News and Prophecy Staff

A writer for the BBC recently made a sobering assessment of two nations that have led the Western World. Noting the “uncertainty in Westminster” and “something nearing chaos in Washington” he wrote, “Neither Britain nor America can boast strong and stable governments. Neither have the look of global exemplars. In the six weeks since Theresa May called her snap election, the global tectonic plates have shifted fast, leaving Britain and America increasingly adrift” (BBC, June 9, 2017).

Researchers have long known that marriage has many emotional and physical benefits. Now, it seems that marriage can even protect your heart-health. Recent research conducted in the UK suggests that for people with risk factors for heart disease (high cholesterol and high blood pressure), being married provides a “survival advantage… ‘[T]here’s something about being married that is protective’” (BBC, June 7, 2017).

Last week French President Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May met to discuss a new, joint counter-terrorism effort aimed at online hate speech and encrypted messaging. A key focus of the effort will be to “make sure internet operators ‘delete any content promoting hatred and terrorism in any way’” (EU Observer, June 14, 2017). Their project will also target tech companies (primarily social media sites) that allow “unacceptable content” to remain on their websites.

Many are watching Germany’s newfound zeal to lead Europe (Politico, June 12, 2017).

Last week, The Guardian reported that North Korea “fired a volley of what appeared to be land-to-ship missiles, hours after a senior U.S.