News and Prophecy Staff

Last week, Iranian protesters in Tehran stormed the British Embassy.  According to the Geneva Convention, host nations are responsible for the safety and protection of foreign diplomats on their soil, yet virtually no protection or intervention was provided by Iranian security forces.  In response, the British Foreign Secretary announced the immediate closure of the Embassy and withdrawal of embassy staff. Additionally, he expelled Iranian diplomats from Britain and closed Iran’s London Embassy.

“Mexico is being battered by its worst drought in seven decades, which has devastated farm life and is expected to continue into next year.  The lack of rainfall has affected almost 70 percent of the country,” with the northern states experiencing the most severe drought.  “The government has cut its forecast for corn production [the staple crop] two times in 2011,” and nearly half-a-million cattle have died in desert-like pastures.  The deputy director of Mexico’s National Water Commission has noted that since the dry season is now underway, the nation’s hopes lie with rainfall next June.

With the ongoing debt crisis in Europe, the specter of an EU break-up looms ominously over the continent.  Many nations now see the negative repercussions of such a breakup and are calling for action to prevent it.  This week Poland’s Foreign Affairs Minister made a sobering appeal from Berlin:  “I will probably be the first Polish foreign minister in history to say so, but here it is.  I fear German power less than I am beginning to fear German inactivity.

Plunging European real estate values have China eyeing future infrastructure purchases.  Despite European nations being loath to sell their infrastructure to China (e.g., railroads, power companies, and factories), Chinese investors are circling and waiting for prices to “hit bottom.”  China’s Minister of Commerce made the following statement this week:  “Next year, we will send a delegation for promoting trade and investment to the European countries...

For years, scientists have warned about the growing strength and drug resistance of bacteria.  In Europe, nations are reporting drug resistance of up to 50% with some bacterial infections.  This means that antibiotics used to treat certain bacterial infections are failing half of the time.  Experts cite overprescribing and misuse as major reasons that antibiotics are failing (Reuters, November 17, 2011).