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
Top US general: No F-35s if Turkey buys Russian defense system
The United States should not sell its high-tech F-35 fighter jet to Turkey if Ankara moves ahead with plans to buy a Russian missile defense system, the top US military commander for Europe told Congress on Tuesday.
Pyongyang ‘rebuilding’ main satellite launch site, photos show
Activity has been detected at a North Korean long-range rocket site, suggesting Pyongyang may be pursuing the 'rapid rebuilding' of the facility after the collapse of the Hanoi summit, according to an analysis of satellite imagery.
Top US general in Europe seeks more troops, warships to counter Russia
The top U.S. military commander in Europe warned Tuesday of a growing Russian threat and is calling for more troops, warships and aircraft, saying he’s 'not comfortable yet with the deterrent posture' of the American troop presence.
Iranian Commander Outlines Plan ‘to Defeat World Powers’
A top Iranian military figure in the country's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, recently outlined the rogue nation's long-term plans to 'defeat world powers,' saying that Tehran has been 'chosen to wage jihad' across the globe.
Russian military, modernizing quickly, plans to sell missile system to Turkey: U.S. commander
A top U.S. commander has warned that Russia's military is modernizing quickly, and that a possible weapons deal with Turkey could put the United States in danger.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Hamas chief warns Netanyahu against Gaza ‘adventure’ as violence ratchets up
The Palestinian terror group Hamas warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday against any military 'adventure' in the Gaza Strip ahead of Israeli elections next month, as tensions spiraled along the restive frontier with Israel.
Waqf rejects Israeli court order to shutter Temple Mount’s Gate of Mercy
The Islamic authority that oversees Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem rejected Tuesday an Israeli court order to close a contested religious area that has ignited tension between Palestinian worshipers and Israeli police in recent weeks.
Israeli planes strike Gaza targets after balloon bombs hit Israeli towns
The Israel Air Force carried out airstrikes on several targets in the Gaza Strip Tuesday night, after balloons with explosives were flown into Israel earlier in the day.

Inside the United States
Federal deficit balloons 77 percent in first third of the fiscal year
The federal deficit for fiscal year 2019 ballooned 77 percent in the first four months, compared to the previous year.
Trump administration warns of record illegal border crossings ahead of vote by Congress
The Trump administration warned Republican lawmakers Tuesday about record numbers of illegal crossings at the southern border with Mexico as Congress appeared to be on the verge of terminating President Donald Trump’s declaration of an emergency there.
Jack Phillips Vindicated as 'Overwhelming Evidence' Exposes State 'Hostility' Against Christian Baker
The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) is reporting that the transgender cake case against Christian baker Jack Phillips is being dropped.
U.S. Credit Card Debt Closed 2018 at a Record $870 Billion
U.S. credit card debt hit $870 billion -- the largest amount ever -- as of December 2018, according to the data from the Federal Reserve. Credit card balances rose by $26 billion from the prior quarter.

Christian News
2019 Sees Dramatic Rise in Global Christian Persecution
2019 has seen a significant uptick in the persecution of Christians worldwide, according to Open Doors U.S.A.'s most recent World Watch List.
Around the World
Final IS defeat looms as thousands leave last area in Syria
A spokesman for the U.S.-backed Syrian forces fighting the Islamic State group says thousands of people, including militants, have left the last area held by the extremists in Syria.
Russia Suspends Nuclear Missile Treaty With U.S.
President Vladimir Putin formally ordered a suspension of Russia’s obligations under a Cold War-era nuclear treaty with the U.S., his office said Monday, a death knell for the pact that heightens the threat of a new arms race.
Guaido returns to Venezuela and a new phase in campaign
Opposition leader Juan Guaido shrouded the route and timing of his return in secrecy amid concerns he might be detained by Venezuela's government. Yet he breezed through airport immigration checks and brazenly called for the downfall of President Nicolas Maduro at a rally where the presence of security forces was minimal.
Second patient apparently free of AIDS virus after stem cell transplant, researchers say
Researchers say a London man appears to be free of the AIDS virus after a stem cell transplant. It’s the second such success including 'Berlin patient' Timothy Ray Brown.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Netanyahu: Russia shares goal of removing all foreign troops from Syria
Russia and Israel share the goal of removing all foreign troops from Syria, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday at the weekly cabinet meeting.
US deploys advanced anti-missile system in Israel
The U.S. has deployed a highly advanced missile defense system in Israel for the first time, the American and Israeli militaries announced Monday, reflecting their shared concerns about Iran’s development of powerful missiles.
Israel denies new Russian offer to host Netanyahu-Abbas peace talks
An Israeli official on Monday denied that Russia had offered, during the prime minister’s visit to Moscow last week, to host a summit meeting between Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Inside the United States
House Democrats launch aggressive new Trump probe
US Democrats launched a sweeping new probe of President Donald Trump on Monday, an aggressive investigation that threatens to shadow the president through the 2020 election season with potentially damaging inquiries into his White House, campaign and family businesses.
21 states, DC sue Trump administration over rules cutting Planned Parenthood funding
Twenty-one states and the District of Columbia are suing the Trump administration over new rules that would cut federal funding from Planned Parenthood and other clinics that provide or discuss abortions.
Mitch McConnell: It's clear Senate will vote against President Trump's national emergency
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell hoped President Donald Trump wouldn't declare a national emergency over border security, but said Monday that he was 'obviously' unsuccessful in arguing against the move.
Senate may reprimand Trump in addition to revoking his border emergency
Senate Republicans are holding active discussions about whether to amend a resolution revoking President Trump's border emergency in a way that scolds Trump for the way he asserted authority over the federal budget to fund his border wall.
Kavanaugh slams ‘pure discrimination’ against churches as court declines to hear religious liberty case
The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a case about whether churches or other religious institutions in New Jersey are entitled to public funds for historic preservation.
NSA Weighs Ending Phone Surveillance Program Exposed by Snowden
The National Security Agency is considering ending a once-secret surveillance program that annually collects hundreds of millions of telephone call records, including those belonging to Americans, because it lacks operational value, according to people familiar with the matter.
CA Democrat Pushes Plan that Could Put Planned Parenthood's Number on Every Student ID
A California state lawmaker is reportedly attempting to push legislation that could put Planned Parenthood's phone number on every California student ID from ages 12-24, including students at Christian schools.

Christian News
Mass arrests of Chinese megachurch members continue; some 'violently beaten'
Nearly 50 more members, including 11 kids, of a Chinese megachurch closed down by the communist government in December were arrested at two different venues last Sunday, a watchdog group has reported.
Devastating church fire doesn't burn a single Bible
Firefighters in West Virginia were stunned after they found a pile of Bibles untouched by the flames that sparked inside a church.
Around the World
Top U.S., Russian Generals To Meet In Vienna To Discuss Syria, Other Key Issues
The top U.S. and Russian generals are set to meet to discuss the situation in Syria, where the two countries, along with Iran and Turkey, have been militarily involved in the Middle East country's eight-year civil war.
Asian stocks rise on reports US, China close to trade deal
Asian stocks rose Monday after news reports said Washington and Beijing are close to reaching an agreement as early as this month to end their costly tariff war.
Iran's Khamenei doubted Europe could help Tehran against U.S. sanctions
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei advised the government last July not to rely on European efforts to protect Tehran against U.S. sanctions, months after Washington withdrew from a nuclear deal with Iran and reimposed penalties.
China is reportedly offering to lower tariffs on US farm, chemical and auto products as trade deal gets closer
China is offering to lower tariffs on U.S. farm, chemical, auto and other products as part of a trade deal that is nearing completion, a new report says.
Trump: Islamic State in Syria near 100 percent defeated
President Trump acknowledged Saturday a small contingent of U.S. troops will remain in Syria despite announcing last year his controversial decision to withdraw all American forces from the country.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
US closes Jerusalem consulate, demoting Palestinian mission
The United States officially shuttered its consulate in Jerusalem on Monday, downgrading the status of its main diplomatic mission to the Palestinians by folding it into the US Embassy to Israel.

Inside the United States
U.S. House panel launches probe into possible obstruction by Trump
The House Judiciary Committee will seek documents from more than 60 people and organizations as it begins investigations into possible obstruction of justice and abuse of power by President Donald Trump, the panel’s chairman said on Sunday.
Trump to sign executive order requiring colleges, universities to support free speech on campus
President Trump intends to sign an executive order that would put at risk federal research funding to colleges and universities that fail to protect free speech on campus, he announced Saturday.
Death Toll Rises to 22 as Tornadoes, Severe Storms Hit South
A tornado roared into southeast Alabama and killed at least 22 people and injured several others Sunday, part of a severe storm system that caused catastrophic damage and unleashed other tornadoes around the Southeast.

Christian News
At Least 32 Christians killed as mob burns homes, church in Nigeria
At least 32 Christians were killed by suspected Fulani extremists in Nigeria Tuesday, sources told a leading Christian persecution monitoring group.