News and Prophecy Staff

Arson and other attacks are on the rise across Europe and have been for years in the Netherlands. Recently, a major blast and fire occurred in The Hague, in an apartment building that is believed to have housed mainly elderly residents and families (Deutsche Welle, December 7, 2024). The explosion and fire destroyed five houses, and local authorities continue to search for the cause.

Syria’s Bashar al-Assad recently resigned as the nation’s leader and fled the country, ending the brutal 54-year family reign. Opposition forces brought the country’s 13-year civil war to an end by finally capturing major strongholds and Damascus itself. Al-Assad’s governmental collapse appears to coincide with declining support from Russia, Iran, and Hezbollah. In his absence, rival factions now seek power in the country. This division among would-be leaders may prevent future stability in Syria.

We live in a world where children are often abused and even treated as a commodity. Many children grow up without a parent or without both parents, and too many know lives with little hope—but plenty of fear. As a new UNICEF report highlights, “Early exposure [to violence] can cause toxic stress, affecting brain development, and lead to aggression, substance abuse, and criminal behaviour.

“Germany is developing an app to help people locate the nearest bunker in the event of attack. Sweden is distributing a 32-page pamphlet titled If Crisis or War Comes. Half a million Finns have already downloaded an emergency preparedness guide” (The Guardian, November 29, 2024).

The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom is currently hearing a case that seeks to define what a woman is (Associated Press, November 26, 2024). A conclusion that was once possible for a child in kindergarten to draw—whether someone is a man or a woman—now requires a panel of five adult judges with decades of legal and life experience.