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?"

Today's Breaking News
Around the World
Russia Sues Ukraine in London Court Over $3 Billion Default
Russia said it filed a lawsuit against Ukraine in the High Court in London after the government in Kiev defaulted on $3 billion in bonds.
China leads global U.S. debt dump
The largest owner of U.S. debt, China sold $18 billion of U.S. Treasury debt in December. And it's not alone. Japan sold even more: $22 billion. In the past year, Mexico, Turkey and Belgium have also lowered their holdings of U.S. debt, all of which have led to a record annual dump by central banks.
U.S.: Russia can't sell Iran warplanes
The United States would object to the sale of Russian fighter jets to Iran, a State Department spokesman said on Thursday.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israel's Dore Gold meets Russian FM in Moscow to discuss Syria, S-300 missiles
An Israeli foreign ministry delegation led by Director General Dore Gold met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow Thursday to discuss developments in Syria and the S-300 missile systems Russia is reportedly due to supply to Iran.
Israel, Russia sign diplomatic framework agreement in Moscow
Israel and Russia signed a diplomatic framework agreement for the upcoming year, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement, concluding MFA Director General Dore Gold's visit to Moscow.
Palestinian leader gives wife-beating tips on Gaza TV
A top spiritual leader in the Palestinian territory of Gaza told a television audience last week how and when men can beat their wives, advising not to hit them in a way that makes the face ugly.

Inside the United States
Congress Is Wary of Chinese Deal for Chicago Stock Exchange
Dozens of members of Congress plan to ask the Obama administration to review the planned acquisition of the Chicago Stock Exchange by a Chinese firm, to assess whether it poses a national security risk or a risk to the companies traded on the exchange.
GAO Report: US Unable to Block Missiles From Iran, North Korea
The Defense Department agency charged with protecting the United States from ballistic missile attacks from Iran and North Korea cannot fully do so, despite spending billions of dollars on building a missile defense system that has not been fully completed or tested, according to a government report.

U.S. Politics
Donald Trump slams Pope Francis, predicts terror attack on Vatican
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump fired back at Pope Francis Thursday, predicting that the Islamic State will attack the Vatican and the pontiff will rue the day that he said Mr. Trump isn't a Christian if he wants to deport illegal immigrants.
Pope says Trump 'not Christian' in a sign of global concern
Pope Francis forcefully injected himself into the U.S. presidential campaign on Thursday, assailing Republican candidate Donald Trump's views on U.S. immigration as not Christian in a sign of growing international concern at the billionaire businessman's election prospects.
AP: Clinton raking in superdelegate votes
Hillary Clinton has increased her lead in the Democratic primary since her resounding loss to Bernie Sanders in New Hampshire by wooing 87 new party superdelegates to support her campaign over the past week.
Clinton feels the Bern, trails Sanders by three points nationally
Bernie Sanders now tops Hillary Clinton in the race for the Democratic nomination.
Today's Breaking News
Around the World
Radioactive material stolen in Iraq raises security concerns
Iraq is searching for "highly dangerous" radioactive material whose theft last year has raised fears among Iraqi officials that it could be used as a weapon if acquired by Islamic State.
President Obama to Make Historic Visit to Cuba, U.S. Official Says
President Barack Obama will visit Cuba in the coming weeks, a senior administration official told NBC News on Wednesday night.
Pope leads politically-charged Mass at US-Mexico border
Pope Francis on Wednesday held a politically-charged Mass in Mexico's Ciudad Juarez - once considered the deadliest city in the world - less than 100 meters (328 feet) from the US border.
Freed Gitmo detainee, ex-bin Laden aide cements place as top jihadist in videos
When Ibrahim al Qosi was released from Guantanamo Bay in 2012, a lawyer for the former Usama bin Laden aide said he looked forward to living a life of peace in his native Sudan.
Air strikes destroy hundreds of millions of ISIS' dollars
Hundreds of millions of dollars are believed to have been destroyed in coalition air strikes targeting cash hoards used to finance the Islamic State group, a spokesman for the American military said Wednesday, according to AFP.
Pope problems: Francis' plane lasered; loses cool amid crowd in Mexico
Pope Francis seemingly lost his cool after he was grabbed by a spectator in a crowd and nearly fell. The incident happened one day before another Alitalia airline revealed his trip to Mexico had earlier been beset by another problem -- a laser pointed at his airplane.
White House: Obama to sign bill targeting North Korea violations
President Obama is to sign a comprehensive North Korea sanctions bill that can blacklist entities for assisting Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program or abetting its human rights violations.
Russia warns Turks: We might bomb your troops
Turkey's bombardment of a Syrian airbase recently recaptured by the Syrian Kurds from Islamic jihadists could lead to a direct confrontation with Russia if Ankara decides to send in troops, according to a new report in Joseph Farah's G2 Bulletin.
U.S.-China clash over South China Sea intensifies after missile deployment
The clash between China and the U.S. over who will control the South China Sea, one of the world's busiest waterways, escalated Wednesday as Secretary of State John F. Kerry lashed out at Beijing after the Obama administration said it confirmed reports that China had deployed advanced surface-to-air missiles on a built-up island it occupies in the contested sea.
U.S. planned unprecedented cyberattack on Iran if nuke talks failed: Report
The Obama administration was ready to launch a wide-ranging cyberattack against Iran that could have rivaled the 'Stuxnet' worm, but put its plans on ice after an agreement was reached last summer over the nation's nuclear program, a new documentary revealed.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Report: Israeli missiles hit Syrian army outpost near Damascus
The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights on Wednesday said three Israeli rockets hit Syrian army positions near Damascus, according to Reuters.
Trump says he'd be 'neutral' with Israelis and Palestinians
Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump said Wednesday that if he is elected president, he would be 'neutral' on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Israeli archaeologists discover 7,000 year-old settlement in Jerusalem
Archaeologists in Jerusalem have uncovered an ancient settlement which dates back as far as 7,000 years ago, they announced on Wednesday. They are calling it the oldest discovery of its kind in the area.

Inside the United States
Clinton email chain discussed Afghan national's CIA ties, official says
One of the classified email chains discovered on Hillary Clinton's personal unsecured server discussed an Afghan national's ties to the CIA and a report that he was on the agency's payroll, a U.S. government official with knowledge of the document told Fox News.
White House: Obama 'regrets' decision to filibuster Supreme Court Justice Alito
The top White House spokesman said Wednesday that President Obama regrets his 2006 decision to filibuster the nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court - after being accused of hypocrisy for blasting obstructionist Republicans now vowing to block his next high court nominee.
Transgender bathroom bill passes through South Dakota Legislature
South Dakota would be the first state in the U.S. to approve a law requiring transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond to their sex at birth if the governor signs a bill passed Tuesday by the state Senate.

U.S. Politics
Poll: Cruz takes top spot nationally after big Trump drop
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz has surpassed Donald Trump for the top spot in a new national survey of the Republican presidential race from NBC News/Wall Street Journal.
Hillary Clinton: I don't know if the US is ready for a female president
Hillary Clinton believes she is a better candidate than her 2008 version but still wonders whether the US is ready for a female president.

Christian News
Saeed Abedini Asks Followers to Pray for His Marriage
Saeed Abedeini broke his four-year long Facebook silence Sunday, asking followers to pray for his marriage.
Visiting US Evangelical pastors: We stand unconditionally with Israel
Rev. Robert Stearns, a leading Evangelical figure from the United States, says it is crucial to educate the younger generation of Evangelical Christians in the US about the movement's strong connection to Israel.
Today's Breaking News
Around the World
Iran to Spend $8 Billion on Russian Weapons and Warplanes
The Russian-Iranian military alliance continues to grow following the release of billions of dollars to Tehran under the recently implemented nuclear agreement, according to announcements made by both countries.
US stealth fighters fly over South Korea amid standoff with North
Four U.S. F-22 stealth fighters flew over South Korea on Wednesday in a clear show of power against North Korea, a day after South Korea's president warned of the North's collapse amid a festering standoff over its nuclear and missile ambitions.
Obama Under Fire for Lack of Leadership on Syria
The United States is coming under increasingly bitter criticism for its perceived lack of leadership over Syria as the country's brutal civil conflict heads toward new levels of intensity.
Russia, Iran ready to 'reinforce' military cooperation
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Moscow and Tehran were ready to step up their military cooperation after meeting with his Iranian counterpart on Tuesday.
Saudis and Russia agree oil output freeze, Iran still an obstacle
Top oil exporters Russia and Saudi Arabia agreed on Tuesday to freeze output levels but said the deal was contingent on other producers joining in - a major sticking point with Iran absent from the talks and determined to raise production.

Israel-Palestinian Conflict
Israel's rash behavior blew operation to sabotage Iran's computers, US officials say
Gen. Michael Hayden, former head of both the CIA and the NSA, claims the goal of a potential Israeli strike on Iran would be to drag the US into war.
Merkel: Germany won't normalize ties with Iran unless it recognizes Israel
Germany will not normalize its relations with Iran unless or until it recognizes Israel, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Tuesday.
Israel's Netanyahu pans 'baffling' French peace proposal
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday that the French initiative to hold an international peace conference is 'baffling' and bound for failure, casting doubt on the first push for peace between Israelis and Palestinians in nearly two years.
Nasrallah threatens to bomb chemical facility, kill thousands of Israelis
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Tuesday insisted that although his group isn't currently seeking war with Israel, it could defeat the Jewish state in a future conflict by targeting Haifa's ammonia storage tanks, resulting in massive fatalities.
Hezbollah's Nasrallah outraged by Sunni states' warming Israel ties
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah spoke out on Tuesday against Israel's warming ties to Sunni Arab states in the region, and boasted that Hezbollah and Lebanon have nothing to fear from a future conflict with Israel.

Inside the United States
Obama could use recess appointment to bypass Congress, install justice
The window is still open on President Obama's option of replacing the late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia with a recess appointment, although the White House says the president won't pursue such an antagonistic course.
GOP showing signs of backing down from vow to block Obama SCOTUS pick
Cracks were emerging Tuesday in congressional Republicans' position of blocking automatically any candidate nominated by President Obama to fill the Supreme Court seat of the late Antonin Scalia.
Fed's Kashkari Floats Breaking Up Big Banks to Avert Meltdown
The former U.S. Treasury official who led the 2008 bailout program for the nation's biggest banks says in his new role at the Federal Reserve that Congress and regulators should consider breaking them up to protect the financial system from another crisis.

Christian News
On Morning of Pope's Arrival, Christian Church Set Ablaze in Chiapas, Mexico
International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that in the early morning hours of February 15, the day Pope Francis arrived in the state of Chiapas, a minority Christian church located in Zincacantan, in the state of Chiapas, Mexico, was set ablaze, leaving hundreds without a place of worship. Although too early to definitively report on the identity of the perpetrators, the state government has been notified of the crime.
California Pastor Murdered in Apartment, Son is Primary Suspect
Beloved California pastor Bishop Teman L. Bostic Sr. was stabbed to death Friday morning. Police arrested his 21-year old son Isaiah Bostic in connection with the murder.