Archaeologists excavating near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem recently unearthed small, impressed clay pieces (bullae) bearing the seal of King Hezekiah and the name of Isaiah (Biblical Archaeology Review, March-June 2018). The Isaiah bulla was missing a piece which may have had an additional letter.
Dictators appear to be increasing in number while a growing number of local and national leaders are stepping down under corruption allegations. The global corruption watchdog Transparency International recently released its Corruption Perceptions Index, which reported over two-thirds of nations are corrupt (Deutsche Welle, February 21, 2018). The nations of New...
Multiple research studies now show that those who regularly attend church services are healthier and live longer. A 2016 JAMA Internal Medicine study reported that “women who went to any kind of religious service more than once a week had a 33% lower chance than their secular peers of dying during the 16-year study-follow-up period” (Time, February 15, 2018).
The increasing rhetoric and military actions in Syria have “intensified fears that the Middle East is heading for all-out war”—although few think all-out war will become a reality (The Guardian, February 17, 2018).
President Jacob Zuma resigned last week under pressure from his party, the African National Congress (ANC). ANC leadership threatened to present him with a “no confidence vote” if he failed to voluntarily resign in the wake of numerous corruption charges (Al Jazeera, February 14, 2018). Mr. Zuma has been a part of the ANC since 1958 and spent ten years in prison...
A couple of weeks ago, Angela Merkel was finally able to piece together a coalition government. Although some are happy, her opponents have been critical of the concessions she was forced to make with the opposing Social Democratic party. Now, an increasing number of people, even within Mrs. Merkel’s own party, are calling for an end to her leadership (Financial...
“The Episcopal church in the Diocese of Washington, D.C., passed a resolution last week to stop using masculine pronouns for God in future updates to its Book of Common Prayer” (LifeSiteNews, February 1, 2018).
“Hamas officials believe there is a 95% probability that a war will break out between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza strip in the coming days” (Jewish Press, February 4, 2018). Palestinian leaders view current Israeli military exercises in southern Israel as a prelude to invasion. Israeli sources also feel war may be imminent, due to “provocations” emanating from...
The Canadian Bureau of Statistics recently reported that “Canadians spent $6.2bn (£3.5bn) on marijuana in 2015, almost as much as they did on wine”—and this was when marijuana was illegal (The Independent, December 20, 2017). According to this report, about 13 percent of the entire population reported consuming marijuana in 2015, with two-thirds of users being...
A recent article in the French independent newspaper Le Monde diplomatique stated, “An old nightmare returns in Europe; Germany alone within the EU” (January 2018). The article highlighted how several Central European nations continue to distance themselves from Germany and Brussels based on German-initiated policies driving the EU.
