USA Responds to Most Recent North Korean Provocations

The Associated Press wrote on September 3:

“North Korea claimed ‘perfect success’ in an underground test of what it called a hydrogen bomb — potentially vastly more destructive than an atomic bomb… The precise strength of the underground nuclear explosion had yet to be determined. South Korea’s weather agency said the artificial earthquake caused by the explosion was five times to six times stronger than tremors generated by the North’s previous five tests.”

The Telegraph added on September 4:

“America has warned that North Korea is ‘begging for war’… Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the United Nations, on Monday afternoon told an emergency meeting of the Security Council that ‘enough is enough’…

“Military leaders in South Korea claim to have seen indications that the North is preparing an attack and believe it has successfully miniaturised a nuclear weapon to fit onto an intercontinental ballistic missile.”

According to The Associated Press, dated September 3, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Sunday that “the U.S. will answer any North Korean threat with a ‘massive military response.’”

However, most feel that such a military response would be devastating for all sides concerned.

Newsmax reported on September 7:

“President Donald Trump has given military orders for U.S. forces to shoot down and destroy any missile launched from North Korea and moving towards the continental United States, Hawaii and Guam.”

China and USA Destined to Fail?

The Guardian wrote on September 3:

“Experts say Beijing is wary of placing too much pressure on Pyongyang for fear of causing regime collapse and a calamitous regional crisis that might ultimately bring US troops even closer to Chinese soil…

“Shen Dingli, an international relations expert from Shanghai’s Fudan University, said Sunday’s test underlined the futility of both Washington and Beijing’s policies towards North Korea… ‘North Korea will get nuclear weapons just like China did in the 1960s … China is destined to fail.’”

But there is another important reason as to why China is unwilling to put too much pressure on North Korea, as the next two articles show.

China COULD Stop North Korea… But Won’t!

Piers Morgan wrote in The Daily Mail, dated September 4:

“Jong-un must be stopped in his nuclear tracks, that much is clear… North Korea needs to be attacked financially in a way so devastating it is rendered economically impotent, and the most lethal administer of such an attack is its biggest trading partner, China.

“A staggering 90% of all North Korea’s trade is done with China. China has thus become the great enabler of the world’s most despotic regime. It is Chinese money that pays for much of North Korea’s military and it is therefore Chinese money that de facto fuels North Korea’s nuclear weapons program…

“[China] should cut off his crude oil supply. No modern military can function without oil; it is the very lifeblood of any armed force. This dramatic move, which would need Russia’s assistance, would also cripple North Korea’s economy…

“Donald Trump yesterday ramped up the pressure on China by threatening to stop US trade with any country who continues doing business with North Korea. China’s foreign ministry issued a statement branding such a move ‘unfair’. It read: ‘We cannot accept a situation in which, on the one hand we work to resolve this issue peacefully, but on the other hand, China’s own interests are subject to sanctions and are damaged. This is neither objective, nor is it fair.’…

“What is neither objective nor fair is China’s on-going pathetically supine weakness in dealing with North Korea… The biggest threat to world peace right now is North Korea and the one country that can most effectively neutralise this threat is China.”

With or Without North Korea… No Trade with China!

Breitbart wrote on September 4:

“America cannot morally justify trade with China…

“Critics will contend that the scale of America’s business ties to China are so astronomical – $648.2 billion in 2016… – that ending trade with China is impossible without a devastating effect on both economies…

“China… is one of the most egregious human rights violators in the world… Strict population control laws force women who become pregnant after having two children to undergo forced state abortions. Dissidents have reported being used for medical experiments, cut open, and forced to sell their organs for the government’s profit.

“‘Torture, disappearances, imprisoning peaceful advocates, destroying religious communities, internet censorship – President Xi has plenty to answer for on these subjects,’ Sophie Richardson, China director at Human Rights Watch, asserted in April.

“Since then, the U.S. State Department has released reports finding that China severely limits freedom of worship for citizens who do not want to pray at state-controlled temples and churches, whether Buddhist, Christian, or Muslim…

“Christians… face arrest, torture, and beatings if they do not belong to the ‘Three-Self Patriotic Church,’ the state-approved Christian institution. Many are arrested and tortured for starting ‘house churches,’ underground assemblies to study the Bible without a government-approved clergyman adding communist interpretations to their readings. The government has begun… bulldozing churches they can no longer control. This week, video surfaced of Chinese police officers beating priests who attempted to prevent the demolition of a church building…”

In this evil world, money rules. Sadly, the same terrible violations occur in Russia as well… But greed and fraudulent money transactions can also be found in the USA. Note the next article.

Wells Fargo’s Problems Much Worse

CNN wrote on August 30:

“Wells Fargo’s problems are worse than the bank previously admitted… Wells Fargo… now says it has found a total of up to 3.5 million potentially fake bank and credit card accounts, up from its earlier tally of approximately 2.1 million… About 190,000 accounts were slapped with unnecessary fees for these accounts [and 528,000] customers were… enrolled in online bill pay without their authorization…

“Wells Fargo said it will now pay a total of $6.1 million to refund customers for unauthorized bank and credit card accounts… The bank also promised to pay $910,000 to refund customers for the… improper online bill pay enrollments… Additionally, Wells Fargo has agreed to a $142 million national class action settlement to cover fake accounts that were opened back to 2002…

“In late July, Wells Fargo admitted to forcing up to 570,000 borrowers into unneeded auto insurance. About 20,000 of those customers may have had their cars repossessed due to these unnecessary insurance costs…”

Dreamers under Attack

The Guardian wrote on September 5:

“Donald Trump thrust the fate of nearly 800,000 young, undocumented migrants into uncertainty on Tuesday by terminating the Obama-era program that protects the so-called Dreamers from deportation. In response, Barack Obama said the decision was ‘self-defeating’ and contrary to ‘basic decency’…

“The 2012 policy known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (Daca) will be phased out by 5 March 2018, leaving Congress with six months to enact new protections for Dreamers through legislation. New applications will no longer be accepted, while those currently in the program will all lose their status by March 2020, with the first permits expiring in March 2018 – unless Congress passes legislation allowing the young immigrants to stay… Trump… said he had advised the Department of Homeland Security that Daca recipients were ‘not enforcement priorities [for deportation] unless they are criminals, are involved in criminal activity, or are members of a gang’…

“There are around 800,000 Daca recipients living in the US, who qualified by having been under the age of 31 as of 15 June 2012. Those applying were vetted for any criminal history or threat to national security and had to be students or have completed school or military service. Their status must be renewed every two years…

“In a conference call with reporters on Tuesday, senior DHS officials said they would allow anyone with a Daca permit expiring between now and 5 March to apply for a two-year renewal, so long as the application is submitted by 5 October. But other Dreamers whose permits do not expire within the next six months would be poised to lose their status as early as 5 March, exposing them to the threat of deportation. The administration also declared that new applications for Daca dated after 5 September will not be considered, shutting down access to the program for those who are not already beneficiaries.

“The specifics of what legislation Trump would be willing to sign to protect Dreamers remained unclear…  Trump’s decision was swiftly condemned by immigration advocates, business leaders and Democrats, while attorneys general from New York and Washington state said they would take legal action against the administration… ‘This is a sad day for our country,’ Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a statement…

“House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi accused Trump of committing ‘a deeply shameful act of political cowardice and a despicable assault on innocent young people in communities across America… The president’s cruel and heartless decision to start deporting Dreamers in six months demands an immediate response from the Republican Congress,’ she said.

“Republican House speaker Paul Ryan, who in recent days expressed his hope that Trump would not terminate Daca, responded to Tuesday’s announcement by characterizing Obama’s policy as ‘well-intentioned’ but ‘a clear abuse of executive authority [and] an attempt to create law out of thin air… Congress writes laws, not the president, and ending this program fulfills a promise that President Trump made to restore the proper role of the executive and legislative branches,’ Ryan said in a statement…

“The highly partisan atmosphere in Congress will make the passage of any legislation to protect Dreamers an uphill battle…”

Bild Online wrote the following on September 6:

“The Catholic Bishops conference in New York condemned the decision, stating that it showed a lack of mercy. It emphasized that the immigrants are children of God and welcome in the Catholic Church… Several of Trump’s conservative evangelical advisors rejected the decision as well.”

The undocumented migrants under DACA are those who came with their parents to this country, being, on an average, six years old, who have lived in this country for about 19 years on an average. Paul Ryan had promised repeatedly in public, including in a town hall meeting, that under Trump, dreamers would not be deported. President Trump stated that he will “revisit” the issue if Congress cannot pass legislation within six months.

Republican Governor John Kasich (Ohio), whose parents were of Czech and Croatian descent, made a most impassionate plea on CBS on September 6, blasting the decision and encouraged reasonable Republicans and Democrats in Congress to pass legislation within six hours… not within six months, while encouraging political radicals on both sides to step aside.  He stated that President Trump should have taken on the threats of certain governors to sue him if he would not cancel DACA, elaborating that he should have fought them in court, rather than giving in to their demands.  He also invited all Dreamers to come to Ohio, as his state values their contributions.

According to Der Stern, dated September 6, economic and Internet giants such as Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, Netflix, Wells Fargo and General Motors condemned the decision, pointing at massive economic repercussions for the country. JTA added that many Jewish groups rejected the decision.

Trump Suffers Another Setback on His Travel Ban

Newsmax reported on September 7:

“President Donald Trump suffered another setback on his embattled travel ban, with an appeals panel leaving in… place a lower-court ruling that forces the administration to accept people with grandparents, cousins and other relatives in the U.S. Thursday’s decision… further frustrates the Trump administration as it heads toward an Oct. 10 showdown before the U.S. Supreme Court over the broader legality of the president’s executive order temporarily barring travelers from six mostly Muslim nations. The Ninth Circuit panel also said Trump was wrong in how he interpreted an earlier order by [the] high court to apply restrictions to thousands of refugees seeking entry into the U.S.”

Trump Angers and Upsets Republicans

The Week reported on September 7:

“President Trump surprised Democrats and infuriated Republicans on Wednesday when he agreed to a Democratic proposal to attach $7.9 billion in Hurricane Harvey aid to a three-month spending package and debt-limit increase. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) reluctantly agreed to the deal and turned it into legislation Wednesday night… The Senate is expected to approve the package as early as Friday, then it would go back to the House…”

Newsmax reported on September 7:

“President Donald Trump and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer have agreed to work toward a permanent repeal of the debt ceiling [removing] the requirement for Congress to repeatedly raise the debt ceiling, or the limit on federal borrowing…

“Such a measure would be very difficult for many Republicans in Congress to swallow… House Speaker Paul Ryan said on Thursday he opposes any effort to do away with the role of Congress in approving increases to the federal debt limit.”

The Opinion Page of The Washington Post published the following article on September 7:

“Trump’s betrayal of the Republican leaders should surprise no one…  First, Ryan tells reporters that a short-term, three-month extension on the debt ceiling, tied to relief funds for Hurricane Harvey… was ‘ridiculous and disgraceful.’ Then, in the Oval Office meeting, Trump stuns everyone by endorsing the Schumer-Pelosi plan — and agrees to work with the Democrats on repealing the debt ceiling altogether…

“Trump is many things, but he is not, nor has he ever been, a committed Republican. He seized control of the party in a hostile takeover. His campaign positions on trade, health care, entitlements and other issues bore no resemblance to GOP orthodoxy…  Ryan, McConnell and many of their Republican colleagues in Congress convinced themselves that Trump could be a useful instrument — that he would sign whatever legislation they sent him…”

Largest Wildfire in Los Angeles’ History

Reuters reported on September 2:

“A wildfire on the northern edge of Los Angeles rapidly grew on Saturday into what the mayor called the largest blaze in the city’s history…

“Wildfires in the U.S. West have burned more than 7.1 million acres (2.9 million hectares) since the beginning of the year, about 50 percent more than during the same time period in 2016…”

“Florida Declares State of Emergency as Caribbean Girds for Hurricane Irma”

 AFP wrote on September 5:

“Hurricane Irma surged to a dangerous ‘Category Four’ storm Monday as it churned toward the Leeward Islands, sparking alarm and alerts from the Caribbean to Florida, which declared an emergency…

“A Category Four storm [which was subsequently upgraded to a Category Five storm, see next article]… is capable of doing widespread major structural and infrastructure damage… Category four strength was the maximum attained by Hurricane Harvey, which recently devastated parts of Texas and Louisiana…”

USA Today wrote on September 6:

“Hurricane Irma, the most powerful Atlantic Ocean hurricane in recorded history, made its first landfall in the Caribbean early Wednesday as the Category 5 storm rolled toward a likely strike on the south Florida coast this weekend.

“The eye passed over Antigua and Barbuda around 2 a.m. ET. Residents said over local radio that phone lines went down as the eye passed. ‘May God protect us all,’ local authorities said… Gaston Browne, the prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, tweeted the islands may have been spared the worst.

“Michel Magras, senator on the small French-speaking island of St.Barts, sent a text describing the ‘monster that passes over us’… ‘It is apocalyptic, a lot of damage, a lot of roofs torn off,’ he texted…

“The National Hurricane Center said Irma was maintaining sustained winds near 185 mph as it lashed the Leeward Islands with exceptionally strong winds and heavy rain and was heading west-northwest on a path toward Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Cuba. It could reach Florida as early as Friday.”

Considering the wicked lifestyle of many people, we should not be surprised when we hear about terrible “natural” disasters. At the same time, many innocent people suffer as well. We need to pray to God to restore His Government on earth as soon as possible, which will ban Satan [the “monster” or the dragon, also called the serpent of old] and his demons—the real rulers of this present evil age—and which will end all misery and pain.

Brexit Negotiations… From Bad to Worse

Forbes wrote on August 31:

“The negotiations between the U.K. and the EU are going from bad to worse… the EU’s principal negotiator, Michel Barnier, lambasted the U.K.’s attitude…  he went on to complain about U.K. breaches of trust.

 “The first breach concerned citizens’ rights. Recently, the U.K.’s Home Office sent letters to over 100 EU/EEA citizens living in the UK, telling them to leave the country. As the UK has not yet left the EU, these letters were illegal. The Home Office quickly corrected its mistake, apologizing to the people concerned and telling them to put the letters in the bin. But according to M. Barnier, this is not the first time an incident like this has happened. ‘This reinforces the need to ensure that citizens’ rights are directly enforceable in front of national jurisdictions under the control of the European Court of Justice,’ he said. ‘This is a point on which we disagree today.’

“Today, and probably every day. Ending the direct jurisdiction of the ECJ in the U.K. is one of the U.K. Government’s ‘red lines.’ Its position paper on EU migrants is uncompromising: … ‘After we leave the EU, we will create new rights in U.K. law for qualifying EU citizens resident here before our exit. Those rights will be enforceable in the U.K. legal system and will provide legal guarantees for these EU citizens… The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) will not have jurisdiction in the U.K.’

“But M. Barnier’s comments are damning. They amount to condemnation of the entire U.K. justice system. If the U.K. courts cannot be trusted to enforce the rights of EU migrants living in the U.K., they cannot be trusted to enforce any other laws pertaining to the EU either…

“Barnier then went on to discuss what he regards as a second breach of trust, namely the U.K.’s behavior over the Brexit financial settlement:

“In July, the U.K. recognized that it has obligations beyond the Brexit date. But this week, the U.K. explained that these obligations will be limited to their last payment to the EU budget before departure…”

“The UK seems to have dug itself into a deep hole. This is not looking good…”

The Telegraph added on September 3:

“The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has [said] Brexit will be used to ‘teach the British people and others what leaving the EU means’. In highly inflammatory comments made to a conference in Italy on Saturday, Mr Barnier said it was his job to ‘educate’ the UK about the price of leaving the EU ‘club’. ‘There are extremely serious consequences of leaving the single market, and they haven’t been explained to the British people. We intend to teach people … what leaving the single market means.’”

The Brexit negotiations will indeed have devastating results for the UK.

Ditching “Boys” and “Girls” Labels to Avoid “Enforcing Gender Stereotypes”

The Daily Mail wrote on September 3:

“John Lewis has become the first major retailer to ditch ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ labels from its children’s clothing range. The chain has also removed ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ signs from its childrenswear departments to avoid ‘einforcing gender stereotypes’. Instead, new genderless labels say either ‘Boys & Girls’ or ‘Girls & Boys’, and are on all own-brand clothing from newborn to 14 years. Even floral dresses and skirts have unisex labels. The only exception is school uniforms, which will switch to unisex labels soon…

“Parents have praised John Lewis on social media for its move towards gender-neutral clothing… But the retailer faced accusations that it risked taking political correctness too far and was pandering to campaigners…

“Asda was pilloried for selling boys’ T-shirts with slogans such as ‘Future Scientist’, ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ and ‘Rock N Roll Star’ while putting logos such as ‘Ponies Rock’, ‘Pretty Rock’ and ‘Hey Cutie’ on its girls’ range. But critics pointed out that adult clothing sections differentiate between the sexes and questioned why childrenswear should not do the same.

“Tory MP Andrew Bridgen said: ‘I have no idea what would possess John Lewis to do this.’”

The use of the word “possess” is interesting. This is such blatant nonsense and ridiculous insanity, but it shows how stupid our Western societies have become.

Non-Voters in Germany

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 2:

“Like most democracies, Germany has a huge non-voting population. In 2009, more people didn’t vote at all than voted for Merkel’s conservatives… In Germany’s 1972 election, voter turnout was 91.1 percent. In the last two parliamentary elections in 2009 and 2013, only 70.8 and then 71.5 percent of citizens exercised their right to vote.

“… people were asked how they saw themselves, and one common trend among respondents was to reject the idea of being a ‘non-voter.’ Many claimed that they truly wanted to vote, but were taking an enforced break, waiting for a time when they could return to the urns…

“Peters [founder of the Non-Voters’ Party, stated:] ‘Merkel… has absolutely no concept of how to move forward. She lives this system, and she does very well in its confines. But it’s a case of a one-eyed king in the land of the blind.’”

To vote for a candidate in our corrupt political systems would indeed support the system, and even voting for a “lesser evil” means, giving our voice of support to something or someone evil. God’s people WILL vote or give their voice of approval to THE future true and righteous leader and KING when He sets up His Kingdom—Jesus Christ.

Merkel Wins TV Debate Against Schulz

Deutsche Welle wrote on September 3:

“Chancellor Angela Merkel made the more convincing case to lead Germany for the next four years… Forty-nine percent of viewers… viewed Merkel as more credible over the course of the debate, compared to just 29 percent who favored Social Democrat (SPD) candidate Schulz. More than half of those surveyed (55 percent) said the chancellor also outperformed her rival, compared to just 35 percent who thought Schulz came out on top.

“Merkel reportedly scored particularly high marks when it came to credibility, grasp of the issues and likability…

“Merkel [announced] that she will seek to end EU accession talks with Turkey… Merkel said ‘it is clear that Turkey should not become a member of the European Union.’ Merkel’s statement on Turkey came just minutes after Schulz said he would similarly move to halt Turkey’s EU membership talks were he elected chancellor. The chancellor said… that she didn’t ‘see (Turkey) ever joining and I had never believed that it would happen.’…

“Schulz said that US President Donald Trump’s ‘unpredictability’ made him the wrong person to deal with the rogue regime [of North Korea]. While she stressed that she disagreed with Trump on many issues, Merkel said the North Korean crisis was not something that could be solved with the US, adding that ‘one must say in the clearest terms that for us, there can only be a peaceful diplomatic solution.’…”

The Telegraph wrote on September 3:

“Angela Merkel was forced to defend her controversial decision to open Germany’s borders to more than 1m asylum-seekers on Sunday as she [came] under pressure in a televised election debate. Martin Schulz, the main challenger, accused the German chancellor of a ‘serious mistake’ with her ‘lone decision’ and said she should have worked with European allies to find a common approach.

“But a defiant Mrs Merkel insisted Germany had been faced with a ‘very dramatic situation’ and had no choice but to act… [While he] landed some telling blows against the long-serving chancellor, Mr Schulz failed to deliver the knock-out punch his campaign badly needed.”

Europe Unprepared for Russian Aggression

Politico wrote on September 3:

“The U.S. Army’s rapid reaction force in Europe is under-equipped, undermanned and inadequately organized to confront military aggression from Russia or its high-tech proxies…

“The analysis comes to light as Russia gears up for one of the largest military exercises in the post-Soviet era — a weeklong war game called Zapad that could involve as many as 100,000 troops and will be held later this month in Belarus…”

This is another reason why Europe will become more and more convinced in the “necessity” of creating its own army.

Catholic and Protestants Have Much in Common

On August 31, Christian Today wrote the following:

“Protestants and Catholics across the West now agree on so much… that Christians of past centuries would be shocked…

“In every European country surveyed, roughly nine-in-ten, or more, Protestants and Catholics say they are willing to accept members of the other tradition as neighbours, and large majorities of both groups say they would be willing to accept members of the other group into their families.

“For example, 98 per cent of German Protestants say they would accept Catholics as members of their family, and a similar share of German Catholics (97 per cent) say the same about Protestants.”

The Bible prophesies that the Protestant or Evangelical daughter churches will return to the fold of their “mother church”—the Roman Catholic Church.

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.

Historic Storm Hits Texas

The Associated Press wrote on August 27:

“Tropical Storm Harvey sent devastating floods pouring into the nation’s fourth-largest city [Houston] Sunday… ‘The breadth and intensity of this rainfall is beyond anything experienced before,’ the National Weather Service said in a statement… The system was the fiercest hurricane to hit the U.S. in 13 years and the strongest to strike Texas since 1961′s Hurricane Carla, the most powerful Texas hurricane on record.”

Deutsche Welle added on August 27:

“Waters are still rising in Texas as an unprecedented storm moves across the US state leaving thousands homeless. Damage from Hurricane Harvey may be as bad as Hurricane Katrina in 2005… It is the worst storm to hit the state in more than 50 years… The director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Brock Long, predicted that the aftermath would require FEMA’s involvement for years. ‘This disaster’s going to be a landmark event,’ Long said… It was the first big natural disaster for US President Donald Trump, who signed a disaster proclamation on Friday.”

These are strong descriptions of a terrible disaster. The damage and human suffering will be immense. Could it be that God allows these horrendous developments to strike the USA to wake all of us up?

Newsmax added on August 31:

“Soldiers and police in helicopters and high-water trucks rescued thousands of Texans stranded by floodwater from Hurricane Harvey on Thursday, which has killed dozens of people and displaced more than a million others as it drenches the Gulf Coast.

“Some 779,000 Texans have been ordered to evacuate their homes and another 980,000 fled voluntarily amid concerns that swollen reservoirs and rivers could bring new flooding…

“Gasoline futures soared more than 13 percent on Thursday, as almost a quarter of U.S. refining capacity had been knocked offline by the storm, raising fears of fuel shortages. About 189,000 homes and businesses remained without power.

“Moody’s Analytics estimated the economic cost from Harvey for southeastern Texas at $51 billion to $75 billion, ranking it among the costliest storms in American history…

“Early Thursday, explosions could be heard at a chemical plant in Crosby, Texas… failed in a truck storing volatile chemicals, which ignited as they warmed, sending smoke plumes 40-feet (12-meters) into the air…

“After the blasts, local and federal public safety officials, and company representatives insisted there was no risk to the public outside the 1.5-mile (2.4-km) safety perimeter, even though they said eight more trucks storing the same chemicals would eventually catch fire.”

Preventive Strike against North Korea?

The Week wrote on August 29:

“President Trump said ‘all options are on the table’ after North Korea fired three ballistic missiles over Japan on Monday. ‘The world has received North Korea’s latest message loud and clear,’ Trump said in a statement. ‘This regime signaled its contempt for its neighbors, for all members of the United Nations, and for minimum standards of acceptable international behavior.’

“Council on Foreign Relations President Richard Haass told Axios that North Korea’s test ‘raises the possibility that it cannot be assumed to act responsibly vis-a-vis anyone, including ourselves’ and ‘if we cannot make such an assumption, and if arms control fails to deliver, then a preventive strike becomes a serious option, notwithstanding its high risks and potential costs.’”

Living Paycheck to Paycheck in the USA

The website of msn.com wrote on August 24:

“Almost 8 out of 10 American workers say they live paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet… That can force people to take on debt or otherwise struggle when an unexpected bill arises. It also raises questions about the stability of the broader economy given that consumer spending accounts for more than two-thirds of activity…

“Inflation stood at 1.7 percent last month. That means workers’ ‘real’ wages were running only slightly ahead of inflation, another obstacle to putting money away…

“Almost one of 10 workers who earn more than six figures annually said they are living paycheck to paycheck… That may seem surprising, but families who live in regions with a high cost of living may feel almost as strapped as lower-income households…

“American households are still earning 2.4 percent below what they brought home at their income peaks in 1999. At the same time, expenses for food, fuel, education, housing and other costs have risen…

“Aside from the insecurity of living without a financial cushion, the phenomenon has another downside: It hampers Americans’ ability to save for retirement… more than half said they’d never cut back on their internet connection or mobile devices. That might seem like an extravagance to some, yet the truth is many Americans can’t work effectively without internet service at home or a smartphone, with employers increasingly expecting workers to check their email while they’re out of the office or be available for a call…”

Some problems result from a lack of financial education and management, as some spend too much instead of properly saving. On the other hand, it is a vicious and incurable cycle for many. The Bible prophesied that in these last days, “expensive times” will come.

Stock Market Loses Confidence

Newsmax wrote August 25:

“Spooked American investors pulled $2.6 billion from U.S. stocks during the last week as U.S. equity funds suffered their longest outflows streak since 2004, Bank of America Merrill Lynch data showed. Investors have been losing faith that President Donald Trump can deliver on his ambitious tax cut and spending campaign pledges…

“‘Since late June, investors have withdrawn $30 billion from U.S. funds while adding $36 billion to the rest of the world,’ said BAML’s analysts, citing inflows to emerging markets, Europe and Japan.”

The next economic crash seems to be inevitable.

No, Mexico Will NOT Pay for the Wall!

The Huffington Post wrote on August 28:

“In a statement released Sunday, Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the country would not ‘under any circumstances’ pay for the multibillion-dollar border wall. ‘As the Mexican government has always stated, our country will not pay, under any circumstances, for a wall or physical barrier built on U.S. territory along the Mexican border,’ the ministry said. ‘This statement is not part of a Mexican negotiating strategy, but rather a principle of national sovereignty and dignity.’

“The statement was released hours after Trump sent out a tweet asserting that Mexico, which he described as one of the ‘highest crime nations in the world,’ would pay for the border wall. This isn’t the first time he’s made such a claim. It’s unclear why Trump continues to insist that Mexico will pay for his wall when America’s southern neighbor has made it amply clear, on several occasions, that it has no intention of doing so. Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has repeatedly said the country would not be footing the bill for the wall. And former President Vicente Fox has been even more explicit.

“While refuting Trump’s wall claim, the foreign ministry added in its statement that it had offered help to the U.S. government in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey. ‘The Mexican government takes this opportunity to express its full solidarity with the people and government of the United States as a result of the damages caused by Hurricane Harvey in Texas, and expresses that it has offered to provide help and cooperation to the US government in order to deal with the impact of this natural disaster — as good neighbors should always do in trying times,’ the statement said…”

Candidate Trump’s promise that Mexico will pay for the wall will be one of the many promises which President Trump will not be able to keep.

Michael Moore: Trump Will Be Re-Appointed in 2020

Fast Company wrote on August 28:

“Three weeks into the run of his anti-Trump Broadway show, ‘The Terms of My Surrender,’ filmmaker and activist Michael Moore tells Fast Company that the president will be reelected in 2020. ‘I should say re-appointed, because we will have an even larger population that will vote against him in 2020,’ Moore says. ‘But he will win those electoral states as it stands now.’”

We agree with Michael More that Trump would be re-elected or re-appointed in 2020.

“Sebastian Gorka Leaves White House for Breitbart News”

JTA wrote on August 27:

“White House adviser Sebastian Gorka, accused of having ties to far-right groups in Europe, has left the Trump administration… Gorka’s exit comes a week after White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon left his post… Bannon returned to his position as executive chairman of Breitbart News after leaving the White House. Gorka, former editor of Breitbart, said… that he would be returning to the website in some capacity.”

It is a mystery why President Trump appointed controversial Breitbart representatives such as Bannon or Gorka in the first place.

Presidential Pardon for Convicted Former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio

NBCSanDiego wrote on August 25:

“President Donald Trump spared former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio the prospect of serving jail time in granting the first pardon of his turbulent tenure, wiping away the lawman’s recent federal conviction stemming from his immigration patrols that focused on Latinos… Trump granted the pardon less than a month after a judge found Arpaio guilty of a misdemeanor contempt-of-court charge in a trial that was prosecuted by the president’s own Justice Department…

“GOP leaders were mixed in reacting to the pardon. Sen. John McCain criticized the move and said it undermines Trump’s ‘claim for the respect of rule of law as Mr. Arpaio has shown no remorse for his actions’…

“Trump issued the pardon seven months after taking office, though it is not unprecedented for a president to issue a pardon in their first year in office. George H. W. Bush granted clemency after seven months in office…

“It is not unheard of for a president to exercise his broad power to grant pardons without formal input from the Justice Department… President Bill Clinton ignited a major controversy on his final day in office with a last-minute pardon for fugitive financier Marc Rich, the ex-husband of a major Democratic fundraiser. Former President George W. Bush set off a political backlash over his decision to commute the prison sentence of I. Lewis ‘Scooter’ Libby on a perjury and obstruction of justice case that stemmed from a CIA leak. And Gerald Ford pardoned Richard Nixon for his involvement in the Watergate scandal just days after taking over [from] his predecessor…

“Prosecutors… were… recommended by the judge who presided over the profiling case, which began in the Bush administration. The judge in the profiling case was a Bush appointee… Lawyers in Trump’s Justice Department prosecuted the case during a five-day trial this summer, and the judge handed down the conviction last month…”

The Wall Street Journal wrote on August 26:

“House Speaker Paul Ryan on Saturday criticized President Donald Trump for pardoning a former Arizona sheriff, Joe Arpaio… The pardon is the latest point of friction between the president and Mr. Ryan, who have sparred periodically since the campaign. On Thursday, Mr. Trump sent a pair of tweets faulting Mr. Ryan and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky for their legislative strategy in raising the debt ceiling…

“Other Republicans also criticized the pardon, including… Jeb Bush, the former Florida governor… Citing Mr. McCain’s statement [quoted in the previous article], Mr. Bush tweeted: ‘John McCain is right on the mark.’…”

Much of the criticism stems from the perception that Sheriff Arpaio violated the law and was rewarded for it by the President, as “the end justifies the means.”

US Closes Three Russian Diplomatic Facilities

The Washington Post wrote on August 31:

“The Trump administration has ordered three Russian diplomatic facilities in the United States closed following the expulsion of American diplomats from Russia…

“Last month, Russia demanded that the U.S. diplomatic presence there be reduced by hundreds of people. In retaliation, the State Department has ordered the Russian government to close its consulate general in San Francisco, a chancery annex in Washington, D.C., and a consular annex in New York City. These closures must be complete by Saturday.

“The diplomatic reprisals underscore the continued deterioration of relations between the ­nuclear-armed nations, with more acts of payback to come. And they appear to place President Trump’s hope for closer ties with Russia farther out of reach.”

Never a Trump in Germany?

Der Spiegel published a lengthy propagandistic article on August 23, arguing that a German Trump would be impossible or next to impossible. However, many of the arguments were flawed and misleading, but even then, the article shows, albeit unintentionally and inadvertently, that the possibility of a German Trump DOES exist and that it is NOT only a faint possibility. We are giving you a few excerpts to show why Germany’s self-assurances, as depicted by Der Spiegel, are on shaky ground.

“What is it that made the rise of a man like Trump possible in his own country, but impossible here?…

“Germany has a different concept of reality than the U.S., a clear separation between the spheres of dreams and politics…

“Germans once believed they had found a savior, but then he tried to destroy the world, and now their belief in salvation has vanished…

“In the U.S., it’s not only showbiz celebrities who stand good chances of coming to power, but also members of the country’s political dynasties — that is to say, the Kennedys, Bushes and Clintons [We could add the Roosevelt family as part of the “enriched dynasties” governing in the early 20^th century]… In Germany, these kinds of careers are basically impossible. The parties have almost complete control over the recruitment of political staff… Candidates are polished and schooled in the art of adaptation and compromise along the way… In the U.S., the individual may prevail, but in German politics it is the system that rules… The governing system in Germany is more stable, uniform and enduring…

“… there is no truly powerful right-wing medium in Germany. Therein also lies a problem that revealed itself during Germany’s crisis year of 2016 which saw a backlash against the hundreds of thousands of refugees that had entered the country the previous year. Some Germans feel that their understanding of reality, their view, isn’t represented in the media, and they feel shut out. Instead, they have turned to the internet, where political communication can take place without mediation from the media and the parties. At some point, that will create an opportunity in Germany for an individual, a freak or outsider, to turn him or herself into a political force independent of the system. It is here where the possibility arises, faint though it may still be, of a German Trump…

“The refugee crisis of autumn 2015 turned Germany into a new moral political superpower, albeit one that can only afford its pacifist inclinations because the Americans still provide Germany with security…

“Who could emerge as a German Trump? There are no men like him in the German political world…”

The opinion of Der Spiegel that a German Trump could not happen is illusionary and also, to a large extent, dangerous, as it is based on false assertions and concepts and erroneous conclusions. As the Bible tells us that ten nations or groups of nations will give their power and authority to a charismatic political European leader, the beast, so it is clearly foreseeable that Germany’s established parties will give their voice to one of their political leaders as well, or that a new popular party with a strong leader will arise (who will turn out to be the beast). Furthermore, we must not forget that the beast will be a person who will not be viewed originally as someone who should be occupying the office; that he will gain power through flattery, sinister schemes and intrigue; and that the world had looked at the person as being “dead” politically, and that they will marvel at his come-back. But the authors of the Der Spiegel article would not know any of this.

Germany Needs To Lead Europe Militarily

Express wrote on August 24:

“Germany should abandon its military reluctance and lead Europe, Angela Merkel has been told by a leading historian. In an article for Der Spiegel that would have been unthinkable a few short years ago – with  (while)  Germany’s reluctance to be a military power stems from its defeat in two world wars and the lingering legacy of the Nazi Holocaust – Polish-American historian Anne Applebaum said it was time for the nation to act…

“Trump may be an aberration, but he does reflect a very real American exhaustion, and real American doubt about the worth of the trans-Atlantic alliance. Germans should have a plan to deal with threats in America’s absence… ‘If Germany does not want a powerful army, it should still, as a matter of urgency, work with the institutions it has built, most notably the European Union, and especially with France… to create a multinational European force that can be deployed in defence of Europe’s borders, and in Europe’s name, at any time.”

Germany will lead Europe militarily, perhaps in collaboration with European countries such as France and others.

Merkel’s Refugee Policy

The Telegraph wrote on August 27:

“Harsher measures should be taken against asylum seekers if they take a holiday in their country of origin, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said… The issue is… indicative of the tensions that have built in Germany as a result of the influx of refugees. Mrs Merkel said she has no regrets over her refugee policy, which saw Germany controversially open its doors to hundreds of thousands of refugees two years ago, despite the deep rifts the decision caused in her party…

“Just four weeks ahead of the German election, an Emnid opinion poll on Sunday suggested Merkel’s refugee policy was not likely to lose her the election, putting her Christian Democratic Union (CDU) 15 points ahead of the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD). However, 46 per cent of voters have yet to make up their minds, according to a survey for Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper.”

What the German Election Means for Europe

Politico wrote on August 28:

“Germany’s election on September 24 is not just about who will become chancellor — it will influence the future design of the European Union… Although Merkel has a comfortable poll lead… her conservatives will most likely need the support of at least one if not two other parties to govern. The same is true for Schulz’s Social Democrats (SPD), if the former European Parliament president defies expectations and overtakes Merkel.

“With six groups expected to enter the Bundestag, the business-friendly Free Democrats (FDP) and the Greens are potential coalition partners for the two big parties, while the far-left Die Linke and the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD)… are unlikely to be courted. It’s still possible there could be another ‘grand coalition’ between Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) and their Bavarian sister party, the CSU, with Schulz’s SPD…

“All parties [except for Die Linke and AfD] support European cooperation… No matter who wins, expect them to push for a European defense union…

“Expect Germany to advocate a two-speed Europe during the next couple of years… The SPD wants a European finance minister… The conservatives are more cautious, speaking of ‘developing the eurozone further step-by-step… by creating its own monetary fund’… there is broad consensus in support of empowering certain member countries to integrate more deeply than others in a ‘two-speed Europe.’ While the SPD and FDP say this explicitly in their manifestos, the conservatives don’t mention it but have embraced such ideas in the past. The Greens are open to the idea, if only ‘as a temporary solution.’…

“All parties are sorry the U.K. is leaving the EU but want to make sure the Brits will be worse off after their departure. Don’t expect Germany to stick up for the U.K. during the negotiations. One way or another, all parties echo Berlin’s official position that in order to enjoy the privileges of the EU, countries need to respect all four of its guiding principles: free movement of goods, people, services, and capital…

“The Euroskeptic AfD suggest that unless the EU is reformed drastically, Germany should follow the British example and leave the bloc. This remains a fringe position in a country where, according to recent polls support for the EU is actually on the rise.”

No matter who wins the German election, the fulfillment of prophecies about a united Europe under German leadership will go forward.

Jewish Lawmakers Visit Temple Mount

Times of Israel wrote on August 29:

“Jordan condemned a visit by two Jewish lawmakers [MKs Yehuda Glick (Likud) and Shuli Moalem Refaeli (Jewish Home)] to the Temple Mount on Tuesday, saying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to allow a one day ‘trial’ for Knesset members to enter the flashpoint holy site for the first time in nearly two years was ‘irresponsible.’…

“Under a decades-old agreement enforced by Israel, only Muslims are allowed to pray inside the compound, which is known to Arabs as Haram al-Sharif and which contains the Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa Mosque…

“In 2014, a Palestinian terrorist attempted to assassinate Glick because of his Temple Mount activism. The shooter told Glick, right before pulling the trigger, that he was ‘an enemy of al-Aqsa.’…

“MK Ahmad Tibi, of the Joint (Arab) List, decried the visits of the Jewish MKs, calling them a ‘provocation’… He added that the right-wing Jewish lawmakers were seeking to change the status quo on the site…  Glick ‘stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque with a message of peace,’ said Tibi. ‘He calls for turning the site into what he calls the “third Temple,” in a message of peace…’”

We can only imagine how the Arab world will react when the Jews will begin bringing sacrifices on the Temple Mount and commence construction of the third Temple on the site.

ISIS’s Plans for Spain

PRI wrote on August 25:

“A week after the deadly attack in Barcelona, ISIS released a new propaganda video, saying it wants to restore al-Andalus to the Muslim world. Al-Andalus was the word for Muslim-ruled areas of Spain and Portugal in the Middle Ages.

“The Muslim invasion of Spain began at Gibraltar in 711 A.D., less than 80 years after the death of the Prophet Muhammad. In the preceding decades, Muslim armies had swept across North Africa, overthrowing or subduing Christian and pagan kingdoms and territories in their path. Spain was no different, and Muslim emirs soon established control of what’s now Portugal and most of Spain, except for a few mountainous districts of the far north. Muslim armies then invaded France until famously checked at Poitiers in 732 A.D…

“For many Muslims, this era represents a golden age for Islam, with similar strides in civilization taking place in Baghdad, Damascus and Cairo at the same time…

“Córdoba fell to the Christians in 1236, and by 1249 only the emirate of Granada remained. Granada itself finally fell in 1492, the same year Christopher Columbus sailed to America for the first time. The 700-year struggle to fight Muslim rule is known in Spain as La Reconquista — ‘The Reconquest’…

“…  persecution of non-Catholics began the so-called Spanish Inquisition. That’s chiefly remembered in Europe and the West for the persecution of Jews, but Muslims were just as vulnerable… in the early 1600s, the Spanish authorities implemented a policy of absolute intolerance… Anyone found to be practicing a faith other than Catholic Christianity after that date faced the risk of torture, imprisonment and death…

“[Isis terrorists] ‘play that up so they can have a narrative of victimhood, which draws people to their cause,’ says [Rukmini] Callimachi [of The New York Times].”

Terrible things have happened in the name of Christianity and Islam, as well as in the name of other religions. All are guilty, and history may have a strange way of repeating itself to an extent.

Dangerous Flu Vaccinations

The Website of EAWO wrote on August 26:

“In 2015, a whole new slew of flu vaccines found themselves getting approved by the Federal Drug Administration.  This isn’t an uncommon practice; most flu vaccines pass inspection every year.  It’s well known advice that has been passed down from doctor to patient that the flu vaccine is something that we all should get, but it has been quickly surfacing that what’s in the vaccines–especially those from 2015 and after–might actually be more damaging then simply rolling the dice on getting the flu.

“The ingredient that is getting the most flack is called an adjuvant.  The particular one involved is called Squalene, and it has been linked to auto-immune disease side effects.  In fact, it may have been used during chemical attacks in the Gulf War.  Symptoms include chronic fatigue, muscle aches, and neurologic damage. While it may be a contested subject, it remains that we aren’t really sure what’s going into these vaccines we’re being convinced should be used.

“Dr. Russell Blaylock, a neurosurgeon and author of ‘The Blaylock Wellness Report’ [wrote:] ‘Not only is the vaccine not safe, it doesn’t even work…The vaccine is completely worthless, and the government knows it… The government also says that every baby over the age of six months should have a vaccine, and they know it contains a dose of mercury that is toxic to the brain…They also know the studies have shown that the vaccination has zero — zero — effectiveness in children under five…

“For most people, flu vaccinations don’t prevent the flu but actually increase the odds of getting it. The mercury contained in flu shots is such a strong immune depressant that a flu shot suppresses immunity for several weeks…This makes people highly susceptible to catching the flu… Mercury overstimulates the brain for several years, and that activation is the cause of Alzheimer’s and other degenerative diseases. One study found that those who get the vaccine for three to five years increase their risk of Alzheimer’s disease 10-fold… Vaccinations are a pharmaceutical company’s dream. They have a product that both the government and the media will help them sell, and since vaccinations are protected, they can’t be sued if anyone has a complication…”

These are mind-boggling allegations, worthy of our contemplation.

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.

America’s Dilemma

The Nation (a website maintained in Pakistan) wrote on August 19:

“American president Harry S Truman, when asked about the major achievement of his presidency, said, ‘We totally defeated our enemies and then brought them back to the community of nations.’…

“Reconstruction in Germany was carried out under the auspices of Marshall Plan. Japan rose from the ruins under the leadership of General Douglas MacArthur. In the current era, America invaded Afghanistan, ousted the Taliban regime and poured billions to reconstruct the war torn country but failed. Moreover, Washington toppled Saddam in the military offensive ‘Operation Enduring Freedom’; the aim of the invasion was to install democracy and neutralise alleged chemical weapons. America… failed miserably in Iraq and currently the country is the hotbed of regional proxy wars…

“The threat from North Korea is imminent. [The] United States has many options to act but there is hardly any option without the risk of destruction. If [the] United States launches a preemptive strike [then] there is no guarantee that it will neutralise all nuclear launching pads of North Korea and if it fails [then] the result of the Pyongyang nuclear retaliation will be devastating. North Korea has warned of a nuclear strike on Guam, a tiny island [which] is home to 165,000 people and thousands of US soldiers. The island historically acted as the permanent aircraft carrier for [the] US navy in [the] strategically important region of the Pacific Ocean… If a war escalates it will result in devastation and destruction. If [the] United States is able to defend itself from missiles, the chances of defending South Korea are minimal as Seoul is in the range of North Korean missiles…”

The article carried the headline, “America’s Retreat.” It is indeed true that America’s current role in the world has been one of defeat and failure.

“With Color and Fury, Anti-American Posters Appear in North Korea”

The New York Times wrote on August 19:

“The language on the North Korean posters is as bombastic as the images are eye-popping and the colors blindingly bright. One blue-lettered poster shows a barrage of missiles heading toward a map of the United States that is in flames. It boasts, ‘The entire mainland United States is within our range!’ Another says: ‘Military option. Preventive war. Sanctions.’ Then it shows red missiles emerging from a North Korean flag to slam into the United States Capitol and eviscerate the American flag. It carries the words: ‘The Korean answer!’

“A third poster displays a red missile mounted on a giant red tank. It lambastes United Nations sanctions and hails the North’s self-reliance with the words: ‘No one can stop our march forward!’ The posters and defiant slogans were unveiled this past week, the latest sign that tensions remain high between Washington and Pyongyang over the North’s nuclear ambitions and the sanctions imposed by other nations…

“The government in the North has long used posters and rallies to whip up anti-American sentiments and national fervor. They are mainly for domestic consumption. But these military-themed posters also send a message to President Kim Jong-un’s perceived enemies abroad…”

CNN added on August 20:

“North Korea warned Sunday that the upcoming US-South Korea military exercises are ‘reckless behavior driving the situation into the uncontrollable phase of a nuclear war.’  Pyongyang also declared that its army can target the United States anytime, and neither Guam, Hawaii nor the US mainland can ‘dodge the merciless strike.’”

Wars begin with words and propaganda, which can easily get out of hand. Note the next article.

Could Trump Ignite Nuclear War with North Korea?

The Huffington Post wrote on August 19:

“[Trump] raised the prospect of a preemptive strike [against North Korea], marking a radical departure from his predecessors who have always sought to avoid aggravating nuclear armed states… Instead of calming a situation which involves the lives of millions of people, Trump sought to escalate his rhetoric, and enter a dangerous game of nuclear brinkmanship with the mercurial Kim Jong Un.

“… we have certainly entered some dangerous territory. After all, as Trump’s domestic troubles escalate, he may look to military exploits overseas as a means of distraction. As Gideon Rachman writes in the FT, embattled governments are ‘more inclined to adventurism abroad: ‘The German government that led Europe into the first world war felt under acute threat from domestic political enemies. But on the day war broke out, an exultant Kaiser told a crowd: “I no longer recognize any parties or affiliations; today we are all German brothers.”’

“All of this inevitably leads one to question whether Trump could unwittingly ignite another world war. His recent actions towards North Korea illustrate how his erratic behaviour could provoke Kim, leading both sides to escalate out of control until the unthinkable happens…”

A nuclear war between the USA and North Korea is NOT impossible. Note the next article.

The Threat of Worldwide Nuclear War

On August 23, former German Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor Joschka Fischer wrote in project-syndicate.org:

“As someone who was born in 1948, the risk of a nuclear World War III was a very real part of my childhood. That threat – or at least the threat of East and West Germany both being completely destroyed – persisted until the end of [the] Cold War and the collapse of the Soviet Union…

“As the current situation in North Korea shows, the nuclearization of East Asia or the Persian Gulf could pose a direct threat to world peace… Ultimately, there are no good options for responding to the North Korean threat… as the China-South Korea-Japan triangle has become the new power center of the twenty-first-century global economy, no country would be spared from the economic fallout…

“A North Korea with nuclear weapons and the means to use them would add pressure on South Korea and Japan to develop their own nuclear capacity, which they could easily do…

“The situation in Asia today has the nuclear attributes of the twentieth century and the national-power dynamics of the nineteenth century. That could prove to be a highly inflammatory cocktail…

“Instability within the US is cause for global concern. If the US can no longer be counted on to ensure world peace and stability, then… [we] will be left with a leadership vacuum, and nowhere is this more dangerous than with respect to nuclear proliferation.

“Another nuclear danger looms this fall. If the US Congress imposes new sanctions on Iran, the nuclear agreement between that country and the P5+1 (the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, plus Germany) could fail… All of this would be taking place in a region that is already riven by crises and wars. And, because Russia, China, and the Europeans would stick to the nuclear deal, the US would find itself alone and at odds with even its closest allies…”

What Joschka Fischer does not understand, and most politicians don’t understand it either, is that the power vacuum caused by the failing USA WILL be filled, but not by powers which most expect.

Trump’s Isolation

The website of npr published the following article on August 19:

“There is a telling photo that has gotten some attention in social media after Steve Bannon’s exit as President Trump’s chief strategist… It shows President Trump behind the desk in the Oval Office, surrounded by his top advisers… Vice President Pence and national security adviser Mike Flynn;… chief of staff Reince Priebus, chief strategist Steve Bannon and press secretary Sean Spicer. That was Jan. 28, eight days after Trump was inaugurated. Today, only Pence remains… It’s all a reminder… that for the many stories of palace intrigue in this White House, Trump is Trump. He makes the final call…

“Republican elected officials have broken with him post-Charlottesville, from Bob Corker in Tennessee questioning his ‘stability’ and ‘competence’ to South Carolina’s Tim Scott, the only black Republican in the Senate, saying the president’s ‘moral authority is compromised’…

“The ouster could mean less chaos in the White House, but more outside. Shortly after Bannon’s ouster, there were signs Trump could not only be fighting the mainstream media… but also the Breitbarts of the world… After news of Bannon’s exit, Breitbart editor Joel Pollak tweeted simply, #WAR. And a headline on Breitbart’s site was: ‘WITH STEVE BANNON GONE, DONALD TRUMP RISKS BECOMING ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER 2.0.’

“For his part, Bannon said Friday evening… ‘If there’s any confusion out there, let me clear it up: I’m leaving the White House and going to war for Trump against his opponents — on Capitol Hill, in the media, and in corporate America…’ He painted his exit in stark terms in an interview with the conservative outlet The Weekly Standard: ‘The Trump presidency that we fought for, and won, is over…’ However Bannon decides to fight, what is clear is he is not going quietly…”

It is not entirely clear on whose side Bannon will fight. Donald Trump tweeted on August 19: “Steve Bannon will be a tough and smart new voice at Breitbart News… maybe even better than ever before. Fake News needs the competition!”

Is Bannon Going to War Against Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner?

JTA wrote on August 21:

“Former White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon reportedly is ‘going to war’ against several White House targets, including Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, according to reports.

“A report Sunday evening in Vanity Fair… said that Bannon’s targets in the West Wing are the ‘globalists,’ identified as Ivanka Trump, Kushner and former Goldman Sachs president Gary Cohn, the chief economic adviser to Trump and director of the National Economic Council, as well as the ‘hawks,’ identified as National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and his deputy, Dina Powell…

“An unnamed Bannon ally told Vanity Fair that [Bannon and Kushner] clashed fiercely on personnel decisions and policy debates, both domestic and international, many of which Bannon lost.

“Unnamed Bannon allies told the magazine that Bannon had lobbied the president ‘aggressively’ to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, a move that they say was blocked by Kushner. The report also noted that Bannon stayed away during a May visit by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to the White House, texting to a friend that ‘I’m not going to breathe the same air as that terrorist.’

“On Sunday, the Breitbart website’s lead story was headlined ‘Report: Ivanka Trump Helped Push Steve Bannon Out Of The White House,’ based on a Daily Mail report that said ‘Trump’s daughter Ivanka pushed out Bannon because of his “far-right views” clashing with her Jewish faith.’

“Breitbart updated the article to say ‘A senior White House aide informed Breitbart News that the Daily Mail report was “totally false” and called into question the sources in the article of having any real knowledge of the Trump family.’”

Most Divided Administration in US History?

Daily Mail wrote on August 20:

“Steve Bannon has called President Donald Trump’s administration the most divided in history in a candid interview about policy divides in the White House and Republican Party. ‘No administration in history has been so divided among itself about the direction about where it should go,’ Bannon told the Washington Post on Saturday, one day after leaving the White House.

“Bannon said that Trump’s base is frustrated by Congressional foot-dragging on his campaign promises, including trade, immigration, and taxes… Media reports suggest that the ‘opposition’ consist of senior economic adviser Gary Cohn, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and National Security Adviser HR McMaster, officials Bannon views as moderating forces in the West Wing steering the President away from a nationalist agenda…”

Rumors of Trump’s Demise Are Greatly Exaggerated

CNBC wrote on August 18:

“It may seem like all Americans are at least frustrated that President Trump often shoots himself in the foot with unnecessary comments and tweets. But this also exemplifies Trump’s fighting nature that so many voters clearly like. Many conservatives feel like they tried ‘nice’ before… but that still resulted in no real reduction in condemnation and bile from the left. For better or for worse…

“Both party establishments still need a vote-getting leader… He has enormous executive power at his fingertips… The U.S. is not a parliamentary democracy where individual leaders can be ousted with previously unscheduled votes of no confidence or by coalitions of once opposing parties that come together to form a new ruling majority.

“That leaves his die-hard opponents praying for long shot outcomes like impeachment or resignation. And those two possibilities aren’t demonstrably closer to reality today than they were [in the past]…”

President Trump won’t be impeached, nor will he resign voluntarily.

Public Stand of the Joint Chiefs of Staff against Their Commander in Chief

Haaretz wrote on August 20:

“This is unprecedented in U.S. history. Never before have the generals and admirals been so united. There was a ‘revolt of the admirals’ against the reduction of naval forces over air force bombers; and the Joint Chiefs of Staff worked together against Chairman Colin Powell and President George H.W. Bush on the issue of tactical nuclear weapons in the ground forces.

“But there is no precedent for this united front, a calculated provocation against the president who is capable – legally and temperamentally – of dismissing them all, even if it also means the resignation of Secretary of Defense James Mattis… This is a crisis of values the likes of which America has never known before, because it has never known a character like Trump.”

The revolt occurred because of President Trump’s comments pertaining to Charlottesville. This reaction by the chiefs of staff is uncalled for, but such opposition within the military against their leader could make any meaningful unified action against a foreign enemy much more difficult.

America’s New Strategy for “Lasting Peace in Afghanistan”

Fox News reported on August 23:

“President Trump’s comprehensive new strategy to achieve a ‘lasting peace’ in Afghanistan was enthusiastically received Tuesday by the government of Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, which praised the increasing number of U.S. troops in the country as another way to strengthen weakened Afghan forces.

“Trump’s speech also created pressure on the Pakistani government, which the U.S. has long suspected of sponsoring terrorism in Afghanistan… Addressing a new plan for the 16-year conflict in Afghanistan Monday night, Trump asked India — Pakistan’s archrival — to help the U.S. economically in Afghanistan… ‘We have been paying Pakistan billions and billions of dollars at the same time they are housing the very terrorists that we are fighting,’ Trump also said.

“One senior intelligence official in Islamabad told Fox News, on the condition of anonymity, that, ‘U.S. failure in Afghanistan is evident as casualties of civilians and troops are at record-high level, they are finding a way to get out from Afghanistan, the U.S. can’t run away [from] the failures of their own policies of the Ghani-led government and are blaming Pakistan.’

“‘The U.S. wants a face-saving exit from Afghanistan, and sooner or later they will completely withdraw from Afghanistan, leaving the war-torn country mercilessly on its own fate,’ said Shahzad Chaudhary, a Pakistani defense analyst.”

The Week wrote on August 22:

“… in all likelihood, we are headed toward another disastrous troop surge that will end the way every previous attempt to ‘win’ in Afghanistan has ended: in failure…

“The United States has been fighting without interruption in Afghanistan since October of 2001, when George W. Bush launched a nimble invasion to dislodge the Taliban from power… Ever since, we have been waging what is essentially an unwinnable struggle against Taliban guerillas…”

The Week added on August 23:

“Many anti-war Americans have been sunk in despair over Afghanistan since Barack Obama announced his own troop surge back in 2009, which failed spectacularly just as Trump’s is 100 percent guaranteed to do…

“American troops… should be immediately withdrawn.

“Two years ago… [Afghanistan was] an awesomely corrupt basketcase. It had a fraud-ridden electoral system and ranked 172nd out of 176 countries on Transparency International’s corruption measure. It supplied most of the world’s raw opium, and the Taliban in effect controlled huge swathes of the country.

“Today, Afghanistan is up to a whopping 169^th place in the corruption rankings. In other areas, it’s doing even worse than before… the still-ongoing presence of American forces… inflames nationalist resentment. Trump’s announcement that he will ‘lift restrictions and expand authorities’… make this much worse…

“At some point the Afghan government will have to face the Taliban mostly on its own. More American troops can only delay the day of reckoning…”

No matter what arguments may be advanced for the necessity of war, the Bible tells us that war is a curse and will NEVER bring good and peaceful results.

University of Texas Removes Confederate Statues

The Week wrote on August 21:

“Late Sunday night, work crews removed four statues from a main mall on the University of Texas campus in Austin, three of them Confederate leaders and the fourth a former Texas governor. UT Austin President Greg Fenves said the three Confederate statues — two generals, Robert E. Lee and Albert Sidney Johnston, and Confederate postmaster general John Reagan — ‘run counter to the university’s core values.’ The events in Charlottesville last weekend, he added, ‘make it clear, now more than ever, that Confederate monuments have become symbols of modern white supremacy and neo-Nazism.’”

What utter nonsense and childish reaction! Insofar as General Robert E. Lee is concerned, he was married to George Washington’s granddaughter. It has been reported that he fought with the future General Ulysses S. Grant during the Mexican-American war. He believed slavery was a great evil and his wife broke the law by teaching slaves to read and write. He disliked the prospect of the South leaving the Union. After the Civil War, he became very popular with the Northern states and in 1962, the barracks at West Point were named in his honor.

Most Americans Opposed to Removal of Confederate Statues

Newsmax wrote on August 21:

“The Rasmussen Reports survey released Monday found 50 percent of registered voters agree with Trump’s tweet it is ‘sad to see the history and culture of our great country being ripped apart with the removal of our beautiful statues and monuments.’ According to the survey, 37 percent disagree with the tweet and 12 percent are undecided.

“On whether removal of the monuments will help race relations, 28 percent believe it will – but 39 percent think removal will only hurt relations. Twenty-six percent say removal would not have any impact…

“The findings come in the wake of a Reuters poll showing 54 percent of adults believe the Confederate statues ‘should remain in all public spaces’ while only 27 percent say they ‘should be removed from all public spaces.’”

Note the next article for another unwise response to the threat of neo-Nazism.

Removing Neo-Nazis from the Web Sets Dangerous Precedent

Fortune Magazine wrote on August 18:

“The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital advocacy group, has issued a lengthy statement critical of decisions by several web services companies which effectively removed the white supremacist publication The Daily Stormer from the web. The EFF argues that the decisions set a dangerous precedent that could threaten freedom of speech online.

“The Daily Stormer is a news and commentary operation aimed at neo-Nazis and white supremacists, and rooted in the meme- and troll-driven tactics of the so-called ‘alt-right.’ In response to the role of the Stormer in organizing last weekend’s deadly white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, the site’s domain registration was revoked, first by GoDaddy and then by Google. Security firm Cloudflare has also terminated the publication’s account. The site is no longer accessible through conventional web browsers.

“According to the EFF, the ability of domain registrars and security companies to unilaterally remove a site from the web—even one representing a reprehensible ideology—weakens freedom of speech online. ‘Any tactic used now to silence neo-Nazis will soon be used against others, including people whose opinions we agree with,’ the group writes…

“Cloudflare CEO Matthew Prince seems to agree, despite making the decision to suspend the Daily Stormer’s account. In an internal email, he described his own decision as ‘arbitrary’ and emotional, and acknowledged that he individually held too much power over content on the Internet…

“The Stormer has now moved to the so-called dark web, but the organization faces many new obstacles to spreading its message.

“Stormer’s Twitter and Facebook accounts have also been suspended, and companies from payment networks to music streaming sites are refusing their business.”

These developments do indeed set a dangerous presence and could very well constitute further threats for constitutionally protected free speech.

Market Crash in Less than a Year?

CNBC wrote on August 21:

“The former Republican Congressman from Texas [Ron Paul] believes escalating dysfunction in Washington will create even more pain for Wall Street. ‘A 50 percent pullback is conceivable,’ Paul said… ‘I don’t believe it’s ten years off. I don’t even believe it’s a year off.’ According to his calculations, it would cut the S&P 500 Index in half, to 1212, and the blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average would collapse to 10,837.

“Paul noted that there’s a lot of chaos in Washington right now, with an ‘unpredictable president’ and those who are inclined to ‘tear him apart’ but if the market takes that big of a tumble, he doesn’t see it as Trump’s fault. ‘It’s all man-made. It’s not the fault of Donald Trump in the last week. If the market crashes tomorrow and we have a great depression, he didn’t do it in six months. It took more like six or ten years to cause all these problems that we’re facing,’ he said… ‘I see the foundation of our system built on sand, and a big wind comes along to blow it down,’ Paul said.”

Christ compared a person who listens to His words and does not do them as somebody who has built his house on sand, which will fall when the winds and rain come.

Bloomberg wrote on August 22:

“HSBC Holdings Plc, Citigroup Inc. and Morgan Stanley see mounting evidence that global markets are in the last stage of their rallies before a downturn in the business cycle.

“Analysts at the Wall Street behemoths cite signals including the breakdown of long-standing relationships between stocks, bonds and commodities as well as investors ignoring valuation fundamentals and data. It all means stock and credit markets are at risk of a painful drop…

“Citigroup analysts also say markets are on the cusp of entering a late-cycle peak before a recession that pushes stocks and bonds into a bear market.”

Queen Has No Intention of Stepping Down

The Times wrote on August 20:

“The Queen has no intention of stepping aside for Prince Charles and insists it is ‘duty first, nation first, I’m going to be there’…

“Royal insiders said the Queen, the world’s longest-reigning living monarch, remained as committed as ever to her duty. They dismiss claims that she will request that the Regency Act come into force in the foreseeable future. Neither Buckingham Palace nor Clarence House is planning for a regency…”

Queen Elizabeth sits currently on the throne of David, which will be transferred to Jerusalem and occupied by Christ after His return. We expect that Queen Elizabeth will be replaced by her son or grandson before Christ comes back.

Anti-Semitism in Britain…

The Jewish Press wrote on August 20:

“… one in three British Jews has become so fearful of mounting anti-Semitic crime and the failure to excise anti-Semites from politics that they have considered leaving Britain altogether…

“37% of UK Jews conceal their Jewish identity in public; 17% don’t feel welcome in their own country; in fact, only 59% of UK Jews say they feel welcome in the UK. 52% of British Jews said that the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is not doing enough to fight anti-Semitism, and only 39% of British Jews felt confident that anti-Semitic hate crime would be prosecuted. Also, more than 80% of British Jews believe the Labour Party is harboring anti-Semites in its ranks.”

Anti-Semitism in Spain…

The Independent wrote on August 20:

“Barcelona’s chief rabbi has urged Jews to move to Israel because “Europe is lost” to radical Islam. Meir Bar-Hen has been encouraging his congregation to flee Spain, which he called a ‘hub of Islamist terror for all of Europe.’

“The chief rabbi’s warning came after a terror attack in Barcelona left 13 people dead and over 120 wounded and was followed by another attack hours later that killed one person and injured others in the seaside town of Cambrils. Isis claimed responsibility for both attacks, which authorities believe were the work of a large terrorist cell that had been plotting for some time…

“[Bar-Hen’s] comments were at odds with the Federation of Jewish Communities of Spain, which said it had ‘full confidence in security forces who work daily to prevent fanatics and radical Muslims from inflicting pain and chaos on our cities.’”

ISIS Fighters Addicted to Dangerous Drug

The New York Post wrote on August 18:

“ISIS fighters have been using a drug called Captagon, dubbed ‘chemical courage,’ to stay alert in battle… Captagon… is highly addictive – and became illegal in most countries in 1986. Captagon keeps users awake for long periods of time. It also makes users feel energetic and happy… [it] produces ‘a kind of euphoria – you’re talkative, you don’t sleep, you don’t eat, you’re energetic.’

“It’s made cheaply, with a street value of between $5 and $19, in countries including Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey and Syria. Fake versions of the drug are also widely available…

“Addiction to Captagon is rife within the ranks of ISIS in Syria… Suicide bombers… are said to be pumped full of drugs before they are sent on a mission, giving them red eyes and a distinctive look of confusion. The drug turns the terrorists into ‘unforgiving killing machines,’ Arab News reports. The drugs often leave extremists suffering from a crippling addiction, further boosting their reliance on their cruel jihadi masters. According to reports, a growing number of demoralized Syrian citizens have also resorted to taking the drug.

“A massive shipment of the drug was seized in France for the first time earlier this year, sparking fears that ISIS could be forming Mafia-style organized crime gangs in the country…”

The use of mind-altering drugs and the demonic influence or demonic possession of insane ISIS fighters is a deadly combination.

Meet Austria’s Sebastian Kurz

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 20:

“To call Sebastian Kurz (30) ambitious would be an understatement akin to regarding a hurricane as a light drizzle. In 2013, he managed to become the youngest foreign minister in the world at the age of only 27. And earlier this year, he maneuvered to become chief of one of Austria’s strongest political parties, the conservative Austrian People’s Party (ÖVP).

“The ÖVP, which rules in coalition with the left-leaning Social Democrats (SPÖ), promptly called snap elections—to be held a year early, in October 2017… Kurz is aiming not only to become the youngest chancellor in the history of the republic, but to steer his country toward a more conservative migration policy, stop radical Islamist terrorism, ‘break apart the old system’ of politics and shift his nation into a more powerful position in Europe.

“… he is internationally the most recognizable face in Austrian politics – much more so than Chancellor Christian Kern…

“In an interview with Germany’s weekly Welt am Sonntag on Sunday, Kurz outlined his vision for the future should he win the chancellor’s seat in October, including ending the ‘chaos’ of NGOs getting involved in Europe’s migration wave… To stop the chaos, Kurz wants to end ‘economic migration’ to the EU, which he makes clear is different from those fleeing war and violence in countries like Syria…”

Austria will play an important role in European politics, and a person like Sebastian Kurz might very well be someone who might be taken note of.

Austria Sends Troops to Italian Border

The EUObserver wrote on August 17:

“Austria is sending soldiers to stop migrants coming from Italy, while Bulgaria has said the EU should ‘defend’ its borders by ‘force of arms’…. Austria, Denmark, Germany, Norway, and Sweden have the European Commission’s blessing to impose temporary border checks despite being part of Schengen, the passport-free travel zone in Europe.

“Italy and Greece are still the main route for asylum seekers and economic migrants trying to enter the EU… The EU border crackdown has been criticised on humanitarian grounds… The majority of those coming to Greece were fleeing the war in Syria. Many of those coming via Libya to Italy had fled poverty, but faced torture and sexual violence in Libyan detention camps…”

Europe feels threatened by the ongoing migration crisis and is willing to resort to armed forces to combat the influx.

Martin Schulz’s Stance on Military Spending and Nuclear Weapons

Reuters reported on August 23:

“The leader of Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) pledged to have U.S. nuclear weapons withdrawn from German territory if, against the odds, he defeats Angela Merkel to become chancellor next month. Addressing a campaign rally in Trier late on Tuesday, SPD leader Martin Schulz also said he, unlike Merkel, would resist demands by U.S. President Donald Trump for NATO members to increase their defence spending…

“About 20 U.S. nuclear warheads are thought to be stationed at a military base in Buechel, in western Germany, according to unofficial estimates. The U.S. embassy in Berlin said it does not comment on nuclear weapons in Germany. Taking advantage of Trump’s extreme unpopularity in Germany, Schulz also said he would use the money Merkel had earmarked for increased military spending for other purposes…

“After 12 years in office, Merkel has become increasingly confident on the global stage. She has pushed for Germany to become more militarily self-reliant, partly in response to Trump’s hinting that he might abandon NATO allies if they do not spend more on defence…”

Schulz’s positions in these regards would not be in accordance with biblical prophecy.

Angela Merkel Responds to Donald Trump

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 23:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel had some harsh words for US President Donald Trump… Speaking with reporters, she warned that Germany would not blindly [and ‘automatically’] follow the United States into a war with North Korea. She added that Trump’s ‘America First’ attitude was putting him at risk of decreasing his country’s importance on the world stage.

“‘An America that does not care about the rest of the world and just thinks about itself does not make for a big and great country,’ said the chancellor, contradicting the US president’s insistence that his isolationist policies will make the US ‘win’ against its rivals.”

Fight Between Turkey and Germany Intensifies

AFP wrote on August 20:

“Erdogan… caused consternation in Berlin by urging ethnic Turks in Germany to vote against both parties in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s ruling coalition in the September 24 legislative elections. Gabriel condemned Erdogan’s comments as an ‘unprecedented act of interference’ in Germany’s sovereignty…

“Analysts estimate that some 1.2 million people of Turkish origin will have the right to vote in the September polls as German citizens.”

The deteriorating relationship between Germany and Turkey totally destroys any realistic hope for Turkey to ever become a member of the EU.

Turkish Arrogance Reaches Spain through Dubious Interpol Activities

The EUObserver wrote on August 21:

“The arrest of a Turkish dissident has again highlighted the way rogue regimes use Interpol to hunt their enemies inside the EU. Armed police arrested Dogan Akhanli on Saturday (19 August) morning at his hotel in Granada, Spain, handcuffed him and drove him for questioning at a regional HQ. The 60-year old writer was later freed, but is not allowed to leave Spain until judges have decided whether to extradite him to Turkey…

“The Spanish police came after him because Turkey had filed a so called ‘red notice’ for his arrest as a terrorist with Interpol, an international police agency based in France. The writer, who is a critic of Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan and of Turkey’s denial of the Armenian Genocide, fled to Germany in the 1990s and later obtained German citizenship after being persecuted in his home country. ‘I thought I was safe in Europe. I thought Turkish arrogance cannot reach Europe, but probably this is not quite true,’ he said. ‘I find it a shame because Spanish democracy has experience with Franco and fascism and such tricks as have just been tried by Turkey,’ he said, referring to a former Spanish dictator…

“The Akhanli case is one of several in recent years to expose Interpol’s openness to political abuse. Germany itself, in 2015, arrested Ahmed Mansour, a journalist for the Al-Jazeera news agency, on the basis of an Interpol notice issued by the Egyptian regime. Belgium, last year, arrested Maxime Azadi, a Kurdish journalist on a Turkish Interpol request. Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Russia have routinely used Interpol red notices and so called ‘diffusions’ to hunt and harass political opponents in the EU.”

Deutsche Welle added on August 21:

‘It was unclear why Turkish authorities issued the arrest warrant, but [it was] suggested that Turkey had targeted the Cologne-based writer for advocating the recognition of Turkey’s mass killing of Armenians as genocide… Akhanli has lived in Germany since he fled Turkey in 1991 and has citizenship. He has written extensively on Turkey’s human rights record and the Armenian genocide…

“The relationship between Turkey and Germany has become increasingly strained following last year’s failed coup. Under a state of emergency, authorities have fired or suspended some 150,000 people and detained over 50,000 people. Those detained include German human rights activist Peter Steudtner and German-Turkish journalist Deniz Yucel. Turkey accuses Germany of supporting coup plotters and terrorists, charges that officials in Berlin vehemently denies.”

Jewish Visitors of Temple Mount Increase Drastically

The Jewish Press wrote on August 17:

“So far this year, 20,000 Jewish visitors have ascended to the Temple Mount. The record has been 20,060 Jewish visitors ascending to the Temple Mount within one year, and that was set during the first year of the liberation of the sacred site from Jordanian occupation. Last month saw more Jewish Israelis visit the Temple Mount in one month – approximately 3,200 – than in any other month since 1967.

“Jordan’s Foreign Affairs Minister Ayman Safadi described the visits to the Temple Mount by Israeli Jews as ‘extremists who stormed Al Aqsa’ in his speech last month to Muslim nations in Istanbul… Safadi warned at the gathering of Islamic nations that many more ‘crises’ can be expected ‘as a result of continued Israeli violations … if the occupation doesn’t end, if east Jerusalem is not independent and not the capital of the sovereign Palestinian state along the 1967 lines.’”

The Temple Mount will continue to be in the news, while Jordan’s position in the matter is abominable. It destroys any chance for meaningful peace negotiations.

Philippines Catholic Church vs. President Duterte

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 20:

“The head of the influential Catholic Church of the Philippines on Sunday sharply criticized President Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal war on drugs that has left dozens of people shot dead in the past week alone… The scale of the crackdown has brought renewed criticism of Duterte’s ruthless war against alleged drug dealers and users, even as the president praised police when they killed 32 drug suspects in a single day this week.

“Among those gunned downed by police over the past week was a 17-year-old whose death caused a public uproar after evidence emerged he may have been framed and killed by police. The highest-ranking Church official [Manila Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle] said in a statement, read at all Sunday masses across the predominately Catholic country, that those behind the deaths should stop wasting human lives…

“More than 2,000 people have been killed in drug-related crimes and some 11,000 other people murdered under mysterious circumstances. Critics blame the police for extrajudicial killings and using vigilante groups to go after suspected drug dealers or users. The government and police deny the allegations. Several allies of the president have started to voice concern over the scale of the drug war, even as Duterte remains popular and the public largely supports the crackdown…

“The president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines on Sunday echoed Tagle’s criticism and called for church bells to ring every night for 15 minutes over the next three months. ‘The sound of the bells is a wake-up call for a nation that no longer knows how to condole with the bereaved, that is cowardly to call out evil. The sound of the bells is a call to stop consenting to the killings!’ Archbishop Socrates Villegas said in a statement.”

The stance of the Roman Catholic Church in the Philippines is remarkable. The Church sides with most political leaders in the world who strongly condemn President Duterte’s conduct, which, as the article points out correctly, is very popular in the country.

 Pig Virus Spreads to Humans

The Sunday Times wrote on August 20:

“A leading British supermarket may unwittingly have infected thousands of people with a pig virus that causes liver cirrhosis and neurological damage… Hepatitis E (HEV) is transmitted by sausages and pork products from Europe, mainly Holland and Germany. UK pigs do not have the virus strain in question.

“Scientists… have traced the shopping habits of infected people and found that a common factor is consumption of own-brand sausages from ‘Supermarket X’… two separate sources said it was Tesco.”

The human consumption of pigs is prohibited by God in the Bible. Eating unclean meat, including pork, is hazardous to human health.

Ignorant “Fundamental Christians”

Express wrote on August 20:

“Monday’s total solar eclipse will be the first for 99 years to cross the US from coast to coast. The eclipse signals the end of days according to some fundamental Christians. Many fundamentalist Christians see this as a significant warning of the impending apocalypse, the second coming of Christ and the rapture. The ‘Great American Total Solar Eclipse’ as it is called is said to be a warning sign from God, as it allegedly fulfils a Bible prophecy. Pastor Paul Begley, host of the Coming Apocalypse radio show, said the eclipse could possibly fulfil a prophecy recorded in the book of Joel. This states: ‘The sun shall be turned to darkness before the Day of the Lord come.’…

“Writing for Unsealed.org, Gary Ray says the eclipse may mean that 2017 will mark the beginning of the Tribulation, a time the Bible describes as a period of conflict and suffering on a scale never experienced in mankind’s history. He said that another solar eclipse in seven years will slash across the US in the opposite direction from Texas to Maine, making an eclipse X over northern America.

“Scott Clarke of ERF Ministries believes the eclipse is intimately connected to a September 23 astronomical alignment. He says it involves the constellations Virgo and Leo, along with Mercury, Mars, Venus and Jupiter.  On that date, Jupiter will exit the lower part of Virgo (the virgin) in a way that Clarke says fulfils the ‘man child’ of Revelation 12 being birthed by the woman. He says Regulus and the other stars of Leo—along with the other three visible planets—comprise the ‘crown of twelve stars’ that Revelation 12:1 says will be upon the travailing woman’s head…”

All of this is complete and utter nonsense. The ignorance of these foolish and ungodly opinions is mind-boggling. The eclipse and the astronomical alignment have absolutely NO prophetic relevance. In addition, the Bible makes it very clear that the “heavenly signs,” when the sun shall be turned to darkness, will occur AFTER the great tribulation has begun… not before then. The Bible does not teach a rapture. And the book of Revelation does NOT describe in any way an astronomical alignment. Please view our StandingWatch program, “False Endtime Predictions for 2017.”

But also note the next article:

Are Solar Eclipses Proof of God?

Fox News wrote on August 20:

“So this sort of thing doesn’t happen anywhere else in our solar system. But our planet has just one moon that happens to be just the right size and just the right distance from Earth… Anywhere but here on this planet on Monday, the view of these two objects is nothing special… It’s almost as though what we will marvel at was artfully arranged specifically for our benefit…

“… the diameter of the sun… is precisely 864,576 miles. The diameter of the moon [is] listed at 2,159 miles… the distance from Earth to the sun… is generally given as 93 million miles… the distance from Earth to the moon… is given as 239,000 miles [on an average].

“… I divided the sun’s diameter (864,576) by the moon’s (2,159) and got 400.452… dividing the distance from the Earth to the sun (93,000,000) by the distance from the Earth to the moon (239,000)… yielded 389.121… Was the correlation in these ratios mere coincidence?… our planet has just one moon that happens to be just the right size and just the right distance from Earth.

“I found the precision necessary for all of this unbelievable… there was no way this could be a mere coincidence. It seemed almost planned. In fact, it seemed utterly planned, as all things of such precision must be. Three thousand years ago a man in Israel wrote:  ‘The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.’ That man didn’t have a telescope or a Brittanica, but he saw something many of us today still do not see. He saw a God behind it all. It may be true that seeing a Grand Designer behind these breath-taking events requires what we call a leap of faith; but it may also be true that seeing mere coincidence behind them requires an even greater leap of faith…”

These observations are very valid. They prove the existence of God. But the astronomical phenomena in August and September are NO PROPHETIC SIGNS for an impending end-time disaster.

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.

Violence in Virginia

Deutsche Welle reported on August 13:

“At least one person died and 19 others were injured when a car drove into a crowd of counter-protesters at a violence-ridden right-wing rally in Charlottesville in the US State of Virginia on Saturday. Footage showed the car slowing down before accelerating towards the crowd, sending people flying and seemingly crushing one person between two other stationary cars. The silver sedan then reversed away rapidly. Police later arrested a 20-year-old man who was allegedly the driver. He was being charged with multiple offenses including second-degree murder…

“As many as 6,000 protesters, including supporters of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), descended on the university town of Charlottesville on Saturday to protest the removal of a statue of Confederate General Robert E. Lee from a public park…

“Hundreds of white nationalists marched Friday night on the Charlottesville campus of the University of Virginia, carrying burning torches – a symbol associated with the KKK and its lynchings in the early to mid 20th century… Rally organizer Jason Kessler described Robert E. Lee as a symbol of white people threatened by immigration and ‘ethnic cleansing.’…”

Terrorism by White Supremacists

The Telegraph wrote on August 13:

“Donald Trump… has been criticised by senior Republicans after condemning the hate and bigotry ‘on many sides’ rather than giving an unequivocal condemnation of the neo-nazis who organised the rally… Some critics of Mr Trump argue that his refusal to pin the blame on white supremacists [is] because he fears he could [lose] some of the voters who swept him into power.

“David Duke, the former Ku Klux Klan leader, said Mr Trump should remember it was white Americans who propelled him to power, not ‘radical leftists’. [He tweeted on August 12: ‘I would recommend you take a good look in the mirror & remember it was White Americans who put you in the presidency, not radical leftists.’]…

“Marco Rubio, the [Republican senator from] Florida… said it was important to hear the president to describe events in Charlottesville as a terror attack by supremacists. Cory Gardner, the Republican senator from Ohio, was equally unequivocal, urging Mr Trump to call evil by its name, describing events in Charlottesville as domestic terrorism. Orrin Hatch, the Republican senator from Utah, said his brother did not die fighting Hitler for Nazi ideas to go unchallenged in the United States. Iowa’s senator, Chuck Grassley, said what white nationalists were doing in Charlottesville was terrorism which should not be tolerated.”

Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump tweeted on Sunday that there was “no place in society for racism, white supremacy and neo-nazis.”

Hatred Against Jews and Blacks

The Times of Israel wrote on August 13:

“Among the 500 white supremacists were men and women bearing signs like… ‘Jews are Satan’s children.’ There were Nazi flags. There were men all in black, T-shirts and slacks and army boots and helmets, jogging along with plastic shields. There were the men who sang of ‘blood and soil’ as they marched to the Emancipation Park event. And when the white supremacists got their act together and gathered in McIntire Park, they shouted ‘Jew’ every time the name of Charlotteville’s Jewish mayor, Michael Signer, was mentioned.

“And of course, the hostility was not confined to Jews: As targets, Jews were not even preeminent; blacks were… Marching along McIntire Road, the white supremacists shouted out the N-word at drivers passing by…”

What About the Fascistic Left?

Breitbart wrote on August 12:

“Originally billed as a protest in favour of free speech — alongside the disdain over the removal of Confederate statues in the city — the ‘alt-right’ rally found itself transformed into a torch-wielding, Nazi-flag waving dereliction of American values… what transpired amounted to a disgusting and unwelcome throwback to segregationist ideas and rhetoric at a time when patriotic conservatism is gaining ground. While many media minutes and deliberations will be afforded to the fascistic right, almost none will be dedicated to the fascistic left…

“… it can be said with demonstrable authority that while Republicans and conservatives are very swift to decry extremists claiming to act in the name of their causes, the left do no such thing. In fact, they continue to fund and support antiFa [anti-Fascist] and radical elements in their ranks…”

The Anti-Fascist Movement

Newsweek added on August 13:

“It’s unclear who or how many people are organizing the AntiFa movement. The secretive U.S. effort has been traced to militant leftist movements in Germany, Italy and Spain before World War II… Anti-Fa protesters have been linked to violent protests against the far-right. During Trump’s inauguration, for example, police arrested more than 200 people after protesters dressed in black smashed local windows, set some cars on fire and attacked law enforcement officials on the streets of Washington, D.C…

“The conservative leaning National Review warned its readers about AntiFa protesters in June… The mainstream media has slowly been chronicling the rise of the AntiFa movement…

“In its upcoming September issue, The Atlantic followed AntiFa protesters in Portland, Oregon rallying against fascism and Nazis… It describes the AntiFa movement as violent…”

Violence is deplorable and must be strongly condemned, regardless of whether it originates with the ultra-right or the ultra-left. Compare Psalm 11:5: “The LORD tests the righteous, But the wicked and the one who loves violence His soul hates.”

Donald Trump Defiant

AFP wrote on August 16:

“US President Donald Trump sparked another political firestorm Tuesday when he doubled down on his initial response to the violent white supremacist rally in Charlottesville that ended in bloodshed, saying there was ‘blame on both sides.’ The Republican president — who one day ago solemnly denounced racism and singled out the Ku Klux Klan and neo-Nazis as ‘criminals and thugs’ — also hit out at what he called the ‘alt-left’ over the weekend melee…

“In a rowdy exchange with journalists at Trump Tower in New York, Trump made clear on Tuesday that he was fed up with continued questioning about the issue. ‘I think there is blame on both sides,’ Trump said… ‘You had a group on one side that was bad, and you had a group on the other side that was also very violent. And nobody wants to say that, but I’ll say it right now,’ Trump continued. ‘What about the alt-left that came charging… with clubs in their hands, swinging clubs?…’

“… Trump’s comments were immediately welcomed by David Duke, a former ‘grand wizard’ of the Ku Klux Klan and a key figure at Saturday’s rally… But on the political left, the president’s words were met with indignation. Trump’s predecessor Barack Obama, the first black US president, said on Twitter: ‘No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion.’ Obama’s tweet was the most liked in history, according to the site…

“Trump’s fellow Republicans were also quick to distance themselves from his remarks… And the condemnations also spilled beyond the political realm… After the contentious press conference, the head of the main US labor union, the AFL-CIO, joined several high-powered executives in stepping down from Trump’s manufacturing advisory panel…

“Trump called Fields, who has been charged with second-degree murder, a ‘disgrace to himself, his family and this country.’ But he also said that while there were troublemakers at the rally, there were also many people there ‘to innocently protest and very legally protest’ the removal of a ‘very important statue’ of Confederate general Robert E Lee. ‘I wonder, is it George Washington next week? And is it Thomas Jefferson the week after?’ he said angrily, referring to the fact they owned slaves…”

Deutsche Welle added on August 16:

“German Justice Minister Heiko Maas criticized Trump’s latest response to the violence, saying that there’s no way to relativize anti-Semitism and racism… On Monday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel told broadcaster Phoenix that clear action was needed to combat far-right extremism. She noted that Germany had ‘quite a lot to do at home ourselves’ to address a recent rise in anti-Semitism…

“Republican Senator Marco Rubio of Florida addressed Trump in a six-stage tweet, saying he could not allow white supremacists to share only part of the blame…”

Newsmax added on August 15:

“Mitt Romney on Tuesday rejected President Donald Trump’s statement ‘both sides’ were responsible for the violence in Charlottesville, Va… Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., made similar comments on Twitter…”

Fox News added on August 16:

“President Trump’s renewed claim that ‘both sides’ share blame for the deadly violence at last weekend’s Virginia rally organized by white supremacists has stoked new tensions with congressional Republicans. ‘I don’t understand what’s so hard about this,’ Ohio Rep. Steve Stivers, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, tweeted Tuesday after Trump’s comments. ‘White supremacists and neo-Nazis are evil and shouldn’t be defended.’… Stivers’ comments were noteworthy considering he leads House Republicans’ campaign arm. The internal tensions come as the party is preparing for the 2018 midterm elections…

“The White House, though, is not backing down. A memo of talking points obtained by Fox News stated that Trump’s remarks Tuesday in the lobby of Trump Tower were ‘entirely correct — both sides of the violence in Charlottesville acted inappropriately, and bear some responsibility.’”

There should be no question that in regard to the incident in Charlottesville, President Trump is correct on many points, even though he is not saying things which are politically correct or “expedient” and which are approved by politicians and the mass media around the world. The US media, anxious to find fault with Donald Trump, is focusing on the extreme violent right, without mentioning the extreme violent left. During the encounter in Charlottesville, masked trouble-makers from the far left were seen on video, with clubs in their hands, and the illegal destruction of the statue of Robert E. Lee by violent anti-right protestors was a disgrace. None of that should have a place in the USA, but in a divided country, violent elements from extreme movements have their field day.

The US Justice Department’s Unconstitutional Fishing Expedition?

The Guardian wrote on August 15:

“The US government is seeking to unmask every person who visited an anti-Trump website in what privacy advocates say is an unconstitutional ‘fishing expedition’ for political dissidents. The warrant appears to be an escalation of the Department of Justice’s (DoJ) campaign against anti-Trump activities, including the harsh prosecution of inauguration day protesters.

“On 17 July, the DoJ served a website-hosting company, DreamHost, with a search warrant for every piece of information it possessed that was related to a website that was used to coordinate protests during Donald Trump’s inauguration. The warrant covers the people who own and operate the site, but also seeks to get the IP addresses of 1.3 million people who visited it, as well as the date and time of their visit and information about what browser or operating system they used.

“The website, www.disruptj20.org, was used to coordinate protests and civil disobedience on 20 January, when Trump was inaugurated. ‘This specific case and this specific warrant are pure prosecutorial overreach by a highly politicized department of justice under [Attorney General Jeff] Sessions,’ said Chris Ghazarian, general counsel for DreamHost. ‘You should be concerned that anyone should be targeted simply for visiting a website.’ The warrant was made public Monday, when DreamHost announced its plans to challenge the government in court. The DoJ declined to comment…”

This action of the DoJ under controversial Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the fact that a judge even issued a search warrant are indeed very troubling developments.

Venezuela in the News

Ever since President Trump threatened military actions against Venezuela last week, the world focuses on both North Korea and Venezuela.

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 12:

“Venezuela faces deadly clashes between security forces and a massive protest movement aimed at ousting President Nicolas Maduro. The unpopular Maduro is backed by the military, the Supreme Court, and the newly established Constitutional Assembly, while the opposition wields the two-thirds majority in the largely sidelined parliament. With the death toll mounting in the impoverished country, several minor military groups have also turned against Maduro and urged their fellow soldiers to side with the opposition…

“Maduro, a former bus driver, succeeded the charismatic populist Hugo Chavez as the president of Venezuela in 2013. He previously served as vice president under Chavez, who personally endorsed him as his political heir before dying of cancer…

“Maduro soon faced protests over raising inflation and the rapidly deteriorating economy. He responded by locking away political opponents and accused the US of plotting to overthrow him…

“Venezuela’s inflation continues to climb and the country faces shortages for food, energy, and basic medicine, fueling the anti-government protests. The looting and riots have prompted the Maduro regime to declare a state of emergency. Over 120 people have been killed since the latest anti-government protests erupted in April 2017.

“Throughout the crisis, Maduro repeatedly insisted that he was fighting a US-backed conspiracy against the socialist revolution of his late mentor Chavez. He also accused Washington of driving down the price of oil, prompting the economical downfall in the oil-rich Venezuela…”

The Bible warns us that in the end time, we will hear more and more of wars and rumors of wars (Matthew 24:6).

Who Would Support America in Case of War with North Korea?

Deutsche Welle reported on August 12:

“The world is currently holding its breath… if there were to be a military confrontation [between North Korea and the USA], it would affect the whole international community.

“Article Five of the North Atlantic Treaty states that ‘an armed attack against one or more [member states] in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all.’ However, this is limited by Article Six, which says that this mutual assistance obligation applies only to attacks ‘on the territory of any of the Parties in Europe or North America’ or ‘on the territory of or on the Islands under the jurisdiction of any of the Parties in the North Atlantic area north of the Tropic of Cancer.’ This elaborately formulated clause excludes the island of Guam, as it is too far south…

“Support… does not inevitably mean that all the allies would send battleships to the South Pacific if Guam were attacked… As far as Germany is concerned [it is being speculated that it] would provide diplomatic help [but it wouldn’t provide military support… [It is not believed that] Britain would leap to America’s aid if Guam really were to be attacked… as the UK does not have as much of a presence in the western Pacific region as it once did…

“Australia has already assured America of its support… Australia is regarded as a reliable partner in military operations: It participated in both the Korean and the Vietnam Wars, and sent relatively high numbers of troops to both. This is also the case with South Korea, which sent the highest number of troops to Vietnam after the United States. However, if the conflict with North Korea were to escalate, the question would not really arise, as South Korea would in any case probably be the country worst affected by North Korean aggression… the Japanese are unlikely to get involved militarily… the United States has sufficient military might to respond to any such military strike without the aid of its European allies…”

We can safely say that Russia or China would not support America either. This means that with the possible exception of Australia and South Korea, the USA would find itself alone.

Deutsche Welle wrote on August 11:

“US President Donald Trump on Friday brushed aside German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s criticism of the increasing tension between the United States and North Korea, saying she did not speak for his country. ‘Let her speak for Germany,’  Trump told reporters in New Jersey when asked about her comments… Merkel had earlier Friday condemned the escalating rhetoric between Pyongyang and Washington, saying that Germany’s government believed the conflict could not be solved by military means…

“European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said she had called EU member states to an extraordinary meeting next week to discuss what action to take regarding North Korea…”

North Korea Backs Off Guam Missile-Attack Threat

The Wall Street Journal wrote on August 14:

“North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has decided not to launch a threatened missile attack on Guam, Pyongyang’s state media reported on Tuesday, but warned that he could change his mind ‘if the Yankees persist in their extremely dangerous reckless actions.’… Mr. Trump warned Pyongyang last week that the U.S. military was ‘locked and loaded’ and could engulf the North in ‘fire and fury,’ while North Korea, through its state media, had threatened to fire four missiles in a bid to surround the U.S. territory of Guam in ‘enveloping fire.’…

“Guam is home to two major U.S. military bases. The island is situated roughly 3,800 miles west of Hawaii and 2,100 miles south-southeast of Pyongyang.”

Uncertainty Continuing…

CNN wrote on August 15:

“[The North Korean] State media KCNA… report… appears [to] put the onus to act on Trump, saying Kim would ‘watch a little more the foolish and stupid conduct of the Yankees.’ The report is assumed to be referring to the US joint military drills with South Korea, known as the Ulchi-Freedom Guardian, which are scheduled to start August 21. The annual 10-day military drills antagonize North Korea, as Pyongyang believes they are preparations for an invasion…

“China’s Global Times newspaper, a state-run tabloid, was scathing of South Korea’s decision to proceed with the drills. ‘The drill will definitely provoke Pyongyang more, and Pyongyang is expected to make a more radical response,’ it said in an editorial…

“South Korea President Moon Jae-in [pointed] out the US would need its approval before launching any attack on North Korea…”

The Washington Post wrote on August 15:

“North Korea denounced the exercise Monday, warning that even an accident in the midst of it could trigger a nuclear conflict. But the war game also has drawn scrutiny this year from Russia and China, which have suggested canceling the operation to alleviate tensions. The United States has rejected that option, saying the exercise is needed to deter North Korean aggression as Washington seeks peaceful means to stop Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons development…”

While all of this is going on, Variety reported on August 14 that “President Donald Trump signed an executive order to give the green light to a potential investigation into unfair Chinese trade practices, including the theft of intellectual property, in a move that may eventually lead to tariffs on some imports. In Beijing, the official state run newspaper, China Daily, said that the move was a ‘rash’ decision. ‘Instead of advancing the United States’ interests, politicizing trade will only acerbate the country’s economic woes, and poison the overall China-U.S. relationship,’ the newspaper said.”

Former German Chancellor Schröder’s Rehabilitation?

The Washington Post wrote on August 12:

“For seven years, Gerhard Schröder was the leader of the most populous democracy in Western Europe. He modernized the country’s social security system, angered George W. Bush by refusing to participate in the invasion of Iraq and was only narrowly ousted in an election defeat to Angela Merkel in 2005. Schröder could have easily spent the rest of his career as an elder statesman, attending summits and writing books. Instead, Schröder — a friend of Vladimir Putin who has defended Moscow’s top man as a ‘flawless democrat’ — opted for a career in the Russian business world.

“Schröder has spent much of the past decade working for the Russian energy industry, serving as a board member of several consortia in which Russian-government-controlled energy company Gazprom is either the majority or sole shareholder. His astonishing career in the Russian energy industry reached new heights this week when the former chancellor was nominated for a position as an independent director on the board of Rosneft, Russia’s largest oil company — and one in which the Kremlin also holds a controlling stake. The nomination… was confirmed by a government decree published late on Friday night…

“At a time when Russian business connections among members of Trump administration have come under growing scrutiny, Schröder’s case stands out as the perhaps most blatant example of a Western politician having conflicts of interests when it comes to Moscow…

“Yet, despite his obvious links to the Russian government which are considered embarrassing by many Germans, Schröder has recently made a comeback among Germany’s Social Democrats, or SPD. The former chancellor was applauded by party members during a rare campaign speech at a party convention in June. ‘What happens in the U.S. needs to be openly and harshly criticized,’ said Schröder in the speech, during which he did not mention alleged Russian election interference, the conflict in Ukraine or Russian human rights abuses… he went on to criticize the United States’ ‘monstrous’ political influence, and he urged Germans to ignore Trump’s demands to spend at least 2 percent of GDP on defense. There was long applause for his remarks, which implied the need to improve relations with Russia…

“Schröder’s rehabilitation also fits in with the traditional patterns of German politics. ‘Germans on the left and the far right have always had a weak spot for Moscow — [perhaps because] the relationship seemed to be on more equal footing than with the U.S. which remains the only superpower,’ said Bierling, the Regensburg international politics professor. ‘If Putin had not invaded Crimea and eastern Ukraine, many Germans would see him as a natural ally in times of transatlantic estrangement.’

“Indeed, the current anti-Putin sentiment in Germany might not last forever. With global confidence in the U.S. in free-fall due to the Trump administration’s policies, Schröder and other pro-Russian voices in Germany are finding it easier again to defend Putin, said Bierling — and so, too, are many Germans finding it easier to forgive and forget when it comes to their former leader.”

The hate/love relationship between Russia and Germany has deep historical roots, reaching all the way back to the Kaisers and the Tsars. Friendly cooperation was replaced with actions of war, and vice versa. In more recent times, World War II followed the Hitler-Stalin Pact of “non-aggression” in 1939; and the Iron Curtain and the Berlin Wall separated both countries for many years. Now, with anti-Americanism growing in Germany, a friendly relationship with Russia might be temporarily restored, but the Bible tells us that ultimately, nuclear war will break out between Russia and Europe under German leadership.

Martin Schulz Turns His Ire to Trump

Newsmax wrote on August 13:

“German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s chief rival, Social Democrat Martin Schulz, slammed U.S. President Donald Trump and said he still stands a chance to win the election despite polls showing him trailing six weeks ahead of the contest. Schulz said he wouldn’t criticize Merkel’s approach to a possible nuclear conflict over North Korea, saying German political parties should stand together.

“Instead, he turned his ire to Trump, saying the U.S. leader was responsible for sowing chaos at home and abroad, referring to a white nationalists’ demonstration in Virginia over the weekend. ‘I certainly won’t exploit a crisis that this completely irresponsible man in the White House has produced, both in the U.S. — take a look at these Nazi demonstrations — as well on the international level,’ Schulz told broadcaster ZDF on Sunday…

“Schulz declined to be drawn out on whether the Social Democrats would agree again to join a Merkel-led government, insisting that he shouldn’t be ruled out as the next chancellor…”

We will see.

Germany’s “Far-Right” AfD Third-Largest Party?

The Local wrote on August 15:

“The Alternative for Germany (AfD) have their nose ahead of the other minor parties in Germany, putting them on course to become the third largest party in the Bundestag after September’s election… [A new poll] found that the far-right AfD are on course to win 10 percent of the vote at the September 24th vote. That would put them in third place behind the Social Democrats (SPD) on 25 percent and Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU) on 37 percent. The far-right party, who were set up in 2013 and have recently built popularity on their staunch criticism of Merkel’s refugee policies, are only just ahead of the competition, though. The pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) are set to win 9 percent of the vote, as are Die Linke (The Left Party)… The Green party meanwhile lags behind on 7 percent.

“If the AfD were to become the third largest party in the Bundestag it would act as a lightning bolt striking German politics, where conservative votes have been hoovered up by the CDU and their Bavarian sister party the CSU throughout the postwar period. The AfD have caused public outrage on several occasions, with leaders being accused of anti-Semitism, racism and even Nazi sympathies based on comments they have made in public and private.

“But Merkel’s decision to open the country’s borders to refugees from Syria and other war-torn countries proved unpopular with many conservative voters. Meanwhile a string of terrorist attacks and mass sexual assaults in Cologne and other cities during New Year 2015/16 soured the public mood towards asylum seekers, providing the AfD with a string of state election successes in 2016. If the AfD were to win 10 percent of the vote it would complicate coalition building after the election, as all the other parties have ruled out building a coalition with them.

“The two most likely options for a coalition would be a repeat of the current SPD/CDU/CSU alliance, or a so-called Jamaica coalition, which would be made up of the CDU/CSU plus the Greens and the FDP. The creation of a Jamaica coalition would be a historic moment, as it has never been formed on the national level…”

Terrorism in Spain

The Telegraph wrote on August 18:

“Terror returned to the streets of Europe on Thursday when a van ploughed into a crowd of people in Barcelona, killing at least 13 and injuring more than 100 others. Footage of the scene showed dozens of bodies sprawled across the pavement in Las Ramblas, a street popular with tourists. Two men, one Spanish and one Moroccan, were arrested but police said the driver of the van was still at large.

“On the early hours of Friday morning, in the town of Cambrils, 70 miles away, police said they were dealing with a ‘possible terrorist attack’.  Police later said they had killed four terror suspects. One suspect was injured. Police said the suspects were thought to have been plotting a similar attack to Barcelona.

“Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) claimed responsibility for the Barcelona attack as Joaquim Forn, Catalonia’s police chief, warned: ‘Unfortunately the number of fatalities will likely rise.’”

How Britain Capitalized on the Iraq War With Sales of Weapon

The Guardian wrote on August 12:

“The British government saw Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait as an ‘unparalleled opportunity’ to sell arms to Gulf states, according to recently declassified secret documents… the UK won £6bn of arms deals in 2016 – representing 9% of the global market. Half of the total value was to the Middle East. Over 10 years, the report ranks Britain as the second biggest arms dealer in the world behind the US…”

Britain and the US should be ashamed of themselves… as this is true for all countries which capitalize on the sale of weapons to warring nations.

More Talks on a European Army

Express wrote on August 14:

“GERMANY and France will quickly take great strides towards the militarisation of the European Union now that Britain is set to leave the club, Emmanuel Macron’s former defence advisor has predicted. Fancois Heisbourg, who advised the new French president before his election victory, said… he expected ‘surprising’ developments in the drive to establish greater EU military forces after Angela Merkel’s expected victory in the German general election next month.

“France under Mr Macron is pushing for a significant ratcheting up of European defence integration, including the creation of a multi-billion euro EU defence fund and new military headquarters.”

The Coming Europe—One Sovereign State without Borders?

Express wrote on August 16:

“A panel of experts discussing the current political climate in Poland, told a political discussion show that instability in the nation was caused by the EU’s goal to deprive Europe of its independence.

“Krzysztof Karoń, Polish publicist… said: ‘In March this year the European Commission signed its white paper, which was dubbed the Rome Declaration… It is written in the programme that ‘the first goal is to erase borders dividing Europe into sovereign states’ and that ‘every single undertaking must be verified under this first point’…

“His comments were mirrored by Stanisław Michalkiewicz, a lawyer and political commentator, who tore into the EU by accusing it of being a ‘Fourth Reich’… ‘With the use of European institutions it heads towards the dissolution of countries and nations, but even when that happens, someone will have to steer the European Union.’ Mr Michalkiewicz went on to say that he believed, it is Germany’s goal to take over leadership as the EU’s ‘political director’…”

We read in the book of Revelation that ten European powers will give their authority to a coming charismatic political and military leader—the beast, who will be of German or Austrian descent.

Son of Sam Killer Surrendered to Satan

Time wrote on August 12:

“The ‘Son of Sam’ killer who terrorized New York 40 years ago says he thought he was doing something ‘to appease the devil’… [and] that he ‘surrendered to those very dark forces’ when he killed six people and wounded seven. Thursday was the 40th anniversary of Berkowitz’s Aug. 10, 1977 arrest… The 64-year-old Berkowitz is now a born-again Christian…

“Berkowitz [was asked] what he would say to his 23-year-old self. Berkowitz says he would tell himself to ‘turn around before it’s too late because destruction is coming.’”

Many capital crimes are directly influenced by Satan and his demons, even though most people don’t realize this and scoff at this fact.

Pope Francis Warns against Astrology and Fortune Telling

The website of catholic.org wrote on August 14:

“The August 21 solar eclipse will be visible mostly in the United States, but it’s impact is already being noticed around the world. It’s fueling an interest in astrology and fortune telling… People are flocking to astrologers and fortune tellers to find meaning in the event…

“A solar eclipse is the product of the Moon passing in front of the Sun from the perspective of a person on the surface of the Earth. There is no meaning beyond this.

“Yet, astrologers are enjoying renewed interest in their trade. Scientific experiments have proved that there is no connection between what happens in the heavens to what happens in our daily lives. And fortune tellers have repeatedly been exposed as hoaxes, performing cold readings and other tricks to convince customers they are real. [Our remark: Not all fortune tellers are hoaxes. Some are clearly influenced, if not possessed, by demons.]

“The Bible provides a warning against entertaining these deceptive practices. In fact, the Old Testament suggests harsh penalties for people who engage [in] fortune telling… Christians should… shy away from astrology and fortune telling… they are also distractions from what Christians ought to trust, which is Jesus Christ.

“Pope Francis reminded audiences on Sunday when he said, ‘When we do not cling to the Word of the Lord, but consult horoscopes and fortune tellers, we begin to sink.’ Pope Francis connected his comment to the Gospel reading in which Peter began to sink in the water but was saved by Christ. The word of God, Pope Francis said, is ‘like an outstretched rope to cling to in front of the hostile and turbulent waters.’…”

Pope Francis is correct. Astrology, horoscopes and fortune telling are wrong and must be avoided by true Christians.

Tropical Diseases Transported to Europe

The EUObserver wrote on August 9:

“Asian Tiger mosquito and Yellow Fever mosquito species are now present in parts of Europe thanks to warmer temperatures, bringing the risk of tropical diseases with them… Italy saw the first locally acquired case of ‘chikungunya’ in Europe, with over 200 individuals affected. Chikungunya causes fever and severe joint pain that is often debilitating and can vary in duration. There have also been cases of ‘dengue fever’ in France, Madeira, and Croatia. Dengue causes bleeding, low levels of blood platelets and plasma, joint pain, and fever. And the first EU cases of ‘West Nile fever’ were detected in Italy and Romania in 2016…

“It is thought that the invasion of the foreign mosquito species occurred when eggs were contained within bamboo imports to Europe, and in standing water found within imported vehicle tires… European doctors are not familiar enough with the diseases to diagnose them when patients have symptoms. The patient can, due to late or misdiagnosis, become much sicker before the appropriate treatment begins. A further challenge for healthcare systems is that the diseases concerned are transmissible by blood.

“The region of Ravenna, Italy, that saw the Chikungunya outbreak in 2007, suspended blood donations in the affected area to reduce the risk of transmission through blood transfusion… donations of blood by those who have travelled to an endemic region for tropical diseases, like malaria, would be refused for a period of months after their return as a precaution… malaria kills more than half a million victims worldwide every year. Around 40 percent of the world’s population is exposed to this disease, and 250 million cases are reported annually. The growing number of cases in Europe provide important lessons for healthcare systems on how… migration, travel and insect disease factors fit into that picture.”

The Bible speaks of worldwide disease epidemics in the not-too-distant future (Matthew 24:7; Luke 21:11).

“Lucifer” Fueling Wasp and Bee Attacks in Europe

 Motherboard wrote on August 12:

“A lethal heat wave is plaguing parts of Europe, and it’s so intense that meteorologists are calling it ‘Lucifer.’ The heat wave is fuelling wildfires, shutting down tourist attractions, and being blamed for causing heart attacks. But as if that isn’t enough, Romanians also have to worry about Lucifer fueling wasp and bee attacks.

“According to local Romanian news sources, seven people swimming in a river were rushed to the hospital this week after being attacked by what eyewitnesses claim were wasps. Three victims reportedly went into anaphylactic shock, and one of them later died. Local sources claim that dozens of other attacks have taken place over the past couple of weeks, including a severe attack on a 19-year-old…

“Oriental hornets are notorious for attacking humans… Oriental hornets are a seasonal species—meaning the colony dies off in the winter, and the surviving queen bees start new colonies the following spring. So more queen bees making it through the winter means you can expect more colonies…”

Even wild animals will become more and more hostile towards mankind. Note Revelation 6:8, describing the effects of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse as follows: “And power was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword, with hunger, with death, and by the beasts of the earth.”

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.