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
N. Korean leader calls for more talks with South in new year
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un sent a letter to South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Sunday calling for more peace talks between the leaders in the new year following their active engagement in 2018, South Korea's presidential office said.
Trump Hails 'Big Progress' Towards China Trade Deal
President Donald Trump reported 'big progress' in trade talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, providing an optimistic start to what could be a make-or-break year for ties between the world’s two largest economies.
Iranian cargo plane suspected of bringing arms to Hezbollah departs Tehran
A Fars Air Qeshm cargo 747 airliner left Tehran at 8 a.m. on Sunday and landed in Damascus at 10:30 a.m., returning to Tehran at 5 p.m. The 747 allegedly transported weapons to Hezbollah in September, according to a report from Fox News that was based on Western intelligence assessments. The aircraft also made suspicious flights in July and August to Damascus and Beirut.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
U.S., Israel work to block unilateral Palestinian statehood drive at U.N.
The United States and Israel are working to block a renewed Palestinian Authority drive to become a member state of the United Nations.
New US law threatens Israeli-Palestinian security cooperation
The security cooperation between the Palestinian Authority and Israel hangs in balance due to a new US legislation, which is expected to take effect next month, that threatens to bankrupt the government in Ramallah and collapse its security apparatus.

Inside the United States
Federal judge blocks Trump rule cutting drug payments to hospitals
A federal judge ruled Friday that the Trump administration must halt a policy shift that cut the money hospitals received under a program intended to provide cheaper drugs to uninsured patients.
Lindsey Graham: I 'feel a lot better' about Syria pullout after lunch with Trump
Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said Sunday he felt less concerned about President Trump pulling U.S. troops from Syria following a two-hour lunch with him at the White House.
'Fake news' a real problem long before Trump era, media watchdogs say
The iconic photograph of a 2-year-old Honduran girl crying as her mother is questioned by a U.S. Border Patrol agent reached the cover of Time magazine before it was revealed that the toddler wasn’t caught up in President Trump’s zero-tolerance border policy and wasn’t separated from her family.
Ohio fails to override Kasich's veto of 6 week heartbeat abortion ban
The Ohio state legislature has failed by one vote to override Gov. John Kasich's veto of a bill banning abortion as early as six weeks, which is when a baby's heartbeat can first be detected.

Christian News
Evangelical leader banned from Facebook for ‘hate speech’ over transgender bathrooms
Evangelical leader Franklin Graham, the son of the late evangelist Billy Graham, was banned from posting on Facebook for 24 hours after a 2016 post of his was flagged for 'dehumanizing language.'
Around the World
US troop withdrawal from Syria could take several months
A week after President Trump's surprising announcement that he was withdrawing U.S. troops from Syria, the U.S. military is drafting a withdrawal plan that could have U.S. troops leaving over several months, according to U.S. officials, who stressed that no final decisions have been made about the planned pace of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria.
Russia Begins Testing Nuclear Weapon That Can Travel Underwater and 'Nothing' Can Stop It, Report Says
Moscow has reportedly begun testing an underwater nuclear weapon that has been touted as invincible by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
German army 'could recruit EU citizens'
Seven years after Germany scrapped conscription, its defense chief has said employing EU citizens is 'an option' to fill expert posts.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israel: Iran operating on Syrian border, despite Russian assurances
An Israeli security official on Wednesday confirmed responsibility for overnight airstrikes in Syria, saying the air force had hit a series of targets involved in Iranian arms transfers to the Hezbollah militant group.
Satellite images reveal Iranian facility destroyed in Syria strike
An intelligence report issued by the satellite imaging company ImageSat International (ISI) on Thursday revealed the aftermath of the recent airstrikes in Syria, largely attributed to Israel.

Inside the United States
Shutdown talks dead since Saturday after Democrats rejected White House proposal
Efforts to resolve a government shutdown fight have been at a standstill since Saturday, when Democrats rejected a White House proposal that reduced President Trump's $5 billion demand for a border wall and offered flexibility on just how solid the wall needed to be.
Trump weighs canceling NAFTA to force hand of Democrats on trade
President Trump and his advisers are weighing whether to cancel the North American Free Trade Agreement to force through his revised trade deal, a strong-arm tactic that would present Congress -- and resistant Democrats -- with the stark choice of assent or disarray.
IRS unable to recoup nearly $1 billion in Obamacare subsidies
The IRS overpaid nearly $4 billion to Obamacare customers through tax credits last year, and because of the way the law is written it can’t even try to collect on a quarter of that, the Treasury Department’s inspector general reported this week.

Christian News
Bomb at Greek church injures 2 after no warning given
A crudely-made bomb exploded outside one of Athens‘ most important churches early Thursday, injuring its caretaker and a police officer - troubling authorities as the attack took place without warning in one of the capital’s busiest areas.
Around the World
Putin to deploy new hypersonic missile system as arms race escalates
Russian President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday his army would deploy a new hypersonic nuclear-capable missile system next year, upping the ante in a high-tech arms race with the U.S.
Russia: Syrian government must take over eastern Syria
Russia’s Foreign Ministry says Moscow expects the Syrian government to take over the areas where the U.S. troops are currently deployed following their withdrawal.
EU's Oettinger sees chance British parliament votes for Brexit deal in January
European Commissioner Guenther Oettinger said on Thursday there is still a chance that Britain’s parliament will vote in favor of the Brexit agreement in January and that there was no public support for a disorderly Brexit or another referendum.
Iraqi militia head calls for expelling US forces
The head of a powerful Iraqi militia that enjoys backing from Iran is threatening to expel U.S. forces from Iraq after an unannounced visit by President Donald Trump to American troops stationed in the country.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Trump: We give Israel billions, it can defend itself in Syria
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he was not worried that pulling troops out of Syria could endanger Israel, citing vast American military aid to the Jewish state and saying it could defend itself.
Netanyahu vows to keep hitting Iran in Syria: 'We stand firmly on our red lines'
Brushing aside Russian criticism of a reported Israeli airstrike in Syria overnight, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday doubled down on Israel’s policy of attacking Iranian-linked targets in Syria.
Israel fires at Syrian missile after bombing of arms depots near Damascus
Israel’s air defense system - likely the Arrow - was activated late Tuesday night against a Syrian anti-aircraft missile, following an alleged Israeli air strike over the capital of Damascus. Media reports claimed that Israel struck weapon warehouses near the Syrian capital.
Hezbollah Tunnel Under Lebanon Border; Netanyahu Says Operation Northern Shield ‘Mostly Behind Us’
The IDF announced on Wednesday it had detected and destroyed a fifth tunnel dug by Hezbollah under the Israel-Lebanon border.
Livni calls on Center-Left to form bloc to take down Netanyahu
Opposition leader Tzipi Livni begged her fellow leaders of the Center-Left on Tuesday to act unselfishly in order to defeat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the April 9 general election, as two new parties were announced earlier in the day.

Inside the United States
Markets deliver historic Christmas Eve drop as Trump feuds with Fed
U.S. stocks fell sharply Monday, making it the worst Christmas Eve trading day ever.
Dow Jones soars more than 1,000 points in largest single-day increase
The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared more than 1,000 points Wednesday for its largest-ever single-day point increase, as stocks rebounded from a historically poor Christmas Eve.

Christian News
Six Christians Injured in Stoning of Christmas Service in Burma
Unidentified men last week stoned a house full of worshippers for an hour in a predominantly Buddhist village in Burma (Myanmar), injuring six people, sources said.