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 has 'probably' developed nuclear devices to fit ballistic missiles, U.N. report says
North Korea is pressing on with its nuclear weapons program and several countries believe it has “probably developed miniaturized nuclear devices to fit into the warheads of its ballistic missiles,” according to a confidential U.N. report.
Locust Swarms Invade Southern Russia, Cause Colossal Damage
Locust swarms have invaded Russia's southern regions causing colossal damage to the local agriculture.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israeli court upholds block on Palestinian Authority payments to terrorists
The Tel-Aviv District Court ruled in favor of an Israeli government crack-down on Palestinian Authority (PA) payments to convicted terrorists in prison, Israel Hayom reported.
15 said killed in mystery airstrikes on Iranian-backed militias in Syria
At least 15 people were killed in a mystery air attack on a base used by Iranian forces and Iranian-backed militias, a war monitor group focused on Syria said Tuesday.
IDF strikes Syrian military targets in response to attempted border attack
The Israeli military conducted a series of airstrikes on Syrian military targets late Monday night in response to an attempted attack on the border in the Golan Heights the night before, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Likud minister: If Gantz fails to back budget, we’ll form alternative government
Regional Cooperation Minister Ofir Akunis warned Monday that if the Blue and White party does not back a single-year budget as pushed by his Likud party, the latter will seek to replace the unity coalition with an alternative government of 61 MKs.
Netanyahu: West Bank annexation ‘not off the table’; issue ‘is in Washington’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday told his Likud faction meeting that Israel’s planned annexation of West Bank land is not off the table, but is being held up by the US administration.
Inside the United States
Isaias strengthens to hurricane and is expected to drive damaging winds and rain up East Coast
Hurricane Isaias has regained strength and is now set to barrel up the entire East Coast, bringing with it wind and the potential for flooding.
2 protesters arrested after allegedly writing ‘Black Pre-Born Lives Matter’ in chalk on sidewalk
Two anti-abortion protesters were arrested on Saturday outside a Washington, D.C., Planned Parenthood facility after police said they chalked “Black Pre-Born Lives Matter” on the sidewalk outside the facility, a report said.
CDC: COVID-Involved Deaths Drop 8.29% for Week Ending July 18
The most recent death certificates submitted to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that COVID-involved deaths in this country declined in the second half of July.
Christian News
China's Government 'Bans Believing in God' Amid Church Crackdown
China's Communist leadership has ordered devoted Christians not to believe in God, well-informed activists, and local believers say. "Attacks on house churches have intensified across China. Police and government officials raid places of worship and intimidate congregations," added Shen Xiang, who writes for Bitter Winter, a respected religious rights magazine on China.
Uganda Christians murdered for preaching the Gospel to Muslims
Reports emerged this week that Islamic extremists in eastern Uganda have murdered a pastor and a church member for preaching the Gospel to Muslims, the Christian Post reported Saturday. Pastor Peter Kyakulaga and parishioner Tuule Mumbya of Church of Christ were beaten and drowned in a lake in Lugonyola village in the Gadumire Sub-County of Kaliro District on June 22. Church leaders have reportedly asked the local Christian community not to retaliate, but to be in prayer instead, the Christian Post said.
Turkey has begun forcing foreign Christians to leave
Foreign Christians are being told to leave Turkey and others have been barred from re-entering the country, Morning Star News reported Sunday. Rights advocates have said the Turkish government seems to be purposefully aiming such actions against Protestant Christians.
California churches rally against Newsom coronavirus restrictions
California churches this weekend rallied against Gov. Gavin Newsom's worship restrictions as many pastors continue to disregard state-imposed bans on singing and indoor services.
North Korea has 'probably' developed nuclear devices to fit ballistic missiles, U.N. report says
North Korea is pressing on with its nuclear weapons program and several countries believe it has “probably developed miniaturized nuclear devices to fit into the warheads of its ballistic missiles,” according to a confidential U.N. report.
Locust Swarms Invade Southern Russia, Cause Colossal Damage
Locust swarms have invaded Russia's southern regions causing colossal damage to the local agriculture.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israeli court upholds block on Palestinian Authority payments to terrorists
The Tel-Aviv District Court ruled in favor of an Israeli government crack-down on Palestinian Authority (PA) payments to convicted terrorists in prison, Israel Hayom reported.
15 said killed in mystery airstrikes on Iranian-backed militias in Syria
At least 15 people were killed in a mystery air attack on a base used by Iranian forces and Iranian-backed militias, a war monitor group focused on Syria said Tuesday.
IDF strikes Syrian military targets in response to attempted border attack
The Israeli military conducted a series of airstrikes on Syrian military targets late Monday night in response to an attempted attack on the border in the Golan Heights the night before, the Israel Defense Forces said.
Likud minister: If Gantz fails to back budget, we’ll form alternative government
Regional Cooperation Minister Ofir Akunis warned Monday that if the Blue and White party does not back a single-year budget as pushed by his Likud party, the latter will seek to replace the unity coalition with an alternative government of 61 MKs.
Netanyahu: West Bank annexation ‘not off the table’; issue ‘is in Washington’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday told his Likud faction meeting that Israel’s planned annexation of West Bank land is not off the table, but is being held up by the US administration.
Inside the United States
Isaias strengthens to hurricane and is expected to drive damaging winds and rain up East Coast
Hurricane Isaias has regained strength and is now set to barrel up the entire East Coast, bringing with it wind and the potential for flooding.
2 protesters arrested after allegedly writing ‘Black Pre-Born Lives Matter’ in chalk on sidewalk
Two anti-abortion protesters were arrested on Saturday outside a Washington, D.C., Planned Parenthood facility after police said they chalked “Black Pre-Born Lives Matter” on the sidewalk outside the facility, a report said.
CDC: COVID-Involved Deaths Drop 8.29% for Week Ending July 18
The most recent death certificates submitted to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that COVID-involved deaths in this country declined in the second half of July.
Christian News
China's Government 'Bans Believing in God' Amid Church Crackdown
China's Communist leadership has ordered devoted Christians not to believe in God, well-informed activists, and local believers say. "Attacks on house churches have intensified across China. Police and government officials raid places of worship and intimidate congregations," added Shen Xiang, who writes for Bitter Winter, a respected religious rights magazine on China.
Uganda Christians murdered for preaching the Gospel to Muslims
Reports emerged this week that Islamic extremists in eastern Uganda have murdered a pastor and a church member for preaching the Gospel to Muslims, the Christian Post reported Saturday. Pastor Peter Kyakulaga and parishioner Tuule Mumbya of Church of Christ were beaten and drowned in a lake in Lugonyola village in the Gadumire Sub-County of Kaliro District on June 22. Church leaders have reportedly asked the local Christian community not to retaliate, but to be in prayer instead, the Christian Post said.
Turkey has begun forcing foreign Christians to leave
Foreign Christians are being told to leave Turkey and others have been barred from re-entering the country, Morning Star News reported Sunday. Rights advocates have said the Turkish government seems to be purposefully aiming such actions against Protestant Christians.
California churches rally against Newsom coronavirus restrictions
California churches this weekend rallied against Gov. Gavin Newsom's worship restrictions as many pastors continue to disregard state-imposed bans on singing and indoor services.
Around the World
Europeans Struggling With Heatwave and Coronavirus Lockdowns
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, millions of Europeans are crowding beaches and other areas amid a massive heatwave. That has added to deaths at sea, including in the Netherlands.
Europe's Economies Plunging Into Coronavirus Recession
The European Union's statistics agency has reported the most significant economic falls within the 27-nation bloc since it began recording the figures 25 years ago.
Eurozone suffers 40.3% annualized contraction, greatest drop on record
The Eurozone suffered its greatest contraction on record, exceeding the U.S. economy’s record plunge.
Pompeo warns TikTok users' personal info could be going 'directly to the Chinese Communist Party'
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo supported President Trump's proposed ban of social media phenomenon TikTok, explaining to Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" just how use of the app exposes Americans to having their personal information sent straight to the Chinese government.
US to Have Permanent Troop Presence in Poland as Defense Pact Agreed
The United States will establish a permanent military presence in Poland as it deploys around 1,000 additional U.S. troops there, Poland‘s Defense Ministry said on Friday.
Revolutionary microchip hailed as 'generational' breakthrough that will upend defense tech
An energy-efficient microchip under development combines different types of processors into one chip and is expected to revolutionize commercial and defense technology, the advanced semiconductor’s inventor says.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
In largest protest yet, over 10,000 rally against Netanyahu in Jerusalem
Thousands of Israelis protested against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside his official residence in Jerusalem on Saturday evening, in the biggest rally to be held in the capital since the recent start of anti-government protests.
After rocket attack, Israel hits ‘underground’ Hamas targets in Gaza
Israeli warplanes hit several Hamas sites in central and southern Gaza Strip early Monday, the Israel Defense Forces said, hours after Palestinians fired a rocket into Israel from the coastal enclave.
Remarkable archaeology discovery in Jerusalem places Jews firmly in Jerusalem in Biblical times
A recent, outstanding archaeological discovery of a 2,700-year-old major administrative center in Jerusalem provides further compelling evidence that Jews lived in the area during Biblical times, the Jerusalem Post reported last week. Excavated by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), the site is believed to date back to the eras of Hezekiah and Manasseh, kings of Judah.
Inside the United States
Justice Ginsburg waited 4 months to say her cancer had returned
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is perhaps the most forthcoming member of the Supreme Court when it comes to telling the public about her many health issues. But she waited more than four months to reveal that her cancer had returned and that she was undergoing chemotherapy.
Portland Protesters Burn Bibles, American Flag Outside Federal Courthouse
Radical activists in Portland, Oregon, burned Bibles and the American flag in front of a federal courthouse this weekend.
House passes defense spending bill on 217-197 vote challenging Trump
The Democrat-led House on Friday approved its version of a major Pentagon spending bill that would reverse President Trump’s ban on transgender troops serving in the military, part of a massive, six-bill $1.3 trillion appropriations package.
CDC Director: ‘I Think You’re Correct’ About Inflated COVID Death Statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield acknowledged Friday that the number of COVID-19 deaths could be inflated where someone who had the virus actually died from something else, but it was recorded as a COVID death.
Supreme Court declines to stop Trump border wall construction
The Supreme Court declined on Friday to stop the Trump administration from constructing parts of the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Tech giants CEOs grilled by lawmakers from both parties
At a congressional hearing Wednesday, lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties questioned the CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google, to understand whether these dominant companies have become “corporate bullies” that systemically buy out or destroy competitors, CBS News reports. The hearing is especially pertinent as the COVID-19 economic disaster has crushed small and larger businesses worldwide while these tech giants have grown richer by the billions of dollars. The CEO of each company gave evidence virtually to the House Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust.
Europeans Struggling With Heatwave and Coronavirus Lockdowns
Despite the coronavirus pandemic, millions of Europeans are crowding beaches and other areas amid a massive heatwave. That has added to deaths at sea, including in the Netherlands.
Europe's Economies Plunging Into Coronavirus Recession
The European Union's statistics agency has reported the most significant economic falls within the 27-nation bloc since it began recording the figures 25 years ago.
Eurozone suffers 40.3% annualized contraction, greatest drop on record
The Eurozone suffered its greatest contraction on record, exceeding the U.S. economy’s record plunge.
Pompeo warns TikTok users' personal info could be going 'directly to the Chinese Communist Party'
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo supported President Trump's proposed ban of social media phenomenon TikTok, explaining to Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures" just how use of the app exposes Americans to having their personal information sent straight to the Chinese government.
US to Have Permanent Troop Presence in Poland as Defense Pact Agreed
The United States will establish a permanent military presence in Poland as it deploys around 1,000 additional U.S. troops there, Poland‘s Defense Ministry said on Friday.
Revolutionary microchip hailed as 'generational' breakthrough that will upend defense tech
An energy-efficient microchip under development combines different types of processors into one chip and is expected to revolutionize commercial and defense technology, the advanced semiconductor’s inventor says.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
In largest protest yet, over 10,000 rally against Netanyahu in Jerusalem
Thousands of Israelis protested against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outside his official residence in Jerusalem on Saturday evening, in the biggest rally to be held in the capital since the recent start of anti-government protests.
After rocket attack, Israel hits ‘underground’ Hamas targets in Gaza
Israeli warplanes hit several Hamas sites in central and southern Gaza Strip early Monday, the Israel Defense Forces said, hours after Palestinians fired a rocket into Israel from the coastal enclave.
Remarkable archaeology discovery in Jerusalem places Jews firmly in Jerusalem in Biblical times
A recent, outstanding archaeological discovery of a 2,700-year-old major administrative center in Jerusalem provides further compelling evidence that Jews lived in the area during Biblical times, the Jerusalem Post reported last week. Excavated by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), the site is believed to date back to the eras of Hezekiah and Manasseh, kings of Judah.
Inside the United States
Justice Ginsburg waited 4 months to say her cancer had returned
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is perhaps the most forthcoming member of the Supreme Court when it comes to telling the public about her many health issues. But she waited more than four months to reveal that her cancer had returned and that she was undergoing chemotherapy.
Portland Protesters Burn Bibles, American Flag Outside Federal Courthouse
Radical activists in Portland, Oregon, burned Bibles and the American flag in front of a federal courthouse this weekend.
House passes defense spending bill on 217-197 vote challenging Trump
The Democrat-led House on Friday approved its version of a major Pentagon spending bill that would reverse President Trump’s ban on transgender troops serving in the military, part of a massive, six-bill $1.3 trillion appropriations package.
CDC Director: ‘I Think You’re Correct’ About Inflated COVID Death Statistics
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield acknowledged Friday that the number of COVID-19 deaths could be inflated where someone who had the virus actually died from something else, but it was recorded as a COVID death.
Supreme Court declines to stop Trump border wall construction
The Supreme Court declined on Friday to stop the Trump administration from constructing parts of the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Tech giants CEOs grilled by lawmakers from both parties
At a congressional hearing Wednesday, lawmakers from both the Republican and Democratic parties questioned the CEOs of Amazon, Apple, Facebook and Google, to understand whether these dominant companies have become “corporate bullies” that systemically buy out or destroy competitors, CBS News reports. The hearing is especially pertinent as the COVID-19 economic disaster has crushed small and larger businesses worldwide while these tech giants have grown richer by the billions of dollars. The CEO of each company gave evidence virtually to the House Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust.
Around the World
As China, Cuba, Saudis Line Up For UN Human Rights Council Seats, Democrats Want to Rejoin Too
At a time when the Chinese Communist Party is eyeing another three-year term on the U.N. Human Rights Council, a pledge in the Democratic Party’s draft 2020 platform for the U.S. to return to a body plagued by the presence of rights-abusing regimes is drawing some criticism.
US is ‘Satan,’ Israel is its ‘Chained Dog,’ But Twitter Gives Ayatollah’s Tweets a Pass
Iran’s supreme leader, in a tweet Wednesday that was not flagged, restricted, or blocked by Twitter, called the United States “Satan” and labeled Israel America’s “chained dog,” drawing fresh attention to questions about the platform’s content policies.
Space Force on alert: Behind Russia's mysterious testing of deadly anti-satellite weapons in orbit
Last week, the head of the U.S.'s newest military branch, the Space Force, cautioned publicly for the first time that Moscow had undertaken at least two concerning anti-satellite weapon tests in recent months, in a potential bid to develop on-orbit efficiency that could dangerously hinder the U.S.'s heavy dependency on space-based systems.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Another ancient church discovered in the Galilee
A 1,300 year-old church has been uncovered in the Galilee region of Israel, CBN News reported Wednesday. Working with the Kinneret Academic College, Israel’s Antiquity Authority discovered the church in the Circassian village of Kfar Kama.
1st half of 2020 sees near-record anti-Semitism in UK despite lockdown
Anti-Semitic incidents in the UK have dropped by 13 percent in 2020 compared to the year before, likely due to COVID-19 lockdown regulations, but the 789 events reported between January and June still represent the third-highest number on record for that period, according to a study by a British watchdog group.
Inside the United States
Trump on Portland: ‘We're Not Leaving Until They’ve Secured Their City’
Federal agents are not leaving the city of Portland, Ore., until the city is secured, President Donald Trump said Wednesday prior to leaving for Texas.
Police 'No-Go Zone' in Area Where George Floyd Died; Violence Spirals Out of Control
The area in Minneapolis where George Floyd died while in police custody has become something of a shrine to the movement for racial equality.
Estimate: U.S. GDP fell almost 33 percent in 2nd quarter
U.S. Gross Domestic Product dropped an estimated 32.9 percent in the second quarter of 2020, according to a report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis released Thursday, a result of stay-at-home orders that shuttered businesses in response to COVID-19.
Study: 68 percent of workers earned more on unemployment with $600 weekly enhancement
Some unemployed workers received nearly twice as much money through unemployment insurance (UI) payments authorized through the CARES Act than they earned when they were employed, a new study from the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) found.
Trump appears to walk back tweet about delaying the election
President Trump appeared to walk back statements about postponing the presidential election, instead saying he was pleased to get the media finally to "start talking about" the safety of voting by mail.
Christian News
California Christians gather for outdoor and indoor services in spite of coronavirus restrictions
Despite California Gov. Gavin Newsom's COVID-19 lockdown measures, thousands of Christians have been gathering in both indoor and outdoor services across the state, Fox News reports.
Planned Parenthood sues church for making too much noise
The Planned Parenthood abortion provider has filed suit against The Church at Planned Parenthood (TCAPP) in Spokane, Wash. for being too loud and harming their clients, Fox News reports. Its website explains that TCAPP is not a protest but “a gathering of Christians for the worship of God... and repentance of our blood guiltiness in this abortion holocaust.” TCAPP holds a service once a month, including worship songs and prayer, after Planned Parenthood has closed for the business day.
As China, Cuba, Saudis Line Up For UN Human Rights Council Seats, Democrats Want to Rejoin Too
At a time when the Chinese Communist Party is eyeing another three-year term on the U.N. Human Rights Council, a pledge in the Democratic Party’s draft 2020 platform for the U.S. to return to a body plagued by the presence of rights-abusing regimes is drawing some criticism.
US is ‘Satan,’ Israel is its ‘Chained Dog,’ But Twitter Gives Ayatollah’s Tweets a Pass
Iran’s supreme leader, in a tweet Wednesday that was not flagged, restricted, or blocked by Twitter, called the United States “Satan” and labeled Israel America’s “chained dog,” drawing fresh attention to questions about the platform’s content policies.
Space Force on alert: Behind Russia's mysterious testing of deadly anti-satellite weapons in orbit
Last week, the head of the U.S.'s newest military branch, the Space Force, cautioned publicly for the first time that Moscow had undertaken at least two concerning anti-satellite weapon tests in recent months, in a potential bid to develop on-orbit efficiency that could dangerously hinder the U.S.'s heavy dependency on space-based systems.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Another ancient church discovered in the Galilee
A 1,300 year-old church has been uncovered in the Galilee region of Israel, CBN News reported Wednesday. Working with the Kinneret Academic College, Israel’s Antiquity Authority discovered the church in the Circassian village of Kfar Kama.
1st half of 2020 sees near-record anti-Semitism in UK despite lockdown
Anti-Semitic incidents in the UK have dropped by 13 percent in 2020 compared to the year before, likely due to COVID-19 lockdown regulations, but the 789 events reported between January and June still represent the third-highest number on record for that period, according to a study by a British watchdog group.
Inside the United States
Trump on Portland: ‘We're Not Leaving Until They’ve Secured Their City’
Federal agents are not leaving the city of Portland, Ore., until the city is secured, President Donald Trump said Wednesday prior to leaving for Texas.
Police 'No-Go Zone' in Area Where George Floyd Died; Violence Spirals Out of Control
The area in Minneapolis where George Floyd died while in police custody has become something of a shrine to the movement for racial equality.
Estimate: U.S. GDP fell almost 33 percent in 2nd quarter
U.S. Gross Domestic Product dropped an estimated 32.9 percent in the second quarter of 2020, according to a report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis released Thursday, a result of stay-at-home orders that shuttered businesses in response to COVID-19.
Study: 68 percent of workers earned more on unemployment with $600 weekly enhancement
Some unemployed workers received nearly twice as much money through unemployment insurance (UI) payments authorized through the CARES Act than they earned when they were employed, a new study from the Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) found.
Trump appears to walk back tweet about delaying the election
President Trump appeared to walk back statements about postponing the presidential election, instead saying he was pleased to get the media finally to "start talking about" the safety of voting by mail.
Christian News
California Christians gather for outdoor and indoor services in spite of coronavirus restrictions
Despite California Gov. Gavin Newsom's COVID-19 lockdown measures, thousands of Christians have been gathering in both indoor and outdoor services across the state, Fox News reports.
Planned Parenthood sues church for making too much noise
The Planned Parenthood abortion provider has filed suit against The Church at Planned Parenthood (TCAPP) in Spokane, Wash. for being too loud and harming their clients, Fox News reports. Its website explains that TCAPP is not a protest but “a gathering of Christians for the worship of God... and repentance of our blood guiltiness in this abortion holocaust.” TCAPP holds a service once a month, including worship songs and prayer, after Planned Parenthood has closed for the business day.