News and Prophecy Staff

As China persists in its claim of islands in the South China Sea, “Japan plans to dispatch its largest warship on a three-month tour through the South China Sea beginning in May… in its biggest show of naval force in the region since World War Two” (Reuters, March 14, 2017). “‘The aim is to test the capability of the [carrier] Izumo by sending it out on an extended mission,’ said one of the sources who have knowledge of the plan. ‘It will train with the U.S.

An article in Deutsche Welle warns, “More than half a million poultry in Germany have been killed since the latest outbreak of highly contagious bird flu… Nearly 40 countries in Europe, Asia and Africa have reported outbreaks of various strains of avian flu in poultry or wild birds since November, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Recently, Sweden “reintroduced a military draft for both men and women because of what Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist called a deteriorating security environment in Europe and around Sweden” (Time, March 2, 2017). A major reason for this move was the ominous threat to the Baltic nations from Russia and its increasingly aggressive activity across Europe (ibid.). Sweden is just one nation of many that are concerned with deteriorating stability across Europe and the globe.

The Economist reports, “This year’s [French] presidential election, the most exciting in living memory, promises an upheaval” (March 4, 2017).

A recent study published by researchers from Carnegie Mellon University indicates that married people experience lower stress levels (on average) than those not yet married or previously married (Time, February 16, 2017). Basing their conclusions on lower cortisol levels among married couples, researchers hypothesize that the lower cortisol levels may lead not only to lower stress, but also to lower levels of heart problems, cancer, diabetes, and improved immunity (ibid.).