Prophecy News Watch - July 17, 2018

Around the World
EU to sign its biggest free trade deal with Japan
The European Union and Japan will sign one of the world's biggest free trade deals later on Tuesday.
Khamenei lashes ‘satanic’ US peace plan, vows to destroy ‘fabricated’ Israel
The head of Iran’s theocratic regime, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, took to Twitter on Monday to denounce the Trump administration’s expected peace plan as a “satanic and vicious plot” and promise that the 'fabricated Zionist regime will be eradicated.'
Trump says Iran in turmoil since US withdrew from nuke deal
US President Donald Trump asserted Monday that Iran was being roiled by nationwide riots since he pulled out of an international nuclear deal and that Washington supports the protesters.
US Open to Direct Talks With Taliban, Officials Say
The United States is open to holding direct talks with the Taliban to encourage negotiations between the militant group and the Afghan government to end 17 years of war, U.S. officials said Monday.
Trump sides with Putin over U.S. intel
President Trump on Monday stood beside Russian President Vladimir Putin and rejected the findings of U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies that Moscow interfered in the 2016 election, drawing bipartisan blowback from lawmakers dismayed by his performance on the world stage.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Trump says meeting with Putin was ‘really good’ for Israel
US President Donald Trump on Monday said his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin Monday was good for Israel, seemingly referring to efforts to remove Iran-backed fighters from Syria’s Golan border.
Hamas plans to attack Israel with 'exploding drones'
Hamas has been diverting resources intended for civilian development in Gaza to enhance its military capabilities, including a growing drone program.

Inside the United States
Texas fetal tissue burial law on trial at U.S. court
A court hearing on a Texas law requiring the burial or cremation of aborted fetal tissue opened on Monday with the state arguing the requirement was a matter of dignity, while abortion providers called it unnecessary and aimed at impeding clinic operations.
National Guard deployment led to more than 10,000 arrests of illegal immigrants, says CBP
The National Guard's deployment to the southwest border in mid-April has led to 10,805 'deportable alien arrests' of people who illegally entered the United States from Mexico, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman said Monday.
U.S. judge suspends deportations of reunited immigrant families
A federal judge temporarily barred the U.S. government on Monday from the rapid deportation of immigrant parents reunited with their children, while a court considers the impact on children’s rights to seek asylum.

Christian News
Islamist Violence against Christians in Uganda Injures Pastors, Stops Church Services
In further anti-Christian hostilities in eastern Uganda, Muslims knocked a pastor unconscious at a debate and Islamist threats in another village put a halt to worship services.
Indian Christians Suffer Fifteen Attacks in Fourteen Days
International Christian Concern (ICC) has documented at least 15 separate anti-Christian incidents across India in the past 14 days. These incidents include physical assaults, a church demolition, forced conversions, false accusations of forced conversions, and social boycotts.