Religious

U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration is developing a national strategy to combat Islam fear as the White House faces skepticism from many Muslim Americans for its staunch support of Israel’s military assault on Hamas in Gaza. The White House originally was expected to announce its plans to develop the strategy when Biden met with Muslim leaders, but that was delayed, according to three people familiar with the matter. — AP, 10/31/2023

A spokesperson for Russia’s Chief Rabbinate in Dagestan said that hundreds of Jewish families in Dagestan should leave Dagestan and Russia altogether because “Russia is not salvation” as “there were pogroms in Russia too.” Russian President Vladimir Putin lauded (Editor’s note: this is the quote but it is likely false, testified to by the number of persecuted sects in Russia) Russia as a beacon of religious harmony at a meeting with leaders of several Russian religious organizations, including Jewish and Islamic faith leaders, on October 25. The Kremlin aims to position Russia as protecting its religious minorities against the backdrop of the Israeli-Hamas war and downplay tensions caused by the increasingly ultranationalist Russian Orthodox Church. — Institute for the Study of War (ISW),10/29/23.

The country’s largest Christian university is being fined $37.7 million by the federal government amid accusations that it misled students about the cost of its graduate programs. Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona, which has more than 100,000 students, mostly in online programs, faces the largest fine of its kind ever issued by the U.S. Education Department. The university dismissed the allegations as “lies and deceptive statements.” As far back as 2017, the university told students its doctoral programs would cost between $40,000 and $49,000. The department found that less than 2% of graduates completed programs within the range, with 78% paying an additional $10,000 to $12,000. — AP, 10/31/2023

Social

Scientists and government authorities were working on an early warning system for glacial floods at a Himalayan lake in northeast India when it broke its banks with deadly consequences. Mountainous Sikkim state plunged into chaos as floods spurred by heavy rain and an avalanche killed at least 40 people. It was one of the worst disasters in the region in 50 years, and dozens remained missing. — Reuters, 10/7/2023

For the first time in U.S. Census Bureau history, the official counts for 22 detailed groups that are classified as Some Other Race (SOR) were tabulated. The SOR category includes non-Hispanic groups (such as Mauritanian), Multiracial and Multiethnic responses (such as “Biracial”) and Hispanic responses (such as “Mexican”). Brazilian was the largest SOR group reported as SOR (excluding Hispanic responses and Multiracial and Multiethnic responses such as “Biracial”). Brazilian was followed by Guyanese, Cabo Verdean, Belizean, and Mauritanian. — U.S. Census Bureau, 10/24/2023

Oregon State Senate Bill 744 orders a review of state graduation requirements and suspends a requirement that Oregon students in the classes of 2022, 2023 and 2024 show proficiency in Essential Learning Skills in order to graduate. The new law passed the Oregon Legislature in June without much fanfare, but newspaper articles and editorials started highlighting the bill, saying Oregon students don’t have to prove they can read, write, or do math anymore. Every state was permitted to skip standardized testing altogether in 2020 because of the pandemic. In 2021, testing returned, with Oregon receiving approval to scale back its standardized testing. Students will still have to pass all of their classes to earn the 24 credits towards graduation and school districts say it’s rare that this requirement is the “sole reason” students don’t graduate. — OPB, 11/1/2023

More than 50 years after The Beatles broke up, the band have announced the release of their “last song”. Called “Now And Then”, it is based on a 1970s demo recording by John Lennon, and was completed last year by Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Ringo Starr. Scheduled for release November 2, AI technology was used to “extricate” Lennon’s vocals from an old cassette. — BBC News,10/26/23

Political

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is urging Congress to authorize the production of a significantly more powerful nuclear bomb, surpassing the capabilities of the two bombs employed in World War II. Military officials argue these weapons are crucial for safeguarding Americans against escalating global threats. Military leaders announced their plan to pursue the production of the B61-13 nuclear gravity bomb, a weapon 24 times more powerful than the bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan during World War II. “If you look at the bombs of Japan in Hiroshima, Nagasaki, approximately each of those bombs, killed 80,000 civilians at one location and 40,000 at another. So multiply that times 24, and that’ll give you a good perspective of the dynamics of this weapon, and how far we’ve come technologically to advancing our nuclear armaments,” said Donald Bramer, a former naval intelligence officer. — Defense News, 10/31/2023

In a statement, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Space Policy John Plumb said the need for the nuclear weapon reflects “a changing security environment and growing threats from potential adversaries.” North Korea is poised to close as many as a dozen embassies including in Spain, Hong Kong, and multiple countries in Africa, according to media reports and analysts, in a move that could see nearly 25 percent of Pyongyang’s missions close worldwide. North Korea’s recent closing of its diplomatic missions was a sign that the reclusive country is struggling to make money overseas because of international sanctions, South Korea’s unification ministry said. — Reuters, 10/21/2023

Pakistani authorities began rounding up undocumented foreigners, most of them Afghans, who must leave the country or face expulsion. Pakistan set the Nov. 1 start date last month for the expulsion of all undocumented immigrants, including hundreds of thousands of Afghans. It cited security reasons, brushing off calls to reconsider from the United Nations, rights groups and Western embassies. Some of those ordered to leave have spent decades in Pakistan. The interior ministry said 140,322 people had already voluntarily left after days in which trucks piled high with belongings and crammed with people have jammed major roads out of the country. — Reuters, 11/1/2023

Hong Kong’s government is grappling with an exodus of citizens and a plummeting birthrate. The city has lost its appeal to some residents over the last four years, hurt by strict rules during the Covid-19 pandemic, anxieties about the growing political influence of Beijing, and competition from Singapore and elsewhere. Those who choose to remain in the city are increasingly opting out of having children: Hong Kong’s fertility rate is the lowest in the world. The city’s government hopes to address this problem by paying a cash bonus of $2,550 to couples who have children. In addition, they will have access to renting or buying government-subsidized housing and increased access to in vitro fertilization. — Wall Street Journal, 10/28/2023

An aspiring young scientist hailing from Annandale, Virginia, has secured the coveted title of “America’s Top Young Scientist” for his groundbreaking creation — a bar of soap designed to combat skin cancer. At just 14 years old, Heman Bekele emerged as the victor of the 2023 3M Young Scientist Challenge, standing out among nine other finalists with his innovative creation known as the Skin Cancer Treating Soap (SCTS). In recognition of his exceptional achievement, this ninth-grade prodigy is set to receive a substantial cash award of $25,000. — SunnySkyz, 10/26/2023

Financial

Future energy consumption is expected to reach unprecedented levels as the global population grows from 7.9 billion people in 2022 to 9.1 billion people in 2040. In 2022, the world’s usage was roughly 178,000 terawatt-hours but is expected to climb to 213,000 in 2040, according to a report from investment manager Cohen & Steers. Traditional energy — oil, gas and coal — will still serve 65 percent of all energy needs in 2040. However, wind solar and other alternative energy is going to provide more than twice current levels. “The marketplace cannot and will not be dependent on one energy source or the other. With the exception of coal, we are in a ‘more of everything’ world for the next few decades,” according to the report. — Institutional Investor, 9/27/2023

In a groundbreaking development that will bring immense relief to nearly 3,000 Morehouse College graduates, a partnership has been formed between the National Union for Debtors and the institution to eliminate a staggering $10 million of student debt. The Debt Collective, in a bold move, has begun notifying graduates that their student loan balances are now reduced to zero, with no strings attached. The genesis of this remarkable action lies in the ongoing student debt crisis, which has been taking a heavy toll, particularly on black students. Morehouse College’s Political Science professor, Andrew Douglas, seized the opportunity to address this issue head-on, inspired by philanthropist Robert Smith’s generous act of paying off the entire graduating class’s debt in 2019 — SunnySkyz, 10/27/2023

JPMorgan Chase agreed to pay $75 million to the U.S. Virgin Islands to settle claims that the bank enabled the sex trafficking acts committed by financier Jeffrey Epstein. Of that amount, $10 million will be used for a fund to provide mental health services for Epstein’s survivors, according to the Virgin Islands Department of Justice. The Virgin Islands, where Epstein had an estate, sued JPMorgan last year, as its investigation revealed that the financial services giant enabled Epstein’s recruiters to pay victims and helped to conceal the activity. — AP, 9/23/2023

The Federal Reserve revealed that in 2022, the average net worth of American families topped $1 million for the first time, surging 42% from $749,000 in 2019. Of course, that average is skewed by a small number of billionaires and multimillionaires. Yet it would be a mistake to therefore conclude that wealth gains are purely a phenomenon of the top 1%. About 16 million American families — just over 12% — have wealth exceeding $1 million, up from 9.8 million families in 2019. Nearly eight million families are multimillionaires, i.e., their wealth exceeds $2 million, up from 4.7 million. Indeed, the biggest wealth gains between 2019 and 2022 were among the approximately 13 million families in the 80th to 90th percentile of the income distribution. Their median wealth jumped 69% from 2019, adjusted for inflation, to $747,000 in 2022. — Wall Street Journal, 10/27/2023

Russia’s central bank has put up its key interest rate to 15% to try to curb inflation and bolster a weak ruble. Globally the pace of price rises has been high, in part due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Inflation in Russia hit 6% in September. There has also been increased government spending in Russia as it pours resources into its war machine. The Bank of Russia, the country’s central bank, has now raised rates by 7.5 percentage points since July as it seeks to get inflation back down to its 4% target. — BBC News, 10/27/23

Israel and the Middle East

EDITOR’S NOTE: Since the war in Israel broke out on October 7, news from Israel has been rightly focused on that topic. While many Bible Students believe the events now taking place in Israel are part of Biblical prophecy, it is impossible to assure that the things reported in this column are current at the time the issue went to print. News in this section regarding the conflict is limited to items which are not time- sensitive.

Iran has directed its proxy and partner militias in Lebanon, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen to attack US and Israeli targets. Iran has historically provided extensive material and financial support as well as training to its proxies in the region. The IRGC Quds Force has coordinated the deployment of hundreds of Iranian- backed militants in southern Lebanon and southwestern Syria since the war began. These militants include military engineers and missile experts, among others. — ISW, 10/26/23

Iraqi militia leaders from the Islamic Resistance in Iraq reaffirmed on October 26 their commitment to waging a long-term fight against the United States, indicating that the group will conduct additional attacks in the coming days. Kataib Hezbollah (KH) leader Abdul Ali al Askari stated that the group is prepared to fight the United States “for years.” Asaib Ahl al Haq leader Qais Khazali stated that Iraqi militias are attacking the United States for its support for Israel. — ISW, 10/26/23

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant signed an agreement in Berlin to provide Israel’s Arrow 3 missile- defense system to Germany. At an estimated value of $3.5 billion, the deal is the largest of its kind in Israel’s history. The first missile battery, including radar, launch and interception management systems, is to be supplied to the Germans by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) by the fourth quarter of 2025. — Jewish Press, 9/29/2023

A recent Reuters report revealed that Saudi Arabia’s main objective in its peace negotiations with Israel and talks with the US is to establish a military defense pact with the United States. According to sources closely involved in the discussions, the Saudis are resolute in their decision to make peace with Israel, even in the absence of any substantial concessions from the Israeli side to the Palestinian Authority. Saudi Arabia’s focus lies primarily in solidifying its security alliance with the United States rather than the establishment of a “Palestinian state” or even major concessions. — Jewish Press, 9/29/2023

Israeli start-up Zohar Cleantech is seeking to tackle what its website called the “biggest challenge ever” for modern society in the form of municipal solid waste. By 2025, the global expense for waste treatment will reach an estimated US $375 billion per year. Some 70% of those expenses will stem from urban areas. Zohar Cleantech offers a solution in the form of thermal gasification technology to consume the waste. By heating municipal solid waste to 1,000°C [1832°F] with a controlled amount of oxygen, the waste breaks down to produce carbon dioxide, hydrogen and carbon monoxide. This technology eliminates all the waste that would normally be transported to a landfill and can convert household waste into energy. — Bridges For Peace, 10/27/2023

The Siloam Pool has long been considered a sacred Christian site, even if the correct identification of the site itself was uncertain. According to the Gospel of John, it was at the Siloam Pool where Jesus healed the blind man (John 9:1-11). Traditionally, the Christian site of the Siloam Pool was the pool and church that were built by the Byzantine empress Eudocia (ca. 400-460 AD) to commemorate the miracle recounted in the New Testament. However, the exact location of the original pool as it existed during the time of Jesus remained a mystery until June 2004. During construction work to repair a large water pipe south of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, at the southern end of the ridge known as the City of David, archaeologists Ronny Reich and Eli Shukron identified two ancient stone steps. Further excavation revealed that they were part of a monumental pool from the Second Temple period, the period in which Jesus lived. It was recently announced that eight steps have been unearthed leading to the pool .— Bible History Daily, 8/23/2023