Tag: Congo News

Air France flight bound for Detroit diverted to Canada over passenger from Congo, officials say

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An Air France flight from Paris to Detroit was forced to divert to Montreal on Wednesday due to U.S. flight restrictions linked to the Ebola outbreak after it was determined that one of the passengers was from the Democratic Republic of Congo, federal officials and the airline said. Air France boarded the passenger “in error on a flight to the United States,” a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson told CBS News in a statement. “Due to entry restrictions put in place to reduce the risk of the Ebola virus, the passenger should not have boarded the plane,” the CBP spokesperson said. “CBP took decisive action and prohibited the flight carrying that traveler from landing at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, and instead, diverted to Montreal, Canada.” CBP did not say when the person had last been in the Congo or whether they were showing symptoms of the virus.

When reached about the incident, the Federal Aviation Administration directed CBS News to CBP. CBS News has also reached out to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for comment. Air France said in a statement to CBS News that it “confirms that, at the request of U.S. authorities, (the flight) was diverted to Montreal Airport after a Congolese passenger on board was denied entry into the United States. In fact, under new regulations, passengers arriving from certain countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, may only enter U.S. territory via Washington (IAD) Airport. There was no medical emergency on board, and like all airlines, Air France is required to comply with the entry requirements of the countries it serves.”

According to the flight tracking website FlightAware, Air France Flight 378 from Paris-Charles de Gaulle International Airport landed at Montreal Trudeau International Airport at 5:15 p.m. ET. The status of the passenger from the Congo was unknown.  Deborah Mistor, a business class passenger aboard the flight, told CBS News in an interview Thursday night that the rest of the passengers were then flown from Montreal to Detroit aboard the same aircraft. Mistor revealed that the passengers were notified by the captain about four hours before they were initially due to arrive in Detroit that U.S. authorities were not allowing the plane to land in the U.S. and the flight was being diverted. The captain did not provide a reason, however. “I think enough people must have been questioning what was going on because 30 minutes later, he came back on and said that he wanted to confirm that there was nothing wrong with the plane, there were no technical difficulties, that it was strictly because of U.S. authorities not allowing us to land in the U.S.,” Mistor told CBS News.

Source: Air France flight bound for Detroit diverted to Canada over passenger from Congo, officials say – CBS News

But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.”
1 Peter 3:14

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Recent News on Christian Persecution (March 11 – March 18, 2026)

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Advocacy groups including International Christian Concern (ICC), Open Doors, and Persecution Relief released multiple reports this week documenting fresh incidents of violence, arrests, and systemic discrimination. The global picture remains unchanged: roughly 388 million Christians (about 1 in 7 worldwide) continue to face high or extreme levels of persecution according to the 2026 World Watch List.

1. India – Mob Assault on 28 Christian Families in Chhattisgarh

  • On March 10 (reported March 16), a mob in Millampalli village, Sukma district, attacked 28 Christian families with wooden rods and sticks. The families had been denied government food rations since November 2025 solely because of their faith; when they complained, a local food inspector allegedly incited the violence and issued threats. Police complaints were filed, but witnesses claim authorities showed bias or inaction.

2. Nigeria – Fulani Militia Attacks Continue in Plateau State

  • A March 17 ICC report highlighted ongoing raids by Fulani militants and bandits on Christian farming communities in Barkin Ladi, Riyom, and Bokkos areas. Rev. Ezekiel Dachomo of the Church of Christ in Nations publicly stated that repeated appeals for protection, including direct outreach to the U.S. administration, have gone unanswered, leaving Middle Belt Christians exposed despite broader U.S. military operations elsewhere in the country. Churches and homes remain primary targets.

3. Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – Weekly ADF/ISIS-Linked Violence

  • ICC’s March 13 briefing detailed near-weekly attacks by the ISIS-affiliated Allied Democratic Forces in eastern provinces. Christians are being murdered, abducted, and displaced, with churches deliberately destroyed as militants seek to impose stricter Islamic rule. The situation has worsened in recent months, with hundreds killed or kidnapped in targeted Christian villages.

4. Cuba – Pastor Arrested for Posting Bible Teaching Online

  • On March 15, Pastor Rolando Pérez Lora was arrested after uploading a simple Bible teaching video to YouTube. The arrest drew international attention March 16–18, underscoring growing restrictions on online Christian expression in Cuba. Local believers and advocacy groups are calling for his immediate release.

5. Iran & China – Heightened Pressure Amid Conflict and Surveillance

  • Open Doors issued updated “Dispatches from Iran” (March 17) noting that at least 48 Christians remain imprisoned amid regional chaos, communication blackouts, and economic hardship affecting underground churches. In China, ICC’s new feature “Persecution Has No Borders” detailed intensified domestic surveillance plus overseas harassment of Chinese Christians abroad through “police stations” and digital monitoring.

6. China – “Persecution Has No Borders”

  • ICC’s March 17 feature emphasized the Chinese Communist Party’s expanding reach: intensified surveillance, church demolitions, and “Sinicization” campaigns inside China, alongside overseas “police stations” harassing Chinese Christians abroad. Long-term prisoners and families of detainees continue to suffer, with authorities tightening controls on online Bible studies and house churches.

7. Iran – Christians Endure War Chaos and Imprisonment

  • Open Doors issued a March 17 dispatch on the situation inside Iran amid regional conflict. At least 48 Christians remain imprisoned, many in the overcrowded and chaotic Evin Prison, while others are missing. Communication blackouts, economic collapse, and forced conscription have hit underground churches particularly hard. Believers have been actively supporting displaced families, demonstrating remarkable resilience despite the risks of arrest for “apostasy” or “propaganda against the regime.”

8. Broader Regional Warnings

  • Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) reiterated that escalating violence in the Middle East threatens the very survival of ancient Christian communities. The Vatican and UN statements this week again described anti-Christian persecution as the most widespread form of religious oppression globally.
  • The Vatican and several UN statements this week reiterated warnings about the scale of anti-Christian violence, especially in conflict zones. European commentators also discussed “polite persecution” , subtle legal and cultural pressures in Western societies, alongside the more violent incidents in the Global South. No major new policy shifts were announced, but advocacy groups continue pressing Western governments for stronger diplomatic action.

These reports emphasize both sudden violence and long-term systemic pressures. Relief organizations are actively providing emergency aid, legal assistance, and documentation. For ongoing monitoring, the primary sources remain ICC (persecution.org), Open Doors, and ACN.

Source: Grok on X

You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
Matthew 5:13

ER Visits Surge and Experts Urge Caution amid Record Tick Season

The current tick season is reported to be the worst in decades, with emergency room visits for bites and cases of Lyme disease increasing. According to the CDC, 71 out of every 100,000 emergency room visits were for tick bites, which is a 25% increase over last year. This figure excludes visits to urgent care…

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Northern Minnesota wildfire prompts evacuations near Burntside Lake

Officials ordered residents to evacuate Monday afternoon as crews work to extinguish a wildfire in northern Minnesota. The U.S. Forest Service says the fire is located in the Superior National Forest northwest of the North Arm of the Burntside Lake area, approximately eight miles northwest of Ely. The St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office said agencies…

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Raccoon tests positive for rabies after attacking dog in metro Atlanta

Gwinnett County officials are warning residents to use caution after a raccoon tested positive for rabies over the weekend. Officials say the raccoon attacked a dog near Biltmore Oaks Drive in the Bethlehem area on May 26. Testing revealed that the animal was infected with the potentially deadly virus. The disease, which can be transmitted…

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Miami-Dade teacher to face judge after being accused of having sexual relationship with student

A South Florida teacher is expected to appear in court on Tuesday after he was arrested for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a student, according to deputies. The Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office said that detectives with the Special Victims Bureau arrested Michael J. Enriquez, a teacher with Miami-Dade Public Schools, for engaging in unlawful sexual…

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Bright meteor gets attention Monday night across Great Lakes region

If you missed the meteor sighting over Southeast Michigan early on May 27, perhaps you saw the latest one on Monday night.  A fireball, which is a bright meteor, was seen about 10:42 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday in a wider geographic area around Lake Erie than the one that was seen last week. The American…

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Fireball sightings reported in at least 8 states including Illinois

Sightings of a fireball were reported across Illinois and at least eight other states on Monday night.  The American Meteor Society received nearly 200 reports of a fireball seen over Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, New York, Ohio, and Wisconsin around 10 p.m. Some of the reports out of Illinois came from Chicago, Aurora, Carpentersville, Warrenville, Addison, Waukegan,…

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‘Nothing changes’: Four decades in power, Congo’s Nguesso seeks a new term

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Is Brazzaville’s stability a result of gradual democratic consolidation or carefully organised political continuity?

Source: ‘Nothing changes’: Four decades in power, Congo’s Nguesso seeks a new term | Elections News | Al Jazeera

But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
Matthew 12:36

Texas child‑exploitation crackdown leads to 276 arrests and 89 children rescued, authorities say

A sweeping two‑month child‑exploitation crackdown across Texas has led to 276 arrests and the rescue of 89 children, federal and local authorities announced this week. Officials called Operation Soteria Shield one of the state’s largest coordinated efforts to combat online predators. The initiative, led by FBI Dallas and dozens of Texas law enforcement agencies, ran…

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Pastor Convicted for Preaching John 3:16 Outside Hospital

Retired Pastor Clive Johnston plans to file an appeal after he was convicted in Northern Ireland for preaching John 3:16 outside the buffer zone of a local hospital. Johnston, 78, was fined $604 and convicted of two charges of “influencing” people on abortion under the Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) Act while standing within 328…

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US has eliminated hundreds of ISIS militants in Nigeria: Hegseth

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said U.S. forces have killed “hundreds” of Islamic State militants in Nigeria, crediting President Donald Trump’s directive to protect Christians in the country from Islamist violence. During a Cabinet meeting at the White House on Wednesday, Hegseth said Trump charged the military with taking steps to protect Nigerian Christians roughly…

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Because They Are Above us All: Jill Biden on Hunter pardon: “We just could not let our son go to jail” under Trump’s DOJ

Jill Biden said she supported Joe Biden’s decision to pardon their son, Hunter, because they couldn’t let him go to jail under President Trump.  Joe Biden had repeatedly pledged not to pardon his son, but reversed course at the end of his presidency.  “And then the Justice Department changed. And I think that the process…

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Calls for an end to the sexualisation of children in schools

The Coalition for Marriage (C4M) has called for an end to the sexualisation of children in schools and has denounced plans for a “summer of sex” at Westminster. C4M pointed to official guidelines on sex education as well as some concerning cases that suggest many children are being exposed to inappropriate material and are being…

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Video Footage of Five and Half Months in the Yukon in Five Minutes

From spring through summer and into fall, enjoy the variety of wildlife that pass by this single camera location in the Yukon wilderness from 2021. Highlights include both grizzly and black bears showing interest in a scent marking tree, a pair of lynx at night, a few big bull moose in fall, several wolf visits,…

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Wildlife officials track mountain lion through Santa Monica neighborhood

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife tracked a mountain lion through a Santa Monica neighborhood on Friday.  CDFW staff said residents first spotted the mountain lion at 714 14th Street in the morning. State biologists, local animal control officers and law enforcement coordinated to locate it in the neighborhood. After assessing the scene and…

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Mine collapse in eastern Congo leaves 200 dead, authorities say

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A mine collapse at Congo’s key Rubaya coltan site has killed a number of miners

Source: Mine collapse in eastern Congo leaves 200 dead, authorities say – ABC News

For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Matthew 16:25

Extremely rare Guatemalan bearded lizards hatch at Zoo Atlanta

Zoo Atlanta has two new additions, and they are members of one of the rarest reptile species on Earth. The zoo announced that two Guatemalan beaded lizards hatched on May 14 and 17 and are reportedly “healthy and feisty.” The Guatemalan beaded lizard is only found in the wild in the country’s Motagua Valley. It’s…

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China fueling anti-data center sentiment across US: Trump admin

The Trump administration and “Shark Tank” star Kevin O’Leary claimed anti-data center sentiments across the US are being fueled by a Chinese propaganda campaign. O’Leary — whose 40,000-acre data center plans outside Salt Lake City have been met with protests — claimed in a Monday video that “nefarious accounts out of the country” tied to…

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“Rare” harpy eagle arrives at National Aviary

There’s a new “rare” raptor at the National Aviary, one that can’t be seen anywhere else in the Northeast.  The aviary on Wednesday introduced its new female juvenile harpy eagle named Dariéna, who hails from the Miami Zoo. She’s part of the aviary’s new summer theme, Remarkable Raptors.  Like most eagles, the aviary says the…

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Dead gray whale found in water off San Leandro

Officials in San Leandro are urging residents to avoid a portion of the Bay Trail after a dead gray whale washed ashore. On Thursday, the city said the whale was found along the shoreline south of Marina Park. Experts said the whale is an adult male, measuring about 12 meters (39.3 feet) in length. In…

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Gov Walz Pardons Convicted Illegal Aliens Blocking Deportation in Minnesota

On Wednesday, Democrat Minnesota Governor Tim Walz pardoned a criminal illegal alien convicted of armed robbery – preventing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) from being able to use the conviction as grounds for deportation. Jai Vang, an illegal alien from Laos, who was convicted of aiding and abetting and armed robbery in Hennepin County…

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1 miner rescued after more than a week trapped in flooded Laos cave

At least one Laos gold miner has been brought out of a flooded cave where monsoon rains trapped a group for over a week, according to a Laotian rescue organization.  Rescue Volunteer for People said on social media that a person, who was not named, was brought out safely at 8:37 p.m. local time on Friday. It…

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Florida troopers net 249 in multi-agency immigration sweep

Florida Highway Patrol teamed up with five federal, state and local agencies this month for a three-day immigration enforcement operation along South Florida highways that resulted in 249 arrests and transfers to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to Fox News Digital, which rode along during the sweep.The operation, dubbed Operation 9 by FHP, assembled more…

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Suspect in killings of 3 elderly men in Hawaii arrested after massive manhunt

A man wanted in connection with the killings of three men was apprehended Thursday after a massive search of Hawaii’s Big Island that had left residents on edge. Police said Jacob Baker, 36, of Pahoa, Hawaii, was arrested on suspicion of murder, burglary and other charges following a search that involved “significant resources,” including help…

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US, Others Express Concern Over Violations of Ceasefires in Eastern Congo

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US News is a recognized leader in college, grad school, hospital, mutual fund, and car rankings. Track elected officials, research health conditions, and find news you can use in politics, business, health, and education.

Source: US, Others Express Concern Over Violations of Ceasefires in Eastern Congo

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers.
Psalm 1:1

Bat found in Irvine Regional Park tests positive for rabies

The Orange County Healthcare Agency said a bat found in Irvine Regional Park has tested positive for rabies. Public health officials said the bat was found at the park at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, May 24. They urged anyone who may have physically contacted the bat or seen someone else touch it to call the…

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Blue Origin New Glenn rocket explodes on launch pad in Florida

A powerful New Glenn rocket owned by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin exploded in a spectacular fireball Thursday, sending billowing clouds of fire, smoke and flaming debris into the night sky in a tremendous conflagration visible for miles around. The explosion occurred around 9 p.m. EDT as engineers were counting down to a brief test firing…

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Riverside County beekeeper loses 80 hives, millions of bees in Verona Fire

A Riverside County beekeeper says that last week’s Verona Fire, which broke out near Hemet and burned hundreds of acres, caused him to lose 80 hives and millions of bees.  Brandon Teller, of BeeDoctor Bee Removal, says the loss could have a critical impact on the region’s farmers and shoppers. “As the beekeeper, that’s devastating…

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Dems cut ties with scandal-plagued Graham Platner, warn of ‘civil war’ in party

Top Democratic officials and lawmakers are breaking with Democratic Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner as his past blunders and online history stack up.  Platner’s ascendency to the top of the ticket in Vacationland broke with the Democratic establishment in Washington, D.C., and since Maine Gov. Janet Mills exited from the race, questions about whether he is the…

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High E. coli levels along Chattahoochee River force business closures after days of rain

Elevated E. coli levels along parts of the Chattahoochee River are forcing some businesses to temporarily shut down operations as officials continue monitoring unsafe water conditions following days of heavy rain. The Chattahoochee Riverkeeper says spikes in bacteria levels after storms are common, but experts say the duration of the current contamination event is unusual.…

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