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
Putin holds council meeting on domestic security following 3 airbase ‘explosions’
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday called a meeting with his security council to discuss the country's domestic defenses after three airbases saw "explosions" this week.
‘Army May Intervene In Brazil’
Brazil’s military could still intervene to prevent leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from becoming the next president, well-informed sources suggested Tuesday.
Russia: Putin signs law banning all LGBT expression in public life
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a law that effectively prohibits any public expression of LGBT behavior or lifestyle in Russia, Reuters reports.
Indonesia Bans Extramarital Sex
Indonesia's parliament has approved legislation that bans anyone from having extramarital sex and restricts political freedoms in the world’s largest Muslim nation.
Ukraine: Civilians without electricity in deep winter as Russia continues strikes on infrastructure
Electricians in Ukraine are scrambling to restore power to civilians struggling amid freezing conditions after Russia launched a fresh wave of missile strikes against essential Ukrainian infrastructure on December 5, Reuters reported Tuesday.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Gantz orders IDF to prepare for escalation in light of new government
Defense Minister Benny Gantz ordered the IDF to prepare for the possibility of an escalation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in light of ongoing security tensions and the entry of the new government, the defense minister revealed in an interview with Ynet on Tuesday.
IAF, French air force hold joint strike drills over Israel’s skies
Israeli and French aircraft held a joint aerial exercise this week over Israel’s skies that simulated airstrikes and combating aerial threats, the Israeli Air Force said Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia wants to normalize ties with Israel
Saudi Arabia is looking to normalize ties with Israel, although it will be a while before this ever properly manifests, Israeli news outlet i24NEWS reported Tuesday.
Inside the United States
Real ID Deadline Pushed Back Again
The Real ID deadline has been pushed back yet again. The Department of Homeland Security deadline for enforcement will shift back another 24 months, from May 2023 to May 2025, the agency said Monday. After that date, federal agencies like the TSA will no longer accept driver's licenses and other forms of identification that do not meet federal standards.
US Trade Deficit Widens in October on Weak Exports
The U.S. trade deficit widened sharply in October as slowing global demand and a strong dollar weighed on exports.
Christian News
Algeria: Government is persecuting the Church, which continues to grow
While Algeria’s government has now shut down all but a tiny handful of churches in the country, Algerian church leaders say the persecution is causing an increase in the number of new Christians, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
Afghanistan: Christians trying to flee the country to escape intense persecution
The US-based aid organization Release International (RI) has reported that Christians in Afghanistan are trying to escape their home country as the ruling Taliban advance a regime of violence against them and other religious minorities, Christian Today (CT) reports.
Putin holds council meeting on domestic security following 3 airbase ‘explosions’
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday called a meeting with his security council to discuss the country's domestic defenses after three airbases saw "explosions" this week.
‘Army May Intervene In Brazil’
Brazil’s military could still intervene to prevent leftist Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva from becoming the next president, well-informed sources suggested Tuesday.
Russia: Putin signs law banning all LGBT expression in public life
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a law that effectively prohibits any public expression of LGBT behavior or lifestyle in Russia, Reuters reports.
Indonesia Bans Extramarital Sex
Indonesia's parliament has approved legislation that bans anyone from having extramarital sex and restricts political freedoms in the world’s largest Muslim nation.
Ukraine: Civilians without electricity in deep winter as Russia continues strikes on infrastructure
Electricians in Ukraine are scrambling to restore power to civilians struggling amid freezing conditions after Russia launched a fresh wave of missile strikes against essential Ukrainian infrastructure on December 5, Reuters reported Tuesday.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Gantz orders IDF to prepare for escalation in light of new government
Defense Minister Benny Gantz ordered the IDF to prepare for the possibility of an escalation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip in light of ongoing security tensions and the entry of the new government, the defense minister revealed in an interview with Ynet on Tuesday.
IAF, French air force hold joint strike drills over Israel’s skies
Israeli and French aircraft held a joint aerial exercise this week over Israel’s skies that simulated airstrikes and combating aerial threats, the Israeli Air Force said Tuesday.
Saudi Arabia wants to normalize ties with Israel
Saudi Arabia is looking to normalize ties with Israel, although it will be a while before this ever properly manifests, Israeli news outlet i24NEWS reported Tuesday.
Inside the United States
Real ID Deadline Pushed Back Again
The Real ID deadline has been pushed back yet again. The Department of Homeland Security deadline for enforcement will shift back another 24 months, from May 2023 to May 2025, the agency said Monday. After that date, federal agencies like the TSA will no longer accept driver's licenses and other forms of identification that do not meet federal standards.
US Trade Deficit Widens in October on Weak Exports
The U.S. trade deficit widened sharply in October as slowing global demand and a strong dollar weighed on exports.
Christian News
Algeria: Government is persecuting the Church, which continues to grow
While Algeria’s government has now shut down all but a tiny handful of churches in the country, Algerian church leaders say the persecution is causing an increase in the number of new Christians, International Christian Concern (ICC) reports.
Afghanistan: Christians trying to flee the country to escape intense persecution
The US-based aid organization Release International (RI) has reported that Christians in Afghanistan are trying to escape their home country as the ruling Taliban advance a regime of violence against them and other religious minorities, Christian Today (CT) reports.
Around the World
Iran may be able to build ‘crude’ nukes within six months
A new think tank report obtained by The Jerusalem Post warns of the possibility of Iran launching an accelerated effort to achieve a few “crude” nuclear weapons in six months.
Indonesia’s Mount Semeru Erupts, 2,000 Flee
Some 2,000 people were rushed to safety after Indonesia’s feared Mount Semeru volcano erupted Sunday, spewing a cloud of ash 15 kilometers (49,000 feet) into the sky, authorities said.
Iran Abandons Morality Police After Protests; Christians Still Uncertain (Worthy News In-Depth)
Iran’s morality police, which is tasked with enforcing the country's strict Islamic dress code, has been disbanded following weeks of protests that killed hundreds of people, authorities say.
Nigeria: ‘Weapons For Ukraine Reach Islamist Terrorists’ (Worthy News Investigation)
Nigeria’s president has warned that many Western weapons sent to wartorn Ukraine end up in the hands of Islamist terrorists operating in strategic regions of Central and North Africa.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Bahraini FM: Palestinian statehood bedrock of Abraham Accords success
The Abraham Accords will ultimately only succeed if a two-state resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is achieved, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani told reporters late Sunday at a special briefing in Manama during President Isaac Herzog’s state visit.
IDF readiness for war compromised by West Bank tension
An official working in Israel’s Security forces said that the need for constant IDF presence in the West Bank is harming the military's readiness for other conflicts.
Inside the United States
Supreme Court grapples with Christian business owner’s objection to Colorado’s pro-LGBTQ law
The Supreme Court grappled Monday with balancing free speech against gay rights, hearing a case involving a Colorado website designer who says she shouldn’t be compelled to violate the tenets of her faith by creating products for same-sex marriages.
White House dismisses Hunter Biden laptop ‘Twitter files’ as ‘distraction’
The White House downplayed Twitter CEO Elon Musk's file dump regarding the social media platform's decision to suppress news stories about Hunter Biden's laptop before the 2020 election as a "distraction."
White House opposes repealing military vaccine mandate through NDAA
The White House opposes using the annual defense spending bill to repeal a vaccine mandate for military service members, national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Monday.
Pentagon urged to build advanced defenses against growing cruise, hypersonic missile threats to U.S.
Rapid advances in Chinese hypersonic missiles and Russian cruise missiles pose major threats to critical infrastructure in the United States and the Pentagon needs to prepare better defenses for the homeland, according to a new report by the Pentagon’s Defense Science Board.
Christian News
Call to prayer for missionary pilot and volunteers imprisoned by Mozambique government
A call to prayer has been sent out for the release of an American Christian missionary pilot and two South African volunteers who have been jailed in Mozambique for a month since being arrested by government officials on suspicion of insurgents in the ongoing civil war, the Christian Post (CP) reports.
California Supreme Court says church cannot be forced to pay over $200,000 in COVID-19 fines
The California Supreme Court has determined that Calvary Chapel Church in Santa Clara County does not have to pay the $217,500 in fines imposed by the state for violating COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the Christian Post (CP) reports.
Nigeria: Christian couple and daughter hacked to death by suspected Fulani jihadists in Benue state
A Christian couple and their 17-year-old daughter were murdered by suspected Fulani jihadists during a machete attack last week in Nigeria’s Benue state, the Barnabas Fund reports.
Nigeria: 48 Christians abducted in two attacks on buses, “please mobilize prayer for our brethren”
Suspected radicalized Fulani militants in Nigeria’s Ondo and Edo states kidnapped a total of 48 Christians in two attacks on buses on November 24, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.
Worthy Watch
Rachel Levine Calls on Doctors to Become ‘Ambassadors’ to Normalize Transgenderism
“I believe in our role as truth-tellers. And the truth that we need to confront now is that medicine and science are being politically perverted,” transgender Dr. Levine told a group of physicians.
Fauci Says We May Need To Go to Multiple Booster Shots Every Year
“You have to keep up the possibility that we will get a variant that’s very different than the variants we have right now that might require a springtime or summertime boost,” Dr. Fauci told CBS's Face the Nation.
New CRISPR-based tool inserts large DNA sequences at desired sites in cells
Building on the CRISPR gene-editing system, MIT researchers have designed a new tool that can snip out faulty genes and replace them with new ones, in a safer and more efficient way.
Iran may be able to build ‘crude’ nukes within six months
A new think tank report obtained by The Jerusalem Post warns of the possibility of Iran launching an accelerated effort to achieve a few “crude” nuclear weapons in six months.
Indonesia’s Mount Semeru Erupts, 2,000 Flee
Some 2,000 people were rushed to safety after Indonesia’s feared Mount Semeru volcano erupted Sunday, spewing a cloud of ash 15 kilometers (49,000 feet) into the sky, authorities said.
Iran Abandons Morality Police After Protests; Christians Still Uncertain (Worthy News In-Depth)
Iran’s morality police, which is tasked with enforcing the country's strict Islamic dress code, has been disbanded following weeks of protests that killed hundreds of people, authorities say.
Nigeria: ‘Weapons For Ukraine Reach Islamist Terrorists’ (Worthy News Investigation)
Nigeria’s president has warned that many Western weapons sent to wartorn Ukraine end up in the hands of Islamist terrorists operating in strategic regions of Central and North Africa.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Bahraini FM: Palestinian statehood bedrock of Abraham Accords success
The Abraham Accords will ultimately only succeed if a two-state resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is achieved, Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani told reporters late Sunday at a special briefing in Manama during President Isaac Herzog’s state visit.
IDF readiness for war compromised by West Bank tension
An official working in Israel’s Security forces said that the need for constant IDF presence in the West Bank is harming the military's readiness for other conflicts.
Inside the United States
Supreme Court grapples with Christian business owner’s objection to Colorado’s pro-LGBTQ law
The Supreme Court grappled Monday with balancing free speech against gay rights, hearing a case involving a Colorado website designer who says she shouldn’t be compelled to violate the tenets of her faith by creating products for same-sex marriages.
White House dismisses Hunter Biden laptop ‘Twitter files’ as ‘distraction’
The White House downplayed Twitter CEO Elon Musk's file dump regarding the social media platform's decision to suppress news stories about Hunter Biden's laptop before the 2020 election as a "distraction."
White House opposes repealing military vaccine mandate through NDAA
The White House opposes using the annual defense spending bill to repeal a vaccine mandate for military service members, national security spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Monday.
Pentagon urged to build advanced defenses against growing cruise, hypersonic missile threats to U.S.
Rapid advances in Chinese hypersonic missiles and Russian cruise missiles pose major threats to critical infrastructure in the United States and the Pentagon needs to prepare better defenses for the homeland, according to a new report by the Pentagon’s Defense Science Board.
Christian News
Call to prayer for missionary pilot and volunteers imprisoned by Mozambique government
A call to prayer has been sent out for the release of an American Christian missionary pilot and two South African volunteers who have been jailed in Mozambique for a month since being arrested by government officials on suspicion of insurgents in the ongoing civil war, the Christian Post (CP) reports.
California Supreme Court says church cannot be forced to pay over $200,000 in COVID-19 fines
The California Supreme Court has determined that Calvary Chapel Church in Santa Clara County does not have to pay the $217,500 in fines imposed by the state for violating COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the Christian Post (CP) reports.
Nigeria: Christian couple and daughter hacked to death by suspected Fulani jihadists in Benue state
A Christian couple and their 17-year-old daughter were murdered by suspected Fulani jihadists during a machete attack last week in Nigeria’s Benue state, the Barnabas Fund reports.
Nigeria: 48 Christians abducted in two attacks on buses, “please mobilize prayer for our brethren”
Suspected radicalized Fulani militants in Nigeria’s Ondo and Edo states kidnapped a total of 48 Christians in two attacks on buses on November 24, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.
Worthy Watch
Rachel Levine Calls on Doctors to Become ‘Ambassadors’ to Normalize Transgenderism
“I believe in our role as truth-tellers. And the truth that we need to confront now is that medicine and science are being politically perverted,” transgender Dr. Levine told a group of physicians.
Fauci Says We May Need To Go to Multiple Booster Shots Every Year
“You have to keep up the possibility that we will get a variant that’s very different than the variants we have right now that might require a springtime or summertime boost,” Dr. Fauci told CBS's Face the Nation.
New CRISPR-based tool inserts large DNA sequences at desired sites in cells
Building on the CRISPR gene-editing system, MIT researchers have designed a new tool that can snip out faulty genes and replace them with new ones, in a safer and more efficient way.
Around the World
Iran Protesters Call for Strike, Prosecutor Says Morality Police Shut Down
Protesters in Iran called on Sunday for a three-day strike this week, stepping up pressure on authorities after the public prosecutor said the morality police whose detention of a young woman triggered months of protests had been shut down.
Pentagon issues warning after Turkish airstrikes threaten American troops in Syria
The Pentagon has urged Turkey to stand down on its plan to invade Syria as the operation could endanger U.S. troops in the country.
Iran begins construction on new nuclear power plant, state media says
Iran on Saturday began construction on a new nuclear power plant in the country's southwest, Iranian state TV announced, amid tensions with the U.S. over sweeping sanctions imposed after Washington pulled out of the Islamic Republic's nuclear deal with world powers.
Wuhan whistleblower claims COVID-19 leaked from Chinese lab
A whistleblower formerly of EcoHealth Alliance claims he saw the potential for a lab leak out of the Wuhan Institute of Virology as early as 2016.
G7, EU agree Russia oil price cap to deny Moscow funds for Ukraine ‘war machine’
The G7 and EU on Friday agreed a $60-per-barrel price cap on Russian oil in an attempt to deny the Kremlin of war resources, as President Vladimir Putin said more strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure were “inevitable.”
In message to China, US unveiling new B-21 Raider stealth bomber
America’s newest nuclear stealth bomber is making its public debut after years of secret development and as part of the Pentagon’s answer to rising concerns over a future conflict with China.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Hamas fires at Israeli jets as air force hits terror group following rocket attack
Israeli warplanes carried out retaliatory strikes against Hamas in the Gaza Strip early Sunday and rocket alerts were activated near communities inside Israel as the terror group said it launched missiles at Israeli aircraft, in the latest tit-for-tat that threatened to send the region spiraling into another round of conflict.
Israel starts registering Utah ‘Zoom weddings,’ but fate of marriages still unclear
The Population and Immigration Authority last week began registering the marriages of hundreds of couples that married online through the US state of Utah, after initially refusing to do so despite an explicit order from the High Court of Justice.
Inside the United States
Trump Reacts To Hunter Biden ‘Twitter Files’: This ‘Allows For The Termination Of All Rules, Regulations, And Articles, Even … In The Constitution’
Former President Donald Trump reacted to the release of “The Twitter Files” on Saturday by saying, “A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.”
Republicans push to end military vaccine mandate through annual defense bill
Calls to repeal the military’s vaccine mandate through a must-pass defense spending bill are picking up steam despite Democrats’ resistance to changing the requirements.
Bombshell Twitter files suggest censorship driven by politics and connections, not facts
Elon Musk allowed Americans a glimpse inside his explosive "Twitter files" in a process certain to take many more days. But the first release of memos gave a sobering look suggesting censorship on the platform during the 2020 election was driven by politics and political connections more than facts.
Christian News
Jailed Church Leader Facing India Trial
A jailed leader of more than 30 churches and congregations in northeastern India faces a trial on charges supporters link to his Christian activities, sources told Worthy News late Thursday.
China Closes House Church And School
Chinese authorities closed a house church and its Christian school in Shanxi province after detaining church members amid a crackdown on unauthorized worship in China, Christians confirmed late Thursday.
Egypt Allows More Churches Amid Persecution
Egypt’s government has legalized thousands of church buildings, but persecution of Christians is still happening in several parts of the Muslim-majority nation, Christian investigators say.
Worthy Watch
Former FBI Lawyer Who Approved FISA Warrant To Spy On Trump Helped Censor Hunter Biden Laptop Story
James Baker, the former FBI lawyer involved in approving the faulty Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant used to spy on the Trump campaign, also helped censor the Hunter Biden laptop story, according to a series of tweets posted by Rolling Stone contributing editor Matt Taibbi.
Iran Protesters Call for Strike, Prosecutor Says Morality Police Shut Down
Protesters in Iran called on Sunday for a three-day strike this week, stepping up pressure on authorities after the public prosecutor said the morality police whose detention of a young woman triggered months of protests had been shut down.
Pentagon issues warning after Turkish airstrikes threaten American troops in Syria
The Pentagon has urged Turkey to stand down on its plan to invade Syria as the operation could endanger U.S. troops in the country.
Iran begins construction on new nuclear power plant, state media says
Iran on Saturday began construction on a new nuclear power plant in the country's southwest, Iranian state TV announced, amid tensions with the U.S. over sweeping sanctions imposed after Washington pulled out of the Islamic Republic's nuclear deal with world powers.
Wuhan whistleblower claims COVID-19 leaked from Chinese lab
A whistleblower formerly of EcoHealth Alliance claims he saw the potential for a lab leak out of the Wuhan Institute of Virology as early as 2016.
G7, EU agree Russia oil price cap to deny Moscow funds for Ukraine ‘war machine’
The G7 and EU on Friday agreed a $60-per-barrel price cap on Russian oil in an attempt to deny the Kremlin of war resources, as President Vladimir Putin said more strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure were “inevitable.”
In message to China, US unveiling new B-21 Raider stealth bomber
America’s newest nuclear stealth bomber is making its public debut after years of secret development and as part of the Pentagon’s answer to rising concerns over a future conflict with China.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Hamas fires at Israeli jets as air force hits terror group following rocket attack
Israeli warplanes carried out retaliatory strikes against Hamas in the Gaza Strip early Sunday and rocket alerts were activated near communities inside Israel as the terror group said it launched missiles at Israeli aircraft, in the latest tit-for-tat that threatened to send the region spiraling into another round of conflict.
Israel starts registering Utah ‘Zoom weddings,’ but fate of marriages still unclear
The Population and Immigration Authority last week began registering the marriages of hundreds of couples that married online through the US state of Utah, after initially refusing to do so despite an explicit order from the High Court of Justice.
Inside the United States
Trump Reacts To Hunter Biden ‘Twitter Files’: This ‘Allows For The Termination Of All Rules, Regulations, And Articles, Even … In The Constitution’
Former President Donald Trump reacted to the release of “The Twitter Files” on Saturday by saying, “A Massive Fraud of this type and magnitude allows for the termination of all rules, regulations, and articles, even those found in the Constitution.”
Republicans push to end military vaccine mandate through annual defense bill
Calls to repeal the military’s vaccine mandate through a must-pass defense spending bill are picking up steam despite Democrats’ resistance to changing the requirements.
Bombshell Twitter files suggest censorship driven by politics and connections, not facts
Elon Musk allowed Americans a glimpse inside his explosive "Twitter files" in a process certain to take many more days. But the first release of memos gave a sobering look suggesting censorship on the platform during the 2020 election was driven by politics and political connections more than facts.
Christian News
Jailed Church Leader Facing India Trial
A jailed leader of more than 30 churches and congregations in northeastern India faces a trial on charges supporters link to his Christian activities, sources told Worthy News late Thursday.
China Closes House Church And School
Chinese authorities closed a house church and its Christian school in Shanxi province after detaining church members amid a crackdown on unauthorized worship in China, Christians confirmed late Thursday.
Egypt Allows More Churches Amid Persecution
Egypt’s government has legalized thousands of church buildings, but persecution of Christians is still happening in several parts of the Muslim-majority nation, Christian investigators say.
Worthy Watch
Former FBI Lawyer Who Approved FISA Warrant To Spy On Trump Helped Censor Hunter Biden Laptop Story
James Baker, the former FBI lawyer involved in approving the faulty Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrant used to spy on the Trump campaign, also helped censor the Hunter Biden laptop story, according to a series of tweets posted by Rolling Stone contributing editor Matt Taibbi.