World News and Trends: More troubling trends in the Middle East
A disturbing recent communiqué reveals that "teams of technicians have arrived in Teheran to work on the final stages of Iran's long-range missile programme, providing the ayatollahs with the ability to pose a substantial threat to the entire Middle East."
The article explains: "As the West concentrates its attention on curbing Iraq's attempts to develop non-conventional weapons, Iran has been developing its own weapons of mass destruction, uninhibited by the prying eyes of United Nations inspectors."
This feature continues: "The Iranians are trying to complete development of the Shahab three and four missiles, which would have a range of up to 1,000 miles."
Conditions in the military and political world may not have changed as much as we might have thought. "Apart from working closely with the North Koreans and Chinese, the Iranians are still co-operating with Russian missile experts. An estimated 350 Iranians are registered as 'students' in Russia, conducting experiments at the two main missile research establishments in Moscow, the Tsagi and Mai institutes."
Finally, a stern warning from the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), comprised of 331 members of the British Parliament ranging across all political parties: "When it comes to acquiring weapons of mass destruction, there is essentially little difference between Iraq and Iran. Like Iraq, Iran wants to build an arsenal of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. It is in the interests of international security that effective action is taken to stop them from doing so." (Source: The Sunday Telegraph [London].)
An Article from:
Good News Magazine: March - April 1998
Course Content
John Ross Schroeder
John died on March 8, 2014, in Oxford, England, four days after suffering cardiac arrest while returning home from a press event in London. John was 77 and still going strong.
Some of John's work for The Good News appeared under his byline, but much didn't. He wrote more than a thousand articles over the years, but also wrote the Questions and Answers section of the magazine, compiled our Letters From Our Readers, and wrote many of the items in the Current Events and Trends section. He also contributed greatly to a number of our study guides and Bible Study Course lessons. His writing has touched the lives of literally millions of people over the years.
John traveled widely over the years as an accredited journalist, especially in Europe. His knowledge of European and Middle East history added a great deal to his articles on history and Bible prophecy.
In his later years he also pastored congregations in Northern Ireland and East Sussex, and that experience added another dimension to his writing. He and his wife Jan were an effective team in our British Isles office near their home.
John was a humble servant who dedicated his life to sharing the gospel—the good news—of Jesus Christ and the Kingdom of God to all the world, and his work was known to readers in nearly every country of the world.
Scott Ashley
Scott Ashley was managing editor of Beyond Today magazine, United Church of God booklets and its printed Bible Study Course until his retirement in 2023. He also pastored three congregations in Colorado for 10 years from 2011-2021. He and his wife, Connie, live near Denver, Colorado.
Mr. Ashley attended Ambassador College in Big Sandy, Texas, graduating in 1976 with a theology major and minors in journalism and speech. It was there that he first became interested in publishing, an industry in which he worked for 50 years.
During his career, he has worked for several publishing companies in various capacities. He was employed by the United Church of God from 1995-2023, overseeing the planning, writing, editing, reviewing and production of Beyond Today magazine, several dozen booklets/study guides and a Bible study course covering major biblical teachings. His special interests are the Bible, archaeology, biblical culture, history and the Middle East.
