Globe Trot: Trump order likely will not help persecuted Christians

UNITED STATES: President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting immigration and refugee admissions, which took effect upon issuance Friday afternoon, won’t likely give help this year to persecuted Christians, despite his comments about prioritizing them. Here’s why.

More to think about on prioritizing Middle East Christians from Samuel Tadros.

The complete text of Trump’s executive order.

To understand the far-reaching impact of the order, see the protest letter signed by 26 faculty members at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

The Iraq Parliament moved yesterday to deny U.S. citizens with valid Iraqi visas, citing American military contractors and journalists, entry to the country.

CANADA: A shooting at a Quebec City mosque last night that left at least six dead and five in critical condition has been ruled an act of terrorism.

IRAN: Reports suggest Iran has conducted its first test of a ballistic missile in violation of its U.S.-brokered deal and UN resolutions.

MYANMAR: U Ko Ni, a prominent human rights lawyer and adviser to the transition government, was assassinated at Yangon’s airport. According to a Facebook post written by one of his colleagues, Ko Ni was “a prominent Muslim lawyer and always a voice for constitutional reform. … [T]here were a lot of hate messages targeted toward him for a long time by promilitary groups and nationalist group. …” This is heartbreaking and deeply tragic and yet another serious blow to prospects for peace and democracy in Burma.

SUDAN: A court sentenced a Czech aid worker accused of spying to 23 years in prison, and two Sudanese, including one church leader, to 12 years for aiding him.

TAIWAN: The Chinese New Year, in photos.