News and Prophecy Staff

German Chancellor Angela Merkel is becoming increasingly unpopular in Germany due to her handling of the migrant crisis. “A newly published survey found that almost 40 percent of Germans are so angry with Chancellor Angela Merkel’s refugee policy that they want her to resign… At the same time, 45.4 percent of voters for the left-wing Die Linke party saw Merkel’s refugee stance as cause for her to resign” (The Local De, January 29, 2016).

“Pope Francis held talks with Iran’s president at the Vatican Tuesday [January 26], calling on Tehran to play a key role in stopping the spread of terrorism as Iran tries to improve its image in the global arena” (Associated Press, January 26, 2016).

“The UK is vulnerable to epidemics such as Ebola because of a gaping hole in the country’s ability to manufacture vaccines, a group of MPs has warned… ‘Existing [pharmaceutical] facilities are degraded… leaving the UK in a vulnerable position’” (BBC, January 25, 2016). How likely are Ebola and other new infectious diseases to make their way to the UK and the U.S.?

“Cooperation between Russia, Iran and China might signal a formation of a new world paradigm, able to re-define the global situation in the world both politically and strategically; the recent developments in the relations between the three might be more significant than many realize” (Sputnik News, January 26, 2016; Reuters, January 23, 2016).

Shinzo Abe, the Japanese prime minister expressed his desire to see 2016 as the year “Japan will shine on the global stage and demonstrate its leadership” (Japan Times, January 1, 2016).