Threats of Nuclear War

Express wrote on May 13:

“Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of Russia Dmitry Medvedev said… NATO support [for Ukraine] will make a direct conflict between the alliance and Moscow more likely. He also warned that this could even result in a full-blown nuclear war…. This comes as NATO looks set to welcome Finland and Sweden as new members in a move that has appeared to rub Moscow the wrong way. The Kremlin warned it ‘will be forced to take retaliatory steps, both of a military-technical and other nature’ if the Nordic NATO plans materialize…

“Putin already put his nuclear forces on high alert back in March, sparking fears of a nuclear war. He has also been unveiling some terrifying weapons in his 6,000 strong arsenal. This includes the Sarmat II, dubbed Satan II by the West. This is an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of carrying 10 or more nuclear warheads and can hit targets in the US and Europe.”

Turkey Might Veto

Express wrote on May 13:

“Turkish President [Tayyip Erdoan] argued Finland’s plan to apply for NATO membership, and the expectation that Sweden will follow, would bring about the expansion of the alliance that Russian President Vladimir Putin aimed to prevent from happening by invading Ukraine… Saying it was a mistake for NATO to accept Greece as a member in the past, he added: ‘As Turkey, we don’t want to repeat similar mistakes.’… Mr Erdoğan then said: ‘Furthermore, Scandinavian countries are guesthouses for terrorist organisations. They are even members of the parliament in some countries. It is not possible for us to be in favour.’

“Mr Erdoğan’s comments were primarily directed at the militant group the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which Turkey regards as a terrorist organisation, although they appeared to encompass the communities of Kurdish origin in Scandinavia as a whole. Sweden has a large Kurdish diaspora, with the community considered to be one of the largest outside of the Middle East…. any decision on enlargement [of NATO] must be made by unanimous agreement of its members, a single country opposing a nation’s bid to join could block the membership from unfolding.”

The Associated Press added on May 16:

“Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday ratcheted up his objection to Sweden and Finland joining NATO… [He] said Swedish and Finnish officials — who are expected in Turkey next week — should not bother to come if they hope to convince Ankara into relaxing its objections to their membership.”

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 18:

“Turkey on Wednesday stopped NATO members from starting talks on the bids launched by Finland and Sweden to join the alliance… Helsinki and Sweden handed their official bid to NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday morning… other members of the alliance have given their full backing to the Nordic countries and remain optimistic that they can overcome Turkey’s objections. They hope to complete the process in six months rather than the usual 12 months.”

Turkey is the second-largest military in NATO. It joined NATO 70 years ago. Article 5 of NATO’s founding treaty says an attack on any NATO country should be seen as an attack on all. While Sweden and Finland have long had close relations with NATO, they are not covered by its security guarantee.

Russia Feels Threatened

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 13:

“If [Sweden] formally joins NATO, it will end over 200 years of Swedish non-alignment. It would be a severe setback for Russian President Vladimir Putin… NATO’s land border with Russia is set to more than double if Finland and Sweden submit their membership applications.

“Such an expansion by the Western military alliance would leave Russia surrounded by NATO countries in the Baltic Sea and the Arctic.”

Finland to Join

Deutsche Welle reported on May 14:

“Finland’s ruling Social Democrats backed a proposal on Saturday to apply for NATO membership… The party followed in the footsteps of Prime Minister Sanna Marin, who released a joint statement with President Sauli Niinisto on Thursday saying Finland must join the alliance ‘without delay.’… With the majority of Parliament backing membership, an official application is expected within days…

“The Kremlin’s response to the Finnish president was that any move to abandon Finland’s historically neutral stance would be a mistake. Putin said Russia posed no threat to Finland, but that membership in NATO could negatively affect the countries’ relations. The Kremlin cut off Russian electricity supplies to Finland on Friday night after the firm supplying the electricity, RAO Nordic, complained of payment arrears. Russia provided about 10% of Finland’s electricity, but this has largely been covered by imports from Sweden.

“NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg has previously said both Finland and Sweden would be welcomed into the alliance ‘with open arms.’”

On Tuesday, May 17, Finland’s legislature approved the country’s bid for NATO membership with 188 votes in favor and eight against. The vote in Parliament was seen a formality. Deutsche Welle wrote:

“The vote clears the way for a Finnish application for membership in the Western defense alliance. President Niinisto will now have to sign the application and hand it in to NATO’s headquarters in Brussels… .German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said Germany will increase military cooperation with Sweden and Finland during the application process… Finland joining NATO would be the  biggest security policy shift for the country since after World War II, after which the country adopted a policy of military nonalignment and neutrality.

“Finland shares a 1,300-kilometer (800-mile) long border with Russia, and Moscow has strongly opposed its membership in NATO. Neutral Finland was invaded by the Soviet Union in 1939 and fought two wars against it during the course of World War II. It ultimately lost large chunks of the eastern Karelia province to the Soviet Union and had to pay reparations.”

On Sunday, Sweden’s governing party backed a plan to join NATO.  Axios wrote that “Sweden’s Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson announced Monday that her government will formally apply to join NATO”, continuing: “Sweden does not share a border with Russia but has long feared the possibility of Moscow invading Gotland — a strategically located island in the Baltic Sea viewed as critical to the defense of the region.”

The Sun reported on May 16 that as a consequence, “Russia has started deploying nuclear missiles toward its border with Finland.”

Russia Accepts the Challenge

Express wrote on May 14:

“Sergei Lavrov… told a Russian audience:  ‘The collective West has declared total hybrid war on us and it is hard to predict how long all this will last but it is clear the consequences will be felt by everyone, without exception. We did everything to avoid a direct clash – but now that the challenge has been thrown down, we of course accept it.’…

“Efforts by the West to isolate Russia were doomed to fail, Mr Lavrov claimed, while pointing to the importance of Russia’s relations with China, India, Algeria and Gulf states. His comments come two days after Boris Johnson travelled to Finland and Sweden to sign security pacts with the two Scandinavian nations, which pledge military assistance if either party is attacked…

“As well as threats of cyber warfare, concerns have been raised that Russia may resort to chemical or biological weapons. It has already hinted at using its nuclear option. Russia is also not averse to targeted attacks on individuals on foreign soil, including in the UK: the Russian Government has already been blamed for the poisoning of Alexander Litvinenko in London and the attempted poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal.”

Where Do the $56 Billion Go?

The Dossier wrote on May 14:

“The United States has now delegated some $56 billion… ‘for Ukraine’, but hardly any of it is actually going to the Ukrainian people… If you think the people of Ukraine are going to see one dime of this money, think again. Not even the ‘humanitarian aid’ portions of the assistance will reach the Ukrainian people…

“… the majority of the funds from the latest $40 billion behemoth will be used to supply weapons purchase orders, and resupply weapons that were already sent to Ukraine, which arrived with a seeming back room deal to add to the deep pockets of the weapons manufacturers back home.”

Freakish NBC Program… Simulation of US War with China

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on May 18:

“NBC’s Meet the Press just aired an absolutely freakish segment in which the influential narrative management firm Center for a New American Security (CNAS) ran war games simulating a direct US hot war with China. CNAS is funded by the Pentagon and by military-industrial complex corporations Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and Lockheed Martin, as well as the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office, which as Antiwar’s Dave DeCamp notes is the de facto Taiwanese embassy in the US.

“The war game simulates a conflict over Taiwan which we are informed is set in the year 2027, in which China launches strikes on the US military in order to open the way to an invasion of the island. We are not told why there needs to be a specific year inserted into mainstream American consciousness about when we can expect such a conflict, but then we are also not told why NBC is platforming a war machine think tank’s simulation of a military conflict with China at all.

“It happens that the Center for a New American Security was the home of the man assigned by the Biden administration to lead the Pentagon task force responsible for re-evaluating the administration’s posture toward China. That man, Ely Ratner, is on record saying that the Trump administration was insufficiently hawkish toward China. Ratner is now the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs in the Biden administration…

“It also happens that CNAS co-founder Michele Flournoy, who appeared in the Meet the Press war games segment… wrote… in 2020… that the US needed to develop ‘the capability to credibly threaten to sink all of China’s military vessels, submarines, and merchant ships in the South China Sea within 72 hours.’…

“It also happens that CNAS is routinely cited by the mass media as an authoritative source on all things China and Russia, with no mention ever made of the conflict of interest arising from their war machine funding… citing war machine-funded think tanks as expert analysis without even disclosing their financial conflict of interest is plainly journalistic malpractice. But it happens all the time in the mass media anyway, because the mass media exist to circulate propaganda, not journalism.

“This is getting so, so crazy… the mass media are now openly teaming up with war machine think tanks to begin seeding the normalization of a hot war with China into the minds of the public… The mass-scale psychological manipulation is getting more and more overt and more and more shameless.

“This is headed somewhere very, very bad. Hopefully humanity wakes up in time to stop these lunatics from driving us off a precipice from which there is no return.”

More Violence in Israel

The Evening Standard wrote on May 13:

“Israeli police clashed with Palestinian mourners packed around the coffin of killed Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh at the start of her funeral procession in Jerusalem on Friday… The violent scenes underlined the growing anger over Ms Abu Akleh’s killing which has threatened to add further fuel to an already raging conflict. Ms Abu Akleh, who had covered Palestinian affairs and the Middle East for more than two decades, was shot while reporting on an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday.

“Palestinian authorities described Ms Abu Akleh’s killing as an assassination by Israeli forces. Israel’s government initially suggested Palestinian fire might have been to blame, but officials have also said they could not rule out it was Israeli gunfire that killed her… The inquiry has raised two possibilities, the military said in a statement. The first, that Ms Abu Akleh was hit by Palestinian militants who fired dozens of bullets toward Israeli military vehicles, ‘which is also the direction where Ms. Abu Akleh was.’ The second, that an Israeli soldier returning fire from a jeep toward a gunman had inadvertently hit her…

“Ms Abu Akleh’s death has drawn widespread condemnation. Video footage from the moments after she was shot showed the 51-year-old wearing a blue vest marked ‘Press’… Israel, which has voiced regret at Ms Abu Akleh’s death, has proposed a joint investigation with the Palestinians, asking them to provide the bullet for examination. The Palestinians have rejected the Israeli request. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday said Israel was fully responsible and called for an international investigation.”

Bogus Charges Against Netanyahu?

Breitbart wrote on May 16:

“Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gloated Monday as the prosecution in his corruption trial asked the court for permission to amend its indictment against him when a key witness backtracked on his earlier testimony against him. ‘In your face,’ Netanyahu told reporters.

“He faces three charges, which have been described by critics from the beginning as bogus, and as an apparent effort by Netanyahu’s political enemies in the Israeli legal fraternity to remove him from power…

“The prosecution has… been clouded by revelations that state investigators unlawfully hacked Netanyahu’s phone and those of his associates in an effort to spy on him and use damaging personal information to turn witnesses against him. Netanyahu has refused to accept any plea deals and has insisted on proving his innocence. The prosecution has stumbled as the post-Netanyahu government, a ragtag coalition led by former aide Naftali Bennet, has moved closer to internal collapse.”

Iran May Already Have Nukes

Israel 365 wrote on May 16:

“‘Washington’s bipartisan consensus is that Iran does not yet have nuclear weapons or missiles capable of threatening the United States with a nuclear attack,’ wrote Peter Vincent Pry, the EMP Task Force on National and Homeland Security executive director. ‘But some Israeli analysts and some highly credible U.S. experts disagree with the “consensus view.’”…

“‘Assessments that Iran does not yet have nuclear weapons assume erroneously: our intelligence is perfect, Iran’s civilian nuclear program is all there is, and no clandestine nuclear weapons program exists in Iran’s numerous underground military facilities — including unaccounted uranium and plutonium facilities for fueling nuclear weapons, as in North Korea,’ the report warns…

“Washington’s intelligence assessments that Tehran ‘suspended its nuclear-weapons program in 2003 are contradicted,’ the group cautions, ‘both by Iran’s nuclear archives, stolen by Israel in 2018, indicating Iran’s ongoing nuclear-weapons program (reported at several sites in 2006, 2017, and 2019) and by Iran’s rapid resumption of enriching uranium to prohibited levels. This demonstrates an existing capability to quickly produce weapons-grade uranium.’…

“‘Iran is a threshold nuclear weapons state,’ Pry concludes. ‘Prudence would dictate regarding Iran as a de facto nuclear threat.’”

Blow to Olaf Scholz in North Rhine-Westphalia (NW)

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 15:

“In a blow to Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s SPD party, voters backed the conservatives, CDU, in an election Germany’s most populous state. The Greens meanwhile more than doubled the number of votes they received…. In Germany’s federal system, state lawmakers hold a considerable amount of power and the election in NRW was considered an important bellwether  for Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s ruling SPD party…. Around 13 million people were eligible to vote, making it the biggest election in Germany this year,  and one of the most important outside of the general election…

“The victory will be seen as an important boost for the CDU, relegated to the opposition in last year’s election after 16 years in power under Merkel… The CDU has tried to recover from its big defeat in last year’s general election by gaining ground in regional governments. Just last week, voters in the northern state of Schleswig-Holstein delivered a landslide victory in the CDU….”

According to Bild Online, this was the biggest defeat ever for the SPD in NRW. Bild blamed Scholz for the disaster for his indecisiveness and lack of clarity.

Fauci “Promises” to Resign, if…

Breitbart wrote on May 16:

“[Fauci] used an interview on CNN to reveal he does not want to serve under the former president if he is re-elected in 2024 and would likely resign… Fauci’s antipathy towards Trump was made plain on notable occasions, none more so than when he accused the former president of ‘poisoning the well’ on vaccinations…

“Previous to that he questioned the Trump administration’s vaccine rollout efficiency and publicly called into question Trump’s ability to deliver on his promises to protect all Americans during the height of the coronavirus pandemic… Fauci said, ‘the divisiveness during the Trump administration’ made his job difficult… ‘I had to be publicly correcting misrepresentation on the part of the president and on the part of people in the administration.’

“Fauci, 82, has been the director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases since 1984. He was appointed as Chief Medical Advisor to the Biden administration in 2021.”

Fox News added on May 16:

“Many conservatives expressed relief on Sunday when Dr. Anthony Fauci declared he would not stick around as chief medical adviser at the White House if… Trump wins the 2024 election… Fauci has emerged as a symbol of COVID-era lockdowns and restrictions in the eyes of many Trump supporters… [Many stated that] this was the best possible endorsement for Trump in 2024…”

Due to Fauci’s many failed predictions, wrong and dangerous advice and false promises, his resignation has been long overdue. Of course, Trump should have fired him when he had the chance.

WHO to Get Universal Powers

 Israel 365 wrote on May 18:

“In four days, the World Health Organization will vote on resolutions that will give them emergency powers over any country they choose [by unilaterally declaring a health emergency in that country]. The Biden administration initiated the measures but kept them under wraps until just a few weeks ago when the vote was a foregone conclusion. It was recently revealed that Israel fell into lockstep, backing the measure…  

“If passed, the resolutions will go into effect in November.  [They] will empower WHO’s Director-General to declare health emergencies or crises in any nation and do so unilaterally and against the opposition of the target nation. The Director-General will be able to declare these health crises based merely on his personal opinion or consideration that there is a potential or possible threat to other nations.”

It seems that Biden is doing whatever he can to destroy the USA.

Buffalo Massacre Used as Alibi to Restrict Freedom of Speech

Law Professor Jonathan Turley wrote on May 16 (reprinted by the Ron Paul Institute):

“Politicians have long viewed tragedies and crises as opportunities not to be ‘wasted.’… Governor Kathy Hochul (D-NY) adopted the same approach to the massacre in Buffalo in renewing calls for censorship on the Internet…

“As it became more likely that Elon Musk could buy Twitter, there was a notable shift in the comments of pro-censorship figures. Hillary Clinton went to Twitter to call on the European Union to quickly pass the Digital Services Act in Europe to force censorship ‘before it’s too late.’…

“At the same time, the United Kingdom is pushing its own Online Safety Act and recently Musk was summoned to Parliament to answer for his alarming suggestion of restoring free speech on social media… It is threatening to take ten percent of the company’s profits if Musk does not censor users.

“Now, Hochul is trying to rally voters to the cause of censorship in the wake of the Buffalo tragedy. To defend free speech in response to such a call is to risk being denounced as supporting violent extremists or dishonoring the fallen.

“The government would then be able to determine what constitutes ‘unfettered sharing of hate information on the internet.’ Indeed, the Biden Administration already created a Disinformation Governance Board that is ready to start that work with great eagerness. It may be a bitter pill for some who value free speech, but it is hard to defend the abstraction of free speech in the aftermath of a massacre. That is why this is a crisis that cannot be wasted. As the Biden’s Administration’s ‘Mary Poppins of Disinformation’ might say, a crisis ‘helps the censorship medicine go down in a most delightful way.’”

Perhaps she is going to release another childish song on video. Please spare us!

Disinformation Governance Board “Paused” – Janowicz Resigns

The New York Post wrote on May 19:

“Despite calling The Post’s reporting on Hunter Biden’s laptop a ‘Trump campaign product’ and blasting Republican concerns about the teaching of ‘critical race theory’ in public schools as ‘weaponizing people’s emotion,’ the now-former head of the Biden administration’s short-lived disinformation board is denying she has a pro-Democrat bias.

“Nina Janowicz made the far-fetched claim to MSNBC ‘All In’ host Chris Hayes hours after she announced her resignation following the Department of Homeland Security’s decision to ‘pause’ the Disinformation Governance Board… The board was criticized almost from the moment of its creation last month by conservatives, libertarians and even some liberals, who compared it to the Ministry of Truth from George Orwell’s novel ‘1984.’”

The Hunter Biden Scandal

Newsmax wrote on May 17:

“A former White House staffer during the Trump administration has apparently posted more than 120,000 emails [to a searchable database this week through his organization, Marco Polo] from Hunter Biden’s now-infamous laptop computer, which was seized by the FBI in 2019… The emails reportedly span from December 2009 to March 2019 — shortly before Hunter Biden dropped off his MacBook Pro at a Delaware computer store, but never returned to pick it up…

“Among the reported highlights, according to the Daily Mail: The ‘10 for the big guy’ message, which potentially links President Joe Biden to son Hunter’s overseas business dealings — during Joe Biden’s time as vice president (2009-17) — through a 10% equity stake in a Chinese energy conglomerate… Hunter Biden describing an apparent quid pro quo with a Mexican billionaire’s son, outlining how Biden got him into the White House and presidential inauguration ceremony, and then thanking him for visits to a villa…

“The site also pointed out that Hunter Biden’s laptop had been abandoned… as a legal loophole for posting the trove of emails online…

“The Daily Mail reportedly had the laptop authenticated by top cyber forensics experts last year; and earlier in 2022, The Washington Post and The New York Times independently verified the contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop…

“This potentially sets the stage for Republican lawmakers launching a full-scale investigation into the alleged corruption exposed from Hunter Biden’s laptop in 2023, if Republicans take back control of the House chamber after the November midterm elections.”

Republicans have said that, if they come to power in the midterm election and if the allegations against Hunter Biden and Joe Biden are proven to be true, an impeachment procedure against Joe Biden would be initiated.

A New Definition of “Woman”

Breitbart wrote on May 12:

“The San Diego County Board of Supervisors has adopted a new definition of ‘woman’ that would reportedly allow male-to-female transgender residents to demand inclusion as women in jails, homeless shelters, and domestic violence shelters… the ordinance… include[s] those who simply identify as women…

“Local television station KUSI-TV [said:] ‘Now in San Diego County, the definition of “women” will include transwomen and intersex women…’

“Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson declined to provide a definition of ‘woman’ in her confirmation hearings in March.”

Britain’s Sad “Accomplishments”

The Daily Mail wrote on May 14:

“A dozen native oysters washed down with vintage champagne, then a large tranche of oozing, bloomy, artisan Camembert — there is no finer or more elegant lunch.

“You could be enjoying such delicacies on holiday in Normandy and, for decades, you may have wished we did this just as well at home… At last the British are beating the French at what they do best — producing the greatest food and wine… As for our seafood, it is riding a high… Tourists are flocking to the British coast in pursuit of the freshest lobster, crab, Dover sole and turbot, while there’s an expanding market for buying fish online, direct from the boats….

“The popularity of shellfish has also boomed. Oysters, once a rarity on menus, are popular again. Our brown crab is considered the best worldwide owing to cold waters, and we can even buy ormer — or abalone — farmed in Jersey.

“So these are exciting times. Essentially, one no longer needs to live near a good fishmonger to buy the freshest fish. There are seafood sellers online who will deliver even live shellfish to your door via overnight courier.”

“Sadly,” all these “delicious” “foods” are forbidden in the Bible and declared to be “unclean,” since they are harmful to humans.

Hard to Believe: Used Cars Much More Expensive than New Cars

The Daily Mail wrote on May 14:

“Motorists are facing a massive used car premium with some second hand vehicles costing some £26,000 more than a brand new model… A nearly new Landrover Defender with a list price of £62,000 will cost £10,000 more if the car is second and with relatively low mileage. This is especially true if the car is bought using a PCP plan, which are affected by changes in the interest rate…

“The Bank of England’s monetary policy committee has indicated that interest rates will have to rise further in order to counter the threat of runaway inflation despite the very real threat of the country moving into recession… Also, manufacturers have said that the supply of microchips used in onboard computers and vital safety systems are in incredibly short supply since Covid-19.

“Under normal market conditions, a second hand car will lose a considerable percentage of its value as soon as its front wheels hit the tarmac outside the dealership… Even Britain’s cheapest car, the Dacia Sandero has seen it price increase. A one-year-old version with 10,000 miles on the clock will cost £12,481 – or £312 a month on a three-year PCP with £2,000 deposit. This makes the used car £5,333 more expensive than the new version…

“New car buyers, however can face long waiting lists before they can sit into their vehicle… Popular marques such as BMW and VW have told prospective buyers that there is a nine-month waiting list… Worse still for motorists, diesel prices have soared to a new record high despite the cut in fuel duty, figures show.”

 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.

Our Lying Government

Politico wrote on April 29:

“Who among us thinks the government should add to its work list the job of determining what is true and what is disinformation? And who thinks the government is capable of telling the truth? Our government produces lies and disinformation at industrial scale and always has.

“This is the government that lied about winning the war in Vietnam, that said the Watergate affair was a ‘third-rate burglary,’ that fought a  secret war in Nicaragua, that lied about a clandestine love affair in the White House, that used faulty intelligence to force a war in the Middle East… President Barack Obama shortchanged the truth. Of 600 Obama statements… a quarter of them fell into the ‘red zone’ of being false, mostly false, or ‘pants on fire’ false. Not so long ago,  50 intelligence officials assured the nation that the Hunter Biden laptop story bore ‘all the classic earmarks of a Russian information operation.’… The idea that Covid could have come from a Chinese lab was similarly dismissed as disinformation; now it’s considered a legitimate possibility by the Biden administration. Meanwhile, we have documented proof from the Washington Post that…  Joe Biden can’t handle simple truths! (We don’t need to reassess the Donald Trump presidency here, do we?)…

“After branding something disinformation, it’s only a short slide to suppressing the contested information… If Russian disinformation is a problem, it has been so for almost a century… the Russians started sending out fake defectors in the 1930s to spread disinformation in the West. After World War II, the Soviets shifted their focus to the United States. Two years after the surrender of Nazi Germany, Soviet leadership sought to influence public opinion by covertly funding newspapers and radio stations around the world… It forged documents and attempted to plant them in credible publications. In one disinformation campaign, it promulgated the tall tale that AIDS was the product of an American biological weapons experimentation…”

Shocking when you think about all the lies that our governments have been spreading…

A Long History of Lying

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on May 7:

 “The most egregious and blatant official U.S. disinformation campaign in years took place three weeks before the 2020 presidential election. That was when dozens of former intelligence officials purported, in an open letter, to believe that authentic emails regarding Joe Biden’s activities in China and Ukraine, reported by The New York Post, were ‘Russian disinformation.’ That quasi-official proclamation enabled liberal corporate media outlets to uncritically mock and then ignore those emails as Kremlin-created fakes, and it pressured Big Tech platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to censor the reporting at exactly the time Americans were preparing to decide who would be the next U.S. president.

“The letter from these former intelligence officials was orchestrated by trained career liars — disinformation agents — such as former CIA Director John Brennan and former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper. Yet that letter was nonetheless crucial to discredit and ultimately suppress the New York Post‘s incriminating reporting on Biden. It provided a quasi-official imprimatur — something that could be depicted as an authoritative decree — that these authentic emails were, in fact, fraudulent…

“The purpose of Homeland Security agents is to propagandize and deceive, not enlighten and inform. The level of historical ignorance and stupidity required to believe that U.S. Security State operatives are earnestly devoted to exposing and decreeing truth… is off the charts… That the Board will be run by such a preposterous and laughable figure as Nina Jankowicz… has, in some sense, made this board seem more benign and harmless. After all, how nefarious and dangerous can a board be when it is governed by a person as frivolous and banal as this, calling herself ‘the Mary Poppins of disinformation’? But just as banality can be a vehicle for evil, it can also be a vehicle for repression and tyrannical control…

“… this new Disinformation Czar has herself ratified and helped spread virtually every disinformation campaign concocted by the union of the Democratic Party and corporate media over the last five years… An agency with a long history of lying, run by life-long disinformation agents, has just created a board to issue… official decrees, all overseen by a person who is so partisan and ideologically motivated that it is hard to take her seriously. Whether or not you take her seriously, the power that Homeland Security has just secured for itself is anything but a joke.”

In fact, it is frightening and extremely dangerous.

Ill-Defined, Biased and Dangerous

Politico wrote on May 5:

“In an almost offhand fashion last week, Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told several congressional committees that his Department of Homeland Security had created a new body, the Disinformation Governance Board (DGB). He offered few specifics as to how it was combating disinformation, and few have come since, apart from his meaningless comment that the DGB would have no ‘operational authority or capacity.’ In short, the message amounted to ‘There’s nothing to see here or worry about.’ We disagree, and we have seen this saga before. An episode from over a hundred years ago tells us a great deal about how such a venture can go wrong, and to some extent already has.

“We refer here to the Committee on Public Information, created by President Woodrow Wilson on April 14, 1917, one week after the United States entered World War I. This was done through a three-sentence executive order that offered no meaningful specifics other than that the CPI would be headed by the pyrotechnic, muckraking journalist George Creel.

“Wilson seems to have had in mind that the CPI would be responsible for censoring information that compromised military operations. This, of course, was a matter of legitimate concern. But in the next 18 months that the war lasted, the CPI grew willy-nilly into a ministry of propaganda… The CPI soon began declaring ‘the facts,’ calling out Americans who dared to dissent, and even chastising small town editors who took minor exception to administration policy…

“The appointment of Creel was another major misstep… From his early days in Kansas City and later Denver, his crusading journalism was overwrought and his political alliances never far from the surface…

“The appointment of Nina Jankowicz as executive director of the DGB is similarly ill-advised… Jankowicz has drawn criticism for comments that smack of political bias, among other things appearing to wholly dismiss the Hunter Biden laptop controversy as Russian disinformation…

“The biggest problem, however, was with the very idea of a government agency monitoring truth… Despite its claims to provide only facts, however, [the CPI] could not resist playing on emotions and providing tendentious information that fed on unfounded fears of German spies lurking everywhere. Those ‘spies,’ in effect, were people who challenged Wilson’s administration policies…  if America learned anything from its experience with the CPI, it is this: An organization that is ill-defined can be anything it wants to be… And that is particularly perilous when that organization is a governmental entity that has the power to speak directly to 330 million Americans….”

Warnings from the past are usually ignored.

Unconstitutional Assault on Freedom of Speech

The Week wrote on May 4:

“The Biden administration’s plan to create a Disinformation Governance Board is a ‘shockingly unconstitutional assault on freedom of speech,’ says Mike Huckabee…

“‘The concern [is] that the board will spy on Americans,’ says the Wall Street Journal in an editorial… and tells ‘the masses what is true and what is false’…

“These are worthy goals. But that doesn’t mean we should give the job to a federal government that has lied to the American people about everything… The horrible name alone is reason enough to ‘pull the plug’ on the Disinformation Governance Board ‘and never speak of it again,’ says… the Washington Post. Calling it ‘Orwellian is an insult to George Orwell,’ who understood the importance and power of language…”

Another Step Toward US Dictatorship

Fox News wrote on May 5:

“Rand Paul challenged Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his department’s newly-announced Disinformation Governance Board, asserting that the American people do not need the federal government to tell them what the truth is. Paul specifically pointed to claims that he has made about the COVID-19 pandemic that have not been in line with administration policies. ‘I’ve said a million times that cloth masks don’t work. YouTube takes me down. They’re a private company I can have that beef with him. What about you? You’re going to look at that? I often say that natural immunity from having had the infection is equal to the vaccine or better. You’re going to take that down?… Are you going to put information out there saying that I’m spreading disinformation?’ Paul asked. ‘Mayorkas stated that his agency’s staff ‘are not the public’s health experts to make those determinations.’ ‘So public health won’t be part of the Disinformation Governance Board? No COVID disinformation? Yes or no?’ Paul pressed.

“Mayorkas would not answer, claiming that Paul was giving him ‘vague’ hypothetical situations. Paul claimed that his examples were ‘very specific.’ [Paul said:] ‘… you don’t have the perspective of history knowing that disinformation, the largest progenitor of disinformation in our history, has probably been the U.S. government.’ That last comment was in line with what Paul said earlier, about the U.S. government having a history of spreading disinformation. ‘Do you know who the greatest propagator of disinformation in the history of the world is? The U.S. government,’ Paul said. ‘Are you familiar with McNamara? The Pentagon Papers? Are you familiar with George W. Bush and the weapons of mass destruction? Are you familiar with Iran-contra?… I want you to have nothing to do with speech… Do you think the American people are so stupid they need you to tell them what the truth is? You can’t even admit what the truth is with the Steele dossier. I don’t trust government to figure out what the truth is. Government is largely disseminating disinformation.’”

Paul has a valid point. When governments try to suppress opinion and “define” the truth as they want to propagate it, then they have become dictatorships.

Companies “Look After” Their Employees to Guarantee Their “Right” to Kill

Breitbart wrote on May 4:

“Since conservative-leaning states began flexing their legislative muscles to outlaw abortion within their borders or severely limit its practice, companies from the likes of Amazon to Yelp have been drafting policies that will pay for employees’ abortions should they live in a state that outlaws the practice…

“Amazon became the latest corporation to cover employees’ travel costs to seek abortion care. The company told staff it would pay up to $4,000 in travel expenses annually for medical treatments including abortions…

“Amazon joined Citigroup, Yelp, Uber, Lyft, Bumble, Match Group, and Salesforce to draft such a policy. On Tuesday, Levi Strauss & Co. reminded its employees that its current benefits program will grant reimbursements ‘for healthcare-related travel expenses for services not available in their home state, including those related to reproductive health care and abortion.’…”

And so, the murder of innocent unborn children continues…

Come to Canada to Murder Innocent Lives!

Huffington Post wrote on May 5:

“A Canadian official said Wednesday that Americans will be able to obtain abortions in Canada should the Supreme Court overturn the landmark abortion rights decision, Roe v. Wade… Abortion is legal in Canada at any point in pregnancy. …

“Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the ‘right to choose is a woman’s right and a woman’s right alone.’ ‘Every woman in Canada has a right to a safe and legal abortion. We’ll never back down from protecting and promoting women’s rights in Canada and around the world,’ he said.”

Nothing else could be expected from left-wing radical autocrat Trudeau. To him, the right of an unborn child to LIVE does not seem to matter.

Some Tough Questions for Joe Biden

The American Thinker wrote on May 6:

“Why are you leaving the southern border wide open with no troops, no army, and no border security?… Why are you intentionally enacting policies that hike up the price of gasoline?  Why do you pursue policies that drive up the price of food?  Why do you push an agenda that drives up the inflation rate to a 40-year high?… Why promote policies that have made the price of homes unaffordable for many families, and made it so that rental properties are out of reach for many couples?  Why have you brought us to a place where there is a shortage of fertilizer for farmers, and thus the yield on crops will be smaller, and there will be even less food for American families?

“Why are citizens who acted within their legal rights during the J6 rally imprisoned in Washington, D.C.?  Why do they remain in American Gulags without being officially charged and without the provision of bail?  Why did you say it is illegal and an insurrection to question the outcome of the stolen 2020 election?  Why are you against voter identification to vote lawfully, but are insistent on a vaccination passport to enter a store or fly on a plane?  Why do you call your enemies white supremacists?  Why did seven states all stop the counting of votes, all at the same time, on election night?…

“Why would your government lie about where the COVID-19 virus actually originated?  Why did you shut down schools, make the wearing of masks mandatory, require citizens to keep six feet apart, and impose an experimental vaccine upon the nation — when it was clear these ‘solutions’ did not work?… Why, during COVID, did you lock down schools and churches — but keep open liquor stores, hemp centers, and needle exchanges?  Why are you against allowing individual states, within our federal system, to decide on their own laws with respect to the pro-life issue?  Why are you in favor of more federal legislative protection for snakes, alligators, and turtles more than you are for protecting living babies inside the womb?

“Why would your Deep State create a Ministry of Truth?…

“Why did your Department of Defense leave behind $83 billion’s worth of military equipment for the terrorists in Afghanistan to keep?… Why do you think it is acceptable for public schools to groom young children?… Why did you tolerate mobs of BLM and Antifa pulling down statues of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt?…”

Of course, many more tough questions could be asked of Mr. Biden and his administration… It appears that he and his administration are being used by spiritual forces to destroy America from the inside. Note the next article.

The Mystery of Biden’s Presidency

The New York Post wrote on May 8:

“… a cottage industry of so-called journalists is… twisting truth to make the failing president [Biden] a victim, if not a hero…

“… his administration has effectively defined ‘extremist’ as anybody who disagrees with its far-left dogma, including parents objecting to school racial and sexual indoctrination… the left-wing media doesn’t have a single unkind word to say about the unprecedented leak itself… neither the White House nor congressional leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer condemned the radical leftists who published the home addresses of six conservative justices and promised to protest outside their houses. Schumer instead gave a speech [insisting] that the justices ‘have lied to the US Senate, ripped up the Constitution, and defiled both precedent and the Supreme Court’s reputation.’

“This is civil war level fiery and drew the ire of GOP colleagues, who accused him of slandering the justices and of trying to intimidate the court…

“And that remains the central mystery of the Biden presidency – how and why did that happen? How did a career moderate create perhaps the most radical administration in history? Here was an unlikely president, old and in obvious decline, who had the narrowest possible majorities in Congress at a time of intense polarization….

“Biden… started going far left, kept going and has never stopped… Each blunder underscores the mystery that hangs over this White House: Why, Joe Biden, did you sacrifice your presidency and American progress on the altar of the far left?”

Here is the mystery which most people don’t understand: Satan is the god of this world, and he influences the leaders of this world. And the Bible has prophesied thousands of years ago that in our time, due to America’s horrible sins, it will go down. Its fall is undeniable and inevitable, and it will end soon in defeat in a nuclear war.

The Terrible Curse of Inflation in the USA

cnbc wrote on May 11:

“Inflation is showing no signs of slowing down, making it harder for workers to make ends meet… Food prices are up at the fastest pace in more than 41 years… As of March, close to two-thirds, or 64%, of the U.S. population was living paycheck to paycheck…

“Consumers who are struggling to afford their day-to-day lifestyle tend to rely more on credit cards and carry higher monthly balances making them financially vulnerable… Overall, credit card balances rose year over year, reaching $841 billion in the first three months of 2022… At this rate, balances could soon reach record levels amid higher prices for gas, groceries and housing…”

The New York Post added on May 10:

“Biden isn’t fooling anyone ⁠— inflation is his fault and he has no solution to fix it.”

Biden vs. Trump and America’s Hopeless Division

Fox News reported on May 5:

“Trump on Thursday told Fox News Digital that ‘MAGA [“Make America Great Again”] is saving America,’ and slammed President Biden for being ‘divisive’… Trump’s comments are in response to Biden, who, reacting Wednesday to the leaked draft opinion signaling the Supreme Court’s intent to overturn Roe v. Wade, slammed Republicans, saying the controversy is ‘about a lot more than abortion.’

“Biden said the ‘MAGA crowd’ is ‘the most extreme political organization that’s existed in recent American history.’ Biden declared in April that the GOP [“Grand Old Party”; that is, the Republican Party] ‘ain’t your father’s Republican Party,’ saying it has shifted to a ‘MAGA party’ and warning that right-leaning politicians ‘who know better’ are ‘afraid to act correctly’ out of fear of losing a primary election.”

The Democratic Party is surely not anymore what it used to be in the not-too-distant past. This country is hopelessly divided and given to hatred, with no change in sight.  And a house divided CANNOT stand! And it won’t.

Conflict of Interest of Biden’s New Press Secretary

The New York Post wrote on May 6:

“President Biden’s trailblazing pick of his new press secretary is already being accused of creating troubling conflicts of interest because of her long-term relationship with star CNN reporter Suzanne Malveaux. Karine Jean-Pierre — who next Friday will be both the first black and first openly gay person to hold the key White House post — lives with the network’s national correspondent in Washington, DC, with their 7-year-old daughter…

“While the groundbreaking pick was widely celebrated, it also left some questioning the pair’s impartiality, especially given CNN’s recent scandals, including now-axed host Chris Cuomo’s behind-the-scenes meddling in brother New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s sex scandals. ‘This is one of many examples of the corporate media LITERALLY in bed with the government it covers,’ tweeted Alex Marlow, editor-in-chief of right-wing news outlet Breitbart.”

Current White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is no stranger to controversy herself when it was revealed that, while still acting as Press Secretary, plans had been finalized for Psaki to join left-wing MSNBC. The conflict of interest is obvious, but does not seem to bother the White House.

Politics and More Politics… Developments in Germany and Russia Regarding Ukraine

Deutsche Welle reported on May 5:

“German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is due to travel to Kyiv.  The announcement came after weeks of friction after German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said his visit was not welcome by Kyiv.  Earlier on Thursday, the president’s office said he spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone adding that both Steinmeier and Scholz have both been invited to Kyiv….‘The German president expressed his solidarity, respect, and support for the Ukrainian people’s courageous fight against the Russian aggressors,’ the spokesperson said. ‘Both presidents described the discussion as very important and very good… Irritations of the past were cleared up…’

“[Israel’s] prime minister [Bennett] accepted President Putin’s apology for Lavrov’s remarks and thanked him for clarifying his attitude toward the Jewish people and the memory of the Holocaust,” a statement from the Israeli prime minister’s office said. The Kremlin made no direct reference to the row…”

How past irritations between Germany and Ukraine were “cleared up,” and what Putin allegedly “apologized” for, if anything, remains clouded in mystery. As true politicians, all parties are trying to show a good face to a bad game. But this “friendly” relationship of propaganda will not last…

Europe Needs an Army

The American Conservative wrote on May 9:

“There is [a] solution which has until now been met with derision from all sides of the American political spectrum: American support for the creation of a European Union army… President Donald Trump reacted angrily to French President Emmanuel Macron’s mention of the idea in 2018. Conservatives and anyone who wishes for the U.S. to successfully pivot to Asia should reconsider this position.

“… The E.U. is not entitled to the lives of America’s soldiers… The E.U. has a thriving arms industry, massive population, nuclear weapons… They can take care of themselves…

“Americans died in the Second World War for two reasons: to extinguish a 20th-century Nazi threat and extinguish a 20th-century Japanese threat. They did not die to occupy Europe forever… some might claim that the E.U. is simply not ready for an army, or that leaders in the E.U. will not want to take on such a burden. But not being ready or willing is no reason for America to stay in Europe forever. Since 1945 we have defended Europe, and in return we have received mockery and scorn… it is time for Europe to learn to fend for itself. The next presidential administration should make the formation of a European Union army a top foreign-policy priority.”

And so, Europe will have a unified army soon… much sooner than many may think.

Sinn Fein’s Historic Win in Northern Ireland

 The Associated Press wrote on May 8:

“The Irish nationalist party Sinn Fein, which seeks unification with Ireland, hailed a ‘new era’ Saturday for Northern Ireland as it captured the largest number of seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly for the first time in a historic win… Sinn Fein secured 27 of the Assembly’s 90 seats. The Democratic Unionist Party, which has dominated Northern Ireland’s legislature for two decades, captured 24 seats. The victory means Sinn Fein is entitled to the post of first minister in Belfast for the first time since Northern Ireland was founded as a Protestant-majority state in 1921….

“The victory is a milestone for Sinn Fein, which has long been linked to the Irish Republican Army, a paramilitary group that used bombs and bullets to try to take Northern Ireland out of U.K. rule during decades of violence involving Irish republican militants, Protestant Loyalist paramilitaries and the U.K. army and police.

“Sinn Fein vice-president Michelle O’Neil… stressed that it was imperative for Northern Ireland’s politicians to come together next week to form an Executive — the devolved government of Northern Ireland. If none can be formed within six months, the administration will collapse, triggering a new election and more uncertainty.

“O’Neill has said, on Irish unification, there would be no constitutional change until voters decide on it. Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald indicated Friday that planning for any unity referendum could come within the next five years.”

Russian Dress Rehearsal for Victory Day on May 9:

The Associated Press wrote on May 7:

“Russia held a dress rehearsal on Saturday for the military parade to commemorate Victory Day on [Monday,] May 9, when the country marks the defeat of Nazi Germany during World War II.

“This year’s Victory Day… won’t just honor a conflict that ended 77 years ago. Many Russians will be thinking about the thousands of troops in neighboring Ukraine. Signs of support for the military have grown across the country since Feb. 24, with the letter ‘Z’ appearing on billboards and signs in the streets and subways, and on television and social media.”

“On Saturday, an RS-24 Yars intercontinental ballistic missile rolled through Red Square as part of the rehearsal in Moscow, with warplanes and helicopters flying overhead, troops marching in formation and self-propelled artillery vehicles rumbling past.”

On Instagram, the Russian Ministry of Defense (MoD) posted on March 3 that the “Z” symbol is an abbreviation of the phrase “for victory,” while the “V” symbol stands for “strength is in truth” and “The task will be completed.”

Putin Defends Invasion of Ukraine

The Los Angeles Times wrote on May 9:

“Putin delivered a strident speech Monday at an annual military parade in Moscow, accusing the U.S. and the West of provoking the conflict and comparing it to the Soviet Union’s fight against Nazi Germany in World War II.

“But the Russian leader stopped short of using the occasion — known as Victory Day to mark the defeat of Hitler’s forces 77 years ago — to declare an all-out war with Ukraine… Russia still refers to the invasion as a ‘special military operation,’ which does not require a full national mobilization of resources for war.”

For now?

Does America Run Short of Weapons because of the Ukraine War?

Bloomberg wrote on April 14:

“Western allies face a choice: Send more weapons to Kyiv or save their stockpiles for their own defense. America is following an ‘arsenal of democracy’ strategy in Ukraine: It has avoided direct intervention against the Russian invaders, while working with allies and partners to provide the Kyiv government with money and guns.

“…Yet as the war reaches a critical stage with… the arsenal of democracy is being depleted… it is revealing American weaknesses that could be laid bare in the next great-power fight. American stockpiles of key weapons are smaller than one might imagine, partly because of production constraints and partly because most of the Pentagon’s roughly $750 billion budget goes to manpower, health care and things other than bullets and bombs…”

The Heritage Foundation wrote on May 5:

“Supplying Ukraine with weapons… will almost certainly exacerbate the issue of an already depleted American arsenal. Due to the complexity and time required to manufacture today’s precision weapons, we must start thinking now, before a war breaks out, about whether America has enough weaponry to sustain a conflict….

“Last month President Biden released a defense budget request that does not even keep up with the rate of inflation, much less provide for any growth to meet our own needs. It’s a recipe for weakness at a time when the free world desperately needs strength.”

On May 10, Popular Mechanics published an article with the following headline:

“…the U.S. Sent So Many Missiles to Ukraine That It Depleted Its Own Stockpiles.”

Possibility of Defeat Becomes Real

The Washington Times wrote on May 3:

“New reports have now been disseminated to an increasingly concerned public that the West’s major defense contractors are unable to replenish the drained stocks of Javelin anti-tank missiles and stingers… For the West, specifically the Americans, we should be asking our leaders how we got to this place where weapons that are both essential and basic for modern warfare… are suddenly unavailable in the numbers needed to fight a modern war?…  If, as the Russians insist, we are already in another world war and the West has already almost depleted its supply of essential weapons, one must wonder how the future of America’s fighting capabilities will be negatively impacted. It doesn’t look good, that’s for sure…

“American leaders have so badly ignored industrial policy that we may yet lose a world war because we’ve gutted our manufacturing capabilities for so long that we can’t recover… and once America’s enemies realize that we can no longer threaten them because of severe limits on the availability of our arms, then the real challenge to America’s military begins … and the possibility of defeat becomes painfully real.”

Hunger Crisis Because of Ukraine War

npr wrote on April 20:

“The pains of every war ripple out beyond the borders of the conflict zone. And as the war between Russia and Ukraine drags on, the disruptions in the global food supply chain are beginning to deepen the already dire hunger crisis around the world.

“Ukraine and Russia combined export 30% of the world’s wheat, in addition to other food supplies. Now, because of the ongoing war, the price of food worldwide is skyrocketing and 38 countries are facing acute food insecurity, meaning they are just one step from famine.”

WFP wrote on May 6:

“The World Food Programme (WFP) is calling for the immediate reopening of Black Sea ports – including Odesa – so that critical food from Ukraine can reach people facing food insecurity… Today, as record numbers of people wonder what they will eat tomorrow, harvests from Ukrainian farms are failing to be shipped to the destinations where they are needed most… 44 million people around the world are marching towards starvation…

“Before the war, most of the food produced by Ukraine – enough to feed 400 million people – was exported through the country’s seven Black Sea ports. In the eight months before the conflict began, close to 51 million metric tons of grain passed through them… Global food prices have risen sharply since the onset of the crisis. This will affect local food prices and people in the most vulnerable locations, on extremely tight budgets, are particularly at risk…”

Pope Francis vs. Patriarch Kirill

Fox News wrote on May 5:

“The Russian Orthodox Church hit back at the Vatican this week after Pope Francis told an Italian newspaper that Patriarch Kirill should not ‘transform himself into Putin’s altar boy’ amid the invasion of Ukraine. ‘Pope Francis chose the wrong tone,’ the Russian Orthodox Church said in a statement on Wednesday. ‘Such statements are unlikely to contribute to the establishment of a constructive dialogue between the Roman Catholic and Russian Orthodox Churches, which is especially needed at the present time.’

“The Pope recalled during an interview with the Italian Corriere della Sera newspaper that half of a 40-minute conversation he had with Patriarch Kirill in March consisted of the Russian Orthodox Church leader reading off ‘all the justifications for the war.’ Kirill, a longtime supporter of Putin, has echoed the Russian president’s justifications for the war in sermons and placed the blame on NATO. ‘Patriarch Kirill recalled that at the end of the Soviet era, Russia received an assurance that NATO would not move an inch eastwards. However, this promise was broken, even the former Soviet Baltic republics joined NATO,’ the Russian Orthodox Church said Wednesday. ‘Russia could not and cannot allow this to happen.’

“Despite their disagreements, Pope Francis also partially blamed NATO, telling the Italian newspaper this week that the ‘barking of NATO at Russia’s door’ may have forced Putin to invade… Pope Francis met with Kirill in-person in Cuba six years ago, marking the first time that a pontiff has met with the leader of the Russian Orthodox Church since the Great Schism nearly a millennium ago.”

Is Francis playing politics again, as he is known to do? Bild Online commented, the pope should stay out of politics and devote himself to prayer instead. This is of course an illusionary and unrealistic proposal. Historically, the Catholic Church has never stayed out of politics. Indeed, it is the woman riding and to an extent directing and leading the coming European beast of 10 core nations, as described in Revelation 17.

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.

Leaked Draft—Roe v. Wade to be Overturned?

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 5:

“Protesters gathered outside the US Supreme Court late on Monday after news outlet Politico released what it said was a draft majority opinion from the court overturning the landmark abortion judgment known as Roe v. Wade. Written by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, the initial draft [which was drafted in February of 2022, without any information as to whether the initial draft was subsequently revised] is his opinion and what he believes reflects the opinion of at least four other conservative members of the top court. It does not reflect comments or reactions from other members of the nine-member court. It is also not the final decision, since the Supreme Court has not ruled on the case yet, and judges can also change their final vote.

“In the reported draft opinion, Alito said he believes that ‘Roe was egregiously wrong from the start… It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the people’s elected representatives,’ the opinion reportedly adds.

“Roe v. Wade is the landmark US Supreme Court judgment of 1973 that legalized the right to abortion across the country. It was once again upheld in a 1992 ruling, which said states could not place an ‘undue burden’ on women seeking abortions before a fetus could survive outside the womb, at around 24 week…

“It is typical court procedure for a member of the court to write a draft of the court’s opinion after holding a preliminary vote on a case privately, but it is exceptional for the draft opinion to be leaked to the public as a case remains pending before it…. The Supreme Court is expected to rule on the case in June…”

Fox News added on May 4:

“Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed that Alito’s draft opinion… was genuine – although the draft dates back to February, and it does not represent the current or final opinion of the court.”

If Roe v. Wade is overturned, then each state is allowed to decide whether to allow, restrict or ban abortions within its own borders. It is estimated that 26 states would be certain or likely to restrict abortion procedures. In some cases, prosecutions could be brought against anyone aiding in obtaining an abortion. Practicing Catholic politicians like Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi or Chuck Schumer strongly opposed the proposed decision, saying that the woman’s right to choose must be upheld and that the decision would be “one of the worst and most damaging decisions in modern history,” even though the Catholic Church prohibits most cases of abortion, focusing thereby on the killing of an innocent unborn child. Many conservatives surmise that the leak occurred to sway the court’s decision by a left-liberal outcry. The leak has been described as an “original sin for judicial ethics,” and “one of the greatest breaches of security in the history of the Court.”

Israel Upset Over Lavrov’s Comments About Hitler

Times of Israel wrote on May 2:

“Israeli leaders on Monday demanded an apology and denounced Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov for saying Nazi leader Adolf Hitler ‘had Jewish blood’ and that Jews are among the worst antisemites. Lavrov made the remarks during an interview with Italian television, in which he claimed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s Jewishness did not undercut Russia’s claims that its invasion of Ukraine was meant to ‘denazify’ the country.

“‘The aim of such lies is to blame the Jews themselves for the most terrible crimes in history that were committed against them, thus freeing from responsibility the oppressors of Israel,’ Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in a statement from his office.

“Bennett’s denunciation followed stronger condemnation from Foreign Minister Yair Lapid and other Israeli ministers. ‘This is an unforgivable and scandalous comment, a terrible historical error and we expect an apology,’ Lapid said. ‘Hitler was not of Jewish origin and the Jews did not murder themselves in the Holocaust. The lowest form of racism against Jews is blaming the Jews themselves for antisemitism.’ Added Lapid: ‘We are making every effort to maintain good relations with Russia, but there is a line, and this time the line has been crossed. The Russian government  must apologize to us and to the Jewish people.’”

Breitbart added on May 2:

“Despite Israel’s ambivalent stance regarding the Russia-Ukraine war – the result of being a rare ally of both countries — its language has taken a stronger tone in recent weeks…”

Axios wrote on May 2:

“It’s the first time Israel has publicly condemned the Russian claim that Zelensky is a ‘Nazi.’… The condemnation is the latest example of how Israeli policy toward the Russian invasion of Ukraine has slowly shifted, with the Israeli government voicing more criticism of Russian action and showing more willingness to give aid to Ukraine. While Israel condemned the Russian invasion and recently accused Russia of committing war crimes, it has for many weeks taken a careful approach to the Ukraine crisis to ensure military cooperation with Russia in Syria continues.”

The “good” relationship between Russia and Israel will end.

The Daily Mail wrote on May 3:

“Russia has doubled down and accused Israel of supporting neo-Nazis in Ukraine in a bitter row sparked by Sergei Lavrov’s comments that Adolf Hitler had ‘Jewish blood’….  in a statement today, the Russian foreign ministry said Lapid’s comments were ‘anti-historical’ and ‘explaining to a large extent why the current Israeli government supports the neo-Nazi regime in Kyiv’… Moscow reiterated Lavrov’s point that Zelensky’s Jewish origins did not preclude Ukraine from being run by neo-Nazis.”

Hamas Threatens Israel

Times of Israel wrote on May 2:

“In a speech Saturday night filled with murderous threats and denunciations of Israel, Hamas’s Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar said the terror group ‘will not hesitate to take any steps’ if Israel ‘violates’ the Al-Aqsa Mosque… ‘Violating Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem means a regional, religious war,’ he said…

“Sinwar praised the recent terror wave against Israelis that has left 15 dead; encouraged Palestinians in the West Bank and Arab Israelis to commit more attacks; hailed a ‘global shift’ in favor of the Palestinian cause; and urged the Islamist Ra’am party to withdraw from Israel’s governing coalition… Ra’am suspended its membership in the coalition after the recent clashes between Palestinians and police at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Although tensions have not escalated further, Ra’am has yet to officially rejoin the government…

“Sinwar further accused Israel of seeking to partition the Temple Mount as a ‘first step’ to ‘destroy the Al-Aqsa Mosque and build a temple’ in its place… ‘Al-Aqsa is indeed in danger,’ Sinwar said…

“As for Arabs living in Israel, he urged them, too, to kill Israelis: ‘Our people living inside the occupier state — in the Negev, in the [northern] Triangle, in Haifa, in Acre, in Jaffa and in Lod — everybody who has a gun should take it, and those who don’t have a gun should take a butcher’s knife or any knife he can get,’ he said…”

Iran’s International Terrorist Activities

The Jerusalem Post wrote on April 30:

“[Israel’s] Mossad – operating in Iran – apprehended and interrogated an Iranian national who was leading a plot to kill an Israeli diplomat and a US general, sources have confirmed. An audio recording released on Saturday showed a photo of Mansour Rasouli admitting he had been ordered to establish a cell to assassinate a worker at the Israeli Consulate in Istanbul, a US general stationed in Germany and a journalist in France…

“The Quds Force, the IRGC branch responsible for overseas operations, planned to carry out the assassinations via drug cartels, with the Islamic Republic reportedly willing to pay over $1 million for the targets. The planned hits were organized by a member of Quds Force’s Unit 840 stationed in Europe, who was paid $150,000 to ‘prepare for the assassinations’ by using his connections to various European drug lords.

“Unit 840 is a relatively secretive operational unit that organizes terrorist infrastructure outside Iran against Western targets and opposition groups… Defense officials said the failed assassinations join a long list of similar plots, including recent ones in Kenya and Colombia. Turkish, British and American reports over the last few years have accused Iran of using major international crime organizations to help advance its goals abroad, which include carrying out terrorist plots.”

Putin to Be Operated and His Powers Transferred?

The Sun wrote on April 30:

“[Putin] has been source of considerable speculation amid reports that he is battling both abdominal cancer and Parkinson’s Disease. But now it has been reported that 69-year-old Putin could soon vanish as he goes under the knife, with power transferred to Nikolai Patrushev.

“Shadowy Patrushev, 70, is seen as a key architect of the Ukraine war strategy and the man who convinced Putin that Kyiv was awash with neo-Nazis.  The claim was reported on Russian media outlet General SVR, which first raised issues of Putin’s health around 18-months ago…

“When exactly Putin will go into hospital is unclear but it is unlikely to [be] before May 9, when he presides over the grandiose Red Victory Day commemoration of the defeat of Hitler…

“An all-out war [against Ukraine] would allow Moscow to draft in more conscripts, impose martial law and also bid for support from its international allies – such as Belarus.”

Destroying Europe?

The Sun wrote on May 2:

“RUSSIAN state TV has threatened to drown the UK under a radioactive tsunami in a bizarre new propaganda video. In the chilling broadcast the presenter also showed how the Kremlin’s latest world-ending Satan 2 nuclear missile could also annihilate Britain. The warning comes as the Kremlin raised the prospect of devastating military strikes on Britain over its deal to supply weapons to Ukraine… host Dmitry Kiselyov heralded Russia’s second option to ‘plunge Britain into the depths of the sea’ with its ‘underwater robotic drone Poseidon.’ In a chilling graphic he warned the missile would raise a giant tsunami wave up to 1,640ft high…

“Putin himself last week darkly warned of using nuclear weapons against the UK and its European allies as devastating nuke maps were broadcast across Russian TV. It gleefully warned Berlin can be nuked in 106 seconds, Paris in 200 seconds and London in 202 seconds. The Sarmat hypersonic 208-ton ’Satan-2’ intercontinental ballistic missile has a speed of 15,880mph and is claimed by the Kremlin leader to be ‘unstoppable’…

“Sergei Lavrov said the risk of World War 3 is now ‘considerable’ – saying the West is essentially fighting a proxy war against Moscow via its support for Kyiv…

The Mirror added April 30:

“Russian state TV simulated a terrifying nuclear strike on Europe, declaring there would be ‘no survivors’… The terrifying claims… were made on the popular TV show which is one of the country’s most watched.”

This will not happen now, but nuclear war, involving Russia and Europe, WILL happen in the future.

Criticism Against Scholz

The Daily Mail wrote on April 29:

“After two months of prevarication and excuses, the German government at last agreed this week to send some heavy armour to Ukraine… Better late than never, you might think. Except that the 50 Gepard (German for cheetah) anti-aircraft vehicles it has approved first saw service in the 1960s and, despite several upgrades, haven’t been part of the German army’s arsenal for over a decade… Military experts say it’s a complicated weapon that requires months of training (five months, for example, when the Romanian army acquired it), a constant stream of spare parts — and ammunition from Switzerland, which the Swiss have not yet agreed to send.

“No wonder Ukrainians feel Germany’s heart is not quite in its efforts to arm them with the weapons it desperately and quickly needs.

“Yet it’s only just over two months since Scholz made an historic speech to the German parliament which was hailed at the time as a watershed. In an address which lasted just under an hour, as Russian armour and troops poured across the border in an unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, the recently elected chancellor laid waste to Germany’s long-standing policy of cosying up to the Kremlin. He promised billions more for defence to end the hollowing out of Germany’s military, support for sanctions against Moscow and even weapons for Ukraine. When he sat down, 16 years of Merkelism — the pro-Russian approach of his predecessor, Angela Merkel — lay in tatters.

“It was all the more remarkable coming from a chancellor whose Social Democrat party had always been in the vanguard of rapprochement with Russia — a policy known as Ostpolitik, which dates back to the early 1960s.Yet in the aftermath of this supposed watershed, Scholz was nowhere to be seen. It was almost as if he’d gone into hiding…

“Sympathetic commentators reminded us that Scholz was in coalition with the Greens, who dabbled in pacifism, and had to accommodate the Left of his own party, which still had a soft spot for Ostpolitik despite Russian barbarities in Ukraine. But the Greens let it be known they were in favour of sending heavy weapons and the Left kept their heads down. Another pathetic excuse bit the dust…

“Die Welt, one of Germany’s most respected newspapers, calls Scholz’s failure to follow through after his watershed speech as ‘the most dangerous miscalculation in the history of the Federal Republic’. It’s a crisis for the whole German political establishment, since all of it — Left, Right and centre plus big business and trade unions — has been implicated in the sorry mess that Germany’s long-standing complicity with the Kremlin has become.

“As perhaps Germany’s most egregious Putin puppet, former chancellor Gerhard Schroder, recently confessed: ‘We were all at it for 30 years.’ As chairman of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, and board director of oil giant Rosneft, he has been filling his boots with Russian energy company treasure for years — and still is.

“The German establishment has been more vociferously critical of Brexit Britain than of Putin’s Russia. Now it’s paying the price for its Kremlin complicity. Schroder’s great mate, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, is Germany’s head of state. His ties with Moscow are so extensive that Kyiv has declared him persona non grata. Ukraine’s ambassador to Berlin refuses to be in the same room as him.

“The contrast between Germany’s political leaders and the female leaders who have been dubbed the Five Warrior Women of the North could not be starker — or more refreshing. Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Lithuania are all led by smart, feisty women who’ve been fiercely critical of Putin from even before the invasion and robustly supportive of Ukraine since…

“The decision to become increasingly reliant on Russian hydrocarbons was entirely of Germany’s own making. It was not forced to go down this route. Important voices at home and abroad warned Germany not to do it. They were ignored. It was a terrible mistake with huge geopolitical consequences that are now tragically unfolding for all to see…”

Germany has messed it up big time for many years.

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 30:

“When it comes to the war in Ukraine, Chancellor Olaf Scholz has insisted that Germany is ‘doing everything’ possible. And yet the gap between his words and actions suggests otherwise… Earlier this week, I blinked, and something that Olaf Scholz had spent weeks insisting was impossible suddenly became possible. Germany will start delivering anti-aircraft tanks to Ukraine. Like so much of German policy on the war in Ukraine, including the initial decision back in late February to send any weapons at all, the announcement came out of the blue: Just hours before, leading members of Scholz’s Social Democratic Party had given interviews saying sending heavy weapons was out of the question. Apparently, they didn’t get the memo — or Scholz left them in the dark, as he reportedly did to some of his ministers when he proposed a major budget hike for the Bundeswehr (Germany’s armed forces) in the days following the Russian invasion.

“In the leadup to the war and ever since, Germany’s default position has been we can’t: We can’t send weapons to a conflict zone, we can’t block Russia from SWIFT, (international payment system), we can’t embargo Russian energy, we can’t send heavy weapons — the list goes on… the fact that so many ‘can’t do’s’ have turned into ‘can do’s’ reveals a discrepancy between the chancellor’s rhetoric and Germany’s feet-dragging actions… Scholz seems to be acting out of pressure rather than conviction… The spontaneous U-turns, where the impossible becomes possible overnight, suggests that ‘can’t’ may really be ‘don’t want to’ in disguise.

“… at the moment, Germans don’t seem keen on making sacrifices. A poll released Thursday showed that only every other German was willing to give things up in daily life to help Ukraine. But public support can shift… Germany has the tools to do much, much more. The question is does it have the leader.”

Of course, the answer is obvious. None right now. But it will change in due time.

The Guardian wrote on May 1:

 “The German chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has defended himself against accusations that his approach to Russian aggression has been hesitant and timid, insisting his decisions followed close consultation with Germany’s allies and sought to avoid any suspicion that the country was ‘going it alone’. Scholz has faced fierce criticism even from within his own government and last week came under particular fire from the opposition leader, Friedrich Merz, who accused him of weak leadership and of ‘procrastination, dithering and timidity’…

“Scholz appeared to bow to immense domestic and international pressure last week by announcing that Germany would deliver heavy weaponry to Ukraine, in the form of self-propelled anti-aircraft systems, in what was seen as a sharp policy U-turn. But while the outspoken Ukrainian ambassador to Berlin, Andriy Melnyk, said he welcomed the move, he piled further pressure on Scholz on Sunday by insisting it did not go nearly far enough, and demanding more ‘fantasy and courage’ from Germany… Melnyk… said that the Gepard anti-aircraft guns promised last week were insufficient and too old…

“As debate raged among policymakers in Germany as to when and whether Germany can become independent from Russian gas supplies, the news agency DPA reported that the government was planning to support EU plans for a Russian oil embargo, as part of a sixth round of sanctions about to be announced by the bloc, despite opposition from Hungary, Austria, Slovakia, Spain, Italy and Greece….”

Hungary Opposed to Ban of Russian Oil and Gas

Express wrote on May 2:

“Senior officials in Hungary have warned that Budapest is prepared to block any attempts in the European Union to impose sanctions on Russia’s oil industry… Hungary has warned that if these measures would hinder Budapest’s ability to import energy, the country would be ready to veto it… Hungarian Cabinet Minister Gergely Gulyas told HirTV on Sunday: ‘Since such decisions require unanimity, it makes no sense for the commission to propose sanctions affecting natural gas and crude oil that would restrict Hungarian procurements. ‘We’ve made it clear that we’ll never support.’…

“ An official told Reuters that in order to keep the 27-nation bloc united, the EU Commission might offer Slovakia and Hungary ‘an exemption or a long transition period’… German Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck warned that there was still no unity among the EU member states on whether to ban Russian oil and gas.”

Germany Suddenly for Oil Embargo?

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 2:

“German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has said Berlin was ready to support a gradual, EU-wide embargo on Russian oil imports… [Economy and Climate Minister Robert] Habeck admitted that higher prices in Germany were there for the long run, as the state could not cushion all energy price increases… But he said that for a number of firms, the consequences of higher energy costs would not kick in until 2023, as many companies had long-term contracts on fixed terms…

“Habeck said that most of the current energy supplies arriving from Russia go to the Schwedt refinery near Berlin… responding to Habeck’s comments, the city of Schwedt issued a statement calling into question his assurances that an embargo was ‘feasible,’ and accusing the government of ‘dictating terms from afar’ for the city’s main business.”

Breitbart added on May 2:

“Germany’s central bank has warned that should the country entirely cut off Russian energy it could severely increase inflation and damage economic growth, warning that the economic powerhouse of the European Union could experience a two per cent decline in GDP this year. However, despite the move to cut off Russian oil, the government has not made any commitments to cutting off liquid natural gas from Moscow…

“At present, the European Union pays Russia some €780 million ($850/£680 million) per day in exchange for oil and natural gas. Since the invasion of Ukraine began in February, the bloc has sent over €44 billion to Russia, accounting for 71 per cent of Russian energy exports. Germany, the largest single nation buyer [of] Russian gas and oil in the EU, has sent more than €9 billion since the start of the invasion.”

Pelosi in Ukraine

Axios wrote on May 1:

“House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on Sunday led a congressional delegation to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv…

“For the time being, the White House has ruled out sending President Biden, citing security concerns.”

The real reason might very well be that Democrats are concerned about what Biden might say or do during a visit to Ukraine. Note the next article.

Biden’s Embarrassing Blunders

The New York Post wrote on April 29:

“Gaffe-prone President Biden has raised concerns after his latest embarrassing blunder, which saw him repeatedly stumble over the word ‘kleptocracy’ during a Thursday speech asking the US Congress for an additional $33 billion Ukraine aid package… Biden, 79, was talking about his administration’s plans to seize Russian assets when he ran into some linguistic trouble. ‘We’re going to seize their yachts, their luxury homes, and other ill-begotten gains of Putin’s kleptoc- — yeah — kleptocracy and klep- — the guys who are the kleptocracies,’ Biden told reporters with a self-deprecating chuckle…

“Moments earlier, Biden also mistakenly said [twice] that the US will ‘accommodate’ the Russian oligarchs ‘and make sure we take their — take their ill-begotten gains.’”

Putin’s Allies

Express wrote on May 2:

“Putin and his regime is becoming increasingly desperate in Ukraine, where it has struggled to make gains beyond the country’s outskirts while facing international condemnation. Some world leaders have supported the invading regime, breaking from the global consensus… He isn’t without support, as he has scattered allegiances around the world. Most of them come from Eastern Europe, but some surprising officials have warmly welcomed members of the Russian regime in the last few months.

“Chief among them is Alexander Lukashenko, the controversial premier of Belarus, known as the ‘last dictator in Europe’… Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic has also supported the Russian regime… Vucic has boasted about his political ties with his Russian counterpart. He has refused to condemn Russia and participate in the EU’s sanctions regime, despite having applied for membership, undermining the bloc’s work to discourage attacks on Ukraine…

“Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban attained another term this year. Almost immediately after winning his election in April, Orban dropped his attempts to distance himself from his historical backing of Putin and criticised Volodymyr Zelensky. He called Ukraine’s leader an ‘opponent’ of Hungary, and the Kremlin said that Putin sent him a personal message of congratulations after his win…

“Further east, Putin’s regime has found support from the Indian government… India has continued to trade with Russia despite western sanctions and increased oil imports, undercutting efforts from other nations… Earlier this month, officials organised a vote to condemn Russia that 143 nations supported, including the US, UK, France and Germany. But India, Pakistan, Iran and China were among the abstainers, and the vote exposed four other supporters of Putin, whose administration voted against it… Syria, Belarus, North Korea and Eritrea all voted not to condemn the invasion. Belarus was already aiding Putin in Ukraine, while the remaining nations voiced their distaste for western interventionism.”

The Jerusalem Post wrote on April 30:

“Americans… responded negatively to the relationship between Russia and China, which has not denounced Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine… Some 62% saw the relationship as a very serious problem for the US and another 30% saw it as somewhat serious.”

It is interesting that some of the nations mentioned in the quoted articles will ultimately unite and become part of the Far Eastern military alliance, which is described in the Bible as the “kings of the East.”

Russia’s Robot Army

Express wrote on May 4:

“Russian military expert Viktor Murakhovsky warned… ‘there is a myth abroad that Russia lags behind in robotics.’ In reality, he claimed, no other army in the world possesses such a diverse range of unmanned vehicles and drones as the Russian Federation. Given recent investments by Putin’s forces in the arena of robotics, this is a situation that appears unlikely to change any time soon.

“Mr Murakhovsky said: ‘Today’s Russian army is the successor of the Red Army, which created remote-controlled tanks back in the 1930s.’ Mr Murakhovsky told Russia Beyond: ‘After the war, pilotless planes were developed in the USSR…  in terms of land and sea robots it has the most extensive program in the world.”

Collaboration Between Ukrainians and Russians

The Washington Post wrote on May 4:

“Rumors about traitors run rife as invading forces have seemed to know in advance which residents have guns and which are said to be wealthy…

“In small towns and villages across Ukraine that fell under Russian occupation in February and March and have since been liberated, the fog of war has been replaced by the fog of conspiracy and suspicion. Weeks later, citizens across the country speak in hushed tones about people who they believe sold out their neighbors and whether they might have done so willingly or under duress.”

Pope Francis Blames NATO for the War

The Daily Beast wrote on May 3:

“‘I feel that before going to Kyiv, I must go to Moscow,’ [Pope Francis] told Corriere Della Sera in an interview that ran Tuesday. But the meeting would not exactly be to condemn Putin, based on what he told the paper. He said that the real ‘scandal’ of Putin’s war is ‘NATO barking at Russia’s door,’ which he said caused the Kremlin to ‘react badly and unleash the conflict.’…

“Francis repeated comments he has made in general audiences and in other interviews that the war is nothing more than a giant opportunity for a ‘trade in arms’ and that it is still ongoing because of the constant shuttling of weapons to Ukraine…

“Francis veered toward conspiracy theory as he blamed the international community for instigating the war… ‘In Ukraine, it seems that it was others who created the conflict…’”

Ungodly Canada

The Spectator wrote on April 30:

“Since last year, Canadian law… has allowed both the rich as well as the poor to kill themselves if they are too poor to continue living with dignity… [Canada] will even pay for their deaths. What it will not do is spend money to allow them to live instead of killing themselves…

“In 2015, the Supreme Court of Canada reversed 22 years of its own jurisprudence by striking down the country’s ban on assisted suicide as unconstitutional… The next year, Parliament duly enacted legislation allowing euthanasia, but only for those who suffer from a terminal illness whose natural death was ‘reasonably foreseeable’…

“It only took five years for the proverbial slope to come into view, when the Canadian parliament enacted Bill C-7, a sweeping euthanasia law which repealed the ‘reasonably foreseeable’ requirement – and the requirement that the condition should be ‘terminal’… Even before Bill C-7 was enacted, reports of abuse were rife. A man with a neurodegenerative disease testified to Parliament that nurses and a medical ethicist at a hospital tried to coerce him into killing himself by threatening to bankrupt him with extra costs or by kicking him out of the hospital, and by withholding water from him for 20 days. Virtually every disability rights group in the country opposed the new law. To no effect…

“Since then, things have only gotten worse. A woman in Ontario was forced into euthanasia because her housing benefits did not allow her to get better housing which didn’t aggravate her crippling allergies. Another disabled woman applied to die because she ‘simply cannot afford to keep on living’. Another sought euthanasia because Covid-related debt left her unable to pay for the treatment which kept her chronic pain bearable…

“[The media] has expressed remarkably little curiosity about the open social murder of citizens in one of the world’s wealthiest countries. Perhaps, like many doctors, journalists are afraid of being accused of being ‘unprogressive’ for questioning the new culture of death…

“Next year, the floodgates will open even further when those suffering from mental illness … become eligible for assisted suicide, although enthusiastic doctors and nurses have already pre-emptied the law. There is already talk of allowing ‘mature minors’ access to euthanasia too…”

This is terrible. But those responsible will be held accountable by God.

Schools Must Stop Indoctrinating Our Children

Dr. Ron Paul of the Ron Paul Institute wrote on May 2:

“A Florida bill restricting classroom instruction regarding sexuality in kindergarten through third grade has become the latest culture war skirmish. Supporters of the bill say government schools have no business being involved in this type of instruction with young students. They make a good point. The use of government power to indoctrinate children in certain political and social beliefs — regardless of the wishes of parents — is a major problem.

“While the instruction at issue in Florida is associated with efforts of leftists, the temptation to seek to achieve ideological objectives through education policy can be strong among conservatives as well… [Some] conservatives are trying to force schools to adopt a ‘patriotic’ curriculum. This is just as pernicious as leftists’ efforts to force schools to teach critical race theory. Students indoctrinated in critical race theory will graduate believing that white male capitalists are the source of all evil. Students indoctrinated in ‘patriotism’ will graduate believing every bit of propaganda sponsored by the war party and will smear all dissenters from the ‘party line’ as unpatriotic…

“In a free society, parents — not politicians, bureaucrats, or teachers unions — would control education. Parents would decide whether and when their children’s education will include topics like sexuality, race theory, and the evidence for and against Darwinism.”

The school system in the USA is awful.

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.

Macron Remains President

The Sun wrote on April 24:

“[Macron] will become the first French President to be re-elected in 20 years, thumping his far-right rival by 16 percentage points in Sunday’s count… Le Pen quickly conceded defeat…

“Turnout was… the lowest… in more than 40 years, with voter abstention at its highest level since 1969 at 28 per cent…

“Brussels can breathe a sigh of relief after fears a shock victory for Le Pen in today’s presidential election failed to materialise. Experts claim the far-right Eurosceptic’s election win would cement ‘the end of the EU as we know it’. They said Le Pen’s win would have put France ‘on a direct collision course’ with EU rules and bring the whole institution crashing down.

“James Shields, Professor of French Politics at the University of Warwick, says a Le Pen victory would ‘herald drastic changes in terms of France’s place within the EU.’ He told The Sun Online: ‘… her programme, if implemented, would pose critical challenges to France’s continued membership of the EU.’”

The EU is delighted in Macron’s victory. Scholz was the first to congratulate him via phone. Bild Online wrote that Scholz’s joy might be short-lived, as Macron will demand from him to take a stronger position against Russia.   

Macron Europe’s De Facto Leader?

Express wrote on April 25:

“EMMANUEL MACRON’s election victory will see an escalation of his ambitions for the EU, beginning from the final formation of a united army for the bloc… France, a founding member of the EU, has been at the centre of efforts to integrate Europe since the end of World War Two… The French leader is now expected to push even further with his pro-EU agenda.”

The Irish Times wrote on April 15:

“With a renewed mandate, Macron now has the power to make his presidency truly transformational. But that will require him to change. His arrogance and impatience have alienated many voters… Now, with Angela Merkel off the stage and her successor Olaf Scholz still finding his feet [a polite way of saying, Scholz is weak and indecisive], Macron, his stature enhanced by re-election, has emerged as the EU’s de facto leader. That means the whole of Europe, not just France, has a stake in his success.”

The question is, how is “success” defined? It could very well end up in disaster.

Germany Is Beholden to Putin

The Los Angeles Times wrote on April 21, 2022

“As the savage war in Ukraine continues, the world expects Germany, Europe’s largest economy and a political heavyweight, to play a central role in the fight to isolate and stop Russia. But how serious is Germany about supporting Ukraine?

“On Feb. 27, in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced ‘a historic change.’… Yet almost two months after Scholz’s historic announcement, not much has happened on any of these fronts. Despite criticism from international observers and its own ministers, the German government has slow-walked its support for Ukraine.

“Military aid has yet to be delivered. Estonia and the Czech Republic, far smaller countries than Germany, have donated more weaponry and arms to Ukraine than Germany has since the war began. No heavy weapons such as tanks, artillery or advanced air defense systems have been delivered at all. Ukraine has offered to buy 100 German tanks, but Germany has balked, arguing that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has to reach a joint decision among its members on the deal first…

“Last week, Scholz announced Germany would provide $1 billion to Ukraine. That is likely to get parliamentary approval, but a decision has been delayed until June. Meanwhile, Russia receives $1 billion a day from Germany and other European countries from sales of its oil and gas. Germany is more dependent on Russian gas and oil than the rest of Europe, so cutting off its dependence would be a powerful signal of credible commitment to Ukraine…

“So what’s stopping Germany? The inertia on economic and military aid cannot be explained by lack of popular support, potential damage to the German economy or even government coalition politics. Nor is it a question of German guilt over its Nazi legacy. Instead, the failure to act exemplifies a persistent attitude among the German political establishment that there could be ‘no peace in Europe without Russia.’ In practice, this has meant prioritizing Russian interests. For decades, German elites dismissed the security interests of smaller countries around them, much as Russian President Vladimir Putin has…

“The ties between the German and Russian political elites reinforce this deference to Russia. Perhaps most notoriously, Gerhard Schröder, the former German chancellor, quickly gained a seat on the board of the Russian energy company Rosneft after leaving office and then energetically lobbied for Russian interests… Other politicians have defended what they see as joint German and Russian interests. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Germany’s president, defended Nord Stream 2 last year as ‘one of the last bridges between Russia and Europe’ and, despite Russian aggression, argued that ‘we must not lose sight of the bigger picture.’ Sigmar Gabriel, the former Social Democratic leader and energy minister, called for the ‘federalization of Ukraine’ after the 2014 Russian invasion of Crimea, widely understood to mean a permanent Russian role in Ukraine… Scholz, the current chancellor, previously sought friendly ties with Russia, while ignoring Putin’s invasion of Georgia in 2008 and the aggression against Ukraine in 2014. For many German elites, appeasing Russia neatly dovetails with what they see as Germany’s economic interests: not just energy, but the billions sunk by Russian oligarchs into German real estate and industries.

“In this mindset, addressing Ukraine’s survival without first considering Russian interests is nearly impossible. After all, Scholz’s predecessor, chancellor Angela Merkel, also ‘kept in mind what was tolerable for Russia,’ as one of her top foreign policy advisors put it. Germany is the political and economic leader of the European Union. Yet, time and again, it has deferred and submitted to Russia’s autocratic government. If the horrific invasion of a sovereign European country cannot change the minds of the politicians in Berlin, Germany is not only failing its moral obligations but also cementing its government’s reputation as being beholden to Putin.”

Things will change. Soon.

Germany and Russia… a Unique Relationship

The New York Times wrote on April 23:

“Gerhard Schröder, who is paid almost $1 million a year by Russian-controlled energy companies, has become a pariah. But he is also a symbol of Germany’s Russia policy…  ‘They all went along with it for the last 30 years,’ he said. ‘But suddenly everyone knows better..’ Mr. Schröder scoffed at the notion of now distancing himself personally from Mr. Putin, 69, whom he considers a friend and sees regularly…

“Mr. Schröder refuses to resign from his board seats on Russian energy companies, despite calls to do so from across the political spectrum… Distancing himself now, Mr. Schröder said, would lose him the trust of the one man who can end the war: Mr. Putin. Even so, after all of his years of close relations with Mr. Putin, he walked away with nothing during his one brief interlude trying to mediate in the Ukraine conflict…

“Mr. Schröder distanced himself from the war, though not from Mr. Putin. I asked about the by-now notorious atrocities in Bucha, a Kyiv suburb. ‘That has to be investigated,’ Mr. Schröder said, but added that he did not think those orders would have come from Mr. Putin, but from a lower authority…

“Mr. Schröder’s entanglement with the Russian president and Kremlin-controlled energy companies overshadows all he achieved in seven years as chancellor, from 1998 to 2005, a pivotal period of leadership when he was lauded for refusing to join the United States in the Iraq war; giving immigrants a regular path to citizenship; and putting in place far-reaching labor market overhauls that would pave the way for a decade of growth under his successor, Angela Merkel….

“But even his fiercest critics acknowledge that Mr. Schröder’s close and lucrative dealings with Russia are also emblematic of his country’s decades-old approach of engagement with Russia. Lobbied aggressively by Germany’s export industry and cheered on by labor unions, successive chancellors, including Ms. Merkel, collectively engineered Germany’s dependency on Russian energy. ‘Schröder is the tip of the iceberg,’ said Wolfgang Ischinger, a former ambassador to the United States and veteran diplomat. ‘But there is a whole iceberg below him.’…

“When it came to pipelines, Mr. Schröder was not the first. They were being built between Germany and Russia even during the Cold War. Under Brandt, Germany signed a major pipeline project with Moscow, in 1970. His successor Helmut Schmidt … oversaw an expansion of the pipelines, including another big project known as the West Siberia Pipeline… During his own time in office, from 1998 to 2005, Mr. Schröder shepherded through Germany’s next pipeline project, Nord Stream 1. ‘You can’t blame Schröder for Nord Stream 1,’ Mr. Ischinger said. ‘Most German politicians, whether in government or in opposition, did not critically question this. No one asked whether we were laying the foundation for getting ourselves into an unhealthy dependence.’…

“Once Nord Stream 1 was operational, Mr. Schröder set about lobbying for a second pipeline: Nord Stream 2… was approved in June 2015, the same year that Gazprom was also allowed under the Merkel government to buy Germany’s biggest strategic gas-storage facility, where it has kept levels of gas conspicuously low for the past year in what may have been preparation for providing leverage for Mr. Putin in his war…

“What if Russia turns off the tap? ‘It won’t happen,’ Mr. Schröder said. But if it did, ‘then I would resign.’… Mr. Schröder holds to his unwavering belief that peace and prosperity in Germany and Europe will always depend on dialogue with Russia… ‘You can’t isolate a country like Russia in the long run, neither politically nor economically,’ he said. ‘German industry needs the raw materials that Russia has. It’s not just oil and gas, it’s also rare earths. And these are raw materials that cannot simply be substituted… When this war is over… we will have to go back to dealing with Russia. We always do.’”

Maybe so. For a while… But notice the next article.

Moscow Expels German Diplomats

Insider wrote on April 25:

“Moscow said Monday it was expelling 40 German diplomats in response to the ‘unfriendly decision’ by Berlin to kick out Russian diplomats over the conflict in Ukraine…

“‘The 40 Russian diplomats in Germany whom we expelled three weeks ago did not serve diplomacy for a single day during their stay in Germany,’ Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in a statement. ‘Rather, these people worked systematically for years against our freedom and against cohesion in our society,’ she said… The German diplomats in Russia, meanwhile, ‘have not done anything wrong’, Baerbock said… ‘They went to Russia with openness, curiosity and great commitment to serve our bilateral relations there.’

“Baerbock had said earlier that Germany was expelling the Russians in response to the ‘unbelievable brutality’ of Russian forces in its pro-Western neighbour Ukraine. The Russian foreign ministry on Monday called Baerbock’s words ‘unacceptable’…”

Baerbock’s words are quite contradictory. In spite of Germany’s soft approach towards Russia, it does not help the German-Russian relationship.

Russia Cuts Natural Gas to Poland and Bulgaria

The Associated Press wrote on April 27:

“Russia cut off natural gas to NATO members Poland and Bulgaria on Wednesday and threatened to do the same to other countries, dramatically escalating its standoff with the West…  A day after the U.S. and other Western allies vowed to speed more and heavier weapons to Ukraine, the Kremlin used its most essential export as leverage against two of Kyiv’s staunch backers. Gas prices in Europe shot up on the news…

“The gas cuts do not immediately put the two countries in dire trouble. Poland has been working for several years to line up other sources of energy, and the continent is heading into summer, making gas less essential for households. Yet the cutoff and the Kremlin warning that other countries could be next sent shivers of worry through the 27-nation European Union…”

Gazprom stated it was shutting off the two countries as they refused to pay in Russian rubles.

Biden Pushed Germany to Delay Russian Oil Ban?

Newsmax reported on April 25:

“Germany’s decision to not immediately end Russian oil imports… came at the urgent request of the Biden administration, a senior European official involved in Russian sanctions tells Newsmax… ‘until later this year and after the U.S. midterm elections.’

“The White House appears to believe it has a chance to keep the Senate in Democrat hands – but that opportunity could be endangered from a serious spike in oil prices if Germany had to start buying oil from global markets. Earlier this month, President Biden signed a law that bans all Russian imports of oil, gas, and coal to the U.S. But Biden had been reluctant to approve such a ban fearing the already high cost of gasoline would grow, even though the U.S. only imports 3% of crude oil from Russia.

“House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and other Congressional Democrats, led the charge on banning Russian oil imports.

“German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock announced last Wednesday that Germany will stop importing half of its oil from Russia by summer with the remainder closed down at year’s end. But those comments were quickly qualified by Germany’s Finance Minister Christian Lindner, who suggested that a quick cut-off of Russian oil won’t happen anytime soon.”

Germany Bending to International Pressure

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 26:

“After weeks of mounting pressure, the German government will now supply heavy military equipment to Ukraine… The German government on Tuesday confirmed reports that it will approve a delivery of ‘Gepard’ anti-aircraft tanks…  German Defense Minister Christina Lambrecht… also said that Berlin was working to train Ukrainian soldiers on German soil. ‘We are working together with our American friends in training Ukrainian troops on artillery systems on German soil,’ the minister said….”

But as we point out in our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Weak German Government under Attack” , huge problems are associated with the delivery of those tanks.

German Lawmakers Approve Heavy Weapons for Ukraine

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 28:

 “In a historic move, lawmakers in Germany have given the official green light to send ‘heavy weapons and complex systems’ to Ukraine…  with 586 votes in favor, 100 against, and seven abstentions… after the government held off for weeks on sending heavy equipment…

 “The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) opposed the initiative, saying that it felt close to a declaration of war… and ‘could make us party to a nuclear war…’  The socialist Left Party was also against the move… [and] said that delivering more weapons would simply make the war last longer. In response, Nils Schmid, from the ruling SPD party, said weapons’ deliveries would help end the war faster by putting Ukraine in a position of strength…

“But the move is not likely to help Scholz shake the accusations of being indecisive on Ukraine. A new dpa/YouGov poll suggests some 45% of Germans are unhappy with his course in the crisis, compared to 37% who approve of his response to the war.”

Germany’s Duplicity

The Daily Mail wrote on April 23:

“France and Germany sold £230million worth of military hardware to Moscow which was likely used in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to an EU analysis. It should have been impossible to do so owing to an EU embargo that banned selling arms to Russia following the 2014 annexation of Crimea.  Last month, it was discovered that France, Germany and Italy used a loophole in the ban. They were just three of at least 10 EU member states to export almost €350million (£293million) in equipment that included missiles, rockets, guns and bombs… 78 per cent of this total was supplied by French and German firms.

“The EU banned ‘the direct or indirect sale, supply, transfer or export of arms and related material of all types, including weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, paramilitary equipment, and spare parts therefore, to Russia’ eight years ago.

However, countries were able to sell hundreds of millions of pounds worth of kit to Russia despite the ban using a backdoor technicality that permitted contracts signed before August 1, 2014, or additional contracts that would help conclude those deals… Earlier this month, it was revealed that the European Union had sent almost €1billion to Russia each day for energy since the war in Ukraine began.

“German Chancelor Olaf Scholz has faced sharp criticism for failing to deliver heavy weapons to the besieged country, such as tanks and howitzers, to fend off savage Russian attacks. The leader said he feared that providing Ukraine with tanks could spark a nuclear war. Other Western allies have stepped up their military shipments to Volodymyr Zelensky’s forces but Scholz has held firm in his bid not to upset Vladimir Putin. Instead, on Tuesday, he said Germany would provide Ukraine with £830million to buy their own weapons.

“Asked in an extensive interview published on Friday why he thought delivering tanks could lead to nuclear war, he said there was no rule book that stated when Germany could be considered a party to the war in Ukraine.”

The Downfall of Olaf Scholz

The Local wrote on April 22:

“Contrary to what many commentators are saying, what’s most surprising about Olaf Scholz’ precipitous fall in popularity is not how quickly it has happened – but rather how slowly…

“In what seems like an eternity ago, back in early February when the Ukraine war was still a ‘Ukraine crisis’, Joe Biden welcomed Olaf Scholz on his first official visit to the White House and, despite the fact our Chancellor refused to make clear that Nord Stream 2 would be cancelled if Russia invaded Ukraine, called Germany a ‘reliable partner’ and did his best to keep his frustration in check…

“Yet it’s been downhill from there on in…  he shrank back from any immediate measures which might prove too radical: no heavy weapons for the Ukraine; no embargo on Russian gas…  The result is widespread dissatisfaction with Scholz’ government and, naturally, with Scholz himself.

“… Scholz is still applying the methods of the Merkel years – delaying, delegating down to committees, and hoping problems solve themselves – in circumstances which he himself has publicly identified as radically different… No one is expecting miracles, but having come to power implicitly promising to explain and justify his policies more than his predecessor Angela Merkel… Scholz has now… retreated back into the Chancellery. His silence, both on the Ukraine and on other pressing issues.. is leaving too much room for interpretation – and dissatisfaction.”

Germany Complicit in Russia’s War Crimes

The Local wrote on April 22:

“Many of those murdered during Germany’s singular historic crime, the Holocaust, were deported from what is today Ukraine; many others never even made it that far, summarily shot like the tens of thousands at Babyn Jar near Kyiv in 1941. Now, eighty years on, civilians have once again been executed in the Kyiv suburbs and there may have been attacks with chemical weapons further east. While Germany is not the perpetrator this time, it is complicit.

“The problem is gas. For despite all the tough talk and sanctions, Germany is still, like several other European nations, transferring eight-figure sums to Moscow in return for gas deliveries on a daily basis. We are doing this because half of the gas in our network is piped in straight from Russia…

“Germany’s dependency on Russian gas is an abject national failure several decades in the making and so cannot be fixed overnight. But, to be blunt, we… have made our bed and must now lie in it. We need to stop importing Putin’s gas now. Not tomorrow, not next week, and not at the end of the year…

“How many more massacres have to be uncovered before we take our historical responsibility seriously when history actually comes calling? How many Buchas does it take before we feel ready to embargo Russian gas: two, three, four? And are we really going to wait to find out whether Putin’s army has used chemical weapons on innocent Ukrainians before we act?”

The Fear of Nuclear War

The Daily Mail wrote on April 23:

“Putin’s deranged regime has announced it will deploy the fearsome nuclear-capable ‘Satan II’ missile it recently tested in a show of strength by autumn, in a further ratcheting of tensions between Russia and the West as Moscow redoubles its brutal war on Ukraine.

“The Sarmat missile is said to be the world’s longest-range intercontinental ballistic missile, capable of striking a target 11,200 miles away – meaning it could easily strike targets in the US and Europe. Western military experts said the Sarmat is capable of carrying 10 or more nuclear warheads and decoys – easily enough to wipe out Britain or France in a single strike…”

The Sun added on April 22:

“Russia successfully test-launched the missile on Wednesday with video showing the enormous 115-foot missile being launched from an underground silo, triggering an enormous fireball. It travelled almost the entire length of Russia – almost 3,600 miles – in around 15 minutes.

“The deadly projectile, nicknamed Satan 2, can fly 11,000 miles, carry more than 12 warheads… The separate warheads in the Satan 2 missile are capable of detaching from the main 100-tonne missile before travelling towards their target at hypersonic speeds. The bombs are 1,000 more powerful than those dropped by the US on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan during World War Two. This means they are capable of pulverising an area the size of England and Wales or Texas in the USA.”

In a previous article, the Sun wrote on April 20:

“Military expert Dr Paul Craig Roberts sensationally claimed that the ‘five or six’ of the Russian missiles could wipe out the entire US east coast… it has been reported that the weapon could ‘wipe out an area of the size of England and Wales twice over.”

Ultimately, nuclear weapons will be used by Russia and its allies against Western Europe, including Germany—not against the USA or the UK, as they will have been destroyed by Western Europe in a nuclear war BEFORE nuclear war between Western Europe and Far Eastern nations, including Russia, breaks out.

“Moscow Aims to Capture Southern Ukraine”

The Algemeiner wrote on April 23:

“A Russian general said on Friday that Moscow wants to seize all of southern and eastern Ukraine, far wider war aims than it had acknowledged.

“Rustam Minnekayev, deputy commander of Russia’s central military district, was quoted by Russian state news agencies as saying Moscow aimed to seize the entire eastern Donbas region, link up with the Crimea peninsula, and capture Ukraine’s entire south as far as a breakaway, Russian-occupied region of Moldova…

“Minnekayev… said Russian speakers there were oppressed, the same justification Moscow has given for its interventions in Ukraine since 2014, which Western countries call a baseless pretext…

“Pope Francis dropped plans to meet in June with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, a Putin ally and backer of the war. Francis [said] the plan was suspended because Vatican diplomats advised that such a meeting ‘could lend itself to much confusion at this moment.’”

Austria: Ukraine Should Not Become Part of EU

Fox News wrote on April 24:

“Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg spoke at the 14th European media summit this week, saying that Ukraine should not receive candidate status in June. He reiterated Austria’s dedication to neutrality as a key element of the nation’s ‘self-definition.’ ‘We don’t belong to any military alliance and we don’t want to…’ [He] said Ukraine should not, in principle, become a member even in the future…

“Ukraine’s foreign ministry expressed disappointment with Austria’s stance, calling the Austrian official’s statement ‘short-sighted’ and ‘not in the interests of the united Europe’…, adding that postponing Ukraine’s membership means ‘indulging Putin’s aggressive plans.’

“But around 40% of Austrians consider the government’s position on Ukraine as ‘on the whole correct,’ while 23% believe the government is ‘too pro-Ukraine’ and 17% ‘too pro-Russia,’ according to Heute.”

Tensions Between Israel and Christians in Jerusalem

The Associated Press wrote on April 23:

“Christians celebrated their ‘Holy Fire’ ceremony at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on Saturday against a backdrop of rising tensions with Israel, which imposed new restrictions on attendance this year that it said were needed for safety. Israel says it wants to prevent another disaster after a crowd stampede at a packed Jewish holy site last year left 45 people dead.

“Christian leaders say there’s no need to alter a ceremony that has been held for centuries… Eastern Orthodox Christians believe that on the Saturday before Easter a miraculous flame appears inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre… built on the site where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected…”

Violence Carefully Staged

Israel Today wrote on April 24:

“Hamas sees itself as the patron of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Haram al Sharif, the Temple Mount…

“The disinformation campaign portrayed Israel as an ‘aggressor,’ while it also was falsely claimed that Israel was making a new attempt to change the status quo on the Temple Mount… Third parties then also started to get involved in the conflict and issued condemnations over ‘Israeli violence’ and an alleged ‘change of the Israeli policy towards the Al-Aqsa Mosque.’ Turkey’s President… Erdogan… called PA leader… Abbas and condemned Israel’s ‘intervention and provocations’ on Haram al-Sharif… King Abdullah II of Jordan also got involved in the conflict and ordered his government to obtain regional and international support for more pressure on Israel…

“It has now also been established that the acts of violence that started last Friday on the eve of Passover were organized… Zreiyer, a member of Abbas’ ruling Fatah faction, organized the outbreak of violence. He brought hundreds of young Palestinian Arabs to the Al-Aqsa Mosque and ordered them to prepare for a confrontation with the Israeli police. The group of youths came from Arab Jerusalem and also included Hamas members. The gang received funding from the PA and Turkey to prepare for the battle over the Temple Mount…”

A Temple in Jerusalem

Israel Today wrote on April 25:

“After the 1967 Six Day War, during which the Temple Mount was captured, Israel did not take advantage of the situation. Moshe Dayan, who served as Minister of Defense at the time, returned rule over the site to the Jordanian[s]…

“Many believe that a decision by Israel to retake control of the Temple Mount will ignite a regional war that could lead to a third world war. Whether or not that would happen, it is clear from Scripture that the day is coming when, ‘“I will shake heaven and earth, and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this Temple with glory,’ says the Lord of Hosts.’ Haggai 2:6-7. And, ‘I will bring them to my holy mountain of Jerusalem and will fill them with joy in my house of prayer. Because my Temple will be called a house of prayer for all nations.’ Isaiah 56:7.”

And so it will be!

Disney Lost Special Tax Status in Florida

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 21:

“Walt Disney Co. lost its special tax status in Florida on Friday after Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law a bill scrapping the company’s self-governing status in the area around its Orlando theme park complex. Florida’s Republican-dominated House of Representatives passed the bill on Thursday in a 68-38 vote, following a previous 23-16 vote in the state’s senate.

“Before urging Florida’s legislature to back the new measure, DeSantis had criticized Disney for its opposition to another bill banning discussions on sexual orientation and gender identity for students under age 9..

“Disney initially avoided taking a stand on the legislation, but later halted political donations in Florida following pressure from some of the company’s employees and LGBTQ rights groups…

“‘If Disney wants to pick a fight, they chose the wrong guy,’ DeSantis recently wrote… ‘Disney is a guest in Florida. Today we remind them,’ Republican lawmaker Randy Fine tweeted. ‘Disney doesn’t say a word about the dictatorship in China because it would cost them billions of dollars,’ Republican Senator Marco Rubio said in a tweet. ‘But they have no problem using their corporate power to lie about laws passed by democratically elected legislators in Florida.’

“The southeastern US state of Florida declared a special area, the Reedy Creek Improvement District, in 1967 to facilitate the construction of the Disney World theme park near the city of Orlando… The Disney district covers 100 square kilometers and includes the cities of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista as well as land in Orange and Osceola counties in central Florida. Disney runs the district and is responsible for collecting taxes and guaranteeing municipal services such as fire-fighting, energy, garbage collection, water treatment and road maintenance. In exchange, the company has been exempted from paying taxes in the territory. Under Florida law, if the district is dissolved its assets and debts could be transferred to local governments that surround the area.”

Breitbart added on April 23:

“The Reedy Creek district, along with several other similarly situated special tax districts, will be dissolved effective June 1, 2023. However, the law allows the districts to be reestablished in the future, which could happen after further negotiation.”

Biden and the Democrats are not happy about the developments in Florida.

Daily Mail wrote on April 22:

“President Joe Biden criticized ‘ugly’ Republicans for targeting Disney and said the GOP has been taken over by the ‘far right’ in his speeches at two Democratic fundraisers on the West Coast on Thursday.”

What this is really all about is the push by the left to indoctrinate young school children UNDER AGE 9 with their political agenda.

Fauci the “Expert”?

Newsmax wrote on April 22:

“The White House’s chief medical adviser apparently won’t let go of the recent mask mandate cancellation… Fauci ripped U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle for dropping the federal mask mandate for public transportation, telling CBS News the Florida-based judge has ‘no experience’ in the medical field… Fauci similarly dismissed Judge Mizelle’s ‘unfortunate ruling’…

“Current data suggests that COVID-19 infections in America have precipitously declined in recent weeks, but that’s not how Fauci views the trends. ‘It’s obvious to everyone we’re seeing that infections are on the rise…’ Fauci told CBS News.

“… the Justice Department filed a notice that it would appeal Judge Mizelle’s ruling, at the behest of the CDC and White House… Fauci did not acknowledge that Americans now have tremendous access to COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, or how the Biden administration still wants to repeal the CDC’s Title 42 health order at the U.S.-Mexico border — which, on the surface, runs directly against the logic behind the mask mandate for public transit.”

Dr. Fauci, even though not a lawyer, should still realize that Judge Mizelle did not utter a scientific finding in the medical field, but a legal finding showing the unconstitutionality of the mask mandate.

White House Contradicts Fauci

Fox News wrote on April 24:

‘The White House has contradicted Dr. Anthony Fauci on mask mandate decisions, saying that the judiciary plays an ‘important role’ and simply made an ‘incorrect decision’…. Fauci told Fox News’ Neil Cavuto that it’s a ‘bad precedent when decisions about public health issues are made by people, be they judges or what have you, that don’t have experience or expertise in public health.’”

The problem is, Dr. Fauci uttered numerous false opinions and made many contradictory recommendations.

“Google Goes Woke!”

Daily Mail wrote on April 25:

“Google has launched an ‘inclusive language’ function designed to avoid the use of politically incorrect words. Users typing ‘landlord’ will see a warning that it ‘may not be inclusive to all readers’ with the suggestion they should try ‘property owner’ or ‘proprietor’ instead.

The word ‘humankind’ is a suggested alternative to what the online giant apparently sees as the controversial term ‘mankind’. Gender specific terms such as ‘policemen’ or ‘housewife’ should also be replaced by ‘police officers’ and ‘stay-at-home spouse’, according to the new Google Document style programme. It is now being rolled out to what the firm calls enterprise-level users. Many computer document systems use methods to correct spelling and grammar.

“But nudging users towards woke language is being seen by critics as a step too far. Tests on the system have also thrown up major flaws… it suggested President John F Kennedy’s inaugural address should say ‘for all humankind’ instead of ‘for all mankind’…”

Insane!

EU to Restrict Free Speech (again) on Musk’s Twitter?

Bloomberg wrote on April 26:

“Elon Musk vowed to prioritize free speech as Twitter Inc’s new owner, but a senior official from the European Union has warned the world’s richest person will still have to contend with the region’s strict content rules… The EU approved the Digital Service Act over the weekend, giving European governments new power to take down illegal content, and demand platforms do more to tackle harmful content.

“Possibly even more crucial is the DSA’s requirement that companies like Twitter submit annual reports to the EU detailing how they’re handling systemic risks posed by harmful content…

“[Twitter] famously banned former U.S. President Donald Trump from the site last year… The move provoked condemnation from conservatives in the U.S., who argued the ban hindered free speech….

“There’s also the prospect of major financial penalties if Musk and the EU disagree. If the company doesn’t comply with the DSA, the EU can issue fines of as much as 6% of a company’s annual revenue and even ban the platform from operating in the bloc.”

The Ron Paul Institute asked the pertinent question: “How far will authorities go to restrict freedom of expression?” The answer is obvious: Very far; indeed, without any limits. 

Obama—“Liar of the Year”?

The New York Post wrote on April 22:

“In a Stanford University speech Thursday, Obama called on Big Tech to ‘redesign’ itself to face the dangers disinformation allegedly poses to the nation. Hilariously, he cited his own ‘failure to fully appreciate . . . just how susceptible we had become to lies and conspiracy theories’ during his time in office…

“Obama, after all, won PolitiFact’s ‘Lie of the Year’ Award in 2013 for his endlessly repeated claim that under ObamaCare, ‘if you like your health plan, you can keep it.’  This lie was treated as fact and amplified by major media across the US for naked political purposes. I.e., a textbook example of actual disinformation… The New York Times invented a new, Orwellian term as camouflage for the lie: ‘incorrect promise.’

“Then there was Benghazi, where his administration blamed an attack by an al Qaeda affiliate against a US consular outpost on an inflammatory YouTube video — and again saw the lie propped up by big media properties…

“Don’t forget his lie about whether he ever set a red line around Bashar al-Assad’s use of chemical weapons in Syria. He did. On record. Then, insanely, he literally claimed he hadn’t. Again, although he’d been caught in an obvious, clumsy lie, our fearless fact-checking journalists got busy trying to somehow make it reality. [The] Washington Post… refused to award it any of [the] trademark ‘Pinocchios.’

“… Obama presided over the start of the Russiagate narrative, now revealed as another textbook disinfo operation — one of the most successful in recent US history, not only kneecapping the Trump administration but leaving tens of millions of Americans still convinced of the lie even today.

“The ex-president is utterly comfortable with the media spreading disinformation, as long as it benefits his team…”

Lest we forget another possible lie: The dubious claim that Obama was born in the United States. Overwhelming evidence suggests the opposite (we have reported extensively in our Current Events about the many nagging questions regarding Obama’s alleged birthplace), but the potential political fiasco resulting from exposing what might very well have been the truth was deemed too much to cope with for Democrats and Republicans alike. Even Trump gave in with some phony “explanations.”

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.

Clashes on the Temple Mount

Daily Mail wrote on April 15:

“Israeli security forces clashed with hundreds of stone-hurling Palestinians early this Easter Friday morning after they entered a Palestinian holy site during Ramadan prayers… According to Israeli authorities, ‘dozens of masked men’ marched into the Al-Aqsa mosque compound before dawn carrying Palestinian and Hamas flags, chanting and setting off fireworks.

“In response, Israeli forces entered the mosque compound where thousands of Muslims were gathered to perform prayers during the holy month of Ramadan. Palestinian protesters then threw stones and fireworks at Israeli security forces, who returned fire with rubber-coated bullets and tear gas on the sprawling esplanade surrounding the mosque…

“The violence took place at Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism, which is also home to the Al-Aqsa mosque, the third holiest site in Islam. It also comes at a time of heightened tensions when the Islamic holy month of Ramadan overlaps with the Jewish holiday of Passover. …

“Hamas condemned what it said were ‘brutal attacks’ on worshippers at Al-Aqsa by Israeli forces, saying Israel would bear ‘all the consequences.’ It called on all Palestinians to ‘stand by our people in Jerusalem.’”

AFP added:

“More than 150 people were wounded Friday in clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and Israeli police in Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa mosque compound, the first face-off at the flashpoint holy site since the start of Ramadan… Around 400 people were arrested… The US, European Union and the Arab League have… voiced their concern. Washington on Friday said it was ‘deeply concerned’ by the events in Jerusalem.”

Further violence broke out on “Easter Sunday” at the Al-Aqsa mosque.

“When Blood Spills on Passover and Easter, it’s Time to Build the Temple”

The Jerusalem Post wrote on April 18:

“Hamas exposed their greatest fear: that Israel will start to build the Temple. For thousands of years, Jews have been praying for a return to the Land of Israel. Over the last century, we have miraculously been restored to our homeland from the four corners of the earth, but are still awaiting the proper time to build the Temple. Judaism is incomplete without the Temple, and Passover is a prime example, as Deuteronomy makes clear: ‘You are not permitted to slaughter the Passover sacrifice in any of the settlements that Hashem your God is giving you; but at the place where Hashem your God will choose to establish His name, there alone shall you slaughter the Pesach sacrifice, in the evening, at sundown, the time of day when you departed from Egypt’ (Deuteronomy 16:5, 6).

“Hamas is terrified that after close to 75 years of statehood, Israel will begin turning its attention to the place where God chose to establish His name. In fact, each year, more and more Israelis take the dangerous risk of ascending the holy mountain under the hostile guards of Jordanian officials. Palestinian terrorists are getting scared as Jews are getting serious about restoring our holy of holies, the site we pray towards every day, and the building we beseech God for repeatedly throughout our liturgy.

“On a national level, the rebuilding of the Temple would be a great humiliation to Palestinian terror groups, but on a religious level, the construction of Judaism’s Third Temple would in no way pose a threat to Islam, whose main religious holy sites are in Mecca and Medina. Responsible Jewish, Christian and Muslim leaders should use this recent wave of Islamic violence to immediately begin discussing practical and peaceful steps for the rebuilding of the Temple on the Temple Mount. It could be done without damaging or disrespecting the Dome of the Rock or Al Aqsa, as part of a future peace plan between Israel and her Arab neighbors to end the plague of Islamic terror once and for all.

“During periods of history, Islam held great respect for Judaism’s Temple in Jerusalem, and one can imagine many potential scenarios in the ever-changing Mideast, where significant segments of Islam could do so once again. Similarly, for many centuries, Christianity looked at the Temple with hostility, but as relations between Jews and Evangelicals have improved in recent years, some Christians are rethinking their relationship with the Temple.

“I asked John Enarson, the Christian relations director of Cry for Zion, a Temple Mount advocacy group, what his thoughts were on the connection between Easter and the Temple, and the implications for Christians today. ‘We Christians have often thought that Resurrection Sunday spelled the end for the Holy Temple in God’s plan,’ Enarson explained. ‘But when we read the Gospels and Book of Acts carefully, the Apostles continued to be passionate for God’s House in Jerusalem, including Paul. As God is restoring Zion, we need to rediscover our own texts with Jewish glasses, and that includes God’s Temple.’

“With more Christians coming alongside the Jews and becoming passionate about the need to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem, we have a unique opportunity today. Rather than lamenting the terrible violence that disrupted Passover, Easter and Ramadan, we must take steps to prevent religious violence from causing further blood to be spilled in the streets of Jerusalem. It’s time for peace-loving Jews, Christians and Muslims to come together and build the ‘house of prayer for all nations.’”

For a discussion of this and other related articles, see our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Time to build the Third Temple in the face of Violence?”

Austria and Russia “Talk”…

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 11:

“Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer on Monday became the first European leader to visit Moscow and meet Russian President Vladimir Putin since the invasion of Ukraine began on February 24. Nehammer called the talks ‘direct, open and tough’… The Austrian chancellor emphasized that the trip had not been a ‘friendly visit,’ adding that he had brought up the issue of war crimes in Bucha and other places and stressed that ‘all those who are responsible will be held to account,’ Austrian media reported him as saying. Nehammer said he had come away from the talks with ‘no optimistic impression.’…”

German Government Reserved and Cold

Bild Online wrote on April 11:

“In this interview with BILD, Volodymyr Zelenskyy (44) praises the German population’s solidarity with Ukraine. When it comes to the German government, however, he is critical… ‘The truth is that, from the beginning, Germany has been very cautious in its support for Ukraine – not the German people, I want to stress, but the German government. Germany, at first, didn’t support us with arms and openly said that we could not become a member of NATO and the EU. To be honest, Germany’s rhetoric has changed by now. Still, Germany plays no leading role in Europe so far. It remains reserved and cold towards us. But things are moving. I firmly believe that.’’

Steinmeier Not Welcome in Ukraine

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier (66) stated to Bild Online that he was willing to visit Ukraine, but was rejected, due to his past close ties to Russia. More and more articles appear in the German press blaming Steinmeier and Merkel for the current disaster in Ukraine, due to their appeasing and friendly relationship with Putin over the decades. Also, while Boris Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen visited Kyiv, Olaf Scholz has so far refused to do so. Maybe he feared that his visit would not be welcome either or rejected.

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 12:

“Ukraine has previously been highly critical of the German president over his connections with Russia and the leading role he played as former foreign minister in improving relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin…. Earlier this month, Ukrainian ambassador to Germany Andriy Melnyk and Polish Deputy Prime Minister Jaroslaw Kaczynski… told the Tagesspiegel newspaper that the German president had not been serious about his break with Russia. He added that people connected to Steinmeier like Jens Plötner, foreign policy advisor to Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andreas Michaelis, as well as many important ambassadors, also share Steinmeier’s close relations with Moscow.

“Steinmeier was close to former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, whose ties to Russia after retirement have become increasingly notorious. He also had two stints as foreign minister before becoming president, including when Crimea was annexed. Kaczynski was also critical of Berlin’s foreign policy in Welt am Sonntag, where he said Poland ‘is not pleased with Germany’s role in Europe.’”

Deutsche Welle added on April 14:

“Former Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin suggested Steinmeier’s offer to visit Kyiv might have been rejected because of overall ‘disappointment’ and ‘frustration’ about Berlin’s role in the crisis… Klimkin said that there was a perception in Ukraine that Germany was complicit in enabling Moscow to build up its war machine by buying Russian oil and gas and accused Berlin of doing ‘nothing’ over many years to counter the Kremlin.”

The Guardian wrote on April 14:

“Kyiv has tried to patch up diplomatic relations with Germany…  saying it would welcome a visit instead by the chancellor, Olaf Scholz. The snub to Steinmeier, who has a history as an advocate of close Russian-German economic ties, led to a backlash in Germany, with Scholz describing it on Wednesday as ‘confusing…  to be polite about it’…

“Germany has been seen as the constant backmarker in its support for Ukraine, blocking an EU-wide ban on Russian oil and refusing to provide heavy weaponry from its stocks on the basis that the weaponry was needed by the German army, or would be of little use to Ukraine defence forces untrained in the weaponry.”

No Heavy Weapons from Germany

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 19:

“Scholz said that, although the German army, the Bundeswehr, did not have much left to offer Ukraine, his government was supporting German arms manufacturers financially…. He listed anti-tank weapons, air defense equipment, ammunition ‘and also what can be used in an artillery engagement’ as possible weapons that could be supplied. The chancellor added that Germany was able to supply spare parts for certain weapons that other NATO allies were delivering to Ukraine.

“Scholz has faced mounting pressure — from Ukrainian officials, German opposition politicians and lawmakers within his own governing coalition — to provide Ukraine with more robust equipment in the face of a fresh Russian offensive… As a parting note, Scholz also made clear that, while allies may choose to supply heavy weapons to Ukraine’s war effort, ‘NATO can’t and won’t get directly involved in the war.’”

However, Fox News added on April 20:

“Germany said it has maxed out its ability to send arms to Ukraine on Wednesday and instead pledged to provide training to Ukrainian forces and maintain its military equipment. ‘While other partners supply artillery, we will help with training and maintenance,’ German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said during a press conference.”

So, this announcement by Baerbock seems to strongly contradict the declarations by Chancellor Scholz and does not only seem to refer to “offensive” weapons or heavy weapons which Germany was unwilling to supply anyhow. Rather, it seems to refer to all kinds of weapons. Bild had already written on Tuesday that Scholz’s initial “arrogant” statements were either “evasive” or “untrue,” and that Scholz is unwilling to provide Ukraine with what they need. Ukraine has reacted with strong disapproval and utter disappointment, stating that Scholz’s position is “absurd,” and as in times past, Ukraine will not forget Germany’s perceived failing. Zelenskyy said on Wednesday that “ the war against Russia would have already been won if Western allies including the US and NATO had sent more weapons to arm Ukraine” (New York Post, April 20).

Pro-Russia Demonstrations in Germany

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 10:

“Pro-Russia protesters rallied for a second day in Germany on Sunday, demanding an end to discrimination against the country’s large Russian-speaking population since the conflict in Ukraine erupted… Organizers said that they wanted to put a spotlight on the growing intolerance toward Russians living in Germany.

“However, many observers have questioned whether the protests are not thinly disguised shows of support for the war, and both rallies were met by counter-demonstrations in support of Ukraine. A day earlier, pro-Russia convoys rolled through multiple German cities. One convoy with about 190 cars drove through the southwestern city of Stuttgart, with the motto ‘Against Discrimination Against Russian-speaking People.’ Participants waved banners reading ‘Stop Russophobia’ and urged an end to discrimination against Russian-speaking children in schools. City officials had warned participants beforehand that the event could not show support for the conflict…

“The pro-Russia demos have sparked a backlash, with many seeing them as a show of support for the Kremlin. A similar convoy in Berlin triggered sharp criticism last weekend. Germany’s Bild newspaper called it a ‘parade of shame.’… Germany is home to around 1.2 million Russians and 325,000 Ukrainians, plus more than 316,000 who have arrived as refugees since the start of the conflict.”

Sadly, in times of war, discrimination against innocent people becomes the norm. Deutsche Welle reported on April 18: “Police in several states across Germany have opened investigations into public displays of support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine… More than 140 investigations have been launched, most looking into the use of the ‘Z’ symbol that has been seen in several protests in Germany alongside Russian flags.”

This move seems to clearly violate the German constitution, guaranteeing the freedom of speech and assembly. Of course, the German government has been guilty of such violations on numerous occasions before in context with their illegal coronavirus restrictions.

Sympathy for Putin in Germany’s East

The Washington Post wrote on April 15:

 “… most residents [in Saxony] feel no affinity for Putin as he wages a bloody war in Ukraine. But they’re hardly lining up with the West against Russia, either… Sixty-eight percent of people in the state, whose capital is Dresden, say their opinion of the Russian population has not changed since the invasion… Nearly 4 in 10 say their perceptions of Putin are also unchanged. Across eastern Germany, people are 13 percentage points less likely than in the west to say Putin’s Russia is a threat to their country…

“The difference reflects the former communist east’s four-decade history as a Soviet satellite state in which Russian-language instruction was required. It also reveals the effects of economic and cultural ties cultivated with Russia in the three decades since German reunification in 1990… Many in Saxony… are reluctant to pick sides in a new version of the Cold War.”

Don’t Wait for Germany

The Sun wrote on April 8:

“… our failings are insignificant against those of Germany and others whose vast payments for Russian gas are still bankrolling the genocide. We accept that Chancellor Olaf Scholz is having to pick up the pieces of Angela Merkel’s catastrophic appeasement of Putin and deranged energy policies. But he is still choosing Germany’s economic comfort over innocent lives and the futures of Ukraine and Europe itself.

“He hopes to ditch Kremlin gas by mid-2024. That will be far, far too late… We must cripple Putin’s finances NOW, not just as soon as comfortable Germans consider it convenient. The horrors so far in Ukraine are only the start. We are in a race to prevent more.”

Fortress Europe’s Trade Restrictions

Express wrote on April 14:

“President Volodmry Zelensky has continuously asked the EU and European countries to provide weapons to Ukraine to fight against Russian forces. However, weapons support is low and many levies are still being enforced by the EU, whilst the UK agreed to abolish quotas and reduce trade restrictions.

“Facts4EU.org analysed the current trade deals, coming to the conclusion it is ‘just like’ the Northern Ireland Protocol. Researchers wrote: ‘UK responds with help, while EU dallies and maintains its Fortress Europe for trade. The EU delivers Ukraine its very own protocol just like Northern Ireland.’ It said there are 925 categories of EU quotas and tariffs remaining in place.”

 This is incredible and shows the EU’s utter hypocrisy.

Moskva Has Sunk… Biggest Navy Disaster Since World War II

The Guardian wrote on April 14:

“Russia’s flagship missile cruiser Moskva has sunk in ‘stormy seas’ while being towed to a port in the Black Sea following an explosion, the Russian defence ministry has announced… The Ukrainian southern military command claimed… to have struck the Moskva with Neptune anti-ship cruise missiles…

“The apparent attack and sinking of the Black Sea fleet’s flagship…  represents a symbolic blow to the Kremlin. The Moskva was the pride of Russia’s Black Sea naval fleet and the most prestigious vessel involved in the war against Ukraine… Commissioned in 1983, the ship was armed with 16 anti-ship Vulkan cruise missiles with a range of at least 440 miles (700km). According to reports, it was also carrying S-300 anti-air missiles, which are crucial to Russia’s air superiority over Crimea and Ukraine’s Kherson province, now occupied by Russian troops.

“It is the most significant naval vessel to be sunk since the Argentinean cruiser General Belgrano was torpedoed by a British submarine… in 1982 [during the Falkland crisis].  It is the first time Moscow has lost a cruiser since German planes sunk the Chervona Ukraina (Red Ukraine) in 1941 at Sevastopol – the same Crimean naval base where the Moskva was being towed towards when it sank…”

The Sun added on 4-15::

“… the [Neptune] missiles can hit speeds of more than 650mph as they streak towards the enemy ship. Russia’s defence ministry said earlier that over 500 crew aboard the Soviet-era missile cruiser were evacuated after ammunition exploded…  there are at least 300 feared dead after the strike on the Moskva… [Kyiv has claimed that all 510 crew on-board including its captain were killed.].

“Russia has suffered a disastrous war in Ukraine – losing nearly 20,000 troops, almost 3,000 tanks, and 300 aircraft… Russia’s flagship had been operated in the Black Sea since the start of the war and is believed to have taken part in strikes on the coast of Ukraine. And she famously… opened fire on defenders holding out on Snake Island… The ship… was originally called the Slava…  she became the flagship of the Black Sea Fleet [in 2000 and] played a role in the 2008 invasion of Georgia, sailed in the Med during Russia’s bombardment of Syria in 2013 and 2014, and blockaded Ukraine during the annexation of Crimea.

“Ukraine is continuing to call for aid as it receives weapons and vehicles from the West. But world leaders and Nato remain fearful to provide much more unless they risk open war with Russia and potentially World War 3.”

One has to wonder whether this is an example of justice.

Axios wrote on 4-15:

“A senior U.S. defense official told Axios on Friday that Ukraine sank Russia’s Moskva cruiser, the former flagship of its Black Sea fleet, with two cruise missiles, validating claims from Ukrainian officials… The account contradicts Russia’s defense ministry claims on Thursday that the  ship sunk during bad weather while being towed to a port to repair damages from a fire that detonated ammunition on board.”

Russian Warning: No More Weapons for Ukraine

The Guardian wrote on April 15:

“Russia reportedly sent a formal warning to the US to stop sending weapons to Ukraine, saying more shipments could result in ‘unpredictable consequences’. 

“According to the Washington Post, Moscow told the White House that its arms shipments were ‘adding fuel’ to the war in Ukraine. The state department would not confirm the communication, but officials made clear that the US would continue sending weapons to Ukraine.”

Putin must realize that the war does not go too well for him. Boxed in a corner, he would be capable of doing just about anything, including using nuclear weapons, if God were to allow it.

Not Too Sure About American Help

CBS News wrote on April 10::

“Despite Zelenskyy’s repeated pleas for a no-fly zone, the U.S. and its allies have declined, saying it could lead to a direct military confrontation between two nuclear-armed powers – the U.S. and Russia. ‘I remember, all of us remember, books about the second World War and about the devil in uniform – Adolf Hitler’ [in an interview with 60 Minutes,] Zelenskyy said. ‘Are those countries who did not participate in the war responsible? The countries who let German forces march throughout Europe? Does the world carry responsibility for the genocide? Yes. Yes, it does. When you [have the ability to] close the sky – yes it’s scary, that a world war could start. It’s scary. I understand [that]. And I cannot put pressure on these people because everyone is afraid of war. But whether the world [is responsible] for this, I believe so, yes. I believe so’…

“Zelenskyy warned that not doing more for Ukraine now means Russia could ‘move closer and closer to Europe’… Zelenskyy’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, told Pelley that he asked the Biden administration for heavier weapons – tanks and jets – and for them to be delivered fast… A White House official told 60 Minutes that Yermak received a ‘yes’ to his requests, but filling those orders takes time…

“Meanwhile, Russia is escalating its attacks in the East and South. ‘We think this will be a new wave of this war… there will be many times more than there is now,’ Zelenskyy said. ‘[All] depends on [how fast] we will be helped by the United States. To be honest, whether we will be able to [survive] depends on this. I have 100% confidence in our people and in our armed forces. But unfortunately, I don’t have the confidence that we will be receiving everything we need’…

“When asked if Russian President Vladimir Putin should be prosecuted for war crimes, Zelenskyy said ‘everyone who made a decision, who issued an order, who fulfilled an order, everyone who is relevant to this, I believe they are all guilty.’ He added that he does believe Putin is ‘one’ of the people responsible.”

It is also telling that President Biden has refused so far to visit Ukraine.

Denmark Against European Army

The Local wrote on April 11:

“Denmark’s government said on Monday it will hold a fresh referendum on the country’s participation in EU defence and military areas should the union ever decide to establish a supranational army… And the government would recommend that the public vote no (to the treaty)…

“Denmark’s opt-out… is one of four EU special arrangements negotiated by the Scandinavian country, and has seen it abstain from participation in EU military operations and from providing support or supplies to EU-led defence efforts…

“A supranational EU army would represent a significantly larger commitment from member states than the present EU joint military activities. EU countries can currently choose not to send their soldiers on military missions with the EU, but that right would not exist in a theoretical EU army…”

Such a supranational Army WILL be formed.

Finland and Sweden to Join NATO?

The Times wrote on April 11:

“Russia has made a ‘massive strategic blunder’ as Finland and Sweden look poised to join Nato as early as the summer, according to officials. Washington is banking on the move that will stretch Russia’s military and enlarge the western alliance from 30 to 32 members as a direct consequence of President Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

“US officials said Nato membership for both Nordic countries was ‘a topic of conversation and multiple sessions’ during talks between the alliance’s foreign ministers last week attended by Sweden and Finland…  Finland’s application is expected in June, with Sweden expected to follow.”

The New York Post wrote on April 14:

​“Russia vowed Thursday that if Finland and Sweden join NATO, Moscow would bolster its troop presence and deploy nuclear weapons around the Baltic region… Putin insisted this week that Russia was forced to invade Ukraine because the US and its allies were using the Kyiv government to threaten Moscow with NATO expansion.​”

Putin changed his justification again for his invasion in blaming NATO’s expansion. First, he had given many different “justifications,” including blaming Ukraine for the alleged persecution of Russians. But the problem with a liar is that he does not remember his lies and can’t get his story straight.

Macron vs. Le Pen

The Associated Press wrote on April 11:

“Emmanuel Macron will face far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen in a winner-takes-all runoff for the French presidency, after they both advanced Sunday in the first round of voting in the country’s election to set up another head-to-head clash of their sharply opposing visions for France… the runoff is essentially a new election and the next two weeks of campaigning to the April 24 second-round vote promise to be bruising and confrontational against his 53-year-old political nemesis… Le Pen wants to roll back some rights for Muslims, banning them from wearing headscarves in public, and to drastically reduce immigration from outside Europe…

“Macron had just over 27% and Le Pen had just under 24%… The election outcome will have wide international influence as Europe struggles to contain the havoc wreaked by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Macron has strongly backed European Union sanctions on Russia while Le Pen has worried about their impact on French living standards. Macron also is a firm supporter of NATO and of close collaboration among the European Union’s 27 members… Le Pen… tapped into the foremost issue on many French voters’ minds: soaring costs for food, gas and heating due to rising inflation and the repercussions of Western sanctions on Russia.”

Express wrote on April 16:

“French President Emmanuel Macron should pray next week is uneventful. If it is, he will be reelected. Marine Le Pen should pray for someone or something to disrupt the political week. If that happens, she probably wins the election… the contest remains close. The gap between the candidates is small and well within our poll’s margin of error. .. The number of voters still undecided between Macron and Le Pen is quite high…

“Two-thirds of those who abstained or left their ballots blank in the first round will do the same in the second round. We project turnout to be markedly lower than the 75 percent of registered voters that participated in 2017’s presidential second round, the lowest turnout since 1969.”

From a prophetic perceptive, it would be difficult to see how Macron could lose against Le Pen. But stranger things have happened.

Macron vs. Biden

Breitbart wrote on April 14:

“French President Emmanuel Macron has rebuked US President Joe Biden’s accusation that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is committing genocide in Ukraine, implying such claims are not ‘prudent’… ‘I would say that Russia unilaterally launched a brutal war, that it is now established that war crimes were committed by the Russian army and that we must now find those responsible,’ Le Figaro reports the French President as explaining. ‘…but at the same time I look at the facts and I want to try as much as possible to continue to be able to stop this war and to rebuild peace, so I’m not sure that the escalation of words serves the cause,’ he said, his claim in stark contrast with Biden’s recent verbal approach to the conflict…

“This is not the first time that Macron has reprimanded Biden over his Russian rhetoric. The French President has previously stepped in after the American labelled Putin ‘a butcher’ who ‘cannot remain in power’, publicly criticising the Democrat President over the fiery comments. ‘I would not use those words,’ Macron said in response to Biden’s apparent nod towards regime change in Moscow…

“However, while Macron has pushed back against the fiery anti-Putin rhetoric, officials in Ukraine have appeared only to fan the flames, with the country’s President, Volodymyr Zelensky, voicing support for Biden’s genocide allegations online. ‘True words of a true leader,’ the Ukrainian President said in a post online regarding Biden’s accusation that Putin was involved in genocide in Ukraine. ‘Calling things by their names is essential to stand up to evil.’

“Zelensky followed up his praise with a request for more ‘heavy weapons’, the supplying of which one ex-advisor to former Chancellor Angela Merkel has said could help kick off World War III.”

Are the Mass Media and the CIA Lying to Us?

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on April 11:

“Late last year, a Gallup poll showed that… only seven percent of Americans… have a ‘great deal’ of trust in the media…  Citizens of the Soviet Union would read manipulated media like Pravda not because the regime reported facts, but because truth was hidden between the lines of what was reported and what was not reported. That seems to be where we are in the US today.

“Last week an extraordinary article appeared in, of all places, NBC News, reporting that the US intelligence community is knowingly feeding information it does not believe accurate to the US mainstream media for the American audience to consume… According to the NBC News article, ‘multiple US officials acknowledged that the US has used information as a weapon even when confidence in the accuracy of the information wasn’t high…’

“After the Bay of Pigs disaster, President Kennedy has been quoted as wanting ‘to splinter the CIA in a thousand pieces and scatter it to the winds.’ That didn’t work out too well for him. As Senate Majority Chuck Schumer famously told Rachel Maddow in 2020, responding to the-President Trump’s criticism of the CIA, ‘let me tell you: You take on the intelligence community — they have six ways from Sunday at getting back at you.’…

“It’s time to revisit President Kennedy’s post-Bay of Pigs wish…”

Alarming, disturbing and quite frightening. An American power more powerful than the American Presidency and his administration?? Interestingly, the reputation of the CIA has never been that good.

Germany’s Infamous Health Minister of Doom Karl Lauterbach

Breitbart wrote on April 19:

“Germany’s now-infamous Health Minister, Karl Lauterbach, has warned the country’s population that a new, extremely deadly variant of COVID could emerge in Autumn, which would, in turn, require a return of harsh lockdown measures. However, the forced-vaccination loving minister has been lambasted by both experts within the medical world, as well as members of his own government over the warning, with one virologist saying that his comments were ultimately unscientific.

“According to Bild, Lauterbach said that he believed that there was a probability that a so-called ‘killer variant’ could hit Germany in Autumn after a Summer out of lockdown, which would necessitate the return of harsh forced mask-wearing measures. What’s more, the Health Minister appears to believe that the unvaxxed are to blame in this hypothetical scenario, linking the rejection of his forced vaccination measures to the apparently forthcoming medical crisis.’

“While the health minister appears to believe a ‘killer’ virus may be right around the corner, other medical experts appear to strongly dispute this, reprimanding the leftist politician for his claim. ‘According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the appearance of a “killer variant” in autumn is a very unlikely scenario,’ Der Spiegel reports one expert, WHO-linked virologist Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit as saying, who also reportedly described the SPD member’s comments as unscientific….

“Some of Lauterbach’s colleagues within the German coalition government have also taken aim at the Federal Health Minister, with one lambasting the politician’s comments as unhelpful… [One] German Green party member [described] the comments as being a frontrunner for ‘nonsense of the year’.

“Meanwhile, Bild has reported that Lauterbach has declined to provide the name of the study from which he has drawn his doomsday predictions. This is not the first time the SPD politician has landed himself in hot water over his public Chinese Coronavirus predictions, with Bild also previously catching the forced jab advocate out for seemingly giving different outlooks on the COVID pandemic in public than he does in private. At a time when the minister was giving stark views on the pandemic in Germany publicly, the publication reported the minister as writing in a letter to a colleague that the situation was in fact ‘stable’.”

Germany’s mass tabloid Bild has accused Lauterbach of trying to blackmail the German people by announcing the likelihood of imposing further restrictions, after his attempt to impose vaccine mandates failed.  Now, a few fanatics have allegedly planned to kidnap Lauterbach. If that story is true, as the mass media claims it to be, but which is being questioned by some, then it plays right into the hands of Lauterbach and Scholz and their vocal supporters who emphasize the “need” to preserve and protect democracy, while they are in fact using these alleged events as an excuse for vigorously fighting covid- and vax mandate resisters. Satan’s handiwork can be clearly seen in all of this.

Masks Mandate for Airlines and Airports…

Breitbart wrote on April 13:

“Anthony Fauci said… that ‘you use lockdowns to get people vaccinated so that when you open up, you won’t have a surge of infections. Because you’re dealing with an immunologically naive population of the virus because they’ve not been exposed because of the lockdown’…

“The airline industry is continuing to call for the end of the federal mask mandate, making it clear ‘we need to remove these mandates’ as federal health officials extend it yet again [for another two weeks, until May 3.].”

Federal Judge Strikes Down Masks Mandate

Tampa Bay Times wrote on April 19:

“A federal judge in Florida struck down a national mask mandate on airplanes and mass transit Monday, and airlines and airports swiftly began repealing their requirements that passengers wear face coverings. The judge’s decision freed airlines, airports and mass transit systems to make their own decisions about mask requirements…

“The major airlines switched to a mask optional policy, with some eliciting cheers from passengers when the changes were announced over loudspeakers. The Transportation Safety Agency said Monday night that it will no longer enforce the mask requirement, and airports in Houston and Dallas almost immediately did away with their mandates after the TSA announcement…

“The decision by U.S. District Judge Kathryn Kimball Mizelle in Tampa, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, also said the CDC improperly failed to justify its decision and did not follow proper rulemaking procedures that left it fatally flawed. In her 59-page ruling, Mizelle said the only remedy was to vacate the rule entirely across the country because it would be impossible to end it for the limited group of people who objected in the lawsuit….

“The White House said the court ruling means that for now the mask order ‘is not in effect at this time.’ ‘This is obviously a disappointing decision,’ White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters.”

Disappointing for those who enjoy dictatorial practices. It took a Trump-appointed federal judge to end, for now, Biden’s ridiculous mask policy. Left-liberals are outraged. The White House announced on Wednesday that it would appeal the decision (compare The Ron Paul Institute, April 20). The Biden Administration can’t let go of its dictatorial restrictions. But it is hoped that the decision will NOT be overturned on appeal.

The Huffington Post wrote on April 19:

“Most major air carriers in the United States announced that, effective immediately, they will no longer enforce mask-wearing rules… Airlines making the change include Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Jet Blue, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines… Passenger rail service Amtrak also announced it was dropping the mask mandate.”

However, international flights may not be exempt from the requirements of wearing masks. Hopefully, this will change very soon, including the blatantly unconstitutional requirement to be vaccinated before boarding a flight.

Engineered Mosquitoes… Not So Fast…

The Los Angeles Times wrote on April 8:

“Soon, millions of… engineered mosquitoes could be set loose in California in an experiment recently approved by the federal government. Oxitec, a private company, says its genetically modified bugs could help save half the world’s population from the invasive Aedes aegypti mosquito, which can spread diseases such as yellow fever, chikungunya and dengue to humans. Female offspring produced by these modified insects will die, according to Oxitec’s plan, causing the population to collapse…

“Scientists independent from the company and critical of the proposal say not so fast. They say unleashing the experimental creatures into nature has risks that haven’t yet been fully studied, including possible harm to other species or unexpectedly making the local mosquito population harder to control… California has never had a case in which an Aedes aegypti was found to transmit disease…

“The company plans to start the release in northern Tulare County in the Central Valley, where it has partnered with the local mosquito control district based in the city of Visalia. The experiment must still be approved by the state Department of Pesticide Regulation… Oxitec has proposed releasing its mosquitoes at 48 different locations in the county. Under the plan, the company said it would release a maximum of 3.5 million mosquitoes a week…

“Among scientists’ concerns is that releasing the genetically modified mosquitoes into neighborhoods could create hybrids that are hardier and more dangerous to humans than the state’s current population… Oxitec uses the antibiotic tetracycline to raise its bugs and mass produce them. When larvae of its modified mosquitoes are exposed to tetracycline, the females — which bite humans — can survive….”

Every time man tries to play God, there are terrible “side-effects.”

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.

How “Disney” Has Changed for the Worse

Fox News wrote on April 1:

“Disney has now transformed into a political propaganda machine that grooms children for abortions and sexual promiscuity… Disney clearly is no longer interested in being a guardian of the innocence of childhood. Instead, by their own admission, Disney leadership is actively pushing children out of Neverland and directly into an adult’s sexualized world, where they can be groomed for others enjoyment.

“Disney is also engaging in a campaign for politicized sex education in its home state [Florida]. Disney recently spoke out in opposition to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education bill, which would prohibit the discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in grades Kindergarten to Third [Grade]… The LGBTQ+ community has already been featured multiple times in Disney productions…”

Breitbart wrote on April 1:

“House Republican Study Committee (RSC) Chairman Jim Banks (R-IN) wrote in a letter to Disney CEO Bob Chapek he will fight to rescind Mickey Mouse’s copyright renewal over the megacorporation’s LGBT campaign. Banks wrote to Chapek as the Mickey Mouse copyright will expire on January 1, 2024…

“‘At home, Disney has capitulated to far-left activists through hypocritical, woke corporate actions… A senior Disney employee was recently caught on camera saying she wants ‘many, many, many, LGBTQIA characters in our stories’…

“Banks explained that Congress had repeatedly extended Disney’s copyright due to intense lobbying from Disney. Now, Disney could lose its copyright renewal when Republicans are slated to hold the House majority after the 2022 midterm elections… ‘Given Disney’s continued work with a Communist Chinese regime that does not respect human rights or U.S. intellectual property and given your desire to influence young children with sexual material inappropriate for their age, I will not support further extensions applicable to your copyrights, which should become public domain,’ Banks said. ‘It’s unfortunate that Disney, once an American success story has allied with a hostile foreign regime and domestic ideologues who seek to tear our country apart,’ he concluded in the letter to Chapek.”

Disney’s Special Treatment

Newsmax wrote on April 1:

“Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday said… [he supported] stripping Disney’s special privileges. The entertainment company operates as an independent government around its Orlando-area theme park….

“‘Over many, many decades, [Disney has] gotten incredible treatment from the Florida Legislature, and they are treated on a pedestal,’ DeSantis said on ‘Fox & Friends.’… ‘I think the legislature is going to look at that…  and that’s going to represent a major shift for our state, but at the end of the day, you know, I don’t … believe in special treatment for any corporation.’”

Disney’s Hypocrisy

Breitbart wrote on April 2, 2022

“The Walt Disney Co. is getting blasted and called out over its opposition to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law, while reportedly expanding into several anti-gay countries… where homosexuality is still illegal, including Qatar and Yemen…

“‘Our goal as a company is for this  [new Florida] law to be repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts,’ Disney said, while also falsely claiming that the law jeopardizes the ‘rights and safety’ of its LGBTQ employees. The Florida law forbids the teaching of sexual orientation and gender ideology, such as transgenderism, to children in kindergarten through third grade. It has nothing to do with Disney employees.

“Despite an aggressive mainstream media campaign against the legislation, a recent poll shows that Florida Democrat voters support the Republican-backed law, 52 percent to 36 percent.”

Disney’s political agenda inside the USA and its hypocritical conduct internationally cannot be justified in any way whatsoever.

Made in God’s Image?

The New York Post wrote on March 31:

“President Biden released a video message to mark International Transgender Day of Visibility on Thursday, saying that transgender people are ‘made in the image of God’ and that their parents should affirm their gender identity. Biden, who as a senator backed an array of anti-LGBT legislation, slammed what he called ‘hateful bills’ in several states that restrict transgender participation in girls’ sports and limit discussion of sexuality and gender identity…

“Biden has a mixed record on gay and transgender rights. As a senator in the 1990s, he was one of 32 Senate Democrats who voted to impose a federal ban on same-sex marriage. He also voted for the legislation that imposed the military’s since-repealed ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy and for a 1994 amendment to ban schools from using federal funds ‘for the promotion of homosexuality as a positive lifestyle alternative.’

“As vice president, Biden in 2012 said he was ‘absolutely comfortable’ with same-sex marriage… Biden last year also repealed former President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military.”

Man is made in God’s image, but God created man as male and female… not as male and male or as something in between, or as a  female after He had discovered His mistake of creating him/her as a male.  And God did not create or approve of same-sex marriages. Joe Biden as a proud practicing Catholic should know this.

Good News from Finland

International Family News wrote on April 1:

“Parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen and Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola were acquitted of all charges of ‘homophobia’ that hung over their heads. The Helsinki Prosecutor’s Office ruled that ‘it is not for the district court to interpret biblical concepts.’ The prosecution has therefore been ordered to pay more than 60 thousand euros in legal costs and has seven days to appeal the sentence.

“Päivi Räsänen had been charged with ‘inciting hatred’ after sharing her views on marriage and sexual ethics, in a tweet 2019, in a radio debate and in a 2004 essay… the prosecutor [had] argued that the case was not about beliefs or the Bible. In the closing statement, the prosecution stated that the use of the word ‘sin’ can be ‘harmful’ and suggested heavy fines in the event of a guilty verdict.

“For its part, the defense… [had argued] that finding Päivi Räsänen guilty would significantly harm free speech in Finland. What the former minister said in the three indictments, [the defense said] is an expression of Christian teaching.”

To even charge someone with hate speech for quoting the Bible is alarming and proves once more that it is Satan who rules this world.

Torture and Persecution in Canada

Life Site News wrote on April 2:

“Canadian Christian Pastor Artur Pawlowski broke his silence on what he described as deplorable jail conditions he faced while spending 51 days in prison, saying he was forced into solitary confinement on many occasions, strip-searched, and generally humiliated at times. Pawlowski claimed that at times prison staff tried to get inmates to ‘beat’ him up, and he was also placed in a part of a jail for a short time that is normally reserved for ‘murderers.’ He said that bizarrely he was placed in a ‘mental health unit’ for a time, as well: ‘What I went through, you got no idea.’

“Pawlowski said that some prison guards were nice to him and said they knew he was a political prisoner, and even offered to pray for him. Pawlowski was released from a Calgary jail on bail on Wednesday after his legal team agreed to terms that allowed him to go home with his family. He had been locked up for 51 days, starting February 8… Despite being out of jail, Pawlowski is under strict house arrest conditions that will severely limit his movement. He will be subject to a house curfew from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. except to attend his church services, and is barred from attending protests of any kind or meeting with the public…

“Pawlowski is facing at least three trials in the next coming months on multiple charges. Pawlowski had been arrested  for the fifth time on February 8 by an undercover SWAT team just before he was slated to speak at a peaceful Freedom Convoy protest at the Alberta-U.S. border near Coutts, Alberta. He had traveled to Coutts and gave a sermon to truckers blockading the highway, telling them peacefully to ‘hold the line.’”

Shame on Justin Trudeau’s dictatorship and shame on all those who support it in any way.

Not “Immediately” Cut Off

The Algemeiner wrote on April 1:

“Russia allowed gas to keep flowing to Europe on Friday despite a deadline for buyers to pay in roubles or be cut off…

“An order by President Vladimir Putin cutting off gas buyers unless they pay in roubles from Friday had caused alarm in Europe, where it was seen as Moscow’s strongest card to play to retaliate for Western financial sanctions. Germany, the biggest buyer, rejected the demand as ‘blackmail’.

“But pipelines were pumping as normal on Friday.  Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said the decree would not affect shipments which were already paid for, only becoming an issue when new payments were due in the second half of the month.”

Did Ukraine Attack Oil Storage Facility on Russian Soil?

The Guardian wrote on April 1:

“Russia has claimed that Ukraine sent attack helicopters across the border to strike an oil storage facility in what, if confirmed, would be the first raid on Russian soil since it launched its invasion.

“Ukraine denied that it launched the attack, raising questions about whether Russian negligence may be to blame.”

It is not clear at all whether Ukraine denied the attack. In an interview with Fox News moderator Bret Baier, Zelenskyy refused to speak about this subject, due to the need for military secrecy.  

Nothing Less than Victory

Fox News wrote on April 1:

“Bret Baier asked the Ukrainian leader at the start of the interview how he believes the ‘war will end’ prompting an explanation from Zelenskyy that only ‘victory’ will be acceptable to his country… ‘The question of territorial integrity and sovereignty is out of discussion.’ Zelenskyy said that his country is looking for commitments from ‘leading nations’ that Ukraine’s security will be protected with a treaty if it is to agree to a deescalation with Russia and reiterated his belief that Ukraine would be a beneficial addition to NATO…

“The Ukrainian president added that he has spoken with President Biden and told him he would like to see the United States included in a security agreement that would provide long-term support for Ukraine to address the possibility Russia would… invade again in the future. Zelenskyy said that the United States is ‘considering this proposition.’

“When asked what Putin wants to gain in this conflict, Zelenskyy said that Putin wants whatever the West will give to him and that ‘appetites usually grow… adding that Putin will continue his aggression in Europe beyond Ukraine and will get what he wants ‘unless he is stopped’ now.”

Western nations gave Ukraine security promises before, only to break them subsequently.

Russian War Crimes in Ukraine?

 The Associated Press wrote on April 3:

“Ukraine’s troops found brutalized bodies with bound hands, gunshot wounds to the head and signs of torture after Russian soldiers withdrew from the outskirts of Kyiv, authorities said Sunday, sparking new calls for a war crimes investigation and sanctions against Russia. Associated Press journalists in Bucha, a small city northwest of the capital, saw the bodies of at least nine people in civilian clothes who appeared to have been killed at close range. At least two had their hands tied behind their backs. The AP also saw two bodies wrapped in plastic, bound with tape and thrown into a ditch…

“A day earlier, AP journalists witnessed Ukrainian soldiers gingerly removing at least six bodies from a street in Bucha with cables in case the Russians had booby-trapped corpses with explosives before their withdrawal. Local residents said the dead people were civilians killed without provocation, a claim that could not be independently verified. ‘What happened in Bucha and other suburbs of Kyiv can only be described as genocide,’ Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko told German newspaper Bild. Klitschko called on other nations to immediately end Russian gas imports, saying they were funding the killings…

“Charles Michel, president of the European Council, wrote on Twitter that he was shocked by the ‘haunting images of atrocities committed by [the] Russian army’ in the capital region. The EU and non-governmental organizations were assisting in the effort to preserve evidence of war crimes, according to Michel, who promised ‘further EU sanctions’ against Russia. The foreign ministers of France, Germany, Italy and the U.K. separately condemned what was being described and said Russia would be held accountable….”

Reuters added on April 3:

“Germany’s defence minister [Christine Lambrecht] said on Sunday that the European Union must discuss banning the import of Russian gas after Ukrainian and European officials accused Russian forces of committing atrocities near Kyiv… Berlin has so far resisted growing calls to impose an embargo on energy imports from Russia, saying its economy and that of other European countries are too dependent on them. Russia supplies 40% of Europe’s gas needs….

“Russia’s defence ministry denied the allegation, saying footage and photographs showing dead bodies in Bucha were ‘yet another provocation’ by Kyiv.”

The Russian denial is so egregious and appalling that it is difficult to contemplate that anyone would believe Russia on this. On April 6, in response to Russia’s actions and denials, “Pope Francis on Wednesday condemned ‘the massacre of Bucha’ and kissed a Ukrainian flag sent from the town where Russian troops withdrew and where dozens of bodies in civilian clothing have been found… decrying cruelty against civilians, defenseless women and children… He then asked a group of children war refugees who arrived on Tuesday from Ukraine to come up to him. ‘These children had to flee in order to arrive in a safe land. This is the fruit of war. Let’s not forget them and let’s not forget the Ukrainian people,’ he said… ‘In the war in Ukraine, we are witnessing the impotency of the United Nations’” (Newsmax, April 6).

Reuters reported on April 4:

“German Finance Minister Christian Lindner on Monday rejected a European Union embargo on Russian gas imports… ‘It is clear we must end as quickly as possible all economic ties to Russia. We must plan tough sanctions, but gas cannot be substituted in the short term. We would inflict more damage on ourselves than on them.’”

However, Germany seems to be on board with ending coal import from Russia.  

The PROOF Putin’s Soldiers and Wagner Mercenaries Carried out Bucha Atrocities

The Daily Mail wrote on April 7:

“Germany’s foreign intelligence service, the BND, has heard messages from Putin’s forces discussing the brutal murder of civilians in the city of horrors outside Kyiv, which was recaptured by Ukraine over the weekend. The transmissions have been linked to specific corpses seen in Bucha, with one soldier talking about how he and his colleagues shot dead someone on a bicycle, while another said: ‘First question soldiers, then shoot them.’ The audio messages have been relayed to German parliament by the BND to further debunk baseless Kremlin claims that the bodies were staged by Ukraine after Russia withdrew from the city in a ‘monstrous forgery’. 

“Messages show the troops regularly discussed the potential war crimes as if they were talking about their everyday lives. The wiretap recordings also show that the Wagner Group  was present in the city and played ‘a key role’ in the massacre, and that there are likely similar scenes of slaughter elsewhere in the country. The shadowy military company which has been linked to a string of killings, rapes and war crimes around the world is known as Putin’s private army which carries out his dirty work at an arm’s length from the state.”

War Crimes by Ukrainians too?

Politico wrote on April 7:

“A video posted to social media appears to show Ukrainian troops shooting a captured Russian soldier near a village west of Kyiv. In the video posted on Monday, which the New York Times said it had independently verified, a group of Ukrainian soldiers near the village of Dmytrivka walks among at least four stricken Russian combatants, who are tied up and lying on a rural road covered in blood. ‘Look — he’s still alive, he’s gasping,’ one member of the group says, pointing the camera in the direction of one of the captives, who is gasping for air, his head covered by his jacket and clothes soaked in blood. One of the Ukrainian soldiers fires multiple shots at the wounded man, who then falls silent.

“The person filming the scene then pans across the road, where at least three other Russian soldiers are tied up and lying in pools of blood, before approaching a Ukrainian fighter and saying, ‘Glory to Ukraine.’… In Brussels NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said didn’t ‘know anything about that specific incident’ but stressed that all war crimes are ‘unacceptable’ and that such allegations ‘should be thoroughly looked into.’”

The Horrors of War

The Sun wrote on April 3:

“TWO Russian soldiers have died after eating poisonous pies given to them by Ukrainian citizens, Ukrainian intelligence has claimed. The soldiers, from the third Motor Rifle Division, are said to have died instantly after being given the delicacies as ‘gifts’ by locals in Izium. Another 28 Russians were said to have been rushed to intensive care after the poisoning, with hundreds of others said to be suffering ‘severe illness’ from poisoned food and drink…

“It added: ‘About 500 more servicemen of the third Motorized Rifle Division of the Russian Federation are in hospitals due to severe alcohol poisoning of unknown origin.’”

Poisoning the enemy seems to become more common on both sides.

Czech Tanks Roll into Ukraine

Express wrote on April 6:

“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been calling for measures to bolster their army and the first NATO country has answered his call. In a brutal blow to Putin and his forces, more than a dozen T-72 tanks and some BVP-1 infantry fighting vehicles have been sent to Ukraine in a shipment as a gift agreed with NATO allies…

“Prague’s decision will likely increase pressure on NATO allies to follow their lead…”

According to a new poll, nearly 70% of Americans  fear that Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine will lead to nuclear war.

Europe’s Rapid Reaction Force Under German Leadership

Express wrote on April 1:

“Denmark will hold a vote on June 1 on whether to begin participating in a common European Union defence policy following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, almost 30 years after Danes chose to opt out… Denmark won exemptions from some EU policy areas, including the euro currency and defence and security policy, in a 1992 referendum on the Maastricht Treaty that laid the groundwork for the modern European Union… the… Democracy Movement wrote:  ‘… Using a crisis to push for more powers and diminish democracy is a classic pro-EU ploy….’

“Germany is ready to provide the core of the EU’s new rapid reaction force in 2025, the year it is meant to become fully operational… The force will replace the existing EU battlegroups that the bloc has had since 2007 but never used. Plans for an overhaul gained traction after European countries struggled to handle the chaotic withdrawal from Kabul in August.”

So it will be GERMANY which will provide the CORE of the EU’s new “defense” force. Whoever has eyes to see, let him see.

So it will be GERMANY which will provide the CORE of the EU’s new “defense” force. Whoever has eyes to see, let him see.

“Germany Has Never Been a Pacifist Power”

Foreign Policy wrote on April 4:

“Germany has not been a pacifist power at any moment since 1949… In the postwar era, Germany has indeed been more reluctant to use force than the United States, Britain, or France. But Bonn—and then Berlin—has always prepared for war, including nuclear war…

“The 1945 Potsdam Agreement that ended World War II called for the ‘complete disarmament and demilitarization of Germany.’ But this was a short-lived goal… The 1949 West German Constitution struck a very different chord: It forbade ‘wars of aggression,’ but it did not say anything about other forms of war… West Germany’s founding document ‘implicitly permitted wars of self-defense,’ enabled the introduction of conscription, and provided for the country’s participation in military alliances… In 1955, West Germany joined NATO and officially created the Bundeswehr… The Bundeswehr soon boasted 500,000 soldiers, making it NATO’s largest standing army in Western Europe.

“In 1957, the United States agreed to place its nuclear weapons stationed in Germany under the control of the Bonn government—with the Bundeswehr trained to deploy them in a potential conflict with the Soviet bloc. The prospect of Germany’s nuclearization triggered mass protest. Two-thirds of the German public rejected the move, yet Adenauer was able to push it through the parliament thanks to the CDU’s absolute majority…

“When the SPD finally came to power under Chancellor Willy Brandt in 1969, they had long abandoned their opposition to NATO, rearmament, and nuclear weapons. Adenauer’s defense policy was left unchanged. While reaching out to the Soviet bloc, Brandt still relied on NATO and Germany’s military muscle for defense and deterrence. In fact, the country’s defense budget increased by 50 percent over Brandt’s five years in office—record numbers. Brandt… wrote that his experience with the Nazi regime prevented him from becoming a pacifist and that the SPD under his chairmanship was ‘no pacifist party.’

“Helmut Schmidt, Brandt’s successor and party fellow, fully supported the deployment of a new generation of U.S. nuclear missiles on German soil as part of NATO’s response to a similar Soviet missile plan in Eastern Europe… Backing NATO’s confrontational policies put Schmidt not only against the peace movement but also most of his own party… his posture contributed to the SPD’s exit from government in 1982… the [new] governing conservative coalition led by Helmut Kohl stuck to Schmidt’s policy…

“Reunified Germany enjoyed the peace dividend that came with the Cold War’s end. But changing demands from allies, led by the United States, forced Berlin to take a stance on the new wars of the day. These were increasingly waged well beyond NATO territory—in the Persian Gulf,  Kuwait, Somalia, and, most importantly, the former Yugoslavia—making it difficult to interpret them as self-defense in the conventional sense. Eventually, Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court ruled in 1994 that even ‘out of area’ deployment of the Bundeswehr could be permitted under certain circumstances, especially if as part of a broader international effort.

“This opened the door for the Bundeswehr to engage in direct warfighting as part of NATO-led coalition forces: first, in the sky over Serbia during the 1999 Kosovo crisis, and then in Afghanistan with 150,000 soldiers—the second-highest number after the United States—making their tour until the final retreat in 2021…

“Despite fierce internal opposition, the Green leadership supported Germany’s new wars, arguing military violence was necessary to stop a genocide in Kosovo or to respond to the ‘totalitarian challenge’ in Afghanistan. This distinctly nonpacifist stance earned then-Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer a famous paint bomb attack at a party congress in 1999… The Greens then dropped pacifism from their 2002 long-term program, which explicitly—if not unconditionally—embraced both NATO and military deployments abroad.

“Germany’s military engagement appeared to become more conservative in the following years. While staying in Afghanistan and participating in multiple smaller missions in Mali, the Mediterranean, and off the coast of Somalia, the Bundeswehr avoided the U.S.-led war in Iraq in 2003 and the U.N.-sanctioned and NATO-led intervention in Libya in 2011. These decisions were occasionally wrapped in peace rhetoric… Yet… the German government supported those wars by other means: guarding U.S. military bases, helping with logistics, or sharing intelligence… Germany was pursuing, as the Berlin daily Die Tageszeitung wrote in 2002, ‘a little bit of war.’”

Hungary’s Viktor Orban Reelected

 JTA wrote on April 4:

“Hungary’s nationalist prime minister, Viktor Orban, has won a fourth term in office, dashing the hopes of a broad opposition alliance of unseating him after 12 years in power. In his victory speech Sunday night, Orban said he had prevailed against a slew of perceived enemies: ‘the left at home, the international left all around, the Brussels bureaucrats, the Soros empire with all its money, the international mainstream media, and in the end, even the Ukrainian president.’…

“Orban has clashed publicly with the European Union, to which Hungary belongs, over key issues such as immigration — he has refused to let in asylum seekers from the Middle East — as well as the treatment of Hungary’s Roma minority. He has also been accused of inciting antisemitic sentiments… his share of the vote is seen as a solid barometer of public opinion, suggesting that many Hungarians are satisfied with Orban’s positions, including when it comes to Russia’s war on Ukraine. Orban has declined to attenuate or sever economic ties with Russia as other European countries have done.

“Zelensky… implied that Orban is doing Russia’s bidding in the European Union. ‘There can be no Russian branches in Europe that divide the EU from within, that are trying to help Russia make as much money as possible even now… Everyone knows very well who in the European Union opposes humanity and common sense, and who does nothing at all to help establish peace in Ukraine. This must stop, and Europe must stop listening to the excuses of Budapest.’”

The Associated Press added:

“Orban, a longtime ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, has insisted that Hungary remain neutral and maintain its close economic ties with Moscow, including continuing to import Russian gas and oil on favorable terms. At his final campaign rally Friday, Orban claimed that supplying Ukraine with weapons — something that Hungary, alone among Ukraine’s EU neighbors, has refused to do — would make the country a military target, and that sanctioning Russian energy imports would cripple Hungary’s own economy…

“Orban — a fierce critic of immigration, LGBTQ rights and ‘EU bureaucrats’ — has garnered the admiration of right-wing nationalists across Europe and North America. He has taken many of Hungary’s democratic institutions under his control and depicted himself as a defender of European Christendom against Muslim migrants, progressives and the ‘LGBTQ lobby.’”

Serbia Too

CNN wrote on April 4:

“In both Hungary and Serbia, openly pro-Russian parties comfortably won legislative elections, providing Putin with a welcome reminder that despite the international community’s firm and largely united response to the invasion, he does have some friends to his west…. Serbia…  isn’t a member of the EU or NATO. It is currently going through the process of joining the EU, with negotiations expected to end in the next couple of years.

“Serbia’s president, Aleksandar Vučić, has been placed in a difficult position by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. For years, he has tried to balance maintaining strong diplomatic and economic ties to Russia (and a particular fondness for Putin) with the Western embrace that would come with full EU membership…

“Serbia is almost entirely dependent on Russian gas, while its army maintains ties with Russia’s military. Although Serbia backed two United Nations resolutions condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it refused to impose sanctions against Moscow…. The Kremlin also supports Belgrade’s opposition to the independence of Kosovo by blocking its membership to the United Nations.”

It has been reported to us that most of the Serbs are among the fiercest and most fanatic supporters of Russia.

America is Losing the Middle East

Israel Today wrote on April 3:

“It’s come as a shock to some that Israel has refrained quite resolutely from joining the United States in condemning and sanctioning Russia over its invasion of Ukraine… But it’s not only the Jewish state that is loosening ties to the US. A chorus of Arab voices are warning that America is losing its grip on the entire Middle East due to reckless, contradictory and even hypocritical policies…

“This breakup began with the previous Iran nuclear deal facilitated by former US President Barak Obama  Now, continued al-Yahya, President Joe Biden is doing the same with the nuclear deal emerging from ongoing talks in Vienna…

“The conclusion that the Arabs have arrived at is that the United States no longer has their back, at least not in the way that would protect them from Iranian aggression. Israel has reached much the same conclusion, even if it doesn’t say so in such explicit terms.”

The USA is losing its influence worldwide and will end up all alone and forsaken.

Israel in Disarray

The Guardian wrote on April 6:

“A key member of Naftali Bennett’s Yamina party has quit the Israeli coalition government after a row about unleavened bread during Passover, in a surprise move that leaves the prime minister without a parliamentary majority.

“Idit Silman’s announcement left Bennett’s coalition, an alliance of parties ranging from the Jewish right and Israeli doves to an Arab Muslim party, with 60 seats – the same as the opposition… On Monday, Silman lashed out at the health minister, Nitzan Horowitz, after he instructed hospitals to allow leavened bread products into their facilities during the upcoming Passover holiday, in line with a recent supreme court ruling reversing years of prohibition. Jewish tradition bars leavened bread from the public domain during Passover…

“If another member of the coalition defects… the Knesset could hold a vote of no confidence and potentially lead Israel back to the polls for a fifth parliamentary election in four years.”

Some are speculating that Netanyahu is planning his comeback.

Jens Spahn’s Secret and Quiet Return

Der Westen wrote on April 1:

“What does Jens Spahn actually do? Until the change of power in Berlin, the CDU politician was Minister of Health. During large parts of the Corona crisis, he was at the center of events. Now the 41-year-old has reinvented himself: Jens Spahn has said goodbye to health policy… Almost secretly, quietly, Jens Spahn looked for a new job in Berlin. That only became really clear to many when he gave an interview to the TV station Phoenix on Tuesday. There Jens Spahn was suddenly introduced as the ‘energy expert’ of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group. In this capacity, he gave an assessment of the gas threat from Moscow, which he believes to be a bluff by Vladimir Putin.

“From health minister to energy expert? Not a few TV viewers rubbed their eyes in amazement. There is a plethora of irritated and scornful reactions on the internet… In fact, Jens Spahn is now one of the deputy leaders of the Union parliamentary group and in this capacity is responsible for the topics of economy, climate, energy, small and medium-sized enterprises and tourism. So energy is now also his area of ​​expertise…

“Jens Spahn, who has felt at home in health policy almost continuously since entering the Bundestag in 2002, now wants to make a name for himself in the areas of energy and business – as a counterpart to Green Minister Robert Habeck. Some people will have to get used to that.”

The funny thing is, Jens Spahn was no expert in health matters, nor is he an expert on energy. But lack of expertise does not stop a politician from gaining prestige and influence.

Riding a Dead Horse?

Bild Online wrote on April 1st:

“A Dakota Indian proverb says: if you find yourself riding a dead horse, dismount. It is good that the… coalition partners, who wanted to oblige all citizens over 18 to be vaccinated by law, now see that nothing will come of it. Because the Omicron variant spreads at breakneck speed, but is much milder, there is no need for vaccination.

“Unfortunately, the coalition now changes from one dead horse to another horse, which is already half-dead on the ground. From mandatory vaccinations from the age of 18 to mandatory vaccinations from the age of 50! It would be much more important to clarify soon how many citizens in Germany have already recovered from Corona. Studies indicate that those who have recovered are also well protected from serious illnesses.

“As many infections remain undetected, many more than the officially reported 16.5 million citizens are likely to have recovered.”

This all sounds like an April Fool’s joke by the government, but unfortunately it isn’t. It doesn’t look like the government is just riding dead or half-dead horses, it looks like the riders themselves are “dead”.

Germany’s Lockdown Health Minister Lauterbach

Breitbart wrote on April 3:

“Germany’s lockdown-loving health minister… Karl Lauterbach is reportedly still hoping to legally force everyone over the age of 18 in the European Union member-state to get vaccinated against the Chinese coronavirus… In an interview posted by public broadcaster Deutschlandfunk, Lauterbach made clear that his dream scenario of all over-18s being forced to get jabbed against COVID-19 is still something he is committed to, despite a reported lack of support from elected officials… noting that he was not going to stop pushing the legislation in parliament….

“Forced masking is another lockdown rule that remains prominent in Germany, and while the requirements to wear such face coverings are being dropped at a national level from Sunday, many parts of the country will still require their use…, with 69 per cent of Germans still supporting the mandate according to a report by Bild.”

Words fail…

No Vaccine Mandate in Germany

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 7:

“Germany’s Bundestag rejected a proposal to impose a vaccine mandate on those older than 60, which was supported by Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Health Minister Karl Lauterbach… Of 674 Bundestag MPs, 378 voted against the vaccine mandate, while 296 supported it…

“The measure’s rejection was a major blow to Scholz and his governing coalition, consisting of the chancellor’s Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens and the neoliberal Free Democrats (FDP)… several senior FDP members came out against mandating vaccines, joining instead the conservative opposition CDU/CSU in rejecting the measure.”

Bild Online commented that this is a debacle for Scholz and Lauterbach. One wonders what Scholz and Lauterbach will try next—from failed efforts to impose a vaccine mandate for those over 18 to those over 50 to those over 60.

Once Upon a Time, Fauci Told the Truth

Breitbart wrote on April 1:

“Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) observed that Dr. Anthony Fauci was once able to ‘tell the truth’ about natural immunity — a reality the White House chief medical adviser has largely dismissed throughout the Chinese coronavirus pandemic. ‘Hmmm…Once upon a time Anthony Fauci could tell the truth…What happened?’ Paul asked, referring to an older clip of Fauci on CSPAN, where the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) chief firmly defended the concept of natural immunity against an illness. When asked if someone who had the flu for 14 days needed a flu shot, Fauci said, ‘Well, no. If she got the flu for 14 days, she’s as protected as anybody can be because the best vaccination is to get infected yourself... If she really has the flu she definitely doesn’t need a flu vaccine,’ he continued, adding that ‘she doesn’t need it’ because ‘the most potent vaccination is getting infected yourself.’

“… Fauci has been hesitant to overtly tout the reality of natural immunity throughout the pandemic, encouraging everyone eligible to get the jab. That also happened to be one of the main issues among critics of vaccine mandates, as they noted that the rules did not consider the reality of natural immunity…

“Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) has also blasted Fauci for refusing to overtly acknowledge natural immunity in the wake of the virus. ‘When asked to comment on the effectiveness of natural immunity against the virus based on recent studies from Israel, Dr. Anthony Fauci stated he did not ‘have a real firm answer’ on that,’ Johnson said in a September 2021 statement. ‘Almost 20 months into the pandemic, it is shocking that the chief medical advisor to the president does not have a firm grasp on the effectiveness of natural immunity, but still promotes freedom-robbing vaccine mandates. This administration clearly does not want the public to question whether natural immunity is more effective than vaccines… This administration’s decision to disregard the effectiveness of natural immunity and demand vaccination ignores current data and is an assault on all Americans’ civil liberties,’ he added.”

Natural immunity does not put money in the coffers of the pharma industry… vaccines do.

Dr. Fauci Acting Like a Mafia Don

Breitbart wrote on April 2:

“A recent Vanity Fair magazine report described heavy-handed tactics and what was claimed to be ‘a siege mentality’ at the National Institutes of Health when evolutionary biologist Jesse Bloom presented the draft of an unpublished scientific paper about the origins of the COVID-19 virus he had written to National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases director Dr. Anthony Fauci and two of his colleagues, evolutionary biologist Kristian Andersen and virologist Robert Garry. Bloom’s paper suggested the virus came from a lab, contradicting Fauci’s stated belief. The article described a contentious exchange among a group of scientists over a Zoom call.

“Friday on FNC’s ‘The Ingraham Angle,’ Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) reacted to the Vanity Fair piece and described the behavior of the NIH-affiliated scientists as ‘more like [what] you see from a mafia don than from a government bureaucrat or scientist… Well, this expose in Vanity Fair shows Dr. Fauci and his acolytes once again, trying to suppress and trying to block any scientists who disagree with them,’ Paul said… ‘I mean, it’s really alarming… And this is what I tried to bring out in the last committee hearing is, is that they will do anything… If you disagree with him, they come down on you hard, and they try to suppress anybody with a different opinion. It happened to three famous epidemiologists from Stanford, Harvard and Oxford…’”

Is the suppression of opposing views the way in which “science” operates?

Abortion War Goes On

Life News wrote on April 1:

“While pro-life states have passed a record number of laws to protect unborn babies from abortion, already this year, pro-abortion states have been taking aggressive action to expand abortions… four states in particular… have thrown out the ‘safe, legal and rare’ mentality and replaced it with the notion that more abortions and fewer safety regulations are a good thing. They are California, Colorado, Oregon and Illinois.

“All four states force taxpayers to pay for elective abortions and allow late-term abortions on viable, healthy unborn babies with healthy mothers. They do not have informed consent laws for mothers or basic health and safety standards for abortion facilities, and they allow non-doctors to perform abortions – putting both mothers’ and unborn babies’ lives at risk. Hundreds of thousands of unborn babies are aborted in these four states alone every year, and the numbers are expected to rise with their aggressive efforts to expand abortions.

“However, many other states are taking bold action to protect unborn babies from abortion and support mothers in need. The Guttmacher Institute estimates 26 states ‘are certain or likely to ban abortions’ if the Supreme Court gets rid of Roe. Researchers estimate abortion numbers would drop by about 120,000 in the first year and potentially even more in subsequent years if the high court allows states to ban abortions again.

“Right now, Roe and later abortion rulings force states to legalize the killing of unborn babies without limits up to viability. As a result, more than 63 million unborn babies have been killed in abortions in the past 50 years. The Supreme Court likely will issue its ruling… in June.”

Bird Flu Affects American Exports

Bloomberg wrote on March 30:

“A deadly strain of bird flu that’s been raising egg prices ahead of Easter was discovered in five new U.S. states Wednesday, and the virus increasingly is threatening American poultry exports. Highly pathogenic avian influenza was discovered at a commercial poultry farm in Johnston County, North Carolina, and in backyard flocks in Massachusetts, North Dakota, Ohio and Wyoming, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a release. Since mid-January, it’s been found in 23 states in flocks totaling nearly 17 million birds.

“Countries have been temporarily banning imports from U.S. states where bird flu is present as a result, according to the USDA. Top buyers such as Mexico, China and Cuba could bring in less poultry following the discovery in North Carolina, a major producer of chicken and turkeys, said Jim Sumner, president of the USA Poultry & Egg Export Council in Tucker, Georgia. Bird flu will also make eggs relatively scarce for the Easter holiday, with production still below levels seen prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a report from agriculture lender CoBank.”

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.

Idolatry, Superstition, Demonology and Blasphemy in the Catholic Church

The Associated Press wrote on March 25:

“Pope Francis prayed for peace in Ukraine in a ceremony Friday that harked back to a century-old apocalyptic prophecy about peace and Russia that was sparked by purported visions of the Virgin Mary to three peasant children in Fatima, Portugal, in 1917. Francis invited bishops, priests and ordinary faithful around the world to join him in the consecration prayer, which… concluded with Francis sitting alone before a statue of the Madonna. There, he solemnly asked forgiveness that humanity had ‘forgotten the lessons learned from the tragedies of the last century, the sacrifice of the millions who fell in two World Wars… Free us from war, protect our world from the menace of nuclear weapons,’ he prayed…

“The prayer ritual… deals with some of the more controversial aspects of the Catholic faith: purported visions of the Madonna, revelations of hell, Soviet communism and the death of a pope, and questions about whether the prophecies contained in the so-called ‘secrets of Fatima’ have already been fulfilled or not… Retired Pope Benedict XVI participated from his home in the Vatican gardens. A papal envoy celebrated a simultaneous service at the shrine in Fatima.

“The Fatima story dates to 1917 when according to tradition, Portuguese siblings Francisco and Jacinta Marto and their cousin Lucia said the Virgin Mary appeared to them six times and confided to them three secrets. The first two described an apocalyptic image of hell, foretold the end of World War I and the start of World War II, and portended the rise and fall of Soviet communism. The children were between 7 and 10 years old at the time. In 2000, the Vatican disclosed the long-awaited third secret, describing it as foretelling the May 13, 1981, assassination attempt against St. John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square. According to later writings by Lucia, who became a nun and died in 2005, Russia would be converted and peace would reign if the pope and all the bishops of the world consecrated Russia to the ‘Immaculate Heart of Mary.’ Lucia later claimed that John Paul fulfilled that prophecy during a Mass on March 25, 1984, exactly 38 years ago Friday, even though he never specified Russia in the prayer.

“The text of Francis’ prayer corrected that 1984 omission. It reads: ‘Therefore, Mother of God and our Mother, to your Immaculate Heart we solemnly entrust and consecrate ourselves, the Church and all humanity, especially Russia and Ukraine.’ It adds: ‘Grant that war may end and peace spread throughout the world.’…”

The extent of idolatry, superstition, demonology and blasphemy in the Catholic Church is astounding.

Pope Francis: Wars Must End

Breitbart wrote on March 27:

“Pope Francis renewed his appeal for an end to war Sunday, condemning the ‘bestiality’ of the Russian war on Ukraine… ‘There is a need to repudiate war, a place of death where fathers and mothers bury their children, where men kill their brothers without even having seen them, where the powerful decide and the poor die… War not only devastates the present but also the future of a society’…

“Francis went on to insist that war cannot be ‘something inevitable’ and humanity must never grow used to armed conflict… ‘Faced with the danger of self-destruction, humanity understands [according to Thompson/Reuters, he said: “humanity must understand”] that the time has come to abolish war, to erase it [Reuters: “to cancel it”] from human history before it is she who erases [“cancels”] man from history,’ he exhorted.”

Sadly, humanity by no means understands that the time has come to abolish war. In fact, the opposite is true, and a terrible nuclear war will be fought in the near future, threatening the very survival of mankind.

Trudeau’s Dictatorship and Hypocrisy

LifeSiteNews wrote on March 25:

“Organizers of the anti-COVID mandate ‘Freedom Convoy’ protest now face up to five years in prison after police came up with several additional charges. Despite the non-violent nature of the ‘Freedom Convoy’ demonstration that occurred in Ottawa for three weeks earlier this year in protest of COVID restrictions, two of the primary organizers… have now been hit with charges [of] mischief, counselling mischief, intimidation, counselling intimidation, counselling obstruction of police, and obstructing police…

“Ottawa’s chief of police reluctantly admitted that during the police crackdown of the protest following Trudeau’s invocation of the never-before-used Emergencies Act, not a single charge for weapons possession came down, despite the constant accusations that the Freedom Convoy protesters were ‘insurrectionists’ and posed a threat to national security…

“The significance of the government’s backtracking on the nature of the Freedom Convoy protest is monumental, as it was these arguments that the Trudeau government used to justify invoking the Emergencies Act, which allowed it to use the national police force to physically remove peaceful protesters while demanding financial institutions freeze the bank accounts of private citizens without a court order.  As a result of this backtracking, the state-funded CBC has since had to retract a story that falsely claimed most support for the Freedom Convoy came from foreigners. The CBC had also earlier retracted a story run in January that falsely claimed Russia was somehow behind the Freedom Convoy. “

To hear dictator Trudeau speak about the importance of democracy when accusing Putin and defending Ukraine is the epitome of hypocrisy.

National Post wrote on or about March 27:

“It is a brazen thing to go to other countries like some John the Baptist for the democracies, shortly after having trampled all over the rights of those involved in a largely peaceful democratic protest… The trucker protest was not an attempted coup. It was not a rebellion. It was not an assault on Canada’s democracy. It was none of those things.

“The convoy protest was strong and present, but it was unthreatening and largely non-violent. It was superbly Canadian. It should not be slandered. And it surely should not be used as some sort of example of anti-democratic forces by the leader of the country in which it took place. Most especially when he goes about the world delivering passionate defences of the idea of democracy itself.

“To defend democracy, you should adhere to its principles. Don’t go to Brussels to preach what you skip over in Ottawa. Some examples:… Don’t call protesters racist and homophobic and characterize them as a fringe minority and stoke public anger against them with your extravagant and mean rhetoric. Don’t rhetorically isolate one small portion of the Canadian population and paint them all as villains and seditionists and insurrectionists in a blatant attempt to whip up animosity towards them and their cause. Don’t, as the leader of a democracy, claim they were out to overthrow the government. This is so much an overstatement it is really difficult to understand how some in the press actually repeated it…

“A leader preaching democracy abroad… wouldn’t give himself the power to reach into personal bank accounts. He wouldn’t use the brute authority of the federal government to interfere with their fundraising. All this being the case, maybe Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should think twice before wandering into an international forum, during  a time of real war and death, and evoking the Canadian protest in the context of Ukraine’s savage hurt and danger….”

Rebel News wrote on March 24 about Trudeau’s trip to Belgium and the reaction he received from some:

“Croatian Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Mislav Kolakušić…  [categorized] the force Canada… used against Freedom Convoy protesters as methods of ‘a dictatorship of the worst kind.’… At least two more MEP’s criticized Trudeau’s leadership and his invitation to address the European legislature. A fourth MEP, Italy’s Francesca Donato, says she was denied the opportunity to speak after Trudeau did, despite being one of the scheduled speakers.

“German MEP Christine Anderson said ‘Mr. Trudeau, you are a disgrace for any democracy. Please spare us your presence.’ Anderson… did not hold back her fiery words for the increasingly authoritarian Trudeau… ‘a prime minister who openly admires the Chinese basic dictatorship, who tramples on fundamental rights by persecuting and criminalizing his own citizens as terrorists, just because they dare to stand up to his perverted concept of democracy should not be allowed to speak in this house at all.’

“MEP Bernhard Zimniok, another representative from Germany, went as far as trying to prevent Trudeau’s speech in the European Parliament meeting from happening at all…”

A Deal Between the USA and EU?

The Associated Press wrote on March 25:

“The United States and European Union on Friday announced a new partnership to reduce the continent’s reliance on Russian energy… Under the plan, the U.S. and other nations will increase liquified natural gas exports to Europe by 15 billion cubic meters this year, though U.S. officials were unable to say exactly which countries will provide the extra energy this year. Even larger shipments would be delivered in the future… the initiative will likely require new facilities for importing liquified natural gas…

“Getting more liquefied natural gas to Europe could be difficult… Many export facilities are already operating at capacity, and most new terminals are still only in the planning stages… Even if the U.S. can ship more gas to Europe, the continent may struggle to receive it. Import terminals are located in coastal areas, where there are fewer pipeline connections for distributing it.

“And if all Europe’s facilities were operating at capacity, the amount of gas would likely be only about two-thirds of what Russia delivers through pipelines.”

According to the New York Times, it would take years before new terminals are in operation to receive substantial amounts of gas from the USA. Also, if the USA has so much gas to spare, why is it that the gas prices at America’s gas stations are so astronomically high? And why is it that in Tijuana/Mexico, just across the US-Mexico border, “regular gas sells for an average of $3.96 a gallon — nearly $2 less than in California.” One of the reasons is that the Mexican government “provides subsidies to Mexican oil companies and refineries” (Los Angeles Times, March 24).

Nuclear Weapons in Germany and Europe… Ready to Be Used

The Washington Post wrote on March 25:

“Near steep vineyards of riesling grapes, in an underground vault at an air force base in western Germany, sits an American nuclear bomb. More than one of them, actually… Experts estimate that there are about 100 such bombs stored among five NATO countries, ready to be loaded on jets and dropped by the United States and its allies… toward an enemy target. One version of this bomb can carry the explosive equivalent of 11 Hiroshimas….

“The bomb’s family name is B61… As Russia’s invasion of Ukraine triggers another round of anxiety about World War III, the B61 remains the only U.S. nuclear weapons system based in Europe… In May, the United States is scheduled to begin full-scale production of a modernized version of the B61 that will have an adjustable yield – meaning that the military can dial up or down the force with which each bomb explodes – and a guided tail kit to improve accuracy (no parachute necessary). This modernization, which started more than a decade ago, is predicted to cost between $9.1 billion and $10.1 billion – making it probably the most expensive nuclear-bomb program in U.S. history…

“The mood in Germany – where for years the parliament has held debates on phasing out custody of those B61s by the vineyards – ‘has changed significantly since the Russian invasion of Ukraine,’ says Xanthe Hall, a nuclear-disarmament expert… ‘The reaction to this is very strong but in both directions. Many people are calling for abolition of nuclear weapons,’ she says, while ‘others are saying that nuclear deterrence is our only protection.’

“On March 14 Germany announced that it would replace its aging bomber jets with American F-35s that can also carry B61s…”

Nuclear weapons do not only exist for the purpose of deterrence. They are there to be used.

More Typical German Blunders

Express wrote on March 27:

“THE UKRAINIAN ambassador to Germany has hit out at a [German] ‘solidarity concert’… Ambassador Andriy Melnyk refused to attend the event, which he described as ‘an affront’. The concert, organised by German President Frank Walter Steinmeier, took place earlier today. It was organised to ‘condemn the attack on Ukraine and send a signal of solidarity and the shared belief in the value of freedom and self-determination’, a statement said. According to the Office of the Federal President, musicians from countries such as Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and Germany were set to perform… However, only Russian soloists could be seen on the schedule, alongside performances by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra… [Melnyk announced:] ‘Sorry I’m staying away!!!’

“Germany has previously faced criticism from Ukrainian politicians, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky hitting out at the country for failing to secure peace in Europe, despite pledges to do so in the wake of the Holocaust. In a brutal speech to German politicians in Berlin in March, Mr Zelensky said: ‘I address all of you who heard politicians say every year ‘never again,’ but I can see these words are worth nothing. Now, our whole nation is being exterminated in Europe…’ Meanwhile, Ukrainian MP Dymtro Gurin has accused the German Government of ‘financing mass murder’, over Berlin’s reluctance to ditch Russian gas… Mr Gurin said: ‘Germany has to understand that buying Russian gas they’re financing the mass murder… they are afraid they will not get gas and because they fear, they’re financing mass-murdering.’”

Biden’s Devastating Gaffes

The Associated Press reported on March 26:

“President Joe Biden delivered a forceful and highly personal condemnation of Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Saturday, summoning a call for liberal democracy and a durable resolve among Western nations in the face of a brutal autocrat. As he capped a four-day trip to Europe, a blend of emotive scenes with refugees and standing among other world leaders in grand settings, Biden said of Putin: ‘… this man cannot remain in power.’ It was a dramatic escalation in rhetoric — Biden had earlier called Putin a ‘butcher’ — that the White House found itself quickly walking back. Before Biden could even board Air Force One to begin the flight back to Washington, aides were clarifying that he wasn’t calling for an immediate change in government in Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov quickly denounced Biden, saying ‘it’s not up to the president of the U.S. and not up to the Americans to decide who will remain in power in Russia’…”

Breitbart added on March 27:

“This is the third time the White House has had to clarify Biden’s remarks during his trip to Europe. On Friday, the White House reassured people that Biden would not send American troops into Ukraine, even after the president spoke with the troops about what they would see when they got to the country. On Thursday, the White House had to clarify that Biden did not mean the United States would use chemical weapons when he said that if Putin used them the United States and NATO would respond ‘in kind.’”

Some commentators felt that Biden’s call for regime change in Russia [or for a demand to “take him out”] were not a “gaffe,” but expressed accurately what Biden really believes. “A top official confirmed for Axios that the line wasn’t on Biden’s teleprompter or in his text” (Axios, March 27). The New York Post wrote on March 27:  “Shortly after the speech, a Biden aide told pool reporters that ‘the president… was not discussing Putin’s power in Russia, or regime change.’ Unbelievable. So what Biden so clearly said is not at all what he meant.”

Breitbart added on March 29:

“On Monday, Biden struggled to clarify his remarks [on Putin], first claiming falsely that he had not walked back his Warsaw comment, then repeating it, claiming it was just a statement of ‘moral outrage.’… He indicated he believed everyone criticizing him for his comments about Putin was being dishonest.”

As Fox News and the New York Post reported and evidenced by photos, Biden had a carefully prepared “cheat sheet” with written-down answers in anticipation of questions regarding his Putin comments. Biden has used cheat sheets several times before.

Biden also suggested on his trip that there would be food shortages in the USA, which the White House denied. And, Biden once again stated that the sanctions imposed on Russia and Putin were never meant to deter him. This contradicts totally comments by Kamala Harris and the Biden Administration, including numerous times by Antony Blinken as well as Ned Price, Jake Sullivan and Daleep Singh.

Breitbart pointed out on March 29:

“However, as far back as January 19, Biden was explaining how the threat of sanctions would deter Putin. A reporter asked Biden at a press conference that day, ‘Given how ineffective sanctions have been in deterring Putin in the past, why should the threat of new sanctions give him pause?’ Biden responded, ‘Well, because he’s never seen sanctions like the ones I promised will be imposed if he moves.’”

Surely, the sanctions did not deter Putin, but If they were not imposed for the purpose of deterrence, why impose sanctions at all?

The Most Dangerous Time in American History

Newsmax wrote on March 27:

“Former President Donald Trump is warning President Joe Biden is risking provoking Vladimir Putin to use nuclear weapons to defend himself against Biden’s accidental call for a regime change in Russia. ‘When you put him into a corner and you talk the way they’re talking… they’re almost giving him an incentive…’  Trump noted that tends to make dictators use deadly force, if not nuclear weapons to defend themselves… Provoking Putin to escalate an invasion of Ukraine into a nuclear attack on a NATO ally, if not the United States, makes this the ‘most dangerous time’ in American history, according to Trump. ‘I don’t think our country has ever been in greater danger than it is right now, because of the power of certain weapons that I know very well.’…

“Biden has bungled the Trump-era deterrence on Russia and Putin, effectively opening the door for the invasion and needlessly leading to thousands of deaths, Trump continued… ‘All those people should be living now. They should not be dead…  You look at these cities; they’ve been bombed, and they’ve been blown up, but it’s going to take 50 to 100 years to rebuild them. And so many people have been killed and horribly wounded… It should have never happened.’”

Paying in Rubles?

The Associated Press wrote on March 25:

“President Vladimir Putin’s threat to have ‘unfriendly’ countries pay for Russian natural gas exports only in rubles from now on got the not-so-friendly treatment from European Union nations Thursday. ‘I don’t think anybody in Europe really know how rubles look like,’ said Slovene Prime Minister Janez Jansa. ‘Nobody will pay in rubles.’ If others put it less bluntly, it came down to the same – from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, who as former chief of the European Central Bank, knows something about currencies…

“Making such demands [to pay in rubles instead of US dollars or euros] would fundamentally change contracts and render them null and void, several European leaders said… The Russian threat is potent since the EU imports 90 per cent of the natural gas used to generate electricity, heat homes and supply industry, with Russia supplying almost 40 per cent of the bloc’s gas….”

On the other hand, what if Russia insists? It is Europe which needs Russian oil, not vice versa. And since when have “contracts” prevented ANY country from breaking them? 

German Chancellor Scholz announced Thursday that he agreed with Putin in a phone conversation that Germany could still pay in Euros. However, the extent of that alleged “agreement” is very unclear. 

Will Russia Retreat?

The Daily Mail wrote on March 25:

“Ukraine has disabled 20 Russian battalions, Western officials said today, as a Kremlin army chief hinted that Moscow may scale back its attack on its neighbour and instead focus on ‘liberating’ the eastern Donbas region.

“Russia’s defence ministry also updated its losses in Ukraine to 1,351 soldiers, adding that 3,825 soldiers had been wounded – figures that are far lower than Western intelligence estimates that put Moscow’s losses in the tens of thousands. In a military update today, Moscow attempted to put a positive spin on its disastrous invasion saying that the first phase of its military campaign in Ukraine was over….

“In another embarrassing blow to Putin, it was revealed today that a Russian brigade commander had died after being run down with a tank by his own troops…. But despite the apparent change in tactics, smaller-scale strikes continued without pause as Russia, suffering heavy losses and meagre progress against key targets, pursues its relentless campaign of bombardment against Ukraine’s cities… A NATO official estimated on Wednesday that 7,000 to 15,000 Russian soldiers have been killed in four weeks of war in Ukraine, and added that between 30,000 to 40,000 Russian soldiers are estimated to have been killed or wounded in total. By comparison, Moscow lost about 15,000 soldiers in Afghanistan over 10 years….

“Russia has continued to deny it has been deliberately targeting civilian centres, despite swathes of evidence to suggest otherwise…. Ukrainian authorities said 300 people were killed in the Russian airstrike last week on a Mariupol theater that was being used as a shelter. The bloodshed at the theatre fueled allegations Moscow is committing war crimes by killing civilians, whether deliberately or by indiscriminate fire.”

Express wrote on March 26:

“Putin’s decision to focus his military operations on ‘liberating’ the Donbas could be a pivotal moment of maximum peril for Ukraine’s survival, according to a military expert…. Defence and security expert Dominic Nicholls said that President Zelensky faced a difficult military and political dilemma: to stand firm and defend the Donbas or to retreat. If Ukrainian forces were to stay put, then they could face the threat of being cut off and surrounded by Russian forces and defeated in the field.

“At the same time, to retreat and give up the Donbas to the Russians would be a significant blow to Ukrainian morale and would weaken Mr Zelensky’s negotiating position in any future peace talks with Moscow…. ‘Vladimir Putin cannot end this reckless, ridiculous and illegal adventure without the Donbas. He will not survive without it. Equally though, Mr Zelensky cannot allow the area to fall.’”

Subsequently, it became extremely doubtful that Russia will limit its activities to the eastern Donbas region. Whatever the further actions of all parties involved, the ultimate outcome has been pre-determined… which is that Russia and Ukraine will combine forces in their fight against Europe.

“Germany’s ‘Bild’ Newspaper Blocked in Russia”

 Deutsche Welle wrote on March 27:

“Russian authorities said they would block the website of German tabloid Bild, which is now one of the latest Western media outlets to be censored in Russia as the Kremlin seeks to control the domestic narrative on the war in Ukraine. Bild said it has been publishing Russian-language reports on its website on the war in Ukraine, and Russia’s slide toward ‘totalitarian dictatorship.’…

“Russian authorities also have blocked access to foreign media website including Germany’s Deutsche Welle, the BBC in the UK, Euronews, the US government-funded Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty.”

Dangerous Chinese Propaganda

Breitbart wrote on March 25:

“China’s state-run Global Times on Friday slammed NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg for criticizing China’s support for the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The Global Times howled that Stoltenberg was a liar, China clearly wants the Ukraine war to end, and NATO is more of a threat to world peace than the Chinese Communist Party… Beijing also repeated Russian disinformation efforts tying the U.S. to biological weapons labs in Ukraine… ‘Is NATO, the biggest promoter of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, in any way qualified to point a finger at China, which has been facilitating dialogue for peace from the very beginning?’ the Global Times shrieked.

“After reciting some Chinese Communist boilerplate about how Beijing, which adamantly refuses to denounce the Russian invasion, wants nothing more than peace in Ukraine, the Global Times accused NATO of tricking Russia into attacking because it wants to recreate the Cold War to justify its continued existence… Those are some deeply offensive metaphors coming from the brutal regime that unleashed the Wuhan coronavirus upon the world and condemned millions of innocent people to suffer on very non-metaphorical ventilators…

“The Global Times hooted that NATO’s focus on the rising threat of China proves it is merely a ‘tool for the U.S. to maintain hegemony’ and a ‘machine for the implementation of the U.S.’ global will… As long as NATO exists, there will be no day of peace in Europe and in the world,’ the editorial concluded.”

Sadly, this kind of rhetoric can also be heard in places other than China.

The Dangerous Iran Deal

The Associated Press wrote on March 27:

“The Biden administration has been working to renew the 2015 nuclear deal, which placed curbs on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for billions of dollars in sanctions relief. With support from Israel, the Trump administration withdrew from the deal in 2018, causing it to unravel.

“Although Iran has since raced ahead with its nuclear program, Israel and Gulf Arab countries are deeply concerned about restoring the original deal. Israel fears it does not include enough safeguards to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Both Israel and its Gulf allies also believe that relief from economic sanctions will allow Iran to step up its military activities across the region, including support for hostile militant groups…

“It remains unclear if or when the nuclear deal will be renewed, but there are indications it could be soon… Israel is deeply opposed to such a step… If a deal is reached, Israel has repeatedly noted that it is not a party to the agreement and reserves the right to take action, including a potential military strike, against Iran.”

Pay Attention to the Middle East

Times of Israel wrote on March 27:

“Saudi Arabia and Qatar expressed regret on Saturday at a lack of attention to Middle East conflicts, as the West pushes them to show more solidarity with Ukraine…

“Over a 100,000 people in Yemen have been killed, directly or indirectly, and millions have been displaced as a result of its years-long conflict, in what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The war in Syria is estimated to have killed nearly half a million people and displaced millions more since it began with a brutal crackdown on anti-government protests in 2011.”

What’s Going on in Afghanistan…

 The Huffington Post wrote on March 16:

“In recent weeks, the Taliban have launched a massive house-to-house search in Kabul and other Afghan cities, in what a Taliban spokesperson called a ‘cleaning operation’ to look for weapons and criminals. But thousands of Afghans fear they are about to be persecuted because of their links to the country’s former, Western-backed government, or to U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan over the past 20 years…

“The Taliban’s house searches started amid the heat of the Ukraine crisis. ‘The world’s attention is now on Ukraine,’ Shawn VanDiver, the founder and board chair of AfghanEvac [said]. ‘The Taliban took advantage of that. They started doing mass searches and beating people, and people are being abducted.’ People who worked with the U.S. in any fashion are particularly at risk, and the U.S. government has left many of them stranded and vulnerable….”

Reportedly, there are also quite a few American citizens and green card holders in Afghanistan, who are unable to leave.

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 26:

“The United States has announced that it has canceled planned talks with the Taliban [pertaining to key economic issues, including independence of the Afghan central bank and printing of Afghani currency bank notes] after the rulers of Afghanistan made a U-turn on the topic of girls’ education, shuttering girls out of middle and high schools hours after doors were opened…

“The Taliban had promised a softer rule when they returned to power last year, claiming they respect women’s rights in line with their interpretation of Islamic law, Shariah…  However, the Islamist group has imposed a range of restrictions on women, more or less banning them from government jobs, policing what they wear and keeping them from traveling out of their cities alone.”

Newsmax added that “The Taliban… have also been accused of suppressing free speech, violently breaking up protests and exacting deadly revenge on their former foes.”

How anyone in his right mind could trust the words of the Taliban, a terrorist organization, is hard to understand.

… and in North Korea?

The Guardian wrote on March 25:

“North Korea has confirmed that it tested a new, powerful type of intercontinental ballistic missile, marking an end to a self-imposed moratorium on long-range testing in place since 2017 and drawing international condemnation. State media said on Friday that leader Kim Jong-un had directly guided the test of the Hwasong-17 – a ‘new type’ of intercontinental ballistic missile that is North Korea’s biggest to date. He said the North would continue to develop a ‘nuclear war deterrent’ while preparing for a ‘long-standing confrontation’ with the US…

“The Hwasong-17 is the largest liquid-fuelled missile ever launched by any country from a road-mobile launcher, analysts said… It… represents a significant step in Pyongyang’s development of weapons that might be able to deliver nuclear warheads anywhere in the US…  North Korea’s launch missile was a jarring reminder that Kim will not be ignored even as the world’s attention is gripped by the Ukraine crisis.”

America is challenged by dangerous enemies. And even its allies and friends will switch sides in the end.

Covid Vaccines…

Rumble wrote on March 23:

“The Covid mandates are tools for desensitizing people to extensive gene editing and manipulation via the ‘vaccine’. Dr. David Martin [said], a speaker at the upcoming Let’s Go Brandon rally in Florida… to expose the dangers of the jab induced toxic spike protein, water contamination, and more.

“Dr. Martin detailed how Big Pharma acknowledges the illegality of their injections, yet they continue to test them on the masses, killing thousands.”

Axios wrote on March 29:

“The FDA authorized a second COVID-19 booster shot for Americans age 50 or older [It still needs to be approved by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention]…. The authorization comes as communities across the U.S. are shutting down COVID testing and vaccination sites…   Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said… that a fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine ‘is necessary’…”

And so, President Biden was proud to show that he received his fourth dose already. And on and on and on it goes…

Cininatti.com wrote on March 25:

“Pope Francis recently removed Puerto Rican Bishop Fernandez Torres from his post for telling Catholics that, if it violated their conscience, they could refuse to be vaccinated… Fernandez sought, but was denied, a formal hearing on the subject, and while it’s certainly within the Pope’s discretion to dismiss a bishop, it shows how politically active he’s become.”

Fossil Fuels–a Seductive Idea and a Wrong Assumption

 The Portland Tribune wrote on March 22:

“Many… politicians have convinced themselves that we can have a high quality of life without the use of oil, coal or natural gas. If you ask them how we can do this, they have a two-word response: ‘electrify everything.’

“It’s a seductive idea… politicians implicitly assumed that fossil fuel infrastructure does not include electricity. That assumption is wrong… Most electricity is provided by coal and natural gas plants, with hydropower a dominant source in the Pacific Northwest. Once on the grid, electricity is an open-access resource; it is shared by everyone, regardless of fuel source.

“The state legislatures in California, Oregon and Washington have all adopted stringent policies mandating various levels of carbon-free electricity within the next few decades, but those policies can’t actually be implemented. There are many reasons for this, but the most obvious is that the power sources preferred by liberal politicians — wind and solar — don’t provide electricity most of the time. Since the physics of the grid require that electricity supply and demand be in equilibrium at all times, intermittent sources such as wind and solar are always backed up by fast-response generators that can be dispatched on command.

 “In most parts of the world, the back-up is natural gas. In the Pacific Northwest, it is more likely the Columbia River hydropower system. But since hydro has both physical and political limits, any policy of mass electrification powered by wind and solar will necessarily require more natural gas in the future. In fact, it’s already happening. The Oregon Department of Energy maintains a useful web page showing where Oregon’s electricity comes from. The dataset covers the years 2012-2019.

“Hydro remains the dominant power source but has dropped by 19%. Coal consumption has dropped by 16%, but natural gas use has more than doubled, going from 12% to 25%. The combined market share of gas and coal has also increased, from 45% to 52%, despite political mandates to the contrary. Wind was small to start with in 2012 and dropped by 10%. Solar is essentially irrelevant.

“When politicians want to fool the public, they enact policies that have implementation deadlines far in the future — such as 2035 or 2050. That way, when the policies fail — as they usually do — no one will be held accountable. This is what’s going on with the ‘electrify everything’ movement. Fossil fuels run the global economy and they will for a long time. When politicians claim otherwise, they reveal their own ignorance.”

Not to speak of the fact that electric cars are more expensive and less productive. But in order to follow the politically correct agenda of man-made climate change allegedly caused by fossil fuels, politicians are willing to destroy the USA from within…

Colorado to Become an “Abortion Beacon”?

Newsmax wrote on March 29:

“As one of the most permissive states in allowing abortions, Colorado is readying to become a magnet for women residing elsewhere in the U.S. if the Supreme Court overturns or severely weakens its landmark Roe v. Wade decision, as it is expected to do.

“… Colorado… is already one of the few places without any restrictions on when in pregnancy an abortion can occur and is one of the few states in the area without a mandatory waiting period of up to 72 hours after required abortion counseling…

“About 10,400 people received abortions in Colorado in 2020, with 13% of them coming from out of state.”

The Daily Mail wrote on March 28:

“The world’s most influential health organisation is calling on governments to scrap the legal time limit on abortion… New guidelines issued by the World Health Organisation  (WHO) claim laws preventing abortion at any point during pregnancy risk violating the rights of ‘women, girls or other pregnant persons’…

“The WHO’s ‘Abortion Care Guideline’ published this month… also recommends that governments: Allow abortion under all circumstances – ruling out laws banning terminations because the foetus is the ‘wrong’ sex; Stop women requiring approval from a doctor or nurse to have a termination; Roll out ‘pills by post’ schemes so that women can be sent abortion medication after a phone call; Curtail medical professionals’ rights to refuse to take part in abortions on conscience grounds…”

Murdering Babies AFTER Birth Without Penalty?

Life Site News wrote on March 26:

“A gruesome new pro-abortion bill proposed in California could legalize infanticide for weeks, months, or even years after a child is born… AB 2223 was introduced in February… On March 17, the bill’s authors submitted updated language to amend existing state laws.

“Under the new language, a ‘person shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability or penalty, or otherwise deprived of their rights, based on their actions or omissions with respect to their pregnancy or actual, potential, or alleged pregnancy outcome, including miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion, or perinatal death.’

“[According to] Thomas More Society Special Counsel Charles LiMandri… the proposal ‘exposes the false narrative that the abortion lobby has been peddling for over half a century:  That no one knows when life begins, and babies in their mothers’ wombs feel no pain. No sane person can deny that a newborn infant is a fully developed human being, one that is capable of feeling intense pain. Yet, by including “perinatal” in its provisions, [the bill] would authorize the brutal murder of these infants even after they are born.’

“LiMandri… noted that the definition of the term ‘perinatal’ varies, spanning weeks or even years after an infant is born.  He cited MedicineNet which puts the definition of ‘perinatal’ at ending ‘1 to 4 weeks after birth,’ as well as the government definition of the phrase via PubMed.gov, which states, ‘The perinatal period, broadly defined, encompasses the time frame from … 18 to 24 months after the birth of the child.’ ‘Hence, [AB 2223] leaves one to ask: “What kind of depraved monsters would justify the killing of innocent and helpless children between one week and two years after their birth?”’ LiMandri said…”

For a biblical explanation about the horrors and ungodly practice of abortion, please see our three Q&A’s: https://www.eternalgod.org/the-abortion-question-today-part-1/   https://www.eternalgod.org/the-abortion-question-today-part-2/  and  https://www.eternalgod.org/the-abortion-question-today-part-3/

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.

Putin Not Backing Down and Being Guilty of Blatant Blasphemy

The Associated Press wrote on March 18:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin appeared at a huge flag-waving rally at a Moscow stadium Friday and praised his country’s troops in biblical terms as they rained lethal fire on Ukraine’s cities….  Moscow police said more than 200,000 people were in and around the Luzhniki stadium for the celebration marking the eighth anniversary of Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula, seized from Ukraine.

“The event included patriotic songs, including a performance of ‘Made in the U.S.S.R.,’ with the opening lines ‘Ukraine and Crimea, Belarus and Moldova, it’s all my country.’

“Seeking to portray the war as just, Putin paraphrased the Bible to say of Russia’s troops: ‘There is no greater love than giving up one’s soul for one’s friends.’ And he continued to insist his actions were necessary to prevent ‘genocide,’ a claim flatly denied by leaders around the globe.”

The Sun added on March 18:

“During the speech, Putin promised the tens of thousands of people waving Russian flags that all the Kremlin’s aims would be achieved… He told the crowd: ‘We know what we need to do, how to do it and at what cost. And we will absolutely accomplish all of our plans.’…

“He said the soldiers fighting in Russia’s ‘special military operation’ had highlighted the unity of the country. ‘Shoulder to shoulder, they help each other, support each other and when needed they shield each other from bullets with their bodies like brothers. Such unity we have not had for a long time,’ he said…

“According to the BBC, many people said they worked in the public sector and they had been pressured into attending by their employers. ‘Many seemed embarrassed or ashamed to be there,’ BBC producer Will Vernon said.”

Just the same as at Hitler’s big rallies when many were forced or misled to attend. And while Hitler did not quote the Bible, he spoke repeatedly of “fate” (“Vorsehung”) which “protected” him.

Moldova in Danger

CNBC wrote on March 18:

“… analysts have warned that President Vladimir Putin may be considering his next target: Moldova… Moldova, like Ukraine, is not part of the European Union, nor is it a member of NATO — though it has ambitions to join both. But, like Ukraine, the former Soviet republic is home to a sizeable pro-Russian separatist population based primarily in the breakaway state of Transnistria on the Ukrainian border. Governed by its own Kremlin-backed leader, Transnistria could present a strategic opportunity for Russia, which has already amassed some 1,500 troops in the area.

“Either Putin could recognize it as an independent state — as he did with Donetsk and Luhansk before launching a full-blown invasion of Ukraine — or it could become the focus point of a so-called false flag event, manufactured by Russia to justify an intervention… if Russia were to take that path, it would spell further hardship, not least for Moldova’s 2.6 million residents and the 350,000 migrants from Ukraine who have fled there… The country — one of Europe’s poorest on a GDP per capita basis — has much less military capability than Ukraine.

“An invasion of Moldova could therefore open a back door into southwest Ukraine… If that were to happen, Moldova could face a fate similar to that of Ukraine, locked in conflict with a global superpower while Western allies watch from the sidelines… without being an EU or NATO member, neither organization is likely to help substantially…”

Putin Has Completely Lost his Mind

The Sun wrote on March 18:

“It seems the Russian dictator is becoming increasingly paranoid behind the scenes, fearing someone in his own inner sanctum could poison him. Boris Karpichkov, a former KGB spy now living in exile in the UK, said Putin is now ‘completely losing his mind” over the state of the Ukraine war… ‘He turned out to be a psychopath really heavily obsessed with paranoid ideas and conspiracy theories against himself and about nonexistent threats Russia allegedly faces from the rest of the world.’…

“Mr Karpichkov said: ‘Putin doesn’t care and has already started literally marching over dead bodies under his feet – regardless of whether corpses belong to Ukrainians, or to his own Russian fellow citizens… Based on the fact that Putin is now using barbaric cluster bombs and missiles and using these horrible weapons against civilians, this is a sign Putin is completely losing his patience and his mind… What’s going on with Putin and what’s inside his head cannot be explained…’

“Already an unusually paranoid leader, Putin is now said to have ordered a team of people to taste his food before he eats it over fears he could be wiped out by a deadly concoction. A source told the Daily Beast contributing editor Craig Copetas that the Russian leader has also replaced his entire personal staff of 1,000 people... Putin has made several strongly-worded appearances on Russian state TV since the war started, denouncing Russians who opposed his war with Ukraine as ‘scum’ and ‘traitors’ [This is Stalin-like language.]….

“It comes after a former Russian deputy prime minister spoke out against the Kremlin’s actions in Ukraine. Arkady Dvorkovich, deputy prime minister from 2012 to 2018, became one of Russia’s most senior figures to question the war when he said his thoughts were with Ukrainian civilians under bombardment. Thousands of people have been detained for protesting against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine…”

Forcibly Sent to Russia?

The Guardian wrote on March 20:

“Authorities in the Ukrainian city of Mariupol have said Russian troops have forcibly deported several thousand residents to Russia, as reports emerged that Russian forces bombed an art school in the city where 400 people were taking shelter. ‘Over the past week, several thousand Mariupol residents were deported on to the Russian territory,’ the city council said in a statement on its Telegram channel late on Saturday. ‘The occupiers illegally took people from the Livoberezhniy district and from the shelter in the sports club building, where more than a thousand people (mostly women and children) were hiding from the constant bombing.’… the council’s statement is one of several reports about Mariupol residents being taken to Russia…

“RIA Novosti agency, citing emergency services, reported last week that nearly 300,000 people, including some 60,000 children, had arrived in Russia from the Luhansk and Donbas regions, including from Mariupol, in recent weeks….”

Meeting in Person?

Express wrote on March 20:

“Putin has ‘finally agreed’ he will need to meet with Ukrainian president… Zelenskyy  in person [‘at some point’] to resolve the ongoing conflict in Ukraine…  Speaking to BBC’s Broadcasting House, [BBC correspondent Lysa] Doucet said: ‘…  He hasn’t said it in public, he says quite the opposite in public… The Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennet is very busy, the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is very busy. They’ve said privately their understanding is that President Putin will meet President Zelensky when the time is right. But the time is not right now.’…

“Turkey’s Foreign Minister said Russia and Ukraine were nearing agreement on ‘critical’ issues and he was hopeful for a ceasefire if the two sides did not backtrack from progress achieved so far.”

Ultimately, Ukraine and Russia will collaborate together against Europe.

Russia and Fox News’s Dubious Reporting

Russia responded to Joe Biden’s assertion about Putin being a war criminal, saying: “Given such irritability from Mr. Biden, his fatigue and sometimes forgetfulness…fatigue that leads to aggressive statements, we will not make harsh assessments, so as to not cause more aggression.” Shameful.

But equally shameful is the following, as reported by the Guardian on February 18:

“Russia’s foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, has praised Fox News for its coverage, appearing on the Russian state-controlled RT network to hail the right-leaning US cable channel, whose primetime host Tucker Carlson has played down the invasion…. ‘If you take the United States, only Fox News is trying to present some alternative point of view,’ he said… Russian media regularly play clips of Carlson criticizing the US and Ukraine, and he was still praising President Vladimir Putin hours before Russia invaded Ukraine almost four weeks ago. In contrast, as Moscow’s bombardment escalated, Russian apologism by numerous Fox hosts, commentators and guests was being corrected on air by the network’s own national security correspondent, Jennifer Griffin.

“The mental split-screen effect only sharpened earlier this week when a Fox news team on the ground in Ukraine came under Russian fire on the frontline. Cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski and producer Oleksandra Kuvshynova were both killed  during a Russian attack outside the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv. Correspondent Benjamin Hall was badly wounded in the incident.”

Newsmax added on March 18:

“Since the onset of the war, Fox’s Tucker Carlson has become a media star in Russia… Carlson has long been a critic of supporters of Ukraine and Biden’s support of the Zelenskyy government. U.S. media across the political spectrum has criticized Carlson for suggesting the Biden administration is permitting a war between Russia and Ukraine in an effort to ‘grab more power’…

“Carlson has repeatedly claimed that Ukraine is not a democracy, and has blamed NATO for the war by expanding near Russia’s border… ‘At exactly the moment when the emergency powers they awarded to themselves to fight COVID started to wane, our leaders began pushing for conflict with Russia,’ Carlson said on his program last Friday.

“Dick Morris said Fox’s Carlson coverage of the war has been ‘an outrage against all that America stands [for].’ The Newsmax commentator and former Fox News contributor said, ‘Roger Ailes, the founding chairman of the network, must be rolling over in his grave. Ailes was above all else a patriot.’”

Carlson’s reporting has also been matched by other outlets in the USA, such as the Ron Paul Institute, making the same dubious allegations. Certain Putin-friendly and anti-Zelenskyy outlets in Germany and Austria are even worse, containing most outlandish unproven accusations or implications, including, for instance, “Wochenblick” and “Report 24.” This is so regrettable, as they did a fairly good job in covering controversial governmental restrictions in response to the Corona pandemic.

Russian Persecution of Protestants and other Religious Minorities

Christian Today wrote on March 21:

“There are fears that the persecution of Christians will increase if Russia widens its control over Ukraine… In parts of Ukraine already under Russian separatist control, many Protestant churches have been closed and some Christian books have been banned.

“Donetsk and Luhansk in the disputed Donbas region have been under the control of pro-Russian separatists since 2014… In Luhansk, a Religion Law passed in 2018 required churches to re-register with the authorities… Since then, the authorities have refused to register all Protestant, Baptist and Pentecostal congregations. In March 2019, Baptist Union churches were threatened with punishment if they did not suspend public worship.

“Raids have been carried out on places of worship and the congregations of unregistered churches have been denied access to their buildings or had the water, gas and electricity supply cut off. The Luhansk authorities have also banned 12 Christians books on an ‘extremist material’ list… These include an 1820 edition of the Gospel of John, a Baptist hymnbook, and books by Charles Spurgeon and Billy Graham.”

Putin’s Russia Strikingly Similar to Nazi Germany

Euractiv wrote on March 21:

“Vladimir Putin demands the ‘denazification’ of Ukraine. But under Putin, Russia has turned into a totalitarian state strikingly reminiscent of Nazi Germany… Since Putin came to power, Stalinism has been whitewashed and Stalinist crimes have become taboo… History has been conveniently re-written… Putin’s propagandists make it simple: The ‘collective West’ is some sort of heir to Nazism, and its goal is the destruction of Russia.

“Accordingly, the main threat for Russia today comes from Ukraine, where neo-Nazi organisations, such as the Azov battalion, purportedly with 900 soldiers, have been given free rein. They are also told that a far-right Ukrainian politician from the period of WWII, Stepan Bandera, is being glorified…

“When  I interviewed the Russian Ambassador to the EU, Vladimir Chizhov on the second day of war, I asked him to specify who the Nazis in Ukraine were. He said it was those who marched with a Nazi salute and who glorified Bandera. I asked him if Russia would then come to invade my country, Bulgaria, under the same excuse. As in any other country I know, Bulgaria’s far-right movements can rightly be called neo-Nazi. He said no, because, at least, in his words, Bulgaria has not erected monuments to neo-Nazis. (He didn’t say what I expected – that Russia would not attack us because we are in NATO.) But what is interesting is that in Bulgaria, the parties that can be described as neo-Nazis are today marching with banners glorifying Vladimir Putin.

“Historically the oldest of them is Ataka of Volen Siderov.  Siderov, who has used symbols of pro-Nazi Bulgarian organisations from WWII, has been called by the German press ‘Putin’s man in Bulgaria.’ He rushed to recognise Crimea’s annexation in 2014…

“Led by Kostadin Kostadinov, a younger version of Siderov, Vazrazhdane… call themselves ‘the only true patriots’…  their ideology can be described as national-socialist (Nazi), and they are now represented in parliament. Every day, Kostadinov and his MPs make speeches supporting Putin, against NATO, and Bulgaria’s country’s membership of the alliance. Kostadinov even said he would ‘de-Nazify’ Bulgaria, whatever that means…

“When we watch Putin’s recent rally on the occasion of the eighth anniversary of the annexation of Crimea, we cannot fail to think about Nazi rallies from the 1930s…”

More on Bulgaria

Politico added on March 21:

“For years, Bulgaria has played a cautious double act, trying to balance itself between East and West and not anger Moscow. While Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 united Europe in condemning the war, the conflict has exacerbated old divisions within Bulgarian politics and society….

“Ties between Russia and Bulgaria — a member of both the EU and NATO — run deep, with the countries sharing historic, religious, and cultural ties… Because of Russian clout in Bulgaria, some see the Balkan country as Moscow’s Trojan Horse in the EU…

“Internal coalition squabbles also erupted shortly after Putin launched his assault on Ukraine on February 24. In Sofia, the parliament moved to approve a declaration condemning the war. After hours of debates the Socialists did not support the part of the declaration referring to sanctions. The only other party which did not sign the declaration was Revival, a far-right party and currently one of the most vocal Kremlin supporters. It’s not surprising that Kostadin Kostadinov, the party’s leader, is nicknamed Kopeckin, after the Russian coin…. many Bulgarians tend to see Russia very favorably — indeed Bulgaria’s the country where Moscow gets the highest approval ratings — 73 percent…

“Bulgaria has been a fertile testing ground for Russian propaganda and conspiracy theories for years… Still, experts predict that the Kremlin’s war in Ukraine could force moderate pro-Russian sympathizers to reconsider their loyalties. A recent poll… shows that only four days after Russia invaded Ukraine, the approval of Putin dropped to 32 percent, compared with 55 in July 2021.”

Pope: Just Wars Do not Exist

Breitbart wrote on March 19:

“Pope Francis said… that the war in Ukraine proves how savage human beings can be, up to the point of becoming ‘murderers of our brothers.’ ‘We think of so many soldiers who are sent to the front, very young, Russian soldiers, poor things,’ Francis said. ‘Think of the many young Ukrainian soldiers; think of the inhabitants, the young people, the young girls, boys, girls’…

“‘A war is always — always! — the defeat of humanity, always,’ he said. ‘There is no such thing as a just war: they do not exist!’

“It is not clear how the pope’s assertion that just wars do not exist squares with Catholic teaching on just wars. The Catechism of the Catholic Church… lays out a series of conditions necessary to justify the use of military force, summing up the teachings articulated by Saint Augustine of Hippo and Saint Thomas Aquinas.

“It states that ‘the damage inflicted by the aggressor on the nation or community of nations must be lasting, grave, and certain; all other means of putting an end to it must have been shown to be impractical or ineffective; there must be serious prospects of success; the use of arms must not produce evils and disorders graver than the evil to be eliminated. These are the traditional elements enumerated in what is called the “just war” doctrine,’ the Catechism declares.”

Even though the pope is absolutely right in stating that wars, fought by humans, can never be just, it must be emphasized that he is again in obvious contradiction with the teachings of his church. He is also in effect condemning all the warmongering activities of his church throughout its existence. Please read our free booklet, “Should YOU Fight in War?”

Killing Russians Not a Sin?

The Jerusalem Post wrote on March 16:

“Ukrainian Orthodox Church leader, Metropolitan Epiphanius I of Kyiv, on Monday blessed his people to ‘fight against the Russian invaders’… The archbishop also stated that killing Russian soldiers isn’t a sin. ‘We, as a nation, do not wish death to our neighbors,’ Epiphanius said. ‘However, since they came to our land, we’re defending our land. Protecting ourselves is not a sin. The [Orthodox Church] blesses everyone for this military feat.’

“This was not the first time Epiphanius made strong declarations  in opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In a statement last month, he wrote, ‘The spirit of the Antichrist operates in the leader of Russia. This was [Nazi leader Adolf] Hitler during World War II. This is what [Russian President Vladimir] Putin has become today.’ The church head further asserted that there are ‘signs’ revealing the ‘pride, devotion to evil, ruthlessness [and] false religiosity’ of Putin, just as it was for Hitler.”

The sixth commandment says very clearly: “You shall not kill.” See our free booklet, “The Ten Commandments.” 

Freedom of the Press?

Breitbart wrote on March 20:

“Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced the banning of Ukraine’s main opposition party [“Opposition Platform — For Life”] as part of an anti-Russian crackdown. A number of other major opposition parties were also banned by the Ukrainian government amid the ongoing Russian invasion of the country at least ‘for the period of the martial law.’

“According to a report by Der Spiegel, the ban was announced via video message on Sunday, and will suspend the operation of the party, which earned 13 per cent of the national vote in 2020 and is most successful in areas of Ukraine with large ethnic Russian and Russian-speaking populations… All of the parties banned in the country… have been considered Eurosceptic, anti-liberal, or pro-Russian by the Zelensky government, according to Der Spiegel.

“… this is not the first time Zelensky has taken action against groups deemed to be pro-Russian. The current government previously put Platform for Life party leader Viktor Medvedchuk under house arrest in May 2021 over accusations that he committed high treason, with authorities alleging the opposition leader had been handing over military secrets to Russia. Zelensky also banned three news channels associated with Medvedchuk and targeted the man’s family and colleagues…

“Western nations have also targeted Russia-linked media since Vladimir Putin escalated hostilities in Donbas into full-scale war, with both the European Union and United Kingdom taking measures to ban the distribution of content produced by Russian-owned broadcaster RT. for example.

“Meanwhile, Russia has experienced its own, even harsher crackdown on those voicing opposition to the war, with thousands reportedly being arrested by the country’s police for protesting against the conflict and people spreading what the state deems ‘fake’ information threatened with significant prison sentences.”

“Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre has announced that his country will participate in sanctions against Russia but will not block Russian state media from his country, stating he is against censorship…”

Especially in times of war, freedom of the press becomes a thing of the past… on either side. But suppression of the free press is never a good idea, arousing suspicion as to what one is prohibited and prevented from hearing…  and why…, thereby playing right into the hands of the enemy.

Ukraine’s Frictions with Israel

Israel 365 News wrote on March 22:

“Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky was accused of trivializing the Holocaust on Sunday after addressing the Israeli Knesset via zoom. In response, Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Benett denied Ukraine arm shipments but said he would continue mediation efforts between the two warring countries.

“Zelensky’s zoom address was meant to rally the Israeli government to supply Kyiv with arms to fend off the Russian invasion. But his plea fell on deaf ears after he tried to compare Russia’s invasion to the Holocaust while emphasizing the rare instances of righteous gentiles in Ukraine who aided and abetted Jews during World War 2…

“Zelensky, who is of Jewish parents but baptized both his children, may have gone too far… [when] highlighting the righteous gentiles of Ukraine even though they were an extreme minority among the population of Europe’s cruelest Nazi supporters. A prominent Israeli journalist tweeted: ‘Zelensky’s claim that the Ukrainians were righteous gentiles who saved Jews in the Holocaust is sick historical revisionism. The Ukrainians were active, enthusiastic Nazis. Ukrainian Jewry wasn’t annihilated in Poland, but in Ukraine, by their neighbors.’”

Many Ukrainians Murdered Jews

JTA wrote on March 22:

“Over one quarter of the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, approximately 1.5 million people, were killed within the territory of what is now Ukraine. Millions of non-Jewish Ukrainians also perished under German occupation as prisoners of war, slave laborers, soldiers, partisans, and ordinary townsfolk and peasants…  2,637 Ukrainians [were] recognized for their efforts to save Jews… but far more Ukrainians played [a role] in collaborating with the Germans and facilitating the murder of their Jewish neighbors.

“The Germans knew that Ukraine would be fertile ground for their exterminationist plan…. only 20 years earlier, Ukrainians opposing Bolshevik rule had murdered tens of thousands of their Jewish neighbors… In Lviv, the first major city the Germans captured in Ukraine, Ukrainian soldiers recruited from abroad with the false promise of German support for Ukrainian statehood, rounded up Jews and threw them to the crowds… German special units with the collaboration of Ukrainian auxiliary police and militia killed between 2,000 and 5,000 Jews in the city in July 1941…

“Similar scenes were repeated elsewhere. During the first month of the German invasion, between 12,000 and 35,000 Jews were killed in eastern Galicia and western Volhynia — two regions that the Soviet Union had taken from Poland in 1939. Many of these massacres were perpetrated by locals, and some without even a German presence…

“As the Germans moved further east into Ukraine, they intensified their massacres. In hundreds of locales with the assistance of local Ukrainian collaborators, they gathered Jewish men, women and children, marched them to the outskirts of town, stripped them naked, and shot them in ravines or trenches. Locals were then permitted to scavenge the clothing of the dead. The organization Yahad in Unum, which has been mapping Holocaust-era mass graves, has identified nearly 1,000 such sites in Ukraine.

“After an initial wave of killing during the German advance, the German military established some 250 ghettos in Ukraine and required Jews to wear armbands with stars. Ukrainian police enforced the regulations… By spring 1942, most of the ghettos were liquidated, and another 500,000 Jews were murdered….

“It’s understandable that Zelensky is making use of whatever reference points he think will help his country…. Still, Zelensky’s voice matters. And when he utters untruths about the Holocaust, it’s important not to let them stand.”

Ukraine first supported Hitler, but then changed sides and collaborated with Russia, when they grew disappointed with German conduct. Something similar may happen again.

China’s Support of Russia

The Guardian wrote on March 20:

“‘China will never accept any external coercion or pressure, and opposes any unfounded accusations and suspicious against China,’ the foreign minister, Wang Yi, said on Saturday evening. China has refused to condemn Russia’s action in Ukraine or call it an invasion… [It] has also opposed economic sanctions on Russia over Ukraine, describing them as unilateral and not authorised by the UN security council.

“Wang’s comments came after the US president, Joe Biden, warned his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, on Friday of ‘consequences’ if Beijung gave material support to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine….

“Pressure on China to abandon its neutral stance on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine increased after the British prime minister, Boris Johnson, urged leaders in Beijing to get off the fence and join global condemnation of the Russian leader…  China, however, has shown no sign of altering its stance. On Saturday its vice foreign minister, Le Yucheng, described western sanctions against Russia as increasingly ‘outrageous’. Le also acknowledged Moscow’s position on Nato, saying the alliance should not further expand eastwards and force a nuclear power like Russia ‘into a corner’… adding that Russian citizens were being deprived of overseas assets ‘for no reason’.”

Displacing the Dollar?

Fox News wrote on March 20:

“News that Saudi Arabia is considering pricing oil sales to China using the Chinese yuan instead of the U.S. dollar has Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., concerned the U.S. could be losing its footing on the world stage… Sasse said this development, along with how the war between Russia and Ukraine develops, could send a message to the rest of the world that could have a significant impact… ‘Chairman Xi greenlit this invasion,’ Sasse explained… ‘ Xi desires to seize Taiwan.’

“Sasse went on to say that China’s objective of trying to ‘displace the dollar’ is something the U.S. must monitor. Sasse claimed that other countries would not gravitate toward China out of preference for its policies but out of concern that ‘America is weak.’”

Putin announced that trading of oil and gas with “unfriendly” nations would have to be conducted in Rubles. But it will ultimately be the euro which will replace the dollar.

Biden Administration’s Hypocrisy

The Algemeiner wrote on March 18:

“In his address to the US Congress this week, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky told US President Joe Biden in a plea for American air defenses against Russian bombardment from the sky: ‘You are the leader of your great nation. I wish you to be the leader of the world.’ Congress members gave him a standing ovation. Yet reports suggest that, in its imminent deal with Iran, America is about to massively empower a state that is a lethal threat to the West and already has far more American blood on its hands than has Russian President Vladimir Putin. While the Biden administration postures as standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine in its desperate defense against murderous aggression, it is itself reportedly about to capitulate entirely to Iran. This, astoundingly, is America’s actual answer to Zelensky.

“Given that the Iranian regime has been at war with the West since it came to power in 1979, that its fingerprints are on almost every major terrorist atrocity against Western interests and that it unceasingly declares its genocidal aim to exterminate Israel, the administration’s determination to empower it is incomprehensible. The reported terms of the deal being negotiated in Vienna will allow Iran legitimately to equip itself with a nuclear arsenal after a mere delay — according to Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett — of two-and-a-half years. Meanwhile, through the associated sanctions relief America will enable the regime to receive an estimated $100 billion to ramp up its regional power grab; redouble its terrorist activities; and perpetrate attacks on Israel from its proxies in Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, Iraq and Yemen. The United States is even said to be considering lifting the designation of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization in return for some vague commitment by Tehran to rein it in. Given the IRGC’s key role as Iran’s elite global terrorism enforcer, any such commitment would be risible…

“For America to bring Iran into the community of nations is obscene. To do so while purportedly exiling Russia from that community of nations is astonishing hypocrisy. Even worse is that while Biden is instructing the world to impose sanctions against Russia, his administration is actually working closely with Russia to lift sanctions against Iran… the Biden administration is now accepting Putin — the man who Biden himself calls a ‘war criminal’ and who has threatened nuclear war against the West — as the controller of Iran’s nuclear-weapons program…

“Of course, the immediate target in Iran’s sights is Israel…”

The Editorial Board of the New York Post wrote on March 218:

“President Joe Biden called Vladimir Putin a ‘war’ criminal Wednesday. With good reason: The autocrat’s forces have bombed hospitals, schools and other civilian structures, wantonly slaughtered children and are leveling Ukrainian cities to try to make them submit.

“But Biden, as usual, didn’t mean it. Turns out the revived Iran deal now under discussion includes a massive sanctions waiver for Russia’s nuclear projects in Iran… Aside from the ugly moral implications, this is policy malpractice. It endangers US interests abroad and also Ukraine, by telling Putin we’re not that serious…

“The 2015 accord was a disaster: It emboldened Iran and helped solidify its position as an aspirant regional hegemon. President Donald Trump’s withdrawal was one of his wisest foreign-policy maneuvers…”

The Hunter Biden Scandal

Breitbart wrote on March 17:

“Hunter Biden in 2021 paid an outstanding $1 million IRS tax bill to evade conviction or a long sentence, the New York Times reported Wednesday. As a grand jury continues the probe into Hunter’s corrupt international business dealings, Hunter’s taxes are just one potential crime among many. Working with his family, including his father, former Vice President Joe Biden, the probe into Hunter may include his business dealings with Ukrainian Energy company Burisma Holdings and a Chinese energy conglomerate.

“In relation to the business dealings, the Times confirmed the authenticity of Hunter’s ‘laptop from hell’ that was previously passed off by the establishment media and big tech as Russian disinformation. It took the Times nearly two years to admit the emails from laptop were Hunter’s. Twitter infamously canceled the New York Post’s Twitter handle for purveying ‘disinformation’ during and after the 2020 presidential election.”

The admission of the New York Times that the story on Hunter Biden’s laptop was correct, while the mass media continuously lied about it, calling it a hoax” and “Russian misinformation,” raises the question of criminal misconduct, while it was stated on Fox News that the evidence might suggest that Joe Biden might also be complicit in Hunter’s alleged crimes.

Warning to America: Ongoing Canadian Dictatorship and Persecution…

The Christian Post wrote on March 17:

“Recent events in Canada reveal an alarming trend of crackdowns on religious liberty. While not to the same degree of persecution often seen in North Korea or China, it’s nonetheless alarming that brazen violations are happening so close to home. Artur Pawlowski, a Canadian pastor, has been jailed multiple times for holding worship services, expressing his religious views and speaking out against government dictates. He’s just one among many in Canada who’ve faced imprisonment, shuttered facilities, steep fines and continued interference from government officials since the start of the pandemic.

“Additionally, The Washington Times recently reported how Canada is imposing dictatorial speech restrictions: ‘Canada’s recently unanimously passed law, C-4, prevents its citizens from spreading Biblical views on marriage and sexuality. Canadian parents, faith leaders, and citizens who hold traditional views of marriage and sexuality will now face up to 5 years of jail time for providing spiritual guidance to those seeking counseling.’

“Canada’s actions prompted U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley to renew calls to add the country to a special list of religious liberty violators. Last year, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley sent a letter to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom urging it to consider adding Canada to its watch list.

“Americans must confront a difficult question: Is a wave of religious hostility, tyranny and intolerance headed to the Land of the Free? The shocking truth is that similar and equally brazen violations are already happening in our nation… Look at the example of Coach Joe Kennedy, who was fired from his job as a high school football coach. Why? Because the school district claimed it was inappropriate for students and parents to see him take a knee and silently pray for 30 seconds after a football game. A federal appellate court even handed down a troubling ruling stating that any time a public school teacher is on duty and can be seen, everything they do, including a brief, quiet, personal prayer, is government speech… The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear his case and oral argument will be later this year…

“Consider Christian business owners Aaron and Melissa Klein, who were forced to shut down their family bakery… after the state of Oregon imposed a crippling $135,000 fine. An Oregon bureaucratic agency punished them because they declined to create a custom cake for a same-sex wedding…  The Sweet Cakes case is currently pending at the Oregon Supreme Court…

“The Biden administration and the Department of Defense are threatening and punishing service members who request religious accommodations to the military vaccine mandate…

“History shows no nation is immune to tyranny…Though our Canadian neighbors appear to be accepting the erosion of their freedoms and God-given rights, Americans cannot follow suit. Religious liberty is the building block of a free society, the pillar of all our civil liberties. Without it, we cannot truly live in liberty.”

The Murder of Abortion!

Christian Today wrote on March 21:

“Life begins at conception. From the moment the sperm and ovum join, the complete genetic package that is the future adult is there. From that moment on, nothing is added. The individual simply has to develop and grow. A process that continues throughout our lives. But, according to Scripture, God knows us from before we are even in the womb. Every one of us is special, and every one of us has a God-given destiny (e.g. Jeremiah 1:5; Psalm 139; Isaiah 49:5; Luke 1:30-33).

“In line with that, the Bible prohibits the taking of innocent life, which it brands murder and which carries severe penalties, even placing the perpetrator under a curse (e.g. Genesis 9:6; Leviticus 24:17; Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 27:25). In particular, child sacrifice, whether made to pagan deities or to God Himself, is forbidden as an abomination, and labelled ‘detestable’ (e.g. Leviticus 18:21; Deuteronomy 12:19-31; 2 Kings 16:3; Jeremiah 7:30-31). This is in marked contrast to the cultic worship of pagan cultures, where it was believed the sacrificial blood of innocent children was especially efficacious in feeding and appeasing the gods and thereby influencing events.

“Abortion is a form of child sacrifice. It is worship made to the secular gods of self and sexual freedom, fuelling belief in our absolute right to have consequence-free sex whenever, wherever and with whomsoever we choose. In all of this, abortion has both encouraged and driven society’s rejection of, and rebellion against, God.

“… in England and Wales we have witnessed almost 10 million abortions, 98% of which have been performed for what are euphemistically termed ‘social reasons’, meaning that the unborn child was, for whatever reason, at the time unwanted. The situation has, in fact, become so bad that for many, today, abortion is regarded as simply another form of contraception…  Even this appears not to be enough, however, and abortion activists continue to call for the complete decriminalisation and demedicalisation of abortion, making it available on request and up to term, with pills freely available over the counter.

“To put all this in some kind of perspective, over the last half century the UK has legally killed around 14% of the population, which is equivalent to killing the entire population of Austria, or the combined populations of Wales and Scotland. Yet even this staggering number pales into insignificance when compared with the number of children aborted globally over the last century, because when the figures are added together, we have at a conservative estimate terminated the lives of around two billion children – equivalent to around 7% of the entire human race.

“… because of our rebellion, we have placed ourselves under judgement, as a result of which God has withdrawn His protection. What we are experiencing now is… most assuredly [a] warning of the judgement to come… if we don’t urgently repent.

“Covid, social fragmentation, the financial collapse of world markets, and now the threat of world war … all are signs of the withdrawal of God’s protection and should send us to our knees in remorse. Only repentance can break the stranglehold of evil. Only repentance can save us….”

Release of Billions of Genetically-Engineered Mosquitoes

International Family News wrote on March 21:

“Despite opposition due to public health concerns based on scientific research, the Environmental Protection Agency has given the green light for the release of billions of experimental genetically-engineered mosquitoes; the largest release of GE insects in the world…

“Oxitec maintains Aedes aegypti mosquitoes are being genetically modified with the goal of reducing the transmission of harmful diseases like dengue, Zika and yellow fever. The male species, which do not bite, would be released into the wild to mate with females which do bite. The company says the resulting offspring, regardless of sex, will not survive to reach maturity.

“There are issues which draw suspicion to Oxitec’s plan: The Aedes aegypti mosquito is not prevalent in California, and the state–according to the Centers for Disease Control–does not have any cases of the harmful diseases listed… While Oxitec states the GE insects will reduce incidence of the mosquito-borne diseases, there is no publicly available data that supports their claim.”

Germany’s “Help” for Ukraine

Bild Online reported on March 19:

“At the beginning of March, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (63, SPD) promised Ukraine to deliver 2,700 anti-aircraft missiles. So far, only 500 have arrived… They were only handed over on Thursday… According to government insiders, no further deliveries of the Strela missiles are planned.

“The Federal Ministry of Defense wanted to confirm only that there were supplies to Ukraine. The ministry would not give any further details ‘due to the classification of the information resulting from the current security situation’.

“This makes the delivery of arms a total disgrace for the federal government… As early as March 3, “Der Spiegel’ found out that 700 of the promised rockets from the old GDR stocks were no longer ready for use. According to BILD information, the weapons, which are at least 35 years old, were blocked for use in 2012. Reason: ‘Microcracks in the ammunition’s propellant charge, which led to corrosion/oxidation.’

“Particularly embarrassing: According to ‘Der Spiegel’, the wooden boxes in which the rockets are stored were so moldy in November that Bundeswehr soldiers were only allowed to enter the storage facilities with protective equipment.

“Germany has so far sent few arms and support to Ukraine compared to the US. It started with 5000 helmets, which took a whole month to arrive in Ukraine. At the beginning of this year’s crisis in Ukraine, the German government repeatedly emphasized that it would not supply weapons, but would provide other support. On February 26th, two days after Kremlin despot Putin had started his major attack on the neighboring country, there was a sudden change of heart in the federal government: Germany is now supplying weapons after all!”

Germany’s “help” for Ukraine has been dubious from the outset. Zelenskyy’s trust in NATO, the USA and Germany is failing. His willingness to negotiate with Putin, as reported above, is telling.

Germany’s Military Ambitions

Army Technology wrote on March 18:

“Building a capable military is not solely about money, but, given that Germany’s economy remains the largest in Europe, the annual budget uplift would make the country the third-largest defence spender in the world behind the US and China.”

Alarming Developments! Germany’s Thought Police

Breitbart wrote on March 23:

“A large number of apartments and houses were raided in Germany on Tuesday as Federal police in the country look to prosecute those who made allegedly hateful remarks against elected officials online. In total, federal authorities have said that they have checked over 600 statements for so-called ‘criminal content’, with 100 people being ‘searched and questioned’ across 13 different German states. According to a report by Der Spiegel, a significant number of raids have also been conducted, with the houses and apartments of those suspected of posting illegal online messages being searched by law enforcement for incriminating evidence.

“A press release by Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office claimed that Tuesday’s so-called ‘joint day of action’ was sparked by posts targeting politicians around the 2021 Federal elections, with elected officials in Germany having special legal privileges making it illegal for their constituents to level certain insults against them. ‘The basis for these investigations is Section 188 of the Criminal Code (StGB), which was revised in spring 2021 and makes insults, slander and defamation of people in political life particularly punishable,’ the Federal Criminal Police Office statement reads. ‘Public officials and elected representatives are given special criminal protection under [Section]188 StGB, regardless of the political level, against hate postings,’ it continues.

“The President of the Federal Criminal Police Office, Holger Münch, also commented on the hardline enforcement of Germany’s speech laws, threatening those in the country who would dare insult politicians that they will meet the same fate… Another official, Hessian Attorney General Torsten Kunze, also commented on the German speech crackdown, claiming that it was somehow a necessary measure to protect democracy, though the official did not cite any evidence for this claim…

“Germany’s day of thought police raids against those who are suspected of insulting or defaming elected politicians is only the latest example of the country’s interesting understanding of what protecting democracy means. The central European country has become infamous for targeting certain political viewpoints, going so far as to put the country’s populist Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party under surveillance as a so-called ‘suspicious entity’. What’s more, when the party tried to challenge this decision in court, it was ruled that the state spying on the political party was legal, with the court claiming that the party was supposedly a threat to democracy… Thomas Haldenwang, the President of the German Office for the Protection of the Constitution, which ruled on the surveillance case [said] that his court’s decision to allow state surveillance of a party representing a minority political view was a ‘good day for democracy’.”

Democracy and free speech are once again in danger in Germany.

Germany’s Green Policy

Breitbart wrote on March 18:

“Combustion engine cars should go the way of the dinosaur from 2035, according to the German government, who have announced they are backing a plan to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars in the EU from that year on. Despite the country initially resisting Europe-wide legislation pushing for zero-emission cars, the Federal Republic has since about-faced on the idea of a motoring Great Reset, and will join others in the bloc looking to begin phasing out hydrocarbon-burning vehicles by 2035 or earlier… new passenger cars and light commercial vehicles [with] internal combustion engines will no longer be allowed after 2035… while Germany’s change in policy is significant, it is not exactly unexpected, with the country’s new left-wing coalition having promised to push a green environmentalist agenda during their time in office…

“52 per cent of Germans believe that the new government’s climate policy will have an overall negative effect on Germany’s ‘social climate’… 49 per cent believe that the nation’s green agenda will have negative effects for them personally, with that number rising to 61 per cent when only Germans in the east of the country are polled… there are widespread fears that the climate policy measures will lead to social upheaval.”

Vaccination Mandate in Germany?

Die Welt wrote on March 19:

“According to a survey, the introduction of vaccination mandates in Germany would hardly increase the vaccination rate: only two percent of those who were not vaccinated said they would then be vaccinated. Many vaccinated people also doubt whether it can be enforced…

“The vast majority, on the other hand – six out of ten unvaccinated people – want to pay fines or be released from the obligation in this case…. Overall, 51 percent of all respondents are in favor of introducing compulsory vaccination… The Bundestag is to decide [on introducing compulsory vaccination]… probably at the beginning of April.”

Mask Mandates in Austria!

The Local wrote on March 18:

“Austria will reintroduce the… mask mandate for all indoor areas starting March 23rd, Health Minister Johannes Rauch (Greens) said on Friday… he didn’t rule out or confirm the possibility of a mandate also in schools…

“The relaxation of measures was widely criticized in Austria. The capital Vienna announced it would not follow the reopening steps, keeping a 2G rule in gastronomy and the indoor mask mandate.”

What’s wrong with those Austrians? Will this NONSENSE ever stop?

Austria’s “Neutrality”

The New Statesman wrote on March 22:

“Majorities in Finland and in Sweden now support Nato membership… Austrians too are thinking about their neutrality in a Europe forever changed by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine… On 25 October 1955 the last Allied troops left Austrian soil; a day later the country’s parliament enacted the Declaration of Neutrality, committing Austria to ‘perpetual neutrality’ and preventing the country from joining ‘military alliances’.

“After the Cold War Austria joined the EU along with Sweden and Finland in 1995. While those two countries are now Nato ‘enhanced opportunity partners’ — the closest relationship short of membership — Austria remains on the periphery of the alliance… Three quarters of Austrians support neutrality, and over 80 per cent are opposed to Nato membership. Austria has come out firmly in support of Ukraine and against the Russian invasion, but in contrast to Sweden and Finland its leadership has been quick to shut down any discussion of abandoning neutrality…

“The Declaration of Neutrality is enshrined in the constitution; repealing it would require a two-thirds majority in parliament which does not currently exist. Austria’s military is also embarrassingly weak; defence spending accounts for just 0.74 per cent of its GDP. While the government plans to raise it to 1 per cent, that would still be well short of the 2 per cent target set for Nato members, let alone the 2.5 per cent analysts believe would be required to build up Austria’s military to the point where it could actually defend the country in the event of an invasion. Austria’s armed forces are little more than a natural disaster response unit.

“Vienna is the third home of the United Nations and yet Austria has not put forward a single initiative that might end the war or bring about a ceasefire in Ukraine…”

It becomes less and less likely that the beast will come from Austria, even though developments may drastically change the Austrian perspective.

Covid Army in Western Australia

Rebel News wrote on March 18:

“Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan faces increasing criticism over his handling of Covid as the state remains isolated from the rest of Australia and its citizens endure the country’s toughest health orders. Today McGowan has released what has been dubbed a ‘Covid Army’ also referred to as a ‘surveillance’ operation on Covid conducted by researchers. Their job is to go door-to-door in Perth over the weekend to conduct random Covid testing on people who do not have symptoms to see if the Omicron variant is going unnoticed within the wider community…

“To put Western Australia in perspective, New South Wales has dropped almost all Covid restrictions, including mask-wearing (except on public transport)… Many Western Australians have taken to social media to express their reservation and anger at the idea of government officials knocking on their door to perform (voluntary) tests… McGowan kept the Western Australian border closed for 697 days.”

CEOs: Get rid of Mask Mandates and Testing in Planes and Airports

Fox Business wrote on March 24:

“A group of airline CEOs sent a letter to President Biden calling on him to end the federal mask mandate on public transportation… ‘It makes no sense that people are still required to wear masks on airplanes, yet are allowed to congregate in crowded restaurants, schools and at sporting events without masks, despite none of these venues having the protective air filtration system that aircraft do,’ the letter said.

“CEOs of Alaska Air, Atlas Air, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, FedEx Express, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, UPS Airlines and Airlines for America signed the letter…. ‘Now is the time for the Administration to sunset federal transportation travel restrictions — including the international predeparture testing requirement and the federal mask mandate — that are no longer aligned with the realities of the current epidemiological environment,’ the letter continued.”

Lockdowns Caused Mental Illness

Israel 365 wrote on March 20:

“The national lockdowns instituted in Israel in 2020 negatively impacted people’s health, according to a large-scale study published this week by Clalit Health Services… patients suffering from psychiatric disorders increased by a whopping 60%.”

Is anybody waking up?

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.

How Reliable are US War Guarantees?

On March 11, Newsmax published the following article by Patrick J. Buchanan:

“Putin’s ambition, his goal, his dream, appear transparent – to bring home to the bosom of Mother Russia the diaspora Russians left behind in the lost 14 republics when the USSR splintered and came apart. Those housing significant Russian minorities are Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan and the Baltic republics of Latvia and Estonia…

“Would we really go to war with Russia if Russia invaded our NATO ally Estonia to bring home Russian peoples left behind at the end of the Cold War? If Russia seeks to create a land corridor through Lithuania and Poland to its separated province of Kaliningrad on the Baltic, would we declare war on a nuclear-armed Russia to prevent it?

“The Biden administration, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken in the lead, has said again and again these last two weeks that the US will defend ‘every inch’ of NATO territory. Will we?…

“In World War II,… Americans did not go to war with Germany for Great Britain, when it declared war on Hitler’s Germany and then was defeated in France. We went to war with Germany only when Hitler declared war on us, four days after Pearl Harbor in December 1941…

“On national media, one also hears enthusiasm for bringing Finland and Sweden into NATO. But Finland is the size of Germany and has an 833-mile border with Russia, which would be NATO’s largest. Is it really credible that the US would declare war or go to war with Russia to secure Finland’s border?”

It is highly doubtful that the US or NATO would declare war on Russia if Putin were to invade a NATO member state. And Putin knows this. But what if Putin WERE to march towards Berlin, and Germany would be left in the cold? That is why the EU, under German leadership, is desperate in creating a EU army, and statements by Ursula von der Leyen, that NATO has the strongest army in the world, appear ludicrous and ridiculous in the present climate when NATO is unwilling to use its army.

USA Unreliable Ally

Israel 365 wrote on March 14:

“When House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Israel last month, her expected statement that the ‘US support for Israel’s security and regional stability remains ironclad’ seems to have been nothing more than a canned formality as far as Jerusalem is concerned. Knesset Member and former Health Minister Yuli Edelstein (Likud) is the latest voice from the Israeli establishment admitting that Washington can no longer be relied upon in case of war with Iran…

“Israel isn’t the only one who no longer sees Washington as a reliable ally… journalists throughout the Arab world no longer see the US as a reliable ally.”

America’s Decline and Europe’s Rise

Fox News wrote on March 13:

“CNN’s Fareed Zakaria said Sunday that America was losing its hold on the world’s stage, emphasizing that the signs were ‘everywhere.’ ‘One of the defining features of the new era is that it is post-American. By that I mean that the Pax Americana of the past three decades is over,’ the ‘Fareed Zakaria GPS’ host said. Zakaria pointed to UAE and Saudi Arabia’s officials’ unwillingness to accept a phone call from President Biden as evidence of American decline. …

“Zakaria pointed to the Biden administration’s inability to lead a joint response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine as further evidence of American decline. ‘Consider as well that Israel initially in the Security Council vote and India have refused to describe Putin’s actions as an invasion and that all four countries have made it clear they will continue to do business with Russia,’ Zakaria said…

“‘The greatest strategic opportunity lies with Europe, which could use this challenge to stop being the passive international actor it has been for decades. We now see signs that the Europeans are ready to end the era of free security by raising defense spending and securing NATO’s eastern border,’ he said. ‘If Europe becomes a strategic player on the world stage, that could be the biggest geopolitical shift to emerge from this war. A United States joined by a focused and unified Europe would be a super alliance…’”

America’s decline is undeniable. A European Army will emerge, but it will not be in alliance with the USA, but in opposition to it.

Putin Won’t Stop at Ukraine

Express wrote on March 11:

“Ukrainian MP Inna Sovsun tells Express.co.uk that Putin won’t stop at Ukraine… She said: ‘In 1994 we gave up our nuclear weapons – in exchange we got assurances from the UK and the US that our security will be guaranteed. That was a written promise from the UK and the US – right now they are breaking that promise. Imagine Russia does invade Ukraine fully and take control of the country – that would put Russia on the eastern border of the EU and Poland. Putin has already said he doesn’t like Poland, the Baltic countries, Hungary in the EU. He doesn’t like Finland’s neutrality or Sweden’s neutrality. Moldova is next door. Does anyone really believe he will stop with Ukraine? He will go further…’

“Ms Sovsun was referring to The Budapest Memorandum on Security Assurances, which saw Ukraine give up its nuclear weapons while Russia promised not to attack the country. The treaty dictated that countries such as the UK and US should ‘provide assistance to Belarus, Kazakhstan or Ukraine if they should become a victim of an act of aggression or an object of a threat of aggression in which nuclear weapons are used’.

“Express.co.uk also spoke to Finnish ambassador to the UK, Jukka Siukosaari, who… responded to a threat from Russian foreign affairs spokesperson Maria Zakharova who said that Finland and Sweden could face ‘military consequences’ if they try to join NATO.”

In the past, many would have dismissed such threats as typical idle Russian propaganda. But with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a different picture emerges.

Poland Could Be Next

Express wrote on March 13:

“VLADIMIR PUTIN will advance west towards further European capitals if he succeeds in his invasion of Ukraine, the country’s former prime minister [Volodymyr Groysman] has warned. This comes as nine people are reported dead after a Russian strike on a military base near the Ukrainian  border with Poland- a NATO member and EU state. Ukrainian authorities said that up to 30 missiles were launched at the facility at Yavoriv, injuring 57 people.

“[He said:]  ‘If Ukraine falls, it will mean that Putin’s troops will be on the border of the EU and Nato, and then in a year – or maybe sooner, maybe later – he will intervene in the Baltic states and Poland, for instance… So what’s going to happen then? [Some] European leaders will still be able to say, “Look, the war might become even bigger, so let’s wait [so] it doesn’t become a large-scale war, because it’s still only about Lithuania and Estonia and Poland, but it’s not about France or Great Britain or Germany.”’”

“Mr Groysman spoke of Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky’s, insistence that the West commit to a NATO-enforced no-fly zone over Ukraine. This is something the West has been unwilling to put into practice, with US President Joe Biden warning it would mean a kickstart to World War 3. But World War 3, Mr Groysman continued, may have already begun.”

If God were to allow it, Putin would most certainly attempt to conquer other European countries. And Russia will… later.

Military.com wrote on March 10:

“For some European countries watching Russia’s brutal war in Ukraine, there are fears that they could be next. Western officials say the most vulnerable could be those who aren’t members of NATO or the European Union, and thus alone and unprotected — including Ukraine’s neighbor Moldova and Russia’s neighbor Georgia, both of them formerly part of the Soviet Union — along with the Balkan states of Bosnia and Kosovo.

“But analysts warn that even NATO members could be at risk, such as Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania on Russia’s doorstep, as well as Montenegro, either from Moscow’s direct military intervention or attempts at political destabilization.

“Russian President Vladimir Putin ‘has said right from the start that this is not only about Ukraine,’’ said Michal Baranowski, director of the German Marshall Fund’s Warsaw office…. ‘he was also talking about the eastern flank of NATO and the rest of Eastern Europe.’… EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell has said that ‘Russia is not going to stop in Ukraine.’”

Estonia called for the immediate establishment of a No-Fly-Zone over Ukraine.

How Russia May Try to Conquer the West

The Sun wrote on March 16:

“RUSSIAN state TV has aired a discussion on seizing the Baltic states as Nato bolsters Eastern European allies with thousands more troops. A former senior officer laid out a chilling scenario for Putin’s army capturing Nato countries Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, as well as grabbing parts of neutral Sweden….

“After gaining their independence when the Soviet Union collapsed, all three Baltic states joined Nato and continue to fear… Putin has designs on destabilising and invading, as he’s done in Ukraine.  Just such a scenario was outlined on Russian state TV channel Rossiya 1 by Colonel Igor Korotchenko, formerly of the Russian General Staff and air force and currently a reserve officer… Using maps in English with Nato troop deployments marked, he outlines in sinister detail the invasion scenario. At the beginning ‘a massive Russian radio-electronic strike is inflicted’ as ‘all Nato radars go blind and see nothing’….

“‘At this time, on the Swedish island Gotland, Russian military planes land, delivering S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, and Bastion coastal anti-ship systems,’ he said…. Korotchenko goes on to explain [that] the Russians would push out from the enclave of Kaliningrad towards the Suwalki corridor to block access to reinforcements from Poland. ‘The astonished West and Nato will know that Russia declares a no-fly zone of 400km,’ he said… Korotchenko went on ‘that those few special forces troops of Canada, UK, Germany and the USA… will be ‘surrounded’ by… Russian airborne forces and then ‘lay down their arms’.

“The scenario ends with the new Baltic states’ governments pledging allegiance to Moscow while Sweden agrees to perpetual neutrality and a 99 lease on Gotland. The programme went out on Russian television at the end of last year but was posted by Ukrainian government advisor Anton Gerashchenko. It has echoes of a televised address given by dictator Alexander Lukashenko in which he appeared to have revealed Moldova could be the next country to be invaded by Russia.”

In an accompanying box, the Sun wrote:

“It comes as…

“Footage appears to show the horrific moment Russian soldiers shoot dead a civilian as he holds up his hands… Russia has…  called for Alaska to become part of its territory again. Volodymyr Zelensky has admitted  Ukraine may never join Nato… A nine-year-old girl has lost her arm after Russian forces machine-gunned her family when they tried to flee Kyiv.”

Russia’s “Christian” Empire Spirit

Israel Today wrote on March 9:

“Putin sees Christianity as the spiritual glue that will unify and strengthen his empire. Since becoming President of Russia, Putin has cast himself as the true defender of Christians throughout the world… In a March 2014 speech given at the Kremlin just after Russia annexed Crimea, Putin pointed to Russia’s spiritual authority over Ukraine and Belarus… On July 12, 2021 Putin again proclaimed that Moscow alone must rule over Kyiv… Putin declared to the Kremlin on February 21, 2022 that ‘Ukraine is an inalienable part of our own history, culture and spiritual space.’ This phrase has deep resonance for those who are steeped in over a thousand years of Russian religious history. Herein lies a key to his imperialistically-based invasion of Ukraine which began on February 23, 2022…

“In the days of Hitler, the West was asleep at the wheel. Chamberlain’s indecisive stutter greeted the Nazi belligerent annexation of Czech Sudetenland, where more than three million people (including many ethnic Germans) lived. Most of Europe applauded the Munich Agreement, believing that this was the best chance to prevent a major war on the European Continent… Europe’s enabling of Hitler actually opened the door to a full-blown WWII.

“Is the West ready and willing to stop Putin by responding militarily and check-mating Russia’s expansion westward… before it becomes unstoppable? We seem to be living in days which have strong parallels to those just after WWII, days when the Berlin Wall still stood unblinking, when Russia still stretched its gnarled hand across Eastern Europe. But rather than recognizing the immediacy of the threat, many in the West are responding with agonizing slowness… But would such a timid Western response have been sufficient to stop Hitler in his tracks back in the day? And what about the agonies that Ukrainians are facing…

“Some are stating that, as long as Russia does not cross into NATO-affiliated countries, there is no need to respond militarily to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Had this sort of response been the reaction to Hitler’s blitzkriegs, WWII would have been decisively lost. Should the West wait until Poland or the Baltic Countries or Hungary are overrun?”

The “Christianity” which Putin sees as the glue to unify his empire is most certainly not the Christianity of the Bible. The “spiritual” or better demonic aspect in Putin’s conduct is largely overlooked.

Putin Will Drag NATO into the War one Way or Another

Fox News wrote on March 12:

“U.S. Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., says he supports imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine, despite the risks involved with the U.S. shooting down Russian aircraft and escalating the conflict…. But Mast, an Army veteran, said the risk is necessary, given Russian President Vladimir Putin’s unpredictability. ‘As much as none of us want to be in the Ukraine, if we do nothing, ultimately, everybody will be forced to be in the Ukraine as a result,’ Mast, who lost both his legs in Afghanistan, told Fox News.

“Mast said Putin may ultimately drag NATO and the U.S. into military conflict, even without a no-fly zone. ‘None of us should be under this illusion that Putin is a rational actor or operates in a proportional way,’ Mast told Fox News. ‘This guy invaded the sovereignty of…Ukraine. Just because we don’t do something doesn’t mean that Putin doesn’t still react to NATO or to the European Union or any other countries throughout Europe in some other kind of way’…

“Soon after Mast’s interview with Fox News, the Kremlin accused the U.S. of waging ‘economic war’ against Russia, and warned America to expect a response… Additionally, the Florida Republican doesn’t expect the war to end through diplomacy.”

Mast’s warnings have merit. Note the next article.

Putin’s Mad Conduct

The Daily Mail wrote on March 12, 2022:

“Deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov warned the US ‘that pumping weapons from a number of countries it orchestrates isn’t just a dangerous move, it’s an action that makes those convoys legitimate targets’… Volodymyr Zelensky has slammed the West for its inaction, saying today he ‘doesn’t see any bravery from NATO’ as he pleaded for more involvement from allies in peace negotiations and more anti-missile systems, saying he is willing to pay. The wartime leader also said Putin’s forces can only take Kyiv if they ‘raze the city to the ground’…

“… after a 75-minute call with Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz [Putin raged] that Ukraine was guilty of ‘extrajudicial reprisals against dissidents, taking civilians hostage, using them as human shields, [and] putting heavy armaments in civilian areas near hospitals, schools, kindergartens.’ Scholz and Macron implored Putin to end the war and stop the brutal siege of Mariupol but a French official said he did not show any willingness for calling off his inhumane invasion. “

Putin’s claims, conduct and behavior are clearly reminiscent of Hitler’s. The Sun described Putin’s attacks on March 11 as “Devil’s Work,” the same term Hitler used when he invaded Poland.

Putin’s Mental Disorder

Express wrote on March 13:

“VLADIMIR PUTIN is suffering from a condition related to dementia, Parkinson’s disease, or steroid use, international intelligence sources have claimed… Analyses have focused on how Putin, 69, appears in recent photos and footage, in conjunction with his behaviour towards diplomats and politicians…

“[Former head of MI6, Sir Richard Dearlove, said:] ‘Those around him see a marked change in the cogency and clarity of what he says and how he perceives the world around him…. People with dementia are very, very good at covering up their dementia. But eventually, it reaches a point where they can’t. And if you look at what he’s doing, Vladimir Putin is mentally unstable.”

This condition might contribute to his mental illness. But the real reason is demonic possession.

Worse than Hitler?

Fox News wrote on March 12:

“A guest on MSNBC [former U.S. Ambassador to Russia and Stanford University Professor Michael McFaul] was torched by critics making a comparison between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Adolf Hitler, providing a more favorable view of the Nazi dictator… ‘One of the Russian journalists said, “You know, there’s one difference between Hitler when he was coming in and Putin. Hitler didn’t kill ethnic Germans. He didn’t kill German-speaking people,”’ McFaul said…

“‘I think people need to remember that we’re talking about cities like Kharkiv and Mariupol and Kyiv, there are large populations there, you know, up to a third and sometimes as much to a half that are Russian speakers and are ethnic Russians. And yet Putin doesn’t seem to care about that. He slaughters the very people he said he has come to liberate,’ McFaul said….

“‘Hitler “didn’t kill German-speaking people” is an insanely false claim since many of the Jews murdered in the Holocaust spoke German,’ Washington Examiner reporter Jerry Dunleavy reacted, adding, ‘Pro-Tip: You don’t have to try to play weird word games to try to make Putin seem worse than Hitler — Putin is plenty bad on the objective facts.’…

“‘Okay, I’m going to express this calmly. It’s wrong to suggest that German Jews, whose families had lived in Germanic lands for centuries, weren’t ethnic Germans. Also Hitler killed German communists, German Roma, German trade unionists, German handicapped, German queers, etc,’ The Nation columnist Jeet Heer corrected McFaul…

“McFaul was even called out by the Auschwitz Memorial, which replied, ‘On a factual note: Hitler did kill ethnic Germans & German-speaking people: those who opposed the Nazi regime, those who resisted, those who did not fit into the “Weltanschauung”. He ordered the murder of people with different disabilities & finally the murder of German Jewry.’”

McFaul’s comments were just plain stupid and factually terribly incorrect. McFaul walked back his comments and made matters worse, saying: “I slipped late last night and violated an unwritten taboo– never compare Hitler with anyone. I agree. He was incomparably evil. I won’t do it again.”

Hitler was NOT incomparably evil. Others are likewise. Given the chance, Putin will prove that and own this description. The coming “beast” will be much worse.

Trump Surprised by Putin

The New York Post wrote on March 16:

“Former President Donald Trump said in an interview Tuesday that he was ‘surprised’ Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded neighboring Ukraine, having thought the threat of an attack was a negotiating ploy. ‘“I’m surprised — I’m surprised. I thought he was negotiating when he sent his troops to the border. I thought he was negotiating,’ Trump told the Washington Examiner. ‘I thought it was a tough way to negotiate, but a smart way to negotiate… And then he went in — and I think he’s changed. I think he’s changed. It’s a very sad thing for the world. He’s very much changed,’ Trump said of the Russian leader.

“T​he former president, who has repeatedly insisted that Russia would not have launched its invasion if he were still in the White House, defended himself against criticism from lawmakers, including some Republicans, for praising Putin just before the invasion as ‘savvy’ and a ‘genius.’… ‘I’ve been very critical of Putin from the standpoint of the pipeline, from the standpoint of raising billions and billions of dollars in NATO to protect, primarily, Europe against Russia,’ Trump said. ‘Nobody else did that.’”

How Trump could have thought that Putin was “bluffing” is hard to decipher. To ramble about it is even worse.

Schwarzenegger Warns…

 Hollywood Reporter wrote on March 17:

“Arnold Schwarzenggger released an emotional video Thursday addressed to the people of Russia… in an attempt to punch through Russian state propaganda… Schwarzenegger details how the fighting was instigated by Russia in February, explaining that the invasion has been declared illegal by 141 countries, that many civilian buildings (such as a maternity hospital) have been bombed, that there’s now a massive refugee crisis and that thousands of Russians have died.

 “‘The world has turned against Russia because of its actions in Ukraine,’ he said. ‘The destruction that Russian bombs are raining down on innocent civilians has so outraged the world that the strongest global economic sanctions ever taken have been imposed on your country…  This is not the war to defend Russia like your grandfather or your great-grandfather fought. This is an illegal war!’

 “In a rarity for the Austria-born actor, Schwarzenegger also candidly invoked his father’s dark history as a Nazi sergeant when addressing the Russian government’s false claims that its troops are engaged in the ‘de-nazification’ of Ukraine. ‘[My father] was injured at Leningrad, and the Nazi army he was part of did vicious harm to the great city and to its brave people,’ he said. ‘When my father arrived in Leningrad, he was all pumped up on the lies of his government. When he left Leningrad, he was broken — physically and mentally. He lived the rest of his life in pain — pain from a broken back, pain from the shrapnel that always reminded him of those terrible years and pain from the guilt that he felt. To the Russian soldiers listening to this broadcast: You already know much of the truth that I’m speaking. You’ve seen it in your own eyes. I don’t want you to be broken like my father.’…

“In addition, the actor also addressed Putin himself: ‘To those in power in the Kremlin, let me just ask you: Why would you sacrifice these young men for your own ambition? … To President Putin, I say: You started this war. You are leading this war. You can stop this war.’

“Schwarzenegger closed with a message to Russian protesters who have risked imprisonment to take to the streets to voice opposition to the war in Ukraine. ‘The world has seen your bravery,’ he said. ‘We know that you’ve suffered the consequences of your courage. You have been arrested, you’ve been jailed, and you’ve been beaten. You are my new heroes…’”

Israel’s Duplicit Conduct

The Jerusalem Post wrote on March 11:

“Prime Minister Naftali Bennett told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he recommends Ukraine take the offer made by Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the war – which includes many Ukrainian sacrifices… According to the official, Zelensky and his people did not like the advice.

“‘Bennett told us to surrender,’ said the official. ‘We have no intention of doing so. We know Putin’s offer is only the beginning.’… The official also said that Israel asked Ukraine not to request more military and defense aid because such a request could harm the mediation efforts….

“Ukrainian officials believe that Bennett’s involvement in diplomatic efforts comes from his not wanting to take a clear stance regarding the Russian invasion from fear that it will harm Israel’s ties with Russia.”

Bennet’s conduct in the Russian-Ukrainian affair was dubious from the outset.

The Algemeiner wrote on March 12:

“A top Ukrainian adviser and an Israeli official on Saturday pushed back against a media report suggesting Israel tried to nudge Ukraine into caving to Russian demands during talks.”

Putin Reads Hitler’s “Playbook”

Express wrote on March 11:

“Alex Konanykhin left Russia in 1992 and seven years later became the first Russian citizen to be granted political asylum in the United States from post-Soviet Russia. Last week, the businessman announced via social media he is offering a reward of $1 million for the arrest of Putin… his motives for doing this were because he does not want to be ‘confused for most Russians who either actively supported or are silently complicit in Putin’s war against Ukraine’. Mr Konanykhin’s social media post received millions of likes and huge media attention. He said reaction to his post shows Putin ‘is going to be a close second to Hitler in history in the number of people who would cheer his demise’…

“Mr Konanykhin… believes there are ‘eerie similarities’ between the actions of Putin and those of Hitler. He said: ‘Putin is imitating Hitler to such a degree as if he got Hitler’s playbook out of the archives, and is simply going through it page by page.’”

A clear reference to Hitler’s “Mein Kampf.”

China and Russia

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 14:

“From the beginning of the war in Ukraine, it was clear that China would not condemn Russia’s invasion… Last week, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi…  blamed a ‘Cold War mentality’  as the real reason for the war in Ukraine… China’s talk of a Cold War mentality and Russia’s justifications that its actions are intended to defend itself from NATO are hypocritical…

“In Russia’s worldview, it is impossible to conceive that sovereign states such as Ukraine would make use of their sovereignty and decide of their own free will in favor of democracy and closer ties with the European Union. The fact that Taiwan, officially the Republic of China, has its own ideas about its future is also unacceptable to Beijing, which sees Taiwan as a Chinese province.”

Military.com wrote on March 11:

“China considers Taiwan a breakaway province, and Xi has vowed to pursue ‘reunification.’ While U.S. officials say Xi would prefer to accomplish that through coercive measures short of all-out war, they add he is prepared to use military force if need be… Weeks before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Putin and Xi signed a pact that declared there were ‘no limits’ or ‘’forbidden’ areas of cooperation’ between Russia and China.”

FINALLY, Pope Francis Speaks Out… Somewhat

Newsmax wrote on  March 13:

“Pope Francis issued his toughest condemnation yet of the invasion of Ukraine, saying on Sunday the ‘unacceptable armed aggression’ must stop… Francis also said that the killing of children and unarmed civilians was ‘barbaric’ and with ‘no valid strategic reason.’… ‘In the name of God I ask you: stop this massacre!,’ the pope said, adding that Ukrainian cities risked ‘being reduced to cemeteries.’

“The pope has not used the word ‘Russia’ in his condemnations of the war… But his choice of words… appear aimed at contesting Moscow’s justifications for the invasion… Last Sunday Francis [said] it could not be considered ‘just a military operation’ but a war that had unleashed ‘rivers of blood and tears.’”

Worldwide Food Supplies in Danger

CNN wrote on March 12:

“The biggest problem is wheat… Supplies from Russia and Ukraine, which together account for almost 30% of global wheat trade, are now at risk. Global wheat prices hit an all-time high earlier this week. Another major problem is access to fertilizer. Essential for farmers to hit their production targets for crops, it’s never been more expensive, as exports from Russia grind to a halt. Output in Europe has also plunged thanks to the surging price of natural gas, a key ingredient in nitrogen-based fertilizers like urea…

“Egypt just banned the export of wheat, flour, lentils and beans amid growing concerns over food reserves in the Arab world’s most populous state. Indonesia has also tightened export restrictions on palm oil, which is a component in cooking oil as well as in cosmetics and some packaged goods like chocolate. It’s the world’s top producer of the product…

“Even before Russia launched a war in Ukraine, the global food system was strained. Snarled supply chains and unpredictable weather patterns… had already pushed food prices to their highest level in about a decade. Affordability was also an issue after the pandemic left millions out of work.

“The number of people on the edge of famine has jumped to 44 million from 27 million in 2019… Russia and Ukraine serve as the breadbasket for countries in the Middle East, South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa that depend on imports… The brewing crisis goes beyond wheat and oils. Russia, along with its ally Belarus, is also a major exporter of the fertilizers needed to plant a wide range of crops. But right now, everyone is shunning their stock…”

Ukrainians Recall Famine under Ruthless Dictator Stalin

The Washington Post wrote on March 12:

“Houses filled with the dead were common in Ukraine in 1932 and 1933. Those who collected the corpses knew where to stop if they saw ravens nearby. And sometimes the emaciated living were carted away with the deceased. Desperate, starving people, deprived of their livelihood by ruthless edicts of Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin, were forced to eat grass, tree bark, flowers, rats, dogs and, in the end, their children, historians have recorded. People died in the streets, on sidewalks, in train stations, in farm fields and on country roads. About 4 million of them perished in the great famine, known as the Holodomor, or death by hunger.

“Today, as Ukraine battles Russian invaders and the dead again lie in the streets of places, including Mariupol, that have been cut off from supplies, memory of the famine and its links to the Kremlin remain strong… Thirteen percent of the Ukrainian population perished… as Stalin enforced ‘collectivization’ through the seizure of private property, livestock and equipment by the state, and brutally punished peasants for failure to meet quotas by taking the last of their food. Fearful of simmering Ukrainian nationalism, Stalin applied economic ‘sanctions’ to regions that could not fulfill government requisitions.

“Just as now, people jammed into trains to try to leave the country… Stalin decided to close the Ukrainian border and make it difficult for people to escape or go from village to village inside Ukraine. He sent in special requisition brigades to scour the homes of the starving for hidden goods…

“The result was a catastrophe…  Combined with the complete absence of food they also produced, in the Ukrainian countryside, a very rare form of madness… Many survivors witnessed either cannibalism or, far more often, necrophagy, the consumption of corpses of people who had died of starvation…

“And as Russian President Vladimir Putin lies to his people today about the invasion of Ukraine, the lie Stalin told about the famine lives on, too… In 2015, Sputnik News, a Kremlin propaganda website, published an article in English called ‘Holodomor Hoax.’ The famine, it said, was ‘one of the 20th century’s most famous myths and vitriolic pieces of anti-Soviet propaganda.’”

The article contained numerous explicit examples of cannibalism… These terrible events are prophesied to be repeated, at a much larger scale, in the very last days. To be clear, we have no doubt that Stalin was demonically possessed as well.

No Fast EU Membership for Ukraine

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 11, 2022:

“The heads of all 27 EU states pledged to strengthen their ties with Kyiv and ‘support Ukraine in pursuing its European path’ following a two-day summit in Versailles, France. In a joint statement, the EU leaders also said that ‘Ukraine belongs to the European family.’ However, they rejected the plea by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to quickly accept Ukraine into the EU…  The accession process normally takes years or even decades, with the candidate nation required to meet a number of EU-set criteria. The host of the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron, said the bloc would not make exceptions for Ukraine…

“German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was also against the idea, pointing instead to the association agreement that the EU made with Kyiv in 2017 as a way to deepen ties… Meanwhile, Scholz said the EU sanctions had already had ‘dramatic consequences’ for the Russian economy, while arguing that stopping Russian oil and gas imports was not tenable for several EU members.”

Die Welt described the summit in France as a “summit of shame” and stated that Scholz did not cut a good figure. Zelensky’s disappointment with NATO and with the EU, especially Germany, should be noted.

EU Must Be Crazy—Sanctioning Poland!

Grip.ie wrote on March 13:

“Poland – one of the EU’s poorest countries – has accepted 1.5 million Ukrainian refugees in two weeks since the Russian invasion began… As Poland reels from this influx of new arrivals, struggling financially to accommodate them, the European Parliament has voted overwhelmingly to put economic sanctions on both Hungary and Poland. 478 MEPs voted in favour, and only 155 voted against….

“The parliament declared that it was now ‘high time’ for the European Commission to ‘react to the ongoing violations of the rule of law in some EU member states, which pose a danger to the European Union’s financial interests.’… The EU will deprive Poland and Hungary of billions of euros in funds, claiming that they have seized political control over the media and judiciary. Poland and Hungary have denied the accusations, accusing the EU in return of blackmailing their countries, and saying some EU resolutions are incompatible with their constitutions and they are merely attempting to implement judicial reforms.”

All of this shows the total hypocrisy of the EU.

A Day of Shame for Germany and the EU

The Sun wrote on March 17:

“FRANCE, Germany and Italy side-stepped an arms embargo to sell weapons to Vladimir Putin that are being used to slaughter Ukrainians. On a day of shame for the EU, it emerged that member states sold hundreds of millions of pounds of military kit to Russia between 2015 and 2020.”

AFP wrote on March 17:

“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday called on Germany to help destroy a new ‘Wall’ Russia was erecting in Europe, as he appealed directly to Chancellor Olaf Scholz to bolster his tentative response to the invasion. In a speech combining an appeal for fresh aid for his besieged country with criticism of Berlin’s long accommodating stance toward Moscow, Zelensky recalled Germany’s own triumph over its Cold War division. ‘It’s not a Berlin Wall — it is a Wall in central Europe between freedom and bondage and this Wall is growing bigger with every bomb’ dropped on Ukraine, Zelensky told MPs, echoing an appeal to history deployed before the US Congress Wednesday.

“Appearing on a screen in his now trademark khaki T-shirt with dark circles under his eyes, Zelensky was welcomed by MPs in the Bundestag lower house with a standing ovation. In a grave tone, he directly addressed Scholz, who faced fresh attacks from the conservative opposition for a halting stance in the crisis. ‘Dear Mr Scholz, tear down this Wall,’ he implored, evoking US President Ronald Reagan’s 1987 appeal to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate. ‘Give Germany the leadership role that you in Germany deserve.’… ‘We turned to you,’ he said. ‘We told you that Nord Stream (gas pipeline cooperation between Russia and Germany) was a kind of preparation for the war. And the answer we got was purely economic — it is economy, economy, economy, but that was the mortar for the new Wall.’…

“Christian Democrat Norbert Roettgen, who is calling for a total Russian energy embargo, led a chorus of conservative criticism of the government after Zelensky’s speech, saying Scholz should have addressed parliament immediately afterwards. He tweeted that the ‘historic moment’ had been followed by ‘total silence — that was undignified… a moment of collective shame’. His party colleague, Roderich Kiesewetter, called it ‘baffling’ that parliament continued with plans to debate a national vaccine mandate rather than on Germany’s Ukraine policy.”

 Bild Online called it a “day of shame” for the German Parliament.

Iran’s Missile Strike near US Embassy in Iraq

Fox News wrote on March 12:

“A series of missiles were fired Sunday from Iran in the direction of the U.S. consulate in Erbil, Iraq… The missiles numbered as many as 12… None of the missiles made contact with the consulate… The strike represented an escalation in hostilities between Iran and the U.S…. The missile strike came several days after Iran said it would respond to an Israeli strike near Damascus, Syria, that resulted in the deaths of two members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard…

“The Sunday strike also came as negotiations in Vienna, on the potential revival of the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal, hit a ‘pause’ because of Russia’s demands regarding economic sanctions it faces because of its invasion of Ukraine…”

Wherever one looks, the USA is in deep trouble.

Another Month of Mask Nonsense

Newsmax wrote on March 11:

“The Biden administration’s one-month extension of mask mandates at airplane, train, and transit hubs has left many Americans wondering why they still must cover their faces to travel when they’re free to go maskless in virtually any other indoor space.

“The 30-day extension, which will keep the mask requirement in place until at least April 18, comes as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced it’s working on new guidelines that will ultimately lead to the lifting of the rule, squashing the hopes of Republican lawmakers who hoped to see the mandates be allowed to expire on March 18.”

The extension of these regulations by the Biden administration is annoying and, in fact, just plain stupid.

More Nonsense from the TSA on Masks

The New York Post wrote on March 15:

“The federal rule that requires air travelers to wear face masks, which the Transportation Security Administration first imposed more than a year ago, was scheduled to expire this Friday. But the TSA extended the requirement for at least another month, for reasons even harder to understand than the original rationale for the mask mandate.

“That is saying a lot, because the scientific justification for the TSA’s rule has always been weak, given that the conditions on airplanes are not conducive to COVID-19 transmission. The ventilation systems on commercial aircraft, which mix outdoor air with air recycled through HEPA filters and limit airflow between rows, help explain why there were few outbreaks associated with commercial flights even before vaccines were available. ‘The risk of contracting COVID-19 during air travel is low,’ an October 2020 article in The Journal of the American Medical Association noted…

“Southwest Airlines CEO Gary Kelly reiterated that point during a Senate hearing in December. ‘I think the case is very strong that masks don’t add much, if anything, in the air cabin environment,’ he said. ‘It is very safe and very high quality compared to any other indoor setting.’ American Airlines CEO Doug Parker agreed. ‘An aircraft is the safest place you can be,’ he said. ‘It’s true of all of our aircraft — they all have the same HEPA filters and airflow.’

“On Feb. 25, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stopped recommending general indoor masking in parts of the country it rates ‘low’ or ‘medium’ risk, which as of last week covered more than 98% of the US population. According to the CDC, then, it is safe to dispense with masks in stores, churches, schools, bars and restaurants — environments where the risk of virus transmission is much higher than it is on airplanes…”

Who said that mask mandates and lockdowns and other restrictions made any sense whatsoever?

EU Continues Ineffective Covid Regulations

Life Site wrote on March 15:

“The Council of the European Union (EU) on Friday agreed to extend the EU’s Digital COVID Certificate until at least June 2023, re-igniting concerns that the discriminatory measures imposed ostensibly to curtail the spread of the coronavirus could persist indefinitely… In the statement, the Council asserted that the EU’s COVID jab passport, which has been used to segregate society between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated, barring those who haven’t gotten the jab from many parts of society, ‘played an important role in facilitating the free movement of people during the pandemic.’

“The decision to extend the regulation for the COVID pass comes despite the fact that the experimental drugs have not been shown to stop transmissions of the virus. The segregation of society by vaccine status using COVID jab passport schemes has drawn sharp criticism by many, including the authors of a comprehensive paper released last month.

“Written by researchers with expertise in public health, epidemiology, bioethics, statistics, pediatrics and law from Johns Hopkins University, Oxford, Harvard, the University of Washington, and other institutions, the paper argued that ‘current population-wide mandatory vaccine policies are scientifically questionable, ethically problematic, and misguided.’…”

Amen to that.

Biden: It Wasn’t Me!

Breitbart wrote on March 11:

“President Joe Biden complained Friday he was ‘sick’ of Americans blaming him for inflation instead of the coronavirus pandemic or Russian President Vladimir Putin… The President made his remarks at a Democrat policy retreat to Democrats in Philadelphia in a rambling speech about issues facing his presidency…

“The President is suffering from terrible ratings on the economy due to his failure to address inflation. Sixty-three percent of Americans disapprove of the president’s handling of the issue of inflation and rising prices,… including 54 percent who strongly disapprove.

“During his speech, Biden falsely blamed Putin’s invasion of Ukraine for causing gas prices to rise in 2022, starting in January… But even former Democrat officials have outlined that Biden’s reckless spending agenda, as well as the Federal Reserves’ policies, overstimulated the economy and led to growing inflation.

“Former Treasury Secretary for Barack Obama Larry Summers told the Harvard Gazette in an interview that government intervention in the economy is partially responsible for inflation, suggesting it was an overreaction to the coronavirus pandemic. ‘We had an economy where income was running short by $50 billion a month because of the pandemic, and we injected $150 billion to $200 billion a month into that economy,’ he wrote. [In fact, Larry Summers called the $1.9T spending bill which passed in March 2021 “”the least responsible economic policy in 40 years.”]

“‘This is Biden’s inflation and he needs to own it,’ wrote former Barack Obama administration czar Steve Rattner on social media after the White House tried to blame Putin for inflation. Inflation sharply spiked in March 2021, after Biden’s first $1.9 trillion spending bill passed.”

There is no doubt that Biden’s ill-conceived policies are responsible for the rising inflation and the economic mess which this country is in. But it takes a strong leader to admit grievous mistakes and change for the better. Biden is not such a strong leader.

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.

Putin Unified Europe

The Week wrote on March 5:

“Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it was common for analysts in the West to presume a war on Europe’s eastern edge would provoke rancorous division over how to respond within the European Union and NATO… In fact, the diametric opposite has occurred. Europe has been united and resolute…

“Russian President Vladimir Putin has inadvertently accomplished what often seemed impossible — bringing the continent together on foreign policy and thereby laying a solid foundation for a true United States of Europe. The implications for the EU and the U.S. alike will be profound…

“Just as Napoleon’s conquering army unintentionally inspired national self-consciousness and aspirations among formerly disparate European peoples, so Putin’s invasion has provoked unity in the continent as a whole, as members of the EU have felt deeply threatened by a common adversary…

“The European Union has never thought and acted more like a coherent political entity than it’s doing right now… As it does, the EU will keep evolving toward becoming a fully autonomous super-state — a liberal multinational empire that takes increasing responsibility for its own defense….”

While the unsuspecting and ignorant world approves of this development, the consequences will be disastrous.

Europe’s New Military Buildup

The Washington Post wrote on March 3:

“In Germany, a nation that shrank from confrontation with Moscow after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the evidence is a historic military buildup announced in response to Putin’s invasion of Ukraine…

“When Moscow annexed Crimea and Russian-backed forces seized parts of eastern Ukraine in 2014, the German titans of industry demurred, urging then-Chancellor Angela Merkel to tread lightly…  When Merkel sought to impose sanctions on Russia following its initial aggression in Ukraine in 2014, polls showed a majority of Germans against them.

“Fast forward to now…Olaf Scholz, once a word-parsing waffler on Moscow, announced a historic ramp up in military spending to meet the Russian threat… a recent poll showed 78 percent of the Germans backed Scholz’s plan…

“In France…. a new poll showed 84 percent of respondents believe you can’t ‘negotiate’ with Putin and 7 out of 10 backed arms deliveries to Ukraine. Surprisingly, a majority — 53 percent — even backed a step ruled out by leaders in Washington and the capitals of Europe: the intervention of NATO’s armed forces in Ukraine… Macron is seizing the moment to push his vision for a European army… ‘We cannot let others defend ourselves; whether on land, at sea, under the sea, in the air, in space or in cyberspace,’ Macron said in a televised speech Wednesday night. ‘Our European defense must take a new step.’

 “The historic push for stronger, collective defense in Europe is the culmination of an awakening to the Russian threat after years of sleepwalking through Russian aggression. But it’s also an acknowledgment of the unpredictability of U.S. politics.  Polls show public support for President Biden and former president Donald Trump… as roughly similar…

“A litany of European gas and oil companies — BP, Shell and Equinor — are pulling the plug on their Russian investments, hitting the Kremlin where it hurts: its energy sector… the Russian threat has crystallized for the British people. In a September poll,  34 percent of Britons considered Russia a ‘hostile threat.’ Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, that figure almost doubled, to 64 percent.”

Will the Russian invasion of Ukraine cause Europe to establish a powerful European army to be able to “defend” against Russian aggression? German Finance minister Christian Lindner (FDP) stated that the Bundeswehr is to become the strongest army in Europe.

US Will Stop Import of Russian Oil and Gas

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 8:

“The US will stop importing oil and natural gas from Russia, US President Joe Biden has said…. ‘ We will not be part of subsidizing Putin’s war,’ Biden said, describing energy imports as ‘the main artery of Russia’s economy.’ The US president also warned oil companies and their partners against ‘excessive price increases’ as the war and fears of more bans drive up energy prices on the global market…

“Biden said… in Europe… many of them might not join the boycott… German Chancellor Olaf Scholz [said] on Monday [oil and gas imports from Russia] were ‘essential’ to daily life in Europe. On Tuesday, the European Commission published plans to cut EU dependency on Russian gas by two-thirds this year and end its reliance on Russian supplies of the fuel ‘well before 2030.’ Just ahead of Biden’s announcement, the UK said they would phase out Russian oil imports by the end of 2022…

“Biden acknowledged that the latest ban would cause fuel prices to rise even more…”

Newsmax added on March 8:

“Former President Donald Trump criticized Europe on Tuesday for not joining the United States in boycotting Russian oil and gas. ‘… As usual the United States will be left out there alone, being taken advantage of by Europe, as we defend them, while we read in the Fake News how everyone has come together under [President Joe] Biden to fight Russia.’”

Biden’s Spin Debunked

Fox News wrote on March 8:

“The Biden administration has repeatedly touted the fact that oil production in Biden’s first year in office was higher than in Trump’s first year in office. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said during Monday’s briefing that ‘the U.S. produced more oil this past year than in President Trump’s first year.’ Biden sounded a similar note Tuesday during his remarks announcing a ban on Russian energy imports. ‘Even amid the pandemic, companies in the United States pumped more oil during my first year in office than they did during my predecessor’s first year,’ Biden said.

“But the White House’s framing omits a key fact: while domestic oil production in 2021 was higher than it was in 2017, it was lower than it was in 2018, 2019 and 2020… The White House spin comes amid increasing Democratic anxiety about the political impacts of record-setting gas prices ahead of the midterm elections…”

Russia’s New Threats

Fox News reported on March 8:

“Russia threatened to close its main gas line to Germany, late Monday, if Western nations ban Russian oil imports… Alexander Novak, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, warned that the ‘rejection of Russian oil would lead to catastrophic consequences for the global market,’ suggesting the price per barrel could double to $300… Given the European Union gets 40% of its gas and 30% of its oil from Russia, Novak asserted it would be ‘impossible to quickly find a replacement for Russian oil on the European market.’”

Germany’s Dependence on Russian Oil

Bloomberg wrote on March 4:

“For years, the U.S. warned Germany of building up a dangerous energy dependence on Russia, the source of more than half of its fossil fuel imports. Now that the war in Ukraine has shocked Berlin into the same conclusion, the government is finding that changing course might be too late.

“… Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s government has said the country’s gas needs are covered until next winter. But Europe’s gas storage facilities are now less than a third full, well below the average for this time of the year. To compensate for lost Russian gas, Germany would need deliveries from the world’s entire 600-vessel fleet of liquefied natural gas tankers…

“For now, Moscow has given no indication that it may cut off supplies, while Germany opposes sanctions or political pressure that would prompt a full energy embargo. But already, Berlin is in crisis mode. Highlighting the sense of urgency, the government has authorized a 1.5 billion-euro ($1.7 billion) ad-hoc payment to secure LNG [Liquefied Natural Gas]. At current prices, that’s only about a week’s worth of gas… and LNG is typically at least 10% more expensive than supplies piped from Russia…

“In the event of a supply shutdown, Uniper would likely be one of the first companies to feel the fallout. The Dusseldorf-based utility has more than half of its long-term gas contracts with Russia and faces a bleak future if those supplies get cut off. That would have a knock-on effect on consumers and factories dependent on its electricity…

“German oil and gas producer Wintershall Dea AG… wrote down 1 billion euros invested in the controversial $11 billion project [Nord Stream 2 Pipeline], which had long irked the U.S. because of the Russian connection but was nevertheless nearing completion until the government halted certification. The first Nord Stream pipeline, which bypasses Ukraine to connect Germany directly with Russian gas fields, was opened by former Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2011, calling it a ‘remarkable achievement.’

“Scholz also announced plans to fast-track construction of the country’s first LNG terminals, but that would still take years. In the short term, the government released a crisis plan, including building up coal reserves for power plants and forcing gas firms to keep minimum storage levels — nearly a third of that capacity is controlled by Russia’s Gazprom PJSC in a further sign of Germany’s dependence.

“… Insurers Euler Hermes and Allianz SE estimate that it would require 170 billion euros in investment a year for the European Union to gain independence from Russian energy…

“Russia supplies more than half of Germany’s gas, half of its coal and roughly a third of its oil… Russia shutting down deliveries isn’t a far-fetched scenario, because gas only provides the government with a quarter of the revenue compared with oil…

“A gas shortage could prompt BASF to halt some factories, dealing a blow to supplies of materials used in cars, fertilizers and medicines across Europe… which advises hundreds of companies in Germany… ‘This is the biggest energy crisis people in Europe have faced since the Second World War,’ said [Wolfgang] Hahn, owner of Energy Consulting GmbH.”

So what is Germany going to do?

Embarrassment for Germany…

Breitbart wrote on March 4:

“Berlin had planned to send Ukraine 2,700 ‘Strela’ rockets dating back to the German Communist era, as part of the weapons package Germany had prepared to help Kyiv fend off the Russian invasion, but at least 700 have been revealed to be defective, with the boxes they’re stored in being described as ‘mouldy’.

“The rockets had initially been designed for use by the National People’s Army of the Soviet-controlled German Democratic Republic (GDR), which ceased to exist in 1990…  A classified military document that was leaked by Spiegel magazine… has said that: ‘Owing to the obsolescence of the rocket motor, the Strela missile is no longer safe to handle, so it can no longer be fired’. As a result of neglect, small cracks had formed on the rockets, which led to corrosion.

“The German army, known as the Bundeswehr, have not used the GDR’s weapons since 2014 citing ‘security reasons’, and since then the wooden boxes holding the missiles have rotted and become covered in mould – to the extent that soldiers are only allowed to enter the rooms storing the rockets if they wear protective clothing, German magazine Focus reports…

“Of the maximum of 2,000 rockets that are still combat-ready, it has been reported that the Bundeswehr no longer have the handpieces that are needed to fire the ordinance, with the German military hoping the Ukrainians have access to them or they may not be able to use the shoulder-fired missiles.

“Germany had initially declined to send lethal aid to Ukraine… Germany had provided 5,000 helmets to Kyiv, a move that was widely mocked by some as poor even as a token gesture…

“After much reluctance, Germany also blocked the approval process for Nord Stream 2, the 764 mile-long natural gas pipeline that would connect Russia and Germany…”

How could Berlin have been so stupid and incompetent?

Zelenskyy Disappointed and Frustrated with NATO

Newsmax wrote on March 4:

“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called NATO ‘weak’ and ‘underconfident’ on Friday for refusing the establishment of a no-fly zone over Ukraine… NATO argued establishing such a zone could escalate the conflict into a wider European war. ‘The only way to implement a no-fly zone is to send NATO fighter planes into Ukrainian airspace, and then impose that no-fly zone by shooting down Russian planes,’ NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said… ‘We understand the desperation, but we also believe that if we did that, we would end up with something that could end in a full-fledged war in Europe,’ he added.

“Zelenskyy lambasted the organization… claiming the country has been thrown into ‘nine days of darkness’ without assistance from NATO. ‘Knowing that new strikes and casualties are inevitable, NATO deliberately decided not to close the sky over Ukraine,’ Zelenskyy claimed. ‘Because of your weakness, because of your disunity, all the alliance has managed to do so far is to carry fifty tons of diesel fuel for Ukraine,’ he continued. ‘Is this the alliance you were building?’

“Zelenskyy further disputed claims that a no-fly zone would create a direct confrontation between NATO and Russia… The White House has, so far, shown the same hesitancy towards the no-fly zone idea as NATO… Press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Thursday, ‘It would require, essentially, the U.S. military shooting down Russian planes and prompting a potential direct war with Russia, the exact step that we want to avoid.’”

The Guardian added on March 4:

“Volodymyr Zelenskyy has critisized Nato for refusing to implement a no-fly zone over Ukraine, saying the decision has given ‘the green light for further bombing of Ukrainian towns and villages’. ‘All the people who die from this day forward will also die because of you, because of your weakness, because of your lack of unity,’ the Ukrainian president said in an emotional nighttime address.”

Axios also quoted Zelenskyy as saying that if Ukraine fell, “Europe will not stand… If we will fall, you will fall so please don’t be silent, do not turn the blind on eye on this.”

Germany has also rejected the idea of a no-fly zone, and so has much of Europe. Would Stoltenberg and the Western allies really act differently if Russia were to attack a NATO member state?

Zelenskyy Won’t Join NATO—Open to Compromise with Russia

Die Welt wrote on March 8:

 “With regard to NATO, Zelenskyy was disappointed. He said that the alliance is not ready to accept Ukraine as a member. ‘The alliance is afraid of controversial issues and a dispute with Russia.’ He indicated that he would not join. He said that Ukraine is not a country that begs for something on its knees. Since the constitution was changed in 2019, joining NATO has been the declared goal of the former Soviet republic.”

The Hindu wrote on March 8:

“In another apparent nod aimed at placating Moscow, Mr. Zelenskyy said he is open to ‘compromise’ on the status of two breakaway pro-Russian territories [in eastern Ukraine — Donetsk and Luhansk] that President Vladimir Putin recognised as independent just before unleashing the invasion on February 24. ‘I have cooled down regarding this question a long time ago after we understood that … NATO is not prepared to accept Ukraine,’ Zelenskyy said in an interview aired on Monday night (U.S. time) on ABC News…

“When ABC asked him about this Russian demand, Mr. Zelenskyy said he was open to dialogue… He said these two regions ‘have not been recognised by anyone but Russia… But we can discuss and find the compromise on how these territories will live on… What is important to me is how the people in those territories are going to live who want to be part of Ukraine, who in Ukraine will say that they want to have them in,’ Mr. Zelenskyy said…”

Putin: Sanctions Akin to Declaration of War

Fox News wrote on March 5:

“Putin said Saturday that Moscow will view any attempt by other countries to establish a no-fly zone over Ukraine as active ‘participation in the armed conflict.’… ‘That very second, we will view them as participants of the military conflict, and it would not matter what members they are,’ the Russian president said…  Putin pledged that the ‘realization’ of demands to do so would ‘bring catastrophic results not only to Europe, but to the whole world’ and called western sanctions against Russia ‘akin to [or almost] a declaration of war.’…

“In addition, Putin reportedly said Ukraine could potentially lose its statehood if its leaders continue to resist Russia’s military invasion.”

Putin keeps threatening the West which bows down to him in horror and fear. But if he feels that NATO has already declared war on him, what then is NATO waiting for?

Fighter Jets for Ukraine?

Times of Israel reported on March 6:

“US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday that the United States was ‘working actively’ on a deal with Poland to supply Ukraine with jets to fight invading Russians. The deal, according to reports, could involve Poland handing over its existing MIG-29s, a Soviet/Russian-made jet fighter Ukrainian pilots are familiar with, and the US would then provide its F-16 fighters to Poland as replacements. US officials, including Blinken, had downplayed the possibility of any NATO country supplying besieged Ukraine since the beginning of this week. But speaking in Moldova on Sunday, Blinken confirmed it was under active discussion…

“Russia has a massive air force that if fully mobilized could decimate Ukraine. The United States had resisted a deal, along with some key NATO members, concerned that Russia would interpret it as NATO — Poland is a member — actively joining the Ukraine war, and spark a much wider conflict.

“But supporters of furnishing Ukraine with more aircraft from a NATO country argue that the alliance, and the US especially, have already been giving Kyiv’s army tons of lethal weaponry and munitions every day since the war began…. Any deal would require White House approval and support in the US Congress, and likely NATO support as well. Congress would likely go along…”

Breitbart added on March 6:

“Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Sunday on CBS’s ‘Face The Nation’ that the United States has given the ‘green light’ to NATO countries who have wanted to provide fighter jets to Ukraine.”

But Blinken’s assessment was overly optimistic. Note the next articles.

Poland Wants to Shift Responsibility to USA

Axios wrote on March 8:

“The Polish government announced Tuesday it was prepared to deploy its entire fleet of used MiG-29 fighter jets to a U.S. airbase in Germany, giving the U.S. the option to then transfer the Soviet-era aircraft to Ukraine’s military… Under one option being considered by the Biden administration, the U.S. would backfill Poland’s MiG-29 fleet with American-made F-16 fighter jets… Poland also called on other eastern-flank NATO allies in possession of MiGs — Bulgaria and Slovakia — to take similar steps… With Tuesday’s announcement, Poland seems to be shifting responsibility for making this deal happen – and for weathering the repercussions from Russia – onto the U.S.”

The USA responded that it was blind-sided by Poland’s announcement and that it rejected the proposal.

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 9:

“Poland’s prime minister on Wednesday said his country was prepared to make planes available to Ukraine, but that it would only do so through the NATO alliance… ‘We did not agree to supply planes by ourselves because it must be the decision of the whole of NATO,’ he said during a press conference on Polish television. ‘The USA does not want these planes to come to Ukraine from American bases,’ the adviser, Jakub Kumoch, told public broadcaster TVP Info. ‘Poland is ready to act, but only within the framework of the alliance, within the framework of NATO.’”

And NATO is opposed to such a move…

Kamala Harris to the Rescue?

The Guardian wrote on March 9:

“The US and Europe have worked hard to keep their differences over sanctions and oil embargos to a public minimum, and tried to accommodate each other’s national interests. So it was striking on Tuesday when first the Pentagon described a Polish offer to send planes to the US airbase in Ramstein as ‘untenable’, and then the deputy US secretary of state said the US had not been consulted about the plan… The upshot after this mini-debacle is Russia retains air superiority. Ukrainian pilots who were being trained in Poland to fly the planes are now grounded with no machines with which to defend their country. An opportunity has been squandered… Unfortunately, they are also the anti-aircraft defence that Ukraine lacks. Nato, as its constitution requires, looks after its own….

“Unfortunately for Harris, [her] planned trip [to Poland and Rumania] suddenly became a lot more tricky in the last three days… Now she’ll be landing later today in the middle of a massive diplomatic mess… And she is charged with dealing with aspects of the US-Mexico border… border policies are a horrible mess…”

On her last trip to Europe, Harris failed. Is she going to do better this time?

Russia attacks Nuclear Power Plant…

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 4:

“Global leaders have reacted with dismay after fighting between Russian and Ukrainian forces caused a fire at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant. The incident sparked fears of a potential nuclear disaster….

“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Europe to ‘wake up’ as he reminded continental leaders of the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear disaster, considered the worst of its kind both in cost and casualties.  ‘I am addressing all Ukrainians, all Europeans and everyone who knows the word Chernobyl,’ Zelenskyy said in the wake of the fire. ‘Tens of thousands had to be evacuated and Russia wants to repeat that, and is already repeating it, but six times bigger.’

“The Chernobyl nuclear site was captured by Russian forces… Zelenskyy said Ukraine has 15 nuclear reactors and ‘if there is an explosion it is the end for everyone. Do not let Europe die in the nuclear catastrophe.’”

Allegedly, the radiation level at the power plant is normal, but one wonders: What would NATO do if Russia were to destroy a nuclear power plant, causing a nuclear disaster?

Daily Mail wrote on March 6:

“Russian forces are firing rockets at a physics institute in the city of Kharkiv that contains nuclear material and a reactor which could lead to a ‘large-scale ecological disaster’ if hit… The science institute houses the Neutron Source nuclear research facility and contains 37 nuclear fuel cells in its core.”

It was also pointed out that “Russian soldiers are reportedly using imprecise Grad launchers in the assault,” and that “the Kharkiv Institute of Physics and Technology was responsible for the first nuclear bomb developed by the Soviet Union.”

Chernobyl… Danger for Europe?

The Sun wrote on March 9:

“EUROPE could be hit by a devastating radiation leak from the Chernobyl nuclear site after Russian troops cut off the electricity, Ukraine has warned. The plant, which was stormed by Russian forces last month, has no power supply after troops cut lines connecting it to the national grid on Wednesday… Emergency diesel generators are supplying back-up power to cool spent fuel rods in a waste store, but they will last only 48 hours, officials said.

“Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba warned: ‘After that, cooling systems of the storage facility for spent nuclear fuel will stop, making radiation leaks imminent.’… there are about 20,000 spent fuel assemblies which cannot be kept cool amid the power outage.

“Without electricity, experts fear the ventilation systems at the plant will also stop working – exposing staff to dangerous doses of radiation….

“It also emerged the Russians had disabled safety warnings and cut off data transmissions. Consequently authorities do not know what the current radiation levels at the site…”

“Experts” stated that there is no reason to fear radiation. BUT can they be trusted?

Assassinate Putin?

Greenwich Time wrote on March 4:

“Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., was sharply criticized by fellow lawmakers on both sides of the aisle Thursday after saying that the ‘only way’ to end the crisis in Ukraine is for Russians to assassinate President Vladimir Putin. ‘Is there a Brutus in Russia? Is there a more successful Colonel Stauffenberg in the Russian military?’ Graham tweeted, referencing the Roman politician who participated in the assassination of Julius Caesar and the German military officer who attempted to kill Adolf Hitler…

“Graham also called for Russians to assassinate Putin during a Thursday appearance on ‘Hannity’ on Fox News. Moreover, he introduced legislation this week calling for Putin to be investigated for war crimes. On Wednesday, Sean Hannity suggested on his radio show that the United States carry out an assassination of Putin, saying, ‘You cut the head of the snake off, and you kill the snake.’”

Breitbart added on March 4:

“Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-IL) on Friday expressed support for Sen. Lindsey Graham’s (R-SC) call to see Russian President Vladimir Putin assassinated following Russia’s military invasion of Ukraine, though the NeverTrump lawmaker did pour cold water on the idea that the United States should be the country that kills Putin… ‘I hope in some of these sanctions, and the sanctions against the oligarchs, is that the population does turn on him…. who say “there’s a lot of pain with these sanctions, we have maybe upwards of 9,000 Russian soldiers already dead. We’ve had enough.”

“‘Even though I’ve said we need a no-fly zone over Ukraine, I can understand that it comes with real risk. I just fear, ultimately, we’re going to be in a position to have to do it anyway,’ Kinzinger said.”

The Sun wrote on March 5:

“ROGUE Russian generals should be secretly handed whatever it takes to rid the world of Vladimir Putin, security experts said last night. They warned a failure to assassinate their ‘demented’ president now would tighten his grip on power for at least another decade…  Calls have been growing in recent days for senior Russian spooks and generals to rise up against Putin. And yesterday reports claimed many were losing faith in their leader — as more evidence emerged of shocking war crimes during the barbaric invasion…

“Meanwhile it has emerged that hero president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has survived three assassination attempts — after Russian anti-war FSB officers tipped off Ukrainian security services…

“This week ex-Kremlin insider Sergei Pugachev claimed former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev was helping lead a plot against Putin…

“Last night historian Professor Anthony Glees, an expert on security and intelligence, said Western spooks should now ruthlessly target Putin’s circle… ‘Those around Putin are killers — they are like SS officers of old. But there will be serious commanders and generals who have doubts…’

“Former Labour Foreign Secretary Lord Owen said yesterday that the Russian military was ‘the only force that could topple him.’ But he added: ‘I wouldn’t give great hopes for that…  [His] face has changed, and with that face change appears to have come a very substantial change of behaviour. He is contemptuous of everyone. Arrogant. Ruthless.’”

It has been speculated that the huge Russian convoy which is on its way to Ukraine’s capital, has been stopped through sabotage by Russian soldiers. The Sun wrote on March 5: “Kyiv is believed to remain the prime objective for the Russians. And a massive convoy of armoured vehicles has been lurking nearby apparently preparing for a protracted siege. However, mystery surrounds the so-called ‘Convoy of Death’ as it hasn’t made any significant progress for days. Russian forces are believed to be being increasingly demoralized…”

As if America had not assassinated or at least tried to assassinate unwelcome leaders in other countries before! History of Nazi Germany under Hitler is repeating itself right now in Nazi Russia under the new Hitler—Putin.

Free Press in Russia Forbidden and Criminalized

Axios wrote on March 5:

“New efforts by the Kremlin to bully the press and silence dissent are forcing independent media and social networks out of the country… Russians are losing access to independent reporting about the war, while the West loses insight into an already isolated leader…

“Bloomberg and the BBC said they are suspending operations in Russia, while CNN, CBS and ABC ceased broadcasting in the country after lawmakers approved new legislation Friday that threatens to imprison journalists and individuals for up to 15 years if they publish what Moscow deems to be ‘fake’ information about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine… German broadcaster Deutsche Welle, and Meduza, an independent Russian publication based in Latvia, were… blocked… Russia also blocked Facebook entirely Friday, after partially restricting the social network last week…

“Putin’s propaganda push has intensified as the protests erupt at home. The Kremlin is relying on state media to sell the war as a success domestically…”

Putin’s strategy is SO similar to that of Goebbel’s, Hitler’s propaganda minister, that the parallels are striking… and a helpless world complains…

“Ceasefire” a Lie

The New York Post wrote on March 5:

“Russian forces defied a brokered ceasefire and continued shelling the strategic Ukrainian port city of Mariupol as hundreds of thousands of women, children and elderly were attempting to flee Saturday, the local government said.

“Despite an agreement that would allow the Red Cross to guarantee a ceasefire, the escape from the city was thrown into chaos. Mariupol authorities announced they stopped the mass evacuation of an expected 215,000 people, about three hours after the cease fire was supposed to start because of the continued bombardment. The pummeled city was left without power, heat or water services after multiple days of rocket fire and food supplies were running low.”

The Sun added on March 5:

“Mariupol has been one of the most brutalised cities of war as the Russians have blockaded it and cut off food, water, heating and transport in the depths of winter. It has been compared to the Nazi blockade of Leningrad in World War 2.”

This was so predictable. Subsequent “ceasefire” agreements failed likewise. Putin is a pathological liar. He follows the desires of his father, the Devil. One cannot trust anything Putin says. But there may be even more to Putin’s behavior.

Putin’s Mental Change

d-online wrote on March 5:

“[Some] argue that Putin has mental problems. Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel reportedly told then-US President Obama in 2014 that she was ‘confused’ by Putin… as one far removed from any reality.

“That same year, neuroscientist Ian Robertson published an essay in Psychology Today entitled, ‘The Danger Lurking Inside Vladimir Putin’s Brain.’ In it, the psychologist… writes: ‘There is little doubt that his brain has changed so much, both neurologically and physically, that he firmly and earnestly believes that without him, Russia will experience its downfall.’ Long periods of absolute power would have made him highly self-absorbed, narcissistic, and blind to risk.

Such warnings are being raised again today: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that Putin could be an ‘irrational actor’. And: ‘At the moment we have to accept that Vladimir Putin may be thinking without any logic and not seeing the imminent disaster.’…

“The US Senate Intelligence Committee also held a meeting on the subject. Exactly what was discussed is not known; the meetings are held in strict secrecy. ‘I wish I could say more about that,’ Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio wrote on Twitter. But he can say that for many there is obviously something wrong with Putin and that clear change could be seen in the Russian President.

“For Condoleezza Rice, too, the man is now ‘another Putin,’ she told Fox News. Rice was first a national security adviser under George W. Bush, then US Secretary of State – and was often present at meetings with Putin. He was always calculating and cold. On the other hand, he now appears ‘capricious’ to her. According to NBC, US intelligence services also have reliable evidence that Putin is increasingly frustrated and is increasingly venting this anger on confidants. This is unusual, after all, as the former KGB officer usually had his emotions under control.”

What is normally not being considered, but should be, is that Putin’s change may be caused by demonic possession, as was the case with Hitler.

Famine?

The Associated Press wrote on March 6:

“The Russian tanks and missiles besieging Ukraine also are threatening the food supply and livelihoods of people in Europe, Africa and Asia who rely on the vast, fertile farmlands of the Black Sea region — known as the ‘breadbasket of the world.’

“Ukrainian farmers have been forced to neglect their fields as millions flee, fight or try to stay alive. Ports are shut down that send wheat and other food staples worldwide to be made into bread, noodles and animal feed. And there are worries Russia, another agricultural powerhouse, could have its grain exports upended by Western sanctions.

“… While there have not yet been global disruptions to wheat supplies, prices have surged 55% since a week before the invasion amid concerns about what could happen next. If the war is prolonged, countries that rely on affordable wheat exports from Ukraine could face shortages starting in July… That could create food insecurity and throw more people into poverty in places like Egypt and Lebanon, where diets are dominated by government-subsidized bread…

“Russia and Ukraine combine for nearly a third of the world’s wheat and barley exports. Ukraine also is a major supplier of corn and the global leader in sunflower oil, used in food processing. The war could reduce food supplies just when prices are at their highest levels since 2011. A prolonged conflict would have a big impact some 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) away in Egypt, the world’s largest wheat importer. Millions rely on subsidized bread made from Ukrainian grains to survive, with about a third of people living in poverty…

“War-ravaged Syria recently announced it would cut spending and ration staples. In nearby Lebanon, where a massive explosion at the Beirut port in 2020 destroyed the country’s main grain silos, authorities are scrambling to make up for a predicted wheat shortage, with Ukraine providing 60% of its supply…

“African countries imported agricultural products worth $4 billion from Russia in 2020, and about 90% was wheat…

“Ukraine supplies the EU with just under 60% of its corn and nearly half of a key component in the grains needed to feed livestock. Russia, which provides the EU with 40% of its natural gas needs, is similarly a major supplier of fertilizer, wheat and other staples.”

Christ said that religious deception, wars and rumors of wars, famines and pestilences, as well as earthquakes, signify the “beginning of sorrows.”

China’s and Russia’s Most Important Partnership

Israel Today wrote on March 8:

 “China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday called Russia his country’s ‘most important strategic partner’ as Beijing continues to refuse to condemn the invasion of Ukraine despite growing pressure from the US and European Union to use its influence to rein in Moscow. The Chinese foreign minister said that ties with Moscow constitute ‘one of the most crucial bilateral relationships in the world.’ … Clearly, well before the invasion, China was aware of what Russia was planning, as the largest two communist countries in the world have been plotting for decades to form an alliance to counter a now-weakened and bewildered US and Europe in order to become the new global superpower… Iran [is] closely aligned with Russia and China and [is] quickly developing nuclear weapons.

“For many years, China and Russia have increased their alignment against liberal Western foreign policy, and they have chosen their moment to make it clear that this new world order is a fait accompli. Their massive armies have been carrying out joint exercises shoring up a dominant military alliance… And for Israel, the US, once a faithful bulwark to these northern threats, now feels more like a distant ally, not close enough geographically to be of much concern to the Russian Bear and Chinese Dragon fuming in the North, nor politically or militarily prepared for any serious fight for anything anywhere….”

Express added on March 8:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are looking to increase their gas trade exponentially with the development of three gas pipelines that will flow from Russia to China.”

The Kings of the East, under Russian and Chinese leadership, are clearly emerging, while unreliable America is retreating more and more from the world scene.

Persecution of JWs in Russia

The Associated Press reported on March 6:

“Over the past five years, hundreds of Jehovah’s Witnesses have been subjected to raids, arrests and prosecution in Russia. Many others have fled…  About 5,000 Witnesses in Ukraine have left, seeking protection in other countries… For Witnesses in Russia–… there are about 170,000 of them — there’s been anxiety since the country’s Supreme Court declared the Christian denomination an extremist group in 2017. Hundreds have been arrested and imprisoned. Their homes and places of worship, known as Kingdom Halls, have been raided, and the national headquarters seized. The Witnesses’ modern, Russian-language translation of the Bible has been banned along with its globally circulated magazines, Awake and Watchtower…

“Although Witnesses are Christians, they are guided by distinctive beliefs and practices, including the refusal of blood transfusions, abstinence from voting, conscientious objection to military service, and avoidance of participation in national ceremonies and holidays… Aside from Russia, Witnesses experience persecution in several former Soviet republics, including Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Tajikistan…

“In Eritrea, where military conscription is mandatory, there are several Witnesses in prison. In South Korea, where most young men must perform military service, Witnesses were routinely imprisoned for refusing until a 2018 court decision affirmed their rights to conscientious objection…”

Persecution of Christian Pastors in Canada

Rebel News wrote on March 5:

“If Pastor Artur Pawlowski is indeed the most persecuted person in Canada under the COVID-19 restriction regime we have been living through these past two years, his brother Dawid Pawlowski is very likely the runner up in this sad, anti-democratic pageant of political theatre. Neither Dawid nor Artur ever imagined that feeding the homeless, opening their church and praying with protesters at freedom rallies and with truckers at the Coutts blockade would land them behind bars, and at any other time in Canadian history it likely wouldn’t have. But in the world of pandemic politics, people daring to speak out or standing by their Charter rights is evidently punishable by jailing, especially if you are a Christian.

“You likely know that Pastor Artur has been in jail for weeks now and that he was denied bail for the above mentioned alleged ‘crimes’. Artur has faced five arrests and three incarceration in the past two years, and Dawid has been right by his side throughout all of this. He was even thrown in jail with Artur during his first two stints in jail… On March 2, Dawid was pulled over at a check stop and then arrested based on a breach of probation resulting from sanctions assigned by Justice Adam Germain.

“You may recall Justice Germain’s bizarre ruling against both Artur and Dawid, which prohibited them from travelling and implemented Soviet-style compelled speech mandates on the brothers insisting that they read a court prepared statement on COVID-19 after making any public commentary on matters critical of the government’s pandemic response. Many of those sanctions were stayed pending an appeal, which Sarah Miller, the Pawlowskis’ legal counsel, is working tirelessly on to ensure the troubling ruling is overturned altogether. We do have some good news to report, though. While Artur unfortunately remains behind bars, thanks to the efforts of Sarah Miller and JSS Barristers, Dawid has already been released and is at home resting with his family…”

Dictator Trudeau and his agents are like leopards which do not change their spots…

“Australia a Harder Country to Live in”

Deutsche Welle wrote on March 9:

“Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said he would recommend a national emergency be declared after recent floods across large parts of the east coast took 22 lives…  The declaration was made possible by a new law passed in late 2020 following… devastating Australian bushfires…  Some of the flooded communities in the current emergency were battling wildfires two years ago…

“While touring the worst-hit areas of New South Wales, Morrison said on Wednesday, ‘Australia is becoming a harder country to live in because of these natural disasters.’ Floodwaters reached their peak in Queensland’s capital, Brisbane, Australia’s third-most populous city, on February 28 after it was inundated by 80% of its usual annual rainfall in the previous three days. More than 20,000 homes and businesses had been flooded in southeast Queensland alone and 13 people died. Parts of New South Wales’ capital, Sydney, Australia’s most populous city, were flooded after receiving almost 75% of its average annual rainfall since January 1, enduring the wettest start to a year ever recorded. Some communities witnessed the highest floods ever recorded in their locations. Morrison called the flooding ‘a major catastrophe … of national proportions.’

“… many flood victims are angry that rescue by authorities didn’t come earlier and relief efforts were not enough…  Although rainfall has now calmed, 40,000 people around New South Wales had been ordered to evacuate their homes, including dozens in Sydney… Morrison, who is lagging in polls ahead of an election before May, kept media away from his meetings with flood victims, which he said was to protect their privacy….”

Biden on Verge of Making Worst Deal ever with Iran

The New York Post wrote on March 4:

“As the civilian death toll mounts in Ukraine and the world prepares for unspeakable crimes against humanity yet to come, the Biden administration said Friday it’s close to announcing a Russian-brokered deal with Iran that will flood the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism with billions of dollars and leave Tehran on the nuclear weapons threshold…

“The new deal takes Moscow’s side — flouting the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, lifting sanctions and legitimizing Iran’s nuclear program without first demanding a full accounting of previous and current violations… The deal will directly subsidize the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Hezbollah and other terrorist organizations — a win for another Russian client state, Syria, as well…”

Putin reportedly demanded from Iran to sign trade agreements with Russia in exchange for the Iran nuclear deal. While the focus is on Russia and Ukraine, Iran is working towards becoming a nuclear power, with the help of Putin and, indirectly, Biden. At the same time, North Korea is conducting missile tests again, and China is preparing for its invasion of Taiwan.  

“Jen Psaki Misleads, Again, About Florida Bill”

Breitbart wrote on March 9:

“Last month, Breitbart News fact-checked the Biden administration’s misleading claim that Florida legislators were considering a ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill that was, the White House said, ‘designed to attack LGBTQI+ kids.’ The facts: [T]he legislation that is causing such a stir among Democrats and journalists does not mention ‘gay’ or any specific sexuality… The bill… reads, ‘Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.’

“There is nothing in the bill about ‘attack[ing] LGBTQI+’ children, nor does the bill, which passed the legislature Tuesday, say anything hateful about any sexual orientation. Yet White House press secretary Jen Psaki repeated the false claim that ‘Florida passed hateful legislation targeting vulnerable students.’

“Neither Psaki nor the White House has even produced any evidence that there are self-identified ‘LGBTQI+’ students among the kindergarteners and first through third grade pupils who are protected by, not attacked by, the Florida legislation.”

Rather, radical LGBTQI+ adherents want to indoctrinate very young children with sexual concepts which are being described as perfectly normal and acceptable.

Barr and Pence vs. Trump

Newsmax wrote on March 5:

“Former U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr ‘wouldn’t know voter fraud if it was staring him in the face,’ former President Donald Trump said Friday in a statement released by his Save America PAC. Barr, in an interview with NBC News that aired earlier Friday, said Trump became ‘very angry’ when Barr told him that there was no evidence the 2020 election was rigged. ‘I told him that all this stuff was b…about election fraud,’ Barr said. ‘It was wrong to be shoveling it out the way his team was. And he started asking me about different theories and … I was able to tell him that “this is wrong because of this.” Trump ‘was obviously getting very angry about this, so I said, “Look, I understand you’re upset with me and I’m perfectly happy to tender my resignation,” and then … he slapped the desk and he said, “Accepted. Accepted … Go home. Don’t go back to your office. Go home. You’re done.”’…

“Trump in his statement slammed Barr as ‘weak, ineffective, and totally scared of being impeached, which the Democrats were constantly threatening to do.’ ‘They “broke’ him,” Trump added. ‘He should have acted much faster on the Mueller Report, instead of allowing the fake Russia, Russia, Russia, Hoax to linger for so long, but it was the Election Fraud and Irregularities that he refused to act on because he wanted to save his own hide — and he did. ‘He never got impeached, contempt charges never went forward, and the Democrats were very happy with him — but I wasn’t. The Unselect Committee of Political Hacks continues to spin its wheels in trying to fabricate a narrative that doesn’t exist. The only thing they refuse to look into is the massive Election Fraud that took place in the 2020 Presidential Election.’”

Barr reportedly also told the GOP to move on and leave Trump behind.

The Hill reported on March 4:

“Former Vice President Mike Pence on Friday will rebuke those in the Republican Party who have praised Russian President Vladimir Putin  in recent weeks, including most prominently former President Trump. ‘There is no room in this party for apologists for Putin. There is only room for champions of freedom,’ Pence will tell a gathering of Republican National Committee (RNC) donors, according to excerpts shared with The Hill. The comments from Pence are a tacit criticism of Trump and others who have complimented Putin’s intelligence and strategy as he directed Russia to invade Ukraine without provocation.

“Trump last week said on a radio show that Putin’s decision to unilaterally declare portions of eastern Ukraine as independent republics was ‘pretty savvy’ and ‘genius.’… Trump shifted his tone earlier this week, calling Russia’s invasion of Ukraine ‘a holocaust.’ The Trump administration during its four years imposed harsh sanctions on Russia, but Trump himself frequently faced criticism for his praise of Putin personally and his rejection of the intelligence community’s determination that Moscow interfered in the 2016 presidential election.”

It does not appear that Barr and Pence will win their fight against Trump, as far as the GOP and conservative voters are concerned.

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.