This Week in the News

US Power Severely Limited—but the USA Does Not Notice it.

Foreign Policy wrote on April 26:

“The era of unilateralism is over—and Washington is the last to realize it.

“Just how powerful is the United States? Is it still the unipolar power, able to impose its will on adversaries, allies, and neutrals, and force them—however reluctantly—to go along with policies they think are foolish, dangerous, or simply contrary to their interests? Or are there clear and significant limits to U.S. power…?

“The Trump administration has embraced the first position, especially since John Bolton became White House national security advisor and Mike Pompeo took over as secretary of state. Whatever President Donald Trump’s initial instincts may have been, their arrival marked a return to the unilateralist… approach to foreign policy that characterized George W. Bush’s first term as president, when Vice President Dick Cheney and the neoconservatives held sway. A key feature of that earlier period was the assumption that the United States was so powerful that it could go it alone on many issues and that other states could be cowed into submission by demonstrations of U.S. power and resolve…

“The Bush-Cheney approach produced a string of failures, but the same unilateral arrogance lives on in the Trump administration… The underlying assumption… is… that other states won’t find ways to evade, obstruct, divert, dilute, hedge, hinder, or otherwise negate what Washington is trying to do…  Plus, most Americans don’t care all that much about foreign policy and are usually willing to go along with whatever the executive branch is doing, provided that it doesn’t prove too costly or embarrassing…”

Not only don’t most Americans care about foreign policy, they are also woefully uninformed about what is happening in the world outside the borders of the USA. And even then, most don’t realize what is really happening within the borders of the USA either. The Bible has prophesied that the UK and, by extension the USA, will become burned cakes which have not been turned, and they will not notice it.

Extending Trump’s Presidency?

Axios wrote on May 5:

“President Trump retweeted Liberty University President Jerry Falwell’s Twitter post calling for the first term of his presidency to be extended by 2 years for ‘time stolen’ and tweeted his own thoughts on the Mueller investigation Sunday. ‘Despite the tremendous success that I have had as President, including perhaps the greatest ECONOMY and most successful first two years of any President in history, they have stollen [sic] two years of my (our) Presidency (Collusion Delusion) that we will never be able to get back…’

“Trump made the remarks after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi… told The New York Times she worried the president might not give up power voluntarily if he lost the 2020 election by a narrow margin.”

It’s a moot question as Donald Trump will win the 2020 election. The issue is, however, what might happen in 2024.

650 Former Federal Prosecutors Charge Trump with Obstruction of Justice

Axios wrote on May 7:

“More than 650 former federal prosecutors have signed onto a statement asserting that if the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) did not prohibit a sitting president from being indicted, President Trump would be charged with obstruction of justice…

“Special counsel Robert Mueller laid out extensive evidence of possible obstruction by Trump in volume 2 of his report, though he ultimately opted not to make a ‘traditional prosecutorial judgment’ in part because of the OLC opinion. Attorney General Bill Barr’s decision to clear Trump of obstruction has drawn the ire of many Democrats and former prosecutors who believe he is acting as the president’s personal lawyer, rather than the country’s top law enforcement official.

“The statement is signed by more than 20 former U.S. attorneys and more than 100 career Justice Department officials who worked in every administration dating back to President Eisenhower. It cites a number of episodes Mueller detailed in his report as ‘acts that satisfy all of the elements for an obstruction charge’ — meaning obstructive conduct and ‘corrupt intent.’ Specifically, the prosecutors point to: ‘The President’s efforts to fire Mueller and to falsify evidence about that effort; The President’s efforts to limit the scope of Mueller’s investigation to exclude his conduct; and The President’s efforts to prevent witnesses from cooperating with investigators probing him and his campaign.’”

None of this matters, because Trump will not be indicted, and he will win the re-election in 2020.

Placing Iran on Notice

JTA wrote on May 5:

“The Trump administration is deploying air and sea strike forces to the Middle East in response to what it described as ‘troubling and escalatory indications and warnings’ from Iran… Israel blames a deadly escalation over the weekend on the Gaza Strip border in part on Iranian arming and funding of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorist group. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the hostilities were not related to the military ramp-up in the Persian Gulf…

“[National Security Adviser, John] Bolton said the U.S. was deploying the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group and a bomber task force to the U.S. Central Command region ‘to send a clear and unmistakable message to the Iranian regime that any attack on United States interests or on those of our allies will be met with unrelenting force.’ ‘The United States is not seeking war with the Iranian regime,’ he said, ‘but we are fully prepared to respond to any attack, whether by proxy, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps or regular Iranian forces.’

“The Trump administration is also backing Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, and the Saudis say the Houthi forces they are engaging in that country are a proxy for Iran. The Syrian civil war is in its final stages and parties to that conflict, including Iran and its ally, the Lebanese Hezbollah militia, are seeking to establish permanence in that country. The United States also wants to diminish Iranian influence in Iraq.”

Deutsche Welle reported on May 7:

“US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a surprise visit to Baghdad over concerns Iran ‘is escalating their activity.’… Pompeo had been on his way to Germany where he was due to meet both Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, but suddenly canceled the trip due to ‘pressing issues,’ the State Department initially said…

“Pompeo said he made the trip to Iraq because Iranian forces are ‘escalating their activity’ and the threat of attacks were ‘very specific.’ ‘These were attacks that were imminent,’ Pompeo said without discussing the intelligence in detail.”

North Korea vs. USA?

Donald Trump has said he does not think North Korea is ‘ready to negotiate’ after it launched suspected short-range missiles, in the second such weapons test in five days. ‘We’re looking at it very seriously right now,’ Trump told reporters in the White House. ‘Nobody’s happy about it.’…

“In another development likely to dent hopes of a resumption of talks, the US justice department said it had taken custody of a North Korean cargo ship it alleged had been involving in sanctions-busting by smuggling coal from Russia in defiance of a UN embargo.”

Ending USA-China Trade Truce?

Breitbart wrote on May 5:

“President Donald Trump said Sunday that he will hike the tariffs on $200 billion of imports from China to 25 percent from 10 percent on Friday…

“Trump’s tweets essentially end the so-called trade truce that has been in effect since December, when the president agreed with his Chinese counterpart to hold off on higher tariffs while the two nations negotiated a trade deal…”

The Sun wrote on May 9:

“Donald Trump wiped nearly $1.5 TRILLION off global markets in a single tweet after threatening to double China trade tariffs. Analysts have now pointed out that the President’s message cost a staggering $13bn a word.”

CNBC added on May 9:

“Dow falls 138 points, S&P drops for a fourth day as new China tariffs set to kick in at midnight.”

Germany Condemns Turkey

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 7:

“German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Tuesday condemned a controversial order to scrap the results of Istanbul’s mayoral election. Turkey’s top election body on Monday ordered a rerun of the vote after the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan alleged Ballot ‘irregularities’ and ‘organized corruption.’ Although AKP won most races in the March local polls, it lost the major cities of Ankara and Istanbul to the opposition.  Maas called the election body’s decision… ‘incomprehensible to us.’…

“The electoral board’s decision means a new Istanbul vote will be held on June 23. Erdogan described the planned rerun as an ‘important step’ for the country… Former German Greens leader Cem Özdemir, who has Turkish roots, told Agence France-Presse the annulment had ‘nothing to [do] with democracy,’ but rather proves that Erdogan is a ‘bitter old man, who has long passed the zenith of his power.’ ‘In the world of Recep Tayyip Erdogan, everyone who thinks differently to him is a terrorist, and every election he loses is a sham election,’ he said…

“Turkey’s opposition called the election board’s decision undemocratic and a sign the country had become a ‘dictatorship.’ Critics have long accused Erdogan of using his power to repress political opponents and silence critical voices in the media. The local elections in March were seen as his first test at the polls since last year’s currency crisis, which led to skyrocketing inflation and recession. And although his AKP won overall, the loss of the capital, Ankara, and economic powerhouse Istanbul, served a huge blow

“The defeat in Turkey’s largest city, home to 16 million people, came as a major shock to Erdogan and his AK party. Istanbul had been held by the AKP and its Islamic predecessors for more than two decades. It was also a personal loss for Erdogan, who grew up in the city and began his rise to political prominence as mayor there in the early 90s…”

Even though Turkey is becoming more and more alienated from the rest of Europe, due to Erdogan’s dictatorship, the Bible shows that in the future, Turkey will collaborate with Europe against Israel.

A European Army

Euractiv wrote on May 3:

“The controversial subject of the EU’s future plans for a common army provoked lively exchanges during the second Spitzenkandidaten debate on Thursday (2 May), just three weeks before the European polls. With security and defence likely to become one of the main priorities for the next European Commission, the most confrontational moment revolved around the question of whether the EU should pool its military resources.

“The idea has gained political momentum in recent months, floated by French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. However, the issue exposed a rift along party lines, with both Verhofstadt and Weber speaking out in favour, while Timmermans and Keller [voiced] their opposition against the plans.

“Liberal Verhofstadt called for Europe’s armies to merge within five years… ‘We spend nearly half of the Americans, we spend three times more than the Russians on the military in Europe, but I am not sure if the Russians come this way that we are capable to stop them…’

“His comments feed into the current state of play around the bloc, whereas there are currently approximately 178 different weapon systems in the EU, compared to only around 30 in the US… In a nod to Verhofstadt, Weber defended the vision of the EU army and called for ‘great ambitions’ when talking about the future of European defence…

“Green candidate Keller responded. ‘… if the one, big dream for Europe is about an army… [who] would send such an army into action?’… Timmermans, former Dutch foreign minister… declared the project unrealistic. He scolded Verhofstadt, telling him not to ‘over-promise’, and that ‘there will be no EU army for the foreseeable future.’”

Well, Keller and Timmermans will be proven to be wrong. A European army will exist, and a charismatic figure, called the beast in the Bible, will ultimately be in complete command of the army and send it into action.

Sebastian Kurz—“No EU Army, Need for a New Treaty”

Politico wrote on May 4:

“The EU must negotiate a new treaty with stronger collective rules and tougher sanctions for member countries that step out of line while at the same time reining in expansive projects such as an EU army, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (32) told Die Presse…

“His comments in a wide-ranging interview with the Vienna-based newspaper on the day his party launched its European election campaign are particularly crucial because he occupies an unusually strategic spot within the European Council, which must nominate the next European Commission president. He is a member of the center-right European People’s Party (EPP), which is projected once again to win the most seats in the European Parliament. He is a fierce supporter of the EU, but has also taken a tough line on immigration that makes him something of a bridge to more conservative leaders to Austria’s east…

“Kurz’s most substantive argument was that the Lisbon Treaty, which came into force in 2009, needs to be renovated to meet modern challenges, including stiff punishment for countries that violate rule of law and democracy standards or penalties for those that fail to enforce immigration laws. ‘Since the Lisbon Treaty, much has changed in Europe,’ Kurz said. ‘We had a debt crisis, a euro crisis, the migration crisis, the climate crisis and also the Brexit chaos.’…

“On the EU army, for which there is little appetite in Austria, Kurz said Brussels should better focus on increasing military and defense cooperation. ‘There will be no EU army, with member states giving up command,’ he said.

“Kurz has endorsed Manfred Weber, the EPP lead candidate for Commission president, but the interview offered some warnings for Weber, particularly the cautionary note on an EU army. Weber strongly endorsed the idea of an EU army, at least as an aspiration…

“The Austrian leader also issued a particularly pointed challenge to Emmanuel Macron. He demanded that the French president back up his claims to be an EU reformer by agreeing to a single seat for the European Parliament in Brussels, and ending the monthly plenary sessions in Strasbourg, which remains the Parliament’s official base. ‘We have to end the EU Parliament’s wandering circus,’ said Kurz.

“In the interview, Kurz also criticized right-wing populists — a point that some might view as hypocritical given that his governing coalition in Austria includes the far-right Freedom Party…”

Die Welt reported on May 7 that anti-Semitic statements were shouted during a demonstration in Vienna, Austria, and indirectly, the demand for theextinction of Israel, but that nothing happened. However, when an Israeli flag was shown in a counter-demonstration, the police intervened.

In addition, Sebastian Kurz is a mixed bag. Some of his proposals would be in line with biblical prophecy, while others would clearly not be. His young age might explain the occasional shortsightedness of his positions.

EU Life Without Britain

Express wrote on May 7:

“EU leaders this week will focus on ‘far more important’ issues as they ignore Brexit at a crunch gathering in the Romanian town of Sibiu without Theresa May… On Thursday, the EU27 will hold the informal gathering to discuss life without Britain, despite Mrs May’s failure to quit the Brussels bloc. Brussels hopes a show of unity will send a strong message to Britain that the Prime Minister’s hated Brexit deal is not up for negotiation and there is no room for compromise on the terms of the divorce.

“Diplomats and officials are looking forward to the event as it gives them an opportunity to discuss anything but Britain’s divorce, which has prominently featured on their agenda for the last three years…

“Shunning Brexit, they will instead focus on migration, the European Commission’s role and potential candidates for top jobs after the European elections at the end of [this] month.”

The EUObserver wrote on May 9:

“EU leaders pledged at a meeting in Romania on Thursday (9 May) to stay united… after Brexit and amid a geopolitical shake-up… ‘We reaffirm our belief that united, we are stronger in this increasingly unsettled and challenging world,’ the broad-brush statement said. ‘We have been able to go thick and thin, we have proved this in numerous crises, […] we know the rest of the world is not asleep and we need to work hard to make it flourish,’ German chancellor Angela Merkel concluded to reporters after the meeting.

“‘One country on its own cannot solve the great global problems,’ Merkel added, saying leaders discussed defining the EU’s role in the world, and that multilateral cooperation needs to be translated into the way the EU grapples with the big issues.

“In the declaration, leaders said: ‘we will show each other solidarity in times of need and we will always stand together. We can and we will speak with one voice…’ The declaration vows that the EU will act where it matters…”

Stockpiling Coins and Banknotes in a “Cashless” Society

The Sunday Times wrote on May 5:

“Sweden, [a] nation that pioneered living without cash, warns: Hoard your banknotes. As Britain edges towards a cashless future, Sweden has urged its citizens to stockpile change in case of power cuts, a cyber-attack or war.

“Everyone in Sweden has been urged to stockpile coins and banknotes in case the country’s move towards a cashless society leaves them without money in a cyber-crisis. In a move that will sound alarm bells in the UK, Sweden – one of the most advanced nations for digital payments – has warned that its people could be unable to buy anything if its computer networks were put out of action.

“The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, an arm of the government, has sent guidance to every home telling residents to squirrel away ‘cash in small denominations’ in case of emergencies ranging from power cuts or technology glitches to terrorism, cyber-attacks by a rogue government or war.”

It is always good advice to have some cash at home in case of unforeseen emergencies, including power outages, earthquakes and other natural catastrophes.

The Vaccination War against Religious Freedom

NPR wrote on May 6:

“Oregon is one of more than 10 states considering tightening their vaccine laws this year… Currently, parents in Oregon and most other states can cite religious or philosophical reasons if they don’t want to vaccinate their kids… Oregon kindergartners claim vaccine exemptions at the highest rate in the nation.

“But a bill in the state Legislature would do away with those nonmedical exemptions. Parents who didn’t secure a doctor’s permission would face a choice between vaccination or not sending their kids to school… If passed, Oregon would become the fourth state to eliminate nonmedical exemptions. Opponents are keen on preventing that. In the two months since the bill was filed, it has spurred thousands of letters and phone calls, and hours of passionate testimony…

“States such as Colorado, Maine and New York have considered bills this year to tighten vaccine laws, with varying outcomes. Colorado’s effort reportedly stalled when it failed to pass the state’s Senate, while Maine recently pared back a bill that would have eliminated all nonmedical exemptions…

“In Oregon, doctors and other health care professionals have come out overwhelmingly in favor of the vaccine bill, which is among the broadest proposed nationwide. They point out that vaccines have been proved safe for the vast majority of the population and effective at stopping the spread of disease. Opponents are far less trusting. Many are parents who worry that their children could be harmed by vaccines. Though rare, some claim their kids have already been injured by the shots. They also make an overarching argument: that lawmakers are taking away their medical choice…”

Even though the scientific world is anxious to claim that vaccines are harmless and do not cause any side effects, this is CLEARLY untrue, especially for those with a weakened immune system.

As Time reported on May 8, “Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. [an attorney, author, environmental activist and son of Bobby Kennedy] has become a hero of the anti-vax crowd with his persistent claims that vaccines contain deadly ingredients, particularly a mercury-based preservative known as thimerosal, and that they are linked to autism.”

Some of Kennedy’s relatives [a brother, a sister and a niece] disagree with him, stating he is wrong on both counts and that he is spreading “dangerous misinformation,” and so does most of the main-stream media. But the question is, who IS right in this emotionally charged battle? The mere fact that scientists and pharmaceutical doctors, who have been proven wrong many times, take the position of mandatory vaccinations does not have to mean that the vaccinations are harmless and without dangerous complications and side effects.

Crazy! Cruise Ship Quarantined Because of Measles

The Guardian wrote on May 6:

“A Church of Scientology cruise ship docked in the Caribbean island of Curaçao will remain under quarantine until government authorities determine how many of the ship’s 318 passengers are infected with measles. Health officials have taken 277 blood samples from those onboard the ship and sent them to the Netherlands… Ten passengers and 31 crew members were able to provide proof of vaccination.

“Health officials in St Lucia were notified on 30 April that a female crew member onboard the ship had been diagnosed with measles. The crew member had traveled to Europe, arrived on Curaçao on 17 April and visited a doctor for cold symptoms on 22 April. A blood sample sent to Aruba confirmed she had measles on 29 April, a day after the ship departed for St Lucia, according to the Associated Press.

“After deliberations with the Pan American Health Organization, St Lucia health officials put the ship under quarantine on 30 April. The ship left St Lucia on Thursday and returned to its home port in Curaçao on Saturday. A team of nine medical professionals and authorities boarded the vessel to start interviewing and testing passengers… As they await the test results, passengers and crew members are not allowed to leave the ship because of the risk that they carry the highly infectious disease, authorities said…

“The Church of Scientology has not taken a specific position on vaccinations, though it says that Scientologists seek standard medical care and prescription drugs when ill…”

No Surprise! Vaccination Hysteria in Germany

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 5, 2019:

“German Health Minister Jens Spahn is proposing a law that allows for fining parents of unvaccinated children up to €2,500 ($2,800). The conservative [openly gay] lawmaker said he wants to ‘eradicate’ measles.

“Parents in Germany who refuse to vaccinate their children against measles would be required to pay up to €2,500 ($2,800) in fines and their children would be thrown out of kindergarten… The bill has a different solution for parents of schoolchildren. Elementary education is mandatory in Germany, so the law would not be able to keep unvaccinated children out of schools. Instead, their parents would be required to pay the fine.

“In addition to newborns, there are also older children whose health prevents them from getting immunized, such as organ recipients or people suffering from leukemia. Their parents would need to provide proof of the medical condition that prevents them from getting the vaccine. By July 2020, other parents who attempt to sign up their children for kindergartens or schools would need to provide confirmation that their children have been vaccinated.

“Vaccinations will also become mandatory for employees of hospitals and private medical practices. The draft legislation is currently being discussed in the Cabinet. It is expected to be adopted this year and go into force in March 2020…

Bild Online added on May 6 that CDU-Chief Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (56), SPD-Chief Andrea Nahles (48) und SPD-health „expert“ Karl Lauterbach (56) support the draft, while others criticize or oppose it. Politicians from the SPD claim that the law might be unconstitutional, while the Green Party categorically rejects mandatory vaccinations. And while FDP-general secretary supports mandatory vaccinations, she is opposed to fines. That the vaccination hysteria and its wide-reaching reactions have reached German politicians is no surprise, given the fact that Germany has always been known for acting and reacting in extreme fashion.

Plant and Animal Life at Risk of Extinction

The New York Times wrote on May 6:

“Humans are transforming Earth’s natural landscapes so dramatically that as many as one million plant and animal species are now at risk of extinction, posing a dire threat to ecosystems that people all over the world depend on for their survival, a sweeping new United Nations assessment has concluded.

“The 1,500-page report, compiled by hundreds of international experts and based on thousands of scientific studies, is the most exhaustive look yet at the decline in biodiversity across the globe and the dangers that creates for human civilization. A summary of its findings, which was approved by representatives from the United States and 131 other countries, was released Monday in Paris. The full report is set to be published this year.

“Its conclusions are stark. In most major land habitats, from the savannas of Africa to the rain forests of South America, the average abundance of native plant and animal life has fallen by 20 percent or more, mainly over the past century. With the human population passing 7 billion, activities like farming, logging, poaching, fishing and mining are altering the natural world at a rate ‘unprecedented in human history.’

“At the same time, a new threat has emerged: Global warming has become a major driver of wildlife decline, the assessment found, by shifting or shrinking the local climates that many mammals, birds, insects, fish and plants evolved to survive in. When combined with the other ways humans are damaging the environment, climate change is now pushing a growing number of species, such as the Bengal tiger, closer to extinction…

Humans are producing more food than ever, but land degradation is already harming agricultural productivity on 23 percent of the planet’s land area, the new report said. The decline of wild bees and other insects that help pollinate fruits and vegetables is putting up to $577 billion in annual crop production at risk. The loss of mangrove forests and coral reefs along coasts could expose up to 300 million people to increased risk of flooding.

“The authors note that the devastation of nature has become so severe that piecemeal efforts to protect individual species or to set up wildlife refuges will no longer be sufficient…”

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

This Week in the News

Anti-Semitic Violence Can Happen Everywhere!

JTA wrote on April 29:

“Poway’s landscape is textbook Southern California with its tract houses, red-tiled roofs, manicured lawns and palm trees off in the distance. This affluent community of about 50,000, it turns out, is not immune to the gun violence that has made schools and cities across the country synonymous with bloodshed. It’s not immune to the recent wave of anti-Semitic hate that has left toppled tombstones, spray-painted swastikas and, back in October, the 11 dead bodies of mostly elderly synagogue-goers in Pittsburgh.

“But a day after a gunman entered Chabad of Poway, killing congregant Lori Gilbert-Kaye, 60, and injuring three others… the Jewish community here teetered between disbelief (‘Poway of all places?’) and the conviction that in a post-Pittsburgh world, all Jewish communities are possible targets. (‘Yes, even Poway.’)…

“After a gunman motivated by his antipathy for Jewish support for immigrants killed worshippers inside Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue… such an attack was likely to happen again somewhere…”

The Week added on April 30:

“The 19-year-old San Diego man who was charged with murder after a shooting at a synagogue in Poway, California, on Saturday, was held without bail on Tuesday after pleading not guilty to the alleged crime in his first court appearance. A judge called the alleged shooter, John Earnest, an ‘obvious and extraordinary’ risk to the public. Earnest could face the death penalty if convicted, because he is accused of killing a woman — 60-year-old Lori Gilbert Kaye — based on her religious beliefs, a special circumstance which could circumvent a moratorium on capital punishment. Earnest is also charged with three counts of attempted murder and one count of arson after law enforcement linked him to a fire at a mosque in Escondido, California, weeks earlier.”

The suspect’s parents condemned the crime of their son. Why the suspect has pleaded not guilty is a mystery, unless his attorney wants to avoid punishment of his client by pleading temporary insanity. The truth of the matter is that these horrible deeds are being committed under the unrealized direct influence of demons.

Further Violence in Southern California

The Algemeiner wrote on April 30:

“A US combat veteran of the war in Afghanistan who prosecutors say plotted to detonate multiple nail bombs at a Los Angeles-area white nationalist rally, seeking to cause mass casualties, was arrested in an FBI sting operation… [The] US Army infantryman who recently converted to Islam, was taken into custody on Friday after undercover FBI operatives furnished him with what he thought were live bombs to be used in the attack, law enforcement officials said.

“Authorities said the [suspect] came to their attention because of a series of violent extremist messages he posted in online chat rooms, one of which called for ‘retribution’ for the massacre of 50 people at mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, by a gunman in March.”

It is frightening to contemplate that people like these served and perhaps are still serving in the US military.

Global Military Spending at Its Highest

Reuters wrote on April 29:

“Global military expenditure reached its highest level last year since the end of the Cold War, fueled by increased spending in the United States and China, the world’s two biggest economies… In its annual report, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said overall global military spending in 2018 hit $1.82 trillion, up 2.6 percent on the previous year… U.S. military spending rose 4.6 percent last year to reach $649 billion, leaving it still by far the world’s biggest spender. It accounted for 36 percent of total global military expenditure, nearly equal to the following eight biggest-spending countries combined…

“China, the second biggest spender, saw military expenditure rise 5.0 percent to $250 billion last year, the 24th consecutive annual increase… In 2018 the USA and China accounted for half of the world’s military spending

“The other top spenders are, in declining order, Saudi Arabia, India, France, Russia, Britain, Germany, Japan and South Korea. Saudi Arabia… was the biggest per capita spender on defense, just ahead of the United States…”

The more man spends on military expenditure, the closer we come to the possibility of extinction of the human race.

Two State Solution Failed

JTA wrote on April 24:

“Jared Kushner said past negotiations over a two-state solution have ‘failed,’ setting up the likelihood that the peace plan he expects to release soon will include limited autonomy for Palestinians

“Palestinian leaders have said that anything short of statehood will lead them to demand full representation as voting Israeli citizens. The Palestinian leadership… cut off Kushner and other negotiators after Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017.”

There will be no peace in the Middle East prior to Christ’s return.

Ukraine—Back to Russia?

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 28:

“The Russian president is already testing Ukraine’s president-elect Volodymyr Zelenskiy. In fact, Putin’s latest decree can be seen as pseudo-legal preparation for military moves… Russian President Vladimir Putin made it clear he is not interested in easing the tension between Moscow and Kyiv. There’s no other way to interpret the decree he issued on Wednesday, which makes it easier for residents of the so-called ‘People’s Republics’…  to get Russian passports…

“Putin’s decree is a provocation. What he’s aiming to do is to separate the territories in eastern Ukraine, already effectively occupied by Russia, even more clearly and permanently from the Ukrainian state…”

In fact, it is Putin’s goal to incorporate the entirety of Ukraine into the Russian empire. See the next article.

Bloomberg wrote on April 29:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin said he may extend an offer of citizenship to cover all Ukrainians… Ukraine doesn’t permit dual citizenship and it’s unclear how many people would take up Putin’s offer amid deep divisions between the neighbors…

“Russia will start issuing passports on May 3, with separatist officials and military forces receiving them first… Russia has made similar moves in other breakaway regions in the former Soviet Union and in at least one case used the presence of newly converted citizens as justification for military intervention

“Ukraine and Russia have shared historical and religious roots, though the bonds of kinship have been strained and even severed…

“The U.S. State Department last week condemned Putin’s decree as ‘highly provocative’ and accused Russia of ‘intensifying its assault on Ukraine’s sovereignty.’ Germany and France said in a joint statement that the passport offer ‘contradicts the spirit and goals’ of a stalled 2015 peace agreement intended to resolve the conflict.

“Rebel officials say about 3.6 million people live in the areas under their control. About 360,000 people in separatist-held territory in Donetsk have already obtained Russian passports through ordinary procedures…”

The Bible shows clearly that Ukraine and Russia will combine militarily in opposition to western Europe.

Serbia Back to Russia?

ABC News wrote on May 2:

 “Serbia’s pro-Russian defense minister warned Thursday the Balkan country could ditch its European Union membership goals for close ties with Moscow… Although Serbia formally seeks EU membership, its populist leaders have gradually steered Serbia toward its ally Russia. Moscow is a key backer of Serbia’s stance over Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008…

“Belgrade does not recognize Kosovo’s independence… With Kosovo pushing for more involvement from Washington in the negotiations, there have been signs that Serbia may respond by asking for Moscow’s participation.”

Elections in Spain

The Associated Press wrote on April 28:

“Spain’s socialist prime minister says he will consider talks to form a new government only with parties that respect the constitution and promote social justice. Pedro Sánchez declared his party the winner in Sunday’s general election, a ballot in which the far-right made inroads for the first time since Spain returned to democratic rule…

“Vox leader Santiago Abascal has euphorically celebrated his new far-right party’s results in Spain’s general election… He said ‘we told you that we were going to begin a reconquering of Spain and that’s what we have done.’ That is a reference to the 15th-century campaign by Spanish Catholic Kings to end Muslim rule on the Iberian Peninsula. The 43-year-old Abascal said that the 24 lawmakers from Vox that will sit in Spain’s lower house of parliament will be enough for the party to set the political agenda…

“Vox, which was formed five years ago, has promised to defend Spain from its ‘enemies,’ citing feminists, liberal elites and Muslims among others…”

The resurgence of right-wing populism in Spain is quite interesting and in line with biblical prophecy.

Turmoil in Venezuela

Axios wrote on April 30:

“Venezuelan National Assembly President Juan Guaidó has taken to the streets alongside newly freed opposition politician Leopoldo López to call on the military to rise up and topple President Nicolás Maduro, a bold step that comes three months into a fierce power struggle…

“Guaidó declared himself Venezuela’s interim president in January and was swiftly recognized by the U.S. and a string of other countries, but Maduro has maintained his hold on power. The Trump administration and senior members of Congress have backed today’s high-risk move, while senior members of the Venezuelan regime have denounced what they’ve described as a futile ‘coup attempt.’

“López, one of Venezuela’s best-known politicians, was detained in 2014 for organizing anti-Maduro protests and had been under house arrest. He claimed to have been freed ‘by members of the security forces responding to an order by Guaidó’…

“‘As [López] spoke on a highway overpass, troops loyal to Maduro sporadically fired tear gas from inside the adjacent Carlota air base as the crowd of a few hundred civilians, some of them brandishing Venezuelan flags, scurried for cover,’ the AP reports. ‘The crowd swelled to a few thousand as people sensed what could be their strongest opportunity yet to overthrow the government after months of turmoil that has seen Maduro withstand an onslaught of protests and international pressure with the support of his top military command and allies such as Russia and Cuba

“As the world has waited for a decisive moment in the Maduro-Guaidó showdown, the suffering of the Venezuelan people has only intensified. The U.S. has ratcheted up sanctions, arguing that Venezuela’s economic crisis will never end until Maduro leaves power… Russia has sent troops in support of Maduro, and China has also defended the regime.”

Deutsche Welle added on April 30:

“US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has said Maduro was ready to go into exile in Cuba but was persuaded by Russia to stay. President Donald Trump has called on Cuba to immediately cease its military support for Venezuela.”

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 1:

“Venezuela’s acting President Nicolas Maduro appeared on state television alongside military and intelligence officers on Wednesday to announce that ‘loyal and obedient’ troops had successfully quashed a failed coup attempt by self-proclaimed interim President Juan Guaido… despite small numbers of defections from the armed forces, there has been no mass exodus… Maduro said Guaido’s actions ‘will not go unpunished….’

“In his television address, Maduro claimed Guaido had initiated the current uprising to create a pretext for a US military intervention. Although Pompeo said the US wants a peaceful transfer of power, he warned… ‘The president has been crystal clear and incredibly consistent. Military action is possible. If that’s what’s required, that’s what the United States will do…’”

The situation in Venezuela might also lead to further deteriorating relationships between the USA and Russia, Cuba and China.

North Korea’s Murderous Dictatorship

The Daily Mail wrote on April 24:

Four North Korean officials have reportedly been executed for selling information to the US ahead of the failed nuclear arms meeting between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump… The four workers, all said to be from the foreign ministry, were allegedly killed by firing squad after talks in Vietnam between the two countries broke down… News of the alleged killings comes as North Korean media reported Kim’s sister, Kim Yo-jong, had been ‘demoted’ from at least one of her titles within the party in the wake of the failed nuclear summit…

“Kim Jong-un’s top adviser and key negotiator with the U.S. on denuclearisation was also removed from his post earlier this month, South Korean officials said. Kim Yong Chol, known as the leader’s most trusted policy adviser, was dropped as head of the United Front Department. He appears to have been ‘censured’ after the second Trump-Kim summit failed to reach a deal on the sanctions relief Pyongyang would get in exchange for dismantling its nuclear programme.”

When you want to work for a murderous dictator, this is what you get…

How the EU Makes Anti-Israel Politics by Ignoring Dissenting Member State

The EUObserver wrote on May 1:

“The EU just de facto ignored Hungary’s veto on a statement on Israel, prompting questions on how it makes foreign policy decisions. Hungary objected to the EU statement at the UN Security Council (UNSC) in New York at the last minute on Monday (29 April).  But Finland read it out anyway at the UNSC meeting, in a game of protocol niceties laced with irritation. The Finnish ambassador to the UN, Kai Sauer, said: ‘I have the honour to speak on behalf of …’ the 27 EU countries which he listed, omitting Hungary.

“But his subsequent statement used language that made mockery of Hungary’s opinion. ‘The EU expresses serious concerns about the current trends … threatening the viability of the two-state solution,’ it said. It spoke of ‘the European Union’s position’ on Israeli settlements and said ‘the European Union’ was ‘alarmed’ by Palestinian deaths. It also spoke in the EU’s name on Israel’s use of live ammunition and to urge good treatment of a human rights activist called Omar Shakir.

“Finland read out the statement on grounds it will take over the rotating EU presidency from Romania in July. Romania would normally have done it, a Finnish diplomat told EUobserver, but did not do so because the sitting EU presidency ought to speak on behalf of all 28 member states…

“The UNSC veto marked the fifth time that Hungary torpedoed a public EU statement on Israel in the past two years. It sometimes acted with pro-Israeli EU allies, such as the Czech Republic, and sometimes alone…

“EU foreign policy is meant to be agreed by consensus, but the European Commission has proposed to introduce majority voting to help it ‘speak with one voice’… The idea was anathema to Hungary and Poland… But the two most powerful EU states – France and Germany – backed the move. Some medium-sized countries, such as Belgium and The Netherlands, also voiced a positive attitude. The handling of the UNSC statement on Israel indicated that the EU majority is now moving in that direction.”

This is also pointing to the establishment of core Europe, consisting of less than all the member states.

“New US policy on Seized Property in Cuba Threatens EU”

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 2:

“A Trump administration law amendment to allow US nationals to file lawsuits against foreign companies doing business in Cuba came into effect on Thursday. The major policy shift sets the stage for fresh economic disputes between the US and Europe

“Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed that the US will allow lawsuits against foreign companies operating on properties that were seized from Americans during the 1959 Cuban Revolution. Pompeo said anyone doing business in Cuba ‘should heed this announcement.’…

The European Union, which is Cuba’s largest trading partner, has warned it would take ‘appropriate measures’ if the US tries to interfere in business ties between sovereign states…

“The Trump administration has angered European allies in the past over its withdrawal from the Paris climate accords and the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. There are also trade disputes brewing between Washington and Brussels…”

Pushing Russia into China’s Arms?

The EUObserver wrote on May 2:

“‘The EU is the world’s village idiot’, Le Pen said in Copenhagen, referring to Europe’s free trade policies, open markets and borders.

“French far-right leader, Marine Le Pen, is campaigning to ‘save’ Europe by transforming it into what she calls a De Gaulle-inspired ‘Alliance of Nations’. She also warns against pushing Russia into the arms of China. French far-right leader, Marine Le Pen, has shelved ‘Frexit’ plans to leave the European Union and she no longer wants France to quit the euro.”

Vatican Endorses EU Superstate

Breitbart wrote on April 26:

“The European Union (EU) is ‘an example of what could become a supranational state,’ according to the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences in the lead-up to a major conference against nationalism… the Vatican insists on describing nationalism in exclusively negative terms, opening its ‘Concept Note’ for its May 1-3 conference by saying that the world ‘is facing today a growing threat of nationalist revival,’ which ‘leads to mutual rejection and enduring conflicts.’”

According to the Bible, the Catholic Church patterned its governmental structure after the civil administration of the former Roman Empire and its European revivals.

Evangelization More Important than Doctrine

Crux wrote on April 22:

“A new ‘super dicastery’ on evangelization might be one of the most significant reforms of the governing structures of the Vatican, according to a new report… The biggest novelty in the document, called Praedicate Evangelium [‘Preach the Gospel’], will be the creation of the ‘super dicastery’ for evangelization, which will potentially be more important than the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), often called ‘The Supreme Congregation.’

“Having its roots in the Roman Inquisition, the doctrinal office is the oldest among the congregations of the Roman Curia, and insiders still call it the Holy Office, as it’s tasked with promulgating and defending Catholic doctrine and defending the Church from heresy. Today, in addition to defending doctrine, it is also tasked with judging priests who’ve been accused of sexually abusing minors, with 17 officials dedicated almost exclusively to this task.”

This might point at the Catholic Church’s desire to gather its daughter churches under its all-encompassing umbrella, while not forsaking its core doctrines and practices…

Suppression of Documentary through Catholic Church

AFP wrote on April 30:

“A hit documentary about how some Catholic priests allegedly abused nuns in different parts of the world has been pulled from the Franco-German television channel Arte after a priest complained to a German court. The big-budget media investigation, ‘Sex Slaves in the Catholic Church’, was broadcast in March and has been sold widely internationally since.

“Its broadcast came weeks after Pope Francis admitted that some rogue priests had used nuns as ‘sexual slaves’ and that the Vatican had to dissolve a French order because its founder was preying on its sisters. The Vatican’s women’s magazine, Women Church World, also reported that some nuns had been forced into having abortions.

“Arte told AFP Tuesday that it was forced to pull the documentary from its replay site earlier this month after a press tribunal in Hamburg slapped a temporary injunction on the film following a complaint from a priest. The tribunal told AFP the priest complained that, while he was not shown in the documentary, he was ‘recognizable’ from an interview given by a nun. In the interview, the nun ‘gave the impression that the priest had forced a nun into sex against her will’.

“The priest was not identified in publication of the complaint. The channel said it was challenging the decision. The film has been the most-watched documentary of the year so far on the French arm of the channel, seen by 1.5 million people live and a further 1.7 million on replay. The film was made over three years by French director Marie-Pierre Raimbault and investigative journalist Eric Quintin, who collected the testimony of nuns whose allegations had been ignored or hidden by the hierarchy across four continents.”

The court’s shaky and quite obviously political injunction is a shameful testimony of the collaboration between church and state and the power of the Catholic Church and its priests.

Witchcraft in Germany

The Local wrote on April 30:

“Germany and witchcraft? Well, let’s just say they both have quite the history. The lands that make up modern Germany were the scene of some of the bloodiest persecutions of ‘witches’ from the 16th to the 18th centuries. Despite this, ‘the old ways’ still do persist in the German popular imagination, most prominently in what we know as Walpurgisnacht – the evening of April 30th… The night is also sometimes known as Hexenbrennen – the burning of witches… this reputation as a bastion of pagan superstition, coupled with the growing hysteria around witchcraft led many to believe that the Brocken, the highest peak in the Harz Mountains was the scene of ‘Witches’ Sabbaths’. These were, allegedly, wild and orgiastic convocations where gathered witches would meet with Satan and plot all sorts of trouble over the coming year.

“In order to keep witches away and avoid their curses, local villagers would come together and light bonfires – a throwback to older beliefs about the warding power of flame… [Subsequently, far] from keeping witches away, the festivities began to celebrate the witch as a kind of fairytale succubus, with all that entails… In the 21st century, Walpurgisnacht is both a beloved local tradition and a huge tourist draw throughout the Harz Mountains…”

Ignorant and foolish people who participate today in the celebration of Walpurgisnacht don’t realize with whom they are coming in contact.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

This Week in the News

USA Pressures the World

moderndiplomacy reported on April 22:

“The recent statement made by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to the effect that his country has failed to prevent the implementation of the Nord Stream – 2 gas pipeline project provides glaring proof of the ultimatum-type methods used by President Donald Trump’s administration to thwart unwelcome projects, deals or agreements and simultaneously impose their own products, goods and services on partners – from more expensive liquefied natural gas (LNG) to passenger and military aircraft and weapons systems. However, such efforts rarely hit success, exacerbating US relations even with its closest allies in Europe and NATO.

“Addressing the Senate’s Foreign Relations Committee on April 10th, Mike Pompeo said Washington had done everything it could to talk European partners out of building Nord Stream 2 but these efforts suffered a fiasco. According to the head of the State Department, Berlin is set on pursuing the project and all attempts to dissuade the Europeans from building the gas pipeline have yielded no results…

“While Washington’s attempts to use political pressure to promote its own energy projects intensify differences between the United States and the European Union, and specifically Germany, similar efforts in the area of defense and military technology jeopardize the integrity and unity of the North Atlantic alliance. US Vice President Mike Pence has de facto presented an ultimatum to Turkey, one of the closest American allies in the Middle East. He warned Ankara against purchasing Russian S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, calling on the Turkish leadership to choose between partnership with NATO and the deal…

“Nevertheless, the attempts to use ultimatum to exert pressure in several areas at once may well result in a closer consolidation of Europeans as they unite to defend their own interests, in a further strengthening the economic ties between Russia and China, as well as in a more pronounced and independent policy by Turkey – and not only in defense and military technology. These recent moves on the part of the United States are tying the knot of conflict throughout an increasingly wider spectrum of geopolitical space. And for now, it is not clear where all this could lead to.”

What is clear is that the world is increasingly refusing to be pressured by the United States!

Putin Holds Summit with Kim

Reuters reported on April 24:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin said after holding talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un on Thursday that he thought U.S. security guarantees would probably not be enough to persuade Pyongyang to shut its nuclear program.

“Putin and Kim held a day of talks on an island off the Russian Pacific city of Vladivostok two months after Kim’s summit with U.S. President Donald Trump ended in disagreement, cooling hopes of a breakthrough in the decades-old nuclear row.

“Putin, keen to use his summit with Kim to burnish Russia’s diplomatic credentials as a global player, said he believed any U.S. guarantees might need to be supported by the other nations involved in previous six-way talks on the nuclear issue.

“That would mean including Russia, China, Japan and South Korea as well as the United States and North Korea, in a long-standing format that had been sidelined by unilateral U.S. efforts to broker a deal.”

The world stage no longer belongs to just the U.S.

China and Russia Move In

 msn wrote on April 20:

“With Venezuela in flames, China and Russia are seeking claims in the rubble.

“But the United States has been caught flat-footed, and the Pentagon is struggling to develop ways to blunt the countries’ influence in Latin America since President Trump has antagonized and distanced himself from nations in the Western Hemisphere…

“’The Trump administration’s policy has supercharged China’s increased presence in the region,’ said Benjamin Gedan, former National Security Council official under the Obama administration and a senior adviser to the Latin American program at the Wilson Center, a Washington think tank. ‘It’s entirely counterproductive.’

“For years, China and Russia have sought more influence in the Western Hemisphere, but are increasingly emboldened to bolster their economic and security positions in South America, Central America and the Caribbean.”

China—A Military Titan!

msn wrote on April 23:

“In 1938, in the midst of a long campaign to bring China under Communist Party rule, revolutionary leader Mao Zedong wrote: ‘Whoever has an army has power.’

“Xi Jinping, Mao’s latest successor, has taken that dictum to heart…

“In a series of stories, Reuters is exploring how the rapid and disruptive advance of Chinese hard power on Xi Jinping’s watch has ended the era of unquestioned U.S. supremacy in Asia. In just over two decades, China has built a force of conventional missiles that rival or outperform those in the U.S. armory. China’s shipyards have spawned the world’s biggest navy, which now rules the waves in East Asia. Beijing can now launch nuclear-armed missiles from an operational fleet of ballistic missile submarines, giving it a powerful second-strike capability. And the PLA is fortifying posts across vast expanses of the South China Sea, while stepping up preparations to recover Taiwan, by force if necessary…

“For the first time since Portuguese traders reached the Chinese coast five centuries ago, China has the military power to dominate the seas off its coast. Conflict between China and the United States in these waters would be destructive and bloody, particularly a clash over Taiwan, according to serving and retired senior American officers. And despite decades of unrivaled power since the end of the Cold War, there would be no guarantee America would prevail.

“‘The U.S. could lose,’ said Gary Roughead, co-chair of a bipartisan review of the Trump administration’s defense strategy published in November. ‘We really are at a significant inflection point in history.’

Roughead is no armchair theorist: A retired admiral, as former Chief of Naval Operations he held the top job in the U.S. Navy until 2011. His alarm reflects a growing view across the American defense establishment. In their report, he and his colleagues issued a dire warning. The United States faces a ‘national security crisis,’ principally arising from growing Chinese and Russian military power. ‘U.S. military superiority is no longer assured and the implications for American interests and American security are severe,’ the panel concluded.

It is clear that Xi wants to bring the era of U.S. dominance in Asia to an end. ‘In the final analysis, it is for the people of Asia to run the affairs of Asia, solve the problems of Asia and uphold the security of Asia,’ he said in a 2014 speech to foreign leaders on regional security.

Zelenskiy Wins in the Ukraine

 jpost reported on April 22:

“Ukraine entered uncharted political waters on Sunday after exit polls showed a comedian with no political experience and few detailed policies had easily won enough votes to become the next president of a country at war.

“The apparent landslide victory of Volodymyr Zelenskiy, 41, is a bitter blow for incumbent Petro Poroshenko who tried to rally Ukrainians around the flag by casting himself as a bulwark against Russian aggression and a champion of Ukrainian identity.

“Zelenskiy was born in 1978 to Jewish parents and seems set to become Ukraine’s first Jewish president. Ukraine’s Prime Minister Volodymyr Groysman is also Jewish…

“Zelenskiy, who plays a fictitious president in a popular TV series, is now poised to take over the leadership of a country on the frontline of the West’s standoff with Russia following Moscow’s annexation of Crimea and support for a pro-Russian insurgency in eastern Ukraine.”

Will Ukraine’s New President Deal with Russia?

EURACTIV wrote on April 19:

“Ukraine’s new president could regain control over the separatist-controlled east of his country within months and get cheap gas and major investment from Russia if he does a deal with Moscow, the Kremlin’s closest ally in Ukraine said.

“Viktor Medvedchuk, a prominent figure in Ukraine’s Russia-leaning opposition, outlined the prospect in an interview before a presidential election runoff in Ukraine on Sunday which polls show political novice Volodymyr Zelenskiy should easily win.

“He said the Kremlin was keen to know more about Zelenskiy, a 41-year-old Russian-speaking TV comedian who has no political experience, to understand if he is someone it could do a deal with, something it failed to do with incumbent Petro Poroshenko.

“‘They don’t have any expectations in Moscow,’ he said. ‘They want to see what happens afterwards, who will be in his (Zelenskiy’s) entourage, and what he will do and with whom.’”

Bible prophecy indicates the Ukraine WILL fall under Russia’s sphere of influence!

Europe Wary of Russia

dw reported on April 20:

“General Eberhard Zorn says he’s disturbed by the American and Russian withdrawal from the INF nuclear missile treaty. He warned that Moscow remains ‘a big threat’ to peace in Europe.

“The inspector-general of Germany’s Bundeswehr, General Eberhard Zorn, has called for a new arms treaty to replace the Cold War-era Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) which both Washington and Moscow have suspended…

“Zorn added that a new arms treaty would be essential to ensure the safety of Germany and Europe.

“Although he pointed to several world powers as being responsible for the current escalation in global politics, he singled out Russia as a “big threat” to peace in Europe…

“’As far as Europe is concerned, the facts speak for themselves,’  Zorn said, detailing several Russian infractions — the annexation of Crimea, its involvement in eastern Europe, the poisoning of Russian double agent Sergei Skripal, cyberattacks, and the suspension of the INF Treaty.”

Europe’s Far-Right Merging

dw reported on April 20:

“Marine Le Pen has thrown her weight behind Salvini’s new pan-European right-wing bloc. So far the group has garnered support from nationalist parties in Austria, Germany, Denmark, Estonia and Finland.

“France’s right-wing National Rally party formally joined a new alliance of far-right forces in Europe on Friday. The populist coalition, spearheaded by Italy’s anti-immigrant interior minister and deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini, was formed to unite and strengthen disparate right-wing parties ahead of critical EU elections next month…

“Salvini, the leader of Italy’s League party, announced the launch of the pan-European far-right faction earlier this month at a press conference where he called the EU ‘a nightmare, not a dream’ and vowed to reform the bloc…

“European far-right parties are currently split between three different groups in the European Parliament. If the parties were to merge, they would hold 173 out of 751 seats in the EU parliamentary assembly, or 23%, which would make them the second-largest bloc in the European Parliament, according to the latest poll of polls released by the EU assembly.

Temple Institute Sacrificed a Passover Lamb

israeltoday wrote on April 22:

“In accordance with the biblical commandment, priests from the Temple Institute sacrificed a Passover Lamb this year overlooking the Temple Mount in the ancient City of Jerusalem…

“Today, in the absence of the Temple, the commandment to offer the Passover Sacrifice is memorialized in the form of a roasted shank bone placed on the Passover Seder Plate.

“The Temple Institute is dedicated to rebuilding the Temple on Mount Moriah (the Temple Mount) in Jerusalem and its ceremonies in accordance with the biblical commandments. The Jerusalem-based group are preparing every aspect of Temple worship and ‘restoring the central role it fulfilled in the spiritual well being of both Israel and all the nations of the world,’ according to the group’s mandate.

This Week in the News

Chinese Experiment –an Abominable Nightmare!

vox wrote on April 12:

“Scientists in China have created a new kind of monkey. It’s got a human brain gene. And that just might make its intelligence a little bit more like ours.

“That, in turn, makes its fate — and its very existence — very ethically fraught.

“In a study published last month in Beijing’s National Science Review journal, researchers took human copies of the MCPH1 gene, which is believed to play an important role in our brain development, and introduced it into monkey embryos by means of a virus that carried the gene.

“Of the 11 transgenic macaque monkeys they generated, six died. The five survivors went through a series of tests, including MRI brain scans and memory tests. It turned out they didn’t have bigger brains than a control group of macaques, but they did perform better on short-term memory tasks. Their brains also developed over a longer period of time, which is typical of human brains.

“Although the sample size was very small, the scientists excitedly described the study as ‘the first attempt to experimentally interrogate the genetic basis of human brain origin using a transgenic monkey model.’ In other words, part of the point of the study was to help tackle a question about evolution: How did we humans develop our unique brand of intelligence, which has allowed us to innovate in ways other primates can’t?…

“It’s hard to imagine a study like Su’s ever getting the green light in the US, where primate research has come under increasing scrutiny, thanks in part to the work of animal rights advocates. But China is much more open to this kind of research. The country has vast breeding facilities for monkeys, tens of thousands of which it exports each year.”

This research only reflects a little bit of what actually is taking place in the name of science.

Do Pigs Die?

Reuters.com wrote on April 17:

“Yale University scientists have succeeded in restoring basic cellular activity in pigs’ brains hours after their deaths in a finding that may one day lead to advances in treating human stroke and brain injuries, researchers reported on Wednesday.

“The scientists emphasized that their work did not even come close to reawakening consciousness in the disembodied pig brains. In fact the experiment was specifically designed to avoid such an outcome, however improbable.

“Still, the study raises a host of bioethical issues, including questions about the very definition of brain death and potential consequences for protocols related to organ donation.

“The research grew out of efforts to enhance the study of brain development, disorders and evolution. The main practical application is the prospect of allowing scientists to analyze whole brain specimens of large mammals in three dimensions, rather than through studies confined to small tissue samples, Yale said…

“The limited rejuvenation of circulatory function and cellular metabolism in pig brains, which were harvested from animals slaughtered at a meat-packing plant, was achieved four hours after death by infusing the brains with a special chemical solution designed to preserve the tissue.

“‘The intact brain of a large mammal retains a previously underappreciated capacity for restoration of circulation and certain molecular and cellular activities multiple hours after circulatory arrest,’ lead researcher Nenad Sestan said in a Yale press release issued ahead of the study…

In the meantime, the research could spark new quandaries surrounding the determination of death itself, widely defined by one measure as the irreversible loss of all brain function. The blurring of that line has implications in turn for deciding when doctors are ethically bound to go from preserving a patient’s life to preserving their organs.”

Israeli Researcher Prints a 3D Heart

Bloomberg reported on April 15:

“Israeli researchers have printed a 3D heart using a patient’s own cells, something they say could be used to patch diseased hearts — and possibly, for full transplants.

“The heart the Tel Aviv University team printed in about three hours is too small for humans — about 2.5 centimeters, or the size of a rabbit’s heart. But it’s the first to be printed with all blood vessels, ventricles and chambers, using an ink made from the patient’s own biological materials.

“‘It’s completely biocompatible and matches the patient,’ reducing the chances of rejection inside the body, said Tal Dvir, the professor who directed the project.

“Researchers took fatty tissue from a patient, then separated it into cellular and non-cellular components. The cells were then “reprogrammed” to become stem cells, which turned into heart cells. The non-cellular materials were turned into a gel that served as the bio-ink for printing, Dvir explained…

“‘Patients will no longer have to wait for transplants or take medications to prevent their rejection,’ the press release said. ‘Instead, the needed organs will be printed, fully personalized for every patient.’”

Note what God said of mankind’s capacity at the tower of Babel: “And the LORD said, ‘Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them’” (Genesis 11:6).

Don’t Bully Us!

Politico reported on April 10:

“Manfred Weber, the European People’s Party’s lead candidate to be Commission president, warned Washington not to ‘play with’ the EU when it comes to trade.

“‘It must be clear that when we sit together, we are working together as partners on an equal, level playing field,’ Weber said at an event hosted by the Bruegel think tank in Brussels.

“‘We cannot be forced to do something. That must be clear. So if there is one action, one concrete [trade] activity against us — steel, Airbus or car industry — then Europe has to answer, no doubt about this. And that must be a decisive and a strong answer. So, don’t play with us.’

“His comments come a day after the U.S. released a list of $11 billion worth of European goods — including wine, cheese and helicopters — that could be hit with punitive tariffs in a long-running dispute over subsidies for airplane manufacturer Airbus.”

Mussolini’s Great Gandson—Now a Possible Far-right Candidate

The Washington Post reported on April 18:

“During the political convention last weekend of the Italian far right party Fratelli D’Italia (FDI), leader Giorgia Meloni described its platform as ‘revolutionary.’ She vowed to ‘change everything in Europe’ and to move ‘Europe’s capital’ to Rome. While FDI’s campaign for the upcoming European Parliament elections abounds in predictions for the future, the party also seems to have an eye fixed on the country’s past — more specifically, its fascist past under Benito Mussolini.

Earlier this month, Meloni announced in a Facebook video that Mussolini’s great grandson, Caio Giulio Cesare Mussolini, will run with the party in the May 26 elections. The video was shot in front of Rome’s Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, a well-known 1940s example of fascist architecture.

There’s little doubt that Mussolini was nominated because of — not despite — his relationship to Il Duce, who ruled from 1922 to 1943. Both Meloni and Mussolini avoided explicit references to fascist ideology, but Mussolini repeatedly hinted he views his great grandfather as an inspiration.

Russia Challenges U.S. Leadership in the World

Newsweek wrote on April 13:

“Russia’s top diplomat has argued that the world is losing faith in the United States as a global leader and that the international community has sought a more diverse approach to global decision making.

“At an annual address to Moscow’s diplomatic academy, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov hailed on Friday a new geopolitical era marked by ‘multipolarity,’ stating that ‘the emergence of new centers of power to maintain stability in the world requires the search for a balance of interests and compromises.’ He said there is a shift in the center of global economic power to East from West, where a “liberal order” marked by globalization was ‘losing its attractiveness and is no more viewed as a perfect model for all.’…

“Washington and Moscow, rival superpowers during the decades-long Cold War, have somewhat resumed their bout for global influence in the 21st century. Russian President Vladimir Putin has set to restore and revamp his country’s military and political posture, which were deeply damaged in the collapse of the Soviet Union, leaving the U.S. entirely unmatched.

“Despite President Donald Trump’s promises of detente, the U.S. has doubled down on sanctions and other measures designed to push back against the Kremlin since the Republican leader entered the White House. Trump and Putin, once seen as potential political allies, have continued to feud over conflicts in Ukraine and Syria and, at times, have both found themselves largely isolated internationally.

“The Trump administration has repeatedly threatened sanctions against several nations, including allies, for not adhering to its policies targeting stated foes such as Iran, North Korea, Syria and Venezuela.”

Indeed, the United States is having less and less the final say on global issues as other nations step in.

U.K.’s Tarnished Global Image

U.S.News wrote on April 17:

“When it comes to Brexit, the United Kingdom’s now delayed divorce from the European Union, the British public is still deeply divided on whether it’s a good idea. But there’s one thing that a sizable majority of voters agree on: the Conservative government of Prime Minister Theresa May bungled the negotiations with the EU.

“A mere 7 percent of Britons say the talks have gone well, according to recently published data from the National Centre for Social Research. Meanwhile, 80 percent of Leave voters and 85 percent of Remainers say it’s been a mess.

And much of the rest of the world agrees.

“The shambolic Brexit haggling and Parliament’s subsequent inability to coalesce around any final agreement have badly dented the United Kingdom’s once sterling international standing as a leading parliamentary democracy and a diplomatic powerhouse, experts in international relations say.

“’It’s caused significant damage to the U.K.’s reputation,’ says Jamie Gaskarth, a senior lecturer in politics and foreign relations at the University of Birmingham.

“Britain’s impotence in the negotiations was on display last Wednesday when May met with the 27 other EU leaders in Brussels to plead for a short delay of Brexit. She wanted more time to win parliamentary approval for either the withdrawal agreement she and the EU spent two years hammering out, or a modified version of it. Britain was initially scheduled to exit the bloc on March 29. But days before that deadline, the EU granted it an extension to April 12. May wanted to stretch that out until June 30. Instead, the EU leaders extended the deadline by six months, to Oct. 31.

Brexit will continue to unravel the U.K.—both at home and internationally!

Immigration Issues Rise in Finland

Afp.com reported on April 13:

“In the remote, northern Finnish town of Oulu where he has lived for seven years, Syrian-born Jabo Waleed recently started feeling that some people’s behaviour towards him was becoming less welcoming…

“Waleed’s experiences have been echoed by many other immigrants across Finland, since police in Oulu announced in December the arrest of nine suspects — all of whom had arrived in the EU country as refugees or asylum seekers — for suspected sexual offences against minors. A handful of similar arrests followed in subsequent months.

“The heavily publicised incidents spread outrage through Finland, and helped the far-right, populist Finns Party capitalise on anti-immigration sentiment ahead of Sunday’s legislative elections.

“The Finns Party’s election manifesto, released after the arrests, goes into detail about a perceived security risk posed by immigrants, particularly in the areas of sexual assault and terrorism.

“After three years as the fifth largest party in public opinion polls, pre-election forecasts put Finns Party support at around 16 percent, which could make it the second largest party after Sunday.”

Hard-line anti-immigration positions are fueling far-right political parties across Europe, and that will lead to a dramatic change in national leadership.

This Week in the News

Illegal Immigrants–Entire System Broken

USA Today wrote on March 31:

“Along the Texas border with Mexico – from El Paso to Eagle Pass to the Rio Grande Valley – masses of migrants have been crossing the border in unprecedented numbers, overwhelming federal holding facilities and sending local leaders and volunteers scrambling to deal with the relentless waves of people. Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan said… that the border had hit its ‘breaking point’ and urged Congress to come up with legislative solutions to the problem. Border Patrol officials were on pace in March for more than 100,000 apprehensions and encounters with migrants – the highest monthly tally in over a decade, he said. Around 90 percent of those – or 90,000 – crossed the border between legal ports of entry… ‘The surge numbers are just overwhelming the entire system,’ McAleenan said.

“President Donald Trump recently declared a national emergency at the border to secure funding for a proposed wall, despite Congressional opposition. On Friday, the president in a tweet threatened to close the U.S.-Mexico border if Mexico didn’t stop undocumented migrants from coming. But not even Trump’s proposed wall could stop the wave of migrants overflowing shelters in the Rio Grande Valley, where the vast majority are turning themselves in to apply for asylum, McAllen Mayor Jim Darling said. A wall would go up on levees about a mile from the winding Rio Grande, which is the U.S.-Mexico border. Migrants will just have to cross the river to be in U.S. territory and seek asylum, he said…

“Once in the U.S., the migrants – mostly families from Central America – are crowding into facilities designed to hold single adult men… Increasingly, smugglers are bringing larger numbers of families together and delivering them across the Rio Grande, knowing they’ll overrun facilities and be released until their immigration court date… Under U.S. law, Border Patrol is not supposed to hold any migrant for longer than 72 hours. Usually, Border Patrol hands them over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which can detain families for up to 20 days. But all of those facilities are overcrowded…”

Breitbart wrote on March 31:

“… at current projections of illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border, Catch and Release levels, and visa overstays, the nation is set to admit and resettle about one million to 1.5 million border crossers and illegal aliens this year.

“… Center for Immigration Studies Executive Director Mark Krikorian compared the flood of illegal immigration to the European migrant crisis, which remains ongoing, where the continent saw nearly 2.5 million illegal crossings into the Mediterranean in 2015 and 2016. ‘We are seeing an Angela Merkel-style disaster on the border caused by loopholes in our laws that the Democrats refuse to even consider changing,’ Krikorian told Politico.”

For decades, the USA has been struggling unsuccessfully with its broken immigration system. This will not change.

Trump on Track for Huge Landside Victory in 2020

Politico wrote on March 26:

“U.S. President Donald Trump has a low approval rating…

“But if the election were held today, he’d likely ride to a second term in a huge landslide, according to multiple economic models with strong track records of picking presidential winners and losses. Credit a strong U.S. economy featuring low unemployment, rising wages and low gas prices — along with the historic advantage held by incumbent presidents.”

Gun Glorification

The Sun wrote on March 29:

“Millennials are flooding Instagram with snaps of themselves brandishing deadly guns… The trend follows an alarming rise in gun violence and mass shootings, with latest figures revealing there were 39,773 gun deaths in the US in 2017 – the highest on record in the country –  and more than 2700 this year alone. Last year there were 340 mass shootings, including a spate of bloody school gun attacks.

“The grim statistic prompted CNN to claim that at one stage in 2018, there was the equivalent of one school shooting per week… Yet despite the gun violence epidemic, a growing number of young Americans are ‘glorifying’ firearms by posting ‘countless’ pictures and videos to hundreds of thousands of followers… Thousands of people post gun snaps each day…”

There will come a time when people’s fascination with guns will cease, and when they will destroy their guns or beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks.

Sex Outside Marriage Just Fine?

npr wrote on March 29:

“Until this week, sex between unmarried people in Utah was technically illegal, a vestige of earlier times. That changed Wednesday, when Gov. Gary Herbert signed a bill that decriminalizes sex outside of marriage in the state… Utah’s 1973 fornication law designated sex outside of marriage as a class B misdemeanor. The act carried a possible penalty of up to six months in jail or a maximum fine of $1,000. Utah was among only a few states that retained these laws.

“State Senate Minority Leader Karen Mayne sponsored the bill… ‘You hear all over the U.S. how you have antiquated laws about horses in the streets and all kinds of things, so we wanted to make them modern-day, in the now,’ Mayne says… State Rep. Paul Ray called the 1973 fornication law unenforceable…”

We are not addressing here the aspect of criminal prosecution, but it is clear that God condemns fornication and sex outside marriage, including adultery. Even though a sin is a sin and every sin can be forgiven upon genuine repentance, fornication in all its different forms and adultery are not light transgressions or petty offenses, but serious and destructive violations of God’s law.  

Brexit Disaster

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 29:

“The Conservative government lost its Brexit vote in the House of Commons on Friday by a margin of 58 votes, on the day the UK had been scheduled to leave the EU… The result means the UK has failed to meet a 2300 UTC deadline and thus loses the automatic extension of the Article 50 negotiating period until May 22, which the EU had offered last week. The British government now has to propose a new way forward to the EU by April 12 — or revoke the Article 50 it triggered to leave the bloc. Otherwise, the UK will have left the EU without a deal

“The European Commission [stated] a ‘No-deal scenario on 12 April is now likely,’ adding that the benefits of the Withdrawal Agreement would not be replicated under such circumstances. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas echoed the Commission’s comments: ‘We are running out of time to prevent a disorderly Brexit,’ he wrote on Twitter on Friday. ‘The British must decide before April 12 how to proceed. Otherwise, it is a No-deal Brexit, as tough as that would be. Germany and the EU are well prepared in any case.’”

No More Brexit Delay?

Daily Mail wrote on March 30:

“Theresa May faces an insurrection after more than half of Conservative MPs demanded that Brexit should not be delayed by more than a few months. A letter calling for Britain to leave the EU soon, even if it means a no-deal Brexit, was signed by 170 of the 330 Tory Members of Parliament and sent to the Prime Minister after her withdrawal deal was rejected for a third time on Friday. As many as 10 Cabinet ministers… and 20 other members of the Government are believed to have signed the letter…”

Brexit Disaster Deepens

The Sun wrote on April 2:

“BRITAIN’S squabbling MPs tonight plunged the country into further Brexit chaos by voting against every possible way forward – AGAIN. The House of Commons rejected four different Brexit options leaving the UK more deadlocked than ever…”

Newsmax added on April 1:

“The European Parliament’s Brexit coordinator, Guy Verhofstadt, warned that a no-deal Brexit was looming unless Britain changed course. ‘The House of Commons again votes against all options,’ he tweeted. ‘A hard Brexit becomes nearly inevitable…”

In Case of a No-Deal Brexit

The EUObserver wrote on April 3:

“EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday (3 April) ruled out another short extension to the Brexit deadline in a speech to MEPs, if the Brexit withdrawal agreement is not adopted by British lawmakers by 12 April. Juncker said that British MPs – if they want to have another short extension – first need to vote to pass the deal already negotiated between the UK government and the EU.”

The EUObserver wrote on April 4:

“MEPs Thursday approved a law allowing British citizens visa-free travel to the EU’s Schengen passport-free zone for 90 day trips, under a no-deal Brexit. The waiver will depend on Britain providing the same rights to EU travellers. The bill was passed after EU countries, supporting Spain, pushed the EU parliament to remove a British MEP from the file, which describes Gibraltar as a ‘colony of the British crown’…

“[All EU-27 members agreed that the] EU will immediately introduce customs checks and collect import duties [for incoming goods] in the event of Britain leaving the bloc without a withdrawal agreement on 12 April…”

Brexit and Merkel as Holy Roman Emperor?

The Week wrote on March 29:

What if there are not enough votes for an extension, though? Or if the E.U., which has already granted a delay till April 12, refuses to play ball? (I for one hope for the latter, if only to imagine German Chancellor Angela Merkel triumphing once more in the autumnal twilight of her reign as the greatest Holy Roman Emperor since Frederick II.)

What would a no-deal Brexit actually look like? Who knows. It is to this unknown country that many Brexit hardliners wish to venture and never return. It is difficult to believe all the metropolitan liberal horror stories about food shortages and the end of air travel and mobs of St. George Cross-waving thugs roaming the streets burning cafés and gelaterias… It is also difficult to believe that the whole thing will not be a logistical nightmare…”

Even if we were to accept the concept of Merkel fulfilling the role of a Holy Roman Emperor, she would not have been the first since Frederick II, as Napoleon and Mussolini fulfilled that role as well… and the last personification and manifestation of a Holy Roman Emperor will arise soon on the world stage.

Trump Can’t Wait

Breitbart wrote on March 29:

“President Trump’s National Security Advisor John Bolton has offered some words of assurances to the British people… ‘We’re standing here waiting to make a trade deal with a United Kingdom independent of the European Union,’ Mr Bolton continued, in an optimistic note… ‘President Trump is eager for the will of the British people to be carried out and he is even more eager to do a trade deal…’

“At the time of the historic 2016 vote, and since, President Donald Trump has been a supporter of Brexit and the prospect of a strong U.S.-UK bilateral trade deal… ‘He thinks that the EU rules discriminate against American trade, and he wants a free, fare, and reciprocal trade with Great Britain.’… ‘Britain had a referendum, the Leave vote won in what everybody agrees was a free and fair election; doesn’t the will of the British people get to be carried out?’”

It would be interesting to see if the prophesied Brexit will lead to a closer collaboration between the USA and the UK against the wishes and interests of the EU.

The Humiliation of Britain

The New Statesman America wrote on March 27:

“We are reduced to this. A humiliated, supplicant British prime minister sitting alone in a Brussels side room for six hours while the rest of the European Union discusses our fate. A government no longer capable of governing. A country that has become a byword for chaos and dysfunction.

“A sundered ‘United Kingdom’. Hundreds of thousands of Britons seeking citizenship in other EU states. Industry howling in rage and frustration. MPs needing police protection. People stockpiling food and medicines. The public discourse poisoned. Families split. Friends riven. The military on standby in case of civil unrest…

“It is… an epic act of self-harm brought about not by some war or disaster but by our own stupidity. And the true ‘enemies of the people’ are… those whose lies, zealotry, and political recklessness have all but broken Britain…”

Ongoing and Deepening Tensions between US and German Relationship

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 1:

“The news that Germany won’t meet defense spending targets set by NATO plays badly in the US, even among friends of the country. It is just the latest in a string of issues fueling tension between Berlin and Washington.

“There arguably would never have been a good moment for Berlin to renege on its planned increase in defense spending. But to do it in the run-up to NATO celebrating its 70th anniversary in Washington is particularly bad timing. Germany’s latest projection that it now won’t even meet the 1,5 percent mark it set itself was met with dismay.

“‘There is very little understanding in the United States, quite frankly — whether among Republicans or Democrats — for the German government’s reluctance to meet the 2 percent of the GDP spending target,’ said Jeff Rathke, president of the American Institute for Contemporary Studies at Johns Hopkins University, ‘and even less understanding for the current wobbliness with respect to the 1.5 percent of GDP target which Chancellor Merkel and other German leaders just a few months ago affirmed.’

Republican Senator Rand Paul, a member of the foreign relations committee, lashed out on Twitter at Berlin’s projected military spending, writing that ‘Germany expects the US to pay for their defense.’…

“[Germany’s] move threatens to chip away at the public perception that Germany is a reliable player at a time when trans-Atlantic ties are challenged by a US president who is deeply skeptical about Washington’s European allies and especially Germany

“Complicating matters further, Berlin’s defense spending is only the latest among a range of contested issues between the US and German governments: President Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on German cars, US opposition against the planned Nord Stream 2 pipeline and against allowing Chinese telecoms giant Huawei to build Germany’s new 5G network — all have increased the friction between Washington and Berlin…”

These tensions will continue.

Germany’s Lacking Defense Spending

Deutsche Welle reported on April 4:

“Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen repeated the government’s pledge to spend more on defense, albeit in smaller increments than Washington would like. Germany plans to increase its defense spending to 1.5 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) by 2024 and will then try to hit NATO’s 2 percent target at an unspecified point in the future… The comments came… amid hefty criticism from US President Donald Trump and others in his administration over Germany’s contributions. ‘It is simply unacceptable for Europe’s largest economy to continue to ignore the threat of Russian aggression and neglect its own self-defense and our common defense,’ Vice President Mike Pence said on Wednesday.

“Despite attempting to dispel doubts about Berlin’s commitment to the military alliance, the German government suffered an embarrassing slip-up on Thursday when a NATO motion [calling for strengthening the military alliance as the backbone of European and trans-Atlantic security] barely passed through parliament…

“Germany is hurting its credibility by not holding to its pledge to significantly increase defense spending, said Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, who took over from Merkel as the head of the Christian Democrats in December. The low rate at which Germany has upped its defense spending is ‘one of the biggest political open flanks that we have in debates with the United States,’ Kramp-Karrenbauer told the Heilbronner Stimme newspaper.

“Germany’s opposition, on the other hand, is reluctant to hold to the 2 percent spending target…”

Bild Online reported on April 4 that more and more Germans are against Germany’s membership in NATO. In 2019, only 54 percent of Germans are in support of membership in NATO, while 68 percent expressed support in 2017. In addition, only 31 percent of Germans would be in favor of defending the USA, while 41 percent would be against it.  Finally, the EUObserver wrote on April 4 that “Turkey and Germany have defended their ties with Russia following strident criticism by the US at a Nato event in Washington.”

Fox Business Network Critical of Pope Francis

Newsmax wrote on April 1:

“Fox Business Network host Elizabeth MacDonald took a sharp jab Monday at the spiritual leader of more than 1 billion Catholics, chastising Pope Francis as ‘weak’ on communism, socialism, and border walls… [It] came a day after the pope told reporters that those who build border walls would ‘become prisoners of the walls they put up,’ adding: ‘This is history’…

“Fellow Fox Business Network host Stuart Varney interpreted the pope’s Sunday admonition as a shot at President Donald Trump, with MacDonald calling it an example of the pope getting ‘political.’ MacDonald later added that her point was the pope is failing to criticize ‘the governments that cause these migrant outflows.’…

“During the 2016 presidential election, Pope Francis said it was ‘not Christian’ for a person to think ‘only about building walls.’ And Trump responded by calling the remarks ‘disgraceful.’”

Anti-Semitism Outbreak because of Measles Outbreak

The New York Times wrote on March 29:

“A measles outbreak in this suburban New York county… has also intensified long-smoldering tensions between the rapidly expanding and insular ultra-Orthodox Jewish community and secular society… Hasidic leaders said they feared not only a rise in anti-Semitism but an invasion of their cloistered community by the authorities under the guise of public health. On Tuesday, county officials took the extraordinary step of announcing a state of emergency, barring unvaccinated children under 18 from public places, including restaurants, shopping centers, houses of worship [including churches and synagogues] and schools…

“About 31 percent of the population is Jewish, according to the state, and includes one of the largest concentrations of ultra-Orthodox Jews in the country… fear of vaccines has spread around the world in recent years, with childhood vaccination rates reportedly declining in several countries as a result. Nothing in the belief system of Orthodox Jews makes them any more likely to oppose vaccines, and several Orthodox rabbinical organizations have called on parents to vaccinate their children. But Hasidic Jews… and some ultra-Orthodox rabbis have come out against vaccines…

“Steve Gold, the chairman of the Jewish Community Relations Council for the Jewish Federation of Rockland [was] saying the move by county officials risked exacerbating the anti-Semitism that already existed in the area before the measles crisis…

“The anxiety over the outbreak has spread from the aisles at the kosher supermarkets where women in head-coverings pushed shopping carts laden with babies and goods for the coming Passover holiday, to the ritual bathhouses or mikvahs. In children’s clothing shops, mothers buying Sabbath finery traded stories about friends with sickened children. Near a strip mall that sold religious candelabra and fur hats, a group of teenage boys tugged at the prayer threads that hung at their waists, discussing whether they would hang out with unvaccinated friends

“The anti-vaccine movement is rooted in a belief that the inoculations are linked to autism… A group called Parents Educating and Advocating for Children’s Health, or Peach, has also released an anti-vaccination handbook directed at Hasidic Jews… Fault lines have appeared within the Orthodox community as well, where its leadership has been struggling not only to push those who fail to immunize their children to get vaccinations, but against the false perception that Hasidim as a whole are against vaccination…”

We have purposefully omitted quoting from the article the typical stereotype but unfounded support for vaccinations and the polemic against those refusing vaccinations. But the hype and hysteria advocating vaccinations have led to mean antagonism against those who refuse to do so. Note the next article.

Frightening–Arizona’s Violation of Parent’s Rights

The Independent wrote on March 30:

“With guns drawn, the police officers broke down the door of the suburban Phoenix home in the early hours of a February morning. ‘Come out with your hands up!’ an officer yelled, with the dark front porch and foyer inside suddenly flooded with light from the officers’ flashlights. The target of the raid: an unvaccinated 2-year-old boy with a high fever. Video from the officers’ body cameras that was released on Thursday shows that moments later, the child’s father emerges, walking out backward with his hands over his head. The boy’s mother then comes out, too, cradling her young son in her arms. The boy was whisked away to a hospital, and since that raid on 25 February, he and the couple’s two other children, aged 4 and 6, have been in the state’s custodyThe parents have been charged with child abuse…

“Under Arizona law, parents may decline vaccinations for their child based on personal, religious or medical exemptions. But that law is in opposition to the ‘parens patriae’ theory, a centuries-old principle that empowers the state to look after the interests of children and others unable to care for themselves… Police records show that on 25 February, Ms Beck had taken her 2-year-old boy to a clinic, where his temperature was recorded at above 100 degrees. The child’s doctor became concerned that he could have meningitis, after learning that he was lethargic and had not been vaccinated. Ms Beck was told to take him to an emergency room. ‘I called the doctor back and said, “Hey, I’m not sure how you got this 105 reading, my son’s acting fine,”’ Ms Beck told a local TV station. ‘”This doesn’t really seem like a medical emergency.”’

“The child’s doctor, after learning Ms Beck had ignored the recommendation to take the child to the hospital and having follow-up phone calls to the family go unanswered, then contacted the Arizona Department of Child Safety. Asked to do a welfare check, police officers later arrived at the family’s door, but were not allowed in… An emergency court order was issued, allowing police to take the child into custody…

“The boy was eventually found to have a respiratory illness. A judge has told the child’s parents that the state wants them to regain custody of their children, but it was unclear when that would happen.”

So, the overzealous doctor whose pride had been hurt, was wrong; the overzealous welfare department was wrong; the overzealous court was wrong; the overzealous police, following the court’s decision, were wrong; and the overzealous prosecution was wrong. Still, the children were taken away from the parents who have been charged with child abuse. Now, a judge, after recognizing the error of the state’s ways, wants the parents to regain custody, but it is unclear whether and how the state will cooperate.

 We should remember that this is even happening in a state which allows refusal of vaccinations (which had really nothing to do with this case anyhow, except for the overzealous players in this affair) for personal, religious and medical exemptions. Please view our most recent StandingWatch program, “The DangerousVaccination Paranoia.” 

Erdogan Suffers Defeat in Ankara and Istanbul

BBC wrote on April 1:

“The party of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has lost control of the capital, Ankara, in local elections, in a blow to his 16-year rule. The main opposition is also slightly ahead in the contest for mayor of Istanbul. But the president’s AKP party is challenging the result in both cities…

“With most media either pro-government or controlled by Mr Erdogan’s supporters, critics believe opposition parties campaigned at a disadvantage. Mr Erdogan’s rallies dominated TV coverage.

“The opposition pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) said the elections were unfair and refused to put forward candidates in several cities. Some of its leaders have been jailed on terrorism charges, accusations they reject.”

US Halts Delivery of Equipment for Fighter Aircraft to Turkey

Reuters reported on April 1:

The United States has halted delivery of equipment related to the stealthy F-35 fighter aircraft to Turkey, marking the first concrete U.S. step to block delivery of the jet to the NATO ally in light of Ankara’s planned purchase of a Russian missile defense system… Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has refused to back down from Ankara’s planned purchase of a Russian S-400 missile defense system that the United States has said would compromise the security of F-35 aircraft.

“The disagreement over the F-35 is the latest of a series of diplomatic disputes between the United States and Turkey including Turkish demands that the United States extradite Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, differences over Middle East policy and the war in Syria, and sanctions on Iran…”

It was also stated in the press that this development represents a major escalation in the relationship between Turkey and the USA.

Asteroid Killed the Dinosaurs

The Washington Post wrote on March 29:

“Sixty-six million years ago, a massive asteroid crashed into a shallow sea near Mexico. The impact carved out a 90-mile-wide crater and flung mountains of earth into space. Earthbound debris fell to the planet in droplets of molten rock and glass.

“Ancient fish caught glass blobs in their gills as they swam, gape-mouthed, beneath the strange rain. Large, sloshing waves threw animals onto dry land, then more waves buried them in silt. Scientists working in North Dakota recently dug up fossils of these fish: They died within the first minutes or hours after the asteroid hit... ‘You’re going back to the day that the dinosaurs died,’ said Timothy Bralower, a Pennsylvania State University paleoceanographer who is studying the impact crater…

“The killer asteroid most famously claimed the dinosaurs. But the T. rex and the triceratops were joined by hordes of other living things. Freshwater and marine creatures were victims, as were plants and microorganisms, including 93 percent of plankton

“Four decades of research buttresses the asteroid extinction theory, widely embraced as the most plausible explanation for the disappearance of dinosaurs. In the late 1970s, Luis and Walter Alvarez, a father-son scientist duo at the University of California at Berkeley, examined an unusual geologic layer between the Cretaceous and Paleogene periods. The boundary was full of the element iridium, which is rare in Earth’s crust but not in asteroids…

“After the asteroid struck, seismic waves from a magnitude 10 to 11 earthquake rippled through this sea…”

The Daily Mail added on March 30:

“… a paleontologist has finally confirmed something he’s long suspected – in the heart of North Dakota lies a prehistoric ‘killing field’ that may be the best evidence yet of the events that occurred during Earth’s most notorious mass extinction. Fossilized fish, vegetation, mammals, insects, marine reptiles, and even part of a Triceratops lay piled atop one another, preserving for eternity the moment a 30-foot wall of water pummelled the landscape and buried all living creatures in its path… it’s the first ‘mass death assemblage’ of large lifeforms that’s ever been found from the dinosaur extinction event.”

Without addressing the accuracy or inaccuracy of the estimated time of the crash, it is clear that huge catastrophes caused the extinction of ALL animals on earth, making it “void and empty,” followed by the recreation of the surface of the earth and the creation of man. Please read our free booklets, “The Theory of Evolution—a Fairy Tale for Adults?” and “Heavens and Earth… Before and After the First Man.”

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

This Week in the News

The Mueller’s Report

The Independent wrote on March 22:

“Special counsel Robert Mueller did not recommend any further charges as he submitted his long-awaited report on his investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 US election…”

The Associated Press wrote on March 24:

“Attorney General William Barr declared Sunday that Mueller’s long investigation found no evidence that Trump’s campaign ‘conspired or coordinated’ with Russia to influence the 2016 presidential election. Mueller also looked into whether Trump tried to obstruct the inquiry, but did not provide a definitive answer on that point.”

In particular, Axios wrote on March 24:

“After taking the weekend to pore over the Mueller report, Attorney General William Barr has sent Congress his summary of the ‘principal conclusions’ from the special counsel’s 675-day investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia:

“‘… [T]he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities.’

“On the question of obstruction of justice, Barr writes that while Mueller’s report ‘does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.’

“Barr says he and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein concluded that the evidence ‘is not sufficient to establish that the President committed an obstruction-of-justice offense,’ noting that the government would have to prove such a case ‘beyond a reasonable doubt.’” [To this point, Deutsche Welle added on March 24: “The report also ‘did not draw a conclusion — one way or another’ on whether Trump’s actions had obstructed justice…”]

Deutsche Welle also wrote: “In the meantime, a series of investigations into potential illegal activity and irregularities in Trump’s business dealings are underway, both in Congress and in his home state of New York. None of these will likely remove the US president from office…”

This is undoubtedly a huge win for President Trump and his team. Not surprisingly, politically-motivated Democrats, not stopping at anything in trying to “get” Trump, declared that the fight will go on, indicating to subpoena Barr and Mueller to testify before Congress, amongst other contemplated measures. As if this superfluous and distracting “witch hunt” did not cost Americans more than enough in terms of money and waste of time. Note the next article:

The Costs

The Guardian wrote on March 22:

“Mueller was appointed on 17 May 2017, to serve as special counsel for the Department of Justice. The appointment was prompted by the firing of the FBI director, James Comey, eight days earlier; the recusal of the then attorney general, Jeff Sessions, from matters pertaining to the Russia investigation; and a perceived need to protect and advance open investigations into Russian election tampering and the Trump campaign…

“Mueller turned in his report 650 days after his appointment. By the end of last December, the investigation had cost about $27m… Mueller’s duties connected with his appointment as special counsel are now complete, and he is not expected to take on a further public role. Before agreeing to the special counsel appointment, Mueller, 74, was in private practice, after having served for 12 years as director of the FBI, as a US attorney, and as a marine…”

Time for Reckoning?

Breitbart wrote on March 25:

“Wall Street Journal assistant editor James Freeman and Sen. Rand Paul are on the same page: the Mueller report confirms it is now time for the Obama administration toaccount for its flagrant abuse of the surveillance powers of the federal government…

“Freeman wrote: ‘… This historic abuse of executive authority was either approved by President Barack Obama or it was not. It’s time for Mr. Obama, who oddly receives few mentions in stories about his government’s spying on associates of the 2016 Trump campaign, to say what he knew and did not know about the targeting of his party’s opponents.’

“Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, similarly tweeted it is ‘time to investigate the Obama officials who concocted and spread the Russian conspiracy hoax!’”

Another costly and time-consuming investigation?

The War on Healthcare which Won’t Go Away

Newsmax republished the following article by The Associated Press, dated March 27:

“President Donald Trump is calling on Republicans to revive the effort to quash the Affordable Care Act, handing Democrats an opportunity to unite in defense of the law… Trump’s administration [over the objections of Attorney General William Barr and others]  is asking a federal appeals court to strike down the entire healthcare law

“The Supreme Court has twice upheld President Barack Obama’s healthcare law, known as ‘Obamacare.’ Five justices — a majority — who upheld the law in 2012 are still on the bench. Trump’s effort to repeal Obamacare narrowly failed in the Senate in 2017… there’s no indication that GOP senators want another fight over repealing Obamacare — particularly not those up for re-election next year. The GOP also lost control of the House, which means any attempt to dismantle the law could not pass Congress

“As the debate plays out on Capitol Hill, the White House made a surprising legal argument for eliminating the healthcare bill. In a Monday court filing, the administration said the entire healthcare law should be struck down as unconstitutional after Congress repealed fines [the individual mandate] on people who remain uninsured. That’s at odds with previous statements by leading congressional Republicans who said they didn’t intend to repeal other parts of the law when they cut out its fines, effective this year…

“Repeal of Obamacare in its entirety would risk making more than 20 million people uninsured. That includes some 12 million low-income people covered through its Medicaid expansion and some 11 million purchasing subsidized private health insurance through HealthCare.gov and state-run insurance markets… Several GOP senators said Tuesday that Trump told them to ensure those with pre-existing conditions stayed protected as they work on an Obamacare replacement…”

However, they won’t stay protected without legislation to that effect. And Republican Senators confirmed that presently no legislation exists replacing Obamacare. If Obamacare was to be repealed without a replacement, millions of people, including those with pre-existing conditions, might find themselves without any healthcare insurance.

Recognizing the Golan Heights

JTA wrote on March 21:

 “Last week, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a close Trump ally, called on the U.S. to recognize Israel’s claim to the Golan. Trump himself followed suit on Thursday, breaking with half a century of U.S. policy… it makes clear that peace between Israel and Syria isn’t happening anytime soon, even when the civil war ends. If Israel’s hold on the Golan was tight before, it’s airtight now…

“It’s also a big deal for Netanyahu, who is facing a credible challenge to his premiership in the election a couple of weeks away. Trump’s statement is a huge boost in a tight race…

“After the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel took control of five territories. In the ensuing 52 years, it’s withdrawn from two — the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula, both in the south… Israel has also annexed two — eastern Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. Trump recognized the Jerusalem annexation in 2017…

“The fifth territory is the West Bank, which is way more complicated. Israel hasn’t withdrawn from nor annexed it… If Trump recognized Israel’s annexation of the Golan and eastern Jerusalem, could he recognize a West Bank annexation, too? The answer to that question used to be ‘no.’ Now it’s ‘maybe.’”

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 24:

“The decision has been criticized by many US allies — Germany, Britain, France and the EU have all said they still consider the Golan Heights to be ‘occupied’ by Israel.”

The Independent added on March 28:

“The 28 member countries of the European Union have unanimously declared that they do not recognise Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights region, despite a change in policy by the United States.”

JTA wrote on March 25:

“With Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looking on, President Donald Trump signed a proclamation recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights. ‘Our relationship is powerful,’ Trump said Monday at the White House ceremony… ‘We will confront the poison of anti-Semitism through our words and more importantly our actions.’

“Trump’s formal recognition comes four days after he said on Twitter that it was time to do so and two weeks before elections in Israel. The proclamation is one of several actions taken by the Trump administration to boost Netanyahu, perhaps the international leader Trump is closest to, ahead of the April 9 vote…

“The United States is the first country to recognize Israel’s sovereignty. Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in 2017 and moved the U.S. Embassy there last year.”

Trump Like Queen Esther?

The Independent wrote on March 22:

“Donald Trump may have been sent by God to save the Jewish people from any threat posed by Iran, his secretary of state has claimed. In an interview in Jerusalem with the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), Mike Pompeo was asked whether the US president was a latter-day Queen Esther, a figure who appears [in] both Christian and Jewish stories as a person who halted an attempt to wipe out the Jewish people. Mr Pompeo claimed that because of the president’s hardline stance against Iran, Mr Trump may indeed fit such a role.

“‘Could it be that President Trump right now has been sort of raised for such a time as this, just like Queen Esther, to help save the Jewish people from the Iranian menace,’ CBN’s interviewer asked Mr Pompeo. ‘As a Christian I certainly believe that’s possible,’ replied the US secretary of state. ‘It was remarkable. So we were down in the tunnels where we could see 3,000 years ago, and 2,000 years ago — if I have the history just right — to see the remarkable history of the faith in this place and the work that our administration’s done to make sure that this democracy in the Middle East, that this Jewish state remains.’ He added: ‘I am confident that the Lord is at work here’…”

Trump’s role for the USA, Israel and the world is indeed providential.

Romania to Move Embassy to Jerusalem?

The EUObserver wrote on March 25:

“Romania will move its embassy to Jerusalem [“the capital of Israel”], its prime minister has said… Her announcement broke the joint EU and UN line that Israeli-occupied Jerusalem ought to be shared by Israel and Palestine in a future two-state solution. It made Romania the first EU state to follow the example of US president Donald Trump, who moved America’s embassy to Jerusalem last year.  And it did extra damage to EU policy because Romania currently holds the six-month EU chairmanship

“[Prime Minister Viorica] Dancila’s embassy move was put in doubt by Romanian president Klaus Iohannis, however, who said on Sunday: ‘The final decision about moving the embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem rests with me’. ‘The prime minister shows complete ignorance regarding foreign affairs,’ he added, in a sign of internal turmoil in Bucharest…

“Dancila’s announcement marked a broader split in EU Middle East policy. Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, and Hungary are also opening lower-level diplomatic missions in Jerusalem in echoes of Trump’s move. Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, and Romania declined to join the EU line on [and opposing] Trump’s embassy move at the UN last year…”

Ultimately, ten leading European anti-Israeli core nations or groups of nations will arise out of the present EU. Note the interesting next article as well.

Europeans Reject UN Anti-Israel Resolution

JTA wrote on March 22:

“In a major policy reversal by Western members of the United Nations Human Rights Council, all its European Union member states voted against a permanent item singling out Israel. The vote Friday was the first time that EU members states, plus Brazil and Japan, have voted against Item 7 — a recurrent draft resolution that is the only permanent item on the agenda singling out any one nation.

“The EU states currently on the council are Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, Italy, Slovakia, Spain and the United Kingdom. The draft resolution passed, despite the Western opposition: while 16 opposed it, including Australia, 26 were in favor. Whereas European nations in recent years have abstained by and large in votes on Item 7 at Human Rights Council sessions, this year they made a joint stand against the item, citing its ‘imbalance,’ as the representative of Bulgaria said in a statement representing the bloc…

“Item 7 comprises four resolutions. One states that the Council is ‘deeply concerned at the suffering of the Syrian citizens in the occupied Syrian Golan due to the systematic and continuous violation of their fundamental and human rights by Israel since the Israeli military occupation of 1967.’ It does not mention the slaughter of Syrians by their government and other forces involved in fighting in Syria

“Another part of Item 7 ‘Calls upon Israel, the occupying Power, to immediately end its occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.’ The third expresses ‘grave concern at the continuing violations of international humanitarian law and the systematic violation of the human rights of the Palestinian people by Israel, the occupying Power.’ The fourth, titled ‘Human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories,’ does mention terrorism, but only by ‘extremist Israelis.’

“A total of five critical but nonbinding resolutions, including one supporting an arms embargo on Israel, were passed about the Jewish state during the 40th session of the Council. It was the highest number of negative resolutions passed about any individual country during the session.

“In an earlier vote, all EU countries on the Council except the United Kingdom voted against adopting a U.N. report accusing Israel of war crimes in Gaza. The British delegate abstained… the resolution… passed with a majority of 23 yes votes and 15 abstentions…

“Last year, the United States pulled out of the Human Rights Council. Nikki Haley, then the U.S. envoy to the United Nations, called the council a ‘cesspool of political bias.’”

In light of Germany’s embarrassing and hypocritical conduct in its Parliament (see our Current Events in previous Update #869), we wonder how Germany would have voted if they had been a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council. While some of the present EU Council member states will be part of the prophesied ten nations or groups of nations, others won’t be.

 “Islamic State ‘Caliphate’ Defeated, Yet Threat Persists”

Reuters and the Algemeiner wrote on March 23:

“US-backed forces proclaimed the capture of Islamic State’s last territory in Syria on Saturday, eliminating its rule over a self-proclaimed ‘caliphate,”’ but the jihadists remain a threat from sleeper cells around the world. Originally an offshoot of al-Qaeda, IS took large swathes of Iraq and Syria from 2014, imposing a reign of terror with public beheadings and attacks by supporters abroad — but it was eventually beaten back to the village of Baghouz…

“Some IS fighters still hold out in Syria’s remote central desert, and in Iraqi cities they have slipped into the shadows, staging shootings or kidnappings. The United States believes the group’s leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, is in Iraq… jihadists in Afghanistan, Nigeria, and elsewhere show no sign of recanting allegiance, and intelligence services say IS devotees in the West might plot new attacks…

“Still, the fall of Baghouz is a big milestone in a fight waged against the group by numerous local and global forces… for more than four years. France and Britain, which also back the SDF, both welcomed Saturday’s developments, though US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo warned: ‘We still have work to do.’…”

We agree. ISIS is still a terrible threat to life, liberty and freedom.

Theresa May Isolated?

AFP wrote on March 24:

Accused of presiding over an unprecedented national humiliation in her chaotic handling of Brexit, British Prime Minister Theresa May has all but lost control of her party and her government… her approach to the endgame, refusing to accept MPs’ opposition to her divorce deal and agreeing to delay Brexit to try for a third time to get it through, has prompted frustration and anger on all sides… And this weekend, after yet another bruising Brussels summit for the prime minister, British newspapers were full of moves by her colleagues to oust her.

“In an editorial, Conservative-supporting Spectator magazine suggested May was the ‘worst prime minister in our history’… although it also accused the ruling party itself for failing to find a better leader.

“May’s former director of communications, Katie Perrior, wrote in The Times newspaper that the prime minister was ‘a passenger at the time when the country needed a rally driver’… The top selling The Sun tabloid [said] it was ‘time to move on… She has lost the backing of much of the country and now her party’…

“However, May has been written off before… May’s critics are deeply divided, and their inability to unite behind a rival candidate has foiled previous attempted coups. Her finance minister, Philip Hammond, condemned any talk of replacing May… ‘This is not about the prime minister or any other individual, this is about the future of our country,’ he said.”

Newsmax wrote on March 25:

“British lawmakers voted on Monday to wrest control of Brexit from Prime Minister Theresa May… The move underlined to what extent May has lost her authority… Monday’s vote… came after the prime minister admitted that the deal she had agreed with the EU after two years of talks still did not have enough support to pass…”

Express wrote on March 27:

“Mrs May said she will stand down before the next stage of Brexit negotiations. She told MPs: ‘I am prepared to leave this job earlier than I intended in order to do what is right for our country and our party.’ The Prime Minister’s offer comes after a string of MPs said they would back her divorce deal in return for her promising to go.”

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 28:

“The EU has agreed to put Brexit on hold until May 22 if the deal is approved this week. If parliament cannot agree upon any kind of deal, the UK would crash out of the EU with no deal on April 12…

“The German papers shook their collective heads following the latest round of voting in the British Parliament, which saw the House of Commons vote against eight different proposals for a way out of the UK’s Brexit crisis…

“Bild, Europe’s biggest mass-circulation newspaper, began its top story with the line: ‘The next act in the Brexit drama — and the chaos has become even more confusing!’…  Die Zeit’s Matthias Krupa… laid much of the blame for the debacle on May for failing to consult Parliament for a majority in the past two years of negotiations with the EU. But he added that Wednesday’s events showed that ‘the parliament isn’t any cleverer [than] the prime minister.’… Der Spiegel… noted that even May’s offer to resign once her deal had been passed by parliament could not guarantee the Commons’ approval…

“House Speaker John Bercow said on Thursday that MPs would vote on a motion to approve the Brexit withdrawal agreement, which sets the divorce terms. Unlike the two meaningful votes already held, it will not cover the political declaration which deals with the future relationship between the UK and the European Union. Leader of the Commons Andrea Leadsom said that the vote on Friday would not count as a meaningful vote on the whole Brexit deal… it is still a question if the government has the numbers.”

Incredible Attack of British Government on the Bible

Daily Mail wrote on March 24:

“The Home Office turned down a Christian convert’s bid for asylum in an ‘unbelievably offensive’ letter quoting bloodthirsty passages from the bible to prove Christianity is not a religion of peace. The Iranian national claimed asylum in 2016, but was turned down, with Home Office officials saying his conversion from Islam was ‘inconsistent’ with his claim Christianity was a peaceful religion – by highlighting violent passages from the bible.

“In the refusal letter six passages are listed and a claim is made that Revelations is filled with ‘images of revenge, destruction, death and violence.’… The refusal letter also quotes parts of The Book of Leviticus from the old testament.

“The full statement below the verses says: ‘These examples are inconsistent with your claim that you converted to Christianity after discovering it is a “peaceful religion, as opposed to Islam which contains violence, rage and revenge.”’”

It is truly shocking that such unqualified Home Office officials, being hostile to the Bible, are allowed to make important decisions based on nonsensical and ignorant reasoning.

“‘Dark Day for Internet Freedom’: EU Lawmakers Approve Controversial Copyright Reform”

The Drudge Report linked to the following article by RT, on March 26:

“The European Parliament has voted to adopt the highly controversial Article 13 provision which would govern the production and distribution of content online under the auspices of increasing copyright protections. Tuesday’s move will update the EU’s 20-year-old copyright rules and will govern audiovisual content, much to the dismay of many social media users who have already begun outpouring their grief online…

“MEPs passed the legislation by 348 votes to 274 Tuesday. Opponents had hoped for last-minute amendments to be made but their efforts were in vain. Julia Reda, a German MEP with the Pirate Party, described it as a ‘dark day for internet freedom.’… The onus will now be on tech companies to clamp down on content-sharing on their platforms, which will likely ensure yet more draconian policing of speech and content.

“EU member states now have two years to pass their own laws putting Article 13 into effect. Tens of thousands marched in protest across Germany ahead of the vote, decrying what they viewed as severe online censorship. Tech giant Google said that… the directive… will… lead to legal uncertainty and will damage Europe’s creative and digital economies. Critics have argued that the only way for Article 13 to be effectively enforced would be through the use of upload filters which automatically check content to see if it’s copyrighted or not, at least in theory. However, the exact mechanics of such a system have yet to be fully debated and the potential for abuse is immediately clear.’”

Deutsche Welle added on March 26:

“The draft law… means:

“Social media platforms would have to ensure uploaded content is not in breach of copyright rules. Companies will need licensing agreements with rights holders such as  musicians, performers and authors to use their content. The likes of Google News would have to pay publishers for press snippets shown in search results (whatever that means). Non-profits and encyclopedias such as Wikipedia will still be able to use data for research and educational purposes (whatever that means). Fledgling companies with an annual turnover below €10 million ($11.3 million) are exempt…

“European consumer organization BEUC also opposed the reform. ‘We fully support the aim of ensuring fair remuneration for creators, but this should not happen to the detriment of consumers,’ said Monique Goyens, head of BEUC. ‘There is a very high risk that the new law will do more harm than good.’”

Of course it will. As can clearly be seen from these articles, this is a most ridiculous and at the same time ambiguously worded and extremely dangerous law for consumers. Depending on how this law is implemented, it could also adversely affect God’s Church, which would have to be seen as a clear attempt of Satan to destroy God’s commission to His Church. But as usual, the majority of ignorant European parliamentarians did not care a bit.

A New World Order?

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 26:

“The leaders of China, Germany, France and the EU have held ‘unprecedented’ talks on building a new global governance. The challenge for Europe is how to balance ties in the face of Beijing’s growing global influence. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker joined French President Emmanuel Macron and Chinese President Xi Jinping for talks in Paris on Tuesday… Macron urged his Chinese counterpart to ‘respect the unity of the European Union and the values it carries in the world.’…

“A prosperous Europe corresponded with China’s ‘vision for a multipolar world,’ Xi said, adding that the EU and China were ‘advancing together’ despite ‘suspicions.’… France wants to engage China as a closer partner as Washington becomes more isolationist under Trump’s ‘America First’ policy. A full China-EU summit is due to take place in Brussels on April 9.”

However, this “close” cooperation between the EU and China will not last.

Streisand under Fire for Outrageous Comments

New York Daily News wrote on March 22:

“Barbra Streisand is under fire for comments she made about two men accusing Michael Jackson of sexually assaulting them as children. The legendary singer and actress said that [the alleged victims] — ‘were thrilled to be there’ and that what allegedly happened to them ‘didn’t kill them.’… she also said that Jackson’s ‘sexual needs were his sexual needs.’ She says she ‘absolutely’ believes the allegations of abuse… but puts more blame on their parents than [Jackson]…

“‘You can say “molested,” but those children, as you heard say [the grown-up alleged victims] they were thrilled to be there. They both married and they both have children, so it didn’t kill them.’”

Subsequently, Streisand issued a somewhat contradictory, convoluted and rambling “clarification” and “apology,” stating that “there is no situation or circumstance where it is OK for the innocence of children to be taken advantage of by anyone” and that “It’s clear that the parents of the two young men were also victimized and seduced by fame and fantasy.”

First Fox Moderator Tucker Carlson’s damnable comments about abused minor school boys by female teachers (see Current Events in Update #868), now these damnable (initial) comments by Barbara Streisand. Where is decency and what is this world coming to?

And Now Germany? Measles Vaccinations to Become Mandatory?

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 25:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservatives and coalition partners, the center-left Social Democrats (SPD), are considering the measles vaccination compulsory for children nationwide, according to media reports on Monday… [German] parents are increasingly opting not to vaccinate their children…

“Opposition parties in Germany are split over the move, with the business-friendly Free Democrats (FDP) backing mandatory vaccinations for children up to the age of 14… Pushback came from the Greens, who say they support vaccines, but are skeptical about requiring them…”

Also, American Academy of Pediatrics (AAAP) leaders have called for the elimination of non-medical exemptions to vaccination to be the top priority for the year. Maybe governmental officials should consider as to why so many parents are opposed to vaccinations. Obviously, the attempts by pharmaceutical “scientists” to deny clearly-established side effects and to “convince” parents of the “need” for highly dubious vaccinations did not produce the desired results. Governmental hysteria, combined with an ill-informed and manipulated mass media and autocratic governmental measures, have never been a good combination.

When You Thought It Could Not Get Any Crazier…

CNN wrote on March 26:

“Unvaccinated people under age 18 are banned from public places in Rockland County, New York, as of midnight Wednesday… The declaration is an effort to contain an outbreak of measles that began in October… Public places include synagogues, churches, schools, restaurants, stores and public buses. ‘Public places are defined as: a place where more than 10 persons are intended to congregate,’ the news release says… the penalty is six months in jail and/or a $500 fine…”

It was pointed out on Fox News that this is almost impossible to enforce and that the ban is likely to be unconstitutional, but when there is paranoia, who cares? In addition, some are claiming the quarantine to be anti-Semitic because Rockland County has a high number of unvaccinated Orthodox Jews. Quarantine is to be applied during Passover season, so Jews with unvaccinated children won’t be able to attend services.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics

This Week in the News

Saudi’s Brutal Crush on Dissidents

The Week wrote on March 18:

“More than a year before Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi was killed, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman approved a secret — and brutal — plan to crush dissent, using surveillance, abduction, and torture, U.S. officials who read classified intelligence reports on the matter told The New York Times. Saudi citizens were targeted around the world, with a special team — called the Saudi Rapid Intervention Group by U.S. officials — involved in at least 12 operations beginning in 2017, the Times reports.

“This is the same team that killed Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. After being captured and brought back to Saudi Arabia, these people were housed in palaces belonging to the crown prince and his father, King Salman, the Times reports, with many tortured during interrogations.”

The New York Times wrote on March 17:

“Saudi laws prohibit torture and hold accountable those involved in such abuses of power… The Saudi government insists that the killing of Mr. Khashoggi… was not an assassination ordered from Riyadh. The decision to kill him was made by the team on the spot, government officials say…

“Saudi Arabia has a history of going after dissidents and other Saudi citizens abroad, but the crackdown escalated sharply after Prince Mohammed was elevated to crown prince in 2017… [He] locked hundreds of princes, businessmen and former officials in the Riyadh Ritz-Carlton in 2017 on accusations of corruption…”

Nothing of such magnitude happens in Saudi Arabia without the Crown Prince at least knowing about it. Clearly, he was behind the murder of Jamal Khashoggi. To deny this FACT because of political motives and “advantageous” considerations is outrageous!

Violence in the Netherlands

Reuters wrote on March 18:

“A gunman shot dead three people and wounded nine on a tram in the Dutch city of Utrecht on Monday and police said they were hunting for a 37-year-old Turkish man in an apparent terrorist attack. Dutch authorities raised the terrorism threat to its highest level in Utrecht province… Prime Minister Mark Rutte [said] he was deeply concerned about the incident, which came three days after a lone gunman killed 50 people in mass shootings at two mosques in the city of Christchurch, New Zealand.”

Daily Mail added on March 18:

“[The] Turkish ‘terror’ suspect is arrested after ‘shooting a relative on Dutch tram “for family reasons” and then firing at anyone who tried to intervene‘ … [The suspect’s] family members in Turkey say the person targeted on the tram was a relative of the 37-year-old.”

npr wrote on March 18:

“A motive for the shooting remains unclear; police have said they were investigating a ‘possible terrorist motive’ for the attack, but reports have also emerged that the shooting might have its roots in a family dispute.”

Tighter Gun Laws in New Zealand

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 18:

“Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Monday that her Cabinet had agreed ‘in principle’ upon tighter gun laws for New Zealand. The proposed changes… were spurred by Friday’s Christchurch terror attacks, in which a shooter used multiple weapons, including military-style semi-automatic ones, to open fire on worshippers at two mosques… In the meantime, she encouraged individuals to surrender weapons similar to the ones used in the attacks to the authorities…

“Ardern also announced that her government would launch an inquiry into the country’s intelligence services. The suspect charged in relation to the attacks, a self-declared white nationalist who had posted a racist manifesto online, was not on the security services’ radar…”

These senseless mass murders in the Netherlands and in New Zealand are committed by deranged individuals who are obviously under demonic influence, if not possession.

Third Brexit Vote Illegal unless Substantial Change in Brexit Deal

The Guardian wrote on March 18:

“The House of Commons Speaker, John Bercow, has said the government cannot bring the meaningful vote back to parliament again unless there has been substantial change to the Brexit deal. In a shock move likely to infuriate the prime minister, the Speaker said the House of Commons was ‘being repeatedly asked to pronounce’ on the same question…

“Quoting from the guide to parliamentary procedure, Erskine May, Bercow said that by convention, the question ‘may not be brought forward again during the same session’ and that it was a ‘strong and longstanding convention’ dating back to 1604. He said the convention had been confirmed again many times, including in 1864, 1870, 1882, 1891 and 1912…

“He said the change must make the deal ‘fundamentally different’, rather than just a unilateral reinterpretation…”

UK Asks for Short Brexit Delay

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 20:

“The United Kingdom has requested delaying Brexit until June 30 in a letter to European Union leaders, Prime Minister Theresa May said on Wednesday. ‘As prime minister I am not prepared to delay Brexit any further than the 30th of June,’ May told MPs in Parliament… In the letter she says that she intends to hold a third vote on the twice-rejected Brexit deal, but will need more time to do so…”

Daily Mail wrote on March 20:

“The EU will give Britain a ‘short’ Brexit delay but only if MPs back Theresa May’s deal next week, European Council President Donald Tusk said today – setting up a dramatic political showdown days before the UK is due to leave…

“If no delay or deal is agreed with the EU before Friday, the law says Britain will leave without a deal – despite years of dire warnings about its impact on Britain. If May’s deal fails, the EU has not ruled out offering a longer delay but this would likely come with preconditions such as a second referendum.”

Still Shorter, If At All

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 21:

“The European Council on Thursday agreed to offer the UK two different Brexit extension options…

“Option 1: If the UK parliament accepts the withdrawal agreement, it can delay exiting until May 22 to ratify the text.

“Option 2: If it does not accept the deal, the EU will offer a shorter extension until April 12.

“If it rejects the deal and takes the shorter extension, it can decide whether to seek a much longer delay and vote in the European elections…

“British Prime Minister Theresa May… called on British MPs to accept the deal, saying it would be wrong to participate in the European elections.”

What to Know about Brexit

Axios wrote on March 18:

“On June 23, 2016, the United Kingdom shocked the world and voted to ‘Brexit,’ or leave the European Union. More than two years later, with divisions sowing within and between political parties — and with the March 29 withdrawal date approaching rapidly — the country seems no closer to negotiating the terms of its exit

“At the time of Brexit, the Conservative Party held a majority in Parliament. The party lost its majority in a snap election called by Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May in 2017 and was forced to form a coalition party with the Democratic Unionist Party.

“David Cameron [was] Prime Minister from 2010-2016. He called the referendum, campaigned for ‘Remain,’ and resigned after losing the vote. Theresa May [is] U.K.’s current prime minister. May supported remaining in the EU before winning the leadership election to replace Cameron. She has managed to keep the job, but has failed to win much support for her approach to Brexit. Boris Johnson [is one] of the most vocal proponents of leaving the EU from within the Conservative Party.

“[The] Labour Party [is the] opposition party in Parliament, which overwhelmingly supports remaining in the EU. Jeremy Corbyn [is the] hard-left leader of the Labour Party. He opposed Brexit (at least officially) but after the vote said the results must be respected. He’s been accused of failing to take a firm line on the issue.

“‘Leave’ [is the] pro-Brexit campaign focused on cutting immigration, gaining sovereignty and slashing payments to Brussels. ‘Remain’ [is the] opposing campaign emphasized economic harm if Brexit went ahead…

A hard Brexit is the preferred exit strategy of hard-line Brexiteers. It would include a full withdrawal from the EU customs union…

A soft Brexit, as outlined by Theresa May’s plan, includes keeping closer economic ties to the EU.

No deal Brexit [is the] case in which the U.K. leaves the E.U. with no formal exit agreement, which would be bad for Europe and disastrous for the U.K. There is an overwhelming consensus on both sides of the aisle that a no-deal Brexit cannot be allowed to happen…

A backup solution… would avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland until the EU’s future relationship with the U.K. is resolved…

“We are less than a month away from Brexit Day, when the U.K. is scheduled to leave the EU, and nowhere close to a deal. Now, May will have to get the EU to sign off on the proposal to push the Brexit deadline back. Getting the EU to agree to an extension will be tricky, though, and pushing back the deadline won’t get May any closer to a parliamentary majority.”

Brexit will happen in God’s due time. What is going to happen afterwards?

Europe after Brexit

spiked online wrote on March 15:

As Britain prepares for Brexit, what will happen to the EU that we leave behind? To understand the EU and its direction of travel, you have to understand Germany – the bloc’s richest, most populous and most powerful nation. Sir Paul Lever has worked in the Foreign Office and the European Commission [and] he was the British ambassador to Germany between 1997 and 2003.”

The article quoted Sir Paul Lever as follows:

I’d hesitate to say the EU won’t change at all when Britain leaves because the UK is a major state. But it won’t change fundamentally. The two things that currently matter in the EU, and the things that most matter to Germany, are the Euro and immigration. Since we’re not in the Euro and we had opted out of Schengen, Britain’s voice hasn’t been relevant for years on the two most important issues… Brexit won’t have an existential effect on the EU…

“If you look at the actual structures of the EU, there’s the Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers and the European Court. That is exactly the same way that Germany is governed. The Bundesregierung, or federal government, is like the Commission, the Bundestag, or German parliament, is like the European Parliament, and the Bundesrat, the council of the German Länder (the federal states), is like the Council of Ministers, and both the EU and Germany have very powerful constitutional courts, too. So for a German politician moving into the EU, it’s a very familiar world, which is precisely why the Germans find it so easy to operate in Europe… The EU is Germany writ large. And this is how it has been from the beginning. It is not some recent German plot to subvert the EU – it is how it was set up

When the Euro was originally set up, the rules were ones which the old Bundesbank (the German central bank) insisted on: it wasn’t going to be a transfer union, there was going to be a big budget, and there would be strict obligations on debt and deficits. In the first few years, those rules weren’t always adhered to. In recent times, during the Greek crisis, for instance, the Germans started to insist on a strict application of these rules. In fairness, every country did sign up to them. And the Germans weren’t reneging on any obligations when they first refused to bail out Greece, for instance. They had never implied that they would accept responsibility for the debts of other member states – it would have been political suicide in Germany to promise this…

“Germany has been a huge beneficiary from the euro. A study was published recently by the Centre for European Policy Studies in Germany, which estimated that Germany had earned €1.9 trillion from adopting the euro in its first 20 years. But it had cost France €3.6 trillion and Italy €4.3 trillion. German politicians don’t like to admit this…”

Germany is destined to become and remain THE leading nation in Europe. It is also destined to bring much pain and misery to the world, when the end-time leader of core Europe arrives—a person of German or Austrian descent, who is called the beast in the Bible.

Another Step Towards Russian Autocracy

Axios wrote on March 18:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a set of controversial measures into law Monday that criminalize the dissemination of information online that ‘exhibits blatant disrespect for the society, government, official government symbols, constitution or governmental bodies of Russia,’ the Washington Post reports…

Russian lawmakers say the bills are intended to combat fake and abusive comments online, but critics have labeled the legislation ‘direct censorship’ and yet another step toward autocracy. Online publications and users that repeatedly spread ‘fake news’ will ‘face fines of up to 1.5 million rubles, or $22,900.’ Repeat offenders that publish information deemed insulting to Russian authorities — including Putin — could face 15 days in jail.”

It will of course be the Russian government and its judges who will decide what is fake news and what constitutes insults to Putin and other Russian authorities.

USA to Recognize Israel’s Sovereignty over Golan Heights

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 21:

“On Thursday, US President Donald Trump tweeted that ‘after 52 years it is time for the United States to fully recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights,’ calling the area important to regional stability…

“Israel took control over the western two-thirds of the Golan Heights, which was previously part of Syria, during the Six-Day War in 1967. The eastern portion of Golan remained under the control of the Syrian Arab Republic. The western section of the Golan remained occupied by the Israeli army from 1967 until December 14, 1981, when the Israeli government passed the Golan Heights Law, essentially annexing the area.

“Despite the fact that Israeli settlements had been built in the area, the move was roundly condemned in the United Nations Security Council when it passed UN Resolution 497 on December 17, 1981, declaring the annexation ‘null and void and without international legal effect.’ The United States is the only country that has signaled a willingness to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights.”

The Obscure Celebration of Purim

JTA wrote on March 12:

“On [Palma de Mallorca, a Spanish] island south of Barcelona, Jews celebrate Purim these days pretty much as they do most anywhere else in Europe [that is, without deep contemplation for the events described in the book of Esther]… 50 years ago, Purim was the holiest day of the year — comparable to Yom Kippur — for this island’s unique Jewish community. Persecuted for centuries during the Spanish Inquisition, the forcibly converted Jews of Mallorca had exploited their persecutors’ relative ignorance of Purim to mourn their situation and sustain their faith and culture. ‘Purim wasn’t celebrated in Mallorca, it was sorrowfully observed in secret,’ said Rabbi Nissan Ben-Avraham… Celebrating any of the major Jewish holidays — including Passover, Sukkot and Shavuot — would have been too risky… Those holidays were too well-known and featured too many distinctive customs to be practiced safely…

“In previous centuries, [Purim,] a holiday that celebrates the Jews’ triumph over people who conspired to annihilate them in fifth-century B.C. Persia was far less joyous than its carnival-like character today. Jews only began dressing up [that is, wearing costumes] on Purim in the 16th century. Before that, the holiday’s essence was primarily in the daylong Fast of Esther, which comes immediately before the actual holiday and is meant as a sign of gratitude to God for the survival of Jews in Persia… The fast aligned comfortably with Lent, a 40-day period in early spring during which Catholics abstain from certain indulgences, including meat. Many Christians would fast on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent, thereby providing a handy alibi… observing the Fast of Esther at around the same time…

“Some… fasted on Purim as recently as 30 years ago.

“… after the fall of the pro-Catholic dictatorship of Francisco Franco in 1975, anti-[Jewish] sentiment declined [on Mallorca] and with it the need for secrecy around the Purim customs. By then, thousands of tourists to Mallorca had transformed the remote island into a European party capital…”

Today, many Jews keep Purim in the form of carnival celebrations and worldly parties. This year, Purim will be held by the Jewish community from the evening of March 21 to the evening of March 22. It is not a biblically-commanded festival for neither Jews nor Christians.

“Front Page in Polish Paper: ‘How to spot a Jew'”

Fox News wrote  on March 15:

“A right-wing newspaper in Poland sparked widespread criticism after running an anti-Semitic article on its front page instructing readers ‘how to spot a Jew.’ The Polish-language weekly, Tylko Polska, or ‘Only Poland,’ includes a list of supposed markers [such as ‘names, anthropological features, expressions, appearances, character traits, methods of operation’] and ‘disinformation activities.’… The newspaper’s front page – which also included a headline that read ‘How to defeat them? This cannot go on!’ – ran an article, which read, ‘Attack on Poland at a conference in Paris’ – in reference to a Holocaust studies conference at the French capital last month that sparked criticism over alleged anti-Polish speakers…

“It included a photo of Jan Gross, a Polish and Jewish Princeton scholar who wrote ‘Neighbors: The Destruction of [the] Jewish Community in Jebwabne, Poland,’ which is about the massacre of the Jewish people in Jebwabne by their non-Jewish neighbors during the Nazi occupation in Poland… The newspaper was first spotted at the lower house of the Polish parliament – the Sejm – on Wednesday, as part of the weekly package of publications sent to lawmakers…

“Opposition lawmaker Michal Kaminski called for prosecutors to investigate, as it’s a crime in Poland to incite hatred based on race or religion. A lawmaker from the ruling right-wing party called for the paper to be banned altogether. The director of the Parliament’s information center initially said his office could not take action because the paper was being sold from kiosks inside the Sejm, which was responsible for the choice of newspapers. Andrzej Grzegrzolka also suggested that a court could look into the front page to decide whether ‘Only Poland’ should be suspended under Polish law, the [Washington] Post reported. He later relented and announced his office would request that ‘Only Poland’ be removed from the set of periodicals delivered to the Parliament…

“According to JTA, the newspaper is published by Leszek Bubl, a fringe nationalist political candidate. In the past, he has sung anti-Semitic songs about ‘rabid’ rabbis. Poland, which was home to Europe’s largest Jewish community before the 1939 occupation by Nazi Germany, has a history of anti-Semitic speech and actions. The government has also been accused in the past of trying to rewrite history by banning any suggestion of Polish complicity in the Holocaust.”

Fragile Relationship between Poland and Israel

The Washington Post also wrote on March 14:

“Poland’s collective historical memory over treatment of Jewish people and Polish-Jewish relations have been fraught issues in the past few years. In 2018, the Polish government backed a law that made it punishable by jail time to refer to Poles as complicit in Nazi atrocities, sparking an international outcry, largely from Israeli and U.S. lawmakers. The law was later watered down, removing the prison terms. Then last month, Polish-Israeli relations were tested again when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was misquoted on his return from a Middle East summit in Poland as saying that ‘the Poles’ collaborated with Nazis during World War II. The paper that quoted him, the Jerusalem Post, later added a correction to make clear that Netanyahu meant to say ‘Poles,’ not ‘the Poles.’

“But then Israel Katz, on his first day as Israel’s acting foreign minister, reiterated that Poles collaborated with Nazis during World War II and quoted former Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Shamir by saying that Poles ‘sucked anti-Semitism with their mothers’ milk.’ Poland pulled out of a summit between Israel and the Visegrad Four countries (the other three being the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia), and the summit was replaced with bilateral meetings between Israel and the other three.”

That anti-Semitic Poles collaborated with the Nazis in the persecution and murder of Jews is a well-known and undisputable fact.

Shocking! “Germany’s Parliament Favors Anti-Israel U.N. Voting Pattern!”

The Jerusalem Post wrote on March 16:

“Political representatives in Germany’s Bundestag overwhelmingly rejected a resolution by the Free Democratic Party to urge Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government to reverse its anti-Israel voting record at the United Nations. The Free Democratic Party (FDP)… introduced the pro-Israel resolution calling on the federal government… ‘to dissociate [in the UN] from unilateral, primarily politically motivated initiatives and alliances of anti-Israeli Member States, and protect Israel and legitimate Israeli interests from unilateral condemnation’…

“Merkel, who said in Israel in 2008 that its security is ‘non-negotiable’ for her administration, voted with authoritarian regimes, like the Islamic Republic of Iran, 16 times in 2018 to condemn the Jewish state… from a total of 21 anti-Israel resolutions… Germany abstained from four anti-Jewish state resolutions.

“The vote in the Bundestag was from a total of 626 MPs participating. An eye-popping 408 voted to reject the pro-Israel resolution while 155 urged its acceptance. A total of 63 MPs abstained. The depth of anti-Israelism in the Bundestag sparked criticism from a tiny number of German politicians and journalists. The FDP and the largely anti-immigration party, Alternative for Germany, supported a reversal of Merkel’s anti-Israel voting record at the UN.

“The Social Democrats, the Christian Democratic Union, the Christian Democratic Party, The Left Party, and the Green Party lined up behind targeting Israel for punishment at the UN. The Green Party abstained, but German critics viewed the abstention as a cowardly escape hatch… Green Party politician Volker Beck wrote on his Twitter feed that ‘This was not a glorious chapter for foreign policy and national interests of the German Bundestag. And it will not be the last word. I am angry, also about my parliamentary group.’

“When asked on Twitter why the Social Democratic politician Frank Schwabe voted against the pro-Israel resolution, he declined to answer. The Post also questioned the Christian Democratic Union MP Andreas Nick who declined to respond about his anti-Israel vote. The German journalist and author, Alex Feuerherdt, who is an expert on the UN and Israel, wrote that the vote shows the lack of solidarity for the Jewish state in Germany. ‘Dead Jews are always capable of solidarity in Germany, especially on days such as 9 November or 27 January,’ he wrote. ‘The living and her state [Israel], on the other hand, are maximally in Sunday sermons, but not when it matters. What a lousy hypocrisy.’

“The Israeli security and defense expert Arye (ARO) Sharuz Shalicar tweeted: ‘I was born in [Germany]. I grew up in Berlin. I have a German high school diploma. I even served in the armed services. But today I am ashamed of German politics!’”

Was this just an exceptional cowardly behavior by most German Parliamentarians… or is there much more to it? The underlying anti-Semitism in Germany, which has ALWAYS been prevalent, cannot be denied. Bild Online chastised the main parties in Parliament and congratulated the FDP and the often-maligned AfD for their pro-Israel stance, stating that the AfD puts parties like the CDU and the SPD to shame. The Bible shows that very soon from now, Germany will align with Arab states against Israel.

Will Germany Renege?

The Wall Street Journal published the following article on March 18:

“The German government is poised to renege on its pledge to raise military spending, the latest gesture of defiance by Chancellor Angela Merkel toward President Donald Trump.

“… the move would mark a fresh step in the gradual estrangement between the U.S. and its erstwhile loyal European ally and comes after Mr. Trump’s repeated attacks of North Atlantic Treaty Organization leaders for not meeting a 2% military-spending target.”

US Ambassador Should Be Expelled from Germany

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 19:

“US ambassador Richard Grenell is acting like ‘a high commissioner of an occupying power,’ the deputy leader of the Free Democrats (FDP) has said. Grenell has also drawn rebuffs from Germany’s two governing parties.

“Wolfgang Kubicki, the deputy chairman of the opposition Free Democrats (FDP), said Richard Grenell’s repeated interference in German sovereignty should prompt Foreign Minister Heiko Maas to immediately declare Grenell persona non grata. ‘Any US diplomat who acts like a high commissioner of an occupying power must learn that our tolerance also knows its limits,’ said Kubicki, who is also one of five deputy speakers of Germany’s Bundestag parliament.

“Grenell had on Tuesday criticized Germany’s military spending plans within NATO as insufficient, prompting Kubicki to accuse the envoy of ‘interfering’ repeatedly in political issues of a sovereign country.

“Grenell’s criticism of Germany’s defense spending came weeks after he demanded that Berlin halt Nord Stream 2, a gas pipeline being laid across the Baltic Sea to deliver gas from Russia to Germany, and threatened firms involved in the project with sanctions.

“Carsten Schneider, caucus manager of the Social Democrats (SPD) within the parliament, told the German news agency DPA on Tuesday that ‘Mr Grenell is a complete diplomatic failure,’ adding that ‘Mr Grenell damages transatlantic relations with his repeated clumsy provocations.’…

“Michael Grosse-Brömer, a member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative alliance (CDU/CSU), urged Grenell to show restraint…”

Once an ambassador is declared to be “persona non grata,” he has to leave the country. German media pointed out that this episode will further alienate the two countries.

Is Trump Really Proposing to Cut Medicare?

The Week wrote on March 12:

“President Trump… promised [in 2015] to ‘save Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security without cuts.’… Trump’s new national budget proposal was released [this week]. Democratic presidential contenders… are all pouncing on the president for supposedly including $845 billion in cuts to Medicare in his budget’s 10-year window. Meanwhile, Trump’s budget director is firing back that it isn’t true.

“Which is it? Does Trump want to cut Medicare or not? The answer is complicated.

“Usually, what people imagine when politicians talk about ‘cuts to Medicare’ is benefit reductions: Seniors getting less coverage, fewer drugs and procedures, or having to pay more money out of pocket. For the most part, those kinds of cuts aren’t in Trump’s proposal. Instead, his budget looks to reduce what Medicare pays to doctors and hospitals and private insurers for all those things…

“Specifically, Trump’s budget would cut the payments that Medicare sends to hospitals to reimburse them for unpaid bills, as well as payments to the outpatient care that hospitals provide. Payments to nursing homes and home health-care providers would be reduced. And Trump’s budget also includes a bunch of different policies aimed at lowering prescription drug prices

“The funny part is that the two parties found themselves in opposite roles over the exact same issue several years ago. When they passed ObamaCare, the Democrats… [cut] Medicare’s payments to providers… Republicans at the time accused Democrats of cutting Medicare and endangering seniors… Democrats shot back that these attacks were unfair, because the cuts were to provider payments, as opposed to benefit reductions… the GOP made no effort to rollback ObamaCare’s cuts after they took the presidency and both houses of Congress in 2016. That’s politics for you

“America’s total spending on health care is through the roof: almost 17 percent of the economy in 2015. That’s 5, 6, or even 7 percentage points higher than most other advanced Western nations. Most of what drives that gap is prices: What American health-care providers charge for drugs, services, procedures and everything else is just way higher than in those other countries. There are definitely enormous savings to be found here.

“Ironically, what makes it harder for Medicare to get those savings is that it doesn’t cover the entire population. Which gives providers an out. If nothing else, that’s a point in favor of Democrats’ plans for a Medicare-for-all system: It would finally allow us to get our arms around the entire health care pricing system. For providers, there would finally be no escape from the government’s payment terms.”

This would be an area where the government could do some good, in keeping greedy pharmaceutical companies in check. The article shows once again the lying and deceptive manner with which politicians operate.

Is Trump Threatening with Real Violence?

The Guardian wrote on March 16:

“In an interview with Breitbart News published on Wednesday, Trump noted: ‘I have the support of the police, the support of the military, the support of the Bikers for Trump – I have the tough people, but they don’t play it tough – until they go to a certain point, and then it would be very bad, very bad.’ In case you missed it, ‘they’ are Trump’s political opponents, including House Democrats and the mainstream media…

“It is impossible to know what bizarre scenario is playing out in Trump’s head. But another hint came on Friday, when, in the wake of the horrific shootings at two mosques in New Zealand, Trump told reporters he didn’t believe white nationalism was on the rise… ‘I think it’s a small group of people.’

“… the facts are otherwise. The number of hate groups in the US increased 7% last year, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Hate crime reports increased 17%, according to the FBI… 11 people were murdered at Pittsburgh’s Tree of Life synagogue on 27 October, at the hands of a white supremacist. A few days earlier, a white supremacist murdered two black people at a grocery store in Jeffersontown, Kentucky…

“At a rally for Missouri Senate candidate Josh Hawley in September, Trump said his opponents ‘were lucky that we’re peaceful’. He continued: ‘Law enforcement, military, construction workers, Bikers for Trump … They travel all over the country … They’ve been great.’ But, he warned, ‘these are tough people … they’re peaceful people, and antifa and all, they’d better hope they stay that way.’ In February, the White House Correspondents’ Association called on Trump to make it ‘absolutely clear to his supporters that violence against reporters is unacceptable’. To date, he has not. Meanwhile, Steve Bannon [former White House Chief Strategist in the Trump administration during the first seven months of Trump’s term] … predicted that ‘2019 is going to be the most vitriolic year in American politics since the civil war’.”

Trump: Tariffs against China Will Stay for Now

Axios wrote on March 20:

“President Trump said he plans to keep tariffs in place on Chinese goods for a ‘substantial period of time,’ possibly even after a trade deal is forged to ensure Beijing’s compliance…

“China has been pushing the Trump administration to eliminate tariffs in any forthcoming deal, so the president’s comments are certainly not a carrot for China’s end of the bargain…”

How America Poisons Its Citizens

The Guardian wrote on March 20:

“About 70% of fresh produce sold in the US has pesticide residues on it even after it is washed… strawberries, spinach and kale are among the most pesticide-heavy produce, while avocados, sweetcorn and pineapples had the lowest level of residues.

“More than 92% of kale tested contained two or more pesticide residues… Dacthal – the most common pesticide found, which was detected in nearly 60% of kale samples, is banned in Europe and classified as a possible human carcinogen in the US…

“Other foods on the group’s ‘dirty dozen’ list include grapes, cherries, apples, tomatoes and potatoes. In contrast, its ‘clean 15’ list includes avocados, onions and cauliflower

“A… Harvard study found that for women undergoing fertility treatment, those who ate more high-pesticide fruits and vegetables were less likely to have a live birth

“The Environmental Protection Agency… is fighting a court order to ban chlorpyrifos, a pesticide that is associated with development disabilities in children…”

Oregon on its Way to Mandate Vaccinations

Portland Tribune wrote on March 14:

“A legislative proposal that would ban nonmedical exemptions for required vaccinations passed out of committee on a party-line vote Thursday, March 14, the committee’s seven Democrats voting in favor… it would still need to survive votes in the House and Senate and be signed into law by [Democratic] Gov. Kate Brown, who supports the proposal… unvaccinated children could still attend an online school, though they would not be able to participate in organized school activities, such as field trips. It also added a grace period, giving parents until August 2020 to comply with the law, if it were to pass…

“The proposal has been controversial, as more than 100 showed up to oppose the bill… People who opposed the bill said they went to committee members’ offices to distribute flowers representing injuries they say their children incurred when vaccinated. Some lawmakers’ staff declined the flowers, deeply upsetting some citizens…”

The Bulletin added on March 14:

“Oregon is [at this time] one of 17 states that allow students to attend school if they are not inoculated for personal, philosophical or religious reasons…  Several Republican opponents of the bill spoke during the debate over the final committee vote. ‘I find this bill to be far overreaching,’ said Rep. Cedric Hayden, R-Roseburg. ‘I have five children who are vaccinated. But I believe in parental rights.’

“Rep. Denyc Boles, R-Salem, said she was disappointed the legislation appeared on its way to approval. ‘I did not expect to be part of something I think is a complete disregard to the individual freedoms we have,’ she said.”

Some “liberal” Democrats become more and more a driving force for totalitarianism in this country. Also note the next article.

David vs. Goliath—the Fight against Abortion

news ag org wrote on March 11:

“Cedar Park Church, an Assemblies of God congregation in Bothell, Washington, filed a federal lawsuit on March 8 against Washington state officials to challenge a newly implemented law that forces all employersincluding churches that already provide maternity coverage — to pay for abortion and abortifacient contraceptives in health insurance plans. ‘We’re standing for the rights of people of faith to not be forced into being complicit with something inconsistent with our faith,’ says [a] senior pastor of the Seattle-area church. ‘Abortion is the antithesis of who we are as an organization, what our beliefs are, and how we live out our faith.’…

“The suit contends Washington’s law is an intentional attack on people of faith. No abortion exemptions are allowed for churches or religious organizations that provide insurance coverage for maternity care. Cedar Park currently provides comprehensive coverage as part of its employee package. ‘Cedar Park’s deeply held religious belief is that abortion is the ending of a human life and is a grave sin,’ the suit declares.

“The bill… [signed by Democratic governor Jay Inslee] requires employee health plans to also ‘provide a covered person with substantially equivalent coverage to permit the abortion of a pregnancy.’… The suit contends that Cedar Park cannot use tithes and offerings for purposes deemed to be religiously and morally repugnant to its members… under the current law church leaders would face not only fines, but also prison time for noncompliance. ‘Cedar Park believes and teaches that abortion violates the Bible’s command against the intentional destruction of innocent human life,’ the suit states.”

This law is truly catastrophic in that it is trying to, in effect, force churches which are biblically opposed to abortions, to tolerate or even encourage abortions by demanding financial support for those of their employees who, in violation of church teaching, choose an abortion. Churches would thereby have to compromise their religious beliefs and become complete hypocrites, or they would face severe punishment from ungodly governmental agencies.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

This Week in the News

Additional $8.6 Billion for the Wall?

Reuters reported on March 10:

“President Donald Trump… will ask the U.S. Congress for an additional $8.6 billion to help pay for his promised wall on the U.S-Mexico border to combat illegal immigration and drug trafficking… The demand, which drew swift criticism from Democrats, is more than six times what Congress allocated for border projects in each of the past two fiscal years, and 6 percent more than Trump has corralled by invoking emergency powers this year…

“Funding legislation needs to be passed before Oct. 1 – the start of the 2020 federal fiscal year – or the government could shut down again. If Congress and the White House fail to agree to lift mandatory spending caps set in a 2011 law, steep automatic cuts in many programs would kick in. Around the same time, Trump and lawmakers must agree to lift the debt ceiling, or risk a default, which would have chaotic economic fallout.

“Trump’s wall request is based off a 2017 plan put forward by Customs and Border Protection officials to build or replace 722 miles (1,162 km) of barrier along the border, which in total is estimated to cost about $18 billion.  So far, only 111 miles (179 km) have been built or are under way, officials said…”

The Independent added:

“The White House is proposing $2.7trn (£2trn) in spending cuts for the year beginning 1 October, a reduction of 5 percent across all non-defence agencies while military funding is boosted to $750bn (£577bn).”

JTA wrote on March 12:

“The 2020 fiscal plan sent by the White House to Congress on Monday includes the full $3.3 billion in assistance promised under a 10-year memorandum of understanding, despite spending cuts throughout the proposal… The $38 billion Memorandum of Understanding, a 10-year defense agreement signed under President Barack Obama, went into operation in October at the start of the last fiscal year…

“The budget plan includes domestic cuts to education and social welfare programs, among others, and includes $8.6 billion for a controversial border wall with Mexico and increased defense spending. Leaders in the House of Representatives said the plan had no chance of passing.”

No European Visas for Americans, but…

npr wrote on March 9:

“European Union officials have moved to clarify travel regulations for U.S. citizens, following erroneous reports this week that Americans will soon be required to apply for visas. Last summer, the European Union announced that starting in 2021, it will require citizens from countries that don’t currently require visas, including the United States, to apply for authorization in order to visit member states. The process will occur through the European Travel Information and Authorization System, an automated online system meant to [allegedly] strengthen security checks on visitors.

“An application will cost about $8, and it will ‘not take more than 10 minutes,’ according to the European Commission. Responses will be cross-checked by Interpol and other security databases, and prospective travelers will receive an emailed approval or rejection in as little as a few minutes or as long as four weeks… The approval will be valid for three years, allowing people to make multiple entries and to freely visit European countries in the Schengen Area – a zone of 26 nations that agreed to ease border restrictions. Currently, U.S. travelers can enter Europe without a visa or registration for up to 90 days…”

Ethiopian Crash and Big Trouble for Boeing

The Associated Press wrote on March 11:

“Boeing’s stock plunged 8 percent Monday morning as aviation authorities in China, Indonesia and Ethiopia ordered airlines to ground their Boeing 737 Max 8 planes the day after one crashed in Ethiopia, killing all 157 people on board. The crash of the Ethiopian Airlines jet shortly after it took off from Addis Ababa on Sunday is drawing renewed scrutiny of the plane just four months after a similar crash of the same model that killed 189 people in Indonesia…

“The 737 is the best-selling airliner in history, and the Max, the newest version of it with more fuel-efficient engines, is a central part of Boeing’s strategy to compete with European rival Airbus

“A spokesman for Ethiopian Airlines… said the carrier had grounded its remaining four 737 Max 8 planes until further notice as an ‘extra safety precaution.’ The airline had been using five new 737 Max 8s and awaiting delivery of 25 more…

“China’s Civil Aviation Administration said that it ordered airlines to ground all 737 Max 8 aircraft… Chinese carriers and leasing companies operate 96 Boeing 737 8 MAXs, according to the government, with dozens more believed to be on order. China Southern Airlines is one of Boeing’s biggest customers for the aircraft.

“Indonesia also grounded 11 737 Max 8s for inspections to ensure flight safety…

“Boeing has delivered about 350 737 Max planes to scores of airlines and has orders for more than 5,000…”

CNBC wrote on March 12:

“[The] European Union [following the lead of Germany, France and Britain] joins other nations in grounding Boeing 737 Max jets… The decision not only applies to airlines within the European Union but to operators outside of the region flying to or from the region… The Federal Aviation Administration [of the USA] said Monday that it did not see a reason to ground the planes and Boeing said it wasn’t planning to issue new guidance to pilots ‘based on the information currently available.’

“American Airlines and Southwest Airlines flight attendants and ground crews urged the companies to take their Boeing737 Max airplanes out of service.”

The Week added on March 13:

“The U.S. is one of the few remaining countries still allowing the 737 MAX 8 aircraft to fly, with the European Aviation Safety Agency banning the aircraft from the airspace of the 32 countries it oversees on Tuesday and Canada following suit on Wednesday. The Federal Aviation Administration and Boeing are standing behind the new jet…”

American Airlines and Southwest Airlines are the only two US airlines which use Boeing 737 Max airplanes. They refused to ground the airplanes on their own. Another [non-American] company flying Boeing 737 Max airplanes, United Airlines, likewise refused to ground the planes on its own.

Trump Steps In

Newsmax wrote on March 13:

“President Donald Trump says the U.S. is issuing an emergency order grounding all Boeing 737 Max 8 and Max 9 aircraft in the wake of a crash of an Ethiopian Airliner that killed 157 people. Many nations in the world had already barred the Boeing 737 Max 8 from its airspace, but until now, the Federal Aviation Administration had been saying that it didn’t have any data to show the jets are unsafe… Trump says pilots and airlines have been notified. He says the safety of the American people is of ‘paramount concern.’”

Daily Mail wrote on March 13:

“Trump said he made the decision following conversations with Elaine Chao, the transportation secretary, and the airline companies, he said, after new information emerged on the tragic crash….

“[Boeing] suggested in a statement a half-hour after Trump’s shocking announcement that the company asked the FAA to suspend the flights. It said in the statement, as its stock shares started to tumble, ‘Boeing continues to have full confidence in the safety of the 737 MAX. However, after consultation with the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), and aviation authorities and its customers around the world, Boeing has determined — out of an abundance of caution and in order to reassure the flying public of the aircraft’s safety — to recommend to the FAA the temporary suspension of operations of the entire global fleet of 371 737 MAX aircraft…’

“The FAA said almost an hour later… that it was ‘ordering the temporary grounding’ of the Boeing Max airplanes.”

“We Europeans Won’t Be Blackmailed by Trump”

Politico wrote in March 6:

“Manfred Weber, the center-right candidate to be the next European Commission president, urged Brussels on Wednesday to hit back hard if Donald Trump hikes tariffs on European cars. ‘As Europeans, we will not be blackmailed,’ Weber declared in a speech in his home state of Bavaria, which is also home to two major German carmakers, BMW and Audi.

“‘The U.S. economy is similar in size to the EU. Economically, we are on equal footing,’ said Weber, the lead candidate in May’s European Parliament election for the European People’s Party (EPP), the Continent’s center-right alliance. ‘And that is why America must know that if it starts a trade war with Europe and levies car duties, also on our products from Lower Bavaria, then we will have to respond.’… He said the EU should be both self-assured and prepared for possible economic ‘thunderclouds’ to come…

“Weber suggested Trump might not particularly care about the statistics and just dislike the view ‘from his Trump Tower, when he looks down at the streets of New York, and sees so many BMWs, Audis and Mercedes.’

In his speech to the rally, CSU chief and Bavarian state premier Markus Söder echoed Weber, and linked the trade feud to another transatlantic battle, over defense spending. ‘How can German tanks improve security but Bavarian cars be a threat to security?’ Söder asked.”This is a good question indeed.

Will Trump Win a Second Term?

Project Syndicate wrote on March 7:

“It seems that every time I write about Donald Trump’s presidency, I pronounce it to be in more trouble than ever. This time is no different: he and his presidency are indeed in more trouble than ever. And yet that may not prevent him from winning again in 2020. I used to think Trump might not even finish his first term, much less get a second…

“Logic would suggest that Trump can’t make it through a reelection fight: his base, an estimated 35-38% of voters, is too small, and he’s done next to nothing to expand it… But logic isn’t a trademark of the Trump presidency

“Trump’s success at solidifying his base could be his salvation in 2020 if the Democratic nomination process doesn’t produce a strong enough opponent or ends in hostility…”

 Logic has nothing to do with it. God’s will does!

UK Plunged into Chaos

The Sun wrote on March 12:

“Britain was tonight plunged into chaos once again as MPs voted to kill off Theresa May’s Brexit deal by 391 votes to 242. Now 993 days after the referendum, and with just 17 days before Brexit, Brits are still in the dark… Furious MPs blasted the uncertainty – saying the ‘wretched soap opera of Brexit continues’ as the country heads ‘back to square one’…

“Parliament has repeatedly voted against Mrs May’s strategy for leaving the EU on March 29 – tonight the Commons laughed and cheered after the fresh chaos was confirmed. But without a clear alternative on the table, the latest defeat opens the door to a range of wildly different outcomes…”

The Week wrote on March 12:

“The Brexit disaster could destroy the United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May’s government is on the brink of a disastrous, unnegotiated departure from the EU, which in addition to inviting economic calamity, may ultimately push Scotland, Northern Ireland, and eventually even Wales to leave the U.K….”

Europe’s Reactions

Express wrote on March 13:

“… the European Union said that only the UK can sort out the Brexit problem… The spokesman for European Council president Donald Tusk added: ‘On the EU side we have done all that is possible to reach an agreement. It is difficult to see what more we can do. If there is a solution to the current impasse it can only be found in London.’”

Brexit “Neverendum”

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 13:

“[On Wednesday] British lawmakers have voted to reject the UK leaving the European Union without a withdrawal agreement — under any circumstances, even after March 29.”

The Sun added on March 13:

“Tory Remainers betray Theresa May to bury No Deal Brexit FOREVER and kill our hope of leaving EU in 16 days. The House of Commons hit by chaos as Remainers seize control from [a] weak Prime Minister… Tonight’s vote is not legally binding – but the PM had already pledged to abide by it anyway…

“The chaos was another sign the Prime Minister has lost control of the Brexit process and her party – with Tories calling on her to sack the top ministers who failed to support her. Brexiteer Ben Bradley, who backed Mrs May’s deal, fumed: ‘… We promised to leave on the 29th, now Parliament has said we’re not going to leave.’

“The Commons verdict is a massive blow to Brexiteers who think the UK should quit the EU on time with or without a deal… It’s still not clear whether the EU will actually grant Britain an extension to the Brexit process even if the Commons votes to request one…”

The UK WILL leave the EU when it is time.

Brexit to Be Delayed?

The Associated Press wrote on March 14:

“British lawmakers were voting Thursday on whether to scuttle the already dwindling chances the U.K. will leave the European Union this month as scheduled, but EU officials warned they would only allow a delay if the country made a fundamental shift in its approach to Brexit… The vote in Parliament was on whether to seek a delay of at least three months to Brexit, which currently is due to take place March 29… Lawmakers voted to rule out the idea of holding a second Brexit referendum — at least for now… Thursday’s vote doesn’t prevent lawmakers from trying again later to get Parliament’s support for another referendum.

“May… is proposing that Brexit be delayed until June 30 — but only if Parliament approves her Brexit deal… Any delay in the Brexit process would require the unanimous approval of all 27 remaining EU member states...

“In another sting for the beleaguered May, U.S. President Donald Trump said he was ‘surprised at how badly’ the Brexit negotiations have been handled. Trump… said he gave May advice but she didn’t listen to him… The EU, meanwhile, is reluctant to postpone Brexit beyond the late May elections for the European Parliament, because that would mean Britain taking part even as it prepares to leave. The bloc is more open to a long delay to allow Britain to radically change course… European Council President Donald Tusk tweeted that he will appeal to EU leaders ‘to be open to a long extension if the U.K. finds it necessary to rethink its Brexit strategy and build consensus about it.’

“The EU has also warned that Parliament voting against no-deal Brexit isn’t enough to stop it. By law, Britain will leave the EU on March 29, with or without a deal, unless it cancels Brexit or secures a delay.”

Criminals and Terrorists Might Have Entered Germany as Migrants

Breitbart wrote on March 10:

“[A] new report claims that from 2014 to 2019, the German government not only let in around 5,000 migrants who were subject to investigation for violating international law, but only investigated a handful of them itself [i.e., 129, according to] German tabloid Bild

“Since the height of the migrant crisis in 2015, many have been concerned over the possibility of criminals and terrorists using the crisis as a way to enter Europe. Several reports have claimed that groups like the Islamic State have purposely used the crisis to smuggle in their fighters with several arrests of ISIS fighters being made in Germany and other countries.

War criminals have also been discovered among the migrants and several have faced trial in various European countries. In Sweden, the government has seen a surge in reports of war criminals since 2014…”

Italy Enforces Compulsory Vaccination Laws

BBC wrote on March 12:

“Italian children have been told not to turn up to school unless they can prove they have been properly vaccinated. The deadline follows months of national debate over compulsory vaccination. Parents risk being fined up to €500 (£425; $560) if they send their unvaccinated children to school. Children under six can be turned away… children must receive a range of mandatory immunisations before attending school. They include vaccinations for chickenpox, polio, measles, mumps, and rubella.

“Children up to the age of six years will be excluded from nursery and kindergarten without proof of vaccination under the new rules. Those aged between six and 16 cannot be banned from attending school, but their parents face fines if they do not complete the mandatory course of immunisations.”

Another step towards total governmental control… all based on unscientific assumptions financed by the pharmaceutical industry, while ignoring or even denying the real dangers of these kinds of vaccinations.

The World Is Unprepared for the Next Crash

New Statesman wrote on March 6:

“A decade has passed since the start of the Great Recession – the momentous downturn that shook the global economy as none had since the 1930s. In the intervening years, the world has experienced a slow but consistent recovery. Economic dangers, however, are now apparent at every turn: a new global debt crisis, trade wars between great powers and a Chinese slowdown… Some market analysts are now warning of a possible global recession this year – far earlier than most have anticipated…

“Perhaps the greatest cause for concern is that, when the next recession does arrive, as it will, we will be even less prepared than we were in 2008… History teaches us that when the status quo only offers stagnation or decline, voters will look for radical alternatives…”

Radical alternatives can be seen in the acceptance and support of radical politicians and other “Savior”-like personages.

Israel only for the Jewish People?

JTA wrote on March 10:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on social media that Israel is ‘not a country of all its citizens,’ but rather ‘the nation-state of the Jewish people.’…

“[He also wrote:] ‘According to the nation-state law we passed, Israel is the nation-state of the Jewish people — and not anyone else… there is no problem with Israel’s Arab citizens. They have equal rights and the Likud government has invested more than any other government in the Arab population…’ But he added that a government including Arab parties would ‘undercut the state’s security.’”

The Guardian added on March 11:

“Netanyahu’s comments referenced a deeply contentious ‘nation state’ law passed last year declaring that only Jews have the right of self-determination in the country. Critics of the law have said it amounted to ‘apartheid’ for the 1.8 million Arabs in Israel with citizenship, who make up about a fifth of the total population. They consist of Palestinians who remained on their land following wars surrounding the creation of Israel in 1948. Others either fled or were expelled from their homes.”

In the future, Israel and the Promised Land will be a country for the descendants of the houses of Israel and Judah… not just the Jews.

Don’t Count Out Netanyahu too Quickly

Bloomberg wrote on March 6:

“Criminal charges seem to be looming, but don’t count Benjamin Netanyahu out: Chances are good that he’ll form Israel’s next government. A fragmented political system, many undecided voters and the stature that comes with 13 years in office could converge with a loyal base to hand Israel’s prime minister a fifth term on April 9. And though the attorney general plans to indict Netanyahu for bribery and fraud, a decision is months away…

“Netanyahu’s ability to weather the storm could have a profound influence in a Middle East that’s realigning as the U.S. confronts Iran and prepares to present its formula for regional peace. He has labored to contain Iran’s influence and sideline the Palestinians’ quest for statehood as ties with Gulf Arab states warm, often finding a sympathetic ear in Trump’s White House…

“During the campaign, Netanyahu will continue to characterize the attorney general’s investigation as a left-wing ‘witch hunt’ and his supporters will likely continue to accept that…

“No single party has ever won a majority in Israel’s history, meaning the country has always been run by coalitions. What’s key is which faction can put together the most stable bloc… Netanyahu seems to have a clearer path to building a narrow coalition…”

Clashes on the Temple Mount, Leading to a Religious War?

CBN News wrote on March 13:

“Jerusalem Authorities re-opened the Temple Mount Wednesday following a violent clash on the holy site the day before. Israeli forces temporarily closed the compound after police say a firebomb was hurled at a security post Tuesday. The post went up in flames and an officer was injured by smoke inhalation. Dozens of police flooded the Temple Mount after the attack and clashed with Muslim worshippers. Several people were arrested and taken in for interrogation… Jerusalem authorities found Molotov cocktails, firecrackers, and flammable material at the holy site after conducting a security search.

“However, The Islamic Waqf, the body that controls the Temple Mount, claims the firebomb attack ‘was fabricated and deliberately escalated and planned by the police.’ Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas also blamed Israel for the escalation and called on the international community to ‘halt Israeli assaults on al-Aqsa Mosque.’ The Palestinian Authority warned there will be violence if Israel ‘tampers’ with the holy site. ‘Al-Aqsa Mosque is a redline,’ said spokesman Osama Qawassmeh. ‘Tampering with holy sites, especially al-Aqsa Mosque, is a direct call for violence. Fatah won’t allow Israel to carry out its schemes, regardless of the price.’

“Israel’s Public Safety Minister Gilad Erdan accused the Palestinian Authority of trying to spark a religious war. ‘Abu Mazen [PA President Mahmoud Abbas] continued to lie and incite violence together with the terror organizations of Murabitoun and Hamas, in an attempt to ignite a fire and cause a religious war on the Temple Mount,’ Gilad Erdan said… ‘We will not allow this to happen,’ Erdan said. ‘We will continue to act to restore calm on the [Temple Mount]. Police will respond with strength and determination to any act of violence or attempt to harm Israeli sovereignty on the Temple Mount.’

“Tuesday’s clash is just a symptom of mounting tensions on the Temple Mount. In recent weeks, Muslim worshippers have protested the closure of an area on the compound near the Gate of Mercy. The area was closed in 2003 after allegations that the group overseeing the site was linked to terror activity. Last month, the Islamic Waqf, the body controlling the Temple Mount, reopened the site to Muslim worshipers, despite Israel’s desire to keep it closed. Worshippers on the mount have staged protests and clashed with police over the site.”

These tensions and clashes will continue, and they will reach a violent climax when Israel begins to bring animal sacrifices on the Temple Mount and build the prophesied Third Temple there, which will occur, of course, prior to Christ’s return. This will result in a military intervention of European forces, under the beast or the king of the North, and the occupation of the rebuilt Temple by the false prophet who will claim to be God and who will “support” this claim with Satanic powers and demonic signs and lying wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9 with Revelation 13:13; 19:20).

The Church of God, under its late human leader, Herbert W. Armstrong, has always and consistently identified the man of sin in 2 Thessalonians 2 as the false prophet. James Hastings, Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, under “Antichrist”, says correctly that the “man of sin” in 2 Thessalonians refers to the false prophet—“a false Messiah, a prophet… the opponent of the true Messiah.”

While the Church felt at times that the “temple” might be a reference to a spiritual temple—the Church—it has also taught at other times that it is referring to a literal temple. Herbert W. Armstrong wrote the following about the man of sin and the Third Temple, in the Plain Truth of June 1967:

“There will be a Jewish Temple built in Jerusalem, with animal sacrifices once again being offered… For a long time the Jewish people have had in mind the rebuilding of the Temple… And it must be built on the exact site of Solomon’s Temple… [Jesus said:] ‘When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the Holy Place …’ – this ‘Holy Place’ has to be IN THE TEMPLE! And IN JERUSALEM!… before the second coming of Christ, a vile leader will stop the daily sacrifices being offered in the Temple (yet to be built) in Jerusalem, and will profane the Holy Place with an idol…

 There will very soon be a Temple in Jerusalem, with daily sacrifices once again being offered. But the ruler of the soon-coming resurrected ‘Holy Roman Empire’; a political- military union of ten European nations – will stop the daily sacrifices and profane the Holy Place in the Temple… Jerusalem will be surrounded and captured… by the… armies of the European Empire… They will invade Jerusalem, and take charge of the Temple.

“This European power, resurrecting for a VERY short while the Roman Empire, will take over the city of Jerusalem (Zechariah 14:2.) They will take the Temple, and plant the palace of their headquarters there. With this coming military leader, pictured in Revelation 17 as the symbolic ‘beast,’ will be a supreme religious leader, called ‘the False Prophet,’ [Rev. 16:13; 19:20; 20:10] and the ‘man of sin.’ So will you turn next to II Thessalonians 2:3-4: ‘Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day’ — the Day of the Lord, verse 2 — ‘shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and THAT MAN OF SIN be revealed, the SON OF PERDITION; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.’ So there will have to be the Temple there!”

We can clearly see now that the Bible speaks indeed of the building of a LITERAL Third Temple on the Temple Mount just prior to Christ’s return, and that the false prophet will occupy that Temple, claiming to be God (perhaps in the Person of the Messiah—the returned Jesus Christ).

2016 “Coup” in Turkey Fake News!

The EUObserver wrote on March 11:

“The failed coup in Turkey in 2016 transformed its internal politics and EU relations. But two and half years later, evidence is trickling out to support what the EU initially suspected – that president Recep Tayyip Erdogan knew what was going to happen and let it go ahead as a pretext to create one-man rule. The new evidence recently came in the form of a document written by a Turkish prosecutor on 16 July 2016, and obtained by an investigative journalist, Ahmet Donmez, who lives in exile in Sweden.

“The document is a detailed record of events which took place between the start of the coup and 5AM and 7AM that morning. It said that putschists in the Turkish air force had bombed the parliament and the garden of the presidential palace, for instance. They did so. But oddly enough, the prosecutor who minuted the events, Serdar Coskun, dated his record as having been written at 1AM – four hours before it all happened.

“Coskun… gave an interview to a pro-government journalist in which he confirmed the authenticity of the document, but in which he also said he had made a mistake on the timing… Coskun’s explanation lacked credibility because some of the things he minuted as having just taken place never did take place… The non-events he recorded included a siege of the MIT (the national intelligence service), the bombing of the special forces command HQ, and the bombing of the police intelligence bureau… the minutes indicate that Erdogan’s people knew exactly what was going to happen, let some of the events unfold in a controlled way as a pretext for the ensuing crackdown, and even began drafting papers beforehand that they would later use in trials against his political opponents…

“The fact that Erdogan himself was not captured or harmed also looked odd… In a proper coup, he [Erdogan] would have been the main and possibly only target of the plotters…

“Erdogan blamed the coup on Fethullah Gulen, the head of a religious movement who lives in exile in the US and who is one of his main political opponents. But the IntCen report on the coup, dated 24 August 2016… said it was ‘unlikely that Gulen had the abilities and the capacities to take such steps… The coup was just the catalyst for the crackdown prepared in advance,’ the IntCen report said.

“Much has happened since… 16 July 2016… Erdogan has detained over 70,000 people, including opposition MPs, 110 journalists, and human rights defenders. He has sacked 150,000 public officials and shut down all government-critical media. He also rammed through constitutional changes under a post-coup state of emergency that gave himself new powers amounting to one-man rule

The idea that Turkey might one day join the EU has evaporated no matter how much it helps Europe to control flows of refugees. Erdogan’s decision, last weekend, to expel three German journalists, shows that his contempt for Europe has continued to deepen. ‘The Turkish government managed to more or less silence the national media, and they are now trying to do it with the international media,’ Joerg Brase, the head of German broadcaster ZDF’s Istanbul bureau, who was given 10 days to leave the country, said.

“‘It cannot be ruled out … that the Turkish government will take further action against representatives of German media and civil society organisations,’ the German foreign ministry added in an update to its Turkey travel advice. ‘Statements, which are covered by the German legal understanding of the freedom of expression, can lead in Turkey to … criminal proceedings,’ it also said.

“Meanwhile, Coskun has been promoted to become a member of one of [Turkey’s] highest courts, the court of cassation. At the same time, many military officers are behind bars on the basis of trials which referenced his strange minutes in official court records.”

It was clear from the start to many that autocrat Erdogan was either himself responsible for the coup or used a somewhat juvenile attempt of a “coup” to became the one-man dictator of Turkey, while brutally suppressing all of his real or imagined critics or opponents. Hitler employed similar tactics when a confused and mentally disturbed Jewish communist set fire to the Reichtstag to initiate anti-Jewish laws and persecute the Jews systematically.

Politically Hot Season in Finland

The EUObserver wrote on March 11:

“Finnish prime minister Juha Sipila’s centre-right government’s surprise resignation on Friday (8 March) kicks off a political hot season in the otherwise cool Nordic country.

“Voters are facing national elections on 14 April as well as EU elections on 26 May, while the country is also preparing to hold the EU’s rotating six-month presidency from 1 July.”

Fox News Moderators in Trouble? Not Really, it Seems…

The Independent wrote about Fox moderator Tucker Carlson on March 11:

“Fox News host Tucker Carlson has refused to apologise for comments he made on a new unearthed radio programme. Progressive media watchdog Media Matters for America published recordings… which originally aired from 2006 to 2011

“The recordings, which see Carlson cover a wide range of topics, include a clip from 2007 in which he compares women to dogs, adding: ‘They’re extremely primitive…’ The show host talks about Tucker Carlson’s 14-year-old daughter and girls her age at school sexually experimenting with each other. Mr Carlson responds: ‘If it weren’t my daughter I would love that scenario.’’

The Drudge Report linked to an article in the Wrap, adding:

‘He then mentioned reading a story about a teacher who molested her 13-year-old student ‘28 times in one week,’ and asked…, ‘Are you physically capable of doing that or do you take your hat off to this kid?… So my point is that [teachers] like this, not necessarily this one in particular, but they are doing a service to all 13-year-old girls by taking the pressure off. They are a pressure relief valve, like the kind you have on your furnace.’”

Even though Carlson might have made some of the comments “in jest,” they are still sick and outrageous!

The Huffington Post wrote about Fox moderator Judge Jeanine Pirro on March 11:

“Fox News on Sunday said the network ‘strongly’ condemns Jeanine Pirro’s stunningly Islamophobic attack on Rep. Ilhan Omar… The Fox News host said on Saturday that Omar wears a hijab because the Koran ‘tells women to cover so they won’t get molested.’ She also said the lawmaker’s religious dress may be ‘antithetical to the Constitution.’… Fox offered no details about any possible consequences for Pirro…

“The hijab attack was part of Pirro’s questioning of whether Omar’s criticism of Israel shows ‘her adherence to Sharia law.’

“The Council on American-Islamic Relations, the largest Muslim civil rights organization in the U.S., demanded that Fox News fire Pirro… Pakistani American Hufsa Kamal, a producer on the ‘Special Report with Bret Baier,’ reminded Pirro that she actually works with Muslims at Fox News.”

On the other hand, Omar’s anti-Semitic statements have been extremely problematic, and while many Democratic members of Congress were unwilling to condemn her for these, questions regarding her political stance must be allowed. From the context of Pirro’s comments, it is clear that she was just talking about Omar, not about all Muslims.

Nevertheless, more and more prominent Fox moderators have been leaving the network or were being fired for alleged wrongdoing. The left-liberal media is having a field day, while some of their moderators have likewise been strongly criticized for alleged inappropriate conduct or offensive statements.  

Australian Catholic Cardinal Sentenced to Six Years in Prison

npr wrote on March 13:

“Australian Cardinal George Pell, 77, a former leading Vatican official who last month was convicted of sexually abusing two boys, has been sentenced to six years in prison. He will be eligible for parole after three years and eight months. During the sentencing hearing, Victoria state County Court Chief Judge Peter Kidd acknowledged the disgraced cleric may not live to serve the full sentence. The prospect of facing jail at Pell’s advanced age ‘must be an awful state of affairs,’ Kidd added.

“Pell was convicted in December of five sexual offenses committed against two 13-year-old choirboys during an incident in 1996 at Melbourne’s grandest cathedral, when he was archbishop… A 12-member jury unanimously found him guilty of exposing himself to the two boys, fondling them and forcing one to perform oral sex on him. The jury also convicted Pell of indecently assaulting one of the boys more than a month later…

“Pell denies the allegations, and his lawyers argue he has been made a scapegoat for the failings of the Catholic Church regarding sexual abuse by priests… Pell has filed an appeal, and the court will determine if there are sufficient grounds for it to be heard. A court date has been set for June 5. In court on Wednesday, Pell was told he will be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life. He is the most senior Vatican leader ever charged with sexual abuse. He was selected by Pope Francis to run the Vatican’s new economic ministry.”

Deutsche Welle added on March 13:

“Pell’s lawyers have appealed the decision but for now Pell will go straight to jail… The trial against Pell has shocked and divided Australia’s Catholic Church, and society at large. Some argue his sentencing was much overdue, while others believe Pell is being used as a scapegoat to settle a score with the church. Some figures in Rome, meanwhile, have dismissed the accusations against Pell as ‘absolutely unbelievable,’ which smacks of cynicism and arrogance — an attitude that has characterized the Catholic Church for decades. Indeed, accusations of sexual abuse against Pell began surfacing many years ago but were not taken seriously.

“Chief Judge Peter Kidd said Pell acted with ‘callous indifference to the victims’ distress’ and had been ‘breathtakingly arrogant.’ The conviction illustrates just how big of a sexual abuse scandal the church really faces. Indeed, the college of cardinals currently counts 122 men who are eligible to elect a new pope and thus leader of the worldwide Catholic Church, when the time comes. Pell is one of them. And so is the archbishop of Lyon, Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, who was recently sentenced to six months probation for failing to report allegations of assault. Fortunately, Cardinal Barbarin wants to resign from his position. Meanwhile, the Vatican has launched a canonical trial against Pell, yet will wait until his civil trial ends before reaching a decision.

“Pope John Paul II made Pell an archbishop and a cardinal. Pope Benedict XVI later gave him a say in important decision-making processes in Rome, and in 2014 Pope Francis named him the Vatican treasurer. Pell’s rise to power makes clear a fundamental problem with the all-male Catholic Churchoutside criticism is ignored. That explains why some figures in Rome still dismiss the court case against Pell in Australia.

“… Francis must realize that the credibility of his institution has been ruined…”

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

This Week in the News

Push for Third Temple Intensifies… While Deniers are Without a Clue

Express published on March 4, 2019 the following headline:

“Jerusalem third temple ‘fulfils Biblical prophecy’ of the end times.”

The article went on to state:

“Talk of a third temple being built emerged this week in response to a letter penned by the powerful Jewish assembly of rabbis known as the Sanhedrin. Jerusalem is heading into a mayoral election next week and the Sanhedrin urged both running candidates, Ofer Berkovich and Moshe Lion, to rebuild the temple.

“The first two Holy Temples of Jerusalem were constructed on the city’s Temple Mount centuries ago but were razed to the ground by the Babylonians and the Romans respectively. The Holy Temple plays a crucial role in Jewish tradition and is a central player in prophecies and tales concerning the apocalypse.”

There are still those who deny the biblical fact that a third temple must exist prior to Christ’s return. One proof text can be found in 2 Thessalonians 2:4 which proclaims that just prior to Christ’s return, the false prophet (sometimes erroneously referred to as the Antichrist) will sit in the Temple of God, claiming to be God. Here is an example of a writer trying to “explain” this passage without admitting that this is talking about the Third Temple:

“… the ‘man of sin’ (also known as the King of the North in Daniel 11 and ‘the Beast’ in Revelation 13) may be sitting in some type of formerly Christian occupied building for some short while during the Great Tribulation.” The writer then goes on to state that that building might be one which had been used by his organization prior to their flight to the place of safety.

Apart from the fact that the man of sin is not the beast, but the false prophet, this whole “explanation” is unbelievably ludicrous. But those who deny or are unable to understand biblical revelation are doomed to present astonishing man-made nonsense.

Netanyahu Without a Majority

The Algemeiner wrote on March 2:

“A new poll taken after Israel’s attorney general announced that he will indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges shows that Netanyahu would not be able to form a right-wing government if elections were held today, and that 68 percent of the Israeli public wants him to resign now or after he is formally indicted.

“The announcement of intent to indict… charged Netanyahu with bribery, fraud, and breach of trust in corruption cases dealing with gifts from supporters and alleged media collusion to give the prime minister favorable coverage in return for political and regulatory favors. Netanyahu responded to the announcement with a combative speech in which he declared the investigation a left-wing witch hunt intended to aid the election of his primary rivals…

“Those surveyed were also asked whether they believe Netanyahu’s claim that the attorney general made his decision due to pressure from the left and the media — 59 percent said the attorney general acted from professional considerations, while 42 percent agreed with Netanyahu. Elections will be held on April 9.”

Middle East Peace Process Without Success

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 4:

“The US is closing its consulate in Jerusalem, with a Palestinian affairs unit in the embassy to take its place… Diplomatic work will now be handled by a Palestinian affairs unit that is under the command of the US Embassy to Israel.

“The move has raised fears among Palestinians that US President Donald Trump’s administration is downgrading the handling of their diplomatic concerns and that Washington is no longer working for a two-state solution. When plans for the merger were announced by US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo last fall, Palestinian official Saeb Erekat called the decision ‘the final nail in the coffin’ for the US role in a Middle East peace process. The merger also means that diplomatic channels with Gaza and the West Bank will now be handled by US Ambassador David Freedman—who has long supported the controversial West Bank settler movement and has been an outspoken critic of Palestinian leaders.

“Trump sparked global outrage over his December 2017 decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and to move the US Embassy there from Tel Aviv. Jerusalem is the home to numerous sites that are holy to Judaism, Islam and Christianity. Palestinians want to establish an independent state with east Jerusalem as its capital.”

The American-initiated peace process is dead… in fact, it was never alive.

Israel Without Arab Friends

The Jordan Times wrote on March 4:

“Participants at the 29th conference of the Arab Inter-Parliamentary Union (APU) on Monday called for supporting Palestinians through stopping all forms of normalisation with the Israeli occupation as stipulated in relevant Arab summits’ resolutions. The final statement of the conference, which concluded in Amman on Monday, praised the Kingdom’s Hashemite Custodianship over Islamic and Christian holy sites, and His Majesty King Abdullah’s efforts in supporting the Jerusalemites’ resilience, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The statement also commended King Abdullah’s quick steps and response in stopping recurrent Israeli attacks in Jerusalem, the most recent of which was the reopening of the Bab Al Rahma (Gate of Mercy) for prayers.

“Meanwhile, the Amman Declaration, issued at the conclusion of the conference, warned against the threats of the Israeli colonisation expansion on the expense of the Palestinian national soil, and rejected all attempts to impose the policy as a fait accompli, which requires more unified Arab stances to counter Israeli attempts to confiscate more Palestinian rights. The declaration added that Jordan will continue to be at the forefront of any effort to support the central cause of Arab and Islamic nations, which is the Palestinian one, and that the Kingdom will not stop exerting any effort that can serve Palestinian interests until the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with full sovereignty over its national soil, with East Jerusalem as its capital.”

A united Europe under German leadership will collaborate with Arab nations against Israel.

European Jews Without True Friends

Politico wrote on March 4:

Anti-Semitism is back in Europe… This particularly European pathology never truly went away, of course, but it had been confined, after the Holocaust, to the far-right fringes of society. Now the numbers of high-profile incidents and violent attacks are multiplying. Not only is this disease back; it is being weaponized by nationalist governments and parties on both sides of the political spectrum

“The collapse of Europe’s center-right, center-left political consensus plays an important role. As the center has dissolved, the fringes have expanded. The rise of extremist parties has acted like a green light for the Continent’s anti-Semitism… The danger goes beyond the physical. Issues that, on the face, have nothing to do with Jews — the migration crisis or a protest movement sparked by fuel prices — suddenly became all about them. Centuries-old stereotypes have reappeared: the conniving Jewish financier, the all-powerful Jewish conspirator accused of buying political influence or acting as a ‘globalist,’ pulling the levers of power in pursuit of enrichment. The common theme: Jew are ‘others’ who do not belong in European society

In the West, the danger comes from left-wing opposition and from the street. In the U.K., anti-Semitism is tearing apart the opposition Labour Party… Muslim critics of the Jewish state are also often guilty of extending their criticism to all Jews…

“In the former Communist bloc… [r]ight-wing nationalist politicians propagate anti-Semitism themselves. Many of the region’s governments — led by Hungary — have rehabilitated their wartime criminals and minimized their country’s guilt in the destruction of their Jewish communities.

Adding fuel to the fire is Israel. Instead of criticizing Europe’s revisionists, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cozies up to them, justifying his outreach to leaders in Poland and Hungary as a way to counterbalance the European Union’s more Palestinian-friendly Western states…

The United States, too, is standing on the wrong side of this ideological battleground. Like the Israeli prime minister, President Trump favors Holocaust-revisionist leaders in the East over longtime democratic allies in the West. At home, he traffics in anti-Semitic stereotypes…”

JTA wrote on March 4:

“Participants in a street celebration in the Belgian city of Aalst paraded giant puppets of Orthodox Jews and a rat atop money bags…

“The group Vismooil’n created the two puppets as their 2019 theme for the Aalst carnival, the local edition of celebrations that take place throughout parts of Europe and Latin America annually in anticipation of Lent, the 40-day period before Easter… They titled the work ‘Shabbat Year.’… One of the puppets is grinning while smoking a cigar and extending a hand, presumably to collect money. That puppet has a white rat on his right shoulder. Both puppets are standing on gold coins and have money bags at their feet. In the background is a round window reminiscent of the architecture of many European synagogues and a small box resembling a mezuzah on its right-hand side…

“In 2013, a different group designed for the Aalst carnival a float resembling a Nazi railway wagon used to transport Jews to death camps. The people who designed the float, known as the FTP Group, marched near the float dressed as Nazi SS officers and… Orthodox Jews. A poster on the wagon showed Flemish Belgian politicians dressed as Nazis and holding canisters labeled as containing Zyklon B, the poison used by the Nazis to exterminate Jews in gas chambers in the Holocaust.”

Something like this is shocking indeed. Carnival organizers had prior knowledge of the float, reviewed and approved it. They subsequently “apologized” for the float after workers had spent hours creating it. But the “mayor of the Belgian city… defended the display, telling the local media that ‘In Aalst it should be allowed,’” according to JTA, dated March 5.

Aish.com added on March 5:

“The Belgian city of Aalst is only a short drive from the gleaming modern towers that house the European Union in central Brussels. But on Sunday, the picturesque town seemed to belong to a previous era, as a grotesque anti-Semitic parade float promenaded through the center of town, looking like something out of the Middle Ages or Nazi times… Anti-Jewish feeling is rising across Europe and beyond. Britain, the United States and Canada have all seen record levels of anti-Jewish attacks in recent years…

“The outrageous float in Aalst isn’t a wakeup call; it’s more like an alarm we’re hearing after hitting the snooze button a hundred times. In too many quarters, it’s become acceptable to make fun of Jews or to express blatant anti-Semitism…”

CNN wrote on March 5:

“…the ‘De Dokwerker’ statue… stands as a permanent reminder of the day Amsterdam came together on February 25, 1941 to protest against the anti-Semitic laws imposed on its Jewish citizens by the Germans. By the end of World War II, about 75% of the Dutch Jewish community had been wiped out.

“At a time when anti-Semitism is on the rise in Europe, the vandalizing of the… statue last week caused headlines both inside and outside the country… the nature of the vandalism, the green and yellow paint on the statue, and the painting of green swastikas on the street, suggested a blurring of the lines between anti-Semitism, and hatred of the city’s football club, Ajax. Throughout the Netherlands, and much of Europe, Ajax is known as a ‘Jewish club.’ The vandalism… shone a light on the complicated and often uneasy relationship between Ajax, the Jewish community and the anti-Semitism that it often attracts…”

Anti-Semitism is not confined to Europe.

Fox News reported on March 7:

“After several days of infighting and a near-rebellion by rank-and-file Democrats, as well as a major last-minute revision, the House on Thursday overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan resolution that only indirectly condemned Minnesota [Muslim] Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar’s repeated ‘anti-Semitic’ and ‘pernicious’ comments– without mentioning her by name…

“The final draft of the resolution was expanded Thursday afternoon to condemn virtually all forms of bigotry, including white supremacy, in what Republicans characterized as a cynical ploy to distract from Omar’s remarks

“‘Today’s resolution vote was a sham put forward by Democrats to avoid condemning one of their own and denouncing vile anti-Semitism,’ [House Republican Conference Chair Liz] Cheney said in a statement…”

Brexit Without a Deal

Axios wrote on March 3:

“Welcome to March! The United Kingdom is due to leave the EU this month. And yet if anything, there’s less clarity than ever about whether and when the U.K. might actually leave, and under what terms it might do so.

“The state of play: British politics is more fractured than ever: 11 MPs have left the Tories and Labour to form The Independent Group, which is not so much a party as a cry for sanity. The opposition Labour party now wants a referendum, perhaps, and the governing Conservative party now is OK with a short delay, perhaps, but neither option seems to command a majority in Parliament.”

The Sun wrote on March 3:

“DOWNING STREET was accused of ‘surrendering to Europe’ after a fresh delay to an announcement on No Deal tariffs. Sources claimed the long-awaited details of proposed import duties for foreign goods had been postponed AGAIN – and would not now come this week…

“The plans could even be delayed until after the PM’s crunch Commons showdown on her Brexit deal – which is likely to come on March 12.”

These attempts to delay the inevitable Brexit will only be “successful” for so long.

Breitbart added on February 4:

“Attorney-General Geoffrey Cox has reportedly abandoned efforts to win serious concessions from the European Union on the unpopular ‘Soft Brexit’ deal negotiated by Prime Minister Theresa May. The charismatic Brexiteer was sent to Brussels to try and win concessions on the controversial ‘backstop’…

“Parliamentarians were concerned that the backstop — which would see the EU effectively annex the British province of Northern Ireland for customs and regulatory purposes while mainland Great Britain would be incorporated into an EU-controlled ‘singles customs territory’ — is not time-limited, and the British government would not be allowed to leave it without the EU’s permission.

“Cox had been seeking a so-called ‘break clause’ which would allow the United Kingdom to walk away from the backstop on its own initiative, or at least a legally-binding agreement that it could not persist indefinitely, but has been stonewalled by the EU’s negotiating team and is instead seeking changes to the ‘arbitration mechanism’ deployed should one side express a desire to end the arrangements. The EU is said to be refusing to countenance Cox’s suggestion that backstop arbitration should be overseen by an ‘independent’ body outside the jurisdiction of its own Court of Justice, however, making it difficult to see how any tweaks to the mechanism currently laid out could be anything but cosmetic.”

The EUObserver wrote on March 6:

“EU Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier and his UK counterpart, Stephen Barclay, met in Brussels for a four-hour long dinner on Tuesday together with British attorney general Geoffery Cox. They made no comment afterward in an unusual step, with fewer than 30 days left to a potential no-deal Brexit. An EU official told the Reuters news agency the talks did not go well.”

The Local wrote on March 6:

“All British nationals living in Germany will need to apply for a residence permit from their local Foreigners Authority (Ausländerbehörde), according to new advice from the UK government. And they have to apply for a permit whether the UK leaves the EU with or without a deal

“As Germany is a federal country, there are different ways that British people can apply for a permit. In Berlin a registration process has been underway since January where people can voluntarily register… In Bonn and Düsseldorf, Brits can apply through an online registration process. Some states have issued letters asking residents to book an appointment with the immigration office, while others are asking British people to fill in a form online… the latest figures for 2018 show there are 117,225 British people [living] in Germany… Berlin is host to the largest British community in Germany…”

EU Without Turkey

Reuters wrote on March 6:

Turkey cannot become a member of the European Union, said Manfred Weber, the European Peoples Party’s (EPP) lead candidate for the upcoming European elections, adding that he would end accession talks if he becomes European Commission president…

“… ‘if I become Commission president, then I will instruct the offices in Brussels to end the talks with Turkey on accession to the European Union,’ [Weber] said to rapturous applause [by German conservatives in Bavaria]…

“In October, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he would consider putting Turkey’s long-stalled bid to join the EU to a referendum, signaling exasperation with a process he says has been waylaid by prejudice against Muslims.”

Turkey Without Freedom of Expression

Deutsche Welle reported on March 6:

“The German government criticized Turkey on Wednesday after the Turkish interior minister threatened to arrest ‘terrorists’ and ‘traitors’ from Germany arriving at Turkish airports… Germany has one of the largest Kurdish diasporas in the world and supporters of the PKK regularly hold rallies in support of Kurdish causes. However, Turkey considers a number of organizations that are legal in Germany as terrorist organizations, including the Gulen movement Ankara blames for orchestrating a failed 2016 coup attempt.

“Over the past several years, ties between Berlin and Ankara have been strained over the arrest of dual nationals, including journalists and human rights activists. Many have been detained on trumped-up terrorism propaganda charges

“[Foreign Office spokesperson Maria] Adebahr warned Germans to look at the foreign office’s travel warnings and safety information, which clearly ‘point to the risk of arrest,’ especially when there exists any connection ‘to terrorist organizations under Turkish interpretations. Statements that are covered in Germany by freedom of expression can lead to prosecution in Turkey,’  Adebahr warned.

“After Russians, Germans were the second largest tourist group visiting Turkey in 2018.”

USA and EU Without True Partnership

Deutsche Welle reported on March 4:

“The US has put an end to its dispute with the EU over diplomatic protocol…

“The US ambassador to the European Union [Gordon Sondland] said that the US Department of State ‘will again recognize the European Union’s representation in Washington as equivalent to that of a bilateral mission… The EU is a uniquely important organization, and one of America’s most valuable partners in ensuring global security and prosperity,’ Sondland said…

“Despite the soothing in terms of protocol, there remain issues for the EU and US to resolve. EU trade chief Cecilia Malmstrom is in Washington this week to meet her counterpart Robert Lighthizer for talks on car tariffs. She said ‘there is full support’ from EU member states to respond if the Trump administration imposes tariffs on cars and car parts…”

Trump’s Emergency Declaration Without Majority Support

npr wrote on March 3:

“Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky says he’ll vote in favor of a resolution to terminate President Trump’s national emergency declaration with regards to the U.S.-Mexico border. Paul’s support… could force the president to issue his first veto. Paul’s announcement, coming from an-otherwise close ally of the president, lays bare the discomfort many Republicans have had with the emergency declaration…

“On Tuesday, the Democratic-controlled House voted 245-182 to approve the resolution. Only 13 Republicans joined Democrats to end Trump’s emergency declaration. The Senateis expect[ed] to vote later this month on the House resolution. Paul joins three Senate Republicans… who have already said they will vote with Democrats in opposition to the president’s actions. With Republicans holding just 53 Senate seats, those defections mean the resolution will likely pass…

“‘I can’t vote to give the president the power to spend money that hasn’t been appropriated by Congress,’ Paul said. ‘We may want more money for border security, but Congress didn’t authorize it. If we take away those checks and balances, it’s a dangerous thing.’

“Trump made the declaration in February to free up billions of dollars in funding for border wall construction, after Congress allocated just a fraction of what he had asked for. Other [Republican] Senators have expressed reservations about the national emergency declaration but haven’t said how they’ll vote… More Republicans may be willing to come out against the emergency declaration now that the balance of votes has already tipped against the president. ‘I support what the president wants to do on border security, but not the way he has been advised to do it,’ [Lamar] Alexander [R-Tenn.] said in a statement last week. ‘There has never been an instance where a president has asked for funding, Congress refused it, and the president then used the National Emergencies Act to justify spending the money anyway.’

“… Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell… told reporters on Tuesday that he expects the Senate will vote before March 18.”

However, if the Senate votes against the emergency declaration and President Trump vetoes the decisions of the House and the Senate, it is not expected that there will be enough votes to override the veto. In addition, note the following article.

The Washington Times wrote on March 5:

Illegal immigration continues to break records on the southwestern border… The number of families snared trying to sneak into the U.S. soared by 50 percent in one month alone, setting an all-time record with more than 36,000 family members apprehended, Homeland Security officials announced Tuesday. The government has also encountered some 70 groups of at least 100 migrants during the first five months of the fiscal year, shattering records and placing new challenges on Border Patrol agents. The mini-caravans are being funneled to some of the remotest parts of the border, where there is little in the way of medical help and it takes hours to process and transport the groups. That takes agents off the line, and drug smugglers use the distraction to send across their shipments, top border officials said…

“Overall, Border Patrol agents nabbed 66,450 illegal immigrants last month, marking the worst February since 2008. [This is an 80 percent increase over the same time last year]. Of those, 6,825 were unaccompanied alien children — juveniles who arrived at the border without any parent. Another 36,174 were family members — a majority of the total and a record-shattering number… All told, nearly 160,000 unaccompanied alien children and family members have been encountered at the border over the past five months. That is far more than the 120,000 encountered in 2014, when President Obama first called it a crisis

“Fifty-five migrants a day are being sent to clinics or hospitals for care, and the Border Patrol says it’s on track for 31,000 total this year… Agents have to accompany each of those migrants, taking them away from enforcement duties…”

Fox News added on March 6:

“Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen issued a dire assessment Wednesday of the migration crisis on the southern border, telling a House committee that illegal immigration is ‘spiraling out of control’ and predicting that crisis will ‘get even worse’ in the coming months… she said Customs and Border Protection is on track to apprehend almost 1 million illegal immigrants at the border this year…”

Russia Without Freedom of Expression

The Guardian wrote on March 6:

“Russia’s parliament has approved a controversial law that allows courts to jail people for online ‘disrespect’ of government or state officials, including the president, Vladimir Putin.The law, which critics say is reminiscent of Soviet-era legislation used to target political dissidents, stipulates fines of up to 100,000 roubles (£1,155) for ‘indecent’ online posts that demonstrate a ‘blatant disrespect for society, the country, Russia’s official state symbols, the constitution, or the authorities’. Repeat offenders can be hit with fines of up to twice this sum, or 15 days behind bars.

“Alexander Verkhovsky, the head of the Moscow-based Sova Centre, which monitors abuse of anti-extremism legislation, said people could face prosecution for online… jokes about parliament. Others expressed concern that the law was so vaguely worded that almost any online criticism of the authorities, including satirical memes, could be construed as ‘disrespect’… Putin is expected to sign the law into force in the coming weeks.

“Parliament also approved separate legislation… that will give the authorities powers to block webpages that publish ‘disrespectful’ material or ‘fake news’…”

School Teaching Homosexuality and Gender Equality Without Students

Daily Mail wrote on March 3:

“An estimated 600 Muslim children have been withdrawn from a school in protest against lessons about homosexuality and gender equality… The children involved in the mass exodus represent about 80 per cent of the school’s entire enrolment… the pupils were pulled out of the classroom, because the school was ‘undermining parental rights and aggressively promoting homosexuality’… One father at the school, whose six-year-old daughter attends the school, said his wife wanted to leave the country rather than let her daughter attend the lessons…

“Some of the parents said Islam did not accept homosexuality, while others said they were not against it, but accused the teacher [who is gay] of promoting ‘personal beliefs’… [He] is in a civil partnership [and he] is currently shortlisted for a ‘world’s best teacher’ award. He resigned from a previous teaching post at another school after a row with Christian parents over lessons challenging homophobia…”

Words fail…

Germans Without Humor

AFP and the Local wrote on March 4:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s anointed successor, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, faced harsh criticism Monday over a carnival joke that ridiculed intersex people…. Attempting to poke fun at politically progressive Berlin, she said newly introduced toilets for intersex people were ‘for those men who don’t know whether to pee standing up or sitting down’. The comment was greeted with jeers, fanfare and booming laughter in the Lake Constance town of Stockach in southern Germany, but fewer people were laughing when it was shared on the website queer.de and Twitter.

“Another one of those days that make you cringe… is it really that difficult to make a humorous speech without flat jokes beating up on minorities?’ commented lawmaker Jens Brandenburg of the FDP party… The Social Democrats’ general secretary Lars Klingbeil charged that the comment showed ‘an absolute lack of respect’ for intersex people…

“The newspaper Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger in Cologne… slammed AKK’s joke as ‘low-brow’, ‘sordid’, ‘populist’ and tapping into society’s ‘culture wars’.

“AKK, a devout Catholic who has spoken out against same-sex marriage, was named ‘Miss Homophobia 2018’ in an online poll conducted by gay and lesbian rights group Enough is Enough.”

The Guardian added on March 4:

“Asked on Monday about the chancellor’s reaction to the comments [by AKK], Merkel’s spokesman, Steffen Seibert, pointed out that the government had recently strengthened the rights of intersex people by allowing the inclusion of a third gender, ‘diverse’, on birth registers… Alexander Vogt, the chair of the CDU’s gay and lesbian association, told the broadcaster SWR: ‘Of course we are owed an apology…’ Lars Klingbeil, the general secretary of the Social Democrats, a junior coalition partner in Merkel’s government, said: ‘Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer shows what kind of arch-conservative views once again prevail in the [Christian Democratic] Union. Such comments – even during carnival – are utterly disrespectful.’ Sven Lehmann, a Green politician, tweeted: ‘After a period of modernisation through Angela Merkel, I am sorry to see that the leader of CDU … cannot do without cheap gags at the cost of minorities in our society’…

“Kramp-Karrenbauer recently reiterated her belief that the concept of marriage should be tied to the ability to conceive a child, and she refused to modify a 2015 statement in which she linked same-sex marriages to incest and polygamy… The CDU agriculture minister, Julia Klöckner, tweeted in defence of her party leader: ‘We make jokes about men, we make jokes about women. Those who don’t make jokes about the third gender just because it’s the third gender discriminate against it.’”

Most readers of the conservative mass tabloid Bild Online liked the joke. When it comes to “culture war,” it is the homosexual community who starts and engages in that war. And there is nothing “progressive” about it. Let us be clear: practicing homosexuals are living in a state of sin. The same goes for “intersex people” who don’t like the gender with which they are born and who want to change it to the opposite sex. What may the consequences be? A classic example is a young school boy claiming to be a girl so he can be in the girls’ locker rooms, toilets and showers. For more information, please read our free booklet, “God’s Teaching on Sexual Relationships.”

Judges, Gender Clinicians and Pro-Trans Therapists Without Any Sense

Life Site News wrote on March 1:

“A British Columbia judge ruled a father can’t stop doctors giving his troubled 14-year-old daughter testosterone shots against his wishes… [The judge] ruled [that the teen] ‘be referred to as male and identified by his chosen name in all legal proceedings, be allowed to change his legal name without the need for consent from his parents, is “exclusively entitled” to consent to medical treatment for his gender dysphoria,’ the National Post reported.

“Moreover, ‘Any attempt to persuade A.B. to abandon treatment or references to [the teen] as a girl or using female pronouns “shall be considered to be family violence” under the Family Law Act,’ ruled the B.C. judge.”

A totally senseless judgment. Now read the next article.

The Christian Post wrote on March 4:

“Parents… who do not agree with or support their children’s belief that they are the opposite sex risk legal repercussions, including being reported to Child Protective Services

“The notion that children are at greater risk or will take their own lives if they’re not allowed to alter their bodies to become their ‘authentic’ selves is the most common manipulation technique employed by gender clinicians and pro-trans therapists. They do this, therapists and doctors who oppose transgender ideology say, to put confused children and teens on the pathway to transition and undergo permanent surgical procedures.

“Transgenderism has become so deeply entrenched within certain respected professions that much of the general public now believes that socially and medically transitioning children into these identities is not only completely safe but necessary…

“In February 2018 [a judge in Ohio] ruled that a 17-year-old should be removed from the custody of her parents due to their objections to the controversial hormone treatments for trans-identifying teens…

“Parents… regard what is going on… as a serious medical scandal, especially given that so many doctors are afraid to speak up against medicalizing and performing surgeries on youth based on a scientifically unproven identity and feelings… In addition to the lack of oversight, proponents of gender-transitioning youth as essential health care, have framed those who oppose them as rank bigots

“Unless people can somehow see through the fog that radical activists have overhauled the professional guidelines and engineered a takeover of the medical field and its public relations apparatus, the general public and parents in doctors’ offices will believe in what the expert associations stipulate with great confidence…

“In December, a … report unpacked the risks and harms of Lupron, a hormone blocker used to treat prostate cancer patients and sex offenders, which is now being given to youth with gender dysphoria…

“Dr. Michelle Cretella is the president of the American College of Pediatricians and is an outspoken critic of transgender medicalization. She has frequently called it institutionalized child abuse. The Southern Poverty Law Center… has labeled the ACP a ‘hate group.’…”

It is those who advocate and support such unconscionable practices for confused children and teens who could be classified as belonging to a hate group… as they are opposing and thereby hating God’s LAW and His Word.

Churches Without Many Parishioners

The Associated Press wrote on March 2:

“[This] has been a wrenching season for three of America’s largest religious denominations, as sex-abuse scandals and a schism over LGBT inclusion fuel anguish and anger within the Roman Catholic, Southern Baptist and United Methodist churches. There’s rising concern that the crises will boost the ranks of young people disillusioned by organized religion

“For the U.S. Catholic church, the clergy sex-abuse scandal that has unfolded over two decades expanded dramatically in recent months. Many dioceses have become targets of investigations…

“The Southern Baptist Convention, America’s largest Protestant denomination, confronted its own sex-abuse crisis three weeks ago in the form of an investigation by the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News. The newspapers reported that hundreds of Southern Baptist clergy and staff had been accused of sexual misconduct over the past 20 years, including dozens who returned to church duties, while leaving more than 700 victims with little in the way of justice or apologies…

“The United Methodist Church, the largest mainline Protestant denomination, ended a pivotal conference Tuesday in a seemingly irreconcilable split over same-sex marriage and the ordination of LGBT clergy. About 53 percent of the delegates voted to maintain bans on those practices and strengthen enforcement, dismaying centrists and liberals who favored LGBT inclusion and now are faced with the choice of leaving the UMC or considering acts of defiance from within… Adam Hamilton, whose Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, is the nation’s largest UMC congregation, said the outcome would push youthful pastors and other young adults away. ‘Three out of four of millennials who live in the U.S.support same-sex marriage and do not want to be a part of a church that makes their friends feel like second-class Christians,’ he told the conference.”

These churches and their members do not belong to God’s true Church and the Body of Christ anyway.

A World Without True Knowledge of the Devil

Breitbart wrote on March 4:

“Pope Francis told a group of young people Sunday that the devil is not a fairy tale but truly exists, and that he is their ‘biggest enemy.’ In a meeting with children and young people… the pope said that the devil is ‘the ruler of the pagan spirit’ and ‘the lord of evil,’ while urging them to resist his wiles through prayer and recourse to Jesus… ‘[The devil] is the one who tries to make us slip up in life. He is the one who puts bad desires and bad thoughts in our hearts and leads us to do bad things, many bad things in life, ending with war.’…

“‘The devil is a liar,’ Francis said… ‘You have to tell the devil, “Go away, liar!”’ he told them… ‘When the attack comes, go to Jesus, who never told a lie,’ he said… Francis also told the children that the devil promises happiness, yet never delivers…”

Most do not believe in the devil… at least not in the devil as described in the Bible. But to clarify, a person not being ordained to the ministry of God, should never speak directly to the devil or his demons. Rather, when he or she senses a satanic or demonic attack, he or she should pray to God the Father, asking Him, in the name of Jesus Christ, to rebuke the devil and free him or her from satanic and demonic influence.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Norbert Link. We gratefully acknowledge the many contributions of news articles from our readership. The publication of articles in this section is not to be viewed as an endorsement or approval as to contents or accuracy of the selected articles, but they are published for the purpose of pointing at worldwide developments in the light of biblical end-time prophecy and godly instruction. Our own comments are provided in italics.

This Week in the News

Microsoft Workers Protest against their Company’s Warfare Dealing with US Army

The Associated Press wrote on February 22:

“A group of Microsoft workers is demanding the company cancel a contract supplying the U.S. Army with HoloLens headsets… A letter signed by more than 50 Microsoft employees Friday and circulated on an internal messaging board said the technology could help soldiers spot — and kill — adversaries on the battlefield. They say they ‘refuse to create technology for warfare and oppression.’

“‘We did not sign up to develop weapons, and we demand a say in how our work is used,’ the letter says. It asks Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and President Brad Smith to cancel a $480 million contract the Army announced in November. Microsoft said in a statement Friday that it is committed to working with the military, including the Army under the HoloLens contract…

“The protesting workers write that ‘it will be deployed on the battlefield, and works by turning warfare into a simulated “video game,” further distancing soldiers from the grim stakes of war and the reality of bloodshed.’…”

This article shows how far-ranging war technology is going. But thanks be to God, a time WILL come when mankind shall not “learn war anymore…” However, right now, mankind in its God-defying ways is determined to invent and use more and more sophisticated weapons and engage in unrestricted warfare… which will ultimately lead to the brink of human annihilation. Note the following articles.

A Completely New Form of Combat

Newsmax wrote on February 24:

The Russian company that changed warfare with the AK-47 has unveiled a new smart weapon – an unmanned combat aerial system… The low priced, efficient, and deadly weapon is ‘a step toward a completely new form of combat,’ according to chairman of Russia’s state-owned Rostec arms manufacturer Sergey Chemezov… The drone, also known as the KUB, is ‘roughly the size of a coffee table that can be guided to explode on a target 40 miles away,’ the [Washington] Post reported.

“The low price could make it readily available and be a great equalizer – potentially for terrorists, too – as the target market is ‘smaller armies…”

All-Male Military Draft Unconstitutional

Newsmax wrote on February 24:

“Now that women are eligible for combat roles in the U.S. military, an all-male Selective Service draft is unconstitutional, according to a Texas federal judge… Women had not been permitted to register for Selective Service and men who failed to register at their 18th birthday could be denied benefits such as federal employment and student loans. ‘The average woman could conceivably be better suited physically for some of today’s combat positions than the average man, depending on which skills the position required,’ [the judge] wrote in his ruling…

“The National Coalition For Me brought the case to the court by two men who argued an all-man draft was unfair… ‘Yes, to some extent this is symbolic, but it does have some real-world impact,’ Marc Angelucci, the men’s lawyer, told USA Today. “Either they need to get rid of the draft registration, or they need to require women to do the same thing that men do.’”

The fact that they are even talking about and ruling on the draft is frightening.

Coming… US Military Intervention in Venezuela?

Newsmax reported on February 24:

“On Sunday, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned [Venezuela’s President Nicolas] Maduro as ‘the worst of the worst of a tyrant,’ asserting citizens there ‘have made it clear’ the days of his regime ‘are numbered.’… Pressed on whether there will be military force used against Maduro, Pompeo said ‘every option is on the table.’”

The Guardian wrote on February 25:

“US vice-president Mike Pence has repeated a veiled threat of military intervention in Venezuela, but Washington appeared increasingly isolated in its willingness to contemplate using force to oust President Nicolás Maduro. Both European powers and some of Donald Trump’s key Latin American allies– all of whom have recognised opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s legitimate leader – warned that they would oppose sending troops into the country

“In Latin America, there is a painful and bloody history of US interventions, and the terrible fallout from the 2003 invasion of Iraq is another deterrent to the use of military force. An invasion would be complicated and bloody, with a strong chance of sliding into protracted civil war. Venezuela has armed forces that are more than 300,000 strong, thousands more members of pro-government gangs or guerrilla groups, complex terrain – and a government that still has some support from international partners including China and Russia.

Brazil’s vice-president, retired general Hamilton Mourão, said on Monday that under no circumstances would his country allow the United States to intervene militarily from Brazilian territory… Colombian president Iván Duque, has also now ruled out intervention… Chile and Peru were also among other regional powers opposing military action on Monday.

“There was similar concern across the Atlantic, where European nations including Spain and Germany made clear they considered the deployment of troops a line that should not be crossed… The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, insisted there could be no military solution to a political crisis.”

US War with Iran and Europe Imminent?

Handelsblatt Today wrote on February 22:

“It was at the 2007 Munich Security Conference that Russian President Vladimir Putin first signaled a cooling of Russian-Western relations. Soon thereafter, Russia invaded Georgia; and in the years since, it has annexed Crimea, launched incursions into Eastern Ukraine, and carried out cyber-attacks against Western democracies. Today, Russian-Western relations are in a downward spiral

“Last week’s three-day conference, which had record-high attendance, will most likely be remembered for years to come. The speeches delivered by US Vice President Mike Pence and German Chancellor Angela Merkel could not have been more different, in terms of both style and substance. At a gathering originally designed to facilitate German-American cooperation, Germany and America’s foreign-policy positions have rarely been so far apart.

“For his part, Pence delivered a hardline ‘America first’ message and celebrated the Trump administration’s adamant refusal to accept longstanding rules and international agreements. Europeans, he declared, have no choice but to follow America’s lead… Pence refused to take any questions after his speech. Many of his ‘applause lines’ were met with stony silence.

Prior to Pence’s appearance, Merkel had delivered a speech that might well go down as one of the best of her career… She delivered a pointed rebuke of ‘America first’ unilateralism. Merkel’s speech received a standing ovation, which is unusual for the Munich Security Conference. She also took questions, which she answered with confidence and a hint of humor, winning herself another standing ovation.

“Like Putin’s aggressive remarks in 2007, Pence and Merkel’s speeches will be remembered for what they augur for the future. Taken together, they confirm that Donald Trump’s presidency has ushered in a period of escalating transatlantic tensions that show no signs of abating

“If and when Iran restarts its nuclear-weapons program, US-Iranian tensions will almost certainly escalate to the point of crisis… The tensions on trade issues are no less acute. The Trump administration has already designated European steel and aluminum exports a threat to US national security, and now it may be preparing to add European cars to that list. If it does, the transatlantic trade conflict will enter dangerous territory

“A year from now, many of the same leaders and policymakers will gather in Munich once again. If the worst-case scenario suggested by this year’s gathering comes to pass, we might be heading for open war in the Middle East and a devastating trade war across the Atlantic.”

Sadly, it appears that this “worst-case scenario” will come to pass… but it is not even the WORST-CASE scenario.

Russia Threatens USA with Nuclear War

Reuters wrote on February 25:

“Russian state television has listed U.S. military facilities that Moscow would target in the event of a nuclear strike, and said that a hypersonic missile Russia is developing would be able to hit them in less than five minutes. The targets included the Pentagon and the presidential retreat in Camp David, Maryland.

“The report, unusual even by the sometimes bellicose standards of Russian state TV, was broadcast on Sunday evening, days after President Vladimir Putin said Moscow was militarily ready for a ‘Cuban Missile’-style crisis if the United States wanted one.

“With tensions rising over Russian fears that the United States might deploy intermediate-range nuclear missiles in Europe as a Cold War-era arms-control treaty unravels, Putin has said Russia would be forced to respond by placing hypersonic nuclear missiles on submarines near U.S. waters

“In the Sunday evening broadcast, Dmitry Kiselyov, presenter of Russia’s main weekly TV news show ‘Vesti Nedeli’, showed a map of the United States and identified several targets he said Moscow would want to hit in the event of a nuclear war… Kiselyov is one of the main conduits of state television’s strongly anti-American tone, once saying Moscow could turn the United States into radioactive ash.”

Michael Cohen’s Explosive Testimony

Newsmax wrote on February 27:

“President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer Michael Cohen accused him of breaking the law while in office and said for the first time that Trump knew in advance about a WikiLeaks dump of stolen emails that hurt his 2016 election rival Hillary Clinton.

“In a dramatic televised hearing in Congress on Wednesday, Cohen said Trump approved hush payments to cover up extra-marital sexual relationships in violation of campaign finance laws, and signed a personal check for $35,000 in 2017 to reimburse Cohen for at least one of those payments.

“Cohen, 52, was a close aide of Trump for years and his testimony could increase the legal and political pressure on the Republican president, but he did not appear to disclose a ‘smoking gun’ that could sink his former boss. Cohen told a House of Representatives committee he had no direct evidence that Trump or his campaign colluded with Moscow during the election campaign…

“Republican lawmakers at the hearing tried to undermine Cohen, portraying him as an irredeemable liar who had benefited from financial crimes he pleaded guilty to last year, and saying the hearing was an opening gambit in a Democratic push to impeach Trump [Cohen had previously lied to Congress as well]… Cohen was mostly calm and contrite under the heated questioning from Republicans, and cautioned them not to make the same mistake he did in protecting Trump…

“Cohen was one of Trump’s closest aides and fiercest defenders, working with him on business and personal deals for a decade. But he turned against him last year and is cooperating with prosecutors after pleading guilty to tax evasion, bank fraud and campaign finance violations…

“Cohen said he was in Trump’s office in July 2016 when Roger Stone, a self-described ‘dirty trickster’ and longtime political adviser to Trump, called the then Republican presidential candidate. Cohen said Stone told Trump he had been speaking with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, who told him there would be a dump of emails within a couple of days that would damage Clinton’s campaign… ‘Mr. Cohen’s statement is untrue, ‘Stone said in an email, but did not specify which parts of the statement he meant. Stone was indicted by Mueller on charges of lying to Congress about his communications with others related to WikiLeaks email dumps…”

Axios wrote on February 27:

“Cohen told the committee that Trump is ‘becoming an autocrat,’ adding that The Trump Organization was steeped in a culture of threatening people — sometimes physically — who might pose a threat to Trump. ‘Every day, most of us knew we were coming in and we were going to lie for him on something. And that became the norm. … It’s exactly what’s happening here in government, sir.’”

The Week added on February 27:

“Michael Cohen… testified publicly on Wednesday that Trump has been deeply involved in various crimes and lies to the American public. House Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings told reporters that based on Cohen’s testimony, ‘it appears that’ Trump committed a crime while in office; Cohen produced a check he says shows Trump broke campaign finance laws while… repaying a hush money sum for Stormy Daniels. Cohen also claimed he knows about more alleged illegal acts involving Trump but can’t talk about them because they’re under investigation… Cohen will testify in a closed-door hearing with the House Intelligence committees on Thursday.”

Here is the bottom line: Democrats tried to use the occasion to find more dirt on Trump; Republicans used the occasion to castigate Democrats and Cohen; but it was all tantamount to a show of utter hypocrisy on all parts, given the well-known fact that politicians lie, from the very top down. Some may do it more than others, and in a more blatant and obvious fashion, and some may be more sneaky and devious than others, but trustworthy is none of them. That is why politics is such a DIRTY business.

Further, Trump will not be impeached, nor will he resign, but he will stay in office. And if there are elections in 2020, he will be reelected.

Cohen Threatened with Murder

The Daily Mail wrote on February 27:

“An heir to the Gambino crime family has issued a stark warning to Michael Cohen, predicting that President Donald Trump’s former personal attorney may face retaliation behind bars over his Congressional testimony… Giovanni, the 43-year-old son of late Sicilian mob boss Francesco ‘Ciccio’ Gambino and cousin to infamous crime boss Carlo Gambino, speculated that Cohen’s withering testimony could have harsh consequences. ‘Inmates love Trump, and hate rats. If he wants to get out alive, he better keep his mouth shut about Trump,’ Giovanni said.”

Cohen had stated that he and his family had received death threats. His concern in this regard is not unfounded. It was Trump who called Cohen a rat. It is truly shameful and appalling that any of this could happen in the US.

Trump and Dictator and Mass Murderer Kim Jong Un Meet

The Week wrote on February 27:

“President Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un are meeting in Hanoi on Wednesday to discuss denuclearization and other topics, and to sign a joint agreement… This is their second in-person meeting; Trump said ‘we made a lot of progress’ in the first summit after greeting Kim in Vietnam on Tuesday. The two leaders shared a private dinner, and Trump predicted North Korea could prosper if his ‘friend’ Kim agrees to denuclearize.”

President Trump should look out for better “friends.” Further comments by Trump about Kim Jong Un are equally shocking and sad at the same time.

The Guardian wrote on February 27:

“Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un have begun their second summit, with the US president calling his North Korean counterpart ‘a great leader’ and offering to help give his country a ‘tremendous future’… [He also said:] ‘It is an honour to be with Chairman Kim…’”

Chairman Kim is a totalitarian mass murderer! How can he be a great leader, and how can it be an honor to have a meal with him?

Trump Believes Kim-Jong-Un

The Guardian wrote on February 28:

“Donald Trump has said he took Kim Jong-un ‘at his word’ when he denied any responsibility in the imprisonment and torture of Otto Warmbier that led to the US student’s death in 2017…  Although Kim wields tremendous power in one of the world’s last totalitarian regimes, Trump said he believed the North Korean leader was not aware of Warmbier’s imprisonment in January 2016 and torture in jail until it was too late…

“Trump’s remarks exculpating the North Korean dictator are likely to draw sharp criticism from both sides of the aisle in Congress, where there is persistent outrage over Warmbier’s treatment…

“Any criticism of Trump’s comments is likely to be heightened by the fact that he invited Warmbier’s family to his State of the Union address in January, and looked up at them in the first lady’s box during his speech. ‘You are powerful witnesses to a menace that threatens our world, and your strength inspires us all,’ Trump said, drawing a standing ovation from Congress. ‘Tonight, we pledge to honour Otto’s memory with total American resolve. After a shameful trial, the dictatorship sentenced Otto to 15 years of hard labour, before returning him to America last June – horribly injured and on the verge of death,’ Trump continued.

“But on Thursday in Hanoi he struck a markedly different tone, saying he did not think Kim ‘would have allowed that to happen’… He suggested instead that the death was because of generally bad jail conditions…

“It could be argued that Trump’s protectiveness of Kim is part of a pattern of giving dictators the benefit of the doubt on abuses. Otherwise loyal congressional Republicans have broken with him over his willingness to believe figures such as Mohammed bin Salman and Vladimir Putin, rather than his own advisers and intelligence services.”

But all of this uncalled-for flattery by Trump did not do him any good, as subsequent events show.

Trump-Kim Jong-Un Summit Ends in Predictable Disaster

The Daily Mail wrote on February 28:

Donald Trump’s talks with Kim Jong-un ended abruptly on Thursday as the president said he was forced to walk away after the North Korean dictator demanded that all sanctions be lifted in return for giving up only some of his nukes. Trump said the final snag that caused the sudden breakdown was over sanctions – and Kim’s push to have all of them lifted in exchange for a concession Trump and his secretary of state could not live with… The president expressed his hope that the two leaders would meet again, but acknowledged: ‘It might be soon, it might not be for a long time. I can’t tell you.’… Trump said that he remains on good terms with Kim and continued to tout the ‘enormous potential’ of North Korea…”

The Week wrote:

“Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that negotiations would resume quickly, but [North Korea’s foreign minister] Ri said the U.S. had wasted an opportunity that ‘may not come again.’”

Deutsche Welle wrote:

“Much excitement, no progress — a predictable outcome. It was already clear in advance that the outcome of the Hollywood-style meetingbetween US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would not live up to its political symbolic meaning…

“Kim already announced through state propaganda that the US was on the brink of economic collapse, that North Korea had brought Washington to its knees militarily, and that the great leader, Kim Jong Un, would show the whole world the path to lasting peace…”

Trudeau Dismisses Calls for His Resignation

Breitbart wrote on February 28:

“Former Canadian Attorney General Jody Wilson-Raybould gave a bombshell testimony accusing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other officials of ‘veiled threats’ to force her to drop a case for political purposes. Ms Wilson-Raybould gave testimony before the Canadian House of Commons justice committee for several hours on Wednesday, speaking out against members of staff and Prime Minister Trudeau attempting to interfere with an investigation into the SNC-Lavalin corporation, The Globe and Mail reports. Accusations that the prime minister and the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) interfered with the SNC-Lavalin investigation first emerged on February 7th.

“The engineering company, which is based in Quebec, was accused of engaging in bribery in Libya in efforts to secure lucrative contracts in the country. Since the accusations were made public, further allegations have revealed that the corporation may also have gone as far as paying for prostitutes for Saadi Gadhafi, son of former Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, during a visit to Canada in 2008. Receipts claim that the company spent as much as $30,000 on prostitutes for Gadhafi while he was allegedly in Montreal and Toronto at the invitation of the company to learn English. Initially, after the first Globe and Mail report on the SNC-Lavalin affair, the accusations were dismissed by Trudeau and the PMO…

‘The scandal has rocked the Canadian political scene and has led to calls from Conservative opposition lead Andrew Scheer for the prime minister to resign from office… Prime Minister Trudeau, meanwhile, rejected calls for his resignation saying that voters would get to decide their next prime minister at the upcoming national elections in October.”

More Turmoil on the Temple Mount

AFP wrote on February 24:

“Israeli police said Sunday they arrested a top Palestinian Muslim official in Jerusalem after scuffles at a flashpoint holy site in the city in the past few days. The arrest drew condemnation from Jordan, the custodian of the Al-Aqsa mosque compound, in the disputed city.

“Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said Abdel Azeem Salhab had been arrested for violating an order preventing entry into a prohibited area of the holy site. Salhab is the head of the council of the Waqf in Jerusalem, the religious authority that governs the site…

“The arrests follow the detention of 60 others overnight Thursday to Friday as police said they were responding to calls for unrest at the holy site surrounding Friday prayers there… The site is the third-holiest in Islam and a focus of Palestinian aspirations for statehood. It is also the location of Judaism’s most holy spot — Jews refer to it as the Temple Mount — and a frequent scene of conflict between the two sides… The religious site is located in east Jerusalem, occupied by Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War and later annexed in a move never recognised by the international community.”

The Temple Mount is the hot bed for turmoil. The Bible shows that it will get much worse when the Jews begin to build the Third Temple on the Temple Mount and offer animal sacrifices there. For proof which completely contradicts those who deny the FACT that a Third Temple WILL BE BUILT, please read our free booklet, The Fall and Rise of the Jewish People.” Also note the next article.

The Third Temple Will Be Built Soon

Express wrote on February 26:

“The Third Temple of Jerusalem is a prophetic sign of the approaching apocalypse, doomsday preachers have warned, as rumours circulate the Jewish house of worship is about to be rebuilt

“Earlier in 2018, the Jewish council of the Sanhedrin committed an offering, or dedication, to the sacrificial altar of the Third Temple. The event, which occurred one day after Hannukkah on December 11, sparked concerns biblical prophecy has begun to unfold.

“According to Christian evangelist and preacher Paul Begley, the secrets of the ancient Jewish temple are now being revealed to the world. In an online sermon dubbed The Coming Apocalypse, the firebrand preacher said ancient balsam trees used to make the biblical Balm of Gilead have returned to Israel. The miraculous balsam trees were used to create the sacred balm and aromatic incense in the Jerusalem temples of old… Pastor Begley said: ‘But why is this happening? Well, the Third Temple is about to be built.’

“The first Holy Temple of Jerusalem was raised from the ground on the city’s ancient Temple Mount centuries ago. Solomon’s Temple was completely destroyed by the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar II in the 587BC siege of Jerusalem. The Second Jerusalem Temple was reconstructed in the sixth century BCE until its destruction by the Romans in response to a Jewish revolt. Today, scores of conspiracy theorists believe the temple’s reconstruction will signal the arrival of the end times.

“In particular, doomsday prophet Irvin Baxter of the End Time Ministries believes the Third Temple will reappear… The End Time Ministries explained: ‘In Matthew 24:15, Jesus described an event known as the Abomination of Desolation. The Abomination of Desolation is when the Antichrist stands in the temple claiming to be God…’

“Many believe the ‘holy place’ Jesus spoke of is the Jewish Third Temple in Jerusalem. The Third Temple is also mentioned in the Bible’s book of Daniel 9:27, where scripture speaks of the Antichrist entering the temple during a period of tribulation.

“Dr David R Reagan of Lamb and Lion Ministries explained: ‘The Apostle Paul mentions it when he declares that the “man of lawlessness” will profane the temple by entering it and declaring himself to be God – 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4. The Third Temple is also mentioned in the book of Revelation when John is told to measure it… Revelation 11:1-2… This is the temple from which Jesus will reign over all the earth. It is described in detail in Ezekiel 40-46.’”

It is amazing to us that in spite of the overwhelming biblical evidence to the contrary, some self-appointed “prophets” still refuse to believe that a literal third temple will be built prior to Christ’s return. Rather, they teach that the biblical reference to the temple is strictly to the Church of God. Even though the Church is most certainly described as a spiritual temple, many passages, like the ones quoted above, CLEARLY refer to a literal temple. It would be ludicrous to suggest otherwise. Such stubborn denial can only be described as self-righteous willfulness.

Netanyahu to Be Indicted

Axios reported on February 28:

“Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit announced Thursday his decision to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in one case of bribery and two cases of fraud and breach of trust. All indictments are pending a hearing… The announcement comes after more than two years of investigations and less than two months before Israel’s highly anticipated April 9 elections.

“In case 4000 — which involves Netanyahu’s relationship with Israel’s leading telecommunications tycoon — the indictment is for bribery. In case 2000 — Netanyahu’s alleged deal with a newspaper publisher for favorable coverage — the indictment is for fraud and breach of trust. In case 1000 — involving Netanyahu allegedly taking $200,000 from businessmen in return for promoting their interests — the indictment is for fraud and breach of trust.

“Israeli police in December recommended Mandelblit indict Netanyahu and his wife for bribery due to their relationship with Israel’s leading telecommunications tycoon. This was the third time in the last year police had recommended Netanyahu be indicted for bribery.”

nbc wrote:

“Netanyahu called the prosecution’s announcement ‘outrageous’ and an ‘unprecedented witch hunt’ carried out by his liberal opponents.”

This wording sounds very familiar.

India-Pakistan Military Conflict… with Israel in the Middle

The Algemeiner wrote on February 28:

“On Tuesday, the Indian Air Force had crossed the de facto border between the Indian and Pakistani-held areas of Kashmir for the first time since 1971. The IAF fired multiple missiles utilizing Israeli-made Spice-2000 guidance kits…

“Tensions between India and Pakistan have been on the rise since a suicide bombing on February 14 hit an Indian paramilitary convoy in Kashmir, killing 40 Indian soldiers… Manufactured by Israeli defense contractor Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the Spice-2000 kits turn air-droppable unguided warheads into precision-guided weapons…

“India accounted for 49 percent of Israeli arms export between 2013 and 2017, making Israel the third-largest supplier to India, according to a 2017 report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). In 2017 alone, $2 billion worth of missile system deals were signed between state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries and India, making up nearly 22 percent of Israel’s overall $9.2 billion in arms exports sales that year.”

Agora Financial added on February 27:

“Trivia-obsessed U.S. media are… overlooking the real possibility nuclear war could break out… ‘It is almost unprecedented for two nuclear-armed countries to carry out air strikes into each other’s territories,’ reports the BBC’s correspondent in Delhi… and yet that’s what’s happened in recent days…

“India’s conventional forces would overwhelm Pakistan’s in the event of all-out war. Pakistan’s only means of effectively fighting back would be tactical nukes…[a decade ago it was estimated that] an Indo-Pak nuclear exchange would kill 2 million immediately and 100 million in ensuing weeks. India’s and Pakistan’s major water sources would be contaminated. Clouds of radioactive dust would blow around the globe…

“A more recent estimate… pegs the numbers at 20 million dead in the first week and 2 billion from the resulting global famine.”

The Bible warns of wars and rumors of wars. However, it does not indicate a nuclear war between India and Pakistan.

Europe Moves to the Extreme Right

The Associated Press wrote on February 24:

“The May 23-26 European Parliament vote could prove to be a tipping point in post-war European politics. Some traditional political powerhouses might start to crumble, allowing extremist, populist parties to gain more clout and throw a new wrench into the EU’s political machinery…

“Since the last EU election in 2014, Britain has voted to leave the EU and Italy and Austria have government coalitions that include the far right. Over a dozen EU nations have fragile minority governments and Poland has turned as hostile toward Brussels as Hungary. ‘After the fall of London, Rome, Warsaw, Budapest, or Vienna into the hands of anti-European and/or xenophobic forces, we no longer speak of the “enemy at the gate” but of the “enemy inside the gates,”‘ wrote Jose Ignacio Torreblanca for the European Council on Foreign Relations.

“And all this comes at a time when the European Parliament now has more powers… the parliament is now an effective decision-maker with a real say on everything from Brexit to anti-pollution regulations…

“The influential VoteWatch Europe think tank said ‘right-wing nationalists are set to gain, although they are likely to fall short of getting over 25 percent of seats.’ But it said a united group of right-wing nationalists could become the second largest group in the legislature.”

German Rearmament Necessary

Project Syndicate wrote on February 22:

“Postwar Germany abandoned military-based power politics… Germans on both the left and the right became pacifists… But this… came to an end with the election of Trump… Germans are currently engaged in an intense debate over defense spending…

“Needless to say, Germany’s rearmament on its own would raise many questions and historical concerns. Rearmament with and for Europe and NATO, however, would be a completely different matter. One way or another, Europe must grow stronger. It is in everyone’s interest that Germany be productively engaged in that process.”

Brexit Divorce Bill

The Telegraph wrote on February 25:

“The [British] Government is making plans to pay billions of euros to Brussels to settle large parts of the £39bn Brexit divorce bill even in the event of a ‘no deal’, the Telegraph can reveal. Ministers signed off the in-principle decision on Monday at a meeting of the Brexit ‘no deal’ preparedness cabinet committee, according to senior Whitehall sources.

“Under a plan agreed on Monday, the Government will table an executive order, or Statutory Instrument, in the final days of the Brexit negotiations to create the legal foundations for future payments to Brussels. The move flies in the face of expectations of leading Brexiteers that a ‘no deal’ Brexit will save the country from paying the £39 billion EU…”

More Time?

Newsmax wrote on February 27:

“Prime Minister Theresa May won a two week reprieve on Wednesday from British lawmakers, who postponed a threatened rebellion aimed at blocking a no-deal Brexit after she agreed to a possible delay to Britain’s departure from the EU…

“But it now means British citizens and businesses will not learn how, or possibly even whether, they are to leave the European Union until the final weeks or even days before the deadline.”

The EUObserver added on February 27:

“French president Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday ruled out delaying Brexit beyond 29 March, unless London comes up with ‘clear objectives’ for the extension. ‘As [EU chief negotiator] Michel Barnier said, we don’t need time, we need decisions,’ he said after meeting German chancellor Angela Merkel, who hit a more conciliatory tone. ‘If Britain needs some more time, we won’t refuse but we are striving for an orderly solution,’ Merkel said.”

China’s Totalitarian Government

The Sydney Morning Herald wrote on February 23:

“Chinese government censors are reading Australian publishers’ books and, in some cases, refusing to allow them to be printed in China if they fail to comply with a long list of restrictions. Publishing industry figures have confirmed that the censors from the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of the People’s Republic of China are vetting books sent by Australian publishers to Chinese printing presses, even though they are written by Australian authors and intended for Australian readers.

“Any mention of a list of political dissidents, protests or political figures in China, including president Xi Jinping, is entirely prohibited… Printing books, particularly those with colour illustrations, is significantly cheaper in China… Sandy Grant, of publisher Hardie Grant, said he had scrapped a proposed children’s atlas last year because the censors ruled out a map. Chinese authorities are extremely sensitive about maps, and any map appearing in a book must fit with the Communist Party view of the world. ‘I think this book might have said Tibet on one map,’ Mr Grant told The Age and Sydney Morning Herald…

Most major religions are also on the ‘sensitive’ list…”

The important fact to take away from this is that those books were not even meant for the Chinese market. But this shows us how repressive the government must be towards their own citizens.

Discrimination in the UK against Able White Heterosexual Males

Daily Mail wrote on February 22:

“The son of a police chief who tried to join his father’s force was rejected for being ‘a white, heterosexual male without disability’. Matthew Furlong, 25, had applied for his ‘dream job’ as a constable with Cheshire Police, where his father, Liam, 52, is a detective inspector. He performed well in tests and at interview but the force was so desperate for more recruits from ethnic minorities or who were gay or transgender that it refused to hire him.

“Mr Furlong, who has a degree in particle physics from Lancaster University, lodged a discrimination claim against Cheshire Police under equality legislation, and won. It is believed to be the first successful case of its kind.

“In a ruling last week a judge criticised the force for treating candidates with ‘protected characteristics’ – including those who were gay, transgender, disabled, black or from other ethnic minorities – more favourably than Mr Furlong, who was ‘a white, heterosexual male without disability’…

“The case came as the leader of Britain’s police chiefs called yesterday for radical laws to allow police to positively discriminate in favour of ethnic minority candidates.”

We are told not to discriminate as it is against the law but the police want to discriminate against qualified candidates. Will this kind of nonsense ever stop? But then, read the next appalling article.

Stupid and Dangerous “Political Correctness” in France

news au reported on February 19:

“A change to a law in France will see schools unable to refer to a child’s parents as their ‘mother’ or ‘father’ on school documents, instead the titles will be replaced with ‘parent 1’ and ‘parent 2’. The amendment was passed in parliament as part of the country’s Schools of Trust law and aims to reduce the discrimination faced by same-sex parents

“French President Emmanuel Macron’s Republique en Marche party backed the change, with MP Valérie Petit saying this amendment of the wider law recognises ‘children’s family diversity in administrative forms’… Supporters of the change claim that using gender-neutral language on school documents relating to parents is a natural step after the country legalised gay marriage six years ago, The Telegraph reported…

“A number of conservative MPs denounced the change, calling the amendment ‘frightening’ and claiming it disrespected heterosexual parents. ‘When I hear people say this is an old-fashioned model, I would remind people that today among unions celebrated, civil or marital, some 95 per cent are man-woman couples,’ MP Xavier Breton said…

“The amendment is part of a wider law that also makes school attendance mandatory for all three year olds.”

…so that “three year olds” can be indoctrinated even further with this kind of appalling liberal God-defying nonsense. All of this reflects a picture of absolutely dangerous stupidity.

No More Requirement to Hold Sunday Services

msn wrote on February 22:

“The Church of England has… lifted a 400-year-old rule requiring that all churches hold services every Sunday. Canon law dating from 1603 required priests to hold morning and evening prayers and a communion service each Sunday in every church they oversaw. But after decades of declining attendance, many priests are now responsible for multiple churches, especially in rural areas. Until now, they have needed permission from a bishop not to hold Sunday services in each church.”

Good change for the wrong reasons. Sunday worship is not authorized by the Bible, while conducting and attending weekly and annual Sabbath services are commanded.

Catholic Church and Italian Government in Collaboration with Covering Up Sexual Abuse of Children

The New York Times wrote on February 22:

“This month, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child gave Italy a failing grade on protecting minors from sexual exploitation. In particular, the committee expressed concern ‘about the numerous cases of children having been sexually abused by religious personnel of the Catholic Church’ and the ‘low number of investigations and criminal prosecutions’ of those crimes. And while other countries have taken a hard look at the problem of clerical abuse, Italy has approached it with something closer to a media blackout.

“Experts consider Italy’s response to be one of the worst among Western nations, comparable to that of some African and Asian churches in which denial about clerical sex abuse is still rampant… In Italian, ‘there is no corresponding word for accountability,’ said the Rev. Hans Zollner, one of the Vatican’s top experts in safeguarding minors and an organizer of this week’s meeting…

“Survivors accuse the government and the judiciary, which has been slow to investigate clerical abuse cases, of silence on the issue… Italian politiciansvie to stay on the good side of the Vatican…

“Some analysts who say Pope Francis has been slow to respond to the abuse crisis point to the fact that he is surrounded by Italian advisers in an essentially Italian bureaucracy, in the heart of Italy. ‘That is part of the Vatican bubble in which Pope Francis operates,’ said Massimo Faggioli, a professor of theology and religious studies at Villanova University. ‘The Vatican is an economic and political power in Italy, it hushes everything up,’ said Marco Lodi Rizzini, the spokesman for a group of Provolo Institute alumni.”

Even in the face of such widespread abuse, Italian politicians, the judiciary and the people turn a blind eye to reality! The Catholic Church remains dominant and powerful, and its collaboration with the Italian government is interesting, as it reflects the situation which existed under Mussolini and the Vatican.

Pope Talks the Talk… Somewhat

AFP wrote on February 24:

Pope Francis on Sunday compared the sexual abuse of children to human sacrifice as he addressed the Catholic Church’s top bishops at the end of a landmark summit to tackle paedophilia… Francis said those priests who prey on children are ‘tools of Satan’.”

The Huffington Post added on February 24:

“The crimes won’t be covered up ‘as was usual in the past,’ [the pope] promised… The statement comes just after German Cardinal Reinhard Marx admitted on Saturday that documents that could have named abusers ‘were destroyed, or not even created’ while victims’ rights ‘were effectively trampled underfoot’…

“Opening the summit last Thursday, which the pope called after botching a sex abuse case last year in Chile that was known to have been a coverup, he told the nearly 200 leaders present it was time for action… ‘The holy people of God are watching and expect not just simple and obvious condemnations, but efficient and concrete measures to be established,’ Francis said.”

Bild Online reported that many observers felt his speech was a complete fiasco, as he did not set forth any concrete measures as to what to do with pedophiles. Note the next articles.

Abused Victims Disappointed… Pope Keeps Covering Up… No Concrete Measures Announced

The Associated Press reported on February 24:

“Pope Francis closed out his extraordinary summit on preventing clergy sex abuse by vowing Sunday to confront abusers with ‘the wrath of God’ felt by the faithful… But his failure to offer a concrete action plan to hold bishops accountable when they failed to protect their flocks from predators disappointed survivors, who had expected more from the first-ever global Catholic summit of its kind…”

The Guardian wrote on February 22:

“Activists for survivors of clerical sexual abuse have reacted furiously after Pope Francis failed to promise a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to paedophile priests and the bishops who cover up their crimes as he closed a landmark summit at the Vatican… a significant part of the pontiff’s closing speech focused on the prevalence of child abuse across society… he said that the majority of cases arose within families and that the perpetrators of abuse were ‘primarily parents, relatives, husbands of child brides and teachers’…

“While the pope acknowledged that the occurrence of the sexual abuse of children within the Catholic church was even more ‘scandalous’… his speech failed to reflect the concrete action that survivors of sex abuse were hoping for.

“Anne Barrett Doyle, the co-founder of Bishop Accountability, which tracks clergy sex abuse cases, described the speech as ‘recycled rhetoric’. ‘I am utterly stunned,’ she told the Guardian. ‘The pope has undone the tiny bit of progress that possibly was achieved this week. He was defensive, rationalising that abuse happens in all sectors of society. Ironically and sadly, he exhibited no responsibility, no accountability and no transparency.’…

“Peter Isley, spokesperson for Ending Clergy Abuse… criticised the pope’s speech… ‘A child will be harmed today due to what the pope didn’t say today,’ he said. ‘What he’s actually saying to all bishops is to “keep on covering it up”… The problem is his internal conflict – does he protect the priests within his family or the victims of abuse?’”

There are far too many influential and powerful homosexuals and pedophiles in the Catholic priesthood. The pope will not change that, even if he wanted to. Note the next article.

More Horrors to Come

The Guardian wrote on February 25:

“Pope Francis must have hoped that last week’s unprecedented summit in Rome of senior bishops and church figures from around the world would mark a turning point for his papacy on sexual abuse. The world would see that the Vatican was finally getting a grip on the issue that has caused such grave damage to the church for the past 20 years.

Such hopes have been dealt a devastating blow by the news that Cardinal George Pell, until recently the third most senior figure at the Vatican, is facing a prison term for the sexual abuse of minors in the 1990s. The Australian’s conviction on criminal charges will have powerful reverberations throughout the global church. It propels the toxic issue of the ‘abominations’ of children – Francis’s own word – directly into the heart of the papacy, where until December the disgraced cardinal had a seat as an influential member of C9, the inner circle of pontifical advisers.

“It is likely to herald further haemorrhaging from the pews of Roman Catholic churches by disillusioned and despairing parishioners in the west. And it sends a potent message to the church’s elite that no one is too important or too powerful to escape justice; some will be quaking in fear under their cassocks as Pell is led away to prison.

“Pell’s downfall comes just days after another high-profile figure was defrocked by the pope after a Vatican hearing found him guilty of sexually abusing minors. Theodore McCarrick, a former cardinal and archbishop of Washington, was removed from the priesthood after years of swirling rumours about his predatory behaviour with trainee priests. Francis was accused of failing to investigate or take action until a man went public last summer.

“In France, a verdict is expected next week in the trial of Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, the archbishop of Lyon, who is accused with five others of helping to cover up alleged sexual abuse. Last month, the Vatican announced that Gustavo Zanchetta, a former Argentinian bishop who was appointed to a senior position at the Holy See in 2017, was under preliminary investigation over alleged sexual abuse claims.

“Last June, Francis accepted the resignation of three Chilean bishops over their handling of abuse cases, including one he had robustly defended a few months earlier. In July, Philip Wilson stepped down as archbishop of Adelaide after he was convicted of concealing child abuse, although he was subsequently acquitted on appeal. In August, a damning grand jury report laid bare the scale of sexual abuse and its cover-up in Pennsylvania.

“After a disastrous papal visit to Ireland, a once staunchly Catholic country where the legacy of sexual abuse has decimated some congregations, an investigation in Germany found that more than 1,600 clergy were implicated in the abuse of 3,677 children over a 60-year period; it was ‘probably only the tip of the iceberg’. More than half the senior clerics in the Netherlands were accused of covering up sexual abuse, and thus allowing the perpetrators to commit more crimes, between 1945 and 2010.

“In the UK, the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse heard graphic testimony from former pupils at Catholic schools. In December, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the most senior cleric in England and Wales, denied under cross-examination that he had covered up abuse; this month, it emerged that the pope’s representative in Britain had failed to respond [to] the inquiry’s demands for information.

“Observers point out that the scandals uncovered so far focus on the sexual abuse of minors in western countries. There has been little detail heard thus far on the ‘sexual slavery’ – again, the pope’s words – and abuse suffered by nuns and sisters in religious orders; and few accounts of abuse and exploitation by clerics in the global south, where the Catholic church has enjoyed exponential growth. That is all to come, they say.

“It is hard to see how Pope Francis can avoid the blowback from such a global disaster, and particularly from Pell’s downfall, despite his repeated talk of shame, remorse, zero tolerance and ‘never again’. He has identified ‘clerical culture’, or excessive deference to the clergy, as a major problem. Changing a culture so dominant at all levels of the church is essential but extremely difficult. And, as ever, Francis will face powerful resistance from those with most to lose.”

Please view our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Widespread Sexual Abuse Within Catholic Church… Could It Ever Be Stopped?”

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