South
Christian persecution around the world is highlighted in new report: 'People are being seriously hurt'
A forthcoming report from the International Christian Concern (ICC), a nonprofit, highlights the 10 worst countries for Christian persecution, as well as specific entities and individuals that are driving this persecution.
The report, titled “Persecutors of the Year,” will be released on November 1. Fox News Digital received an advance copy of the report.
The countries that are identified as the worst for Christian persecution are Nigeria, North Korea, India, Iran, China, Pakistan, Eritrea, Algeria, Indonesia and Azerbaijan, said ICC.
CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION WORLDWIDE IS CALLED OUT DURING MARCH FOR THE MARTYRS IN D.C.
New to the list this year are Eritrea — a northeast African country — and Azerbaijan.
Christian persecution is “a hidden, mostly hidden subject,” Jeff King, ICC’s president, told Fox News Digital in a phone interview.
The ICC is based in Washington, D.C.
Christians demanded justice during a protest in Islamabad condemning attacks on churches in Pakistan on August 20, 2023. Pakistan is one of the top 10 worst countries for Christian persecution, according to a new report. (AAMIR QURESHI/AFP via Getty Images)
“People know it exists, but it’s so complicated,” he said.
The report is the culmination of a “massive effort” each year to fully research the size and scope of persecution in each country, according to the organization.
Countries in which persecution is led or promoted by state actors, rather than cultural biases, as well as countries with incidents of violence toward Christians, are given more attention.
“We look at the intensity, the scale of the attacks,” said King. “How many and are there state actors involved?”
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One of the main goals of the report each year is to spread awareness that Christian persecution is actually happening — and that being a Christian is extremely dangerous in some countries.
The issue is underreported in the news media, King believes — which he said leads to a lack of awareness by faith leaders of what is happening as well.
“The average Christian tends to not know that much about [persecution], unless they’re motivated, unless they want to go out and find it,” said King.
Activists and members representing the Christian community chant prayers during a peaceful protest rally in New Delhi, India. Christians in India are subject to persecution, said the latest report from the D.C.-based International Christian Concern. (Arun Sankar/AFP via Getty Images)
“We want to produce a resource for the press and for Capitol Hill [so] they can get on top of this subject at a certain level very quickly, and then can dig from there,” King said.
“So that’s really our motivation.”
During the four-month period between March 4 and July 6, more than 500 Christians were murdered in 55 separate attacks in Nigeria, said the ICC.
One country in particular that King hopes receives more attention and international scrutiny when it comes to Christian persecution is Nigeria.
Although Nigeria’s population is nearly evenly split between Christians and Muslims — with the latter having a slight majority — Christian persecution is on the rise and often results in death.
During the four-month period between March 4 and July 6, more than 500 Christians were murdered in 55 separate attacks in Nigeria, said the ICC.
WASHINGTON PASTOR ACKNOWLEDGES THE PAIN OF PUTDOWNS AGAINST THE CHRISTIAN FAITH: ‘ASK GOD FOR COURAGE’
Thousands of others had their property destroyed. In addition, kidnapping and torture by radical Islamist groups such as Boko Haram and Fulani extremists are “weekly” occurrences in the country, the ICC said.
“This is crazy,” said King. “You think about what is going on there — this has gone on for 20 years.”
State officials walk past injured victims on hospital beds being treated for wounds following an attack by gunmen at St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo town, southwest Nigeria on June 5, 2022. Nigerian Christians are under increased risk of persecution. (AFP via Getty Images)
The situation in Nigeria, King said, is not a war but rather a series of “one-sided guerrilla attacks” that result in the deaths of Christians.
The Nigerian government, he claimed, is not doing enough to protect Christian citizens — and he hopes that this report will serve to better inform members of Congress about what is actually happening overseas.
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A recent example of the indifference of the Nigerian government toward the Christian community happened in early September.
On the evening of Sept. 7, a Catholic seminarian was burned alive during a kidnapping attempt, ICC told Fox News Digital. The attack, which happened in Kaduna State, located in northwest Nigeria, involved Islamic extremists setting the buildings of a Catholic parish on fire.
A seminarian at the parish perished in the blaze, said ICC.
Catholics in Lagos, Nigeria, are seen praying. Nigeria is among the worst countries for Christian persecution as the government is largely indifferent to pleas for safety, said ICC President Jeff King. (John Wessels/AFP via Getty Images)
“While the authorities were alerted [to] the attack in advance, they did not arrive until after the damage was already done,” said ICC.
The Persecutors of the Year report is one of many things from ICC as an organization.
ICC, said King, is driven by a “three-legged stool” when it comes to dealing with the issue of Christian persecution.
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These “legs” are assistance, advocacy and awareness.
“We are assisting victims and we sit at the front lines where people are being seriously, seriously hurt — and we restore their lives to the best of our ability,” he said.
Said Jeff King of International Christian Concern about what is happening to Christians because of their faith, “We want to stand up as a witness to the world to say, ‘This is happening, please don’t forget.’” (Jeff King/ICC)
ICC’s advocacy work consists of outreach to Capitol Hill and the State Department as it tries to bring the issue of Christian persecution to the attention of legislators.
King and his group want people to know what is happening to others around the world.
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“We want to make the world aware,” said King.
“We want to stand up as a witness to the world to say, ‘This is happening, please don’t forget.’”
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
North Carolina
2026 primary turnout report released for eastern NC counties; see your county’s numbers
Here are the voter turnout numbers for the 2026 primary election, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.
Hyde County had the highest voter turnout, while Onslow County had the lowest turnout. Check out what the voter turnout in your county was below:
BERTIE COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
31.85% (3,911 out of 12,280)
CARTERET COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
29.06% (16,543 out of 56,931)
CRAVEN COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
18.63% (14,119 out of 75,778)
DUPLIN COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
21.93% (6,981 out of 31,832)
EDGECOMBE COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
18.16% (6,428 out of 35,396)
GREENE COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
19.70% (2,147 out of 10,900)
HYDE COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
37.27% (1,123 out of 3,013)
JONES COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
25.91% (1,805 out of 6,966)
LENOIR COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
16.73% (6,251 out of 37,371)
MARTIN COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
17.61% (2,858 out of 16,228)
ONSLOW COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
11.44% (14,816 out of 129,537)
PAMLICO COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
24.03% (2,446 out of 10,180)
PITT COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
15.71% (19,429 out of 123,705)
TYRRELL COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
30.49% (723 out of 2,371)
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
28.66% (2,312 out of 8,067)
WAYNE COUNTY
Ballots Cast:
21.49% (16,408 out of 76,358)
Oklahoma
Oklahoma audit says OTA operated unchecked for decades; lawmakers seek reforms
Oklahoma City, Oklah. — A new investigative audit of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority is fueling renewed calls at the state Capitol for lawmakers to rein in an agency the state auditor says has operated “unrestrained and unchecked” for nearly 80 years.
The state auditor and inspector said the problems highlighted in the audit can only be solved by amending legislation.
Among the issues cited: “handpicked contractors naming their own prices,” according to the report’s findings.
The reaction is also coming from Pike Off OTA President Amy Cerato, who said she is filing two lawsuits against the OTA over the Southern Extension project, which she said would level more than 70 homes. “The Legislature has no excuse not to bring this up in session,” Cerato said.
Cerato said the larger issue is a lack of accountability in state law. “My problem is that we don’t have a state law to hold anybody accountable so they could say too bad too sad and keep going on for the next 70 years,” she said.
The state auditor said it is up to the Legislature to make changes.
State Sen. Mary Boren, a Democrat representing District 16, said she is willing to “continue to empower Oklahomans to hold their government accountable.”
Boren also warned about the potential cost to drivers if the agency remains unchecked. “The way it could be going, people could be paying $200 bucks a month to get to work on a toll road,” Boren said.
State Sen. Shane Jett, a Republican representing District 17, said the audit reflects a broader issue in state government. “There is a rampant problem of state agencies that have more sway and more influence on the legislative process than the taxpayers who are footing the bill,” Jett said.
Boren and Jett both voted yes on a bill authored by Lisa Standridge that would eliminate the transfer of property to a state agency taken by eminent domain.
Still, the lawmakers said change will not begin until some candidates serving on committees are voted out.
Jett urged people to run for office, pointing to upcoming filing dates. “If you are sick and tired of people representing state agencies or industries instead of taxpayers, well the filing deadline is April 1, 2, and 3. Run for office,” Jett said.
Boren echoed concerns about whose interests are being represented. “We have people that are there to stick up for Oklahomans, and we have people that are there to stick up for the people making a lot of money off of Oklahomans,” she said.
The state auditor said the audit took so long because of a backlog of investigative audits with 25% fewer employees.
The audit covers the last four years out of the last 79.
The OTA released a statement after the audit findings were revealed Wednesday.
“The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority would like to thank the State Auditor and Inspector’s office for their in-depth, extensive work on this first-of-its-kind investigative audit of the Authority. During the past three years, the auditor’s office has been inquisitive and intentional, learning as much about the OTA as possible to allow them to complete this investigative audit. While OTA has an annual financial audit conducted by an independent, nationally recognized firm, we were glad to collaborate with the State Auditor’s office for its examination of whether OTA complies with state law. OTA is pleased to have this independent confirmation that the agency follows all state statutes and there is no evidence of non-compliance with Oklahoma law. OTA will review the audit in more detail, and it is committed to considering how and where we can strengthen our policies and improve the documentation of our procedures and internal controls.”
ADDRESSING ENGINEERING CONTRACT SELECTION
“Even with the breadth and scale of construction programs like ACCESS Oklahoma, which is the largest reinvestment and expansion project in OTA’s history, we have been deliberate about keeping OTA staffing levels relatively flat. Instead, the Authority uses professional services contracts to procure engineering and construction management services through one of two lawful solicitation methods as allowed by Oklahoma Title 69-1708.2. OTA may use a project-specific solicitation focused on that individual project. OTA also may use an on-demand solicitation for specific types of professional services. This lawful and intentional administrative choice helps OTA keep construction costs at a minimum, manage changing project details, staffing capacity, and timing while still relying on a competitive, qualifications-based selection process. The method selected depends on project maturity, scope, and operational efficiency. It’s important to note that these contractors are selected by an internal review committee. This committee does not include the executive director, which was mistakenly stated Wednesday and incorrectly reflected in the audit report. As a matter of policy, that does not happen. We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all work approved by OTA staff has been completed on time and on budget and to the highest standards of safety. We remain focused and committed on safely operating and maintaining Oklahoma’s turnpike system while responsibly managing infrastructure investments.”
________________________________________
South-Carolina
South Carolina Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 results for March 4, 2026
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
The South Carolina Education Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 4, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from March 4 drawing
07-14-42-47-56, Powerball: 06, Power Play: 4
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL numbers from March 4 drawing
Midday: 4-6-9, FB: 3
Evening: 1-2-4, FB: 3
Check Pick 3 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL numbers from March 4 drawing
Midday: 1-3-2-3, FB: 3
Evening: 4-6-4-8, FB: 3
Check Pick 4 Plus FIREBALL payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from March 4 drawing
Midday: 09
Evening: 12
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Palmetto Cash 5 numbers from March 4 drawing
03-29-30-35-38
Check Palmetto Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from March 4 drawing
05-10-26-53-59, Powerball: 06
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
The South Carolina Education Lottery provides multiple ways to claim prizes, depending on the amount won:
For prizes up to $500, you can redeem your winnings directly at any authorized South Carolina Education Lottery retailer. Simply present your signed winning ticket at the retailer for an immediate payout.
Winnings $501 to $100,000, may be redeemed by mailing your signed winning ticket along with a completed claim form and a copy of a government-issued photo ID to the South Carolina Education Lottery Claims Center. For security, keep copies of your documents and use registered mail to ensure the safe arrival of your ticket.
SC Education Lottery
P.O. Box 11039
Columbia, SC 29211-1039
For large winnings above $100,000, claims must be made in person at the South Carolina Education Lottery Headquarters in Columbia. To claim, bring your signed winning ticket, a completed claim form, a government-issued photo ID, and your Social Security card for identity verification. Winners of large prizes may also set up an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for convenient direct deposit of winnings.
Columbia Claims Center
1303 Assembly Street
Columbia, SC 29201
Claim Deadline: All prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the draw date for draw games.
For more details and to access the claim form, visit the South Carolina Lottery claim page.
When are the South Carolina Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. ET on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday and Friday.
- Pick 3: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
- Pick 4: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
- Cash Pop: Daily at 12:59 p.m. (Midday) and 6:59 p.m. (Evening).
- Palmetto Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. ET daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a South Carolina editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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