It’s Tuesday, March 18th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 125 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I’m Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com)
By Kevin Swanson
Nigerian Court upholds death sentence of Christian
The Nigerian Supreme Court has upheld the death sentence for a man who attempted to defend himself when attacked by the radical Muslim sect known as the Fulani.
Truth Nigeria has reported that a Christian farmer named Sunday Jackson had been sentenced to death by a Muslim judge three years ago. As the Christian was attacked and repeatedly stabbed by a knife-wielding Fulani, Jackson wrested the weapon from him, and stabbed that attacker with the Muslim’s own knife.
Human rights activist and pastor Dr. William Terence Devlin, who has been advocating for Jackson internationally, expressed his deep disappointment. He said, “This is a failure of the Nigerian justice system. By any legal or moral standard, this man is innocent.”
The Open Doors World Watch List rates the country of Nigeria as the seventh most persecuting nation in the world. Additionally, 69% of the 4,476 Christians martyred worldwide last year were from Nigeria.
State Dept. might designate Nigeria “Country of Particular Concern”
Millions of Nigerian Christians have been severely oppressed by the militant Islamic groups and their own government for over a decade now.
As of last week, the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa held a hearing entitled “Conflict and Persecution in Nigeria: the Case for a CPC Designation.” Despite the kidnappings, murders, and injustices perpetuated and tolerated by the nation, the Biden administration had removed Nigeria as a “Country of Particular Concern” in 2021.
But let us remember that Psalm 34:7 says, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and delivers them.”
Lowest favorability rating ever for Democrats
A recent CNN poll finds the favorability of the Democrat Party is at the lowest in recorded history.
The favorability rating among American adults dipped to 29% in early March, a 20% decline from January 2021. Among Democrats, 52% say their party is going in the wrong direction.
The same survey found that 9% more Americans say the president is too extreme, compared to those who say the same thing of the Republican Party. That gap has diminished from 18% in 2022.
Trump put 1,300 Voice of America journalists on leave
More than 1,300 journalists, producers and staff at Voice of America have been notified they were placed on administrative leave on Saturday.
The VOA’s parent organization, The U.S. Agency for Global Media, employs 3,500 people with a budget of a little less than $1 billion per year. That’s about the size of the budget for Fox News or CNN.
But somewhat less than the annual budget for The Worldview in 5 Minutes; we might add. We employ three part-timers.
42 Americans died in natural disasters
At least 42 Americans died over the weekend by natural disasters brought by God’s sovereign and almighty power to this country.
Wildfires destroyed houses and structures in Kansas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas, Alabama, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
An EF-3 tornado in Missouri, with winds between 136 and 165 mph, killed twelve people, and another EF-3 tornado killed three people in Arkansas. One EF-4 tornado, with winds of 166-200 mph, followed up.
Also, a massive collision of 55 vehicles on I-70 in Kansas, due largely to high winds and a dust storm, resulted in eight more deaths, reports CBS News.
Trump authorizes targeted bombing in Yemen
President Donald Trump authorized U.S. airstrikes on Iran-based Houthi rebel targets in Yemen resulting in 53 deaths over the weekend, reports Fox News.
The attacks were carried out by fighter jets from the Harry S Truman aircraft carrier, now in the northern Red Sea, as well as Air Force attack planes, and armed drones launched from bases in the region.
In response to the war between Israel and Hamas, the Houthi terrorists initially said they were attacking ships connected with Israel, or heading to or from there. However, many of the vessels they’ve attacked have no connection with Israel.
They have launched dozens of missile and drone attacks on commercial ships. Of these, 34 have resulted in reported damage to the vessels, reports the BBC.
Major shipping companies have stopped using the Red Sea — through which almost 15% of global seaborne trade usually passes — and are using a much longer route around southern Africa instead.
In a Truth Social post on March 15, President Trump wrote, “They have waged an unrelenting campaign of piracy, violence, and terrorism against American, and other, ships, aircraft, and drones. We will use overwhelming lethal force until we have achieved our objective.”
Appearing on Fox News, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth didn’t pull any punches.
HEGSETH: “We’re sitting on four years of deferred maintenance from Joe Biden, where in particular, when you talk about the Houthis, they were allowed for over 100 times to shoot at U.S. ships, to shoot at commercial shipping. Four months ago, when we sent a ship through, it was shot at 17 times. Ships haven’t been able to go through for over a year without being shot at.
“Freedom of navigation is basic. It’s a core national interest. The minute the Houthis say, ‘We’ll stop shooting at your ships. We’ll stop shooting at your drones,’ this campaign will end. But, until then, it will be unrelenting.
“We got the reports last night. The Houthi capital felt like an earthquake, dozens and dozens of precision, heavy munitions dropping precisely on the targets that we wanted to hit.
“And the message is clear to Iran as well: ‘Your support of the Houthis needs to end immediately. We will hold you accountable as the sponsor of this proxy.’ This is not the Biden administration. We will come after the Houthis until they stop shooting in our ships and the Iranians better stay out of it.”
The Trump administration has committed to retaliation against the Iran-backed Houthis until they stop disrupting trade in the Red Sea.
Franklin Graham urges Zelenskyy to call for national day of prayer
U.S. Evangelist Franklin Graham reached out to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, calling for a day of prayer for the nation.
On X, Graham wrote, “I urged him to call for a national day of prayer at this critical time. I would encourage this not only for the people of Ukraine, but also for the people of Russia and around the world—that the church of Jesus Christ stand together in prayer for peace. So many lives have been lost. President Trump is right—this war must end. We need God’s help.”
Ukraine has accepted the United States’s proposed 30-day ceasefire. So far, Russia has not agreed to the terms.
Zelensky responded on X, stating that “We value Franklin Graham’s voice and rely on his support.”
Psalm 67:5-7 is our prayer for the nations: “Let the peoples praise You, O God; Let all the peoples praise You. Then the Earth shall yield her increase; God, our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us. And all the ends of the Earth shall fear Him.”
Tesla’s value dropped 50%
In business news, Tesla has lost half its value since the first of the year.
Nasdaq down, Gold and Bitcoin up
The Nasdaq Composite index has slipped to about where it was last June. Gold is up to $3,000 per ounce. That’s a 36% increase over a year ago.
And Bitcoin is up 22% over a year ago, at $84,000 per Bitcoin.
Christian college women’s basketball team victorious in truth and game
And finally, a Christian college women’s basketball team has won the Canadian league championship despite their opposition to transgenderism in sports.
Columbia Bible College of Abbotsford, British Columbia had forfeited games, endured harsh criticism, and received sanctions for refusing to countenance transgender players. Despite the blowback, the team beat St. Mary’s University 77-70 to win its first national title.
The team had protested a certain male basketball player, pretending to be a woman, by the name of Harriette Mackenzie, who was born Declan Mackenzie. The man had won MVP honors and all-Canadian awards in women’s basketball.
Close
And that’s The Worldview on this Tuesday, March 18th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Subscribe by Amazon Music or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I’m Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.