Prophecy News Watch - April 18, 2023
Around the World
Russian Opposition Activist Jailed For 25 Years
A Russian court sentenced opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza to 25 years imprisonment on charges linked to his criticism of the war in Ukraine, prompting international condemnation.
US kills 3 Islamic State leaders in 2 Syria operations
U.S. forces killed three senior Islamic State leaders in two separate military operations in Syria Thursday, including a rare ground raid in a portion of the northeast that is controlled by the Syrian regime, U.S. officials said.
China Forces on ‘High Alert’ After U.S. Warship Transits Taiwan Strait
The Chinese military on Monday said the United States had "publicly hyped up" an American warship's presence in the Taiwan Strait after the U.S. Navy sent a destroyer through the sensitive waters for only the second time this year.
Mexico Gunmen Storm Water Park, 7 Killed
Questions remained Sunday after armed men attacked the central Mexican resort of La Palma in the Cortazar municipality of Guanajuato state, killing six adults and a 7-year-old child, authorities said.
Leaked documents show China could quickly establish air superiority over Taiwan during an invasion
Recently leaked classified US intelligence documents show that China is expected to quickly establish air superiority over Taiwan in any future Chinese invasion of the small island nation, the Guardian UK reports. The documents were found to have been among those leaked by US air national guardsman Jack Teixeira, who has since been arrested and taken into custody by the FBI.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Crown Prince of Iran making ‘brave,’ first-of-its-kind visit to Israel
Crown Prince of Iran Reza Pahlavi on Monday became the most senior Iranian figure to ever make a public visit to Israel. Pahlavi is the oldest son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, who was overthrown during the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
Israel: Polls show far-right governing coalition would lose to centrist National Unity alliance in a new election
Two new polls by Israel’s Channel 12 and Channel 13, respectively, show that the centrist National Unity alliance led by former Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz would easily defeat the current far-right governing coalition in a new election, the Times of Israel (TOI) reports. The polls were taken amid massive nationwide protests over the government’s plans for judicial reform, which many see as a power grab that would weaken judicial authority to review and override bad laws created by politicians.
Inside the United States
Supreme Court Expected to Rule on Abortion Pill This Week
The Supreme Court is expected to decide this week whether or not the abortion pill mifepristone can still be used in certain states.
Abortion Pill Access May Continue Even If FDA Loses In Court
The U.S. Justice Department is racing this week to convince a federal appeals court, or possibly the U.S. Supreme Court, to put on hold a judge's order suspending the government's approval of the abortion pill mifepristone, which is used in more than half of all abortions in the country.
Feds charge 40 Chinese police officials for repression efforts against U.S. residents
The Department of Justice on Monday announced that it had charged more than 40 individuals, many of whom are members of the Chinese national police, in connection with transnational repression schemes to stifle the activities of Chinese citizens abroad.
Two Arrested for Operating Secret Chinese Police Station in New York
Two residents of New York City were arrested on Monday morning on federal charges related to allegations that they operated a "secret police station" in the city on behalf of the Chinese government.
Christian News
Myanmar: Former head of Kachin Baptist Convention sentenced to six years imprisonment, “outrageous travesty of justice”
A Myanmar/Burma court has sentenced the former President of the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC), Reverend Dr. Hkalam Samson, to six years in prison for speaking out against human rights abuses perpetrated against the Kachin people by the ruling Burmese military junta Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reports.
Iran: Christian couple granted a retrial following prison sentence for house church membership
A court in Iran has accepted an application for a retrial by an Iranian Christian couple sentenced to a combined 10 years in prison for being members of a house church, Article 18 reports.
Russian Opposition Activist Jailed For 25 Years
A Russian court sentenced opposition activist Vladimir Kara-Murza to 25 years imprisonment on charges linked to his criticism of the war in Ukraine, prompting international condemnation.
US kills 3 Islamic State leaders in 2 Syria operations
U.S. forces killed three senior Islamic State leaders in two separate military operations in Syria Thursday, including a rare ground raid in a portion of the northeast that is controlled by the Syrian regime, U.S. officials said.
China Forces on ‘High Alert’ After U.S. Warship Transits Taiwan Strait
The Chinese military on Monday said the United States had "publicly hyped up" an American warship's presence in the Taiwan Strait after the U.S. Navy sent a destroyer through the sensitive waters for only the second time this year.
Mexico Gunmen Storm Water Park, 7 Killed
Questions remained Sunday after armed men attacked the central Mexican resort of La Palma in the Cortazar municipality of Guanajuato state, killing six adults and a 7-year-old child, authorities said.
Leaked documents show China could quickly establish air superiority over Taiwan during an invasion
Recently leaked classified US intelligence documents show that China is expected to quickly establish air superiority over Taiwan in any future Chinese invasion of the small island nation, the Guardian UK reports. The documents were found to have been among those leaked by US air national guardsman Jack Teixeira, who has since been arrested and taken into custody by the FBI.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Crown Prince of Iran making ‘brave,’ first-of-its-kind visit to Israel
Crown Prince of Iran Reza Pahlavi on Monday became the most senior Iranian figure to ever make a public visit to Israel. Pahlavi is the oldest son of Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the last Shah of Iran, who was overthrown during the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
Israel: Polls show far-right governing coalition would lose to centrist National Unity alliance in a new election
Two new polls by Israel’s Channel 12 and Channel 13, respectively, show that the centrist National Unity alliance led by former Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz would easily defeat the current far-right governing coalition in a new election, the Times of Israel (TOI) reports. The polls were taken amid massive nationwide protests over the government’s plans for judicial reform, which many see as a power grab that would weaken judicial authority to review and override bad laws created by politicians.
Inside the United States
Supreme Court Expected to Rule on Abortion Pill This Week
The Supreme Court is expected to decide this week whether or not the abortion pill mifepristone can still be used in certain states.
Abortion Pill Access May Continue Even If FDA Loses In Court
The U.S. Justice Department is racing this week to convince a federal appeals court, or possibly the U.S. Supreme Court, to put on hold a judge's order suspending the government's approval of the abortion pill mifepristone, which is used in more than half of all abortions in the country.
Feds charge 40 Chinese police officials for repression efforts against U.S. residents
The Department of Justice on Monday announced that it had charged more than 40 individuals, many of whom are members of the Chinese national police, in connection with transnational repression schemes to stifle the activities of Chinese citizens abroad.
Two Arrested for Operating Secret Chinese Police Station in New York
Two residents of New York City were arrested on Monday morning on federal charges related to allegations that they operated a "secret police station" in the city on behalf of the Chinese government.
Christian News
Myanmar: Former head of Kachin Baptist Convention sentenced to six years imprisonment, “outrageous travesty of justice”
A Myanmar/Burma court has sentenced the former President of the Kachin Baptist Convention (KBC), Reverend Dr. Hkalam Samson, to six years in prison for speaking out against human rights abuses perpetrated against the Kachin people by the ruling Burmese military junta Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) reports.
Iran: Christian couple granted a retrial following prison sentence for house church membership
A court in Iran has accepted an application for a retrial by an Iranian Christian couple sentenced to a combined 10 years in prison for being members of a house church, Article 18 reports.