Mr. Trump Goes to Britain
ABC News wrote in June 2:
“President Donald Trump departs Sunday for a five-day trip to Europe, heading first to the United Kingdom for a three-day state visit before continuing on to Ireland, where he will meet with the prime minister and visit one of his Trump-branded properties and pay his respects at Normandy on the 75th anniversary of D-Day…
“While the UK’s internal politics couldn’t be more complicated on their own, the president has already shown in an interview to the British news outlet The Sun that he isn’t likely to keep his opinions to himself… The president criticized May’s handling of Brexit in the interview, telling the Sun that she should have ‘negotiated from strength’ by making more demands of the EU during the course of negotiations…
“Beyond the issue of Brexit, the president has also waded into the leadership contest for the next prime minister, expressing his favor for Boris Johnson, who is vying to be the next prime minister, calling him a ‘friend of mine’… The president has also offered praise for Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, who actually campaigned alongside Trump during the 2016 campaign as the two drew parallels between Trump’s anti-establishment campaign and the UK’s Brexit vote…”
Express wrote on June 2:
“US Ambassador to the UK Woody Johnson revealed the Americans will be ‘ready to go’ with a trade deal with the UK as soon as Brexit is resolved, claiming preparations for an agreement have already been ‘lined up’… Mr Johnson argued the USA and the UK will have a ‘great relationship whatever happens’ with Brexit. The US official claimed Donald Trump’s office was already in talks with the UK trade department to secure a post-Brexit US-UK trade deal and deliver it in a speedy manner…
“It comes after Donald Trump called on Britain to leave the European Union without a deal if Brussels refuses to meet its demands, as he urged the Government to send Nigel Farage into the negotiations… In his second extraordinary intervention into British politics ahead of this week’s state visit, the US president suggested the UK should ‘walk away’ from talks and refuse to pay the £39 billion divorce bill if its requests are not met… Mr Trump added that if he was in charge, he would not pay the EU divorce bill, and he claimed it is not too late to ‘sue’ the EU to give Britain greater ‘ammunition’ in the talks.”
Marking the 75th Anniversary of D-Day
The Washington Post reported on June 5:
“British royalty and leaders from around the world gathered here Wednesday to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings, honoring the men and women who participated in what is still the largest naval, air and land operation in history.
“President Trump and Prime Minister Theresa May were among the 16 world leaders who attended events throughout the day to mark the anniversary of the allied invasion of northern France.
“The commemorations began in the morning at an amphitheater, near the Portsmouth harbor, where Queen Elizabeth II wore a bright pink dress and sat next to Trump and Prince Charles, her son. Leaders from Australia, Belgium, Canada, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland and Slovakia were in attendance.
“Addressing the crowd from her box, the queen said that when she attended events marking the 60th anniversary of the D-Day landings, some thought they would be her last. ‘But the wartime generation — my generation — is resilient, and I am delighted to be with you in Portsmouth today,’ she said.
“‘On behalf of the entire country — indeed the whole free world — that I say to you all, thank you,’ she said…
“Trump’s trip to Britain was many things, but it was not dull. He was treated to a good dollop of royal pomp, while tens of thousands of Londoners took to the streets to register their dislike for him…
“On Wednesday, Trump tweeted: ‘Could not have been treated more warmly in the United Kingdom by the Royal Family or the people. Our relationship has never been better, and I see a very big Trade Deal down the road.’”
In spite of controversy, the amazing connection between the US and the UK was on full display during this commemoration. However, circumstances will arise which are prophesied to break this bond in the near future!
Brigitte Bierlein New Austrian Interim Chancellor
Deutsche Welle wrote on May 30:
“President Van der Bellen has named Brigitte Bierlein interim chancellor to take over for the outgoing Sebastian Kurz… Bierlein will serve as chancellor until elections in September. Bierlein, a constitutional judge [and sitting president of the Austrian Constitutional Court], will become the first woman to lead the country.
“Bierlein will be tasked with assembling a parliamentary-backed Cabinet and overseeing a caretaker government until new elections are held…”
BBC added on May 30:
“From 2003, she served as Vice President of the Constitutional Court. She held the position until she took over the presidency in 2018, her candidacy backed by Mr Kurz’s right-wing coalition government.
“Politically, she is considered to be right-wing with socially conservative views. Her apparently close ties with Mr Kurz’s People’s Party and Mr Strache’s Freedom Party have been noted by Austrian media…”
Kurz Ahead in Polls
POLITICO wrote June 2:
“Sebastian Kurz may have just lost a vote of confidence, but new polls show he could ultimately end up Austria’s chancellor again.
“A survey conducted for Austria’s Krone newspaper showed Kurz’s center-right Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP) at 38 percent, compared to the 31.5 percent the party won in the October 2017 national election. The Social Democrats followed with 21 percent, compared to 26.9 percent in 2017.”
The emerging leadership in Austria and Germany points to dramatic changes ahead throughout the EU!
Chief of Merkel’s Junior Coalition Partner Resigns
The Guardian wrote on June 2:
“Andrea Nahles, the leader of Germany’s junior coalition partner, the Social Democrats (SPD), has announced her resignation, raising concerns that Angela Merkel’s government might collapse. Nahles, who will step down from all her political roles including that as leader of the SPD parliamentary group, said her resignation was a consequence of the poorest ever performance from the SPD in its 156-year history last weekend, when it received just 15.8% of the vote at the European parliamentary elections, 11 points down on 2014…
“Nahles’s decision plunges both the party and the future of the 15-month-old so-called grand coalition with the Christian Democrats (CDU) under Merkel into doubt. The future of the coalition now depends on the decision as to who succeeds Nahles. Anyone more to the left of the party might consider collaboration with the CDU unworkable and could push for a departure from the coalition. While a minority government might be tolerated, it is more likely that such a decision would trigger new elections, and probably lead to the premature end of what Merkel has declared is her final chancellorship.
“The CDU was on Sunday sending out the message that it was in favour of keeping the grand coalition afloat. Many SPD members were sceptical about the party entering its third coalition in four terms with the CDU… Many are convinced the SPD’s close association with the CDU has increasingly damaged them at the polls…
“The co-chair of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) Alice Weidel said the days of Merkel’s government were numbered (The formation of the grand coalition meant the AfD became the strongest opposition party in parliament).… The former SPD leader Sigmar Gabriel said the party was racked with inner turmoil, with Nahles’s resignation a sign that it needed a ‘detoxification’.”
Russia and China Forge New Ties
CNBC reported on June 5:
Under this headline, “Putin and Xi hail ‘unprecedented’ ties as US relations sour,” CNBC added:
“Russia and China appear to be intent on strengthening their alliance and fostering deeper cooperation in the face of increased political and economic hostility from the U.S.
“The bid to strengthen bilateral ties continues this week as Chinese President Xi Jinping is in Russia Wednesday for the start of a three-day state visit and top-level talks with Putin.
“Welcoming Xi to the Kremlin on Wednesday, Putin said ties between Russia and China stood at ‘an unprecedented level.’ Xi echoed that sentiment by saying that the countries’ relations had withstood ‘trials and tribulations’ over the years and were now better than ever.
World powers are shifting and aligning—all directly pointing to the fulfillment of biblical prophecy!
German-US Relationships… Never Been Worse Since World War II
Deutsche Welle wrote on May 31:
“US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has just been to Berlin. The composed diplomatic courtesy shows just how far Germany and the US have drifted apart… Pompeo has visited 40 countries since he took office. Yet he has never found time for Germany until now. There was a visit scheduled a few weeks ago. However, Pompeo canceled because he had to make a trip to Iraq at short notice. Such an affront to Germany — formally such a close ally — would have been unconscionable a few years ago.
“… the areas of conflict raised their head: Iran, Syria, the Nord Stream 2 pipeline, the German defense budget, relations with China. To search for a topic where there is no conflict would be to search in vain. Even worse is the impression that this estrangement has long been routine…
“The German chancellor made her true feelings towards the US government abundantly clear in a now-lauded speech that she gave at Harvard on Thursday. It was a passionate plea for multilateralism, for climate protection, for the triumph of facts over lies. Not once did Merkel mention US President Donald Trump by name, but the reference was evident in every sentence.
“… in reality, the respective governments are living on different planets.”
Pope Pleas for European Unity!
Reuters wrote on June 2:
“Pope Francis made an impassioned plea for Europe to stick together and revive the ideals of its founders on Sunday, saying ideologies and fear-mongering politicians were threatening its very existence as a bloc…
“He said Europe had to again ‘take up the mysticism’ of its founding fathers and overcome divisions and borders.
“‘Please let’s not let Europe be overcome by pessimism or by ideologies, because Europe is not being attacked by canons or bombs in this moment, but by ideologies – ideologies that are not European, that come either from outside or which stem from small groups in Europe,’ he said.
“Francis urged Europeans to remember how the continent was divided and belligerent in the years leading up to both world wars in the 20th century.
“‘Please, let’s not return to this. Let’s learn from history. Let’s not fall in the same hole.”
“Israeli Police Quell Temple Mount Riots After Jewish Visitors Enter for Jerusalem Day”
The Algemeiner wrote on June 2:
“Riots broke out on the Temple Mount on Sunday after the Israel Police permitted Jewish visitors to enter the site in honor of Jerusalem Day, which celebrates the reunification of the city in 1967… Police stated that they pushed the rioters back toward the al-Aqsa mosque, where they barricaded themselves. They were eventually dispersed successfully and several arrests were made.
“The Islamic Waqf, which manages the site, blasted the police and said, ‘the violation of the sanctity of al-Aqsa by the occupation is an attack on the feelings of Muslims all over the world, not only in Palestine, we call on Muslims to come to the mosque and protect it from desecration.’… Jordan, which officially administers the site, also attacked Israel, with the Foreign Ministry issuing a statement saying, ‘We strongly condemn the continued Israeli violations against al-Aqsa.’”
Trump Not Happy about Israeli Politics
JTA wrote on June 3:
“‘Israel is all messed up with their election. I mean, that came out of the blue three days ago. So that’s all messed up. They ought to get their act together,’ [President Donald Trump] said. ‘Bibi got elected. Now, all of a sudden, they’re going to have to go through the process again until September? That’s ridiculous. So we’re not happy about that,’ he said, using Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s nickname.
“Trump added that the new elections could harm the chances of success for his administration’s Israeli-Palestinian peace plan…
“Hours after the fall of Israel’s government very early Thursday morning, Trump called Netanyahu ‘a great guy’ and said of the new elections scheduled for Sept. 17, ‘That is too bad. Because they don’t need this. I mean they’ve got enough turmoil over there, it’s a tough place.’”
The Algemeiner added on June 3:
“White House senior adviser Jared Kushner said in an interview broadcast on Sunday that the Palestinians deserve ‘self-determination,’ but stopped short of backing Palestinian statehood and expressed uncertainty over their ability to govern themselves… The Palestinian leadership has refused to deal with the Trump administration since late 2017 when the president decided to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv and recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.”
Hundreds of Earthquakes Hit Southern California
The Los Angeles Times wrote on June 3:
“A magnitude 3.3 earthquake was felt in parts of Southern California on Sunday afternoon, one in a series of quakes to hit the Riverside County area…
“It has been almost five years since California experienced its last earthquake of magnitude 6 or stronger. But scientists say the calm period will end, with warnings about seismic dangers ranging from the Big One on the San Andreas fault to catastrophes that could come from lesser-known faults, such as Hayward or Newport-Inglewood.
“Researchers also recently discovered that the state has experienced 10 times more earthquakes than previously known. They documented 1.8 million earthquakes in Southern California over the last decade, the vast majority so small that they had been undetectable to computing systems. Previously, only 180,000 earthquakes were on record for the last 10 years.”
A World Held Captive
The website of inverse wrote the following on June 2:
“I was born in the early 1970s. This means in my lifetime, the number of people on Earth has doubled, while the size of wild animal populations has been reduced by 60%… We have chopped down over half of the world’s rainforests, and by the middle of this century, there may not be much more than a quarter left. This has been accompanied by a massive loss in biodiversity, such that the biosphere may be entering one of the great mass extinction events in the history of life on Earth…
“To understand you are in a prison, you must first be able to see the bars. That this prison was created by humans over many generations doesn’t change the conclusion that we are currently tightly bound up within a system that could… lead to the impoverishment, and even death of billions of people.”
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.
