Morning Rundown: Netanyahu Closes in on Victory in Israeli Elections

Here’s a quick summary of the top stories on cn.mycharisma.com:

Netanyahu Closes in on Victory in Israeli Elections

With nearly 97% of Israel’s vote counted (as of 9 a.m. ET Monday), former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc has 65 seats, beyond the majority of 61 needed to form a coalition.

Although the ongoing vote count will change those numbers, it’s almost certain Netanyahu will get the chance to form a government.

Exit poll results indicate that when the count is complete, Netanyahu likely will get the nod from President Isaac Herzog to form a governing coalition.

Iranian Christians Need Your Prayers Through Horrific Persecution

A new report from the U.K. government corroborated what persecution watchdogs have long warned: Iran is a dangerous place for Christian converts and those embracing biblical faith.

The report noted that the vast majority of Iranians—99.6%—are Muslim, with just .3% embracing other religions, including the Christian faith.

Iranian Christians are generally placed into three categories. The first, ethnic Christians, include Armenians, Assyrians and Chaldeans, who tend to be Orthodox or Catholic. While generally protected by the state, individuals in these groups are considered second-class citizens.

Abortion Is Mercy? Maybe to This Actress, But the Bible Defines the Word Much Differently

In the King James Version of the Bible, the word mercy is used 292 times.

According to the King James Bible Dictionary, mercy is defined as “compassion for the miserable. Its object is misery. By the atoning sacrifice of Christ a way is open for the exercise of mercy towards the sons of men, in harmony with the demands of truth and righteousness.”

But never—ever—is mercy in the Bible connected to killing. But that’s what actress Anne Hathaway told members of the panel on a recent episode of “The View.” An abortion rights activist, Hathaway is the star of such films as “The Devil Wears Prada,” “The Princess Diaries,” “Love and Other Drugs” and “The Dark Night Rises.” {eoa}