Prophecy News Watch provided by Worthy Ministries
Prophecy News Watch is a service hosted by Worthy Ministries to provide Christians daily news from a Biblical, and yet Prophetic worldview. Our news is gathered by our Christian News Service, Worthy News. For more about our vision for how we assemble our daily headlines, please read, "What is Worthy News?"
Around the World
Trump Warns Iran After Rockets Hit US Embassy
U.S. President Donald J. Trump said Wednesday that Iran fired “several rockets” at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, and he warned the Islamic nation of severe consequences if an American is killed.
Pentagon chief Miller visits Afghanistan amid troop drawdown
Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan Tuesday, meeting with Afghan officials and American troops as the U.S. continues a major drawdown from the country during President Trump’s final weeks in office.
EU and Britain Near Trade Deal, EU Sources Say
European Union and British negotiators are nearing a trade deal as Britain’s New Year’s Day exit from the 27-nation bloc approaches, EU officials said Wednesday.
France: Proposed law would ban anyone not vaccinated for COVID-19 from public transport
While France’s President Emanuel Macron has said vaccination against COVID-19 will not be mandatory, French Prime Minister Jean Castex got cabinet approval Monday for a bill that would require proof of vaccination in order to access public transport among locations and activities, France24 reports. The bill now passes to the French parliament.
Syria: Trump administration imposes new sanctions on Assad and regime affiliates
The Trump administration slapped new sanctions on Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s regime Tuesday, in a further effort to end the civil war that has raged in Syria since 2011, the Sara Carter show (SCS) reported. Following sanctions imposed in 2019, the newest measures affect Syria’s central bank and a number of entities and individuals connected to Assad.
Russia and China working together to counter US sanctions
Russia and China are continuing to work together to reduce their dependence on the US dollar, as both countries seek to mitigate the impact of United States sanctions against them, CNS News reports. Trading between Russia and China reached a record $110 billion in 2019, and the two countries have committed to increasing their trade turnover to $200 billion by 2024.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israel Using US Military Chief To Reach Biden’
Israel reportedly uses the top U.S. military chief to send sensitive messages to declared President-elect Joe Biden about Iran and other Middle East tension.
Israel-Morocco Sign Abraham Accords Declaration on Establishment of Ties
In the latest sign of warming relations between Israel and the Arab world, Israel and Morocco signed a joint declaration on the establishment of ties in Rabat.
Inside the United States
Trump issues 26 more pardons, commutations including Stone, Manafort
President Donald Trump granted 26 new pardons and commutations on Wednesday including additional pardons for individuals involved in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.
FBI blames Iran for online hit list of U.S. election officials
The FBI on Wednesday blamed Iran for creating a website in the weeks following the U.S. presidential election that called for the deaths of American election officials.
Trump Vetoes Defense Bill, Rejects It As ‘Gift to China and Russia’
U.S. President Donald J. Trump vetoed a massive defense spending bill saying the law was “a gift to China and Russia” putting “the interests of the Washington D.C. establishment” over American service members.
Christian News
Sudan: Amid hope of less Christian persecution, church tent is burned down 5 times and congregants threatened
Islamic terrorists in Sudan have burned down a church’s worship tent five times and have threatened to kill congregants if they put up another tent and continue to worship, Morning Star News reports. Sudanese Christians hope that Islamic persecution against them will diminish as dictator Omar al-Bashir was deposed in Apr. 2019 and Sudan has a new transitional government led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.
Trump Warns Iran After Rockets Hit US Embassy
U.S. President Donald J. Trump said Wednesday that Iran fired “several rockets” at the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, and he warned the Islamic nation of severe consequences if an American is killed.
Pentagon chief Miller visits Afghanistan amid troop drawdown
Acting Defense Secretary Christopher Miller made an unannounced visit to Afghanistan Tuesday, meeting with Afghan officials and American troops as the U.S. continues a major drawdown from the country during President Trump’s final weeks in office.
EU and Britain Near Trade Deal, EU Sources Say
European Union and British negotiators are nearing a trade deal as Britain’s New Year’s Day exit from the 27-nation bloc approaches, EU officials said Wednesday.
France: Proposed law would ban anyone not vaccinated for COVID-19 from public transport
While France’s President Emanuel Macron has said vaccination against COVID-19 will not be mandatory, French Prime Minister Jean Castex got cabinet approval Monday for a bill that would require proof of vaccination in order to access public transport among locations and activities, France24 reports. The bill now passes to the French parliament.
Syria: Trump administration imposes new sanctions on Assad and regime affiliates
The Trump administration slapped new sanctions on Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad’s regime Tuesday, in a further effort to end the civil war that has raged in Syria since 2011, the Sara Carter show (SCS) reported. Following sanctions imposed in 2019, the newest measures affect Syria’s central bank and a number of entities and individuals connected to Assad.
Russia and China working together to counter US sanctions
Russia and China are continuing to work together to reduce their dependence on the US dollar, as both countries seek to mitigate the impact of United States sanctions against them, CNS News reports. Trading between Russia and China reached a record $110 billion in 2019, and the two countries have committed to increasing their trade turnover to $200 billion by 2024.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israel Using US Military Chief To Reach Biden’
Israel reportedly uses the top U.S. military chief to send sensitive messages to declared President-elect Joe Biden about Iran and other Middle East tension.
Israel-Morocco Sign Abraham Accords Declaration on Establishment of Ties
In the latest sign of warming relations between Israel and the Arab world, Israel and Morocco signed a joint declaration on the establishment of ties in Rabat.
Inside the United States
Trump issues 26 more pardons, commutations including Stone, Manafort
President Donald Trump granted 26 new pardons and commutations on Wednesday including additional pardons for individuals involved in special counsel Robert Mueller's Russia investigation.
FBI blames Iran for online hit list of U.S. election officials
The FBI on Wednesday blamed Iran for creating a website in the weeks following the U.S. presidential election that called for the deaths of American election officials.
Trump Vetoes Defense Bill, Rejects It As ‘Gift to China and Russia’
U.S. President Donald J. Trump vetoed a massive defense spending bill saying the law was “a gift to China and Russia” putting “the interests of the Washington D.C. establishment” over American service members.
Christian News
Sudan: Amid hope of less Christian persecution, church tent is burned down 5 times and congregants threatened
Islamic terrorists in Sudan have burned down a church’s worship tent five times and have threatened to kill congregants if they put up another tent and continue to worship, Morning Star News reports. Sudanese Christians hope that Islamic persecution against them will diminish as dictator Omar al-Bashir was deposed in Apr. 2019 and Sudan has a new transitional government led by Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok.
Around the World
’Azerbaijan Kills 11 Captured Armenian soldiers, 70 Detained’
Eleven Christian Armenian prisoners of war have been killed by their Azerbaijani captors in the contested Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, despite the presence of Russian peacekeepers, aid workers told Worthy News.
In Response To Kremlin, U.S. Reiterates Proposed Extension Of New START Treaty
The United States has responded to Russia’s call to continue negotiations on the New START arms-control treaty by reiterating a U.S. proposal and saying the Russians have "rejected" attempts to restart the talks.
Antarctic shaken by tens of thousands of tremors over 3 months
The characteristically stable Antarctic continent has been shaken by an unprecedented spate of 30,000-50,000 tremors in the last three months, Israel365 News reported Monday. According to a report by the University of Chile’s National Seismological Centre, the wave of tremors was concentrated in the 60 miles wide Bransfield Strait which extends 300 miles from the Antarctic Peninsula in a north-easterly direction.
Five officers injured, 29 arrested in London anti-lockdown protests
Five police officers were injured and 29 people were arrested during anti-lockdown protests in Britain on Saturday, ITV reports. Demonstrators had gathered in London to protest against tough new COVID-19 restrictions being imposed to combat a mutant variant of the coronavirus that is believed to be more contagious than the earlier form.
Hungary’s Opposition Unites Against Autocratic Prime Minister
Six Hungarian opposition parties say they unite to oust the increasingly autocratic Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has suffered in the polls amid ongoing corruption scandals.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Netanyahu, Gantz said to agree on imposing 3rd national virus lockdown
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz have agreed to impose a third national lockdown to curb a surge in new COVID-19 infections, Israeli television reported Tuesday.
100 doctors protest Israel’s COVID-19 restrictions
Over 100 doctors in Israel have signed a letter of protest against the government’s COVID-19 lockdowns and its alternative restrictions such as the closure of schools, the Times of Israel (TOI) reported Sunday. The physicians’ protest was made as the number of daily coronavirus cases in Israel surged to nearly 3,000 Tuesday through Friday last week, and as a new wave of restrictions looked likely.
Israel bans foreigners from Dec. 23 for at least 10 days
Israel’s COVID-19 cabinet approved a decision Monday to ban all foreigners, including those with current visas, from entering the country starting December 23, the Jerusalem Post reports. Aimed at slowing Israel’s current surge in coronavirus cases, the ban will be in place for at least 10 days, with the option to extend as needed.
Inside the United States
Trump Demands Different Coronavirus Package
Washington was in turmoil late Tuesday after U.S. President Donald J. Trump threatened not to sign a coronavirus stimulus package saying struggling Americans deserve much better.
President Pardons Convicted Supporters
U.S. President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday pardoned 15 people, but he did not extend amnesty to death row people.
Special counsel Durham investigation ‘making good progress,’ Barr says
Special counsel John Durham is "making good progress" in his investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe, Attorney General William Barr said this week.
Study finds 84% fewer hospitalizations for patients treated with controversial drug hydroxychloroquine
A peer-reviewed study measuring the effectiveness of a controversial drug cocktail that includes hydroxychloroquine concluded that the treatment lowered hospitalizations and mortality rates of coronavirus patients.
’Azerbaijan Kills 11 Captured Armenian soldiers, 70 Detained’
Eleven Christian Armenian prisoners of war have been killed by their Azerbaijani captors in the contested Nagorno-Karabakh enclave, despite the presence of Russian peacekeepers, aid workers told Worthy News.
In Response To Kremlin, U.S. Reiterates Proposed Extension Of New START Treaty
The United States has responded to Russia’s call to continue negotiations on the New START arms-control treaty by reiterating a U.S. proposal and saying the Russians have "rejected" attempts to restart the talks.
Antarctic shaken by tens of thousands of tremors over 3 months
The characteristically stable Antarctic continent has been shaken by an unprecedented spate of 30,000-50,000 tremors in the last three months, Israel365 News reported Monday. According to a report by the University of Chile’s National Seismological Centre, the wave of tremors was concentrated in the 60 miles wide Bransfield Strait which extends 300 miles from the Antarctic Peninsula in a north-easterly direction.
Five officers injured, 29 arrested in London anti-lockdown protests
Five police officers were injured and 29 people were arrested during anti-lockdown protests in Britain on Saturday, ITV reports. Demonstrators had gathered in London to protest against tough new COVID-19 restrictions being imposed to combat a mutant variant of the coronavirus that is believed to be more contagious than the earlier form.
Hungary’s Opposition Unites Against Autocratic Prime Minister
Six Hungarian opposition parties say they unite to oust the increasingly autocratic Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who has suffered in the polls amid ongoing corruption scandals.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Netanyahu, Gantz said to agree on imposing 3rd national virus lockdown
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz have agreed to impose a third national lockdown to curb a surge in new COVID-19 infections, Israeli television reported Tuesday.
100 doctors protest Israel’s COVID-19 restrictions
Over 100 doctors in Israel have signed a letter of protest against the government’s COVID-19 lockdowns and its alternative restrictions such as the closure of schools, the Times of Israel (TOI) reported Sunday. The physicians’ protest was made as the number of daily coronavirus cases in Israel surged to nearly 3,000 Tuesday through Friday last week, and as a new wave of restrictions looked likely.
Israel bans foreigners from Dec. 23 for at least 10 days
Israel’s COVID-19 cabinet approved a decision Monday to ban all foreigners, including those with current visas, from entering the country starting December 23, the Jerusalem Post reports. Aimed at slowing Israel’s current surge in coronavirus cases, the ban will be in place for at least 10 days, with the option to extend as needed.
Inside the United States
Trump Demands Different Coronavirus Package
Washington was in turmoil late Tuesday after U.S. President Donald J. Trump threatened not to sign a coronavirus stimulus package saying struggling Americans deserve much better.
President Pardons Convicted Supporters
U.S. President Donald J. Trump on Tuesday pardoned 15 people, but he did not extend amnesty to death row people.
Special counsel Durham investigation ‘making good progress,’ Barr says
Special counsel John Durham is "making good progress" in his investigation into the origins of the Trump-Russia probe, Attorney General William Barr said this week.
Study finds 84% fewer hospitalizations for patients treated with controversial drug hydroxychloroquine
A peer-reviewed study measuring the effectiveness of a controversial drug cocktail that includes hydroxychloroquine concluded that the treatment lowered hospitalizations and mortality rates of coronavirus patients.
Around the World
EU-UK post-Brexit trade talks remain at standstill
Post-Brexit trade talks between Britain and the European Union remained grid-locked Sunday evening, even as there remain just days to go before the official transition period comes to an end on December 31, the Associated Press reports. In the event no agreement is reached by the end of the year, the two parties will default to trading on World Trade Organization terms, with all the tariffs and barriers that this will entail.
US nuclear submarine transits Strait of Hormuz amid tensions
An American nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine traversed the strategically vital waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula on Monday, the U.S. Navy said, a rare announcement that comes amid rising tensions with Iran.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israel’s marijuana industry prepares to expand as country moves toward legalizing recreational cannabis
Israel is progressing with moves to legalize recreational marijuana in the next few months, while its burgeoning cannabis industry looks to expand its manufacturing, production and export capabilities, Ynet News reports.
Election prevention bill fails, Israel headed to elections on March 23
A bill proposed to avoid Knesset dispersal and the fourth elections over the last two years has failed to pass on Monday night, sealing Israel's fate.
Bennett: Goal ‘to replace Netanyahu,’ won’t back bill to let PM avoid legal woes
Yamina leader Naftali Bennett said Monday that his goal was to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and would not support legislative efforts to help the premier avoid his corruption charges.
Knesset rejects bill to delay budget deadline, sends Israel heading to elections
The Knesset overnight Monday-Tuesday narrowly rejected a bill that would have deferred a Tuesday midnight deadline for passing the 2020 state budget, and thus set Israel on an almost certain course to its fourth general election in two years.
Israeli submarine reportedly crosses Suez Canal in ‘message’ to Iran
An Israeli submarine openly crossed the Suez Canal last week, in a show of force against Iran, the Kan public broadcaster reported Monday night.
Inside the United States
US Attorney-General Barr Abandoning President Trump
U.S. Attorney General William Barr has turned his back on embattled President Donald J. Trump by declining to appoint a special counsel to investigate the president’s claims of massive voter fraud during the 2020 election.
Anti-Lockdown Protesters Clash With Police At Oregon State Capitol
Anti-lockdown protesters clashed with police during a demonstration Monday at the Oregon Capitol as lawmakers met in a special session to decide on funding for coronavirus relief.
Army long-range cannon gets direct hit on target 43 miles away
The Army’s Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) system under development hit a target 43 miles away — or 70 kilometers — on the nose at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, Dec. 19, using an Excalibur extended-range guided artillery shell, according to the general who is overseeing the service’s Long-Range Precision Fires modernization.
U.S. Congress Rolling Out $2.3 Trillion Rescue
Congress prepared to vote for a $2.3 trillion rescue package, the most extensive in U.S. history.
Google policy informs children that parents are monitoring their account
Google has confirmed it tells children when their parents are supervising their accounts, Just the News reported Sunday. The issue came to light when film director Robby Starbuck tweeted that his 7-year-old son had been notified by Google that his account was being supervised.
EU-UK post-Brexit trade talks remain at standstill
Post-Brexit trade talks between Britain and the European Union remained grid-locked Sunday evening, even as there remain just days to go before the official transition period comes to an end on December 31, the Associated Press reports. In the event no agreement is reached by the end of the year, the two parties will default to trading on World Trade Organization terms, with all the tariffs and barriers that this will entail.
US nuclear submarine transits Strait of Hormuz amid tensions
An American nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine traversed the strategically vital waterway between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula on Monday, the U.S. Navy said, a rare announcement that comes amid rising tensions with Iran.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israel’s marijuana industry prepares to expand as country moves toward legalizing recreational cannabis
Israel is progressing with moves to legalize recreational marijuana in the next few months, while its burgeoning cannabis industry looks to expand its manufacturing, production and export capabilities, Ynet News reports.
Election prevention bill fails, Israel headed to elections on March 23
A bill proposed to avoid Knesset dispersal and the fourth elections over the last two years has failed to pass on Monday night, sealing Israel's fate.
Bennett: Goal ‘to replace Netanyahu,’ won’t back bill to let PM avoid legal woes
Yamina leader Naftali Bennett said Monday that his goal was to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and would not support legislative efforts to help the premier avoid his corruption charges.
Knesset rejects bill to delay budget deadline, sends Israel heading to elections
The Knesset overnight Monday-Tuesday narrowly rejected a bill that would have deferred a Tuesday midnight deadline for passing the 2020 state budget, and thus set Israel on an almost certain course to its fourth general election in two years.
Israeli submarine reportedly crosses Suez Canal in ‘message’ to Iran
An Israeli submarine openly crossed the Suez Canal last week, in a show of force against Iran, the Kan public broadcaster reported Monday night.
Inside the United States
US Attorney-General Barr Abandoning President Trump
U.S. Attorney General William Barr has turned his back on embattled President Donald J. Trump by declining to appoint a special counsel to investigate the president’s claims of massive voter fraud during the 2020 election.
Anti-Lockdown Protesters Clash With Police At Oregon State Capitol
Anti-lockdown protesters clashed with police during a demonstration Monday at the Oregon Capitol as lawmakers met in a special session to decide on funding for coronavirus relief.
Army long-range cannon gets direct hit on target 43 miles away
The Army’s Extended Range Cannon Artillery (ERCA) system under development hit a target 43 miles away — or 70 kilometers — on the nose at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, Dec. 19, using an Excalibur extended-range guided artillery shell, according to the general who is overseeing the service’s Long-Range Precision Fires modernization.
U.S. Congress Rolling Out $2.3 Trillion Rescue
Congress prepared to vote for a $2.3 trillion rescue package, the most extensive in U.S. history.
Google policy informs children that parents are monitoring their account
Google has confirmed it tells children when their parents are supervising their accounts, Just the News reported Sunday. The issue came to light when film director Robby Starbuck tweeted that his 7-year-old son had been notified by Google that his account was being supervised.