News and Prophecy Staff

“The Chinese government is struggling to contain the collapse of a stock-market rally it helped engineer, announcing late Monday that it will step up its purchases of shares to prop up sagging indexes.

“California’s historic drought appears to be matched by severe dry spells on three other continents. Brazil, North Korea and South Africa are bearing the brunt of much lower-than-average precipitation, wreaking havoc on millions of peoples’ lives and livelihoods” (USA Today, July 27, 2015).

“Christians are facing growing persecution around the world, fuelled mainly by Islamic extremism and repressive governments...

After 54 years of animosity, Cuba and the U.S. “formally restored diplomatic relations after an agreement struck last year putting aside decades of hostility came into force. Just after midnight local time [July 20, 2015], the diplomatic missions of each country became full embassies.

"Why America is Falling Behind the Rest of the World" is the title of a sobering new Time Magazine article (July 21, 2015). The article reviews twelve signs of the decline of America—the research findings of two faculty members at Brooklyn College and City University of New York.