Prophecy News Watch - August 21, 2025

Around the World
Iran, Belarus Sign Strategic Agreements to Counter Western Sanctions
Iran and Belarus signed a wide-ranging package of agreements Wednesday aimed at boosting cooperation in defense, industry, and trade while presenting a united front against Western sanctions.
German Jets Scrambled as Russian Strikes Hit Near NATO Border Amid Peace Talks
Two German fighter jets were scrambled overnight from Romania as Russia unleashed one of its largest missile and drone attacks in weeks on Ukraine, with strikes landing less than a mile from NATO territory.
Bishops Warn of Creation in Crisis Amid Disasters
Europe’s church leaders have warned of a “world in crisis” as wildfires, floods, melting glaciers, and deadly heatwaves devastate communities across Europe and Asia. Their concern comes ahead of the 2025 Season of Creation, the annual period of prayer for the environment running from September 1 to October 4.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Hamas Cell Attempts Raid on IDF Encampment in Khan Younis; 3 Soldiers Wounded, 10 Terrorists Killed
A cell of at least 18 Hamas operatives attempted to raid an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) encampment in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza on Wednesday morning, in what the military described as a rare and unusual incident.

Inside the United States
Nebraska, Trump Administration Open “Cornhusker Clink” Detention Center
Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen announced Monday that the state is partnering with the Trump administration to open a new detention center for illegal immigrants in a remote corner of the state.
Trump Announces Massive Social Security Cleanup — 275,000 Illegal Aliens Removed, 12.4 Million Dead Records Wiped
On the 90th anniversary of the Social Security Act last week, President Donald J. Trump declared his administration’s sweeping effort to “Make Social Security Great Again,” celebrating both his new tax relief for seniors and an unprecedented fraud cleanup inside the system.

Christian News
Prayer House Shut Down in Indonesia Amid Church Closures, Mob Attacks (Worthy News Focus)
Rights activists say local authorities in Indonesia’s West Java province have shut down a Christian prayer house and evicted its evangelist leader, underscoring broader concerns about religious freedom in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation.
Eritrea Pressured To Release 7 Church Leaders Jailed For Decades (Worthy News In-Depth)
Christian advocacy groups are intensifying calls for Eritrea to release seven church leaders who have been held without trial for more than two decades.
Worthy Insights
Maryland Pastor Back Home with Family After Weeks in Jail Where He Led ‘Many Souls’ to Christ
A Maryland pastor is back home with his family after being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and transported to a Louisiana facility where he was held for nearly a month. Despite the hardships he endured in jail, he reports that God used the time to allow him to reach many souls with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Christian College Heralds Yet Another Victory in Years-Long Battle With Federal Government: ‘Unjust’
Months after the U.S. Department of Education rescinded its historic fine against Grand Canyon University (GCU), a Christian college in Phoenix, Arizona, the school has scored another major victory: a separate lawsuit from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) was also dropped.
Tulsi Yanks Security Clearances Of 37 Intel Officials Over Russiagate: ‘Abused The Public Trust’
Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard on Tuesday stripped security clearances from dozens of current and former intelligence officials who “abused the public trust.”