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
Hezbollah seizes much of IS enclave on Syrian-Lebanese border - Nasrallah
Hezbollah has captured much of an Islamic State pocket on Syria's side of the border with Lebanon in a joint offensive with the Syrian army, its leader said on Thursday.
Russia sends nuclear-capable bombers on mission near South Korea, Japan
Russian nuclear-capable strategic bombers have flown over the Pacific Ocean, the Sea of Japan, the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea, prompting Japan and South Korea to scramble jets to escort them, Russia said on Thursday.
Why Donald Trump was right about Barack Obama's North Korea policy
When President-elect Donald Trump met President Barack Obama in the White House shortly before the former's swearing-in, Obama reportedly told him that North Korea would be one of the most pressing issues he would face.
US says at least 16 Americans suffered hearing loss in Cuba
The United States says at least 16 Americans working for the U.S. government in Cuba suffered symptoms as a result of activity attributed to a covert sonic device. The diplomats suffered severe hearing loss.
Canada soon to allow gender-neutral passports
Canadian citizens who do not identify as male or female will soon be able to mark "X" on their passports and other identity documents, the government said Thursday (Aug 24).
India court rules privacy a right, throwing ID cards into doubt
India's top court ruled on Thursday that individual privacy is a fundamental right, a verdict that could derail the world's largest biometric ID card program now under way.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Two-state solution not publicly mentioned as US team meets PM, Abbas
US President Donald Trump’s Mideast negotiating team held talks in Tel Aviv and Ramallah on Thursday, trying to revive the moribund diplomatic process, even as it pointedly refrained from any public commitment to a two-state solution.
After more than yearlong ban, MKs permitted to visit Temple Mount
The Jerusalem District Police announced Wednesday that starting next week it will allow lawmakers to visit the Temple Mount. The decision comes more than 18 months after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu barred all MKs, Jewish and Arab alike, from visiting the volatile site.
Amnesty criticizes both PA and Hamas
Amnesty International on Wednesday criticized both the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Hamas over their restrictions of freedom of expression.

Inside the United States
Hurricane Harvey barrels toward coast as Texans prepare for worst
Harvey was a tropical storm but intensified Thursday into a hurricane — with the potential for up to 3 feet of rain, 125 mph winds and 12-foot storm surges.
Evangelicals reveal 'unprecedented' levels of access in Trump White House
Evangelicals have 'unprecedented' levels of influence and access into Donald Trump's White House, meeting foreign ambassadors and influencing high-level decisions from choosing senior personnel to consulting on policy, one adviser is claiming.
Why Is Syphilis Making A Comeback?
Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease (STD) that was nearly eradicated in the U.S., and many doctors haven’t seen a case in years. But following a spike recent reports, the disease appears to be making a comeback.
Atheist Group Demands Marco Rubio Stop Tweeting Bible Verses
The nation's largest atheist organization is demanding that Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., stop tweeting Bible verses from his Twitter account, telling him that doing so is a violation of the United States Constitution.
Wall Street Banks Warn Downturn Is Coming
HSBC Holdings Plc, Citigroup Inc. and Morgan Stanley see mounting evidence that global markets are in the last stage of their rallies before a downturn in the business cycle.

Christian News
Egypt Closes One Church, Blocks Worship at Another
Authorities have closed a church that serves three villages in Upper Egypt on the pretext that area Muslims object to it – one of at least 15 Christian worship sites shuttered in the bishopric of Minya, sources said.
UK: Catholic Church and local authorities criticized for claiming child sex abuse victims 'consented'
The Catholic Church and local authorities have been criticized after trying to claim child sex abuse victims 'consented' in a bid to avoid compensation payouts.
Around the World
Iran Caught Shipping Soldiers to Syria on Commercial Flights in Violation of Nuclear Deal
New photographs obtained by congressional leaders show Iran shipping militant soldiers to Syria on commercial airline flights, a move that violates the landmark nuclear agreement and has sparked calls from U.S. lawmakers for a formal investigation by the Trump administration, the Washington Free Beacon has learned.
U.S. Sanctions Chinese, Russians for Illicit Trade With North Korea
The Trump administration on Tuesday slapped economic sanctions on 10 Chinese and Russian companies and six people for covertly assisting North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile programs.
US says doubts over Iran deal remain after meeting nuke watchdog
The United States still has doubts and concerns over the nuclear deal with Iran, the US ambassador to the United Nations said Wednesday, after a meeting with atomic officials intended to allay American anxieties over the landmark accord.
US envoys meet Egypt officials after threatened snub over aid withdrawal
Egypt criticized a US decision to freeze $195 million in military aid on Wednesday, as a US delegation including presidential adviser Jared Kushner visited Cairo for meetings on the Middle East peace process.
Iran extends reach with fight for land link to Mediterranean
Thousands of Iranian-backed fighters in Syria’s central desert region are advancing east, bringing Tehran closer to its goal of securing a corridor from its border, through Iraq and all the way to the Mediterranean and providing it unhindered land access to its allies in Syria and Lebanon for the first time.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Netanyahu to Putin: Iran continues to threaten our existence
Netanyahu told Putin that Iran's takeover of the Middle East and their stronghold in Syria present a threat to Israel, the Middle East, and the entire world.
Kushner arrives amid hazy hopes for effort to jump start peace talks
A high level US delegation including senior White House adviser Jared Kushner arrived in Israel late Wednesday, ahead of meetings with Palestinian and Israeli leaders aimed at looking for way to jumpstart peace talks.
Palestinian leadership considers dissolving PA, says Abbas insider
The Palestinian leadership in Ramallah is considering dismantling the Palestinian Authority, if there is no political horizon to establish an independent Palestinian state, Ahmad Majdalani, a confidant of PA President Mahmoud Abbas, said on Wednesday, a day before senior Trump administration officials are due in Ramallah.
US envoys meet Egypt officials after threatened snub over aid withdrawal
Egypt criticized a US decision to freeze $195 million in military aid on Wednesday, as a US delegation including presidential adviser Jared Kushner visited Cairo for meetings on the Middle East peace process.

Inside the United States
Democrats brand Trump as reckless, redouble resist vow after shutdown threat on border wall
President Trump’s willingness to brave a government shutdown in order to get funding for his border wall roiled Capitol Hill, where Democrats on Wednesday called him reckless and redoubled their promise to resist any more money for the president’s immigration crackdown plans.
Ryan seeks unity among House, Senate and White House for tax reform plan
Congressional Republicans working to craft a tax reform package are taking their pitches to major Fortune 500 companies this week, as they look to coalesce support from the business community ahead of an expected legislative push in the fall.
White House Sets Rules for Military Transgender Ban
The White House is expected to send guidance to the Pentagon in coming days on how to implement a new administration ban on transgender people in the military, issuing a policy that will allow Defense Secretary Jim Mattis to consider a service member’s ability to deploy in deciding whether to kick them out of the military.
Trump blames Congress for stalled agenda, urges Senate to abolish filibuster rules
President Trump has pinned the blame for his stalled agenda on Congress, chastising lawmakers of both parties who stand in his way and urging the Republican-run Senate to abolish filibuster rules in order to ram though bills for a border wall, tax cuts and a replacement of Obamacare.
Trump gives Republicans whiplash swinging from conciliatory to confrontational rhetoric
President Trump bookended a free-wheeling rally on Tuesday evening — which featured attacks on the media and incumbent Republicans — with a pair of disciplined speeches both before and afterward that promoted unity, creating a volatile three days for Republicans still reeling from the backlash to Trump's controversial comments on recent violence in Charlottesville, Va.
‘Bathroom bill’ fails in Texas
Efforts to pass a so-called 'bathroom bill' in Texas failed this week when the legislature abruptly ended a 30-day special session with no vote on the measure.

Christian News
Christian ministry sues over listing on Southern Poverty Law’s ‘hate map’
A conservative Christian media group has slapped the Southern Poverty Law Center with a defamation lawsuit after being listed alongside neo-Nazis and white supremacists on its 'hate map.'
Appeals court refuses to reinstate Bremerton coach who prayed after games
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has refused to reinstate former Bremerton High School football coach Joseph Kennedy, who lost his job after he refused to stop praying on the field after games.
Today's Breaking News
Around the World
U.N.: N.Korea supplying Syrian chemical weapons program
A North Korean mining firm, reputed to be a front for Pyongyang’s weapons development programs, attempted to ship materiel to Syrian officials tied to the country’s chemical weapons program, according to a confidential United Nations assessment of international sanctions against the North.
Trump: We'll 'probably' end up terminating NAFTA
President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he doubts the United States can reach a deal to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Iran warns it can make weapons-grade material in days if nuke deal scotched
Iran’s atomic chief warned Tuesday the Islamic Republic needs only five days to ramp up its uranium enrichment to 20 percent, a level at which the material could be used for a nuclear weapon.
Trump hits four countries with visa sanctions
The Trump administration has triggered visa sanctions against four countries that have refused to take back citizens the U.S. is trying to deport — tapping a little-used but very effective tool for forcing compliance.
Trump administration cuts up to $300 million in aid to Egypt for human rights abuses
The Trump administration denied $96 million in economic aid and delayed $195 million in military aid to Egypt Tuesday due to the country's poor human rights record.
Severe Typhoon Hato Wreaks Havoc in Hong Kong
Hong Kong braced for Typhoon Hato, a maximum category 10 storm on Wednesday, with hundreds of flights cancelled, trading in financial markets suspended and schools and most businesses in the Asian financial hub closed.
US: Does UN Check Iran Military Sites Under Nuclear Deal?
The United States wants to know if the United Nations atomic watchdog plans to inspect Iranian military sites to verify Tehran’s compliance with a 2015 nuclear deal, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, said Tuesday.
North Korea’s latest propaganda puts Trump in cemetery (Video)
President Trump is pictured looking out over a Guam graveyard cluttered with crosses in a photoshopped image from the newest propaganda film -- and grim warning -- from North Korea.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Netanyahu says he will discuss Iranian presence in Syria in Putin meeting
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to discuss the Iranian presence in Syria when he meets with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he said Tuesday.

Inside the United States
Glenn Simpson, key figure behind million-dollar 'dossier,' to face questions
A key figure behind the so-called dossier featuring uncorroborated and salacious allegations about then-candidate Donald Trump’s ties to Russia will be questioned by investigators from the Senate Judiciary Committee today about the funding and sources for the document.
Trump threatens government shutdown over border wall funding
President Trump on Tuesday threatened to shut down the federal government if Congress doesn't present him with a spending bill for the next fiscal year that includes funding for a wall on the southern border.
Trump goes on rampage against the media, sitting Arizona senators at Phoenix rally
A defiant President Trump rallied with his base for more than an hour Tuesday in Arizona, trashing the media over its coverage of his response to the recent violence in Charlottesville, Va., while criticizing the state’s Republican senators for not getting behind him.
Protests turn unruly after Trump’s Phoenix speech
A day of noisy but largely peaceful protests of US President Donald Trump’s speech in Phoenix turned unruly as police fired pepper spray and stun grenades at crowds after someone apparently lobbed rocks and bottles at officers.
Taxpayers forced to pay deportation appeals of illegal immigrants
The high costs of illegal immigrants filing deportation appeals in federal courts are paid by U.S. taxpayers, a little-known fact but a major driver in the escalation of cases that are clogging the legal docket, according to experts.
Judge orders IRS to explain delays, name names in targeting of conservatives
The IRS must name the specific employees it blames for targeting tea party groups for extra scrutiny and must prove it has halted the targeting of the groups, a federal judge ordered last week.

Christian News
Atheist Group Calls Bible 'Hate-Filled Book,' Says God Worse Than 'White Supremacist Thugs'
An national atheist organization wrote that the Christian Bible 'encourages violence and racism' in an Monday letter intended to bully Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin.
‘I Believe in the Power of Prayer’: Kentucky Governor Leads Prayer Walk Through High Crime Neighborhood
Following through on his recommendation for communities to harness the power of prayer, Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin joined residents in Louisville on Friday for a prayer walk.
Al-Shabaab Beheads 3 Christians, Burns Alive Another in Kenya as Christians Plead for Help in Camps
Al-Shabaab fighters reportedly killed four Christian men in Kenya's Lamu County last week, beheading three and burning alive another.
Pakistani Christian Minor Detained for Allegedly Burning Quran
Police in a southern Pakistan city have detained a Christian minor on blasphemy charges for allegedly burning pages of the Quran, the Muslim holy book.