News and Prophecy Staff

Muhammad died in 632 AD and his followers disagreed over the next Caliph (leader of Islam). Believers in a Muhammadan dynasty chose his cousin and son-in-law, Ali, who was eventually killed. Ali’s followers, feeling betrayed, separated from the majority (Sunnis) and called themselves, Party of Ali or Shiat Ali—thus the name Shiites (Time, September 16, 2009).

With its growing power-base in Brussels, the EU is requiring more fiscal accountability from member-states (EU Observer, May 30, 2013).  But responding to Brussels’ directive to revise its pension system, France’s President Hollande commented, “The European Commission cannot dictate to us what we have to do.  It can simply say that France has to balance its public accounts, which is true” (ibid.).

The Boy Scout Oath begins, “On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty to God…” Last week, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) voted to reverse a long-held policy banning openly homosexual youth from membership—a move its chief executive called “compassionate, caring and kind” (New York Times, May 23, 2013).  Interestingly, the socially conservative Mormon church also gave “tacit approval” to the change (

Chinese hackers recently gained access to multiple advanced key U.S. weapons systems, which could prove extremely damaging to the U.S. in the future. This espionage could “… give China knowledge that could be exploited in a conflict, such as the ability to knock out communications and corrupting data… It also could speed China’s development of its defense technology” (Reuters, May 28, 2013).

In a recent study conducted for the BBC by GlobeScan and PIPA, more than 26,000 people in nations around the globe were interviewed to learn about their views of other nations (BBC, May 23, 2013).  This has been a recurring study since 2005.  Of the 22 nations asked about in the survey, interviewees reported seeing Germany in the most positive light.