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
Europe Faces Christmas Hurdles Over Coronavirus Pandemic
European leaders say their citizens should prepare for a bleak winter as the coronavirus rages across nations. Countries from West to East Europe warned it is too early to plan for Christmas travel because COVID-19 cases continue to rise.
ASEAN, China, other partners sign world's biggest trade pact
China and 14 other countries agreed Sunday to set up the world’s largest trading bloc, encompassing nearly a third of all economic activity, in a deal many in Asia are hoping will help hasten a recovery from the shocks of the pandemic.
Brexit: Trade deal 'may not succeed' before year end
The U.K.’s chief Brexit negotiator said Sunday before renewed talks that a trade deal with the European Union may not succeed, but he was still hopeful of a resolution.
Abu Mohammed al-Masri, Al Qaeda's No. 2, killed in US-Israel joint operation in Iran
The United States and Israel worked together to track and kill a senior Al Qaeda operative in Iran earlier this year, a bold intelligence operation by the two allied nations that came as the Trump administration was ramping up pressure on Tehran.
Pompeo arrives in Paris, kicking off 7-country tour
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Paris Saturday for the first stop on a planned seven-country tour.
Iran to Block Inspectors at Nuclear Sites
Iran will reduce the access international nuclear inspectors have to its sites following a new watchdog report indicating Tehran is stockpiling more than 12 times the amount of enriched uranium allowed under the 2015 nuclear agreement.
Strong typhoon leaves 42 dead, 20 missing in Philippines
Thick mud and debris coated many villages around the Philippine capital on Friday after a typhoon killed at least 42 people and caused extensive flooding that sent people fleeing to their roofs, officials said.
China 'Congratulates' Biden On U.S. 'Election Victory'
China on Friday "congratulated" Joe Biden with his claimed victory in the November 3 presidential elections, despite ongoing White House investigations into reported voter fraud.
France Troops Kill Top al-Qaida leader in Mali
France said Friday its forces had killed the top leader of the al-Qaida terror group in Mali known for killing civilians, including many Christians.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Are Israel and the US planning to attack Iran?
The speculation has a number of catalysts. First was the firing of Mark Esper as secretary of defense this past week and the replacement of him and other top Pentagon officials with Trump ideologues. Some media outlets in the US have raised the possibility that Trump wanted to get Esper out of the way, so he could more easily carry out controversial military moves.
Arabs states draw closer to Israel to counter defiant Turkey, Iran
The decision by three Arab states to make peace with Israel can be credited both to efforts by the White House under US President Donald Trump administration and the recognition by these Sunni states that doing so would bolster their security against ongoing threats from Turkey and Iran.
Netanyahu announces purchase of 4 million vaccines by January
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Friday an agreement to purchase 4 million vaccines from Pfizer as early as January, an agreement that will cost well over $200 million and remains subject to the vaccine receiving approval in the United States.
Archaeologists find 1,000 year-old coins in Jerusalem
Israeli archaeologists have unearthed a jar containing 1,000-year-old coins in the Old City of Jerusalem, CBN News reports. Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) inspector Yevgenia Kapil made the discovery during preliminary digging for a Western Wall elevator installation in October.
Inside the United States
House of Representatives will have at least 26 pro-life Republican congresswomen next year
Following the November 3 election, at least 15 new pro-life Republican congresswomen will enter the House of Representatives, CNS News reports. The newcomers will join the 11 incumbent congresswomen who have been re-elected.
Thousands flock to pro-Trump rallies in D.C.
Thousands of supporters for President Trump filled Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C., on Saturday as several rallies took place speaking out against what they see as widespread vote fraud throwing the election to presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden.
October federal deficit is a record high
The federal budget deficit last month was $284 billion, the highest for any October, the Treasury Department reported Thursday.
Acting Secretary of Defense: 'We are not a people of perpetual war'
Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller in a letter Friday to the Defense Department stated that the end America's nearly two-decade-long war with Al Qaeda is close, and that the U.S. is looking to "transition our efforts from a leadership to supporting role" in that conflict.
Christian News
Azerbaijan President Pledges To Protect Churches As Armenians Flee Nagorno-Karabakh
The president of Azerbaijan has pledged that Christian churches will be protected when his strongly Muslim nation takes over control of areas in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Ilham Aliyev spoke as thousands of predominantly Christian Armenians fled several areas in the enclave leaving behind torched homes.
Christians providing humanitarian relief in typhoon-bashed Philippines
A Christian group is providing urgent relief to those affected by devastating typhoons in the Philippines, CBN News reports. Aid workers from Operation Blessing, an international Christian humanitarian organization, are currently giving disaster relief to residents in the Bicol and Metro Manila regions of the country.
Europe Faces Christmas Hurdles Over Coronavirus Pandemic
European leaders say their citizens should prepare for a bleak winter as the coronavirus rages across nations. Countries from West to East Europe warned it is too early to plan for Christmas travel because COVID-19 cases continue to rise.
ASEAN, China, other partners sign world's biggest trade pact
China and 14 other countries agreed Sunday to set up the world’s largest trading bloc, encompassing nearly a third of all economic activity, in a deal many in Asia are hoping will help hasten a recovery from the shocks of the pandemic.
Brexit: Trade deal 'may not succeed' before year end
The U.K.’s chief Brexit negotiator said Sunday before renewed talks that a trade deal with the European Union may not succeed, but he was still hopeful of a resolution.
Abu Mohammed al-Masri, Al Qaeda's No. 2, killed in US-Israel joint operation in Iran
The United States and Israel worked together to track and kill a senior Al Qaeda operative in Iran earlier this year, a bold intelligence operation by the two allied nations that came as the Trump administration was ramping up pressure on Tehran.
Pompeo arrives in Paris, kicking off 7-country tour
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo arrived in Paris Saturday for the first stop on a planned seven-country tour.
Iran to Block Inspectors at Nuclear Sites
Iran will reduce the access international nuclear inspectors have to its sites following a new watchdog report indicating Tehran is stockpiling more than 12 times the amount of enriched uranium allowed under the 2015 nuclear agreement.
Strong typhoon leaves 42 dead, 20 missing in Philippines
Thick mud and debris coated many villages around the Philippine capital on Friday after a typhoon killed at least 42 people and caused extensive flooding that sent people fleeing to their roofs, officials said.
China 'Congratulates' Biden On U.S. 'Election Victory'
China on Friday "congratulated" Joe Biden with his claimed victory in the November 3 presidential elections, despite ongoing White House investigations into reported voter fraud.
France Troops Kill Top al-Qaida leader in Mali
France said Friday its forces had killed the top leader of the al-Qaida terror group in Mali known for killing civilians, including many Christians.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Are Israel and the US planning to attack Iran?
The speculation has a number of catalysts. First was the firing of Mark Esper as secretary of defense this past week and the replacement of him and other top Pentagon officials with Trump ideologues. Some media outlets in the US have raised the possibility that Trump wanted to get Esper out of the way, so he could more easily carry out controversial military moves.
Arabs states draw closer to Israel to counter defiant Turkey, Iran
The decision by three Arab states to make peace with Israel can be credited both to efforts by the White House under US President Donald Trump administration and the recognition by these Sunni states that doing so would bolster their security against ongoing threats from Turkey and Iran.
Netanyahu announces purchase of 4 million vaccines by January
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced on Friday an agreement to purchase 4 million vaccines from Pfizer as early as January, an agreement that will cost well over $200 million and remains subject to the vaccine receiving approval in the United States.
Archaeologists find 1,000 year-old coins in Jerusalem
Israeli archaeologists have unearthed a jar containing 1,000-year-old coins in the Old City of Jerusalem, CBN News reports. Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) inspector Yevgenia Kapil made the discovery during preliminary digging for a Western Wall elevator installation in October.
Inside the United States
House of Representatives will have at least 26 pro-life Republican congresswomen next year
Following the November 3 election, at least 15 new pro-life Republican congresswomen will enter the House of Representatives, CNS News reports. The newcomers will join the 11 incumbent congresswomen who have been re-elected.
Thousands flock to pro-Trump rallies in D.C.
Thousands of supporters for President Trump filled Freedom Plaza in Washington, D.C., on Saturday as several rallies took place speaking out against what they see as widespread vote fraud throwing the election to presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden.
October federal deficit is a record high
The federal budget deficit last month was $284 billion, the highest for any October, the Treasury Department reported Thursday.
Acting Secretary of Defense: 'We are not a people of perpetual war'
Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller in a letter Friday to the Defense Department stated that the end America's nearly two-decade-long war with Al Qaeda is close, and that the U.S. is looking to "transition our efforts from a leadership to supporting role" in that conflict.
Christian News
Azerbaijan President Pledges To Protect Churches As Armenians Flee Nagorno-Karabakh
The president of Azerbaijan has pledged that Christian churches will be protected when his strongly Muslim nation takes over control of areas in the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Ilham Aliyev spoke as thousands of predominantly Christian Armenians fled several areas in the enclave leaving behind torched homes.
Christians providing humanitarian relief in typhoon-bashed Philippines
A Christian group is providing urgent relief to those affected by devastating typhoons in the Philippines, CBN News reports. Aid workers from Operation Blessing, an international Christian humanitarian organization, are currently giving disaster relief to residents in the Bicol and Metro Manila regions of the country.
Around the World
Amnesty: 'Massacre In Northern Ethiopia'
Rights group Amnesty International said Thursday that "scores and probably hundreds" of civilians have been massacred in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region. Witnesses blamed forces of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which rules Tigray, for the bloodshed. They said the TPLF carried out the massacre after Ethiopia's federal government troops defeated them in the Lugdi area.
Russia plans to have naval base in Sudan
Russia and Sudan have drafted a bilateral agreement that would allow for a Russian naval logistics base in Sudan, Radio Free Europe reported Thursday. The Sudanese are top importers of Russian arms in Africa, and Russia has economic and geopolitical interests in oil and minerals-rich Sudan.
Iran reportedly has 12 times more low-enriched uranium than allowed under nuclear deal
The Islamic Republic of Iran has about 12 times the quantity of low-enriched uranium as allowed under the 2015 nuclear deal, noted the United Nations atomic agency in a report, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Chinese 'cartels' quietly operating in Mexico, aiding US drug crisis
From nondescript buildings in the industrial nucleus of Wuhan, across wavy seas to dusty tented super laboratories in the heart of Mexico, and then across the jagged southwest border and dispersing like a wild bomb ripping through every crevice of the United States, the growing presence of Chinese drug lords and cartels below the southern border is one that is killing an unprecedented amount of Americans.
Key Al-Qaida Leader Killed in Western Afghanistan
Authorities in Afghanistan said Tuesday an intelligence-led security operation had killed a key al-Qaida leader in a western region close to the Iranian border.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Poll shows vast majority of Americans want Saudi Arabia to make peace with Israel now
A new poll shows that, following Israel’s normalization agreements with three Arab countries, an overwhelming majority of Americans now want the US to broker a peace treaty between Israel and Saudi Arabia, All Arab News reports. While the UAE, Bahrain, and Sudan normalized relations without ever actually being at war with Israel, Saudi Arabia has participated in major wars against Israel and is an official enemy of the Jewish state.
Israel announces plan to legalize recreational cannabis within 9 months
Israel is planning to legalize cannabis for recreational use within nine months while balancing “liberalism and responsibility,” Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn said Thursday.
Inside the United States
Trump nominates loyalists to senior Pentagon positions
While pursuing a legal challenge to the November 3 election results, President Donald Trump has nominated three loyalist officials to senior Defense Ministry posts, the Voice of America reports. The nominations were made Wednesday, a day after the President fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper.
Justice Samuel Alito rips Supreme Court for not considering church coronavirus lawsuits
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on Thursday criticized his colleagues' decision not to consider two lawsuits in which churches fought state coronavirus worship restrictions.
'No evidence' any voting system lost or changed votes, Trump's election security agency says
The Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and other groups said on Thursday that “there is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised” as President Trump pushes claims that the election was rigged in favor of President-elect Joe Biden.
GOP, state, make closing arguments on Arizona ballot ‘overvote’ challenge
The fate of a narrow challenge about potentially uncounted votes in Maricopa County now lies in the hands of a circuit judge.
Trump Scores First Legal Victory in PA Against Extension of Mail-in Ballot Deadline
President Trump's legal team scored their first court victory in Pennsylvania in one of several lawsuits challenging voting issues in the Nov. 3 presidential election.
Trump tees up executive orders as Biden eyes post-inauguration reversals
President Trump signed an order on Thursday barring U.S. investments in Chinese companies owned or controlled by China‘s military, as he tees up a series of executive actions on school choice, immigration and other conservative priorities before Jan. 20 that would force presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden to work to reverse next year.
Christian News
'Church Elder Homeless As China Harasses Independent Church'
Chinese security forces harass Christians of an independent church in western China because they still worship after their building was destroyed, and the pastor jailed, friends say.
U.S. churches challenge COVID-19 orders that limit crowds
As the COVID-19 pandemic surges again in the United States, churches are fighting state and local orders that cap attendance at services at lower numbers than allowed at nonreligious places and events, such as stores and protests.
Amnesty: 'Massacre In Northern Ethiopia'
Rights group Amnesty International said Thursday that "scores and probably hundreds" of civilians have been massacred in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region. Witnesses blamed forces of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which rules Tigray, for the bloodshed. They said the TPLF carried out the massacre after Ethiopia's federal government troops defeated them in the Lugdi area.
Russia plans to have naval base in Sudan
Russia and Sudan have drafted a bilateral agreement that would allow for a Russian naval logistics base in Sudan, Radio Free Europe reported Thursday. The Sudanese are top importers of Russian arms in Africa, and Russia has economic and geopolitical interests in oil and minerals-rich Sudan.
Iran reportedly has 12 times more low-enriched uranium than allowed under nuclear deal
The Islamic Republic of Iran has about 12 times the quantity of low-enriched uranium as allowed under the 2015 nuclear deal, noted the United Nations atomic agency in a report, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Chinese 'cartels' quietly operating in Mexico, aiding US drug crisis
From nondescript buildings in the industrial nucleus of Wuhan, across wavy seas to dusty tented super laboratories in the heart of Mexico, and then across the jagged southwest border and dispersing like a wild bomb ripping through every crevice of the United States, the growing presence of Chinese drug lords and cartels below the southern border is one that is killing an unprecedented amount of Americans.
Key Al-Qaida Leader Killed in Western Afghanistan
Authorities in Afghanistan said Tuesday an intelligence-led security operation had killed a key al-Qaida leader in a western region close to the Iranian border.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Poll shows vast majority of Americans want Saudi Arabia to make peace with Israel now
A new poll shows that, following Israel’s normalization agreements with three Arab countries, an overwhelming majority of Americans now want the US to broker a peace treaty between Israel and Saudi Arabia, All Arab News reports. While the UAE, Bahrain, and Sudan normalized relations without ever actually being at war with Israel, Saudi Arabia has participated in major wars against Israel and is an official enemy of the Jewish state.
Israel announces plan to legalize recreational cannabis within 9 months
Israel is planning to legalize cannabis for recreational use within nine months while balancing “liberalism and responsibility,” Justice Minister Avi Nissenkorn said Thursday.
Inside the United States
Trump nominates loyalists to senior Pentagon positions
While pursuing a legal challenge to the November 3 election results, President Donald Trump has nominated three loyalist officials to senior Defense Ministry posts, the Voice of America reports. The nominations were made Wednesday, a day after the President fired Defense Secretary Mark Esper.
Justice Samuel Alito rips Supreme Court for not considering church coronavirus lawsuits
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on Thursday criticized his colleagues' decision not to consider two lawsuits in which churches fought state coronavirus worship restrictions.
'No evidence' any voting system lost or changed votes, Trump's election security agency says
The Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and other groups said on Thursday that “there is no evidence that any voting system deleted or lost votes, changed votes, or was in any way compromised” as President Trump pushes claims that the election was rigged in favor of President-elect Joe Biden.
GOP, state, make closing arguments on Arizona ballot ‘overvote’ challenge
The fate of a narrow challenge about potentially uncounted votes in Maricopa County now lies in the hands of a circuit judge.
Trump Scores First Legal Victory in PA Against Extension of Mail-in Ballot Deadline
President Trump's legal team scored their first court victory in Pennsylvania in one of several lawsuits challenging voting issues in the Nov. 3 presidential election.
Trump tees up executive orders as Biden eyes post-inauguration reversals
President Trump signed an order on Thursday barring U.S. investments in Chinese companies owned or controlled by China‘s military, as he tees up a series of executive actions on school choice, immigration and other conservative priorities before Jan. 20 that would force presumptive President-elect Joseph R. Biden to work to reverse next year.
Christian News
'Church Elder Homeless As China Harasses Independent Church'
Chinese security forces harass Christians of an independent church in western China because they still worship after their building was destroyed, and the pastor jailed, friends say.
U.S. churches challenge COVID-19 orders that limit crowds
As the COVID-19 pandemic surges again in the United States, churches are fighting state and local orders that cap attendance at services at lower numbers than allowed at nonreligious places and events, such as stores and protests.
Around the World
France’s Macron Calls on EU Leaders to Work Together to Fight Islamist Terror
French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a virtual mini-summit on Tuesday in a bid to win broader European support for hardening borders in the wake of several Islamist terror attacks.
Lebanese society and Christian community endangered by Hezbollah and regional actors
The head of a leading Christian advocacy group has urgently called for political reform that would protect Lebanese society – and its Christian community – from power-hungry actors like the leaders of Turkey, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, Real Clear Religion (RCR) reports.
Hungary Bans Gay Adoptions In Constitution To Protect ‘Order of Creation’
Hungary’s government has proposed a constitutional amendment defending “the order of Creation” that would require children to be raised according to Christian principles and bans adoption by same-sex couples.
Russian Peacekeepers Arrive In Nagorno-Karabakh
Hundreds of Russian peacekeeping troops have arrived in the contested enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, after Russia brokered a peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Arabs states draw closer to Israel to counter non-Arab powers Turkey and Iran
The decision by three Arab states to make peace with Israel can be credited both to efforts by the Trump administration and the recognition by these Sunni states that their security would improve against the ongoing threats they face from Turkey and Iran.
Inside the United States
US divorce rate hits 50-year-low while marriage rate continues to fall, study shows
The United States experienced its lowest rate of divorce in about 50 years in 2019, according to a new report by the Institute for Family Studies.
Biden intends to reverse Trump’s pro-life policies
Apparent President-elect Joe Biden has announced he intends to reverse a number of pro-life policies instituted by President Trump, the Christian Post reports.
Christian News
China continues crackdown on churches and Christianity
The Chinese government is reportedly shutting down churches and repurposing their buildings into entertainment halls, factories, or “cultural centers,” the Christian Post reports. Moreover, the Chinese Communist Party (CPP) has been removing the words “Christ” and “Jesus” from a number of publications and various social media platforms.
France’s Macron Calls on EU Leaders to Work Together to Fight Islamist Terror
French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a virtual mini-summit on Tuesday in a bid to win broader European support for hardening borders in the wake of several Islamist terror attacks.
Lebanese society and Christian community endangered by Hezbollah and regional actors
The head of a leading Christian advocacy group has urgently called for political reform that would protect Lebanese society – and its Christian community – from power-hungry actors like the leaders of Turkey, Iran, and Saudi Arabia, Real Clear Religion (RCR) reports.
Hungary Bans Gay Adoptions In Constitution To Protect ‘Order of Creation’
Hungary’s government has proposed a constitutional amendment defending “the order of Creation” that would require children to be raised according to Christian principles and bans adoption by same-sex couples.
Russian Peacekeepers Arrive In Nagorno-Karabakh
Hundreds of Russian peacekeeping troops have arrived in the contested enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, after Russia brokered a peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Arabs states draw closer to Israel to counter non-Arab powers Turkey and Iran
The decision by three Arab states to make peace with Israel can be credited both to efforts by the Trump administration and the recognition by these Sunni states that their security would improve against the ongoing threats they face from Turkey and Iran.
Inside the United States
US divorce rate hits 50-year-low while marriage rate continues to fall, study shows
The United States experienced its lowest rate of divorce in about 50 years in 2019, according to a new report by the Institute for Family Studies.
Biden intends to reverse Trump’s pro-life policies
Apparent President-elect Joe Biden has announced he intends to reverse a number of pro-life policies instituted by President Trump, the Christian Post reports.
Christian News
China continues crackdown on churches and Christianity
The Chinese government is reportedly shutting down churches and repurposing their buildings into entertainment halls, factories, or “cultural centers,” the Christian Post reports. Moreover, the Chinese Communist Party (CPP) has been removing the words “Christ” and “Jesus” from a number of publications and various social media platforms.