News and Prophecy Staff

The European Union began discussing an EU army in 1999 and set up combat-ready battle groups in 2007—however, the battle groups have not yet been used (Euractive, May 6, 2021).

Iran is growing in power and influence throughout the Middle East, especially as the nation continues to gain stronger footholds in neighboring countries such as Yemen, Syria, and Iraq (Gatestone Institute, July 26, 2021). Iran has also targeted Lebanon, where the nation’s infrastructure and society as a whole is in shambles. Analyst Farouk Yusef has noted, “For many, there is no Lebanon.

Britain, by its own choice, is no longer a part of the European Union. But, could the EU wind up ejecting Hungary from the Union at some point in the future? “The [European] Commission is launching infringement procedures against Hungary and Poland related to the equality and the protection of fundamental rights” (ec.Europa.eu, July 15, 2021). Poland transgressed EU ideology by creating “LGBT-ideology free zones,” prompting EU officials to ask for more information.

China is developing a vast geographical infrastructure known as the Belt and Road Initiative, creating a new Silk Road. This project uses shipping, port development, railroads, and highways to increase global trade and generate trade revenue for China. In the last decade, China has spent massive amounts of financial and physical resources on this effort.

The British medical journal The Lancet recently reported that, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, “1.5 million children around the globe have lost a parent, guardian or grandparent who helped care for them” (The Hill, July 21, 2021).