 million, the race to fill the suburban Atlanta congressional district, vacated when Tom Price was named Health and Human Services Secretary, is the most expensive in U.S. history. Both candidates in the 6th District are calling on heavy hitters with Georgia roots to get out the vote on Tuesday.
"It's time to be knocking on those doors. It's time to be making those calls. It's time to be sending those emails," Secretary Price told supporters at a weekend rally for Republican Karen Handel. "It's time to be making certain that you are asking every single individual that you see within the 6th District, 'Have you voted?'"
Former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue, a Republican, also stumped for Handel over the weekend, while Democrat Jon Ossoff enlisted the support of Rep. John Lewis, a Georgia congressman and civil rights icon. (Read more)
- Lord, this is a key event not only for the citizens of the State of Georgia, but also as a bellweather for our nation's future. We ask that Your wisdom would rest upon each voter as they go to the polls today. May each one vote by the leading of Your Spirit, in Your name, amen.
- "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance." (Psalm 33:12)
3. Justices Strike Down Law Banning Disparaging Trademarks - New York Times
In a decision likely to bolster the Washington Redskins' efforts to protect its trademarks, the Supreme Court on Monday ruled that the government may not refuse to register potentially offensive names. A law denying protection to disparaging trademarks, the court said, violated the First Amendment. The decision was unanimous, but the justices were divided on the reasoning.
The decision, concerning an Asian-American dance-rock band called the Slants, probably also means that the Washington Redskins football team will win its fight to retain federal trademark protection. The law at issue in both cases denies federal trademark protection to messages that may disparage people, living or dead, along with "institutions, beliefs or national symbols."
In 2015, a federal appeals court in Washington found the law's disparagement provision unconstitutional in a case brought by the Slants. Writing for the majority in a 9-to-3 decision, Judge Kimberly A. Moore of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said that while some of the rejected trademarks "convey hurtful speech that harms members of oft-stigmatized communities," the First Amendment "protects even hurtful speech." (Read more)
- Lord, thank You for this ruling by the SCOTUS, which will likely relieve sports teams from lawsuits over names which have been around for many years.
- "For God is my defense." (Psalm 59:9b)
4. Supreme Court Agrees To Hear Wisconsin Gerrymandering Case- NPR
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to take up an appeal over electoral districts in Wisconsin after a lower court ruled that the state's Republican-drawn map constitutes an "unconstitutional partisan gerrymander." It's the first time in more than a decade that the nation's highest court will take up the issue of partisan gerrymandering, or drawing voting districts with the aim of strengthening one political party. And it gives the court an opportunity to formally determine a metric on what constitutes unlawful gerrymandering, which could have major implications for the way voting districts are drawn in other states. (Read more)
- Lord we ask the Your will prevail over this court case, protecting the fairness of elections from districting that grants favor to one side or another.
- "And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies. Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries." (Psalm 27:11b,12a)
5. Steve Scalise condition: House Whip undergoes another surgery, now 'serious;' update on wounded lobbyist - AL.com
Medstar Washington Hospital Center announced Sunday evening Scalise underwent an additional surgery over the weekend but "continues to show signs of improvement."
"He is more responsive, and is speaking with his loved ones. The Scalise family greatly appreciates the outpouring of thoughts and prayers," the hospital announced.
Matt Mika, director of government relations for Tyson Food and former Congressional aid, was among the most seriously wounded in the attack. In a statement Saturday, Mika's family said he faces additional surgery but is showing "positive results." (Read more)
- Lord God, just as You are standing beside the bedsides of each of these injured victims of last week's shooting, so we, too, continue our prayer vigil on their behalf. Thank You, Father, that You are bringing both Steve Scalise and Matt Mika healing, one gentle step at a time. In Your name, amen.
- " Pray without ceasing . . . " (1 Thessalonians 5:16)
6. In the House Tomorrow: Russia Investigative Task Force Hearing with Former Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson - House Committee Repository
This committee will meet in the Capitol at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 21st. This hearing will last for two hours.
- Father, we also continue to "pray without ceasing" over every one of the Committee hearings now scheduled to take place on Capitol Hill, focusing on the alleged Russian interference with our elections last fall. Hear our prayers, O Lord, we pray, amen.
- "Woe to those . . . who defraud the one in the right with meaningless arguments." (Isaiah 29:18)
7. Attorneys general sue Trump over business ties - White House - world.wng.org
The District of Columbia and the state of Maryland filed a lawsuit Monday against President Donald Trump, alleging his business ties violate the Constitution. Karl Racine and Brian Frosh, both Democrats and the attorneys general for D.C. and Maryland, respectively, claim Trump's failure to completely sever his private business dealings is a breach of his office.
No state has ever accused a president of violating the Emoluments Clauses of the Constitution-which ban federal officials accepting gifts from foreign governments and prohibit the president from economic benefits other than his annual salary.
"The president's conflicts of interest threaten our democracy," Frosh said at press conference today. ""We cannot treat the president's ongoing violations of the Constitution and his disregard of the rights of the American people as the new acceptable status quo." (Read more)
- Father God, we pray that these accusations would fall to the ground as dust and be of no effect in a court of law. In Your Name, amen.
- "Woe to those . . . who defraud the one in the right with meaningless arguments." (Isaiah 29:18)
8. Google tightens measures to remove extremist content on YouTube - Reuters
Alphabet Inc's (GOOGL.O) Google will implement more measures to identify and remove terrorist or violent extremist content on its video sharing platform YouTube, the company said in a blog post on Sunday. Google said it would take a tougher position on videos containing supremacist or inflammatory religious content by issuing a warning and not monetizing or recommending them for user endorsements, even if they do not clearly violate its policies.
The company will also employ more engineering resources and increase its use of technology to help identify extremist videos, in addition to training new content classifiers to quickly identify and remove such content. "While we and others have worked for years to identify and remove content that violates our policies, the uncomfortable truth is that we, as an industry, must acknowledge that more needs to be done. Now," said Google's general counsel Kent Walker. (Read more)
- Father as much as we hate the terrorist content on Social Media, we also are leery of how these social media define "extremist" and "terrorist." We pray that You will guard Your people as these new rules go into effect, not allowing anything outside of Your will to be imposed.
- "I said, I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle while the wicked are before me." (Psalm 39:1)
9. US F/A-18E Shoots Down Syrian Su-22 in Air-to-Air Kill - Military.com
A U.S. Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet shot down a Syrian Su-22 on Sunday after the Soviet-era fighter-bomber dropped munitions near U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces fighters, U.S. Central Command officials confirmed.
The strike was believed to be the U.S. military's first air-to-air kill involving manned aircraft in nearly two decades. The last known such instance was when a U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon shot down a Serbian MiG-29 in 1999 during the Kosovo campaign.
"A Syrian regime SU-22 dropped bombs near SDF fighters south of Tabqah and, in accordance with rules of engagement and in collective self-defense of Coalition partnered forces, was immediately shot down by a U.S. F/A-18E Super Hornet," the command said in a release.
The attack comes after pro-Syrian forces attacked SDF fighters in Ja'Din, wounding a number of SDF fighters, officials said. The town is south of Tabqah and a known area where U.S. works with Russia to deconflict the airspace. (Read more)
- Father, this protection of the rebel forces with shooting down a Syrian plane has enraged Russia and Syria. We ask that You continue to protect our forces, and also grant our leadership wisdom in the use of rebel forces that are considered terrorists by Russia.
- "Remember this, that the enemy has reproached, O Lord, and that a foolish people has blasphemed Your name." (Psalm 74:18)
10. Iran launches missile strike into Syria in response to Tehran attacks - Reuters
Iran's Revolutionary Guard said Sunday it launched missiles into eastern Syria targeting Islamic State militants in response to a June 7 attack on Iran's parliament and a shrine in Tehran. The hardline paramilitary force also warned that it would similarly retaliate against anyone else carrying out attacks in Iran.
The launch of surface-to-surface medium range missiles into Syria's Deir el-Zour province comes as Islamic State militants fleeing a US-led coalition onslaught increasingly try to fortify their positions there Israel's Channel 10, quoting an Israeli intelligence source, said the missiles were Iranian Shahab-3 medium-range ballistic missiles, with a range of 1,200 kilometers (800 miles). [Read more]
- Father this new level of involvement by Iran is concerning. We pray that Your restraining hand will stop them from any further action.
- "The righteous cry out and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles." (Psalm 34:17)
11. Tensions rise in Syria as Russia, Iran send US warnings- AP
Russia on Monday threatened aircraft from the U.S.-led coalition in Syrian-controlled airspace and suspended a hotline intended to avoid collisions in retaliation for the U.S. military shooting down a Syrian warplane. The U.S. said it had downed the Syrian jet a day earlier after it dropped bombs near the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces conducting operations against the Islamic State group, adding that was something it would not tolerate.
The downing of the warplane - the first time in the six-year conflict that the U.S. has shot down a Syrian jet - came amid another first: Iran fired several ballistic missiles Sunday night at IS positions in eastern Syria in what it said was a message to archrival Saudi Arabia and the United States.
The developments added to already-soaring regional tensions and reflect the intensifying rivalry among the major players in Syria's civil war that could spiral out of control just as the fight against the Islamic State group in its stronghold of Raqqa is gaining ground. Russia, a key ally of Syrian President Bashar Assad, called on the U.S. military to provide a full accounting as to why it decided to shoot down the Syrian Su-22 bomber.
The U.S. military confirmed that one of its F-18 Super Hornets shot down a Syrian jet that had dropped bombs near the U.S. partner forces SDF. Those forces, which are aligned with the U.S. in the campaign against the Islamic State group, warned Syrian government troops to stop their attacks or face retaliation.
The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement that as of Monday, all coalition jets and drones flying west of the Euphrates River will be tracked as potential targets. (Read more)
- Lord, we pray for Your power to protect our pilots, and our military against any actions by the Russians and Syrians. WE bind up this situation and loose Your Spirit to bring calm to the conflict in Syria.
- "Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it." (Psalm 34:14)
12. North Korea: US officials seized diplomatic package at JFK - Fox News
North Korea claimed Sunday that U.S. officials forcibly seized a diplomatic package from one of their delegations at John F. Kennedy Airport, calling it an "illegal and heinous act of provocation."
The official Korean Central News Agency said officials were returning from a UN conference on rights of persons with disabilities Friday when they were "literally mugged."
"At the airport, a group of more than 20 including those who claimed to be from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the police officers made a violent assault like gangsters to take away the diplomatic package from the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) diplomats who were in possession of a valid diplomatic courier certificate," a spokesman for North Korea's foreign ministry told the news agency.
"As the diplomats vigorously resisted, they grabbed the diplomatic package using physical violence and made off," the North Korean spokesman said. (Read more)
- Father we ask that You quell the constant evil from this North Korean government. We do not know what was in that "diplomatic package," but they are too upset for it to be something innocuous. We ask that You protect the US and all Western interests against this rouge nation.
- "The wicked plots against the just, and gnashes at him with his teeth. The Lord laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming." (Psalm 37:12-13)
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