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
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.
Around the World
Syria war: Army takes full control of Damascus after ousting IS
The Syrian military has declared that it has taken full control of all areas around the capital, Damascus, for the first time in six years.
Mike Pompeo threatens Iran with ‘strongest sanctions in history,’ outlines new nuclear demands
Saying the 2015 Iran nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration had 'fatal flaws,' Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday announced that the Trump administration was preparing 'the strongest sanctions in history' if Tehran does not change its destabilizing ways and forever abandon its drive for nuclear weapons.
US denounces 'sham' Venezuela election and imposes new sanctions
The US ratcheted up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday by further tightening economic sanctions against the cash-starved leftist regime.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Trump peace deal to make Jerusalem suburb Palestinian capital
The Abu Dis neighborhood bordering east Jerusalem will be the capital of a Palestinian state in US President Donald Trump’s planned peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid said Monday.
Israel, US Seek to Head Off UN Security Council Resolution Imposing International Force in Gaza
Israel and the United States are seeking to prevent the passage of a UN Security Council resolution creating an international force in Gaza.
Nation’s defense firms to lose over $1b. annually with U.S. aid deal
The Israeli arms industry is expected to lose $1.3 billion in revenue each year and as many as 22,000 workers could lose their jobs when the latest agreement for military aid from the US kicks in at the end of this year, the Defense Ministry warned at a Knesset Finance Committee meeting on Monday.
Inside the United States
House Republicans to call for second special counsel to investigate alleged FISA abuse, Hillary Clinton probe
A group of congressional Republicans plans to introduce a resolution Tuesday calling for the appointment of a second special counsel to investigate alleged misconduct at the FBI and Justice Department.
Rod Rosenstein asks DOJ inspector general to review possible Trump campaign infiltration
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein asked the Justice Department's inspector general Sunday to review whether there was improper politically motivated surveillance of the Trump campaign in 2016.
FBI Informant Stefan Halper Paid Over $1 Million By Obama Admin; Spied On Trump Aide After Election
Less than a week after Stefan Halper was outed as the FBI informant who infiltrated the Trump campaign, public records reveal that the 73-year-old Oxford University professor and former U.S. government official was paid handsomely by the Obama administration starting in 2012 for various research projects.
GOP bill would rename welfare the ‘JOBS Program’
The federal cash welfare program would be renamed the 'JOBS Program' under legislation set to be moved this week by House Republicans.
Mueller team's special status could save Virginia Manafort case
An obscure special status obtained by several of special counsel Robert Mueller's attorneys could prevent a judge from ousting Mueller's lawyers from their role in the prosecution of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort in federal court in Virginia.
Outing of FBI informant underscores British spy service’s ties to shadowy Trump investigations
Britain's spy service’s connections to shadowy investigations into Donald Trump have grown stronger with the revelation that academic Stefan Halper was spying on the president’s campaign and doing it on British soil.
Christian News
20 Cuban Pastors and Spouses Killed in Plane Crash
A group of Cuban church leaders died in a plane crash Friday on the way home from a denominational retreat in Havana.
Islamic State claims responsibility for church attack in Chechnya
The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for an attack on a church in Russia's Chechnya republic that killed three people, the group's Amaq news agency said on Sunday.
Museum of the Bible Visitors Top Half a Million in First Six Months
The Good Book is shaping up to be a good draw on the crowded landscape of museums in the nation’s capital.
Church of Scotland takes another step towards allowing same-sex marriages
The Church of Scotland's General Assembly voted yesterday in favour of a motion that will take it a step closer to approving ministers conducting same-sex marriages.
Syria war: Army takes full control of Damascus after ousting IS
The Syrian military has declared that it has taken full control of all areas around the capital, Damascus, for the first time in six years.
Mike Pompeo threatens Iran with ‘strongest sanctions in history,’ outlines new nuclear demands
Saying the 2015 Iran nuclear deal negotiated by the Obama administration had 'fatal flaws,' Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday announced that the Trump administration was preparing 'the strongest sanctions in history' if Tehran does not change its destabilizing ways and forever abandon its drive for nuclear weapons.
US denounces 'sham' Venezuela election and imposes new sanctions
The US ratcheted up pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday by further tightening economic sanctions against the cash-starved leftist regime.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Trump peace deal to make Jerusalem suburb Palestinian capital
The Abu Dis neighborhood bordering east Jerusalem will be the capital of a Palestinian state in US President Donald Trump’s planned peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid said Monday.
Israel, US Seek to Head Off UN Security Council Resolution Imposing International Force in Gaza
Israel and the United States are seeking to prevent the passage of a UN Security Council resolution creating an international force in Gaza.
Nation’s defense firms to lose over $1b. annually with U.S. aid deal
The Israeli arms industry is expected to lose $1.3 billion in revenue each year and as many as 22,000 workers could lose their jobs when the latest agreement for military aid from the US kicks in at the end of this year, the Defense Ministry warned at a Knesset Finance Committee meeting on Monday.
Inside the United States
House Republicans to call for second special counsel to investigate alleged FISA abuse, Hillary Clinton probe
A group of congressional Republicans plans to introduce a resolution Tuesday calling for the appointment of a second special counsel to investigate alleged misconduct at the FBI and Justice Department.
Rod Rosenstein asks DOJ inspector general to review possible Trump campaign infiltration
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein asked the Justice Department's inspector general Sunday to review whether there was improper politically motivated surveillance of the Trump campaign in 2016.
FBI Informant Stefan Halper Paid Over $1 Million By Obama Admin; Spied On Trump Aide After Election
Less than a week after Stefan Halper was outed as the FBI informant who infiltrated the Trump campaign, public records reveal that the 73-year-old Oxford University professor and former U.S. government official was paid handsomely by the Obama administration starting in 2012 for various research projects.
GOP bill would rename welfare the ‘JOBS Program’
The federal cash welfare program would be renamed the 'JOBS Program' under legislation set to be moved this week by House Republicans.
Mueller team's special status could save Virginia Manafort case
An obscure special status obtained by several of special counsel Robert Mueller's attorneys could prevent a judge from ousting Mueller's lawyers from their role in the prosecution of former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort in federal court in Virginia.
Outing of FBI informant underscores British spy service’s ties to shadowy Trump investigations
Britain's spy service’s connections to shadowy investigations into Donald Trump have grown stronger with the revelation that academic Stefan Halper was spying on the president’s campaign and doing it on British soil.
Christian News
20 Cuban Pastors and Spouses Killed in Plane Crash
A group of Cuban church leaders died in a plane crash Friday on the way home from a denominational retreat in Havana.
Islamic State claims responsibility for church attack in Chechnya
The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for an attack on a church in Russia's Chechnya republic that killed three people, the group's Amaq news agency said on Sunday.
Museum of the Bible Visitors Top Half a Million in First Six Months
The Good Book is shaping up to be a good draw on the crowded landscape of museums in the nation’s capital.
Church of Scotland takes another step towards allowing same-sex marriages
The Church of Scotland's General Assembly voted yesterday in favour of a motion that will take it a step closer to approving ministers conducting same-sex marriages.
Around the World
US, China Putting Trade War on Hold After Progress in Talks
The United States and China are pulling back from the brink of a trade war after the world's two biggest economies reported progress in talks aimed at bringing down America's massive trade deficit with Beijing.
Indonesia's most volatile volcano erupts again
Indonesia's most volatile volcano has spewed smoke and ash in the latest of several eruptions in less than two weeks.
Lead for Repeal of Ireland's Pro-Life Amendment Narrows
The number of Irish voters who favor repealing that nation's Eighth Amendment versus those who want to keep it has narrowed, according to polling.
Congressional Report: Iran's Economy Could Collapse
The U.S. decision to drop out of the Iran nuclear agreement could cause the Iranian economy to decline and ultimately collapse, a report from the Congressional Research Service affirms.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Trump team still debating timing of Mideast peace plan release
The Trump administration will unveil its plan for Israeli- Palestinian peace sometime in the coming months, but no decision has been made as to the precise timing of its release, two US sources told The Jerusalem Post on Friday.
US envoy to Israel: Evangelical Christians firmer Israel backers than many Jews
The US Ambassador to Israel said evangelical Christians are more passionate supporters of Israel than many Jews.
Suffering chest pains, Abbas taken to hospital for the third time in a week
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was taken to a Ramallah hospital Sunday for the third time in a week.
Inside the United States
Trump's stealth victory: Reshaping the courts
With less than two years under his belt, President Trump has managed to make a substantial imprint on the U.S. judicial system -- one that could be felt for decades to come -- by getting the Senate to confirm key judicial nominees.
Trump demands Justice Department probe if campaign ‘infiltrated’
President Donald Trump said Sunday that he will 'demand' that the Justice Department open an investigation into whether the FBI infiltrated his presidential campaign, an extraordinary order that came hours before his legal team said that the special counsel indicated its investigation into the president could be concluded by September.
Lava From Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano Has Reached the Pacific Ocean and It's Creating a New Danger
A volcano that is oozing, spewing and exploding on Hawaii’s Big Island has gotten more hazardous, sending rivers of molten rock pouring into the ocean Sunday and launching lava skyward that caused the first major injury.
Defunding Planned Parenthood: Donald Trump's Good Start
Thursday evening the Trump administration announced a measure that pro-life advocates have been seeking since the Clinton administration -- restoration of Reagan-era rules that 'require a ‘bright line’ of physical and financial separation between Title X services and providers that perform, support, or refer to abortion as a method of family planning.' To understand Title X, and its role in the abortion debate, requires a bit of background.
Op-Ed: With the individual mandate dead, the rest of Obamacare is unconstitutional
In 2012, Chief Justice John Roberts famously ruled the Affordable Care Act’s provision mandating most people purchase health insurance or else pay a fine constitutional on the basis that Congress has the authority to tax individuals, and the so-called Obamacare 'fine' is effectively a tax.
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio Preparing City for Marijuana Legalization, Instructs NYPD to Halt Arrests
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is set to instruct NYPD to stop arrests of New Yorkers smoking weed in public while additionally forming a task force to ease what he sees as an inevitable full-on legalization of recreational marijuana.
Christian News
Sentence Upheld for Pastor in Algeria Stopped for Carrying Christian Literature
A case that began with police in Algeria stopping a Christian suspected of carrying Bibles in his car ended yesterday with a large fine for the church leader.
Museum of the Bible Visitors Top Half a Million in First Six Months
The Good Book is shaping up to be a good draw on the crowded landscape of museums in the nation’s capital.
Church of Scotland takes another step towards allowing same-sex marriages
The Church of Scotland's General Assembly voted yesterday in favour of a motion that will take it a step closer to approving ministers conducting same-sex marriages.
'Hope and Healing': Texas Town Worships After School Attack
Congregations in this deeply religious community near Houston gathered Sunday for their first worship services since a teenager with a shotgun blasted his way into a high school art classroom and killed 10 people — eight students and two teachers.
US, China Putting Trade War on Hold After Progress in Talks
The United States and China are pulling back from the brink of a trade war after the world's two biggest economies reported progress in talks aimed at bringing down America's massive trade deficit with Beijing.
Indonesia's most volatile volcano erupts again
Indonesia's most volatile volcano has spewed smoke and ash in the latest of several eruptions in less than two weeks.
Lead for Repeal of Ireland's Pro-Life Amendment Narrows
The number of Irish voters who favor repealing that nation's Eighth Amendment versus those who want to keep it has narrowed, according to polling.
Congressional Report: Iran's Economy Could Collapse
The U.S. decision to drop out of the Iran nuclear agreement could cause the Iranian economy to decline and ultimately collapse, a report from the Congressional Research Service affirms.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Trump team still debating timing of Mideast peace plan release
The Trump administration will unveil its plan for Israeli- Palestinian peace sometime in the coming months, but no decision has been made as to the precise timing of its release, two US sources told The Jerusalem Post on Friday.
US envoy to Israel: Evangelical Christians firmer Israel backers than many Jews
The US Ambassador to Israel said evangelical Christians are more passionate supporters of Israel than many Jews.
Suffering chest pains, Abbas taken to hospital for the third time in a week
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was taken to a Ramallah hospital Sunday for the third time in a week.
Inside the United States
Trump's stealth victory: Reshaping the courts
With less than two years under his belt, President Trump has managed to make a substantial imprint on the U.S. judicial system -- one that could be felt for decades to come -- by getting the Senate to confirm key judicial nominees.
Trump demands Justice Department probe if campaign ‘infiltrated’
President Donald Trump said Sunday that he will 'demand' that the Justice Department open an investigation into whether the FBI infiltrated his presidential campaign, an extraordinary order that came hours before his legal team said that the special counsel indicated its investigation into the president could be concluded by September.
Lava From Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano Has Reached the Pacific Ocean and It's Creating a New Danger
A volcano that is oozing, spewing and exploding on Hawaii’s Big Island has gotten more hazardous, sending rivers of molten rock pouring into the ocean Sunday and launching lava skyward that caused the first major injury.
Defunding Planned Parenthood: Donald Trump's Good Start
Thursday evening the Trump administration announced a measure that pro-life advocates have been seeking since the Clinton administration -- restoration of Reagan-era rules that 'require a ‘bright line’ of physical and financial separation between Title X services and providers that perform, support, or refer to abortion as a method of family planning.' To understand Title X, and its role in the abortion debate, requires a bit of background.
Op-Ed: With the individual mandate dead, the rest of Obamacare is unconstitutional
In 2012, Chief Justice John Roberts famously ruled the Affordable Care Act’s provision mandating most people purchase health insurance or else pay a fine constitutional on the basis that Congress has the authority to tax individuals, and the so-called Obamacare 'fine' is effectively a tax.
NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio Preparing City for Marijuana Legalization, Instructs NYPD to Halt Arrests
New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is set to instruct NYPD to stop arrests of New Yorkers smoking weed in public while additionally forming a task force to ease what he sees as an inevitable full-on legalization of recreational marijuana.
Christian News
Sentence Upheld for Pastor in Algeria Stopped for Carrying Christian Literature
A case that began with police in Algeria stopping a Christian suspected of carrying Bibles in his car ended yesterday with a large fine for the church leader.
Museum of the Bible Visitors Top Half a Million in First Six Months
The Good Book is shaping up to be a good draw on the crowded landscape of museums in the nation’s capital.
Church of Scotland takes another step towards allowing same-sex marriages
The Church of Scotland's General Assembly voted yesterday in favour of a motion that will take it a step closer to approving ministers conducting same-sex marriages.
'Hope and Healing': Texas Town Worships After School Attack
Congregations in this deeply religious community near Houston gathered Sunday for their first worship services since a teenager with a shotgun blasted his way into a high school art classroom and killed 10 people — eight students and two teachers.