Syria’s Bashar al-Assad recently resigned as the nation’s leader and fled the country, ending the brutal 54-year family reign. Opposition forces brought the country’s 13-year civil war to an end by finally capturing major strongholds and Damascus itself. Al-Assad’s governmental collapse appears to coincide with declining support from Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah. In his absence, rival factions now seek power in the country. This division among would-be leaders may prevent future stability in Syria.

As you’ve undoubtedly guessed from seeing more and more houses lit up at night, Christmas—one of the most popular holidays—approaches. Many people probably celebrate Christmas as just part of “normal” culture, but many others surely celebrate it out of what they would call their Christian beliefs. For those who do keep it out of sincere religious belief, sometimes I wonder how many of them ponder the important question: Is Christmas in the Bible?

We live in a world where children are often abused and even treated as a commodity. Many children grow up without a parent or without both parents, and too many know lives with little hope—but plenty of fear. As a new UNICEF report highlights, “Early exposure [to violence] can cause toxic stress, affecting brain development, and lead to aggression, substance abuse, and criminal behaviour.

“Germany is developing an app to help people locate the nearest bunker in the event of attack. Sweden is distributing a 32-page pamphlet titled If Crisis or War Comes. Half a million Finns have already downloaded an emergency preparedness guide” (The Guardian, November 29, 2024).