EU Countries Agree on Brexit Guidelines
The Telegraph wrote on April 29:
“The EU 27 have unanimously agreed their guidelines for the forthcoming negotiations with the UK, in a meeting that lasted ‘one minute’ and ended in spontaneous applause, as the draft guidelines were ratified without a single major alteration… French President François Hollande said the UK must ‘pay the price’ for its decision to leave the EU.
“… Only a small number of amendments were made to the draft guidelines, which now list securing protections for EU citizens resident in the UK ahead of its financial obligations – reversing the previous position. Along with citizens’ rights, the disputed ‘divorce bill’ the UK will have to pay on exit – estimated at a potential £50 billion – and the question of how to maintain a free-flowing Irish border are among the key issues. Mr Tusk said ‘sufficient progress’ on all three were needed before the EU’s future relationship with Europe and trade deals could be addressed, in spite of Ms May’s call for parallel talks…”
Tough Brexit Talks Ahead
The Telegraph wrote on May 1:
“The European Union has warned that it is ‘more likely than not’ that Brexit talks will fail after Jean Claude Juncker accused Theresa May of being ‘deluded’… The President of the European Commission launched a scathing attack on Mrs May after the meeting on Wednesday last week… telling the PM ‘I’m leaving Downing Street 10 times more sceptical than I was before.’ He reportedly… threatened to end talks without a trade deal if Britain refuses to pay a ‘divorce’ bill.
“The Prime Minister said that the UK is not legally obliged to pay the EU anything as it leaves the EU. Mr Juncker and his colleagues responded by saying that Britain cannot simply cancel its membership of the EU as if it was a ‘golf club’…
“After the meal Mr Juncker called Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, saying that Mrs May was ‘living in another galaxy’… His call led to Mrs Merkel publicly warning that Britain was suffering from ‘illusions’ about Brexit. Mrs May subsequently highlighted her comments and said that EU nations were ‘lining up’ to oppose Britain and that talks would be ‘tough’…
“The European Union also appeared to reject calls by Mrs May for talks to remain confidential… The European Commission said that this would be ‘impossible’ given the need to consult member states and the European Parliament over discussions. ‘All documents must be published,’ the report suggested.”
These talks could become so tough that Theresa May may just walk away from them without a deal, as British media suggests and advocates. She stated that Britain will under no circumstances pay any “divorce bill” of £50 billion to the EU.
Explosive Crisis Ahead?
The Daily Mail wrote on May 3:
“Brussels admitted yesterday that it faces an ‘explosive’ political crisis if the UK refuses to pay a [by now 100 billion] pound Brexit bill…
“The bloc called for EU citizens who arrive in the UK just a day before Brexit to be granted full residency rights which can later extend to their families. It also demanded that millions of EU migrants in the UK should be governed by Brussels rules for decades to come – even if this means providing better benefits than Britons receive…
“The EU’s latest demands were rejected by Brexit Secretary David Davis. He also dismissed threats from Brussels to use the issue to block a trade deal, insisting Britain will not pay a penny if talks collapse…”
EU to Intensify “Defense Cooperation”
AFP wrote on April 28:
“Led by France and Germany, the European Union has identified defence cooperation as a key area for rebooting the crisis-hit bloc after Britain’s traumatic vote to leave… This could include efforts to relaunch a so-called rapid response force, which was approved as a rotating battle group led by member states a decade ago but never deployed…
“Britain, nuclear armed and with a permanent veto at the United Nations, long opposed such efforts, fearing the creation of a ‘European army’ commanded from Brussels. But Brexit has taken Britain out of the equation…
“German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen said it was ‘impressive to see that now all 27 member states (minus Britain) are ready to put the security and defence union on a good path…. We see this year as the year of implementation.’”
These developments will lead to the prophesied establishment of a European Army.
French Election and Europe’s Future
On April 29, Joschka Fischer (former German Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor from 1998-2005) wrote in project-syndicate.org:
“A lot can happen between now and the second round of the French presidential election on May 7, so it is still too early to celebrate. But, even with the nationalist, populist candidate Marine Le Pen still in the running, many observers are genuinely hopeful that the first-round winner, Emmanuel Macron, will be France’s next president.
“With Macron’s victory, Europe would avoid self-destruction yet again. A President Le Pen would almost surely bring about the end of the European Union. Taking France out of the eurozone, as Le Pen has promised, would lead to the collapse of the euro itself. After that, the EU common market and other core institutions would fall like dominoes. Europe would plunge into the abyss, and 60 years of political, economic, and social progress would be lost…
“For starters, it is in Europe’s interest that a President Macron not fail. The EU’s future, and particularly that of Germany, depends on a successful Macron presidency to lift France from its long economic malaise and resolve its paralyzing identity crisis… At the same time, a strong, self-confident France is necessary for the EU’s long-term survival… The EU is a complicated entity that can be led only by a strong French-German axis working in concert with other member states. That, too, is a lasting lesson that European leaders should take from the French election…
“As the French presidential election reaches its conclusion, the description of Europe as a ‘community of destiny’ still holds true, even after 60 years. On May 7, France will decide not just its own fate, but that of the EU, too. Europeans should rejoice – but then they must get down to work.”
At this point, the EU will not fall into the abyss or the bottomless pit, out of which it has been coming (Revelation 9:1-2; 17:8), until it has carried out its prophesied purpose.
Persecution of Jewish Beliefs and Practices in Europe
JTA wrote on May 2:
“Considering Marine Le Pen’s historical gains in the French presidential elections, the Dutch far-right’s rise and the assault on ritual slaughter in Belgium, this spring is shaping up to be a life-changing time for Europe — its religious minorities in particular…
“Did a majority of Dutch lawmakers show respect and tolerance for the country’s religious minorities when they passed a ban on ritual slaughter in 2011 — despite passionate pleas by Jews, Muslims and many Christians?
“The prohibition eventually was overturned by the Dutch Senate. But in recent weeks, two of Belgium’s three regions introduced plans to ban the custom, ignoring the pleas of a Jewish community leader to ‘not repeat the actions of the Nazis,’ who had introduced Belgium’s previous ban…
“Even if… Macron beats Le Pen 60-40 percent in the final vote on May 7, she will still have more than doubled the showing of 18 percent that her father had in 2002 – the first time the National Front made it to the second round. In Jewish communities across Western Europe, the rise of Marine Le Pen – who despite distancing herself from the rhetoric of her father has vowed to ban ritual slaughter as well as the wearing of both the kippah and Muslim garb in public – is seen as an existential threat…
“Indeed, Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, the Luxembourg-born president of the Conference of European Rabbis, told me that he believes that Le Pen’s popularity already is emboldening initiatives to ban ritual slaughter and circumcision in Belgium and beyond…”
Europe’s intolerance for religious and ethnic minorities will continue…
EU Rules Out Suspension of US, Canada Visa-Waivers
The Associated Press wrote on May 2:
“The European Union says it has decided not to suspend visa-free travel arrangements with the United States and Canada given good progress made on resolving the standoff. The United States is refusing to allow visa-free travel to citizens of Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Poland and Romania until they meet the requirements of U.S. law. Canada has limits on certain categories of Bulgarian and Romanian citizens. But the European Commission said Tuesday that ‘contacts have been re-launched with the new U.S. administration’ and Canada has pledged to lift all outstanding visa restrictions by December… EU lawmakers are pressuring the European Commission to suspend the visa waiver with both countries.”
This is good news. In spite of the Trump Administration’s controversial stance towards some EU countries, the EU decided not to make it more difficult for Americans and Canadians to visit the EU, at least for the time being. Another strange move this week was the Trump Administration’s singling out Europe when issuing a travel warning to American tourists visiting Europe… as if it would not be equally dangerous, if not more so, to travel within the USA or to non-European countries.
Trump’s Stance on North Korea Missile Defense “Chaotic”, says South Korean Media
The Guardian wrote on May 1:
“The South Korean media has accused Donald Trump of weakening bilateral security ties at a time of heightened tensions on the Korean peninsula after he said Seoul should pay for a controversial missile defence system. The US president was accused of dropping ‘a barrage of verbal bombs’ and sending ‘confusing and contradictory’ messages over Washington’s commitment to the country’s security.
“… However, Trump’s national security adviser, HR McMaster, reportedly told his South Korean counterpart on Sunday that the US would shoulder the costs for the system, which is designed to intercept North Korean missiles in mid-flight.
“… The US and South Korea originally agreed that Washington would pay for Thaad in return for South Korea providing land for missile batteries, radar and other facilities.”
These contradictory messages from the Trump Administration are truly embarrassing. President Trump has refused to state how he will deal with North Korea if they were to continue with their missile tests, which is to be expected.
“Trump Says He’d ‘Be Honored’ to Meet North Korea’s Kim”
Newsmax wrote on May 1:
“President Donald Trump said he would meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un amid heightened tensions over his country’s nuclear weapons program if the circumstances were right. ‘If it would be appropriate for me to meet with him, I would absolutely, I would be honored to do it,’ Trump said Monday in an interview with Bloomberg News. ‘If it’s under the, again, under the right circumstances. But I would do that.’
“North Korea has become the most urgent national security threat and foreign policy issue facing Trump as his first 100 days in office passed. Kim’s regime has continued development of its nuclear and intercontinental ballistic missile program in defiance of international condemnation and sanctions. Kim has never met with a foreign leader since taking charge after his father’s death in 2011 and hasn’t left his isolated country… Tensions have escalated since Trump vowed in January that he wouldn’t let North Korea develop a nuclear weapon capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, and North Korea has labeled American military moves in the region as acts of ‘intimidation and blackmail.’ North Korea has continued to test missiles this year after carrying out its fourth and fifth nuclear tests in a decade last year.”
How can the US President feel “honored” to meet with a criminal and murderer like Kim Jong Un?
Trump’s 100 Days in Office and His Wish for Dictatorship
The Guardian wrote on April 29:
“On his 100th day in office on Saturday, facing historically low popularity ratings, a succession of intractable foreign crises and multiple investigations of his links with Moscow, Donald Trump… declared himself ‘disappointed’ with congressional Republicans… He blamed the constitutional checks and balances built in to US governance. ‘It’s a very rough system,’ he said. ‘It’s an archaic system … It’s really a bad thing for the country.’…
“He has failed to get any of his priorities turned into legislation in the face of party disunity, and his attempt to rule by executive order has been largely hollow. His decrees have been either meaningless, like his one-page, detail-free tax reform plan, or have been blocked by the courts, such as his travel ban for Muslim countries and refugees…
“But his core supporters have remained faithful, choosing to believe that the mainstream media are purveyors of fake news…”
To attack the US Constitution in such a way is troublesome. President Trump’s major accomplishment during his first 100 days in office has been the replacement of the late conservative US Supreme Court Judge Anthony Scalia with conservative Judge Neil Gorsuch.
“100 Days of Chaos”
Der Spiegel wrote on April 28:
“With his attacks on judges, journalists and critics, U.S. President Donald Trump is chipping away at the foundations of democracy. Is the American Constitution strong enough to withstand the assault?… Trump has never made a secret of his intense disdain for the institutions that are necessary for a vigorous democracy: an independent judiciary, a critical press and a healthy opposition. Essentially, Trump would be happy to do away with all of that, or at least marginalize it. Following the ruling from San Francisco, he indicated that he is broadly dissatisfied with the federal judges there and threatened to curtail their power…
“[Trump] harbors admiration for autocrats. He has often praised the leadership of Russian President Vladimir Putin and one of his first visitors in the White House was Egypt’s president Abdel Fattah el-Sissi. Furthermore, he could hardly congratulate Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan fast enough following his victory in the recent constitutional referendum that brought the country a giant step closer to becoming a dictatorship…
“After 100 days of chaos, Trump is the least liked of all modern presidents…”
Freedom of Churches and the IRS
Newsmax wrote on May 3:
“President Donald Trump will sign an executive order Thursday that rolls back at least some of the restrictions religious organizations have when it comes to getting political. Thursday is the National Day of Prayer, and Trump will host religious leaders at the White House to mark the occasion.
“According to The New York Times, Trump may sign a directive that would cancel out a section of the federal tax code that prevents religious organizations from participating in politics because of their tax-exempt status. Organizations have complained for years about the speech restrictions placed on them simply because of their legal status with the IRS.”
This would be an important and necessary change, as the interpretation of the IRS pertaining to “political speech” of churches can be quite restrictive and overreaching.
CNN reported on May 4:
“The order will direct the IRS to exercise ‘maximum enforcement discretion’
over the Johnson Amendment, which prevents churches and other tax-exempt religious organizations from endorsing or opposing political candidates…
“By directing the IRS to use its discretion in enforcing the Johnson Amendment, religious organizations are likely to escape punishment for backing political candidates. Religious leaders have argued the provision stifles their rights to free speech.
“The 1954 measure says any tax-exempt group can lose its exemption if it is found to have endorsed or actively opposed a candidate for political office…
“Trump himself vowed early in his presidential tenure to get rid of the measure, though completely striking the amendment would require an act of Congress…”
This is indeed an important and necessary change, as the interpretation of the IRS pertaining to “political speech” of churches can be quite restrictive and overreaching.Subsequently, Mr. Trump signed the executive order.
House to Rushed Through Healthcare Bill… Another Debacle in the Making
The Associated Press reported on May 3:
“The House will vote Thursday on GOP legislation to repeal and replace Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, as Republicans finally aim to deliver on seven years of campaign promises that helped them gain control of Congress and the White House. But the move announced late Wednesday by GOP leaders also carries extreme political risk, as House Republicans prepare to endorse a bill that boots millions off the insurance rolls and may not even survive the Senate…
“After an earlier defeat when Republican leaders were forced to pull the bill for lack of votes, the decision to move forward indicated confidence on the part of GOP leaders. Failure would be catastrophic. But a successful outcome would make good on the GOP’s No. 1 goal of undoing Obama’s signature legislative achievement, and provide a long-sought win for Trump, who has been in office more than 100 days without a significant congressional victory save Senate confirmation of a Supreme Court justice.
“The White House had aggressively pushed House leaders to act, and Trump got heavily involved in recent days, working the phones and personally agreeing to changes earlier Wednesday that brought two pivotal Republicans back on board. Reps. Fred Upton of Michigan and Billy Long of Missouri emerged from a White House meeting with Trump saying they could now support the bill, thanks to the addition of $8 billion over five years to help people with pre-existing conditions…
“The latest iteration of the GOP health care bill would let states escape requirements that insurers provide a menu of basic services like preventive care and charge healthy and seriously ill customers the same rates — changes that brought a key group of conservatives on board last week. Overall, the legislation would cut the Medicaid program for the poor, eliminate fines for people who don’t buy insurance and provide generally skimpier subsidies. The American Medical Association, AARP and other consumer and medical groups are opposed. The AMA issued a statement saying the changes… ‘tinker at the edges without remedying the fundamental failing of the bill — that millions of Americans will lose their health insurance as a direct result.’
“If the GOP bill became law, congressional analysts estimate that 24 million more Americans would be uninsured by 2026, including 14 million by next year.
“When the health bill does come to a vote Thursday it will be without an updated analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office about its cost and affect, a point Democrats complained about bitterly…”
It does not appear that there is anything godly or righteous about this new healthcare bill proposal…
Republican Obamacare Replacement Bill Passes House
CNBC wrote on May 4:
“Highlights of the GOP bill
“… Allow older adults to be charged premiums that are five times higher the premiums charged younger adults, instead of the 3:1 ratio established by Obamacare. Impose a premium penalty for people who do not maintain continuous health coverage… Give states power to request waivers for insurers that allow them to charge people with pre-existing health conditions higher premiums if they let coverage lapse…”
Deutsche Welle reported on May 4:
“The US House of Representatives has approved a bill to repeal major portions of Obamacare replacing it with a Republican health care plan. It’s a win for President Trump – even though passage in the Senate is uncertain. By a vote of 217-213, Republicans managed to obtain just enough votes to push the bill through the House, sending it to the Senate for consideration. No Democrats voted in favor of the House bill…
“In a push to pass the bill before representatives left on for a week in their home districts, the House voted before the bill could be assessed by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), which is in charge of estimating its cost and effect on insurance rolls. The bill will reportedly be assessed by the CBO and fixes will be made before the Senate can get to vote on it.
“In the Senate, where the Republican majority is narrow, lawmakers said the bill would face much greater scrutiny and skepticism… While private insurance companies also showed their disagreement with Obamacare, every major medical group, including the American Medical Association, American Hospital Association and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) opposed the Republican bill introduced by the Trump administration…
“A number of skeptical Republican lawmakers got behind the bill after President Trump proposed a compromise, which would add $8 billion over five years to help cover the cost for people with pre-existing illnesses who could otherwise not afford insurance without Obamacare. However, health care consultancy and research firm Avalere Health believes that the Republican bill featuring Trump’s compromise could only cover 5 percent of enrollees with pre-existing conditions.”
It was stated that the Senate would most certainly not adopt the bill in its present form. Any changes agreed upon by the Senate would have to be sent back to the House for its approval. So, the fight for Trumpcare and against Obamacare is far from over.
Unwilling to Let Go
The Huffington Post wrote von May 1:
“President Donald Trump is refusing to let go of his unsupported claim that former President Barack Obama ordered wiretapping on Trump Tower, despite multiple intelligence agencies and congressional investigations finding no evidence of any such activity. Trump revived the claim — again with no evidence — during an Oval Office interview with CBS’ John Dickerson that aired Monday. When asked to defend the claim, he ended the interview and walked back to his desk…
“Dickerson pressed the president on whether he still stood by the wiretapping claim. Trump wouldn’t say, but claimed ‘our side has been proven very strongly.’ ‘You can figure that out yourself,’ he said. ‘I don’t stand by anything. You can take it the way you want. I think our side has been proven very strongly, and everybody has been talking about it.’
“Dickerson repeatedly asked Trump to elaborate, but to no avail. ‘I just wanted to find out. You’re the president of the United States. You said he was sick and bad,’ Dickerson said, referring to Trump’s tweets on his allegation against Obama. ‘I want to know your opinion.’ ‘I gave you my opinion,’ Trump said.
“After several more refusals to answer, Trump dismissed Dickerson and ended the interview, angrily walking back to his desk. ‘OK, it’s enough. Thank you. Thank you very much,’ the president said.”
Embarrassing…
How To Keep the US Government Running
McClatchy wrote on May 1:
“Congressional negotiators have come up with a $1.07 trillion plan to keep the government running through the end of September – but there’s a lot missing from the 1,665-page bill. And much of it involves items that President Donald Trump promised during his campaign and the early days of his presidency.
“Here’s a list of GOP-friendly issues missing from the spending bill.
“Border wall
“The bill includes $1.5 billion for border security, but noticeably absent is any funding for a border wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, a major promise of the Trump administration to curb illegal immigration. Instead, the money will go toward enhanced technology and improving existing infrastructure.
“Planned Parenthood
“There are no cuts for Planned Parenthood, a target of abortion opponents and many Republicans for its provision of abortion services. Republicans have threatened to shut down the federal government in the past over Planned Parenthood funding.
“Deportation forces
“During the presidential campaign, Trump promised to build a ‘new special deportation task force’ to remove millions of immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally. No funding goes toward such a force. The bill does, however, fund 5,000 additional detention beds.
“$18 billion cut in non-defense spending
“There is no sign of massive non-defense spending cuts, another goal of the Trump administration. The Environmental Protection Agency maintains nearly 99 percent of its funding, $295 million goes toward Medicaid in Puerto Rico and $4.6 billion is set aside to permanently grant health benefits to 22,000 retired Appalachian coal miners. In a March budget proposal, the Trump administration sought to cut EPA funding by $2.6 billion. It also aimed to decrease funding for the National Institutes of Health by $5.8 billion. Instead, NIH will receive a funding increase of $2 billion.
“Sanctuary cities
“So-called sanctuary cities – which limit cooperation with the federal government on immigration law in order to shelter immigrants here illegally – will not be deprived of federal funding. Trump has threatened to withhold funds from sanctuary cities in the past.
“Cuba
“The bill does not roll back President Barack Obama’s easing of economic and trade restrictions with Cuba, a goal of some Republicans such as Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida. It contains no language barring Americans from bringing home merchandise from Cuba or doing business with companies owned by Cuban officials or family members. Travel for educational purposes is also still allowed. In February, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Trump would take a ‘full review’ of U.S. foreign policy on Cuba.
“Marijuana
“The bill bars the Department of Justice from using funds to interfere with medical marijuana use in states where it is legal. Operators of marijuana companies will still have to deal in cash, as lawmakers rejected a proposal that aimed to make it easier for cannabis shops to use banking services.”
According to Eurozone Wirtschaft, dated May 3, the European economy has gained twice as much as the American economy in 2017.
Puerto Rico Declares Bankruptcy
The New York Times wrote on May 3:
“With its creditors at its heels and its coffers depleted, Puerto Rico sought what is essentially bankruptcy relief in federal court on Wednesday, the first time in history that an American state or territory had taken the extraordinary measure. The action sent Puerto Rico, whose approximately $123 billion in debt and pension obligations far exceeds the $18 billion bankruptcy filed by Detroit in 2013, to uncharted ground…
“While many of Puerto Rico’s circumstances are unique, its case is also a warning sign for many American states and municipalities — such as Illinois and Philadelphia — that are facing some of the same strains, including rising pension costs, crumbling infrastructure, departing taxpayers and credit downgrades that make it more expensive to raise money. Historically, Puerto Rico was barred from declaring bankruptcy. In the end, however, financial reality trumped the statutes, and Congress enacted a law last year allowing bankruptcy-like proceedings.
“… The island’s many creditors… are likely to receive far less of their money back than they want. Their predicament may turn out to be a cautionary tale for bond holders of other troubled states and cities. Puerto Rico’s case could show public workers and retirees that seemingly inviolate pension systems can be changed, too…”
A warning sign indeed for other US states and the entire USA.
Turkey’s Dictatorship
UPI wrote on April 29:
“Turkey has blocked all access to the online encyclopedia Wikipedia inside the country on Saturday morning… Turkey’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority confirmed the bar citing a law allowing it to obstruct certain websites to protect public order, national security or general public well being… No reason was given for the action…”
German-Israeli Relations Take a Turn for the Worse
Der Spiegel wrote on April 28:
“It has long been one of the fundamental convictions of German foreign policy that, given the crimes committed by the Nazis in World War II, the country should hold back in its criticism of Israel. But this axiom no longer holds.
“One reason is Netanyahu’s construction of an increasing number of new settlements in the West Bank, thus imperiling the establishment of a viable Palestinian state. Another is the disquiet in both the Chancellery and the Foreign Ministry over the right-wing Israeli government’s harrassment of opposition groups…
“The impression has been growing for some time now within the Chancellery that Netanyahu is exploiting the German-Israeli friendship to serve his own purposes…
“Many in Jerusalem are now wondering if the unlimited solidarity Merkel claimed with the Jewish state in the Knesset in 2008 still applies. ‘Germany is a key country for Israel in Europe and the world,’ says Avi Dichter, the former head of the Israeli domestic intelligence agency and chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Knesset… Dichter, a fellow member of Netanyahu’s party, visited the German capital at the end of March and returned to Israel feeling alarmed. Foreign Minister Gabriel had explained to his Israeli guest that it was growing increasingly difficult for the political elite to defend justified Israeli interests because the German population was growing increasingly critical of Israel…
“Indeed, there appears to be a sharp contradiction between the mantras of sworn friendship between Germany and Israel and the growing lack of understanding between the two countries. Members of the Israeli parliament and government have the impression that their German counterparts have become obsessive about Israeli settlement policy and are no longer taking legitimate Israeli concerns seriously. Most importantly, politicians in Jerusalem have the impression that the threat posed by Iran is being downplayed by the Germans… ‘Germany and the EU are closing their eyes to the Iranian threat,’ Dichter says, critically…”
In an editorial, Der Spiegel asked on May 1 why Germany feels it must bring peace to the Middle East. This is an interesting question in light of the fact that Europe, under German leadership, will try to do so in the future, using military means.
Russia vs. Germany
The EUObserver wrote on May 3:
“Differences between Germany and Russia were put on display on Tuesday (2 May), as German chancellor Angela Merkel visited Russia for the first time in two years. Merkel travelled to Russia in preparation for a G20 summit – an international forum of countries, including Russia – which Germany currently chairs. The German chancellor met with Russian president Vladimir Putin in Sochi and told a press conference that there was a need to continue dialogue despite their clashing views. But international reporters present at the press event noted that the atmosphere was tense, and that the two leaders barely made eye contact.
“Merkel said it was important that NGOs were allowed to work freely in Russia and voiced concern about attacks on gay men in Chechnya, a semi-autonomous Russian republic. The German leader asked Putin ‘to protect the rights of minorities’. Last month, a Russian newspaper, Novaya Gazeta, reported that some 100 gay men had been detained or had disappeared.
“But Putin said Russian authorities had not broken any laws. He added that his law enforcement agencies, which are notorious for corruption and human rights abuses, were ‘far more restrained and lenient in their conduct than their colleagues in some European countries’. The Russian leader also said his government had ‘never’ tried [to] influence foreign elections, despite a US intelligence report in January that said Russia tried to sway last year’s vote.
“Merkel and Putin diverged on the war in eastern Ukraine, where Russian-armed and controlled forces were still fighting with the Ukrainian army… The two sides noted that, despite political differences, Russia and Germany had close economic ties, with Germany being ‘the number one investor in the Russian economy’, according to Putin.”
According to Die Zeit Online, dated May 2, 2017, Angela Merkel also confronted Vladimir Putin regarding the recent Russian prohibition of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and asked Putin to guarantee and defend human rights in his country. Putin denied that there were any violations.
Britain’s Intolerance
The Independent wrote on April 28:
“Conservative MP Andrew Turner will stand down at the general election after a pupil at a school in his constituency wrote on Facebook that he had described homosexuality as ‘wrong’ and ‘dangerous to society’… Mr Turner has been the MP for the Isle of Wight since 2001…
“Labour shadow minister and elections chairman Andrew Gwynne had called for Mr Turner to be suspended as a Tory candidate and said: ‘These allegations are deeply worrying. There is no place for bigotry and hatred like this in modern society, and no one holding these views is fit for public office… I look forward to Theresa May doing the right thing and speaking out against these homophobic allegations and show that she is now serious about LGBT equality.’’
What is deeply shocking are the hypocrisy and intolerance of those who do not allow a public official to state the clear teaching of the Bible—that the practice of homosexuality IS wrong and a danger to society!
European Migrant Holding Facilities Concentration Camps?
Deutsche Welle wrote on April 30:
“The pontiff’s choice of words was met with shock in Germany and outrage among some Jewish organizations. But Pope Francis has said he stands by his choice of words – despite the swirling controversy. Pope Francis repeated his claim on Saturday that some migrant holding facilities in Europe are tantamount to ‘concentration camps,’ even after some Jewish organizations urged him to stop using the controversial term…
“The American Jewish Committee (AJC) sharply criticized the pope’s choice of words and urged him to reconsider…”
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.
