The Times reports that Europe (including Britain) is facing a “demographic bomb” (January 20, 2020). For generations, fertility rates in the region have been falling and life expectancy has been increasing. But as the average age of the population in most European nations is increasing, working-age populations are shrinking! “At 43, the median age in the continent is now 12 years older than the rest of the world,” writes columnist Charles Bremner.

In response to recent European moves to censure Iranian nuclear activity, Iran revealed images of its three underground “missile cities” (Jerusalem Post, January 15, 2020). Buried at a bomb-proof depth—over a quarter of a mile underground in the Iranian mountains—these underground missile warehouses contain both ballistic missiles and solid-fuel rockets.

The world is anxiously watching the coronavirus, which originated in central China. Appearing suddenly, it rapidly spread in Wuhan, a city of 11 million located in Hubei province (population 58 million). The Chinese government has severely restricted all travel, attempting to quarantine several cities. Despite these drastic measures, the virus—which has flu-like symptoms and can be deadly—has spread to Europe and North America.

The Horn of Africa is battling the worst locust plague to hit the region in seven decades (The Telegraph, January 26, 2020). “In biblical style, the locusts have already devoured and destroyed 70,000 hectares (175,000 acres) of farmland across Somalia and Ethiopia.” Tremendous rainfall in the region has optimized breeding conditions for the insects, resulting in a massive population explosion.