Americans leave North Korea

NORTH KOREA: On Thursday, Americans working in North Korea—about 200 mostly evangelical humanitarian aid workers—began departing ahead of the ban on U.S. citizens traveling to the rogue nation that goes into effect today. The one-year ban follows the jailing and death of American student Otto Warmbier, but also suspends below-the-radar aid work seen as a potential bridge to a closed regime the United States has no direct contact with otherwise: “We’ve got to continue to try to work,” said Samaritan’s Purse president and CEO Franklin Graham.

KENYA: The Kenyan Supreme Court today annulled last month’s election results and called for a new election. It was a first for Africa: a court overruling the reelection of a sitting president, and President Uhuru Kenyatta said he disagreed but would abide by the court’s ruling.

ISLAM: Millions of Muslims today celebrate Eid al-Adha, the Feast of Sacrifice. The festival commemorates Abraham’s deliverance from sacrificing Isaac (though in the Quranic telling it’s a devil that intervenes), and it’s known for creating rivers of blood in majority Muslim cities. Many Christian workers in the Islamic world will use this day as an opportunity to give the Biblical account.

IRAQ: The United States declared ISIS brutality a genocide 18 months ago, but the United States isn’t putting already existing aid toward genocide victims in Iraq and Syria. A bill to do that—H.R. 390—failed to pass even Sen. Bob Corker’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee, despite broad bipartisan support and his oft-stated support for religious liberty. It’s a picture of Capitol Hill gridlock at a time of GOP dominance: “You had a bill no one had significant objections to that just died.”

SYRIA: U.S.-supported Syrian Democratic Forces say they have seized “full control” of Raqqa’s Old City, the center of the Islamic State capital. Raqqa is a diverse city of Kurds, Christians, and Sunni Muslims, with about 20,000 civilians trapped in the fighting.

Here’s a map showing territorial control in Syria: Syria’s Assad regime has 40.4 percent, U.S-backed SDF/YPG 21.9 percent, ISIS 19.9 percent, and other “rebels” including al-Qaeda fighters 13.9 percent.

CUBA: Hurricane Irma might slam the Caribbean.

WEEK’S END: Here at WORLD News Group we have three staff members in Houston who rode out Harvey. In addition, WORLD Radio managing editor J.C. Derrick’s 88-year-old grandmother lost her home, while his sister was rescued last night. Remember the suffering, the persecuted, and those in chains. From Norine Brunson, whose husband, American pastor Andrew Brunson, enters his 11th month in prison in Turkey:

“We continue to need your prayers—for miraculous release and for peace that passes understanding to guard our hearts and minds.”

To have Globe Trot delivered to your email inbox, email Mindy at mbelz@wng.org.