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
Iran Threatens "Crushing Response" To U.S. Attacks
Iran threatens a 'crushing response' to any American military attacks in the Persian Gulf after United States President Donald Trump threatened to 'shoot down and destroy' Iranian vessels. The leader of Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that the security of the Gulf is among Iran's strategic priorities.
Russia, Turkey, and Iran To Meet On Syria
The foreign ministers of Russia, Turkey, and Iran will hold a video conference on April 22 to discuss Syria and a de-escalation deal in the last rebel-held enclave in Idlib.
EU Leaders Weigh Massive Virus Economic Recovery Measures
European Union leaders are set to weigh Thursday the damage the coronavirus has inflicted on health care systems and the lives of around half a billion citizens across the bloc as they struggle to devise a more robust plan to resuscitate their ravaged economies.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Hezbollah and Israel Try To Avoid War, For Now
Israel and the Islamic militant Hezbollah group have reportedly agreed on informal rules of engagement as they prepare for possible war while trying to avoid setting it off. The New York Times newspaper reports that Israel has mostly refrained from killing members of Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and committed to destroying the Jewish state.
Constitutional 'Basic Laws' in Israel take a hit from new unity agreement
Constitutional scholars in Israel are crying foul about the new unity agreement signed by alternating Prime Ministers Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz, saying it destroys the separation of powers necessary to democratic governance.
US says Israeli annexation of parts of West Bank is for Israel to decide
Concerning Israel’s annexation of parts of the West Bank, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said: 'The Israelis will ultimately make those decisions. That’s an Israeli decision,' the Times of Israel reports. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Pompeo added that the US would share its views on the issue in a private setting.
Inside the United States
U.S. Unemployment Hits 26 Million, Worst Since Great Depression
U.S. unemployment is nearing levels of the Great Depression of the 1930s, with one in 6 Americans of working age out of a job as the coronavirus pandemic essentially shut down the economy. About 4.4 million Americans filed for unemployment insurance last week alone, reported the U.S. Labor Department on Thursday.
California federal judge says churches cannot hold in-person services during pandemic
A California federal judge determined Wednesday that churches in the state are prohibited from holding in-person services during the coronavirus pandemic, the Los Angeles Times reports. The case was brought by three Southern California churches who argued that the state’s lockdown rules were a violation of the First Amendment and the right to freedom of religion and assembly.
U.S. new home sales tumble in March
Sales of new U.S. single-family homes dropped by the most in more than 6-1/2 years in March and further declines are likely as the novel coronavirus outbreak batters the economy and throws millions of Americans out of work.
Christian News
Christians killed by Muslim Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria
Four Christians were killed last week in an attack by Muslim Fulani herdsmen in Kaduna state, Nigeria, Morningstar News reports. This attack is the latest in a string of murders committed by herdsmen targeting Christians: Nigeria ranks second after Pakistan on the Open Doors’ 2020 World Watch List for countries where Christians are killed for their faith.
Iran Threatens "Crushing Response" To U.S. Attacks
Iran threatens a 'crushing response' to any American military attacks in the Persian Gulf after United States President Donald Trump threatened to 'shoot down and destroy' Iranian vessels. The leader of Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned that the security of the Gulf is among Iran's strategic priorities.
Russia, Turkey, and Iran To Meet On Syria
The foreign ministers of Russia, Turkey, and Iran will hold a video conference on April 22 to discuss Syria and a de-escalation deal in the last rebel-held enclave in Idlib.
EU Leaders Weigh Massive Virus Economic Recovery Measures
European Union leaders are set to weigh Thursday the damage the coronavirus has inflicted on health care systems and the lives of around half a billion citizens across the bloc as they struggle to devise a more robust plan to resuscitate their ravaged economies.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Hezbollah and Israel Try To Avoid War, For Now
Israel and the Islamic militant Hezbollah group have reportedly agreed on informal rules of engagement as they prepare for possible war while trying to avoid setting it off. The New York Times newspaper reports that Israel has mostly refrained from killing members of Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran and committed to destroying the Jewish state.
Constitutional 'Basic Laws' in Israel take a hit from new unity agreement
Constitutional scholars in Israel are crying foul about the new unity agreement signed by alternating Prime Ministers Benjamin Netanyahu and Benny Gantz, saying it destroys the separation of powers necessary to democratic governance.
US says Israeli annexation of parts of West Bank is for Israel to decide
Concerning Israel’s annexation of parts of the West Bank, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said: 'The Israelis will ultimately make those decisions. That’s an Israeli decision,' the Times of Israel reports. Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, Pompeo added that the US would share its views on the issue in a private setting.
Inside the United States
U.S. Unemployment Hits 26 Million, Worst Since Great Depression
U.S. unemployment is nearing levels of the Great Depression of the 1930s, with one in 6 Americans of working age out of a job as the coronavirus pandemic essentially shut down the economy. About 4.4 million Americans filed for unemployment insurance last week alone, reported the U.S. Labor Department on Thursday.
California federal judge says churches cannot hold in-person services during pandemic
A California federal judge determined Wednesday that churches in the state are prohibited from holding in-person services during the coronavirus pandemic, the Los Angeles Times reports. The case was brought by three Southern California churches who argued that the state’s lockdown rules were a violation of the First Amendment and the right to freedom of religion and assembly.
U.S. new home sales tumble in March
Sales of new U.S. single-family homes dropped by the most in more than 6-1/2 years in March and further declines are likely as the novel coronavirus outbreak batters the economy and throws millions of Americans out of work.
Christian News
Christians killed by Muslim Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria
Four Christians were killed last week in an attack by Muslim Fulani herdsmen in Kaduna state, Nigeria, Morningstar News reports. This attack is the latest in a string of murders committed by herdsmen targeting Christians: Nigeria ranks second after Pakistan on the Open Doors’ 2020 World Watch List for countries where Christians are killed for their faith.
Around the World
Regional conflict in Middle East looks likely again as Trump and Iran trade threats, Syria reports Israeli airstrikes
President Trump threatened Iran with severe retaliation Wednesday after the U.S. military claimed Iranian ships had made 'dangerous and threatening approaches' toward American navy vessels in the Persian Gulf last week.
Trump orders Navy to 'destroy' Iranian boats 'harassing' US ships in warning over provocative maneuvers
President Trump said he directed the Navy to destroy Iranian military vessels that conduct provocative maneuvers near U.S. ships in the Persian Gulf.
Iran Guards reveal secret space program in satellite launch
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard launched its first satellite into space Wednesday, dramatically revealing what experts described as a secret military space program that could advance its ballistic missile development amid wider tensions between the Islamic Republic and the US.
Iran launches first military satellite into space
Iran successfully launched its first military satellite into space on Wednesday, authorities in Tehran said, spurring warnings from Washington and heightening tensions between the two countries.
UN Fears Global Famines Of "Biblical Proportions" Due To Virus Pandemic
A United Nations agency has warned that the world risks widespread famines 'of Biblical proportions' due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
End times, world war predictions of rabbis line up with implementation of 'Deal of the Century'
Prophecies from rabbis about the coming of the Messiah and a third World War are coalescing with the timing of the implementation of the 'Deal of the Century' peace plan this summer under a new Israeli unity government.
Christians Recall Holocaust In Worldwide Online Session
Tens of thousands of Christians joined an online ceremony marking Yom Hashoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, amid concerns that antisemitism will spread as fast as the coronavirus. While a memorial siren sounded across Israel, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) had viewers stand to honor 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, also known as Shoah.
Inside the United States
Texas Governor says Jesus Christ will always be there for you
In a video interview on Saturday evening, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott encouraged Texans to put their faith in God, CBN News reports. Interviewed by Pastor Jack Graham during an online service at Prestonwood Baptist Church, the governor said: 'We are all tested, we are all challenged. There is a solution that will support you and will always be there for you and that's Jesus Christ, it's God Almighty.'
US has over 45,000 COVID-19 related fatalities
The US COVID-19 death toll was 45,343 on Wednesday morning, Worldometers.info reports. The first known US fatality from coronavirus came on February 28 in Washington State. Currently, New York has the highest number of deaths with 19,693; Wyoming has the fewest with 6.
Christian News
Daughter of Indian pastor killed in 2015 receives bullet wound
The daughter of a murdered pastor in India was shot last week, five years after the death of her father and in the same house.
'Iran Jails and Lashes Christian Woman For Faith And Protest'
Christian rights activist Mary (Fatemeh) Mohammadi says she has been sentenced to three months and one-day imprisonment and 10 lashes for publicly protesting Iran's downing of a Ukrainian passenger plane.
Church in Harlem NY loses 11 members to coronavirus in 30 days
A church in Harlem has lost 11 members to the coronavirus pandemic in 30 days. Rev. Johnnie Green of the 1200-member Mount Neboh Baptist Church told the Christian Post: 'It is simply unfathomable and unfortunate that so many people in our congregation [have died].'
Regional conflict in Middle East looks likely again as Trump and Iran trade threats, Syria reports Israeli airstrikes
President Trump threatened Iran with severe retaliation Wednesday after the U.S. military claimed Iranian ships had made 'dangerous and threatening approaches' toward American navy vessels in the Persian Gulf last week.
Trump orders Navy to 'destroy' Iranian boats 'harassing' US ships in warning over provocative maneuvers
President Trump said he directed the Navy to destroy Iranian military vessels that conduct provocative maneuvers near U.S. ships in the Persian Gulf.
Iran Guards reveal secret space program in satellite launch
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard launched its first satellite into space Wednesday, dramatically revealing what experts described as a secret military space program that could advance its ballistic missile development amid wider tensions between the Islamic Republic and the US.
Iran launches first military satellite into space
Iran successfully launched its first military satellite into space on Wednesday, authorities in Tehran said, spurring warnings from Washington and heightening tensions between the two countries.
UN Fears Global Famines Of "Biblical Proportions" Due To Virus Pandemic
A United Nations agency has warned that the world risks widespread famines 'of Biblical proportions' due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
End times, world war predictions of rabbis line up with implementation of 'Deal of the Century'
Prophecies from rabbis about the coming of the Messiah and a third World War are coalescing with the timing of the implementation of the 'Deal of the Century' peace plan this summer under a new Israeli unity government.
Christians Recall Holocaust In Worldwide Online Session
Tens of thousands of Christians joined an online ceremony marking Yom Hashoah, or Holocaust Remembrance Day, amid concerns that antisemitism will spread as fast as the coronavirus. While a memorial siren sounded across Israel, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) had viewers stand to honor 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, also known as Shoah.
Inside the United States
Texas Governor says Jesus Christ will always be there for you
In a video interview on Saturday evening, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott encouraged Texans to put their faith in God, CBN News reports. Interviewed by Pastor Jack Graham during an online service at Prestonwood Baptist Church, the governor said: 'We are all tested, we are all challenged. There is a solution that will support you and will always be there for you and that's Jesus Christ, it's God Almighty.'
US has over 45,000 COVID-19 related fatalities
The US COVID-19 death toll was 45,343 on Wednesday morning, Worldometers.info reports. The first known US fatality from coronavirus came on February 28 in Washington State. Currently, New York has the highest number of deaths with 19,693; Wyoming has the fewest with 6.
Christian News
Daughter of Indian pastor killed in 2015 receives bullet wound
The daughter of a murdered pastor in India was shot last week, five years after the death of her father and in the same house.
'Iran Jails and Lashes Christian Woman For Faith And Protest'
Christian rights activist Mary (Fatemeh) Mohammadi says she has been sentenced to three months and one-day imprisonment and 10 lashes for publicly protesting Iran's downing of a Ukrainian passenger plane.
Church in Harlem NY loses 11 members to coronavirus in 30 days
A church in Harlem has lost 11 members to the coronavirus pandemic in 30 days. Rev. Johnnie Green of the 1200-member Mount Neboh Baptist Church told the Christian Post: 'It is simply unfathomable and unfortunate that so many people in our congregation [have died].'
Around the World
Plunge in Oil Prices Could Shake Up Middle East, Russia
A week ago, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies agreed to slash production by 9.7 million barrels, a deal that brought an end to a price war between two of the biggest exporters, Russia and Saudi Arabia.
Coronavirus origins in lab not ruled out by scientific studies
A scientific study recommended by White House medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci pointing to the origin of coronavirus pandemic as a jump from animals to humans also concludes it cannot be ruled out that the virus may have escaped from a laboratory.
Belarus Open Despite Coronavirus Concerns
Schools have reopened in Belarus after an extended spring break linked to the coronavirus outbreak that infected thousands here. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled the ex-Soviet nation with an iron fist for more than a quarter-century, ordered classes to resume at the nation's 3,067 schools.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Netanyahu orders nation-wide lockdown on Independence Day
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the country to go into lockdown for the country's Independence Day scheduled for April 28, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.
Violent anti-Semitic incidents increased by 18% worldwide in 2019
According to a study released Monday, there was an 18% increase in violent anti-Semitic incidents worldwide last year, Israel Hayom reports. Conducted by the Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry at Tel Aviv University, the study found there were 456 such incidents in 2019, compared to 387 in 2018.
Inside the United States
U.S. approves first coronavirus test that allows self-swab at home
U.S. health regulators on Tuesday OK’d the first coronavirus test that allows people to collect their own sample at home, a new approach that could help expand testing options in most states.
Trump, Congress agree on new stimulus package
President Donald Trump and congressional leaders have agreed on a new, nearly $500 billion stimulus package to help small businesses impacted by stay-at-home orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Poll shows 74% of adults in America fear losing personal freedom to COVID-19
According to a Hill-HarrisX poll published on Monday, 74% of adults in America were concerned about losing personal freedoms to COVID-19. The survey also showed that 83% of respondents were concerned about infection from the coronavirus.
Trump to order temporary suspension on immigration to US
President Trump announced on Monday night that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he will be ordering a temporary suspension on immigration to the US. In a post on Twitter, the President said: 'In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!'
Christian News
New Bible translation scrubs references to Israel
A new Danish Bible omits the word 'Israel' from its pages, publishers claiming the modern nation of Israel and the ancient kingdom of Israel have nothing to do with each other.
Chinese house church begins meeting online, members arrested anyway
The online Easter meeting of an unregistered house church in China was disrupted and six of its members arrested, with the government warning the church of severer measures if it continued to meet.
Muslims irate about Christian conversions in eastern Uganda
Radical Muslims in eastern Uganda attacked the daughter of a Christian evangelist whose witness led a Muslim woman to the Lord, as another former Muslim woman was beaten by her family for her newfound faith.
Indonesia Islamists Break Up House Church
Indonesia's hardline Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) group broke up a house church meeting in the country's West Java province, prompting an angry response from the governor. Video footage obtained by Worthy News showed two men bursting into a home Sunday in Cikarang, 48 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of Jakarta, the nation's capital.
Plunge in Oil Prices Could Shake Up Middle East, Russia
A week ago, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies agreed to slash production by 9.7 million barrels, a deal that brought an end to a price war between two of the biggest exporters, Russia and Saudi Arabia.
Coronavirus origins in lab not ruled out by scientific studies
A scientific study recommended by White House medical adviser Dr. Anthony Fauci pointing to the origin of coronavirus pandemic as a jump from animals to humans also concludes it cannot be ruled out that the virus may have escaped from a laboratory.
Belarus Open Despite Coronavirus Concerns
Schools have reopened in Belarus after an extended spring break linked to the coronavirus outbreak that infected thousands here. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled the ex-Soviet nation with an iron fist for more than a quarter-century, ordered classes to resume at the nation's 3,067 schools.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Netanyahu orders nation-wide lockdown on Independence Day
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the country to go into lockdown for the country's Independence Day scheduled for April 28, according to a statement from the Prime Minister's Office.
Violent anti-Semitic incidents increased by 18% worldwide in 2019
According to a study released Monday, there was an 18% increase in violent anti-Semitic incidents worldwide last year, Israel Hayom reports. Conducted by the Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry at Tel Aviv University, the study found there were 456 such incidents in 2019, compared to 387 in 2018.
Inside the United States
U.S. approves first coronavirus test that allows self-swab at home
U.S. health regulators on Tuesday OK’d the first coronavirus test that allows people to collect their own sample at home, a new approach that could help expand testing options in most states.
Trump, Congress agree on new stimulus package
President Donald Trump and congressional leaders have agreed on a new, nearly $500 billion stimulus package to help small businesses impacted by stay-at-home orders in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Poll shows 74% of adults in America fear losing personal freedom to COVID-19
According to a Hill-HarrisX poll published on Monday, 74% of adults in America were concerned about losing personal freedoms to COVID-19. The survey also showed that 83% of respondents were concerned about infection from the coronavirus.
Trump to order temporary suspension on immigration to US
President Trump announced on Monday night that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he will be ordering a temporary suspension on immigration to the US. In a post on Twitter, the President said: 'In light of the attack from the Invisible Enemy, as well as the need to protect the jobs of our GREAT American Citizens, I will be signing an Executive Order to temporarily suspend immigration into the United States!'
Christian News
New Bible translation scrubs references to Israel
A new Danish Bible omits the word 'Israel' from its pages, publishers claiming the modern nation of Israel and the ancient kingdom of Israel have nothing to do with each other.
Chinese house church begins meeting online, members arrested anyway
The online Easter meeting of an unregistered house church in China was disrupted and six of its members arrested, with the government warning the church of severer measures if it continued to meet.
Muslims irate about Christian conversions in eastern Uganda
Radical Muslims in eastern Uganda attacked the daughter of a Christian evangelist whose witness led a Muslim woman to the Lord, as another former Muslim woman was beaten by her family for her newfound faith.
Indonesia Islamists Break Up House Church
Indonesia's hardline Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) group broke up a house church meeting in the country's West Java province, prompting an angry response from the governor. Video footage obtained by Worthy News showed two men bursting into a home Sunday in Cikarang, 48 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of Jakarta, the nation's capital.