“It’s Time to Let the UK Go”

Der Spiegel wrote on January 18:

“The EU should let the British go, so that they can answer that question in peace outside of the European Union. Instead of continuing to run after the Brits in the hope they might give their blessing to a deal after all, Europeans should just allow a hard Brexit to come to pass and focus their energies on preparing for the fallout…

“DER SPIEGEL has joined many others in the past in arguing that Brexit is a mistake and that Europe is stronger with the UK as a member. At the best of times, Britain made the EU a better place…

“But now the EU risks allowing the political malaise in Britain to cause lasting damage to the community’s already weakening foundations. When it comes to solving its problems — be it migration, currency reform or, more importantly, an American president who is increasingly hostile to the bloc, the EU cannot afford to allow itself to be held hostage by Britain’s Tories…

“The consequences of a no-deal Brexit would, of course, be unpleasant, but hardly a disaster — at least not for the EU…”

Brexit will happen… with devastating consequences for the British people.

“Blocking Brexit Will Unleash ‘Political Tsunami’”

Breitbart wrote on January 20:

“Britain’s Secretary of State for International Trade [Cabinet Brexiteer Liam Fox] has warned that if politicians refuse to respect the people’s vote for Brexit it could unleash a ‘political tsunami’ with ‘unknowable consequences’ for the stability of the realm.

“… commentators have warned that membership of either the European Union Customs Union or a permanent customs union with the EU would leave the United Kingdom at the mercy of the bloc, which would be able to both drag it into trade wars with third countries and… force it to allow third countries privileged access to the British market on disadvantageous terms, according to their own commercial interests. Brussels would also be able to both raise and reduce tariffs on non-EU goods in Britain, and receive a large part of the revenue from said tariffs…

“[Fox also said:] ‘… it is not possible to take “No Deal” off the table for, if agreement is not reached, the law as it stands would mean that the European treaties no longer apply to the UK after 29th March.”

No More Glue for Britain

The Local wrote on January 16:

“As Brexit hangs in the balance, Politicians, newspapers and commentators in Germany and Europe have been having their say on the chaotic events taking place on the island. Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said Wednesday that delaying Brexit beyond March 29th would make no ‘sense’…

“… in an opinion piece, the daily Sueddeutsche Zeitung didn’t hold back. ‘There is no glue that can be used to reassemble the British political system, which has disintegrated into a thousand splinters,’ it said.”

New Challenges for Brits

The Sun wrote on January 23:

“Brits could be banned from travelling to the EU if they have less than 15 MONTHS left on their passports after No Deal Brexit…

“The UK Foreign Office warns: ‘If the UK leaves the European Union with no deal, the passport validity rules for travel to most countries in Europe will change from 29 March 2019. Some passports with up to 15 months validity remaining may not be valid for travel.’ Countries popular with British tourists such as France, Spain and Portugal could all be affected.

“This could lead to a rush in passport applications in the UK, following previous advice that just six months validity would be needed… Up to five million passengers could face travel chaos after Brexit with plane tickets at risk of being cancelled.”

Preparing for a No-Deal Brexit

Der Spiegel wrote on January 21:

“A no-deal Brexit threatens to have a major impact on the European economy. Companies have long since begun making concrete preparations for an eventuality that is looking increasingly likely…

“Policymakers are also preparing for a no-deal Brexit, with the German government having introduced two packages of laws to regulate the residence status of British citizens — a necessary step because they will be losing their freedom of movement in the EU. The European Commission has likewise presented emergency legislation to prevent trade and traffic from ending abruptly. Air traffic is particularly sensitive given that the only airlines for whom there will be total freedom are those that are majority-owned and controlled by investors inside the EU.

“The consequences for airlines like Iberia, Vueling, Aer Lingus, Ryanair or Easyjet would be disastrous, given the size of British holdings in those companies. They would lose all route rights from and within the EU. As a precaution, Easyjet has taken the step of setting up a subsidiary in Vienna, while Ryanair is considering ways of reducing the influence British shareholders have over the company.

“The European Commission is eager to prevent planes from being grounded and is considering granting companies their old route rights between Britain and Continental Europe until a new aviation treaty can be concluded, or at the latest, until March 2020. Still, they would not be allowed to operate flights from point to point within the EU.

“The planned regulations, however, are of no help to aircraft manufacturers. Without certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which would no longer have supervisory authority over Britain following a no-deal Brexit, no British-made parts could be installed in European jets. Such a situation that would hit Airbus hard; the wings used in the Airbus family of jets are all manufactured in Britain…

“The impact of a disorderly Brexit would be a… serious blow to German carmakers, above all BMW. The Bavarians operate four plants in Britain, and more than 200,000 ultra-compacts of the cult-brand Mini are built in Oxford each year. Each Mini is composed of 3,000 parts, most of which are delivered by semi-truck from Continental Europe…”

Europeans will not be happy if they suffer economically due to a no-deal Brexit. Voices of “declaring war on Britain” have already been heard in the European population.

“EU Has Many More Weapons Systems than the USA”

Reuters wrote on January 19:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday the European Union must deepen cooperation in defense and in particular weapons systems development…

“In a speech to her conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) in the northern city of Rostock, Merkel said: ‘It is good that after several decades we want to develop a common defense policy … We must develop weapons systems together,’ adding Europe had many more systems than the United States.

“Arguing that EU countries should not compete among themselves for new projects and fighter planes but develop products together, she said there would be a need to compromise on export rules…

“In her weekly podcast, Merkel stressed the importance of the French-German partnership at the heart of the EU…”

These comments should wake everybody up and disprove the false notion that Europe would never dare to attack the USA, as they would be so much weaker militarily than America.

US Fear of Missile Attacks from Russia, China and Other Nations

The Sydney Morning Herald wrote on January 18:

“US President Donald Trump unveiled a revamped US missile defence strategy on Thursday that called North Korea an ongoing and ‘extraordinary threat,’ seven months after he declared the threat posed by Pyongyang had been eliminated… The plan, which also detailed concerns about the burgeoning capabilities of Iran, Russia and China, called for developing space-based sensors to detect incoming enemy missiles and exploring space-based weapons to shoot down missiles among other steps to shield the United States…

“The report said Iran possesses the largest ballistic missile force in the Middle East… US intelligence officials believe [North Korea] is still advancing its nuclear program despite a halt to missile launches last year.

“Pentagon officials contend that American missiles defences are too few to effectively counter a major first-strike on the US homeland by an advanced nuclear power like Russia or China. Washington hopes those countries will instead be deterred from attacks by America’s nuclear arsenal.”

Even though the Bible does not indicate a major attack from countries such as Russia, China, North Korea or Iran, it does imply that these and other Far Eastern nations will collaborate militarily and fight against Europe, referring to them as the “kings of the East.” At the same time, we know that Europe will attack America with nuclear weapons.

Russia Deploys Missiles and Troops Near Ukrainian Border

Fox News wrote on January 18:

“Satellite images shot Thursday… have revealed a new Russian deployment of Iskander missile batteries and launchers… 270 miles from the border with Ukraine… The Iskander ballistic missile has a range up to 310 miles, and can carry both unconventional as well as nuclear warheads, putting most of America’s NATO allies at risk…

‘Fox News has reported of further Russian troops deployment and S-400 Surface to air missile[s]…”

The Bible tells us clearly that Russia and Ukraine will combine forces against Europe.

Venezuela… the Next US Battle Ground?

CNBC wrote on January 23:

“Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president on Wednesday, winning over the backing of the Washington and many Latin American nations and prompting socialist Nicolas Maduro to break relations with the United States… Maduro said he would give U.S. diplomatic personnel 72 hours to leave Venezuela, which is suffering from a hyperinflationary economic collapse.

“U.S. President Donald Trump formally recognized Guaido shortly after his announcement and praised his plan to hold elections. That was swiftly followed by similar statements from Canada and a slew of right-leaning Latin American governments, including Venezuela’s neighbors Brazil and Colombia. The U.S. State Department said in a statement that it would not remove American diplomats because it did not recognize the Maduro regime as the government of Venezuela…

“Guaido’s declaration takes Venezuela into uncharted territory, with the possibility of the opposition now running a parallel government recognized abroad as legitimate but without control over state functions…

“Maduro welcomed the deployment of two Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers. The Russian aircraft, capable of carrying nuclear weapons, landed in Caracas last month in a move designed to show Moscow’s support of Venezuela’s socialist regime. The Pentagon swiftly criticized the Russian deployment of warplanes to Venezuela…

“Maduro started a second term on Jan. 10 following a widely-boycotted election last year that many foreign governments described as a sham. Venezuela’s constitution says if the presidency is determined to be vacant, new elections should be called in 30 days and that the head of congress should assume the presidency in the meantime. However, the pro-government Supreme Court has ruled that all actions taken by congress are null and void and Maduro’s government has previously accused Guaido of staging a coup and threatened him with jail…

“The South American country has the largest crude reserves in the world and is a major supplier to U.S. refiners…”

The Guardian wrote on January 24:

“The head of Venezuela’s armed forces has thrown his weight behind the embattled president, warning that the country could be thrust into a devastating civil war by what he called a US-backed ‘criminal plan’ to unseat Nicolás Maduro… Further bolstering Maduro’s position, Russian President Vladimir Putin… insisted [the crisis] was ‘provoked from abroad’…

“Donald Trump has warned that ‘all options are on the table’ for a US response if the Maduro government seeks to hold on to power by force. His national security advisor, John Bolton, refused to exclude military action on Thursday, but said the immediate emphasis would be on economic measures… He said that Washington was currently trying to strengthen the coalition against Maduro among American and European states. The EU has called for new elections but most member states have not followed Washington in recognising Guaidó… The UK however, broke European ranks on Thursday and sided with the US.”

Iran Deal further Divides Europe and America

Politico wrote on January 19:

“Of all the damage Trump has done to transatlantic relations, no issue has divided the U.S. from its European allies as starkly as the dispute over the Iran accord… The fight is about to heat up. EU officials… plan to approve and register in France a ‘special purpose vehicle’ aimed at helping European companies to continue doing business with Iran and circumvent the sanctions Trump unilaterally reimposed on Tehran last year… The refusal of the EU… France, Germany and the U.K…. to fall in line behind Trump’s pullout from the deal has enraged the president and his administration.

“Escalating the dispute, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who has railed recently against the EU and other multilateral organizations, will hold a conference in Poland next month on Middle East peace that will put a spotlight on tensions between Warsaw and Brussels, including on foreign policy…”

President Trump’s Huge Impact

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 19:

“At the halfway-mark of his first term it is time to acknowledge the huge impact he’s already had – and wonder how much more could come.

“In his first two years in office, US President Donald Trump pulled the US out of the landmark international nuclear arms agreement with Iran, out of the signature global climate accord and out of the historic trade pact with Asia, the so-called Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). He launched a bruising trade war with China, slapped tariffs on America’s European allies and ordered a speedy withdrawal of all US forces from Syria.

“He signed into law one of the largest tax overhauls in recent history, instituted a sweeping crackdown on undocumented immigrants and triggered the longest government shutdown in US history. And he is in the process of remaking US courts by appointing more federal judges to the bench than any of his recent predecessors at the same time.

“These are only some of the most striking examples of the tangible impact Trump has had. And it is important to note that all of these moves, while often rolled out erratically, should not have come as a surprise to anyone as all of them were campaign promises made by then-candidate Trump…”

President Trump is determined to carry out his remaining campaign promises as well.

“If You Thought the first Two Years Were Crazy, then You’d Better Buckle Up”

The Independent wrote on January 19:

“With so many challenges confronting him, so many pitfalls to face, and so much likelihood he will be pressured in a way he does not like, we can expect two years of hard fighting and ugliness from the White House… Jeanne Zaino, professor of political science at Iona College in New York… said if Trump finds himself with his back to the wall as a result of the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller… things ‘will get very ugly… If we think things have been divisive over the government shutdown, that will look like child’s play’…

“Trump and his legal team have always dismissed the probe as a witch hunt and denied any collusion. But this week saw two interesting developments: a vow from Trump’s new pick for attorney general, William Barr, that he will let the Muller investigation be completed, and an apparent admission from Trump’s lawyer, Rudy Giuliani – ‘clarified’ the following day – that somebody in the campaign may have colluded with Moscow…

“Two other things are going to further unsettle the president. One is the fact that the Democrats now control the House of Representatives and everything that means… The final factor that will trigger reverberations from the White House is the 2020 election… if Trump fights the 2020 campaign as he did the one in 2016, we can expect it to be unpleasant, toxic and ill tempered. The name-calling he deployed against people such as Jeb Bush and Ted Cruz will be the least of it…

“Given the pace of developments…, it has been nothing less than exhausting. The next two years will only be worse.”

In regard to allegations of collusion with Russia, notice the next article.

BuzzFeed vs. Trump vs. Mueller

Newsmax wrote on January 19:

“BuzzFeed News released a statement Saturday standing by their Thursday report that Donald Trump directed his then-attorney Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Moscow after the Mueller team disputed the report Friday. ‘As we’ve re-confirmed our reporting, we’ve seen no indication that any specific aspect of our story is inaccurate,’ wrote BuzzFeed’s director of communications Matt Mittenthal in a statement. ‘We remain confident in what we’ve reported, and will share more as we are able.’

“Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s spokesman issued a rare statement disputing BuzzFeed’s report Friday. ‘BuzzFeed’s description of specific statements to the Special Counsel’s Office, and characterization of documents and testimony obtained by this office, regarding Michael Cohen’s congressional testimony are not accurate,’ said Peter Carr, Mueller’s spokesman.

“It was unclear exactly what Mueller’s office was disputing, but BuzzFeed reported that the special counsel learned about Trump’s directive for Cohen to lie through ‘interviews with multiple witnesses from the Trump Organization and internal company emails, text messages and a cache of other documents’…

“Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani called the claims ‘categorically false,’ and Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders also denied the report. BuzzFeed Editor in Chief Ben Smith wrote on Twitter that ‘we stand by our reporting and the sources who informed it, and we urge the Special Counsel to make clear what he’s disputing’…”

It appears that somebody is not telling the truth.

Trump’s Proposal to End Shutdown—Dead on Arrival

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 19:

“President Trump offered to extend protections for some immigrants in exchange for $5.7 billion to build a wall at the Mexican border…

“Trump’s proposal:

“$5.7 billion for wall or steel barriers for critical areas of the border

“$800 million dollars in urgent humanitarian assistance to the border

“$800 million for technology, border protection

“75 new immigration judge teams, to reduce immigration casework backlog

“Measures to protect migrant children from exploitation, a new system for minors to apply for asylum from their home countries

“Three years of legislative relief for young immigrants who arrived illegally with their parents (DACA), including access to work permits and protection for deportation

“A three-year extension to the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) refugee program…

“Prior to the speech, the White House made the proposal public, stressing the DACA and TPS extensions. Both programs have been imperiled by Trump, as he sought to end them early in his presidency. The fate of more than 700,000 DACA recipients, young people who entered the US illegally before the age of 14, has rested on the courts since Trump announced his plan to end the program.

“House Speaker Nancy Pelosi dismissed Trump’s plan as a ‘non-starter.’ ‘His proposal is a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each of which is unacceptable and in total, do not represent a good faith effort to restore certainty to people’s lives,’ Pelosi said.”

Fox News added on January 19:

“Trump announced that he was prepared to back a three-year extension of protections for 700,000 immigrants who came to the country illegally as children and were shielded from deportation under the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program… The offered deal would also extend protections for 300,000 recipients of the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program — which protects immigrants from designated countries with conditions that prevent nationals from returning safely. It would allocate $800 million for drug detection technology to secure ports of entry [and] 2,750 new border agents and law enforcement professionals…

“Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., praised Trump for his ‘bold solution’ to re-open the government… Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, voiced support for the president’s compromise plan, pledging his support for it via Twitter.

“The partial government shutdown, which has dragged on for 29 days and led to hundreds of thousands of federal workers being furloughed or working without pay, is the result of Republicans and Democrats being unable to come to an agreement over Trump’s demand for wall funding. Trump has said he will not sign a bill to open the government unless it includes that funding, while Democrats have refused to consider the $5.7 billion figure, instead offering $1.3 billion for general border security.

“Trump’s move marks a rare outreach in a week where both sides appear to have hardened in their positions, with Trump canceling a Democratic delegation’s military flight to Afghanistan after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called on him to delay his State of the Union address earlier in the week. On Saturday before the speech, Trump described Pelosi as being ‘controlled by the radical left.’”

It does not appear that the shutdown will end any time soon. This is really a terrible testimony to America’s inability to govern and lead. At the same time, both Democrats and rightwing Republicans rejected President Trump’s attempt to come to a compromise. Note the next article.

Juvenile Stalemate between Republicans and Democrats Continues

The Washington post wrote on January 24:

“The Senate on Thursday rejected competing Republican and Democratic plans to end the partial government shutdown, now in its 34th day. The Republican bill included funding for President Trump’s border wall while the Democratic plan did not. Both measures failed to win the 60 votes needed to move forward…

“The votes follow a dramatic day in which Trump agreed to postpone his State of the Union address after Speaker Nancy Pelosi… disinvited him from making the speech next week in the House chamber.”

Rightwing Hard-Liners Attack Trump

The Huffington Post wrote on January 19:

“Rightwing scold Ann Coulter is tearing into President Donald Trump’s offer to extend protections for the so-called immigrant Dreamers in exchange for Democrats’ support for $5.7 billion for his southern border wall. Coulter lashed out after Trump offered to extend protections for three years under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals for immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. Coulter mocked the plan’s ‘amnesty,’ noting sarcastically that maybe Trump could finally get an entire border wall if ‘we grant citizenship to a BILLION foreigners.’ [She] also accused Trump of turning into his GOP presidential candidate rival Jeb Bush, who is far more supportive of immigrants.

“Coulter speaks for extreme immigration hardliners. But many observers believe her opinions sway the president… Earlier this month Coulter told Lou Dobbs on Fox Business that she would rather deport Dreamers than MS-13 gang members.”

Sadly, it may very well be true that President Trump thinks he needs to listen to such extreme right-wing views as expressed by Coulter and others. Note the next article.

Trump Responds to Coulter and Hard-Liners

The Hill wrote on January 20:

“President Trump early Sunday… chastised Democrats for dismissing his plan, and attempted to assuage immigration hard-liners who likened the administration’s latest proposal to amnesty for immigrants already in the country illegally.

“‘No, Amnesty is not a part of my offer,’ Trump tweeted. ‘It is a 3 year extension of DACA. Amnesty will be used only on a much bigger deal, whether on immigration or something else. Likewise there will be no big push to remove the 11,000,000 plus people who are here illegally–but be careful Nancy!’”

His implied threat to Pelosi in the context of removal of illegal aliens is worrisome to many observers.

How America Feels about the Shutdown and the Wall

Newsmax wrote on January 23:

“Sixty-six percent of Americans want President Donald Trump to agree to a budget without funding for a wall on the southern border, while 52 percent want Democrats to reach a deal on a budget that includes funding for the barrier… Only 28 percent said the border wall is worth the government shutdown, while 71 percent said it is not worth it. Only 37 percent said a wall is necessary to secure the border, while 61 percent said the border can be secured without it…

“Sixty percent of Americans said the government shutdown is causing serious problems, while 34 percent said it is causing some problems, but not serious ones and 5 percent said it is causing no problems.

Trump’s overall approval rating has dropped three percentage points from November to 36 percent today. Fifty-nine percent of Americans now disapprove of the job he is doing, a high for his presidency… The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample is plus or minus three percentage points.”

How 34 percent of Americans can possibly feel that the shutdown does not cause serious problems is a mystery and further testimony of total ignorance.

Worldwide Hatred for Jews

The Algemeiner wrote on January 23:

“Israel was condemned at least 20 times in the UN General Assembly for human rights abuses, illegal settlements, and continued occupation of East Jerusalem in 2018 — more than any other country. According to former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, since the 1940s, the UN has condemned Israel at least 500 times…

“Consider the charge a few years ago by newly-elected Congresswoman Ilhan Omarthat ‘Israel has hypnotized the world, may Allah awaken the people and help them see the evil doings of Israel‘…

“Medieval persecutions of Jews were horrible. In 1349 in Germany alone, more Jews were slaughtered than early Christians were killed in all Roman persecutions…

“Medieval Jews were expelled from one Western European country after another. But today, as the Jewish population has been ‘globalized,’ antisemitic conspiracy mongers have a much easier time portraying Jews through modern media as a ‘world menace.’

“The existence of Israel is double-edged. Israel, since the Shoah, has been a potential haven for Jews seeking to escape persecution. But on the other hand, there is a real ‘Jewish state’ that antisemites can depict as an all-powerful evildoer on the world scene.”

Many anti-Semites refuse to believe in the Devil, while calling Israel the Devil. They do not realize that it is they who are inspired by the Devil to believe and act in that way.

“More than Half of all Food Produced in Canada Lost or Wasted”

CBC wrote on January 17:

“According to [new] research, some 4.82 million tonnes of food, or nearly $21 billion worth, is lost or wasted during the processing and manufacturing process. Some 2.38 million tonnes of food, or more than $10 billion worth, is lost at the consumer level. In total, the value of all food that is lost or wasted in Canada is a staggering $49 billion…

“The amount of food is enough to feed every Canadian for five months… The annual cost of avoidable food loss and waste in Canada is $1,766 per household.”

That is so sad. While many people starve to death in certain parts of the world because of lack of food, wealthy and blessed nations such as Canada destroy and waste surplus food supplies.

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.

Brexit Delay?

The Guardian wrote on January 13:

“The EU is preparing to delay Brexit until at least July after concluding that Theresa May is doomed to fail in getting her deal through parliament… The country’s 29 March deadline for exiting the EU is now regarded by Brussels as highly unlikely to be met… A ‘technical’ extension until July is a probable first step to give May extra time to revise and ratify the current deal…

“Senior EU sources said that a further, lengthier extension could be offered at a later date… although the upcoming May elections for the European parliament would create complications… The first session of the parliament is in July. You would need UK MEPs there if the country is still a member state…”

Der Spiegel Online commented that it would be impossible to delay the exit until July, due to the EU parliamentary elections in May. In any event, if there were such a delay, it would only postpone the inevitable.

May Defeated in Parliament

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 15:

“The UK parliament on Tuesday voted to reject an agreement on Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union, in the biggest ever defeat of a modern government in the House of Commons. It was a major blow to Prime Minister Theresa May and her Brexit plans.

“Lawmakers in the parliament’s lower House of Commons voted by 432 to 202 to reject the withdrawal agreement. The loss by 230 votes far exceeds the previous record for a defeat which was held by the Labour government of Ramsay Macdonald, crushed by 166 votes in 1924…

“The European Union will intensify its preparations for a scenario in which Britain leaves the bloc without a withdrawal agreement, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Tuesday. ‘The risk of a disorderly withdrawal of the United Kingdom has increased with this evening’s vote,’ Juncker said…”

Newsmax added on January 15:

“British lawmakers… [were] triggering political chaos… the United Kingdom is now ensnared in the deepest political crisis in half a century…

“The humiliating loss, the first British parliamentary defeat of a treaty since 1864, appeared to catastrophically undermine May’s two-year strategy of forging an amicable divorce with close ties to the EU after the March 29 exit… Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said there would be no further renegotiation…”

The End of the British Empire

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 16:

“Britain needs a new prime minister, but opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn is plagued by the lack of unity within the Labour Party. And so far, there has been no one else in sight to take on the role… there’s no guarantee of a good outcome. But this shows Brexit’s unprecedented destructive power: It is not tearing apart the European Union as expected, but, rather, it is tearing Britain apart. Brexit will likely prove the country’s greatest disaster.”

The Week wrote on January 15:

“The drama of Brexit has both revealed and deepened cleavages between the nations that make up the United Kingdom…”

Bild Online wrote on January 16:

“It’s over… How can the island leave the European Union (EU) without sinking itself?…

“In the course of the negotiations with the very united EU (from Hungary to Germany and Italy), the British Prime Minister… was toppled by the expectations that she herself had fueled for far too long… The 48 percent of Brits who do NOT want Brexit have no audible political voice in parliament or among the parties. That’s why re-elections also wouldn’t help…

“It is sad to witness the tarnishing of the future of the proud United Kingdom…  Of course, one can stop the clock and continue to negotiate. But what will talking achieve…?”

“Zombie May Shambles On”–Theresa May Barely Survives No-Confidence Vote

Breitbart wrote on January 16:

“Theresa May’s government has survived a vote of no confidence by 325 votes to 306… The Prime Minister would not have survived without the support of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP). The Brexit-supporting party has provided her minority government with its parliamentary majority through a confidence and supply arrangement, but helped the Opposition… hand the Withdrawal Agreement she negotiated with the EU a stunning defeat, believing some of its provisions would have undermined Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom.

“Mrs May adopted a magnanimous stance after the vote confirmed her position, offering to hold talks with the leaders of rival parties on how to take the Brexit negotiations forward the same night. How fruitful these can be remains in doubt, however…”

 German-French Treaty

Euractiv wrote on January 10:

“With their signature in 1963, German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer and French President Charles de Gaulles laid the ground for the beginning of an unexpected friendship. The document, with just under six pages, did not define any political goals but was rather a blueprint for what became later the Franco-German engine on the European level.

“The extension to the Élysée Treaty approved by the German and French cabinets will be signed by Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Emmanuel Macron in the German border city of Aachen on 22 January – an ancient symbol of European concord… German government spokesman Steffen Seibert, called the decision ‘an issue of historical importance’…

“The document… stipulates that a priority of German-French diplomacy will be for Germany to be accepted as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.”

The treaty will also include a cooperation agreement in the area of defense… or collaboration of their militaries.

Breitbart wrote on January 10:

“There is profound significance to having chosen Aachen… the ancient Roman spa city… [that] was also the residence and burial place of the early medieval ruler Charlemagne, the first Holy Roman Emperor dubbed the ‘Father of Europe’ for having united the western part of the continent by the 9th century.”

We are witnessing Europe’s LAST revival of the ancient HOLY Roman Empire.

Europe Is Forming an Army

On January 10, Handelsblatt published this opinion piece by German Defense Minister, Ursula von der Leyen:

“Europe’s army is already taking shape. Reforms in recent past months and years have brought our armed forces closer together. We’re working quickly…

“Among European nations, Germany and France are the driving forces in defense. But the German army’s close cooperation with other European partners, especially with Dutch forces, has also proven effective in many missions, and illustrates how to do integration properly.

“Now 25 countries have joined forces in a security initiative we call Pesco. And not because we’re following requirements from Brussels, but voluntarily, because we see the obvious benefits, and because it’s in Europe’s security interests.

“We’re moving even further ahead with our close partner France. The draft of ‘the new Elysèe Treaty’, agreed by the cabinet yesterday, shows that in future we want to address our security challenges together… Let’s note also that France and Germany, rivals and arch-enemies until 70 years ago, have now pledged mutual assistance and every conceivable kind of help to each other, in case of an armed attack on the territory on the partner country…

 “I have therefore proposed forming a special committee at the European level, composed of members of national parliaments, which is to be informed early on about crisis scenarios as they take shape. That could speed up decision-making processes at the national level, as well as strengthen support for any military action… Europe must be able to defend itself.”

Breitbart wrote on January 12:

“On Friday, the bloc’s top military official Claudio Graziano said he had been working with other EU army chiefs to thrash out what can be done to enhance the bloc’s capabilities, saying there is ‘a lot of expectation’ about what the EU can undertake.”

German Ban on Homeschooling Upheld by European Court of “Human Rights”

CNA wrote on January 11:

“Two homeschooling German parents who said their parental rights were violated by the enforcement of compulsory school attendance laws did not prevail in the European Court of Human Rights, which unanimously rejected their claims Thursday…

“In August 2013, a group of at least 20 police officers and social workers raided the… home and took away their four children… they were eventually returned to their parents…

“In its Jan. 10 decision, the Strasbourg-based European Court of Human Rights said that compulsory school attendance to ‘prevent social isolation’ and to ensure their integration in society are relevant justifications to intervene against parental authority. German officials were reasonable to assume that parents had ‘endangered their children by not sending them to school,’ the court said…

“The court acknowledged that the parents later submitted learning assessments showing that the children had ‘sufficient knowledge, social skills and a loving relationship with their parents’…

“Homeschooling has been illegal in Germany since 1918, though in recent years the policy has raised questions and concerns with human rights groups who say it is an infringement on the right to family life…

“Several German families who wish to homeschool, many of them Christian, have sought refuge in the United States to ensure their ability to educate their children at home. Others have moved to countries like France or Austria, which have less strict laws [at this point].

“In 2014, Germany’s Constitutional Court ruled that restrictions on homeschooling were justified on the grounds that the government has a compelling interest in preventing the formation of religious or ideological parallel societies. The court also argued that requiring children to attend school provides them the benefit of interacting with other children who might think differently.

“In 2006, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that there is no right to homeschool.”

This practice in Germany and other European countries and the decision by the European Court of Human Rights place an undue burden on religious parents—Jews and Christians alike—who are opposed to the German and Europe school courses on sex education and unbiblical religious activities. Homeschooling should be a decision which should be made by the parents—not by the government. However one may look at homeschooling, a ban on homeschooling clearly violates the parents’ right of free exercise of religion and other constitutional guarantees and should have been deemed to be illegal by the courts.

AfD Proposes DEXIT

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 13:

“The AfD blasted the ‘privileged’ members of the European Parliament while campaigning to join that very body… The final version of the manifesto passed on Sunday evening retained the threat of a ‘Dexit,’ [Germany’s departure from the EU] but jettisoned any concrete timeframe…

“The AfD was founded in 2013 as a euroskeptic party intent on having Germany leave the euro currency. But it has since been taken over by anti-immigrant and Islamophobic members and has risen in popularity to become the largest opposition party in the Bundestag… Their manifesto also opposes the EU having a joint defense and foreign policy.

With that stance, the AfD will have no future and unless it changes its position again, like the proverbial chameleon, it has signed its own death certificate, as the Bible clearly shows that Germany will not leave the EU and that there will be a European army.

US Ambassador to Germany Threatens German Companies

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 13:

“The US ambassador to Berlin, Richard Grenell, has sent threatening letters to German companies working on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline…

“German companies building the Nord Stream 2 pipeline between Germany and Russia received letters from US Ambassador Richard Grenell warning them of ‘a significant risk of sanctions’ if they did not pull out of the project, Germany’s mass-circulation Bild am Sonntag has reported. The large pipeline is set to deliver gas from northwestern Russia to northern Germany under the Baltic Sea and effectively double the amount of gas Germany imports from the country.

“The US opposes the project over fears that the gas link would tighten Russia’s control of Europe’s energy supply and diminish the importance of gas transit countries such as Ukraine. US companies are also keen to sell gas obtained by fracking to many European countries…

“Grenell’s latest move remains highly unusual and is likely to prompt fresh tensions between Washington and Berlin…”

AFP added on January 13:

“German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas… weighed in on the transatlantic row last week, saying ‘European energy policy should be decided in Europe, not in the United States.’”

Did Trump Forsake Europe?

BBC News wrote on January 14:

“For generations, American presidents have saved some of their warmest words for their European colleagues.

“They came to the Berlin Wall and spoke of freedom – and, after it fell, they spoke of a new era of co-operation with a rebuilt Europe. But in the era of Donald Trump, leaders across the continent now know that those days have gone.

“John F Kennedy’s ‘Ich bin ein Berliner’ declaration, Ronald Reagan’s 1987 message to Moscow: ‘Mr Gorbachev tear down this wall,’ George HW Bush’s promises of collaboration after the Cold War and Barack Obama’s warm words about binding ties across the Atlantic are all now distant memories.

“With every visit to Europe and every White House tweet about the cost of Nato or EU tariffs, this president makes it clear that he believes Europe is more often an impediment than an ally.

“None of his predecessors would have dreamed of calling the EU a ‘foe’, as President Trump did in a recent interview about trade…

“With Europe embroiled in its Brexit difficulties, which leave so many questions unanswered, its leaders also find themselves scrambling to work out what it might mean if these old ties with the United States continue to unravel.”

Trump Rebuked by European Parliament and US Congressional Democrats

Deutsche Welle reported on January 17:

“The Trump administration’s recent downgrading of the EU ambassador’s status without prior notice… has led to parliamentary action on both sides of the Atlantic. In a strongly worded letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, 27 congressional Democrats denounced the diplomatic downgrade. ‘Disturbingly, this step, which appears to have taken place late last year, occurred without congressional consultation or apparent notification to the European Union,’ the lawmakers wrote in a letter published this week… Both the substance of this decision and the undiplomatic way in which it was carried out needlessly denigrate trans-Atlantic relations.’…

“US lawmakers demand answers by January 30 to four specific questions about the downgrade, among them why the decision was made, why Congress was not informed, and how it was reviewed and approved within the Trump administration. ‘We ought to support and strengthen our allies, not turn them into foes,’ the letter concludes. ‘Insulting them for no apparent reason does not typically encourage them to take a warmer view of the United States.’

“The missive echoes the sentiment expressed in a letter by members of the European Parliament. Addressed to members of the US Congress and published one day after the downgrade became public, the letter by the European Parliament’s 58-member Delegation for Relations With the United States slammed the White House’s ‘increasingly harmful approach’ to trans-Atlantic relations and urged Congress to help ‘strengthen and not undermine each other’.

“The MEPs criticized the demotion of the EU’s ambassador to the United States, David O’Sullivan, saying neither the ambassador nor the bloc’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, had been ‘formally notified of this change’ in advance. ‘This is no way to treat partners,’ they wrote.”

Killing NATO

The New York Times wrote on January 14:

“Last year, President Trump suggested a move tantamount to destroying NATO: the withdrawal of the United States… several times over the course of 2018, Mr. Trump privately said he wanted to withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization… Mr. Trump told his top national security officials that he did not see the point of the military alliance, which he presented as a drain on the United States…

‘American national security officials believe that Russia has largely focused on undermining solidarity between the United States and Europe after it annexed Crimea in 2014. Its goal was to upend NATO, which Moscow views as a threat…

“Russia’s meddling in American elections and its efforts to prevent former satellite states from joining the alliance have aimed to weaken what it views as an enemy next door, the American officials said. With a weakened NATO, they said, Mr. Putin would have more freedom to behave as he wishes, setting up Russia as a counterweight to Europe and the United States…

“Mr. Trump’s skepticism of NATO appears to be a core belief…

“Allies feeling threatened by Russia already have extreme doubts about whether Mr. Trump would order troops to come to their aid…”

Especially now, in light of President Trump’s announcements regarding the withdrawal of American troops from Syria (note the articles below). President Trump responded to the article by saying that the US is “100% in support of NATO”… a dubious claim in light of recent developments.

In Light of Shutdown… US Constitution Outdated and Near Collapse?

The Week wrote on January 11:

“President Trump’s shutdown will stand alone… as the longest in American history…

“In most modern democracies, this kind of preposterous standoff is simply not possible. In Canada, for instance, failure to pass a budget is an automatic vote of no confidence that triggers new elections… In the meantime, the previous budget is basically rolled forward until the new government can get a chance to pass a fresh budget…

“By contrast, the American Constitution not only allows for this sort of thing, but encourages it… There is no democratic principle on the basis of which it can be resolved…

“Trump… starkly illustrated a weakness inherent to the American system… Every other country with an American-style constitution watched it collapse eventually, most of them over impasses very similar to the one we are experiencing now. It is not at all impossible that we are in the first stages of that same process. The U.S. Constitution was clearly outdated 100 years ago. It might be time to start thinking about how to replace it.”

The shutdown is continuing, with no end in sight. In fact and quite incredibly, the childishly stupid divisions between Trump and the Republicans on the one hand, and the Democrats on the other hand, are even deepening.

National Emergency

President Trump has indicated that he might declare a national emergency if no deal can be reached regarding the building of a wall between Mexico and the USA.US News and World Report wrote on January 8:

“What actually constitutes an emergency… is up for debate and requires the president to use existing law to justify a declaration. Presidents in recent history have exercised their power to declare national emergencies under the National Emergencies Act of 1976 [However, it is up to the President to “define” what constitutes a national emergency.]

“… [Under a national emergency], the President may seize property, organize and control the means of production, seize commodities, assign military forces abroad, institute martial law, seize and control all transportation and communication, regulate the operation of private enterprise, restrict travel, and, in a variety of ways, control the lives of United States citizens.

“Congress, however, can check the executive branch and overrule the president’s use of the act by passing a joint resolution out of the House and Senate. Like a law, the resolution would require a simple majority in each chamber and require the president’s signature, or require Congress to override his veto” [by 2/3rd vote in both House and Senate].

US Begins Withdrawal from Syria

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 11:

“The United States has started the ‘deliberate withdrawal’ process of its forces from Syria, US military officials confirmed on Friday, but they refused to provide any details on exactly what troops and equipment were being moved… A Defense Department spokesperson later said that while equipment was being moved out of Syria, troops were not withdrawing.

“Separately, the head of the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights… confirmed that the US had started withdrawing troops from the airfield base near the town of Rmeilan in northeast Syria on Thursday evening. Some 150 soldiers and 10 armored vehicles, along with some trucks and heavy equipment, left the town and crossed the Iraqi border, he said…”

Newsmax wrote on January 13:

“President Donald Trump tweeted on Sunday that the United States has begun withdrawing from Syria. ‘Starting the long overdue pullout from Syria while hitting the little remaining ISIS territorial caliphate hard, and from many directions,’ Trump wrote. ‘Will attack again from existing nearby base if it reforms. Will devastate Turkey economically if they hit Kurds…’

“The president also warned the Kurds not to antagonize Turkey in a continuation of his tweet…

“Strains in relations with Turkey have also increased over American demands that Kurds be protected…”

This will make neither side happy.

ISIS Kills American Troops in Syria

Newsmax wrote on January 16:

“A bomb attack claimed by Islamic State killed U.S. troops in northern Syria Wednesday, weeks after President Donald Trump said [the] group was defeated there and he would pull out all American forces… [Reportedly] four U.S. troops had been killed and three wounded in the blast, which an Islamic State-affiliated site said was the work of a suicide bomber…

“The attack, which took place in the town of Manbij, controlled by rebels opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, appears to be the deadliest on U.S. forces in Syria since they deployed on the ground there in 2015…

“A witness in the city said the attack had targeted a restaurant where U.S. personnel were meeting members of the local militia that Washington backs there. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group said 16 people had been killed in all, including two Americans. A militia source in north Syria also said two U.S. troops had been killed.”

Ukraine Could Soon Cease to Be a Country

The Independent wrote on January 16:

“Ukraine could lose its statehood if the former Soviet republic continues to be divided by competing interests, Russia’s top security official has said. Nikolai Patrushev, secretary of Russia’s security council, accused Ukrainian authorities, including president Petro Poroshenko, of being ‘controlled’ by the US amid simmering tensions between Kiev and Moscow… He continued: ‘The Kiev authorities are doing everything to split Ukraine, implementing the West’s scenario to break Ukraine away from Russia, while ignoring the interests of its own people. As a result, the country has been de facto split.’

“Mr Patrushev’s comments come amid a crisis between the two countries following Russia’s 2014 invasion and subsequent annexation of Crimea, an autonomous region in Ukraine’s southeast with close historical and cultural ties to Russia. The standoff moved a step closer towards open conflict last year when three Ukrainian vessels and 24 Ukrainian sailors were fired at and captured by Russian coast guards in the Black Sea in November. A Moscow court on Wednesday extended the detention of eight of the seamen. Russia insists the men should be put on trial for violating its border. Ukraine calls them prisoners of war who were illegally captured…

“The US has provided more than $1bn to Kiev to help enhance its defensive military capabilities, and last year their militaries co-hosted a major exercise involving US Navy warships and hundreds of sailors and Marines…

“Mr Patrushev said [that] ‘anti-government sentiment in the [western] regions is mounting…”

Is Russia creating a scenario under which it will justify a coming annexation of Ukraine?

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.

Bolton Contradicts Trump on Withdrawal from Syria

The Jewish Telegraph Agency wrote on January 7:

“U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton said in Israel that there is no timeline for a U.S. withdrawal from Syria and that American troops will remain until the Islamic State is defeated.

“Bolton met Sunday with Israeli security and intelligence officials to reassure them over the withdrawal unexpectedly announced by President Donald Trump last month… Bolton reportedly disagrees with the withdrawal decision.

“Trump also walked back the timetable on Sunday, telling reporters he had ‘never said we were doing it that quickly.’”

Of course he did say that. On his program of January 7, Shepard Smith of Fox News made this VERY clear. One wonders what is going on behind the scene. General Mattis resigned over President Trump’s announcement that American troops would be withdrawn from Syria “immediately.” Is John Bolton speaking for the President, and with his consent? The next article wonders about this too.

Axios wrote on January 7:

“Trump now says U.S. troops will withdraw ‘at a proper pace while at the same time continuing to fight ISIS and doing all else that is prudent and necessary.’ He initially announced: ‘They’re all coming back, and they’re coming back now.’…

“There is a pattern of ‘Trump saying we’re getting out and his advisers saying we’re staying in,’ Philip Gordon of the Council on Foreign Relations says. Gordon… [says] the moment of truth may be when Trump is asked about the apparent contradictions between his statements on Syria and Bolton’s: ‘I guess we’ll find out then if Bolton actually speaks for the president or if we’re back to “ISIS is defeated and we’re getting out.”’…

“The bottom line: ‘The danger of such inconsistency is that America’s word becomes meaningless, leading allies to doubt Washington’s promises and adversaries its resolve,’ writes Joel Rubin of the Washington Strategy Group. ‘… it’s unclear how committed he is to the Syria withdrawal.’”

And that IS the bottom line: America is perceived as being unreliable and its promises as being meaningless. First, President Trump shot from the hip when he announced on Twitter that American troops would withdraw now and immediately. When General Mattis tried to talk him out of that plan, he did not react kindly, so General Mattis resigned. Subsequently, John Bolton, Senator Graham and others were seemingly successful in getting President Trump to change his mind. But how long will it last? Regardless, the damage towards America’s allies has been done.

Turkey Unwilling to Give Assurances to USA

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 8:

“Bolton said on Sunday, in Israel, that he would seek assurances that Turkey would not harm US-allied Kurdish forces in Syria, a condition of the withdrawal…

“Erdogan gave a fiery speech to parliamentarians from his Law and Justice Party (the AKP), saying Bolton made a ‘serious mistake’ calling for the condition. ‘We cannot make any concessions,’ he told his party’s MPs. ‘Those involved in a terror corridor in Syria will receive the necessary punishment.’

“The United States fought alongside and supported the Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) militant group in Syria against the so-called ‘Islamic State.’ Kurds in Iraq also fought against IS militants in alliance with NATO powers, while Turkey is fighting an insurgency within its own borders against Kurdish groups.”

The Guardian wrote on January 8:

“Turkey has asked Washington to hand over its bases in Syria as the Trump administration appeared to reverse plans to withdraw from the country’s north-east on Tuesday, jeopardising Ankara’s plans to launch a widespread military operation targeting Kurdish groups…”

The relationship between Turkey and the USA is bound to deteriorate further, as prophesied in the Bible.

Former Presidents Debunk Trump’s Claim that They Support a Border Wall

The Week wrote on January 7:

“President Trump claimed last week that former presidents had told him that they supported the idea of building a wall on the southern border…

“All four living ex-presidents told The Washington Post on Monday that this is untrue. Former President Barack Obama’s spokesman referred to previous comments in which Obama said a wall would ‘run counter to our history as the world’s melting pot,’ while former President Jimmy Carter said he does ‘not support [Trump] on the issue.’ Representatives for former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton said they had never discussed the matter with Trump.”

The Huffington Post added on January 8:

“Vice President Mike Pence on Tuesday struggled to back President Donald Trump’s lie that former presidents have affirmed their support for his proposed border wall… attempting to claim that the president meant that it had been ‘his impression’ and that he meant ‘the importance of border security.’”

Trump’s Case for a Border Wall

The Associated Press reported on January 8:

“President Donald Trump made a somber televised plea for border wall funding Tuesday night, seeking an edge in his shutdown battle with congressional Democrats as he declared there is ‘a humanitarian crisis, a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul.’… saying it was ‘immoral’ for ‘politicians to do nothing.’

“Responding in their own televised remarks, Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer accused Trump of misrepresenting the situation on the border as they urged him to reopen closed government departments and turn loose paychecks for hundreds of thousands of workers…

“Trump used emotional language, referring to Americans who were killed by people in the country illegally, saying: ‘I’ve met with dozens of families whose loved ones were stolen by illegal immigration. I’ve held the hands of the weeping mothers and embraced the grief-stricken fathers. So sad. So terrible.’

“The president often highlights such incidents, though studies over several years have found immigrants are less likely to commit crimes than people born in the United States.

“Trump has been discussing the idea of declaring a national emergency to allow him to move forward with the wall without getting congressional approval for the $5.7 billion he’s requested. But he did not mention that Tuesday night… Trump embraced the ceremonial trappings of his office as he tries to exit a political quagmire of his own making. For weeks he has dug in on a signature campaign promise to his base voters, the pledge to build an impregnable ‘beautiful’ wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.”

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 9:

“For his inaugural prime-time television address to the nation two years after taking office and during one of the longest government shutdowns in recent memory, President Donald Trump… could have used the bully pulpit accorded to US presidents to present himself as the true leader of the country, one who will earnestly try to bridge the gaping divide that threatens to tear the nation apart.

“… Instead… Donald Trump has once again shown he is incapable or unwilling to fulfill a key requirement for a president: To unite, not divide the nation.”

Shutdown to Continue

The Guardian wrote on January 5:

“Donald Trump said [the partial government shutdown] could go on for months or years, if he is not given funding for a wall on the Mexican border…

The Week wrote on January 5:

“President Trump… [asserted] in a… tweet that everyone ‘other than drug dealers, human traffickers, and criminals’ wants the wall ‘very badly.’ Recent polling shows just one in four Americans say shutting down the government is better than accepting no wall funding.”

CNBC wrote on January 9:

“President Donald Trump on Wednesday stormed out of a meeting with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer over an ongoing partial government shutdown, calling it ‘a total waste of time.’

“The breakdown in already fraught negotiations over border wall funding, which have kept nine federal agencies shut down for 19 days and counting, appeared to heighten the possibility that Trump might declare a national emergency.

“‘I asked what is going to happen in 30 days if I quickly open things up, are you going to approve Border Security which includes a Wall or Steel Barrier? Nancy said, NO,’ Trump explained in a tweet… ‘I said bye-bye, nothing else works!’ Trump added.”

Affecting Air Travel

The Associated Press wrote on January 8:

“The partial government shutdown is starting to affect air travel. Over the weekend, some airports had long lines at checkpoints, apparently caused by a rising number of security officers calling in sick… Safety inspectors aren’t even on the job.”

Please view our new prophecy program, titled, “The Ongoing Shutdown– Comments on News and Prophecy (January 5, 2019)” 

Tax Refunds Still To Be Sent Out

The Week wrote on January 7:

“Lawyers for the Trump administration ruled on Monday that the Internal Revenue Service will be able to issue tax refunds, despite the government shutdown. During earlier shutdowns, including one last year, the IRS said it would not send out any refunds.

“A senior official with the Office of Management and Budget told The Washington Post it was decided that processing tax refunds is similar to paying Social Security benefits, which is allowed during a government shutdown. Since the shutdown started on Dec. 22, 90 percent of IRS staffers have had to stay home without pay…”

Food Stamps to Continue through February

Axios wrote on January 8:

“The Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday that it has found a way to continuing providing food stamps to millions of Americans during the month of February, despite the government shutdown.”

Trump Did Not Realize what a Shutdown Would Do!

The Intelligencer wrote on January 7:

“Just as Trump did not expect to win the election and neglected to plan for his transition, he shut down the government on a whim, after right-wing media complained about his plan to approve a government funding bill. Nobody in the administration had a clear understanding of just what a shutdown would entail…

“Trump appears to have no endgame in mind. He told Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer he would ‘look foolish’ if he agreed to reopen the government without extracting concessions. But Democrats have no incentive to give him any. Voters in general tend to blame the president for problems… it especially holds true when the president personally engineers the calamity and announces beforehand on camera that he won’t blame the other side for it…”

And that is the big problem in other areas as well: How much WOULD President Trump understand when it comes to actions of war which might threaten the very survival of the USA?

USA Today wrote on January 9:

“… the shutdown’s most obvious impact has come in the form of trash pileups and overflowing toilets at national parks, where bathrooms have been closed and garbage is not getting picked up…

“Accidents like last week’s horrific crash in Florida that killed seven people — five of them children on the way to Disney World – will not be investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board… Transportation Security Agency officers… are no longer just calling in sick. Now… some are resigning… the situation poses a… massive security risk for American travelers… At the very least.. the shutdown will mean increased wait times for travelers going through security checkpoints…”

CBS Chicago added on January 9:

“Funds from an emergency farm-aid bill are frozen and government employees who offer several services to farmers are [prevented from working]… This is happening on top of less demand for American crops as China retaliates in response to President Trump’s tariffs. Farmers… have to store much of the biggest soybean crop ever.”

Astronomical Health Care Prices in USA

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School for Public Health wrote on January 7:

“The United States, on a per capita basis, spends much more on health care than other developed countries [which] was due mainly to higher prices—including higher drug prices, higher salaries for doctors and nurses, higher hospital administration costs and higher prices for many medical services.

“… the U.S… health care spending [was] about 25 percent higher than second-place Switzerland… It was also 108 percent higher than Canada… it was more than double… the U.S. spent per capita on health care in 2000…

“Not only does the U.S outspend other OECD countries, on the whole it has less access to many health care resources…”

An abominable report on America’s failing health care system.

Trump Cuts Aids to California’s Fire Victims

Roll Call wrote on January 9:

“President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he has ordered FEMA to withhold funds from California’s state government until officials there ‘get their act together’ fighting forest fires. But he tweeted he thinks that is ‘unlikely.’

“The president long has criticized California state officials, sometimes with dubious claims, over wildfires there and their steps to prevent and nix them. But stopping the flow of federal funds is an escalation of the feud, and one that might raise the ire of lawmakers — even the sizable House GOP delegation from the Golden State.

“Trump appeared… unconcerned that cutting off the FEMA aid might put more people at risk of injury, death or losing their homes…”

This is indeed a major blow to past, current and future fire victims of California.

Europe to Defend Its Interest against Trump

Euractiv wrote on January 3:

“[Manfred Weber,] the EPP’s Group leader in the European Parliament and candidate for the EU Commission top office said Europe does not want a trade conflict. ‘We have tried everything to make dialogue and mutual understanding prevail. If President Trump decides to treat Europe as an enemy, we will have no choice but to defend the European industry, European jobs, European interests,’ the German conservative politician emphasised. ‘This will have consequences for the American people too. In a trade conflict there are only losers,’ Weber added.

“The Bavarian politician also said the new situation with increased US isolation, should be seen as a wake-up call for Europeans to be the ‘bridge-builders’ and reliable partners towards the rest of the world.”

Europe will fill the gap “for the rest of the world,” created by America’s exclusivist policies.

Trump Downgrades Diplomatic Status of EU

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 8:

“The Trump administration has downgraded the diplomatic status of the European Union’s delegation to the United States… The demotion happened at the end of last year without notice… ‘I can confirm that this has not been well received in Brussels,’ [an EU official] said…

“The diplomatic downgrade of the EU’s mission in Washington appears to be in line with what is widely being perceived as an anti-EU stance by the Trump administration. Trump was an avid supporter of Britain’s exit from the European Union during his presidential campaign, and as president has repeatedly lashed out against the European Union on issues such as trade or defense.

“In a major foreign policy speech in Brussels in early December, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo praised Trump, a self-declared nationalist, and urged European countries to reassert their national sovereignty vis-a-vis the EU…”

The Guardian added on January 8:

“The change… potentially means that the EU mission would have less clout and access to US officials… ‘This is a gratuitous and entirely unreasonable swipe at the EU by the Trump administration,’ said Nicholas Burns, who was under secretary of state for political affairs in the George W Bush administration.

“‘It coincides with Trump’s campaign to depict the EU as a competitor, and not a partner, of the US. It continues the administration’s delegitimization of… the supranational organization that is the EU. Americans should remember that the EU is our largest trade partner and largest investor in our economy,’ Burns added. ‘Trump’s entire policy toward the EU continues to be misguided and ineffective.’”

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 9:

“The US Congress has been sent an open letter by EU parliamentarians fuming over the sidelining of the EU’s mission in Washington. The MEPs again accuse President Donald Trump of eroding trans-Atlantic relations.

“[The] letter published Wednesday by the 58-member EU parliamentary Delegation for Relations with the United States slammed the White House’s ‘increasingly harmful approach’ to trans-Atlantic relations and urged Congress to help ‘strengthen and not undermine’ ties… The EU signatories urged Congress to build on a ‘long-cherished’ trans-Atlantic relationship. ‘This is no way to treat partners,’ they wrote…

“The delegation’s letter specifically takes aim at President Trump, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and US Ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland. ‘They lambast the EU as bureaucratic, make no secret of their preference to deal with individual member state governments bilaterally, and have praised populist and nationalist movements,’ wrote the delegation in its open letter.

“In a resolution passed last September, the European Parliament said it regretted ‘that the current US administration has chosen a one-sided “America first” policy that harms the interests of both the EU and the US and undermines mutual trust.’”

Whatever the practical consequence of this downgrade might be, the Europeans are again VERY unhappy with President Trump. But there is more. Note the next article.

US State Department Warns of China AND Europe!

Business Insider wrote on January 3:

“The US State Department has issued a travel advisory urging Americans to ‘exercise increased caution’ when traveling to the People’s Republic of China. The State Department’s elevated travel advisory is out of concern that China may arbitrarily enforce local laws and detain US citizens without cause.

“‘Chinese authorities have asserted broad authority to prohibit US citizens from leaving China by using ‘exit bans,’ sometimes keeping US citizens in China for years,’ the State Department said in its advisory. ‘US citizens may be detained without access to US consular services or information about their alleged crime,’ the State Department said. ‘US citizens may be subjected to prolonged interrogations and extended detention for reasons related to “state security.”’ ‘Security personnel may detain and/or deport US citizens for sending private electronic messages critical of the Chinese government,’ the agency added.

“The new China travel advisory is a level-two advisory, which urges increased caution. A level-one advisory suggests travelers ‘exercise normal precautions,’ while a level-three advisory urges Americans to ‘reconsider travel.’ A level-four advisory recommends that Americans avoid traveling to a particular country.

“Other countries or regions with a level-two advisory include Algeria, Antarctica, Belgium, France, Germany, Denmark, Myanmar, and the United Kingdom.”

The level-two travel advisory towards China seems more than justified, based on the facts reported in this article. BUT that the USA has such two-level travel advisories in place against its closest European allies is quite ridiculous.

In addition, as Handelsblatt reported on January 9, “The US and European Union have not made progress in solving their trade dispute, EU Commissioner Cecila Malmström said after a visit to Washington D.C..”

The Curse of Nuclear Weapons Tests

The Sun wrote on January 8:

“Deadly radioactive plutonium is leaking into the Pacific Ocean from a tiny island where the US detonated dozens of Cold War nukes. During its clean-up operation on Enewetak Atoll, in the Marshall Islands, the American military built a giant concrete dome to house the toxic material left over from the nuclear tests. And now with rising sea levels, the storage facility is leaking into the Pacific Ocean, potentially spreading its deadly contents far and wide.

“It has now been claimed that the dome, which was built with a porous base of seashells and sand, was not sealed properly – which has further contributed to the radioactive leak… Over the course of 10 years, during the Cold War, 43 nuclear bombs were detonated, blasting craters and vaporising islands. Back in 2013, a report commissioned by the US Department of Energy confirmed the dome is leaking its highly toxic waste. Locals refer to it as ‘the poison’ and have already been complaining of birth defects and high cancer rates.

“One of the substances buried within the nuclear dump is plutonium — which has a half-life of 24,000 years – and is one of the most toxic and carcinogenic substances on the planet. Exposure can cause a number of health issues, including radiation sickness, genetic damage, cancer and death…

“Some of the largest nuclear bombs ever tested were detonated in the tiny tropical islands. In the ’70s, US media reports labelled the area the most decimated and toxic in the world. One of the bombs tested in the area was called the ‘Bravo Shot’ — 1000 times more powerful than those bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki…

“The 2013 US government report also warned that the increasing severity of storms in the region meant the dome was at risk of being blown apart…”

It is just terrible what man in his morbid and sick desire for war and destruction is capable of doing. But Christ will come to destroy those who destroy the earth.

Brexit: May Suffers Further Defeat in Parliament

Reuters wrote on January 8, 2019:

“British Prime Minister Theresa May’s government suffered a defeat in parliament on Tuesday when lawmakers who oppose leaving the European Union without an accord won a vote that created a new obstacle to a no-deal Brexit. The 303 to 296 defeat means that the government needs explicit parliamentary approval to leave the EU without a deal before it can use certain powers relating to taxation law.

“The defeat highlights May’s weak position as leader of a minority government, a divided party, and a critical parliament just days before she is due to hold a pivotal vote on whether to approve the Brexit deal she has negotiated with the EU…

“The government downplayed the significance of its defeat. ‘This amendment does not change the fact that the UK is leaving the EU on the 29 March, and it will not stop the government from collecting tax,’ a spokesman said…”

May Suffers Another Defeat

The Sun wrote on January 9:

“Theresa May has been defeated on Brexit for the second time in 24 hours today as rebels wrestled back power from the Government. Hopes that she can get next week’s deal passed by MPs are now fading fast after she was slapped down yet again by politicians demanding more of a say on our EU exit.

“The PM will now be forced to make a statement within three days if her withdrawal agreement gets thrown out by MPs on Tuesday as expected.”

Germany Warns Britain

Deutsche Welle wrote on January 8:

“German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the EU would not accept a hard border between Ireland, an EU member state, and Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. Maas pledged the EU’s full support for the Republic of Ireland…

“The British parliament is set to vote on May’s deal on January 15. Many observers expect it to end in defeat for the prime minister, who was forced to postpone an earlier vote in December due to lack of support… Any extension of the deadline for Britain leaving the EU would require unanimous approval from the EU’s remaining 27 member states.”

None of this looks good for Great Britain.

Belgian Region of Flanders Bans Halal and Kosher Slaughter

Express wrote on January 8:

“Under the new law [in the Belgian region of Flanders] animals must be stunned before being slaughtered, which animal rights campaigners argue is more humane. However, traditional halal and kosher rituals involve cutting the animals throat without stunning the animal first. Halal and kosher meat will continue [to] be sold in shops but it must be sourced from elsewhere.

“The move – initiated by right-wing nationalist Ben Weyts – has prompted a furious outcry from religious groups, with claims it is motivated by Islamophobia and anti-Semitism.

“Muslim leader Saatci Bayram told The New York Times: ‘This ban is presented as a revelation by animal rights activists, but the debate on animal welfare in Islam has been going on for 1,500 years. Our way of ritual slaughtering is painless.’

“Yaakov David Schmahl, a senior rabbi in Antwerp, added: ‘It is impossible to know the true intentions of people. Unless people state clearly what they have in mind, but most anti-Semites don’t do that. It definitely brings to mind similar situations before the Second World War, when these laws were introduced in Germany.’”

JTA wrote on January 4:

“Antwerp’s Jewish community was still recovering from its Holocaust-era devastation when Wim van den Brande’s grandfather opened one of Europe’s largest kosher slaughterhouses. Since its establishment in 1966, the Kosher Poultry factory grew together with the local Jewish community, which numbered only a few thousand people after Nazis and their collaborators murdered most of the Jews in Flanders — the Belgian region whose capital is Antwerp.

“By the end of last year, van den Brande’s factory was processing 80,000 chickens a month — a testament to how the region’s Jewish population has more than quadrupled to 20,000 since 1945. But all that ended last month, when a law banning methods used in ritual slaughter went into effect, forcing van den Brande, who is not Jewish, to fire his 10 employees and close up shop, in the hope of moving his factory to Hungary. For van den Brande, 42, and hundreds of meat industry professionals, it means ‘an attack on traditions and on an entire industry,’ he told JTA.

“It has less immediate implications for Antwerp’s Jews — who can simply switch to importing customs-free kosher meat from elsewhere within the European Union trading bloc. Yet many of them view the law both as a declaration that they are not wanted in Belgium, and as the opening shot of further hostile action…

“Schuldiner fears the law, which he considers a ban, is a ‘prelude to a ban on importing kosher meat,’ and a move heralding ‘new restrictions, be it on milah or other elements of Jewish life.’ Milah is the Hebrew word for circumcision of men…

“In this context, the law passed in Belgium ‘is clearly only the beginning,’ said Ari Mandel, an Antwerp Jew who in 2011 opened Kosher4U, an online store that specializes in shipping kosher products to remote European Jewish communities, such as in Sweden and Norway. ‘We’re talking about a domino effect. Kosher slaughterhouses can move but moving appears to be a temporary solution, a stay of execution,’ he added…

“Ritual slaughter of animals is allowed in France, Germany, the United Kingdom [but with restrictions], Ukraine and Russia… Five European Union member states — Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Lithuania and Slovenia — have blanket bans on ritual slaughter. So too do three other non-EU countries in Western Europe: Norway, Switzerland and Iceland.

“In Belgium, it is currently illegal only in Flanders, or the Flemish Region, which is one of three states that make up the federal kingdom. Another region, Wallonia, will impose a ban in September. Austria and Estonia also enforce strict supervision of the custom that some Jews there say makes it nearly impossible…”

Anti-Semitism is clearly on the rise, and what we observe here in some European states (others will follow) is an obvious preview of the future when European armies will invade the Middle East and the state of Israel to suppress the animal sacrifices which will be offered at the rebuilt third temple.

CNA wrote on January 8:

“Yaakov David Schmahl, a rabbi of Antwerp, reflected on fears the Belgium rules conceal anti-religious bigotry under animal protection concerns… He also voiced concern about a new Belgian law regulating homeschooling, a common practice for his Jewish community, as another example of a European trend he said makes it more difficult for observant Jews to live according to their practices.”

Homeschooling is, for example, prohibited in Germany, which places an undue burden on many religious parents who are opposed to the German school system and its many questionable teachings, including courses on sex education and unbiblical religious activities.

Germany and France Sign Security Policy Agreement

The EUObserver wrote on January 9:

“German chancellor Angela Merkel and French president Emmanuel Macron will sign a bilateral cooperation and integration agreement on 22 January at a ceremony in Aachen town hall, the German government announced on Tuesday. The new Treaty of Aachen builds on the Elysee Treaty of 1963 on reconciliation between Germany and France and will further strengthen relations in areas such as economic policy, foreign and security policy.”

Aachen was the capital of Charlemagne from which he ruled, and where he is buried.

Needed—a European Army

Handelsblatt added on January 9:

“The common defense project is currently the hot topic. US President Donald Trump recently reconfirmed through his conduct that the times when we could rely completely on the US are over. There can be no doubt about it: There is an urgent need for action, and it is ultimately a question of building a ‘real European army,’ as Chancellor Angela Merkel would have it, or an ‘army of Europeans,’ per Defense Minister Ursula Von der Leyen — whatever the difference may be…

“In the discussion about joint armed forces, the German army has a critical role… In no other field than security and defense is more Europe more urgent and necessary. The majority of European citizens agrees…”

Violent Attacks on Germany’s AFP Party

The Sun wrote on January 8, 2019:

“Frank Magnitz, chairman of Germany’s AfD party, was left with a gaping wound in his head after he was reportedly knocked unconscious by three attackers on Monday… The party has described the assault as a ‘politically-motivated attempted assassination’… German Chancellor Angela Merkel has led condemnations of the assault with her spokesman saying on Twitter the ‘brutal attack’ was to be ‘condemned sharply’…

“An AfD office in Saxony was damaged by an explosive device left in a bin and three people were detained.

“… it was Merkel’s reaction to the refugee crisis that propelled the far-right party into the Bundestag lower house. It is expected to attract even more votes in May’s European elections.”

Deutsche Welle added on January 8:

“Monday’s attack on Bremen’s… AfD leader Frank Magnitz is not the first time the far-right populist party has been targeted in the northern German city. In the past, windows have been smashed and a car vandalized. Yet the brutal beating of Magnitz does mark a new level of violence in Bremen.

“The 66-year-old Magnitz, who remains hospitalized, was reportedly set upon by masked assailants, who struck the parliamentarian in the head with an object. When Magnitz went to the ground, the attackers apparently continued beating him. Passersby ultimately came to his aid. Bremen’s police and state security authorities suspect the attack was politically motivated…

“Leading politicians from all parties in Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag, condemned the attack on Magnitz… Alice Weidel, who leads the AfD’s parliamentary group together with Alexander Gauland, said… that ‘the hatred against the AfD and the media coverage against this democratically elected party is bearing fruit.’”

Political propaganda from all sides and hatred and fanaticism in all their regrettable forms are taking their toll. Terrible incidents like these remind us of the violence which was experienced in Germany after the First World War.

Pope Francis Warns Against Populism and Nationalism

Breitbart wrote on January 7:

“Pope Francis compared today’s emergence of populist and nationalist movements to the days of Nazi Germany in an address to a group of diplomats accredited to the Holy See Monday… During the period between the two world wars, he said, ‘populist and nationalistic propensities prevailed over the action of the League of Nations…”

His speech was directed, in part, at President Trump. This is remarkable, as the Catholic Church will support the coming European power in their launch of a military attack on the USA in the not-too-distant future.

German Cardinal Reinhard Marx a Lightning Rod in Francis’s Papacy

Crux Now wrote on January 5:

“President of the German Episcopal Conference and archbishop of Munich and Freising, Marx is also a member of the pope’s ‘C9’ advisory council. Almost from the moment Francis took office in 2013, he has been a consistent provocateur, taking a leading role in the Vatican’s financial reform as president of the Council for the Economy, pushing for a more progressive interpretation of Francis’s 2016 exhortation on the family…, advocating for intercommunion in mixed marriages when one spouse is Catholic and one is not, and also calling for greater openness to LGBT relationships.

“Most recently Marx stirred the waters on the issue of celibacy, which will be openly debated during the German bishops’ permanent council meeting in the spring on the grounds that it could have an impact on the Catholic Church’s clerical sexual abuse crisis… He said that 2019 will be a year of ‘unrest and opposition’ in the German Church… “From the beginning, Marx has been a key player in virtually every aspect of Francis’s papacy… Marx’s role as a major point of reference in the Francis papacy seems destined to endure.”

It will be interesting to see as to what faction in the Vatican will ultimately prevail.

 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 President Trump Made the Decision to Withdraw from Syria and Why General Mattis Resigned

The Washington Post wrote on December 21:

“When he spoke to President Trump on the telephone a week ago Friday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s agenda had not changed from when they met two weeks earlier at the Group of 20 summit in Argentina. He repeated his inability to understand why the United States was still arming and supporting Syrian Kurdish fighters to conduct a ground war against the Islamic State…

“The Islamic State, according to Trump himself, had been defeated, Erdogan said. Turkey’s military was strong and could take on any remaining militant pockets. Why did some 2,000 U.S. troops still need to be there? ‘You know what? It’s yours,’ Trump said of Syria. ‘I’m leaving.’

“The call, shorthanded in more or less the same words by several senior administration officials, set off events that, even by the whirlwind standards of Washington in the Trump years, have been cataclysmic…

“For those who cared to defend the decision, including some on Trump’s staff, a minority of lawmakers, and presumably a good portion of his unshakable supporters across the country, Syria withdrawal was a promise kept… But for many members of Congress — Republicans and Democrats — and the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State, it was an unmitigated disaster. None was officially informed in advance of Trump’s announcement, made on Twitter early Wednesday. Most warned that Turkey, whose troops were poised on the border waiting for U.S. forces to leave, would slaughter U.S. Kurdish allies. Overall, they said, it was nothing less than a capitulation to the other two powers on the ground in Syria — Russia and Iran.

“For Trump it was an assertion of presidential prerogative that he had repeatedly been constrained from exercising. It came at a time when he was feeling a loss of control over a range of issues, from the special counsel’s Russia investigation to the falling stock market and a threatened government shutdown.

“In the days after the Friday call with Erdogan, Trump’s senior national security team tried, and failed, to get him to reconsider, saying it was the worst possible moment for such an abrupt action. On Wednesday evening, in the Oval Office with aides, Trump complained that Mattis and others were still trying to dissuade him from the withdrawal… The Syria decision, [Mattis] believed — along with Trump’s order to prepare for troop withdrawals from Afghanistan — was the epitome of the president’s careless way of operating.

“On Thursday afternoon…, Mattis sat in his Pentagon office and watched a video lasting one minute and 19 seconds that the president had posted of himself on Twitter the night before. ‘We have won against ISIS,’ the Islamic State, he said. ‘We’ve beaten them badly, and now it’s time for our troops to come back home… Having to call families of military casualties was ‘heartbreaking . . . no question about it,’ Trump said, and there was ‘nobody happier’ about his decision, he said, pointing up at the sky…

“Mattis was done trying to talk Trump out of it. In a calm, 45-minute conversation with the president, he talked about their divergent views of the world and how to treat allies and partners. Trump, he said, deserved someone who thought more like he did. They thanked each other, and it was over…”

It is all over indeed. Another war has been lost by the USA, proving the accuracy of our prediction for many years that the US will NOT win another war. It’s certainly the beginning of the end…

Mattis’ Resignation Has the World on Edge

Bloomberg wrote on December 21:

“The abrupt resignation of U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has governments from Seoul to Brussels on edge, as the reliability of American alliances and the direction of policy under an erratic leader come under question.

“The former Marine general was widely seen as a moderating force against President Donald Trump’s hostility toward traditional American alliances and overseas troop commitments, and had come to be described as ‘the last adult in the room.’ Besides the immediate moves to pull forces from Afghanistan and Syria, Mattis’s departure could have ramifications for U.S. standing around the world…

“Mattis leaves at a perilous time for South Korea, which is grappling with the price of Trump’s outreach to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his decision to suspend joint annual military exercises with the south. Mattis worked to reassure South Korea that America’s commitment remained strong, while the president focused on questioning the necessity of having some 28,000 troops on the peninsula and pressed Seoul to pay more for its security…

“Mattis’s resignation and the announcement of a partial U.S. troop withdrawal undercut the recent efforts to finally end the 17-year-long conflict in Afghanistan. They’ve also left U.S. allies hanging. Germany, which has the second-biggest troop contingent in NATO’s Afghanistan mission after the U.S., is particularly miffed…

“Even before the decision to withdraw U.S. forces from Syria, the Middle East had been jolted by a series of policy about-faces under Trump… While Trump justified the Syria move by saying the U.S. has scored ‘historic victories’ over Islamic State [which claim is largely disputed], he’s drawn bipartisan criticism from lawmakers who warn that it leaves Syria’s future in the hands of Russia and Iran, the primary backers of President Bashar al-Assad…

“The reshuffle at the Pentagon will exacerbate already deep concern in Europe, and in particular NATO. After Trump initially failed to recommit the U.S. to the alliance’s mutual-defense pact… it fell to Mattis to reassure allies… With him gone, allies are losing confidence that there’s any resistance within the administration to Trump’s ‘America First’ policies… Mattis ‘checked President Trump’s worst instincts and was a strong supporter of NATO,’ Guy Verhofstadt, head of ALDE in the European Parliament and a former Belgian prime minister, said in a tweet. ‘Europe stands unprepared & needs to speed up the establishment of a European Defense Community.’…

“Mattis struck a middle road on one of Asia’s biggest potential flash points, the South China Sea. He reassured China’s neighbors with more frequent naval patrols and tough rhetoric criticizing Beijing’s efforts to expand its military footprint on reclaimed reefs in the disputed water body… His talks with Chinese Defense Minister General Wei Fenghe helped ease tensions after a near collision in the South China Sea…

“Over the long history of postwar disputes between the U.S. and Japan, their security pact has often proved an anchor. Trump threw that into doubt by not only threatening to levy auto tariffs against Japan, but questioning its contribution to security. Since taking the job, Mattis has repeatedly visited to share reassuring words about the alliance with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe…

“For the Kremlin, Mattis’ announcement capped a sweep of wins the Kremlin had long desired but didn’t believe would ever happen. But the jubilation was measured in public statements, and some were tinged with anxiety about what the U.S. retreat might mean for conflict zones where Russia’s now left as the primary foreign power… Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov… said he couldn’t speculate on what decisions Mattis may have kept Trump from making, but warned that the unpredictability of U.S. policy was a growing risk.”

The world has become much less safe, even though it was never safe to begin with.

Angry Trump Responds

Newsmax wrote on December 23:

“Reportedly angry at the publicity that U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis was getting over his resignation letter, President Trump suddenly named a new defense secretary Sunday morning, ensuring that Mattis will leave months early. ‘I am pleased to announce that our very talented Deputy Secretary of Defense, Patrick Shanahan, will assume the title of Acting Secretary of Defense starting January 1, 2019…’ Trump tweeted… Shanahan is a former Boeing Co. executive…

“Trump was enraged over the publicity and news coverage Mattis and his pointed resignation letter was receiving. Trump was also castigated by French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday… ‘To be allies is to fight shoulder to shoulder. It’s the most important thing for a head of state and head of the military,’ he said. ‘An ally should be dependable.’”

Europe knows that under Trump, the USA is clearly not dependable. And the appointment of a Boeing Co. executive with little military experience does not help to give Europe any sense of security. Note how Germany’s popular weekly magazine, Der Stern, described the situation on December 23:

“Donald Trump betrays his friends, accommodates his enemies such as Russia, and does not care about the chaos which he creates. His fans will celebrate him for that.  And of course Stephen Bannon, for whom it does not matter, presumably, who sets the world on fire. They don’t call him prince of darkness for nothing.”

Iraq Condemns Trump’s Surprise Visit; Demands Withdrawal of US Troops

The Guardian wrote on December 27:

“Iraqi lawmakers have demanded US forces leave the country in the wake of a surprise visit by Donald Trump, which politicians denounced as arrogant and a violation of Iraqi sovereignty. Politicians from both blocs of Iraq’s divided parliament called for a vote to expel US troops and promised to schedule an extraordinary session to debate the matter… Trump, making his first presidential visit to troops in a troubled region on Wednesday, said he had no plans to withdraw the 5,200 US forces in the country… But after defeating Isis militants in their last urban bastions last year, Iraqi politicians and militia leaders are speaking out against the continued presence of US forces in Iraqi soil…

“Qais Khazali, the head of the Iran-backed Asaib Ahl al-Haq militia that fought key battles against Isis in north Iraq, promised on Twitter that parliament would vote to expel US forces from Iraq, or the militia and others would force them out by ‘other means’… [Trump] left without meeting any Iraqi officials, though he spoke to the prime minister, Adil Abdul-Mahdi, by phone. Abdul-Mahdi’s office said in a statement after Trump’s visit that ‘differences in points of view’over arrangements led to a face-to-face meeting between the two leaders being scrapped.”

The USA is losing its allies, one after the other.

Germany and France Feel Threatened because of US Withdrawal from Syria

The EUObserver wrote on December 21:

“America’s Western allies have voiced dismay at US leader Donald Trump’s sudden idea to pull out of Syria…France and Germany spoke out against Trump’s move on Thursday (20 December)… The risk of an IS resurgence is especially frightening for France and Germany – the main targets of its overseas attacks. But the US pull-out from a part of Syria under Kurdish control also posed other threats for Europe.

“Turkey reacted to Trump’s news by saying that it would attack Kurdish forces in the region, as part of its long-term campaign to stop the creation of a Kurdish state and to wipe out Kurdish separatism at home… A Turkish assault could create ‘thousands upon thousands’ of new refugees, Mehmet Tanriverdi, a spokesman for Kurdish Community in Germany [said]. The US pull-out could also embolden the Syrian regime and its main allies Iran and Russia to attack the last rebel stronghold in Syria’s Idlib province, prompting an even larger exodus to Europe…”

Europe is still struggling with the migrant crisis. A renewed influx is not in Europe’s perceived best interest, and President Trump will be blamed and hated for this.

Germany and France to Fill the Gap?

The EUObserver wrote on December 20:

“The decision by president Donald Trump to withdraw US forces from Syria has sent shock waves throughout… the entire globe. It has left many officials and observers, not the least in Washington, flabbergasted about what is going to happen…

“… there lies an opportunity for France and Germany to consider military options. At a first glance, such a move would appear totally improbable. However when studied, it is neither unachievable nor would it be controversial. Both France and Germany are part of the international coalition against ISIS…

“It is… time for president Emmanuel Macron and chancellor Angela Merkel to walk the talk on the idea of a European army by sending their troops to Rojava, filling the security gap the United States is leaving behind.”

The call for a powerful European army gets louder—thanks to President Trump and Vladimir Putin.

Politico wrote on December 21

“… European allies’ biggest fear is here to stay: In the case of a real crisis, Trump may well fail to defend them…”

Aljazeersa wrote on December 21:

“The chairman of the Munich Security Conference, Wolfgang Ischinger… believes that a more common European defence policy and the creation of a European army is inevitable. ‘It’s necessary … if there is a question mark about the reliability of our American partner (and) if we have a huge question mark about Russian intentions…’”

US Special Envoy Resigns

CBS News wrote on December 22:

“Brett McGurk, special presidential envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS… submitted his resignation on Friday… [He] was publicly left in the lurch by the president’s sudden declaration on Wednesday that he was pulling U.S. forces out of Syria…

“Just days earlier, McGurk had stood at the State Department podium to guarantee an ongoing U.S. commitment to the fight… At the time he made those remarks, the Trump administration’s policy was to remain in Syria to help stabilize areas under the control of U.S. allies and until Iran pulled out its militias…”

More resignations of highly qualified military personnel will follow, and competent replacements willing to serve under Trump will be hard to find.

“It’s Time to Be Worried!”

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 21:

“While the resignation of James Mattis was widely lamented in Washington, hopes for some kind of internal resistance against Donald Trump are misplaced… any kind of musings about this president resigning are wishful thinking…

“Trump is the commander-in-chief and people will salute…

“The Trump administration and the world… have been fortunate until now that this president has not yet had to deal with the kind of national security crisis that a US president usually has to face in his tenure. But eventually… such a crisis… is likely to come.”

It will come, and will end badly for the USA.

The Shutdown (Night) Before Christmas

The Associated Press wrote on December 22:

“A partial federal shutdown took hold early Saturday after Democrats refused to meet President Donald Trump’s demands for $5 billion to start erecting his cherished Mexican border wall, a chaotic postscript for Republicans in the waning days of their two-year reign controlling government…

“The gridlock blocks money for nine of 15 Cabinet-level departments and dozens of agencies, including the departments of Homeland Security, Transportation, Interior, Agriculture, State and Justice. The lack of funds will disrupt many government operations and the routines of 800,000 federal employees. Roughly 420,000 workers were deemed essential and will work unpaid just days before Christmas, while 380,000 will be furloughed, meaning they’ll stay home without pay. Those being furloughed include nearly everyone at NASA and 52,000 workers at the Internal Revenue Service. About 8 in 10 employees of the National Park Service will stay home and many parks were expected to close…

“The U.S. Postal Service, busy delivering packages for the holiday season, will not be affected because it’s an independent agency. Social Security checks will still be mailed, troops will remain on duty and food inspections will continue. Also still functioning will be the FBI, the Border Patrol and the Coast Guard. Transportation Security Administration officers will continue to staff airport checkpoints and air traffic controllers will also remain at work.

“Trump has openly savored a shutdown over the wall for months, saying last week he’d be ‘proud’ to have one and saying Friday he was ‘totally prepared for a very long’ closure… GOP lawmakers have wanted to avoid one, since polling shows the public broadly opposes the wall and a shutdown over it…

“Despite saying last week he’d not blame Democrats for the closure, Trump and his GOP allies spent the last two days blaming Democrats anyway. Trump said now was the time for Congress to provide taxpayers’ money for the wall, even though he’s said repeatedly that Mexico will pay for it — something that country has repeatedly rebuffed…

“Republicans conceded that one of their biggest hurdles was Trump’s legendary unpredictability and proclivity for abruptly changing his mind…”

No End in Sight

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 22:

“The shutdown… is the third since the president took office less than two years ago…  no votes will take place for another five days.”

Some claim that the shutdown could even last until sometime in 2019.

Project Syndicate commented as follows, on December 24:

“With no compromise in sight to end the federal government shutdown, and no one left in President Donald Trump’s cabinet who can restrain him, Americans and their allies are staring into the abyss that has been looming since the 2016 election.”

Limbaugh and Fox Changed Trump’s Mind

The Huffington Post wrote on December 20:

“Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.)… criticized President Trump’s tendency to be controlled by the opinions of talk-radio hosts… alluding to talk radio personalities like Rush Limbaugh and ‘Fox & Friends’ hosts throwing a fuss when they learned Trump would sign a bill to fund the government that didn’t include $5 billion for a border wall.

“Trump changed his mind Thursday and announced that he wouldn’t sign the bill passed by the Senate Wednesday, angering many Republicans… in the process.”

Now THAT is VERY troublesome and incredible, given the FACT that he had PROMISED to sign the bi-partisan bill.

The Unpredictable Stock Market

The Week wrote on December 26:

“The Dow Jones Industrial Average spiked over 1,080 points Wednesday, a nearly 5 percent gain and the largest rise since 2009. The S&P 500 jumped nearly 5 percent and the Nasdaq Composite gained 5.6 percent, largely thanks to oil and retail stock hikes in the wake of the holidays. The massive gains come after the biggest Christmas Eve trading slump in history, which continued the stock market’s worst December since the Great Depression…

“Markets also seemed placated after White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said Fed Chairman Jerome Powell’s job is ‘100 percent safe.’”

The Perils of the US Economy

The Associated Press wrote on December 22:

“… the partial shutdown of the government that began Saturday has added another threat to a growing list of risks. The stock market’s persistent fall, growing chaos in the Trump administration, higher interest rates, a U.S.-China trade war and a global slowdown have combined to elevate the perils for the economy…

“The world economy is showing clear signs of a downshift… Several other global risks abound. There is Britain’s turbulent exit from the European Union… China, the world’s second-largest economy after the U.S., is trying to manage a slowdown in growth that is being complicated by its trade war with Trump…”

The Washington Post wrote on December 22:

“… the closure of the government… was barely a blip on the radar amid the many other storms buffeting the nation…These chaotic events have rattled world markets and sparked concern that the next crisis could tip the nation into recession – with no certainty that the Trump administration and feuding lawmakers are up to the task of correcting course…

“Diane Swonk, chief economist of accounting and advisory firm Grant Thornton, called the shutdown ‘another straw on the camel’s back – and the straws are piling up.’ She said she was already worried about a recession hitting in late 2019 or early 2020, ‘and something like this could make it happen sooner.’

“Americans are more concerned about their finances than at any time in the Trump presidency…”

Will Demise of the Dollar Begin in 2019?

Money Morning wrote on December 24:

“It’s been a grim year for markets – the worst since 2008. But the drama’s not over yet… Could 2019 be the year the demise of the dollar begins?…

“The tricky thing about the debt ceiling is that, while it’s entirely artificial, if it’s breached, it means that the US can’t borrow any more money. In other words, it can’t issue any more Treasuries (government bonds). If that happens, then the US would only be able to use incoming tax money to repay any debts. It would have to start prioritising the various payments it has to make every month. And eventually it’d run out of money to pay its bills – including the interest payments due on government debt… If the US government actually defaulted on its debts – even once – that would send a shockwave of epic proportions across global financial markets….”

US Supreme Court Rejects Trump Asylum Ban

The Associated Press wrote on December 21:

“A divided Supreme Court won’t let the Trump administration begin enforcing a ban on asylum for any immigrants who illegally cross the U.S.-Mexico border. Chief Justice John Roberts joined his four more liberal colleagues Friday in ruling against the administration… New Justice Brett Kavanaugh and three other conservative justices sided with the administration…

“The court’s order leaves in place lower court rulings that blocked Trump’s proclamation in November automatically denying asylum to people who enter the country from Mexico without going through official border crossings. Trump said he was acting in response to caravans of migrants making their way to the border…

“The ban conflicts with an immigration law that says immigrants can apply for asylum regardless of how they enter the U.S., [superior court justice] Tigar said… The ruling prompted Trump’s criticism of Tigar as an ‘Obama judge’ and led to an unusual public dispute between Trump and Roberts, who rebuked the president with a statement defending the judiciary’s independence.”

The public dispute between Trump and Roberts might very well have had some underlying repercussions.

Witchcraft Grows in the USA

The Telegraph wrote on December 21:

“Witchcraft is thriving in the US, with an estimated 1.5 million Americans now identifying as witches – more than the total number of Presbyterians. As Christianity declines across the country, paganism has swung to the mainstream, with witchcraft paraphernalia for sale on every high street and practises normalised across popular culture…”

How much more can Americans drift away from God?

Cybersecurity–Taking Entire Countries Offline

Business Insider wrote on December 22:

“Gatwick Airport is Britain’s second busiest by passenger volume, and Europe’s eighth. And yet it was brought to a standstill for two days by two people and a single drone…

“The criminals who break into the web sites of banks or chainstores and steal personal data or money are not the scariest people out there… The hackers we really ought to be worrying about are the ones trying take entire countries offline. People who are trying to take down the internet, switch the lights off, cut the water supply, disable railways, or blow up factories.

“The West’s weakness is in the older electronics and sensors that control processes in infrastructure and industry. Often these electronics were installed decades ago. The security systems controlling them are ancient or non-existent. If a hacker can gain control of a temperature sensor in a factory, he… can blow the place up, or set it on fire… The problem people don’t realise is it becomes a weapon of mass destruction. You can take down a whole country. It can be done…

“In December 2017, three men pleaded guilty to causing the largest internet outage in history – a distributed ‘denial of service’ attack that blacked out the web across most of the US and large chunks of Northern Europe for about 12 hours… And then, in April 2018, the African country of Mauritania was taken offline for two days when someone cut the single undersea cable that serves its internet… The Mauritania attack was probably done by the government of neighbouring Sierra Leone, which was trying to manipulate local election results by crippling the media.

“… In June 2018, Atlanta’s city government was hobbled by an attack that wiped out a third of its software programs. The FBI told Business Insider earlier this year that it believed terrorists would eventually attempt to take America’s 911 emergency system offline…

“[During] the December 2015 blackout in Ukraine… three major power suppliers were simultaneously taken over by hackers. The hackers gained remote control of the stations’ dashboards, and manually switched off about 60 substations, leaving 230,000 Ukrainians in the cold and dark for six straight hours. The hack was almost certainly done by Russia, whose military had invaded Crimea in the south of the country in 2014… Hackers don’t need to control an entire plant, the way they did in Ukraine. They only need to control an individual censor on a single machine…

“2010 was the year that cybersecurity experts really woke up to the idea that you could take down infrastructure, not just individual companies or web sites. That was the year the Stuxnet virus was deployed to take down the Iranian nuclear program… Then, in 2017, the Wannacry virus attack happened. Like Stuxnet, Wannacry also spread itself through the Microsoft Windows ecosystem… During its brief life, Wannacry became most infamous for disabling hundreds of computers used by Britain’s National Health Service… By December 2017, the US government confirmed that the North Korean government was responsible for the attack…”

This is a real danger. And the USA seems to be unprepared for such attacks. It is also a FACT that America is lingering far behind other sophisticated countries when it comes to their Internet capabilities and reliabilities.

The Russian Bear Is Back

The Sun wrote on December 21:

“Russia’s empire is expanding around the globe as Putin warns of ‘catastrophic’ global war. The Russian bear is back as strongman Putin re-arms his country’s military and expands his powerbase across the globe

“Once he dubbed the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 as a geopolitical disaster. And during Vladimir Putin’s 18 years in power, he has been on a mission to revive Russia’s empire — and yesterday he even threatened a ‘catastrophic’ World War 3 if any nation defies him.

“Describing the re-arming of his nation as a ‘priority’, the ultra-nationalist strongman wants to have one million serving personnel by 2020. Missiles, planes and ships have been upgraded and modernised. Meanwhile, bases have been improved or established all over the globe… From the cold wastes of the Arctic to tropical islands, his power is spreading across the world.”

Russia, together with China, India, Japan and other Far Eastern countries, will form a military power bloc with massive capabilities.

Putin Lectures Brits on Democracy

The Guardian wrote on December 20:

“Vladimir Putin has said the UK should not hold a second referendum on Brexit, insisting Theresa May must ‘fulfil the will of the people.’ Offering public support that the embattled British prime minister could probably do without, Putin said he understood May’s position in ‘fighting for this Brexit.’

“Britons may see some irony in a lesson on democracy from a fourth-term president who has co-opted or crushed any substantial opposition in his home country…”

“Putin Tests New Missile to Frighten Europe”

The EUObserver published the above-quoted headline and continued to write on December 27:

“Russia has tested a ‘hypersonic’ missile capable of a nuclear strike anywhere in Europe in what Russian president Vladimir Putin called ‘a great New Year’s present for the country’. The ‘Avangard’ system, to be deployed in 2019, travels at 20 times the speed of sound and has a range of 6,000km.”

Europe is most certainly concerned about these developments.

Non-Citizens in the World’s Militaries

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 27:

“The news that the Bundeswehr is tentatively considering recruiting non-German European Union citizens has naturally triggered concerns… but this is hardly a new idea… Many countries have foreign nationals in their military ranks…

“EU citizens aged between 18 and 34 have been allowed to join Belgium’sarmed forces since 2004. The Danish military allows foreign recruits, as long as they are already living in Denmark and can speak Danish, and Luxembourgalso allows EU citizens to join, as long as they have been living in the country for three years and aged between 18 and 24. Ireland allows any citizen of the European Economic Area (the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway) to join its military, while other foreign nationals can also apply as long as they have been living in Ireland for three years.

“Britain has traditionally sourced military recruits from the former colonies of its empire, which in the first half of the 20th century morphed into an international organization of 53 nations known as the Commonwealth, now a bloc of some 2.3 billion people that includes Australia, India, Canada, Kenya, and Fiji… The Ministry of Defense announced in November that it would no longer require Commonwealth citizens to have lived in the UK for five years before joining up…

“The French Foreign Legion remains unique as the oldest foreign-only military branch still active. Founded in 1831, foreign nationals are still commanded by French officers, and can apply for French citizenship after three years’ service… Spain has allowed foreigners into its military since 2002, when it began recruiting citizens from ex-colonies (a measure that some branded as imperialist)…

“Russia has… made the army a fast-tracked route to citizenship: non-Russians who speak Russian can sign five-year contracts to join the military, with the option of applying for citizenship after three years.

“The US allows permanent residents and Green Card holders to join the military… a path that is also seen as a fast-track to US citizenship. In 2002, President George W. Bush signed an order allowing citizenship procedures to be accelerated for non-US soldiers in the military. Now, around 8,000 non-citizens join the US military every year, with the two biggest countries of origin being Mexico and the Philippines.”

All true, but Germany’s desire to do so shows a remarkable shift from its previous pacifistic attitude after World War 2.

Germany’s Role in Tackling Global Conflicts

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 27:

“[Germany’s] Foreign Minister Heiko Maas stressed again that the UN’s highest decision-making body, the Security Council, needs to be reformed to include more than the current five permanent members… insisting that Germany should hold a permanent seat. The UN Security Council currently has five members, the US, the UK, France, China and Russia…

“Maas stressed that Germany’s global ‘responsibility is growing’ and that his country is prepared to take a greater role in tackling global conflicts… ‘We won’t be able to shun big decisions anymore,’ he said, especially regarding conflicts in the Middle East, including those in Syria and Yemen… Germany starts its latest two-year stint on the UN Security Council on January 1.”

Germany will get involved more and more in international conflicts, especially in the Middle East… including militarily.

A Mosque Tax for German Muslims

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 26:

“Lawmakers from Germany’s grand coalition government said on Wednesday that they were considering introducing a ‘mosque tax’ for German Muslims, similar to the church taxes that German Christians pay… In Germany, church taxes are collected by the state [from practicing Catholics and Protestants] and then transferred to religious authorities.

“In the absence of a similar tax, mosques in Germany are reliant upon donations, raising concerns about possible financing by foreign organizations and governments…

“Several European countries, including Austria, Sweden, and Italy, also use church taxes to fund Catholic and Protestant institutions. It has also been criticized for being compulsory for practicing Christians and, as it is collected by the government, for blurring the lines between church and state.”

While couched in language sympathetic towards Muslims in Germany, the ulterior goal and motive of Germany’s grand coalition is quite obvious: To supervise, control and restrict Germany’s Muslim community.

Government of Israel Collapses

JTA wrote on December 24:

“Israel will hold new elections in April after the heads of all six coalition parties announced Monday that they were dissolving the government…

“According to Jerusalem Post political correspondent Gil Hoffman, the ‘coalition heads decided to go to elections at the beginning of April because they couldn’t reach agreement on the ultra-Orthodox enlistment bill’ — legislation addressing a judge’s order that could mean that all members of the haredi Orthodox community are subject to the military draft.

“Israel had appeared to have narrowly avoided a coalition collapse last month following the resignation of Yisrael Beiteinu party head Avigdor Liberman, the defense minister, and his call for new elections over what he described as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ‘capitulation to terror’ in accepting a cease-fire with Hamas.

“With Yisrael Beiteinu out of the government, the coalition led by Netanyahu still had the narrowest of majorities in the 120-member Knesset with 61 seats. Further cracks began to form when Education Minister Naftali Bennett, the Jewish Home party leader, threatened to leave unless he was appointed to replace Liberman. Instead, Netanyahu kept the defense portfolio for himself and Bennett backed down. Netanyahu is currently in charge of the foreign affairs, defense, health and immigration absorption ministries…

“The new elections could also forestall American efforts to negotiate a deal between Israel and the Palestinians. The White House is reported to have decided to hold off on launching its peace initiative until after the election.”

It will be interesting to see whether Netanyahu can hold on to power or whether another leader will emerge who will be more orthodox, conservative and militaristic.

Austria’s Mixed Bag

The EUObserver wrote on December 26:

“When Austria took over the EU presidency, for the third time, on 1 July 2018, Austrian chancellor Sebastian Kurz declared that his government – in a coalition with the far-right Freedom Party of Austria (FPO) – would use its six-months tenure to promote what he called ‘a Europe that protects’… Six months later, it is clear that this goal was achieved only partially… Kurz’s much-repeated promise to act as ‘bridge-builder in the EU’ could not be kept.

“Austria’s decision on 31 October to withdraw from the UN migration pact left many European partners alienated and caused great damage to the international reputation of the country. Most observers believe that Kurz gave in on this to demands by the far-right FPO coalition partner… Similarly, many European partners were taken aback by the attendance of Russian president Vladimir Putin at the wedding of Austrian foreign minister Kneissl in August. This reduced the country’s credibility to act as bridge-builder between Russia and West.

“On 1 January 2019, Romania will take over the EU presidency from Austria and with it thus inherit a mixed bag of challenges.”

Huge Tsunami in Indonesia

ABC News wrote on December 23:

“[Hundreds] were left dead and hundreds more injured in Indonesia early Sunday as a tsunami hit the island nation following [and caused by] a volcanic eruption… Krakatau, a volcano located between the islands of Java and Sumatra, is known for the historic eruption in 1883 that blew the island apart and killed 30,000 people, but it has erupted regularly since…

“Indonesia was struck by a massive earthquake and tsunami in late September. The disaster hit Sulawesi, an island hundreds of miles northeast of Java. The disaster killed over 2,000 people and displaced 70,000 more.”

Deutsche Welle added on December 22:

“Saturday’s tsunami was reminiscent of several similar disasters that have struck the vast archipelago, including the massive earthquake and seismic sea wave [at Christmas time] in 2004 that killed 226,000 people in 13 countries, including more than 120,000 in Indonesia.”

Mount Etna Erupts, Triggers Earthquake

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 26:

“Volcanic activity on Mount Etna has continued after a 4.8-magnitude earthquake struck the nearby region… The mountain has been shooting ash, smoke and lava stones into the air over recent days…

“The eruption began on the side of Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano, on Monday… The mountain is the largest of Italy’s three active volcanoes at 3,300 meters (10,800 feet) high… The last major eruption was in the European winter of 2008-2009…

“‘Etna remains a dangerous volcano, and this country of ours is unfortunately fragile,’ said government undersecretary Vito Crimi…”

Trump Hates Christmas Parties

The New York Magazine wrote on December 17:

“By the 26th, he will have attended 21 Christmas parties, clocking in at more than 52 hours of festivities in total, or about 10 percent of his waking hours this month. This is the life of a modern president of the United States in the month of December — and Donald Trump hates every minute of it… Making Christmas great again may have been a pillar of his presidential campaign — ‘We’re going to start saying “Merry Christmas again,” he often promised — but the war on Christmas is now raging inside of him… Trump hates the entire production surrounding Christmas…

“For his first Christmas as president, the White House parties featured a procedure for guests to enter a line and take a photo with Donald and Melania, an excruciating and monotonous ritual endured by most modern presidents since the early 1960s. It can, and often does, go on for hours. But Trump seems to have less patience for it than his predecessors. At one party, Trump grew so annoyed that he began complaining openly to one of his aides… He said, ‘I’m supposed to be the president, but now all I do is stand there and take pictures all day. There’s no telling what’s going on in the world right now. I’d never know’…

“Christmastime was not always a season of forced merriment for the president. The first White House Christmas party was held in 1800 by President John Adams and his wife Abigail… but it wasn’t until the administration of President John F. Kennedy, well after American concerns about paganism had given way to the commercial embrace of the holiday and all of its symbols, that celebrating became a matter of First Family tradition. President Ronald Reagan even dressed up as Santa Claus in 1983.

“But Trump is not the first president to bristle at the hostile, tinsel-draped takeover of his schedule. In 2012, Vanity Fair published a bizarre item in which the writer… criticized Obama for not shaking as many hands or posing for as many photos as his predecessors did during the holidays… As an example of someone Obama should have tried to emulate, [the magazine] shared a horrifying story about Abraham Lincoln holding, ‘near-constant public receptions during the depth of the Civil War (including one on the night his young son, Willie, lay dying upstairs).’…

“The oddest parts of the events were when people who thought Obama was the anti-Christ — like Sean Hannity and Darrell Issa — would show up to eat some Bo-shaped cookies and get a picture with the president.”

Please read our Q&A in this issue, asking and answering the question as to whether Donald Trump or Barack Obama could be the Antichrist.

German Christmas Celebrations

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 22:

“17 million people in Germany do not celebrate Christmas, and some of that can be chalked up to Germany’s immigrant population, which is largely Muslim. However, there are fewer than 5 million Muslims in Germany. Immigrant families only accounted for about 20 percent of respondents who told researchers that they avoid Christmas celebrations.

“The poll found that the majority of the people not partaking in the holiday were young adults between the ages of 18 and 30, and overwhelmingly male… One key reason that may account for the drop in Christmas celebrations could be economic…

“However, the survey also found that Christmas remains Germany’s biggest festival of the year, both in economic and personal terms.”

Can’t Get Rid of Christmas?

Mosaic Magazine wrote on December 24:

“Around the time of Thomas Balazs’ confirmation into the Lutheran church, his father sat him down and explained that he and Thomas’s mother had been born and raised as Jews, survived the Holocaust in Hungary, and converted to Christianity upon their marriage to spare their children the danger and indignity of growing up Jewish. Thomas returned to Judaism in the fifth decade of his life. But it was several years later—ice-skating with his own son to the sound of Christmas carols the day before Thanksgiving—that he first found himself missing the Gentile holiday of his youth:

“‘Until that moment, the first ten years without Christmas had been surprisingly easy for me. . . . So it was odd when I found myself singing [‘Jingle Bell Rock’] along with Bobby Helms as [my son] and I skated around the rink…

“If it’s true, as some say, that one can never stop being a Jew, it’s also true that you can never quite shake off Christmas once it has worked its way into your system… And it’s a consequence of there being some really great Christmas songs.”

With God’s help, it IS possible to leave Christmas observance behind.

Pope Francis Realizes Great and Widespread Sexual Abuse Problem in His Church

The Guardian wrote on December 21:

“Pope Francis has vowed the Catholic church will ‘never again’ cover up clerical sexual abuse and demanded that priests who raped and abused children turn themselves in… after a year of revelations of sexual misconduct and cover-ups that rocked his papacy and caused a crisis of confidence in the Catholic hierarchy… His remarks capped a difficult year for the Catholic church, which began with the pontiff’s botched handling of a sexual abuse scandal in Chile and ended with US state prosecutors uncovering decades of cover-ups.

“… The pope has summoned church leaders from around the world to an abuse prevention summit in February, indicating that he has come to realise the problem is far greater and more widespread than he had understood at the start of his pontificate five years ago… [He claimed] there were priests who, ‘without batting an eye’, were ready to enter into a ‘web of corruption’ by abusing those in their care. ‘Often, behind their boundless amiability, impeccably activity and angelic faces, they shamelessly conceal a vicious wolf ready to devour innocent souls,’ he said.”

If one could only know how serious and committed Pope Francis is about all of these and others challenges.

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.

Rejecting the “Christmas Story”

Even though one year old, the following article is worthwhile reading.

The New York Times wrote on December 13, 2017:

“Is Christmas a Religious Holiday? A Growing Number of Americans Say No…

“Ninety percent of Americans celebrate Christmas in some form… Fifty-six percent of Americans believe that the religious elements of Christmas are emphasized less now than they were in the past, but only 32 percent of Americans say that development bothers them either ‘a lot’ or ‘some,’ according to the study.

“In 2017, 55 percent of Americans said they celebrated Christmas as a religious holiday…  Four years ago, 59 percent of Americans said they celebrated Christmas as a religious holiday…

“The most seismic change captured by the survey, from a theological standpoint, may be the declining number of people who said they believed the biblical story of Christmas accurately reflected historical events. The survey asked respondents about their belief in four parts of the biblical Christmas story: that an angel heralded the birth of Jesus; that it was a virgin birth; that wise men were guided to baby Jesus by a star; and that he was placed in a manger.

“Only 57 percent of Americans believe in all four, down from 65 percent in 2014… atheists and the religiously unaffiliated appeared even less likely now than in the past to believe the story of Jesus’ birth…”

Even though the Bible does not teach that we ought to keep Christmas, the story regarding the birth of Jesus, as recorded in Scripture, is most certainly accurate. That so many celebrate Christmas, claiming to remember the birth of Christ, and reject the facts pertaining to His birth, is more than telling and shows an appalling degree of hypocrisy.

Embracing Christmas Demons and Pagan Rites

National Geographic wrote on December 5, 2018:

“When listening to the radio in December, it’s unlikely to hear holiday songs singing the praises of Krampus: a half-goat, half-demon, horrific beast who literally beats people into being nice and not naughty.

“Krampus isn’t exactly the stuff of dreams: Bearing horns, dark hair, fangs, and a long tongue, the anti-St. Nicholas comes with a chain and bells that he lashes about, along with a bundle of birch sticks meant to swat naughty children. He then hauls the bad kids down to the underworld.

“In Catholicism, St. Nicholas is the patron saint of children. His saints day falls in early December, which helped strengthen his association with the Yuletide season. Many European cultures not only welcomed the kindly man as a figure of generosity and benevolence to reward the good, but they also feared his menacing counterparts who punished the bad. Parts of Germany and Austria dread the beastly Krampus, while other Germanic regions have Belsnickle and Knecht Ruprecht, black-bearded men who carry switches to beat children. France has Hans Trapp and Père Fouettard. (Some of these helpers, such as Zwarte Piet in The Netherlands have attracted recent controversy.)

“Krampus’s name is derived from the German word krampen, meaning claw, and is said to be the son of Hel in Norse mythology. The legendary beast also shares characteristics with other scary, demonic creatures in Greek mythology…

“According to folklore, Krampus purportedly shows up in towns the night of December 5, known as Krampusnacht, or Krampus Night. The next day, December 6, is Nikolaustag, or St. Nicholas Day, when children look outside their door to see if the shoe or boot they’d left out the night before contains either presents (a reward for good behavior) or a rod (bad behavior)…

“A more modern take on the tradition in Austria, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, and the Czech Republic involves drunken men dressed as devils, who take over the streets for a Krampuslauf—a Krampus Run of sorts, when people are chased through the streets by the ‘devils’…

“Krampus’s frightening presence was suppressed for many years—the Catholic Church forbade the raucous celebrations, and fascists in World War II Europe found Krampus despicable because it was considered a creation of the Social Democrats.

“But Krampus has been having a resurgance over the past few years… with people searching for ways to celebrate the yuletide season in non-traditional ways. In the United States, people are embracing the dark side of Christmas with Krampus movies, special ‘Krampus’ television episodes. They’re throwing Krampus parties, attending local Krampusnachts (in cities like Washington, D.C. and New Orleans), and running in Krampus-themed races…”

The dark side of Christmas shows the true origin of that festival.

National Geographic had written the following on December 1, 2017:

“Krampus isn’t the only menacing counterpart to St. Nicholas… These [other] figures [mentioned in the previous article] date back to pagan celebrations of December 22, the longest night of the year, that were later adopted for Christmas… In the U.S., most celebrations of Krampus are also kind of like drunken dress-up days for adults—which, ironically, are more similar to an older type of American Christmas…

“‘For most people, before the 1800s, Christmas was not a domestic quiet holiday,’ says Stephen Nissenbaum, author of the Pulitzer Prize-nominated The Battle for Christmas. ‘It was a holiday that was characterized by boisterous revelry. It was sort of like a combination of Halloween and New Year’s Eve and Mardi Gras.’ These early celebrations often involved costumed ‘mummers,’ who went from door to door demanding alcohol, and threatened to make trouble if they didn’t get it. Kids today participate in a watered-down version of this when they go trick-or-treating on Halloween…”

Alcoholism is still running rampant during the Christmas season.

How Christmas Became Popular in the USA

History wrote on December 13:

“Before the Civil War, Christmas was not an official holiday in the United States. Nor was it celebrated uniformly across the country. In early New England, Christmas was looked down upon by Puritans and Calvinists… During the 17th century, Massachusetts imposed a fine on colonists who celebrated the holiday, and after it became a state, its businesses and schools did not observe the holiday at all.

“Elsewhere, Christmas was celebrated in a variety of ways, most depending on the country of origin of the immigrants who celebrated it…

“In the… South, plantation owners used the holiday as a way to show off their paternalism toward the people they enslaved… Though enslaved people managed to create some of their own Christmas traditions, many of which incorporated traditions from Africa, they were also expected to help absolve slaveowners’ guilt over the holidays by enthusiastically opening gifts and showing their gratitude….

“But the Civil War disrupted not just the relations between plantation owners and the people they enslaved, but those within families and communities… children’s mothers, aunts and sisters experienced Christmas as an agonizing reminder of the danger faced by men who had gone to war. Civil War-era diaries and letters document how many women felt anxiety, grief and depression around Christmas…

“In 1870, in the aftermath of the war, Congress passed the first federal holiday law and made Christmas an official holiday…”

Far from being a time of peace, the American Christmas as we know it today was created amidst grief and depression during the Civil War.

Christmas Highest Risk for Heart Attacks

The Independent wrote on December 12:

“In one of the largest studies to assess the hazards of the holidays, Swedish researchers pinpointed 10pm on Christmas Eve as the point where annual heart attacks are most likely. While Swedish festivities peak on Christmas Eve, previous studies have shown other countries have higher rates on Christmas Day…

“But the greatest additional risk was at Christmas Eve, with heart attack rates as much as 37 per cent higher than on the same day a week later or earlier. Risks were greatest in the over 75s and those with pre-existing heart conditions, or other diseases such as diabetes. It said previous studies ‘have shown that acute experience of anger, anxiety, sadness, grief and stress increases the risk of myocardial infarction and thus possibly explains the higher risk observed in our study.’

“While New Year’s Eve is typically seen as another peak of emotion and indulgence, the researchers found a higher risk on New Year’s Day.”

If Christmas is a time of joy and peace, why has there been so much fear, anxiety and depression and even increased chances of heart attacks during that time?

President Trump’s Christmas Present Leads to Flood of Divorces

The website of inc wrote on December 15:

“You might remember that a year ago, on the Friday before Christmas (Christmas was on a Monday last year), President Trump signed a  last-minute tax law –in fact, the most sweeping tax law in 30 years. It contained many different tax cuts–largely permanent tax cuts for corporations, and temporary tax cuts for individuals that sunset in 2025. Because the whole thing was largely negotiated in secret, it also contained some surprises people didn’t even notice at the time–including some hidden tax increases.

“One of these individual tax increases goes into effect next month, and it has a big potential impact on anyone who gets divorced and has to pay alimony starting next year. Because unlike people who divorced earlier, they won’t be able to deduct alimony from their income before they pay taxes. That looming change has prompted ‘flood of last minute divorces’…

“It’s a big boon for the U.S. Treasury to take away this deduction. The IRS says that in 2010, nearly 600,000 taxpayers who claimed an alimony deduction–and the total amount added up to more than $10 billion.”

Another Christmas Present?–US Federal Judge Rules Obama Healthcare Law Unconstitutional

The Guardian wrote on December 14:

“A US federal judge in Texas ruled on Friday that the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, is unconstitutional, a decision that was likely to be appealed to the supreme court… [He] agreed with a coalition of 20 states that a change in tax law last year eliminating a penalty for not having health insurance invalidated the entire Obamacare law. [The] decision was issued the day before the end of a 45-day sign-up period for 2019 health coverage under the law…

“The White House hailed Friday’s ruling, but said the law would remain in place pending its expected appeal to the supreme court. ‘Once again, the president calls on Congress to replace Obamacare and act to protect people with preexisting conditions and provide Americans with quality affordable healthcare,’ the White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement.”

Ukrainian Orthodox Church Breaks Away from Russia

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 15:

“Ukraine on Saturday formally created a new national Orthodox church, breaking away from Russia’s influence, as worsening political and military tensions between the two neighbors spills over to religion… The founding of a new Ukrainian Orthodox church had been in the works since Russia’s 2014 annexation of the Ukrainian region of Crimea…

“The church’s establishment received a boost in October when the spiritual leader of the global Orthodox Church – Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople – recognized Ukraine’s independence from the Russian Orthodox Church. In doing so, he revoked a 332-year-old ruling that had placed Ukraine under the Patriarchate of Moscow. That decision led the Russian Orthodox Church to break off all ties with Constantinople… The Constantinople Patriarchate’s leaders – based in Istanbul, Turkey – are widely considered to be the most influential in the global Orthodox hierarchy, which boasts some 300 million followers.

“Around half of them, however, are aligned with the Russian Orthodox Church, which is considered to have close ties to the Russian state, especially under President Vladimir Putin’s leadership. Despite the support of three Ukrainian church branches, the Orthodox Church of Ukraine of the Moscow Patriarchate – which comprises most priests, churches, and monasteries, has boycotted the meeting and has recommitted itself to Moscow’s dominion. The Russian Orthodox Church still considers Ukraine its territory.

“If the attempt to create a unified Ukrainian Church is successful, it would be among the largest in the Orthodox world in terms of numbers of believers. Some 67 percent of Ukraine’s 45 million population adheres to one or more strands of Orthodox Christianity.”

Putin’s Role as KGB Spy for Notorious East German Stasi

Bild Online wrote on December 11:

“28 years after the end of the German Democratic Republic (GDR), the Stasi Records Agency (BStU) thought it knew all the secrets from the past. However, newly discovered documents reveal that the former KGB officer and present ruler of the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin (66), was a member of the infamous State Security Service until the fall of the Berlin wall! Major Vladimir Putin, who was 33 at the time, received the ID on December 12, 1985 from the Ministry of State Security. The ID was renewed on a quarterly basis. It carried his signature and an official stamp and was valid until the end of 1989…

“Konrad Felber (65), Head of the Stasi Records Agency says: ‘Up to now, it was unknown that Putin who had worked as KGB agent in Dresden until 1990 was in possession of a Stasi ID… What has been known is that KGB spy Putin was working in the KGB villa at 4 Angelika Street, in Dresden, with other agents. His wife Ljudmila, who was 25 at the time (they are now divorced), came over with their daughter Marija in the autumn of that year…

“No one knows precisely the impact his work has had. One thing is certain however: he was recruiting German agents.”

As a former KGB spy and a member of the infamous Stasi who never apologized for his conduct during that time, it is obvious that he cannot be trusted.

Graham: Allah and the Christian God Not the Same

Breitbart wrote on December 16:

“Franklin Graham reacted strongly to a recent Islamic terror attack in Strasbourg, France, warning that radical Islam continues to be a major global threat… Graham, the son of the prominent Christian leader Billy Graham, reminded citizens that Islamic extremism has not ceased to be a menace to the world and that, contrary to popular opinion, the Muslim idea of God is very different from the God worshiped by Christians. In the past… Graham has said that bloody jihadist attacks should not surprise anyone, since hatred and violence against nonbelievers are central to the teachings of Islam.

“… Graham has been an ongoing critic of theories that would equate Islam to Christianity. In August, 2016, Graham challenged Pope Francis for his remarks suggesting that Islamic terrorism is not religiously motivated. Referring to the Pope’s comments that Islamic attacks do not constitute a ‘war of religion,’ Graham posted on Facebook that ‘I disagree that it’s not a war of religion. It is most certainly a war of religion.’

“The pope has frequently declared that all religions seek peace, and that religious beliefs cannot be the force driving Islamic terrorism. Rather than religious belief, poverty and misguided politics are the force behind jihadism, he has stated… Graham said that religion ‘is behind the violence and jihad we’re seeing in Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and here in this country… It’s a religion that calls for the extermination of “infidels” outside their faith, specifically Jews and Christians’… ‘It’s a religion that calls on its soldiers to shout “Allahu Akbar” (“God is Great” in Arabic) as they behead, rape, and murder in the name of Islam,’ he said. ‘Radical Islamists are following the teachings of the Quran. We should call it what it is,’ Graham concluded.”

There is most certainly a fundamental difference between Allah and the God of the Bible. Unfortunately, many Christians and Jews do not worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—the God of the Old and the New Testament—but they either believe in just one God Personality or a Trinity of Three Persons in One Person. However, the true God of the Bible is a Family, consisting of two distinct Persons—God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Russia’s Victory and US Defeat in Syria

Daily Mail wrote on December 19:

“President Donald Trump declared victory over ISIS in Syria on Wednesday, as the Pentagon prepares for an immediate troop withdrawal. ‘We have defeated ISIS in Syria, my only reason for being there during the Trump Presidency,’ the president wrote on Twitter… The move is likely to please Turkish president Recep Erdogan, who wants to counter U.S. allied Kurdish forces in Syria and who spoke with Trump by telephone last week. He has been threatening an assault on U.S. allied Kurdish forces, who have been effective in helping to combat ISIS.

“As the U.S. is preparing to pack up, Russia is moving in… The Russian parliament ratified a deal with Damascus on the permanent presence…  The deal would expand the Tartus naval facility, Russia’s only naval foothold in the Mediterranean, and grant Russian warships access to Syrian waters and ports…

“Defense Secretary Jim Mattis has pushed for a longer-term presence to make sure ISIS does not return to its former power, having been rolled back from its sprawling geographic base in Iraq and Syria.

“The move drew immediate criticism from Trump ally Lindsey Graham… ‘Withdrawal of this small American force in Syria would be a huge Obama-like mistake,’ Graham tweeted… Trump has previously lambasted his predecessor, Barack Obama, for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq that preceded an unraveling of the Iraqi armed forces. Iraqi forces collapsed in the face of Islamic State’s advance into the country in 2014…

“U.S. Marine General Joseph Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, cautioned earlier in December that the United States had trained only about 20 percent of Syrian forces required to stabilize areas captured from Islamic State.”

JTA (Jewish Telegraph Agency) added on December 19:

“The Israeli government likely will be rattled by the decision. Remaining in Syria are Russian and Iranian advisers as well as troops belonging to Hezbollah, the Lebanese terrorist militia allied with Iran. Iran, Hezbollah and Russia are aligned with the Assad regime…

“Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that any final status settlement to the war must include the removal of Iranian influence from Syria, and the removal of U.S. troops substantially diminishes U.S. leverage to achieve that outcome.”

The Times of Israel wrote on December 20:

“The White House decision to pull US troops out of Syria is almost universally derided in Israel as a move that will cede the war-torn country to Iran (to say nothing of the Kurds being abandoned to face Turkey, which is a much bigger danger)… Even Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had a hard time hiding his disappointment…”

ISIS Not Defeated

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 20:

“Germany, France, and the United Kingdom have said that ‘Islamic State’ remains a threat in Syria. All three appeared to dispute US President Donald Trump’s claim that the militants had been vanquished…

“The sudden withdrawal needlessly denies the US the possibility of having a say in it the rebuilding of post-war Syria. Trump has shown the world that he has lost interest in the Middle East as a whole.”

Troop Withdrawal a Major Blunder and Colossal Mistake

Newsmax wrote on December 19:

“President Donald Trump’s surprise announcement declaring victory over ISIS and withdrawing U.S. forces from Syria triggered some blistering criticism from members of his own party on Capitol Hill…  Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., tweeted withdrawal is a ‘major blunder’ that will ‘haunt this administration and America for years to come.’

“Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., derided Trump’s declaration of a victory over ISIS, saying it is ‘simply not true’…  other Senators in the upper chamber are ‘disappointed, furious, concerned’ Trump had not consulted members of Congress and gone through a normal process of letting people know about his decision…

“In comments to NBC News, Rubio ticked off three reasons why the withdrawal would be a ‘colossal mistake.’ He told the news outlet ISIS has been converted into an insurgency and will be a more powerful one without the U.S. presence, Syria will fall more under the control of Russia and Iran without U.S. forces, and the United States will be more readily seen as an ‘unreliable ally’ by the rest of the world.”

Defense Secretary James Mattis Retires Effective by End of February

Newsmax wrote on December 20:

“Mattis in his resignation letter said Trump had the right to ‘have a Secretary of Defense whose views are better aligned with’ his on ‘these and other subjects.’ ‘My views on treating allies with respect and also being clear-eyed about both malign actors and strategic competitors are strongly held and informed by over four decades of immersion in these issues,’ he added.

“His departure had been anticipated since Trump announced on Wednesday that he was withdrawing U.S. troops from Syria despite opposition from U.S. allies and top U.S. military officials.”

Deutsche Welle added on December 20:

“Jim Mattis has announced his retirement citing policy differences with his president. He was seen as a stabilizing force for international order in the chaotic, go-it-alone administration…

“The Trump administration has had the highest senior-level staff turnover of the past five presidents, according to the Brookings Institution.”

Chaotic Decision without any Consultation

The Guardian wrote on December 19:

“‘This is a chaotic decision, hastily made with no consultation with anyone responsible for the actual nuts and bolts of withdrawal,’ [Nicholas] Heras, [a fellow at the Centre for a New American Security] said… [The White House also] said Trump would ‘take a look’ at Ankara’s demand for the extradition of Fethullah Gülen, a dissident Turkish cleric living in the US…

“Trump’s own national security adviser, John Bolton, is adamantly opposed to the decision, for different reasons. At the UN general assembly in September Bolton declared: ‘We’re not going to leave as long as Iranian troops are outside Iranian borders and that includes Iranian proxies and militias.’ A diplomatic source described him as ‘livid’ about the president’s decision.”

This is how President Trump rules and makes his unpredictable decisions. His close relationship with Turkey’s tyrant Erdogan is extremely worrisome. An extradition of Gülen would lead to his certain death in Turkey.

Kurds Feel Betrayed by USA

Fox News wrote on December 19:

“Wednesday’s surprise announcement that the U.S. will quickly withdraw all its troops from Syria is the stuff of nightmares for many of the Kurds living under the protection of U.S forces and the American-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). ‘Everyone is upset, sad and afraid,’ one SDF member from the Kurdish-dominant Syrian city of Kobane told Fox News. ‘It’s a historic mistake. We wanted to be part of America. We are surrounded by enemies, and ISIS isn’t even finished yet.’

“… most of all, the millions in the region left in limbo are concerned about strikes from the Turkish side of the border. ‘Everyone is confused and scared. This will mean that Turkey will likely attack us. We are in shock because we thought the U.S. would help us achieve peace after ISIS. We didn’t think that they would… leave us alone to face the horror of Turkish forces and its extreme factions,’ lamented Mazloum Kurdy, a 33-year-old father and teacher from Kobane… In his words, it is an ultimate betrayal by the United States… Just hours after [the] White House announced it will pull all U.S. troops out of Syria, the State Department announced plans to sell $3.5 billion worth of Patriot surface-to-air missiles to Turkey.”

Incredible!

Erdogan Persecutor of Journalists  

Breitbart wrote on December 14:

“Can Dündar, the former editor-in-chief of Turkey’s last remaining opposition newspaper Cumhuriyet, condemned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for claiming to defend the free press in the aftermath of the murder of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi. Dündar, also writing in the Washington Post from exile in Germany… calls Erdogan the ‘world’s biggest hypocrite’ for defending Khashoggi…

“The Turkish journalist retells the story of how he ended up in Germany, separated from his wife for two and a half years because Erdogan’s government will not let her leave Turkey but put out an arrest warrant for Dündar to be apprehended the second he returns to his home country. Dündar’s newspaper… has for years criticized Erdogan’s government as increasingly dictatorial, Islamist, and paranoid…

“The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) published its annual global freedom of the press report on Thursday declaring Turkey the most prolific jailer of journalists in the world for the third year in a row. Of the 251 journalists known to be in prison currently, 68 are in Turkey, and all facing charges for speaking out against the government.”

Erdogan Attacks Israel… Again!

Breitbart wrote on December 16:

“Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has lashed out at Israel and compared it to Nazi Germany, accusing the Jewish state of ‘trying to erase the traces of the Islamic heritage in Jerusalem for the last 50 years.’…

“Erdogan said criticizing Israel never means anti-Semitism, adding: ‘Some European countries side with the U.S. and do not raise [a] voice against Israeli occupation policies due to shameful scenes from World War II’… blaming the West for fanning strife in the Muslim world for financial gain…

“This is the second time this year Erdogan has delivered a rhetorical broadside against Israel. After Turkey recalled its ambassadors to Israel and the United States in May to protest the Israeli response to riots along the Gaza border fence, he called Israel a ‘terror state’ and denounced its actions as ‘genocide.’… The Turkish parliament recently rejected a bill that would have formally recognized the Armenian genocide, even as thousands marched around the world to commemorate the deaths of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Turks in 1915.”

As reflected in this and the previous article, the hypocrisy of Erdogan is appalling. Turkey will become one of the worst and meanest enemies of Israel.

US Unable to Defend against new Chinese and Russian Hypersonic Weapons

Fox News wrote on December 18:

“The U.S. lacks the defenses needed to protect against a new breed of highly sophisticated hypersonic weapons from China and Russia, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. ‘China and Russia are pursuing hypersonic weapons because their speed, altitude and maneuverability may defeat most missile defense systems, and they may be used to improve long-range conventional and nuclear strike capabilities,’ the report said. ‘There are no existing countermeasures.’

“… Russian President Vladimir Putin said [the new] Kinzhal [missile system] flies 10 times faster than the speed of sound, has a range of more than 1,250 miles and can carry a nuclear or a conventional warhead. The military said it’s capable of hitting both land targets and navy ships…”

Trump to Honor Anwar Sadat

JTA wrote on December 17:

“President Donald Trump signed legislation that will honor Anwar Sadat posthumously with the Congressional Gold Medal for leading Egypt to peace with Israel. The medal, the highest civilian honor bestowed by Congress, would be conferred next year, the 40th anniversary of the Camp David accords…

“Militant Islamists assassinated Sadat in 1981 because of the 1978 Camp David peace deal he forged with Israel. Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin received the 1978 Nobel Peace Prize.”

The Worldwide Church of God under Herbert W. Armstrong had a very close and friendly relationship with Anwar Sadat and his wife who, after Sadat’s assassination, had been a guest at the Church’s premises in Pasadena.

Trump Gives In on Border Wall, Pays Mexico Billions of Dollars

The Drudge Report linked the following two articles by the Associated Press with this headline:

“Wall Funding Off Table. USA Giving $4.8 Billion to Mexico.”

The Associated Press reported on December 19:

“President Donald Trump appeared Tuesday to back off his demand for $5 billion to build a border wall…”

But maybe not. The Week wrote on December 20:

“President Trump says he will not sign a stopgap spending bill passed by the Senate that would keep the government open through Feb. 8 and avert a shutdown at midnight Friday.

“House Speaker Paul Ryan and House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy said Thursday after meeting with Trump that the president will not sign the bill ‘because of his legitimate concerns for border security.’ The bill does not give President Trump the $5 billion he has been demanding for a border wall. Without the bill, funding will lapse for nine federal departments at the end of the week.”

On December 18, the Associated Press wrote:

“The United States pledged $5.8 billion in aid and investment Tuesday for strengthening government and economic development in Central America, and another $4.8 billion in development aid for southern Mexico. The U.S aid aims to promote better security conditions and job opportunities as part of a regional plan to allow Central Americans and Mexicans to remain in their countries and not have to emigrate. The plan was announced in a joint U.S.-Mexican statement released by the State Department…

“The combination of public and private investment for the stay-at-home effort doesn’t require congressional approval, unlike Trump’s signature project to stem illegal immigration — a border wall… It was unclear if Mexico would give anything in return.”

Federal Reserve Defies Trump… Stocks Plunge

Newsmax and the Associated Press wrote on December 19:

“The Federal Reserve has raised its key interest rate for the fourth time this year… It will mean higher borrowing costs for many consumers and businesses.

“The Fed’s move came despite President Donald Trump’s attacks in recent weeks on its rate hikes and on Chairman Jerome Powell personally. The president has complained that the moves are threatening the economy. At a news conference after the Fed’s announcement, Powell said Trump’s tweets and statements would have no bearing on the central bank’s policymaking…

“U.S. stocks had been sharply higher before the Fed’s announcement but began falling afterward and then accelerated into a plunge during Powell’s news conference. The Dow Jones industrial average was down about 400 points soon after the news conference ended…”

The Week added on December 19:

“The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid another 351 points after the announcement, on track for its worst December since the Great Depression.”

CNBC added on December 20:

“Dow drops 470 points to 14-month low in second day of big losses following Fed rate hike.”

So it seems, Trump is right, and the Feds are wrong, seriously endangering the country’s economy.

US Senate Passes Anti-Saudi Resolutions

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 17:

“Saudi Arabia has ‘categorically’ rejected a resolution from the US Senate blaming Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and another to end American military support for a Riyadh-led war in Yemen. ‘The kingdom categorically rejects any interference in its internal affairs, any and all accusations … that disrespect its leadership … and any attempts to undermine its sovereignty or diminish its stature,’ read a statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry…

“US lawmakers passed the anti-Saudi resolutions after growing discontent with President Donald Trump’s acceptance of the crown prince’s innocence, even from within his own Republican Party. The resolutions cannot be debated in the House of Representatives before January, and are likely to be vetoed by Trump. The resolutions acknowledge the importance of US-Saudi ties, but call upon Riyadh to moderate ‘its increasingly erratic foreign policy.’”

Those ties will end soon.

German Church Condemns Merkel Government over Arms Exports to Saudi Arabia

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 17:

“A German church organization representing both the Catholic and Protestant churches has condemned the country’s arms exports, as criticism mounts of Angela Merkel’s decision to allow old Saudi weapons orders to be fulfilled, despite a recent promise to put exports to Saudi Arabia temporarily on hold. ‘Contrary to all its statements, we cannot see that the government has recognized the seriousness of arms export policy questions,’ the Berlin-based Joint Conference Church and Development (GKKE) said in a statement on Monday, which was issued along with the organization’s 2018 arms export report. ‘The tightening of arms export guidelines promised for 2018 are nowhere in sight.’

“Karl Jüsten, Catholic prelate and co-chairman of the GKKE board, condemned the exports to belligerents in the Yemen war, especially Saudi Arabia. From January to September of this year, Germany approved arms exports worth €416.4 million ($472.6 million) to Saudi Arabia. These sales meant that Germany carried co-responsibility for the humanitarian catastrophe in Yemen and the violations of international law…

“But Joachim Pfeiffer, economic spokesman for Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in the Bundestag, argued that the arms sales for Saudi Arabia are still important for Germany. ‘I think it’s wrong and dangerous to break off all communications and then to unilaterally withdraw approved arms exports,’ he told DW in an email. ‘Germany would be shooting itself in the foot and would lose credibility. Saudi Arabia remains an important strategic pillar in the Middle East. … The West cannot afford to easily give up its influence on states in the Middle East…’”

The “important strategic” collaboration between Germany and Saudi Arabia will increase… at least for a while.

Guttenberg Questions Suitability of New CSU Leader

The Teller Report wrote on December 19:

“Former Defense Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg has questioned the CSU-chief qualities of the Bavarian Prime Minister [Markus Söder, replacing Horst Seehofer]… ‘The CSU must be sure how sustainable this solution is in the long term and to what extent the new party chairman is suitable for this great task,’ said Guttenberg… He did not submit to the format of Franz-Josef Strauss or Theo Waigel…

“The ex-Defense Minister and former hopeful… resigned in 2011… because of a plagiarism scandal of [his] doctorate…

“Guttenberg said that he found it difficult to [accept] Söder’s transformation from a skillful but brute power politician to a humble team player… ‘A great party leader also has the gift of empathy, which has not been the most outstanding feature of Markus Söder in the last 20 years.’”

One of Der Spiegel’s Top Journalists Faked News Stories for Years

The Guardian wrote on December 19:

“The German news magazine Der Spiegel has been plunged into chaos after revealing that one of its top reporters had falsified stories over several years. The media world was stunned by the revelations that the award-winning journalist Claas Relotius had… ‘made up stories and invented protagonists’ in at least 14 out of 60 articles that appeared in its print and online editions, warning that other outlets could also be affected.

“Relotius, 33, resigned after admitting to the scam. He had written for the magazine for seven years and won numerous awards for his investigative journalism, including CNN Journalist of the Year in 2014…

“In a lengthy article, Spiegel, which sells about 725,000 print copies a month and has an online readership of more than 6.5 million, said it was ‘shocked’ by the discovery and apologised to its readers and to anyone who may have been the subject of ‘fraudulent quotes, made-up personal details or invented scenes at fictitious places’. The Hamburg-based magazine, which was founded in 1947 and is renowned for its in-depth investigative pieces, said Relotius had committed journalistic fraud ‘on a grand scale’. It described the episode as ‘a low point in Spiegel’s 70-year history’…. The reporter also wrote for a string of other well-known outlets…

“The magazine, which is one of Germany’s most prominent news organisations, is now trying to rescue its reputation amid fears a magazine already challenged by the problems in the German newspaper industry will struggle to recover.”

This is indeed a shocking revelation. Even though a magazine with left-liberal tendencies, which showed in their reports, it was always considered as presenting reliable facts, unlike mass tabloids such as Bild. It will have to be seen whether Der Spiegel can recover from this debacle.

Belgium PM Resigns

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 18:

“Embattled Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel announced on Tuesday evening that he would step down as leader of his country’s government. The move came after he lost a vote of confidence in Belgium’s parliament… Michel immediately notified King Philippe of his decision to step down… Belgium is a parliamentary democracy under a constitutional monarchy.

“Michel came under fire 10 days ago when his Flemish nationalist coalition partner N-VA, angered by his decision to sign a UN immigration pact, withdrew support from the government. The N-VA is the largest party in parliament. The move left Michel’s liberal Reformist Movement (MR) along with his Flemish liberal Open VLD and Christian Democrats (CD&V) coalition partners with only 52 of 150 seats in parliament.”

EU and Italy Reach Compromise

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 18:

“Rome and Brussels appear to have resolved their disagreements and reached a compromise, after Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte promised the EU that his country would reduce its 2019 deficit… The move would mark the end of a standoff between Italy and the EU over its debt…

“Italy’s new government, comprised of the far-right Lega party and the anti-establishment Five Star Movement, had sought to implement sweeping budget measures that included cutting taxes and establishing universal income… With the proposal Italy was expected to breach EU budget deficit limits, risking punitive action from the bloc.”

Unlike Britain, Italy will resolve its problems with the EU, as Italy will clearly be part of a prophesied core Europe, consisting of ten nations or groups of nations.

“No Deal” Brexit More Popular than Second Referendum

Breitbart wrote on December 16:

“[A] ‘No Deal’ petition has rapidly outstripped a rival petition… for a re-run of the 2016 referendum… The Government issued a response to the petition opposing a second referendum promising that the 2016 result would be upheld, and that failing to do so ‘would be to undermine the decision of the British people, and to disrespect the powerful democratic values of this country and this government.’

“‘17.4 million votes to leave the European Union. This is the highest number of votes cast for anything in UK electoral history. This was the biggest democratic mandate for a course of action ever directed at any UK Government,’ the response concedes.”

Theresa May Lashes Out at Tony Blair

The Sun wrote on December 15:

“Theresa May has launched an attack on the former Labour PM [Tony Blair] and accused him of insulting the British public after his attempt to influence the Brexit result… And she bluntly reminded him it was his own open-door immigration policy which spurred millions to vote leave… ‘For Tony Blair to go to Brussels and seek to undermine our negotiations by advocating for a second referendum is an insult to the office he once held and the British people he once served…’

“On Friday she angrily confronted EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker after he branded her ‘nebulous.’”

The Sun commented:  “… We will be humiliated no more. When the clock strikes 11pm on March 29th next year, we WILL leave the European Union… The Brussels beast has wormed its way into just about every one of our institutions…”

Interesting choice of words. The Bible speaks indeed of a unified Europe as the “beast.”

UK Prepares for No-Deal Brexit

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 18:

“The government has ‘now reached the point where we need to ramp up… preparations’ in case the UK crashes out of the EU. Without certainty, businesses in the UK are hurting, said the British Chambers of Commerce.

“Part of the preparation includes putting 3,500 British troops on standby to prevent public order from deteriorating and to assist in the potential chaos of a no-deal Brexit…”

Margaret Thatcher: EU Has Always Been Opposed to UK

Express wrote on December 19:

“THE EU has always turned against the UK and against every concessions or initiatives Britain has made in Europe, Margaret Thatcher firmly stated in her pioneering treatise Statecraft [from 2002]…

“The Iron Lady argued that French President Charles de Gaulle was ‘right’ to oppose Britain’s application to join the European project in the early 1960s, as just like he put it during a press conference in 1963, Britain is a ‘fundamentally different kind of nation state to those which are involved in “building Europe”. She claimed that for this reason, Britain will always be at odds with other European countries and the bloc.

“The Baroness explained: ‘It was Britain’s long history of continuous constitutional development, the respect in which her institutions were held, the honesty of her politicians and the integrity of her judges, the fact that not since the Norman Conquest had she known occupation, and that neither Nazism nor communism had ever gained grip on her political life – all these things marked Britain out from Continental Europe… Britain is different. That is why Britain is still repeatedly at odds with the other European countries, however determinedly cooperative British politicians wish to be.’”

Need for a European Nuclear Force

The European Leadership Network wrote on December 7:

“… all western European countries, with the exception of France… abandoned the quest for nuclear weapons with the inception of NATO’s extended deterrence… Yet questions surrounding… the need for an independent European nuclear force have again emerged. Two important events have precipitated the debate. First, Russia’s annexation of Crimea… and  second, arguments made by President Trump regarding the conditionality of America’s commitment to European security…

“The current security environment demands a serious discussion on European nuclear security…”

Unified Europe will become a strong nuclear power.

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.

Kramp-Karrenbauer Succeeds Merkel as CDU Chair

Handelsblatt Global wrote on December 7:

“Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer…, former state premier of Saarland, won the historic race to succeed Angela Merkel as leader of the Christian Democratic Union… with a majority of 51.75 percent in the second round of voting, beating Friedrich Merz…

“[Chancellor Angela Merkel] decided to give up the party’s leadership after the CDU and its Bavarian sister party, the CSU, suffered painful electoral losses in two German states. Her withdrawal, following the rise of the Alternative for Germany, an anti-immigrant party, marked a decline of her political powers…

“Kramp-Karrenbauer is now the person most likely to become the next chancellor of Europe’s largest economy when Merkel resigns in 2021 – or earlier if she is forced out of office by internal political strife or should her coalition with the Social Democrats collapse. Kramp-Karrenbauer… could set different accents than Merkel in dealing with Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, immigration and indebted euro-zone countries…

“The new party leader… is expected to broadly continue the chancellor’s policies and style, although she has been tougher on immigration than Merkel. AKK, for instance, proposed expelling refugees from the EU if they sexually harass women and wants to confine immigrants in closed centers if their asylum application has been rejected…”

The Washington Post wrote on December 7:

“Kramp-Karrenbauer won Friday’s vote in the second round of balloting, eking out a bare majority in a closely divided party… Germany is likely — though not certain — to have a second female chancellor.”

Newsmax wrote on December 7:

“Sometimes dubbed ‘mini Merkel,’ Kramp-Karrenbauer… told Reuters last week that Europe and the United States should consider blockading Russian ships over the Ukraine crisis… Last month, Kramp-Karrenbauer told a business conference: ‘With every wish to take Europe forward with a German-French nucleus, the proposals must always fit with German interests.’”

The Guardian wrote on December 7:

“Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer [is] a staunchly Catholic conservative career politician… [The 56-year-old lawyer is] a self-professed strict Catholic… While she generally supported Merkel’s open-door policy towards migrants, she has admitted that grave mistakes have been made…

“[She] has spoken out in favour of a ban on doctors who carry out abortions being able to advertise their services… and is also openly sceptical about the ‘marriage for all’ law campaigned for by her opponent, Jens Spahn, who is married to his male partner.”

BBC wrote on December 7:

“AKK… lives in her hometown of Püttlingen with her husband of 34 years, Helmut Karrenbauer, who quit his job as a mining engineer to take care of their [by now grown] three sons while she pursued her political career… While she supported Ms Merkel’s refugee policy and has a liberal position on women’s rights and a minimum wage, she has also expressed more conservative views.

“As a practising Catholic… she has expressed concerns about giving same-sex couples full adoption rights. She is also in favour of reinstating year-long military or social service and has questioned the right of ethnic Turks to hold dual German and Turkish citizenship. Turks are Germany’s largest immigrant community.”

After the victory, AKK was busy trying to solidify her deeply divided party. Based on her nomination, one of her critics, conservative 33-year-old Paul Ziemiak was elected as General Secretary, who will be taking care of the day-to-day affairs of the party. However, he only got 62.8 % of the votes. AKK had the post before becoming new chairman of the party. She had been nominated by Merkel and had received a record of 98.9% of the votes.

The party also elected a new Board. Ursula von der Leyen (Defense Minister) became one of the five Vice-Chairmen with only 57.5% of the votes. One of AKK’s two challengers, Jens Spahn, was elected as Chairman of the CDU Presidency (“Präsidium”) with 89.1 % of the votes. At this point, it is unclear in what way, or if at all, AKK’s other challenger, Friedrich Merz, will continue in a leading function within the CDU.

AKK’s First Mistake?

The Associated Press wrote on December 8:

“[New General Secretary Paul] Ziemiak is further to the right than Kramp-Karrenbauer, is considered a friend of Spahn and comes from the same region as Merz… Setting out her pitch on Friday, [Kramp-Karrenbauer] called for ‘a strong Europe that completes Schengen,’ Europe’s border-free travel area, and advocated for a European army… Kramp-Karrenbauer is promising to give her party the first say in discussing policies, rather than digesting decisions already made by the government. It’s unclear how much friction that could cause with Merkel.”

Bild Online wrote on December 9:

“If the CDU remains as unpopular as it is today, then the chapter AKK could soon be history. AKK’s first mistake was to nominate Ziemiak as General Secretary. He almost was not voted in… The idea backfired to unify the party by nominating Ziemiak … Former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder labeled the election of Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer ‘a mistake.’ He would have liked to see businessman Friedrich Merz as leader of the CDU.”

AKK Guilty of Collusion?

Politico wrote on December 9:

“After capturing the leadership of Germany’s Christian Democrats on Friday, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer declared the party could not remain a house divided. Within hours, she stood accused of turning the party into a House of Cards.

“Supporters of Friedrich Merz, the conservative corporate lawyer Kramp-Karrenbauer edged out for the CDU chairmanship in the Friday vote, accused her of cutting a secret deal with the leader of the party’s youth wing, Paul Ziemiak, promising him a top party position in exchange for the votes she needed to win the run-off. Though Kramp-Karrenbauer denied the suggestions of collusion, the suspicions persisted in the Merz camp, frustrating the new leader’s efforts to project harmony as the CDU’s two-day congress drew to a close.

“Some disgruntled conservatives on Saturday even threatened to form their own party… A breakaway from the party ‘is not something one should wish for, but it also can’t be ruled out,’ Alexander Mitsch, the leader of a CDU faction known as the Werte Union, or Values Union, told Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung, a regional newspaper…

“Whether there was a deal or not, Ziemiak would make sense for the position… he’s a young conservative face in a party dominated by men over 70. And as the son of Polish refugees who fled Poland when he was just three, Ziemiak injects more diversity into the party’s leadership. ‘I want to have someone at my side who sends a signal that a new generation is engaged,’ Kramp-Karrenbauer told convention delegates on Saturday. But many didn’t buy it and quietly accused Ziemiak of sacrificing their cause for his own career ambitions…”

Brexit Chaos… Now What?

Before Theresa May postponed the vote of Parliament on Tuesday (see articles below), strong statements regarding the Brexit deal were made on both sides… all of which could now be in question.

The Guardian wrote on December 8:

“On signing an agreement with the British prime minister last month, Juncker described the draft withdrawal treaty and accompanying political declaration on the future relationship as ‘the deal – the only deal possible’. May has also said there is no scope for any further negotiation in Brussels if her deal is rejected when it comes to a vote in the Commons on Tuesday, and that the consequence of it being rejected would be ‘no deal or no Brexit’. The chancellor, Philip Hammond, described those who believed there could be a renegotiation as ‘delusional’…

“There is a reluctance [of EU members] to open up the political declaration on the future relationship, given the difficulties the EU had in finding agreement on the terms set out in the 26-page document. The November Brexit summit was just hours from being cancelled after Spain insisted on assurances about the fate of Gibraltar at the last minute. Further talks on that document could see it unravel as the EU’s member states seek to pursue their own interests.

“There is also almost a consensus in Brussels that the withdrawal agreement, containing the most contentious part of the deal, the so-called backstop for avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland through keeping the UK in a customs union indefinitely, cannot be touched.”

Theresa May Admits Humiliating Defeat—Brexit Vote Postponed after Broken Promises

The Guardian wrote on December 10:

“Theresa May has postponed the final vote on her Brexit deal after a last-minute conference call with cabinet ministers, a clear admission by the prime minister that she does not believe she can get the unpopular EU withdrawal agreement through the Commons. The drastic move, as May faced defeat by up to 100 of her own MPs, is a humiliation for the prime minister, whose aides and cabinet ministers had emphatically denied there was any prospect of pulling the vote, even as late as Monday morning. Advisers, ministers and loyalist MPs had been urging May to delay Tuesday’s vote in order to seek new assurances from Brussels and avoid the chaos of a parliamentary defeat.

“… The vote could take place next week or even be delayed until early January, although this would allow less time for the ensuing Brexit legislation to be passed through parliament before 29 March. The ultimate deadline for the vote is 21 January. News of the delay caused the pound to tumble to its lowest level in 18 months.”

The Independent wrote on December 10:

“David Cheetham, chief market analyst at XTB Online Trading, said… ‘The negative reaction in the markets is more likely due to what it means for her position rather than the failure to win the vote… as it now seems increasingly likely that a long-touted leadership challenge will ensue… The frontrunners to replace May as PM such as Boris and Rees-Mogg are much more likely to push for a hard Brexit and this would no doubt be negative for the pound…’”

Express wrote on December 10:

“Time is running out for Mrs May… after the European Court of Justice ruled the UK could unilaterally revoke Article 50 to halt Brexit – without agreement from any other EU member state… But Mrs May’s spokeswoman said the ECJ ruling did not change the government’s ‘firm’ policy on Article 50… The future of Brexit remains deeply uncertain…”

Deutsche Welle added on December 10:

“May said… that the so-called backstop for keeping an open border between Northern Ireland, a British territory, and the Republic of Ireland, an EU member state, needed to be resolved… There were also reports that May… would go back to Brussels to secure ‘legally-binding assurance’ the UK would not be trapped in the Irish backstop element of the deal indefinitely. The provision… would keep Britain under EU customs rules until superseded by new trade arrangements.”

Newsmax wrote on December 10:

“With her position at home in open jeopardy… [the] vote postponement marks what many lawmakers cast as the collapse of May’s two-year attempt to forge a compromise under which the United Kingdom would exit the EU while staying largely within its economic orbit…

“May indicated she was seeking further assurances from the EU on the working of the backstop… May said that other EU leaders were open to a discussion about the backstop, though Germany’s foreign minister said he could not see what could be changed in the 585-page deal…

“May said the result of the 2016 referendum, in which… 52 percent… backed Brexit while… 48 percent… backed staying in the EU, should be honored. The United Kingdom will leave as planned on March 29, she said.”

Brexit will happen… in one way or another.

UK PM Theresa May Ends Tour without EU Brexit Concessions

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 11:

“British Prime Minister Theresa May met with four EU leaders… to seek ‘reassurances’ on a draft Brexit deal…

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other European Union leaders told British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday that there would be no changes to the draft Brexit deal. The British prime minister went into a whistle-stop tour of the Netherlands, Germany and Brussels seeking ‘reassurances’ that the deal’s ‘backstop’ for keeping an open border in Ireland was temporary. But Merkel, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, EU Council President Donald Tusk and EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker told May in separate meetings that while they were open to semantic clarifications, they would not renegotiate any aspect of the deal.”

The EUObserver added on December 12:

“The EU is not preparing a legal document on the backstop, as requested by British prime minister Theresa May… EU diplomats… said that there has been not enough time, and it was unnecessary, to come up with a legally-binding text that could clarify positions on the so-called backstop on the Irish border…”

Theresa May Stumbles Through No-Confidence Vote

The Sun wrote on December 12:

“Theresa May will limp on in Number 10 after winning the confidence vote despite a THIRD of her own MPs wanting to sack her. The PM won the support of 200 Tory MPs, enough to stay in post, but with 117 MPs calling for her to go her time in charge seems to be running out… Less than two-thirds of MPs – 63 per cent – voted to keep Mrs May in power, fewer than expected by many observers. The uncomfortably close result suggests it will be extremely tricky for her to get any Brexit deal signed off.

“… she may end up quitting despite her win, if she concludes the margin of victory is embarrassingly slim. The fact that 117 MPs defied her could be a signal that she has lost her authority and has no chance of pushing a Brexit deal through the Commons… In 1990, Margaret Thatcher won a narrow majority of MPs on a leadership ballot but resigned shortly afterwards.”

Deal NOT Open to EU Negotiations

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 13:

“Embattled UK Prime Minister Theresa May… has been roundly criticized on both sides of the English Channel for postponing a vote on her plan in parliament on Tuesday in the face of certain defeat. She is now hoping to convince European politicians to make changes to the current rules on Brexit… the prospect of May getting what she wants seems very unlikely.

“French President Emmanuel Macron, speaking Thursday morning, was quick to point out that the ball was in May’s court. ‘We can have a political discussion tonight but the legal framework and the agreement that were negotiated are not supposed to change,’ the French leader said… ‘We cannot reopen the legal agreement, we can’t renegotiate what was negotiated for several months…’

“Any changes will likely be cosmetic in nature and fail to affect the substance of the legally binding, 585-page withdrawal agreement, despite May’s avowed aim of attaining ‘legal and political assurances’ that will satisfy her critics at home…

“Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte… said, ‘Today is about de-mystifying this whole Northern Ireland backstop. Nobody in the EU wants to use it. But we need to have it…’ Rutte’s sentiments were echoed by Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, ‘There is no way we are opening the agreement but we can try to agree on a clarification.’”

Express wrote on December 13:

“Theresa May was dealt a blow by European Union leaders as they refused to offer Britain ‘any further assurances’ that the backstop will not be triggered. EU bosses pulled original plans to ‘further examine’ potential guarantees that they could offer the Prime Minister in order to help her controversial Brexit deal through the House of Commons. Mrs May pleaded with her European counterparts to work with her to find a way to ease the concerns of rebellious MPs who believe Brussels could use the Irish backstop to permanently lock Britain into a customs union…

“But her efforts fell on deaf ears… In post-summit conclusions, the EU removed plans to ‘stand ready to examine whether any further assurance can be provided’… European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker made clear that there would be no further renegotiations…

“European Council President Donald Tusk said: ‘… After discussing the Prime Minister’s intervention among the 27 leaders… [the] Union stands by this agreement and intends to proceed with its ratification. It is not open for renegotiation.'”

UK Largest Arms Producer in Western Europe

The EUObserver wrote on December 10:

“Sales of arms and military services by the world’s 100 largest producers totalled €348bn in 2017, 2.5 percent up from 2016… Accounting for 57 percent of sales, US companies remained the world’s largest arms producers, followed by Russia with 9.5 percent. Western European companies accounted for 23.8 percent, with UK the region’s largest producer.”

Shameful for the USA and the UK.

Ignorance in Light of Looming War

The Independent wrote on December 12:

“The international security landscape is the most uncertain politically and strategically in living memory… where threats to ‘our nation are diversifying, proliferating and intensifying very rapidly’, the head of Britain’s military has warned. The ‘constant confrontation’ across the world is ‘reminiscent of the first decade of the 20th century’ of the great power competition that ended with the conflagration of the First World War, General Sir Nick Carter said in his annual lecture.

“He claimed that hostile states such as Russia and China – and Iran’s ‘flexing of muscle’ – challenged our security, stability and prosperity. But there were also the added dangers of terrorist groups such as Isis, and the ‘bellicose nature of populism and nationalism’ that seek to exploit mass migration, which many see as an existential threat to Europe…

“He pointed to a worrying lack of knowledge or interest among the public about how current geopolitical issues have evolved. ‘Of course, people don’t really study history any longer,’ he said, pointing to a recent survey of 2,000 people about the First World War. ‘Fifty per cent thought Winston Churchill was the prime minister at the time, and 10 per cent thought it was Margaret Thatcher; 20 per cent thought we were fighting the French; 6 per cent thought it was President Kennedy’s assassination that triggered the war. And when asked what the bloodiest battle of the war was, 16 per cent voted for Pearl Harbour, 8 per cent for Independence Day, 7 per cent for Hastings and 5 per cent for Helm’s Deep… who thought it was a battle in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.’”

The seed of this contemptable willful ignorance of historical events will reap a terrible harvest.

The Power of the Euro

The EU Reporter wrote on December 7:

“President Juncker highlighted the strategic importance of the euro and the need to ensure that the single currency can play its full role on the international scene…

“Euro and Social Dialogue Vice President Valdis Dombrovskis said: ‘The euro is a young but successful currency. The time has come for the euro to develop further its global role. The euro should reflect the euro area’s political, economic and financial weight and support a balanced, rules-based international political and economic order…’

“Climate Action and Energy Commissioner Miguel Arias Cañete said: ‘The EU is the world’s largest energy importer with an average import bill of €300 billion, with an open and competitive internal market. Strengthening the international role of the euro in the field of energy investment and trade will help reduce the risk of supply disruptions and promote the autonomy of European businesses…’

“Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said: ‘A wider use of the euro in the global economy yields important potential for better protecting European citizens and companies against external shocks and making the international finance and monetary system more resilient… it is also an important project to underpin our European autonomy in a globalized world.’…

“The Commission also calls on member states to promote the wider use of the euro in strategic sectors. In spite of their position as large buyers as well as major producers, European businesses still trade in US dollar in key strategic markets, often even between themselves. This exposes businesses to currency risks and political risks, such as unilateral decisions that directly affect dollar denominated transactions…

“The euro is today the second most important international currency. Some 340 million European citizens use euro banknotes and coins every day across the eurozone’s 19 member states. Around 60 countries in the world use, will use or link their currency to the euro. It is a widely accepted currency for international payments, and a significant share of international reserves of foreign central banks and debt issuance on international markets are in euro.

“Public support for the euro has been consistently high in the EU, especially in the countries already using the euro. Europeans identify the euro as one of the main symbols of the European Union. It has brought visible and very practical benefits to European households, businesses and governments alike…”

While some of the statements above are written from an extreme pro-euro perspective and rather doubtful as to their accuracy, we have been saying time and again, even when many others disagreed with us: The Euro is here to stay.

Paris on Lockdown–Ongoing Violent Demonstrations in France

The Huffington Post and The Associated Press wrote on December 8:

“French riot police fired tear gas and water cannon in Paris on Saturday, trying to stop thousands of yellow-vested protesters from converging on the presidential palace to express their anger at high taxes and French President Emmanuel Macron. Security officials imposed a lockdown on parts of central Paris… Blue armored vehicles rumbled across cobblestone streets from the Arc de Triomphe across toward eastern Paris… A ring of steel surrounded the Elysee Palace itself, as police stationed trucks and reinforced steel barriers in streets throughout the entire neighborhood…

“Prized Paris monuments and normally bustling shopping meccas were locked down Saturday at the height of the holiday shopping season. The Eiffel Tower and Louvre Museum were among the many tourist attractions that closed for the day… Subway stations in the center of town were shut down.

“The yellow vest movement… started as a protest against higher taxes for diesel and gas, but quickly expanded to encompass wide frustration at stagnant incomes, the rising cost of living and other grievances. Macron on Wednesday agreed to abandon the fuel tax hike… but that hasn’t defused the anger. After two weekends of violence in Paris that made the authorities look powerless, police went into overdrive Saturday to keep a lid on unrest. Police frisked people or searched bags throughout central Paris, and confiscated gas masks and protective goggles from AP journalists…

“Macron’s government had warned that the yellow vest protests had created a ‘monster’ and that Saturday’s protests would be hijacked by radicalized and rebellious crowds… National police estimated the number of protesters in Paris on Saturday at 8,000, among 31,000 protesters nationwide. They appeared to be outnumbered by police, with 8,000 officers deployed in the capital alone and 89,000 fanned out around the country.

“The yellow vests include people with views that range from the far right to the far left. The group has no leaders but is united in its feeling that Macron and his government are out of touch with the concerns of ordinary French families… Four people have been killed in accidents since the unrest began Nov. 17. Christmas markets, national soccer matches and countless other events have been canceled due to the protests.

“Protesters also blocked roads, roundabouts and tollbooths elsewhere in France. Offshoot movements have emerged elsewhere, and yellow-vest protests were held Saturday in Belgium and the Netherlands. U.S. President Donald Trump sought to fuel the anger in France, seizing the moment to criticize the Paris climate accord, which he is abandoning. ‘People do not want to pay large sums of money … in order to maybe protect the environment,’ he tweeted.”

Macron’s Concessions—Not Enough!

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 11:

“After listening to their president speak for 13 minutes, a sober reality started to spread among the many ‘yellow vest’ demonstrators protesting across France. ‘That’s not enough,’ they confidently announced…

“The government has now said it plans to raise the monthly minimum wage by €100 starting January 1. France’s current guaranteed net monthly minimum wage of €1,185 is already the highest in the OECD… It remains to be seen, however, if the increased payment, which will not benefit all minimum-wage workers, will be enough to mollify the angry yellow vests for long. First reactions to Macron’s plan do not suggest they will…

“Fears that the liberal-socialist president’s demise could open the floodgates for extremists has been long voiced by French publicists…”

Terrorist Attack in France

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 11:

“A gunman opened fire near a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg, killing at least four [subsequently changed to “three”] people and injuring 11 others… Several of those wounded have critical injuries… Officers were searching for the shooter, who was known to France’s internal security services as a suspected risk… French prosecutors said they had opened a terrorism probe into the shooting.

“The European Parliament was on lockdown, conservative MEP Siegfried Muresan said. Hundreds of MEPs and officials were in the building attending a plenary session when the shooting started… Police in the neighboring German state of Baden-Württemberg wrote on Twitter that they had reinforced border controls at the crossing into Strasbourg. Strasbourg’s Christmas market is a popular tourist destination, drawing millions of visitors every year.

“Multiple terrorist attacks have shaken France in recent years. Since 2015, more than 200 people have been killed in attacks inspired or commissioned by the Islamist terrorist group ‘Islamic State.’”

The Guardian wrote on December 13:

“French police have killed the suspected gunman who shot and stabbed people at Strasbourg’s Christmas market… He was well known to police as a criminal and had been convicted 27 times, mostly for theft and violence, in France, Germany and Switzerland… Witnesses said the man shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ as he shot into the crowds and slashed at passersby with a knife…

“According to the Reuters news agency, the Islamic State terrorist group claimed shortly after Chekatt was killed that he was one of its followers…”

Belgium Government Collapses over UN Immigration Pact

Breitbart wrote on December 10:

“The Belgian government has split apart after Prime Minister Charles Michel ignored the objections of his ruling coalition’s biggest party and insisted he would sign the UN migration pact. The Flemish nationalist New Flemish Alliance (N-VA) party quit the government following crisis talks over the weekend, prompting Michel to announce he would travel to Marrakesh to sign the controversial compact representing a minority government.

“The patriotic party had previously produced a list of 30 objections to signing the so-called Global Compact on Safe and Orderly Migration including a lack of differentiation between illegal and legal flows, and questions over whether the agreement, which declares mass immigration to be ‘inevitable, desirable and necessary’, could have a chilling effect on objective journalism.

“Vice Prime Minister Alexander De Croo rebuffed the N-VA… asserting that ministers will continue to have ‘firm but humane’ migration policies because ‘no one in this government wants to pursue open [borders]’…”

The EUObserver wrote on December 11:

“The world’s first-ever global pact on how to deal with migration was adopted on Monday by 164 countries at a conference in Marrakesh, Morocco. Seven EU countries, Austria, the Czech Republic, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Latvia and Slovakia did not sign the UN pact, while German chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed it, saying that it was high time the international community came to a more realistic understanding over global migration.”

Coming… Further Conflicts between EU and USA

Politico wrote on December 11:

“The EU is regulation-obsessed, ‘out of touch,’ and stalling trade negotiations with Washington, U.S. President Donald Trump’s ambassador to the EU said Monday. And Trump is going to put a stop to it,  the ambassador, Gordon Sondland, warned. ‘…we now have to recognize that the relationship and all of the goodwill that has been built up since the Marshall Plan doesn’t seem to count when it comes to getting a little consideration,’ Sondland said…

“Washington and Brussels have been engaged in high-stakes trade talks… Sondland’s remarks made clear that Washington is now fed up with what it views as egregious delaying tactics by Brussels… ‘There are a multitude of tools available to the president and to the U.S. trade representative beyond just tariffs on cars to make it more difficult for Europe to sell its products to America and I think all of those tools are on the table…,’ Sondland warned. Trump wants to ‘fundamentally fix the imbalance…’

“Sondland said that while he remains on good personal terms with EU officials, he finds the bloc to be utterly obstructionist… ‘we don’t ever beg. That’s not our style. But we do what we need to do in order to fix a problem. And if it can’t be done in a voluntary and cooperative fashion, it’ll have to be done in other ways’…

“Apart from trade, Sondland also criticized the EU for obstructing U.S. policy on numerous other fronts, including by ‘clinging’ to the Iran nuclear accord, which Trump has abandoned, and by some EU countries continuing to support the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Germany…

“The ambassador also accused EU members of NATO of resisting Trump’s push for increased military spending on the alliance, while being willing to raise spending on the EU’s own security and defense projects…

“Sondland also criticized the EU for taking a protectionist approach to military procurement, putting U.S. manufacturers at an unfair disadvantage… In the end, Sondland said, European leaders were failing to capitalize on the opportunity to work with Trump.”

Trump Not Cleared of Wrongdoing

The Independent wrote on December 7:

“Donald Trump has wrongly claimed that prosecutors have cleared him of wrongdoing in legal documents that accuse two of his former associates of repeatedly lying about Russia. In fact New York prosecutors alleged that Michael Cohen, the president’s former personal lawyer, had acted at his direction in organising hush money payments to two women who claimed they had had affairs with the billionaire…

“A day that began with the president launching an angry Twitter rant about special prosecutor Robert Mueller – a suggestion he knew bad news was coming – ended with prosecutors asking for ‘substantial’ jail time for Cohen, and saying Mr Trump’s one-time campaign manager Paul Manafort had lied not just about interactions with Russians, but over his continued contact with the White House six months after turning himself into the FBI.

“… the filing by prosecutors in relation to Cohen’s financial crimes claimed he had broken the law at the direction of Mr Trump. ‘With respect to both payments, Cohen acted with the intent to influence the 2016 presidential election. Cohen coordinated his actions with one or more members of the campaign, including through meetings and phone calls, about the fact, nature, and timing of the payments,’ said the filing. ‘In particular, and as Cohen himself has now admitted, with respect to both payments, he acted in coordination with and at the direction of Individual-1 [Mr Trump].’”

Newsmax and Bloomberg wrote on December 10:

“President Donald Trump further distanced himself from Michael Cohen, placing responsibility for any crimes stemming from hush money paid to women during the 2016 campaign on his former personal lawyer… Cohen pleaded guilty in New York in August, saying that ‘Individual-1’ (widely identified as Trump) schemed to silence two women about affairs with the Republican candidate before the 2016 election. Cohen acknowledged that such payments amounted to illegal campaign donations — and said he arranged for them at Trump’s behest.”

After Trump denied any knowledge of payments to women by Cohen, published audio recordings of a conversation between Trump and Cohen revealed that Trump asked Cohen to pay one of the women to stay quiet. Obviously, Cohen would not have paid the two women such substantial amounts of money out of his own pocket and without Trump’s knowledge or consent. The real issue is, however, whether this constituted an illegal act on Trump’s part. In any event, it should not cause Trump any legal worries as he will not be impeached and forced out of office. Rather, he has to fulfill his providential role. The next articles will not change this conclusion.

Trump Knew!

Newsmax wrote on December 13:

“President Donald Trump in August 2015 was in the room when former lawyer Michael Cohen and National Enquirer publisher David Pecker discussed ways Pecker’s outlet could help change the narrative concerning negative coverage of Trump’s relationships with women, American Media Inc., the parent company of the National Enquirer, admitted Thursday in a nonprosecution agreement with federal prosecutors. NBC News also said AMI admitted to helping facilitate a hush payment to one of the women who claimed she had an affair with Trump ahead of the election, former Playboy model Karen McDougal…

“The agreement does not detail the meeting, but the fact Trump was there squarely places the president, ‘in the middle of a conspiracy to commit campaign finance fraud,’ said NBC News analyst and former assistant U.S. attorney Daniel Goldman. Cohen on Wednesday was sentenced to three years in prison during a sentencing hearing in which he claimed he acted out of ‘blind loyalty’ to Trump. He had previously pled guilty to campaign finance violations and lying to Congress.”

Fox News Channel Host Tucker Carlson Rips Trump

MSNBC wrote on December 7:

“Fox News Channel host Tucker Carlson set straight any misinformation concerning his views on President Trump: ‘I don’t think he’s capable,’ he said during an interview on Tuesday. Urs Gehriger, an editor at ‘Die Weltwoche,’ Switzerland’s leading German-language opinion weekly, noted that Carlson’s new book, ‘Ship of Fools,’ is silent on Trump but comments on his critics. And so, Gehriger jump-started the conversation by asking what Carlson thought of Trump’s first two years in office.

“Carlson said he cannot stand Trump’s self-aggrandizement and boasting. Then, when asked whether Trump has kept his promises, the usually quick-witted and long-winded Carlson had just one word: ‘No.’…

“Although it has a variety of voices, Fox News Channel has become the outlet often aligned with the current administration, at least in prime time. Hosts such as Sean Hannity and Jeanine Pirro have taken near-unequivocal positions in support of Trump… ‘His chief promises were that he would build the wall, defund Planned Parenthood and repeal Obamacare, and he hasn’t done any of those things,’ Carlson said, adding that those goals were probably lost causes.

“Trump, he said, doesn’t understand the system, and his own agencies don’t support him. ‘He knows very little about the legislative process, hasn’t learned anything, hasn’t surrounded himself with people that can get it done, hasn’t done all the things you need to do, so it’s mostly his fault that he hasn’t achieved those things,’ he added. ‘The elite in our country is physically separated in a way that’s very unhealthy for a democracy,’ he said. Rural America is ‘really falling apart,’ he said, adding that ‘if you’re running the country, you should have a sense of that.’

“Gehriger said Carlson sounded like a ‘renegade.’ ‘He was so tough’ on Trump, he told The Post. ‘He was nobody’s cheerleader. For a person who is so successful on Fox News, I didn’t expect him to be so outspoken.’”

Some moderators, critical of Trump, have left Fox News, including Megyn Kelly and Greta Van Susteren. Bill O’Reilly was also not totally supportive of Trump, but he was asked to leave for personal problems. And then there are other Fox News moderators working at Fox News who don’t hide their criticism, including Shepard Smith and Neil Cavuto. But as the article points out, Sean Hannity and Judge Jeanine Pirro, as well as Laura Ingraham, belong to those who support Trump, for better or worse, virtually 100%.

Spielberg Warns of New Genocide

JTA wrote on December 6:

“Steven Spielberg, the Oscar-winning director of the Holocaust film ‘Schindler’s List,’ has a warning: The possibility of hate leading to genocide is as possible today as it was during the Holocaust.

“Spielberg in an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt specifically identified the mass shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue building in Pittsburgh as a signal of the rise in hateful ideologies. ‘When collective hate organizes and gets industrialized, then genocide follows,’ Spielberg said… ‘We have to take it more seriously today than I think we have had to take it in a generation.’”

EU to Combat Anti-Semitism Following Sebastian Kurz’s Initiative

Jewish News Syndicate wrote on December 6:

“Several Jewish groups praised the Council of the European Union for its unanimous adoption of a statement on combating anti-Semitism across the continent. The measure, which was the first time the council’s 28-member states have passed a resolution countering anti-Semitism, calls on its member states to ‘to adopt and implement a holistic strategy to prevent and fight all forms of anti-Semitism.’

“It also expresses E.U. determination to ‘ensure a future for Jewish people to live with the same sense of security and freedom as all other citizens in the European Union,’ while urging E.U. member states that have not yet adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of anti-Semitism to endorse it…

“The Jewish groups also praised Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, who currently holds the E.U. presidency, for initiating the declaration. ‘We would like to thank Chancellor Kurz, with whom we have worked closely in the last few months, and all the European leaders and officials who assisted with this vital process… One of the most urgent calls for action in the declaration is to adopt the IHRA definition of anti-Semitism to assist law-enforcement agencies in their efforts to identify and investigate more efficiently anti-Semitic manifestations in all their forms.’”

Some observers are focusing on figures such as former German Defense Minister [Note for clarification: the following is his entire name] Karl-Theodor Maria Nikolaus Johann Jacob Philipp Franz Joseph Sylvester Buhl-Freiherr von und zu Guttenberg, or Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, as potential candidates for the biblically prophesied charismatic political and military leader, called the beast in the book of Revelation. Although we don’t know for sure, we would have to say that at this point, much speaks against this conclusion, including the fact that Kurz initiated an EU declaration against Anti-Semitism. We will discuss in a future Q&A the revealed characteristics of the person who is destined to manifest himself as the beast.

Israeli-Palestinian Peace Deal Dead on Arrival

JTA wrote on December 12:

“Jared Kushner, the presidential son-in-law and adviser, rarely speaks in public. No surprise, then, that a rare appearance on cable news TV was with a friendly network, Fox News, with a friendly interviewer, Sean Hannity.

“Kushner… said little about the Israeli-Palestinian peace deal he hopes to strike, but in reading between the lines, some nuggets emerge: The release of the proposal is not absolutely certain, and statehood for the Palestinians seems for now to be a nonstarter. But Kushner also recognizes that he can’t get much else done in the region without an Israeli-Palestinian deal…

“Pivoting to Middle East peace, Kushner said, ‘We’re focused now on the broader region, which is figuring out how to hopefully bring a deal together between the Israelis and the Palestinians.’ Kushner and his team… have focused for two years on a deal, so this isn’t exactly new…

“Trump may want this deal, but insiders say its prospects of success are virtually nil given the Palestinian Authority’s unwillingness to participate since Trump recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital a year ago, and the continued preeminence of the rejectionist Hamas, a terrorist group, in the Gaza Strip. The Trump administration, reportedly at Kushner’s behest, has severed all assistance to the Palestinians as an incentive to get them back to the table. It hasn’t worked…

“Palestinians for decades have said that statehood was a baseline for any deal…”

There will be no meaningful deal between Israelis and Palestinians.

Building the Third Temple

Breaking Israel News wrote on December 5:

“The first Temple Jerusalem Convention took place at the Menachem Begin Heritage Center on Wednesday, aimed toward educating Christians about the relevance of the Jewish Temples to their belief. The focus is not only on the Biblical Temples but also on the future Third Temple written about in prophecies…

“Doron Keidar, one of the organizers and the executive director of Cry for Zion, has high hopes for the event. ‘This is like the first Zionist conference which brought people together to talk about their hopes and dreams for a Jewish state,” Keidar told Breaking Israel News. ‘That led to the establishment of the modern state of Israel. We are bringing people together to talk about the Temple Mount. It is pretty clear what can come from this.’

“Rabbi Tuly Weisz, head of Israel365, addressed the crowd, emphasizing that it was powerfully appropriate for such a gathering to be held during the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah… ‘The focal point of the holiday is about the non-Jews preventing the Jews from connecting to the Torah and about the Greeks defiling the temple. It is entirely appropriate to join in with Christians who have come to Israel to honor the Temple, the Torah, and the Jewish people.’…

“The conference focused on a theory that is gaining popularity which claims that the Jewish Temples did not stand on the Temple Mount. According to the theory, both Temples were located further south in an area now recognized by archaeologists as the City of King David. This theory was most recently put forth in a series of books written by Bob Cornuke, a former police investigator with no training in archaeology. Cornuke has also proposed that the Ark of the Covenant was taken out of Solomon’s Temple and has been hidden away in a church in Ethiopia for hundreds of years.

“Several of the speakers addressed this theory. Harry Moskoff, the author of the A.R.K. report, discussed the archaeological proof of the Temples’ location as well as the lack of proof for the theory’s claims.”

Breaking Israel News added on December 11:

“On Monday, the Sanhedrin hosted the dedication of the altar for the Third Temple… Special vessels have also been prepared to be ready at a moment’s notice should the need arise to jumpstart the Temple service. The menorah… is constructed of wood. Though not ideal, it is kosher for use in the Temple and can be carried by one person. The laver is also kosher though it is significantly different than the Sea of Solomon that was used in the Temple to wash the hands and feet of the priests.

“Mario Adolofo Bucaro Flores, the Ambassador of Guatemala was a guest of honor at the ceremony. Also present [was] the Ambassador of Honduras…”

Stalin Believed Hitler Escaped from Germany

Express wrote on December 7:

“Following the end of the war, the US government seriously investigated the possibility the Nazi leader made it out of Germany alive. Declassified FBI files show agents visited South America, after claims the Fuehrer had made it to Argentina in a submarine. The German vessels, described as ‘black boats’, were believed to have transported a number of Nazi officials across the North Atlantic.

“Following the alleged sightings, the possibility that Hitler did not kill himself caused paranoia among many world leaders, who seriously considered the idea. According to official reports, Hitler shot himself on April 30, 1945, as the Red Army closed in on his bunker. However, three months later US president Harry Truman raised his concerns, it was revealed in Amazon Prime’s 2015 ‘Adolf Hitler: Great Escape’ documentary. He asked Joseph Stalin outright whether or not Hitler was dead. The Soviet leader replied with a chilling one word answer: ‘No.’ Later that year, Soviet officer Marshall Gregory Zhukov, whose troops were the ones to occupy Berlin also backed the idea Hitler escaped…

“However, despite the alleged sighting recorded by the CIA and FBI, French-led investigations suggest the Fuhrer did indeed die in his bunker. Using remains of a jaw bone that had been hidden by the Russian secret service since 1945 suggests Hitler did kill himself. In a 2017 paper published in the European Journal of Internal Medicine, researchers suggest SS officers were ordered to burn the body before Soviet troops discovered the charred remains.”

There is no doubt that some Nazi leaders escaped from Germany and settled in South American countries. The fear was at the time that Hitler had also escaped and that he would build a new Nazi army in South America and then return to Germany as a conqueror (as Napoleon did when he escaped from Elba and returned to France, regaining the French crown). But even IF Hitler had escaped Germany in 1945, he would be dead by now.

Wolves Living in Chernobyl’s Radioactive Forbidden Zone May Be Spreading Mutant Genes Across Europe

The Sun wrote on December 7:

“The European grey wolf population has boomed at the site since the human population moved out and it became a virtual wildlife preserve… some of the wolves – potentially affected by damaging radiation – have been crossing Ukraine’s borders into Russia and Belarus… The site became off limits to humans after the nuclear power plant disaster on 26 April 1986, due to concerns about the high levels of radiation. Explosions destroyed a reactor at the plant releasing about 400 times more radioactive fallout than the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Particles were spread thousands of miles across Europe, dozens of residents were killed and many more exposed to the deadly radiation.

“It now seems that the lack of human interference at the disaster site has allowed the wolves to thrive in the 1,000 sq mile exclusion zone. They began to take over the eerie site in 2016 and the pack’s population is now thought to be seven-times larger than usual… Studies of other animals -mostly smaller ones like birds, rodents, and insects -show that Chernobyl radiation can cause mutations and ill health. And work done in creatures such as barn swallows and voles suggests these mutations may be transferred to the next generation. These also had the potential to spread radioactive contaminants…

“The Chernobyl exclusion zone is also home to other species including moose, horses, bison, boars and red badgers. Last year… radioactive boars were running wild in the Czech Republic after eating mushrooms contaminated after the Chernobyl disaster.”

Teacher Condemned for Telling the Truth about the Santa Claus Fairy Tale!

News 12 New Jersey wrote on November 30:

“A Morris County school district is apologizing for a substitute teacher who told first-grade students that Santa Claus isn’t real… At least one parent told News 12 New Jersey that her 6-year-old daughter… was extremely upset by the ordeal. ‘I was heartbroken. You know, my daughter is the hugest believer in the whole Christmas spirit – Santa, giving,’ says [the mother, and] she assured her daughter that, yes, there is a Santa Claus.

“The Cedar Hill School principal says he has spoken with the teacher about her ‘poor judgment.’”

If the conduct by the PRINCIPAL and the PARENT wasn’t bad enough for apologizing for a teacher telling the TRUTH, the comments received to the article, condemning the TEACHER, show an unbelievable degree of flagrant acceptance of and the PROMOTION of spreading LIES. Here are some samples:

 “What an [sic] jerk and probably a [sic] emotional abusing person… Such a teacher should not be allowed to come into contact with kids… How very sad that… someone would rob young children of the chance to have something positive for a change… Young children… are looking foward [sic] to some wonderful volunteer elves on Santa’s employ to make a better Christmas than would otherwise be possible. Shame on the teacher that would rob little children of an importand [sic] part of their childhood!!”

Ashdod’s Christmas Tree

JTA wrote on December 11:

“An Ashdod mall put up a Christmas tree for the first time, and that’s not sitting too well with the northern Israeli city’s haredi Orthodox deputy mayor… He called on the Big Fashion Mall to remove the ‘disgrace.’

“The mall had responded to previous criticism by erecting a giant menorah next to the trimmed tree on Monday, even though Hanukkah was ending… The company told Haaretz that the Christmas decorations are an attempt to bring a ‘European atmosphere.’

“A large population of immigrants from the former Soviet Union live in Ashdod, a port city about a half-hour’s drive from Tel Aviv, and many are believed to celebrate Christmas.”

So, many Jews celebrate Christmas? This does not seem to make any sense, but it does, as the distinctions between Christmas and the way Hanukkah is being celebrated these days by most Jews, have become very blurry.

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 and Ukraine—Warring Regimes, but Brotherly People?

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 2:

“At a press conference… on Saturday, Putin said Ukraine was not interested in a peaceful resolution to the conflict and called the governing party in Kyiv a ‘party of war.’ ‘As long as it’s in power, tragedies of this type and the war will continue,’ Putin added.”

In a prior interview on or about November 30 which was published in German by the Russian outlet RT, Putin accused the Ukrainian leader, Petro Poroshenko, of provocation. Putin also said that the Russian and the Ukrainian peoples will always remain “brotherly people.”

n-tv reported on November 30:

“Former German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel stated that Ukraine was willing to draw Germany into a war with Russia.”

Breitbart wrote on November 30:

“Ukraine announced a ban on Friday on male Russian nationals between the ages of 16 and 60 entering the country for the duration of martial law, currently scheduled to last 30 days…

“The Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday warned ‘the Russian people might lose patience’ and begin attacking Ukrainian diplomatic facilities on Russian soil, or even demand their government seize Ukrainian territory surrounding Russian diplomatic outposts…

“Ukraine’s state security service on Friday raided the home of Father Metropolitan Pavel, a Russia-backed Orthodox priest…, one of Ukraine’s most famous and frequently visited religious sites… President Poroshenko announced on Thursday that Ukraine is working on setting up its own independent branch of the Orthodox Church…”

Ultimately, Russia and Ukraine will act together, as brothers, against perceived enemies.

Putin Under Attack… Willing to Retaliate

The Associated Press wrote on December 1:

“… As the [G20] summit opened, European leaders lined up to criticize what one called Russia’s ‘aggression’ on Ukraine – the weekend seizure of Ukrainian ships and crew members near Crimea. The Group of 7 foreign ministers issued a statement demanding the seamen’s release.

“Isolated by Western democracies, Putin pushed instead to inject new strength into the so-called BRICS grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa…

“The Russian leader has warned that if the United States deploys intermediate-range missiles that are currently banned under the treaty to Europe, Russia will have to target the nations that would host them. Such weapons… take just a few minutes to reach targets, leaving virtually no time for decision-makers and dramatically increasing the possibility of a nuclear conflict over a false attack warning or technical glitch.”

Far Eastern nations will collaborate against western Europe.

In addition, the EUObserver reported the following on December 5:

“‘We’ll do the same,’ if the US deploys new medium-range nuclear missiles in Europe, Russian leader Vladimir Putin said Wednesday, after America said it would walk away from a Cold War-era anti-missile pact, the so-called INF treaty, in 60 days. The US and Nato said Tuesday Russia was anyway violating the INF by building cruise missiles capable of hitting targets in Europe at short notice. Putin denies this.”

Trump Cancels Press Conference at G20

The Daily Mail wrote on December 1:

“President Trump canceled his scheduled press conference at the G20. He said it was being done out of respect for George H.W. Bush’s family… However… the optics that would come out of Saturday’s press conference would likely not paint the White House in a good light.

“There are the personal problems that have consumed the president’s thoughts and twitter account while he’s been here. Trump has been in a defense posture since Cohen’s [Trump’s former lawyer and “fixer”] latest plea deal was revealed on Thursday. Adding to the pressure are reports that name his daughter Ivanka Trump and son Donald Trump Jr. as being more involved in looking at the Trump Tower Moscow project than previously revealed. The Trump Tower project in Moscow never got off the ground, but the Trump Organization didn’t shelve it until June 2016, long after the future president had locked up the GOP’s White House nomination…

“The one trade deal the president did sign – with Mexico and Canada – was overshadowed by the obvious unhappiness of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau [who] chastise[d] the president over steel and aluminum tariffs and pointedly called the agreement the ‘new North American Free Trade Agreement’ – instead of the USMCA, which is Trump’s preferred moniker. He made a personal plea to Trump during the ceremony to get rid of the tariffs, saying the recent closures of auto plants by General Motors in the United States and Canada made it more important for cooperation… After Trump, Trudeau, and outgoing Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto signed the agreement, Trump held his up and said: ‘We might as well hold that up.’ Nieto did so. Trudeau did not…”

Final G20 Statement

Reuters reported on December 2:

“…the leaders of all the world’s top economies called for reforms to the crisis-stricken WTO in a final statement from their summit… [It] recognized trade as an important engine of global growth but made only a passing reference to ‘the current trade issues’ after the U.S. delegation won a battle to keep any mention of protectionism out of the statement.

“… European officials said a reference to refugees and migration – a sensitive issue for Trump’s administration – was excised to ensure consensus. On climate change, the United States once again marked its differences with the rest of the G20 by reiterating in the statement its decision to withdraw from the Paris Agreement and its commitment to using all kinds of energy sources. The other members of the group reaffirmed their commitment to implement the Paris deal and tackle climate change…”

The G20 compromise statement won’t avail to much or contribute to unity between the USA and most other countries.

US Will Hold Off on Raising China Tariffs

CNBC wrote on December 3:

“‘President Trump has agreed that on January 1, 2019, he will leave the tariffs on $200 billion worth of [Chinese] product at the 10 percent rate, and not raise it to 25 percent at this time,’ the White House said… Over the next 90 days, American and Chinese officials will continue to negotiate lingering disagreements on technology transfer, intellectual property and agriculture… ‘If at the end of this period of time, the parties are unable to reach an agreement, the 10 percent tariffs will be raised to 25 percent,’ the statement added.

“Meanwhile, ‘China will agree to purchase [immediately] a not yet agreed upon, but very substantial, amount of agricultural, energy, industrial, and other product from the United States to reduce the trade imbalance between our two countries…’, the White House said.”

Newsmax added on December 3:

“President Donald Trump said China had agreed to cut import tariffs on American-made cars [presently at 40%], buying shares in BMW and Daimler AG who manufacture in the United States for export to the world’s biggest auto market…

“The move, if realized, would bolster U.S. carmakers who were hit hard when China ramped up levies on U.S.-made cars in July as part of a broad package of retaliatory tariffs amid the sprawling trade war between Washington and Beijing.”

The next issues on the international agenda are the American tariffs threats for imported German cars. Note the next articles.

German Carmakers Trying to Trick Trump?

The EUObserver reported on December 5:

“The CEOs of Germany’s top three car firms, Volkswagen, Daimler, and BMW, said they were optimistic on avoiding US tariffs after meeting US leader Donald Trump in Washington Tuesday. ‘We made a big step forward to avoid the tariffs,’ Volkswagen boss Herbert Diess said. The visit caused annoyance in EU circles, where trade commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom was meant to conduct US trade talks on behalf of the whole EU.”

Handelsblatt Today added on December 5:

“German carmakers emerged from a three-hour meeting on Tuesday with US trade representatives and the president himself with smiles. ‘The US president has advised us to invest more in the US market. We are prepared to do exactly that,’ Volkswagen CEO Herbert Diess said in Washington, D.C. The German carmakers are trying to avoid a 25 percent tariff on cars exported into the US. The investments they discussed… have been in the works for months – in response to Trump’s threats. And VW especially had reason to smile because it was able to spin a months-old alliance with Ford as a new idea. US media is treating Volkswagen’s proposal as one that was hatched just days ago to appease Trump and ward off the expensive tariffs.

“In fact, Handelsblatt first reported on a possible cooperation in June and then again early last month… VW’s plan to build some vehicles at Ford plants is anything but certain. Ford Chairman Bill Ford said talks were in the early stages though he didn’t fault VW CEO Diess for blabbing about the plans…

“For his part, Trump is trying to close a $30 billion gap in automotive trade with the European Union that is the largest chunk of the EU’s $65 billion trade surplus with the US. At the same time, he’s smarting from a General Motors announcement that it would shutter four US plants and fire thousands of workers. Trump was so incensed by GM’s plans that his administration is ending subsidies for electric cars to keep tax money away from GM…

“In addition to the Ford collaboration, VW said it might also cooperate with Microsoft on automotive software and build a second US plant, though no location was picked. VW currently produces two models in Chattanooga, Tennessee. And BMW said it had already invested $9.3 billion in its plant in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and was planning an additional $600 million by 2021, leading to 1,000 new jobs. The Munich carmaker also said it’s considering a new US plant, this time for motors.”

World Leaders Honor Late US President George H.W. Bush

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 1:

“Leaders from across the world on Saturday paid tribute to the 41st president of the United States, George H.W. Bush, who passed away on Friday at the age of 94. German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s spokesman said, ‘We will never forget his contribution to our reunion.’ The late president was an ardent supporter of a unified Germany as well as Western Europe as the Cold War unraveled in the early 1990s…

“Former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev said Bush was present at ‘a time of great change,’ adding that his leadership contributed to ‘the end of the Cold War and nuclear arms race.’ British Prime Minister Theresa May said that ‘in navigating a peaceful end to the Cold War, he made the world a safer place for generations to come.’ New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Bush ‘was a strong supporter of the international rules-based system, the rule of law and democratic values.’

“He tried to ‘create a new international order based on justice and equality among nations,’ said Kuwaiti leader Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah. He never ‘forgot the Kuwaiti people and will remain in their memory.’ When Saddam Hussein’s forces invaded Kuwait, Bush launched the US-led offensive against Iraq, culminating in the First Gulf War.

“US President Donald Trump said Bush ‘inspired generations of his fellow Americans to public service.’ ‘George H.W. Bush’s life is a testament to the notion that public service is a noble, joyous calling,’ said former US President Barack Obama… Former US President Bill Clinton, who beat Bush in the 1992 election but went on to become good friends with his once-rival, said he ‘will be forever grateful for the friendship we formed.’’

The Week added on December 5:

“President Trump on Wednesday declared a national day of mourning for former President George H.W. Bush… Bush’s son and fellow ex-president George W. Bush gave a [emotional] eulogy at Bush’s funeral at Washington National Cathedral, remembering his father’s ‘decency, sincerity, and kind soul’ and his ability to find ‘the good in each person.’

“Trump and first lady Melania Trump were in attendance, seated next to former President Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, former President Bill Clinton, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton [Next to them sat former President Jimmy Carter and his wife Rosalynn. Bush’s death makes Carter, also 94 but more than 100 days younger, the oldest living ex-president.]. Bush’s body will be flown back to Houston, where it will lie in repose at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church. Bush will be buried Thursday next to wife Barbara and daughter Robin in a family plot at Texas A&M University in College Station.”

Deutsche Welle added on December 5:

“Foreign dignitaries included German Chancellor Angela Merkel, former Polish president Lech Walesa and Britain’s Prince Charles.”

The king and queen of Jordan were also in attendance, among many other foreign dignitaries.

Controversial Conduct pertaining to the Jewish Community

JTA wrote on December 1:

“George H.W. Bush, the one-term president whose public grappling with Jewish leaders made headlines while his private interventions helped bring tens of thousands of Jews out of danger, has died… The Bush presidency was marked by tensions both with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir and the American Jewish leadership… Less remembered was how, as Ronald Reagan’s vice president, Bush quietly helped engineer some of the pivotal moments in the effort to bring Jews out of the former Soviet Union, Ethiopia and Syria…

“At the United Nations, Bush made Soviet Jewry one of his signature issues… His concern for Israel and its relationship with the United States was evident again in 1976, when he was director of the CIA…

“By mid-1992, with his presidential campaign underway, Bush seemed irreparably wounded in the eyes of the Jewish community. The younger Bush seemed in some ways to directly contradict his father’s policies. One of the elder Bush’s first acts was to set in motion the process that would eventually welcome PLO leader Yasser Arafat into the American sphere. The younger Bush decided from the outset of his presidency to isolate Arafat, whom he reviled as an unrepentant terrorist.”

Key to German Reunification

Handelsblatt Global wrote on December 3:

“The Germans are fondly remembering the elder Bush as an American of the old school: Generous, optimistic, courteous, responsible. But above all, they remember him as the key to German reunification. When the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, the leaders of the other three Allied Powers were far from thrilled to contemplate a reunited Germany in the middle of their continent again. It was Bush who immediately grasped that reunification was the best geopolitical way forward. And it was Bush who, with Chancellor Helmut Kohl, leaned on Gorbachev, Mitterrand and Thatcher to give their blessings.

“… In his inauguration speech, he dared to wish for a nation and world that was ‘kinder, gentler’… [He] was already fearing the bitter divisions to come. George H.W. Bush was a true American patriot, a multilateralist, a free trader, a good ally, and — not least — a decent, pragmatic and moderate Republican…”

Remembering President Bush’s historical role in helping with the reunification of Germany, we wrote the following in our Update #418 (November 13, 2009), pertaining to the 20th anniversary celebration of the fall of the Berlin Wall:

“Most leaders of the free Western world assembled in Germany to recount and to celebrate the events of the fall of the Wall, including Messrs. Gordon Brown, Sarkozy, Berlusconi and Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev, as well as former President George H. W. Bush Sr., former President Mikhail Gorbachev and former Chancellor Helmut Kohl. But President Obama is too busy–even though he has the time to attend a Tribal Nations Conference for America’s 564 federally recognized Native American tribes… the fall of the Berlin Wall and the unification of Germany were indeed inevitable and unstoppable. From a biblical perspective, we know that this is also true for the additional reason that without a unified Germany, Europe would and could not have united. But the Bible has prophesied the unification of Europe in our days thousands of years ago–and that the most important player within a unified Europe will be Germany…

In that Update, we also quoted from The New York Times (November 9, 2009) about the German reunification:

“Willy Brandt was uncomfortable with the idea, Günter Grass… considered it an abomination, and Gerhard Schröder… eventually voted against it. François Mitterrand resisted as long as he could, and Margaret Thatcher, in her fierce opposition, held out even further. From the day after the Berlin Wall fell, and for the next month or two, the prospect of reunifying Germany met with extensive rejection, while the Cold War’s leaders nurtured the notion that it could be negotiated and stalled into a still distant future… History accelerated in the next weeks… In late summer 1990, reunification was virtually a done deal… [It] arrived with extraordinary speed. And extraordinary acceptance… So what now, almost 20 years after George H.W. Bush, to express his pleasure with reunification, offered Germany a ‘partnership in leadership’?…”

Furthermore, the Telegraph of November 9, 2009, was quoted by us as follows: “The combination of Mr Bush, Mr Gorbachev and Mr Kohl at the helm of the most powerful countries and the momentum for unification on the streets of the east was unstoppable.”

CIA Confident that Prince Mohammed Ordered Murder of American Journalist

The Wall Street Journal wrote on December 1:

“… previously unreported excerpts [from a highly classified CIA assessment document]… state that the CIA has ‘medium-to-high confidence’ that Prince Mohammed ‘personally targeted’ Khashoggi and ‘probably ordered his death.’ It added: ‘To be clear, we lack direct reporting of the Crown Prince issuing a kill order.’

“…Secretary of State Mike Pompeo… has said that he had read every piece of U.S. intelligence regarding Mr. Khashoggi’s killing and that the agency didn’t find a so-called smoking gun. ‘There is no direct reporting connecting the crown prince to the order to murder Jamal Khashoggi,’ Mr. Pompeo told reporters.

“The judgment on Prince Mohammed’s likely culpability, the CIA assessment says, is based on the crown prince’s personal focus on Mr. Khashoggi, his tight control over the Saudi operatives sent to Istanbul to kill him, ‘and his authorizing some of the same operators to violently target other opponents.’… ‘We assess it is highly unlikely this team of operators…carried out the operation without Muhammed bin Salman’s authorization’…”

Most world leaders agree with the CIA’s assessment. As a consequence, Prince Mohammed was shunned by most at the G20 summit. A notable exception was Vladimir Putin who was also shunned by most leaders.

Newsmax added on November 5:

“There is ‘no doubt’ that Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman not only knew about the death of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi, but also condoned it or ‘worse, was actually involved in directing it,’ Sen. Marco Rubio said Wednesday, citing what he knows from being on the Senate Intelligence Committee. ‘He has absolute control in Saudi Arabia,’ the Florida Republican [said]. There is no way, and I mean no way, that 17 people that close to the crown prince fly into a third country, murder someone in a diplomatic facility, and fly back to Saudi Arabia and he not at least know about it, much less perhaps be involved in it.’

“Rubio’s comments echoed those by other Senate leaders such as Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., who after hearing a briefing by CIA Director Gina Haspel earlier this week said their belief the crown prince was involved in the journalist’s death had been cemented by the intelligence committee’s assessment.”

Multiple Earthquakes in Alaska within two days

The Week wrote on December 1:

“The 7.0 magnitude earthquake that caused serious infrastructure damage in and around Anchorage, Alaska, on Friday has been attended by at least 193 other quakes in the state over the course of two days… Though tremors are common in Alaska, Friday’s major quake was unusual. ‘It was very loud when it came,’ said Anchorage Mayor Ethan Berkowitz. ‘It was very clear that this was something bigger than what we normally experience’…”

Reuters wrote on December 2:

“The state late Saturday identified 47 earthquake-damaged roads and bridges, most of which cannot be fully repaired until the region’s dark and snowy winter has passed. But even as cleanup began, as many as 650 aftershocks continued to rock the area…”

California—Be Prepared!

The Los Angeles Times wrote on December 1:

“Buildings cracked. Roads collapsed. People were injured by falling debris. But for all the ferocity of the magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck the Anchorage area on Friday, the temblor did not cause the catastrophic damage or loss of life that have occurred from even smaller quakes both around the world and in California.

“…the quake was not centered directly under Anchorage. The epicenter was about 8½ miles away… The quake was also fairly deep — 25 miles underneath the surface — which also resulted in less shaking at the surface… The magnitude 6.7 Northridge quake hit directly underneath the suburban San Fernando Valley [in California] and was much shallower — just 11 miles underground — than the Anchorage quake… causing more damage…

“In California… there are hundreds of old brick buildings in the Inland Empire that have been marked as dangerous but haven’t been retrofitted despite decades of warning. Across California, there are other vulnerable building types, such as apartments with parking on the ground floor, older houses with a handful of steps off the ground, and vulnerable concrete and steel buildings…

“The 1964 Alaska temblor (a 9.2. monster), the second-largest earthquake in the modern record, produced 1,995 times more energy than Friday’s quake. It lasted 4½ minutes and, along with its tsunamis, killed more than 120 people. It was felt all the way to Seattle… an area of 185,000 square miles was disrupted. There were areas that dropped as much as eight feet and others rose 38 feet… Eleven people were killed by a tsunami that hit Crescent City, Calif.

“Aside from the mighty San Andreas fault, Southern California is criss-crossed with smaller faults that pose major dangers, including the Newport-Inglewood fault, which produced the 1933 Long Beach quake, and the Hollywood fault, which runs through the heart of Los Angeles. Another big concern is the Puente Hills thrust fault, which runs from near Whittier through downtown L.A., USC and Dodger Stadium, before veering west toward Beverly Hills.”

Brexit Debate in UK Parliament

The Daily Mail wrote on December 4:

“[Prime Minister] Theresa May suffered a number of big defeats in the House of Commons. MPs voted to hold ministers in contempt [which has never happened before] for refusing to publish the [governmental] legal advice [warning the Irish backstop could leave the UK trapped in ‘protracted and repeated rounds of negotiations’ for years to come.] In another defeat, an amendment… also passed. It gives MPs the power to tell [the] PM what to do in talks if her Brexit deal is defeated.”

The Guardian wrote on December 5:

“With just six days to go until the vote on her controversial deal [on December 11], which May is expected to lose heavily, Downing Street confirmed the prime minister was keen to find ways to offer MPs extra reassurance about the backstop, in the hope they will support her.”

France Passes Law Banning Corporal Punishment

The Independent wrote on November 30:

“The bill still needs to pass through the senate, France’s upper house of parliament.  As a result of the vote, France’s civil code will be changed to state that parents must not resort to ‘physical, verbal or psychological violence, nor to corporal punishment or humiliation’ when disciplining their children. Previously, parents were allowed to use corporal punishment under rights granted under Napoleon in the early 1800s.

“… a few conservative and far-right MPs have condemned it for interfering with the private lives of French citizens and families. Corporal punishment is popular in France and around 85 per cent of parents in the country smack their children…

“Following the example of Sweden in 1966, some 54 countries – including 22 EU countries – have introduced similar laws banning corporal punishment in the home… Hitting a child is illegal in England, however a legal defence exists that protects parents who smack their children. Scotland is expected to outlaw the defence next year, and Wales is considering doing the same.”

Whatever the popular opinion and strictly human reasoning might be, the Bible does not endorse such a universal ban on corporal punishment. For more information, please read our free booklet, “The Keys to Happy Marriages and Families.”

Macron in Trouble

Handelsblatt Global wrote on December 3:

“Berlin is watching with growing anxiety the travails of French President Emmanuel Macron. Germany needs Macron to succeed in France — both to stave off the populist Eurosceptic Marine Le Pen… and to reform Europe…

“Macron… returned from his G20 photo op in Buenos Aires to a French capital that looked pre-revolutionary. For the third consecutive weekend, protesters wearing yellow security vests (the ones you’re supposed to keep in your car for accidents) vandalized the Arc de Triomphe and other symbolic sites. Officially, they’re upset about planned hikes in fuel taxes [which subsequently Macron put on hold]. But increasingly they’re just venting against a young president they perceive as haughty.”

Replacing Merkel… through Intrigue and Backstabbing?

Handelsblatt Global wrote on December 5:

“Friedrich Merz’s bid to succeed German Chancellor Angela Merkel as chair of her Christian Democratic Union received its biggest boost yet as Wolfgang Schäuble, the former finance minister, endorsed him two days ahead of the party convention [on Friday, December 7]… The comments are a setback for Merkel, who is widely believed to support Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (AKK), a moderate like her whom she anointed as her successor earlier this year…

“Although polls show AKK is more popular than Merz among the party base and broader German public, Merz is believed to enjoy wider support from CDU party delegates. Many party officials wish for a return to the CDU’s conservative roots after years of Merkel’s centrism… Schäuble was Merkel’s finance minister during the euro crisis and is now the president of the Bundestag, the lower chamber of parliament. At 76, the veteran politician is a veritable patriarch of the party…

“Many in Germany see Merz’s bid to succeed Merkel as a quest for personal revenge. Merz was one of the country’s most senior figures, the head of the CDU’s parliamentary group in the Bundestag until Merkel ousted him in 2002. He left politics in 2009 and went on to become a senior executive with asset management giant BlackRock, amassing a fortune in the process. And Schäuble’s endorsement of Merz may have a similar motive. The men are good friends — and Schäuble also fell victim to Merkel’s intrigues as she pursued power two decades ago. In 1999, in a column in the same daily, she turned against Schäuble, who until then had been among her political mentors…

“In the past months, Schäuble quietly engineered Merz’s political comeback. The nearly-forgotten former politician surprised Germany when he came forward six weeks ago as a candidate to succeed Merkel as CDU chair within minutes of the chancellor’s announcement that the post was up for grabs. It is thought that Merkel got wind of a plan to oust her and chose to step down rather than being pushed out. Pundits say if Merz becomes the CDU’s next chairman, he would likely bring about her downfall before her fourth term is due to end in 2021…”

Neo-Nazis in the German Bundeswehr

Express wrote on December 2:

“Neo-Nazi soldiers have infiltrated the German military and are plotting to butcher a list of politicians and immigrants… [They] have allegedly plotted to kill Green Party leader Claudia Roth, foreign minister Heiko Mass and former president Joachim Gauck. The group have been stockpiling weapons for when the right time arrives… German authorities have reportedly been searching training camps on the Austrian and Swiss borders for weapons, ammunition, petrol and food.

“Death squads allegedly planned to lure them and other left-wing politicians to a remote location and assassinate them. Reports say they planned to kill leaders of asylum seeker groups who have been blamed for social unrest, terrorism and rapes in Germany. Accusations made against one soldier – known by his code name ‘Hannibal’ – revealed how little Germany knows about its most elite troops. According to [a report] by Berlin magazine, Focus, elite soldiers who meet Hannibal are enlisted into his ‘shadow army’ of extremists… Evidence also implies ‘Hannibal’ has been helped by people high up in the Bundeswehr. [The] extremists are still believed to operate in Germany’s military. Germany’s defence Ministry insists the army is clean.”

Serving Pig Blood Sausage to Muslims?

Deutsche Welle wrote on December 3:

“Germany’s Interior Ministry has come under fire for serving blood sausage at a national Islam conference last week… The ministry has defended its decision to serve the sausage consisting of pig’s blood, pork and bacon at the evening buffet on Wednesday. It said the serving reflected the ‘religious-pluralistic composition’ of the event, which brought together Muslim associations and leaders with officials from the federal and local governments. The ministry added that there was a wide range of food at the ‘clearly excellent’ buffet, with vegetarian, meat, fish and halal dishes available. ‘If individuals were still offended for religious reasons, we regret this,’ it said.

“Nonetheless, some have viewed the choice of blood sausage as a deliberate provocation by hardline Interior Minister Horst Seehofer. In March, Seehofer caused a stir when he said in an interview that ‘Islam doesn’t belong to Germany’ and that ‘Germany has been shaped by Christianity’…

“Turkish-German journalist Tuncay Ozdamar, who first reported the ‘#BloodSausageGate’ scandal, questioned on Twitter what message Seehofer had intended to send with the culinary decision. ‘A little respect for Muslims who do not eat pork would be appropriate,’ wrote Ozdamar…

“Green Party politician Volker Beck also slammed the Interior Ministry, writing on Twitter that ‘appreciating diversity means also considering different habits.’ Ali Bas, a Green Party spokesman for religious issues, told Watson.de that the blood sausage was not clearly identified at the buffet, but was rather served on appetizer trays. The Interior Ministry had said the food servings were clearly marked… The Interior Ministry reportedly served ham in the first year of the annual Islam Conference in 2006.

“The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) quickly entered the discussion, accusing critics of the Interior Ministry of launching an attack on German culture…”

This “insensitive” or perhaps even intentional conduct of the Interior Ministry, combined with its ridiculous explanation, is not only directed at Muslims, but also, by extension, at Jews and EVERYONE who wants to live by the dietary laws of the Bible. That the AfD would support such conduct is again telling and frightening.

Pope Concerned over Status of Jerusalem

Reuters and The Algemeiner wrote on December 3:

“The Vatican expressed concern over the status of Jerusalem on Monday as Pope Francis and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas held their first meeting since the United States stirred international anxiety by moving its embassy there… ‘Particular attention was reserved for the status of Jerusalem, underlining the importance of recognizing and preserving its identity and the universal value of the holy City for the three Abrahamic religions,’ a Vatican statement said, referring to Christianity, Judaism, and Islam…

“The Vatican expressed concern last year at Trump’s move [of the embassy to Jerusalem], saying the city’s ‘status quo’ should be respected… As Abbas was leaving the library, he told the pope: ‘We are counting on you.’ It was not clear what he was referring to.”

Ultimately, the Roman Catholic Church and a new leadership of a United Europe will collaborate with the Arabs against Israel.

“Why I Left the Catholic Church”

The Week published the following article by Damon Linker, on November 30:

“Three months ago, I announced I was leaving the Catholic Church. My reason was that the latest revelations in the church’s interminable sex abuse scandal had revealed ‘a repulsive institution — or at least one permeated by repulsive human beings who reward one another for repulsive acts, all the while deigning to lecture the world about its sin.’

“Let’s just say subsequent events haven’t led me to regret the decision. That would include Wednesday’s news that the offices of the cardinal-archbishop of Galveston-Houston, who also happens to serve as president of the United States Catholic bishops’ conference, were raided by ‘dozens of local and federal law enforcement officers … looking for evidence in a clergy sexual abuse case.’ A couple of weeks ago, the story was the Vatican’s decision to nix plans by the American bishops to devise some kind of response to the scandal — on the grounds that it’s mostly just a conspiracy drummed up by troublemaking right-wing clerics and laypeople…

“The claim [is absurd] that, of all the Christian churches, the Roman church is the very best, the truest of all, the one most fully and rightly ordered through time. That would be not only the church of the great diabolical popes of the past (like John XII and Alexander VI and Boniface VIII and Leo X), but also the church that in recent decades has seen literally thousands of priests in countries across the globe accused of sexually abusing children — 271 of them in the archdiocese of Boston alone — with untold numbers of bishops covering it up year after year after year. The number is untold, by the way, because we are still nowhere near knowing just how many members of the Catholic hierarchy around the world — all the way up to popes themselves — knew exactly what was happening and responded like self-protective bureaucrats and PR flacks out to protect a corporate brand from bad press…

“If you believe that Jesus Christ was resurrected, that he is the Son of God and the second person of the… Godhead, that his teaching tells us how the creator of the universe wants us to live, then by all means be a Christian. But to believe that this particular church, of all the Christian churches in the world, is the one most fully and rightly ordered through time, over and above all of the others? You can’t possibly be serious…”

The Catholic Church claims that she is the one and only true Christian mother church, and that the Evangelicals or the Protestant organizations are rebellious daughters who have left their mother. Of course, in a spiritual sense, the Evangelicals did not really leave their mother, because they have adopted and still maintain her unbiblical teachings.

“Gay People Should Not Join Catholic Clergy, Pope Francis Says”

The Guardian wrote on December 1:

“Pope Francis is ‘concerned’ about what he describes as the ‘serious issue’ of homosexuality… ‘that must be adequately discerned from the beginning with the candidates’… ‘In our societies it even seems that homosexuality is fashionable and that mentality, in some way, also influences the life of the church’…

“The Roman Catholic church’s position is that homosexual acts are sinful… A decree on training for Roman Catholic priests in 2016 stressed the obligation of sexual abstinence, as well as barring gay men and those who support ‘gay culture’ from holy orders.

“The barring of people who present homosexual tendencies was first stipulated by the Catholic church in 2005. ‘It can happen that at the time perhaps they didn’t exhibit [that tendency], but later on it comes out,’ Francis said. ‘In consecrated and priestly life, there’s no room for that kind of affection. Therefore, the church recommends that people with that kind of ingrained tendency should not be accepted into the ministry or consecrated life… It’s better for them to leave the ministry or the consecrated life rather than to live a double life.’

“In 2013, just months after assuming the papacy, Francis said: ‘If someone is gay and is searching for the Lord and has good will, then who am I to judge him?’, signifying a softer tone on homosexuality.”

Pope Francis’ contradictory positions on the issue of homosexuality must be confusing to many Catholics.

Did Science Confirm Accuracy of the Bible’s Explanation of the Origin of Man?

Express wrote on December 3:

“The Bible’s book of Genesis has been ‘confirmed’ as evidence suggests every man, woman and child can trace their family tree back to an original man and woman, a documentary has claimed.

“… In Amazon Prime’s ‘Unlocking Ancient Secrets of the Bible’, the documentary explores a contentious question: Is the biblical book of Genesis literal, real-life history? The show’s narrator, Roger Moore, claims: ‘The best scientific evidence suggest[s] the universe began thereby confirming the words of Genesis.’ Faze Rana, author and research[er] reveals: ‘There was compelling scientific evidence that this biblical story of Adam and Eve actually is history.’

“Mr Moore asks: ‘Can every single human being, past, present, and future, trace their family tree back to an original man and woman?’ Hugh Ross, President and Director of Reasons to Believe explains: ‘The scientific community actually refers to this genetic Adam that they have found as Y chromosome Adam and they refer to the mitochondrial DNA woman as Eve. This is referred to in the scientific literature as Garden of Eden Hypothesis.’”

Ark of the Covenant in Ethiopia?

The Daily Star wrote on December 3:

“Bible scholars claim to have uncovered the final resting place of the legendary Ark of the Covenant – saying the holy relic was most likely smuggled out of Israel to Africa. Bible Archaeology, Search & Exploration Institute (BASE) claim there is strong evidence that the Old Testament’s ark’s resting place is in Ethiopia.

“The Ark of the Covenant is one of the most sought after relics from the Bible, being the trunk said to contain the Ten Commandments handed down to Moses on Mount Sinai. It is said the chest is made of wood and covered in gold, containing the two stone tablets along with other paraphernalia from the Bible. Ethiopia has long had a connection to the Ark, with Christians in the country outright claiming to be the current holders of the relic with it under guard at the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion.

“Biblical scholars mounted an expedition to Ethiopia as they believe the Ark was taken there after being shipped out of Israel to Egypt. BASE do not 100% claim to have uncovered the Ark, but said the research has ‘strong potential’. It said: ‘… As unusual as this may sound, the BASE team has uncovered compelling evidence that the Ark may well have been spirited up the Nile River to an eventual resting place in the remote highlands of ancient Kush–modern-day Ethiopia.’

“BASE allege the Biblical king Manasseh drove a sect of Jews out of Israel and they took the Ark of the Covenant with them from its original resting place beneath the Temple Mount… Visiting the alleged site in Ethiopia they were met with Christian monks who… produced the two forks allegedly taken from Solomon’s Temple – the first temple in Jerusalem – that was destroyed in 587 BC. BASE scholars visited the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion – but were denied access to the alleged Ark… No one can view the Ark except for the guardian monk…

“‘What we have concluded is that St. Mary’s of Zion church in Axum, Ethiopia, is the resting place either of an incredible replica of the biblical Ark of the Covenant, or, of the actual Ark of the Covenant itself.’

“Legends about the end of days are linked to the recovery of the Ark, claiming the construction of the prophesied Third Temple – which would trigger the end times and the arrival of the Messiah – needs the crate to be returned to Jerusalem. Prophecies state that Ark will be found just before Judgement Day when God should ‘gather his people again and receive them unto mercy.’ Other theories on the Ark’s location claim it remains hidden in its resting place beneath the Temple Mount [or] to being sunk in the Sea of Galilee… To this day, there is no leading historical theory on what happened to the Ark…”

For further archeological and biblical information, please read our Q&A, titled, “Where is the Ark of the Covenant today? Will it be found prior to Christ’s return?”

Preparing for the Third Temple

Breaking Israel News wrote on November 29:

“The nascent Sanhedrin released a declaration to the 70 nations for Hanukkah to be read at a ceremony in Jerusalem on the last day of the holiday. The ceremony will include the consecration of a stone altar prepared for use in the Third Temple. The declaration is intended as an invitation to the nations to participate in the Temple and to receive its blessings. The altar is currently in the form of loose stone blocks ready to be transported to the Temple Mount and stored in a manner that will enable them to be transported and assembled at a moment’s notice.

“When complete, the altar will be a square nine feet on each side and five feet tall, and includes a ramp for the priests to ascend. The decision to prepare the blocks and all the details of their composition is the result of a long study performed by the members of the Sanhedrin in conjunction with the Temple Institute. The stones are made of aerated concrete and are fit for use in the Temple. There are plans underway to prepare a new set made of actual stones which are considered the ideal material from which to build the altar.

“A full-dress reenactment of the Korban Olah Tamid (the daily offering) will take place. Kohanim (Jewish men of the priestly caste descended from Aaron) wearing Biblically mandated garb will lead the ceremony. The location is still unclear… the meat [of the offered lamb] will be roasted on the newly consecrated altar…

“[On behalf of the Sanhedrin, Rabbi Yoel Schwartz stated:] ‘Now, it is time for the Creator’s people to return to their land… and the Temple will be restored and built on its place, then… all the nations [will] realize that the time has come to worship God.’”

Acknowledgement and Disclaimer

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

Brexit: “May Gives Way over Gibraltar after Spain’s ‘Veto’ Threat”

The Guardian wrote on November 24:

“Theresa May has given way to Madrid’s demands over the future of Gibraltar after the Spanish prime minister threatened to ‘veto’ the Brexit deal due to be signed off by EU leaders on Sunday [which it was, see below]. On the eve of Sunday’s special Brexit summit, the British ambassador to the EU, Sir Tim Barrow, wrote to concede that Gibraltar would not necessarily be covered by a future trade deal with the EU… The Spanish leader, Pedro Sánchez, reacted immediately, claiming the UK would now have to open talks on ‘joint sovereignty’ of Gibraltar…

“Sánchez said:  ‘Spain will be a fundamental pillar of the relationship between Gibraltar and the EU as a whole. When it comes to the future political declaration, the European council and the European commission have backed Spain’s position, and backed it as never before.’…

“The development threatens… to open up a new front in Downing Street’s battle with the critics of May’s deal… The prime minister had promised in the House of Commons and on the steps of Downing Street that she would work for the entire ‘UK family’, including Gibraltar, a disputed territory.”

The Church of God has felt for many decades that, ultimately, the UK might lose Gibraltar as one of the last remaining “sea gates” in their possession.

EU Approves Agreement on UK’s Brexit

BBC reported on November 25:

“EU leaders have approved an agreement on the UK’s withdrawal and future relations – insisting it is the ‘best and only deal possible’…

“European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said anyone in Britain who thought the bloc might offer improved terms if MPs rejected the deal would be ‘disappointed’. But European Council President Donald Tusk… said he would not speculate on what would happen in such a situation, saying: ‘I am not a fortune teller.’

“The UK Parliament is expected to vote on the deal in early December, but its approval is far from guaranteed. Labour, the Lib Dems, the SNP, the DUP and many Conservatives MPs are set to vote against.

“… At a news conference in Brussels, [Theresa May] said the agreement would: end freedom of movement ‘in full and once and for all,’ protect the constitutional integrity of the UK, and ensure a return to ‘laws being made in our country by democratically elected politicians interpreted and enforced by British courts’. The agreement, she added, would not remove Gibraltar from the ‘UK family’…

[As the previous article and the following articles show, all these declarations, as stated, are factually incorrect.]

“Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the parliamentary arithmetic was ‘looking challenging’ and warned ‘nothing could be ruled out’ if Mrs May lost the vote, including the government collapsing…

“The agreement will also have to go back to the European Council, where a majority of countries (20 out of 27 states) will need to vote for it. It will also need to be ratified by the European Parliament, in a vote expected to take place in early 2019…

“Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn responded to Sunday’s summit by calling the deal ‘the worst of all worlds.’ He said his party would oppose it… Former Conservative leader Iain Duncan Smith said he would find it ‘very, very difficult’ to support the agreement as it stood… [Northern Ireland’s] Democratic Unionist leader [DUP] Arlene Foster… said… the agreement… would leave Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK ‘still within European structures with no say in its rules’…”

A Hard Sell

The Associated Press wrote on November 24:

“British Prime Minister Theresa May must now sell the deal to her divided Parliament — a huge task considering the intense opposition from pro-Brexit and pro-EU lawmakers alike — to ensure Britain can leave with a minimum of upheaval on March 29. It’s a hard sell.

“The agreement leaves Britain outside the EU with no say but still subject to its rules and the obligations of membership at least until the end of 2020, possibly longer. Britons voted to leave in June 2016, largely over concerns about immigration and losing sovereignty to Brussels…

“Many predict it will fail in the British Parliament. No one can be sure whether that would lead to the fall of the government, a new referendum, a postponement of Brexit or a chaotic ‘no deal’ exit for Britain. But Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said he thought May’s chances of getting the agreement through Parliament were strong. He said British lawmakers would see that ‘the alternative is a no deal, cliff-edge Brexit, which is something of course that we all want to avoid.’”

The Sun wrote on November 27:

“Theresa May could suffer a 200-vote defeat when the Commons decides on her Brexit deal — dealing a fatal blow to her Premiership… By Tuesday night, a total of 98 Tory MPs had publicly declared their opposition to the deal… with more known to also oppose it.”

The Sun commented that the entire vote of all parties in Parliament could end up with 221 for and 418 against the deal. 318 votes would be needed to pass the deal.

At the same time, Daily Mail reported on November 28 that according to a new poll, 52 percent of the public state their belief that Theresa May’s deal “is the best on the table.”

“Theresa May’s Betrayal Agreement”—“Brexit By Name Only”

Breitbart added on November 24:

“The Remain-voting Prime Minister’s deal with the European Union — if ratified by the British Parliament and European Parliament — could condemn the United Kingdom to ‘perpetual purgatory’ or even no Brexit at all, as Britain’s departure would be followed by a lengthy ‘transition’ period in which it would remain subject to all the rules and regulations of an EU member-state, but without representation in the EU’s institutions.”

We know from the Bible that Great Britain will leave the EU… and not just by name only.

No Plan B?

Newsmax and Thomson/Reuters wrote on November 24:

“Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, whose country chairs EU meetings till the end of the year, said there could be no more negotiations. ‘There is no Plan B,’ said Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. ‘If anyone thinks in the United Kingdom that by voting No something better would come out of it, they are wrong.’”

This was questioned by several reports in the press stating that the EU was drafting a contingency agreement in case the present deal would be rejected by the UK Parliament.

Will Germany Be Asked to Help?

The EUObserver wrote on November 24:

“German chancellor Angela Merkel refused to speculate on what would happen if the deal did not make it through the UK parliament. Asked if she would help May, she said ‘one should not do anything one is not asked to do’…”

The Bible indicates that the UK might indeed ask Germany for help, but in any case, Germany will not be able or willing to provide it.

Far From Over

The EUObserver wrote on November 24:

“The EU treaty on any given member state’s withdrawal, in its Article 50, makes it possible for the UK to ask for an extension of the Brexit withdrawal negotiating period that is meant to end in March 2019.  EU states would need to agree unanimously to continue negotiations with the UK, but at the moment, there is little appetite for that in European capitals.

“In any case, the Brexit story is far from over. If the deal goes through in Britain, negotiators will still have to turn to the next, and even more complicated talks on a future deal on trade and other aspects of the bilateral relationship… France’s president Emmanuel Macron also gave a sign that the EU was prepared to play hardball. He noted that an agreement on fisheries could be linked to avoiding the Irish backstop, meaning that the UK could be forced into a deal on fishing rights in order to avoid staying in the customs union indefinitely.”

No US-UK Trading Because of Brexit?

The Guardian wrote on November 26:

“Donald Trump has delivered a weighty blow to Theresa May’s hopes of steering her Brexit deal through parliament, saying it sounded like a ‘great deal for the EU’ that would stop the UK trading with the US… Trump’s intervention caught Downing Street off-guard and is likely to weaken May’s hand at a time when she is seeking to get the deal approved by parliament… A vote is due on 11 December after a five-day debate…

“Under the deal the UK will not be able to pursue an independent trade policy during the 21-month transition period after Brexit, during which it will be in effect an EU member state without any representation in the bloc’s decision-making institutions… Such a scenario would see the whole of the UK staying in a customs union with Brussels under which it would not be able to pursue any trade deal covering goods – although the UK would be free to seek agreements in the services sector…

“Trump has… been seeking a trade deal with the EU, and has been threatening tariffs on the European car industry in order to attain such a prize. The UK would likely be covered by such an EU-US deal… Trump has had an uneasy relationship with May, and made no secret of his support for Nigel Farage and the British hard right…”

US-British Relationship Less Special after Brexit

The Washington Post wrote on November 24:

“As Britain continues to hash out the terms of its divorce with the European Union… Americans are already feeling the loss: A once-indispensable proxy in Europe no longer has clout that it can exercise on Washington’s behalf… Americans will find it harder to exert their will inside a 27-nation bloc that will be among the richest in the world… Leaders in London and Washington like to boast of their ‘special relationship’… The reality… is that Britain outside the European Union is a lot less special…

“… a Europe unbound from Britain is likely to go in an entirely new direction — one that Americans may dislike. One conflict flared this month after French President Emmanuel Macron — the leader of the only remaining E.U. country with enough military might to engage in foreign operations on its own — spoke of his desire to build a ‘real European army,’ a project London and Washington long tried to prevent… When Britain was a full, participating member of the E.U., it vetoed such discussions. Now that Europeans are planning for life after Brexit, London no longer has a voice.”

“Thanks to Brexit, the European Army Is on Its Way”

Handelsblatt Global wrote on November 26:

“Last week German and French defense ministries quietly announced contracts for further cooperation. Could Brexit – and the impending departure of the EU’s biggest military spender – finally be causing the Germans to pick up their guns? Brexit may be sad but it has had one positive outcome for the other 27 nations in the European Union: It has brought them closer together politically. There may soon be another sector that can celebrate more togetherness thanks to the British decision to leave the EU: the defense industry.

“… the UK has always been closer to NATO than the idea of a European army. Additionally, Britain was always a fly in the sticky ointment of European defense. Successive British governments ‘have been careful to ensure that the EU did not develop any serious national security or defense capabilities that might impinge on [the UK’s] own,’ former British spy chief, Richard Dearlove, pointed out recently.

“That could all be about to change. Up until recently, Germany has been reluctant to truly engage in building up a ‘European army.’ But lately there’s been lots of talk about not being able to rely on the Americans anymore, under US President Donald Trump, as well as positive signs from French and German leaders. All that, and the looming loss (at least, contractually) of one of the EU’s major military powers, could finally be pushing the Germans into arming themselves better, after years of procrastination.

“A short announcement that appeared on the German defense ministry’s website last Wednesday afternoon seems to confirm this. German defense minister Ursula von der Leyen and her French counterpart, Florence Parly, announced they are awaiting a joint plan from Germany’s Rheinmetall and KNDS (a Netherlands-based holding company comprising arms-makers, Germany’s Krauss-Maffei Wegmann, or KMW, and France’s Nexter) about the development of a combat ground system, including tanks. They expect the plan by the middle of next year. Both ministers also agreed on how exactly Dassault Aviation, a French firm, and the French-German aerospace company, Airbus, will work together on a new concept for joint air defense. The French companies will take the lead in the air while the Germans do so on the ground.

“The announcement… can be seen as an important de-facto declaration of intent, via the biggest defense contracts in the EU… Industry insiders say the air combat systems are worth around €500 billion ($569 billion) and the new tanks, about €100 billion…

“Franco-German naval defense could also see more mergers and cooperation, if things continue in this vein. France’s state-owned Naval Group could launch another bid for their German rival, ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, who have said they are open to a good offer…”

The Times added on November 28:

“German public support for an increase to defence spending has risen sharply over the past year, amid concerns that the country can no longer depend on the US for protection.”

How American and German Views Differ

Politico wrote on November 26:

“According to a new study, seven-in-ten Americans said the relationship between the two countries was good, while 73 percent in Germany said the relationship was bad. That’s a big jump on the German side from 2017, when 56 percent said the relationship was bad…  Seventy percent of Americans said the U.S. should cooperate more with Germany, but only 41 percent of Germans said Germany should cooperate more with the U.S… 58 percent of Americans wanted to cooperate less with Moscow, while 69 percent of Germans wanted more cooperation.

“… most Germans (72 percent) said they want to be more independent from the U.S. when it comes to foreign policy…In the U.S., 65 percent want to remain close to Europe… 51 percent of Americans opposed the initial tariffs (with 44 percent in favor). In Germany, 78 percent supported increasing tariffs on imported U.S. products in response to American tariffs on German goods.”

Merkel and Macron: “EU States Must Prepare to Hand National Sovereignty over to Brussels”

Breitbart wrote on November 23:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said that European Union (EU) member states must be prepared to transfer powers over to Brussels at a debate on the ‘tensions’ between globalisation and national sovereignty. ‘Nation states must today be prepared to give up their sovereignty,’ Merkel said… [She also said that nationalism] ‘is not patriotism, because patriotism is when you include others in German interests and accept win-win situations,’ … paraphrasing her French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, who recently claimed that ‘patriotism is the exact opposite of nationalism…’

“Battling disastrous poll ratings at home in France, as well as massive protests, Macron travelled to Berlin at the weekend, where he told the Bundestag that ‘the Franco-German couple [has] the obligation not to let the world slip into chaos and to guide it on the road to peace.’ ‘Europe must be stronger and win more sovereignty,’ the French president said, demanding EU member states surrender national sovereignty to Brussels over ‘foreign affairs, migration, and development’ in addition to ‘an increasing part of our budgets and even fiscal resources’.”

Ten nations or groups of nations with sovereign powers will emerge from the current EU, and they will in turn give their authority to a charismatic economic, political and military leader, called the “beast” in the Bible. He is also referred to as the “king of the North” and as “King Jareb,” the modern “King of Assyria.”

Martin Schulz Speaks Out

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 21:

“The former president of the European Parliament failed dramatically in his bid to unseat Chancellor Angela Merkel. But is he looking for a comeback?… Martin Schulz had hoped to become Germany’s chancellor, or at least the country’s foreign minister…

“It was a dramatic fall for a politician who went from being the hope of the Social Democrats, elected party leader with a record 100 per cent of the votes, to the man responsible for the party’s worst election result in decades. However… Schulz said he was not the wrong candidate for the top job… ‘I am not a bad loser,’ said Schulz, who before the failed campaign in 2017 made his mark as European Parliament (EP) president from 2012 to 2017. The EP has been widely criticized for its democratic deficits, but Martin Schulz said this criticism has mainly come from right-wing tendencies in the United Kingdom… [But when he was asked] whether this criticism is nevertheless valid, Schulz said it was ‘completely nonsense.’…

“Martin Schulz has remained a passionate European and has continued to defend one of his main proposals: the idea of a United States of Europe. [He said:] ‘… if you want to run in future times the EU and the idea of democracy against people like Mr. Trump, Xi Jinping or Mr. Putin, we have to deepen European integration.’ Schulz has defended these European ideas for a long time, and he probably will continue to do so… he will focus on his role as member of the German Bundestag. ‘I am not looking for a comeback. I am here,’ he said.”

“The Lost Lessons of World War I”

Project Syndicate wrote on November 23:

“It has been 100 years since World War I ended, and the centenary was commemorated this month with great pomp in Australia, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom. Germany sent high-level authorities to France to mark the occasion, reaffirming the reconciliation between the two countries. But the fact that Franco-German reconciliation did not occur until Europe had suffered another devastating war demonstrates how fragile peace can be, especially when political leaders are as shortsighted as they often are… WWII erupted because nationalism was allowed to continue to fester…

“The risk today is that generations that have not known war will reproduce the chain of events that lead to it… the structures we have created to preserve peace are far from foolproof. With populations across the West embracing nationalistic and populist ideas, we are again dancing on the rim of a volcano.”

Hillary Clinton Wants to Advise Europe

The Guardian wrote on November 22:

“Europe must get a handle on immigration to combat a growing threat from rightwing populists, Hillary Clinton has said, calling on the continent’s leaders to send out a stronger signal showing they are ‘not going to be able to continue to provide refuge and support.’ In an interview with the Guardian, the former Democratic presidential candidate praised the generosity shown by the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, but suggested immigration was inflaming voters and contributed to the election of Donald Trump and Britain’s vote to leave the EU…

“Clinton’s remarks are likely to prove controversial across Europe, which has struggled to form a unified position ever since more than 1 million migrants and refugees arrived in the EU in 2015…

“Brexit, described by Clinton as the biggest act of national economic self-harm in modern history, ‘was largely about immigration’, she said… Clinton said rightwing populists in the west met ‘a psychological as much as political yearning to be told what to do, and where to go, and how to live and have their press basically stifled and so be given one version of reality. The whole American system was designed so that you would eliminate the threat from a strong, authoritarian king or other leader and maybe people are just tired of it. They don’t want that much responsibility and freedom. They want to be told what to do and where to go and how to live and only given one version of reality.’

“She also reveals her contempt for Steve Bannon, whose attempt to bolster rightwing populist parties in Europe is stalling everywhere outside of Italy. ‘Rome is the right place for him since it is bread and circuses and it’s as old as recorded history…”

Clinton’s statements about immigration met strong rejection by Democrats in the USA. Left-leaning MSNBC suggested that she should stay quiet, as her comments are hurting the Democratic Party. On the other hand, her description of Rome is quite interesting, as the ancient Roman Empire will be revived one more time in continental Europe.

The Renewed Russian-Ukrainian Conflict

AFP wrote on November 26:

“Ukraine’s parliament approved the introduction of martial law [for 30 days] in border regions on Monday, as Russian state TV aired images of Ukrainian sailors captured after Moscow seized three of Kiev’s ships in a confrontation at sea… on Sunday… Ukraine and its Western allies say Russia illegally blocked the strait and acted against international law by grabbing the vessels and sailors.

“The UN Security Council met in an emergency session, where US Ambassador Nikki Haley warned Russia against ‘outlaw actions’… The confrontation is the latest dangerous development in the conflict pitting Ukraine against Moscow and Russian-backed rebels in the east of the country. More than 10,000 people have been killed since the Moscow-backed insurgency broke out in April 2014 following Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine…

“Tensions have been building over the Kerch Strait, where Russia has built a new bridge that gives it a land connection to Crimea, annexed by Moscow in 2014. Kiev has accused Moscow of blocking access for Ukrainian ships through the strait, the only way in and out of the Sea of Azov to the Black Sea. In recent months both sides had deployed more naval and border vessels to the area.”

The EUObserver wrote on November 26:

“Russia has rejected Western calls to free Ukrainian ships and sailors and to unblock access to the Azov Sea, while trumpeting its alternative account of the crisis. The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said on Monday (26 November), that Moscow did not care if the EU and US imposed extra sanctions over Sunday’s naval incident… He accused Ukraine of having ‘provoked’ the incident ‘in the hope that the US and Europe, as always, recklessly, will take [its] side’… The Russian foreign ministry went further in its statement, saying that the attempt at ‘provoking a conflict with Russia’ was carried out by Ukraine ‘in coordination with the United States and the European Union’…

“The clash has raised alarm in Europe that the four-year old Ukrainian conflict could escalate into full-blown war…”

Ukraine will end up in Russia’s hands. The Bible shows that ultimately, Russia and Ukraine (the modern Medes) will fight against continental Europe. Please view our new StandingWatch program, “How Will the New Russian-Ukrainian Conflict Be ‘Solved’?” 

Is Saudi Arabia Trying to Build an Atomic Bomb?

The New York Times wrote on November 22:

“Before Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, was implicated by the C.I.A. in the killing of Jamal Khashoggi, American intelligence agencies were trying to solve a separate mystery: Was the prince laying the groundwork for building an atomic bomb?

“The 33-year-old heir to the Saudi throne had been overseeing a negotiation with the Energy Department and the State Department to get the United States to sell designs for nuclear power plants to the kingdom. The deal was worth upward of $80 billion, depending on how many plants Saudi Arabia decided to build. But there is a hitch: Saudi Arabia insists on producing its own nuclear fuel, even though it could buy it more cheaply abroad… That raised concerns in Washington that the Saudis could divert their fuel into a covert weapons project – exactly what the United States and its allies feared Iran was doing…

“Prince Mohammed set off alarms when he declared earlier this year, in the midst of the negotiation, that if Iran, Saudi Arabia’s fiercest rival, ‘developed a nuclear bomb, we will follow suit as soon as possible.’ His negotiators stirred more worries by telling the Trump administration that Saudi Arabia would refuse to sign an agreement that would allow United Nations inspectors to look anywhere in the country for signs that the Saudis might be working on a bomb…

“Now lurking behind the transaction is the question of whether a Saudi government that assassinated Mr. Khashoggi and repeatedly changed its story about the murder can be trusted with nuclear fuel and technology. Such fuel can be used for benign or military purposes: If uranium is enriched to 4 percent purity, it can fuel a power plant; at 90 percent it can be used for a bomb…

“Saudi Arabia has long displayed interest in acquiring, or helping allies acquire, the building blocks of a program that could make nuclear weapons and protect the kingdom from potential threats from its neighbors – first Israel, then Iraq and Iran. The Saudi government provided the financing for Pakistan to secretly build its own nuclear arms… That financial link has long left American intelligence officials wondering if there was a quid pro quo…

“Over the years, several nations have demonstrated that it is possible to turn ostensibly civilian programs into sources of bomb fuel, and thus atomic warheads and military power. Israel recently released an archive of material, stolen from Tehran in January, to prove that the Iranian government deceived the world for years…”

European Arms Embargos on Saudi Arabia

The Independent wrote on November 23:

“More European governments have imposed an arms embargo on Saudi Arabia in response to the country’s on-going killing of civilians in Yemen. The British government has so far resisted joining international efforts to stem the unfolding humanitarian catastrophe, which the UK has sold £4.7bn worth of arms to fuel since 2015.

“The Danish, German, Dutch and Finnish governments have now joined other countries in halting the sale of weapons to the autocracy, as the UN warns of ‘the worst famine in the world in 100 years’. The European parliament voted a month ago to back the embargo, which is also being supported by the governments of Austria, Belgium, Switzerland and Norway.

“Sweden has said it will end the sale of arms but has not yet done so. Britain’s vocal opposition to an embargo puts it in the same camp as Spain, which U-turned on a previous commitment to end the sale of arms after protests by workers at shipyards that would lose out from contracts.”

The Trump Administration has also refused to impose an arms embargo on Saudi Arabia, even though Congress is evaluating this possibility. The paradoxical irony is that soon, the current alliances will be reversed. The Bible shows that the relationship between the USA and Saudi Arabia will deteriorate, while the EU, under German leadership, will form a short-lived collaboration with Middle Eastern nations, including Saudi Arabia, against the USA, the UK and the state of Israel.  

“Humanitarian Crisis” at the US-Mexico Border

Reuters wrote on November 23:

“Unaccompanied minors and other vulnerable migrants risk falling victim to crime in the Mexican border city of Tijuana, where thousands of Central Americans from caravans may be stuck for months as authorities tighten up asylum rules, advocates say. Some 4,600 migrants from the bedraggled caravans… are camped out with blankets and little food in an overcrowded stadium in Tijuana…Among the Central Americans, many of whom are Hondurans fleeing violence and poverty in the struggling region, are about 80 minors between the ages of 10 and 17…

“Tijuana was rated… as the fifth most violent city in the world in 2017, with a higher murder rate than the Central American cities from which the migrants are escaping. Juan Manuel Gastelum, Tijuana’s mayor, said late on Thursday that the city was facing a humanitarian crisis and that supporting the migrants was costing more than 500,000 pesos ($25,000) a day. He urged international agencies to help Tijuana.”

Closing the Border

Breitbart wrote on November 25:

“Thousands of additional migrants are expected to arrive in Tijuana, Mexico, to try to claim asylum at the U.S. border. The incoming migrants are in addition to the approximately 5,000 migrants who already arrived in this border city during recent days…

“The arrival of the new caravan comes just hours after a group of migrants tried to rush the U.S. border at the San Ysidro port of entry… the effort forced U.S. Customs and Border Protection to shut down the port of entry and establish barricades with federal officers in riot gear. U.S. Customs and Border Protection tweeted that Border Patrol agents were forced to fire tear gas into the crowds as some of the migrants threw rocks.”

The Washington Post wrote on November 26:

“The economic impact of Sunday’s border closure — even for just a day — was felt immediately by businesses just north of the San Ysidro crossing that depend heavily on customers from Tijuana, especially on one of the busiest shopping weekends of the year. The San Ysidro Chamber of Commerce estimates that the closure resulted in a loss of $5.3 million in sales for the area’s 650 businesses, as 93 percent of their customers arrive from Mexico…

“Of the roughly 70,000 vehicle passengers and 20,000 pedestrians who cross into San Diego each day through San Ysidro, about 30 percent work on the U.S. side — mostly in the hospitality industry… Individuals crossing from Tijuana into San Diego spend $10 million to $15 million in Southern California each day at gas stations, restaurants, stores and entertainment outlets…”

California Wildfire Contained, but…

The Washington Post wrote on November 25:

“The Camp Fire — the deadliest, most destructive blaze in California history that has killed 85 people, destroyed 14,000 residences and charred an area the size of Chicago — has been fully contained, authorities announced Sunday… But the rejoicing was muted. Authorities expect the death toll to continue to rise: 249 people are unaccounted for…

“Thousands of displaced people in shelters and hotels or camping outdoors in below-freezing temperatures face an uncertain future… the nightmare is far from over… Crews are working to repair power lines and clear debris from roads. Partially burned or hollowed-out trees are an ever-present threat… Debris and ash could be toxic, full of heavy metals or carcinogens… More than 120 have been sickened by what appears to be the highly contagious infection norovirus. Even the rain that knocked back the fire opened up the area to new threats. ‘Areas experiencing significant rainfall following a wildfire are at risk for debris flows and flash flooding,’ the Butte County Sheriff’s Office warned.”

“US Government Climate Report Warns of Worsening US Disasters, Contradicts Trump”

Newsmax wrote on November 23:

“A massive new federal report [by the Trump administration] warns that extreme weather disasters, like California’s wildfires and this year’s hurricanes, are worsening in the United States. The White House report quietly issued Friday also frequently contradicts President Donald Trump. The National Climate Assessment was written long before the California fires and the hurricanes. It warns of more, stronger and longer disasters triggered at least in part by global warming.”

The Week wrote on November 23:

“Human-made climate change will have massive costs for human health and the economy if America doesn’t take action today, the fourth National Climate Assessment, published Friday by the Trump administration, has found. America’s temperatures have risen 1.8 degrees in the past 100 years, and sea levels are 9 inches higher than 50 years ago, per the assessment.

“The U.S. is also slated for another 2.3 degrees of temperature growth by 2050, leading to days where people can’t even work outside and potentially costing the country $155 billion in lost labor each year. The risks of these massive climate swings mostly hurt ‘lower-income [people] and other marginalized communities,’ the report states. The report is congressionally mandated for release every four years, but scientists are frustrated that it came out over the holidays on a slow news day.”

The Washington Post wrote on November 27:

“President Trump on Tuesday dismissed a landmark report compiled by 13 federal agencies detailing how damage from global warming is intensifying throughout the country, saying he is not among the ‘believers’ who see climate change as a pressing problem… ‘One of the problems that a lot of people like myself, we have very high levels of intelligence but we’re not necessarily such believers,’ Trump said… ‘As to whether or not it’s man-made and whether or not the effects that you’re talking about are there, I don’t see it,’ he added…

“‘You look at our air and our water and it’s right now at a record clean. But when you look at China and you look at parts of Asia and you look at South America, and when you look at many other places in this world, including Russia, including many other places, the air is incredibly dirty, and when you’re talking about an atmosphere, oceans are very small,’ Trump said… ‘And it blows over and it sails over. I mean we take thousands of tons of garbage off our beaches all the time that comes over from Asia…’

“White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders echoed her boss. ‘We think that this is the most extreme version and it’s not based on facts,’ Sanders said of the National Climate Assessment. ‘It’s not data-driven… It’s based on modeling, which is extremely hard to do when you’re talking about the climate…’”

The ironic problem with the entire discussion is that the report was issued by the TRUMP Administration.

Russia “Jokes” over American Moon Landing

The Associated Press reported on November 24:

“The head of Russia’s Roscosmos space agency has said that a proposed Russian mission to the moon will be tasked with verifying that the American moon landings were real, though he appeared to be making a joke. ‘We have set this objective to fly and verify whether they’ve been there or not,’ said Dmitry Rogozin in a video posted Saturday on Twitter.

“Rogozin was responding to a question about whether or not NASA actually landed on the moon nearly 50 years ago. He appeared to be joking, as he smirked and shrugged while answering. But conspiracies surrounding NASA’s moon missions are common in Russia.

“The Soviet Union abandoned its lunar program in the mid-1970s after four experimental moon rockets exploded.”

These kinds of ridiculous conspiracy theories are not only common in Russia, but also in Europe. Many believe that the moon landing was fake or that the terrorist attack on 9-11 was perpetrated by the Bush Administration. Others are even convinced that the earth is flat or that man was created by aliens from other planets, just to name a few of the many outrageous and stupid concepts.  

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.

A European Army

Euractiv wrote on November 16:

“Both Angela Merkel and Emmanuel Macron mentioned the idea of creating a real European army around 11 November. This unprecedented convergence of French and German thoughts and words, which incurred the wrath of America, marks a turning point…

“The idea of creating a European army is not a new one. It has been mentioned by various European leaders, who often had Christian Democrat backgrounds… [It] was briefly mentioned by Silvio Berlusconi when he was the Italian prime minister. More recently, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (European People’s Party) mentioned it at the start of his mandate. He was joined by other leaders from eastern Europe, such as the conservative Czech President Miloš Zeman, former Czech social democrat Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka and even the Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

“However, no serving French official has ever raised this idea, in such precise terms… it is no longer a taboo subject. When [Macron] mentions ‘a real European army,’ he does so in this capacity. Therefore, he is not raising the idea of a simple cooperation project…”

How this idea developed and rose to new heights can be seen in this example, as mentioned by the article:

“Even in the midst of a disaster on 16 June 1940, during World War Two, France rejected a plan to have a common army. This was proposed by the British House of Commons at the instigation of Jean Monnet and Winston Churchill.”

Bild Online wrote on November 16:

“German Defence Minister Ursula von der Leyen recommended an ‘army of Europeans.'” The paper added that von der Leyen is pushing for a “much faster speed” regarding the establishment of a European Army.

An end-time European army is prophesied to occur very soon.

Europe’s Revival

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 18:

“In a speech to the Bundestag to mark Germany’s Day of Mourning for those killed in war, Macron said that Germany and France had overcome 200 years of ‘merciless wars’ to make a ‘lasting peace’… the French leader said only the two neighbors’ partnership, as part of a unified, more sovereign Europe, could help the world avoid sliding into chaos… Urging Europe to take more responsibility for its defense and security, Macron said the continent must not ‘become a plaything of great powers … and must not accept a subordinate role in world politics.'”

There is no lasting peace. The Bible warns: “For when they say ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:3).

France24 wrote on November 18:

“During the speech, Macron urged a European revival to prevent global ‘chaos’. The French president said Sunday that Europe must grow stronger and more sovereign in order to fulfil its duty of bringing stability to global affairs.”

Please read our free booklet: “The Ten European Revivals of the Ancient Roman Empire.”

Europe and Germany Threatened by Trump?

Die Welt added on November 18:

[Macron said in his speech to the Bundestag on Sunday that] “‘the German miracle’ is being manifested by a Germany which has overcome the ‘bloody demons of nationalism’… Others [obviously referring to Donald Trump] are trying to get themselves involved in the European debate in order to keep [Europe] down.’”

However, Macron also said earlier in France that the demons of nationalism are becoming stronger in Europe and elsewhere. It would be naïve and inaccurate to say that nationalism is dead in Germany or Austria.

The paper concluded: “Macron sings again the tune of a strong Europe. This and Trump’s polemics against France, Germany and the EU guarantee that Macron’s message will be heard.”

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder said the following, according to ntv on November 16: “We cannot allow that we are being treated like an occupied country. When I look at the behavior of the American ambassador in Germany, I have the impression that he understands himself as an officer of an occupation force rather than the ambassador of the USA in a sovereign state.”

In response to President Trump and some extremely conservative European leaders, many Europeans and EU leaders react by supporting politics in opposition to Trump and those who agree with Trump and his views. On the other hand, when Angela Merkel spoke in Strasbourg last week, advocating a European army, some right-wing anti-Europe delegates booed in opposition. We should not forget that not all EU member states need to agree on everything, especially the euro and the creation of a European army. The Bible tells us that it will be ten nations or groups of nations that will emerge as a part of a core Europe, giving their power and authority to a charismatic economic, political and military German or Austrian leader (the “beast”) who will very soon manifest himself on the world scene.

A Two Speed Europe

Euractiv wrote on November 20:

“In Louvain-la-Neuve [Belgium], [Macron] pleaded for a ‘two or three speed Europe’, to allow frontrunners to move towards European integration in the hope that others will follow. ‘The big mistake that we have made in the past five to ten years is that we always want to decide everything at 28, maybe tomorrow at 27 after Brexit. This is not true, this has never worked this way,’ Macron said.

“To illustrate his point, the French President referred to the Schengen area of free movement and the eurozone, as well as to enhanced cooperation on defence, where different EU countries participate. He also suggested that decisions should no longer need the approval of all EU member states: ‘I am in favour of changing the treaties, we reach a point where it must be done. We should not be afraid, but we should also keep in mind that whoever is against can no longer block the others.’

“Speaking of efforts to put in place a common European defence, the French President said: ‘We have done more in a year and a half than what has been done since the 1950s.. There could be ‘no idea of a united Europe if in a corner of Europe we say “we cannot protect you, ask someone else,”’ he pleaded. ‘We also need a common foreign policy’, agreed Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel.”

“China and the EU Are Growing Sick of U.S. Financial Power”

Foreign Policy wrote on November 16:

“When it comes to international finance, Washington sets the rules for others to follow… Unable to counteract U.S. sanctions, some countries are pushing for structural changes. The EU is in the lead. China is following, and Japan, South Korea, and India are watching closely.

“European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker has argued that the euro should become a global reserve currency to reduce financial dependence on the United States…

“It is no secret that China and Russia are actively looking to exploit the growing divide between London and Washington on sanctions.”

The Bible predicts that even the American-British friendship will cease.

Europe to Conduct Non-Dollar Trade with Iran?

Reuters and the Algemeiner wrote on November 21:

“Iran on Wednesday praised European efforts to maintain business with Tehran despite US sanctions, citing ‘constructive meetings’ with British and French officials in Tehran this week on setting up a way to conduct non-dollar trade… European diplomats said last week British, French and German attempts to establish the SPV [a “Special Purpose Vehicle” trade mechanism] were faltering because no EU country was willing to host it for fear of its banks provoking US penalties, including a ban from US markets.

“… The three big European Union powers and the EU as a whole have reaffirmed their commitment to the nuclear deal, as have Russia and China… The US special envoy for Iran warned last week that European banks and firms who engage in the SPV will be at risk from fresh US sanctions.”

Europe would not tolerate if their banks were to be banned from US markets. They would retaliate for sure, and an economic war would be the consequence.

Stocks Down, Wiping Out Yearly Gains

The Wall Street Journal wrote on November 20:

“Stocks around the world tumbled Tuesday, putting major U.S. indexes at risk of closing below their October lows and wiping out yearly gains. What started as a technology company selloff bled into other corners of the market, as investors dumped shares of everything from retailers to oil-and-gas companies…

“Selling in the European auto sector echoed similar losses in Asia… frosty trading relations between the U.S. and China have left tech stocks vulnerable…”

Crypto Collapse Accelerates, Bitcoin Plunges

Zero Hedge wrote on November 20:

“Having broken below 6k last week, and 5k yesterday, Bitcoin’s collapse is accelerating towards $4,000… the events mark a continuation of the unsettled conditions sparked Nov. 15 when altcoin Bitcoin Cash (BCH) experienced a contentious hard fork, which has since resulted in the emergence of two separate competing chains…

“FundStrat’s Tom Lee told CNBC this morning that he has lowered his forecast for 2018 year-end Bitcoin to $15,000 (though admitted his conviction was low today).”

Chaos in Britain over Brexit Deal

Der Spiegel Online wrote on November 16:

“Some 874 days after the Brexit referendum, Theresa May has reached a deal with the European Union to prevent a hard exit from the bloc. But events of recent days make clear that months of drama in Brussels pales in comparison to the one unfolding in London now…

“Those who believe the deal goes too far and those who believe it doesn’t go far enough are suddenly united in opposition to a prime minister who is growing increasingly isolated… the stage is set for a showdown the likes of which British politics has never seen before…

“More than once in the past weeks, negotiators have found themselves staring into the abyss… But that is nothing compared to the storm brewing on the island, one that might sweep away May… Is disastrous defeat still avoidable?… if the deal falls through… the country would be pushed out of the EU boat without a lifejacket, with unpredictable economic and social consequences…”

Why the Brexit Deal Will Fail

The Week wrote on November 16:

“Theresa May’s government lies in ruins… This was bound to happen. The Brexit negotiations and the referendum that produced them were a farce…  The referendum itself was never supposed to have taken place. It had been promised as part of a cynical ploy by David Cameron… in the event that Conservatives won an outright majority in the 2015 general election… The Tories won their first majority since 1992 and Cameron was forced to keep his word, calling for a vote… When the result was announced, he resigned. He was replaced… by his own home secretary [Theresa May] who supported remaining in Europe while refusing to campaign for this position.

“[She] has presented her country with a deal for which there is no constituency… there is widespread agreement that if approved the deal would put Britain in the worst position imaginable. It would leave the United Kingdom in a kind of limbo, beholden to European laws and facing significant financial obligations to a body in whose deliberations it would no longer have any say. It would be exchanging membership in a supposed confederacy of nations for vassalage.

“This is why the deal is almost certain to fail in Parliament… [May] has already lost.”

£10 Billion More for Brexit Delay

The Guardian wrote on November 17:

“The latest Opinium poll for the Observer on Sunday delivers more bad news for May, with Labour opening up a three-point lead. It shows Tory Leave supporters appear to be deserting May’s party in droves. Compared with a month ago, the Conservatives have dropped five points to 36% while Labour has gained three to stand on 39%…

“May told an EU leaders summit last month that she might ask for a ‘few months’ extra time if that was what was needed to complete an EU-UK trade deal… But on Saturday night Brussels was making clear that if the UK wants an extension of the transition – during which it is tied to the EU economic system but with no say over its rules – it must last at least a further year. A year-long extension would cost about £10bn on top of the £39bn divorce bill already agreed…”

However one wants to slice it, it is prophesied that Britain will leave the EU, and Britain’s future has never looked that grim.

Spain Threatens to Vote No on Brexit Deal over Gibraltar

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 20:

“Spanish Prime Minister Sanchez said that Madrid cannot approve the deal unless changes regarding Gibraltar are made. All 27 remaining EU leaders must approve the 585-page exit…

“The tiny British overseas territory is adjacent to the Spanish mainland, and has long been a point of contention between the UK and Spain… Although 96 percent of Gibraltarians voted to remain in the EU during the Brexit referendum, it is set to leave the bloc when the UK does in 2019… Gibraltar was formally ceded to Britain in 1713 as part of the Treaty of Utrecht

“Spain is the only one of the 27 EU countries to voice opposition to the 585-page draft Brexit deal so far.”

Brexit Deal Reached? Not So Fast!

Deutsche Welle wrote on November 22:

“The EU and the UK have reached a deal on their post-Brexit relationship, European Council President Donald Tusk announced on Thursday. The [26-page] text [which is not legally binding] has been agreed to in principle by negotiators, but still requires the endorsement of the 27 remaining EU members…

“The draft on post-Brexit ties and an agreement on exactly how the UK will withdraw from the European Union will be discussed by EU leaders at a special summit on Sunday… both sides have agreed that the post-Brexit transition periodmay be extended from its current end date of December 31, 2020 ‘for up to one or two years.’

“Many observers have said it is unlikely the British Parliament will vote in favor of the Brexit 585-page deal [which would be legally binding] May presented last week…”

Daily Mail added:

“[The 26-page text] has now been sent to EU capitals ahead of a showdown summit on Sunday amid complaints from Spain over Gibraltar and France on fishing. In possible concessions to help Mrs May get the [585-page] deal through the Commons, the 26-page document makes clear that Britain will have an ‘independent trade policy’… The pact confirms that free movement will end… but also states that the UK will not discriminate between nationals from different EU countries. There would be visa free travel for all citizens making short trips, which will be a relief for holidaymakers.”

One of the hotly debated issues is the “backstop.” As the Guardian explained on October 15:

“… the backstop is a device intended to ensure that there will not be a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, even if no formal deal can be reached on trade and security arrangements. It would mean that if there were no workable agreement on such matters, Northern Ireland would stay in the customs union and much of the single market, guaranteeing a friction-free border with the Republic.”

The Sun added on November 20:

“The backstop will see Britain remain in the customs union for as long as necessary until an alternative way of keeping the border open is found.”

In this context, The Sun wrote on November 22:

“Tory rebels today warned Theresa May her Brexit deal has no hope of succeeding… telling [her] that the backstop – which could leave Britain tied to the EU customs union permanently – makes her deal toxic… Former minister Owen Paterson added: ‘As long as the backstop is in existence in a legally binding document, there is a danger that should talks fail the backstop becomes accepted. We would have the horror of falling into a customs union, the horror of having Northern Ireland separated from the rest of the United Kingdom.’

“… The admission that Britain can trade freely around the world while keeping the Irish border open came in a draft trade agreement between the UK and the EU – and represents a big win for the PM… But a number of key issues remain apparently unresolved, with no agreement yet on fishing rights or the status of Gibraltar. And in a worrying sign for Brexiteers, it still states that the final deal will ‘build and improve’ on the customs union which stops Britain cutting trade agreements around the world…

“Andrea Jenkyns said: ‘The British people are not stupid. There will be a backlash if we deliver a deal such as this.’ A source from the European Research Group added: ‘The political declaration is not legally binding, vague, aspirational and little more than a smokescreen to cover up the fact that the permanent relationship is the customs union backstop.’…

“Negotiators have also laid down the law on so-called Level Playing Field provisions, which will see Britain effectively mirror EU legislation in key areas…

“The EU has told Britain it will be shut out from the military aspects of [the satellite-system] Galileo after Brexit, while UK companies will be banned from bidding for contracts on the programme.”

Der Spiegel Online wrote: “In reading this text, one might think that the Brits want to join the EU, rather than leaving it.”

White House Approves Use of Lethal Force for Border Troops

The Daily Beast wrote on November 21:

“The White House late Tuesday authorized U.S. military troops deployed at the Mexican border to use lethal force and conduct law-enforcement operations, Military Times reports… Kelly justified the shift by writing that ‘credible evidence and intelligence’ had suggested the migrants ‘may prompt incidents of violence and disorder.’

“… the president does have the authority… ‘to use military force to suppress insurrection or to enforce federal authority.’”

Not too long ago, a spokesperson for the German right-wing anti-immigration party AfD recommended that German border guards should have authority to shoot at immigrants. This caused an outcry in Germany. Now, authorization to do so was given to American troops at the Mexican border. But where is the outcry in the USA?

Will Benjamin Netanyahu Survive?

voanews reported on November 18:

“Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s resignation… left the government with a majority of only one seat in parliament. That put the fate of Netanyahu’s coalition at the mercy of any of its partners, who have seen the four-term prime minister’s popularity take a rare hit in an opinion poll that showed Israelis were unhappy with him over Gaza… Only 17 percent of respondents were happy with Netanyahu’s policy toward Gaza…

“Netanyahu’s re-election chances could also be affected by a series of corruption cases against him in which Israel’s attorney-general is weighing his indictment. An election would complicate promised moves by the United States towards reviving Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts that collapsed in 2014…”

This current crisis occurred because Netanyahu is perceived too liberal and weak in the matter of Gaza. If it comes to new elections, would an even more conservative leadership come to power? What would this do for the political climate in the Middle East? But for now, the fear of early elections might be averted.

JTA wrote on November 19:

“The Israeli prime minister narrowly avoided having to call snap elections after, in a surprise turnaround, Education Minister Naftali Bennett announced that he would stand behind Netanyahu…

“At least three ministers had called for early elections to be held as soon as possible. Interior Minister Arye Deri of the Sephardic Orthodox Shas party backed down on Sunday, and Bennett followed suit the next day… On Sunday, a visibly agitated Netanyahu announced in a televised broadcast that he would personally assume the defense minister position… An unnamed senior government official told the Israeli media that he soon would appoint a foreign minister in an attempt to court allies.

“The government’s four-year term ends in November 2019. Elections are called early if a government ruling coalition falls apart, usually over a crisis, such as the recent Gaza flare-up… Recent governments have not served out their full terms. The last election was in 2015; the one before that was in 2013.”

The False “Alternative Temple Theory” Debunked

Breaking Israel News wrote on November 20:

“A conference is set to be held in Jerusalem in two weeks (on December 5) which will for the first time, educate Christians on the importance of the Temple Mount…

“John Enarson, the Christian Relations Director of Cry for Zion and co-organizer of the conference, explained the focus of the event. ‘The theme of the conference this year is going to be archaeology and the Biblical evidence for the true location of the Temple being on the Temple Mount’… They will present evidence [to] debunk the reoccurring theory among Christians that the Jewish Temples were not located on the Temple Mount… According to [that] theory, both Jewish Temples stood further south in an area now known as Ir David (the City of David). [It] further hypothesizes that the Western Wall and all of the artifacts on the Temple Mount are remains from a massive Roman fort. [The] theory was criticized for having no archaeological basis and for contradicting Temple-era historical accounts, such as that of Josephus Flavius, a first-century Romano-Jewish scholar who cited the Mount as the location of the Second Temple.

“… Despite being definitively debunked by archaeologists and Biblical scholars, the alternate Temple location theory continues to have a strong following within some segments of the Christian community… ‘Jews and Christians approach the Temple Mount from vastly different traditions but we can come together on a House of Prayer for All Nations,’ Enarson said, citing the Prophet Isaiah (56:7:) ‘I will bring them to My sacred mount And let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices Shall be welcome on My mizbayach; For My House shall be called A house of prayer for all peoples.’

“‘Christians believe in the Hebrew Bible and to the extent they take the Biblical accounts of the Temple seriously, they should take the Temple Mount seriously,” [Enarson] said.”

The focus is not only on the Temple Mount, but also on the Temple itself. The Bible shows that a massive third temple will be built on the Temple Mount and animal sacrifices will be given at that temple prior to Christ’s Second Coming.

German-Israeli Friendship?

The Algemeiner wrote on November 17:

“The United States opposed on Friday for the first time an annual draft resolution at the United Nations calling on Israel to rescind its authority over the occupied Golan Heights, drawing praise from Israeli officials… Despite the US opposition, a UN General Assembly committee approved the draft resolution on Friday with 151 votes in favor and 14 abstentions. Only Israel joined the United States in voting no. The General Assembly is due to formally adopt the resolution next month.”

In fact, the UN General Assembly approved on Friday nine anti-Israeli resolutions. Bild Online wrote on November 18: “Germany abstained one time and approved the other eight resolutions, together with countries such as Saudi-Arabia, which were directed against the Jewish state. Is this how the German-Israeli friendship looks like?”

There has never been a true German-Israeli friendship. The Bible prophesies that any resemblance of friendship will soon cease completely, and even though Israel will look to Germany for help, they will not get it.

Anti-Semitism in Europe

 Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) wrote on November 21:

“Manfred Weber, 46, head of the European People’s Party in the European Parliament and a member of the conservative Christian Social Union in Bavaria… has been a delegate in the European Parliament since 2004 and was elected head of the European People’s Party in 2014. If the conservatives continue to maintain their majority in the European Parliament after the coming May elections, Weber will become the parliament’s president.

“In an interview with Israel Hayom… Weber warned of growing anti-Semitism in Europe. ‘The development in recent years is an absolute warning sign,’ he said… ‘In France, the number of violent anti-Semitic incidents rose by an inconceivable 69% in the first nine months of the year. In Britain, there was an increase of around 30%. In Germany, too, people are attacked for being Jews. The growing anti-Semitism makes me uneasy. Not just the public attacks but the ‘relativization’ of anti-Semitism creeping into people’s minds… My demand is that everyone rise up and oppose anti-Semitism… I would not have imagined that in certain countries in the European Union, it would be the left-wing parties that would show tolerance toward open anti-Semitism and implement anti-Israel policy. There is a genuine risk that such parties will enter the European Parliament…’”

President Trump vs. Chief Justice Roberts

ABC wrote on November 21:

“Chief Justice John Roberts rebutted President Donald Trump’s recent criticism that the recent ruling against the administration’s asylum policy on migrants was issued by an ‘Obama judge’. ‘We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges,’ Roberts, who originally responded to the Associated Press, said via a statement issued from the Supreme Court’s press office. ‘What we have is an extraordinary group of dedicated judges doing their level best to do equal right to those appearing before them. That independent judiciary is something we should all be thankful for.’

“The president responded directly to the comments in a pair of tweets Wednesday afternoon. ‘Sorry Chief Justice John Roberts, but you do indeed have “Obama judges,” and they have a much different point of view than the people who are charged with the safety of our country,’ Trump said.  The president returned to the topic on Twitter about an hour later, calling the 9th Circuit a ‘terrible, costly and dangerous disgrace. It has become a dumping ground for certain lawyers looking for easy wins and delays…'”

On Thursday, the President continued his attacks on the 9^th Circuit Court via Twitter.

Judge Bars US From Enforcing Trump Asylum Ban

The Associated Press and Newsmax reported on November 20:

“A federal judge barred the Trump administration from refusing asylum to immigrants who cross the southern border illegally. President Donald Trump issued a proclamation on Nov. 9 that said anyone who crossed the southern border between official ports of entry would be ineligible for asylum. As the first of several caravans of migrants have started arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border, Trump said an asylum ban was necessary to stop what he’s attacked as a national security threat.

“But in his ruling Monday, U.S. District Judge Jon Tigar agreed with legal groups that immediately sued, arguing that U.S. immigration law clearly allows someone to seek asylum even if they enter the country between official ports of entry. ‘Whatever the scope of the President’s authority, he may not rewrite the immigration laws to impose a condition that Congress has expressly forbidden,’ said Tigar, a nominee of former President Barack Obama.

“The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately comment on the ruling, which will remain in effect for one month barring an appeal. In issuing the ban, Trump used the same powers he used last year to impose a travel ban that was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court…

“Tigar’s ruling notes that federal law says someone may seek asylum if they have arrived in the United States, ‘whether or not at a designated port of arrival.’

“… ACLU lawyer Lee Gelernt said that some people seeking asylum cross between official ports because ‘they’re in real danger,’ either in their countries of origin or in Mexico. ‘We don’t condone people entering between ports of entry, but Congress has made the decision that if they do, they still need to be allowed to apply for asylum,’ he said.”

Many legal experts feel that even though the 9^th Circuit Court of Appeals would uphold the decision of the federal judge, the US Supreme Court would overturn it and side with President Trump.

Acosta Reinstated… for Now

The Daily Mail wrote on November 16:

“Judge Timothy Kelly said Friday that Jim Acosta’s free-press rights under the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution outweigh ‘the government’s interest in orderly, respectful press conferences.’ He declared in a stinging defeat for the president in his war on ‘fake news’ that the White House failed to give Acosta ‘due process,’ something guaranteed in government proceedings under the Fifth Amendment. And he suggested that the White House exaggerated its contention [being of “questionable accuracy”] that Acosta physically interfered with a female intern last week as she tried to reclaim a press conference microphone.

“While Kelly ordered the White House to let Acosta back in the building, he said Trump and his spokespeople aren’t obligated to call on him during press conferences or let him ask questions. He also said the White House isn’t under any obligation to host reporters at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but it also can’t play favorites…

“There was near-unanimity in the political press corps’ backing of CNN, with more than a dozen news outlets signaling they would formally submit a supportive brief to Judge Kelly… Kelly, a Trump appointee, emphasized that his ruling was temporary, saying: ‘I have not determined that the First Amendment was violated here.’… But Kelly… noted that the government’s attorneys couldn’t tell him on Wednesday who had made the final decision to yank Acosta’s credentials, an indication that no formal process was involved…”

Trump’s war with the media, especially news outlets which he describes as “fake news” and “enemy of the people,” will continue and is bound to become more and more ugly.

The Huffington Post wrote on November 20:

“The White House announced Monday that it would [permanently] restore the press pass of CNN reporter Jim Acosta, leading the network to drop its pending lawsuit against the administration… provided he and all other journalists abide by ‘new rules’ sent out by the White House.”

Insofar, CNN wrote on November 19:

“The White House press corps… has not agreed to any new set of rules governing presidential press conferences. And Trump rarely holds press conferences anyway. The letter asserts that reporters may ask ‘a single question’ at a press conference. Follow-ups will only be permitted ‘at the discretion of the President or other White House officials.’ And reporters must ‘physically surrender’ the microphone, when directed [and they will face the revocation of their passes for not respecting the rules.]

“In practice, many reporters asked follow-up questions at the November 7 press conference. And that’s not going to change any time soon. ‘For as long as there have been White House press conferences, White House reporters have asked follow-up questions. We fully expect this tradition will continue,’ the association said. It remains to be seen if the rules are just cover for the administration’s loss to CNN in court. At the same time, the White House’s move could create a chilling effect among reporters.”

USA Will Stand by Saudi Arabia… No Matter What!

The Huffington Post wrote on November 20:

“The United States will continue to back Saudi Arabia even if Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) ordered the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, President Donald Trump announced Tuesday in a bizarre statement…”

Excerpts from Trump’s statement are quoted below:

“After my heavily negotiated trip to Saudi Arabia last year, the Kingdom agreed to spend and invest $450 billion in the United States. This is a record amount of money. It will create hundreds of thousands of jobs, tremendous economic development, and much additional wealth for the United States…

“King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman vigorously deny any knowledge of the planning or execution of the murder of Mr. Khashoggi… it could very well be that the Crown Prince had knowledge of this tragic event – maybe he did and maybe he didn’t! That being said, we may never know all of the facts surrounding the murder of Mr. Jamal Khashoggi.

“In any case, our relationship is with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia… The United States intends to remain a steadfast partner of Saudi Arabia… As President of the United States I intend to ensure that, in a very dangerous world, America is pursuing its national interests and vigorously contesting countries that wish to do us harm. Very simply it is called America First!”

President Trump’s announcement prompted severe criticism from Democrats and Republicans alike.

Haaretz reported on November 19:

“The German government says it has halted previously approved arms exports to Saudi Arabia amid the fallout from the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi… Germany said a month ago it wouldn’t approve any new weapons exports to Saudi Arabia, but left open what would happen with already approved contracts.”

Negative Reaction to Trump’s Stance on Saudi Arabia

The Guardian wrote on November 20:

“The 649-word statement appears to be a presidential act of defiance against the CIA, which has reportedly concluded that the Saudi prince ordered the killing, and the Senate, which is considering bipartisan legislation that would suspend weapons sales to Saudi Arabia among other punitive measures. He told reporters at the White House that the CIA ‘didn’t make a determination’ on the murder, and that they had ‘nothing definitive’ on its perpetrator. The claim is contradicted by multiple reports that the intelligence agency has concluded that Prince Mohammed ordered the hit on the former Saudi insider who had become a persistent critic… As he has in the past with Vladimir Putin, Trump put official denials of wrongdoing from Riyadh on a par with US intelligence assessments.

“… The president acknowledged that that Congress might have another view and the strength of congressional opinion soon became apparent when Republican senator Lindsey Graham – otherwise a fervent Trump fan – issuing a statement predicting ‘strong bipartisan support for serious sanctions against Saudi Arabia, including appropriate members of the royal family, for this barbaric act which defied all civilized norms.’ The South Carolina senator added: ‘While Saudi Arabia is a strategic ally, the behavior of the crown prince – in multiple ways – has shown disrespect for the relationship and made him, in my view, beyond toxic.’…

“[Trump’s] statement made a series of false or unsubstantiated claims, suggesting that Riyadh is buying $110bn in US weapons. The actual total of offers since Trump took office is less than $15bn, and the value of actual signed contracts is significantly lower than that. A new independent report found that US arms sales to Saudi Arabia account for fewer than 20,000 US jobs a year – less than a 20th of the employment boost Donald Trump has claimed…

“Trump’s enthusiastic support for Riyadh coincides with a drive by the crown prince to rehabilitate himself on the world stage. The Argentinian government confirmed to the Guardian on Tuesday that he is on the list of attendees at the G20 summit at the end of the month in Buenos Aires. Also on the guest list is Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who has condemned Riyadh for the murder and whose government has put out a steady stream of leaks from the investigation, pointing towards Saudi government culpability at the highest levels…”

The Guardian added on November 21:

“On Wednesday, Numan Kurtulmuş, the deputy chairman of [Turkey’s] President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s AK party, dismissed Trump’s assessment. ‘Yesterday’s statement is a comic statement,’ he [said]. ‘It is not possible for an intelligence agency such as the CIA, which even knows the colour of the fur on the cat walking around the Saudi consulate’s garden … to not know who gave this order,’ he said. ‘This is not credible either for US public opinion or the world public opinion.’”

On the other hand, the Turkish government is continuing its brutal fight against journalists and other critics of that dictatorial regime.

The Week wrote on November 21:

“The Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday ordered an investigation into Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s role in the murder of U.S.-based Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi after President Trump acknowledged that bin Salman may have ‘had knowledge’ about the plot, but declined to take further action against Saudi Arabia in response.”

Shocking! Half of American Voters Claim to be Nationalists

Breitbart wrote on November 16:

“About half of all likely American voters share President Trump’s nationalist worldview that the interests of the United States and its citizens should be put ahead of the interests of the globe. In a new Rasmussen Reports poll, about 50 percent of likely voters said when there are international problems, they are most interested in finding a solution that benefits the U.S. and American citizens rather than a solution that is better for the world…

“The poll reveals that not only do half of Americans share Trump’s nationalist worldview, but the vast majority of GOP voters and conservatives do as well. More than 75 percent of Republicans said the interests of Americans should come before the interests of the world, while 74 percent of conservatives said the same.

“Even a significant number of Democrats and Independent voters favor nationalism… Among Democrats, more than 30 percent said the U.S. should be put first…, while 44 percent of Independent voters agreed.”

Nationalism is absolutely wrong and violates God’s law of love towards others. Since God will not and cannot bless a country which blatantly transgresses His Word, America’s future looks more and more devastating.

Jonestown… Could It Happen Again?

Breitbart wrote on November 18:

“This Sunday marks the 40th anniversary of the massacre at Jonestown, where more than 900 American transplants ‘drank the Kool-Aid’ in the largest loss of civilian life in U.S. history until 9/11… whether Jim Jones murdered his followers or they killed themselves voluntarily remains a debated question with strong arguments on both sides.”

The Washington Post wrote on November 18:

“Charles Krause, a former Washington Post foreign correspondent, survived the 1978 Jonestown massacre. [He said in an interview:]

“‘These people followed someone who led them to destruction. They believed in this guy. He lied to them. He cheated. He was involved with the sexual abuse of boys and girls in his temple. He took their money. He really enslaved them. And then he betrayed them, and then he led them to their deaths. I wish we had learned to be more cautious about following people who promise things and then betray the trust that people have given them.

“‘… there is the potential for it to happen again. It has happened again a number of times. We’ve had Waco, and we’ve had other incidents where it’s not as many people, but it’s the same sort of situation. I feel strongly that we need to be more skeptical about political or religious leaders who promise things, who seem to be hypocritical, who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk.”

This warning is relevant. Political and religious leaders might promise us all kinds of things, and they might even seemingly deliver on some of their promises. As a consequence, we might be taken in by them emotionally and thereby lose our objective perspective.

California’s New Perils

CNN reported on November 20:

“First, the good news: Heavy rain expected this week won’t just drench Northern California’s Camp Fire. It could also snuff out the risk of new wildfires for the rest of the year. Now the bad news: Flash flooding, mudslides and rivers of debris could hit cities already devastated by the wildfire…  it could also make conditions treacherous for firefighters battling the Camp Fire, which has charred more than 151,000 acres and was only 70% contained as of Tuesday.

“The inferno has already killed 79 people and destroyed 12,900 homes. And with hundreds of residents still unaccounted for, authorities fear the death toll could rise… with heavy rain on the way, searchers feel a greater sense of urgency in finding the remains of Camp Fire victims.”

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.