News and Prophecy Staff

NPR reports that U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently shared a sobering view of the world today, stating that “a wind of madness is sweeping the globe” (February 4, 2020). According to NPR, Guterres also observed that “cascading challenges” and “vicious circles” currently characterize the state of the world, putting peace and stability at risk.

The Times reports that Europe (including Britain) is facing a “demographic bomb” (January 20, 2020). For generations, fertility rates in the region have been falling and life expectancy has been increasing. But as the average age of the population in most European nations is increasing, working-age populations are shrinking! “At 43, the median age in the continent is now 12 years older than the rest of the world,” writes columnist Charles Bremner.

In response to recent European moves to censure Iranian nuclear activity, Iran revealed images of its three underground “missile cities” (Jerusalem Post, January 15, 2020). Buried at a bomb-proof depth—over a quarter of a mile underground in the Iranian mountains—these underground missile warehouses contain both ballistic missiles and solid-fuel rockets.

The Horn of Africa is battling the worst locust plague to hit the region in seven decades (The Telegraph, January 26, 2020). “In biblical style, the locusts have already devoured and destroyed 70,000 hectares (175,000 acres) of farmland across Somalia and Ethiopia.” Tremendous rainfall in the region has optimized breeding conditions for the insects, resulting in a massive population explosion.

Three and a half years after Britain announced plans to exit the European Union, Brexit finally happened, and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson fulfilled his campaign pledge (NY magazine, January 31, 2020). The United Kingdom is no longer a voting member of the EU, but is still required to abide by European laws through the 11-month transition period.