Evangelical push prompted Trump on Jerusalem

ISRAEL: Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas rejected a U.S. role in the Middle East peace process following President Donald Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. His statements came during an emergency session of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), where Muslim nation heads of state piled on the United States for the move, announced by Trump last week.

Reports suggest Trump’s decision was prompted by a sustained push from evangelical brokers and casino billionaire and GOP donor Sheldon Adelson. “This issue was—to many—second only to concerns about the judiciary among the president's core evangelical supporters,” said Johnnie Moore, de facto spokesman for Trump’s evangelical advisory council. “President Trump has—yet again—demonstrated to his evangelical supporters that he will do what he says he will do.”

NIGERIA: A predominantly Christian community in Nigeria’s northeastern Adamawa state came under attack not only by Fulani herdsmen but by Nigeria’s own air force, killing at least 100. The herdsmen, believed affiliated with Islamic militants, razed several villages, while a military jet bombed a Lutheran church, according to eyewitnesses.

CONGO: The UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) paid tribute to the 14 UN peacekeepers—all from Tanzania—killed in the worst attack on “blue helmets in recent history.” The Congolese army said at least 72 rebels were killed during last Thursday’s attack, but the incident likely will increase the conflict, which displaced a million people in the first half of 2017 as violence between armed groups and the Congolese army escalated.

CANADA: 13 human feet have washed up on British Columbia’s shoreline—but authorities aren’t too concerned.

INDIA: Thousands of Indians who claim to be descendants of the Biblical tribe of Manasseh gathered Wednesday in Churachandpur for Hanukkah, the Jewish festival of lights that runs through Dec. 20.

PERSECUTION: Christians in a dozen countries or more likely will spend Christmas in prison for their faith—including Asia Bibi in Pakistan, Gao Zhisheng in China, and Andrew Brunson in Turkey.

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