This Week in the News

Biden Mumbles Indecipherable Comments

The Daily Mail wrote on July 21:

“[Israel’s] President Isaac Herzog had been in Washington D.C. for a meeting on Tuesday… Video footage of their exchange shows Biden mumbling indecipherable comments towards Herzog while avoiding eye contact, and looking down at himself, as if he’s about to nod-off…

“The footage shows Biden with his eyes closed talking to Herzog, saying: ‘We brought Israelis and Palestinians together, at a political level’.”

Biden Struggles to Read From Teleprompter

Rare wrote on or about July 21:

“President Biden held brief remarks today on artificial intelligence from the White House. Biden spoke for just 6 minutes before shuffling out of the door. During his remarks, Biden struggled to read from his teleprompter, repeating himself over and over again. Biden can be quoted as saying, ‘Artificial Intelligence or promises an enormous, enormous promise of both risk to our society and our economy and our national security but also incredible opportunities.’

“As Biden concluded his short 6 minute remarks, reporters shouted questions about a recent Chinese hack of government emails. The hack is purported to have affected high-level Biden officials, including Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and others. The reporter shouted, ‘Mr. President, can you tell us about the hacking of cabinet officials by China?’ As she spoke, Biden turned and walked away, beginning to talk to Secret Service in the hallway as reporters awaited a response. Biden said, ‘Ready? How we getting these guys down there?’

“There has never been a less transparent Administration occupying the White House than that of Joe Biden. Why are Biden officials still traveling to China? Why have they not appropriately responded to China’s spy balloon, which flew clear across the contiguous United States with no response from our government officials? This is simply absurd.”

Biden is clearly not up to the task, as the next article points out as well.

Biden’s Declining Health

The Telegraph published on July 21 the following commentary by Nile Gardiner, Director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at The Heritage Foundation in Washington, DC:

“Biden’s evidently declining health should be an issue of huge concern on both sides of the Atlantic. The US President’s schedule on international trips is increasingly being curtailed by his advisers who fear that he is simply not up to the task… Biden’s own team carefully limit his engagements, appearances and speeches, for fear that he will embarrass himself and the United States on the international stage. Biden’s relatively brief visit to Windsor Castle earlier this month was a case in point, with King Charles III having to closely watch Biden’s movements, clearly irritated by his meandering inspection of the Welsh Guards.

“Biden’s recent speeches at home and abroad have been littered with gaffes and gasp-inducing moments… When Biden speaks to audiences these days it’s impossible to predict what exactly he will end up saying or how it will end. He is increasingly reduced to reading out carefully scripted answers in press conferences…

“Biden’s White House aides also have major concerns over his physical frailty, demonstrated by a series of potentially dangerous stumbles while boarding Air Force One in recent months. As Politico reported this week, the President is now using the ‘short stairs’ to board the presidential plane, with just 14 steps as opposed to the traditional 26…

“President Biden’s rapidly deteriorating condition is clearly good news for America’s adversaries, from Beijing to Moscow, Pyongyang and Tehran, given that Biden’s deputy, Vice President Kamala Harris, is viewed as an even less effective leader than her boss. But the Chinese, Russians, North Koreans and Iranians relish even more the weak-kneed policies the Biden administration advances on the world stage.

“This is a feeble presidency at every level, enveloped in woke left-wing ideology while pursuing short-sighted policies of appeasement towards some of the most wicked regimes on Earth… The Biden presidency represents American retreat, decline and despair, headed by a president regarded by the enemies of the free world as a soft and easy opponent.”

Even worldly commentators confirm, inadvertently, the end-time biblical prophecy about America’s decline.

Hunter Biden’s “Sweetheart Deal” Falls Apart

Fox News reported on July 26:

“Hunter Biden’s plea deal fell apart during his first court appearance Wednesday morning and pleaded ‘not guilty’ as federal prosecutors confirmed the president’s son is still under federal investigation. The president’s son was expected to plead guilty to two misdemeanor tax counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax, as part of plea deal to avoid jail time on a felony gun charge.

“But Judge Maryellen Noreika did not accept the plea agreement, questioning the constitutionality–specifically the diversion clause [regarding the gun charge] and the immunity [regarding other future charges] Hunter Biden would receive…

 “The judge pressed federal prosecutors on the investigation and questioned whether there was the possibility for future charges, and asked prosecutors if Hunter Biden was currently under active investigation. Prosecutors said he was, but would not answer specifically what the president’s son is under investigation for. Prosecutors on Wednesday, though, said Hunter Biden pleading guilty to the two misdemeanor tax offenses would not immunize him from future charges.

 “At one point… Noreika asked if the government could potentially bring a charge related to the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), to which Wise replied: ‘Yes.’

 “At that point, the original plea deal broke down. Defense attorney Chris Clark said he did not agree with that. ‘Then there’s no deal,’ Wise said…

 “The developments in the case Wednesday come after IRS whistleblower testimony revealed allegations of DOJ misconduct throughout the years-long investigation into the president’s son [saying] politics influenced prosecutorial decisions throughout the investigation. 

 “House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith filed an amicus brief to the court, requesting that testimony be considered ahead of accepting the planned plea deal, saying Hunter Biden ‘appears to have benefited from political interference which calls into question the propriety of the investigation of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.’”

Many observers feel that this is currently the worst possible outcome for Hunter Biden and his father, President Joe Biden, as the floodgates of further investigations and possible criminal charges are still wide open. It also appears that the parties tried to pull a fast one. Note the next article.

How the JD Tried to Protect Joe Biden

The New York Post Editorial Board wrote on July 27:

 “With the text of Hunter Biden’s plea deal now public, it’s no longer possible to deny that the Justice Department’s been bending over backward to protect the Biden family — including President Joe Biden. ‘The United States agrees not to criminally prosecute [Hunter] Biden . . . for any federal crimes’ related to the case, the deal reads. It left only the possibility of ‘prosecution for any future conduct.’

“No wonder Hunter and his attorneys were convinced he’d be off the hook for other crimes, such as those related to foreign lobbying — and, perhaps, bribe-taking, influence-peddling or other corruption. Federal Judge Maryellen Noreika questioned such a ‘broad,’ ‘nonstandard’ agreement, and wondered why both parties wanted her to ‘rubber stamp it.’

“Her questioning forced Special Assistant US Attorney Leo Wise to shift gears on a deal he was intimately knowledgeable of because he had hammered it out over weeks with Hunter’s lawyers. Stunning Hunter’s lawyer, and the rest of the court, he suddenly claimed the deal allowed only a narrower set of potential Biden crimes to be off limits to prosecutors. 

“The first son then balked, of course, and his lawyer, Chris Clark, declared the deal ‘null and void.’ Yet why would Justice include such blanket immunity in the first place?… It has little to do with protecting Hunter Biden. And everything to do with protecting his dad.

“… The reason the judge called the deal ‘nonstandard’ — and why Wise couldn’t provide any precedent — is that no normal defendant ever gets such a sweetheart deal… But despite enormous evidence— millions of dollars in alleged bribes to Joe and his family, Mafia-like threats and apparent Watergate-level coverups — don’t expect the Biden DOJ to ever launch a serious probe. Not with Joe [Biden] in office, anyway.”

Joe Biden’s Business Deals With Foreign Entities

Professor Jonathan Turley wrote the following on July 19 in the New York Post:

“The peril of the poorly crafted question was on display in Wednesday’s hearing with two whistleblowers on political interference in the Hunter Biden investigation… Rep. Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) often goes where wiser members fear to tread. On this occasion, Goldman may have delivered one of the most damaging moments for the Democrats. In the course of just a few minutes, the freshman New York congressman seemed to demolish the defense of President Biden.

“Goldman was trying to get the witnesses to say that there is no evidence that President Biden was personally involved in the alleged felonies of his son. He raised the shocking WhatsApp message that Hunter had allegedly sent to a Chinese official with foreign intelligence contacts. In the message, Hunter wrote: ‘I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled. Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, and now means tonight. And, Z, if I get a call or text from anyone involved in this other than you, Zhang, or the chairman, I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction. I am sitting here waiting for the call with my father.’

“Most Democrats have avoided the message, which is incredibly damaging and seems to contradict the President’s long denial of any knowledge or involvement in his son’s dealings. Goldman pressed veteran IRS investigator Gary Shapley about his suggestion that Joe Biden discussed the foreign dealing with his son. Shapley eagerly said that he would be happy to explain but Goldman cut him off and said that he did not have time for such explanations.

“At this point, most lawyers would have reversed engines out of troubled waters, but Goldman plowed full speed ahead. He said that the references to Joe sitting next to his son does not mean that they actually discussed his business. Goldman then went even further and raised a ‘lunch where Joe Biden came to say hello at the Four Season’s hotel to a lunch that he was having with CEFC executives.’ He then reads from the record in how Biden associate Rob Walker described the origins of the meeting with the Chinese officials to get his dad to stop by: ‘Hunter told his Dad that “I may be trying to start a company or try to do something with these guys.”’

“Goldman then pounced and said slyly ‘Now let me ask you something, that doesn’t sound much like Joe Biden was involved in whatever Hunter was doing with the CEFC if Hunter Biden is telling him that he is trying to do business with them, does it?’ That is when Shapley stated the obvious: ‘No, but it does show that he told his father that he was trying to do business…’

“This is the same Joe Biden who has repeatedly told the American people that he never discussed any of Hunter’s deals and had no knowledge of such deals. He has maintained that denial as evidence has mounted contradicting him. Even when he flew his son to China where Hunter cut lucrative deals, he insists that they never mentioned that deal.

“There are also repeated references to President Biden as the ‘Big Guy’ in emails who was to receive a 10 per cent cut on a deal with the Chinese as well as other benefits. There are other references to Hunter Biden paying portions of his father’s expenses and taxes.

“People apparently were told to avoid directly referring to President Biden…  In one email, Hunter’s business associate Tony Bobulinski was instructed by Biden associate James Gilliar not to speak of the former veep’s connection to any transactions…  There are also the disclosures that Biden met with at least 14 of Hunter’s business associates from the US, Mexico, Ukraine, China and Kazakhstan over the course of his vice presidency.

“Then there is the audiotape message from President Biden for Hunter that specifically discussed coverage of those dealings. Finally, there is another audiotape of his uncle, Jim Biden, telling Hunter that he and his father had discussed his collapsing financial position and could arrange a ‘ safe harbor.’…”

The evidence is mounting that Joe Biden did not only lie repeatedly to the American people, but that he was also involved in business deals with foreign entities which might have jeopardized America’s security. Note the next article:

A Criminal Family Sitting in the White House?

The New York Post wrote on July 23:

“Former House Speaker Newt… Gingrich speculated that the evidence of alleged wrongdoing could soon become overwhelming. ‘What this says to me is that it’s very possible that there was a direct payment to the then-Vice President of the United States,’ Gingrich said… ‘At some point, the dam is going to break and even The New York Times and The Washington Post are going to recognize that we have a huge problem on our hands,’ he added.

“‘We may have a criminal family sitting in the White House that took money from foreigners in Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Romania, Russia, and China… Now, that’s a pretty sobering comment that has huge national security implications and also just basic honesty implications,’ he continued…

“As vice president, Joe Biden had sought to leverage US support to oust Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin. At the time, his son was on the board of Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company that Shokin’s was investigating…”

None of that looks good for Joe Biden and his family.

The Media Would Love to Move On, But…

The New York Post published the following article by Professor Turley on July 25:

“The media’s desire to ‘move on’ from the scandal is reaching an almost frantic level… the release of the new evidence of corruption had left no room to maneuver for both Democrat politicians and the media… Any question would now trip a wire on the Bidens, so most avoid the allegations in favor of talking about Trump or other shiny objects… No matter the severity of the revelations, the liberal media calls the investigations a ‘clown show.’ Others have continued to tell the public that there remain no alleged ties from Hunter to President Biden despite emails, pictures and witness testimony. Yet it is becoming harder and harder to avoid these details…

“Members and the media were literally citing a plea bargain [the so-called ridiculous “sweetheart deal” with Hunter] as dispositive, even as two lead investigators were saying it was fixed and politically influenced… Others insisted that the allegations were still ‘unproven’ or ‘unverified’ while showing the same lack of interest in establishing the truth. Notably, these same media outlets did wall-to-wall coverage of the false Russian collusion claims in the Steele dossier. They are now simply shrugging off what could be one of the most serious corruption scandals in modern history despite the testimony of highly credible whistleblowers and thousands of pages of supporting evidence.

“None of this is going to work, of course. The public has long ago lost trust in the media… Polls show that the public is not ‘moving on’ and now view this as a major scandal. A majority believes that Hunter has received special protection in the investigation. While the media can continue to suppress the evidence and allegations within their own echo-chambered platforms, truth like water has a way of finding a way out. The scandal is moving forward with or without the media.”

Let’s hope so!

Why No Special Counsel to Investigate Joe Biden

Breitbart wrote on July 24:

“During Sunday’s broadcast of FNC’s ‘Life, Liberty & Levin,’ New York Times best-seller author Peter Schweizer explained why a special counsel had not been appointed to investigate alleged Biden family wrongdoing… ‘The reason that one has not been appointed is if they’re appointed, all hell is going to break loose. Let’s remember what we’re talking about here… Just look at China. Based on the laptop, based on public corporate records, what we know is that Hunter Biden and the Biden family received $31 million from four businessmen in China, and when you look at those four businessmen in China, these are not ordinary businessmen…

“‘These are not even ordinary members of the Chinese Communist Party. Each and every one of them has ties to the highest levels of Chinese intelligence,’ he continued. ‘Xie Feng, who arranged a $20 million deal for Hunter Biden in that private equity deal, his business partner at the same time, he is setting up Hunter Biden was the vice minister for State Security for China, whose job is to recruit foreign nationals to spy for China. Or look at Henry Zhao, who wires $5 million to Hunter Biden. He wires him to $5 million out of an account of a company called Harvest that Henry Zhao co-owns with the family of the former Minister of State Security, who runs the entire spy apparatus in China.

“‘Or you look at Chairman Yi, the CEFC energy company who, sends $6 million to Hunter Biden,’ Schweizer added. ‘His previous job before he gets appointed to this energy position is running an organization that is widely known to be a front for Chinese military intelligence. This was an intelligence operation by the Chinese to extract information, to get their claws into the then Second Family, now First Family of the United States.

“‘Nobody in Washington, DC wants to have that conversation, and Merrick Garland is not going to go there, even though this is the poster child for an independent counsel because of how the investigation is being stifled and who the investigation is actually about.’”

It really sounds as if America’s national security might very well have been compromised.

Breitbart added on July 24:

“Robert F. Kennedy Jr…. called for an investigation into the alleged Biden bribery scheme…  the Democrat presidential candidate said allegations surrounding President Joe Biden and Hunter Biden about allegedly accepting $5 million in bribes are worth ‘a real investigation… I mean, these revelations about the, where you had Burisma, which is, you know, a notoriously corrupt company that paid out, apparently, $10 million to Hunter and his dad. If that’s true, then it is really troubling.’”

Rand Paul Demands Prosecution of Dr. Fauci

Outkick wrote on July 19:

“Rand Paul is not letting the pressure up on Dr. Anthony Fauci. Fauci through his role as head of the NAIAD made any number of unimaginable mistakes. He claimed, inaccurately, that masks work to stop the spread of COVID. He advocated for school closures, afterwards denying he did any such thing.

“His misinformation on the efficacy of COVID vaccines helped usher in the spread of vaccine mandates and passports. Inexcusably, he’s also avoided acknowledging mistakes or admitting that he was wrong about many of these disastrous assertions.

“But one of the most contentious aspects of Fauci’s tenure revolves around the origins of COVID. And as more information emerges, it’s becoming even more clear how hard he worked to protect himself and his colleagues by deflecting from his organization’s role in funding gain-of-function research. The release of new, unredacted, emails shows that he was well aware that gain-of-function experiments were happening in Wuhan. That directly contradicts his previous claims that NIH had nothing to do with funding such experiments.

“And as a result, Senator Rand Paul’s referred him to Attorney General Merrick Garland to prosecute him for potentially lying under oath

“… But Merrick Garland has proven to be far from an independent, unbiased enforcer of the law. Instead, unsurprisingly, he’s function[ing] primarily as an enforcer of Biden administration priorities. Most notably through his lax prosecution of Hunter Biden and alleged interference in an IRS investigation… The odds that this Department of Justice prosecutes him for potentially lying under oath is infinitesimal, to say the least.

“But Rand Paul’s dogged efforts are necessary and immensely valuable to publicize how Fauci repeatedly mislead the public to protect himself. There may never be true accountability, but every opportunity to remove the veneer of Fauci’s credibility is worth pursuing.”

In this context, the New York Post reported on July 25 about Joe Biden’s latest blunder regarding COVID, as follows:

“In yet another embarrassing slip-up, President Biden Tuesday accidentally provided a lowball estimate of COVID-19’s death toll — saying ‘over 100’ Americans have died from the disease since it emerged over three years ago. Biden, 80, committed the gaffe — which was later corrected to ‘over 1 million’ in an official White House transcript — while announcing a new plan for the expansion of mental health care.

“‘We’re still feeling the profound loss of the pandemic.  As I mentioned, we have over 100 people dead,’ Biden said at the White House. ‘That’s 100 empty chairs around the kitchen table. Every single loss, there are so many people left behind and broken-hearted,’ the commander-in-chief added.”

Incredible!!!

The BRICS Economic Bloc

Modern Diplomacy wrote on July 24:

Twenty two nations have formally applied to become members of the BRICS economic bloc… An equal number have also informally sought to join the organization that groups Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa… Anil Sooklal, the bloc’s ambassador from South Africa… previously said that countries including Saudi Arabia and Iran have formally asked to become BRICS members, while countries that expressed an interest in joining include the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Egypt, Bahrain, Indonesia and others…

“The countries agreed to pool $100 billion of foreign currency, which they can lend to each other during emergencies,,, They founded the New Development Bank — a World Bank-inspired institution that has approved more than $30 billion of loans for projects like water and transport infrastructure since it began operations in 2015… They plan to discuss the feasibility of a common BRICS currency this year…

“BRICS is similar to clubs such as the Group of 20 in representing a move toward a more multipolar world and away from one dominated by the US…”

America’s influence in the world is clearly diminishing and failing…

Russia Threatens Poland

Al Jazeera wrote on July 21:

“Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Poland of having territorial ambitions in the former Soviet Union and said any aggression against its neighbour and ally Belarus would be considered an attack on Russia itself.

“In televised remarks on Friday, Putin warned that Moscow would use any means at its disposal to protect Belarus, which forms a loose Union State with Russia, against possible attacks. Putin said there were reports of plans for a Polish-Lithuanian unit to be used for operations in western Ukraine – parts of which in the past belonged to Poland – and ultimately to occupy territory there…

Poland, a NATO member and one of Ukraine’s staunchest allies in its fight against Russia’s invasion, denied any territorial ambitions in Ukraine or Belarus…

“In his remarks, Putin argued Poland’s western territories were a ‘present’ from former Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. ‘Thanks to the Soviet Union, to Stalin, Poland got significant amounts of lands in the west, lands that used to belong to Germany. It is so. Western territories of Poland are the present given by Stalin to Poles. Our friends in Warsaw had forgotten about it. We will remind them.’

“Putin’s comments are a message that ‘Poland has to be grateful to the Soviet Union, to Russia, and instead they are becoming more of an enemy to Russia,’ said Nina Khrushcheva, professor of international affairs at the New School and great-granddaughter of former Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. ‘Also this is a message to the Ukrainians: “Please remember that for many years Ukraine and Poland were not great friends, and so now you’re being duped.”’…

“Warsaw’s Security Committee decided on Wednesday to move military units to eastern Poland after Wagner fighters arrived in Belarus…”

Germany Pledges Military Support for Poland

Express wrote on July 21:

“Germany’s Defence Minister [Boris Pistorius] has pledged support for Poland in the event the NATO member’s eastern border comes under attack from Belarus or Russia… Mr Pistorius emphasised that if Poland wants assistance, it will receive it since they are trusted NATO members…

“Poland’s intention to beef up its military along the Belarusian border has alarmed the Kremlin. The Kremlin’s spokesman, Dmitry Peskov… told reporters: ‘Of course it is a cause for concern. The aggressiveness of Poland is a reality. Such a hostile attitude towards Belarus and the Russian Federation requires heightened attention [from our side].’”

Germany is again at the forefront of potential military activities.

Western Hesitancy Helped Russia

The Washington Examiner wrote on July 21:

“Western hesitance to provide Ukraine with heavy weaponry and training provided Russia with ‘more time than they needed’ to fortify their lines, according to Ukrainian President… Zelensky. ‘We did plan to start it in spring, but we didn’t because, frankly, we had not enough munitions and armaments and not enough properly trained brigades… in these weapons,’ Zelensky said… Friday…

“Much of equipment arrived far later than Ukrainian officials first hoped. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, for instance, declined to authorize the transfer of Leopard tanks until Biden promised to pledge U.S.-made Abrams tanks. That protracted conversation drew to a conclusion in January — weeks after France and the United Kingdom unveiled their respective decisions to provide light and heavy NATO-designed tanks and nearly a year after Zelensky began to ‘express a need for tanks’ and other heavy arms in anticipation of this clash.”

Ukraine will not easily forget “Western hesitance”—especially from Germany.

Zelensky Fires His Ambassador to the UK

The Daily Mail wrote on July 21:

“Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky has dismissed the country’s ambassador to the United Kingdom… Vadym Prystaiko had criticised Zelensky’s sarcastic response to suggestions from Defence Secretary Ben Wallace that Ukraine should show more gratitude for arms supplies from its allies…

“The row began when Wallace told journalists at a NATO summit in Vilnius this month that Britain was not an Amazon delivery service for weapons to Ukraine and suggested Kyiv could express more ‘gratitude’… Zelensky responded at a press conference at the summit, saying he did not know how else to make clear Ukraine’s gratitude, adding: ‘We could wake up in the morning and express our words of gratitude to the minister personally.’

“The Ukrainian diplomat agreed with a suggestion from a Sky News interviewer that Zelensky responded with ‘a little bit of sarcasm’ to Wallace. ‘I don’t believe that this sarcasm is healthy. We don’t have to show the Russians that we have something between us, they have to know that we are working together,’ Prystaiko added, stressing the need to smooth over relations with the UK…

“Prystaiko is a career diplomat who has served as ambassador to the United Kingdom since July 2020. He became a prominent figure in London amid the UK’s response to the war, often appearing on TV and radio to outline the latest view in Kyiv while also attending various official events in Downing Street and elsewhere linked to Ukraine’s war effort.

“Only last Thursday, he was in the royal box at the Wimbledon tennis championships. Before taking up the diplomatic role in London, he was Ukraine’s vice-prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration and is also a former foreign minister.”

Zelensky’s outbursts and his hasty and unpopular decisions might very well backfire on him.

Trump and His Supporters on the Russia-Ukraine-War

Newsweek wrote on July 23:

“Former President Donald Trump said in an interview broadcast on Sunday morning that Ukraine should receive over $100 billion more in aid from European nations to match what the United States has contributed… In recent months, the former president has repeatedly said that the war would not have happened if he was still president, and that he’d end the conflict in a day if he’s reelected in 2024.Trump’s comments about the war have garnered significant criticism from Democrats and Republicans who strongly support Ukraine…

“… data from the Kiel Institute for World Economy, a German research institute, shows that as of May 31, the U.S. has sent just north of $75 billion of the allocated assistance to Ukraine. Meanwhile…  EU institutions have contributed a little more than $27 billion, while the United Kingdom and Germany have each given more than $10 billion. Several other European nations’ contributions have totaled in the billions of dollars, while a number of others have given hundreds of millions, according to the research institute…

“Although most Republican and Democratic lawmakers in Congress continue to support U.S. assistance to Ukraine, there is a vocal faction of GOP lawmakers who staunchly oppose any support to Kyiv… 43 percent of Trump voters believe the U.S. has provided too much support to Ukraine, while 20 percent felt it was too little. In addition, 20 percent said it was about right and 17 percent answered ‘don’t know.’

“The survey also found that 41 percent of Trump voters believe the U.S. ‘should reconsider our levels of support as the war continues,’ while 20 percent believed U.S. support should stop now. A further 26 percent said support should continue until Ukraine wins the war and 13 percent didn’t know…

“Meanwhile, Trump previously told Fox News that he’d warn Putin that U.S. aid to Ukraine would increase if he didn’t make a deal to end the war. ‘… We’re going to [give Ukraine] more than they ever got if we have to…’”

This Is Obliteration!

Fox News wrote on July 23:

“Former President Donald Trump said in a new interview clip aired Sunday that President Biden is not up to the task during a precarious time for the U.S. amid growing tensions around the globe. ‘Look, this is the most dangerous time in the history of our country because of weaponry. The nuclear power is so enormous. This isn’t two Army tanks going and shooting each other in World War I, World War II, soldiers standing behind a bunker and shooting people,’ Trump said during a sit-down interview with Fox News host Maria Bartiromo. ‘This is obliteration,’ Trump added…

“‘And we have a man that doesn’t understand what he’s doing. We have a man that … stood up and told the whole world that we have no ammunition,’  Trump said of Biden… ‘You talk about classified documents. That’s worse than any document that you could give,’ Trump continued… ‘So, now these people are sitting back in China and other places that hate us, including North Korea… They’re talking about the United States of America has no ammunition. Think of it. How stupid can somebody be to say that?’” 

The USA will reach a point where it will NOT go out to battle anymore, even if it wanted to.

Germany Critical of Ukraine

The Times wrote on July 25:

“Germany’s armed forces have criticised the tactics adopted by the Ukrainian army in its counteroffensive against Russian positions and said that battle-hardened troops and officers were ignoring methods taught in western training, according to a leaked Bundeswehr paper.

“The Bild newspaper reported that it had obtained a confidential German army assessment of the Ukrainian assault that Kyiv has admitted is making slower progress than hoped.

“The Ukrainian forces were splitting their western-trained brigades into small units of just ten to 30 soldiers in some cases to attack an enemy position, which meant they weren’t putting their western training, superior weapons or large troop numbers to use, the report said.”

Frictions between Germany and Ukraine will continue.

Kennedy: US Pushed Ukraine War

The Daily Beast wrote on July 26:

“Robert F. Kennedy Jr. debated Fox News host Sean Hannity during a town hall event Tuesday about the United States’ role in the Russia-Ukraine war, with the 2024 presidential candidate claiming that the U.S. had been ‘pushing’ Ukraine into the war…. ‘Do I trust Putin? No,’ Kennedy Jr. said… [He] then accused the U.S. of sabotaging the Minsk agreements in 2014 and 2015, which aimed to end the Donbas war yet largely failed to stop the fighting between Russian separatists and Ukraine’s armed forces…

“Kennedy Jr. claimed that the expansion of NATO after the fall of the Soviet Union was an example of the U.S. deliberately bringing out the conditions that ultimately led to the war. Minutes later, Kennedy Jr…. dismissed the idea that Russia would lose the war it started. ‘It would be like us losing a war to Mexico,’ he said. ‘They are not going to lose the war.’”

Kennedy also repeated his claim that the CIA was involved with the murder of his uncle, John F. Kennedy. According to an article in the New York Post, dated May 9, 2023, it had been reported:

“RFK Jr. claimed to remember that his father’s first call after receiving the news of his brother’s assassination was to CIA officials, asking them if they were responsible. ‘It was my father’s first instinct that the agency had killed his brother,’ said Kennedy.

“The candidate added that his father had also investigated Jack Ruby, who killed accused triggerman Lee Harvey Oswald on live television, and found he had ties to mob bosses and casino owners who were in ‘cahoots’ with the CIA.”

Hungary Opposed to Unconditional Financial Long-Term Support for Ukraine

Ukrainska Pravda wrote on July 20:

“Hungary has opposed the EU’s attempt to create a long-term fund of up to €20 billion to support the Ukrainian army…

“Foreign ministers met in Brussels on Thursday, 20 July, and discussed for the first time a proposal that would allocate at least €5 billion a year over the next four years to cover the costs of EU countries buying and donating arms to Ukraine as well as training Ukrainian troops.

“But during the meeting, Hungary said it would object to the plan until Ukraine removed Hungarian Bank OTP from its list of ‘war sponsors’… The National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) has included Hungary’s OTP Bank in the list of international ‘war sponsors.’”

This is idiotic. There are nothing but “international war sponsors” around these days. Many major business corporations or organizations, including in the USA and Europe, are in one way or another involved in promoting and sponsoring war activities.

Hungary and the EU

Hungary Today wrote on July 22:

“Prime Minister Viktor Orbán… claimed that the European Union has rejected its Christian heritage, and it is carrying out a population replacement. Mr Orbán said that people have the feeling that the EU is plagued by anxiety and feels hemmed in. It is a rich and weak Union, which sees around it a world in revolt, millions of people heading for Europe…

The big European companies do not want to break away and leave Russia, Mr Orbán said. He pointed out that seventy percent of energy companies are still present in Russia, and Western companies have paid $3.5 billion into the Russian budget…

“The EU… is waging an LGBTQ campaign against family-friendly nations. The Prime Minister said that Europe has created its own political class, which is no longer accountable, no longer Christian or democratic in its beliefs…”

Europe will become much more undemocratic and dictatorial, and even though its “Christian heritage” will be revived, it will not be the Christianity taught in the Bible.

Gridlock in Spain

USA Today wrote on July 24:

“Spain was plunged into political uncertainty Monday a day after Alberto Núñez Feijóo’s conservative Popular Party narrowly won the country’s national election but without securing the parliamentary majority needed to topple the five-year-old coalition government of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.

“The result means Feijóo can’t claim outright victory, though he told his supporters he would try to form a government. That process is likely to take weeks or even months as Sánchez may also be able to secure support from smaller parties to form a governing coalition. A new election could also be called.

“Expectations Santiago Abascal’s far-right Vox party would perform well enough to prop up a Feijóo-led government did not happen…

“Jobs. The economy. The cost of living. These were the issues that appeared to matter most to Spanish voters. However, climate change, nationalism and LGBTQ and gender issues also featured in campaigns.

“Feijóo’s best chances of forming a government had been with a partnership with Vox. That’s unlikely to happen now because of the latter’s poor performance. A route to power for incumbent Sánchez could be if he were able to secure the backing of Junts, a Catalan pro-independent party founded by Carles Puigdemont. Catalonia is a region of Spain with Barcelona as its capital that has long sought to breakaway from Spain’s government.

“‘The results are so close that they leave everything up in the air,’ the Spanish newspaper El Pais wrote Monday. ‘The Spanish political landscape is wide open.’”

The Associated Press added on July 25:

“The divided results have made the hardline Catalan separatist party Junts (Together) emerge as Sánchez’s potential kingmaker. If Junts asks for a referendum on independence for northeast Catalonia, that would likely be far too costly a price for Sánchez to pay. ‘We won’t make Pedro Sánchez PM in exchange for nothing,’ Míriam Nogueras of Junts said…

“Spain’s new Parliament will meet in a month. King Felipe VI then appoints one of the party leaders to submit him or herself to a parliamentary vote to form a new government. Lawmakers have a maximum period of three months to reach an agreement. Otherwise, new elections would be triggered.”

It appears to us that Spain will be one of the prophesied ten nations or groups of nations forming core Europe. The developments in Spain are therefore of great significance.

The EU Is Not UK’s Friend

The Telegraph wrote on July 21:

“During her Tory leadership campaign Liz Truss was asked if President Macron of France was a friend or foe. She indicated it was too early to tell… Today, however, the question is not whether France is our friend or foe but whether the EU as a whole is

“For this week, at the end of a meeting with Latin American states collectively known as Celac, the EU issued a communique which called the Falkland Islands the Malvinas. Regarding their sovereignty the EU merely noted the historical position of the Latin American states on the issue and backed a peaceful solution to the dispute. Frantic British objections before the communique were simply brushed aside…

“Clearly all member states had discussed the matter before agreeing to the communique and backing the Hispanics… The EU must have known that the Argentine claim is baseless. There has been a British colony on the Falklands since 1833. There has never been an equivalent Argentine one. We fought a war to retain the islands in 1982, where 255 British servicemen died. In 2013 in a democratic referendum 99.8 per cent of the population voted to remain British. The EU knows all this but chooses to ignore it because, since Brexit, we are now its enemy. It wishes to humiliate us whenever possible. The defence of democracy matters little to it…

Gibraltar is like the Falklands. The Spanish seized it from the Moors in 1462. The British conquered it in 1704 and acquired it permanently by the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. So it was Spanish for 242 years and has been British for 319 years. Moreover a referendum in 2002 showed 98.97 per cent of the population rejected joint sovereignty with Spain. Another in 1967 had shown 99.67 per cent wanted to remain British. Now though, we can expect the new government [of Spain] to blame the situation on Brexit and push again for ‘sovereignty’ talks – with the full support of the EU…

The EU is not our friend. It is only nice to us when it needs us…

“The EU’s true colours have been shown over Northern Ireland, too. There the Windsor Framework was supposed to solve trade disputes by creating a ‘green lane’ which would allow all goods from the UK headed only for Northern Ireland free and frictionless transit. Yet the EU has imposed such a burden of regulation on the ‘trusted traders’ supposed to benefit from this that many have given up trying to use it. In short the EU is making Northern Ireland a foreign country. And it is doing so deliberately…”

The hostilities between the EU and the United Kingdom will continue.

USA Not a True Friend of Israel

Israel Today wrote on July 20:

“The mantras that ‘the US-Israel relationship is rock solid’ and ‘the US has Israel’s back’—so often proclaimed in the breach by both countries—may be wearing thin in Israel…

“Israel knows the US has never truly had its back. During Israel’s 1947-1948 War of Independence, the US imposed an arms embargo to prevent Israel from defending itself against the heavily armed Arab armies invading it. In the 1956 Suez War, the US forced Israel to withdraw from the Sinai and Gaza after Israel’s victory over Egypt.

“In the 1967 Six-Day War, the US pressured Israel to halt its advance on Damascus. In the 1973 Yom Kippur War, US fear of Arab criticism led to delays in resupplying Israel. The 2014 Israel-Gaza conflict, which saw the US temporarily suspend arms shipments, showed again that Israel could not depend on a US resupply during wartime.

“The US opposed Israel’s destruction of Iraq’s nuclear reactor in 1981 and Syria’s in 2007. Now the US is facilitating Iran’s acquisition of nuclear weapons. Over the decades, whenever Israel defended itself against attacks from its neighbors, the US intervened to force Israel to back off. This prevented decisive victories that could have discouraged future wars and led to lasting peace settlements.

“The claim that Israel can always count on American military support is a fiction that both countries want to maintain. The US does it to reassure its domestic Jewish population. Israel does it so its enemies will see Israel as that much stronger

“American support, which includes some $4 billion a year in military aid, is a mixed blessing, partly because it comes with strings attached. Israel must spend the lion’s share of the money on US arms that don’t always provide value for money. Worse, the subsidies lead many Americans to believe Israel should be accountable to the US, giving Israel’s critics license to interfere in Israeli affairs

“While many US administrations have been high-handed in their relations with Israel, the Biden administration has been especially discourteous, reflecting increased hostility towards Israel from America’s progressive left. It has referred to the Israeli government as extremist, scolded Israel on all manner of issues and refused to invite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House.”

What an insightful and powerful article, stating FACTS which are easily forgotten or suppressed by America’s mainstream media.

Uproar in Israel

CNN wrote on July 24:

“The Israeli parliament on Monday passed a law stripping the Supreme Court of its power to block government decisions, the first part of a planned judicial overhaul that has sharply divided Israeli society and drawn fierce criticism from the White House.

“The controversial bill passed by a vote of 64-0 in the Knesset. All members of the governing coalition voted in favor the bill, while all opposition lawmakers walked out of the chamber as the vote was taking place.

“Huge crowds of angry protesters gathered outside, attempting to block access to the building… Thousands of military reservists – including more than 1,100 Air Force officers – said even before the bill passed that they would refuse to volunteer for duty if it did.

“The so-called reasonableness law takes away the Supreme Court’s power to block government decisions by declaring them unreasonable. Its passing could trigger a constitutional crisis – if the court declares the law itself is unreasonable.”

Breitbart added on July 24:

“The new law prevents courts from using their own idea of ‘reasonableness’ in blocking government policies. Critics had long argued that the ‘reasonableness’ doctrine allowed the left-leaning judiciary to abuse its power, and that it tended to do so more often against Israel’s conservative governments…

“U.S. President Joe Biden, whose administration publicly opposes Israel’s internal reforms, issued a last-minute warning to Netanyahu not to proceed… Many of the reforms closely parallel existing practice in the U.S. and other democratic countries; Israel’s judiciary began amassing extraordinary powers in the 1990s…”

Why does Biden get involved in this? Didn’t he cause enough problems at home?

Justin Trudeau Canada’s Worst Prime Minister

The Telegraph wrote on July 24:

“The votes have been tallied. The results are in.  Justin Trudeau is Canada’s worst Prime Minister… in the past 55 years… Trudeau, a left-leaning Liberal, was once the political darling of the progressive set. That reputation came unglued…

“He’s… spent taxpayer dollars like a drunken sailor on the much-ridiculed federal carbon tax, national dental care, voluntary euthanasia, legalized marijuana, firearms regulation, Covid-19 measures and so on. Private investment and involvement in Canada has dried up like the Sahara Desert. Trudeau embarrassingly took a knee during Black Lives Matter in front of TV cameras. He claimed to admire China’s economy, which was later explained away as a joke…”

If similar honest surveys were to be conducted in other countries, we are sure that Joe Biden would turn out to be the worst President (even though some in the media suggest that Jimmy Carter was the worst President, followed by Joe Biden); Olaf Scholz would be the worst German Chancellor; and Emmanual Macron would be the worst French President. And the list would go on. There are no true leaders around these days…

Pope: God Loves Us As We Are!

ANSA reported on July 25:

“God loves us just as we are, Pope Francis tells a young transgender person in a new podcast produced by Vatican Radio ahead of World Youth Day in Lisbon and released on Tuesday… after hearing the story of Giona, who spoke about the challenges of being a believer, while accepting the reality of having physical challenges and being transgender.”

This is of course NOT what the Bible says.

No More Visa-Free Travel in Europe

Travel Noire wrote on July 21:

“The days of visa-free travel throughout most of Europe are about to change. Starting early next year, the European Union will implement the European Travel Information and Authorization System requiring all visitors from visa-free countries to obtain travel authorization prior to their departure.

“The European Travel Information and Authorization System is not your traditional visa. It’s a straightforward online application process with approval delivered by email. Travelers will need to fill out an online form with basic biographical information, travel plans and travel history, along with security questions. While most applicants will receive approval within an hour, some may experience a wait of up to 96 hours for further checks. The cost of the application is approximately $8, applicable to travelers of all ages. Once approved, the travel authorization will be valid for multiple entries over three years or until the traveler’s passport expires

“European Travel Information and Authorization System will be required for travel to all member countries including full Schengen members, like Spain, France, and Italy, European Free Trade Association countries, like Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland, future Schengen members, like Bulgaria and Cyprus, and European microstates, like Andorra and Monaco…

“As Europe gears up for the rollout, it’s essential to remember that the length of time American tourists can spend in Europe remains unchanged. United States passport holders are still allowed to stay up to 90 days within a 180-day period without a visa. For stays longer than 90 days, a special visa will be required.”

Support for Germany’s AfD Reaches Unparalleled Levels

Bloomberg wrote on July 22:

“Support for the far-right Alternative for Germany climbed to a record, widening its lead over all three parties in Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s ruling coalition. In the latest sign of voter frustration with the government, the AfD — as the party is widely known — increased to 22%, trailing only the conservative Christian Democrat-led bloc [CDU] at 26%, according to a poll conducted for the Bild am Sonntag newspaper by INSA.

“Support for Scholz’s Social Democrats was at 18%. The junior coalition partners, the Greens and the liberal Free Democrats, were at 14% and 7%, respectively. The AfD’s advances in recent months have been fueled by discontent over issues ranging from record immigration, persistently high inflation and costly climate-protection measures.

Coalition infighting, including a drawn-out feud over measures to shift household heating away from fossil fuels, has further irritated voters. The INSA poll said 70% were dissatisfied with the government and 60% with Scholz’s performance as chancellor…”

As reported by Bild Online, dated July 23, according to some experts and observers, the AfD is already the strongest party in Germany, even leading over the CDU.

Criminalizing Politically Incorrect Speech?

The Washington Examiner wrote on July 18:

“A new poll conducted for Newsweek found that ‘44% of those aged 25-34 think “referring to someone by the wrong gender pronoun (he/him, she/her) should be a criminal offense,’ versus just 31% who disagree. The remainder ‘neither agree nor disagree’ or ‘don’t know.'”

“This is a striking finding…  It is worthwhile to ask a simple question: Why?… Knowledge of history, which could teach us that compelled speech is antithetical to the idea of a free society, has gone by the wayside. Fidelity to tradition, which ensures we do not make revolutionary changes without due thought, is now out of fashion. And a sense of humility, which endows people with the sense that the accumulated wisdom of the past may be greater than an on-the-fly thought in the present, has all but disappeared…

“If we value tolerance more than anything else, then why do so many support draconian punishments — quite intolerant, if you ask me — for those who use incorrect pronouns?… even the most tolerant of societies must be intolerant of something. After all, there is no such thing as a society without any standards…’

This whole woke concept is so nonsensical. And the consequences of this brain-washing mentality are alarming and pose real threats to a democratic society, not to speak of the lack of upholding godly standards. Also note the next article.

Mad LGBT Scientists Playing God

IFN wrote on July 22:

“Scientists from the LGBT community have started a biotech firm with the express purpose of seeking to manufacture human eggs and sperm in a lab so that same-sex couples can produce children containing the DNA of both partners…

“If the experimental technology pans out, the human egg created in a lab with the DNA of a gay man in a same-sex relationship could be fertilized by the sperm of his partner, and then the resulting embryo would be carried by a surrogate through to the birth of a baby that is genetically related to both men. Lesbians could also use the technology to create sperm, allowing them to have babies with genes from both women. Transgender couples could also have biologically related babies.

“So much is wrong about this situation. The creation of lab babies to satisfy the desires of LGBT activists is morally and ethically bankrupt. It not only challenges the natural order created by God, but it raises extremely serious concerns relating to issues such as human cloning, designer babies, eugenics and even cross-species developmentThese mad scientists are playing God…”

God DESTROYED Sodom and Gomorrah. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. His standards do not change. What the article above is describing is sickening and ungodly.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

This Week in the News

Trump a “Target in the January 6 Investigation”

The New York Post wrote on July 18:

“Former President Donald Trump revealed Tuesday that his attorneys had informed him he is a target of special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into events surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot — and that he is prepared for ‘an Arrest and Indictment’ in the case. Trump… decried what he called a ‘WITCH HUNT’ and ‘ELECTION INTERFERENCE’ on his Truth Social platform.

“‘WOW! On Sunday night, while I was with my family, having just arrived from the Turning Point event in Florida, where I won the Straw Poll against all other Republican candidates with 85.7%, with all polls showing me leading in the Republican Primary by very substantial numbers, almost everyone predicting that I will be the Republican Nominee for President, and as I am leading Democrat Joe Biden in the polls by a lot, HORRIFYING NEWS for our Country was given to me by my attorneys,’ Trump wrote.

“‘Deranged Jack Smith, the prosecutor with Joe Biden’s DOJ, sent a letter (again, it was Sunday night!) stating that I am a TARGET of the January 6th Grand Jury investigation, and giving me a very short 4 days to report to the Grand Jury, which almost always means an Arrest and Indictment.’

“Trump added: ‘So now, Joe Biden’s Attorney General, Merrick Garland, who I turned down for the United States Supreme Court (in retrospect, based on his corrupt and unethical actions, a very wise decision!), together with Joe Biden’s Department of Injustice, have effectively issued a third Indictment and Arrest of Joe Biden’s NUMBER ONE POLITICAL OPPONENT, who is largely dominating him in the race for the Presidency. Nothing like this has ever happened in our Country before, or even close.’”

This looks more and more like the methods of a Banana Republic, especially in light of the fact that nothing seems to happen in the Joe Biden/Hunter Biden numerous scandals. View our new program “America, Where ARE You Going?”

Biden’s Involvement in Trump’s Political Prosecution

The New York Post published the following opinion piece by Michael Goodwin on July 19:

Most Americans are not fooled and see… the dirty hand of partisan politics, and conclude the whole thing is corrupt… There is no way to be more politically obvious than the way [AG Merrick Garland] slow-walked and settled the Hunter Biden case [with a “sweetheart deal”] and the vengeance with which he repeatedly goes after Donald Trump…

“There was never any doubt  [that Trump would become a “target” in the January 6 events]—that was the whole point when Garland took Nancy Pelosi’s tainted House select committee file and made a federal case out of it. Even when Garland, in a phony bid to appear fair, named headhunter Jack Smith as special counsel to go after Trump…, the smell of a fix was unmistakable… all the prosecutors gunning for him are Democrats, but we are told to believe politics has nothing to do with it…

“We’re also supposed to believe that… Biden… is playing zero role in Garland’s decisions to go after Trump. Some extremely naive people might have swallowed that once upon a time… But there is no excuse for cluelessness now that the truth of how the Justice Department behaves under Garland stands so nakedly obvious.

“Indeed, the results unfolding before us were predictable, thanks to a New York Times article back on April 2, 2022. Here’s a key section:

“‘The attorney general’s deliberative approach has come to frustrate Democratic allies of the White House and, at times, President Biden himself. As recently as late last year, Mr. Biden confided to his inner circle that he believed former President Donald J. Trump was a threat to democracy and should be prosecuted, according to two people familiar with his comments.

“‘And while the president has never communicated his frustrations directly to Mr. Garland, he has said privately that he wanted Mr. Garland to act less like a ponderous judge and more like a prosecutor who is willing to take decisive action over the events of Jan. 6.

“Assuming the article is accurate, it would mean Biden has been telling people he wanted Trump prosecuted since late 2021. And how precious of the Times to say Biden never spoke ‘directly’ with Garland about the matter, as if that makes it all kosher. In reality, anonymous White House sources tell the Times what Biden wants, and the Times delivers the message to Garland and the world with its story. The two men don’t have to speak ‘directly’ when the Gray Lady plays messenger.

“… that the zealousness for prosecuting the former president compared to the soft, favored treatment given the current president and his son smells to high heaven. That, too, [ought to] be a crime.”

The Storm on the Capitol Infiltrated by Federal Agents?

On July 17, Life Site News republished the following article by WND News Center:

Tucker Carlson has dropped a bombshell during an interview, one of few he’s given since his abrupt departure from the [Fox] cable network. It’s that the Jan. 6, 2021, events at the U.S. Capitol, where a few hundred people rioted and vandalized parts of the building, were ‘filled’ with federal agents.

“How does he know? He got it from then-Capitol Police Chief Steven Sund… Carlson pointed out Sund would know, as ‘he was in charge of security at the site.’

“Carlson was canceled by the Fox News Channel before that interview could be aired.

“There long has been discussion of the idea that multiple federal agents acted as provocateurs at the events that day, encouraging those who may have been no more than interested participants in the Trump rally earlier in the day to become violent. Their goal would have been to trigger violence, which they then could blame on Trump, as Democrats have done in recent months. In fact, one person who was ranting around that day, telling people to go into the Capitol, and is on video doing so, but never has been charged.

“Carlson indicated he hopes to interview Sund again, this time without the restrictions imposed by Fox on the first interview.

“The PJNewsletter said, ‘We all suspected that the “conservative” network fired Tucker for speaking his mind. Some noted the timing of his cancellation – just days after he aired real footage from J6. And he revealed that Fox dumped him before he could report on this… The timing of this interview and Tucker’s ousting seems highly suspicious to some. Was it possible that Fox News was trying to censor this interview? Do they not want Americans to know that the U.S. Capitol Police chief believed that the crowd of “Trump supporters” had been infiltrated by federal agents?’”

Suspicious timing indeed.

The Cocaine Scandal Cover-Up

On July 16, The New York Post published the following editorial by Miranda Devine:

“Of all the excuses offered by the Secret Service to explain why it shut down the White House cocaine investigation last week after just 11 days, one jumped out as particularly ridiculous. 

“It couldn’t conduct interviews of potential cokeheads known to be in the vicinity of where the bag of drugs was found because it didn’t want to infringe on their civil rights, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told NBC… Tell that to the hundreds of people rounded up by the FBI for just being in the vicinity of the Capitol on January 6, 2021. 

“Sorry, nobody believes that the Biden administration cares about safeguarding civil liberties unless it’s part of a cover-up... Shifting stories about where the cocaine was located add to the public skepticism, and then a flat-out lie about when the president and his son left the White House for Camp David that weekend compounded the problem. 

“Despite enlisting the help of the FBI, the Secret Service found no fingerprints or DNA evidence on the bag of cocaine [So the culprit wore gloves?] Even more astonishing is that, in a complex bristling with security cameras, the Secret Service said no surveillance video footage exists because the baggie was located in a ‘blind spot.’…

“Donald Trump, who is more familiar with the White House than most people, told Fox News on Sunday: ‘You know how many cameras they have opposite the front door of the Situation Room? [It’s] where you decide on war, where you decide on nuclear.’…

“Biden has a history of cozy relationships with the agency. Hunter once told a friend, in a message left on his laptop, how his father leveraged favors through his Secret Service agents: ‘guys that he got their daughter into the naval academy that he had to the VP residence and let them use his apartment to stay and cost the White House, guys he paid their health insurance premiums for anonymously.’’ 

Nobody believes that the culprit could not be found if there was a real interest in doing so.

More on Joe and Hunter Biden

 The New York Post wrote on July 20:

“A bombshell FBI informant file describing a $10 million bribery allegation against President Biden and his son Hunter was released Thursday by Sen. Chuck Grassley, showing that a Ukrainian oligarch claimed that he was ‘coerced’ into making the payoff.

“Mykola Zlochevsky, the owner of natural gas company Burisma Holdings, told the FBI informant in 2016 while meeting at a coffee shop in Vienna, Austria, that ‘it cost 5 [million] to pay one Biden, and 5 [million] to another Biden,’ according to the redacted FD-1023 form. ‘Zlochevsky made some comment that although Hunter Biden “was stupid, and his (Zlochevsky’s) dog was smarter,” Zlochevsky needed to keep Hunter Biden (on Burisma’s board) “so everything will be okay,”’ the June 2020 document says. 

“The source asked whether Hunter Biden or Joe Biden told Zlochevsky he should ‘retain’ the younger Biden; Zlochevsky allegedly replied, ‘They both did.’”

The New York Post also reported that Zlochevsky allegedly said: “Don’t worry Hunter will take care of all of those issues through his dad.”

How FBI Director Christopher Wray Lied to the American People

Professor Jonathan Turley wrote the following on July 13 (the article was republished by the Ron Paul Institute):

“Yesterday’s hearing with FBI Director Christopher Wray was another maddening experience of faux contrition and the open evasion. Wray apologized for violations that have already been established by courts or Congress (often over the best efforts of the FBI). However, on ample public evidence of new violations, Wray continued to use his favorite testimonial trilogy to block any questions: expressing (1) lack of knowledge, (2) ongoing investigation, and (3) promises of later answers or briefings…

‘Despite the near total lack of substance, Wray did make one surprising denial. He insisted that the FBI does not engage in censorship efforts, focuses only on ‘foreign disinformation,’ and does not pressure companies to censor others. Those denials are not only directly contradicted by the recent opinion of a federal court and the Twitter Files, but a new release from the Twitter Files and journalist Matt Taibbi…

“[Wray’s] statement is obviously false. The FBI maintained a large operation of agents actively seeking the censorship of thousands…  Taibbi, however, has released another example of how aggressive the FBI was with social media companies. In the latest Twitter Files release, there is one email exchange where Twitter ‘immediately’ suspended accounts flagged by the FBI without investigation.

“Taibbi explained: ‘In one shot, you can see the FBI asks to remove three accounts, that gets forwarded to Twitter, Twitter immediately suspends them, the accounts. But more importantly, when there’s a glitch, and the accounts remain up, the FBI immediately writes back and says, what’s the deal? We just wrote to you, why is it still up? So, that shows the nature of the relationship basically that it’s not really a collaboration. It’s much more like somebody reporting to an authority…’

“We also have hundreds of emails that show the FBI and other agencies targeting individuals for a wide array of disinformation, misinformation, and malinformation. The latter category is truly Orwellian…

“The latest email does not suggest that the FBI was the passive, helpful agency portrayed by the Director…”

The FBI, as well as many other American governmental agencies, have fallen into utter disgrace—so much so that many are advocating their complete overhaul, from the top down, or their total abolition.

NATO Members Furious With Zelensky

Breitbart wrote on July 14:

“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s exasperated complaint about the slow pace of an invitation for his country to join NATO, delivered as the annual NATO summit began in Vilnius, Lithuania, may have actually moved the process backward by alienating the United States and allied leaders, the Washington Post claimed…

“Zelensky on Tuesday called it ‘unprecedented and absurd’ for NATO to speak vaguely about inviting Ukraine to join without setting a time frame and to add ‘conditions’ by demanding political reforms not demanded of the two newest alliance members, Finland and Sweden. ‘Ukraine also deserves respect,’ Zelensky fumed, blaming NATO’s hesitancy for giving Russia ‘motivation to continue its terror.’ ‘Uncertainty is weakness,’ he concluded.

“Some NATO leaders were publicly annoyed by Zelensky’s outburst. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace on Wednesday said a ‘slight word of caution’ was in order for the Ukrainian president, and suggested he try showing a little ‘gratitude’ if he expected allied countries to ‘give up their stocks’ of weapons to defend his nation

“… according to the Washington Post on Thursday, the Biden White House was so miffed by Zelensky’s complaints that it ‘considered scaling back the “invitation” for Kyiv to join’ NATO. What NATO actually did at the conclusion of the Vilnius summit was declare that ‘Ukraine’s future is in NATO’ and promise that Kyiv will be invited at some undetermined point in the future, which is precisely the approach that made Zelensky angry…

“The Ukrainians believe full membership, with its commitment to collective defense, could have prevented Russia from invading, and full membership now might make the Kremlin back down instead of risking a world war… At one point, Zelensky threatened to boycott the Vilnius summit unless a firm timetable for Ukrainian membership was put forward. The Washington Post’s inside sources said the NATO leaders gathered in Lithuania were ‘stunned’ by Zelensky’s public rebuke, and the United States delegation was downright ‘furious.’…

“Zelensky fired off a string of Twitter posts after departing Vilnius that each contained the words ‘grateful’ or ‘thanks,’ suggesting a desire to put the controversy behind him…”

Still, ultimately, the rift between Europe and Ukraine will widen. Note the next two articles.

Zelensky Blocked From Attending EU Summit

Express wrote on July 15:

“Ukraine’s President Zelensky was left stunned after Latin American countries blocked his attendance at an upcoming EU summit with its leaders… on July 17-18.

“The Spanish Prime Minister extended an invitation to President Zelensky to attend the summit… However, several Latin American leaders objected strongly to Zelensky’s presence at the summit, forcing the Ukrainian president to pull out…

Many Latin American countries enjoy good political and economic relations with Russia and are keen not to upset the Kremlin. Brazil, in particular, has seen its commercial ties with Moscow grow strongly… Other countries suspected of being within the Russian orbit include Mexico, Colombia and Argentina, as well as Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela.

“Latin American leaders were also reported to have ‘thrown cold water’ on the EU’s efforts to unite the continent in its support of Ukraine… Brussels had intended to issue a summit declaration text, that would have included several paragraphs of support for Ukraine…”

The monetary and economic interests of Europe pertaining to Latin America are perceived to be much more important than the “support” of Ukraine, which is, in any event, judged as being merely of self-serving importance, as the next article suggests.

The NATO 2023 Summit

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on July 15:

“On the one hand the US and its NATO allies came face to face with the reality that endless promises of ‘unlimited’ military aid to Ukraine to defeat Russia would not achieve that goal. Five weeks of the much-anticipated Ukrainian counter-offensive have produced zero results. They have only snuffed out another estimated 20,000 Ukrainian soldiers, this time mostly drawn from the shrinking pool of forced – and barely trained – conscripts… when President Biden was asked right after agreeing to send Ukraine a tranche of ghastly cluster bombs why he did so, he replied, ‘we’ve run out of ammunition.’ It was an incredible admission, particularly considering the massive increase in already astronomical US military spending…

“Americans might want to know how their government can spend a trillion dollars per year on ‘defense’ and in addition add another hundred billion or so for Ukraine and end up with…no ammo…

“While many – especially in Kiev – expected some kind of concrete signal from NATO that Ukraine had a clear path to join the club… the path to membership was made more vague than ever. To add insult to injury, Stoltenberg remarked that a perhaps mortally-wounded Ukraine must win the war with Russia before NATO membership could even be considered. Biden himself painfully drove that death sentence for Ukraine home, remarking that, ‘no one can join NATO while a war is going on.’…

“One can certainly feel for Zelensky… NATO… never had any intention to go to war with Russia over Ukraine

“So at the end of the day, the seemingly unremarkable Vilnius summit was in fact quite illuminating. Regimes fall slowly and then suddenly and we are seeing that process clearly in place with NATO. Ukraine has been hung out to dry, even as the dark lords of war will continue to spend billions shipping weapons to [Kiev]. After all, there is money to be made from this and everyone’s in on it.”

Others feel likewise that NATO has become obsolete. The most prominent proponent of that idea has been Donald Trump. But others agree. According to the New York Post, dated July 15, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. “suggested this week that NATO should be disbanded. ‘It is insane to even keep NATO going…’ He was non-committal when asked by The Post whether, as president, he would pull the United States out of the longstanding alliance… ‘I don’t know how to handle it right now. There are many many options,’ he said.”

Russia Seizes Foreign Companies

The Wall Street Journal wrote on July 17:

“Russia has unexpectedly seized the local operations of Carlsberg CABGY [a Danish brewing company] and Danone DANOY [a French company–the largest dairy company in Russia], two of the world’s largest consumer-goods companies, in a move that escalates economic hostilities with the West… Russia placed Danone and Carlsberg’s local operations under temporary management, putting them under the control of the federal state property management agency

“The move is the second time Russia has seized Western assets in the country since the Kremlin unveiled a decree in April that allows the state to take temporary control of assets of companies or individuals from what Moscow calls ‘unfriendly’ states. Russian officials have said that the seizures are in retaliation for similar moves by Western countries. In April, Russia took control of utilities owned by Germany’s Uniper and Finland’s Fortum…

“Among the Western companies to remain are several makers of food, drink and household products… Other major companies looking to exit Russia include brewing giant Heineken, which said in March it was doing everything it could to find a new owner for its business…

“Last year, Germany took control of the German business of Russian oil giant Rosneft and put Gazprom’s German natural-gas business, formerly known as Gazprom Germania, under trusteeship. Russia at the time warned that it could seize more Western assets.”

This development will not end any time soon.

Russia Stops Grain Deal With Ukraine

The Associated Press wrote on July 17:

“Russia halted an unprecedented wartime deal on Monday that allows grain to flow from Ukraine to countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia where hunger is a growing threat and high food prices have pushed more people into poverty.

“Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov announced Russia would suspend the Black Sea Grain Initiative until its demands to get its own agricultural shipments to the world are met — even though the country has been shipping record amounts of wheat and its fertilizers also have been flowing…

“It’s the end of a breakthrough accord that the United Nations and Turkey brokered last summer to allow food to leave the Black Sea region… The deal provided assurances that ships won’t be attacked entering and leaving Ukrainian ports… [Ukraine announced they would continue with their shipments. Russia responded that they would consider those ships as hostile and subject to attack.]

“The warring nations are both major global suppliers of wheat, barley, sunflower oil and other affordable food products that developing nations rely on…

“Asked Monday whether an [Ukrainian] attack on a bridge connecting the Crimean Peninsula to Russia was a factor behind the decision on the grain deal, the Kremlin spokesman said it was not…”

This is hard to believe, given the fact that Russia called the attack on the bridge a terrorist attack, allegedly killing children.

Kennedy: I Never Suggested That Corona Was Engineered to Target Jews

Breitbart wrote on July 15:

“Democratic presidential challenger Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is defending himself from claims of antisemitism after a New York Post reporter falsely claimed the candidate said COVID-19 was engineered to protect Jews… video of Kennedy’s remarks… show that Kennedy never actually said that coronavirus had been ‘ethnically targeted’ to spare Jews.

“What Kennedy does say is he believes that several governments have developed the ability to target bioweapons at particular ethnicities. As evidence that this might be possible, he cites research that suggested some groups were more susceptible to COVID-19 than others — but he adds that he does not know if that was intentional… He also said he ‘never, ever suggested that the COVID-19 virus was targeted to spare Jews’…

“Rabbi Shmuley Boteach… defended Kennedy Saturday evening… ‘Bobby’s father was murdered by Palestinian terrorist Sirhan Sirhan because of his strong support for Israel and Bobby recently marched with me against the demonization of the Jewish state at the giant ‘Israel Day’ parade in New York City carrying an enormous Israeli flag. He has publicly called upon the Biden Administration not to give Iran billions of dollars in a second Iran deal that would ultimately result in an Iranian nuclear weapon. In our recent interview together Bobby called upon the Democratic Party to return to the strong, unconditional support of Israel that was the hallmark of the party under the leadership of his uncle…’

“Kennedy is experiencing the same treatment doled out to Donald Trump, who — as a candidate and as president — was constantly smeared by the media as an antisemite despite defending Jews and supporting Israel strongly.”

As the Editorial by Brian Gale in this Update admonishes, one must separate fact from fiction or fake news. Note the next two articles.

Kennedy’s Support for Israel

Breitbart wrote on July 16:

“Kennedy explained why he supports the Jewish state… ‘I believe, in my heart, it is core to the values I was raised with,’ noting the pro-Israel views of his father, the late Sen. Robert Kennedy (D-NY), and his uncle, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA)…

“Kennedy’s father, notably, was assassinated in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968, by a crazed Palestinian, Sirhan Sirhan, who targeted Kennedy on the first anniversary of the Six-Day War over his public support for Israel. Kennedy had been on track to win the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination on an anti-war platform.

“Kennedy expressed his concern for growing antisemitism within the Democratic Party and a younger generation of Americans…”

Sadly, antisemitism is rising again throughout the world. In reality, it never was dead.

No Stronger Champion for Israel Than Kennedy

Israel 365 News wrote on July 18:

“The lawyer… has come under fire for recent remarks about COVID-19. Many have said that Kennedy’s comments on a study, which suggested that Ashkenazi Jews were less affected than others by the virus, are antisemitic. Many others, including prominent Jewish leaders, have defended him. ‘It’s clear to me now that I need to be much more careful,’ Kennedy told JNS. ‘I have to learn a lesson from this, and the lesson I learn is that I have to understand that the words that I use have impact, and they can be misused and misinterpreted,’ he said. ‘I regret talking about that study, and I am going to be careful to make sure that I don’t do anything like that in the future.’…

“His father, Robert “Bobby” Kennedy, a former U.S. attorney general and senator, and his uncle, the former president, were strong supporters of Israel. Bobby was in Israel in 1946 and 1947, and both he and his brother supported “the sacred alliance between Israel and the United States,” said the current presidential candidate, who is known as RFK Jr.

“Kennedy added that his uncle, the late Edward ‘Ted’ Kennedy, a longtime U.S. senator from Massachusetts, ‘was the architect of the exodus of oppressed Soviet Jewry to safe havens’ in the 1980s and early 1990s. ‘There is nobody in the presidential race who is going to be a stronger champion for Israel than me,’ Kennedy told JNS…

“What was once ‘an oasis for justice and rights in the Middle East’ is instead seen as an ‘imperial nation’ that oppresses the ‘indigenous population of Palestinians,’ Kennedy said. ‘There’s very little understanding of the evolution of the Jewish state, of what was happening in Palestine prior to the Ottoman Empire, the British Mandate after the empire. The entire history going back thousands of years.’ 

“Kennedy told JNS that he is aware of no other country that has Israel’s military discipline, or what he calls, its ‘unique moral approach’ to warfare…

“Kennedy, who is Catholic, sees Christianity as an extension of Jewish scripture. ‘Jesus never stopped being a Jew, by the way,’ he said. ‘His disciples basically opened up his ideological and religious philosophy to non-Jews. We were raised with the idea that we were kind of little brothers of the Chosen People.’…

“‘[Israel is] the historical homeland of the Jewish people, from which they were driven and to which they returned as well.’ It is a ‘prevailing yet erroneous’ view that ‘Israel settled in a place where they didn’t belong,’ Kennedy said. ‘The idea that is just a distortion, a perversion of history.’”

In fact, the Promised Land is the historical homeland of the House of Israel and the House of Judah. For more information, please read our free booklet, Biblical Prophecy—From Now Until Forever.”

AGAIN! Democrats Try to Censor JFK Jr. At Hearing on Censorship

Fox News wrote on July 20:

“House Democrats on Thursday tried unsuccessfully to remove Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. from a hearing on federal government censorship… That effort and others by Democrats to silence him at the hearing prompted Kennedy to say, ‘This is an attempt to censor a censorship hearing.’ Kennedy… was  invited by Republicans to testify at a hearing at the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. But after Kennedy’s opening remarks, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., moved to take the hearing into executive session to discuss  Kennedy’s alleged violation of a House rule aimed at banning testimony that defames or degrades others. Wasserman Schultz said the witness made ‘despicable’ antisemitic and anti-Asian comments in the last few days, referring to his comment [about] COVID.

“Kennedy used his opening remarks to lament the Democrats’ efforts to censor his speech, and broader efforts to censor his run for the White House. He said his speech announcing his candidacy was censored five minutes into his speech by YouTube. ‘Censorship… was appalling to my father, to my uncle, to FDR, to Harry Truman, to Thomas Jefferson…’ Kennedy noted recent emails that show the Biden administration tried to censor his comments about vaccines, just three days into the start of that administration. ‘They had to invent a new word called “malinformation” to censor people like me,’ he said. ‘Malinformation is information that is true, but it is inconvenient to the government, that they don’t want people to hear.’”

According to Breitbart, dated July 20, “Democrats notably tried to censor Kennedy after his opening statement during the hearing, in which he defended his record on racism and antisemitism, and disputed claims by 102 Democrats in a letter that he had allegedly ‘spread vile and dangerous antisemitic and anti-Asian conspiracy theories.’”

None of the House Democrats came to Kennedy’s defense, but Kennedy commented that not all of the House Democrats signed the letter. In fact, the majority did not.

War Propaganda: They Are Coming For Your Children!

On July 17, the Ron Paul Institute published the following article by Ron Paul:

“As a rule, US war reporting since Vietnam has been mostly mainstream media cheerleading the mission rather than digging beyond government war propaganda. After all, it was images of American boys coming home in body bags shown on the six o’clock news across America that finally galvanized mainstream opposition to that war.

“The Pentagon learned its lesson by the first Gulf War, and it severely restricted up-close media coverage. Only ‘trusted’ journalists were able to report from the front lines. Most of the press corps wrote up stories based on US military press releases from luxury hotels in Baghdad.

“By the time of Gulf War II the Pentagon came up with the concept of ‘embedding’ select journalists with the troops. This allowed the story to be framed by the Pentagon with the false impression that actual journalism was taking place. It felt authentic, because the journalist was with the troops and close to the action, but the story presented what the Pentagon wanted to be presented.

“This is perhaps a long way of pointing out that US mainstream media coverage of the war in Ukraine leaves a lot to be desired… Russia is losing, they report. Russia has already lost, as Biden said recently. Most Americans don’t go out of their way to listen to actual experts like Col. Doug Macgregor, who from the beginning has been telling a very different story. Thus Americans continue to be fed propaganda…

“We are on a very slippery slope, with Biden’s neocons continuing to escalate in the face of massive Ukrainian losses and an apparent shortage of US troops. Make no mistake, if the US/NATO proxy war with Russia is not halted the next step will be to look at the US Selective Service. That means they are coming for your kids. How long before America wakes up and says ‘NO’?”

This development will also be repeated in Germany and other European nations. Will the Germans say “NO”? Would the government even care? Note the next articles.

Germany Is Ukraine’s Second Largest Arms Supplier

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on July 15:

Germany is actually Ukraine’s second largest arms supplier, after the United States. Chancellor Olaf Scholz pledged a new arms package worth 700 million euros, including additional tanks, munitions and Patriot air defence systems at the Nato summit in Vilnius, putting Berlin, as he said, at the very forefront of military support for Ukraine…

“The Ukraine crisis has provided the context for accelerating Germany’s militarization… Germany is the Biden Administration’s closest ally in the war against Russia…

“Rheinmetal, the great 135-year old German arms manufacturing company, has disclosed that it is opening an armoured vehicle plant in western Ukraine at an undisclosed location in the next twelve weeks…”

Running Out of Ammunition

CNN wrote on July 18:

“The US and Europe are struggling to provide Ukraine with the large amount of ammunition it will need for a prolonged counteroffensive against Russia, and Western officials are racing to ramp up production to avoid shortages on the battlefield…

“The dwindling support of artillery ammunition has served as a wake-up call to NATO… since the alliance did not adequately prepare for the possibility of a protracted land war in Europe following decades of relative peace… the ammunition will still take ‘years’ to mass produce to acceptable levels, National Security adviser Jake Sullivan told CNN Sunday…

“A German government source told CNN that Berlin has taken steps to try to close existing gaps in ammunition stocks and to increase ammunition reserves, noting that the munitions for the Swiss-made Gepard tank, which has been provided to Ukraine, is now being produced in Germany…”

It was clear from the outset that, unless Russia were to win very quickly, the war would rage for a long time.

Army Technology wrote on July 18:

“The German Bundeswehr has just issued a large-volume order for service and practice artillery ammunition worth around 1.3 billion Euros ($1.46bn)… The framework contracts will help to assure a secure supply of ammunition to the armed forces of Germany and other Nato nations…”

Germany to Have the Best Equipped Army Division?

The Economic Times wrote on July 17:

“Germany is confident it will have the best equipped army division amongst European NATO allies in 2025, Army Chief Alfons Mais told Reuters, as countries are scrambling to gear up their troops in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine… Berlin… aims to have the first of three divisions operational by 2025, with the second to follow in 2027…

“‘This will be good enough,’ the lieutenant general said. ‘It will be sufficient, in any case, to contribute the best equipped division of all European NATO partners in 2025. At least, this is our joint goal with our Dutch partners.’”

The war machine is in full gear. And it will get worse. Note the next article.

Europe to Become a Nuclear Deterrent?

Express wrote on July 17:

“Alarm bells rang when German general Klaus Naumann, French admiral Jacques Lanxade, former Labour UK Europe minister Denis MacShane and German former senior foreign policy adviser Margarita Mathiopoulos jointly authorized an article for the Atlantic Council calling for a European nuclear deterrent. The article suggested that the UK, France and Germany should get together to provide a Europe-wide nuclear deterrent in the face of threats from Russia…

“There are also worries over reports that President Joe Biden wants European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to be the next NATO General Secretary. Ms von der Leyen is a former German defence minister who has pushed strongly for an EU army.

“The article said: ‘… Europe will need a convincing conventional and nuclear deterrent of its own, and Germany will be key…’ The four said that the war in Ukraine made it clear Germany needs to play a more significant role in NATO which means it needs a nuclear deterrent… ‘This, then, is the moment to start a debate in Berlin, Paris, and London about a trilateral French, British, and German nuclear European Defense Initiative, and the responsibility of those three powers to protect Europe if Article 5 is invoked in a worst-case-scenario.’ [Article 5 says that an attack on one NATO ally is to be considered as an attack against all NATO member states].”

The Bible says that Europe, under German leadership, will become a nuclear power… and that it WILL use nuclear weapons against their enemies!

German Chancellor Wants to Stay in Power

The Associated Press wrote on July 14:

“German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed optimism Friday that support for a far-right party which has been surging in the polls lately will shrink to previous levels again by the time of the next national election in 2025… Recent polls have shown support for the party, known by its German acronym AfD, at around 20% and ahead of Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats…

“Aside from fears about growing migration, AfD has benefitted from skepticism in parts of the electorate about the government’s plans to tackle climate change and Germany’s military aid to Ukraine. The German domestic intelligence agency recently warned that anti-war views and climate disinformation are partly spread by Russia-backed channels and pro-Moscow influencers [NOTE: These are alarming developments. Suddenly, everyone who is opposed to war—any war—is being treated by Germany’s “domestic intelligence agency” as a “Russian agent”?].

“Scholz insisted that the gradual increase in support Germany is providing Ukraine — which includes 17 billion euros ($19 billion) worth of arms such as high-end Leopard 2 tanks and advanced air-defense systems — enjoys mainstream backing…

“On climate change, he played down the recent dilution of a bill on replacing fossil fuel heating in millions of German homes following strong pushback from the opposition, tabloid media and even members of his own three-party coalition. Scholz admitted he wasn’t happy with months of bickering over the bill between his junior governing partners, the libertarian Free Democratic Party and the environmentalist Greens, but made clear he could live with the compromise, which still needs to be passed by parliament…

“The 65-year-old, who took office in late 2021, also made clear that he expects to hold the reins in Berlin for some time. ‘I’m at the beginning of my work as chancellor,’ he said.”

Scholz appears to be totally oblivious as to what is really going on in Germany. His coalition government is being perceived by most Germans as an utter failure.

A European Move to the Right!

The Daily Mail wrote on July 14:

“Across the continent, millions of citizens are shifting their allegiance towards populist Right-wing parties. The dramatic development will transform the EU if the swelling wave of populist sentiment translates into political power at the bloc’s parliamentary elections next year.

“… the EU’s traditional social democrats, green ideologues and Left-wingers are losing their appeal at the ballot box. The rebellion has been growing — and the dominos continue to fall. Right-wingers have gained power in Sweden, then in Italy, Finland and Greece. The Spanish could be next, with national elections in a week, then Holland and… Germany could soon follow.

“… more than a third of the EU’s 27 member nations are now run, or highly influenced, by populist-style governments or factions. All favour halting uncontrolled migration, tackling crime, promoting traditional families and pausing hated EU laws aimed at forcing people to alter their lifestyles to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

“The change in political outlook means the EU, a bloc rooted in technocratic social democracy, may soon become too liberal for the ordinary people living within its borders…

“Vienna University’s Anthony J. Constantini, who specialises in studying populism [says:] Voter anger on migration is a ‘clear driver’ of Right-wing victories… adding that supporters of populism have been ‘lambasted as racist’ and ‘most of the Right-wing victories have been chalked up to disinformation’. He continues: ‘The EU is either ignoring the facts, or wilfully misunderstanding them. There remains a persistent reluctance (within the EU) to understand exactly why populists and the far-Right are succeeding.’

“Eight years ago, when then German Chancellor Angela Merkel unilaterally invited 1.3 million Syrian migrants into Germany, some who arrived were opportunists from Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, sub-Saharan Africa and the Balkans… pretending to be escaping war and persecution…. Europeans are telling their politicians to look after their own people first, amid soaring inflation and energy and food price rises.

“Millions of voters also blame high immigration — the EU received almost 900,000 asylum seekers last year alone, nearly double the number in 2021 — for rising crime, a crippling housing shortage, terror attacks, social problems and what they may see as an erosion of European culture.

“Migrant youths stand accused of fuelling a gun-and-gang crime wave in Sweden unseen in that liberal nation until the influx of new arrivals from 2015… on those arrested, prosecuted and sentenced for firearms offences over five years to 2021… 85 per cent were born abroad or had a parent who hailed from overseas… The majority had roots in Iraq, Somalia, Syria, Turkey and Lebanon as well as Balkan countries, Kosovo, Bosnia and Serbia…

“Last September, 12 of Germany’s 16 states blocked further arrivals, insisting they could not ‘absorb’ any more. A national shortage of 700,000 homes is expected by 2025, with surveys showing that half of Germans blame immigration for the crisis. Anger rose further when 110 elderly nursing-home residents in Berlin were evicted earlier this year to give their rooms to migrants.

“Uglier still, according to the Right-wing Alternative for Germany MPs, half of the gang-rape convictions in Germany last year were committed by recently arrived foreigners without citizenship. A record high of 789 gang rapes, exceeding two a week, was logged by the Berlin government. This has fuelled an anti-migrant revolt by German women and families.

“There is also a growing sense of unease across Europe that a new wave of Islamist terrorism will soon break out. According to Dutch intelligence, the terror group Islamic State has started reintroducing active ‘commando units’ through the EU’s borders.

“Thibault de Montbrial, president of France’s Centre for Reflection on Homeland Security, said in a recent interview that the easy infiltration by Islamic State was down to the ‘tragic’ decision by Angela Merkel to open borders to all-comers. In the past eight years alone, hundreds in France have been killed by Islamist terrorist attacks and nearly 1,200 wounded.”

Like Olaf Scholz, many governmental leaders in Europe seem to be unwilling to consider the fact that to a large extent, THEY and their unrealistic policies are to be blamed for the dissatisfaction and “rebellion” of their citizens.

Canada Is Fallen—Trudeau “a Modern-Day Caligula”

Fox News wrote on July 16:

“The son of a Canadian pastor drew raucous applause from the European Parliament earlier this month when he pleaded for international pressure in the case of his father…

“‘I am here today in desperation, a cry for help,’ Nathaniel Pawlowski, 23, told members of the EU Parliament on July 4. ‘I would like to stand here and tell you all the things about freedom and democracy that I like, but I no longer know those things. They have been taken away from us Canadians. Canada has fallen.’… his father, Pastor Artur Pawlowski… [was arrested] five times after he continued to conduct services in defiance of a court order, including once in the middle of a busy highway on his way home from church…

“Pawlowski was found guilty in May of mischief and breaching a release order when he delivered a 19-minute speech to truckers who were protesting federal vaccine mandates by blocking Alberta’s border with Montana in February 2022. In the speech, Pawlowski advised truckers against their plan to go to the provincial capital of Edmonton, urging them instead to remain peaceful but not to ‘break the line’ against the government at the border. He was arrested days later and spent 50 nights in two separate prisons…

“Pawlowski remains under house arrest as he awaits another court date on Aug. 9, and also faces a charge pending a constitutional challenge under the provincial Critical Infrastructure Defense Act for allegedly participating in blocking the border crossing, which could carry a sentence of up to 10 years.

“‘We no longer have freedom of religion, or freedom of speech, or the right to protest or assemble or associate or express ourselves or have free media or disagree with the government,’ Nathaniel Pawlowski told the EU Parliament. ‘Anyone who does so is arrested, charged and jailed as political dissidents.’ His speech was followed by a recorded video in which his father likened his situation in Canada to growing up behind the Iron Curtain in communist Poland.

“The pastor’s son has himself has been slapped with charges for a sermon he delivered in April outside a drag queen story hour with children at the Calgary Public Library, during which he allegedly violated a municipal bylaw passed in March that prohibits protests within 100 meters of a recreation facility or library entrance.

“The law was passed after Pastor Derek Reimer was thrown out of a public library in Calgary after interrupting a drag queen story time for children. Reimer was subsequently arrested and jailed for continuing to protest such events. Artur Pawlowski told Fox News Digital at the time that the arrest of Reimer, whom he knows, indicates that the way authorities enforced COVID-19 protocols in Canada is now being used to enforce ideology.I myself have been charged for preaching and reading the Bible publicly because the government claims the Bible isn’t inclusive and is hateful,’ Nathaniel Pawlowski told the parliament…

Likening Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to ‘a modern-day Caligula,’ Pawlowski continued, ‘We cannot allow these mad emperors to run mad. And remember, all of this is being done under the guise of health, safety and protecting us by stripping our rights and ushering in tyranny.’

“Among the European MEPs who invited Pawlowski to address parliament was Christine Anderson, a German who rebuked Trudeau to his face in March 2022, accusing him of trampling ‘fundamental rights by persecuting and criminalizing his own citizens as terrorists just because they dare to stand up to his perverted concept of democracy,’ and calling him a ‘disgrace for any democracy.’..

“Nathaniel Pawlowski told Fox News Digital that when he returned to Canada, customs officials in Montreal, Quebec, told him that there was a warrant out for his arrest…

“Artur Pawlowski told Fox News Digital that he is ‘enraged’ at how he and his family are being treated by Canadian authorities… ‘Now they want to hurt my children, my family, my wife. They are coming after our children, and those are the tactics of every totalitarian regime. The Gestapo did it. The KGB did it. Every totalitarian regime, every dictatorship has this playbook… if I could deliver a message to them, I would simply say that one day they will stand before the Judge of judges who does not take bribes, and they will give an account for every word that they said and everything they have done. One day justice will be served.’”

AMEN to that! As we reported many times before, Canada has become a dangerous totalitarian dictatorship under Justin Trudeau, but very few governmental leaders in the West seem to care.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

This Week in the News

How the White House Is Twisting the Facts

The New York Post wrote on July 7:

“White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called The Post ‘irresponsible’ Friday for asking point-blank whether cocaine found in the West Wing last weekend belonged to any member of the first family… ‘the Biden family was not here,’ Jean-Pierre added… ‘They were at Camp David. They were not here Friday, they were not here Saturday or Sunday, they were not even here Monday. They came back on Tuesday. So to ask that question is actually incredibly irresponsible, and I’ll just leave it there.’…

“In fact, the first family — including first son Hunter Biden, an admitted past crack cocaine addict — did not leave the White House for Camp David until around 6:30 p.m. on Friday, June 30, almost exactly 48 hours before the dime-sized bag of illicit white powder was found by a Secret Service agent on a routine patrol

“Five days after the drugs were discovered in a cubby near the West Wing’s basement entrance and steps from the Situation Room, the White House has yet to flat-out deny that the cocaine belonged to any member of the president’s family or staff…

“Elsewhere in the briefing, national security adviser Jake Sullivan appeared to suggest that outside workers may have been responsible for the cocaine getting inside one of the most secure buildings in the world…”

Also, the location where the substance was found is NOT open to the general public.

Report 24 wrote on July 6:

“Just hours after Hunter Biden visited the White House, the Secret Service found cocaine there. Joe Biden’s son is known for his drug use, thanks in particular to his ‘Laptop from Hell’.

“…While it is likely that there would be fingerprints and DNA evidence on the package, it is highly unlikely that these would be… publicly assigned to Hunter Biden. And this despite the fact that he has a long drug history and was also in the White House at the time. In addition, according to ex-US President Donald Trump, the surveillance recordings should show the culprit.

“Hunter Biden, who has not only admitted a past addiction to crack but has repeatedly recorded himself smoking, snuffing and otherwise ingesting the substance on dozens of occasions, was also on the White House grounds Friday before he went to Camp David with his father for the second weekend in a row.

“And as expected, there will probably be no further investigations. Silence is the motto. Because the Biden administration has absolutely no need for another drug scandal involving Hunter Biden – and that even in the White House.”

Caught in a Lie

Breitbart added on July 7:

“… that claim [that the Biden family was not present when cocaine was deposited and found in the White House] is contradicted by contemporaneous reporting by the White House pool, which said that the Biden family had, in fact, been in the White House, including Hunter, on Friday until leaving for Camp David that evening.

“The pool report supplied by Eugene Daniels of POLITICO on Friday, June 30, stated: ‘Poolers saw Jill Biden, Baby Beau and Hunter Biden climb into presidential SUV. President Biden followed a few minutes later. Motorcade rolling to Fort McNair as of 6:34p.’

“Moreover, there is photographic evidence to back up the pool report. The Associated Press published [a] photo on Friday, June 30, showing both Joe and Hunter Biden leaving Fort McNair for Camp David.”

Fox News added on July 7:

“According to the Friday, June 30 pool report, Biden gave remarks in the Roosevelt Room that afternoon, and didn’t depart the White House for Camp David until 6:34 p.m., along with First Lady Jill Biden, Hunter Biden, and Hunter’s son Beau Biden.”

How long can the White House continue their lies to protect Hunter Biden and, more importantly, Joe Biden? On July 13, the Secret Service announced that the investigation had ended and that no culprit had been found!

US Cluster Bombs for Ukraine

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 7:

“Washington will supply Ukraine with cluster munitions as part of a military aid package worth $800 million to help fight off the Russian invasion…

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock rejected supplying such weapons to Ukraine on Friday. Speaking in Vienna, Baerbock said the government stood by the Oslo Convention, which is considered a milestone in the fight against the controversial explosives. An international ban on them came into force in 2010. [On the other hand, according to Die Welt, dated July 7, Steffen Hebestreit, spokesman for the German government, expressed “understanding” for the American position.]

“To date, 110 countries have joined the Convention on Cluster Munitions, and a further 13 nations have signed but not ratified the Convention — so they are not yet obliged to implement it. Signatories commit to neither produce, stockpile nor use the weapons.

“However, the world’s largest countries ―including Russia, the US, China, India and Pakistan ― and also Ukraine have not signed…

“Despite the Convention’s adoption, the proportion of cluster munitions victims has increased significantly, especially in recent years, due to escalated use of the bombs…

“According to Human Rights Watch, Russian troops have ‘extensively used cluster munitions in Ukraine, killing many civilians and causing other serious civilian harm.’ Ukrainian forces had also used them, causing ‘numerous deaths and serious injuries to civilians,’ the international non-governmental organization said.

“Handing such munitions over to Kyiv would ‘inevitably cause long-term suffering for civilians and undermine the international opprobrium of their use,’ the group continued…

“Cluster munitions are dropped as bombs from airplanes or fired as rockets from howitzers, artillery guns and rocket launchers. They contain hundreds of smaller submunitions, known as ‘bomblets’, that then fall indiscriminately over wide areas that range in size from a few soccer fields to several hectares of land. Cluster bombs not only kill soldiers, but civilians, including many children.

“Such munitions have been in use since World War Two and were deployed extensively in the Vietnam War, for example. During that conflict, the US dropped some 260 million of them on neighboring Laos, making it the country with the world’s highest level of cluster munition contamination.

“According to Humanity & Inclusion, a France-based charity organization also known as Handicap International, only about 40% of the smaller bomblets contained in a cluster bomb detonate upon impact. The undetonated ones can still pose a deadly threat decades after they are deployed: The munitions remain ready to explode and can maim or kill a person at any time. They work in a similarly disastrous way to landmines, sometimes rendering affected areas uninhabitable. Some areas of Laos, for example, remain completely contaminated decades after the end of the war.

“Civilian populations are especially affected by the use of cluster munitions… [According to a report from 2022,] 97% of victims were civilians and 66% of those injured or killed are children

“Ahead of the announcement on the US aid package, the executive director of the US Arms Control Association spoke out against the transfer of such weapons. Sending them ‘would be escalatory, counterproductive, and only further increase the dangers to civilians caught in combat zones and those who will, someday, return to their cities, towns, and farms,’ Daryl Kimball said.”

This is just such a crazy world of war-hungry irresponsible governmental officials, without any consideration for the life, well-being and welfare of civilians and children.

Biden’s Complicated History on Cluster Bombs

Breitbart wrote on July 7:

“The Washington Post recalled Biden’s ‘complicated history’ — i.e. flip-flopping — on the issue of cluster bombs… The Post noted that Biden offered stern criticism of then-Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin

“The Post recalled: ‘Amid reports that Israel had used cluster bombs in its invasion of Lebanon, some Democrats went so far as to push for cutting off aid to Israel. According to a contemporary UPI report, Biden said that if those reports were accurate, then Israel was clearly in violation. He said the United States should respond by “cutting off the ability to get access to that kind of weaponry in the future.”… Democrats also expressed such concerns during what the New York Times labeled “a highly emotional confrontation” on Capitol Hill with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin in June 1982…’

“During the Second Lebanon War in 2006, when Israel was again accused of using cluster bombs (this time against Hezbollah guerillas), then-Sen. Biden (D-DE) opposed a bill that would ban the use of cluster munitions in populated areas. His position would appear to have changed, but he continued to express skepticism of cluster bombs. In 2022, the Post noted, Biden’s ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, delivered a speech in which she declared that cluster bombs have ‘no place on the battlefield.’ The administration had to walk that back.”

A Difficult Decision

The Huffington Post wrote on July 7:

“[Biden said he] ultimately took the Defense Department’s recommendation to provide the munitions and discussed the matter with allies and with lawmakers on the Hill. He said ‘the Ukrainians are running out of ammunition’ and the cluster bombs will provide a temporary fix to help stop Russian tanks. The move was met with divided reactions from Congress, as some Democrats criticized the plan while some Republicans backed it…

“Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., called the decision ‘unnecessary and a terrible mistake.’…  Meanwhile, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Arkansas, backed the move, saying Ukraine needs access to weapons Russia already is using

“Providing the cluster bombs will also ease the pressure on limited U.S. ammunition stockpiles. The U.S. has been taking massive amounts of 155 mm rounds from Pentagon stocks and sending them to Ukraine, creating concerns about eating into American stores

“The last large-scale American use of cluster bombs was during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, according to the Pentagon. But U.S. forces considered them a key weapon during the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, according to Human Rights Watch. In the first three years of that conflict, it is estimated the U.S.-led coalition dropped more than 1,500 cluster bombs in Afghanistan.”

Democrats Oppose Biden’s Decision

Breitbart wrote on July 7:

“Democrats across the spectrum oppose President Joe Biden’s decision to provide Ukraine cluster bombs…

“Democrat presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, ‘Cluster bombs are munitions so horrific for civilians that more than a hundred nations have signed an international treaty banning them. Now the Biden administration is preparing to send them to Ukraine.’

“House Democrats swiftly came out against Biden’s [decision] to provide cluster bombs. Nineteen House progressives said in a joint statement:

“‘… The White House’s announcement runs counter to Congress’s restrictions on the transfer of these weapons and severely undermines our moral leadership. It underscores the work still ahead to press the U.S. to join the international community in banning the use of cluster munitions.’…

“Then-White House press secretary Jen Psaki said last year that alleged Russian use of cluster bombs would ‘potentially be a war crime.’”

So, would this make Joe Biden a potential war criminal as well?

The New York Post wrote on July 8:

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Saturday slammed President Biden for his plan to send indiscriminately lethal cluster bombs to Ukraine— suggesting that the choice ran afoul of Biden’s own ethics… ‘Stop the ceaseless escalation! It is time for peaceWhat happened to his conscience?’…”

Trump: Don’t Send Cluster Bombs, End the War

Breitbart wrote on July 11:

“‘Joe Biden should not be dragging us further toward World War III,’ former President Donald Trump said in a statement released Tuesday, calling to ‘immediately end the bloodshed in Ukraine’ and for a return ‘to a focus on America’s vital interest.’

“Trump warned: ‘He should be trying to END the war and stop the horrific death and destruction being caused by an incompetent administration. These unexploded cluster munitions will be killing and maiming innocent Ukrainian men, women, and children for decades to come, long after the war—we pray—has ended… If, as Biden inadvertently admitted, the reason for sending cluster bombs now is that the United States is ‘running out of ammunition’ (a great breach of classified information), that only further emphasizes the urgency of immediately deescalating this bloody, dangerous, and out of control conflict. It certainly means we should not be sending Ukraine our last stockpiles at a time when our own arsenals, according… Joe Biden, are so perilously diminished.

“There could be no more vivid proof that Joe Biden’s policy of endless war in Ukraine has tremendously weakened the United States than the humiliating admission that the USA is now out of ammo, something our enemies are undoubtedly salivating over. This ‘admitted’ weakness is an invitation to enemies all over the world. Joe Biden is needlessly and dangerously leading us into World War III, which would be a nightmare beyond imagination—obliteration’…

“These statements come as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky admits fear of Trump returning to the White House. ‘President Biden is the president during a full-scale war and he has been more helpful to us than President Trump,’ Zelensky stated in part, telling the Wall Street Journal, ‘In a situation like this, when there is support, you are afraid of changes.’”

NATO in Disunity

The Associated Press wrote on July 9:

“As the Russian invasion of Ukraine continues with no end in sight, NATO’s much-celebrated unity faces fresh strains when leaders gather for their annual summit this week in Vilnius, Lithuania. The world’s biggest security alliance is struggling to reach an agreement on admitting Sweden as its 32nd member. Military spending by member nations still lags behind longstanding goals. And an inability to compromise over who should serve as NATO’s next leader forced an extension of the current secretary general’s term for an extra year.

“Perhaps most thorny are questions over how Ukraine should be eased into the alliance. Some maintain admitting Ukraine to NATO would be the fulfillment of a promise made years ago and a necessary step to deter Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. Others are fearful it would be seen as a provocation that could spiral into an even wider conflict… the challenges come at a moment when President Joe Biden and his counterparts are heavily invested in demonstrating harmony among members…

“Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni — one of Western Europe’s staunchest backers of Ukraine in the war — reiterated her country’s condemnation of the Russian aggression but called for the ‘universal application of the principles’ of the international convention banning the production, transfer, and stockpiling of cluster munitions…

“Also in the spotlight in Vilnius will be Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the main obstacle blocking Sweden’s attempts to join NATO alongside its neighbor Finland…

“Turkey and the U.S. are also at an impasse over the sale of F-16 fighter jets. Erdogan wants the upgraded planes, but Biden says that Sweden’s NATO membership has to be dealt with first… Hungarian Prime Minister Vitkor Orban is also delaying his country’s approval of Sweden’s membership. In response, Sen. Jim Risch, the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is blocking a $735 million U.S. arms sale to Hungary

More disagreements loom over NATO’s updated plans for countering any invasion that Russia might launch on allied territory. It’s the biggest revision since the Cold War…”

Regarding NATO’s updated plans, as mentioned above, note the next article.

How NATO Wants to Defend

The New York Times wrote on July 9:

“Supporting Ukraine and clarifying its relationship with the alliance will be a dominant theme at an upcoming summit. But NATO’s efforts to strengthen its own defenses along its eastern flank will also be key… NATO’s main task is to defend its 31 members… NATO secretary general, Jens Stoltenberg, insisted that NATO was a purely defensive alliance, but with a sharper sense of the threat it faced

“At the moment, the total number of troops for the eight battle groups along the eastern flank is only 10,232…  The leaders at Vilnius are expected to approve plans on how to scale up to 4,000 to 5,000 troops — a brigade — in each of those eight countries, with clearly defined tasks and pre-positioned equipment.

“Separately, since the Russian invasion began, around 40,000 troops drawn from member nations were put on standby under NATO command, but officials admit that the forces it can quickly send to battle are currently nowhere near that level. Under its new plans, NATO aims, at least, to have up to 300,000 troops ready to move to its eastern flank within 30 days, though officials call that number ‘aspirational.

“The main point, Mr. Stoltenberg said, is that the new regional plans detail what each country must do to help defend its assigned territory, and with what equipment. Those troops will exercise regularly with allies on the territory they are assigned to defend…

“NATO is coming to understand the sophistication and the vulnerability of its modern equipment. A modern Leopard 2A6 tank, the best of those provided to Ukraine, has excellent speed and armor and runs on most any fuel. But it needs two hours of complicated maintenance for every hour on the battlefield

“It will also take convincing the leaders and voters of larger allies farther away from Russia that their own security is at risk, and that they are going to have to pay the considerable price of a more militarized Europe for decades to come. And that means being truly prepared to come to the aid of smaller countries bordering Russia, like Lithuania, while rebuilding their weak militaries and learning to rely less on the United States.

“For Lithuania, a country of 2.7 million people that borders Russia and Belarus, getting Germany to commit to permanently stationing a brigade inside its borders became a domestic political issue… Germany’s defense minister, Boris Pistorius, promised to station a brigade of 4,000 troops in the country — once Lithuania constructed the necessary infrastructure, including housing, schools and warehouses for ammunition and vehicles… Mr. Pistorius said, ‘Germany, of course, is willing and will be able to take responsibility now for the new eastern flank.’…

“NATO supports Germany’s decision for a brigade in Lithuania… But… most allies would continue to plan for rapid deployment of more forces in a crisis rather than stationing them permanently at the front, partly because of expense and partly out of caution — a war could start with troops in the wrong place, and massed troops could be exposed to a first attack.

“Despite all of the reassurances, the Balts feel vulnerable, given their size and their neighbor. And they feel that their past warnings about the imperial intentions of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia were played down by larger, more distant allies, like Germany…”

Germany’s dubious role and its declared goals in all of this should not be overlooked.

Erdogan Gives Green Light for Sweden…

The Associated Press wrote on July 10:

“Sweden’s membership of NATO took a big step forward on Monday after Turkey agreed to remove one of the last major roadblocks in return for help in reviving Turkey’s own chances of joining the European Union… President Recep Tayyip Erdogan committed to put the Nordic country’s accession protocol before Parliament ‘as soon as possible,’ the head of NATO said…

“There was no comment from Erdogan on the move, which many saw as linked in part to Turkey’s demands on other issues, particularly Erdogan’s desire for support for European Union membership from European leaders and for F-16 fighter jets from the United States

“Biden welcomed the agreement and said he will work with Turkey ‘on enhancing defense and deterrence in the Euro-Atlantic area. I look forward to welcoming Prime Minister Kristersson and Sweden as our 32nd NATO Ally.’ Biden’s reference to enhancing Turkey’s defense capability was a nod to Biden’s commitment to help Turkey acquire new F-16s…

“The Biden administration has backed Turkey’s desire to buy 40 new F-16s as well as modernization kits from the U.S…

“In exchange for Turkey’s help with NATO, Sweden has agreed to help unblock Turkey’s progress towards joining the European Union, which has been on hold since 2018… Earlier Monday, Erdogan had warned that he would block Sweden’s attempt to become the 32nd NATO ally unless European members of the military organization ‘pave the way’ for Turkey to join the world’s biggest trading bloc.

“Turkey first applied to join what is now the EU in 1987, but its membership talks have been at a standstill since 2018 due to democratic backsliding during Erdogan’s presidency, concerns about the rule of law and rights abuses, as well as disputes with EU-member Cyprus.

“Of the 31 NATO member countries, 22 are also members of the EU, like Sweden.”

“Erdogan Is Not a Good Person”

Bild Online published on July 11 the following editorial by Franz Josef Wagner:

“The people in his prisons know better. He is a terrible ruler. In Vilnius everyone shook hands with him. They shook hands with a prison guard. Suddenly people are talking benevolently about him… Erdogan is a friend of Putin. Turkey still gets cheap gas from Russia. What kind of two-faced man is Erdogan?…

“Sweden should become a NATO member, Erdogan agreed. He gets his F-16 fighter jets from the USA. The Swedes pass new terror laws. What a great statesman. What a double face. In the Turkish prisons, journalists, lawyers and members of the opposition think every minute about the oppressor Erdogan… Erdogan is not a good person.”

Zelenskiy Failed to Secure NATO Membership

The Guardian wrote on July 11:

“Volodymyr Zelenskiy has failed in a last-ditch effort to secure an invitation for Ukraine to join Nato after leaders of the 31 countries signed off on a declaration that did not give a firm timetable or clear conditions for its eventual membership.

The frustrated Ukrainian president had accused Joe Biden and other leaders present at a summit in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, of showing disrespect and complained that there was ‘no readiness’ to invite his country to join. But the dramatic lunchtime intervention on Tuesday had no impact on the final summit communique, issued a few hours later. It said that while ‘Ukraine’s future is in Nato’, the alliance would only ‘extend an invitation to Ukraine’ when Kyiv had completed certain ‘democratic and security sector reforms’.

“Zelenskiy said, in a statement issued after the communique: ‘Today I embarked on a trip here with faith in decisions, with faith in partners, with faith in a strong Nato. In a Nato that does not hesitate, does not waste time and does not look back at any aggressor … And I would like this faith to become confidence.’”

Many of the member states also said that Ukraine cannot become a member of NATO until after Ukraine has won the war against Russia.

Disagreements Between USA and United Kingdom

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 8:

“US President Joe Biden’s upcoming European trip, where he will be popping in to see UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, will no doubt reinforce the optics of the ‘special relationship’ between the two countries. At the same time, it will also conceal the underlying fact that London needs Washington far more than vice versa.

“Sunak was, of course, polite and diplomatic when signing the ‘Atlantic Declaration’ with Biden in June, a watered-down version of a full-fledged free trade deal with the United States. But the unilateral recalibration of UK-US ties wasn’t hard to miss. 

“Sunak said a free trade agreement was no longer ‘a priority’ for either side, and his officials said the declaration marked a ‘less sentimental and more pragmatic’ approach to the UK-US ‘special relationship.’ 

“For many, it was a watershed moment — the moment when Brexit’s dreams of unfettered UK global trade came crashing down to earth. For others, it was simply a reminder that the UK outside the European Union is weaker and less attractive to the US.  For Brexiteers in the UK, a free trade deal with the US was one of several promises made before and after the 2016 referendum that have failed to come to fruition. A potential deal with Washington was widely seen as partly compensating for the loss of free access to the EU, the UK’s largest trading partner.

“While the UK struggled to get former US President Donald Trump to walk the talk on his promise of a ‘massive’ trade deal during his time in the White House, it hasn’t been any easier with Biden at the helm. Protectionist pro-American trade policies remain the order of the day. Biden’s irritation with London’s inability to solve its ‘Irish question’ after Brexit has also played a role.

“US businesses are losing confidence in the UK as a place to invest in as a result of Brexit, rising corporate taxes and a year of political turmoil in London…”

The Government of The Netherlands Collapses

Euronews reported on July 9:

“Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte visited the king to turn in the resignation of his four-party coalition. The government collapsed Friday because of irreconcilable differences within the coalition about how to rein in migration, a divisive issue that has split nations across Europe.

“The resignation of Prime Minister Mark Rutte, the longest-serving premier of the nation, means the country will face a general election later this year. Rutte and his government will remain in office in a caretaker capacity until a new ruling coalition is chosen… The decision underscored ideological divisions that existed from the day the coalition was sworn in just over 18 months ago between parties that do not support a strict crackdown on migration

“Just over 21,500 people from outside Europe sought asylum in the Netherlands in 2022… The numbers have put a strain on housing that already was in short supply in the densely populated country.

“Rutte’s government worked for a law that could compel municipalities to provide accommodations for newly arrived asylum-seekers, but the legislation has yet to pass through both houses of parliament.

“The prime minister also promoted the European Union’s efforts to slow migration to the 27-nation bloc…”

Will the events in The Netherlands find a repetition in Germany? Note the next two articles.

Dissatisfaction With German Government

Die Welt wrote on July 9:

“The week-long dispute [within the German government] has caused approval ratings for the coalition’s policy to continue to fall… the Social Democrats [come] to 19 percent, as in the previous week. The Greens lose a point [and reach]13 percent.

“The FDP remains stable at seven percent. This brings the [governmental] traffic light parties together to 39 percent – less than ever before

“The Union [CDU] can gain a point and is at 27 percent. The AfD remains at 20 percent, the left at 5 percent. The other parties can unite nine percent of the votes. According to the survey, 70 percent of citizens are dissatisfied with the work of the traffic light government – a new negative record…”

Steinmeier Warns Against AfD

Die Welt wrote on July 9:

“Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has expressed concern about the high poll numbers of the AfD and at the same time warned against pure protest elections…

“The AfD is currently around 20 percent in the nationwide polls – and thus ahead of the Chancellor Party SPD. In Brandenburg, Thuringia and Saxony, where new state parliaments will be elected in just over a year, the AfD is currently the strongest party in the current polls… ‘Yes, the polls are worrying,’ said Steinmeier. ‘But they must not lead us to automatically classify every critical question as populism and right-wing extremism.’

“[He said that] when larger parts of the electorate turn away from the ruling parties and the main opposition party does not win, this raises questions

“According to Steinmeier, Germany should not block the US-announced delivery of cluster munitions to Ukraine. It is true that this type of ammunition is still banned by the federal government and that Germany is against deliveries, he said. However, ‘in the current situation, Germany cannot stab the USA in the back…’

“With regard to the discussions about arms deliveries to Kiev, the Federal President emphasized that if the country [Ukraine] stops defending itself ‘or if we ensure that they are no longer able to defend themselves, it will be the end of Ukraine.’”

“Our Father” Problematic, Archbishop Says

The Guardian wrote on July 7:

“The archbishop of York has suggested that opening words of the Lord’s Prayer, recited by Christians all over the world for 2,000 years, may be ‘problematic’ because of their patriarchal association. In his opening address to a meeting of the Church of England’s ruling body, the General Synod, Stephen Cottrell dwelt on the words ‘Our Father’, the start of the prayer based on Matthew 6:9–13 and Luke 11:2–4 in the New Testament. ‘I know the word “father” is problematic for those whose experience of earthly fathers has been destructive and abusive, and for all of us who have laboured rather too much from an oppressively patriarchal grip on life,’ he said.

“His comment… will divide members of the C of E, a body whose differences on issues of sexuality, identity and equality have been highly visible for years.

“After Cottrell’s speech, Canon Dr Chris Sugden, chair of the conservative Anglican Mainstream group, pointed out that in the Bible Jesus urged people to pray to ‘our father’. He said: ‘Is the archbishop of York saying Jesus was wrong, or that Jesus was not pastorally aware? It seems to be emblematic of the approach of some church leaders to take their cues from culture rather than scripture.’

“Rev Christina Rees, who campaigned for female bishops, said… ‘The big question is, do we really believe that God believes that male human beings bear his image more fully and accurately than women? The answer is absolutely not.’

“In February, the C o E said it would consider whether to stop referring to God as ‘he,’ after priests asked to be allowed to use gender-neutral terms instead…  saying ‘Christians have recognised since ancient times that God is neither male nor female, yet the variety of ways of addressing and describing God found in scripture has not always been reflected in our worship’…

“One of the most divisive issues within the C of E, same-sex marriage, led to a decision earlier this year to allow clergy to offer services of blessings to gay and lesbian couples who have undergone a civil wedding…”

Breitbart added on July 8:

“The woke Church of England’s latest assault on the tenets of the Christian religion is apparently the Lord’s Prayer… The comments from Cottrell, the second-highest ranking bishop in the Church, come amid a broader push to adopt progressive beliefs from the CoE leadership…

“The issue of the gender of God has also become an increasingly contested debate within the Church of England, with Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, previously declaring that God is ‘gender neutral.’ Welby has often used his position as the principal leader of the Church to push for left-wing issues, notably surrounding illegal immigration and climate change.

“Earlier this year, it was reported that the CoE was planning on establishing a project ‘on gendered language’ in reference to God later, with some suggesting  that phrases like ‘Our Father’ could be replaced by supposedly neutral terms or feminine alternatives in order to combat alleged sexism within the faith.”

The Bible clearly reveals that the God Family consists of God THE FATHER and Jesus Christ THE SON. If the Church of England wants to believe that the Highest in the Godhead is NOT our Father, would they also be teaching that Jesus was not a Male, when here on earth, or that He changed somehow into a “neuter” when He was resurrected? Please read our free booklet, “God the Father Is the Highest”

New Cardinals in the Catholic Church

Thomson/Reuters wrote on July 9:

“Pope Francis (86) on Sunday announced that he would elevate 21 churchmen to the high rank of cardinal, again putting his mark on the group that will one day choose his successor after his death or resignation. The ceremony to install them… will be held on Sept. 30…

“Eighteen of the churchmen are under 80 and will be able to enter an eventual conclave to choose the next pope. The other three, who are over 80 and too old to vote in a conclave, were named to thank them for their long service to the Church. All cardinals, regardless of their age, are allowed to take part in pre-conclave meetings known as General Congregations, giving them a say in the type of person they think their younger brother cardinals should choose.

“The new cardinals come from countries including the United States, Italy, Argentina, South Africa, Spain, Colombia, South Sudan, Hong Kong, Poland, Malaysia, Tanzania, and Portugal. Three of the new cardinals were recently named as heads of major Vatican departments, including Argentine Archbishop Victor Manuel Fernandez, head of the Vatican’s doctrinal department.

“Another significant appointment was that of Bishop Stephen Chow Sau-Yan of Hong Kong. Chow is one of the major links to the Catholic Church in communist China, where the Vatican is trying to improve conditions for Catholics.”

It will be extremely interesting to see who the next pope will be.

Jews Condemn Baker For Not Producing LGBTQ Symbols

JTA wrote on July 6:

“The request for rainbow-frosted cupcakes came from a repeat customer — a local [conservative] synagogue that had relied on the West Orange Bake Shop to make kosher desserts for its special events. But this year, bakery co-owner Yitzy Mittel decided to decline the order. He couldn’t bring himself to produce the Pride-themed goods.

“Mittel, an Orthodox Jew, had made a similar cake for an order the year before. But the experience unnerved him, he told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, because his understanding of Jewish law holds that LGBTQ symbols are ‘antithetical to what we stand for.’ The symbols are ‘a celebration of something which is against Torah,’ he said. ‘I didn’t want to be making that cake.’…

“In the weeks since that decision, Mittel has gotten validation from the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled last week that a Colorado web designer had the right to refuse to build a wedding site for a same-sex couple. The ruling expands on a 2018 decision, in which the court ruled a Colorado baker had the constructional right, on religious grounds, to refuse to create a wedding cake for a gay couple.

“But the local Jewish community is still reeling. Multiple rabbis have accused the baker of bigotry, and some local Jews are boycotting his shop. The area’s Jewish federation privately said it would stop buying from Mittel before publicly walking back its position. And Eshel, an advocacy group for LGBTQ Orthodox Jews and their families, announced an ‘ally training’ in West Orange this coming Sunday in response to the incident…

“The firestorm comes at a time of widespread advocacy by political conservatives against LGBTQ inclusion and rights. Pride events across the country have faced pushback this year.

“Some of that has taken place in Jewish communities. In another New Jersey town 30 miles away, Orthodox rabbis successfully petitioned their mayor to remove the Pride flags that were flying in front of a synagogue on a central street. The mayor later apologized and put the flags back up.

“But what happened in West Orange offers a particularly potent example of how culture wars can play out in — and divide — Jewish communities, in part because of the symbolism of a kosher bakery citing what it says are Jewish values to justify declining the order of a local synagogue. ‘While I know this has happened in other parts of the country I hadn’t expected it here,’ wrote Dan Cohen, senior rabbi of the Reform Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel in nearby South Orange… ‘Then I learned that the bakery in question is a kosher bakery, and as a result, the bias was coming from within our Jewish community.’”

The real scandal is that a Jewish conservative (!) synagogue orders “Pride” cupcakes, and parts of the Jewish community support such a move and condemn the Jewish baker to refuse to produce cupcakes with symbols which were clearly designed to honor the LGBTQ movement (which is condemned by God).

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

This Week in the News

Rioting in France

Express wrote on June 30:

“France has boosted the number of police on its streets to 45,000 this evening as it braced for more rioting…

“French President Emmanuel Macron also urged parents Friday to keep teenagers at home and blamed social media for fuelling unrest which has spread dramatically across the country since the fatal police shooting of a 17-year-old driver [from a French-Algerian family] earlier this week…

“With dramatic footage of widespread disorder circulating on Twitter, right-wing Dutch commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek tweeted: ‘It seems like France might have actually entered into the first stages of a civil war as a result of mass migration.”

The U.S. Sun added on June 30:

“Emmanuel Macron was seen boogying at an Elton John gig while Paris descended into chaos amid protests over the ‘execution’ of a teenager. The French leader appeared footloose and fancy-free during Wednesday’s concert while his nation was torched and looted by rioters… as protestors pelted fireworks at police, Macron shamelessly danced to Elton John’s greatest hits at the Accor Arena…

“It is not the first time he has been accused of being tone-deaf to the anger among his people.”

How long will left-wing Macron be able to survive politically?

France to Cut Off Social Media in Times of Trouble?

The Guardian wrote on July 5:

“Emmanuel Macron has said the French government should consider controlling and cutting off social media networks ‘when things get out of hand’ in the country. The president’s comments came as ministers blamed young people using platforms such as Snapchat and TikTok for organising and encouraging rioting and violence after the shooting last week of a teenager during a police traffic stop in a Paris suburb…

“Critics said it would put France alongside authoritarian countries such as China, Russia, Iran and North Korea in considering such measures… Macron reportedly also suggested fining the parents of children involved…”

These are some dangerous proposals.

Muslims in France—a Ghettoized Community

Fox News wrote on July 1:

“‘What’s happening there is the consequence of a failure to integrate the country’s Muslim immigrant population,’ Alan Mendoza, co-founder and executive director of the Henry Jackson Society, told Fox News Digital. ‘The France of legend is far removed from the daily realities of life in a ghettoized community that does not have the same opportunities to progress and succeed as the native population,’ he said. ‘France’s forgotten communities are showing that they will stay forgotten no longer’…

“Secretary-General of Unite SGP Police FO union Gregory Joron said police ‘haven’t seen such urban violence in 18 years in so many cities around France.’

“Police pulled over the teenager, identified only as Nahel M., in the Paris suburb of Nanterre on Tuesday morning. Nahel worked as a delivery driver, but he pulled over to speak with two police officers, who approached his vehicle to explain that he had broken traffic rules, a prosecutor said. The exact spark for the incident remains unclear, partially due to the contradiction of police reports and video that circulated on social media. Police said that Nahel drove his car at one of the officers, while the video shows one of the officers pointing a weapon at him and saying, ‘You are going to get a bullet in the head,’ according to France24.

“Nahel drove a yellow Mercedes. [He] had two passengers in the car and no license on him at the time. He reportedly had been placed in detention for refusing to comply with a previous traffic stop and was scheduled to appear in juvenile court in September. The officer then appears to shoot Nahel as the car suddenly pulls away, traveling only a short distance before crashing, with Nahel dying at the scene. Police took the offending officer into custody and opened an investigation into charges of voluntary manslaughter, with charges brought against him on Friday.

“Reuters reported that in an interview with French television the police officer’s lawyer Laurent-Franck Lienard, said his client had aimed at the driver’s leg but was bumped when the car took off, causing him to shoot towards his chest. ‘Obviously (the officer) didn’t want to kill the driver,’ he said according to the report…

“Macron has provided a mixed response to the crisis, initially describing the shooting as ‘inexplicable’ and ‘unforgivable’ but then decrying the protests and blaming everything from social media to video games for the increasing violence. Macron argued that social media platforms, including TikTok, Snapchat and others, helped fuel the riots… Macron also denied there was systemic racism within the country’s law enforcement services.

“Nahel’s mother accused the police of responding violently to ‘an Arab face,’ drawing attention to the underlying tension between what some observers say is a massive and underserved North African, mainly Muslim, immigrant population and the police.

“While he had no criminal record, Nahel had been subject to five police checks since 2021 and had refused to comply with an order to stop. Most of the stops involved either driving without a license or insurance and using false number plates…”

So, there may be more to the unfortunate killing of Nahel than meets the eye. The ensuing protests may have little to do with this occurrence.

Muslim Rage

Israel Today wrote on July 2:

“Let’s see how the French deal with their own nationwide unrest. Foreign media is quick to point out that the ‘riots came after police violence in France.’ So we are supposed to have some kind of understanding for the violence due to an act of police violence? To what end? To excuse this Muslim outburst of violence and pretend like France’s Muslim population is otherwise perfectly peaceful?

“A 17-year-old Muslim was killed by a French police bullet, sparking the current riots. Can France be set on fire because of this? Surely not…

“France is burning. In the numerous videos, the country looks like it is at war. Vehicles and houses burned in Paris, Lyon, Marseille, Strasbourg and other cities. Numerous stores were looted, including Apple. More than 1,300 rioters were arrested and 79 police officers were injured. In addition, 31 police stations were attacked. Thousands of cars have been set on fire and 2,560 fires are believed to have broken out on public roads, the French Interior Ministry said yesterday. Over 45,000 police officers were mobilized nationwide. Due to the ongoing intifada in France, President Emmanuel Macron has canceled his two-day state visit to Germany…

“According to official figures, around five million Muslims live in France today, which makes up 8.2 percent of France’s total population (60.5 million). Unofficially, however, there is talk of more than 10 percent Muslims in France… Today it is even estimated that there are around 50 million Muslims in Europe.

“Anyone who knows me knows that I have many Muslim friends and acquaintances, both in Israel and in Sinai. But what is happening in France now and could break out across Europe at any moment is a real danger for the Christian Occident. I know not all of our readers see Europe as ‘Christian,’ for Europe has broken away from the Christian faith in general. But the point is that for the Muslims who are now plundering and burning France, Europe is a Christian continent. In the Arab press they even still refer to Europeans as ‘Crusaders.’

“Earlier last week, a 37-year-old Iraqi immigrant burned pages from the Koran in Stockholm, Sweden, and announced further actions of this kind. The Islamic world reacted with outrage. Demonstrators stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad. Morocco withdrew its ambassador. Erdogan condemned the burning with sharp words. When the Bible is blasphemed, the Christian world does not freak out, nor does the Jewish community worldwide….”

Antisemitism in France

Israel Today wrote on July 2:

“Israel is closely monitoring and deeply concerned about ‘waves of antisemitism sweeping over France,’ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said during Sunday’s weekly Cabinet meeting. ‘In recent days, we have witnessed criminal assaults against Jewish targets. We strongly condemn these attacks and support the French government in its fight against antisemitism,’ he added…

“Rioters in areas with large Muslim populations have torched cars and looted shops, clashing with police and causing hundreds of injuries… Antisemitic chants have been heard during riots and Jewish businesses were ransacked in the Paris suburb of Sarcelles, dubbed ‘little Jerusalem’ due to its large Jewish population… Jews have been targeted repeatedly in France… Outwardly identifiable Jews have routinely been attacked in cities across the country.”

France is a powder keg ready to explode at any moment. France would need a strong leader to avoid these occurrences from happening again and again. But Macron is not such a strong leader…

The Rise of the Right in Europe

BBC News wrote on June 29:

“… the EU’s third largest economy, Italy, is run by Giorgia Meloni, head of a party with neo-fascist roots. In Finland, after 3 months of debate, the far-right nationalists The Finns recently joined the coalition government. In Sweden the firmly anti-immigration, anti-multiculturalism Sweden Democrats are the second largest party in parliament, propping up the right-wing coalition government there.

“In Greece last Sunday three hard-right parties won enough seats to enter parliament, while in Spain, the controversial nationalist Vox Party – the first successful far-right party in Spain since the death of fascist dictator Francisco Franco in 1975 – outperformed all expectations in recent regional elections…

“Then there are the ultra-conservative, authoritarian-leaning governments in Poland and in Hungary... Including even Germany… Polls there now put the far right AfD just ahead of, or neck and neck with, Chancellor Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD)…

“So what’s happening? Are millions upon millions of European voters really swerving far-right? Or is this more of a protest vote?…

“On the one hand, many a mainstream politician has in recent years grabbed slogans or stances from the far-right, hoping to rob them of their supporters. But by doing so they help make the far right seem more mainstream. While at the same time, a number of far-right parties in Europe have intentionally moved more towards the political centre, hoping to entice more centrist voters…

“Polls suggest the EU is more popular amongst Europeans at the moment than it has been for years. And so far right parties now speak about reforming the EU, rather than leaving it. And they’re predicted to perform strongly in next year’s elections for the European parliament…”

Of course, many parties and governments in Europe, being referred to as “mainstream,” are in reality far-left socialists or even Marxists.

More Success For the AfD

Deutsche Welle wrote on July 3:

“German politicians and media are once again fretting about the rise of far-right populism in the country, after two local runoff votes in eastern Germany were won by the… AfD, the country’s most successful far-right party since World War II.

“On Sunday evening, the AfD’s Hannes Loth beat independent candidate Nils Naumann in the small town of Raguhn-Jessnitz, Saxony-Anhalt, to become the AfD’s first ever mayor in Germany. This came a week after the AfD’s Robert Sesselmann won a similar runoff in the district of Sonneberg, Thuringia.

“Though the two districts are relatively small, the results are considered significant because they confirm a trend in national polls: The far-right party can now claim the approval of 20% of German voters, the same as Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats…

“Chancellor Scholz insists the AfD’s rise has nothing to do with any troubles in his government, but the party that arguably faces the biggest dilemma is the center-right… CDU, which, despite leading in the polls, is struggling to profit from the wrangling of the coalition government. CDU leader Friedrich Merz has been forced to retreat from his promise, made in 2019, that he would halve the AfD’s voter base…

“… many German voters appear to be undeterred… by the fact that the party is under surveillance as a potential threat to the country’s constitutional order… a lot of Germans — especially but not only in eastern Germany — maintain a critical attitude toward the intelligence agency…  They say: Well, we’ve had enough experience with the Stasi [secret service of the communist East German regime 1949-1990], we won’t let anyone prescribe to us what is right and wrong…”

This should come as no surprise when considering the past and current activities of Germany’s past and present intelligence agencies.

US Supreme Court: No Student Loan Forgiveness

The Daily Mail wrote on June 30:

“The Supreme Court has struck down President Joe Biden’s $400 billion student loans forgiveness plan in another bombshell decision. The justices ruled 6-3 Biden’s controversial plan to wipe out debts for 26 million Americans at taxpayers’ expense was unconstitutional and an overreach of his executive power. The plan would have eradicated $10,000 in debt for borrowers earning less than $125,000 and up to $20,000 for those with Pell Grants. But it was challenged by six Republican states and two borrowers who argued Biden should have sought approval from Congress for a plan using substantial taxpayer funds. 

“Chief Justice John Roberts agreed and said in the majority opinion that a move ‘requires that Congress speak clearly before a Department (of Education) Secretary can unilaterally alter large sections of the American economy.’ 

“President Biden called the decision ‘disappointing’ and ‘wrong’ and vowed to fight back in a statement released hours after the ruling came down…

“Former President Trump’s Education Secretary Betsy DeVos told DailyMail.com in a statement following the decision that ‘everyone knew the debt scheme was illegal,’ including Biden himself… The former secretary said the ‘ploy’ by the Biden administration was also ‘deeply unfair to the majority of Americans who don’t have student loans, and equally concerning, would have only exacerbated the problem of ever-rising college tuition.’

“House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., added in a tweet that Biden ‘must follow the law.’ ‘President Biden’s student loan giveaway is ruled UNLAWFUL. The 87% of Americans without student loans are no longer forced to pay for the 13% who do.”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Slams Joe Biden on the Student Debt Issue

Breitbart wrote on June 30:

“Democrat presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. slammed President Joe Biden for failing to ‘bring Congress together’ on the student debt issue after the Supreme Court struck down Biden’s attempted debt transfer… Kennedy said the Court’s decision was ‘the predictable result of Biden’s failure to bring Congress together on this issue of crucial importance to young Americans.’ ‘President Biden knew his plan wouldn’t survive a legal challenge. His plan gave the appearance of action, while accomplishing nothing,’ Kennedy added.

“Biden responded to a reporter’s question on Friday and insisted he ‘didn’t give borrowers false hope,’ [adding that] the Republicans snatched away the hope that they were given and it’s real hope.’ Biden then claimed the Court ‘misinterpreted the Constitution’ when a reporter asked if he overstepped his presidential authority…

“Kennedy also promised to work on reducing the cost of higher education… ‘If we devoted even a fraction of our military budget to higher education, it could be virtually free to all (as it is in many other countries)… Let’s invest in America’s young people instead of in the forever wars,’ the Democrat presidential nominee added.”

How true! But the investment in forever wars is not something which Biden and many Democrats [or Republicans] would want to give up.

Biden’s and the Democrats’ Contempt for the Constitution

Fox News wrote on June 30:

“Fox News contributor [and Law Professor] Jonathan Turley joined ‘America’s Newsroom’ Friday after the Supreme Court struck down President Biden’s student loan relief plan. Turley said the decision is the latest instance where the administration ‘overreached on their authority,’ calling it ‘absurd’ for Biden to enact the plan without Congress’ approval…

“‘This is a huge defeat for the Biden administration, politically and legally. It is only the latest such defeat where the president has overreached on his authority. Previously, the president argued that he could use the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] as the basis for the eviction moratorium during the pandemic, even though many of us said that he clearly lacked that authority, he went ahead and did it anyway. In fact, he admitted that by the time the courts might strike down his efforts, he could get a lot of money out the door. Well, that’s a level of contempt that does not sit well with courts.

“‘In this case, you have the Heroes Act, which is just a few pages long, and was clearly designed to help people who are serving abroad in military conflicts so that they didn’t have to worry about their college tuition payments. The use of the Heroes Act for this massive loan forgiveness program was absurd, and bordered on the obscene. I mean, it was clear that they could not get this through Congress and that they decided to come up with this novel theory to circumvent Congress. What was really unbelievable to watch is that the Democrats applauded him for that. He essentially made Congress a functional nonentity and half of Congress gave him a standing ovation.’”

As we pointed out on numerous occasions, the USA, under Joe Biden and his colleagues, is becoming more and more a dictatorship.

US Supreme Court Sides With Designer Against Same-Sex Couples

The Associated Press wrote on June 30:

“In a defeat for gay rights, the Supreme Courts’ conservative majority ruled on Friday that a Christian graphic artist who wants to design wedding websites can refuse to work with same-sex couples…

“The court ruled 6-3 for designer Lorie Smith, saying she can refuse to design websites for same-sex weddings despite a Colorado law that bars discrimination based on sexual orientation, race, gender and other characteristics. The court said forcing her to create the websites would violate her free speech rights under the Constitution’s First Amendment.

“The decision suggests that artists, photographers, videographers and writers are among those who can refuse to offer what the court called expressive services if doing so would run contrary to their beliefs. But that’s different from other businesses not engaged in speech and therefore not covered by the First Amendment, such as restaurants and hotels…

“The decision is a win for religious rights and one in a series of cases in recent years in which the justices have sided with religious plaintiffs. Last year, for example, the court ruled along ideological lines for a football coach who prayed on the field at his public high school after games. And on Thursday the court in a unanimous decision used the case of a Christian mail carrier who did not want to deliver Amazon packages on Sundays to solidify protections for workers who ask for religious accommodations… [See discussion below.]

“President Joe Biden said in a statement that the ruling was ‘disappointing’…”

So, President Biden, a confessing and practicing Catholic, finds it disappointing when a decision is rendered by the US Supreme Court which upholds Catholic doctrine? Biden also said that this court was not “normal.” So, is it normal, then, for a confessing and practicing Catholic to disagree with the doctrines of his church?

Are Orthodox Christians or Gays Disfavored?

The New York Post published on June 30 the following opinion by David Harsanyi:

“First, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson releases a blistering defense of racial discrimination in her dissent from the Supreme Court’s affirmative-action decision Thursday. Then, on Friday, Justice Sonia Sotomayor puts out a largely incoherent defense of state-compelled speech in commercial life… As soon as the Supreme Court ruled in favor of a Christian web designer named Lorie Smith, who had refused to create a gay wedding site, CNN blasted out this headline: ‘Supreme Court limits LGBTQ protections’…

“Lorie Smith never turned away a customer because of their sexual preference or skin color or religious belief or anything else: She refused to create a message celebrating an event that conflicted with her sincerely held religious convictions. She was practicing her First Amendment rights.

“It’s an easy contention to prove. If a straight person had tried to commission a same-sex wedding site, Smith would have turned them away, as well…

“Think about it this way: A devout orthodox Christian — or Jew or Muslim — walks into a gay-owned bakery and demands the proprietor create a cake with the message, ‘Homosexuality is a sin in the eyes of God.’ Should that baker be forced to make it?

Christians, after all, are also a protected group under anti-discrimination laws. If the gay bakery refused, would it be discrimination or an issue of free expression?…

“The sitting president of the United States flies pride flags right next to American ones on the South Lawn of the White House while virtually every major corporation pays its respects on pride month. If any group is disfavored in American life right now, it’s the orthodox Christian…”

If a Catholic President can behave in the way he does, with support of other Catholic Democrats, then it is very true that orthodox Christians who accept the Bible as their guide, are a disfavored group in this country.

US Supreme Court Decision on Accommodation Gains Huge Support

JTA wrote on June 29:

“In a case that drew support from a broad array of Jewish groups, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that employers had to show a ‘substantial’ burden to deny workers religious accommodation.

“In a decision released Thursday, the court sided with Gerald Groff, an evangelical Christian mail carrier who asked not to work on Sundays, his Sabbath. Jewish groups that do not often line up on the same side of church-state issues before the court were of a single voice in this case.

“Justice Samuel Alito, writing the opinion, sought to substantially narrow a 1977 decision that faith groups have for years said is so broad in setting the standard for religious accommodation that it is meaningless. ‘We think it is enough to say that an employer must show that the burden of granting an accommodation would result in substantial increased costs in relation to the conduct of its particular business,’ Alito said.

“The previous decision had said that ‘to require TWA to bear more than a de minimis cost in order to give Hardison Saturdays off is an undue hardship.’ (The now defunct airline in that case was the employer and Larry Hardison was the employee seeking the Sabbath off.) With this ruling ‘substantial’ effectively replaces ‘de minimus,’ or ‘minimal,’ as the standard.

“The decision will have far-reaching consequences for Orthodox Jews, said Mitchel Aeder, the Orthodox Union’s president. ‘Members of our community require accommodations for Sabbath and holiday observance, times to pray, the ability to keep kosher, and the like,’ he said in a statement. ‘Such accommodations enable us to be not only faithful Jews but productive workers and members of American society. That is why the Orthodox Union advocated to the Court in support of Mr. Groff and why we welcome this landmark ruling.’…

“‘Not every belief or practice can be accommodated, but experience has shown that with some effort and goodwill, most can,’ Marc Stern, the AJC’s [American Jewish Committee’s] chief legal officer, said in an email. ‘The court’s insistence that hardship on employers means substantial hardship and not de minimis hardship, puts real teeth into the law.’”

It will remain to be seen whether employers will take to heart the decision of the Supreme Court, or whether they will try to circumvent the law, hoping that many employees will cave in or refuse to take legal action.

The Fury of the Left

CNN published the following opinion and analysis by Stephen Collinson:

“Conservatives – despite their limited federal elected power – racked up another huge win in the great political battle of the early 21st century. The Supreme Court’s gutting of affirmative action in college admissions on Thursday toppled another pillar of America’s liberal social infrastructure. Two more setbacks followed on Friday: the high court struck down the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness program and dealt a blow to LGBTQ rights when it sided with a Christian web designer in Colorado who refuses to create websites to celebrate same-sex weddings out of religious objections…

“The decision saying colleges can no longer take race into account as a specific basis for admissions… sent shockwaves across the country. It was a generational decision comparable to another precedent-busting move a year ago, when the court’s conservative majority took away the constitutional right to an abortion by throwing out the half-century-old, society-molding decision of Roe v. Wade… ‘This is not a normal court,’ Biden said…

“But not all of the court’s recent decisions have infuriated the White House and Democrats. Earlier this week, for instance, liberals were hugely relieved when the court rejected a long-dormant legal theory that held that state courts and other state entities have a limited role in reviewing election rules established by state legislatures when it comes to federal elections…”

For the record, there is no constitutional right to an abortion. Rather, there is a constitutional right to life—the life of the unborn child. And what the Supreme Court addressed was the [unconstitutional] use of affirmative action in college admissions in favor of (some) minorities (mainly black) for the purpose of discriminating against other equally or even more qualified applicants (mostly white).

Temporary Injunction Against Biden Administration Another Big Blow

Breitbart wrote on July 4:

“Federal Judge Terry A. Doughty issued a temporary injunction on Independence Day blocking members of the Biden administration from having further contact with social media companies during a censorship trial.

“The judge, an appointee of President Donald Trump, is presiding over a case brought by Missouri and Louisiana challenging federal efforts to block alleged misinformation about the coronavirus and elections on social media. Critics allege that the federal government censored free speech, using private companies to carry out actions that it cannot take under the First Amendment. In so doing, critics say, the government stifled scientific debate, and weaponized social media platforms to help Democrats and hurt Republicans in recent elections.

“The Washington Post reported Tuesday: ‘The injunction was a victory for the state attorneys general, who have accused the Biden administration of enabling a ‘sprawling federal “Censorship Enterprise’” to encourage tech giants to remove politically unfavorable viewpoints and speakers, and for conservatives who’ve accused the government of suppressing their speech…”

“In his order, the judge made some exceptions for communications between the government officials and the companies, including to warn them of national security threats or criminal activity.”

Fox News added on July 5:

“Former White House press secretary and current MSNBC host Jen Psaki was named several times by a federal judge who is temporarily preventing White House officials from meeting with tech companies about social media censorship. The injunction said that Psaki ‘publicly began pushing Facebook and other social-media platforms to censor COVID-19 misinformation’ on May 5, 2021. ‘At a White House Press Conference, Psaki publicly reminded Facebook and other social-media platforms of the threat of “legal consequences” if they do not censor misinformation more aggressively,’ it continued…

“Doughty is barring several federal officials and agencies – including some of Biden’s Cabinet members and White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre – from contacting social media companies in efforts to suppress speech. The injunction also states that the government’s actions ‘likely violate the Free Speech Clause’… ‘If the allegations made by Plaintiffs are true, the present case arguably involves the most massive attack against free speech in United States’ history,’ the injunction said. ‘In their attempts to suppress alleged disinformation, the Federal Government, and particularly the Defendants named here, are alleged to have blatantly ignored the First Amendment’s right to free speech.’”

Is there finally the day of reckoning coming?

President Biden Keeps Denying…

Breitbart wrote on June 30:

“President Joe Biden has denied his involvement in the Biden family business nine times over four years. While at least 23 instances of evidence directly contradict his claims, including but not limited to photos, texts, an audio recording, and IRS and former business partner whistleblower testimonies, Joe Biden remains steadfast in insisting that many established facts do not mean he was somehow involved in the family’s overseas business. The list of denials begins in 2019 when he ran for president.”

Breitbart then listed Biden’s denials on May 13, 2019; August 28, 2019; September 19, 2019; October 4, 2019; October 22, 2020; June 8, 2023; June 14, 2023; June 26, 2023, and the latest (so far) on June 28, 2023. In regard to that latest denial, Breitbart stated:

“While speaking outside the White House, reporters swarmed the president with questions about his involvement with the family business in response to whistleblower testimony to Congress that his name was thrown around in his son’s deals. ‘How involved were you in your son’s Chinese shake-down text message? Were you sitting there? Were you involved?’ a reporter asked. ‘No, I wasn’t.’ ‘Were you?’ a second reporter asked. ‘No!’ Biden shouted back.”

It appears that Biden said he was not sitting next to Hunter when the WhatsApp message was sent, calling his son, in effect, a liar. But it is doubtful that Biden really intended to answer that question in that way. How long can Biden continue to try to keep the American people in the dark? Note the next article.

White House Evades Tough Questions About Hunter Biden

The Washington Times wrote on June 26:

“James Rosen, White House correspondent for Newsmax TV, asked National Security Council spokesman John Kirby in a recent presser about the curious WhatsApp message from Hunter Biden to his communist-tied Chinese buddy Henry Zhao that seems to implicate Joe Biden in his son’s scandalous business dealings — specifically, that Joe Biden has lied repeatedly by claiming zero knowledge of his son’s overseas’ dealings — and Kirby ran like a little girl from the podium. This must be the approved talking point by the Democrats’ war room: When asked about Hunter — gather your skirts and run! ‘Cause Kirby’s not the only one doing it.

[In the WhatsApp message, Hunter claimed to be sitting next to his father when writing the threatening message to Zhao, demanding payment.]

“He was replaced by a dismissive White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre who was then asked the same question Kirby avoided — and she booted, deflected, avoided and then got really ticked; no doubt, even more ticked when other reporters in the White House briefing room wouldn’t let the matter drop. ‘Was the president there or not?’ asked an off-camera female journalist, following on Rosen’s line of questioning that went unanswered. ‘I will refer you to my colleagues. They have addressed this and I will refer you to them,’ Jean-Pierre said.

“Only — they haven’t.

The White House hasn’t really explained the matter of the WhatsApp message that, if taken at face value, shows Joe Biden being used as a bulldog by his son to threaten communists into paying up, or paying — some unstated price… ‘White House STILL insists Joe was not involved in Hunter’s business dealings as Karine Jean-Pierre is hit with [a] barrage of questions on WhatsApp message to Chinese businessman and his state dinner invitation,’ the Daily Mail wrote in a recent headline…

“And that is why the White House is behaving like frightened little girls. They understand all too well where this could lead.”

In fact, the evidence suggests that Joe Biden was involved, that he lied about this to the American people on numerous occasions, and that America’s security interests have been compromised.

“Now the Gloves Are Off”

Newsmax wrote on July 2:

“The Biden Justice Department is reportedly preparing a superseding indictment of 30-45 more charges against former President Donald Trump, fearing a Trump-appointed judge might rule unfavorably against it. The scope of the charges could potentially bring the presidential documents case to another jurisdiction and include charges against Trump-tied associates, sources told The Independent.  

“According to the report, the DOJ fears Southern District of Florida Judge Aileen Cannon – randomly selected for the case – might give deference to the former president. Trump is already facing a 37-count federal indictment delivered by special counsel Jack Smith. Among the charges are 31 counts of willful retainment of military documents under the Espionage Act of 1917. Trump argues he was permitted to possess those documents under the civil statute of the Presidential Records Act, as determined by the precedent of the former President Bill ‘Clinton socks case’ which was ruled around a decade ago by Judge Amy Berman Jackson, appointed by President Barack Obama…

“The special counsel’s team is apparently also considering bringing charges against attorneys for Trump, including those defending him during the 2020 presidential election challenge, like former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Giuliani was the Trump-directed attorney who unearthed Ukraine/Burisma corruption allegations against Joe Biden when Trump was still in the White House. The Biden DOJ, facing allegations it has throttled back investigations into the Bidens, now might move forward with charges against the one who began looking into the Biden family’s connection to Ukraine

“Trump had, until recently, vowed not to prosecute his political opponent… ‘when they indicted me for nothing, I said, “Now the gloves are off,'” Trump told a Pickens, South Carolina, rally Saturday… ‘Now we have to say it like it is. He’s a crook… it’s crooked Joe, because it’s a much more appropriate name right now for this man who’s just destroying our country.’”

How is it that many cannot or do not want to see what is really behind these contemplated additional charges against Trump and his attorneys?

USA and UK… a Troubled Relationship

AFP wrote on July 2:

“US President Joe Biden…is set to depart on July 9 for Britain…

“The stop in London will offer the veteran Democrat a chance to meet with King Charles III for the first time since the monarch’s coronation, as well as hold more talks with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a month after his Washington visit.”

Nile Gardener wrote in The Telegraph, on July 1:

“Is there no end to Joe Biden’s sneering disdain towards this great country? The man who I see as far and away the most anti-British occupant of the White House in the modern era made his agenda clear on day one of his presidency, when he ordered the removal of Winston Churchill’s bust from the Oval Office…

“Joe Biden’s shameful mistreatment of Britain is a monumental folly. It is symbolic of his wider US foreign policy: weak, rudderless and lacking in any grand vision.”

Despite the idea that the relationship between the USA and the UK is “strong,” the opposite is the case… and that is a development which has been prophesied to occur in the end time.

King Charles Crowned King of Scotland

The Daily Mail wrote on July 5:

“King Charles was presented with the crown jewels of Scotland in a historic thanksgiving serving today before he and Queen Camilla stood side by side with the Prince and Princess of Wales to watch a Red Arrows flypast.  

“The monarch received the Crown of Scotland, the Sceptre and the Sword of State of the Honours of Scotland – the country’s crown jewels – at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh eight weeks after his crowning at Westminster Abbey…

“The Right Reverend Sally Foster-Fulton, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, delivered the sermon, in which she called for action to tackle global warming to stop the world ‘baking to a crisp’…

“During the processions activists loudly booed and shouted ‘Not My King’ from a protest spot yards from the Royal Mile – leading to criticism from royalists who believe they should have been given a less prominent location…”

“Consisting of the priceless crown, sceptre and Sword of State, the Honours of Scotland were first used together at a Coronation in 1543 for Mary, Queen of Scots when she was just nine months old. They were later used to crown her son, James VI – who went on to become James I of England – in 1567, Charles I in 1633 and Charles II in 1651. The Crown of Scotland… was placed on the coffin of the late Queen during a moving service at St Giles’ Cathedral after her death last year.

“… the sceptre was a gift from Pope Alexander VI to James IV in 1494. It was re-modelled and lengthened in 1536 and has small figures of the Virgin and Child, St James and St Andrew as well as a polished globe of rock crystal.

“The Sword of State was also a papal gift from Pope Julius II to James IV in 1507 and the blade features figures of St Peter and St Paul and Pope Julius’s inscription…

“Scotland’s crown jewels have not had a smooth or easy journey to their present-day display cabinet at Edinburgh Castle. In mid-17th century, the hoard had to be hidden from Oliver Cromwell – who had already melted down the English Crown Jewels – and they were taken to Dunnottar Castle in Aberdeenshire before being buried in a nearby church…”

America’s Forever Wars

The Future of Freedom Foundation wrote on June 29:

“There are multiple problems facing our nation…

“Consisting of the Pentagon, the vast military-industrial complex, the enormous empire of domestic and foreign military bases, the CIA, and the NSA, along with its foreign policy of interventionism, the national-security establishment is the root cause of the perpetual wars in which the United States has been embroiled since 1947…

“The Cold War. The Korean War. The Vietnam War. The Persian Gulf War. The war on terrorism. The war on Islam. The War on Afghanistan. The War on Iraq. The war on Syria. The war on Yemen. The war on China. The war on Iran. Multiple military incursions. Multiple coups and state-sponsored assassinations. And now the renewed Cold War on Russia, which has gotten us perilously close to all-out, life-destroying nuclear war, just like it did back in October 1962.

“Of course, there is lots of focus on ending America’s ‘endless wars.’… Ending one forever war accomplishes nothing from a long-term perspective because always around the corner is another forever war…

“A national-security state necessarily depends on forever wars or, at the very least, crises, dangers, and threats from official enemies, adversaries, opponents, and competitors in order to justify its existence and its ever-growing taxpayer-funded largess… There is, of course, the out-of-control federal spending, debt, and monetary debauchery that comes with all this to consider… It’s also the warfare state, which is costing American taxpayers close to a trillion dollars a year…”

Sadly, America will continue to conduct or be engaged in its “forever” wars until it is defeated in World War III.

Firebrand Marjorie Taylor Greene Sparks Controversy… Again…

Newsweek wrote on June 30:

“Marjorie Taylor Greene has sparked controversy by accusing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, who is Jewish, of having a ‘Nazi army.’

“The House Republican made the comment via Twitter on Thursday, in response to Zelensky holding a meeting with Greta Thunberg and other environmental campaigners in Kyiv.

“Russian President Vladimir Putin has sought to justify his invasion of Ukraine by claiming he is trying to ‘denazify’ the country… Russian state media has continued to spread the conspiracy theory that Ukraine is secretly colluding with Nazis…

“Greene commentated:

“‘Somehow this makes so much sense [meeting with Greta] from the actor wearing army green every day, fully funded by U.S. warmongers, and who just recently canceled elections, controls his state media, and has a Nazi army.’

“… former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson labeled the Ukrainian leader a demagogue, though others pointed out there is a track record of democracies not holding elections when they face an existential threat, such as Britain, which postponed parliamentary elections for most of World War II.

“Greene’s comments sparked a mostly negative response from other social media users… However, not everyone responded to Greene so negatively…”

The optics of Zelensky meeting with Greta Thunberg on the same day when He met with former Vice President Pence are clearly not good. It is interesting that elections have been placed on hold in times of war, such as was the case in Britain during World War II. Could the same happen in the USA?

Ron DeSantis Under Fire

Breitbart wrote on July 1:

“Gov. Ron DeSantis’s (R-FL) presidential campaign is coming under fire across the political spectrum for its ‘pride month’ campaign video, released on the last day of what society has deemed ‘pride month.’

“The ad begins by featuring former President Donald Trump touting a commitment to ‘protect’ LGBTQ citizens. It also highlights Caitlyn Jenner’s meeting with Trump and a drag queen saying, ‘Make America Great Again.’ The ad then cuts to an image of DeSantis with lightning coming out of his eyes with the caption, ‘No.’ The infamous ‘Giga Chad’ meme appears on the screen before the ad highlights headlines of the actions taken by DeSantis opposing the LGBTQ agenda.

“DeSantis Signs ‘Most Extreme Slate of Anti-Trans Laws in Modern History,’” one headline reads… The ad features more headlines, including DeSantis’s efforts to shut down drag events geared toward children and signing what the HuffPost deemed a ‘draconian anti-Trans bathroom bill’ into law.

“It continued to showcase leftist outrage against DeSantis for taking such ‘draconian’ actions to push against the LGBTQ agenda.

Some on the right, however, were turned off by the campaign video. The Log Cabin Republicans, a Republican LGBTQ group, deemed the campaign’s video ‘divisive and desperate.’ ‘Republicans and other commonsense conservatives know Ron Desantis [sic] has alienated swing-state and younger voters,’ the organization wrote… ‘Ron DeSantis’ extreme rhetoric…has just ventured into homophobic territory,’ it continued, warning that DeSantis’ rhetoric ‘will lose hard-fought gains in critical races across the nation… Ron DeSantis and his team can’t tell the difference between commonsense gays and the radical Left gays... His naive policy positions are dangerous and politically stupid.’

“… former U.S. Ambassador Richard Grenell [who is openly gay, called] the DeSantis video ‘undeniably homophobic.’” [Homophobic means, showing fear, hatred or dislike of or prejudice against gay people.]

Is it all because of the votes?

Modern Sodom and Gomorrah

LifeSiteNews wrote on July 1:

In a less than five-minute Twitter monologue on Friday, Tucker Carlson… observed that the ‘Pride’ campaign being imposed by the powerful is ‘just another religious war’ between ‘the people who think they’re God versus everybody else,’ and the first category includes ‘virtually everybody… in a position of authority in the United States.’…

“‘People assumed there were consequences to pretending that you were God. They thought Sodom and Gomorrah were real places that were destroyed for disobedience,’ he said, referring to the account in Genesis 19 when God destroyed these cities with ‘brimstone and fire’ for the sins of unnatural sexual practices.

“Such peoples ‘imagined the same thing could happen to them’ if they violated God’s law, Carlson said.”

As Carlson implies, many do not believe today in the literal occurrence of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, thereby rejecting the clear testimony of the Bible and the fact that God has given us rules which we must obey.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr’s. Stance on Abortion

International Family News wrote on July 3:

“Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has reiterated his support for abortion rights, despite his belief that ‘every abortion is a tragedy.’… Kennedy argued that the government should not be involved in decisions that belong to women and advocated for medical freedom and bodily autonomy. He acknowledged that he finds third-term abortions appalling and expressed a desire to end them in other ways, although he did not specify his stance on government intervention at various stages of pregnancy.

“Kennedy’s stance on abortion has garnered support from some Democrats, with a recent poll showing that 52% of Democrats support his candidacy. This support could potentially pose a challenge to President Joe Biden’s 2024 run, given his current polling weakness and historical precedent of sitting presidents losing general elections after facing primary challengers…

“Kennedy’s focus on bodily autonomy ignores the fact that abortion ends the life of a genetically distinct human being. His organization… should extend its mission to include protection for preborn children from the moment of conception.”

Absolutely. Kennedy’s current position on abortion is clearly wrong.

The Dangerous Stupidity of the Woke Nonsense

The Daily Mail wrote on June 22:

“Britain’s strictest headteacher has said children allowed to self-identify as animals, moons and holograms should be moved to another school by their parents.  Katharine Birbalsingh, founder of the Michaela School in west London, said she was aware of a child at one school who identified as a gay male hologram – and at least one school where a group of students identified as cats. She claimed the ‘issue’ was widespread but that people are unaware because teachers are ‘not allowed to tell you’. 

“The headteacher, who said she has no pupils identifying as animals at her own school, said it is a ‘societal problem’ where teachers and parents have allowed children to lead the way. Her comments come after a recording revealed the moment a schoolteacher branded a [13 year old] pupil ‘despicable’ after they rejected a classmate’s claim that she identified as a cat…

“Ms Birbalsingh says parents should act quickly if schools tolerated children wanting to be recognised as animals… She also retweeted a tweet from a parent which said: ‘A girl at my daughters school identifies as a Wolf. It’s real. A fact. I doubt she is the only person in the UK.’”

This sounds like Grimm’s fairy tales. Where are the parents and the teachers who allow their young kids to adopt this kind of nonsense? Shame on them for abrogating their duty! Of course, governments and the left-wing mass media are also to be blamed for the encouragement of such dangerous nonsense.  

Isaiah 3:12 comes to mind: “Children are the masters of My people, and women rule over them” (Luther Bible 1984).

Note the next article.

Religious Persecution in Europe and Elsewhere

Catholic News Agency wrote on June 27:

“Although the most severe cases of religious persecution are currently taking place in certain African and Asian countries, the 2023 Religious Freedom in the World report highlighted dangerous trends within Europe and the Western world. The report… showed a rising trend in compelled speech, hate speech laws, censorship, the rise of cancel culture, and a growing intolerance toward some faith-based views in the West.

“The Catholic organization is also following threats in Ukraine to religious freedom from the Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Russian governments amid the ongoing war. In some African and Asian countries, the persecution is often more direct, such as China’s internment of Uyghur Muslims or Nigerian Islamists slaughtering Christians. In Western countries, policies that discriminate against religious groups are more subtle…

“ACN-USA Director of Outreach Edward Clancy… cited examples such as a U.K. doctor who lost his job for refusing to use preferred pronouns, French laws that have restricted religious symbols in certain public places, and COVID-19 restrictions that put harsher rules on religious gatherings than other functions, such as in New York.

“On the subject of cancel culture, the report notes that the rejection of new concepts about gender have subjected people to threats of ‘legal sanction’ in some Western countries and that ‘laws have been introduced, such as hate speech, to legally enforce and entrench these concepts as new [human] rights.’

“The report detailed a case in Finland in which Lutheran Bishop Juhana Pohjola and Member of Parliament Päivi Räsänen were charged with hate speech based on a Twitter post about the Lutheran teaching on homosexuality. The prosecutor general alleged that Räsänen’s post, which referenced a 2004 pamphlet published by Pohjola, was ‘likely to cause intolerance, contempt, and hatred towards homosexuals.’ Although the charges were dismissed, the prosecutors have appealed the verdict…

“According to Clancy, Ukraine has shut down Russian-speaking religious services and Russia has shut down Ukrainian religious activity in Russian-dominated areas...”

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

This Week in the News

The Sudden End of the Russian “Rebellion”

The New York Post wrote on June 25:

“Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin posed for smiling selfies in Russia Saturday as he was forced into exile — just hours after the rebel mercenary boss brought the country to the brink of civil war.

“Prigozhin’s short-lived rebellion ended suddenly late Saturday with his retreat to Belarus…

“Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announced Saturday Prigozhin would be exiled to Russian-aligned Belarus, with any charges against him for the foiled armed revolt being dropped in exchange

“Prigozhin’s mercenaries had been fighting in Ukraine alongside Russian soldiers. He ordered them back to their field camps after the rebellion’s abrupt end. Wagner Group’s mercenary troops would also not be prosecuted, the Kremlin said, while those who refused to partake in the coup attempt would be offered Defense Ministry contracts

“Prigozhin’s revolt began after what he said was a Russian military attack targeting his troops’ camps in Ukraine Friday with gun- and artillery fire and rockets. He accused Gen. Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff, of calling for the attacks on his troops after conspiring with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to eliminate the mercenary group.  Russia’s Defense Ministry denied doing so…

“Prigozhin demanded Shoigu be removed from his post as he and his forces advanced upon Moscow Saturday, making it just 120 miles from the city before announcing the retreat.”

This short-lived “coup” did NOT bring the country to the brink of civil war, as the article claims erroneously. Apparently, Prigozhin never tried to fight Putin, but he wanted Shoigu and perhaps Gerasimov to step down. The idea that this episode marks the end of Putin is doubtful, with wild and unconfirmed allegations during the events that Putin had left Moscow. After all, Putin, apparently with the help of Lukashenko, was able to successfully stop the “coup” without much bloodshed [even though it is claimed that the Wagner group killed 39 Russian pilots and crew]. If anything, that would undoubtedly have increased his popularity in Russia. Of course, some may be unhappy with Putin for not punishing the rebels (but note the next article). At the same time, many report that Ukraine’s counter-offensive has been a complete disaster so far. Ukraine’s hope that civil war in Russia would help in defeating Russia has not materialized. Occasional claims that Russia has lost the war in Ukraine are far-fetched. Hungary’s Prime Minister Victor Orban has reportedly said this week that Ukraine cannot win the war against Russia.

Some even feel that the whole event was staged.

All Staged?

The Daily Mail wrote on June 25:

“An ex-CIA analyst has claimed Vladimir Putin ‘orchestrated the coup’ with Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhi… Rebekah Koffler told Fox News’ Eric Shawn on Saturday the coup was staged as a way for the Russian leader to boost his political power and he will eventually ‘gain momentum, mobilize additional personnel, and re-energize his offensive on Ukraine.’…

“Prigozhin’s forces moved from their camps in Ukraine into Russia on Friday and took over a regional military command in the southern city of Rostov-on-Don, before advancing toward Moscow. Just as suddenly, the advance was called off on Saturday, and Russian state media said the Wagner troops would return to Ukraine while Prigozhin would flee to neighboring Belarus…

“She continued: ‘So this is a pretext to declare martial law, which Putin has already done. He made an amendment today that anybody who is violating the martial law is going to be imprisoned for 30 days. Another very interesting and revealing point is that Putin just authorized that men with a criminal record can join the military…’”

Even though this theory of a staged coup, which is also propagated in Europe and Russia, is basically rejected by most observers, stranger things have happened…

Blessed Are the Peacemakers

Newsmax wrote on June 25:

“As war rages in Ukraine and Russia teased a potential mercenary mutiny Saturday, former President Donald Trump repeated his vow to end the conflict with negotiations as a ‘blessed peacemaker.’

“‘When I was president, the world was stable and calm because America was respected and strong. Now — as we see in Russia and all of these other places — this whole world is on fire,’ Trump said Saturday night in Washington, D.C… ‘Before I even arrived at the Oval Office, I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine totally settled. I’d have it done in 24 hours. I say that, and I would do that…’

“Trump said his past relationships with Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy can get the war ended quickly…

“Speaking to the religious conservative group, Trump hearkened back to the Bible’s scripture. ‘As the Bible says, “Blessed are the peacemakers,”’ Trump said. ‘I will be your peacemaker.’”

That will have to be seen…

Russia’s Break With the West

Modern Diplomacy wrote on June 26:

“The war that is currently raging between Russia and Ukraine began in 2014. It started with a clash between Russia and Ukraine…

“The tremor of conflict in 2014 turned into an earthquake as far as Russia and the West were concerned. The Kremlin now presents itself as at war with the ‘collective West,’ and in support of Ukraine, the West is eager to isolate Russia as much as it can.

“Russia’s internal transformation under Russian President Vladimir Putin long predates Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, and its consequences will be felt long after the war is over. This transformation is Russia’s departure from the West — a shift even more all-encompassing than was the Bolshevik Revolution of 1917. One half of this story is Russia’s separation from Europe and the United States and its loss of contact with people, governments, institutions, and companies in the West. The other half is the newly anti-Western tenor of Russian life, a trend that is both spontaneous and government-mandated. The speed with which these changes have taken place is unprecedented in Russian history.

“Nearly sixteen months into the war, ordinary Russians harbor substantial and most likely enduring anger and resentment toward the West…

“Although it can no longer trade with Europe and the United States or harness Western technology for its own modernization, there are many parts of the world with which Russia can increase trade, including China, India, and even Turkey, a member of the NATO alliance…

“The breakup between Russia and the West has acquired an aura of permanence… No matter how long the war continues, and regardless of how it ends, it will almost certainly leave in place a crucial new reality of twenty-first-century international relations…”

Ultimately, Russia and Western Europe will become mortal enemies, fighting each other in war.

Biden Bribery Scandal… More To Come

Newsmax wrote on June 24:

“Attorney General Merrick Garland defended the Department of Justice’s integrity during a Friday news conference, but U.S. Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., told Newsmax that Garland has destroyed the agency’s reputation. ‘He just stood up and lied to the American people,’ Comer, chair of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability [said]…

“The DOJ has come under heavy criticism for giving what many see as favorable treatment to President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden… on Thursday, members of the House Ways and Means Committee released redacted transcripts of whistleblower testimony from two IRS employees who, after working on Hunter Biden’s tax evasion case, reported misconduct and government abuse from the DOJ and FBI. Garland denied the whistleblowers’ claims.

“Comer’s committee has been investigating alleged influence peddling schemes by Joe Biden and his family. They have presented evidence from an FBI whistleblower that an unclassified FD-1023 form contained allegations the president and Hunter Biden each received $5 million from an executive at Ukrainian energy giant Burisma Holdings Limited in exchange for influencing U.S. policy decisions. The committee also uncovered documents tracing money allegedly paid to Joe Biden and his family to several shell companies.

“Comer said there is more to come… Remember, we just disclosed two countries thus far: China and Romania. There are still some more Chinese wires that we have yet to present to the American people. ‘And there are a lot of wires, mysterious wires from Ukraine and Russia, that we’re about to expose. So, this is just beginning for the Bidens. All the Department of Justice is doing is standing in our way.’

“Comer said that despite all the obstacles his committee has faced from the DOJ and all the negative media coverage surrounding the investigation, ‘we are still producing results every day that shows this family, the president of the United States’ family, has received millions and millions of dollars from our adversaries all over the world, and they can’t explain why. They can’t explain what they did to produce that money.’”

One has to wonder when the majority of the American people will wake up and demand some action against the corrupt Biden family.

Impeach Biden Now

The New York Post wrote on June 25:

“Texas GOP Sen. Ted Cruz… highlighted a claim from the stunning closed-door testimony released Thursday that investigators found a WhatsApp message in which Hunter, 53, invoked his father in an apparent attempt to coerce money from a Chinese business associate… Cruz insisted that ‘right now’ is the time for the investigation into the scandal-scarred first son to transform into an impeachment effort against the 80-year-old commander-in-chief.

“Both IRS whistleblowers alleged that key officials in the Biden Justice Department hamstrung their own probe into Hunter Biden — and prevented any meaningful investigation into Joe Biden. This includes allegations that Assistant US Attorney Lesley Wolf scuttled important lines of questioning related to Joe Biden, insisting there was ‘no specific criminality.’

“The elder Biden has repeatedly claimed that he never spoke with his son about his overseas business dealings — but the damning text message casts fresh doubt on the president’s claims. ‘I am sitting here with my father and we would like to understand why the commitment made has not been fulfilled. Tell the director that I would like to resolve this now before it gets out of hand, and now means tonight,’ Hunter Biden wrote to Harvest Fund Management director Henry Zhao. ‘And, Z, if I get a call or text from anyone involved in this other than you, Zhang, or the chairman, I will make certain that between the man sitting next to me and every person he knows and my ability to forever hold a grudge that you will regret not following my direction.’…

“Cruz said the WhatsApp message ‘directly ties Joe Biden to the millions of dollars coming from communist China’ but the DOJ and Attorney General Merrick Garland prevented any probe into the threatening message…’Now, it is possible Hunter Biden was lying, it’s possible Joe Biden wasn’t next to him,’ Cruz added.”

The facts are that Hunter Biden received the demanded money shortly thereafter, and he was in Joe Biden’s house when he sent the message, giving somewhat credence to the claim that Hunter Biden wrote the message in his father’s presence. However, under the direction of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the Republican-controlled House seems to be unwilling to begin impeachment procedures against Joe Biden.

“Biden Lies About Everything”

On June 27, the Editorial Board of the New York Post published the following opinion:

Despite mountains of evidence to the contrary, Joe Biden just can’t stop lying about how tangled up he was in son Hunter’s business dealings… Asked point-blank if he’d lied to the American people about never-ever speaking to Hunter about business, he barked ‘No.’… the president lies about everything that could inconvenience him. 

“He called his disastrous Afghanistan bugout an ‘extraordinary success.’ On the raging inflation his policies caused, he scoffed ‘It was already there when I got here, man.’ [Under Trump, inflation was historically low.]… He claimed in 2022 the price of gas was ‘down from over $5 when I took office,’ when it was $2.46 as he came in and then hit highs of more than $5. 

“He claimed again and again to have created millions of ‘new’ jobs, when they were simply the recovered jobs lost to COVID coming back. He lies about having cut the deficit by $1.7 trillion, when his big-spending [policies] increased it. The border is ‘much better than you all expected,’ as he suggested recently to reporters…

“Whether it’s on public policy or personal scandal (‘there’s no there there,’ on his classified-docs woes, he insists, just as with his family corruption), he waves off bothersome facts in the same blustery, barking tone. 

“The tactic worked for most of his long career as a senator with a safe seat, and even as vice president… it still sort-of works for much of the press, who desperately want to believe his lies.

“But most Americans don’t keep falling for a salesman (of used cars or public policy) who never delivers what he promises: They eventually realize that the guy lies about everything. ‘C’mon man!’ is not gonna cut it.”

And still, many Americans state that they would vote for Biden in the next presidential election. Incredible!

Biden Is Destroying the USA

MSN published on June 25 the following opinion by Brandon Weichert, contributor at the Washington Times:

“Noted legal scholar and George Washington University law professor, Jonathan Turley, believes that ‘The Biden Family are beginning to make the Medicis look like small-time operators.’ 

“For the record, the Medici Family was an Italian banking family that used its vast wealth in 15th century Italy to become the most powerful family politically in all of Florence…  As per their station in 15th century Florence, the Medicis were the leaders of a caste of people and families who were, for all intents and purposes, untouchable

“Similarly, the Biden Family appears to be taking a role similar to that of the Medicis in America’s increasingly corrupt political and economic caste system…

“In my view, he’s clearly used his position and power to influence the ‘Justice’ system to better protect his wayward son, Hunter, and to insulate the rest of the Biden Family from true justice is another indicator of just how skilled at corrupt machinations the forty-sixth president is… Of course, the Bidens have been able to get away with their alleged crimes, just as the Clintons were able to do…

“As Turley explained to the New York Post, ‘The fact that it took over five years to even secure a plea on a couple of small misdemeanors is a testament to a family that has leveraged Joe Biden public positions into a fortune of influence peddling.’…

“… all reports indicate that the Department of Justice is slow-walking that investigation into Biden’s alleged mishandling of classified documents (in much the same way that IRS whistleblowers accuse the DOJ of slow-walking their investigations into Hunter Biden’s tax evasion scandal) whereas they are fast-tracking their case against Trump

“Unlike 15th century Florence, though, modern America is not a flourishing hub of Renaissance thinking. It is a kleptocratic, declining great state with a shockingly overt corrupt and craven political class leading us to our collapse. The way our so-called ‘justice’ system has been converted into a shield for the brazenly corrupt Biden Family and weaponized by that family and their political party to destroy the Biden enemies, such as the Trump Family, is more proof of this sad fact…”

Sadly, the USA IS a declining and collapsing great state with a shockingly corrupt political leadership.

Trump Audio “Leaked” to CNN

Newsmax wrote on June 27:

“Former President Donald Trump is speaking out against CNN’s release of audio it obtained of him speaking with associates at his Bedminster golf club in July 2021 about a military document concerning Iran, saying the report exonerates him in the federal charges he is facing in connection to classified documents kept at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.

“‘The Deranged Special Prosecutor, Jack Smith, working in conjunction with the DOJ & FBI, illegally leaked and “spun” a tape and transcript of me which is actually an exoneration, rather than what they would have you believe,’ Trump said on his Truth Social page Monday night after the audio aired on CNN’s ‘Anderson Cooper 360.’…

“In the tape, Trump is also heard saying that he has a ‘big pile of papers, this thing just came up. Look. This was him [Army Gen. Mark Milley]. They presented me this – this is off the record but – they presented me this. This was him. This was the Defense Department and him… This was done by the military and given to me… See as president I could have declassified it… Now I can’t, you know, but this is still a secret’

“Last week, during an interview with Fox News’ Bret Baier, Trump denied having classified documents with him during the meeting… ‘That was a massive amount of papers and everything else talking about Iran and other things. And it may have been held up or may not, but that was not a document. I didn’t have a document per se,’ he said. ‘There was nothing to declassify. These were newspaper stories, magazine stories, and articles.’”

The audio was “leaked” to CNN—supposedly by the Justice Department—at a time when the evidence of alleged bribery and improper financial dealings with foreign powers by Joe Biden, Hunter Biden and the entire Biden family is mounting, and when Attorney General Merrick Garland might face impeachment procedures if in fact he lied to Congress under oath, as it has been alleged by two IRS whistleblowers who have now claimed that they can produce six additional witnesses who will collaborate their narrative. Even the New York Times admitted now that Garland did not tell the truth.

In a related article, Newsmax wrote on June 27:

“Former Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., told Newsmax on Tuesday that there is nothing to the leaked audio obtained by CNN about former President Donald Trump… ‘My guess is this is a 30-minute to an hour interview, and this is what the left and the media and now, sadly, the Department of Justice and the FBI, love to do is to selectively leak. It is to take something possibly out of context,’ Nunes [said]… ‘It appears like he’s maybe referring to some article, some story maybe that had just come out…

“‘Like a lot of this, it’s a lot of smoke and mirrors. I just continue to go back and say, “Look, you’ve got the Presidential Records Act, everybody who did exactly the same thing.” … Vice President [Mike] Pence had them. [Joe] Biden had documents all over the place, including [from] when he was a senator. [Barack] Obama had them. [George] Bush had them. So, what are you doing with Trump?’”

Apart from the question as to what the audio actually does establish, it might be irrelevant from a legal standpoint, if, as we pointed out previously, the false set of laws was applied in the indictment; and if the attorney-client privilege was improperly pierced.

It has also been suggested that the audio has become inadmissible for the additional reason that it has been illegally leaked to CNN by, as it is claimed, the Justice Department in violation of a court order. Furthermore, as it was pointed out, before a tape can be admitted into evidence, context, possible editing and its authenticity will have to be established.

Finally, even if Trump did not declassify the alleged document in question (if he had in fact a secret document in his hand during the interview), it could still have become automatically declassified if the content of the document had become public, for instance in a newspaper or a magazine.

US Supreme Court Sides With Biden on Immigration Issue

npr wrote on June 23:

“The U.S. Supreme Court handed President Biden’s administration a victory in a long-running fight about how to enforce the nation’s immigration laws. The case concerned the Biden administration’s attempt to set guidelines for whom immigration authorities can target for arrest and deportation. Texas and Louisiana sued to block the guidelines, arguing that they were preventing immigration authorities from doing their jobs.

“The Supreme Court held by a vote of 8-1 that the states lacked standing to challenge the guidelines in the first place…

“During former President Trump’s administration, ICE agents and officers were empowered to arrest and deport anyone who was living in the U.S. without legal authorization. When the Biden administration took office, it put on the brakes… Under the new guidance, being present in the U.S. without legal authorization ‘should not alone be the basis’ for immigration authorities to arrest or deport someone…”

Trump’s policy was clearly overblown and wrong—it would even have included the arrest and deportation of “Dreamers.”

US Supreme Court Landmark Decision on College Admissions

The New York Post wrote on June 29:

“The Supreme Court struck down affirmative action programs at Harvard University and the University of North Carolina Thursday, ruling that both institutions were in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment and federal civil rights law. [Affirmative action policies were often used to increase the number of Black, Hispanic and other underrepresented minority groups on campuses.]

“The decision essentially ends the practice of overt racial consideration in higher education admissions and overturns for all intents and purposes the high court’s 2003 ruling in Grutter v. Bollinger, which found that colleges could consider race as one factor in the admissions process to achieve a diverse student body. ‘Eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it,’ Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority opinion. ‘And the Equal Protection Clause, we have accordingly held, applies “without regard to any differences of race, of color, or of nationality”—it is “universal in [its] application… [T]he student must be treated based on his or her experiences as an individual—not on the basis of race,’ Roberts went on…

“Roberts was joined in his opinion… by all five of his colleagues on the court’s conservative wing: Justice Samuel Alito, Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Amy Coney Barrett, Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Justice Neil Gorsuch… The court’s three liberals, Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented in the UNC case, while Jackson… recused herself from the case involving the Ivy League school…

“Nine states already prohibit any consideration of race in admissions to their public colleges and universities: Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Oklahoma, and Washington state…

“President Biden said he ‘strongly, strongly’ disagreed with the court… Former President Donald Trump hailed what he called a ‘great day for America’ in a post on his Truth Social network…”

US Supreme Court Decides On Religious Accommodation of Religious Worker

Fox News wrote on June 29:

“The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled unanimously for a postal worker in Pennsylvania in an important religious liberty dispute, over how far employers should go to accommodate faith-based requests in the workplace. Gerald Groff, a Chrisitan mail carrier from Pennsylvania, asked the court to decide whether the U.S. Postal Service could require him to deliver Amazon packages on Sundays, which he observes as the Sabbath. His attorney, Aaron Streett, argued in April that the court should revisit a 50-year-old precedent that established a test to determine when employers should make accommodations for their employees’ religious practices.

“In ruling for the government worker, the high court overturned its 1977 precedent that said employers had to ‘reasonably accommodate’ an employee’s religious beliefs and practices, so long as that would not create an ‘undue hardship’ on the business. The new decision tightens the ‘undue hardship’ standard, and could make it easier for some individual employees to secure a religious accommodation in the workplace… A Supreme Court case from 1977, Trans World Airlines v. Hardison, said employers could deny religious accommodations to employees when they impose ‘more than a de minimis cost’ on the business.

“Groff’s attorney argued that the court should scrap the ‘de minimus’ test, which he suggested has been abused by lower courts to deny religious accommodations, in favor of the plain language of Title VII, which would define ‘undue burden’ in the same way it is defined in other federal laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)…

“‘To be sure, as the Solicitor General notes, some lower courts have understood that the protection for religious adherents is greater than “more than … de minimus” might suggest when read in isolation,’ Justice Samuel Alito wrote. ‘But a bevy of diverse religious organizations has told this Court that the de minimus test has blessed the denial of even minor accommodation in many cases, making it harder for members of minority faiths to enter the job market… We hold that showing “more than a de minimus cost,” as that phrase is used in common parlance, does not suffice to establish “undue hardship” under Title VII. Hardison cannot be reduced to that one phrase.’

“Groff was a fill-in mail carrier who worked at the United States Post Office when other mail carriers were off… Initially, he was able to work out an arrangement with his supervisors to transfer to another branch that did not deliver on Sundays. When that branch also began Sunday deliveries, Groff was permitted to miss his shifts provided he could find someone to cover for him. However, Groff was frequently unable to do so and missed over two dozen assigned Sunday shifts. 

“Groff contends USPS could have accommodated his beliefs by scheduling shifts so that he didn’t have to work on Sundays. But the Third Circuit Court of Appeals held in May 2022 that USPS would suffer an undue hardship if it took further action to accommodate Groff. The Supreme Court vacated the Third Circuit’s judgment and remanded the case for further proceedings consistent with its opinion…”

An important case for all true Sabbath keepers as well.

YouTube Did It Again

Newsmax wrote on June 27:

“Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a 2024 Democratic presidential candidate, revealed on Tuesday that YouTube had taken down yet another interview he was featured in [This was subsequent to YouTube’s censorship of his interview with Joran Peterson last week.]

“Kennedy announced the development in a Twitter threat, suggesting that the removal of his talk with former New York Post reporter Al Guart was an act of political censorship… ‘When industry and government are so closely linked, there is little difference between “private” and “government” censorship,’ he continued. ‘Suppression of free speech is not suddenly OK when it is contracted out to the private corporations that control the public square.’

“The Democratic candidate then cited Elon Musk’s ‘Twitter Files,’ a series of internal company documents publicized through prominent journalists, as proof of Big Tech’s collusion with the federal government. ‘Twitter complied. Doubtless, Facebook, YouTube, and the rest received similar requests,’ he explained, adding that YouTube ‘probably acted on its own initiative’ because it has ‘internalized the political wishes of the establishment.’”

More on the “Woke” Nonsense in Britain

The Daily Mail wrote on June 25:

“Shocking audio footage last week from Rye College in East Sussex revealed that a teacher called a teenage pupil ‘despicable’ for disputing the idea that a classmate could identify as a cat. The clip includes a heated exchange in which the disgruntled teacher says the Year 8 youngster needed a ‘proper educational conversation about equality, diversity and inclusion’. 

“But now parents are criticising the teacher for bringing ‘gender politics’ into the classroom, which they allege is ‘stressing the children out’… The parents of a Year 7 pupil told The Sun that there has been too much focus on ‘woke’ issues and not enough of a priority on education

“The girl’s father added… ‘It’s highlighted how gender politics has taken over schools. It’s not good…’”

The wave of strange and unbiblical ideas regarding the woke nonsense is sweeping through the Western world… having seemingly risen very suddenly and coming out of nowhere. Truly, Satan IS the god and ruler of this world.

Pride Month in the USA… “We Are Coming for Your Children”

The New York Post wrote on June 24:

“LGBTQ activists participating in New York City’s annual Drag March on Friday sparked outrage for chanting ‘we’re here, we’re queer, we’re coming for your children’ in a Manhattan park… The controversial chant incensed conservatives, who condemned the marchers as the video spread on social media. ‘This movement grooms minors to have mastectomies and castration and fuels a multi billion dollar medical child abuse industry,’ Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) tweeted in response to the clip…

“New York City will cap off its Pride Month celebrations with its massive annual parade on Sunday to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots — a pivotal moment in the American LGBTQ community’s history.”

On June 28, 1969, the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York’s Greenwich Village, was raided by police. But instead of responding with the routine compliance the NYPD expected, patrons and a growing crowd decided to fight back. The five days of violent [but not deadly] rioting that ensued changed the face of gay and lesbian life forever.

Fox News added on June 28:

“NBC News cited LGBTQ activists who claim the ‘we’re coming for your children’ chant has been ‘used for years.’ [If that was true, it would make it even worse.] Twitter added a community note to NBC News’ tweet of the article that there is no proof to these claims. ‘The news articles provides no evidence of the “we’re coming for your children” chant being done for years at pride nor does it quote specific individuals that make this claim,’ the note reads. ‘This is very irresponsible reporting.’”

Europe—the New Babylon

Israel 365 News wrote on June 25:

“After the Jewish people were forced to wear yellow stars and were murdered on European soil during the Holocaust, they must never again be discriminated against with labelling of their goods and with Jew-hatred disguised as anti-Zionism.

“The European Court of Justice ruled that countries should implement label regulations against products originating from Judea, Samaria, the Golan Heights and Jerusalem as being produced in ‘occupied’ areas but the same is not being legislated against other nations that occupy disputed territories…

“The Hague Initiative for International Cooperation) Director Andrew Tucker commented that Europe has never gotten over the Holocaust but has moved on to create a Babylon atmosphere…”

Europe is called “Babylon” numerous times in the Bible. Please read, for instance, our free booklets, “Is That in the Bible? The Mysteries of the Book of Revelation” and “The Rise and Fall of Germany and Europe.”

AfD’s Ongoing Success Story

Deutsche Welle reported on June 25:

For the first time in Germany, the AfD has won a district council election… Voters in the central German town of Sonneberg elected AfD candidate Robert Sesselmann at the expense of incumbent district administrator Jürgen Köpper of the CDU. In the runoff election in the Thuringian district of Sonneberg, Sesselmann won 52.8% of the vote, earning him the necessary absolute majority…

“The area of some 57,000 people is one of the smallest districts in Germany. Still, the AfD victory is a major breakthrough for the far-right party, which mainstream parties have refused to cooperate with in coalition agreements.

“The AfD’s leader in Thuringia, Björn Höcke, welcomed the win and said it demonstrates the party’s recent momentum. ‘And then we’ll prepare for the state elections in the east, where we can really create a political earthquake,’ he said, referring to state parliament elections in the eastern states of Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg…

“Earlier this month, the first round of elections in the runoff vote saw Sesselmann fall short of outright victory by only a few percentage points. Such a strong showing for an AfD candidate raised the alarm nationally, with all other main political parties — the SPD, the Greens, the neoliberal FDP, and the socialist Left Party — backing the incumbent.

“Though the highest political office in that small arena, the position itself is of only moderate consequence and carries rather limited power… However, critics fear the idea of the AfD wielding political power in any measure and say the party is xenophobic and anti-democratic.

“Germany’s domestic intelligence service classifies the party in Thuringia and its controversial hardline leader, Bjoern Hoecke, as known far-right extremists…

“The AfD win on Sunday shows a milestone for the far-right party, which is currently polling between 18% and 20% nationwide. It has gained a wave of support as the national governing coalition of left-leaning SPD with the Greens and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) is showing signs of infighting…

“AfD first entered the national parliament in 2017 after campaigning strongly against migration. More recently, the party has been critcizing German support for Ukraine as Kyiv fights off the invasion from Russia.”

To classify the AfD and its leader as “known extremists” is of course a rather stupid and counterproductive measure which has already backfired. But many who are supporting the AfD have stated in the past that they do not necessarily agree with all of AfD’s positions, but that they reject the ineffective unpopular policies of the current coalition government under Chancellor Olaf Scholz, which many Germans view as being utterly incompetent—not just those voting for the AfD. So, the popularity of the AfD can and perhaps should be viewed as a protest vote against Berlin and the coalition government.

Jewish Leaders Alarmed

JTA wrote on June 26:

“Jewish leaders are reacting with alarm to a local election in the former East German state of Thuringia, where for the first time in Germany a far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) candidate has won the top political post in his district…

“Josef Schuster, president of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, said the election ‘could open the floodgates’ for a party that espouses xenophobic and anti-democratic values. Some of its leaders also have belittled the Holocaust… ‘Not every AfD voter has extreme right-wing views,’ Schuster told the weekly Jewish newspaper Jüdische Allgemeine. ‘But they voted for a candidate whose party is extreme right-wing, according to the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution.’

“Those voters ‘are knocking out another pillar of support for stable democracy in Germany,’ said Charlotte Knobloch, head of the Jewish community of Munich and Upper Bavaria, in a statement.”

The more the AfD will be criticized and warned against, the more the party will rise in popularity, regardless as to whether the criticism is justified or not.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

This Week in the News

Why and How the Mass Media Libels Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

The New York Post wrote on June 17:

“When Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced his primary challenge to Joe Biden in April, the media shrugged him off as a meme candidate who would soon collide with political reality. Two months later, Kennedy is polling as high as 20% and his campaign is gaining momentum. And the media… have decided it’s time to step in.

“… Over the past weeks, major print and broadcast organizations have laid the foundations for a powerful narrative designed to hobble Kennedy’s campaign before a single vote is cast. The strategy is to disqualify Kennedy by labeling him a font of misinformation… In other words: a Republican in Kennedy clothes…

“The New York Times set the pace with a takedown brimming with accusations and innuendo. From word one, the article didn’t hesitate with its heavy-handedness — accusing Kennedy in its headline of ‘Pushing Right-Wing Ideas and Misinformation.’ The problem is that the article — which includes zero sources and little in terms of comment from the Kennedy campaign — provides no support for this claim.

“In lieu of actual facts, the Times presents ‘fact-checks,’ claiming, for instance, that Kennedy advanced a conspiracy theory by questioning the outcome of the 2004 Bush-Kerry election. Guess who else questioned the validity of that election? The New York Times in a lengthy November 2004 editorial.

“The same day as the Times hit piece, The Washington Post weighed in… In its first sentence, the article claims that Kennedy ‘campaigns on the idea that powerful people have been working in secret to deceive you.’ That’s partly true: One of Kennedy’s most scrutinized claims is that big pharma is pushing what he considers to be unsafe or unproven drugs, particularly vaccines

“MSNBC picked up the WaPo piece and ran with it, bringing the article’s author on air for an interview. Probably not by coincidence, the interview was conducted by former Biden White House press secretary, MSNBC host Jen Psaki…

“Washington Monthly suggested journalists refrain from covering this ‘crackpot’ (also in the headline)…

“Outside of the media, however, serious people are beginning to take Kennedy seriously…

“Much of Kennedy’s appeal lies in his forthright approach to major issues, like his visit to the southern border this month, where he spoke directly with immigrants in Arizona. Unsurprisingly, most of the press stayed home.

“Kennedy’s positions on many other issues also cut against the media grain. His most controversial stance is on the war in Ukraine, where he strongly opposes American involvement (though his son volunteered to serve alongside Ukrainians). Back home, he believes transgender athletes should not participate in female sports; and… he’s harshly critical of America’s intelligence community, and particularly the CIA, which he believes is responsible for the assassination of his uncle, John F. Kennedy…

“The media onslaught is not only an attempt to derail Kennedy, but an easy way to deflect attention from the Dems’ real campaign crises: Biden’s age, unfavorability and chaos-plagued son. Faced with a weakened president, the media is trying to make Robert Kennedy into Joe Biden’s whipping boy and send him packing long before Iowa. But with Biden’s scandals bubbling, and Kennedy bottling early electoral lightning, the next claims of ‘misinformation’ might just refer to Kennedy outpolling the president.”

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on June 15:

“A new poll from The Economist and YouGov released yesterday brings more bad news for Biden, as Democratic rival RFK, Jr. surges in favorability with voters while Biden slumps. No wonder Biden refuses to debate RFK, Jr. and is desperately trying to move the first primary to a more favorable state.”

The attempts of the left-wing mass media to interfere in the upcoming election are truly appalling.

Democrats Want Biden and Kennedy to Debate

Breitbart wrote the following on June 19:

A majority of Democrats want President Biden to debate Democrat challenger Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a Convention of States Action/Trafalgar Group survey found…

“Across the board, over one-third, 77.5 percent, said yes, the two should engage in debates. Just 15.6 percent said they should not, and another 6.9 percent remain unsure.

“Predictably, most Republicans — 92.8 percent — believe the two should debate, as do 80.1 percent of independents. However, this consensus is actually bipartisan, as 57.5 percent of Democrats believe Biden should debate RFK Jr. another 31.7 percent believe they should not debate, and 10.8 percent of Democrats remain unsure…

“Notably, RFK Jr. has expressed an eagerness to see Biden on the debate stage, challenging the president to a debate throughout the primary process.”

YouTube Censors RFK Jr

Newsmax wrote on June 19:

YouTube’s removal of a Robert F. Kennedy Jr. interview with conservative podcaster Jordan Peterson is being called out as election interference… After the blackout on YouTube, RFK Jr. hailed Twitter for keeping the interview up on its social media platform…

“The flap comes after famous video podcaster Joe Rogan offered a vaccine doctor $100,000 to debate Democrat presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., on his show… Dr. Peter Hotez fired salvos at Rogan and RFK Jr. for spreading vaccine skepticism after Rogan’s podcast interview with the noted COVID-19 vaccine critic RFK Jr., but Hotez declined Rogan’s offer for the charity of his choice.

“Notably, RFK Jr.’s unpopular positions with Democrats and their allies in the mainstream media had The Boston Globe predicting YouTube censorship for weeks…”

What does Hotez want to hide?

Needed… Another John F Kennedy?

On June 19, Ron Paul wrote the following in his weekly column:

“Most people agree that we are closer to nuclear war than at any time since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Some would even argue that we are closer now than we were in those fateful days, when Soviet missiles in Cuba almost triggered a nuclear war between the US and the USSR… That crisis was very real to me, as I was drafted into the military in the middle of the US/USSR standoff over Cuba and we could all feel how close we were to annihilation.

“Fortunately, we had a president in the White House at the time who understood the dangers of nuclear brinkmanship. Even though he was surrounded by hawks who could never forgive him for aborting the idiotic Bay of Pigs Cuba invasion, President John F. Kennedy picked up the telephone for a discussion with his Soviet counterpart, Nikita Khrushchev, which eventually saved the world. Historians now tell us that President Kennedy agreed to remove US missiles from Turkey in exchange for the Soviets removing missiles from Cuba

“It is all too clear that we do not have a John F. Kennedy in the White House today… the Biden Administration is still dragging the US toward a nuclear conflict… This all started with Biden promising to only send uniforms and medical supplies to Ukraine for fear of sparking a Russian retaliation. From there we went to anti-tank missiles, multiple-rocket launchers, Patriot missiles, Bradley fighting vehicles, and millions of rounds of ammunition. The Biden Administration announced last week that it would send depleted uranium ammunition to Ukraine, which poisons the earth for millennia to come. Rumors are that long-range ATACMs missiles are to be delivered soon, which could strike deep into Russia. Apparently, F-16 fighter jets are also on the way…

Congress is silent – or compliant – as we lurch forward toward disaster for no discernable US strategic goal. Biden – or whoever is actually running the show – is forging straight ahead.”

What is REALLY needed is the soon-coming return of Jesus Christ, as man does not know the way to lasting peace.  

“The Utter Failure of Merrick Garland”

On June 17, the Hill published the following opinion piece by Professor Jonathan Turley:

“Merrick Garland began his tenure as attorney general with the stated intention of restoring faith in the Justice Department and the rule of law. By that standard, Garland has been a failure. In fact, if anything, the crisis of faith surrounding his department has only deepened on his watch…

“Polls show that half the country distrusts the FBI. A recent poll by Harvard CAPS-Harris found that 70 percent are either very or somewhat concerned about election interference by the FBI and other intelligence agencies… Another poll showed 64 percent view the FBI as ‘politically compromised.’…

“Various officials were removed from the Department by career officials for their express bias and misconduct during the Russia-collusion investigation… The Justice Department and the media kept the investigation going for years despite the lack of credible evidence

“Garland’s reputation is more like that of a supervising judge who defers to the views and decisions of his agency. The result has been disastrous for the department… Garland remained largely silent as the FBI cracked down on conservative groups across the country in the wake of the Jan. 6 riot… the Justice Department was criticized for its draconian treatment of people charged with relatively minor offenses such as trespass and unlawful entry into the Capitol.

“The controversies continue to pile up…  Garland could have taken steps to assure the public that there is not a two-tiered system of justice but repeatedly refused to do so. For example, Garland has continued to refuse to appoint a special counsel in the investigation of Hunter Biden. By doing so, Garland has removed the president’s greatest threat in the form of a report that would detail the scope of the Biden family’s alleged influence peddling and foreign contacts.

“Garland is now looking at a new inflammatory situation after Special Counsel Jack Smith has leveled 37 charges against Trump while Robert Hur, ‘the other special counsel’ investigating Biden, has largely disappeared from sight…

“Garland is not solely at fault. Biden took office promising to be a unifier and a moderate. He immediately adopted far left policies and fueled divisions by denouncing millions of ‘MAGA Republicans’ and his political opponents as ‘semi-fascist’ extremists…

“The failure of Merrick Garland is becoming more and more evident by the day. The public continues to distrust the Department, and his assurances of fair dealing have been overwhelmingly rejected by Republicans and independents…  as an attorney general, there is little to like about his last two years.”

The Justice Department, the FBI and the CIA, among many other governmental agencies, as well as Joe Biden and his Administration, have to be distrusted for obvious reasons.  

“Why the Trump Indictment Is Outrageous And Shocking”

On or about June 16, Zero Hedge published the following article by Will Scharf:

“I am a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, worked on two Supreme Court confirmations, and clerked for two federal appellate judges. The indictment and case against President Trump is outrageous and shocking…

“A lot of my friends have spoken insightfully about the scope of the Presidential Records Act… Basically, their argument distills down to the idea that the President’s authority to retain Personal Records, as well as his rights to access his Presidential Records, make it impossible to prosecute him under the Espionage Act section at issue here, § 793(e), because the government cannot prove ‘unauthorized possession,’ as required under the statute.

“I want to make a different point relating to the intent elements in § 793(e) of the Espionage Act, the statute Trump is being charged under. Section 793(e) requires the government to prove that the Defendant KNEW he had National Defense Information (NDI) in his possession, and also that the Defendant KNEW that there was a government official entitled to receive the Information, and also that the Defendant then WILLFULLY failed to deliver it to that official…

“More than anything, this case hinges on the ability of the Special Counsel to prove beyond a reasonable doubt aspects of Trump’s state of mind that will be extremely difficult to prove in this case because of his obligations and rights under the Presidential Records Act…

“Just because something is classified… does not mean that it is National Defense Information (NDI) within the meaning of the Espionage Act. NDI, for the purposes of an Espionage Act § 793(e) prosecution, is defined as one of a long list of items ‘relating to the national defense which information the possessor had reason to believe could be used to the injury of the United States or to the advantage of any foreign nation.’

“A lot of the documents listed in the indictment are older, or seemingly random… Anyone who has worked around government knows that over-classification is a huge problem. A ton of documents end up being classified because of arcane technical rules that may not reflect the real world…

“Far and away the most troubling side story to emerge from this saga so far are the allegations made by Trump aide and co-defendant Walt Nauta’s lawyer last week… Nauta’s lawyer, Stanley Woodward, alleged in a court filing that during a meeting with prosecutors about his client’s case, the head of the Counterintelligence Section of DOJ’s National Security Division Jay Bratt ‘suggested Woodward’s judicial application [for a DC Superior Court judgeship] might be considered more favorably if he and his client cooperated against Trump.’

“If true… this is wild misconduct… It could undermine the entire case against both Trump and Nauta. It could end careers at DOJ if fairly investigated…

“The indictment relies on a significant amount of information received, in one form or another, from one of Trump’s lawyers, Evan Corcoran, who was compelled to testify in front of the grand jury. According to news reports, the argument for breaching the privilege was the crime fraud exception…

“The attorney client privilege protects from disclosure to the government confidential communications made between clients and their attorneys. It has been around for centuries, and is considered a core protection in our system of justice.

“The crime fraud exception, though, allows the attorney client privilege to be broken in rare circumstances when two requirements are met:

“First, there needs to be a prima facie showing that the client was engaged in criminal conduct.

“Second, the client has to have obtained or sought the attorney’s assistance in furthering that crime

“First of all, what was the crime they used as a predicate? Was it unlawful retention of the documents? If so, there’s nothing in the indictment that I can see indicating that Corcoran’s communications with Trump would have furthered that in a way that would justify breaching privilege…

“In any case, the Special Counsel is going to have to show why the communications in question were a solicitation by Trump to Corcoran to join him in criminal acts, as opposed to Trump asking a lawyer he hired to advise him on his legal defense, to tell him what his options were, or to outline what defensive steps might be possible, and what was done by others in previous cases like Hillary’s emails…”

A very insightful legal analysis.

More Censorship Against Trump

The New York Post wrote on June 19:

“A federal judge has blocked former President Donald Trump from disclosing evidence and sensitive information discussed in his classified documents case.

“US Magistrate Judge Bruce Reinhart, who signed off last August on the search warrant for the 77-year-old’s Mar-a-Lago resort, sided with the Justice Department on Monday after special counsel Jack Smith’s prosecutors filed a motion to keep the evidence in the case secured during the discovery process.

“The judge said Trump and co-defendant Walt Nauta cannot ‘disclose the Discovery Materials or their contents directly or indirectly to any person or entity other than persons employed to assist in the defense, persons who are interviewed as potential witnesses, counsel for potential witnesses, and other persons to whom the Court may authorize disclosure….’”

Sadly, the agenda behind all of this is SO obvious.

Trial Already in August?

Newsmax wrote on June 20:

“A federal judge in Florida has scheduled the criminal trial of former President Donald Trump on charges of illegal retention of classified government documents to start Aug. 14, ‘or as soon thereafter as the case may be called.’

“The order was signed Tuesday morning by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee. Cannon’s order said both sides must file pretrial motions by July 24.

“The Justice Department’s special counsel in the case, Jack Smith, promised a speedy trial after a 37-count indictment charging Trump with willfully retaining classified government records and obstructing justice.

“But the complexities of handling highly classified evidence, the degree to which Trump’s legal team challenges the government’s pretrial motions, and the way the judge manages the schedule could all lead to a trial that is anything but swift, legal experts say.

“And there is no guarantee the trial will start on the scheduled date, experts say.”

Fox News added on June 20:

“Federal Judge Aileen Cannon announced the preliminary court date Tuesday, but the final date for Trump’s trial is likely to change as the former president’s legal team is expected to request a delay….”

Schiff Censored in a House Divided

Fox News wrote on June 21:

“The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to censure Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., for pushing claims that former President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign colluded with Russia — a vote that made Schiff just the third member of the House to be censured since the turn of the century. The resolution passed 213-209 in a vote — every Republican voted for it except for six who voted “present,” and every Democrat voted against it.

“Immediately following the vote, Democrats gathered on the floor and chanted ‘Shame!’ and ‘Disgrace!’ as House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., tried to gavel the House in order for several minutes…

“McCarthy then asked Schiff to present himself in the well of the House, and Democrats clapped and cheered as he approached. After being interrupted several times by Democrats, McCarthy said, ‘I have all night.’ Schiff then stood in well of the House as required by the resolution, and was hugged and cheered by dozens of Democrats who surrounded him. The measure also requires the House Committee on Ethics to investigate Schiff’s ‘falsehoods, misrepresentations, and abuses of sensitive information.’…

“‘To my Republican colleagues who introduced this resolution, I thank you. You honor me with your enmity, you flatter me with this falsehood,’ Schiff said. ‘You, who are the authors of a big lie about the last election, must condemn the truth tellers,’ he said. ‘And I stand proudly before you. Your words tell me that I have been effective in the defense of our democracy, and I am grateful.’

“Schiff was a leader of Trump’s first impeachment proceeding…”

Schiff has repeatedly and quite dogmatically stated that there is evidence—more than just “circumstantial”— that Trump colluded with Russia. This was and is a BIG LIE for which Schiff must be held accountable. And shame on those Democrats who want to suppress the truth and uphold the lies, by supporting and cheering for Schiff, all just for the purpose to “get Trump.”

Joe Biden’s Worsening Dementia

Fox News wrote on June 16:

“President Biden caused an uproar of confusion Friday after closing his remarks at a Connecticut summit on gun control reform… [stating] ‘All right. God Save the Queen, man,’ before looking around to figure out where to walk offstage.

“The current monarch of the United Kingdom is King Charles III — as his mother, the long-serving Queen Elizabeth II, died in September. Connecticut, where Biden was speaking, was one of the 13 colonies to declare its independence from Britain in 1776…

“… the reaction to Biden’s closing utterance was… proffering questions about his widely-discussed cognitive acuity… Some observers wondered aloud Friday if the process to invoke the amendment to remove the president should be started, given his latest gaffe…

“Response from some United Kingdom natives was equally critical, as a former aide to the late Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher appeared to question Biden’s cognitive abilities… ‘The dementia is so bad that he now thinks he’s British,’ quipped Greg Price of the State Freedom Caucus Network…”

Biden’s lack of memory of recent events does give credence to the assumption of his worsening dementia. For instance, he could not remember that he had been in Ireland for several days shortly after his return to the USA, even though he had publicly and with great fanfare declared his love for Ireland and his Irish ancestry, while visiting Ireland.

Impeaching Joe Biden

Breitbart wrote on June 22:

“Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) in the coming days will introduce articles of impeachment against President Joe Biden under a privileged resolution“By superseding House Republican leadership’s ability to control what comes to the House floor, Greene will launch articles of impeachment against Joe Biden, bypassing the usual process for bringing legislation to a full House vote. Greene’s resolution will force House Republicans to vote on the measure. ‘I don’t know what it’s going to take to get them to realize what fools Republicans look like in Congress for not moving forward on impeachment,’ Greene exclusively told Breitbart News.

“‘Joe Biden is a criminal,’ she said. ‘And as vice president of the United States, he committed crimes. He committed crimes, high crimes, and misdemeanors.’ ‘We now know on the Oversight Committee through our investigation that he took a $5 million bribe from a Ukrainian oligarch in order to get Victor Shokin fired — the prosecutor that was investigating Burisma,’ she said. ‘We have bank records after bank records after bank records showing that money was transferred, wire transferred in, from all kinds of countries all over the world, from all kinds of foreign nationals and businesses and state governments into the fake LLC, paying the Biden family members,’ Greene continued. ‘Everyone knows this,’ she said. ‘But for some reason, Republicans in Congress can’t even start the process of impeachment…’ Greene told Breitbart News her privileged resolution posted on Congress.gov was the most viewed bill on the site all Wednesday.

“But despite the grassroots interest in the bill, Greene said Republican members on the House Judiciary Committee do not support the impeachment effort… Greene’s resolution could be ready for a vote as soon as Friday. If the legislative language is not ready by then, she told Breitbart News it will be voted upon when members of Congress return to Washington, DC, in two weeks.”

CNN wrote on June 21 about a similar motion by GOP Republican Lauren Boebert:

“Speaker Kevin McCarthy urged House Republicans to vote against the resolution brought forward by GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado forcing a vote to impeach President Joe Biden this week, arguing now is not the right time…

“McCarthy argued that Republicans should let committee investigations play out and warning that jumping to impeachment now could threaten their slim majority… The speaker noted that House Republicans have taken back the House five times in the last 100 years, and two of those times lost the majority the next cycle…”

To gain votes seems to be much more important than to establish righteousness in the land. 

Hunter Biden’s “Sweetheart Deal”

The New York Post wrote on June 20:

“As part of the deal, the 53-year-old will plead guilty to misdemeanor counts of willful failure to pay federal income tax for 2017 and 2018 and enter a pre-trial diversion on a felony gun possession charge, meaning that charge could be dropped if he meets certain requirements… ‘Wow! The corrupt Biden DOJ just cleared up hundreds of years of criminal liability by giving Hunter Biden a mere “traffic ticket.” Our system is BROKEN!’ Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform…

“‘As President Trump predicted, Biden’s Justice Department is cutting a sweetheart deal with Hunter Biden in order to make their bogus case to “get Trump” appear fair. Meanwhile, Biden’s DOJ continues to turn a blind eye to the Biden family’s extensive corruption and bribery scheme,’ Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for Make America Great Again Inc., said in a statement. Earlier this month, Trump predicted, ‘They’ll hit Hunter with something small to make their strike on me look “fair.”’…

“‘It continues to show the two-tiered system in America. If you are the president’s leading political opponent, the DOJ literally tries to literally put you in jail, give you prison time. If you are the president’s son, you get a sweetheart deal,’ contended Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). ‘Now this does nothing to our investigation. It actually should enhance our investigation because the DOJ should not be able to withhold any information now,’ added McCarthy, referring to an ongoing probe of the first son by the House Oversight Committee. ‘They should be able to provide Chairman [James] Comer with any information he requires.’

“Comer (R-Ky.) himself decried the development as a ‘slap on the wrist… when growing evidence uncovered by the House Oversight Committee reveals the Bidens engaged in a pattern of corruption, influence peddling, and possibly bribery.’ ‘These charges against Hunter Biden and sweetheart plea deal have no impact on the Oversight Committee’s investigation,’ Comer added. ‘We will not rest until the full extent of President Biden’s involvement in the family’s schemes are revealed.’…”

Time will tell…

The Investigation Is Ongoing…?

The New York Post wrote on June 21:

“Hunter Biden appears to have ducked other possible charges — including money laundering, bribery and human trafficking — as part of a plea agreement he entered into with federal prosecutors… Hunter likely violated the Foreign Registration Act (FARA) while negotiating lucrative business deals with entities in China, Mexico, Romania, Russia and Ukraine during and after Joe Biden’s tenure as vice president — with George Washington University Law Professor Jonathan Turley last year calling the evidence ‘unassailable and undeniable.’…

“The office of Delaware US Attorney David Weiss announced the charges but added that its ‘investigation is ongoing.’ However, Cornell law professor Robert Hockett told The Post Tuesday that statement amounted to a prosecutorial formality… ‘Certainly new charges could be brought, but they would have to be brought on the basis of new evidence,’ Hockett added. ‘Once a judge approves the deal and it’s finalized then no additional charges can be brought later on the basis of the evidentiary record that we currently have.’”

The New York Post published on June 21 the following related opinion piece by Michael Goodwin:

“To express disappointment in the results of the Hunter Biden probe is to admit you ever believed it was an actual and honest investigation… Santa Claus is more real than the integrity of the FBI and Justice Department under Joe Biden… That’s another way of saying there is no justice system… This is what happens in Third World countries, and now it’s happening in America…

“Although Weiss says in his filing that, ‘The investigation is ongoing,’ that’s more likely a fig leaf so he and the FBI can duck congressional scrutiny by saying they can’t comment on an ongoing case…”

The Post Editorial Board wrote on June 20:

‘Despite the obvious impropriety of the Justice Department investigating the president’s son (and as that president repeatedly, loudly and publicly declared his son innocent), Attorney General Merrick Garland refused to name an independent counsel to take this case.

“If a special prosecutor of clear integrity had offered this plea deal now, it’d still stink but might be something the public could swallow. But as things stand, the only possible conclusion is that Justice is corrupt.”

What Justice? As was pointed out above, America has no justice system. As we read in Isaiah 59:14:

“Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands afar off; For truth is fallen in the street, And equity cannot enter.”

The Cover-Up of the Justice Department in the Hunter Biden Case

 The New York Post wrote on June 22:

“Two IRS whistleblowers told Congress in closed-door testimony released Thursday that the Justice Department waged a coverup in the tax fraud investigation of first son Hunter Biden — revealing stunning details of alleged interference and new evidence indicating President Biden was involved in his son’s foreign dealings…

“The revelation that Biden appointees blocked charges against his son is politically explosive because Attorney General Merrick Garland testified under oath to Congress earlier this year that Weiss was empowered to bring charges outside of Delaware. Intentionally misleading Congress is a crime. Weiss… sought to be appointed special counsel in the case at least twice… but was turned down by the Biden Justice Department, both whistleblowers alleged…”

Breitbart added on June 22:

“House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (R-MO) told reporters Thursday that the Justice Department twice prevented United States Attorney David Weiss from bringing stronger charges against Hunter Biden… ‘The testimony we released today shows the IRS recommended charges against Hunter Biden that included attempt to evade or defeat tax, a felony; fraud or false statements, a felony; and willful failure to file returns, supply information, or pay tax,’ Smith said. ‘These tax crimes cover an estimated $2.2 million and unreported tax on global income streams to Mr. Biden and his associates from Ukraine, Romania, and China totaling $17.3 million from 2014 to 2019.’

“‘Mr. Biden personally received $8.3 million,’ Smith added. ‘Whistleblowers detail foreign payments to Mr. Biden, including $664,000 from the Chinese company, state energy HK, a large diamond worth $80,000, and a Porsche worth $142,000. These payments are just a fraction of the total, but they provide insight into a world of wealth and influence that no ordinary American would recognize.’…

“The whistleblowers revealed IRS investigators were told by U.S. Attorney Lesley Wolf that because the evidence would be found in the guest house of former Vice President Biden, ‘There is no way’ a search warrant for evidence would ever get approved…”

Maybe that is true when it applies to Joe Biden. It most certainly is not true when it applies to Donald Trump. 

Tucker Carlson: USA Moving Towards Full-Fledged Dictatorship Under Biden

LifeSiteNews wrote on June 16:

“Mocking leftist protests to the contrary, Tucker Carlson laid out the case on Thursday evening for why the Joe Biden presidency represents the final stages of transforming the United States into a full-fledged dictatorship during the latest installment of his new show on Twitter.

‘With sharp satire, Carlson compared Joe Biden, his administration, and the legacy media with dictatorships from around the world. This included the common corruption in arresting the dictator’s principle political rivals, their enriching of their family selling political influence, the thwarting of large protests through murder (Ashli Babbitt) and intimidation (SWAT-type raids and draconian treatment of political dissenters), censorship, comprehensive surveillance and a focus on destroying parental rights over their children…

“‘The one thing that all dictators have in common is they enrich themselves and their families, their tribe, even as the countries they govern grow steadily poorer and more desperate,’ he said. ‘They take kickbacks from businesses and from other dictators [and] they use the official functions of their government to funnel cash to themselves.’

“Furthermore, ‘in a dictatorship, it’s no longer possible to fight injustice’, Carlson continued. ‘People can’t gather in large numbers to protest the rule of the dictator. If they try that, they’ll be arrested by the state security services… And by the way, it’s not just public protests that would be banned in a dictatorship. You wouldn’t be allowed to complain from your own home… Unauthorized opinions expressed on the internet would be censored...

“Furthermore, ‘the wannabe dictator’ exercises profound surveillance over the population… ‘The administration already knows what you buy, of course, because they have leaned on the big banks to turn over your confidential credit card information…’

“After a sarcastic demonstration on how the U.S. legacy media protects Biden like the state-run media of North Korea protected dictator Kim Il Sung, Carlson said, ‘And by the way, if Joe Biden was a wannabe dictator, he’d have the family to match… A dictator would… claim dominion over the most intimate parts of his citizens’ lives. He’d define what attitudes they were allowed to have about sex and religion and how to raise their families. He would, even in his final grandiose stage of dictatorship, claim ownership of their children,’ he said.”

“According to retired congressman and former presidential candidate Ron Paul, the neoconservatives are ideological heirs of early Bolshevik terrorist Leon Trotsky in believing in ‘permanent revolution, violent as well as intellectual,’ in advancing an American Empire, through ‘hard politics,’ and that ‘lying is necessary’ to achieve their objectives. They also support aggressive ‘imperialism’ to enforce a ‘progressive’ agenda on other nations and ‘using American might to force’ the implementation of these objectives.”

Has America, like Canada, already become a dictatorship? You be the judge!

Israel Opposed to ANY Deal Between the USA and Iran

The Associated Press wrote on June 18:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that he opposes any interim agreement reportedly being negotiated between the U.S. and Iran over its nuclear program…

“Netanyahu vehemently opposed the 2015 deal between Iran and world powers brokered by the Obama administration that sought to rein in Iran’s nuclear program…

“Israel considers a nuclear Iran as a major threat, citing its calls for Israel’s destruction and its support for anti-Israel militant groups across the region.

“Israel says it does not rule out military action to prevent Iran from making a nuclear weapon.”

Such military action might very well take place.

Can Pope Francis Bring Peace to Ukraine?

Herald Malaysia Online wrote on June 17:

“Pope Francis has launched a peace mission aimed at finding a settlement of the Russia-Ukraine war, upsetting Ukraine’s allies with his refusal to insist that Russia leave Ukraine as a starting point for negotiations.

“For their part, the Russians simply ignore the Pope.”

Even though the Pope’s role in this area seems to be rather irrelevant and futile, Ukraine and Russia WILL unite in the future.

Western Sanctions Against Russia Huge Mistake

Modern Diplomacy wrote on June 17:

“The West’s sweeping sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine are shaping up to be the West’s most monumental miscalculation in modern history. The sanctions have not brought the Russian economy to its knees, as was widely predicted. Instead, it’s the Western economies that are reeling, their economic growth all but stopped. Many of them are simultaneously suffering from both high inflation and energy shortages.

“Russia, meanwhile, is not only surviving but thriving, acquiring more potency and prestige throughout Asia, Africa and South America than at any time since the collapse of the Soviet Union… the Russian economy will grow faster than Germany’s or the UK’s this year. Next year, it will also grow faster than those of the U.S., Japan, Italy, and much of the rest of the West…

“Russia has been able to ramp up its own military production rate so effectively that its artillery can massively out-pound Ukraine’s, firing between 40,000 and 50,000 shells per day versus Ukraine’s 5,000-6,000. While Russia’s arms production is on a high-output war footing, the West’s has been unable to keep pace. America’s focus on supplying Ukraine has compromised its ability to meet other goals, such as deterring China’s expansion and maintaining readiness to respond elsewhere.

“Russia’s military robustness is all the more noteworthy given that it has the world’s largest nuclear arsenal and a now-close alliance with China’s military. The ascendancy of what is dubbed the ‘Russia-China axis’ and the widespread perception of the West’s decline has in turn convinced other militaries to associate with a winner. In September, India, Laos, Mongolia, Nicaragua and various former Soviet states joined Russia and China in war games in the Sea of Japan and Russia’s Far East, and in February, South Africa hosted Russia and China for 10 days of joint naval drills

“In Asia, both China and India have dramatically deepened their ties to Russia. In South America, Russia is embraced by the new socialist government of its largest economy, Brazil, as it was by Brazil’s former conservative government. In the Middle East, where the U.S. is widely distrusted, Russia has good relations with Israel as well as with all the major Muslim nations, whether Sunni or Shia, Arab or Turkish

“While Russia may be shunned by the West, it is welcomed by most of the rest, as seen in the regional alliances in which Russia plays a leading role: the Russia-China-led Shanghai Cooperation Council, which includes former Soviet countries as well as India and Pakistan, and the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), whose GDP now exceeds that of the G7. Some two dozen countries have expressed interest in joining Russia in these economic and security alliances, including major regional powers such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran, Egypt, Indonesia, and Mexico.

“The West’s sanctions, the most severe ever imposed on a country, were meant to teach Russia the lesson that ‘aggression does not pay,’ in the words of NATO’s Stoltenberg. The ferocity of the sanctions, the subsequent cancellation of Russian artists and athletes in the West, and expectation of an end of the Russian Federation by political and military elites such as Former Commanding General of the US Army in Europe, General Ben Hodges, shocked Russia out of its complacency, and led it to [reach very different conclusions]: That the West was determined to destroy it, and that its existence required it to arm itself to the teeth and end its economic interdependence with the West.”

The Bible prophecies a strong Far Eastern power bloc under Russian and Chinese leadership, with the support and collaboration of many other nations.

Europe’s Military to Be Independent of America

The Associated Press wrote on June 20:

“French President Emmanuel Macron called on European nations Monday to seek more independence on airspace defense and advocated against relying too much on the U.S…

“Macron pushed for European defense equipment manufacturers to build independent military systems and relocate production on the continent. He also called for enhanced European standards…

“France has been openly critical of German-led plans for improved European air defense capabilities. The so-called European Sky Shield project, launched at the end of last year, is made up of 17 European nations including the U.K. – but not France. It’s meant to be integrated within NATO air and missile defense systems. The French government believes the project doesn’t adequately preserve European sovereignty, because it’s expected to be largely based on U.S. and Israeli industry…

“Defense has been a recurrent bone of contention between the two countries, with France complaining that Germany wasn´t doing enough in the area for years – until the war in Ukraine led Berlin to announce a major boost to military spending….”

Ultimately, the view point of Macron will prevail.

Synthetic Human Embryos Created

The Guardian wrote on June 14:

“Scientists have created synthetic human embryos using stem cells, in a groundbreaking advance that sidesteps the need for eggs or sperm…

“However, the work also raises serious ethical and legal issues as the lab-grown entities fall outside current legislation in the UK and most other countries.

“The structures do not have a beating heart or the beginnings of a brain, but include cells that would typically go on to form the placenta, yolk sac and the embryo itself…

“There is also a significant unanswered question on whether these structures, in theory, have the potential to grow into a living creature. The synthetic embryos grown from mouse cells were reported to appear almost identical to natural embryos. But when they were implanted into the wombs of female mice, they did not develop into live animals.

“In April, researchers in China created synthetic embryos from monkey cells and implanted them into the wombs of adult monkeys, a few of which showed the initial signs of pregnancy but none of which continued to develop beyond a few days. Scientists say it is not clear whether the barrier to more advanced development is merely technical or has a more fundamental biological cause…”

Whenever scientists try to play God, we are entering a very dangerous territory.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

This Week in the News

Trump Indictment… Similar to Corrupt Third World Countries?

LifeSiteNews wrote on June 9:

‘The Biden administration’s Department of Justice has taken the unprecedented step of indicting former U.S. President Donald Trump with violating federal law, making him the first occupant of the Oval Office to face such charges… The shocking move comes as Congressional Republicans were starting to present mounting evidence that Joe Biden was bribed with $5 million from an executive at Ukrainian energy company Burisma while serving as Barack Obama’s vice president, prompting some to question if the announcement was retribution

“Numerous political pundits have compared the move to something corrupt third world countries engage in. ‘These bandits in the White House … want one party rule and they have used the Department of Justice and the FBI to get what they want,’ Mark Levin has said. This is ‘the most severe election interference on the part of the federal government that we have EVER seen!’ Florida Congressman Matt Gaetz exclaimed. ‘They can’t beat Trump at the ballot box,’ former Trump adviser Steve Bannon remarked.

“At a press conference with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak Thursday, Biden claimed he had no foreknowledge of the indictment… In recent months, Joe Biden’s FBI has taken a keen interest in targeting pro-lifers and Catholics…

“Many conservatives… maintain that the charges are part of a strategy hatched by the U.S. ‘Deep State’ to prevent Trump from being re-elected.”

Biden without foreknowledge? Who wants to believe that?

Trump Attacks Special Counsel Jack Smith

Fox News wrote on June 9:

“Former President Donald Trump attacked Special Counsel Jack Smith after his unsealed indictment shows the ex-commander-in-chief was charged with 37 counts of criminal wrongdoing over his handling of classified documents… Trump accused the prosecutor of being behind a 2013 controversy in which the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was revealed to be targeting political groups, mainly those on the right, for increased auditing… ‘He went after Evangelicals and Great Americans of Faith. The United States had to apologize, and pay major damages for what this deranged lunatic did,’ Trump wrote…

“In his attack on Smith, Trump also cited the corruption case of ex-Virginia GOP governor Robert McDonnell. Smith successfully secured his conviction, though it was later overturned by the Supreme Court… ‘His wife is a Trump Hater, just as he is a Trump Hater—a deranged “psycho” that shouldn’t be involved in any case having to do with ‘Justice,’ other than to look at Biden as a criminal, which he is!’ Trump wrote…”

Biden Broke the Seal

Newsmax wrote on June 12:

“Going after a presidential political opponent has consequences, says former President Donald Trump. And now, he says, the gloves will come off. The ‘seal’ for going after your political opposition as the U.S. president is broken, Trump vowed Monday…

“Trump wrote: ‘… I will appoint a real special “prosecutor” to go after the most corrupt president in the history of the USA, Joe Biden, the entire Biden crime family, & all others involved with the destruction of our elections, borders, & country itself!’”

Trump also said that as newly-elected President, he will “obliterate” the “deep state.” Of course, he said earlier that he would go after Hillary Clinton (“lock her up”), which he never did…

The Espionage Act vs. the Presidential Records Act

Fox News wrote on June 13:

“Former President Trump cast his ‘sham’ federal indictment as ‘election interference’ by the Biden administration, slamming it as a ‘the most heinous abuse of power in the history of our country.’

“Trump, the current 2024 frontrunner, pleaded not guilty in federal court in Miami, Florida Tuesday to 37 federal felony counts… Trump… slammed Smith as a ‘deranged lunatic,’ and slammed President Biden for having ‘his top political opponent arrested and charged.’ He said he had undergone ‘political persecution like something straight out of a fascist or communist nation.’

“Trump said President Biden will ‘forever be remembered as not only the most corrupt president in the history of our country, but perhaps more importantly, the president, together with the band of his closest thugs, misfits and Marxists trying to destroy American democracy, channeling real anger and charging the President of the United States under the Espionage Act of 1917 [which]… has nothing to do with a former president legally keeping his own documents.’

“Trump defended himself, saying it is, instead, the Presidential Records Act [of 1978] that applies to his case… ‘The Presidential Records Act does not confer any mandate, duty or even discretional authority on the archivist to classify records under the statute,’ Trump said. ‘This responsibility is left solely to the President of the United States…’ [The Presidential Records Act governs the official records of Presidents and Vice Presidents that were created or received after January 20, 1981 (i.e., beginning with the Reagan Administration).]

“Trump slammed Biden—who is under special counsel investigation for his alleged improper retention of classified records—and Hillary Clinton, pointing to her destruction of classified emails. ‘Hillary Clinton broke the law and she didn’t get indicted,’ Trump said. ‘Joe Biden broke the law, and in many other ways, we’re finding out, and so far has not gotten indicted.’…

“Trump went on to point to former President Bill Clinton, saying he ‘lost the nuclear codes and absolutely nothing was done… Trump pointed to former President George W Bush, saying his White House ‘lost 22 million emails’…”

Many legal experts agree with Trump that the Presidential Records Act, and NOT the Espionage Act, is applicable here [Note the next article.]. If so, the indictment, which never mentioned the Presidential Records Act, should fail for that reason alone, but there are many other legal issues involved (for instance, the highly dubious piercing of the attorney-client privilege and Jack Smith compelling Trump’s attorneys to testify). Scholars feel that if there is ever a trial, it might not occur before the end of 2024, after the election.

A Destructive Trump Indictment

The Editorial Board of the Wall Street Journal published the following opinion piece on June 9:

“Americans will inevitably see this as a Garland-Biden indictment, and they are right to think so.

“… the indictment never mentions the Presidential Records Act (PRA) that allows a President access to documents, both classified and unclassified, once he leaves office. It allows for good-faith negotiation with the National Archives. Yet the indictment assumes that Mr. Trump had no right to take any classified documents… If the Espionage Act means Presidents can’t retain any classified documents, then the PRA is all but meaningless.

“In the court of public opinion, the first question will be about two standards of justice… The charges are a destructive intervention into the 2024 election…  Republicans who are tired of Mr. Trump might rally to his side because they see the prosecution as another unfair Democratic plot to derail him.

“If Republicans win next year’s election, and especially if Mr. Trump does, his supporters will demand that the Biden family be next…

“It was once unthinkable in America that the government’s awesome power of prosecution would be turned on a political opponent… However cavalier he was with classified files, Mr. Trump did not accept a bribe or betray secrets to Russia…”

Nor did he destroy sensitive documents, unlike Hillary Clinton. America has changed drastically… for the worse.

The Clinton Socks Defense

Breitbart wrote on June 14:

“Former President Donald Trump deployed a novel strategy Tuesday against charges of mishandling classified documents: the ‘Clinton Socks’ defense… The ‘Clinton Socks’ case…[ was related to an] infamous episode in which Bill Clinton stuffed 79 audio tape recordings in his sock drawer after his presidency. Clinton later claimed the tapes were personal records not subject to the President Records Act of 1978 (PRA), despite allegations they contained classified information and conversations with foreign leaders.

“Judicial Watch’s Michael Bekesha opined in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal that a President can choose what records to keep or return to the National Archives. Bekesha said he understood this well because, as he put it, ‘I know because I’m the lawyer who lost the “Clinton sock drawer” case.’ He noted that the Department of Justice (DOJ) and a federal judge in 2012 defined presidential records as anything left at the White House after a sitting president leaves office. The ‘Clinton Socks’ precedent could therefore provide a path for Trump to argue that the records seized from Mar-A-Lago were personal in nature, even if they contained sensitive information.

“… there are parallels between the two cases in that both former Presidents Clinton and Trump allegedly disclosed classified information in private meetings… The court’s opinion in the ‘Clinton Socks’ case states that the sole authority to classify records pursuant to the (PRA) rests solely with the president, and that the National Archives does not have any authority regarding classification, nor can it seize presidential records.

“… conservative radio host Mark Levin has pointed out, that the Espionage Act of 1917, which Trump is accused of violating, was not intended to apply to presidents. If it had been, then every president who took documents with him before the passage of the PRA in 1978 could have been prosecuted for ‘espionage.’…”

Republicans Rally Behind Trump

ABC News wrote on June 9:

“Republicans are rallying behind Donald Trump in the face of his historic indictment on federal charges. ‘The weaponization of federal law enforcement represents a mortal threat to a free society,’ Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Trump’s biggest adversary in the Republican primary, tweeted on Thursday. Sen. Tim Scott, another 2024 Trump challenger, decried ‘weaponization’ as he told Fox News: ‘What we see is a justice system where the scales are weighted.’

“House Speaker Kevin McCarthy pledged to ‘hold this brazen weaponization of power accountable.’ ‘Today is indeed a dark day for the United States of America. It is unconscionable for a President to indict the leading candidate opposing him,’ McCarthy said… ‘The indictment creates, at the minimum, a serious appearance of a double standard and a miscarriage of justice…’ [Jim] Jordan wrote, calling the indictment ‘politically motivated prosecution.’…

“President Joe Biden… said Americans should trust the Department of Justice in light of attacks on it from Trump and others…”

Trusting the Department of Justice?

“Today It Is Trump; Tomorrow It Is You and Me”

International Family News (IFN) wrote on June 9:

“It looks like the Nazis have found a new home in the U.S. Department of Justice and the offices of state and city district attorneys who have been bought by George Soros. After the Soros-backed district attorney in New York City recently got an indictment against former President Trump on bogus charges, it has been announced that now the U.S. Department of Justice has gotten an indictment against Trump regarding a statute relating to document retention that has never been used against any sitting or former President.

“If anyone needed any more proof of a deep state trying to silence anyone who does not march in lock-step with the left-wing agenda, this is it. This is clear and simple election interference more reminiscent of a third-world dictatorship than the America I grew up in. And the scary thing is, if the deep state and Soros-backed district attorneys have no problem going after a former President on his way to likely winning the next U.S. Presidential election, they will have no problem going after you and me.

“… let us never forget the words of German Pastor Martin Niemöller in regard to Nazi Germany: ‘First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.’”

In Nazi Germany, many kept quiet, but many were also in favor of Hitler’s policies. Today in the USA, it is not much different, but even those who are opposed to the corrupt actions of the current government are asking themselves: What can really be done in such a totalitarian system? The answer is obvious to us: America’s ONLY hope is the return of Jesus Christ who will make a swift end to man’s misrule in the USA—and worldwide.

America’s Two Standards of “Justice”

The New York Post wrote on June 10:

“Based on a grand jury search warrant, federal agents raised Mar-a-Lago and the evidence they gathered was bolstered with FBI interviews of Trump aides, employees and even his lawyers.

“… if federal prosecutors had empaneled a grand jury and obtained a search warrant for Joe Biden’s properties and if FBI agents had put his aides, employees and lawyers under oath, scoured their phones and emails and confronted them with evidence to get them to talk, agents would have found that Biden knowingly kept classified documents for many years in his homes and offices, including in the four years between his being vice president and president. 

“Honest agents unencumbered by any political bias of their own or their bosses’ might also have discovered that Hunter Biden and other family members and associates had access to the supposedly secret documents and possibly used them in drawing up their lucrative business schemes with foreign officials and businesses.

“…had the Department of Justice empaneled a grand jury and executed a search warrant on Hillary Clinton’s home and offices in 2013 or 2014 and seized her private computer server, phones and electronic devices, along with the devices of her aides and interviewed her lawyers under oath, FBI agents would have found many thousands of unsecured critical documents that were still in her possession long after she left the Department of State. As it was, more than 2,000 documents deemed to be classified, top secret or confidential were recovered from her devices in 2015 and 2016, despite the fact that Clinton deleted some 33,000 emails she claimed were not work-related.

“… it is indisputable that Trump is being treated far more harshly than either Biden or Clinton were under very similar circumstances. All three kept classified documents where and when they shouldn’t have. Only one is being prosecuted.  All three ran for president, but only one had his campaign spied on by the FBI, an action later found to be unwarranted. And only one was the victim of nonstop FBI leaks to the media alleging collusion with a foreign power that helped undermine his presidency, even though many of the leaks were found to be misinformation. 

“Does it matter that the one person subjected to these extreme measures by the government and media is a Republican, while the other two are Democrats? Only a fool or a liar would deny the obvious

“The Justice Department, with the knowledge of the Democratic White House, meddled in a presidential election with the aim of electing the Democrat and defeating — and perhaps prosecuting — the Republican…

“Biden appointed Attorney General Merrick Garland, who appointed [special prosecutor Jack] Smith. Whether he likes it or not, the buck stops on Biden’s desk, especially because Biden let it be known more than a year ago he wanted Trump prosecuted…

Biden has a lot of dirty laundry himself, but Garland is protecting him… The Hunter Biden probe, now in its fifth year, reeks of favoritism, a charge leveled against it by IRS and FBI whistleblowers. The evidence of various crimes has been public for years, and Joe’s connection is provable. Nearly three years ago, he was identified as the ‘big guy’ scheduled to get a secret 10% cut in a multimillion-dollar family deal with Chinese communists. Those charges… were censored by Big Tech at the direction of the FBI

“Then there’s the newest dimension to Joe’s likely misconduct — the discovery that the FBI has been sitting on a charge since 2017, and renewed at least twice since by an informant, that he accepted a $5 million bribe from a Ukrainian businessman. Reports say Hunter also got $5 million in the same deal, and there are suggestions the money came from the head of Burisma, the corrupt energy company that hired Hunter for its board of directors and paid him millions while Joe was Obama’s point man for Ukraine. 

Where’s the grand jury on that case? Where are the subpoenas for Biden’s bank records and a house raid searching for evidence? Where is the media firestorm?… The possibility of Joe Biden’s guilt has many implications, including the specter that Congress impeached the wrong man in 2019… Had that been discovered then, Trump would have been re-elected and Biden would be the one facing criminal charges.”

The hypocrisy of the FBI, the Justice Department, the mass media and the Biden administration is appalling. But the last chapter on Trump AND Biden has not yet been written.

“A Bad Horror Movie?”

Ron Paul wrote in his weekly column on June 17:

“The Democrats and Donald Trump reminds me of a bad horror movie, where the hapless protagonists only make the monster stronger with each attempt to eliminate it. So goes the Democrats’ endless attempts to finally rid America of the ‘scourge’ of Donald Trump.

“Thanks to the Durham Report we now know they started even before Trump was elected president. Hillary Clinton’s campaign – with the full knowledge of the candidate and the sitting president, Barack Obama – cooked up a ‘dirty trick’ to portray Trump as an agent of Russia in their effort to deny Trump the White House.

“When that didn’t work they weaponized the FBI, CIA and the rest of the ‘deep state’ to undermine and hobble his presidency. They spied on Trump and his campaign staff using false information manufactured by the FBI.

When that didn’t work they impeached him under the false charge that he sought foreign assistance for his 2020 re-election bid. This time a spy, in the person of NSC staffer Alexander Vindman, was sent to listen in on Trump’s phone call with Ukrainian president Zelensky and then make all manner of false charges against Trump based on it.

“Democrats were furious that Trump was less than enthusiastic about their plans to use Ukraine as a proxy to go to war with Russia. Vindman, though an active-duty US military officer, was of Ukrainian background and was loyal to the country of his origin rather than the country of his citizenship… Trump’s lack of enthusiasm for their ‘Project Ukraine’ infuriated Vindman and he sought his revenge against the US President.

When that didn’t work they impeached Trump again over the false charge that he led an ‘insurrection’ against the US government on January 6, 2021. The more surveillance video we see of this ‘insurrection,’ the more it looks like a false-flag operation cooked up perhaps by Nancy Pelosi and the rest of the Washington swamp to finally be rid of Trump. Hundreds of political prisoners have been held in solitary confinement on false accusations that they tried to overthrow the US government.

When that didn’t work and Trump’s re-election numbers looked more and more favorable while Biden’s approval rating continued to linger in the political basement, the Democrats have now indicted him over some classified documents apparently discovered in his residence in Florida. The boxes and boxes of classified documents discovered at multiple Biden locations have disappeared into the memory hole with the help of the media. Nothing to see here.

“Suddenly Donald Trump, who polling suggests would obliterate Joe Biden in a fair US election, faces 100 years in prison! [Actually, about 400 years in prison!] Where else would you see the head of one political party arrest his main political opponent on cooked up charges? A banana republic!

“For those of us who love this country, it is truly shocking to see this abuse of power. But there’s one thing these dirty tricksters never seem to understand: the more false evidence and false charges they cook up against Trump, the stronger Trump becomes. With these outrageous and continuous attacks on Trump, the Democratic Party (and plenty of Republicans) has lost all credibility. When this plan fails, and it will, I am afraid to think what they might try next.”

Very insightful and factually accurate comments.

Tucker Carlson: They Are Lying to You!

Newsmax wrote on June 13:

“Tucker Carlson denounced the widespread anti-Trump effort to get former President Donald Trump… [in] his 13-minute monologue, his third episode of ‘Tucker on Twitter’… ‘The prosecution of Donald Trump is transparently political… Anyone that denies its happening is lying to you

“Nobody with Trump’s views is allowed to have power in this country. Criticize our wars and you’re disqualified. If you keep it up, we’ll send you to prison. That’s the message Washington is sending.’

“Carlson denounced mainstream media bloviating… that U.S. defense is compromised ‘because Donald Trump took some classified documents home and didn’t immediately return them to the National Archives?… What a lie that is,’ Carlson said…”

Indeed!

Tucker Carlson: Moral Norms a Thing of the Past

LifeSiteNews wrote on June 9:

“Religious and ethical moral norms… are being rapidly undermined and replaced by ‘the people who run our country,’ argues Tucker Carlson in the second installment of his new show on Twitter…

“The former Fox News host… pointed out how formerly ‘it was taboo in this country to attack people on the basis of their race,’ but punishing them now ‘based on their skin color is not only permitted in modern America, it is mandatory for business and government and higher education, as long as the victims are white.’

“In addition, he provided the example of adultery having been considered a disqualifying factor for anyone seeking higher office as late as 1992, but Bill Clinton was the last presidential candidate who was required to face that standard, Carlson proposed.

“One by one, with increasing speed, our old taboos have been struck down… Stealing, flaunting your wealth, striking women, smoking marijuana on the street, shameless public hypocrisy, taking other people’s money for not working. All of these things used to be considered unacceptable in America. Not anymore.

‘So it probably shouldn’t surprise us that the greatest taboo of all is teetering on the edge of acceptability: child molestation,’ Carlson warned…

“This became more obvious due to an extensive Wall Street Journal ‘exposé about kiddy porn on Instagram’ earlier this week that Carlson observed. Despite the WSJ reporting how Instagram ‘helps connect and promote a vast network of accounts openly devoted to the commission and purchase of underage sex content,’ the most shocking aspect of this story was that nothing of any significance happened in response… ‘The Justice Department did not announce an investigation. Congress did not schedule hearings,’ he said.”

Rather than going after real criminals, the Justice Department is busy figuring out how to “get Trump.”

The CORRUPT FBI

Breitbart wrote on June 13:

“FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate admitted during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Tuesday that the FBI redacted any mention of audio recordings of Joe and Hunter Biden in a document shown last week to Republican lawmakers in which an FBI informant alleged the Bidens were involved in a bribery scheme around 2015 and 2016...

“Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) on Monday revealed that the document which was a transcript of an FBI interview with an informant, contained references to 17 alleged audio recordings — 15 with Hunter Biden and two with then-Vice President Joe Biden. However, Grassley said, when the document was made available to the House Oversight Committee last week under pressure from Republicans, the references to the audio recordings had been deleted

“Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)… [told the FBI Deputy Director Paul Abbate:] ‘There are two very clear standards of justice in this country. We see it every single day. The American people see this every single day. They look at you and see a politicized entity that is weaponizing an agency of the federal government against the American people…’”

Newsmax added on June 13:

“Texas Sen. Ted Cruz [stated to Abbate] that ‘people are mad at the FBI. Because you are stonewalling and covering up serious allegations of evidence of corruption from the president… You know who isn’t concerned? Not a single Senate Democrat. We’re going to go through this whole hearing, not one Democrat will ask a question about this. You know who else isn’t concerned? The corporate media who is joining with the Democrats in covering up the evidence.’…

“Blackburn said that ‘there is only one conclusion that any serious person could draw: There is a two-tiered system of justice under this administration. The American people know that, if they aren’t loyal to Washington’s liberal political elite or if their last name doesn’t happen to be Biden or Clinton, they are at risk of being targeted.’”

Who Sabotaged the Nord Stream Pipeline and the Kakhovka Dam?

On June 9, The Ron Paul Institute republished the following article by Professor Jonathan Turley:

“The Washington Post is reporting that material leaked by Jack Teixeira, a Massachusetts Air National Guardsman, revealed that the Biden Administration knew three months ago that it was Ukraine that was planning to sabotage the Nord Stream pipelines. Teixeira is now criminally charged under the Espionage Act. [This is one way of how to suppress important information and keep it hidden from the public.] If true, the Administration withheld the information for months as the media widely speculated that Russia blew up its own pipeline. Russia accused the United States of approving the attack by Ukrainian forces.

President Joe Biden was presumably informed by the intelligence agencies. Yet, as speculation continued and Russia pointed fingers [at Ukrainian] and the US, Biden told the public ‘the Russians are pumping out disinformation and lies. We will work with our allies to get to the bottom (of) precisely what happened. Just don’t listen to what Putin’s saying. What he’s saying we know is not true.’

“As Biden ‘worked with our allies to get to the bottom of what happened,’ the Administration knew that months previously it was told by a Ukrainian whistleblower that the CIA was told that a six-person team of Ukrainian special forces were planning to rent a boat, dive to the seafloor and blow up the Nord Stream project. The operation was reportedly led by Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi, commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces.

“It is not clear what president Volodymyr Zelenskiy knew or when he knew it. However, we knew of this report long before the pipeline was destroyed in the very way described by the whistleblower…

“Now a new environmental disaster is building after sabotaging the Kakhovka hydro-electric dam in the Russian-controlled part of Ukraine. Russia has accused Ukraine  and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused ‘Russian terrorists.’

“This follows new evidence that Ukraine appeared responsible for the drone attack on the Kremlin recently. Zelenskyy also denied any involvement in that attack…

“Western countries have stressed that their military aid to Ukraine was premised on the country not attacking Russia on Russian soil. However, the larger question is whether such intelligence should be kept from Congress and the public when we have already spent over $75 billion on Ukraine.  

“It also raises a continued question over the Biden Administration withholding evidence that contradicts its national security claims…

If Ukraine is engaging in sabotage against our other allies (and the environment), we have a right to know. If committed by Ukraine, the drone attack on the Kremlin was remarkably stupid. It threatened an escalation of the conflict with little obvious military advantage. With tens of billions of dollars going to Ukraine and a world teetering on the brink of a large conflict, we (and particularly Congress) need to know if our allies are telling us the truth or whether they are reliable allies. Likewise, if Zelenskyy did not know of these major operations, it is a fair question to ask who is really in charge of the country or whether Zelenskyy is engaging in willful blindness…”

These questions, and many more, deserve answers. Under the present administration and its past Modus Operandi, it is doubtful that America will ever get those answers.

Is Compulsory Military Service Returning in Europe?

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 11:

“After the collapse of communism and the end of the Cold War in Europe, many countries abolished compulsory military service. But in the wake of the war in Ukraine, several are considering bringing it back… Germany suspended military service in 2011, but it can be reintroduced if the Bundestag determines there is a need for defense as stipulated by the country’s Basic Law…

“German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has rejected a proposal by his defense minister, Boris Pistorius, to introduce compulsory military service. However, there are calls for a national debate on the issue from across the political spectrum.

“The Bundestag’s commissioner for the army, Eva Högl, who is also from the ruling Social Democrats like Scholz and Pistorius, recently suggested that a mandatory year of service in military or civilian institutions should be discussed. She also said that members of the military should talk about their work in schools.” 

The article also pointed out that “France is currently debating a ‘light’ form of compulsory military service. President Emmanuel Macron introduced the Universal National Service in 2019, which enables young people to volunteer for a month and serve their country. The government is now considering making this compulsory for all French nationals aged 15-17.”

These are frightening and alarming developments. Based on biblical prophecy, we can expect that compulsory military service will be introduced in Germany, France and other European countries.

Boris Johnson Steps Down

npr wrote on June 9:

“Former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson shocked Britain on Friday by quitting as a lawmaker after being told he will be sanctioned for misleading Parliament… Johnson quit after receiving the results of an investigation by lawmakers over misleading statements he made to Parliament about ‘partygate,’ a series of rule-breaking government parties during the pandemic… that breached pandemic lockdown rules…

“By quitting, he avoids a suspension that could have seen him ousted from his Commons seat by his constituents, leaving him free to run for Parliament again.”

BBC News reported on June 9:

“Boris Johnson is stepping down immediately as a Tory MP after receiving an advance copy of the Partygate report… In the former prime minister’s fiery resignation statement, he said the process was ‘the very definition of a kangaroo court’. Mr Johnson received a copy on Thursday and claimed it was ‘riddled with inaccuracies and reeks of prejudice’… He continued that the committee’s ‘purpose from the beginning has been to find me guilty, regardless of the facts’.

“The statement went on to criticise the direction of the current conservative government. And Mr Johnson did not rule out a return to politics, saying ‘it is very sad to be leaving Parliament – at least for now’…”

Express added on June 9:

“Boris Johnson has resigned as an MP in dramatic fashion over what he and his supporters claim is a witch hunt against him. The former Prime Minister issued a shock statement just hours after his close ally Nadine Dorries announced she too was quitting Parliament in what now appears to be a coordinated move to force two damaging by-elections on Mr Sunak’s floundering government… forcing Mr Sunak to fight for his political life on a number of fronts…

“A close ally of Mr Johnson and former minister told the Daily Express: ‘… When this government falls apart – and it will – they will be begging Boris to come backSunak has no election mandate, no mandate from members, he is tearing up all the things we promised in the 2019 manifesto whether it is the Retained EU Law Bill, the Online Safety Bill, the Nationality and Borders Bill or the Northern Ireland Legacy Bill. Sunak has no moral authority and no policy platform.’”

Will Sunak fall and perhaps be replaced by Johnson?

Former Italian Leader Silvio Berlusconi Dies At 86

The Associated Press wrote on June 12:

“Adored, scorned, impossible to ignore in life, former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi in death drew tributes even from his critics, and ever more lavish praise from admirers, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as prayers from Pope Francis…

“Putin hailed Berlusconi as a ‘patriarch’ of Italian politics and a true patriot who had improved Italy’s standing on the world stage… ‘Undoubtedly, he was a politician of the European and the world scale,’ Putin said. ‘There are few such people in the international arena now. He was a great friend of our people and did a lot to develop business, friendly relations between Russia and European countries.’ Berlusconi had expressed reservations about sanctions against Russian interests over the invasion.

“Former U.S. President George W. Bush…recalled Berlusconi as a ‘vibrant leader with a personality to match… He strengthened the friendship between Italy and the United States...’

BBC News wrote on June 12:

“Four times he was prime minister, and each time it seemed his political career was over, he managed to confound his critics and bounce back. Nine years after he was banned from public office for tax fraud, he was back in parliament, elected to Italy’s Senate before he turned 86 in September 2022… Berlusconi, who has died at the age of 86, was a media mogul, football club owner and billionaire businessman who never gave up on politics – and helped shape Italy’s image for decades…

“He also became notorious for his questionable sense of humour after a number of high-profile gaffes. On one occasion, he suggested a German MEP would have made a good concentration camp guard – and on another, claimed Mussolini was actually a benign leader. He dismissed these statements as jokes. However, he was also a long-time friend of Vladimir Putin and blamed Ukraine for Russia’s invasion when his own government was strongly behind Kyiv…”

Declaration of War: Israel Considers Altering Temple Mount “Status Quo”

Israel Today wrote on June 9:

“Hamas last night issued an official response to Israeli lawmaker Amit Halevi’s (Likud) proposal to change current policy on the Temple Mount. According to Halevi’s plan, the Temple Mount would be divided into Muslim and Jewish sections and control of the holy site by the Jordanian Waqf would end.

“Halevi suggests that Muslims should continue to pray at Al-Aqsa Mosque on the southern end of the complex. ‘If they pray there, it doesn’t make the entire Temple Mount a holy place for Muslims’…  Halevi made it clear that the entire plateau is sacred to the Jews and the Dome of the Rock is where the Temple once stood. In addition, regulations for Jews who want to enter the Temple Mount would be changed. Halevi demands that Jews, like Muslims, be allowed to enter the Temple Mount through any available gate, which has not been the case so far.

“Hamas describes the plan as ‘aggression in an attempt to exert sovereignty over al-Aqsa in the context of the fascist occupation government’s religious war.’ Palestinian terror groups also called the plan a ‘declaration of war’ and threatened a ‘thunderous explosion.’ Hamas called on the Palestinian people to tighten their grip on Al-Aqsa. An organization that identifies with the Palestinian cause even published a threat against Halevi’s life in connection with his plan.”

The Temple Mount and the Al Aqsa compound will continue to be in the news, as violence in that area will increase.

Masks and Vaccine Mandates Against COVID Now Deemed USELESS

Fox News wrote on June 10:

“… experts have been calling into question the efficacy of face masks.  A recent study published by the prestigious Cochrane Library, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health, dug into the findings of 78 randomized controlled trials to determine whether ‘physical interventions’ — including face masks and hand-washing — lessened the spread of respiratory viruses… ‘There is just no evidence that they [masks] make any difference. Full stop,’ Tom Jefferson, the study’s lead author, said in an interview.  When asked specifically about fitted N95 masks in health care settings, Jefferson said: ‘It makes no difference – none of it.’

“A recent study from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University concluded that COVID vaccine mandates in nine major cities didn’t appear to make a difference in terms of curbing cases of deaths from the pandemic. The study came after last year, a director of the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer admitted at a hearing before the European Parliament that, at the time of its introduction, the COVID vaccine had never been tested for stopping transmission of the virus…”

Many have known this and stated it from the outset, but the mass media, in support of Big Pharma and certain governmental agencies, pursued and followed a different agenda.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

This Week in the News

Biden Accused; Trump Infected

 Newsmax wrote on June 8:

“An executive of the Ukrainian natural gas firm Burisma Holdings paid then-Vice President Joe Biden $5 million as part of a bribery scheme, according to the FBI document that is part of the House Oversight Committee probe into the incident, Fox News reported Thursday.

“Biden’s son Hunter Biden was a member of the Burisma board.”

The New York Post wrote on June 8:

“Former President Trump says he has been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges that he mishandled classified material by keeping hundreds of sensitive documents from his time in the White House at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida… ‘The corrupt Biden Administration has informed my attorneys that I have been Indicted, seemingly over the Boxes Hoax,’ Trump wrote… that went on to criticize President Biden’s handling of classified material. 

“‘I have been summoned to appear at the Federal Courthouse in Miami on Tuesday, at 3 PM. I never thought it possible that such a thing could happen to a former President of the United States… I AM AN INNOCENT MAN!’ Trump wrote.  ‘This is indeed a DARK DAY for the United States of America. We are a Country in serious and rapid Decline…’”

On the same day President Biden is accused of obtaining illegal payments from Burisma, former President Trump gets indicted. The timing is far too obvious than to be ignored; especially since the prosecutor is a left-wing Democrat, and no criminal charges have been filed against Joe Biden, Hunter Biden and even Hillary Clinton, even though “investigations” involving them have been going on for many years. Many have reacted to the news by saying that America has indeed become a third world Banana Republic. 

Debt Ceiling Bill Enacted

ABC News wrote on June 1:

“The Senate on Thursday night passed legislation to lift the nation’s debt ceiling… The final vote was 63-36…

“Schumer painted the debt limit deal as a broad victory for Democrats late Thursday night during a press conference just after the legislation passed… Schumer’s comments come after an aggressive effort by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to cast the bill as a GOP victory. But Schumer pointed to the vote margins in the House and Senate, noting that the bill enjoyed more support from Democrats than it did from Republicans in both chambers…

“The Fiscal Responsibility Act, the product of weeks of contentious negotiation between Biden and McCarthy, will raise the $31.4 trillion debt limit through Jan. 1, 2025, while also implementing some caps on government spending and policy changes… The compromise legislation was met with opposition from wings of both parties — hardline Republicans and progressive Democrats…”

Biden signed the bill on Saturday, June 3.

What the suspension of the debt limit until January 1, 2025 means is that it “essentially gives the Treasury Department the latitude to borrow as much money as it needs to pay the nation’s bills during that time period, plus a few months after the limit is reached, as the department employs accounting maneuvers to keep up payments… the debt limit will be set at whatever level it has reached when the suspension ends… The suspension will kick the next potential fight over the nation’s debt load to 2025 — past the next presidential election” (The New York Times, dated June 2).

However, another fight is just around the corner, when federal funding is set to run out in October 2023. As the Huffington Post reported on June 3:

“Senate Republicans are demanding that Congress pass additional legislation to boost defense spending… such a bill could also prove convenient for sending additional money to Ukraine in its defense against Russia. Of course, any additional spending this year would need the approval of the GOP-led House, where skepticism of more aid to Ukraine runs rampant.

“Another part of the bill could cause chaos this year by automatically cutting defense and nondefense funding if lawmakers fail to wrap up the dozen bills to fund government agencies by the end of the year…

“Given the razor-thin margin Republicans have in the House, they’ll likely need Democratic help to pass the funding bills. And the Republican opponents of the debt limit deal meant to ease the annual budget process are unlikely to make things any easier.”

The US Government Becomes More and More Totalitarian

The Rutherford Institute wrote on or about May 31:

To be convicted of seditious conspiracy, the charge levied against Stewart Rhodes who was sentenced to 18 years in prison for being the driving force behind the January 6 Capitol riots, one doesn’t have to engage in violence against the government, vandalize government property, or even trespass on property that the government has declared off-limits to the general public.

“… This is about the long-term ramifications of empowering the government to wage war on individuals whose political ideas and expression challenge the government’s power, reveal the government’s corruption, expose the government’s lies, and encourage the citizenry to push back against the government’s many injustices.

“This is about criminalizing political expression in thoughts, words and deeds. This is about how the government has used the events of Jan. 6 in order to justify further power grabs and acquire more authoritarian emergency powers. 

“This was never about so-called threats to democracy… Indeed, by the government’s own definition, America’s founders were seditious conspirators based on the heavily charged rhetoric they used to birth the nation.

“Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Paine, Marquis De Lafayette, and John Adams would certainly have been charged for suggesting that Americans should not only take up arms but be prepared to protect their liberties and defend themselves against the government should it violate their rights. Had America’s founders feared revolutionary words and ideas, there would have been no First Amendment, which protects the right to political expression, even if that expression is anti-government.

“No matter what one’s political persuasion might be, every American has a First Amendment right to protest government programs or policies with which they might disagree... Unfortunately, the government is increasingly losing its tolerance for anyone whose political views could be perceived as critical or ‘anti-government.’…

“For years now, the government has used all of the weapons in its vast arsenal—surveillance, threat assessments, fusion centers, pre-crime programs, hate crime laws, militarized police, lockdowns, martial law, etc.—to target potential enemies of the state based on their ideologies, behaviors, affiliations and other characteristics that might be deemed suspicious or dangerous…”

“Republicans Fiscally Irresponsible Act”

In his weekly column, Ron Paul wrote the following on June 5:

“The political and financial class breathed a sigh of relief when Congress passed the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023. The bill suspends the debt ceiling for two years, thus avoiding the establishment’s nightmare of a government default on its debt. Rather, it allows the government to continue adding trillions of dollars of debt that will be monetized by the Federal Reserve.

“Of course, this default will be felt by the people in the form of an inflation tax. This inflation tax may be the worst of all taxes, because it is both hidden and regressive. Politicians love to point the finger at greedy corporations, labor unions, and even consumers for increasing prices instead of taking responsibility for the legislation they pass that incentivizes the Federal Reserve to create more inflation.

“Republican supporters of the bill claim it begins to roll back the excessive spending of the Biden years. While the bill does rescind $28 billion of unspent COVID funds, it  just recycles that money into the Fiscal Year 2024 budget. Thus it does not save taxpayers a dime. The bill does cap domestic discretionary spending for Fiscal Year 2024 at $704  billion and spending for Fiscal Year 2025 at $711 billion. However, these caps come from a budget whose baseline includes the increased COVID spending. The bill only cuts spending by 0.1 to 0.2 percent of gross domestic product over the next two years  – assuming Congress does not reverse the cuts. Of course, it makes no attempt to actually cut spending, much less eradicate any illegitimate and unconstitutional government agencies, cabinet departments, or programs. 

“Even though ‘defense’ is the third largest item in the budget (behind social security, Medicare, and interest in the national debt), our annual military budget alone is more than the combined  budgets of the next ten biggest spending countries. The Fiscal Responsibility Act doesn’t take a penny away from the military budget; instead it matches President Biden’s request for a 3.2 percent increase.  This increase comes despite the fact that the Pentagon has never complied with the law requiring it to pass an audit.  

Biden’s military budget is the largest in United States history and probably world history. Deep State Republicans like South Carolina Senator Lindsay Graham never met a war he didn’t love.  Graham and his allies threatened to block passage of the bill unless the military spending was increased and more taxpayer money—and Ukraine and Russian lives — wasted in the Ukraine Russian conflict…

“The Fiscal Responsibility Act will result in increased government spending, debt, and deficits. It will also further erode the value of the United States Dollar, thus making it more likely that the US dollar will lose its world reserve currency status sooner rather than later…”

King James Bible Prohibited in US Schools

Newsmax wrote on June 2:

“The King James Bible is being removed from elementary and middle school libraries [for the 72,000-student Davis School District north of Salt Lake City, Utah] after a complaint that it contained passages describing sex and violence. High schools in the county will still be able to keep the scriptures on their library shelves.

“A three-person committee, appointed by the county school district to determine if the Bible is appropriate for students to see, found it contained vulgarity or violence…”

The Associated Press added on June 2:

“The committee published its decision in an online database of review requests and did not elaborate on its reasoning or which passages of the Bible it found overly violent or vulgar

“The reviews are handled by a committee made up of teachers, parents and administrators in the predominantly conservative community where most people are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints…

“Most members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints read the Bible along with other scriptures, including the Book of Mormon…

The Bible has long found itself on the American Library Association’s list of most challenged books and was temporarily pulled off shelves last year in school districts in Texas and Missouri…”

This is the epitome of nonsense and appalling abomination… but the Bible has been prohibited before, including for many decades by the Catholic Church. Obviously, Satan has always been behind those movements to suppress the Truth of God’s Word.

Now the Book of Mormon?

The Salt Lake Tribune wrote on June 2:

“The Utah school district… received a new request Friday targeting another religious text: the Book of Mormon… The request calls for the book to be reviewed for containing violence, which includes battles, beheadings and kidnappings among its stories. Members of the faith believe the text was translated from golden plates by church founder Joseph Smith.

“The complaint is the latest in a snowballing process for reviewing school literature in Utah. A law was passed in 2022 to allow parents to submit requests for removal of books containing any ‘pornographic’ or ‘indecent material.’…

“Now with the Book of Mormon challenge, the district will form another committee to review that book to determine if it violates the law… [Davis spokesperson Christopher Williams] said there have not been complaints filed on other religious texts, such as the Quran….”

Biden Not Fit Mentally and Physically

The New York Post wrote on June 4:

“Texas GOP Rep. Ronny Jackson, a former White House physician, is continuing to raise flags over President Biden’s health, concluding that he is ‘not fit mentally or physically’ after the president fell on stage Thursday during a commencement ceremony at the U.S. Air Force Academy… ‘I think his lack of physical ability and his physical decline is now starting to highlight the cognitive decline that we’ve been watching for so long now,’ Jackson said.

“‘It’s… becoming a national security issue for us… To think that this man thinks he can be president at the age of 86 when he’s 80 right now [and] could be in office for another six years is just malpractice on part of the White House in the West Wing to allow this to be happening, for him to even be talking about running for another term… Somebody needs to be held accountable. People like Jill Biden and people that surround him and are supposed to love him and care about him, they should be doing something about this, and they should be stopping this because it’s a shame.’…

“Jackson… said he does not ‘honestly think he can finish the time he’s got left, but should he finish that time, there’s no way this man can be our president for another four years.’

“Jackson previously served as the White House physician to former Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, and has repeatedly questioned whether Biden is cognitively fit for office…”

In a related article, the New York Post wrote on June 3:

“It was alarming to watch Joe Biden take a tumble Thursday at the Air Force Academy commencement. But the really scary thought is that if he had landed head-first, Kamala Harris would be sitting in the Oval Office. Talk about terrifying!… the sensible Americans who make up a majority of the nation would be living in fear of the human word salad playing with the nuclear football and the possibility that her cackle could be the soundtrack of Armageddon…”

Scary indeed…

Kennedy vs. Trump

Fox News reported on May 31:

“Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. lashed out at former President Donald Trump Tuesday, blasting him over what appears to be his deep ties to Big Pharma. ‘Donald Trump owns stock in Pfizer and J&J, who bought fancy tickets to his inauguration and placed pharma shills high in his administration,’ Kennedy tweeted, linking to a separate tweet from a journalist detailing what he framed as a number of conflicts of interest between Trump and the pharmaceutical industry during his time in the White House. ‘That’s how Washington works. It is not the exception, but the rule. It is a form of legalized bribery,’ Kennedy added. ‘This kind of thing is so normalized that a lot of people take it for granted as normal. I promise you, corruption will no longer be normal when I am President.’

“The journalist Kennedy referenced, Pedro Gonzalez of Chronicles Magazine, noted in his tweet Pfizer’s donation of $1 million to Trump’s presidential inauguration committee following his election victory in 2016. Gonzalez also pointed to the subsequent nominations of former Trump administration officials Scott Gottlieb and Alex Azar, and their connections to the pharmaceutical industry as an executive and lobbyist respectively…

“Gonzalez claimed Trump ‘killed’ plans for a vaccine safety commission, which he said would have included Kennedy, because of his connections to Big Pharma.”

And let us not forget that Trump’s unwise policy – to say the least – was largely responsible for lockdowns, prohibition of tourism entering the US, and other unreasonable Corona restrictions, and the push for unsafe vaccines. And Trump has not changed his mind, as the next article shows.

LifeSiteNews wrote on June 2:

“Former President Donald Trump doubled down yet again on his support of the COVID-19 jabs this week, dismissing the concerns of an Iowa voter who suggested the controversial shots resulted in her community having ‘lost people.’… It is not clear if she was referring to lost lives due to vaccine-related deaths or lost jobs due to vaccine mandates. ‘Everybody wanted a vaccine at that time,’ Trump responded. ‘And I was able to do something that nobody else could have done, getting it done very, very rapidly. But I never was for mandates. I was, I thought the mandates were terrible…’

“Trump’s refusal to acknowledge evidence of the shots’ risk has long been one of the biggest points of contention with former supporters… In January of this year, he dismissed potential safety issues by suggesting that ‘problems’ were in ‘relatively small numbers,’ while stressing that ‘some people say that I saved 100 million lives worldwide.’ At the time, mRNA technology pioneer and prominent COVID establishment critic Dr. Robert Malone revealed that he once filmed a video meant to encourage Trump to change his mind on the subject, but it had ‘no impact.’

“DeSantis too was an early supporter of the COVID vaccines, although the governor’s position has changed as more data about their harms has come to light. For more than a year, DeSantis and his administration have spoken about the ineffectiveness of the shots, and his administration began conducting its own studies, which concluded that they should not be taken by younger men. In December, the Florida Supreme Court approved DeSantis’s request for a grand jury investigation into the claims of the vaccines’ manufacturers….”

Better late than never…

OK! added on June 1:

“[Gonzalez also wrote:] ‘That’s also why Trump killed the vaccine safety commission Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was supposed to lead. That and the fact Trump cared more about the counsel of people like Bill Gates on vaccines than his own supporters…’

“According to a 2018 report by The Guardian, the group Trump killed was made of vaccine skeptics and was going to investigate a potential link between childhood vaccinations and autism. Kennedy claims he was contacted by the Trump White House to join the group, but then they went radio silent.”

Kennedy stated in an interview with Newsmax on June 2 that he is not against vaccines which are proven to be safe, but that for most of them, such proof has been lacking.

Trump Refused to Fire Fauci. Why?

Newsmax wrote on June 5:

“The campaign for Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis is firing back at COVID-19 barbs hurled by Donald Trump, trolling the former president for refusing to fire Dr. Anthony Fauci... sharing a campaign video ad… The ad… cuts to then-President Trump talking about how he cannot fire Fauci during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns… ‘Today I walk in, I hear I’m going to fire him,’ Trump is shown during one of his 2020 pandemic daily press briefings. ‘I’m not firing him. I think he’s a wonderful guy.’

“The DeSantis War Room campaign ad then turns to multiple interviews where Trump admitted he did not fire Fauci because of ‘a firestorm on the left,’ saying he was not ‘allowed to,’ and even Trump admitting that Fauci was a problem. ‘Every time he goes on television there’s a bomb, but there’s even a bigger bomb if you fire him,’ Trump says in a TV interview in the ad…

“DeSantis has famously called Fauci ‘an elf’ who needed to be ‘chucked across the Potomac River.’…”

There can be no doubt that Trump’s refusal to fire Fauci was one of his biggest mistakes during his presidency.

Revocation of Johnson and Johnson COVID Vaccine

LifeSiteNews wrote on June 5:

“The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has revoked the emergency use authorization (EUA) of the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine. The revocation happened officially due to the manufacturer’s own request…  The Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID inoculation is produced by its subsidiary Janssen Biotech and was authorized for emergency use on February 27, 2021…

“While J&J’s EUA was officially withdrawn because all the available doses in the U.S. have expired and the pharma giant decided to discontinue the product, the FDA and others have raised concerns about the safety of the J&J injection in the past.

“In May 2022, the FDA limited the use of the J&J COVID vaccine for some adults due to increased risk of blood clots. A year earlier, in April 2021, the FDA and CDC had temporarily put a ‘pause’ on the J&J shot after cases of thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) occurred within a week or two after receiving the inoculation. 

“Moreover, in July 2021, the FDA added the risk of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological disorder that can cause paralysis, as a potential side effect of the J&J COVID shot after preliminary reports of GBS following vaccination had been recorded.

“‘The FDA should have revoked the emergency approval long ago because, first, there is no emergency and, second, J&J has an evidently unfavorable risk-benefit ratio,’ German author and university professor Stefan Homburg opined on Twitter. ‘But then the agency would have admitted its mistake. This is an elegant way to get out of it.’”

Open Criticism of Putin on Russia’s State TV

The Daily Mail wrote on June 1:

“A Russian politician has launched an extraordinary attack on Vladimir Putin, calling for the despot to be ousted from office and replaced during an appearance on state TV. Opposition politician Boris Nadezhdin, who has criticised Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, said on Russia’s NTV channel that Russians must choose a different leader in the country’s 2024 elections…

“It marked the first time anyone had called for Putin to be replaced on Russian state-approved TV since the war began in February 2022, Britain’s Ministry of Defence said. Nadezhdin said that under Putin’s rule, ‘there is no way for us to come back to Europe’…

“While Putin’s propagandists have openly criticised the state of Russia’s military and the war efforts, they have steered clear of condemning Putin – but Nadezhdin has done just that…”

Putin’s Puppet Belarus

Politico wrote on June 2:

“‘The only mistake’ Russia and Belarus made was ‘that we didn’t resolve this issue in 2014-2015, when Ukraine had no army and wasn’t prepared,’ Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko said. In 2014, Russia illegally invaded Crimea and annexed it from Ukraine, and Kremlin-backed fighters seized territory in eastern Ukraine.

“Lukashenko’s comments… indicate that Lukashenko has fully embraced his transformation into Russian President Vladimir Putin’s puppet… helping Moscow launch its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 and agreeing to host Russian nuclear weapons on his country’s soil…”

Belarus, or White Russia, is part of the biblical Medes, as are many Ukrainians. They will ultimately be united with Russia against Europe.

Switzerland Votes Against Arms Transfer to Ukraine

Bild Online wrote on June 1:

“The Swiss parliament has voted against a law that would have allowed third countries to transfer arms produced in Switzerland to Ukraine. On Thursday, the National Council in Bern voted 98 to 75 against the draft law known as ‘Lex Ukraine’.

“In view of the Russian invasion, a discussion has flared up about Switzerland’s traditional strict neutrality. Despite intense pressure from Kiev and its supporters, Switzerland refuses to allow countries in possession of Swiss-made weapons to export them to Ukraine.

“Applications from Germany, Spain and Denmark were rejected with reference to the Swiss War Physical Substance Act (Kriegsmaterialgesetz), which prohibits arms deliveries to war zones.”

EU Extends Import Restrictions on Ukrainian Grain

Bild Online wrote on June 5:

“The European Union (EU) extends restrictions on grain imports from Ukraine. The Brussels authorities announced that the trade restrictions will remain in place until September 15.

“The restrictions affect Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia, where certain types of grain from Ukraine can no longer be traded freely. However, the transit of goods to other EU countries is permitted. Due to the Russian invasion, no tariffs are currently being levied on Ukrainian grain.”

Zelensky Concerned About Trump Re-Election

Breitbart wrote on June 4:

“In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, President Volodymyr Zelensky admitted he has concerns about the possible re-election of Donald Trump next year, saying that he was unsure how exactly the Republican leader would have reacted had Russia invaded during his presidency. The Ukrainian head-of-state also praised the response of the Biden administration, which has regularly handed over billions of dollars worth of weapons aid to the Eastern European nation since Moscow’s invasion began last year.

“Asked how he felt about Donald Trump, Zelensky admitted that he was more comfortable with dealing with Biden and that the return of a Republican-led government could end up being difficult for his war effort… He also appeared uncomfortable with Donald Trump’s claim that he would be able to negotiate a peace settlement to the Ukraine War within 24 hours, adding that the 45th American leader did not seem to care that Ukrainian territory — namely Crimea — was being ‘occupied’ by Russia during his presidency after being illegally annexed under the Obama administration in 2014…”

Tucker Carlson’s First Independent Show

 Breitbart wrote on June 6:

“Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson released the first episode of his revamped talk show on Twitter Tuesday evening, criticizing the establishment’s unwavering support for the Ukraine war effort and its silencing of alternative narratives…

“Carlson opened his show by discussing reports that the Nova Kakhova dam in southern Ukraine blew up, and he criticized establishment media figures who quickly blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin… ‘the Kokovka dam was effectively Russian, it was built by the Russian government. It currently sits in Russian-controlled territory,” Carlson noted. ‘The dam’s reservoir supplies water to Crimea, which has been for the last 240 years home of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. Blowing up the dam may be bad for Ukraine, but it hurts Russia more. And for precisely that reason the Ukrainian government has considered destroying it.’

“Carlson said a ‘fair person would conclude that the Ukrainians probably blew it up, just as you would assume they blew up the Nord Stream Russian natural gas pipeline last fall.’… Carlson also chided Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and presidential hopeful Nikki Haley (R) for their unwavering support of the Ukrainian war effort…”

Newsmax added that the show garnered about 80 million views, perhaps more.

 Most Germans Extremely Unhappy with their Government

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 2:

“Never before have voters in Germany been this unhappy with the current coalition government: Only one in five says they are doing a good job…

“The far-right populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) is the main beneficiary. Its approval ratings have gone up by another 2% since May and, if elections were held now, would win 18% nationwide putting them on a par with Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s SPD. In several eastern states, the AfD has long been the strongest party

“In the latest survey, the pollsters paid particular attention to the AfD sympathizers. They asked them what their main reason would be to vote for the far-right and found that it is mainly dissatisfaction with all the other parties, and especially the government. Only 32% claim to fully support the AfD’s policies.

“When asked about the issues that prompt them to vote for the AfD, an overwhelming majority of respondents named the far-right’s critical stance on immigration. 47% said they side with the AfD in its opposition to the government’s climate and environment energy policies, and 43% said they were concerned about the economy…

“Economy Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) has drafted a law to come into effect in 2024, mandating that all new heating systems installed would have to use 65% renewable energy instead of oil or natural gas… 49% [of voters] oppose it. 67% say they are worried that they won’t be able to shoulder the financial burden of installing the new heating systems.

“… Only 28% of respondents in the latest survey support the delivery of German fighter jets to Ukraine… Overall, support for weapons deliveries to Ukraine is declining, only a minority believes that the arms deliveries should be stepped up.

“The call for diplomacy is mounting: 55% now say the German government’s attempts at reaching negotiations to end the fighting should be intensified…”

Germany—Europe’s Economic Engine—Is Breaking Down”

On May 27, 2023, Bloomberg published the following article:

“Germany has been Europe’s economic engine for decades, pulling the region through one crisis after another. But that resilience is breaking down, and it spells danger for the whole continent.

“Decades of flawed energy policy, the demise of combustion-engine cars and a sluggish transition to new technologies are converging to pose the most fundamental threat to the nation’s prosperity since reunification. But unlike in 1990, the political class lacks the leadership to tackle structural issues gnawing at the heart of the country’s competitiveness…

“Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s make-shift coalition has reverted to petty infighting over everything from debt and spending to heat pumps and speed limits as soon as the risks of energy shortfalls eased. But the warning signals are getting hard to ignore…

“With Scholz’s messy three-way coalition racked with bickering, Germany is poised for instability…”

Left-Wing Extremism in Germany

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 3:

“Germany’s domestic intelligence agency says left-wing extremism is growing… left-wing violence was directed ‘primarily at the police and right-wing extremists, but also … at business enterprises, especially in the real estate sector.’…

“[The] domestic intelligence agency report saw a ‘high level of radicalization’ among violence-oriented left-wing extremists…”

Germany’s Problem with Patriotism

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 4:

“The problem of German patriotism is virtually as old as the Federal Republic itself, with scars from the wounded pride that came in the aftermath of World War II still felt today… Germany’s history obviously means that patriotism is always going to be deeply problematic

“The German national colors — black, red and gold — have had a highly politicized history, and rarely served to unite all Germans in the same way that, say, the US Stars and Stripes or the British Union Jack always did.

“The black-red-gold colors were first waved by individual corps of the Prussian army fighting to liberate Europe from Napoleon. They established themselves as the German Confederation’s national colors in the early 19th century, and the flag itself was adopted by the national assembly following the 1848 revolutions, when national identity, liberty and individual rights became intertwined with an anti-monarchist surge.

“But the colors went out of fashion as Prussia’s power increased and the monarchy reasserted itself and in 1871, black, white and red became the colors of the new German Reich. The black-red-gold pattern was readopted by the Weimar Republic in 1919 after the fall of Kaiser Wilhelm II, only to be dropped yet again by the Nazis in 1934…

“Germans have become less squeamish about flying the national colors in the past two decades, especially when supporting the national sports teams…

“Yet in the past few years, the black-red-gold colors and the issue of patriotism have been increasingly co-opted by far-right political forces like the Islamophobic PEGIDA movement and the anti-immigration political party AfD, founded in 2013.

“[Germany’s biggest opposition party, the] CDU [is] trying to bring back ‘constitutional patriotism’. The CDU has now made it its business to win back national pride from the far right…”

Patriotism—or more accurately stated, nationalism—will see a comeback in Germany.

Poland Attacks France

Express wrote on June 3:

“Poland has slapped down French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent charm offensive to Eastern Europe amid suspicion in Warsaw that France is prepared to sell out Ukrainian territory in a peace deal with Russia. The fresh Polish criticism of Mr Macron comes just days after the French leader offered an olive branch to the countries of NATO’s Eastern flanks, openly admitting the region’s concerns over Russia had been ignored.

“Attacking both the French and German response to Putin’s barbaric war, Polish diplomat [and former Minister of Defense] Jacek Saryusz-Wolski [said:] ‘There is a huge appetite for freezing the conflict although not openly admitted. I think all the dreams of Macron and Scholz are to have peace at the prize of giving up part of the territory of Ukraine and to have the frozen conflict as you know which could last for decades. [Macron] says nice things, he is a master of lies…’”

Ten Nations Against Israel

The Times of Israel wrote on May 27:

“A consortium of diplomatic missions across Europe, led by the Office of the European Union Representative to the West Bank and Gaza, called on Israel to stop all demolitions of schools and other structures that were built with humanitarian help in the West Bank, and allow humanitarian organization workers to operate freely in the territory and in East Jerusalem.

“In a press statement Friday, the consulates general of Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom, and the representative offices of Denmark, Finland, Germany and Ireland, as well as the EU office to the West Bank and Gaza, slammed Israel for the recent demolition earlier this month of an EU-funded school in the Palestinian village of Jubbet al-Dhib near Bethlehem, and the ‘threatened demolition of another 57 schools in the West Bank.’

“In early May, Israeli Civil Administration engineers razed the school in Jubbet al-Dhib, which Palestinians constructed in 2017 without a permit in the Herodium national park in the West Bank. The demolition followed a District Court ruling from March, in which the structure was defined as a safety hazard at risk of imminent collapse. The EU harshly criticized the move…”

Britain (Ephraim) is still mixing itself among the nations of the EU, as a burned unturned cake (Hosea 7:8), unaware or unwilling to admit that its prior power is gone (verse 9).

Erdogan Sworn In

Deutsche Welle wrote on June 3:

“Turkish President Recap Tayyip Erdogan was sworn in for his third consecutive term on Saturday after winning a runoff election last weekend… Erdogan’s new five-year mandate will allow him to continue pursuing an increasingly authoritarian program domestically while charting an independent path as a regional military power amid global crises…

“Afterwards, he will attend a ceremony at the Presidential Palace followed by a dinner attended by 21 heads of state and 13 prime ministers, as well as high-level officials from other countries like the United States and ChinaNATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg is due to attend the ceremony, and he will also hold bilateral talks with Erdogan on Sunday.

“Turkey has been in the spotlight after Finland and Sweden moved to join NATO in the wake of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Ankara was among the last NATO members to ratify Finland’s membership in March. But it has held out on allowing Sweden to join over Stockholm’s reluctance to extradite exiled members of Kurdish groups that Turkey claims to be ‘terrorists’ with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

“The NATO secretary general previously said his visit to Turkey aimed to ‘ensure the fastest possible accession of Sweden’ to the military alliance… ‘My message is that Sweden has delivered, and the time has come to ratify Sweden,’ Stoltenberg told reporters on Thursday.”

It is unclear in what way Sweden has “delivered.”

The Sign of the Cross

Aciafrica wrote on June 4:

“Each time that a Catholic makes the sign of the cross, it is a reminder that God is a communion of love, Pope Francis said Sunday… ‘God is love. God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and he [who exactly?] gave his life for us, so we make the sign of the cross,’ he said… Pope Francis pointed out that one way to picture the Holy Trinity is to think of ‘the image of a family gathered around the table, where life is shared.’…

“‘The invitation he [speaking of the Holy Spirit] extends to us, we might say, is to sit at the table with God to share in his love. This is what happens at every Mass, at the altar of the Eucharistic table, where Jesus offers himself to the Father and offers himself for us.’”

Such confusion and ignorance. The Holy Spirit is NOT God or a Person; God is NOT a Trinity; and Christ gave His life for us ONCE… He is not sacrificed every time when the “Eucharist” is taken.

The Problems With Electric Cars

Express wrote on June 4:

“Mr Bean star Rowan Atkinson has written a very considered piece about why he feels ‘duped’ by the electric car trend and the realities of their overall impact on the environment… Rowan Atkinson… got an electric hybrid 18 years ago and his first all-electric car nine years later… [He wrote in the Guardian:] ‘When you start to drill into the facts, electric motoring doesn’t seem to be quite the environmental panacea it is claimed to be. The problem with the initiative is that it seems to be based on conclusions drawn from only one part of a car’s operating life: what comes out of the exhaust pipe.’

“He was writing in response to the government’s proposal to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030. He cited figures released by Volvo in the lead-up to the Cop26 climate conference. They revealed that greenhouse gas emissions in the production of an electric car were 70 per cent higher than in the manufacturing of a petrol one due to the resource-sapping lithium ion batteries… He pointed out that ‘solid-state’ batteries, which will revolutionise the game are ‘years away’ from going on sale…

“Aside from a love of cars, Rowan is actually fully qualified to offer his opinions on this. He studied electrical and electronic engineering at university before gaining a subsequent master’s in control systems…”

The Sun added on June 4:

“‘Electric motoring isn’t the environmental solution it is claimed to be,’ he wrote in an essay for the Guardian. He accused car makers of following a ‘fast fashion’ model and urged motorists to keep their vehicles for longer… Mr Atkinson claims when friends ask if they should make the switch to electric he asks them to ‘hold off for now’.

“Meanwhile, it’s been revealed recharging electric cars at public points costs more to run than petrol motors.”

And it takes a lot longer than just putting gasoline in your car. It has also been claimed by mechanics that electric cars are dangerous and that most essential parts are only manufactured in China.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

This Week in the News

The Debt Ceiling “Deal”—Nothing to Boast About

The New York Post wrote on May 28:

“Kevin McCarthy trumpeted a debt-ceiling deal Sunday, but increasing debt another $4 trillion with minimal concessions is nothing to boast about… McCarthy’s one dealbreaker should have been his promise to defund President Biden’s massive $80 billion to turbocharge an already weaponized IRS. 

“This was the totemic centerpiece of his pitch to become speaker. It was the most memorable promise of the Republicans’ midterm campaign to win back the House… ‘Our very first bill will repeal the funding for 87,000 new IRS agents,’ McCarthy vowed…

“In the debt-ceiling deal… McCarthy has allowed the lion’s share of that extra IRS funding to remain unmolested: preserving $78.1 billion of the $80 billion

“If anything, the IRS is worse today than it was during the Obama administration, when Lois Lerner presided over the targeted harassment of Tea Party groups and other conservatives. Not a single IRS employee was held accountable for the scandal. Lerner retired on a full pension without even a slap on the wrist. 

“This is the same IRS which went after journalist Matt Taibbi last December, three weeks after he started reporting on the so-called ‘Twitter Files,’ which revealed that censorship on the social-media platform had been coordinated by federal government agencies such as the FBI and CIA. On March 9, when Taibbi was testifying in Congress about, ironically enough, the weaponization of the federal government, IRS agents showed up unannounced at his New Jersey home…

“Under questioning from Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, the IRS has claimed it had concerns about ‘identity fraud’ with Taibbi’s 2018 and 2021 tax returns, and that he was sent two letters before the home visit. Yet Taibbi says he and his accountant never received any letters

“Even more ‘unnerving’ as Taibbi puts it, was the fact that an IRS case agent had compiled a dossier on him which included personal information such as his voter registration records and whether he had a concealed-weapons permit or a hunting or fishing license.  Unlike Hunter Biden, Taibbi didn’t owe the IRS any taxes and in fact was due a refund. And yes, this is the same IRS which removed its entire investigative team from Hunter Biden’s case on DOJ orders after two senior agents complained about DOJ interference…

“This is the IRS that is still getting almost $80 billion of taxpayer money to double down on its malfeasance in the countdown to the 2024 election — with the benign approval of the House Republicans who promised to stop it.”

This is an incredible scandal indeed.

Debt Ceiling Bill Passes

 CNBC wrote on May 31:

“A bill to raise the debt limit and cap government spending passed in the House by a wide margin late Wednesday, sending the bill to the Senate just days before Monday’s U.S. default deadline. The Fiscal Responsibility Act passed 314-117, with support from both Democrats and Republicans…

“The reaction from the White House was measured… For McCarthy, the vote was a personal victory worth celebrating… Yet amid the celebration, some Republicans were left fuming…

“The fact that McCarthy’s bill passed with 165 Democratic votes, yet only 149 from Republicans, came as a surprise to many… 71 Republicans bucked McCarthy and voted against the Fiscal Responsibility Act [That is about a third of the GOP caucus]…

“The Fiscal Responsibility Act is the result of a deal reached between McCarthy and Biden, which essentially handed conservatives several ideological policy victories in exchange for their votes to raise the debt ceiling beyond next year’s presidential election and into 2025.”

This means, more Democrats voted for the bill than Republicans. The bill suspends the debt limit with no cap through Jan. 1, 2025, while also cutting non-defense spending; capping growth at 1% for the next two years; and proposing non-mandatory caps for the four years after.

DeSantis: “Abolish the IRS”

Newsmax wrote on May 28:

“The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has become ‘a corrupt organization’ and Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis would ‘chuck it out the window’ for a ‘single-rate’ taxation system. ‘So, the answer’s yes,’ DeSantis told ‘The Dana Show’ podcast on whether he would sign a law to abolish the IRS…

“When the Biden administration put in an expansion of the IRS with 87,000 new agents in place, DeSantis condemned it as a ‘middle finger to the American public.’ ‘Of all the things that have come out of Washington that have been outrageous, this has got to be pretty close to the top,’ DeSantis said last August…”

All these corrupt organizations such as the IRS, the FBI and the CIA should be abolished immediately. But there is more to be reported on the absolutely scandalous conduct of certain terribly corrupt American organizations and people. Note the next article.

The Durham Report: “Democracy’s Horror Story”

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on May 27:

Hillary knew. She knew her campaign paid for Russian disinformation… to be washed through a report by former British intelligence officer Christopher Steele. She knew the information was false but could potentially allow her to win the election. Hillary lied to the FBI about all this, and lied to the American public...

The FBI knew. They knew none of the information in the Steele Report could be corroborated, and they knew most of it was false. They turned a blind eye, purposefully and with the intent to defeat Donald Trump in the 2016 election… When Trump won the election anyway, the FBI continued to use this information to assault the loyalty and viability of President Trump and ultimately tried to use the information via the Robert Mueller investigation to impeach or indict Trump.

Only one person went to jail for all this, a minor player named Kevin Clinesmith for providing false info to the FISA court. No changes are planned for the FBI. No charges are to be brought against Hillary Clinton. The Deep State came within an eyelash of bringing down an unwanted president as surely as they are believed to have done in Dallas ’63. Words were the weapon this time, not bullets.

“These are the conclusions of the final Durham report released last week… The Durham Report confirms on August 3, 2016, the Russiagate allegations were briefed to President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and FBI Director James Comey by CIA Director John Brennan at an Oval Office meeting. None of the men briefed, and none of the agencies involved, did anything to intercede in the FBI’s efforts alongside the Clinton Campaign to manufacture collusion between Trump and Russia…”

This is the current status of the United States of America. And God is extremely ANGRY about this. And so should we be!

Texas AG Ken Paxton Impeached

The Associated Press wrote on May 27:

“Texas’ GOP-led House of Representatives impeached state Attorney General Ken Paxton on Saturday on articles including bribery and abuse of public trust, a sudden, historic rebuke of a fellow Republican who rose to be a star of the conservative legal movement despite years of scandal and alleged crimes. The vote triggers Paxton’s immediate suspension from office pending the outcome of a trial in the state Senate and empowers Republican Gov. Greg Abbott to appoint someone else as Texas’ top lawyer in the interim…

“The 121-23 vote constitutes an abrupt downfall for one of the GOP’s most prominent legal combatants, who in 2020 asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn President Joe Biden’s electoral defeat of Donald Trump. It makes Paxton only the third sitting official in Texas’ nearly 200-year history to have been impeached.

“Moments after the vote, Paxton’s office said the impeachment was ‘based on totally false claims’ and pointed to internal reports that found no wrongdoing…

“Texas’ top elected Republicans had been notably quiet about Paxton this week. But on Saturday both Trump and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, came to his defense, with the senator calling the impeachment process ‘a travesty’ and saying the attorney general’s legal troubles should be left to the courts. ‘Free Ken Paxton,’ Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social, warning if House Republicans proceeded with the process, ‘I will fight you.’”

Could Paxton’s stance on the outcome of the 2020 election have anything to do with his impeachment?

Kennedy a Thorn in Biden’s Flesh?

Fox News wrote on May 27:

“Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. may be here to stay as new polling shows Democratic voters are unenthusiastic about re-electing President Biden 2024… CNN’s most recent polling [is] showing the environmental lawyer controlling 20%… The Democratic National Committee announced it would not be hosting primary debates for the 2024 cycle…

“With enough money and support, Kennedy could potentially mount an independent campaign without the Democratic Party’s backing that could damage Biden’s re-election effort.

“Kennedy could be a spoiler in the election if he keeps his momentum up, plays his cards right and keeps up his media push that will likely take him to Twitter for an interview with billionaire owner Elon Musk. That possibility also becomes more of a reality should Williamson drop out of the race and the majority of her supporters fall into Kennedy’s camp.

“However enticing that path may be to some, becoming a presidential spoiler in America’s two-party system is a rare feat that requires that a candidate spend a lot of money… Still, Biden’s political bleeding serves as a warning to his campaign that his re-election is not as buttoned-up as the campaign may believe it is.”

Less and less Americans are enthusiastic about another four more years for Biden, especially with the real possibility, which is horrifying to many, that Kamala Harris might replace him midstream. Kennedy was asked whether he would support Biden if Biden were to be elected, and Kennedy’s answer was: I want to become President. I have no plan B. He also made some interesting statements, as the next article shows.

Kennedy Speaks Out Against Unconstitutional COVID Restrictions

Fox News wrote on May 26, 2023:

“Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. warned that U.S. leaders have potentially set an ‘ugly precedent’ that hearkens back to the Civil War when President Lincoln was judicially admonished for suspending habeas corpus.‘…they suspended the First Amendment: religion; freedom of association when they did the lockdowns,’ he said.

“‘[They restricted] freedom of speech. They banned jury trials against vaccine companies – that’s [a violation of] the Seventh Amendment. They abolished property rights [which violates the] Fifth Amendment [when] they closed 3.3 million businesses with no due process, no just compensation, although there was no pandemic exception in the United States Constitution…’

“Kennedy said that at no previous time in history was the Bill of Rights so collectively suspended as it had been during the coronavirus pandemic… ‘So now we have this very, very ugly precedent… the government has withdrawn those mandates now, but they have not said “we’re never going to do it again” — And there’s a whole pipeline of new emergencies, whether it’s terrorism or all these new diseases,’ Kennedy said…

“‘The Constitution was written for hard times, and we need to restore that,’ Kennedy said. ‘There’s no excuse for suspending our Constitution. There certainly is not a pandemic exception in the Constitution.’

“Later in the interview, host Laura Ingraham asked if Kennedy would consider – should the GOP defeat the Democratic nominee – serving in a Republican administration. Kennedy said he ‘would think about that’ because he could do ‘a lot of good for the country’ in the Department of Health & Human Services.”

Ingraham responded: I hope you would.

More Dictatorial Requirements from the Biden Administration

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on May 25:

“On the first day of May, the Biden administration announced that, starting on May 12, mandates President Joe Biden had imposed that many individuals take experimental coronavirus ‘vaccine’ shots would be rescinded. The press release announcing the policy change included this listing of individuals who would be relieved of the mandates:

“‘Today, we are announcing that the Administration will end the COVID-19 vaccine requirements for Federal employees, Federal contractors, and international air travelers at the end of the day on May 11, the same day that the COVID-19 public health emergency ends. Additionally, HHS and DHS announced today that they will start the process to end their vaccination requirements for Head Start educators, CMS-certified healthcare facilities, and certain noncitizens at the land border.’

Not mentioned were immigrants to America. On May 4, a short statement from the United States Department of State suggested immigrants would not have relief under the change, noting that ‘starting May 12, noncitizen nonimmigrant air passengers will no longer need to show proof of being fully vaccinated with an accepted COVID-19 vaccine to board a flight to the United States.’

“Indeed, a coronavirus shots mandate remains in place for immigrants six months old and older. In all, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) web page detailing this and other shots requirements for immigrants lists shots related to 16 diseases as mandated for US immigrants. Notably, no such US government mandates apply to people who obtained citizenship upon birth by being either born in America or the child of a US citizen. There are, though, varying shots mandates imposed by states as a condition of school attendance. While the CDC web page says that immigrants can request a waiver ‘based on religious or moral convictions,’ many immigrants will feel pressure not to do so, fearing making such a request will put at risk their immigration effort.

Why keep subjecting immigrants to this pressure to take the coronavirus shots plus shots related to 15 other diseases? It can help keep out of America independent thinkers who are determined to make their own decisions on medical and other matters. It can also help cement in new immigrants’ thinking from the get-go that they must submit to the US government’s expansive desire to micromanage how people live their lives. Welcome to America; now do as you are told. The shots mandates for immigrants are also among the many examples of the US government helping pharmaceutical companies move their products and increase their profits.”

All of this is SO wrong… and another example of the oppressive and dictatorial nature of the authoritarian Biden Administration.

Trump Promises to Abolish Part of the Constitution

The Huffington Post wrote on May 31:

“Donald Trump vowed in a campaign video released Tuesday to end birthright citizenship on ‘Day One’ of his presidency if he wins the 2024 election.

The former president claimed the constitutional guarantee of U.S. citizenship for anyone born on U.S. soil, regardless of their parents’ immigration status, was ‘not working’…

“Trump, the current GOP front-runner, vowed to nullify the clause of the 14th Amendment via a simple executive order… ‘As part of my plan to secure the border on Day One, my new term in office, I will sign an executive order making clear to federal agencies that under the correct interpretation of the law, going forward, the future children of illegal aliens will not receive automatic U.S. citizenship,’ Trump said in the video…

“Trump also floated the idea when he was president… But he never acted on his vow.

“Section 1 of the 14th Amendment states:

“‘All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.’

“In his new video, Trump didn’t detail exactly how he’d navigate the process of nullifying the right enshrined in the Constitution. He also didn’t explain why he reneged on his promise to do so during his first term in office.”

In fact, Trump announced in the past that he would end “chain immigration” and deport Dreamers. Even though he was not able to do so at the time, his ideas pertaining to immigration are quite frightening.

America’s Devastating Housing Market

MSN published the following article on May 27:

“Housing demand surged during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. People fled large cities, as ‘work from home’ allowed them to move to places where housing costs were lower and the quality of living was higher. Another driver of the phenomenon was historically low mortgage rates, which fell below 3% in some cases. This made homes more affordable. Those days are over.

“The average rate on a long-term mortgage averaged 6.57% last week. People without good credit will need to pay 7% or more. ABC reported… People who got 3% mortgage rates during the last decade will hang on to homes because they have relatively low payments. And people who cannot afford homes because of high-interest rates will stay out of the market. It is a perfect storm to keep the supply of housing low.

“Often, buyers do not understand how much a 7% mortgage costs them monthly compared with one at 3%. That is, until they make a calculation. A mortgage payment of $1,000 two years ago has changed to one that will likely be at least $1,500 today. As was the case in March, people can’t afford to buy houses–again.”

A terrible assessment. But the highly inflated bubble of astronomically high housing prices will burst soon.

EU Furious with Musk

Breitbart wrote on May 28:

Elon Musk has pulled Twitter out of the EU’s ‘Code of Practice’, a pro-censorship project aimed at countering so-called ‘disinformation’ online, prompting fury from those in Brussels… Musk’s decision to pull Twitter out of the EU’s voluntary censorship programme appears to indicate a worsening tension between the company and the transnational union.

“Although the crusade against disinformation is voluntary for now… the bloc’s Digital Services Act will soon mandate that major social media companies preemptively censor certain content, statements, views and opinions deemed impermissible by Brussels.

“Under the coming regulations, any platform that refuses to abide by the rules risks massive fines, as well as facing a potential ban from operating within the union…”

This is just one example to show how autocratic and dictatorial the EU has become. And most Turks, living in Germany, have voted for autocrat Erdogan. As the following articles point out, Erdogan’s victory will only accelerate Turkey’s decline into more dictatorship.

Erdogan’s Authoritarian Dictatorship Will Continue and Worsen

Breitbart wrote on May 28:

“Longtime Turkish strongman leader Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared victory on Sunday evening in the second and final round of this year’s presidential election in the country…

“The voting ends a dramatic, and often violent, campaign that many international observers denounced as neither free nor fair. Erdoğan has been prime minister or president of the country for over 20 years and wielded that power to imprison political dissidents, shut down dozens of media outlets his regime could not control, and paralyze potential organized opposition movements against the AKP.

“In one of the Turkish government’s most egregious acts under the Erdoğan regime, police detained the head of the pro-Kurdish People’s Democratic Party (HDP), Selahattin Demirtaş, shortly before the 2018 presidential election, forcing him to campaign from prison, where he remains to this day. Erdoğan made Demirtaş a campaign issue by branding him a terrorist, without evidence

“The CHP accused the AKP of fraud in the first round of voting and of using violence to intimidate potential secularist voters…”

In spite of knowing all these things, hypocritical world leaders congratulated Erdogan on his victory. See the article below.

World Leaders Congratulate Erdogan

Time of Israel wrote on May 29:

“US President Joe Biden on Sunday congratulated Erdogan, tweeting: ‘I look forward to continuing to work together as NATO Allies on bilateral issues and shared global challenges.’ He made no mention of recent tensions in the bilateral relationship. [Of course not.] US Secretary of State Antony Blinken… praised Sunday’s high turnout rate and the country’s ‘long democratic tradition.’ [Was he joking?]

“Ties between Turkey and the United States have been tested in recent years, including over crackdowns on dissent, military operations in Syria, Erdogan’s close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin even amid Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, and Ankara’s protestations over a bid by Sweden to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Putin said Erdogan’s victory Sunday was ‘clear evidence’ that the Turkish people support his efforts to ‘strengthen state sovereignty and pursue an independent foreign policy.’ [To put it differently, They support Erdogan’s dictatorship, as many in Russia support Putin’s dictatorship.] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was counting on building the partnership between the two countries and strengthening cooperation ‘for the security and stability of Europe.’ [Zelensky looks for partners wherever he may think he can find them.. but he might become terribly disappointed.]

“Earlier, Israeli President Isaac Herzog also sent his congratulations to Erdogan, tweeting: ‘I am convinced that we will work together to strengthen and expand the good ties between Turkiye and Israel.’ [Now that is the epitome of hypocrisy.]… Palestinian terror group Hamas released a statement congratulating the longtime Turkish leader and hoped for a new era of ‘strengthening Islamic-Arab ties and support for the Palestinian issue.’ [Of course they would.] Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas also released a statement hailing the incumbent’s victory…

“Erdogan, the country’s longest-serving leader, was tested like never before in what was widely seen as the country’s most consequential election in its 100-year history as a post-Ottoman republic…

Opposition supporters viewed the election as a do-or-die chance to save Turkey from being turned into an autocracy by a man whose consolidation of power rivals that of Ottoman sultans… Erdogan, a 69-year-old Muslim, is set to remain in power until 2028…”

This is not good news for Turkey [biblical Edom] or the Turkish people.

Spain to Dissolve Parliament; New Elections in July

Politico wrote on May 29:

“Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Monday said he would dissolve parliament and call for a snap election for July 23, a day after conservatives and the far right posted strong gains in regional and municipal polls. Spain was due to hold general elections by the end of the year, but the Socialist leader announced his decision to move up the date following Sunday’s local polls, which saw his party suffer heavy losses across the country… Sánchez took personal responsibility for his party’s poor showing in the municipal elections, which concluded with nearly all of the country’s largest cities in the hands of the centre-right Popular Party (PP), including longtime Socialist stronghold Seville…

“The decision to call an early general election is a bold one for Sánchez, who is wrapping up his four-year term at the helm of the first coalition government in the country’s history…

“Holding the national elections in late July also adds an all-bets-are-off element to the vote. A large number of Spaniards will be on vacation — and it’s unclear how many of them will be willing to go home to vote. While citizens can vote by mail, recent scandals involving the purchase of these ballots in some cities that means increased use of this system will likely be the source of turmoil. If the past few summers are any indication, Spaniards will also be voting in the midst of yet another prolonged, deadly heat wave, and at a time when wildfires often ravage the country’s interior. Participation could be heavily impacted by any of these factors and prove decisive for the outcome.

“The elections will also take place just three weeks after Spain takes over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union. With the Socialist party polling 6 points behind the PP, there is a strong possibility that the rotating presidency may begin with Sánchez as prime minister but conclude with PP leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo as Spain’s head of government. That kind of shift could prove to be a major distraction in the midst of the last, full Council presidency prior to next year’s European Parliament election.

“These six months were meant to be a ‘golden’ period when much of this term’s landmark legislation is finalized, but the wrap-up of parliamentary activity in Brussels may ultimately be overshadowed by political turmoil in Madrid.”

Spain is to be expected to become one of the core nations of Europe which will then give their power to the “beast.” Developments in Spain are therefore of tremendous importance.

The Ukraine War—Angela Merkel’s Fault?

Ukraine Today wrote on May 26:

“German society is rethinking Merkel’s 16-year rule, which seemed like a golden age, but led to a nightmarish war. In April this year, Angela Merkel received the Grand Cross of the Order of Merit for Germany, the country’s highest honor, previously awarded only to the first post-war chancellor, Konrad Adenauer, and to the uniting chancellor of East and West Germany, Helmut Kohl. 

“The fact that Merkel was placed on a par with the creators of modern Germany forced German society to seriously reconsider its assessment of the seemingly successful 16-year rule of the first woman chancellor. Especially in the context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, writes The Wall Street Journal: ‘Merkel was a key architect of the agreements that made the economy of Germany and its neighbors dependent on energy imports from Russia. Putin’s invasion of Ukraine destroyed this strategic partnership, forcing Germany to look elsewhere for oil and natural gas, at a huge cost to businesses, government and households’, – notes the publication.

“… during the years of her rule, defense budgets were cut year after year. On the day of the Russian attack on Ukraine, the commander of the Bundeswehr, Lieutenant General Alfons Mays, said that the once powerful German army was now so weakened that it was no longer capable of repelling a Russian attack of this magnitude.

“Particularly outrageous for Germans today is the fact that after the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, Merkel not only did not refuse to buy energy from the Kremlin, but worked to double her gas imports from Russia. Many German pundits and even former Merkel allies now believe that this alone gave Vladimir Putin the courage to launch a new invasion eight years later.

“‘At an event last year, Merkel recalled that after the annexation of Crimea, Putin told her that he wanted to destroy the European Union. But she continued to promote plans to build the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline despite US protests…

“The publication states that after leaving the post of chancellor and the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation into Ukraine, Merkel did not admit mistakes and did not apologize for them…

“Another strategic mistake Merkel is called by many is her decision to completely abandon nuclear energy, which has just happened in stages to this day. The decision… made Germany even more dependent on Russian gas.

“It is Merkel who is considered to be the person who blocked the movement of Ukraine and Georgia to NATO membership in 2008…

“The WSJ notes that a number of experts are coming to exactly this conclusion: the failure of the West to draw red lines and continued economic cooperation with Germany prompted Putin to launch a full-scale attack in 2022

“In April, Angela Merkel gave an interview to German journalists, in which she again stated that she considers her policy towards Russia to be correct and does not see her guilt in the fact that this policy led Europe to the largest war since the Second World War… At the same time, commenting on the realities of the internal agenda in Germany, Merkel lamented that the Germans today are more concerned about the war in Ukraine than climate protection issues.”

For a long time, Merkel had been completely overrated. Many in Germany should have seen what Merkel’s political agenda was all about, but did not see it or chose to ignore it. And the politic of appeasement regarding Russia is still continuing under Olaf Scholz. Note the next article.

Restricted Use of Weapons for Ukraine?

MSN published the following article on May 26:

“German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has said that the weapons provided by Western countries to Ukraine must be used strictly on Ukrainian territory

“When asked about the possibility of the hostilities moving to Russia, the heads of the Baltic states were less categorical than Scholz. Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas stressed that, according to the UN Charter, every country has the right to defend itself. ‘And this also means that Ukraine can use the weapons that have been given to them…’

“Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karinš pointed out that ‘it’s very clear that… Ukraine is in the business of defending its own country.’

“And Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonite said that ‘it’s quite strange to think that the war can only be in that other territory that you invaded, there might be incidents that happen on your own territory, as a matter of fact’.

“In February, Olaf Scholz stated that there was a consensus with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that weapons provided by the West would not be used to attack Russian territory.”

This is such a joke, propagated by a chancellor who seems to be living in a fantasy world.

Is This a Joke? “Zelenskyy Praises the Determination of Chancellor Scholz”

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 31:

“Zelenskyy has praised the ‘determination’ of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in providing aid to the war-torn country. Zelenskyy, in his nightly video message, said he spoke to Scholz by phone and thanked him for providing air defense systems that were crucial in saving the lives of many Ukrainians from attacks by Russia.

“‘And I thank Olaf, Mr. Chancellor, for his personal determination, which in many ways becomes the determination for all of Europe,’ he continued in the video message.”

The former comedian Zelenskyy has to be careful that he doesn’t return to his old line of work and becomes incredibly ridiculous and embarrassing. Procrastinating, hesitant and ineffective Chancellor Scholz shows no determination at all, and to assign a leading role to him in Europe is a blatant joke. In view of the dissatisfaction of many Germans with Scholz and his governing coalition, Mr. Zelenskyy should be careful not to lose all sympathy in Germany.

Die Welt reported on May 30:

“There were drone strikes in Moscow early Tuesday morning. Ukraine stressed that it had ‘nothing directly’ to do with it.”

Who is supposed to believe that?

Escalation in Kosovo

The Associated Press wrote on May 31:

“International efforts to defuse a crisis in Kosovo intensified Wednesday as ethnic Serbs held more protests in a northern town where recent clashes with NATO-led peacekeepers sparked fears of renewed conflict in the troubled region… The rising tensions have fueled concern about another war like the 1998-99 fighting in Kosovo that claimed more than 10,000 lives, left more than 1 million people homeless and resulted in a NATO peacekeeping mission that has lasted nearly a quarter of a century…

Russia is a close Serbian ally, although Belgrade populist leaders claim to be seeking European Union membership… A former province of Serbia, Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence is recognized by Washington and most EU nations but not by Belgrade, Russia or China…

“Serbia put the country’s military on its highest state of alert and sent more troops to the border with Kosovo…

“The 1998-1999 war in Kosovo erupted when ethnic Albanian separatists launched a rebellion against Serbia, which responded with a brutal crackdown. The war ended after NATO bombing forced Serbia to pull out of the territory. The Balkan region is still reckoning with the aftermath of a series of bloody conflicts in the 1990s during the violent breakup of the former country of Yugoslavia.”

German Critic of Pandemic Restrictions Acquitted

JTA wrote on May 24:

“A German microbiologist… was acquitted on Tuesday of incitement to hatred for comments about Jews and Israel. In a 2021 campaign video for the fringe political party die Basis (The Basis), Sucharit Bhakdi, 74, a well-known critic of Germany’s pandemic restrictions, had said that the Jews had learned evil under Hitler and are utilizing it in Israel to spread more evil…

“Prosecutors… had argued that Bhakdi’s comments could lead to the targeting of Jews in Germany. But a judge concluded that it couldn’t be determined without reasonable doubt that Bhakdi had been spreading antisemitic hatred toward Jews, rather than a specific criticism of the Israeli government and its vaccination policies

“Germany has strict laws about Nazi-themed hate speech…”

It is a fact that Israel had adopted some of the most radical Corona pandemic restrictions in the world.  

German Hysteria and Overreaction?

The New York Post wrote on May 26:

“British rocker Roger Waters defended himself Friday after German police launched an investigation into the Pink Floyd co-founder over the Nazi-style costume he wore to a concert in Berlin last week. ‘We are investigating on suspicion of incitement to public hatred because the clothing worn on stage could be used to glorify or justify Nazi rule, thereby disturbing the public peace,’ said Berlin police spokesman Martin Halweg.

“Waters donned a long black coat, black gloves and black sunglasses — complete with a red armband –- during a portion of his May 17 performance in which he fired an imitation machine gun at the crowd while flanked by men dressed in military regalia. ‘The clothing resembles the clothing of an SS officer,’ Halweg said.

“The 79-year-old defended his costume choice and said that it was a clear statement ‘in opposition to fascism, injustice, bigotry in all its forms.’ ‘My recent performance in Berlin has attracted bad faith attacks from those who want to smear and silence me because they disagree with my political views and moral principles… Attempts to portray those elements as something else are disingenuous and politically motivated. The depiction of an unhinged fascist demagogue has been a feature of my shows since Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” in 1980.’

“Scores of Twitter users rushed to lambast the rocker, including the state of Israel. ‘Good morning to every one but Roger Waters who spent the evening in Berlin (Yes Berlin) desecrating the memory of Anne Frank and the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust,’ it wrote.

“Other German cities including Munich, Frankfurt and Cologne tried to cancel Waters’ concerts after Jewish groups accused him of anti-Semitism for his support of Palestine… ‘When I was a child after the war, the name of Anne Frank was often spoken in our house, she became a permanent reminder of what happens when fascism is left unchecked. My parents fought the Nazis in World War II, with my father paying the ultimate price,’ he said

“The efforts to halt his performances across Germany were unsuccessful — the final tour date in the country is scheduled for May 28 in Frankfurt.”

One can certainly disagree with Waters’ conduct and methods, as well as with his political views, but it is ludicrous to investigate him because of “incitement to public hatred” against Jews, given his background and his family’s history. But this is another example of paranoia and hypocrisy, especially in Germany where politicians and media outlets are anxious to proclaim friendship with Israel and the Jews, while at the same time collaborating with the Palestinians against Israel.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

This Week in the News

Faith Declines in the USA

The Hill wrote on May 22:

Only half of Americans now say they are sure God exists… Not quite 50 percent of Americans say they have no doubt about the existence of God, according to the 2022 survey… As recently as 2008, the share of sure-believers topped 60 percent…

“That is not to say Americans are not spiritual. Nearly three-quarters of people believe in life after death

“Mainline Protestantism, the backbone of faith in many American communities, is ‘collapsing’… nearly 15 percent of the population reports no religious upbringing…”

With these figures, there is no wonder that the USA is collapsing.

US Bank Branches Collapse

MSN wrote on May 21:

“Bank branches are going the way of video stores and pay telephone booths, and there’s nothing financial consumers can do about it.

“In Philadelphia, Wells Fargo has closed 17% of its local bank branches since 2020. Regional kingpin PNC is not far behind, shuttering 15% of its branches in the Philadelphia area… Bank of America has gotten into the act, closing 5% of its physical locations in the region, as well.

Big banks are closing branches in New Jersey, Maryland, Ohio, Washington, D.C., Illinois, and Michigan, as well as out west in Nevada, California, and Arizona… If the trend of current bank branch closings continues there may be no bank branches left in 10 years

“This aggressive drawdown of in-person service will have negative consequences everywhere – but especially in rural, lower-income, and majority-minority communities…”

It’s plain stupidity. Whatever ignorant, corrupt and greedy people and companies can do to accelerate the downfall of the USA!!!

The Fight Surrounding the Debt Ceiling

AFP wrote on May 24:

“The White House and Congressional Republicans are still locked in crunch talks to try and avert the first debt default in US history, which Treasury officials have warned could come as soon as June 1. The U.S. borrows more than it brings in through taxes, and so Congress periodically has to authorize an increase to the US debt limit, known as the debt ceiling, which currently sits at more than $31 trillion.

“While the probability that policymakers fail to lift or suspend the debt ceiling remains low, the risks of the United States stumbling into a situation where it cannot meet all its financial obligations — known as the ‘X-date’, rises with every day that passes.

“If the US Treasury hits the debt ceiling and — as many analysts predict — it prioritizes debt repayments, it will be forced to pause spending on federal programs that provide crucial financial support to tens of millions of Americans… Deferring payments, even for a few days, could have severe consequences for Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid programs which help tens of millions of people with pension and healthcare costs…

“On June 1, for instance, the Treasury is due to make a payment of $47 billion to Medicare providers, with $25 billion in Social Security payments due the following day. Further such payments are scheduled over the next few days. Past and present military personnel would also likely be hit if the US misses the X-date, as a large share of their pay and benefits are paid on the first of the month…

“Pausing or delaying payments may help the US government survive a few days on the other side of the X-date, but it will only work for so long. If the tug-of-war between Republicans and Democrats continues, the federal government may need to consider an even less palatable scenario: choosing which bills to pay and which to skip. Such an eventuality could have severe knock-on effects for the most vulnerable Americans, including pensions going unpaid, healthcare providers refusing to take care of patients with Medicare or Medicaid, and insurance premiums rising

“With many of the Treasury’s options after the X-date unpalatable to politicians on both sides of the aisle, both parties are backing the talks between Biden and McCarthy, and hoping negotiators can secure a deal before then.”

Fox News added on May 24:

“It appears very unlikely there is any chance to get a deal on the debt ceiling over the next couple of days.”

“Travel Advisory for Florida”?

Newsmax wrote on May 21:

“The NAACP, the liberal civil rights organization, over the weekend issued a travel advisory for Florida warning potential tourists that recent laws and policies championed by DeSantis and Florida’s Republican-held supermajorities in the state legislature are ‘openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color, and LGBTQ+ individuals.’

“The move appears part of a growing leftwing effort to censor and boycott government states, organizations and companies that disagree with woke ESG and other ‘inclusion’ policies.

“‘What a joke,’ DeSantis said in response during a speech Sunday. ‘We’ll see how effective that is. You know, just remember, during COVID, these people would be on CNN and all this stuff, slamming Florida, saying we were so bad, don’t go to Florida, and then they would end of being spotted on the beach somewhere, vacationing in Florida.’…

“The NAACP… joined the League of United Latin American Citizens… and Equality Florida, a gay rights advocacy group, in issuing travel advisories… The liberal civil rights organizations also said DeSantis’ efforts to ban promotion of gay and transsexual lifestyles in elementary schools contributed to their decision.”

This is SO ludicrous and blatantly hypocritical! BUT, the promotion of gay and transsexual lifestyles in elementary schools should be banned!

DeSantis Announced His Candidacy for President

The Associated Press reported on May 24:

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis launched his 2024 presidential campaign on Wednesday with firm words but a disastrous Twitter announcement that did little to counter criticism that the 44-year-old Republican may not be ready to take on former President Donald Trump. While he tried to project confidence, DeSantis’ unusual decision to announce his campaign in an online conversation with Twitter CEO Elon Musk ultimately backfired. The audio stream crashed repeatedly, making it virtually impossible for most users to hear the new presidential candidate in real time…

“In choosing Twitter on Wednesday evening, DeSantis tried to take a page out of the playbook that helped turn businessman-TV celebrity Trump into a political star. It did not go as planned…

“DeSantis, who likely would not have become the Florida governor without Trump’s endorsement, has adopted the former president’s fiery personality, his populist policies and even some of his rhetoric and mannerisms… Aware of DeSantis’ draw, Trump has been almost singularly focused on undermining his political appeal for months. Trump and his team believe that DeSantis may be Trump’s only legitimate threat for the nomination….”

At this point, Trump has a 31-point lead over DeSantis. According to CNN, 53 percent of Republicans support Trump.

Unrepentant FBI Gets an “F”

On May 21, the New York Post published the following article by Miranda Devine:

“It’s been a horrendous week for the FBI. With its credibility already at rock bottom, each day brought a fresh scandal, and yet from the bureau’s unctuous public statements, there is no remorse

“Here are the top scandals of the week:

“1) The Durham report. Here is the official record, for the history books, that the FBI’s ‘Russia collusion’ investigation was cooked up by Hillary Clinton to denigrate Donald Trump by tying him to Russia ‘as a means of distracting the public from her use of a private email server’ — and that, despite knowing it was bogus, the FBI went ahead and launched the ill-fated Crossfire Hurricane investigation, while dropping four probes into the Clinton Foundation

“2) On Thursday, three wrongfully suspended FBI employees testified to the House weaponization subcommittee about the shocking abuses they observed, and the vicious retaliation they suffered from the bureau after they made protected whistleblower complaints… The three men accused the FBI of targeting Catholics, pro-life groups and parents attending school board meetings; of cooking the books on domestic terrorism; of unconstitutionally using SWAT teams to intimidate nonviolent January 6 suspects; of investigating Americans for nothing more than taking a bus to Washington to hear their president speak; of coercing Bank of America to turn over credit card transactions of anyone who came to Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, whether they went to the Capitol or not…

“3) On Friday, a FISA court order revealed that the FBI has been misusing a surveillance tool almost 300,000 times in 2020-2021, including doing 23,000 searches on Jan. 6 suspects and 20,000 searches on a congressional candidate’s donors. The FBI also refused to comply with a subpoena from the House Oversight Committee to hand over a document alleging that Joe Biden accepted bribes to change US policy while he was VP. 

“In the light of just one week of FBI shame, the latest Harvard Harris Poll showing deep public mistrust in the FBI comes as no surprise. Not only do 69% of voters believe the FBI violated its own standards in the Russia collusion probe, 70% are concerned that the bureau will interfere in future elections

“The FBI is out of control and everyone knows it.”

It would be high time to get rid of the FBI altogether. In the world tomorrow, organizations such as the FBI will not be allowed anymore to exist.

Biden’s Major Mistake?

MSN wrote on May 19:

“… the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and Joe Biden want South Carolina to hold the first primary in 2024, but New Hampshire has a law that says it is the rightful first primary. Now it looks like Joe Biden may not even be on the ballot in New Hampshire and that could allow Democrat White House hopefuls Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Marianne Williamson to be potential winners of the primary. That would be a big embarrassment for the president…

“… the Biden campaign tried to reward South Carolina Democrats for giving the president his critical primary victory in 2020 that launched him successfully toward the nomination. He and the DNC want South Carolina to hold the first primary and then New Hampshire and Nevada to have their contests on the same day a week later. However, the governor and legislators from the Granite State… say they will not change the law that requires New Hampshire to hold the first presidential primary.

“There’s a June deadline for alleviating this mess, but Democrats in New Hampshire show no signs of changing the statute that requires New Hampshire to be first. Now members of the DNC are thinking of giving New Hampshire more time to decide to do the ‘right thing’ and give in to the ‘wisdom’ of national Democrats. New Hampshire Democrats are indignant. They are going first… and if the DNC wants to have Biden on the ballot, they need to back off and let New Hampshire do what is required by law…’

It would be ironic if Joe Biden would not even be on New Hampshire’s ballot, due to the DNC’s political maneuvering.

F16 Fighter Jets for Ukraine

Business Insider wrote on May 21:

“President Joe Biden said he received ‘flat assurance’ from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Ukraine would not use F-16 fighter jets to attack Russian territory… It’s the latest development marking a drastic shift by US President Joe Biden and US officials, who have long rejected authorizing F-16s in Ukraine…  on Friday, the US authorized Western allies to provide F-16 jets to Ukraine to defend itself, assist in training pilots, and possibly send fighter jets from American stockpiles… Earlier this week, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the UK and the Netherlands would build an ‘international coalition’ to help the country procure the fighter jets…

“The US president also announced another $375 million in military assistance to Ukraine to help support its long-running and bloody battle with Putin’s regime.”

These “flat assurances” are of course ridiculous. Biden’s constant change of position is embarrassing and worrisome at the same time. Germany’s inconsequential Chancellor Olaf Scholz jumped on the bandwagon after his “mentor” Biden had a “change of heart”…

Fox News wrote on May 24:

“A drone attack on the Kremlin earlier this month was most likely orchestrated by Ukraine, which has conducted a series of attacks on Russian targets, U.S. officials said.  Russia has claimed Ukrainian forces attempted to kill President Vladimir Putin in the failed attack on May 3.

“Two drones were used in the ‘assassination attempt’ at the president’s residence within the Kremlin compound, but were disabled by Russian defense systems, Russia said.”

Russia Warns USA and Europe

Newsweek wrote on May 20:

“Russia has warned that the Western supply of F-16 jets to Ukraine presents ‘colossal risks’ following the announcement that the U.S. had agreed that Kyiv could receive the aircraft it has long called for… the F-16s can launch precision bombs guided by laser and are more adept at targeting and destroying enemy ground-based radars.

“Former British intelligence officer Philip Ingram told Newsweek that the F-16 announcement was significant, ‘but it is unlikely we will see them being used in the conflict before the winter… It takes months to convert trained pilots to fly and fight them but it is showing that the West is in for the long haul when it comes to supporting Ukraine,’ he said. ‘They will be in for decisive Ukrainian attacks in 2024…’”

… with no end in sight? But the end is already predetermined… if one understands biblical prophecy.

More Help for Ukraine

Breitbart added on May 20:

“This package [of $375 million in military assistance] is being sent on top of an extra $3 billion worth of aid allocated to Ukraine earlier this month due to a so-called ‘accounting error’.  In total, according to the Keil Institute, the U.S. taxpayer has so far paid $46.6 billion in weapons shipments to Ukraine, $26.4 billion in financial aid and $2.9 billion in humanitarian help since last year’s invasion by Russia. The U.S. government under Biden has committed to far more spending on the war-torn country, however, having already committed to over $113 billion, more than the military budget of most nations.

“The staggering amount of cash sent to the former Soviet state for military hardware, weapons, and ammo from America is more than that sent from all the European nations combined, despite the conflict being on the EU’s doorstep…”

Biden’s Ukraine Debacle?

In his latest weekly column, Ron Paul wrote on May 22:

“When the smoke finally clears, President Biden’s Ukraine debacle will go down – along with Afghanistan and Iraq – as one of the greatest foreign policy disasters in US history. Hundreds of thousands have been killed on both sides…

“With Russian control established in the strategic city of Bakhmut over the weekend, the… Ukraine project…  looks to be progressing rapidly toward failure…  when it comes to endless spending on Project Ukraine, with a few exceptions the two parties are in lockstep. At least when looking at Republican party leadership… After all, 20 years fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan got us…the Taliban in Afghanistan! With a cost of perhaps three trillion dollars. But the military-industrial complex and the think tanks pushing war and the mainstream media glorifying war all got paid well

“The mainstream media is in a panic over the fact that of the $48 billion appropriated for Ukraine, only $6 billion remains. That won’t be enough to sustain ‘Project Ukraine’ for more than a few weeks… the tide of US public opinion is turning overwhelmingly against [giving] more money  [to Ukraine]…”

Sadly, the glorification of war, resulting in the death of many people and the wasting of much money, has never resulted in lasting peace.

Hungary Threatens to Block EU Attempts to Send More Weapons to Ukraine

Breitbart wrote on May 21:

“Hungarian government officials have expressed their fury at Ukraine in recent days, decrying the country as being ‘hostile’ after the country’s alleged plans to blow up an oil pipeline leaked in the Washington Post last week.

“As detailed by the leaks, Zelensky has reportedly been considering an attack on Russia’s Druzhba pipeline that supplies oil to Hungary in what would appear to be an attempt to sabotage the country.

“Kyiv has also blacklisted Hungarian bank OTP, listing the firm as a sponsor of Russia’s invasion, causing further anger in Budapest.

“According to a report by the Associated Press, senior officials in the Hungarian government say that they are blocking EU attempts to send more weapons and ammo to Ukraine in retaliation for the blacklisting. ‘We cannot support the allocation of another half a billion euros from the European Peace Facility for arms transfers to Ukraine, and we will not give it the green light as long as OTP is on this particular list,’ the country’s Foreign Minister, Peter Szijjarto, remarked, decrying the singling out of OTP as ‘scandalous and unacceptable’.

“He also denounced Zelensky’s alleged plans to blow up the Druzhba pipeline, saying overall that there was evidence that ‘Ukraine is behaving more and more hostile towards Hungary… such a threat is obviously against Hungary’s sovereignty because the security of the energy supply is a matter of sovereignty… Therefore, if someone calls for Hungary’s energy supply to be made impossible, they are in effect attacking Hungary’s sovereignty.’

“Responding to Hungary’s threat of blocking further aid to Ukraine, one anonymous EU diplomat reportedly told The Guardian that the feud between the two nations comes at a critical time of the conflict…”

The Infamous Secret Bilderberg Meeting

The Dossier wrote on May 18:

“The world’s most powerful and influential geopolitical voices are meeting from Thursday to Sunday in Portugal to navigate several global crises (many of which they’ve helped to facilitate), and oddly enough, the corporate media has no interest in reporting on this secretive gathering of powerful figures.

“The attendees list for this year’s infamous Bilderberg Meetings has just been released, and just like years prior, global heavyweights inundate the 2023 roster. The list includes America and Europe’s top spy chiefs, several heads of state, and some of the world’s most powerful business executives…

“As The Dossier explained in our piece Wednesday: ‘Although it is significantly staffed by publicly elected officials, the discussions that happen during Bilderberg conferences remain a closely guarded secret. Unsurprisingly, this has led many to suspect that the powerful globalist ideologues who attend these closed-door wargaming discussions are up to no good. Organizers defend the secretive nature of the conference by claiming that it allows attendees to speak informally among peers.’

“Bilderberg meetings are held under Chatham House rules, which means that participants ‘are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s) nor of any other participant may be revealed.’… There remains a media blackout of the Bilderberg Meeting this weekend in the corporate press…”

WHY is this the case???

More Plans for the Third Temple

On May 17, i24 NEWS reported the following:

“Haim Dotan, an acclaimed architect who has won several international awards and also serves as a professor of architecture at leading institutes in China, recently became involved in the ambitious project of designing the third Jewish temple in Jerusalem.

“Known for his extravagant projects, such as the Zhangjiajie Grand Canyon Glass Bridge in China – renowned as the tallest glass-bottomed bridge in the world – Dotan last year joined the right-wing activist and literature scholar Professor Hillel Weiss and pitched a session of the Jerusalem International Conference…

“The conference, scheduled to take place this summer in Jerusalem, will be organized by the Yad Ben Zvi Institute, a prestigious research center in Israel. Dotan’s pitch, ‘Building Jerusalem, the temple city, and the road to peace,’ was divided into three sections. 

“The first was dedicated to the transportation and economy of the future ‘temple city’ of the Israeli capital. The next pitch, entitled ‘From Vision to Practice,’ described future plans for the Jerusalem of the Third Temple era, inspired by biblical sources…

“Several questions remain open in the proposal: Who would be in charge of the new temple? What would happen to the Al Aqsa Mosque, one of the most sacred sites in Islam, located on the Temple Mount? What would the consequences of rebuilding a new Jewish temple be amid the complex flashpoint geopolitical atmosphere of the Middle East? The fact that a prestigious architect – who is secular and doesn’t have any political background – is involved in such a project makes this case all the more interesting, if not more tangible.

“Plans to rebuild the third Jewish Temple on the Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism and the third holiest in Islam, are not new but have mostly faced strong resistance. In 1990, a deadly riot erupted on the Mount after a fringe Jewish group tried to lay the cornerstone of a third temple…”

Still, a Third Temple is prophesied to be built in Jerusalem prior to Christ’s return.

Ben Gvir Condemned for Visiting the Temple Mount

Times of Israel wrote on May 21:

National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir visited the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem Sunday, declaring it a demonstration of Israel’s ownership of the flashpoint holy site and drawing fierce condemnations from Jordan, Egypt and other Arab states… ‘We are in charge here,’ Ben Gvir declared as he toured the site. ‘I am happy to go up to the Temple Mount, the most important place for the Jewish people.’…

“Palestinian Authority presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh called Ben-Gvir’s visit a ‘blatant attack’ on the Al-Aksa Mosque on the Temple Mount. Jordan’s Foreign Ministry called it ‘a provocative step that is condemned, and a dangerous and unacceptable escalation.’ Neighboring Egypt, which like Jordan has a peace treaty with Israel, also issued a condemnation.

“The United Arab Emirates Foreign Ministry slammed the ‘storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque’… Turkey also called Ben Gvir’s visit a ‘storming’ of the site… The foreign ministries of Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which do not have relations with Israel, also released statements fiercely denouncing Ben-Gvir’s trip…”

Naturally, the Biden Administration condemned the move as well. Note the next article.

Biden vs. Israel

Israel 365 News wrote on May 22:

“Rabbi Shimshon Elbaum noted the significance of Ben-Gvir’s visit, saying, ‘[It] gives meaning to the slogan “The Temple Mount is in our hands” which recently turned 56 years old.’…

“The US State Department released a statement saying [the visit] was ‘provocative’… ‘The United States stands firmly… for the preservation of the status quo with respect to holy sites in Jerusalem,’ White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a White House briefing. ‘Any unilateral action that jeopardizes the status quo is unacceptable.’ Jean-Pierre did not explain why a Jew visiting the Temple Mount jeopardized the status quo

“Hamas, the elected government in Gaza, published a declaration in response that called for an armed response from Arabs living in Israel…”

JTA wrote on May 22:

“Matthew Miller, the State Department spokesman,… also said the Biden Administration was ‘deeply troubled’ by an Israeli decision on Sunday to allow the return of settlers to a segment of the northern West Bank evacuated in 2005 along with settlements in the Gaza Strip… The Biden administration rebuked Israel two months ago for passing legislation that paved the way toward Sunday’s decision… ‘Advancing Israeli settlements in the West Bank is an obstacle to the achievement of a two-state solution,’ [according to Miller].

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is leading a government with far-right partners in senior roles, including Ben-Gvir, which has been a sticking point with the Biden administration. President Joe Biden has rejected appeals by Netanyahu to invite him to Washington for a White House visit in part because of the actions and rhetoric of Ben-Gvir and others in the far-right bloc.”

The relationship between Biden and Israel continues to deteriorate.

Kenya in Support of Israel

Israel 365 News wrote on May 22:

“Dennis Nthumbi, an evangelical Christian and senior adviser to Kenya’s president, was part of President William Ruto’s delegation when he visited Israel in May. The delegation made headlines when they prayed at the Western Wall, a visit not all political guests choose to make. Nthumbi said in a prayer that the people of Kenya and Israel ‘be united in peace as one people at the Kotel [Western Wall].’ 

“Kenya does not officially recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, but Nthumbi referred to the city as

such. Perhaps even more controversial was the location of his announcement: the Temple Mount, where he was accompanied by former Knesset member and Temple Mount Advocate Rabbi Yehudah Glick one week ago. ‘The fact that the Temple Mount is not accessible to people of all faiths should not be tolerated.. ‘It is time that the veil of hypocrisy be lifted, and the issue faced head-on.’”

While Kenya speaks out, the USA and Europe remain silent.

Israel Must Attack Iran?

Israel Today wrote on May 21:

“Israel’s economy minister and the former mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, told Channel 14 News at the weekend that it was time to adopt the policy of former US President John F. Kennedy in regards to rocket attacks on the Jewish state. Barkat noted that during the Cuban missile crisis of 1962, Kennedy warned that a single missile fired from Cuba toward the United States would result in an American missile strike on Moscow

“Israel, insisted Barkat, needs to start doing the same in response to rocket attacks from Lebanon and Gaza. It’s Iran pulling the strings, so why waste time, resources and political capital on operations against Hezbollah and Hamas? That’s just what the ayatollahs want. Instead, Barkat suggested that the next rocket from either of those territories should result in an Israeli missile hitting Tehran.”

A war between Iran and Israel might very well break out.

The Move Away from the US Dollar

Deutsche Welle wrote on May 20:

“Anyone in Iraq who wanted to buy a car or a house this week got a nasty shock. Last Sunday, the Iraqi government announced a ban on doing personal or business deals in US dollars… For decades, the US dollar has been the best currency to have in the Middle East if you don’t have enough dirhams, dinars, riyals or pounds on hand…

“Many Iraqi politicians have complained [that] their country is too dependent on the US dollarIn February… Iraq said it would do business with China using the yuan instead of dollars…

“Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia’s finance minister said his country was also ‘open’ to selling oil using different currencies, including the euro and the Chinese yuan. The United Arab Emirates has said it will work with India, using the Indian rupee.  Last year, Egypt announced plans to issue bonds — financial securities that help governments raise money — in Chinese yuan. It had already issued bonds in Japanese yen.

“Additionally, several Middle Eastern nations — Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Algeria and Bahrain — have said they want to join the geopolitical bloc known as BRICS, an acronym for Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Russia has already said that at an upcoming June meeting, the alliance will discuss the creation of a new kind of currency for cross-border trade between members. [According to other sources, this will be discussed in August].

“Since 2021, the UAE has also been part of a pilot project run by the Switzerland-based Bank for International Settlements, a kind of central bank for central banks. This project looks at digital, cross-border payments that might bypass the dollar. Other participants are Thailand, Hong Kong and China… US dollars now make up about 58% of official foreign reserves globally, Bloomberg reported in its story, a fall from 73% in 2001. In the late 1970s, it was 85%…”

Bitcoin.com wrote on May 18:

“Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has announced that Venezuela will shift away from using U.S. dollars in trade, emphasizing that the de-dollarization process is ‘inevitable.’…  Commending Zimbabwe for its initiative to issue gold-backed digital currency, he said, ‘Many alternative initiatives to the dollar are emerging in the world…’

“The Venezuelan president, who previously expressed support for Latin America to have one single currency… condemned ‘the political use’ of the dollar as the world’s reserve currency and its associated financial system by the U.S. to sanction countries, naming China, Russia, India, Iran, Turkey, Venezuela, and Cuba in particular…

“A growing number of countries other than the BRICS nations are pushing to use local currencies instead of the USD. Ten Southeast Asian countries, members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), recently agreed to ‘encourage the use of local currencies for economic and financial transactions.’…”

Sadly, this process of de-dollarization will continue…

The New Constitution of the Vatican City State

CNA wrote on May 18:

“… the new law leaves no doubt that the civil government remains very much an absolute monarchy, with the supreme pontiff possessing all ‘legislative, executive, and judicial powers.’…

“Francis’ new constitution is the third Fundamental Law since 1929, the year in which the Vatican City State was founded with the Lateran Treaty… with Pope Francis’ new Fundamental Law, the pope returns to the center of everything… the centralization of the pope’s authority is highlighted in the new constitution by the fact that power is reserved to the pope while other entities are assigned only functions…

“Under the new law, a three-year financial plan approved by the commission is to be submitted ‘directly for the approval of the Supreme Pontiff’ without going through the Vatican economic bodies or the Secretariat of State, as the old law required…

“The Vatican City State remains, in the end, the pope’s domain. Nonetheless, the new law suggests that the city-state is no longer merely considered a support to the Holy See but an entity closer to the secular and modern states, as it has never been in the past…”

The centralization of the pope’s authority and the Vatican City State being patterned after secular states are interesting in light of Revelation 13:11-18.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

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