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?"
Today's Breaking News
Around the World
US levels sanctions against Russia over election hacking
The United States is unleashing a string of sanctions and other punitive measures against Russia amid allegations that it engaged in cyber-meddling in the U.S. presidential campaign, and Moscow is responding with a threat to expel dozens of Americans.
Russia-US Tensions: Moscow Shuts Down International School In Response To Obama Administration's Russia Sanctions
After declaring that it will respond to any 'hostile steps' taken by the United States, Russia closed an international day school in Moscow on Thursday as the first indication of retaliation against the Obama administration's sanctions against the country announced the same day.
Clashes Violate Syria Ceasefire Less Than Two Hours After It Starts
Clashes between rebels and Syrian government forces took place less than two hours after a ceasefire took effect on Friday, a monitoring group and a rebel official said, in the first violations of a deal backed by Russia and Turkey.
Trump responds to sanctions against Russia, says it's time to 'move on'
President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday 'it's time for our country to move on to bigger and better things' after the Obama administration issued sanctions against Russia for its alleged 2016 election hacking.
Russia mocks Obama's 'lame duck' status after new sanctions imposed
Russia used social media on Thursday to mock President Obama after he expelled diplomats and imposed a new round of sanctions on the nation.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Netanyahu denies 'baseless' corruption accusations
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied recent allegations of wrongdoing on Friday morning. 'All the recent accusations have been proven to be baseless and so too nothing will come out of what has been in the media now.' The prime minister's office said in a statement regarding media reports that the Attorney General will open a formal investigation into corruption charges.
Netanyahu corruption probe expected within days
An Israeli TV channel reported Thursday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is suspected of receiving valuable gifts from two businessmen.
Inside the United States
Rockettes' liberal defenders still insist on Christian coercion in gay weddings
The same people who want to crack down on Christian bakers who decline to participate in same-sex wedding ceremonies are defending the conscience rights of Radio City Rockettes dancers who object to performing at Donald Trump's presidential inauguration.
California DMV: 800,000 Undocumented Immigrants Got Driver's Licenses in Past Two Years
A controversial California law has allowed thousands of undocumented residents to obtain driver's licenses at a time when President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office next month, vowed to crackdown on illegal immigration.
Christian News
Faith and Martyrdom: 2016's Top Persecution Stories
A new report names Christians as the most persecuted religious group on the planet. According to statistics from the Center for Global Christianity, around 90,000 Christians were killed for their faith in 2016. About 70 percent of those killed in 2016, were martyred in tribal conflicts in Africa because they refused to take up arms.
Christians are Changing Orphans Lives Worldwide
There are an estimated eight million children worldwide living in orphanages. Now a movement, led primarily by Christians, wants to change that dynamic and put those children in safe, stable and nurturing families. It's an ambitious vision of a world without orphans.
1 Christian killed for their faith every 6 minutes in 2016 - study
Ninety thousand Christians were murdered for their faith around the globe this year, which amounts to one being killed every six minutes, Italy's CESNUR religious study group said.
Around the World
US levels sanctions against Russia over election hacking
The United States is unleashing a string of sanctions and other punitive measures against Russia amid allegations that it engaged in cyber-meddling in the U.S. presidential campaign, and Moscow is responding with a threat to expel dozens of Americans.
Russia-US Tensions: Moscow Shuts Down International School In Response To Obama Administration's Russia Sanctions
After declaring that it will respond to any 'hostile steps' taken by the United States, Russia closed an international day school in Moscow on Thursday as the first indication of retaliation against the Obama administration's sanctions against the country announced the same day.
Clashes Violate Syria Ceasefire Less Than Two Hours After It Starts
Clashes between rebels and Syrian government forces took place less than two hours after a ceasefire took effect on Friday, a monitoring group and a rebel official said, in the first violations of a deal backed by Russia and Turkey.
Trump responds to sanctions against Russia, says it's time to 'move on'
President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday 'it's time for our country to move on to bigger and better things' after the Obama administration issued sanctions against Russia for its alleged 2016 election hacking.
Russia mocks Obama's 'lame duck' status after new sanctions imposed
Russia used social media on Thursday to mock President Obama after he expelled diplomats and imposed a new round of sanctions on the nation.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Netanyahu denies 'baseless' corruption accusations
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied recent allegations of wrongdoing on Friday morning. 'All the recent accusations have been proven to be baseless and so too nothing will come out of what has been in the media now.' The prime minister's office said in a statement regarding media reports that the Attorney General will open a formal investigation into corruption charges.
Netanyahu corruption probe expected within days
An Israeli TV channel reported Thursday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is suspected of receiving valuable gifts from two businessmen.
Inside the United States
Rockettes' liberal defenders still insist on Christian coercion in gay weddings
The same people who want to crack down on Christian bakers who decline to participate in same-sex wedding ceremonies are defending the conscience rights of Radio City Rockettes dancers who object to performing at Donald Trump's presidential inauguration.
California DMV: 800,000 Undocumented Immigrants Got Driver's Licenses in Past Two Years
A controversial California law has allowed thousands of undocumented residents to obtain driver's licenses at a time when President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office next month, vowed to crackdown on illegal immigration.
Christian News
Faith and Martyrdom: 2016's Top Persecution Stories
A new report names Christians as the most persecuted religious group on the planet. According to statistics from the Center for Global Christianity, around 90,000 Christians were killed for their faith in 2016. About 70 percent of those killed in 2016, were martyred in tribal conflicts in Africa because they refused to take up arms.
Christians are Changing Orphans Lives Worldwide
There are an estimated eight million children worldwide living in orphanages. Now a movement, led primarily by Christians, wants to change that dynamic and put those children in safe, stable and nurturing families. It's an ambitious vision of a world without orphans.
1 Christian killed for their faith every 6 minutes in 2016 - study
Ninety thousand Christians were murdered for their faith around the globe this year, which amounts to one being killed every six minutes, Italy's CESNUR religious study group said.
Today's Breaking News
Around the World
New Syria cease-fire set to begin at midnight
The major players involved in the long-running Syrian conflict have agreed to a cease-fire set to begin at midnight on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier in the day.
Turkey says Lebanon's Hezbollah should leave Syria
Turkey says the Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah, which has sent thousands of fighters to support President Bashar Assad, should withdraw from Syria.
Iraqi forces launch second phase of Mosul offensive against Islamic State
Iraqi security forces on Thursday began the second phase of their offensive against Islamic State militants in Mosul, pushing into some eastern districts where the battle has been in deadlock for nearly a month.
Turkey's Erdogan Drops Bombshell Claim: 'Confirmed Evidence' US-Led Coalition Forces Supported ISIS
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday made the bombshell claim that he has 'confirmed evidence' that U.S.-led coalition forces provided support to terrorist groups in Syria, including ISIS.
Moscow says new US sanctions would be attempt to hamper Russia-US cooperation
Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that if the United States imposed new sanctions on Russia over hacking allegations it would be an attempt to disrupt possible cooperation between the two countries, the RIA news agency reported.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
White House On Defense After Being Exposed as Architect of Anti-Israel U.N. Action
Senior Obama administration officials are scrambling to provide explanations after multiple reports, including in the Washington Free Beacon, identified the White House as being a chief architect of a recent United Nations resolution condemning the state of Israel, according to conversations with multiple former and current U.S. officials.
Chief rabbi: US has forsaken Israel, we can trust only in the Lord
The US has forsaken Israel, and the Jewish state can now place its trust only in God, Israel's Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef said Wednesday, as Jerusalem and Washington continued to face off over Friday's United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements.
Trump blasts Obama, urges Israel to 'stay strong;' Netanyahu thanks PEOTUS for 'clear cut' support
President-elect Donald Trump criticized President Obama's treatment of Israel Wednesday, urging Israel to 'stay strong' until he takes office next month and accusing the president of erecting 'roadblocks' to a smooth transition.
Netanyahu slams Kerry for insisting Israel can be Jewish or democratic -- not both
Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday that if Israel rejects a two-state solution for peace with the Palestinian people, 'it can be Jewish or it can be democratic.'
Inside the United States
Trump blasts Obama 'roadblocks' as power transfer turns increasingly hostile
The presidential transition hit a new low Wednesday, with President-elect Donald Trump openly criticizing President Obama for bungling U.S. relations with Israel and erecting other “roadblocks” to a smooth transfer of power in Washington.
UN resolution finally makes Israel a partisan fight
The intense sniping between the outgoing and incoming administrations over the stalled Middle East peace process is the latest sign of a growing partisan divide over Israel.
Obama claims another 1.6 million Western acres as national monuments
In yet another shot at the incoming Trump administration, President Obama on Wednesday designated about 1.6 million acres of Western land as national monuments, cordoning off the massive areas from energy development while vowing that his successor can't reverse his actions.
Lame-duck Congress punts EB-5 'golden visa' reform to Donald Trump
When the lame-duck Congress stumbled out of town earlier this month, lawmakers blew through yet another self-imposed deadline for cleaning up a controversial visa program that critics say could even become a pathway for terrorists into the U.S. -- dropping the problem in the lap of President-elect Trump and a newly elected House and Senate to fix next year.
Series of earthquakes hits near California-Nevada border
A series of moderate earthquakes rocked the California-Nevada border Wednesday, shaking residents in both states but producing no reports of major damage or injury.
Christian News
Kim Jong-un Forces North Korean Christians To Celebrate Grandmother's Birthday Instead of Jesus Christ This Christmas
Kim Jong-un, supreme leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, has taken his dislike of Christianity to a whole new level this Christmas by forcing people under his regime to celebrate the birth anniversary of his grandmother Kim Jong-suk instead of Jesus Christ.
Fastest-Growing Churches Have Modern Worship, Teach Literal Interpretation of the Bible: Study
A Canadian study has found that Mainline Protestant churches that have both modern worship services and teach a literal interpretation of the Bible grow faster.
Christians Most Persecuted Religious Group on the Planet
Christians are the most persecuted religious group in the world, according to the Centre for Global Christianity.
5 Steps Toward a Great Awakening in 2017
According to the Chicago Tribune, 2016 was, 'A year unlike any year.' Merriam-Webster, famous for its dictionaries, picked 'surreal' as the word of the year, and Nigel Farage of Brexit fame opined that 2016 was the 'Year Of The 'Political Revolution' By The Little People.' By all counts, 2016 was a year of great shaking, perhaps of divine proportions.
Indonesia Christian Governor Battles Radical Islam
A court in Jakarta, Indonesia, ruled that the trial of a Christian governor charged with blasphemy against Islam will go forward.
Christians In Europe: Norway Divorces Protestant Church As Muslims Blamed For 'Parallel Societies'
Norway is asking for a divorce from its biggest, most important church. The Church of Norway and the Norwegian government will formally become separated on Jan. 1 after nearly 500 years.
Around the World
New Syria cease-fire set to begin at midnight
The major players involved in the long-running Syrian conflict have agreed to a cease-fire set to begin at midnight on Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin said earlier in the day.
Turkey says Lebanon's Hezbollah should leave Syria
Turkey says the Lebanon-based terrorist group Hezbollah, which has sent thousands of fighters to support President Bashar Assad, should withdraw from Syria.
Iraqi forces launch second phase of Mosul offensive against Islamic State
Iraqi security forces on Thursday began the second phase of their offensive against Islamic State militants in Mosul, pushing into some eastern districts where the battle has been in deadlock for nearly a month.
Turkey's Erdogan Drops Bombshell Claim: 'Confirmed Evidence' US-Led Coalition Forces Supported ISIS
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday made the bombshell claim that he has 'confirmed evidence' that U.S.-led coalition forces provided support to terrorist groups in Syria, including ISIS.
Moscow says new US sanctions would be attempt to hamper Russia-US cooperation
Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that if the United States imposed new sanctions on Russia over hacking allegations it would be an attempt to disrupt possible cooperation between the two countries, the RIA news agency reported.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
White House On Defense After Being Exposed as Architect of Anti-Israel U.N. Action
Senior Obama administration officials are scrambling to provide explanations after multiple reports, including in the Washington Free Beacon, identified the White House as being a chief architect of a recent United Nations resolution condemning the state of Israel, according to conversations with multiple former and current U.S. officials.
Chief rabbi: US has forsaken Israel, we can trust only in the Lord
The US has forsaken Israel, and the Jewish state can now place its trust only in God, Israel's Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef said Wednesday, as Jerusalem and Washington continued to face off over Friday's United Nations Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements.
Trump blasts Obama, urges Israel to 'stay strong;' Netanyahu thanks PEOTUS for 'clear cut' support
President-elect Donald Trump criticized President Obama's treatment of Israel Wednesday, urging Israel to 'stay strong' until he takes office next month and accusing the president of erecting 'roadblocks' to a smooth transition.
Netanyahu slams Kerry for insisting Israel can be Jewish or democratic -- not both
Secretary of State John Kerry said Wednesday that if Israel rejects a two-state solution for peace with the Palestinian people, 'it can be Jewish or it can be democratic.'
Inside the United States
Trump blasts Obama 'roadblocks' as power transfer turns increasingly hostile
The presidential transition hit a new low Wednesday, with President-elect Donald Trump openly criticizing President Obama for bungling U.S. relations with Israel and erecting other “roadblocks” to a smooth transfer of power in Washington.
UN resolution finally makes Israel a partisan fight
The intense sniping between the outgoing and incoming administrations over the stalled Middle East peace process is the latest sign of a growing partisan divide over Israel.
Obama claims another 1.6 million Western acres as national monuments
In yet another shot at the incoming Trump administration, President Obama on Wednesday designated about 1.6 million acres of Western land as national monuments, cordoning off the massive areas from energy development while vowing that his successor can't reverse his actions.
Lame-duck Congress punts EB-5 'golden visa' reform to Donald Trump
When the lame-duck Congress stumbled out of town earlier this month, lawmakers blew through yet another self-imposed deadline for cleaning up a controversial visa program that critics say could even become a pathway for terrorists into the U.S. -- dropping the problem in the lap of President-elect Trump and a newly elected House and Senate to fix next year.
Series of earthquakes hits near California-Nevada border
A series of moderate earthquakes rocked the California-Nevada border Wednesday, shaking residents in both states but producing no reports of major damage or injury.
Christian News
Kim Jong-un Forces North Korean Christians To Celebrate Grandmother's Birthday Instead of Jesus Christ This Christmas
Kim Jong-un, supreme leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, has taken his dislike of Christianity to a whole new level this Christmas by forcing people under his regime to celebrate the birth anniversary of his grandmother Kim Jong-suk instead of Jesus Christ.
Fastest-Growing Churches Have Modern Worship, Teach Literal Interpretation of the Bible: Study
A Canadian study has found that Mainline Protestant churches that have both modern worship services and teach a literal interpretation of the Bible grow faster.
Christians Most Persecuted Religious Group on the Planet
Christians are the most persecuted religious group in the world, according to the Centre for Global Christianity.
5 Steps Toward a Great Awakening in 2017
According to the Chicago Tribune, 2016 was, 'A year unlike any year.' Merriam-Webster, famous for its dictionaries, picked 'surreal' as the word of the year, and Nigel Farage of Brexit fame opined that 2016 was the 'Year Of The 'Political Revolution' By The Little People.' By all counts, 2016 was a year of great shaking, perhaps of divine proportions.
Indonesia Christian Governor Battles Radical Islam
A court in Jakarta, Indonesia, ruled that the trial of a Christian governor charged with blasphemy against Islam will go forward.
Christians In Europe: Norway Divorces Protestant Church As Muslims Blamed For 'Parallel Societies'
Norway is asking for a divorce from its biggest, most important church. The Church of Norway and the Norwegian government will formally become separated on Jan. 1 after nearly 500 years.
Today's Breaking News
Around the World
Obama Administration Set to Punish Russia for "Election Interference"
The Obama administration is close to announcing a series of measures to punish Russia for its interference in the 2016 presidential election, including economic sanctions and diplomatic censure, according to U.S. officials.
Turkey, Russia agree on Syria cease-fire plan
Turkey and Russia have reached an agreement on a cease-fire plan comprising the whole of Syria, and the two countries will work to ensure that it comes into effect at midnight Wednesday night, Turkey’s state-run news agency reported Wednesday.
Defector: North Korea has Big Nuclear Plans
Next year will be the most opportune time for North Korea to bolster its nuclear program because of upcoming leadership changes in the United States and South Korea, according to a senior North Korean official who defected recently to the South.
Finland to test 'universal basic income' for the unemployed
A group of 2,000 unemployed people in Finland will receive a basic income every month from the state, tax-free and with no strings attached. Proponents hope to prove such schemes boost people's motivation to find work.
U.N. Agency Publishes Secret Iran Deal Docs On Exemptions Obama Admin Dismissed
Iran was given secret exemptions allowing the country to exceed restrictions set out by the landmark nuclear deal inked last year, some of which were made public this week by the United Nations nuclear watchdog and others that are likely still being withheld, according to diplomatic sources and a top nuclear expert who spoke to THE WEEKLY STANDARD.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
PA planning more steps against Israel at ICC
Saeb Erekat, formerly the chief negotiator on behalf of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and a member of the Fatah Central Committee, threatened on Tuesday that the PA would take a number of steps in the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague against what he termed the 'crimes of the Israeli occupation, led by the settlements.'
Shin Bet: Hamas terror operative arrested crossing border into Israel; Reveals Hamas Tunnel Network
It was cleared for publication Wednesday that Bilal Razania, brother of Mustafa Razania, head of the Hamas internal security apparatus, was arrested while crossing the border from Gaza into Israel on November 27, 2016, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) said in a statement.
Israel urges Obama to stop diplomatic 'assault' amid fears of more U.N. action
An Israeli spokesman called Tuesday for President Obama to stop his diplomatic 'assault' on the Middle East nation and warned that last week's anti-Israel U.N. resolution may be only the beginning.
Inside the United States
Congress Moving to Cut U.S. Funding to U.N. in Wake of Anti-Israel Vote
Congress is already setting the stage to cut off U.S. funding to the United Nations in the wake of a contested vote last week in which the Obama administration permitted an anti-Israel resolution to win overwhelming approval, according to congressional leaders, who told the Washington Free Beacon that the current administration is already plotting to take further action against the Jewish state before vacating office.
U.S. appeals court revives Clinton email suit
In a new legal development on the controversy over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's emails, an appeals court on Tuesday reversed a lower court ruling and said two U.S. government agencies should have done more to recover the emails.
Christian News
Latest violence has Christians across Middle East fearing bleak future for themselves in region
While 2016 may have been the year that the Islamic State was pushed back and towards defeat, its two years of violence have left Christians with wounds created by fear and distrust that may never heal.
Around the World
Obama Administration Set to Punish Russia for "Election Interference"
The Obama administration is close to announcing a series of measures to punish Russia for its interference in the 2016 presidential election, including economic sanctions and diplomatic censure, according to U.S. officials.
Turkey, Russia agree on Syria cease-fire plan
Turkey and Russia have reached an agreement on a cease-fire plan comprising the whole of Syria, and the two countries will work to ensure that it comes into effect at midnight Wednesday night, Turkey’s state-run news agency reported Wednesday.
Defector: North Korea has Big Nuclear Plans
Next year will be the most opportune time for North Korea to bolster its nuclear program because of upcoming leadership changes in the United States and South Korea, according to a senior North Korean official who defected recently to the South.
Finland to test 'universal basic income' for the unemployed
A group of 2,000 unemployed people in Finland will receive a basic income every month from the state, tax-free and with no strings attached. Proponents hope to prove such schemes boost people's motivation to find work.
U.N. Agency Publishes Secret Iran Deal Docs On Exemptions Obama Admin Dismissed
Iran was given secret exemptions allowing the country to exceed restrictions set out by the landmark nuclear deal inked last year, some of which were made public this week by the United Nations nuclear watchdog and others that are likely still being withheld, according to diplomatic sources and a top nuclear expert who spoke to THE WEEKLY STANDARD.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
PA planning more steps against Israel at ICC
Saeb Erekat, formerly the chief negotiator on behalf of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and a member of the Fatah Central Committee, threatened on Tuesday that the PA would take a number of steps in the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague against what he termed the 'crimes of the Israeli occupation, led by the settlements.'
Shin Bet: Hamas terror operative arrested crossing border into Israel; Reveals Hamas Tunnel Network
It was cleared for publication Wednesday that Bilal Razania, brother of Mustafa Razania, head of the Hamas internal security apparatus, was arrested while crossing the border from Gaza into Israel on November 27, 2016, the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) said in a statement.
Israel urges Obama to stop diplomatic 'assault' amid fears of more U.N. action
An Israeli spokesman called Tuesday for President Obama to stop his diplomatic 'assault' on the Middle East nation and warned that last week's anti-Israel U.N. resolution may be only the beginning.
Inside the United States
Congress Moving to Cut U.S. Funding to U.N. in Wake of Anti-Israel Vote
Congress is already setting the stage to cut off U.S. funding to the United Nations in the wake of a contested vote last week in which the Obama administration permitted an anti-Israel resolution to win overwhelming approval, according to congressional leaders, who told the Washington Free Beacon that the current administration is already plotting to take further action against the Jewish state before vacating office.
U.S. appeals court revives Clinton email suit
In a new legal development on the controversy over former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's emails, an appeals court on Tuesday reversed a lower court ruling and said two U.S. government agencies should have done more to recover the emails.
Christian News
Latest violence has Christians across Middle East fearing bleak future for themselves in region
While 2016 may have been the year that the Islamic State was pushed back and towards defeat, its two years of violence have left Christians with wounds created by fear and distrust that may never heal.