News and Prophecy Staff

Germany’s former foreign minister, Annalena Baerbock, has been elected as the president of the United Nations General Assembly (AP News, June 2, 2025). In spite of Russia’s call for a secret ballot, Ms. Baerbock won the election with an overwhelming 167 votes—nearly double the 88 necessary to win. Ms. Baerbock’s one-year term will begin in September, at the opening of the 80th session of the organization.

Almost a mile below the surface of the earth, in the U.S. state of South Dakota, scientists are building a machine that they hope will reveal why the universe exists (BBC, May 20, 2025). The DUNE project (Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment) is a collaboration between 1,400 scientists from 35 countries.

Recent developments with the Russo-Ukrainian war have created an opportunity for a new mediator of the conflict. “Pope Leo XIV… has signaled that the Vatican might be willing to mediate.

For decades, Latin America and the Caribbean have been under the protection and leadership of the United States. However, that is changing as America turns inward to focus on its own domestic issues. This has created a power vacuum that China seeks to fill, gaining new support, power, and influence in the Western Hemisphere (Barbados Today, May 17, 2025).

Germany’s new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, is wasting no time advancing Germany. Recently, U.S. President Donald Trump demanded that European nations increase their defense spending to 5 percent of their GDP (Deutsche Welle, May 18, 2025). Germany’s new foreign minister accepted the challenge on behalf of his nation, meaning that Germany will increase defense spending from about €90 billion to more than €160 billion.