News and Prophecy Staff

A sobering new report by the World Health Organization, based on 2016 data (the most recent available), documents an increase in the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in recent years. “More than 1 million people catch an STD, or sexually transmitted infection (STI), every day across the globe, with chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis and syphilis of greatest concern” (Deutsche Welle, June 6, 2019).

A few weeks ago, President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner unveiled his peace plan for Israel and the Palestinian people (Deutsche Welle, June 25, 2019). Dubbed “Peace to Prosperity” and “the deal of the century,” the investment plan calls for increased technology, communications, and transportation infrastructure between Gaza and the West Bank.

Society has long known that your choice of mate will have a powerful impact on your future. A new study at Tilburg University in the Netherlands sheds even more light on the importance of choosing a future mate wisely.

A recent study of British police officers revealed some startling results: “Eight out of ten police officers have been physically attacked and a third suffered injuries last year” (The Times, July 1, 2019). During 2017–2018, there was a 20% rise in assaults on police officers—over 26,000 in total. One third of police surveyed reported assault injuries so severe that they needed medical attention.

In response to Iran’s downing of an American surveillance drone in international waters, the United States launched a cyber-attack on Iranian weapons systems, including their missiles and rockets (The Guardian, June 22, 2019). The attack had apparently been planned for weeks and was first conceived in response to the suspected Iranian attack of two international oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz.