In a landmark speech to the National Assembly, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero unveiled 176 measures aimed at rolling back the state’s role in the economy and attracting investment in everything from banking to tourism and agriculture. Under the reforms, foreign investors are no longer required to form joint ventures with the state, large private enterprises will be authorized, and both Cuban and foreign investors will be allowed to acquire stakes in state companies. Daniel Tor

Two decades of state investment have transformed Turkey into a major exporter of drones and other military equipment, and the NATO member is now looking to build on that momentum as the West rearms and security alliances are reshaped. Turkey, once heavily reliant on foreign arms makers, now supplies nearly 40 countries mainly in the ‌Gulf, Africa, Asia and parts of Europe with weapons that many buyers see as cheaper, faster to deliver and more adaptable than alternatives. A R

Switzerland rejected a proposal to cap its population at 10 million as voters prioritized economic stability and ties with the European Union over worries immigration was stretching public ‌services and pushing up rents. The vote, which was likened to Britain’s 2016 Brexit referendum, had put businesses on edge due to concerns it could end the free movement of labor between Switzerland and the EU, the country’s main trading partner. Urs Bieri from pollster GFS Bern said the c

Japan must “strengthen its defense capabilities,” Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has told the BBC, emphasizing the need to revisit the pacifist posture that has defined the country since World War Two. For the first time in about 50 years, Tokyo can now sell or transfer defense equipment and lethal weapons to the 17 countries with which it has signed formal agreements, including the US and the UK. Koizumi explained in a sit-down interview at his office in Tokyo: “This visi

The results continue to roll in … and they are shocking. Though some may think that the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and the Covid pandemic already belong to the history books, in reality, these types of financial fallout are epochal for the world … their development a chapter in the processes leading to the “end of days.” Readers might think this a sensationalist statement. However, by the end of this article, you may want to reconsider. Global financial crises such as ment

Jordanian textbooks used for the 2025-2026 school year contain antisemitic and anti-Israel themes, according to a report by international research and policy institute IMPACT-se. As an example, a Jordanian history textbook claimed that Jews attempted to destroy Germany’s economy during World War I and that Western support for the Balfour Declaration stemmed from “Jewish financial and political influence over the British Treasury and the US government.” A textbook for 9th-grad

Elbit Systems Ltd. announced that it secured an approximately $1.4 billion defense contract from an unnamed European nation to supply a comprehensive suite of military modernization systems over the next five years. The massive contract win was revealed alongside the Haifa-based company’s first-quarter 2026 financial results, which showed a 15.5% jump in quarterly revenue to $2.19 billion, pushing Elbit’s total order backlog past $30 billion for the first time. France barred

The world has become less peaceful than it was last year, according to the latest Global Peace Index. The index ranks 163 nations across 23 indicators, from military expenditure and ongoing conflict to homicide rates and perceptions of safety. The places that perform best typically combine low levels of violence with well-functioning institutions, high social trust, good relations with neighbors and a high quality of life. Top 10 countries in the 2026 Global Peace Index 1. Ic

During the Tribulation, the Antichrist will masquerade as God. We are already seeing the end-time tendencies that lead to this pinnacle of delusion about our own divinity. Today, these mostly appear in the way people deal with death and the climate. The answer that God gives in Revelation is as striking as it is highly relevant. Revelation 13 shows us the emergence of the beast, the Antichrist. Verses 5-6 make it clear that it is a human being. The beast has a large mouth for

As Israel’s gas exports to Egypt and Jordan have stopped and restarted three times since October 2023, Azerbaijan’s state oil company, known as SOCAR, has moved into every layer of Israel’s energy business at once. Those positions came together publicly at the 31st Baku Energy Forum and the first Azerbaijan-US Economic Dialogue. They provide backup supply when Israeli gas goes offline, as it did for 32 days during the Hormuz war. Israeli energy security analyst Elai Rettig of

Representatives from NATO militaries and European defense companies came to a series of field demonstrations of a critical Israeli system shown by Elbit Systems Ltd’s Swedish subsidiary, Walla reported. The system is now a basic capability for a modern army, but many NATO militaries still lack it because of years of neglect in defense buildup since the end of the Cold War. Now, as several European militaries fear a possible war with Russia, that gap is even more evident. “The

Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis said that they would ban Israeli maritime navigation in the Red Sea, adding to challenges for global shipping through the Middle East during the Iran war. The group said in a statement it had launched an attack on Israel and enacted a total ban on Israeli shipping in the Red Sea, warning of further ‌escalation. The Red Sea, leading to the Suez canal, is a crucial shipping lane in its own right, and during the Iran war has become the main alternati

A swarm of Moroccan locusts is wreaking havoc upon eastern Iran’s agricultural sector, according to Iranian media reports and footage showing large numbers of the insects descending on affected areas. Primarily feeding on grain crops, date palms, citrus fruits, fruit trees, olives, and figs, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has described the species as “one of the most serious pests of many cultivated plants.” Iran has now entered its sixth consecut

The Bible tells us that a time will come when commerce—the act of buying and selling—can be controlled worldwide. This facility will actually be invoked at one point during the Great Tribulation period: “He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name” (Revelation 13:16-17). This is a

The partnership between India and Israel is fortified by shared problems, mentalities, and opportunities, and the friendship between the two nations is only set to grow in the future, a group of Indian political figures, entrepreneurs, activists, influencers, journalists, and commentators told The Jerusalem Post. “Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister [Benjamin] Netanyahu, what they cemented during this visit was that we are civilizational partners,” said Vijeth Umbalagodu T

With friends, we were on a Rhine riverboat from Basel, Switzerland toward Germany. There was a waiter who looked Egyptian. I greeted him in my native language, and he actually replied in Arabic in my dialect. We got to know each other a little, and I started talking about Jesus. He apologized very politely, however, and said that he didn’t have the time nor the interest. Of course, I accepted that, but I still said, “I’m here on the ship for two days; if you have any question

Amid attempts by some in Israeli society to prevent women from serving in combat roles in the IDF, the air force is quietly establishing a special commando unit, similar to the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit, composed entirely of female soldiers. An IDF official said that its creation represents a broader shift in the mindset of the IDF, and the air force in particular, toward integrating women into significant and complex combat roles. The air force noted that after the w

Armenian prime minister Nikol Pashinyan gave the red-carpet treatment, with a military band, to EU Council chairman António Costa and European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen for a first-ever EU-Armenia summit in Yerevan. They also signed a six-page declaration celebrating the “historic milestone” in relations and envisaging EU investment in solar energy, transport links, and the AI and digital sectors in Armenia. Pashinyan said the EU investment blueprint and legal

Brazil was set to join other Latin American countries that have shortened working hours after the lower house of the Brazilian parliament approved a constitutional amendment establishing a 40-hour, five-day workweek. Currently, Brazilians work five eight-hour days and four hours on a sixth day for 44 hours total. The amendment would end the six-day workweek without reducing pay for at least 37 million people and establish a 40-hour weekly work limit. It would guarantee two co

Third Consolation: Perceive What Jesus Did for You “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). This is Jesus’ explanation for leaving the disciples. He’s going to prepare a place for them. We read, “In my Father’s house are many rooms” (John 14:2a). Therefore, the phrase “to prepare a place” must mean something else, since the rooms are already there. The word “prepare” doesn’t necessarily mean to construct a building. This verb often refers to making preparations for some