News and Prophecy Staff

Test scores of United States high school students reveal a decline in college and career readiness. The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reports that twelfth-grade reading and math scores fell to their lowest levels on record in 2024, and similar results were observed in the test scores of fourth- and eighth- graders.

A drastic increase in gang-related violence and other crimes has prompted the South African government to deploy military troops in several of the nation’s provinces (Deutsche Welle, March 11, 2026). Current estimates suggest that across the country between 63 and 70 people are murdered and about 50 are kidnapped each day.

A review published in the internationally respected Journal of the American Medical Association analyzed 2,500 studies published within the past two decades on the risks and benefits of marijuana use (ScienceDaily.com, December 12, 2025).

In retaliation against Israel and the United States, Iran is attacking European assets in the Middle East and even its Arab neighbors. As a result, Iran’s Arab neighbors seem to be considering tighter cooperation and even joint military action.

Each year, over 62 million tons of waste generated by discarded or broken electronic devices are generated globally (The English Chronicle, February 26, 2026). That amounts to “enough waste to fill 1.55 million 40-tonne trucks, which lined up bumper-to-bumper would encircle the equator” (Oceanographic Magazine, February 25, 2026).