Globe Trot: Air war continues in Gaza and Israel after cease-fire's failure to launch

ISRAEL: With yesterday’s collapse of a proposed cease-fire, Palestinian militants are resuming their barrage of rockets over Israel and Israeli airstrikes continue. According to Israeli Defense Forces, 40 percent of the rockets with a 12-mile or more range are now made inside the Gaza Strip—upping Hamas’ ability to continue its assault.

Congress approved $175 million in new aid for Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense program, which has proved nearly flawless in protecting civilians and cities from Hamas rockets.

IRAQ: We’re learning more about the curious case of 88 pounds of uranium stolen from Mosul University. Is it be possible Saddam secreted away WMD after all?

EGYPT: Hope that Copts and other Christians placed in the new government headed by Abdel Fattah al-Sisi seems misplaced. Meanwhile, thousands of persecuted Eritrean Christians are in prison in Egypt.

RUSSIA: Investigators have ruled out terrorism as the cause of a subway derailment on the Moscow Metro yesterday that killed at least 22 and injured more than 160.

BRICS: Leaders of the five emerging nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) that together make up 40 percent of the world’s economy agreed to launch their own development bank with initial capital of $50 billion and a $100 billion currency reserve pool. The New Development Bank will be based in Shanghai, the first president will be Indian, with a board of directors from Brazil. “The plans of the emerging-market bloc of Brics to establish a development bank usher in a long-awaited and helpful alternative to the Western-dominated institutes in global finance,” China’s official news agency Xinhua said in an editorial.

U.K.: The General Synod of the Church of England voted this week to approve the consecration of female bishops—a move that will leave conservative evangelicals in the Church out in the cold, writes Al Mohler, despite talk of “mutual flourishing” from the Archbishop of Canterbury.