More Terrible Animal Experiments “to Save People’s Lives”?

Daily Mail wrote on December 27:

“Thousands of animals have been blown up, poisoned or given deadly nerve agents during top-secret tests at a military laboratory, MailOnline can reveal. More than 2,000 pigs, rabbits, monkeys, guinea pigs and mice have been killed in ‘barbaric’ experiments at the secretive Porton Down research base in Wiltshire. The figures cover the last three years and were revealed following a Freedom of Information request by MailOnline. 

“But they have sparked outrage from animal rights campaigners… the Ministry of Defence (MoD)… said the tests were part of ‘life-saving’ research to help better protect British troops, and ‘cannot be conducted without the use of laboratory animals’. But Dr Julia Baines, senior science policy manager for animal campaign group Peta, lambasted the MoD for the tests… ‘Peta calls shame on the Ministry of Defence for conducting archaic and appallingly cruel experiments on monkeys, mice, pigs, and other animals, including injecting deadly viruses into their brains and exposing them to nerve agents,’ Dr Baines said. 

“Porton Down is the UK’s top secret laboratory where scientists carry out research into [biological and] chemical weapons and deadly diseases. Under constant armed guard, the secluded base contains some of the most lethal diseases known to man – including ebola, plague and anthrax…

“The MoD refused to specify exactly how each animal was killed in the most recent figures… However, previous experiments have seen live pigs being shot and forced to inhale mustard gas, monkeys being infected with anthrax and guinea pigs being killed with nerve agent. 

“Other tests have involved pigs wearing body armour and being blown up, with scientists attempting to replicate severe battlefield trauma to test how well next-generation flak jackets can protect soldiers from injury… In all, figures show 64 guinea pigs, 97 marmosets, 83 pigs, three rabbits and 1,797 mice were killed in experiments at Porton Down between 2021 and 2023.

“An MoD spokeswoman told MailOnline: ‘The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory conducts experiments ethically, in line with legislation… [It] develops new vaccines, therapies and treatments that can save people’s lives.’”

With that line, everything is justified, and it‘s all in the context of WAR! We heard it before. Ridiculous governmental corona restrictions were enacted “to save people’s lives,” it was claimed.

Steinmeier’s Wisdom… But Who Cares?

The Guardian wrote on December 27:

“Germany’s president, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has dissolved parliament and called a snap election on 23 February after Olaf Scholz’s fractious three-way coalition collapsed three years into its mandate. The national vote will come seven months ahead of schedule amid a rocky stretch of unusual political turmoil for the EU’s top economic power…

“Steinmeier – whose office is largely ceremonial – warned… against allowing ‘hatred and violence’ to erode German society… Steinmeier warned… of ‘outside influence’ in the campaign, specifically citing recent ‘open and blatant’ attempts to sway the vote on the social media channel X, used by its owner, Elon Musk, last week to endorse the anti-immigration, anti-Islam … AfD party.  

“… All the mainstream parties have pledged not to work with the far right after the election. Because the CDU/CSU is unlikely to win an absolute majority, it is expected to form a coalition with a party to its left. Most likely at this point is a tie-up with the Social Democrats (SPD), who are polling at about 16%.

“The timing could hardly be worse for Germany’s political gridlock, with a new government not expected to be in place until the late spring, as the incoming US president Donald Trump threatens biting tariffs against the all-important car industry and Russia makes gains in Ukraine despite Berlin’s billions of euros in military assistance to Kyiv.  The current parliament will remain in place until the new one is elected…”

Steinmeier’s time to step down is long overdue. And Germany is presently stumbling from one debacle to the next.

Musk Does It Again…

Reuters wrote on December 28:

“U.S. billionaire Elon Musk backed Germany’s Alternative for Germany (AfD) in a guest opinion piece for Germany’s Welt am Sonntag newspaper published online on Saturday… In the commentary… Musk expanded on his post on social media platform X last week claiming that ‘only the AfD can save Germany.’

“Shortly after the piece was published online, the editor of the opinion section, Eva Marie Kogel, wrote on X that she had submitted her resignation, with a link to the commentary. ‘Democracy and journalism thrive on freedom of expression. This includes dealing with polarising positions and classifying them journalistically,’ the newspaper’s editor-in-chief designate Jan Philipp Burgard and Ulf Poschardt, who takes over as publisher on Jan. 1, told Reuters. They said discussion about Musk’s piece, which had around 340 comments several hours after it was published, was ‘very revealing.’

“Underneath Musk’s commentary, the newspaper published a response by Burgard. ‘Musk’s diagnosis is correct, but his therapeutic approach, that only the AfD can save Germany, is fatally false,’ he wrote, referencing the AfD’s desire to leave the European Union and seek rapprochement with Russia as well as appease China. The AfD backing from Musk, who also defended his right to weigh in on German politics due to his ‘significant investments,’ comes as Germans are set to vote on Feb. 23 after a coalition government led by Chancellor Olaf Scholz collapsed.”

Musk (Trump) vs. Germany’s Political “Establishment”

MSN wrote on December 30:

“Musk, who is set to serve Donald Trump’s new administration as an outside adviser, endorsed the AfD as Germany’s last hope in a guest opinion piece for the Welt am Sonntag newspaper… The [German] government spokesperson said Musk’s endorsement of the AfD was ‘a recommendation to vote for a party that is being monitored (by domestic intelligence) on suspicion of being right-wing extremist and which has already been recognised as partly right-wing extremist’.

“German politicians have excoriated Musk for his endorsement of the AfD, with the co-leader of Scholz’s Social Democrats (SPD) comparing him to Russian President Vladimir Putin. ‘Both want to influence our elections and specifically support the AfD’s enemies of democracy. They want Germany to be weakened and plunged into chaos,’ Lars Klingbeil told the Funke news group on Monday…”

This is of course utter nonsense, but it shows the growing animosity between Germany and the USA.

Spahn Attacks Musk

Deutsche Welle added on December 28:

“In the editorial, [Musk] said the far-right party was the ‘last spark of hope’ for the country. ‘The portrayal of the AfD as right-wing extremist is clearly false, considering that Alice Weidel, the party’s leader, has a same-sex partner from Sri Lanka! Does that sound like Hitler to you? Please!’ Musk said in the piece…

“Musk went on to claim that the AfD adopts strong positions on issues relating to economic recovery, energy supply and migration control. ‘The AfD, even though it is described as far-right, represents a political realism that resonates with many Germans who feel that their concerns are ignored by the establishment. It addresses the problems of the moment — without the political correctness that often obscures the truth,’ the tech billionaire continued.

“Musk also said the AfD was ‘committed to a controlled immigration policy that gives priority to integration and the preservation of German culture and security. This is not about xenophobia, but about ensuring that Germany does not lose its identity in the pursuit of globalization.’…

“Musk’s backing of the AfD has sent shockwaves through Berlin, with some lawmakers this week accusing the SpaceX chief of interfering in German politics…”

Member of the German Bundestag Jens Spahn (CDU) placed the following comments to Musk’s statement on X:

“Elon Musk says, look beyond the labels of the AfD. Now, let’s do it then: The AfD wants to leave NATO, reactivate Nord Stream 2, and is anti-US, pro-Putin and pro-Russia. Is that what the USA wants? A Germany that turns towards Russia and away from the USA? The AfD wants to leave the Eurozone, our by far largest trading partner. We conduct ~40% of our trade within Eurozone. Without the Euro and the EU, the German economy would completely collapse. Incidentally, the AfD was against the construction of the Tesla factory in Grünheide. If it were up to the AfD, there would be no investment from Elon Musk in Germany at all. Perhaps he should remember that as well. And by the way, no one needs the AfD for less regulation, a stop to illegal mass migration and against ideological energy policies. Other parties also stand for that. But without far-right extremists, conspiracy theorists, and antisemites in their ranks.”

Friedrich Merz, head of the CDU, not wanting to be undone by Spahn who wants to become popular again, responded as well one day later. He told the Funke media group: “I cannot recall, in the history of Western democracies, that there has been a comparable case of interference in the electoral campaign of a friendly country” (See Deutsche Welle, December 29).

AfD’s election program (which is ever-changing) is not without controversy, to be sure. But the party is sometimes criticized for the wrong reasons, while criticism is not noticeable where it should be raised. Note the next article.

AfD’s New Election Program

MSN wrote on December 29:

“After a survey, the AfD wants to change its electoral concept and now demand a reinstatement of compulsory military service… Party leader Tino Chrupalla and the Federal Program Commission had deleted the classic AfD demand for a reinstatement of compulsory military service from the election program. In view of the fear of an expansion of the war in Ukraine, which the AfD is relying on in the election campaign, especially in the East, conscription is not a ‘winning issue’. Top candidate and party leader Alice Weidel sees it differently – and apparently so did a majority of the AfD base in a survey. As a result, the Federal Program Commission is now requesting that compulsory military service be included in the election program.

“The base also rejected a dusty family picture. In the draft election program, the family generally stood for security, trust, mutual care, protection and support. The family model of AfD top candidate Weidel, who lives with her wife and children, would have been included for the first time. But two motions for the party conference now demand that, according to the AfD program, a family should consist of ‘father, mother and children’. The responsible federal specialist committee also refers to the mood among the party base.

“Another point of contention is abortion. The radical opponents in the party had prevailed in the draft program. “Abortion must remain the absolute exception, for example if there is a criminological or medical indication,” it now says.”

We would agree with the definition of family. However, abortion should never occur, and mandatory military service is absolutely wrong. But it will come, as it is prophesied to happen.

Musk Responds

Deutsche Welle reported on December 31:

[“Musk wrote about President Steinmeier in response to his attack on Musk:} ‘Steinmeier is an anti-democratic tyrant!’ Musk wrote in English. ‘Shame on him.’..’

“The spokesman for the leader of the AfD, Alice Weidel, said concrete plans were underway for an online meeting between her and Musk. That came after Musk himself suggested a meeting between the two via X’s Spaces chat feature. ‘Wait until Alice and I do an X Spaces conversation. They will lose their minds,’ he posted. 

“Germany’s Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck on Tuesday hit out at Musk… ‘Elon Musk is equipped with billions and unbridled communication power,’ Habeck wrote on X. ‘His call for the AfD is systematic: He wants to weaken Europe. Power must be limited: no business model must destroy our democracy. Europe must now use its power consistently.’”

Other German political leaders said that Musk’s attack on Steinmeier is an attack on all Germans; and that it must be clarified whether Trump is sharing Musk’s statements.

The animosity between Germany and the USA is becoming more and more dangerous.

Germany’s Migration Policy Has Failed

Bild Online wrote on December 30:

“The failure of Germany’s migration policy is making headlines around the world. ‘Germany Opened Its Doors to Migrants. Now It’s Struggling to Cope,’ is the headline of the renowned US newspaper ‘Wall Street Journal.’ Germany has become a case study for problems that arise when migration exceeds a society’s ability to adapt.

“The Americans ruthlessly list how large the influx of refugees and migrants was (especially from Syria, Iraq, Afghanistan). And what illegal immigration means for the German social system and internal security.

“Since 2015, Germany has taken in 2.4 million asylum seekers – twice the population of Munich, according to the newspaper.

“Germany has even overtaken the immigration country USA in terms of the proportion of migrants. In 2021, 18.8 percent of the population in Germany were foreigners, in the United States 15.3 percent…

“Job integration is often not successful: The unemployment rate for non-citizens was 14.7 percent last year, compared to 5 percent for citizens.

“In the USA, asylum seekers do not normally receive any money from the state, but are allowed to work quickly. In Germany, things are different: here they can only work after being officially recognized as refugees, which can take months or even years. Instead, they are entitled to benefits that can amount to hundreds or thousands of euros per month. The cost to the federal budget alone: ​​29.7 billion euros last year.

“More than half of all welfare recipients now have a migrant background: More than 60 percent of people in Germany who rely on state benefits were born abroad or belong to the second generation of migrants.

“Migrants are also massively overrepresented in crime statistics: Non-citizens, who make up 15 percent of the population, were responsible for 41 percent of all crimes in 2023, according to police statistics…

“The reception of Ukrainians in Germany has failed from a purely economic perspective – unlike in other countries. Only 18 percent of the more than one million Ukrainian refugees work and earn enough not to claim benefits. In Great Britain, the figure is 65 percent, in Poland 61 percent.”

It is only because the AfD in particular has long been pointing out these grievances that other parties are now also admitting to them in order not to lose even more votes.

Magdeburg—No One Knows Anything… Or Doesn’t Want to Know Anything!

Bild Online wrote on December 30:

“Magdeburg attack: Much is already known – but NOTHING is clear!… According to BILD information, there were warnings on July 30, November 28, 2023, and September 2, 2024. The BND [Bundesnachrichtendienst, i.e., Federal Intelligence Service ]received these and passed them on. But the BND had to reveal the exact content of these warnings to the MPs in a room in the basement of the Bundestag building that was specially secured against eavesdropping.

“In the Interior Committee, which was meeting in private, there was a scandal right at the start: [Federal Interior Minister Nancy] Faeser was unable to present a chronology of reports and investigations by the federal police and secret services that had been promised to the Bundestag factions a week ago…

“Green Party expert Konstantin von Notz (53) explained that it could not be ‘that this time, as with the Love Parade disaster and the Berlin Christmas market attack, no one takes political responsibility.’

“According to BILD information, there are a total of 80 police cases involving him [the mass murderer] as a perpetrator or complainant. In addition, there are six reports from foreign security services that are supposed to deal with the Twitter threats made by their nationals…”

It is high time that Faeser resigned.

Terror Attack in New Orleans

The Sun wrote on January 1, 2025:

“At least [15] people were killed [with another 30 injured] when the city’s famed Bourbon Street became a bloodbath after the gunman ploughed his white pick-up into revellers before opening fire. He was then gunned down by cops and killed.

“The FBI have named the suspect as 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar – a US citizen from Texas. Jabbar is a US Army veteran and was wearing full body armour and armed with an assault rifle for the attack. They do not believe he was solely responsible for the attack…

“The FBI said an ISIS flag was found attached to a white pipe sticking up from the hitch of the rented Ford pickup. Pipe bombs were found inside the car and concealed within coolers and were wired for remote detonation, a state police intelligence bulletin obtained by AP said…

“Police superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said the gunman drove the pick-up truck down Bourbon Street ‘at a very fast pace’ and was ‘intentional’ ‘trying to run over as many people as he possibly could’.

She said: “This is not just an act of terrorism. This is evil.”…

“Jabbar had only converted to Islam within the last year and was ‘being all crazy’ the new husband of his ex-wife said.”

Explosion in Front of Trump Hotel in Las Vegas

Breitbart wrote on January 1, 2025:

“The Tesla Cybertruck explosion in front of the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas has led to one death and seven injuries, officials said. The driver of the electric vehicle parked in the valet area outside of the hotel’s lobby before it burst into flames and exploded with ‘fireworks-style mortars onboard’ on New Year’s Day around 8:40 a.m. local time…  The driver is the only known death, and seven people nearby sustained minor wounds…

“It is unclear… if the fire was purposeful — but authorities said they are investigating the incident as a possible act of terror…”

The New York Post added on January 1:

“Investigators did… determine that the Tesla truck was rented through the Turo app, the same one used to rent the pickup truck used in the New Orleans attack, law enforcement sources told The Post… Police also confirmed that the Cybertruck was filled with fireworks-style mortars…”

Please view in this regard our new StandingWatch program, titled, “Who Was Behind the Terror Attacks in Germany, New Orleans and Las Vegas?”

No Hostage Deal with Hamas

The Jerusalem Post wrote on December 28:

“A ceasefire and hostage deal had not been reached yet because Hamas ‘does not want there to be a deal,’… Netanyahu said in the weekly government meeting on Sunday…

“The message conveyed to ministers was that ‘the negotiations for the hostage deal were stuck,’ with Hamas ‘constantly trying to change direction in the talks.’ The ministers were also told that Hamas returned to demanding an end to the war as conditional for any deal.”

Breitbart wrote on January 1, 2025:

“The Iranian-backed terror group Hamas has decided to call President-elect Donald Trump’s bluff and abandon negotiations toward a hostage deal, waiting instead to see if it can get a better deal when he takes office January 20. Trump said at Mar-a-Lago on New Year’s Eve, ‘They better let the hostages come back soon,’ reiterating a threat that there would be ‘ALL HELL TO PAY’ if Hamas did not free its remaining 100 Israeli hostages by his Inauguration.

“But Hamas has decided that it would rather take its chances — and evidently believes that Trump will not do anything…

“The sticking points are the precise number of living hostages to be released in the first phase of a deal; the identities of Palestinian terrorists to be released from Israeli prisoners; and whether a deal would bring the war to an end.

Hamas is determined to survive and to return to power in the Middle East. It fired two short-range rockets at Israel at midnight on New Year’s Eve — a weaker barrage than it used to greet 2024, but a sign that it is still committed to war.”

Jimmy Carter Died

The New York Post wrote on December 29:

“Jimmy Carter, the Georgia peanut farmer who became the 39th president of the United States during a time of gas shortages, Cold War drama and the Iran hostage crisis, died Sunday. He was 100. Carter was the longest-living president in U.S. history…

“Carter was sworn in on Jan. 20, 1977, after defeating Republican Gerald Ford, whose campaign was burdened by the political baggage he carried from his decision to pardon disgraced President Richard Nixon following the Watergate scandal. He served only one tumultuous four-year term before being swept aside by Ronald Reagan — but in that time he racked up triumphs such as the historic Camp David peace accords, in which Israel and Egypt officially recognized each other’s governments… But there were also fiascoes…

“Carter’s presidency was marred by events both within and out of his control. In 1979, a pair of international crises erupted — the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, which led Carter to cancel US participation in the 1980 Moscow Summer Olympics; and the storming of the US Embassy in Tehran following which 52 Americans were held captive for 444 days.

“A failed rescue effort by the US military in April 1980 led to the deaths of eight American service members, and crippled Carter’s credibility on national security ahead of that year’s presidential election.

“Carter was also buffeted by economic forces, as the OPEC-induced fuel crisis of the early 1970s helped lead to paralyzing ‘stagflation,’ a brutal cocktail of persistently high inflation combined with high unemployment and stagnant demand…

“The Republican [Ronald Reagan] would hand Carter one of the most crushing election losses ever, winning 44 of the 50 states, while the Democrat took the other six plus the District of Columbia.

“After leaving the White House, Carter turned his attention to humanitarian and charitable endeavors, notably his decades-long commitment to the Habitat for Humanity program, which developed housing for the poor, and the Carter Presidential Center to promote human rights.

“Carter was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002…”

Breitbart added on December 27:

“He endured more than four decades of being described as a failed president. However, many of his ideas were revived under President Joe Biden, whose policies today arguably mirror those of the Carter administration.”

Many used to consider Carter as the weakest and most ineffective president in modern history… until Biden showed up.

New Year’s Resolution for Congress and the Executive

Ron Paul wrote on December 30 in the Ron Paul Institute:

“Next month the 119th US Congress will be sworn in, with Republican majorities in both Houses. With every opinion poll we see how the US public holds Congress in contempt. How about doing something about it? What about returning to the Constitution? That means no more 1,500 page omnibus spending bills which hide countless unconstitutional surveillance, censorship, and police state measures behind convoluted legislative language…

“Americans are rightly furious that President Biden has sent as much as $200 billion to fund Ukraine’s futile war with Russia, but where did Biden get that money? From Congress… Every US foreign policy fiasco of the 21st century could have been prevented had Congress only had the courage to say ‘no’ when the President and the military-industrial complex demanded money for a new overseas conflict.

“Next, the Executive Branch. On January 20th we will begin the second Trump Administration. Trump appealed to war-weary American voters by promising no new wars and an end to the current conflicts we are involved in overseas. A good place to start would be an announcement on day one that US troops would be removed from Syria. We learned only last week that the Biden Administration had been lying to us about the number of troops in Syria, but the real question is why do we have troops there at all? Trump rightly said it is not our war, so why not just march home?

“Likewise, Ukraine. As a parting ‘gift’ to the American people, President Biden just announced another six billion to Ukraine. Most of that money – like the billions before – will end up in the hands of the US military-industrial complex, with a few billion stolen by the corrupt Ukraine government. Even the US mainstream media admits that Ukraine has lost the war. So why are we draining the US treasury and draining the population of Ukraine for a lost cause? President Trump: end the funding and end the war.”

Another Scandalous Decision in Canada

Rebel News wrote on December 23:

“Pastor Derek Reimer of Mission 7 Ministries in Calgary appeared in court for sentencing November 27, 2024, after being found guilty in August of criminal harassment… The criminal harassment charges stem from a conversation Reimer had with Saddletowne Public Library service delivery manager Shannon Slater.

“Reimer approached the library manager to ask why the library was hosting events where adults dressed in drag read books to children, often encouraging the children’s exploration of sexual identity and promoting non-traditional values. Slater declined to engage in the conversation and asked Reimer to leave, which he did without hesitation. During the brief exchange, Reimer mentioned that he would likely return to protest.

Reimer published this brief interaction on social media, urging others to voice their disapproval towards this manager for allowing such events to occur. Slater argued that this should fall within the scope of criminal harassment…

“Today, December 23, Justice Molle delivered Reimer’s sentence, which includes the following: A $500 fine… 12 months conditional sentence, or, in other words, house arrest… 2 years probation. Some of the terms include:… Must write a letter of apology to Shannon Slater… Must complete an anger management course and provide proof of counselling… 100 hours of community service work… Prohibited from entertaining friends at his personal home… Must remain in the province of Alberta unless granted approval. Reimer is permitted to participate in religious services outside of his home upon approval by his supervisor.”

Can one believe such an outrageous decision?

Trudeau Must Resign as Prime Minister

National Post wrote on December 24:

“69 per cent of Canadians now think Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should resign… 72 per cent of respondents said they were dissatisfied with the Trudeau government…

“Following the sudden resignation from cabinet of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland last week, more than a third of the 153 Liberals in caucus are now resolved to pursue Trudeau’s immediate resignation… Trudeau isn’t even all that popular among Liberal diehards.”

Maybe Trudeau should accept Trump’s offer and become governor of the 51^st state of the USA?

“No Child Is Born in the Wrong Body!”

Breitbart wrote on December 30:

“Harry Potter creator and women’s rights activist J.K. Rowling has told her fans on social media that there is no such thing as a transgender kid and that no child is born in the ‘wrong body.’… [She wrote:] ‘There are only adults…, prepared to sacrifice the health of minors to bolster [their] belief in an ideology that will end up wreaking more harm than lobotomies and false memory syndrome combined.’

“In another post, Rowling blamed some of society’s problems on a type of cultural contamination where social media convinces children that they are transgender… saying, ‘Kids are watching TikTok videos of surgeons selling the idea that bodies can be modified like Lego. Schools affirm kids’ trans identities behind parents’ backs. A certain kids’ charity in the UK sent out breast binders to pubescent girls without parental consent… Many parents are struggling to protect kids from a Zeitgeist telling them that anxieties about puberty, sexuality and growing up can be fixed by lifelong reliance on Big Pharma and by doctors who make Frankenstein look ethical,’ she added.

“Rowling went on to say that parents are facing strong headwinds as schools and the Internet continue to push transgenderism on kids outside the home. She also blasted the entire scheme of transgenderism for pushing a false nirvana. She noted that transgender medical intervention ‘causes infertility, the loss of the ability to orgasm and a lifetime’s reliance on powerful hormones your body wasn’t designed to cope with,’ she wrote.

“Rowling has been a staunch voice in opposition to transgender ‘women’ in sports and recently pointed out that men claiming to be transgender female athletes have stolen hundreds of medals and championships from female athletes… Adding more credence to her position, the British national health system has announced a ban on puberty blockers and other transgender procedures for minors.”

Smoking DOES Kill You!

The Guardian wrote on December 29:

“Smokers are being urged to kick the habit for 2025 after a fresh assessment of the harms of cigarettes found they shorten life expectancy even more than doctors thought. Researchers at University College London found that on average a single cigarette takes about 20 minutes off a person’s life, meaning that a typical pack of 20 cigarettes can shorten a person’s life by nearly seven hours.

“According to the analysis, if a smoker on 10 cigarettes a day quits on 1 January, they could prevent the loss of a full day of life by 8 January. They could boost their life expectancy by a week if they quit until 5 February and a whole month if they stop until 5 August. By the end of the year, they could have avoided losing 50 days of life, the assessment found. ‘People generally know that smoking is harmful but tend to underestimate just how much,’ said Dr Sarah Jackson, a principal research fellow at UCL’s alcohol and tobacco research group. ‘On average, smokers who don’t quit lose around a decade of life. That’s 10 years of precious time, life moments, and milestones with loved ones.’

“Smoking is one of the world’s leading preventable causes of disease and death, killing up to two-thirds of long-term users. It causes about 80,000 deaths a year in the UK and a quarter of all cancer deaths in England…

“‘Some people might think they don’t mind missing out on a few years of life, given that old age is often marked by chronic illness or disability. But smoking doesn’t cut short the unhealthy period at the end of life,’ Jackson told the Guardian. ‘It primarily eats into the relatively healthy years in midlife, bringing forward the onset of ill-health. This means a 60-year-old smoker will typically have the health profile of a 70-year-old non-smoker.’

“Although some smokers live long lives, others develop smoking-related diseases and even die from them in their 40s. The variation is driven by differences in smoking habits such as the type of cigarette used, the number of puffs taken and how deeply smokers inhale. People also differ in how susceptible they are to the toxic substances in cigarette smoke.

“The authors stress that smokers must quit completely to get the full benefits to health and life expectancy. Previous work has shown there is no safe level of smoking: the risk of heart disease and stroke is only about 50% lower for people who smoke one cigarette a day compared with those who smoke 20 a day. ‘Stopping smoking at every age is beneficial, but the sooner smokers get off this escalator of death the longer and healthier they can expect their lives to be,’ they write.”

Smoking is sin. It is egoistic and thoroughly carnal and shows a complete disregard and lack of love for oneself and others. It is a form of slow suicide… another sin.

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.

Concerns About Biden’s Fitness From Day One

The National News Desk (TNND) wrote on December 19:

“Concerns within the White House over President Joe Biden’s physical and mental fitness began early in his term in the Oval Office, the Wall Street Journal reported Thursday. Biden, 82, faced accusations throughout this year of being unfit to continue serving in the White House. The scrutiny peaked following his performance in a June presidential debate with President-elect Donald Trump, during which Biden appeared forgetful and confused while speaking in rambling fragments.

“Biden and members of his administration repeatedly rejected suggestions he could not continue running for reelection, despite some of the suggestions coming from other Democrats… The Wall Street Journal on Thursday interviewed nearly 50 individuals familiar with ‘operations’ to conceal… the president’s mental and physical state. Advisers of Biden reportedly realized during the first few months of his term that the ‘bruising presidential schedule’ would need to be adjusted for the president, citing his fatigue and making mistakes…

“Once concerns arose early on, Biden advisers instructed top lawmakers and allies to keep exchanges with the president ‘short and focused,’ according to the Wall Street Journal. Staffers reportedly also ensured most of Biden’s meetings were held later in the day due to the president not being ‘at his best’ first thing in the morning, with the option to scrap meetings entirely if he was having an ‘off day.’

“The guidelines for interactions with Biden even impacted Cabinet members, according to the Wall Street Journal. Biden has reportedly held just nine full Cabinet meetings throughout his term, compared to former President Barack Obama holding 19 during his first term and Trump convening 25 during his.

“At least one Cabinet member stopped asking for calls with Biden ‘because it was clear that such requests wouldn’t be welcome,’ a source told the Wall Street Journal. Cabinet members with particularly infrequent access to Biden reportedly included Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Donors also noticed how staffers worked to mask signs of Biden’s ‘decline,’ the Wall Street Journal reported…

“Harris during her brief presidential campaign fielded accusations of covering up Biden’s mental fitness. During an August interview with CNN, Harris told anchor Dana Bash she had no ‘regrets’ about what she told Americans about the president’s ability to serve…”

A Scandalous Cover-Up

Fox News wrote on December 20:

“CNN’s Scott Jennings criticized the White House for hiding President Biden’s health and age issues from the public in a segment on Thursday. ‘This is the biggest scandal in America,’ Jennings said on CNN. ‘And the level and volume of people who dedicated themselves to lying to everyone at home about this man’s condition for four-straight years up through this summer is breathtaking… It‘s a scandal of epic proportions and it’s a fair question to ask — who is running the country?… Who has been running the country?’

“Jennings argued that Biden’s staffers lied about his health and age concerns for the entirety of his presidency. ‘If you‘re worried about Donald Trump’s having influence — for the last four years, apparently, this president, duly elected, this president was not capable of fulfilling the duties of the office. And his staff and the White House lied about it and kept it from the American people,’ Jennings said…”

Biden did not run the Presidency during these four years, for numerous reasons. For one, it is very doubtful that he was even legitimately elected as President, given major concerns that the election in 2020 was rigged. And unless we forget, there are still major and unresolved concerns and unanswered questions (despite the fact that Trump buckled in this regard) whether Obama was born in America (Hawaii)… if he was not, his presidency would have been illegitimate as well.

“Shoot the Drones!”

The Ron Paul Institute published the following article by Judge Andrew P. Napolitano on December 19:

“The skies over New Jersey have been littered with strange flying objects during the past two weeks; and the feds are either hiding the truth from terrified folks on the ground or scratching their collective heads along with the rest of us. Since early December, there have been between 3,000 and 5,000 reports of large drones — some about the size of a pickup truck. They have three or four arms, at the ends of which are very bright lights.

“The drone I saw over the northwest tip of the state appeared to come toward me and then stood perfectly still. Then — in a heartbeat — it was gone… The New Jersey State Police dispatched a helicopter — manned by two troopers — to pursue this beast but not to interfere with it. As their helicopter approached, the drone fled from them and seemed to disappear.

“New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy — who had no use for the Bill of Rights during the pandemic four years ago — sees no threat to public safety or public peace. The White House — which must know the origin and nature of these things — also professes ignorance. President-elect Donald Trump… opined that if this happens on his watch, he’d order the drones shot down. Don’t expect that from President Joe Biden. Remember the two weeks during which we all watched a huge Chinese ‘weather’ balloon make its way from Alaska to South Carolina, only to have it shot down over the Atlantic? That was a manifestation of the Biden attitude about strange and terrifying flying objects…

“Will I shoot down the next drone that flies over my home when the state claims it cannot do so and the feds tell me to mind my own business? If I did, I’d be responsible for the natural and probable consequences of such an act, including personal injury and property damage to those on the ground. The better way to address this is for the states to chase and capture these devices, in defiance of an incompetent federal government. If they won’t, I might just take my chances with a New Jersey jury.”

Please view our StandingWatch program, titled, “The DRONES! No Danger? Are You Kidding?” 

Controversial Bill Passed to Avoid Governmental Shutdown

Fox News wrote on December 21:

“The White House has announced that President Biden signed a stopgap funding bill into law on Saturday, extending government funding into March [through March 14, 2025] and avoiding a shutdown. The bill includes $100 billion in disaster aid and a one-year farm bill. The Senate worked into early Saturday morning to pass the bill 85-11, just after the deadline following a chaotic week on Capitol Hill.”

The substantially same bill had been rejected twice before by the House.

Fox News reported on December 21:

“An original agreement on a short-term spending bill was released earlier in the week… But soon after its release, billionaire Elon Musk and other conservative critics publicly blasted the measure, ultimately resulting in it being condemned by President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance… Meanwhile, as of Thursday, the U.S national debt was at $36,167,604,149,955.61 and was continuing to climb rapidly…

“House Republicans emerged on Thursday with a new proposal. The revised measure would have extended current funding levels for three months and included a debt limit suspension for two years, per the request of Trump… But the bill failed on the House floor Thursday night as Democrats united against it and a significant group of Republicans opted to oppose it as well…

“The third measure, which ultimately passed the House and Senate, was similar to the one that failed the night prior…. However, the final stopgap bill did not include a suspension of the debt ceiling, which Trump had requested himself. The House passed the short-term spending bill with 366 yes votes, surpassing the necessary two-thirds…  34 Republicans [voted] against the legislation and zero Democrats [voted] against it. One Democrat… voted present… Among those who voted against the bill was Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., who told Fox News Digital, ‘I don’t know why we’re giving Joe Biden $100 billion to play with in 30 days’…”

It does not appear that anyone voting for this bill had the best interests of the American people in mind. Neither did Trump who wanted a suspension of the debt ceiling. Ridiculous!

How Our Government Wastes Our Money!!!

Newsmax wrote on December 24:

“Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., released his annual ‘Festivus’ report on Tuesday where he cited more than $1 trillion in government waste for 2024. Paul’s yearly accounting of frivolous government spending is a scathing editorial of… absurd federal projects…

“Paul noted that the national debt increased $2 trillion in 2024 to a current figure of $36 trillion and is on pace to increase at least $2 trillion every year for the next decade… ‘That’s over $1 trillion in government waste, including things like ice-skating drag queens, a $12 million Las Vegas pickleball complex, $4,840,082 on Ukrainian influencers, and more! No matter how much money the government has wasted, politicians keep demanding even more.’..

“While hundreds of millions was listed in misused COVID PPP funds, some of the more ludicrous government programs called out include The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) spending $419,470 to determine if lonely rats seek cocaine more than happy rats, $3 million on ‘girl-centered climate action’ in Brazil, $288,563 to create safe spaces for bird watching groups, and $123,066 to teach youths in Kyrgyzstan how to ‘go viral.’”

Fox News added on December 23:

“The 2024 Festivus Waste Report found that the Biden-Harris administration spent over $1 trillion this year, including giving a $10,000 grant to ‘Beards on Ice’ — an ice skating drag show on climate change put on by the Bearded Ladies Cabaret, a self-described ‘queer cabaret arts organization.’ Additionally, the Agency for International Development (USAID) spent $20 million on a Sesame Street spin-off show in Iraq, titled ‘Ahlan Simsim,’ in an effort to promote ‘inclusion’ and ‘mutual respect.’

“About $1.5 million was spent experimenting how different species, such as young female kittens, respond to motion sickness.  According to the report, researchers would strap kittens to a table, where they are spun around in several directions and have holes drilled into their skulls to keep them in place — ‘and it’s all being done with your money,’ Paul writes in the report. ‘More than one and a half million dollars of it.’…

“‘As the average American taxpayers struggle to pay rent, their hard-earned dollars are ironically funneled into more real estate,’ the report read, referring to the Biden struggles spending $10 billion on maintaining and furnishing buildings that were almost entirely empty. The Department of Energy (DOE) gave automakers $15.5 billion to push the industry into the electric vehicle (EV) sector while another $388,000 was given to ‘Magic in the United States,’ a podcast discussing how magical beliefs and practices have evolved in the U.S. The senator also mentioned the Biden administration giving $2.1 million to fund Paraguay’s border…”

Trump Threatens EU With Tariffs

AFP wrote on December 20:

“President-elect Donald Trump on Friday threatened the European Union with tariffs if the bloc does not reduce its ‘tremendous’ trade gap with Washington through oil and gas purchases. ‘I told the European Union that they must make up their tremendous deficit with the United States by the large scale purchase of our oil and gas,’ Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform in the early hours of Friday. ‘Otherwise, it is TARIFFS all the way!!!’

“According to U.S. figures, goods imports from the EU were $553.3 billion in 2022, while its exports to the bloc were $350.8 billion. This puts the U.S. goods trade deficit with the EU at $202.5 billion that year… Trump… has made sweeping threats of slapping tariffs on US trading partners — including Canada, Mexico and China — which could send reverberations across the global economy… Trump had threatened a 25% import tariff, while vowing at least 10% against China…

“Earlier this month, the European Union concluded a massive trade deal with four South American countries — Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay — that aims to create a 700-million-customer free-trade area. Von der Leyen had said the agreement would build trade bridges as ‘strong winds are blowing in the opposite direction, towards isolation and fragmentation’ — comments largely seen as a nod to Trump’s threats to hike tariffs…”

Trump is making more and more enemies, especially in Europe.. and Europe WILL respond, when the time comes.

Trump Attacks Panama Canal Toll, Threatens With Return of Ownership

Fox Business News wrote on December 21:

“President-elect Trump unleashed a tirade against Panama Canal tolls Saturday, claiming the U.S. is being ripped off by high prices… The Panama Canal’s tolls can range from three to six figures depending on how large a vessel is and how much cargo it carries, with the largest ships being charged as much as $500,000. ‘The Panama Canal is considered a VITAL National Asset for the United States, due to its critical role to America’s Economy and National Security,’ Trump wrote in his post. ‘A secure Panama Canal is crucial for U.S. Commerce, and rapid deployment of the Navy, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, and drastically cuts shipping times to U.S. ports.’

“The incoming president criticized former President Carter, who Trump said ‘foolishly gave it away, for One Dollar.’ In 1977, Carter signed the Panama Canal Treaty, which phased out U.S. control of the canal by 1999. Carter also signed the Neutrality Treaty, which ensured that the tolls would be equal for all nations. Trump implied that the U.S. should be given preferential treatment in his post… ‘The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S. This complete “rip-off” of our Country will immediately stop.’

“Trump also floated the idea of demanding the canal’s ownership be returned to the United States if American ships are not given fair treatment. ‘[The Panama Canal] was not given for the benefit of others, but merely as a token of cooperation with us and Panama,’ Trump concluded. ‘If the principles, both moral and legal, of this magnanimous gesture of giving are not followed, then we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to us, in full, and without question.’”

Giving away the Panama Canal was indeed a foolish move, humanly speaking, but it was prophesied in the Bible, as America is to lose ALL its “sea gates.”

Trump Dreams of Empire Extension

MSN wrote on December 24:

“Trump has been in a strikingly imperial mood since his election victory. He has floated with acquiring Greenland, reclaiming the Panama Canal, annexing Canada, and potentially invading Mexico…

“Greenland’s prime minister, Múte Egede, hit back at Trump on Monday: ‘Greenland is ours. We are not for sale and will never be for sale. We must not lose our long struggle for freedom.’ A day earlier, Trump had labeled taking ‘ownership’ of the world’s largest island ‘an absolute necessity’ [for national security and freedom]. People involved in Trump’s transition have been discussing how an acquisition or custodianship of Greenland [which is currently controlled by Denmark] would work… The island’s attractions include its natural resources and its location, as the U.S., Russia and other powers scramble for footholds in the Arctic…

“Panama President José Raúl Mulino declared in an on-camera address Sunday that Panama would not hand over a single square meter of the canal, to which Trump replied on Truth Social: ‘We’ll see about that!’ Trump followed up with a picture of an American flag flying over the canal, captioned: ‘Welcome to the United States Canal!’…

“Trump previously told Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that his country could avoid tariffs if it became America’s 51st state — a message he has repeatedly re-upped through memes and jokes… Trump’s allies have also been discussing a potential ‘soft invasion’ of Mexico… That could involve targeting cartels through cross-border special forces operations or drone strikes.”

Trump Appoints Brian Burch as Ambassador to the Holy See

Yahoo! News wrote on December 21:

“President-elect Donald Trump on Friday nominated Brian Burch, a right-wing Catholic who has often criticized Pope Francis, as his ambassador to the Holy See. Trump announced Burch, a father of nine and president of the non-profit CatholicVote.org (which he described as ‘one of the largest Catholic advocacy groups in the Country’) as his nominee in a Truth Social post, which was followed by a message selling ‘God Bless the USA’ Bibles…

“Burch… may not have a lot of love for Pope Francis specifically. He strongly opposed the pontiff’s decision to allow the blessing of same-sex couples…  He has also alleged church leaders might have collaborated with the FBI on plans ‘to infiltrate “Latin mass” communities,’ amid reports last year that the agency had warned of ‘radical traditionalist’ Catholics as part of investigations into far-right activism.

“… theology professor and director of the Catholic Theological Union’s Bernardin Center in Chicago Steven Millies described Burch as ‘an agitator, mostly, the opposite of a diplomat… His appointment signals what we already know; a difficult time lies ahead for U.S.-Vatican relations.’”

The relationship between the USA and the Vatican will drastically deteriorate.

Musk Wades Into Election Campaigns

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 20:

“Elon Musk… opined on his platform X (formerly Twitter) on Friday morning that ‘Only the AfD can save Germany.’ Alica Weidel, who is running for chancellor as co-leader of the AfD, [a lesbian married to a woman from Sri Lanka] responded to Musk an hour later, saying: ‘Yes! You are perfectly right! Please also have a look into my interview on President Trump, how socialist Merkel ruined our country, how the Soviet European Union destroys the countries [sic] economic backbone and malfunctioning Germany!’

“The AfD is currently polling at around 19% ahead of the German federal election in February, second only to the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) at around 33%. But all the other parties currently in the German parliament have ruled out forming a coalition with them…

“Asked about Musk’s comments, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said: ‘Freedom of expression also applies to multi-billionaires, but it also means that you’re allowed to say things which aren’t correct, and aren’t good political advice.’

“Other German lawmakers from across the political spectrum criticized both Musk’s post and Weidel’s response, slamming ‘interference’ and insisting that no other party will form a government with ‘fascists bought by billionaires.’… Anton Hofreiter from the Green Party  called the AfD ‘traitors bought by billionaires’ and ‘a band of fascists who have not only been bought by… Putin but are now being supported by a multi-billionaire-turned-right-wing-extremist.’…

“It’s not the first time that Musk has addressed the AfD. At the start of June, he posted: ‘They keep saying “far right,” but the policies of AfD that I’ve read about don’t sound extremist…’

“Musk has also expressed support for the United Kingdom’s far-right ‘Reform UK’ and its populist leader Nigel Farage. This week, Farage told the BBC that his party is in ‘open negotiations’ with Musk regarding a potential donation, which The Times has reported could be as high as £78m ($100m, €96m), by far the biggest political donation in British political history…  In Germany, state security services have warned that the upcoming federal election could be targeted by disinformation campaigns not only from Russia, but also from the United States.

“Meanwhile, the leader of Germany’s neoliberal Free Democratic Party (FDP) Chrisitan Lindner, sparked controversy this month when he appeared to praise the political views and activities of Musk and right-wing populist Argentinian President Javier Milei… On Friday, replying to Musk on X, he… cautioned against supporting the AfD.”

After Musk’s “endorsement” of the AfD, “Alice Weidel has surged to the top of the polls of preferred chancellors in the upcoming February elections… [She] surged by three points over the previous week to 24 points, surpassing the leader of the centrist neo-liberal Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Friedrich Merz, who fell by one point to 20 per cent since the previous week.

“Meanwhile, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the current candidate for the leftist Social Democrat Party (SPD) languishes in third place, falling one point from last week to 15 per cent support. Scholz is followed by his Economic Minister Robert Habeck, the chancellor candidate for the Greens, at 14 per cent…. Although the attack [see below] happened under the watch of Chancellor Scholz, the suspected attacker was reportedly granted asylum in 2016, under the CDU government of Angela Merkel” (Breitbart, December 22).

Reuters wrote on December 20:

“Musk… on Friday called on German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to resign in response to a deadly attack at a German Christmas market [in Magdeburg]. ‘Scholz should resign immediately,’ Musk posted on X, adding: ‘Incompetent fool.’”

On Saturday, he wrote in regard to the news (see below) that Saudi Arabia had warned Germany about the attacker:

“Yeah, he was obviously a lunatic who should never have been allowed to enter Germany and should have been extradited when Saudi Arabia made the request. Suicidal empathy by the German government.

“Wow, this is insane. Whoever refused to extradite a murderer deserves to be punished severely!”

Musk is seen as Trump’s strongest and most influential [unelected] adviser. Some call him already “President Musk.” And as Trump becomes more and more unpopular in Europe and especially in Germany (if that is possible), so Musk is even trumping him in that regard.

Note the following articles.

Terrorist Attack in Magdeburg, East Germany

The Daily Mail wrote on December 20:

“… a Saudi doctor [a specialist in psychiatrist and psychotherapy] who drove through a massive crowd at a German Christmas market [in Magdeburg], killing at least two and injuring nearly 70 people, was arrested. [He had lived and worked in the neighboring city of Bernburg, about 25 miles south of Magdeburg.]  

“While official figures say that two people, including a toddler, have died, local media have put the death toll at 11…

“Bild reported that the [rented] car was driven ‘at least 400m (1,300ft) across the Christmas market’… at least 15 people were ‘severely’ injured…” 

Those figures were clearly underreported and totally unrealistic.

ABC News reported on December 21:

“At least five people are now known to have been killed in the vehicle-ramming attack on a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg on Friday, the Minister President of Saxony-Anhalt Reiner Haseloff told journalists on Saturday. Haseloff said that at least 200 more people were injured… At least 40 of those injured were so seriously hurt that their lives are still thought to be in danger, according to Chancellor Olaf Scholz.”

Who Is the Terrorist?

Breitbart wrote on December 20:

“The suspected attacker… was granted asylum [an indefinite residence permit] in Germany in 2016 after fleeing from his native Saudi Arabia for fear of persecution over his atheism, Welt reports. [He arrived in Germany in 2006 and lived in Germany since then.] The suspect has been identified as having established a website to help other atheist asylum seekers flee to Germany. In an interview in 2019, he reportedly claimed to be the ‘most aggressive critic of Islam in history’.

“Der Spiegel reports that Taleb A. had expressed sympathies towards the anti-mass migration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, as well as figures such as Elon Musk, Alex Jones, and Tommy Robinson. However, the news outlet noted that Taleb A. identified as a ‘leftist’. [Breitbart added on December 21: “While much media attention in the wake of the attack has focussed on statements Taleb made in support of the populist right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party over its critiques of Islamic immigration, he apparently considered himself to be a leftist. ‘Taleb A. said in the interview that he was not a right-winger and described himself as a leftist,’ Der Spiegel reports… He appears to have been particularly angered over the acceptance rate of ‘Syrian jihadists’ compared to ex-Muslims from Saudi Arabia.]”

“Welt reported that posts apparently made on social media by the suspected attacker criticised Germany for trying to ‘Islamize Europe’ while also accusing Berlin of ‘hunting Saudi asylum seekers inside and outside Germany to destroy their lives.’ There are growing suggestions that the attacker may have suffered from some form of mental illness, with posts accusing the German state of the ‘killing of Socrates’, as well as personally persecuting him…

“However, despite reportedly not being on police radar as a potential extremist, several posts attributed to the suspect seemingly showed violent intent, including: ‘I assure you that 100 percent revenge will come soon. Even if it costs me my life,’ and ‘Germany will pay the price. A huge price.’..

“The attack appears to be similar to the 2016 terrorist attack on a Christmas market in Berlin when a man hijacked a truck and used it to plow down people attending the market. In total, 13 people died, as a result of the attack and dozens were left injured. The attacker, a failed asylum seeker from Tunisia named Anis Amri, fled to Italy and was shot and killed by police in Milan days later.”

The Sun wrote on December 21:

“Four months before the attack, he wrote online in Arabic: ‘I assure you: if Germany wants war, we will have it. If Germany wants to kill us, we will slaughter them, die.’ He wrote: ‘Is there a path to justice without slaughtering German citizens indiscriminately?’”

Breitbart added on December 21:

“The German news magazine [“Der Spiegel”] also reported that Berlin security agencies received three warnings from Saudi Arabia about the suspect… However, officials allegedly dismissed the statements and reportedly did not consider him to be a threat as a potential extremist.”

Daily Mail added this on December 21:

“In 2013 he was sentenced by a German court for ‘disturbing the public peace by threatening to commit crimes’, according to Der Spiegel. Three years later, he applied for asylum in Germany and his application was approved within four months…  German officials said… that the attacker drove into the market through a rescue entrance, where they were no barricades.”

This will have a massive influence on Germany’s upcoming elections. Undoubtedly, each party will use this to further their own goals and to attack the other side.

How Is Something Like That Possible?

On December 21, Bild Online published the following comment from Bild boss Robert Schneider:

“A doctor from Saudi Arabia, who has lived in Germany for many years and appears as a fanatical anti-Islamist, carried out this murderous attack under the influence of drugs like something out of the textbook of Islamic terrorism… Much of the terrible bloody act is inexplicable. And yet urgent questions arose the day after the shooting. Saudi authorities have repeatedly warned German authorities about Taleb A…. Why did our police and secret services do nothing even though they had the Saudi on their radar, even though he was said to have been convicted of threatening criminal offenses in 2013?

“Why did someone like that even get asylum with us in 2016? And why were the tips from Saudi Arabia apparently ignored? And how can it be that in Germany, at the same time, the judiciary is meticulously tracking down and prosecuting citizens who make insulting or even satirical comments about politicians – up to and including house searches? So ‘imbecile professional’ (Habeck case) is persecuted and ‘Kill Merkel’ (Taleb on X) is not!”

Bild Online then wrote on December 23:

“Three days after the murderous attack in Magdeburg!… High representatives of the state such as the Chancellor, Federal President, ministers and state leaders were there and gave moving speeches. Then the politicians left again. But questions remain!…

“Why was the police van missing at the entrance to the Christmas market? A larger police car was supposed to be parked across there, but was missing. Only because of this safety glitch was the death driver able to drive through the 5 meter gap and murder several people. They would still be alive if the police car had been there!… Who is responsible for the security plan for the Magdeburg Christmas market?…

“For terror expert Peter Neumann (King’s College London), one thing is clear: ‘The concept has failed. This didn’t even close the obvious gap – making an identical attack like the Berlin shooting at Breitscheidplatz in 2016 impossible – … I’m stunned that the city of Magdeburg continued to defend its security concept even after the attack.’

“Why was the assassin Taleb Al-Abdulmohsen allowed to work as a doctor? Patients called him ‘Dr. Google’ because he didn’t even know what a thrombosis was! He was obviously neither mentally nor professionally suitable for this and yet he worked as a doctor – how is that possible?…

“Why were there indications from Saudi Arabia ignored that Taleb Al-Abdulmohsen is a dangerous man? Some ex-Muslims are also said to have warned authorities about his attack fantasies and were not listened to. Why?… If the security authorities had followed up on the tips, it might have become clear: This man had no place in Germany!”

Shiite Mass Murderer?

Report 24 asked similar questions on December 21, and then reported other shocking findings:

“While the German media is busy with highly questionable reports that he was an Islam-hating convert, Arabic-speaking citizen journalists brought to light his connections with the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood and the terrorist group ‘Islamic State’ (IS)… The actual name of the murderous psychiatrist is, according to Arabic sources, ‘Talib Al-Abdul Mohsen’. It is a Shia surname. Shiites are the minority in Saudi Arabia; most Saudis are Sunnis. Both are different branches of Islam that repeatedly fight each other with deadly violence. Taleb confessed to Wahhabism in 2016 – which hardly fits with the theory of turning away from Islam…

“Taleb A. further supported the Islamist groups that recently brought Syria under their control… It is gratifying how many details from the mass murderer’s life are coming to light through the work of citizen journalists. Fortunately, Elon Musk’s X doesn’t cooperate as submissively as Zuckerberg’s Facebook and makes this research possible. The German authorities apparently want to cover up as much about this case as possible…”

Europe Leaderless

Haaretz wrote on December 19:

“The continent may be on the verge of another defining moment in its postwar history depending on how it reconciles U.S. President-elect Donald Trump – a huge NATO critic – with Europe’s endemic political weakness…

“Europe’s largest and strongest countries are undergoing political turmoil and instability. The European Union is weak on foreign and defense policy… Today, Europe is leaderless…”

A powerful European leader will arise, when it is least expected.

Switzerland’s Crazy Decisions

LifeSiteNews wrote on December 20:

“Switzerland’s highest court has decided parents separated from their daughter for refusing to endorse her gender ‘transition’ must enable their child’s legal ‘sex change’ or face the possibility of criminal charges…

“The child’s father reacted to the ruling: ‘… That we could face criminal charges for simply trying to care for our daughter shows how deeply embedded transgender ideology is in Swiss institutions and the real harms it causes…’

“This is the latest juncture in a case that has already received worldwide attention…  X-owner Elon Musk commented on it saying: ‘This is insane. This suicidal mind virus is spreading throughout Western Civilization.’

“The daughter’s parents were separated from their child by court order over a year and a half ago, after they objected to their child’s so-called gender ‘transition.’ They were concerned their daughter was being pushed to make hasty and irreversible decisions when she first said she identified as the opposite sex following mental health struggles at the age of 13… The parents refused ‘puberty blockers’ for their child and told her school to not ‘socially transition’ her, and instead arranged private mental health care. But the school ‘socially transitioned’ the daughter anyway and liaised with the state child welfare agency, Service de Protection des Mineurs (SPMI) and a transgender-activist organization. Eventually, the daughter was separated from her parents and legal authority over her medical care was transferred from the parents to SPMI.

“The daughter has lived in a government shelter since April 2023 and the parents’ access to her is regulated by the state. The parents tried and failed to recover legal authority over their daughter’s medical care through an appeal, and a court order was issued for them to hand over her identity documents (under the threat of criminal charges) to enable a legal ‘sex change’…”

Such crazy occurrences are not limited to Switzerland, but would include the rest of Europe AND the USA—especially, when incompetent and parent-opposing state child welfare agencies get involved. This is SATAN’S abominable world with its governments and laws in which we live. THANK GOD, hopefully not much longer!

Israel vs. Turkey Over Syria

Israel Today wrote on December 19:

“Turkey’s recent posture [towards Israel], particularly in the aftermath of the Hamas-led massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, has been increasingly antagonistic… Turkey, although a NATO member, has facilitated activities that undermine Israel’s security and… publicly supports groups with terrorist affiliations. For example, in July, Israel thwarted a Hamas attack orchestrated from within Turkey and Turkey now hosts the Hamas leaders who were forced out of Qatar.

“Erdoğan has frequently called on Israel to refrain from military actions in Lebanon and Syria. Yet, Turkey itself appears ready to launch a military operation in Syria targeting Kurdish groups..  in July [Erdogan] went so far as to threaten an invasion of Israel… Despite this, NATO has shown little resistance to Turkey’s behavior…”

Turkey is prophesied to become Israel’s arch-enemy.

Netanyahu Will Not Attend Auschwitz Memorial

Israel 365 News wrote on December 22:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will not attend the ceremony commemorating the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz Nazi concentration camp due to concerns that the Polish government’s pledge [expressed on Friday by Polish Deputy Foreign Minister Wladyslaw Bartoszewski] that it will adhere to the International Criminal Court’s arrest warrant for Netanyahu over possible war crimes in Israel’s war against the Hamas terrorist organization.

“The major event is planned for International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27 and is expected to be attended by dozens of leaders and heads of state, including Britain’s King Charles…

“Polish sources told Rzeczpospolita that Warsaw was enforcing the warrants due to its wish to see Russian President Vladimir Putin stand before the court. The court issued a warrant for Putin in 2022 over the kidnapping of Ukrainian children from occupied Ukraine. The report also said President Isaac Herzog does not plan to attend.”

This is SO stupid. Shame on Poland—especially in light of its Nazi past.

Mandatory Weapons Training for Children in Poland

International Business Times (IBT) wrote on December 24:

“Poland has introduced mandatory firearm and basic first aid training for schoolchildren as fears of Russian aggression loom over the country. The Education for Safety program, which targets students aged 14 to 16, teaches theoretical and practical gun-handling skills using laser-based weapons for safety… Students learn how to assemble and disassemble firearms, improve shooting accuracy, and respond to warfare-related threats.

“The lessons, conducted for one hour per week in school gymnasiums, also include topics on state security, survival techniques, and tactical rescue…

“The mandatory lessons reflect Poland’s broader effort to prepare its population for potential conflict… The government plans to implement the program across all 18,000 schools nationwide…”

A terrible development of indoctrination and glorification of guns.

Our Cruel World

The Sun wrote on December 20:

“[Thailand’s only gorilla] Bua Noi has lived behind bars in [Bangkok] Thailand for most of her life… The gorilla has been caged up for [for more than three decades] in the widely criticised Pata Zoo which is located on the sixth and seventh floor above a [desolate and decaying city center shopping mall]. This allows passers-by and shoppers to gaze in at the unloved mammal who is unable to ever leave… A damming report back in 2019 detailed how Bua had been pulling out her hair and anxiously rolling around in her isolated cage. Footage also shows the lonely gorilla looking visibly depressed and staring through the bars of her old cage.

“All of this has made Bua one of the most well-known living gorillas with her being at the centre of dozens of campaigns aimed at getting her free. These calls have come mainly from international campaign groups but even celebrities such as Cher. PETA have spent over 12 years trying to relocate Bua but their pleas have fallen on deaf ears…  the owner of Bua has constantly ignored calls to give her a better quality of life and says he will only release her if he is paid £700,000… Even the environment minister of Thailand, Varawut Silpa-archa, has made it clear he wishes to see her moved to a sanctuary…

“Bua was first shipped off to the shopping centre from Germany when she was just a one-year-old. She has been trapped in her cramped and dirty cage ever since… Pata Zoo is not only home to the sombre gorilla but also more than 200 other animal species including tigers, bears and pythons. Many of the animals live in similar conditions to Bua [i.e., in dirty sand dingy cages] and spend their days wallowing about in pity. A chilling report by International Animal Rescue has even claimed that some animals were left to die in their cages.

“PETA has strongly condemned the zoo for years… labelling it ‘one of the worst zoos in the world’ [and the ‘saddest place on earth’].”

It was also reported that “Bua Noi’s owners were offered a free service from professional gorilla experts who could help relocate her to any modern zoo. The offer fell on deaf ears as Bua Noi stays in a cage 24/7” (mustsharenews, dated August 19, 2015).

How is something like this even allowed? The owner should be dispossessed of the animals and the zoo closed, with the animals transferred to a better environment. God IS holding such cruel and heartless people responsible for their evil doing!

The Ancient Yule Festival

NPR wrote on December 20:

“In Southwestern Wisconsin, preparation is underway for Circle Sanctuary’s 50th annual Yule festival. For the pagan members the church serves, it marks winter solstice, the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. On Sunday night, High Priestess Selena Fox gathered spiritual leaders on Zoom to light candles and honor the full moon… She invited those watching to call to mind joy from sacred seasonal plants: evergreen trees, holly, ivy and mistletoe.

“On Saturday, she and several dozen others will gather around a bonfire at the sanctuary’s nature preserve and throw a decorated Yule log into the fire, symbolizing the returning sun. Fox is a Wiccan priestess, but Circle Sanctuary is inclusive of a range of pagan traditions, focusing on a spiritual connection with nature. Amid the depths of winter, Fox said Yule is a celebratory occasion to plant seeds of hope for the coming spring…

“Paganism is growing in the U.S, particularly among young people… [It] reflects Americans’ movement away from organized religion and toward less-hierarchical spiritual practices… Many pagans, including Wiccans, practice magic and call themselves witches… [It may include] a reenactment of the Wild Hunt, a story about guiding souls who’ve died during the year into the afterlife.”

Of course, Christmas [as well as New Year’s observances] is nothing else but a slightly modified (“Christianized”) version of those ancient pagan Yule Festival celebrations.

Winter Solstice Sunrise Celebrations

BBC News reported on December 21, 2024:

“The winter solstice sunrise was greeted by thousands of people at Stonehenge, with a focus on ‘renewal, rebirth and good vibes’…

“In nearby Avebury, which is home to another ancient stone circle, two men wearing cloaks could be seen blowing horns as people gathered to watch the sunrise over the fields. Near the stone circle there is a group of beech trees which people tie ribbons to. This is a pagan tradition known as ‘wishing trees’, done as prayers to the tree spirits or in the memory of loved ones.

“In Somerset, Glastonbury Tor also saw crowds of people climbing the hill earlier this morning to mark the sun rising… It is regarded by some as a spiritual site just like Stonehenge. At the top of the hill, a fire was lit and songs were sung by people gathered there.”

Uri Geller’s Powers

Yahoo! News wrote on December 21:

“Uri Geller believes aliens gave Jesus the power to perform miracles. The 78-year-old illusionist is convinced that ‘humans are not alone in the universe’ and that ‘some sort of extraterrestrial intelligence is watching us’… 

“Uri… questioned whether Jesus’ ‘miraculous powers’ were a ‘gift from God’ or whether they were actually ‘a gift from extraterrestrials’… ‘I am by no means comparing myself to Jesus but I believe my powers were a gift from extraterrestrials – and that those of Christ could have been too.’”

Geller has become famous for appearing on TV to seemingly alter the shape of spoons and other utensils. If real, his powers might have come from forces other than God. Christ, however, was clearly given power from God the Father.

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.

The DRONES… Don’t Trust Biden Administration’s “Assurances”

The Editorial Board of the New York Post wrote on December 13:

“Gaslighting as usual, the White House is telling Americans freaked out by the drones hovering ominously over parts of New York and New Jersey [as well as Pennsylvania and Maryland]: Everything’s fine! Just trust us! Since the first known spotting Nov. 18, at least 3,000 sightings have followed in New Jersey alone, and it’s spread to Staten Island and The Bronx…

“Pushed by local leaders to address exactly what… has been happening in US airspace for nearly a month, National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby had the nerve to brush off concerns. ‘Many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully,’ he insisted, and there’s no evidence the UFOs pose a threat. Which might be reassuring if he hadn’t just indicated that the White House has no clue where the drones are coming from…

“Americans aren’t stupid; most people can tell the difference between an airplane or helicopter and the type of eerie, floating objects that have been reported. And the Biden crew has absolutely blown its credibility on this front: Earlier this year, the White House stayed hush-hush about a Chinese spy balloon that it knew was taking a tour of American military bases. They fully planned to keep it a secret forever, only to be foiled when civilians spotted the craft…

“If the US government actually has no idea what the drones are or who’s operating them, that’s a scandalous national-security failure… People are scared: Car-sized objects that could be armed or equipped with surveillance gear are literally hanging over their heads…”

Kirby stated on Fox News on December 16 that the drones were mainly unmanned aircraft, but perfectly legal, posing no threats whatsoever to America’s security.  

Breitbart wrote on December 13:

“President-elect Donald Trump joined the conversation on the ongoing sightings of mysterious unidentified drones and called for the government to ‘shoot them down.’ In a post on Truth Social, Trump questioned if the drone sightings could be ‘happening without’ the government’s knowledge and added that the government should provide the public with answers. ‘Mystery Drone sightings all over the Country,’ Trump wrote in his post. ‘Can this really be happening without our government’s knowledge. I don’t think so! Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!! DJT.’”

Subsequently, Trump said that the government knows, that Biden knows, but that they are hiding their knowledge. He also stated that he does not believe that the drones are coming from foreign entities. This seems to be a rather odd conclusion in light of the evidence. Note the next articles.

Drones Over US Air Base in Germany

Reuters wrote on December 13:

“Unidentified drones have been sighted over sensitive industry locations and the U.S. air base at Ramstein in Germany in recent weeks, the Spiegel news magazine reported on Friday, citing a confidential report by German security authorities.

“The report flagged numerous drone sightings made in the evening hours of Dec. 3 and 4 over the air base, according to Spiegel.”

What’s Going on With the Drones?

Report 24 wrote on December 13:

“Recent videos show such drones potentially firing weapons and releasing unknown substances. A warning has now been issued to emergency services to stay away from crashed drones for health reasons…

“Specifically, in the last few days, images have emerged of a drone firing at some unknown target with an unknown weapon. Tracers streaked across the sky. Another drone is said to have sprayed a substance into the air about which nothing is known…

“Now the FBI and New Jersey State Police have released a fact sheet to address first responders called to drone crash sites. Key recommendations include avoiding physical contact with the drone and establishing a 100 meter wide isolation and evacuation zone in all directions…

“First responders are instructed to wear full personal protective equipment (PPE) with self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) when securing the perimeter and are warned not to re-enter the once established isolation zone.

“In addition, responders are instructed to notify local law enforcement and the FBI, as well as request assistance from hazardous materials response teams and bomb disposal squads to assess the situation… Use of radiation monitors is also advised, and attention should be paid to possible electronic interference in the area. The incidents should be classified as criminal offenses and reported, using established protocols to prevent violence and terror….”

This does not sound like harmless drones which pose no threats to American security. It has been suggested that the drones could be searching for radioactive material which went missing in early December.

Drone Sightings Aren’t Just in Northeast

USA Today wrote on December 18:

“The boom in drone sightings ignited a month ago in New Jersey that quickly spread across the Northeast has swept across the nation, and military bases are front and center amid the chaos and controversy. Last week a drone incursion over Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio forced the closure of its airspace for several hours. In Utah, drones were recently spotted near Hill Air Force Base…

“In California, residents of Venice Beach reported seeing unexplained drones Sunday, and Rep. Paul Ruiz, D-California, expressed concern this week over recent sightings in the Coachella Valley. Camp Pendleton, 40 miles north of San Diego, saw at least six drone  incursion over its airspace last week alone, a spokesperson for the Marine base told ‘The War Zone’ on Tuesday…

“President Joe Biden dismissed conspiracy theories… ‘So far no sense of danger’… Biden’s comment reaffirmed a joint statement issued this week by the Department of Homeland Security, FBI, FAA and the Pentagon saying that − based on preliminary investigations − the sightings appear to include legal commercial, hobbyist and law enforcement drones, as well as airplanes, helicopters and ‘stars mistakenly reported as drones.’ No threat of national security or public safety had been determined from more than 5,000 reported sightings, the statement said…

“The House Intelligence Committee received a closed-door briefing on drones Tuesday with representatives from Justice, Defense and Homeland Security departments…”

WHY a closed-door briefing?

Targeting Military Sites

In a related article, USA Today wrote on December 18:

“There have been hundreds, perhaps thousands, of drone incursions at remote military installations, drawing little public attention. But they have disrupted sensitive operations… In the vast, sparsely populated areas that are home to many military installations, the response is often too little, and way too late… the Pentagon had been too passive in the face [of] the growing threat.

“Spy drones could collect sensitive information on U.S. military activities that could tip off adversaries to future deployments… For example, aerial surveillance could show the movement of ammunition from arsenals to port as the Pentagon prepared for war. A drone could also provide real-time video of the rapid response of Special Forces soldiers out of Fort Liberty… F-22 fighters, the most sophisticated warplanes in the Air Force fleet, may have been the target of mysterious waves of drones that soared over Langley Air Force Base in Virginia last year…

“… sites of drone incursions include White Sands Missile Range,… the Army’s only land range for testing long-distance missiles, explosives and artillery…

“Drones have already taken lives at U.S. military bases abroad. In January, a drone attacked Tower 22, a U.S. base in Jordan, killing three American soldiers [and] wounding more than 40. A one-way drone, which is programmed with a target and doesn’t need direction in mid-air, was used in the attack.

“The current drone mania also echoes the Chinese spy balloon incident that riveted the country in 2023.  The Pentagon monitored the balloon, bristling with spyware, as it passed over sensitive military sites on its transit across the country…”

It has been suggested that at least those drones that are over US military sites are adversarial and most likely are coming from the People’s Republic of China.

France’s New Prime Minister… For How Long?

AFP wrote on December 13:

“President Emmanuel Macron on Friday named centrist Francois Bayrou as prime minister, handing him the daunting task of hauling France out of months of political crisis. Bayrou, 73, the leader of the MoDem group, which is allied to Macron’s party, was appointed nine days after parliament ousted Michel Barnier’s government in a historic no-confidence vote following a standoff over an austerity budget…

“Bayrou is the sixth prime minister of Macron’s mandate, with his predecessor, Barnier, being France’s shortest-serving premier, having lasted only three months. Bayrou also is Macron’s fourth prime minister this year. The newly appointed premier faces the immediate challenge of forming a cabinet that can survive a no-confidence vote in a divided parliament and thrashing out a 2025 budget in a bid to limit economic turmoil…

“Several sources told AFP that the morning meeting between Macron and Bayrou had been a stormy affair, with the president initially leaning toward naming his loyal Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu as premier. Losing his temper, Bayrou threatened to break the alliance with Macron, who decided it would be best to turn to Bayrou in the name of unity, the sources said… Mujtaba Rahman, Europe director at risk analysis firm Eurasia Group, said: ‘In the long history of the Fifth Republic [founded in 1958], this may have been the first time that a prime minister chose himself.’”

This does not appear to describe a stable government which could survive its challenges for long. But France is only one of quite a few unstable governments which are ready to collapse or which have already collapsed.

Canadian Government Crumbles

Daily Mail wrote on December 16:

“Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is on the brink of resigning as his liberal government crumbles around him… Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland… quit on Monday after clashing with Trudeau on issues including how to handle possible U.S. tariffs, dealing a huge blow to an already unpopular government…

“The resignation by Freeland, 56, who also served as deputy prime minister, is one of the biggest crises Trudeau has faced since taking power in November 2015.  It also leaves him without a key ally when he is on track to lose the next election to the official opposition Conservatives….

“Trudeau can be toppled if the opposition parties unite against him on a vote of no confidence, though that cannot happen until late January at the earliest… Polls show the Liberals are set to be crushed in an election that must be held by late October 2025.”

Trudeau’s time to step down has long passed.

Trudeau Governor of 51^st State?

Newsmax wrote on December 18:

“President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday questioned why the U.S. provides Canada with subsidies and suggested it should become a U.S. state. ‘No one can answer why we subsidize Canada to the tune of over $100,000,000 a year? Makes no sense!…  Many Canadians want Canada to become the 51st State. They would save massively on taxes and military protection. I think it is a great idea,’ he added. ‘51st State!!!’

“Trump has needled Canada and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over the last few days following the shock resignation of Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland. ‘The Great State of Canada is stunned as the Finance Minister resigns, or was fired, from her position by Governor Justin Trudeau,’ Trump wrote Monday…”

Could Canada Become the 51^st State of the USA?

National Post wrote on December 12:

“… if either Canada as a whole, or some portions of it, would want to join the United States they would have to go through Section 41 of the Constitution Act of 1982. Which means that consent would have to be given for the departure from Canada of a particular jurisdiction by the Senate, and the House, and the legislatures of all 10 provinces… Once that decision is taken, either by all 10 provinces or by some but not others, then there must be admission into the United States. And that is a completely separate process. That is based on Article IV, section 3, clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution, which essentially says that by a simple vote of the U.S. Congress, new territories can be incorporated into the U.S. and can become states. The most recent example of that occurred with Hawaii which became a state on August 21, 1959, pursuant to a statewide referendum in Hawaii and then federal legislation.

“The second possibility is by purchase. A lot of the American states were purchased, for example, in the Louisiana Purchase, and that’s how states on the western side of the Mississippi became first territories and eventually states… If you recall during his first term, President Trump talked about simply buying Greenland…

“The third option:… Outright invasion. In upstate New York, close to Ottawa, they have the 10th Mountain Division, which are elite troops of the U.S. Army. It wouldn’t… take much for them to drive up to Ottawa and say you’re now part of us… The United States has historically added a new state that had formerly been an independent country: That’s how we annexed Texas in 1845.

“The constitutional provision authorizing the addition of new states is found at Article IV, section 3, clause 1 of the U.S. Constitution: ‘New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new State shall be formed or erected within the Jurisdiction of any other State; nor any State be formed by the Junction of two or more States, or Parts of States, without the Consent of the Legislatures of the States concerned as well as of the Congress.’…

“The Congress then passes an enabling act authorizing the admission of the new states on some statutorily specified set of conditions. For Utah’s admission, Congress insisted that the Utah Constitution outlaw polygamy, for instance. Then the population of the proposed state generally votes in a referendum to approve or reject the conditional admission…

“At the time of our Revolution against the British Empire, the Continental Congress actually invited Canada to join the Union as a state — and, when they did not rise up against the British, we Americans invaded…”

The article concludes that all of this is absolutely absurd. But even though it was perhaps meant as a joke by Trump, stranger things have happened.

German Government Collapses

DNYUZ rote on December 16:

“Chancellor Olaf Scholz lost a confidence vote in the German Parliament on Monday, a defeat that effectively ended the increasingly unpopular government he has led since 2021 and set the stage for elections early next year [planned for February 23].

“The collapse of the government just nine months before elections had been scheduled was an extraordinary moment for Germany. This will be only the fourth snap election in the 75 years since the modern state was founded, and it reflected a new era of more fractious and unstable politics in a country long known for durable coalitions built on plodding consensus. The confidence vote, in the same month that the French government fell, deepens a crisis of leadership in Europe at a time of mounting economic and security challenges. The war in Ukraine has reached a pivotal moment. President-elect Donald J. Trump is set to take office in the United States. And now, Europe’s largest economy is in the hands of a caretaker government.

“Mr. Scholz had little choice but to take the unusual step of calling for the confidence vote after his three-party coalition splintered in November, ending months of bitter internal squabbling and leaving him without a parliamentary majority to pass laws or a budget. But the political uncertainty could last for months. The elections are expected to be held on February 23, but even if, as expected, his party does not finish first, Mr. Scholz would remain in place as a caretaker chancellor until weeks after that. He would step down only after a new coalition forms, which will probably not happen until April or May.

“Seven parties will go into the campaign for Parliament with a realistic chance of gaining seats, and some on the political fringes — especially on the right — are poised for strong showings, according to polls…

“It is an inopportune time for Germany to be plunged into a grueling winter election campaign and a political freeze that could last until a new government takes power. ‘The timing is absolutely terrible for the E.U. — basically, these multiple crises are hitting the E.U. at the worst possible time, because the bloc’s traditional engine is busy with itself,’ Jana Puglierin, of the European Council on Foreign Relations, said, referring to Germany and France…

“… in Germany’s fractious political landscape, no single party is likely to win an outright majority, leading to potentially tricky negotiations to build a coalition more functional and durable than the one that failed…”

We feel that the new German government will fail exactly as the current one has, having no chance for survival, unless something really drastic occurs.

Merz Is Doing Everything Wrong

t-online wrote on December 12:

“Friedrich Merz has wanted to become Chancellor for at least 20 years. Now he is on the verge of fulfilling his dream – and fails… He has been waiting for this chance for decades, working for his comeback in the CDU, rallying the party behind him as much as possible, shaping it into a new one after the diffuse Merkel era, has become the Union’s candidate for chancellor and is well ahead in the polls. His life’s goal of becoming Federal Chancellor is within reach. And suddenly he slips up, stumbles, stammers. He no longer speaks like himself, but sounds like the sounding board of all those who talk to him… And Merz wants to do everything right – and yet does everything wrong…

“Work longer until retirement? It wasn’t meant that way. A real economic turnaround? Yes, yes, but not in the way the FDP demands. Taurus for Ukraine? Yes, yes, but first Ukrainian soldiers would have to be trained on this weapon in Germany for months…

“On top of that, he is already wildly handing out ministerial positions in his future cabinet to all possible coalition partners, as if he were already Chancellor – and then withdrawing them again… Given the current situation, Olaf Scholz can no longer win this election, that’s true. But Merz can still lose his.”

Germany to the Right?

Barron’s wrote on December 17:

“Germany’s conservative opposition, leading in the polls ahead of February 23 elections, on Tuesday outlined plans to shift the EU powerhouse firmly to the right on immigration, social and economic policy. Friedrich Merz, head of the Christian Democrats (CDU), is tipped to replace Social Democrat Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose term the conservatives have slammed as ‘three lost years’ for the stuttering economy.

“A day after Scholz lost a confidence vote he had called to pave the way for the early elections, Merz charged that the chancellor had ‘lost the confidence of a majority of the population a long time ago’. Merz — long a party rival of the CDU’s more moderate ex-chancellor Angela Merkel — has steered a return to the party’s right-wing roots to try to win support of voters tempted by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

“In their campaign programme published Tuesday, the CDU and its Bavarian allies the CSU vowed to ‘stop illegal migration’ and scale down benefits for rejected asylum seekers to a ‘bed, bread and soap’ minimum. They also pledged ‘zero tolerance’ on crime, more video surveillance in public spaces and to ‘shut down mosques where hate and anti-Semitism is being preached’.

“Much of the platform may be softened in the coalition talks that typically follow German elections, but for now the alliance vowed to reverse two decades of more centrist rule dating back to the Merkel years. They promised a ‘fundamental shift in migration policy’ and criticised Merkel’s welcome to refugees, without naming her…

“The alliance also said it would reverse the legalisation of marijuana enacted by Scholz’s three-party alliance with the Greens and the liberal FDP, which collapsed in early November. The CDU also said it opposed efforts to liberalise abortion rules [and] a new gender self-determination law…

“In contrast, the campaign of the Social Democrats (SPD), the traditional defenders of the working class, emphasises better wages, stable pensions and benefits such as free school lunches… It wants to lower taxes for 95 percent of earners and raise them for the super-rich, while also increasing the minimum wage from 12 to 15 euros per hour…

“On security, both major parties vow to keep helping Ukraine in its war with Russia, and spending two percent of GDP or more on Germany’s defence. While the CDU programme remains vague on what weapons to ship to Kyiv, the SPD insisted it opposes sending long-range missiles because ‘Germany and NATO must not themselves become parties to the war’.”

What Russia Wants…

Focus wrote on December 14:

“There is constant talk about how a war with Russia can be prevented, even though we have been at war for a long time… The Russians send contract killers who liquidate people they don’t like… They hack into our networks and infiltrate social media…

“Most Germans think that if Putin has imposed his will in Ukraine, there would be peace. But it’s no longer about Ukraine. The man in Moscow has stated in several speeches that he dreams of a great Russian empire that would reverse the downfall of the Soviet empire.

“Since the summer, people around Putin have only been talking about the ‘so-called Baltics’. And once you’re done with Lithuania and Latvia, why not reach for Poland? By the way, Dresden was also once a Russian sphere of influence.

“Soldiers… closely monitor where barracks are constructed and supply routes are established. Russia is working hard to expand its military capabilities. It has the ambition to expand the war. And there is a militarization of society that is ready to support the expansion…

“Will there be an attack?… Russia appears strong because we are so weak… This is the Russia that is preparing to defeat the West. It should be possible for Europe to counter this. However, you have to do something about it.

“I don’t know whether things would be better under Chancellor Merz… A lot depends on whom the CDU forms a coalition with when it receives the government mandate in February. In Berlin everyone is preparing for a grand coalition (with the SPD). But perhaps this should be reconsidered in the Adenauer House….”

A grand coalition between the CDU and the SPD has miserably failed in the past.

A Europe to Moscow?

Die Welt wrote on December 14:

“AfD state leader Björn Höcke wants to make the Russia-Ukraine war a focus of the federal election campaign. At the Thuringian state party conference he called for ’emancipation’ from the USA and a Europe ‘whose spine runs from Paris via Berlin to Moscow’… If CDU leader Friedrich Merz becomes Chancellor, ‘German soldiers would, in the worst case scenario, send rockets to Moscow, where Russian soldiers and Russian civilians would be killed,’ claims Höcke. ‘Whoever votes for Merz is voting for war.’…

“In his speech, Höcke takes a look at history since the Cold War. At that time the world situation was bipolar – on the one hand the Soviet Union, on the other the USA. After the fall of the Wall, the era of unipolarity entered, with the USA as the only superpower… The Americans ‘acted as a new colonial power’ – and in doing so ‘made a lot of enemies’…

“Europe must become an independent, autonomous pole in a new, multipolar world order, says Höcke. ‘We have to emancipate ourselves from the United States of America… And in the worst case, they turn Europe into a theater of war.’…

“At the end of his speech, Höcke refers to the former French President Charles de Gaulle… In 1959, De Gaulle spoke of an ‘alliance from the Atlantic to the Urals’. Helmut Kohl and Mikhail Gorbachev called this a ‘common house of Europe’ in 1989. In 2010, Vladimir Putin then called for ‘the creation of a harmonious economic community from Lisbon to Vladivostok’. Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron later took this up word for word.

“De Gaulle also dreamed of a ‘sovereign Europe without foreign hegemonic influence from outside’, Höcke continues. ‘And he dreamed of a Europe whose spine runs from Paris via Berlin to Moscow. I find this dream very attractive.’”

No one wants to enter into a coalition with the AfD. But the AfD is a force to be reckoned with.

Court Annuls Romanian Election

Atlantic Council wrote on December 16:

“It’s never a good thing when presidential elections are annulled. But that’s just what happened in NATO and European Union (EU) member Romania earlier this month…

“On November 24, Georgescu, a formally fringe mystic nationalist, earned the most votes in the first-round presidential election. Then, just before the second round runoff, the Romanian Constitutional Court announced that it was annulling the results of the first round. The court’s decision was based on declassified Romanian government assessments of foreign (Russian) election interference, including using the social media platform TikTok to promote Georgescu. US intelligence officials privately confirmed to me that the allegations are credible. Still, evidence of Russian interference in European and US elections is abundant. No country before Romania has cancelled a presidential election because of it.

“By contrast, Romania’s parliamentary elections were held without incident on December 1. The parliamentary elections produced a strong result for the three centrist governing parties—the center-right liberals, the center-left social democrats, and the Hungarian minority party—plus a fourth liberal party. These four parties are now in negotiations to form a new coalition government… The new government will then have to rerun the cancelled presidential election, likely early next year. Outgoing President Klaus Iohannis will probably remain in office until then…

“The twin shocks—Georgescu’s rise and the annulment of the presidential election—have shaken the hitherto complacent centrists in Romania. While the accusations of Russian interference (and attempted sabotage) are plausible, given that the Kremlin engages in such activities throughout the West, Georgescu’s popularity is not simply a foreign import. That a man regarded as a fringe character even by fellow nationalists could rise within a few weeks from near obscurity to a leading contender for the presidency speaks to broad social dissatisfaction with the Romanian centrist parties, which have been trading control of the government back and forth for years. 

“My Romanian interlocutors expressed embarrassment, even shame, at the court’s annulment of the election, and they agreed that it set a terrible precedent for the country and the region. They also acknowledged that the centrist parties had lost touch with Romanian society and its cultural and economic dissatisfactions that, when spelled out, sounded similar to those of unhappy right-wing voters in Germany (particularly in the former East Germany), France, and to some degree the United States. In Romania, there is a widespread sense, accurate or not, that the establishment has been focused on itself, not on the problems faced by ordinary citizens, and that traditional national values and even national sovereignty were being lost. 

“More thoughtful liberals told me that Georgescu’s rise was, in effect, a protest vote against centrist complacency, not a vote for the candidate’s weird brand of nationalism and Romanian fascist nostalgia…

“Whether Georgescu will be allowed to compete given various irregularities in his campaign… is not clear. If he is not allowed to compete, the credibility of the rerun presidential election will be questioned within and without the country. If he is allowed to compete, he could win. In that case, a nationalist president and centrist government could rapidly find themselves at loggerheads. The resultant political paralysis could hamper governance, raising social frustrations still more.

“Romania’s communist dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu was repressive and economically incompetent, even by communist standards. When Romanians overthrew his rule in swift (and violent) revolt in December 1989, it was one of the poorest countries in Soviet-dominated Europe. No longer. After a slow start, Romania’s free-market reforms kicked in. The country’s economy has quadrupled in size since 1989, and it has joined NATO and the EU. Even as the current political crisis took hold, Romania gained admission to the EU’s Schengen area, meaning free travel within the bloc. It was a big deal for Romanians, and everyone I spoke with in Bucharest regarded it as a major national achievement. 

“But success as seen from afar and in context does not seem enough to assuage Romanian voters. The political dissatisfaction common throughout Europe and the United States has hit Romania hard…”

South Korea President Yoon to Be Impeached?

The Sun wrote on December 14:

“SOUTH Korea has voted to impeach President Yoon over his controversial martial law declaration that sparked mass protests in the country. Lawmakers successfully voted on Saturday, in a second attempt, to remove Yoon from office after his spectacular martial law U-turn last week. 204 out of 300 cast their votes to remove the leader on allegations of insurrection, while 85 voted against. This meant members of his own People Power Party voted against the leader, despite the group boycotting the first vote…

“Yoon declared he would ‘not give up’ despite the vote and called for officials to maintain government stability… Yoon is now suspended from office while the Constitutional Court has 180 days to decide whether to restore the controversial leader or finalise the decision. He could become the second South Korean president to be successfully impeached, if the courts uphold parliament’s vote.”

None of that contributes to the stability of the South Korean government.

Syria Was Never a Democracy

Focus wrote on December 13:

“Annalena Baerbock [Germany’s minister of foreign affairs] wants to make Syria a democratic country… At the end there should be free elections, says Baerbock… We don’t even know whether the Syrian population wants free elections. Free elections, a pluralistic democracy, religious freedom, women’s rights – these are all a Western ideal. Other countries think and act differently… Syria was never a democracy…

“Ms Baerbock has now transferred eight million euros. To whom actually? The reconstruction of the largely destroyed country is likely to cost between 200 and 400 billion euros, which only the sheikhdoms could finance, especially Qatar…

“If you as a Federal Republic want to invest in this country, which does not know democracy but has corruption in all areas of government, then only if clear, tough and comprehensible conditions for government and social development are formulated. Well-intentioned but poorly provided help is likely to end up with the wrong people.”

And that is SO predictable!

Public Executions in Syria

Report 24 wrote on December 13:

“The West is celebrating the fall of President Assad and the rise to power of the HTS Islamists in Damascus. But in the Syrian capital they are celebrating their ‘moderate jihad’ with public executions – and with the implementation of Sharia law. One dictatorship replaces the other. Are the Syrians now going from bad to worse?

“The BBC extols ‘moderate jihad’ in Syria as thousands gather ‘excitedly’ for public executions… The Western media… is literally falling over itself in portraying al-Jolani and his HTS militias as enlightened reformers. The absurdity of the man who was radicalized by the September 11 attacks and who attacked American troops in Iraq with booby traps is now being styled as a poster boy for ‘moderate Islam’ is hard to beat.

“Meanwhile, there are countless videos circulating on social media of alleged Assad supporters being shot and tortured by the ‘moderate’ rebels… In their desperate search for ‘moderate’ forces in Syria, the Western media appears to be prepared to accept even obvious excesses of violence as an expression of the will to reform. It is a dangerous distortion of reality…”

Turkey Ready to Invade?

The Jerusalem Post wrote on December 17:

“The United States is increasingly alarmed that Turkey and its militia allies are preparing for a large-scale military incursion into Syrian territory controlled by US-backed Kurdish forces, according to an exclusive Wall Street Journal report on Tuesday… One US official, speaking to the WSJ, warned that ‘a cross-border operation could be imminent.’…

“In response to the escalating situation, Ilham Ahmed, a senior official in the Kurdish civilian administration in Syria, penned a letter to President-elect Donald Trump, urging him to pressure Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to abandon the planned operation. Ahmed’s letter… stated that Turkey aimed to seize control of Kurdish territory before Trump’s inauguration, thereby forcing the new administration to recognize Ankara’s authority in the region. ‘If Turkey proceeds with its invasion, the consequences will be catastrophic,’ Ahmed’s letter was cited as saying, noting that such an operation could displace more than 200,000 Kurdish civilians and threaten Christian communities in the area. The letter reportedly appealed to Trump’s prior assurances of support for the Kurdish forces, reminding him of his past promises that ‘the United States wouldn’t abandon the Kurds.’…

“The WSJ further noted the precarious position of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a Kurdish-led group working alongside US troops to eliminate the remaining elements of the Islamic State… Last week, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Turkey in an effort to de-escalate tensions. Blinken sought assurances from Erdogan to limit operations against Kurdish forces but was unable to secure any commitments…”

Syria in the Abyss

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on December 18:

“Syria has entered the abyss – the demons of al-Qa’eda, ISIS, and the most intransigent elements of the Muslim Brotherhood are circling the skies. There is chaos, looting, fear, and a terrible passion for revenge scalds the blood. Street executions are rife.

“Maybe Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) and its leader, Al-Joulani, (following Turkish instruction), thought to control things. But HTS is an umbrella label like Al-Qa’eda, ISIS and An-Nusra, and its factions have already descended into factional fighting. The Syrian ‘state’ dissolved in the middle of the night; the police and army went home, leaving weapons depots open for the Shebab to loot. The prison doors were flung (or prised) open. Some, no doubt, were political prisoners; but many were not. Some of the most vicious inmates now roam the streets….”

Israel to Attack Iran’s Nuclear Sites?

Breitbart wrote on December 12:

“Israel’s Army Radio reported Thursday that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) began preparing plans for Israel to attack Iran’s nuclear sites after destroying nearly 90% of Syria’s air defense capabilities, which had formerly protected Iran…

“Iran has been pursuing nuclear weapons for decades, but began enriching uranium rapidly after President Joe Biden took office… Israel and the U.S. have long considered a military strike on the nuclear program as a last resort.

“The U.S. has discouraged Israel from pursuing such an attack, and Israel was deterred in the past by the presence of Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, which was thought to be able to launch thousands of rockets at Israel at once. But with Israel’s stunning success against Hezbollah over the past few months, that deterrent is gone. In a recent retaliation against Iran for a massive ballistic missile attack on Israel, Israel attacked at least one nuclear facility.

“In that same attack, Israel also reportedly destroyed much of Iran’s air defense system, leaving the country without any way to prevent future attack. It also reportedly damaged Iran’s missile sites and missile production facilities.

“Israel’s leaders may believe that the need for an attack is urgent, for two reasons. First, the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump has signaled that it wants to wrap up the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Second, Iran may conclude that it has no choice but to accelerate its development of nuclear weapons, having lost most of the other deterrents it attempted to create in its ‘ring of fire’ of terrorist organizations surrounding Israel.

“Previously, Israel would not have considered a strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities without consulting the U.S. But in recent days, Israel attacked the Syrian military without waiting for the Biden administration to agree. Israel is unlikely to wait for the lame-duck White House to weigh in, and may rely on the previous statements of President-elect Trump, who said earlier this year that Israel should attack Iran’s nuclear sites in response to its missile attacks.”

Time wrote on December 12:

“President-elect Donald Trump, TIME’s 2024 Person of the Year, sat down for a wide-ranging interview at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Fla., on Nov. 25:

“‘… numbers of dead soldiers that have been killed in the last month are numbers that are staggering, both Russians and Ukrainians, and the amounts are fairly equal… It’s crazy what’s taking place. It’s crazy. I disagree very vehemently with sending missiles hundreds of miles into Russia. Why are we doing that? We’re just escalating this war and making it worse. That should not have been allowed to be done. Now they’re doing not only missiles, but they’re doing other types of weapons. And I think that’s a very big mistake, very big mistake. But the level, the number of people dying is number one, not sustainable, and I’m talking on both sides. It’s really an advantage to both sides to get this thing done…

“‘And I disagree with the whole thing, because it should have never happened…

“‘I think that the Middle East is an easier problem to handle than what’s happening with Russia and Ukraine… October 7 was a horrible thing. Everyone is forgetting conveniently about October 7, but that was a horrible day for the world, not for Israel, for the world…

“‘I want everything to end… I don’t want people from either side killed, and that includes whether it’s Russia, Ukraine, or whether it’s the Palestinians and the Israelis and all of the, you know, the different entities that we have in the Middle East. There’s so many different entities… I support whatever solution we can do to get peace. There are other ideas other than two state, but I support whatever, whatever is necessary to get not just peace, a lasting peace… I’m not saying that’s a very likely scenario, but I want a long lasting peace, a peace where we don’t have an October 7 in another three years. And there are numerous ways you can do it. You can do it two state, but there are numerous ways it can be done…

“‘[Back to the Russia-Ukraine war:] I think the most dangerous thing right now is what’s happening, where Zelensky has decided, with the approval of, I assume, the President, to start shooting missiles into Russia. I think that’s a major escalation. I think it’s a foolish decision…

“‘[When asked whether he trusts Netanyahu:] I don’t trust anybody…’”

Interesting…

Israel on the Attack

The Sun wrote on December 16:

“… a colossal explosion erupted in Syria, marking the ‘heaviest strikes’ to hit the region in over a decade – and even registering on the Richter scale. Astounding video showed a giant mushroom-cloud fireball filling the sky alongside deafening sounds – with claims that the blast was caused by an Israeli strike… the ground-shaking blast measured the same as a 3.0-magnitude earthquake on nearby seismic sensors.

“Dozens of other Israeli attacks were seen across Syria on Sunday with warplanes reportedly launching pinpoint strikes on weapons depots… The blitz raged for at least 30 minutes…

“Meanwhile, there have been reports of Israeli tanks spotted ‘less than 20 miles’ from Damascus after they entered Syria for the first time in 50 years. After Syrian rebels ousted the tyrant President Assad, Israeli forces seized the Golan Heights region and other defensive positions.”

Israel Closes Embassy in Dublin

Politico wrote on December 15:

“Israel is closing its embassy in Dublin in protest against Ireland’s decisions to recognize Palestinian statehood and to accuse the Israelis of committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, who confirmed the embassy closure in a statement Sunday, condemned Ireland for what he called its ‘extreme anti-Israel policies.’…

“Israel’s move follows a steady downward spiral in relations with Ireland, which has a history of expressing sympathy for the Palestinian cause… The final straw for Israel appears to have been the Irish Cabinet’s decision last week to get more involved in South Africa’s year old case accusing Israel of genocide at the International Court of Justice in The Hague…”

Israel vs. Ireland

Times of Israel wrote on December 17:

“Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar castigates comments made today by Ireland’s president, who accused Israel of breaching Lebanon’s and Syria’s sovereignty and charged, without evidence, that Jerusalem is seeking to establish settlements in Egypt. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar yesterday defended his decision to close Israel’s embassy in Ireland, saying that Dublin ‘encouraged’ antisemitism under a prime minister he accused of hating Jews… Sa’ar says: ‘Once an antisemitic liar — always an antisemitic liar’…

“Concluding his combative statement, Sa’ar brings up Ireland’s failure to join the Allies in fighting Nazi Germany in World War II. ‘Let us not forget that Ireland was at best neutral during World War II. At that time, the free world was fighting Hitler’s axis while Ireland sat on the side and did nothing.’”

Ending Birthright Citizenship?

Newsmax wrote on December 16:

“President-elect Donald Trump has identified ending birthright citizenship as a top priority for his second administration, setting him up for a showdown over the controversial issue with Democrat lawmakers and the Supreme Court. Congressional Republicans say that foreign nationals are taking advantage of the Constitution’s 14th Amendment – which grants citizenship to everyone born in the United States – to gain a permanent foothold in the country, which the framers never envisioned. They told The Hill that they believe Trump has the authority to take executive action and reinterpret the 14th Amendment’s language to exclude the children of foreign-born individuals from receiving citizenship if they are born on U.S. soil…

“Adopted in 1868 in the aftermath of the Civil War, the 14th Amendment states that ‘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.’ While the language has traditionally been interpreted as granting citizenship to anyone born in the United States, conservatives argue that it must be reinterpreted to exclude those who visit the U.S. in order to have their children gain automatic citizenship,”

The language of the 14^th Amendment is very clear. To just “reinterpret” it via executive action should be doomed to fail. But in the USA these days, everything could be possible. For practical purposes, to try to distinguish (if that is the goal) between those who visit the U.S. “in order to have their children gain automatic citizenship” or whether they came to the USA for other reasons would possibly meet insurmountable problems.

What is also totally unclear at this point is whether Trump wants to repeal or “reinterpret” the 14^th Amendment retroactively (this would be a scandal of unheard proportions) or “just” for the future. In any event, to abolish or “reinterpret” the 14th Amendment seems to be a somewhat bone-headed un-American idea. Many other countries allow birthright citizenship as well. Others should allow it.

Collateral Arrests of Non-Criminal Migrants

Newsmax wrote on December 18:

“Although President-elect Donald Trump’s mass deportation plan will center on illegal migrants with criminal histories, border czar Tom Homan warns that other migrants undoubtedly will be subject to ‘collateral arrests.’ … migrants whose only accused crime was entering the U.S. illegally should expect deportation, especially if they are residing with someone who’s the target of an arrest warrant… [Homan said:] ‘We expect a lot of collateral arrests.’…

“While ICE under the Biden administration prioritized arresting illegal migrants with criminal convictions for serious crimes, Trump is expected to include anyone unlawfully present in the country… The border czar said Trump’s deportation plan will begin on Inauguration Day, Jan. 20…”

This was clear from the outset.

Ending Daylight Saving Time?

The New York Post wrote on December 13:

“President-elect Donald Trump announced Friday that he’ll back Republican-led efforts to eliminate daylight saving time, arguing that the twice-a-year ritual of adjusting clocks is ‘inconvenient’ and ‘very costly.’… In 2022, the Senate unanimously approved a bill that would make daylight saving time permanent. The Sunshine Protection Act was introduced by Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) — Trump’s pick to lead the State Department — but never received a vote in the House…. ‘This ritual of changing time twice a year is stupid,’ the Florida Republican senator said at the time, noting that ‘locking the clock has overwhelming bipartisan and popular support.’

“75% of Americans are against seasonal time adjustments…  Arizona and Hawaii are the only states that have locked their clocks, following standard time throughout the whole year.

“The origins of daylight saving time date back to World War I, when the Standard Time Act of 1918 was passed in an effort to conserve energy for the war effort. Entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy — tapped by Trump to make government more efficient — have signaled they’d support eliminating clock changes.”

This idea was gladly adopted by Hitler in World War II. It’s about time to do away with the stupid “war-originating” and “war-perpetuating” daylight saving time.

Tattoos Unpopular in Germany

ntv wrote on December 12:

“Tattoos are also very common in Germany [20% are said to have them], but many people find tattooed people less beautiful. This is the result of a new study… The models pictured completely without tattoos were consistently rated as the most beautiful, while those with extreme tattoos scored the lowest… the model photos with facial tattoos received the worst rating…

“Not everyone is happy with their tattoos in the long term; some people want to get rid of them. In a 2019 survey… 6.8 percent of tattooed people said they regretted their tattoos. Since 2021, only doctors in Germany have been allowed to remove tattoos with a laser. More extensive treatments can cost several thousand euros, which those affected have to pay for themselves.

“The less tattooed you are, the more beautiful you appear to others – this is how the results of the study can be summarized according to the head of the study…”

Amen to that… apart from the fact that the Bible prohibits tattoos.
Acknowledgement and Disclaimer:

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

How Assad Fell

Politico wrote on December 8:

“The rapid sweep by a coalition of armed opposition groups led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an al Qaeda breakaway designated a terror group by the United States, saw rebels at first burst out of an enclave in northwest Syria on Nov. 27. Then there was the capture in quick succession of Aleppo, Syria’s second-largest city, Hama and then Homs…  By Saturday, the rebels were in Damascus and Bashar Assad had fled, concluding the 10 days that shook the Middle East. [Russian state media confirmed the dictator and his family were granted asylum in Russia for ‘humanitarian reasons’ after their jet landed in Moscow.]

“All the more surprising — some might argue suspicious — is the ease with which the offensive unfolded and the absence of any serious government resistance… the lightning rapidity and ease of the offensive and the melting away of government forces raise questions, as does the failure of Assad’s allies Russia and Iran to do much to disrupt the rebels and save him. The questions include whether there was any rebel coordination with elements inside the Assad regime…

“The country’s prime minister, Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali, said in a video message posted online that he remained at home and was prepared to cooperate with the transfer of power to ‘any leadership chosen by the Syrian people.’…

“[Turkey’s] Erdoğan openly endorsed the rebel offensive… Few observers believe the offensive could have gone ahead without Ankara’s knowledge and approval… [Since 2011, he had] seized a strip of land along the border and has even toyed at times with annexing part of northern Syria, tauntingly suggesting publicly that Turkey has historical rights to do so.

“The final nails in Assad’s political coffin were hammered in not by foes but his allies — Iran and Russia. Their inaction eased the rebels’ advance… U.S. officials agreed that the collapse of Assad’s frontlines had much to do with the absence of any serious Iranian or Russian action — whether from inability or unwillingness because of Ukraine and Lebanon remains unclear…”

Ransacking and Looting

The Sun wrote on December 8:

“SYRIANS gleefully ransacked Bashar al-Assad’s palace [in Damascus] after the ousted tyrant fled the country to [Moscow]… going room from room looting items of value… It’s thought dozens of Assad’s luxury vehicles have also been seized after militants broke into his garage packed with Mercedes, Ferraris, and Audis.

“Militants have also stormed and looted the Iranian embassy as well as the Italian embassy, while the Iraqi embassy has been evacuated to Lebanon… The Italian ambassador was unharmed in the break-in by an armed group of rebels who stole three cars from the garden before fleeing… Syrians have also reportedly been seen leaving the country’s Central Bank with bags stuffed full of cash…”

These actions are similar to the ones which occurred in Iraq after Saddam Hussein’s downfall. Iraq and the USA are most certainly not better off now than they were under Saddam. Will history repeat itself insofar as Syria is concerned?

Future Uncertain

The Sun wrote on December 8:

“Turkey-backed opposition fighters are battling US-allied Kurdish forces in the north, and ISIS is still active in some remote areas…

“Russia has put all of its military bases on high alert… Hezbollah has withdrawn all of its forces from the country… But as Syrians celebrate in the Israeli-occupied buffer zone in the Golan Heights which was captured from Syria in 1967, almost 300 miles away, suspected airstrikes from Israel hit Damascus on Sunday… It is believed that Israel bombed the Khlakhuala air base in the south of the country overnight. It comes after the IDF was deployed in the Golan buffer zone in preparation for chaos following the toppling of Assad, on Saturday night…

[It was also reported that the US on Sunday has struck more than 75 ISIS targets in Syria as part of efforts to “disrupt, degrade, and defeat” the terror group. The US has stationed 900 soldiers in Syria and 2,500 soldiers in Iraq.]

“A number of countries have closed border crossings with Syria as the chaos unfolds, including Lebanon and Jordan. All pro-Iranian forces have reportedly withdrawn from the country… the Kremlin [had been] allowed to operate two military bases inside Syria. One of those was a naval base – giving the Russians a port in the Mediterranean. But those bases might now be under threat as the rebels look to boot the Russians out of the country.”

A New Islamist Rule?

The New York Post wrote on December 7:

“While few will mourn Assad himself, many in the world community — perhaps even among his regional adversaries — may not be so enthused about seeing him toppled. Butcher though he may be, the Syrian dictator has maintained some support both in the region and in his country — especially among Syrian Christians and Druze, who fear persecution under Islamist rule. Assad’s secular regime had refrained from direct provocations against Israel and seems sanguine about Israel’s continued occupation of the Golan Heights. The Syrian civil war destabilized Lebanon, which took in hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees but has not spread to Jordan — a primary US concern. 

“If Assad is now replaced by Islamists sympathetic to Al Qaida, neighboring countries like Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel would be directly threatened. Extremists could gain access to Syria’s chemical weapons and potentially use the country as a launchpad for jihadist recruitment and terrorism. Such a regime would suppress minorities like Christians, Alawites, and Druze, while women’s rights would suffer… the rebels with the most momentum right now appear to be Islamists, especially Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)…  This is a Sunni group that once pledged allegiance to al-Qaeda’s central leadership… HTS imposed Islamic law on areas it has controlled in northwest Syria since 2015.”

Fox News wrote on December 8:

“A coalition of largely radical Islamist groups dislodged Assad’s Iran-backed regime. The U.S.-designated terrorist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist former Al-Qaeda affiliate that is part of the rebel forces, played the decisive role in evicting Assad…

“Abu Mohammed al-Golani, the Islamist leader of HTS, who has a $10 million bounty on his head from the U.S., seeks to present a toned-down version of the radical Islamism that has defined his years of fighting in Syria and in Iraq against American troops. Al-Golani was detained by the U.S. military in the first decade of this century. Syrian experts have told Fox News Digital that HTS seeks to impose a totalitarian Islamist regime on the population. Phillip Smyth, an expert on Iranian regime proxy groups and Syria, who is with the Atlantic Council, told Fox News Digital, ‘HTS is a group that is an outgrowth of Al-Qaeda and has connections to Turkey. Their endgame is to create a Taliban-esque society with a few tweaks.’”

In light of all of this, certain reactions of international leaders seem to sound unrealistically optimistic. Note the next article.

International Reactions to Assad’s Downfall

The Jerusalem Post wrote on December 8:

“Iran seems to be distancing itself from Assad, potentially abandoning everything it has built and fought to preserve in Syria for the past 40 years, which has been its primary foothold in the Arab world…  Egypt has called on all parties in Syria to preserve the capabilities of the state and national institutions…  Saudi Arabia said on Sunday it stands by [the] Syrian people and their choices at this ‘critical stage’ after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was toppled.

“King Abdullah said Jordan respected the choices of the Syrian people… Iraqi government spokesperson Bassem Al-Awadi… reaffirmed the importance of not interfering in the internal affairs of Syria…

“President-elect Donald Trump applauded the fall of the regime and mocked Russia and Iran for losing their core ally. ‘Assad is gone. He has fled his country. His protector, Russia, Russia, Russia, led by Vladimir Putin, was not interested in protecting him any longer,’ Trump posted on Truth Social. ‘Russia and Iran are in a weakened state right now, one because of Ukraine and a bad economy, the other because of Israel and its fighting success.’… [He also said: “Syria is a mess, but is not our friend. This is not our fight… Do not get involved!”]

“German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized the need to protect minorities in Syria. ‘Bashir al Assad has brutally oppressed his own people, has countless lives on his conscience and has driven numerous people to flee Syria, many of whom have also come to Germany. The Syrian people have experienced appalling suffering. The end of Assad’s rule over Syria is, therefore, good news. What matters now is that law and order are quickly restored in Syria. All religious communities, all minorities must enjoy protection now and in the future.’..

“French President Emmanuel Macron harshly condemned the Assad regime, saying, ‘The barbaric state has fallen. At last.’

“UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer said, ‘The Syrian people have suffered under Assad’s barbaric regime for too long, and we welcome his departure…

“Kaja Kallas, EU Foreign Minister, said, ‘The end of Assad’s dictatorship is a positive and long-awaited development. It also shows the weakness of Assad’s backers, Russia and Iran. Our priority is to ensure security in the region. I will work with all the constructive partners in Syria and in the region.’

“The Taliban applauded HTS [Hayat Tahrir al-Sham] for liberating the Syrian people…

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood along the Syrian border with Israel on Sunday afternoon, hailing the end of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad’s 14-year rule and claiming Israel’s ‘blows inflicted on Iran and Hezbollah’ had a direct impact on the Syrian revolution… he had ordered Israeli forces to seize areas in the buffer zone to ensure Israel’s security and said: ‘We will not allow any hostile force to establish itself on our border.’”

The entire Middle East is a powder keg ready to explode.

Israel Attacks

The Associated Press wrote on December 11:

“Israel carried out a wave of heavy airstrikes across Syria as its troops advanced deeper into the country… and the Israeli defense minister announced that his forces had destroyed Syria’s navy… it remained unclear if Israeli soldiers had gone beyond that area [of the buffer zone], which was established more than 50 years ago. Israel denied that it was advancing on the Syrian capital of Damascus.

“The Israeli military said Tuesday that it carried out more than 350 strikes in Syria over the last 48 hours, hitting ‘most of the strategic weapons stockpiles’ in the country to stop them from falling into the hands of extremists. The targets included air defense systems, military airfields, missile depots and dozens of weapons production sites in Damascus and other cities…

“Israeli missile ships also simultaneously struck two Syrian navy facilities, where the military said 15 Syrian naval vessels were docked. Israel did not specify how many vessels it struck, but the private security firm Ambrey said it had seen evidence that at least six Soviet-era missile ships were hit. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel intended to establish a demilitarized zone in southern Syria.”

New Interim Prime Minister

Middle East Eye wrote on December 10:

“Mohammed al-Bashir, the head of the administration that ran Idlib in northwest Syria has been appointed as the country’s interim prime minister [until March 1] following the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad. …

“Bashir has been the head of the Syrian Salvation Government, a HTS-controlled administration in the Idlib governorate, since January 2024. … freedom of expression has been stifled by HTS during its rule over Idlib, including violence and arbitrary arrests used to crack down dissenting voices.”

Chaos in Syria

Breitbart reported on December 10:

“Syrian rebels who overthrew the dictatorship of Bashar al-Assad on Sunday are reportedly executing their opponents, imposing Islamic sharia law, and threatening non-Muslim minorities, including the Kurdish population in the north. Videos are circulating on social media showing Syrian rebels killing people associated with the regime — some of whom may have been part of the state security services, and others who appear to have been ordinary employees.

“The New York Times reported Tuesday: ‘Islamic State forces on Tuesday killed 54 people in the Homs region in central Syria who had been part of the Syrian government’s military and fled during the collapse of the Assad regime… The killings highlight the chaos in Syria as various rebel factions operate in different regions. One video also shows thousands of smashed bottles of liquor at the duty free store of the Damascus airport, where Islamist rebels apparently enforced the Islamic ban on alcohol by force, as Islamists did in Lebanon in the 1980s.”

Losers and Winners

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on December 9:

“Iran and Russia are the two big losers in the ouster of Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday by the Sunni Islamist groups affiliated to al-Qaeda… Israel and Turkey are the biggest winners, having established links with the al-Qaeda groups…

“Turkey has demanded that Syria belongs to Syrian people alone — a thinly covered call for vacation of foreign military presence (Russian, American and Iranian.)… Turkey has special interests in Syria in relation to the Kurdish problem. The weakening of the Syrian state… provides Turkey for the first time a free run in the northern border provinces where Kurdish separatist groups are operating. The Turkish military and intelligence presence in Syria will expand by leaps and bounds…

“Turkish occupation of Syrian territory may assume a permanent character and even a quasi-annexation of the regions is within the realms of possibility… the hour of reckoning has come for reclaiming the Ottoman glory. The present Turkish leadership is committed to the geo-strategy of Neo-Ottomanism.

“The bottom line is that the genie of al-Qaeda is out of the bottle, finally, and there is no stopping its pan-Islamic agenda…”

The Times of Israel wrote on December 9:

“Footage from a mosque in Damascus… showed Syrian rebels vowing to march on Jerusalem. ‘This is the land of Islam, this is Damascus, the Muslim stronghold. From here to Jerusalem. We’re coming for Jerusalem. Patience, people of Gaza, patience,’ vowed an Islamist rebel, surrounded by a group of gunmen who responded with cries of ‘Allahu akbar!’ (‘God is greatest’ in Arabic.).”

Civil War May Not Be Over

The Telegraph wrote on December 8:

“Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the Islamist rebel faction that mounted the offensive which led to Assad’s downfall — and which is now likely to play a very influential role in shaping Syria’s future— is very much an unknown quantity. It was an affiliate of al-Qaeda until severing ties in 2017, a move that did not convince the United States to lift its terrorist designation of the group.

“Its leader, Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, served five years in various US detention facilities in Iraq, including at Abu Ghraib, and had ties to both al-Qaeda and ISIS. The United States still has a $10 million (£7.8 million) bounty on his head…

“Beyond HTS… there are numerous other rebel factions, from Turkish-backed factions to Kurdish dominated groups, not to mention Isis, heavily weakened but still in control of a sliver of Syrian territory and still able to launch localised attacks…

“… it is also a reminder that the country’s factions will look to secure a place in the new Syria – and that they still have their guns if they do not get what they want. Given that there is unlikely to be much of a restraining hand from the incoming Trump administration, disgruntled armed groups may be even more emboldened to act… In other words, the 13-year rebellion against Bashar al-Assad may be over. Syria’s civil war may not be.”

Bloomberg wrote on December 8:

“… the implications are also quickly sinking in — and not least the prospect of more upheaval and violence as groups tussle for control… Multiple Arab and US officials told Bloomberg that a power vacuum could now be dangerous. Memories of Muammar Qaddafi’s Libya and Saddam Hussein in Iraq loom large in the region: In both countries, those entrenched rulers were swept aside in brief moments of euphoria, only for the countries to descend into deeper turmoil.”

Who Will Rule Syria Now the Assad Regime Has Been Toppled?

The Economist wrote on December 8:

“Syrians are hoping for a peaceful transition of power. They may not get it.

“In Damascus and across the country, Syrians were cheering a fresh start… What kind of fresh start will they get?

“Much depends on whether Syria’s multi-pronged opposition, suddenly bereft of its common enemy, will band together to form a pluralist, federal civilian government over all of Syria, or descend into infighting that plunges the country into a new civil war…

“The rebels, foremost among them Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a former al-Qaeda affiliate that has ruled a slice of north-western Syria for the past few years, say they have learnt the lessons of past regime changes in the Arab world… But things in Syria have a habit of getting complicated. The de facto partitioning of Syria that took place under Mr Assad has intensified since his fall.

“Rebels from the north, east and south of the country co-ordinated their takeover with remarkable discipline in recent days. Yet because Mr Assad’s regime collapsed far faster than they expected, they have not had time to plan for the day after. Each of the four main factions—Turkish-backed Sunni rebels in the north-west, Kurds in the north and east, Jordanian-backed rebels in the south, and the remaining loyalists from Mr Assad’s Alawite sect in the west—has its own army. All of them have been bolstered by the weapons, land and economic holdings seized from the Assads in recent days. Each group will want its share of the spoils and a slice of whatever package is arranged to reconstruct the devastated country, with needs estimated to cost some $200bn.

“Within hours of Mr Assad’s fall, the fragile truce between the different groups had begun to break down as fighting flared at Manbij, on the line dividing Turkish-backed Arabs in the north-west from the Kurds in the north-east. Syrians have not forgotten that the toppling of Iraq’s and Libya’s strongmen triggered a decade of civil war between their would-be successors. Nor are they unaware how tricky it will be to manage relations with their neighbours…

“The strongest contender to rule Syria is Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, the 42-year-old head of HTS, which launched the rebel offensive from its seat in Idlib in north-western Syria only 11 days ago, on November 27th. Mr Jolani… has… assured Christians and women that he has no plans to impose strict Islamic codes… But Mr Jolani’s past as al-Qaeda’s leader in Syria and his brutal suppression of rivals makes others wary. Getting other rebels to accept his leadership will be his hardest task. For years he fought them more than he did Mr Assad.

“A few hundred former rebels in the south beat Mr Jolani to Damascus. They marched on the presidential palace and detained the prime minister, Mohammad Ghazi Al-Jalali, not only to pursue Mr Assad’s loyalists but to prevent Mr Jolani from getting there first. That America, Russia and the UN all regard Mr Jolani as a terrorist and HTS as a terrorist organisation could also complicate things if he does indeed take charge. His close ties with Turkey and Qatar irk Arab powers who want to limit their zone of influence. Some opposition figures talk ominously about how convenient his assassination would be…

“Many Syrians worry that they could end up replacing one dictator with another, this time an Islamist one. Whoever takes charge in Damascus will have trouble controlling all of Syria. In the north-east, the Kurds will look to the few hundred American troops stationed there to thwart efforts to bring the lucrative oilfields, Syria’s breadbasket and the Arab cities they rule back under central control… they are already fighting Turkish-backed forces to preserve the autonomy they carved out under Mr Assad…

“Mr Assad’s sect, the Alawites, will similarly have to decide whether to fight or accept Sunni-majority rule. In addition to the heavy weapons salvaged from the regime’s rout, they may also look to protection from Russia, which still keeps a naval and airbase there that it may hang on to, subject to negotiation with Turkey and Syria’s new rulers. Civilians in the exiled political opposition in Istanbul, in Turkey, seem to have been sidelined for now…

“After 13 years of civil war and penury, an exhausted population is praying for a peaceful handover that has proved vanishingly rare in the Arab world. With so much division inside and outside Syria, consensus will be hard to find.”

Large Demonstration in Austria

Report 24 wrote on December 8:

“Syrian hordes overrun Vienna’s city center – police show complete powerlessness… Apparently it was possible to mobilize 30,000 Syrians within a very short time, who marched across the ring, making a lot of noise and ‘shooting fireworks’. The police speak of a ‘duly registered rally’ – which is questionable due to the chronology. Under no circumstances could Austria have 30,000 police officers, which demonstrates the state of internal security in an impressive and tragic way… They shouted the well-known ‘Allahu Akbar’ – at the same time the Muslims’ creed (‘Allah is greater’) and the Islamists’ battle cry.

“Islamist butchers have taken control in Syria. It is to be feared that they will take bloody revenge on all those who have previously supported the Assad government. In addition, one can expect the mass expulsion of Shiites, Alawites, Druze and Christians. In the worst case scenario, millions of people will flee to the West… The takeover of state power by Islamist forces was enthusiastically celebrated by tens of thousands of Syrians in many European cities. What is notable is the fact that no women can be seen in any of the videos or photos. The manpower of young Syrians fit for war in Europe is frightening.”

Interview With Lavrov… How the War Could End

The Daily Mail wrote on December 6:

“Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Moscow doesn’t want a war with the United States but will use ‘all means’ to defend its interests in an interview with… broadcaster Tucker Carlson. He went on to argue that, while Russia and the US are officially not at war, Washington’s permission for Ukraine to use American longer-range missiles for strikes on Russian territory marked a dangerous escalation…

“Lavrov, the world’s longest-serving foreign minister who has been on the job for 20 years, said that the recent Russian strike on Ukraine with a new hypersonic intermediate-range ballistic missile called Oreshnik was a signal to the West that Russia is prepared to use all means to achieve its goals…

“Speaking about the Kremlin conditions for a potential peace deal, he reaffirmed Putin’s declaration that Ukraine should pull back its forces from the four regions that Russia annexed in September 2022 and renounce its bid to join NATO… He added that any peace agreement must secure the rights of Russian speakers in Ukraine… ‘No military bases, no military exercises on Ukrainian soil with participation of foreign troops. We cannot tolerate a deal which would keep the legislation which I quoted prohibiting Russian language, culture and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church,’ he said…

“When asked about his view of Donald Trump… Lavrov described him as ‘a very strong person, a person who wants results, who doesn’t like procrastination on anything.’ But he dismissed the idea that Trump is in any way ‘pro-Russian’… ‘The amount of sanctions we received under him was very very big.’…

“Lavrov’s interview with Carlson comes as officials, military chiefs and civilians on all sides of the Ukraine conflict wait to see what approach the Trump administration will take. Advisers to Trump publicly and privately are floating proposals to end the war that would cede large parts of the country to Russia for the foreseeable future… In September, Vice President-elect JD Vance offered former US Navy Seal Shawn Ryan an outline of how peace may be brought about in Ukraine under Trump.  ‘What it probably looks like is something like the current line of demarcation between Russia and Ukraine becomes like a demilitarised zone, heavily fortified for the Russians don’t invade again… Ukraine remains an independent sovereign. Russia gets the guarantee of neutrality from Ukraine.  ‘It does not join NATO and some other allied institutions. Germans and other nations have to fund Ukraine’s reconstruction,’ Vance added.”

We will wait and see whether this is a basis for a peace deal.

Uncertainties in South Korea

Deutsche Welle reported on December 7:

“A motion to impeach South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol failed after most ruling PPP party lawmakers walked out from the vote. The motion was dropped without ballots being counted as the total votes did not reach 200, or the two-thirds majority required for it to pass. Opposition parties, which hold 192 seats in parliament, presented the bill after Yoon briefly declared martial law last week.

“After the vote, PPP leader Han said the party had decided that Yoon would resign and had ‘effectively obtained’ his promise to do so. Han emphasized that Yoon was no longer in a position to carry out his public duties and his resignation was unavoidable. Though he pledged the PPP would ‘resolve this crisis in a more orderly and responsible manner’ than impeachment would have, Han refused to say just when Yoon would step down.

“Yoon’s term in office runs out in May 2027. ‘The People Power Party will pursue an orderly departure of the president in order to minimize confusion for the people,’ said Han, who added that Yoon would be ‘effectively excluded from his duties, and the prime minister will consult with the party to manage state affairs.’

“The opposition DP ridiculed that idea as ‘absurd and illegal.’ ‘Neither the people, nor the law, nor anyone has given Han the power to remove [Yoon] from office,’ the party said in a statement, saying impeachment is the only way.”

Trump Domineering in Paris

The New York Post wrote on December 7:

“President-elect Trump dominated French President Emmanuel Macron during a tense photo-op handshake as the leaders met in Paris ahead of the Notre Dame cathedral’s reopening Saturday — where global heads of state and dignitaries tripped over themselves to pay their respects to ‘The Don.’… Inside the 861-year-old cathedral for the reopening ceremony, Trump enjoyed front-and-center seating between Macron and his wife, Brigitte…

“German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and King Philippe of Belgium flashed wide grins as they shook hands with the once-and-future president, as did Britain’s Prince William, who met with Trump afterward for one-on-one talks at the British ambassador’s residence in Paris… First Lady Jill Biden, who attended the weekend’s festivities in her husband’s stead and was seated next to their daughter, Ashley, appeared visibly uncomfortable just one spot over from Trump…”

Justin Trudeau had visited Trump in Florida to “kiss the king’s ring.” Trump is being recognized as a powerful leader who is respected and feared at the same time.

Trump Reveals His Plans

NBC News wrote on December 8:

“President-elect Donald Trump vowed to make immediate and sweeping changes after he takes office on Jan. 20, such as pardons for those convicted in the attack on the U.S. Capitol…

“In an interview with Kristen Welker, moderator of NBC News’ ‘Meet the Press,’… Trump said he would fulfill a campaign promise to levy tariffs on imports from America’s biggest trading partners. In a noteworthy moment, he conceded uncertainty when Welker asked if he could ‘guarantee American families won’t pay more’ as a result of his plan. ‘I can’t guarantee anything,’ Trump said. ‘I can’t guarantee tomorrow.’

“Trump also said he will not raise the age for government programs like Social Security and Medicare and will not make cuts to them as part of spending reduction efforts led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy…

“He would not concede that he lost the 2020 election. Asked how, in his view, Democrats stole that election but not this one even though they control the White House, Trump said, ‘Because I think it was too big to rig.’… Trump made clear he believes he’s been wronged, but he also [said] he will not appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Biden…  Yet he also singled out people he believes crossed the line in investigating his actions, calling special counsel Jack Smith ‘very corrupt.’

“Members of the House committee that examined the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol were ‘political thugs and, you know, creeps,’ committing offenses in going about their work, he said. ‘For what they did, honestly, they should go to jail,’ Trump said… If Biden wants to do it, he could pardon the committee members, Trump said, ‘and maybe he should.’…

“Immigration was the centerpiece of Trump’s campaign, and he didn’t flinch in saying he will carry out mass deportation of those who are living in the country illegally. First will be convicted criminals, he said. Pressed on whether the targets would go beyond that group… Asked about families with mixed immigration status, where some are in the U.S. legally and some illegally, Trump said, ‘I don’t want to be breaking up families, so the only way you don’t break up the family is you keep them together and you have to send them all back.’… ‘But we’re starting with the criminals, and we’ve got to do it. And then we’re starting with the others, and we’re going to see how it goes.’

“An exception might be the ‘Dreamers’ — people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children and have lived here for years. He voiced openness toward a legislative solution that would allow them to remain in the country… He also said he intends to eliminate birthright citizenship, the protection enshrined in the 14th Amendment that guarantees citizenship to anyone born on U.S. soil regardless of their parents. Asked about the likelihood that doing so unilaterally would face legal opposition, Trump said he would consider amending the Constitution…

“Trump said he is actively trying to end the war, ‘if I can,’ adding that Ukraine can ‘possibly’ expect it won’t get as much military aid from the U.S. when he’s back in office. He would not commit to keeping the U.S. in NATO… ‘If they pay their bills, absolutely,’ he would preserve America’s role in the alliance, he said….”

Some of his ideas are pretty good, other plans are pretty bad.

Hero and Villain

On December 10, The New York Post published the following article by Piers Morgan:

“I cheered when I heard that Marine veteran Daniel Penny had been found not guilty. And I felt shocked and saddened when I saw the footage of  UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson being executed in the middle of Manhattan. Those two reactions would surely be the correct and appropriate ones for anyone with an ounce of fairness and humanity in their heart.

“Penny risked his own safety on the crime-ravaged New York subway to prevent a dangerous, mentally ill, homeless man with a lengthy rap sheet of violence from carrying out his ranting threat to kill someone. For six minutes [or less], he kept the man, Jordan Neely, in a restraining chokehold as he waited for the police to arrive, alternating between applying pressure and not, a tactic he’d learned in the military to subdue people. Why did Penny do this? Because he saw the frightened faces of nearby women and children and wanted to protect them… It was a tragic accident that Neely — who was high on drugs at the time — ended up dying, but that was a direct consequence of his own menacing actions… [a forensic pathologist said Mr Neely could have died from other contributing factors.]

“Yet with pathetic predictability, there was an immediate campaign by left-wing activists to frame this as a racially motivated crime akin to the murder of George Floyd despite there being zero evidence to support this theory and no comparison in the circumstances of the two incidents. Race-baiting charlatan Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez shamefully posted on X: ‘Jordan Neely was murdered.’ Others branded Penny a ‘white supremacist’ without producing anything to back up such an appalling slur. Walter ‘Hawk’ Newsome, the founder of Black Lives Matter in New York, said anyone who thought Penny was innocent had ‘racism in their heart,’ and that ‘the KKK got another victory.’

“Newsome was at it again after the verdict, appearing outside court to shriek, ‘We need some black vigilantes. People want to jump up and choke us and kill us for being loud, how about we do the same when they attempt to oppress us.’… Why has he not been arrested himself for such brazen incitement to deadly violence?

“If the Left’s hateful conduct over this was bad enough, consider the very different way they responded to the disgusting, cold-blooded murder of Brian Thompson. Many openly celebrated, led by liberal journalist Taylor Lorenz, who worked until recently for the New York Times and Washington Post, and who posted: ‘And people wonder why we want these executives dead.’ She later commented ‘I am not alone’ on another X post saying, ‘Healthcare Executive Down’ adorned with party balloons…

“The reaction to the two deaths has been very illuminating about the woke left’s shocking double standards and warped, hypocritical morality…”

Scholz to Request Vote of Confidence

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 11:

“German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday formally applied for a vote of confidence in his government. This is the first step on the road to span elections scheduled for February (23)..

“Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag, is scheduled to vote on the motion of the 16th of December. It is largely considered a formality, as opposition lawmakers outnumber those in Scholz’s minority government. The chancellor will then ask President Frank-Walter Steinmeier for approval to dissolve parliament, starting the clock on the 60-day time limit to hold new elections.”

The Many Faces of Santa Claus

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 5:

“Few historical facts… are… known today, so their life stories have been fused together over the centuries, creating famous Saint Nicholas legends… The feast of Saint Nicholas is celebrated on December 6… That displeased the famous 16th-century reformer, Martin Luther, who had fallen out with the Catholic Church and thus with almost half the world. He objected to the Catholic worship of saints and wanted to link the Christian bringer of gifts to Christmas, the birth of Jesus Christ. He wanted to direct people’s interest, especially that of children, away from the countless figures of saints and towards Jesus Christ. And so he replaced Saint Nicholas with Christ as the bringer of gifts, which was quickly accepted in Protestant areas.

“Since the Reformation, the ‘Christkind’ (Christ Child) has brought Christmas presents in Germany, usually on Christmas Eve, December 24, or a day later, on Christmas Day. But the custom of Nicholas placing presents in boots on the eve of December 6 did not die out either…

“In the 16th century, the benevolent Saint Nicholas was joined by a rather malicious antagonist. He was called ‘Knecht Ruprecht’ or ‘Krampus’ in southern Germany… Elsewhere, it has been replaced by Santa Claus, a figure whose origin story is a mixture of the legend of Saint Nicholas, the fairy tale of Father Frost…

“In Eastern European countries and as far afield as Mongolia, people talk of Papa Winter or Father Frost. That figure goes back to a winter wizard from Slavic mythology and is very similar to Santa Claus in its depictions. He is the personification of winter…

“The contemporary Scandinavian version of Santa Claus has various origins, generally predating Christianization, when people celebrated midwinter, called Yule. There is the figure of an old man with a fur cape, hood and beard, who travels through the countryside on a reindeer sleigh and distributes nuts to help people survive the harsh winter. Legend has it that he is a descendant of Odin, the most powerful Norse god.

“In Norway and Sweden, there is a story about a house spirit (‘Tomte’) who watched over the house and yard, but only if he was given enough food. Today, it is the Jultomte or Julenissen who brings presents on Christmas Eve — in exchange for food, of course.”

It’s all pagan and demonic to the core.

If Austria’s Bad Example Were to Set a Precedent…

The Kronenzeitung wrote on December 3:

“Customs and Christian traditions are now anchored in the education plan for the little ones in Lower Austria – cancellations of festivals should therefore be taboo in the future! ‘If you want to live here, you have to respect our values ​​and traditions.’ State Governor Johanna Mikl-Leitner sets a clear line after debates about moon bear festivals instead of St. Martin’s Day and crossings in classrooms and hospital rooms. That’s why Nikolaus & Co. are now included in the educational plan for kindergartens. Similar to the school curriculum, guidelines are given as to what content must be taught to the children.

“This is also welcomed by experts. ‘Festivals convey values ​​and a feeling of belonging,’ emphasizes educator Christina Steinböck from Asperhofen in the St. Pölten district. However, due to misunderstood tolerance towards other cultures, children are denied the opportunity to get to know the values ​​that we uphold.

“The ÖVP has a broad majority behind it on this measure. This is confirmed by opinion researcher Christoph Haselmayer, whose IFDD has found that 90 percent of the population in Lower Austria think it is right to celebrate Christmas, Easter, St. Nicholas and St. Martin’s Day in kindergartens. More than two thirds also support that crosses should be present in public buildings as a cultural symbol.

“With so much connection to tradition, the coalition partner obviously doesn’t want to be left behind. The Freedom Party tends to warm up to Krampus: ‘This is an old custom from the Eastern Alpine region,’ says State Vice President Udo Landbauer, emphasizing that Nikolaus’s shaggy companion should not be banned from kindergartens and schools either.”

Krampus—a symbolic figure for Satan. There are all kinds of worrying things on the horizon… It was also reported that if you refuse to take part in St. Nicholas celebrations in kindergarten, you could face a fine of up to 2500 euros…

OE24 wrote on December 3:

“In addition, the state leader once again called for harsher penalties from the incoming federal government for parents of families unwilling to integrate. The fines should therefore be increased from the current maximum of 440 euros to 2,500 euros. ‘By anchoring the traditions in the Lower Austrian education plan for kindergartens and with our demand for harsher punishments for those who refuse to integrate in schools, we are sending an unmistakable signal: Anyone who wants to live here, anyone who wants to raise their children here, must accept and respect our values, traditions and rules,’ says Mikl-Leitner.”

Frightening indeed… In Germany, they are talking about “Leitkultur.” But as we asked in our last edition, what does this mean? Is the celebration of Christmas, Easter or Sunday part of the German Leitkultur concept? What about the abrogation of the Sabbath and God’s annual Holy Days? What about supporting and fighting in war? A potentially dangerous concept indeed. 

California School Shooter’s Demonic Motives

The Algemeiner wrote on December 6:

“A gunman who shot and wounded two kindergarten students at a private school in northern California on Wednesday left behind a note revealing the shooting was motivated by his opposition to ‘America’s involvement with genocide and oppression of Palestinians.’

“The shooter… [Litton] opened fire in the playground of the Feather River School of Seventh-Day Adventists in the town of Oroville, injuring two children. Roman Mendez, 6, and Elias Wolford, 5, are in critical condition and will likely need surgery, according to police. Litton was pronounced dead at the Oroville school shortly after the shooting. Authorities said the cause of death was most likely a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

“On Thursday, law enforcement said that Litton had a long criminal history and suffered from mental health issues. Police also revealed disturbing writings believed to be from Litton which provided insight into the shooter’s motives. One note indicated that opposition to US support for Israel’s defensive military operations against the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in Gaza was a motivation for the shooting. ‘Countermeasure involving child executions has now been imposed at the Seventh Day Adventist school in California, United States by The International Alliance,’ the note read…

“Litton reportedly gained access to the Feather River’s campus by securing a meeting with its principal to discuss enrolling a nonexistent grandson. He used a fake name. Having avoided arousing suspicion, Litton followed the meeting by walking to the playground, where he opened fire…”

He might have been suffering from “mental health issues,” but he was clearly influenced by demons. And it is interesting that demons motivated this sick individual to attack a Sabbath-keeping school and tried to kill young children, and that he was influenced by the demonic antisemitic and violent pro-Palestinian propaganda in the US.

The Corona Scam 

Focus wrote on December 5:

“The corona pandemic has scourged the entire world. Many people are still feeling the aftermath of this difficult time today. A US committee has spent two years extensively examining the pandemic and the countermeasures. The results now presented are devastating…

“The Subcommittee finds that Covid-19 ‘most likely’ arose from a laboratory accident during gain-of-function research in Wuhan, China… 

“The 2 meter distance recommendation that has led to school and small business closures across the country was arbitrary and not scientifically based…

“There was no convincing evidence that masks effectively protected Americans from coronavirus…

“Extended lockdowns caused enormous damage not only to the US economy, but also to the mental and physical health of Americans, especially younger citizens…

“Health officials have often spread misinformation through conflicting messages, knee-jerk reactions and a lack of transparency…

“Contrary to what was promised, the vaccine did not stop the spread or transmission of the virus…The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rushed approval of the Covid-19 vaccine to meet the timeline arbitrarily set by the Biden administration. Two top FDA scientists warned their colleagues about the dangers… as well as the likelihood of side effects. However, they were ignored and a few days later the Biden administration ordered the vaccine.

“…vaccination requirements… have done more harm than good. The Biden administration has coerced healthy Americans into complying with Covid-19 vaccination mandates that trampled on individual freedom, hampered military readiness and disregarded medical freedom in order to force a new vaccine on millions of Americans – without enough evidence for their political decisions.

“The government is failing to assess vaccine claims in an efficient, fair and transparent manner…”

To be fair, both the Trump and the Biden administrations are guilty of having severely violated individual freedoms of American citizens by spreading false information and irresponsible political propaganda, inspired by the likes of Dr. Fauci and Big Pharma. 

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.

Australia Wants to Ban Children Under 16 From Social Media

The Guardian wrote on November 28:

“On Thursday, parliament’s upper house, the Senate, passed a bill by 34 votes to 19 banning children under 16 from social media platforms.  But academics, politicians and advocacy groups have warned that the ban – as envisioned by the government – could backfire, driving teenagers to the dark web, or making them feel more isolated… Many worry that the process has been too rushed, and that, if users are asked to prove their age, it could lead to social media companies being handed valuable personal data. Even Elon Musk has weighed in. [‘Seems like a backdoor way to control access to the internet by all Australians.’]

“The [law] bans social media platforms from allowing users under 16 to access their services, threatening companies with fines of up to AU$50m (US$32m) if they fail to comply. However, it contains no details about how it will work, only that the companies will be expected to take reasonable steps to ensure users are aged 16 or over. The detail will come later, through the completion of a trial of age-assurance technology in mid-2025. The bill won’t come into force for another 12 months.

“The bill also does not specify to which companies the legislation would apply, though communications minister Michelle Rowland has said that Snapchat, TikTok, X, Instagram, Reddit and Facebook are likely to be part of the ban. YouTube will not be included because of its ‘significant’ educational purpose, she said.”

Big Brother is up and running…

Trump to Nominate Kash Patel as FBI Director

The Huffington Post wrote on December 1:

“Patel is likely to face deep skepticism during his confirmation hearings over… his claims that he would shut down the FBI’s Pennsylvania Avenue headquarters in the nation’s capital and send the thousands of employees who work there to ‘chase down criminals’ across the country…

“He’s talked about trying to rid the government of ‘conspirators’ against Trump and of going ‘after the people in the media who lied about American citizens who helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections,’ whether criminally or civilly.”

This would be very interesting…

Trump’s Nominations

 Daily Mail wrote on December 4;

 “Trump’s pick to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration has withdrawn from consideration after MAGA outrage. Chad Chronister, the Sheriff of Hillborough County, Florida, sparked controversy for ordering the arrest of a pastor for holding church services in the height of the COVID pandemic. MAGA ally Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who was leading the charge to get him to step aside, said he simply ‘lost his mind.’ …

 “Conservative Liz Wheeler called him a ‘COVID tyrant’ who ‘abused his power and is unfit to lead the DEA’ and urged him to withdraw.”

 That Trump even nominated such a man is of great concern.

Joe Biden Pardons Hunter… A Story of Lies and Deceit

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 1:

“Joe Biden has pardoned his son Hunter after he was convicted on gun and tax-related federal charges, amid earlier promises against such a move. The pardon spares Hunter a possible prison sentence related to federal felony gun and tax convictions… Biden called his son’s conviction ‘a miscarriage of justice.’…  In June, Biden ruled out a pardon or clemency for Hunter in an ABC News interview. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre doubled down on the promise as recently as November 8. ‘We’ve been asked that question multiple times. Our answer stands, which is no,’ she had said…

“Republican President elect Trump… described Biden’s decision as an ‘abuse and miscarriage of justice.’ ‘Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years?’ Trump said on his Truth Social platform, referring to rioters who were imprisoned after storming the US Capitol on January 6, 2021…

“‘Joe Biden is a liar and a hypocrite, all the way to the end,’ said Congresswoman Marjorie Taylore Greene on X… Congressman Andy Biggs said Biden would ‘go down as one of the most corrupt presidents in American history… Criticism even came from some of Biden’s own Democratic Party, such as Colorado Governor Jared Polis…”

California Governor Newsom wrote on December 3: “With everything the president and his family have been through, I completely understand the instinct to protect Hunter. But I took the president at his word. So by definition, I’m disappointed and can’t support the decision.”

Elon Musk has been one of the strongest critics so far.

NBC News added on December 1:

“The president issued a ‘full and unconditional pardon’ for any offenses Hunter Biden has ‘committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024,’ according to the White House statement…

“The president has discussed pardoning his son with some of his closest aides at least since Hunter Biden’s conviction in June… it was decided at the time that he would publicly say he would not pardon his son even though doing so remained on the table…”

So this was carefully planned, and the American people were intentionally lied to…

The New York Post wrote on December 1:

“We always knew Joe Biden would pardon his troubled son Hunter, no matter how many times he promised he wouldn’t….  the president explained away all his lies to the American people by lying about his lying: ‘For my entire career I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth.’… Nobody believes the word of a Biden.”

Politico wrote on December 2:

“[Biden’s pardon] insulates his son from ever facing federal charges over any crimes he possibly could have committed over the past decade. Experts on pardons said they could think of only one other person who has received a presidential pardon so sweeping in generations: Nixon, who was given a blanket pardon by Gerald Ford in 1974…

“Conservative commentators have engaged in… speculation that Hunter Biden could be charged with bribery, illegal lobbying or other crimes stemming from his foreign business activities… Trump will not be able to undo the pardon when he takes office. And its sweeping nature means the Trump Justice Department will not be able to reopen the long-running criminal probe of the president’s son…”

Even CNN admitted that Biden tarnished his legacy with his pardon of Hunter [even though Joe Biden’s legacy has long been “tarnished”]. CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig said: “… he lied to us for a long time. He said categorically, ‘I will not pardon my son.’” The Hill provided a list of times Joe Biden and his aides decisively answered “no” after being asked whether a pardon for Hunter was being considered. The Hill listed 10 occasions. Ten is the number of judgment in the Bible, suggesting that God will judge him and his aides for their repeated lies.

Germany’s New “Vision”

The Telegraph wrote on November 29:

“Germany will promote the inherent value of its ‘dominant culture’ and make migrants assimilate, an MP from the country’s government-in-waiting has said. In a clear shift from the Angela Merkel era, the centre-right Christian Democrats Union (CDU) has made the concept of ‘Leitkultur’ a key pillar of its manifesto ahead of snap elections in February… Leitkultur [is] fundamentally the principle that foreigners should adopt German cultural values and not vice versa…

“The phrase ‘Leitkultur’ was popularised by Friedrich Merz, the CDU leader, in a newspaper article 20 years ago in which he said that ‘immigrants who want to live here permanently must adapt to an established liberal German dominant culture’… At the time the concept caused friction in the CDU with many MPs calling it divisive and populist. Mrs Merkel, an arch-rival of Mr Merz, cut the phrase out of party debate and policymaking after she ousted him from the party leadership in 2002.

“German academics have puzzled over the phrase for years as it claims to define the elusive characteristics that bind German society together. CDU party officials stress it is not simply about beer gardens, pretzels and other German cultural habits, but ‘the basic values of our society’ and ‘what unites us’…

“Germany will start turning non-European refugees away from its border if the CDU wins the next election, due to ‘our special duty’ towards Ukraine… On the issue of support for Ukraine, the CDU has adopted a more hawkish stance than Chancellor Scholz. Mr Merz has said he is in favour of sending long-range German Taurus missiles to Kyiv if Vladimir Putin keeps bombing civilian areas… Under Mr Merz, the CDU has shifted further to the right in response to a major increase in irregular migration to Germany following the pandemic.”

What does this mean? Is the celebration of Christmas, Easter or Sunday part of the Leitkultur concept? What about the abrogation of the Sabbath and God’s annual Holy Days? What about supporting and fighting in war? A potentially dangerous concept indeed.

What Germany’s AfD Wants…

Bild wrote on November 30:

“The Saxon AfD is entering the federal election campaign with its co-federal chairman Tino Chrupalla… Merz is ‘more harmful than Merkel and Scholz’ and ‘a representative of foreign interests’ who wants to deliver Taurus to Ukraine. ‘This escalation with a nuclear power is just crazy. Whoever votes for Merz wants war,’ said Chrupalla.

“Instead, the AfD will implement what Merz is currently only promising: secure borders, reject [immigrants]. ‘We’re repairing Nordstream and with us, gas prices will be 5 cents again.’…

“Even before his speech there was standing applause for the honorary chairman of the AfD, Alexander Gauland… Gauland then took aim at the CDU. ‘It’s clear who we have to fight. It’s Mr. Merz’s CDU…‘“

The Westen wrote on December 1:

“Restrictions on abortion and withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement – ​​these are just some of the demands that the AfD lists in its draft program for the federal election in February. The euro should also be under attack. Regarding the currency, the paper says that Germany must ‘end the wrong path of permanent rescue by reintroducing a national currency’. The party continues: ‘We consider Germany’s exit from the European Union and the establishment of a new European community to be necessary’… If necessary, the euro should be able to be retained parallel with a national currency.

“A further point of the AfD, according to its basic program, is the reinstatement of compulsory military service for all young men between the ages of 18 and 25. But so that anti-militarist Eastern voters are not lost to the BSW [a popular left party], the party is now making concessions in its election program… The demand for a return to compulsory military service should suddenly be deleted from the program for the 2025 federal election.”

The euro will not end, but compulsory military service might very well be reintroduced. The concept of creating a new European community (perhaps consisting of ten nations or groups of nations?) is very interesting. Accusations against “war-monger” Merz are not only coming from the AfD. Note the next article.

Fear of War or Russian Roulette?

BR 24 wrote on December 1:

“Union Chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz has accused the SPD and Chancellor Olaf Scholz of deliberately stoking fear of war in the Ukraine debate. ‘The mobilization of fear of war is the DNA of the SPD,’ wrote the CDU chairman…

“Merz wants to give the ‘nuclear power Russia’ an ultimatum with a view to possible deliveries of the Taurus cruise missile, said Scholz at a party conference in Berlin. ‘All I can say is, be careful: You don’t play Russian roulette with Germany’s security. When it comes to questions of war and peace, you need a cool head…’

“The Greens are also distancing themselves from Scholz’s Ukraine course.”

In addition, the CDU is now attacking the Green Party under Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck. Note the next article.

Spahn Wants Legal Changes in the Climate Sector

Focus wrote on November 29th:

“At an event organized by the heat pump industry, Union parliamentary group vice-president Jens Spahn confirmed that his party wants to withdraw the heating law and significantly reduce heating subsidies. Instead of relying solely on heat pumps, he advocates ‘green oil’. This is causing considerable uncertainty in the industry… Jens Spahn… explained with regard to the new traffic light rules: ‘There is no planning security for nonsense… The path of the last two years has no acceptance’… That’s why it’s necessary to ‘abolish the heating law à la Habeck’.

“In addition, Spahn announced cuts in financial support for climate-friendly heating… Ultimately, the support should be abolished completely, said the former health minister, who would also like to take over a ministry again in the next government… ‘The argument that we have to leave things as they are now because we need planning security doesn’t work for us,’ he said. Because the Union said from the beginning that it considered the change in the law to be wrong…

“Experts, however, consider Spahn’s proposal to make oil heating systems more climate-friendly in the future through the use of ‘green oil’ to be unrealistic because such fuels, which are made from plants or produced synthetically using green electricity, will be both scarce and expensive.

“At least one of Spahn’s demands met with unanimous approval from industry representatives, namely to reduce electricity prices by reducing electricity taxes and network fees…

Despite his lack of popularity, Spahn is someone to watch out for.

Germany and the Nordic Countries Prepare for Possible War

The Guardian wrote on November 29:

“Germany is developing an app to help people locate the nearest bunker in the event of attack. Sweden is distributing a 32-page pamphlet titled If Crisis or War Comes. Half a million Finns have already downloaded an emergency preparedness guide.

If the prospect of a broader conflict in Europe seems remote for many, some countries at least are taking it seriously – and, in the term used by Germany’s defence minister, Boris Pistorius, taking steps to get populations kriegstuechtig—war-capable… ‘We live in uncertain times. Armed conflicts are currently being waged in our corner of the world. Terrorism, cyber-attacks, and disinformation campaigns are being used to undermine and influence us,’ the Swedish pamphlet’s prologue says… it adds that collective resilience is essential and if Sweden is attacked, ‘everyone must do their part to defend Sweden’s independence – and our democracy … you are part of Sweden’s overall emergency preparedness’…

“Norway’s directorate for civil protection, DSB, has distributed ta similar booklet to the country’s 2.6 million households…  The Norwegian pamphlet advises people, for example, to hold at least a week’s worth of non-perishable food including ‘crispbreads, canned pulses and beans, canned sandwich spreads, energy bars, dried fruit, chocolate, honey, biscuits and nuts’. Norway also advises residents to stock up on essential medicines – including iodine tablets, in case of a nuclear incident – and, like Sweden, recommends that people have several bank cards and keep a ready supply of cash at home.

“In Finland, an exhaustive online guide… offers residents information and advice on anything from water outages to wildfires, the collapse of the internet or ‘longer-term crises … such as military conflict’… Finland – which shares an 830-mile (1,340km) border with Russia – asks its citizens bluntly: ‘Would you survive 72 hours?’…

“Germany’s focus, meanwhile, is on ramping up the number of its bunkers and protective shelters after an official estimate that the nation of 84 million has fewer than 600 public shelters, together capable of holding just 480,000 people. Many cold war shelters have been dismantled owing to the belief they would no longer be needed, but Berlin has now launched a national bunker plan under the Federal Office for Population Protection…  Experts predict an attack by Russia may be a possibility within the next five years and the search is now on for any structure that could be used if such an event occurred, including metro stations and basements of public offices, schools and town halls. German households have been urged to adapt their own cellars, garages or store rooms, or excavate old bunkers, while housebuilders will be legally obliged to include safe shelters in new homes – as Poland has already done.”

The Diplomat in Spain added on November 27:

“Operation Deutschland is a strategic plan developed by Berlin to prepare the country for the possibility of a large-scale conflict in Europe… In this [1,000-pages long] report Germany describes how it could help mobilize up to 800,000 NATO troops, including Americans, to Ukraine if the situation with Russia escalates. It is a preemptive measure in the face of a possible major conflict, such as a World War III… Germany plans how to allow up to 200,000 military vehicles to pass through its territory…

“Recent preparedness measures in Europe for a possible war conflict coincide with repeated warnings from incoming U.S. President-elect Donald Trump about the possibility of a global conflict. On several occasions, Trump has pointed out that the international situation is at a critical point, with three key players – Russia, North Korea and Iran – actively engaging in confrontations affecting U.S. allies…

“Europe is preparing for a war, which… is worrying because an ‘accident’ or a ‘miscalculation’ in this show of force by the two sides that we are witnessing in the Ukrainian war could start an unstoppable escalation that could end with the use of a nuclear weapon…”

Germany’s fear of war will lead to the awakening of the somewhat sleeping German giant—but woe unto the world when this happens.

French Government Collapsed

Breitbart wrote on December 2:

“The neo-liberal French government is likely headed toward collapse this week after Marine Le Pen’s National Rally confirmed that it would join with the left on a motion of no confidence [against] Prime Minister Michel Barnier [after he] attempted to push through financial austerity measures through without a vote in the parliament…

“While the left has been attempting to overthrow the government for months, claiming that it was the winner of the election… this time they were joined by the Le Pen faction, nearly guaranteeing a no confidence measure will succeed….

“The move threatens to throw the French political and financial systems into utter chaos. With French President Macron constitutionally prohibited from calling for fresh legislative elections until June of next year, the Élysée Palace will have limited options should Barnier’s government fall.”

The Guardian added on December 2:

“If the no-confidence motion is carried on Wednesday, Barnier will be forced to offer his resignation [after only two and a half months], but he and his ministers could remain in a caretaker administration until Macron announces a new government… France has been heading towards this political crisis since Macron called a snap election in June that left parliament divided into three roughly equal political factions – left, centre and far right – but none of which has an absolute majority…”

The Sun wrote on December 5:

“FRENCH President Emmanuel Macron is clinging onto power after another damaging political blow saw his government left in disarray. His government collapsed last night after a historic vote of confidence was passed against Prime Minister Michel Bartnier in the National Assembly. Macron is now on the hunt for his sixth PM during his stint as president but it comes amid calls for him to ultimately resign.

“The president has constantly vowed to serve out his term until 2027 despite his political rivals now calling for him to step down immediately.

 “The latest polls out of Paris say the people feel they are entering a period of politics that is incapable of ever moving forwards under a Macron government… A staggering 64 per cent of respondents agreed Macron should step aside immediately.”

Deutsche Welle added:

“Barnier and his ministers remain in charge of daily business until the appointment of a new government…”

Subsequently, Deutsche Welle reported on December 5:

“French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation on Thursday, hours after Prime Minister Michel Barnier handed in his resignation following Wednesday’s vote of no-confidence. Macron rejected calls from the opposition to follow Barnier in stepping down, saying he would remain in office until the next presidential election in 2027. He vowed to ‘appoint a prime minister in the coming days’ saying that this person would be tasked with forming a ‘government of general interest’ in order to pass a budget.”

The situation in France somehow mirrors the debacle in Germany.

France Won’t Arrest Netanyahu

JTA wrote on November 27:

“France has joined the nations who are signatories to the agreement that established the International Criminal Court pledging not to honor its warrants to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or his former defense minister, Yoav Gallant.

“The statement Wednesday by the French foreign ministry adds France to Argentina and Hungary as parties to the 1998 Rome Statute whose leaders have said they will not abide by the warrants…  The French foreign ministry statement said the warrants were flawed because Israel was not a party to the agreement establishing the court…”

Macron also hinted that Netanyahu might have “immunity”.

Pope Francis’ Departure From Catholicism

Newsmax wrote on November 29:

“Pope Francis urged Catholic Church members to embrace cohabiting couples and divorced people while also promoting marriage and traditional family structures… Francis addressed the complexities faced by people living outside the traditional bounds of marriage. ‘The Church does not close the door to those who struggle on the path of faith, indeed, she throws the door wide open, because everyone “needs merciful and encouraging pastoral attention”’…  the pope said Monday. ‘Everyone. Do not forget this word: everyone, everyone, everyone. Jesus said this when those invited to the wedding did not come, and Jesus says: “Go into the streets and bring everyone, everyone, everyone — But Lord, all the good ones, no? — No, everyone! Good and bad! Everyone, everyone.” Do not forget that word “everyone,” which is in a sense the vocation of the Church, mother of all.’

“Francis, with whom church conservatives have differed on certain issues, underscored the dual mission to uphold traditional values while also practicing unconditional love and acceptance…..”

It is amazing how Scriptures are being twisted, like Christ’s words to go into the streets and invite people to the wedding. No word about repentance and stopping their sinful lifestyle. Francis’ comments would equally apply to practicing homosexuals, transgender, drag queens and the LGBTQ+ community. What about pedophiles? Also, the concept of “unconditional love and acceptance” was clearly misapplied here.

What Jesus REALLY Looked Like

The Daily Mail wrote on December 1:

“… experts say that every image you’ve seen of Jesus is almost certainly inaccurate. Not only would Jesus definitely not have had flowing locks, he is also unlikely to have grown a long beard or even worn robes. Instead, historians believe that Jesus would have looked like any other unremarkable member of Judean society in the first century AD… he probably would have been strong and lean… Jesus comes from a family where manual labour is the norm, and he certainly gets exercise with all the walking around.’…

“Jesus was ethnically Judean and came from the region which is now modern-day Palestine. This means his hair and beard would have been black and curly rather than brown and straight. Likewise, it is extremely likely that Jesus would have worn his hair and beard quite short… Around the time of Jesus’ life in the first century AD,… being clean-shaven was extremely important to Romans but, as a Jew, Jesus probably did grow a well-kept beard…

“To have long hair and a long beard signalled something in ancient Judaism – that you were keeping a special vow and not drinking wine. Jesus was actually accused of drinking too much, so he was not keeping such a vow.’ In fact, some of the very first depictions we have of Jesus show him looking distinctly well-groomed. Paintings dating from the first half of the third century AD found the church in the ruined city of Dura-Europos in Syria show Jesus clean-shaven with hair cut well above his collar… In the first century AD… long hair on men was considered ‘rather unseemly’…

“The one thing that our modern images of Jesus get right is that everyone in Judea would have worn leather sandals during the time Jesus was alive…”

The modern Church of God has been saying these things for almost a century.

Ending the Ukraine War?

The New York Post wrote on November 29:

“Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is willing to hand over territory to Russia in exchange for NATO protection if it means ending the war.  ‘If we want to stop the hot stage of the war, we should take under [the] NATO umbrella the territory of Ukraine that we have under our control,’ Zelensky said through a translator in an interview with Sky News Friday. ‘That’s what we need to do fast, and then Ukraine can get back the other part of its territory diplomatically.’…

“Zelensky hinted that the ‘NATO umbrella’ would not be full membership — something Putin has long vehemently rejected — but could mean member states providing individual security guarantees to Ukraine…  He said other countries have offered to broker a cease-fire agreement between the two countries but he seemed skeptical… ‘We need [NATO protection] very much, otherwise [Putin] will come back,’ he said. ‘Otherwise, how are we going to go to a ceasefire? So for us, it’s very dangerous.’…

“The Kremlin has made huge advances in Ukraine over the past week, taking 90 square miles in the long-bombarded Donetsk region, the fastest clip since the war began nearly three years ago. Putin had previously claimed the only path to peace would be for Ukraine to surrender all its territory that Russia has laid claim to and renounce its intention to join NATO.”

Newsmax added on November 29:

“Zelenskyy’s new position could be a direct result of President-elect Donald Trump’s victory earlier this month… ‘I want to work with him directly because there are different voices from people around him. And that’s why we need not to [allow] anybody around to destroy our communication,’ he said…”

Ultimately, this entire war was good for nothing. Russia and Ukraine will unite, and Europe will be the big loser.

The Price of Defeat

Report 24 wrote on November 30:

“The reality is bleak. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte bluntly admitted to Fox News what many have known for a long time: Ukraine is simply not in a position to negotiate favorable peace conditions. The Russian steamroller continues to roll, while Washington [actually, Ukraine]  is already discussing lowering the draft age in Ukraine to 18…

“The whole thing is made particularly spicy by the appearance of the eternal war drummer Boris Johnson… [He] is now once again calling for NATO troops for Ukraine. His recent threat that Great Britain could intervene militarily on its own sounds like a desperate call for the good old days of the empire…

“Joe Biden greenlights long-range missiles under NATO coordination – as if more weapons ever brought peace. The bitter truth is: What we are experiencing here is the end of an illusion. The question is no longer whether Ukraine can win, but what the price of defeat will be.”

Trump Demands Release of Hostages, Or…

Newsmax wrote on December 2:

“President-elect Donald Trump said there would be ‘hell to pay’ in the Middle East if hostages held in the Gaza Strip were not released before his Jan. 20 inauguration. ‘Everybody is talking about the hostages who are being held so violently, inhumanely, and against the will of the entire World, in the Middle East – But it’s all talk, and no action!’ Trump wrote Monday in a Truth Social post.

“‘Please let this TRUTH serve to represent that if the hostages are not released prior to January 20, 2025, the date that I proudly assume Office as President of the United States, there will be ALL HELL TO PAY in the Middle East, and for those in charge who perpetrated these atrocities against Humanity. Those responsible will be hit harder than anybody has been hit in the long and storied History of the United States of America. RELEASE THE HOSTAGES NOW!’

“Trump’s post came on the same day Israel Defense Forces confirmed that Cpt. Omer Maxim Neutra, 21, was killed during Iranian-backed Hamas’ terrorist attack on Oct. 7, 2023, and his body was being held hostage in the Gaza Strip.”

Strong Earthquake Hits California

ABC News reported on December 5:

“A 7.0 magnitude earthquake was reported off the coast of Northern California on Thursday… The epicenter of the ‘strong’ quake was off the coast near Petrolia, in Humboldt County… Also, a tsunami warning that had been issued for coastal areas in California and Oregon, including San Francisco, was canceled just before noon local time…

“Police in Berkeley, California, had issued an evacuation order for parts of the city ‘due to a tsunami coming to West Berkeley.’ The order was subsequently lifted after the tsunami warning was canceled… More than 30 aftershocks have been reported in the region, including a 4.3 magnitude earthquake near Petrolia…”

It was stated that it has been more than 30 years since an earthquake of this size hit California. 

Ongoing War in Syria

The Guardian wrote on December 1:

“Syrian and Russian airstrikes have pummelled areas of northern Syria as Iran’s top diplomat arrived in Damascus in a show of support for Bashar al-Assad’s regime after Islamist insurgents made a sudden advance and seized control of Aleppo. As the regime attempted to repel the strongest challenge to its authority in years, state media in Damascus shared images of airstrikes across opposition-controlled areas, claiming they were targeting enemy command centres and positions. Syria’s military said they struck close to a stadium in Aleppo in a joint operation with Russia.

“An earlier airstrike killed 12 people when it hit a site close to a hospital in central Aleppo, Syria’s second city and a former industrial powerhouse that was the scene of some of the fiercest fighting in the country’s bloody civil war…

“The regime in Damascus has long relied on foreign support, notably during the 2016 battle to retake control of Aleppo, in which Russian air power proved decisive. The Syrian government has also relied heavily on Iranian forces on the ground including members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. Israel has rapidly scaled up airstrikes against Iranian targets in Syria over the past year amid increasing regional confrontations with Tehran and its proxies.

“Assad crushed a popular uprising that rose up against him in 2011, before the conflict spilled over into a bloody civil war that has fractured his control of the country and left him heavily dependent on backing from Tehran and Moscow. The Syrian leader also employed airstrikes, siege tactics and chemical weapons against his own people during fierce battles to regain control of territory….

“Across northern Syria, Turkish-backed Syrian rebel groups and Kurdish militias moved to claim territory rapidly evacuated by forces loyal to Damascus, as Syrian government forces retreated from areas they had held for almost a decade… video showed Turkish-backed Syrian rebel forces taking control of the base and weaponry there, including an Iranian-made drone…”

The Daily Mail added on December 1:

“Arab leaders, including Jordan’s King Abdullah II and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, expressed their solidarity with Damascus in calls with Mr Assad.”

Big News Network wrote on December 3:

“Beijing is willing to aid Damascus to prevent the situation from deteriorating further, [China’s] Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian has said… ‘China is deeply concerned over the situation in northwestern Syria, and supports its effort to uphold national security and stability,’ Lin told a press briefing on Monday. ‘As Syria’s friend, China is willing to make an active effort to avoid further deterioration of the situation in Syria,’ the official said.   

“A number of other nations, including Russia, Iran, Iraq and Egypt, have expressed support for Damascus over the past few days… Moscow has slammed the militants’ offensive as a ‘direct violation of Syria’s sovereignty,’ and mobilized air force units stationed in the country to aid the Syrian army. Tehran has urged Islamic countries to unite in helping Syria defeat the militants, placing the blame for the escalation on Israel and the US.”

The Los Angeles Times wrote on December 4:

“Over the past seven days, the rebels — long considered a fractured, hopelessly compromised force — have routed Syrian army troops from their bases and positions, making gains in Idlib, Aleppo and Hama provinces. The offensive represents the most serious threat since 2019 to Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and his backers in Iran and Russia… The clashes have brought back to attention a civil war that has largely fallen out of the headlines despite never really ending.”

The Bible reveals that ultimately, Damascus will be destroyed and many Syrians will go into captivity.

South Korea in Crisis

Daily  Mail wrote on December 3:

“South Korea’s President Yoon Suk Yeol sensationally declared emergency martial law today, accusing his political opposition of subverting parliament and railing against ‘pro-North Korea, anti-state forces’ in his country. The shocking late-night address triggered chaos on the streets in Seoul where hordes of angry citizens clashed with riot cops and security forces outside the National Assembly.

“In an announcement which has stunned the world, South Korea’s military proclaimed that under martial law, parliament and other political gatherings that could cause ‘social confusion’ would be suspended and anyone found to violate the regulations could be arrested without a warrant. Yoon vowed ‘to protect the free Republic of Korea from the threat of North Korean communist forces, to eradicate the despicable pro-North Korean anti-state forces plundering the happiness of our people and to protect the constitutional order.’…

“South Korea’s Constitution says the president can declare martial law when it is considered necessary to cope with a military threat or to maintain public safety and order by mobilising military forces… When martial law is declared by the president, they must notify the National Assembly of the decision which can then take a vote on whether martial law should be upheld.  The president must comply when the National Assembly – where the opposition party currently holds a majority – requests the lifting of martial law by a majority vote of members. The National Assembly, with 190 of its 300 members present, has already passed a resolution demanding the martial law be lifted…  But in yet another twist in the night, South Korea’s military announced that martial law will remain in place until it is lifted by Yoon himself…”

Breitbart added on December 3:

“‘If the President does not abide by the results of the motion passed at the National Assembly it is clear treason and an illegal act,’ legislator Cho Kuk declared, adding that Yoon’s impeachment will now be on the table. Cho asked prosecutors to arrest President Yoon and his defense minister, Kim Yong-hyun, immediately.”

CNN wrote on December 3:

“Yoon Suk Yeol’s cabinet has reversed a martial law order in the country, just hours after he issued the surprise decree that plunged Seoul into political uncertainty and sparked fierce backlash from lawmakers across the political spectrum.”

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 5:

“South Korean prosecutors said on Thursday that they have opened an official investigation in President Yoon Suk Yeol’s attempt to put the country under martial law. Interior Minister Lee Sang-min and former Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun are also part of the probe.

“Police said the president was under investigation for ‘insurrection’ and Kim, who had already resigned following the incident, has been placed under a travel ban and forbidden from leaving South Korea….”

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.

Russia Urges USA “to Show Restraint”

AA wrote on November 21:

“Russia on Thursday urged the US to exercise restraint in response to the Pentagon’s statement regarding the possibility of nuclear strike exchanges. Speaking at a Moscow press briefing, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov emphasized Russia’s commitment to prevent a nuclear conflict and called on the West to adopt a similarly responsible stance. ‘Russia’s nuclear doctrine underscores our responsible approach to making every effort to avoid such a conflict. We expect other nations to act responsibly and refrain from provocative actions,’ he said.

“The comments followed a statement by Rear Adm. Thomas Buchanan of the US Strategic Command, who said Washington remains prepared for a nuclear exchange under ‘acceptable terms,’ though it does not seek such a scenario.

“Addressing concerns about potential threats to Belarus, Peskov noted ongoing collaboration between Russian and Belarusian intelligence services… He added that the security of Belarus, as a Union State member, is covered under Russia’s nuclear doctrine, which prioritizes deterring aggression against both Russia and its allies using the full extent of its military power, including nuclear capabilities…”

The verbal exchanges become really disturbing.

German Elections Consequential For Europe?

Deutscher Welle wrote on November 23

“European Parliament President Roberta Metsola has voiced her anxiety about upcoming German elections and noted that a strong performance by populist parties could have significant consequences for Europe… Recent opinion polls show the AfD with… 19% support ahead of next year’s elections, with the BSW [a left-wing group] possibly getting as much as 8% of the vote…

“Anger over inflation, migration and lack of housing are some of the reasons why German voters are turning to populist parties. Voters who disagree with German arms deliveries to Ukraine have also been drawn to the AfD and the BSW…

“Metsola also implored the German government to take a decisive stance on European affairs: ‘A strong Europe needs a strong Germany…’

“In the interview, Metsola was asked if she supports the German government delivering Taurus missiles to Ukraine. Taurus missiles have a range of up to 500 kilometers (310 miles). ‘Yes, that is also the position of the European Parliament. There is broad support for this demand. We will see if there is a corresponding policy change after the Bundestag elections,’ she said.  

“The leader of Germany’s conservative opposition [CDU], Friedrich Merz, has supported giving Taurus missiles to Ukraine. Merz has a strong chance of becoming Germany’s next chancellor, as the CDU leads most opinion polls before the February vote. The current coalition government, meanwhile, is helmed by SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who opposes Taurus deliveries to Ukraine, due to fears of escalating tensions with Russia. His coalition partners, the environmentalist Green Party, back the transfer of Taurus missiles to Ukraine.” 

Merz could only become Chancellor if the CDU (32%) forms a coalition. The best option to get a majority would be the AfD (19%) but the CDU has stated, so far, that they will not enter into a coalition with the AfD. The CDU could then form a coalition with Scholz’s SPD (14%), or that alone would presently not be sufficient to gain the majority. So, either the CDU and the SPD would rule as a minority government, or they would have to find another partner (for instance, the Green with 11% or the FDP with 5%). Either way, one can easily see how the next German government would be the same debacle as the current one is or has been.  But maybe, someone else is waiting in the background to step in when the future government is collapsing again—as can be expected.

Europe Needs to Act Fast

Foreign Affairs wrote on November 22:

“With Donald Trump’s return to the White House, there is a genuine risk that U.S. engagement in Europe could drop precipitously… European leaders must act decisively to advance a unified strategy to ensure the continent’s peace and stability. They must quickly… begin a serious effort to create an integrated European defense industry… From now on, Europe’s security will have to be European—or it won’t exist at all…

“For Europe, then, there is no time left to waste… Europe now has no choice but to manage its own security. There is no doubt that it has the economic potential to do so; the combined GDP of the European Union is roughly ten times that of Russia. What holds Europe back is a lack of political will… This pitiful state of affairs has arisen even though the EU has a strong industrial base and counts four of the world’s ten largest arms exporters among its members.

“Europe needs to step up its defense capabilities—and fast. But this project requires political leadership, which is currently hard to come by. In Germany, the coalition government has collapsed, and the country’s politicians will spend the coming months occupied by snap elections scheduled for February 23 and the coalition-building process that will follow. In France, President Emmanuel Macron lost his parliamentary majority this summer, leaving him politically weakened. Meanwhile, the EU’s relationship with the United Kingdom, one of Europe’s most formidable military powers, remains fraught…

“… any substantial defense buildup will need Germany’s economic power and political clout to succeed, which means that the new government in Berlin will need to take the continent’s security challenges seriously and be willing to put money behind a broader European effort.”

It appears that Europe does not have that much time left. Some speak already of the demise of the EU, but that will not happen. What WILL happen, however, is that ten nations or groups of nations will come together (establishing a “core Europe”) to form a mighty power bloc. Before this, Germany would have to have a strong government… which would require other and more competent leaders.

USA Will “Crush” Europe

The Telegraph wrote on November 23:

“A staunch ally of Donald Trump has warned Sir Keir Starmer that the UK will face severe economic consequences if it helps to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu. Senator Lindsey Graham said the US should ‘crush’ the economies of all those who comply with the warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC).  The prime minister of Israel faces arrest if he enters Britain, Downing Street has said. On Friday No 10 refused to explicitly comment on the case, saying it was a hypothetical situation, but added that the UK would follow its legal obligations.

“The ICC has also issued an arrest warrant for Yoav Gallant, Israel’s former defence minister, over alleged war crimes in Gaza. But the move has provoked fury among Republicans in the US. In response, Mr Graham tweeted: ‘Any nation or organization that aids or abets this outrage should expect to meet firm resistance from the United States, and I look forward to working with President Trump, his team, and my colleagues in Congress to come up with a powerful response…  I’m working with [another US senator] Tom Cotton to have legislation passed as soon as we can to sanction any country that aids and abets the arrest of any politician in Israel. What they’re doing in Israel is trying to prevent a second Holocaust. So, to any ally, Canada, Britain, Germany, France, if you try to help the ICC, we’re gonna sanction you.’…

“But shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel described the move [the issuance of the arrest warrant] as ‘concerning and provocative’ and called on the government to ‘condemn’ them.”

Strong words…

The USA to Invade the Netherlands?

Newsweek added on November 23:

“Several countries… such as Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland, Lithuania, Canada, Ireland, South Africa, Turkey, Jordan, Norway and Sweden, have said they will comply with the ICC’s arrest warrant or are open to it… Senator Tom Cotton… suggested in a post on X… on Thursday that the U.S. could invade the Netherlands, one of the countries that said they would comply with the ICC, if Netanyahu is arrested and brought there to face trial.

“[Cotton referred to] the American Service-Members’ Protection Act, which gives the president the legal authority to use ‘all means necessary and appropriate to bring about the release of any U.S. or allied personnel being detained or imprisoned by, on behalf of, or at the request of the International Criminal Court.’…”

This is hard to believe, but not impossible to imagine. It would completely destroy the relationship between the USA and Europe. Even threats like these do not help the relationship at all.

Trudeau Supports Netanyahu’s Arrest

Breitbart wrote on November 21:

“Radical leftist Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated on Thursday that he would allow the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Canadian soil in observance of a recently issued International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant against him… Trudeau noted that Canada was one of the founding countries of the ICC, which has no enforcement mechanism outside of the actions of members states, and declared that arresting Netanyahu was ‘just who we are as Canadians.’…

“Trudeau said later in the same remarks that the world should embrace the ‘two-state solution’ – the creation of an independent state of ‘Palestine’ – to end the conflict between Israel and Hamas…

“Trudeau’s announcement that he would support Netanyahu’s arrest prompted outrage nationwide. Some members of his own Liberal Party had condemned the ICC’s decision, giving the appearance that the party was divided on the issue. ‘The ICC discredits itself by its actions today,’ Liberal member of Parliament Anthony Housefather wrote in a statement on social media, noting that the ICC accused the Israeli leadership of committing crimes against humanity beginning on the day after the October 7 attack, ‘a day Israel was in shock, grief mourning.’…

“Conservative Sen. Leo Housakos wrote… ‘We stand with the people of Israel and support their right to self-defense against terrorism. The actions taken by both the ICC and Justin Trudeau should be condemned as a dangerous precedent that threatens global stability and the principles of international law.’…

“Canada experienced a shocking surge of antisemitic activity between the initial Hamas attack and October 2024: a 670-percent increase in documented violence and other antisemitic acts against Canadian Jews…

“Netanyahu’s government responded with outrage to the ICC warrants on Thursday. ‘The antisemitic decision of the International Criminal Court is a modern Dreyfus trial – and will end the same way,’ a statement from the prime minister’s office read. ‘Israel utterly rejects the false and absurd charges of the International Criminal Court, a biased and discriminatory political body.’

“‘The decision to issue an arrest warrant against the Prime Minister was made by a corrupt chief prosecutor who is trying to save himself from sexual harassment accusations and biased judges who are motivated by antisemitic hatred of Israel,’ the statement continued.”

While violent antisemitic and pro-Palestinian “protests” were going on in Montreal, with fires burning everywhere, Trudeau was seen dancing at a Taylor Swift concert. The ICC is a disgrace to the free world, and Trudeau (the modern Nero, like the ancient one who played the fiddle when Rome was burning?) is a shameful disgrace to Canada. Trudeau later “condemned” the violent antisemitic and pro-Palestinian protests, not unlike ancient Nero who set Rome on fire and then claimed that Christians had done it.

Antisemitism in France

The Jerusalem Post wrote on November 24:

“12% of the general population in France believe Jews leaving the country is a good thing, compared to 6% in 2020… 17% of under 35s believe this would be a good thing.”

Dershowitz to Defend Netanyahu

The Jerusalem Post wrote on November 25:

“US lawyer and professor Alan Dershowitz is assembling a team to defend Israeli leaders in The Hague… Dershowitz noted that the case would be tried in the court of public opinion as well as in The Hague. ‘For that reason, I am assembling a team of world-class lawyers from around the globe to help defend Israeli leaders against the false charges,’  Dershowitz wrote.”

The Troubled Story of ICC and Its Prosecutor

The New York Post wrote on November 21:

“[British-Muslim judge and ICC’s chief prosecutor Karim Asad Ahmad Khan] turned out to be at the center of sex-pest complaint by a former colleague at the ICC. The woman in question had lodged internal complaints about his lewd behavior… Khan’s brother was recently sent to prison in the UK for sexually assaulting a child.

“As multiple papers around the world have reported, Khan apparently made completely inappropriate sexual demands of a female colleague on multiple occasions. When she complained he threatened to ruin her career… the ‘MeToo’ crowd… seem to have been remarkably quiet.

“In any case, though Khan denied the charges, he must have realized his world might come crashing down, and rushed out a war-crimes charge against the Israeli prime minister. Then he carefully leaked to the left-wing media that he feared Mossad were out to get him…

“[Thankfully] both the United States and Israel were always wise enough not to sign up to the jurisdiction of this preposterous international court. In 2002 Henry Kissinger had an arrest warrant put out for him by a Spanish communist judge while the former Secretary of State was in Paris. Kissinger was whisked out of France in pretty cool time. But it was a reminder of one of one great, anti-democratic move of our era. Which is the idea that sovereign nations should effectively offer up their sovereignty. That the soldiers and statesmen of a sovereign nation should be allowed to be judged by the whims or perversions of a foreign judge in a foreign country…

“Idiotic, self-destructive and short-sighted nations around the democratic world have signed up to the jurisdiction of the ICC. For now — until it comes back to bite them — they seem to think that a couple of crooked judges from Britain or Africa should be allowed to decide how a sovereign nation is allowed to defend itself…

“This is an outrage of course. But it is one that also affects America. If they can do this to Israel, they can do it to America. President elect Trump has a historic mandate for many reasons. But now is a good time for him to make something very, very clear. If you come for America then America will come for you. And if you come for America’s closest allies, then wow will you regret the day…”

The rhetoric becomes louder and more direct…

Germany’s “Hesitant” Approach—Really?

Daily Mail added on November 23:

“Several governments have already expressed caution, while others – including the Netherlands, Ireland, Belgium, Spain and Austria – have insisted they respect the court and will follow the law, however much they may disagree with it… Austria, for one, said they found the ruling ‘utterly incomprehensible’ but said its authorities would have no choice but to make an arrest as ‘international law is nonnegotiable and applies everywhere’. 

“Germany has taken a more hesitant approach, suggesting it will carefully examine the ICC’s warrants but not take further steps until a visit to Germany is planned. ‘I find it hard to imagine that we would make arrests on this basis,’ said German government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit on Friday, pointing out that legal questions had to be clarified regarding the warrant. He did not specify what those questions entailed and did not answer when asked whether Netanyahu would be welcome in Germany.

“German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said… that Germany respected the ICC’s work and adhered to the law at national, European and international levels… ‘The German government was involved in the drafting of the ICC statute and is one of the biggest supporters of the ICC – this attitude is also the result of German history,’ said Hebestreit…”

Germany’s double-tongued message is cause for deep concern.

Fragile Temporary Ceasefire

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 27:

“After almost 14 months of fighting, a ceasefire agreement brokered by France and the US has been accepted by both Hezbollah and Israel. But is this the end of the conflict?…

“The ceasefire deal says there will be a two-month halt to fighting between the Israeli military and the armed wing of the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon… Hezbollah is to withdraw north of the Litani River while Israeli troops will gradually withdraw back south of the Blue Line into Israel… The Lebanese army will deploy 10,000 soldiers into the buffer zone to make sure that neither Hezbollah nor Israel returns…

“… experts agree the ceasefire is fragile as the underlying sources of the conflict still exist and its implementation will be difficult. Questions are already being asked about the Lebanese army’s ability to police the buffer zone…

“The ceasefire deal does not apply in any way to what’s going on in Gaza. Biden has said he hopes momentum created by the Lebanon agreement might lead to a similar outcome in Gaza, but Israel’s Netanyahu has already reacted negatively to that suggestion… The ceasefire has not changed the intentions of other members of the so-called ‘Axis of Resistance,’ a number of groups [including Hamas and the Houthis] backed by Iran that consider Israel and the US their enemies.”

Pope Wants Israel Investigated

National Catholic Register wrote on November 20:

“The news that Pope Francis would like the international community to investigate whether Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute genocide has shocked and angered many Jews in the U.S. and Israel. In a book excerpt published Nov. 17 in the Italian newspaper La Stampa, the Pope urges an inquiry into what some have labeled an Israeli genocide of Gaza civilians… ‘What is happening in Gaza has the characteristics of a genocide. We should investigate carefully to assess whether this fits into the technical definition [of genocide] formulated by international jurists and organizations,’ the [Pope] writes in the book…

“This is not the first time Pope Francis… has strongly criticized Israel’s actions. In September, he suggested Israel’s military maneuvers in Gaza and Lebanon were… ‘immoral.’…

“Israel insists that it is acting in self-defense against Iran-backed Islamic terrorists bent on its destruction. In addition to the Oct. 7 massacre, both Hamas and Hezbollah have fired thousands of rockets at Israeli towns and cities, displacing more than 200,000 Israelis.  

“The United Nations, Human Rights Watch and several other organizations have accused Israel of genocide, claiming that the IDF intentionally targets Palestinian civilians and is trying to evict Palestinians from Gaza… Israel says the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) goes to great lengths to keep Palestinian civilians out of harm’s way, either by dropping leaflets or telephoning civilians before an airstrike. It is Hamas, Israel asserts, that has launched thousands of rockets at Israel from Palestinian homes, hospitals and even mosques to maximize Palestinian civilian casualties and mobilize international hatred against the world’s only Jewish nation and its supporters. 

“Hamas — which the U.S. has designated a terror organization — is refusing to release the 100 remaining hostages, including seven Americans, that they kidnapped from Israeli homes and a music festival not far from the Gaza border during the Oct. 7 attack. Hostages who were released during a brief ceasefire say they were starved and tortured, imprisoned in airless tunnels or in the homes of Gaza civilians. Some witnessed Israeli women being raped…

“The Israeli government expressed dismay at the Pope’s words. ‘There was a genocidal massacre on 7 October 2023 of Israeli citizens, and since then, Israel has exercised its right of self-defense against attempts from seven different fronts to kill its citizens. Any attempt to call it by any other name is singling out the Jewish state,’ Yaron Sideman, ambassador to the Holy See [said]…

“Leading Jewish organizations have long maintained that the war in Gaza does not come close to meeting the criteria for genocide, noting that the term was being leveled at Israel within days of retaliating against Hamas.

“The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) offered sharp criticism of its own. ‘The State of Israel is currently facing a war of intended annihilation on seven fronts, and these remarks look like a possible opening of an eighth front, from of all places, the Vatican, which can also lead to the spilling of Jewish blood around the world,’ said the organization’s CEO, Sacha Roytman Dratwa. ‘For a Pope who appears to prize even-handedness and peace, we see that the Jewish State once again appears to be the exception…’

“B’nai B’rith International, which self-identifies as the world’s oldest and most widely known Jewish organization, said it is ‘stunned and outraged’ by the Pope’s assertion that Israel may have committed genocide…”

The Catholic Church was never a true friend of Israel, and the Bible shows that the relationship will end up in open hostility and warfare.

Trump to Impose Tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico

Fox News wrote on November 25:

“President-elect Trump on Monday said he would issue an executive order upon taking office to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% tariff on all products coming into the United States, as well as additional tariff hikes on China [a 10% tariff] over the flow of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs…  Trump said he has spoken with Chinese officials about fentanyl coming into the U.S., noting that the communist nation previously promised to put to death drug dealers involved in the illicit trade, but failed to follow through…

“‘Indeed, unknown to most Americans, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is actively funding, supporting, and pushing America’s most deadly drug threat in history,’ reads a Heritage Foundation report…”

The Telegraph wrote on November 26:

“Global stock indexes are mostly down after Donald Trump last night ramped up the rhetoric on tariffs… Europe must prepare for Donald Trump to impose hefty tariffs on its exports, Germany’s economy minister has said.

“Robert Habeck said… ‘We have to be prepared for the fact that something similar could also happen to Europe or Germany.’ He told a business conference in Berlin that the president-elect’s announcement indicates that his threats should be taken seriously… ‘The EU must react to this in a united manner (and) speak together as Europe.’”

Bessent For Treasury Secretary?

Axios wrote on November 22:

“President-elect Trump will nominate Scott Bessent, a financier focused on global macroeconomics, as his Treasury secretary, which would make him the incoming administration’s top economic official… Bessent would bring… a close relationship with Trump — as well as a surprising connection to hedge fund manager George Soros, mega-donor to liberal causes and bogeyman to the political right…

“Bessent, 62, founded hedge fund Key Square Capital Management. Before that, he spent most of his career at Soros Capital Management, including as chief investment officer from 2011 to 2015…

“Bessent is married to John Freeman, a former prosecutor, and they have two children. If confirmed, Bessent would be the first openly gay Treasury secretary…”

DNYUZ wrote on November 23:

“The selection [of Scott Bessent] caps an extraordinary career arc for an investor who was once a protégé of the liberal billionaire philanthropist George Soros and who gave money to top Democrats including Hillary Clinton, John Kerry and Barack Obama… Mr. Bessent who would be the first openly gay Treasury secretary, was a strong advocate for gay rights and marriage equality…

“In the 1990s, he worked as a partner at Soros Fund Management, gaining notoriety by betting against the British pound and earning the firm $1 billion. After leaving to start his own fund, Mr. Bessent returned in 2011 to become Mr. Soros’s chief investment officer…

“As Mr. Trump was making his decision, skeptics of Mr. Bessent raised concerns about his ties to Mr. Soros and suggested that he was not a true believer in tariffs. However, he won the public support of key advisers to Mr. Trump such as Larry Kudlow and Stephen K. Bannon, who viewed him as the best choice.”

What’s going on with some of Trump’s strange nominations? In addition to the controversial nomination of Scott Bessent, we have been witnessing the nomination of the radical and extremely dangerous Stephen Miller; of the controversial, inexperienced and highly unliked Matt Gaetz (who by now withdrew); and of Pete Hegseth (with rape charges hanging over his head, which he denied, but he described more than one affair as “consensual” sex…, i.e. of adultery).  Of course, there will be other nominations which will be, rightly or wrongly, highly contested.

Trump Federal Cases Dismissed

ABC News reported on November 25:

“The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s election Interference case dismissed the case Monday, after special counsel Jack Smith asked the judge to toss the case due to a long-standing Justice Department policy that bars the prosecution of a sitting president. Smith earlier Monday filed a motion to dismiss the case, as well as the appeal of Trump’s classified documents case ahead of Trump’s impending inauguration, due to the DOJ’s presidential immunity policy and not because the charges lacked merit…

“U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan dismissed the election interference charges against Trump without prejudice, leaving open the highly unlikely possibility of a future prosecution… ‘Dismissal without prejudice is also consistent with the Government’s understanding that the immunity afforded to a sitting President is temporary, expiring when they leave office,’ Chutkan wrote. However, it’s extremely unlikely that any prosecutor would attempt to bring the same charges in the future, in part because the statute of limitations for the alleged crimes will have expired by the time Trump leaves office in four years….”

In the document case, Smith had appealed a decision by the judge dismissing the case as Smith’s appointment as special prosecutor was found to be illegal and unconstitutional.

AFP wrote on November 26:

“An appeals court on Tuesday granted a request by prosecutors to drop the case against President-elect Donald Trump for mishandling classified documents.”

Breitbart added on November 25:

“Taken together, the moves mark the end of the federal prosecutions against the president-elect, leaving two remaining cases at the state level in Georgia and New York.”

Trump’s Controversial Deportation Plans

The Huffington Post wrote on November 23:

“In the aftermath of Donald Trump’s election to a second term as president, attention has turned to his highest-profile campaign promise: the mass deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants living in the United States… Trump and his allies say they will focus on ‘violent criminals’…  But the fine print is always the same. When they say ‘criminals,’ they mean all roughly 11 million undocumented people in the country, most of whom have lived in the United States here for years, have family and loved ones who are U.S. citizens, and have never committed a serious crime…

“Trump ‘border czar’ Tom Homan] said…that the ‘massive deportation operation’ would be focused on ‘those people entering the country illegally, which is a crime.’ It’s not technically true that all unauthorized immigrants are criminals. Though crossing the border without authorization is a misdemeanor at first, and then a felony every time after that, some undocumented people — such as those who overstay visas — are civil offenders, not criminals.

“Nonetheless, Trump and his allies have painted all undocumented immigrants broadly as criminals, and they’ve said they intend to go after everyone. Last November, Stephen Miller — a key Trump adviser on immigration and the incoming deputy chief of staff for policy — told the New York Times in the paper’s words, that ‘a new Trump administration would shift from the ICE practice of arresting specific people to carrying out workplace raids and other sweeps in public places aimed at arresting scores of unauthorized immigrants at once.’..

“Roughly 11 million undocumented people lived in the United States as of 2022…  Estimates of the undocumented population include people who have temporary protections from deportation, such as people who are applying for asylum (even if they crossed the border without authorization), people with so-called ‘temporary protected status,’ recipients of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or ‘DACA,’ and people applying for certain visas from within the United States. This group with temporary protections accounts for almost 30% of the undocumented population…  The undocumented population estimates do not include naturalized citizens, green card holders, approved refugees, people who’ve been granted asylum, and people with temporary lawful status like students with visas.

“Nearly two-thirds of the undocumented population has lived in the United States for over a decade, and a third of those 15 and older reside with at least one U.S.-citizen child under 18… The vast majority of undocumented immigrants live in ‘mixed status’ households. Some 8.5 million undocumented people live alongside U.S. citizens, or, in some cases, noncitizens with legal status… In all, 5.5 million U.S.-born children live in households with at least one undocumented resident… All told, about 1 in 12 U.S. residents will be at risk of either deportation or family separation — the result of deporting a member of a mixed-status or undocumented household — in 2025…

“Some people have received what are known as ‘final orders of removal,’ meaning an immigration judge has determined they can be deported… [Some] put the figure at between 1.4 and 1.5 million people. Only a fraction of that number is currently in ICE custody, or part of an ‘alternative to detention’ program like wearing an ankle bracelet. This group will be a top priority for the Trump administration, as will detaining people with final removal orders who aren’t in ICE custody… Others have been ordered removed from the country ‘in absentia’ — meaning after they missed an immigration court date — though these orders can be reversed in some cases, for example if the affected person did not receive proper notice of their hearing. In all, there are millions of cases currently pending in immigration court.

“Even if Trump vastly expanded the scale and pace of the immigration legal system — a tall order — he’d still need the cooperation of other countries to accept people deported from the United States. The ‘repatriation’ flights that Miller hopes will ‘constantly’ churn between U.S.-based detention facilities and countries around the world depend in part on diplomacy…

“Trump and Miller have also spoken about the potential for using National Guard and even U.S. military personnel as part of the effort — though U.S. law would complicate this. Immigration enforcement is generally reserved for domestic federal law officers, not the military, and efforts to cross that line would likely end up in court.

“Perhaps the most potent weapon Trump wields when it comes to speeding deportations is the fact that open-ended stays in detention facilities, which are jails in all but name, will lead many to put an end to their misery by agreeing to their own deportation without waiting for a judge’s order. That is likely one of the motivations behind Miller’s effort to build vast detention camps for migrants — they would constitute an extreme attempt to pressure people to leave the country without exercising their right to appeal. Trump applied such pressure in his first term with the ‘zero tolerance’ or ‘family separation’ policy, which Miller and Homan played key roles in crafting. The practice involved criminally charging every adult who crossed the border without authorization, meaning they would be briefly held in jail and their children would be considered ‘unaccompanied’ minors, as detention rules differ for children….”

Some of these concepts are simply terrible.

Using the Military

Reuters reported on November 26:

“President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to use the U.S. military to help deport millions of undocumented migrants, a plan that breaks from U.S. tradition against deploying troops domestically but which legal experts said would still be hard to successfully challenge in court. Trump has not explained how he plans to deploy the military to deport migrants… ‘President Trump will marshal every federal and state power necessary to institute the largest deportation operation of illegal criminals, drug dealers, and human traffickers in American history,’ Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement on Monday.

“Every president since Bill Clinton in the 1990s has sent National Guard or active-duty soldiers to the border in support roles, ranging from surveillance to training and fixing equipment. Experts said the support role exceptions to the Posse Comitatus Act might also allow the military to build vast camps to hold those slated for removal. Stephen Miller, an immigration adviser to Trump, floated that proposal to the New York Times in November 2023…

“If state governors refuse to send their National Guard, Trump could invoke the Insurrection Act… It has been used 30 times in U.S. history…  Trump could be invited by a governor to invoke the act, as former President George H.W. Bush was in 1992 in response to riots in Los Angeles. Trump could also invoke it on his own if there has been a breakdown in law and order or it is needed to defend civil rights. It was invoked in 1871 to fight racial violence by the Ku Klux Klan after the Civil War and in the 1950s and 1960s to enforce school desegregation and protect civil rights marches.”

Bad Economic Impact on Mass Deportations?

AFP wrote on November 24:

“President-elect Donald Trump’s tough immigration proposals — including a controversial mass deportation plan — could prove economically damaging…, with US sectors that rely heavily on foreign workers like agriculture and construction especially hard hit… Around 8.3 million unauthorized people were in the labor force in 2022… That was equivalent to just under five percent of the overall workforce… many of the sectors that could be the hardest-hit have long struggled to attract US workers.

“‘The construction and agriculture industries would lose at least one in eight workers, while in hospitality, about one in 14 workers would be deported due to their undocumented status,’ the non-profit American Immigration Council (AIC) said in a recent report on Trump’s deportation plans. The deportations would also impact ‘more than 30 percent’ of plasterers, roofers, and painters, along with a quarter of housekeeping cleaners, according to the report…

“A recent Peterson Institute for International Economics report… predicted that economic growth by 2028 could be 7.4 percent beneath baseline estimates, ‘meaning no US net economic growth occurs over the second Trump term because of this policy alone.’”

npr added on November 23:

“Clear signals President-elect Donald Trump plans to make good on his campaign pledge to deport millions of undocumented immigrants in his second term has sparked concerns among some in Texas’ business and economic sectors who say mass deportations could upend some of the state’s major industries that rely on undocumented labor, chief among them the booming construction industry… In 2022, more than a half million immigrants worked in the construction industry…  Nearly 60% of that workforce was undocumented… the Texas General Land Office recently offered the incoming Trump administration more than 1,400 acres of South Texas land ‘to construction deportation facilities.’”

It was also stated that Trump’s deportation plans “would devastate our [Texas’] industry, we wouldn’t finish our highways, we wouldn’t finish our schools… Housing would disappear… they’d lose half their labor.”

We will see…

America’s Ridiculous Immigration Nightmare

Fox News wrote on November 21:

“Former NCAA swimmer and conservative activist Biley Gaines…  were married in May 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee… Gaines says Barker, despite coming into the country legally, has not been able to attain citizenship or even a green card yet, despite the fact that the couple has been married for two years… Gaines says the couple received a letter in the mail. The reason Barker has not been granted citizenship is that he does not have the COVID-19 vaccine. ‘Think about how hard our government has made it for people migrating into this country legally in comparison to those who break the law. Because if you just walk across the southern border, you’re given housing, a driver’s license, money.’

“Elon Musk reposed Gaines’ TikTok video on X with a message advocating for legal immigration reform. Musk himself is also a legal immigrant from South Africa who has also spoken in favor of immigration reform in the U.S…. ‘Legal immigration to America is ridiculously slow and difficult, even for super talented people. Needs to be fixed,’ Musk wrote. 

“U.S. immigration law requires immigrant visa applicants to obtain certain vaccinations prior to the issuance of an immigrant visa. The COVID-19 vaccine was added to that list under the Biden-Harris administration. Panel physicians who conduct medical examinations of immigrant visa applicants are required to verify that immigrant visa applicants have met the vaccination requirements, or that it is medically inappropriate for the visa applicant to receive one or more of the listed vaccinations. However, none of this applies to people who sneak into the country illegally.”

America’s immigration system embraces clearly incredibly stupid requirements and procedures.

The Orca Tragedy

The Sun wrote on November 26:

“A KILLER whale that spent its whole life in captivity and fatally attacked its trainer in 2009 has died at a Canary Islands park… The orca, originally born at SeaWorld Orlando in 1995, had been transferred to Loro Parque in 2006, where he performed for crowds and was used for breeding. Keto’s life began in captivity, born as part of SeaWorld’s controversial orca breeding programme. His mother, Kalina, was the first orca successfully born in a SeaWorld park, while his father, Kotar, died tragically when a tank gate crushed his skull.

“Keto was torn from his mother at just four years old and shuffled between several SeaWorld parks before being loaned to Loro Parque. At Loro Parque, Keto was bred with his niece, Kohana, in an unnatural pairing that resulted in multiple calves. Only one, Adán, survives today. His daughter, Vicky, died at just 10 months old. Keto’s captivity is said to have taken a severe toll on his mental and physical health… engaging in unnatural and harmful behaviours, such as chewing on concrete out of frustration, which severely damaged his teeth…

“On Christmas Eve 2009,  Keto killed his trainer, 29-year old Alexis Martinez, during a rehearsal for a Christmas show… The attack… came just two months before another orca killed trainer Dawn Brancheau  in front of an audience at SeaWorld Orlando.  These tragedies highlighted the dangers of keeping orcas in captivity and prompted SeaWorld to briefly suspend water work with whales. PETA and other animal welfare groups… criticised both SeaWorld and Loro Parque for subjecting him to a life of confinement in small tanks, depriving him of the ability to swim vast distances or form natural social bonds. PETA also noted that Keto’s mixed genetic background—75% Icelandic and 25% Southern Resident orca—would never occur in the wild, as these populations are separated by vast distances and have distinct social structures.

“Keto’s unnatural breeding and life in captivity, they argue, robbed him of a natural existence… [The zoo noted] that 29 years is average for male orcas in the wild. Critics, however, argue that captivity was the true cause of Keto’s early death. In the wild, male orcas can live up to 60 or 70 years.”

The conduct of SeaWorld and other parks must indeed be questioned. Is it really God’s Will to treat or mistreat animals in that way?

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.

Jews Safer in Eastern Europe

The Wall Street Journal wrote on November 15:

“After the attacks in Amsterdam, a delegation of imams from France and Belgium came to the city to condemn the violence and lay flowers at the house where Anne Frank hid during the Nazi occupation before being found and deported to a death camp. Some local Islamic organizations criticized the media and some politicians for using the attacks to stigmatize Muslims.

“Public opinion surveys by the Anti-Defamation League have found that antisemitic attitudes are actually more common in Eastern European countries like Hungary, Poland and Ukraine than in France, Germany and the Netherlands. Yet Eastern Europe, home to the killing fields of the Holocaust in World War II, has reported few violent antisemitic incidents since Oct. 7. Hungary and Poland, home to around 45,000 and 17,000 Jews respectively, each registered a single violent incident. In the Czech Republic, home to around 5,000 Jews, two incidents were recorded.”

Breitbart wrote on November 15:

“Tourism or attending sports games is becoming increasingly difficult in Europe for Israeli citizens, where mass migration has radically altered city demographics in many European states and governments increasingly see events like football matches against Israeli teams as a ‘high-risk’ threat… they would rather do without. A recent home match for a Belgian team against Israel couldn’t find a single city in the country willing to host the game…

“Belgium… refused to allow Israel’s footballers to play there for the UEFA championship this year. The Belgian authorities said at the time it would be ‘impossible to organize this very high-risk match’ due to tensions over the Israel-Hamas war.”

In spite of rampant anti-Semitism in Eastern Europe, Jews feel much safer there than in Western Europe… for now.

Violence in Amsterdam

Bloomberg wrote on November 16:

“… the war in Gaza is reverberating thousands of miles away. All over the world, the conflict has inflamed both anti-Israel rhetoric and antisemitism and blurred the boundaries between them — but Europe’s particular history of persecution has left the region’s Jewish population bewildered and fearful. ‘Antisemitism has made an eerie comeback in the western world,’ said Eva Illouz, a French-Israeli sociologist living in Paris… homes and businesses have been vandalized with antisemitic and pro-Hamas graffiti. Antisemitic slurs have been chanted in the streets, and instances of physical violence against Jews have increased… At the same time, Arab and Muslim people in Europe are also facing extreme levels of discrimination and violence…

“In the wake of the violence [in Amsterdam], Dutch King Willem-Alexander announced that the Netherlands had failed the Jewish community ‘again.’…

“Meanwhile, authorities fear that these issues — and the very real threats facing Jewish and Muslim people — will not disappear anytime soon. Scheinin, the Israeli man who was out in Amsterdam the night of the attacks, felt singled out in the Netherlands long before tensions burst out into the open. He had several close friends cut him off on account of the war, without bothering to ask about his beliefs. He’s grown accustomed to potential partners rejecting him on dating apps for being Israeli. After four and a half years trying to build a life in Amsterdam, he’s giving up. Last week, he decided to move back to Israel.”

Jews feel no longer safe in Western Europe.

“‘Jew Hunts’ Are Returning to the Streets of Europe”

The Telegraph wrote on November 15:

“History is repeating itself – anti-Semitic violence is back once more in Dutch, Belgian and German cities.

“This week an American friend asked me whether it is safe to come to London. He asked me because he is Jewish. I was unsettled by the question but understood why he asked. My friend had been reading reports of violent Jew-hate in Europe. The terrifying events in Amsterdam over the past few days have heightened many Jewish people’s sensitivities to the risks that may surround them. An extra degree of caution is seeping into the thoughts of a growing number as they go about their daily lives. We now know more details of what took place in Holland and the planning that went into it…

“The attacks were well-organised, with taxi drivers responding to calls to mobilise and help identify the whereabouts of Jews… It would be some solace to believe that these horrific events in Amsterdam were an isolated incident, but this is not the case. Accounts of violent racism against Jews have appeared across Europe over the past few days.

“In Germany, a group of Jewish schoolchildren were attacked by a pro-Palestinian mob armed with knives and sticks… In Belgium, police arrested five men as part of a pro-active effort to stop a suspected ‘Jew hunt’…”

Terrible atrocities in Europe! Please note our StandingWatch program, “Why Riots Against Jews in Amsterdam?” 

In our German edition of “Aktuelle Weltnachrichten”, dated November 14, we stated the following regarding the German AufPostenStehen version of our StandingWatch program, titled, “Warum die Gewalt gegen Juden in Amsterdam? 

“For a while, we have been allowing comments on our AufPostenStehen programs, although we do not necessarily share the views expressed there. However, some anti-Semitic statements and absolute propagandistic false statements about the [new] program were particularly frightening, from which we have removed the most blatant ones. A disgrace for Germany that such vile anti-Semitism is possible… and unfortunately, it will only increase.”

Arrest Warrant for Netanyahu

The Associated Press reported on November 21: 

“The International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on Thursday for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his former defense minister and Hamas officials, accusing them of war crimes and crimes against humanity over the war in Gaza and the October 2023 attacks that triggered Israel’s offensive in the Palestinian territory.

“The decision turns Netanyahu and the others into internationally wanted suspects and is likely to further isolate them and complicate efforts to negotiate a cease-fire to end the 13-month conflict. But its practical implications could be limited since Israel and its major ally, the United States, are not members of the court and several of the Hamas officials have been subsequently killed in the conflict.

“Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders have condemned ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan’s request for warrants as disgraceful and antisemitic. U.S. President Joe Biden also blasted the prosecutor and expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself against Hamas. Hamas also slammed the request…. The court itself has no police to enforce warrants, instead relying on cooperation from its member states.”

Will Trump Be More Powerful Than Ever?

Bild Online wrote on November 15:

“Immediately after his election victory, Donald Trump (78) struck a mild tone – spoke of the ‘time of unity’ and of becoming the president of all Americans. Now he’s back to his old self!

“Trump sent a clear signal to the Republicans that he wants more power. His party should guarantee him that he can install a number of ministers and employees in his future government without a vote in the Senate. His reasoning: ‘Otherwise it would take too long to form a government.’… He expects absolute obedience from the Republicans. And he wants to reduce Congress’s ability to put the White House, and thus him, on a leash.

“His chances of doing so are good. Because the Republicans have a solid majority in the Senate at 53 to 47. And: They are on the verge of getting a majority in the House of Representatives. Trump would have a ‘government trifecta’ – a government hat trick from the White House and both chambers of Congress. The opposition would then be condemned to watch for at least two years. Two years in which Trump has a lot planned…

“Trump announced during the election campaign that he would revamp the powerful justice department, which operates largely independently of the White House. With Matt Gaetz (42), he wants to appoint someone who is absolutely loyal to him as Minister of Justice – and fire all Democrats in the ministry immediately…

“Trump announced during the election campaign that he did not want a say in setting interest rates and threatened to fire Fed Chairman Collin Powell (71). He has already declared that he will demand his term of office in court if necessary. But here too, Trump has the upper hand: in his first term in office, he installed three constitutional judges and created a super majority of his Republicans of six to three judges. Consequence: The court granted the president extensive immunity last July…

“Trump has placed the richest man in the world in a key position in the form of Tesla boss Elon Musk (53, 296 billion euros). The SpaceX boss will head the ‘Department of Government Efficiency’. Specific task: drastic cuts in government spending. Number three on the money list, Jeff Bezos (60, 209 billion euros), is also considered an advisor to the president.

“In plain language: Nothing stands in the way of Trump’s vision of a super president.”

Something Europe will not like for sure…

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 16:

“The incoming president has made clear that he would prefer to circumvent the whole confirmation process altogether. To do so, Trump could make so-called ‘recess appointments,’ installing Cabinet members while Congress is not in session, allowing him to sidestep confirmation hearings. Trump has already called on Republicans to approve his unusual plan in a statement on X…

“The Supreme Court… could be called upon to weigh in on the constitutionality of the domestic deployment of US troops to carry out deportations, or attempts to upend birthright citizenship [guaranteed by the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution], as George Washington University political science professor Sarah Binder told DW. Binder is concerned that the current conservative-majority Supreme Court may choose to ignore legal precedent and instead regularly rule in favor of Republican policies…”

Trump’s Deportation Plans

The Mail on Sunday wrote on November 17:

“When Donald Trump is inaugurated as America’s 47th president on January 20, the event will mark the official start of his second term in office with carefully stage-managed images that will be seen around the world. Within hours of the event, Trump will take his seat behind the Resolute desk in the Oval Office and launch what he calls ‘the biggest mass deportation in American history’.

“While the expulsion of illegal immigrants was a focal point of Trump’s election campaign, the precise details of how he intends to accomplish his goal of removing as many as 20 million people from US soil have largely remained unknown.

“The Mail on Sunday has spoken to those in Trump’s inner circle who say his immigration plans have been top of the list in discussions held at Mar-a-Lago, his Florida home, in the days since his crushing victory. One lawyer familiar with the talks told me: ‘Donald is preparing for a series of moves against illegal immigrants, which he says will cause ‘shock and awe’. Kicking out illegals was the mainstay of his run… The source claims Trump will immediately sign a series of executive orders… Citing an immigration crisis, he will temporarily shut the southern border to give officials a chance to clear a huge backlog of cases…

“There are plans to significantly increase the number of armed officers on horseback patrolling the rugged terrain close to the US’s border with Mexico. And, of course, construction will resume on the… wall running between the two countries…

“Trump plans to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which gives presidents the authority to detain and deport non-citizens from ‘hostile nations’ during times of war and conflict. The law was used to justify the building of Japanese internment camps during the Second World War. According to those familiar with Trump’s plans, he will target the 700,000 Venezuelans, Haitians, Cubans and Nicaraguans he has branded ‘vicious criminals from countries that hate us’, who have been allowed to stay in the US under a Biden parole programme.

“And what if, as is highly likely, countries refuse to take back violent gang members? Trump will cut off aid and ban travellers from those countries from entering the US, even on tourist visas.

“’Step Two’ is to expel more than one million people whose applications to remain in the US have been denied and who are on the deportation list.

“Then the round-up of the millions of remaining illegal immigrants will begin as part of ‘Step Three’. Places of work, including farms and meatpacking plants, will be subject to raids (or ‘targeted enforcement activities’)… Individuals will be taken to ‘holding centres’ before their deportation is fast-tracked.

“Experts say the cost of the first two steps could be as much as $300 billion and the cost of expelling every illegal alien – something even Trump privately admits is impossible – could be as much as $1 trillion… Trump is considering deploying the military and National Guard to build ‘tent cities’ on unused federal land, including property belonging to schools and prisons…

“But it is the rounding up of the bulk of migrants under ‘Step Three’ that will likely produce the defining images of Trump’s second term. Many of these people will have children, after being in the US for years. Pictures of families being torn apart, of children being ripped from their parents’ arms, could backfire on Trump.

“But the lawyer who has been speaking to Trump’s team says: ‘What you have to remember is that President Obama deported five million people, and no one talks about that because he’s a Democrat.’ It was under Obama, he observes, that controversial chain-link fence enclosures – or cages – in deportation holding centres were first built. ‘President Trump has a professional team around him,’ says the lawyer. ‘The best of the best. They have been working on this immigration plan for years.’ And, crucially, Trump ‘has the mandate of the people’.

“He insists that the President-elect isn’t against immigration, pointing out that Trump is married to Melania, a Slovenian-American; his first wife Ivana was born in what was then Czechoslovakia; and Elon Musk, ‘his best buddy’, hails from South Africa…”

We will see if some, or all, of the plans described above will be carried out. As described above, some, if not many, of them do not look too good or just or godly.

Trump Will Declare National Emergency

Washington Examiner wrote on November 18:

“President-elect Donald Trump  confirmed on Truth Social early Monday morning that his incoming administration will declare a national emergency and use military resources to implement a mass deportation of illegal immigrants… the president-elect said he would ‘deport more illegal immigrants from the United States than any of his predecessors.’

“To implement such a plan and facilitate this initiative, Trump announced that Tom Homan, former acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, would be the ‘border czar’ for the Trump administration… Homan stressed that he would prioritize deporting the illegal immigrants who were already told to leave the country by a federal immigration judge but have defied those orders… Currently, there are an estimated 1.3 million illegal immigrants who were ordered to leave the country but ignored those orders and remained, the Wall Street Journal reported.”

DACA Recipients Brace for Trump’s Return 

Newsmax wrote on November 15:

“Advocates are advising beneficiaries of a program that protects illegal immigrants brought to the U.S. as children to renew their status immediately, if eligible, because of President-elect Donald Trump’s promise of mass deportations. Just a fraction of an estimated 3.6 million illegal immigrants brought to the country as children (called Dreamers) have sought legal protection under Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The Obama-era policy protects qualifying Dreamers by temporarily shielding them from deportation and providing them work authorization with possible renewal every two years…

“During his first term, Trump tried to end DACA in 2017. But the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision written by Chief Justice John Roberts, ruled in 2020 the Trump administration did not provide a reasoned explanation for ending DACA. But the court’s ruling allowed the administration to make another attempt to end the program if it used proper administrative procedures, including a well-reasoned explanation for its actions…”

And now, Republican judges are in the majority, 6 to 3. To abolish the protection for “Dreamers” would be absolutely unconscionable.

Is Fauci Finally Going to Pay For His Crimes?

Life Site News wrote on November 19:

“… the newly nominated U.S. Attorney General Matt Gaetz… declared, ‘The Hammer of Justice is coming [on Fauci].’… Anthony Fauci committed a federal crime [on May 11, 2021] by providing false testimony to Congress under oath…

“In June of this year, criminal referral requests against Anthony Fauci and other public health officials were submitted to District Attorneys in Louisiana…  the Trump administration will likely have no issue identifying federal crimes committed during the COVID-19 pandemic… some courts have already taken positive action. Last week, a Michigan jury awarded $12 million to a Blue Cross Blue Shield employee fired after refusing the COVID-19 ‘vaccine’: Much of the award – $10 million – is for punitive damages against Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan…

“Another employee from Blue Cross Blue Shield that was fired for refusing to take a COVID-19 mRNA injection was awarded almost $700,000 by a federal jury. This was followed by a court ordering San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District (BART) to pay $7.8 million to 6 workers fired for refusing COVID-19 mRNA injections.

“The jury awarded over $1 million to each of six former BART employees who were fired for seeking religious exemptions from the COVID-19 vaccine mandate. The court rejected BART’s claim of undue hardship, ruling the firings violated their religious rights. This landmark decision came after nearly three years of struggle.

“With a Robert F. Kennedy Jr.-led restructuring of public health agencies and a revamped Department of Justice, the scales of justice are expected to tip in favor of medical freedom and democracy as public and expert opinion continues to shift.”

Late—too late for many—but at least something is happening.

Gaetz Withdraws

Newsmax wrote on November 21:

“Matt Gaetz… withdrew from consideration for attorney general Thursday, saying he was ‘unfairly becoming a distraction’ to President-elect Donald Trump’s transition… his meetings with Republican senators this week reportedly revealed that his nomination would get rejected in confirmation hearings.”

Habeck Presses Charges Against His Critics

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 15:

“Deputy Chancellor Robert Habeck has pressed charges against a man who posted a picture of him with a derogatory caption online… The public prosecutor’s office in Bamberg in northern Bavaria confirmed on Friday that the suspect’s flat had been searched, with a tablet device being seized, and that [Habeck] had asked authorities to prosecute an alleged insult against him…

“[The man] captioned the photo with a phrase that could be translated multiple ways in English, with one strong option being ‘professional idiot’ — with the German ‘Schwachkopf’ literally translating as ‘weak-head.’ The man… appeared to be trying to allude to an advertising campaign by the similarly-named hair care company Schwarzkopf Professional…

“At least in theory, any political officials in Germany — all the way from the chancellor to the municipal level — can press charges against perceived public insults, if they think they can demonstrate reputational harm or an impact on their ability to carry out their role.  If convicted, perpetrators can face a fine or up to three years in prison…”

Report 24 added on November 15 that Habeck, who wants to become Germany’s next Chancellor, has by now pressed 805 charges against German citizens for “inflicting reputational harm.”

Nius added on November 15::

“It is still hard to believe: Federal Economics Minister Robert Habeck (Greens) had filed a criminal complaint against a citizen who had insulted him as an ‘imbecile’. The renowned GDR historian Hubertus Knabe tells NIUS that this is definitely reminiscent of the abuse of justice in the communist German Democratic Republic….

“He thinks: ‘If a member of the government takes criminal action against a citizen because of such a statement, it has another dimension – and it is definitely reminiscent of the abuse of justice in the GDR… As a politician you have to endure more than normal citizens. Especially derogatory statements that are made emotionally – these are part of the political business. If you can’t stand that, then you’re in the wrong place in politics…”

These developments in Germany are truly “hard to believe”—unless you know biblical prophecy. The Bible tells us that Germany will become an absolute unhinged dictatorship. 

Scholz Calls Putin

Breitbart wrote on November 16:

“The German government has collapsed and is rapidly heading to snap elections in early 2025, but Chancellor Olaf Scholz has picked this moment to reach out to Russian President Vladimir Putin for the first time in two years to ask him to withdraw his troops from Ukraine…

“Per a German government spokesman, the call lasted for an hour and Scholz spent his time on the line with President Putin condemning the Russian war against Ukraine, calling on Moscow to enter negotiations, and urging for the Kremlin to end the conflict by withdrawing their troops. Scholz told Putin Russia had failed to achieve its war aims so it might as well now give up…

“German newspaper Die Welt states that in addition to asking Russia to end the war, Scholz also affirmed on behalf of Germany to President Putin the nation’s ‘unwavering determination’ to keep supporting Ukraine for as long as necessary… Ukraine reacted badly to the call. President Volodymyr Zelensky called it a ‘Pandora’s box’ moment that could lead to other conversations with the Russian leader. Zelensky said this is ‘exactly what Putin has wanted for a long time: it is crucial for him to weaken his isolation.’

“Russia reacted in turn, with their state media stating the country’s position was essentially unchanged, and President Putin has told Scholz Moscow would enter into negotiations to ‘settle the conflict’ as long as all of its conditions were met. While evidently, these are not acceptable to Ukraine or its Western backers, they nevertheless include Ukraine surrendering parts of its territory to the Russian Federation and then becoming a ‘non-aligned’ and demilitarized state…”

That Russia, according to Scholz, had not achieved its military goals and should therefore give up is a rather illusionary conclusion. In addition, Scholz is a lame-duck chancellor and does not speak for Germany at all anymore. It is not expected that Scholz will stay chancellor after the new elections, currently planned in February.

Biden Gives Green Light for Long-Range Missiles

The New York Post wrote on November 17:

“President Biden has reportedly given Ukraine permission to deploy US-supplied long-range missiles to attack targets in Russian territory just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. Ukraine said it plans to take advantage of the policy change within days.

“The dramatic shift in policy comes as Ukraine has faced setbacks on the battlefield… Trump had pledged that he will end the war once he takes office in January… Looming over the decision was the Kremlin’s decision to deploy North Korean troops into the bloody war, which presents significant dangers for Ukraine…”

Breitbart added on November 17:

“[Biden’s] move… may escalate the conflict two months before President-Elect Donald Trump comes into office with a mandate to seek a peace settlement… The apparent about-face from the Biden administration may be seen as an attempt to undermine peace efforts by incoming President Donald Trump, who has already embarked upon unofficial diplomatic efforts to fulfil his promise of negotiating an end to the war…

“The ‘Weimar Triangle’ alliance of France, Germany, and Poland are… expected to meet alongside the UK and others next week to discuss potentially increasing European funding for the war if the incoming Trump administration seeks to limit aid to Ukraine. It is unclear, however, how much popular support would be for such a move, given the budget crises currently bedevilling the left-wing governments in Berlin, London, and Paris.”

So far, Scholz has steadfastly refused to allow German long-range missiles to be used to attack targets within Russia. He said he would not allow it even if the USA did… 

Will Scholz Make Room For Pistorius?

The Guardian wrote on November 19:

“Germany’s chancellor, Olaf Scholz, is under mounting pressure to step aside as his party’s candidate for the job in February’s snap election in favour of his defence minister, Boris Pistorius, the most popular politician in the country… In a move drawing comparisons to Joe Biden’s decision to step aside for Kamala Harris as the Democratic party candidate in the US election, speculation is rife that the SPD could switch horses at roughly the same moment in the campaign, with about 100 days left.

“Scholz led a fractious three-way coalition from 2021 until it imploded this month after he fired his pro-business finance minister Christian Lindner. He has stated he is seeking a second term at the helm of the EU’s top economic power. But even his swift move… has failed to revive his political fortunes.

“A poll published on Tuesday showed Scholz slipping into last place among Germany’s top 20 politicians in terms of support, with the genial, politically deft Pistorius consistently holding on to the lead… Pistorius had repeatedly demurred when asked about ambitions to replace Scholz, citing loyalty and a commitment to the defence brief. But on Monday evening he shifted his tone, saying: ‘In politics you should never rule anything out.’… The defence minister has made his backing known for shipping long-range Taurus missiles long demanded by Ukraine, while Scholz this week again ruled out such a move over fears of escalation of the war…”

Politico added on November 20:

“Boris Pistorius, Germany’s current defense minister and a member of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD), consistently ranks as the most liked politician in the country. Scholz, on the other hand, ranks as one of the least popular politicians…

“Pistorius is known for his relatively hawkish views when it comes to providing arms to Ukraine and expanding Germany’s military. For this reason, he’s not necessarily a natural fit for a party that has traditionally sought to retain ties to Moscow and has remained skeptical of wielding military power.

“Despite that, many inside the SPD are arguing that Pistorius is the only one who can save the party from a stinging defeat in Germany’s early election, expected on Feb. 23, following the collapse of Scholz’s three-party coalition earlier this month…

“SPD leaders have sought to put speculation about a possible Pistorius candidacy to rest, vowing that Scholz remains the party’s top choice. But a growing number within the party’s rank and file are coming out to voice support for Pistorius…

“The goal, he has often said, is to make the German military ‘fit for war.’ Pistorius has also spearheaded a new recruitment effort based on a volunteer model in an effort to bolster Germany’s depleted military ranks… A few years ago, many voters would have rejected Pistorius’s talk of war readiness as militaristic. But Russia’s war on Ukraine has changed minds in Germany, and polls show most Germans favor more investment in their military. Pistorius has also quickly built up his international credentials. His frequent calls for Berlin to meet or exceed NATO’s 2-percent-of-GDP spending target have won him many fans among Western allies who have long urged German leaders to invest more in their military…

“But even if Scholz remains, his party is likely to lose the election, making it unlikely he will hold onto power within the SPD after it’s over. Pistorius, however, is likely to stick around. He could play a major part in any new government… Pistorius… may well end up serving again as defense minister in the next government. This, in turn, could put him in position to become the SPD’s chancellor candidate in the following federal election. In other words: Whatever the outcome of the current machinations inside the SPD, Pistorius appears set to play a key role for the SPD for years to come.”

Pistorius… someone to watch…

Pistorius Won’t Run for Chancellor

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 21:

“Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has published a video on the SPD’s social media accounts, saying he told the party leadership he ‘was not available’ to run for chancellor and would support Olaf Scholz’s reelection bid.”

For now… Pistorius is clearly someone to watch…

So Close to WW III

The Daily Mail wrote on November 19:

“Following President Vladimir Putin’s approval of new rules governing the use of nuclear weapons, the world has rarely been closer to World War III. Putin yesterday signed into law a revised ‘doctrine’ that would permit the Kremlin to authorise a nuclear strike if Russia is attacked by any country that is supported by a nuclear power after Ukraine fired an American-supplied, long-range missile into Russia for the first time.

“Since his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the despot has consistently threatened to deploy Moscow’s fearsome arsenal but his latest move brings the spectre of a nuclear holocaust ever closer.”

Ukraine Attacks Targets Inside Russia

Breitbart wrote on November 20:

“Ukrainian forces have attacked targets inside Russia with British-made Storm Shadow missiles for the first time… Ukrainians have deployed Storm Shadow missiles, which have a range of around 250 km (155 miles), in an attack on the Kursk region of Russia, where Kyiv launched a surprise incursion over the summer…

“The use of long-range British missiles against targets inside Russia comes after lame duck U.S. President Joe Biden reportedly approved the use of 190 mile range (300 km) American Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles for similar strikes over the weekend after months of refusals over concern of escalating the conflict…

‘Russian strongman Vladimir Putin, who controls the world’s largest nuclear weapons arsenal, updated Moscow’s nuclear doctrine  this week to include ‘any attack’ sponsored by a nuclear power that threaten Russia’s ‘sovereignty’ or a ‘large-scale launch of enemy aircraft, missiles, and drones targeting Russian territory’ as justification for a nuclear response from the Kremlin. Ukraine’s reported use of U.S. made ATACMS and Storm Shadows from nuclear armed Britain may therefore qualify under the updated doctrine.

“The United States may have also been involved in the reported Storm Shadow strikes on Wednesday as well, with the Times of London reporting that it is believed that Washington provides navigation assistance for such missile strikes…”

The USA is truly playing with (nuclear) fire.

“Biden’s Missile Crisis”

On November 20, the Ron Paul Institute published the following article by Dennis J. Kucinich, a U.S. Representative from Ohio from 1997 to 2013. He was also a candidate for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States in 2004 and 2008:

“When President Biden approved the use of supersonic Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) to strike Russia, he placed in jeopardy the national security of the United States, the safety of our troops abroad and violated the U.S. Constitution, Article I, Section 8, which provides that only Congress can declare war. Biden has made a decision to insert the U.S. into an unambiguous, escalatory phase, using the territory of Ukraine to attack Russia directly with missiles which can reach 190 miles deep.  This is an illegal act by the President which puts our nation on a path to war with Russia.  

“The American people voted for Trump to end the wars. Biden apparently wants to end the world. Trump is listening to the American people. Biden is listening to NATO’s malignant agenda…

“No President has the right to use unilateral executive authority to permit a U.S. missile strike against another nation. It invites a retaliatory attack.  It is an impeachable offense… The specter of WWIII has  loomed before,  in October of 1962, when the Soviet Union used the territory of Cuba to place offensive missiles just 90 miles away from the American mainland. Absent the wisdom of President Kennedy and the forbearance of Nikita Krushchev, the world was on a path to nuclear annihilation. 

“If Krushchev had ‘permitted’ Russian missiles to be launched at the U.S.  from Cuba, you would not be reading this.

“It is magical thinking that U.S. missiles can be used to attack Russia without consequences.  Now it is Putin who must exercise forbearance…

“Western vainglorious cynicism, together with hundreds of billions of dollars for weapons, shoved Ukraine into an unwinnable conflict… Now, as U.S. missiles rain down on Russia, a counterstrike will occur, spreading ever wider the misery which has enveloped Ukraine.  

“The Biden Administration, in the face of the Afghanistan withdrawal debacle, rejected a Ukrainian-Russian diplomatic settlement more than two years ago, and continued financing the war for domestic political reasons, giving Americans a false hope for victory over Russia…”

Russia Fires Intercontinental Missile

Reuters wrote on November 21:

“Russia launched an intercontinental ballistic missile from its southern Astrakhan region during a morning attack on Ukraine on Thursday, Kyiv’s air force said, the first time Russia has used such a powerful, long-range missile during the war. 

“The strike comes after Ukraine used U.S. and British missiles to strike targets inside Russia this week, something Moscow had warned for months would be seen as a major escalation. … The missiles have a range of thousands of kilometres and can be used for delivering nuclear warheads, though they can also have conventional warheads…”

No Intercontinental Missile?

Deutsche Welle reported on November 21:

“President Vladimir Putin said on Russian television that a new intermediate-range missile had been fired at Ukraine, hours after claims from Kyiv of the first known use of an even longer-range intercontinental ballistic missile… He said Russia would have the ‘right’ to strike countries whose weapons were used by Ukraine to strike Russia.”

Whatever the missile was, the escalation is continuing…

Willing to Cede Crimea?

Fox News reported on November 20:

“Zelenskyy told Fox News that his country ‘cannot legally acknowledge any occupied territory of Ukraine as Russian,’ when asked if he was willing to cede land as part of a peace deal…. ‘We cannot spend dozens of thousands of our people so that they perish for the sake of Crimea coming back… we understand that Crimea can be brought back diplomatically.’…

“Zelenskyy told Fox News his country will keep fighting without the support of the U.S., but believes his side will ultimately lose the war if the U.S. withdraws its military funding…”

Coming… the Third Temple

Life Site News wrote on November 15:

“Netanyahu has gained religious Zionist support by… supporting the rebuilding of the Third Temple…

“The rebuilding of the Third Temple, which several Trump appointees appear to support and Mike Huckabee [the designated US ambassador to Israel] definitely does, would also require the destruction of the Al Aqsa Mosque, the third most holy site in Islam. That would be certain to lead to a much larger conflict, or Armaggedon, with all of the world’s Muslims. Increasing indications of Zionist threats to the mosque were said to be one of the major reasons for the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack.”

Boris Johnson: The UK Just Like the Soviet Union

The Daily Mail wrote on November 16:

“… two Essex police officers visited newspaper columnist Allison Pearson following a complaint about a social media post from a year ago, which has since been deleted. Ms Pearson says she has not been told which message generated the accusation, or who made it. Mr [Boris] Johnson said that was ‘obviously wrong, and tyrannical, and redolent of the Soviet Union at its worst’. ‘The police should clearly abandon immediately their investigation into this deleted tweet,’ he said. ‘The whole thing would be a complete joke, if it were not so serious for Allison Pearson – and for all of us living in Starmer’s Britain today.’

“Sir Keir this week backed their use, prompting Mr Johnson to attack the PM’s ‘deathless skill in plonking himself on the wrong side of the argument’. ‘If someone doesn’t like what you have said, you can be done for a non-crime hate incident, or worse, and be damned for ever. Isn’t it a nightmare? ‘It’s certainly a disaster for policing, because good officers are having to waste their time on this nonsense, so that they can’t attend burglaries; and every hour that they spend scanning the ether for ‘offensive’ tweets is an hour they can’t spend on the beat deterring the criminal gangs who swipe your mobile phone.’” 

Not just the UK… As the article above showed, it’s happening in Germany too…

Witchcraft On the Rise

CBN News wrote on October 28:

“From dabblers to hard-core practitioners, witchcraft has been on the rise in the U.S. in recent years… The occult has gained popularity in the political realm as well, once again on display during this election season.

“In the lead-up to the presidential election, witches were trying to cast spells against Donald Trump, but this time around they were reportedly frustrated that their spells weren’t working…

“The trendiness of witchcraft on social media makes some young people believe it’s just a harmless hobby. But people who used to be practitioners of witchcraft warn it is real, and it eventually destroys the person practicing it.  CBN News has spoken with an ex-witch named Jenny Weaver… ‘I had such a fear that gripped my life. It crippled me. The next thing that I knew, I was seeing things, hearing things, and I was being tortured by demonic spirits that had come in through the use of witchcraft. It was a very scary time. I didn’t even want to close my eyes to wash my face. I was that terrified. If you think that it is innocent I am telling you it will take you down a road you do not want to go down…’”

It is dangerous and foolish to get involved in witchcraft. Please read again our Q&A from last week, https://www.eternalgod.org/how-can-satan-and-his-demons-appear-to-you/

More Foolishness of the Evolution Theory

Daily Mail wrote on November 14:

“Octopuses are the species that are most likely to take over the world after humans, scientists say… [being] primed to become the dominant force on Earth should humanity die out.  In the event of a wipeout through either wars or climate change, the marine invertebrates are said to possess the ‘physical and mental attributes necessary’ to evolve into the next civilisation-building species… they could create complex tools to build a vast Atlantis-like civilisation underwater. And although the octopus is ‘unlikely’ to develop into a full land animal, it was clever enough to ‘extend’ its time out the water to develop new methods of hunting…

“Professor Coulson, who is one of the world’s leading zoologists and biologists and has advised governments, said the cephalopods were now in ‘pole position’ to colonise the world in the event humanity dies out… The professor said the predators – which can breathe for 30 minutes out of water – could, over millions of years, develop their own methods of hunting on land in much the same way as humans have done at sea.

“This could include SCUBA-like breathing gear to extend the time they can remain out of the water, he said… the creatures… could conceivably build underwater cities and towns akin to those we recognise on land. Thanks to evolution, it is ‘possible, if not probable’ that they could develop their own methods of breathing out of water and hunt prey like deer, sheep and other mammals on land…” 

Have you ever read such nonsense? Words fail… 

Extraordinary Finds of Remains of Extinct Animals

The Sun wrote on November 16:

“SCIENTISTS have uncovered a perfectly preserved sabre-toothed tiger cub frozen deep in Siberian ice. The extinct beast was found complete with its fur and sharp claws intact as the remarkable discovery is believed to be over 35,000 years old… The pristine remains of the three-week-old kitten were first found in 2020 in the Russian Republic of Sakha, along the Badyarikha River…

“Frozen remains of mammals from around this time are said to be ‘very rare,’ the researchers claim… It comes as the world’s tiniest dinosaur egg from a whopping 80 million years ago has also been discovered ‘perfectly preserved.’… Another ancient discovery saw miners stumble upon a preserved woolly rhino… The magnificent 10,000-year-old beast was found by gobsmacked workers while digging for gold…

“There are hopes of bringing such extinct animals —  including woolly mammoths – back to life by using DNA found on such carcasses preserved in the  ice….”

The given dates are surely debatable, but the excavations could lead to scientists’ foolish interest in trying to “recreate” or bring “back to life” dangerous and vicious animals.

Why the Fall of the Ancient Roman Empire?

The Daily Mail wrote on November 16:

“Scientists have uncovered an unlikely event that led to the eastern Roman Empire’s collapse 1,500 years ago. They discovered that the Romans miscalculated their Persian opponents which caused their downward spiral, leaving them weak and allowing Islam to rise in a manner that essentially wiped out the once-powerful civilization. The two groups were at war from 54 BC to 628 for control of territories, but the Persians took over Roman trade routes that were critical to their victory.

“Without access to trade, the economy quickly collapsed and forced people in the Roman Empire to flee to other regions like Constantinople, the researchers said… The researchers said during the 2nd century AD, the number of Roman shipwrecks stayed consistent with between 200 and 300 occurring every 50 years. ‘Then, at the very end of the 5th century, there is a sharp decline of almost fifty percent in shipwreck numbers,’ the team shared. ‘The reason for such a severe reduction was most probably due to the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the late 5th century. ‘The fall of the west also symbolized the decline of the city of Rome and other western trade cities and their hinterlands, and their subsequent reduction in population.’

“The data also showed the number of vessels dropped to just 67 by the second half of the 7th century, signifying that their trade routes were cut off. ‘This decline was most probably an outcome of the Persian war, and the Islamic conquest shortly after, which deprived Constantinople of most of the territories that were previously under the rule of the Eastern Roman Empire,’ said the researchers…”

It was prophesied that the Roman Empire would fall but be revived ten times throughout history. 

Noah’s Ark… Located?

Israel 365 News wrote on November 17:

“In a groundbreaking discovery, scientists have deciphered what is believed to be the world’s oldest map—a 3,000-year-old Babylonian clay tablet that may reveal the location of Noah’s Ark. The artifact, known as the Imago Mundi, has been housed in the British Museum since 1882 after its discovery in what is now Iraq… According to the Bible… the flood lasted 150 days, after which the ark came to rest on the ‘mountains of Ararat.’

“Dr. Irving Finkel, Assistant Keeper of Ancient Mesopotamian script at the British Museum, led the team that unlocked the tablet’s secrets. The Imago Mundi depicts a circular world map showing ancient Mesopotamia at its center, surrounded by a ‘bitter river’ that the Babylonians believed encircled the world. The tablet’s most intriguing features are found on its reverse side, which contains detailed travel instructions leading to a location called ‘Urartu’—the Assyrian equivalent of the Biblical ‘Ararat.’ Dr. Finkel explains: ‘The first place you come to is called “Urartu”, it’s drawn on the map. Now, the interesting thing about that is that in the Bible Noah, in his Ark, landed on a mountain where the name is “Ararat” and “Ararat” is the Hebrew equivalent of the Assyrian “Urartu.’”…

“The Biblical flood story closely parallels an earlier Babylonian version, where a man named Utnapishtim… builds the ark at divine command. In the Babylonian account, the god Ea sends the flood, and Utnapishtim’s family and the animals survive by landing at one of Urartu’s peaks… As Dr. Finkel concludes, ‘From the Babylonian point of view, this was a matter of fact thing’…”

Many findings point at the strong possibility that Noah’s Ark is still up there on the mountain of Ararat in Turkey. 

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.

86 Years After Reichskristallnacht

Israel 365 News wrote on November 8:

“Ten Israelis were hospitalized and three are missing after violence broke out after a soccer match between AFC Ajax and  Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday. Israel fans reported being attacked by Arabic-speaking gangs after the game. Some reported being ambushed outside the stadium and at their hotels by violent mobs. Israelis reported being harassed and hunted by the rioters for hours with little effective intervention by local police. Footage on social media showed attackers chasing Israelis, beating them and at times kicking them while on the ground. Eye witnesses said the attacks included car-ramming, stabbing and beatings in several locations around the city including attempts to break into hotels where Israeli fans were staying.

“Local Muslims and Arabs reportedly carried out the attacks. Many of the attackers were masked and some carried Palestinian flags. An estimated 140,000 Muslims reside in the capital where they form around 17 percent of the population. Half of these Muslims are predominantly Arabic and Berber-speaking communities from the Maghreb region, Egypt and the Middle East. Turks make up 25 percent of the Muslim population in Amsterdam…

“The Israeli government said it held Dutch authorities responsible for the safety of its citizens. The Israeli government sent two IDF cargo planes to conduct a rescue mission in coordination with the Dutch government….

“Dutch leader Geert Wilders, whose party is a member of the Netherlands’ government, strongly denounced the attacks, also describing them as a ‘pogrom.’

“Deborah Lipstadt, the US envoy to counter antisemitism, issued a statement denouncing the attacks… ‘In terrible historical irony, this is happening two days before the grim anniversary of Reichspogromnacht in 1938, when Nazi-sanctioned and led pogroms against Jews erupted across the German Reich.’… The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) has called the vicious attacks against Israeli football fans in the streets of Amsterdam last night a new Kristallnacht…”

Wilders was quoted as saying: “Looks like a Jew hunt in the streets of Amsterdam. Arrest and deport the multicultural scum that attacked Maccabi Tel Aviv supporters in our streets. Ashamed that this can happen in The Netherlands. Totally unacceptable. We have become the Gaza of Europe. Muslims with Palestinian flags hunting down Jews. I will NOT accept that. NEVER. The authorities will be held accountable for their failure to protect the Israeli citizens. Never again.”

The city of Amsterdam is home to the Anne Frank House, where Anne Frank and her family hid before being rooted out and murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust.

Jews Provoked Muslims?

NBC News wrote on November 12:

“Early Thursday, [a video] showed a crowd cheering as a man standing on a building’s awning ripped down a Palestinian flag… Video shared on social media… showed Maccabi fans chanting anti-Arab slogans in front of the square’s National Monument…. Within an hour of the match’s ending, security was falling apart.”

That is when the riots against the Jews began.

Riot Planned Well in Advance

The Jerusalem Post wrote on November 10:

“Violent attacks against Maccabi Tel Aviv fans following a soccer match in Amsterdam… were likely to have been a result of a pre-planned attack against Jews organized in a Telegram group, Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf reported on Friday. An alleged ‘Jew hunt’ was announced well in advance… prompting rioters to travel from far outside Amsterdam to attack [soccer] fans and Jewish people, De Telegraaf reported. Already on Wednesday nights, Amsterdam’s city center had been the site of similar incidents, the Dutch paper noted… Several taxi drivers were also reported to be involved in the attack on Israelis, as they arrived in central Amsterdam to target groups of Israelis, De Telegraaf stated.”

Anti-Israel Propaganda

The Telegraph added on November 8:

“I think the violence in Amsterdam is grim confirmation that a continent on which it becomes fashionable to view the Jewish nation as the most evil nation is a continent on which it will become acceptable to attack Jews… It has crossed the line, time and again, from criticism of Israel into frothing bigotry against Israelis. From peacenik opposition to Israel’s war on Hamas to an ugly, wild-eyed view of Israel as a uniquely barbarous nation, more wicked and deceitful than all the others. Serious commentators have described Israel as a nation in the grip of ‘genocidal mania’.

“Posters of the Israelis kidnapped on 7 October have been clawed down in virtually every city, because apparently even the innocent citizens of Israel are suspect, ‘problematic’, undeserving of our sympathy. Israeli culture and wares are feverishly boycotted by the pseudo-virtuous of our chattering classes. They meticulously forcefield their entire lives from the output of this most unholy nation like medieval mystics praying to keep the devil at bay. The impression given by this army of ‘pro-Palestine’ influencers is that Israel is a fallen nation. And its people are under the spell of ‘savagery.’ And everything it produces is morally compromised, if not morally poisonous, and thus you must boycott, avoid, destroy.

“That some in Europe have taken this polite-society bigotry one step further and physically attacked the citizens of this supposedly diseased nation is shocking, but not surprising. Israel-hate is a la mode in intellectual circles across Europe. That mob in Amsterdam was its armed wing.”

Are we going to see a repeat of the terrible atrocities against Jews and other minorities perpetrated by the Nazis in WW2?  Only that this is now not only a German phenomenon, but a European-wide development?

Radical Anti-Semitism in Amsterdam

Focus wrote on November 8:

“Last night, the Dutch capital Amsterdam became the scene of a frightening attack that should wake up not only Jews but all of Europe…

“The perpetrators filmed their acts of violence and proudly shared the videos on social media – a propaganda tactic also used by terrorist groups such as Hamas to spread fear and reinforce their message of hatred against Jews. This targeted intimidation through violence shows how extremist ideologies are taking root in Europe’s societies and spreading their message across borders. It is an infiltration of our communities that not only threatens Jewish life, but undermines the foundations of our European society… The tolerance of intolerance that has increasingly taken hold in parts of Europe is now coming at a price. Islamist networks and extremist ideologies have managed to establish themselves in our cities and they use every opportunity to spread their anti-democratic and anti-Semitic messages…”

“Europe’s New Shame: Jews Are Only Safe in Hungary”

Report 24 wrote on November 9:

“The fact that Viktor Orbán’s Hungary … has become a safe haven for Jewish athletes and fans is a slap in the face for all those self-proclaimed moralizers who have preached for years with a raised finger in the direction of Budapest. The irony couldn’t be more biting…

“The Dutch capitulation is particularly telling… In Brussels, where people usually never miss an opportunity to teach other countries lessons on human rights, there is suddenly a stunned silence.

“Jews in Europe have to hide again… 70 percent of Belgian Jews are hiding their identity. The situation is similar in many other European countries. Imagine if these statistics affected a different minority – the media outcry would be deafening. But here? Shrugging shoulders, at best…

“The events in Amsterdam mark a new low point. A city that prides itself on its liberal tradition becomes the scene of a hunt for Jews. The perpetrators? Mostly those who have benefited from a decades-long policy of limitless tolerance. The victims? Of all people, they are members of the minority that Europe took up the cause of protecting after the Holocaust.

“Anyone who still talks about ‘individual cases’… is complicit… These are the same circles that shout ‘Never again!’ at every opportunity, and that have made the mass import of anti-Semitism possible through their policy of open borders. They are partly to blame for the current situation, even if they would never admit it.”

Anti-Semitism has never died out in Europe, and it will only become more atrocious in the years ahead.

Second Riot in Amsterdam

The Times of Israel wrote on November 11:

“Police in Amsterdam have arrested several suspects after dozens of rioters clashed with officers and set a tram car on fire. Footage from the scene caught at least one of the participants shouting, ‘Cancer Jews,’ indicating that the violence was an extension of attacks perpetrated by Muslim and Arab rioters against Israeli soccer fans over the weekend… Footage on local TV station AT5 showed many people on the square throwing fireworks, poles and wooden pallets.

“Police urged people to stay away from the square and said riot squads would remain present to restore peace. Police… noted the tense atmosphere since five people were treated in the hospital and dozens detained Thursday following a Maccabi Tel Aviv-Ajax match. Youths on scooters and on foot went in search of Israeli fans, punching and kicking them and then fleeing to evade police, according to Amsterdam’s mayor.”

Fear Is Spreading in Europe

ntv wrote on November 13:

“A week after the attacks on Israeli fans in Amsterdam, security circles are talking before the France-Israel game about the most sensitive match of the year. The authorities are on increased alert. Israel’s National Security Council is issuing a travel warning… Around [6,000] police officers are supposed to ensure the smooth running of the game in Paris on Thursday (8:45 p.m.)…”

As was to be expected, anti-Jewish atrocities were committed in France as well.

Iran Planned to Assassinate Trump

The New York Post wrote on November 8:

“The Iranian government instructed one of its agents to stalk and assassinate former President Donald Trump this past September, according to a bombshell indictment unsealed by Manhattan federal prosecutors Friday. According to the indictment, which charges Iranian Farhad Shakeri and two New Yorkers with murder for hire and conspiracy, an unnamed official in Iran’s notorious Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) instructed Shakeri to ‘focus on surveilling, and, ultimately, assassinating, former President of the United States, Donald J. Trump’ in the final weeks of the 2024 campaign.

“Prosecutors say that when Shakeri noted that the plot would ‘cost a ‘huge’ amount of money,’ the IRGC official said that ‘we have already spent a lot of money … [s]o the money’s not an issue.’ In a phone conversation with an undercover FBI agent, Shakeri said he was instructed by the IRGC on Oct. 7 this year to have a plan in place to kill Trump ‘within seven days.’ Shakeri also inadvertently told the FBI that he had been instructed by Iran to plot a mass shooting targeting Israeli tourists in Sri Lanka — which prompted the US and Israeli governments to issue a travel warning for the island nation on Oct. 23… Shakeri is believed to be in Iran and out of the reach of American justice.”

The two New Yorkers have been retained. Iran has denied the report.

Despicable Conduct by FEMA

The Daily Mail wrote on November 8:

“An official with the Federal Emergency Management Agency ordered relief workers helping those devastated by Hurricane Milton in Florida to bypass homes with Trump signs… employees… skipped over at least 20 houses with signage indicating their support for the President elect due to the guidance passed down by Washington…

“Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has since said he has ordered an investigation into the messages made…  ‘At my direction, the Division of Emergency Management is launching an investigation into the federal government’s targeted discrimination of Floridians who support Donald Trump…’

“In October footage resurfaced from a virtual meeting in March of 2023 in which FEMA Emergency Management Specialist Tyler Atkins said the agency was prioritizing LGBTQ people because they are ‘already disadvantaged’… In the past two years, FEMA has reportedly handed out over $1 billion of taxpayer dollars to fund the housing of illegal immigrants. This figure sparked outrage in the wake of Hurricane Helene, with residents in flood-hit North Carolina claiming the response from FEMA has left them disappointed and relying on volunteers. While victims say they have been left scrambling for survival, some critics resurfaced Atkins’ March 2023 remarks as they slammed FEMA’s priorities…”

All of this is SO wrong and SO corrupt! In the meantime, the official was fired.

Boris for Trump

On November 8, Boris Johnson wrote in the Daily Mail:

“… This overwhelming result is, first, a victory for the democratic system. This is no fascist, or dictator in the making. This is a 78-year-old man who had the sheer guts and resilience to get out there, day in, day out, and plug for the votes of the people until he was sometimes exhausted. His Left-wing establishment opponents threw everything at him, including umpteen mainly spurious legal cases, in a shameful and counter-productive attempt to keep him off the ballot. He survived two assassination attempts, one of them very serious.

“He competed for every vote in the country, in what was believed – right up until the votes started to come in from Pennsylvania – to be a total toss-up of an election. He won those 72million votes by prodigious energy and effort, and he won them fair and square. And what has happened since?… the US stock market is surging – of course it is. Investors can see that by deregulation, by cutting waste and taxes, Trump is offering economic hope… Trump has the energy and the decisiveness to find solutions. Take climate change… we can listen to Elon Musk, who is now a key part of the Trump administration, and whose electric vehicles have done more to cut transport emissions that a million speeches by Greta Thunberg.

“… Things have got more dangerous since Trump was last in the White House. We have destabilising wars in Europe and the Middle East, in which far too many are losing their lives. The response of the West has been feeble. Israel faces an existential threat both from Hamas and from Hezbollah, and yet the UK Government – bizarrely – has torn up our historic alliance and support, and placed an arms embargo on Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East. The Biden administration has been a bit better, but hardly full-throated in its support for Israel.

“Remember that Trump secured the Abraham Accords, which offered the immense prize of reconciliation between Israel and its Arab neighbours…

“Things were more stable, and more peaceful, under Trump – because he was willing to be strong… I say, don’t listen to what he says, or the parodies of what he says. Look at what he does. That is why I am confident that, ultimately, he cannot and will not betray the long-suffering and blameless people of Ukraine. The truth is that for the last two years we in the West have been pursuing a policy that is both inadequate and cruel. We have been doing enough to stop Ukraine from losing the war, and from being overwhelmed by Putin. But… we refuse to do what it takes to help the Ukrainians actually win and bring this thing to a close…”

The description of the policy of the West pertaining to Ukraine has been shared by many other observers as well.

Netanyahu for Trump

Israel Today wrote on November 6:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday morning congratulated Donald Trump after Fox News declared the Republican the victor in the 2024 US presidential election. ‘Dear Donald and Melania Trump, Congratulations on history’s greatest comeback!’ the premier tweeted.

“‘Your historic return to the White House offers a new beginning for America and a powerful recommitment to the great alliance between Israel and America. This is a huge victory! In true friendship, yours, Benjamin and Sara Netanyahu,’ he continued. The post was accompanied by a recent picture of Netanyahu and his wife with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate and resort in Palm Beach, Florida.”

Since then, Trump and Netanyahu have communicated several times, especially in regard to Iran. We have suggested in the past that a possible triumvirate of Trump, Netanyahu and Johnson might work together in the light of biblical prophecy.

At the EPC Summit: The EU vs. Trump

The Independent wrote on November 8:

“Sir Keir Starmer and fellow European leaders have urged Donald Trump to stand up to the ‘bully’ Vladimir Putin as they digest the potential consequences of the historic Republican election victory in the US. Volodymyr Zelensky made a desperate appeal at the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Budapest for leaders to continue their support for Ukraine in its war with Russia amid fears that Mr Trump will try to force a deal involving concessions.

“It came as … Starmer faces increasing pressure to prioritise a new post-Brexit defence pact with the EU, with concerns growing that Mr Trump may also dilute support for Nato and focus US military objectives elsewhere…

“Emmanuel Macron, who has long pushed Europe to build up cooperation on defence, said… ‘We need to be able to defend ourselves… We cannot delegate our security to the Americans forever… The question is whether we are ready to stand up for the interests of Europeans.’”

Hungary Today wrote on November 8:

“At Thursday’s European Political Community (EPC) Summit in Budapest, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said at a press conference following the meeting that there was agreement on the need for peace in Europe as soon as possible, as well as on the necessity to react to the outcome of the U.S. presidential elections… ‘The war that Russia has launched against Ukraine is now in its third year, the Middle East is in flames and threatens to escalate, North Africa is in destabilizing conflict, illegal migration is a persistent challenge and is approaching its previous peak, and the global economy is experiencing a degree of blockage and fragmentation not seen since the Cold War,’ he stressed…

“The Prime Minister said his personal assessment of the situation was that they all felt there was no time to waste. In his assessment, ‘history has clearly accelerated’…  and the world will change ‘faster than we think.’… The Hungarian Prime Minister added that ‘we cannot expect’ the Americans ‘to be the only ones to protect us.’..

“On the issue of peace, he said, he was not qualified to take a position on an issue on which there was not complete agreement, adding that there were differences of opinion on the continuation of the war or a rapid ceasefire and peace negotiations. He said that the essence of war was victory or defeat, but that Europeans had gone into the war without clarifying what victory was. ‘If there is no definition of victory, how do you know how long you have to fight?’ he asked. ‘We never clarified: should we take back Crimea? Is Sevastopol a NATO flag? Moscow? What is victory?’ he asked, adding that since the aim was not defined, the war was difficult to stop.”

Trump Could Withdraw US From NATO Without Congress

Newsmax wrote on November 8:

“President-elect Donald Trump could pull the United States out of NATO without the authority of Congress despite legislation passed to prevent him from doing so, Politico reports. Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., and Marco Rubio, R-Fla., sponsored a bill that would require congressional approval for the president to withdraw the U.S. from NATO, a measure that was included in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act. However, legal experts told Politico that Trump could use presidential authority over foreign policy to ignore that requirement.

“Curtis Bradley, the University of Chicago Law School’s Allen M. Singer distinguished service professor, told Politico that if Trump were to declare the U.S. no longer a part of NATO, it’s unclear if Congress has the legal standing to file a lawsuit. ‘For the issue to be litigated, there would need to be someone with standing to sue,’ Bradley said. ‘The only party I can think of who might have standing would be Congress itself, but it is not clear that the Republicans in Congress (who will at least control the Senate) would support such a suit.’

“The Brookings Institution’s Scott Anderson, senior editor of Lawfare, told the news outlet that the law on the issue is ‘not airtight,’ adding, ‘This is not open and shut…’”

Trump Speaks with Zelensky

Axios wrote on November 8:

“Donald Trump’s phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday included two surprises: Elon Musk was also on the line, and Zelensky was somewhat reassured by what he heard from the president-elect…

“After Zelensky congratulated Trump, the president-elect said he will support Ukraine, but didn’t go into details… Musk also weighed in during the call to say he will continue supporting Ukraine through his Starlink satellites… Starlink has been crucial to Ukraine’s war effort…

“Much went unsaid, and much remains unknown…  Trump told Zelensky he would not abandon Ukraine, but wants to give diplomacy a chance…

“Musk also joined Trump’s call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan…”

Bild Online added on November 8:

“The Wall Street Journal reports that one of the ideas in the Trump environment is that Ukraine should promise not to join NATO for at least 20 years. In return, the USA would continue to supply the country with weapons. The plan also includes a demilitarized zone along the front… It is still unclear who would be stationed there for surveillance – but US troops would not be available for this. A member of the Trump team stated that it would have to be European troops.

‘It is still completely unclear what plans Trump will ultimately pursue. On Thursday, the US President-elect also appeared open to a conversation with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin (72), who made similar comments…”

Trump Has Won ALL Swing States

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 10:

“Trump won Arizona on Saturday, according to the Associated Press, completing a clean sweep of all seven swing states.  The Republican, who had secured the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the White House by early on Wednesday, now has what is expected to be a final total of 312 votes to Vice President Kamala Harris’ 226.

“In addition to Arizona, Trump also won the swing states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Nevada. Republicans have also regained control of the US Senate and look close to clinching control of the US House of Representatives.”

Trump Picks Miller!

Daily Mail wrote on November 11:

“[Trump is] tapping mass deportations architect Stephen Miller for a top White House post… The known ‘border hawk’ and longtime Trump aide [has been] touted as Trump’s chief immigration policy architect… Miller will serve as Trump’s deputy chief of staff for policy, a huge position that will shape the administration’s future.”

Deutsche Welle added on November 11:

“Miller… has been key to many of Trump’s previous policy decisions, including a 2018 move that separated thousands of immigrant families as a deterrence program.”

NPR added on November 11:

“Miller is likely to be one of the most controversial picks in a new Trump administration. But because the deputy job is not a cabinet position, he will not need to seek confirmation by the Senate.”

The appointment of far-right and anti-immigration Stephen Miller,  is bad news. Miller is known as radical. He has been advocating for the deportation of DACA and against chain migration, even though he is Jewish and, as his uncle put it,  he is “well aware of his heritage, [but] has become the architect of immigration policies that repudiate the very foundation of our family’s life in this country.” He also wants to do away with the birthright to be an American citizen when born in this country., and he wants to make it harder for legal immigrants to become American citizens. As mentioned above, he advocated the separation of children from their parents who entered the USA illegally. He is clearly way over the top of any decent and reasonable immigration policy.

In other news, Trump is going to nominated Marco Rubio as Secretary of State; highly controversial Matt Gaetz as Attorney General (replacing Merrick Garland)—“a move that stunned some lawmakers in his own party and repulsed others” (The New York Post, dated November 13), and Mike Huckabee to be U.S. Ambassador to Israel. He also nominated former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe as his CIA director, and Fox News host, Pete Hegseth, as Secretary of Defense. All these nominations must be approved by the Senate. A simple majority of senators present at the time of the vote is necessary to approve the nominee. Trump also appointed Elon Musk (the richest person on earth) and Vivek Ramaswamy to head the newly created Department of Government Efficiency with the goal of dismantling government bureaucracy and “cutting wasteful expenditures.” 

Kennedy to Become Health Secretary

 Axios wrote on November 14:

“President-elect Trump has asked  Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to serve as secretary of health and human services, Trump confirmed on Thursday…  Trump’s pick would put one of the nation’s foremost vaccine skeptics in charge of America’s health care agencies… 

“Trump posted on Truth Social that HHS under Kennedy would ‘play a big role in helping ensure that everybody will be protected from harmful chemicals, pollutants, pesticides, pharmaceutical products, and food additives that have contributed to the overwhelming Health Crisis in this Country.’ The position requires Senate confirmation.”

Trump Speaks to Putin

The Guardian wrote on November 10:

“Donald Trump spoke on the phone with Vladimir Putin on Thursday and discussed the war in Ukraine, the Washington Post reported on Sunday, citing people familiar with the matter. The US president-elect advised the Russian president not to escalate the war in Ukraine and reminded him of ‘Washington’s sizeable military presence in Europe”’ the Post reported.

“It added that Trump expressed interest in follow-up conversations on ‘the resolution of Ukraine’s war soon’…. On Friday, the Kremlin said Putin was ready to discuss Ukraine with Trump but that it did not mean that he was willing to alter Moscow’s demands.”

Trump and the Third Temple

Israel 365 News wrote on November 11:

“Rabbi Yosef Berger revealed some amazing aspects of Donald Trump’s victory in the recent US Presidential election, most notably his potential role in building the Third Temple… ‘Trump’s election is a necessary element of the geula (redemption) and a sign that the moshiach (messiah) is imminent,’ Rabbi Berger said… ‘it indicates that he will play a role in preparing the way for the arrival of the Messiah…’

“This connection was so evident in Trump’s connection with Jerusalem that in 2018, the Sanhedrin minted a coin with a profile of Trump superimposed on the image of Persian King Cyrus, who facilitated the building of the Second Temple in Jerusalem that ended the Babylonian Exile in 538 BCE…

“The Persian king is the only non-Jewish leader to be referred to in the Bible as Moshiach, literally ‘His anointed one’… ‘Like Cyrus, God put Donald Trump in power in order to build the Temple and pave the way for moshiach,’ Rabbi Berger said. ‘Like Moses, Trump began as part of the common people, was revealed in his first success entering the White House, but was then hidden… Like Moses, now that Trump has been revealed for the second time, he will fulfill his ultimate function,’ Rabbi Berger said…”

The Miracle of the Third Temple

Middle East Eye wrote on November 14:

“Donald Trump’s choice as the next United States defence secretary [Pete Hegseth] has called for the building of a third Jewish temple on the site of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem… Speaking at an event in Jerusalem in 2018 he said there was ‘no reason why the miracle of re-establishing the temple on the Temple Mount isn’t possible’, using the Israeli name for the raised plateau in occupied East Jerusalem where Al-Aqsa Mosque stands. ‘I don’t how it would happen, you don’t know how it would happen, but I know that it could happen…’

“Far-right Jewish activists want to build a third Jewish temple on the site where Al-Aqsa Mosques structures and courtyards stand today. Some, including Christian Evangelicals, believe this will herald the arrival of the messiah and possibly even the end of the world.”

JNS added on November 14:

“In newly-surfaced remarks from a 2018 conference, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense Pete Hegseth said there was ‘no reason’ a third temple could not be established on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem… He rejected the ‘two-state solution’ to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying, ‘If you walk the ground today, you understand that there is no such thing as the outcome of a two-state solution. There is one state.’”

The USA Could Withdraw NATO Support

Life Site wrote on November 11:

“JD Vance, the Republican Vice President-Elect, has made a bold suggestion that the United States might reconsider its support for NATO if the European Union attempts to regulate U.S. social media platforms…. Vance highlighted the stark contrast between European and American values, particularly on the issue of free speech…

“The Vice President-Elect argues that America’s participation in NATO should be contingent on the alliance’s respect for free speech, a core American value. ‘So what America should be saying is, if NATO wants us to continue supporting them and NATO wants us to continue to be a good participant in this military alliance, why don’t you respect American values and respect free speech?’ Vance questioned. He criticized the notion of supporting a military alliance that does not uphold free speech as ‘insane,’ insisting that American support comes with prerequisites, such as respecting free speech, particularly among European allies.”

Republicans Take the House

Breitbart wrote on November 11:

“Republicans are projected to take control of the House of Representatives, giving the party a trifecta as Republicans also took control of the Senate and the presidency.

“Decision Desk HQ projected that the Republicans had won enough seats for them to take control of the House. Republicans were projected to have secured a 218-209 majority.”

What IF Voting Is Useless?

Judge Andrew P. Napolitano wrote the following on November 7 in the Ron Paul Institute:

“What if no matter how you voted, the elites always got their way?…

“What if democracy as it has come to exist in America today is dangerous to personal freedom?… What if American democracy allows the government to do anything it wants, as long as more people vote for government than vote to reject it?…

“…What if governments were originally established to protect people’s freedoms but always turn into political and imperialist enterprises that seek to expand their power, increase their territory and heighten their control of the population? What if the idea that we need a government to take care of us is a fiction perpetrated to increase the size of government?…

“What if Congress always votes to expand the size of government, increase the government’s debt, keep the government’s secrets and dispatch the military to kill innocents abroad, no matter which party controls it? What if Congress keeps secrets from the people who elected it?…

“What if the deep state — the law enforcement/surveillance/military/arms and drug manufacturers/banking and regulatory structures — remains in place no matter who is in the White House or which political party controls Congress?

“What if the problem with democracy is that the majority thinks it can right any wrong, write any law, tax any event, regulate any behavior, intrude upon any process and acquire any asset it wants? What if the greatest tyrant in history lives among us? What if that tyrant always gets its way, no matter what the laws are or what the Constitution says? What if that tyrant is the majority of voters? What if the majority in a democracy recognizes no limits on its power?

“What if the government misinforms voters so they will justify anything the government wants to do?…

“What if the system is crafted so government power can only grow — and never shrink? What if Congress remains the same no matter who wins elections? What if we have only one political party — the Big Government Party — and it has a Democratic wing and a Republican wing? What if both wings want war and taxes and welfare and debt and perpetual government growth, but offer only slightly different menus on how to achieve them? What if the Big Government Party enacted laws to make it impossible for meaningful political competition to thrive?…”

Yes, what if…?

Will Something Change in America?

John Whitehead wrote the following in the Rutherford Institute wrote on November 4:

“After months of handwringing and mud-slinging and fear-mongering, the votes have finally been cast and the outcome has been decided: the Deep State has won. Despite the billions spent to create the illusion of choice culminating in the reassurance ritual of voting for Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, when it comes to most of the big issues that keep us in bondage to authoritarian overlords, not much will change. Despite all of the work that has been done to persuade us to buy into the fantasy that things will change if we just elect the ‘right’ political savior, the day after a new president is sworn in, it will be business as usual for the unelected bureaucracy that actually runs the government.

“War will continue. Drone killings will continue. Surveillance will continue. Censorship of anyone who criticizes the government will continue. The government’s efforts to label dissidents as extremists and terrorists will continue. Police shootings will continue. SWAT team raids will continue. Highway robbery meted out by government officials will continue. Corrupt government will continue. Profit-driven prisons will continue. And the militarization of the police will continue. These problems have persisted—and in many cases flourished—under both Republican and Democratic administrations in recent years. The outcome of this year’s election changes none of that…

“The undermining of the Constitution will continue unabated. America’s so-called war on terror, which it has relentlessly pursued since 9/11, has chipped away at our freedoms, unraveled our Constitution and transformed our nation into a battlefield, thanks in large part to such subversive legislation as the USA Patriot Act and National Defense Authorization Act. These laws—which completely circumvent the rule of law and the constitutional rights of American citizens, re-orienting our legal landscape in such a way as to ensure that martial law, rather than the rule of law, our U.S. Constitution, becomes the map by which we navigate life in the United States—will continue to be enforced.

“The government’s war on the American people will continue unabated.  ‘We the people’ are no longer shielded by the rule of law. While the First Amendment—which gives us a voice—is being muzzled, the Fourth Amendment—which protects us from being bullied, badgered, beaten, broken and spied on by government agents—is being disemboweled. Consequently, you no longer have to be poor, black or guilty to be treated like a criminal in America. All that is required is that you belong to the suspect class—that is, the citizenry—of the American police state. As a de facto member of this so-called criminal class, every U.S. citizen is now guilty until proven innocent. The oppression and injustice—be it in the form of shootings, surveillance, fines, asset forfeiture, prison terms, roadside searches, and so on—will come to all of us…

“The government’s manipulation of national crises in order to expand its powers will continue unabated…

“Endless wars that enrich the military industrial complex will continue unabated. America’s expanding military empire is bleeding the country dry at a rate of more than $93 million an hour (that adds up to $920 billion annually). Incredibly, although the U.S. constitutes only 5% of the world’s population, America [is] spending more on the military than the next 9 biggest spending nations combined.

“Government corruption will continue unabated.  The government is not our friend. Nor does it work for ‘we the people.’ Americans instinctively understand this. When asked to name the greatest problem facing the nation, Americans of all political stripes ranked the government as the number one concern. In fact, almost three-quarters of Americans surveyed believe the government is corrupt…

“Government tyranny under the reign of an Imperial President will continue unabated. The Constitution invests the President with very specific, limited powers. In recent years, however, American presidents have anointed themselves with the power to wage war, unilaterally kill Americans, torture prisoners, strip citizens of their rights, arrest and detain citizens indefinitely, carry out warrantless spying on Americans, and erect their own secretive, shadow government…”

Instinctively, many Americans would agree with this assessment, and actually, so does Donald Trump who says that he recognizes at least some of those dangers. But will he be willing or able to change anything substantially? Being part of the system, it is to be questioned.

Planned “Quarantine” Camps Nation- and Worldwide

Jeffrey Tucker wrote in The Brownstone Institute on November 7:

“No matter how bad you think Covid policies were, they were intended to be worse.  Consider the vaccine passports alone. Six cities were locked down to include only the vaccinated in public indoor places. They were New York City, Boston, Chicago, New Orleans, Washington, D.C., and Seattle. The plan was to enforce this with a vaccine passport. It broke. Once the news leaked that the shot didn’t stop infection or transmission, the planners lost public support and the scheme collapsed. It was undoubtedly planned to be permanent and nationwide if not worldwide…

“Features of the CDC’s edicts did incredible damage… It decreed the ridiculous ‘six feet of distance’ and mask mandates…

“Even with all that, worse was planned. On July 26, 2020… the CDC issued a plan for establishing nationwide quarantine camps. People were to be isolated, given only food and some cleaning supplies. They would be banned from participating in any religious services. The plan included contingencies for preventing suicide. There were no provisions made for any legal appeals or even the right to legal counsel… The document was only removed on about March 26, 2023… It was called ‘Interim Operational Considerations for Implementing the Shielding Approach to Prevent COVID-19 Infections in Humanitarian Settings.’… this is what used to be concentration camps…

“In four years of research, and encountering truly shocking documents and evidence of what happened in the Covid years, this one certainly ranks up at the top of the list of totalitarian schemes for pathogenic control prior to vaccination. It is quite simply mind-blowing that such a scheme could ever be contemplated.”

What is going to happen when the next “pandemic” hits? The evil and godless minds who wrote the above-mentioned document are still around.

EU and UK Not Ready for War

More Radio wrote on November 10:

“Britain’s annual Remembrance Sunday has a special dimension in 2024 because it was the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings this year… D-Day, when British and American troops fought on to the beaches to liberate Europe, is the defining moment of the UK’s patriotic pride to this day…

“Mr Trump, the US president-elect, has said he feels no obligation to defend European countries who do not spend as much as he thinks they should…

“The recent BRICS summit in Russia and the deployment of North Korean troops to fight with Vladimir Putin’s forces in Ukraine both show their willingness to internationalise local conflicts…

“The US currently has 100,000 troops based in Europe, increased by 20,000 since Mr Putin’s attack in 2022. The next Trump administration will certainly want to reduce that number…

“Mr Trump has said he plans to end the Ukraine conflict in 24 hours. In essence, Mr Putin would keep some of his territorial claims in Donbas and NATO would not extend its security guarantee to what remains of an independent Ukraine. Mr Trump has already said that NATO’s longstanding and vague offer of eventual membership was ‘a mistake’. Anxious not to alienate the US further and hard-pressed financially, some leading European nations including Germany appear ready to go along with such a sell-out.

“A number of security experts, including former acting deputy prime minister Sir David Lidington, say this deal would be ‘Donald Trump’s Munich.’ This is a reference to the ‘peace in our time’ deal agreed by prime minister Neville Chamberlain with Adolf Hitler, which failed to halt further aggression by Nazi Germany before the Second World War… the UK and Europe are not ready for war, and [they are] relying on an increasingly unreliable US…”

Europe knows this [the UK may not], and they will do whatever it takes to “get ready” for war.

“How Ridiculous Does This State Want to Become?”

Bild Online wrote on November 10:

“It was only on Wednesday that the traffic light [the German “Ampel” Coalition] declared political bankruptcy because it was unable to solve the country’s problems. But in the following 48 hours, Olaf Scholz, Robert Habeck and Christian Lindner announced their claim to continue to govern Germany in the future… Scholz, Habeck and Lindner represent the most unpopular federal government of all time. The final result of their coalition is devastating:

“Germany is declining economically; unemployment is rising; there is a housing shortage again in Germany; illegal migration is only now becoming an issue; internal and external security are in poor condition; Putin is currently winning the war against Ukraine…

“The Germans are calling for new elections as quickly as possible so that Germany gets a NEW government!…”

But what kind of government, formed by the “established” parties in Germany, could it currently be? Competent politicians are presently in short supply.

New German Elections in February?

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 13:

“German President Steinmeier… ‘welcomes the fact that the parliamentary groups have agreed on a roadmap towards a vote of confidence’ on December 16″ and ‘considers February 23, 2025, to be a realistic date for new elections,’ his office said in a statement.

“He had also ‘made it clear that in the event that the Bundestag withdraws its confidence in the Chancellor, he will quickly decide on a dissolution.’ According to the Basic Law, the German president has the power to dissolve the Bundestag and call for new elections.”

Origin of the Cries of Fools

Focus wrote on November 8:

“It’s that time again: Many people are celebrating Carnival again, and in some places you can hear the shouts of ‘Alaaf’, in others ‘Helau’…

“We don’t know exactly where the exclamation ‘Helau’ comes from. It is sometimes assumed that there is a connection to the church’s ‘Hallelujah’. An origin in the word ‘bright up’ [“hell auf”] for example in the expression ‘be thrilled’ [“hellauf begeistert”], is also possible. This could also mean ‘bright’, and the fools definitely seem bright. Some also assume that the ‘Helau’ means ‘hell open’. The original aim of the carnival was to drive away winter and evil spirits. People used to believe that evil spirits could threaten crops. With the exclamation they wanted to banish them back to hell.

“However, the meaning and origin of the word ‘Alaaf’ can be traced back better. ‘Alaaf’ most likely comes from the Cologne ‘all af’, which means ‘above everything’ or ‘everything else away’. The fool’s cry ‘Kölle alaaf’ means nothing other than ‘Köln über alles’. The writing was found on drinking mugs from the 16th century: ‘Alaaf fur ein goden druinck’, which means something like: ‘There’s nothing like a good drink’. This saying was not a fool’s cry back then, but these toasts were most likely widespread in the Cologne area at the time…”

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.

US Presidential Election Most Important for Israel

Israel Today wrote on October 11:

“Former President Donald Trump… declared that the upcoming U.S. presidential election will be ‘the most important day in the history of Israel.’…

“[He declared] Vice President Kamala Harris, as an existential threat to Israel… Trump blamed the Biden administration for the atrocities that occurred a year ago… [and] as  ‘one of the darkest hours in all of human history,’ adding, ‘Anti-Jewish hatred has returned even here in America’ and is ‘within the ranks of the Democrat Party in particular.’… ‘I will not allow the Jewish state to be threatened with destruction. I will not allow another Holocaust of the Jewish people,’ Trump declared.”

Israel and the Jewish people are indeed under threat all over the world, including in the USA.

The Enemy From Within

Fox News wrote on October 13:

“‘We have two enemies: We have the outside enemy, and then we have the enemy from within. And the enemy from within, in my opinion, is more dangerous than China, Russia and all these countries,’ Trump said…

“But the thing that’s tougher to handle are these lunatics that we have inside, like Adam Schiff… ‘When you look at the danger he put our country in potentially with Russia — with a phony, made-up deal that he made up with Hillary and some bad people…”

Trump subsequently stated that under Harris, the draft would be reinstated, without saying what his plans are regarding the draft.

Using the Military

The Associated Press wrote on October 13:

“Donald Trump… has pledged to recall thousands of American troops from overseas and station them at the U.S. border with Mexico. He has explored using troops for domestic policy priorities such as deportations and confronting civil unrest. He has talked of weeding out military officers who are ideologically opposed to him. Trump’s vision amounts to a potentially dramatic shift in the role of the military in U.S. society, carrying grave implications for both the country’s place in the world and the restraints that have traditionally been placed on domestic use of the military.

“He… is promising forceful action against immigrants who do not have permanent legal status…  The former president and his advisers are developing plans to shift the military’s priorities and resources, even at a time when wars are raging in Europe and the Middle East… Trump also has said he will use the National Guard and possibly the military as part of the operation to deport millions of immigrants who do not have permanent legal status… the plans would be a striking escalation of the military’s involvement in domestic policy.

“Trump’s potential actions would likely require him to invoke wartime or emergency powers, such as carrying out mass deportations under the Alien Enemies Act, a 1798 law, or quelling unrest under the Insurrection Act, an 1807 law that allows a president to deploy the military domestically and against U.S. citizens…”

The Independent wrote on October 12:

“The Alien Enemies Act of 1798 — part of the centuries-old Alien and Sedition Acts drafted during an undeclared war between the US and France — has only been invoked three times within the last 226 years. During the first and second World Wars, the US turned to the law to detain and restrict German, Austro-Hungarian and Italian immigrants, and infamously used the law for the shameful internment of Japanese Americans, now widely seen as a stain on America’s 20th century history.

“The law states that the president may order the arrests and removal of noncitzens during times of ‘declared war’ or during an ‘invasion’ or ‘predatory incursion’ by ‘any foreign nation or government.’ Only Congress can declare war, per the Constitution. But Trump and his allies [want to expand] the definition… to mean border crossings, and for drug cartels or criminal gangs to be considered a ‘foreign nation or government.’”

Media Misquotes Trump: Did Trump Cross the Line?

Express wrote on November 1:

“Trump has been slammed for saying Liz Cheney ‘should be shot at by nine guns’ in a sickening fantasy execution… Speaking to former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Trump said the daughter of former Republican VP Dick Cheney should have ‘guns trained on her face’ due to her support for Kamala Harris…

“‘Let’s put her with a rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her,’ said Trump. ‘Let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face.’ The audience were audibly very quiet, unaware of how to react, while Carlson stayed silent. Disgusted viewers slammed Trump for his comments…”

However, the article above, and many other mainstream “reports,” omitted pertinent facts and quoted Trump out of context. The Associated Press published these clarifying comments by Trump, in context, on November 1:

“Former President Donald Trump criticized former Rep. Liz Cheney late Thursday, calling the Republican former Wyoming congresswoman a ‘war hawk’ and suggesting she might not be as willing to send troops to fight if she had guns pointed at her…. ‘The reason she couldn’t stand me is that she always wanted to go to war with people. If it were up to her we’d be in 50 different countries… She’s a radical war hawk. Let’s put her with the rifle standing there with nine barrels shooting at her. OK, let’s see how she feels about it. You know, when the guns are trained on her face… You know they’re all war hawks when they’re sitting in Washington in a nice building saying… well let’s send 10,000 troops right into the mouth of the enemy,’ Trump said.”

“After Harris’ campaign and other Trump critics on social media pounced on the quote, Trump’s campaign responded that he ‘was talking about how Liz Cheney wants to send America’s sons and daughters to fight in wars despite never being in a war herself.’”

What Trump was saying, when read in context, should be obvious, but the sensational media was quick in misquoting Trump in order to show their support of Harris and Cheney. It is also interesting that the Bible says that ultimately the USA will not fight in war against their enemies attacking them on US soil.

Ignorant and Delusional Europeans

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 30, 2024:

“If Europeans were to elect the next US president on November 5, the result would be crystal clear.  In Western Europe, 69% would vote for the Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, in Eastern Europe 46% would… Trump would only receive the support of 16% of voters in Western Europe and 36% in Eastern Europe…  Harris has the highest ratings in Denmark (85%) and Finland (82%) while Donald Trump has the most fans in Europe in Serbia (59%) and Hungary (49%)…

“The vast majority of EU heads of government back Harris. ‘I know her well, she would certainly be a good president,’ German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a television interview. Harris wants to ‘stick to what is important to us,’ Scholz added, referring to trans-Atlantic cooperation. What would Europe’s reaction to a Harris victory be?… A collective sigh of relief, absolutely…

“EU diplomats from the 27 member states and the EU Commission in Brussels have been in confidential working groups for weeks already, discussing how to deal with the US election outcomes, whatever they may be. The main aim is to make economic and security policy as ‘Trump-proof’ as possible… For example, should Trump impose punitive tariffs on goods from Europe after taking office, the aim is to be able to retaliate immediately. ‘We are not prepared to give up our interests without a fight. We have significantly expanded our toolbox’” Bernd Lange, a German politician and chair of the Committee on International Trade in the European Parliament, told DW. ‘I am sure that after the election we will use this toolbox to combat things that are already wrong, such as illegal tariffs on steel or subsidies from the Inflation Adjustment Act.’ Lange said he expects US trade policy to become more challenging for the EU, no matter who wins these elections…

“German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has a similar prediction for foreign and security policy. At a press conference during a visit to London at the end of October, Pistorius said: ‘One way or another, in future, the US is very likely to do less in Europe. And for us that means we must do more.’”

On October 30, MSN quoted Trump as saying: “I’ll tell you what, the European Union sounds so nice, so lovely, right? All the nice European little countries that get together… They don’t take our cars. They don’t take our farm products. They sell millions and millions of cars in the United States. No, no, no, they are going to have to pay a big price,’ Trump stated during a rally in Pennsylvania.”

Germany’s Fears

Deutsche Welle added the following on October 31:

“There is no doubt that the German government favors Harris… In early October, two-thirds of German voters… said they would like to see Kamala Harris become president, while only 12% were in favor of Donald Trump. (In another poll, 78% were for Harris, and only 8% for Trump)…

“Trump… wants to bring about a quick end to the [Russia-Ukraine] war, which would presumably mean that Ukraine would be forced to give up large parts of the territories occupied by Russia… Trump… has repeatedly questioned the very purpose of NATO itself... Trump has announced that if he wins the election, he will impose a 60% tariff on US imports from China and a 20% tariff on imports from the rest of the world. This would make German products significantly more expensive in the US. The automotive and pharmaceutical industries would be hit particularly hard…

“If Trump wins the election,… the US will likely turn away from climate action and withdraw from international climate agreements. This would make it even more difficult for the German government, which is particularly committed to climate protection, to push through internationally binding rules to limit CO2 emissions. During this year’s election campaign, Trump has specifically attacked Germany’s energy policy, claiming that after a failed phase-out of fossil fuels, Germany had begun building one coal-fired power plant every week — which has absolutely no basis in truth.”

J.D. Vance has recently explained that the USA will not leave NATO under Trump. But we will see.

The German Expectation

On October 13, the conservative Bild newspaper published the following commentary by Franz Josef Wagner about Trump, which reflected the general attitude of a broad section of the uninformed German population:

“There are three weeks until November 5. In three weeks we will know who is President of the United States. There is no time to barricade yourself. ‘Run for your life’ was the motto of Hurricane Milton, which ultimately ran out of steam.

“Is Hurricane Trump running out of steam? I’m afraid not. He is the greatest liar of all time and the greatest political entertainer of all time. He reminds me of Joker, that evil clown who made you stop laughing in your throat. He accuses immigrant Haitians of eating Americans’ cats and dogs. ‘Your kittens,’ says Trump. He tells of babies who are aborted and killed after birth. He tells all this with his clown face. It has been proven that he lies five times in every other sentence. 22,000 lies were counted.

“Why does Trump still have half of America behind him? He is the narrator of evil and he is the savior from evil. The survey results are close. There are only three weeks left. You get frightened. Are we prepared? Where are our sandbags when Hurricane Trump comes?

This propagandistic portrayal, which one might expect from radical left-wing media outlets, is frightening.

Trump: Germans Don’t Love Me!

DPA wrote on November 3:

“Former U.S. president Donald Trump spoke about his difficult relationship with Germany during an election campaign appearance on Sunday. ‘They didn’t love me, and I have heritage there,’ said the Republican presidential candidate during a stop in Lititz, Pennsylvania. Trump’s paternal ancestors hail from Kallstadt in the south-western German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. He noted that the Germans had loved his predecessor in the White House, president Democrat Barack Obama. ‘You know why? Because they ate our lunch,’ said the Republican presidential candidate for the election on Tuesday, referring to his notion that Germany has allegedly been successful at the expense of the United States.

“Trump then spoke about then-German Chancellor Angela Merkel: ‘They didn’t love me because I said you gotta pay. You gotta pay. I said to Angela. Angela, you haven’t paid.’ Trump was presumably referring to Germany’s defence spending in view of its NATO obligations.

“Mimicking a German accent, the Republican said that ‘Angela’ had told him that ‘[Germany] will start [paying] by 2035.’ ‘They think we are stupid people,’ he added.”

European Reactions

Breitbart wrote on November 6:

“Donald Trump may have turned the U.S. red, but in Europe the airwaves and front pages turned blue as the very tribally left-wing legacy media vented their disappointment at the American people not voting as wanted. German broadsheet newspaper Die Zeit said it for many in the European media on Wednesday morning with their reaction to the re-election of President-elect Trump, stating in their headline simply: ‘F…’The colourful article comparing election night coverage to staring into a nuclear bomb’s mushroom cloud lamented ‘America doesn’t care at all’ about European feelings… the article’s author rhetorically asked whether this was to be the end of America…

“Top-selling Spanish left-wing newspaper El Pais called the election a victory of a ‘convicted felon’ and [the] editorial by the paper’s editor-in-chief claimed a ‘victory of disinformation’… France’s Liberation stated: ‘It would be tempting to decree that 50% of Americans are morons, but that would be flippant… all these people adhere to the priorities defined by Trump (violent economic protectionism, geopolitical isolationism, mass expulsions of migrants)’. Of Trump himself they claimed: ‘…convicted felon, misogynist, racist, egocentric, liar and probably disturbed. Either the voters did not take these accusations seriously, or they were perfectly aware of them but they do not care.’…”

Future of Criminal and Civil Cases Against Trump

Breitbart wrote on November 6:

“Corrupt Special Counsel Jack Smith, the Keystone Cop who has serially failed to throw Donald Trump in prison or undermine his reelection chances, will not wait for incoming President-elect Trump to fire him (as Trump has understandably promised to do). Instead, since a special counsel cannot prosecute a sitting president, Smith will leave the Department of Justice before Trump is sworn in as the 47th president. The (phony) cases against Trump will also be dropped.

“Trump has faced four criminal cases — two at the federal level, and two at the state level. One federal case, the ‘documents’ case, was dismissed in federal court in Florida in July after Judge Aileen Cannon agreed with the defense that Smith’s appointment as Special Counsel was constitutionally invalid. (Smith is currently appealing her ruling.) The other case, the ‘January 6^th’ case, is still pending in the District of Columbia, where Smith had to refile it after Supreme Court rulings on presidential immunity and the relevant law. As of Wednesday, the Department of Justice is dropping both cases…

“At the state level, there are two cases — one in New York, and one in Georgia. In New York, Trump is set to be sentenced on November 26th on 34 felony counts of business fraud. It is unclear what his sentence will be, or whether it would be suspended; his conviction is almost certain to be overturned on appeal. As president, he would probably have the power to pardon himself for federal crimes; it is an open constitutional question as to whether he could pardon himself for state crimes. In Georgia, Trump’s prosecution has been delayed until next year, thanks in part to ethical questions over the conduct of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (who won reelection on Tuesday). There are motions by the defense to dismiss the entire case.

“Trump also faces civil cases. Two of the more prominent case are both in New York: one is his civil fraud case, and the other is his sexual misconduct case. The fraud case is currently on appeal in New York, and the state’s appellate judges have shown skepticism thus far about the massive fine that New York Attorney General managed to slap on Trump for allegedly inflating his wealth in loan applications. The latter case, involving suddenly-remembered allegations by writer E. Jean Carroll, is also being appealed; Trump was found civilly (not criminally) liable for ‘sexual abuse’ (though not for rape) and also for defamation…

“Trump’s stunning and historic victory Tuesday night was, at least in part, a rebuke of this obscene and fascist lawfare persecution…”

NBC News added on November 6:

“Justice Department officials have been evaluating how to wind down the two federal criminal cases against President-elect Donald Trump before he takes office to comply with long-standing department policy that a sitting president can’t be prosecuted,”

Muhammad Ali and the American Propaganda

The Ron Paul Institute wrote on October 8:

“After Muhammad Ali… announced that he would not comply with the U.S. government’s draft notice, which almost certainly would have meant that he would have been sent to Vietnam to kill Vietcong, Ali stated, ‘I ain’t got no quarrel with them Vietcong.’… Not surprisingly, they went after him with a vengeance, trying not only to destroy his reputation and career but also to have him jailed for the next several years of his life. But Ali had a good point. The Vietcong had never attacked him, the United States, or the American people. Why should he go thousands of miles away to kill them?

“The answer is: Because the Pentagon, the CIA, and the NSA had designated the Vietcong to be official enemies of the United States. Therefore, since they are the ones with the power to do that, American citizens were expected to make the Vietcong their own enemy…

“Conscription is not voluntary. Conscription is force. They were seizing Americans and forcing them to travel thousands of miles away to kill or be killed. How in the world can conscription be reconciled with freedom? It can’t be. Conscription is one of the gravest violations of freedom one could ever find… But few Americans understood the contradiction. They considered being forced to fight, die, and kill for freedom to be normal. U.S. officials and many American citizens, especially right-wingers, condemned Ali, as well as blacks who came to his defense, for their lack of ‘patriotism.’ Again, it was a reflection of the power of government indoctrination and propaganda.”

The comments regarding conscription are well-taken. Conscription is a form of modern slavery. The article continues to try to draw a connection between the government-sponsored American war propaganda and the assassinations of John F Kennedy and Martin Luther King.

America Dragged Into Numerous Wars

Ron Paul wrote in his weekly column on October 21:

“When you take on the role of the world’s policeman, don’t be surprised when countries who cannot fight their own wars call ‘911.’ That is exactly what is happening to the United States on two fronts and it is bankrupting our country, depleting the military that should serve our own national interest, and threatening to drag the US into World War III.

“Last week… Vladimir Zelensky publicly presented his ‘Victory Plan.’ It was delusional: immediate NATO Membership for Ukraine, NATO strikes against incoming Russian missiles, and permission to use Western long-range missiles for strikes deep into Russia including Moscow and St. Petersburg… Ukraine is on the verge of losing its war with Russia and is desperate to draw the United States military into the fight… they are calling on us to step in and fight the country with the most nuclear weapons on earth — Russia – in a battle that could not be more unrelated to our actual interests…

“Likewise with Israel. Tel Aviv has, in response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, launched a war to annihilate Palestinians from Gaza, invade and occupy southern Lebanon, degrade the military of Iraq and Syria, and take on Iran. But the Israeli military has nowhere near the capacity to fight so many wars on so many fronts, so it has increasingly demanded US involvement in the conflicts.

“Already the US has provided some $23 billion in additional military aid to Israel and has employed US military assets in the region to shoot down missiles and provide increased weapons and intelligence… US and Israeli leaders understand that they will be considered legitimate targets for any additional Iranian missile attack, but as soon as American troops start getting killed in Israel there will be a massive push for further US involvement. Imagine the mainstream media war propaganda if such a terrible thing happens…”

The Ron Paul Institute published on October 24 the following article by Judge Napolitano:

“Under the Constitution, only Congress can declare war on a nation or group. The last time it did so was to initiate American involvement in World War II. But Congress has given away limited authority to presidents and permitted them to fight undeclared wars, such as the War Powers Resolution of 1973 and President George W. Bush’s disastrous and criminal invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.”

The West Rejects Zelensky’s’ Victory Plan

Rezon Media reported on November 1:

“The New York Times… reported that the classified part of Volodymyr Zelensky’s plan contained a proposal to supply Ukraine with Tomahawk cruise missiles. According to the newspaper, American officials consider this an ‘absolutely impossible request’. Zelensky failed to convince Washington to make a decision to strike deep into Russian territory with Western weapons, the publication notes… Zelensky indicated this condition in his ‘victory plan’…

“Even after receiving training in the West, Ukrainian servicemen find it difficult to adapt to NATO’s combat tactics. This was stated by an instructor from the British army to The Daily Telegraph… Since 2022, in the United Kingdom, as part of Operation Interflex, over 45 thousand recruits of the Ukrainian Armed Forces have completed training courses.”

Assassination Attempt on Netanyahu

Newsmax wrote on October 22:

“The drone attack launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon on Oct. 19 targeting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s private residence in Caesarea scored a direct hit on the home… ‘Iran tried to eliminate the prime minister of Israel. It will not escape responsibility,’ a senior Israeli government official told Ynet.

“According to reports, the assault included three drones, one of which scored a direct hit on a bedroom window at the Caesarea residence. Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, were not home at the time.”

Not unlike Trump who has survived numerous assassination attempts, Netanyahu likewise escaped unharmed. It appears they still have to play a role in the fulfillment of biblical prophecy.

Israel Strikes Iran

The Jerusalem Post wrote on October 27:

“The Israel Air Force struck a dozen targets in Iran that were used to produce solid fuel for long-range ballistic missiles as part of its retaliatory military action against the Islamic Republic, severely harming Tehran’s ability to replenish its inventory, it was reported on Saturday night. The targets struck were sophisticated equipment that Iran could not produce on its own and had to be purchased from China, Walla reported. The targets were a critical component of Iran’s ballistic missile program, Walla cited three anonymous Israeli sources as saying.

“An American researcher said an Israeli airstrike on Saturday hit a building that was part of Iran’s defunct nuclear weapons development program, and he and another researcher said facilities used to mix solid fuel for missiles also were struck… Israel also hit Khojir, according to Eveleth, a sprawling missile production site near Tehran…

“Overall, more than 100 Israeli aircraft participated in the attack on Iranian targets, stating that their mission was to hit the most advanced anti-aircraft systems of the Islamic Republic and develop air superiority there for any possible upcoming IAF operations – in such a way that Israeli fighter jets would be able to fly even at a relatively low altitude in the skies of Tehran itself in the future…”

Even though it was reported that Israel, following American pressure, did not attack Iran’s oil fields and nuclear reactors, the article seems to raise some doubts in that regard.

Did Israel Not Go Far Enough?

On October 31, The New York Post published the following article by John Bolton, who was national security adviser to President Donald Trump, 2018-19, and US ambassador to the United Nations, 2005-06.

“Israel lost a perfect opportunity to cripple Iran’s nuclear-weapons program during its strike against Iran this week. The targets actually selected, air defense and missile-production facilities, were entirely legitimate. Undoubtedly, both Iran’s defensive and offensive capabilities suffered significant damage. But it was not enough.

“Under enormous Biden administration pressure, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government did not strike Iran’s gravest threat: the existential danger of nuclear holocaust against Israel. And the mullahs’ nuclear aspirations — including the threat of Tehran transferring nuclear devices to international terrorist groups — also pose grave dangers to the United States, Gulf Arab countries and many others. Yet that threat remains in place… This mistake should weigh heavily on the consciences of President Biden and his advisers.

“Donald Trump’s stance is murky. To those who think Trump will support Israel as he did in his first term, I say simply: think again.  Trump’s dislike of Netanyahu is palpable, and… the importance of US electoral politics to Trump will be much less than before. Trump came within an eyelash of meeting with Javad Zarif, Iran’s former foreign minister, in 2019. He could easily do so in a second term, always in search of a deal, any deal he believes makes him look good…

“In any event, the decision is ultimately Israel’s. Having failed to act against Iran’s nuclear-weapons activities before Nov. 5, it must decide whether to act thereafter…”

We should also not forget that according to prophecy, Israel will receive a wound—some kind of a military defeat—prior to the Great Tribulation.

Iran Prepares Counter Attack

The New York Post wrote on October 31:

“Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has instructed his forces to prepare a direct attack against Israel after deeming the Jewish nation’s retaliatory strike last week too big to ignore, according to a new report. While Khamenei attempted to downplay to the public the extent of Israel’s attack on Tehran’s military facilities, privately, he greenlit plans for a counterattack in a meeting with his Supreme National Security Council… The ayatollah allegedly made his decision on Monday after reviewing the damage report from his military officials, which detailed the strikes across Tehran’s missile production plants and defense systems.

“Khamenei told his generals that the attack, which also killed four Iranian soldiers, could not go unanswered, saying a lack of response would mean admitting defeat to Israel… ‘Iran’s response to the Zionist aggression is definite,’ said Gen. Ali Fadavi, the Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps deputy commander, according to Iranian media. ‘We have never left an aggression unanswered in 40 years. We are capable of destroying all that the Zionists possess with one operation,’ he added.

“Israel carried out a four-hour operation last Friday consisting of 100 jets, spy planes and refueling aircraft to conduct its largest ever strike on Iran, bombing military facilities tied to the Islamic Republic’s own ballistic missile barrages against the Jewish state.

“The tit-for-tat cycle has raised fears that an all-out war is inevitable in the Middle East between Israel and Iran and its terror proxies…”

The Jerusalem Post added on October 31: “Israeli intelligence suggests Iran is preparing to attack Israel from Iraqi territory in the coming days…”

Iran Threatens With Nuclear Weapons

The New York Post wrote on November 2:

“Iran claimed it could build a nuclear weapon as its supreme leader on Saturday threatened the US and Israel with a ‘tooth-breaking response’ to Israel’s strike on Iranian military targets… ‘If an existential threat arises, Iran will modify its nuclear doctrine, we have the capability to build weapons and have no issue in this regard,’ Kharrazi [a top adviser to supreme leader Khamenei] told Lebanese media…”

Fox News added on November 2:

“Benjamin Netanyahu signaled on Thursday that Iran’s nuclear program could be Jerusalem’s next target amid Tehran’s promises of violence… Reports this week suggested that Iran could be waiting until after the U.S. presidential election next week, though other reports have said Tehran’s retaliatory strike could come at any time.”

Annual BRICS Summit

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 25:

“Russian leader Putin welcomed representatives of more than 36 countries to Kazan this week [at the] annual BRICS summit…  UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres flew to Russia where he met Putin for the first time in more than two years…

“One major focus of the summit was… increased economic cooperation between BRICS members, including alternatives to Western-dominated financial systems…”

BRICS seems to be used as an instrument to bring together some prophesied important Far Eastern alliances.

Fundamental Shift for German Military

The Sun wrote on October 22:

“GERMAN military aircraft will use British bases in a historic deal — 80 years after the Blitz. The PS Poseidon spy planes, ­operated by the Deutsche Marine and possibly armed with British torpedoes, will fly out of RAF Lossiemouth under the Trinity House Agreement

“… the accord [has been called] ‘a fundamental shift in the UK’s relations with Germany.’ It will lead to German tank-maker Rheinmetall opening a factory in Britain.”

The Rise of Björn Höcke (AfD)

Deutsche Welle wrote on October 26:

“Björn Höcke… the state chairman of the AfD branch in Germany’s eastern state of Thuringia, has… flirted with presenting himself as the supposed savior of the country… Höcke is alluding to a far-right propaganda video that depicts him as the 12th-century Holy Roman Emperor Barbarossa. According to an old legend, Barbarossa, who is known for making peace across the Germanic kingdoms and beyond, is not dead but only sleeping and will wake up again to unite his loyal followers…

“At the beginning of September, the AfD in Thuringia became the first far-right party since World war II to win the most votes in a German state election. Höcke was widely celebrated by his supporters in the wake of the victory…”

Germany Deserves Better Than This Government!

Bild Online published the following comment from Bild boss Robert Schneider on October 29th:

“The German economy is wounded, Volkswagen is already bleeding! While tens of thousands of VW employees are threatened with layoffs, wage cuts and factory closures are pending at Germany’s largest car manufacturer, the traffic light government is today committing a level of madness to our economy that is astonishing.

“First, Federal Finance Minister Christian Lindner gathers top representatives of the German economy for a crisis talk. A few hours later, Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks to representatives of major industry and unions about ways out of the recession. By the way, Economics Minister Robert Habeck is not at both economic summits! How are the shocked VW employees supposed to understand this ego trip by the traffic light men?

“The fact that the red-green-yellow coalition can no longer even agree on a joint conversation with business and trade unions is an admission of capitulation and another proof of the failure of the traffic light…

“Germany as a business location suffers from high taxes, levies, bureaucratic burdens, a shortage of skilled workers and energy prices… But the traffic light lacks the courage and strength to govern, and not only in economic and financial policy:

“The migration crisis is not even remotely resolved and the consequences are affecting the entire country. The housing market is broken, many Germans are worried that they will no longer be able to pay their rent or even find an apartment. Internal security (crime) and external security (Bundeswehr) are in a worrying state… In the Middle East war, Germany is verbally and officially on Israel’s side… but at the same time the government blocked the supply of spare parts for the Israeli army for months. And in the Ukraine war, it is not known whether it is currently more important for the Chancellor not to irritate Putin too much or to help Ukraine achieve lasting military successes.

“I think: Germany deserves better than this government!”

It is clear that the German government is perhaps the worst since the end of the Second World War. But the big question is whether Germany deserves a better government. We think: Germany deserves exactly this government.

German Government History

Deutsche Welle reported on November 6:

“Germany’s Chancellor Olaf Scholz has dismissed finance minister Christian Lindner on Wednesday, after a breakdown in talks among the coalition government that was composed of Scholz’s social democrats (SPD), the Greens and Lindner’s liberal party FDP.”

Bild Online wrote that the government coalition is history. Die Welt announced that there will be no new elections at this time, but that Scholz will ask in January for a vote of confidence.

Reuters wrote on November 7:

 “German opposition parties and business groups on Thursday urged Chancellor Olaf Scholz to trigger a new election quickly to minimise political uncertainty after his rocky three-way coalition collapsed. The coalition fell apart on Wednesday when years of tensions culminated in a row over how to plug a multi-billion-euro hole in the budget and revive Europe’s largest economy, headed for its second year of contraction. The break-up creates a leadership vacuum at the heart of the European Union just as it seeks a united response to Tuesday’s election of Donald Trump as U.S. president on issues ranging from possible new U.S. trade tariffs to Russia’s war in Ukraine and the future of the U.S.-led NATO alliance…

“The last straw was [Finance Minister Lindner’s] opposition to Scholz’s plan to ease debt limits in order to increase support for Ukraine in the 2025 budget by 3 billion euros ($3.25 billion). Lindner’s dismissal led to the FDP quitting the coalition, leaving Scholz’s SPD and the Greens running a minority government…

“The crisis comes at a critical juncture for Germany, with a flatlining economy, ageing infrastructure and an unprepared military. It is likely to deal another blow to consumption and investment in coming months even as Trump’s return threatens to dampen exports…”

Tucker Carlson Attacked by Demon?

Mediaite wrote on October 31:

“Tucker Carlson said that he was ‘physically mauled’ by a demon a year and a half ago that left him bleeding and with still-visible scars on his body from ‘claw marks’… ‘I got attacked while I was asleep with my wife and four dogs and mauled, physically mauled… by a demon… Or by something unseen that left claw marks on my sides… I was totally confused, I woke up, and I couldn’t breathe, and I thought I was going to suffocate. And I walked around outside and then I walked in and my wife and dogs had not woken up. And they’re very light sleepers. And then I had these terrible pains on my rib cage and on my shoulder, and I was just in my boxer shorts and I went and flipped on the light in the bathroom, and I had four claw marks on either side underneath my arms and on my left shoulder. And they’re bleeding… And I sleep on my side, so I wasn’t clawing myself. I don’t have long nails and they didn’t fit my hands anyway…

“Carlson went on to say that he consulted his assistant, an evangelical Christian, because he had ‘never heard of anything like that happening before,’ and that she told him, ‘That happens, people are attacked in their bed by demons…’”

Demons are real. But to be clear, demons do NOT have the power to attack or influence us while we are asleep. Note our Q&A in this regard. https://www.eternalgod.org/can-satan-influence-us-whilst-we-are-asleep/

“Conclave”… Too Close to Francis’ Home?

The Associated Press wrote on October 27:

“With Pope Francis a few weeks away from his 88th birthday, the plotting for his successor is well underway at the Vatican. How timely, then, that just across town in Rome, ‘Conclave,’ a thriller filled with back-stabbing, manipulative cardinals, quick to toss morality out of the window as they promote their candidate, is a top draw at the Rome Film Festival. This might be a little too close to home — literally and figuratively — for Pope Francis…

“The conclave is the centuries-old tradition in which, on the death of a pope, cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican to participate in rounds of voting until they elect a new pontiff. Conclave comes from the Latin ‘cum clave,’ meaning ‘with a key,’ to indicate the Cardinals are locked in until they have chosen the new leader for the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics.

“Francis is not immortal. Discussions on who could be his successor have already begun, but it remains to be seen if the next real conclave will be as thrilling as the film…”

And it will also be interesting to see who will emerge as the next pope… an equally left-liberal pope with extremist anti-Catholic views, or, as a reaction, a conservative candidate who will be more fully in line with Catholic traditionalism.

Dangers of Corona Vaccination

Report 24 wrote on October 28:

“Pfizer/BioNTech has quietly updated the product information on the Corona vaccine and added the following regarding heart damage: ‘There is an increased risk of myocarditis and pericarditis after vaccination with Comirnaty. These diseases can develop within a few days after vaccination and mainly occur within 14 days. They were seen more frequently after the second vaccination and more frequently in younger men. Available data shows that most cases recover. In some cases, intensive care was required and fatal cases were observed.’

“‘The mechanism of action of this new mRNA technology can lead to the destruction of many cells in all organs by the immune system. This damage is particularly dramatic in organs that have little or no ability to regenerate, such as the brain and heart. That’s why we always warned against the corona vaccination… Now that large parts of the population have already been vaccinated and the many complications are obvious, these risks, which have been expected since the beginning and have been known for a long time, are secretly included in the specialist information,’ explains Dr. Christian Fiala. In this way, the manufacturer is trying to avoid liability, at least for future vaccinations. Because the patient himself is liable for all risks listed in the specialist information…

“The fact that the change took place in 2023 makes the matter even more explosive. Because the denial of side effects and the trivialization of inflammation of the heart have continued since then – as has the promotion of the vaccination…”

Children Endangered Through Covid Vaccines?

On October 30, Dr. Paul Alexander wrote the following:

“[A] UK study confirmed the global stable data that no healthy child in US or elsewhere, none, got severely ill or died from this thing called ‘COVID’; in fact severe outcomes ONLY after MALONE et al. mRNA… Bottom line, NO COVID mRNA vaccine was needed in any child, NONE! And is NOT needed! Parents be warned! The mRNA gene-based vaccine should have never been rolled out to children, as much as it should not have been given to pregnant women who were excluded from the registrational legacy trials by Pfizer, Moderna etc…

“Furthermore, the study found that Covid shots offered the children very little protection from the virus, with many becoming infected after just 14 to 15 weeks of receiving an injection.’ ‘The researchers were investigating the safety and effectiveness of Pfizer’s vaccine in fully vaccinated, partially vaccinated, and unvaccinated children and teenagers. However, they discovered that cases of myocarditis and pericarditis only emerged in the vaccinated group.’..

“Myocarditis and pericarditis are both forms of inflammation in the heart. Pericarditis is a condition where the sac around the heart becomes inflamed, while myocarditis is an inflammation of the heart muscle. Both disorders restrict the heart’s ability to pump blood around the body and can cause clots, strokes, heart attacks, cardiac arrest, and ultimately sudden death.”

Kennedy to Reorganize Department of Health?

Breitbart wrote on October 31:

“Former President Donald Trump has asked Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead a reorganization of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in a new administration…

“Kennedy told Breitbart News: ‘President Trump has asked me… to root out … the corruption, and the conflicts of interest; and to restore the traditions of gold-standard, empirically-based, evidence-based science and medicine, and to end the chronic disease epidemic. And he’s told me that he wants to see measurable results in the decline of chronic disease within two years. And I’ve promised him that we can to that.”

That would not be a bad idea, also in light of the next article. Kennedy has been very outspoken about the danger of Covid vaccinations.

The Propaganda and Threats of the WHO

LifeSiteNews wrote on October 31:

“The public health establishment needs to be even more ‘aggressive’ against vaccine critics than it already is, the leader of the embattled World Health Organization (WHO) declared in recent remarks… WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus decried that ‘more than 14 million children in 2022 did not receive a single dose of vaccine,’ and while work with international organizations like UNICEF hopes to reduce that number, a ‘serious challenge’ remains. ‘I think we need to strategize to really push back, because vaccines work, vaccines effect adults, and we have science, evidence on our side,’ Tedros said. ‘I think it’s time to be more aggressive in pushing back on anti-vaxxers. They used COVID as an opportunity and all the havoc they are creating.’
“… Tedros gives little consideration to … the significant risks to the COVID shots… [including] higher risks of myocarditis following the first, second and third doses of mRNA-based COVID shots, as well as signs of increased risk of… pericarditis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and cerebral venous sinus thrombosis… and other potential safety signals… [and] statistically significant increases… in cancer deaths after third doses of mRNA-based COVID-19 jabs…”

The Evolution Theory—Such a Dumb Monkey Tale!

BBC News reported on November 1:

“Two Australian mathematicians have called into question an old adage, that if given an infinite amount of time, a monkey pressing keys on a typewriter would eventually write the complete works of William Shakespeare… However, a new peer-reviewed study led by Sydney-based researchers Stephen Woodcock and Jay Falletta has found that the time it would take for a typing monkey to replicate Shakespeare’s plays, sonnets and poems would be longer than the lifespan of our universe…

“As well as looking at the abilities of a single monkey, the study also did a series of calculations based on the current global population of chimpanzees, which is roughly 200,000. The results indicated that even if every chimp in the world was enlisted and able to type at a pace of one key per second until the end of the universe, they wouldn’t even come close to typing out the Bard’s works. There would be a 5% chance that a single chimp would successfully type the word ‘bananas’ in its own lifetime. And the probability of one chimp constructing a random sentence – such as ‘I chimp, therefore I am’ – comes in at one in 10 million billion billion, the research indicates…”

What is also being overlooked in all of this is the fact that an unbreachable spiritual gap exists between men and monkeys. Monkeys can never even remotely achieve what man does. This, of course, completely debunks the ridiculous evolution idea. Please read our free booklet, “The Theory of Evolution—A Fairy Tale for Adults?” 

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.

13,099 Illegal Immigrants Convicted of Homicide Loose on the Streets

Fox News wrote on September 27:

“Tens of thousands of illegal immigrants with sex offenses and homicide convictions are loose on the streets, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) data provided to lawmakers this week… The data, as of July 2024, is broken down by those in detention, and those who are not in detention — known as the non-detained docket.  The non-detained docket includes illegal immigrants who have final orders of removal or are going through removal proceedings but are not detained in ICE custody. There are currently more than 7 million people on that docket. The data says that, among those not in detention, there are 425,431 convicted criminals and 222,141 with pending criminal charges.

“Those include 62,231 convicted of assault, 14,301 convicted of burglary, 56,533 with drug convictions and 13,099 convicted of homicide. An additional 2,521 have kidnapping convictions and 15,811 have sexual assault convictions. 

“There are an additional 1,845 with pending homicide charges, 42,915 with assault charges, 3,266 with burglary charges and 4,250 with assault charges…”

Trump has been ridiculed and maligned for consistently stating that many illegal aliens entering the USA are murderers and rapists. After all, he was right. The actual numbers might be much higher than the ones listed above.

Convicted Illegal Immigrants in the USA

CBS News wrote on September 30:

“… a letter U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement [which was] recently shared with Texas Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales… contained figures on immigrants with criminal records being tracked by ICE but not detained by the agency… many of the convicted criminals described in the letter have been in the U.S. for a long time, before the Biden administration took office, according to government data and officials. Some are still in federal or state custody serving criminal sentences and are likely to be arrested by ICE. And others cannot be deported because their home countries won’t take them back or they received legal relief from deportation in immigration court.

“… The number of non-detained docket cases has ballooned under the Biden administration, fueled by the release of millions of migrants from the U.S.-Mexico border in recent years. ICE is currently tracking roughly 7.7 million non-detained cases, up from 3.3 million in fiscal year 2020…

“ICE efforts to arrest immigrants accused or convicted of crimes are often frustrated by jurisdictions with so-called ‘sanctuary’ policies that limit local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration authorities. Some communities, for example, do not honor requests from ICE to hold individuals longer so the agency can pick them up and take them into custody… ICE sometimes has to release immigrants who have been ordered deported by a judge, often because of a criminal conviction, simply because their home country won’t accept them. Additionally, some immigrants, even those convicted of serious crimes, can have their deportation deferred if immigration judges determine they would likely be tortured or persecuted in their home countries…”

The End of Democracy?

Media ITE wrote on September 29:

“Elon Musk claimed Sunday that electing former President Donald Trump in November is the ‘only way’ to save the country from the tyranny of Democrats and illegal migrants. He wrote on X:

“‘Very few Americans realize that, if Trump is NOT elected, this will be the last election. Far from being a threat to democracy, he is the only way to save it! Let me explain: if even 1 in 20 illegals become citizens per year, something that the Democrats are expediting as fast as humanly possible, that would be about 2 million new legal voters in 4 years. The voting margin in the swing states is often less than 20 thousand votes. That means if the “Democratic” Party succeeds, there will be no more swing states!! Moreover, the Biden/Harris administration has been flying “asylum seekers”, who are fast-tracked to citizenship, directly into swing states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin and Arizona. It is a surefire way to win every election.

“‘America then becomes a one-party state and Democracy is over. The only “elections” will be the Democratic Party primaries. This already happened in California many years ago, following the 1986 amnesty. The only thing holding California back from extreme socialism and suffocating government policies is that people can leave California and still remain in America. Once the whole country is controlled by one party, there will be no escape. Everywhere in America will be like the nightmare that is downtown San Francisco.’”

This is a frightening but not improbable scenario. California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill Sunday that will bar local authorities from requiring photo ID to vote.

“Ridiculous ‘Fact Check’ of a True Statement During CBS Vance-Walz VP Debate”

The Editorial Board of the New York Post wrote on October 1:

“Sen. JD Vance was accurately describing the migrant crisis fueled by Kamala Harris and Joe Biden when CBS moderator Margaret Brennan decided to insert herself with a ‘fact check.’ ‘Just to clarify for our viewers, Springfield, Ohio does have a large number of Haitian migrants who have legal status,’ she said smugly.

“Vance was rightly annoyed by the interruption and said, ‘The rules were that you guys weren’t going to fact-check, and since you’re fact-checking me, I think it’s important to say what’s actually going on.’ He then proceeded to truthfully, forcefully explain what ‘legal status’ means: ‘So there’s an application called the CBP One app, where you can go on as an illegal migrant, apply for asylum or apply for parole, and be granted legal status at the wave of a Kamala Harris open border wand.’ At which point CBS decided to CUT OFF HIS MIC.

“This was the most shameful moment in a long history of shameful moments by moderators biased against Republicans. They ‘fact-checked’ the truth, then stopped the politician from responding. It was made all the more partisan by the fact that when Gov. Tim Walz told the howler that ‘illegal border crossings are down compared to when Donald Trump left office,’ which is not even close to true, no one let out of a peep. Some ‘facts’ are too good to check…

“What Vance was explaining is absolutely, verifiably correct. There is no congressional authorization for the Biden-Harris administration to simply allow 1,000 people a day, 365,000 a year, to just walk across the border. Moreover, asylum law requires that seekers apply in the first safe country they enter. The White House is ignoring that rule. Venezuelans can walk through a half-dozen nations where they could apply for asylum, and they still let them apply here. They aren’t required to remain in Mexico while their applications are processed, as former President Donald Trump required…

“So yes, the Haitians of Springfield have ‘legal status.’ But that’s only because Kamala Harris and Joe Biden are ignoring the law.”

That was by far not the only problem with the moderators of the Vance-Walz debate. Tim Walz was not taken to task when he incorrectly claimed that he did not sign a bill allowing abortions after birth; no questions were asked about his falsified record as a soldier; and no really pertinent questions were even asked about Russia and Ukraine.

Worse yet, they brought up the January 6 incident, falsely claiming that all courts had ruled that there was no evidence of fraud. The truth is, most courts did not even address the substance of the case—they dismissed causes of actions on procedural grounds such as lack of standing—and the few courts which did address substance limited their judgments to strictly local occurrences in a particular state, but not the USA as a whole. The verdict on HOW much the election was rigged is still out. It has been rightly observed that the Vance-Walz debate was again three against one (as had been the case in the previous debate between Trump and Harris). Still, it has been overwhelmingly stated that Vance won the debate.

The Costs of the Port Strike

inc.com wrote on October 2:

“Analysts at J.P. Morgan calculated that the strike that shut down ports from Maine to Texas could cost the U.S. economy between $3.8 billion to $4.5 billion for each day they remain closed. Roughly 45,000 dock workers walked off the job at 36 ports when the clock struck midnight on Tuesday when their contract expired. Negotiations have reportedly stalled for months over wages… For each day the workers strike, estimates suggest that supply chains could face an additional five to seven days of congestion as goods are rerouted to open ports in other regions of the country, namely the West Coast. Assuming those ports stay open…

“Many are concerned that the snarled supply chains the nation experienced in 2021 could resurface, along with the price increases that such disruptions may bring. Goods such as bananas, cherries, chocolate, and alcohol could be in short supply if the strike becomes protracted… As of now, Biden has chosen not to step in. The president, who has been a vocal advocate for labor unions over the years, called on USMX to raise workers’ wages. It’s unclear when both parties will next return to the bargaining table.”

That is one way of destroying the US economy.

Fortunately, The New York Post wrote on October 3:

“The three-day longshorseman strike that sparked panic in the US over potential supply chain issues is set to end immediately as dock workers and port operators reached a tentative deal, representatives for each group said Thursday.

The strike — which snarled incoming shipments at dozens of ports stretching from Maine to Texas — will end at least until Jan. 15 after the Internation Longshoremen’s Association, the union representing 45,000 dockworkers, and the US Maritime Alliance, which represents shippers and port operators, reached a tentative deal on wage increases… Dockworkers will see an approximately 62% wage hike over six years under the new deal… The union had been asking for a 77% raise.”

But this is apparently only temporary, and much damage has already been done. In addition, Fortune wrote on September 29 that “Total damages and economic loss from Hurricane Helene could reach $110 billion.”

It is clear that God is not blessing the USA.

Abbas Attacks Israel

Israel Today wrote on September 27:

“In an address to the U.N. General Assembly on Thursday morning, Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas called the holiest Jewish site—the Temple Mount in Jerusalem—the ‘exclusive property of Muslims’ and referred to Israel as a ‘terrorist state’ that does not deserve membership in the United Nations…

“He also referred to Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir as a terrorist for calling for a Third Temple to be built on the mount.”

A Third Temple will be built on the Temple Mount, prior to Christ’s return, as the Bible clearly reveals. The evidence is indisputable. 

Netanyahu Attacks UN, Iran Before Strike on Beirut

The New York Post wrote on September 27:

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the United Nations General Assembly as a ‘swamp of antisemitic bile’ during a fiery address Friday morning…  He also called the organization an ‘anti-Israel flat-earth society.’ The Likud party leader slammed the International Criminal Court’s allegations that Israel has deliberately targeted civilians in Gaza as the product of ‘profound moral confusion.’

“He called out the Iranian government for backing terror groups, including Hamas, and mentioned how Tehran directly attacked Israel for the first time in April this year. Netanyahu repeatedly emphasized Israel’s nearly year-long struggle in a war that now involves multiple fronts, as Hezbollah, the Houthis and militants in Syria and Iraq renewed their efforts against the Jewish state in response to the Gaza war…

“Shortly after Netanyahu’s speech, Israel rained down missiles on Hezbollah’s headquarters in Beirut, marking its most powerful attack on the group to date.  The explosions marked a serious escalation and came weeks after Israel confirmed that the focus of its war effort was shifting from Gaza to Lebanon. Netanyahu’s office circulated an image of the prime minister on the phone approving the strike on the Lebanese capital.”

Hezbollah Leader Killed

The U.S. Sun wrote on September 28:

“HEZBOLLAH leader Hassan Nasrallah has been killed in a massive missile blitz on Lebanon. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced that Friday’s fighter jet blitz successfully eliminated the terror group’s Secretary-General…

“The death of Nasrallah, considered by many to be the single most powerful individual in Lebanon, is a pivotal moment for Israel – and has sparked fears of wider escalation. Ali Karki, the Commander of Hezbollah’s Southern Front, is also believed to have been killed alongside Nasrallah in the strikes on Friday. Israel also claims to have wiped out several other Hezbollah officials including Muhammad Ali Ismail, the commander of Hezbollah’s missile unit in southern Lebanon, in the blasts. His deputy and ‘other senior officials’ were also taken out.”

Intervention of Outside Powers?

The New York Post wrote on September 28:

“Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei urged the Muslim world to ‘stand by’ Lebanon and Hezbollah.

“The international community has expressed concern that these bombings in Lebanon would inevitably lead to an even wider war in the Middle East…

“ ‘Shockwaves radiating from the unprecedented death and destruction in Gaza now threaten to push the entire region into the abyss,’ UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutierez told the Security Council Friday.  ‘War in Lebanon could lead to further escalation involving outside powers.’”

Fox News wrote on September 28:

“… the immediate question is not whether Iran will respond, but how. Hezbollah is a creation of the Islamic Republic, built on decades of effort, and billions of dollars of support… The relationship between Iran’s supreme leader… Khamenei and Hezbollah’s secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah, was almost familial – akin to that of father and son…

“Iran’s leadership cannot simply sit back while Hezbollah endures these levels of humiliation and harm. To do so would not only result in the weakening or loss of its most important proxy, but could signal the start of the unraveling of its entire regional strategy of eradicating the state of Israel, empowering Islamist groups, and expelling U.S. forces from the Middle East….”

Ultimately, Israel will receive a wound—prior to the Great Tribulation. This is apparently some kind of a defeat in war.

Reactions:

The Algemeiner and Reuters wrote on September 28:

“The following are reactions by regional politicians and others to the killing of Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut on Friday:

“IRAN’S FOREIGN MINISTRY: The ministry said in a statement that Nasrallah’s ‘path will continue and his goal will be realized in Jerusalem’s liberation’.

“YEMEN’S IRAN-ALIGNED HOUTHIS: The group said it mourned the killing of Nasrallah, adding: ‘The martyrdom … will increase the strength of sacrifice … determination and continuity.’

“MOHAMMED SHIA AL-SUDANI, IRAQ’S PRIME MINISTER: He said the killing of Nasrallah showed ‘the reckless desire to expand the conflict at the expense of all the peoples of the region and their security and stability.’

“HERZI HALEVI, ISRAEL’S CHIEF OF THE GENERAL STAFF: Nasrallah indiscriminately murdered Israeli civilians and aimed to end this war with the destruction of the State of Israel. We made sure that did not occur. We eliminated him, and we will continue to grow stronger. Hezbollah has murdered innocent people worldwide, hiding his weapons under the homes of families, women and children and turning them into human shields. As we have shown, we will not allow such a threat to our citizens. We are determined to continue destroying the Hezbollah terrorist organization and to keep fighting.’

“MOQTADA EL SADR, IRAQI SHI’ITE MUSLIM POLITICIAN: He said he mourned Nasrallah as ‘his companion in resistance’.

“GEBRAN BASSIL, LEADING LEBANESE CHRISTIAN POLITICIAN: He said he mourned the death of Nasrallah as a major loss and said it was a hard time for all Lebanese, adding: ‘In the face of the Israeli enemy, we have no choice but to be together as Lebanese.’

“MICHEL AOUN, FORMER LEBANESE PRESIDENT: In a statement mourning Nasrallah, he referred to ‘the dangers our country is witnessing as a result of the ongoing Israeli aggression which requires rising to the highest level of national solidarity that protects and fortifies our unity because that is the true salvation’.

“SAAD AL-HARIRI, FORMER LEBANESE PRIME MINISTER: The assassination of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has plunged Lebanon and the region into a new phase of violence. It is a cowardly act condemned in its entirety by us, who paid dearly for the lives of our loved ones when assassination became an alternative to politics. May God have mercy on Sayyed Hassan and my sincere condolences to his family and comrades. We often disagreed with the deceased and his party and met a few times, but Lebanon was everyone’s tent. In this extremely difficult phase, our unity and solidarity remain the foundation.’

“TURKISH PRESIDENT TAYYIP ERDOGAN: In a post on X after the killing of Nasrallah but which did not name him, Erdogan said he condemned recent attacks in Lebanon as part of what he called an Israeli policy of ‘genocide, occupation, and invasion’ and said the Muslim world should show a more ‘determined’ stance.”

The Times of Israel added on September 28:

“Russia also criticized Israel for killing Nasrallah, with a statement from the country’s foreign ministry saying it ‘decisively condemn[s] the latest political murder carried out by Israel’ and ‘once again insistently urge[s] Israel to immediately cease military action.’”

The Lebanese unite against Israel. And what Russian hypocrisy! Controversial German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (the Greens) stated that the elimination of Hassan Nasrallah was not necessary for Isarel’s security.

It is also shocking to see that large parts of the left-wing mass media in the USA and Europe portray mass murderer and terrorist Nasrallah as a somewhat sympathetic figure. For instance, the New York Times wrote falsely that Nasrallah was a “gifted orator” who “maintained that there should be one Palestine with equality for Muslims, Jews and Christians.” The truth is, he wanted Israel destroyed and obliterated.

USA Didn’t Succeed  

AFP wrote on September 28:

“EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell voiced regret Friday that no power, including the United States, can ‘stop;… Netanyahu,  saying he appears determined to crush militants in Gaza and Lebanon… Borrell said Netanyahu has made clear that the Israelis ‘don’t stop until Hezbollah is destroyed,’ much as in its nearly year-old campaign in Gaza against fellow Iranian-backed militant group Hamas. ‘If the interpretation of being destroyed is the same as with Hamas, then we are going to go for a long war,’ Borrell said…

“The outgoing EU foreign affairs chief [said;]  ‘We cannot rely just on the US. The US tried several times; they didn’t succeed…’”

The rift between Europe and the USA, even under Biden and now Harris, is widening.

Israeli Strikes Continue

Daily Mail wrote on September 28:

“Israel launched fresh strikes on Beirut again this afternoon after killing Hezbollah boss Hassan Nasrallah and a senior Iranian commander in an attack on Friday that has rocked the region and threatens drastic escalation. The Israeli military said late Saturday afternoon it had carried out an air strike in the Dahieh area of Beirut – the same district targeted in the strike on Hezbollah’s headquarters in the city yesterday. 

“Israeli military chief Herzi Halevi acknowledged that ‘challenging days await’ for Israel after confirming the death of Hezbollah’s secretary-general, with Iran and Hezbollah’s allies vowing revenge… Israel defended its operations in Lebanon today, amid growing pressure from its allies to de-escalate, claiming that it had thwarted a Hezbollah plot to carry out an attack similar to October 7.”

The Sun wrote on September 30:

“ISRAELI special forces have stormed Hezbollah tunnels inside Lebanon as Netanyahu warns there’s nowhere Israel cannot reach. Military bosses have massed tanks and 13,000 reservists at its northern border with Lebanon to pave the way for a bloody showdown with Hezbollah terror troops…. The IDF’s elite troops have carried out raids in southern Lebanon ahead of the possible invasion.”

Can Israel Succeed?

The Sun wrote on September 29:

“Analysts said terror group Hezbollah are ready for a ‘fight to the death’ against Israel should they invade – with Iran ready to pounce and send the region into chaos… Israel’s daily rocket barrages on Beirut are believed to be a clever ploy from the IDF to help begin their ground invasion into southern Lebanon… [Israel] has left the terror group in chaos after it eliminated dozens of their leaders – paving the way for an Israeli invasion. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi has already made it clear that the attacks on Lebanon have been tactically done to open up opportunities for the military to enter…

“But… despite the IDF outnumbering, outgunning and potentially outsmarting Hezbollah a complete offensive will be a tricky task to pull off. Despite being severely weakened by the rocket strikes Hezbollah are still a scary prospect after decades of training and Iranian funding…

“In the short term, Israel may be able to push Hezbollah and Iran back with their impressive battlefield skills and range of weapons. But many fear that their dominance won’t last long in the region – potentially triggering a war involving global powers…”

Ultimately, foreign powers WILL invade and conquer the state of Israel.

Israel Strikes Yemen

Express wrote on September 29:

“Israel has launched an all-out air assault on Yemen’s Houthis striking targets in a raid using dozens of aircraft. The IDF confirmed that the strike was the most powerful against the terror group since it joined the widening Middle East war following the October 7 attack in Israel last year. The targets of the strikes were oil reserves in Ras Issa and also the port of Hodeidah, according to Israeli army sources. Additionally, power plants were also struck in the devastating attacks carried out by  Israel’s air force…

“The strikes appear to be in retaliation for attacks on Israel carried out by the Houthis last week. Three missiles were fired at Tel Aviv and central areas of the country, following Israel’s bombardment of Lebanon…”

Israel is fighting on numerous fronts. In the long run, it will be extremely difficult to continue doing so.

Iran Attacks Israel

The Daily Mail wrote on October 1:

“The Israeli military has announced that missiles have been launched from Iran into Israel tonight – with the Islamic Republic ignoring warnings that any such attack would invite ‘severe consequences’. Air raid sirens sounded as dozens of missiles began raining down on Israel, with some dramatically exploding into flames as they appeared to strike areas of Tel Aviv, Israel’s capital. As the sustained attack continued into the night sky, other missiles exploded in the air as they were intercepted by Israel’s defence systems. 

“… Israel was expecting ballistic missiles to be launched by Iran this evening in yet another major escalation that leaves the Middle East on the brink of an all-out war. These can reach their targets in just 12 minutes…

“Israeli media are reporting that [about 200] missiles have been fired into Israel – after Iran vowed on Saturday that Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah would be avenged…

“It comes as:  Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on towns and cities across Israel; IDF claimed to have conducted cross-border raids on southern Lebanon; Israeli airstrikes continue to devastate targets across Lebanon and Syria; Lebanon… appealed for $400 million in humanitarian aid…

“President Joe Biden said the United States was prepared to help Israel defend itself from Iranian missile attacks and to protect American military in the region…”

However, Biden also said that Israel should not attack Iran’s nuclear sites in retaliation. But many feel that Israel will have to do something. At the same time, Israel lost eight IDF soldiers in Southern Lebanon’s Ground Offensive who were killed by Hezbollah.

Zelenskyy and Trump Meet

The Associated Press wrote on September 27:

“Ukrainian President Zelenskyy met face-to-face with Donald Trump  Friday with public tensions rising between the two over Ukraine’s defense against Russia’s invasion… Trump has for months criticized U.S. support for Ukraine and derided Zelenskyy as a ‘salesman’ for persuading Washington to provide weapons and funding to his military as it tries to fend off Moscow…

“In an interview with The New Yorker that was published earlier this week, Zelenskyy implied Trump does not understand and oversimplifies the conflict. The Ukrainian leader said Trump’s running mate JD Vance was ‘too radical’ and has essentially advocated for Ukraine to ‘make a sacrifice’ by ‘giving up its territories.’…”

Zelenskyy stated that both he and Trump agree that Putin “cannot win the war.”  It is unclear what is meant by that phrase. If the intention was to say that he must not win the war, that would be one thing; if it was meant to say that Putin will be unable to win the war, then that would be illusionary. Note the next article.

Ukraine Should Be Talking About Peace

The Ron Paul Institute added on September 28:

“Russia is gaining territory quickly because Ukraine is low on manpower. No amount of NATO technology or weaponry is going to help this fundamental weakness.  This is the reality in Ukraine; they are losing the war… Zelensky is dead-set on getting permission to use US and European long range missile systems against targets deep within Russia… So far the Biden Administration has refrained from supporting the long range option, but has offered another $8 billion in support.  Under a Trump presidency, the money train is likely to stop abruptly.

“Zelensky has offered no practical measures for negotiations, arguing that concessions are off the table.  Furthermore, he claims that peace is only possible once Ukraine has taken back all territory seized by Russia, including Crimea which was annexed in 2014.  He then demanded that Russia pay for Ukraine’s reconstruction and that Putin and a multitude of other Russian officials be handed over to be tried for war crimes.  This is never going to happen.

“The core of Ukraine’s victory plan relies on long range strikes using NATO guided missiles and acceptance into NATO.  Both factors at this stage would cause WWIII…

“Many officials within the US and Europe have given Zelensky delusions of grandeur about his chances, perhaps because they want the war to grind on forever.  These same officials have hinted consistently that they will not accept a Ukrainian loss.   Regardless of what side people think should win, the fact is that Russia is the inevitable victor according to all the evidence on hand…. The longer the war goes on the greater the chances of a powder keg moment and a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.  Ukraine should not be talking about ‘victory’, that time has come and gone. They should be talking about peace.”

The Western press keeps repeating the mantra that Ukraine is winning the war. This is not supported by the facts. In any event, Russia and Ukraine will unite, no matter who “wins” the war.

Europe Prepared for a Suicide Venture?

Newsweek wrote on September 28:

“Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov… issued a new nuclear warning during the… (U.N.) General Assembly on Saturday…   NATO leaders have increasingly warned that direct conflict with Moscow is a realistic danger as it has more nuclear warheads than any other country…  Lavrov… warned Washington, D.C. as well as London to prepare for a ‘suicide venture’ pointing out the ‘pointlessness and danger of the very idea to fight to victory with a nuclear power like Russia.’

“‘A goal has been declared to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia – almost like London and Washington planned in May 1945 as they developed “Operation Unthinkable” on destruction of the Soviet Union even before the end of World War II. Back then, it was a closely held secret. The Anglo-Saxon strategists of today, however, make no secret of their intentions. So far, they expect to defeat Russia with the hands of the illegitimate neo-Nazi Kiev regime, but they already prepare Europe to leap into a suicide venture as well,’ Lavrov said.”

Again, none of these Russian warnings should be taken lightly.

Belgium Unhappy with Pope and Catholic Church

The Associated Press wrote on September 27:

“Belgium’s prime minister blasted Pope Francis for the Catholic Church’s horrific legacy of clerical sex abuse and cover-ups here, demanding ‘concrete steps’ to come clean with the past and put victims’ interests ahead those of the institution in a blistering welcome at the start of Francis’ visit on Friday.

“The speech by Prime Minister Alexander De Croo was one of the most pointed ever directed at the pope during a foreign trip, where the genteel dictates of diplomatic protocol usually keeps outrage out of the public remarks. But even King Philippe had strong words for Francis, demanding the church work ‘incessantly’ to atone for the crimes and help victims heal.

“Their tone underscored just how raw the abuse scandal still is in Belgium, where two decades of revelations of abuse and systematic cover-ups have devastated the hierarchy’s credibility and contributed to an overall decline in Catholicism and the influence of the once-powerful Catholic Church…

“The prime minister, king and pope also referred to a new church-related scandal rocking Belgium, over so-called ‘forced adoptions,’ which echoed earlier revelations about Ireland’s so-called mother and baby homes.  After World War II and through the 1980s, many single mothers were forced by the Belgian church into offering their newborns up for adoption. Often they barely saw their babies before nuns took them away, and the babies were then placed for adoption, with money changing hands. For those adopted, it is close to impossible now to find out who their birth mothers were, since the records have long ago disappeared.

“Francis said he was ‘saddened’ to learn of these practices, but said such criminality was ‘mixed in with what was unfortunately the prevailing view in all parts of society at this time… Many believed in conscience that they were doing something good for both the child and the mother,’ he said, referring to the social stigma of an unwed mother in a Catholic country… [it is estimated] it affected up to 30,000 babies…”

These scandals in the Catholic Church are as old as the Catholic Church, and they will continue. Only at times, the tip of the iceberg reaches the surface, but one can only imagine what is all going on in the abyss below.

The Catholic Church’s New Seven Capital Sins

FSSPX News wrote on September 30:

“Here is the [new] list of [capital] sins, as the Synod document describes them:

• Sin against peace
• Sin against creation, against indigenous populations, against migrants
• Sin of abuse
• Sin against women, family, youth
• Sin of using doctrine as stones to be hurled
• Sin against poverty
• Sin against synodality / lack of listening, communion, and participation of all

“Some of them are too general and can cover many situations: the sin against poverty can be a lack of assistance to the poor, or even wastefulness. The sin against the family can cover divorce, contraception, abortion, surrogacy… The latter is also a sin against surrogate women, a kind of slavery.

“It is curious that there is a sin against youth, but no sin against old age: euthanasia is already rife in many countries, and seeks to spread to every continent. As for the sin of abuse, it’s a vast spectrum: abuse through physical violence, sexual violence, abuse of power, abuse of corporate assets.

“… it should be noted that these sins reflect the preoccupations of a Pope who has a personal conception of certain current issues, and who often comes to forget the essentials because of this bias…

“As for the sin against migrants, it has taken on an increasingly sharp tone recently, to the point of asserting that turning away migrants is a grave sin. This would only be conceivable in cases of grave danger to the migrant’s life…

“But the one that appears most strikingly strange is the last one: ‘Sin against synodality’ or ‘lack of listening, communion, and participation of all.’… Should we see this as an accusation against bishops—and possibly priests—who defend episcopal power and refuse to see it diluted in the ‘common priesthood’ of the faithful? Should we see it as a ‘landmine’ prepared for participants in the synodal Assembly who wish to reject what is being cunningly prepared in this Synod? Should we anticipate a forthcoming sin ‘against democracy in the Church’, which would be nothing more than a negation of the hierarchical structure that Christ willed for the supernatural society He founded? But doesn’t this sin against synodality already savor of that? It certainly does. And that is undoubtedly why it’s on this list…”

Austria in the News

NBC News wrote on September 28, BEFORE the election on Sunday:

“Politics in a central European country of just 10 million people might not seem consequential. But that’s not the case in Austria, where there’s a good chance its election Sunday will be won by a far-right, pro-Russia party… A win for the Freedom Party, or FPÖ, would not just have historical connotations — Austria was the birthplace of Adolf Hitler — it could tilt the balance of power between Russia and the West...

“The FPÖ is led by Herbert Kickl, 55, a wiry, acerbic provocateur in designer glasses. He has been branded as ‘Volkskanzler’ or ‘People’s Chancellor,’ by his party, a term most associated with the Nazis who used it to describe Hitler. Indeed the FPÖ was founded in the 1950s by former members of Hiter’s paramilitary group the SS, although Kickl and his supporters reject the modern-day comparison…

“Kickl’s vision is to build  ‘Fortress Austria’ and ‘Fortress Europe,’ as he put it during a debate on Austrian public television Thursday night. That would involve a dramatic overhaul of Austria’s immigration system, registering all new arrivals and detaining them in specialist facilities. The party is also proposing to introduce ‘remigration’ of ‘unwanted strangers’ — deporting migrants to their country of origin.

“… the FPÖ’s influence could extend far beyond its own borders. It has for years been sympathetic toward Russia, not just calling for an end to Europe’s support for Ukraine but also advocating an end to the sanctions placed on Russia over its war. In 2016, party leader Heinz-Christian Strache signed a formal ‘cooperation pact’ with Putin’s United Russia party…“It has been a junior coalition partner before,  but crashed out in 2019 after Strache was secretly recorded offering to fix government contracts with a woman posing as the relative of a Russian oligarch…

“This time, an FPÖ-led Austria could form a Ukraine-skeptical bloc with like-minded neighbors, Slovakia and Hungary, the latter led by Trump ally Victor Orban… Its election would be the latest chapter in a rightward lurch across Europe, with voters rejecting mainstream centrists not just over immigration and the economy, but the environment and so-called ‘culture war’ issues, too… A coalition is almost certain —  not an easy task when the FPÖ is so vilified by opponents.”

In 1970, Jörg Haider became the leader of the FPÖ youth movement and headed it until 1974. Haider rose rapidly through the party ranks. In 1972, at the age of 22, he was already a well-established leader and was made party affairs manager of the Carinthian FPÖ in 1976. In early 2000, FPÖ leader Jörg Haider made a deal with the conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) to form a coalition government.

Haider had been in line to become Austrian chancellor. But strong international pressure convinced both parties to give the chancellor post to the ÖVP. Haider stepped down as FPÖ chief in February 2000. Just 13 days after the elections in 2008,  Haider died in a mysterious car crash in southern Austria. His wife claimed that foul play was involved.

It has been reported that Kickl had been the speech writer for Haider, and also for his successor, Heinz-Christian Strache.

The FPÖ Wins!

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 29:

“Austria’s far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) has scored a historic victory, winning the country’s parliamentary election for the first time. According to the preliminary official results, the FPÖ garnered 29.2% of votes, followed by Chancellor Karl Nehammer’s center-right conservative ÖVP with 26.48%… The FPÖ now has the most seats in the new Austrian parliament. Turnout stood at 74.9%, slightly down from the previous election in 2019…

“On Sunday evening, FPÖ leader Herbert Kickl said his party was ready to negotiate with other political forces… Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen also told political parties to hold talks to form a government... Chancellor Nehammer (ÖVP) conceded defeat by Sunday evening…

“Despite the far-right party’s historic victory, it does not have enough seats to form a government on its own and would require a coalition. The Social Democrats already ruled out such an agreement, but the ÖVP has not…

“The head of Germany’s far-right AfD party, Alice Weidel, congratulated FPÖ after the projections were published. The German party… shares large elements of its ideology with FPÖ…

“During the campaign, Nehammer sought to portray FPÖ’s Kickl as a toxic extremist and said he would not be working with him, but signaled the conservatives could cooperate with the FPÖ as a whole. On Sunday, the incumbent chancellor doubled down on his rejection of Kickl…

“The far-right Freedom Party (FPÖ) has been in government several times but it has never topped a national vote before Sunday… Under [Kickl’s] abrasive leadership, the party… has seen its popularity rebound on voter anger and anxieties over COVID restrictions, migration, inflation and the Ukraine war…”

Newsmax added on September 29:

“Austrian voters handed a first-ever general election victory to the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) on Sunday… underlining rising support for hard-right parties in Europe fueled by concern over immigration levels…. The FPO victory [makes] Austria the latest EU country to register surging far-right support after gains in countries including the Netherlands, France and Germany.”

Politics Made in Germany

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 28:

“The parliament in the eastern German state of Thuringia elected Thadäus König of the conservative … CDU  as its new speaker on Saturday. The speaker presides over the parliament and has the power to call lawmakers to session at any moment… König was competing for the speakership against a nominee from the… AfD, Wiebke Muhsal. König was able to secure a majority of 54 out of 88 total seats, which included members of center and far-left parties.  It comes after the AfD placed first in the September 1 regional election in Thuringia, garnering almost 33% of the vote. The CDU, meanwhile, came in second in that election with almost 24% of the vote. 

“As a result of the September 1 vote, the AfD managed to win over a third of all seats in Thuringia’s parliament. The AfD thus had priority in putting forward a parliamentary speaker candidate, although the other parties vowed to block the far-right nominee for the post…

“The CDU… turned to Thuringia’s constitutional court. The court ruled against the AfD, paving the way for the CDU to put forward König as its speaker candidate… The CDU is currently trying to form a government in Thuringia, bypassing the AfD. In order to form a ruling coalition in the state, the CDU is negotiating with the center-left… SPD  and the left-wing populist, anti-immigration… BSW.” 

The constant attempts by the main parties to bypass the AfD, and the ongoing negative reporting in the mainstream media about the AfD, will backfire. 

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.