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
China: ‘108 Million People In Lockdown’ As Virus Spreads Again
While several nations began to reopen after months of lockdowns, China put a whopping 108 million people under a stay-at-home order.
Montenegro Releases Bishop and Priests After Protests
Montenegro has released a Serbian Orthodox Church bishop and at least seven priests whose detention sparked protests and riots with police.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Bennett says Iran starting to withdraw from Syria
Iran has begun withdrawing its forces from Syria, Israel's outgoing defense minister said on Monday, without offering any evidence to support his assertion.
EU Funding is Gettting Into the Hands of Palestinian Terrorists
Terrorist groups have established a way to siphon off European funds designated for Palestinian civil society, Israel’s Strategic Affairs Ministry (SAM) has said in a new report. The SAM publication follows a European Union announcement that it would continue to fund Palestinian "civil society organizations," even if such groups include terrorists, Israel Hayom reports.
Inside the United States
FBI: Saudi officer’s Pensacola naval station attack was an al-Qaida terrorist strike
A Royal Saudi Arabian Air Forces cadet training at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola was acting on behalf of al-Qaida on Dec. 6 when he murdered three U.S. Navy sailors and wounded eight, according to information uncovered from his cellphones.
US President Trump Takes Malaria Dug against COVID-19
US President Donald Trump says he has been taking a malaria drug to protect against the new coronavirus COVID-19, despite warnings from his health officials. “What do you have to lose?" he told reporters on Monday.
Senator Rubio chosen as acting Intelligence Committee chairman
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio will serve as acting chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Monday, after Senator Richard Burr announced he would step aside from the position during a federal investigation of his stock trades.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules 'Unilateral' Extension of Executive Lockdown Order is Unlawful
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled three to four Wednesday that Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’s administration had no authority to extend a coronavirus stay-at-home order to the end of May, Fox News reports. Evers’ executive order was due to end on April 24, but Health Secretary Andrea Palm extended it to May 26. After Republicans filed suit, the Court found the extension amounted to an emergency rule which Palm had no power to enact unilaterally.
Christian News
Evangelical Leaders Ask Congress to Grant Religious Organizations Immunity from COVID-19 Lawsuits
Evangelical leaders have asked Congress to grant religious organizations immunity from potential negligence suits arising from decisions to reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Christian Post reports. Evangelicals joined some 300 interfaith leaders in signing a letter to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary last week, in which they suggested immunity granted could be similar to that given health-care workers.
China: ‘108 Million People In Lockdown’ As Virus Spreads Again
While several nations began to reopen after months of lockdowns, China put a whopping 108 million people under a stay-at-home order.
Montenegro Releases Bishop and Priests After Protests
Montenegro has released a Serbian Orthodox Church bishop and at least seven priests whose detention sparked protests and riots with police.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Bennett says Iran starting to withdraw from Syria
Iran has begun withdrawing its forces from Syria, Israel's outgoing defense minister said on Monday, without offering any evidence to support his assertion.
EU Funding is Gettting Into the Hands of Palestinian Terrorists
Terrorist groups have established a way to siphon off European funds designated for Palestinian civil society, Israel’s Strategic Affairs Ministry (SAM) has said in a new report. The SAM publication follows a European Union announcement that it would continue to fund Palestinian "civil society organizations," even if such groups include terrorists, Israel Hayom reports.
Inside the United States
FBI: Saudi officer’s Pensacola naval station attack was an al-Qaida terrorist strike
A Royal Saudi Arabian Air Forces cadet training at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola was acting on behalf of al-Qaida on Dec. 6 when he murdered three U.S. Navy sailors and wounded eight, according to information uncovered from his cellphones.
US President Trump Takes Malaria Dug against COVID-19
US President Donald Trump says he has been taking a malaria drug to protect against the new coronavirus COVID-19, despite warnings from his health officials. “What do you have to lose?" he told reporters on Monday.
Senator Rubio chosen as acting Intelligence Committee chairman
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio will serve as acting chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Monday, after Senator Richard Burr announced he would step aside from the position during a federal investigation of his stock trades.
Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules 'Unilateral' Extension of Executive Lockdown Order is Unlawful
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled three to four Wednesday that Democratic Gov. Tony Evers’s administration had no authority to extend a coronavirus stay-at-home order to the end of May, Fox News reports. Evers’ executive order was due to end on April 24, but Health Secretary Andrea Palm extended it to May 26. After Republicans filed suit, the Court found the extension amounted to an emergency rule which Palm had no power to enact unilaterally.
Christian News
Evangelical Leaders Ask Congress to Grant Religious Organizations Immunity from COVID-19 Lawsuits
Evangelical leaders have asked Congress to grant religious organizations immunity from potential negligence suits arising from decisions to reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Christian Post reports. Evangelicals joined some 300 interfaith leaders in signing a letter to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary last week, in which they suggested immunity granted could be similar to that given health-care workers.
Around the World
Iran:'Arson Attack At Tomb Esther and Mordechai'
Iranian officials have admitted that fire broke out at an ancient shrine viewed by Iran’s Jewish community as the resting place of the Biblical Queen Esther and her cousin Mordechai. The announcement published by the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) came after activists reported an overnight arson attack at the site.
Typhoon Devastates Lockdown Wary Philippines
A Christian woman was among many fearfully hiding Friday as parts of the Philippines were devastated by winds and rain from Typhoon Vongfong. “It is always scary,” Virgie Overdevest told Worthy News. “We already had a minor earthquake here.”
Slovenia First European Nation Without Coronavirus Pandemic
Slovenia has become the first European nation to declare an end to its coronavirus pandemic. It also opened the borders on Friday, despite new infections being reported.
Massive locust swarms threaten catastrophe for African nations
The United Nations (UN) has warned that vast swarms of locusts are set on a “path of destruction” across Africa, affecting nations that had not seen the pest in decades. Locust controllers are concerned the pests will wipe out crops in a potentially “Biblical catastrophe,” leaving millions of people without food in some of the most vulnerable countries in the world.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israel’s Parliament Approves New Government Amid Tensions
Israel's parliament accepted a new government on Sunday, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former rival Benny Gantz. The approval ended the most extended political crisis in the Jewish state’s history.
Israel University Claims One-Minute Corinavirus Test
A researcher at one of Israel's leading universities says he has developed a test that identifies carriers of the new coronavirus COVID-19 in less than a minute.
Opinion Polls Present Conflicting Results on Palestinian Support for Third Intifada
Recent opinion polls unanimously demonstrate that around 90% of Palestinians reject President Trump’s peace plan, the Washington Institute reports. However, separate polls show different results on Palestinian support for a third intifada as a means by which to resist the plan.
Inside the United States
Operation Warp Speed sets 'goal' of 300 million coronavirus vaccines by January 2021
The Defense Department took pains Friday to emphasize that President Trump’s promise to produce 300 million coronavirus vaccines by January 2021 is a “goal,” while a spokesman also told the Washington Examiner that a shake-up of the Pentagon team acquiring medical equipment did not signify a change in direction.
US Medal of Honor Army Medic Dies
A former U.S. Army medic who received the Medal of Honor in 2018 for his heroic efforts to save the lives of fellow soldiers in Afghanistan has died, his wife and officials confirmed. Staff Sgt. Ronald Shurer II was 41.
U.S. House Unveils $3 Trillion Coronavirus Package
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a massive $3 trillion virus aid package after batting back a last-minute Republican effort that threatened the measure.
Poll: ‘Coronavirus Shows God Wants Changed Humanity’
The coronavirus pandemic made almost two-thirds of American believers of all faiths feel that God wants humanity to change how it lives, according to a new survey.
U.S. Retail Sales Plunge To Record Low
U.S. stocks sank Friday after figures showed retail sales in the country plunged by a record 16.4 percent last month, the worst decline in decades.
Christian News
U.S. Churches Defy Coronavirus Bans On Indoor Worship
Churches across the United States are planning to defy bans on indoor worship and will open for in-person services this Sunday, May 17, Worthy News learned. The move is part of the "Peaceably Gather Sunday" initiative in which congregations seek a balance between safety against the coronavirus and worshipping without restrictions.
North Carolina Churches Sue Governor Over Ban On Indoor Worship
Christian leaders have sued the governor of the U.S. State of North Carolina for banning extensive indoor church services to limit the new coronavirus outbreak. Their lawsuit asked a court to throw out Governor Roy Cooper's restrictions on person-to-person services in North Carolina during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Church in North Korea Exists but Deeply Underground
There are Christians in North Korea but congregations are typically made up of two or three people from the same family, Fox News reports. The North Korean church exists, but it has had to go deeply underground: under the Kim Jong Un regime, believers – and their families - may face the death penalty or detention if their faith is discovered.
Iran:'Arson Attack At Tomb Esther and Mordechai'
Iranian officials have admitted that fire broke out at an ancient shrine viewed by Iran’s Jewish community as the resting place of the Biblical Queen Esther and her cousin Mordechai. The announcement published by the state-run Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) came after activists reported an overnight arson attack at the site.
Typhoon Devastates Lockdown Wary Philippines
A Christian woman was among many fearfully hiding Friday as parts of the Philippines were devastated by winds and rain from Typhoon Vongfong. “It is always scary,” Virgie Overdevest told Worthy News. “We already had a minor earthquake here.”
Slovenia First European Nation Without Coronavirus Pandemic
Slovenia has become the first European nation to declare an end to its coronavirus pandemic. It also opened the borders on Friday, despite new infections being reported.
Massive locust swarms threaten catastrophe for African nations
The United Nations (UN) has warned that vast swarms of locusts are set on a “path of destruction” across Africa, affecting nations that had not seen the pest in decades. Locust controllers are concerned the pests will wipe out crops in a potentially “Biblical catastrophe,” leaving millions of people without food in some of the most vulnerable countries in the world.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israel’s Parliament Approves New Government Amid Tensions
Israel's parliament accepted a new government on Sunday, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former rival Benny Gantz. The approval ended the most extended political crisis in the Jewish state’s history.
Israel University Claims One-Minute Corinavirus Test
A researcher at one of Israel's leading universities says he has developed a test that identifies carriers of the new coronavirus COVID-19 in less than a minute.
Opinion Polls Present Conflicting Results on Palestinian Support for Third Intifada
Recent opinion polls unanimously demonstrate that around 90% of Palestinians reject President Trump’s peace plan, the Washington Institute reports. However, separate polls show different results on Palestinian support for a third intifada as a means by which to resist the plan.
Inside the United States
Operation Warp Speed sets 'goal' of 300 million coronavirus vaccines by January 2021
The Defense Department took pains Friday to emphasize that President Trump’s promise to produce 300 million coronavirus vaccines by January 2021 is a “goal,” while a spokesman also told the Washington Examiner that a shake-up of the Pentagon team acquiring medical equipment did not signify a change in direction.
US Medal of Honor Army Medic Dies
A former U.S. Army medic who received the Medal of Honor in 2018 for his heroic efforts to save the lives of fellow soldiers in Afghanistan has died, his wife and officials confirmed. Staff Sgt. Ronald Shurer II was 41.
U.S. House Unveils $3 Trillion Coronavirus Package
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a massive $3 trillion virus aid package after batting back a last-minute Republican effort that threatened the measure.
Poll: ‘Coronavirus Shows God Wants Changed Humanity’
The coronavirus pandemic made almost two-thirds of American believers of all faiths feel that God wants humanity to change how it lives, according to a new survey.
U.S. Retail Sales Plunge To Record Low
U.S. stocks sank Friday after figures showed retail sales in the country plunged by a record 16.4 percent last month, the worst decline in decades.
Christian News
U.S. Churches Defy Coronavirus Bans On Indoor Worship
Churches across the United States are planning to defy bans on indoor worship and will open for in-person services this Sunday, May 17, Worthy News learned. The move is part of the "Peaceably Gather Sunday" initiative in which congregations seek a balance between safety against the coronavirus and worshipping without restrictions.
North Carolina Churches Sue Governor Over Ban On Indoor Worship
Christian leaders have sued the governor of the U.S. State of North Carolina for banning extensive indoor church services to limit the new coronavirus outbreak. Their lawsuit asked a court to throw out Governor Roy Cooper's restrictions on person-to-person services in North Carolina during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Church in North Korea Exists but Deeply Underground
There are Christians in North Korea but congregations are typically made up of two or three people from the same family, Fox News reports. The North Korean church exists, but it has had to go deeply underground: under the Kim Jong Un regime, believers – and their families - may face the death penalty or detention if their faith is discovered.
Around the World
US: “China Hacks Vaccine Research”
The United States has accused China of hacking American vaccine research amid a global coronavirus pandemic.
EU's Top Court Condemns Hungary's Treatment Of Asylum Seekers Including Christians (Worthy News Investigation)
Hope was rising Thursday for an Iranian Christian father and his young son held in detention on the Hungarian-Serbian border for 17 months, after the European Union's top court condemned Hungary's treatment of asylum seekers. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that Budapest was obliged to reconsider their applications. The court stressed that Hungarian authorities circumvented EU law by holding migrants seeking refuge in unlawful prison-like conditions.
Trump threatens China ties, says he’s in no mood for talks with Xi
US President Donald Trump further hardened his rhetoric toward China on Thursday, saying he no longer wishes to speak with Xi Jinping and warning darkly he might cut ties over the rival superpower’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Montenegro Police Break Up Rally For Release of Priests
Police in Montenegro have used tear gas against demonstrators demanding the release of eight Serbian Orthodox Church priests. The church leaders were detained for holding a religious procession despite a ban on gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israel Targeting Missile-Manufacturing Sites in Syria, Hezbollah Chief Says
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said on Wednesday that Israel was now concentrating its attacks in Syria on missile-manufacturing sites.
Israel's Netanyahu, Gantz postpone swearing-in of new unity government, again
Israel’s new unity government, comprised of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition partner Benny Gantz, has postponed Thursday’s swearing-in ceremony to Sunday.
Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad to Boycott Palestinian Leadership Meeting on Israeli Annexation
Terror groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) announced Wednesday that they would boycott an upcoming Palestinian leaders meeting about Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank, the Jerusalem Post reported. Palestinian officials said Tuesday that representatives from the two groups had been invited to attend the meeting planned for Saturday in Ramallah.
Inside the United States
Fed Warns of Possible Long-Term Recession, 3 Million More File Jobless Claims
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says the United States may face a prolonged economic downturn, and new unemployment numbers out Thursday morning seem to reinforce his prediction. The latest stats reveal nearly 3 million more Americans filed for jobless aid –coronavirus-related layoffs now reaching 36 million.
U.S. Senate votes to extend government surveillance tools
The U.S. Senate comfortably approved a 2-1/2-year extension of parts of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) on Thursday, two months after the divisive provisions allowing government data collection expired.
Christian schools' legal team optimistic after Supreme Court weighs ministerial exception
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Monday in a pair of cases that could shape how far religious employers’ “ministerial exception” goes in protecting them from discrimination lawsuits brought by certain employees.
Homeland Security Investigations Office has Opened Hundreds of Cases of COVID-19 Related Fraud
The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office has opened more than 370 cases of alleged fraud in which scammers tried to sell counterfeit COVID-19 test kits, treatments, masks, and cleaning products. Since the US entered lockdown around two months ago, the HSI has cracked down on individuals and organizations it suspects of fraud and has investigated nearly 25,000 website domains, the Washington Examiner reports.
US Government Signs Deal for over 500 million Prefilled Vaccine Syringes
The Trump administration has signed a $138 million deal for the production of over 500 million prefilled syringes in the event a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available. Produced by innovative syringe company ApiJect, the syringes will carry an optional RFID/NFC tag to provide information on the serial number, GPS location, and date/time of each vaccine.
40% of low-income Americans lost their jobs due to the pandemic
Nearly 40% of lower-income Americans lost work as the coronavirus pandemic began its assault on the U.S. economy, according to the Federal Reserve.
Christian News
US Mission Pilot Dies In Indonesia Crash
An American mission pilot flying much-needed coronavirus test kits to a remote village in Indonesia has died in a plane crash, her Christian aviation organization confirmed.
Dozens Of Christian Villagers Killed In Nigeria
Dozens of villagers have been killed in the latest attack on Christian communities in northwestern Nigeria by suspected Fulani Muslim militants, rights investigators, told Worthy News late Wednesday. Among victims were reportedly five people who died when armed men of Fulani origin attacked Makyali village in the Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna state. One person was injured in Wednesday's attack, added advocacy group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) in a statement.
US: “China Hacks Vaccine Research”
The United States has accused China of hacking American vaccine research amid a global coronavirus pandemic.
EU's Top Court Condemns Hungary's Treatment Of Asylum Seekers Including Christians (Worthy News Investigation)
Hope was rising Thursday for an Iranian Christian father and his young son held in detention on the Hungarian-Serbian border for 17 months, after the European Union's top court condemned Hungary's treatment of asylum seekers. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that Budapest was obliged to reconsider their applications. The court stressed that Hungarian authorities circumvented EU law by holding migrants seeking refuge in unlawful prison-like conditions.
Trump threatens China ties, says he’s in no mood for talks with Xi
US President Donald Trump further hardened his rhetoric toward China on Thursday, saying he no longer wishes to speak with Xi Jinping and warning darkly he might cut ties over the rival superpower’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Montenegro Police Break Up Rally For Release of Priests
Police in Montenegro have used tear gas against demonstrators demanding the release of eight Serbian Orthodox Church priests. The church leaders were detained for holding a religious procession despite a ban on gatherings due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israel Targeting Missile-Manufacturing Sites in Syria, Hezbollah Chief Says
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said on Wednesday that Israel was now concentrating its attacks in Syria on missile-manufacturing sites.
Israel's Netanyahu, Gantz postpone swearing-in of new unity government, again
Israel’s new unity government, comprised of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition partner Benny Gantz, has postponed Thursday’s swearing-in ceremony to Sunday.
Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad to Boycott Palestinian Leadership Meeting on Israeli Annexation
Terror groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) announced Wednesday that they would boycott an upcoming Palestinian leaders meeting about Israeli plans to annex parts of the West Bank, the Jerusalem Post reported. Palestinian officials said Tuesday that representatives from the two groups had been invited to attend the meeting planned for Saturday in Ramallah.
Inside the United States
Fed Warns of Possible Long-Term Recession, 3 Million More File Jobless Claims
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell says the United States may face a prolonged economic downturn, and new unemployment numbers out Thursday morning seem to reinforce his prediction. The latest stats reveal nearly 3 million more Americans filed for jobless aid –coronavirus-related layoffs now reaching 36 million.
U.S. Senate votes to extend government surveillance tools
The U.S. Senate comfortably approved a 2-1/2-year extension of parts of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) on Thursday, two months after the divisive provisions allowing government data collection expired.
Christian schools' legal team optimistic after Supreme Court weighs ministerial exception
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Monday in a pair of cases that could shape how far religious employers’ “ministerial exception” goes in protecting them from discrimination lawsuits brought by certain employees.
Homeland Security Investigations Office has Opened Hundreds of Cases of COVID-19 Related Fraud
The Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office has opened more than 370 cases of alleged fraud in which scammers tried to sell counterfeit COVID-19 test kits, treatments, masks, and cleaning products. Since the US entered lockdown around two months ago, the HSI has cracked down on individuals and organizations it suspects of fraud and has investigated nearly 25,000 website domains, the Washington Examiner reports.
US Government Signs Deal for over 500 million Prefilled Vaccine Syringes
The Trump administration has signed a $138 million deal for the production of over 500 million prefilled syringes in the event a COVID-19 vaccine becomes available. Produced by innovative syringe company ApiJect, the syringes will carry an optional RFID/NFC tag to provide information on the serial number, GPS location, and date/time of each vaccine.
40% of low-income Americans lost their jobs due to the pandemic
Nearly 40% of lower-income Americans lost work as the coronavirus pandemic began its assault on the U.S. economy, according to the Federal Reserve.
Christian News
US Mission Pilot Dies In Indonesia Crash
An American mission pilot flying much-needed coronavirus test kits to a remote village in Indonesia has died in a plane crash, her Christian aviation organization confirmed.
Dozens Of Christian Villagers Killed In Nigeria
Dozens of villagers have been killed in the latest attack on Christian communities in northwestern Nigeria by suspected Fulani Muslim militants, rights investigators, told Worthy News late Wednesday. Among victims were reportedly five people who died when armed men of Fulani origin attacked Makyali village in the Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna state. One person was injured in Wednesday's attack, added advocacy group Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) in a statement.