News

When my wife and I get up to have our morning coffee, we often say, “Shall we turn on the news and see what ‘blew up’ last night?” We wonder: What disaster, murders, shootings, riots, robberies, accidents, fires, pandemic deaths, political bickering, legislative logjams, scandals, bankruptcies, lawsuits, debt increases, or other negative things happened since yesterday? There is usually something to sigh about.

As the countries of the world reel from the debilitating effects of the coronavirus pandemic and tensions erupt in political strife and division, a literal explosion in the smallest country in the Middle East has grabbed everyone’s attention. The massive blast occurred at the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon, when 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate exploded.

For much of the last century, the economic engine of America has helped fuel the economies of nations around the globe.

According to a recent Gallup poll about global leadership, “Germany maintained its position as the most highly rated country in the world for a third year running in 2019, while the US approval ratings stayed well below those achieved under the last administration” (Deutsche Welle, July 27, 2020). The United States, a distant second to Germany, was followed closely by China and Russia respectively.