Crosstalk America

Get caught up on critical news headlines not covered by mainstream sources. It's the Friday News Round-Up. Here's a sample of what Jim covered: --Yesterday, President Trump urged Republicans to pass the election integrity/voter I.D. bill known as the "Save America Act" and not the watered-down version. --The House passed a bill Thursday to fund the Department of Homeland Security though it's assumed it will fail in the Senate. --The illegal alien that Democrats brought to the State of the Union address, according to police, is in sexual assault reports that involve juveniles. --A Georgia father whose teenage son is accused of carrying out a deadly school shooting, was convicted of second degree murder and involuntary manslaughter after prosecutors argued that he ignored repeated warning signs and gave the boy access to the gun used in the attack. --2,000 two-year-olds will soon be enrolled in child care that won't cost parents a penny in New York City. --Israel has eliminated the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards' special operations department. --A transgender activist in the greater Seattle, Washington, area was arrested for threatening to kill President Trump. --A Pakistani national accused of plotting to assassinate U.S. political leaders testified Wednesday that Iranian intelligence agents pressured him to take part in the scheme, claiming that they directed him to target President Donald Trump and former President Joe Biden. --Oregon Democrats voted for infanticide yesterday by blocking a bill to care for babies who survive abortion.

Shahram Hadian is founder of Truth in Love Ministry. He is a Christian pastor and a former Muslim. Shahram was born in Iran and came to America in 1978 to escape an oppressive Islamic regime and committed his life to Jesus Christ in 1999. Iran is a nation that has a 3,200+ year Persian history that was taken over by leaders that, according to Shahram, were not even of Persian descent. He explains just how oppressive this Iranian regime has been to its own people. For example, amidst the recent unrest, snipers were shooting at these unarmed protesters. Women had body parts removed in order to hide sexual assaults. Other individuals are said to have been executed inside their hospital beds. Then there's the problems America has had with them, beginning with the Iran hostage crisis of 1979. You'll also hear comments from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, where he mentions the delusions of the Iranian leadership which Shahram said refers to Iran's eschatology. Basically it's the idea that the more chaos and instability they can create, the quicker they will hasten the coming of their messiah. What are we to make of the mosques on U.S. soil that are mourning the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and encouraging others to go into martyrdom like him? Since Iran is the largest state sponsor of terrorism in the world, why aren't we vetting these mosques to see if they're supported by money from Iran? Where's the political will to do this? Why do Islamic leaders teach martyrdom via jihad? Does it have to do with the fact that Islam is a works-based religion? These and other questions are answered by Shahram as he sheds light on this issue of Iran's oppression.

Chris Katulka is vice president of North American Ministries at The Friends of Israel Gospel Ministry and host of The Friends of Israel Today radio program. He is a Bible teacher, and writer for Israel My Glory magazine and is author of the book, Israel Always. Today marks the fifth day since Operation Epic Fury began, an operation that includes joint operations with the Israeli military. This began because President Trump was concerned that warnings given to Iran regarding their pursuit of nuclear weapons were being ignored and he was also concerned about the rapid build-up of Iran's conventional ballistic missile program. On this broadcast, Chris unfolds the situation in Iran and the Middle East overall as he comments on the nuclear ambitions of Iran, the oil and natural gas ramifications for other nations, the work done by Israel's Mossad, who the new leader of Iran might be, what's being fired at Israel by Iran, Hezbollah's diminishing influence, and much more, including comments from listeners.

Tom DeWeese is president of American Policy Center. Tom is one of the nation's leading advocates of individual liberty, free enterprise, private property rights, personal privacy, back-to-basics education and American sovereignty and independence and protecting our Constitutionally-guaranteed rights. Review this edition of Crosstalk as Jim has Tom comment on the following important issues related to your freedom: Voting: The "Save Act." We must make sure our ballots are safe. Data Centers: Are their costs (water and electricity needs) outweighing their benefits? Digital Currency and Geofencing: What might these mean for citizen control? President Trump's revoking of the 2009, Obama era, Endangerment Finding. This was the assumption that carbon dioxide and other gasses present a threat to public health. The Food Supply: The latest news concerning beef production. Tom also comments on the killing of chickens. Housing: Do we have a housing shortage or a government problem? What's the latest regarding rent controls? Do some people want to end housing as a wealth building option?

Dr. Jimmy DeYoung Jr. is a speaker, teacher, Mideast guide, videographer and speaker on Prophecy Today. He lived and worked in Jerusalem for many years before he returned to the states for continued ministry. He is a fully credentialed journalist and has led numerous tours to Israel. He is one of the speakers on Prophecy Today. This past Saturday, the U.S. engaged in a joint military strike with Israel on the nation of Iran. The supreme leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been killed along with more than 40 senior officials. President Trump announced that 10 Iranian ships have been sunk and that the U.S. has lost 4 members of the military in the line of duty. Numerous components of this strike are discussed, but it's having ramifications far beyond the Middle East. Dr. DeYoung talks about these players such as Russia and China. Has the U.S. strike on Iran released Russian leader Vladimir Putin to now unleash his own attack on Europe? Also, prior to the U.S. strike, China was receiving oil from Iran? How will they respond? These are just two things to consider, along with interesting audio from Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on prayer, as Jim and Dr. DeYoung examine this strike, Operation Epic Fury, both from a political as well as a prophetic perspective.

Below is a selection of stories from the first quarter hour of this week's News Round-Up broadcast: --Iran and the U.S. held hours of indirect negotiations yesterday over Tehran's nuclear program, but walked away without a deal, leaving the danger of another Mideast war on the table as the U.S. has gathered a massive fleet of aircraft and warships in the region. --Despite diplomatic language suggesting progress, substantial gaps do persist. Iran categorically rejects U.S. demands to dismantle key nuclear facilities, to transfer enriched uranium stockpiles abroad and permanently end uranium enrichment. --The U.S. embassy in Israel said its staff could leave the country and urged anyone considering departure could do so immediately as the threat of a U.S. strike on Iran looms. --While Iran engages in fake negotiations to stall, deceive and lie to the Trump administration, they announced they will be buying anti-ship missiles from China. --As President Trump pressures Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions amid rising tensions, Vice President Vance told the Washington Post that there's "no chance" that the U.S. will enter a years-long war in the Middle East. --Congressional Democrats are moving to force votes in the House and Senate to block President Trump from launching any military action against Iran without prior congressional approval. --The Treasury Department levied new sanctions against Iran on Wednesday. The sanctions targeted 30 Iranian individuals, businesses and vessels that facilitate Iran's illicit petroleum sales and the nation's ballistic missile and weapons production.

Dr. Erwin Lutzer is pastor emeritus of The Moody Church where he served as the senior pastor for 36 years. He's the speaker on the Running to Win radio broadcast. Dr. Lutzer is also an award-winning author. Some of his titles include, We Will Not Be Silenced, The Eclipse of God, When a Nation Forgets God, One Minute After You Die and numerous other titles. He returned to Crosstalk to discuss his new book, Why Doesn't God Answer My Prayers? Perhaps you've been in life situations in which you've prayed again and again over days, weeks, months or even years. You've claimed all the right Bible verses, yet it seems like your prayers are just hitting the ceiling or that God's simply not there, indifferent or does not care. If you've ever been in that situation, this Crosstalk is for you. Listen in as Dr. Lutzer explains how his latest book will point you back to Scripture so you can see how the heart of the reader can be turned from despair and despondency to hope and to trust. Points of discussion include: Does prayer really make a difference? What does Dr. Lutzer mean when he says that sometimes we claim promises that God did not make? Are we sometimes deceitful by offering prayers to avoid having to make changes in our lives concerning things that got us into our mess in the first place? What can we learn from Habakkuk, Abraham and Lot regarding prayer? Is an unanswered prayer an unheard prayer? How should we deal with the disappointment of unanswered prayer? Why does God give us so many needs and challenges?

These days we can see in numerous ways that there is great division across America. This was evident during last evening's State of the Union address by President Donald Trump. In fact, when asked if American citizens should be prioritized over illegal aliens, Democrats refused to stand in agreement. What the secular media won't tell you is that underlying this division is a great spiritual division. As Isaiah 5:20 puts it: "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" We see this in America today where moral corruption has become rampant due to the inversion of what were once cherished values. The only way out is to turn back to God and righteousness on his terms because it's such righteousness that exalts a nation. Sin, however, is a reproach to any people (Proverbs 14:34). So join Jim as he reviews the President's speech, highlighting numerous points from policy decisions to national awards, as you'll hear via various audio clips.

Dr. Andy Woods is president of Chafer Theological Seminary & senior pastor of Sugar Land Bible Church in Houston. He's also a lawyer, a speaker at numerous Bible conferences, as well as an author of several books including the one discussed on this broadcast: The Bible and Your Vote: Biblical Principles for any Election. Before elections in recent years you may have heard someone say, "This is the most important election in our lifetimes!" In other words, there's some sense with many people that the consequences of such elections are greater than ever. In spite of this, there are many who make the following excuses not to vote: They claim their vote doesn't count. They believe their citizenship is in heaven, therefore they don't vote on the earth. Some believe that if they vote for the lesser of two evils, they're still voting for evil, therefore they feel obligated not to participate. God puts into office who he wills, therefore some people feel they must step aside and not get in the way. Review this broadcast, and you'll see why such excuses are not biblical, as Dr. Woods kicks things off by looking at voting as a matter of stewardship. From there he continues on by looking at other issues related to voting including economic, social, climate, power/personal rights, foreign policy and more. Listeners brought their questions and comments to the discussion as well.

Walt Heyer is a senior fellow with Family Research Council. Walt is a husband, father, and corporate executive who underwent gender transition surgery at the age of 42 and tried to live as a woman for 8 years. Through therapy and faith in God, Walt was restored to his male identity and biological reality. He now helps others who regret trying to live in a manner at odds with how God created them. His is a story of redemption and hope. Walt has written 7 books and numerous articles. His newest release is titled, Embracing God's Design: Addressing the Spiritual and Psychological Crisis Behind Transgender Identity. Over the years there's been a significant increase in those who are identifying differently than their biological sex. From drag queen story hours to the entertainment industry, from corporate America to medical institutions, to classroom reading material, school locker room policies and more, young people are being educated to believe that a boy can be a girl and vice-versa. As a result, some have gone on to chemically and physically damage themselves in an attempt to change their gender. So don't miss this edition of Crosstalk as Walt explains, from first hand experience, what this phenomenon is all about. It involves understanding how this trend impacts the mind of youth in their formative years, the impact on American society overall, the battle over language and word definitions as each side attempts to defend their positions, the impact of the educational system in this battle and much more, including input from listeners nationwide.

Dalton filled in for Jim Schneider and here's a sample of important news stories that were presented: --In a 6-3 decision, the Supreme Court has ruled that President Trump exceeded his powers with his expanded use of tariffs. President Trump says that he will use alternatives to replace those that the court, he believes, incorrectly rejected. --President Trump went to Truth Social to honor civil rights leader Jesse Jackson who passed away this past Tuesday. --Forlesia Cook, a Washington, D.C. grandmother who lost her grandson to gun violence, stood strong for President Trump at a Black History Month event at the White House. --White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt answered a reporter who sought examples that President Trump has been falsely accused of being a racist. --Democratic congressional leaders sent Republicans and the White House a counter offer on immigration enforcement provisions that they want in exchange for their votes to fund the Department of Homeland Security. --In a major development that could reshape the future of federal election law in the U.S., Senator Susan Collins of Maine has officially announced her support for the Save America Act. --Over one million Iranians rallied across Europe, North America and Australia last weekend in response to a call by exiled Prince Pahlavi, while nighttime chants echoed from rooftops and apartment blocks inside Iran in a coordinated show of solidarity. --Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei alleges that his military has weapons capable of sending a U.S. aircraft carrier to the bottom of the sea and that they will use them if President Trump orders new strikes against Iran's illegal nuclear weapons program.

You've probably heard the saying, "They who will not learn from history are doomed to repeat it." That's something to ponder as you listen to this presentation; a recording of a VCY rally in Southeast Wisconsin this past April that wasn't your typical one. With its historical narrative, it featured a live actress retelling a story that is important for people to hear and understand today. The name Corrie Ten Boom is well known in Christian circles. She's best known for her bravery and Christian faith during the holocaust as she helped many Jewish people escape Nazi persecution. Her efforts to help the Jews came at a price as she also suffered physically, emotionally and spiritually. Don't miss this broadcast as actress Vickie Gaynier portrays Corrie Ten Boom in this edited version of her presentation: "Corrie's Story for God's Glory."

Jeff Miller is pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, Pittsburgh North. He is author of Forgiven People Forgive: A Biblical Response to Forgiveness. On Sunday, September 21st, a memorial service was held for Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA, who was killed by an assassin's bullet on September 10th. In addition to President Trump and other dignitaries, also taking the platform during the memorial service was Charlie's widow, Erika. In reference to the assassin, she said, "I forgive him." She went on to note that this is what Christ did, what Charlie would do and that the answer to hate is not hate. What is forgiveness? Do we need to tolerate sinful behavior just because we forgive someone? Jeff answers these and numerous other questions while also providing insight on key elements in his book. For example, there are those who feel they have good reason for not forgiving, so they may say: I just can't respond to the person. The other person doesn't want to reconcile. (Does that take us "off the hook"?) Well, they'll just do that again! I will forgive, but I won't forget! They have to come to me. (If they don't, is the pressure off the person making that statement?) In the end, Jeff teaches that we are to forgive because we have been forgiven by Christ. In fact, to not forgive can lead to bitterness, hindering our testimony for Him. Learn more, and hear how listeners responded, by reviewing this edition of Crosstalk.

John Stemberger is president of Liberty Counsel Action & Senior Counsel of Liberty Counsel. He's been a conservative policy advocate for over 30 years. Abigail Forman is public policy analyst and a writer for Liberty Counsel Action. She is a former Minnesota state legislator and former Director of Public Policy for Right to Life UK. She is primary author of a groundbreaking, academic white paper exposing the horror of aborted babies from chemical abortions being flushed into our water system. For multiple decades, regardless of the administration in Washington, we've heard the mantra about clean air and water. As a result, environmental policies are set. In light of that, Jim noted a new report that has recently been issued titled: Abortion in our Water: Chemical Home Abortions and the Disposition of Aborted Fetal Remains. It notes that under the Trump administration, having the cleanest air and water in the world for generations is a priority. However, on a daily basis, our waterways are being contaminated by chemical abortion drugs and human remains. This is due to the fact that American women are often left alone at home to endure the agonizing process of expelling their pregnancy as they're often instructed by abortion providers to dispose of the remains of their aborted babies by flushing them down the toilet. This edition of Crosstalk covers much ground as it begins by looking at the back-story of this topic which takes us back to the year 2000 when chemical abortions were first approved by the FDA. At that time, such abortions were small in number. Today, they represent somewhere between 64% to 70% of all abortions.

Dr. Richard Schmidt is Pastor of Union Grove Baptist Church and founder of Prophecy Focus Ministries. He is the speaker on the weekly TV program Prophecy Focus and the radio broadcast Prophecy Unfolding. He spent 32 years in law enforcement including that of Acting Sheriff until his retirement. He has authored several books including Are You Going to a Better Place?, Daniel's Gap Paul's Mystery, Tribulation to Triumph: The Olivet Discourse, Globalism: The Great World Consumption, Artificial Intelligence: Transhumanism & the De-Evolution of Democracy and now has transcribed & expanded lectures delivered by Dr. Jimmy DeYoung titled Presidents, Politics & Prophecy. We firmly believe that God is sovereign over the affairs of men. God uses human government to accomplish His plan and His purpose. The prophet Daniel proclaimed, "And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding:" Proverbs 21:1 reads, "The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it withersoever he will." Just as God worked through the kings in Israel, so also God works through the leaders of human government in countries around the world including the Presidents of the United States. Now concerning Israel from its inception as a nation, the United States has had a significant impact upon her. While some Presidents have shown unwavering support for Israel, others have been more reluctant. We'll unfold that today. One of the enthusiastic speakers on Bible prophecy who addressed issues like this was Dr. Jimmy DeYoung who went home to be with the Lord in August, 2021.

The Crosstalk news desk had much to offer this week, taking listeners across the nation and around the world as Jim reported on these and other stories: --Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Trump met Wednesday evening at the White House. Instead of a post meeting press conference, President Trump posted on social media his hopes that a deal can still be consummated with Iran. --Some residents of Tehran chanted slogans on Tuesday against the Islamic republic and its supreme leader on the eve of the most significant annual commemoration of the 1979 Islamic revolution. --The Pentagon is sending the aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford from the Caribbean to the Middle East. --Italy and Poland are among the latest European allies to snub President Trump's newly formed "Board of Peace," joining a list of growing nations refusing or hesitating to participate. --The Trump administration smuggled roughly 6,000 Starlink satellite internet terminals into Iran after the regime's crackdown on protests last month as reported by the Wall Street Journal on Thursday. --Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has received a 70 page draft, "Interim Constitution" aimed at laying the legal groundwork for a future Palestinian state. --U.S. military forces have completed their mission in Syria to transfer Islamic state detainees to Iraq according to U.S. Central Command. --Venezuela has sent its first crude oil shipment in years to Israel. --As of this past Monday, Cuba's government says international airlines cannot refuel on the island nation.

Peter LaBarbera is founder and president of Center for Morality Americans for Truth. He's a former reporter for the Washington Times, LifeSiteNews.com, WND.com and a former contributing editor for Human Events. It was during the Biden administration that we saw severe pressure placed upon businesses, schools, local governments, the entertainment industry, sports and others to advance the LGBTQ+ agenda. Some of this has to do with the efforts of an activist organization known as the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). This program is highlighted by an audio clip from Tyler O'Neil, the senior editor at the Daily Signal. While he correctly notes that most people who identify as transgender don't pose a threat, he asks what drives the hatred of those who do? He believes the rhetoric of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is at least partly to blame. He noted how the HRC suggests that data on transgender deaths reveals a higher homicide rate than the general population. Tyler uses the HRC's own statistics to prove conclusively that their assertion is false. As this program moves along, you'll hear Peter comment on various news stories such as: The tragic mass shooting in Canada by a person who identified as transgender. What exactly is the HRC and how does their Corporate Equality Index work? The canceling of the 35th annual "Gay Days" in Orlando. Is this a one year pause or a permanent move? A Wyoming library was sued by a library director who was fired for refusing to follow a new book collection policy regarding sexually offensive books. The insurance company decided to pay out rather than fight it.

Shahram Hadian is the founder of Truth in Love Ministry. He is a Christian pastor and a former Muslim. Shahram was born in Iran and came to America in 1978 to escape an oppressive Islamic regime and committed his life to Jesus Christ in 1999. He has an extensive background not only as a pastor, but also as a former police officer, teacher, coach and servant leader in his community. Did you know that New York City has had a shocking rise in antisemitic hate crimes since Muslim Mayor Zohran Mamdani took office? Did you know reports are coming out of Texas of a small-town takeover by Islamic immigrants? Speaking of Texas, did you know it's reported that a Muslim outreach group with ties to anti-Christian ideology distributed Qurans and hijabs on campus? Did you know the Attorney General of Texas recently filed a lawsuit against the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American-Islamic Relations from operating in Texas? Did you know a Senate panel in Arizona has voted to ban the use of Sharia in Arizona? And did you know that a Muslim state senator in Virginia has introduced legislation defining and criminalizing Islamophobia? This and more is discussed on today's program.

Mark Krikorian is a nationally recognized expert on immigration issues serving as the Executive Director of Center for Immigration Studies. When it comes to our nation's borders, the last 12 months have been quite remarkable. The last administration repeatedly told us that Congress would have to act to reform our immigration policies and laws before the borders could be secured. That turned out to be a falsehood because under Trump 2.0, the U.S. borders are more secure than ever, and with that aspect of immigration taken care of, his administration has moved on to purge what they term, "The worst of the worst." In the meantime, as we've seen in Minnesota, there are those who don't like what's taking place. They're responding by causing extreme chaos, disruption, violence, vandalism, as well as assaults. So don't miss this program as Jim interviewed Mark to have him comment on the following points related to our nation's immigration and border security: In a major legal win, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Trump administration does, in fact, have the authority and requirement to detain all illegal entrants to the U.S., even if they're caught inside the country. Yesterday, the Ninth Circuit Court gave a win to the Trump administration regarding temporary protected status to nations like Nepal, Honduras and Nicaragua. According to the Department of Homeland Security, January numbers (of border encounters) ranked 93% below the historic average, the lowest number of encounters ever for the month of January. 9 straight months of zero releases. Record drug seizures.

Dr. Titus Kennedy is a professional archaeologist and a research fellow at Discovery Institute. He is a consultant, writer and guide for history and archaeology documentaries and curricula and has directed archaeological projects in Bible lands. He's researched and photographed archaeological sites and artifacts around the world with involvement in projects at 18 sites spanning 6 countries and has conducted artifact research at museums and collections around the world. He is the author of several books including: Unearthing the Bible: 101 Archaeological Discoveries that Bring the Bible to Life, Excavating the Evidence for Jesus, The Essential Archaeological Guide to Bible Lands: Uncovering Biblical Sites of the Ancient Near East and Mediterranean World and the newly released, Archaeology and the People of the Bible: Exploring the Evidence for the Historical Existence of Bible Characters. People are sometimes skeptical about the Bible's historical accuracy. While they may begrudgingly admit that the Bible is correct about certain cities or other locations, they have a harder time believing that the characters were real. So are the examples that Dr. Kennedy points to firm, probable, tentative or speculative? Also, how does he know that his discoveries are related to that exact name in the Bible? These questions are answered showing the historic and scientific honesty that Dr. Kennedy brings to his research and that's therefore displayed in his book. So join Jim and Dr. Kennedy on this audio journey as they discuss the archaeological evidence for various Bible characters such as Danel from Ezekiel, King David, King Ahab, Jezebel, Sanballat and Herod the 1st.