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
North Korea says still open to talks after Trump-Kim summit canceled
North Korea responded on Friday with measured tones to U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to call off a historic summit with leader Kim Jong Un scheduled for next month, saying Pyongyang hoped for a 'Trump formula' to resolve the standoff over its nuclear weapons program.
North Korea releases photos showing apparent dismantling of nuclear site
New pictures were released Thursday showing the reported destruction of what North Korea has claimed to be a nuclear testing site.
Voting begins throughout Ireland in major abortion decision
Voters throughout Ireland have begun casting votes in a referendum that may lead to a loosening of the country's strict ban on most abortions.
Turkey's economy at risk as currency hits record low
Turkey is trying desperately to halt a collapse in its currency that could trigger an economic crisis just as the country prepares to vote in an election.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Prince William to Become the First British Royal to Officially Visit Israel and the West Bank
Kensington Palace says Prince William will visit Israel and the Palestinian territories at the end of June -- the first British royal to make an official visit there.
Abbas's hospitalization raises speculation about his successor
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, hospitalized in Ramallah for treatment of a lung infection, is generating widespread concern for his overall health since it’s the third time in less than one week that the octogenarian has been hospitalized.
Inside the United States
FBI, Justice Department Leaders Meet Over Trump Informant Allegations
Two highly classified briefings with the FBI and Justice Department took place Thursday about an FBI informant who contacted the Trump campaign.
U.S. forecasters say 2018 hurricane season may be above normal
U.S. forecasters expect the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season will be near-normal to above-normal in number and intensity of storms, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center said on Thursday.
White House underestimated new debt in Trump budget by $2.3 trillion: CBO
President Trump’s proposed budget would add $2.3 trillion more to deficits over the next decade than the White House estimated, the Congressional Budget Office said Thursday.
Christian News
Authorities in Zanzibar, Tanzania Close Down Church
The pastor of a church on Tanzania’s semi-autonomous Zanzibar Island was preaching earlier this month when a plainclothes police officer and local officials strode into the church service.
Religious Freedom Ambassador Brownback Believes Pastor Brunson Will Be Released from Turkish Prison
U.S. Ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback said he believes the North Carolina pastor, Rev. Andrew Brunson will be released from Turkey.
Judge rules Christian baker does not have to make gay ‘wedding’ cake
A California judge has issued his final judgment in favor of a Christian baker who refused to bake a cake for a same-sex 'wedding,' ruling that cakes celebrating events are a form of speech.
North Korea says still open to talks after Trump-Kim summit canceled
North Korea responded on Friday with measured tones to U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to call off a historic summit with leader Kim Jong Un scheduled for next month, saying Pyongyang hoped for a 'Trump formula' to resolve the standoff over its nuclear weapons program.
North Korea releases photos showing apparent dismantling of nuclear site
New pictures were released Thursday showing the reported destruction of what North Korea has claimed to be a nuclear testing site.
Voting begins throughout Ireland in major abortion decision
Voters throughout Ireland have begun casting votes in a referendum that may lead to a loosening of the country's strict ban on most abortions.
Turkey's economy at risk as currency hits record low
Turkey is trying desperately to halt a collapse in its currency that could trigger an economic crisis just as the country prepares to vote in an election.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Prince William to Become the First British Royal to Officially Visit Israel and the West Bank
Kensington Palace says Prince William will visit Israel and the Palestinian territories at the end of June -- the first British royal to make an official visit there.
Abbas's hospitalization raises speculation about his successor
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, hospitalized in Ramallah for treatment of a lung infection, is generating widespread concern for his overall health since it’s the third time in less than one week that the octogenarian has been hospitalized.
Inside the United States
FBI, Justice Department Leaders Meet Over Trump Informant Allegations
Two highly classified briefings with the FBI and Justice Department took place Thursday about an FBI informant who contacted the Trump campaign.
U.S. forecasters say 2018 hurricane season may be above normal
U.S. forecasters expect the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season will be near-normal to above-normal in number and intensity of storms, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center said on Thursday.
White House underestimated new debt in Trump budget by $2.3 trillion: CBO
President Trump’s proposed budget would add $2.3 trillion more to deficits over the next decade than the White House estimated, the Congressional Budget Office said Thursday.
Christian News
Authorities in Zanzibar, Tanzania Close Down Church
The pastor of a church on Tanzania’s semi-autonomous Zanzibar Island was preaching earlier this month when a plainclothes police officer and local officials strode into the church service.
Religious Freedom Ambassador Brownback Believes Pastor Brunson Will Be Released from Turkish Prison
U.S. Ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom Sam Brownback said he believes the North Carolina pastor, Rev. Andrew Brunson will be released from Turkey.
Judge rules Christian baker does not have to make gay ‘wedding’ cake
A California judge has issued his final judgment in favor of a Christian baker who refused to bake a cake for a same-sex 'wedding,' ruling that cakes celebrating events are a form of speech.
Around the World
Khamenei sets terms for Tehran to remain in nuclear deal
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday set conditions for Europe for Tehran to remain in the 2015 nuclear accord, following the US withdrawal from the deal earlier this month.
Tehran rejects Pompeo demands, vows to push ahead with weapons development
Iranian officials on Wednesday dismissed a series of demands from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, saying the US was afraid to face Iran in battle and vowed to push ahead with its military programs.
Oman, Yemen prepare for hurricane-strength Cyclone Mekunu
Cyclone Mekunu is intensifying to hurricane-level strength in the Arabian Sea and is expected to hit Oman and Yemen later this week, forecasters said Wednesday.
Report: Strong Evidence of Iran Developing Long-Range Missile Technology at Secret Facility
A team of California-based weapons researchers has uncovered evidence suggesting Iran is developing long-range missile technology at a secret facility in the Iranian desert.
Trump to cut aid to countries refusing to cooperate on immigration
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is working on plans to reduce U.S. aid to countries that refuse to cooperate with U.S. immigration authorities.
Mike Pompeo focused on North Korea denuclearization
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday said North Korean denuclearization is the 'top national security priority,' but the Trump administration is also focused on 'appropriate countermeasures' to anticipated Russian meddling in the 2018 midterms, knuckling down against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s power grab in Caracas and much, much more.
Google, Facebook's new policy benefits pro-abortion side ahead of Irish vote, critics say
A move by Facebook and Google to restrict political advertising ahead of Ireland’s fiercely contested abortion referendum Friday has outraged critics, who call it the latest example of the social media giants’ power to put a heavy digital thumb on the electoral scales -- even when they strive not to get involved.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israeli minister says U.S. may soon recognize Israel's hold on Golan
Israel is pressing the Trump administration to recognize its sovereignty over the Golan Heights, an Israeli cabinet minister said on Wednesday, predicting US assent could come within months.
Jewish-Christian Bible Bloc party approved by registrar
There will be a joint Jewish-Christian list that will run in the next general election, after the party registrar’s office recently approved the candidacy of a new party called The Bible Bloc Party (Gush Hatanachi in Hebrew.)
White House mulling possible move against Palestinian mission over ICC push
The White House is considering action against Palestinian diplomats in Washington after Ramallah asked the International Criminal Court on Tuesday to investigate alleged Israeli crimes, The Times of Israel has learned.
Inside the United States
House Republicans refuse Democrats' job training, child care plans to keep welfare reform on track
Republicans rejected Democrats’ efforts Wednesday to increase money for job training or child care for those on welfare, keeping their massive reform bill on track for approval in a key committee
Federal judge rules Trump cannot block people on Twitter
A federal judge in Manhattan ruled Wednesday it is a violation of the First Amendment for President Trump to block critics from viewing his Twitter account.
Pence Celebrates Trump ‘Winning’ After NFL Makes Rule Against Anthem Protests
Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday credited the Trump administration with pushing the NFL to require players to stand for the national anthem.
Giuliani reverses: Trump should interview with Mueller
President Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani in a reversal on Wednesday said that he now believes that Trump should interview with special counsel Robert Mueller.
Khamenei sets terms for Tehran to remain in nuclear deal
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Wednesday set conditions for Europe for Tehran to remain in the 2015 nuclear accord, following the US withdrawal from the deal earlier this month.
Tehran rejects Pompeo demands, vows to push ahead with weapons development
Iranian officials on Wednesday dismissed a series of demands from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, saying the US was afraid to face Iran in battle and vowed to push ahead with its military programs.
Oman, Yemen prepare for hurricane-strength Cyclone Mekunu
Cyclone Mekunu is intensifying to hurricane-level strength in the Arabian Sea and is expected to hit Oman and Yemen later this week, forecasters said Wednesday.
Report: Strong Evidence of Iran Developing Long-Range Missile Technology at Secret Facility
A team of California-based weapons researchers has uncovered evidence suggesting Iran is developing long-range missile technology at a secret facility in the Iranian desert.
Trump to cut aid to countries refusing to cooperate on immigration
President Donald Trump said Wednesday he is working on plans to reduce U.S. aid to countries that refuse to cooperate with U.S. immigration authorities.
Mike Pompeo focused on North Korea denuclearization
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday said North Korean denuclearization is the 'top national security priority,' but the Trump administration is also focused on 'appropriate countermeasures' to anticipated Russian meddling in the 2018 midterms, knuckling down against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s power grab in Caracas and much, much more.
Google, Facebook's new policy benefits pro-abortion side ahead of Irish vote, critics say
A move by Facebook and Google to restrict political advertising ahead of Ireland’s fiercely contested abortion referendum Friday has outraged critics, who call it the latest example of the social media giants’ power to put a heavy digital thumb on the electoral scales -- even when they strive not to get involved.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israeli minister says U.S. may soon recognize Israel's hold on Golan
Israel is pressing the Trump administration to recognize its sovereignty over the Golan Heights, an Israeli cabinet minister said on Wednesday, predicting US assent could come within months.
Jewish-Christian Bible Bloc party approved by registrar
There will be a joint Jewish-Christian list that will run in the next general election, after the party registrar’s office recently approved the candidacy of a new party called The Bible Bloc Party (Gush Hatanachi in Hebrew.)
White House mulling possible move against Palestinian mission over ICC push
The White House is considering action against Palestinian diplomats in Washington after Ramallah asked the International Criminal Court on Tuesday to investigate alleged Israeli crimes, The Times of Israel has learned.
Inside the United States
House Republicans refuse Democrats' job training, child care plans to keep welfare reform on track
Republicans rejected Democrats’ efforts Wednesday to increase money for job training or child care for those on welfare, keeping their massive reform bill on track for approval in a key committee
Federal judge rules Trump cannot block people on Twitter
A federal judge in Manhattan ruled Wednesday it is a violation of the First Amendment for President Trump to block critics from viewing his Twitter account.
Pence Celebrates Trump ‘Winning’ After NFL Makes Rule Against Anthem Protests
Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday credited the Trump administration with pushing the NFL to require players to stand for the national anthem.
Giuliani reverses: Trump should interview with Mueller
President Trump’s attorney Rudy Giuliani in a reversal on Wednesday said that he now believes that Trump should interview with special counsel Robert Mueller.
Around the World
UN chief urges Lebanon's Hezbollah to halt military action
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly criticized Hezbollah for operating as the most heavily armed militia and a political party in Lebanon and urged the militant group to halt military activities inside and outside the country, including in Syria.
US, South Korea work to keep North Korea summit on track
The United States and South Korea are laboring to keep the highly anticipated U.S. summit with North Korea on track, even after President Donald Trump abruptly said 'there's a very substantial chance' it won’t happen as scheduled.
U.S. warplanes take out ISIS sleeper cell in Iraq
U.S. and allied warplanes destroyed an Islamic State sleeper cell near the terror group’s former stronghold of Mosul Tuesday, ending with roughly 12 jihadists dead, military officials in Baghdad say.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
IDF strikes underground Hamas terror target, seaport in Gaza
Israeli Air Force jets targeted underground terror infrastructure in the northern Gaza Strip early Wednesday morning, the IDF said. Two further targets belonging to Hamas naval forces in Gaza were also targeted.
Israel is first country to use US-made F-35 fighter jet in combat, IAF chief says
Israel is the first country in the world to have flown the U.S.-made F-35 stealth fighter jet in combat, the commander of the Israeli air force said on Tuesday in remarks carried by the IDF's official Twitter account.
IAF commander: Israel still striking targets in Syria
Israeli jets have continued to strike targets in Syria following the recent Iranian missile barrage against IDF posts in the Golan Heights, a senior Israel Air Force officer said on Tuesday.
Inside the United States
House Passes Trump-Backed Prison Reform Bill
The House passed a bipartisan bill Tuesday that would help give prison inmates a second chance at life.
Congress Passes Bill Rolling Back Banking Rules
Congress has moved to dismantle some key rules for banks that were installed to prevent a replay of the 2008 financial crisis.
Trump questions why FBI informant received payments from government
President Trump on Tuesday asked why an FBI source who met with some members of his 2016 campaign was paid by the government, arguing the informant was 'there to spy for political purposes.'
Trump says he will propose new tax cuts prior to November
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he will propose new tax cuts sometime prior to November, when Republicans look to retain their control of the U.S. Congress in midterm elections.
Media insist: FBI's source on Trump was an 'informant,' not a 'spy'
News reports have revealed the identity of a Cambridge University professor who fed information about the Trump campaign to the FBI but the national media have consistently declined to characterize the activity as spying, and are actively rejecting President Trump's push to call it spying.
Stacey Abrams wins as Democrats bet on new strategies and voters
Georgia’s battle of the 'Staceys' barely qualified as a minor skirmish, as Stacey Abrams cruised to an historic landslide victory over Stacey Evans in the Democratic primary, becoming the first black woman nominated by her party for governor.
FBI overstated number of locked cellphones in encryption debate
The FBI has overstated the number encrypted cellphones that investigators are unable to access because of a flawed internal accounting system that relied on multiple databases.
Christian News
‘Purge Against Christians’ Underway in China as Persecution Ramps Up
It feels like every day we are hearing more news about China increasing persecution on the Christian community.
Why Jesus Is No Longer the Only Way for Many American Christians
Just over two months ago, as winter landed its final blows of snow in New York City, Michael A. Walrond Jr. of Harlem's 10,000-member First Corinthian Baptist Church landed an ideological blow of his own in traditional Christendom.
UN chief urges Lebanon's Hezbollah to halt military action
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres strongly criticized Hezbollah for operating as the most heavily armed militia and a political party in Lebanon and urged the militant group to halt military activities inside and outside the country, including in Syria.
US, South Korea work to keep North Korea summit on track
The United States and South Korea are laboring to keep the highly anticipated U.S. summit with North Korea on track, even after President Donald Trump abruptly said 'there's a very substantial chance' it won’t happen as scheduled.
U.S. warplanes take out ISIS sleeper cell in Iraq
U.S. and allied warplanes destroyed an Islamic State sleeper cell near the terror group’s former stronghold of Mosul Tuesday, ending with roughly 12 jihadists dead, military officials in Baghdad say.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
IDF strikes underground Hamas terror target, seaport in Gaza
Israeli Air Force jets targeted underground terror infrastructure in the northern Gaza Strip early Wednesday morning, the IDF said. Two further targets belonging to Hamas naval forces in Gaza were also targeted.
Israel is first country to use US-made F-35 fighter jet in combat, IAF chief says
Israel is the first country in the world to have flown the U.S.-made F-35 stealth fighter jet in combat, the commander of the Israeli air force said on Tuesday in remarks carried by the IDF's official Twitter account.
IAF commander: Israel still striking targets in Syria
Israeli jets have continued to strike targets in Syria following the recent Iranian missile barrage against IDF posts in the Golan Heights, a senior Israel Air Force officer said on Tuesday.
Inside the United States
House Passes Trump-Backed Prison Reform Bill
The House passed a bipartisan bill Tuesday that would help give prison inmates a second chance at life.
Congress Passes Bill Rolling Back Banking Rules
Congress has moved to dismantle some key rules for banks that were installed to prevent a replay of the 2008 financial crisis.
Trump questions why FBI informant received payments from government
President Trump on Tuesday asked why an FBI source who met with some members of his 2016 campaign was paid by the government, arguing the informant was 'there to spy for political purposes.'
Trump says he will propose new tax cuts prior to November
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he will propose new tax cuts sometime prior to November, when Republicans look to retain their control of the U.S. Congress in midterm elections.
Media insist: FBI's source on Trump was an 'informant,' not a 'spy'
News reports have revealed the identity of a Cambridge University professor who fed information about the Trump campaign to the FBI but the national media have consistently declined to characterize the activity as spying, and are actively rejecting President Trump's push to call it spying.
Stacey Abrams wins as Democrats bet on new strategies and voters
Georgia’s battle of the 'Staceys' barely qualified as a minor skirmish, as Stacey Abrams cruised to an historic landslide victory over Stacey Evans in the Democratic primary, becoming the first black woman nominated by her party for governor.
FBI overstated number of locked cellphones in encryption debate
The FBI has overstated the number encrypted cellphones that investigators are unable to access because of a flawed internal accounting system that relied on multiple databases.
Christian News
‘Purge Against Christians’ Underway in China as Persecution Ramps Up
It feels like every day we are hearing more news about China increasing persecution on the Christian community.
Why Jesus Is No Longer the Only Way for Many American Christians
Just over two months ago, as winter landed its final blows of snow in New York City, Michael A. Walrond Jr. of Harlem's 10,000-member First Corinthian Baptist Church landed an ideological blow of his own in traditional Christendom.