Enduring Anti-Americanism in Germany

The Associated Press wrote on May 7:

“President Barack Obama is aiming to show unity with Western allies on global challenges during an overnight trip to Germany, especially Chancellor Angela Merkel amid enduring anti-Americanism in her country over U.S. spying programs…

“The spying controversy has grown in recent weeks amid reports that Germany’s own Federal Intelligence Agency, better known by its German acronym BND, may have helped the U.S. spy on European companies and officials as long ago as 2008… ‘While we tend to view a lot of the impact of the NSA revelations in Europe as subsided, they have not subsided in Germany,’ said Heather Conley, director of the Europe Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. ‘This issue is being used in multiple ways to increase, I think, anti-Americanism in Germany and to weaken the chancellor.’…

“Obama said there ‘was no doubt’ the spying revelations damaged impressions of the United States in Germany and that he’s been trying to restore confidence… Julianne Smith, a former Obama White House official who is a senior fellow at the Center for New American Security, said part of the disillusionment in Germany and Europe more broadly comes from their sky-high expectations of Obama when he came to office…”

Ukraine About to Explode

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 7:

“The situation in Ukraine is about to escalate once again… In recent weeks, we were tempted to think, to some extent, that the situation in eastern Ukraine was about to calm down… Now, the period of treacherous calm is over.

“Using mortars and tanks, Russia-backed combatants of the so-called ‘people’s republics’ launched a massive military attack  from Donetsk along a major road stretching to the west. This onslaught could pave the way for a new large-scale attack, which people in the region have been fearing for a long time.

“As yet, no one has come forward to declare that the Minsk agreement, negotiated four months ago in the Belarusian capital, has failed. Instead, there is talk of a ‘setback’ and a ‘violation of the agreement.’ European politicians are voicing their concern and warning of a new spiral of violence. They have made a habit of that since the beginning of the conflict – always, it seems, simultaneously viewing the situation through rose-tinted glasses. Can the Minsk agreement work at all? Is a peace plan realistic if just one of the parties involved shows no commitment at all with respect to the objectives agreed upon?…

“To this day, Russia has denied involvement in the war. In fact, however, there was a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Soldiers from Russia were captured there; many have even died in Ukraine. The issue is controversial to such an extent that, a short while ago, a new law was passed in Russia according to which any reporting on the circumstances leading to the death of an army member is forbidden: a measure adopted to ensure secrecy, as if Russia were involved in a war.

“There are a number of indications that a large-scale attack is being prepared in Ukraine. In that case, the Minsk agreement would definitely be history… There is no indication that Russia – or the separatists – has renounced the path of war…”

Italy’s Ties and “Friendship” With Russia

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 10:

“Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi… spoke of ‘traditional Italian-Russian friendship’ while meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, at the beginning of [the] Kremlin chief’s diplomatic visit to Italy and the Vatican… The Italian prime minister, however, showed no intention of breaking ranks with other Western powers, only days after G7 countries [excluded Putin from their meeting and] reaffirmed sanctions against Moscow at a summit in Germany.

“Despite the G7 snub, the Kremlin still enjoys better relations with Rome than with most EU countries; Italy is Russia’s third-biggest trading partner after China and Germany, with deals between the two countries topping 30 billion euros ($33.9 billion) last year… The EU is due to decide in two weeks whether economic sanctions over Russian annexation of Crimea will stay in place…

“After meeting Renzi, the Russian president is to meet Pope Francis… On Wednesday, The United States urged the Vatican to take a tougher stance on Russia… Putin is also expected to meet long-time Italian leader Silvio Berlusconi, who is a personal friend of the Russian president.”

Everybody is involved in politics and “self-serving” economic interests, which means, that nothing good will come out of these talks. And that Putin and Berlusconi are personal friends does not speak for either one of them.

NATO Unwilling to Defend Russia’s Neighbors Against Russian Aggression?

The Washington Post wrote on June 10:

“After more than a year of war in Ukraine, Western European citizens are extremely wary of using military force to defend NATO allies from Russia, according to a wide-ranging opinion poll released Wednesday. The findings highlight fears among Russia’s NATO neighbors that the Western defense alliance may not be ready if put to the test.

“Fewer than half of those surveyed in Britain, Germany, France, Italy and Spain supported using military force to defend NATO allies if Russia entered a serious military conflict with one of them… The results came at a time of the worst tensions between Russia and the West since the Cold War…

“The NATO charter requires that member nations defend one another if one comes under attack. But the former Eastern bloc countries that joined the alliance in 2004 have long feared that their partners may not come to their aid…

“The three Baltic countries — Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania — as well as Poland have increased their defense spending since the conflict started in Ukraine…

“[The] United States was the most open to backing its allies if one was attacked. Of the Americans questioned, 56 percent were in favor of using military force and 37 percent were against. Germany, which has taken the lead European role in negotiations with Russia, was the most skeptical of a military response, with 38 percent in favor and 58 percent opposed…”

The Local added on June 10:

“The survey also shows a significant drop in [German] enthusiasm for Nato. Whereas in 2009 73 percent of Germans said they had a favourable opinion of the military alliance, this number has dropped to 55 percent in 2015. In no other Nato country did the survey find such drop in trust in the alliance.

“Germans are also fairly split over whom they attribute blame to for the Ukraine crisis. 29 percent say that Russia is to blame while 25 percent say that the pro-Russian separatists are responsible. 12 percent meanwhile say that the west is responsible.

“A large majority of Germans are in favour of economic support to the Ukrainian government (71 percent) although far fewer support delivering weapons to Kiev (19 percent.) A majority of Germans also reject both Nato membership and EU membership for Ukraine… There were also significant differences in attitudes between east and west Germany in evidence. While 19 percent of west Germans have a positive opinion of Vladimir Putin this number rises to 40 percent for east Germans.”

The Pope in Bosnia… Speaks of World War III

AFP wrote on June 6

“Pope Francis on Saturday bemoaned the ‘atmosphere of war’ haunting the world as he urged the people of war-scarred Sarajevo to provide an example of how different cultures and religions can co-exist peacefully… Many conflicts across the planet amount to ‘a kind of third world war being fought piecemeal and, in the context of global communications, we sense an atmosphere of war,’ the pontiff said in a mass at the stadium during a one-day visit to the Bosnian capital… ‘But war means children, women and the elderly in refugee camps, it means forced displacement, destroyed houses, streets and factories: above all countless shattered lives…

“The pontiff had earlier referred to Sarajevo, with its synagogues, churches and mosques, as a ‘European Jerusalem’, a crossroads of cultures, nations and religions…In a reference to the legacy of the war, which left Sarajevo in ruins and Bosnia permanently divided along ethnic lines, he urged the country’s Muslim, Serb and Croat communities to reach out to each other at every level… Later, at a meeting with Catholic, Muslim, Jewish and Orthodox religious figures, he said Sarajevo could reclaim its former status as a beacon of multiculturalism…

“Despite a show of unity to welcome the pope, it was not hard to find reminders on Saturday of how fragile Bosnia’s unity is. It was noticeable that there were far more red and white Croatian flags being waved than Bosnia’s blue and yellow ones. The national anthem played for Francis on his arrival remains without words because the three communities have been unable to agree [on] a common text…

“The 1992-95 Bosnian war left nearly 100,000 people dead and resulted in half the population, some two million people, being forced to leave their homes, many of them never to return. More than a third of Bosnia’s pre-war ethnic Croat population have left the country which is now divided in two between a Bosnian Serb republic and a Croat-Muslim federation… Around 40 percent of the population of Bosnia is of Islamic heritage, just over 30 percent are from the Serbian Orthodox tradition and around one in 10, almost uniquely Croats, describe themselves as Catholics.”

This area, formerly known as Yugoslavia, has been a powder keg for many decades and even centuries, and it was here where World War I started.

 Coming – A Shiite-Sunni War?

McClatchy Newspapers wrote on June 10:

“The Middle East crisis that peaked one year ago Wednesday when the Islamic State captured Mosul may result in the breakup of Iraq and an indefinite continuation of a war in Syria that’s already out of control… Yet still worse things could happen. ‘The conditions are very much like 1914,’ says Michael Stephens of the Royal United Service Institute in London. ‘All it will take is one little spark, and Iran and Saudi Arabia will go at each other, believing they are fighting a defensive war.’  Hiwa Osman, an Iraqi Kurdish commentator, was even more blunt: ‘The whole region is braced for the big war, the war that has not yet happened, the Shiite-Sunni war.’

“U.S. and foreign experts say the U.S still has not developed a strategy for dealing with the Sunni extremists who now hold more territory [in] Iraq and Syria than one year ago… The experts criticize America’s detachment from the four wars now under way in the region. And they say the Obama administration is banking on Iran to stabilize the region, a very dubious course. ‘We really don’t have a strategy at all. We’re basically playing this day by day,’ Robert Gates, a former secretary of defense, told MSNBC last month.

“The one conflict where the U.S. has poured money, weapons and military advisers is Iraq, but the outlook after the Sunni city of Ramadi fell to the Sunni extremists is for a long, drawn-out conflict. John Allen, the former retired Marine Corps general who serves as U.S. envoy to the global coalition fighting the Islamic State… said an Iraqi civil war ‘is almost unavoidable’…

“Everyone agrees that the international system is very different from 1914, when the two competing European alliances went to war. But there are similarities. That was ‘a crisis nobody wanted to have. When it came, it would be over in a few months’ time. It would end all wars. Everybody knows what happened,’ said Thorbjorn Jagland, a Norwegian politician and secretary general of the Council of Europe, a human rights watchdog body. ‘I don’t want to call the leaders today sleepwalkers, but maybe they have entered into a situation that nobody intended or wanted,’ he said.

“‘There are too many actors and too many unknowns. Everyone seems to be stuck in his own way,’ said Altay Cengizer, director of policy planning at the Turkish Foreign Ministry. He warned of the dangers of a prolonged crisis. ‘We are playing with fire,’ he said. ‘You cannot all day long play with fire. A fire will start.’”

More Bad News—ISIS Ready to Develop a Devastating Dirty Bomb?

The Independent wrote on June 10:

“The Isis militant group has seized enough radioactive material from government facilities to suggest it has the capacity to build a large and devastating ‘dirty’ bomb…  According to the Australian foreign minister, Julie Bishop, Nato has expressed deep concerns about the materials seized by Isis from research centres and hospitals that would normally only be available to governments… The threat of Isis’s radioactive and biological weapons stockpile was so severe that the Australia Group, a 40-nation bloc dedicated to ending the use of chemical weapons, held a session on the subject at its summit in Perth last week… Ms Bishop spoke at the Australia Group meeting about fears Isis was weaponising poisonous gases such as chlorine…

“The growing concerns about Isis’s development of weapons of mass destruction come at a time when experts fear the militant group will be ‘more active than ever’ to mark the start of Ramadan and the one-year anniversary of its declaration of a ‘caliphate’. Isis said it was changing its name to ‘Islamic state’ following the first public address by its leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi in Mosul on 29 June last year, and the US-based Institute for the Study of War has noted that the group usually reserves its major operations to coincide with the Islamic holy month.”

Turkish President Erdogan Suffers Major Setback

The Associated Press reported on June 7:

“In a stunning rebuke of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ambitions to expand his powers, Turkish voters stripped his party of its simple majority in parliament, preliminary election results showed Sunday. With 99.9 percent of the vote counted, Erdogan’s ruling Justice and Development Party, the AKP, had the support of around 41% of voters… According to projections, that would give it some 258 seats — 18 below the minimum needed to keep its majority.

“The unexpected setback for AKP likely puts an end, for the time being, to Erdogan’s hopes of passing constitutional changes that would have greatly boosted the powers of his office. Instead, he faces struggles to retain his pre-eminent place in Turkish politics without the obvious levers to steer the government through his party in parliament.

“The result is also a bitter blow to Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, whose political prospects are uncertain after leading his party to such a disappointing result. AKP will now have to seek a coalition partner to stay in power, with the nationalist MHP the most likely candidate…

“The biggest setback for AKP came with the rise of the main pro-Kurdish party, HDP, which for the first time easily cleared the threshold of 10% for representation as a party in the parliament. The preliminary results put its tally at almost 13%…

“The vote came amid high tensions after bombings Friday during a HDP rally killed 2 people and wounded scores…”

AFP added on June 7:

“Turkey’s Islamic-rooted ruling party (AKP) lost its parliamentary majority in Sunday’s legislative elections… [This] means the AKP will need to form a coalition for the first time since coming to power in 2002…

“The result was a triumph for the HDP [a party dominated by ethnic Kurds], which in the campaign had sought to present itself as a genuinely Turkish party and reach out to voters beyond its main Kurdish support base to secular Turks, women and gays. It was also a personal victory for the party’s charismatic leader Selahattin Demirtas, dubbed the ‘Kurdish Obama’… He said there would be no coalition with the AKP and instead the HDP would make a ‘strong and honest opposition’.”

The Washington Post added on June 7:

“It was a remarkable achievement for a party [HDP] that was formed less than three years ago and has direct ties to the violent three-decade Kurdish separatist insurgency in Turkey’s southeast. The war between the militant Kurd­istan Workers’ Party, or PKK, and the Turkish state has claimed 40,000 lives since it first flared in the early 1980s… Among the HDP’s parliamentarians are relatives of jailed or slain leaders of the PKK, an organization still considered a terrorist group by Washington and An­kara. Demirtas, the HDP’s charismatic icon, is believed to have a brother among the guerrillas.

“For decades, Kurdish identity was suppressed by the Turkish state. Ironically, it was under Erdogan and the AKP that Kurds began to experience more cultural rights, including the freedom to speak and write in their own language.”

The EUObserver wrote on June 9:

“Turkey faced a near market crash on Monday (8 June) after ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) failed to win a majority in Sunday’s general election, raising fears about the country’s political stability… Markets reacted negatively to the [election’s] results that left president [Erdogan’s] AKP with no majority for the first time since 2002 and no obvious coalition partner… Prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu, who is due to meet Erdogan on Tuesday, will have forty-five days to form a government and new elections are not ruled out.

“The period could create instability for [a] Turkish economy that benefited much from Erdogan’s rule and AKP links with business… The political uncertainties could also weigh on relations with the EU, Turkey’s top import and export partner. In a statement Monday, EU chief diplomat Federica Mogherini and enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn said that ‘the coming period offers opportunities for further strengthening the EU-Turkey relationship’…”

The Battle for Greece

Reuters wrote on June 10:

“Greece and its international lenders moved closer to the brink on Wednesday… Athens said it was waiting for the creditors to respond to ideas it put forward on Monday. Euro zone officials said the proposals were inadequate to plug holes in the Greek budget and also dodged key reforms to make the economy more competitive…

“Athens is likely to default on a 1.6 billion euro repayment due to the International Monetary Fund at the end of June unless it receives fresh funds from its frozen bailout or the European Central Bank lets it sell more short-term debt to Greek banks. That will only happen if the two sides can agree in the coming days on a cash-for-reform deal that has been the focus of acrimonious negotiations for the last four months.

“A default could lead to the imposition of capital controls and possibly put Greece on a path to becoming the first country to leave the 19-nation single currency area, undermining the euro’s avowed irreversibility… The European Commission said its chief, Jean-Claude Juncker, who accused Tsipras on Sunday of misrepresenting the creditors’ proposals and misleading his parliament, had no plans as yet to meet the Greek premier…

“Greece appears to be insisting it will not sign any deal unless it contains a commitment to official debt relief, while the creditors say they will only start discussing debt rescheduling once a deal is signed and implemented… ‘If Greece does exit then it is possible that all hell breaks loose and that risk assets and peripheral government bonds suffer,’ said Gary Jenkins, chief credit strategist at LNG Capital. ‘However the least likely outcome is that Greece leaves and that the Eurozone takes no measures to stop speculation that it might fall apart.’”

This will remain to be seen. Earlier this week, Bild Online reported that Angela Merkel was apparently willing to come once again to the rescue of Greece, but many members of the coalition parties are allegedly strongly against further monetary help (The German population is overwhelmingly against it). On the other hand, politicians were strongly against monetary help for Greece several times before, and still finally agreed to it on several occasions.

Deutsche Welle reported on June 11 that the “International Monetary Fund has walked out on talks with Greece on Wednesday, dashing hopes of a compromise in ongoing debt negotiations.” Bild Online added on June 11 that a meeting on Wednesday night and Thursday morning between Angela Merkel (60), Alexis Tsipras (40) und François Hollande (60)failed to produce any results and that, as a consequence, Angela Merkel is now also preparing for a “Grexit.” A final meeting is scheduled for next Thursday.

Cameron Warned that 100 Conservative MPs May Vote for Brexit

The Independent wrote on Monday 8:

“David Cameron has been warned that 100 Conservative MPs will vote for Britain to leave the European Union unless he wins the reforms they want when he renegotiates new membership terms. The Prime Minister’s post-election honeymoon with his own MPs ended as Eurosceptic Tories set out demands that he has little chance of securing. They include reforms to the EU’s freedom of movement rules and allowing the UK Parliament to veto EU laws.

“Mr Cameron made clear that Conservative ministers would have to resign if they failed to back his position in the referendum. Speaking at the start of the G7 summit in Germany, he said he expected all Tory ministers to accept the deal he negotiates and that they would have to leave the Government if they decide to support a No campaign…

“But in a move likely to infuriate Tory rebels, Mr Cameron suggested he might be prepared to accept a renegotiation deal that did not include treaty change as long as it could not be challenged by European courts… Treaty change is one of the key demands of Conservatives for Britain…

“Mr Cameron said he could see no reason why the referendum debate could not be held on the same day as other UK elections – despite a call by the Electoral Commission for it to be held on a separate date. That means the plebiscite could be held next May, when there are elections for local authorities, the Scottish Parliament and Welsh assembly and Mayor of London…

“Speaking ahead of a meeting with Mr Cameron, President Obama re-iterated his desire for Britain to remain as a member of the EU… He added: ‘We have no closer partner around the world on a whole host of issues.’”

The Daily Express added on June 8:

“Mr Cameron spoke out at Schloss Elmau in Bavaria, after a new Conservatives for Britain group was announced yesterday… More than 50 MPs are reported to have signed up to the group [this number is expected to grow to 100 and beyond], which will formally support the Prime Minister’s renegotiation drive but could lead the campaign for a British exit if the members are unimpressed with the terms of the deal…

“Tory MP Steve Baker, who is chairing Conservatives for Britain, said: ‘We wish David Cameron every success but, unless senior EU officials awake to the possibility that one of the largest EU members is serious about a fundamental change in our relationship, our recommendation to British voters seems likely to be: Exit.’

“The Daily Express has led the anti EU debate, helping to force Mr Cameron into a referendum.”

David Cameron’s undefined and shifting goals regarding his stance on Britain’s membership in the EU may lead to undesired consequences—either way.

“In Britain, No One Tells the Truth About Serious Stuff!”

Breitbart wrote on June 7:

“In Britain, no one tells the truth about really serious stuff. It’s not in the national character. So reporters had to do some maths this week to work out that, according to official statistics, 27 per cent of all deaths in England and Wales are abortions…

“According to figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there were 506,790 recorded deaths in England and Wales in 2013 – the most recent year for which figures are available. These, however, do not include abortions. Separate figures, also compiled by the ONS, reveal that a total of 185,331 abortions took place in England and Wales in the same year.

“Adding the total number of unborn babies who died as a result of abortion in 2013 to the total number of recorded deaths in England and Wales brings the overall death total to 692,121. This means that 26.78 per cent of the deaths were caused by abortion. The figure has remained relatively stable for the past few years, with abortions accounting for 27.76 per cent of deaths in 2010, 28.17 per cent in 2011 and 27.05 per cent in 2012.

“The current consensus, which appears to be that a woman’s body is hers to do with as she pleases until the little brat pops out, strikes me as utterly sociopathic and wrong. When two lives are at stake, surely a mother has a moral duty to consider the well-being of her unborn baby…

“I instinctively recoil from abortion as one of the great horrors of civilisation… it would be nice to have the conversation… without being told that men have no right to express an opinion on the subject, or that women must simply be left to murder as many of their children as they please, without care or consequence, and that neither society nor the law ought to encourage them to think it through.

“You rarely see anyone in Britain stating the pro-life position with any ferocity. It’s normally done apologetically in newspaper columns and in Catholic magazines… I wonder why that is. Is the reason we don’t even talk about this subject that there’s no strong religious conservatism in our public life? Because there really isn’t… The Catholic Church is almost as bad as the Church of England when it comes to speaking plainly about God. Our bishops would much rather bleat on about climate change — driving away thousands of young people, who come to the church seeking spiritual enlightenment, not green propaganda.

“Our religious leaders are spineless…”

The above-quoted comments ring so true… sadly!

Pope Francis: “Marriage Under Attack from ‘Demonic Gender Ideology’”

Breitbart wrote on June 9:

“Following the recent Irish referendum that recognized same-sex marriage, Pope Francis insisted again on Monday that the ‘complementarity of man and woman’ is essential to marriage, but is under attack from ‘so-called gender ideology, in the name of a freer and fairer society.’ The Pope has repeatedly warned his audiences of the dangers of an ideology of gender that seeks to undermine the proper understanding of marriage as well as human sexuality…

“Noting that the family is under attack from a series of social ills, the Pope underscored ‘the value and beauty’ of marriage, founded on ‘the complementarity of man and woman,’ which he called ‘the crown of God’s creation.’…

“This is not the first time the Pope has sounded the alarm on the dangers of gender politics. Francis has used the strongest language imaginable, calling modern gender ideology ‘demonic,’ and comparing gender theory with ‘the educational policies of Hitler.’ The Pope has also said that gender theory fails to recognize ‘the order of creation.’… Basing himself on Biblical theology, the Pope has declared that God creates people as ‘male and female,’ rather than an ever expanding spectrum of contrived pseudo-sexual genders.”

“Transgender Children’s Books Gain Popularity, Indoctrination Rises”

Newsmax reported on June 7:

“As transgender issues become more mainstream, so have books about the subject for children…

“The books include not only memoirs, but science fiction and young adult romance, the Times notes. And though some are printed by publishers that focus on gay and lesbian themes, mainstream publishers such as Scholastic Press and Disney Hyperion are getting on board. ‘As our culture is starting to acknowledge transgender people and acknowledge that they are part of the fabric of who we are, literature is reflecting that,’ Scholastic Press’ David Levithan told the Times.

“But not everyone is happy… Scholastic’s upcoming ‘George,’ has faced resistance from some teachers and librarians who say third- and fourth-graders may not be ready for the transgender discussion. But the publisher has actually increased its first printing from 35,000 to 50,000 copies based on strong pre-orders.”

This is abominable!

Jenner Welcome in Republican Party

Fox News reported on June 7:

“Republican presidential contender Lindsey Graham says his party has room for transgendered people like Caitlyn Jenner. The South Carolina senator calls himself a ‘traditional marriage kind of guy.’ But he says he ‘can only imagine the torment that Bruce Jenner went through’ before becoming a transgendered woman. He hopes that, now, she’s ‘found peace.’

“The underdog Republican candidate is campaigning on the need to counter threats from terrorists and Islamic State militants. He shares the opposition to same-sex marriage expressed by his rivals but says the Supreme Court is settling that question. Graham says if Jenner wants to be a Republican, she’s welcome. And he says if she wants a safe country and a strong economy, she should vote for him… Jenner has suggested earlier that he is a Republican.”

Lindsey Graham’s controversial statements are in total opposition to conservative commentators, such as radio host Rush Limbaugh, who warned Republicans not to go that route.

Will Trump Really Run This Time?

The News & Observer reported on June 7:

“Billionaire businessman Donald Trump all but confirmed he’ll run for the Republican presidential nomination during a stop Saturday at the N.C. GOP convention. Trump says he’ll make his formal announcement on June 16. ‘I think a lot of people are going to be very happy’ with the decision, Trump told The News & Observer before a sold-out speech Saturday night. ‘They’re tired of watching America go down. … It’s about making America great again. I can do it, and nobody else can do it.’…

“Trump referred to the constantly growing field of Republican candidates as ‘clowns’… [He specifically singled out Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio in this context.]

“Addressing criticism that he lacks the political experience to be president, Trump said he’d be strong on foreign policy. ‘I’ve made a lot of money beating China and other countries,’ he said. ‘I only have experience beating other countries. Is that good experience?’

“Trump offered an alternative plan for the international trade negotiations under way. He said Ford and other companies looking to move manufacturing to Mexico or overseas should face a 35 percent tax when they ship the goods back to the U.S…

“Trump wasn’t modest about his credentials. ‘I would be the greatest jobs president that God ever created,’ he said. ‘I would be strongest by far on security, because I’m very big into the military, very big into the vets.’ He said he knows how to beat the Islamic State militants and criticized the Obama administration’s approach… Trump called President Barack Obama ‘most likely incompetent.’ He questioned why Secretary of State John Kerry bicycles at age 71… And he said Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign is ‘unusual’ because she avoids media questions…”

Donald Trump has been announcing time and time again that he was contemplating running for the US Presidency… but he never did. Will it be different this time around?

America’s Spying Program… Back from the Dead?

The Guardian wrote on June 9:

“The Obama administration has asked a secret surveillance court to ignore a federal court that found bulk surveillance illegal and to once again grant the National Security Agency the power to collect the phone records of millions of Americans for six months.

“The legal request, filed nearly four hours after Barack Obama vowed to sign a new law banning precisely the bulk collection he asks the secret court to approve, also suggests that the administration may not necessarily comply with any potential court order demanding that the collection stop…

“Justice Department national security chief John A Carlin cited a six-month transition period provided in the USA Freedom Act – passed by the Senate last week to ban the bulk collection – as a reason to permit an ‘orderly transition’ of the NSA’s domestic dragnet. Carlin did not address whether the transition clause of the Freedom Act still applies now that a congressional deadlock meant the program shut down on 31 May.

“But Carlin asked the Fisa court to set aside a landmark declaration by the second circuit court of appeals. Decided on 7 May, the appeals court ruled that the government had erroneously interpreted the Patriot Act’s authorization of data collection as ‘relevant’ to an ongoing investigation to permit bulk collection. Carlin, in his filing, wrote that the Patriot Act provision remained ‘in effect’ during the transition period…

“On Friday, the conservative group FreedomWorks filed a rare motion before the Fisa court, asking it to reject the government’s surveillance request as a violation of the fourth amendment’s prohibition on unreasonable searches and seizures. Fisa court judge Michael Moseman gave the justice department until this coming Friday to respond – and explicitly barred the government from arguing that FreedomWorks lacks the standing to petition the secret court. ‘The only federal appeals court to have considered this surveillance concluded, after very careful analysis, that it’s unlawful. It’s disturbing and disappointing that the government is proposing to continue it,’ said Jaffer, of the ACLU.”

But bad habits seldom die quickly…

The Danger of Deadly Mosquitoes in Europe

The Austrian edition of The Local wrote on June 10:

“The summer may bring hot sunny days and long evenings, but it also brings mosquitoes and this year experts are warning people to be on guard against ‘exotic’ species which bite during the day. ‘Unfortunately in the last two or three years we have noticed more exotic mosquito types in Austria – such as the Asian tiger mosquito – which are active during the day,’ Franz Allerberger, from the Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), told the ORF. He says the invasive Asian mosquitoes have already been spotted in Graz, and are likely to come to the Vienna area in the next year or two.

“The Asian tiger mosquito has become more common in central Europe, due to the global transport of goods and increasing international travel. It doesn’t need wetlands to breed and can survive colder winters. Researcher Bernhard Seidel, who first discovered the species in Austria in 2011, says that they came to Austria via Slovenia and Switzerland. They tend to colonise urbanised areas and will breed around houses and gardens in small containers such as bird baths, containers, and old tires. There are concerns that the mosquitoes, which are vicious biters, could transmit diseases such as West Nile virus, as well as new, emerging diseases like dengue fever and chikungunya – both of which can be deadly.

“Allerberger said the common house mosquito is more likely to breed after flooding, and the easiest way to eliminate them is to empty water that collects in buckets, cans, jars, barrels, boats, discarded tires, clogged roof gutters, paddling pools or pool covers and any artificially created collection of water. Cutting down weeds, trimming and maintaining shrubs and grass also helps reduce adult mosquito populations that hide in vegetation.

“In 2011 the common house mosquito was found to be carrying West Nile virus in Lower Austria, and in 2014 mosquitoes in Vienna were also found to be carriers of the disease… there is no vaccination for it.

“Experts recommend using mosquito nets, fly screens, and wearing light coloured, loose fitting clothing with long sleeves and legs to prevent bites. Mosquito repellent sprays contain chemicals which deter the mosquito from biting, but should not be used on small children or babies. Mosquito nets are recommended as the best way to protect babies in prams.”

ISIS Destruction of Oil Fields… the Unrealized Danger

The Telegraph wrote on May 30:

“Thick black smoke rising from the Baiji oil refinery could be seen as a dirty smudge on the horizon as far away as Baghdad after fighters from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) set fire to the enormous processing plant just over 100 miles north of the capital last week. The decision to torch the refinery, which once produced around a third of Iraq’s domestic fuel supplies, was made as the insurgents prepared to pull out of Baiji, which they captured last June in a victory that sent shock waves across world oil markets…

“A year on from the start of the siege and a shaky alliance of the Middle East’s major Arab powers, with the limited support of the reluctant US government, has failed to contain the expansion of Isil.

“The problem for the US and the rest of the industrialised world is that the Middle East controls 60pc of proven oil reserves and with it the keys to the global economy. Should Isil capture a major oil field in Iraq, or overwhelming the government, the consequences for energy markets and the financial system would be potentially catastrophic…

“Although most of Iraq’s major oil fields are located in the south of the country, which are Shia Muslim heartlands, the failure of the Iraqi army to deal with the threat of Isil is a sign of their vulnerability to isolated attacks. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia is in a virtual state of lockdown after the bombing by Isil militants of a Shia mosque in the oil-rich Eastern Province…

“To add to the problems facing Saudi Arabia’s new ruler, King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, his kingdom is also facing insurgency from the so-called Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula terrorist group which is intent on destabilising the regime…

“Iran opposed Saudi Arabia last November when the kingdom’s oil minister, Ali al-Naimi, insisted that the group should stand on the side lines and allow market forces to drive down the oil price in order to render high-cost oil such as US shale unprofitable…”

When one considers this utmost picture of confusion in the Middle East, it is completely unrealistic to even suggest that in light of these in-fightings between Arab nations, ISIS, Iran and Syria, the nation of Saudi Arabia could be the next “king of the South” (as mentioned in Daniel 11). In addition, we have made clear and repeatedly explained in our literature that Egypt could not be the king of the South either. IF there is still another king of the South (which is not mandatory under biblical prophecy), it would have to be Ethiopia.

Iran’s Unwavering Support for Syria’s Assad Regime

Breitbart reported on June 1:

“The Speaker of Iran’s Majles [parliament] reiterated on Monday that Tehran continues its ‘unwavering’ support of the Assad regime in Syria. The Assad regime has been responsible for killing the majority of the 250,000+ dead as a result of the ongoing Syrian Civil War… By some estimates, Assad’s forces have been responsible for more than 85 percent of the civilian deaths during the war. Larjani, a former Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander, praised the Assad regime for its battles against the Islamic State and the ‘Zionist regime (Israel),’ state-run Mehr News Agency reported…

“On Monday, Larjani hosted a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart, Mohammad Jihad al-Laham, who said of the occasion: ‘I am now in Tehran to talk about and boost bilateral ties; we are attacked by terrorist Takfirists (false Muslim) supported by the western hegemonic powers and which is their foster child; Iran and Russia are in the frontline of support for Syria; we have support by Iran and BRICS group on our sides.’

“Al-Laham added that the Tehran-Damascus alliance serves to protect stability in the region…”

Iran’s Stockpile of Nuclear Fuel Increased by 20 Percent

Newsmax reported on June 1:

“Iran’s stockpile of nuclear fuel increased about 20 percent over the last 18 months as high-stakes talks were underway – and despite the Obama administration’s claim the program had been ‘frozen.’ The spike was included in a report issued last week by the International Atomic Energy Agency, the United Nations organization that monitors compliance with nuclear treaties.

“… the increase creates a daunting challenge for President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry as a deadline for completion of a nuclear agreement looms at the end of June: Convincing Congress and U.S. allies that Iran will shrink its stockpile by 96 percent while it continues to produce new material and hasn’t made a dent in its current stockpile.”

The New York Times added on June 1:

“A major element of the forthcoming deal, if it is completed, permits Iran to maintain a stockpile of only 300 kilograms, or about 660 pounds, of nuclear fuel, less than would be needed to make a single weapon.

“That means Iran… would have to rid itself of more than nine tons of its stockpile in a matter of months. One easy solution would be to ship the fuel out of the country, but that is a politically fraught topic for the Iranians — and one that their deputy negotiator, Abbas Araqchi, ruled out in March… A State Department statement released a few days later that outlined the preliminary agreement reached at a marathon session in Lausanne, Switzerland, was silent on the question of how the reduction would be realized… ‘How are they going to do it?’ one senior American official said recently when asked about the negotiations, details of which Mr. Kerry and his team are trying to keep confidential. ‘We’re not certain. It’s their problem, not ours. But it’s a problem.’

“Nonetheless, officials say they expect the radical reduction of Iran’s stockpile to happen in the opening months of any agreement, either by shipping it out of the country or changing it into a form that would make it impossible to re-enrich and use as a weapon…”

It is mind-boggling to read the stated position of the US government in regard to this matter. It is a mixture of illusion, wishful thinking, denial, and worse.

Turks See Israel as Biggest Threat to Their Security

The Times of Israel wrote on May 31:

“A survey conducted recently in Turkey found that nearly half that country’s citizens see Israel as the biggest security threat, followed by the United States, and only then Syria… A similar poll in 2013 found 41% saw the United States as Turkey’s biggest threat, while 37.1% named Israel…

“Israel and Turkey have been at loggerheads over a 2010 incident that saw the Turkish Mavi Marmara ferry boarded by Israeli commandos as it attempted to break the naval blockade of the Gaza Strip. In the ensuing melee, after the Israeli soldiers were attacked with iron bars and wooden bats, troops opened fire and nine Turkish activists were killed; 10 Israeli soldiers were injured. The incident triggered a crisis in relations between Israel and Turkey, which were already strained since Israel’s military campaign in Gaza in 2008-2009. Israel issued a formal apology to Turkey in March 2013 but disagreements persist over Ankara’s demand that Israel pay damages to families of the deceased and to the wounded.

“Ties between the two countries have yet to recover, with Turkish officials often unleashing scathing rebukes of Israel. In January Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu accused his Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu, of killing Palestinian children and radicalizing the Muslim world. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is known for his angry outbursts at the Jewish state, declaring in July 2014 that Israel had ‘surpassed Hitler in barbarism.’ Turkey under his rule has been a consistent supporter of Hamas, the terror group that rules Gaza.”

These developments are highly remarkable, as the Bible prophesies in the book of Obadiah that Turkey (ancient Edom or Esau) will participate in an end-time confrontation against Israel, and that many Turks will celebrate Israel’s defeat and act very cruelly against Israeli refugees—even though Turkey has been very accommodating towards Jewish refugees in the more distant past.

“When Ephraim Went to Assyria”

The Local wrote on May 29:

“In contrast to previous frosty receptions from Merkel to Cameron’s pushes for reform, she welcomed the newly-reelected Prime Minister and promised constructive talks. ‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way,’ Merkel said. ‘We can’t say that treaty change [to the agreements underpinning the EU, a difficult and complex process] is totally impossible.’

“Cameron had come to Berlin in search of support for his shopping list of reforms, including tougher rules against migrants claiming benefits, protection for the City of London, and an exemption from the Treaty of Lisbon’s promise to strive for ‘ever closer union’ among EU countries. ‘We already have a multi-speed Europe,’ Merkel said, noting that some EU member states remained outside the Euro single currency and the Schengen free-travel zone. ‘We will continue to have two speeds, and I don’t see a problem with that.’…

“One surprise came when Merkel suggested that Germany itself might have changes of its own if Britain’s push for reform bore fruit… Both countries made much of their mutual economic interests, with Cameron praising the push for a free-trade agreement between the EU and USA, also noting that Germany is the biggest European investor in the UK.

“The two leaders’ close harmony was in contrast to the lukewarm agreement from French President Francois Hollande at a Paris meeting with Cameron on Thursday. And after her own meeting with Cameron, Polish Prime Minister Ewa Kopacz said that her country would respond with a ‘definite no’ to his hoped-for migration reforms.”

The EUObserver added on May 29:

“German chancellor Angela Merkel has indicated she’s willing to go as far as changing the EU treaty in order to keep Britain in the Union… The Berlin trip is part of Cameron’s tour of all EU capitals ahead of next month’s EU summit and ahead of his referendum on EU membership, to be held by the end of 2017. He has promised to campaign for a Yes, but only if EU leaders agree to far-reaching reforms.

“Merkel said she’s willing to consider treaty change, but noted that London should first draw up concrete demands… She also voiced willingness to grant the UK an opt-out from ‘ever closer Union’. The phrase is contained in the 1957 Treaty of Rome, the EU’s founding charter…

“… the French foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, accused [Cameron] of trying to ‘dismantle’ the EU. Despite Merkel’s words, an EU source said there’s ‘no appetite’ for treaty change at this point.  The process, which can take years, would, in any case, be almost impossible to complete in time for the UK vote… One solution could be to give the UK a legal promise that changes agreed now will be inserted later on.”

The Guardian wrote on May 29:

“[Cameron] is welcome here [in Berlin] in the most powerful EU country and, says Stefanie Bolzen in a commentary for Die Welt, the world’s most powerful woman [Merkel] ‘is an unconditional apologist for keeping the kingdom in the union, despite all the infuriation surrounding Cameron’s manoeuvring’.

“Despite the frustrations over what the German government sees as Cameron’s rather overly confident approach, and the distinct impression that he is ‘spoiling for a fight’… there are few in Berlin who want to see Britain leave…

“German business leaders too have warned that a referendum should happen sooner rather than later, and that 400,000 British jobs that are dependent on trade with Germany could be at risk if Britain leaves. Growing numbers of German companies in Britain have said they are plotting their departure in the case of a Brexit.”

The Local wrote on June 1:

“German Social Democratic Party (SPD) MEP Jo Leinen [a member of the EP’s Foreign Affairs, Environment and Constitutional Affairs committees] told The Local on Monday he was unhappy with comments from European Parliament (EP) President Martin Schulz, who suggested that Britain should be allowed to opt out of the call to work towards ‘ever closer union’ among EU countries. ‘The only country that has opted out of European integration with special rules in the past decades has been Great Britain,’ Schulz told the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung. ‘We would only be recognizing what has been true for London for a long time.’

“But Social Democratic MEP Jo Leinen told The Local that Schulz’s fellow SPD members saw things differently. ‘European integration is an idea that’s been there from the very beginning – that it’s more than an economic space, but also a political community,’ Leinen said. ‘Anyone who wants to get rid of that doesn’t want to belong to a political community, but a single market… Many like me aren’t ready to throw the idea of European community overboard.’…

“He added that while German and UK interests are similar, with the two countries often forming the core of a northern European voting bloc to counterbalance the likes of France, Spain and Italy, the UK should take heed of Germany’s deeply ingrained sense of belonging to Europe. ‘Germany has the European idea almost in its Constitution,’ Leinen said. ‘That’s what has guided 60 years of German European politics.’

“While there were certainly reforms to be made so that the EU becomes more competitive and effective, Social Democrats wouldn’t abandon their political ideals just to keep Britain in, he said…”

Modern Ephraim (mainly the UK) is prophesied to try to find help from modern Assyria (mainly Germany), but God says in Hosea that such endeavors will fail, and that Assyria “cannot” help, even if it wanted to.

 Germany’s Blindness Regarding Egypt

Deutsche Welle reported on June 3:

“Angela Merkel has praised Egypt’s peace efforts in the Middle East following a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Berlin. The pair’s press conference was shut down after it descended into chaos. The news conference hosted by German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Wednesday came to an abrupt end after security was called in to remove a female reporter who addressed al-Sisi yelling ‘He’s a murderer!’ There were also cries of ‘down with the military rule’ from the press pack, while reporters from Egypt yelled ‘long live Egypt!’ before the two leaders were hurriedly whisked from the room.

“Before the upset, Merkel had pledged closer economic ties with Egypt, saying the country was a key strategic partner in the Middle East and in the fight against Islamist extremism… Al-Sisi, Egypt’s former army chief, led the coup that ousted Islamist president Mohammed Morsi in 2013. He was subsequently elected by a landslide and has waged a brutal crackdown against Morsi’s supporters ever since. Hundreds have been killed or jailed, while dozens, including Morsi, have been sentenced to death in a series of mass trials.

“Al-Sisi’s two-day visit to Berlin has stirred up some controversy in Germany. Human rights activists have organized a number of street protests to coincide with the Egyptian leader’s trip, while NGOs including Amnesty International have asked Merkel to urge al-Sisi to end Egypt’s ‘human rights crisis.’

“Germany’s government is keen to maintain a cordial relationship with its partner in North Africa, although Bundestag house speaker Norbert Lammert called off his meeting with al-Sisi, citing Egypt’s lack of democracy and the crackdown on political opposition.

“In Wednesday’s press conference, Merkel acknowledged there were ‘differences of opinion’ between the two countries on human rights matters and capital punishment. The chancellor criticized Cairo’s reliance on the death penalty and stressed that ‘under no circumstances, even with regard to terrorist activities, must people be sentenced to death.’…

“Earlier on Wednesday, al-Sisi was welcomed by German President Joachim Gauck with full military honors at Berlin’s Bellevue Palace. The Egyptian leader was later expected to meet with Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel.”

The stance of many leading German politicians regarding Egypt’s dictatorship is shameful and cowardly.

Incredible Hatred and Anti-Semitism on the Temple Mount

The Times of Israel wrote on June 3:

“An Islamic preacher on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem told congregants that the Nazis burned the Jews of Europe during the Holocaust because they had been kidnapping children to use their blood in Passover bread. He also claimed that Jews worship Satan, plotted the 9/11 attacks, and control the Freemasons who sacrifice their wives and children in secret ceremonies…

“The Simon Wiesenthal Center sent a letter to Jordan’s King Abdullah and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas urging them to ‘immediately take action against Sheikh Khaled al-Mughrabi, the religious teacher at the Al-Aqsa Mosque who is on the payroll of the Waqf [the PA religious authority], for using his class to promote the infamous blood libel screed that ‘explains’ why the Nazi Holocaust took place. The ‘Blood Libel’ is a Christian medieval canard that accuses Jews of using the blood of children to make Passover matzah,’ the center said in a statement sent out to the press.

“‘The Temple Mount is a site of ultimate religious importance to Judaism and revered also by both Christianity and Islam. It should be an area that promotes peace, tolerance, and mutual understanding. However, the Al Aqsa Mosque has now been used to repeat horrific lies and legitimize genocide. Left unchallenged, the Sheik’s ‘sermon’ will only spawn more hatred and violence,’ the letter to Abdullah and Abbas read.

“During the recent sermon captured on video, al-Mughrabi says: ‘On the holiday of Passover it is ‎forbidden for them to eat regular bread. These matzahs ‎[unleavened Passover bread] were not kneaded in the regular way, but rather with the blood of children. In the end it reached the point ‎where they were burned in Germany, because of these things, because they ‎kidnapped young children.’…

“Al-Mughrabi begins by explaining that of the multiple gods that Jews worship, Satan ranks above the Muslim god Allah… ‘The Children of Israel had the holiday of Pesach, ‎what is now called Passover,’ al-Mughrabi said. ‘Every holiday, every group would look for a small child, ‎kidnap and steal him, bring a barrel called the barrel of nails… They would put the ‎small child in the barrel and his body would be pierced by these nails. In the bottom of ‎the barrel they would put a faucet and pour the blood… The Devil or one of the big ‎gods, demanded it of them as a condition for fulfilling their wishes, that they eat ‎‎[matzah] bread kneaded with the blood of children.’…

“Freemasons, he went on, are ‘witchcraft gatherings of the ‎Children of Israel.’ ‘One of the ceremonies, for instance if someone wants to be ‎accepted as a new member, or rise in rank… he has to somehow bring one of his sons ‎or daughters, or his wife or one of his male or female relatives, and put them on the ‎table and slaughter them with his own hands as a sacrifice to Satan, in order to rise in ‎the ranks of the Freemasons. My brothers, this exists until today.‎’

“The myth of blood baked into matzah, known as ‘the blood libel,’ dates back to the Middle Ages in Europe, and was often used as a pretext to commit atrocities against Jewish communities. The false allegation is still believed in some Arab cultures and is occasionally cited by officials and public figures.

“In September 2014 Sheikh Abd Al-Mun’im Abu Zant, a former Jordanian MP revived the blood libel in an interview with al-Aqsa TV. ‘On their religious holidays, if they cannot find a Muslim to slaughter, and use drops of his blood to knead the matzos they eat, they slaughter a Christian in order to take drops of his blood, and mix it into the matzos that they eat on that holiday,’ Abu Zant said.

“In July 2014 Palestinian Islamic Jihad spokesman Daoud Shihad said that Israeli rabbis told IDF soldiers to knead the blood of Arabs into their dough… A year earlier, in May 2013, Egyptian politician Khaled Zaafrani, during an interview on al-Hafez TV, a Salafist Egyptian station, also brought up the blood libel. ‘It is well-known that during Passover they make matzos called the “Blood of Zion.” They take a Christian child, slit his throat, and slaughter him…they never forgo this rite.’…”

These hateful and completely false accusations are ridiculous, but gullible people and fanatics are eager to believe them. Unless the Arab world stands up in a unified fashion to strongly condemn these fabrications (which will never happen), Muslims should not be surprised when some Christians and Jews resort to drawing pictures of Mohammed and ridiculing him. This, in turn, leads to more Islamic violence and attempts to murder those who organize these contests and demonstrations.  

Newsmax wrote on June 3:

“A man shot and killed by police in Boston on Tuesday was allegedly conspiring with another man to behead police officers and kill the Jewish-American activist Pamela Geller who had recently organized a Mohammed cartoon competition that was attacked in Texas, CNN reported Wednesday night.”

Geert Wilder on the Roll

The Associated Press reported on June 3:

“Dutch anti-Islam lawmaker Geert Wilders said Wednesday he plans to show cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad on Dutch television after Parliament refused to display them.

“Wilders said he would show the cartoons during television airtime reserved for political parties, in a move likely to offend Muslims since Islamic tradition holds that any physical depiction of the Prophet Muhammad is blasphemous. Political parties in the Netherlands get a small amount of airtime each year and broadcasting authorities have no say in what the parties show. Wilders said the broadcast would likely take place in the next few weeks, but an exact date has yet to be determined.

“The announcement came a month after Wilders gave a speech at a contest in Garland, Texas, for cartoon depictions of Muhammad. Shortly after Wilders left the event, it was targeted by two men with pistols and assault rifles. Security guards shot and killed the attackers…

“Wilders is no stranger to pushing the boundaries of free speech and targeting Islam. He has lived under round-the-clock protection since 2004 because of death threats.

“In the past, he triggered protests in the Muslim world for a short film he broadcast online which juxtaposed verses from the Quran against videos of violence and terrorism. He was acquitted in 2011 of hate speech as judges said that his anti-Islam rhetoric came in the context of a fierce national debate about immigration and multiculturalism. Wilders is again facing prosecution for hate speech over a chant last year in which he asked his supporters whether they wanted more or fewer Moroccans in the Netherlands and they shouted back ‘Fewer! Fewer! Fewer!’”

How such conduct could possibly lead to prosecution for hate speech is very difficult to comprehend.

Rand Paul’s Temporary Victory Against the NSA and the Political Establishment

Breitbart reported on June 1:

“Late Sunday the National Security Agency (NSA) shut down its bulk data collection program as the PATRIOT Act expired thanks to Paul’s efforts. He tells Breitbart News exclusively that ‘we’re excited by the fact that the battle has been won… The president has been told in no uncertain terms—and by the end of the week this will be in writing—that he can no longer illegally collect all of Americans’ phone records and keep them in Utah,’ Paul said.

“‘I think this is a big rebuke for the president. The courts told him it was illegal and he just kept doing it anyway. I think most Americans, particularly Republicans, don’t trust this president. This is the same president who went after Tea Party groups and went after religious liberty and religious groups. I don’t understand why some of the big government Republicans up here don’t get it because most Republicans I meet across the country don’t want this president to have access to all their phone records.

“Paul criticized—without naming names—GOP senators including Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) of Florida, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) of Arizona and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) of South Carolina and other Republicans like Jeb Bush for failing to listen to voters about their concerns with the NSA program.

“I think they get in a Washington echo chamber for so long and don’t get outside the beltway enough to listen to people in America,” Paul said of the Republicans who blindly support the program’… several recent polls that show he’s in the top tier of GOP candidates—and one of the best Republicans when it comes to facing off directly with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. In fact, polls from battleground states ranging from Iowa to Colorado to Pennsylvania to New Hampshire have Paul beating Clinton if the election were held right now.

“What’s more, several GOP primary polls put Paul in the top tier of GOP candidates…

“In Paul’s interview with Breitbart News on Monday, he largely credited Matt Drudge—the proprietor of the wildly successful Drudge Report—for helping lead the fight to stop the NSA… Drudge himself has been very vocal on the matter, Tweeting out his disdain for the NSA’s data collection program many times and also highlighting stories and efforts critical of the program on his website.

“Paul added he thinks that his effort to take down the NSA’s data collection program is proof positive that one person can make a difference in this world—even when they’re going up against the entire federal government…”

Newsmax added on June 1:

“More than twice as many Americans stand with Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul in wanting to see parts of the Patriot Act dealing with the collection of citizens’ cellphone data expire compared with those who want to keep existing rules, according to a new poll.”

The Washington Post wrote on June 1:

“The Capitol Hill impasse over federal surveillance powers continued Monday, as Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) refused to yield to pressure from the White House and fellow Republicans to step aside and allow the reinstatement of key USA Patriot Act provisions that expired early Monday morning…

“Paul… faced criticism from all sides. McConnell on Sunday accused him of engaging in a ‘campaign of demagoguery and disinformation,’ while Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) said he had a ‘higher priority for his fundraising . . . than the security of the nation…’”

However, it was recently reported and is widely believed that there is no evidence that any of the NSA’s data which was collected under the NSA’s data collection program has led to a substantive prevention of a terror attack.

The Associated Press reported on June 2:

“Congress approved (and President Obama signed into law on Wednesday) sweeping changes… to surveillance laws enacted after the Sept. 11 attacks, eliminating the National Security Agency’s disputed bulk phone-records collection program and replacing it with a more restrictive measure to keep the records in phone companies’ hands. The legislation [revives] most of the programs the Senate had allowed to lapse in a dizzying collision of presidential politics and national security policy. But the authorization will undergo major changes, the legacy of agency contractor Edward Snowden’s explosive revelations two years ago about domestic spying by the government.”

In response to the new law, Rand Paul commented on June 3 that the American government only admits to its unconstitutional actions when those have been clearly revealed, after having repeatedly denied and lied about their conduct. TV Evangelist and political commentator Pat Robertson made some very strong remarks during his 700 Club TV program on June 3, accusing the NSA of conducting unnecessary Big Brother activities, which severely restrict individual liberties and freedoms.

USA Most Respected Country on Earth?

Breitbart reported on June 1:

“Monday while President Barack Obama was answering questions at a town hall… he said his administration has restored the United States as the ‘the most respected country on earth… People don’t remember, but when I came into office, the United States in world opinion ranked below China and just barely above Russia, and today once again, the United States is the most respected country on earth.

“‘Part of that I think is because of the work we did to reengage the world and say we want to work with you as partners with mutual interests and mutual respect. It was on that basis we were able to end two wars while still focusing on the very real threat of terrorism and try to work with our partners in Iraq and Afghanistan. It’s the reason why we are moving in the direction to normalize relations with Cuba and the nuclear deal that we are trying to negotiate with Iran.’”

Sadly, the President’s opinion could not be farther from reality. As some commentators have said, one wonders as to what planet the President is living on.

American Blackmail and the Virtually Non-Existent “Medical Vaccine Exemption”

On May 18, the website of www.nvic.org reported the following:

“Vaccine risks for you or your child can range from zero to 100 percent depending upon the genes you were born with; your microbiome DNA; the environment you live in; your age and health at the time of vaccination, and the type and how many vaccines you get.

“Vaccines are not safe or effective for everyone because we are not all the same and we do not all respond the same way to pharmaceutical products like vaccines.  Our response to infectious diseases and the risk for complications can also vary, depending upon our genes, environment, and age and health at the time of infection. That is why malnourished, vitamin deficient children living in impoverished environments, for example, are at higher risk for complications from gastrointestinal, respiratory and other childhood infections.

“The doctor or nurse giving vaccines to you or your child does not know whether the odds will be in your favor. You may get vaccinated and have no reaction or your immune system and brain function could be severely compromised. The scientific literature is clear about that fact and so is Congress and the U.S. Supreme Court, which have declared vaccines to be ‘unavoidably unsafe’ and shielded the pharmaceutical industry from vaccine injury lawsuits.

“Since 1988, there have been thousands of children and adults in America who have suffered brain inflammation and other long recognized vaccine reactions and have been awarded $3 billion dollars in vaccine injury compensation. There are thousands more, who have been unable to secure federal compensation for their vaccine injuries.

“But doctors and nurses are not taught about the genetic, biological and environmental high risk factors that could make you or your child more vulnerable to experiencing disabling vaccine complications. Vaccines are being recommended and given in a vacuum of knowledge and vaccine policymakers know it. As many Institute of Medicine committees have repeatedly pointed out in published reports spanning a quarter century, there are huge gaps in vaccine safety science.

“Vaccine safety research is not a priority because long ago public health officials made a calculated decision that the lives of those harmed by vaccines are expendable in order to pursue what they consider to be a more important goal: the eradication of a long list of infectious microorganisms through compulsory vaccine use. When vaccine risks turn out to be 100 percent for you or your child, you are expected to quietly accept that you are unavoidable collateral damage in the war on microorganisms.

“This cruel utilitarian rationale, also known as ‘the ends justifies the means,’ has been used by public health officials and medical trade groups to narrow the medical vaccine exemption so that, today, almost no medical condition qualifies as an ‘official’ reason (contraindication) for a doctor to grant someone a medical exemption to vaccination… Basically, the Centers for Disease Control now tells doctors that a medical vaccine exemption should only be granted if you are one of the estimated 320,000 children and adults annually receiving chemotherapy; 39 40 or one of the estimated 47,000 Americans who have had a recent organ or blood cell transplant; 41 42 or your child is one of the 40 to 100 children born every year with Severe Combined Immune Deficiency, known as SCID.

“Once you are done with chemo, no medical vaccine exemption for you. Once you have recovered from your organ or blood cell transplant, no medical vaccine exemption for you. And if you are immunosuppressed but don’t have SCID, the rarest and most severe of all immunodeficiency disorders, in most cases no medical exemption for you.  If you or your child are already suffering with autoimmune or brain disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel syndrome, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy or an immunosuppressive disease like HIV, no medical vaccine exemption for you. If you or your child have a family history of severe allergies, vaccine reactions, seizures, sudden infant death syndrome or serious autoimmune and neurological disorders, no medical vaccine exemption for you. If you or your child are sick at the time of vaccination with a fever or on antibiotics, no medical vaccine exemption for you.

“If, after vaccination, you or your child ran a 105-degree fever, collapsed or had seizures and symptoms of brain inflammation followed by serious health deterioration and you are still chronically ill but a doctor disagrees that your continuing health problems were caused by vaccination, no medical vaccine exemption for you.  If you are a pregnant health care worker and do not want to get a flu shot while you are pregnant because you do not want to risk a miscarriage, no medical vaccine exemption for you. If your child was injured or died after vaccination and you want to protect your other children from vaccine injury, no medical vaccine exemption for your children. If your baby was born prematurely and is low weight and struggling to survive, no medical vaccine exemption for your infant.

“For all practical purposes, the Centers for Disease Control and medical trade organizations now direct pediatricians and other vaccinators to deny the medical vaccine exemption to 99.99 percent of Americans. Although nobody can predict whether the odds will be in your favor, you are expected to obey doctors’ orders and get and give your children every government recommended vaccine – no exceptions and no questions asked – or be subjected to threats, coercion, discrimination and denial of medical care, education, and employment.

“Like drug companies selling vaccines, doctors giving vaccines are protected from vaccine injury lawsuits. If a doctor vaccinates you or your child against your will and you suffer a catastrophic vaccine reaction, you cannot seek justice in a civil court of law in front of a jury of your peers. Without accountability or liability, there is strong incentive for vaccinators to implement government vaccine policy and deny vaccine harm – but little incentive to prevent vaccine harm.

“Now public health and medical trade groups are pressuring legislators to pass laws that would not only eliminate non-medical religious and conscientious belief vaccine exemptions for children to attend school, but also would require children to get every one of the 69 doses of 16 federally recommended vaccines – unless a parent can get a medical vaccine exemption from a doctor…

“Zealously pursuing a 99.99 percent vaccination rate and using very small groups of immune compromised individuals as an excuse to eliminate all non-medical vaccine exemptions, liability free doctors want permission from lawmakers to blackmail virtually every American into playing vaccine roulette. And they want to do this in the absence of sound vaccine safety science, even for those potentially at higher risk for suffering vaccine harm…”

This entire scenario paints a horrible picture of scientific incompetence and prostitution, as well as cowardice and blackmail, uncontrolled morbid capitalism and governmental socialistic dictatorship, without ANY regard for individual liberties, freedom and religious conscience.

Pope Francis vs. Nancy Pelosi—the Epitome of Nonsense

Breitbart wrote on May 31:

“For the second time in a week, Pope Francis blasted abortion on Saturday, referring to it as a ‘scourge’ and insisting that ‘a just society recognizes the primacy of the right to life from conception to natural death.’ ‘The degree of progress of a civilization is measured by its ability to protect life, especially in its most fragile stages,’ he said in an address to the Science and Life Association, celebrating its 10th anniversary

“In a fascinating juxtaposition of news, on Friday the pro-abort House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi put herself forward in an MSNBC interview as a faithful, ‘mainstream Catholic’ unlike pro-life Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), whom she called a ‘polarizing’ figure for opposing same-sex marriage.

“On two of the biggest social justice issues of our day—abortion and gay marriage—Pelosi has taken a hardline stand in direct opposition to Church teaching, something resembling a ‘faithful’ Greenpeace member advocating baby seal killing or an orthodox Jew pushing pork. This past January, Ms. Pelosi said that she knew ‘more about having babies than the pope,’ and that a woman has “the right” to an abortion. In her acceptance speech for Planned Parenthood’s highest honor—the Margaret Sanger Award—Pelosi went still further, calling pro-lifers (like the pope) ‘dumb,’ ‘closed-minded’ and ‘oblivious.’

“At the time, Pelosi’s comments drew a stern response from her own archbishop, Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco, who stated that ‘no Catholic can dissent in good conscience’ from Church teaching on the sanctity of life. In a recent interview, Pope Francis underscored the paradox of modern secular societies that go to great lengths to protect children from harm, and yet defend a ‘right’ to abortion. ‘Curiously,’ he said, these countries with very strict laws regarding the protection of minors, who even punish fathers or mothers who spank their children, ‘have laws allowing them to kill their children before they are born… Those are the contradictions we live with now,’ he said.”

Pope Francis it totally correct on the issue of abortion and related subjects, including childrearing, and Nancy Pelosi is not only totally wrong… it is incomprehensible that she would call herself a faithful mainstream Catholic with rebellious views which completely deny her church’s doctrine. It is a mystery why she thought she could get away with such an anti-Catholic position and still claim to be a faithful Catholic.

Clash of “Values” between Russia and the West

The EUObserver wrote on May 27:

“Recent events in the EU and the Eurasian Union, Russia’s new bloc, highlight the clash of values. In Luxembourg on 15 May, Xavier Bettel, the PM, married his gay partner – a first for an EU head of government. In Ireland, a week later, people enshrined gay marriage in the constitution by referendum – another first. But in Moscow on 17 May, the international anti-homophobia day, police arrested rights activists at a small rally. In Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, which is to shortly join the Eurasian Union, thugs beat up activists, who were taken away by police, who beat them up again.

“The clash is also visible, in green (equality) and red (rights violations)… Most EU countries, but not the former Iron Curtain ones, are becoming greener. Most former Soviet states, including pro-EU ones, such as Ukraine, are becoming redder. It’s a clash enforced from the top.

“Russia, in 2012, passed legislation saying NGOs that receive EU or US money, a category which includes most NGOs that promote gay rights, are ‘foreign agents’. In 2013, it forbid ‘propaganda’ of homosexual relationships. In May, it said ‘undesirable’ NGOs can be shut down.

“Kyrgyzstan is passing Russia-model ‘foreign agents’ and homosexual propaganda laws. In Armenia, which is already in the Eurasian Union, the Russian ambassador has recommended a ‘foreign agents’ law. A homosexual propaganda bill, tabled in 2013, is, activists say, ‘still on the agenda’…

“Conservative mores in Catholic and Orthodox societies aren’t new. But Russia’s project, to turn them into anti-Western feeling, is a recent development.

“Loparev, the film-maker, whose last work documents gay teenagers’ life in Russia… noted that state TV, fronted by celebrity homophobes such as Dmitry Kiselyev and Arkady Mamontov, began to depict gay people as a fifth column and to blame them for economic problems. Ivan Okhlobystin, another pro-Kremlin TV star, in December 2013 said gay people should be ‘burned in ovens’. He was fired from his PR post at a mobile phone firm. But a fashion company, Baon, snapped him up. It later said ‘he’s … consistent with our target audience, our brand values: attachment to family life; Orthodox Christianity’…

“The EU-Armenia association treaty called for hate crime legislation. That’s defunct. But EU conditions for Armenia visa-free travel also include hate crime laws… But off the record, some EU diplomats say it’s unwise to give gay rights a prominent place in EU communications in the eastern neighbourhood.”

Practicing homosexuality is wrong, and promoting it especially among children and teens is also wrong. But at the same time, committing violent acts against them is wrong, too, and a suggestion to burn them in ovens, which is reminiscent to Hitler’s atrocities, is outrageous and appalling.

Transgender Identity a Mental Disorder?

Breitbart wrote on June 3:

“On Wednesday, the Wall Street Journal‘s online edition promoted a June 2014 op-ed by Dr. Paul McHugh, former psychiatrist-in-chief at Johns Hopkins Hospital, which argues that transgender identity is a mental illness akin to bulimia and should not be treated with surgery, which can cause more harm than good. Though the article did not appear in the paper’s print edition, its promotion on the website coincides with the debate over former Olympian Bruce (Caitlyn) Jenner.

“At the time of the op-ed’s original publication, the left reacted in fury…

“Dr. McHugh’s arguments focus on treatments that are demanded for transgendered individuals as a matter of right, including surgery in adults and puberty-delaying drugs in children. He writes: ‘A 2011 study at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden produced the most illuminating results yet regarding the transgendered, evidence that should give advocates pause. The long-term study—up to 30 years—followed 324 people who had sex-reassignment surgery. The study revealed that beginning about 10 years after having the surgery, the transgendered began to experience increasing mental difficulties. Most shockingly, their suicide mortality rose almost 20-fold above the comparable nontransgender population. This disturbing result has as yet no explanation but probably reflects the growing sense of isolation reported by the aging transgendered after surgery. The high suicide rate certainly challenges the surgery prescription.’”

When Is a Man a Man and a Woman a Woman?

In an accompanying article, Breitbart wrote on June 3:

“On Monday, Bruce Jenner announced that he wanted to be called Caitlyn Jenner in a photo spread for Vanity Fair… The notion that gender is completely fluid – that a man can become a woman and a woman can become a man – rests on the redefinition of maleness and femaleness into nothingness. The media insist that everyone use female pronouns to describe Jenner…

“Furthermore, the media claim that womanhood is completely disconnected from biology… Gender, it turns out, is all in one’s head, and therefore can be shifted at will… Jenner has already said he doesn’t know whether he will choose to have sex with men or women or both or neither…

“A male cannot magically become a female simply by injecting estrogen, reshaping the jawline, or inserting silicon beneath the skin of the chest. All of the straight male politicians and media members currently babbling on about how Jenner is a ‘she’ ought to be asked whether they would now be capable of having sex with him. The answer, of course, is no…

“Being a female is more than injections and plastic surgery, and even those who purport to believe Jenner is now a female recognize that, or hold the utterly incoherent position that genders are completely subjective and impossible to objectively define, but that we can objectively recognize transitions between them – and that those who refuse to submit to the delusions of the mentally ill must be denounced as intolerant and unscientific.”

The Independent wrote on June 4:

“Jenner’s transition has been celebrated across the world, while the cover has been praised as ground-breaking and an important moment for transgender rights and visibility.”

In spite of the “values” and “standards” in our world which is ruled by Satan, the concept that a man could become a woman through surgery, or vice versa, is completely condemned in the Bible.

Clash of “Values” on Same-Sex Marriages

The Local wrote on June 3:

“Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative Christian Democratic Union party (CDU) told the Saarbrücker Zeitung that she was worried about the consequences of changing the definition of marriage – currently narrowly defined as being between a man and a woman in the German Constitution. ‘If we open up this definition to become a long-term responsible partnership between two adults, then other demands can’t be ruled out, such as a marriage between close relatives or between more than two people,’ she opined.

“Social Democratic Party (SPD) politicians were quick to respond to Kramp-Karrenbauer, with secretary-general Yasmin Fahimi calling it ‘a new low for the debate on marriage for all… This is a blow in the face of hundreds of thousands of same-sex partnerships who stand up for one another and take on responsibilities,’ said Fahimi.

“The SPD were joined by Free Democratic Party (FDP) secretary-general Nicola Beer, who called Kramp-Karrenbauer’s words ‘shameless… She is deeply insulting homosexuals. I call on her to apologize for going off the rails’…

“A mother and a father pairing was the best way of raising a child, [Kramp-Karrenbauer] said…

“Politicians from the SPD, Greens and Linke (Left Party) are trying to put together a majority in the Bundesrat (upper house of parliament, representing the federal states) in favour of equalizing gay partnerships with heterosexual marriage. They hope to put Chancellor Merkel under pressure to overcome naysayers like Kramp-Karrenbauer in her own party.”

This is another example as to how liberal politicians are willing to aggressively silence those who do not agree with their unbiblical agenda through intimidation and defamation.

God a “She” in the Church of England

The Telegraph wrote on May 31:

“Support is growing within the Church of England to rewrite its official liturgy to refer to God as female following the selection of the first women bishops. Growing numbers of priests already insert words such as ‘she” and ‘mother’ informally into traditional service texts as part of a move to make the language of worship more inclusive, it has been claimed.

“But calls for a full overhaul of liturgy to recognise the equal status of women have already been discussed informally at a senior level… The Church of England’s worship already includes some references to God as female, many of them centuries old. Canticle 82, the song of Anselm, the 11th and 12th Century Archbishop of Canterbury, likens Jesus to a mother, while number 86, attributed to Julian of Norwich, speaks of God as ‘our mother in all things’…

“A spokesman for Lambeth Palace emphasised that the steering group is independent of the Archbishop of Canterbury and that any change in liturgy would have to be approved by the General Synod.”

To have women ministers and bishops in a Christian church is totally prohibited by the Bible, and to heap insult on injury, to refer to God as a woman is another abomination.

Being Christian Unimportant in Britain

The Independent wrote on June 1:

“The Church of England has lost nearly two million followers in the last two years and is on the brink of ‘extinction’, it has been warned.

“The number of people in the UK who describe their beliefs as being Church of England or Anglican dropped from 21 per cent to 17 per cent between 2012 and 2014- a loss of around 1.7 million followers. The number of Anglicans in Britain is now thought to stand at around 8.6 million…

“Over the same period, the poll found that the number of Muslims in Britain grew by close to a million making it the fastest growing religion in the UK. 4.7 per cent of Britons now describe themselves as Muslim, amounting to 2.4 million. When asked about their religious belief, the survey found that the most common response was having no religion. 49 per cent of people do not describe themselves has having any belief…

“Naomi Jones, Head of Social Attitudes at NatCen, said of the figures: ‘The proportion of people saying that they are Anglican has fallen quite dramatically in the last ten years, coinciding with a rise in people saying they are not religious… Another explanation could be that in the past religion played a more prominent role in people’s identity. We know… that people are less likely than in previous years to see being Christian as an important component of being British. Therefore, fewer British people may feel that the Church of England is an important part of their identity nowadays.”

With the Church of England having lost fundamental biblical standards, why should we be surprised?

Catholic Ireland Leads the Way

Deutsche Welle reported on May 24:

“After Ireland’s citizens voted overwhelmingly in favor of marriage equality in a historic referendum, members of Germany’s Green party have called for the recognition of same-sex marriage in Germany as well… Ireland voted by a landslide in favor of changing the constitution to recognize marriage between same-sex couples. It marks a significant step in a predominantly Catholic country where homosexuality was a criminal offense until 1993.

“Same-sex civil partnerships have been legal in Ireland since 2010. Similar recognition was introduced almost a decade earlier in Germany with the Civil Partnership Act in 2001… German partnerships, however, do not provide couples with exactly the same tax and adoption rights as marriage…

“Ireland is set to become the 19th country in the world to allow gay marriage, as well as the first to do so by referendum. More than 62 percent of the 3.2 million votes backed the change, while 37.9 percent opposed it…”

The Local added on May 26:

“Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) is feeling the pressure from opposition MPs, its own gay supporters and its Social Democratic Party (SPD) allies to look again at allowing gay marriage after Ireland’s popular ‘yes’ vote on Friday. Linke (Left) party leader Gregor Gysi told the Süddeutsche Zeitung that the Irish decision came at a time of  ‘cultural revolution’ that would have been ‘unimaginable’ just a short time ago…

“The CDU is already facing pressure from within its own ranks to change, with the Federation of Gays and Lesbians in the CDU calling for the party to change its tune. ‘The clear “yes” in Ireland is a signal. In Germany, something has to change in our party, too,’ federation leader Alexander Vogt told Spiegel Online. ‘Frau Merkel doesn’t need to dash forward any more. She just needs to jump aboard the train.’”

The Local added on May 28:

“Three days after Ireland voted ‘Yes’ to gay marriage in a referendum, German government spokesman Steffen Seibert defended the moves that aim to ensure equal treatment for gay couples without granting them the right to legally wed. ‘We will, in Germany, have to find our way,’ he told reporters… ‘It isn’t an equalization with marriage … Putting it on the same footing as marriage is not a goal of this government.’”

“Germany has since 2001 allowed civil unions for gay and lesbian couples, granting many but not all the rights extended to heterosexual spouses. Critics in particular point to gay couples still being forbidden from adopting children together in Germany.”

The EUObserver wrote on May 23:

“Following the referendum, parliament will introduce a bill to amend the Irish constitution. The Irish Times says the law will pass before the summer break. The new wording in the Irish charter is to say: ‘Marriage may be contracted in accordance with law by two persons without distinction as to their sex’.

“The vote means Ireland joins several other EU member states allowing same-sex marriage including Belgium, Denmark, France, Spain, and the Netherlands – the first in the world in 2001.”

Many commentators consider the referendum by overwhelmingly Catholic Ireland as a protest vote against the Catholic Church itself, as trust and confidence in the church has strongly diminished, which is largely due to the pedophile scandals, involving Catholic priests and the perceived attempts by the church to cover them up. Please also see the next article.

 “Defeat for Humanity”

 The LAT reported on May 26:

 “A close aide to Pope Francis on Tuesday denounced Ireland’s vote last week to legalize same-sex marriage, calling it a ‘defeat for humanity.’ Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, told reporters he was ‘deeply saddened’ by the outcome of the Friday referendum in Ireland, in which many voters defied the Roman Catholic Church by favoring marriage for same-sex couples…

“Although Francis made headlines in 2013 by saying ‘Who am I to judge,’ when asked for his views on homosexuality, he has fiercely defended heterosexual marriage and traditional family values. During his trip to the Philippines in January, Francis said the family was ‘threatened by growing efforts on the part of some to redefine the very institution of marriage.’… The Vatican views homosexual acts as unnatural. In November, Francis said at an inter-religious conference that ‘children have the right to grow up in a family with a father and mother capable of creating a suitable environment for the child’s development and emotional maturity.’

“On Monday, the Vatican’s daily newspaper, L’Osservatore Romano, called the Irish vote ‘a defeat’ and ‘a challenge for the whole church.’ The newspaper quoted Swiss Cardinal Georges Cottier as saying the result of the referendum was linked to ‘the pedophilia scandal that has rocked the Irish Church.’ Thanks in part to the Vatican’s influence on Italian politics, Italy has long resisted rulings on gay unions. But the Irish vote has galvanized the Italian government, led by prime minister Matteo Renzi, to push ahead with its own planned legislation on civil unions, which would allow couples of the same sex to be recognized by law.”

On this issue, the teaching of the Catholic Church and the Vatican is biblically correct. On the issue of Evolution (see article below), their teaching is wrong.

How the “Yes” Vote Came About

On May 27, Breitbart published the following article:

“The world has now seen that last Friday Ireland voted 62 percent to 38 percent in favor of same-sex marriage. The symbolic significance of the vote can hardly be missed. Once-Catholic Ireland is now a ‘modern, tolerant, secular and inclusive’ society in the eyes of our peers in the Western world…

“I was one of the leaders of the No campaign. I am a national newspaper columnist and have been for 21 years. In January 2007, I founded something called The Iona Institute. We are a small think tank dedicated to arguing for the rightful place of religion in public life and for the importance of traditional marriage.

“In almost all that time, same-sex marriage (preceded by civil partnerships) has been on the political agenda. Until recently, we were the only organization in the country arguing against same-sex marriage on a consistent basis. More recently, we were joined by Mothers and Fathers Matter (to which I am an adviser).

“Arrayed against us was every major political party, all of the mainstream media, every relevant NGO, an army of celebrities, and enormous financial resources. On our side was a very badly weakened Catholic Church, discredited by the child sex abuse scandals and its own authoritarian part.

“The Catholic Church did not play a front-of-house role in the campaign because it knew if it did, it would have been counter-productive. Instead, the Catholic bishops limited themselves to issuing pastoral letters on the subject, which some priests read out at masses and some did not.

“The Yes side in the campaign has also benefitted hugely from millions upon millions of American dollars… The money came from an American foundation called Atlantic Philanthropies, and it was used to turn the LGBT lobby into one of the most formidable lobbies the country has ever seen… The money from America is almost all one way, from the pockets of American liberals into the pockets of Irish liberals.

“But the Irish media cared not a whit about the fact that the LGBT lobby here is so lavishly funded with American dollars…

“By changing the Constitution as we have done, the Irish people, whether they know it or not, have now declared that the marriage of two men or two women is as ‘natural, primary and fundamental’ to society as the sexual unions of men and women. In addition, for the first time in any country ever, two married men or women can go into a court of law and say they have a constitutional right to have children…

“Roughly 30 percent of posters put up by the No side during the campaign were illegally torn down by Yes side activists who often boasted about it on social media. Torrents of abuse was directed at No side speakers on social media on a daily basis. The result was that many ordinary No voters were scared to speak to journalists because of what would then be directed at them as a result.

“Members of our police force, in full uniform, helped out at voter registration drives on behalf of the Yes side. The head of Twitter in Ireland called for a Yes vote. Former Irish President Mary McAleese broke with all previous practice by other past presidents by calling for a Yes vote. (Our presidency is largely a ceremonial role.)

“In this atmosphere, it was a minor miracle that the No side managed to garner 38 percent of votes cast, amounting to almost 750,000 voters. If we had any major media on our side or any major political party, the whole business would have been a much closer-run operation.

“In any event, it is done. An 87-year-old priest wrote to me Wednesday and expressed very well what happened here in Ireland: ‘Compassionate care of homosexual people was confused with the nature of marriage.’ I cannot sum it up any better than that.”

One-Third of Germans Feel Betrayed by Merkel

Deutsche Welle reported on May 24:

“Tension in ties between the United States and Germany heightened yet again Saturday when the mass-market ‘Bild’ newspaper reported that US intelligence agencies had started reviewing their cooperation with Germany’s foreign intelligence agency, the BND, as reports emerged that confidential information was leaked to the media by a German parliamentary committee.

“Allegations that the BND helped the NSA spy on European companies and officials has also strained Chancellor Angela Merkel’s coalition and damaged her popularity…  A US official said the leaks were worse than those attributed to Snowden, according to ‘Bild.’…

“Pressure is increasing on Merkel as critics accuse her staff of allowing the BND to help the NSA… A poll conducted last week found that one in three Germans feels deceived by Merkel… The Social Democratic Party, the junior member in Merkel’s so-called grand coalition government, has seen support increase as the surveillance scandal goes on…”

The German press reported on May 26 that according to new revelations, Angela Merkel had prior knowledge of the fact that there would be no “no-spy” agreement between the USA and Germany, long before this fact was officially admitted, suggesting that Merkel and her friends intentionally lied to the German people.

Putin’s Ongoing Persecution of Dissenters

The Associated Press reported on May 24:

“President Vladimir Putin signed a bill into law Saturday giving prosecutors the power to declare foreign and international organizations ‘undesirable’ in Russia and shut them down. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have condemned the measure as part of an ‘ongoing draconian crackdown which is squeezing the life out of civil society.’

“The law is part of a Kremlin campaign to stifle dissent that intensified after Putin began his third term in 2012. His return to the presidency had been accompanied by mass street protests that Putin accused the United States of fomenting. Russian suspicions of Western intentions have been further heightened because of tensions over Russia’s role in the conflict in Ukraine…

“U.S. State Department deputy spokesperson Marie Harf said the United States is ‘deeply troubled’ by the new law, calling it ‘a further example of the Russian government’s growing crackdown on independent voices and intentional steps to isolate the Russian people from the world.’”

Sadly, this is very true, but most Russians don’t care; rather, they admire and support Putin’s conduct.

 Russia Goes on the Attack against Germany

 Deutsche Welle reported on May 25:

“Foreign affairs politician Karl-Georg Wellmann has been stopped from entering Russia, where he was to take part in talks on ‘the future of Ukraine’… Wellmann is the head of the German-Ukrainian group in the German Bundestag, and a known critic of [the] Kremlin.

“Russian authorities banned Wellmann from entering Russia until November 2019… officials only informed of the move after he landed in Moscow Sheremetyevo airport on Sunday night. He was then asked to take the next flight to Berlin… Wellmann returned to Germany on Monday morning, after spending the night in the transit area at Moscow’s airport…

“Wellmann, who is a member of Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrat party (CDU), has been sharply critical of Russia’s actions in east Ukraine. He has urged tougher sanctions on the Kremlin and called Russia a ‘warmonger’ for allegedly supporting the rebels… While in Moscow, Wellmann had intended to meet Konstantin Kosachev, the international affairs committee chairman in Russia’s upper house of parliament, as well as Sergei Glazyev who is economic adviser to President Vladimir Putin, the German politician told Focus Online.

“Wellman also said that he suspected Russian authorities of having created a whole list of Western officials that they intend to keep out of Russia… ‘Because the list is not public, you only know that you are on it only when you are in the entry hall,’ Wellmann said.”

… and the USA

Reuters reported on May 28:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin defended Russia’s right to host the 2018 soccer World Cup on Thursday and accused the United States of meddling outside its jurisdiction in the arrest of top officials from world governing body FIFA.

“Putin said the arrests in Switzerland on Wednesday were an ‘obvious attempt’ to prevent FIFA head Sepp Blatter’s re-election this week [Deutsche Welle said that Blatter is expected to win Friday’s polls against Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan, even though Europe and the USA have pledged to support Prince Ali, according to the New York Times] but that the 79-year-old had Russia’s backing. ‘If anything happened, it did not happen on U.S. territory and the United States has nothing to do with it,’ he said. ‘This is yet another blatant attempt (by the United States) to extend its jurisdiction to other states.’

“The world’s most popular sport was plunged into turmoil this week when seven senior soccer officials were arrested on U.S. corruption charges to face extradition from Switzerland. Swiss authorities also announced a criminal investigation into the awarding of the next two World Cups, including the 2018 tournament which was granted to Russia in 2010 by a committee containing two of the indicted FIFA officials…

“‘Unfortunately, our American partners use such methods to achieve their selfish aims and illegally persecute people,’ [Russia’s Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko] said, citing former U.S. intelligence contractor Edward Snowden and WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, both of whom have evaded prosecution in the United States for divulging secret information by hiding abroad. ‘I do not rule out that in the case of FIFA, it’s exactly the same,’ Putin said.”

Tanks Don’t Need Visas

 Newsmax wrote on May 26:

“‘Tanks don’t need visas,’ Russia’s deputy prime minister reminded western nations in an assertive weekend interview timed with the start of a massive military exercise. Dmitry Rogozin was reacting to a question about visa bans by the U.S. and European countries being imposed on him and other Russia politicians and business leaders connected with the Ukraine dilemma, when he quipped ‘tanks don’t need visas’…

“Reuters and AFP reported that Russia’s Defense Ministry kicked off air force exercises in the Ural mountains and western Siberia involving 12,000 soldiers and 250 aircraft. The maneuvers are meant to prepare for a larger drill in September, called Tsentr-2015. NATO began a dueling military exercise with Germany, Great Britain, France, the Netherlands and the U.S. gathering in the Artic for two weeks of maneuvers…

“On Sunday, Rogozin posted a message on Twitter that Russia is not a threat to the West, which is facing ‘collapse under the onslaught of ISIS and gays.’… Tensions between the West and Russia seemed to increase Monday when Germany complained about Moscow denying a German lawmaker [Karl-Georg Wellmann] into Russia because of the Ukrainian crisis…”

EU Plans for Military Involvement

BBC News reported on May 18:

“EU ministers have approved plans to establish a naval force to combat people-smugglers operating from Libya. The aim is to launch the operation next month, with a headquarters in Rome under an Italian admiral, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said. The EU is struggling to cope with a surge in illegal migrants from Africa and the Middle East crossing the Mediterranean Sea to reach Europe…

“The UK is playing the lead role at the UN Security Council in drafting a resolution that would give the EU a legal basis for using military force against people traffickers… It is not clear how destroying boats at sea would stem the flow of migrants. If there are plans to destroy boats on standby before they leave Libyan shores then that would require a significant amount of intelligence on the ground. EU member states have no official presence in Libya…

“The mission could mean operating in areas controlled by a potentially hostile Islamist militia, and EU forces taking considerable risks to destroy boats and infrastructure used by smugglers…

“EU officials have said repeatedly that there will be “no boots on the ground”. But there will need to be an effort to disrupt the onshore operations of the smuggling gangs if the mission is to achieve its objectives. That could well involve the use of special forces, something that will not be advertised in advance. And there will be huge risks involved for the EU – political and military. It’s just that doing nothing is an even less attractive option.”

The EUObserver wrote on May 26:

“Another leaked EU paper on the Libya boat-sinking operation says it could harm Europe’s image and create false hope the warships are there to rescue people. The paper, drafted by the EU’s military committee, a branch of the foreign service, on 12 May was published on Monday (25 May) by whistleblower site Wikileaks… It says there’s ‘a risk to EU reputation’ if ‘loss of life be attributed, correctly or incorrectly, to action or inaction by the EU force’.

“It also says military activity in Libya risks ‘destabilising the political process by causing collateral damage, disrupting legitimate economic activity, or creating a perception of [the EU] having chosen sides’ between Libya’s rival authorities. It adds: ‘the information strategy should avoid suggesting that the focus is to rescue migrants at sea but emphasise that the aim of the operation is to disrupt the migrant-smuggling business model’…

“The military paper notes the warships, despite their mandate, will be in a tricky position if they encounter migrants whose safety is at risk, because ‘preservation of human life at sea is a legal obligation’ under international law… It also contradicts EU foreign service press statements there won’t be military activity on land… it says smugglers’ land-based ‘enabling assets (logistical facilities, fuel, communication equipment)’ are also targets.”

The UK might not be part of this planned EU endeavor. See the next articles.

Cameron Soon All Alone?

 The Telegraph wrote on May 26:

“Germany and France have agreed a pact to bring the Eurozone closer together without the need for treaty change in a potential blow to Britain’s plans for EU reform… The Prime Minister told Mr Juncker that the British people are ‘not happy with the status quo’ and believe that the EU needs to change ahead of a referendum on Britain’s membership by the end of 2017…

“After the Queen’s Speech on Wednesday, Mr Cameron will embark on a two-day diplomatic offensive to make his case with visits to Denmark, Holland, France, Poland and Germany…

“Earlier Mr Cameron spoke to Vladimir Putin, the Russian President, and the two men agreed to re-open talks over how to end the civil war in Syria and stop the rise of Isil.”

The Guardian added on May 26:

“Germany and France have forged a pact to integrate the eurozone without reopening the EU’s treaties, in a blow to David Cameron’s referendum campaign. Sidestepping Britain’s demands to renegotiate the Lisbon treaty and Britain’s place in the EU, the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, and the French president, François Hollande, have sealed an agreement aimed at fashioning a tighter political union among the single-currency countries while operating within the confines of the existing treaty…

“The Franco-German initiative, likely to be endorsed by the 25 June summit, would definitively close the door on treaty renegotiation… The Franco-German policy proposal, said Le Monde, ‘shows that French and German leaders do not have much in common with David Cameron’.”

The Local wrote on May 23:

“Germany and France have agreed to forge closer Eurozone ties without reopening the bloc’s treaties… The move is seemingly designed to undermine UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s attempts to renegotiate his country’s ties to the EU… Die Welt newspaper said the agreement represented ‘Berlin and Paris showing Cameron the red card’…

“Cameron wants EU heads of state to agree to reopen treaties so he can renegotiate Britain’s ties to the EU and win back some powers from Brussels, while at the same time allowing for closer cooperation among eurozone nations. The PM’s chief requirement is a change to laws surrounding access to benefits by EU migrants. Cameron wants restrictions on benefits unless migrants have lived in the country for four years. He is also expected to demand an opt-out from one the EU’s core principles of forging an ‘ever-closer union’ between member states.

“But it seems Hollande and Merkel have an entirely different agenda on the table… ‘Given that Cameron is about to go on tour around Europe and meet several heads of state, this move by Merkel and Hollande can’t be just coincidence,’ Philippe Marliere, professor in French and European politics at the University College London told The Local. ‘It’s clearly a signal of intent to show Cameron that “whatever he wants to get from us, we aren’t budging when it comes to treaties and the monetary union.”’”

Express added on May 26:

“Cameron’s attempts to renegotiate Britain’s role in the European Union will fail, Ukip’s deputy chairwoman [Suzanne Evans] has warned… The Prime Minister hopes to win ‘major concessions’ from Brussels – but Suzanne Evans claimed that he ‘won’t even get close’ to securing Britain’s independence… Evans also urged Britain to further its relations with the old Commonwealth and Anglosphere after leaving the EU, She said: ‘It’s the non-EU countries that mostly do the best trade with the EU.’”

Mr. Cameron’s desperate attempts to find allies and supporters for his cause, wherever he may be able to find them—inside and outside the EU—will not prevent the occurrence of the prophesied truth that the UK will find itself isolated and not helped by its allies in the very near future.

Austria to Repatriate Much of Its Gold Reserves from Britain

The Local wrote on May 28:

“Austria’s central bank announced on Thursday it would repatriate a large part of its gold reserves currently stored in Britain, after auditors warned of the risk of bulk storing in a foreign country. Until now the Austrian National Bank has kept 80 percent of its 280 tonnes of gold, worth around €8.6 million ($9.3 million), in London.

“But by 2020, the Bank of England’s stock of the precious metal will be reduced to 30 percent, while Austria will hold 50 percent and Switzerland 20 percent…

“Vienna confirmed it would begin to gradually repatriate 92.4 tonnes this summer. A further 47.6 tonnes will be transferred from Britain to Switzerland. Austria’s move echoes an announcement by Germany in 2013, which said it would repatriate all of its gold stocked in France as well as some of the reserves held in the United States, to ensure at least 50 percent was kept on German soil by 2020.”

 What’s Going on in Poland?

 Times of Israel wrote on May 26:

“Leaders of Poland’s Jewish community said Polish Jews are ready to cooperate with the country’s new right-wing president, who has criticized his predecessor’s apologies to Jews over the Holocaust.

“Andrzej Duda won Sunday’s presidential elections in Poland. Duda, whose father-in-law Julian Kornhauser is a well-known Polish-Jewish poet, garnered 52 percent of the vote, according to official results certified on Sunday night. His opponent, former president Bronislaw Komorowski, received 48 percent of the vote. Duda, a conservative politician, criticized the president’s apologies in recent years for the massacre that Polish farmers perpetrated against their Jewish neighbors in Jedwabne. The 1941 Jedwabne pogrom, in which dozens of Jews were burned alive by villagers who trapped them inside a barn, was exposed in the early 2000s by the historian Jan Gross. The discovery triggered furious reactions by Polish nationalists who claimed there was too little evidence to support the allegations, which they said falsely depicted Poland as a perpetrator nation instead of a victim of Nazi occupation.

“Komorwski said of Jedwabne during campaign debate that ‘the nation of victims was also the nation of perpetrators.’ Duda called Komorowski’s apologies an ‘attempt to destroy Poland’s good name.’… Duda is a member of the conservative right-wing Law and Justice Party. On Monday he announced that he would resign from membership in the party in order to serve as an independent president…

“Duda, a 43-year-old lawyer, will be taking office in August for a five-year term. Duda, a Roman Catholic, traveled on Monday to the Jasna Gora shrine in Czestochowa, and prayed there…

“Duda’s win is a serious warning for the ruling pro-EU government, in power since 2007, before fall parliamentary elections. It could herald a major political shift in the European Union’s sixth-largest economy, a country that has been able to punch above its weight in Europe without belonging to the 19-nation eurozone. Poland’s influence is underlined by the fact that one of its own, Donald Tusk, now heads the European Council in Brussels…

“Poland’s president has limited powers, but is the head of the armed forces, and can propose and veto legislation…

“In Moscow, the Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin congratulated Duda and ‘expressed confidence that building constructive relations between Russia and Poland, based on the principles of good neighborly relations and the mutual respect of interests, would strengthen security and stability in Europe.’”

The EUObserver added on May 25:

“Duda’s presidency will also influence Poland’s stance on the European scene, especially if Law and Justice wins parliamentary elections in October which past experience shows is likely… If it happens it is going to be a conservative and nationalistic shift in one of the most pro-European countries in EU… Duda is considered to be moderately eurosceptic. He thinks that Poland should not follow European mainstream politics which he sees as driven by Germany, but he supports Poland’s EU membership.”

IRS Hacked and Under Attack

 The Associated Press reported on May 26:

“Sophisticated criminals used an online service run by the IRS to access personal tax information from more than 100,000 taxpayers, part [of] an elaborate scheme to steal identities and claim fraudulent tax refunds, the IRS said Tuesday. The thieves accessed a system called ‘Get Transcript,’ where taxpayers can get tax returns and other filings from previous years. In order to access the information, the thieves cleared a security screen that required knowledge about the taxpayer, including Social Security number, date of birth, tax filing status and street address, the IRS said…

“Identity thieves, both foreign and domestic, have stepped up their efforts in recent years to claim fraudulent tax refunds. The agency estimates it paid out $5.8 billion in fraudulent refunds to identity thieves in 2013… ‘That the IRS — home to highly sensitive information on every single American and every single company doing business here at home — was vulnerable to this attack is simply unacceptable,’ said Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. ‘What’s more, this agency has been repeatedly warned by top government watchdogs that its data security systems are inadequate against the growing threat of international hackers and data thieves.’’

 Republicans and Conservatives Clash with the Pope

Newsmax wrote on May 25:

“As Pope Francis makes pronouncements that are increasingly more progressive, this poses a problem for Catholic Republicans, Politico argues. The Vatican recognized Palestine as a state earlier this month, Pope Francis is expected to release an encyclical, which is a teaching document, addressing climate change by the end of June, and climate change will also be a topic he is expected to highlight when he addresses Congress in September. This is in addition to statements the pontiff has made previously about softening the church’s views on gay marriage, divorce and birth control.

“Catholic and conservative political activist and Iowa state treasure candidate Sam Clovis told Politico that ‘in northwest Iowa, we are discussing this a great deal, and sometimes it’s hard for us to reconcile the pronouncements we read from the Holy Father with our conservative principles.’ Politico contends that this may also present a problem for potential Catholic candidates for president such as former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum. Clovis, who also ran for Senate, told Politico that Bush’s Catholicism is ‘going to cause a lot of problems’ for him in Iowa ‘because Republicans are simply not going to take him seriously.’ …”

Our Awesome Universe

The Website of engadget.com reported on May 24:

“… imagine looking at something with the brightness of 300 trillion suns. That’s how intense ‘the most luminous galaxy found to date’ is, so much so that NASA has created a new classification for it and the 19 other similar galaxies it has discovered: extremely luminous infrared galaxies, or ELIRGs… This particular one is located 12.5 billion light years away, which means it started forming soon after the universe was born 13.8 billion years ago…”

Let’s put it in another way. GOD created it about 13.8 billion years ago (assuming these figures are remotely accurate).

 Flashback–The Erroneous Viewpoint of Pope Francis

The Independent wrote on October 28, 2014:

“The theories of evolution and the Big Bang are real and God is not ‘a magician with a magic wand’, Pope Francis has declared… Francis explained that both scientific theories were not incompatible with the existence of a creator – arguing instead that they ‘require it’. ‘When we read about Creation in Genesis, we run the risk of imagining God was a magician, with a magic wand able to do everything. But that is not so,’ Francis said.

“He added: ‘He created human beings and let them develop according to the internal laws that he gave to each one so they would reach their fulfilment… The Big Bang, which today we hold to be the origin of the world, does not contradict the intervention of the divine creator but, rather, requires it…’

“Giovanni Bignami, a professor and president of Italy’s National Institute for Astrophysics, told the Italian news agency Adnkronos: ‘The pope’s statement is significant. We are the direct descendents from the Big Bang that created the universe. Evolution came from creation.’”

The pope’s comments are not only in total opposition to and rejected by the Bible, but they also make no sense. If he truly believes in the Evolution concept, then God did not create any human beings—rather, a cell developed in an original soup of gases. The comment by Bignsami about the big bang “creating” the universe is even more fanciful.

Teaching of Creationism (to Be) Prohibited … but Evolution Must Be Taught in Schools

On May 24, the website of heraldscotland.com stated the following:

“Campaigners who called for an official ban on teaching creationism in schools have welcomed a ‘clear statement’ from a Scottish Government minister it should not be taught in science classes…

“In England and Wales, the teaching of creationism as scientific theories is prohibited in schools.

“A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: ‘Education Scotland does not identify creationism as a scientific principle, and it does not form part of the learning and teaching of science in our schools.’”

“Charlie Charlie” No Harmless Game!

CNA Daily News reported on May 27:

“A game that purports to invoke a Mexican demon – known as ‘Charlie, Charlie’ and considered to be a simplified version of the Ouija board – has gone viral on social media among young people…

“Scores of short video clips, mostly by teens, show players shrieking and running out of view when the pencil apparently moves on its own and points to a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ after they say a phrase inviting the demon.”

Parents beware—and know what your children and teens are doing… including in school.

Who Are Israel’s Friends?

The Times of Israel wrote on May 15:

“Forget the United States of America. Move over, Canada, Australia and Germany. The days when those countries were considered Israel’s closest friends are over. The Jewish state’s new best buddies are Egypt and Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. At least that’s the impression one could get if one listened carefully to… Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“… he has repeated this idea perhaps a dozen times — perhaps because he believes statements about peace can soften the expected pressure from the US and the European Union to advance the peace process with the Palestinians…

“Netanyahu officially agrees, in principle, to the creation of a demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes that Israel is the nation state of the Jewish people. But he believes that in the current circumstances, with radical Islamists spreading havoc in Israel’s immediate vicinity, a two-state solution as imagined by the international community is unfeasible if not impossible.

“Both the US administration and the EU have explicitly called on Israel’s new government to commit to the goal of Palestinian statehood and take actual steps toward a renewal of the peace process…

“So what of Netanyahu’s dream of an Arab-Israel détente?… experts doubt that an alliance with the Gulf states is in the cards… In the absence of significant progress on the peace process, Netanyahu’s new ‘best allies’ in the Arab world will continue to show Israel the cold shoulder. Jerusalem’s friends in the US and Europe will not be so kind either…”

Israel will find itself isolated and alone in the near future. The notion that Germany might intervene in the Middle East on Israel’s behalf, as propagated by some religious groups, is naïve and unrealistic. In fact, the Bible prophesies something altogether different.

Violence on Jerusalem Day

Times of Israel wrote on May 17:

“Tens of thousands of revelers danced at Jerusalem’s Western Wall Sunday evening amid celebrations throughout the capital, marking Israel’s conquest of the city in the 1967 Six Day War. The celebrants marched to the Western Wall plaza, adjacent to Judaism’s holiest site, the Temple Mount, through the Old City’s Muslim Quarter, where Jewish marchers and Arab protesters clashed violently throughout the afternoon and evening.

“While some 2,000 police were deployed in an effort to preserve the peace and separate Israelis and Palestinians along the route of the march, Jewish teens chanted nationalistic slogans and threw cardboard boxes at the Palestinians, while Arab teens threw stones at marchers and police. Altercations broke out between the groups at the Old City’s Damascus Gate Sunday evening. It was the latest of multiple rounds of clashes…

“Israelis marked the 48th anniversary of the IDF’s capture of East Jerusalem Sunday, a military victory that opened the holy city’s ancient center — and with it the holiest place in Judaism, the Temple Mount and its Western Wall — to Jewish worshipers for the first time since Israel’s founding in 1948. The day is celebrated with official ceremonies, special tours and events, and a march which for years has raised tensions over its route through the Old City’s Muslim Quarter.

“The march concluded in the evening with tens of thousands of celebrants dancing at the Western Wall in the company of prominent politicians and rabbinic leaders. Events were taking place throughout the city Sunday, including concerts, museums opening to the public for free and parades to mark Israel’s larger victory in the 1967 Six Day War and the unification of the capital under Israeli rule. Official events included memorials for soldiers killed during the 1967 war and a ceremony featuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Reuven Rivlin and other prominent officials…

“A number of other ceremonies were also scheduled at the Mount Herzl military cemetery, at the Rockefeller Museum, the American consulate in Jerusalem, and a special event for Ethiopian Jews who died on their journey to Israel. Settlements throughout the West Bank also celebrate Jerusalem Day as the beginning of the Jewish settlement movement in the West Bank.”

Abbas an Angel of Peace?

The Associated Press wrote on May 16:

“Pope Francis praised Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as an ‘angel of peace’ during a meeting Saturday at the Vatican that underscored the Holy See’s warm relations with the Palestinians.

“Francis made the compliment during the traditional exchange of gifts at the end of an official audience in the Apostolic Palace. He presented Abbas with a medallion and explained that it represented the ‘angel of peace destroying the bad spirit of war.’ Francis said he thought the gift was appropriate since ‘you are an angel of peace.’ During his 2014 visit to Israel and the West Bank, Francis called both Abbas and Israeli President Shimon Peres men of peace.

“Abbas is in Rome for the canonization Sunday of two 19th-century nuns from what was then Ottoman-ruled Palestine. The new saints, Mariam Bawardy and Marie Alphonsine Ghattas, are the first from the region to be canonized since the early days of Christianity. Abbas on Saturday offered Francis relics of the two new saints… Abbas’ visit also comes days after the Vatican finalized a bilateral treaty with the ‘state of Palestine’ that made explicit its recognition of Palestinian statehood…”

Pope Francis’ Diplomatic Leadership

Reuter’s reported on May 17:

“Pope Francis’ hard-hitting criticisms of globalization and inequality long ago set him out as a leader unafraid of mixing theology and politics. He is now flexing the Vatican’s diplomatic muscles as well.

“Last year, he helped to broker an historic accord between Cuba and the United States after half a century of hostility.

“This past week, his office announced the first formal accord between the Vatican and the State of Palestine — a treaty that gives legal weight to the Holy See’s longstanding recognition of de-facto Palestinian statehood despite clear Israeli annoyance.

“The pope ruffled even more feathers in Turkey last month by referring to the massacre of up to 1.5 million Armenians in the early 20th century as a “genocide”, something Ankara denies.

“After the inward-looking pontificate of his scholarly predecessor, Pope Benedict, Francis has in some ways returned to the active Vatican diplomacy practiced by the globetrotting Pope John Paul II, widely credited for helping to end the Cold War.

“Much of his effort has concentrated on improving relations between different faiths and protecting the embattled Middle East Christians, a clear priority for the Catholic Church…

“‘He’s someone who’s capable of praying in the Blue Mosque in Istanbul and then talking about the Armenian genocide. He’s not someone who’s bound by political correctness,’ said former Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini.

“‘It’s the diplomacy of a real leader.’”

Iran’s True Colors

Breitbart wrote on May 15:

“Iran will never allow Western powers or the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to inspect Tehran’s military sites as part of a final agreement with the P5+1 world powers, Iran’s Ayatollah Mohammad Ali Movahedi Kermani said Friday in an address to Tehran University students. Kermani has enormous influence in the country as Tehran’s Friday Prayers imam, and is appointed directly by the country’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

“He said that the West, and particularly the United States, ‘are hallucinating’ if they think that Iran would allow inspection of its military apparatus, according to Iran’s state-controlled Fars News agency. Those who wish for Iran to recognize the State of Israel as part of a final agreement should ‘bury their dreams,’ the Ayatollah added…

“In addition to his role as Friday prayers leader, Kermani serves as the leader of the Combatant Clergy Association, an Iranian political party that helped overthrow the Shah in 1979 and install the radical Islamic Republic into power.”

As Iran is very clear in its ambitions and goals, why is the West so set on striking a deal with Iran?

Egypt’s New Phase of Terrorism

AFP wrote on May 16:

“An Egyptian court on Saturday sentenced deposed Islamist [first democratically elected] president Mohamed Morsi and more than 100 other people to death for their role in a mass jailbreak during the 2011 uprising. [The verdict included Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohamed Badei, already sentenced to death in another trial, and his deputy Khairat al-Shater.]

“Hours after the ruling, gunmen shot dead two judges, a prosecutor and their driver in the strife-torn Sinai Peninsula, in the first such attack on the judiciary in the region…

“Morsi, elected president in 2012 as the Brotherhood’s compromise candidate after Shater was disqualified, ruled for only a year before mass protests spurred the military to overthrow him in July 2013. He was among dozens of Islamist leaders detained during a crackdown that left hundreds of Morsi supporters dead. Many of those sentenced on Saturday were tried in absentia, including prominent Qatar-based Islamic cleric Yusuf al-Qaradawi.

“The court will pronounce its final decision on June 2, since under Egyptian law, death sentences are referred to the mufti, the government’s interpreter of Islamic law, who plays an advisory role. Defendants can still appeal even after the mufti’s recommendation…

“Amnesty International lashed out at Saturday’s verdict, saying it reflected ‘the deplorable state of the country’s criminal justice system’. ‘The death penalty has become the favourite tool for the Egyptian authorities to purge the political opposition,’ the London-based rights watchdog said. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the death sentence, saying the country was ‘turning back into ancient Egypt’, referring to Pharaonic rule that ended more than two millennia ago… [He also accused the West of turning “a blind eye” to the 2013 coup.]

“Many of the defendants are Palestinians alleged to have worked with Hamas in neighbouring Gaza. They were tried in absentia, as was a Lebanese Hezbollah commander. They were alleged to have colluded with Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood to carry out attacks in Egypt in what prosecutors allege was a vast conspiracy…

“Condemning the verdict, Hamas said that some of its members mentioned in the proceedings were already dead before the 2011 uprising, while some are in Israeli prisons…

“Morsi and other former opposition members have now been condemned for violence during the anti-Mubarak uprising, while Mubarak himself has been cleared of charges over the deaths of protesters during the 18-day revolt that toppled him. Morsi was in prison when the anti-Mubarak uprising erupted on January 25 2011, having been rounded up with other Brotherhood leaders a few days earlier.

“On January 28, protesters fuelled by police abuses torched police stations across Egypt, allowing thousands of prisoners to escape when the force all but collapsed. Since Morsi’s overthrow, the police [have] largely been rehabilitated in public eyes, with officials and loyal media blaming the Brotherhood and foreigners for the violence of the anti-Mubarak uprising.

“The army chief who overthrew Morsi, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, was himself elected president last year. He has pledged to eradicate the Brotherhood, once Egypt’s largest political movement.”

This does not sound like Egypt will become a modern “king of the South,” as some erroneously claim, leading the Arab world, including Iran, the Palestinians and other Islamic countries, and “pushing”  against Europe. Welt Online commented that these verdicts show how much Egypt has departed from being a “constitutional state.”

US Forces Kill One of IS Leaders in Syria

Deutsche Welle reported on May 16:

“US troops flew into eastern Syria and killed IS militant leader Abu Sayyaf in what Washington has called a ‘major blow’ to the terrorist group. Sayyaf is believed to have handled the IS’ oil and financial operations.

“Sayyaf was killed ‘during the course of the operation when he engaged US forces,’ White House National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said. The operation was carried out with the ‘full consent of Iraqi authorities’ and was ‘consistent with domestic and international law,’ she added.

“US authorities, however, did not coordinate with Syrian authorities, Meehan said, adding that Washington had ‘warned the Assad regime not to interfere with our ongoing efforts against ISIL [The Islamic State in Syria and the Levant] inside of Syria.’

“US Special Operations Forces had been ordered to conduct an operation in al-Amr in eastern Syria to capture Sayyaf and his wife, Umm Sayyaf, Pentagon chief Ashton Carter said late Friday.”

Bild Online reported that the US forces had attempted to capture Sayyaf alive, but when he resisted, he “had to be” killed. However, Welt Online reported that according to the White House, the order to kill Sayyaf was given directly by President Obama at Camp David. The paper also claimed that Syria had NOT been informed ahead of time of the action.

To contribute to the confusion, The Associated Press added on May 16:

“Syrian state TV earlier reported that Syrian government forces killed at least 40 ISIS fighters, including a senior commander in charge of oil fields, in an attack Saturday on the country’s largest oil field — held by ISIS… It was not immediately clear why both Syria and the U.S. would claim a similar operation in the Omar oil field. The U.S. has said it is not cooperating with President Bashar Assad’s government in the battle against the Islamic State group. But it says it usually gives Damascus a heads-up on operations within its borders.

“… National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said the U.S. government did not coordinate with the Syrian government or advise it in advance of the operation…

“The extremist group controls much of northern and eastern Syria as well as northern and western Iraq. It has control of most of the oil fields in Syria, which are a key source of its funding… The special operation was announced as ISIS fighters were advancing in central and northeastern Syria. The militants are nearing the historic city of Palmyra, in the central province of Homs, and have seized [a] water facility and an oil field on the city’s eastern outskirts, activists said.

“The advances in the Palmyra countryside were coupled with an announcement Saturday by the Islamic State group that its fighters have seized full control of Saker Island in the Euphrates River north of Deir el-Zour, the northeastern province divided between areas held by the group and the government.”

Breitbart added on May 21:

“Just two days after Islamic State fighters were supposedly routed and driven into the desert by Syrian government troops, ISIS has reportedly taken the entire city of Palmyra, placing both its population and historical treasures in grave peril… 

“CNN quotes one Palmyra resident saying of ISIS fighters, ‘They are everywhere.’  Many of the 70,000 people who lived in the city have fled, while others are huddled in their houses, hoping to escape the notice of the brutal occupation force. ‘After at least 100 Syrian soldiers died in fighting overnight, Syrian warplanes carried out airstrikes Thursday in and around Palmyra, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. 

“But there’s no indication when, or if, Syrian ground forces will try to take back the city. Nor is there a sense that any of the others fighting ISIS, like the United States, will come to the rescue,’ writes CNN.”

The Financial Times added on May 21:

“Ever since the Islamist militants of Isis swept into northern Iraq from Syria last June, the Obama administration has had a consistent response: the Syrian conflict may be complex and uncertain, officials would argue, but the US had a clear plan for Iraq. The dramatic fall in recent days of Ramadi [in Iraq] has blown a hole in that confidence… 

“For an administration still struggling to come to terms with the rapid rise of Isis, which seized the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra on Thursday, the fall of Ramadi has had uncomfortable echoes of the takeover nearly a year ago of the northern city of Mosul, when Iraqi forces simply melted away.”

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 21:

“The Islamists are now thought to control more than half of Syria.”

In addition, the Huffington Post wrote on May 21:

“U.S.-led airstrikes against the Islamic State and other militants in Syria killed two young girls in November, the military confirmed Thursday. The announcement is the first American acknowledgement that the campaign, begun in September 2014, has killed civilians…

“The killing of civilians, even unintentionally, has serious ramifications for the U.S.-led fight against the Islamic State and Washington’s hopes to restore stability to Syria. Many Syrians — particularly non-extremists central to President Barack Obama’s vision for the country — are already highly skeptical of the international mission because they say it neglects the real problem in their country — the oppressive, bloody rule of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

“Scores of reports have questioned previous U.S. claims that no civilians have been killed. The most recent evidence of civilian deaths caused by the U.S.-led campaign emerged earlier this month as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said an air raid hit a civilian village by mistake and claimed 52 lives — including those of seven children. 118 civilians appeared to have died in the overall campaign at that point…”

England on Its Way Out?

Daily Express wrote on May 16:

“During face-to-face talks with Mr Cameron in Edinburgh yesterday, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called for a veto for Scotland, as well as for England, Wales and Northern Ireland [pertaining to a decision to leave the EU]. It would have meant that Britain could not leave the EU without the agreement of all four nations. But the Prime Minister said Britain will vote as one nation.

“His pledge is a key manifesto commitment and marks a giant leap forward for the Daily Express crusade for the UK to quit the EU. Ms Sturgeon has said if the UK votes to leave the EU in a referendum and a majority in Scotland back staying in, that could trigger a second Scottish referendum. [Mr Cameron rejected that possibility.]…

“Yesterday Foreign secretary Philip Hammond [was] raising the possibility of an in-or-out referendum vote a year early in 2016.”

US Worried About the UK

The EUObserver wrote on May 14:

“US policymakers are worried about the UK. The US’ closest and most capable ally is facing defence spending cuts that could lower the army to its smallest size in 250 years, inhibit its ability to run both its forthcoming aircraft carriers simultaneously, and drop its defence spending rate below the critical 2 percent of GDP threshold that Nato guidelines stipulate. The UK’s national elections last week did little to alleviate these concerns. The Conservatives’ victory raises international concerns over a ‘Brexit’ from the EU and a country fractured along political fault lines through the nascent UK Independence Party and Scottish National Party, which vehemently opposes the country’s nuclear triad…

“But beyond the numbers, these projected defence cuts manifests a larger existential debate on how the UK defines itself in the world. Cracks and fissures are appearing around the edges of the UK’s globalised foreign policy, from the bungled 2013 Parliament vote on intervention in Syria after Cameron convinced the US it was a done deal, to Cameron’s conspicuous absence from the ceasefire agreement his French and German counterparts brokered between Russia and Ukraine, to record-low public support for retaining the UK’s nuclear trident (the linchpin of its nuclear deterrence), to the unresolved ‘Brexit’ debate that continues to erode the UK’s standing in the EU.

“While the UK elections featured a swell of bold platforms from all factions, no political party seemed willing to tackle the uncomfortable question that underlies all these elements: Does the UK still have an appetite for a grander role and global presence, or does it want to close ranks and merely defend the realm? This question does not augur well for the US’ future reliance on the UK as its go-to ally for new military operations…

“The ink was barely dry on an Alliance-wide commitment to reverse defence cuts at the Nato Summit in the UK last September when it was revealed the summit’s host nation likely won’t uphold this pledge…”

What Does Cameron Mean?

The Independent wrote on May 13:

“Britain is too ‘passively tolerant’ and should not leave people to live their lives as they please just because they obey the law, David Cameron has said. At the National Security Council today Mr Cameron unveiled a series of measures that he said would crack down on people holding minority ‘extremist’ views that differed from Britain’s consensus. ‘For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens “as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone”’, he said. ‘It’s often meant we have stood neutral between different values. And that’s helped foster a narrative of extremism and grievance.’”

These are potentially dangerous and explosive words. Would this include religious views being held by a small minority of people, while the majority believes differently? Would this lead to the enforcement of religious practices being upheld by the vast majority, but opposed by a small minority, based on biblical injunctions?

For instance, would this mean that everyone would have to observe Christmas, Easter or Sunday (“Christian” religious holidays which are derived from paganism), while being prevented from keeping the biblically mandated Sabbath and other annual biblical holidays which might be considered “extremist” by orthodox Christianity and the Church of England? One might think that this is far-fetched, but Great Britain’s past includes many cases of severe persecution of Sabbath-keepers—as is true for all European countries, the USA and of course other nations.

The “Biggest Scandal of Our Times”

Der Spiegel wrote on May 15:

“The NSA scandal first morphed into a BND intelligence scandal and eventually into a German government scandal. The biggest scandal of our times. A US intelligence agency, thrown into panic by the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, gathered every last scrap of data it could, presumably (if this qualifier is even necessary at the point), breaking American, German and international law in the process, conducting itself like a secret society inside an open one.

“This breach of law was justified as being in the interests of security… the NSA’s spying activities, carried out with the help of the BND and the failure of the German government, amount to an attack on our freedom, our values and our way of life…”

Annual Charlemagne Prize for Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament

Deutsche Welle reported on May 14:

“At a ceremony in the Germany city of Aachen on Thursday, European Parliament President Martin Schulz was presented with the International Charlemagne Prize of Aachen. The prize is awarded for ‘work done in the service of European unification’…

“German President Joachim Gauck, French President Francois Hollande, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and other European and German dignitaries were on hand for the ceremony… In his keynote address, Gauck began on ‘a dark note,’ as he put it, quoting Schulz himself: ‘For the first time in the post-World War II period, the failure of the European Union is a realistic scenario.’ Gauck was referring to problems facing Europe, from the conflict in Ukraine to the divisive, nationalist tendencies in countries such as Greece.

“He said these conflicts showed that many Europeans harbored doubts about the European Union, looking instead to go it alone as nation states in setting policies and crafting foreign relationships. Gauck said Schulz was a man… who saw the need to restore trust in the European Union, implying that this was his biggest contribution to Europe…

“Schulz is German and originally from the town of Würselen, near Aachen in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia… he became a member of the European Parliament in 1994. The Social Democrat is serving his second consecutive stint as president of the European Parliament, a role he first assumed in January 2012…”

First Same-Sex Marriage of a EU Leader

The New York Times wrote on May 15:

“The prime minister of Luxembourg on Friday wed his partner of several years in the first same-sex marriage of a European Union leader. Prime Minister Xavier Bettel married Gauthier Destenay, a Belgian architect, less than a year after lawmakers in Luxembourg overwhelmingly legalized same-sex marriage, a sign of shifting attitudes in the predominantly Roman Catholic duchy…

“Mr. Bettel, a 42-year-old lawyer, is the head of the center-right Democratic Party and was elected prime minister in 2013 after having served as mayor of the capital, the city of Luxembourg. He replaced Jean-Claude Juncker, now head of the European Commission, who had been in power for nearly 19 years.

“Johanna Sigurdardottir, the former prime minister of Iceland, which is not a European Union member, married her female partner in 2010, while still in office… Stéphane Bern, a French journalist, noted how Luxembourg, often seen as more conservative than its European neighbors, had surprised even the president of France, where same-sex marriage was legalized in 2013 after months of tumultuous and angry debate…”

How times have changed. Note the next article.

UK Holds the Crown on LGBTI Rights, but Sweden Not Far Behind…

The Local wrote on May 12:

“After looking at how well 48 different nations ranked on issues such as marriage equality, employment, adoption and medical treatment, the ILGA (European Region of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) gave Sweden a score of 72 percent on its annual Rainbow Map. The result puts Sweden above all other Nordic countries for LGBTI rights and in fourth place overall…

“The other Scandinavian countries weren’t far behind, with Denmark and Norway also reaching the top ten and Finland coming in 13th place. The UK held on to its crown at the head of the table while Malta jumped eight places to come third. Armenia, Russia and Azerbaijan remained the bottom three nations…

“In Sweden it was agreed that the gender-neutral pronoun ‘hen’ would enter the dictionary, a promise that was fulfilled earlier this year. The move coincided with a number of local initiatives including gender-neutral toilets in several municipalities.

“Denmark was also praised in the report for ‘great steps forward’ in the shape of its ‘progressive legal gender recognition law’ designed to make it easier for transgender people to have their gender identity legally recognised.

“Meanwhile Estonia became the first former USSR country to officially recognise same sex unions by passing an historic cohabitation act and future marriage equality was approved in Finland and enacted in England, Wales and Scotland, the report noted…

“In 2013, the Spartacus International Gay Guide ranked Sweden the most gay-friendly nation in the world.”

Israelite nations excel in their sad reputation of being highly supportive of “alternative life styles,” which the Bible condemns as abominations.

Legalization of Same-Sex Marriages by Popular Vote in Catholic Ireland?

The Washington Post wrote on May 16:

“Catholic and deeply conservative, Ireland was long known as one of the toughest places in the Western world to be gay. Homosexuality was only decriminalized here in 1993, following years of pressure from European authorities. But now Ireland may be preparing for its coming-out party, with a referendum on Friday [May 22] that could make it the world’s first country to approve same-sex marriage in a popular vote.

“That such a momentous event in the gay rights struggle could happen here, of all places, reflects the breathtaking social change that has swept Ireland in recent years and the weakening hold of the scandal-scarred Catholic Church. The church has come out firmly against the referendum. But in a country where priests once held unquestioned sway and where 85 percent of the nation still identifies as Catholic, a large majority of Ireland appears ready to defy church teachings and vote to give same-sex partners the same right to marry as heterosexual couples…

“The change to Ireland’s constitution could reverberate well beyond this island nation’s borders at a time when other countries, the United States among them, are wrestling with the issue in legislation and in the courts. Unlike in the United States, where nine Supreme Court justices will soon give their ruling, Ireland has placed the choice in the hands of its 4.5 million people — leading to a passionate and colorful campaign that has made a once-taboo subject the focus of a national debate…

“Abortion is still prohibited in Ireland. But same-sex marriage is seen by traditionalists as perhaps the ultimate concession to cultural relativism in a country where divorce was illegal and the sale of condoms was tightly regulated until the mid-1990s…

“The government backs a yes vote, as do all the significant political parties, the major media organizations, unions and business groups. The yes campaign has also won support from sports stars and even some dissident clerics. In January, a Dublin priest announced during a Saturday night mass that he supported the referendum and that he is gay. His congregants gave him a standing ovation. The church hierarchy has been notably quiet — releasing letters and preaching sermons against the measure but hardly putting its full weight behind the referendum’s defeat. In a country where the wounds of the church’s child sex abuse scandal are still raw, it’s unclear whether Catholic leaders could influence voters even if they tried…

“Polls have shown that same-sex marriage is favored by a significant majority of Irish voters. But the contest is expected to tighten as the campaign enters its final days…”

 Mandatory Vaccination Bill Passes California Senate

The Huffington Post wrote on May 14:

“A bill that would make vaccines mandatory for nearly every child in California passed the state Senate on Thursday morning. The controversial bill ensures that parents enrolling their children in California schools will be allowed to opt them out of immunizations only for medical reasons and may no longer cite religious or personal belief exemptions as reasons not to vaccinate. It passed 25-10 in the Senate, The Associated Press reported…

“The bill now advances to the state Assembly and, if passed by that chamber, to Democrat Gov. Jerry Brown’s desk for final approval. While the governor has not taken a stance on whether vaccines should be mandatory, a spokesman told the Los Angeles Times that Brown ‘believes that vaccinations are profoundly important and a major public health benefit, and any bill that reaches his desk will be closely considered.’

“If the measure becomes law, California will join Mississippi and West Virginia as the only states with such strict vaccine requirements. Bills aimed at limiting non-medical exemptions to vaccines failed in Washington state and Oregon in March.

“Since the bill was introduced, the state’s vocal anti-vaccination community has staged protests outside lawmakers’ offices throughout the state. Pan’s office has received so many phone calls that it had to open a second phone line, ABC 7 reported.”

This is just another example as to how antagonistic and ignorant law makers in some of our most liberal states are really trying to suppress and abandon religious freedom and liberty in this country—for the sake of the “greater good” (i.e., the “outbreak” of just a very few (!) cases of measles in one of California’s amusement parks, allegedly due to unvaccinated children—a claim which has been highly disputed and which is really without merit).

This slogan has led to the violation and “sacrifice” of individual liberties, while it has caused many atrocities through the years… one may only think of Nazi Germany or Stalin’s dictatorship. This liberal way of thinking justifies the killing of innocent civilians in war, labeling their death as necessary casualties—or it tolerates or even advocates the murder of unborn children through abortion, as it is allegedly within the right of the mother to rule over her body. None of the liberal advocates (including many Catholics and Protestants) seem to care about the right of the innocent and helpless child.

Report from the UK by Brian Gale:

The British general election has just taken place and the outcome is surprising, to say the least.   Before the election, not one of the eleven polling companies predicted a Conservative victory but suggested that both of the two main parties would be very close in the number of seats won.   However, the final exit poll showed a different picture much to everyone’s surprise, and that has been borne out by the result.

Certainly the victory could turn out to be something of a poisoned chalice with the Prime Minister and the newly elected government facing nationalism in Scotland and anti-European sentiment in England plus many other things that need attention.   It will be very interesting to see how it all plays out.

Even though we are not to vote or take political sides, it is always interesting to see what happens as we have to live with the result and consequences.   Wikipedia writes about one of the most famous slogans in political history: ‘‘It’s the economy, stupid’ is a slight variation of the phrase ‘The economy, stupid,’ which James Carville had coined as a campaign strategist of Bill Clinton’s successful 1992 presidential campaign against sitting president George H. W. Bush.   Clinton’s campaign had advantageously used the then-prevailing recession situation in the US as one of the campaign means to successfully unseat George H. W. Bush.”

The existing coalition government in the UK focused their campaign on their financial management of the economy, having inherited a dire economy in 2010 and they were, in effect saying, “It’s the economy stupid”.  Of course the other parties told a different story.   They said, as you would expect, that they would do a better job if they were elected.

The leaders of two of the three main parties are both atheists (they have both subsequently resigned as leaders of their party after their defeat) and Mr Cameron is a believer in God and an Anglican churchgoer although he admits that he doesn’t attend church as much as he should.   Mr Blair, a former UK Prime Minister, was a believer in God but allowed those around him to say that “we don’t do God”.   Is it any wonder that we continually have problems when the ideas for running the economy and legislation enacted come from the recesses of men’s minds without any reference whatsoever to God’s Word?

There was a time when leaders did acknowledge the wisdom that can be found in the Word of God, and our nations were influenced in a positive way.   However, any such influence that there was has been eroded by the liberal permissive society in recent decades, and to our detriment.

Unfortunately, UK politicians no longer seem to have any deference towards the Bible and the wisdom that it can give to those who read it in belief and who ask God for understanding.   Problems are evident in every nook and cranny of society today, but the very obvious is ignored.  The problems are now far too big, not only because they are now out of hand, but there is also absolutely no willingness to acquire true knowledge from the pages of the Bible.   It is seen as archaic and completely out of touch, rather than having the answers to the woes currently being experienced.

Running the country, according to those in power or seeking power, is all about GDP (Gross Domestic Product), inflation, interest rates, unemployment levels, a minimum wage, taxes paid to government spending, stock market indices and a number of other issues.

We have surely passed the point of no return when mankind at large does not have the capacity to solve the manifold and often complex problems that engulf the world at this time.   We have seen that many countries around the world have economic problems on a scale hitherto not experienced, and at the same time, a breakdown in understanding right from wrong.   Are the two connected?

In effect, it is believed that it is all about material prosperity – “it’s the economy stupid.”   But consider carefully the following:

Our UK governments in recent years have striven to allow and encourage women to go out to work.   Children suffer with little parental instruction and absent parents (of course, in some cases, this may be very necessary because of an absent parent or the inability to earn sufficient income even from a two parent working family).

Our UK governments have approved and promote homosexuality and other perverted sexual activities.

Our UK governments have their own definition of the family which emerge from the ideas and thoughts of politicians according to their own reasonings.

Our UK governments have allowed abortion and, in the process, have killed millions of innocent unborn children.

Our UK governments have presided over education which is increasingly liberal with the false, ridiculous theory of evolution being taught as fact.

Our UK governments have allowed ill-discipline in schools to proliferate, so that teachers can’t do their jobs properly, and this ill-discipline is now endemic in society at large.  It all leads to more aggression and violence and affects the very fabric of our society.

Our UK governments have presided over the marginalisation of Christianity whilst allowing foreign religions to promote their own creed in this country.

You will note from the above examples that the economy is not mentioned except in passing.   And this is the fundamental problem today.  Yes, a vibrant and successful economy is necessary to sustain all that needs to be done but if the foundation is wrong then the whole house falls.

In Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 we read about the blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience.   If we had, as a nation, observed all of God’s Commandments (Deuteronomy 28:3), we wouldn’t have all the problems that are extant in society today.   Whilst these were blessings that would have been given to ancient Israel, the same principles apply to their descendants.    And we are those descendants today (see our booklet, “The Fall and Rise of Britain and America”).

In Deuteronomy 28, verses 2-6, many blessings are outlined which we don’t enjoy today.   In verse 7 we read that we would be protected against our enemies and many blessings are revealed in verses 8-14.   From verses 15 onwards, the curses for disobedience are described, which we are now reaping because God is seen, generally, as either non-existent or irrelevant.

Just think of the change that would happen if the leaders and nations turned to God.   The book of Jonah shows what can happen when a nation “from the greatest to the least of them” (Jonah 3:5) believe God and obey Him.

Our new government in the UK has no chance of resolving the issues that confront our nation because they are tackling them from a wrong perspective.   If they said that obedience to God was essential; if they promoted marriage between a man and a woman only and totally supported the Godly family-ordained unit; if they removed all the approval of perversion that engulfs our society; if they said that abortion would no longer be allowed; if the educational system taught the truth of God rather than the false evolutionary concept; and if our government only allowed the truth of God to be taught and not all of the false religions that have invaded our lands; then we would be truly headed in the right direction.

The problem is that leaders give no thought to proper moral values; in fact, it seems that they continue to ignore the source that would ensure success.  Is a change of attitude in the nation likely to happen?   It could, but there would have to be such a transformation throughout the country that it is unlikely to happen now.

We live in a society where someone can be convicted for calling someone else a name that offends them but anybody can blaspheme the Name of the great Creator God and Jesus Christ without any sanction or prosecution whatsoever.   The nation, at large, has no respect for God and He will only allow such behaviour to go on for so long.

One other simple example will show how far the nation has descended into the depths of depravity.   On May 1st (a minority party leader stated that she was “open to the idea of legalising three-way marriages.  Party members could get the chance to formulate policy to permit so-called polyamorous relationships, which would allow more than two people to enter into marriages or have civil partnerships.”   She said that she had already led the way in calling for the liberalisation of marriage laws and is “open” to going further. This answer was given to the question, “As someone living with his two boyfriends in a stable long-term relationship I would like to know what your stance is on polyamory rights. Is there room for your support on group civil partnerships or marriages?”

It should be quite clear that since the UK has turned its back on God in so many ways, curses are the inevitable consequence.  It is safe to say that if politicians campaigned on instituting Godly values in our society, they wouldn’t be voted into power anyway.

In the book of Jeremiah we read: “How can you say, ‘We are wise, And the law of the LORD is with us’?  Look, the false pen of the scribe certainly works falsehood. The wise men are ashamed, They are dismayed and taken. Behold, they have rejected the word of the LORD; So what wisdom do they have?” (Jeremiah 8:8-9).

However, we do know from God’s Holy Days that it will happen.   The Feast of Tabernacles pictures the time when Christ will rule on earth and a right way of living will be taught and implemented at that time.   Whilst it won’t happen before the return of Jesus Christ, it will happen when He returns to this earth.   There will be no more elections, no more politics and no more Satan-inspired activities.   It will be well worth waiting for!

Cameron Wins with Simple Majority

JTA wrote on May 8:

“Ed Miliband, the first Jewish leader of Britain’s Labour Party, is resigning as British Prime Minister David Cameron definitively won reelection… The surprisingly strong showing scuttled Miliband’s ambitions of becoming his country’s first Jewish prime minister…

“According to polls, British Jews strongly favored Cameron, in part because of Miliband’s relative coolness on Israel and the Labour Party’s shift to the left since the departure of Tony Blair, who led Britain in the 1990s and the first part of the 2000s.

“Poor showings by the anti-immigrant U.K. Independence Party led its leader, Nigel Farage, to resign on Friday. Also resigning was David Clegg, the leader of the centrist Liberal Democrats…”

The UKIP executive refused to accept Nigel Farage’s resignation and so he is now back as their leader.   Although they only have one seat in Parliament (out of 650 available) they did poll 3.9 million votes and many had been drawn to the party by their immigration stance and their commitment to withdrawal from the EU.

Many “explanations” were given as to why all these polls were so terribly wrong and totally unreliable. But the real answer might be that God directed the outcome of these elections, to keep Mr. Cameron in office so that he could bring about God’s prophesied purpose of having Great Britain leave the EU (Mr. Cameron insisted after the election that the promised referendum will take place in 2017, when Britain will decide whether or not it would stay in Europe—a vast majority is expressing a wish to leave the EU). Even though Mr. Cameron has only pledged to hold it—not to support it—Mr. Milliband had vowed a much closer co-operation with the EU. Please view our new StandingWatch program, “WHY the Surprise Victory for David Cameron?”

Cameron’s Victory “Bad News for Europe?” — Germany Will Have to “Take an Even More Dominant Role in Europe”

 The Local wrote on May 8:

“German politicians and commentators confronted the reality that Germany would have to take an even more dominant role in Europe on Friday after David Cameron’s Conservative party achieved a surprise victory in the British general election.

“Cameron’s promise to put the UK’s membership of the European Union to a vote in 2017 and the massive surge of support for the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) will likely see the country consumed with its internal politics. Meanwhile, elections the same year in France could see the eurosceptic National Front divide the country, leaving Germany the only one of Europe’s three largest nations with the stability to look to a long-term vision.

“… the trend of recent years which has seen Germany take a leading role in European foreign policy is set to continue…

“Spiegel interpreted the election result in the European context, leading with the blunt headline ‘Bad news for Europe.’ ‘Firstly this is a bad result for Europe. It means that Cameron, the weak leader, will become even more susceptible to pressure from within his own party. The eurosceptic loudmouths from the back-benches will become even more powerful,’ wrote Christoph Scheuermann…

“The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung spoke of having to ‘rub one’s eyes’ when the results were announced, expressing disbelief at how misleading opinion polls had been… the paper expressed anxiety at the repercussions for Europe…

“Süddeutsche Zeitung was sceptical of the surprise Conservative victory, and focused on the various problems the Prime Minister will face in his second term. ‘Struggling to triumph’ read the headline. ‘Cameron may have secured a slim overall majority, but this is far from a great victory,’ wrote Björn Finke…

“Business daily Handelsblatt went with the headline ‘Election winner in a torn land’… ‘This election accelerates dramatically historical changes that have been long in the making. For us in Europe this means the possibility of a “Brexit.”’”

The New York Times added on May 8:

 “Prime Minister David Cameron, having achieved a smashing and unexpected outright victory in Britain’s general election, heads into his second term facing severe — even existential — challenges to his nation’s identity and place in the world: how to keep the United Kingdom in the European Union and Scotland in the United Kingdom.”

AFP wrote on May 8:

“Prime Minister David Cameron’s expected new five-year term could prove less stable than the outgoing one and will put Britain on a rocky course to an EU membership referendum, analysts said Friday… Without his former junior coalition partner, the centrist Liberal Democrats, Cameron could find himself under pressure to be more right-wing and pursue a harder line on Europe, experts said.”

Things Have Changed in the UK

The Associated Press wrote on May 9:

“After years of sharing power, David Cameron pulled off an unexpected election triumph that gave the Conservative prime minister a second term with an outright majority Friday and dealt a stinging defeat to his three main rivals… But he faces a fractured Britain – divided by rich and poor, by separatist gains in Scotland and by doubts over its place in the European Union.

“The election ushers in a new era in British politics, with veteran lawmakers ousted by a public that made clear it had lost trust in its political leaders. The victors included a 20-year-old Scottish nationalist who beat out a senior Labour Party leader in Scotland.

“It was also unexpected. Polls had predicted a dead heat – a result that would have meant days of haggling to form a new government. Queen Elizabeth II was out of town at her castle in Windsor, and needed to rush back to London for the traditional meeting at Buckingham Palace in which the victor offers to form a government… The surprising outcome merely underscored how much things have changed – that there is now a new unpredictability in British politics…”

UK Referendum Earlier?

The EUObserver wrote on May 12:

“The UK could hold a referendum on EU membership as early as July 2016, The Guardian reported Monday evening (11 May). The paper quoted a government source as saying that the ‘mood now is definitely to accelerate the process and give us the option of holding the referendum in 2016’… The referendum will be preceded by negotiations to get a ‘better deal’ in Europe for UK. The idea is that British voters can then decide, based on the results of the talks, if they want their country to stay in the EU, of which it has been a member since 1973.

“… The Guardian noted that a bill, which is needed to hold a referendum, could be passed by June 2016, making a referendum possible the next month, or in September 2016, after the summer break.”

No Special Deal for Britain

The Local wrote on May 13:

“[German] Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble had a prickly response to British demands for reform of the EU in the margins of a European finance ministers’ meeting on Tuesday… Schäuble was in no hurry to meet Prime Minister David Cameron’s timetable – and was fed up with ‘silly’ and ‘unnecessary’ interventions in the eurozone crisis from across the Channel… He explicitly rejected attaching a package of British demands to any reforms made to shore up the currency union.

“Cameron hopes to press other member countries into treaty change ahead of a referendum on EU membership set for 2017, a key promise he made to bolster support on his right wing before last week’s parliamentary election… But Schäuble’s brusque dismissal of British officials’ plan to tack special terms for the UK onto a new push for political and fiscal integration among eurozone members sets the scene for a showdown between the two countries.

“… That was a stark difference from UK Chancellor (finance minister) George Osborne, who said in Brussels that he had ‘a very clear mandate to improve Britain’s relationship with the rest of the EU and to reform the EU so that it creates jobs and increases living standards for all its citizens.’”

The EUObserver added on May 13:

“French finance minister Michel Sapin dismissed the idea of a ‘so-called renegotiation’ leading to a EU treaty change. ‘If it’s about discussing the functioning of the EU, this sort of discussion is possible. If it’s about renegotiating treaties, you know the position of France. That’s a completely different matter. In the current context, no treaty change, no constitutional debate,’ he said.”

Jury Duty Decision in the UK

The Telegraph wrote on May 11:

“A devout Muslim man who objected to jury service by claiming his religion forbids it was forced to serve by an Old Bailey judge. The man wrote to the court asking to be excused because he felt unable to sit in judgement of others. ‘As a Muslim, I believe you shouldn’t judge anyone and can’t come to any decision regarding another person,’ he wrote. ‘I could not take the responsibility of judging a person innocent or guilty. ‘I believe we are judged after our death and I would hate to think an innocent person would suffer because of the evidence and my decision.’

“The juror was ordered to appear at the Old Bailey on Monday morning to argue his case on the first day of his jury service. He said: ‘I deeply believe I can’t take that responsibility. I would be really uncomfortable to come to any decision when a decision is to be made.’

“But Judge Timothy Pontius QC said his situation was no different to other Muslims asked to serve on a jury. ‘Many understandably will have religious beliefs and are members of one faith or another,’ said the judge. ‘Some have very deeply-held religious beliefs and yet they discharge their responsibilities consciously and consistent with their religious beliefs. ‘It is common for many members of the jury to be practising Muslims, some hold their religious faith very deeply indeed, and yet are content to sit in judgement of fellow citizens.’

“The juror conceded he would want a jury to decide if a crime was committed against his family and eventually agreed he would serve if ordered to do so. ‘I’ve made my excuse,’ he said. ‘I’ve written to you asking for my dismissal. I live in this country and have to go by the law, but if you order me to be of service that is my responsibility.’

“Judge Pontius told him: ‘I don’t for a moment doubt the strength of your religious beliefs, but for the reasons I have set out and applying the logic which I have expressed about the position, I regret I can’t excuse you from jury service.’’

The problem with this potential juror is that his conviction was not strong enough. This should serve as an example to everyone who refuses to become a juror due to his sincerely held religious conviction. He could not serve on a jury and render a decision, even IF ordered by a court to do so. The biblical injunction is very clear: We must obey God rather than man, if there is a conflict. For the same reason could a true Christian not serve as a combatant in the army and kill an enemy, even IF ordered to do so.

US Camp David Summit Skipped by Most Gulf Heads of State

The Associated Press reported on May 11:

“It is not just the Saudi king who will be skipping the Camp David summit of U.S. and allied Arab leaders. Most Gulf heads of state won’t be there. The absences will put a damper on talks that are designed to reassure key Arab allies, and almost certainly reflect dissatisfaction among leaders of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council with Washington’s handling of Iran and what they expect to get out of the meeting…

“At the summit, leaders of Gulf nations will be looking for assurances that they have Obama’s support at a time when the region feels under siege from Islamic extremists and by Iran’s rising influence. The Gulf states worry the nuclear pact taking shape with the U.S., Iran and other nations may embolden Tehran to act more aggressively in the region…

“Abdulkhaleq Abdullah, a professor of political science at Emirates University, said Gulf leaders were staying away from the Camp David gathering to signal their displeasure over the nuclear talks. ‘I don’t think they have a deep respect, a deep trust for Obama and his promises. There is a fundamental difference between his vision of post-nuclear-deal Iran and their vision,’ he said… Abdullah… said the Gulf ties with the United States remain strong, but they have been strained during Obama’s tenure.”

The Weekly Standard wrote on May 11:

“It was a long time ago and a galaxy far, far away: In July 2008, presidential candidate Barack Obama made big, bold news by travelling to Berlin to – as The New York Times triumphantly recorded – ‘restore the world’s faith in strong American leadership and idealism.’ With 200,000 Berliners waving campaign-provided American flags, Obama called for renewing America’s alliances and undoing the cowboy unilateralism of George W. Bush and Obama’s 2008 opponent Sen. John McCain.

“The events of recent months are an indication of how spectacularly Obama has failed to fulfill his 2008 promise. This week comes the news that Saudi Arabia’s newly installed King Salman and three of the other six Gulf monarchs are boycotting Obama’s Camp David summit – a meeting called by Obama to reassure the Arab states that the forthcoming nuclear deal with Iran was not a betrayal of their longstanding security relationship with the United States. Beyond their fears of Iran’s nukes, the Gulf states see the rise of an aspiring Persian hegemon – in Yemen, in Syria, in Iraq – taking advantage of, if not actively conspiring with, a retreating America.  In this case ‘no show’ means ‘no confidence.”

Did President Obama Lie?

Breitbart wrote on May 11:

“Seymour Hersh, the Pulitzer Prize winning left-wing investigative journalist, is accusing Pres. Obama of lying about the raid that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden… Hersh’s story describes a politically obsessed President Obama rushing to get word out about the raid over the objections of key officials like Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Hersh points out that the bin Laden raid ‘was the high point of Obama’s first term, and a major factor in his re-election.’

“Hersh’s other main claim involves the knowledge of Pakistani officials. Hersh says the Obama administration claimed that the senior generals of Pakistan’s army and Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) were not told of the raid in advance. ‘This is false, as are many other elements of the Obama administration’s account.’

“Appearing on CNN Monday morning, Hersh strongly defended the story from attacks by host Chris Cuomo and CNN Security Analyst Peter Bergen, who wrote a lengthy rebuttal for CNN. Responding to the charge that his article was based primarily on just one single, anonymous source, veteran reporter Hersh told Cuomo he had ‘vet and verify[ied]’ his reporting with other sources.

“Bergen claims Hersh’s argument is essentially a massive conspiracy theory, calling it ‘farrago of nonsense that is contravened by a multitude of eyewitness accounts, inconvenient facts and simple common sense.’ In his criticism, however, Bergen notes that the Obama administration made false statements right after the raid.

“In his article, Hersh correctly points out that in the immediate aftermath of the bin Laden raid, White House officials initially made some false statements about the raid — for instance, that bin Laden was using his wives as human shields during the raid — but these were quickly corrected. Hersh says the reason for the inaccuracies is that President Obama wanted to take immediate credit for the raid. Hersh said that the initial plan was to announce the death of bin Laden about a week later, but Hersh writes:

“‘Obama’s speech was put together in a rush, the retired official said, and was viewed by his advisers as a political document, not a message that needed to be submitted for clearance to the national security bureaucracy. This series of self-serving and inaccurate statements would create chaos in the weeks following.’

“Hersh quotes from Robert Gate’s book Duty about how upset Gates was that President Obama decided to push narrative in order to take credit. ‘That we killed him, I said, is all we needed to say. Everybody in that room agreed to keep mum on details. That commitment lasted about five hours. The initial leaks came from the White House and CIA. They just couldn’t wait to brag and to claim credit. The facts were often wrong… Nonetheless the information just kept pouring out. I was outraged and at one point, told the national security adviser, Tom Donilon, “Why doesn’t everybody just shut… up?” To no avail.’

“Hersh reports others were also incensed by President Obama’s approach to organizing and delivering the speech: ‘Gates wasn’t the only official who was distressed by Obama’s decision to speak without clearing his remarks in advance, the retired official said, “but he was the only one protesting. Obama didn’t just double-cross Gates, he double-crossed everyone.’”

The Washington Post reported on May 11 that “the CIA and White House are both rejecting his account” and that a “CIA official told The Washington Post that Hersh’s story is ‘utter nonsense.’’’

Of course, what else would they say? Hersh’s story was also rejected by Robert O’Neill, the former Navy SEAL who says he fired the shots that killed Osama bin Laden. But Hersh is not a nobody, nor is he a conservative. He “earned a Pulitzer Prize in 1970 for exposing the mass killing of civilians in the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam in 1969, and later was credited with helping to expose the abuse of detainees by the U.S. military at Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison in 2004.”  Hersh also claims that from the outset, the goal of the mission was to assassinate bin Laden, and that his dead body was not “buried” in the way as claimed by the White House, but disposed of in a most despicable way.

More Sources Confirm Hersh’s Account

 Newsmax reported on May 12:

“After Seymour Hersh claimed in a lengthy expose that the Obama administration inaccurately took full credit for the killing of Osama bin Laden, more sources have come forward to confirm his account. Two intelligence sources have told NBC News that the year before the U.S. raid that killed Osama bin Laden, a ‘walk in’ asset from Pakistani intelligence told the CIA where bin Laden was hiding, while three sources say that the Pakistani government was aware of bin Laden’s location all along…

“John McCain, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, dismissed Hersh’s account…  For his part, Hersh has defended his account. He told CNN on Monday, ‘I’ve been around a long time … and I understand the consequences of what I’m saying.’”

Newsmax added on May 13:

“Another voice has joined the chorus of those who say that Seymour Hersh’s account of the demise of Osama bin Laden is more accurate than the claims of the Obama administration: New York Times foreign correspondent Carlotta Gall. Gall has said that she had gleaned from her sources that Pakistan’s intelligence service had kept bin Laden prisoner since 2006, and that the CIA learned about his location from a Pakistani informer who sold the information for $25 million.  ‘On this count, my own reporting tracks with Hersh’s,’ Gall wrote.”

Those who dismiss Hersh’s account outright—such as John McCain—had better beware what they are saying. The German magazine, Focus, reported this week that other journalists confirmed Mr. Hersh’s account as well, stating that most of the information had been known in Washington all along.

Netanyahu’s Shaky Government

The Washington Post wrote on May 7:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been a dominating political figure in the United States this year, seemingly invincible as he hurled thunderbolts at President Obama and other adversaries. But here in Israel, not so much. After winning a narrow election victory in March, Netanyahu formed a fragile government late Wednesday with a bare one-vote margin in parliament. Israeli analysts, left and right, are questioning whether the government can last long. Netanyahu said Thursday that he had been leaving the foreign-minister position vacant for Labor Party leader Isaac Herzog, in hopes of broadening his base, but Herzog rejected the offer…

“Netanyahu’s camp hopes for a new opening with Gulf Arab states that share mistrust of Iran… An Israeli-Arab alliance against Iran is intriguing. But like much else about Netanyahu’s fledgling government, it’s more an aspiration than a practical agenda. Netanyahu, so potent in the United States, has a shaky base at home.”

Vatican Recognizes State of Palestine

The Associated Press reported on May 13:

“The Vatican officially recognized the state of Palestine in a new treaty finalized Wednesday, immediately sparking Israeli ire and accusations that the move hurt peace prospects. The treaty, which concerns the activities of the Catholic Church in Palestinian territory, is both deeply symbolic and makes explicit that the Holy See has switched its diplomatic recognition from the Palestine Liberation Organization to the state of Palestine.

“The Vatican had welcomed the decision by the U.N. General Assembly in 2012 to recognize a Palestinian state and had referred to the Palestine state since. But the treaty is the first legal document negotiated between the Holy See and the Palestinian state, giving the Vatican’s former signs of recognition an unambiguous confirmation in a formal, bilateral treaty…

“The United States and Israel oppose recognition, arguing that it undermines U.S.-led efforts to negotiate an Israeli-Palestinian deal on the terms of Palestinian statehood. Most countries in Western Europe have held off on recognition, but some have hinted that their position could change if peace efforts remain deadlocked. The treaty was finalized days before Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visits Pope Francis at the Vatican. Abbas is heading to Rome to attend Francis’ canonization Sunday of two new saints from the Holy Land.”

Female Genital Mutilation Highest in Egypt

The website of egyptianstreets.com reported on May 10:

“Egypt’s Minister of Health Adel Adawy announced on Sunday that 92 percent of married Egyptian women [aged between 15 and 49] have experienced female genital mutilation… The majority of females undergo genital mutilation between the ages of nine and 12, with only 31 percent of the operations run by doctors, said the Minister of Health. The Minister of Health added that FGM in rural areas is as high as 95 percent, compared to up to 39.2 percent in urban cities… more than 50 percent of married women in Egypt favor female genital mutilation and is in accordance with religious teachings…

“Despite a large number of women surveyed believing that FGM is condoned by Islam, Egypt’s top Islamic authority has condemned the act as ‘un-Islamic’ and ‘barbaric’. Moreover, Egypt banned female genital mutilation in 2008. Article 242 of Egypt’s Penal Code criminalizes the circumcision of girls The punishment for performing FGM is a prison sentence ranging from three months to two years or a fine of 5,000 Egyptian pounds…

“According to the World Health Organization, Egypt, Somalia, Guinea, Djibouti and Sierra Leone have the highest rates of FGM. A 2013 UNICEF report found that Egypt has the world’s highest total number of FGM sufferers, with 27.2 million women having undergone FGM.”

China’s Military Ambitions

The website of freebeacon.com wrote on May 8:

“China’s military plans to produce nearly 42,000 land-based and sea-based unmanned weapons and sensor platforms as part of its continuing, large-scale military buildup, the Pentagon’s annual report on the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) disclosed Friday. China currently operates several armed and unarmed drone aircraft and is developing long-range… unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for both intelligence gathering and bombing attacks.

“The acquisition and development of longer-range UAVs will increase China’s ability to conduct long-range reconnaissance and strike operations,” the report said… The drone buildup is part of what the Pentagon identified as a decades-long military buildup that last year produced new multi-warhead missiles and a large number of submarines and ships… Additionally, the Pentagon for the first time confirmed China’s development of an ultra-high speed maneuvering strike vehicle as part of its growing strategic nuclear arsenal… a strike weapon that travels at the edge of space at nearly 10 times the speed of sound…

“The Chinese military, once a backward, ill-equipped force, is rapidly becoming a very sophisticated high-technology military organization that is focused on developing asymmetric warfare capabilities that will allow it to defeat the United States or other advanced militaries in a future conflict. The new capabilities include anti-satellite weapons, including a high-earth orbit missile capable of hitting strategic satellites as high as 22,000 miles in space, and cyber warfare capabilities… Chinese nationalism is also on the rise.”

It was also reported that on May 8, Putin and Chinese president Xi Jinping signed an “economic” agreement between Russia’s Eurasian Union and China’s Silk Road.

 Russia’s Re-Invention of History

 The EUObserver wrote on May 8:“Russia’s EU ambassador, Vladimir Chizhov… [said] ‘Crimea was not an annexation by any means … it was an attempt by local people to decide their future for themselves’. He justified Russia’s deployment of special forces in Crimea by claiming Ukrainian nationalists were preparing a ‘massacre’ of Russian speakers.

“He added that Stalin, who, like Hitler, murdered millions of Russians…  is a ‘national hero’ for many Russians… He also defended Russia’s invasion of Poland in 1939, under the ‘Molotov-Ribbentrop’ pact with Germany, as an act of ‘necessity’ at the time. It’s a narrative espoused by many Russian people… The narrative causes horror in Russia’s neighbours… [It] has also caused alarm in EU chancelleries and in Washington…

“Opposition leaders, such as Boris Nemtsov, are being murdered, and NGOs are being harassed as ‘foreign agents’. ‘He [Putin] has nothing to brag about at home … so the only thing he can offer to Russian people is fear of an outside enemy and fantasies of imperial greatness’, Garry Kasparov, a former Soviet chess champion who lives in the US, told EUobserver in a recent interview… For Kasparov, they do it because ‘the collapse of the Soviet Union was painful. But, unlike Germany, there was no process of reconciliation or lustration, of cleansing society of former Communist apparatchiks, and, most importantly, of the KGB’, he said, referring to the Russian intelligence service, now called the FSB…”

Some gullible and uninformed Western authors and commentators have even bought into the Russian propaganda that Russia—and not the USA and its Western Allies— brought an end to World War II and that Russia defeated Nazi Germany. Nothing could be further from the truth. However, blame must be asserted against the USA and its Western allies that they collaborated with Stalin… who was an evil dictator and no better than Hitler.

 History would have turned out much differently if the USA and Great Britain would have cooperated with Count Stauffenberg and those German officers who were quite active in trying to defeat (assassinate) Hitler as early as 1943, asking for support from the Allies who tragically refused to lend any helping hand, insisting instead in Germany’s unconditional surrender, which, as they knew, German officers (opposed to Hitler) could never agree to.

 So, the Western Allies chose instead to work with mass murderer Stalin against mass murderer Hitler—but as the old German proverb says, “The one who wants to eat with the devil must have a big spoon.” As it turned out, the spoon of the Allies was not big enough, and terrible consequences ensued, which, correctly understood, will be a major cause for a future World War, which will be fought by continental Europe, under German leadership, against the USA and the UK.

Germany’s Spy Scandal Intensifying

Thomson/Reuters reported on May 11:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended her present and past chiefs of staff on Monday against criticism that they lied to the public about the prospects of a ‘no-spy agreement’ with the United States. Media reports alleging lying by Merkel’s aides were the latest in a controversy over German intelligence… The latest report said Washington never offered Germany a no-spy agreement after those revelations, despite statements from Merkel and senior aides during the campaign for Germany’s general election held only a few months later…

“Raising the pressure on Merkel, SPD Secretary General Yasmin Fahimi said on Monday: ‘If it’s true the U.S. never held out the prospect of such a no-spy agreement between Germany and America, then the conservatives lied in the 2013 election campaign.’… Former Justice Minister Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger from the Free Democrats (FDP), who were in coalition with Merkel’s conservatives from 2009-2013, joined the attack, telling Der Spiegel magazine’s online edition: ‘In the end, the chancellery pulled the wool over people’s eyes.’”

The Local wrote on May 10:

“The US intelligence agency NSA asked its German partner service BND to spy on the European country’s engineering and technology giant Siemens, a German newspaper [Bild am Sonntag] reported Sunday. In the latest report on a widening spying scandal, the newspaper said the US National Security Agency (NSA) suspected that Siemens was supplying communications technology to a Russian secret service, said the newspaper…

“In response to the scandal, which is straining Merkel’s ruling left-right coalition, the BND last week reportedly scaled back its cooperation with the NSA on communications intercepted at its listening post in Bad Aibling in the southern state of Bavaria. The Merkel government has so far declined demands by a parliamentary oversight panel to release a list of the NSA’s requested search terms or ‘selectors’ for IP and email addresses and mobile phone numbers, citing its ongoing consultations with Washington.

“The Bild am Sonntag reported Sunday that the United States had already rejected the request, citing its ongoing operations, and that it had threatened to scale back cooperation if Berlin released them anyway. The US side had warned it would limit its help to terror warnings but would no longer share material such as high-resolution images of war zones or of areas where German citizens have been kidnapped, the report said.

“Fugitive US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden, who is living in hiding in Russia, told Germany’s news weekly Spiegel that the latest reports show that ‘massive surveillance is a reality’. ‘Industrial espionage is practised and the intelligence services are working beyond the control of the representatives of the people and of justice,’ said Snowden.”

The Fight Against ISIS—While the Innocent Die

The Independent wrote on May 2:

“At least 52 civilians, including seven children, have been killed in air strikes by the US-led coalition in Syria, according to a monitoring group. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights branded the operation on Friday a ‘massacre’, claiming innocent people had become casualties of the hunt for Isis militants. Rami Abdulrahman, who founded the UK-based group, said Friday’s strike saw the highest civilian death toll in a single attack by US and Arab forces since they started operations in Iraq and Syria last year… So far 52 civilians, including seven children and nine women have been confirmed dead, from six families, the Observatory said… US-led strikes had reportedly killed at least 66 civilians in Syria from the start of the raids on 23 September until Friday, which brought the total to at least 118…

“Analysts have disagreed on the impact operations by the United States, Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have had against Isis and other extremists. Militants’ advances appear to have been slowed but Isis’ power in its strongholds has not been substantially weakened. Britain has not joined air strikes in Syria…

“A third of the population has been made homeless in the four-year civil war and more than 220,000 people have been killed. Almost 4,500 of those fatalities were in April alone, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which documented the deaths of at least 950 civilians, 760 rebel fighters, 1,200 foreign Islamist militants and 750 regime soldiers.”

ISIS Claims Responsibility for Texas Shooting at Anti-Islam Conference

Newsmax/AFP reported on May 4:

“Far-right Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders, who addressed participants at a [cartoon contest and art exhibit held for depictions of the Prophet Muhammad in Texas] before a shooting erupted outside the event, believes he is on a mission to stop the ‘Islamization’ of the West. Reviled and supported in equal measure for his anti-Islamic rhetoric, the 51-year-old firebrand has become a divisive figure in the Netherlands, which prides itself on its long but fading tradition of consensus politics and multi-cultural tolerance…

“In Texas on Sunday, he told the meeting organised by the right-wing American Freedom Defence Initiative that ‘we are here in defiance of Islam… Today, too many of our Western leaders want us to shut up,’ he told the gathering. Shortly after he left, two gunmen drove up to the conference centre and began shooting at a security guard. The two attackers were subsequently shot dead by police…

“Wilders… has no hesitation branding the Koran a ‘fascist’ book. He wants to ban the Koran, halt Muslim immigration, and tax headscarves…”

JTA wrote on May 5:

“The Islamic State jihadist group claimed responsibility for the shooting attack on a Texas building housing an exhibit of caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad organized by an anti-Islamic organization… The statement threatened future attacks… The keynote speaker was the anti-Muslim Dutch politician Geert Wilders, who late last month spoke on Capitol Hill at the invitation of Reps. Steve King, R-Iowa, and Louis Gohmert, R-Texas.”

Deutsche Welle added on May 6:

“Geert Wilders… proposed posting caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad – considered blasphemous by many Muslims – in the Dutch parliament following a shooting in Texas… ‘I am going to request parliament to exhibit the same cartoons as those that were displayed in Garland,’ Wilders told news agency AFP Wednesday. ‘I want to send a message that if you use violence to suppress free speech, the only effect is that we’ll do it even more,’ Wilders said, adding, ‘We must show we’ll not be intimidated.’ He concluded: ‘I don’t want to provoke, but at the same time, we must show that we’re standing for freedom of speech.’”

Keep Bombing… Whom?

The Independent wrote on May 3:

“The Saudis are bombing Yemen because they fear the Shia Houthis are working for the Iranians. The Saudis are also bombing Isis in Iraq and… Isis in Syria. So are the United Arab Emirates. The Syrian government is bombing its enemies in Syria and the Iraqi government is also bombing its enemies in Iraq. America, France, Britain, Denmark, Holland, Australia and… Canada are bombing Isis in Syria and Isis in Iraq, partly on behalf of the Iraqi government (…Shia militias) but absolutely not on behalf of the Syrian government.

“The Jordanians and Saudis and Bahrainis are also bombing Isis in Syria and Iraq because they don’t like them, but the Jordanians are bombing Isis even more than the Saudis after their pilot-prisoner was burned to death in a cage. The Egyptians are bombing parts of Libya because a group of Christian Egyptians had their heads chopped off [by Isis]. The Iranians have acknowledged bombing Isis in Iraq – of which the Americans (but not the Iraqi government) take a rather dim view. And of course the Israelis have several times bombed Syrian government forces in Syria but not Isis…

“The Sunni Saudis are bombing the Shia Yemenis and the Shia Iranians are bombing the Sunni Iraqis. The Sunni Egyptians are bombing Sunni Libyans… and the Jordanian Sunnis are bombing Iraqi Sunnis. But the Shia-supported Syrian government forces are bombing their Sunni Syrian enemies and the Lebanese Hezbollah – Shia to a man – are fighting the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s Sunni enemies, along with Iranian Revolutionary Guards and an ever-larger number of Afghan Shia men in Syrian uniforms.

“… just take a look at Saudi Arabia’s latest request to send more Pakistani troops to protect the kingdom (and possibly help to invade Yemen), which came from the new Saudi Crown Prince and Defence Minister Mohammed bin Salman (34)… But the Saudis added an outrageous second request: that the Pakistanis send only Sunni Muslim soldiers. Pakistani Shia Muslim officers and men (30 per cent of the Pakistani armed forces) would not be welcome…

“And then, of course, there are the really big winners in all this blood, the weapons manufacturers. Raytheon and Lockheed Martin supplied £1.3bn of missiles to the Saudis only last year. But three years ago, Der Spiegel claimed the European Union was Saudi Arabia’s most important arms supplier and last week France announced the sale of 24 Rafale fighter jets to Qatar at a cost of around £5.7bn. Egypt has just bought another 24 Rafales…”

Iran Can’t Be Trusted

Western Journalism reported on April 30:

“Iran deceiving the West on its nuclear program is nothing new… Today Reuters reported that Great Britain has informed a United Nations sanctions panel of the existence of an active Iranian nuclear procurement network linked to two blacklisted firms. ‘The existence of such a network could add to Western concerns over whether Tehran can be trusted to adhere to a nuclear deal due by June 30 in which it would agree to restrict sensitive nuclear work in exchange for sanctions relief,’ Reuters reported…

“The UK government informed the Panel on 20 April 2015 that it ‘is aware of an active Iranian nuclear procurement network that has been associated with Iran’s Centrifuge Technology Company (TESA) and Kalay Electric Company (KEC)’, the Panel of Experts said in its annual report… KEC is under U.N. Security Council sanctions while TESA is under U.S. and European Union sanctions due to their suspected links to banned Iranian nuclear activities…

“This is the second time in five months that the U.N. Panel has been informed about illicit nuclear activities by Iran during the current negotiations with the six world powers. In December of last year, Foreign Policy published a similar report about a U.S. delegation informing the U.N. Panel of experts about Iranian procurement agents who had been increasing their efforts to illicitly obtain equipment for the IR-40 research reactor at the Arak nuclear complex…

“[An] article by the Free Beacon detailed how the U.S. Administration kept information about shipments of missile components from North Korea to Iran secret from the U.N. Panel that monitors sanctions violations by Iran.”

Ongoing Hostility Between President Obama and Israel

On April 16, 2015, israpundit.org published a write-up by Rabbi Spero, stating the following:

“Just last month, Barack Obama published classified information showing the world photographs of Israel’s hidden nuclear site, and its inner workings. It was his gift to Iran, Hamas, and ISIS. This puts Israel and her citizens, not just Mr. Netanyahu, at great risk. But, Obama had his people darken out all the information on that page regarding the nuclear sites of other countries.

“At a meeting at the White House in 2009, Obama stated early-on that ‘it’s time to put daylight between Israel and America’… Last month, Obama again singled out Israel by crudely questioning Israel as a democracy… He wants to break the historic bonds between America and Israel.

“… he has taken Hizb’allah and Iran off our list of terror organizations…

“What Mr. Obama wants above all else is to strip Israel of David’s city, its eternal capital, Jerusalem, and hand the ancient, historic city to Islam. Obama knows that whoever controls and manages historic Jerusalem can lay claim to the Land’s entirety. Jerusalem is the heart and pride of Israel…

“Obama’s inner identity is tied to Islam… His father and stepfather were Islamic, as is his family back in Kenya and Indonesia. His brothers are active Islamists. He was raised on the Koran in Islamic countries, and attended Islamic madrassa and grew up with its attitudes, sights and sounds, aspirations and narrative, likes and dislikes. As I grew up to favor Israel, he grew up to dislike it…

“The Marxism Obama was fed, from very early on, made him viscerally dislike successful Western countries, such as America, Israel, and Britain. He was taught they were colonizers and imperialist… As with America, the next two years will be difficult, for Obama has set his antagonistic sights on America and Israel… as well as its citizens. Obama has spent the last 50 years waiting for these next two.”

Strong words… And the next two years will indeed show how antagonistic President Obama will prove to be towards American and Israeli values. Maybe he was placed here to fulfil biblical prophecy to accelerate America’s downfall.

Israel’s New Hard-Line Government

The Associated Press reported on May 6:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu completed the formation of a new coalition late Wednesday, putting him at the helm of a hard-line government that appears to be set on a collision course with the U.S. and other key allies. Netanyahu reached a deal with the nationalist Jewish Home party shortly before a midnight deadline, clinching a slim parliamentary majority and averting an embarrassing scenario that would have forced him from office. But with a government dominated by hard-liners that support increased West Bank settlement construction and oppose peace moves with the Palestinians, he could have a hard time rallying international support. Controlling just 61 of 120 parliamentary seats, the narrow coalition could also struggle to press forward with a domestic agenda.

“After Netanyahu’s Likud Party won March 17 elections with 30 seats, it seemed he would have a relatively easy time forming a coalition and serving a fourth term as prime minister. But the six-week negotiating process, which expired at midnight, turned out to be much more difficult than anticipated as rival coalition partners and members of the Likud jockeyed for influential Cabinet ministries…

“The coalition talks stalled this week when Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, a longtime partner of Netanyahu’s, unexpectedly stepped down and announced his secular nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party was joining the opposition. That left Netanyahu dependent on Jewish Home leader Naftali Bennett, a former aide who has a rocky relationship with Netanyahu. With Bennett driving a hard bargain, the talks stretched throughout the day and well into the night before Netanyahu called President Reuven Rivlin, as required by law, to announce the deal…

“Analysts do not expect the new government to last long or accomplish much. Opposition leader Isaac Herzog, head of the centrist Zionist Union, called the coalition ‘a national failure government.’ He said it was ‘an embarrassing farce’ and ‘the narrowest in Israel’s history.’…

“Netanyahu’s ultra-Orthodox partners, Shas and United Torah Judaism, are bent on reversing reforms passed by the last government. Those reforms sought to end an unpopular system that granted the ultra-Orthodox exemptions from compulsory military service…”

No More Special Relationship Between USA and the UK

The Financial Times wrote on May 1:

“Britain’s nail-biting election, and the fragile coalition government it seems likely to produce, are confirming many of Washington’s worst fears about the country’s dwindling influence in the world. Once the US’ most reliable ally, the UK is now seen as a distant player in the crisis over the Ukraine and the euro, has introduced swingeing cuts to its military and recently rebuffed Washington by joining a China-led bank.

“On top of that, the Obama administration is waking up to the prospect that the next government in London could be even more inward-looking as it grapples with Britain’s membership of the European Union and strong support for Scottish independence. US officials say they still value close intelligence and military ties with the UK, but at times sound almost dismissive about the current British government’s reluctance to play a bigger role in the world…

“The fabled ‘special relationship’ between Washington and London has always contained an element of hype that played to Britain’s postcolonial quest for relevance. Successive US administrations have valued Britain’s role as a bridge between North America and the EU, as a mediator within Nato and as a reliable supporter in times of crisis. ‘Until recently, Britain was very much our most trusted, dependable and capable ally,’ says Nicholas Burns, a former US ambassador to Nato and third-ranking official at the state department, who worries that Britain might soon no longer play a ‘central role in global affairs… It is very striking the way that Angela Merkel has become the undisputed leader of Europe,’ he said…

“The frustrations in Washington with Mr Cameron’s government burst into the open last month when a senior US official accused the UK of ‘constant accommodation’ of China… Mr Obama himself has also been accused of looking to disengage from parts of America’s traditional role in the world and one former senior US official said that the president had not been helped by Mr Cameron’s international reticence. He pointed to Margaret Thatcher’s famous warning to George HW Bush after Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990 that he should not ‘go wobbly’… The former US official continued: ‘Obama has at times looked lost and it would have helped him to have a stronger British prime minister who could have given him some direction.’”

Cameron On Course to Win

Thomson/Reuters reported on May 7:

“British Prime Minister David Cameron’s Conservatives are on course to win the most seats in parliament but will be just shy of an outright majority, an exit poll showed on Thursday after voting closed in a national election. The poll put the Conservatives on 316 seats and the main opposition Labour Party on 239. The Scottish National Party (SNP) is set to win 58 seats, all but wiping Labour out in its former Scottish stronghold.

“The centrist Liberal Democrats, who have governed in coalition with the Conservatives for the past five years, will get just 10 seats in the 650-seat Westminster parliament, according to the poll released by national broadcasters. However, the combined total of 326 for the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats indicated that Cameron should be able to stay in office, maybe with the support of another small party… Cameron’s Conservatives campaigned on a promise to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the EU before holding a referendum by 2017 on whether to stay in the bloc or leave.”

USA Today reported on May 7:

“If the exit poll from Britain’s election Thursday proves reasonably accurate, the expected frenetic political horse-trading to form a new government likely will be avoided… The projected Conservative seats still would not be quite enough for Cameron to secure an outright majority in the House of Commons, but it would be close. And it would be more than the 307 seats Cameron’s party secured in 2010, when the Conservatives were forced into a coalition with Nick Clegg of the centrist Liberal Democrats to form a governing majority in the 650-member House of Commons.

“Backroom deals and alliances with smaller parties further out of the political mainstream might probably still occur, but the Conservatives should find it easier to get over the 326 line — perhaps by partnering again with Clegg and the anti-immigrant, European Union-bashing United Kingdom Independence Party. Earlier projections of a stronger showing by left-center Labour suggested it would take days, possibly weeks to form the next government. Now it may all be wrapped by the weekend with a pretty red ribbon on top.”

Baltimore Charges Unsustainable… Based on Politics and Crowd Control

Newsmax reported on May 2:

“Criminal charges filed Friday against six Baltimore police officers in the death of Freddie Gray were based on ‘politics and crowd control,’ not justice, renowned civil rights lawyer Alan Dershowitz tells Newsmax TV. ‘This is a very sad day for justice . . . Today had nothing to do with justice. Today was crowd control. Everything was motivated by a threat of riots and a desire to prevent riots,’ Dershowitz said… ‘The mayor outrageously said we’re going to get justice for the victim, the family and people of Baltimore, never mentioning the defendants. Under our Constitution, … the defendants… are presumed innocent, they need due process of law, and the mayor and the state attorney have made it virtually impossible for these defendants to get a fair trial. They have been presumed guilty.’

“Dershowitz made the comments hours after Baltimore’s top prosecutor, State Attorney Marilyn Mosby, announced criminal charges against six cops who were suspended after Gray suffered a fatal spinal injury while in custody in a police van. The charges came nearly two weeks after Gray’s death, which sparked riots that caused millions of dollars in damage and left dozens injured. The stiffest, second-degree, ‘depraved heart’ murder charge was lodged against the [black] driver of the van. The others face charges of involuntary manslaughter, assault and illegal arrest.

“But Dershowitz… said the case will very likely be thrown out for lack of evidence… ‘There’s no plausible, hypothetical, conceivable case for murder under the facts that we now know them… Nobody wanted this guy to die, nobody set out to kill him, and nobody intentionally murdered him. ‘The worst-case scenario is a case for involuntary manslaughter or some kind of reckless disregard… This is a show trial…

“Dershowitz added that the charges did not meet the criteria for justice in the United States. ‘It may have been the criteria in Rome, for Fidel Castro, in Iran, and in other countries, but in our country you don’t base indictments on what impact it’s going to have on the crowd,’ he said. ‘You base it on a hard, neutral, objective view of the evidence, and it doesn’t look like that was done here . . . They have invited a mess… They’ve overplayed their hand, it’s unlikely they’ll get any convictions in this case as a result of this, and if they do, there’s a good possibility it’ll be reversed on appeal and will just postpone the riots for months ahead.’”

Legalizing Three-Way Marriages in the UK?

The Daily Mail wrote on May 1:

“Green party leader Natalie Bennett has revealed she is open to the idea of legalising three-way marriages. Party members could get the chance to formulate policy to permit so-called polyamorous relationships, which would allow more than two people to enter into marriages or have civil partnerships. Ms Bennett said the Greens had already led the way in calling for the liberalisation of marriage laws and is ‘open’ to going further…

“David Robertson, from the Free Church of Scotland, contended the idea. He said: ‘Natalie Bennett is of course just being consistent. Given her presuppositions and philosophy, why shouldn’t “marriage equality” extend to multiple people who “love each other”? We warned that the redefinition of marriage would not end with same-sex marriage and were ridiculed and abused as being ridiculous. It gives us no pleasure to know that we were right.’

“The Green Party… proposes ‘mandatory HIV, sex and relationship education – age appropriate and LGBTIQ inclusive – in all schools from primary level onwards… It also suggests considering a reduction in the 12-month blood donation deferral period for men who have sex with men, based on individual risk assessment where the donor is identified to be not at risk of passing infections into the blood supply.”

Let this be a warning for other countries, including the USA, where same-sex marriages are legal or where they are considered of becoming legal.

“If He Says He Is a Woman, Then He Is a Woman…”

The Hill reported on May 2:

“Bruce Jenner got support from a surprising quarter on Saturday: Rick Santorum. ‘If he says he’s a woman, then he’s a woman,’ Santorum, the former GOP senator from Pennsylvania, said… Jenner, the former Olympic gold medalist and reality television star, announced last week that he identified as and was transitioning to a woman. Santorum, who is considering a second straight bid for the Republican nomination, has long had a reputation as a staunch social conservative. ‘My responsibility as a human being is to love and accept everybody. Not to criticize people for who they are. I can criticize, and I do, for what people do, for their behavior. But as far as for who they are, you have to respect everybody,’ Santorum said.

“Santorum did add that ‘these are tough issues’ for both businesses and society, including the question of whether Jenner could use a women’s bathroom. Santorum has been one of the GOP’s most strident opponents of gay marriage over the years, at one point comparing the issue to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. Last month, Santorum said he wouldn’t attend a gay wedding – something other potential GOP candidates have said they would.”

“Hillary Clinton Believes She Is a God”

Breitbart reported on May 2:

“In a candid interview, Nigerian bishop Emmanuel Badejo has responded bluntly to Hillary Clinton’s recent assertion that religious beliefs ‘have to be changed’ in order to give women access to reproductive health care. ‘If these values are not precious to Hillary Clinton, I think she has no right at all to call for a change in religious values and religious beliefs,’ he said. ‘I believe there are three groups of people in this world: those who believe in God, those who do not believe in God, and those who think they are gods. Hillary Clinton I think is one of those who thinks she is a god,’ said Badejo, who is Director of Communications for the African Bishops.”

It is amazing that Catholic Bishop Badejo would equate those who believe they can change God’s spiritual law with those who believe they are “gods.” The Roman Catholic Church has changed consistently God’s spiritual law and His values, by replacing the Sabbath with Sunday, God’s annual Holy Days with holidays such as Christmas and Easter which have their origin in paganism, and God’s prohibition against killing with the concept of a “justified” war, just to list a few examples. The time will come when a Pope will sit in the future Temple of God in Jerusalem, claiming to be God (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4), and when he sets “his heart as the heart of a god” (Ezekiel 28:6), but then realizes that he is just a man, and not a god (verse 9).

The Russian Rehabilitation of Evil Stalin

AFP wrote on May 5:

“Since President Vladimir Putin took power in 2000, there has been a growing chorus of Russians who take a positive view of the Soviet tyrant’s role in history… The palpable change… has particularly come into stark focus in the run-up to Russia’s celebrations of Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in WWII… In February, Russia unveiled a monument to the watershed 1945 ‘Big Three’ Yalta summit that features Stalin along with US president Franklin D. Roosevelt and British prime minister Winston Churchill, despite objections from Crimean Tatars, an ethnic group persecuted under his rule…

“‘Stalin’s rehabilitation is being steadily implemented,’ Nikita Petrov, a historian at Memorial, Russia’s most prominent rights organisation, told AFP. ‘It’s a sign of unlearnt history lessons, a reluctance to look at yourself and honestly admit that we took the wrong path and that our country committed a host of crimes against its own people and the people of neighbouring states.’ He said officials, who are nostalgic for the superpower status of the USSR, have consciously been promoting Stalin as a tough leader who led the Soviet Union to victory in WWII and presided over the country’s industrialisation. Those sentiments are now shared by many everyday Russians…

“45 percent of respondents said in March that sacrifices sustained by people under Stalin were justified by the country’s ‘great goals’, up from 27 percent in October 2008. On top of that, the number of those who viewed Stalin negatively fell to 20 percent from 43 percent in April 2001… According to Petrov of the Memorial rights group, which is dedicated to honouring the memory of Stalin-era victims, about ten million people died of starvation, more than five million were displaced, and about six to seven million were arrested for political reasons. Many analysts warn that unless Russians get the Stalin cult out of their system history may repeat itself.”

Stalin was a brutal mass murderer… no better than Hitler. Russia’s positive view of him is alarming and frightening indeed.

The German Navy Gets Involved

Deutsche Welle reported on May 2:

“The German navy has sent two ships as part of efforts to prevent migrants from dying in the Mediterranean. The EU was spurred into action after a migrant ship capsized, killing around 800 people a few weeks ago… The frigate is equipped with a radar system that would allow it to locate migrant boats as far as 40 kilometers (25 miles) away. It would also be capable of picking up up to 100 people in distress. The combat support ship, on the other hand, is equipped with a military hospital and has the capacity to treat 250 people for two days… a German army source… said that the two German ships would not be tasked with trying to catch human traffickers who take money from would-be migrants…

“France and Britain are among EU countries that pledged during last month’s Brussels summit to send more ships to the Mediterranean [to] cope with the problem. The leaders also agreed to triple funding for the Triton border protection mission. The conflicts in Syria and Libya have contributed to a major increase in the number of migrants attempting the crossing…”

“European Army One of the Main Goals for EU”

SputnikNews.com reported on May 3:

“Creating a European army remains one of the main goals for [the] EU, but it is important to start strengthening the union’s security system now, Germany’s Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen told Bild am Sonntag newspaper on Sunday. A European army is a long-term goal, while for now the most important thing is to gradually strengthen the European Defense Community, she said.

“Answering a question on the goals of strengthening the European Defense Community, von der Leyen said that the Ebola outbreak and Islamic State organization’s attacks on Yazidis demonstrated that in case of crisis, Europe needs to be more flexible and quick in providing a response.”

Germany Remembers Dachau

AFP wrote on May 3:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel warned Sunday that society must ‘never close its eyes’ to anti-Semitism as she joined Holocaust survivors to mark 70 years since the liberation of the former Nazi concentration camp at Dachau… American forces liberated the Dachau camp on April 29, 1945 and discovered on arrival the unspeakable horror that had led to the death of around 43,000 people from starvation or disease…

“US President Barack Obama paid tribute Wednesday to the more than 200,000 Jews, gays, Roma, political opponents, the disabled and prisoners of war who were imprisoned at Dachau from 1933…”

The Associated Press wrote on May 3:

“Merkel thanked survivors for sharing memories of suffering that is ‘beyond our imagination,’ which she said help young people today ‘connect naked numbers and data with faces, names and individual lives.’ And she stressed the importance of ensuring that today’s youth do not turn to extremism. All in Germany must ‘make unmistakably clear that Jewish life is part of our identity; that discrimination, marginalization and anti-Semitism can have no place here, that they must be fought with determination and the full force of legal means,’ she said.

“Abba Naor, a Lithuanian-born former Dachau prisoner who now lives in Israel… recalled an SS guard ordering the killing of a new-born Jewish boy in December 1944 and reports that some SS commanders were ‘loving fathers who played with their children after they had driven thousands into the gas chambers… If you think the Nazis were inhuman, then you’re wrong,’ he said. ‘They were humans like you and me. And that is what is so terrible.’”

The German NSA Scandal… Is Getting Worse

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 5:

“The Austrian government has filed suit due to suspicions that Germany’s BND spying agency, in collaboration with the NSA, may have spied on its authorities and companies… German Chancellor Angela Merkel defended her country’s intelligence agency on Monday against suggestions that it illegally assisted the US in spying on politicians and companies in Europe, including France’s Airbus, the main competitor of America’s Boeing aircraft manufacturer. [Subsequently, the French aviation giant Airbus has announced that it would file a criminal complaint.]

“But the BND affair does not promise to go away quietly and has shown how dangerous it could prove for the ‘untouchable’ Ms. Merkel and her Christian Democrats (CDU). Sigmar Gabriel, the vice-chancellor from coalition partners, the Social Democrats (SPD), broke a Berlin taboo on Monday by discussing a personal conversation he had with the chancellor over the matter… He hedged his comments, however, by adding that if [Merkel’s] allegations turn out [not] to be true, ‘it would be a big strain of the faith of the economy in governmental behavior.’

“Gabriel’s move was deemed a ‘clever’ one by analysts – a way to put responsibility on Chancellor Merkel and her CDU as his party continues to trail them in the polls – while stopping short of openly challenging her.”

On Tuesday, Gabriel added in parliament that the CDU has been in power for over 10 years and are therefore responsible. Der Spiegel Online said that the harmony between the two partners is over, and Bild Online spoke of an open rift between the two coalition parties. According to Deutsche Welle, dated May 6, “A poll released Wednesday found that 62 percent of respondents… believe the affair has damaged Merkel’s credibility.”

De Maiziere “Knew Nothing”!

The Local wrote on May 7:

“Merkel’s close ally, Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière… emerged from a closed-door grilling by a parliamentary oversight panel, denying any wrongdoing while he ran her office and oversaw intelligence matters. ‘As chancellery chief of staff in 2008 I knew nothing about search terms from the US side or … similar things for the purpose of industrial espionage in Germany,’ he told reporters…

“… de Maiziere was accused of misleading parliament over the ‘BND affair’… Opposition politicians harshly disagreed with the latest comments by de Maiziere, who was last week caricatured as a liar with a Pinocchio nose in Germany’s best-selling newspaper Bild…

“Domestically, the scandal presents a rare threat to the broadly popular Merkel… Now facing allegations of hypocrisy, Merkel has softened her statement to say friends ‘shouldn’t’ spy on each other, while stressing the importance of US intelligence cooperation in the face of terrorist threats… For now the affair shows no sign of abating…”

De Maiziere is famous for his proclaimed “innocence.” He has weathered several scandals in the past, when his integrity, honesty and competency were severely questioned.

BND Cuts Spy Data Feed to NSA

The Local wrote on May 7:

“The foreign intelligence agency BND this week stopped sharing Internet surveillance data with the US National Security Agency (NSA), passing on only fax and phone intercepts… Berlin now demands that the NSA provide a justification for each online surveillance request, reported the Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily, public broadcasters NDR and WDR, and national news agency DPA…

“‘This is definitely a dramatic step,’ said Green party lawmaker Konstantin von Notz, who serves on a parliamentary panel investigating the NSA’s surveillance activities… , charging that the [German] government was unable ‘to protect German and European interests’… The ‘BND affair’ has rattled the government of Chancellor Angela Merkel and caused a rift in her ‘grand coalition’ government with the centre-left Social Democrats…”

“Animals Will Waste Away”

The Washington Post  wrote on May 6:

“… on California’s sprawling Carrizo Plain, about 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles,… the drought is turning hundreds of thousands of acres of grassland into desert.

“Without grass, long-legged kangaroo rats cannot eat. And as they go, so go a variety of threatened animals that depend on the keystone species to live…

“Endangered kangaroo rats are just one falling tile in the drought’s domino effect on wildlife in the lower Western states. Large fish kills are happening in several states as waters heated by higher temperatures drain and lose oxygen. In Northern California, salmon eggs have virtually disappeared as water levels fall. Thousands of migrating birds are crowding into wetlands shrunk by drought, risking the spread of disease that can cause huge die-offs.

“As the baking Western landscape becomes hotter and drier, land animals are being forced to seek water and food far outside their normal range. Herbivores such as deer and rabbits searching for a meal in urban gardens in Reno are sometimes pursued by hawks, bobcats and mountain lions. In Arizona, rattlesnakes have come to Flagstaff, joining bears and other animals in search of food that no longer exists in their habitat…

“About 4,000 mule deer have vanished from a mountain range near Reno since late last year, probably because of drought…

“Chinook salmon are in great danger… For two years, only 5 percent of their eggs have survived winter and spring migrations because the cold water their eggs need to survive drains from rivers and reservoirs…

“Smelt are at the lowest number ever recorded in the state. They are a major forage fish, feeding other fish and birds in the marine ecosystem…”

The warning in Hosea 4:3 comes to mind: “… the beast of the field And the birds of the air; Even the fish of the sea will be taken away.”

The Armenian Genocide Through the Turks

While many countries and leaders have recognized and labeled as genocide the slaughter of Armenians through the Turks, President Obama once again refused to use the term.

On April 23, The Washington Post wrote this:

“As he has for the last six years, President Obama on Thursday marked the day set aside to commemorate the mass killing of 1.5 million Armenians by the Ottoman Empire without using the word ‘genocide.’… The statement… was again a bow to NATO ally Turkey, which has denied what took place was genocide… Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu [had] said that any use by Obama of the term would have a ‘detrimental effect’ on U.S.-Turkish relations…

“Turkey, the democratic successor to the Ottomans, has long denied what took place during the early days of World War I constituted a genocide. The word was first coined in 1943, at least partly referring to the Armenian tragedy but most commonly associated since then with the Holocaust perpetrated by Nazi Germany…”

The Huffington Post wrote on April 23 about the facts, clearly establishing that Turkish behavior was genocide:

“In 1915, more than 1.5 million Armenians were systematically annihilated by Ottoman-era Turkish authorities. Men, women and children were massacred, deported and condemned to death marches into the Syrian Desert where they died of thirst and starvation. No final rites, no burial — an assault on the dignity of a dignified and proud people. This indisputable tragedy of history has been acknowledged by innumerable scholars and historians, including the International Association of Genocide Scholars, the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity and no less than 53 Nobel Laureates. The European Parliament and Pope Francis recently joined the chorus that honestly labels this horrific chapter of Turkey’s history a genocide.

“Hopelessly infected by the disease of denial, modern-day Turkish authorities have now made it clear they were never going to acknowledge the 100th anniversary of the Genocide with anything approaching candor, honesty or the most minimal degree of self-reflection… In Turkey, anyone who uses the word ‘genocide’ to describe the massacre of the Armenians is subject to criminal punishment under Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code…”

Even German President Gauck—after a long time of silence by German politicians, including Chancellor Angela Merkel,—has now, for the first time, publicly used the word genocide.

Deutsche Welle reported on April 24:

“[During an] ecumenical ceremony in Berlin on Thursday evening… German President Joachim Gauck… referred to the massacres as genocide… In the run-up to discussions in the German parliament, the leader of the Central Council of Jews in Germany declared the killings to have been genocide… Turkey has fiercely lobbied to stop countries recognizing the 1915 massacres as genocide… On Thursday, it recalled its ambassador in Vienna over a condemnation of the killings as genocide by Austrian lawmakers…

“Genocide was defined by the UN in 1948 as ‘acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group.’ More than 20 countries – France and Russia among them – have so far recognized the Armenian killings as genocide.”

However, Der Spiegel Online added on April 23:

“A total of 22 countries officially define the massacre that took place as such, although Germany, which is home to a large Turkish population, is not one of them… There are only rough estimates of the number of Armenians, Jews, Greeks and Yazidis who converted to Islam in order to prevent death or oppression at the time…

“At the time, Russia was standing in wait at the borders. The Ottomans, led by the Germany military, suspected the Armenians were collaborating with the Russian enemy… The Armenians were expelled. Officially, it was called deportation, but the reality is that the Armenians were sent on death marches into the desert where they starved, were attacked and murdered…”

Now discussions in the German parliament have begun to decide whether or not to refer to the massacre at least “indirectly” as genocide. So, America and Germany seem to be partners again–on the issue of being “careful” for political gain.

On April 24, The Local pointed out the politically-motivated conduct of German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier who insisted on Friday that “calling Armenian massacres genocide risks belittling the Holocaust, after President Joachim Gauck broke a taboo by using the word on Thursday…

“Steinmeier has come in for fierce criticism this week, with one high profile politician comparing him to Germany’s First World War leadership. Both Gauck and Bundestag (German parliament) president Norbert Lammert condemned the massacre of 1.5 million Armenians by Ottoman forces a century ago as a ‘genocide’, the first time Germany has officially used the term… Germany also has a three-million-strong ethnic Turkish population deriving from a massive ‘guest worker’ programme in the 1960s and 1970s…”

Sadly, Israel does not fare any better.

The Washington Post wrote on April 24:

“…Israel and the United States… don’t recognize what happened a century ago as a ‘genocide.’ The reason for this skittishness is nationalist politics… For decades, the stubborn Turkish position compelled the United States, a staunch ally, to avoid ruffling Ankara’s feathers. The same was true for Israel, which, ironically until Erdogan’s rise, had close political and military ties to Turkey…

“Israel has  a conspicuously close relationship to Azerbaijan, a Muslim-majority state that, like Armenia, emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Israel  imports 40 percent of its oil from Azerbaijan and exports a considerable supply of weapons and defense systems to Baku. Armenia and Azerbaijan do not get along, and still feud over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh, a largely Armenian enclave inside Azerbaijan that the two countries battled over shortly after winning independence in 1991.

“Last week, after the European Parliament passed a resolution calling on Turkey to recognize the Armenian genocide, Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry spokesman said it was an example of European double-standards — since Armenia has yet to atone for its alleged role in deadly massacres in the 1990s. There are multiple, complicated layers of history here, but Israel knows what’s clearly in its interest. Azerbaijan, petro-rich and perched on Iran’s border, is a useful friend — at least more so than tiny, land-locked Armenia…”

But Israel will become bitterly disappointed about Turkey, when that country will collaborate with Europe against Israel. So, it’s all about politics and personal advantages. What a crying shame!!!!

Turkey Will Not Forgive!

Newsmax reported on April 24:

“Turkey on Friday condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin for referring to genocide during commemorations of the 1915 mass killings of Armenians during World War I. The Turkish foreign ministry said that ‘we reject and condemn . . . [Putin’s] characterization of 1915 events as genocide despite all our warnings and calls.’ …  The foreign ministry also condemned French President Francois Hollande, who attended the ceremony in the Armenian capital Yerevan. ‘Turkey rejects and condemns France’s unfair and biased approach,’ it said…

“In a separate statement, the Turkish foreign ministry lashed out against ‘unfounded accusations’ directed by German President Joachim Gauck, who characterized the 1915 killings as genocide and acknowledged that Germany bore partial blame for the bloodletting… ‘Turkish people will not forget or forgive German President Gauck’s statements,’ it added.

“Earlier this month, Pope Francis drew Turkey’s wrath after describing the 1915 killings as ‘the first genocide of the 20th century.’ Turkey summoned the Vatican ambassador in Ankara over the remarks and recalled the Turkish envoy to the Holy See…

“President Barack Obama on Thursday described the killings as ‘terrible carnage’ but avoided the term ‘genocide.’…  Ankara also criticized Obama’s statement, which it said reflected a ‘unilateral point of view,’ and added, ‘We reject the discriminating and biased understanding of justice.’…”

America’s Descent into the Abyss of Sexual Perversion

CNN wrote on April 23:

“It’s only April, but 2015 may be remembered as the year the term ‘transgender’ fully entered mainstream consciousness. In January, President Obama condemned the persecution of ‘people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender,’ becoming the first president to utter the word in a State of the Union address…

“Transgender is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity — their internal, personal sense of being a man or a woman — differs from what’s typically associated with their sex at birth. Some transgender people alter their bodies through hormones and or surgery, although many don’t…

“Now, between ‘Transparent’ and other shows, recognition from Obama and tabloid headlines about Jenner, the national conversation around gender identity appears to have reached a new level… For relatives and friends who are used to seeing someone as male or female, gender changes can be hard to accept. Transgender people have long been misunderstood and persecuted — as recently as 2012, the American Psychiatric Association classified them as having a mental ‘disorder.’…

“In December, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that transgender people will receive federal protection from discrimination under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964…”

Judaism is not behaving any better, as the next article shows.

Abominable Jewish Twisting of the Bible

The Time of Israel, dated April 24, wrote the following:

“For Judaism, all this talk of transgender is old hat.

“In rabbinic literature, Judaism has held an ongoing 2,000-year conversation on the subject of gender, and terminology for the transgendered appears hundreds of times in the Midrash, Mishnah and Talmud. Even the biblical creation of the world could be interpreted through a transgender lens…

“In the midrash Bereshit Rabba, a biblical expositive text on the book of Genesis redacted around the 5th century CE, Rabbi Yirmiya Ben Lazar said that at the time God created the first man, He created him ‘androgynous.’ As stated in Genesis 1:27, ‘God created him in His image, in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them.’

“The midrash continues that according to Rabbi Shmuel Bar Nachman, when God created the first man, ‘He created him with two faces and sawed them apart, and made them with two backs here, and two backs there.’

“Most streams of progressive Judaism accept and welcome the transgender community with open arms. There are a growing number of transgender rabbis who are spearheading the creation of new and innovative rituals, or the changing of existing liturgy to reflect more inclusive language.

“But the question of halacha vis-a-vis the Orthodox transgender community is much more complicated, and often fraught with emotional turmoil… for many, if not most, in the transgender community, surgery and cross-gender hormones are an integral part of their transition. These steps… present serious halachic problems, including ‘the prohibition of sirus — castration/sterilization, which is a Biblical prohibition for men (Leviticus 22:24) and at least a Rabbinic prohibition for women (Even HaEzer 5:11). Authorities understand the forbidding of cross-dressing (Deuteronomy 22:5) as including any procedure (including hormonal treatments) that leads to the appearance of another gender. Bodily mutilation is one of the other difficult issues…”

Let us be clear. According to the Bible, God created first a man, Adam, and then He created a female, Eve, out of the rib of the man. Eve was to be a helper to the man. By no stretch of the imagination can one twist the Scriptures to say that God created the human being as a transgender. In addition, the very concept of “transgender” is an abomination in the eyes of God.

American Jews and Buddhists Overwhelmingly in Favor of Same-Sex Marriages

JTA wrote on April 22:

“Jews are overwhelmingly supportive of same-sex marriage, according to a new survey by the Public Religion Research Institute… 47 percent said they strongly favor allowing same-sex couples to marry legally and 30 percent said they favor it. Nine percent of respondents said they oppose gay marriage, and the same percentage said they strongly oppose it…

“After Buddhists, Jews were more likely than any other religious group to support gay marriage. Among the survey respondents, 84 percent of Buddhists favored gay marriage, followed by Jews and the religiously unaffiliated, 77 percent; mainline Protestants (Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Unitarians), 62 percent; and Catholics, 61 percent.

“Those opposed to gay marriage outnumbered supporters among Jehovah’s Witnesses, with 75 percent opposed; Mormons, 68 percent; and white evangelicals, 66 percent.

“Overall, support for same-sex marriage rose sharply from 2003, when Massachusetts became the first U.S. state to legalize gay marriage. Then, less than one-third of Americans supported gay marriage and 59 percent opposed. By early 2014, 53 percent supported gay marriage and 41 percent were opposed…

“Politically, gay marriage had support levels in 2014 of 64 percent among Democrats, 57 percent among independents and 34 percent among Republicans. The 2014 survey also showed a significant age gap, with 69 percent of millennials supporting gay marriage compared to 37 percent of those age 68 and older.”

This shows that many Buddhists, Jews, mainline Protestants and Catholics, especially the younger generation, have been drifting away more and more from godly standards, as revealed in the Bible.

The Change in Politicians on Same-Sex Marriages to GET More Votes

The New York Times wrote on April 26:

“Rick Santorum said he would never attend a same-sex wedding. Marco Rubio said he might attend one. Scott Walker actually went to a same-sex wedding reception… Ted Cruz said he is firmly opposed to gay marriage, but would be comfortable if his daughter were gay.

“Republican presidential candidates are struggling to adjust to a rapidly changing legal, political and cultural landscape this primary season…  Once a winning primary issue as well as a powerful wedge issue wielded against Democrats, opposing same-sex marriage has grown far more complicated for Republicans… it looms as a liability with general election voters, particularly independent ones, who are more supportive of same-sex marriage than more conservative Republicans…”

Of course, Hillary Clinton stated as late as 2004 that “heterosexual marriage is a fundamental bedrock principle of civilization.” Now she “evolved” into endorsing same-sex marriages (SSM).

Stupid Same-Sex Couple Decision by Oregon Judiciary

Breitbart wrote on April 26:

“An Oregon judge has awarded Lesbian couple Rachel and Laurel Bowman-Cryer $135,000 for ‘emotional damages’ in a lawsuit against Aaron and Melissa Klein of Sweet Cakes Bakery. They are a Christian couple who declined to provide a wedding cake to the same-sex couple in 2013. In their lawsuit, the two women claimed they felt ‘mentally raped’ as part of a list of 88 symptoms of emotional distress they experienced at being refused a cake.

“The long list of symptoms included ‘acute loss of confidence, doubt, excessive sleep, felt mentally raped, dirty and shameful, high blood pressure, impaired digestion, loss of appetite, migraine headaches, pale and sick at home after work, resumption of smoking habit, shock, stunned, surprise, uncertainty, weight gain and worry’…

“The award will reportedly bankrupt the seven-member Klein family and force Sweet Cakes by Melissa Bakery to shut down. The Kleins’ lawyer, Anna Harmon, said that the damages awarded were not limited to the sale of business assets, but would be taken out of their personal funds. The important thing to realize is this,’ Harmon said, ‘This is real money that Aaron and Melissa are going to have to pay that otherwise would be used to pay their mortgage and feed their kids.’…

‘This past February, the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) announced that the owners of Sweet Cakes by Melissa bakery must pay the lesbian couple damages for refusing to sell them a wedding cake. BOLI spokesman Charlie Burr said there was sufficient evidence that the bakers discriminated against the same-sex couple.

“A GoFundMe crowdfunding page in support of the bakery had been set up, but was deleted after the judge’s ruling Friday, since GoFundMe’s terms of service do not allow fundraising for people found in violation of the law.”

We really DO need some “no-nonsense judges” in this country. What an atrocity in the “religious” land of the “brave and the free,” purporting to guarantee free speech and freedom of religion, while suppressing and punishing religious convictions, which are based on the Bible (!). No wonder God is ANGRY with the USA, calling it an “ungodly nation” (Isaiah 10:6).

Christians Pledge Civil Disobedience in Same-Sex Marriage Cases

Fox News wrote on April 28:

“‘We will not obey.’ That’s the blunt warning a group of prominent religious leaders is sending to the Supreme Court of the United States as they consider same-sex marriage. ‘We respectfully warn the Supreme Court not to cross that line,’ read a document titled, Pledge in Solidarity to Defend Marriage. ‘We stand united together in defense of marriage. Make no mistake about our resolve.’…

“The signees are a who’s who of religious leaders including former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, former U.S. Senator Rick Santorum, National Religious Broadcasters president Jerry Johnson, Pastor John Hagee, and Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association… And that means the possibility of Christians – people of faith – engaging in acts of civil disobedience.”

US Economy Not That Good!

Bloomberg wrote on April 29:

“The world’s largest economy sputtered to a near-halt in the first quarter, choked by a slump in U.S. business investment and exports that dimmed hopes for a meaningful short-term rebound. Gross domestic product rose at a 0.2 percent annualized rate after advancing 2.2 percent the prior quarter…

“The figures come as Federal Reserve policy makers meet, and the weaker-than-forecast reading signals officials will be in no rush to raise interest rates. While the economy is likely to bounce back from the temporary restraints of harsh winter weather and delays at West Coast ports, the harm caused by the plunge in fuel prices and stronger dollar will probably prove longer-lasting… Stocks fell as investors awaited the Fed’s statement. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index declined 0.6 percent to 2,102.14 at 12:12 p.m. in New York.”

Anger in Baltimore and Elsewhere

Newsmax and AFP wrote on April 29:

“Thousands of young protesters marched through downtown Baltimore and demonstrated in New York on Wednesday demanding justice for an African-American man who died of severe spinal injuries sustained in police custody. In contrast to Monday, when violence erupted and stores were looted, the rally that started at Baltimore’s main train station was good-natured and included black and white demonstrators…

“The 2,000 National Guard personnel who have flooded the city this week kept a low profile, although authorities have said they are primed to swoop should the march spark unrest like that which flared following the funeral of Freddie Gray, 25, on Monday. His death was the latest instance in the United States of a black man succumbing at the hands of police — a situation that has stirred resentment among African Americans who believe they are the victims of police brutality.

“That anger sparked coast-to-coast demonstrations in major US cities after a white policeman shot dead an unarmed black teenager in the St Louis suburb of Ferguson in August. Baltimore authorities urged calm and warned that they would again enforce a citywide curfew beginning at 10:00 pm (0200 GMT Thursday) and lasting until 5:00 am. Tuesday night’s curfew was largely respected…

“Amid the violence on Monday, the Baltimore Orioles postponed two Major League Baseball games against the Chicago White Sox and opted to bar fans from Wednesday’s contest at Camden Yards. The 8-2 victory for the home team was played before empty stands.

“Among the many startling images to emerge from the riots in the city was that of an infuriated mother hitting her teenage son repeatedly for joining the demonstrations on Monday and dragging him away.”

The mother was hailed as a hero and a shining example on numerous left-liberal and conservative TV stations, calling her conduct appropriate “tough love.” It appears that for the time being, Child Protection Services wisely decided not to raise their voice to condemn spanking and physical punishment of children…

No Public Transportation on the Sabbath?

The New York Times wrote on April 25:

“Israelis frustrated with the lack of public buses on the Jewish Sabbath and holidays hijacked the Facebook page of the transportation minister during Passover… The minister, Yisrael Katz, derisively dismissed the ride-seekers as leftist sore losers after conservatives’ success in elections last month…

“As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tries to stitch together a new governing coalition that is expected to be made up of rightist and religious parties, a continuing struggle over Israeli identity is in the balance. The debate over transportation is part of a larger one over a so-called nationality bill that seeks to redefine the relationship between Israeli democracy and Jewish character, which was among the divisive issues that helped collapse Mr. Netanyahu’s previous coalition last fall.

“Controversy over public transportation predates Israel’s establishment in 1948 — Tel Aviv once banned horse-drawn carriages from its main street on Saturdays — but recent efforts to change the status quo, in which buses are idle in all but a few places, have met stiff opposition…

“Orthodox Jews do not use motor vehicles on the Sabbath and holidays because of prohibitions on igniting fuel, creating sparks and traveling beyond certain distances… adherents to these strictures make up perhaps a fifth of Israel’s population…

“Experts on religion and state say that Israeli politicians have for decades traded control over public transportation on Shabbat — along with marriage, conversion and rules at religious sites — to the Orthodox in exchange for their support on foreign policy. While allowing transportation services could actually reduce the number of drivers violating Orthodox rules, analysts said such specifics were less important than the symbolism…”

As we pointed out in our last Update, when discussing ridiculous Jewish Sabbath restrictions, this article serves as another example of Pharisaical unbiblical rules which are clearly condemned in Scripture. As at the time of Christ, orthodox Judaism has made a burden out of the Sabbath, which was created by God to be a joy for man. But without the lead of God’s Holy Spirit, man cannot and will not understand the intent of God’s Law, including the Sabbath law.

USA Will Continue Controversial Drone Strikes in Spite of Killing Innocent People

The Daily Beast wrote on April 24:

“The accidental slaying of a pair of Westerners won’t end—or even significantly change—the American unmanned air campaign that has been responsible for thousands of deaths. The United States’ controversial campaign of drone strikes will continue despite the accidental killing of a pair of Western hostages, four U.S. officials told The Daily Beast. These sources said they don’t expect the rules governing the strikes to change significantly.

“Defense officials told The Daily Beast there was no immediate discussion to suspend their drone program, including the use of ‘signature strikes,’ which target people based on patterns of behavior, even if their identity is unclear. American contractor Warren Weinstein and Italian hostage Giovanni Lo Porto were killed in one such signature strike in January.

“Officials said that the military conducts far fewer signature strikes than the CIA, which attacked the compound in Pakistan where the two men were being held. But while acknowledging that Weinstein and Lo Porto’s deaths were tragic, defense officials described them as unavoidable. ‘It’s a war. Tragedies unfortunately happen,’ one U.S. official said…

“‘They clearly have no idea, literally no idea, of who it is that they’re killing,’ Chris Anders, the senior legislative council at the American Civil Liberties Union, told The Daily Beast. ‘And there are thousands of people who have been killed through the drone program.’ Anders noted that the administration has acknowledged eight American citizens have been killed in drone strikes, but that only one of them was knowingly targeted…

“Elaine Weinstein, the widow of Warren Weinstein, criticized U.S. intelligence agencies in a statement Thursday for what she called ‘inconsistent and disappointing’ assistance during the years her husband was held by Al Qaeda. ‘We hope that my husband’s death and the others who have faced similar tragedies in recent months will finally prompt the U.S. Government to take its responsibilities seriously and establish a coordinated and consistent approach to supporting hostages and their families.’…

“The U.S. government’s hostage rescue policy has been notoriously disjointed, with agencies withholding information from one another…”

Newsmax added on April 27:

“President Barack Obama has gotten support with the drone strike deaths of two hostages from a very unlikely source — Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky. ‘I tend not to want to blame the president for the loss of life here,’ the Republican lawmaker and 2016 presidential candidate told Fox News. ‘I think he was trying to do the right thing.’… Paul’s statement seems a dramatic reversal of his attitude on drones. His past opposition to drone warfare has been well known…

“In 2013, Paul had conducted a 13-hour filibuster against CIA Director John Brennan over U.S. drone policy… Earlier this year, Paul told CNN that if a drone flies over his house, ‘They better beware, because I’ve got a shotgun’…

“However, Paul told Fox News, ‘So these people were in a war zone and probably got what was coming to them — the captors. Unfortunately, some innocent people lost their life.’”

These political maneuverings just to GET votes are so despicable. But Paul’s “dramatic reversal” might back-fire on him. War is SO wrong, and the practice of using drones to kill innocent people must be strongly condemned. There is NO excuse for such conduct.

2010 Al-Qaida Plot to Attack the Vatican

Newsmax and Reuters reported on April 24:

“The arrests of 10 people in Italy Friday linked to an al-Qaida plot to attack the Vatican and other cities represented a widening of the battle Islamic jihadists are waging against Christians around the world, terrorism experts said. ‘What disturbs me is the target, the Vatican,’ intelligence analyst Bob Baer told CNN. ‘We’re seeing a radicalization of Islam that I haven’t seen before. The Vatican is not a participant in any of the wars in the Middle East. There’s no justification that we can understand why they’re at war with the Vatican.’

“Noting the recent beheadings of 21 Egyptian Christians by Islamic State (ISIS) terrorists in Libya, Baer told Wolf Blitzer, ‘things seem to be getting worse rather than better’…  the Vatican attack was planned for March 2010 as part of ‘a big jihad in Italy,’ said Mario Carta, head of the police unit on the case. Pope Benedict XVI was serving at the time. He was succeeded in March 2013 by Pope Francis. ‘We don’t have proof, we have strong suspicion,’ that Pope Benedict was a possible target, Carta said…

“Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said that the issue was in the past and that Friday’s disclosures were not a matter for concern. However, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said: ‘We are all afraid because we don’t know what can happen.’”

The Miracle of Fatima—A Huge Fraud

On April 27, Zenit reported the following:

“Pope Francis is expected to visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Fatima (Portugal) in 2017 on the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary… On May 13th, 1917, three shepherd children: Lucia dos Santos, Jacinta Marto and Francisco Marto were visited by the Blessed Virgin Mary. After several months, almost 30,000 people witnessed ‘The Miracle of the Sun’, a phenomenon in which the sun spun and changed colors. The sign was promised by the Virgin Mary so that the faithful would believe. St. John Paul II credited the Blessed Mother with saving his life from an assassin’s bullet on May 13th, 1981. He later placed the bullet in the crown of the statue of Our Lady of Fatima.”

IF the three children actually witnessed something, it was clearly NOT the “Virgin Mary,” as Mary, the mother of Jesus, is dead and awaiting the resurrection from the dead with all the other faithful servants of God who likewise died over the centuries and Millennia (Hebrews 11:13). Jesus is the ONLY one who has been raised from the dead to glory and immortality (1 Corinthians 15:22-24). The “apparition” and subsequent phenomenon of the “miracle of the sun,” if true, would have to be ascribed to demonic activities.

“Eurozone Slams Door on Greek Hopes”

The EuObserver wrote on April 24:

“Greece is no closer to agreeing a new deal with its eurozone creditors after the latest round of talks broke up acrimoniously, with one fellow minister describing the meeting as a ‘complete communication breakdown’… Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis was on the receiving end of heavy criticism at a meeting of eurozone finance ministers in Riga. The meeting broke up on Friday lunchtime… without agreement on an economic reform package that would allow the remaining €7.2 billion of Greece’s bailout programme to be paid out…”

The Telegraph added on April 24:

“Time is running out for Greece, officials have warned at a crucial eurozone meeting in which finance minister Yanis Varoufakis was heavily criticised for stalling over urgent measures needed to release vital financial aid… Greece’s current €240bn programme expires at the end of June. Before then, the Greek government is trying to unlock the remaining €7.2bn to prevent the country from bankruptcy. Watchers had long given up hope of a deal being struck at today’s finance ministers’ meeting in Riga…

“Germany, the chief funder of eurozone bailouts, has taken a hard-line approach to Greece’s financial woes this year and officials have repeatedly expressed concern that Greece isn’t doing enough to meet its bail-out requirements… As the stalemate risks running into another month, the risk of a Greek default rises along with an exit from the single currency.”

The Financial Times wrote on April 24:

“Months of mounting tensions between Greece and its creditors boiled over at a high-level EU meeting on Friday with eurozone finance ministers angrily accusing their Greek counterpart of backtracking on commitments and failing to grasp the deep differences that still divide them…

“The contentious session undermined claims by Greek officials that a Thursday meeting in Brussels between Alexis Tsipras, the Greek prime minister, and Angela Merkel, his German counterpart, had narrowed the differences. The claims briefly sent the euro rallying in morning trading, but those gains evaporated after news of the differences emerged…”

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 27:

“Greece’s Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras may be ready to compromise with the EU and introduce reforms… Tsipras was finally ready to negotiate after he spoke with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Eurogroup chief Jeroen Dijsselbloem in separate phone calls on Sunday. He then met Finance Minister Yannis Varoufakis, causing the media in Greek to speculate that Varoufakis would be slowly removed from the position of chief negotiator in Greece’s talks with its creditors… ‘They want his head,’ said a headline in the Greek daily Ta Nea…

“Experts say that Prime Minister Tsipras will need to make tough choices, like cutting pensions and reducing public spending to convince his financers. If he does not agree, the country could default on its payments, but if he agrees to the reforms, he could face opposition from radical leaders in his own Syriza party. The toughest challenge for Tsipras would be to get support from the parliament on implementing pension cuts. However, advisors say Tsipras should decide on spending cuts through a referendum to solve the problem.”

Der Spiegel Online added on April 27:

“… new Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos categorically rules out his country exiting the euro zone and supports calls for German reparations payments in connection with Nazi war crimes… Although Greece is under tremendous financial stress, with the government now forcing hospitals, universities and public agencies to hand over their savings to the central bank, Pavlopoulos stated that his country would fulfill all of its obligations…

“After last week’s meeting of the Euro Group once again failed to deliver an agreement, most EU politicians do not share this view…

“Pavlopoulos clearly denied threats from other Greek politicians to confiscate property in Greece owned by the German state… The Greek president said the seizure of German property was not a consideration…”

New Scandal in Merkel’s Government… NSA Snooping and German Hypocrisy

The Local wrote on April 27:

“Chancellor Angela Merkel’s office has known since 2008 of US economic espionage targeting European companies… but did not react, Bild said Monday, citing intelligence agency documents… The report is potentially embarrassing for the German government, which has always portrayed itself as a victim of spying by its allies, notably the United States.

“Germany reacted with outrage at revelations in 2013 by fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden that the NSA was conducting massive Internet and phone data sweeps, including in Germany. The revelations, which included claims the NSA tapped Merkel’s mobile phone, strained ties between Washington and Berlin.

“The documents cited by Bild refer to NSA attempts to keep tabs on telephone numbers and email addresses at EADS, the aerospace and defence group now known as Airbus and Eurocopter, which now goes by the name of Airbus Helicopters…

“‘It was definitely known for years in the chancellery that the NSA tried, with German help, to monitor German companies,’ Bild quoted an unidentified source from the Bundestag (German parliament) NSA inquiry committee as saying. ‘It is unlikely and would be highly unusual if the head of the chancellery would not have been informed about such an occurrence,’ the source added…

“German news weekly Spiegel reported last week that the NSA spied on European companies for years with the help of German intelligence. The American agency is believed to have provided the BND with mail addresses and mobile phone numbers which were then monitored by the Germans on behalf of the United States, Spiegel Online reported.”

The Local wrote on April 29:

“The government has been accused of lying to the Bundestag (German parliament) after it emerged last week that Chancellor Angela Merkel’s office knew German spies were conducting economic espionage on behalf of the Americans. ‘We have no knowledge of alleged economic espionage by the NSA or other US agencies in other countries,’ the Interior Ministry wrote to the Bundestag on April 14th in response to a question from the opposition Linke (Left Party). Statements of this kind are signed off by the whole government.

“But it emerged last week that Germany’s foreign intelligence agency, the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) had been spying on German and European companies on behalf of the NSA. Further, officials at the Chancellery, which is responsible for overseeing the BND, knew about the economic espionage and did nothing.

“The Chancellery knew as early as 2010 that the NSA had asked the BND to target firms including arms companies EADS and Eurocopter, both since merged into Airbus.The NSA provided the BND with email addresses , phone numbers and other ‘selectors’ (identifying information) belonging to the company’s employees and asked the Germans to monitor their communications. A press release from the government last week said that the Chancellery was ‘now checking whether parliamentary answers in this case remain totally valid’…

“Linke MP Jan Korte told Der Spiegel on Wednesday that ‘the parliamentary answer from April 14th is very clearly a lie’. He wouldn’t believe ‘one more word’ from the government relating to spying, he said.

“The latest twist in the scandal puts Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière under pressure, as he was head of the Chancellery from 2005-09 and ultimately responsible for supervising the spies. Mass-circulation tabloid Bild singled de Maizière out for a broadside on Wednesday, saying that he was ‘lying in black and white’ [the German said: “Sie luegen wie gedruckt,” a very strong accusation] and illustrating the story with a picture of the minister with Pinnochio’s long nose…”

Deutsche Welle reported on April 29:

“De Maiziere… said on Wednesday the accusations were ‘untrue’ and could be disproved by documents, which needed to remain secret…

“Opposition Greens parliamentary co-leader Anton Hofreiter told the newspaper Rheinische Post: ‘Either the BND under Chancellor Merkel has gotten fully out of control or the government has lied to the public’… The opposition Pirate party leader in the North Rhine-Westphalia state assembly in Düsseldorf, Joachim Paul, said on Wednesday his party would ask Germany’s federal prosecutions office to press charges against Chancellery and BND officials. If there was suspicion of NSA economic espionage and the Chancellery was informed of this, then it would amount to treason, Paul said.”

The Local added on April 30:

“German intelligence services spied on top French officials and the European Commission on behalf of the American spy agency NSA, according to the Süddeutsche Zeitung… A spokeswoman for the German federal government refused to comment when contacted by The Local on Thursday, saying only that it would answer to the parliamentary committees responsible for overseeing the spies in due course…

“Thursday’s revelations are likely to be the most damaging on a diplomatic level, in so far as they affect relations with one of the Federal Republic’s most vital allies.”

That the German government and highly controversial Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière would deny the accusations surprises no one. That the tiny opposition of the Left, the Greens and the Pirate Party will have any substantial  influence in the matter is doubtful—rather, it is to be expected that criminal charges, if they were to be filed, would be immediately dismissed. But it remains to be seen how the German press is going to act and react, since left-liberal and conservative papers alike have begun to smell blood.

Hungary’s Maverick Leader

The Guardian wrote on April 29:

“Hungary’s nationalist rightwing leader, Viktor Orbán, has threatened to reintroduce the death penalty, outlawed in the European Union.

“The prime minister also reinforced his reputation as the EU’s main maverick with a powerful anti-immigration manifesto that equates migrants with terrorists, says immigrants are taking Hungarians’ jobs, recommends internment camps for illegal immigrants and states they should be forced to work.

“[Orban is a] persistent critic of the EU, who holds up Russia’s president Vladimir Putin as a model leader…”

But things will change in Hungary, insofar as the relationship with Russia is concerned, as it is very possible that Hungary will become part of the final ten core nations or groups of nations, leading Europe.

TWO Magma Chambers Underneath the Giant Volcano of Yellowstone National Park

Science wrote on April 23:

“Underneath the bubbling geysers and hot springs of Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming sits a volcanic hot spot that has driven some of the largest eruptions on Earth. Geoscientists have now completely imaged the subterranean plumbing system and have found not just one, but two magma chambers underneath the giant volcano…

“Scientists had already known about a plume, which brings molten rock up from deep in the mantle to a region about 60 kilometers below the surface. And they had also imaged a shallow magma chamber about 10 kilometers below the surface, containing about 10,000 cubic kilometers of molten material. But now they have found a deeper one, 4.5 times larger, that sits between 20 and 50 kilometers below the surface… the deeper chamber does mean that the shallow chamber can be replenished again and again…”

Bild Online added that this new discovery is a time bomb for a natural catastrophe with unimaginable consequences for the entire globe. An eruption would be 1,000 times stronger than the one at Mount St. Helen in 1980.

Huge Earthquake Kills Thousands of People

The Huffington Post reported on April 25:

“A devastating 7.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Nepal on Saturday killed more than 1,800 people, caused a deadly avalanche on Mount Everest and left a wake of destruction across the broader region… The earthquake [was] the worst to hit Nepal in over 80 years…

“Powerful tremors also rocked neighboring countries, killing 34 in northern India, six in Tibet and two in Bangladesh, as well as two Chinese citizens on the Nepal-China border…

“Nepalese authorities struggled to assess the full scale of the damage across the remote Himalayan nation, with communications systems down in many areas. ‘We are totally cut off from most parts of our country,’ Nepal Disaster Management Authority official Ram Narayan Pandey told Reuters. Many feared the worst. ‘Almost the entire country has been hit,’ Krishna Prasad Dhakal, the deputy chief of mission at Nepal’s Embassy in New Delhi, warned.”

Following powerful aftershocks, The Associated Press wrote on April 27: “The official overall death toll soared past 4,000, even without a full accounting from vulnerable mountain villages that rescue workers were still struggling to reach two days after the disaster.”

Deutsche Welle reported on April 28: “The United Nations has said the earthquake that hit Nepal on the weekend has affected 8 million people. The death toll has passed 5,000 and could rise sharply as aid workers struggle to reach remote villages.”

The Telegraph added on April 28 that “the country’s Prime Minister said the death toll could reach 10,000.”

Bizarre Jurassic Dinosaur Gives Plenty of Headaches to Evolutionists

The Guardian wrote on April 28:

“Fossil hunters in Chile have unearthed the remains of a bizarre Jurassic dinosaur that combined a curious mixture of features from different prehistoric animals. The evolutionary muddle of a beast grew to the size of a small horse and was the most abundant animal to be found 145 million years ago, in what is now the Aysén region of Patagonia. The discovery ranks as one of the most remarkable dinosaur finds of the past 20 years, and promises to cause plenty of headaches for paleontologists hoping to place the animal in the dinosaur family tree.

“’I don’t know how the evolution of dinosaurs produced this kind of animal…’ said Fernando Novas at the Bernardino Rivadavia Natural Sciences Museum in Buenos Aires… What’s surprising is that in this locality the most bizarre dinosaur is not the exception, but the rule. It is the most abundant animal we find,’ he added.

“… the animal belongs to the theropod group of dinosaurs, which includes the carnivorous tyrannosaurs and velociraptors. But unlike its meat-eating cousins, Chilesaurus had switched diets and become a vegetarian…”

Or maybe, it was the other way around: Vegetarians became meat-eaters. For more information, please read our new booklet, “Heavens and Earth… Before and After the First Man.” 

No Inspections in Iran–Ever!

Newsmax reported on April 20:

“A top Iranian commander said over the weekend that Tehran will never permit outsiders to inspect the regime’s military sites under any nuclear agreement, the state media organ Press Television reported. Brigadier Gen. Hossein Salami, the number two official in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps, said a harsh response would await anyone who raised the subject of inspections. ‘Visiting a military base by a foreign inspector would mean the occupation of our land,’ Salami said. Even discussing the subject is tantamount to ‘national humiliation,’ he added.

“Iran and six world powers – the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and China – announced  earlier this month that they had reached a framework deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program in return for lifting sanctions. Participants said they would work to conclude a final agreement by June 30. A fact sheet on the framework accord issued by the State Department said Iran would be required to grant the U.N.-affiliated International Atomic Energy Agency access to any ‘suspicious sites,’ the Associated Press noted.

“But Iran has questioned numerous points in the fact sheet – including Washington’s claim that sanctions against the Islamic Republic would be lifted only after the IAEA verified Tehran’s compliance with commitments it made in the talks. Iranian leaders, by contrast, have said the deal requires that sanctions be removed immediately, and have accused Washington of lying about its contents…

“Salami declared that permitting foreign inspectors to visit a military base was unacceptable because it would potentially expose Iranian ‘military and defense secrets,’ the Associated Press reported.”

So where is that great deal now? It sounds like it’s a fairy tale of delusional politicians.

Conflict in Yemen—US vs. Iran

The Associated Press reported on April 20:

“The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt is steaming toward the waters off Yemen to beef up security and join other American ships that are prepared to intercept any Iranian vessels carrying weapons to the Houthi rebels fighting in Yemen.

“Navy officials said Monday that the Roosevelt was moving through the Arabian Sea. The U.S. Navy has been beefing up its presence in the Gulf of Aden and the southern Arabian Sea amid reports that a convoy of about eight Iranian ships is heading toward Yemen and possibly carrying arms for the Houthis. Navy officials said there are about nine U.S. warships in the region, including cruisers and destroyers carrying teams that can board and search other vessels…

“The U.S. has been providing logistical and intelligence support to Saudi Arabia-led coalition launching airstrikes against the Houthis. That air campaign is now in its fourth week… So far… U.S. naval personnel have not boarded any Iranian vessels since the Yemen conflict began.

“White House spokesman Josh Earnest… said the U.S. has concerns about Iran’s ‘continued support for the Houthis… These are exactly the kind of destabilizing activities that we have in mind when we raise concerns about Iran’s destabilizing activities in the Middle East.’”

On April 20, Deutsche Welle added the following about the Pentagon’s usual denial:

“Later on Monday, Pentagon spokesman Colonel Steve Warren said the US Navy had sent an aircraft carrier and a guided-missile cruiser into the waters near Yemen to conduct maritime security operations. However, he denied that the vessels were on a mission to intercept Iranian arms shipments.”

Russia’s Ambitions in the Middle East

BBC News wrote on April 21:

“Russia’s decision to go ahead with the sale of the advanced S-300 surface-to-air missile system to Iran has angered its critics in the West and alarmed the Israeli government in equal measure. For some it has raised additional question-marks over the fate of any putative nuclear deal between Iran and the international community. But more significantly it may also mark a renewed effort by Moscow to bolster its diplomatic profile in the Middle East…

“During the years of Washington’s active engagement in Iraq, Russia’s once-strong role in the Middle East seemed to have been eclipsed… But in many ways appearances are deceptive. Russia had never really gone away and it has seized upon every opportunity in the wake of the failed ‘Arab spring’ to maximise its influence.

“No more so than with the government of its long-standing ally Syria, whose President, Bashar al-Assad, is anathema to the West, but not for the Kremlin… In addition, its former ally Egypt is again cosying up to Moscow. A major arms deal was signed last year; a sure indication of the military government’s frustration at its dealings with Washington.

“Moscow has also developed a highly pragmatic relationship with the region’s other major power, Turkey…

“Israel gave up arms deals with Georgia and has hesitated to sell lucrative drones to Ukraine in an effort to win favour with Moscow. Closer ties with Iran will also frustrate the Saudis and others in the Gulf…

“These are indeed difficult diplomatic waters to navigate, given the many regional rivalries that have only come to the fore as significant parts of the region’s political landscape have descended into chaos and blood-letting.”

Israel’s attempts to cozy up to Russia will back-fire.

Murders of Pro-Russian Journalists and Politicians in Ukraine

Deutsche Welle reported on April 21:

“… near the center of Kyiv, Ukrainian writer [and pro-Russian journalist] Oles Buzyna was shot dead last Thursday in broad daylight… The presumed assassination of the controversial journalist is particularly sensitive. Only a day earlier, on Wednesday evening, opposition politician Oleh Kalashnikov was shot dead in the Ukrainian capital. He too articulated Kremlin-friendly views. The 52-year-old was a former member of parliament for the pro-Russian Party of Regions.

‘The murders of Buzyna and Kalashnikov are the latest in a series. Ukrainian media have tallied around a dozen murders and suicides of members of the former ruling class in less than a year…

“Opposition politician Olena Bondarenko has received police protection. ‘I have to leave Kyiv,’ she told DW by telephone. She did not want to reveal her current location. The 41-year-old lawmaker and former member of the Party of Regions is known for her pro-Russian views…

“The two recent murders have further fueled the already tense atmosphere in Ukraine…  Whether on television talk shows or social networks, the division in the country has become noticeably deeper. Not infrequently, Ukrainian activists and ordinary citizens even go so far as to praise the killings of pro-Russian politicians, whom they consider ‘traitors.’”

If this continues, Russia will undoubtedly use this as justification to intervene militarily in Ukraine.

Morsi’s Sentence a Travesty of Justice?

Deutsche Welle reported on April 21:

“A Cairo court on Tuesday sentenced Morsi to 20 years for his role in attacks against people protesting his rule in 2012, convicting the former president and 14 associates of use of force, false imprisonment and torture against protesters. Rights group Amnesty International called the verdict ‘a travesty of justice’ and called for Morsi to be either retried, or released. The verdict is subject to appeal. ‘This verdict shatters any remaining illusion of independence and impartiality in Egypt’s criminal justice system,’ said Hassiba Hadj Saharaoui, deputy Middle East and North Africa director at Amnesty International. ‘Any semblance of a fair trial was jeopardized from the outset by a string of irregularities in the judicial process and his arbitrary, incommunicado detention.’

“Morsi’s questioning took place without his lawyers present during his detention in an undisclosed location for four months following his ouster in July 2013. Amnesty also said Morsi’s lawyers could only access case files days before the trial’s start, and that only evidence of violence by Morsi supporters – and not of violence against them – were documented in court…

“Lawyers for the victims, however, told reporters in Cairo that they had anticipated a sterner sentence against the ex-president with regards to the dropped incitement of murder charges. ‘We were expecting them to be convicted of murder,’ Ramy Ghanem, a lawyer for an anti-Morsi protester wounded in the clashes…

“Twenty-two Morsi supporters received death sentences on Monday. The Brotherhood’s leader, Mohammed Badie, faces a death sentence but can appeal; all capital sentences in Egypt must go to an appeals court…

“Though democratically-elected, Morsi was toppled after major public protests against his government, with some in Egypt appealing to the military to intervene. The 63-year-old famously interrupted the first day of his trial repeatedly with cries of ‘I am the president of the republic!’…”

It is a sad truism that, no matter as to how one wants to look at this verdict, many of those in power (especially in dictatorial countries in the Middle East and elsewhere) rule without justice and mercy, until they are toppled by others who will rule without justice and mercy.

Controversial Statements of US Republican Presidential Candidates

Bloomberg News reported on April 19:

“Republican presidential candidate Marco Rubio says he does not believe sexual orientation is a choice for the ‘enormous majority of people.’ [He added:] ‘In fact, the bottom line is, I believe that sexual preference is something people are born with…’… [He also] said he would attend a same-sex wedding…

“Texas Senator Ted Cruz said he has never had to make such a decision, dodging the question. Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum, who has not announced a campaign yet, said he would not attend such a wedding. Ohio Governor John Kasich, another possible candidate, said he and his wife had been invited to a same-sex wedding and plan to attend…”

The only one who is clear and correct on this particular question, as quoted, is Rick Santorum. You might also want to review carefully the Q&A in this issue, regarding the topic of homosexuality.

Newsmax reported on April 18:

“Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee told Iowa radio talk-show host Jan Mickelson that the Obama administration had ‘an open hostility toward the Christian faith’ — urging prospective military recruits to enlist after President Barack Obama leaves the White House… ‘There’s nothing more honorable than serving one’s country and there’s no greater heroes to our country than our military,’ Huckabee said. ‘But I might suggest to parents, I’d wait a couple of years until we get a new commander-in-chief who will once again believe in “one nation under God” and believe that people of faith should be a vital part of the process of not only governing this country, but defending this country.’”

Mike Huckabee is correct in advising people not to enlist in the army now, but he is incorrect in advising people to enlist in the army later. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Should You Fight in War?” 

Controversial Statements of US Democratic Presidential Candidate

The Website of eonline.com reported on April 15:

“Just a few days after officially announcing she will run for president in the 2016 elections, Clinton has addressed one of the most hotly debated topics in politics—marriage equality. In her first remarks about same-sex marriage in nearly a year, a spokeswoman for Clinton’s campaign says [Clinton] hopes the Supreme Court will embrace marriage equality when it considers cases out of four states on April 28. ‘Hillary Clinton supports marriage equality and hopes the Supreme Court will come down on the side of same-sex couples being guaranteed that constitutional right,’ Adrienne Elrod told the Washington Blade today. This means Clinton is the only declared candidate for presidency who believes that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry.”

Hillary Clinton is wrong on this issue, and the Supreme Court might very well decide this issue wrongly as well.

One of US’s Biggest Legal Scandal Unfolding

Deutsche Welle reported on April 20:

“The FBI has admitted that most of the experts in its forensic unit gave flawed testimony over two decades. This testimony was crucial in several rape and murder cases, some of which carried the death penalty… The US domestic intelligence service admitted officially that the Washington Post revelations on Saturday were correct. The paper had reported that 26 of 28 examiners with the FBI’s microscopic hair comparison unit had overstated matches of hair at crime scenes in ways that favored the prosecution’s cause. Wrong evidence was included in over 95 percent of the 268 trials reviewed for the twenty year period leading up to 2000.

“The paper… found that of the 32 defendants who were sentenced to death during that time, 14 had been executed or had died in prison… The review of a total of 2,000 criminal cases in which the FBI conducted microscopic hair analysis of crime scene evidence is being conducted under an agreement with the US government. It was launched after three men were exonerated by DNA evidence in three separate cases where different FBI analysts had provided scientifically invalid evidence…

“The report reveals one of the US’s biggest legal scandals, revealing that the courts had failed to recognize dubious scientific information that contributed to wrongful convictions in more than a quarter of 329 cases since 1989 where defendants were later exonerated on the basis of DNA evidence…”

How could a true Christian sleep at night if he had served on a jury and convicted a person to death, based on such false evidence and testimony?

How Could the Holocaust Happen?

The EUObserver wrote on April 21:

“The director of the US intelligence service FBI James Comey has caused a diplomatic row between his country and Poland with comments on Polish and Hungarian complicity in the mass killings of Jews during the Second World War. Hungary has also protested against the comments he made… [He said:] ‘In their minds, the murderers and accomplices of Germany, and Poland, and Hungary, and so many, many other places didn’t do something evil. They convinced themselves it was the right thing to do, the thing they had to do. That’s what people do. And that should truly frighten us.’…

“Historians estimate that during the Second World War six millions Jews have been killed. Many of Nazi Germany’s death camps were in the occupied region that is now Poland, but there was no independent Polish government at the time. In 1944-45 Hungary briefly had an anti-Semitic government which killed thousands of Jews…

“Many of Europe’s nations struggled after the war with the question how the genocide could have been allowed. Anti-Semitism was widespread in Europe, and according to historian Mark Mazower governments that were approached for support for the so-called Final Solution, ‘tended to be particularly cooperative in handing over Jewish refugees and other non-nationals’. It is difficult to determine how widespread support for the extermination of Jews was in the popular opinions of regular people in occupied Europe, Mazower notes in his book Dark Continent.

“However, ‘approval of the Final Solution was not a common phenomenon. In response to the horrors of occupation, most people living under Nazi control had retreated into a private world and tried to ignore everything that did not directly concern them.’”

People become complacent and indifferent about the horrors which are happening all around them… and which will increase in the near future. But this is not the attitude which a true Christian should have. He is most certainly not to participate in any violent action or military intervention, but he IS to “sigh and cry over all the abominations that are done…” (Ezekiel 9:4; compare also 2 Peter 2:7-8 and Psalm 119:136).

Greece’s Poker Game With Russia, the EU and the USA

The Telegraph wrote on April 18:

“Greek sources have told The Telegraph that [Greek’s] Syriza may sign a deal with Russia for Gazprom’s ‘Turkish Stream’ pipeline project as soon as next week, unlocking as much as €3bn to €5bn in advance funding. This confirms a report in Germany’s Spiegel magazine, initially denied by both the Russian and Greek governments. It is understood that the deal is being managed by… Greece’s energy minister and head of Syriza’s militant Left Platform, a figure with long-standing ties to Moscow…

“Bridging finance from the Kremlin would transform the situation, allowing Greece to avert a disastrous clash with the IMF… The drama has escalated into a bizarre form of brinkmanship for the highest stakes, with Greece effectively playing off Moscow, Brussels, and Washington, against each other in three-way geo-strategic poker… it is not yet clear whether Syriza can expect much more than a comfort blanket from the US… The Kremlin appears to have outbid the White House in the latest round. Brussels has yet to make any bid at all.”

The Telegraph added on April 20:

“The Greek government has ordered a mandatory transfer of cash reserves from state-owned enterprises to its central bank, in a desperate bid to gather enough cash to remain solvent. Citing ‘extremely urgent and unforeseen needs’, the government issued the emergency decree which will apply to all local government bodies immediately… Even the most conservative estimates calculate the government’s coffers will run dry in a matter of weeks.

“Despite the risk of violating its fiduciary obligations, the decree could now help the government meet its monthly €1.7bn wage and pension bill, averting a default on its own citizenry. It is thought the confiscation of reserves held in commercial banks to the Bank of Greece could raise as much as €2bn for the government.”

Fortress Europe for Migrants?

The Guardian wrote on April 23:

“Only 5,000 resettlement places across Europe are to be offered to refugees under the emergency summit crisis package to be agreed by EU leaders in Brussels on Thursday.

“A confidential draft summit statement seen by the Guardian indicates that the vast majority of those who survive the journey and make it to Italy – 150,000 did so last year – will be sent back as irregular migrants under a new rapid-return programme co-ordinated by the EU’s border agency, Frontex. More than 36,000 boat survivors have reached Italy, Malta and Greece so far this year.

“The draft summit conclusions also reveal that hopes of a major expansion of search-and-rescue operations across the Mediterranean in response to the humanitarian crisis are likely to be dashed, despite widespread and growing pressure.”

Genetically Modifying Human Embryos?

The Telegraph wrote on April 23:

“China has been ordered to ‘rein in’ scientists who have edited the DNA of human embryos for the first time, a practice banned in Europe. In a world’s first, researchers at the Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou confirmed they had engineered embryos to modify the gene responsible for the fatal blood disorder thalassaemia.

“The team, led by Junjiu Huang attempted to head off fears of eugenics by claiming the embryos were ‘non-viable’ and could never had become babies. But critics warned that China was becoming the ‘Wild West’ of genetic research saying it was the first step towards designer children and called for a worldwide ban on the practice…

“Advocates of gene editing say that it could eradicate devastating inherited disease. But others are worried that it crosses an ethical line, allowing children to be genetically engineered. And because the genetic changes are happening to embryos the changes will be passed down to future generations…

“Huang said he had abandoned the current project to go back to working out how to minimise the unexpected mutations in adults cells and animals. However at least four groups in China are believed to be currently working on genetically modifying human embryos.”

Ridiculous Pharisaical Teachings in Modern Judaism

JTA wrote on April 16:

“By changing the way a light switch works, the patented Kosher Switch offers a novel — and, its backers say, kosher — way to turn light switches (and, perhaps, other electrical appliances) on and off during Shabbat, circumventing one of the Sabbath’s central restrictions: the use of electricity… But critics say the Kosher Switch isn’t really kosher for Shabbat at all…

“At issue is whether the device’s permissibility for Shabbat relies on a Jewish legal loophole that applies only to extraordinary circumstances like medical or security needs. The loophole, known as a ‘gramma,’ allows for indirect activation of electronic devices on Shabbat. How does gramma work? If, for example, a non-life-threatening field fire is burning on Shabbat, jugs full of water may be placed around the fire to indirectly cause its eventual extinguishing. Dowsing the fire directly — a Sabbath prohibition — is permitted only in life-threatening circumstances.

“Kalati, 43, says his switch does not rely on the gramma loophole. When the switch is in the off position, a piece of plastic blocks an electronic light pulse that when received turns on the light. Turning the switch on moves the piece of plastic, which is not connected to anything electrical, so that it no longer obstructs the pulse. Because the light pulse is subject to a ‘random degree of uncertainty’ and won’t instantaneously kindle the light when in Sabbath mode, it is kosher for use on Shabbat…

“But Yisrael Rosen, head of the Zomet Institute, the leading designer of electronic devices for use on the Jewish Sabbath, says the Kosher Switch is unfit for Sabbath use… The son of another rabbi… Rabbi Oelbaum said his father’s true position is that while the switch does not involve a technical violation of the Sabbath prohibition against labor (which forbids electricity use), it is a desecration of the Sabbath spirit…

“For decades, Sabbath-observant Jews have used electronic timers set before Friday night to control lights and appliances like air conditioners or hot plates. Multistory buildings throughout Israel and some in the United States have Shabbat elevators that can run on autopilot. In 2004, Canadian rabbi and entrepreneur Shmuel Veffer invented a bedside-style lamp called Kosher Lamp that could be “turned off” by twisting a cylinder encasing a lit bulb so that the bulb was completely concealed.

“The Zomet Institute, located in the Jerusalem suburb of Gush Etzion, in the West Bank, has invented baby sensors, sump pump gadgets, hot water heater contraptions, and special switches that modify wheelchairs, hospital beds, electronic scooters and staircase elevators for use on Shabbat. However, many of these devices rely on the gramma loophole and are permitted only for medical or security use.

“Many observant Jews also rely upon non-Jews for help circumventing Sabbath restrictions, though such requests for help are forbidden from being expressed explicitly…”

These kinds of ridiculously burdensome, ungodly and UNBIBLICAL restrictions pertaining to the Sabbath were expressly and explicitly condemned by Jesus Christ. He stated that these human traditions (as opposed to God’s Law) made the Sabbath a burden, explaining that the Pharisees had done away with the commandments of God (including, how to observe the Sabbath in the RIGHT way), in order to uphold their own traditions (also referred to as “Judaism” in the Bible.). For more information, please read our free booklet, “God’s Commanded Holy Days”.

“Exorcisms” on the Rise in the Catholic Church

Newsmax reported on April 13:

“A new report says Pope Francis is playing a role in an increased number of exorcisms being performed worldwide. According to The Telegraph, Francis’ repeated references to the devil have spurred a rebirth of the practice that removes demons from people’s souls through intense prayer. The Vatican has also endorsed an exorcism conference taking place in Rome this week, which is hosting about 160 Catholic priests, according to The Telegraph…

“Pope Francis, whose papacy began two years ago, has made a habit of referencing the devil in his remarks. He linked Satan to Mexico’s drug problems over the winter, and has said in the past that the devil is trying to destroy the family… ‘Pope Francis talks about the devil all the time, and that has certainly raised awareness about exorcisms,’… Cesare Truqui, a Mexican priest trained as an exorcist, told The Telegraph. ‘But all Latin Americans have this sensibility — for them, the existence of the devil is part of their faith.’…

“‘Until a few years ago, a significant number of people in the church didn’t believe in the devil, but people are now going back to the Scriptures,’ an unnamed British exorcist priest told The Telegraph… ‘A few years ago, at least half the dioceses in England and Wales did not have an exorcist. Now, pretty much all of them do.’

“Truqui told the British paper that one-third of telephone calls made to the Diocese of Rome are related to exorcisms. Two years ago, after Francis became Pope, he was suspected of performing an exorcism in the middle of St. Peter’s Square after saying Sunday Mass. He placed his hands on a young boy’s head and said a prayer, to which the boy responded by heaving deeply several times and shaking before slumping back into his wheelchair. The Vatican, however, played down the incident, saying Francis simply said a prayer for a boy ‘who was suffering.’”

Satanic activities will drastically increase in the years to come. However, the Catholic practice of “exorcisms” will not really cast out a demon… even though it might appear to be the case. For more information, please read our free booklet, “Angels, Demons and the Spirit World.” 

Pope Francis Angers Turkey

AFP wrote on April 12:

“Pope Francis uttered the word ‘genocide’ on Sunday to describe the mass murder of Armenians 100 years ago… In a solemn mass in Saint Peter’s Basilica to mark the centenary of the Ottoman killings of Armenians, Francis said the murders were ‘widely considered “the first genocide of the 20th century”’, quoting a statement signed by Pope John Paul II and the Armenian patriarch in 2001.

“Many historians describe the World War I slaughter as the 20th century’s first genocide, but Turkey hotly denies the accusations. ‘The pope’s statement, which is far from the legal and historical reality, cannot be accepted,’ Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Twitter. ‘Religious authorities are not the places to incite resentment and hatred with baseless allegations,’ he added.

“The foreign ministry summoned the Vatican envoy to Ankara to explain the pope’s comments. It accused the pontiff of engaging in a ‘one-sided narrative’ that ignored the suffering of Muslims and other religious groups at that time… ‘It was a very courageous act to repeat clearly that it was a genocide,’ Vatican expert Marco Tosatti told AFP. ‘By quoting John Paul II, he strengthened the Church’s position, making it clear where it stands on the issue,’ he added…

“The 78-year-old head of the Roman Catholic Church had been under pressure to use the term “genocide” publicly to describe the slaughter, despite the risk of alienating an important ally in the fight against radical Islam…

“Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their kin were killed between 1915 and 1917 as the Ottoman Empire was falling apart, and have long sought to win international recognition of the massacres as genocide. But Turkey rejects the claims, arguing that 300,000 to 500,000 Armenians and as many Turks died in civil strife when Armenians rose up against their Ottoman rulers and sided with invading Russian troops.

“More than 20 nations, including France and Russia, recognise the killings as genocide…

“When Francis visited Turkey, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered the pontiff a pact under which he would defend Christians in the Middle East in exchange for the Church tackling Islamophobia in the West…

“Francis said the other two genocides of the 20th century were ‘perpetrated by Nazism and Stalinism’, before pointing to more recent mass killings in Cambodia, Rwanda, Burundi and Bosnia. ‘It seems that humanity is incapable of putting a halt to the shedding of innocent blood,’ he said… He referred once again to the modern day as ‘a time of war, a third world war which is being fought piecemeal’, and evoked the ‘muffled and forgotten cry’ of those ‘decapitated, crucified, burned alive, or forced to leave their homeland.’”

As Jesus Christ foretold, we will experience more and more wars, until a coming nuclear World War will endanger the very survival of mankind. Insofar as Turkey is concerned, the Bible tells us that it will collaborate with Europe against Israel, but there is no reason to think that Turkey – a Muslim country — will ever become a recognized part of a United States of Europe under the leadership of the “beast” and the “false prophet.”

The Iran Deal—Would America Become Indirectly Responsible for Mass Murders?

Newsmax reported on April 10:

“Iran’s top officials, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and President Hassan Rouhani, are saying economic sanctions must end immediately and that UN inspectors will not be granted unfettered access to military installations and nuclear construction sites.

“But this may be nothing more than Iranian domestic political spin. And as long as there’s a potential deal, a critical point needs to be made: There is no provision for, or even discussion of, putting political restraints on Iran. That is, there is nothing in this deal that would force Iran to change its terrorist ways. Iran will continue to be the number-one state sponsor of terrorism in the Middle East, no matter what the deal.

“How can this be?

“Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Henry Kissinger and George P. Shultz make a crucial point: ‘Absent the linkage between nuclear and political restraint, America’s traditional allies will conclude that the U.S. has traded temporary nuclear cooperation for acquiescence to Iranian hegemony.’…

“Iran will continue to sponsor its terrorist proxies, like Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, keep proxy troops in Syria, continue its efforts to take over Iraq, further its designs on Yemen, and confront Sunni Saudi Arabia… Kissinger and Shultz write, ‘Iranian or Iranian client forces are now the pre-eminent military or political element in multiple Arab countries . . . With the recent addition of Yemen as a battlefield, Tehran occupies positions along all of the Middle East’s strategic waterways and encircles archrival Saudi Arabia, an American ally’…

“Make no mistake, the nanosecond sanctions are lifted U.S. and Western investment will pour into Iran. Looser financial sanctions will put an estimated $50 billion into Iran’s economy. And a number of European oil companies will jump to develop the world’s fourth-largest proven oil reserve and second-biggest national-gas reserve. Italy’s Eni, Royal Dutch Shell, France’s Total, Norway’s Statoil, German’s Siemens, and French car companies Peugeot and Citroën are ready to move. It’s reported that Boeing is looking to do business in Iran. HP and Google have been exploring contracts and licenses in Iran. Other major U.S. and European Internet companies have been approached by Iranian officials. And financial-service and credit card companies will move in quickly…

“Iran is our enemy, whether the president believes it or not. And if we cut deals that allow Iran to continue its terrorist and hegemonic activities, the Obama administration will have created an unbelievable Middle East powder keg, setting the stage for a conflict that could possibly dwarf any we’ve seen before. This is the worst U.S. foreign policy of my lifetime. It may be the worst in American history.”

Sadly, it looks this way.

Under the Deal, America Would Become Isolated!

On April 9, the Washington Post published the following article by Charles Krautheimer:

“As Kissinger and Shultz point out, we will be fought every step of the way, leaving the United States, not Iran, isolated. Obama imagines that this deal will bring Iran in from the cold, tempering its territorial ambitions and ideological radicalism. But this defies logic: With sanctions lifted, its economy booming and tens of billions injected into its treasury, why would Iran curb rather than expand its relentless drive for regional dominance?

“An overriding objective of these negotiations, as Obama has said, is to prevent the inevitable proliferation — Egypt, Turkey, the Gulf states — that would occur if Iran went nuclear. Yet the prospective agreement is so clearly a pathway to an Iranian bomb that the Saudis are signaling that the deal itself would impel them to go nuclear.

“You set out to prevent proliferation and you trigger it. You set out to prevent an Iranian nuclear capability and you legitimize it. You set out to constrain the world’s greatest exporter of terror threatening every one of our allies in the Middle East and you’re on the verge of making it the region’s economic and military hegemon.”

Another Sickening Compromise on the Iran “Deal”

Deutsche Welle reported on April 14:

“Senators from both sides of the aisle have compromised over a bill allowing congressional review of any final nuclear deal with Iran. The measure calls for the lifting of sanctions only with legislative approval.

“In a show of bipartisanship over what has been a hotly contested issue in Washington, the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a measure Tuesday that struck a compromise between Congress’ wish to be involved in a final nuclear deal with Iran and the White House’s concern that such a deal be completed by June.

“The Senate panel unanimously approved the measure with a vote of 19-0. The Iran Nuclear Agreement Review Act of 2015 allows Congress to review the deal before any US sanctions against Iran are lifted, to be followed by a 12-day period for a possible presidential veto and a 10-day window for an attempt to override such a veto.

“President Obama withdrew his objection to the bill after language was removed obligating him to prove that Tehran was not engaging in terrorism. Another controversial amendment was removed by its author Marco Rubio… The amendment would have required Iran to recognize Israel’s right to exist.”

These compromises are sickening… with NO politician willing to stand up for their alleged convictions…

Russia Gives Green Light for Sending Missiles to Iran

Bloomberg News reported on April 13:

“President Vladimir Putin lifted a ban on the delivery of S-300 air-defense missile systems to Iran as Russia pushed for repeal of an arms embargo following an agreement on the Islamic republic’s nuclear program. Putin repealed its 2010 prohibition on S-300 exports to Iran… While the two countries had signed an $800 million contract for the systems in 2007, Russia halted delivery after the United Nations imposed an arms embargo three years later.

“The S-300 is a ‘purely defensive’ weapon and delivering it to Iran won’t ‘threaten the security of any state in the region, including, of course, Israel,’ Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday… Russia ‘will promptly carry out the order of the president’ and send the S-300 systems to Iran ‘if a political decision is taken’ to deliver them…”

Russia and Iran are in fact prophesied to collaborate against other nations, including militarily. For more information, please read our free booklets on “Biblical Prophecy… From Now Until Forever,” and “Middle Eastern Nations and African Nations in Prophecy.” 

“Putin Warship and Nuclear Bombers Menace the UK”

The Daily Mail wrote on April 15:

“A Russian warship and two bombers strayed close to UK territory yesterday in yet another apparent attempt to test Britain’s defences. A destroyer equipped with missiles, anti-aircraft guns and torpedoes entered the English Channel along with two other Russian ships. It forced the UK to send a heavily-armed frigate to monitor the vessels.

“Just a few hours later, two Russian long-range Bear bombers, capable of carrying nuclear missiles, hugged British airspace – prompting the RAF to deploy two Typhoon fighter jets. Sources claim both incidents may have been an attempt to ‘snoop’ on a huge Nato war games exercise taking place in Scotland…”

The Shaky “Cease-Fire”-Agreement Between Russia and Ukraine

The Local wrote on April 14:

“The French, German, Russian and Ukrainian foreign ministers expressed ‘grave concern’ Tuesday at a meeting in Berlin about violations of a shaky ceasefire in separatist-held east Ukraine… Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier admitted the five-hour-long talks had been ‘very long, very intensive and at times very contentious’ given the tense situation on the ground…

“European OSCE monitors reported ‘renewed intensive fighting’ Sunday around the rebel stronghold of Donetsk.. The results of the talks in Berlin will be discussed at a meeting of G7 foreign ministers in the northern German city of Lübeck on Tuesday and Wednesday. Russia will once again not participate. It has been closed out of the group of the world’s largest economies since the annexation of the Crimea in March last year.

“US Secretary of State John Kerry will arrive on Wednesday after attending a US Congress hearing on the nuclear deal with Iran on Tuesday. The discussions will lay down the groundwork for the main G7 summit to be held on June 7th and 8th at the Elmau Palace in Bavaria. The two meetings take place during Germany’s year-long chairmanship of the group.

“Other themes up for discussion will be the nuclear deal with Iran, the conflict with Isis in Syria and Iraq, and improving defence mechanisms against the Ebola virus…”

The controversy between Europe and Russia over Ukraine is bound to continue. Germany, as the current leader of the G7 countries, will have further opportunity to flex its muscles.

The Gap Widens Between Russia and the EU

Der Spiegel Online wrote on April 14:

“… the Russian president is preparing his country for May 9, which marks the anniversary of the end of the war with Hitler’s Germany. It is ‘our country’s most important and most honest holiday,’ Putin said in Staraya Russa. ‘It is the day of the great victory.’

“The end of the war will be commemorated in Russia for the 70th time this year. Since it was declared an official holiday in 1965, May 9, with its spontaneous gatherings of veterans in the streets, public festivals and gun salutes in the evening, has in fact become Russia’s most moving holiday — and perhaps the only one that has truly united the people…

“May 9, 2015 shows that… the war still hasn’t ended for Russia. It demonstrates that the country’s leadership needs the memory of that war more than ever… The parade in Moscow on the morning of May 9 is intended to set an example. It will be the biggest military parade ever held. Some 15,000 soldiers will march across Red Square, 4,000 more than at the last major anniversary. Two hundred tanks, artillery and missiles will roll past the Kremlin, and 140 fighter jets will crowd the skies over Moscow. Weapons will be displayed that ‘will astonish the entire world,’ wrote the tabloid newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda…

“The Kremlin had invited 68 leaders of foreign countries to the victory celebration, including the most important politicians in the Western world. So far, only 25 have accepted Moscow’s invitation. US President Barack Obama will not be attending, nor will British Prime Minister David Cameron or French President François Hollande. German Chancellor Angela Merkel will be there, but only on May 10, the day after the parade. TV images from Moscow will illustrate how isolated Russia has become as a result of its policy on Ukraine and its annexation of Crimea…

“Senior representatives of only three European Union countries — the Czech Republic, Greece and Cyprus — are so far planning to attend the ceremonies… Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras also won praise from Russia during his mid-week visit to Moscow, when he paid tribute to the two countries’ joint struggle against Nazism and promised to return in one month to attend the parade on May 9… Former Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, now the president of the European Council and therefore spokesman of the European heads of state and government, had declared weeks ago why we would not attend the Moscow parade on May 9. ‘A presence at the military parade, hand-in-hand with today’s aggressors and a person using weapons against civilians in eastern Ukraine? For me, delicately speaking, it’s too ambiguous,’ Tusk said…

“The controversy over the Moscow victory celebration on May 9 illustrates how far Russia has distanced itself from the Europeans, and just how wide the gap between the two sides has grown…

“Many Russians say that Vladimir Putin has repurposed it into a day that celebrates war itself and, most of all, Russia’s strength. For them, it is no longer a day of tears and commemoration…”

Germany Wants to Supply Lithuania Weapons Against Russia

The Local wrote on April 15:

“Germany said Wednesday it wants to sell howitzer-type mobile artillery vehicles to Lithuania as the Baltic NATO nation boosts its defences amid concerns over neighbouring Russia… German media reported the hardware was used by Berlin in Afghanistan and is now worth €15 million… the Baltic state [is] also mulling whether to buy German Boxer-type armoured fighting vehicles.

“Under Moscow’s thumb until 1991, Lithuania along with fellow Baltic states Estonia and Latvia launched a concerted drive to boost defences since Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine last year. NATO members since 2004, the three Baltic states have repeatedly asked allies to step up their presence to deter Russia.

“Berlin will send over 500 troops to Lithuania for military exercises this year. NATO is also reinforcing its defences on Europe’s eastern flank with a rapid reaction force of 5,000 troops and command centres in six formerly communist members of the alliance, including the three Baltic states.”

GOP Slams Obama Over Cuba Decision

Newsmax reported on April 15:

“Republicans slammed President Barack Obama’s decision Tuesday to remove Cuba from the State Department’s list of terrorism sponsors, with Florida Rep. Illeana Ros-Lehtinen accusing the White House of acting ‘only for political reasons and not in accordance with the law.’…

“House Speaker John Boehner said he was ‘disappointed’ by the decision, adding that Obama’s ‘cozying up to the oppressive regime in Cuba is a blow to all who long for liberty and dignity. It’s just one more example of this administration focusing more on befriending our enemies than helping our allies,’ he said…

“The move came three days after Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro met informally during a regional summit in Panama. The talks marked the first official meeting between the leaders of their countries in more than a half-century…

“Removing Cuba from the terror list could pave the way for the opening of a U.S. Embassy in Havana and other steps. The countries still on the list are Iran, Sudan and Syria…

“Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida also slammed Obama’s decision. ‘Cuba is a state sponsor of terrorism,’ he said in a video message. ‘They harbor fugitives of American justice. It’s also the country that’s helping North Korea evade sanctions by the United Nations…’

“Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who also is considering a presidential run, said after a speech of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce that ‘we’re not a step closer to freedom in Cuba because of the steps the president is taking’…

“And another possible 2016 contender, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, cited the decision as ‘yet   (another) example of President Obama viewing the world through rose-colored glasses’…”

ISIS in Mexico and the USA?

Newsmax reported on April 14:

“The Islamic State (ISIS) is operating a camp in northern Mexico just a few miles from El Paso, Texas, Judicial Watch said Tuesday, citing sources that include a Mexican Army field grade officer and a Mexican Federal Police inspector. Judicial Watch sources said that ‘coyotes’ working for the notorious Juarez Cartel are involved in helping to ‘move ISIS terrorists through the desert and across the border between Santa Teresa and Sunset Park, New Mexico.’

“Moreover, east of El Paso and Ciudad Juárez, cartel-backed coyotes are smuggling members of the jihadi terrorist group ‘through the porous border between Acala and Fort Hancock, Texas,’ Judicial Watch reported…

“The watchdog group’s sources say the precise location where ISIS has established the base is approximately eight miles from the U.S. border in an area known as ‘Anapra,’ located just west of Ciudad Juárez in the Mexican state of Chihuahua.

“Another ISIS cell is said to be located in Puerto Palomas, located to the west of Ciudad Juárez. That cell ‘targets the New Mexico towns of Columbus and Deming for easy access to the United States,’ Judicial Watch’s Mexican sources say…

“Judicial Watch — which has been successful in prying loose substantial amounts of information on an array of Obama administration-linked scandals, including the ‘Fast and Furious’ gun-walking case — told Newsmax that four ISIS members had in fact been apprehended after crossing into the United States.”

The media also reported on ISIS’s recent surprise attacks and victories in Iraq.

The UK and the EU

Express wrote on April 15:

“In news that is likely to bolster calls for the UK’s complete withdrawal from the EU, the president of the European Commission (EC), Jean-Claude Juncker, has put the brakes on reforming the relations between member states and Brussels. Mr Cameron has vowed to hold an in/out vote on Britain’s membership of the EU in 2017, but only after a series of talks aimed at reconfiguring the UK’s relationship with Brussels.

“But, now he appears to have been told Brussels chiefs will only negotiate two years AFTER that date – when Mr Juncker steps down from office. An official close to the EU’s top politician told The Times: ‘No treaty change proposals are envisaged until after November 2019’.

“British hopes for amendments are now likely to have to wait until as late as 2025, when EU treaties are scheduled to be overhauled…

“The fact that it is Mr Juncker who is said to be ruling out potential negotiations will be particularly galling as Mr Cameron had sought to block his appointment as EC president last June…”

UK Among the Least Religious Countries in the World

The website of itv.com reported on April 13:

“A new survey has revealed that the UK is among the least religious countries in the world. In a global ranking of 65 countries, the UK came six places from last with 30% of the population calling themselves religious.

“While 53% of people said they were ‘not religious’… 13% said they were a ‘convinced atheist’ and the remainder ‘did not know’. It compares to 94% of people in Thailand who are religious and 93% of people in Armenia, Bangladesh, Georgia and Morocco.

“At the bottom of the list was China where only 6% of people say they are religious while 61% say they are convinced atheists. It was followed by Japan, where just 13% of people are religious, Sweden with 19% , Czech Republic with 23%, and the Netherlands and Hong Kong with 26%.

“Jean-Marc Leger, president of Win/Gallup International Association, said globally an average of two-thirds of people still consider themselves religious. ‘Religion continues to dominate our everyday lives and we see that the total number of people who consider themselves to be religious is actually relatively high,’ he said.”

The website of wingia.com added on April 13:

“The research discovered that the most religious regions are Africa and MENA (Middle East and North Africa) where 86% and 82% respectively of the people consider themselves to be religious… Western Europe (51%) and Oceania (49%) are the only regions where approximately half of the population are either not religious or convinced atheist… The Swedish prove to be the least religious in the Western World with 78% saying they are either not religious or convinced atheists.

“In Israel, 65% of those asked said that they are either not religious or convinced atheists compared to just 30% who say that they are religious. Meanwhile in the Palestinian Territories (West Bank and Gaza) the population is considerably more religious with 75% saying that they are religious compared to 18% who say that they are not religious.”

Vaccination – Yes or No?

The website of skynews.com.au reported on April 13:

“Australian parents will lose thousands of dollars of childcare and welfare benefits if they refuse to vaccinate their kids… Thousands of families could lose payments, with the government estimating about 39,000 children under seven have not received immunisation because their parents are vaccine objectors… Children can still be exempted on medical or religious grounds, but… the latter exemption is ‘very narrow’…

“But there are some who strongly oppose measures that mandate immunisation. An online petition against compulsory vaccinations in Australia that states ‘all parents deserve to make an uncoerced choice’ has received more than 3000 signatures in five days. Parents have taken to the change.org webpage to express their concerns about vaccinations and what they view is a potential encroachment on civil rights…”

Reuters reported on April 14:

“A Washington state school district pulled 143 students who lacked documentation proving they had received required immunizations from classrooms on Monday, in a first-in-the-state clamp-down… All U.S. states require certain vaccines for students for diseases such as mumps, rubella, tetanus or polio, but school immunization laws grant exemptions to children for medical reasons, including an inhibited immune system.

“Almost all states also grant religious exemptions against immunizations, with 20 states also allowing philosophical exemptions, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Parents who want to opt out of school shots on philosophical, religious or medical grounds in Washington state… must file a state-mandated waiver with the district…”

On March 30, the website of motherjones.com published the following article:

“The Waiting Room at Pediatric Alternatives in Mill Valley, a town in the affluent hippie enclave of Marin County, California, is a far cry from the drab doctors’ offices I remember from childhood… The practice’s five physicians have impeccable credentials, having trained and completed residencies at some of the nation’s top medical schools and institutions. Several are fellows of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

“Given all this, it might surprise you to learn that one of Pediatric Alternatives’ policies is extremely unorthodox: It suggests that families delay certain childhood immunizations—in some cases for years past the age recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—and forego others entirely. A little less than 20 percent of the families the practice treats choose not to vaccinate at all. The rest use a modified vaccine schedule…

“Kenet Lansman tells me she would never deny any vaccine to parents who request it for their child. But she does share her personal beliefs with her patients: She fears that vaccines have contributed to the recent uptick in autoimmune disorders and other chronic conditions… She has a policy of giving only one vaccination at a time, and only when a child is completely healthy…

“The main reason for the delay, Kenet Lansman says, is that she still believes there could be a link between vaccines and autism. She acknowledges that the scientific community has rejected this theory, yet she says she has seen children from her own practice who begin to show signs of autism shortly after being vaccinated…”

Breitbart reported on April 14:

“Parents opposed to a California legislative effort to revoke their ability to exempt their children from some vaccinations… promise to yank those kids out of school if the measure passes into law.

“The Democrat-sponsored Senate Bill 277 was proposed in response to a measles outbreak whose spread began at Disneyland last December. If passed, SB 277 would remove parents’ ability to sign a waiver that currently allows them to exempt their children from one or more school required vaccinations… In related news, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s anti-vaccine campaign… ran into trouble after he connected autism to the Holocaust.”

Late Günter Grass Warned of World War III

The Guardian wrote on April 14:

“Germany’s Nobel-winning author Günter Grass said he feared humanity was ‘sleepwalking’ into a world war in the last interview he gave before his death on Monday.

“’We have on the one side Ukraine, whose situation is not improving; in Israel and Palestine things are getting worse; the disaster the Americans left in Iraq, the atrocities of Islamic State and the problem of Syria,’ he told the Spanish newspaper El País in the interview published on Tuesday. ‘There is war everywhere; we run the risk of committing the same mistakes as before; so without realising it we can get into a world war as if we were sleepwalking,’ he added.

“Spain’s top-selling newspaper said the interview, carried out at the author’s home in Lübeck in northern Germany on 21 March, was his last before his death aged 87.

“Grass, who achieved worldwide fame with his debut and best-known novel, The Tin Drum, in 1959 was a pacifist, opposing the installation of nuclear missiles on German soil. In his lengthy interview with El País, he also expressed concern over climate change and overpopulation. ‘All of this together makes me realise that things are finite, that we don’t have an indefinite amount of time,’ he said. Grass pressed Germany for decades to face up to its Nazi past, winning the Nobel prize for literature in 1999, when the Swedish academy said his ‘frolicsome black fables portray the forgotten face of history’”.

Other papers, reporting on the death of Grass, tried to discredit him by pointing out that he had first concealed, but subsequently revealed the fact that he had been drafted, as a 17-year-old boy (!), to the German Waffen-SS at the very end of World War II. Such hypocritical reporting in some papers is difficult to understand, and we chose not to quote any of these inflammatory articles. Grass declared that he never used his gun to shoot anyone and that he did not know anything about the Holocaust until after the War. The fact that he strongly opposed Nazism in all its different forms and shapes supports his claim.

Resurrecting Dead Animals?

The Independent wrote on April 13:

“De-extinction, or the idea of bringing extinct species back from the dead, has come a long way over the quarter century since Jurassic Park was first published. It has now matured into a quasi-serious science and has even been the subject of its own TEDx conference… some scientists are proposing to resurrect a range of other, more-recently extinct species such as the passenger pigeon and the gastric-brooding frog, both lost within living memory.

“There are quite a few animals that have become extinct relatively recently that are potential candidates for de-extinction. They include the thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger, a large marsupial carnivore wiped out by sheep ranchers a century ago, the Pyrenean ibex which was hunted for sport until the last one fell dead in 2000, and the Steller’s sea cow, a gentle giant annihilated by hungry sailors in the 18th century.

“Perhaps the most emblematic of them all is the woolly mammoth. There are few animals that better represent the lost world of the Pleistocene than these huge, shaggy relatives of the modern elephant. Woolly mammoths roamed the vast grassy steppe of Eurasia and North America for hundreds of millennia. The very last individuals were an isolated population of pygmy woolly mammoths that lived on Wrangel Island off northern Russia about 4,500 years ago.

“There is no shortage of woolly mammoth tissue, some of it remarkably well preserved in the permafrost of Siberia and some scientists are confident that they can extract its DNA to bring the species back to life, either as clones or as a kind of mammoth-elephant hybrid.

“Scientists in South Korea and Russia are collaborating on a project to clone a woolly mammoth by extracting a cell nucleus from frozen mammoth tissue and inserting its entire genetic material into the enucleated egg cell of an Asian elephant, which would also act as a surrogate mother. It’s the same basic cloning technique that led to the birth of Dolly the cloned sheep in 1996, except this time two species are involved rather than one – and one of them has been extinct for thousands of years…

“Another de-extinction approach is to cut and paste large fragments of mammoth DNA into the chromosomes of an Asian elephant, thereby creating a genetically-engineered mammoth-elephant ‘hybrid’. Scientists involved in this project prefer to think about it as a way of making a cold-adapted Asian elephant with mammoth-like traits, such as hairy skin and layers of subcutaneous fat for good thermal insulation.

“Scientists have already managed to sequence about half of the mammoth genome from the many small fragments of DNA isolated from frozen remnants of biological material, such as skin, hair, bone, teeth and even dung. They believe it is only a question of time before they achieve their ultimate de-extinction aim: a living hybrid…”

You might want to read our free booklet, “Heavens and Earth… Before and After the First Man,” which addresses many topics related to the gist and substance of this article.

Muscle-Flexing by Iran

AP reported on April 8:

“Iran dispatched a destroyer and another naval ship to waters off Yemen on Wednesday, raising the stakes amid a Saudi-led air campaign targeting Iranian-backed Shiite rebels fighting forces loyal to the country’s embattled president.

“The Iranian maneuver came as the U.S. deepened its support for the Saudi-led coalition, boosting weapons supplies and intelligence-sharing and carrying out the first U.S. aerial refueling mission of coalition fighter jets.

“The Iranian warships were sent to the strategic Bab al-Mandab strait as part of an anti-piracy campaign to ‘safeguard naval routes for vessels in the region,’ Iranian Rear Adm. Habibollah Sayyari was quoted as saying by the English-language state broadcaster Press TV.

“Securing navigation in the narrow strait was a key reason for the Saudi-led air and maritime blockade that began after Yemen’s internationally recognized president, Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, fled the country two weeks ago as the rebels closed in on Aden, Yemen’s second-largest city where he was based.”

ISIS Pushes Closer to Damascus

Breitbart reported on April 5:

“Islamic State (IS or ISIS or ISIL or Daesh) militias have taken control of a southern district in Damascus, Syria, and are just a few kilometers from the military headquarters of the regime of Syria’s president Bashar al-Assad. Al-Assad’s army has suffered several recent defeats, especially the major military defeat in Idlib, and so it appears that ISIS may present a real military challenge to the regime in its seat of power. Reports indicate that ISIS is also receiving help from the al-Qaeda linked Jabhat al-Nusra (al-Nusra Front), a group with which it often has battles in other places and times.

“ISIS’s advance into Damascus is through the Yarmouk refugee camp, home to about 18,000 Palestinian refugees. The camp has been under siege from al-Assad’s army since 2011, since al-Assad feared that the Palestinian refugees would join the fight against him. In the last couple of years, the Free Syrian Army and al-Qaeda linked Jabhat al-Nusra (al-Nusra Front) have entered Yarmouk and fought each other, making Yarmouk increasingly dangerous for the civilians living there. Now the invasion of ISIS has turned Yarmouk into a humanitarian disaster. Aid groups are unable to enter Yarmouk, with the result that the civilians have no food and water, no electricity. Anyone who leaves his home risks getting shot and killed by snipers on the rooftops.

“Other reports indicate that al-Assad’s forces are trying to fight ISIS by means of ‘violent shelling by the regime forces using tank shells and ground-to-ground missiles,’ weapons that are more likely to kill civilians than ISIS.”

Obama’s Deal with Iran Weakens the USA

The Editorial Board of the Washington Post wrote on April 6:

“PRESIDENT OBAMA has launched an aggressive lobbying campaign for his preliminary nuclear deal with Iran… Unfortunately… the president’s claims could have a self-fulfilling quality. By loudly insisting there is no alternative to the terms he has agreed to, Mr. Obama helps ensure that the option of maintaining sanctions while insisting that Iran agree to dismantle more of its nuclear infrastructure… is no longer a practical alternative.

“At the same time, the White House stance risks weakening its negotiating position in the crucial bargaining with Iran. Mr. Obama conceded that some vital ‘details’ have not yet been worked out, including how the lifting of sanctions on Iran would be tied to its implementation of steps such as reducing its stockpile of enriched uranium and its base of installed centrifuges. Worryingly, the fact sheets issued by the U.S. and Iranian governments differ sharply… The gulf between those two scenarios is extremely important…

“Similarly crucial differences may be buried in the as-yet-unspecified details of how inspectors will obtain access to new suspected nuclear sites and how they will get answers to outstanding questions about Iran’s previous work on nuclear warhead designs. By insisting that the deal is already the best available, Mr. Obama is making it more difficult for his negotiators to walk away from the follow-up talks if they are unable to obtain satisfactory terms. If Iran continues to insist on the ‘immediate’ lifting of sanctions, will the president give in rather than reverse his rhetoric?…”

America’s foreign policy, including Obama’s controversial and ill-advised “deal” with Iran, is one of utter weakness, inconsistency and failure.

Western Leadership Failing!

AP reported on April 5:

“On a basic level, the framework deal between world powers and Tehran will be judged by whether it prevents an Iranian bomb, but that will take years to figure out.

“A more immediate issue is the projection of Western power. Supporters of the framework deal can argue that the U.S. and world powers extracted significant concessions from Iran, breaking a decade-long impasse and proving that diplomacy backed by tough sanctions can bring about positive change even in the Middle East.

“But if, as critics contend, the agreement ends up projecting U.S. weakness instead, that could embolden rogue states and extremists alike, and make the region’s vast array of challenges — from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Syrian civil war to the fighting in Libya and Yemen — even more impervious to Western intervention.

“The United States wants to rein in Syria’s President Bashar Assad as his ruinous civil war grinds into year five. It would like to encourage more liberal domestic policies in Egypt and push Iraq’s leaders to govern more inclusively. Despite years of setbacks, the U.S. would still like to see a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict…

“The implications of a weak United States, meanwhile, are not just regional but global, affecting events from Russia to China and North Korea — as well as the prospects for global accords on climate change or even significant trade deals.”

Obama: “Nuclear Deal Cannot Depend on Iran Recognizing Israel”

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 7:

“Barack Obama has told US radio network NPR that demanding for Iran to recognize Israel would go beyond the scope of the nuclear deal discussed with Tehran… ‘The notion that we would condition Iran not getting nuclear weapons in a verifiable deal on Iran recognizing Israel is really akin to saying that we won’t sign a deal unless the nature of the Iranian regime completely transforms…And that, I think, is a fundamental [mis]judgement,’ Obama said in the interview…

“Meanwhile, Republican leader Mitch McConnell criticized the pact with Iran saying that lawmakers opposed to the deal were planning a formal response…

“On Monday, Israel’s Minister for Strategic Affairs, Yuval Steinitz, said his country was still considering military action against Iran’s nuclear program. ‘It was on the table. It’s still on the table, it’s going to remain on the table…Israel should be able to defend – for itself, by itself – against any threat,’ Steinitz told reporters in Jerusalem.”

Taking America Down…

The Weekly Standard reported on April 8:

“Vice President Dick Cheney had harsh criticism for President Barack Obama in an interview last night with radio host Hugh Hewitt.

“Hewitt asked the former vice president, ‘Is he naïve, Mr. Vice President? Or does he have a far-reaching vision that only he entertains of a realigned Middle East that somehow it all works out in the end?’

“‘I don’t know, Hugh. I vacillate between the various theories I’ve heard, but you know, if you had somebody as president who wanted to take America down, who wanted to fundamentally weaken our position in the world and reduce our capacity to influence events, turn our back on our allies and encourage our adversaries, it would look exactly like what Barack Obama’s doing. I think his actions are constituted in my mind those of the worst president we’ve ever had.’”

America is going down! However, it is because of our national sins and our refusal to turn in heartfelt repentance to God. President Obama may well be an instrument to this end, as Mr. Cheney suggested.

Police Brutality and Abuse in America

The Local wrote on April 7:

“Three German journalists announced on Thursday they are taking the police in the American town of Ferguson to court after they were arrested while covering race riots there in August 2014.

“The journalists, Ansgar Graw of Die Welt, Lukas Hermsmeier of Bild and Frank Hermann, a freelancer for regional newspapers were arrested and detained for ‘refusal to disperse’… Graw told The Local that the police never gave him any official reason for his arrest but that his mugshot was accompanied by the text ‘refusal to disperse.’

“The correspondent said that the case was not about him but about asking ‘whether a county in the USA can accept that their police violate freedom of the press.’ ‘The American police overstep their rights very clearly and too often,’ he said…

“The journalists are arguing that their incarceration was a violation of the First, Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to the American Constitution, which cover freedom of speech, freedom of the press and protection against unlawful arrest. Graw, who has been based in Washington since 2009, also complained that conditions in prison were meant to ‘humiliate’ him. He was not only handcuffed but also chained to a wall… ‘In America the attitude is “We are the law and you have to accept whatever we tell you.”'”

Sadly, this seems to be very true far too often—see the appalling report below:

Shot in the Back!!!

Nytimes.com wrote on April 8:

“A white police officer in North Charleston, S.C., was charged with murder on Tuesday after a video surfaced showing him shooting in the back and killing an apparently unarmed black man while the man ran away.

“The officer, Michael T. Slager, 33, said he had feared for his life because the man had taken his stun gun in a scuffle after a traffic stop on Saturday. A video, however, shows the officer firing eight times as the man, Walter L. Scott, 50, fled. The North Charleston mayor announced the state charges at a news conference Tuesday evening.

“The shooting came on the heels of high-profile instances of police officers’ using lethal force in New York, Cleveland, Ferguson, Mo., and elsewhere. The deaths have set off a national debate over whether the police are too quick to use force, particularly in cases involving black men.

“A White House task force has recommended a host of changes to the nation’s police policies, and President Obama sent Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. to cities around the country to try to improve police relations with minority neighborhoods.”

Justice has departed from our land!

The Murder of Walter Scott

Deutsche Welle wrote on April 9:

“The man who shocked the world with a video apparently showing a white police officer in North Charleston, South Carolina, shoot unarmed African American Walter Lamer Scott came forward late Wednesday, saying he immediately recognized the significance of the chilling footage he recorded… As a result of the recording, 33-year-old Slager was charged with murder on Tuesday and faces a sentence of life imprisonment or death if convicted. Slager stands accused of killing Scott, 50, after a scuffle that began with a traffic stop for a broken tail light. The video contradicted Slager’s claim that he fired because he felt threatened…

“In an interview with the Associated Press, another North Charleston resident claimed to have lodged a complaint against Slager in 2013 for use of excessive force, but that the officer was allowed to remain on duty following a brief investigation. Mario Givens, now 33, said in the interview that Slager forcibly entered his home and used a stun gun on him despite the fact that Givens had surrendered and put his hands in the air. Givens also claimed that Slager never said what he wanted or who he was looking for…”

One must wonder why persons like Slager are allowed to work as police officers…

California Drought Brings Changes

NYTimes.com reported on April 4:

“For more than a century, California has been the state where people flocked for a better life — 164,000 square miles of mountains, farmland and coastline, shimmering with ambition and dreams, money and beauty. It was the cutting-edge symbol of possibility: Hollywood, Silicon Valley, aerospace, agriculture and vineyards.

“But now a punishing drought — and the unprecedented measures the state announced last week to compel people to reduce water consumption — is forcing a reconsideration of whether the aspiration of untrammeled growth that has for so long been this state’s driving engine has run against the limits of nature.

“The 25 percent cut in water consumption ordered by Gov. Jerry Brown raises fundamental questions about what life in California will be like in the years ahead, and even whether this state faces the prospect of people leaving for wetter climates — assuming, as Mr. Brown and other state leaders do, that this marks a permanent change in the climate, rather than a particularly severe cyclical drought.

“This state has survived many a catastrophe before — and defied the doomsayers who have regularly proclaimed the death of the California dream — as it emerged, often stronger, from the challenges of earthquakes, an energy crisis and, most recently, a budgetary collapse that forced years of devastating cuts in spending. These days, the economy is thriving, the population is growing, the state budget is in surplus, and development is exploding from Silicon Valley to San Diego; the evidence of it can be seen in the construction cranes dotting the skylines of Los Angeles and San Francisco.

“But even California’s biggest advocates are wondering if the severity of this drought, now in its fourth year, is going to force a change in the way the state does business.”

European Rapid Reaction Force Ready Within Eight Hours

The Local wrote on April 9:

“Soldiers from Nato’s new rapid reaction force, including hundreds of German troops, were ready to deploy within eight hours of receiving the alert in an exercise simulating an urgent deployment to eastern Europe.

“Around 900 of the 1,500 personnel involved in the 12-nation exercise are based in Germany, where they are supposed to be ready to leave their bases in Saxony, Thuringia and Rhineland-Palatinate with their vehicles and equipment within five days.

“The VJTF was formed in response to growing fears over the threat Russia poses to bordering countries such as Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania in the wake of the Ukraine crisis. By holding forces ready to be deployed at any moment, the alliance hopes to deter Russia from any aggressive moves towards its neighbours in north-eastern Europe…”