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
Report: Iran secretly helped N. Korea with nuclear program
British officials fear that North Korea's sudden advancement in developing nuclear weapons may be due to secret support from Iran, The Sunday Telegraph reported over the weekend.
UN experts: NKorea exported $270 million illegally recently
North Korea illegally exported coal, iron and other commodities worth at least $270 million to China and other countries including India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka in the six-month period ending in early August in violation of U.N. sanctions, U.N. experts say.
Merkel’s re-election in Germany is all but certain, but world of fourth-term challenges is not
Six months ago, it looked like her job might be in jeopardy, but now Chancellor Angela Merkel is cruising to victory in Germany’s Sept. 24 vote and the big question is what Europe’s dominant political leader plans to do with her mandate for a fourth term.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
US trying to organize peace summit between Trump, Abbas and Netanyahu: report
The Trump administration is trying to arrange a summit between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Hebrew newspaper Yisrael Hayom reported Sunday.
4 arrested in Arad clashes between ultra-Orthodox, secular residents
Four Israelis were arrested in the southern city of Arad on Saturday night after violent clashes broke out between the city’s secular and ultra-Orthodox residents.
Israeli satellite images show damage to Syrian weapons facility
An Israeli satellite imaging company released photographs on Sunday showing the effects of last week’s airstrike on a Syrian weapons base that was attributed to the Israeli Air Force.
Inside the United States
Hurricane Irma will hammer insurance industry -- up to $65 billion in damage is projected
Hurricane Irma will create combined insured losses of $20 billion to $65 billion, according to a projection from risk modeling software company AIR Worldwide.
Trump Makes Proclamations Ahead of 9/11 Anniversary
In observance of the 16th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, President Donald Trump has declared Friday through Sunday of this week to be 'Days of Prayer and Remembrance,' and Monday to be 'Patriot Day.'
Hurricane Irma: Nearly half of Florida in the dark, Tampa braces for storm
Hurricane Irma early Monday remained a dangerous Category 2 hurricane and is now bearing down on the Tampa-St. Petersburg region.
As Irma barrels into Florida, Washington takes a 1-2 punch
More than a decade of budget cutting and a rash of government job vacancies are taxing Washington’s ability to cope with a one-two punch of epic storms.
Irma lost some oomph over Cuba before its assault on Florida
Before crashing into Florida, Hurricane Irma set all sorts of records for brute strength as it flattened Caribbean islands and swamped the Florida Keys. Irma's assault — so soon after Harvey's deluge of Houston — marked the first time the U.S. was hit by two Category 4 storms in the same year.
Hurricane Jose downgraded to Category 3, expected to weaken
Hurricane Jose pulled farther away from the Caribbean Sunday morning and is expected to weaken over the next few days as it moves across the western Atlantic, the National Hurricane Center said.
Antifa throws smoke and projectiles at police at Portland rallies; 7 arrested
Antifa demonstrators hurled smoke and projectiles at police officers during rallies in downtown Portland on Sunday, injuring at least two, according to police.
Three cranes at South Florida construction sites have snapped in Irma’s howling winds
The wildly swinging booms of three cranes at under-construction residential buildings in South Florida bent and collapsed in Hurricane Irma’s heavy winds Sunday.
Christian News
Christian leaders boosted by Trump recognition of National Day of Prayer for 9/11 anniversary
They were hoping for 100,000 signatures on their faith-based petition and got double that amount. They were hoping for one day of prayer for 9/11 — they got three.
Russian Anti-Missionary Law Mainly Hampers Christians
Concerns among Russian Christians that the government’s antiterrorism legislation, adopted last year, would take away their religious freedom have been proven true.
Report: Iran secretly helped N. Korea with nuclear program
British officials fear that North Korea's sudden advancement in developing nuclear weapons may be due to secret support from Iran, The Sunday Telegraph reported over the weekend.
UN experts: NKorea exported $270 million illegally recently
North Korea illegally exported coal, iron and other commodities worth at least $270 million to China and other countries including India, Malaysia and Sri Lanka in the six-month period ending in early August in violation of U.N. sanctions, U.N. experts say.
Merkel’s re-election in Germany is all but certain, but world of fourth-term challenges is not
Six months ago, it looked like her job might be in jeopardy, but now Chancellor Angela Merkel is cruising to victory in Germany’s Sept. 24 vote and the big question is what Europe’s dominant political leader plans to do with her mandate for a fourth term.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
US trying to organize peace summit between Trump, Abbas and Netanyahu: report
The Trump administration is trying to arrange a summit between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, Hebrew newspaper Yisrael Hayom reported Sunday.
4 arrested in Arad clashes between ultra-Orthodox, secular residents
Four Israelis were arrested in the southern city of Arad on Saturday night after violent clashes broke out between the city’s secular and ultra-Orthodox residents.
Israeli satellite images show damage to Syrian weapons facility
An Israeli satellite imaging company released photographs on Sunday showing the effects of last week’s airstrike on a Syrian weapons base that was attributed to the Israeli Air Force.
Inside the United States
Hurricane Irma will hammer insurance industry -- up to $65 billion in damage is projected
Hurricane Irma will create combined insured losses of $20 billion to $65 billion, according to a projection from risk modeling software company AIR Worldwide.
Trump Makes Proclamations Ahead of 9/11 Anniversary
In observance of the 16th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, President Donald Trump has declared Friday through Sunday of this week to be 'Days of Prayer and Remembrance,' and Monday to be 'Patriot Day.'
Hurricane Irma: Nearly half of Florida in the dark, Tampa braces for storm
Hurricane Irma early Monday remained a dangerous Category 2 hurricane and is now bearing down on the Tampa-St. Petersburg region.
As Irma barrels into Florida, Washington takes a 1-2 punch
More than a decade of budget cutting and a rash of government job vacancies are taxing Washington’s ability to cope with a one-two punch of epic storms.
Irma lost some oomph over Cuba before its assault on Florida
Before crashing into Florida, Hurricane Irma set all sorts of records for brute strength as it flattened Caribbean islands and swamped the Florida Keys. Irma's assault — so soon after Harvey's deluge of Houston — marked the first time the U.S. was hit by two Category 4 storms in the same year.
Hurricane Jose downgraded to Category 3, expected to weaken
Hurricane Jose pulled farther away from the Caribbean Sunday morning and is expected to weaken over the next few days as it moves across the western Atlantic, the National Hurricane Center said.
Antifa throws smoke and projectiles at police at Portland rallies; 7 arrested
Antifa demonstrators hurled smoke and projectiles at police officers during rallies in downtown Portland on Sunday, injuring at least two, according to police.
Three cranes at South Florida construction sites have snapped in Irma’s howling winds
The wildly swinging booms of three cranes at under-construction residential buildings in South Florida bent and collapsed in Hurricane Irma’s heavy winds Sunday.
Christian News
Christian leaders boosted by Trump recognition of National Day of Prayer for 9/11 anniversary
They were hoping for 100,000 signatures on their faith-based petition and got double that amount. They were hoping for one day of prayer for 9/11 — they got three.
Russian Anti-Missionary Law Mainly Hampers Christians
Concerns among Russian Christians that the government’s antiterrorism legislation, adopted last year, would take away their religious freedom have been proven true.
Around the World
Mexico earthquake: Capital hit by magnitude-8.1 quake, tsunami with at least three confirmed dead
A magnitude-8.1 earthquake has struck off the southern coast of Mexico, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said, shaking buildings as far away as Guatemala.
North Korea Promises More 'Gifts' for U.S. as Fears Rise of New Missile Launch
North Korea’s chief diplomat at the United Nations was not hiding his satisfaction with Pyongyang's recent nuclear test, warning the U.S. that it can expect more “gift packages” to come its way.
Germany disputes size of Russian wargames, predicts 100,000 troops
Germany said on Thursday that Russia was planning to send more than 100,000 troops to war games on NATO’s eastern flank this month, disputing Moscow’s version that only 13,000 Russian and Belarussian servicemen would participate.
Iranian militia vows to turn against U.S. troops once Islamic State is defeated in Iraq
The U.S. military is keeping a wary eye on Iran’s most violent proxy militia in Iraq, which has vowed to start killing Americans again once the Islamic State is expelled.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Military intel chief says IDF fighting enemies ‘near and far’
In the wake of reports that Israel struck a chemical weapons facility in southern Syria, Military Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Herzl Halevi on Thursday warned that Israel was consistently working to combat its enemies 'both near and far.'
Op-Ed: Israel just showed what a 'red line' is really supposed to mean
A red line’s a red line. That was Israel’s message Wednesday, when it struck a major Syrian arms facility from the air.
Inside the United States
FEMA Is Nearly Out of Cash, Just as Hurricanes Harvey and Irma Strike
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is rapidly running out of disaster relief funding as Hurricane Irma slams Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and heads toward Florida.
Potential Record as 3 Hurricanes Could Make Landfall at the Same Time
For the first time in modern history, three hurricanes in the Atlantic are lined up in the most dangerous of ways, according to Eric Blake, a hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center.
South Florida becomes a traffic nightmare as 500,000 people told to flee Hurricane Irma
The race to flee Hurricane Irma became a marathon nightmare as more than a half-million people were ordered to leave South Florida on Thursday.
Hurricane Irma likely to be far worse than monster Andrew
For an entire generation in South Florida, Hurricane Andrew was the monster storm that reshaped a region. Irma is likely to blow that out of the water.
Trump's debt deal was better than Paul Ryan's, many Republicans admit
President Trump shocked and angered Republicans on Wednesday by agreeing with Democrats on a bill to suspend the debt ceiling for three months, but by Thursday, Republican lawmakers and aides were acknowledging that Trump's plan was better for Republicans than the plan put forward by House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis.
More than 5,000 out-of-state voters may have tipped New Hampshire against Trump
More than 6,500 people registered to vote in New Hampshire on Nov. 8 using out-of-state driver’s licenses, and since then the vast majority have neither obtained an in-state license nor registered a motor vehicle.
Equifax Says Cyberattack May Have Hit 143 Million Customers
Equifax Inc. said its systems were struck by a cyberattack that may have affected about 143 million U.S. customers of the credit reporting agency, shedding light on one of the largest and most intrusive breaches in history.
Christian News
Members of Congress back Christian baker in same-sex wedding-cake case before Supreme Court
A Christian baker who refused to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple said he’s willing to serve anyone, but said the government shouldn’t force him to create something against his conscience.
Mexico earthquake: Capital hit by magnitude-8.1 quake, tsunami with at least three confirmed dead
A magnitude-8.1 earthquake has struck off the southern coast of Mexico, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said, shaking buildings as far away as Guatemala.
North Korea Promises More 'Gifts' for U.S. as Fears Rise of New Missile Launch
North Korea’s chief diplomat at the United Nations was not hiding his satisfaction with Pyongyang's recent nuclear test, warning the U.S. that it can expect more “gift packages” to come its way.
Germany disputes size of Russian wargames, predicts 100,000 troops
Germany said on Thursday that Russia was planning to send more than 100,000 troops to war games on NATO’s eastern flank this month, disputing Moscow’s version that only 13,000 Russian and Belarussian servicemen would participate.
Iranian militia vows to turn against U.S. troops once Islamic State is defeated in Iraq
The U.S. military is keeping a wary eye on Iran’s most violent proxy militia in Iraq, which has vowed to start killing Americans again once the Islamic State is expelled.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Military intel chief says IDF fighting enemies ‘near and far’
In the wake of reports that Israel struck a chemical weapons facility in southern Syria, Military Intelligence chief Maj. Gen. Herzl Halevi on Thursday warned that Israel was consistently working to combat its enemies 'both near and far.'
Op-Ed: Israel just showed what a 'red line' is really supposed to mean
A red line’s a red line. That was Israel’s message Wednesday, when it struck a major Syrian arms facility from the air.
Inside the United States
FEMA Is Nearly Out of Cash, Just as Hurricanes Harvey and Irma Strike
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is rapidly running out of disaster relief funding as Hurricane Irma slams Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and heads toward Florida.
Potential Record as 3 Hurricanes Could Make Landfall at the Same Time
For the first time in modern history, three hurricanes in the Atlantic are lined up in the most dangerous of ways, according to Eric Blake, a hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center.
South Florida becomes a traffic nightmare as 500,000 people told to flee Hurricane Irma
The race to flee Hurricane Irma became a marathon nightmare as more than a half-million people were ordered to leave South Florida on Thursday.
Hurricane Irma likely to be far worse than monster Andrew
For an entire generation in South Florida, Hurricane Andrew was the monster storm that reshaped a region. Irma is likely to blow that out of the water.
Trump's debt deal was better than Paul Ryan's, many Republicans admit
President Trump shocked and angered Republicans on Wednesday by agreeing with Democrats on a bill to suspend the debt ceiling for three months, but by Thursday, Republican lawmakers and aides were acknowledging that Trump's plan was better for Republicans than the plan put forward by House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis.
More than 5,000 out-of-state voters may have tipped New Hampshire against Trump
More than 6,500 people registered to vote in New Hampshire on Nov. 8 using out-of-state driver’s licenses, and since then the vast majority have neither obtained an in-state license nor registered a motor vehicle.
Equifax Says Cyberattack May Have Hit 143 Million Customers
Equifax Inc. said its systems were struck by a cyberattack that may have affected about 143 million U.S. customers of the credit reporting agency, shedding light on one of the largest and most intrusive breaches in history.
Christian News
Members of Congress back Christian baker in same-sex wedding-cake case before Supreme Court
A Christian baker who refused to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple said he’s willing to serve anyone, but said the government shouldn’t force him to create something against his conscience.
Around the World
Navy Seals training South Korean ‘assassination’ squad to deal with Kim Jong-un
South Korean commandos will work with the US Navy Seals who killed Osama bin Laden to create a special unit to assassinate Kim Jong-un in the event of war.
Trump says U.S. ‘won’t be putting up’ with North Korea’s actions
President Trump again insisted Wednesday that the U.S. and its allies will not tolerate North Korea’s nuclear weapons tests and missile launches, discussing the crisis on the Korean peninsula with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a 45-minute phone call.
Putin: US weapons could exacerbate conflict in Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that any decision by the United States to supply defensive weapons to Ukraine would fuel the conflict in eastern Ukraine and possibly prompt pro-Russian separatists to expand their campaign there.
China's military practices for 'surprise attack' over sea near Korea
China’s air force has carried out exercises near the Korean peninsula, practicing to defend against a “surprise attack” coming over the sea, Chinese state media reported.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Syrian army warns Israel of serious repercussions after alleged attack
Israel launched an aerial attack on Assad posts in Syria overnight, hit a scientific research center where chemical weapons are manufactured and killed two Syrian soldiers, Arab media reported Thursday morning.
Israeli planes said to hit a chemical weapons site in Syria
Syrian reports said early Thursday that Israeli warplanes struck overnight a facility in northern Syria where the regime has allegedly been stockpiling chemical weapons.
Netanyahu to embark on first-ever trip by an Israeli PM to Latin America
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to visit three Latin American countries next week, as a part of his ongoing effort to boldly go where none of his predecessors has gone before.
Survey: Most Israelis continue to support accession to European Union
A majority of Israelis continue to be in favor of an Israerli accession to the European Union (EU), according to a survey released on Tuesday by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a German pro-EU think tank.
Inside the United States
Trump shuns Republican leaders to cut debt deal with Schumer, Pelosi
President Trump and Democratic leaders on Wednesday did what Washington does best: striking a bipartisan deal to boost borrowing and spending, keeping the government running into the next fiscal year and speeding disaster relief to Texas and Florida.
Hurricane Irma still a Category 5 storm after 40 hours
Hurricane Irma achieved 40 hours as a Category 5 storm Wednesday evening as it swung through the Caribbean and heads towards Florida. The National Hurricane Center issued an update Wednesday evening at 11 p.m. Eastern to say that Irma's maximum sustained winds remains at 185 miles per hour.
Wildfire-weary Western US coughs through late-season surge
The smoke, the flames, the aching lungs, the evacuations. They're summertime facts of life in the U.S. West, where every wildfire season competes with memories of previous destruction.
White Christians represent minority of U.S. population, but religious right says it still has might
Progressives say a poll showing white Christians in the minority is evidence that President Trump’s voter base is dwindling, but veterans of the religious right say rumors of the movement’s demise are greatly exaggerated.
Hurricane Irma Threatens $1.2 Billion of Florida Crops
Hurricane Irma is threatening to wreak havoc on Florida farmlands, threatening $1.2 billion worth of production in the top U.S. grower of fresh tomatoes, oranges, green beans, cucumbers, squash, and sugarcane.
Hackers Gain 'Switch-Flipping' Access to US Power Grid Control Systems
In an era of hacker attacks on critical infrastructure, even a run-of-the-mill malware infection on an electric utility’s network is enough to raise alarm bells. But the latest collection of power grid penetrations went far deeper: Security firm Symantec is warning that a series of recent hacker attacks not only compromised energy companies in the US and Europe but also resulted in the intruders gaining hands-on access to power grid operations—enough control that they could have induced blackouts on American soil at will.
DACA announcement sparks protests nationwide, dozens arrested at Trump Tower
Dozens of protesters were arrested in front of Trump Tower in New York in one of many nationwide protests after Tuesday’s announcement that the Trump administration is ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, five years after it was introduced.
Christian News
Al-Shabaab Kills Four More Christian Men in Lamu, Kenya
International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on September 6, 2017, four Christians were killed in Hindi by al-Shabaab, Christians’ main persecution threat in Kenya.
Navy Seals training South Korean ‘assassination’ squad to deal with Kim Jong-un
South Korean commandos will work with the US Navy Seals who killed Osama bin Laden to create a special unit to assassinate Kim Jong-un in the event of war.
Trump says U.S. ‘won’t be putting up’ with North Korea’s actions
President Trump again insisted Wednesday that the U.S. and its allies will not tolerate North Korea’s nuclear weapons tests and missile launches, discussing the crisis on the Korean peninsula with Chinese President Xi Jinping in a 45-minute phone call.
Putin: US weapons could exacerbate conflict in Ukraine
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday that any decision by the United States to supply defensive weapons to Ukraine would fuel the conflict in eastern Ukraine and possibly prompt pro-Russian separatists to expand their campaign there.
China's military practices for 'surprise attack' over sea near Korea
China’s air force has carried out exercises near the Korean peninsula, practicing to defend against a “surprise attack” coming over the sea, Chinese state media reported.
Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Syrian army warns Israel of serious repercussions after alleged attack
Israel launched an aerial attack on Assad posts in Syria overnight, hit a scientific research center where chemical weapons are manufactured and killed two Syrian soldiers, Arab media reported Thursday morning.
Israeli planes said to hit a chemical weapons site in Syria
Syrian reports said early Thursday that Israeli warplanes struck overnight a facility in northern Syria where the regime has allegedly been stockpiling chemical weapons.
Netanyahu to embark on first-ever trip by an Israeli PM to Latin America
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to visit three Latin American countries next week, as a part of his ongoing effort to boldly go where none of his predecessors has gone before.
Survey: Most Israelis continue to support accession to European Union
A majority of Israelis continue to be in favor of an Israerli accession to the European Union (EU), according to a survey released on Tuesday by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a German pro-EU think tank.
Inside the United States
Trump shuns Republican leaders to cut debt deal with Schumer, Pelosi
President Trump and Democratic leaders on Wednesday did what Washington does best: striking a bipartisan deal to boost borrowing and spending, keeping the government running into the next fiscal year and speeding disaster relief to Texas and Florida.
Hurricane Irma still a Category 5 storm after 40 hours
Hurricane Irma achieved 40 hours as a Category 5 storm Wednesday evening as it swung through the Caribbean and heads towards Florida. The National Hurricane Center issued an update Wednesday evening at 11 p.m. Eastern to say that Irma's maximum sustained winds remains at 185 miles per hour.
Wildfire-weary Western US coughs through late-season surge
The smoke, the flames, the aching lungs, the evacuations. They're summertime facts of life in the U.S. West, where every wildfire season competes with memories of previous destruction.
White Christians represent minority of U.S. population, but religious right says it still has might
Progressives say a poll showing white Christians in the minority is evidence that President Trump’s voter base is dwindling, but veterans of the religious right say rumors of the movement’s demise are greatly exaggerated.
Hurricane Irma Threatens $1.2 Billion of Florida Crops
Hurricane Irma is threatening to wreak havoc on Florida farmlands, threatening $1.2 billion worth of production in the top U.S. grower of fresh tomatoes, oranges, green beans, cucumbers, squash, and sugarcane.
Hackers Gain 'Switch-Flipping' Access to US Power Grid Control Systems
In an era of hacker attacks on critical infrastructure, even a run-of-the-mill malware infection on an electric utility’s network is enough to raise alarm bells. But the latest collection of power grid penetrations went far deeper: Security firm Symantec is warning that a series of recent hacker attacks not only compromised energy companies in the US and Europe but also resulted in the intruders gaining hands-on access to power grid operations—enough control that they could have induced blackouts on American soil at will.
DACA announcement sparks protests nationwide, dozens arrested at Trump Tower
Dozens of protesters were arrested in front of Trump Tower in New York in one of many nationwide protests after Tuesday’s announcement that the Trump administration is ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, five years after it was introduced.
Christian News
Al-Shabaab Kills Four More Christian Men in Lamu, Kenya
International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that on September 6, 2017, four Christians were killed in Hindi by al-Shabaab, Christians’ main persecution threat in Kenya.