This Week in the News

Trump in Hot Water… Again!

The Associated Press wrote on September 20:

“President Donald Trump urged the new leader of Ukraine this summer [during a phone conversation] to investigate the son of former Vice President Joe Biden… It was the latest revelation in an escalating controversy that has created a showdown between congressional Democrats and the Trump administration…

“During a rambling interview Thursday on CNN, Giuliani was asked whether he had asked Ukraine to look into Biden. He initially said, ‘No, actually I didn’t,’ but seconds later he said, ‘Of course I did.’”

The Wall Street Journal reported that over the course of the call, Trump encouraged Ukraine’s new leader, Zelenskiyeight times to work with Giuliani on an investigation into the Bidens. A rough five-page transcript of a reportedly almost 30-minutes-long phone conversation, which was subsequently released by the White House, does not support this allegation. In fact, “Biden” is only expressly mentioned twice in the entire transcribed conversation, and “Biden’s son” is only mentioned once.

… But So May Be Biden…

The Daily Mail wrote on September 23:

“In 2014… Biden’s son Hunter was hired to sit on the board of a Ukrainian gas company

“Trump has urged reporters to ‘look into’ Biden’s comments in early 2016 when the then-VP said the Obama administration would freeze $1 billion in American loan guarantees unless Kiev fired its top prosecutor, who was looking into the gas company…

“On Saturday, the former vice president said he never speaks to his son about his overseas business dealings. Hunter Biden said the opposite in an interview for a July article in The New Yorker…”

Vice President Pence stated in an interview with Fox on September 23 that while there was no evidence for a quid pro quo regarding the dealings between Trump and Zelenskiy, there was allegedly much evidence of a quid pro quo regarding the dealings between Biden and the Ukrainian government. In fact, there is suspicion of a quid pro quo on both sides; that is, regarding Biden and his son (for instance, Sen. Rand Paul said, “Biden is the one who threatened Ukraine’s aid, not Trump, and that has to be investigated”)  as well as other Democratic senators who allegedly threatened to withhold aid, unless Ukraine were to act in a particular way, as well as regarding Trump. Prior to his phone conversation with Zelenskiy, Trump had withheld money approved by Congress to be given to Ukraine, and in the released transcript of the phone conversation, statements are made which could be construed as an attempt of a quid pro quo arrangement. Democrats are now raising again the ghost of impeachment (see articles below). Whatever they may want to do, Trump will stay in office and he will be reelected in 2020.

And Now… the “Whistleblower” Complaint

Axios wrote on September 25:

“House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) told reporters Wednesday after reviewing the Trump-Ukraine whistleblower complaint behind closed doors that the materials he viewed ‘exposed serious wrongdoing’… The Democratic members who were willing to speak to reporters… expressed alarm at the contents of the complaint…

“Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas)…  said he didn’t think the report was that damaging, and that the information in it doesn’t justify impeachment. He did say the report provided information that went beyond the transcript. Ratcliffe also said lawmakers don’t know who the whistleblower is…

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi… told reporters that… the whistleblower complaint… had been ‘retroactively classified’ by the Trump administration.”

The complaint shows that the whistleblower was not even a witness to the phone conversation, but only heard about it second- or third hand. In a court of law, such “testimony” would be totally inadmissible. However, impeachment procedures have nothing to do with the law, but they simply constitute a political circus.

Fox News’ Judge Andrew Napolitano Charges Trump with a Crime

Fox News reported on September 24:

“Judge Andrew Napolitano told Fox News host Shepard Smith on Tuesday that the president effectively confessed to a crime when he admitted he asked Ukraine to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. Napolitano, a Fox News senior judicial analyst, had framed President Trump’s earlier statement as an admission that he tried to ‘solicit aid for his campaign from a foreign government.’

“‘So that to which the president has admitted is in and of itself a crime,’ Smith followed. Napolitano responded, ‘yes’… Napolitano indicated that the president’s attorney, Rudy Giuliani, could have committed a crime if he urged Ukraine to investigate Biden in a bid to help the president’s reelection efforts…”

Napolitano was impolitely accused of being a “fool,” but in a Fox News interview with Shepard Smith the next day (September 25), he stood by his prior comments. What an incredible mess. Chaos rules Washington. But if the Democrats’ attempt to actually impeach Trump fails—which is expected—then this will undoubtedly help Trump for his reelection in 2020. Note the next articles.

Pelosi’s Incredible Blunder

The Week commented on September 24:

“On Tuesday evening Nancy Pelosi made one of the most colossal blunders in the modern history of American electoral politics… she set aside her own instincts and announced the beginning of formal impeachment proceedings against President Trump on the basis of a third-hand rumor about a phone call with the president of a Eurasian republic.

“Pelosi knows this will not be popular. She knows more than that. She knows that it will be a disaster for the Democratic Party, that it will inflame the president’s base and inspire even his most lukewarm supporters with a sense of outrage. She knows that in states like Michigan, upon which her party’s chances in 2020 will depend, the question of impeachment does not poll well. She knows, further, that Joe Biden will not be able to spend the next 14 or so months refusing to answer questions about the activities of his son, Hunter, in Ukraine, and that increased scrutiny of the vice president’s record in office will not redound to his credit.”

Why Trump Won’t Be Impeached

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 24:

“The founders of the United States gave Congress powers [to] remove from office ‘the president, vice president, and all civil officers of the United States’ if the accused is convicted of ‘treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.’

“Simply put, to impeach means to bring charges similar to an indictment in court… The House has the ‘sole power of impeachment.’… The House debates and votes on whether to bring charges by a simple majority of the House’s 435 members…

“The Senate has the ‘sole power to try all impeachments; meaning that it has the power to convict. When the president is tried, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court presides over proceedings. Only two presidents in US history have been impeached: Presidents Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton. However, neither was removed from office by the Senate. Richard Nixon resigned to avoid a House impeachment vote.

“The House has initiated impeachment proceedings more than 60 times. However, only a third of cases resulted in full impeachment. Just 8 officials — all federal judges have been convicted and removed from office… For the president to be removed from office, a two-thirds majority in the 100-seat Senate must vote to convict. If they do, the president must step down. In the case of Donald Trump, his Republican party currently controls the Senate, making it highly unlikely he will be forced out.”

That’s why “The Week” felt that Pelosi, in trying to appease left-wing radicals in the Democratic Party, made a colossal blunder.

Trump Accused Germany and France

Deutsche Welle reported on September 25 that in the released transcript of the phone conversation between Trump and Zelenskiy, the following was stated:

“In his conversation with Zelenskiy, Trump also lauded US support for Ukraine, adding that European countries, especially Germany, ‘should be doing much more.’ ‘Germany does almost nothing for you. All they do is talk and I think it’s something that you should really ask them about,’ Trump said according to the transcript. ‘When I was speaking to Angela Merkel she talks Ukraine, but she doesn’t do anything.’ Zelenskiy agreed with Trump, and said the US president’s criticism was ‘1000% absolutely right.’

“Zelenskiy said he had asked both Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron to do more on enforcing sanctions against Russia. ‘They are not enforcing the sanctions. They are not working as much as they should work for Ukraine,’ Zelenskiy said in the transcript, adding that although the EU should ‘logically’ be Ukraine’s strongest partner, in fact, the US ‘is a much bigger partner’ than the EU.’

According to the Bible, the relationship between Europe and Ukraine will drastically deteriorate, and so will of course the relationship between the USA and Germany.

Boris Johnson’s Suspension of Parliament Unlawful

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 24:

“The UK Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s decision to suspend Parliament was unlawful. The ruling [of the 11 judges] was unanimous. No further appeal by the government is possible. ‘This was not a normal prorogation in the run-up to a Queen’s Speech,’ said Brenda Hale, the president of the Supreme Court. ‘The court is bound to conclude, therefore, that the decision to advise Her Majesty to prorogue Parliament was unlawful.’ It means that ‘the prorogation was void and of no effect.’ Parliament can therefore reconvene ‘as soon as possible,’ she concluded.

“Responding to the decision, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would abide by the court ruling. Speaking from a UN General Assembly in New York, Johnson also said he ‘strongly’ disagreed with the Supreme Court…

“The leader of the Brexit party and the founder of UKIP, Nigel Farage, took [shots] at prime minister’s trusted adviser, Dominic Cummings, who allegedly spearheaded the idea of suspending Parliament. ‘The calling of a Queen’s Speech and prorogation is the worst political decision ever,’ Farage said on Twitter. ‘Dominic Cummings must go.’”

The Sun wrote on September 24:

“The ruling represents a catastrophic blow for Boris with the loss now allowing Remainer MPs more time to block us leaving the EU – with just 37 days until the Halloween deadline… [It] will have far-reaching consequences for Britain for years to come – and could make it harder for future PM’s to shut down Parliament… Despite the drama – Boris Johnson can’t be forced out by today’s ruling.

“MPs could try and table a vote of no confidence in him when Parliament does come back. If he loses, he would have 14 days to command control of the House, or a general election is automatically called. With Boris now in a minority government he would be unlikely to win such a vote – meaning an election is sure to happen within weeks. However, Remainer MPs and Labour would be incredibly wary of this because it could cause Britain to crash out without a deal on October 31…

“Brexit is still set to take place at the end of October as planned. But Remainers passed a new law earlier this month which would force the PM to seek a third Brexit extension if he hasn’t got a deal in place. Boris has repeatedly saying he won’t ask for another delay, but hasn’t said what he will do instead.”

What an incredible mess. Chaos rules in Britain.

Queen in Middle of Political Storm

BBC News wrote on September 24:

“This is precisely where the Queen does not want to be – right in the middle of a political and constitutional hurricane, with the Supreme Court redefining the relationship between judiciary, legislature, government and monarch… what happened today was painful for the Palace

“It wasn’t just Mr Johnson’s request for a prorogation that was found by the Supreme Court to be unlawful, void and of no effect. It was also the Order in Council, the legal mechanism that the Queen personally approves, that was found to be unlawful, void and of no effect… More importantly, the Queen has been dragged by the PM’s unlawful prorogation into the place where for decades politicians have agreed she should never be – right into a domestic political argument…

“Elizabeth… has been a conservative monarch, content to play little more than a symbolic and ceremonial role. She understands that her position is dependent on her staying deep in the shadows of government. But now daylight has flooded in. No wonder the Palace has decided to stay silent.”

None of that sounds good as the Queen is deemed more or less as being “untouchable” in Britain.

Ongoing Russia’s Persecution of Jehovah’s Witnesses

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 20:

“A Russian court has sentenced six Jehovah’s Witnesses to jail [of two up to three-and-half years] for belonging to an ‘extremist organization’ in the western city of Satatov. Since 2017 the movement founded in the USA has been outlawed in Russia… which reportedly has 170,000 followers in Russia and 8 million worldwide.

Russia’s Orthodox Church which is allied with President Vladimir Putin, had cast Jehovah’s Witnesses — who reject military service and blood transfusions — as belonging to a foreign sect that erodes state institutions… Thursday’s jailings followed the conviction and jailing for six years of a Danish individual in Russia for his association with Jehovah’s Witnesses last May…

“Over 250 in Russia are facing criminal charges, with 41 in detention and 23 under house arrest, according to the movement… Those convicted, all men, had been jailed for nothing, said Rachel Denber of the US-based Human Rights Watch.”

Shameful… and no one in a governmental position raises their voices in opposition to Russia’s abominable conduct.

California Resolution Blames ‘Religious Groups’ for LGBT Suicides

Life Site News wrote on September 17:

The California legislature has voted in a resolution that blames ‘religious groups’ who hold to biblical understandings of sex and gender as responsible for ‘disproportionately high rates’ of suicide among homosexuals and transgenders.

“Assembly Concurrent Resolution 99 declares that homosexuality and transgenderism are ‘part of natural variations that occur in sexual orientation and gender identity’ and condemns counseling services that help people resolve unwanted gender confusion or same-sex attraction… The resolution… has no legal force but formalizes the official position of the state legislature…

“Despite the common pro-LGBT narrative that outside ‘stigma’ is the primary driver of LGBT suicides, a wealth of data suggests otherwise. Research out of LGBT-friendly Sweden has found that homosexual and transgender residents remain more likely to attempt or commit suicide, despite having achieved the type of culture advocated by ACR 99.

“The University of Cambridge’s Stonewall report found that 96% of trans students in Scotland attempted self-harm through actions such as cutting themselves, and 40% attempted suicide. 40% in the United States have attempted suicide, as well, according to a 2016 survey from the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE). According to a 2011 study from Sweden, trans people remain 19 times more likely to commit suicide than the general population, even after ‘sex-change’ surgery.”

That should make us think. But the carnal human mind, which is ruled by Satan, is hostile towards the Law of God condemning homosexuality, transgender and other sexual abnormalities. It is incapable of understanding or keeping God’s true values.

Absolutely SICK!

The Daily Mail wrote on September 21:

“Dr. Ulrich Klopfer died on September 3, prompting his family to search his home in Illinois. His widow found 2,246 preserved aborted fetuses that he had been keeping since 2000 in their garage. They were being kept in sealed bags filled with formalin, a preservative. The Chicago Tribune reports that they had dates on them but police will not verify that detail. They say however he carried out the abortions between 2000 and 2002…

“Klopfer… was once known as Indiana’s ‘most prolific abortion doctor’ but was hit with a spate of malpractice allegations towards the end of his career. In 2016, he had his license suspended for a number of violations including failing to report abortions on two 13-year-old girls.”

These are the evil fruits of the ungodly practices of abortion.

Italy’s Salvini—His Comeback Certain?

The EUObserver wrote on September 20:

“Italian politics is never short of drama, and the past few weeks have been no exception… [As Salvini] now retreats to lick his wounds, there will be one thing only on his mind: a glorious comeback. A 21st century March on Rome… And in all likelihood, all he would have to do is sit back and await his turn… The alliance between the two longstanding foes has looked dysfunctional from the start… Their loose 26-point joint programme will almost certainly be unable to [endure]…

“All the while, Salvini will be on a war footing, whipping up a blizzard across the land in preparation for the inescapable general election. And that’s where Salvini will flourish… Over the past year in government, he has monopolised the public debate with his anti-migrant rhetoric, belligerent attitude towards Brussels, and extensive social media following… His zero-tolerance approach to irregular migration, including a ban on migrant-rescuing NGO vessels docking in Italian ports, has won him many supporters

“And as the new government begins to unpick his hard-line policies and move towards a more conciliatory relationship with the EU, expect public anger to grow and for Salvini to duly capitalise on it… if there’s one certainty in Italian politics, it’s that stable governments are not the order of the day. Much less when they’re composed of two sworn enemies. On that basis, Salvini will be making a return sooner rather than later. And this time it could well be as prime minister, at the head of a hard-right coalition with the neo-fascist Brothers of Italy party.

“October local elections will give an early indication of the impact the saga has had on the Lega vote, with opinion polls currently giving them as much as a 13 point lead at 33 percent. That’s only likely to increase as the government fumbles. Salvini’s recent gambit may have failed but dismiss him at your peril – in his own words ‘From today you will find me even more…. [omitted] and determined. I will go from town to town and we will take this country back.’”

Italy to Join the EU Military Coalition

The Defense Post wrote on September 19:

“Italy’s government said… that it is ready to join a European military coalition to react to crises near the continent’s borders, as the country’s new government rekindled ties with the E.U.… Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom have signed up [already]…”

With Italy, the military coalition would consist of ten nations, but the United Kingdom will not remain a member for long.

Germany’s AfD –as Powerful as Ever

NPR wrote on September 20:

“The center-left coalition governments in both Brandenburg and Saxony managed to hold onto power by just single percentage points. The two state elections confirmed what political analysts have been warning for years: that the [extreme right-wing party] AfD is rapidly gaining popularity among German voters. In 2013, when the party was founded, it didn’t have enough votes to sit in Germany’s Bundestag or parliament. Six years later, the AfD is now the third-largest party in Germany, winning 94 of the Bundestag’s 704 seats in the last federal elections…

“Polling data released this week shows that… the AfD… is rapidly gaining in national popularity. A monthly survey by the Institut für Demoskopie Allensbach shows the AfD achieving its highest popularity score all year among voters throughout Germany… Political analysts will be closely watching the upcoming state elections in the eastern state of Thuringia on Oct. 27, where the AfD is polling neck-and-neck with centrist and leftist parties.”

The incredible success of extreme right-wing parties in Europe such as the AFD in Germany will force the “established” main-stream parties to turn more and more to the right.

Trump Sends Troops to Saudi Arabia

The Sun wrote on September 21:

“DONALD Trump will send troops [as well as military hardware] to Saudi Arabia after a drone attack on the world’s biggest oil plant. The US President confirmed the deployment of US forces as tensions ramp up in the Middle East amid fears of a vicious new war… Defense Secretary Mark Esper said today the attack was a ‘dramatic escalation of Iranian aggression’… Esper said ‘all indications are that Iran was responsible for’ the drone attack on the world’s biggest oil plant that could cut the world’s supply in half…”

Germany, Britain and France said on Monday that Iran was behind the attack on Saudi oil facilities.

US-Iranian Tensions Escalate

The Telegraph wrote on September 22:

“Iran’s president has warned American and other foreign forces to ‘stay away’ from the region, as Tehran paraded long-range missiles capable of reaching American bases… and arch-foe Israel…”

Trump’s Misconceived Middle East Policy

The Guardian wrote on September 21:

“The president’s immediate reaction to the attacks was to declare the US ‘locked and loaded’ for retaliatory strikes. Then… Trump switched tack, saying the attacks were no big deal, even as global oil prices rocketed, because the US no longer needed Middle East energy. That’s not strictly true. Official figures show the US imported 48 million barrels of oil and petroleum products a month from the Gulf in 2018…

“Trump ended the week still trying to have it both ways. He imposed additional sanctions on Iran and ordered a limited number of troops to Saudi Arabia and the UAE for defensive purposes… It had become painfully clear Trump simply had no idea what to do… he… has no strategy, no back-up plan – and no clue…

“Trump could start firing off missiles at any moment. His unpredictability is part of the problem. The Iranians, emboldened, could overplay their hand… Military analysts say missile strikes, or a naval blockade of Iranian ports, would invite devastating retaliation. After the Iraq experience, ground troops are out of the question…

“European governments… blame aggressive US policy for the current escalation. Britain does not say so in public, but Angela Merkel, Germany’s chancellor, is not so timid…

“All told, Trump’s misconceived Iran policy has suffered a comprehensive, very public drubbing… The harshest reality laid bare… is that the age-old fight between Iran and Saudi Arabia is not necessarily America’s fight – and few Americans believe that murderous Saudi royal despots are worth dying for.”

This article is quoted to show Europe’s perspective without taking ourselves a position on the issue.

China’s Giant $400 Billion Iran Investment Complicates U.S. Options

Forbes wrote on September 19:

“Amidst historic U.S. – Iran tensions, Beijing is doubling-down on its strategic partnership with Tehran, ignoring U.S. efforts to isolate the Islamic Republic from global markets…  the two countries agreed to update a 25-year program signed in 2016, to include an unprecedented $400 billion of investment in the Iranian economy…

“[Iran] has little choice but to forge a closer relationship with China… Russia, too, is a major Iranian partner, weapons and nuclear, rocket, and military technology supplier.”

The Bible indicates that a collaboration will indeed exist between China, Russia and Iran.

Netanyahu Fights for His Political Survival

Reuters wrote on September 20:

“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced Israeli media headlines on Friday suggesting power is slipping from his grasp…

“Netanyahu and Gantz will now seek potential coalition allies, prominent among whom is the far-right former defence minister Avigdor Lieberman. He secured eight seats for his Yisrael Beitenu party, making him a potential kingmaker.

“Increased turnout by Israel’s 21-percent Arab minority saw the Arab-dominated Joint List coalition grouping win 13 seats, making it the third largest grouping…”

Both Netanyahu und Gantz insist that they should be the next Prime Minister. They are now also toying with the idea to create a rotating office of Prime Minister to prevent the prospect of a third election — the mandatory last resort if nobody can form a coalition. However, they could not agree as to who should be the first Prime Minister.

The Jerusalem Post reported on September 25 that “President Reuven Rivlin formally gave Netanyahu four weeks to form the government” “for the sixth time, after succeeding in his five terms in office,” after “a meeting at the President’s Residence with Blue and White leader Benny Gantz failed to bring about a breakthrough. The deadline will be October 24.”

Everyone agrees that Netanyahu’s task won’t be an easy one.

The Week reported on September 25 that “Netanyahu earned one more seat than Gantz in the country’s parliamentary elections earlier this month, but neither were able to secure a majority government, leaving Rivlin to decide who would get the first opportunity to do so. Netanyahu currently holds 55 seats in parliament, but needs at least six more to form a government… If Netanyahu is unable to form a government after 28 days, which could be extended by another 14, the task will then pass to Gantz.”

Egypt’s Dictatorship

The Wall Street Journal wrote on September 21:

“Egyptian authorities made dozens of arrests after hundreds of people took to the streets of Cairo and other cities overnight in the first significant antigovernment protests in years, raising a new challenge to the rule of President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi… The protests were significant because they defied a vast government effort overseen by Mr. Sisi to stamp out political dissent since he took power after a military coup in 2013…

“According to Twitter, more than a million tweets [were] calling for the removal of Mr. Sisi and supporting the call for protests…

“Living standards have dropped for most Egyptians in recent years as Mr. Sisi’s government devalued Egypt’s currency and raised the price of basic goods and services like fuel, electricity, and subway tickets… with 32.5% of Egyptians now living in what the government describes as extreme poverty…”

Dictatorships seldom provide for the people.

Thomas Cook Airline Collapses

The Associated Press wrote on September 23:

“Brought down by a variety of factors, including crushing debts and online competition, the 178-year-old travel agency… ceased operating in the middle of the night. Its four airlines stopped carrying customers, and its 21,000 employees in 16 countries lost their jobs. The company’s failure rippled across the tourism industry, particularly around the Mediterranean, with travelers uncertain how they would get home, hotels worried they wouldn’t get paid, guests afraid they wouldn’t be allowed to check out without settling their bills, and resorts hit with cancellations.

“Overall, about 600,000 people were traveling with Thomas Cook as of Sunday… British government swung into action, lining up flights to bring an estimated 150,000 Britain-based customers back home from vacation spots around the globe in what was called the biggest peacetime repatriation effort in the country’s history.

“Some 50,000 Thomas Cook travelers were reported stranded in Greece, up to 30,000 in Spain’s Canary Islands, 21,000 in Turkey and 15,000 in Cyprus. Travelers lined up at airports, looking for other ways to get home… An estimated 1 million customers also found their bookings for upcoming trips canceled…”

The Sun added on September 23:

“Travel firms have been accused of hiking the price of their holidays and flights following the collapse of Thomas Cook. Social media users have slammed operators such as Jet2 and Virgin for being ‘greedy’ with some flights costing double the amount overnight.”

A Virgin spokesperson denied, of course, that prices were increased because of the Thomas Cook collapse, but admitted at the same time: “… we operate a dynamic pricing system that is based on availability and demand.” A similar “disclaimer” and admission was made by a Jet2 spokesman: “Our pricing, as is common practice in the travel industry, is based on the principle of supply and demand.”

Deutsche Welle reported on September 23:

“Thomas Cook may have been born and headquartered in Britain, but it is a familiar name in dozens of countries and its bankruptcy is causing a ripple effect, particularly in Germany. More than 140,000 German holidaymakers have been impacted and tens of thousands of future travel bookings may not be honored…

“The travel firm [includes] one of its main German subsidiaries, Neckermann Reisen… The German subsidiary has applied for a €200 million bridging loan from the government for its airline, Condor, which is being assessed. The airline made a €43 million profit last year and is on course to beat expectations in 2019… In May, Germany’s flag carrier Lufthansa made a non-binding offer for the airline, which was thwarted after China’s Fosun took a stake in Thomas Cook group. Condor said on Monday that its operations were continuing ‘on schedule’ but that it could not fly Thomas Cook customers to their destinations…”

Bild Online reported on September 23 that Germany’s federal government and the state government of Hesse agreed to provide Condor with a €380 Million bridging loan for six months. However, the European Commission must still approve the loan. In August of 2017, Air Berlin received a loan in the amount of €150 Million to avoid bankruptcy. In the meantime, the airline has paid back the loan in its entirety.

It is remarkable to observe the different ways of dealing with the crisis, as Boris Johnson refused to bail out Thomas Cook. While Britain is suffering even in this regard, Germany is not. On the other hand, according to Deutsche Welle, dated September 25, “Germany’s Thomas Cook GmbH, a daughter company of the UK’s Thomas Cook, filed for insolvency in Germany, and several subsidiaries across the EU were also left scrambling after the parent company’s demise. Thomas Cook’s Polish arm has also announced it was insolvent… On Monday, the German company halted all of its trips. Some 140,000 people were currently traveling abroad with the subsidiary or its brands NeckermannÖger Tours, Air Marin and Bucher Reisen.”

The Blackface Nonsense

AFP wrote on September 21:

“Three separate images of the Canadian leader in blackface makeup decades ago were published a month before Canadians go to the polls on October 21 … Trudeau… apologized publicly for the blunders from his teens and 20s. ‘Darkening your face, regardless of the context or the circumstances, is always unacceptable because of the racist history of blackface,’ Trudeau said. ‘I should have understood that then and I never should have done it.’

“The blackface photographs and video footage were taken of Trudeau at a high school talent contest belting out a Harry Belafonte hit, at a party with fellow rafting guides in the early 1990s and at an ‘Arabian Nights’-themed event at a school where he taught 18 years ago…”

Former Fox and NBC Moderator Megyn Kelly lost her job with NBC when she defended whites wearing blackface costumes, saying, “When I was a kid, it was ok.” It sure was then and it still should be today. This exaggerated hype is just ridiculous. Is anyone equally upset when a black person pretends to be white at a costume party? Neither should they be, but it goes both ways.

Further Confusion

Daily Mail wrote on September 23:

“Piers Morgan has slammed Sam Smith for ‘causing a Brit Awards shake-up’ after it was revealed the ‘best male’ and ‘best female’ categories could be abolished. The change could affect next year’s Brit Awards and comes just a week after the singer, 27, who was nominated in the best male category at this year’s ceremony, pleaded ‘after a lifetime of being at war with my gender’ to be referred to as ‘they’ rather than ‘he‘.

“On Good Morning Britain on Monday, Piers said: ‘I think it’s just great that time honoured traditions should be scrapped because one guy can’t decide if he is male or female.”

Morgan also said that this a bunch of nonsense. We agree.

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

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