Global Watch Daily – November 13, 2026
A concise summary of significant developments in Israel and the world through a grounded Christian worldview.
Israel & Jerusalem
A five-day initiative is bringing college counselors from the United States and the United Kingdom to Israeli universities, aiming to present Israeli higher education as an attractive option for Jewish students facing rising antisemitism on Western campuses. Separately, witnesses reported that a missile struck a building housing the surgical wards and intensive care units at Nasser Hospital, the largest hospital in southern Gaza. The U.S. Department of Justice said two men were involved in a series of plots, including a major incident near a British airbase used by U.S. armed forces. (JNS; BBC News; BBC News)
Al Jazeera. (Al Jazeera)
Wars & Security (Israel and Region)
Clashes between Taliban and Pakistani forces have recurred along the border since October 29, while an ambush by the Movement of the Taliban in Pakistan killed 10 Pakistani police officers on November 11. The violence comes as Washington has signaled its willingness to help address Pakistan’s concerns about militant groups. (Long War Journal)
Debate over the Muslim Brotherhood’s influence in Western politics and institutions has raised concerns about free speech, religious extremism, and national security. (Long War Journal)
Ukrainian intelligence has described a redesigned version of Russia’s Geran-5 cruise missile, part of Moscow’s effort to adapt to Ukrainian defenses and intensify attacks on civilian infrastructure. (Long War Journal)
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani denied reports that Syria had deployed troops to Yemen or planned to do so. He said the military agreement with Saudi Arabia focuses on rebuilding Syria’s armed forces. (Long War Journal; FDD)
A separate FDD item reported that President Trump removed Vice President J.D. Vance from Iran talks as the United States launched strikes on Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps bases. (FDD)
Between October 9 and November 10, authorities in five countries announced arrests or indictments involving eight people in Islamic State-related cases, underscoring the group’s continued ability to recruit and radicalize supporters online despite losing its territorial holdings. Hezbollah is also reportedly rebuilding intelligence networks and restoring its presence in three southern Lebanese villages designated as pilot areas for disarmament. These reports come amid stalled verification efforts and continued disputes over the Lebanese Army’s operational control. (Long War Journal; Long War Journal)
Global Macro & Geopolitics
U.S. labor conditions, long viewed as a limited source of price pressure, may again contribute to inflation if wage and employment trends shift. The change could complicate efforts to contain prices and shape the outlook for monetary policy. (Bloomberg)
AI Dominion, Deception & the Antichrist System
The use of retrospective facial recognition by UK law enforcement is not subject to consistent oversight and safeguards, according to a government assessment. UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood commissioned HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) to review the use of retrospective facial recognition by police forces and the National Crime Agency in November, 2025. A hacker claims to have obtained personal information of Philippine government employees, including biometrics, in a data breach. The National Privacy Commission has confirmed it received a series of breach notifications from government bodies, but not the one allegedly involving employee biometrics (biometricupdate.com).
South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) has begun testing its new digital asylum system, which allows people to register their intention to apply for asylum by submitting facial biometrics, biographic information and supporting documents. According to the DHA, signaling an intention to apply for asylum does not constitute a formal asylum application, confer refugee or asylum status, or grant South African citizenship. California-based startup Helix has raised $6.2 million to help companies separate bots and children from adult human users using locally processed voice biometrics. The company’s software has also been launched to live beta deployments, including with health and wellness platform Zeel. The phenomenon of ID card abandonment at production centers in Africa and other parts of the world is not new, but the problem appears to be getting worse over time, even as the need for identity to access a wide range of public and private sector services becomes increasingly inevitable (biometricupdate.com).
Pestilence & Global Health
Traces of a deadly sheep virus have been identified in ancient manuscripts, including the 1,000-year-old York Gospels. The findings suggest the virus has persisted with little change for more than 3,700 years, making historic parchment an unexpected record of its long history. Researchers also report that a bioengineered chewing gum reduced human papillomavirus levels by as much as 93% in oral samples from cancer patients and sharply reduced two harmful bacterial species after one dose. (ScienceDaily; ScienceDaily)
Research on gut microbes indicates that some bacteria can consume the protective mucus lining of the intestines and produce potentially harmful compounds, while dietary fiber helps restrain this activity. Proteins in plant foods may also encourage gut bacteria to produce beneficial substances. (ScienceDaily)
A study on Lyme disease risk challenges the assumption that deer populations are the main driver, pointing instead to mice as an important factor in tick abundance. Researchers found that mouse-related conditions could contribute to a 40% increase in tick numbers the following year. A separate study of nearly 200,000 adults aged 65 and older found an association between high-dose influenza vaccination and reduced Alzheimer’s disease risk, though the supplied report does not provide the study’s specific results. (ScienceDaily; ScienceDaily)
Natural Disasters & Signs in the Heavens
The U.S. Geological Survey recorded a magnitude 0.5 earthquake near Ninilchik, Alaska, and a magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Houma, Tonga. (USGS; USGS)
The U.S. Geological Survey recorded a magnitude 6.4 earthquake near Lata in the Solomon Islands. A forest-fire alert was also issued for South Sudan. (USGS; GDACS)
Middle Eastern Artifacts
Two Israel Antiquities Authority publications by Ofer Sion and Yehudah Rapuano appeared on November 9, 2026. (Israel Antiquities Authority; Israel Antiquities Authority)
The fall of the northern kingdom is dated to 723, 722, or 721 BC in different chronologies, while the fall of Jerusalem is often dated to either 587 or 586 BC. These differences reflect the challenges of reconstructing ancient chronology. The accompanying discussion also considers the historical framing of a new history of ancient Israel. (BiblePlaces; BiblePlaces)