Prophecy News Watch - December 18, 2024

Around the World
Massive Earthquake Hits Vanuatu, Killing 14
At least 14 people were dead and hundreds injured Wednesday after an earthquake of magnitude 7.3, described as the region’s worst in decades, rocked the island nation of Vanuatu, officials said.
U.S. Monitoring Turkey’s Military Buildup Along Syrian Border Targeting Kurds
Senior U.S. officials told the Wall Street Journal that Turkey and its allied militias are amassing military forces along the Syrian border, preparing for a possible large-scale operation against American-backed Syrian Kurdish forces in Northern Syria.
‘Top Russian General Assassinated in Moscow’, Moscow Says
A general accused by Kyiv of ordering the use of chemical weapons against Ukrainian troops has been assassinated in Moscow using a bomb hidden in an electric scooter, Russian officials said Tuesday.
Britain Announces “Indefinite” Ban on Puberty Blockers for Gender-Questioning Minors
The UK government announced on December 11 that an existing emergency measure banning puberty blockers for minors under the age of 18 will now be kept in place “indefinitely” in light of an “unacceptable safety risk.”
Hundreds of Thousands of Syrians in Mass Graves, Investigators Say
Investigators revealed Tuesday that hundreds of thousands of Syrians who were “tortured to death by Bashar al-Assad’s regime” are believed to be burried in mass graves, including near Syria’s capital, Damascus.
Syria’s Ousted Leader Flew $250 Million To Russia
A quarter of a billion dollars was reportedly airlifted from Syria to Russia by Bashar al-Assad long before the autocratic Syrian leader was ousted by Islamic rebels this month.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israeli Airstrike in Syria’s Tartus Registers as 3.0 on Richter Scale
Israel carried out one of its most intense military campaigns in Syria in over a decade, striking air defense systems, missile depots, and strategic sites in Tartus. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights described the strikes as the "heaviest in years," with massive explosions registering as a magnitude 3.0 seismic event. Videos on social media captured fireballs and mushroom clouds lighting up the night sky.
Egypt: Archaeologists Uncover Ancient Sword Connected to Moses’ Pharaoh Ramesses II
Archaeologists in Egypt have uncovered an ancient sword engraved with a hieroglyphic representing the royal rule of Ramesses II, the Pharoah recorded in the Biblical Book of Exodus as having refused Moses’ request to let the enslaved Israelites go, Archaeology News (AN) reports.

Inside the United States
GOP Report: Liz Cheney Should Be Investigated by FBI Over Jan. 6 Investigation
A new Republican oversight report accuses former Congresswoman Liz Cheney of colluding with witnesses in the Jan. 6 Select Committee investigation that she oversaw.
US President Biden Praying After Shooting Kills 3 At Christian School
American President Joe Biden said he and the First Lady were praying for all victims of Monday’s deadly shooting at a Christian school in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, and he urged legislators to pass “commonsense gun safety laws.”

Christian News
US Prison Ministry Baptizes Dozens of Incarcerated Women, “They Are Finding Freedom in Christ”
The US God Behind Bars (GBB) ministry has reported baptizing more than 140 incarcerated women across America in the last three months, CBN News reported on December 17.
Nigeria: Retired Anglican Archbishop and His Driver Go Missing, “We Earnestly Plead for Your Fervent Prayers”
Amid ongoing extreme violence by radicalized Fulani Islamic herdsmen and other terror groups against Christians in Nigeria, fears are growing for a retired Anglican archbishop and his driver who went missing in Anambra state on December 6, Morning Star News (MSN) reports.

Worthy Insights
Israel Unveils 20-Qubit Quantum Computer in Major Technology Milestone
Israel announced the launch of its first domestically developed quantum computer on Monday, describing it as a crucial step toward advancing defense and civilian technology. The 20-qubit system was created through collaboration between Israel Aerospace Industries, the Israel Innovation Authority, and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.