America—Chaos and Shame
AP wrote on January 6:
“A violent mob loyal to President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday and forced lawmakers into hiding, in a stunning attempt to overturn America’s presidential election, undercut the nation’s democracy and keep Democrat Joe Biden from replacing Trump in the White House.
“The nation’s elected representatives scrambled to crouch under desks and donned gas marks, while police futilely tried to barricade the building, one of the most jarring scenes ever to unfold in a seat of American political power. A woman was shot and killed inside the Capitol, and Washington’s mayor instituted an evening curfew in an attempt to contain the violence…
“Together, the protests and the GOP election objections amounted to an almost unthinkable challenge to American democracy and exposed the depths of the divisions that have coursed through the country during Trump’s four years in office. Though the efforts to block Biden from being sworn in on Jan. 20 were sure to fail, the support Trump has received for his efforts to overturn the election results have badly strained the nation’s democratic guardrails.
“Congress reconvened hours later, vowing to finish confirming the Electoral College vote for Biden’s election, even if it took all night.
“Vice President Mike Pence, reopening the session, directly addressed the demonstrators: “You did not win.”
“The president gave his supporters a boost into action Wednesday morning at a rally outside the White House, where he urged them to march to the Capitol. He spent much of the afternoon in his private dining room off the Oval Office watching scenes of the violence on television. At the urging of his staff, he reluctantly issued a pair of tweets and a taped video telling his supporters it was time to ‘go home in peace’ — yet he still said he backed their cause.
“A somber President-elect Biden, two weeks away from being inaugurated, said American democracy was ‘under unprecedented assault,’ a sentiment echoed by many in Congress, including some Republicans. Former President George W. Bush said he watched the events in ‘disbelief and dismay.’”
The developments in the USA have reached unprecedented proportions. We have heard of a land in chaos–a coup attempt by President Trump, by inciting violence, to prevent the decision of Congress and Vice President Pence to confirm the Electoral College Vote in favor of Joe Biden. But who was really behind the violence? Almost 99% of pro-Trump protestors were peaceful. The question is, who profited from the violence? Surely not Donald Trump (who condemned it in a video this afternoon) and the Republicans in Congress (such as Ted Cruz) who were questioning the legitimacy of the presidential elections.
Stunned Reactions
wsj.com wrote on January 7:
“Leaders and citizens around the world reacted with alarm to images of a mob supporting President Trump forcing its way into the U.S. Capitol, calling it a shocking development in one of the world’s most stable democracies.
“From Europe to Latin America and Asia, politicians, citizens and dignitaries watched with dismay—and even disbelief—as pro-Trump rioters pushed their way past guards and into the building, halting debate over the certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College win.”
Biden Confirmed
AP reported on January 7:
“Congress confirmed Democrat Joe Biden as the presidential election winner early Thursday after a violent mob loyal to President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol in a stunning attempt to overturn America’s presidential election, undercut the nation’s democracy and keep Trump in the White House.
“Lawmakers were resolved to complete the Electoral College tally in a display to the country, and the world, of the nation’s enduring commitment to uphold the will of the voters and the peaceful transfer of power. They pushed through the night with tensions high and the nation’s capital on alert.
“Before dawn Thursday, lawmakers finished their work, confirming Biden won the election.
“Vice President Mike Pence, presiding over the joint session, announced the tally, 306-232.”
Democrats Gain Full Control of Government
Forbes wrote on January 6:
“Democrats Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock defeated incumbent Sens. Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) and David Perdue (R-Ga.) in the U.S. Senate runoffs in Georgia, cementing Democratic control of the White House and Congress and giving President-elect Joe Biden a considerably smoother path to confirming his nominees and implementing his agenda.”
This means that Democrats will be in complete control of the White House and both Houses of Congress. But Democrats are deeply divided.
Argentina “Legalizes” Abortion
Vox reported on December 30:
“Argentina became the biggest country in Latin America to legalize elective abortion on Wednesday after an overnight vote. The measure passed the Senate 38-29 — slightly more than two years after a bill to legalize abortion failed in the upper house 38-31.
“Declining support for religion’s role in governance, as well as the growing power of women’s rights activists, contributed to this shift. And now women in Argentina who would have gone through with abortions regardless of legality will no longer face unnecessary medical complications or fear of prosecution.
“This change could be the catalyst for neighboring countries like Colombia and Chile to reduce restrictions on the procedure, the Wall Street Journal reports.
“According to the BBC, a minimum of 350,000 illegal abortions occur annually in Argentina, a figure that some activist groups feel is undercounting the real number. Illegal abortions can lead to health complications and even death for the people who experience them — the World Health Organization estimates that up to 13.2 percent of maternal deaths worldwide can be attributed to unsafe abortions.
“Argentina has seen adherence to Catholicism decline in recent years, according to a study from the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (CONICET). The Buenos Aires Times reports that in 2019, 62.9 percent of the population identified as Catholic, a 13.6 percentage point drop since 2008. Simultaneously, while evangelicals gained new adherents, the share of people identifying with no religion grew the most, reaching nearly 20 percent of the population.”
Mexico: Women Should Decide on Abortion
Reuters wrote on December 31:
“Mexico’s president said on Thursday that women should decide whether the country should legalize abortion, but he declined to take a position on the issue, which is still opposed by many Mexicans.
“One day after the Argentine Senate voted to make abortion legal, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was asked during a news conference whether he thought his country should follow suit.
“Sticking to his traditional approach, he said there should be a public consultation, given that the matter was controversial. He then stressed that it should be for Mexico’s female population to settle.
“‘It’s a decision for women,’ Lopez Obrador said, adding that mechanisms existed to organize referendums. ‘ It’s just that matters of this nature should not be decided from above.’”
However, the matter has been decided “from above”—God condemns abortion for the murder that it is! Individuals and nations will give account to God for these horrible practices.
Growing Rejection of America in Iraq
Reuters reported on January 3:
“Tens of thousands of supporters of Iranian-backed Iraqi paramilitary groups chanted anti-American slogans in central Baghdad on Sunday to mark the anniversary of the U.S. killing of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani and an Iraqi militia commander.
“The gathering coincided with increasing tensions between Iran and the United States in the last days of President Donald Trump’s administration, and many in the crowd demanded revenge.
“Soleimani, head of an elite overseas unit of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, was killed along with Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis on Jan. 3, 2021, in a U.S. drone strike on his convoy at Baghdad airport.
“Washington had accused Soleimani of masterminding attacks by Iranian-aligned militias on U.S. forces in the region, and his killing took U.S.-Iranian hostilities into uncharted waters and stoked concern about a major conflagration.
“Demonstrators gathered on Sunday in central Tahrir square in response to calls by an array of militia groups known collectively as the Popular Mobilisation Forces (PMF), which are mostly backed by Iran.”
Iran Threatens Trump
The Guardian wrote on January 4:
“The United States has reversed a decision to bring an aircraft carrier home from the Persian Gulf, with the Pentagon saying that due to “recent threats” by Iran the USS Nimitz would stay in position.
“The Nimitz has been patrolling Gulf waters since late November. In a statement issued on 31 December the acting US defence secretary, Christopher C Miller, had ordered the vessel to “transit directly home to complete a nearly 10-month deployment”…
“However, Miller issued a new statement on Sunday changing course. ‘Due to the recent threats issued by Iranian leaders against President Trump and other US government officials, I have ordered the USS Nimitz to halt its routine redeployment,’ he said.
“‘The USS Nimitz will now remain on station in the US central command area of operations. No one should doubt the resolve of the United States of America.’
“Miller did not elaborate on the threats involved.
“His statement came one year after a US drone strike in Baghdad killed the Iranian commander Qassem Suleimani and his Iraqi lieutenant Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis.
“Thousands of Iraqi protesters chanted ‘revenge’ and ‘no to America’ on Sunday. The anniversary of the Baghdad drone strike was also marked across Iran and by supporters in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen.”
Surging Covid-19 in Los Angeles
CNN reported on January 5:
“Los Angeles County has been fighting a brutal battle against Covid-19 for weeks now.
“New infections have soared with about one in five residents who get tested for Covid-19 receiving positive results.
“In a little more than a month, the county doubled its number of infections, climbing from about 400,000 cases on November 30 to more than 800,000 cases on January 2, health officials said Monday.
“The case deluge has translated to a surge of Covid-19 patients, overwhelming hospitals and plunging intensive care unit capacity across the region to zero. There are now more than 7,600 people hospitalized with Covid-19 in the county, 21% of whom are in the ICU, officials said.
“With no hospital beds available, ambulance crews in the county were given guidance not to transport patients with little chance of survival. And the patients who are transported often have to wait hours before a bed is available.
“‘Hospitals are declaring internal disasters and having to open church gyms to serve as hospital units,’ Supervisor Hilda Solis said, calling the situation a ‘human disaster.’
“And a person is dying of the virus every 15 minutes, Los Angeles County Director of Public Health Barbara Ferrer said.
“But it will get worse. Officials say they’re headed into the feared surge stemming from holiday gatherings.”
Britain on National Lockdown
cbsnews.com reported:
“Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday ordered a new lockdown across Britain in an effort to contain a new variant of the coronavirus. In a televised address, Johnson called the next few weeks a ‘critical moment’ in the country’s fight against COVID-19.
“The new measure forces the closure of all schools, shutters personal care services such as barbers and hairdressers, and bans in-person dining at restaurants. While fines do apply for those who leave their homes without valid excuses, there are exemptions in place for those gathering food, going to and from childcare, getting medical supplies, or true emergencies.
“Residents are asked to limit exercise outdoors to once a day. Meeting more than one person outside your house for picnics or drinks is not allowed…
“The new variant of COVID-19 was first detected in southeast England and is already fueling a dramatic surge in cases. More than 50,000 new coronavirus cases are being recorded daily and hospitals in some regions are already overburdened by an influx of patients. Johnson said the new variant is between 50 and 70% more transmissible, making it more likely to catch the virus and pass it on.
“The fast-spreading variant of COVID-19 has already traveled from the U.K to other areas around the globe. Most recently, it has been detected in New York, California and Colorado, in patients without recent travel history. According to leading infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, there are “likely more cases” of the new strain around in the U.S.
“More than 2.7 million people have contracted the virus in the U.K., with more than 75,000 deaths, according to data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.”
Germany Extends Expanded Lockdown
DW reported on January 5:
“Germany’s lockdown has been extended for another three weeks. This time, the rules are even more stringent.
“Germany’s state and federal governments agreed on Tuesday to extend and expand coronavirus lockdown rules in the country.
“The current lockdown regulations, including the closure of schools, will now be in place until at least January 31, and new rules have been introduced.
“‘We must be especially careful now. We are in a new and extraordinary situation,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at a press conference announcing the new rules, adding that the new, more infectious variants of the coronavirus made the situation more urgent.
An Utterly Blasphemous Prayer!
Israel 360 News reported on January 6:
“Democratic Missouri representative Emanuel Cleaver, a ‘pastor’, recited the opening prayer on the first day of the 117th Congress on Sunday. The ‘prayer’ began with a hint of hope for decreased political division.
“But towards the end of the ‘prayer’ Cleaver asked the Hindu deity Brahma for “peace across the land” and inside Congress as well…
“Brahma is the ‘creator god’ in Hinduism. According to legend, Brahma was self-born inside of a golden egg. Although he is considered to be the God of Creation, Brahma is also considered to be a mortal.
“But just in case worshipping a Hindu idol wasn’t controversial enough, Cleaver then concluded the ‘prayer’ with a politically correct play on the word ‘Amen.’
“‘Amen, and a-woman,’ he said.”
The Bible reveals that the nations of Israel and Judah went into national captivity because of this kind of demonic worship—prophecy indicates the same kind of national punishment for our time and our nations.
Acknowledgement and Disclaimer
These Current Events are compiled and commented on by Staff. 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.
