News

Modern research supports an activity God has long encouraged and reveals benefits He no doubt designed: Singing in a group benefits those involved by helping people bond and feel part of the group and by improving physical and mental health (The Conversation, October 28, 2015).

Reuters reports that a recent poll in Italy is causing some concern: “Almost half of Italians are in favor of having a ‘strongman’ in power who does not care about parliament and elections… casting doubts on the strength of democracy in a major European nation” (December 6, 2019). Italians are fed up with the lack of economic recovery following the 2008 global recession, as well as with ongoing governmental failures.

Last week, Britain held yet another election—one that had been promised by Boris Johnson in the wake of Britain’s last Brexit attempt. Pollsters predicted a very close race between the conservative, pro-Brexit incumbent, Boris Johnson, and his liberal, Labor rival, Jeremy Corbyn. However, the outcome of the election was anything but close. Johnson secured what many are calling a “landmark victory” over Corbyn, granting him a clear majority government.

The Economist reported on December 10 that two of the three remaining members retired from the appellate body of the World Trade Organization (WTO), “which hears appeals in trade disputes and authorises sanctions against rule-breakers” (November 28, 2019). This means that any decisions made by the WTO that are appealed will have only one of the required three judges to hear the appeal.

Florida produces 70 percent of the United States’ supply of citrus—it is the world’s largest producer of grapefruit and, behind Brazil, the second-largest producer of orange juice. Florida produces 90 percent of the United States’ orange juice in most seasons. Citrus and its related industries produce roughly $9 billion in revenue for the state of Florida annually.